Hong Kong: Xia Baolong hears chambers' views

Chief Executive John Lee today said CPC Central Committee Hong Kong & Macao Work Office Director and State Council Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Director Xia Baolong held a meeting with about 40 representatives of local and foreign chambers of commerce to listen to their views.

The exchange between Mr Xia and the chamber representatives this afternoon lasted for more than 1.5 hours.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Mr Lee said: Chamber representatives commented on a wide range of subjects and issues such as the economic development of Hong Kong; integration with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the development of China; access to the GBA; convenience to gain access to both the GBA market and the overall Mainland market; regional co-operation with Southeast Asian countries and Middle East countries; tourism; attraction of foreign investments and how to capitalise on the strengths of Hong Kong in areas such as education, I&T (innovation and technology), culture and using Hong Kong as the aviation hub.

The study team attaches great importance to the status of Hong Kong as an international city and wants to hear the views of local and foreign chambers.

The Chief Executive pointed out that the chambers and their members have been in Hong Kong for many years and are therefore, familiar with the city's economic situation and business environment as well as possess a good grasp of the global economy and its potential direction in the year.

He added that their experience, belief in Hong Kong and open exchange of views were appreciated by the study team.

Mr Lee stressed: Hong Kong, let me be clear, will continue to serve as an international financial centre and global city. We will continue to leverage Hong Kong's 'one country, two systems' framework, enjoying the unwavering support of the motherland, while being closely connected to the world at large.

This story has been published on: 2024-02-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Chinese prosecutors step up efforts to encourage healthy growth of enterprises

Xinhua) 08:08, February 26, 2024

BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme People's Procuratorate has issued an action plan on the launch of a special campaign focusing on the protection of enterprises, aiming to facilitate the healthy growth of Chinese enterprises.

The campaign, running from February to December, features 14 key measures, including severe punishment for crimes that undermine fair competition, severe punishment for corruption within private enterprises, a special crackdown on "shell companies," and better protection of the property rights of private enterprises.

In response to internal management issues reflected in judicial cases involving enterprises, the plan requires procuratorial organs at all levels to encourage and guide private enterprises to strengthen their own compliance development, thereby promoting the healthy growth of private enterprises and private entrepreneurs.

It also emphasizes using cases to help interpret laws and increasing publicity of the rule of law to guide private entrepreneurs and employees in enhancing legal awareness.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Hitting out at the opposition over the murder of Indian National Lok Dal (INDL) chief Nafe Singh Rathee, Bharatiya Janata Party Chief Spokesperson Jawahar Yadav on Sunday said that parties should not do politics over somebody's death and efforts should be directed to ensure that the accused are caught as soon as possible. Haryana Indian National Lok Dal's (INLD) chief Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead on Sunday by some unidentified assailants near the railway crossing at Bhadurgarh in Haryana's Jhajjar district. Jawahar Yadav said that the government understands the seriousness of the matter and is taking the appropriate actions. "I feel the Opposition should not do politics over somebody's death. Our efforts should be directed to ensure that the accused are caught as soon as possible. The police are doing their work. We understand the seriousness of it...STF has already begun investigation. Strict action will be taken against the accused. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal doesn't refrain from doing politics during such situations. I am not aware of any demand for security for him (Nafe Singh Rathee)," he said. Further, hitting out at the Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, Jawahar Yadav said that nobody takes him seriously in Haryana. "Nobody takes Randeep Surjewala seriously in Haryana. All that he does is make statements. Those responsible for this murder will not be spared. The police are doing their work. I don't wish to count the number of murders that happened during Deepender Hooda or Randeep Surjewala's time. I simply want to assure that the accused will be arrested and punished," he asserted. Meanwhile, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said that officials have been instructed to take immediate action in the murder of Haryana Indian National Lok Dal's (INLD) chief Nafe Singh Rathee. "I have asked the officials to take immediate action in this matter. STF has also swung into action. The incident is being investigated," Anil Vij told ANI. AAP Haryana President Sushil Gupta said, "Law and Order has ended in Haryana... We have received info from Jhajjar. The Haryana INLD president Nafe Singh and his associates have been shot dead. No one is safe in this state safe. Businessmen are shot and then extorted, politicians are shot dead on roads... Will the state uphold the rule of law, or the CM will continue to be busy with election rallies?" (ANI)
Union Minister Rajnath Singh will reach Lucknow today to attend the inauguration ceremony of a world-class Gomti Nagar railway station and several other projects. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation around 2000 railway infrastructure projects worth more than Rs. 41,000 crores on February 26 via video conferencing. "I shall be in Lucknow today to attend the inauguration ceremony of a world-class Gomti Nagar railway station and several other projects. PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate the new Gomti Nagar Railway Station and 2000 other Railway infrastructure projects spread across the country. It is going to be a historic day in the history of Indian Railways," Union Minister Rajnath Singh posted on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Gomti Nagar station in Uttar Pradesh which has been redeveloped at a total cost of around Rs 385 crore. To cater to the increased future passenger footfall, this station has segregated arrival and departure facilities. It integrates both sides of the city. This centrally air-conditioned station has modern passenger amenities like air Concourse, congestion-free circulation, food courts and ample parking space in the upper and lower basements. The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 553 railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. "These stations, spread across 27 states and Union Territories, will be redeveloped at a cost of over Rs. 19,000 crores. These stations will act as 'City Centers', integrating both sides of the city. They will have modern passenger amenities like a roof plaza, beautiful landscaping, intermodal connectivity, an improved modern facade, a kids play area, kiosks, food courts, etc. They will be redeveloped as environment friendly and also Divyang friendly. The design of these station buildings will be inspired by local culture, heritage and architecture," the official release said. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation 1500 road bridges and underpasses. These road overbridges and underpasses are spread across 24 states and Union Territories, the total cost of these projects is around Rs. 21,520 crores. These projects will reduce congestion, enhance safety and connectivity, and improve capacity, and efficiency of rail travel. (ANI)
During the event on Sunday, he interacted with women beneficiaries over the schemes undertaken by the central government.

He also visited a few beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana at their homes.

Pradhan also participated in the inaugural programme of the 'Prichaya National Tribal Festival' organised by the Sa-Prichaya Foundation at Ukuthapalli in Sambalpur.

He lauded the Foundation for organising such a grand festival in Sambalpur.

"Thanks to the Foundation for organising such a grand festival in a culturally rich city like Sambalpur, promoting the products produced and prepared by the tribals and making them financially independent," the Union Minister said in a post on X.

He also commended the work undertaken by the PM Modi-led government for the welfare of the tribal community in the state.

"In the past ten years, the amount of work done for the development of the tribal society during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's regime has never been done before. Specially for Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of Odisha, Paudi Bhuyan, Kadhya Bhunjia, Bondo and Mankdia, have been included in the Scheduled Tribes list, giving them their constitutional rights," the post mentioned.

"To provide quality education and many facilities to the tribal students, 700 independent residential schools have been set up in the country and more than 100 in Odisha. Modi's guarantee is about tribal development. Introduction - Visitors to the National Tribal Festivals promote Vocals for Local and buy products made by tribals. A developed India will be possible only if the tribal society grows," he added.

During his visit to Sambalpur, Pradhan unveiled a statue of Odia freedom fighter Shaheed Madhu Gartia at Jujumara in Sambalpur.

He also hailed Gartia's contributions to the country's freedom fight. (ANI)
Once again raising his voice against the Agnipath Scheme, Congress leader Sachin Pilot expressed concerns about the future of armed forces personnel retiring after four years of service and accused the centre of "toying" with the recruitment process of armed forces. In June 2022, the government rolled out the Agnipath recruitment scheme for short-term induction of personnel into the armed forces, intending to bring down the age profile of the three services. It provides for recruiting youths between the age bracket of 17-and-a-half years and 21 years for four years, with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years. "Basically, there is nothing certain about the future of people who will retire after four years of service - at a young age. They won't get a pension and half of the gratuity of Rs 11 Lakhs is being deducted from their salary. So, in the name of cost-cutting, we are toying with the recruitment process of our armed forces," said Pilot while addressing a press conference on Monday. Further, Pilot also mentioned that Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge had written a letter to the president of India highlighting the "injustice" done to the youth of India. "There is no match for the Indian armed forces' valour and hard work. We are one of the finest fighting forces in the world. Our Army and defence forces are second to none. But their valour, strength, dedication to the nation should be regarded and respected for future generations...I think the Government did this in haste and we oppose it. Party's national president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to the President," added Pilot. Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday wrote a letter to President Droupadi Murmu highlighting the "gross injustice" done to the country's youths seeking regular employment in the armed forces due to the Agnipath scheme and urged her to ensure justice for them being the supreme commander of Armed forces. Almost two lakh young men and women were informed that they had been accepted into the three armed services: the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force, said Kharge in his letter. Until 31 May 2022, they believed that they had fulfilled their dreams and were awaiting only their joining letters. On that day, their dreams were shattered by the Government of India's decision to end this recruitment process and replace it with the Agnipath Scheme, added the letter. (ANI)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma pledged on Monday that he will not allow child marriages in Assam as long as he is alive. He also challenged his political opponents, saying, "I would like to challenge you politically, I will shut down this shop before 2026." "Hear me carefully, as long as I am alive, I will not let child marriage take place in Assam. I will not let this happen as long as Himanta Biswa Sarma is alive...I would like to challenge you politically, I will shut down this shop before 2026.," he said. The Assam CM said this during his assembly address. The State Cabinet on Friday approved the Assam Repealing Ordinance, 2024, for repealing the British-era Marriage and Divorce Act specific to Muslims. After the repeal of the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act 1935, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that the Muslim women of the state will get relief from "torture and exploitation," adding that the act will also help to end child marriage. Addressing the media in Nagaon, CM Sarma said that his government will launch another drive against child marriage in the state after the Lok Sabha election. "The torture, and exploitation that has been going on against Muslim mothers for so long will be ended with this bill. The Prime Minister ended triple talaq. But in Assam only because of this act, a Kazi would not have been faulted if he had registered the marriage of a below 18-year-old girl and he had gotten bail from the court. Now to give talaq will not be easy after the repeal of this act and there will no no registration of marriage below 18 years old girl," Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Talking about child marriage, the Assam Chief Minister said that, many people were arrested who did child marriage and some of them got imprisonment of 10-15 years. "After the Lok Sabha election, one more drive against child marriage will be conducted in Assam. I will completely end the issue before 2026," the Assam Chief Minister said. AIMIM and other parties have criticised the Assam CM for repealing the Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act. AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi said, "Now, the BJP people have come, saying that they will bring reforms in Islam. No, you don't want to bring reforms. You want to implement Hindutva. What is India's culture? India is a country where people follow several religions and some people are atheists. Thousands of languages are spoken here, not just one." (ANI)
The BJP manifesto committee meeting is underway at the BJP extension office in Delhi, where the party's National General Secretary (Organisation), BL Santosh, is presiding over the meeting. Convenors and co-convenors of the BJP's manifesto committee are included from all across the country. National General Secretary Tarun Chug and Sunil Bansal, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and ministers of some states are also presiding over the meeting. During the meeting, feedback from manifesto teams across the country will be taken and then included in the party's manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, BJP held the core group meeting of five states on Saturday at the party headquarters in New Delhi. The meeting was led by BJP National President JP Nadda in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and Organization General Secretary BL Santosh. First of all, the meeting of the Uttar Pradesh Core Group was organized. During this meeting, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda, Organization General Secretary BL Santosh, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Brijesh Pathak, UP Organization Minister Dharampal Singh and others were present. According to sources, in the meeting held regarding UP, there was a discussion regarding the lost seats. A special strategy was made for the Rae Bareli and Mainpuri seats. There was also a discussion regarding MLC elections. In the second phase, the West Bengal Core Group meeting was organized. State President Sukanta Majumdar, Suvendu Adhikari and others were present at this meeting. In the third phase, a meeting of the Telangana Core Group was called. In this meeting, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, D.K. Aruna, Dr K. Lakshan, Bandi Sanjay and Atla Rajendra were present. In the fourth phase, a meeting of the Chhattisgarh Core Group was called. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo and other leaders were present at this meeting. There was a discussion about new faces in the meeting. In the fifth phase, a meeting of the Rajasthan Core Group was called. The meeting took place at the Delhi BJP headquarters for more than an hour. The meeting was held in the presence of JP Nadda and Amit Shah. (ANI)
Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to ensure that 'Nyay and justice' is done to youth aspiring to join the forces with regard to the Agnipath scheme. Kharge claimed that due to the ending of the regular recruitment process and 'imposing' the Agnipath Scheme for the Armed Forces, the Centre has put the future of almost two lakh young men and women in uncertainty. In his letter addressed to the President, Kharge said, "Recently, I met them and they told me that between 2019 and 2022, almost two lakh young men and women were informed that they had been accepted into the three armed services: the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force. These young men and women had struggled against all odds to pass gruelling mental and physical tests and a written exam." "Until May 31, 2022, they believed that they had fulfilled their dreams and were awaiting only their joining letters. On that day, their dreams were shattered by the Government of India's decision to end this recruitment process and replace it with the Agnipath Scheme," he said. He claimed that there are 'many well-known issues' with the Agnipath scheme. "There are many well-known issues with the Agnipath Scheme. Former Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane has written that the Army was "taken by surprise" by Agnipath and that "for the Navy and Air Force, it came like a bolt from the blue," as the letter mentioned. He further called the scheme 'discriminatory' among Jawans. "Furthermore, the scheme is discriminatory among our jawans by creating parallel cadres of soldiers who are expected to work on similar tasks, but with very different emoluments, benefits, and prospects. The majority of Agniveers will be released into an uncertain job market after four years of service, which some have argued could affect social stability," the letter stated. The Congress chief further claimed that the uncertainty in the process has resulted in many youths ending their lives due to 'frustration'. "Not only did they spend years in pursuit of this dream, but the 250 each of 50 lakh applicants had to pay to collect and the application form was never refunded, which amounts to a hefty 125 crore taken from these youngsters. The resulting frustration and hopelessness have even led to several reported deaths by suicide," Kharge said. "Our youth cannot be allowed to suffer in this manner. I appeal to you to ensure that NYAY and justice is done," he added. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also shared Kharge's letter in a post on X, extending support to the 'military candidates'. "We are with them in the fight for justice for the military candidates who are full of patriotism and bravery," Gandhi said in the post. "Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's letter written to the President regarding the 2 lakh youth who were selected in the armed forces even after hard penance and were not appointed and the Agniveer Yojana," he said in the post along with Kharge's letter. Earlier this month, Congress MP Manickam Tagore gave an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha seeking a discussion on the appointment of 1.5 lakh youth selected for the defence forces between 2019 and 2022. Tagore said that the delay in their appointment has led to distress, and the deadlock should be resolved immediately. Tagore also sought the reinstatement of the "old recruitment system," as it was more effective than the newly launched Agnitpath scheme. Agnipath Yojana is a recruitment scheme for Indian youth to serve in the Armed Forces. The scheme is called Agnipath and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as Agniveers. According to a government release, under the scheme, the Agniveers will be enrolled in the Forces under the respective Service Acts for a period of four years. They would form a distinct rank in the Armed Forces, different from any other existing ranks. Upon the completion of four years of service, based on organisational requirements and policies promulgated by the Armed Forces from time to time, Agniveers will be offered an opportunity to apply for permanent enrolment in the Armed Forces. Up to 25 per cent of each specific batch of Agniveers will be enrolled in a regular cadre of the Armed Forces, the release stated. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing agitation for Maratha reservation by activist Manoj Jarange Patil, Maharashtra Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar appealed to Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil to protest peacefully, stating that he (Manoj Patil) should ensure that no one is harmed, and the law and order should be maintained. Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar further said, "Everyone knows who groomed Manoj Jarange Patil, whose people used to go to Manoj Patil, whose OSD used to meet Manoj Patil. Maharshtra government ministers used to meet the activists. What they have sown, they are reaping." Meanwhile, Maratha Manoj Jarange Patil claimed that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was conspiring to eliminate him (Manoj Patil) by poisoning him with saline. In a reply to the Manoj Patil claim, Maharashtra BJP Chief Ashish Shelar said that soon Maratha society itself will reveal the real face of Manoj Jarange Patil. Earlier, Maratha protestors set a state transport bus on fire at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Tirthpuri city, Ambad taluka, an official said on Monday. Consequently, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has filed a police complaint and suspended bus services in Jalna until further notice. "Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation has stopped ferrying its buses in Jalna till further notice. A police complaint has been filed by MSRTC's Ambad Depot Manager in a local police station after a bus was allegedly torched by Maratha Agitators," MSRTC said. The Maratha community had been protesting against the state government on the issue of the Maratha reservation for several years. Earlier this month, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (lower house) unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill tabled, which intended to extend 10 per cent reservation to Marathas above the 50 per cent cap. Refusing to call off his hunger strike even after the adoption of the quota bill in the Assembly on February 20, Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil demanded that the NDA government implement the 'Sage Soyare' (Family tree) ordinance notification within two days, failing which the majority community in the state will launch a fresh round of agitation on February 24. Patil, who had been at the front and centre of the protests demanding reservation for Marathas in government jobs and education, said the bill guaranteeing 10 per cent reservation for the community falls short of fulfilling their demands. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ashok Chavan questioned the need to continue the agitation even when all his demands had been fulfilled. "He (Manoj Jarange Patil) knows why he is agitating? What we are saying is that when the government has fulfilled all his demands by bringing this law, then there is no need for agitation," Chavan said. (ANI)
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and the Department of Posts (DoP) to amplify its voter outreach and awareness efforts ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. The MoU was signed today in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Arun Goel. Vineet Pandey Secretary, Department of Posts Sunil Mehta, Chief Executive, IBA, and other officials from the Department of Posts, IBA, and ECI were also present on the occasion. According to an ECI release, the initiative is in continuation of ECI's untiring efforts to enhance electoral awareness in the country. As part of the MoU, IBA and DoP with its members and affiliated institutions/units will extend support in promoting voter education through their extensive network on a probono basis, employing various interventions to empower citizens with knowledge about their electoral rights, processes, and steps for registration and voting. Members and affiliated institutions/units will display voter education messages prominently on their websites, directing visitors to learn more about the electoral process, the release said. Voter education content will be disseminated through various promotional channels such as social media and customer outreach platforms of member institutions, ensuring widespread awareness among stakeholders and the public. Voter education messages will be displayed in the form of posters, flex, and hoardings at office infrastructure/premises at major locations, reaching customers at key touchpoints. According to the release, all member institutions under IBA and DoP will establish Voter Awareness Fora to engage employees and customers in discussions and initiatives related to voter education. Sensitize about training module on SVEEP in the regular orientation Programmes of employees of IBA and DoP. The Department of Posts will affix a special cancellation stamp (bearing voter education messages) on the postal articles. Despite successfully managing and conducting elections by the Election Commission over the years in fair and peaceful way along with a significant increase in participation of the electors, there is also a concern that around 30 crore electors (out of 91 crore), did not cast their votes in General Election to Lok Sabha 2019. The voting percentage was 67.4 per cent, which the Commission has taken as a challenge to improve upon. Through concerted efforts, both organizations are committed to fostering a culture of informed and active participation in the electoral process, the release stated ECI had recently signed an MoU with the Ministry of Education to formally integrate electoral literacy into the educational curriculum of schools and colleges. (ANI)
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 553 railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, including Gomti Nagar Railway Station in Lucknow, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. "PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone (of projects). This is a special day for the people of Lucknow that Gomti Nagar Railway Station is ready as a global-scale railway station. It was inaugurated by PM Modi today. I congratulate the PM as well as the Railway Minister..." said Union Minister Rajnath Singh. On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated, laid the foundation stone, and dedicated to the nation over 2000 railway infrastructure projects worth around Rs 41,000 crore. Addressing the event, PM Modi called it a symbol of the work culture of 'New India'. "Today's programme is symbolic of New India's work ethic. Now, India works with an unprecedented speed and scale. Parting ways with small aspirations, today's India has moved on to dreaming big and realising those dreams at the earliest," the Prime Minister said. He further affirmed his confidence in returning for the third term of the government. "Today, the foundation stone for more than two thousand projects related to railways has been laid and inaugurated. Right now, the third term of this government is going to start in June. The scale and speed with which work has started is surprising everyone," he said. According to a government release, these stations, spread across 27 states and Union Territories, will be redeveloped at a cost of over Rs 19,000 crore. These stations will act as 'City Centres', integrating both sides of the city. Speaking on occasion, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw thanked the Prime Minister for the projects, vowing to transform the industry. Further, PM Modi inaugurated Gomti Nagar station in Uttar Pradesh, which has been redeveloped at a total cost of around Rs 385 crore. To cater to the increased future passenger footfall, this station has segregated arrival and departure facilities. It integrates both sides of the city. This centrally air-conditioned station has modern passenger amenities like air concourse, congestion-free circulation, food courts and ample parking space in the upper and lower basement, a government release said. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation 1500 road bridges and underpasses. These road overbridges and underpasses are spread across 24 states and Union Territories, the total cost of these projects is around Rs 21,520 crore. These projects will reduce congestion, enhance safety and connectivity, and improve the capacity, and efficiency of rail travel. (ANI)
A day before the voting for the Rajya Sabha polls, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to hold a meeting with leaders of parties in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow on Monday evening. The meeting will be held at 7 pm under the chairmanship of CM Yogi to provide an overview of the strategy and preparations for the Rajya Sabha elections. Later, all NDA MLAs will have dinner with CM Yogi at Lok Bhawan. Meanwhile, on preparations for the Rajya Sabha Elections, the supervisor of Naveen Bhawan, Durvesh Singh, said that all preparations are complete. "All preparations are complete and have been thoroughly checked by the Vidhan Sabha team and the Election Commission. The voting will be held between 9 am to 5 pm," he added. Moreover, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has also called for dinner with party MLAs at the party office in Uttar Pradesh. The Election Commission has scheduled the Rajya Sabha elections for 15 states, including Uttar Pradesh, for February 27. Earlier, all 11 nominations made for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh were found valid, a press release from the Joint Secretary and Assistant Returning Officer of the Vidhan Sabha read. The seven candidates fielded by the BJP are former Union Minister RPN Singh, former MP Chaudhary Tejveer Singh, general secretary of the party's Uttar Pradesh unit Amarpal Maurya, former state minister Sangeeta Balwant (Bind), party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, former MLA Sadhna Singh and former Agra mayor Naveen Jain. But with the BJP fielding Sanjay Seth as its eighth candidate, a keen contest is on the cards in one of the seats. The SP has fielded actor MP Jaya Bachchan, retired IAS officer Alok Ranjan, and Ramji Lal Suman. To get elected to the Rajya Sabha from UP, a candidate needs nearly 37 first preference votes, an official said. The term for Rajya Sabha MPs is six years, and elections are held after every two years for 33 per cent of the seats. Currently, the Rajya Sabha has a strength of 245 members. Voting for the 10 Rajya Sabha seats will be held on Tuesday and the results will be announced the same day. The results of the elections will be announced on the same day, February 27. The Election Commission has announced the biennial Rajya Sabha polls for 56 seats, as the tenure of incumbents ends in April. Out of the total 245 members, out of which 233 are representatives of the States and Union territories of Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir (w.e.f. 31.10. 2019) and 12 are nominated by the President. Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in the country, the outcome of the polls to the Rajya Sabha is likely to have an impact in the politically crucial state. (ANI)
The Yogi Adityanath government will provide solar pumps for the year 2024-25 to more than 54,000 farmers of Uttar Pradesh at subsidised rates under the PM-KUSUM Scheme. Farmers from all 18 divisions, divided into three sets of six divisions each, will need to apply online for the subsidised solar pumps by visiting the link 'www.agriculture.up.gov.in' and depositing a token amount of Rs 5000 from February 27 to 29, the Chief Minister's office said in a press release. A total of nine types of solar pumps will be available to the farmers at subsidised rates, with grants provided by both the Central and State Governments. Registration on the department's website is mandatory for farmers benefiting from the scheme. On the opening of registrations on February 27, farmers from the districts falling under Chitrakoot Dham, Varanasi, Meerut, Prayagraj, Bareilly, and Kanpur divisions will be able to apply online continuously from 12 noon while those belonging to Saharanpur, Moradabad, Ayodhya, Lucknow, Mirzapur and Basti divisions can apply on February 28. Farmers from Agra, Jhansi, Aligarh, Gorakhpur, Azamgarh and Devipatan divisions will be able to apply under the scheme on February 29. "The combined cost of 2 HP DC and AC surface pumps amounts to Rs. 1,71,716, of which the state government and the central government have pledged the subsidies of Rs. 59,291 and Rs. 43,739 respectively, totaling a subsidy of Rs. 1,03,030, while the token amount of Rs 5000 for registration and the remaining Rs. 63,686 are payable by the farmers," the Chief Minister's office said in a press release. Similarly, for a 2 HP DC submersible pump worth Rs 1,74,541, the state and the central governments will provide subsidies of Rs 60,986, and Rs 43,739, respectively, totalling Rs 1,04,725, while the registration fee of Rs 5000 and the remaining amount of Rs. 64,816 will be settled by farmers. Furthermore, for a 2 HP AC submersible pump, priced at Rs 1,74,073, the state and central governments will provide subsidies of Rs 60,705, and Rs 43,739, respectively, totalling Rs 1,04,444, whereas apart from the token amount of Rs 5,000 the farmers will be required to pay the rest of the amount of Rs 64,629. Along with this, the Yogi government will also provide subsidies to farmers on three to 10 HP submersible pumps. For 3 HP DC submersible pumps, the state and central governments will provide subsidies of Rs 82,476, and Rs 57,157, respectively, totalling Rs 1,39,633. "Additionally, for 3 HP AC submersible pumps, the state and central governments will provide subsidies of Rs 81,110 and Rs 57,157, repectively, totalling Rs 1,38,267. For 5 HP AC submersible pumps, the state and central governments will provide subsidies of Rs 1,08,449 and Rs 88,050, respectively, totalling Rs 1,96,499," the Chief Minister's office further said. Furthermore, for 7.5 and 10 HP AC submersible pumps, the state and the central governments will provide subsidies of Rs 1,47,114, and Rs 1,19,342, respectively, amounting to Rs 2,66,456. (ANI)
The Rouse Avenue Court on Monday reserved the order on cognizance point of Enforcement Directorate's Prosecution Complaint (Chargesheet) filed against Congress MP Karti Chidambaram and others in a money laundering case connected with Chinese Visa case. The Special Judge MK Nagpal on Monday after noting down the submissions of counsel representing the agency, listed the matter for March 16, 2024 for pronouncement of order. The Enforcement Directorate has recently filed a prosecution complaint naming Karti Chidambaram, S Bhaskararaman and several others including several firms names as an accused, said the sources. In the case, Karti Chidambaram had earlier moved an anticipatory bail also in Delhi High Court where ASG SV Raju appeared for Enforcement Directorate orally assured the court that no coercive action till the matter is pending. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal had argued there is no material against the accused. No money laundering case is made out as there is no allegations that any money was given to Karti Chidambaram. If there is no money, it cannot be laundered. Still they registered the ECIR. The accused has joined the investigation and co-operating in the same. Senior Advocate Sibal also argued that the alleged transaction is of 2011 and they registered the case 2022. There is apprehension of arrest as they registered the ECIR within ten days of registration of FIR by CBI. I am named in that ECIR, they can arrest me anytime without even calling me or giving me notice. In the CBI case I have been given protection of 72 hours notice of before arrest. So that I can approach the court, Sibal argued. Earlier he had argued that the value of alleged transaction is of Rs. 50 Lakh, it is less than one crore, in the view of this fact he should be granted bail. On the other hand ASG S V Raju submitted that the bail application is premature as there is no material we have in this case. We will investigate the case. Still they have apprehension of arrest, why do they have so. If no case is made out against them then why they have apprehension. He argued that this application is premature as even no summon issued, only an ECIR registered. Therefore the apprehension of arrest is not genuine. CBI judge M K Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court on June 3, 2022 had dismissed all three applications moved by Karti Chidambaram, S. Bhaskararaman and Vikas Makharia. (ANI)
The House also elected S Toiho Yeptho, an NCP MLA from 33 Suruhuto Assembly Constituency who was the lone MLA to file the nomination, as the new Deputy Speaker.

The List of Business for the first day included an obituary reference to former Governor of Nagaland, late PB Acharya, by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, while Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker Sharingain Longkumer made the obituary reference to Manohar Gajanan Joshi, former Speaker of Lok Sabha and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra; and former members, Hokhato Sena, KK Sangtam and L Khumo.

Moatoshi Longkumer, Advisor for Labour and Employment, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Excise, moved the motion of thanks on the governor's address.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio felicitated the newly elected Deputy Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, S Toiho Yeptho, MLA of Nationalist Congress Party.

The fourth session of the NLA went paperless, with hard copies made available for download on the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) website and mobile app.

Chief Minister Rio, who also holds the portfolio of Finance Minister, will present the budget for the years 2024-25 on the second day of the budget session.

A photoshoot was also held, with the legislators wearing a touch of their own traditional attire.

The five-day budget session will end on March 1. (ANI)
The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Monday announced candidates for four Kerala Lok Sabha seats, nominating senior party leader Annie Raja to contest from the Wayanad constituency, a seat presently held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Notably, Pannian Raveendran has been nominated from Thiruvananthapuram, VS Sunil Kumar from Thrissur, and Arun Kumar from Mavelikara. Congress' Rahul Gandhi is currently the MP from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. The Communist Party of India (CPI) is part of the INDIA bloc, which came into existence to take on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is led by PM Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and prevent it from winning a third straight term at the Centre in the Lok Sabha elections. CPI General Secretary D Raja is also one of the member of Coordination Committee and Election Strategy Committee. Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam said that this is a political battle. "This is a political battle. Personally, I regard Rahul Gandhi as a very good friend, a person with commitment, as a young committed leader of the Congress party, committed to Gandhian and Nehruvian policies, but the point is that while fielding Rahul Gandhi as the candidate from Wayanad, Congress has to answer three political questions," he added. He further asked in this crucial battle of elections, who is the "main enemy of the Congress party, the RSS-led BJP or Left?" "In the INDIA bloc, it is very clear that the main political enemy is the RSS-led BJP. Is the Congress clear about this?" he asked. He further said that, as far as our party and LDF are concerned, our party doesn't care who is the opponent. "We will fight for the cause of secular India. We will fight for the Constitution and Gandhian Nehruvian values. We believe that Rahul Gandhi has the right to contest from any seat," he added. Meanwhile, Kerala has a total of 20 Lok Sabha seats.(ANI)
CM Dhami instructed Chief Wildlife Warden Sameer Sinha to take necessary action in this regard.

The cases of Guldar (leopard) attacks are continuously increasing in Uttarakhand. In the capital Dehradun too, a day before, a 10-year-old child had been mauled to death by a leopard.

Taking a strict stand in this matter, the Chief Minister has now reprimanded the officials of the department.

The Chief Minister summoned the departmental officers to his office located in the Assembly.

During this, Principal Secretary Forest RK Sudhanshu, Chief Forest Conservator Half Anoop Malik and Chief Wildlife Warden Sameer Sinha informed the Chief Minister about this entire incident.

Chief Wildlife Warden ordered to go to the field. In view of such incidents, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed Chief Forest Conservator RK Sudhanshu to monitor the cases daily.

Apart from this, the Chief Wildlife Warden has also been ordered to go to the field himself.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami gave strict instructions to the officers of the department that there should be no loss of life under any circumstances.

Whatever necessary steps should be taken for this. People should be made aware. The Chief Minister said that the Forest Department should work in alert mode to prevent human-wildlife conflict.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also given instructions to send trained QRT (Quick Response Team) to the field immediately.

The Chief Minister has also issued orders to ban foreign tours of forest officers. Amidst these incidents, such tours have been banned. (ANI)
Congress candidates for the posts of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation have moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging the notification for election for February 27, stating that the entire process should start "afresh". The petition has been filed by Gurpreet Singh and Nirmala Devi, who are Congress candidates for the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor, respectively. Advocate Karanbir Singh, representing the Congress candidates, told ANI that they have challenged the notification issued by the Deputy Commissioner that polling for the two posts will be held on February 27. The Supreme Court had declared AAP Councillor Kuldeep Kumar as the winner of the Chandigarh Mayoral polls last week. A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra quashed the decision by Returning Officer Anil Masih through which be declared BJP candidate Manoj Kumar Sonkar as Chandigarh Mayor on January 30. Karanbir Singh said the fresh elections should be held "in a fair and transparent manner" to the two posts. "As per Supreme Court orders, the elections have to be held in accordance with the law and regulations," he said. He also said that the matter will be taken up by the court on Tuesday morning. The Supreme Court last week found that the Returning Officer had on January 30 deliberately defaced eight ballots that were cast in favour of Kuldeep Kumar so as to make them invalid. The apex court had physically examined the ballot papers and found that they are not defaced. It directed that Kuldeep Kumar be declared as mayor with 20 votes (12 votes which he received and 8 which were for him and were defaced by Masih). "The eight votes which were treated as invalid by making those markings... counting the eight votes for the petitioner (AAP candidate Kumar) will make him have 20 votes. We direct that the election result by the Returning Officer is quashed. The petitioner is declared to be the winner of the Chandigarh mayoral polls," the bench had said in its order. The elections for the Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor are to be presided over by Chandigarh Mayor Kuldeep Kumar. Congress and AAP, who are part of INDIA bloc, had reached an understanding under which it was decided that AAP will fight the post of Mayor and Congress of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor (ANI)
Delhi Police have nabbed two robbers with the help of artificial intelligence, said officials. The police said that the accued had allegedly robbed an e-rickshaw driver by giving him drugs in milk. The officials said that the photos of the robbers were developed with the help of AI technologies. According to DCP North, Manoj Meena, on February 15, the complainant, Anil Kumar, a 23-year-old resident of the Industrial Area, Delhi, drove his battery e-rickshaw and came to Inderlok Metro Station. He was waiting for passengers. In the meantime, two boys came there and told him that they had to bring some packing goods from Tulsi Nagar, Inderlok, Delhi, to Inderlok Big Bazar and the fare was fixed at Rs. 100/-, which was lucrative, and they went to Tulsi Nagar. One of them bought three bottles of milk and he gave one bottle of milk to his associate. He further passed it on to the victim, who consumed the milk in good faith. But the victim felt giddy and both of them dropped him from the e-rickshaw at Gurudwara, Inderlok. Both alleged persons attempted to snatch his mobile phone, but they could not succeed. Thereafter, they took out his purse containing documents and cash worth Rs. 2,000, and they also took his e-rickshaw. When the driver/victim, Anil Kumar, became conscious, someone in public shifted him to Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital, Delhi. The victim regained consciousness after three days in the hospital. On February 18, he reached his house and subsequently, he lodged a case under Section 379 IPC at Sarai Rohilla Police Station. During the investigation, with a lot of planning, an intensive operation was carried out at various places in Delhi by the dedicated police team of PS Sarai Rohilla. Technical surveillance was also mounted and human intelligence was put into action to nab the accused persons. Various CCTV cameras installed in the vicinity were checked and analysed. Consequently, it was revealed that two accused persons have committed the offence in the present case. Photographs of both accused persons were extracted from the CCTV footage, but the photographs were not clear. Clear photographs of both accused persons were developed with the help of AI technologies and details of one accused person, "Aman," were obtained with the help of technical surveillance, which revealed that previously, the accused Aman was also found involved in the same type of cases. On November 21, secret information about the mobile number of the accused person, Aman, was received and the location of the mobile phone was taken and the same was found in front of Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi. Immediately, a raiding team was constituted to mount the raid. Thereafter, the location of the mobile number was changed continuously in the areas of Rani Jhansi Road, Paharganj, Ajmeri Gate, Siddhipura, Sadar Bazar, Azad Market Chowk, etc. Ultimately, the valorous police team reached Azad Market and noticed that one person was plying an e-rickshaw and the face of the accused person was matched with the CCTV footage on record. The rickshaw driver, who was identified as Atique, was arrested in the present case, as in this case the CCTV footage clips are on file against him as evidence. He disclosed that Aman was with him, but he went by e-rickshaw and he would meet him at Brahampuri, Delhi. The rickshaw was taken into police possession. Subsequently, a raid was mounted at Brahampuri and the co-accused, identified as Aman, age 23 years, was also apprehended in front of Gali No. 5, Brahampuri, Jafrabad, Delhi, on the same day and he was also arrested in this case. One stolen MI mobile phone was also recovered from his possession and the same was taken into police possession, which is yet to be connected with the crime. During interrogation, both the accused persons, Atique, age 22 years and Aman, age 23 years, disclosed that they had committed the offence of the present case of stealing an e-rickshaw and purse containing cash from the victim on February 15 and dropped him from his e-rickshaw at Gurudwara, Inderlok, Delhi. They further disclosed that they had given 15 tablets of Alprax 0.5 to the victim after mixing the same in milk. Both accused persons further disclosed that just after the commission of the offence of stealing the e-rickshaw from the victim, they had handed over the stolen e-rickshaw to one of their known residents of North-East, Delhi for selling the same and they spent the stolen cash of Rs. 2000/- in their fun & frolic. Both the accused persons were interrogated at length and they accepted their involvement in the commission of various offences of drugging in various parts of Delhi. As regards the recovery of the e-rickshaw, both accused persons revealed that they had stolen this e-rickshaw today by using the same modus operandi, as they had hired it from Ajmeri Gate by giving tablets of Alprax to its driver and the e-rickshaw driver was dropped at Pahari Dheeraj, Sadar Bajar, Delhi and also stole his MI mobile phone. The owner of the e-rickshaw was immediately informed about the incident, but the driver is not traceable till now, however, efforts are being made to trace the victim and to link up the case of stealing the e-rickshaw with MI Mobile Phone. (ANI)
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP-elect Sagarika Ghose said on Monday that the prime suspect in the Sandeshkhali incident, Shahjahan Sheikh, will be arrested by the state police soon adding that those lecturing Bengal must take note of what is happening in BJP ruled states. "There have been multiple attempts from various quarters to politicise the Sandeshkhali issue. Now that the court has clarified that there is no bar to arresting Sheikh Shahjahan. He will be arrested by the state police very soon," Ghose said. Ghose said that allegations that the state government is trying to shield Shahjahan are "completely unfounded" and "baseless." She also warned against giving religious colour to the incidents unfolding at Sandeskhkhali. "There have been attempts to destabilise the government that is "delivery-oriented" by the Bharatiya Janata Party," she said. In an attack on the BJP, Ghose said, "We would like to draw attention to how the BJP handled Manipur and when wrestlers were on the streets of Delhi. What about Lakhimpur Kheri? The Supreme Court had to intervene." Asking the BJP to look into the states where they are in power, Ghose warned them not to "demean Bengal." "Those lecturing on Bengal should see what the BJP did in the states where they are in power. Don't demean Bengal!" she said. Hitting out at National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma, Ghose asked her about the unrest at Manipur. "NCW chief comes here and says to impose President's rule. What did she do in Manipur? She went there after 40 days," she said. Assuring that the perpetrators of violence in Sandeshkhali will be arrested soon, Ghose said, "In Bengal, the government is on the ground, taking all necessary steps to contain the situation. We have already arrested the close aides of Shahjahan and he will also be arrested soon." Sandeshkhali has been on the boil for a few days as a section of women are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides. A large number of women in Sandeshkhali has accused Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of "land-grab and sexual assault" under coercion. Shahjahan continues to evade arrest, with both state police and central agencies unable to trace him. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated and dedicated to the nation around 2,000 railway infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 41,000 crore via video conferencing on Monday. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 553 railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme at a cost of over Rs 19,000 crore. He Inaugurated the redeveloped Gomti Nagar Railway Station The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone and inaugurated 1500 Road Over Bridges and underpasses across the country at a cost of around Rs 21,520 crore. Lakhs of people connected with the Viksit Bharat Viksit Railways event from 500 railway stations and 1500 other venues. Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that the programme is a symbol of the new work culture of New India. "Whatever India does today, it does it at unprecedented speed and scale. We dream big and work tirelessly to realize them. This resolve is visible in this Viksit Bharat Viksit Railway programme", he said. He mentioned the scale that has gained unprecedented momentum recently. PM Modi referred to his Jammu and Gujarat events of the last few days from where he launched massive expansion of education and health sector infrastructure. Similarly, 550 stations in 12 states spread over 300 districts are being revamped under the initiatives announced on Monday. Talking about Gomti Nagar station project in Uttar Pradesh, more than 1500 roads and overbridge projects, PM Modi underlined the scale and speed of the ambition and resolve of new India. The Prime Minister said that projects worth Rs 40,000 crore are seeing the light of day and recalled initiating the Amrit Bharat Station project a few months ago where work to modernize 500 railway stations in the country had begun. He underlined that today's event takes this resolve even further and provides a glimpse of India's pace of progress. Prime Minister Modi congratulated the citizens for the railway projects of today. PM Modi said the youth are real beneficiaries of Viksit Bharat. He said that the development projects will create employment and self-employment opportunities for lakhs of youth, while also benefiting those studying in schools. "Youth have the maximum right to decide how Viksit Bharat will unfold," PM Modi said. He expressed gratitude towards the youth for bringing the dreams of railways in Viksit Bharat to reality through various competitions and also congratulated the winners. He assured the youth that their dreams and hard work along with his resolve make the guarantee of Viksit Bharat. The Prime Minister expressed happiness that the upcoming Amrit Bharat Stations "will be symbols of both vikas and virasat". He informed that Baleshwar Station in Odisha is designed on the theme of Bhagwan Jagannath Temple and Sikkim's Rangpur will carry the imprint of local architecture, Sangner station in Rajasthan displays 16th-century hand-block printing, the station at Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu will display Chola influence and Ahmedabad Station is inspired by Modhera Surya Mandir, Dwarka Station has been inspired by the Dwarkadheesh Temple, IT City Gurugram station will carry the IT theme. "Amrit Bharat Station will introduce the specialities of that city to the world", the Prime Minister said. These stations will be Divyang and senior citizen-friendly. Prime Minister Modi talked of the moves for Viksit Bharat in the last 10 years, especially in railways where the change is apparent. He observed that in the last 10 years, facilities which were once far-fetched have now become reality and gave the example of Modernized Semi High-Speed trains like Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat, NaMo Bharat, the fast pace of electrification of rail lines, and cleanliness inside trains and on the station platforms. He drew comparisons on how unmanned gates were commonplace in Indian railways, whereas overbridges and underbridges have ensured uninterrupted and accident-free movement now. He also mentioned that modern facilities similar to those in airports are now being made available to the poor and middle class at the railway stations. The Prime Minister said that Railways is becoming a mainstay of ease of travel for the citizens and as the economy jumps to the fifth place in global ranking from 11th, there is a massive increase in the railway budget from Rs 45,000 crore 10 years ago to Rs 2.5 lakh crore today. "Just imagine how much our strength will increase when we become the third largest economic superpower in the world. Therefore, Modi is working hard to make India the third largest economy in the world as soon as possible," he added. PM Modi also credited saving of money to "absence of scams" and said the saved money being used in doubling the speed of laying new lines, taking rails to new areas from Jammu and Kashmir to the Northeast, and working on 2,500 km dedicated freight corridor. He said that every paisa of taxpayers' money is being used for the welfare of the commuters. He said that there is a 50 percent discount on every railway ticket by the government. "Just as interest is earned on money deposited in banks, similarly every penny spent on infrastructure creates new sources of income and new employment," the Prime Minister emphasized, referring to laying of new rail lines. He noted that possibilities for new jobs are created in many industries and shops such as cement, steel and transport. "Lakhs of crores of rupees being invested today is a guarantee of thousands of jobs," PM Modi said. He also spoke about 'One Station One Product' programme where products by small farmers, artisans, and Vishwakarma friends are being promoted by the Railways through thousands of stalls set up at the stations. "Indian Railways is not just a passenger facility but is also the biggest carrier of India's agricultural and industrial progress," the Prime Minister remarked, noting that a faster train will save more time in transportation while reducing industry costs and giving impetus to Make in India and Atmanirbhar India. Referring to projects for India's modern infrastructure, the Prime Minister said the country was the most attractive place for investment all over the world. He said the capacity of Indian Railways will increase when these thousands of stations are modernized. (ANI)
On a day when former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia completed a year behind bars in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday took a jibe at the Centre saying the probe agencies couldn't furnish evidence of even a rupee of corruption against the former. Speaking to media persons in the national capital on Monday, CM Kejriwal said, "He was arrested in a fake case. Today marks the completion of one year since he was arrested. During this time, the central agencies, which are at the beck and call of the BJP at the Centre, could not produce evidence (of corruption) worth even a rupee." He claimed the fellow AAP leader's innocence in the case was reaffirmed in one of the Supreme Court hearings when "Judge Sahib said the central government had no case against Manish Sisodia. It is nothing but a fabricated case." Invoking the role of the arrested AAP leader in "shaping the future" of poor children (through education reforms in the national capital), CM Kejriwal said, "Manish Sisodia-ji brought education reforms at a time when our government schools were in bad shape. He gave hope to the poor, 75 years after Independence, that their children could receive quality education and dream about a secure future." "For such a man to be framed in a false case and put behind bars was deeply unfortunate. He is and will remain an inspiration for us. Had he joined the BJP, all cases against him would have been withdrawn. However, he did not leave the path of truth," the AAP convenor added. A year ago, on February 26, Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in the excise policy case. A month later, he was also arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the same case. Earlier in the day, CM Kejriwal, along with AAP MLAs and ministers, reached Rajghat to mark one year of Sisodia's arrest. On skipping the seventh summons issued by the ED in connection with the excise police case, he said earlier in the day, "They want us to break away from the alliance (INDIA). The ED, itself, has approached the court in the matter. So, why can't they wait for the court to deliver its verdict in the case? While the matter is in court, they are sending summons repeatedly. Informally, we have received messages to break away from the (Opposition) alliance. However, we are with INDIA and are going nowhere." On February 22, the Directorate of Enforcement issued its seventh summons to Kejriwal, asking him to appear before the agency in connection with the excise policy case. Responding to the summons, the AAP said in an official release, "The matter is in the court and the next hearing is on March 16. Instead of sending summons daily, the ED should wait for the court's decision. We will not leave the INDIA alliance. Modi government should not create pressure like this." The ED had earlier issued the sixth summons to Kejriwal on February 14, asking him to appear on February 19. However, the AAP convenor has skipped all CBI summonses so far. (ANI)
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Monday reacted to the ongoing discussions about seat sharing in the INDIA alliance and said that senior leaders of the INDIA alliance are in touch with all parties, adding that everyone should wait until they announce their decision. "The discussions are going on between all the parties. Senior leaders of the INDIA alliance are in contact with all the parties and we should wait till they announce their decision," Gogai told reporters on Monday. He stated that the discussions are currently underway among all parties. Earlier, Congress MP said that the party's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra-led by Rahul Gandhi, has given confidence that there is strong opposition to the Bharatiya Janata Party. "Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has given confidence that there is a strong opposition to the BJP. If there is anyone who is playing the role of opposition, it is Rahul Gandhi. The way BJP is targeting the opposition with IT and CBI, many opposition leaders are not able to do their work..." Gogoi said on Sunday. Earlier on February 24, INDIA partners AAP and Congress announced a seat-sharing pact for Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Chandigarh and Goa. As part of the agreement reached between the ruling party in Delhi and the grand old party, Congress will contest 3 of the 7 Lok Sabha seats in the national capital while the AAP will field candidates in the remaining 4 constituencies. In neighboring Gujarat, the Congress will contest 24 of 26 Lok Sabha seats, leaving the remaining 2--Bharuch and Bhavnagar-- for the AAP. In Haryana, the Congress will contest 8 of the 9 Lok Sabha seats while the AAP will contest the lone seat--Kurukshetra."Of the 10 LS seats in Haryana, the Congress will fight on 9 and the AAP will contest one seat-- Kurukshetra," Wasnik said. As part of the seat-sharing deal, the Congress will contest both the Lok Sabha seats in Goa. The Lok Sabha elections are expected to be held across country between April and May this year. (ANI)
After the Communist Party of India (CPI) announced senior party leader Annie Raja as a candidate for Wayanad, Annie Raja said that in Kerala the fight is between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), adding that the situation is the same and nothing has changed. The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Monday announced candidates for four Kerala Lok Sabha seats, nominating senior party leader Annie Raja to contest from the Wayanad constituency, a seat presently held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. "For such a long time, CPI - under the LDF alliance - is contesting on the four seats...This time also, the party has announced its candidates for all these four constituencies. In Kerala, the fight is between LDF and UDF. So, there is nothing new in that...The situation is the same, nothing has changed," Raja told ANI on Monday. Earlier in 2019, the CPI contested against Rahul Gandhi. We have been contesting elections from there for a very long time," she added. Notably, Pannian Raveendran has been nominated from Thiruvananthapuram, VS Sunil Kumar from Thrissur, and Arun Kumar from Mavelikara. Congress' Rahul Gandhi is currently the MP from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. The Communist Party of India (CPI) is part of the INDIA bloc, which came into existence to take on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is led by PM Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and prevent it from winning a third straight term at the Centre in the Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam said that this is a political battle. "North India is considered the hotbed of India from where the maximum number of MPs have come to the Parliament, where BJP is a powerful force to fight. Forgetting that reality, what is the political logic for the Congress to come to southmost India, to Kerala, where there are just 20 seats?" Viswam told reporters. He further asked in this crucial battle of elections, who is the "main enemy of the Congress party, the RSS-led BJP or Left?" "It is known to everybody that no one from the BJP will be able to win from Kerala. From where should he fight exactly? The essence of the earlier battle of 2019 is there when Rahul Gandhi did the same thing when he came to Wayanad from Amethi. BJP started a campaign which got the cash. They said Rahul Gandhi was afraid of the BJP that's why he ran to Kerala. This campaign resulted in the defeat of Congress in the entire North India," he added. Meanwhile, Kerala has a total of 20 Lok Sabha seats.(ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs at Daman on Monday, discussing issues related to the development of Jammu and Kashmir and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). In the meeting, the Home Minister said the government is "fully committed to the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir and has taken several measures that have significantly boosted the development of Jammu and Kashmir." Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra and Nishith Pramanik, 11 members of the committee, the Union Home Secretary, senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Chief Secretary of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, and Director General of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles participated in the meeting. During the discussion, it was highlighted that August 6, 2019, was a historic day for Jammu and Kashmir when the Parliament of India decided to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution. "With this, all the constitutional safeguards enjoyed by the citizens of our country were extended to Jammu and Kashmir, including progressive laws like the Right to Education, National Minorities Commission Act, etc. These laws were fully implemented in the Union Territory. The enactment of these laws has guaranteed equality and fairness to all, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, women, children and senior citizens. A provision of 10 per cent reservation has been made for the upliftment of economically backward classes in jobs and educational institutions," the meeting highlighted. Along with this, it was informed, that substantial progress has been seen in the last few years, in the fields of power generation, transmission and distribution sectors, irrigation schemes, agriculture, industry, health, education, road-rail-air transport, tourism, and employment in Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) were strengthened by providing funds, functions and functionaries for the decentralization of governance. These initiatives have brought positive changes to the lives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. "The abrogation of Article 370 has proved to be a transformational phase in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which has seen wide-ranging changes in development, security and socio-economic dimensions. Stone pelting and organized strikes have become a thing of the past," it was noted in the meeting, as stated by the MHA statement. "The Ministry of Home Affairs is committed to leading the way on the path of accelerated and inclusive development and empowering the people of Jammu and Kashmir to shape their future and fulfil new aspirations," it was mentioned. During the discussion on CAPFs, the Union Home Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the government is committed to ensuring a safe and secure India. He reiterated the splendid work done by the CAPFs in maintaining law and order, dealing with issues of internal security and guarding the International Border. He further emphasised that the welfare of CAPF personnel and their kin is the top priority of the government. Home Minister exhorted all officers to continue the good work being done to achieve Prime Minister Modi's vision of Vikshit Bharat. Home Minister said that in a landmark decision under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the MHA has decided that from 2024, the Constable (General Duty) examination for CAPFs will be conducted in 13 regional languages in addition to Hindi and English. During the meeting, it was apprised that in the last five years, recruitment of more than 2.43 lakh personnel has been carried out. Under the Rozgar Mela during the last year, approximately 98,676 candidates have been appointed and around 54,000 personnel have been promoted in CAPFs. Bonus marks are provided to the NCC certificate holders in the recruitment of CAPFs and during the last 3 years, 3560 NCC certificate holders have availed themselves of the benefits of this scheme. The members of the committee were also informed that during the last 10 years, 54 battalions have been raised in CAPFs. During the meeting, various steps taken for the welfare of CAPF personnel were also discussed. (ANI)
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday informed that there are chances that Bharatiya Janata Party might field External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman from the constituencies in Karnataka in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. "Dr S Jaishankar and Nirmala Sitharaman may contest from Karnataka or from other state constituencies. There is still no clarity about the constituency," Union Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters in Karnataka's Hubballi. Currently, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is a member of Rajya Sabha from the state of Gujarat whereas Nirmala Sitharaman represents Karnataka in the Upper House. Earlier, 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. "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," said Karnataka BJP chief earlier this month. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held the core group meeting of five states on Saturday at the party headquarters in New Delhi. Given the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024, the core group meeting of five states was called at the BJP headquarters. The meeting was led by BJP National President JP Nadda in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and Organization General Secretary BL Santosh. The meeting was held in phases which saw discussion for the preparations of Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.Meanwhile, the meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party's Central Election Committee is likely to be held on February 29 or the first week of March, which can see discussions on over 100 Lok Sabha seats. (ANI)
Responding Singhbhum Congress MP Geeta Koda joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jharkhand Minister Banna Gupta on Monday said Koda, who is the wife of the former Chief Minister Madhu Koda, would rinse herself in the BJP's washing machine and will be absolved of all corruption charges. "Personally, she is our sister-in-law. Madhu Koda is our elder brother. There were serious allegations against our elder brother in the past. Those allegations are being argued and examined in court. The CBI and many other agencies are involved. It is likely that she will cleanse herself of all taints in the washing machine after joining the other side (BJP) and will come out clean. The BJP will keep her clean," Gupta told reporters on Monday. On whether Opposition leaders were under pressure from the BJP to switch sides, Gupta said, "There is definitely some pressure on people." On how the Congress party in Jharkhand will be impacted by this change, the state Health Minister said, "Congress would not be affected by this. Everybody is aware as to why she went to the BJP. Everybody knows that the Bharatiya Janata Party is a washing machine that cleanses everyone of their graft taints. Those who stay are corrupt and those who cross over to the other side are pure." Earlier, on Monday, Congress MP from Singhbhum (Jharkhand), Geeta Koda, joined the BJP in the presence of Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi at the party's state headquarters. The Singhbhum MP was reportedly unhappy with alliances forged by the Congress party in the state, sources said. She reportedly sent in her resignation to the party high command. Her resignation came as a setback for the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, highlighting the differences among the INDIA bloc members, BJP Jharkhand president Babulal Marandi voiced doubts on whether the Opposition alliance still exists, as he called the group an amalgamation of "corrupt people". (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to start his two-day visit to three states Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra on Tuesday. The Prime Minister will start his visit from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on Tuesday. The three projects providing world-class technical facilities for the space sector have been developed at a cumulative cost of about Rs 1800 crore. The projects include the PSLV Integration Facility (PIF) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota; new 'Semi-cryogenics Integrated Engine and stage Test facility' at ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri; and 'Trisonic Wind Tunnel' at VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram, the Prime Minister Office stated. The PSLV Integration Facility (PIF) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota will help in boosting the frequency of PSLV launches from 6 to 15 per year. This state-of-the-art facility can also cater to the launches of SSLV and other small launch vehicles designed by private space companies. The new 'Semi-cryogenics Integrated Engine and stage Test facility' at IPRC Mahendragiri will enable development of semi cryogenic engines and stages which will increase the payload capability of the present launch vehicles. The facility is equipped with liquid Oxygen and kerosene supply systems to test engines up to 200 tons of thrust, it added. Wind tunnels are essential for aerodynamic testing for characterisation of rockets and aircraft during flight in the atmospheric regime. The "Trisonic Wind Tunnel" at VSSC being inaugurated is a complex technological system which will serve our future technology development needs. During his visit, Prime Minister will also review the progress of Gaganyaan Mission and bestow 'astronaut wings' to the astronaut-designates. The Gaganyaan Mission is India's first human space flight program for which extensive preparations are underway at various ISRO centres, the release stated. Later in noon PM Modi will participate in the programme 'Creating the Future - Digital Mobility for Automotive MSME Entrepreneurs' in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The Prime Minister will also launch two major initiatives designed to support and uplift MSMEs in the Indian automotive industry. The initiatives include the TVS Open Mobility Platform and the TVS Mobility-CII Centre of Excellence. These initiatives will be a step towards realising the Prime Minister's vision of supporting the growth of MSMEs in the country and helping them to formalise operations, integrate with global value chains and become self-reliant, it added. In the public programme at Thoothukudi, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Outer Harbor Container Terminal at V.O.Chidambaranar Port. This Container Terminal is a step towards transforming V.O.Chidambaranar Port into a transshipment hub for the East Coast. The project aims to leverage India's long coastline and favourable geographic location, and strengthen India's competitiveness in the global trade arena. The major infrastructure project will also lead to creation of employment generation and economic growth in the region. Prime Minister will inaugurate various other projects aimed at making the V.O.Chidambaranar Port as the first Green Hydrogen Hub Port of the country. These projects include desalination plant, hydrogen production and bunkering facility etc. Prime Minister will also launch India's first indigenous green hydrogen fuel cell inland waterway vessel under Harit Nauka initiative. The vessel is manufactured by Cochin Shipyard and underscores a pioneering step for embracing clean energy solutions and aligning with the nation's net-zero commitments. Also, Prime Minister will also dedicate tourist facilities in 75 lighthouses across ten States/UTs during the programme. During the programme, Prime Minister will dedicate to nation rail projects for doubling of Vanchi Maniyachchi - Nagercoil rail line including the Vanchi Maniyachchi - Tirunelveli section and Melappalayam - Aralvaymoli section. Developed at the cost of about Rs 1,477 crore, the doubling project will help in reducing travel time for the trains heading towards Chennai from Kanyakumari, Nagercoil and Tirunelveli. Prime Minister will also dedicate four road projects in Tamil Nadu, developed at a total cost of about Rs 4,586 crore. These projects include the four-laning of the Jittandahalli-Dharmapuri section of NH-844, two-laning with paved shoulders of the Meensurutti-Chidambaram section of NH-81, four-laning of the Oddanchatram-Madathukulam section of NH-83, and two-laning with paved shoulders of the Nagapattinam-Thanjavur section of NH-83. These projects aim to improve connectivity, reduce travel time, enhance socio-economic growth and facilitate pilgrimage visits in the region. On February 28, the Prime Minister will inaugurate, and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth about Rs 17,300 crore at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. At around 4:30 PM, Prime Minister will participate in a public programme in Yavatmal, Maharashtra, and inaugurate and dedicate to nation multiple development projects worth more than Rs 4900 crore at Yavatmal, Maharashtra. He will also release benefits under PM KISAN and other schemes during the programme, the release stated. In a step that will showcase yet another example of commitment of the Prime Minister towards welfare of farmers, the 16th instalment amount of more than Rs 21,000 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), will be released at the public programme in Yavatmal, through direct benefits transfer to beneficiaries. With this release, an amount of more than 3 lakh crore, has been transferred to more than 11 crore farmers' families. "Prime Minister will also disburse 2nd and 3rd instalments of 'Namo Shetkari MahaSanman Nidhi', worth about Rs 3800 crore and benefiting about 88 lakh beneficiary farmers across Maharashtra. The scheme provides an additional amount of Rs 6000 per year to the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana in Maharashtra," the PMO stated. Prime Minister will disburse Rs 825 crore of Revolving Fund to 5.5 lakh women Self Help Groups (SHGs) across Maharashtra. This amount is additional to the Revolving fund provided by the Government of India under National rural livelihood Mission (NRLM). Revolving Fund (RF) is given to SHGs to promote lending of money within SHGs by rotational basis and increase annual income of poor households by promoting women led micro enterprises at village level. Prime Minister will initiate distribution of one crore Ayushman cards across Maharashtra. This is yet another step to reach out to beneficiaries of welfare schemes so as to realise the Prime Minister's vision of 100 percent saturation of all government schemes. Prime Minister will launch the Modi Awaas Gharkul Yojana for OBC category beneficiaries in Maharashtra. The scheme envisages the construction of a total 10 lakh houses from FY 2023-24 to FY 2025-26. Prime Minister will transfer the first instalment of Rs 375 Crore to 2.5 lakh beneficiaries of the Yojana. Prime Minister will dedicate to nation multiple irrigation projects benefiting Marathwada and Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. These projects are developed at a cumulative cost of more than Rs 2750 crore under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna (PMKSY) and Baliraja Jal Sanjeevani Yojana (BJSY). Prime Minister will also inaugurate multiple rail projects worth more than Rs. 1300 crore in Maharashtra. The projects include Wardha-Kalamb broad gauge line (part of Wardha-Yavatmal-Nanded new broad gauge line project) and New Ashti - Amalner broad gauge line (part of Ahmednagar-Beed-Parli new broad gauge line project). The new broad gauge lines will improve connectivity of the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions and boost socio-economic development. The Prime Minister will also virtually flag off two train services during the programme. This includes train services connecting Kalamb and Wardha; and train services connecting Amalner and New Ashti. This new train service will help improve rail connectivity and benefit students, traders and daily commuters of the region, the release stated. Moreover, the Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation several projects for strengthening the road sector in Maharashtra. The projects include four lanings of the Warora-Wani section of NH-930; road upgradation projects for important roads connecting Sakoli-Bhandara and Salaikhurd-Tirora. These projects will improve connectivity, reduce travel time and boost socio-economic development in the region, the release stated. Prime Minister will also inaugurate the statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay in Yavatmal city. (ANI
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for redevelopment of 553 railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday extended gratitude to Prime Minister and Ministry of Railways for including Agartala railway station in the scheme. "Heartfelt gratitude to PM Narendra Modi ji and Ministry of Railways for initiating the redevelopment of Agartala Railway Stations in Tripura under the Amrit Bharat Scheme. Take a look to the proposed look of Agartala Railway Station," Chief Minister Manik Saha posted on X. In another post on X, Chief Minister said that rail communication across the country including Tripura witnessed a robust change. "The rail communication across the country including Tripura witnessed a robust change under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi Ji. As part of the continued efforts towards Viksit Bharat. PM virtually laid the foundation stone, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation various railway Infrastructure projects including 1500+ Road Over Bridges and Underpasses spread across 24 States including Tripura. Glad to witness this historic moment virtually from Agartala Railway Station," Chief Minister said. Earlier today, Prime Minister expressed happiness that the upcoming Amrit Bharat Stations will be symbols of both Vikas and Virasat. The Prime Minister said that today's Railway is becoming a mainstay of ease of travel for the citizens. Further commenting on the transformation of railways, the Prime Minister said as the economy jumps to 5th place in global ranking from 11th, there is a massive increase in the railway budget from 45 thousand crore 10 years ago to 2.5 lakh crore today. "Just imagine how much our strength will increase when we become the third largest economic superpower in the world. Therefore, Modi is working hard to make India the third largest economy in the world as soon as possible," he said.(ANI)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday attended the Land Patta distribution event and distributed land pattas to as many as 11,483 eligible beneficiaries of Mission Basundhara 2.0 belonging to the Dhakuakhana Legislative Constituency (LAC) in Lakhimpur district. A total of 20,419 applicants from Lakhimpur district were found to be eligible for land pattas under Mission Basundhara 2.0 that was concluded recently. Of these, Bihpuria LAC accounts for 1,253, Ranganadi LAC accounts for 1,352, Nawboicha LAC accounts for 3,244, Lakhimpur LAC accounts for 3,087 numbers of land pattas while rest are from the Dhakuakhana LAC. Speaking at the event held in Dhakuakhana town on Monday, Chief Minister Sarma said, "The land pattas being allotted to so many families in Lakhimpur district manifests the commitments of the present state government towards ensuring a dignified existence to the members of the indigenous groups." The Chief Minister also said that numerous indigenous but non-tribal communities in Lakhimpur district were being deprived of land pattas due to the restrictive rules and regulations of tribal belts and blocks. "The current government, therefore, decided to mitigate the land-related woes of such non-tribal indigenous communities through the medium called Mission Basundhara 2.0," the Chief Minister said. "In Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts in particular, non-tribal but indigenous communities who have been designated protected class have benefited immensely through Mission Basundhara 2.0," he remarked. He further said that, in the upcoming Mission Basundhara 3.0, the focus will be on allotment of land pattas to institutions such as temples, clubs, etc., apart from individuals. CM Sarma added that certain stringent rules in the first and second edition of Mission Basundhara that led to rejection of several applications shall be waived off in the upcoming Mission Basundhara 3.0. "The current government in the state is doing everything in its capacity to see that promises that were made during elections campaigns were being fulfilled without undue delay. The government was on its way to fulfilling the promise of recruiting 1-lakh youths into services of the Government of Assam," the Assam Chief Minister said. He also said that, this apart, there is whole-hearted attempt at achieving saturation point for all flagship government schemes aimed at uplift of the socially and economically disadvantaged sections of the society. The Chief Minister added that the current government is committed to see that Assam transforms into one of the top performing states on all fronts in days to come. "In order to fulfil this aim, there is needed to embrace work-culture while at the same time shedding 'andolan culture' by the residents of the state," the Chief Minister said. He exuded confidence that all sections of society will come forward and join hands to help the state attain its rightful position on all fronts. Member of Parliament Pradan Barua, Member of Legislative Assembly Naba Kumar Doley, Chairman of Mising Autonomous Council Sunil Pegu, along with a host of other dignitaries were present at the programme. 'Land Patta' a type of land deed issued by the government to an individual or organization. The term is used in India and certain other parts of South Asia for a small piece of land, granted by the government to an approved cultivator with a land revenue exemption. (ANI)
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice president Maryam Nawaz is set to witness a one-to-one contest for the post of chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab on Monday as the nomination papers of PML-N nominee Maryam Nawaz and Sunni Ittehad Council's (SIC) Rana Aftab were declared valid after scrutiny, according to ARY News. Moreover, Maryam Nawaz has pledged to live up to people's expectations, Geo News reported. The newly-elected Punjab Assembly Speaker, Malik Ahmed Khan, verified the nomination papers. Khan said that the election for the coveted slot will be held in tomorrow's assembly session. Maryam Nawaz, the political scion of PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, was nominated as the party's candidate for the coveted position of Punjab chief minister, as reported by ARY News. Since PML-N and its allies bagged a clear majority in the house, there are no obstacles for Maryam Nawaz to secure the top position, according to ARY News. Addressing a meeting in Lahore on Wednesday, the Punjab CM-hopeful thanked the people for giving her party "the mandate" and making it the single largest party in the 2024 polls. The PML-N leader also said that she wants to dedicate the honour of becoming the "first woman CM" to every mother, daughter and sister of the country, as reported by Geo News. She also revealed a five-year game plan, saying that under her tenure as CM, a "new era will usher in Punjab." Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), at the eleventh hour, named Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan as its new candidate for the post, following the provincial police's attempt to arrest its earlier nominee, Mian Aslam Iqbal. PTI leader Hammad Azhar noted that party founder Imran Khan had earlier nominated Mian Aslam Iqbal for the post, however, heavy contingents of the police force were deployed outside the Punjab Assembly to arrest him. Following that, Hammad Azhar highlighted that the provincial police attempted to arrest its earlier nominee, Mian Aslam Iqbal, ARY News reported. Notably, earlier, the PTI nominated Mian Aslam Iqbal for Punjab chief minister, Salar Khan for Balochistan chief minister, and Ali Amin Gandapur for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief executive. The announcement was made by Barrister Gohar Ali Khan following a meeting at Adiala Jail with PTI founder Imran Khan, ARY News reported. (ANI)
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Three Hezbollah fighters were killed and nine people, including three Hezbollah fighters and six civilians, were injured on Sunday in Israeli strikes on Lebanon's southern border, Lebanese military sources said.

The sources, who spoke anonymously, said the casualties resulted from 13 Israeli airstrikes on six towns and villages in the border region and artillery shelling of 18 villages and towns in southern Lebanon, which destroyed eight houses and damaged 35 others.

According to the sources, all the injured people have been transferred to a hospital in southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah announced that its fighters had attacked several Israeli sites.

The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing increased tension since Oct. 8, 2023, after Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attack on Israel the previous day, prompting Israel to respond by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 314 people on the Lebanese side, including 212 Hezbollah members and 59 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources.
This marks the first session of the United Nations Security Council on Afghanistan after the Doha meeting hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

It is further expected that the proposed UN envoy for Afghanistan will be discussed in the UNSC meeting, according to TOLO News.

According to the United Nations's statement, this session will be held behind closed doors.

The sources indicated that during the Security Council session, the UNSC will discuss the outcomes of the Doha meeting and the appointment of a special representative for Afghanistan.

The Doha meeting was held on February 18 and 19 and was hosted by Antonio Guterres, as reported by Khaama Press.

Notably, the appointment of a UN special representative for resolving the Afghanistan crisis has become an important issue between the United Nations, the Taliban and some regional countries.

Moreover, China, Russia, and Iran have conditioned the acceptance of a new representative for Afghanistan on the Taliban's approval.

However, the Taliban has publicly opposed the appointment of a special representative in their statements, Khaama Press reported.

After the second Doha meeting, the UN Secretary-General announced that consultations on appointing a new UN representative would commence immediately.

The appointment of a special representative for Afghanistan by the United Nations marks a crucial step in addressing the ongoing crisis in the region and further underscores the international community's commitment to finding a peaceful resolution. (ANI)
Abu Dhabi [UAE], February 26 (ANI/WAM): The final document of the Abu Dhabi Session of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO affirms the importance of parliamentary participation in the future of multilateral cooperation on trade issues. Marawan Al Muhairi, member of the Federal National Council (FNC), in his capacity as a member of the Steering Committee of the WTO Parliamentary Conference and Rapporteur of the Conference's outputs, said that the document stressed the importance of the inclusion of a parliamentary dimension in the future of multilateral cooperation on trade issues, taking into account the effective contribution of trade to the global economy. The Abu Dhabi Session of the WTO Parliamentary Conference was organised by the FNC in cooperation with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the European Parliament at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre today. The document emphasises the role of parliamentarians in ratifying bilateral and multilateral trade agreements that enhance and oversee the facilitation of global trade in all industries, through appropriate mechanisms. It stresses the role of parliamentary oversight of trade in modernising the healthcare sector for the 21st century, while ensuring fair access to medicines, vaccines and vital medical technologies, as well as supporting innovation through the protection of intellectual property rights that enable its creation. The document also stresses the importance of the WTO as a key institution for improving people's lives, negotiating trade rules, overseeing agreements, settling disputes, and preserving rules-based, open and fair trade for the benefit of all, none of which can be achieved without parliamentary participation. The document urged all WTO members who have not yet ratified all WTO agreements, particularly the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, to do so as soon as possible, so that it can enter into force as soon as possible. The document also highlighted the importance of transitioning to stable, open, sustainable, environmentally friendly and resilient global industrial chains, supply chains and production methods as part of future trade agreements and policies, through cooperation under the auspices of the WTO, in light of the continuous change in the world and the need to adapt to the era. It emphasised the role of parliamentarians in enacting legislation that encourage the adoption of green trade practices that will be consistent with multilateral agreements, while maximising the benefits of trade for the environment and vulnerable communities and ensuring that trade measures related to the environment do not constitute unjustified discrimination. (ANI/WAM)
'The refugees, including 43 children, were intercepted and subsequently transferred to the foreign nationals' return center in Chanak Kale for detention following their rescue,' As per recent reports by Turkish media.

According to The Khaama Press, Turkish Coast Guard authorities attribute the detention to the migrants' lack of legal documentation and their engagement in illegal border crossings.

Simultaneously, the Turkish Coast Guard command disclosed the discovery of a group of migrants lacking official residency papers aboard three plastic boats along the Ayvacik shores.

Greece continues to be a key entry point for refugees seeking passage into the European Union from Turkey, despite stringent border controls and surveillance measures, as per The Khaama Press.

These developments unfold amid a backdrop of escalating deportations of Afghan migrants from neighboring nations like Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey, against the grim backdrop of a humanitarian crisis compounded by severe winter conditions.

Conversely, many Afghan refugees perceive Turkey as a crucial transit point towards European destinations, enduring perilous journeys through illicit channels in pursuit of improved prospects and sanctuary.

Upon arrival in neighboring territories, refugees confront a myriad of adversities, ranging from law enforcement scrutiny, deportation threats, and detention, to exploitation.

Despite the manifold challenges, the allure of a promising future impels numerous migrants to embark on hazardous voyages, driven by aspirations of refuge and advancement in European territories. (ANI)
According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) inked between the two top institutes, the Kyungpook National University will provide funds to the University of Delhi for the development of new language programmes. The varsity will also provide funds to renovate the language laboratory and other infrastructure.

During the MoU signing ceremony, DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Yogesh Singh said it was the first step towards a mutually beneficial cooperation between the two universities in the spirit of friendship.

DU registrar Vikas Gupta, registrar, University of Delhi, and Professor Hwang Hwa-seok, director, Institute of International Development, Kyungpook National University, exchanged documents after the MoU signing.

"Under the MoU, the Kyungpook National University will provide funds to the University of Delhi for programme development and operation expenses such as renovation of the language laboratory and infrastructure," Gupta said.

Additionally, the South Korean university has also appointed a Korean language instructor, committing to offering scholarships for 10 students from the Department of East Asian Studies annually, allowing them to participate as exchange students at Kyungpook National University as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

This MoU will remain effective for one year and will be renewed annually for the next three years. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday explained symbolism of 'Bharat' in multiple domains, saying that the country implies not only rebalancing politics and economics but it also mandates the influencing of international agenda as well as shaping of the global narrative. He added that 'Bharat' is also a declaration that when India engages with the world, it doesn't necessarily have to be done on terms that are set by others. The EAM was giving the Pandit Hriday Nath Kunzru Memorial Lectures 2024 at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Convention Centre on the topic of 'Bharat and the World'. Addressing the event, he said, "Let me start with my own understanding of what is Bharat. It has multiple symbolisms in multiple domains. Economically, we can be talking about an Atmanirbhar Bharat that has the connotation of certain resilience, self-sufficiency, contribution, or talent that is expressing itself". "In terms of development, it implies a commitment to create an inclusive, just and fair society where no one is left behind," he added. The EAM added that the political symbolism of 'Bharat' is a statement of independence and its cultural meaning includes Indian heritage and practices. "Politically, Bharat is a statement of independence. It is a declaration that India engages the world. That when India engages with the world, it doesn't necessarily have to be done on terms that are set by others. Our objective in that engagement is our own personality and innate qualities come out. Then there is of course, the cultural aspect of Bharat. Here, we could be speaking about our thinking, culture, heritage and practices," Jaishankar further said. Further opening up on the analytical aspect of 'Bharat', he said that it is a "civilizational state" rather than just an "international polity", which suggests a larger responsibility and contribution. He added that it requires India to plan ahead for the quarter century ahead of the 'Amrit Kaal'. "Analytically, where international relations is concerned, Bharat also means a civilizational state rather than just an international polity. It suggests a larger responsibility and contribution; one that is expressed as a first responder, development partner, peacekeeper, bridge builder, and then upholder of rules, norms and law. It implies not only rebalancing politics and economics but in the cultural domain as well. It mandates the influencing of international agenda and the shaping of global narrative," Jaishankar said. He added, "Not least, it means drawing on our own history and taking a long and deliberative view of the challenges that the world faces today. It requires us to equally serious about present, consolidating the achievement of the last decade while planning ahead for the quarter century ahead of the 'Amrit Kaal.'" (ANI)
The Israeli military has submitted a plan to the war cabinet for 'evacuating the population' of Gaza from areas of fighting, amid looming concerns of an offensive incursion in the southern city of Rafah, according to CNN. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he had directed the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to draw up a plan for the evacuation of civilians from Rafah, where more than a million people are crammed. According to the report, the 'upcoming operational plan' was submitted for approval on Monday, Netanyahu's office said. But, it did not mention Rafah by name. Meanwhile, fears are growing in Gaza and across the international community over the IDF's planned offensive on Rafah, which lies next to the shuttered border with Egypt. The city has become home to the majority of displaced Palestinians as the Israeli military advanced south through the enclave, but those civilians seemingly have no further place to escape. The US has repeatedly warned it would not support a campaign on the city without a "credible" plan to evacuate Palestinians. Monday's statement from Netanyahu's office said the cabinet also approved a plan for providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza "in a manner that will prevent the looting that has occurred in the northern Strip and other areas." White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Sunday, that negotiators had come to an "understanding" on the broad contours of a potential deal, and talks are continuing in Qatar on Monday. These negotiations come even as indirect discussions with Hamas continue. Crucially, Hamas has not yet signed onto this possible framework, and any possible final deal is still, at the earliest, days away as negotiators continue to hammer out the actual details. "The representatives of Israel, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar met in Paris and came to an understanding among the four of them about what the basic contours of a hostage deal for a temporary ceasefire would look like. I'm not going to go into the specifics of that because it is still under negotiation in terms of hammering out the details of it," CNN quoted Sullivan as saying. "There will have to be indirect discussions by Qatar and Egypt with Hamas because ultimately they will have to agree to release the hostages. That work is underway," Sullivan said, adding, "And we hope that in the coming days, we can drive to a point where there is actually a firm and final agreement on this issue. But we will have to wait and see." (ANI)
The Conference on Interaction & Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Secretary General Ambassador Kairat Sarybay during his visit to India held discussions on CICA's transformation processes with the Indian side here in New Delhi. Meetings with members of India's research institutes and business community, as well as consultations at the Ministries of Youth Affairs, External Affairs, and Sports, were all part of the business trip. Additionally, the Secretary General of CICA participated in the Raisina Dialogue session, the Embassy of Kazakhastan said in an official press release. During the discussion with Meenakashi Lekhi, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, the Secretary General expressed gratitude to the Indian side for their proactive involvement in the CICA process. He urged the partners to keep contributing positively to CICA's work and to suggest initiatives and targeted programmes that are aimed at achieving useful multilateral outcomes. Additionally, Kairat Sarybay brought attention to the Seventh CICA Ministerial Council meeting that will take place soon. Meanwhile, the Union Minister Meenakashi Lekhi gave a positive assessment of the activities of CICA and its Secretariat, "especially in the process of transforming the Conference" into a full-fledged international organization. Additionally, the Secretary General met with Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar, a candidate for the Council of Eminent Persons, and talked with him about the plans for the upcoming time as well as the accomplishments of CICA in 2023. The CICA Secretary General's discussions with the leaders of the India-Central Asia Foundation (ICAF) and the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) were especially significant. Director General Vijay Thakur Singh of ICWA declared that her organisation plans to submit an application to lead the CICA Think Tank Forum, the Kazakh Embassy said in a release. The parties talked about the prospects for this mechanism's connection with the Business and Youth Councils, two other CICA entities, and how to reenergize its activity during the intersessional time. Meanwhile, Ambassador Kairat Sarybay, also pointed towards India's significant contribution to the establishment and evolution of CICA, invited representatives of Indian research institutes to participate in the symposium dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Almaty Declaration on the Principles of CICA. This event is scheduled for the autumn of 2024. (ANI)
Aiming to pressure the Nepali government for a constitutional amendment, the Madhesh province-based parties, after being together for about half a decade, have again split into two parties. Notably, the Madhesh-based parties launched a protest movement in 2016 to pressure the government for a separate state Senior leader of the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (LSP), Rajendra Mahato, announced his resignation from the party on Monday, taking a separate way and announcing a new campaign, "Rastriya Mukti Kranti" (National Liberation Movement). "This is a separate campaign, and it has not taken over the structure of the party. Those who share common values can collaborate with this movement," Mahato said. Expressing the goal of building an alternative power through the campaign, Mahato has indicated that even his former party, the LSP, might join this agenda if they agree on the establishment of a federalism with multiple states. "The identity movement that started four decades ago fell victim to the government's conspiracy and remained incomplete. That's why the oppressed people could not attain political achievements and the country couldn't progress. Now it's high time that all the oppressed and all those who want good governance and prosperity in the country should unite and build a 'multi-nation state,'" Mahato stated. In a statement released shortly after the press brief on Monday, Mahato -- a senior leader in the LSP, expressed his dissatisfaction with the decisions made by Chairman Mahantha Thakur. Mahato expressed discontent with Thakur's independent decision to appoint office bearers and had also boycotted the party's Central Committee meeting in December. (ANI)
Highlighting that Indian military personnel and aviation platforms in Maldives has been solely working for the benefit of local people, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar affirmed his belief that the row with the Maldives will be resolved through diplomacy. He also said that sometimes misunderstandings take place between two nations. The EAM was speaking at the event 'The Rise of the Global South' at TV9 Bharatvarsh Conclave on Monday. Responding to the Maldives row, Jaishankar said, "Humanity is humanity. Diplomacy is diplomacy, and politics is politics. The whole world doesn't always run with obligation...so if we have encountered such a situation, the solution will come through diplomacy only." "We have to make people understand, sometimes people don't even have complete knowledge of things, sometimes people get misguided on what others say," he added. Jaishankar further described the primary functions performed by the Indian military personnel and aviation platforms in Maldives. "There are two Indian helicopters and one plane in the Maldives. Mostly, it is used for medvac (medical evacuation) purposes. The people of the Maldives are the beneficiaries of it. But, these are military planes, so who will run them? Obviously, military personnel," Jaishankar said. He added that the Indian side is holding multiple rounds of discussion with the Maldivian side to resolve whatever differences they have. "They had some objection, so we said, 'Come on, let's discuss and reach a solution. So, even if our intention is good, policy is clear, we reach such a situation, and we have to find a solution. I firmly believe that we will be able to resolve this matter as well," the EAM added. Notably, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is considered close to China and he even ran the electoral campaign on the line of 'India Out'. Since coming to power, he has taken several steps that have been unconventional from the point of view of India-Maldives ties. The removal of Indian troops from the country was the main election campaign of Muizzu's party and he put up a formal request with New Delhi regarding the same, just on the second day after assuming office. Currently, there are around 70 Indian troops, along with Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters, stationed in the Maldives. Two, high-level group meetings have taken place between New Delhi and Male, while a third meeting is scheduled to be held later. After the second meeting, the Maldives Foreign Ministry said in a statement that India will "replace" its military personnel in one of the three aviation platforms in the Maldives by March 10 and will complete the replacement by May 10. But, the Ministry of External Affairs stated in its statement that both India and the Maldives have agreed on a set of "mutually workable solutions" to enable the continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medvac services to the people of the Maldives. Previously, Maldives local media reported that President Mohamed Muizzu had asked the Indian government to withdraw the Indian troops from the island nation before March 15. Apart from the call for the withdrawal of Indian military personnel, a massive row erupted after a Maldivian deputy minister, along with other cabinet members and government officials, made disparaging and unsavoury references to Primer Minister Narendra Modi's Lakshadweep visit and call to develop the Indian archipelago as a global retreat for beach tourism. The Maldives government, however, distanced itself from the remarks. Earlier, Maldives also announced that it would not renew the agreement that allowed India to conduct hydrographic surveys hydrographic survey with India. Meanwhile, Muizzu also departed from a long convention by not visiting India on the first official visit and instead visiting Turkiye followed by China. (ANI)
One of the most well-liked and significant Aboriginal activists in Australian history, Lowitja O'Donoghue, passed away at the age of 91, CNN reported on Monday. O'Donoghue devoted her life to campaigning for the rights and health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. She passed away in Adelaide on Sunday, accompanied by her family. As a result of her groundbreaking campaigning, she was bestowed with many honours, one of them being the distinction of being the first Aboriginal woman to be elected to the Order of Australia in 1976, reported CNN. Australian of the Year in 1984, Australian National Living Treasure in 1998, and numerous additional honours were among the other titles which were won by her. While she was away from home, Pope John Paul II gave her a papal honour and made her a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. O'Donoghue was born in 1932 in the isolated Aboriginal hamlet of Indulkana, South Australia, the fifth of six children of a Yankunytjatjara mother and an Irish father she never met. Like thousands of other mixed-race children at the time, she and two of her sisters were taken from their family when they were just 2 years old and placed in the care of missionaries, according to CNN. O'Donoghue's challenging upbringing did not, however, prevent her from establishing a successful career for herself. In spite of facing a lot of bigotry along the road, she became the first Australian aboriginal person to complete nursing training at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1954 and went on to become a charge sister. She left the industry after a number of years to work in public service, according to CNN. She led many indigenous organisations at the state and federal levels and was the first Aboriginal person to address the UN General Assembly in 1992. She had successfully campaigned for the acknowledgment of Aboriginal peoples in a 1967 referendum. O'Donoghue was referred to as "one of the most remarkable leaders this country has ever known" by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. In a post on X, Albanese, as he paid a tribute to O'Donoghue, said: "Dr O'Donoghue had an abiding faith in the possibility of a more united and reconciled Australia." "It was a faith she embodied with her own unceasing efforts to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and to bring about meaningful and lasting reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia," he added. (ANI)
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Prime Minister of Cambodia Samdech Techo Hun Sen (1st R, front) attends the extraordinary congress of Cambodian People's Party (CPP) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Jan. 28, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won a landslide victory in the fifth election for the country's Senate, or the upper house of the parliament, on Sunday, a party spokesperson said.

CPP spokesperson Sok Eysan, citing preliminary results, said the CPP won the majority of the votes in the election.

"The CPP won at least 50 of the 58 Senate seats up for grabs, or more than 80 percent of the total votes," he told Xinhua.

"This is another great success for the CPP after we won a landslide victory in the general election in July 2023," said the spokesperson.

He confirmed that former Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, the 71-year-old president of the CPP, will take over as the president of the Senate after the election, who would be acting head of state when the king is overseas.

Held every six years, the Senate election is by non-universal suffrage with only members of the National Assembly, or the lower house, and commune councilors across the Southeast Asian country being eligible to cast ballots.

The Senate has 62 seats, but the vote is held for 58 seats as two senators will be appointed by Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and two others by the National Assembly.

Four political parties took part in Sunday's election. They were the CPP, the royalist Funcinpec Party, the Khmer Will Party and the Nation Power Party.

The National Election Committee (NEC) said 11,730, or 99.86 percent, of the 11,747 eligible voters (125 National Assembly members and 11,622 commune councilors) voted in Sunday's election at 33 polling stations across the country.

NEC preliminary results showed that the CPP received 10,052 votes, the Khmer Will Party earned 1,394 votes, the Nation Power Party gained 234 votes, and the royalist Funcinpec Party got 19 votes.
A Taiwanese man and a Chinese woman were indicted for allegedly providing Chinese funds to a pro-unification New Taipei City Council candidate in Taiwan's local elections in 2022, Central News Agency Taiwan reported, citing the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office. The office said in a statement on Monday the Taiwanese man, Sun Chih-chuan, colluded with the Chinese woman, surnamed Da, on Beijing's instructions to remit 100,000 Chinese yuan to Taiwan to support Wang Cheng of the Labor Party. According to the statement, the remittance was made through various intermediaries, and ended up as a USD 10,000 transfer from an account held by Da in Hong Kong to an account set up by Wang's older sister in Taiwan, prosecutors said. They described Sun as the deputy director of the Taipei-based Chinese Youth Development Union, responsible for the union's business affairs in China, and Da as the director of the Federation of Hong Kong Jiangsu Youth. Da's federation allegedly received assignments from the United Front Work Department of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and is a source of infiltration under Taiwan's Anti-Infiltration Act, according to prosecutors. Wang spent 3,42,065 of the 4,35,000 (New Taipei Dollar) he received to purchase promotional materials for his campaign, including face masks to be distributed to voters, prosecutors said in the indictment handed down Monday, the Central News Agency Taiwan, reported. All of those actions violated the Anti-Infiltration Act and the Political Donations Act, prosecutors charged in the indictment. The prosecutors said under Taiwanese law, candidates who accept political donations from residents, associations, or other institutions in Hong Kong and Macau, as well as China, must confirm whether the donations comply with provisions in the Political Donations Act. If the donations do not conform to the regulations and cannot be returned, they shall be turned over to the Control Yuan for deposit into the National Treasury within three months after the election date, the statement said. However, both Sun and Da have denied that the organisations they belong to have relationships with Beijing. Sun has argued that all he did was lend money to Wang, and Da said she merely exchanged currency for Sun, Central News Agency Taiwan reported. Sun is currently being held in custody, while Da has been barred from travelling abroad. (ANI)
The South Korean government threatened striking young doctors with indictment and suspension of their medical licences, giving them four days to report back to work, Al Jazeera reported. The order was issued on Monday after the protesting doctors turned down a government proposal that would translate to a roughly 65 per cent rise in medical school enrollment, the report stated, adding that about 9,000 medical interns and residents had taken a leave of absence. Since the work stoppages started last week, many surgeries and other procedures have had to be cancelled, seriously impairing hospital operations. Hospitals were becoming increasingly chaotic, according to Safety Minister Lee Sang-min, with the strikes also putting emergency services in a 'dangerous situation', according to the report. "Considering the gravity of the situation, the government has issued the last plea," the minister said. "If you return to the hospital you left behind by February 29, you won't be held responsible for what has already happened," the minister said, according to Al Jazeera. Further, according to government officials, the increasing ageing population of South Korea requires the enrollment of additional doctors. The doctor-to-patient ratio in the country is currently among the lowest in the world. The protesting younger doctors are demanding that the government focus on improving working conditions and salaries before attempting to expand the number of medical professionals. "Those who do not return to work by the end of February would face a minimum three-month suspension of their medical licences", the report quoted Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo as saying. He added that there might be other legal actions taken against them, including inquiries and even indictments. The government of South Korea has the authority to order doctors and other medical professionals back to work when it determines that there are serious hazards to the public's health. Refusing to follow such an order can result in medical licence revocation, fines of up to 30 million won (USD22,480), or up to three years in prison, according to the report. (ANI)
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) held its thirteenth Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi on Monday. The Indian delegation at the conference was led by Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal on the first day of the event. On the first day of the WTO, Comoros and Timor Leste became members of the organisation. Notably, India had been supporting these accessions and welcomed the expansion of the organization, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in an official release. Next year marks the WTO's 30-year anniversary of founding. On the first day of operation, two ministerial discussion sessions were arranged to provide a forum for ministers to debate potential future directions for it. During the discussion on sustainable development and policy room for industrialization, India emphasised the need to prevent the multilateral trading system from becoming fragmented. "India explained that it has put forward and propagated a sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of conservation and moderation including through a mass movement for LiFE- "Life Style for Environment" as a key to combating climate change. It also expressed serious concerns regarding the increasing use of trade protectionist unilateral measures, which are sought to be justified in the guise of environmental protection," the release read. Moreover, India also asserted that the developing countries seek appropriate policy space to find solutions to their concerns. "India said that it was of the firm view that developing countries require flexibility in the existing WTO agreements to overcome the constraints faced by them in their industrialization. India expressed concerns on the concerted attempt to club long standing development issues like policy space for industrial development with the new issues of Trade and Industrial policy," the official press release of Commerce Ministry read. "In the second session on Trade and Inclusion, India cautioned members that mixing non-trade topics with WTO rules can lead to greater trade fragmentation. Bringing issues like Gender and MSMEs in the realm of WTO discussions was not practical because these issues were being discussed in other relevant international organizations already," it added. India stressed that issues like inclusion are better addressed through contextual and targeted national measure and they did not fall in the domain of international trade relations. India stressed that non-trade issues have the potential to encourage trade distortive subsidies and non-trade barriers. India recounted several measures undertaken by the government for greater inclusion of MSMEs and women, especially through use of Digital Public Infrastructure, and also assured its unwavering commitment to multilateralism and the importance of adhering to the rules-based global trading system. (ANI)
The Nepali Congress will hold discussions with other parties and work to declare Nepal a Vedic Sanatan Hindu state, party leader and member of Parliament Shankar Bhandari said. In an interview with ANI, Shankar Bhandari, who has been leading the "Vedic Sanatan Hindu Rastra establishment campaign" within the Nepali Congress, claimed reinstatement of the Hindu state would be a course correction in Nepali politics. "What we believe, attempt and request with all existing parties in the Federal Parliament would be to hold discussion with them. We have also been informed that the Nepal Communist Party is also worried about increasing conversion, and it is counterproductive. We all should work together for Vedic Sanatan Hinduism, other parties have also noticed this, and we are confident about it," Bhandari said. He further said that they will soon start a national debate over it and hold discussions with political parties, adding that they need a two-third majority to declare a Hindu state. "As per our constitutional provision, we need a two-third majority (to declare Hindu state); serious error which was made at the time of promulgation of constitution- intentional or out of ignorance, we should not be late to rectify those errors, we are determined on it. We will soon start a national debate over it and hold conversations with political parties," he said. The campaign launched by Bhandari gained popularity during the five-day Maha Samiti meeting held in Godawari, Lalitpur, on February 19. Bhandari's campaign to collect signatures to pressure the party's top leaders managed to get the signatures of about 1100 participants out of the 1950 designated members of the Maha Samiti meeting. During the concluding session of the party's mass meeting, Bhandari submitted the collected signatures to party President Sher Bahadur Deuba, who then promised to take the issue to the Central Committee meeting. Among those 42 signatories are the central members of Nepal's largest party in parliament, which includes former General Secretary, Shashank Koirala. However, the agenda for a Hindu nation was not deliberated upon during the Maha Samiti meeting. After the 2006 People's Movement-II, Nepal reinstated democracy, overthrowing centuries-old monarchies. In successive years, it became a republican nation and adopted a new democratic and republican constitution in September 2015. After the overthrow of the monarchy, Nepal became a secular state, changing its status from a Hindu state where the monarch or the king were worshipped and regarded as the reincarnation of Lord Narayan. Upon being asked whether the Nepali Congress in the long term is aiming to reinstate the monarchy in the Himalayan nation, the leader rejected the claims and said, "It (monarchy) came on as a practice from the past, but there is no mention of the king being worshipped as God in any of the Hindu scriptures, there are different theories and policies regarding it." He further said that since the 16th century, Hinduism in Nepal has been targeted. "Since the 16th century, the eternal Hinduism of Nepal has continued to remain a target, as per my knowledge. There have been attempts to hinder it by linking it with monarchy, the intervention of foreign nations, and raising tensions alleging it to be against ethnic groups. We have already taken note of this and we will hold a ground-level discussion in case it is needed, explain to all, in between the political parties and make them clear that it is not against any ethnic groups or personal freedom," he added. Notably, demands for a Hindu state have been rising in Nepal, as other parties have also continued to stage protests and agitations demanding the reinstatement of the religious identity of the nation. The Rastriya Prajatantra Party, a pro-monarch faction, has also launched their campaign for a Hindu state, with the reinstatement of monarchy as their demand. Congress leader Bhandari clarified that his party would only support the demands of the Hindu state but not the constitutional monarchy to achieve the aim. During the previous Mahasamiti meeting, 714 individuals expressed their support for a Hindu nation by signing a petition, which was then submitted to the party president. Additionally, 22 central members presented their signatures to President Deuba, urging for the inclusion of the Hindu nation agenda in the Mahasamiti meeting discussions. Moreover, Hinduism is the most followed religion in the Himalayan nation, which stands at 81 per cent out of the total population, i.e., 291 million, 64 thousand and 578, as per the census of 2021. Similarly, 23,93,549 people, i.e., 8.21 per cent, follow Buddhism, 5.09 per cent follow Islam, 3.17 per cent follow Kirant and 1.76 per cent follow Christianity. (ANI)
The US Department of Homeland Security told ANI that Canegallo will be in India from February 27 to 29 to co-chair the security dialogue with Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla.

The Homeland Security Dialogue aims to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries on a range of security issues important to both countries.

She will also meet with other senior Indian government officials, the US Department of Homeland Security told ANI.

The security dialogue will focus on topics such as counterterrorism, concerns related to Sikh radicals, cybersecurity, and aviation security, among other matters.

The anticipated topics for discussion are cooperation in counterterrorism, cybersecurity, combating illegal migration, extradition, aviation security, safeguarding global supply chains, and maritime security, among other areas. The last homeland security dialogue took place in January 2022.

According to sources, issues linked to Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and several fugitives residing in the US are expected to be raised during the dialogue.

India is expected to emphasize issues such as the exploitation of the digital sphere by terrorist organizations for disseminating radical ideologies, and recruitment, and financing terrorism.

Moreover, India will also emphasize the issue of cyberattacks on its essential infrastructure, including banks, railways, power and energy facilities, and hospitals.

The meeting is significant as this would provide another platform for India to raise these issues with the US. (ANI)
Sweden's Ambassador to India, Jan Thesleff, inaugurated a street art project between India and Sweden on Monday as both countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations. He further expressed pride in the first mural that is in the centre of Delhi. "I am delighted to be here at Khan Market to inaugurate a street art project between India and Sweden that celebrates 75 years of diplomatic relations between our countries," he said. He further paid tribute to the founder of Delhi street art, Yogesh Saini. "We are also here to pay tribute to the founder of Delhi street art, to Yogesh Saini...," he said. Highlighting the beauty of street art, Thesleff told ANI that street art is an exhibition that comes to people instead of people coming to the exhibition. "There is something special about street art because it's an exhibition that comes to people instead of people coming to the exhibition. In our relations with India, since the past 75 years, we have built a very much variety of different sectors of activities, one of which is culture...," he added. "Proud of this first mural that is at the centre of Delhi," Thesleff expressed. Meanwhile, the Director General of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, Kumar Tuhin, stressed that the relationship between the two countries extends to various domains, including culture. "India and Sweden enjoy very close and deep ties. Our relationships extend to various domains, including culture. I am very happy that I am attending this function...," he said. Tuhin also emphasised that street art that has been inaugurated does not only depict public spaces being used for promoting culture but also other elements that mark both countries' relations. "On this occasion, street art has been inaugurated which depicts not only public spaces being used for the promotion of culture but also in many ways the strength and diversity and many other elements that mark our Sweden-India relations....," he added. Last year in December, Thesleff, in his address at the celebration of 75 years of diplomatic relations between Sweden and India, said that India and Sweden want to work together to do things that are "smarter and more sustainable." He noted that the bond between India and Sweden dates back to independence. (ANI)
CHICAGO  A man is dead and a woman is hospitalized after a car crashed into the Little Calumet River early Sunday morning.

According to Chicago police, the CPD Marine Unit pulled a 30-year-old man from the water around 3 a.m. on Sunday, in the 800 block of West 129th Place in West Pullman.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

Police say the man had exited a vehicle that was partially submerged in the water and was pronounced dead on the scene.

Authorities say a 30-year-old woman, who was a passenger in the car, was able to exit the vehicle before it crashed into the water.

VOTE: Tom Skillings most memorable moments

The woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital in stable condition.

Authorities have not yet identified the victim.

Currently, it is unclear what led to the crash and an investigation is underway.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
CHICAGO  Three people are dead, including a 16-year-old boy, and a fourth was injured after a shooting inside a residence on the citys South Side on Sunday evening.

According to Chicago police, the shooting unfolded in the 8000 block of South Vincennes Avenue, just after 7:30 p.m.

Police say the four victims were inside a residence in the area when two people entered and opened fire.

A 16-year-old boy, later identified as Amere Deese, suffered a gunshot wound to his back and was pronounced dead on the scene.

A 36-year-old man, who suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, and a 20-year-old man, who suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen, were both taken to the hospital where they were later pronounced dead.

The 20-year-old man was identified as Ladeverett Ringgold Monday morning.

4 injured, 1 fatally, in shooting at a park in Rogers Park

A fourth victim, a 17-year-old boy was shot in the leg and taken to the hospital in fair condition.

Currently, it is unclear what led to the shooting and police say an investigation is now underway.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact CPD Area Two Detectives at 312-747-8273 or dial 911.

Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip for police at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
A pileup in Reseda involving at least four vehicles and two parked cars killed one person and injured several others Sunday morning, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The crash, first disclosed by LAFD around 11:30 a.m., was in the area of 18153 West Vanowen Street. Firefighters responded to the collision which involved 11 people.

Three people were trapped, including one who was pronounced dead at the scene, according to LAFD. The deceased person was yet to be identified as of Sunday.

The other two trapped people were successfully removed from one vehicle using hydraulic rescue tools similar to the jaws of life, LAFD said.

Six people in total were transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Their conditions were not immediately made clear by authorities.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
One person was killed and three people were injured during a shooting in the Rogers Park neighborhood Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

A spokesperson for the Chicago Fire Department said emergency services responded to Pottawattomie Park at 7340 N. Rogers Ave. shortly after 3:30 p.m. Police said two unknown offenders had approached a group in the park and shot in the groups direction, hitting a woman in the chest.

The 19-year-old was later pronounced dead at 4:05 p.m. at Ascension Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, according to police and the Cook County medical examiners office.

Paramedics also transported two men, ages 20 and 19, to Saint Francis in good condition.

A 22-year-old woman, who was shot in the right foot, was transported to Swedish Hospital, also in good condition. One of the victims had walked to the Fire Departments Engine 102, a short distance away at 7340 N. Clark St., according to the spokesperson.

Police said the suspects fled on foot heading northbound on North Winchester Avenue. No arrests had been made as of Sunday evening, and area detectives are investigating.

Check back for updates.
 Flash

A man was killed and six members of his family were injured in Yemen's southwestern province of Taiz in Saturday's overnight airstrikes by the U.S.-British forces, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported on Sunday.

Following the airstrikes, Yemen's Houthi-controlled Saba news agency said "the American-British aggression airstrikes targeted the communications networks in the Shamir area of Maqbanah district, and in Haifan district," both in Taiz province.

It also reported other airstrikes on a farm in the Abs district in the northwestern province of Hajjah, and more than a dozen of airstrikes in the capital Sanaa targeting several well-known military positions.

The U.S. Central Command on Sunday said on social media platform X that its forces and allies on Saturday targeted 18 military positions of the armed Houthi group. "The targets included Houthi underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter," it said.

These strikes are intended to "degrade Houthi capability and disrupt their continued reckless and unlawful attacks" on international commercial and U.S. and British vessels in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden, the U.S. Central Command added.

In response, the Houthis issued a televised statement following the U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, in which they claimed responsibility for new missile and drone attacks they launched on Saturday against what the group said "a U.S. oil tanker and U.S. navy ships," vowing for more.

The Houthis have controlled much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeidah since the Yemeni civil war erupted in late 2014.
Ten people were arrested in western Georgia on Friday, as the Muscogee County Sheriffs Office Special Operations Unit targeted known high-crime areas.

Deputies say three of the ten suspects are validated gang members.

A total of 12.7 grams of cocaine, 6 dextroamphetamine pills, 139.5 grams of marijuana, and 5 guns were seized during the arrests.

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Antonio Epps, who deputies say is a validated gang member, is charged with felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, felony theft by receiving stolen property (a firearm), and felony bench warrant for larceny in Lee County, Alabama.

Jonkevius Billingsley is charged with felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, felony possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and fleeing to elude.

Deputies say when he was arrested he had a Mini Draco 7.62 and a Mill Point 223 rifle.

Jason Starling is charged with felony violation of probation and felony bench warrant for possession of dangerous drugs in Lee County, Alabama.

Broderick Lockhart is charged with felony fleeing to elude, felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, felony possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, felony possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, felony possession of a Schedule II drug (dextroamphetamine) with intent to distribute, and several misdemeanor charges.

JyQuarious Shealy is charged with two counts of felony aggravated assault, felony armed robbery, and two counts of felony possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Tavaris Baldwin is charged with felony sale of marijuana and four misdemeanor charges.

Antonio Weaver, who deputies say is a validated gang member, is charged with felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and felony theft by receiving stolen property (a firearm).

Deputies say he had a Taurus 9mm pistol that was reported stolen through Columbus police when he was arrested.

TRENDING STORIES:

Juan Garner is charged with a felony bench warrant for first-degree burglary and theft by deception.

Raheem Truitt, who deputies say is a validated gang member, is charged with two counts of felony fleeing to elude, felony possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and three misdemeanor charges.

Deputies say he had a Glock 19 9mm pistol when he was arrested.

Terrence Ogletree faces a misdemeanor charge of battery.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  On Monday, two Pearl Cohn High School seniors were arrested for bringing guns on campus after school administrators conducted random searches.

According to a release from Metro Nashville Police, 18-year-old Ladarius Britt had a loaded 9-millimeter handgun in the glove box of his car when school staff searched the parking lot.

| READ MORE | Latest headlines from Nashville and Davidson County

The gun came back as stolen, but Britt did not say how he obtained the gun, according to the release.

Britt was charged with carrying a weapon on school property and theft.

Ladarius Britt (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

Makendall Green (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

Also on Monday, 18-year-old Makendall Green was found with a loaded 9-millimeter handgun in his backpack. According to MNPDs release, he also did not state where he got the firearm, but said he brought it to school for protection.

Green was charged with carrying a weapon on school property.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
Two Davenport men have been sentenced in connection with the theft of thousands of dollars in trucks and other equipment from paving contractor Hawkeye Paving, Davenport, according to Scott County Court records.

Joel Martin, 43, and Cody Timm, 38, both faced multiple felony charges in connection with 2023 thefts from Hawkeye Paving, 4241 W. 83rd St., Davenport, in 2023, according to arrest affidavits.

Joel Martin (L) and Cody Timm (Scott County Jail)

Timm pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal mischief, third-degree burglary, and possession of a controlled substance  third or subsequent offense. A judge sentenced him to five years for each charge, with the sentences to run concurrently, or at the same time, court records say.

Joel Martin pleaded guilty to second-degree theft as a habitual offender, second-degree criminal mischief as a habitual offender, and third-degree burglary as a habitual offender, court records show. For each charge, he was sentenced to a term not to exceed 15 years with a mandatory-minimum sentence of three years.

Two of the sentences were to run consecutively to each other but concurrently to the third, for a total sentence of 30 years, according to court records. But the sentences were suspended and Martin was placed on five years of supervised probation.

Court records say his probation conditions include:

He will enroll in and successfully complete programming at The Salvation Army Program in Davenport, and will be held in the Scott County Jail until bed space is available at the facility, at which time the sheriff will transport him for enrollment.

He will obtain a substance-abuse evaluation from an approved provider at his own cost and follow through with any recommended treatment and aftercare.

H will obtain a mental-health evaluation from an approved provider at his own cost and follow through with any recommended treatment and aftercare.

Three burglar alarms in 2023

Police, who responded to a burglar alarm at Hawkeye Paving, allege Timm entered the secured property through a field and proceeded to enter the building, went into the shop area, and removed several sets of keys to super duty Ford pickup trucks, which were parked outside.

Police allege in affidavits that Timm then took a 2016 Ford F350 with a flatbed trailer containing a Husqvarna concrete saw valued at $40,000. He parked the stolen trailer and saw in the 1800 block of West 1st Street behind an abandoned apartment complex, affidavits show.

This was captured on security camera, according to affidavits.

Davenport Police again were notified of a burglar alarm soon afterward at Hawkeye Paving, affidavits say.

Timm and Martin entered the secured property through a field, police allege, bypassing the secured gated entrance. He and Martin removed a 2019 Ford F350 with a flatbed trailer and a 2019 Ford F250 with an enclosed construction trailer, police allege in affidavits.

This was captured on a security camera, affidavits say. The enclosed trailer and the contents are valued at more than $10,000.

The trailer was recovered in the 2100 block of West 4th Street, Davenport, police say in affidavits.

Soon after that, Davenport Police were notified of still another burglar alarm at Hawkeye Paving, according to affidavits.

Police allege Martin and Timm entered the secured property through a field, bypassing the secured gated entrance. The suspects removed a 2016 Ford F350 with a utility box filled with construction equipment valued at more than $10,000, police allege in affidavits.

The truck was recovered in the 1800 block of West 6th Street, Davenport, affidavits say.

In affidavits, police allege the suspects had cut the catalytic converter off the truck, causing more than $2,000 worth of damage to the vehicle.

Detectives executed a search warrant at the address where the truck was found and recovered an estimated $30,000 worth of construction equipment stolen from Hawkeye Paving, police allege in affidavits.

What is a catalytic converter?

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a catalytic converter looks like a small muffler along with an exhaust system. The device converts an engines environmentally hazardous exhaust into less harmful gases.

According to the Kelley Blue Book, thieves want catalytic converters because they include valuable metals that can be recycled and resold.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A man is in custody after he allegedly broke into a beauty supply store and stole approximately $20,000 in merchandise.

According to reports, around 5:30 a.m. Sunday, deputies responded to a burglary at Beauty & Company in southeast Shelby County on Hacks Cross Road.

Reports say deputies observed two Infiniti sedans backed into parking spaces in front of the store. The suspects fled the scene in the vehicles.

One of the suspects was located parked in a field near an apartment complex at Winchester Road and Forest Hill Irene.

9 arrested after $50K in Nike shoes stolen from boxcar

The suspect was identified as 31-year-old Donald Woods.

The Shelby County Sheriffs Office says the recovered Infiniti contained a large amount of the stolen property, including the cash register. Approximately $20,000 in stolen goods was recovered from the vehicle.

Woods is charged with burglary of a building/business, theft of property $10,000-$60,000, and intentionally evading arrest in an automobile.

SCSO says that one other suspect is responsible for the burglary, but they were unable to locate them. This is an ongoing investigation.

If you have any information regarding this incident, call Memphis CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
After a "brutal" year of too many dogs and cats but not enough adopters, 21 Florida animal shelters will be getting a supportive hand from the Jacksonville Humane Society.

The private, nonprofit animal shelter with a vaunted national reputation has received a $2.7 million grant to mentor shelters that are struggling to achieve or regain no-kill status.

No-kill status is a benchmark meaning at least 90% of dogs and cats entering a particular shelter leave alive  having been adopted, returned to their owners or transferred to a rescue group  and no more than 10% are put down because of medical or behavioral issues.

The grant came from Best Friends Animal Society, a Utah-based animal welfare organization that has set a goal of achieving no-kill nationwide in 2025. Currently, 64% of the 135 Florida shelters have achieved that status, according to the nonprofit, and Florida's statewide save rate is 85%.

Still, Florida is 46th in the nation in saving shelter animals' lives.

Who needs help with no-kill goals?

Among the shelters working with the Jacksonville Humane Society are the city's Animal Care and Protective Services and Baker County Animal Control.

The Jacksonville shelter has achieved no-kill status previously but posted an 86% rate in 2023 and 88% in 2022, while the Humane Society had 92% for 2023 and 93% the previous year. The Baker shelter posted a save rate of about 57% in 2023 and 55% in 2022.

"It was a brutal year for shelters across the country," Humane Society CEO Denise Deisler said. "Bottom line, while fewer  animals entered shelters in 2023, adoptions did not keep pace."

More animals entered shelters than went out. As a result, "many shelters are over capacity and dogs in particular are languishing longer in shelters," Deisler said. Longtime shelter stays can lead to stress, illness and poor kennel behavior, which turns off potential adopters, she said.

Deisler cited multiple factors for the capacity problems. Many shelters retained limited public access policies enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic and have economic challenges and a lack of transportation partners. In the community, there is a lack of affordable, pet-friendly housing, she said.

At Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services, a dog in a double-occupancy kennel barks at visitors. When the shelter is crowded with dogs, an animal is put in both sides of the enclosure that was designed for only one.

The grant will cover preparing pets for adoption  including being spayed or neutered, behavior training and enrichment  with the specifics tailored to each communitys needs.

"Each mentorship is different depending on size of lifesaving gap and whether the need is primarily dogs or cats," Deisler said.

In Baker County, for instance, the society is funding a full-time staffer to focus on adoptions, customer service and returning animals to owners, she said. That person will enable the shelter to expand the hours it's open to the public.

"More varied and convenient hours will encourage greater community involvement, whether reuniting a lost pet with their family, recruiting and training volunteers, facilitating adoptions," Deisler said. It will allow Animal Control to focus on more than code enforcement  the county's two animal control officers spend most of their time in the field  and transport animals for medical and spay and neuter surgery, she said.

What is Baker County's animal situation?

Baker County government representatives did not respond to interview requests. But Connie Cannaday, a local animal rescuer who is chairwoman of the county's Animal Advisory Committee, said the agency could definitely benefit from mentoring.

Animal Care and Protective Services officers Joe Casey and Haytle Geer use a bit of peanut butter on a stick to calm an animal they brought to the Jacksonville shelter. Every animal is weighed, vaccinated and evaluated before being considered available for adoption.

The needs are many, including a larger, updated facility; a "robust" foster program; separate quarantine space; additional staff to expand operating hours; the ability to vaccinate and species-test all animals on arrival; transport animals to area adoption events; and review of protocols, Cannaday said. Because of the small staff and facility, "they can't keep up with the unhoused animal population in the county."

"Lots could be learned about updated practices on animal behavior, cleaning, newest trends for marketing animals for adoption," she said.

But Cannaday warned that policies that prove successful at large, city shelters may not work at a rural shelter. "The demographics are very different, the mentality and treatment of animals is thought of very differently," she said. Some of the larger shelters "don't possess the ability to think outside the box to come up with adaptations  that could potentially be a better fit in the rural areas."

Still, she said she hopes the funding will help Baker meet some of its animal control needs.

What's Duval County's animal situation?

The Jacksonville shelter's major challenge is constantly exceeding its capacity for dogs, Deisler siad.

"That leads to many other challenges. They are staffed for far fewer dogs than they currently have, so cleaning takes much longer, getting dogs walked and out to play also takes longer, both of which lead to poor kennel presence," she said.

At Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services' veterinary facility, certified veterinary technician Hieu Tran prepares a dog to be neutered. The biggest issue facing the city facility is the constant excess of dogs that need homes.

But recently the shelter has made "many very positive changes," including extended operating hours, enhanced volunteer recruitment and programming such as dogs day out, she said. The shelter also has a new leader  Michael Bricker, whose resume includes several Best Friends positions and took the job in September 2023  who is enthusiastic about the mentoring program.

'Perfect storm': Dire situation for animal shelters in Jacksonville area and country

"Any time you can learn from one of the best, it is time well-spent," he said.

The grant funds will support the shelter's behavior program and partnership with another national leader in animal welfare, Dogs Playing for Life, a nonprofit that works to enhance shelter dogs' quality of life.

"These funds will give us more access to the skilled leadership team from that organization and will allow us to grow our employees, enhance their skills and create the behavior program that is severely needed here at our shelter," Bricker said.

He said the mentoring will have a "fruitful" outcome. The society, he said, "has shown what theyre capable of when it comes to assisting shelters all over Florida."

Jacksonville Humane Society is at forefront of collaborative mission

The grant is part of Best Friends' shelter collaborative program that pairs mentors from no-kill shelters with colleagues still striving for that status. As a national leader in animal welfare initiatives, the Jacksonville society was an "obvious choice" to be a mentor, according to Fraily Rodriguez, Best Friends' senior director of lifesaving programs.

Darrell Murphy walks Bam Bam, a dog available for adoption at Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services. Murphy and his wife are regular volunteers at the shelter, taking dogs for walks around the grounds and helping socialize the animals.

"When we first launched the shelter collaborative pilot program in Florida, the first call we made was to Jacksonville Humane Society," he said, because they have been "innovative and resilient in increasing pet lifesaving on a local level.

"Our goal was to find partners that had the ability to scale up  to support programmatic change across the state," he said. "... No one shelter, animal welfare group or rescue organization can do it alone."

Deisler said the grant is a direct reflection of the relationship-building that staff have fostered across the state through its Florida Leaders in Lifesaving program. Founded in 2018, Leaders in Lifesaving brings together government and nonprofit shelters and nonprofit clinics to improve save rates statewide.

"We do so by removing barriers to training and fostering collaboration between larger, well-resourced organizations and communities with smaller, less resourced organizations and communities," she said.

The grant will help the society "expand our reach," she said. "This allows us to help other communities while learning from them at the same time. Lifesaving increases when we all work together."

bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Humane Society to help shelters achieve no-kill status
An international team of scientists has released images of what they say is a 240-million-year-old aquatic reptile fossil that resembles the long, snake-like features of the mythical Chinese Dragon.

Dinocephalosaurus orientalis spanned more than 16 feet and roamed the ocean waters in Chinas Triassic period, according to a news release from the National Museums of Scotland.

The reptiles extraordinarily long neck, which contained 32 separate neck vertebrae, has drawn comparisons to other strange marine reptile fossils dating to the same time period in both Europe and China.

240-million-year-old 'Chinese Dragon' fossil revealed by scientists

However, Dinocephalosaurus is unique in possessing many more vertebrae both in the neck and in the torso, giving the animal a much more snake-like appearance, scientists said.

The species was originally identified in 2003, but there have since been additional discoveries in China of more complete specimens, including one which is reportedly fully articulated that has enabled scientists to recreate the bizarre long-necked beast in renderings.

This discovery allows us to see this remarkable long-necked animal in full for the very first time. It is yet one more example of the weird and wonderful world of the Triassic that continues to baffle paleontologists, Dr. Nick Fraser, Keeper of Natural Sciences at the National Museums of Scotland, said.

Dinocephalosaurus fossil, according to the release, shows the animal had flippered limbs and preserved fishes in its stomach region, both of which scientists say is evidence that the massive reptile was extremely well adapted to an oceanic lifestyle.

Dinocephalosaurus orientalis

This has been an international effort, Professor Li Chun with the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology said. Among all the extraordinary finds we have made in the Triassic of Guizhou Province, Dinocephalosaurus probably stands out as the most remarkable.

A team of researchers from four different countries, including America, studied the fossil over 10 years at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Beijing, which is a part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

We hope that our future research will help us understand more about the evolution of this group of animals, and particularly how the elongate neck functioned, Dr. Stephan Spiekman, a researcher based at the Stuttgart State Museum of Natural History said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Your slice of the headlines in Ukraine. Daily. Monday, February 26, 2024

Zelenskyy, accompanied by von der Leyen, Trudeau, Meloni and De Croo addresses Ukrainians from Hostomel

On the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Ukrainians from the Hostomel airport, which was destroyed during the battle for Kyiv.



European Union pledges unwavering backing for Ukraine amid Russian aggression

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Mecola, have issued a joint statement in support of the Ukrainian people on the second anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.



31,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been killed since 2022  Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed Ukraine's losses for the first time, saying that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Feb. 22, 2022 during a forum on Feb. 25.



Occupying forces in Ukraine set up measures to ensure 'election' participation, incl. online  NRC

Russians are actively preparing to facilitate military personnels participation in voting for the All-Russian General Total Influence (VOT) during the so-called elections of the President of the Russian Federation, Ukraines National Resistance Center (NRC) reported on Feb. 24.



Zelenskyy claims voter confidence despite military crisis

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asserted his confidence in securing victory in the current presidential elections during an interview with Fox News on Feb. 23.



Ukrainian Armed Forces and HUR shot down another of Russias prized A-50 AWACS aircraft and Su-34 jet in joint operation

Another of Russias prized A-50 Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, call sign Bayan (Accordion), was shot down by Ukrainian Air Force over the Sea of Azov some 170 km from the front line at 7:15 p.m. EET on Feb. 23.



How Ukraine could cripple Russias oil exports

The ongoing campaign of drone strikes on Russias oil refineries and depots by the Ukrainian military and special services could ultimately pose a tangible threat to Moscows hydrocarbon export revenues. Over 10 such targets, including four oil refineries, have been hit in Russia in 2024.



Armenia has frozen its participation in the Russian-led CSTO military alliance

Armenia has "frozen" its participation in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told France 24 TV.



Ukraine will help Moldova in case of escalation in Transnistria  diplomat

Ukraines Ambassador to Chisinau Marko Shevchenko said that in case of escalation in unrecognized Transnistria, Ukraine would provide Moldova with all necessary assistance if requested, Deschide portal reported on Feb. 22.



Ukrainian military correspondent Andriy Tsaplienko discusses Avdiivka withdrawal and frontline threats

Ukrainian military correspondent Andriy Tsaplienko discussed the withdrawal from Avdiivka, the threat in other frontline sectors, and new appointments in the Armed Forces in an exclusive interview with Radio NV ahead of the second anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion.



Vandals in Poland spill Ukrainian grain; fourth incident in recent days

Unknown vandals in Poland spilled Ukrainian grain from eight wagons at the Kotomezh station, marking the fourth such incident in recent days as the grain was en route to the port of Gdansk.

Ukraine puts forward plan to resolve trade dispute with Poland

The Ukrainian government has proposed a five-step "plan of mutual understanding" to Poland to resolve the concerns expressed by protesting Polish farmers who continue to disrupt shipping across the Polish-Ukrainian border, Ukrainian PM Denys Shmyhal said on Feb. 23.



British PM urges seizure of frozen Russian assets

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called on Western nations to take more decisive action in seizing frozen Russian assets, as reported in his Sunday Times column on February 25, according to Reuters.



Iranian missiles not present in Russia, Says Budanov; DPRK missiles not widely utilized by occupiers

Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraines Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR), refuted claims of Iran transferring long-range missiles to Russia, asserting that such information does not align with reality.



Prague leads initiative to raise $1.5 billion in emergency funds to finance ammunition purchase for Ukraine

European nations are racing to raise $1.5 billion in emergency funds to provide Ukraine with artillery shells from overseas to shore up the front lines against Russia as the full-scale war enters its third year, the Financial Times reported on Feb. 23.



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
Caroleene Dobson is a Republican candidate for the 2nd Congressional District. (Courtesy Caroleene Dobson for Congress)

This is the last in a series of profiles of candidates in Alabamas 2nd Congressional District. Read the profiles here.

Real estate attorney Caroleene Dobson said the border needs to be addressed right now.

A Republican candidate for Alabamas 2nd Congressional District primary, Dobson, like other GOP candidates in the race, is focused on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Dobson said that the U.S. cant sustain the current migration influx on the U.S.-Mexico border, and that the system needs a total overhaul.

Just the number of folks that are flooding across  while I empathize with anyone wanting to seek a better future for their families, our country, our social security is bankrupt, she said.

Caroleene Dobson

Age: 37

Residence: Montgomery

Occupation: Real estate attorney

Education: A.B., History and Literature, Harvard College, 2009; J.D., Baylor University School of Law, 2012.

Party: Republican

Previous political experience/campaign: First-time political candidate.

Dobson said that on top of preventing unauthorized border crossings, the federal government also should overhaul farm-migrant work-visa programs, which she described as overly bureaucratic.

On the one hand, the borders are flung open in the southern United States, but then on the other hand, folks that are wanting to come here to work, theres too much red tape, both for them and for their employers, Dobson said.

The new district was formed after a federal court last October approved a new map putting most of the southern Black Belt in the district and making the Black Voting Age Population (BVAP) there about 49% Black. The court ruled that an earlier map approved by the Alabama Legislature unconstitutionally packed Black voters into a single district.

With the new maps approved, Dobson said that since it seemed it was going to be an open seat, she and her husband discussed her potential candidacy. When the deadline was nearing and no candidate had qualified yet, she said that she decided to step up, and was the first Republican candidate to qualify.

With Alabamas racially-polarized voting, the district is expected to lean Democratic. But Dobson said it can remain in Republicans hands if they get their message across.

A Republican definitely has a chance of prevailing if they can get out and persuade folks that we need to do something different and government is not the solution to all of our problems  often it can get in the way of solutions, she said.

Dobson also said the U.S. needs to become energy independent. While the U.S. exports more energy than it imports, it still relies on foreign oil to meet its energy needs. She said the U.S. pays other economies for non-renewable resources instead of tapping into its own.

Weve got to also utilize our non-renewable resources that we have here in abundance in order to be totally energy independent, so that the cost of goods goes down and then that will foster economic growth, she said, adding that eventually, it could promote development of renewable resources in the future.

Dobson said federal overregulation also hurts farmers. She used an Obama-era regulation that would have required farms to report the amount of hazardous substances, such as ammonia, released by their livestock. Agriculture causes about 81% of global ammonia emissions, and accounts for about 30% of PM2.5 pollution in the U.S., or particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller that cause chronic respiratory illnesses and can lead to premature mortality.

[Its] just overly cumbersome and impossible to have calculated, and a lot of that is based in ignorance. Regulations are promulgated, and theres no carve out for agriculture because people are just not thinking about our food producers, she said.

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18 candidates  11 Democrats and seven Republicans  are running for the 2nd Congressional District seat. The Democratic candidates are:

At least seven Republicans are vying for the seat. Qualified candidates are:

The post 2nd Congressional District: Caroleene Dobson calls for action on U.S.-Mexico border appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
DILLON COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  Three men were arrested after marijuana and six illegal firearms were seized during a multi-agency safety checkpoint conducted Friday throughout Dillon County, authorities said.

Dominic Antwan Walters, 33, Isaiah Amos Bowens, 26, and Reginald Junior Murphy, 21, all of Fairmont, North Carolina were charged with unlawful carry and simple possession of marijuana.

On Friday evening, the driver of a Ford Escape approached the checkpoint and quickly turned around and noticed the safety checkpoint ahead.

Deputies said the driver made a swift move to turn around to avoid the checkpoint. When the driver made the move, law enforcement went after the car and made a traffic stop on the vehicle.

When deputies made contact with the driver, there was the immediate smell of marijuana emitting from the vehicle, deputies said.

This led to a search of the car that led to the seizure of marijuana, six firearms, and multiple magazines of ammunition.

Multiple officers and agencies assisted in this case in which led to taking 6 unlawfully carried firearms off of the streets, the Dillon County Sheriffs Office said. These efforts will continue in order to provide safety for our citizens.

* * *

Taylor Ford is a digital journalist for News13. She joined the News13 team in January 2023. Taylor is a Florence native and covers the Pee Dee out of News13s Florence Bureau. Read more of Taylors work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
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A woman holds a sign during a protest rally against the war in Gaza and calling for a ceasefire, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Feb. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Two rounds of talks will be held in Qatar and Egypt respectively to reach an agreement on a truce in the Gaza Strip that is currently under massive Israeli siege and bombardment, Egypt's Al-Qahera News reported on Sunday.

"The Doha and Cairo discussions will be held with the participation of specialists from Egypt, Qatar, the United States and Israel, in addition to a delegation from the Hamas movement, in continuation of what was discussed in the recent Paris meeting," Al-Qahera News quoted an unnamed Egyptian official as saying.

The talks in Doha and Cairo seek to reach an agreement on a truce in Gaza along with exchanging Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages, according to the report.

Israel has been waging a war on Gaza after Gaza-ruling Hamas launched a deadly surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 Israelis and taking more than 200 as hostages.

Since then, the ongoing Israeli military assaults have killed 29,692 Palestinians and injured 69,879 others, according to the latest data released by Gaza's Health Ministry on Sunday.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States mediated a week-long truce between Israel and Hamas that ended in late November 2023, which included a swap between Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages and more humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza.
Three Georgia gang members have been convicted of the murder of a Dougherty County man.

On Friday, Attorney General Chris Carr announced that Demondarrius Jaquan Hicks, 23, Jotorious Devante Cox, 23, and Mckeal Raynard Lamar, Jr., 23, were convicted for the murder of Kartavious Jones, 30.

According to the Attorney Generals office, the three men are members of the Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods and shot and killed Jones on Oct. 9, 2018, in Albany.

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In an act of pure cowardice, Kartavious Jones was shot, killed, and left by the side of the road, and were proud to see justice served, Carr said. With this verdict, the Jury has sent a resounding message that gang violence of any kind will not be tolerated in Dougherty County or anywhere in our state, and those responsible will be held accountable. Our Gang Prosecution Unit has built a strong partnership with law enforcement throughout Southwest Georgia, and this is yet another example of the results were able to achieve by working together each day.

The verdict was delivered by a jury on Feb. 16 following a 10-day trial.

Sentencing will take place in the next 30 days.

Hicks was found guilty of one count of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, one count of armed robbery, 15 counts of violation of the street gang terrorism and prevention act, and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

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Cox was found guilty of one count of felony murder, one count of armed robbery, 11 counts of violation of the street gang terrorism and prevention act, and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Lamar was found guilty of one count of felony murder, one count of armed robbery, and nine counts of violation of the street gang terrorism and prevention act.

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A group of men have been indicted in connection to setting a fire inside Bibb County Jail in late 2023.

Four inmates are accused of starting a fire inside the jail on Nov. 8, 2023.

The four inmates indicted were Tajiri Antwaun Harris, Gregory Arnett White, Shondricos Demetrick Ingram, Jr. and Leon Devon Stapleton.

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Deputies said Harris was the one responsible for starting the fire. White, Ingram and Stapleton reportedly passed bedding materials to Harris to help spread the fire.

Deputies determined this after reviewing camera footage, according to the incident report.

Harris and Ingram had been previously arrested on a murder charge, while both Stapleton and White had been charged with robbery, according to WGXA.

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In four motions filed late last week in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Donald Trump's lawyers seek dismissal of 40 felony charges based on his retention of classified documents after leaving the White House in January 2021. They argue that his decision to keep the documents is shielded by "absolute" presidential immunity for "official acts," that he had complete discretion to designate records as personal rather than presidential, and that the charges related to mishandling "national defense information" are based on an "unconstitutionally vague" statute. They also argue that Special Counsel Jack Smith, who obtained the indictment, was improperly appointed, making all of the charges invalid.

The motion based on presidential immunity, which seeks dismissal of the 32 counts alleging unlawful retention of specific classified documents, rehashes the argument that a D.C. Circuit panel unanimously rejected this month in the federal case based on Trump's attempts to remain in office after he lost the 2020 presidential election. "The D.C. Circuit's analysis is not persuasive," Trump's lawyers write, "and President Trump is pursuing further review of that erroneous decision, including en banc review if allowed, and review in the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary." They say U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon, who is overseeing the documents case in Florida, "should not follow the D.C. Circuit's non-binding, poorly reasoned decision."

As Trump sees it, the separation of powers bars federal courts from sitting in judgment of a former president's "official acts," whether in the context of a civil case or in the context of a criminal prosecution. The D.C. Circuit, including Republican appointee Karen L. Henderson, was troubled by the implications of that position, which would allow presidents to commit grave crimes, including assassination of political opponents, without being held accountable unless they were impeached and removed from office based on the same conduct.

Trump's lawyers read the Supreme Court's 1803 decision in Marbury v. Madison as prohibiting judicial review of any presidential act. But as the D.C. Circuit emphasized, federal courts historically have passed judgment on the legality of presidential decisions, most famously in the 1952 case Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer. In that case, the appeals court noted, the Supreme Court "exercised its cognizance over Presidential action to dramatic effect" by holding that "President Harry Truman's executive order seizing control of most of the country's steel mills exceeded his constitutional and statutory authority and was therefore invalid."

Strictly speaking, however, Youngstown dealt with an order issued by the secretary of commerce rather than the president himself. "To be sure," Trump's lawyers say, federal courts "sometimes review the validity of the official acts of subordinate executive officials below the president, and such review may reflect indirectly on the lawfulness of the president's own acts or directives. But the authority of judicial review of the official acts of subordinate officers has never been held to extend to the official acts of the president himself."

Marbury drew a distinction between "discretionary" and "ministerial" acts. Regarding the first category, Chief Justice John Marshall said in the majority opinion, "the President is invested with certain important political powers, in the exercise of which he is to use his own discretion, and is accountable only to his country in his political character, and to his own conscience." In that situation, he said, "the subjects are political and the decision of the executive is conclusive," meaning it "can never be examinable by the courts."

But that is not true, Marshall added, "when the legislature proceeds to impose on [an executive official] other duties; when he is directed peremptorily to perform certain acts; when the rights of individuals are dependent on the performance of those acts." Then "he is so far the officer of the law, is amenable to the laws for his conduct, and cannot at his discretion, sport away the vested rights of others." In those circumstances, he is acting as a "ministerial officer compellable to do his duty, and if he refuses, is liable to indictment."

Although Trump's lawyers do not explicitly address that distinction, they argue that the counts charging him with illegally retaining 32 listed classified documents are based on 1) presidential decisions that 2) fell within the "discretionary" category. Both of those conclusions seem dubious.

The indictment says Trump "caused scores of boxes, many of which contained classified documents, to be transported" from the White House to Mar-a-Lago, his golf resort in Palm Beach. Trump's lawyers say the indictment "makes clear that this decision and the related transportation of records occurred while President Trump was still in office."

As Trump's lawyers see it, in other words, the first 32 counts are all based on actions that he took as president. That interpretation seems problematic based on the text of the statute and the wording of the indictment.

Trump is charged with violating 18 USC 793(e), which applies to someone who has "unauthorized possession" of "information relating to the national defense" and "willfully retains" it when he "has reason to believe" it "could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation." The indictment says Trump "did willfully retain the documents and fail to deliver them to the officer and employee of the United States entitled to receive them."

Retaining the documents and failing to deliver them are distinct from the initial act of transportation. While the latter may have happened while Trump was still in office, the former included his conduct during the year and a half that elapsed from the end of his term until an FBI search of Mar-a-Lago discovered the 32 documents, along with 70 or so others marked as classified, on August 8, 2022. During that time, Trump returned some classified documents but kept others, even after he claimed to comply with a federal subpoena demanding them. But for that continuing resistance, the FBI would not have obtained a search warrant and Trump would not be facing these charges.

Why does Trump think the initial act of bringing the documents to Mar-a-Lago was within his discretion as president? Under the Presidential Records Act, he argues in another motion, he had complete authority to classify documents as personal, meaning he could keep them rather than turn them over to the National Archives. His possession of those documents therefore was not "unauthorized," as required for a conviction under Section 793(e). And since the FBI's investigation was not legally justified, Trump's lawyers say, the other eight counts, including conspiracy to obstruct justice, concealing records, and lying to federal investigators, also should be dismissed.

That reading of the Presidential Records Act is counterintuitive given its motivation and text. The impetus for the law was President Richard Nixon's assertion of the very authority that Trump is now claiming. Rather than allow a president to destroy or retain official documents at will, Congress declared that "the United States shall reserve and retain complete ownership, possession, and control of Presidential records."

The law defines presidential records as "documentary materials, or any reasonably segregable portion thereof, created or received by the President, the President's immediate staff, or a unit or individual of the Executive Office of the President whose function is to advise or assist the President, in the course of conducting activities which relate to or have an effect upon the carrying out of the constitutional, statutory, or other official or ceremonial duties of the President." That term excludes "personal records," defined as "all documentary materials, or any reasonably segregable portion thereof, of a purely private or nonpublic character which do not relate to or have an effect upon the carrying out of the constitutional, statutory, or other official or ceremonial duties of the President."

As Trump reads the Presidential Records Act, however, it "conferred unreviewable discretion on President Trump to designate the records at issue as personal." That interpretation would, on its face, render the statute a nullity. If a president has total discretion to decide that a document is "of a purely private or nonpublic character," regardless of its content, the situation that Congress sought to rectify would be unchanged in practice.

Trump also argues that Section 793(e), as applied to him, violates his Fifth Amendment right to due process because it is so vague that it does not "give people of common intelligence fair notice of what the law demands of them." In particular, his lawyers say, the phrases "unauthorized possession," "relating to the national defense," and "entitled to receive" have no clear meaning.

Finally, Trump says the indictment is invalid because "the Appointments Clause does not permit the Attorney General to appoint, without Senate confirmation, a private citizen and like-minded political ally to wield the prosecutorial power of the United States." Smith therefore "lacks the authority to prosecute this action."

The Appointments Clause empowers the president to "appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law." Because there is "no statute establishing the Office of Special Counsel," Trump's motion says, "Smith's appointment is invalid and any prosecutorial power he seeks to wield is ultra vires"i.e., without legal authority.

This question, the motion says, is "an issue of first impression in the Eleventh Circuit," which includes Florida. But in 2019, the D.C. Circuit rejected the argument that Trump is deploying here, holding that Special Counsel Robert Mueller was an "inferior" rather than "principal" officer, meaning that Acting Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had the authority to appoint him.

Trump is asking Cannon to approve "discovery and pretrial hearings on factual disputes" relevant to his motions. That is apt to delay the trial in this case, which had been scheduled to begin on May 20.

The Section 793(e) charges require the government to show that the 32 documents listed in the indictment contained information that could compromise national security, a task complicated by their classified status. But the obstruction-related counts, which include allegations that Trump defied the federal subpoena, deliberately concealed classified records, and tried to cover up his cover-up by instructing his underlings to delete incriminating surveillance camera footage, may be the strongest charges that he faces across four criminal cases. Assuming the government can prove the facts it alleges in the indictment, it seems pretty clear that Trump is guilty of multiple felonies, including half a dozen that are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

The post 4 Reasons Trump Says a Judge Should Dismiss Charges in the Classified Documents Case appeared first on Reason.com.
Former White House director of strategic communications, Alyssa Farah Griffin, argued that former President Donald Trump's victory in South Carolina over Nikki Haley is far from a win for the GOP.

Somebody whos running as virtually an incumbent  Donald Trump  getting 60%, and 40% being against him? Thats not a mandate," Griffin, now a CNN political commentator, said during a Saturday panel for the network. "Especially with the entire Republican Party apparatus behind him, with most elected Republicans behind him.

Griffin continued: Now, its unclear what a path could look like for Nikki Haley. I think were all very open-eyed about that. But she is underscoring the fundamental weakness of Donald Trump, and it should be a five-alarm fire for the party, but for some reason, it is not.

A recent Politico report similarly noted that with about three-quarters of the South Carolina primary votes tallied, around 40 percent of voters rejected Trump. Though the stat isn't an issue in the primary, as Politico noted, it could pose a threat to Trump's re-election campaign in a general election  exit polls found that he lost moderate and liberal voters to Haley by a large margin, while a little over 1 in 5 Republican voters said they would not vote for Trump in the presidential election, per AP VoteCast. Im an accountant. I know 40 percent is not 50 percent, Haley said on Saturday. But I also know 40 percent is not some tiny group. There are huge numbers of voters in our Republican primaries who are saying they want an alternative.

Nikki Haleys numbers in South Carolina are underscoring the fundamental weakness of Donald Trump and it should be a five alarm fire for the party, but for some reason it is not.



Alyssa Farah Griffin ~ Former Trump WH Comms Director. pic.twitter.com/5oAQQdnBRa  Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) February 25, 2024
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Five people, including two juveniles, face charges after a Street Racer Initiative led by the Metro Nashville Police Department over the weekend.

According to Metro, officers observed a silver Infiniti Q50 performing dangerous stunts on Nolensville Pike at Elysian Fields Road Saturday night. The Infiniti reportedly took off at high speeds when Metro officers initially conducted a traffic stop. The 17-year-old driver and 19-year-old passenger, Amiocar E. Mejia, both fled on foot but were quickly taken into custody.

Mejia, of La Vergne, was charged with evading arrest and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The driver was charged in juvenile court.

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Shortly after that incident, a gray Infiniti G36 took off speeding from officers on Nolensville Pike at Paragon Mills Road. MNPD Aviation followed the Infiniti to Lydia Drive where the 19-year-old driver, Hans Catalan-Rodriguez, of Madison, got out and ran.

He was charged with three counts of evading arrest, resisting arrest and not having a driver license. Catalan-Rodriguez remains jailed on a $54,000 bond.

A third incident, also on Nolensville Pike, saw a gray Ford Mustang performing stunts in the middle of the intersection of Paragon Mills Road near other vehicles and bystanders. The Mustangs license plate had been swapped with another vehicles, MNPD said. The driver, Pablo Ridolfo, 19, of La Vergne, was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, evading arrest, driving on a suspended license, and altering the license plate.

Teen charged after leading officers on chase across Davidson County

Ridolfo is free on a $16,500 bond, according to Metro police.

Then early Sunday morning, MNPD says Leondrea Bailey, 26, was observed doing donuts in a parking lot at Bell Road and Murfreesboro Pike during an illegal street racer event in a red Dodge Charger. Bailey reportedly fled officers at high speed but was stopped in short order. She was then charged with reckless endangerment, riot, and not having a drivers license.

Bailey is free on a $8,500 bond.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
The perspective from 10th and Marquette of the proposed Canal Transit Housing project in South Milwaukee. The proposal includes 63 apartments and 5,000 square feet of commercial space.

A four-story, mixed-use building, complete with apartments and retail, may be built on a long-vacant corner in South Milwaukee.

Milwaukee-based AK Development is proposing the Canal Transit Housing project, a 64,000-plus-square-foot commercial building at 2318 10th Ave., where a gas station formerly operated. The concept includes 63 market-rate apartments (29 one-bedroom and 34 two-bedroom) and 5,000 square feet of commercial space. A parking lot in the rear could provide 26 spaces.

Renderings for the project list a lounge area and an 896-square-foot community room as amenities inside the building. Bench seating is shown along the building on 10th Avenue.

The land, owned by the City of South Milwaukee, is 0.70 acres. The former Amoco/BP gas station was demolished on the property, including removal of the underground fuel tanks, in 2018 after the property sat unused for over five years.

The project has been on the radar of South Milwaukee staff since early 2023 with preliminary plans for 39 apartments. Work was done throughout the year updating the proposal, leading to this latest version of the project.

What is the project cost and how will it be funded?

The project budget is $18,930,131 with approximately $12.6 million of the developers capital stack listed as WHEDA funds.

Additionally, the developer is requesting $1.5 million from South Milwaukee, according to City Administrator Patrick Brever. That help could come in the form of tax incremental financing district (TID 5), which was created in 2018 and includes this property plus the former Bucyrus Campus and portions of the downtown area along Milwaukee and Chicago avenues.

In a TIF district, property taxes go to pay off the debt used for public improvements and other purposes within the district. Once all the debt is paid and the district closes, the increased tax increment flows back to the city, schools and other agencies like other tax revenue.

The project could incorporate eight workforce housing units for young people and youths aging out of foster care, as stated in the application for tax incremental financing. Another portion of the documentation mentions the possibility of 13 units set aside for the same youths to be supported by Wisconsin Community Services.

What's the next step?

South Milwaukees Plan Commission is set to review the project on Feb. 27 and, if approved, the Common Council could vote on it as soon as March 5.

If approvals are granted by the Plan Commission and Common Council, construction is projected to start in April 2025 with completion in May 2026, Brever said.

Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 63 apartments and commercial space could come to South Milwaukee
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Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor in Maryland, the United States, Feb. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday secured victory over Nikki Haley, his former ambassador to the United Nations, in South Carolina's Republican primary, advancing a step closer to a potential face-off with incumbent Joe Biden in the upcoming presidential election in November.

Despite her aspirations to regain momentum after three losses in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, Haley -- South Carolina's first female governor from 2011 to 2017 -- got roughly 40 percent of the vote, trailing Trump by approximately 20 percentage points.

As Trump and Haley traverse the primary landscape, vying for the Republican presidential nomination state by state, Trump's firm hold on a significant faction of the party is evident.

However, he remains embroiled in controversies surrounding his efforts to overturn the 2020 U.S. presidential election results and his alleged role in inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot.

Meanwhile, despite growing inner-party pressure to drop out and allow Republicans to unite around Trump, Haley vowed she was "not giving up this fight."

"We're getting around 40 percent of the vote. That's about what we got in New Hampshire, too. I'm an accountant. I know 40 percent is not 50 percent. But I also know 40 percent is not some tiny group," Haley told supporters in her election-night remarks.

"In the next 10 days, another 21 states and territories will speak," she said. Her next station is Michigan, and then Super Tuesday on March 5, when 15 states and one territory will vote to choose candidates to compete in the general elections.

Trump, who has swept all the early states, has contended that the Republican primary election was effectively over. "This was a little sooner than we anticipated," he said in his victory speech in Columbia in South Carolina, adding that he had "never seen the Republican Party so unified as it is right now."

A Marquette Law School national poll of registered voters conducted from Feb. 5 to 15 showed that Haley could hold a larger lead over Biden than Trump in a hypothetical general election match-up, considering "her strength with Republicans combined with an ability to attract more Democratic and independent voters than does Trump."

But most observers believe Trump's leadership in the party can hardly be shaken, and more discussion has been switched to who Trump's election partner will be. A Morning Consult tracking poll conducted from Jan. 23 to Feb. 4 showed Trump is considerably ahead in every major Super Tuesday state.

A daughter of Indian immigrants, Haley, 52, who portrays herself as a leader from "a new generation" and attacks Trump about his age and records in making America "chaos," has aimed to court independent voters and moderate Republicans.

But that strategy appeared to be ineffective. In the first Republican primary in Iowa, Trump secured over 50 percent of votes, while Haley even placed behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, previously considered a promising right-wing challenger to Trump who later withdrew.

Then, in New Hampshire on Jan. 23, a significant battleground state where the governor Chris Sununu had endorsed Haley, she lost by roughly 9 percentage points.

In the recent Nevada contest, featuring both a state-run primary and a party-run caucus, only the caucus results dictated delegate allocation. Having chosen to participate in the primary, Haley was consequently excluded from the caucus. She suffered a significant setback, losing the primary to the "none of these candidates" option by a considerable 30 percent margin. Trump's name was not on the ballot. The outcome underscored her formidable challenge in securing the nomination.

The odds are against her, even in some of her targeted groups. For instance, according to an ABC News poll, even among college-educated voters, where Haley has experienced the greatest growth of support, she's trailing Trump by about 30 points nationally.

"Trump has established a powerful, identity-based relationship with his most dedicated supporters, and his opponents in the GOP have generally been unwilling to challenge this," Christopher Galdieri, a political science professor at Saint Anselm College in the northeastern state of New Hampshire, told Xinhua.

Haley and her campaign have shown no sign of relenting. Calling the election "a building situation," she said in an NBC interview that she did not necessarily need to win her hometown but had to do better than she did in New Hampshire, which was better than she did in Iowa.

However, with the sizable 20 percent margin in South Carolina, her pathway appears increasingly challenged.

Now, put aside the slim hope that Haley turns the tide; there's just one problem left in Trump's nomination: Will the former president, who is beset with 91 criminal charges across four criminal cases, including the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot in which many view him as an insurrectionist, be disqualified from the ballot?

Not likely, but the final answer primarily lies in an awaited ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in response to a challenge from the western state of Colorado. The Colorado Supreme Court -- all seven of its justices appointed by Democratic governors -- ruled in December that Trump would be kicked off the ballot for engaging in what has been labeled an attempt to overthrow the government on Jan. 6, 2021. Then Trump appealed.

It is unclear when the Supreme Court, with a 6-to-3 conservative majority, will issue the ruling after hearing oral arguments in the appeal on Feb. 8. But the justices across the political spectrum have expressed concern over the possible ripple effect if Colorado's decision is upheld.

Brookings Institution senior fellow Darrell West told Xinhua: "Several justices expressed doubt about the effort to disqualify Trump from the presidential ballot ... They say it sets a precedent of allowing an individual state to outlaw particular candidates."

Formal challenges to Trump's presidential candidacy have been filed in at least 36 states and Colorado and Maine, which will both hold primaries on Super Tuesday, disqualified him from primary ballots, according to the New York Times. Trump appealed in both.

The lawsuits surrounding Trump's mishandling of sensitive government documents and cover-up payments to a porn star during the 2016 presidential campaign have been used as bargaining chips for both sides. Haley said Trump was a source of chaos and "all of this chaos will only lead to more losses for Republicans up and down the ticket." Meanwhile, Trump has long presented himself as a victim of political persecution and a challenger to the justice system, a move resonating with his supporters.

The cases are expected to unfold over the coming months during the general election, while Trump and his team have been trying to delay trials. In its latest development, New York Supreme Criminal Court judge Juan Merchan said last week he planned to begin the hush-money trial on March 25.

"Haley is staying in the race in case something happens in the court cases that shake confidence in him. She is counting on a conviction knocking him out of the race," West told Xinhua.

On the Democratic side, Biden is similarly dominating the field while facing challenges such as his age and health, disputes over his management of the U.S.-Mexico border and declining support among black voters.

The primary elections will be followed by Republican and Democratic conventions in July and August, in which each party will formally choose their presidential candidate. The candidates will participate in three televised debates before the voting day on Nov. 5.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  The Housing Authority of Kern County celebrated the grand opening of a new 40-unit affordable housing apartment complex Monday morning in central Bakersfield.

The 6th Street apartments, located at 1201 6th St., features 39 one-bedroom units which are affordable to households with income less than 30% of AMI and also features an onsite employee unit.

BPD searching for runaway teen last seen in southwest Bakersfield

Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery services and Flood Bakersfield Ministries will be providing supportive services to its tenants.

The project is estimated to have cost nearly $11 million, with the rest of the funding coming from sources available to the Housing Authority.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
If visiting all seven continents is on your travel bucket list, a new cruise from Holland America Line will make it easy for you.

The cruise lines 2026 Grand World Voyage will traverse the globe over 132 days, stopping at 47 ports in 39 countries. Passengers just have to get themselves to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the trips round-trip departure point.

We asked thousands of past guests and travel advisors for their opinions about the perfect Grand World Voyage, so this may be one of our most thoroughly researched routes ever for a world cruise, Holland Americas president, Gus Antorcha, said when announcing the itinerary to guests currently sailing on the lines 2024 Grand World Voyage on Monday, according to a news release. This itinerary includes destinations we know guests love, packed with memorable moments and overnight stays."

When is the 2026 Grand World Voyage?

The cruise will set sail on Jan. 4, 2026, on the lines 1,432-guest Volendam ship which launched in 1999.

Holland America Line's Volendam ship.

Where will the cruise sail?

Antorcha said the cruise will visit fewer ports than previous Grand World Voyages to allow more time to explore the destinations we visit and to create a voyage that does not feel rushed.

Passengers will head down South Americas east coast before making their way to Antarctica. There, they will have a four-day Antarctic Experience (though guests wont disembark due to the ships size).

The ship will then head to destinations like the South Pacific and Australia, with time to explore the Great Barrier Reef. The remainder of the voyage includes Singapore, the Maldives, the Mediterranean and northern Europe. The trip will wind down with a transatlantic crossing before one last stop in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Passengers will stay overnight at nine ports, including Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Sydney, Australia; Bali in Indonesia and Alexandria, Egypt. There will also be five late-night departures in Civitavecchia, Italy, Oslo, Norway, and San Juan, among others.

Other highlights include visits to Easter Island, Adamstown in the Pitcairn Islands, and Bordeaux, France.

What is a world cruise?: Here's what sets the months-long voyages apart

How much does the cruise cost?

Pricing info is not yet available, but an inside cabin on the line's 2025 Grand World Voyage currently starts at $24,999.

Travelers can call 1-800-522-3399 or contact their travel adviser to make a future cruise request for the 2026 itinerary and get priority booking confirmation before the cruise opens for sale to the public in May.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Holland America's new 4-month cruise will visit all 7 continents
Russian troops opened fire on the Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, injuring a 70-year-old man on 26 February.

Source: Serhii Lysak, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "A 70-year-old man was injured today in the Nikopol district as a result of enemy shelling. He sustained a shrapnel wound and a head injury. Doctors provided all required assistance. He will be treated in an outpatient setting."

Details: In the same area, 10 private homes and a five-story building were damaged. The attack also affected infrastructure, social institutions, outbuildings, automobiles, gas pipelines, and power lines.

Photo: Serhii Lysak

In total, the Russians targeted the area nine times with drones and artillery. Strikes were recorded in Nikopol, Marhanets, and Myriv hromadas [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.].

Photo: Serhii Lysak

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More than three-fourths of voters say they want special counsel Robert Hurs report on President Biden released, according to a Harvard CAPS-Harris poll shared with The Hill.

The poll found that 76 percent of respondents said Hurs report on Biden should be released so voters could decide on the case and its conclusions themselves, compared to 24 percent who said it should be kept private.

That 76 percent of voters who want to see the Hur report public include 91 percent of Republicans, 73 percent independent and other voters and 64 percent of Democrats.

The poll also found 69 percent of respondents said Hurs conclusions raised valid concerns about Bidens age that should be debated publicly, compared to 31 percent who felt the opposite.

The White House is weighing whether to release Hurs report to the public, which delves into Bidens handling of classified documents that were discovered in Delaware.

The Hur report declined to bring charges against Biden but offered some still damning details against Biden, which said in part, 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.

Polling has indicated Bidens age is a major concern for voters, even though Biden is 81 and former President Trump is 77.

The Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll was conducted Wednesday and Thursday with 2,022 respondents. It is a collaboration of the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University and the Harris Poll.

The survey is an online sample drawn from the Harris Panel and weighted to reflect known demographics. As a representative online sample, it does not report a probability confidence interval.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Sifting through a photo album of the white stucco Spanish-style home at 1317 Harrison St. in Hollywood, Penny Johns recalled a fraction of the memories she has from living there: leaving in the mornings to work at her moms shop downtown, seeing her fathers friends as they arrived for rooftop parties, marrying her husband Karl in a ceremony in the backyard.

Now, if you peer inside the 99-year-old Hollywood Lakes home, youll see no sign of life: only a white refrigerator  the single appliance in the home  remains, along with a new no trespassing sign. What was once a pool in the back of the property is now filled with rubble. A fountain has become a lounge for lizards. Debris is piled between the main home and an add-on.

Although the Hollywood Historic Preservation Board has determined the home meets requirements to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is up to the Hollywood City Commission to decide if the home can be demolished so that its current owner can build two two-story homes on the 9,080-square-foot site  one for each of his children, a son and daughter aged 40 and 36, respectively. The owner of the property has said that nothing about the home in its current state is worth saving.

The city was expected to decide on the matter at a Dec. 6 commission meeting, but the item was pulled to give officials time to conduct more research.

The team is looking at all aspects of the structure, history and property, as they do for all requests of this nature within a historic district, Hollywood city spokeswoman Joann Hussey wrote in an email to the Miami Herald, adding that the demolition may be back up for discussion in April.

Historic preservationists in South Florida say that each teardown of a longstanding building erases part of the historic character of a city like Hollywood or Miami Beach, whose oldest homes are roughly a century old. But critics often contend the structures have become unsafe over the years and are unsuitable to withstand the modern threats of a changing climate. Those concerns have been amplified by a bill making its way through the Florida House that would allow for the demolition of historic homes in flood plains, legislation that exposes the tensions between preservation of the past and resiliency for the future.

Now were being tested more than ever with our historic preservation ordinances and our historic districts, and the historic community is really very concerned that we could be losing our historic identity, said Clive Taylor, president of the Hollywood Historical Society.

RELATED: Bills threatening Miami Beach buildings are back. Opponents say history is at stake

Aerial view of a nearly 100-year-old historic home, center, in Hollywood, Fla. The home could be torn down so the current owner can build two new residences on the property. MATIAS J. OCNER/mocner@miamiherald.com

Melinas home

Built in 1925, the Harrison Street home is as old as the city is. It was once the residence of a self-proclaimed Coffee King in the 1930s before Johns family purchased the home in 1946, according to a historical structure form.

As Penny Johns tells it, her grandfather moved from Nebraska to Hollywood, where he met her grandmother, Melina, who owned a store at the Historic Hollywood Beach Resort. The two would eventually buy the house on Harrison Street and build the downtown Hollywood store, a children and ladies clothing retailer that would later become Melinas Lingerie Shoppe  one of the longest-running businesses in Hollywood before it shuttered in 2021.

Her daughter Elsie Johns  Pennys mother  would go on to manage the store. In 1990, on Melinas Lingerie Shoppe letterhead, Elsie Johns expressed her belief that her familys home was historic: Dear Captain Pat, As per our conversation, I feel 1317 Harrison Street should be on the historical list, she wrote.

To save or not to save

Taylor, the historical society president, said the structure meets the criteria to be considered historic, based on its age, architecture and a prominent person owning and living in the home: Melina Johns.

One of the biggest things she did is when there was racial segregation and Black kids couldnt try on clothes at department stores, she opened her store, and Black children could come in her store and try clothes on, he said, adding that she was also a proponent of the gay community in Hollywood. So she really was an important person, and it would be a shame to lose something like this that was her personal home.

After Melinas daughter Elsie Johns died in 2021, Penny Johns said she and her family sold the home because they couldnt keep up with the expenses.

According to property records, Tiram Real Estate Enterprises, an LLC out of Delaware, purchased the property for $900,000. In June 2023, Aaron Tiram, owner of the LLC, filed an application for demolition to build two homes on the property.

Tiram, 67, told the Herald that nothing about the home is historic and insisted the home in its current state is unlivable and unable to be saved.

There is not a single element at the outside of the house or structure that you can say is historic, whatsoever, Tiram said.

According to a January 2023 structural assessment report conducted by Green Coastal Engineering, three buildings on the property require foundation work, the add-on to the home has a rotting roof and a structure in the back of the main home has rotting timber. Pictures of the homes interior from a Zillow listing show part of a ceiling on one structure caving in, as well as cracked walls around a window and a door. More pictures inside the home taken by an architecture firm show one of the walls has mold.

Ideally, its preferred that the exterior of a home is saved even if the interior is gutted, Taylor said.

We love to see the interior integrity intact, but the historical community realizes people dont want to live like 1932 and they want to live for today, he said. So they can gut a house. Theres nothing wrong with gutting a historic house and retaining the exterior.

If the home must be torn down, Penny Johns said shed like to see the architectural style maintained.

I would love it, and I think most people that talk about it would love to have the two homes be architecturally fitting in with the neighborhood and not ugly structures, she said. Theres houses around that have been built that are just big blocks that just dont fit in the neighborhood.
A jogger was killed in a hit-and-run and now police are looking for the driver, Arizona officials said.

Lisa Mancuso, 43, was jogging on the shoulder of a road on Saturday, Feb. 24, in Phoenix when she was hit, according to FOX 10.

Lisa was known for her vibrant spirit, kind heart, and unwavering dedication to her family and friends, according to Mancusos obituary.

A gray pickup truck, which had a long bed and a toolbox in the back, left the scene before coming back, according to a Facebook post by the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office.

When the driver came back, witnesses tried to stop them but couldnt, officials said.

Detectives got a description of the truck from witnesses and found it, officers said.

The driver remains missing, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call 602-876-1011, deputies said.

Driver flees crash and runs stop sign, killing dad and 5-year-old, California cops say

Man hits naked cyclists with pipe while saying homophobic slurs, Oregon officials say

Wrong-way driver going over 100 mph says he was meeting friend for sex, Utah cops say
COSHOCTON  Hes always been mechanically-minded  a real plus in his position.

I was very curious as a child, recalled Tyler Sensenig. I liked playing with Lego blocks and taking things apart around the house. This sometimes got me in trouble with my dear mother. I loved working with my hands and was often doing woodworking projects and one of my first real jobs was repairing bicycles at the local bike shop. I didnt know anything at all about airplanes and never once dreamt that I would end up in Ohio serving with MMS Aviation.

Tyler Sensenig works on an engine at MMS Aviation.

Today, Sensenig is an apprentice at MMS Aviation, a Coshocton-based, one-of-a kind-in-all-the-world facility that provides hands-on training for missionary pilots and mechanics.

I had an interest in ministry long before I had anything to do with aviation, he explained. It was clear I had handy practical talents and I really wanted to be able to use technical skills to serve in Gods Kingdom. It wasnt clear for a long time what that would look like. But when I became aware of the needs for mechanics to maintain aircraft that do ministry in some of the farthest reaches of the world, it was a natural fit.

Sensenig, 23, grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He was homeschooled and graduated from high school in 2017, then earned a degree in electro-mechanical technology from Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster.

My wife Sharee and I moved to Coshocton in August of 2022, he said. We came to MMS to participate in their 30 month apprenticeship program. A fun part of our story is that my wife is also now pursuing training in aviation maintenance. Now thats something I never would have dreamt of.

My wife and I will finish our training with MMS in March 2025, he added, and we have already begun the process of looking into a permanent field assignment after that. Our main goal is to join one of the many organizations around the world who use aircraft to support Bible translators in remote locations that have little or even no access except by air.

Tyler Sensenig works on a plane at MMS Aviation

Phil Sperling is a fellow apprentice with MMS Aviation.

Tyler brings a lot of natural skill and care for detail, assessed Sperling. Hes a joy to work alongside. Ive learned quite a lot from him, especially when working with sheet metal.

This work is something I do from the heart for sure. responded Sensenig. I know Im called to this work, and thats why Im doing it. Some days are difficult and challenging, but the fulfillment of being part of a mission so much bigger than myself makes it all worth it.

When I look back on my life, he concluded, I can see such clear evidence of God leading me every step of the way. This is immensely encouraging and strengthens my faith as I look to the future.

MMS Aviation is located at 24387 Airport Road. For more information, call 740-622-6848 or log on www.mmsaviation.org.

Aces of Trades is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs  whether theyre unusual jobs, fun jobs or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at ctnews@coshoctontribune.com.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Tyler Sensenig's apprenticeship at MMS Aviation part of greater goal
A 25-year-old man and active-duty airman died on Sunday after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. in protest of civilian casualties in Gaza, according to the U.S. Air Force.

Aaron Bushnell, a resident of San Antonio, Texas, reportedly live-streamed the filmed protest to social media platform Twitch, though the New York Times indicated it could not confirm who ran the account that posted the video. The video shows a man dressed in military clothing known as fatigues identifying himself as Bushnell and referring to himself as an active-duty Air Force officer. The Times reported that a U.S. Air Force spokeswoman, Ann Stefanek, confirmed on Sunday that Bushnell was an active-duty airman.

I will no longer be complicit in genocide, the man in the video says. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, its not extreme at all. After lighting himself on fire, he continues to yell, "Free Palestine!"

Police officers soon rushed to extinguish the fire. The video has subsequently been removed from Twitch, which swapped it for a message noting that the channel violated the platform's guidelines. A spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy shared that no staff members of the embassy had been harmed.

In December, a person set themselves on fire outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta, with police referring to the incident as likely an extreme act of political protest.

If you are in crisis, please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
Nearly five months after six senior officers resigned en masse from the Ada County Republican Party, the groups new chairman said it has improved its working relationship with the state Republican party  but that some dysfunction remains at the local level, including an ongoing feud over the partys finances.

We have a great working relationship with the state party chair and with all the members of the State Central Committee, Chairman Thad Butterworth told the Idaho Statesman by phone. I think the future of the party is great. I think we are recovering from this, and weve learned a lot, and were looking forward to really establishing our credibility with our donors, the Republican voter base.

Since the resignations, however, the county party has not been able to access or update its website, because former Chairman Victor Miller  one of the officers who resigned in October  retains control of the domain, Butterworth said.

Its been one of the things thats kept me fairly busy, said Butterworth, a Meridian resident who works in software development and has advocated for expanded gun rights, greater school choice for parents and lower taxes. We are trying to negotiate that release  were working with an attorney and trying to get control of the website back.

At the time of their resignation Oct. 5, the six officers cited ideological differences and decisions by the state party that had made it impossible for them to effectively lead. They recited grievances against the state party, including that it does not trust voters to select candidates and has created a new oligarchy that values control and un-Republican bullying tactics.

We can no longer support this system, they wrote. We hope that when the State GOPs intentions and tactics are fully brought to light, the ship can be righted to include all Republicans and to return power to the voters and the counties.

The six were Chairman Victor Miller of Eagle; First Vice Chair Megan Reichle of Boise; Second Vice Chair Travis Clyde of Nampa; Third Vice Chair Barrett Tetlow of Boise; Treasurer Dave Litster of Boise; and State Committeewoman Kim Wickstrum of Star.

Voters cast ballots at East Junior High School in Boise. Disagreements within the Republican Party have affected the Ada County GOP. Its new chairman say former leaders did not manage finances adequately.

Concerning Errors and Omissions

But Butterworth contends that the previous officers financial mismanagement, and not ideological differences, are the root of fissures in the local party.

The ideological differences are fine  its good and healthy to have debate on that  having some differences of opinion enables us to come to good solutions, he said. The problem was that the former leadership had lost credibility with the body because of these financial issues.

In early February, the Ada County party released the findings of a contentious and long-anticipated internal financial review. The review was triggered by the resignation of the treasurer, Litster, but was also the product of months of mounting frustration and a complaint by 17 members of the party that prompted the state party to order an audit, Butterworth said.

The internal review found that, under the previous officers leadership, the local party had repeatedly failed to follow its own bylaws and fiscal policies. The audit identified nearly 50 types of violations, including missing documents and assets, improperly paid taxes, and failures to seek competing bids when required, among other issues, according to a party news release that characterized these actions as concerning errors and omissions.

It just really speaks to disregard and lack of care for following the rules, Butterworth said. What was disappointing to me was to see the level at which our previous officers had just ignored or been careless with the rules.

In an email to the Statesman, Miller challenged the reviews findings. He shared the findings of an independent accounting firm the Ada County Republicans retained in 2023, which found that expense coding appeared accurate and generally consistent and that all expenses appeared to be accurate and consistent.

The current audit completely ignored this conclusion, Miller told the Statesman. In fact, the current audit process has exposed the reality that the conservative wing of the current Idaho GOP and Ada County Central Committees will harass and intimidate members of the party  they do not like.

In an email to the Statesman, Butterworth said the independent review did not meet the requirements of the local partys bylaws, in part because it reviewed a limited number of transactions. He said that the specter of a more thorough financial investigation was a driver for the former officers resignations.

As it became clear in late 2023 that a change in bylaws was going to bring about an internal audit, those officers resigned, Butterworth said.

It was fairly obvious we were going to be able to pass the proposed bylaws, and there was going to be a larger sense of accountability, Butterworth said. I cant speak to motives  I cant say that was exactly the motive, but I can say, timing-wise, those factors were involved.

A local rift, part of a broader trend

Jaclyn Kettler, a political science professor at Boise State University who focuses on state politics and political parties, placed the party fissure in a national context.

Weve seen in other states increasingly some debates or conflicts over resource expectations between party organizations, she told the Statesman by phone. Theres some interesting questions about the financial elements. How was money being used? What was it spent on? Were they paying their appropriate share to the state party?

And then of course, she added, we also have some of these ideological differences.

When the Ada County officers resigned last fall, they blamed several controversial policies the state party had implemented. This included a rule that voters who previously belonged to another party must wait a year before registering as Republican. They also protested the state partys bullying tactics, citing a new rule allowing central committees to censure Republicans who fail to fall into line with policies the state party supports.

In August, Republican Rep. Lori McCann of Lewiston spoke out about the issue in an interview with the Statesman after being censured three times in one year.

Its about Idaho GOP politics and whats going on in our entire state, McCann said. Theres a lot of mistreatment against some real good legislators who are more in the middle or are trying to work with all the Republicans.

Former state Republican party heads have pinned the blame for some of these trends on the leadership of Idaho Republican Party Chairwoman Dorothy Moon, calling her party one of purges, division and expulsions in a December news release.

In the weeks before Ada County officials resigned, local party leaders bridled at Moons attempts to get involved in the selection of local officials. Leaders of the Bingham County Republican party took the state party to court in October after Moons efforts to overrule the county partys election of a new chairman.

Rep. Dorothy Moon, R-Stanley, wrote a letter urging feds to drop its charges against Bundy ranch militant Eric Parker.

In his email, Miller mused on the potential cost of Republican infighting.

If Republicans do not start focusing all their energies on Democrats/liberalism instead of destroying each other, we will instead be auditing why we lost seats in legislative districts and in the local county, municipalities, and school boards races.

Litster and the Idaho Republican Party did not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment.

Impossible to lead: Ada County GOP leaders resign to protest state partys new oligarchy

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Advocates are sounding the alarm about growing pushes from conservative-led states to downplay the impact of slavery and racism on U.S. history and change the way Black Americans stories are taught in classrooms.

As Black History Month nears its end, they say its a subject that should be getting more attention, warning the shift will wind up hurting students.

We should be scared of undercutting the future of America by not endowing our students with the knowledge they need to not only compete in this society but in global society, Ashley White, the NAACPs inaugural education fellow for equity access and opportunity, told The Hills The Switch Up.

This is about so much more than making sure that our children know what happened in America, White added. Its also about our economic prosperity, because if you cannot deal in the global economic environment, we will not be able to maintain our status as a nation, and you cannot deal in that global environment if you do not know history.

Mounting limitations

Since January 2021, 44 states have introduced bills to limit teaching students critical race theory or how teachers can discuss racism and sexism, according to a report by Education Week.

In some ways, this type of legislation can be traced back to September 2020, when then-President Trump signed an executive order banning certain types of diversity training for promoting divisive concepts.

The next year, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas used the same language to pass legislation banning teachers from instructing students in ways that make them feel guilt or anguish because of their race or sex, or teaching the idea that anyone is inherently racist or sexist.

Then, in 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) led a charge against a new Advanced Placement African American studies pilot course. DeSantis said the course, which initially required lessons on intersectionality, the Black Lives Matter movement and Black queer studies, lacked educational value. Arkansas soon followed suit and banned the course in August.

Florida made headlines again when the states Department of Education passed guidelines requiring students be taught that slavery was beneficial because it helped enslaved people to learn useful skills.

The curriculum swiftly drew backlash, including from Vice President Harris, who accused extremists in Florida of pushing propaganda on children.

Adults know what slavery really involved, Harris said. It involved rape. It involved torture. It involved taking a baby from their mother. It involved some of the worst examples of depriving people of humanity in our world. So in the context of that, how is it that anyone could suggest that in the midst of these atrocities, that there was any benefit to being subjected to this level of dehumanization?

A huge rise in resistance

Sonya Douglass, director of the Black Education Research Center (BERC) at the Teachers College of Columbia University, told The Hill that these restrictions should not be surprising because anti-Black sentiment has been growing since the election of the nations first Black president.

With the election of President Obama, we saw a huge rise in resistance. We saw the development of the birther movement, and then we would later see the individual who was leading the birther movement become president, Douglass said.

I think a better understanding of Black history and a fuller account of American history would help us to not be terribly surprised by some of the things that weve seen over the last 10 to 20 years, she added.

If students had a comprehensive understanding of Black history, Douglass said, they would understand that the topic dates back to well before Africans were enslaved and brought to America in the 1600s.

Douglass said Africans were scientists and alchemists, and their knowledge had a significant role to play in the shaping of societies and communities, including how government works.

Much of that has been misrepresented in terms of who we view as the original progenitors of knowledge, whether its the Greeks or the Romans, but many of those knowledge systems were taken from ancient Kemet and other places in Africa, she explained.

For Black students in particular to have this knowledge would change their perception of how they fit into not only American society, but global society.

I think that is why we see a lot of the fight and the resistance to teaching these topics, because it does shift power in many ways, Douglass said. It shifts who we value in terms of those who create knowledge, those who are producing information, as opposed to only consuming it. And I think for many people, that can be a bit frightening.

The BERC is now developing a K-12 Black history and studies curriculum for New York schools, and Douglass said it will include significant history prior to the enslavement of Africans.

In a survey the center conducted in October, 73 percent of respondents approved of the curriculum.

Teaching students an incomplete American history

As some Republican leaders and parents continue to take a stance against topics such as the teaching of systemic racism, a recent study by Pew Research Center found that nearly half of students said theyd rather learn that the legacy of slavery still affects the position of Black Americans today.

Thirty-six percent of white adults said parents should be able to opt their children out of learning about topics related to racism or racial inequality, but Marvin Dulaney, president of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, said this could have devastating effects.

Dulaney has spent time researching police officers attitudes toward Black Americans. In his work, he found that many did not know much Black history, and he posits it makes police killings of Black Americans easier to justify.

They believe we havent contributed anything, that we are people who are a drag on society, Dulaney said. They dont know our history and, of course, they sort of grew up there with these negative attitudes and feelings about Black people, and they act on them on the streets, in terms of arrest and brutality and shootings. They dont have the empathy that is needed to treat us like regular human beings.

The effects of limitations on Black history are unclear at this time, but advocates are adamant that it should be taught for the simple fact that American history is incomplete without it.

Quite frankly, without the contributions of our ancestors, America would not be what it is, White said. And I would dare to say that given the historical context of the Atlantic slave trade, etc., Black history is also the history of many other countries and nations beyond the U.S., so the implications for the importance of Black history and its contribution to American society and global society at large should be recognized for more than anything so that we can capitalize upon those contributions as a collective.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
This story was updated Feb. 27 at 10:20 a.m. to include additional information from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Firefighters are working to contain a large wildfire that broke out along the southern grounds of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado on Sunday afternoon.

The West Monument Creek Fire had burned 168 acres and was 50% contained as of 4:30 a.m. local time Tuesday, after firefighters from the Air Force Academy and Colorado Springs fire departments battled the flames through the night Sunday and into the school week.

While some hot spots remain, the fire is no longer spreading, and the forecasted precipitation for Feb. 27 bodes well for firefighting operations, the academy said Monday evening. The footprint of the fire has not significantly changed from this morning.

The blaze does not pose a threat to structures on campus, the school said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The academy added Monday evening that crews do not yet have an estimate of when the fire might be contained. Its unclear what sparked the flames.

USAFA is contining most operations as normal but will remain closed to the public on Tuesday, the academy said. Patient appointments at the schools main medical facility will be rescheduled. Defense Department ID card holders and contractors may still access the campus.

About 4,000 cadets attend the four-year university, which prepares graduates for careers in the Air Force, Space Force and other armed services.

USAFA spokesperson Dean Miller told Air Force Times that although it might seem odd to see such a blaze in winter, the Colorado Springs area faces the threat of wildfires year-round.

The citys fire department and the academy have a mutual firefighting agreement that allows them to come together as partners in crises like this.

Theyve got a robust capability, Miller said. Were grateful to have the mutual aid agreement with the city.

In this case, the academys firefighters are leading the charge while the Fort Carson Directorate of Emergency Services Fire Department supports. Together, they have deployed two brush trucks, as well as three helicopters  a UH-60 Black Hawk and two CH-47 Chinooks  to dump more than 14,000 gallons of water on the affected areas, the school said.

The U.S. Forest Service is clearing grass and brush from the steep terrain to stop the fire from spreading further, the academy said.

This has truly been a team effort from across the region, and a huge thank you to everyone on the front line that is supporting this response, Superintendent Lt. Gen. Richard Clark said. We are so impressed by the teamwork that has gone into keeping our community and Academy safe.

Pre-evacuation notices went out Sunday to those living in nearby Douglass Valley and Pine Valley, but have since been rescinded, the school said Monday. Academy residents have not been told to evacuate. The academy has created an emergency response team to help military families and civilian employees affected by the fire.

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the area, and winds are expected to increase today, so residents should monitor local media and official Academy social media sources for updates, the school added Monday.

Local news outlets also reported fire crews have been battling two separate blazes that have torched hundreds of acres at the Armys nearby Fort Carson, Colorado, since Sunday morning.

No injuries were reported, and no structures were endangered by either fire, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported Monday.
The Russians attacked Ukraine with seven missiles and 14 Shahed attack drones on the night of 25-26 February, and three missiles and nine drones were destroyed.

Source: Ukraines Air Force on Telegram

Details: The Russians fired an Iskander-M ballistic missile from temporarily occupied Crimea, two S-300 anti-aircraft missiles from Russias Belgorod Oblast, three Kh-59 air-launched missiles and a Kh-31P anti-radar missile from the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. They also launched Shahed attack drones from Russias Kursk Oblast.

Quote from the Air Force: "As a result of combat operations, air defence forces destroyed three Kh-59 air-launched missiles and nine Shahed drones within Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts."

Details: It is reported that anti-aircraft missile units, mobile firing groups and electronic warfare equipment of the Ukrainian Defence Forces were involved in repelling the air attack.

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An active-duty Air Force member who set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington in an act of protest against the war in Gaza on Sunday died from his injuries, an Air Force spokesperson said Monday.

The individual involved in yesterdays incident succumbed to his injuries and passed away last night. We will provide additional details 24 hours after next of kin notifications are complete, Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told POLITICO.

I will no longer be complicit in genocide, the Air Force member said in a video posted on social media before the protest. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers is not extreme at all.

He continued: This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal."

The service member, wearing camouflage, can then be seen pouring a flammable substance on himself before lighting himself on fire, repeatedly yelling, Free Palestine" before on-site personnel ran toward him with fire extinguishers.

The service members actions come as members of the Biden administration have expressed their frustration with how the U.S. has handled its response to Israels military operation in Gaza. The White House has remained supportive of Israel throughout the war, while calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do more to protect civilians from harm.

I cannot stay silent as this administration turns a blind eye to the atrocities, a senior administration official wrote in a resignation letter in January.



Nearly 30,000 people have died in Gaza since Israel began its operation in response to Hamas Oct. 7 attacks, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. The figures do not distinguish between militants and civilians.

Negotiators are working to finalize a deal that would see a temporary ceasefire and hostage exchange, even as Israel threatens a full-on invasion of the southern city of Rafah. The pause in fighting could include the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which starts around March 10, and would allow for an increase of desperately needed humanitarian aid to the strip.

More than 1 million people are sheltering in Rafah after being forced to flee the more northern parts of Gaza during Israels campaign. Netanyahu has said a temporary ceasefire would delay but not halt the countrys plans for an invasion in order to root out the remnants of Hamas.

Still, Netanyahus plans to attack Rafah have prompted widespread international calls for restraint amid the humanitarian crisis. Israeli officials are working on a plan to protect the innocent civilians there, but have not yet submitted a proposal to the White House, according to a U.S. official, who was granted anonymity to speak about sensitive discussions.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that unidentified UAVs were flying from the border with Moldova towards the city of Khmelnytskyi on the evening of 26 February.

Source: Air Force on Telegram

Details: An air-raid warning was announced in Chernivtsi and Khmelnytskyi oblasts.

At 23:25, the military reported a threat of attack UAVs in Rivne Oblast.

At 23:31, the Air Force clarified that the UAVs in Rivne Oblast were heading north.

Suspilne also reported that explosions had been heard in Khmelnytskyi Oblast.

At 23:48, there was information about Russian UAVs on the border of Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts. They were moving southwest.

At 23:58, it was clarified that the UAVs were heading towards Kharkiv.

At 00:37, an all-clear was sounded.

Background:

An air-raid warning has been declared in a number of southern oblasts due to Russian attack UAVs.

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Qantas used an Airbus A380 to replace three flights from Melbourne to Sydney on Friday.

A severe storm warning in Sydney resulted in flight delays and cancellations.

Qantas said demand for air travel had been "incredibly high" during Taylor Swift's Australian tour.

Australia's Qantas flew an Airbus A380 from Melbourne to Sydney on Friday to help cope with huge demand for air travel during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.

The double-decker superjumbo, which is typically used for long-haul international flights, traveled about 540 miles  a similar distance as Boston to Pittsburgh.

Its 485 passengers were originally booked on three separate flights operated by the narrow-body Boeing 737.

But a severe-storm forecast limited flights into Sydney airport, Qantas said in a press release.

Coupled with "incredibly high demand" for flights into the city because of Swift's tour, Qantas said, it decided to operate a special flight to transport the passengers.

The airline said the A380 passengers were initially booked on flights that suggested they weren't traveling for the concert because they were later in the day.

But because so many people were traveling to see Swift, it would be difficult to find seats for them on other flights.

More than 600,000 people saw Swift perform at four shows in Sydney and another three in Melbourne. Her last show is on Monday night.

A Qantas Airbus A380. Sebastian Kahnert/Getty Images

Qantas usually flies the enormous jet only to destinations such as Los Angeles, London, and Singapore, but it also has one on standby.

After departing late, Flight 7168 was in the air for only about an hour, per data from Flightradar24. It flew 13 hours to Los Angeles the following day.

Swift's tour has been huge for local economies. In Cardiff, Wales  where she's not due to perform until June  hotel rooms are already going for $230 more than usual, according to the analytics firm Lighthouse.

And in Warsaw, Poland, demand for short-term rentals was up 2,020% year-over-year, the vacation-rental data firm AirDNA found.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are legally protected children is highlighting how support for the idea that a fetus should have the same rights as a person underpins far less dramatic laws and proposals from abortion foes across the U.S.

Lawmakers in at least six states have proposed measures similar to a Georgia law that allows women to seek child support back to conception to cover expenses from a pregnancy. Georgia also allows prospective parents to claim its income tax deduction for dependent children before birth, Utah enacted a pregnancy tax break last year, and variations of those measures are before lawmakers in at least four other states.

Including legislation that makes harming or killing a fetus a crime, several dozen proposals falling under the broad umbrella of promoting fetal rights are pending in at least 15 states, according to an Associated Press analysis using the bill-tracking software Plural.

The Alabama court decision spotlighted the anti-abortion movement's long-standing goal of giving embryos and fetuses legal and constitutional protections on par with those of the women carrying them. But abortion rights advocates see proposals granting even limited protections to embryos and fetuses as potentially having broader implications.

Any law that applies to a human could then be deployed with regard to fetuses, said Melissa Murray, a professor at the New York University School of Law. The whole array of statutory law and constitutional law is available.

A young anti-abortion supporter holds a sign from Students For Life Action during the March for Life rally in downtown Topeka.

Kansas Legislature work bills on child support and tax deductions

The main goal is just to help provide support for mothers and families who need extra support here and then provide support to those who are also helping them, such as the pregnancy resource centers, said Lucrecia Nold, who lobbies for the Kansas Catholic Conference.

A Kansas House committee held a hearing earlier this month on the child support proposal, and a bill to allow prospective parents to claim the state's $2,250 dependent income tax deduction before a child's birth is before a Senate committee. Lawmakers are expected to discuss both in coming weeks.

Kansas is an outlier among states with Republican-controlled Legislatures because of a 2019 state Supreme Court decision declaring that the Kansas Constitution protects access to abortion as a matter of a fundamental right to bodily autonomy.

Lawmakers put an amendment on the ballot to explicitly declare that the constitution doesn't grant a right to abortion  allowing them to greatly restrict or ban the procedure  but voters soundly rejected it in August 2022. It was the first of seven state votes affirming abortion rights after the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision allowing states to ban abortion.

But Kansas also has had a law since 2007 that allows people to face separate charges for crimes against fetuses, including capital murder, vehicular homicide and battery, and it hasn't been challenged. A 2013 state law declares that life begins at fertilization and unborn children have interests in life, health and well-being that should be protected, but it's not been enforced as a limit on abortion.

Brittany Jones, an attorney and policy director for Kansas Family Voice, which opposes abortion and sought the child support measure, said the state Supreme Court didn't care about those laws when it ruled in 2019.

This freakout  that were trying to do something unique legally  is just hysterical, she said. We believe that the mother and the child both have value. I won't run from that; that's true.

Kansas abortion providers urge expanded social services

In questioning abortion opponents motives for pursuing more limited measures dealing with child support or income taxes, abortion rights advocates argue that they dont represent meaningful aid for pregnant women or their families.

During the Kansas House committee hearing this month, abortion providers argued that if the state wants to help them, it should consider expanding social services, including Medicaid; improve access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive care; or mandate paid family leave. The states budget division projected that almost 21,000 extra income tax filers could claim the dependent deduction  but the average savings would be about $91 each.

Elisabeth Smith, state policy and advocacy director for the Center for Reproductive Rights, which fights for abortion access, called such measures window dressing and said they and the Alabama Supreme Court ruling are part of a coordinated anti-abortion campaign across the U.S.

This is absolutely part of the antis' long campaign to perpetuate abortion stigma and to normalize that an embryo and a fetus are equal to a living, breathing human being walking around, Smith said.

But Mary Zieger, a law professor at the University of California, Davis, who has published six books since 2015 about the national abortion debate and its history, said states' fetal personhood measures also could influence the U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority to consider whether the U.S. Constitution's rights apply to fetuses and embryos as a matter of history or tradition.

And then theyre going to say, Well, look, theres also all these states that hold this position, she said.

Fetal rights proposals pending in several states

In Alabama, voters amended the state constitution in 2018 to declare that the states public policy is to ensure the protection of the rights of the unborn child." Justices cited that provision in separate opinions on frozen embryos.

Broad fetal rights proposals are pending in at least four states, and Vermont has one to grant rights to fetuses at the 24th week of pregnancy, though it is not likely to pass the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

Ziegler, who's working on a book about the push for fetal rights, said such broad measures are likely to be unpopular with voters who want to protect abortion access or in vitro fertilization for women who have trouble conceiving.

She said abortion foes are trying to find unicorn bills that advance fetal personhood without actually making voters angry."

Theres a kind of longer game being played here in the sense that the goal is ultimately some kind of federal recognition for fetal personhood, she said.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Kansas plans tax breaks and child support for fetuses after IVF ruling
Left: An engraving of the medieval philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas. Right: Alabama Chief Justice Tom Parker. (Left: Getty Images; Right: Stew Milne for Alabama Reflector)

When Alabama Chief Justice Tom Parker wrote a cheerleading concurrence in his colleagues decision to effectively end in vitro fertilization in the state, he cited Thomas Aquinas.

Aquinas, as I learned in Father Koterskis philosophy class, was a Dominican theologian who spent most of his life trying to synthesize Catholic Church teachings with the philosophy of Aristotle. Koterskis class focused on Aquinas thoughts about existence, in particular the idea of being as an act.

But Parker wasnt writing about essence and existence. He was looking at Aquinas through Parkers belief (as stated in his opinion) that human beings bear Gods image from the moment of conception.

Parker wrote that Aquinas distinguished human life from other things God made, including nonhuman life, on the ground that man was made in Gods image. The chief justice also noted Aquinas highly original view that murder is bad. All of this factored into Parkers conclusion that human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God, who views the destruction of His image as an affront to Himself.

But the modern Thomas seems to have a more conservative view of what a fertilized human egg is than the medieval one. The theologian, citing Aristotle, wrote that the fetus is an animal before becoming a man.

In fact, Aquinas wrote at length in Summa Contra Gentiles about how a man couldnt, uh, transmit a soul during conception.

The human body, so far as it is in potentiality to the soul, as not yet having one, precedes the soul in time; it is, then, not actually human, but only potentially human, he wrote.

Conservative Catholics, noting the church does not condone in vitro fertilization, might argue that a friar from the 1200s would not look kindly on abortion. Thats fair, considering that Aquinas, in his oracular celibacy (as the historian Barbara Tuchman put it), would not look kindly on a modern woman doing literally anything. (Even Victorian women would be on notice.)

But were not talking about abortion. Were talking about helping childless people have babies.

And whether or not Aquinas would approve of IVF, I wouldnt use his Summa Theologica to understand modern fertility treatments any more than I would use Dante Alighieri to pass a geography quiz on the southern hemisphere. And yet Alabamas chief justice cites a 750-year-old theology text to dictate health care to the rest of us.

That Parker would take this approach isnt surprising. The chief justice wants to impose reactionary Christianity on American democracy. Media Matters uncovered a video of an interview with Parker uploaded earlier this month where he told an interviewer that God created government.

The fact we have let it go to the possession of others is heartbreaking for those of us who understand, and we know it is for Him, he said.

The chief justice would build Zion by destroying reproductive rights. So you might wonder why Parker attacked a procedure that, through 2019, led to the birth of 8 million children.

Its because Parkers project isnt about life. Its about control. Over women. And over the lawmaking process.

Parkers colleagues on the court seemed to understand the pain they were about to inflict. Justice Greg Cook, the only dissenter in the ruling, urged the Legislature to promptly consider these issues to provide certainty to these Alabama parents-to-be and to the medical professionals who are attempting to provide services to them.

And legislators are trying.

The problem is that Republican lawmakers in 2017 gave the states high court a veto over their efforts.

That year, the Legislature passed a constitutional amendment saying that it is the public policy of this state to ensure the protection of the rights of the unborn child in all manners and measures lawful and appropriate. Voters approved the measure the following year.

It makes loosening any of Alabamas draconian reproductive laws very difficult.

Parker knows this. He wrote that the amendment circumscribes the Legislatures discretion to determine public policy with regard to unborn life. The chief justice added that any law that contravenes the sanctity of unborn life is potentially subject to a constitutional challenge under the Alabama Constitution.

Sure sounds like the chief justice is inviting another anti-IVF lawsuit, doesnt it?

Parker also strongly suggested that the court could only accept a law that imposed extremely tight restrictions on IVF, something no pending bill on the procedure has in mind.

To be sure, the chief justice wont be on the bench for the next IVF battle. At 72, Parker is two years past Alabamas mandatory retirement age for judges and not seeking re-election this year.

But its hard to see how the all-Republican state Supreme Court gets past his reasoning. Justice Jay Mitchells majority opinion invited legislative action but also said the 2018 amendment directly aimed at stopping courts from excluding unborn life from legal protection. Even without Parker, the court still has five justices (including Sarah Stewart, running to become the next chief justice) who fully agree with Mitchell. (Justices Brad Mendheim and William Sellers gave him qualified approval.)

This is the new Thomism. Aquinas saw an ordered world following God through the guidance of the Catholic Church. Parker sees the Alabama Supreme Court taking that role, with the chief justice as interpreter of divine will.

Your views dont matter. The pain of those wanting children is irrelevant. Its all about eight judges making the world conform to their tendentious readings of the law.

Even Aquinas might have found this extreme.

The last end of human life is bliss or happiness, he wrote. Consequently the law must needs regard principally the relationship to happiness.

To the Alabama Supreme Court, thats a dangerously modern thought.

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The post The Alabama Legislature helped Tom Parker realize his medieval dreams appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
When Kristia Rumbley, a mother of four living in the Birmingham area, first heard about the Alabama Supreme Courts controversial ruling on frozen embryos, her first thought was of her own.

Rumbley, 44, says she has three embryos frozen at a local fertility clinic. When she faced secondary infertility after the birth of her first child, she and her husband turned to in vitro fertilization to expand their family. They welcomed twins from the procedure in 2016 and another child in 2021.

The process left three frozen embryos unused. Rumbley and her husband are done expanding their family, so theyve been storing the embryos until they can decide exactly what to do with them.

While its unclear exactly how many frozen embryos are in Alabama, its estimated there are over a million frozen eggs and embryos across the United States, according to TMRW Life Sciences, a biotech company that provides management of frozen eggs and embryos.

But the state Supreme Courts ruling has thrown the future of those embryos and IVF into chaos. While some lawmakers work to safeguard IVF, clinics in the state have shut down services and patients, including Rumbley, are scrambling to ship their frozen embryos to other states.

Heres what we know so far about the possible future of the frozen embryos currently stored in Alabama.

Kristia Rumbley poses in her bedroom, in Birmingham, Alabama, on February 23. - Dustin Chambers/Reuters

Why and how IVF produces frozen embryos

Since it was developed in the 1970s, IVF has become a popular solution for parents struggling to conceive and those using surrogacy to have children.

For a sizeable portion of our infertility population, IVF is a patients best and often only option, Andrew Harper, medical director of Huntsville Reproductive Medicine in Madison, Alabama, told CNN. Around 2% of babies in the United States are born through IVF, CNN previously reported.

During the procedure, an egg is removed from the patients body and combined with sperm in a laboratory. The resulting embryos get transferred into a persons uterus in hopes of leading to pregnancy. But only some of the eggs exposed to sperm will be fertilized, and of those, only a small fraction will develop into a mature embryo.

Because of this inefficiency, doctors often try to fertilize more eggs than needed. The science behind IVF really shows that one single fertilized egg is not enough, Eve Feinberg, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine, previously told CNN.

If her patients say they want two or three children, Feinberg encourages them to have between two to four embryos frozen for each, she said.

In some instances, patients may choose to freeze embryos instead of implanting them right away. Freezing embryos allows medical staff to perform genetic testing  which is especially crucial for patients who chose to pursue IVF because they have a family history of certain genetic conditions.

Cancer patients who risk losing their fertility during treatment might also preemptively freeze eggs or embryos before undergoing treatment. And parents may choose to freeze embryos after IVF to delay pregnancy for a number of reasons, Feinberg previously told CNN.

Rumbley only underwent one round of IVF in 2015. A total of six healthy embryos were produced that resulted in the birth of three children.

But keeping embryos frozen indefinitely can quickly become expensive: Patients must pay a yearly storage cost, which can range from $500 to $1,000, according to Connecticut-based Illume Fertility. The embryos can be donated to other families who are unable to conceive naturally or donated for scientific research, according to Harvard Medical School. They can also be destroyed.

Ruling leaves frozen embryos in cryogenic limbo

When Alabamas top court ruled frozen embryos are legally children and people can be held liable for their destruction, it complicated the options available to families.

At least three Alabama clinics have paused certain IVF operations for the time being due to legal concerns. Democrats in the Alabama state House, meanwhile, introduced a bill Thursday that would declare any fertilized human egg or human embryo that exists outside of a human uterus is not considered an unborn child or human being for any purposes under state law.

Rumbley says the choice is highly personal - and its one she and her husband arent ready to make yet. I would be devastated if they were taken away from me and given to another family, she said. I know I wont have them, but I think I need to be completely ready before I decide what to do.

In this 2008 photo, embryos are placed into a CryoLeaf ready for instant freezing using a vitrification process for IVF. - Ben Birchall/PA Wire/AP

If they have the same rights as a child whos born, then that would mean that the government has the same right to take a child away from me if they feel like theyre neglecting or abusing them, she went on. And I dont know what their definition of neglect or abuse when it comes to an embryo would be  maybe being frozen for seven years is neglect in their eyes.

Seema Mohapatra, a law professor at SMU Dedman School of Law who specializes in health law and reproductive rights, told CNN typically, embryos are regarded as property, she said. The owner of that personal property can do what they want with it. But now, in Alabama, those embryos are akin to children.

The unprecedented ruling also leaves open the question of who will pay for the long-term storage of frozen embryos, Mohapatra said.

Rumbley is hoping to move her embryos to Massachusetts, but says she hasnt been able to contact the hospital where her embryos are currently stored to find out if she can ship them using a third-party company or transport them herself.

We dont know, if we move them, if something happens, are we criminally negligent? she said. But I do know that I dont want them left in a state where they could potentially not be in my control.

Lauren Bowerman, a Birmingham-based writer and editor who has had one daughter born through IVF and has five embryos frozen at the University of Alabama at Birminghams clinic, told CNN while she is hopeful IVF will continue to be possible in the state, if it comes down to it, we would move our embryos out of state in order to move forward.

We fully intend to use every one of our frozen embryos, so we will do whatever it takes so that we can have them, she said. For us (and I know for many IVF couples) it is not just the emotional impact of a delay like this; there are also many timeline considerations to growing our family, so a delay and legal battle like this can feel particularly scary and frustrating.

At least two cryostorage companies  Seattle Sperm Bank and CryoFuture  told CNN via email they have offered to transfer frozen embryos from Alabama at a reduced cost in the wake of the ruling.

The Medical Association of the State of Alabama, which weighed in before the courts decision, has warned the ruling will create an enormous potential for civil liability for fertility specialists because embryos can be damaged or become unsuitable for pregnancy at any time during IVF. The association also noted it could mean people are unable to discard embryos, even if one or both parents die.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshalls office has said it has no intention of using the ruling to prosecute IVF providers or patients.

Still, Harper, the medical director in Madison, told CNN his facility is currently continuing IVF procedures but has paused the destruction of embryos.

His facility will also transition to storing embryos at a Minnesota cryostorage company instead of onsite. The facility still has 50 to 70 cohorts of embryos that have been abandoned for as long as 15 years, he added.

The consent says clearly if the embryos have been abandoned for five years, that the practice reserves the right to discard them, he explained. But the court ruling has left those frozen embryos in cryogenic limbo.

Its gonna be someones problem long after Im gone, he said.

For Bowerman, the decision and resulting delay in her own embryo transfer has left her deeply frustrated and grieved.

Its scary to think that this process might not have been possible for us and that our daughter would likely not be here if legislation like this was enacted at the time, she added.

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The Alabama Supreme Court made an unprecedented and potentially pivotal decision last week when it declared that frozen embryos are children in the eyes of the law.

It raises concerns about the future of infertility treatment in Alabama and possibly across the country, as other state courts could use the Alabama case as precedent in similar decisions. Already, hospitals and clinics across Alabama have begun pausing IVF treatments, citing new legal risks to providers due to the decision.

But the consequences of the ruling could extend beyond IVF, beginning a new front in the fight over reproductive rights and freedom.

The ruling gives credence to the concept of fetal personhood, which has been a goal of the anti-abortion movement in the United States for decades. So-called fetal personhood laws would grant fetuses the same rights and protections of any born person. Under such laws, abortion could then be considered murder, and therefore outlawed entirely.

What is the likelihood of something like that happening in, say, North Carolina? Maxine Eichner, Graham Kenan Distinguished Professor of Law at the UNC School of Law, said its not entirely out of the question, especially with a state Supreme Court that acts increasingly political.

While experts like Eichner believe that the end goal of the fetal personhood movement is to ultimately outlaw abortion, its being done gradually, in cases that have nothing to do with abortion at all. In Alabama, the decision stemmed from wrongful death lawsuits brought by couples whose frozen embryos were destroyed in an accident at a fertility clinic. Alabama has a law that allows parents to sue over the death of a minor child, and the court ruled that minor child includes unborn children, even embryos.

Given the politics and the tremendous amount of resistance that surrounded removing the right to choose abortion folks who are seeking to restrict abortion are being a little more cautious, and you get a more gradual movement towards restricting abortion based on the idea of fetal personhood, Eichner said.

Sympathy for the idea of fetal personhood already exists in North Carolina. Eichner pointed to a North Carolina Court of Appeals ruling from October that declared that life begins at conception. The case in question terminated a mothers parental rights for conduct during her pregnancy. The ruling was later withdrawn, but Eichner says it still represents a disturbing attempt to insert fetal personhood into the law.

As with the Alabama ruling, what makes it particularly concerning is that its not the legislature injecting fetal personhood into the law, Eichner said. Rather, judges are moving out in front of the legislature and expanding the definition of a child themselves.

In South Carolina, the idea of fetal personhood is already somewhat present in the law. South Carolina is one of several states  including Alabama  where the actions of pregnant people are criminalized. An investigation published last year by The Marshall Project and The Post & Courier found that hundreds of South Carolina women have been charged unlawful neglect of a child or homicide by child abuse for alleged drug use during pregnancy, because the state Supreme Court has ruled that child abuse laws extend to a viable fetus. South Carolina legislators have tried in recent years to officially enshrine fetal personhood in the law, effectively banning all abortions in the state, but havent been successful.

Of course, these gradual steps toward fetal personhood are still receiving political pushback, so its hard to say whether the anti-abortion movement will ever find success in taking it further. The Alabama decision has even received criticism from Republicans, not least because restricting IVF is even more politically unpopular than restricting abortions. Former President Donald Trump said he strongly supports IVF and called on Alabama lawmakers to find a solution to preserve the availability of IVF in the state. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina suggested that some House Republicans are looking at federal legislation to protect access to IVF.

I tell my students Dobbs is like the Wild West, Eichner said. Weve removed this settled law and now its very difficult to know what issues are gonna come up next, because things are changing by the minute.
Neritan Kolludra, 40, was jailed for 14 years and four months in December 2019 for conspiracy to supply cocaine on a 'wholesale basis'

A jailed Albanian drug crime boss is to be deported after judges ruled his threat to public safety outweighed his human rights claim in a test case.

Neritan Kolludra, 40, the head of an Albanian organised crime group, was jailed for 14 years and four months in December 2019 for conspiracy to supply cocaine on a wholesale basis.

Ministers sought to deport him two years later but Kolludra  who had been granted permanent residence in the UK and had a wife and three children in the country  claimed it would be a breach of his right to a family under the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR).

However, in a judgment that could set a precedent for hundreds more prisoners facing deportation, two judges in the lower and upper immigration tribunals ruled that the impact of deportation on his family life was outweighed by the serious risk of reoffending and the resulting risk to the public.

He will serve the rest of his sentence in an Albanian jail. It follows the introduction of new laws to ease the deportation of foreign criminals aimed at tackling the overcrowding crisis in UK prisons.

Alex Chalk, the Justice Secretary, said: Foreign criminals should serve their sentences overseas wherever possible  not in British prisons at taxpayers expense.

Our new laws allow us to deport foreign prisoners earlier and the agreement signed with Albania significantly speeds up removals to that country.

Dangerous prisoners transfer deal

Mr Chalk has struck a deal with Albania where it will take 200 of its most dangerous prisoners to serve their sentence at a fraction of the cost if they remained in the UK. He is also seeking similar deals with Poland and Romania.

The three countries account for almost a third of all foreign prisoners, who currently total 10,441, equivalent to 13 per cent of the total 89,000. They are costing the UK taxpayer 470 million a year to accommodate.

The transfer deal with Albania is among government measures to avoid running out of space in jails, including an early release scheme where jailed foreign offenders are deported 18 months before they are due to be freed. The Government also plans to deport and ban foreign shoplifters, thieves and drug dealers rather than prosecute them.

Kolludra entered the UK illegally in 1998 using a false name and nationality to claim asylum. It was rejected and he returned to Albania in 2005. But he subsequently demonstrated he had the right to remain as the husband of a Lithuanian national in the UK.

Despite being convicted of criminal offences which led to a failed attempt by the Government to deport him, Kolludra was granted a permanent residence card as the husband of an EEA national in 2011.

After being jailed for the drug offences in 2019 and facing deportation, he argued that he would be denied regular prison visits by his children and wife. He was also due to be transferred to an open prison, which would offer the chance to spend time with his family.

Even if he was transferred on a like for like basis, and was permitted to spend time on day release in Albania, his children would be in the UK and that would be of little value to the family, his lawyers argued to the court.

However, the judges ruled his deportation was proportionate because of the seriousness of his offence and continued threat to public safety.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference on the roof of the Canadian Embassy in Washington on June 20, 2019. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press - image credit)

All of Canada's top diplomats have taken the extraordinary step of writing a joint letter to their superiors warning of an "untenable" situation as their health insurance provider fails to process claims for Canadian staff working abroad.

The letter, obtained by CBC News, is written on behalf of all Canada's heads of mission and ambassadors around the world.

"What was already a challenging situation has become further untenable due to the cyber attack" on the company providing health-care coverage, the letter states. It is addressed to deputy ministers at Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

That company, MSH International, said a "cyber incident" was detected on Feb. 9. It has paused claims processing while an investigation is underway.

In their letter, the diplomats note the real-life consequences of uncertain access to health-care coverage.

"We are also aware of employees foregoing and/or postponing medical treatments (e.g. psychological treatments, physiotherapy and some drug treatments) due to concerns that they may not be reimbursed," they say in the letter.

Diplomatic sources who spoke to CBC News emphasized the stress that these challenges have placed on some employees.

In a recent report looking at the future of the foreign service and the need to modernize and improve recruitment, the Senate's foreign affairs and international trade committee recommended that the government put more resources into better supporting families abroad.

The problem also affects retirees who are relying on the coverage.

Retired Canadian ambassador Dennis Horak was travelling in the United States last October when his wife experienced a medical emergency that required hospitalization.

Horak said it took him nearly three days to get hold of MSH International to open a file.

Retired Canadian ambassador Dennis Horak says he is still waiting on MSH International to process some health care claims, months after his wife experienced a medical emergency that required hospitalization in the U.S.

Retired Canadian ambassador Dennis Horak says he's still waiting for MSH International to process some health-care claims months after his wife experienced a medical emergency that required hospitalization in the United States. (CBC)

"I phoned them every hour. I stayed on the phone for hours at a time. Waited for callbacks that never came and then finally, more than two and a half days later, I finally got a hold of them," he said.

"It was extremely frustrating at a very, very stressful time."

Insurance company Canada Life became the administrative services provider for Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) members on July 1 of last year.

Canada Life subcontracted out-of-country emergency travel and insurance administration to MSH International.

The letter says that while employees in Canada are being provided with stable health insurance coverage, staff working abroad are not  and they "carry significant financial burdens due to a failure to be financially remunerated as they are entitled to be."

The letter says the new system managed by MSH International "has failed to function from the outset," forcing GAC to introduce emergency loans as a means to cover health-care costs  a situation "not everyone is comfortable with."

"The recent suspension of services due to the cyber attack on MSH is a step beyond what is acceptable for thousands of staff. In this context, the communications issued by TBS [Treasury Board Secretariat] have also unfortunately lacked a timeline for resolution," says the letter.

Pamela Isfeld, president and chair of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers (PAFSO), said members of her union reported problems with accessing their health insurance from the moment MSH International took over administration of overseas coverage.

Isfeld said that while GAC has been proactive in trying to help overseas employees facing health-care costs, the government shouldn't have to compensate them because a private company isn't doing its job.

Pamela Isfeld, president and chair of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers, says Canadian foreign service officers have reported challenges accessing health care coverage since MSH International took over administration of out-of-country claims.

Pamela Isfeld, president and chair of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers, says Canadian foreign service officers have reported struggling to access health-care coverage since MSH International took over administration of out-of-country claims. (Jean-Francois Benoit/CBC)

"We have Global Affairs Canada, which is a government department facing a budget crunch like everywhere else," she said.

"And right now it's got, the last number I heard was over $2.3 million held up in advances covering for a private, for-profit company that is not able to get its act together to properly reimburse people and give them the coverage that they are paying for."

Isfeld said Canadian foreign service officers based in the United States are facing a particularly scary situation because there's no public health care system to fall back on.

Diplomatic sources told CBC News Canadian staff abroad are looking to the Treasury Board, which oversees Government of Canada contracts, for an urgent resolution.

CBC News is not naming the confidential sources because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Those sources said that Treasury Board officials held a call with staff in the United States last Thursday to discuss the ongoing issue.

At the end of the call, Canada's Ambassador to the United States Kristen Hillman summarized what she heard from staff in the embassy  including a call for the government to put all employees at the embassy on American private insurance plans until the issues with MSH International are resolved.

According to the sources, Treasury Board officials said on the call that they will look into the request.

CBC News reached out to TBS for an update on the situation and asked whether the department could estimate when MSH International will resume processing claims for PSHCP members.

A spokesperson for TBS declined to provide a timeline.

MSH says it expects to restore claims processing soon

"An investigation is ongoing, and the Government of Canada will continue to work closely with its partners to prevent, detect and manage cyber threats. For information on the actions taken by Canada Life and MSH International related to this incident, please contact them directly," said spokesperson Martin Povin in a media statement.

GAC said in a statement provided to CBC News that it recognizes the challenges being faced by its Canadian staff and their dependents abroad.

"The impact of these challenges on the well-being of staff is of utmost importance to us. We are working with the Treasury Board Secretariat, which is directly engaged with Canada Life to find a timely resolution," said the department.

MSH International said in a statement provided to CBC News that the company expects to resume secure claims processing services "in the very near future."

"Throughout this incident, MSH has continued to help PSHCP plan members outside of Canada access the medical care that they require. The contact centre has continued to operate without disruption," reads the statement.

MSH International also said it has been able to "effectively help individuals outside of Canada access medical services when they need them." But the company acknowledged that claims processing times have been longer than the company would like, due to "higher-than-expected volumes."

As for Horak, he said he is still waiting for MSH International to process some of the bills associated with the medical emergency and that it's impossible to get anyone from the company on the phone.

"If it wasn't so serious, I'd call it a joke. But it's not a laughing matter," he said.

"This didn't begin with the hack. This has been a problem from the very beginning, certainly with MSH, in my experience."
With exacting precision only a dictator can orchestrate, the governments press release announced the formal end to Putins last internal, democratic challenge: Alexei Navalny was dead.

His, and democracys, ignoble end was declared, allegedly, only two minutes after it happened. Internally and geopolitically, the Russian government understood the ramifications and the consequences. It wanted to waste no time.

Officially, Navalny died of instant death syndrome but to the free world, he was martyred. The timing of his death was another chess move, just like the press release.

National elections in Russia are next month and the current head of government, Vladimir Putin, is expected to clear yet another electoral victory, his fifth such election.

Plans are also underway for a new spring offensive on the Ukrainian front, coinciding with the winter thaw, and also because there are no coincidences in Putins Russia, the timing is possibly linked with the future celebrations of his next term.

World reaction has been swift, if muddled, and inconsequential. There are firm words again from the president of the United States, as well as consternation from his secretaries at Defense and State. Another round of sanctions will be announced by the White House.

From their palatial dachas, Putin and his politburo are reading all about the response from the West. They know for all the bluster of the West, in the end, it wont matter. Business will continue as usual in Moscow.

Lacking a real response from the United States or its NATO allies, Putin now stands alone, emboldened by his continued snubbing of international norms. He has truly become master of his country.

The collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of the last century brought about what experts decried as the loss of the bipolar world. There was to be no more great conflict between East and West ever again. America had won. In her ascendance, it was her turn to lead.

And lead it did, under strong foreign policy triangulation and global coalitions. Though there were notable misses, such as the genocide in Rwanda and the first Chechen War, American leaders tended to swing big, utilising their global partners. George H. W. Bush stood up to Saddam in the first Gulf War. Bill Clinton in Sarajevo and Kosovo. George W. Bush led a coalition of the willing against the Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam again in Iraq. Ultimate outcomes aside, American leaders galvanised world support around a common cause.

Leaderless, after a coup from its own ruling party, Congress today is paralyzed, unable to figure out how to get yearly foreign aid to its largest ally, Israel, much less what to do with Ukraine. Biden, leader of the free world, is no better.

While Putin and his billionaire oligarchs prepare for their summer getaways on the French Riviera, the current president of the United States is battling very real public concerns about his deteriorating mental acumen. His response to Russia has been standard, old foreign policy thinking. Isolate the leaders, cut off trade, slap on more sanctions.

The success of these strategies in toppling dictators has been, well, mixed. Look at Cuba and Venezuela, in our region of the world. Their leftist governments are still firmly entrenched, decades after sanctions were enacted to cripple their regimes. Even Nicaragua has seen a return of its strongman, Daniel Ortega, and fresh sanctions. Iran, China, and North Korea join the list as heavily sanctioned, yet their regimes continue to rule unabated.

The previous administration took a radical new approach: engagement and not shyness. It was to be firm, strong, and decisive. Foreign entanglements, hot military conflicts, all readjusted from previous long-standing norms and given a fresh look. NATO funding for example was to be reevaluated, given the allies own meager contributions.

Silicon Valley and the business world call it a disrupting factor. New ways of thinking that go against the grain of industry are what make the tech world innovative. Foreign policy needs this from time to time. And weve seen it to varying degrees of success. Remember Nixon, the ardent anti-communist, opened China and normalised relations. Yitzhak Rabin, former IDF chief and architect of the successful, but bloody, victory in the 1948 Arab-Israel War, led the early 90s charge for Palestinian peace, not war, in the Middle East.

Big foreign policy outcomes for the last administration were, by and large, successful. North Koreas dictator gave up his nuclear ambitions  if only temporarily. Iran continued to meddle in the Middle East, sure, but its nuclear ambitions were also curtailed. The Abraham Accords were the first real stab at peace in the region and normalisation of Arab regional relations with Israel since the above-mentioned Rabin/Arafat Oslo Accords of the early 1990s.

America was a leader, beholden to no one. America was first.

The Ukraine conflict has shown that the world again has gone unipolar. China lurks, as does Iran. But their relationships continue to be intertwined, often even with the Western powers they try to defy.

While Europe is trying to figure out its new role in the post-Angela Merkel era, Americas presence at the moment is diminished. Leadership and new disruptive ways of thinking need to return to the global stage. So, remember, our elections, unlike Russias, matter.

Because today, without the US, its Putin, alone.

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 flight traveling to Charlotte from Akron, Ohio was diverted to Cincinnati Monday morning after a possible maintenance issue, American Airlines said in a statement.

Almost an hour and a half after its departure, Flight 5320 squawked code 7700, which is used for general emergencies, landing at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

The flight landed safely and taxied to the gate under its own power where it was evaluated by our maintenance team and cleared to re-depart, the American Airlines statement said. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and thank them for their patience.

FlightAware24, a website that tracks air traffic, shows Flight 5320 flying south from Akron to around Charleston, West Virginia, where it turns towards Cincinnati.

Flight 5320 was operated by PSA Airlines.

The flight tracker showed that more than an hour later, the plane departed Cincinnati and completed the trip to Charlotte.

The aircraft, a CRJ700 that Americans website says holds up to 65 people, arrived Monday at approximately 12:18 p.m., an hour and 38 minutes later than planned.
Role model: Russian President Vladimir Putin waits in the presidential lounge to be introduced at the opening ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at the Fisht Olympic Stadium on February 7, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by David Goldman - Pool/Getty Images)

Quality Journalism for Critical Times

The Grand Old Putin Partys plan to impeach President Joe Biden has collapsed like cheap lawn furniture in a gust of wind.

Alexander Smirnov, their Deep Throat, the key FBI informant with supposed dirt on Hunter Bidens Ukraine business dealings, now admits he lied.

Moreover, the alleged evidence was nonsense, apparently funneled through Russian Intelligence.

You might almost think this was a Kremlin op.

View of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior behind the Kremlin wall. File

Washington Trumpists have become such easy pickings for Vladimir Putin. Given their divorce from reality, they cant help but admire the neo-tsar of a realm where war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength.

Moscows Washington apparatchiks arent putting Novichok in Democrats tea or shoving reporters out of windows (at least I dont think they are), but theyre good little misinformation soldiers and in love with autocracy.

The American Right no longer connects words with meaning: When they say liberty, they mean repression.

They no longer care about the rule of law.

Their capo has been adjudicated a rapist and a fraudster, indicted 91 times and charged with four felonies, yet their response is to shrug and claim its all political, even as they insist the Biden family is some kind of criminal enterprise.

Every accusation they make is, of course, a confession.

Conservatives?

The American Right doesnt believe in alliances and treaties: They want to pretend other countries dont matter to the U.S., never mind that construction equipment from China, technology from Germany, clothes and shoes from Vietnam, fruits and vegetables from Mexico, pharmaceuticals from the U.K., and other goods American consumers are rather attached to; never mind that the U.S. never hesitates to call on allies to help us with our wars Afghanistan and Iraq, anyone?

They also reject the democratic process, doing everything they can to suppress the vote  especially if voters arent white.

Joseph Stalin in a scene from the film To Die in Madrid a.k.a. Mourir a Madrid, 1965. (Photo by Altura Films International/Getty Images)

The American Right is not so much goose-stepping toward authoritarianism as sprinting.

You notice I dont call these people conservatives: They dont want to conserve anything but their own power and will happily burn the country down to achieve that end.

I dont call them Republicans, either, though thats what most of them call themselves. Republican used to mean small government, individual rights, a respectable amount of fiscal probity, and decent environmental stewardship, and sometimes even  until Nixons Southern Strategy  equal justice.

Now theyre nothing but Putin fanboys.

In his free time between grifts and court appearances, Donald Trump continues to make clear his, er, profound attraction to the Russian dictator, calling Putins invasion of Ukraine genius, and savvy.

While U.S. investigators found evidence that Russia had indeed interfered in the 2016 presidential election, Trump refused to accept that his Big Cool Friend would ever do such a thing.

Putin assured him the Kremlin was innocent, and who are you going to believe? All 17 of our intelligence agencies or Joseph Stalins heir?

Mob rules

Trump sees NATO as some kind of old school mob protection ring: If a European nation doesnt pay, he says, hell ignore Article Five and encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want.

Smoke rises after missiles landed at sunset on April 28, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Credit: John Moore/Getty Images

It took Trump days to even mention the murder of Alexei Navalny, and then he refused to condemn it. Instead he compared himself to Navalny, whining that he, too, is being persecuted by the state.

As he posted on social media: The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country, blaming Joe Biden for all his troubles, especially the $500 million+ in judgments against him.

In the teaspoon of dried peas that passes for Trumps brain, the president he habitually portrays as weak is also  somehow  that scary Dark Brandon guy, able to juju a bunch of district attorneys, judges, grand juries, and federal prosecutors into indicting scores of times.

Trumps toadies and bootlickers agree: The Martyr of Mar-a-Lago is the savior of America and his pal Putin is not only a genius, hes the defender of white Christianity.

As for Russias invasion of Ukraine, their attitude is: 1. So what? and 2. Because we refused to swear wed keep Ukraine out of NATO, it was our fault  at least according to proto-Trumper Pat Buchanan.

We made Putin do it.

Supermarkets

Just ask Tucker Carlson. He interviewed Uncle Vlad, alternately giggling and looking like a dog who just heard a new noise.

An excited tourist (The snow is white! The people are white!) Tucker wandered around Moscow, dispatching wide-eyed reports declaring Russia is, like, awesome: Clean subways! No homeless people!

And their supermarkets!

Tucker Carlson. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Tucker is impressed that a weeks worth of food might only cost 100 bucks, which sounds great, except that most Russians earn less than $200 a week.

As an exasperated Jon Stewart pointed out, Theres a hidden fee to your cheap groceries and orderly streets. Ask Alexei Navalny or any of his supporters.

But you dont have to be conspiracy-addled ex-president or a disgraced ex-Foxer to kiss Putins fanny. The United States government is a cornucopia of dictator apologists.

Trump himself has always uber-fanned totalitarian types, from Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, to the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, to the Philippines Duterte (who built his political success on extra-judicial killings), to Viktor Orban, strongman of Hungary and pin-up boy for American conservatives.

But his MAGA-minions also get off on the thugs running countries where they dont bother with all those tiresome human rights and all that messy free-and-fair-elections crap.

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who comes from a state where they keep children in the freezer, says the U.S. needs to stop funding the Ukrainians.

See, Ukraine is like a junior high team playing, say, mighty Michigan. Slaughter! And who wants to support the losing team?

Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance turfed up at the recent Munich Security Conference where he refused to meet Vlodomyr Zelenskyy, telling the Europeans Ukraine is their problem, not ours.

I mean, his constituents cant find Ukraine on a map, so what does he care?

Money to be made

Rumble, a web platform backed by Vance, posts Kremlin propaganda, including a hostage video of two Americans captured while fighting for Ukraine and tortured by the Russians.

J.D. Vance. Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal

Vances venture capital firm holds seven million shares of Rumble and is bankrolled by his political sugar-daddy Peter Thiel, an Elon Muskesque gazillionaire who tells anyone wholl listen democracy is not all that great.

In any case, theres money to be made and autocratic egos to be stroked, even though a prominent foreign policy expert described all of this as music to Putins ears.

Over in the U.S. House of Representatives, the majority party boasts an average IQ equivalent to a Savoy cabbage. Witness Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has been insisting that the judge in Trumps New York case be disrobed, and is now demanding America cut Ukraine loose.

Let them fight their own battle for survival: After all, Ukraine is not the 51st state.

Democratic values? What democratic values?

Ukraine fatitgue

Greenes pal, gel-headed chaos agent U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, introduced a Ukraine Fatigue resolution last year. These days he amuses himself by threatening Mike Moses Johnson with losing the House speakership if he allows a vote on the bipartisan Senate bill to fund weapons for Ukraine.

Matt Gaetz (photo by Mitch Perry)

Gaetzs home state of Florida got $1 billion in 2023 for making military supplies for Ukraine. But whats economic advantage compared to bringing down the international order?

I dont know about you, but I kind of miss the good old days of the Cold War. Americans used to expend a great deal of energy pitching hissy fits about the Evil Empire.

Those were more innocent times.

These days the Trumpists set the fashion: Despot Chic is the look for 2024.

Or, as the Guardian columnist Marina Hyde puts it, the current must-have accessory for all the most grimly murderous dictators is a pet American idiot.

The post The American Right becomes Putins fanboys appeared first on Florida Phoenix.
An American doctor detailed the worsening circumstances of Gazas medical facilities and dwindling supplies Sunday, describing it as incomparable to the various other war zones she has worked in.

Dr. Nahreen Ahmed, a critical care specialist from Pennsylvania, reflected on her two-week work stint in Nasser, Gaza, during an interview with CBS Newss 60 Minutes published Sunday.

We have mass casualties coming in in waves at [the] hospital. Thats happening at least three or four times a night, Ahmed said, adding later, A regular day for me was seeing children with shrapnel injuries I have never in my life seen before, with traumatic brain injury. Death happening in a fully treatable situation because the supplies are not available.

Ahmed told CBS News that medicine and supplies shortages are worsening the conditions in Gaza.

Its basic medications. Its pain medication. There are people getting limbs amputated without any anesthesia, she said. Thats what were seeing on a day-to-day basis. And I can tell you that things that we have put into the pipeline to get to Gaza can often take weeks to months.

Asked how the situation in Gaza compares to other war zones she has worked in, Ahmed said, It is  incomparable, I would say. I dont think Ive seen this many  children affected in any of the other war zones Ive ever been to.

Her remarks echo those of other recent warnings from humanitarian agencies, including the chief of the World Health Organization (WHO), who called the territory a death zone last week.

More than 29,000 people have died in Gaza since the onset of Israels war with Palestinian militant group Hamas in early October. The war was sparked by Hamass Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel that left about 1,200 people dead and saw about 250 others taken hostage.

Calls for a cease-fire in the conflict have increased in recent weeks as the death toll in Gaza  which has been ruled by Hamas since 2007  continues to climb. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has largely rejected these calls, arguing it would be a victory for Hamas if Israeli forces do not eliminate the group.

Ahmed also spoke on the experience of operating and performing medical procedures while the area around the medical facilities is bombarded by fighting.

I dont think Ive been this close to the sound of missile strikes  with the house shaking, where the hospital is shaking while Im trying to operate in the ICU, she said, later adding, We go into, like, medical mission mode. So bombs going off or not  we are absolutely focused on whats in front of us. Is it terrifying? Yes, of course. Do we think about it after the fact? Absolutely.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Chinese scientist awarded for groundbreaking work in transplantation, cellular therapy

Xinhua) 08:11, February 26, 2024

SAN ANTONIO, the United States, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientist Huang Xiaojun won a top international award here on Friday for his groundbreaking work known as Beijing Protocol in the transplantation and cellular therapy.

The esteemed professor, an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of the Institute of Hematology at Peking University, received the prestigious annual Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) Distinguished Service Award during the 2024 Tandem Meetings.

This event serves as a platform for leading global experts to collaboratively share crucial insights dedicated to enhancing and preserving the lives of individuals grappling with blood-related disorders.

"I am deeply honored," said Huang in his remarks. "I want to say this award is not only a great honor for me, but also an affirmation of my team, and even more an incentive for the rapid development of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in China."

Huang established a series of key techniques of non-T cell depleted haploidentical transplantation, which gradually developed to the novel G-CSF/ATG based Beijing Protocol, increasing the 3-year survival rate from approximately 20 percent to about 70 percent in haploidentical transplantation treating leukemia, Michael Verneris, chair of the Advisory Committee of the CIBMTR, told the fully-packed meeting.

Huang Xiaojun speaks with a patient at Peking University People's Hospital in Beijing, capital of China, July 6, 2023. TO GO WITH "Chinese scientist awarded for groundbreaking work in transplantation, cellular therapy" (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

Verneris reported that the Beijing Protocol techniques have been adopted in over 190 centers in China, resulting in a significant increase in haploidentical transplantation from almost zero to 65 percent by 2022. The protocol has also been extended to countries such as South Korea, Italy and France.

"Currently, it (the Beijing Protocol) is the most widely used haplo-HSCT system with the best curative effect around the world," the CIBMTR expert said, adding that Huang has also made remarkable contributions to promoting global cooperation in this field.

"This award will encourage me to make greater contributions to promote the development of hematology in China, and also promote the cooperation between China and the world in the future," Huang said.

The CIBMTR, initially set up in 1972, collaborates with the global scientific community to advance hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and cellular therapy worldwide to increase survival and enrich the quality of life for patients, according to its website.

The 2024 Tandem Meetings on Feb. 21-24, co-organized by the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy and the CIBMTR, have attracted several thousand doctors, researchers and healthcare professionals from all over the world.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Two Americans are presumed dead after they vanished from their yacht in Grenada, leaving behind evidence of a bloody struggle, police in nearby St. Vincent and the Grenadines said Monday.

While loved ones of Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry are hopeful that the American retirees and sailing enthusiasts could still turn up alive, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Superintendent Junior Simmons offered a more somber assessment.

"Based on the investigation thus far, it is presumed that Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel are deceased," Simmons said in a video statement Monday afternoon.

Kathy Brandel, front left, and Ralph Hendry, front right, with family. (Courtesy Hendry Family)

Hours earlier, police in Grenada said there's still hope to find the couple.

But Royal Grenada Police Commissioner Don McKenzie also said he's offering condolences to the family of the two American boaters, who were most likely disposed of at sea by escaped prisoners. McKenzie said there's a low probability Brandel and Henry might be alive.

Three accused criminals escaped from jail on Feb. 18 before they "commandeered" the couple's boat, called Simplicity, and headed north, McKenzie said. Police have said the escapees boarded the boat while it was docked in the St. George area of Grenada.

"They headed to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Information suggests that while traveling between Grenada and St. Vincent, they disposed of the occupants," McKenzie told reporters.

Asked whether investigators have an idea where the "missing" Americans might be, McKenzie flat-out said, "No."

"We have nothing conclusive to say that the individuals are dead," he added. "We still hold out hope that, in spite of what might be a low probability, they will turn up alive somewhere, that they're alive."

Simmons in St. Vincent and the Grenadines left little doubt of his opinion in the probe into the disappearance and presumed death of two United States citizens ... Ralph Hendry and his common law wife Kathy Brandel.

In an interview that aired Monday on NBC Nightly News, Rob Maher, a friend of the couple who acted as their emergency contact, said that the situation was like a bad Hollywood movie.

Its hard to think of their last moments with the idea that they might have been thrown overboard alive. Its difficult to conceive for a friend, he added.

Couple's sons are in the Caribbean

The couples sons called the pairs disappearance the rarest of the rare occurrences.

Brandels son, Nick Buro, and Hendrys son, Bryan Hendry, told NBC Washington that they first learned the couple were missing after U.S. consular officials in Barbados contacted them.

A good Samaritan who found the pairs abandoned boat contacted the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, whose flag was flying on the mast, and word made it to the two sons, too.

They said they were told the couple vanished after three men escaped from police custody Feb. 18 and boarded their boat in Grenada the next day, Buro said.

Buro said they were told an altercation of violence took place" on the boat, adding that there was evidence of the violence and that the couples possessions were "strewn around all over." Items had also been stolen.

McKenzie said, "What I can say to the family is my condolences and we are still hoping for what I consider a positive outcome, which is we still have the hope that our worst-case scenario will not be a reality."

The scene on the couple's boat was "consistent with signs of violence," Simmons in St. Vincent and the Grenadines said.

"Several items were strewn on the deck and in the cabin, and a red substance that resembled blood was seen on board," he said. "There was no discovery of bodies on board the yacht."

The escapees were caught by police in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Wednesday and are in custody there, according to Buro and officials.

Police told Buro that they have questioned the suspects multiple times, and he said the family expects charges soon.

Buro and Hendry are in the Caribbean and have been speaking with authorities, including the St. Vincent and the Grenadines police and coast guard, and they expressed their appreciation.

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said it is aware of the reports involving two citizens missing in the vicinity of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines but did not identify the couple. The official added that U.S. authorities are coordinating with local law enforcement officials as they carry out their search efforts.

We are monitoring the situation and seeking additional information, the spokesperson said. The Department of State has no higher priority than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad. We stand ready to provide appropriate assistance to U.S. citizens in need and to their families.

Life on the water

The couple met in Virginia and have been married for 27 years. They raised the boys together in the state, where they lived until 2013, selling their home in Alexandria to trade it in for Simplicity and life on the water.

"They wanted to see the world. They wanted to experience life. They wanted to see what the world had to offer outside of their small window of living in one place and being mobile and being able to have a different adventure every day  thats like the definition of living," Buro said.

Buro said that the family has always been close and that they talk often. He considers Ralph Hendry his father and Bryan Hendry his brother, and he said he knows Hendry feels the same way about him and Brandel.

The couple lived with a sense of wonder and love, Hendry said.

They loved immersing themselves in different cultures and meeting people and spreading their love wherever they could, he said.

Buro echoed his stepbrothers sentiments.

Youll never meet more beautiful people than Kathy and Ralph, Buro said. They were there for people when they needed it most, and I just, theyre my inspiration for everything, and I cant express how much I love them, and I know everybody else who knows them feels the same way.

The couple had been planning the trip down to Grenada  their first to the Caribbean island  for years and years and years, training themselves, preparing the boat, preparing themselves ... to make the trip, Hendry said.

It was going to be a very long trip, not to be taken lightly, and the couple felt they had prepared themselves adequately, Hendry said.

They made the voyage down with the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, and everyone arrived safely, Buro said.

Bob Osborn, the association's president, said the situation was upsetting and tragic.

In all my years of cruising the Caribbean, I have never heard of anything like this, he said in a statement.

Yacht 'was their home'

Buro thinks his mother and stepfather could still be alive.

We still think theres a chance that theyre out there," he said. Because the investigation continues and St. Vincent and the Grenadines police were "quick to apprehend the suspects and are searching," there is hope.

"We still hope that they are OK and that we can bring them back," Buro said.

He said that the entire situation "is something that is completely unexpected" and that they are trying to understand the "senseless act of violence against two people that were just living their lives in their home."

Buro said the couple worked hard on their dream and had become seasoned sailors. Simplicity was their home, he said.

He said the couples top priorities were always safety and security, to make sure everything they did was safe and was going to keep them safe.

To have that turn out in a way where something out of their control took that away from them is whats so horrific about this and so sad, because they were just, this is just something that theyve always wanted to do, and they did it, and its just, it breaks our hearts, Buro said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Measles typically begins with high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. Two or three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots (might appear inside the mouth of a patient. Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash breaks out that usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, torso, arms, legs and feet. (Canva)

Quality Journalism for Critical Times

Since late last week, two more Floridians appear to have contracted highly contagious measles, adding up to what looks like nine cases in all. The Florida Department of Health reported a probable case in Broward and another infection in Polk County, according to the states reportable disease surveillance system.

In Broward County, where cases of measles started appearing the second week of February, the health department reported a probable case of a child between the ages of 5 to 9 on Friday. The measles outbreak, which the World Health Organization defines as five or more cases contracted from having contact with somebody who is a confirmed case, spread in Manatee Bay Elementary School in Weston, just west of Fort Lauderdale.

The highly contagious disease has also been contracted by a Polk County resident between the ages of 20 to 24, according to the disease surveillance system data. The case appeared on the surveillance system on Sunday. Polk, which is in the central part of Florida, and Broward, are roughly 175 miles apart, but cases are assigned to Florida counties based on the persons county of residence at the time of the disease identification, even if thats not where they became ill. Officials have not said whether the Polk case is linked to the Broward outbreak.

If the probable case is confirmed, the total number of infections would be nine. Meanwhile, two people in Louisiana contracted measles last week, according to Florida Phoenix partner Louisiana Illuminator. As of Feb. 22, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 35 measles cases in 15 states and jurisdictions: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington.

Last year, the health department reported two cases of measles in Florida (one in Miami-Dade County and another in Seminole County).

Despite the high contagiousness rate of the disease, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo sent a letter on Feb. 20 to parents stating that parents and guardians could decide whether or not to send their kids to school, citing the high immunity rate in the community and the burden on families and the educational cost of healthy children missing school.

In the letter, Ladapo also wrote that it is commonly recommended that those who havent contracted measles before and are not vaccinated should stay home for 21 days.

The CDC reported about 91% of Florida kindergartners for the 2022-23 school year had received the two required doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. A 95% or greater rate of two doses of the MMR vaccine is needed to create herd immunity, according to WHO.

Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease that can have serious health complications in children younger than five, according to the CDC. Symptoms of measles include:

High fever

Cough

Runny nose

Red, watery eyes

Rash that appears 3-5 days after symptoms begin

Although someone with measles can infect up to 9 out of 10 people near them if they are not protected, the MMR vaccine is about 97% effective at preventing measles, according to the CDC.

The post Amid measles outbreak in South Florida in Broward, another infection emerged in Central Florida appeared first on Florida Phoenix.
Democratic Senate candidate Andy Kim filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to abolish New Jerseys unique and controversial county line balloting system, calling it fundamentally unjust and undemocratic.

The issue presented to the Court today is quite simple: the line must be abolished because it is unconstitutional, reads the lawsuit filed by Kim, a three-term member of Congress from the 3rd District, as well as two underdog Democratic congressional candidates in South Jersey: Sarah Schoengood and Carolyn Rush.

Kim is running mainly against New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy, whose campaign is banking on her expected advantageous ballot placement in New Jerseys most heavily Democratic counties to gain enough support to become the party's nominee.

The lawsuit, which was first reported by The New York Times, targets county clerks in all 19 counties that award a line in their primary process, calling instead for a judge to order the elections be conducted using the office block style, in which all candidates are listed together under the offices theyre seeking. It comes three years after a group of progressives filed their own still-pending lawsuit against the nominating system using the same attorneys: Brett Pugach and Yael Bromberg.

The current primary election ballot design scheme represents an unconstitutional governmental thumb on the scale of New Jersey's primary elections, the complaint reads.

The 79-page complaint alleges the balloting system violates the First and 14th Amendments, as well as the Constitutions elections clause.

Background: New Jersey allows county organizations who endorse candidates to place them in the same row or column with all the other county-backed candidates, from president to town council.

Candidates not backed by the party, unless they field their own slate of candidates to compete with the county line, are sometimes relegated to obscure parts of the ballot that some disparagingly refer to as ballot Siberia.

A Rutgers study that Kim's complaint cites, along with several experts, found that the county line awards a significant advantage to candidates who gain it.

Kim has beaten Murphy to get the county line in the first three county conventions conducted by secret ballot so far, but Murphy has the support of party chairs in the states most Democratic vote-rich counties, some of whom have major influence in awarding their party lines.

Kim, who has not faced a seriously contested primary, did not eschew the county line in any of his three previous congressional elections.

In a meeting with reporters on Monday, Kim said he hadn't raised the line as an issue in past years because he didn't have a primary challenge in his first two runs and in his third election he felt comfortable against his opponent. "I never really understood or experienced it full force" until running for the Senate, he said.

"This is not power people are just going to give up voluntarily. This is something that is so entrenched in our politics in New Jersey," Kim said. "Theyre not going to change this unless the courts tell them to."

Whats next: If the slow movement of the three-year-old lawsuit targeting the line is any indication, it's hard to see how this lawsuit could be disposed of before the June 4 primary. County clerks beginning mailing ballots to voters on April 20.

Read a copy of the complaint here.
An angler was fishing on an Alabama lake when he spotted what he thought was a vehicle.

When authorities recovered a truck, they learned it was registered to a man who had been missing for 11 years.

Deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office responded to Weiss Lake at Chesnut Bay after the fishermans call, the office said in a Feb. 23 news release.

They fished the truck out of the lake and learned the owner was Oscar Lewis King, who vanished in 2013 at the age of 72, officials said.

King drove a blue Dodge pickup truck and was known to visit his family in Texas, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System database. He and his vehicle were reported missing Dec. 2, 2013.

He lived in Centre, Alabama.

Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver told McClatchy News the area has some boat ramps that have led to cars accidentally slipping into the water.

King had dementia and had left his glasses at home, Shaver said.

A couple of years ago, investigators pulled four vehicles out of a lake in an attempt to locate King, but none of them belonged to the missing man, according to Shaver.

YouTube channels dedicated to finding missing people have documented attempts to trace Kings steps and find his vehicle, but they never led to the recovery of Kings truck.

The remains found in the truck are being sent to a forensics lab to confirm the identification but have not been positively identified as of Feb. 26, deputies said.

Chestnut Bay is a resort in northern Alabama, about 90 miles northeast of Birmingham.

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Editors Note: This article has been updated to match current information provided by the City of San Angelo.

SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  San Angelo residents looking for assistance from the Citys Animal Services Division on Leap Day may be out of luck due to a training session.

In an announcement on Monday, Feb. 26, the City of San Angelo told the public that the City Animal Services Division will be closed this Thursday, Feb. 29, for staff training.

Services such as animal intake or handling dogs at large will be unavailable during this time. The City asks residents to direct any emergency animal-related calls to the non-emergency dispatch at 325-657-4315.

RELATED: CVPAWS suggests stricter enforcement amid growing pet crisis

Animal Services will still respond to calls for the following reasons:

Aggressive dog at-large

Sick/injured animal

Bite investigation

Cruelty investigation

Police/fire assist

Animal Services is typically open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information about Animal Services, visit the Citys webpage for the division.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
Another referendum hopes to bring some New Castle County voters to the polls this week.

Red Clay schools will hope voters say yes to keeping up with additional operating costs, as well as bringing in new funds to update buildings and fix ongoing maintenance problems for school buildings. The district certainly hopes for the type of result Brandywine saw earlier this month in its operational request  having seen some 77% of the vote land in approval.

That answer will come Wednesday.

Also, several Charter School of Wilmington students were just honored as winners in a 2023 Congressional App Challenge, having designed an app that analyzes coughs. And DelTech saw some national recognition.

In this weekly roundup, we'll catch you up on this and other education updates you may have missed.

[Did we miss another good education story? Tell me about it: kepowers@gannett.com.]

Red Clay heads to referendum this week

Polling place sign

Red Clay hasn't sent voters to the polls for a referendum in nearly a decade.

On Wednesday, Feb. 28, the district is bringing two requests forward. One hopes to meet local funding requirements to pave the way to over $280 million in support for projects; another aims to support ongoing operating costs.

The operating referendum will secure funding for daily operations, according to the district, from student support and wellness to instructional materials, salaries and benefits for teachers and more.

A capital referendum will allocate funds to support updates on "key building systems" and resolve "ongoing, serious maintenance problems." This would allow Red Clay to move forward with needed work on some 25 school buildings.

If passed, Red Clay district residents would see a net increase of 50 cents per $100 of assessed value, over three years. If it fails, Red Clay can try again a few months later. If the capital referendum fails again, state funds will be withdrawn.

Anyone who lives in the district and is a U.S. citizen 18 or older can cast a ballot. Voting places will be set up in several Red Clay schools, with a full list online, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

MORE TO COME: What you need to know about 6 upcoming school referendum votes across Delaware

Wilmington charter students winners in 2023 Congressional App Challenge

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester poses with Eesha Sagiraju, Ian Porell and David Safro, winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester made a trip to the Charter School of Wilmington to unveil the state's winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge.

Such winners were Eesha Sagiraju, Ian Porell and David Safro, a press release announced last week. Their app creation called CoughScan is an application aiming to detect COVID-19 through symptom tracking and cough analysis that leverages AI technology.

Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and her office received several applications this year, but the congresswoman presented these students with official certificates of recognition Feb. 20.

The Congressional App Challenge proves year after year to be an excellent way to encourage innovation and ingenuity while fostering the development of STEM skills in our young people that will be critical in helping us address some of the most pressing issues of our time, Blunt Rochester said in a statement.

The contest started back in 2015. Winners are selected by a panel of Delaware judges and receive an invitation to the #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Coding Exposition.

UD: Another Ivy brings back SAT, ACT scores. Will University of Delaware stay test-optional?

DelTech again honored by Achieving the Dream nonprofit

From left, students Alexa Villatoro and Esmeralda Tenorio, dental hygiene class of 2024, take their lunch boxes to the courtyard during the President's Picnic at the Delaware Technical College Wilmington's new courtyard on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. The event marks the completion of DelTech's latest renovations of it's new courtyard and community space.

Delaware Technical Community College announced it's one of six institutions nationwide to be designated a 2024 Leader College of Distinction by Achieving the Dream  a national, reform-focused nonprofit "dedicated to advancing community colleges as hubs of economic and social mobility" in their communities.

According to DelTech, this comes in recognition of the colleges work to promote and sustain student success. The same nonprofit previously named Delaware Tech a Leader College in 2022.

We are honored to again have our hard work recognized by Achieving the Dream, said Dr. Mark T. Brainard, president of Delaware Tech, in a statement. The Leader College of Distinction Award is a testament to the Colleges continued efforts to help our students achieve their academic goals so they can succeed in the workforce upon graduation.

Delaware High School Science Olympiad set for the weekend

Delaware State's campus will be taken over this Saturday by the High School Science Olympiad.

From 8:30 a.m. to just after 3 p.m., March 2, various rooms will be used for building, flying and testing events. Spectators are welcome, according to organizers.

Students from high schools across Delaware will participate, with New Castle County offering the highest participation. An award ceremony will close out the day at 4 p.m.

Sussex Central gears up to deliver musical comedy performance

Students in Take Two Drama Club (from left) Braelyn Hurd, Iris Harris, Brooke Anders, Kira Judlin and Nife Anawo practice at Sussex Central High School near Georgetown, Delaware.

Sussex Central High School's Take Two Drama Club is at it again.

Next month, these students will present the musical comedy show SIX: Teen Edition, at the Premiere Center for the Performing Arts at Sussex Central High School. This is one of the first productions of the show in Delaware with a teenage cast, according to a press release from Indian River School District.

This play is a retelling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII, presented in the form of a pop concert, said David Warick, club adviser and SCHS drama teacher, in a statement. In the show, each of the wives  Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr  tell their own story in order to have the audience decide who suffered the most from their royal husband.

The shows are 7 p.m., Friday, March 8, followed by 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on March 9. Tickets are available online for $12, plus some general admission fees, or at the door for $15.

Your next read: 'We cannot normalize failure': Wilmington Learning Collaborative eyes lofty goals ahead

Got a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for Delaware Online/The News Journal and USA TODAY Network Northeast, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Red Clay hopes voters say yes to latest funding referendum this week
From the The Morning Dispatch on The Dispatch

Happy Monday! We hope this week is a quiet one for the good people of Plymouth, England. They deserve it after the week they had: Last Tuesday, someone found an unexploded WWII-era German ordnance in their backyard, and thousands were forced to leave their homes as it was removedone of the largest evacuation efforts in the U.K. since the war itself. The bomb was intentionally detonated at sea on Friday.

Quick Hits: Todays Top Stories

Russian officials transferred custody of Alexei Navalnys body to his mother, a spokesperson for the family said Saturday, after prison authorities originally suggested they would hold it for several more days. The family has not yet announced plans for a funeral; authorities had at one point made the bodys release conditional on the familys promise to hold a private ceremony. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden announced sanctions on more than 500 people and entities related to Russian President Vladimir Putins regimeincluding financial institutions and groups linked to the countrys military-industrial base to mark the anniversary of the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine and to punish Putin for Navalnys death in a Siberian penal colony earlier this month.

U.S. Central Command announced on Saturday that the U.S. and United Kingdom, with the support of several allies, carried out their fourth round of strikes against 18 Houthi rebel targets in eight locations in Yemen. The strikesan effort to neutralize the threat of ongoing Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Seawere aimed at weapons storage facilities and other targets, including a helicopter used by the rebels. We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that they will bear the consequences if they do not stop their illegal attacks, which harm Middle Eastern economies, cause environmental damage, and disrupt the delivery of humanitarian aid to Yemen and other countries, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that 31,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion two years ago Saturday. That numberthe first time Ukrainian officials have provided such a figure publiclyis far below estimates usually given by Western officials, which are often double that figure. Meanwhile, Canada promised additional funding to Ukraine over the weekend, announcing just over $2 billion in aid this year.

The U.S. and South Korea conducted joint drills over the Korean peninsula with stealth fighter jets on Friday as a response to six missile tests by North Korea this year. The exercises were aimed at training pilots to intercept low-flying rockets in the event of an attack.

Former President Donald Trump beat former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley in Saturdays South Carolina primary, winning nearly 60 percent of the vote to Haleys 40 percent in her home state. Despite the loss, Haley vowed to stay in the race, traveling next to Michigan, where both parties will hold primaries on Tuesday.

The Biden administration reversed its predecessors position on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday calling them inconsistent with international law. The decisionundoing whats been called the Pompeo doctrine, after former Secretary of State Mike Pompeofollowed the suggestion Thursday by the right-wing Israeli finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, that he would approve 3,000 more settlements in the territory where there have recently been violent clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians. We are disappointed with the announcement [of new settlements], Blinken said. It has been a long-standing policy of both Democratic and Republican administrations that new settlements are counterproductive to achieving enduring peace. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released the first detailed plan for Gaza following Israels war with Hamas. The proposal, which came the same day as a round of ceasefire negotiations began in Paris, would reportedly see an overhaul of Gazas administrative and education systems, the handing of control to Gazans without ties to Hamas, and a demilitarization of the strip. Israel would control travel in and out of the strip, including taking over the southern border with Egypt. The plan seems to preclude the possibility of a Palestinian state in the immediate aftermath of the war.

A New York jury on Friday found the National Rifle Association (NRA) and its top leadership, including former CEO Wayne LaPierre, liable for mismanaging millions of dollars of donations to the group. The civil corruption case, brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, hinged on allegations LaPierre and his colleagues took donated funds to pay for luxury travel and other extravagant personal purchases. LaPierre was ordered to repay roughly $4 million to the NRA.

South Carolina Decided

Donald Trump at an Election Night watch party in Columbia, South Carolina, on February 24, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

Perhaps the only South Carolinian who had a worse Saturday night than former Ambassador Nikki Haley was Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was introduced by former President Donald Trump at his victory rally as a little bit further left than some of the people on the stage.

He was then loudly booed by the crowd.

Trumps victory in the South Carolina primary did not come as a surprise Saturday night, though his projected margin of victory over Haley, who previously served as governor of the state for two terms, was slightly smaller than polling predicted. With five primary or caucus victories and 110 delegates now under his belt, Trump looks every bit the inevitable nominee as the candidates shift focus toward the Michigan and Super Tuesday primaries. But despite his unbroken string of victories and insistence that he has united the party, a significant chunk of Republican primary voters are looking for a new standard bearerwhich could prove a stumbling block for Trump as he pivots to the general election.

(via Joe Schueller)

The Associated Press called the race for Trump as soon as polls closed on Saturday night. The former president led his Republican rivals in polling in the Palmetto State since last year, and the RealClearPolitics polling average showed Trump beating Haley by 23 points in the days leading up to the contest. Haley was able to close the gap slightly on primary day, and as of this reporting, Trump was projected to win with 59.8 percent of the vote to Haleys 39.5 percent. Trump won big among voters who identified as very conservative, as well as with white evangelical voters and voters without a college degree, according to CBS News exit polling. Haley, meanwhile, won voters who identified as moderates as well as those who decided who to vote for just this month, though a CNN exit poll showed that over 75 percent of voters indicated they had made up their minds before this year even began.

Haley also benefited from South Carolinas open primary system, which allows any registered voter who did not vote in the Democratic primary to vote in the Republican contest. Haley won independent voters 53-46 percent, according to those exit polls, though independents made up just 28 percent of the primary electorate. Among Republicans, Trump beat Haley 70-29 percent.

Ultimately, Trump won all but three of South Carolinas counties (Beaufort, Charleston, and Richland counties all broke for Haley), securing 47 of the 50 delegates that were up for grabs. He took the stage Saturday night and claimed victory, flanked by members of South Carolinas firmly MAGA-aligned political establishment, including Sens. Graham and Tim Scott, Rep. Nancy Mace, and Gov. Henry McMaster. Scottwho has doggedly campaigned for Trump in recent weeks and been floated as a top vice presidential contendertook the stage for a moment at Trumps victory rally. Is South Carolina Trump country? he bellowed, to cheers of agreement from the crowd.

(via Joe Schueller)

Trump touched on his usual themeshitting the border crisis and illegal immigration hard, and promising to fire President Joe Biden, hearkening back to his days hosting The Apprentice. He thanked his family, supporters, and MAGA superstars Rep. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene. In celebrating his win, he marveled at the state of the party he now commands. I have never seen the Republican Party so unified as it is right now, Trump said during his victory speech.

Notably absent from his speech was any mention of Nikki Haley, who took nearly 40 percent of the vote from the pseudo-incumbent.

Haley conceded the race and congratulated Trump on his victorybut she vowed yet again to stay in the race. I said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina, I would continue to run for president, she said Saturday night. Im a woman of my word. She used the speech to attack both Biden and Trump, and again argued that she is the Republican who can best achieve victory in November, defying calls to drop out of the primary. On Sunday, Haley traveled to Michigan to campaign ahead of the states primary on Tuesday, and her campaign reported $1 million raised in the 24 hours after her South Carolina loss.

The conundrum for Haleys team, however, is that continued strong fundraising and reliable voter percentages in open primaries have not been enough to win a state. Haley also has just 20 delegates to Trumps 110a candidate needs to secure 1,215 delegates to win the nomination, and almost 900 delegates are up for grabs on Super Tuesday alone. The narrowing path is also having an impact on Haleys bottom line: On Sunday, Politico reported that Americans for Prosperity Action, the deep-pocketed Koch-backed group that endorsed Haley in November, would stop spending money on behalf of Haleys campaign.

Still, Haleys string of losses underscores the divide within the Republican Party. I know 40 percent is not 50 percent, she said on Saturday, acknowledging her defeat. But I also know 40 percent is not some tiny group.

Despite Trumps insistence that he is unifying the party behind him, there seems to be a bloc of voters committed to voting against another Trump presidency. A Fox News voter analysis revealed that 59 percent of Haley supporters in South Carolina would not support Trump should he be the eventual nomineewhich translates to roughly a quarter of the Republican Party. These numbers lend support to Haleys repeated argument that she, not Trump, is best suited to defeat Biden in Novembers general election.

But in South Carolina, such electability arguments rang hollow. A CNN exit poll showed that GOP primary voters overwhelmingly believe the former president would be more likely to beat Biden. While 55 percent of respondents indicated Haley would be very or somewhat likely to win in November, an overwhelming 83 percent indicated Trump would be very or somewhat likely to win.

The candidates will compete next in Michigan on February 27 (yes, this Tuesday), with 16 delegates at stake. Haley is blitzing the state with ads and campaign stops, but shes quickly running out of time and chances to secure delegatesespecially as many states moving forward award the full delegate slate to the winner. For Team Trump, the air of inevitability is almost undeniable. Every time a rocket launches, you know it goes up real slow and its climbing and climbing, and then boom! That next stage comes off and it goes, Gov. McMaster said Saturday, describing the inflection point in the campaign. We just did that. We just hit maximum velocity. And were going all the way!

Worth Your Time

Among the list of this years CPAC attendees was the John Birch Society, a group once excommunicated from the confab and from polite conservative society, wrote Elaina Plott Calabro for The Atlantic. This year, theyre back. The John Birch Society, once the scourge of some of the nations most prominent conservatives, relegated to the outermost edges of the movement, now fits neatly into the mainstream of the American right. David Giordano, another field coordinator for the organization who was attending CPAC, credited Trump for hastening the shift, challenging the global elite in ways that past Republican presidents had only ever talked about doing. What were the things they said about him? Racist and anti-Semiticthat got my attention, Giordano told me, smiling. Whatd they say about the John Birch Society? Racist and anti-Semitic. Thats when you know youre over the target. Longtime members and officers of the organization exuded the polite but unmistakable air of I told you so at the conference. A lot of people will say, Oh, my grandmother or my dad was a member. We used to think he was crazy, but now, not so much, Smart said, beaming. Because weve been warning people about a lot of this stuff for decades, obviously.

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Politico: [California Gov.] Gavin Newsom: Bidens Age is an Asset

Also Also Presented Without Comment

Washington Post: Trump Says Black Voters Like Him More Because of His Indictments and Mug Shot

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A convoy of far-right Christian nationalists calling themselves Gods Army have been staging rallies on the southern U.S. border against migrants.

Under the banner Take Our Border Back, rally participants are using dehumanizing language about an invasion and citing the great replacement conspiracy theory, which claims that a cabal of Western elites and Jews are promoting migration in order to replace white people and their political power with nonwhite immigrants.

Several prominent figures in the Christian right have offered faith-based justifications for anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies. The Christian right has asserted the need to protect the American culture and families from the alleged dangerous influence of Islam and from the supposed wave of hardened criminals crossing the southern border. Indeed, opinion surveys consistently show that white Christians, especially evangelicals, are among the most likely groups in the U.S. to hold anti-immigrant sentiments.

Yet our work with faith-based, pro-immigration advocacy groups points toward a different reality. As we argue in our new book, co-authored with sociologist Nancy Wang Yuen, Gods Resistance: Mobilizing Faith to Defend Immigrants, faith leaders, including some evangelicals, are central to the current movement to protect immigrant rights, and they have been for over a hundred years.

Faith-based movements for immigrant rights

Historically, Latinx Christian leaders have been at the forefront of immigrant rights in the U.S.. For example, Mexican-American Catholic leaders of the Jim Crow era such as Alonso Perales and Cleofas Calleros applied Catholic social teaching, such as the inherent equality of all human beings, to civil rights struggles.

They founded leading organizations like the League of United Latin American Citizens and the National Catholic Welfare Conference, which played key roles in landmark civil rights cases, such as Mendez v. Westminster and Hernandez v. Texas.

Mendez v. Westminster ruled in 1947 that segregation of Mexican-American children in schools is unconstitutional, which paved the way for the 1954 historic Brown v. Board of Education anti-segregation ruling. Hernandez v. Texas ruled in 1954 that Mexican Americans and all other racial groups in the United States had equal protection under the 14th Amendment.

Many people also dont realize the centrality of Christian spirituality in the immigrant-led farmworkers movement in the 1960s. Key labor leaders such as Cesar Chavez and Delores Huerta incorporated Catholic social teaching as well as religious symbols and practices in their successful unionization of farmworkers. For example, Chavez led a 25-day peregrinacion  a pilgrimage  in California from Delano to Sacramento, under the banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a star of David, and a cross, which ended on Easter Sunday. This pilgrimage was a key turning point in the success of the movement.

In the 1980s, faith leaders in the U.S. and Central America joined together in the Sanctuary Movement to effectively challenge the Reagan administrations asylum policies toward those fleeing the civil wars in central America. The movement ultimately led to changes in asylum law; those fleeing the wars were eventually allowed to apply for asylum. It also was partially responsible for the termination of U.S. military funding for wars in El Salvador and Guatemala.

Some of the largest and most influential immigrant rights organizations that exist today, like the Southern California-based Central American Resource Center, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, and National Day Laborers Organizing Network, were founded by Latinx people of faith during this era.

Our book documents this history and also analyzes the key role of faith-based organizations in challenging the Trump administrations crackdown in immigration enforcement, which led to record-high levels of immigrant detention and family separations.

We conducted case studies of six faith-based immigrant advocacy organizations in Southern California from 2018 to 2020, two of which are multi-faith, two evangelical, one Catholic and one mainline Protestant. We found that faith groups possess unique advantages, which when working in coordination with secular organizations, add significant power to the movement for immigrant rights.

Religious language about justice

Christian scriptures, symbols and rituals can vividly express ideals of the Kingdom of God or Beloved Community in which all people are equally valued and have the right to thrive and be safe from violence.

We saw how this religiously inspired vision can provide motivation, clarity, hope and endurance in the long and often discouraging task of mobilizing for social change. Religious or spiritual practices provide strength in particular to marginalized communities, which an emerging group of scholars is calling spiritual capital. Lindsay Perez-Huber, a professor of education and counseling, in her study of undocumented Chicana students, defines spiritual capital as a set of resources and skills rooted in a spiritual connection to a reality greater than oneself. In other words, religious beliefs and spirituality can be a source of resilience when people need to persevere and resist in the face of injustice.

In pleas to officials, and during speeches at trainings, rallies and protests, we consistently heard references to sacred scriptures. We heard the biblical command in the book of Leviticus that the foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Advocates passionately recounted the experience of Jesus family as refugees fleeing state violence to Egypt, and references to Jesus statement in the book of Matthew that I was an immigrant and you welcomed me.

We also saw religious rituals combined with nonviolent direct action in fasts and hunger strikes, prayer vigils and worship songs at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities and offices, calling on the power of God to set the captives free. For these participants, they were not only engaging in an act of political protest, but personally connecting with Gods spirit for justice in the world.

Faith as a bridge across social groups

A church member hands out food to migrants on May 10, 2023, in Brownsville, Texas. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Our book also shows that faith-based groups bring immigrants into contact with non-immigrants, church attenders in contact with activists, and activists in contact with politicians who have faith commitments. These connections are crucial for building a broad movement for change.

Among the things we documented were church volunteers becoming personally connected to asylum seekers, detainees and their families as they helped provide access to housing, basic needs, jobs, transportation and legal support.

We witnessed faith leaders connecting undocumented young people with public officials who influence the policies that affect their lives, telling their personal stories to those decision-makers.

Faith leaders also had ongoing ministerial and discipleship relationships with fellow Christian believers who are ICE officials, members of congress, and city council members. These relationships influenced these officials at different times in key policy decisions.

In summary, our research shows that despite media attention to anti-immigration Christian groups, faith leaders and faith-based organizations have also played a central role in past and current movements for immigrant rights. Faith-rooted organizing has unique strengths that add significant power to movements for social change.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and analysis to help you make sense of our complex world.

It was written by: Brad Christerson, Biola University; Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Robert Chao Romero, University of California, Los Angeles.

Read more:



Brad Christerson received funding from The Louisville Institute to conduct this research. He is on the board of Matthew 25/Mateo 25, and has volunteered for CLUE and We Care, organizations that were part of this study.

Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra has received funding from the Louisville Institute to conduct this research. She is on the Board of Matthew 25/Mateo 25. She worked for CLUE from 2000-2011. Matthew 25/Mateo 25 and CLUE are organizations analyzed in the book.

Robert Chao Romero received funding from the Louisville Institute for this research.
The Red Cross is assisting a total of 26 people after an apartment fire in Marietta, officials say.

Red Cross officials say they responded to a fire at The Falls at Sope Creek Apartments on Roswell Road in Marietta on Saturday.

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Their Disaster Team provided emergency aid to those who needed it; so far, Red Cross officials say they assisted 14 families and a total of 26 people.

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Marietta Fire says no residents or firefighters suffered any injuries, and cause of the fire is unknown. The investigation is ongoing.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
Appleton police support changes to the city's municipal code to improve the safety of residents and visitors.

APPLETON  City officials have proposed a series of measures designed to improve the safety of the community in the wake of two fatal shootings in the past two months.

On Jan. 23, an Appleton police officer fatally shot a person at Maritime Tavern, 336 W. Wisconsin Ave., after shots were fired at the bar and responding officers encountered gunfire, according to the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation.

On Dec. 24, police noticed a disturbance and heard gunshots near a taco truck in the 100 block of South Walnut Street. They found Elijah Dodson, 22, of Milwaukee with two gunshot wounds to the back of his head. Elliot Campbell, 20, of Racine is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in connection with the shooting.

"We will not tolerate the continued violence associated with our taverns and other licensed establishments," Police Chief Polly Olson said.

Polly Olson

Mayor Jake Woodford asked city staff to identify potential changes to improve nightlife safety. After weighing community feedback and consulting with downtown business owners, the following recommendations emerged.

Require food trucks in the central business district to end service by midnight to reduce gatherings at bar closing. The current end time for food trucks is 4 a.m.

Add lighting in the Walnut Street corridor north and south of College Avenue to enhance visibility and deter criminal activity. The additional lighting is estimated to cost $15,000 and would be funded by money that Appleton received through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Require all establishments with a Class B liquor license to install operable security cameras at customer entrances and exits. Under the proposal, the establishments also would be required to turn over footage to police within eight hours of a request.

The recommendations will be considered as soon as this week by the Municipal Services Committee, Finance Committee and Safety and Licensing Committee.

"Through these proposed amendments to our municipal code, we aim to reduce crime and cultivate a safer environment for residents and visitors to the city of Appleton," Olson said. "Our community must take an active role in ensuring safety for everyone."

In addition, the Appleton Fire Department will conduct random fire code capacity inspections at establishments operating during late-night hours to ensure compliance with posted limits.

Woodford said violence and threats to public safety are unacceptable.

"It is imperative that all residents, businesses and organizations work together to ensure the well-being of our community," he said. "While we believe these recommendations can help address some concerning trends, we will not stop in our efforts to ensure Appleton remains a safe community for people to live, work and play."

Contact Duke Behnke at 920-993-7176 or dbehnke@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DukeBehnke.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton seeks to improve nightlife safety in wake of fatal shootings
The UT Arboretum Society will honor the late Lynne McCoy, an East Tennessee woman who provided rehabilitation to injured and orphaned wildlife, in a virtual presentation at 7 p.m. March 7.

In her half-century of dedication to local wildlife, Lynne McCoy took more than 17,000 animals into her home.

Michelle Campanis, UT Arboretum education programs coordinator, and Stephen Lyn Bales, naturalist, artist, and author, will host the tribute via Zoom at the First Thursday Nature Supper Club, a news release said.

In her half-century of dedication to local wildlife, Lynne McCoy took more than 17,000 animals into her home: hawks, opossums, owls, squirrels, finches, cardinals, snakes, ducks, groundhogs, cranes, turtles, vultures, whatever needed her. She was state and federally permitted to care for all that required safe shelter until they were able to be released back into the wild, the release said.

She died in January 2023, according to her obituary. "Her work led to many accolades including an episode on Jack Hannas Into the Wild and a commendation from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency for her 47 years of dedicated service to wildlife and community," the obituary stated.

The program will look at many of the animals she protected over the years. It is free, but registration is required to receive your Zoom link and the recording. Register at www.utarboretumsociety.org.

March 8 is International Womens Day, so the March program is dedicated to the contributions of this exceptional defender of wildlife.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: UT Arboretum to pay tribute to the late Lynne McCoy, wildlife rescuer
Argentina on Monday gave authorization for the deployment of Starlink, the satellite internet service of Elon Musk -- a fan of the South American country's self-styled new "anarcho-capitalist" President Javier Milei.

In a decision published in the government gazette, Argentina's Enacom communications authority authorized Starlink but also its new competitor from Amazon, Project Kuiper, which is due to launch this year, and the London-headquartered OneWeb.

"This means... greater freedom, greater investment and greater competition in everything related to the satellite internet market," presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni told reporters in Buenos Aires.

Adorni said the move would bring internet connectivity to "companies and people for whom, for whatever reason, other technologies don't allow" such access.

According to the Starlink website, its satellite internet service will be available in Argentina in the second quarter of 2024.

Musk had congratulated Milei on his election last November, saying on his social media platform X that "prosperity is ahead for Argentina."

Milei, after a telephone conversation with the billionaire in December, said he had thanked Musk for "defending the ideas of freedom."

An outsider elected on a wave of fury over the country's economic decline, Milei has devalued the peso by over 50 percent, cut tens of thousands of public jobs and halved the number of government ministries since coming to office.

He has vowed to restore economic stability but has warned people that things will get worse before they get better.

mry/lm/mle/mlr/fb/dw
Arizona took steps to rectify the overuse of water in October, but it is reportedly still dealing with the fallout after years worth of groundwater drilling.

The Copper Courier reported in December that residents of Arizonas McMullen Valley have seen their properties sink, with the communities now three feet or more below what they were in 1991. Almost a foot of that total has come since 2015 when corporate drilling for groundwater began.

Some areas were impacted even more severely.

The Emiratis are farming and have withdrawn so much water from the ground that the entire town of Wenden has sunk by four feet, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes told the news outlet. Its stunning, and its horrific for the people of Wenden.

Gov. Katie Hobbs revoked a lease for a Saudi Arabia-owned farm in October, but the United Arab Emirates-based Al Dahra is reportedly one of the companies that is still allowed to continue drilling under the states relaxed water laws, per the Copper Courier.

A long-term drought in many parts of the state, which already has a semi-arid to arid climate, has also caused policymakers to reconsider regulations.

Farmers and corporations only had to drill 107 feet in the valley to obtain water back in 1957, according to the Courier. However, that has now increased to 542 feet, and the news outlet noted that more well-funded companies  like Al Dahra, which did not reply to requests for comment  are able to take on the financial burden of digging that deep.

Weve heard reports of homes being cracked because of the subsidence thats been caused by that extreme industrial farming, and thats not OK, Mayes told the Courier.  We are in the middle of a crisis, and we cannot be using our groundwater that way.

Without adjustments, it appears as though relief isnt immediately around the corner.

The Environmental Protection Agency noted that Arizona has warmed by about two degrees Fahrenheit over the past 100 years, as the amount of heat-trapping carbon in Earths atmosphere has increased by 40% since the 1700s.

The agency estimates that this is likely to make water more scarce while simultaneously increasing the need for it.

Were really good at pumping that water out much faster than nature replenishes it, Sarah Porter, a natural resources expert at the Kyl Center for Water Policy, told 12News in Arizona.

To help amend the issue, Mayes reportedly has her eye on reforming Arizonas groundwater laws, while La Paz County Supervisor Holly Irwin is partnering with other counties to formulate water conservation strategies and obtain funds to study the effects of groundwater depletion on their communities.

We need to overhaul our groundwater laws so that we have more AMAs [active management areas] in the state of Arizona, Mayes told the Courier.

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The Pulaski County Courthouse. (Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate)

A judge plans to decide in the coming weeks if Arkansas ballot initiative groups must gather signatures from 50 or 15 counties to qualify for Novembers statewide vote  a decision that could determine which proposals make it to Election Day.

In a brief hearing Monday morning, an attorney for several initiative groups and state lawyers debated the lawsuit challenging a new Arkansas law that makes it harder for citizen-led petitions to qualify for the ballot.

Pulaski County Circuit Judge Herb Wright said he hoped to rule by March 8 whether to block the enforcement of Act 236 of 2023, but he acknowledged that procedural rules may require additional time.

Wright also noted that the ultimate say in the case rests with the Arkansas Supreme Court, which will hear the almost-certain appeal.

I understand, regardless of my decision, someone else is going to weigh in, he said from the bench Monday.

That decision will be eagerly awaited by a number of ballot groups collecting signatures on issues ranging from the state tampon tax to medical marijuana, abortion and government transparency. Those groups must submit their signatures to Secretary of State John Thurston by July 5 to qualify for the Nov. 5 election.

The lawsuit  brought by the League of Women Voters of Arkansas and Republican state Sen. Bryan King  seeks to have Act 236 struck down as unconstitutional.

The Arkansas General Assembly and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders enacted the law during last years regular session in the Legislatures most recent attempt to make it more difficult to qualify a proposed constitutional amendment, initiated act or referendum for the ballot.

Act 236 does this in two ways:

First, it requires canvassers to gather signatures from half the number of registered voters who voted in the most recent gubernatorial election in at least 50 counties. Thats an increase from the at-least 15-county requirement in Article 5 of the Arkansas Constitution.

Second, it removed the so-called cure period, which allowed ballot efforts that got close but fell short of the required number of signatures additional time to collect more petitions.

The lawmakers behind the new requirements said they were intended to ensure rural Arkansas had a voice in the process and to protect the Constitution from out-of-state interests.

King and the League of Women Voters, though, argue Act 236 places additional restrictions on the initiative process, directly contradicting Article 5 of the state Constitution.

The legislative power of the people of this State shall be vested in a General Assembly, which shall consist of the Senate and House of Representatives, but the people reserve to themselves the power to propose legislative measures, laws and amendments to the Constitution, and to enact or reject the same at the polls independent of the General Assembly; and also reserve the power, at their own option to approve or reject at the polls any entire act or any item of an appropriation bill.

 Article 5  1 of the Arkansas Constitution

At least 15 is not the same as at least 50, David Couch, the attorney for King and the League said Monday in court. The statute is in obvious conflict, and the Legislature doesnt have the authority to amend the Constitution.

The Arkansas attorney generals office asked Wright to dismiss the case, arguing that Article 5s 15-county provision represented a floor but not a limit. The new laws 50-county requirement doesnt violate the Constitution because it is at least 15, according to the AGs pleadings.

King and the League, also, werent working on any initiative efforts when the lawsuit was brought, therefore, they lack legal standing to bring the lawsuit, Assistant Attorney General Justin Brascher argued.

Additionally, Brascher said the suit should be barred by sovereign immunity.

Wright plans to rule on the states motion to dismiss first before moving on to the plaintiffs request for a preliminary injunction.

The AGs office will have time  typically 10 days under procedural rules  to respond directly to the plaintiffs arguments if the motion to dismiss is rejected.

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The post Arkansas ballot groups await ruling on validity of new signature threshold appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Several Arkansas counties have issued burn bans as relatively dry conditions continue across the state.

According to the Arkansas Forestry Commission, burn bans have been issued in the following counties:

Columbia County

Faulkner County

Madison County

Searcy County

Union County

Van Buren County

White County

Windy weather could also pose a threat in other areas of the state as well. High winds are expected through the first half of the week, which could cause a fire to quickly burn out of control.





A cold front will move through the state Tuesday night, bringing a very slight chance of light showers.

Arkansas Storm Team Weather Blog: Very strong cold front swings through this week!

Once the front passes, the wind will shift but remain strong. High winds will calm down Thursday bringing along a chance of light showers.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLRT - FOX16.com.
JONESBORO, Ark.  Officials with Arkansas State Police said Monday that authorities offered services to five women believed to be victims of human trafficking in Jonesboro.

According to ASP officials, special agents and members of the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council conducted Operation HART earlier this month. Officials said that 30 victims were identified as part of the recovery operation and four women accepted the assistance.

Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault expands mission, helping human trafficking victims

Special agents said that services including food, lodging, medical services, counseling services and drug rehabilitation were offered to victims.

State troopers said that a suspected trafficker was identified as part of the operation.

ASP Director Colonel Mike Hagar said the authorities are working together to combat human trafficking in Arkansas.

The Arkansas law enforcement community and our victim service partners are on a mission to end human trafficking in Arkansas, Hagar said. We are working to give law enforcement the specialized training they need to embrace victims with compassion while they free them from perpetrators of this heinous crime.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin released a statement commending the coalition of organizations in the operation.

I applaud the efforts of this coalition of organizations, which represent both law enforcement and victim services groups, Griffin said. It is only through this kind of intentional collaboration that we can make a real difference in the fight against human trafficking in Arkansas.

Arkansas State Police assists women, children during Little Rock human trafficking investigation, takes 10 into custody

In September 2023, ASP officials said a similar operation was conducted in Little Rock, where 12 victims were offered services, and 10 men were detained.

Anyone with information on human trafficking is asked to contact the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council at reportht@asp.arkansas.gov or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
Temperatures are about to go from the 80s to the 30s this week! This is thanks to a powerful cold front that is going to swing through Arkansas!

Along the cold front will be scattered showers and thunderstorms, with some severe weather possible across the northern half of the state. The Storm Prediction Center has circled an area where severe weather could occur Tuesday night.

The risk is a level 1 out of 5 which is very low. This means there could be one or two severe thunderstorms in the tan-shaded area. Even though the risk is very low, you should still be weather aware.

The risk of severe weather is very low, but the risk of a huge temperature drop is almost certain for all of Arkansas. Temperatures will range from the upper 70s to the low 30s on Wednesday morning!

Afternoon high temperatures will go from the 80s to the 50s between Tuesday and Wednesday!

Temperatures will be in the 20s and 30s across the state on Thursday morning!

Winds will be a factor all week. Southwest winds will blow 20-30 mph on Tuesday. Winds will be out of the northwest 20-30 mph on Wednesday.

Small changes to the exact timing of the cold front are possible. Continue checking back with the Arkansas Storm Team for the latest information!

Download the Arkansas Storm Team app

To make sure you are staying up-to-date with the forecast, download the Arkansas Storm Team app to get updates anywhere at any time.

To watch the latest video updates from the Arkansas Storm Team, you can check them out here.

The Arkansas Storm Team is a collaboration of two stations to bring you the largest weather team in the state when covering Arkansas weather.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
There had been warnings that the housing plan would harm retention rates and lead to an 'irreversible effect' on the capability of the Armed Forces - ilbusca/Getty Images Contributor

A Ministry of Defence plan to change the way Army accommodation is allocated has been shelved amid a backlash from military wives, The Telegraph can reveal.

The controversial proposal  which would have allocated housing by the number of children a serviceman or woman has, rather than their rank  was paused by Grant Shapps days after The Telegraph revealed growing anger at the scheme.

The Defence Secretary halted the rollout and ordered a review amid fears the Modern Accommodation Offer (MAO) plan was so unpopular that it could have led to an exodus of officers.

A source close to Mr Shapps said: The Secretary of State is right to get to grips with this. He will pause the family accommodation part of the new policy while we consult and evaluate the policy and make sure it is fit for purpose.

Some concerns have been raised from senior officers, and we are confident that we can make changes so that this is a policy which will work for everyone.

A group of Army wives had started a campaign against the plan, warning that it would harm retention rates and lead to an irreversible effect on the capability of the Armed Forces.

Staff have historically been rewarded with larger homes as they progress through the ranks of the Army, Navy and RAF, and the new system had been set to begin next month.

Rosie Bucknall, the wife of an Army captain and one of the women who launched the campaign, said: This development is exactly what we have been hoping for.

We are thrilled the Defence Secretary has stepped in to apply common sense to such a drastic change and represent the interests of the people for whom he is responsible.

However, she added: The proof lies in what happens next, and how serving families are engaged.

On Saturday, The Telegraph revealed the backlash against the scheme, with Mrs Bucknall accusing the MoD of an utter betrayal.

On Sunday, it was revealed that Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, the Chief of the General Staff, had told former generals that the plan presented a risk to the social fabric of the Army.

The MoD is understood to have been taken aback by the scale of the anger. One senior Army source told The Telegraph that he had officers threatening to quit over the proposals, and said that on Monday he had been receiving updates on an hourly basis about how to manage the fallout.

The families of officers are often forced to move around the country every two or three years, and often have little to no choice on where they live.

However, servicemen and women had previously been entitled to a home of certain size, decided by their rank. Under the new plan, a junior ranking person with one or more children would be entitled to live in a larger house than an officer of higher rank with no children.

The decision to pause the MAO plan came amid fears about its effect on recruitment and retention at a time when the military is increasingly under pressure. The number of people leaving the Armed Forces jumped by almost a fifth at the end of last year.

In January, the chairman of the Nato military committee warned of war with Russia within 20 years, and British forces are currently taking part in a Nato exercise representing the largest deployment of land forces to Nato since the height of the Cold War in 1984.

The Telegraph also understands that the MoD will not get extra funding in the Budget next month, despite military figures warning about the state of the Armed Forces.

A government source said the concerns about rank-based housing allocation would be the key area that the MoD would review, noting that it could impact the hierarchical nature of the militarys chain of command.

By pressing pause, we are recognising the fabric of the military and the pressures and tensions of it, said the source. We need to make sure we work out the bits people arent happy about so that we can find some solution.

The source said more research would be conducted with officers, as well as their families, after just 69 people were originally interviewed about the impact of the scheme.

They added that other parts of the plans would be continued with, including providing help when military personnel were moved to another base and with legal fees for first-time home-buyers.

These people make the sacrifices they make and we are keen that they have a good standard of places to live  we dont want people to be so unhappy they are leaving, said the source.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: We are committed to widening entitlement to those in established long-term relationships and parents with non-resident children.

But we have listened to feedback and are therefore pausing the rollout of the elements of the policy related to service families accommodation, including the move to needs-based allocation and, in the short term, the widening of entitlement.

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.
According to the information provided to the Ukrainian parliament by the General Staff, up to 7,000-8,000 Ukrainian soldiers are missing in action, chair of the parliamentary Defense Committee Roman Kostenko told RFE/RL on Feb. 26.

Kostenko was responding to comments made by fellow MP Mariana Bezuhla, who said that, including the missing personnel, Ukrainian military fatalities of the war could number 50,000. Bezuhla, in turn, was suggesting that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying that 31,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed since February 2022 painted an incomplete picture of the scope of Ukraines war casualties.

Read also: Nuclear fuel at ZNPP to expire soon, no qualified personnel to replace it  Energoatom

I was in the committee meeting, and I did not hear the General Staff report as many as 50,000 fatalities  there was no such information, said Kostenko.

Read also: Ukraine needs our full support as more of its citizens go missing

They mentioned something about 7,000-8,000 people missing in action, so the total would be closer to 40,000.

Read also: Ukrainian forces repel Russian offensive in Zaporizhzhya, inflicting heavy losses  photo, video

At a press conference on Feb. 25, Zelenskyy stated 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had died in the two years of war. He added that Russian losses included 180,000 killed and as many as 500,000 when counting wounded.

The New York Times previously wrote that U.S. data released in the summer of 2023 indicates Ukraine has lost approximately 70,000 soldiers and sustained 100,000 to 120,000 wounded since Feb. 24, 2022. The report also estimated that Russian losses are roughly double those figures.

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
MADISON  A Wisconsin native at the center of Donald Trump's 2020 scheme to stay in power tweeted anonymously under the name "BadgerPundit" in the days following Trump's reelection loss, promoting theories on how the former president could avoid leaving office.

Kenneth Chesebro, a former campaign attorney for Trump, used the Twitter account to urge Republicans to use Trump electors or Republican-led state legislatures to overturn Trump's loss and concealed the account from Michigan prosecutors probing the scheme, according to new reporting from CNN and Talking Points Memo.

Chesebro, who is helping investigators in at least four states who are probing the scheme to overturn the 2020 election, initially denied using the social media platform formerly known as Twitter or having alternate IDs when asked by Michigan investigators in 2023 but has since confirmed to CNN he used the BadgerPundit account.

Kenneth Chesebro speaks to Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee during a hearing where Chesebro accepted a plea deal from the Fulton County district attorney at the Fulton County Courthouse, Oct. 20, 2023, in Atlanta. Chesebro, who helped orchestrate the Trump campaign's fake elector scheme in 2020, had been a target of a criminal investigation in Nevada but avoided prosecution in exchange for his cooperation with authorities, according to transcripts of secret grand jury proceedings in Las Vegas released Sunday, Dec. 17.

According to Talking Points Memo, the account live-tweeted the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol "sparring with law professors" and "floating ideas similar to those that Chesebro was offering to the Trump campaign." The account also suggested then-Vice President Mike Pence could impose a 10-day pause, to allow investigation & give the state legislatures a chance to weigh in.

Two days before Jan. 6, the account posted a video of a man outside the U.S. Capitol screaming Do Not Certify, promoted Trump's rally outside of the Capitol, and tagged Trump operatives, according to TPM.

The account tweeted more than 50 times that Pence could count the false Trump electors in the final tally, according to CNN.

Chesebro initially told Michigan prosecutors he felt misled by the Trump campaign about the fake elector plan but the BadgerPundit account also defended the plot. The blog associated with the social media account dates back to 2011, inspired by the Act 10 legislation that spun Wisconsin politics into turmoil.

Attorneys for Chesebro told CNN "theres clearly a conflict between what Chesebro told investigators and what he tweeted.

Chesebro was present during the Dec. 14, 2020, meeting of 10 Republicans in the Wisconsin State Capitol where documents claiming to be electors for Trump were signed, despite Trump losing reelection in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Republicans meet in a state Capitol hearing room on Dec. 14, 2020 to sign paperwork claiming to be electors for Donald Trump despite his election loss.

The group met after Trump's election loss had been confirmed by Trump-financed recounts and lawsuits. Two longshot appeals were still in the works at the time of the meeting and were ultimately unsuccessful.

Biden beat Trump by about 21,000 votes in Wisconsin. Trump sought recounts in Dane and Milwaukee counties, which confirmed Biden's win. Trump sued and the state Supreme Court upheld the results on a 4-3 vote on Dec. 14, 2020  the same day the group of Republicans met to sign the paperwork falsely claiming to be electors.

The group of Wisconsin Trump electors in December settled a civil lawsuit filed against them by electors for President Joe Biden. As part of the settlement, the 10 Republicans issued a statement acknowledging their actions were used to try to overturn an election, agreed not to be electors for Trump in the future, and did not admit guilt.

More: Wisconsin fake elector tells 60 Minutes he was afraid of Trump supporters

The lawsuit also named Chesebro and Wisconsin attorney Jim Troupis as defendants, who are still scheduled to stand trial in September. Troupis represented the Trump campaign in 2020.

At the time, the fake Trump electors said they held the meeting to ensure the state's electoral votes were cast for Trump if a court later determined he was the true winner of the state.

The plan was spelled out by Chesebro in a memo dated Nov. 18, 2020  the same day Trump asked for recounts in Dane and Milwaukee counties.

More: Here are the ways Ron Johnson, others with Wisconsin ties appear in the Trump Jan. 6 indictment

Chesebro sent the memo to Troupis, the attorney who oversaw Trump's post-election legal strategy in Wisconsin and is also a defendant. It's unclear whether Chesebro worked for Trump or someone else. Chesebro sent a second memo on the matter on Dec. 9, 2020, after state officials certified Biden as the victor in Wisconsin.

The filings from the fake electors in Wisconsin and elsewhere were used by Trump and his allies to argue the results were in dispute as they tried to prevent Congress from finalizing them.

Republicans in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan and Nevada also signed documents purporting to be electors. Republicans in New Mexico and Pennsylvania filled out paperwork saying they should be considered electors if courts found Trump had won their states.

Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Chesebro posted Jan. 6 theories on social media as 'BadgerPundit'
Looking east from the inner edge of the D.M. Conner buffer, near the eastward turn on Oak Lane.

VERONA  The 500-foot expanded buffer for Augusta County quarries appears to be dead.

The ordinance first came before the Augusta County Board of Supervisors earlier this month. Members of the local quarry industry spoke against the ordinance at the meeting, many of them only learning about the ordinance the day before. Residents expressed frustration to The News Leader after it wasnt passed, concerned more quarry fights lay ahead of them with the Board of Zoning Appeals.

The follow-up meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, bringing the residents and quarry operators together in the Government Center. After nearly three hours of discussion, the issue was hammered down from a general 500-foot buffer around all quarries in agriculture-zoned areas into a potential rearrangement of use boundaries for one quarry, D.M. Conner.

The Wednesday meeting

Julia Hensley, a planner with the county, coordinated the meeting. After discussion ended, she agreed to arrange another meeting to settle the individual issue and complimented the policy discussion.

In my position, I have seen people get this close to each other and scream in each others faces, said Hensley, holding her fingers about six inches apart. What happened here, with this situation, has been some of the best displays of public discourse. Some people are passionate, and its okay to be passionate about this, but everybody on both sides has been able to come to the table and sit down and listen to each other. I really commend everybody for coming tonight.

Hensley also said county employees would reach out to industry ahead of any future ordinances.

What do the residents want?

The residents present on Wednesday were not concerned with five of the six quarries operating in the county. Each present were neighbors of D.M. Conner in Stuarts Draft.

The residents, neighbors of D.M. Conner's quarry.

Were trying to get this 500-foot buffer for these two houses. Two houses, thats all we want, said John Golladay, who lives next to D.M. Conners quarry. That way, when they finish doing all them acres over there, they wont come back and try this again on us then. Its going to happen. As soon as they run out of dirt and run out of rock, theyre going to come for that land. Theres no if ands or buts about it. Were trying to safeguard us from that happening.

Golladay referred to a planned expansion of the quarry into property northeast of Oak Lane which was rejected by the Board of Zoning Appeals in 2021. Currently, an approved part of the D.M. Conner quarry is about 300 feet from the two homes to the south, in the Oak Lane and Gerties Lane bend, including Golladays.

Similar to the previous meeting, residents were concerned with their children's safety around the cliffs, property values around a quarry, and frustration with having to fight the same battle against the quarry's expansion applications repeatedly.

If youve got a hay field or a cow field, go to 200 feet of buffer, said Derek Hutchinson, another area resident. We dont care. What we are worried about is residences. I know I, personally, am willing to go as far as if theres a piece of property where a home is more than 500 feet from the line, go to 200 feet. Our concern is 500 feet from the home.

Doug Wolfe, Augusta Countys Director of Community Development, ruled out the home measurement, citing previous legal problems the county dealt with when it had this type of rule in place for other industries.

Derek Hutchinson, a neighbor of D.M. Conner

What do the quarry operators want?

The quarry operators opposed a hard rule expanding the buffer zone to 500 feet, repeating many of the arguments heard in the previous supervisors meeting. If the buffer was changed, nearly all quarries would need project revisions, eliminating a portion of what is available to mine as the operations are already ongoing.

The financial implications of these revisions are the main concern, according to Rob Lanham with the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance, an advocacy group for for contractors, aggregate producers, engineers, suppliers and service providers who design, build and maintain Virginias transportation network.

Its about 180,000 tons of material for every acre at 50-foot depth, said Lanham. Its impactful for a mining operation that has purchased or acquired or secured property with the expectation that theyve got x number of tons that they can extract from that property.

Quarry operators advocated for the current system, where the Augusta County Board of Zoning Appeals could set higher buffers over 200 feet on individual operations, rather than a blanket expanded buffer ordinance.

A cliffhanger on Oak Lane

The ordinance was not concerned about reclamation, but the meeting turned toward the topic. Several area residents raised concerns about D.M. Conners operation along Oak Lane, with Carol Mill-Meads asking for her photos to be placed on the display.

Looking west from the inner edge of the D.M. Conner buffer, near the eastward turn on Oak Lane.

Benny Conner, co-owner of DM Conner, explained the exposed ground was still under an active permit. After the active permit expires, the cliff must be graded to a two-to-one slope. He stood up, approached the screen, and pointed toward the center of the photo. A two-to-one slope was visible further down the cliff drop off on the photo to the right, taken earlier this year.

Benny Conner points to Carol Miller-Mead's photos. The one on the left is from 2019, while the right is from this year.

That corner you see, to the left, theres a few rocks back up in there, Conner said. Weve been in there the last couple of days to get those out. That ridge to the right there, well eventually 

I thought yall werent working back there. You just said a minute ago that you werent  interjected one resident.

Let him talk, let him talk, said Supervisor Carolyn Bragg.

The ridge to the right, well eventually two-to-one slope back there, Conner said.

Debbie Henderson and Benny Conner, owners of D.M. Conner

Conner also agreed to speak to the neighbors in a follow-up meeting to establishing a better barrier between the road and the cliff.

The topsoil also has to be put back, according to Lanham.

Under the reclamation permit, the operations are required to keep an amount of topsoil and store it to be able to reclaim the property, said Lanham. You cannot export it off site. You cant sell it.

Conner agreed, saying he has a pile of topsoil on site.

An individual solution overtakes the broad brush

Instead of putting a broad rule in place, discussions turned to changing the boarders of D.M. Conners quarry, getting it further away from the two homes. Conner and co-owner Debbie Henderson were agreeable to submitting a new special use permit, withdrawing the part of the quarry further away from the two homes, while allowing them to expand into the property that was previously denied.

Doug Wolfe, Augusta Countys Director of Community Development, pointing to the D.M. Conner quarry map. The proposed solution would round the apex of the middle, untouched triangle between the quarries two halves, while pulling back operations from the homes and where Wolfe is pointing on the bottom right.

Although another meeting between residents and D.M. Conner remains, and the Conners would need to submit a new special use permit application, the two present Augusta County supervisors, Carolyn Bragg and Michael Shull, both thought about withdrawing the ordinance entirely.

This wont happen, as the motion to table the ordinance in the previous meeting scheduled another public hearing for the ordinance in March. Whether the supervisors vote for or against the ordinance remains to be seen.

Supervisor Carolyn Bragg

Clara Johnston, office manager of Shenandoah Stone, was optimistic the ordinance was now dead, telling The News Leader, Hopefully what was an ordinance change, doesnt need to be changed again. It can be resolved as an individual issue. Thats what it sounded like tonight, to me.

Chuck Barker, president of Acre Sand and Stone, was more cautious; I dont rest until I know for sure. I cant say the same thing, but I think it is certainly sidetracked for now. The Conners need to work through what they can on the individual issues there, but I think the biggest thing tonight is communication.

President of Acre Sand and Stone Chuck Barker (right) and Office Manager of Shenandoah Stone Clara Johnston (right).

Lyra Bordelon (she/her) is the public transparency and justice reporter at The News Leader. Do you have a story tip or feedback? Its welcome through email to lbordelon@gannett.com. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.

More: Chalkboard: Waynesboro Beta Clubs win; Staunton gets coat donations from Valley Subaru, MBU FAFSA help

More: Staunton woman pleads guilty to sexually abusing young girl

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Quarry ordinance upended with potential deal between D.M. Conner and residents
SYDNEYAs the citys annual Mardi Gras festival prepares for its big parade and celebration of LGBTQ+ rights and culture on Saturday, this year has a somewhat sombre tone.

Just hours after British pop star Sophie Ellis Bextor performed on the stage in front of thousands of revelers on Bondi Beach at one of the most anticipated Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parties, New South Wales police had returned to the Paddington home in Sydneys eastern suburbs where television presenter Jesse Baird and his partner, Luke Davies, were allegedly killed by Bairds ex-partner, a serving policeman named Beau Lamarre-Condon.

Large amounts of blood were found at the home, where the former Studio 10 presenter lived. He was reported missing, along with boyfriend Davies, last week. Police say gunshots were allegedly heard at the Paddington property on Monday, and the accused hired a white van from Sydney Airport that night.

The couples bloodied clothes were found dumped in a bin in Cronulla, a beachside suburb 40 minutes from Paddington. Lamarre-Condon handed himself into police on Friday and was subsequently charged with 2 counts of murder. The bodies have not yet been found.

Its been a really hard week for a lot of us here at 10, right across the 10 network, Channel 10 star Sarah Harris, who worked alongside Baird on the now defunct show, Studio 10, told Australian audiences Sunday night on the news program The Project.

Sarah Harris has shared an emotional tribute for her former Studio 10 colleague and friend, Jesse Baird. pic.twitter.com/NSTL7Smq6l  The Project (@theprojecttv) February 25, 2024

Harris, fighting back tears, apologized to viewers as her voice quivered, telling co-host Hamish Macdonald, Its hard to even talk about Jesse in the past tense, because Jesse, and Im speaking on behalf of everyone here in the studio, across the newsroom and Studio 10 as well, he was more than just a colleague, he was our friend, he was like our little brother, he was one of those kids that lit up not just the screen but also a room. He had this big beautiful smile, he was so good on air, only 26, an absolute star.

Harris added that 2024, was supposed to be his year. After Studio 10 wrapped up last year, which is the last time I saw him, he was wondering what he was going to do. He had a brand new job that he was about to start in a few weeks time. Speaking of Luke Davies, he described him as the one to one of his closest friends. He was in love. And my heart just aches, not only for Lukes family, but Jesses family...were just all so, so sorry.

On Monday, New South Wales police divers resumed their search for the bodies of the couple in dams near Goulburn, approximately a two-hour drive southwest from Sydney. Police also established a crime scene at a property in nearby Bungonia.

In a press conference in Sydney on Monday, NSW Deputy Police Commissioner David Hudson told media that Lamarre-Condon has taken legal advice to not talk to us. I can indicate the accused has not disclosed where Jesse and Luke are, where he has disposed of them. But our number one priority at this moment is to try and locate Jesse and Luke to give the family some solace and be able to come to terms with what has occurred. We are hopeful of speaking to him again today and hopefully he has a change of mind.

Hamish Macdonald has shared a heartfelt tribute to Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, and spoke about how this year's Mardi Gras will be tinged with sadness. pic.twitter.com/Gp6DWHaj95  The Project (@theprojecttv) February 25, 2024

Hudson said he wasnt sure if the bodies were located at the property but said he believed they had been there at some stage and may have moved them. Hudson pleaded with members of the public to come forward if they had any information that might help the investigation.

Hudson added an acquaintancewho he said was unaware of the plot to dump the bodieshad assisted Lamarre-Condon in purchasing an angle grinder and a padlock from a local hardware store before driving to the rural property. After returning to Sydney, the suspect also bought weights. It is believed he returned to the rural property after acquiring two torches from the acquaintance.

Lady Gaga Superfan and Celeb Blogger Turned Cop Charged With Killing TV Host Ex and His New Lover

A statement by Bairds Studio 10 colleagues Sunday night said they were completely shattered by the murder.

Jesse was so much more than a colleague. He was a cherished friend who brightened every day with his positivity, cheeky winks and brilliant smile," the statement said.

He could handle anything from croc feeding to speeding down a river on water skis on live TVanything to keep the audience entertained. Through his roving reporter role he travelled the country and met hundreds of people from all walks of life. They were all without a doubt left a little brighter having been touched by his presence.

As his workmates and friends, we are completely shattered. Nothing was ever too much trouble. He worked so hard to make his dreams come true. He was up for anything and the life of the party always. It is quite simply impossible to overstate how much we adored him. Our hearts ache for his family, who he loved so much and spoke of often. Were also thinking of Lukes family and what could have been for both of them. Jesse & Luke, forever adored. Forever young and beautiful. Inside and out.

The murder has shocked not only Sydney, the media industry and NSW Police, but has become a headline-grabbing story across the country at a critical moment for the LGBTQ+ community. On Sunday, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb also apologized in a statement for police failures highlighted by an 18-month-long inquiry into gay hate crimes.

The mistakes of the past will not define our future, Webb said.

In the meantime, Mardi Gras continues on.

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An Australian police officer who allegedly murdered his former boyfriend sent messages from the mans phone suggesting that he was moving to Western Australia in an apparent attempt to throw investigators off his trail, police have said.

Senior Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon is accused of shooting dead Jesse Baird, his ex-lover, and Luke Davies, Mr Bairds new partner, a week ago.

The policeman is alleged to have shot them dead in a house in Paddington, an upmarket area of Sydney, last Monday.

In the hours after the alleged double murder, police say he sent messages from Mr Bairds mobile phone, telling friends that he had decided to move across the country to Perth.

Police believe that, two days later, Lamarre-Condon used a white rental van to drive the bodies to a farm in Bungonia, near Goulburn, about 125 miles south-west of Sydney.

Police officers at the crime scene in Paddington, Sydney - Stringer/via Reuters

Detectives allege that the police officer returned to the property a day later after buying weights from a department store.

They think that Lamarre-Condon used the weights to sink the bodies in a body of water.

Police say he also bought an angle grinder and a padlock from a hardware shop near Bungonia.

The angle grinder was used to sever a padlock from the gate of a rural property and subsequently the padlock was replaced with a padlock purchased from the hardware store, said David Hudson, the deputy commissioner of New South Wales police.

Police divers searched several reservoirs and ponds on farmland on Monday as they continued to hunt for the bodies.

Its our number one priority to try and locate Jesse and Luke to give the families some solace, said Mr Hudson.

Lamarre-Condon, 28, has not revealed what he allegedly did with the bodies. On Friday, he was charged with the murders of the two men. He has not entered a plea.

Beau Lamarre-Condon is charged with the murders of two men

He had been in a relationship with Mr Baird, 26, a former TV presenter, but it ended a few months ago. Since then, Mr Baird had struck up a relationship with Mr Davies, 29, a Qantas flight attendant.

A bullet case found in Mr Bairds home matched Lamarre-Condons police issue pistol, which he had signed out of a gun safe prior to the alleged murders.

The alarm was first raised when the couples bloodstained possessions, including a phone, wallet, credit cards and a set of keys, were found in a rubbish container on the southern outskirts of Sydney, about 20 miles from the crime scene.

Detectives initially suspected that Mr Baird had killed his new partner, Mr Davies, after they found messages on Mr Bairds phone telling friends that he was moving to Perth to start a new life.

The bodies of Luke Davies (left) and Jesse Baird (right) are yet to be found - UNPIXS

But they now believe Lamarre-Condon sent the messages to divert suspicion after he allegedly shot dead the couple.

Before joining the police in 2019, the officer was a celebrity blogger. He had been photographed posing with celebrities like Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Harry Styles. He attended red carpet events, interviewed the American actor Ben Stiller and was described by one gossip magazine as Australias biggest fan.

Karen Webb, the commissioner of New South Wales police, appealed for any witnesses to come forward to help those families understand where their loved ones are and what happened.

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FILE - Tourists wear face masks at the entrance of the Victoria Falls in Victoria Falls on Aug, 6, 2021. An Australian tourist has gone missing in Zimbabwes Victoria Falls National Park, home to one of the worlds natural wonders, the countrys parks spokesman said. Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesman Tinashe Farawo told The Associated Press that the tourist went missing in the vast rainforest on Friday Feb. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Tichaona Muketiwa, File)

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP)  An Australian tourist reported missing late last week in Zimbabwe near Victoria Falls already had been missing for nearly a week before that, according to new information released Monday by national park officials.

The 67-year-old tourist, whose name has not been released, was reported missing Friday in the area near the Zimbabwe Victoria Falls National Park, and officials said at the time that a search with sniffer dogs was underway.

Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesman Tinashe Farawo said on Monday that the missing tourist was male, and that he had last been heard from on Feb. 17.

The tourist, who was traveling alone, was staying at a luxury lodge about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the rainforest park. He told the lodge management on Feb. 17 that he was heading into the park, Farawo said.

However, the man was not seen entering the park on CCTV footage reviewed later, nor was he among those recorded as entering the park, as normally is done for accountability and security purposes, Farawo said.

"We have replayed the CCTV footage, physical records at the entrance of the falls have no record of him entering and our search team has been checking the rainforest. There is no sign of him, Farawo said.

We are looking at other leads because it seems he never entered the rainforest, he said.

Farawo did not disclose any other details, saying investigations are still underway.

Such incidences are rare in Victoria Falls, a destination that attracts thousands of tourists from across the globe for its majestic water curtain that tumbles down more than 350 feet (108 meters) from the mighty Zambezi River to a gorge below, sending up a mist visible from miles away.

The parks agency deployed a team that included the police and rangers with sniffer dogs, professional ground trackers and drones to track the Australian tourist Friday, said Farawo.

A few cases have been recorded in other parks. A German tourist reported missing last October in Matusadona National Park, which teems with wild animals in northern Zimbabwe, was found alive and in good health three days later.
By late January, Donald Trump had told people close to him that he expected Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) would endorse him. (Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times)

Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell havent said a word to each other since December 2020.

But people close to both men are working behind the scenes to make bygones of the enmity between them and to pave the way for a critical endorsement of the former president by the one Republican congressional leader who has yet to offer one, according to three people familiar with the conversations who were not authorized to discuss the situation publicly.

Assuming it happens, McConnells endorsement of Trump would have enormous symbolic value to the former president, giving him the embrace of the last holdout of Republican power whose rejection of him represents the final patch of unconquered territory in Trumps march to the partys 2024 presidential nomination.

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The support of McConnell, the Republican senator from Kentucky and the chambers minority leader, would also carry huge value in signaling to an entire class of donors and Trump-resistant Republican elites that its acceptable to get behind the partys expected nominee  no matter their misgivings. This is no small thing, given that Trump has been forced to spend more than $50 million already on legal bills, and the groups supporting him are expected to be vastly outspent by President Joe Bidens operation.

The secretive conversations between the Trump and McConnell camps have been happening between key advisers to both men who have known and worked with each other for more than 20 years: Chris LaCivita, a top campaign adviser to Trump, and Josh Holmes, a confidant and longtime political strategist for McConnell.

Since around the time of the Iowa caucuses last month, LaCivita and Holmes started making more of a concerted effort to trade information  particularly about Trumps Senate endorsements  and to create an opening for a more productive working relationship.

Both Trump and McConnell were made aware of this back channel between the two camps. By late January, Trump had told people close to him that he expected McConnell would endorse him.

McConnell has always said hell endorse the nominee of the Republican Party, even when pressed specifically about Trump, whom he had described as practically and morally responsible for provoking the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. But when his likely endorsement happens is a matter of debate.

Trump faces his first criminal trial in late March and is eager to consolidate every faction of the party and its donor class behind him as soon as possible. That would be long before a nomination is cemented at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July.

President Trump is the presumptive nominee and it is time for the entire party to coalesce behind him to defeat Crooked Joe Biden, Trumps communications director, Steven Cheung, said in a statement to The New York Times when asked about the private conversations between LaCivita and Holmes.

Senior members of the campaign have had many conversations, Cheung added, but only engage with those who are actually willing to fight for America First principles and to take back the White House.

A McConnell spokesperson, Doug Andres, declined to comment.

With his primary victory over Nikki Haley in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday, Trump has now swept through all of the first voting states with comfortable margins, and polls show him leading the more than a dozen Super Tuesday contests.

He already has the backing of House Speaker Mike Johnson, and on Sunday he was endorsed by Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, who is McConnells deputy and No. 2 in the Senate Republican leadership.

Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, the leader of the Senate Republican campaign arm, has been privately encouraging the two camps to move toward reconciliation, according to two people familiar with his engagement. Asked about this, Daines said in a statement, Im encouraging the Republican Party to unite behind President Trump. It will take all of us working together to win the Senate and defeat Joe Biden in November.

Since the new year, both the Trump and McConnell teams have made an effort to avoid open warfare. Its been a while since Trump has demeaned McConnells wife, Elaine Chao, as Coco Chow or as McConnells China-loving wife. Chao, who was born in Taiwan, had served in Trumps Cabinet as transportation secretary, but she resigned a day after the attack on the Capitol, calling it a traumatic and entirely avoidable event.

When Fox News host Laura Ingraham asked Trump directly about McConnell at a town hall last week, Trump criticized the Senate minority leader, but gently by Trumps standards.

Hell probably end up endorsing me. I dont know that I can work with him, Trump told Ingraham. He gave away trillions of dollars that he didnt have to, trillions of dollars. He made it very easy for the Democrats.

To any normal ear, with any normal politician, that would have amounted to a scathing attack. But compared with the kinds of things Trump has previously said about McConnell  including regular comparisons to feces  these comments were interpreted by McConnell allies as punches being pulled.

Still, McConnell has watched in recent weeks as a bipartisan immigration bill that he had pushed for died, with Trump egging on those lawmakers who helped kill it. The funding for Ukraine to combat Russia is a particularly significant priority for McConnell, who views it as part of his legacy, and he used his capital to push through a national security spending package after the earlier bill collapsed. But the episode further exposed the raw nerves that exist between McConnell and some of his colleagues.

The relationship between Trump and McConnell was never warm and probably never will be. They despise each other, and McConnell was appalled by Trumps rise in 2016. But McConnell is nothing if not practical, and during Trumps presidency he set aside his own contempt for Trump and worked with him to pass a major tax cuts law and to confirm a record number of federal judges. McConnells crowning achievement was working with Trump to transform the Supreme Court  confirming three conservative justices who have gone on to achieve long-standing Republican goals such as overturning Roe v. Wade.

The disastrous and deadly aftermath of the 2020 election shattered whatever existed of their relationship.

McConnell came to view Trump as a dangerous liability after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and the loss of two critical Senate races in Georgia for which he blamed the former presidents destructive behavior. He told people close to him that he never expected to talk to Trump again. And he told Senate colleagues that he was seriously considered voting to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial, but ultimately decided against it.

On Feb. 13, 2021, in a speech on the Senate floor to explain his decision not to convict on constitutional grounds, McConnell laid out what amounted to his own indictment of Trump.

The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president, he said.

McConnell said that day that he thought the criminal justice system was a more appropriate venue to hold Trump accountable for his actions leading up to Jan. 6 and that Trump is still liable for everything he did while he was in office. Read today, that statement seems like an artifact from a political party that no longer exists.

Two weeks after he gave that speech, in late February 2021, McConnell predicted on Fox News that the 2024 presidential election cycle would be a wide-open race. When the interviewer, Bret Baier, pushed him on whether he would support Trump if he came back to capture the Republican nomination, McConnell, who at that time thought Trump was a problem of the past, replied: The nominee of the party? Absolutely.

Throughout 2021 and 2022, whenever McConnell was asked in private about Trump, he would assure his audience that the best way to handle the former president was to ignore him rather than to attack him head-on, as Liz Cheney was doing.

It was not only a convenient answer but, as McConnell saw it, a politically necessary one. Trump was still the most popular Republican in the country. And McConnell oversaw a conference of senators who mostly wished Trump would disappear but who also knew that their political survival depended on their staying on the good side of the partys angry MAGA base. Public deference to Trump became the price of keeping their jobs.

In recent months, as it became obvious that Trump appeared likely to win the GOP nomination for a third time, McConnell assured his colleagues that he would do whatever it takes to unify the party and win back control of the Senate.

c.2024 The New York Times Company
The fight between Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination may be over, but many of those involved arent ready to put down their guns just yet.

Allies of the two men and even the Florida governor himself have continued to trade insults over the past week even as Mr Turmp has turned his focus solidly to Nikki Haley, his last remaining rival for the GOP nomination. The former ambassador and governor has vowed to remain in the race after suffering her fourth defeat in a state primary or caucus this Saturday in South Carolina, her home state.

But while Mr Trump has remained above the continued fray with Mr DeSantis, his ex-rival seemed almost eager to drag down the former presidents image among hardcore conservatives last week on a conference call with delegates pledged to his campaign as part of the primary process. On that call, first reported by NBC News and Politico, Mr DeSantis brushed off speculation that Mr Trump was considering him as a possible running mate and reportedly suggested that he wasnt interested either.

And the reason for that supposed disinterest in the former presidents party? Identity politics, according to the former governor: Code for his disdain for the idea that Mr Trump was considering the appeal of adding a woman or person of colour to his ticket.

He said, according to NBC News: I want everybody in the fold, dont get me wrong. But I dont want people representing 10, 15 per cent of the party being in the drivers seat.

Mr DeSantiss comments possibly referred to speculation that Mr Trump was considering Tim Scott, the South Carolina senator who dropped out of the 2024 race before the Iowa Caucuses, as a possible VP pick. Mr Scott is the Senates lone Black Republican member. He also is thought to be closer to the partys neoconservative wing the twin issues of foreign policy and the role of Americas military in the world.

I would want somebody that, if something happened, the people that voted us in would have been pleased to know that theyre going to continue the mission, Mr DeSantis added, according to NBC News. Im not sure that those are going to necessarily be the criteria that Donald Trump uses.  I have heard that theyre looking more in identity politics. I think thats a mistake. I think you should just focus on who the best person for the job would be, and then do that accordingly.

The remarks could have been confused for something Mr DeSantis would have said two months ago before he dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Mr Trump for the nomination following a lacklustre performance in Iowa. Instead, it comes as advisors to both presidential campaigns have been sniping at each other on Twitter and in traditional media.

And they sparked an insulting response from Chris LaCivita, an adviser to the Trump campaign.

Chicken fingers and pudding cups is what you will be remembered for you sad little man, he wrote on Twitter.

chicken fingers and pudding cups is what you will be remembered for you sad little man https://t.co/LKvX0YMbnf  Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) February 21, 2024

Meanwhile, there are other reasons to believe that the two camps arent getting along.

Though her feed has not mentioned the former president a single time since late January, DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw joked in one tweet two days after her boss dropped out of the presidential race that Mr Trump could apply for a public defender in Florida  a snarky jab at his quickly-mounting legal fees.

Well, everyone has the right to competent legal representation. If Trump cant afford to pay his own lawyer bills, we have public defenders that he can apply for assistance.  Christina Pushaw   (@ChristinaPushaw) January 23, 2024

In other tweets from around the same time, Ms Pushaw suggested that Trump voters did not think that their candidate had beaten Mr DeSantis in Iowa on his own merits, and also labelled politicians who wanted the state of Florida to help Mr Trump with his legal costs as simps.

Mr Trumps campaign on Monday was celebrating news that Americans for Prosperity, the front group for the massive conservative Koch political network, had announced that it was backing down from further financial support for the Haley campaign after her defeat in South Carolina.

Her closest supporters had predicted the opposite after she came just under 40 per cent in the South Carolina primary. A person connected to the Haley-aligned super PAC SFA Fund told reporters at her Charleston watch event on Saturday that her camp expected to be making important news on the fundraising front in the next 10 days.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has once again urged the Israeli government to comply with international humanitarian law in its war in Gaza in view of the catastrophic situation of the civilian population.

"Like any other country in the world, Israel has the right to defend itself. Like any other country in the world, it must do so within the framework of international humanitarian law and human rights law," Baerbock said on Monday at the spring session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Germany is working continuously in favour of a humanitarian ceasefire, she added. "The humanitarian situation in Gaza is simply catastrophic," the minister said.

"Mothers, running from the fighting, dragging their crying kids behind them, in panic and despair. Orphaned children, wandering the ruins of their homes. Barefoot, hungry  alone," Baerbock said.

The minister also urged the UN Human Rights Council to extend its mandate to investigate the events in Iran following the violent suppression of protests in the country.

Addressing the government in Tehran, she emphasized that she wanted to make it clear to those who claimed that pointing out violations was interference in internal affairs: "Human rights arent something western, northern, eastern or southern. They are universal."

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Hannes P. Albert/dpa
While many Americans are closely watching the 2024 presidential race, voters in almost a dozen states will also have the chance this year to pick who occupies their governors mansion.

As Democrats and Republicans fight for control of the House, Senate and White House, 2024s 11 gubernatorial elections could also become a battleground in an era of deepening polarization. Governor races in key swing states will show which direction voters are leaning  to the right, or to the left.

A majority of the governor contests in 2024 also feature fresh candidates, with just two incumbents announcing their reelection bids so far.

Heres what you need to know about the country's upcoming gubernatorial races.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Which states have governor races in 2024?

Voters in eleven states will a cast a ballot for governor this year:

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, both Republicans, are the rare incumbents running for reelection.

In New Hampshire, North Dakota and Washington, the states current governors have each announced their decision not to seek another term.

The governors of Delaware, Indiana, Missouri and North Carolina had no choice but to step aside this fall, each facing term limits in their respective states.

Vermont and West Virginia will also feature a race for governor on their November ballots.

North Carolina: The nation's top gubernatorial battleground

North Carolinas governor race is set to be the years most contentious contest as Democrats try to stave off a Republican trifecta in the state. GOP lawmakers already control both chambers of North Carolina's legislature.

With Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper unable to run again after two consecutive terms, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein has emerged as the party frontrunner for governor.

On the Republican side, North Carolina Lieutenant Gov. Mark Robinson leads the GOP pack ahead of the states March 5 primary.

The Tar Heel State's election is expected to garner national attention  and dollars  from Super Tuesday through November.

That's because the race will also serve as an arena for some of the countrys major debates, including abortion. Robinson has signaled support for more stringent restrictions, telling a crowd in February, The next goal is to get it down to six (weeks) and then just keep moving from there.

North Carolina law currently allows the procedure up to 12 weeks, a change Cooper tried to stop last year before GOP lawmakers overrode his veto.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu is vocally encouraging Republicans to move on from former President Donald Trump.

Democrats eye New Hampshire and Vermont

New England holds a potential boon for Democrats this fall, as deep-blue Vermont and fiercely independent New Hampshire could both hold competitive gubernatorial races.

President Joe Biden carried both states in 2020, yet the states voters have also turned out in record numbers for their favored Republican governors.

One of the countrys most popular state leaders, New Hampshires Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, announced in July he would not run for a fifth term. His exit leaves a door cracked for Democrats, who have struggled to put up any candidate who could compete with Sununu.

'Only kept surging': Chris Sununu says Nikki Haley can win the South Carolina primary

In neighboring Vermont, Gov. Phil Scott, another Republican with high approval ratings, has yet to announce his decision about running again. Should Scott put his name back on the ballot, he faces a good shot at reelection.

But if the four-term governor follows in Sununus steps, Democrats could have another possible pick-up in 2024 thanks to Vermont's swaths of Democratic voters.

Republican candidate Doug Burgum speaks at a town hall in Exeter, New Hampshire, hosted by USA TODAY.

North Dakota will replace Doug Burgum

North Dakota voters will pick their governor from an incumbent-less batch this fall, after two-term Republican Gov. Doug Burgum announced earlier this year that he would not run for reelection.

His decision came after the former software engineer and billionaire suspended his 2024 campaign for president.

Burgum left the White House race polling at less than one percent among GOP candidates. He later endorsed GOP frontrunner Donald Trump.

North Dakotas Republican Lieutenant Gov. Tammy Miller and U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., have so far joined the race to succeed Burgum. The states primary is June 11, with the deadline to file and enter still weeks away.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 governor races to watch: What to know about NC, New England
BENTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  The Benton County fire marshal has extended the 24-hour county-wide burn ban, according to a release from Benton County.

A 24-hour burn ban has been issued for Benton County by the fire marshal, according to the county.

According to a release from Benton County, no outdoor or open burning will be permitted.

The National Weather Service in Tulsa says gusty winds on Monday could increase grassland fire rates. Rates could continue to increase on Tuesday.

Did your county exist when Arkansas became a state?

NWS says during these conditions:

properly dispose of cigarettes

property extinguish fires

only use welding equipment away from dormant vegetation

avoid idling vehicles over vegetation

All of Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley are in moderate wildfire danger, according to the Arkansas Forestry Commission.

Stay with KNWA/FOX24 for the latest.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
A Palestine flag as a badge and a "Choose Love" pin on a team member's sweater during the Berlinale photocall for the film "The Strangers Case" (Berlinale Special Gala) during the 74th Berlinale Film Festival. Soeren Stache/dpa

There will be an investigation into the onstage criticism of Israel's bombing of the Gaza Strip during Berlin's annual international film festival, the Berlinale, over the weekend, Germany's culture minister said on Monday.

Claudia Roth said Mayor Kai Wegner and the city's government, who share responsibility for the Berlinale, "will now investigate the incidents at the award ceremony."

The aim is to find out whether the Berlinale did or did not live up to its claim of being a place for diversity, different perspectives and dialogue, the minister said.

Roth also wants to clarify "how it can be ensured in future that the Berlinale is a place that is free from hatred, hate speech, anti-Semitism, racism, hostility towards Muslims and all forms of bigotry."

In an awards ceremony concluding the Berlinale, Palestinian filmmaker Basel Adra accepted an award for his documentary about the West Bank and called on Germany to stop sending weapons to Israel, in remarks that were met with applause and cheers from the audience.

"It is very hard for me to celebrate when there are tens of thousands of my people being slaughtered and massacred by Israel in Gaza," said Adra, whose film "No Other Land" depicts the Israeli settler displacement of Palestinians in villages in the West Bank.

During the awards ceremony on Saturday evening, several other filmmakers criticized Israel over the bombing of Gaza, which has seen more than 29,600 people killed, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority in the strip.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday condemned the statements criticizing Israel's mass bombing of the Gaza Strip.

Scholz agrees "that such a one-sided position cannot be allowed to stand," said deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann.

In any debate on this topic, it is important to keep in mind what triggered this renewed escalation of the conflict - namely the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the spokeswoman said.

None of the filmmakers mentioned the 1,200 people that Palestinian Hamas militants and others killed in Israel or the some 240 people they kidnapped.

The Berlinale has distanced itself from the statements made by individual filmmakers on the war in the Middle East at the awards ceremony on Saturday evening.

"The statements made by award winners are independent individual opinions. They in no way reflect the festival's position," a Berlinale spokeswoman told dpa upon request.

"As long as they remain within the legal limits, we must accept them," she continued. The Berlinale understands that the statements made by some award winners were "perceived as too one-sided," but also pointed out that expressions of opinion at cultural events cannot and should not be fundamentally prevented.

During the ceremony on Saturday, Jerusalem-based Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abraham also condemned on stage what he said was "apartheid" conditions being endured by Palestinians in Israel.

Filmmaker Ben Russell used the word "genocide" to condemn Israel's bombardment of Gaza. Several people on stage meanwhile held up a sign with the words "ceasefire now" on it.

Germany is among Israel's staunchest allies, and political leaders in Berlin have repeatedly stated that Israel has a right to self defence.

German arms exports to Israel peaked in 2023 with 326.5 million ($353 million) worth of weapons, including 3,000 portable anti-tank weapons and 500,000 rounds of ammunition for firearms, being approved - 10 times as much as in the previous year.

"Cease Fire Now" seen on the back of jury member Verena Paravel as she and Abbas Fahdel (L) present the award for best documentary film for "No Other Land" to directors Yuval Abraham (R) and Basel Adra (Not Pictured) on stage at the closing gala of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival at the Berlinale Palast. Monika Skolimowska/dpa

American artist and experimental filmmaker Ben Russell (L) and Servan Decle (R) wear Palestinian scarves on stage at the closing gala of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival at the Berlinale Palast with Jay Jordan (2nd L) and Guillaume Cailleau after winning the Encounters Award for Best Film for the film "Direct Action". Monika Skolimowska/dpa
A Rochester-based business has again ranked among the nation's best midsize employers, based on the latest list from Forbes magazine. According to the recently released Forbes list of Americas Best Midsize Employers, Excellus BlueCross Blue Shield is the best midsize employer in upstate New York.

The health insurance company, founded in 1932, also ranked second-best in the overall state category and number eight nationwide. No. 8, however, is a slight drop from the companys second-place ranking on last year's Forbes list.

Eight more midsize firms headquartered upstate also made the list. And seven upstate companies made the Forbes list of Americas Best Large Employers. Between the two lists, five ranked companies - including Excellus - are located in the Rochester region. Forbes defines midsize employers as having between 1,000 and 5,000 workers and large firms as having more than 5,000 employees. The midsize list contains 400 companies and the large employer list contains 600.

Excellus named top employer in Forbes 'Best Employers' list

Excellus BCBS headquarters in Rochester.

Excellus leaders said they are thrilled to be named a top employer again, an honor that stems from employees commitment to an inclusive, supportive and collaborative culture, President and CEO Jim Reed said.

We remain committed, he said, to cultivating an environment where our employees can thrive by focusing on employee wellbeing, growth and development, diversity, equity and inclusion, comprehensive employee benefits, a flexible work environment and more.

Companies ranked on the list are not chosen by third-party surveyors. Instead, the lists are based on the results of a survey given to more than 170,000 American workers at companies with at least 1,000 employees. Workers were asked to evaluate their own employer  or a former employer for whom they worked in the past two years  on criteria such as work-life balance, compensation, gender pay equity, training programs, opportunities for career advancement, diversity and health benefits. They were also asked if they would recommend their employer to others.

Participants were also allowed to rate other employers if they were familiar with them through family, friends or peers in their industry. These ratings did not count as much in the final results as the direct employee surveys.

Best midsize companies to work for in upstate NY

Kodak Alaris, Rochester: 43

The Raymond Corp., Greene, Chenango County: 99

Glens Falls Hospital Glens Falls, Warren County: 185

Mediacom Communications, Blooming Grove, Orange County: 193

NBT Bank, Norwich, Chenango County: 200

Adams Fairacre Farms, Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County: 226

New York State Insurance Fund, Albany: 289

Cannon Design, Niagara Falls: 371

Excellus wasnt the only repeat from last years list. Kodak Alaris was on the list in 25th place last year. The Raymond Group was ranked number 337, Mediacom ranked number 477 and NYS Insurance Fund ranked number 145 on last years list.

Several upstate New York employers that were on the 2023 list did not rank this year: Syracuse University; HealthNow New York, Buffalo; National Fuel Gas, Williamsville; Rochester Institute of Technology, Henrietta; Arnot Health, Elmira; Stewarts Shops, Ballston Spa; and Life Storage, Buffalo.

Best large companies to work for in upstate NY

Wegmans Food Markets, Gates, 53,000 employees: 93

Paychex, Rochester, 15,000 employees: 162

M&T Bank, Buffalo, 22,690 employees: 213

Cornell University, Ithaca, 10,828 employees: 214

New York State Police, Albany, 127,273 employees: 452

Corning, Corning, 57,500 employees: 473

Sutherland Global Services, Pittsford, 38,000 employees: 541

Wegmans and Paychex also made last years list, Wegmans at number 44 and Paychex at number 174. SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse was ranked number 245 on last years list, but did not make the cut this year.

Includes reporting by USA Today Network reporter Amy Neff Roth

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Best companies to work for in Rochester NY: See who made Forbes list
The afternoon tea is a sophisticated staple at most of the major players on Londons hotel scene, but where some shine with scones, others fall as flat as a limp cucumber sandwich.

Planning a visit to Englands capital? Don your glad rags for a taste of tradition with tiers of finger sandwiches, pastries and brilliant brews.

Gone are the days when afternoon tea constituted a light meal, nowadays the ritual can be as experimental in cuisine as it can with theme, with everything from Asian-fusion feasts to sci-fi confectionery on the menu.

From high tea heavyweight The Ritz to The Shards city panoramas and the Cornish classics of Park Lane, theres something for everyone to relish in style.

Here are the best London drawing rooms to indulge in stacks of sweet and savoury treats with trusty teapots or flutes of champagne to sip on the side  its always five oclock somewhere after all.

Read more on UK travel:

Afternoon tea at Hotel Cafe Royal

Neighbourhood: Soho

The Cafe Royals golden Grill Room (Hotel Cafe Royal)

Best for: Elegance

For a timeless afternoon tea in Oscar Wilde style, pastry chef Loic Carbonnet puts on a decadent display of sandwiches, scones and desserts in the Hotel Cafe Royals grade II-listed Grill Room. Over 20 blends of white, green, black, tisane and oolong tea flow into fine china as egg and truffle, roast beef and curried chicken savouries are brought out for sampling. Delicate sweet treats are what Carbonnet does best, with apple tartlets, coconut eclairs and a citrus cheesecake rivalling in elegance even the gold leaf details and intricate ceilings of the surrounding room.

Traditional afternoon tea at Hotel Cafe Royal costs 75pp.

Book now

The Drawing Room at Browns Hotel

Neighbourhood: Mayfair

Browns has been excelling at afternoon tea since 1837 (Browns Hotel)

Best for: Plant-based

It may be Londons oldest hotel, but if youre looking for vegan treats at tea time then Browns has caught up with the times. Aside from traditional flavours such as smoked salmon and horseradish on a malted loaf, and cucumber and goat cheese on white bread, Queen Victorias favourite haunt also offers a plant-based menu with coronation vegetables, pumpkin seed pesto, and chocolate and clementine cake stacked onto the tiers. This is the quintessential English experience with original wood panelling, Jacobean ceilings and roaring fires warming the cockles as you sip your brew.

Plant-based afternoon tea at Browns Hotel costs 75pp.

Book now

Science afternoon tea at The Ampersand

Neighbourhood: South Kensington

Ever taken your toppings in a testube? (The Ampersand)

Best for: Families

The Ampersand has shaken things up with a children's science afternoon tea that blasts off on a red rocket stand  mini hot dogs, dinosaur jam sandwiches, blackcurrant planets and chocolate lollipops in tow. You can forget boring cups of tea, its spaceman hot chocolate with all the trimmings on this quirky outing. Inspired by the nearby Science Museum, the tea comes complete with test tube toppings and a milk chocolate fossil hidden within chocolate soil in an impressive cloud of dry ice. Dont worry, the adults arent excluded from this imaginative affair, with classic smoked salmon blinis, tempting white chocolate cranberry scones and fruity macarons to satisfy the whole family.

The kids sci-fi afternoon tea at The Ampersand costs 35 per child; adults menu 49.50pp.

Book now

Afternoon tea at Rosewood London

Neighbourhood: High Holborn

The Rosewoods intricate desserts take inspiration from international artists (Patricia Niven)

Best for: Art enthusiasts

If you like to take your afternoon tea with a side of art, pastry chef Mark Perkins has recreated the work of internationally renowned artists and their London exhibitions on the Rosewoods plates. Carefully curated pastries  mini replicas of artworks from Yayoi Kusama, Vincent van Gogh, Andy Warhol and David Hockney  stun in design, colour and taste as part of the Mirror Rooms art afternoon tea series. This Mothers Day the art-inspired pastries complement a lineup of beef sirloin sandwiches and raisin scones with optional tea pairings for each course.

Mothers Day art afternoon tea at Rosewood from 75pp.

Book now

Afternoon tea at The Ritz

Neighbourhood: St Jamess

The Ritz, arguably Londons best known afternoon tea destination (The Ritz)

Best for: Tradition

The creme de la creme of Londons cream teas, The Ritz really know how to put on a showstopping serving of sandwiches. Its fancy, its formal, its fresh and there are plenty of traditional treats to go around during the five daily 90-minute sittings. Scottish smoked salmon balances with lemon butter on sourdough bread, while brioche rolls of egg mayonnaise and watercress wet the palette before the main event  tiers of warm raisin and plain scones ready for spreading with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve. With 20 different types of loose-leaf tea to choose from, an afternoon spent in this old world opulence is a dream for special occasions.

Prices for afternoon tea at The Ritz start from 75pp.

Book now

Oblix East at The Shard

Neighbourhood: London Bridge

Enjoy panoramic views of London from The Shards Oblix East (Oblix/Justin De Souza)

Best for: Views of London

Located on the 32nd of The Shard, Oblix East offers panoramic views of Londons spectacular skyline, and roomy armchairs to take it all in. The new menu is reasonably priced compared to some of the citys hotel heavyweights, with a modern twist bringing new flavours to timeless classics. Sandwiches include smoked salmon and seaweed with cucumber, coronation chicken, mango chutney and coriander, and a prawn and lobster roll, while cranberry scones come with lashings of fresh honeycomb, whipped clotted cream and raspberry preserve. For those more boozily inclined, for an additional 36 per person, a bottomless selection of cocktails will accompany your pastry platter.

Oblix at The Shard classic afternoon tea from 58pp.

Book now

Afternoon tea at The Prince Akatoki

Neighbourhood: Marble Arch

Japanese-inspired bites bless The Prince Akatokis menu (The Prince Akatoki)

Best for: Asian-fusion

Steering clear of tradition, afternoon tea meets sumptuous sushi platters in a Japanese-inspired offering this Mothers Day at the Prince Akatoki. Sips of sparkling sake and classic sashimi kickstart the flavourful experience followed by the hotels standard afternoon tea stack. Brioche buns burst with seared tuna and avocado, a quails Scotch egg is topped with Japanese mustard mayo, and theres a chicken katsu sando on the savoury scene. On the sweet side, tantalising tastes of Japanese matcha, miso and yuzu punctuate Swiss rolls, scones and a butterscotch tart.

Mothers Day afternoon tea at The Price Akatoki costs 85pp.

Book now

Afternoon tea at Dean Street Townhouse

Neighbourhood: Soho

Dean Street Townhouse is great for the stomach and the wallet (Dean St Townhouse)

Best for: Value

Dean Street Townhouse ticks all the boxes for a traditional English afternoon tea experience without the steep price tag. This affordable afternoon tea features generous servings of egg mayo, smoked salmon and gin-and-tonic cucumber sandwiches, warm scones with homemade jams, and several blends of loose-leaf tea in blue and white china teapots. Better still, itll set you back less than 30, making this cosy setting of velvet chairs and mahogany panelling ideal for an affordable Mothers Day treat. If you feel like splashing a bit more cash the afternoon tea with a flute of thienot champagne will set you back 40.

Afternoon tea at Dean Street Townhouse costs 28pp, or 40pp with a glass of Thienot Champagne.

Book now

An Ode to Cornwall at InterContinental Park Lane

Neighbourhood: Knightsbridge

Its Cornish classics at InterContinental Park Lane (InterContinental London Park Lane)

Best for: Cornish classics

In the Wellington Lounge at the InterContinental Park Lane, youll find stacks of crockery striped in white and blue promising to take customers on a cultural culinary journey into the heritage of Cornwall. The Ode to Cornwall afternoon tea  in partnership with acclaimed pastry chef Martin Chiffers  uses local produce including Newlyn crab, St Ewe eggs and Cornish game hen. Theres even Cornish honey cake and rum baba barrel, both of which will transport you out west as you debate the correct order of cream and jam.

An Ode to Cornwall at InterContinental Park Lane costs 69pp.

Book now

Afternoon tea at The Stafford

Neighbourhood: St Jamess

Its treats galore at The Stafford (The Stafford London)

Best for: Decadent desserts

The Staffords afternoon tea offers five-star service as it serves up irresistible sweets from a table-side trolley service, plus raisin and cheddar scones, and classic sandwich combinations from cheese and onion to ham and mustard. The vanilla and raspberry white mouse, and pistachio, dark chocolate and passion fruit tart look almost too good to eat. This Easter, theres even a seasonal hot cross bun twist to go with the selection of artisan teas by Camellias Tea House  there are four bespoke signature blends including a smokey black and citrus tea.

Afternoon tea at the Stafford costs 70pp.

Book now

Fancing hunkering down post finger sandwich? Read more on the best boutique hotels in London
(NerdWallet)  Traditional grocery store advice is to stay out of the aisles and shop the perimeter to spend less and eat healthier. Thats harder to do at Costco, says Addie McHale, a Denver-based certified financial planner.

Each visit is a treasure hunt. You get there, take it in and want to walk the whole store to hunt down those values, says McHale.

Jenny Martin, the writer behind coupon website SouthernSavers.com, says Costco knows what its doing. Tall ceilings, big open aisles and tons of products create a sense of awe as soon as you walk in.

At a minimum, you have to buy a $60 annual Costco membership (the lower of two membership tiers offered) to enjoy the grandeur. Big fans of the warehouse chain will say good buys justify the cost. Let this list of the best things to buy at Costco help you decide.

Organic frozen berries

McHale appreciates Costcos selection of organic foods.

The big bags of frozen berries are an essential purchase for smoothie lovers, she says. They have a good selection of organic frozen berries, and theyre significantly cheaper than buying those little bags at other stores.

Authentic Italian ingredients

McHale also says the Italian offerings at Costco are on point. You can find good olive oil from Italy, she says. The Costco brand Kirkland Signature EVOO is a product of Italy, and comes in a two-liter bottle for a relatively low price.

Some items are more elusive. McHale swears by the giant jar of organic Castelvetrano green olives she found. She bought two because the super low price made her think they wouldnt be restocked. Treasures like it are what make you walk through every aisle, she says.

As for marinara sauce, the r/Costco subreddit makes it clear: Raos Homemade is a solid pick and priced well.

Baking supplies and real maple syrup

Martin finds treasure in the baking aisle. Bulk flour, sugar, spices and baking chocolates  those are some of the best prices you will find in town, she says.

Another item thats better to buy in a bigger size at Costco is 100% organic maple syrup, which Martin says is good quality at a great price. We spotted a 33.8-ounce jug of the Kirkland brand for $14.99 online at Costco versus $25.99 for a similar-sized bottle (32 ounces) of Whole Foods version from Amazon at the time of this writing.

Pick up some pure vanilla extract in the same aisle.

Nuts

Almonds, walnuts and mixed nuts are among the more expensive items at a grocery store. But you can probably get more nuts for less per pound at Costco, or any other warehouse club for that matter.

Take almonds, for example. At the time of this writing, we found a 1-pound bag online at grocery chain Safeway for $7.99 versus a 5-pound bag online at Costco for $17.99. Thats some serious per-pound savings, and you can freeze what you dont eat right away.

Discounted gift cards

Costco offers discounted gift cards for many retail brands, restaurants and even airlines at times, says Martin. Gift card deals are generally $79.99 for $100 of value.

And just because theyre called gift cards doesnt mean you have to give them away. If you know youre going to buy from or eat at a participating place, you could save a few bucks upfront by buying yourself a reduced-price gift card.

Over-the-counter medicine

Martin buys the generic version of Zyrtec allergy medicine at Costco.

It just makes sense to buy the bottle of 365 tablets at Costco for less than $20 instead of a bottle of 30 tablets in a drug store for around the same price, she says.

Use Ibuprofen regularly? We saw two 500-tablet bottles of the generic version of Advil at Costco for less than the price of one 500-tablet bottle of another generic version at a popular drug store chain at the time of this writing.

Tires and gasoline

McHale says the savings at Costcos Tire Center are worth it. She recently compared the price of four new name-brand tires at Costco with the price offered by a retail tire chain. Costco had the same set for a few hundred dollars less, she says.

Martin says to top off your gas tank each time you hit Costco to maximize membership perks, if your local store sells gas. The per-gallon price can be better than the local competition.

Keep your next Costco visit cost-effective

With so many treasures under one giant roof, its easy to go over budget on a visit to Costco.

A great deal on a TV doesnt mean you should impulsively add a several-hundred-dollar purchase during a Saturday supply run. Take the time to ponder, research and compare prices on big-ticket items first, says Martin.

You can also plan meals in advance and set a limit for groceries to avoid a $400 receipt for pantry items. Use your phones calculator to tally up the total as you pick items. Or zero in on the fresh food section and leave after.

McHale likes to shop after dinner, about an hour before closing. Youre not hungry, youre not lingering, she says. You can just go to get your stuff and get out.

But if you are hungry, you can still count on the $1.50 hot dog and soda after all these years.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Bettendorf driver led pursuit, sheared light pole in half, ISP allege

A 22-year-old Bettendorf man was released on bond after police allege he led Iowa State Patrol on a chase, hit a utility pole and fence, and caused thousands of dollars in damage.

Tyler Braun faces felony charges of criminal mischief and eluding  speed over 25 mph over the speed limit, along with serious misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance  first offense and operating while under the influence  first offense, court records show.

Tyler Braun (Scott County Jail)

Shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday, an Iowa State Trooper saw a blue Dodge Ram headed east on Locust Street at extremely high speeds, according to arrest affidavits. Near the intersection of Locust Street and Iowa Street  a 25-mph zone  the truck was traveling in excess of 80 mph.

In his fully marked ISP cruiser, the trooper safely turned around on the truck and illuminated my emergency lights to give chase, the trooper says in affidavits.

The truck then turned north on Farnam Street and increased its speeds again in excess of 80 mph while in a posted 35 mph residential area, affidavits say, showing the drivers reckless and careless nature toward the rest of the motoring public or civilians in their residence.

(OurQuadCities.com)

Affidavits show the truck continued north until attempting a left turn onto Dover, then struck a light pole shearing it in half causing in excess of $10,000 dollars of damage to that along with the private fence he struck, causing several more thousands of dollars in damage to the wrought iron fence along with the landscaping.

After the crash, a passenger jumped out of the truck and began running north. He was apprehended after a Taser deployment. Then Davenport Police took the driver  Braun, the trucks owner  into custody.

Both Braun and the passenger showed signs of alcohol impairment, including bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech, impaired balance and the strong odor of alcohol, police allege in affidavits.

Braun was only remorseful for himself, not asking if anyone else was injured or if his friend had sustained any injuries from the crash, the trooper writes in affidavits. With the speeds the driver was pushing and his intoxication level it was extremely lucky no one was seriously injured or killed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
President Joe Biden will convene the top four congressional leaders Tuesday as the White House ratchets up pressure on lawmakers to pass additional funding to Ukraine and ahead of a partial government shutdown deadline this week.

The meeting  which will include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries  comes at a pivotal moment following Johnsons resistance to Ukraine aid.

Biden, who visited Ukraine last year, has repeatedly framed the need to support the country against Russia as a matter of national security abroad and at home. In the face of congressional inaction on a package that includes $60 billion in aid to Ukraine, the president has directed his team to make the consequences abundantly clear, a US official told CNN.

At the core of that message are the stakes of ceding ground to Russia and the dire situation Ukraine faces without more funding. Military analysis, intelligence and information from Ukrainians have prompted concerns within the Biden administration about Russias aggression and what it means on the battlefield.

The outlook is a lot more bleak, the US official said.

On Sunday, national security adviser Jake Sullivan called out Johnson by name in his push for the GOP-controlled House to pass Ukraine aid.

There is a strong bipartisan majority in the House standing ready to pass this bill if it comes to the floor, and that decision rests on the shoulders of one person, and history is watching whether Speaker Johnson will put that bill on the floor, Sullivan told CNNs Dana Bash on State of the Union.

In private conversations, Biden has sought to reassure allies that hes doing everything he can to support Ukraine, including on Saturday during a call with G7 leaders.

Johnson has signaled that he will not put the $95 billion Senate aid package  which includes $60 billion in Ukraine aid  on the floor in its current form as he faces pressure from his right flank.

In a statement earlier this month, the Louisiana Republican said a standalone foreign aid bill, without addressing US border security, was unacceptable. And Johnson privately told his colleagues before Congress left town for its nearly two-week recess that he was in no rush to address the issue.

The mandate of national security supplemental legislation was to secure Americas own border before sending additional foreign aid around the world. It is what the American people demand and deserve, Johnson said at the time. Congressional Republicans scuttled a bipartisan border security bill negotiated in the Senate amid pressure from former President Donald Trump, the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination.

While further aid for Ukraine has majority support in the House, including from a solid core of Republicans, Johnson has to manage a fractious conference that includes members on the right who staunchly oppose additional aid.

And despite efforts to release a spending deal Sunday, an agreement still hasnt come to fruition amid high-level disputes over policy issues, according to GOP sources. Funding for four government agencies runs out Friday at midnight.

Johnson had told his members on a recent conference call that he was hoping to have a deal they could put on the floor this week.

CNNs Melanie Zanona contributed to this report.

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A rally in Michigan ahead of the state's presidential primary election urges a vote for 'uncommitted' instead of Joe Biden - Jim West/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Joe Biden risks handing Donald Trump the White House with his stance on Israel, progressive Democrats have warned ahead of a key vote in a battleground state.

Mr Biden, 81, faces a rebuke from his partys voters in Michigan, a critical swing state, which holds its presidential primary on Tuesday.

Michigans large Arab-American community, which helped Mr Biden win the state in 2020, has criticised the presidents support for Israel in its war in Gaza. It has led to his approval ratings sinking among Muslims and other minorities.

An effort to boycott the primary is being spearheaded by Rashida Tlaib, a progressive Michigan congresswoman. She is pushing for Democrats to vote uncommitted rather than casting a ballot for Mr Biden in the Michigan primary.

You all know Trump is an existential threat to our democracy, Ms Tlaib, a member of Capitol Hills Left-wing Squad, told a rally in Dearborn, a majority-Muslim and Arab-American suburb west of Detroit.

And President Biden is risking another Trump term over his support for the most Right-wing government, most extremist government in the history of Israel.

While Mr Biden is expected to win Michigan, a poor showing could be a huge electoral liability for the president in a state that is critical to his re-election bid.

Three-quarters of Arab and Muslim Democrats said they were willing to vote for a third-party candidate in November, according to an NBC poll late last year.

However, a poll by the Hill and Emerson College released on Monday found Mr Trumps lead over Mr Biden in Michigan has narrowed to 46 to 44 per cent.

Amid panic in the White House, Mr Biden and his vice-president, Kamala Harris, have both visited Michigan in the past few weeks.

The Biden re-election team has also deployed surrogates to the state, but some community leaders have refused to meet anyone connected with the campaign.

Trump promoted a Muslim ban

Even Biden allies have sounded the alarm, and conceded the results could signal a major problem in November.

Any vote thats not cast for Joe Biden supports a second Trump term, Gretchen Whitmer, governor Michigan and co-chair of the Biden 2024 campaign, told CNN.

A second Trump term would be devastating. Not just on fundamental rights, not just on our democracy here at home, but also when it comes to foreign policy. This was a man who promoted a Muslim ban.

Andy Levin, a former Democratic congressman for the state, said it was going to be hard or even impossible to beat Mr Trump, 77, in Michigan if the president doesnt change course.

He added: It seems very hard or impossible to win the electoral college if we dont win Michigan.

Earlier this month, Mr Bidens deputy national security adviser, acknowledged missteps in the administrations response to the Middle East crisis in a meeting with prominent figures in the state.

We have left a very damaging impression based on what has been a wholly inadequate public accounting for how much the president, the administration and the country values the lives of Palestinians, he told them, according to a recording obtained by The New York Times.

Despite the warnings, Democrats furious with Mr Bidens handling of Israels war in Gaza have said they will not back the president unless he drastically changes course.

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, said some of her constituents had lost 20 or 40 relatives in Gaza.

We want to support life

Ms Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in the US Congress, said: We dont want a country that supports war and bombs and destruction. We want to support life. We want to stand up for every single life killed in Gaza.

Sharing a video on social media urging Democrats to register a protest vote, she said: Right now, we feel completely neglected and just unseen by our government.

Meanwhile, Nikki Haley made an eleventh-hour plea to Michigans Republican voters to change the direction of the GOP presidential primary on Tuesday.

Mr Trump is expected to extend his sweep of the Republican contest, with polling aggregates suggesting he commands almost 80 per cent among Republican voters in the state.

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FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden meets with U.S. governors at the White House in Washington

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden plans to meet with congressional leaders Tuesday to discuss funding the government as a partial shutdown deadline looms on Friday, the White House announced Sunday.

Biden will meet with top Democrats and Republicans from both the House and Senate on Tuesday, where the president will discuss the "urgency" of passing a government funding bill before midnight on Friday (0500 GMT Saturday). He also plans to discuss a stalled national security bill that provides assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

The meeting comes as lawmakers remain at a stalemate to avoid a shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said in a statement Sunday that there still was no deal and called on House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, to "step up" and strike a bipartisan compromise, despite objections from his party's most conservative lawmakers.

Johnson later Sunday posted on X that Republicans were still negotiating in good faith and contended many of the points still up for debate were later demands from Democrats. He said he hoped to reach an outcome "as soon as possible."

Funding is due to run out on March 1 for some federal agencies, including the Department of Transportation, while others like the Defense Department face a March 8 deadline.

(Reporting by Pete Schroeder; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
US President Joe Biden will meet with congressional leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, at the White House on Tuesday.

Source: Bloomberg

Details: The gathering will be held to unlock billions of dollars in emergency aid to allies, including Ukraine, and to avert a US government shutdown.

The White House's weekly schedule, released on Sunday, said Biden "will discuss the urgency of passing the bipartisan national security supplemental and keeping the government open."

An aide to a congressional leader noted that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will also attend the event.

Background: Internal US estimates suggest that Ukraine will face a potentially "catastrophic" ammunition and air defence equipment shortage by spring.

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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she doesnt know how President Joe Biden will perform in the states Democratic primary amid a planned protest vote.

Some prominent state Democrats have urged residents to vote uncommitted in response to Bidens handling of Israels war in Gaza.

Im not sure what were going to see on Tuesday, to tell you the truth, Whitmer, the states top Democrat, told CNN on Feb. 25 in advance of the Feb. 27 primary.

Michigan has been so fortunate to be the home of a robust Arab, Muslim (and) Palestinian community and a robust Jewish community, Whitmer said. Theres a lot of pain all across all of these communities because of whats happening halfway around the world.

Asked whether she believed a sizable number of Democrats would vote uncommitted, Whitmer expressed uncertainty.

Im just not sure what to expect, she said. There are a lot of different things that can impact what happens on Tuesday.

In Michigan, when a voter selects uncommitted this implies that they are exercising a party vote but are not committed to any of the candidates listed on the ballot, according to state officials.

One of the highest-profile officials supporting an uncommitted vote is Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who has been a vocal critic of Israels siege of Gaza  which has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Right now we feel completely neglected and just unseen by our government, Tlaib, a Palestinian-American, said in a video posted on X. If you want us to be louder, then come here and vote uncommitted.

The activist group Listen to Michigan has also pressed Democrats to vote uncommitted.

Trump only won Michigan in 2016 by about 10,000 votes, the groups website states. Uncommitted Michigan Democrats opposed to Bidens policy in Gaza can demonstrate that we hold his margin of victory for re-election.

Biden must earn our vote through a dramatic change in policy, the website adds.

The uncommitted campaign appears to have touched a nerve with a small minority of Michigan Democrats, according to a new poll.

Nine percent of Democrats in the state plan to vote uncommitted on the primary ballot, according to a Feb. 26 Emerson College poll, which sampled 1,000 voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. The majority of Democrats, 75%, still plan to vote for Biden.

This disaffected minority appears to have caught the attention of the Biden Administration, which has dispatched senior White House aides to meet with Muslim and Arab-American leaders in the state.

Michigan, a key battleground state, will likely be crucial to Bidens re-election campaign, according to CNN.

In the Emerson poll, 44% of Michigan voters supported Biden, compared to 46% who supported former President Donald Trump.

How would Trump fare against other Democrats? Poll looks at Biden alternatives

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NEW YORK CITY - Check here for the latest on Biden's visit to NYC.

President Joe Biden speaks during a roundtable discussion with Jewish community leaders in the Indian Treaty Room of the White House in Washington, D.C, on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. (Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

President Joe Biden is expected to be in New York City on Monday.

The New York Post reports that Biden will be in Manhattan to tape an interview with late-night talk show host Seth Meyers and attend a fundraiser.

Earlier this month, New Yorkers experienced traffic nightmares after the president arrived in the Big Apple to attend three campaign receptions.

Biden's visit also sparked pro-Palestinian protests in Columbus Circle.

Hundreds of demonstrators flocked to Manhattan's Columbus Circle in response to his visit.

Organizers encouraged protesters to gather near the 60th Street exit of the Columbus Circle subway station around 1 p.m. to demand a ceasefire in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas War.

"Let Biden know he has got to go for carrying out the genocide in Gaza," organizers from WIthin Our Lifetime posted to Instagram.

The president is increasingly contending with protests inside and outside his events from progressives upset about U.S. support for Israel in its offensive in Gaza.

More than 26,000 Palestinians, mostly women and minors, have been killed in Gaza since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and kidnapped about 250 more, mostly civilians, in the attack.

March NY fundraiser

Meanwhile, the president is teaming up with predecessors Barack Obama and Bill Clinton next month for a New York fundraiser aimed at powering up donations for his reelection campaign. The threesome traded social media posts to reveal their plans.

The event is set for March 28, and though the Biden campaign says it hasn't settled on a venue, it is considering larger sites that would maximize attendance. That would be a break from Bidens usual campaign stops, which have tended to feature smaller groups of supporters and donors.

US President Joe Biden in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC. (Annabelle Gordon/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"Folks  Ill be in NYC on March 28th to support @JoeBiden. Whos coming with me? Chip in for your chance to join," Obama posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday, over a picture of Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the hand-written message "Let's finish the job" next to Biden's signature.

Clinton responded ironically, "Count me in. Who else is going to be there?" and Biden answered jokingly "You guys know you can just call me next time, right?"

Count me in. Who else is going to be there?https://t.co/slcReN6ZMR  Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) February 6, 2024

The president has intensified fundraising efforts since December. His campaign said Tuesday that January produced its highest monthly donation total since launching in April 2023, breaking monthly records previously set in December and November of last year.

The campaign said that last months haul was buoyed by a write-in campaign that won Biden New Hampshires unsanctioned Democratic primary on Jan. 23. New Hampshire Democrats violated a new primary calendar championed by Biden, and he responded by refusing to campaign there or have his name appear on the ballot, and yet still won via write-in.

WILL WEISSERT, with the Associated Press, helped contribute to this report.
President Biden is narrowly leading former President Trump by 4 points in a new survey of young voters  a key demographic Biden carried in 2020.

The Axios-Generation Lab survey of voters under 35 found that 52 percent of respondents would vote for Biden if the election was held today, while 48 percent would back Trump. The survey noted that 70 percent of respondents said they were definitely planning or likely going to vote, while 30 percent said they were unlikely or not planning on voting.

It is the latest of numerous polls showing a close race between Biden and Trump among young voters, who overwhelmingly backed Biden in 2020. Axios noted that a Pew Research Center analysis found Gen Z and millennial voters strongly supported Biden over Trump in 2020, by a margin of 20 percentage points.

A New York Times/Siena poll in December found Trump leading Biden by 6 percentage points among voters under 30. Other polls have also suggested Biden could be losing ground among young voters, with an NBC News poll in November finding Trump leading Biden by 4 percentage points among voters under 35.

Axios noted that Bidens lead in the new poll increased among those who say they are definitely planning on voting; among the 42 percent who say they definitely plan to vote in November, Axios said 63 percent would back Biden.

The new poll also asked young voters how much influence they believe pop star Taylor Swift could have on the election if she chooses to endorse a candidate. The New York Times reported earlier this year that the Biden campaign was seeking her endorsement, but she has yet to speak out on the race.

The survey released Monday found 4 percent of young voters would consider changing their vote if Swift endorsed Biden or Trump. When asked whether they would be more likely to vote in the election if Swift told them too, 6 percent said they would.

The poll was conducted Feb. 3-14 among 1,073 people between 18 and 34 and has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
People traveling a fenced-in walkway, with a sign in English and Spanish asking them to have documents to present to an officer

President Joe Biden is expected to visit Brownsville, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday. In this photo, migrants cross the Matamoros-Brownsville International Bridge into the United States after obtaining an appointment to legally enter the country on May 12, 2023. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden will visit the southern border in Texas on Thursday, according to a White House official, the same day as the GOP presidential front-runner, Donald Trump.

Their visits are a sign of the importance the immigration issue has assumed in whats expected to be a 2024 rematch in November between Biden and Trump.

During the trip to Brownsville, Texas, Biden will meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement and local leaders to discuss the urgent need to pass the Senate bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border in decades, according to a White House official speaking on background.

He will reiterate his calls for congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional U.S. Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more, the White House official said in a statement.

Senate Republicans earlier this month walked away from the bipartisan border deal they brokered with the White House, following Trumps objection to the plan that would drastically overhaul U.S. immigration law. House Republicans also insisted they would not take up the Senate package.

As the Biden administration deals with the largest number of migrant encounters at the southern border in more than 20 years, Trumps campaign platform aims to stoke fears surrounding immigration  as he previously did for his 2016 presidential campaign.

The visit follows House Republicans impeachment, on a second try, of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, over the GOPs opposition to Biden administration immigration policies.

More than 300 miles away from Biden, Trump will visit Eagle Pass, Texas, which CNN first reported, on Thursday, following his GOP primary win in South Carolina last weekend.

He is also expected to win Michigans presidential primary on Tuesday.

Biden is also planning to meet with congressional leaders Tuesday about passing the global securities supplemental package to unlock aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and avoid a partial government shutdown Friday, according to the White House.

Those leaders hell meet with at the White House include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana.

This will be Bidens second trip to the southern border. His first visit to the border was in January 2023.

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The post Biden and Trump both heading to the southern border on Thursday appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Migrants cross the Matamoros-Brownsville International Bridge into the United States after obtaining an appointment to legally enter the country on May 12, 2023 in Brownsville, Texas. It is unknown what will happen in terms of the flow of migrants now that the Title 42 policy expired, which for the past three years has allowed for the quick expulsion of irregular migrants entering the country. (Photo by Joe Raedle | Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden will visit the southern border in Texas on Thursday, according to a White House official, the same day as the GOP presidential front-runner, Donald Trump.

Their visits are a sign of the importance the immigration issue has assumed in whats expected to be a 2024 rematch in November between Biden and Trump.

During the trip to Brownsville, Texas, Biden will meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement and local leaders to discuss the urgent need to pass the Senate bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border in decades, according to a White House official speaking on background.

He will reiterate his calls for Congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional U.S. Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more, the White House official said in a statement.

Senate Republicans earlier this month walked away from the bipartisan border deal they brokered with the White House, following Trumps objection to the plan that would drastically overhaul U.S. immigration law. House Republicans also insisted they would not take up the Senate package.

As the Biden administration deals with the largest number of migrant encounters at the southern border in more than 20 years, Trumps campaign platform aims to stoke fears surrounding immigration  as he previously did for his 2016 presidential campaign.

The visit follows House Republicans impeachment, on a second try, of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, over the GOPs opposition to Biden administration immigration policies.

More than 300 miles away from Biden, Trump will visit Eagle Pass, Texas, which CNN first reported, on Thursday, following his GOP primary win in South Carolina last weekend.

He is also expected to win Michigans presidential primary on Tuesday.

Biden is also planning to meet with congressional leaders Tuesday about passing the global securities supplemental package to unlock aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and avoid a partial government shutdown Friday, according to the White House.

Those leaders hell meet with at the White House include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana.

This will be Bidens second trip to the southern border. His first visit to the border was in January 2023.

The post Biden and Trump both heading to the southern border on Thursday appeared first on Daily Montanan.
President Joe Biden is expected to visit Brownsville, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday. In this photo, migrants cross the Matamoros-Brownsville International Bridge into the United States after obtaining an appointment to legally enter the country on May 12, 2023. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Quality Journalism for Critical Times

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden will visit the southern border in Texas on Thursday, according to a White House official, the same day as the GOP presidential front-runner, Donald Trump.

Their visits are a sign of the importance the immigration issue has assumed in whats expected to be a 2024 rematch in November between Biden and Trump.

During the trip to Brownsville, Texas, Biden will meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement and local leaders to discuss the urgent need to pass the Senate bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border in decades, according to a White House official speaking on background.

He will reiterate his calls for Congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional U.S. Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more, the White House official said in a statement.

Senate Republicans earlier this month walked away from the bipartisan border deal they brokered with the White House, following Trumps objection to the plan that would drastically overhaul U.S. immigration law. House Republicans also insisted they would not take up the Senate package.

As the Biden administration deals with the largest number of migrant encounters at the southern border in more than 20 years, Trumps campaign platform aims to stoke fears surrounding immigration  as he previously did for his 2016 presidential campaign.

The visit follows House Republicans impeachment, on a second try, of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, over the GOPs opposition to Biden administration immigration policies.

More than 300 miles away from Biden, Trump will visit Eagle Pass, Texas, which CNN first reported, on Thursday, following his GOP primary win in South Carolina last weekend.

He is also expected to win Michigans presidential primary on Tuesday.

Biden is also planning to meet with congressional leaders Tuesday about passing the global securities supplemental package to unlock aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and avoid a partial government shutdown Friday, according to the White House.

Those leaders hell meet with at the White House include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana.

This will be Bidens second trip to the southern border. His first visit to the border was in January 2023.

The post Biden and Trump both heading to the southern border on Thursday appeared first on Florida Phoenix.
President Joe Biden is expected to visit Brownsville, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday. In this photo, migrants cross the Matamoros-Brownsville International Bridge into the United States after obtaining an appointment to legally enter the country on May 12, 2023. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden will visit the southern border in Texas on Thursday, according to a White House official, the same day as the GOP presidential front-runner, Donald Trump.

Their visits are a sign of the importance the immigration issue has assumed in whats expected to be a 2024 rematch in November between Biden and Trump.

During the trip to Brownsville, Texas, Biden will meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement and local leaders to discuss the urgent need to pass the Senate bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border in decades, according to a White House official speaking on background.

He will reiterate his calls for Congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional U.S. Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more, the White House official said in a statement.

Senate Republicans earlier this month walked away from the bipartisan border deal they brokered with the White House, following Trumps objection to the plan that would drastically overhaul U.S. immigration law. House Republicans also insisted they would not take up the Senate package.

As the Biden administration deals with the largest number of migrant encounters at the southern border in more than 20 years, Trumps campaign platform aims to stoke fears surrounding immigration  as he previously did for his 2016 presidential campaign.

The visit follows House Republicans impeachment, on a second try, of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, over the GOPs opposition to Biden administration immigration policies.

More than 300 miles away from Biden, Trump will visit Eagle Pass, Texas, which CNN first reported, on Thursday, following his GOP primary win in South Carolina last weekend.

He is also expected to win Michigans presidential primary on Tuesday.

Biden is also planning to meet with congressional leaders Tuesday about passing the global securities supplemental package to unlock aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and avoid a partial government shutdown Friday, according to the White House.

Those leaders hell meet with at the White House include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana.

This will be Bidens second trip to the southern border. His first visit to the border was in January 2023.

The post Biden and Trump both heading to the southern border on Thursday appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
migrants cross the Matamoros-Brownsville International Bridge into the United States after obtaining an appointment to legally enter the country

President Joe Biden is expected to visit Brownsville, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday. In this photo, migrants cross the Matamoros-Brownsville International Bridge into the United States after obtaining an appointment to legally enter the country on May 12, 2023. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden will visit the southern border in Texas on Thursday, according to a White House official, the same day as the GOP presidential front-runner, Donald Trump.

Their visits are a sign of the importance the immigration issue has assumed in whats expected to be a 2024 rematch in November between Biden and Trump.

During the trip to Brownsville, Texas, Biden will meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement and local leaders to discuss the urgent need to pass the Senate bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border in decades, according to a White House official speaking on background.

He will reiterate his calls for Congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional U.S. Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more, the White House official said in a statement.

Senate Republicans earlier this month walked away from the bipartisan border deal they brokered with the White House, following Trumps objection to the plan that would drastically overhaul U.S. immigration law. House Republicans also insisted they would not take up the Senate package.

As the Biden administration deals with the largest number of migrant encounters at the southern border in more than 20 years, Trumps campaign platform aims to stoke fears surrounding immigration  as he previously did for his 2016 presidential campaign.

The visit follows House Republicans impeachment, on a second try, of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, over the GOPs opposition to Biden administration immigration policies.

More than 300 miles away from Biden, Trump will visit Eagle Pass, Texas, which CNN first reported, on Thursday, following his GOP primary win in South Carolina last weekend.

He is also expected to win Michigans presidential primary on Tuesday.

Biden is also planning to meet with congressional leaders Tuesday about passing the global securities supplemental package to unlock aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and avoid a partial government shutdown Friday, according to the White House.

Those leaders hell meet with at the White House include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana.

This will be Bidens second trip to the southern border. His first visit to the border was in January 2023.

The post Biden and Trump both heading to the southern border on Thursday appeared first on Idaho Capital Sun.
Joe Biden and Donald Trump are both set to visit the southern border on Thursday, following the breakdown of congressional talks on immigration after the former president indicated his dislike of the proposed legislation.

A White House official said Mr Biden would visit the border community of Brownsville, Texas to meet with US Border Patrol agents, law enforcement officials and local leaders and discuss the urgent need for Congress to enact the bipartisan border security and foreign aid funding bill negotiated by Senators Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz), James Lankford (R-Olka) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn), calling that compromise bill the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border in decades.

He will reiterate his calls for congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional US Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more, the official added.

Mr Trump will visit the border more than 300 miles away from where his successor  and likely 2024 election opponent  will be. According to CNN, the former president is set to speak in Eagle Pass, Texas, a location where migrants frequently are filmed crossing into the US to claim asylum.

Mr Bidens visit comes just over a year after a January 2023 visit that was his first trip to the border as president, and it represents a deliberate effort by the president to lay record crossings by migrants at the feet of Mr Trump, who personally intervened to prevent GOP senators from approving the compromise bill because doing so would prevent him from attacking the 46th president for allowing too many nonwhite asylum seekers into the country.

US President Joe Biden walks along the US-Mexico border fence in El Paso, Texas, on 8 January 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

Republicans, particularly Mr Trump, have long used immigration as a cudgel to attack the Biden administration  even going so far as to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas, homeland security secretary, by the smallest of margins in the House  214-213.

After Mr Trump came out against the bipartisan package, Senate Republicans voted to block consideration of it. They defended the move by arguing that Mr Biden has the executive power needed to take action on the migrant crisis, even as they have long called for Congress to hand presidents more executive authority to do the things they have demanded.

The Biden administration is evaluating putting in place measures to make it harder for migrants to pass the asylum screening process and speed up deportations of those who dont fulfil the requirements, NBC News reported last week.

Mr Trump continued using his staunch anti-immigration rhetoric during his meandering 90-minute speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, on Saturday.

The former president was speaking about his anti-Biden messaging efforts, saying that migrant crime is a new category of crime.

I wanted to call it Biden migrant crime [but that was] just too long, Mr Trump said on stage at CPAC. So we just call it migrant crime.

We have a new category of migrant crime, and its going to be more severe than violent crime and crime as we know it, he added. Because we have millions and millions of people and they came from prisons and jails. They came from mental institutions, and [were] insane.

So theyre not the same thing. An insane asylum is a mental institution on steroids. Its Silence of the Lambs. Okay, you know that Hannibal Lecter? Theyre all being deposited into our country, he claimed. And then you have terrorists and then you have drugs. And then you have human traffickers, and theyre coming over at levels never [seen] before.

Weve never seen anything like this. Three years ago, we had the safest and most secure border in US history, the former president said. We ended catch and release except when it was catch and release in Mexico. We had catch and release in our country. We built 571 miles of border wall  far more than I said I was going to build.

A study by Stanford economist Ran Abramitzky released last summer found that immigrants havent increased the crime rate in the last 140 years.

First-generation immigrants have not been more likely to be imprisoned than people born in the United States since 1880, Krysten Crawford at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research noted on 21 July 2023.

Today, immigrants are 30 per cent less likely to be incarcerated than are US-born individuals who are white, the study finds, she added at the time. And when the analysis is expanded to include Black Americans  whose prison rates are higher than the general population  the likelihood of an immigrant being incarcerated is 60 per cent lower than of people born in the United States.

From Henry Cabot Lodge in the late 19th century to Donald Trump, anti-immigration politicians have repeatedly tried to link immigrants to crime, but our research confirms that this is a myth and not based on fact, Mr Abramitzky wrote last year.
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Insights from The New York Times, Bloomberg, and Gallup

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U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will both travel to the United States border with Mexico on Thursday, underscoring the crucial role the record number of migrants crossing into the U.S. has come to play on the campaign trail.

In a rare visit to the southern border first reported by The New York Times, Biden plans to meet with U.S. Border patrol agents, law enforcement and community leaders in Brownsville, Texas, to discuss the challenges they face in dealing with migrant crossings and underscore need for a border deal. The president is expected to blame the migration crisis on House Republicans, who voted against a bipartisan package that would have enacted tough restrictions for those crossing.

Trump will visit Eagle Pass, 300 miles away, where he is believed to be planning a speech that will highlight the scale of the immigration crisis and place the blame squarely on Biden.

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Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

Biden considers executive order as immigration becomes a political albatross

Sources: The New York Times, Bloomberg, Gallup

Biden is considering executive action to prevent those who cross the border from claiming asylum, but is unlikely to unveil any new executive action on Thursday, The New York Times reported. The order Biden is mulling would reportedly block people who cross the southern border illegally from seeking asylum  but any such order would be almost certain to face legal challenges. Even so, it would allow Biden to tell voters that he has taken steps to deal with the border situation. Polls show that migration has become a serious political liability for Biden: According to one Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll from January, six in ten swing state voters said Biden bears at least some responsibility for the rise in border crossings, while Gallup found that his handling of immigration is the leading reason his detractors disapprove.

Migrant surge hits decade-long peak

Sources: CNN, NPR, BBC, Cato Institute

Migrant encounters at the United States southern border reached more than 225,000 in December, the highest monthly total for more than 20 years, but dipped sharply in January, which tends to be a slow month for migration because of the winter weather. The overall rise in migrant arrivals is fueled by pent-up demand after the pandemic, rising displacement in Central and South America, and a change in rhetoric and policy following the Trump presidency, the BBC reported. A strong U.S. labor market is also a factor, with large numbers of migrants traveling to the U.S. to take on work, an analysis by the Cato Institute argued.
President Joe Biden will make a rare visit to the U.S.-Mexico border Thursday, the same day former President Donald Trump is also expected to visit the southern border.

"Biden will travel to Brownsville, Texas to meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement officials and local leaders," the White House said in a statement.

"He will discuss the urgent need to pass the Senate bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border in decades," the statement said. "He will reiterate his calls for Congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional U.S. Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more."

politics political politician (Getty Images/AP)

Two sources familiar with Trump's planning told NBC News that he Trump will deliver remarks at Eagle Pass, Texas, which is about 330 miles from Biden's stop.

Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that the White House is sending Biden to the border because, she claimed, he's "losing terribly" in the 2024 race. "Bidens last-minute, insincere attempt to chase President Trump to the border wont cut it," she said.

Commenting on his plans after a campaign meeting in New York on Monday, Biden told reporters, Ive been planning on going Thursday.

What I didnt know is my good friend is apparently going, he added, referring to Trump.

Biden declined to comment when asked whether he would be meeting with migrants during the trip.

Biden last visited the border in January 2023, which was his first trip there as president.

His rare visit to the southern border comes as Trump and Republicans continue to attack his administration's handling of migrants crossing into the U.S.

Immigration is certain to be a key issue in the general election cycle as GOP candidates ramp up those attacks on the president and Democrats, while Biden has scolded Republicans for failing to take legislative action to address the influx of migrants.

An NBC News poll from January found that 57% of registered voters said Trump would handle securing the border better, while 22% said the same for Biden. The same poll found that 48% of people said they would trust Biden to treat immigrants humanely, while 31% said the same of Trump.

Earlier this month, Senate Republicans killed a bipartisan border security and foreign aid bill whose key negotiator was Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla. Republicans ultimately decided to sink the legislation after some urging by Trump.

And as Senate Republicans dashed any hopes for meaningful congressional action to improve the situation at the border, the GOP-controlled House narrowly impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for his handling of the border in a 214-213 vote.

For their part, many Republicans have argued that Biden has executive authority to address the migrant crisis using executive authority.

Last week, NBC News reported that the administration is considering taking unilateral action that would make it more difficult for migrants to pass the initial screening process for asylum at the southern border and would quickly deport migrants who recently came to the U.S. who dont meet the criteria.

Although Trump's administration enforced several strict immigration policies, including using Title 42 to expel more migrants, some of the highest border crossing numbers in years were recorded during his presidency.

In 2019, for example, border crossings by undocumented migrants hit a 12-year high, the Department of Homeland Security said at the time.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
President Biden is set to visit the southern border on Thursday  the same day former President Trump is also scheduled to go.

Biden is expected to travel to Brownsville, Texas, to meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement and local leaders, according to a White House official.

That same day, Trump is to deliver remarks in Eagle Pass, Texas, Fox News previously confirmed.

Brownsville and Eagle Pass are about 325 miles, or about a five-hour, 20-minute drive, apart.

7.2M ILLEGALS ENTERED US UNDER BIDEN ADMIN, AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN POPULATION OF 36 STATES

President Biden and former President Trump are both expected to make separate visits to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas on Thursday.

Biden is expected to use his trip to talk about the importance of passing the Senate's bipartisan border security agreement, the White House official said, adding that the president will "reiterate his calls for Congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional U.S. Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more."

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According to a Fox News analysis published last week, nearly 7.3 million migrants are known to have illegally crossed the southwest border since Biden took office.

This map shows the locations where President Biden and former President Trump are expected to visit the border on Feb. 29, 2024.

That number is greater than the population of 36 individual states. It comes from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which has already reported 961,537 border encounters in the current fiscal year, which runs from October through September. If the current pace of illegal immigration does not slow down, fiscal 2024 will break last year's record of 2,475,669 southwest border encounters  a number that by itself exceeds the population of New Mexico, a border state.

The total number of southwest land border encounters since Biden assumed office in 2021 is 7,298,486, CBP data shows.

National Guard soldiers and a Texas DPS trooper guard the entrance to Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Feb. 3, 2024.

Eagle Pass has been the center of an ongoing conflict and court battle between Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the Biden administration.

BORDER PATROL UNION RIPS BIDEN OVER BORDER CRISIS: YOU OWN THIS CATASTROPHIC DISASTER

The Justice Department last month asked the Supreme Court to order Texas to allow Border Patrol agents back into Shelby Park in Eagle Pass. Texas National Guard troops blocked federal agents from entering the park and have erected razor wire and shipping containers to discourage migrants from illegally crossing the border there.

Eagle Pass police barricaded streets leading to Shelby Park on Feb. 4, 2024, after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state National Guard troops not to allow federal Border Patrol agents complete access into the area.

Amid the standoff, the Department of Homeland Security has written to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton demanding full access to the park, especially in emergency scenarios.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection sources told Fox News this month that the majority of illegal crossings are shifting from Texas to Arizona and California, where there is less deterrence.

Fox News' Kellianne Jones, Bill Melugin and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This report has been updated with a map clarifying Biden's and Trump's travel.





Original article source: Biden, Trump to make US-Mexico border stops Thursday as migrant crisis roils election
President Joe Biden is set to make a rare trip to the US-Mexico border on Thursday, setting up a split screen with 2024 rival former President Donald Trump, who has made Bidens handling of illegal immigration a centerpiece of his reelection effort.

Trump is expected to give remarks at Eagle Pass on Thursday, according to a source familiar with his plans.

During his visit, Biden is expected to meet with US Border Patrol agents, law enforcement and local leaders in Brownsville to discuss the need for a border agreement, according to a White House official. Brownsville and Eagle Pass are about 300 miles apart.

Bidens visit comes as he considers sweeping executive action to restrict migrants ability to seek asylum at the US southern border if they crossed illegally. Biden has repeatedly lambasted congressional Republicans for failing to pass a bipartisan compromise spending package that included significant concessions on border policy as he tries to flip the script on the GOP, which has slammed Biden over the border throughout his presidency  including impeaching his Homeland Security secretary over his handling of the border.

The failure of the package came in large part due to opposition from Trump, who hopes to wield the border as a political cudgel against Biden.

The New York Times was first to report on Bidens visit.

White House officials reached out over the weekend to Texas lawmakers and officials who oversee border towns ahead of Bidens visit.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett told CNN the Texas congressional delegation is aware of the presidents trip to the border, but said there were no immediate plans for members to join Biden as lawmakers return to Capitol Hill this week to try to avert a government shutdown.

Since last month, a group of Texas mayors have repeatedly called on Biden to visit the southern border and have called on Congress to pass the national security supplemental package that would provide funding to address some of the concerns along the southern border.

Migrants walk along razor wire after crossing the Rio Grande into the United States on January 8 in Eagle Pass, Texas. - John Moore/Getty Images

White House officials have been having ongoing conversations with local Texas officials for several weeks about issues arising at the southern border.

Biden has previously visited the border once as president, traveling to El Paso, Texas, in January 2023, where he visited a migrant respite center but did not appear to see or meet with migrants.

In a statement responding to news of Bidens planned visit, Trumps campaign said Biden has had three years to visit the border and fix the crisis he created.

Now Bidens handlers are sending him there on the same day as President Trumps publicly reported trip, not because they actually want to solve the problem, but because they know Biden is losing terribly, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said.

Trump repeatedly made border visits during his time as president  and since. During an event near the Texas-Mexico border in November, Trump escalated his anti-immigration rhetoric and received the endorsement of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has taken his own steps to undermine Bidens authority on border policy.

Trump, who has said that undocumented immigrants are poisoning the blood of the United States, has vowed to conduct the largest domestic deportation operation in American history if he wins the White House in November.

Hes planning for a widespread expansion of his administrations immigration policies that would restrict both legal and illegal immigration. The plans include rounding up undocumented immigrations and placing them in detention camps to await deportation.

Bidens campaign called Trumps proposed policies un-American, inhumane and draconian.

But the executive actions Biden is considering have drawn some comparisons to controversial measures Trump took while in office. Hoping to spur passage of the failed immigration bill, Biden said earlier this month he would be open to the idea of shutting down the border.

The Biden administration has taken other steps to try to tighten asylum at the US-Mexico border. Last year, the administration released a regulation that largely barred migrants who traveled through other countries on their way to the US southern border from applying for asylum in the United States  marking a departure from decades-long protocol.

CNNs Kate Sullivan and Camila DeChalus contributed to this report.

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Immigration is a major challenge for US President Joe Biden, seen here arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York (Jim WATSON)

President Joe Biden and Donald Trump will both visit the US-Mexico border on Thursday in a high-profile clash of schedules as they vie to win over voters on immigration -- one of the hottest issues in the 2024 election.

With record numbers of migrants crossing into the United States, Biden has sought to defuse a major threat to his reelection campaign by blaming Congress for failing to back his reforms.

For Trump, a hard anti-immigration stance has been central to his political identity for years, and he has repeatedly vowed to crack down on crossings from Mexico as he seeks a return to the White House.

The rivals are set to visit different parts of the border in Texas on Thursday, setting up a notable split-screen moment less than eight months before Americans go to the polls.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment after Trump officials claimed without evidence that Biden had hurriedly planned his trip after Trump's visit was announced.

"I don't have a reaction to the former president, I am not going to speak to his schedule," Jean-Pierre said, adding that Biden would meet with border patrol agents, law enforcement and local leaders in Brownsville, Texas.

"He will reiterate his calls for congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional US Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more," she said.

During a visit to an ice cream shop in New York Monday, Biden also indicated he wasn't aware of his likely opponent's travel plans ahead of time.

"I planned (the Texas trip) for Thursday, what I didn't know was that my good friend apparently is going," he told reporters in an apparent reference to Trump.

- Two border towns, one day -

Nor did Biden say whether he would meet with migrants, after criticism that he did not do so on a previous visit.

"I'm not going to announce ahead of time," he said in New York.

Trump, who will head to Eagle Pass, about 300 miles (480 kilometers) to the west of Brownsville, unleashed a fresh social media outburst over migration.

"Vicious gangs and gang members are pouring into our country from South America, and from all over the world... deposited into the Good Ole' USA by the tens of thousands" Trump said. "Biden will never be able to handle it."

A Trump spokesman said that "Biden chasing us to the border on the same day shows just how big of a problem this is for him."

Republicans blame Biden's policies favoring the right to asylum for the flow of migrants, while the White House says that Trump's party is deliberately sabotaging a bipartisan attempt to find a solution.

The latest bill, which has stalled in the Senate after the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives pledged to torpedo it, would be "the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border in decades," Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One as Biden headed to New York for a campaign event.

Public concern about illegal immigration is higher under Biden than it was under the last two administrations, according to a new poll.

It said a majority of Americans now support building a border wall -- a flagship Trump policy -- for the first time since Monmouth started asking the question in 2015.

"Illegal immigration has taken center stage as a defining issue this presidential election year," said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.

"Other Monmouth polling found this to be Bidens weakest policy area, including among his fellow Democrats."

bur-bgs/caw/dw
The waters in and around the United States have had a long history of claiming Black life since the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Along the Kansas and Missouri border, a small, unassuming creek is a part of this lineage, researchers say.

For years, Johnson County, Kansas, residents believed the Big Negro Creek that cut through their home was named for less depraved reasons  maybe for its dark, muddy waters, or in hope, some were sure it was named in honor of it being part of an Underground Railroad route.

But in 2021, after a year-long archival research project, it was discovered that the creek was most likely named after a Black man who died in the waters during an attempt to escape his enslavers.

Across the country, there are still hundreds of landmarks with the phrase negro still included in their name, begging the question of how many more similar stories dot those landmarks.

Its shocking that we still have things named after those atrocities, said Patrick Wotruba, an activist working to rename the creek. To this day, the area bears the remnants of slavery; racism is escalated here, he said, as efforts to address racial inequality in the area have been continuously culled since 2020.

A growing coalition of Black and Indigenous activists are revitalizing the push to rename racist landmarks in the hopes of connecting the long-shared experiences of Indigenous and formerly enslaved African people.

Yet, at the same time, the movement has highlighted generational differences among Black social justice groups.

The impacts of something as seemingly subtle as landmark names are long-lasting. Studies have shown that being surrounded by racist iconography has direct effects on the physical and mental health of both adults and children.

Its why, in recent months, a movement to rename such sites has united Black and Indigenous activism to combat this lingering form of racism.

With all that is taking place in the world at this time, it is of the utmost importance to return to this ancestral practice to find grounding and resolution, said Nadia Brewer, an Afro-Indigenous activist who works with the Native American nonprofit Lakota Peoples Law Project, about the need for solidarity to find common ground.

When former U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland stepped into the role of secretary of the interior as the first ever Indigenous person to hold a Cabinet secretary position, she brought with her the most concerted effort to eliminate racist names from landmarks across the country. Over the past three years, roughly 650 derogatory names have been removed from public lands, with an emphasis on replacing names connected with the long-standing violence against Native Americans.

But as Haalands initial task force focused on the 650 sites comes to a close, national attention to the movement is waning. Yet, Black Lives Matter Greater NY has joined the Lakota Peoples Law Project in pushing for the U.S. Department of the Interior to emphasize renaming anti-Black landmarks.

In a nation plagued by poverty, injustice, and hopelessness, changing racist location names is a simple fix, said Chivona Newsome, co-founder of the BLM chapter.

Read More: Activist Recounts the Forgotten History of Black-Native Solidarity

The work has illuminated questions among Black activists around ranking priorities related to racist rhetoric versus structural racism, and how impactful solidarity and connection-building are for Black Americans.

For some Black activists, there is the belief that attention should instead be focused wholly on defeating structural racism. In contrast, others argue that the names of these landmarks are direct products of structural racism.

In Johnson County, the debate around renaming the creek led to such a contentious junction that the local chapter of the NAACP split into two.

The division, its nothing shocking, said Wotruba, who organizes with the social justice organization The Miller Dream. We saw it during the [2020 Black Lives Matter] protests. Its like the debate around defunding or reforming the police. Some people are OK with the status quo, others are radical, and some just dont like the approaches offered.

But for Jay Holbert, president of the Johnson County NAACP, maintaining the creeks name is the first step in addressing its history.

The state that we are in now, we have people trying to erase our history  not only ours but Indigenous peoples. Theyre trying to wipe out history and make another race look predominantly happy, like they didnt do any wrong. Thats not right, said Holbert in 2023.

History should be history. You cant learn if you dont know the truth, he added.

Following the countys NAACP chapter supporting maintaining the creeks name, local government efforts to rename the creek have effectively died. However, it remains on the top of the list for the coalition of Black and Indigenous activists. Other sites of focus include Darky Knob in Kentucky and Pickaninny Buttes in California.

In San Bernardino County, California, which has a long history of racism and police brutality, Pickaninny Buttes was likely named because Black Americans attempted to build a settlement there in the early 20th century. While the charge to rename the site has existed for at least a decade, it has not picked up steam in the county, which is just 7% Black.

About 350 miles northeast of Johnson County, a community in central Illinois recently renamed a body of water once known as Big Negro Creek. It was named after the areas first Black settler, who built a cabin in 1829 at the creek mouth on the Illinois River in DePue, but after years of protest, supported by the areas NAACP, it has now been renamed Adams Creek, the last name of the man. His first name is unknown.

Black residents around the Illinois creek have publicly rejoiced at the name change, invoking memories of when older residents would openly refer to the creek as N-word Creek and when children would use the same creek-related slur on the schoolyard.

Examples like this explain the ongoing effort to get these landmarks renamed. The power of naming creates realities, creates dynamics between the oppressed and the oppressor, the colonizer and the colonized, said Lakota Peoples Law Project Director Chase Iron Eyes. How can we, in good conscience, let these names exist in 2024?

If you want to honor the history behind certain locations, Iron Eyes said, Get specific and name it after the actual person or family. A place name thats specific and intentional does more to honor history and encourages an attitude of respect. Being mindful of this makes a difference in how the next generation thinks and navigates the world.

If you live near a site with a racist or offensive name, you can take action here.

The post Black and Indigenous Activists Unite to Eradicate Racist Landmarks appeared first on Capital B News.
A quiet panic started happening sometime last summer in the world of science. The root of the issue began long before that, but by October 2023 it could no longer be ignored: People dont really trust science anymore. More specifically, a growing chunk of Americans who lived through the peak global impact of COVID-19 now steeply distrust western medical sciences, including (you guessed it) public health institutions focused on epidemiology and pharmacology. Thats as dangerous for peoples daily lives as it is for any future public investments toward critical research.

And if you attend any of the major science conferences this year, youre likely to see at least one panel of predominantly white, male big-wigs nervously wringing their hands over what to do about it all. Youll probably hear them point to a few unsurprising culprits behind the credibility gap which, to be certain, do have a heavy hand in it: intentional political disinformation campaigns and infodemics, predominantly Republican anti-science stump speeches, private companies angling to profit off the fearful and uninformed and sensationalized headlines that get the story wrong.

Sure, those things all need fixing and the problem isnt single-faceted. But theres one culprit missing here that isnt talked about enough, and I hope theyll address it first. It's the biggest problem I can see from my crows nest view as a professional info-intermediary in the science-to-public pipeline. Its also the easiest problem to solve, with the highest likelihood of improving outcomes for all other proposed solutions: Put more Black women in charge. Now.

The lack of Black women in positions of leadership and executive authority  across all scientific and science communications fields  is the biggest hole in the metaphorical credibility bucket. Public health organizations and journalism outlets cant ask the world to believe that theyre producing objective science and fair journalism when they cant even accomplish objective and fair hiring. Likewise, you cant ask the world to believe this trust problem is simply manufactured by evil political forces outside of their white-led institutions when anyone can see that internal political ideology (or just plain white laziness) is encouraging rightful distrust among those who may otherwise politically champion both science and journalism.

So white-dominant organizations and media outlets want to restore wider public trust in science? Good. To them I say: The call is coming from inside the house. If you would clean up the world, sweep your own doorstep first. Stop worrying about what Fox News is doing and what their Twitter devotees believe. Thats a red herring designed to make you waste money and time playing Whac-a-Mole against bad-faith spin doctors. All because you think you can persuade right-wing ideologues and their fanclubs to believe in scientific and journalistic facts  by presenting them with more facts.

Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter Lab Notes.

Well, honey, let me tell you a little secret: That audience is not persuaded by facts, but by feelings. And their feelings are so easy to manipulate that if I wanted to cause a five-alarm riot during family dinner, all Id have to do is pay a couple GOP operatives to go on a 7 oclock Fox broadcast and say masks are the AR-15s in the Republican war on COVID, and Jesus died for my American right to bear them arms in Wal-Mart.

The people you can persuade with facts are already on the side of science and journalism, and they are not impressed with your racial methodology. Just look at the findings from Pew Research in 2023:

Just 14% of Black Americans are highly confident that Black people will be covered fairly in their lifetimes, saying that is extremely or very likely to happen. Far more (38%) think that is not too likely or not at all likely to happen, while an additional 40% say it is somewhat likely ... a lack of Black staff at the news outlet (36%) are major reasons for racist or racially insensitive coverage.

About a quarter of Black Americans (24%) say they extremely or fairly often get news from Black news outlets Pew said in its 2024 analysis. Another 40% of Black adults say they sometimes get news from such outlets.

40% of Black people surveyed also told Pew that its crucial for race-related news to come from a Black writer.

Similarly, just 15% of Black Americans say that whether a journalist is Black is extremely or very important to deciding if a news story in general is trustworthy, the report said. Substantial shares also say hiring more Black people as newsroom leaders (53%) and as journalists (44%) at news outlets would be highly effective.

And how are we doing on the hiring numbers? Black women are only seeing rare wins in science journalism. We have to do better. Newslab has been tracking the stats:

A 2018 survey by the American Society of News Editors found only 7.19% of full-time newsroom employees were Black. Only about 20% of those Black employees were in leadership positions, and there is no data on how many of those leaders are Black women.

No data? In 2018? Incorrect. In an archived copy of that 2018 survey, you can see Black women account for only 3.45% of that 7.19% number above. And a table labeled whites and minority percentages among newsroom leaders reports that Black women held only 3.13% of leadership roles in 2018 and 2.16% in 2017. Are we surprised that news and information patterns among Black families during peak COVID-19 had such wide diversion from those of white families? We shouldnt be.

So forget Fox. Start worrying about whether your hiring process and workplace structure is engineered to attract the best talent from anywhere  or whether it's designed to only attract the best talent you can find in a teensy pool of applicants who meet demographically isolated class criteria, and thus almost always end up being as white as a Boston cop.

Inequality belongs as a subject within science and for science journalists to cover, said Pulitzer Center grantee Amy Maxmen in 2022.

Its often about geopolitics and economics and history and culture  more than science as you might have had it in a classroom, she said. But if you believe that the point of science is progress, which is what I believe, then theres not going to be progress if the fruits of science arent widely distributed to people.

Meanwhile, as Sydette Harry wrote for Wired in 2021, marginalized young journalists, specifically young Black women, are barely quoted anywhere in the media, even as they are pushed out of newsrooms at an alarming rate  From ethics in AI to abuse on social media, the reality is that none of this can continue without looking at the entire bedrock of not just tech, but those who charged themselves with covering it and the world it is in.

Thats because science and journalism both have the same Achilles heel  a claim to be rooted in seeking objective truth, but then not being objective about who decides whats true.

Science has not simply been a bystander to racial violence, but has, in many ways, created the alibi, said Princeton sociologist Ruha Benjamin in 2020, pointing out how the person completing George Floyds preliminary autopsy report said he died of underlying conditions, rather than being killed by officer Derek Chauvin.

The global priority of all science and science journalism right now is (or should be) climate change and its effective coverage. Black women are more impacted by the climate-related fallout in this country than perhaps any other group  because, as we all know, climate-related fallout is either currently hitting, or predicted to hit, every single aspect of our daily lives in one form or another. And thus the groups who already have the short end of the stick right now are bound to feel that fallout first and worst.

In 2018, Talia Buford talked about how ProPublica came at this issue and why we have to keep at it.

When we began our environmental coverage as an industry, people werent the focus. We talked about acid rain and the hole in the ozone and whats happening to polar bears, as opposed to the impact on poor or vulnerable communities. Having a different perspective in the newsroom is important because it reminds you that there are different ways to look at stories. Having people of color in the newsroom is important because it changes the conversation, she said. I think that Black reporters and, really, reporters of color, are more well-versed in intersectionality and the idea that nothing happens in a vacuum. Were able to draw from our own experiences  or at least things weve heard of and understand from our communities  to piece together what the different implications could be in a way that may not be apparent to other reporters.

Enough with the infodemic hand-wringing. Enough with the political fretting. First, do the work that needs done for better science and better journalism: Center Black women in science leadership and communication  or nothing else will matter.

An earlier version of this article originally appeared in Salon's Lab Notes, a weekly newsletter from our Science & Health team.
U.S. President Joe Biden will meet with Congressional leadership, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, at the White House on Feb. 27 to discuss a funding bill for Ukraines security needs, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 25.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Senate passed a $95 billion security package that included $60 billion in aid for Ukraine. The bill now faces an uphill battle in the Republican-led House of Representatives. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to put it to a vote in the House, instead declaring recess until the end of February.

The White House released a weekly schedule late Sunday night which included a Feb. 27 meeting with Congressional leadership. According to Bloomberg, President Biden and members of Congress "will discuss the urgency of passing the bipartisan national security supplemental and keeping the government open.

Johnson's office later confirmed to Bloomberg that he will be attending the meeting with President Biden. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will also be attending the meeting.

Previous reports have suggested that Speaker Johnson had wanted an in-person, one-on-one meeting with Biden before he took any action on the funding bill.

Johnson reportedly requested personal meetings with Biden several times in recent weeks, which Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise claimed the president has "refused."

Delays in U.S. aid have already had an impact on the ground in Ukraine. The loss of Avdiivka, a Donetsk Oblast city that has faced Russian attacks since 2014, was linked to shortages in artillery shells and other supplies provided by the West.

Read also: Opinion: As an American in Avdiivka, what is Congress doing?

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The New York State Attorney General's Office has released body-worn camera footage from the fatal police shooting of an East Bloomfield teenager last fall. New York State Police Trooper Adam Latulipe shot and killed an unidentified 17-year-old male outside of a home on State Route 64 on Nov. 15.

State police said the teen charged at a trooper with a knife in hand before the trooper shot him.

The video footage does not show the boy within arm's length of the trooper when the officer shot him. They had been in a tussle but then had separated several feet apart.

The body-worn camera footage released by the AG's Office was edited to conceal the teenager's identity.

Latulipe is working his regular patrol assignment while the AG's Office investigates the fatal shooting, NYSP confirmed.

What does the body-worn camera footage show?

The video starts with Latulipe telling someone at the East Bloomfield residence that NYSP got a tip that someone at the home was "not doing too well." He asks to speak to the teenager, who joins him on the porch of the home.

Latulipe quickly tells the boy to take his right hand out of his jacket pocket. The teen then pulls out an object  which state police said was a knife.

The pair appear to tussle and fall to the ground next to the home. After they separate, the video then shows the boy running toward the trooper, and you can hear at least six shots fired. At least one struck the teen fatally.

The time from when the teenager stepped onto the porch to when the last shot was fired was less than 18 seconds.

Body-worn camera footage shows a 17-year-old male pulled an object from his pocket seconds before he was shot and killed by New York State Police Trooper Adam Latulipe on Nov. 15, 2023. State police said the object was a knife and that the teenager charged the officer before he was shot.

Immediately following the shooting, an adult emerged from the home and asked the trooper three times what he shot the boy with.

The trooper kept his gun pointed at the teen. "He tried to stab me," the cop told them.

The family member then asked if an ambulance was needed, which prompted the trooper to call for EMS on his police radio. This was nearly 30 seconds after the last shot was fired.

The video, which lasts 2 minutes and 21 seconds, does not show any life-saving measures by police or EMS.

At the time of the shooting, NYSP said they were investigating an anonymous tip received by the Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Services that alleged someone at the residence was talking about killing someone.

Greater Rochester area police shootings

In 2023, police in the Greater Rochester area fatally shot five people  making up one-fifth of all police killings statewide last year.

 Kayla Canne reports on community justice and safety efforts for the Democrat and Chronicle. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com or on Twitter @kaylacanne.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Body cam footage released in fatal police shooting of Bloomfield teen
A US-appointed panel said Boeing's safety reporting measures following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 have fallen short (Jason Redmond)

Boeing employees are confused and distrustful of changes to safety reporting systems implemented by the aerospace giant after fatal plane crashes in 2018 and 2019, according to a US report released Monday.

The report pointed to a "disconnect" between senior company management and other Boeing employees and skepticism that safety complaints by workers would not result in retaliation, according to an expert panel appointed by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

"The procedures and training are complex and in a constant state of change, creating employee confusion especially among different work sites and employee groups," said an executive summary.

The analysis comes as Boeing faces intensified scrutiny following a January 5 Alaska Airlines emergency landing that led to a temporary grounding of some Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

The US Congress ordered the analysis in a 2020 law after fatal Lion Air and Ethiopian Airline crashes on 737 MAX planes. The report's scope did not include the Alaska Airlines incident, although the summary alluded to "serious quality issues" that surfaced during the report that "amplified" the panel's concerns.

The analysis identified 27 points of concern and offered 53 recommendations, including steps to standardize safety training, enhance transparency in the handling of employee complaints and improve systems to grant pilots more influence on safety and training matters.

The FAA plans to "immediately" undertake a review to determine next steps, the agency said.

"We will continue to hold Boeing to the highest standard of safety and will work to ensure the company comprehensively addresses these recommendations," the FAA said.

Boeing thanked the panel and said it will "carefully review the panel's assessment and learn from their findings," according to a company statement.

"We've taken important steps to foster a safety culture that empowers and encourages all employees to share their voice," Boeing said. " But there is more work to do."

The report summarized Boeing safety initiatives after the fatal crashes, such as the "Speak Up" portal, an online system for employees to confidentially report concerns about production quality, safety or business ethics.

But employees interviewed for the FAA report expressed "distrust in the anonymity of the Speak Up program," according to the write-up, which said employees prefer to discuss concerns directly with their managers.

"Employees did not understand how to utilize the different reporting systems, which reporting system to use and when," said the FAA.

"The expert panel is concerned that this confusion about reporting systems may discourage employees from submitting safety concerns."

jmb/caw
An Eagle family says theyve been discriminated against after being sued by their homeowners association over the businesses they run from home. The HOA has asked the court to stop the couple from operating their businesses at home and pay several thousand dollars in fines.

The homeowners association for Two Rivers, an upscale neighborhood near Eagle Road and State Street, wrote to the Idaho Statesman that Yuriy and Valentina Buchinskiys two businesses were disruptive and had negative effects on the neighborhood. But the Buchinskiys said theyve been singled out under a vague association rule that plenty of neighbors have violated for years. The Buchinskiys pointed out that dozens of other homeowners in the neighborhood, including the HOA president and several board members, also have businesses registered to their homes.

The Buchinskiys moved to the Two Rivers neighborhood in 2016. Business records showed the Ukrainian couple started their businesses, a cabinetry company and an alterations studio, in 2017 and 2018. In a phone interview, Yuriy Buchinskiy told the Statesman he goes to customers homes to discuss project plans, then completes paperwork and orders at his home. The cabinets are manufactured off-site and delivered to the customers, not the Buchinskiys home. Customers wanting clothing alterations drop off and pick up their items at the couples home.

Yuriy Buchinskiy told the Statesman disagreements began when a neighbor complained about vehicle traffic and parking at the Buchinskiys home in August 2022. Buchinskiy said he and his wife asked customers to park in their driveway instead of on the street and considered the matter resolved.

But in July 2023, Two Rivers HOA sent the Buchinskiys a letter informing them they were violating HOA rules with their businesses and would need to appear at an August meeting before the board. The letter, which the Statesman reviewed, pointed to a section of Two Rivers HOA contract that states no lot shall be used for the conduct of any trade, business or professional activity.

The Buchinskiys knew the rule  Yuriy Buchinskiy told the Statesman he and his wife were aware of it before starting their companies  but they believed it wasnt being enforced.

We knew many businesses were in subdivision, Buchinskiy said. (We believed) if businesses here exist, then we can do it. It looks like nobody follows the rules.

Numerous businesses registered in Two Rivers

The Buchinskiys registered their businesses with the state and got licenses through the city, according to records from the secretary of states office. They operated for several years before their neighbors complaints drew the attention of the HOA.

(We thought) we have government approval, there shouldnt be a problem, Buchinskiy said. Who has higher authority, the government or the HOA?

In a statement provided to the Statesman, the Two Rivers homeowners association said the complaint against the Buchinskiys alleged hundreds, if not thousands of cars visiting their home for business purposes  a claim the Buchinskiys deny. Buchinskiy told the Statesman some days no customers visit their home. The maximum in a day is around five or six customers for Valentinas alterations business, he said.

In a response letter to the HOAs July complaint, which the Statesman reviewed, the Buchinskiys defended their businesses and noted the presence of other businesses  they counted 95 of them  in the neighborhood. Buchinskiy said he also brought the issue up during a board meeting and noted board president Kevin Zasio and several other board members, including Eagle City Council Member Craig Kvamme, have businesses registered to their homes. Kvamme did not respond to a request for comment.

Business records showed Zasio has an investment company registered to his home address. Kvamme has five investment and development companies registered to his home. In an emailed statement, Zasio told the Statesman the company registered to his home doesnt conduct business in the neighborhood or the city.

All business of the company is conducted in its offices in a commercial building in downtown Boise, he said.

Other companies registered to homes in Two Rivers run the gamut, from real estate investment to fitness, baking and coffee companies.

Im doing my business exactly the same as others, Buchinskiy told the Statesman. I work from home from my computer.

Zasio said the Two Rivers covenants, conditions and restrictions dont prohibit businesses, just business activity.

The association told the Statesman it is disappointed that these homeowners continue to violate the neighborhoods covenants, despite having received numerous written warnings from the association. In its statement, the homeowners association said its covenants prohibit retail business activity in the neighborhood. The association declined to comment further on any distinctions between retail and other business types, citing the pending litigation.

The Buchinskiys lawyer moved to send the case to a jury trial. The next meeting in the case is scheduled for late March.
MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  A Madison County judge revoked bond for a man charged in connection to a chase where he fired at deputies last week.

Robert James Cameron Vanvoorhis was charged with attempted murder, attempting to elude a police officer, felon in possession of a gun and buying/receiving stolen property after Madison County Sheriffs deputies attempted to stop him on Feb. 21.

16-year-old charged for breaking into Priceville Elementary, driving school bus

Vanvoorhis had a bond revocation hearing on Feb. 23, and Madison County Circuit Judge Donna Pate ruled on Monday that his bond be revoked.

Court records show Vanvoorhis was indicted in January for third-degree escape, after he, escaped or attempted to escape from Madison County Community Corrections. A trial for that case is set for late April.

MCSO said the Feb. 21 chase began when deputies attempted to stop a vehicle with a switched tag near Kings Inn, south of Weatherly Road on South Memorial Parkway.

Chief Deputy Stacy Bates said shortly after the chase started, a shot was fired from the vehicle at a deputy.

Bates said that after about a 10-minute chase, both suspects  a man and a woman  bailed out of the vehicle near Hobbs Island Road. He added that about 30 minutes later, the man was taken into custody. About another 30 minutes passed before the woman was taken into custody.

Stay ahead of the biggest stories, breaking news and weather across North Alabama and southern Tennessee. Download the WHNT News 19 App and be sure to turn on push alerts.

Officials said no officers or deputies were injured in the incident. No shots were fired by law enforcement, Bates said.

A female who was also involved in the chase was not charged.

Vanvoorhis is set for a felon examination on March 6.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
Neil Cotillard said it was the storm caused a lot of damage at Bonne Nuit Harbour

A storm that lashed Jersey has caused tens of thousands of pounds of damage to a harbour, boat owners say.

Gusts of up to 60mph (96km/h) were reported by the Jersey Met Office on Monday.

Neil Cotillard, from the Bonne Nuit Boat Owners' Association, said the storm had caused "utter carnage", with five fishermen's huts ripped off their foundations.

The winds also forced the cancellation of a number of flights.

'Oppressive waves'

Mr Cotillard said it was not very often that people worried about the pier.

"We have seen the biggest storm come through in our worst direction for probably 25 years," he added

"During the winter, we strap the cabin cruisers to the bay - the waves have been coming over the pier and the weight of the water has snapped them off their blocks.

"Very rarely do we see this. The waves coming over were oppressive."

Neil Cotillard said the boats were snapped off their blocks

Mr Cotillard described this winter as the "worst" he remembers, adding it had not stopped raining since November.

He said the pier would be closed on Tuesday so the boats could be picked up by a crane and secured.

He said the huts had been there for "generations".

"You will see a big change down Bonne Nuit this summer, there will be a few big holes on the pier," he said.

"It will be fixed and looking good again."

Trees were brought down on Route Des Issues

Earlier, fights were cancelled and fallen trees closed roads due to severe gale force nine winds in Jersey.

Throughout the day there was built-up traffic caused by closed roads and diverted bus services.

The Government of Jersey asked islanders to "continue to take care" and leave more time for travelling due to debris on roads.

It said strong gale force winds from a north and north-easterly direction were "more unusual" for Jersey.

Follow BBC Jersey on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.
Ukrainian troops on the border with Moscow-controlled Transnistria region of Moldova are prepared for any Russia-inspired provocations, Ukraines Operational Command South spokesperson Nataliya Humenyuk said on Feb. 26.

According to Humenyuk, there is currently no substantial military threat from Transnistria.

Read also: Transnistria to ask Putin for annexation on February 28  opposition figure

We know their order of operations, troop movements, and essentially everything that's going on, right down to the combat training plan, said Humenyuk.

Read also: EU moves to prolong tariff-free trade with Ukraine and Moldova for another year

We are carefully monitoring what and when they are doing, and what they are preparing for.

She stated that the Ukrainian-Moldovan border, including the Transnistria section, is well-fortified.

Read also: Ukraine will help Moldova in case of escalation in Transnistria  diplomat

We can say that we will not allow any provocations at the border, Humenyuk concluded.

In February 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Ukrainian intelligence had intercepted a Russian plan to destabilize the political situation in Moldova.

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
I was born and raised in Miami. Here are the 9 biggest mistakes I see tourists make.

As a Miami local, I've seen some tourists repeat mistakes and overlook the best parts of the city.

I wish more visitors learned a few basic Spanish phrases so they could interact with more locals.

Peak season is a blast, but more people should consider coming during quieter months.

I've lived in Miami since I was born and still find new, exciting things to do here.

I've lived in Miami my entire life and am raising my kids here. Sally Espinosa

Being born and raised in Miami is a unique experience, as I was able to experience a lot of different cultures all at once.

I don't get to enjoy many tourist attractions these days, but I'm able to raise my family here while experiencing all the great things the city has to offer.

Miami is packed with fun things to do for people of all ages. Families can take advantage of warm beaches in Key Biscayne, night owls can party at hip nightclubs in South Beach, and adults can spend their evenings at upscale restaurants on Espanola Way.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid making in Miami to get the most out of your time here.

Some visitors don't attempt to speak or learn any Spanish even though it's many locals' native tongue.

I recommend stopping for a cafecito, which is a Cuban coffee, while you're in Miami. Sally Espinosa

Miami is famously a bilingual city, with Spanish and English being the primary languages.

Though English will get you where you need to go, knowing some Spanish can definitely help. Plus, Spanish-speaking locals will most likely appreciate your effort if you open a conversation in their native tongue.

So, when you go for your morning cafecito, or Cuban coffee, make sure to order a colada con mucha espumita, which is a Cuban-style espresso with a lot of foam. Trust me.

Miami has so many incredible Cuban joints, yet people insist on waiting to dine at Versailles Restaurant.

La Esquina de la Fama on Calle Ocho serves incredible Cuban food. Sally Espinosa

Many people know Versailles Restaurant as the place to go for Cuban food and coffee in Miami.

As a Miami native and a Latina of Cuban descent, I can wholeheartedly say Versailles isn't your only option.

There are countless Cuban cafes  called ventanitas, or windows  in Miami that serve cafecitos just as awesome as the ones I've had at Versailles, and these spots don't tend to have so many crowds.

Versailles' food isn't my favorite either. For delicious Cuban cuisine, I prefer Old's Havana Cuban Bar and Cocina on Calle Ocho, a legendary street in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood.

Many first-timers don't realize how many cuisines they can try here.

Espanola Way in South Beach is the perfect place to go on a night out. Sally Espinosa

Miami is a global city with residents from all over the world, and they've brought different cuisines with them.

Depending on your mood, you can choose between Nicaraguan, Peruvian, Mexican, Spanish, Colombian, and Argentine food. I could go on listing cuisines, and they're all delicious.

Espanola Way, which is located between 14th Street and 15th Street on South Beach, is a magical little street to visit for a fun night out. It has a ton of mind-blowing Spanish restaurants and bars with live flamenco performances on weekends.

Miami is a year-round destination, though many tourists come only during peak season.

You can catch rays and enjoy the beach year-round in Miami. Sally Espinosa

People flock to Miami for occasions like Art Basel and spring break, and both are fun. But if you want to see the city in all of its glory, visit during a less-popular time.

Peak season is November through March, but the weather is sunny pretty much year-round. So even if you come during a less popular time, you'll still probably be able to enjoy the warmth and sunshine.

Plus, you'll probably get better deals on hotels and airfare and avoid large crowds, which will make for better photos. You'll also be able to stroll on comparably empty sidewalks, snag a perfect spot on the sand, and enjoy amenities without such long waits.

Large crowds appeal to some, but Miami can also be a relaxing place to visit.

People get bogged down over South Beach hotels, but where you stay doesn't matter that much.

It's very easy to get around South Beach once you're there. Sally Espinosa

There are a bunch of hotels in South Beach, so don't worry if the one you want isn't available. If you're coming to this vibrant part of Miami, your hotel is mostly for sleeping and holding your valuables.

South Beach is only 17 blocks long and is pretty walkable, so you're not very limited by where you stay. You can also use trolleys, ride-hailing apps, and bikes to get around.

Some hotels are historic and have really cool amenities, but even if you aren't staying there, you can walk in, check out the space, and keep exploring.

For example, The Miami Beach Edition has an ice-skating rink and a bowling alley in the basement.

A lot of travelers never venture beyond South Beach, but there's so much else to see.

Ocean Drive is the iconic strip that runs along South Beach. Sally Espinosa

There are so many unique places to visit in Miami that have nothing to do with the beach.

If you're interested in experiencing authentic Cuban culture, check out Calle Ocho, where you can see domino games in action, eat authentic Cuban food at ventanitas, shop at local stores, and take in art.

Since you probably have a bathing suit in tow, you can drive to the historic Venetian Pool in Coral Gables. It has waterfalls and grottoes, and I've never seen a pool quite like it.

If you're into outdoor adventures, you can visit parks that offer land-based activities, like biking and hiking, and water adventures, like kayaking and swimming.

South Beach is famous for its beaches, but visitors miss a real gem if they don't go to Key Biscayne.

El Farito is my favorite beach in Miami, but you have to claim a spot before it fills up. Sally Espinosa

There are so many beaches to choose from in Miami, but I think Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne has the best sand and water.

Locals know it as El Farito, a name that translates to The Lighthouse, because it's home to the Cape Florida Light, the oldest standing structure in Miami.

I've visited a lot of beaches in the Miami area, yet El Farito's sand and water  which is shallow, clear, and warm  is unmatched in my eyes.

Just be sure to get there at the crack of dawn, as the beach fills up quickly.

I've seen a lot of vacationers walk around the city in bathing suits instead of actual clothes.

You can eat, drink, and shop at Lincoln Road Mall. Sally Espinosa

Miami isn't just a beach destination, and you realistically won't spend the entire day in the sand.

Bring proper attire to dine at award-winning restaurants, explore historic sites, and shop. It's also a good idea to check restaurants' dress codes ahead of time.

It's not a bad idea to dress up a bit when you go shopping in Miami. If you go to Lincoln Road Mall, a mile-long strip with shops of all kinds, an array of dining options, and some pretty cool bars. You never know where you'll stop along the way.

One of my favorite parts about being in Miami is sitting outside, enjoying a drink or meal, and people-watching. When you pick out clothes for your afternoon stroll, consider that you may end up doing activities other than walking.

Some people don't make time to explore Miami's art scene, and that's a huge mistake.

Wynwood Walls have become a popular spot for tourists to visit and take photos. Sally Espinosa

Miami is a pretty artsy city. After all, it does host Art Basel. In addition to the annual art fair, the city is home to a ton of museums, galleries, and a lively year-round art scene.

Wynwood Walls, a street-art museum that opened in 2009, has become one of the most Instagrammable locations in Miami. If you're into science, the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is a must-visit, especially if you have children.

Similarly, the Perez Art Museum Miami has some of the coolest contemporary works and modern pieces I've seen, and they're made by artists around the world.

There's always something unique to see in Miami, no matter when you come.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A young boy is being praised for his bravery in rescuing his grandfather from drowning at a lake in Haralson County.

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On Monday, the Haralson County Sheriffs Office was called to the Bremen Watershed on Asa Cash Road at Old Bushmill Road regarding a possible drowning.

Deputies learned a man, identified as Greg Calvin King, of Bremen, Ga., and his grandchild were on a boat and it had flipped.

According to the sheriffs office, the grandson told deputies that he and King were out fishing and the line got caught in a tree. When King stood up to jerk the line, he reportedly fell backward causing the boat to overturn. The young boy was able to pull King to the edge of the shore and call his father for help.

The childs father did arrive on the scene with first responders to take care of his son, Haralson officials said.

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Haralson deputies were able to pull King all the way out of the water and first responders immediately began life-saving measures.

King was taken to the hospital. The young boys age and identity were not released.

Theres no word on Kings condition.

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First, I would like to commend the bravery of this young man that fought to get his grandfather to the edge of the water, states Sheriff Stacy Williams. I am proud of the work that multiple agencies and departments did together on this rescue. I ask that you keep Mr. King and his family in your prayers.

IN OTHER NEWS:
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has denied inciting a coup after losing the presidential election in October 2022.

The far-right leader told hundreds of thousands of supporters at a rally on Sunday that the allegations against him were a "lie" as he flexed his political muscle to hit out against the ruling government.

Supporters of Mr Bolsonaro thronged Brazil's biggest city on Sunday, donning the colours of the Brazilian flag, to defend the former president against legal challenges that could send him to jail.

Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro thronged streets of Sao Pa ulo (AP)

"What is a coup? Tanks in the streets, weapons, conspiracy. None of that happened in Brazil," Mr Bolsonaro told an estimated crowd of 185,000 people that filled blocks of Sao Paulo.

Mr Bolsonaro waved an Israeli flag along with his supporters in a show of defiance to the current president.

He is seeking to show his base is resilient amid a federal investigation over his alleged role in the 8 January 2023 attacks on government buildings by his supporters over his election loss, an incident widely compared at the time to the 6 January attack on the US Capitol. Mr Bolsonaro has himself drawn comparisons with the former US president Donald Trump.

Mr Bolsonaro has been barred from running for office until 2030 due to two convictions of abuse of power, but he remains active as the main opposition leader.

He has also had his passport seized by law enforcement and his inner circle, including his son, investigated.

"We cannot accept that an authority can eliminate whoever it may be from the political scene, unless it is for a fair reason," the 68-year-old former army officer said.

He called for an amnesty for "those poor wretched souls who are imprisoned in Brasilia" after the attack on the presidential palace.

"What I seek is pacification, it is erasing the past," he said, adding: "We ask all 513 congressmen, 81 senators for a bill of amnesty so justice can be made in Brazil."

Protesters, supporters of Brazils former President Jair Bolsonaro, storm the Supreme Court building in Brasili (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Some of Mr Bolsonaro's allies aiming to challenge president Lula da Silva in the 2026 elections also attended, including influential governors Tarcisio de Freitas of Sao Paulo state and Romeu Zema of Minas Gerais state. But other key politicians and business executives who aligned with him during his 2019-2022 presidency did not show up.

Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo, predicted the pro-Bolsonaro event would not help the former president's legal situation.

"The fact that Bolsonaro doesn't yield any power now reduces what he can do. Beforehand, we feared he could use the force of the armed forces. Now that is ruled out," Mr Melo told the Associated Press. "This new reality does not favour him with unpredictability and drama."

The event showed, though, that Bolsonaro's message still resonates with many Brazilians, some of whom evidently favour any coup attempt that would put him in charge. One man paraded wearing a military hat and shouted: "Brazil, nation, hail our forces. The armed forces didn't sleep!"

Federal investigators on 8 February launched "Operation Tempus Veritatis", which translates to 'Hour of Truth" in Latin, in which police carried out dozens of searches and arrested Mr Bolsonaro's allies.

Last Thursday, Mr Bolsonaro denied allegations and refused to answer questions during a half-hour interrogation at federal police headquarters in Brasilia.
On the hillside above the northern Georgian village of Kirbali stands an Orthodox chapel. Its doors were sealed in 2008, when separatists seized control of the breakaway region of South Ossetia with the help of the Russian army and established an unmarked line of occupation that split the church from the village.

But on Nov 6, having previously broadcast himself on Facebook breaking into the chapel, Tamaz Ginturi approached it for a second time with fellow villager Levan Dotiashvili, 33.

The South Ossetian border guard, which includes locals and Russian FSB officers, were lying in wait. The 58-year-old was shot dead as he tried to flee and Mr Dotiashvili was abducted to Tshkinvali, South Ossetias capital, for interrogation. He was released three days later.

Three months on, the separatist government has not apprehended or prosecuted anyone in connection with the killing of Mr Ginturi. We do not have any hope that there will be justice, Givi Ginturi, his 60-year-old cousin, told The Telegraph. The family believe that the brave, traditional, patriotic veteran was targeted specifically because he fought against the 2008 invasion.

Givi Ginturi, whose cousin Tamaz Ginturi was shot dead by the South Ossetian border guard - Tim Sigsworth

Since then, the Georgian security service estimates that more than 1,500 Georgians have been detained by separatist border guards for what are termed illegal border crossings. A post-mortem conducted on one, Archil Tatunashvili, found that he suffered 100 separate torture wounds during an interrogation in February 2018 which ended in his death. South Ossetia maintains that he died when he fell down a flight of stairs in a failed escape attempt.

As the West grows increasingly hesitant about how long it can support Ukraines defence, Georgia stands as an example of what happens when the world makes peace with the Russian occupation of its neighbours sovereign territory.

The menace of abduction is merely one way among many in which the shadow of the Russian bear has loomed over Georgia in the decade and a half since the 2008 war, which also saw separatists in the western province of Abkhazia seize control in alliance with the Russian army.

In Abkhazia, Russia is building a naval base for its Black Sea Fleet at Ochamchire, a deep-water port just 20 miles from Georgian-controlled land. Its primary purpose is to get the fleet out of the range of Ukrainian missiles and sea drones which have harassed it mercilessly in waters and ports closer to the frontline.

In South Ossetia, there is also a major Russian army base at Tshkinvali, the regional capital that is just 90 minutes drive from Tbilisi. Two miles to its south is the Georgian-held village of Ergneti, which was once an outlying settlement of Tskhinvali but is now separated from it by checkpoints and a border along the Liakvhi, a river that skirts its north-western edge.

Tamaz Ginturi's grave in the northern Georgian village of Kirbali. The separatist government has not apprehended anyone in connection with the killing - Tim Sigsworth

Ergnetis residents live in fear of another Russian invasion. The number of families in the village has fallen from 150 before the war to just 30 amid a dearth of job opportunities. When The Telegraph visited in early February, heavy snow had cut it off from electricity for three days.

Lavan and Maia Bidzinashvili, both 45, have sent their sons Luka, 21, and Dito, 17, to Gori, the largest nearby city, for a chance at building a better life. It is a hard life here, Mr Bidzinashvili explained. We are very afraid of the Russians. We do have the police here but they do not have any power. They could invade at any moment.

Gocha Mazmashvili, 57, is a former teacher who tends a small plot of land in the village, which is lined by apple, peach and pear orchards. Like the Bidzinashvilis, his daughter Gvanca, 26, has moved away. My biggest fear is being abducted, he said. We dont go down to the river anymore because if we do then the Russians will be there in five minutes.

Entrenched Russian military

Yet this entrenched Russian military presence on what remains internationally recognised as Georgian land has been met with a muted response from its government.

Since winning power from the pro-Western United National Movement (UNM) in 2012, the ruling Georgian Dream party has overseen a pivot towards Moscow. The opposition says this has been orchestrated by Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgian Dreams billionaire founder, who it also alleges is a Russian agent, which he denies.

What is undisputed is that Georgia has offered little support to Ukraine, formerly its close ally, in its defence against Vladimir Putins invasion. There has also been noted backsliding in corruption and cronyism and a slowing of progress towards membership of Nato and the European Union.

Brussels did bestow EU candidacy status on Georgia in November, but it came with a string of conditions for reform and has been widely interpreted as an attempt to coax Tbilisi back towards a more pro-Western position. Its a geopolitical decision by the European Union, its not merit-based, says Petre Tsiskarishvili, the UNMs secretary-general. If they let Georgia go, they lose the whole of the south Caucasus.

Joseph Stalin renaissance

One of the most peculiar examples of growing pro-Russian sentiment in the country is a renaissance in the cult of Joseph Stalin. Giorgi Kandelaki, director of the Sovlab think tank, which researches Georgias Soviet history, said 12 new statues of the infamous dictator have been erected in his home country over the past decade. Ironically enough, one Stalin statue in the southern village of Zikilia replaced a giant EU flag when it was erected with the backing of the Georgian Dream-ran local municipality in 2020.

Why does Georgia have a government like this now? asks Shota Utiashvili, senior fellow at Tbilisis Rondeli Foundation. Because of the war we lost in 2008. The government says that it will pretty much do anything not to annoy Russia and it has turned the fear of renewed war into its biggest electoral asset. The instinct of self-preservation is the most important one.

In that sense, Georgia offers an example of the risks of ceding occupied territory in exchange for peace, as well as freezing a war and accepting the enemys de facto control of your land. Ukraine and the West face a similar choice, since these are the principal alternatives to the maintenance and expansion of Western support for Kyiv.

Wests failure to punish Putin

In Georgia, many believe that the Wests failure to punish Putin after 2008 directly enabled him to strike Crimea, the Donbas and then Ukraine. When you appease aggression, you get more of it and thats exactly what weve seen and recent history proves it, said Tina Bokuchava, the UNMs parliamentary leader. If we can draw any lessons from 2008, its that.

Giorgi Vashadze, leader of the New Georgia opposition party, warns that Ukraine should remember that Russia has never withdrawn its troops from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, despite promising to as part of the France-mediated ceasefire which ended the war in 2008.

Agreement with Russia is worth nothing more than the price of the paper on which it is written, he said. If somebody thinks that there is a chance of a deal, Russians will consider the deal as the weakness of the West and there will be another wave of aggression in five or 10 years. Either we stop Russia right now, or the next will be Poland, the Baltic States.

A decade and a half on from the 2008 invasion, it is clear that peace with Russia has not ended Georgias war. The separatists remain firmly in place, abducting and killing civilians. In Kirbali, 93-year-old Amirar Papitashvili remembers when the villagers could visit the church where Tamaz Ginturi died as and when they pleased. The war has changed a lot, he said.

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If you believe polls, a majority of Americans question whether the two frontrunners for president  President Joe Biden (age 81) and former President Donald Trump (age 77)  are too old to serve another term.

Biden mistakenly referred to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as the president of Mexico," while Trump most recently confused his GOP opponent Nikki Haley with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Then there are the legal liabilities hanging over Trump's head: 91 felony charges.

None of this has deterred the 16 Democrats and 53 Republicans who are running in Rhode Island's April 2 presidential primaries for the chance to go to their party's national conventions this summer as delegates.

Simply put: They all want to be where the political action is. But for some, there's more.

"Participation in the historic process of nominating a presidential candidate is very meaningful to me as a child of the broken democracy in Colombia," says one delegate-candidate, state Sen. Sandra Cano of Pawtucket.

State Sen. Sandra Cano, D-Pawtucket, with her daughter Ari Hallel on the first day of the legislative session in January.

"It would be a tremendous privilege to serve as a delegate for President Biden, in particular, because of all he has done to stand up to forces that threaten American democracy today," she told Political Scene.

"As someone with a lifelong interest in politics (going as far back as playing the role of Jimmy Carter in my seventh-grade history class mock presidential debate), I have always wanted to be part of the excitement of a convention. I have never attended one," says another delegate-candidate, Melissa Carden, the new executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence.

For her, too, there is another reason.

"As a gun safety advocate ... I am passionate about electing Biden, since he has prioritized addressing the public health epidemic of gun violence," Carden told Political Scene.

Could the unexpected happen?

Some national media outlets have speculated that those who make it to the Democratic Convention in Chicago could find themselves "in the middle of the kind of battle not seen in decades in American politics."

Under one speculative scenario: Biden stays on the ticket through the primary season, then voluntarily steps aside, releasing his delegates to back a different nominee, and the party nominates someone other than Biden at its August convention.

What then?

"I don't see 'Plan B' as likely, so I'd rather not guess," says Carden.

Joe Biden, at the time a former senator and former vice-president, is introduced by Sen. Jack Reed at a 2018 rally for Rhode Island Democrats.

On the Republican side

Unlike the Democrats, the Rhode Island Republicans seeking seats at their party's July national convention in Milwaukee are split between two candidates: Trump and Haley, former governor of South Carolina.

It is possible that Haley  the first choice of a number of big-name Rhode Island Republicans, including state Republican National Committeeman Steve Frias  may be out of the picture by then, at least mathematically.

By the time Rhode Islanders vote, a lot of other states will have already voted, including the 15 states and one U.S. territory voting March 5 in what is called "Super Tuesday": Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and American Samoa.

What would the elected Haley delegates do if their candidate drops out?

Former Republican Rep. Dan Reilly, now the legal counsel to the House minority office, says he does not know.

"She's the one I'm publicly committed to voting for," he said. "I'm not looking to go there to vote for anyone else, but I'll be officially uncommitted."

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley campaigns for president in Georgetown, S.C., on Feb. 22, two days before the state holds its Republican primary.

Would he vote for Trump?

"I could be able to," he said. "I don't want to. I don't think he's the best candidate for the party. That's why I support Haley. But I think between now and then ... a lot could happen, and a lot will happen, related to whether or not he's able to be in the race [with] all these questions about his cases."

By summer, "I think we'll know more, but I really don't know what I would do at that point, to be honest with you."

Will Ricci, assistant treasurer of the state GOP  and another would-be Haley delegate  expects her to "go to the convention ... given all the variables in play for/against Trump."

"Personally, I would not support Trump. [But] Im in RI, so it kind of doesnt matter," Ricci told Political Scene, "If I lived in a more electorally relevant state, perhaps Id have to think about what I might do more. In Rhode Island I truly can vote my conscience, because ultimately it wont make a difference."

And what if Trump is convicted?

Not a big concern for former state Rep. Paul Durfee, a Trump delegate candidate, chairman of the state GOP's nominating committee and co-owner of the family-run Durfee's Hardware.

"Of the ones I know about, no, because most of 'em are just stupid charges," he said, citing the charges that Trump illegally took classified documents with him when he left office, and then tried to hide them from investigators at his Florida estate.

"I don't see where there's a big problem with that, and to be quite honest, this is the first time I've ever seen anyone go after a former president for documents that he had. ... He can declassify anything."

Is there anything Trump could do that would compel Durfee to withdraw his support for him?

"Shoot somebody on 5th Avenue," said Durfee, in a play on Trump's famous boast: "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters, OK?"

Durfee has no concerns about Trump's age either. "He seems pretty quick on his feet still. He knows what he's doing, unlike the other candidate, who seems to trip over himself every time he turns around."

An Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll reveals that many Georgia voters are dreading a rematch this year between Democratic President Joe Biden, right, and former Republican President Donald Trump.

Presidential primary basics

Will the names of the presidential candidates who have already suspended their campaigns still be on the ballot? Simple answer? Yes.

The presidential candidates who garnered enough signatures to qualify for the Rhode Island ballot include: Democrats Biden and Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips and Republicans Trump, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Haley and entrepreneur Vivek G. Ramaswamy.

As to what happens to the votes cast for those who have already dropped out, Faith Chybowski, spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office, told Political Scene:

"All candidates who qualified for the ballot and did not formally withdraw with our office will still be on the ballot. They may still receive votes and be awarded delegates in accordance with their partys delegate selection plan." (In Rhode Island, Republican delegates are apportioned among candidates who get at least 10% of the vote.)

More: Rest in peace, or politics? Rhode Island GOP primary hit by deceased signatures drama

Who else is on the ballot?

Rhode Island Democrats will send 30 delegates and two alternates, including the state's two U.S. senators, two congressmen, the governor and other notables to their party's convention. Only 14 of those seats are up for grabs in the April 2 primary.

There are 16 Biden-pledged Democrats competing for those 14 seats, including three city mayors: Brett Smiley of Providence, Don Grebien of Pawtucket and Maria Rivera of Central Falls.

In addition to the three mayors, the list of Biden-pledged candidates includes:

Cano of Pawtucket; Kinnan G.S. Dowie; William Foulkes, the husband of 2022 gubernatorial candidate Helena Foulkes; Matthew Gunnip, SEIU Local 580 president; Thomas William Kane, Senate aide and chairman of the Cumberland Democratic Town Committee; Senate Majority Leader Ryan Pearson; Kristan Peters-Hamlin; and Debra Rota, a special assistant in the governor's office.

Also: RICAGV Executive Director Carden; Autumn Guillotte, a Rhode Island AFL-CIO field director; Erica Hammond, field director for Climate Jobs Rhode Island; Mary-Murphy Walsh, an elected organizer at SEIU 1199 and president of Young Democrats of Rhode Island; and Jay Gorman Wegimont, a Providence school district spokesman.

We asked several why they want to go to the convention, what concerns, if any, they have about Biden's age, and how much stock they put into the speculation about a last-minute Biden pull-out.

Cano acknowledges the "chatter and theories revolving around the presidents age" but attributes it to "Republicans who understand that President Bidens record is a very real obstacle for their candidate who, by the way, is not much younger.

"I believe that most Americans understand whats at stake in the upcoming election and realize that we arent voting for youthful athletes or celebrities," she said. "Were voting on values ... the candidates' record of accomplishment ...[and] the future of our country for years to come."

"I am confident that President Biden will be the nominee and that he will get reelected in November."

Smiley also is among those who do not believe Biden is too old to run for another term and do not put any stock in the rumors he will pull out.

"I do not see that happening," Smiley told Political Scene. "President Biden has put our country back on the right track ... [and] provided invaluable support for the people of Rhode Island and our capital city, and I look forward to four more years of progress under his leadership."Walsh, Guillotte and Hammond sent a joint response that said, in part: "We worked together to get onto the ballot, and to be delegates, as women who represent labor  workers  and young Democrats."

Why? "This election, millennials and Gen Z will make up the largest voting bloc. As a group of young working women, we want to support President Biden and show that he is the best candidate to represent us."

"For me, President Biden's record, experience and the people he surrounds himself with are what's important, not his age," said Carden.

This would also be Mayor Grebien's first convention. "I have never had the opportunity to attend, and therefore I am eager for this potential chance. Protecting and promoting democracy is a key priority of mine, and serving as a delegate will allow me to do just that.

"I am a staunch supporter of the president ... [and] confident that he will continue to serve our country honorably for four more years. "

On the Republican side

There are 25 candidates competing to be Haley delegates at the Republican National Convention, 24 backing Trump and four running as "uncommitted" Republican delegates.

The state GOP gets to send 35 delegates, 32 of them elected (including 16 elected delegates and 16 "alternates") and three more who go by virtue of their party positions: National Committeeman Frias, National Committeewoman Sue Cienki and state GOP Chairman Joe Powers.

"We are a proportional state, meaning the delegates are awarded based upon how their candidates do in the primary," Cienki explains. "A candidate must win 10% of the vote to be awarded any delegates."

Those seeking to go to the convention as elected Haley delegates include former state GOP Chairman Giovanni Cicione, former Rep. Dan Reilly; Kenneth Naylor, chairman of Rhode Island Young Republicans; and Christopher Gontarz, president-elect of the Rhode Island Bar Association.

In addition, the aspiring Haley delegates include: Ricci, Kathleen M. Dickinson, Martin A. Saklad, longtime Providence GOP activist David Talan; Melita M. Warner; John Buehler; John D. Conforti; Harry Joseph Curran; Theresa M. Daly; Lori Morse; Stephanie Calise; Sheila Lee Curran; William Dewitt; Hopkinton Town Councilman Scott Bill Hirst; Kirk Jordan; former Bar Association President Thomas Lyons; Paul Maloney; Richmond Town Councilman Richard Nassaney; Emmanuel Cholo Nyema; home health care lobbyist and former member of the East Providence Board of Canvassers Nicholas Oliver; and Stephen K. Swallow.

Those seeking to go as Trump delegates include Rep. Sherry Roberts and former state Rep. Justin Price, the only Rhode Island legislator who took part in the Jan. 6, 2021, Trump rally in Washington that evolved into a riot, which Price blamed on "Antifa."

The other Trump delegate hopefuls include: Durfee, Paul Carroll, John M. Conte; Edward Doura Jr.; Susan Anne Grenon; Olga Harbar; Michelle M. Sztabor; Lacey McGreevy; Harold Robert Rilling; Sean M. Todd; Exeter Republican Chair Diane Bampton Allen; Catherine E. Canavan; Bristol Town Republican Chairman Thomas M. Carroll; Aimee M. DeGregory; Allyn E. Meyers; Jennifer P. Nerbonne; Kathleen Odell; Esmeralda M. Pereira; Jorge Porras; Gregory J. Rice; David J. Shepherd; and Preston W. Woodward.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Trump and Biden are not the only names on RI's presidential primary ballots
Michael Holt set off on the challenge from Gran Canaria on Jan 27 hoping to raise money for Mind and Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services

A charity rower has been found dead aboard his boat during his attempt to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

Michael Holt, 54, set off on the challenge from Gran Canaria on Jan 27 but was discovered dead in his cabin 700 miles into the fundraiser.

Mr Holt, who had Type 1 diabetes, had fallen ill and died and his body was found by the crew of a fishing vessel that had sailed to his aid.

He had hoped to reach Barbados in the Caribbean within 50 to 110 days to help support two charities: Mind and Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services.

His death was confirmed in a statement made by David Holt, his brother, on Facebook.

Died doing something he wanted to do

We have been working tirelessly to get help to Michael over the past four days but have found it incredibly difficult to do so, his brother wrote.

Last night, the fishing vessel Noruego accepted a task from Cape Verde Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and made directly for Michaels co-ordinates.

Very sadly, upon arrival, Michael was found dead inside his cabin.

He added: Of course, this was not the ultimate conclusion we were looking for, but I am somewhat comforted knowing he died doing something he absolutely wanted to do with a passion and managed to row in excess of 700 miles in the process. An achievement in itself.

Mr Holts death was described as a huge shock to his family, who said peoples messages of support meant a great deal to all the family.

He was expected to have to row for more than 16 hours a day and only have four hours of sleep.

Double reconstructive surgery

Mr Holt, from Porthmadog in Gwynedd, faced a series of challenges during his journey, ranging from a shark attacking his rudder to strong winds and losing an oar.

He had been travelling alone on his boat, named Mynadd, but was in touch with a firm that was tracking his progress as he didnt have a helicopter or boat helping him.

Last year, he rowed across the Irish Sea from Porthmadog Harbour to Wicklow to help raise money towards Porthmadog FC.

In 2015, he faced double reconstructive surgery on both his shoulders, which included 20 titanium rods being inserted in his body.

Last week, he had complained of seasickness and he thought it was a bad reaction to taking some antibiotics.

It delayed his travel to Barbados and had to start rowing 300 miles south to the island Cape Verde instead.

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As students return to the classroom after a week off, the Brockton School Committee awaits a proposal from the city in response to their call for National Guard help at the high school.

Community members started gathering outside the school around 6 a.m. as students and teachers arrived Monday morning for the first day of classes since February break.

Many people were spotted holding signs in support of students, teachers, and staff.

Brockton school officials asking for National Guard support to prevent potential tragedy

Community members are outside of Brockton High School this morning showing their support for the students and staff of the school as they return from February break. Problems at the school have led to 4 school committee members wanting the National Guard to be activated.@boston25 pic.twitter.com/iTOjmzycWM  Ryan Breslin (@ryanjbreslin) February 26, 2024

Tony Rodrigues is one of four school committee members who publicly called for the National Guards help.

We have to work as a team, said Rodrigues. Were not trying to have a school-to-prison pipeline.

The calls for increased security stem from months of violence and lack of security at the school. Multiple fights have been caught on camera and posted to social media.

At a meeting Tuesday, Rodrigues said the committee will hear a joint proposal to combat the issue at Brockton High from the superintendent and the mayor.

Mayor Robert Sullivan spoke against the school committees idea for National Guard activation, citing a more collaborative solution.

It will be presented to us at our meeting this coming Tuesday for the corrective action they plan on, said Rodrigues.

Very unsafe: Teachers, students demand change at Brockton High School amid rash of violence

According to Rodrigues, the national guard would serve as substitute teachers and hall monitors at school.

He added, The national guard should be in there making sure theres bodies in there.

Gov. Maura Healys team continues to work with Brockton officials to come to a solution, according to Rodrigues.

The Healey-Driscoll administration is regularly engaging with Brockton Public Schools leadership through DESE to review the needs facing the district and to understand how the state can support the high school and greater Brockton community, said the spokesperson for the Executive Office of Education. We are committed to making sure our schools provide safe and supportive learning environments for all students, educators, and staff.

DESE has been in communication with the Superintendent of Brockton Public Schools to understand any requests for state support from the school district.

Were outmatched: Brockton teacher says violence, fights between students is getting worse

Sullivan announced last week that the state is funding a safety audit for the schools as part of their ongoing support.

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CHARLESTON, S.C.  Nikki Haleys campaign suffered a devastating blow on Saturday after she lost her home state, all but ending the former South Carolina governors hopes of becoming the Republican Party's nominee for president.

Yet, her supporters are urging her to stay in the race as long as she can  even until the Republican convention in July. They say her White House bid gives voters dissatisfied with a rematch between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden a chance to have their voices heard.

What about all the other states? We all get a chance to vote, said Michele Hottinger, a 61-year-old retiree from Dumfries, Virginia, after Haleys rally last week in Mount Pleasant. Like Nikki says, when you vote in the primary, you get to choose. When you vote in the general, the choice has already been made for you.

Haley has clung to that rationale in the face of mounting defeats. A mere four states and the U.S. Virgin Islands have voted, she argued after her latest loss, and Republican contests will take place in 19 states, one territory and the District of Columbia in the next eight days.

But after Haley lost to Trump by a 20-point margin in the Palmetto State, it's not clear she can win any of the upcoming primaries and caucuses. A sweeping victory by Trump in an array of March 5 competitions could knock Haley out of the presidential race for good.

Nikki Haley supporters rally for the Republican presidential candidate and former South Carolina governor after her loss in the state's GOP primary Saturday.

Haley's losses have not deterred her supporters, so far. She has been drawing crowds of Republicans and independents united by their irritation with both major parties' expected candidates.

They share a near universal loathing of Trumps grievances and distasteful rhetoric but do not see themselves or their priorities in the policies championed by Biden. They are especially worried about immigration, the economy and national security. And for them, Haleys message about two "grumpy old men" competing to run the country is spot on.

We need to have a choice. In the general election, there is no choice if its just Biden and Trump, so we must get her through the primary, said Elizabeth Smith, 64. The Women for Nikki volunteer from Columbus, Ohio, added: We need to do it for the younger people.

'Weve got to get along'

For David Wardlaw, 66, Haleys experience as a governor and ambassador are a draw. The charter pilot from Atlanta, who attended Haley's rally last Tuesday in Clemson, thinks she can unite the country.

Too divisive, he said of the nation's current political climate. Weve got to get along.

Trump is facing a staggering 91 criminal charges in four different state and federal cases. He has been ordered by a court to pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in a defamation case after she accused him of sexually assaulting her in the 1990s. And he received a judgment of upwards of $355 million in a civil fraud case, in which the total climbs every day he doesnt cut a check.

He can still run for president if hes convicted, legal scholars say. However, he also faces pushes in Colorado and Maine to keep him off the ballot. Advocates say his actions surrounding the Capitol riot bar him from office under the 14th Amendment, an argument that has already made its way to the Supreme Court.

The wildcard that no one knows is what happens with Trump in all of these legal proceedings, said Jim Harris, an Anderson, South Carolina, resident who attended Haleys event in Clemson with Wardlaw.

Harris said he views electability as the most important issue in 2024. Trump will run into trouble with women and college-educated voters, he predicted, and surveys show Trumps support eroding if hes convicted of a felony.

Simply put: Harris believes Haley has a better chance of beating Biden.

If the money stays sufficient to run her campaign, I think it would be premature for her to bail, he said.

Feb 24, 2024; Kiawah Island, SC, USA; Republican presidential candidate and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley spoke with the press after voting in Saturdays GOP primary Saturday in Kiawah Island. Megan Smith-USA TODAY

Haley said Saturday night in a South Carolina concession speech that she owes it to her supporters to continue to fight.

She had $13 million in the bank at the end of January, and her campaign says she raised $5 million at fundraisers. She also raked in more than $1 million from grassroots supporters in less than 24 hours after losing South Carolina.

But cash appears to be coming in as quickly as it goes out. Haley spent more than she raised last month, and her campaign has advised events in seven states and Washington leading into next Tuesday, with more expected to be added to her schedule.

Her campaign is stretching its resources, making national cable and digital ad purchases and relying on candidate appearances to drive earned media, during the hectic period. The decision represents a shift in strategy following early contests, where Haley invested heavily in individual states and came up short.

The only place where Haleys campaign says it is paying for commercials is Michigan, which holds its contest this Tuesday. It spent $500,000 on ads there. Haley-aligned Super PAC SFA Fund, Inc., says it will spend the same amount.

Haley's operation took a major hit on Sunday elsewhere when Koch-funded grassroots organization Americans for Prosperity Action said it was ceasing its financial backing and redeploying its volunteer network in light of South Carolina's results.

Haleys campaign manager Betsy Ankney said Friday, before Haleys weekend defeat, that the campaign is fully confident that it will have the resources it needs to compete. She noted that Trumps political committees spent more than $50 million on legal fees in his personal court cases last year alone.

Deborah Brooks, a 70-year-old retired chaplain from North Augusta, said Haley should stay in the race until at least next Tuesday. So much can happen at the last minute, said Brooks, who attended a Haley event last week.

She hasn't hit the Midwest yet, and so there's a large part of the country that hasn't even voted yet in the primaries, and so I'm glad she's staying in, hanging in there, she said.

'I'm not going anywhere'

Ravi Murugappan, a 64-year-old engineering professional and resident of Martinez, Georgia, hopes Haley will still be in the race when his state votes on March 12.

He said that Trump has good ideas, but he prefers Haley, because she is willing to work with everyone. He also appreciates that Haley is putting forward solutions to the nations problems, including the Social Security deficit.

(Trump) has to have more compassion, and he has to think about a lot of people and play by the rules  not by his rules, Murugappan said.

Hottinger, whose home state of Virginia votes on March 5, says she wants Haley to stay in until the July convention. She said she agrees with Haley that its not fair for a handful of early states to dictate who wins the nomination.

She remains unflappable. Shes a breath of fresh air. And its time we had a woman in the White House, she said.

Haley vowed in a speech last week that she would be campaigning every day until the last person votes," although she said Saturday that she meant South Carolina.

Republican presidential candidate and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley delivers a speech in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, on Feb. 23, 2024, the night before the states GOP primary.

The former United Nations ambassador said the goal of her Super Tuesday campaign is to provide Americans who say they don't want Trump or Biden with another option.

So as long as you have a majority of Americans saying please give us a choice, I'm going to continue to fight. I am not going anywhere, she added. Here in America, we have elections and peoples' voices are heard.

'She's trying to hurt Trump'

Haleys aggressive campaigning may not be depriving Trump of delegates  but its costing him time and money. Strategists on both sides of the aisle ultimately believe a protracted battle between the two Republicans will benefit Biden in the general election.

At a Friday event at the Trump campaigns headquarters in North Charleston, the former presidents son, Donald Trump Jr., accused Haley of staying in the race to weaken his father, score corporate board seats and win a cable news contract.

Shes trying to hurt Trump. There will be benefits to her financially to do that, he said. Thats what shes gunning for. Its purely about the future payday. Theres literally no other excuse for it.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a primary election night party at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) ORG XMIT: SCMS308

Debbie Camacho, 61, a volunteer at the event who said she has been volunteering for Trump since 2015, said Haley should have dropped out of the race already.

I think thats a ploy just to take money away from this campaign. Shes not going to win  she knows shes not going to win, Camacho said.

That's not an argument that has swayed Haley or her supporters. The former governor said Saturday night that the roughly 40% of the vote she received in South Carolina is not some tiny group.

Brittany Martinez, an Azusa, California resident who worked for former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., echoed that sentiment after Haleys speech.

She should take it all the way. Spend all the money. Go for broke, Martinez, 32, said.

Martinez said that Republicans need to take their closed-door conversations about Trump into the open and say the quiet part out loud.

That 40% isnt nothing, isnt something to laugh about. That is an appetite for new leadership, she said. People are tired of Trump.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nikki Haley's supporters want her in the fight against Donald Trump
N.C. Rep. Frank Iler, R-Brunswick, serves as the co-chair of the Select Committee on Homeowners Associations established by the state House of Representatives late last year.

An effort to better understand and regulate homeowners associations in the state is moving forward with proposed legislation on the way.

The North Carolina House of Representatives established its Select Committee on Homeowners Associations last fall, will soon receive a report on the committees recent studies and deliberations. The committee was formed after House Bill 311 failed to garner enough support to pass during the last legislative session.

Rep. Frank Iler (R-Brunswick) proposed the bill last spring, which sought to establish a division of the North Carolina Attorney Generals Office to provide oversight of the states community associations. When the bill failed to pass into law, it was transformed into a resolution which established a house select committee to study homeowners associations.

The committee is co-chaired by Iler and Rep. Steve Tyson (R-Craven). Rep. Ya Liu (D-Wake) serves as vice chair, and the rest of the committee is made up of six representatives from across the state  three Democrats and three Republicans.

The committee will terminate on March 1, or when it files its final report, whichever comes first, according to the resolution.

As its time comes to an end, heres what the committee is up to.

More: Catch up with the StarNews' coverage of Wilmington-area HOAs with these 7 stories

Drafting proposed legislation

The committee met twice in January and once in February, so far. In that time, the committee has begun working on a draft of a bill that, among other things, would require homeowners associations in the state to get a majority vote from its members before implementing big dues increases.

The draft bill is broken into five sections: Addressing transparency and resident access to key documents; fee increases; foreclosures; pre-litigation mediation and complaints.

Section two of the bill addresses fee increases and proposes HOAs require a vote by its members to ratify any proposed increase of more than 10% over the previous years fees.

If the bill becomes law, section five would permit the N.C. Department of Justice to collect and report complaints about homeowners associations and condominium associations to the general assembly annually. While the department already fields such complaints, this section of the bill would formalize its authority to report them.

STAY CONNECTED: Keep up with the areas latest Brunswick County news by signing up for the Brunswick Today newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram.

Whats next?

The committees next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 28. With a report due to fellow legislators by the beginning of March, its likely the committee will vote on the report and the proposed bill draft at that meeting.

Jamey Cross covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at jbcross@gannett.com or message her on Twitter/X @jameybcross.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: The latest on North Carolinas effort to regulate HOAs
Farmers spray police with manure during a protest outside a meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels - Harry Nakos/AP Photo

Angry farmers doused police officers with manure and tried to storm barbed-wire barricades erected to protect a meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels.

At least 900 tractors rumbled into the Belgian capital as talks got under way over how to quell protests across the bloc in opposition to costly climate policies and unfair competition from trade deals.

Makeshift checkpoints were erected at the entrances of the citys European quarter in the hope of preventing the farmers from reaching the heavily guarded politicians

But a number of the vehicles smashed their way through the barricades and anti-tank obstacles.

Opposite the British embassy in Brussels, riot police were forced to retreat as they were sprayed with manure from a tractor-pulled muck-spreader.

A farmer emits hay from his tractor onto Belgian riot police officers as gas rises from tear gas canisters - Nicolas Maeterlinck/AFP

Elsewhere, The Telegraph witnessed a group of farmers, some masked, others wearing hoods, launching fireworks and flares in the direction of a dozen police officers brought in to seal off a road.

Youngsters scurried behind carrying multiple trays of eggs to be used as makeshift weapons as tensions simmered between them and the police.

As the barrage of fireworks, eggs and empty glass bottles increased, a powerful water cannon was turned on the farmers. It had previously been used to douse a smouldering mound of wooden pallets.

Having beat a hasty retreat to avoid being soaked with freezing water, the farmers regrouped and edged closer towards the police cordon  one man firing flares from a tube in their direction.

While some farmers retreated to underground road tunnels on their tractors, they were soon overcome by the smell of diesel and the noise of blaring horns as they revved their engines, in what appeared to be in anticipation of a charge.

Police officers had responded to the escalating violence by hurling canisters of tear gas into the crowd to disperse the protesters.

Dozens of demonstrators, their eyes filled with tears and throats burning, hurried back behind the tractors to the open air outside the tunnel.

Many had turned to a nearby supermarket to purchase water to cleanse their sore eyes but the doors remained shut, with the staff barricading themselves inside.

Those farmers who braved the clouds of tear gas had the water cannon turned on them again.

At least three police officers were injured in the altercations, according to the authorities in Brussels.

A tractor stands near burning tires during a protest of European farmers over price pressures, taxes and green regulation - Yves Herman/Reuters

Elsewhere, the atmosphere was more serene.

Hundreds of tractors were parked all along the Rue de la Loi, a four-lane highway that lies between Brussels European quarter, and the EUs Commission and Council headquarters.

Here protesters lit bonfires made of tyres, hay bales and manure, but were more jovial, handing out bacon and sausage rolls, and voicing their complaints over loudspeakers.

The acrid stench of the burning rubber and flags declaring no food, no future would remain with EU officials in the nearby buildings for the rest of the day.

Marianne Streel, president of the Flemish federation of agriculture, yelled: Free trade agreements, falling revenues and simpler Common Agricultural Policy.

Were here again in Brussels today as farmers because the European Union is not listening to our demands. Our demands are for fair revenue, Morgan Ody, of farming organisation La Via Campesina, said.

Marieke Van De Vivere, a farmer from the Ghent region in northern Belgium, said: We are getting ignored.

She urged ministers to be reasonable to us, to come with us on a day to work on the field, or with the horses or with the animals, to see that it is not very easy  because of the rules they put on us.

Fugea, a group that represents smaller Belgian farmers, declared: Europe does not seem to understand what is at stake and is coming up with proposals designed to appease the strongest.

These are common talking points from what has been an eruption of farmers protests in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Greece, Italy and Spain over recent months.

The EU claims their concerns have been acted upon.

Ursula von der Leyen, the commissions president, recently scrapped a proposal to cut pesticide use and removed emissions reductions for agricultural businesses from future climate policy planning.

And anger over the prospect of cheap imports from South America, should the EU complete its Mercosur trade deal, has member states rethinking the pact.

Farmers unconvinced by gestures

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, faced protests at the Paris International Agricultural Show last weekend.

And as farmers descended on Brussels on Monday, protests also sprung up in Poland and Germany.

A chief complaint from Warsaw is tariff-free imports from Ukraine, which local farmers say have been dumped on their market and dragged down prices.

While that is a challenge too far for the EU because of its overwhelming support for war-torn Kyiv, other policies are being worked on to placate farmers ahead of this years European elections.

Ministers in Brussels urged the EU to increase funding to the blocs 60 billion (51 billion) agricultural budget to bring an end to the uprising.

Cam Ozdemir, Germanys agriculture minister, said farmers had to earn good money if they opted to comply with the EUs bureaucracy monster.

The average farmer spends a quarter of their time at their desks, he said.

Charlie McConalogue, Irelands agriculture minister, demanded that the Common Agricultural Policy be increased and strengthened.

He argued farmers income hasnt kept pace with other industries.

That is something that we have to address, he added.

Farmers need to be paid for what they do, his Belgian counterpart, David Clarinval, told reporters.

There are elements of the EUs climate law demanded of farmers that are not remunerated. That is the core of the problem.

Will their words please the farmers?

Those behind the protest movement believe that a man who is set to lose everything is a dangerous one.

They say they wont stop until they get more cooperation from Brussels.

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Opening in March with a target date of the seventh, Chick N Boba will be offering fried chicken and bubble tea from a location in the Beaufort Town Center. Created by the Lin family, owners of the popular Yummy Hibachi and Sushi bar in Port Royal, and the House of Tang Chinese restaurant on Ribaut Road, the new spot will offer several fried chicken selections, fruit teas, fruit slushies, and a variety of boba drinks. The new restaurant will be in the former home of Clean Eatz and J. Lees Coney Island

Boba, or bubble tea, originated in Taiwan, and was introduced in the U.S. during the 1990s. It consists of tea, milk, water, sugar and tapioca pearls. The beverage comes in a variety of flavors.

One of the owners, Dan Lin, said that the fried chicken will differ from what most diners are accustomed. American fried chicken has more batter while Chinese or Asian fried chicken is marinated with spices such as ginger, nutmeg, chili sauce, and soy sauce.

Chick N Boba will also have hibachi offerings including steak, chicken and shrimp. While this location will not have the hibachi grills or chefs, Lin promises that the food will have the same quality as the Yummy Hibachi location.

Hours are Wednesday through Monday from 10am to 8pm, closed on Tuesdays.
Newly released bodycam video shows the capture of a suspected killer whose alleged violent crime spree left a trail of female victims in at least three states and has kicked off a custody battle between Maricopa County's conservative district attorney and her progressive counterpart in New York City.

Raad Almansoori's alleged path of destruction victimized women in Florida, New York and Arizona before police caught up with him.

"Raad Alamansoori was arrested by Scottsdale PD for driving a stolen vehicle related to a car jacking and stabbing in Surprise, AZ," police said in a statement. "It was later discovered that he had been involved in numerous violent crimes throughout the nation."

ARIZONA WARNS ALL AMERICANS IN DANGER FROM WOKE DAS AS SUSPECT IN EXTRADITION BATTLED CALLED NEXT TED BUNDY

Scottsdale, Arizona, police arrested Raad Almansoori, a New York City murder suspect accused of stabbing two women in Arizona and sexually assaulting another in Florida.

Now, he is the subject of an extradition fight between Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Maricopa County's Rachel Mitchell after the latter said she would fight efforts to send him back to New York until she handles her own case.

Almansoori allegedly sexually assaulted a Florida woman last year, threatened to kill her and stole her car when she locked herself in a bathroom and called 911. Although he was initially held without bail in Florida's Sumter County on the car theft charge, he was transferred to Orlando to face more serious charges, which prosecutors there dropped.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Then, he walked free on $2,500, went to New York and is accused of brutally killing Denisse Oleas-Arancibia in the SoHo 54 hotel, strangling her and crushing her head with an iron. Surveillance images appear to show him wearing her leggings as he leaves the scene.

The NYPD found Denisse Oleas-Arancibia dead under brutal circumstances at the SoHo 54 Hotel in Manhattan. Suspected killer Raad Almansoori was out on bail in Florida at the time of the attack and made his way to Arizona, where local police allege he stabbed two more women.

From there, according to authorities, he made his way to Phoenix, where he allegedly stabbed a woman, stole her car and stabbed another woman at a suburban McDonald's.

Scottsdale police captured him in the stolen car after the city's Real Time Crime Center picked it up in a parking garage, bodycam video shows.

ARIZONA PROSECUTOR FIRES BACK AT NYC DA BRAGG, DEFENDS DECISION TO REFUSE EXTRADITION FOR VIOLENT SUSPECT

Scottsdale, Arizona, police arrested Raad Almansoori, a New York City murder suspect accused of stabbing two women in Arizona and sexually assaulting another in Florida.

In Arizona, he faces two counts each of attempted murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and attempted sexual assault  in addition to the carjacking charge.

John Kelly, a criminal profiler and psychoanalyst who has interviewed mass murderers, said Almansoori shows traits indicative of a "budding serial killer," including "disassociation" and an alleged tendency to harm women.

Raad Almansoori, who police say is wearing Denisse Oleas-Arancibia's leggings after she was killed.

"It looks like he was on his way, was getting started, so it's a good thing they got him," he said.

Court records show Almansoori has prior charges in Arizona as well, including a 2018 conviction for aggravated assault.





Original article source: 'Budding serial killer' suspect at heart of woke DA extradition battle arrested on bodycam
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)  From Crispus Attucks and onward, Black Americans involvement with war efforts has a long history. The French and Spanish both used Black infantry. Enslaved Africans would fight in exchange for their freedom.

Under Spanish Governor of Louisiana, Bernardo de Galvez, Spain would use Black infantry units in the American Revolution, to help a burgeoning United States of America fight against the British.

Louisiana Native Guard would fight in the Civil War. In 1886, the United States Congress established six African American military units, which would later be called the Buffalo Soldiers, after the Civil War to help with the reconstruction effort and the countrys push towards the Westward Expansion.

WGNOs Honoring Black History Special: Sharing our stories from Havana, Cuba

Rhett Breerwood is the Louisiana National Guard Historian and says, The 9th and the 25th regiments of the Buffalo Soldiers were both from New Orleans. Half of the Buffalo Soldiers nationwide came from New Orleans. Both of these regiments served with distinction. The 9th Cavalry served alongside Teddy Roosevelts Rough Riders unit and he gave them great acclaim.

The 25th Infantry Regiment of the Buffalo Soldiers was headquartered where the Jacksons Barracks National Guard is today. In New Orleans, the Historic St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church at 222 North Roman Street, was a space where both the 9th and 25th Buffalo Soldiers units, as well as other Black organizations, were recruited.

Today, the 9th Cavalry 25th Infantry Buffalo Soldiers exists as an organization, whose mission is to preserve, document history, and raise awareness of the Buffalo Soldiers.

Richard Keller is a member of the 9th Cavalry 25th Infantry Buffalo Soldiers group and says, Im dressed in my fathers clothes. My father was very instrumental in getting the proclamation that July 28, would always be Buffalo Soldier Day in the city of New Orleans. People call this Black history, but this is American history. We should be proud of it because its ours.

African American Buffalo Soldiers, of the 92nd Infantry Division, in a victory parade on 5th Avenue following World War One, New York City, USA, circa 1918-1919. (Photo by European/FPG/Getty Images)

Full-length Portrait of African American Soldier, 9th Cavalry, Company D, Sharpshooter Collar Insignia, by CC McBride, William A Gladstone Collection of African American Photographs, 1880s. (Photo by: Glasshouse Vintage/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Buffalo Soldier, 25th Infantry, Seated Portrait in Uniform Holding Hat, by Orlando Scott Goff, William A Gladstone Collection of African American Photographs, 1880s. (Photo by: Glasshouse Vintage/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Buffalo Soldiers of the 25th Infantry, Some Wearing Buffalo Robes, Fort Keogh, Montana, USA, Christopher Barthelmess, William A Gladstone Collection of African American Photographs, 1890. (Photo by: Glasshouse Vintage/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Illustration depicting an African American soldier of the 10th Cavalry, one of the original Buffalo Soldier regiments, speaking with a Native American through sign language, Arizona, 1888. The artist Fredric Remington toured with the regiment and drew this sketch for The Century Magazine, which published it in 1889. (Photo by Interim Archives/Getty Images)

Kellers father was Lawrence F. Keller, the late Vice President of the 9th Calvary and 25th Infantry Buffalo Soldiers of Louisiana.

The Buffalo Soldier Infantry in the United States survived until around World War Two. However, the Buffalo Soldier legacy continues today.

John Anderson is the President of the 9th Cavalry 25th Infantry Buffalo Soldiers and is very well-versed in research.

They served their country, which they called their country! They fought gallantly in every war and skirmish they were in, explains Anderson.

The Buffalo Soldiers name comes from the 10th Cavalry of the Buffalo Soldiers. It was a name given to them, but Native American Adversaries, who felt the Buffalo Soldiers were as fierce as the buffalo in battle.

The term Buffalo Soldier would eventually be adopted by many different African American military units, regardless of military association or war. Over the years, as the Buffalo Soldiers made their way into legend, they also made their way into popular culture and song; like in Bob Marleys 1983 song.

They exist as a reminder of the many military contributions that Blacks have made in helping to cultivate the United States of America.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
The Bulgarian State Agency for National Security (SANS) has issued an expulsion order against a Russian couple who created biographies and documents of "Bulgarian citizens" under false names in order to carry out further espionage activities.

Sources: European Pravda with reference to BGNES

Details: The Head of the SANS signed an order on 26 February banning Russian citizens Vladimir Gorochkin, originally from Kaliningrad Oblast, and his wife Tatiana Gorochkina, originally from Saratov Oblast, from entering and residing in the EU for five years, due to evidence of their activities against Bulgaria's security interests.

Turns out that the Gorochkin couple had been living in Bulgaria for some time as alleged citizens of the country under the names of Denis Rashkov and Diana Rashkova.

SANS received information that Vladimir Gorochkin and Tatiana Gorochkina are illegal intelligence agents and were involved in the activities of the Russian foreign intelligence service to place their agents in foreign countries under false names.

The counterintelligence agency believes that the Gorochkins' task at the current stage of their activities was to obtain all the necessary Bulgarian documents and work out a "cover biography" in order to carry out espionage activities outside Bulgaria under these names.

Bulgaria has also recently searched one of its Interior Ministry departments on suspicion of an employee spying for Russia.

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Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov has arrived in Ukraine on 26 February for an unannounced visit.

Source: European Pravda

Details: It is noted that the Bulgarian delegation arrived in Kyiv by train.

Quote from the Bulgarian government: "Bulgaria supports the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders."

Details: The Bulgarian delegation includes Atanas Slavov, Minister of Justice; Julian Popov, Minister of Environment and Waters; Rumen Radev, Minister of Energy; Stanimir Georgiev, Deputy Minister of Defence; Tihomir Stoychev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Admiral Emil Eftimov, Chief of Defence of Bulgaria.

Further details have not been disclosed.

Background:

In November 2023, the Bulgarian National Assembly ratified an intergovernmental agreement between Sofia and Kyiv that regulates the transfer of 100 decommissioned armoured combat vehicles to Ukraine.

However, the delivery of the promised vehicles had been delayed due to issues related to covering the cost of transportation.

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A Bulgarian delegation led by Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov arrived in Kyiv on the morning of Feb. 26, the Bulgarian government announced.

The prime minister is accompanied by Justice Minister Atanas Slavov, Energy Minister Rumen Radev, Environment Minister Julian Popov, deputy foreign ministers Tihomir Stoychev and Stanimir Georgiev, and Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov.

"The prime minister arrived in the Ukrainian capital this morning to emphasize that our government stands firmly on the side of justice and will continue to defend the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine," the Bulgarian government said on social media.

The delegation is expected to meet Ukrainian officials, but the topic of their talks has not been made public for security reasons, the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported.

This is Denkov's first visit to Ukraine since he became Bulgaria's head of government in June 2023. Former Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, who left office in August 2022, visited Ukraine in April of that year.

Initially a hesitant partner, Bulgaria has become increasingly supportive of Ukraine as the war has progressed. Denkov's government took a decisively pro-Kyiv stance and committed arms supplies to Ukraine, despite opposition from Bulgarian President Rumen Radev (not to be confused with the country's energy minister of the same name).

Read also: Bulgarias Soviet stockpiles and large defense industry may be key to Ukraines success

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Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov, accompanied by members of his cabinet, arrived in Ukraine on Feb. 26, BNT 1 TV reported.

The Bulgarian delegation traveled to Ukraine by train and includes the ministers of defense, justice, environment, and energy, as well as deputy ministers of defense and foreign affairs.

The Bulgarian parliament approved the transfer of 100 armored personnel carriers from its reserve to Ukraine in Summer 2023. Bulgaria started the delivery of armored vehicles to Ukraine in early February, Bulgarian media reported.

Read also: Bulgarian Parliament approves transfer of 100 armored vehicles to Ukraine

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., went to bat for Donald Trump over the weekend, jumping to the former president's defense over comments he made suggesting Black voters connect with him because of his slew of indictments. During a South Carolina summit of Black conservatives on Friday, Trump said that people around him cited his bevy of indictments as why "the Black people like me, because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against. And they actually viewed me as Im being discriminated against. Its been pretty amazing."

Trump at the Black Conservative Federation Gala: I got indicted and lot of people said thats why the black people like me pic.twitter.com/QENwQvvyLI  Acyn (@Acyn) February 24, 2024

Donalds defended the remarks in a tense back-and-forth with NBC's Kristen Welker, who asked the congressman if the former president was implying he could win over Black voters because "they get indicted all the time too."

"I think that's part of it," the Florida Republican replied, before going on to name the economy and border as other top concerns for Black voters. He then dove into a full-fledged defense of Trump's statement. When you layer on the fact that, yes, this is political persecution from the Department of Justice and from radical DAs throughout our country, this is something similar that Black people have to deal with, with the justice system themselves, Donalds told Welker.

The "Meet the Press" host promptly fact-checked the Florida congressman, clarifying that all four Trump indictments were brought by grand juries. "There is no evidence that the indictments are political in nature, she added, before referencing former congressman Cedric Richmond's, D-La., criticism that Trump's claim is "insulting," "moronic and it's just plain racist." Donalds, however, accused Richmond of "trying to play politics and use racial politics."

Asked whether Trump's comments offended him, Donalds responded that they didn't "because I understood what the president was talking about.

"If the government is going after him with foolishness, he can't be that bad" - asked about Trump saying Black voters like him because of his indictments, Rep. Byron Donalds says "this is something similar that Black people have to deal with with the justice system themselves." pic.twitter.com/K7gE3i82sv  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 25, 2024
Trump defeats Haley in her home state, but Haley vows to head into Super Tuesday

Xinhua) 08:16, February 26, 2024

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor in Maryland, the United States, Feb. 24, 2024. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

As Trump and Haley traverse the primary landscape, vying for the Republican presidential nomination state by state, Trump's firm hold on a significant faction of the party is evident.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday secured victory over Nikki Haley, his former ambassador to the United Nations, in South Carolina's Republican primary, advancing a step closer to a potential face-off with incumbent Joe Biden in the upcoming presidential election in November.

Despite her aspirations to regain momentum after three losses in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, Haley -- South Carolina's first female governor from 2011 to 2017 -- got roughly 40 percent of the vote, trailing Trump by approximately 20 percentage points.

As Trump and Haley traverse the primary landscape, vying for the Republican presidential nomination state by state, Trump's firm hold on a significant faction of the party is evident.

However, he remains embroiled in controversies surrounding his efforts to overturn the 2020 U.S. presidential election results and his alleged role in inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot.

Meanwhile, despite growing inner-party pressure to drop out and allow Republicans to unite around Trump, Haley vowed she was "not giving up this fight."

"We're getting around 40 percent of the vote. That's about what we got in New Hampshire, too. I'm an accountant. I know 40 percent is not 50 percent. But I also know 40 percent is not some tiny group," Haley told supporters in her election-night remarks.

"In the next 10 days, another 21 states and territories will speak," she said. Her next station is Michigan, and then Super Tuesday on March 5, when 15 states and one territory will vote to choose candidates to compete in the general elections.

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station during the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary in Charleston, South Carolina, the United States, Feb. 3, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Whitaker/Xinhua)

Trump, who has swept all the early states, has contended that the Republican primary election was effectively over. "This was a little sooner than we anticipated," he said in his victory speech in Columbia in South Carolina, adding that he had "never seen the Republican Party so unified as it is right now."

A Marquette Law School national poll of registered voters conducted from Feb. 5 to 15 showed that Haley could hold a larger lead over Biden than Trump in a hypothetical general election match-up, considering "her strength with Republicans combined with an ability to attract more Democratic and independent voters than does Trump."

But most observers believe Trump's leadership in the party can hardly be shaken, and more discussion has been switched to who Trump's election partner will be. A Morning Consult tracking poll conducted from Jan. 23 to Feb. 4 showed Trump is considerably ahead in every major Super Tuesday state.

A daughter of Indian immigrants, Haley, 52, who portrays herself as a leader from "a new generation" and attacks Trump about his age and records in making America "chaos," has aimed to court independent voters and moderate Republicans.

But that strategy appeared to be ineffective. In the first Republican primary in Iowa, Trump secured over 50 percent of votes, while Haley even placed behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, previously considered a promising right-wing challenger to Trump who later withdrew.

Voters walk up the stairs to vote at a polling station during the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary in Charleston, South Carolina, the United States, Feb. 3, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Whitaker/Xinhua)

Then, in New Hampshire on Jan. 23, a significant battleground state where the governor Chris Sununu had endorsed Haley, she lost by roughly 9 percentage points.

In the recent Nevada contest, featuring both a state-run primary and a party-run caucus, only the caucus results dictated delegate allocation. Having chosen to participate in the primary, Haley was consequently excluded from the caucus. She suffered a significant setback, losing the primary to the "none of these candidates" option by a considerable 30 percent margin. Trump's name was not on the ballot. The outcome underscored her formidable challenge in securing the nomination.

The odds are against her, even in some of her targeted groups. For instance, according to an ABC News poll, even among college-educated voters, where Haley has experienced the greatest growth of support, she's trailing Trump by about 30 points nationally.

"Trump has established a powerful, identity-based relationship with his most dedicated supporters, and his opponents in the GOP have generally been unwilling to challenge this," Christopher Galdieri, a political science professor at Saint Anselm College in the northeastern state of New Hampshire, told Xinhua.

Haley and her campaign have shown no sign of relenting. Calling the election "a building situation," she said in an NBC interview that she did not necessarily need to win her hometown but had to do better than she did in New Hampshire, which was better than she did in Iowa.

However, with the sizable 20 percent margin in South Carolina, her pathway appears increasingly challenged.

Now, put aside the slim hope that Haley turns the tide; there's just one problem left in Trump's nomination: Will the former president, who is beset with 91 criminal charges across four criminal cases, including the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot in which many view him as an insurrectionist, be disqualified from the ballot?

Not likely, but the final answer primarily lies in an awaited ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in response to a challenge from the western state of Colorado. The Colorado Supreme Court -- all seven of its justices appointed by Democratic governors -- ruled in December that Trump would be kicked off the ballot for engaging in what has been labeled an attempt to overthrow the government on Jan. 6, 2021. Then Trump appealed.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L, Front) sits in the courtroom during his civil fraud trial at New York State Supreme Court in New York, the United States, on Oct. 18, 2023. (Doug Mills/Pool via Xinhua)

It is unclear when the Supreme Court, with a 6-to-3 conservative majority, will issue the ruling after hearing oral arguments in the appeal on Feb. 8. But the justices across the political spectrum have expressed concern over the possible ripple effect if Colorado's decision is upheld.

Brookings Institution senior fellow Darrell West told Xinhua: "Several justices expressed doubt about the effort to disqualify Trump from the presidential ballot ... They say it sets a precedent of allowing an individual state to outlaw particular candidates."

Formal challenges to Trump's presidential candidacy have been filed in at least 36 states and Colorado and Maine, which will both hold primaries on Super Tuesday, disqualified him from primary ballots, according to the New York Times. Trump appealed in both.

The lawsuits surrounding Trump's mishandling of sensitive government documents and cover-up payments to a porn star during the 2016 presidential campaign have been used as bargaining chips for both sides. Haley said Trump was a source of chaos and "all of this chaos will only lead to more losses for Republicans up and down the ticket." Meanwhile, Trump has long presented himself as a victim of political persecution and a challenger to the justice system, a move resonating with his supporters.

The cases are expected to unfold over the coming months during the general election, while Trump and his team have been trying to delay trials. In its latest development, New York Supreme Criminal Court judge Juan Merchan said last week he planned to begin the hush-money trial on March 25.

"Haley is staying in the race in case something happens in the court cases that shake confidence in him. She is counting on a conviction knocking him out of the race," West told Xinhua.

On the Democratic side, Biden is similarly dominating the field while facing challenges such as his age and health, disputes over his management of the U.S.-Mexico border and declining support among black voters.

The primary elections will be followed by Republican and Democratic conventions in July and August, in which each party will formally choose their presidential candidate. The candidates will participate in three televised debates before the voting day on Nov. 5.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
San Francisco Mayor London Breed, right, with Dist. Atty. Brooke Jenkins. Both women have adopted a more tough-on-crime stance in the face of the city's spiraling overdose crisis. (Santiago Mejia / Associated Press)

County by county in California, as fentanyl overdoses escalate, local prosecutors are turning to a novel legal strategy to stem the spiraling death toll: charging drug dealers with murder.

In July, Placer County reached a landmark plea deal that sent a man to prison for 15 years-to-life on charges of second-degree murder after he provided a Roseville teenager with a fentanyl-contaminated pill that proved lethal.

A month later, a Riverside County jury issued a first-of-its-kind verdict against another man who supplied a lethal dose of a fentanyl-laced pill to a 26-year-old woman. He also was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to at least 15 years in prison.

District attorneys in Sacramento, Fresno, San Joaquin, San Bernardino and San Diego counties are using similar blueprints: going after alleged fentanyl dealers for homicide rather than drug sales, in hopes that the threat of harsher criminal penalties will ease an opioid crisis that killed more than 7,300 Californians in 2022.

Many of the counties adopting the aggressive legal strategy are in "purple" or "red" areas of California, where more conservative law enforcement leaders have long embraced a tough-on-crime philosophy. Now, San Francisco city leaders  famous for their ultraliberal politics  are preparing to follow suit.

Mayor London Breed, police officials and Dist. Atty. Brooke Jenkins are in the final stages of forming a law enforcement task force charged with investigating opioid deaths and illicit drug dealing in the city as potential homicide cases. The effort is set to launch this spring.

In an October statement announcing the initiative, Breed said people selling the synthetic opioid are "on notice that pushing this drug could lead to homicide charges." Jenkins said the effort would make it easier to hold dealers "accountable for the true dangerousness of their conduct.

It's a remarkable shift in rhetoric and strategy for a city regularly lambasted by right-wing pundits as an anything-goes sanctuary for drug dealers and users. The new approach marks a decided bow to mounting pressure from residents and business leaders for the city to rein in an illicit drug culture that has fed the ranks of homelessness and transformed some downtown neighborhoods into squalid open-air drug markets where people are using  and dying  in the streets.

The move toward tougher penalties for dealers comes after other high-profile public initiatives have failed to turn the tide in San Francisco's drug deaths. In late 2021, Breed declared a state of emergency in the Tenderloin area that in theory made it easier to expand and connect users with treatment and detox services.

In May of last year, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom deployed the California National Guard and California Highway Patrol to San Francisco to assist with investigations and prosecution of drug trafficking networks supplying the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods. As of late January, the operation had resulted in 460 arrests and the confiscation of 18,000 grams of fentanyl and 5,000 grams of methamphetamine, according to the governor's office.

Breed also is sponsoring a controversial March ballot measure to require drug screening for certain people receiving welfare benefits, which she says will push more people into treatment.

Despite the attention, accidental overdose deaths have increased over the last year, surging to a record high of 806 in 2023. Most of those cases  at least 653  involved fentanyl, according to preliminary data from the San Francisco chief medical examiner's office.

"The reason why I've given clear direction to be much more aggressive in tackling this problem has a lot to do with the loss of life, and also the violence surrounding the drug market," said Breed, who has shared her story of losing a sister to a drug overdose nearly 20 years ago.

"Because of the number of overdoses, and because it's directly linked to the drugs, there needs to be a link to the people who are selling this poison that is actually killing people," she said.

That doesn't mean every overdose case will be prosecuted as a murder. Instead, investigators will take a "very targeted approach," Jenkins said. Investigators will work closely with the medical examiner's office and police to respond quickly to reported deaths and collect evidence that could tie the overdose to a specific drug sale.

Counties leading the charge on the new approach have found such cases tricky to prosecute. Prosecutors have to convince a jury that the person who provided the drug bears responsibility for the overdose, and knew the sale could result in death. District attorneys are treading cautiously and so far have filed only a handful of cases  even as some of these counties record hundreds of overdose deaths each year.

Riverside County has been among the most aggressive in employing the tactic, having filed 34 cases against alleged dealers. Still, that's a fraction of the 572 opioid overdose deaths the county recorded in 2022, according to California Department of Public Health data. Dist. Atty. Michael Hestrin said his office targets cases where attorneys believe they can show that a dealer is clearly aware of the deadly risks associated with fentanyl and chose to "disregard that danger" in pursuit of profit.

By comparison, Placer County has filed five fentanyl-related homicide cases; Sacramento and San Bernardino, four; San Diego, eight; and Fresno, one.

"This should be used sparingly, and only in those instances where it's warranted," said Placer County Dist. Atty. Morgan Gire. "But when it's warranted, we will do it."

The tactic has not gained much traction in Los Angeles County, where Dist. Atty. George Gascon has focused resources on addiction prevention efforts and targeting high-level manufacturers and traffickers for prosecution. But some of the candidates running against him in the March primary appear to support the approach.

Such cases hinge on time-consuming investigations, district attorneys employing the strategy said. Investigators dig through cellphone records, text messages, social media accounts and other communications in search of evidence that a dealer knew the product was dangerous.

Gire said his office reviews a defendant's background, sales history and communications with customers. How did they obtain the fentanyl? Have they been around people who died from an overdose? Have they experimented with the drug or overdosed themselves?

"To prove someone knows something, we have to prove what they're thinking. We have to get inside their head," Gire said. "And the best way for us to do that is through things they say and things they do."

That model could be hard to replicate in San Francisco.

Many of the county prosecutors interviewed said they started filing murder charges after noticing an uptick in the number of seemingly healthy young people dying of overdoses in their community, usually after purchasing a drug online. Often, the cases involve teens experimenting with pills  who might not know the drug they bought was laced with fentanyl  rather than hard-core addicts.

San Francisco's crisis, in comparison, is most visible and visceral within the homeless population, whose ranks include longtime addicts who obtain drugs from multiple sources.

"Many of the deaths, particularly on the street, are not going to lend themselves to us being able to track down who the seller was," Jenkins said.

Jenkins' team is seeking training from San Diego County, which shares some of San Francisco's struggles with homeless drug deaths. The county has charged eight defendants with homicide in fentanyl-related deaths since 2017, said San Diego County Dist. Atty. Summer Stephan.

Read more: All is lost in San Francisco? City loyalists take issue with naysayers. Data may back them up

Opponents to San Francisco's task force are quick to point out the lack of empirical data showing that prosecuting street dealers for homicide and sending them to prison for longer terms is proving an effective deterrent. Several of the prosecutors interviewed by The Times said they could point to only anecdotal evidence that the strategy is intimidating would-be dealers.

Keith Humphreys, a professor of psychiatry at Stanford who studies addiction, was skeptical that dangling murder charges over low-level dealers would cause a disruption in the drug supply chain.

"They're very low-skilled labor. You can spend your half a million, million dollars per, to put them in a state prison system, but they'll be replaced almost instantly," Humphreys said. "It's not out of sympathy that I say we can't just continually arrest people on the corner. ... It's just futile."

Instead, Humphreys advocates for more widespread availability of the overdose-reversing nasal spray known as Narcan and for insurance companies to cover substantive mental health and addiction treatment.

Several critics of the new effort say the city won't make real headway until its leaders deal with the root causes of addiction, including a shortage of affordable housing and effective treatment options and a faltering social safety net.

"A purely punitive approach, it just doesn't work. If it would have worked, it would have worked over the past 100 years," said San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen, whose district includes the Mission, another neighborhood struggling with open drug use.

And some speculated, cynically, that the task force is a calculated attempt to build goodwill among voters during an election year in which both Breed and Jenkins are up for reelection. Breed faces a particularly tough reelection bid against at least three other contenders.

Breed has held firm against the criticism. She agrees that encouraging more people to seek treatment is a laudable goal. But, she said, city leaders also have to be "willing to make the hard decisions to make change" and hold people accountable.

"Selling poison should not be protected," Breed said. "I am frustrated with the criticism for taking too hard of a stance and saying that people have no other way, or no other option. I don't agree with that."

Jenkins also insists the initiative isn't about politics or criminalizing drug users in the throes of addiction.

"I think that is an elementary argument that's easy for them to make," she said. "They aren't responsible for saving the lives of the people that are dying on their streets. I am."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The United States newest marine sanctuary shouldnt be shrunk to cater to offshore wind energy development, wrote two U.S. representatives in a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Monday.

Instead, NOAA should include the entirety of Californias Central Coast in the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, according to the letter by Congressman Salud Carbajal, D- Santa Barbara, and Julia Brownley, D-Thousand Oaks.

The representatives advocated for NOAA to extend the northern boundary of the proposed marine sanctuary to abut the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and also include a portion of the Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County.

NOAAs proposal, released in August, left out a 30-mile section of coastline of the originally proposed marine sanctuary that extended from Hazard Canyon Reef south of Morro Bay to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary boundary at Cambria.

The reason: to assuage offshore wind energy company fears that laying cables from their potential developments could be too complicated to do through a national marine sanctuary.

Growing our blue economy and being good stewards of our natural resources are not mutually exclusive, the lawmakers wrote in their letter to NOAA. We believe that carefully planned and sited offshore wind development can be compatible with environmental protection.

On the left is U.S. Representatives Salud Carbajal and Julia Brownleys preferred boundary for the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. On the right is the boundary proposed by NOAA.

Marine sanctuary would protect CAs biologically diverse coastline

Including San Luis Obispo Countys northern coast in the marine sanctuary would protect a stretch of coastline considered to be one of the most biologically diverse and ecologically productive regions in the world, according to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

Extending the marine sanctuarys boundary northward would ensure it also encompasses underwater Indigenous cultural and historical sites, as well as 40 known historic shipwrecks, the lawmakers letter said.

As currently proposed, the marine sanctuary would encompass more than 5,600 square miles off Californias Central Coast.

With the 30-mile section along San Luis Obispo Countys coast included, the sanctuary would cover roughly 7,600 square miles of the Pacific Ocean.

Fish-eating sea anemone live on the rocky reef off Point Estero, where NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and partners are listening to underwater sound inside the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. Robert Schwemmer/NOAA

National marine sanctuary status protects an area from most types of development, including offshore oil drilling and sea floor disturbance.

Offshore wind energy development could cause ocean disturbance too great for marine sanctuary

NOAAs proposed regulations for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary include a permit process that could allow for the placement and maintenance of offshore wind sub-sea transmission cables.

However, the disturbance of submerged lands and associated potential impacts on biological resources that could result from development on this scale would likely be unprecedented in a national marine sanctuary, NOAA wrote in its proposal for the marine sanctuary.

The offshore wind energy development has been proposed to encompass 376 square miles of the Pacific Ocean about 20 miles off the coast of Cambria and San Simeon. The area was leased to three companies  Equinor, Invenergy and Golden State Wind  in a December 2022 auction for a collective $425.6 million.

By excluding the 30-mile stretch of San Luis Obispo Countys northern coast, NOAA anticipates developers will be able to plan infrastructure for this area, which may minimize the potential requests to use other parts of the proposed sanctuary, the agencys proposal said.

A humpback whale kicks up its tail in the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary on July 12, 2023, just offshore from Morro Bay. Robert Schwemmer/NOAA

Indigenous leaders also proposed larger marine sanctuary

NOAAs proposal made Indigenous advocates nervous.

If what they are proposing is so destructive it cant be in a marine sanctuary, then should it even happen? asked Violet Sage Walker in a September interview with The Tribune.

Walker is the chairperson of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council and her father, Fred Collins, was the lead on nominating the marine sanctuary for NOAAs consideration in 2015. The Northern Chumash Tribal Council has historically supported the proposed offshore wind energy development, Walker noted.

Walkers comments were echoed by Michael Khus-Zarate, board member of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation, which has also historically supported offshore wind energy development.

But we dont want other forms of destructive development, he said in a September interview with The Tribune. By leaving this corridor open, NOAA is leaving it open for development.

Representatives Carbajal and Brownley wrote in their letter that there should be a clear permitting pathway for the offshore wind energy companies to lay cables.

New informational signs on the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary have been added to the Moonstone Beach boardwalk in Cambria. Environmental advocates want the northern boundary of the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary to extend to the meet the Monterey Bay sanctuary while the three offshore wind companies whove won leases to place turbines in the ocean would like that boundary moved farther south. Joe Tarica/jtarica@thetribunenews.com

NOAAs regulations for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary should clarify that transmission cables needed for future offshore wind development may be permitted within the sanctuary and to continue to be inclusive in engaging all stakeholders, the letter said.

We specifically urge you to ensure that the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary serves as a model of co-stewardship with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and advisory panel engagement with others that identify with indigenous culture, the letter said.

NOAA is still working on the final designation documents, according to Paul Michel, the regional policy coordinator for the NOAA Sanctuaries West Coast Region.

They will have to go through a series of reviews and approvals, he wrote in an email to The Tribune.

The final designation documents should be released in mid 2024, Michel added.
A California man remains missing after he fell from a boat in the Miami River Saturday afternoon, according to police and the Coast Guard.

Abraham Mgowano, 35, went overboard the 45-foot SeaRay as it sailed westbound on the river near Lummus Park around 2:30 p.m., said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Arielle Callender.

Also on board the boat were 12 other passengers and the operator, according to police.

The Coast Guard suspended its search for the Berkeley, California native around 8:15 p.m. after an extensive search of the river and the shoreline, said Petty Officer 2nd Class Diana Sherbs, a spokeswoman for the service.

The search on the river spanned from the Flagler Street and 7th Avenue bridges, Sherbs said.

However, Fish and Wildlife officers and officers with the city of Miami and Miami-Dade County have continued to dive and search the area, Callender said Monday.
LOS ANGELES  McDonalds franchise owners in California are trying to exact revenge on lawmakers who backed the states minimum wage hike for fast food workers.

According to The Sacramento Bee, the California Alliance of Family Owned Businesses political action committee (PAC) has spent more than half a million dollars on ad campaigns targeting at least two Democratic Assembly members who are running for county and municipal seats.

Citing campaign finance filings, sacbee.com reports the PAC has spent $297,000 on negative mailers targeting Assemblyman Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) who is now seeking a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. It also spent $300,000 on a campaign targeting Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who is running for mayor of Sacramento.

The minimum wage for fast food workers in California will climb to $20 an hour in April after lawmakers passed and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1228 last year.

Holden was the lead author of AB-1228.

Fast Food Minimum Wage hike

Executives at McDonalds and Chipotle Mexican Grill have already indicated that menu price hikes are coming, and two large Pizza Hut operators in California recently eliminated their in-house delivery drivers ahead of the new law.

Politicians should know that if they agree to carry water for those who threaten our businesses, they will be opposed, Kerri Harper-Howie, a Los Angeles McDonalds owner-operator, said in a statement to the Bee.

The Service Employees International Union, which successfully lobbied for the wage hike, called the PACs spending shameful corporate attacks.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Earth is sending us a message: Its time to heal watersheds that 20th Century engineers fundamentally disrupted when they thought they could outsmart nature and control wild rivers.

The removal of four Klamath River dams along the California-Oregon border is in the spotlight  and for good reason. It is the largest dam removal in our nations history and represents the culmination of decades of advocacy, politicking and negotiations led by tribes and supported by a broad swath of non-profit organizations and commercial fishermen.

Yet more is happeing. At the other end of the state, a series of smaller dam removals is moving forward with less fanfare. A coordinated effort throughout the Cleveland National Forest and elsewhere in Orange County to remove 80-plus barriers is almost complete. This work will give native fish the ability to move around in response to threats like fire and drought  changes that will give access to essential habitat for critically endangered Southern steelhead trout.

Like on the Klamath, this effort is proceeding smoothly thanks to a broad collaboration of public and private agencies and organizations working together to minimize red tape and restore essential habitat.

Opinion

In California alone, thousands of dams provide a long list of human-centered services. From flood control to hydroelectricity to water for drinking and irrigation, dams contribute to the way of life known in the Golden State since settlers arrived. But most of these dams were built between the 1930s and 1960s, and some are now beyond their useful lives.

Today, we understand dams compromise entire ecosystems. We have better ways to reap the benefits dams once provided. Groundwater replenishment is far less harmful than above-ground reservoirs created by dams, which disrupt river systems, promote toxic algae growth, emit climate-harming methane and waste large volumes of water through evaporation. Solar and wind produce cleaner energy than dam-generated hydroelectricity, and advances in irrigation allow us to grow more food with less water.

For all these reasons, a wave of dam removals is coming. While some dams are critical to statewide water infrastructure (we wont breach Shasta or Oroville dams anytime soon), many need upgrades that simply dont pencil out. From the sediment-filled Matilija Dam to the seismically unsafe Potter Valley Project complex on the North Coast, momentum around removing dams that do more harm than good is growing.

Imagining a different future is hard, especially when the downsides of dams are underestimated. But crashing salmon populations, growing impacts of climate change and the real costs of maintaining aging dams should inspire every Californian to consider the benefits of restoring and protecting free-flowing rivers.

Thankfully, we have a growing body of experience that can help us get the job done. First, lead with science: Understanding the costs and benefits of keeping an aging dam in place is critical to figuring out whether a dam is worth keeping.

Second, build consensus: Bringing key stakeholders into the conversation is a critical step in making dam removal a reality, particularly when regulators have the final say in whether a dam stays or goes. Whenever possible, let tribes lead the way. Dam removal is a racial justice issue, one that aligns with state efforts to address longstanding wrongs against tribal communities.

Most importantly, persevere: Dam removal takes a lot of resources and careful planning, but compared to the vast benefits healthy rivers provide, the investment and effort are worth it.

Removing defunct dams throughout the state will improve our resilience in the face of increasing weather extremes. Gov. Gavin Newsoms recently announced salmon strategy acknowledges that targeted dam removal coupled with investments in science are crucial to recovering salmon populations.

Just as science and engineering led us into the era of rampant dam building, new understandings open the door to working with  rather than against  nature. We have the knowledge and know-how to make it happen. And we dont have a minute to waste.

Curtis Knight is executive director of the watershed and fish advocacy organization California Trout .
Deborah Prentice said Cambridge 'has made real progress in welcoming a more diverse group of students' - Denise Applewhite/Princeton University

Cambridge admissions are skewed towards students from London and the south east, the universitys vice-chancellor has said as she launches a diversity drive.

Prof Deborah Prentice said she wants to encourage more students from all backgrounds to apply to the university, including from across the north west of England.

In 2022, almost half of applications from UK students were from London and the south east, while 7.7 per cent were from the north west and 2.1 per cent from the north east.

Applicants from London and the south east had the highest success rate, accounting for 51 per cent of the new intake, with applicants from the north west accepting 7.3 per cent of places.

Writing in the Northern Agenda newsletter during a visit to Liverpool to meet aspiring students, Prof Prentice, who was appointed vice-chancellor of Cambridge last year, said she wanted the university to serve the UK as a whole.

She said that the university has made real progress in recent years in welcoming a more diverse group of students, and the proportion of students who join from state schools has risen significantly.

However, she said she shared the concerns of some students that admissions to Cambridge  which is most certainly a national university  is skewed towards London and the south east.

Prof Prentice was writing in response to an article by Eva Carroll, 21, a Cambridge student who wrote in the Liverpool Echo about not meeting a single person with a northern accent in her first few weeks at the university.

Ms Carroll, who was raised by a single mother in Everton, said: A lot of the people in my halls had just finished their gap year or ski season.

Early in my first year, I went on a date where the guy paid for both our pizzas, then asked me to transfer him the 7.50 to his online banking. I thought to myself, fair enough, right? We were both students on a budget.

We both got out our phones and I saw the balance in his account. It was 50,000. I had about 50 in mine.

Prof Prentice said she smiled with warm recognition when she read the article, as she also grew up with a single parent and was the first in her family to go to university.

The psychologist grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and has spent most of her career at Princeton in New Jersey, where she served as provost. She is the first American vice-chancellor of Cambridge.

Her comments on applicants come after Eton College pledged to open state schools in Dudley, Middlesbrough and Oldham to help close the North-South divide in Oxbridge admissions.

The free schools, to be run in partnership with Star Academies, a leading academy trust, will recruit young people from deprived areas with the aim of getting them into top universities.

At Oxford University, London and the south east made up 47 per cent of UK undergraduate applications and admissions between 2020 and 2022, compared with about 2 per cent from the north east and 8 per cent from the north west.

Prof Irene Tracey, vice-chancellor of Oxford University, has also pledged to recruit more students from outside London and the south east.

Commenting on Etons state school plans last year, she said: The issue is not a lack of talented students, but rather sufficient opportunities for them to reach their full potential, and we very much hope that these three colleges will be a contribution to providing that need.

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FILE PHOTO: Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland takes part in a press conference before delivering the fall economic update in Ottawa

(Reuters) - A "pharmacare" deal between Canada's ruling Liberals and the New Democrats (NDP) will not threaten the country's fiscal standing, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland told a news conference on Sunday, The Globe and Mail reported.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh told a Canadian public broadcaster on Friday that the two parties had now reached a deal on "pharmacare" which a Reuters' government source confirmed.

"It is very, very important to invest in supporting Canadians and to do so in a fiscally responsible way," said Freeland, the report added.

The Globe and Mail previously reported that the pharmacare plan would cost more than C$1 billion ($740.41 million) a year once it was implemented, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Freeland's spokesperson did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment.

A government source said on Friday that terms of an agreement had been reached with the NDP and that details would be made public next week.

In late 2021, the left-leaning NDP agreed to back Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in return for legislation to set up a nationwide system to help people pay for medication.

NDP leader Singh had in recent weeks complained the Liberals were dragging their feet and mused about withdrawing his automatic support for Trudeau.

The pharmacare agreement would suggest the chances of Trudeau staying in office until an election next year appear more certain.

($1 = 1.3506 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Angela Christy in Bengaluru; Editing by Michael Perry)
Rep. Scott Cepicky (center) speaks to the audience at the annual State Eggs & Issues breakfast at The Memorial Building on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, which addressed state issues regarding growth, taxes, education and this year's General Assembly.

Education and taxes were among the main topics addressed at this year's State Eggs & Issues breakfast.

The annual breakfast, hosted by the Maury County Chamber & Economic Alliance, invites elected officials from the State Capitol to answer questions, speak about certain bills and the overall progress of this year's General Assembly.

This year's panel, which featured State Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, and State Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, and was moderated by Maury Alliance President Wil Evans.

More: Proposed bill to cap property taxes draws opposing views between delegation, commission

More: Maury Co. Commission requests legislature to amend County Powers Relief Act

Taxes, infrastructure and handling growth

With Maury County's continued growth comes the increased need for infrastructure, as well as who foots the bill to pay for it.

Cepicky said there have been progress to address long-term infrastructure needs, such as securing $200 million to widen U.S. Highway 31 in Spring Hill. While other projects, like widening Bear Creek Pike in Columbia, continue to await funding approval.

"We constantly work at finding money that benefits our community," Cepicky said. "For growth, there is a bill I have already presented to allow half of the real estate transfer tax come back to Maury County. The rough numbers would be roughly $7-$8 million a year to help pay for our schools, school growth and maintenance."

There is also a push to allow the county to implement an impact fee for builders on new construction as an amendment to the existing state County Powers Relief Act.

Hensley added that the state's budget for capital projects did not include a large surplus this fiscal year, which has been common over the last few years. While there is enough money to pay for existing needs, some projects will unfortunately have to remain on hold, he said.

Sen. Joey Hensley, left, speaks to the audience at the annual State Eggs & Issues breakfast at The Memorial Building on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.

"Our revenue estimates have been below what we estimated for our budget," Hensley said. "So we haven't been taking in as much, will have to make up some money, but we are constantly looking for funds for Maury County."

Another piece of legislation is the push to put a 2% cap on annual property tax increases, which both Hensley, Cepicky and Kip Capley, R-Summertown, (who was invited to the talk but not present) said could have a negative impact on Maury County, which remains one of the fastest-growing counties in the state.

"With high growth counties like Maury County, that's going to put a big financial strain on us," Cepicky said. "But this doesn't mean the Maury County Commission cannot come back to the people of Maury County and make their case to raise taxes more than 2%. Then it goes to a referendum of the people, who we work for. It's your ultimate decision because you are the ones who are going to have to pay it."

Education, literacy rates and school vouchers

Last year, the state implemented its new third grade retention law, which was designed to address early education reading and comprehension levels.

After its first year in effect, Cepicky said the retention data shows that Tennessee's literacy rate is currently at 40%, which is a 10% growth over the last two years. And while improvement is a good thing, the numbers are still far below where they should be, he emphasized.

"We are the highest growing state in the country, especially coming out of COVID," Cepicky said. "But still, 40% is not acceptable with 60% of our kids not on the right level. Our literacy in the 8th grade drops to around 22% and in high school it drops into the teens. That's our state right now."

Rep. Scott Cepicky (center) speaks to the audience at the annual State Eggs & Issues breakfast at The Memorial Building on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.

Cepicky added that the declining numbers are why the issue of literacy should be addressed at the forefront, and that in order to advance the students must do the work, with hard data showing that growth is being accomplished.

"Education will solve our problems in our society on the backend," Cepicky said. "This is an epidemic, and it hasn't happened overnight, but we are going to fix it in Tennessee."

Education Freedom Scholarship Act to be debated

The state's education system could also see a big change this year with Gov. Bill Lee's proposed Education Freedom Scholarship Act, which would grant 20,000 school vouchers to qualifying low-income households with homeschool students or those wishing to attend private schools.

However, part of the proposed bill could also grant 10,000 of the vouchers to students regardless of household income, with other concerns regarding a potential decrease in school funding.

"Most students are probably going to stay in public education if we pass a program like this, but we just want to give parents a choice to have the best education for their child," Hensley said. "Parents ultimately have that right, but ultimately like any legislation it will be debated, go through all the committees and we'll just have to see what happens moving forward."

Cepicky added that the House plans to allow private schools to decide whether they want to participate in the program or not if passed.

He also proposed that participating schools would be required to send grades and test results to a third party, who would assess the data from all scholarship recipients. The final data would then be submitted to the State for evaluation.

Local leaders, Maury County Chamber members and others attend the annual State Eggs & Issues Breakfast presented by Maury Alliance and Columbia Breakfast Rotary.

"We create a level of separation between the government and our private schools and give them the protection they need," Cepicky said. "That information will then be disseminated to us in the House and Senate so we can track the academic progress of these kids going from a public to private school to make sure their academic progress is going in an upward trajectory."

For public schools, Cepicky said he is pushing for legislation to limit testing in grades K-12 to allow more time for teaching, which he said would free up almost 500 hours of instruction.

"There is a teacher who told me he gives his middle schoolers 15 tests a year. That's one every 11 days," Cepicky said.

"All we are doing is confirming for the multiple tests so that the kids don't have time to learn, and we are testing them and getting results that they don't know. You ask any teacher and they'll tell you one thing, 'If you give me the time to teach, I'll get them across the finish line.

"We are fighting for what's best for Maury County."

Jay Powell is a general reporter for The Daily Herald. Get up-to-date news in your inbox by subscribing to The Daily Herald newsletter at www.ColumbiaDailyHerald.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Maury County legislators address growth, taxes and school choice
CHICAGO  Four people were injured, one fatally, on Sunday afternoon after gunfire erupted at a park on the citys Far North Side.

According to Chicago fire officials, two people came into the park and shot at a group of people around 3:30 p.m. in the 7300 block of North Rogers Avenue.

All of the people who were shot were between the ages of 18 and 22.

The 18-year-old woman, who was shot in the chest, later succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. The Cook County Medical Examiner has since identified the victim as Keyonce Gladney.

Chicago police initially reported that Gladney was 19 years old, but it was later determined that she was 18.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

Three others were injured in the shooting, a 22-year-old woman, a 20-year-old man, and a 19-year-old man all suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to the hospital in good condition.

Chicago police said the two people who fired shots ran away and went north on Winchester Avenue.

No arrests have been made yet in connection with the incident and it is currently unclear what led to the gunfire.

The incident is still under investigation by Area Three detectives.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
SINGAPORE  Amid parental concerns, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing has clarified the purpose of the Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lessons regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict. He said that these lessons are not about assigning blame or serving as history lessons, but aim to assist students in processing their emotions and understanding the issue.

Regarding the consideration of an opt-out option for parents who are uncomfortable with their children participating in such lessons, Chan emphasised the importance of understanding the purpose behind these lessons.

"The CCE lessons are not meant to be a history lesson, nor is it meant to ascribe who is right or wrong at which period of history. We are trying to promote mutual understanding and social harmony. I think we want all our students to be able to appreciate this," the minister said in an interview with SPH Media and Medicorp on Sunday (25 February).

Chan added that these values are not specific to any particular issue or conflict, but are important in Singapore's multiracial and multi-religious society.

He stressed the importance of addressing the Israel-Hamas conflict in Singapore, due to the country's social fabric and the abundance of information available on the topic. He commended educators for their professionalism, while acknowledging their personal feelings and convictions about the issue, but had not imposed them on students.

Minister addresses concerns over CCE content

The minister's remarks come amid concerns from some parents regarding the content of CCE materials. They had expressed dissatisfaction on social media platforms, allegedly accusing the education ministry of choosing sides.

Chan said that the education ministry had foreseen the challenges of dealing with such a complex topic. "Whether it is this issue or the Russia-Ukraine conflict, whenever it comes to CCE, we fully expect that there will be issues that will elicit different reactions from different people. I think we are mentally prepared for this," he said.

He noted that whenever the education ministry collaborated with principals and teachers, they all agreed that the common objective is to build a shared ethos of how we respond as Singaporeans.

Chan added that leaving students to navigate issues on the Israel-Hamas conflict alone could expose them to external influences or, worse, be misguided by biased sources on social media. He noted that students and Singaporeans have already been inundated with unverified information and misinformation online which have stirred emotions and sparked heated conversations.

Therefore, he stressed the importance of preventing the spread of hatred and distrust among younger generations. "We must understand Singapore's vulnerabilities and interests, and work hard to preserve our cohesion, mutual tolerance and acceptance, and find ways to preserve our multiracial and multi-religious harmony," he added.

Chan assured that the CCE curriculum would be regularly updated to reflect new developments and information. He added that the first tranche of materials was updated till December 2023, and the Ministry of Education will continue to update it every two to three months.

Misconceptions surrounding curriculum slide

The Gaza conflict erupted when Hamas militants crossed the border into Israel on 7 October, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and the capture of 240 hostages during a rampage into Israeli towns. Subsequently, Israeli retaliation in Gaza caused significant destruction, with the Palestinian death toll reportedly reaching almost 30,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

Chan also said that one particular slide in the CCE lessons, which focused on the events of 7 October when Hamas attacked Israel and Israel retaliated, should not be viewed in isolation. He explained that the curriculum also includes slides that delve into the complex and violent history of the conflict for teachers' reference.

"Some people may have mischaracterised it and say that we only present from 7 October and beyond. Our position is very clear. This is a conflict with a long history, many things have happened," he said.

Chan highlighted Singapore's stance in the United Nations, which has joined other countries in calling for a ceasefire and humanitarian support for the victims. Singapore has also consistently supported a two-state solution.

Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com.

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz remains opposed to providing Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles, insisting that Kyiv needs artillery ammunition instead, German outlet Focus reported on Feb. 26.

The issue of transferring Taurus is not on the agenda of the German government, Scholz said during a speech in Berlin.

Read also: Bundestag again blocks Taurus missile transfer to Ukraine proposed by opposition

"I am surprised that some people do not care and do not even think about whether what we are doing could in some sense make us participants in a war," he said.

The chancellor noted that these are "very long-range weapons," adding that he was "very annoyed" by the "lack of balance between what is really needed now and the debate about this single [weapon] system."

"What Ukraine lacks is ammunition," he stated.

Read also: Response by DM Pistorius regarding Taurus missiles for Ukraine causes laughter in the Bundestag  video

According to Scholz, the transfer of Taurus missiles would not be crucial for the Ukrainian military.

"I explained why this is out of the question," he concluded.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
FILE PHOTO: A view of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington.

By David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress on Monday showed no sign of moving forward on spending bills to avoid a partial government shutdown in just five days, as lawmakers entered a new week of political chaos over funding and aid to U.S. allies.

The top Democrats and Republicans in Congress on Tuesday are due to visit the White House to meet with Democratic President Joe Biden, who has been pushing for months for fresh aid to Ukraine and Israel, as well as urging lawmakers to avoid a shutdown.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell dismissed the shutdown danger on Monday as he exited a meeting in Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's office, telling reporters: "No, we're not going to shut the government down."

Schumer told reporters earlier that "Democrats are doing everything we can to avoid a shutdown."

But the two Senate leaders do not speak for the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where a group of conservative hardliners have repeatedly blocked legislation.

The House is also grasping for a way forward on vital U.S. aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, and plans to hear closed-door testimony from Biden's son, Hunter Biden, in an impeachment probe that has failed so far to turn up evidence of wrongdoing by the president.

The Senate, meanwhile, is awaiting articles of impeachment against Biden's top border official, narrowly approved by House Republicans.

Congress has been characterized by Republican brinkmanship and muddled priorities over the past year, more so since Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump undermined a bipartisan border deal in the Senate and now wants aid to U.S. allies extended as loans.

Almost two months have passed since Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and Schumer agreed on a $1.59 trillion discretionary spending level for the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1.

"It's becoming more chaotic," said Brian Riedl, senior fellow at the right-leaning Manhattan Institute. "The longer Congress is dysfunctional, the further they fall behind on very time-sensitive, high-priority legislation."

INTRA-REPUBLICAN FIGHTING

That dysfunction has eclipsed classic partisan bickering between Republicans and Democrats, with hardliners now forming their own opposition party within Republican ranks.

Major ratings agencies say the repeated brinkmanship is taking a toll on the creditworthiness of a nation whose debt has surpassed $34 trillion.

In the latest sign of an ungovernable House Republican majority, some hardliners are threatening to oust Johnson as speaker if the Christian conservative allows a vote on the $95 billion foreign aid bill that passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support.

On another front, the White House has stepped up personal attacks on Johnson for blocking bills Biden supports.

As the government funding deadline inches closer, some lawmakers worry that hardline demands for policy riders that restrict access to abortion, defund diversity programs and promote gun rights could cause further delay.

But Representative Mike Simpson, a senior Republican appropriator, said Congress can steer clear of a shutdown.

"We cannot let unrealistic policy expectations get in the way of effective governing. We must get these bills across the finish line," Simpson said in a statement.

Further complicating the path forward, senators are due to be sworn in as jurors for the trial of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who the House impeached along partisan lines on Feb. 13 on charges that he has failed to enforce immigration law and made false statements to Congress.

A Senate trial cannot begin until the House delivers the articles of impeachment, and sources said the two chambers have not yet agreed on a delivery date.

To avert a shutdown, Schumer may need unanimous consent from senators, including Republican hardliners, if the chamber is to act on appropriations before the Friday deadline.

"It's going to be difficult to get it done on time," said Senator John Boozman, a senior Republican appropriator. "Hopefully, we won't have a government shutdown. But if we do, just a few days as we're working in good faith to get it passed, that really wouldn't mean much."

The absence of time has led to speculation that lawmakers could opt for a short-term stopgap measure to keep federal agencies open while Congress acts.

McConnell did not respond to questions about a short-term stopgap on Monday.

Johnson and other Republicans oppose a short-term stopgap, known as a continuing resolution or CR. But circumstances may have the last say.

"If it's an option between a three-day shutdown and a three-day CR, I'd do the CR," said Representative Don Bacon, who would otherwise reject another stopgap.

The House Freedom Caucus has instead urged Johnson to pass a continuing resolution for the remainder of 2024 that would trigger a 1% across-the-board spending cut under a 2023 deal between Biden and Johnson's predecessor, Kevin McCarthy.

Republican Senator Rick Scott, a staunch conservative, favors the same approach, but with U.S. aid to Israel included, along with a full-year defense appropriations bill to protect the Pentagon from spending cuts.

(Reporting by David Morgan; Additional reporting by Katharine Jackson and Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone and Bill Berkrot)
A 54-year-old man from north Wales has been found dead on his boat during an attempt to row across the Atlantic Ocean.

Michael Holt from Porthmadog, Gwynedd, left Gran Canaria on 27 January with the goal to reach Barbados in the Caribbean and help two charities.

But some 700 miles in, Mr Holt, who had type 1 diabetes, fell ill.

He was later found dead in his cabin by the crew of a fishing vessel that had sailed to his aid.

Michael's death was announced in a statement made by his brother David Holt on Facebook.

"We have been working tirelessly to get help to Michael over the past four days but have found it incredibly difficult to do so," his brother wrote.

"Last night the fishing vessel Noruego accepted a tasking from Cape Verde Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and made directly for Michael's coordinates.

"Very sadly, upon arrival, Michael was found dead inside his cabin."

Map showing location the boat was found

The statement went on to say: "Of course this was not the ultimate conclusion we were looking for, but I am somewhat comforted knowing he died doing something he absolutely wanted to do with a passion and managed to row in excess of 700 miles in the process. An achievement in itself."

The statement said it was a "huge shock" to the family, and his brother thanked people for their messages of support, saying "they mean a great deal to all the family".

Before beginning his voyage Mr Holt said he expected it to take "between 50-110 days".

He anticipated having to row for over 16 hours a day and living off just four hours of sleep.

He was travelling alone on his ship, named Mynadd, and he had no helicopter or boat helping him, but he was in contact with a company that was tracking his progress.

Relatives had expressed concern about him over the last week, initially saying he was suffering with seasickness, which he himself suspected was a "bad reaction to taking some antibiotics".

He therefore decided to postpone his journey to Barbados and begin rowing 300 miles south to the island Cape Verde.

However, in the following days concerns grew after all efforts to communicate with him failed.

It was then on Sunday evening that his death was announced online.

As part of his challenge, he was raising money for the charity Mind and Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services.

His brother David described how he had tried to prepare himself for "horrible news", but added it had still come as a shock.

"I phoned up the Cape Verde port authority to find out what the fishing boat had found," he said.

"Obviously there was a bit of a language barrier with them speaking Portuguese but I asked, have they seen Michael, is he ok? Is he alive? And they just came back with, no no no.

"I had prepared myself for that news to some extent given the lack of communication with him in the days before that, but it was obviously still a shock. It was horrible news."

He added he was "incredibly proud" of his brother.

"Despite what's happened, to be rowing on the open sea for 24 days and to cover over 700 miles is amazing," he said.

"There's probably a reason nobody with type 1 diabetes has ever rowed across the Atlantic ocean. But when Michael gets an idea in his head, that's it. What he's achieved is amazing."
Charlotte Church has denied the song From the River to the Sea is antisemitic after she belted out a rendition at a pro-Palestine concert.

The Welsh musician was recorded singing the divisive song, which can be interpreted as a direct call for the state of Israel to be destroyed, during a pro-Palestine fundraising concert at a village hall in Caerphilly, South Wales on Saturday.

In a video posted online, Church, 38, stands behind a banner that reads Let Palestine Live at the fundraising event for the Middle East Childrens Alliance charity. She and the choir members wore keffiyeh scarves, which are often worn by pro-Palestine supporters as a symbol of solidarity.

(Instagram)

At the event, Church was seen singing the divisive lyrics from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free  a reference to the land between the Jordan River, which borders eastern Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism has labelled the song and its central phrase as antisemitic, as many British Jews recognise the song as demonstrating a demand for Israels destruction.

However, Palestinian activists say the phrase from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free is a call for peace and equality after 75 years of Israeli statehood and decades-long, open-ended Israeli military rule over millions of Palestinians.

Broadcasting live on Instagram on Monday, Church denied that the song was antisemitic and that people who know the history behind the conflict will know it is not calling for the obliteration of Israel.

She said: Just to clarify my intentions there, I am in no way antisemitic. I am fighting for the liberation of all people. I have a deep heart for all religions and all difference.

It was a beautiful, beautiful event. But unfortunately the powers that be cant have that. [They] cant have such a powerful symbol of resistance as what we worked towards on Saturday.

Charlotte Church leading the choir (Instagram)

She added: Clearly, if you know the history of it all, [it is] not an antisemitic chant calling for the obliteration of Israel. It is not that in any way shape or form. It is calling for the peaceful coexistence of Israelis and Palestinians.

Church said lots of other beautiful songs of liberation and freedom were performed at the event, South African songs from the anti-apartheid movement, Welsh songs and Arabic songs the lyrics of which were adapted to the situation in Palestine.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism told The Independent that Church was using her voice to fan the flames of hatred.

At best Charlotte Church has been tone deaf, but at worst she is using the voice for which she is so well known to fan the flames of hatred.

It labelled the lyrics as extremist, and added: You cannot stoop lower than using your stardom to teach kids to sing extremist lyrics in a village hall.

Jewish MP Andrew Percy blasted the incident as deeply concerning, saying all who joined in Churchs sing-along should hang their heads in shame.

The Independent has contacted Churchs representatives for comment.

Church was the main guest at The Big Sing fundraising event for the Middle East Childrens Alliance charity (Instagram)

A spokesperson for the CAA continued: The genocidal chant From the River to the Sea refers to the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea, and only makes sense as a call for the destruction of the worlds only Jewish state  and its replacement with a Palestinian state. It is a call for the annihilation of half the worlds Jews, who live in Israel.

Since 7 October, when Hamas committed their barbaric terrorist acts, we have heard this chant on the streets of Britain during anti-Israel marches, accompanied by all manner of anti-Jewish racism, it said.

But like so much of the Middle East conflict, the phrases meaning depends on who is telling the story, and what audience is hearing it.

In 2021, the Palestinian-American writer Yousef Munayyer said the phrase expresses a desire for a state in which Palestinians can live in their homeland as free and equal citizens, neither dominated by others nor dominating them.

The claim that the phrase from the river to the sea carries a genocidal intent relies not on the historical record, but rather on racism and Islamophobia, he wrote for Jewish Currents in 2021.

Using the phrase can be costly for public figures and politicians, such as the Labour MP Andy McDonald, who was suspended from the party after referring to the slogan at a protest in London organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

We wont rest until we have justice. Until all people, Israelis & Palestinians, between the river & the sea can live in peaceful liberty, he tweeted.

He then explained: These words should not be construed in any other way than they were intended, namely as a heartfelt plea for an end to killings in Israel, Gaza, and the occupied West Bank, and for all peoples in the region to live in freedom without the threat of violence.

At the time, Downing Street expressed concerns over the chant, describing it as deeply offensive to many, amid growing controversy surrounding the rhetoric used in recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

In the US, Representative Rashida Tlaib was censured by the House in November after referring to the slogan.

Defending her stance, Tlaib wrote: From the river to the sea is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate. My work and advocacy is always centred in justice and dignity for all people no matter faith or ethnicity.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools this week ended its use of a popular library app that gave students access to more than 40,000 books, due to a controversial state law.

The change comes in response to the states passage of Senate Bill 49, titled the Parents Bill of Rights, which passed in a party-line vote in August to override Gov. Roy Coopers veto. The bill has several provisions, including those expanding parents access to their childrens records as well as imposing strict limits on the instruction of topics related to gender identity and sexuality.

The e-book app, Epic, is currently used in over 80% of U.S. elementary schools. CMS said Epic primarily was used by students in kindergarten through second grade during independent reading time.

Districts are expected to ensure that curriculum and instructional resources, including supplemental materials, for Kindergarten through fourth grade students do not teach on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality. EPIC is considered a supplemental resource, and CMS recently learned that there were books on this digital platform that were in violation of this law, CMS Deputy Superintendent Melissa Balknight said in an email to The Charlotte Observer. Since EPIC does not allow CMS to manage and monitor access to books on this platform, a decision was made to remove access to this digital platform during the instructional day to adhere to Senate Bill 49.

The districts Digital Learning and Library Services team told school administrators access to the app for students and staff would end Monday, according to an email obtained by The Charlotte Observer.

CMS is shifting its schools to the use of a different e-book app, Sora, that critics of the change say could lead to more limited options for students.

Its unclear how many N.C. school districts have or will make similar moves, though it does not appear to be a directive from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. Media specialists with Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools told the Observer they dont believe their districts intend to shift away from Epic.

While there is currently a process in place for challenging individual books, it requires review by the nine-member CMS Central Media Advisory Committee.With the discontinuation of Epic in CMS, students and teachers lost access to its collection of more than 40,000 books at once without review.

Criticism of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools change

CMS is far from the first school district to ditch the app in recent years. School districts in Florida, Texas and Tennessee have done away with the app due to complaints from parents about content their children could access. The complaints largely centered upon access to materials with LGBTQ themes and social justice, the Nashville Tennesseean reported.

Critics of the change say SB49 does not prohibit the use of the platform.

We do not see a legal argument there. There is a provision that prohibits instruction on gender identity and sexuality in kindergarten through fourth grade, but instruction does not mean access, said Craig White, supportive schools director at LGBTQ rights organization Campaign for Southern Equality. Its a significant over-interpretation of SB49 to deny students access to books, rather than changing whats in the curriculum from the front of the classroom.

There is also a provision in SB49 that gives parents the right to access a history of what books their child checked out from the school library and the right to review all supplementary instructional materials themselves.

White says e-book platforms have become indispensable to both students and teachers in recent years, especially during the pandemic.

Both the state and local districts have been slashing funding for buying books in print, so more and more, English language arts teachers and media specialists have been turning to digital libraries instead, where there is a lot more access to a lot more titles for much less cost, White said.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida  Gov. Ron DeSantis sure seems to be acting like a candidate again  and hes picking new fights with the most powerful Republican in America.

During a lengthy call last week with more than 200 pledged delegates to his former presidential campaign, DeSantis shot down any speculation that hed be Donald Trumps vice president, warned the former president against using identity politics in choosing a running mate and blamed Trumps campaign team for relentlessly attacking him before the governor dropped out of the presidential race in January.

DeSantis held the call the same week he traveled to Indiana and South Carolina, where he pushed for states to back a constitutional amendment setting congressional term limits  a position he constantly mentioned on the campaign trail.

The moves by the governor, including a press conference to trumpet his legislative battles with Disney and a sendoff of Florida National Guard to the Texas border, has once again raised questions about his motives, especially considering that he endorsed Trump for president and criticizes Trumps rival, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.



I think he is just very frustrated that no one else is saying these very obvious things and so feels the need to say them himself. Like the boy in The Emperor's New Clothes, said Jason Osborne, the New Hampshire House majority leader who backed DeSantis presidential bid.

That viewed was echoed by Rob Stutzman, a Republican adviser for Mitt Romneys 2008 presidential campaign.

I question how strategic he's being, Stutzman said. I'd lean towards catharsis. Cheaper than therapy.

It wouldn't come as a surprise if DeSantis mounted another presidential run in 2028. The governor has hinted that hes open to another bid since dropping out and, during a press conference in Florida on Friday, told an audience that of course he would do it all over again.

But his attacks also represent a very consistent characteristic of the governor: Railing against those he perceives to be against him. He regularly bashed political opponents like President Joe Biden and Democrats, punished Disney for publicly opposing legislation accused of being anti-LGBTQ+ community and denounced liberal media outlets. The fact that DeSantis is training his broadsides against Trump  and even conservative media outlets  strikes some as DeSantis being DeSantis.

DeSantis seems to be liberated since the campaign ended, Stutzman said. Even toward the end he was a better candidate than he had been, seemingly unburdened by expectations or contorted strategies. I would think his criticisms of Trump and conservative media are sincere.

After DeSantis comments to pledged delegates surfaced, key Trump supporters took direct aim at the governor. Chris LaCivita, a top Trump strategist, called him a sad little man on social media . Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that Ron tucked his tail between his legs and he should have scurried off into the shadows of obscurity.

And even though Trump floated DeSantis as a possible running mate on Tuesday , the former presidents campaign by Thursday  the day after DeSantis call leaked  closed the door on that option.



DeSantiss campaign and administration declined to comment.

But DeSantis may have his sights on something much larger than being Trumps No. 2. POLITICO previously reported that several supporters said they expect him to run for president again and predicted he will start raising money for state-level political activities later in the year.

And one Republican operative who was on DeSantis delegate call, and who was granted anonymity to speak freely, suspected that DeSantis is positioning himself to be a Republican option in case Trump cant continue running this year due to his legal trouble.

I believe everything you're seeing is part of a concerted effort by DeSantis world to keep the door open in the event that something in the race changes in the coming weeks that takes Trump out  like a criminal conviction and jail or prison sentence, the operative said.


BYD unveiled an electric supercar under its luxury brand YANGWANG for about $233,400.

The supercar can accelerate from 0-62 mph in a little over two seconds and go up to 192 mph.

While BYD is known for selling affordable EVs, it's expanding into a new market.

BYD unveiled its first electric supercar  and it's giving a mix of Ferrari and McLaren vibes.

It's called the U9, and it's being sold for 1.68 million RMB, which is around $233,407, under BYD's high-end brand Yangwang. The Chinese company said it will begin making deliveries over the summer.

Cabin of U9. Business Wire

The U9 is BYD's first fully electric supercar and the company says it has two core technologies that set it apart from other models: the e4 Platform power system and DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System, both designed by BYD.

The EV can go up to about 192 miles per hour. Business Wire

Since it's being positioned as a supercar, you can expect it to go pretty fast. The EV is listed with a top speed of 309 kilometers per hour, or about 192 miles per hour. Ferraris can generally hit speeds between 180 to 218 miles per hour.

You'll also be able to enjoy the instant torque that comes with an EV: the company says the U9 can accelerate from zero to 62.1 miles per hour in 2.36 seconds.

The car's system also offers a dance mode feature where the vehicle can move to music, which the Chinese EV company showed off at an event last year.

BYD became the largest EV seller in the last quarter of 2023, beating Elon Musk's Tesla. The Chinese EV company says the 3 million vehicles it sold last year, including 243,000 exports to Australia, Brazil, and Israel, has made it a top 10 global car seller.

The Shenzhen-based automaker largely gained its market share by selling more affordable EVs than its competitors, but it also releases luxury models under the Yangwang and Fang Cheng Bao brands.

Its latest luxury model called the U8, floats in water during emergencies and it's priced at 1,098,000 RMB, which is about $150,000. The plug-in hybrid SUV began deliveries in October and sold 1,593 units after its first month, according to a BYD regulatory filing released in February.

In the statement, the company said it would continue to build its luxury line of EVS as the luxury brand models "significantly enhanced the company's profitability and greatly enhanced the company's brand image."

BYD recently became so popular abroad that it created a shipping fleet to meet global demand. Its first vehicle carrier, the BYD Explorer No. 1, set sail for the first time in January, delivering over 5,000 cars. The company has said it plans to add seven more vessels to its delivery fleet in the next two years.

The company also plans to start localized production in Thailand, Brazil, and Hungary to meet global needs, according to the January filing.

Yangwang is set to launch more high-end EVs this summer, including a luxury sedan that will cost close to $140,000.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A looming government shutdown on March 2, 2024 could have devastating impacts on tribal communities throughout the United States, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. wrote in a Feb. 14 letter addressed to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana).

Hoskin, who leads the most populated tribal nation in the country, urged Congress to consider the ways in which a government shutdown would impact essential services for millions of Native Americans, including limited access to health care, public safety, and education programs that rely on federal funding.

These services are not luxuries but lifelines that maintain the health, culture, and safety of our people, Hoskin wrote.

As of Feb. 24, Congressional leaders have still not reached a deal to keep federal funding going past Friday at midnight, which is the deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Specifically, if the federal government shuts down, Hoskin said that over 140,000 Cherokee Nation citizens will not have groceries, almost 13,000 citizens may lose access to diabetes medicines and cancer treatments, and could result in the release of 85,000 criminals before their sentences are served due to canceled detention agreements.

The potential for a shutdown is also creating a growing atmosphere of uncertainty that undermines our economic development work, Hoskin wrote. When federal funding is uncertain, so too are the jobs and programs that support tribal economies. I implore you, as Speaker of the House, to consider the broader implications of a government shutdown on Indian Country.

President Joe Biden has invited House Speaker Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) to the White House for a meeting Tuesday to discuss the shutdown deadlines.

About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. "

Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net
CHICAGO  A Chicago mother and her daughter pleaded guilty to orchestrating a scheme to defraud a program designed to help people with disabilities.

Deborah Sery, 78, and Danielle Sery, 29, were ordered to pay $20,000 each in restitution and received four years of probation.

Another sister Gila Sery, 51 at the time, also received four years of probation in 2022 for her role in the scheme. She was ordered to pay back $38,000.

The family was accused of submitting false time sheets to the Illinois Department of Human Services under the Home Services Program. That program provides services to individuals with severe disabilities, which allows them to remain at home with a caregiver.

During the scheme, Gila lived out of state and would return for annual re-assessments. Deborah and Danielle claimed they took care of Gila and submitted time sheets that were fraud.

The family received a total of around $115,000.

Illinois Home Services Program provides essential services to thousands of Illinoisans with disabilities, Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. It is unconscionable that someone would exploit this vital program for their own financial gain. I will continue to partner with the Illinois State Police and state government partners to identify fraud and hold those accountable who steal from taxpayers and our most vulnerable residents.

The case was investigated by the Illinois State Police.

Going to devastate them: Indiana drastically changing program that pays parents to care for children with disabilities

Indianas Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) has decided to drastically cut a similar program due to an unforeseen $1 billion budget gap.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Not long after the Alabama Supreme Court green-lighted the use of an unprecedented procedure for a state-sanctioned murder of a man on death row, the court also ruled that frozen embryos are children. The ruling called it a theologically based view of the sanctity of life and said that human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God.

According to that logic, a clump of cells in a petri dish that cant be seen with the naked eye deserves Gods protection, even if through the force of mans law, but its OK to murder an actual human being who committed a grave sin. These arguments are unfolding as American Christians either back the ongoing carnage in Gaza or have decided to look the other way as tens of thousands of innocent Palestinian lives are being wiped out with the help of our taxpayer dollars.

Issac Bailey

Such is the inanity of Christian nationalism, a movement gaining traction in the Republican Party and being touted by the likes of Donald Trump, the man a record number of white evangelical Christian voters began backing in 2016 and have since. Trump is likely to secure a third-consecutive GOP presidential nomination because of those voters.

Like all Christians, they believe our rights come from God. Unlike the rest of us, though, they believe that they, and they alone, are Gods messengers, that their interpretation of scripture must supersede all other interpretations  and that their interpretation must be the basis of American law even for the tens of millions of Americans who dont agree with them.

To diverge from their interpretation isnt just a disagreement, it is disobeying God. Its a view they want infused in every aspect of American life.

If they determine God is against same-sex marriage, the law must reflect that view, even if it means undoing healthy same-sex marriages in which the relationship has improved the lives of each person involved. If they determine God is in favor of capital punishment, the law must reflect that view, even if it means imperfect men are enlisted to conduct state-sanctioned killings. If they determine God believes frozen embryos are children, the law must reflect that view, even if it makes it harder for married couples to conceive children or easier for medical professionals to be sued or criminally charged with manslaughter for accidentally dropping a petri dish on the floor or unfreezing an embryo improperly.

Before the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which upended a half-centurys worth of legal precedence that protected women from Christian nationalist thinking, feminists and others paying attention were sounding the alarm about where such a ruling would lead. That day has arrived. Its no longer theoretical.

In Alabama, hospitals, medical professionals and struggling couples are wondering if they might be deemed criminals by so-called pro-lifers for trying to create life. Since Roe was overturned in 2022, there have been numerous stories about pregnant women whose lives have been jeopardized, their reproductive futures undermined, in a post-Roe world. And a growing number of conservatives are even discussing rolling back access to contraception.

But a lot of Republican officials dont want you to know.

South Carolinas Tim Scott said I havent studied the issue when asked about the Alabama ruling that will have repercussions throughout the country.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, the final candidate challenging Trump for the GOP nomination, tried to sound sensible, even revealing that she benefited from the invitro fertilization process thats now under attack, but did not say that legally declaring frozen embryos children was wrong. Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, wouldnt answer directly when asked about his views on IVF and a total abortion ban.

They want to impose their interpretation of Gods will on everyone else. Because they are good, and those who disagree are evil. But they can only succeed if other Christians remain silent in the face of their onslaught on the rights of us all.

Issac Bailey is a Carolinas opinion writer for McClatchy.
Dream Vessel

China's space agency is racing towards sending astronauts to the lunar surface  ambitious plans that are now starting to take shape.

In a new announcement, the China Manned Space Agency even revealed the names of its crewed capsule and the lander it'll release to lower crew down to the surface.

The capsule is called Mengzhou, or "dream vessel," while the lander is called Lanyue, or "embracing the Moon," a reference to a poem written by Mao Zedong in 1965, as CNN reports.

The almost 30-foot-long Mengzhou spacecraft will weigh in at a whopping 22 metric tons, per the announcement. The lander is big enough to house two astronauts and a 440-pound rover. According to the statement, their development is "progressing well."

It's a highly ambitious plan, but given the country's progress  including becoming the first to land a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon in 2019  it may just have a shot at pulling off its goal of returning astronauts to the lunar surface by 2030.

Race to the Moon

Before sending crew members to the Moon, China is hoping to launch a mission dubbed Chang'e 8 as soon as 2028, which will involve a special device that can squeeze moon soil into bricks, as well as a robot to assemble them into an early prototype habitat of a future research station on the Moon's south pole.

Meanwhile, the US is also pushing for an astronaut landing as soon as 2026, but given ongoing delays and budget uncertainties, it's still unclear if NASA will beat China to the punch.

Last month, Japan also became the fifth country to softly touch down  albeit at an unfortunate orientation  on the lunar surface with its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon.

Before embarking on its crewed mission to the lunar surface, China is hoping to collect and retrieve the first samples taken from the Moon's far side later this year.

Of course, launching a massive heavy-lift rocket with astronauts on board represents a significant increase in complexity, and only time will tell if the country's ongoing efforts will pay off  or when.

But given what China's space agency has already pulled off, it's the one to watch.

More on China's Moon ambitions: New Chinese Lander to Start Building Base From Moon Dust Bricks
China will need to expand its current solar and wind energy capacity by eight- to tenfold to fulfill its 2060 carbon neutrality goals, a University of California-led study has found.

Achieving these aims will also require large-scale construction of transmission lines, as well as more coordinated national-level policies in place of impromptu local decisions, according to the study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

We know China has a very ambitious pathway to achieve carbon neutrality. We wanted to find out exactly what that entails, senior author Michael Davidson, a professor of global policy and engineering at the University of California (UC) San Diego, said in a statement.

Because China is currently the worlds biggest greenhouse gas emitter, its policies have significant effects on the global climate change picture and provide learning opportunities to other nations, the researchers noted.

To determine just what it will take for China to achieve its net-zero goals, the UC San Diego team worked with researchers at Beijings Tsinghua University to simulate a carbon-neutral power grid for 2060.

Their model zoomed in on power generation resources and transmission line installations, accounting for land parcels as small as 20-30 square kilometers, or 8-12 square miles.

While running the model, the scientists saw that Chinas east coast will likely run out of land that can be dedicated to renewable energy sites. After that happens, most solar facilities in the area will need to be smaller rooftop installations, according to the study.

To accomplish the 2060 carbon neutrality goal, China will need to build 2-4 terawatts each of solar and wind capacity by that point, the researchers noted.

As of 2020, China had installed 282 gigawatts of wind and 253 gigawatts of solar power capacity.

Also critical will be a sizable boost in energy storage and in ultrahigh voltage transmission lines  the latter of which will need to double or triple compared with todays capacity, per the study.

Meanwhile, if current land use laws apply in 2060, about 80 percent of solar and 55 percent of wind capacity will need to be built within 100 kilometers, or 62 miles, of major load centers, the authors noted.

Land use will become increasingly contentious, an issue which to date has been relatively minor in China due to high-quality resources in areas without major land competition, they warned.

They therefore urged Chinas leaders to promote land policies that support both the deployment of utility-scale renewables and the preservation of agriculture.

The scientists also suggested assessing the implications of shifts in Chinas power mix, examining emissions reductions in nonpower sectors and optimizing the joint delivery of electricity and central heating.

Achieving carbon neutrality in China by 2060 requires a massive transformation of the electricity sector, the authors stated.

Facilitating that transformation, they concluded, will require the deployment of a suite of zero- and negative-emissions generating technologies as well as complementary storage and transmission infrastructure.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
(Bloomberg) -- Chinese hedge funds were looking forward to a holiday break from the market turmoil when trouble started brewing last month. One manager had his short-selling orders abruptly rejected by brokers. Another was cut off from the stock market completely. Regulators turned up on trading floors at multiple funds to monitor transactions in person.

Most Read from Bloomberg

As one fund put it, three sessions of chaotic trading felt like a whole year to us.

The scenes, extraordinary even by the standards of a market that has long operated under the Communist Partys shadow, played out in recent weeks in a clampdown thats rewriting the rules of computer-driven trading in China. The countrys once-booming quant industry has become the latest casualty of Beijings campaign to stop a $4 trillion selloff in stocks.

While the measures have helped prop up share prices at least temporarily, they raise bigger questions of how far Xi Jinpings government will go to meet short-term goals at the expense of maintaining some pretense of a free market thats attracted billions of dollars from Wall Street firms in recent years.

For international investors becoming increasingly skittish about China, the sudden trading restrictions give them one more reason to stay away.

China saw a record six months of outflows from the equity market until this month, while foreign direct investment is at a 30-year low following unprecedented crackdowns on the tech and property sectors that have stifled growth. China risks losing out further to countries like India and Japan, which are enjoying a surge in investment.

Read more: Japan Shares Open New Chapter as Nikkei Reclaims Its 1989 Peak

These seemingly panic actions by authorities risk undermining all the good work done in the past two decades to give China access to global pools of capital, said Gary Dugan, chief investment officer at Dalma Capital Management Ltd. in Dubai. He said the moves will make even the most battle-hardened investors question whether China is worth the risk.

The new restrictions are sweeping. Quant funds, which rely on computer algorithms to carry out trades, will be scrutinized and new entrants will have to report their strategies to regulators before trading. Beijing will also expand the scope of reporting to offshore investors via a mainland-to-Hong Kong trading link.

Chinas securities watchdog meantime set up a task force to monitor short selling and could issue warnings to firms that profit from the wagers, people familiar have said. It even took the extreme step of halting some major institutional investors from selling more shares than they buy during the first and last 30 minutes of trading, they added.

Quant managers were hit by the biggest Black Swan in quant history, Shanghai-based Semimartingale Private Fund Management LP wrote, recapping the wild market swings in a letter seen by Bloomberg.

The crackdown adds to a series of moves aimed at halting a multiyear plunge in equities, which have been slammed by the housing crisis, weak economic growth and lingering tensions with the US. It also echoes the heavy-handed approach that has been used to clamp down on sectors from internet to education platforms.

The risk premium on Chinese stocks has to go up going forward because some institutions are going to be unwilling to trade this market, said Arthur Budaghyan, emerging markets chief strategist at BCA Research. And this is on top of geopolitical concerns that many foreign investors have had about investing in Chinese stocks.

Read more on the Terminal: Chinese Exodus for Overseas ETFs Thwarted by State Quotas, Halts

In recent weeks, Beijing turned its sights on quant funds, which have used their big data models to outperform the market for much of the last three years.

In an early sign of what was to come, Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Jan. 22 asked authorities to take more forceful measures to stabilize markets as the CSI 300 index hit a five-year-low. Beijing then made a surprise move two weeks later to oust the head of the securities regulator, replacing him with a veteran bureaucrat known as the broker butcher for his past crackdowns.

Concerned that quant funds were exacerbating declines by unloading big blocks of shares or making short bets, Beijing started by banning some funds from placing sell orders while limiting their ability to make short trades. The China Securities Regulatory Commission said it had discovered multiple cases of market manipulation and malicious short selling.

It was so annoying, said Alex Wong, whose Shanghai-based fund was unable to sell borrowed stocks to execute short trades for about two days as small caps tumbled. I truly felt like smashing the keyboard and slamming the door.

These restrictions, along with sudden shifts in the market, combined to throttle the quant funds as China headed into its Lunar New Year break this month.

As a Man Group analyst explained, a popular trade for these funds involves buying small-cap stocks, which are more prone to mispricing and more profitable for computer programs to exploit. To hedge their broad market exposure, the funds would short index futures.

This strategy was upended by a sharp decline in small cap stocks, prompting quant products with heavy exposure to trim holdings. The massive selloff triggered losses in derivatives known as snowballs, causing a quant quake panic and forcing brokerages to dump index futures as well.

All that volatility pushed up hedging costs for so-called market-neutral products, some of which were leveraged to the hilt by as much as 300%. That forced them to unwind positions, fueling a cascading spiral in the market.

Read more: China Has a Quant Quake Because Theres No Citadel: Shuli Ren

As funds stampeded to the exits, authorities upped their ante to tame the rout, making it even worse for the quants. Government-led funds, known as the national team, stepped in to prop up exchange-traded funds, boosting large stocks but leaving small caps behind. The gyrations made the market unpredictable for computer models trained on reading historical data.

A series of external interventions and changes made it hard for quant models to make predictions, or even adapt, Shanghai-based Mingxi Capital, a quant fund that manages more than 1 billion yuan ($139 million), wrote in an article on its Wechat account. The models switched from doing it right to getting it wrong repeatedly.

Weak Returns

The funds took a beating as a result. Top quants managing more than 10 billion yuan lagged the CSI 500 Index by an average 12 percentage points in the two weeks ended Feb. 8, according to industry data cited in a Huatai Securities Co. report.

More extreme measures ensued. One high-frequency trading firms internet access was temporarily suspended, according to a brokerage employee, while others saw their borrowed shares for short bets recalled, according to people familiar.

The crackdown came to a head on Feb. 20, when Chinas two main stock exchanges froze the accounts of a major quant fund for three days. Regulators sought to make an example of Ningbo Lingjun Investment Management Partnership after it dumped a combined 2.57 billion yuan in shares within a minute as trading resumed following the holiday.

Read more: China Stocks Cap Best Winning Run Since 2020 as Rally Extends

For now, the strong-armed measures are working to halt the slide. Chinas main equity index has risen nine straight sessions  the longest string of gains in six years - including every day last week following the quant crackdown.

Longer term, the moves call into question whether quants will want to operate in a country with such arbitrary changes. The sector has surged in recent years, managing some 1.58 trillion yuan in combined assets. While the industry is dominated by domestic funds, international firms like Two Sigma Investments and Winton Group Ltd. have been expanding, along with DE Shaw & Co.

After escaping the fire, dont go back, Li Bei, founder of macro hedge fund Shanghai Banxia Investment Management Center wrote on the companys Wechat account Friday, warning investors not to pile back into Chinas small stocks.

Read more: Bridgewater Says China Stock Selloff Made Valuations Attractive

The changes pave the way for more consolidation, and it will be increasingly hard for smaller players to survive as state participants exert heavier influence.

Quants need consistent market operating rules and regulations that hold through all market conditions, said Dalma Capitals Dugan. That is not the case in China at this point.

In their public comments, some Chinese quant fund managers have signaled their support for the measures, which they say will weed out risky players. They note that the US also limited short-selling during the global financial crisis, as have other countries. Yet the way China implemented the moves  the lack of consistency or transparency by using verbal window guidance to funds  will only deter global investors.

The A-share market is so micro-managed, monitored and controlled by the administrators, said Zhiwu Chen, a finance professor in Hong Kong and a former member of the international advisory board of the CSRC, referring to the domestic market.

Open Market

Chinas securities watchdog said that the measures were targeted at abnormal trading and not to restrict stock selling.

Stock market rises and falls, investors buy and sell, thats the norm. Regulators do not interfere with normal market transactions, the CSRC said in a statement Thursday. The regulators intention isnt to beat quants to death, local media reported, citing a CSRC official.

Still, the trading panic dealt a blow to the image that regulators worked so arduously to craft over three decades, to convince investors that China was committed to a more professional and open market, in line with international standards.

Instead, the list of maligned industries keeps growing. Tech firms like Ant Group Co. have been reined in, while Wall Street banks face growing limits on data, giving them pause after years of expansion in the worlds second-largest economy.

Over the next decade, China needs capital from the rest of the world, said George Boubouras, head of research at K2 Asset Management Ltd. Its basically sent a signal that market transparency and the search for it is not allowed as much.

--With assistance from Zheng Li, Henry Ren, Heng Xie, Amanda Wang, Chongjing Li and Emily Cadman.

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Chinese car manufacturer BYD commissioned the construction of its own ships to transport its vehicles (FOCKE STRANGMANN)

Thousands of cars from China's BYD rolled off a ship in the German port of Bremerhaven on Monday, as the world's biggest electric carmaker brought its challenge directly to Europe's auto making powerhouse.

The delivery was made by the BYD Explorer No.1, the first of eight cargo ships specially commissioned by the Chinese group to expand its export operations.

The arrival of the shipment could become a further headache for established European auto giants, who have trailed upstart rivals in the switch from combustion engines to batteries.

BYD overtook US carmaker Tesla as the biggest maker of battery electric vehicles by volume at the end of last year, delivering over 500,000 units in the last quarter of 2023.

After stopping off in the Dutch port of Vlissingen, the BYD Explorer No.1 docked in Bremerhaven on Sunday, a spokeswoman for the German port told AFP.

Some 3,000 vehicles were unloaded on Monday from the vessel, which carries the carmaker's own livery, the spokeswoman said.

BYD began life in 1995 as a battery manufacturer, and later turned its attention to producing plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles.

Vehicles produced by the Shenzhen-based company compete against Tesla on price inside China and in Europe.

As well as shipping large numbers of cars to Europe, BYD has plans to establish its own factory in the region, much like Tesla, which operates a plant near Berlin.

BYD said in January that the planned base in Hungary would begin operations in three years' time.

jpl-sea/hmn/rl
FILE PHOTO: The Long March 5 Y-4 rocket, carrying an unmanned Mars probe of the Tianwen-1 mission, takes off from Wenchang Space Launch Center

FILE PHOTO: The Long March 5 Y-4 rocket, carrying an unmanned Mars probe of the Tianwen-1 mission, takes off from Wenchang Space Launch Center

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Long March 12, capable of sending bigger satellites with more functionalities into the Earth's orbit, is expected to make its debut flight in 2024, in a year of record launch missions for the country, state media reported on Monday.

Propelled by six liquid oxygen-kerosene-fueled engines, the Long March 12 will be able to transport a payload of 10,000 kg (22,000 pounds) to a low-Earth orbit, according to the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, a subsidiary of China's main space contractor.

That means the Long March 12 would be able to transport half a dozen large communication satellites into orbit on one mission, putting it almost in the same category as the heaviest variant of the Long March 3, which is used to launch the satellites of China's homegrown BeiDou navigation system.

A small-lift rocket carries payloads of up to 2,000 kg, while medium ones deliver up to 20,000 kg and heavy rockets can carry payloads in excess of 20,000 kg, capable of sending probes to other planets.

China has developed and launched more than 20 types of Long March-series rockets - the pillar of the country's space programmes and responsible for over 500 launch missions since 1970.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the country's main space contractor, is expected to conduct a record 100 launch missions in 2024. Chinese commercial companies are also expected to step up launches this year.

The Long March 12's inaugural flight has been scheduled at the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Center, a spaceport expected to start operations in June, said Zeng Wenhua, a structural designer at the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology.

The Long March 12 will be the first Chinese rocket with a diameter of 3.8 metres - wider than the 3.35-metre diameter of most Chinese rockets  and will have two stages. It will stand over 60 metres tall (196 feet).

(Reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
NEW YORK - Chinatown hosted this year's annual Lunar New Year Parade and Festival, the culmination of festivities that began on February 10.

This year is the Year of the Dragon, one of the animals that appears in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar.

According to beliefs, babies born during the year of the Dragon are destined for success, as the Dragon is seen as the most powerful animal in the zodiac and one that ushers in luck and prosperity.

This year's parade stepped off at Mott Street and Canal Street, before winding its way along East Broadway and Forsyth Street and ending next to Sara D. Roosevelt Park.

Families, some of whom spent two weeks observing the holiday, along with tourists and transplants all lined the parade route for the celebration.

The Lunar New Year is celebrated in several regions and countries with large Chinese populations, including Singapore, Indonesia, the Phillippines, Thailand, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and South Africa.

This year marks the 26th anniversary of the Chinatown parade.

2024 is the year of the wood dragon

Every Lunar New Year holds a special meaning based on an animal from the Chinese zodiac and an accompanying element (wood, fire, earth, water, metal).

The Chinese zodiac consists of 12 different animals, which include the rat, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, ox, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

This year, 2024, is the year of the wood dragon.

Wood dragon meaning

The year of the wood dragon is believed to bring good luck, especially for those looking to focus more on their careers.

Wood dragons are intelligent, and attractive and are universally liked, according to Chinesenewyear.net.

They usually have a good sense of timing and strike success fairly easily.

Lunar New Year traditions

Nearly two billion people around the globe celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year, also known as Chunjie  the "Lunar New Year" or "Spring Festival" when translated to English.

In China, many families deep clean their homes the day before Lunar New Year begins.

This is usually done to rid homes of bad luck.

Food, trinkets and paper offerings are also extended to ancestors or deities, including whole chickens, fruit, tea, sculptures, incense and candles.

Other celebration rituals include hanging lucky scroll messages, setting off firecrackers or fireworks, eating long noodles and dumplings with symbolic meanings and exchanging cash gifts.
The USs Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) maintains 12 secret bases in Ukraine along the border with Russia, and last Thursday CIA chief William Burns made his 10th secret visit to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Source: The New York Times, based on more than 200 interviews with current and former officials in Ukraine, the United States and Europe

Details: The NYT reports that before the full-scale war, the Ukrainians proved themselves to the Americans by collecting intercepted data that helped prove Russian involvement in the downing of the Malaysia Airlines jetliner in 2014. Ukrainians also helped Americans prosecute the Russian agents who interfered in the 2016 US presidential election.

Around 2016, the CIA began training an elite Ukrainian special forces unit known as Unit 2245, which captured Russian drones and communications equipment so that CIA technicians could reverse-engineer them and crack Moscow's encryption systems. According to the NYT, one of the officers in this unit was the current head of Defence Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov.

The CIA also helped train a new generation of Ukrainian spies who worked in Russia, throughout Europe, and in Cuba and other places where Russians have a significant presence.

According to The New York Times, the details of the partnership between the Ukrainian and American intelligence agencies have been a closely guarded secret for a decade.

Quote: "Now these intelligence networks are more important than ever, as Russia is on the offensive and Ukraine is more dependent on sabotage and long-range missile strikes that require spies far behind enemy lines. And they are increasingly at risk. If Republicans in Congress end military funding to Kyiv, the CIA may have to scale back.

To try to reassure Ukrainian leaders, William J. Burns, the CIA director, made a secret visit to Ukraine last Thursday, his 10th visit since the invasion."

More details: The NYT reports that the partnership between the CIA and Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) began in late February 2014, when former president Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia. This cooperation was proposed by Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, who became the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU).

US rules prohibited intelligence agencies from providing Ukraine with any support that could be "reasonably expected" to have lethal consequences. However, the red lines were never precisely clear, creating constant tension in the partnership.

In Kyiv, Nalyvaichenko picked a longtime aide, General Valerii Kondratiuk, to head the DIU, and they created a new paramilitary unit that was deployed behind the Russian aggressors lines to conduct operations and gather intelligence that the CIA or MI6 could not provide.

After an incident that occurred when Budanov's group entered Crimea in 2016, the Americans became very angry and threatened to close the programme down.

After that, the then head of the CIA, John Brennan, called General Kondratiuk to re-emphasise the red lines. The general was upset. "Its our war, and weve got to fight," he replied, according to a colleague. According to the NYT, Washington's reaction cost Kondratiuk his post.

The NYT notes that under Donald Trump's presidency, the CIA and DIU's cooperation expanded to include more specialised training programmes and the construction of additional secret bases.

The relationship was so successful that the CIA wanted to replicate it with other European intelligence services that share common interests in countering Russia.

The head of Russia House, the CIA's department that oversees operations against Russia, organised a secret meeting in The Hague. Representatives of the CIA, Britain's MI6, the DIU, the Dutch service and other agencies agreed to pool their intelligence on Russia. The result was a secret coalition against Russia, and the Ukrainians were important members of it.

Starting in November 2021, the CIA and MI6 sent messages to their Ukrainian counterparts that Russia was preparing for a full-scale invasion to decapitate the government and install a puppet in Kyiv who would do the Kremlin's bidding. The intelligence listed the names of Ukrainian officials whom the Russians planned to kill or capture, as well as Ukrainians whom the Kremlin hoped to put in power.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and some of his top advisers "appeared unconvinced", even after CIA director William Burns travelled to Kyiv in January 2022 to brief them. As the Russian invasion approached, CIA and MI6 officers made final visits to Kyiv with their Ukrainian counterparts. One of the M16 officers teared up in front of the Ukrainians, fearing that the Russians would kill them, the NYT reports.

At this time, "the old handcuffs were off, and the Biden White House authorised spy agencies to provide intelligence support for lethal operations against Russian forces on Ukrainian soil," the article says.

The article also quotes a senior Ukrainian official as saying that in at least one case, the CIA shared intelligence with Ukraine which helped foil a plot against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Later, some of the CIA officers were sent to Ukrainian bases. They reviewed lists of potential Russian targets that the Ukrainians were preparing to strike, comparing the information that the Ukrainians had with US intelligence to ensure its accuracy.

Recently, however, with the delay in the approval of the US aid package, Ukrainian intelligence officials have been asking their American colleagues whether the US is about to abandon them.

Speaking about Burns' visit to Kyiv last week, a CIA spokesperson said: "We have demonstrated a clear commitment to Ukraine over many years, and this visit was another strong signal that the US commitment will continue."

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The El Paso City Council failed to extend its monthly emergency migrant ordinance that allows greater assistance for Borderland non-governmental organizations and humanitarian groups to address the influx of migrants across the border, the City announced in a news release.

The vote came during the City Councils meeting on Monday, Feb. 26.

The ordinance requires a unanimous vote by the mayor and the City Council to extend it for another 30 days. It will now expire on Thursday, Feb. 29.

City Rep. Josh Acevedo was the sole city representative to vote against the extension. Acevedo recently took office after winning a special election to succeed Alexsandra Annello who is running for state House District 77.

The City Attorneys Office will now draft a local disaster declaration to be signed by Mayor Oscar Leeser to address the humanitarian and public safety crisis resulting from the mass migration through El Paso, the City said in a news release.

The local disaster declaration that will be drafted by the City Attorneys Office will remain in effect for seven days once signed by the mayor and will need to be renewed every seven days to remain in effect, the City said in its news release.

The disaster declaration will allow the community to formally implement emergency plans; provide added liability protection for government agencies and volunteer emergency workers; formally request general assistance from the federal government; activate local emergency plans; and suspend selected codes and ordinances that would allow for the use of facilities such as schools to be used as shelters, according to the City.

Additionally, roving teams will continue traveling to different parts of the City where migrants are gathering to provide transportation services and/or help them find temporary shelter services, according to the City.

While we are disappointed by the narrow margin of the vote on the amended emergency ordinance, the City of El Paso remains unwavering in its dedication to addressing the pressing humanitarian and public safety issues brought about by the influx of migrants, Leeser said. We recognize the importance of collaborative efforts with the NGOs and humanitarian organizations to provide assistance to those in need, which is why I intend to sign the local disaster declaration. The impending disaster declaration is a crucial step in mobilizing essential resources and ensuring a coordinated response to the challenges we face in our community.

Acevedo said he voted against the extension as a protest against the actions of the State of Texas and is a call to our state leaders to provide a more humanitarian response to migrants arriving at our border.

Acevedo also said he voted against the extension because there was no clarity around the exact amount of state resources and law enforcement personnel that have been invited into our community because of these declarations.

After questions with City staff, I felt obligated to vote no on this item, Acevedo said. I am open to hearing more in the future weeks and commit to meeting with City staff to discuss how to address this issue at length with more data that better illustrates how this is impacting our community.

Acevedo also cited the shutdown of the former Morehead Middle School as a migrant shelter a month and a half ago and said that Deputy City Manager Mario DAgostino described migrant numbers as drastically low.

Here is the rest of Acevedos statement:

We have seen Texas DPS high speed chases within our community that have terrorized innocent members of our community. We have seen the State of Texas erect barriers, razor wire, and bring in military equipment that send a message contrary to the values that make our community El Paso Strong. Recently, we have seen the Attorney General of Texas go after our shelter network here at the City of El Paso.

My vote today is a protest of the actions of the state and a call to our state leaders to provide a more humanitarian response to migrants arriving at our border. There has not been enough transparency on how many state troopers have been invited to the community because of our declaration. Our local bus companies have been sued because of the states actions.

Upon election to this office, I committed to community-oriented leadership from my office. Hearing from residents this morning and over the past week, it is clear to me that our community feels their safety is compromised because of how the State of Texas operates in our community. While staff maintains that Texas has their own level of operations, we play a part in passing a declaration ordinance.

The City can still pass a disaster declaration with the State at a later time and at any time. I am open to reconsidering my stance after there is more transparency on what the declaration with the State brings to our community other than hindering our public safety through high-speed chases and harassment.

Council has asked for this data, and we have not received it. Unfortunately, there is data that we do know. There have been over 300+ high speed chases and seven deaths in our community because of direct intervention from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Collaboration currently is not the best course of action when our city is being used for political theater. I look forward to the next time the disaster declaration comes to council in the hopes that the communitys questions and my questions can be answered.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
The legalisation of marriage and adoption for same-sex couples in Greece, which was approved by parliament on February 15, 2024, sparked a heated debate in Greek society and drew strident criticism from the Orthodox Church and others. In late January some social media users shared a photo showing a milk carton from the dairy company DELTA showing a man and a child. The users claimed that the company had "removed the mother figure" from the design, insinuating that it was to prepare the public for same-sex couples becoming parents. However, the particular carton displayed in the post is only one out of five that DELTA introduced in January 2024 and the others do feature a female figure. The company told AFP that the idea behind the new cartons was to depict "different moments of the day with a Greek family" and that the designs had been prepared months before the government proposed the legislation on same-sex marriage and adoption.

In January 2024, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a bill aimed at legalising marriage and adoption for same-sex couples. On February 15, Greece's parliament adopted the landmark reform, making the country the 37th in the world - and the first Orthodox Christian one - to legalise adoption by same-sex families. This is a significant step for the country, as previously, the state did not recognize parental rights for non-biological parents (archived link here).

Some socially conservative politicians and representatives of the Orthodox Church expressed strong opposition to the legislation and AFP previously fact-checked other misinformation surrounding the vote.

In this context, a photo began circulating on the Internet in late January with the claim that the Greek dairy company DELTA had removed the image of a mother from its milk cartons, implying that DELTA wanted to promote alternative family models. The photo shows two DELTA milk cartons: one portraying what appears to be a family with a mother, father and two children, labelled "previous carton" in red letters, while another depicts a man and a girl (presumably father and daughter) and is labelled "new package" in red letters.

NO gentlemen of 'DELTA'...When you remove the MOTHER from the carton of 'FAMILY' milk...I, quite simply, keep the MOTHER and REMOVE YOU FROM MY FAMILY!, reads a January 31, 2024 post on Facebook with the photo, shared around 1,900 times.

Users in the comments expressed disgust at the packaging, and some said they would no longer buy DELTA products: "Boycott everything they 'serve' us by force. We are Greeks and family is above everything!", one user wrote.

The photo was also shared here while posts with similar claims were shared on Facebook here and here, on X (here, here and here) and Instagram (here and here). The same claim was also repeated on some Greek websites (here and here).

The image was also shared on X by far-right politician Kyriakos Velopoulos, president of the Hellenic Solution party. Hellenic Solution has 12 MPs and was categorically opposed to the government's bill. In the past, AFP has verified other false claims spread or supported by Velopoulos (here and here).

However, AFP's investigation found that the claim is misleading because it only refers to one of DELTA's new cartons, whereas there are four others in the same series, which do include what looks like a mother figure. Moreover, the company told AFP it had begun the redesign of the packaging months before the public debate on same-sex marriage and adoption was sparked by the government's plans.

Screenshot of the misleading claim on Facebook. Image captured: 12/02/2024.

Cartons show 'different moments of a Greek family'

A Google search with the keywords "milk" and "DELTA" led us to the official site of the brand (archived here), where we confirmed that the new DELTA milk carton shown in the social media posts does indeed exist and it is one of the five featured in the milk range "mmmMILK".

The new milk cartons were released in January 2024, a spokesperson from DELTA told AFP in an email on February 12.

The designs on the other four packages in the new range depict different family members and each appears to include a mother figure: they comprise a heterosexual couple, a heterosexual couple with two children (twice), and a heterosexual couple with one child.

"The new mmmMILK packaging includes photos depicting different moments of a Greek family during the day. You can see them in the relevant photo as well as on DELTA's official website (https://www.delta.gr/) in our products section," (archived here) the spokesperson told AFP.

However, the process "from the moment of redesigning the packaging to the moment it is available for sale, takes a long time, four to five months, so it cannot be related to... current issues," the DELTA spokesperson said, alluding to the recent controversy over same-sex marriage and adoption.

The company also sent us a photo of the entire new range of packaging, showing that the mother figure has not been removed from the design on the other cartons.

The photo sent to AFP by DELTA on 12/02/2024, showing the entire "mmmMILK" range

We found most of the new designs in supermarkets in Athens. The photos below were taken in supermarkets from three different chains around the city.

Image of DELTA's 'mmmMILK' range taken in a supermarket in Athens, on Saturday 10/02/24. Red squares added by AFP. Magdalini GKOGKOU AFP

Image of DELTA's 'mmmMILK' range taken in a supermarket in Athens, on Friday 09/02/24. Red squares added by AFP Magdalini GKOGKOU AFP

Debate over same-sex marriage and adoption

As AFP previously reported, the Orthodox Church's governing body, the Holy Synod, said the legalisation of same-sex marriage and adoption "condemns future children to grow up without a father or mother in an environment of confusion" and will encourage "the exploitation of vulnerable women" as surrogate mothers (archived link here).

On February 11, 2024, some 4,000 people responded to a call by Orthodox religious groups to protest against the government's bill (archived link here), according to the police.

Protesters against a reform legalising same-sex marriage and adoption in Athens on February 11, 2024. ARIS MESSINIS AFP

Two large nationwide surveys (archived here) conducted in 2023 by the aboutpeople polling firm (archived here) on behalf of the Eteron-Institute for Research and Social Change (archived here) revealed significant support among respondents for same-sex marriage, but also clear opposition to adoption by same-sex couples.

After Greece's parliament approved the bill, dozens of people waving rainbow flags celebrated in front of the parliament building in central Athens. LGBTQ associations praised the vote as a historic milestone. The Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, wrote on X that "this is a milestone for human rights, reflecting today's Greece - a progressive and democratic country, passionately committed to European values".

Supporters of the LGBTQ community wrapped in pride flags gather outside the Greek Parliament as lawmakers vote on legalising marriage and adoption for same-sex couples on February 15, 2024 in Athens. ARIS MESSINIS AFP

AFP has previously verified false or misleading claims about the LGBTQ community (here and here).
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has hired a law clerk who faced controversy in 2017 for allegedly sending racist text messages.

Thomas, one of two current Black Supreme Court justices, has named Crystal Clanton as a judicial clerk for the 2024-25 term, George Masons Antonin Scalia Law School  Clantons alma mater  wrote in a statement.

Her hiring comes more than five years after The New Yorker in 2017 obtained and published screenshots of text messages allegedly sent by Clanton, a former Turning Point USA staffer, to another staffer.

I HATE BLACK PEOPLE. Like f them all  I hate blacks. End of story, Clanton wrote, according to The New Yorker.

Clanton, at the time the messages resurfaced, told The New Yorker she had no recollection, of the texts. She stepped down from her position at Turning Point USA in the wake of scrutiny over the text messages.

Months later in 2018, Clanton was hired by Thomass wife, Virginia Thomas, to assist her with right-wing media projects. Virginia Thomas spent multiple years as a special correspondent for The Daily Caller and was serving on Turning Point USAs advisory board at the time of Clantons hiring.

Clanton eventually went on to law school and clerked for Judge Corey Maze with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama before being hired upon her graduation to clerk for Judge William H. Pryor Jr., a federal appeals court judge for the 11th Circuit.

Her position with Pryor brought the controversy back to the surface, prompting a group of seven lawmakers to voice concerns to Chief Justice John Roberts in a letter in November 2021.

Placing an individual with this history in such close proximity to judicial decision-making threatens to seriously undermine the publics faith in the federal judiciary, the lawmakers wrote at the time.

A federal appeals panel later cleared Maze and Pryor of any wrongdoing in their hiring of Clanton when they upheld the dismissal of a misconduct complaint filed against the two Republican judicial appointees, Reuters reported.

Pryor, in the Antonin Scalia Law Schools announcement of Thomass hiring of Clanton, said she exceeded his high expectations and called her an outstanding clerk.

The Hill has reached out to the U.S. Supreme Court and Antonin Scalia Law School for further comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Transit Police say a routine transaction led to a violent attack targeting a McDonalds employee doing his job in Boston.

It happened around 7 p.m. Saturday at the fast-food location inside South Station.

The suspect, identified by police as 34-year-old Odair Andrade, allegedly got mad after the employee touched the lid of his drink.

According to MBTA Transit Police, Andrade punched the victim several times and hit him with a cash register.

Boston 25 News spoke with a witness who described a relentless assault that escalated quickly.

We heard a loud commotion, said Joshua Venter. He was closed fists punching the guy.

Venter, who was passing through South Station to go to Hyde Park, could not believe his eyes.

We were surprised by what we were seeing, he said. Im going to be very careful coming here.

Transit Police officers arrested Andrade on the spot, and the injured worker was treated on scene.

Andrade faces charges of assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and malicious destruction of property.

Some frequent South Station visitors told Boston 25 News that the beating points to a larger issue of safety concerns.

Im always concerned about my safety. Theres a lot of homelessness going on, said Shabazz Allah. You got a lot of mental health issues going on with people too.

The downtown transit hub is patrolled by a large presence of Transit Police and security officers as Boston grapples ongoing problems related to homelessness and substance use disorder.

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.

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The co-chair of Harvard Universitys new task force on antisemitism has resigned from the group just more than a month since its creation, the university confirmed to The Hill.

Harvard Business School professor Raffaella Sadun will be replaced by Jared Ellias, a professor of Harvard Law School, Harvards interim President Alan Garber said Sunday in a message to the schools community.

Professor Sadun has expressed her desire to refocus her efforts on her research, teaching and administrative responsibilities at HBS, Garber wrote in a statement shared with The Hill. I am extremely appreciative of Professor Saduns participation in the task force over the past weeks. Her insights and passion for this work have helped shape the mandate for the task force and how it can best productively advance the important work ahead.

In a separate statement to The Hill, Sadun said she is grateful for the opportunity to work on the task force and said she will continue to support efforts to tackle antisemitism at Harvard in any way I can from my faculty position.

The abrupt resignation, first reported by The Harvard Crimson, comes just more than a month since the Presidential Task Force on Combating Antisemitism was announced in mid-January.

The task forces inception came after widespread backlash from lawmakers, students, and alumni over the schools response, or lack thereof, to increased antisemitism on campus. These concerns were hoisted into the spotlight when Harvards then-President Claudine Gay testified in December before the House Education Committee alongside University of Pennsylvanias then-President Liz Magill and Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth, in defense of their schools policies.

Magill resigned days later amid mounting criticism, and Gay resigned in early January amid similar criticism, coupled with accusations of plagiarism. Garber is serving as the Ivy League schools interim president.

Antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents saw a spike last fall across the country, including on college campuses, in the wake of Palestinian militant group Hamass Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel that killed more than 1,200 people and took about 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a vow to eliminate the threat of Hamas and has carried out a land and air campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 29,000 people, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza.

Harvard also created a separate task force to combat anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bias, and Garber last month said the two task forces are aimed at exploring why the school is seeing a rise in antisemitism and anti-Arab bias and proposing recommendations to curb it, The Associated Press reported.

Harvard alumnus Bill Ackman weighed in on Saduns resignation later Sunday, writing on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, The half life of a @Harvard antisemitism task force member is about 60 days. I wonder whats going on.

The antisemitism task forces other co-chair, Derek Penslar, a professor of Jewish history, is remaining in his position, according to Garbers message to the community. His selection to co-chair the task force drew criticism last month from some who pointed to Penslars background and previous positions, per a CNN Business report.

Garber also announced Ali Asani, a professor of Middle Eastern studies, was added to the leadership for the schools task force on combating anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bias.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Biloxi restaurant was cited for multiple violations, while several other South Mississippi kitchens failed their state inspections for not having a certified manager on staff.

The health department requires restaurants and other food service facilities have the owner or a designated employee complete a safety course to be certified in food safety practices.

It was a big issue in February 2023, when restaurant owners had trouble hiring and keeping staff, and is again being cited by the inspectors.

These restaurants got a C failing grade since mid-February:

Tailgaters at 1777 Popps Ferry Road, Biloxi, had a scheduled inspection on Feb. 16. It was cited for:

 Inadequate hand washing facilities supplied and accessible

 Food not separated and protected

 Food contact surface not cleaned and sanitized

 Toxic substance not properly identified, stored and used

 Sewage wastewater not properly disposed

Corrected during the inspection was:

 Proper eating, tasting, drinking or tobacco use

This was the third C since 2012.

Little Caesars, 19010 Pineville Road, Long Beach, had an inspection Feb. 15 for a permit follow-up.

On Jan. 29, it scored a C for having no certified manager, a repeat offense. It scored another C at the follow-up inspection for still having no certified manager.

This is the fourth C in two years, all for that same violation.

Subway at 15096 Creosote Road, Gulfport, was inspected Feb. 20 for a permit. It was cited for:

 Last inspection report not posted.

Corrected during the inspection were:

 Proper eating, tasting, drinking or tobacco use

 Proper cold holding temperatures

This was the first C dating back to 2020.

Sri Krishna Inc DBA 53 Quick Stop, 26333 Mississippi 53, Saucier had a scheduled inspection Feb. 22. It was cited for:

 No certified manager

 Inadequate hand washing facilities supplied and accessible

Corrected during the inspection were:

 Proper cold holding temperatures

 Proper date marking and disposition

This was the first C dating back to 2021

Arbys Wiggins at 1180 West Frontage Dr., Wiggins, had a corrective follow-up inspection Feb. 20 and again scored a C.

The restaurant got a C during a scheduled inspection Feb. 10, when it was cited for no certified manager.

During the follow-up inspection, there still was no certified manager and the restaurant also was cited for not posting its C score earlier in the month.

The restaurant scored As in its two prior inspections in 2023.

Restaurants and other food service establishments in Mississippi are rated A if they pass the health department inspection, B if all violations are corrected during the inspection and C if the violations are critical.

Most restaurants, school kitchens and food trucks inspected during February in South Mississippi had no violations, with 210 kitchens scoring an A and 36 a B and 8 a C.
A South High School assistant principal is suing the school principal and Columbus City Schools in federal court, alleging retaliation and racial discrimination over several years.

The lawsuit was filed Sunday in the U.S. Southern District Court by Karen Carey, a Black woman and assistant principal at South High School. It names Christy Nickerson, South High principal, and Bao Lam, another assistant principal, as defendants and alleged they discriminated against her based on her race and retaliated against her when she began speaking up against it.

The Board of Education, Superintendent Angela Chapman and Regional Superintendent Sandy Womack were also named as defendants in the lawsuit. Columbus City Schools said it had not been served with a copy of the lawsuit as of Monday afternoon so could not comment.

More: Will Columbus close schools? Task force leaders hope board will act on recommendations

The lawsuit seeks an injunction preventing the defendants from discriminating against Carey, legal costs and unspecified punitive damages.

Lawsuit alleges separate working conditions, discipline during staff meetings

According to the lawsuit, Carey was "subjected to different terms and conditions of employment than other assistant principals at South High School" from Sept. 2020 to July 2022.

The lawsuit alleges she was required to work in an isolated room that was converted into her workspace, was disciplined during a staff meeting when invited by Nickerson to openly share her feelings about the protests and events during civil unrest following George Floyds death in 2020 and was excluded from meets and safety lockdown announcements.

Nickerson also denied her the ability to file an incident report when the district's safety and security director damaged her car, according to the lawsuit. She was also denied a request to transfer despite availability.

According to the lawsuit Carey filed a discrimination charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and in retaliation, Nickerson intentionally excluded from administrative meetings by communicating with administrators and assistant principals via text about the dates, times, and locations of those meetings to ensure Carey would not be present at those meetings.

@Colebehr_report

Cbehrens@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: CCS assistant principal files federal racial discrimination lawsuit
Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Defence Minister Rustem Umierov have visited command posts in the combat zone, where they discussed the protection of troops from drones and air-to-ground strikes with guided bombs (GBUs).

Source: Syrskyi on Facebook

Quote from Syrskyi: "We listen to briefings from the commanders of troop formations regarding the situation in their respective areas of responsibility. The enemy consistently assaults our positions. In many areas, the situation is complex and requires constant monitoring.

During the visit, we thoroughly analysed the current situation. We discussed the necessary next steps, particularly focusing on enhancing our defences against drones and air-to-ground precision-guided munitions and reinforcing specific sectors of the front line."

Details: Syrskyi emphasised the importance of coordination and effective operational cooperation among all Defence Forces during discussions with brigade and battalion commanders regarding the situation on the ground. The Commander-in-Chief reiterated the significance of preserving the lives of military personnel.

To enhance combat readiness, resilience, and unit management, the Commander-in-Chief promptly made several decisions on-site, without specifying the details.

Syrskyi and Umierov also awarded distinctions to outstanding soldiers for their bravery and heroism in battles on various fronts, including Avdiivka, Lyman, Bakhmut, and others.

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Sparkhill is home to located 20 minutes away from the city centre

A community has rushed to defend their neighbourhood after it was deemed a "no go area" by MP Paul Scully.

The backbencher made the remarks about the Sparkhill area in Birmingham on the BBC whilst discussing the Islamophobia row within the Conservative Party.

During a debate on BBC London he said "for years" people have been "concerned" about their "neighbourhoods changing".

Downing Street has said it disagrees with the comments.

Weighing in on retorts made by Ex-Tory party deputy chair Lee Anderson, Mr Scully said: "We've got to have a sensible use of language so that we can have a constructive adult debate about this."

He added: "The point I'm trying to make is if you look at parts of Tower Hamlets, for example, where there are no-go areas, parts of Birmingham, Sparkhill, where there are no-go areas, mainly because of doctrine, people using, abusing in many ways, their religion because it's not the doctrine of this land, to espouse what some of these people are saying."

Birmingham Labour MP Jess Phillips took to social media and slammed the comments as "utter drivel" and called for the Conservative MP to apologise.

She posted on X: "My kids hang out in Sparkhill day and night, never had a moment's worry, I go there weekly and live literally five minutes walk from there and used to live there myself."

The Conservative Mayor for the West Midlands, Andy Street also condemned the remarks.

He wrote: "It really is time for those in Westminster to stop the nonsense slurs and experience the real world.

"I for one am proud to lead the most diverse place in Britain."

"There is no place in Sparkhill that has made me feel unsafe. Quite the opposite in fact," added councillor Nicky Brennan, a Labour representative for the ward.

She continued: "It's a vibrant, welcoming community in Birmingham, these comments are disgusting."

Sparkhill is located in an inner-city part of Birmingham and is home to the 'Balti Triangle due to the large number of Balti restaurants.

In 2019, the Conservative Party launched an inquiry into how the party handles discrimination claims, following allegations of Islamophobic behaviour.

The report found evidence of anti-Muslim views at local association and individual level but said claims of "institutional racism" were not borne out by the evidence.

Last year Prof Swaran Singh, who led the inquiry, said the party had been slow to implement some of his recommendations due to "political upheaval".

Asked whether the Prime Minister agreed with Paul Scully, Rishi Sunak's spokesman said: "No, and the PM has talked before about the value of the very diverse communities and societies that we have in the UK."

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk
Short written responses by students on the newly redesigned STAAR tests are being scored by a computer program instead of human graders.

Some Texas school administrators were surprised this month to learn short written responses on the newly redesigned state assessment will be scored by a computer program instead of human graders.

The Texas Education Agency has pointed to efficiency gains and insists the grading program is consistent and accurate, but the rollout has left some administrators with more questions than answers.

The state agency this fall launched the new grading system for short-answer questions on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, a series of standardized tests students begin taking in third grade.

The agency used a computer program to grade short written answers for students who took the STAAR in December, when usually only high school level tests are offered, said Jose Rios, director of student assessment at the TEA.

It helps us be more efficient, Rios said.

The change comes after the agency last spring rolled out a new version of the STAAR, which replaced the previous standardized test in 2012. Along with an all-digital format, the redesigned version of the test included more written short-answer questions for most subjects, a change agency officials said would better reflect students performance.

The rollout came with a slew of concerns from school administrators, particularly regarding the online format.

Human graders scored the short-answer questions for the spring tests, but now the agency plans to move forward with the computer-graded format, said Chris Rozunick, TEA director of assessment development.

We made sure that the technology was working, that we were able to replicate all of our spring 23 scoring, which was done by all humans, Rozunick said.

The computer program isnt artificial intelligence and wont learn as it goes, she said.

There's no ability for the program to learn beyond a single prompt, Rozunick said. We have to use human inputs to program the engine.

More: Texas superintendents applaud court decision to halt A-F school accountability ratings

School leaders and assessment experts still have a degree of skepticism about the process, said Kevin Brown, executive director of the Texas Association of School Administrators. Some remain concerned about the new grading system even after the agency has answered a lot of questions administrators had, especially during a recent call with superintendents.

The lack of communication widespread to all school districts has made this more complicated than it needed, Brown said.

For example, a much larger proportion of students scored zero on the short constructed response questions in the fall than in the spring.

Of the 92,008 students who took the end-of-course English II test in December, 79% scored a zero on the constructed response, compared with 25% in spring 2023 and only 8% in December 2022, according to TEA data.

In a Feb. 14 letter to Education Commissioner Mike Morath, the Texas School Alliance expressed concern about this spike in zeros.

This seems to be an unprecedented change that a heads up would be reasonably warranted, wrote the alliance, which represents 46 larger school districts.

In the Austin school district, the proportion of students with a zero on the English II short response question jumped from 17% in December 2022 to 30% in spring 2023 and to 87% in December 2023, according to TEA data.

Because of the test redesign, which included a new rubric for short-response questions, its difficult to know the cause of the spike in zero scores, Brown said.

If there's going to be a change in the way grading is done, then that ought to be transparent to everybody, Brown said. Everybody ought to know that going in and have confidence that that works well. I don't think we're at that place yet.

Not all zero scores get a human grader, according to the TEA. The rubric and criteria for grading students' written responses have changed since 2022. Before 2023, students generally didn't receive below a two, according to the agency.

The agency has insisted the grading program undergoes significant quality control. Humans grade a quarter of the responses to make sure theyre getting the same grade as the program, Rios said. The agency also routes responses that give the computer program a low confidence or no response output to a human grader.

The automated scoring does save the agency money, Rios said.

The agency would probably need to spend an additional $15 million to $20 million to have humans grade every short-response question, he said.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Computer grading of STAAR answers leaves Texas schools with questions
The Defense Department found no wrongdoing in the events that led to the secrecy surrounding Defense Secretary Lloyd Austins hospitalization last month, according to details of a review ordered by his chief of staff into how days passed without the president or Congress being notified that the Pentagon boss was incapacitated.

A mixture of concerns about protecting Austins privacy  and a lack of written policy for emergency hospitalizations  caused staff to balk when it came to informing the White House or Congress of the secretarys absence, while at the same time not informing the deputy defense secretary of why she was taking over authorities, according to an executive summary of the largely classified review released Monday.

As this unclassified summary highlights, the secretarys team was faced with an unprecedented situation and so they executed a transfer of authority in the same way that they had previously done, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagons press secretary, told reporters during a briefing.

Austins emergency hospitalization for a urinary tract infection that developed following a late December procedure to treat his prostate cancer wasnt unprecedented, however.

Then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates was rushed to the hospital in 2008 when he broke his shoulder slipping on his icy front steps. The Pentagon confirmed the following day that hed had an accident.

What was unprecedented was that following Austins ambulance ride on Jan. 1, it took his staff until Jan. 4 to notify the White House and Congress of his absence, and until the following day to put out a public statement.

Austin has taken the blame for the situation overall, saying that he did not want to burden the president with his early December cancer diagnosis, he told reporters during a Feb. 13 briefing.

What Ive learned from this experience, taking this kind of job means losing some of the privacy that most of us expect, he said. The American people have a right to know when their leaders are facing health challenges that might affect their ability to perform their duties, even temporarily.

Austin admits he wanted to keep his cancer diagnosis secret

Austin said at the time that he did not direct his staff to withhold any information from the chain of command, adding that he doesnt believe that he has created a culture of secrecy that would have conditioned his staff to hide information on his behalf.

The review found that concerns over medical privacy laws precluded staff from sharing what they knew or asking for more information.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, is the main law governing health information in the U.S., but it only dictates that health care workers and health insurance administrators, for example, not share patient medical records with unauthorized people.

Ryder acknowledged that there may have been some confusion about privacy laws. Austins chief of staff, on the other hand, learned of his hospitalization from a military aide, which was not a violation of any privacy laws.

Ryder did not answer a question from Military Times as to what changed between Jan. 2, when members of Austins staff were informed of his hospitalization and concerned about his privacy, and Jan. 4, when notifications began.

In his Feb. 13 briefing, Austin did not address why he didnt request that a member of his staff notify the president that he wouldnt be going into work on Jan. 2.

The review released Monday adds that it was not Austins decision to transfer authority to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks on Jan. 2, but that members of his staff made the call when he was moved into the intensive care unit and would not have access to secured communications to carry out his job.

Look, Im not gonna speak for why any individuals did or did not take certain specific actions. I think we can all agree, you know, it is not uncommon for a natural human response when it comes to things like things like medical care, to default to a privacy setting, Ryder said. But the secretary also made clear in that press briefing that he acknowledges we can do better, that we will do better.

In that spirit, when Austin returned to Walter Reed on Feb. 11 to address a bladder issue stemming from his initial UTI, the Pentagon immediately notified the relevant authorities and made a public statement, keeping information flowing about the secretarys condition and plans to return to work.

The review released Monday includes eight recommendations to improve the notification process when a defense secretary is incapacitated, including articulating to staff the expectations for information-sharing and writing down guidelines for how to handle such events. There will also be new protocols for determining when authorities should be transferred to a deputy defense secretary and how to notify authorities about it.

All recommendations have 90 days to be implemented, Austin wrote a memo signed Monday,
The law demanded EU countries put in place measures to restore at least 20 percent of the bloc's land and seas by 2030 (Daniel MIHAILESCU)

The future of a landmark EU law to protect nature appeared uncertain on Monday, after the bloc's biggest group of lawmakers said they would not back the rules under a package denounced by farmers.

The rules were a central part of the European Union's ambitious environmental goals under the Green Deal, a set of laws aimed at helping the bloc meet its climate goals -- but which farmers say threaten their livelihoods.

Lawmakers have their eye on elections in June and are keen to placate a key part of the European electorate as farmers continue to vent their anger at Brussels.

An estimated 900 tractors brought Brussels' European quarter to a halt on Monday -- for the second time in a month -- to press for a rollback of red tape and regulations.

Europe's farming unions had called on lawmakers to support the agricultural sector by rejecting the text. The parliament's biggest grouping, the conservative European People's Party (EPP), heard their call.

The text was to have been rubber-stamped by the European Parliament on Tuesday, after EU negotiators struck a draft agreement in November -- but the EPP announced late Monday that it would not back the law.

"The EPP Group continues to have serious concerns about the Nature Restoration Law," said the vice chair of the EPP, Siegfried Muresan.

"We do not want new and more forms of bureaucracy and reporting obligations for farmers. Let farmers farm," he added in a statement.

Muresan pointed to concerns that some EU countries would use the law to introduce more paperwork and "far-reaching" monitoring obligations for farmers and foresters.

The agreed text demanded EU countries put in place measures to restore at least 20 percent of the bloc's land and 20 percent of its seas by 2030.

It had already been watered down after surviving previous EPP attempts to kill it.

- 'Playing with fire' -

French EPP MEP Anne Sander told AFP that she would vote against the law because of the "dangers" it posed.

"While the agricultural world exclaims its anger throughout Europe, supporting the establishment of new standards would, in my opinion, be a mistake," she said.

There is still support for the draft law among centre-left and left lawmakers, and a parliamentary source rejected the idea that the EPP's move would kill the text.

"It will depend on the number of elected officials in the (parliament) hemicycle, and the votes of the Renew, Socialists and Democrats delegations, but it looks complicated," the source told AFP.

Copa-Cogeca, an umbrella organisation for European farmers' unions, said the agreed text contained "unrealistic and unbudgeted provisions".

Environmental organisations were quick to slam the EPP's decision.

"Unbelievable... EPP teams up with far-right to kill the Nature Restoration Law! By recommending their MEPs to reject the negotiated agreement, the EPP group is playing with fire. The Parliament's credibility is at stake," WWF EU said on X.

jug-raz/ec/rlp
With the suspension of former Tory deputy party chairman Lee Anderson from the Conservative Party, Islamophobia has once again been thrust into the spotlight  including the definition of it produced by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims.

The UK Government has been encouraged to pledge its support for the definition, which has been adopted by several political parties, including the Scottish Conservatives. However, it is not without fault.

The definition contains provisions which have the potential to suppress academic freedom. One example of Islamophobia provided in this definition is: Accusing Muslim citizens of being more loyal to the Ummah (transnational Muslim community) or their countries of origin, or to the alleged priorities of Muslims worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.

This is a poorly designed provision. British academics should be free to explore matters of identity formation in all religious communities and the degree to which citizens  from different walks of life - are emotionally connected to the UK as well as other countries. This is a critical element of understanding modern Britain from a social cohesion perspective.

It is worth noting that a Savanta-ComRes poll of British Muslims in the build-up to the 2019 general election, found that more than two in five respondents believed that their co-religionists in Britain tended to be more loyal to Saudi Arabia (which includes the holy sites of the Masjid al-Hara [including the al-Kaba al-Musharrafa] in Makkah and the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah) than to the UK. Surely one wouldnt argue that these British Muslim respondents are guilty of Islamophobia?

Rows over this definition first emerged in 2019 when a report by the APPG recommended it. The Government was criticized for failing to adopt it, while the Lib Dems and Labour did. A report in 2021 by a former equality and human rights commissioner found claims of institutional racism in the Conservative Party were not borne out, though there was evidence of discrimination and anti-Muslim views on a local association and individual level.

However, while supporters of the APPGs definition such as Baroness Warsi (no stranger to controversy herself) have pointed to the comprehensive public consultation behind it, community consultation participants included the likes of Dr Chris Allen  who stepped down from leading a review into the Leicester riots.

It also involved Jared OMara  the former MP for Sheffield Hallam who was recently sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of six counts of fraud by false representation. The scale of the Muslim Council of Britains involvement in the formulation of the definition can be called into question  especially due to its historic positioning on the Ahmadiyya community (a sect which identifies as Muslim but the MCB does not represent.)

The community is hugely involved in mainstream civic activities such as the Poppy Appeal.

What would make for a tighter definition is including clearly-framed examples of anti-Muslim prejudice which have come to the fore in recent times, such as collectively holding British Muslims to account for the actions of Islamist terrorist organisations and theocratic regimes in the so-called Muslim world.

A key part of it should be challenging persistent forms of anti-Muslim prejudice in the labour market and private rented sector  quality of employment and housing are, after all, integral parts of general well-being. Peddling unfounded conspiracy theories about a Muslim politician being in the pockets of Islamists very much falls into anti-Muslim territory  and especially odd if the politician in question indulges in LGBTQIA+ activism and opposes the BDS movement.

The UK Government is right to have reservations over the current Islamophobia definition  but there is an opportunity to atone for its own share of scandals by establishing a solid definition of anti-Muslim prejudice which blends Britains anti-discrimination traditions with its long-standing commitment to intellectual openness. In doing so, it will help itself build ties with some of the most authentically traditional but Tory-sceptic voters in the country.

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.
An extension to the state-mandated deadline for Lake County Commissioners to select a proposal for developing a potential county convention and event center is in the works.

The Indiana House was set Monday to hear on second reading Senate Bill 37, a bill on council budget oversight of the convention and visitors authority. An amendment added by State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville, last week in the House Ways and Means Committee, would change the deadline for approving a proposal to Dec. 31, instead of May 31 as outlined in SEA 434, which creates the ability for Lake County officials to develop and fund a convention center.

The measure was not called for a vote before press time.

Slager sought the deadline extension to allow for the completion of the site selection update by the Northwestern Indiana Regional Development Authority. The report is expected to be completed on March 1.

You dont put together convention center and hotel projects overnight. We want to make sure have plenty of time for timely submission, Slager said.

David Wellman, the RDAs director of communications, said the original study is being updated by Johnson Consulting and The Winston/Terrell Group and is on track to be completed in March. They are revisiting the sites that were finalists in the initial study as well as several additional locations that were submitted in January after the RDA issued a request for information asking if any landowners in Lake County had a site they would like considered.

Sites submitted include the Merrillville Commerce Center at 93rd and Broadway; 7900 Clay St., in Hobart; Ameriplex Southlake at 61st and Colorado Street in Hobart; and 1430 W. 23rd Ave., in Gary.

RDA and its consulting team conducted a bus tour in early February of all these sites. We also stopped at several existing venues around the region such as the Avalon in Merrillville and the Dynasty in Hammond, to give the team an idea of what event space already existed in NWI, Wellman wrote via email.

Meanwhile, plans for a special Lake County Board of Commissioners meeting  initially set for March 6  are in flux. The board was expected to decide on its consultant after conducting a request for qualifications, but Commissioner Michael Repay, D-Hammond, said with the legislation making its way through the legislative process, there may be a chance the meeting is canceled.

Repay said the commissioners want to be prepared in case the current deadline stays the same. If final action has not yet been taken on the legislation before the special meeting, Repay said commissioners have to stay on track to meet the current deadline.

Its in our best interest to move forward, Repay said, adding commissioners may or may not get the extension.

He said commissioners received one response to its request for qualifications to be the consultant. Since it is not a bid, he does not believe commissioners have to accept that firm. With more time, Repay said officials could consider going out for another request for qualifications.

Wed rather have more than less. Im not sure how we proceed with that, Repay said.

Slager also offered amendments to Senate Bill 37, which removes the trigger that gives the Lake County Council oversight of the convention and visitors authority budget if it approves an increase to the innkeepers tax in accordance with SEA 434, instead making the oversight effective if the bill becomes law.

Slager said the council may never increase the innkeepers tax and that would leave the convention centers board, which has bonding authority and no elected representation, without elected oversight indefinitely. A third amendment would allow the board to remove members who were not working in certain professions connected to the tourism industry.

Slager made the amendments and declared passage of the bill an emergency, so the provisions become effective immediately upon the governors signature instead of on July 1, as is the case with most legislation.

cnapoleon@chicagotribune.com
CHICAGO - A Matteson man was charged in a deadly expressway shooting that resulted in a two-car crash on I-94 in Dolton last summer.

Illinois State Police say Calvin Woods, 32, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder following a shooting on the Bishop Ford Freeway on August 28, 2023.

Troopers responded to a crash at 7:27 p.m. on northbound I-94 near Dolton Road.

There were two crashed vehicles along the concrete median, an abandoned Audi A4 and a Toyota Camry.

Troopers learned the driver of the Toyota Camry, 30-year-old Travon Mackie of Chicago was transported to an area hospital with multiple gunshot wounds where he was later pronounced deceased.

Woods was identified as one of the occupants of the Audi.

With the help of the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service, he was arrested on Feb. 22.

Woods was being held at the Cook County Detention Center until his pre-trial detention hearing on Sunday.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  El Paso County wants your help and your input as it develops its multi-year capital plan.

A series of meetings will be held from Wednesday, Feb. 28 through May 2 to gather public input on the plan.

You can find a convenient date, time and location by clicking here.

These meetings will offer a transparent overview of the Countys financial landscape, including an in-depth look at our budget process and the challenges and opportunities we face in managing the Countys fiscal health. Its a great opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of how our County operates financially and to voice your priorities for future projects, according to the news release.

For those unable to attend in person, information and materials from the meetings will be made available on the county website by clicking here. You can also follow El Paso County on social media for updates and ways to provide your input online.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Early voting is underway in Cleveland County for the March 5 primary election.

Voters will be narrowing down the field of Republican candidates for county commissioner and will select three from the seven running. Those three will then run against two Democrat candidates in the general election in November.

Get to know where county commissioner contenders stand on several issues, including zoning, growth and priorities.

Carter York, Republican, is also running for commissioner but did not respond to The Star's questions.

Stormy Mongiello

Stormy Mongiello, (Democrat)

Zoning is one of the most important things commissioners do on the board. When addressing zoning changes, what does/will guide you in making decisions to deny or approve requests?

In evaluating zoning changes, I will be guided by a commitment to fostering sustainable and equitable development. I will prioritize community input, considering the needs and concerns of residents. Environmental impact assessments will ensure that proposed changes align with responsible land use practices. Economic implications, such as job creation and property values, will be weighed alongside social factors like accessibility and inclusivity. Compliance with existing zoning regulations and long-term urban planning goals will be key considerations balanced against water sources, sanitation volume, fire and law enforcement services guidance, school capacities and more. My decisions aim to balance promoting responsible growth, preserving community character, safeguarding the environment, and fostering a harmonious and resilient landscape.

Do you think the county is handling recent housing growth and development in a responsible manner - why or why not?

Ensuring sustainable growth requires a comprehensive evaluation of existing resources, particularly roads, and schools, to prevent overburdening them. Implementing strategic urban planning measures, such as infrastructure upgrades and expansions, can help mitigate these challenges. Collaborative efforts between local authorities, developers, and community stakeholders are essential to address these concerns effectively. Balancing immediate housing needs with a long-term perspective on sustainable growth will be key to fostering a resilient and well-functioning community. Proactive measures, including infrastructure investment and thoughtful zoning policies, can help manage the current strain on resources and contribute to a more sustainable and harmonious future development.

What do you think should be commissioners top three priorities going forward?

The community expresses a collective desire for a commission attuned to the diverse concerns within Cleveland County, emphasizing the need for transparency, fiscal responsibility, and inclusive decision-making. As a responsive representative, my commitment will be to 1. understand and address these sentiments, 2. foster open dialogue, and 3. ensure that the commission reflects the diverse perspectives of its community. Since 52% of the workforce is women, and more women work than men - why dont we have half or more ladies leading? The same thought process ensues for Black, Asian, Native American, and Hispanic populations. You cant represent, by the people and for the people, by mainly having white gentlemen running everything from one party only.

David Peace (Democrat)

Zoning is one of the most important things commissioners do on the board. When addressing zoning changes, what does/will guide you in making decisions to deny or approve requests?

I would look at what was the land used for before zoning request, location, population in area, the effect rezoning would have on the land, area around the land and the population.

Do you think the county is handling recent housing growth and development in a responsible manner - why or why not?

The county has. Although you have to be careful due to the diverse land use in the county.

What do you think should be commissioners top three priorities going forward?

Keeping a close watch on the new justice center building cost.

Keeping businesses coming into the county and investing in the county for more employment and better wages.

Keeping taxes low. No increase if possible and keeping a careful watch on the county budget to stop wasteful spending to keep from raising taxes

Robert Williams

Robert Williams (Republican)

Zoning is one of the most important things commissioners do on the board. When addressing zoning changes, what does/will guide you in making decisions to deny or approve requests?

Overland Park, Kansas has grown 30% and doubled in population since 2000. Largely due to successful planning and zoning programs that brought major increases in property values, job creation and overall economic development. While Cleveland County growth has been stagnant over this same period. As a Cleveland County commissioner, I would send a delegation to Overland Park, Kansas to learn how they developed a successful planning and zoning program and bring that knowledge back to Cleveland County.

Do you think the county is handling recent housing growth and development in a responsible manner - why or why not?

No. Because Cleveland County is without a comprehensive and effective plan for housing growth. Also, see the answer to question No. 1 above.

What do you think should be commissioners top three priorities going forward?

Fair and honest representation for all.

Maximize citizens participation.

No property tax bill or sales tax increases, link Cleveland County government growth to the growth of the population. Live within our means!

Linda Laine

Linda Laine (Republican)

Zoning is one of the most important things commissioners do on the board. When addressing zoning changes, what does/will guide you in making decisions to deny or approve requests?

I would review recent zoning changes that are already in place. Ask why a new change was needed? Who is needing the change? Outside developers/investors or current residents of Cleveland County?

Do you think the county is handling recent housing growth and development in a responsible manner - why or why not?

When I moved to Kings Mountain in 2017 to help care for my parents, Cleveland County had a lot of people moving here into current housing. Around 2022, a lot of new housing developments started getting approved. Moving slowed down. New developments kept getting approved. Growth is great! Saturation not so much. Who will move here now that multiple Mecklenburg County industries are shutting down or moving?

What do you think should be commissioners top three priorities going forward?

Safety, health and wellbeing of our county residents.

Keeping new taxation as low as possible for current residents. Fair revaluation in 2025. Increase of new residents that come with economic development to pick up the balance.

Approving the county budget with the best interest of the people. Sound mission accomplishment!

Tony Berry

Tony Berry (Republican)

Zoning is one of the most important things commissioners do on the board. When addressing zoning changes, what does/will guide you in making decisions to deny or approve requests?

When addressing zone changes, my decision would be based on the following: What laws are currently in effect, how will zoning changes affect surrounding properties and is it worth it. Every scenario will be different, so using these three rules will allow my decision to be fair in each circumstance.

Do you think the county is handling recent housing growth and development in a responsible manner - why or why not?

This question is a bit difficult to answer, but right now I believe the county is handling housing and development responsibly. Cleveland County economy dictates that we need need more affordable housing but we must consider all information before developing.

What do you think should be commissioners top three priorities going forward?

Throughout my campaign, I have said the three things that matter most to me are public safety, backing the first responders, economic development by supporting tourism, and responsible fiscal budgeting. I look forward to bringing a fresh voice to the board of commissioners.

Johnny Hutchins

Johnny Hutchins (Republican)

Zoning is one of the most important things commissioners do on the board. When addressing zoning changes, what does/will guide you in making decisions to deny or approve requests?

The countys legal authority to address zoning and land use covers all of the unincorporated parts of the county and several smaller towns within the county. It is important to me to make sure our decisions are in the best interests of all our citizens. We must also ensure that our processes follow county ordinances, and we allow opportunities for the citizens to express their feelings and have their questions answered throughout the zoning or rezoning process.

Do you think the county is handling recent housing growth and development in a responsible manner - why or why not?

The estimated 2024 population, for Cleveland County, is 101,374 with a growth rate of 0.35% according to the most recent census data; we are the 29th largest county in North Carolina. The 2010 population was 97,922 and has seen a growth of 3.53% since that time. At this rate of growth, the county has the opportunity to plan accordingly.

Citizens should know we do not have the authority to manage growth in all parts of the county. As mentioned in the first question, we do not have the authority to govern growth in most municipalities of the county and any of the municipal extraterritorial planning zones within the county.

Shelby and Kings Mountain are the two largest areas within the county, which have municipal extraterritorial planning districts, and are seeing the majority of the current growth within the county.

What do you think should be commissioners top three priorities going forward?

The Board of Commissioners deals with a wide array of issues and priorities on a daily basis. Each of these has a different level of importance to each citizen. We work hard to meet expectations and make the best decision possible for all citizens of the county.

I see the top three priorities as follows:

Public safety  we must protect our citizens by giving our first responders the needed resources to keep our communities safe.

Healthcare  it is critical our citizens have access to readily available healthcare.

Economic development  economic growth by creating jobs with high-paying salaries and good benefits.

Kevin Gordon

Kevin Gordon (Republican)

Zoning is one of the most important things commissioners do on the board. When addressing zoning changes, what does/will guide you in making decisions to deny or approve requests?

The purpose of zoning is to categorize land to determine what general uses may be permitted; land is typically zoned for residential, commercial, or industrial use. Cleveland County has nine zoning districts, ranging from Restricted Residential to Heavy Industrial.

When addressing zoning changes, my decisions are based on the following: ensuring we follow the process and local ordinances (the unified development ordinance), protect property rights, allowing the public the opportunity to participate, and rendering a decision which is based upon what is in the best interest of all resident living within Cleveland County now and in the future.

Do you think the county is handling recent housing growth and development in a responsible manner - why or why not?

While the countys population is growing, it is growing at a rate which is manageable and gives time for the county to plan accordingly. The board of county commissioners does not have authority to address growth and development throughout the entire county.

The countys authority, related to zoning and land use, covers all of the unincorporated parts of the county as well as the towns of Belwood, Earl, Grover, Lawndale, and Mooresboro. But any municipal extraterritorial planning areas are excluded from the countys authority.

Since 1959, cities have had the authority to apply their land development regulations to a perimeter area around the city. This area is the municipal extraterritorial planning jurisdiction, commonly referred to as the city ETJ. Cities in Cleveland County, such as Shelby and Kings Mountain, have exercised this authority to apply city planning and development regulations to these perimeter areas.

What do you think should be commissioners top three priorities going forward?

We utilize a council-manager form of government. The commissioners hire a professional manager to oversee the day-to-day operations, while the commissioners focus on county policies. With that, there are many priorities which are before the Commissioners on a routine basis. For me, any concern and/or questions from our citizens are priorities. So, the number one overall priority is customer service.

The following are three high priorities and extremely beneficial in keeping our citizens safe while preparing our county for the future:

Give law enforcement, and other first responders, the resources they need to counter the flood of undocumented immigrants that are at the foundation of gang-related drug trafficking.

Ensure our citizens, especially seniors, have adequate access to the healthcare resources they need.

Build a first-class public education system; the quality of our tomorrow will be determined by the decisions we make today. This begins with a good public school system.

Denise Wright

Denise Wright (Republican)

Zoning is one of the most important things commissioners do on the board. When addressing zoning changes, what does/will guide you in making decisions to deny or approve requests?

I would consider the current zoning/use of the properties in close proximity. Also, I would make sure the request was consistent with the adopted Land Use Plan for the area. Most importantly I will listen to the citizens and the recommendations from the zoning board based on their research before making my decision.

Do you think the county is handling recent housing growth and development in a responsible manner - why or why not?

Currently the most recent housing growth for new developments has been in areas controlled by the city municipalities. There is a shortage of affordable housing for average to lower income families. Growth through dense housing developments must be carefully considered taking into account school capacity, roads and infrastructure. As I have stated in my vision, I am running for a future that properly addresses and directs the growth facing Cleveland County.

What do you think should be commissioners top three priorities going forward?

I feel the top three priorities should be working well with all municipalities, properly addressing, and directing the growth facing Cleveland County and preparing our infrastructure for the future.

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: County commissioner candidates talk zoning, growth and priorities
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A couple was arrested following a domestic violence incident Sunday morning, and their children turned over to Child Protective Services, the Fresno County Sheriffs Office says.

Around 2 a.m. deputies say they were called to a home in the 5000 block of East Belmont Avenue, near Willow Avenue, for a report of a domestic disturbance.

Upon arrival, they say they found a man who had been stabbed.

He was transported to an area hospital where he underwent surgery.

Investigators say a woman fled from the scene of the stabbing and took three children with her.

Deputies later found her in a vehicle with the children, all under 10 years of age, and arrested her.

The children were in good condition, deputies say, but they were turned over to CPS as deputies believed they were in danger.

The sheriffs office says at last check the man was listed in critical, but stable, condition.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
Consequences of the shelling of Sumy Oblast on February 26

Russia killed a civilian Ukrainian couple in its attack on municipality of Yunakiv in Sumy Oblast overnight on Feb. 26, the Sumy Regional Military Administration (RMA) reported.

Four explosions were reported after the aggressors used guided aerial bombs (GBUs).

The couple who stayed at home at the moment of attack was killed as a result of the shelling, Sumy officials said.

One private residential building was demolished, and five were damaged.

Rescuers are working on site, the Sumy RMA added.

The rescuers unblocked the bodies of two people from under the rubble, State Emergency Service said later.

Emergency rescue operations have been completed.

182 explosions were recorded after Russia launched 32 attacks on the border territories and settlements in Sumy Oblast on Feb. 25, the Sumy RMA reported.

Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR)  WFXR News is uncovering new details after several packages containing drugs were discovered at a Roanoke United States Postal Service (USPS) facility in February.

Court records indicate that throughout the month, three packages were allegedly seized from the USPS Processing and Distribution Center on Rutherford Avenue NE. The first package was seized from the facility during a search warrant on Feb. 5.

Documents revealed that the envelope was shipped from Los Angeles, California, and was supposed to be delivered to a home in the 100 block of Summerleaf Trail in Bristol, Virginia. The package allegedly contained over 120 grams of methamphetamine.

After searching the postal business records, investigators learned that between June 6, 2023, and Jan. 22, 2024, about 24 packages were mailed from California and delivered to the home in Bristol.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Search warrant discovers possible drugs in packages at Roanoke USPS facility

As the investigation continued, Captain Duty with the Bristol Police Department told WFXR that on Feb. 5, officers served a warrant at Katrina Stouts home on Summerleaf Drive. She was arrested and charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute over 100 grams of methamphetamine.

Two days later, on Feb. 7, the United States Postal inspectors served a second search warrant at the USPS facility and allegedly discovered a second package with about 9.2 lbs of psilocybin mushrooms.

Court documents show that the package was shipped from Las Vagas, Nevada on Jan. 30 with a delivery address to a home in Lovingston, Virginia. However, the package was intercepted and investigators learned that 18 packages were sent to the Lovingston address from West Covina, California.

Authorities then seized a third package on Feb. 14, that allegedly contained 6,543 grams of THC oil (Vape Cartridges). Documents show the package was allegedly sent from Venice, California to Buchanan, Virginia. The warrants also revealed that at least 10 packages were allegedly mailed from California to the Buchanan address.

Currently, it is unknown if all three packages were connected and how many packages delivered in the past contained drugs.

WFXR News has reached out to the Botetourt County Sheriffs Office We are working to learn more and will update this story as more information is released.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
Mugshots of Cochise County Supervisor Tom Crosby (left) and Supervisor Peggy Judd (right) taken by Maricopa County Sheriff's Office as the supervisors pleaded not guilty on two felonies alleging conspiracy and interference with an election officer in the midterm election. Images courtesy of Maricopa County Sheriff's Office

The two Cochise County supervisors who face felony charges for allegedly attempting to interfere with the certification of the countys midterm election recently filed documents in court that give glimpses of the secret grand jury interviews that led to their indictment.

The filings by Supervisors Tom Crosby and Peggy Judd, the boards two Republicans, reveal how state prosecutors attempted to connect the supervisors ploy to expand the countys hand-count audit of its election results to an alleged conspiracy to delay or prevent the countys elections results from being certified.

This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access.

The documents quote grand jury interviews in depth, providing a view into proceedings that, under state law, must be kept private. The filings were originally public records, but are now not available publicly after the state requested they be sealed. Votebeat obtained them from local independent journalist David Morgan, who got them before they were sealed.

Crosby answered the grand jurys questions in detail, while Judd invoked her Fifth Amendment rights and did not answer a single question, according to the documents.

Crosby also blamed Democratic Supervisor Ann English, who was at the time the chairman of the board, for the boards failure to vote on the countys Nov. 28, 2022, deadline to canvass, or certify, the election, stating that she didnt put the correct agenda item on the agenda. I didnt delay, Crosby told the jurors, according to his court filing, Ann English caused the delay She misagendized what was supposed to happen on the 28th.

Meeting minutes show that the agenda item was to certify the election, as it was 10 days prior, too, when Crosby and Judd first voted to delay the vote. But the item did not include what Crosby had requested. Prior to the vote, Crosby wanted the supervisors to hear a formal debate between the Secretary of States Office and experts on voting machines. English said in an interview Thursday that, as chairman, she didnt create meeting agendas  the board clerk does.

Hearing from Votebeat that these two filings, which provide short snippets of a 293-page grand jury transcript, were already circulating in the public, a spokesperson for Attorney General Kris Mayes said Thursday that the office is now going to request that the entire transcript of the grand jury proceedings be made public. Mayes, a Democrat, launched the initial investigation that led to the supervisors indictments.

Request for case to be remanded back to grand jury

The grand jury indicted Crosby and Judd in November for one charge of conspiracy and one charge of interference of an election officer, alleging they conspired to delay the canvass of votes cast and knowingly interfered with the Arizona Secretary of States ability to complete the statewide canvass. Both pleaded not guilty at an arraignment in December. A trial is scheduled for May 16.

Crosbys motion to dismiss the case filed earlier this month, which Judd joined, presents their main defense: They believe state law provides them legislative immunity from prosecution for the conversations they have and their votes during supervisors meetings, because they act as the countys legislative body. Legislative immunity was intended to apply to state lawmakers, and historically has, but Crosby and Judd say it applies to county officials, too.

They also deny any illegal actions, claiming that their duty to certify the election results are discretionary. There is no unlawful act let alone any conspiracy by Supervisors voting their conscience, Crosby said in the document.

But if the judge decides not to dismiss the case, Crosby and Judd in the recent documents ask the judge to instead remand the case back to the grand jury because they say they werent given fair proceedings.

Witnesses called before the grand jury during a two-day proceeding in November included Crosby, Judd, a special agent from the Attorney Generals Office, and County Attorney Brian McIntyre, according to Judds filing. The transcript of the proceedings are 293 pages, according to Judds filing, and not public  at least for now.

The supervisors believe the state should have informed grand jurors of what they believe to be the supervisors legislative immunity and should have better informed the jury about the law on supervisors role in certifying the election. Judd also says that the state didnt properly inform the grand jurors of her Fifth Amendment rights.

Their other main complaint is with McIntyres testimony, which they felt was opinionated and shouldnt be taken as evidence. McIntyre, a Republican, advised the supervisors in November 2022 not to expand the hand-count audit and to certify the election on time.

During grand jury proceedings, Crosby said, the state allowed misleading testimony regarding the character and aim of the hand count, infra, to further its baseless conspiracy theory that the hand count was pursued to intentionally interfere with the Secretary of States duty to canvass the election.

Crosby alleges that McIntyre gave testimony to the grand jury that was full of his baseless opinions on the law in his effort to smear his own client.

McIntyre did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Richie Taylor, a spokesperson for the Attorney Generals Office, said the office declined to comment on the documents.

From hand counting to certification

The state prosecutors and grand jurors asked the witnesses many questions about how the effort to expand the countys post-election hand-count audit of ballots unfolded.

Cochise County supervisors were among the many across the state that faced pressure from GOP leaders and activists to conduct a full hand count of ballots, claiming without evidence that ballot tabulation machines were not accurate or properly accredited.

A judge ruled the day before the election, on Nov. 7, that the supervisors and recorder couldnt perform a hand count of all ballots cast, since the post-election audit under state law only includes a portion of ballots. But the supervisors still wanted to expand the hand count, and took steps to prepare, even after the judges decision.

On Nov. 14, without voting publicly to do so, Crosby and Judd sued Elections Director Lisa Marra for blocking the expanded hand count. Residents filed open meeting law complaints to the Attorney Generals Office, saying that decision should have been made in a public vote.

Expanding the hand-count audit at this point, when the elections director was attempting to prepare for an expected statewide recount and with the supervisors deadline for certifying the election two weeks away, might have made it difficult for the county to certify on time.

Crosby implied that the supervisors hand-count decisions were what brought the grand jury to its conspiracy charge. He said in his filing the state used its witnesses to present to the grand jury a truly ridiculous (and itself misleading) conspiracy theory that the efforts to conduct an expanded hand count constituted a conspiracy to interfere with the Secretary of States duty to canvass the statewide election merely because of how long an expanded hand count might theoretically take.

Crosby revealed new details about that time period in his filing, claiming that he and Judd had both decided independently, without speaking to each other, to consult the attorney the board chose to represent them, Bryan Blehm, during the same time period and both independently agreed to file the lawsuit against Marra.

He wrote that he was relying on [his attorney Bryan] Blehms obligation to advise the board of any possible illegalities. Blehm is a former family law attorney whose work in election law began the year prior to the midterm, in 2021, when he represented the Cyber Ninjas in the partisan audit of Maricopa Countys 2020 ballots.

Crosby and Judd withdrew the lawsuit against Marra two days after filing it, on Nov. 16.

They then voted on Nov. 18 to delay the certification, also called a canvass, of the countys election results, until Nov. 28. At the time, Judd stated that she wanted the hand count of 100% of ballots to back up the election results, and Crosby voted to delay the vote until the tabulation machines accreditation was confirmed by persons with expertise in that field.

After the supervisors second refusal to certify the canvass again on Nov. 28, the Secretary of States Office sued, and on Dec. 1 a court forced the supervisors to certify, prior to the Secretary of States deadline to certify statewide results. But Crosby didnt show on Dec. 1, leaving Judd and English to cast the deciding yes votes to certify.

The recent filings do not provide the full picture of grand jury interviews.

With the release of these documents publicly, Taylor with the Attorney Generals Office said the office believes this means the entire grand jury transcript should be released and we are going to work towards that.

Taylor said he didnt have an immediate timeline for when that would happen.

The post Court filings reveal secret grand jury interviews that led to indictments of Cochise County supes appeared first on Arizona Mirror.
NATIONAL HARBOR, MarylandWhen Tom Fitton, president of the pro-Trump legal nonprofit Judicial Watch, took the stage at the 2024 Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday, he began his remarks by joking that he felt like he was the only one here not running for vice president. The crowd laughed, and Fitton added: Although who knows what will happen, right? Maybe the FBI needs some help or a new director, how about that?

Its unclear whether Fitton, who is not a lawyer and holds a B.A. in English, would actually have a senior law enforcement role in a second Trump administration, but the crowd gathered at CPAC 2024 loved his vision for the Department of Justices agenda in a second Trump term.

When Fitton said that if the regime is going to change the rules so Donald Trump can be prosecuted, Obama must be prosecuted, the crowd immediately erupted into cheers of Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up!

But what exactly would Obama be prosecuted for? In his speech, Fitton didnt identify any crimes committed by the former Democratic president. When The Dispatch caught up with Fitton in the hallway afterward, he said that if the new rules are that you can be indicted for conduct while in officeofficial conducttheres all sorts of issues that could be pursued. Anything specific? Fast and Furious, droning American citizens. You pick it. The message, in effect, was that turnabout is fair play.

Revenge was an important theme in Trumps CPAC speech too, just as it was last year. In March 2023, the last time polling ever suggested that Trump faced a serious threat in the GOP primary, he made headlines at CPAC with the pledge: I am your warrior; I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution. I am your retribution. Trump went on to explain how he would fulfill that pledge: I will totally obliterate the deep state. I will fire the unelected bureaucrats and shadow forces who have weaponized our justice system.

But at CPAC 2024, with the GOP nomination in the bag, Trump modified his message in a notable way. Your liberty will be our ultimate reward and the unprecedented success of the United States of America will be my ultimate and absolute revenge, he told the crowd on Saturday. His 2024 CPAC speech focused more on sealing the border, drilling for oil, and achieving peace through strength. On Saturday, the two-year anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Trump claimed the invasion never would have happened if he were president: Remember, they said Obama gave pillows and Trump gave Javelins. He claimed Israel would have never been attacked on October 7, 2023, because Iran was broke due to sanctions and that while he would have gotten the United States out of Afghanistan he would have never given up Bagram Air Base because it is located near western China.

With that said, Trumps 2024 CPAC speech certainly indicated he thinks there is more to exacting revenge than enacting MAGA policies. While Election Day 2024 would be liberation day for hard-working Americans, Trump said, for the liars and cheaters and fraudsters and censors and imposters who have commandeered our government, it will be their judgment day.

Trump portrayed himself as a victim and political dissident and warned that Joe Biden is a threat to democracy who is surrounded by some very bad fascists. Perhaps the darkest hint of what Trump might really like to do to his personal enemies came when he compared himself to Al Capone. Ive been indicted more than Alphonse Capone, Trump told the CPAC crowd. If he had dinner with you and he didnt like the smile on your facehe thought you were mocking him by smilingyou would be dead before you got home and said hello to your wife.

Trump didnt dwell on the point, and his meandering 90-minute speech was as much a sprawling stand-up comedy act as it was a menacing politico manifesto. He had the crowd rolling with laughter when he did his impersonation of Biden lost and wandering around the stage, and he earned even bigger laughs when he tried his hand at slightly self-deprecating humor. Trump revealed that he was so nervous flying into Iraq for a visit one time that he was sweating profusely and considered awarding himself the Congressional Medal of Honor. The military pilots who flew him to Baghdad were the most handsome human beings Ive ever seen. Its not my thing, but theyre handsome!

Central casting, he continued. Better looking than Tom Cruise. And taller!

For Trump, of course, there is no higher praise than to be considered central casting. And when he name-checked several other CPAC speakers on Saturday, one couldnt help but wonder if he was offering a lineup of what a second Trump administration might look like. Tom [Fitton] always looks good. I think he does that weightlifting stuff, Trump said. Bannon looks good. We love Steve, Trump said of the former White House chief strategist he once derided as Sloppy Steve after he fired him in 2017. Trump also singled out for praise 2024 GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, former White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, former Director of National Intelligence Ric Grennell, and former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Kevin Hassett.

When Hassett spoke on a Saturday panel, he acknowledged people sometimes ask why would anyone go back to work for Trump. I have so many stories about how much fun it was to work with this guy and how generous he was, Hassett said, before recounting a story about how Trump had taken personal interest in a staffer who had cancer. By the end, President Trump had a team of loyal people that he had tested, and they were willing to stay in even with, like, all the difficulties and everything, Hassett continued. And Im sure that they would go back.

Those unnamed difficulties would seem to include the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, an incident that spurred several top Trump White House officials and Cabinet members to resign. The fallout from January 6 would also severely limit the number and type of people who would want to serve in a second Trump administration.

For example, someone like Bill Barr, the Trump attorney general who resigned over Trumps post-election conduct in 2020, would be persona non grata in a second Trump term. So who might fill that key post? CPAC attendee Chris Allen of Kansas told The Dispatch hed like to see Mike Davis (a former Senate Judiciary Committee counsel who has gained notoriety for his inflammatory rhetoric) or Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton serve as U.S. attorney general in order to investigate prior administrations and the Russiagate probe into Trump. I think [Ted] Cruz would be pretty darn good, Allen said of a potential Trump Supreme Court pick.

CPAC attendee Stephen Reznik of New Jersey also said hed like to see Paxton serving as U.S. attorney general because hes been a stalwart on election integrity and trying to help the J6ers  whove been overcharged. Christine from Haymarket, Virginia, told The Dispatch that while Fitton would be a great Department of Justice official, she hoped the administration wouldnt get too bogged down in investigations. That hope, of course, seems to run directly contrary to the vision of retribution outlined by Fitton himself and the man whom hed be serving.

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.
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort Hotel And Convention Center on Feb. 24, 2024 in National Harbor, Maryland. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Quality Journalism for Critical Times

Former President Donald Trump painted a bleak picture Saturday of what would happen to the United States should voters reelect Joe Biden to the Oval Office in November.

The front-runner in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, who made similar predictions ahead of the 2020 presidential election, told attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference  known as CPAC  just outside Washington, D.C., that only he could provide America a better outcome.

Trump spoke as voters in South Carolina went to the polls there in the states presidential primary, which Trump is expected to win over his last major challenger, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, though Haley has vowed to stay in the race through Super Tuesday.

Theyll soon have us losing World War III. We wont even be in World War III, well be losing World War III with weapons the likes of which nobody has ever seen before, Trump told attendees at the conference, an annual gathering of conservatives. These are the stakes of this election. Our country is being destroyed. And the only thing standing between you and its obliteration is me. Its true.

Trump didnt discuss any bills he would attempt to pass if sent back to the White House or executive actions hed pursue, though he did say he would seek to enact the largest deportation in the history of our country and drill for more fossil fuels.

The first and most urgent action when we win will be the sealing of the border, stopping the invasion, drill baby drill, send Joe Bidens illegal aliens back home, Trump said. Well do all of those things and were gonna have to do them fast because no country can sustain whats happening in our country.

Trump rebuked the prosecutors that have brought civil and criminal cases against him since he lost the last presidential election.

That includes a case tied to the role Trump played inciting his supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as lawmakers inside counted Electoral College votes to certify Biden as the winner of the presidential election. Trump has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to delay the start of his trial in federal district court in the District of Columbia on charges he tried to subvert the election, as he pursues his claims of presidential immunity.

We have to break out of the nightmare that were in, Trump said. And we have it in the grasp to make America richer and safer and stronger and prouder and more beautiful than ever before.

Border security

Trump continued his campaign theme of disparaging undocumented immigrants traveling to the United States, saying that they are destroying the country.

We have a border problem thats 20 times worse than what we had in 2016, Trump said. And well solve that one too. But its gonna have to be very strong action and its gonna have to happen fast before our country is just totally overwhelmed.

The Pew Research Center reported that the U.S. Border Patrol had 250,000 encounters with migrants crossing the Southern border in December 2023, the highest monthly total on record. Pew noted the numbers of encounters slowed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Maca Casado, director of Hispanic Media for Biden-Harris 2024, said in a written statement that Trump has consistently demonized Latinos for his political gain.

Just days ago, we learned about Donald Trumps plan to deploy combat soldiers to build mass detention camps and round up immigrants like cattle  and he thinks he can make a play for the Latino vote at CPAC of all places? she said.

Trump claimed that if he were still president, the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel wouldnt have happened and that Russia would have never invaded Ukraine, starting off the war thats lasted two years.

The attack on Israel would have never happened. Remember, Iran was broke. They were broke, Trump said. Ukraine would have never happened. I talked to (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin a lot and got along with him well.

Looking to general election

Trump also sought to rally his base during the speech, saying that the general election in November is crucial for him and his supporters.

For hardworking Americans, November 5 will be our new liberation day; but for the liars and cheaters and fraudsters and sensors and imposters, who have commandeered our government, it will be their judgment day, Trump said.

When we win, the curtain closes on their corrupt reign and the sun rises on a bright new future for America, he added. Thats what we have to have. I believe its our last chance.

Trump mentioned the South Carolina Republican primary toward the end of his nearly 90-minute speech, saying that if he lost, he was going to blame the organizers of CPAC for having him give a speech the same day as voters were heading to the polls. He also called out a CPAC host, Mercedes Schlapp, who was director of strategic communications in the White House during the Trump administration.

So now Im going to the place Im supposed to be, Im going to South Carolina, Trump said. Im supposed to be there.

And if I do poorly, Im gonna blame, Im gonna blame Mercedes. Forget about that. Im gonna blame Mercedes, Trump said. Because I am supposed to be there and Im not there. And if I do poorly, Im blaming everybody in this audience. But I think were going to do okay. And I just want to thank everybody.

Biden-Harris 2024 Rapid Response Director Ammar Moussa said in a written statement on Trumps CPAC speech that during Trumps four years in office America lost more jobs than any president in modern history, women in more than 20 states have lost the freedom to make their own health care decisions because Trump overturned Roe, and the MAGA wing of the Republican Party lost their damn minds putting Trumps quest for power over our democracy.

America already had the opportunity to choose if they wanted another four years of hell with Donald Trumps chaos, division, and crazy  they said no  and will again in November.

The post In CPAC speech, Trump predicts losing World War III if he is not elected appeared first on Florida Phoenix.
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort Hotel And Convention Center on Feb. 24, 2024 in National Harbor, Maryland. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump painted a bleak picture Saturday of what would happen to the United States should voters reelect Joe Biden to the Oval Office in November.

The front-runner in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, who made similar predictions ahead of the 2020 presidential election, told attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference  known as CPAC  just outside Washington, D.C., that only he could provide America a better outcome.

Trump spoke as voters in South Carolina went to the polls there in the states presidential primary, which Trump won over his last major challenger, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, though Haley has vowed to stay in the race through Super Tuesday.

Theyll soon have us losing World War III. We wont even be in World War III, well be losing World War III with weapons the likes of which nobody has ever seen before, Trump told attendees at the conference, an annual gathering of conservatives. These are the stakes of this election. Our country is being destroyed. And the only thing standing between you and its obliteration is me. Its true.

Trump didnt discuss any bills he would attempt to pass if sent back to the White House or executive actions hed pursue, though he did say he would seek to enact the largest deportation in the history of our country and drill for more fossil fuels.

The first and most urgent action when we win will be the sealing of the border, stopping the invasion, drill baby drill, send Joe Bidens illegal aliens back home, Trump said. Well do all of those things and were gonna have to do them fast because no country can sustain whats happening in our country.

Trump rebuked the prosecutors that have brought civil and criminal cases against him since he lost the last presidential election.

That includes a case tied to the role Trump played inciting his supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as lawmakers inside counted Electoral College votes to certify Biden as the winner of the presidential election. Trump has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to delay the start of his trial in federal district court in the District of Columbia on charges he tried to subvert the election, as he pursues his claims of presidential immunity.

We have to break out of the nightmare that were in, Trump said. And we have it in the grasp to make America richer and safer and stronger and prouder and more beautiful than ever before.

Border security

Trump continued his campaign theme of disparaging undocumented immigrants traveling to the United States, saying that they are destroying the country.

We have a border problem thats 20 times worse than what we had in 2016, Trump said. And well solve that one too. But its gonna have to be very strong action and its gonna have to happen fast before our country is just totally overwhelmed.

The Pew Research Center reported that the U.S. Border Patrol had 250,000 encounters with migrants crossing the Southern border in December 2023, the highest monthly total on record. Pew noted the numbers of encounters slowed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Maca Casado, director of Hispanic Media for Biden-Harris 2024, said in a written statement that Trump has consistently demonized Latinos for his political gain.

Just days ago, we learned about Donald Trumps plan to deploy combat soldiers to build mass detention camps and round up immigrants like cattle  and he thinks he can make a play for the Latino vote at CPAC of all places? she said.

Trump claimed that if he were still president, the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel wouldnt have happened and that Russia would have never invaded Ukraine, starting off the war thats lasted two years.

The attack on Israel would have never happened. Remember, Iran was broke. They were broke, Trump said. Ukraine would have never happened. I talked to (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin a lot and got along with him well.

Looking to general election

Trump also sought to rally his base during the speech, saying that the general election in November is crucial for him and his supporters.

For hardworking Americans, November 5 will be our new liberation day; but for the liars and cheaters and fraudsters and sensors and imposters, who have commandeered our government, it will be their judgment day, Trump said.

When we win, the curtain closes on their corrupt reign and the sun rises on a bright new future for America, he added. Thats what we have to have. I believe its our last chance.

Trump mentioned the South Carolina Republican primary toward the end of his nearly 90-minute speech, saying that if he lost, he was going to blame the organizers of CPAC for having him give a speech the same day as voters were heading to the polls. He also called out a CPAC host, Mercedes Schlapp, who was director of strategic communications in the White House during the Trump administration.

So now Im going to the place Im supposed to be, Im going to South Carolina, Trump said. Im supposed to be there.

And if I do poorly, Im gonna blame, Im gonna blame Mercedes. Forget about that. Im gonna blame Mercedes, Trump said. Because I am supposed to be there and Im not there. And if I do poorly, Im blaming everybody in this audience. But I think were going to do okay. And I just want to thank everybody.

Biden-Harris 2024 Rapid Response Director Ammar Moussa said in a written statement on Trumps CPAC speech that during Trumps four years in office America lost more jobs than any president in modern history, women in more than 20 states have lost the freedom to make their own health care decisions because Trump overturned Roe, and the MAGA wing of the Republican Party lost their damn minds putting Trumps quest for power over our democracy.

America already had the opportunity to choose if they wanted another four years of hell with Donald Trumps chaos, division, and crazy  they said no  and will again in November.

SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE

The post In CPAC speech, Trump predicts losing World War III if he is not elected appeared first on Colorado Newsline.
Editors Note: The following arrest and incident reports were supplied by the Abilene Police Department. All information below comes from reports made by responding officers, and all suspects are considered not guilty unless determined otherwise in a court of law.

Incidents

1600 block of E Overland Trail  Assault Family Violence

A victim alleged her ex-boyfriend assaulted her.

2100 block of Hwy 351  Assault Threat/Contact

A known suspect made unwanted contact with a victim during an argument.

4300 block of Buffalo Gap Road  Theft of Property

A suspect is accused of stealing hundreds of dollars worth of perfume from an Abilene business.

1900 block of Pine Street  Assault Public Servant

A suspect was arrested for assaulting a nurse at a hospital.

700 block of Westview Drive  Forgery to Defraud or Harm of Another

1000 block Victoria Street  Burglary of Habitation

The owner of a vacant home reported their A/C unit was stolen.

2000 block of Sycamore Street  Burglary of Building

A victim reported someone stole more than $8,000 worth of items from his shed.

4500 block of S 1st Street  Theft of Motor Vehicle

A vehicle was reported from a south Abilene business.

3800 block of Vine Street  Assault

A victim was assaulted by a suspect at a south Abilene bar.

2400 block of Green Street  Criminal Trespass Habitation

A criminal trespass case was worked.

900 block of Clinton Street  Terroristic Threat of Family/Household

A report for terroristic threat was taken in south Abilene.

600 block of N Pioneer Drive  Assault Family Violence

A victim reported she was assaulted by her boyfriend.

4000 block of Ridgemont Drive  Criminal Trespass

A criminal trespass arrest was made in south Abilene.

1300 block of Victoria Street  Assault Family Violence

A suspect is accused of choking his pregnant girlfriend.

2900 block of Hickory Street  Assault Pregnant Person

A victim alleged she was assaulted by her uncle.

2900 block of Hickory Street  Assault Family Violence

A victim alleged he was assaulted by his mother.

1700 block of E Overland Trail  Criminal Trespass

A suspect was arrested for criminal trespass.

3100 block of Lafaye Court  Assault Family Violence

A victim alleged her ex-fiance assaulted her.

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION  Assault Family Violence

A victim reported she was assaulted by her boyfriend in south Abilene.

4300 block of Southwest Drive  Theft of Property

A victim was arrested for stealing items from an Abilene store.

3200 block of S Clack Street  Theft of Property

An Abilene business reported two suspects stole boots and western wear.

600 block of Westwood Drive  Terroristic Threat Cause Fear of Imminent SBI

A report for Terroristic Threat was taken in north Abilene.

300 block of N Crockett Drive  Criminal Mischief

An assault family violence report was taken in north Abilene.

1800 block of N 7th Street  Theft of Property

Two ebikes were reported stolen in north Abilene.

2700 block of S 28th Street  Criminal Trespass

A victim was arrested for public intoxication and criminal trespass

1200 block of N Mockingbird Lane  Aggravated Assault Deadly Weapon

A suspect was arrested for several charges in north Abilene.

200 block of Arnold Boulevard  Assault Family Violence

A victim was taken into custody for assault family violence in south Abilene.

3900 block of Laurel Drive  Assault Family Violence Impede Breath

An assault family violence report was taken in south Abilene.

2400 block of Buffalo Gap Road  Violation of Bond/Protective Order

A suspect was arrested for assault and violation of bond conditions.

600 block of Peach Street  Theft of Property

A victim was contacted after her brother stole a four-wheeler worth $500.

3300 block of Sherry Lane  Assault Family Violence

An assault report was taken in north Abilene.

1100 block of Plum Street  Criminal Mischief

A victim reported her soon-to-be ex-spouse destroyed her vehicle.

5200 block of N 9th Street  Criminal Mischief

A north Abilene resident reported her ex-boyfriend stole her bicycle.

400 block of Leggett Drive  Assault Family Violence

A report was taken for assault family violence.

Arrests

Joe Perez  Warrant

Brandon Logan  Assault Public Servant

Emmanuel Boima  Warrant

Jesse Ortega  Public Intoxication

Leslie Hodges  Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Joseph Ysa  Assault Family Violence

Donald Sartain  Driving While Intoxicated

Thad Ebeling  Public Intoxication

Todd Lassiter  Criminal Trespass

Ricky Gomez  Driving While Intoxicated

Adrian Hernandez  Driving While Intoxicated

Perla Green  Public Intoxication

Christian Orozco  Theft of Property

Jacob Poor  Criminal Trespass

Leonard Hudson  Warrant

Lauren Gotelaere  Criminal Trespass, Public Intoxication

Tommy Owens  Warrant

Alfredo Verastegui  Driving While Intoxicated

Thomas Rivera  Public Intoxication

Julian Maldonado  Aggravated Assault Deadly Weapon, Aggravated Robbery, Assault Family Violence, Evading Arrest, Possession of Dangerous Drug

Ryan Rodriguez  Assault Family Violence

Louis Molly  Assault Threat/Contact, Violation of Bond/Protective Order

Rita Ramirez  Public Intoxication

AJ Redden  Driving While Intoxicated

Kiyamara Speed  Public Intoxication

Martin Hernandez  Public Intoxication

Loyd Todd  Burglary of Building

Jonathan Rodriquez  Driving While Intoxicated

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
COROLLA, N.C. (WAVY)  It is a win for wild horse conservation as herd managers along the Outer Banks celebrate a new pony.

The newborn, Eros, is a Banker Horse, a critically endangered species with only about 300 left in the world, according to Meg Puckett with the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

They have to watch these herds from a distance, doing what they can to preserve the herds without interfering with nature. Any newborn foal is a win for the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, but this one specifically is getting herd numbers back on track.

N.C. wildlife officials issue warning not to touch wild horses

Pictures and video show Eros with his herd along the coastline of Corolla. He is the first newborn of the year for the Banker Horse herd, likely foaled in early February. Eros is getting the herd population just a notch above what it needs for genetic diversity. The minimum population is 110, and Eros puts them at 111.

Eros the Corolla foal (Courtesy of Meg Puckett)

Herd managers deal with a lot of environmental challenges to keep the population in check.

An increase in development and people, creating more things trash and septic systems, make it tough on the horses. They also deal with habitat changes brought on by climate change. The conservationists who work with the state horse of North Carolina believe preserving this herd is critical.

Preserving the Herd: Trash overflow problems threaten wild horses in Carova

They have a place in history, Puckett said. We are tasked with preserving that. As they lose habitat, as we lose places like Corolla to development to climate change and everything, we just have a responsibility to do our best to make sure that they stay here fro hundreds more years.

They ask neighbors and visitors to keep their distance from the Banker Horses. You are allowed to watch them  but if they notice you, that means you are too close. People are also being urged to not feed the wild horses or interfere with them.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Being a Republican or Democrat should have nothing to do with how judges review and decide cases, Ohio 5th District Court of Appeals Presiding Judge Patricia Delaney says.

Yet using a 2-year-old state law that allows some judges to run based on party, she has chosen to run for reelection to her fourth term on the 5th District Court bench as a Republican  despite her 10-year voting record as a registered Democrat.

Her opponent, David Gormley, a Delaware County Common Pleas judge, has been a longtime Republican and has the endorsement of at least five of the district's 15 heavily conservative county Republican parties, including Delaware, Fairfield and Licking. He ran unsuccessfully for appeals court in 2016, losing to Earle E. Wise 52% to 47%.

Gormley's backers are furious, claiming that Delaney is using the Republican brand to attract voters that rarely pay attention to appeals court judges, their decisions or races.

Delaware County Common Pleas Court Judge David M. Gormley

"Don't let Patricia Delaney fool you," a recent campaign ad for Gormley declares. "She's a lifelong Democrat." The ad lists six elections from 2012 to 2022 in which she voted as a registered Democrat.

Matt Dole, Licking County Republican Party chairman, calls Delaney's party conversion "a clearly transparent effort to cling to her office" that she never shared with anyone in her new party.

"She didn't announce that the fog had lifted and she was seeing the world in a new  Republican light," Dole said in an email to The Dispatch.

When The Dispatch asked Delaney whether she signed a declaration in November changing her party designation either for political expediency or because her political philosophy had shifted, she replied: "I'm a Republican. I took out the form and deliberated with my family, colleagues and staff. I'm comfortable with the decision."

Delaney declined to further discuss her personal political philosophy or other social or partisan issues, other than to say that she, like much of her district, is fiscally conservative. Discussing her politics, she said, might violate judicial rules of conduct, specifically that, "A judge or judicial candidate shall not engage in political or campaign activity that is inconsistent with the independence, integrity, or impartiality of the judiciary."

Party attachment has two sides

Some argue that keeping party labels off the ballot allows judges to be free of political interests, guided solely by the law. Others maintain that voters might want to know more about a judge's background to better understand how suited they are for the job.

An Ohio law enacted two years ago allows, but does not require Ohio Supreme Court justices or other judicial candidates in the state to include their political affiliation on a ballot.

Patricia Delaney, presiding judge of Ohio's 5th District Court of Appeals, is running in the Republican primary for reelection to her seat on the court, which is based in Canton and serves 15 counties -- including Delaware, Licking and Fairfield counties in central Ohio.

Delaney pointed out that she didn't have to use either party tag. "I made a decision which I thought was in everybody's best interest," she said.

Part of her motivation, Delaney said, was maintaining the continuity and institutional knowledge on the 5th District appeals court that was seeing turnover of veteran members. Two of the six members of the appeals court  W. Scott Gwin and John W. Wise  are in their last year on the bench because of age limits and their seats up for grabs in this year's elections.

"I thought about retiring. But I also thought about who was running. I was on the fence," Delaney said. That was, she said, until she considered "there is a large learning curve" in the court, with a mastery needed in all disciplines of the law from domestic relations and juvenile cases to criminal and civil decisions, with "a lot of layers of experience needed."

While the 5th District appeals court has six judges, a three-member panel is randomly selected to review each case for errors and challenges by attorneys. The judges are paid $172,034 annually.

The 5th District has three open seats, each to be decided in the primary. All candidates are Republicans.

Aletha Carver, Jeff Farr and Robert G. Montgomery are squaring off for one seat. The other is contested by Dixie Park and Kevin Popham.

Delaney said her decision is "both tactical and what's in the best interest of the citizens of the district." Remaining an appeals court judge for another six years will allow her to continue mentoring newer judges and to share her 18 years of experience, she said.

"I don't think anyone comes to a court and wants the judge to make a decision based on their own political philosophy," Delaney said.

Dole disagrees, contending that bias can, and does, affect decisions.

"Republicans generally support a strict reading of the Constitution. Democrats  without promising any outcome  are generally more willing to help nudge the law to the left even if the legislature won't," he said.

Candidates changing parties happening elsewhere

Other judicial candidates, have also shifted parties in recent years. But in heavily Democratic Franklin County, they have shifted from Republican to Democrat in recent years. However, those moves have rarely incited anger or an advertising campaign.

Lawyers representing Delaney have threated to sue Gormley backers for defamation if they don't remove the "DemocratDelaney" ads, which they call "blatantly false."

Dole responded earlier this month with his own letter maintaining the attack ad is all true.

"This is not an instance where Ms. Delaney can magically turn herself into a Republican by twitching her nose," he wrote.

"Being a candidate in a Republican primary doesnt make someone a Republican  Its shocking to me (and will be to voters when we tell them) that Ms. Delaney doesnt understand the difference."

dnarciso@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio elections: 5th District Appeals Court judge changes parties
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is a "satellite" of Russia, Croatian Foreign Affairs Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman told N1 TV channel, Politico reported on Feb. 25.

Serbia protested to the Croatian embassy in Belgrade in response.

Grlic-Radman said that Vucic will have to decide whose side he is on  Russias or the EUs  because it is impossible and uncomfortable sitting on two chairs at the same time.

Read also: Serbian President announced that western Balkans  Ukraine summit to be held soon

Calling Vucic a satellite of Russia, Grlic-Radman said the malign influence of Russia in the Western Balkans will not be allowed.

Vucic shot back that Grlic-Radman not only brutally interferes in the internal affairs of Serbia, but, as usual, he lies and insults the Serbian people and threatens the citizens of Serbia, Politico said.

I have never been anyones servant, which cannot be said of Grlic-Radman, Vucic said.

Serbias foreign ministry called Grlic-Radmans comments unacceptable.

Read also: HBO drops Milos Bikovic from The White Lotus after criticism

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 Norweigan cruise ship with more than 3,000 people on board has been refused docking in Mauritius after a suspected cholera outbreak.

15 people on the ship destined for the capital of Port Louis have been put into isolation due to potential cases of the illness.

The Norwegian Dawn had been scheduled to dock in Port Louis on Sunday, but it had skipped its Reunion Island stop and arrived in Port Louis a day earlier, the Mauritius Ports Authority said in a statement.

The decision not to allow the cruise ship access to the quay was taken in order to avoid any health risks, the authority said.

The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost to the authorities.

The Norwegian Dawn had been scheduled to dock in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, on Sunday (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

It did not give any details about the nature of the health risk.

A spokesperson for the Norwegian Cruise Line, based in the US, said in a statement that during the ships trip to South Africa on 13 February, some passengers had experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness.

Have you been affected by this incident? Get in touch with lydia.patrick@independent.co.uk

The ships management is working with Mauritian authorities to ensure precautions are in place and those on board are safe, the spokesperson added.

The port authority said its test results would be known in 48 hours. Officials at Mauritius health ministry were not immediately reachable for comment.

The ship has 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members. Of these, about 2,000 passengers would have disembarked in Port Louis after completing their cruise while another 2,279 new passengers had been expected to board the ship, the port authority said.

Passengers who were due to board the Norwegian Dawn and begin their cruise from Mauritius today will not be able to do so due to potential health risks, it said.

Those who were disembarking or joining the cruise will now do so on Tuesday, the Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said.

The Independent has reached out to the Norwegian Cruise Line for comment.
More than 2,000 passengers aboard a cruise ship in the Indian Ocean have been refused permission to disembark in Mauritius for several days because of fears of a cholera outbreak on board.

Norwegian Dawn was due to arrive in the islands capital, Port Louis, at 7am on Sunday 25 February after a 12-day voyage from Cape Town.

A call at Reunion Island was cancelled and the ship arrived in Mauritius a day early.

The vessel is in the harbour but the 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members have been told they cannot leave until Tuesday 27 February, as health officials ascertain the cause of an outbreak of gastric illness on board.

The Mauritius Ports Authority said in a statement: Officers from the Ministry of Health and Wellbeing this morning took samples from around 15 passengers on board the cruise ship Norwegian Dawn due to a health risk.

These passengers had been placed in isolation on board the cruise ship due to their state of health.

The decision not to allow the cruise ship access to the quay was taken in order to avoid any health risks. The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost importance to the authorities.

The World Health Organisation says the current cholera outbreak in southern Africa has recorded more than 300,000 cases since the start of 2020, including 5,811 deaths.

A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line said: During Norwegian Dawns 13 February 2024 South Africa voyage, a small number of guests experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness.

Upon the ships return to Port Louis, Mauritius, the vessels management team met with local authorities to confirm precautions and actions were being taken to ensure the wellbeing of all on board.

Due to additional testing being required by local authorities before being allowed entry, the government of Mauritius has delayed disembarkation for the current cruise and embarkation for the next cruise by two days to 27 February 2024.

The delayed arrival will play havoc with passengers homeward flight plans. One passenger, Rob Hopkins, told The Independent: Stuck on the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship due to a gastro bug. Ship not allowed to dock into Mauritius since Sunday  another 24 hours at least. Due to fly back to UK Wednesday.

Assuming the ship is allowed to disembark passengers, Mr Hopkins should make the flight. But many others will have missed departures on Air Mauritius and British Airways flights to London as well as other airlines flights to Dubai, Frankfurt and Paris.

The Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said: We are assisting guests currently aboard the ship with their modified travel arrangements.

A further 2,279 new passengers were expected to board the ship on Sunday for a 12-night cruise via Reunion and Madagascar to South Africa. They are currently in hotels on the island.

The Mauritius Ports Authority said: As the test results will only be known in approximately 48 hours, passengers who were due to board the Norwegian Dawn and begin their cruise from Mauritius today will not be able to do so due to potential health risks.

The Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said: We have deployed additional team members to support the guests scheduled to embark on Norwegian Dawns 25 February 2024 voyage from Port Louis, Mauritius, as well as providing them with complimentary hotel accommodations until they are able to board.

The health and safety of our guests, crew and the destinations we visit is our top priority. We operate at the highest public health and sanitation standards, and encourage our guests to practise good hygiene and to report any illness-related symptoms to the onboard medical team immediately.

Sanitation procedures aboard the ship are described as elevated.
A photo taken last month shows an external view of the U.S. embassy in Havana. A line of people were waiting to enter. (Yamil Lage/AFP/Getty Images - image credit)

Cuba lies more than 100 kilometres from the nearest slice of the continental United States, but it has managed to keep a close eye on what Uncle Sam is up to for a very long time.

That's because it has repeatedly been able to find high-flying American sources who are willing to spill U.S. secrets to Havana  for years, or even decades.

They include Ana Belen Montes, the U.S. Defence Intelligence Agency analyst who passed secret information on to her Cuban handlers from the mid-1980s through to the start of this century. Her spying days ended with an arrest days after the 9/11 attacks.

Then there's Walter Kendall Myers, the great-grandson of Alexander Graham Bell and former State Department employee, who spied for Cuba nearly twice that long and was arrested in his retirement years. Now 86 years old, he is serving a life sentence at a Colorado prison.

Raul Rubiera/Miami Heral/The Associated Press

Most recently, U.S. officials announced charges against Victor Manuel Rocha, a former U.S. ambassador and one-time member of the Bill Clinton-era National Security Council, accused of having acted as a covert agent for Cuba since 1981. The 73-year-old Rocha has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Cuba has shown a knack for finding the right people to help advance its interests in the U.S. over the long-term. Yet former spy-catchers say the country remains undervalued in this realm, despite its prowess.

"They're not as big as the CIA but they've done a phenomenal job of punching the U.S. in the nose," said retired FBI special agent Pete Lapp, who helped investigate the spying activities of Belen Montes early in his career. His recently published book Queen of Cuba: An FBI Agent's Insider Account of the Spy Who Evaded Detection for 17 Years tells that story.

Eric O'Neill, a former FBI counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence operative, offered a similar assessment of Cuba's record on U.S. soil.

"They have been eating our lunch," he said in a recent interview.

Finding the right prospects

Spies have varied reasons for doing what they do.

Money can be a motivator. Infamous American spies Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen each got seven-figure payouts for their own espionage work for a different benefactor  Russia and the former Soviet Union.

U.S. Department of Defense/Reuters

But Lapp sees a difference in the prominent spies that Havana has worked with.

Belen Montes, for instance, didn't take money for her work for Cuba. Lapp said both she and Myers were motivated by ideology.

"The Cubans find these people that have a visceral empathy [for the cause]," said Lapp, noting they also look for people of a certain level of character, who are willing to take risks for Havana.

Gerardo Hernandez, a once-jailed Cuban spy who was returned to Havana in a high-profile prisoner swap with the U.S., provided a glimpse of these professionals' thinking on the issue of paid spying in the 2020 documentary Castro's Spies.

"If you are a spy for money, then you will spy for the country that pays you the most," said Hernandez.

At present, the Cuban state is grappling with an economic crisis, leaving its people coping with rising prices, shortages of key goods and a falling currency. These challenges have driven hundreds of thousands to leave their home country and head for the U.S. in recent years.

Far from Havana

The presence of Cuban spies in Canada has surfaced from time to time.

A January 1977 snowstorm briefly delayed the expulsion of five Cubans, who The Canadian Press reported were "ordered out  after discovery of a Cuban spy operation in Montreal."

In June 1988, a leaked letter outlining complaints CSIS agents had about staffing cuts in Montreal  where personnel from a Cuban airline and the consulate were apparently under surveillance  made its way to media outlets. The RCMP later raided several newsrooms, trying to determine who was responsible for the leak, according to reporting by The Globe and Mail later that year.

In the spring of 1995, Ottawa expelled several Cuban diplomats over allegations of spying. The Globe and Mail reported they were allegedly "trying to recruit informants and stir up political trouble in the Cuban exile community."

Fred Chartrand/The Canadian Press

Five years later, a Cuban diplomat accused of being a spy caused drama when he was booted from the U.S. and then lobbed a curve ball during his carefully arranged return to Havana.

Jose Imperatori was headed home via an intermediate flight to Montreal when he unexpectedly travelled to Ottawa and stayed at the Cuban embassy for five days as he fought to return to the U.S.

The RCMP would end up escorting Imperatori's ride to the airport when he finally left the capital.

When Imperatori returned to Cuba, he was greeted by Fidel Castro.

Jose Goitia/The Associated Press

Castro had previously admitted to "sometimes" sending spies state-side, and offered a justification for doing so.

"I think we have the right to do this," he told CNN in 1998. "The United States has spies in industrial quantities."

Sharp skills, undulled hostilities

Cuba's well-documented tensions with the United States date back decades. They remain today.

Given this political backdrop, U.S. authorities will want to uncover everything they can about what Havana may have allegedly gleaned from Rocha.

"That damage assessment is incredibly important to them," said Lapp, who believes it would be in the U.S. government's interest to reach a plea deal "because there's so much to learn."

The criminal complaint filed against Rocha describes an investigative effort by the FBI using an undercover agent, WhatsApp messaging and two in-person meetings  one at a church and another at an outdoor food court  to get him to speak about his alleged work for the Cuban government.

Authorities claim Rocha admitted to working as an intelligence agent in this capacity for "decades" and describing his work as "a grand slam."

A trial date has been set for Rocha next month. His lawyer, Jacqueline Arango, declined to comment on his case.
Authorities announced on Monday six people have been indicted in connection with a large-scale insurance fraud scheme at an autobody shop.

According to the Middlesex District Attorneys Office, FT Auto or Riveria Auto Body on Bow Street in Everett was the headquarters for a wide-ranging scam that defrauded several insurance carriers over $1 million in payments.

The suspected masterminds of the plan, 40-year-old Jhon Alexander Lopera Munera of Revere and 31-year-old Fabio Rodrigo Jordao Correa of Saugus, allegedly filed scores of false insurance claims over the course of several years.

Investigators say the false claims included car crashes that never happened, exaggerated claims of damages in minor motor vehicle accidents, or damage to cars done at the shop itself but filed under collisions. As part of the scam, Lopera reportedly bribed an RMV clerk, identified as 56-year-old Wanda Greene from Revere, with electronic payments and gift cards to assist the claims.

The scheme also involved other persons listed as drivers of vehicles involved in crashes that were simply aliases or stolen identities in an attempt to get more money from the insurance companies.

As a result of the two-year investigation:

Fabio Rodrigo Jordao Correa is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit larceny over $1,200, six counts of larceny over $1,200, one count of common and notorious thief, eleven counts of false or fraudulent insurance claims, and one count of identity fraud.

Jose Manuel Gordon, 49, of Roxbury, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit larceny over $1,200 and one count of receiving stolen property.

Tabajara Alves Ribeiro, 23, of Saugus, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit larceny over $1,200.

Wanda Greene is charged with receiving a bribe as a public employee, receiving unlawful gratuities as a public employee, and receiving improper compensation as a public employee.

They were all arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court.

Jhon Alexander Lopera Munera and 33-year-old Edwin Alexander Lopera Munera of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, were indicted by the grand jury but are fugitives who are believed to have fled to Colombia, according to the DAs office.

Jhon is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit larceny over $1,200, six counts of larceny over $1,200, one count of common and notorious thief, 15 counts of false or fraudulent insurance claims, one count of bribery of a public employee, one count of giving unlawful gratuities to a public employee, and one count of promising or offering improper compensation to a public employee.

Edwin is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit larceny over $1,200.

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A Maryland man convicted in an armed standoff during which deputies said he used his children as shields was sentenced to several hundred years behind bars.

Kevin McCardell was sentenced to an unprecedented 291 years in prison after a jury found him guilty on charges stemming from the 2022 incident in Burke County, Georgia, the sheriffs office said in a Feb. 22 news release.

Investigators said McCardell barricaded his kids  two toddlers  inside the familys home and held them hostage as a special response team swarmed the residence on Nov. 16, 2022, WJBF reported.

The result was a five-hour standoff that ended with him being shot, deputies told the station.

A jury convicted McCardell on 25 charges including:

Aggravated assault on a peace officer

Child cruelty

Possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

Todays sentencing of 291 years serves as a stern condemnation of McCardells reprehensible conduct and a testament to the unwavering commitment of the justice system to hold perpetrators of such atrocities accountable, Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams said in the release.

Deputies arrived at the home after the mother of McCardells kids escaped their apartment, where she said an abusive McCardell had been holding her hostage, WJBF reported, citing the sheriffs office.

Prosecutors said the family moved to Georgia from Maryland after McCardell was charged with the attempted murder of his wife, according to WFXG. The abuse only continued, prosecutors said, according to the outlet.

He was accused of hitting the mother of his kids in the face with a soiled diaper before she ran and hid in the woods, where a relative picked her up a few hours later, according to WRDW. Thats when they went to the sheriffs office, authorities told the outlet.

Responding deputies were met at the door by an armed McCardell, who they said was holding his two daughters and a pistol, the station reported, citing the sheriffs office. At one point, he raised the gun and fired, deputies told the outlet.

McCardell went back into the apartment, returned to the door and fired another shot, deputies told WJBF. He holed himself and his children up inside the apartment as deputies fired back, authorities said, according to the station.

The standoff lasted several hours, and McCardell continued threatening deputies with his gun while holding his children, deputies said, WRDW reported. A deputy later shot him in the leg, and he was arrested, according to the outlet, citing the sheriffs office.

Emergency responders treated his two kids before they were returned to their mom, WJBF reported. No one else was hurt, according to the station.

While the conclusion of this trial may provide a measure of closure , we must also acknowledge the lasting scars left by McCardells actions, Williams said in the release.

The trauma endured by his children and the community will linger on even as the trial has now finished.

Burke County is about 30 miles south of Augusta.

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CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA)  Several places across Central Illinois are asking the public to be cautious of fire hazards amid the dry weather.

The warm temperatures may feel pleasant, but that mixed with the windy conditions, dry air, and dry vegetation can create an ideal opportunity for fire to spread.

SEE MORE: WCIA 3s Weather Now Forecast

The U.S. National Weather Service of Central Illinois described Mondays weather as unseasonably warm, which sets the stage for a rapid spread of outdoor fires.

The Christian County Emergency Management Agency announced on Facebook that area firefighters were responding to multiple brush fires throughout the day, and urged the public not to burn anything outdoors.

The City of Danville issued a formal burning ban, effective through 8:00 a.m. Wednesday. The city expects strong 30 to 40 mile-per-hour winds over the next few days. Danville officials said the burn ban does not apply to charcoal or gas grills used for cooking, however they advise people using them to be extra careful through this time.

The Coles County Emergency Management Agency echoed this advice, citing that burning embers can blow around and catch grass on fire. For the same reason, fires can also spread quickly from improperly discarded cigarettes, they said.

Danville extinguishes large house fire

The Illinois State Police and Homer Fire Protection District both took to social media on Monday to ask the public to be wary of potential fire hazards on account of the strong winds and dry air.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
A Lawrence man died after being involved in a two-vehicle, head-on collision Sunday morning in the westbound lanes of N.E. River Road, just north of Topeka's Sardou Bridge, police said.

David Neely, 76, died after being taken by American Medical Response ambulance to a Topeka hospital, said Sgt. Gene Dixon, of the Topeka Police Department.

Police weren't revealing the identity of the other driver, whom police Lt. Matt Danielson said was taken by AMR to a Topeka hospital with injuries that weren't considered life-threatening.

Topeka police are investigating a fatality crash that occurred Sunday morning.

A Capital Police officer about 9:30 a.m. Sunday located the scene of the crash, Danielson said.

Police responded by temporarily blocking off both lanes of traffic on N.E. River Road, he said.

The Topeka police accident reconstruction unit was investigating the circumstances involved, Danielson said.

Further details weren't being made public.

Police asked anyone with information regarding the investigation to email telltpd@topeka.org or call the police criminal investigations bureau at 785-368-9400. Anonymous tips may be made by calling Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007 or going online to www.p3tips.com/128.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Crash on N.E. River Road in Topeka claims life of Lawrence man, 76
Special counsel and former U.S. Sen. John C. Danforth points to where shell casings were found at the Branch Davidian compound, in Waco, Texas, during a news conference to discuss his findings from the 1993 confrontation on July 21, 2000, in St. Louis. On February 26, 1994, 11 members of the Branch Davidian religious cult were acquitted of murder and conspiracy charges stemming from the siege. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Feb. 26 (UPI) -- On this date in history:

In 1531, an earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal, killed more than 20,000 people.

In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte and 1,200 men left his exile on the Isle of Elba to start his 100-day campaign to regain France.

In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation establishing Mount McKinley National Park. Nearly a century later, in 2015, President Barack Obama directed the Interior Department to begin using the mountain's Indigenous name, making it Denali National Park and Preserve.

In 1919, 37 years after the first bill to establish the Grand Canyon as a national park was introduced, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Grand Canyon National Park Act, bringing the landmark under the protection of the National Park Service, preserving it for future generations. He also signed an act establishing Lafayette National Park, which would later become Acadia National Park in Maine.

Aftermath of the February 26, 1993, bombing of the World Trade Center. File Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

In 1929, Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park was established following the signing of an executive order by President Calvin Coolidge.

File Photo by A.J. Sisco/UPI

On February 26, George Zimmerman, a Neighborhood Watch volunteer, shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, pictured, in Sanford, Fla. The case spawned debate over Florida's "Stand Your Ground" laws and racism. File Photo courtesy of the Martin family

In 1935, Germany began operation of its air force, the Luftwaffe, under Reichmarshal Hermann Goering.

In 1970, National Public Radio was founded.

Visitors can be seen on the Skywalk with the Grand Canyon below at the opening of the Grand Canyon Skywalk at Grand Canyon West, Arizona March 28, 2007. On February 26, 1919, 37 years after the first bill to establish the Grand Canyon as a national park was introduced, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Grand Canyon National Park Act, bringing the landmark under the protection of the National Park Service, preserving it for future generations. File Photo by Art Foxall/UPI

In 1984, the last U.S. Marines sent to Lebanon as part of a multinational peacekeeping force left Beirut.

In 1993, a powerful bomb exploded in the parking garage below the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000. In Nov. 1997, Ramzi Ahmed Yousef and Eyad Ismoil were found guilty of plotting and carrying out the attack following a three-month trial.

Oprah Winfrey, recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award appears backstage during the 75th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on January 7. On February 26, 1998, a federal jury in Amarillo, Texas, ruled in favor of Oprah Winfrey in a lawsuit filed by Texas cattlemen who said she caused beef prices to fall with a talk show about "mad cow" disease. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

In 1994, 11 members of the Branch Davidian religious cult were acquitted of murder and conspiracy charges stemming from a federal raid and siege at the compound near Waco, Texas, the year before.

In 1998, a federal jury in Amarillo, Texas, ruled in favor of Oprah Winfrey in a lawsuit filed by Texas cattlemen who said she caused beef prices to fall with a talk show about "mad cow" disease.

In 2005, Bank of America acknowledged it lost computer tapes containing account information on 1.2 million federal employee credit cards, including those of some U.S. senators.

File Photo by Billie Jean Shaw/UPI

In 2008, the New York Philharmonic performed a historic, 90-minute concert at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater in North Korea.

In 2012, George Zimmerman, a Neighborhood Watch volunteer, shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla. The case spawned debate over Florida's "Stand Your Ground" laws and racism.

In 2017, Moonlight won the Academy Award for Best Picture after a mixup by presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, who mistakenly said La La Land won.

In 2023, an Israeli soldier and his younger brother were killed when a man opened fire Huwara in the occupied West Bank. In retaliation, Israeli settlers set fire to hundreds of Palestinian homes in multiple villages and shot and killed one Palestinian man.

File Photo by Debbie Hill/ UPI
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  A Sergeant with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) pleaded guilty on Friday for fatally shooting a man who was asleep in a car in 2021.

42-year-old Enis Jevric admitted that he violated the constitutional rights of 27-year-old AnTwan Gilmore by using excessive force in a police shooting.

According to the U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO), just before 3 a.m. on Aug. 25, 2021, Jevric and other MPD officers were dispatched after a call came in about an armed man asleep or unconscious in the drivers seat of a car stopped at the intersection of New York Ave. and Florida Ave. NE.

Murder charge for DC officer in death of man asleep in car

There, Jevric directed another officer to knock on the cars windows to wake up Gilmore. When he woke up, the car moved forward, stopped briefly and then moved again.

Jevric fired at the car four times as it moved.

The car rolled down New York Ave. and Jevric fired at it six more times  three of the shots hit Gilmore, who later died from his wounds. No other officer fired at Gilmore.

As a sworn police officer, Jevric knew the acceptable boundaries in which he was authorized to use deadly force, stated Assistant Director in Charge Sundberg in a press release. His willful disregard of these rules resulted in Mr. Gilmores tragic and untimely death. While no judicial process will adequately address the loss that the Gilmore family has suffered in this situation, we are committed to ensuring the fullest administration of justice on behalf of the victim and his family.

As part of his guilty plea, Jevric admitted his conduct constituted unconstitutional, unreasonable force, and that he acted in reckless disregard of Gilmores right to be free from excessive force by police, stated the USAO.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Fishermen recover a body from the river Nile in Monsha'et El Kanater, after a ferry boat carrying labourers sunk leaving at least three people dead. Search and rescue efforts are under way for missing people in the accident, Egyptian media reported. The small boat was carrying eight to 10 workers when it sank, state-owned newspaper al-Ahram reported online. Mahmoud Elkhwas/dpa

Ten people were killed when a ferry carrying labourers sank in the river Nile near Cairo, Egypt's Labour Ministry said on Monday.

The boat sank off Giza, a twin city of Cairo, on Sunday.

Five people were injured.

The ministry said it will pay 200,000 pounds ($6,462) in compensation to each deceased person's family and 20,000 pounds for every injured worker.

The cause of the accident remains unclear. Some Egyptian media reported it was due to overcrowding on the boat.

Transport accidents are not uncommon in Egypt, the Arab worlds most populous country, with around 105 million people. They are often blamed on a lack of safety standards.

Villagers perform funeral prayers along the shore of the river Nile in Monsha'et El Kanater, after a ferry boat carrying labourers sunk leaving at least three people dead. Search and rescue efforts are under way for missing people in the accident, Egyptian media reported. The small boat was carrying eight to 10 workers when it sank, state-owned newspaper al-Ahram reported online. Mahmoud Elkhwas/dpa

Villagers watch as fishermen search for bodies and survivor in the river Nile in Monsha'et El Kanater, after a ferry boat carrying labourers sunk leaving at least three people dead. Search and rescue efforts are under way for missing people in the accident, Egyptian media reported. The small boat was carrying eight to 10 workers when it sank, state-owned newspaper al-Ahram reported online. Mahmoud Elkhwas/dpa

Villagers watch as fishermen search for bodies and survivor in the river Nile in Monsha'et El Kanater, after a ferry boat carrying labourers sunk leaving at least three people dead. Search and rescue efforts are under way for missing people in the accident, Egyptian media reported. The small boat was carrying eight to 10 workers when it sank, state-owned newspaper al-Ahram reported online. Mahmoud Elkhwas/dpa

Villagers watch as fishermen search for bodies and survivor in the river Nile in Monsha'et El Kanater, after a ferry boat carrying labourers sunk leaving at least three people dead. Search and rescue efforts are under way for missing people in the accident, Egyptian media reported. The small boat was carrying eight to 10 workers when it sank, state-owned newspaper al-Ahram reported online. Mahmoud Elkhwas/dpa
On Kenneth Martins website, the Ohio-based attorney advertises that he represents clients in prostitution and solicitation cases.

Now, 72-year-old Martin, of Macedonia, has been caught in a sex sting, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.

Its sometimes the people youd least expect who drive the demand for human trafficking, Yost said in a news release.

Martin responded to an advertisement set up by undercover agents on a human trafficking website, the attorney general said.

He agreed to pay $180 for sex and arrived at the agreed-upon location with the cash in hand, Yost said.

He was arrested and charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools on Feb. 22, according to court records.

A lawyer should know better  dont buy sex in Ohio, Yost said.

McClatchy News reached out to Martins law firm for comment but did not receive an immediate response. Attorney information for Martin was not listed.

Martin is scheduled to appear in court on March 1.

Macedonia is about 15 miles southeast of Cleveland.

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Delaware has almost cleared a backlog in the states inspections of long-term care facilities, getting closer to a goal of surveying nursing homes and assisted living facilities on an annual basis.

The state Division of Health Care Quality Director Corinna Getchell testified Tuesday, Feb. 20 at the Joint Finance Committee meeting that outside contractors have helped reduce the backlog in annual surveys.

Of the 81 long-term care facilities that Delaware is responsible for surveying annually, there are only seven nursing homes that are now overdue for a survey and two are being handled currently, Gretchell said.

With (contractors) assistance, the Division of Health Care Quality has been able to complete significantly more surveys and investigate more complaints and intakes, she said. The total number of nursing home and assisted living surveys completed represent double the annual surveys and 151 more intake investigations than in 2021.

The state's backlog on complaints for nursing homes and assisted living facilities has reduced 40.5%, from 1,474 total complaints in March 2023 to 877 currently, according to the division.

Efforts to improve Delawares policing of long-term care facilities were prompted after a Delaware Online/The News Journal investigation last year found the state has failed to investigate complaints of abuse, neglect and falls at these facilities in the past decade. A congressional investigation into the issues nationwide confirmed Delaware Onlines reporting.

INVESTIGATION: She was a geriatric nurse. Why did it take Delaware so long to realize she was neglected?

MORE: They trusted this assisted living to protect their mother. Then came the call on Christmas

Delawares struggle to police long-term care facilities

Friends and caregivers Maggie Goonan and Ken Creasey are featured at Goonans home in Middletown, Monday, June 19, 2023. Creaseys wife and Goonans mother were friends at the Arden Courts assisted living facility causing Creasey and Goonan to become close when they began to have bad experiences at the facility.

Delaware Onlines 2023 investigation found:

The Division of Health Care Quality, as of March 2023, had 1,474 complaints for nursing homes and assisted living facilities in its backlog. Data analyzed by The News Journal showed that since 2013, assisted living complaints overall had been investigated less than nursing homes.

From 2013 to 2021, an average of about 22% of the assisted living complaints filed were investigated by the state each year. Nursing home complaints, in comparison, had an average investigation rate of about 49% in that time period.

The state has chronically struggled with hiring and retaining staff to investigate these facilities, in part because of low salaries. The division has asked for additional funding in recent years but has been repeatedly denied by the governors office.

The congressional report found that many states, including Delaware, have a backlog of nursing home inspections because of a lack of federal funding, which has prevented states from having the necessary amount of inspectors.

FEDERAL REPORT: Delaware among states that struggle to provide nursing home oversight. What we know

This report did not focus on assisted living facilities because they do not fall under federal oversight.

Improving long-term care oversight

Gretchell said the division currently has seven vacant positions out of 70, which includes one investigator and six surveyors. The time to train and get an employee prepped to conduct surveys and investigations on their own can take up to a year, she said.

"It must be noted that the surveyor training process can take approximately one year," Gretchell said. "Therefore, even if new staff were hired, there will be a gap until these staff are qualified to survey independently."

The state has contracted with Healthcare Management Solutions to complete the surveys at a cost of $800,000.

The contractors have also assisted in completion of (other surveys) and have trained staff in areas where (the Division of Health Care Quality) lacked training resources, she said.

The Delaware General Assembly also approved increased Medicaid reimbursement rates for long-term care facilities, funds which have yet to be dispersed. State officials said they hope the funding will assist nursing homes and assisted living facilities with attracting and retaining staff through increased pay.

RELATED: Where are the inspectors? How a lack of nursing home oversight is endangering residents.

Delaware long-term care facilities are required to follow minimum staffing ratios under Eagles Law.

State lawmakers questioned whether the increased reimbursements would fund needed pay hikes for staff at nursing homes and assisted living facilities, which they said had been the hope when the rates were increased last year.

There is no clear compliance component on thisso it would be difficult to enforce something that is not there, Gretchell said.

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

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: How Delaware is clearing its long-term care survey backlog
Denmark is closing its investigation into the explosions that damaged the two Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in 2022, officials confirmed Monday. File Photo courtesy of Danish Defence

Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Denmark is closing its investigation into the explosions that damaged the two Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in 2022, officials confirmed Monday.

Danish officials called their investigation "complicated and extensive," but said they would not comment further on the case.

Denmark's investigation was carried out by Danish police with assistance from the Norwegian Police Intelligence Service (PET).

"Based on the investigation, the authorities can conclude that there was deliberate sabotage of the gas pipelines. At the same time, it is assessed that there is no necessary basis for pursuing criminal proceedings in Denmark," the Danish daily newspaper Politiken quotes a joint release by the Copenhagen Police and PET as saying.

The news comes less than a month after Swedish officials announced they were wrapping up their probe into the series of explosions that damaged the two natural gas pipelines. Prosecutors at the time said the country lacked the proper legal authority to continue the investigation.

Danish officials called their investigation "complicated and extensive, but said they would not comment further on the case. File Photo courtesy of Danish Defence

Officials have previously declared the explosions and subsequent damage to the pipeline network were caused by "sabotage," but there have been several accusations surrounding who may have been responsible

Russia has accused Western powers including Britain and the United States of carrying out the attack. The New York Times previously reported a pro-Ukraine group and intelligence official may have been behind the attack.

Monday's news comes less than a month after Swedish officials announced they were wrapping up their probe into the series of explosions that damaged the two natural gas pipelines, citing a lack of proper legal authority to continue the investigation. File Photo courtesy of Danish Defence

The United States has accused Russia of carrying out the sabotage, a claim Moscow has vehemently denied.

The pipelines are owned by Russia's Gazprom to carry Russian natural gas through the Baltic Sea to Germany.

Only the Nord Stream 1 line was in service at the time of the explosion, with Germany halting work on line 2 before it became active in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Russia spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Denmark's discontinuation of the investigation "close to absurd", according to Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti.
FILE PHOTO: Gas leak at Nord Stream 2 as seen from the Danish F-16 interceptor on Bornholm

By Stine Jacobsen and Louise Rasmussen

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Denmark has dropped its investigation into the explosions in 2022 on the Nord Stream pipelines carrying Russian gas to Germany, police said on Monday, becoming the second nation to do so after Sweden closed its own inquiry.

The multi-billion dollar Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines transporting gas under the Baltic Sea were ruptured by a series of blasts in the Swedish and Danish economic zones in September 2022, releasing vast amounts of methane into the air.

The blasts occurred seven months after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which triggered a wide range of Western economic and financial sanctions against Moscow.

"The investigation has led the authorities to conclude that there was deliberate sabotage of the gas pipelines. However, the assessment is that there are not sufficient grounds to pursue a criminal case in Denmark," a Copenhagen police statement said.

Sweden earlier this month dropped its investigation into the explosions, saying it lacked jurisdiction in the case, but had handed uncovered evidence over to German investigators, who have yet to publish any findings.

The German government is still "very interested" in getting to the bottom of the blasts that ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines, a spokesperson said in Berlin on Monday.

Last year, Germany told the U.N. Security Council it had found traces of subsea explosives on a sailing yacht that may have been used to transport the explosives, and that trained divers might have attached the explosives to the pipelines.

Russia and the West, at loggerheads over Moscow's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, have pointed fingers at one another over the pipeline blasts. Each has denied any involvement and no one has taken responsibility.

The Kremlin on Monday said the situation regarding the investigations was "close to absurd".

"On the one hand, there is recognition of deliberate sabotage, on the other hand, there is no further progress," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding Denmark had refused requests to provide information about its investigation.

The Danish prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Peskov's assertion.

Danish police said they had been cooperating with relevant foreign partners and that the investigation they had conducted had been "both complex and comprehensive".

A police spokesperson declined to comment when asked by Reuters to elaborate on why there were insufficient grounds for continuing the investigation and on which authorities they had shared their findings with.

Danish police had previously said the pipelines were hit by powerful explosions and Swedish investigators confirmed that traces of explosives found on site conclusively showed that sabotage had occurred.

Russia has blamed the United States, Britain and Ukraine for the blasts, which largely cut Russian gas off from the lucrative European market. Those countries have denied involvement.

Some Western officials have said Russian naval vessels were in the area at the time of the blasts. Others have said there is no hard evidence to implicate Moscow, which called the suggestion it was behind the attacks "absurd".

(Reporting by Stine Jacobsen and Louise Breusch-Rasmussen in Copenhagen, Dmitry Antonov in Moscow; editing by Terje Solsvik and Mark Heinrich)
Germany is conducting "discreet negotiations" to procure artillery ammunition from India, which is estimated to have "several hundred thousand rounds" stored in stockpiles, Der Spiegel reported on Feb. 25.

The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said on Feb. 19 that he has urged member states to procure ammunition for Ukraine outside the bloc if this source of supply is "better, cheaper, and quicker."

Kyiv is facing critical ammunition shortages, as $61 billion in funding from the U.S. remains stuck in Congress, causing defense aid deliveries to run dry. Reports suggest Ukraine could face a catastrophic shortage of supplies like shells and air defenses within weeks.

Der Spiegel reported that Berlin is looking to Arab states, as well as countries in the Balkans and Africa, for new supplies of ammunition for Ukraine.

The German military is currently looking to stockpiles in countries outside the EU, with a group of military officers, diplomats, and civil servants meeting in Berlin every two weeks to assess which "which countries can be approached that may still have ammunition stocks."

Negotiations are being conducted with New Delhi in a "discreet" way given its "friendly relations with Moscow," Der Spiegel said.

Read also: Kuleba calls for Europe to suspend ammunition sales to third countries

One diplomatic solution is that Berlin could obtain the ammunition "through intermediaries," according to Der Spiegel.

India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Moscow in December and said that Indo-Russia ties are "very strong."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia and India had made progress in talks on the joint production of military equipment.

A Pew poll conducted in August 2023 found that 57% of Indians had a positive view of Russia, and another 59% had "confidence in Russian (dictator) Vladimir Putin."

When asked about economic ties, 71% of Indians said that "maintaining access to Russia's oil and gas reserves is more important than being tough with Russia on Ukraine."

Trade between Russia and India has grown to record levels, RIA Novosti claimed in October 2023.

Read also: Sanctions for show: Russian oil sales to China, India single main driver of Ukraine invasion

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) speaks in the State Senate Thursday, September 14, 2023 at the Capitol in Madison, Wis.

MADISON  Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu is signaling he won't seek a vote on a bill that would allow election clerks to start processing absentee ballots the day before Election Day despite once authoring the proposal himself.

By refusing to bring the bill to the floor before lawmakers adjourn for the year, Senate Republicans are leaving open the door to more false claims by former President Donald Trump about the integrity of Wisconsin's elections.

Just after losing re-election in 2020, Trump claimed late-night "ballot dumps" in Milwaukee were to blame for his loss  falsely implying illegal votes were cast.

Election workers, including in Milwaukee, may not count absentee ballots until Election Day. In Milwaukee, that means processing at times more than a hundred thousand ballots while also administering the polls.

The absentee ballots in Milwaukee and several other Wisconsin cities are counted at a central facility and the ballots' results are posted all at once. During large elections, like the presidential in 2020, results are often not ready until late at night.

Trump used this practice to falsely claim the large posting of results was instead a fraudulent "dump" of ballots to doom his reelection.

Clerks and bipartisan lawmakers have pushed lawmakers to allow them to start processing absentee ballots the Monday before Election Day to prevent voter confusion and conspiracies that result from large amounts of ballots being processed late and added to totals, sometimes changing which candidate is in the lead.

Ahead of the 2020 election, LeMahieu and Democratic state Sen. Mark Miller authored a bill that would give clerks the ability to start processing a day early.

"Processing thousands of absentee ballots during breaks or after 8:00 PM can delay election results and create a burden on poll workers and clerks," LeMahieu, a Sheboygan County Republican, said during his testimony to the Senate Elections Committee in January 2020. "Protecting the integrity of our elections is of utmost importance."

State Sen. Daniel Knodl (R-Germantonw) is shown in the State Senate Thursday, September 14, 2023 at the Capitol in Madison, Wis.

Assembly lawmakers earlier this session approved a new bill that would allow the change but it is stalled in the state Senate, where its elections committee chairman, Sen. Dan Knodl, R-Germantown, has refused to advance the bill because of concerns raised by state Rep. Janel Brandtjen, the Legislature's most vocal proponent of baseless conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.

"Monday processing of ballots for efficiency sounds like a reasonable plan. Unfortunately, there are concerns with the chain of custody of ballots and the hearing revealed the disparity of partisan observers of central count processing," Knodl said in a newsletter published in December.

"Considering those concerns, I do not plan to advance the aforementioned bills for an Executive Session committee vote.

More: Wisconsin Ethics Commission alleges illegal scheme by Trump fundraising committee and Rep. Janel Brandtjen

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said this week he wants Senate leaders to "come to their senses" on the proposal. Vos said the "late-night ballot dump" narrative is one of the top complaints he hears from voters about Wisconsin's elections.

"I have no idea why senators would not want to solve the problem of these late-night ballot dumps," Vos said.

When asked by CBS58 on Thursday whether he would seek to bring the bill to the floor despite Knodl's concerns, LeMahieu wouldn't say and instead implied he couldn't by citing Senate procedures for how a bill can be brought to the floor  rules the Senate can suspend if they desire.

Knodl in a Friday interview on WISN's "Up Front" said LeMahieu and Senate President Chris Kapenga could bring it to the floor if they wanted.

Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August on Tuesday said if the Senate doesn't take up the bill, Milwaukee officials should work to avoid late postings of results.

Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall said the time of night when the city reports its absentee ballot results is not an issue of not having enough election workers. Rather, she said, its a product of the complexity of processing and counting the sheer number of absentee ballots cast in a city the size of Milwaukee.

That process involves opening tens of thousands of ballots that have been returned in envelopes, assigning each a voter number and putting the ballots through machines that tally the votes  all while continuing to receive absentee ballots throughout election day from voters across 350 wards.

She said other election professionals are amazed at how quickly and accurately the city performs this process. Most states provide for some form of early processing of absentee ballots.

We do, I think, an excellent job at balancing efficiency and speed with also accuracy, she told the Journal Sentinel. So, we will continue to look for ways to make the process more efficient until the Legislature realizes that this is just not a partisan issue in any other state. Im confident that well continue to do a good job, just like we have been, and well continue to educate the public about if and when results come in later.

The city has leased the Baird Center to use as its central count location in the November election and Woodall said she expects to hire between 300 and 400 people.

In November 2022, Woodall and members of the city Election Commission arrived at the Milwaukee County Courthouse with absentee ballot results at 11 p.m.

Had the Legislature allowed the processing of absentee ballots to begin the Monday before election day, it would have added to the efficiency and accuracy of the count by avoiding the need to require election workers to work 18 hours straight, she said.

This could have been a positive improvement to make the process even more accurate and not have people working super long hours where mistakes can happen, she said. But, Im confident that we will continue on no matter what and that well have plenty of staffing and get our results as soon as possible.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson on Wednesday said it makes sense to process absentee ballots earlier because of the sheer number that are cast in Wisconsins largest city.

He said he had been hopeful the legislation would pass this session and raised concerns that the late-night reporting of absentee ballot results would provide fodder for people who incorrectly believe something is amiss in Milwaukees elections.

I hope it does not fuel speculation about whether there's anything going on that shouldn't be in the City of Milwaukee, he said. There will not be, there has not been, there won't be.

Molly Beck and Alison Dirr can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com and adirr@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin bill to ward off 'dumps' of absentee ballots appears dead
Students at the University of Dayton are mourning the loss of one of their own.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Local university mourns loss of first-year student

As reported on News Center 7 at 5:00, students returned to class on Monday after a short spring break. They all came back to campus with tragic news as it was announced that first-year student Daryan Mostashfi died late last week.

I was walking into my dorm yesterday and I got the email and I was like, Oh my gosh, a first-year student died. Thats really, really sad, Ava Cressy, a UD sophomore, said.

In a statement, university officials said Mostashfi died Friday while in Nashville, Tennessee.

Mostashfi, whos from Centerville, is the son of UD Department of Health and Sport Science faculty member Kim Riterhoff.

Honestly, its really devastating coming back and, you know, youre supposed to get a fresh start after break and some tragic news like this rolls in and its awful, Alexis Rump, a UD sophomore, told News Center 7s John Bedell.

>> 8-year-old girl hospitalized after reported stabbing in Dayton

Students like Evelyn Parisi said them email announcing his death was the first thing she saw when she opened her computer.

I was just in shock, Parisi said. I had no idea that happened. (Its) so horrible to open up your computer and see that that happened over break.

UD said it would be offering resources to students, faculty, or staff impacted by Mostashfis loss, including counseling and campus ministry staff.




A recent fundraising event in Dinwiddie spearheaded by a dedicated team of volunteers and backed by a loving community was a huge success. Proceeds from "Light the Community" will provide an opportunity for three families to be presented with financial support through trying times.

Light the Community was formed by a group of families and neighbors to help community members in need. The committee gathered on January 7 for their first meeting. With the help of many, they more than doubled the initial monetary goal in just six weeks. The committee is grateful to all who helped make their dream a reality.

Alex and Paige Christopher, owners of White Oak Manor, provided their elegant, charming barn as the venue, and numerous businesses and individuals gave donations from the heart. A variety of items for all ages were raffled off, and a live auction took place after the steak dinner.

"Light the Community" volunteer Austin Wells, 14, delivers dinners to attendees from left to right, Eric, Connor and Mindy Priest.

With his $3,500 bid, Chesterfield resident Robert Foster won a charcuterie board made by Smith Design Woodworks and a hand-painted duck decoy donated by Hugh Crittenden. Foster donated the package back to be auctioned off again. Dinwiddie resident Sueann Fitts, who had been in a bidding war with Foster the first go around, scored it for $550. Sara Dooley of Dinwiddie and Jeff Clack of Enon each won $2,000 in the reverse raffle, and Todd Fisher won $500 in the reverse raffle which he donated to "Light the Community."

There was no shortage of volunteers. They gleefully scurried around while achieving tasks to make the event a special night to remember. Dinwiddie residents Calvin "Potsy" Potts and Tee Gibbs happily grilled 370 delicious ribeye steaks which were served with baked potatoes, green beans and rolls. The yummy cupcakes were made by Amy Dancel of Church Road. I spotted committee members Susan Watkins, Tommy Adams and Ashley Wells plating sides in the kitchen.

At "Light the Community" event, Virginia Delegate Kim Taylor and her husband Butch's $600 bid scored them a wooden U.S. flag crafted by Floyd Hemesath of Disputanta.

The fundraiser on February 17 was the third "Light the Community" event. Matthew Cunningham, a committee member, expressed his excitement about how the event had already raised more than the previous "Light the Community" fundraisers combined. The first one in 2015 raised $42,000, and the second one in 2019 raised over $61,000. The proceeds from the latest fundraiser are still trickling in. At this time, the total is $130,000 which will be shared equally with Davis Spain, Chris Buhrman, Daniel Lee and their families.

"Light the Community" beneficiaries from a fundraising event held at White Oak Manor in Dinwiddie on February 17.

Dinwiddie: "Light the Community" beneficiaries

Davis Spain, 10, son of Curtis and Crystal Spain, is a fifth grader at Midway Elementary School. He was recently diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer. He must travel to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for treatment. Davis, a member of Pack 185 Cub Scouts, takes karate and is a competitive rifle shooter for Dinwiddie Top Shots. He enjoys building, playing Roblox, going to church and having Nerf wars with his brother Allen and friends. He is strong-willed and his family knows he has what it takes to win this battle.

Chris Buhrman had his first chemo treatment for metastatic stage 4 colorectal cancer in November 2023. He unfortunately experienced many setbacks that resulted in five surgeries and nearly a month in the hospital and several weeks of inpatient rehab. He walks with assistance but needs to heal and get stronger before he can resume treatments. He, his wife Abbey, daughter Aubrey and family are working hard to beat this.

At "Light the Community" fundraising event, Taylor Lee and his wife Wendy watch a slideshow of his dad Daniel Lee's recovery after he received both a heart and liver transplant.

Daniel Lee, Conservation Specialist at the Appomattox River Soil and Water Conservation District and Dinwiddie County District 4 Board of Supervisor, had to have a heart and liver transplant due to a heart related illness diagnosed in November 2023. He stayed in intensive care at VCU Medical Center until donor organs were secured. On December 17, the medical team began two full days of surgeries to transplant both organs. After 67 days, he was transferred to a rehabilitation facility. With the support of his health team and family, he returned home after he worked hard in therapy. Currently, he is undergoing physical therapy.

The committee gives a big shout-out to Bott Memorial Presbyterian Church and the Dinwiddie Grays for assisting with receiving donations and dispersing of the funds. "Light the Community" is currently seeking nonprofit status for future fundraising events.

"Light the Night" 2024 committee members from left to right, Back Row: Aaron Harmon, Tommy Adams, Tee Gibbs, Jason Davis, Calvin Potts, Matt Cunningham, Todd Wilkins, James Hawkins Front Row: Cary Wells, Ashley Wells, Melissa Watkins, Mary Davis, Susan Watkins, Jannabeth Cunningham, Sarah Wilkins. Not present: Lynn Harmon and Megan Hawkins

If you would like to donate to "Light the Community" to help families in need, send checks made payable to Bott Memorial Presbyterian Church to Light the Community c/o Ashley Wells, P.O. Box 126, Sutherland, VA 23885. Follow Light the Community on Facebook.

Cunningham stated, "They say... 'Virginia is for Lovers,' and Dinwiddie County showed love for one another truly does exist here."

Harrison and Debbie Moody of Dinwiddie strike poses at "Light the Community" fundraising event at White Oak Manor in Dinwiddie on February 17, 2024.

"This organization grew from an idea in 2015 and quickly grew momentum to what it is now," Cary Wells, a "Light the Community" committee member, said. "Pretty impressive to think that this community has contributed to $250,000 worth of support in just three events. We are proud of this community. Lets continue to 'Light it up!'"

Spearheaded by Trials of Color Petersburg: Cancer Awareness 5K Run and Walk, win gift cards, gym memberships, merchandise

'I was overwhelmed and humbled' Petersburg native wins International Photographic Competition, $10,000: Mom subject

Kristi K. Higgins aka The Social Butterfly, an award-winning columnist, is the trending topics and food Q&A reporter at The Progress-Index voted the 2022 Tri-Cities Best of the Best Social Media Personality. Have a news tip on local trends or businesses? Contact Kristi (she, her) at khiggins@progress-index.com, follow @KHiggins_PI on X and @socialbutterflykristi on Instagram.

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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Dinwiddie: Fundraising event raises $130,000 for families in need
Within an hour of dining at a Disney Springs restaurant, a woman had a fatal allergic reaction from the food she ate and collapsed while shopping at one of the nearby stores in Florida, according to a new lawsuit.

Kanokporn Tangsuan, a New York-based doctor, and her husband, Jeffrey Piccolo, told a waiter she had a severe allergy to dairy and nuts before they placed an order at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant on Oct. 5, the lawsuit says.

Despite multiple assurances that her food would be prepared without allergens, the restaurant served Tangsuan a meal that wasnt allergen-free when the couple had dinner with Piccolos mother, according to a complaint filed Feb. 22 in Orange County.

After eating, Tangsuan and Jackie Piccolo, her mother-in-law, split up to go shopping at different stores in Disney Springs while Jeffrey Piccolo went back to their hotel room with leftovers, the complaint says.

Tangsuan began having severe difficulty breathing and collapsed to the floor at about 8:45 p.m. as she shopped at Planet Hollywood, another restaurant with a store, according to the complaint.

A person called 911 and told the dispatcher Tangsuan emergently self-administered an epi-pen before she was rushed to a hospital, the complaint says.

Jackie Piccolos subsequent phone call to Tangsuan went unanswered, so she met her son at their hotel, where she called Tangsuan again, according to the complaint.

However, another person answered Tangsuans phone and told Jackie Piccolo that Tangsuan was at the hospital, according to the complaint.

Jeffrey and Jackie Piccolo rushed to the hospital, where they were told Tangsuan died, the complaint says.

A medical examiner concluded Tangsuan died as a result of anaphylaxis due to elevated levels of dairy and nut in her system, according to the complaint.

The manner of the 42-year-olds death was ruled an accident, according to her autopsy report obtained by Florida Politics.

Jeffrey Piccolo, 35, wrote in an Oct. 9 Facebook post that his wife, who he referred to as Amy Tangsuan-Piccolo, died unexpectedly and suddenly.

Ten minutes before she passed she was perfectly healthy and enjoying herself shopping and then minutes later she died, he said in the post. We are all heart broken over this loss of such a beautiful, loving, kind, and helpful person.

Now, Jeffrey Piccolo is suing the Disney Springs restaurant and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, accusing them of negligence  resulting in his wifes death.

McClatchy News contacted Disney and the restaurant for comment Feb. 26 and didnt receive an immediate response.

With the lawsuit, Jeffrey Piccolo is seeking more than $50,000 in damages, including for mental pain and suffering, loss of companionship and protection, funeral expenses and more.

He and Tangsuan got married on Sept. 9, 2018, and lived together on Long Island, New York, according to Nicholas F. DeBellis, a paralegal investigator for Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart and Shipley, P.A., the law firm representing the lawsuit.

What did the woman eat at Disney?

In October, Tangsuan visited Orlando to attend a conference for work, DeBellis said.

Jeffrey and Jackie Piccolo accompanied her and they turned the trip into a vacation, he said.

Tangsuan was a doctor at NYU Langone in New York, according to the complaint.

While at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant, Tangsuan ordered different items from the menu after getting the waiters guarantee that these food items would be allergen free, the complaint says.

Specifically, she ordered menu items titled Sure Im Frittered, Scallop Forest, This Shepherd Went Vegan and onion rings, according to the complaint.

The Sure Im Frittered is a broccoli and corn fritter dish with a sweetcorn puree and fire roasted pepper relish, according to the restaurants menu.

The Scallop Forest is served with sea scallops in a golden batter served with a citrus lime dipping sauce & sweet chili jam, the menu says.

As for This Shepherd Went Vegan, the dish consists of faro barley, carrots, wild mushrooms, green onion, peas and rutabaga topped with olive oil mashed potato with a burnt onion gravy.

The bottom of the restaurants online menu says cross-contamination may occur and thus we CAN NOT GUARANTEE that any dish we prepare will be completely free of gluten/allergens.

Its unknown if Tangsuan and her husband received a menu with this warning while dining at the restaurant or whether they were made aware of it.

Disneys employees, waiters, waitresses, chefs, managers, workers, and/or cast-members failed to prepare Kanokporn Tangsuans food free of allergens as they said they would, as she and her husband requested multiple timesas a direct and proximate result of the negligence of Defendant, Disney, (she) died, the complaint says.

We are saddened by her passing and our deepest condolences are with her family, Steve Ritea, the senior director of media relations for NYU Langone Health, told McClatchy News in a statement Feb. 26.

In a Nov. 7 Facebook post, Jeffrey Piccolo wrote about his wife, saying I miss you so much. Meeting you changed my life.

I miss your smile, your laugh, dancing around the kitchen with you, exploring and travelling the world with you, Jeffrey Piccolos post reads.  I miss everything about you baby. The world is such a darker place without you in it and without you in my life so is every day I wake up.

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At any fishing spot along Rhode Island's coast, you're likely to encounter a remarkably diverse array of people  including immigrants from countries like Cambodia, Laos, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala.

But their perspectives are often missing from discussions about coastal access, according to Melva Trevino Pena, an assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island's College of the Environment and Life Sciences.

Trevino has extensively studied the importance of fishing in Rhode Island's immigrant communities. Now, with funding from Rhode Island Sea Grant, she's researching the barriers that stand in the way.

"I feel like a lot of the conversation of coastal access revolves around recreation, and the value that it brings to people, which I recognize is very real," she told The Providence Journal. "But there's a lot of people who access the coast because they want to eat the fish they catch. It's a food-access issue."

Melva Trevino Pena, an assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island, is studying barriers to coastal access that affect immigrant communities.

Why fishing matters to immigrant communities

The first Southeast Asian immigrants who came to Rhode Island sometimes relied on fishing as a way to feed their families, Trevino has learned through her research. It was the same thing they'd done back home in Cambodia and Laos when there wasn't enough food to go around.

But for immigrant communities today, fishing isn't usually a matter of subsistence, she said. In fact, when you factor in the time commitment plus the cost of bait, gear and gas, it's not necessarily all that cost-effective. One interview subject described it as "the most expensive free meal you can get."

Instead, fishing is often seen as a way to get fresher, higher-quality fish than you'd find in the supermarket.

"There's such a sense of pride that comes from being able to say, 'I caught this for my family,'" Trevino said.

Species like bluefish, striped bass and tautog are popular, but Latino fishermen also like catching scup, which can be hard to find in stores because it's best eaten whole and isn't something that white people usually seek out.

Similarly, Asian immigrants often fish for squid, which is abundant in Rhode Island waters but usually sold in frozen form.

In the Southeast Asian community, catching a big fish means inviting your friends and family over to your house to eat it. It becomes almost a celebration, Trevino said. If the fish was purchased from a grocery store, family members might still come, "but that sense of pride is removed."

Beyond simply being a source of food, fishing offers a way to relax and spend time outdoors. It can be quite social  often, you'll see whole families having cookouts and children swimming while their parents fish.

Many immigrants to Rhode Island come from other coastal communities where fishing is a cultural tradition, Trevino pointed out. Even refugees from landlocked Afghanistan have told her about how they loved fishing in rivers back home.

With Point Judith as a backdrop, surfcasters descend on Black Point, a state fishing area in Narragansett, in July 2010.

Lack of knowledge can be a major barrier

Trevino and a URI master's-degree student, Jami Miller, conducted interviews at five popular fishing spots in Jamestown and Narragansett during the summer of 2022.

Some immigrant fishermen mentioned facing obstacles such as a lack of parking, or people threatening to call the police on them, Trevino said. But they'd still managed to get to the coast  and she wanted to hear from people who hadn't.

For that phase of her research, she partnered with the Refugee Dream Center and the Center for Southeast Asians to hold focus groups in Providence. One "shocking" discovery was that a number of people who'd been in Rhode Island for five or six years had been to the coast only once, she said. For many of them, that one visit was a trip organized by the Refugee Dream Center.

Transportation can be a challenge for newly arrived refugees from places like Afghanistan, Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia, Trevino said.

So is simply knowing where to go: When she pointed interview subjects to shoreline-ri.com, a website that maps the locations of beaches and public rights of way through the state, their eyes lit up. But they hadn't been aware that a resource like that existed.

By contrast, Trevino said, Rhode Island's Southeast Asian community has been here for decades. Knowledge about fishing spots where you won't be hassled and can find amenities like bathrooms and parking has spread by word of mouth  often through unofficial community "scouts."

Immigrant fishermen can face harassment

Beach access advocates  who tend to be white  often have stories about being harassed while exercising their constitutional right to use Rhode Island's shoreline.

The same is true for immigrant fishermen. Trevino recalled the experience of one Cambodian fisherman who was in the water, wearing a pair of waders, when a woman started yelling at him, telling him that he was on private property.

"He explicitly said, 'People are racist sometimes, and they yell at us like that,'" she said.

It's unclear if these fishermen are aware of their rights under Rhode Island's Constitution, which were explicitly spelled out in the new shoreline access law that passed last year. That's not a question that researchers have asked, Trevino said.

But she suspects that many immigrants aren't going to want to "test the waters"  especially refugees who can't afford to get into any trouble because they have a pending asylum application and aren't citizens yet.

Immigrant fishermen have also described being made to feel unwelcome when people call the police to complain about loud music, or environmental police show up to check fishing licenses, Trevino said.

Additionally, the Department of Environmental Management now asks for a social security number when you apply for a fishing license. Trevino suspects that may serve as a barrier to undocumented immigrants, and also deter people from going fishing with their undocumented family members.

DEM spokesman Evan LaCross said that social security numbers are used as as a unique identifier in the new licensing system that the agency adopted in 2022. But, he said, undocumented immigrants and other non-citizens have the option of using their passport number to create an account instead.

They can also visit DEM headquarters and provide another form of identification, such as a driver's license.

More outreach needed about health effects of mercury

Immigrant fishermen tend to be hyperaware of the regulations surrounding fish size and catch limits, Trevino said, and many will carry measuring tapes or hand-carved wooden measuring tools.

"Everybody has a story of someone they know who got a fine, and they are not cheap fines," she said.

But there isn't the same level of awareness about the risks associated with eating fish that have high levels of mercury and other toxins, Trevino has found. The information is easily accessible on the Rhode Island Department of Health's website, she pointed out, but people don't necessarily know to go looking for it.

When she concludes her research, Trevino plans to produce a report for policymakers at Rhode Island Sea Grant and the Coastal Resources Management Council. There's clearly a need for more outreach to immigrant communities, but she suggests that there's also no need to reinvent the wheel: The key will be partnering with groups like the Refugee Dream Center and the Center for Southeast Asians.

"They actually belong to those communities and they work with them on a daily basis," she said. "They know how to navigate the cultural nuances. They're experts at that."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: URI professor studies coastal access issues in immigrant communities
Sweden's membership tightens NATO grip over the Baltic Sea -- but Russia still remains a threat (FRED TANNEAU)

Sweden's accession to NATO adds a final puzzle piece to the alliance around the shores of the strategically important Baltic Sea -- but Russia still poses a threat above and below water.

After Finland joined last year, Sweden's membership -- which cleared the final hurdle Monday with Hungary's vote on ratification -- means all the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea, except Russia, will be part of the US-led military alliance.

That has led some to label the sea a "NATO lake", with the Western allies now appearing well-placed to strangle Russia's room for manoeuvre in the crucial shipping route if a war with Moscow ever breaks out.

But analysts warn that while Sweden's entry makes it easier for NATO to exert control and reinforce its vulnerable Baltic states, Russia can still menace the region from heavily-armed exclave Kaliningrad and threaten undersea infrastructure.

"If you look at a map then geographically the Baltic Sea is becoming a NATO lake, yes," said Minna Alander a research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.

"But there is still work to do for NATO."

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a series of high-profile incidents involving pipelines and cables under the Baltic Sea have given NATO a wake-up call over its vulnerabilities.

In September 2022 a sabotage attack hit the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Europe. Over a year on, investigators have still not publicly named those responsible.

Then last October a gas pipeline and a cable from Finland and Sweden to Estonia were damaged. Finnish police say they believe a Chinese cargo ship was likely involved.

NATO has bolstered its naval deployments in response and is looking to step up its monitoring capabilities, but keeping an eye on what's happening beneath the water is a major task.

"It's very difficult to have overall control of a sea as you would control territories on land," said Julian Pawlak, a researcher at Germany's Bundeswehr University in Hamburg.

"What the Nord Stream sabotages have shown, among others, is that it remains hard to be aware exactly what is happening below the surface and on the seabed."

- Kaliningrad threat -

Sweden has long had a close partnership with NATO but its formal membership will allow it to be fully integrated into the alliance's defence plans.

Beyond its long Baltic coastline, Sweden brings with it the island of Gotland which would play a central role in helping NATO impose its will.

But just across the water Russia has its own vital outpost -- the exclave of Kaliningrad.

Wedged between Poland and Lithuania, Moscow has in recent years turned the region into one of the most militarised in Europe, with nuclear-capable missiles stationed there.

Russia's Baltic fleet based in Kaliningrad is a shadow of what it was during the Cold War and the invasion of Ukraine has sapped some of its forces from the region.

But John Deni, a research professor at the US Army War College, said the Kremlin has kept up investments in undersea capabilities and still has the firepower to stage small-scale landings or threaten NATO supply routes.

"In terms of artillery, indirect fires and nuclear-capable weapons they out-gun and out-range NATO allies in the region," Deni told AFP.

"Allies have to meet that threat and counter it."

On the other side, while Stockholm brings with it a rich heritage of naval history, like other NATO states in the area its sea power in the Baltic remains understrength.

"Even if you count Sweden, NATO naval assets are relatively limited," Deni said, adding that the allies need to develop their ability to carry out demining under fire.

- Reinforcing the Baltic states -

Three countries breathing a particular sigh of relief over the entry of Sweden -- and Finland -- are NATO's Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, long seen as an Achilles heel for the alliance.

War planners have struggled to work out how to stop them being cut off if Russian land troops seized the 65-kilometre (40-mile) Suwalki Gap between Belarus and Kaliningrad.

Sweden's position straddling both the North and Baltic Seas opens up a key route for transiting more NATO forces to protect them in case of attack.

"It allows US forces to reinforce the Baltic Sea nations in a timely manner, but especially the frontline states," said Tuuli Duneton, Estonian undersecretary for defence policy.

Despite the joy at NATO over welcoming Sweden to the fold, however, US academic Deni insisted the alliance should lay off considering the Baltic its own property.

"Calling it a 'NATO lake' leads to complacency," Deni said.

"The challenge and the threat posed by Russia in the region is significant in some ways and the allies for now lack the capacity to counter that in a crisis."

del/ec/giv
There was Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin and George Floyd. Now America can add Donald Trump to the list of men whove faced the weight of a system tilted against them.

Please.

Theres very little  or nothing  we dont expect to come out of the former presidents mouth. One day hes urging Russia to do whatever the hell they want to NATO countries that dont meet spending guidelines. The next hes pandering to Black conservatives by making himself, as always, the center of a narrative of persecution and injustice.

Speaking to the Black Conservative Federation in Columbia, South Carolina, Friday night, Trump said he believes Black voters will support him because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually viewed me as, Im being discriminated against. Its been pretty amazing, the New York Times reported.

I think thats why the Black people are so much on my side now, he said. Because they see whats happening to me happens to them. Does that make sense?

Heres one key difference between Trumps situation and that of Black Americans, who have faced systemic racism: Trump is facing the consequences for his own alleged actions in the 91 criminal charges filed against him in four different cases, including for his efforts to overturn the 2020 elections.

Far from being able to relate to what its like to be Black in America, Trump has actually stoked racial stereotypes and animosity. He fueled the racist birther theory that cast doubt on whether then-President Barack Obama was a U.S. citizen. To this day, Trump emphasizes Obamas Muslim middle name, Hussein, in his speeches. It was also Trump who, in the 1980s, ran full-page ads in four New York newspapers advocating for the death penalty after five Black and Latino teenagers were accused of raping a jogger at Central Park. They were wrongly convicted, and their convictions were eventually vacated. As far back as the 1970s, Trump was accused of discriminating against potential Black tenants by the Justice Department.

Well give Trump one thing: He did sign into law a criminal justice reform package when he was president, something he avoids mentioning when speaking to white crowds. Its in front of those supporters that hes most comfortable accusing immigrants of poisoning the blood of our country, a trope straight out of the playbook of Adolf Hitler, who used similar rhetoric to accuse Jews of poisoning Aryan German blood.

We know by now that Trump will pander to whatever crowd is in front of him. If they are supporters fed on conspiracy theories about a Democratic-supported immigrant invasion, thats the red meat he will give them. Or he will use his widely circulated mugshot from the elections interference case he faces in Georgia to find commonalities with Black voters.

You know who embraced it more than anybody else? Trump asked during his South Carolina speech. The Black population.

Assuming that a mugshot will make a white, wealthy New Yorker relatable to southern Black voters is at the very least offensive. More absurd is that the man who was recently ordered to pay a $355 million penalty by a New York judge for lying about his wealth has the nerve to decry discrimination against himself while his party  in the name of fighting woke  is trying to silence discussions about real discrimination from schools and colleges. And he makes this claim during Black History Month.

Its highly unlikely that Trump will win the Black vote if and when he becomes the Republican presidential nominee, but polls indicate hes getting more support from those voters in battleground states. Its no secret that Black voters have felt for very long they have been taken for granted by the Democratic Party. Trumps overtures to them  as well as his growing popularity with Hispanic voters, especially in Miami-Dade County  is a warning sign for President Biden.

If Democrats cannot make the simple case that Trump has a history of contempt for Black people, then shame on them.

Click here to send the letter.
Former President Donald Trumps recent speech at the annual Black Conservative Federation gala in South Carolina took an unexpected turn when he boasted about Ben Carsons scandal-free tenure as HUD secretary, but Trump clearly overlooked misconduct allegations that surfaced against Carson during the early months of his administration.

Back in 2018, Carson was accused of purchasing a $31,561 dining table set for his Washington office, although he was later cleared of any wrongdoing following a government watchdog investigation.

But during last Fridays speech, Trump failed to acknowledge the debacle while heaping praise on Carson, beginning with an anecdote from the 2016 campaign when both he and Carson were running for president.

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump greets former HUD Secretary Ben Carson during a campaign event where he received Carsons endorsement on October 29, 2023, in Sioux City, Iowa. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

He was doing very well. He was knocking them dead. Everyone loved him, Trump said, praising Carsons performance during the 2016 presidential primaries.

The GOP frontrunner also highlighted Carsons humility, especially in light of Trumps own rising popularity at the time, as Carson surged in the polls before he withdrew after Super Tuesday, leading to Trumps resounding victory in the 2016 Republican primaries.

Tremendous religious support, evangelical support in particular, and he was going up, up, up in the polls, and I was up there, I was doing really well, and I started to get a little bit nervous about Ben, he was going up a little too fast, Trump recounted as the audience chuckled. And he said to me you have nothing to worry about; God put you in this position; youre gonna win.

Carson, also seated in the audience, received some applause as Trump addressed the crowd of Black Republican conservatives, with whom he sought to boost his appeal as President Joe Biden faced increasing criticism for his perceived lack of actions to support the Black community since assuming office more than three years ago.

Later in the speech, Trump escalated his criticism of Biden, labeling him a very nasty and vicious racist while also reiterating grievances against his political enemies, alleging that Democrats were orchestrating a deep state conspiracy to prevent him from securing a second term.

But first, Trump extended respect to Carson, calling the retired neurosurgeon a special man, competitive guy and a great friend of mine, while also caroling Carsons tenure as U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in his administration, which lawmakers and civil advocates have widely criticized.

He did a great job, Trump recounted while touting Carsons record as unblemished.

No scandal, Trump declared assuredly. Remember, he was at HUD. Everybody at HUD has scandal, you know. They get a little money for an apartment or house approval some place. No scandal whatsoever.

Ben Carsons HUD Furniture Scandal

Back in 2019, an inspector general issued a 14-page report that found insufficient evidence to substantiate allegations of misconduct against Carson regarding the 2017 purchase of a $31,561 dining table set for his Washington office.

The staggering sum sparked outrage on Capitol Hill as Carson was called to testify in the matter.

Carson eventually canceled the order for the furniture after it came to light in February 2018, while the episode ultimately went down as another embarrassment early in the Trump administration.

At the time, there were conflicting statements from HUD about Carsons awareness of the purchase order, and in congressional testimony, Carson seemed to shift blame for the controversy to his wife, Candy.

Trump, however, seemed to forget about the scandal as he urged the audience not to take his word for it but to look into Carsons record for themselves.

You go check out HUD, Trump said. Housing Urban Development, you check it out, theres been a lot of problems over the years. He just ran a great operation with some very good people you had, you were right about all those people, they were great. Thank you Ben, very much, we appreciate the job youve done.

However, Trumps favorable opinion of Carson contrasted with the viewpoints of Washington lawmakers.

Back in 2019, Democratic Rep. Katie Porter of California criticized Carsons leadership at HUD, highlighting his lack of awareness and his failure to address critical issues facing American families.

In a scathing editorial, Porter put pressure on Carson to step aside for someone who could effectively address housing issues.

In his over two years as HUD secretary, Carson has failed to show a genuine commitment to assisting families on the brink. The American people deserve better, Porter wrote.

During congressional hearings on federal housing, Carson was also accused of being evasive about foreclosure processes and ongoing neglect of HUD safety priorities. His proposed budget cuts and push for privatization were also seen as detrimental to addressing fair housing challenges across the country.

Additionally, Carsons attempts to increase rent for recipients of federal housing assistance and to delay fair housing enforcement have been widely criticized, suggesting a disconnect between his actions and the needs of vulnerable families.

All the more reason why Carsons furniture scandal infuriated lawmakers at the time.

The allegations against Carson surfaced after Helen Foster, a senior HUD official-turned-whistleblower, claimed she was demoted and replaced with a Trump appointee after she refused to provide more than $5,000 in public funds for an expansive redecoration of Carsons office.

Foster said she faced retaliation for revealing a $10 million budget shortfall at HUD and for objecting when she was prevented from managing two important Freedom of Information Act requests linked to Trump, reportedly due to her perceived Democratic affiliation.

After Fosters removal in 2017, Trump nominated Suzanne Israel Tufts, a seasoned Republican operative from his home county of Queens, New York, as HUDs assistant secretary for administration, which Foster claimed effectively absorbed her role.

Ethics Concerns Over Ben Carsons Baltimore Listening Tour

Carson also came under fire for allowing his son, Ben Carson Jr., to help organize an agency listening tour in Baltimore in 2017.

According to a memo by then-HUD deputy general counsel for operations, Linda Cruciani, Carson Jr. and his wife invited more than six corporate heavyweights to the tour, and there was speculation that the couple were courting them to do business. The former HUD secretarys son ran a private equity firm and was the chairman of the construction and engineering services company, while his wife was the CEO of a consulting firm.

Cruciani warned that the tour gave the appearance that the Secretary may be using his position for his sons private gain, according to The Washington Post.

Both father and son argued that it was not a matter of ethics but that the older Carson needed help from his family on the tour. Carson Jr. quipped that he didnt mix and match parties.

In 2019, American Oversight published documents that it said supported claims that Carson Jr. used his fathers position to bolster his business. Baltimore city records obtained by the government watchdog group American Oversight indicated Carson Jr. advocated for development projects, including in Poppleton and Park Heights neighborhoods, potentially for investment by his company, Interprise Partners, in his fathers city tour. The HUD subsequently granted $1.3 million for Poppletons redevelopment.

American Oversight and ethics watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington urged the agency to launch an investigation into whether Carson violated his ethical obligations to no avail.

Donald Trump Brags That Ben Carson Had No Scandals While He Was HUD Secretary. Heres What He Forgot.
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP)  Former President Donald Trump will be holding a rally in Greensboro on March 2.

The Get Out the Vote Rally will take place at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex on West Gate City Boulevard on Saturday, March 2.

Nikki Haley to hold Charlotte rally ahead of Super Tuesday

Doors will open at 11 a.m. and Trump is currently scheduled to speak at 2 p.m.

Trump comes to Greensboro following his victory in the South Carolina primary over Nikki Haley.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Feature: Cadres at your service: Chinese way to inspirit villagers out of poverty

08:27, February 26, 2024 By Yao Yulin, Zhang Yujie and Zhang Ge ( Xinhua

CHANGSHA, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Long Xianlan from Shibadong, an ethnic Miao village nestled deep in the mountains of central China's Hunan Province, is among the country's millions of once-impoverished rural residents who have shaken off poverty.

Donned in a protective suit, veiled hat and gloves, Long meticulously opens a hive, removes the honeycomb, and gently scrapes off the wax with a sharp blade. As the mellow honey slowly streams out, countless bees crowd around him, but the skilled beekeeper won't be hurried. Unfazed, he continues the task at hand.

Today, the self-made businessman can rake in more than 300,000 yuan (about 42,200 U.S. dollars) a year. But success did not come easy for Long. He earned it the hard way.

This file photo taken on Sept. 4, 2019 shows Long Xianlan holding a honeycomb in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Zeguo)

Ten years ago, he was a hard nut to crack for local cadres. His transformation may enlighten many around the globe in solving a common headache in poverty alleviation -- how to motivate marginalized rural populations to actively engage in efforts to improve their lot.

China's fight against poverty includes all people irrespective of their ethnicity, region and family background, targeting the poorest of the poor with the slogan "leave no one behind." Therefore, it falls on grassroots cadres to rack their wits to provide bespoke services for everyone in a bid to end their penury, even the most uncooperative.

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin on a visit to villagers in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

SELECT COMPETENT PERSON

Long Xianlan, who was 27 years old in 2014, was infamous in Shibadong for his indolence. Instead of climbing mountains to cut logs for heating, he would rather chop up his wooden bed for firewood and sleep on the freezing floor; whenever the village cadres called on the community to develop industry, he would grumble that he preferred to be given money.

In 2014, the local government hand-picked several cadres -- each either born in local rural areas or experienced in dealing with rural affairs -- to live and work in the village and assigned each a local household among the poorest.

Long Xiulin, a smooth talker with 13 years of grassroots village work experience, was dispatched from the local county's publicity department. He was paired with Long Xianlan.

This file photo taken with a drone on April 15, 2021 shows a view of Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

Through his previous postings, the accomplished ethnic Miao cadre had secured a reputation for his ability to nurture close relationships with the public.

His assignment to Shibadong illustrates the "targeted" measures of China's poverty alleviation campaign, as cadres familiar with economics were often sent to villages struggling with weak industries. At the same time, communication specialists would head to communities battling with disputes.

During China's battle against absolute poverty, a total of 255,000 teams were dispatched to offer on-the-ground support and over 3 million people were sent to the countryside as special commissioners for poverty relief, official data shows.

As of 2021, Hunan Province alone dispatched 21,000 poverty alleviation work teams to its rural areas, with more than 600,000 cadres just like Long Xiulin paired with some 1.7 million local impoverished households.

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin (2nd L) visiting the family of Long Xianlan in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

BUILDING EMOTIONAL BONDS

Starting with casual chats, Long Xiulin began to build rapport with Long Xianlan who is 17 years his junior. He spoke at length with members of the village committee and called in on Long Xianlan's neighbours. Long Xiulin soon uncovered that Long Xianlan was abandoned by his mother after his father's death, and his only relative, his younger sister, also died.

It was clear that behind Long Xianlan's reputation as an alcoholic and brawler, was a young, vulnerable man who felt isolated due to a lack of love and care. Long Xiulin believed that the ties of kinship may help the young man find his way.

This file photo taken on Jan. 18, 2020 shows a view of the branch venue of Hunan TV Spring Festival Gala 2020 in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

On New Year's Eve 2014, one of the most valued occasions for the Miao people, Long Xiulin brought Long Xianlan to his family home. They enjoyed a pleasant family dinner, and before leaving, Long Xiulin's mother gave the young man a red envelope containing 1,000 yuan, along with some hand-made cured meat, fish and sausage.

After so many years of solitude, Long Xianlan was so touched by the normal but unforgettable family dinner, he knelt on the ground, kowtowed his hosts and, with tears rolling down his face, shouted: "Mom!"

Similar practices to better bond with the less self-motivated villagers were also tailored according to their personality and family background. The team members paired with empty-nesters would frequently drop by to attend to the elderly; those self-contemptuous were encouraged to explore their own talents like carpentry and to develop hobbies into a lucrative career.

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin (R) talking with villager Shi Basan in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

Across the board, the sincerity of the poverty alleviation cadres soon won the locals' trust.

"I used to feel scared because of loneliness and my helpless past and doubt that the work team would never understand the wrenching suffering of the poor," recalled Long Xianlan.

"However, they didn't look down on me. Instead, they invited me to dinner, took me to join the village's industrial development so that we can learn how to earn money ourselves. That was when I came to realize that there exists someone who really cares about me!" he said.

Long Xianlan and Long Xiulin are now brothers, and the warmth of home brought the former apathetic young man true dignity and new hope for life out of grinding poverty.

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin (1st L) visiting the family of Long Xianlan in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

PROP UP CHARACTERISTIC INDUSTRY

After several heart-to-hearts, Long Xiulin concluded that Long Xianlan's greatest concerns at that time were marriage and work.

In 2015, the work team organized a blind date activity, introducing single women in nearby villages to the bachelors in Shibadong. This was where Long Xianlan met his wife.

While the other desire of Long Xianlan chimed with another of China's targeted poverty alleviation priority approaches.

This file photo taken on Feb. 16, 2019 shows a matchmaking event in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Poverty alleviation through economic development is considered the most direct and effective way to give poor areas the capacity for independent development and help people find employment locally, according to China's white paper on its poverty alleviation experience and contribution.

With this in mind, China has supported its underdeveloped rural areas in developing various industries geared to the local resources available, which, for Shibadong, are agriculture, animal husbandry, Miao embroidery, labor services and rural tourism.

Long Xiulin and his colleagues invited the village youngsters to attend an industrial development discussion, collecting their opinions on future careers so that they can provide each of them with bespoke support.

"Dozens of young people shared our own ideas. Some wanted to be tour guides, others wanted their own restaurants, and some asked to be trained to operate an excavator. For me, I would like to learn how to plant crops and breed livestock," recalled Long Xianlan.

Their voices were not only heard but taken seriously. The cadres shared free vocational skill training and job opportunities: Hotel chefs were invited to take on apprentices; technicians like welding workers offered on-site training, while Long Xianlan was among those who attended a two-month agricultural course.

According to Long Xiulin, Shibadong had all its new industrial projects under a market-oriented mechanism, with outside enterprises hiring local talent. Government funds also helped fledgling sectors gain a foothold in the market.

It was not easy for Long Xianlan to find his profitable niche. He tried selling fish and other jobs, all in vain. But no matter what, his "elder brother" Long Xiulin was always there, finding new job opportunities, helping him apply for a low-interest loan, and keeping him motivated.

This file photo taken on Sept. 4, 2019 shows Long Xianlan checking a honeycomb in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Zeguo)

"My brother has always been so good to me. I feel obligated to strive for a better life by earning money with my own hands!" said Long Xianlan.

Based on Long Xiulin's deep understanding of the local natural conditions and market demands, he persuaded the young man to join the honey business. Embraced by mountains, Shibadong boasts abundant honey sources and breeds high quality bees. The business did not require much in terms of start-up capital and suited the young man down to the ground.

Sure enough, Long Xianlan proved to be a fast learner, and started his own honey business a few months later. The work team also helped Long Xianlan promote his honey products via e-commerce platforms and media channels.

Thanks to the care and attention from his "elder brother," Long Xianlan scaled up his sweet honey business quickly, and found his place in the world.

This file photo taken on April 16, 2021 shows Long Xianlan checking a honeybee hive in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

PROVIDE FOLLOW-UP SUPPORT

To help more fellow villagers live a better-off life, in 2017, Long Xianlan took the initiative to set up a bee-keeping cooperative. It now has 562 members and manages more than 1,300 beehives, with an annual output value of nearly 2 million yuan.

Their cooperation is built upon a common business model in today's rural China: in order to integrate resources and form an industrial cluster, Long Xianlan rents local villagers' land as bee breeding bases; while Long provides necessary techniques, guides members in bee-keeping and manages the bases, the members can focus on better breeding the bees. After the honey is collected, Long's company will purchase the honey from the members and process and package the honey into bottles catering to the market demand for sale.

By the end of March 2021, there were more than 2.25 million farmers' cooperatives across China, engaging nearly half of its rural population, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin (L) talking with Mei Yao, a village official, at the villager service center in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

Official data released in 2019 shows that each farmers' cooperative returned an average of 1,402.5 yuan as dividends to each of its member, and over 3.85 million registered impoverished households nationwide joined such cooperatives.

To boost the product sales, in 2020, Shibadong set up an exhibition hall, where tourists can directly buy local agricultural products, cultural and creative products and handicrafts on display.

The village plans to add more stories to the exhibition, including highlights of its decade-long poverty alleviation efforts, so that the visitors attracted by the local picturesque natural scenery will get a lasting impression of the village's original ecology and its eco-friendly production bases and be willing to bring the products in the mountains back home.

This file photo taken on April 16, 2021 shows the family of Long Xianlan preparing breakfast in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

With the local government's support, Shibadong also set up an exhibition counter in the waiting room of Jishoudong railway station, where urbanites often passed by during their high-speed railway trips, to exhibit Miao embroidery, agricultural products and local specialties.

Promotion activities are also held on a regular basis in the village or elsewhere to help sell the products. During such events, Miao ethnic characteristics are sure to draw everyone's attention, with beautiful women wearing glistening Miao accessories, singing in Miao language. The village also designed their own online shop via the WeChat mini program, which can be accessed as long as you have an account of WeChat, China's current leading instant chatting platform.

"I've married the right person in the right place! I firmly believe that as long as we are diligent and work hard, a happy life is sure to come. My husband is no longer a drunkard and has realized our dream with his own hands," said Wu Manjin, his wife.

This file photo taken on Oct. 25, 2020 shows the family of Long Xianlan posing for a photo in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

"I used to work in a well-off coastal city where my boss owned a sedan and villa. Such a privileged life was once a distant dream for me, beyond imagination. That dream has come true now," Long Xianlan raved, adding that such a blessing should be credited to the persevering poverty alleviation work team.

However, due to fierce market competitions and China's booming e-commerce, Long Xianlan is a little bit concerned about the price war among honey producers. He has decided to introduce some local livestream anchors to help his cooperative win the hearts of customers; he himself is also posting short videos on social media and sharing interesting moments of his bee-keeping career to attract more buyers.

It doesn't bother him much though, as Long Xianlan remains confident of his high-quality honey products, his diligent fellow villagers and the reliable village cadres.

Across the country, countless cadres like Long Xiulin, continue to extend a helping hand and support those in need with the heavy lifting, exemplifying the enduring spirit of cooperation and progress that continues to transform the lives of its marginalized population.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
A Tampa man linked to two hit-and-run collisions in one morning is facing a vehicular homicide charge after a third crash turned fatal, according to Florida investigators.

All three occurred in succession just before 6 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25, in Tampa, the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

While leaving a nightclub, Jenri Fuentes Rodriguez, 39, collided with an occupied vehicle but proceeded to flee from the scene. After leaving the scene, Rodriguez pulled into a McDonalds parking lot, where he hit another vehicle, and he, yet again, continued without stopping, the sheriffs office said.

Proceeding down Waters Avenue, traveling at a high rate of speed, Rodriguez then ran a red light, causing his car and another vehicle to collide and flip multiple times, forcing the victim and her vehicle into a wooden utility pole.

Deputies arrived to find the other driver, 59-year-old Ann Marie Rutkowski, had died at the scene.

Rodriguez was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and arrested upon his release later that day, records show.

He was charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving with property damage and two counts of leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, according to jail records.

Maps show a McDonalds is at the intersection where the crash occurred.

13-year-old driver pulled over at 2 am was carrying loaded pistol, Florida cops say

Bloody man found at doorstep was victim of samurai sword attack, Florida cops say

3 people die when stolen patrol car crashes in 100-mph chase, Florida sheriff says
MOOSIC, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  Moosic Borough Police Department says two people were arrested after officers reportedly found drugs in a truck.

Early February 24 at about 1:30 a.m., an officer from the Moosic Borough Police Department reportedly observed a suspicious white truck pulled off the side of the road in the 4500 block of Birney Ave in Moosic.

Officials say a woman, later identified as Madison Mooney, was shaking a man, later identified to be Carlos Reales.

Mooney explained that Reales was her fiance and was asleep because he was tired from driving for eight hours from North Carolina, according to police.

Authorities reported Reales had taken about 40 Xanax pills and EMS was called to the scene to help him.

While Reales was getting treatment, police saw drug paraphernalia and packaging material.

Upon the removal of Reales from the truck and transported to a nearby hospital, police saw a handgun on the drivers side floor, which police say was loaded with one bullet in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine.

Three firearms and $28,000 seized in raid in Northumberland County

Police also reported to have seen an unknown orange pill on the drivers seat and heroin packets in the drivers side door.

K-9 Skye was deployed by police and displayed behavior consistent with training indicating narcotics were inside the truck.

Pennslyvania State Police had an active warrant out for Madison Mooney and she was transported to the Lackawanna County Processing Center.

After being released from the hospital, officials say Reales was also transported to the Lackawanna County Processing Center for an arraignment on multiple narcotic-related charges, along with firearm-related charges.

The truck was towed to the Moosic Borough Police Department impound where at 5:30 p.m. on February 24, a search warrant was executed.

Police reportedly seized 105.2 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 15.1 grams of suspected cocaine, 21 glassine packets of suspected heroin, Alprazolam, or Xanax, pills, Clonazepam pills, Suboxone strips, Suboxone/Naloxone tablets, marijuana, $693, three cell phones, numerous glass pipes, and narcotic packaging material.

This is a developing story and 28/22 News will provide more information as it becomes available.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
PARIS (Reuters) - The Netherlands will contribute 100 million euros ($108.47 million) to a Czech initiative to buy ammunition for Ukraine from countries around the world, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Monday.

Rutte was speaking after a meeting in Paris to bolster support for Ukraine as it struggles to fight Russia's invasion, convened by French President Emmanuel Macron.

"I hope other countries will follow," said Rutte, who is the frontrunner to become the next secretary general of NATO. He said the countries that would provide the munitions had asked not to be identified.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, also speaking after the Paris meeting, said some 15 countries had shown interest in the initiative, which has focused on finding urgently needed artillery ammunition for Ukraine on world markets.

"A number of states in the midst of the negotiations signed up to the initiative, or my colleagues told me that they would discuss it quickly," Fiala told reporters.

"I think that in the end, the action will have a lot of support in this way, so I estimate it to be 15 states," he said.

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said countries at the Paris meeting had asked their defence ministers to come up with plans in the next 10 days to deliver more munitions to Ukraine.

($1 = 0.9219 euros)

(Reporting by John Irish; writing by Andrew Gray; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
Years after the band's split, the musician saw a few pages surface on the internet (Yuki IWAMURA)

The Eagles frontman Don Henley said Monday he was the victim of "extortion" as the trial began of three men accused of trying to sell around 100 pages of stolen notes from the band's 1976 album "Hotel California".

The large notebooks' contents were the product of the band's work and were "some of the stupid things we wrote down" before reaching final versions of hits including "Hotel California," said Henley, currently on a farewell world tour.

"They (were) not supposed to be seen," said Henley, 76, who wore a suit and tie.

Opposite him, three collectors were in the dock: Craig Inciardi and Edward Kosinski who are charged with criminal possession of stolen goods, and Glenn Horowitz who is charged with attempted criminal possession.

All have pleaded not guilty, claiming to have legally acquired the disputed papers.

The case dates back to the late 1970s, when an author hired by the California rock band to write its biography was entrusted with the notes, which he never returned.

Henley characterized this as theft, although the defense argues that the author is not on trial.

According to the Manhattan district attorney, the author eventually sold the pages in 2005 to Horowitz, a rare book dealer, who in turn sold them to Inciardi and Kosinski.

Years after the band's split, the musician saw a few pages surface on the internet, for the first time in 2012.

Henley ended up acquiring them himself, for $8,500, because it was "the most expedient... most practical" way to reacquire the lyrics.

"I was buying my property back," he said.

Other pages surfaced at auctions over the following years, including a batch of thirteen pages, handwritten for the song "Hotel California".

"I was already extorted once," said Henley, who in 2016 complained to the Manhattan prosecutor's office, which brought the charges.

The trial will last several days.

arb-gw/sms
Just after a gentle bend on Margaret Wallace Road, not far from the backed-up traffic of Independence Boulevard, looms a massive tree whose size is surpassed only by its age.

The willow oak, the same species that gives Myers Park its famous canopy, is 75 feet tall. Its crown, which turns yellow-orange in the fall, is as wide as a tractor-trailer.

It has stood there for roughly 100 years, far longer than the subdivisions that are now commonplace along the road, said Barry Gemberling, an arborist with Arborguard Tree Specialists.

But its days may be limited.

The behemoths roots stand in the way of a $3.6 million sidewalk project set to begin in late 2025, Charlotte officials say. The sidewalk will stretch along Margaret Wallace Road between Summerfield Ridge Lane to Marshbrooke Road.

If the tree is not taken down, compacting the ground for the sidewalk and adding drainage could damage its roots, city spokeswoman Tabitha Warren wrote in an email to The Charlotte Observer. That could cause the titan to become a public hazard by increasing the risk that parts of it fall down.

Amanda Davis, owner of the front yard where the giant tree stands behind a wooden ranch fence, isnt convinced. And shes fighting to preserve it.

Its really gotten under my skin, said Davis, 29. I know its wrong.

The planned sidewalk with stretch .4 miles along Margaret Wallace Road with construction likely beginning in 2025.

Save this tree

City officials told Davis about the planned sidewalk last spring, though it was unclear then how it would affect her property, she said. In October, contractors representing the city knocked on Davis door and offered $2,100 for the portion of her land hosting the tree. She said no.

That month, to try to prevent the city from taking any of her land against her will, she met with members of the citys Planning, Design & Development department and the real estate contractors, Davis said. She asked that they find a way to continue the project but save the willow oak. They met again in November and again this month, when Davis brought Gemberling, the arborist, and her attorney.

Thats when it basically became clear that theyre just not willing to preserve the tree, she said.

The city had upped its offer for the land and removing the tree to roughly $15,000. Again, Davis said no.

Officials are now looking for alternatives that would preserve the willow oak, Warren said.

In the meantime, Davis has taken her quest public. Last week, she wrapped the oak in a large banner that reads Save Me and posted a 24-foot red and white banner on her fence. SAVE THIS TREE, it screams in capital letters.

Amanda Davis, who owns the property that hosts the willow oak, said tearing it down goes against the citys goal of growing its canopy.

The banner hosts a QR code too that links to her petition on the website change.org.

This tree has stood sentinel at this spot for over 100 years, Davis wrote on her petitions website. It has seen the growth of our city and sheltered generations of wildlife. Today, it exists in fine health and there is no justification for its removal. We see evidence all around our city of large trees living harmoniously among roads and sidewalks. It can be done.

A healthy heritage tree

As of Sunday, more than 950 people had signed the petition, part of a campaign that impresses Gemberling.

There arent that many people who have this diligence or this aggressiveness in trying to save a tree, he said. Quite often, I think people have made it easier for the cities in situations like this.

Gemberling, who also had praise for the City of Charlottes tree-saving practices, inspected the old oak last month for Davis. He documented a number of dead limbs and four large stems growing up from the trunk, which increases the risk of breakage during future storms.

But the tree is in fair condition, he said, and has more life ahead.

It is not dying or digressed beyond the point of recovery and remedial treatments, Gemberlings report said.

Removing the tree would contradict Charlottes efforts to preserve such specimens, Davis said.

In Charlotte, the willow oak qualifies as heritage tree, she explained. Heritage trees have at least a 30-inch trunk diameter at 4.5 feet off of the ground. Davis tree, by comparison, has a 58-inch diameter.

Last year, city officials signaled the importance of heritage trees by adding a provision to Charlottes Unified Development Ordinance that protects them. People who remove a healthy heritage tree could be fined $50 per diameter inch, which would total $2,900 in this case. Theyd also have to plant a tree and pay a $500 mitigation fee.

Charlotte, the City of Trees?

Charlottes desire to protect its trees and make room for growth have long been at odds.

For more than a decade, city leaders have talked about protecting  even expanding  Charlottes prized canopy.

But study after study has shown that Charlotte is losing trees. One found that Charlotte lost three acres of trees on average every day from 2012 to 2018  or about 7,000 total acres. That study, conducted by the University of Vermont, said trees covered 45% of the city.

Contractors are grading a small lot north of uptown on Spring Street, where the city will plant an orchard of apple trees, fig trees and blueberry bushes. The property was transferred to Charlottes Tree Canopy Preservation Program in 2019.

Last November, the consulting firm PlanIT Geo released a report showing that tree loss had slowed. It said Charlotte lost less than 1,000 acres from 2018 to 2022, and that trees covered 47.3% of the city.

Some questioned PlanIT Geos study. Five GIS experts told The Observer in December that the findings may not be as accurate as previous ones.

Their concerns stemmed from the way PlanIT Geo measured the citys canopy. The company used National Agriculture Imagery Program data  aerial images  and machine learning to calculate canopy change.

The U.S. Department of Agricultures data is good for detecting trees, the experts said, but imagery alone has a hard time differentiating a tree from a bush or detecting a tree in the shadow of a building.

Worth the fight?

One of Charlottes most dedicated advocates for protecting the citys tree canopy said hes impressed by Davis desire to save the willow oak, but he sees another option.

The tree is old, likely nearing the end of its life and structurally flawed because its trunk is divided into different vertical stems that could snap in a storm, said Doug Shoemaker, a UNC Charlotte ecologist who has studied Charlottes canopy for years. Because it stands alone, unprotected from high winds, it is more vulnerable to damage.

The city wants to tear down a 75-foot-tall willow oak tree to put in a sidewalk. Amanda Davis, the homeowner, has started an online petition to save it.

The city could replace the old tree with three, four or five young ones, Shoemaker said. A stand of trees would grow to provide more ecological benefits than a single giant, he said.

There are some really positive things that could come from this, Shoemaker said. You could actually end up with a better outcome over time if you did it correctly.

Gemberling favors letting the tree stand. Despite its trees age, it could live another 50 or 100 years, he maintains. Most of its root extend away from the road and into Davis yard, where there is plenty of undisturbed soil, he said.

And treatments, such as adding nutrients to the soil, managing diseases and insects and installing flexible cables to support the tree where the trunk split would reduce its risk of breaking.

Davis wants to preserve what she has rather than gamble on what might come next.

If they take out this mature tree and replace it with however many mitigation trees, theres still no protections in place for them, Davis said. And who knows if theyll ever reach maturity. Theres no guarantee.

NC Reality Check reflects the Charlotte Observers commitment to holding those in power to account, shining a light on public issues that affect our local readers and illuminating the stories that set the Charlotte area and North Carolina apart. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email realitycheck@charlotteobserver.com
An Eastern Washington man stole the identity of a U.S. combat veteran to fraudulently collect more than $825,000 in Veterans Affairs benefits, according to the Eastern Washington District U.S. Attorneys Office.

A federal grand jury indicted Raymond Kenneth Musgrove earlier this month on 11 counts, including aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, theft of government funds and false representation of a Social Security number.

He lived in Grant County at the time of the alleged fraud and was arrested in Eugene, Ore., shortly after his indictment.

The indictment alleges he collected Veterans Affairs compensation payments intended for veterans with injuries or illnesses from their service and also received VA healthcare for more than two decades.

He used the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a veteran to collect the VA benefits and also to open a bank account where checks were sent, according to federal documents.

Musgrove sent a request to the VA in January 1998 for the military records of a veteran identified in court records only as J.M.C., who lived in Oklahoma. They were sent to Musgroves address then in Moses Lake, Wash.

The next month Musgrove attended a compensation and pension examination for benefits, using the veterans identification, according to court documents. In the meeting he discussed combat in Vietnam as a source of his post traumatic stress disorder.

Musgrove had served in the U.S. Marine Corps for two years, but there was no indication he had been in Vietnam. J.M.C. had served overseas and was awarded a Navy Achievement Medal with recognition of his combat service in Vietnam.

VA compensation benefits were approved for Musgrove under his false identity and he began collecting benefits in a bank account he set up using J.M.C.s identity, according to a court document. He gave an Ephrata address for that account and a later account he set up to receive VA benefits.

J.M.C. died in 2018 and the Veterans Benefit Administration stopped payments, according to a federal court documents.

However, Musgrove convinced the VA that the death information was incorrect. The VA compensation benefits program concluded it was possible that the veteran was still alive and the victim of fraud.

It resumed sending compensation payments that Musgrove received, according to a court document.

In May 2021 the compensation payments were again stopped after a VA Office of Inspector General employee provided information that J.M.C. had a headstone and was buried at Fort Sill National Cemetery in Oklahoma.

The Veterans Benefit Administration heard from Musgrove again, who claimed to be J.M.C. Officials again believed his story that he was J.M.C. and the victim of identity theft, according to a court document.

In early 2023 he went to the Social Security Administrations office in Wenatchee and presented a Washington state drivers license with his photo and J.M.C.s name and date of birth.

He was asked to provide work and school records, but said Musgrove said he had a head injury and could not provide that information, according to a court document.

His indictment followed an investigation by the Offices of Inspector General of the VA and Social Security Administration.

Military veterans have given selfless service to this country, said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref for Eastern Washington. Schemes to steal funds set aside to support them are an insult to their sacrifices.

The charges against Musgrove carry sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison plus restitution.
The first total eclipse to be seen from New York in nearly a century is around the corner, and local astronomers are over the moon for the phenomenon with activities and discussion centered around the annual event.

The sun and the moon will finally visibly cross paths in New York for the first time in 99 years starting at around 2 p.m. on April 8. A full total eclipse will be seen in upstate and western New York, in cities like Buffalo, Rochester, Plattsburgh and Syracuse. Full totality will be expected by around 3:15 p.m.

However, Lower Hudson Valley residents will only be able to see a partial solar eclipse., about 92 to 93%. Local astronomers and Westchester natives Raj Pandya and Charles Fulco are making plans to celebrate this momentous occasion for the state.

Raj Pandya, astronomy lecturer and director of the John R. Kirk Planetarium at SUNY New Paltz, with participants at his solar eclipse viewing event on Aug. 21, 2017. Pandya is preparing to host another solar eclipse viewing event on April 8.

How rare is a partial solar eclipse?

Pandya, a Mount Kisco-born astronomer, lecturer and director of the John R. Kirk Planetarium at SUNY New Paltz is hosting several lectures about the science behind a solar eclipse leading up to April 8. He says eclipses are a great way for the public to come together and get exposed to astronomy.

Pandya is scheduled to present about the eclipse at the Albert Wisner Public Library in Warwick on Saturday.

Ive hosted several of these viewing events over the years, but this will be the really big one," he said.

The last time a significant eclipse event happened in New York was on Aug. 21, 2017. Pandya hosted a viewing event at SUNY New Paltz, similar to the one he will be hosting on campus April 8.

"It was cool for me because I was just blown away by how much interest there is," Pandya said. "It was in the middle of the summer so I set up the event with a couple solar telescopes and I had some students help me. I expected maybe 100, 200 people and it was close to 1,000, 1,200 people showed up."

Eclipses happen when the path of the sun, the moon and the Earth align. Pandya says a total solar eclipse is pretty rare for any particular area in the world to see because of how small the shadow of the moon is compared to the Earth.

"It's very rare that the three would actually be in that alignment because usually the moon is not in the perfect spot to create this eclipse," he said. "There's always a new moon once a month. So you might think every month we get an eclipse but that's not true because the Moon is at slightly tilted orbit to that of the Earth. So when an alignment does happen, it's a big deal."

Westchester astronomer Charles Fulco has been chasing eclipses since 1991. This year, he and his trusty telescope are preparing to travel up to Rochester for the first total eclipse in New York in almost a century on April 8.

Chasing the eclipse at the perfect moment

Charles Fulco, a Port Chester native, and self-proclaimed "eclipse chaser," said the easiest way to calculate when a total eclipse is in your area is with the Saros Cycle. Discovered by Babylonian astronomers, an eclipse cycle follows a moon cycle pattern of exactly 18 years, 11 days and 8 hours.

"Every 18 years, 11 days and 8 hours, an eclipse will repeat itself almost exactly in the same form, the same duration and the same shape of the path," Fulco said. "But the problem is in 8 hours, the Earth has turned a third of the way around its orbit so the same location will not see the same eclipse. It will be a third of the way around the earth. Otherwise, it looks almost exactly the same."

Multiply that pattern of 18 years and change by three and you get a solar eclipse cycle of approximately 6,585.3 days. The extra eight hours makes up the difference in location during each eclipse. Fulco says that's why a solar eclipse only comes around to the same location once every 54 years.

Pandya and Fulco say this is the last time many New Yorkers will see an eclipse in this lifetime. The next one will happen in 2079.

Since seeing his first total eclipse, Fulco has dedicated his life to chasing eclipses and teaching children and teens about them. He created the program "No Child Left Inside," which partners with schools across the country to provide solar eclipse viewing tools and advocate for schools allowing kids to go outside to see eclipses during school hours.

He said he's been interested in solar eclipses since he was around nine years old, but he missed his first ever eclipse by staying inside.

All the adults said 'dont go outside.' All the celebrities back then made public service announcements telling you to stay inside and watch it on TV, so I stupidly did," he said. "I kept looking out the window and everyone said 'dont look out the window!' They think these magic eclipse rays bounce off houses and come into your eyes and burn your retinas.

"I swore Id never stay inside for an eclipse again."

After several failed attempts, he finally made it to his first eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico in 1991 with his mother and sister. Since then, they have seen four eclipses together. April 8 will be their fifth.

Teaching about the eclipse

Fulco is also a Solar System Ambassador with the NASA-Jet Propulsion Lab. The program allows him to travel the state with his telescope and teach people about the planets in parks and other public spaces.

"It's what a lot of people would call sidewalk astronomy," he said. "I can show up at Playland, for instance, on a July evening when there's a full moon or half moon and bring my scope with me to take an informal survey about who's ever seen the Moon, or Jupiter, or Saturn through a scope, and most people haven't."

Pandya and Fulco will both be holding lectures and organizing eclipse watching groups for April's upcoming phenomenon. Fulco will be headed to Rochester and Pandya said he will stay in the Hudson Valley.

Both say protective eyewear is extremely important to view a total eclipse. Anyone can get solar eclipse viewing glasses online, but Pandya says it needs to be a specific type of glasses: ISO certified 12312-2, to be exact. You can find these glasses in bulk on Amazon or on Fulco's page.

"So many people in the country are going to be able to see this," Pandya said. "I think its one of the nice things that we have in our society thats just something that brings you together. It doesnt matter what your background is."

Pandya is also lecturing on March 28 at the Highland Public Library and on April 3 at Kinderhook Memorial Library.

Fulco will be speaking at Boston radio station WGBH's Zoom webinar about astronomy and eclipse education in schools on Thursday, Feb. 29 at 7 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Eclipse chasers ready for rare solar eclipse event in April
The majority of decisions most Los Angeles County voters are asked to make on their March 5 ballots deal with Superior Court judges. But they have less readily available information about the judicial candidates than they do for any other races.

Thats no accident. A variety of laws, rules, practices and customs limit what judicial candidates can tell voters about who they are and what they would do if elected. A voter might reasonably want to know which candidates are Republicans or Democrats, for example, or which ones will be toughest on shoplifters, or in which courthouse or department they might serve if elected.

Read more: L.A. Times electoral endorsements for 2024 March primary

Most of these questions are difficult, if not impossible, to answer. That makes it more mysterious and frustrating to vote for judges than for any other official.

To help voters make smart choices with little information, The Times editorial board answers some commonly asked questions about judicial elections and how we decide which candidates to endorse.

Read more: Endorsement: One L.A. County judge deserves reelection. Another doesn't

Why do we vote for Superior Court judges?

The vast majority of Los Angeles Superior Court judges are appointed by the governor and are never challenged. Voters are asked to step in every two years for various reasons, such as when judgeships open up or incumbents declare their intention to step down in the few months before an election, or when a challenger tries to unseat a sitting judge. In any given election, voters decide how to fill fewer than 10% of judicial offices. This year, its slightly under 6%.

Why are there so many judicial races on the March 5 ballot?

Be grateful there arent more  169 judicial terms end this year. But most seats have incumbent judges who are running for reelection without opposition, so they wont appear on the ballot and will win new six-year terms automatically. There are two races in which candidates are challenging incumbent judges, and eight open seats.

The county registrar numbers the judicial posts before its clear which ones will appear on the ballot. Thats why voters see seemingly random office numbers like 12, 39 and 43 on their ballots.

A candidate who receives more than 50% of the vote in March wins the office outright. If no candidate emerges with a majority of votes, the top two vote-getters face off in November.

Read more: Endorsement: The Times' recommendations for open Los Angeles County Superior Court judge seats

Why is there only one candidate running for office No. 93, while as many as four candidates are running for other judicial offices?

Its part campaign strategy, part luck of the draw.

Candidates can declare their intention to run for multiple seats early in the process, while they check out who else is running and decide whom they want to run against. Colleagues in the district attorneys office, for example, may try to avoid running against one another. Or they may want to avoid challenging candidates who they believe are particularly strong.

History suggests that voters like to elect criminal prosecutors to the bench, and current campaign lore holds that candidates with Latino surnames do well in Los Angeles County. That may be why candidates decided to give Victor Avila, a prosecutor with a Latino surname, a wide berth in this race. Or it could just be a fluke.

Avila actually has an opponent. You wont see deputy public defender Natasha Khamashtas name on the ballot, but she qualified to run as a write-in candidate. Under the rules for write-in campaigns, her name written on the ballot counts as a vote even if it is misspelled, as long as the voter's intention is clear.

Read more: Editorial: Big decisions for L.A. and California voters on the March 5 primary ballot

Descriptions for judge candidates who are prosecutors just say deputy district attorney, Los Angeles County. Why aren't their assignments, like "sex crime prosecutor," listed?

They used to be, but ballot designations, as they are known, were restricted by legislation in 2017. It was believed that judicial candidates played too fast and loose with their designations, and that voters were duped rather than informed by the three-word (plus jurisdiction name) descriptions.

You can often find out more about their work from their websites or other campaign materials.

These rules dont apply to candidates for other offices. Those running for district attorney can still call themselves a sex crimes prosecutor on the ballot. Its a good example of the tension between the competing goals of giving voters the information they need to elect judges and policing the quality of that information to uphold the dignity of judicial office.

Read more: Lawsuit challenging L.A. County's new limits on cash bail suffers major setback

Why wont judicial candidates say how tough they will be on shoplifters?

Candidates are forbidden by the Canons of Judicial Ethics  a code of conduct adopted by the state Supreme Court, pursuant to the state Constitution and subject to enforcement  from saying how they would rule on cases they have not heard. Judges are required to approach cases with open minds and to hear the facts and arguments on each side before rendering decisions.

Some judicial candidates this year, and in previous elections, have said they would impose alternative sentences that do not result in verdicts or felony records. Experts consulted by the Times editorial board differ on whether such statements amount to improper promises about how they would rule if elected.

But judicial candidates dont even know whether they might be assigned to hear criminal cases as opposed to, say, adoptions or conservatorships. That decision is largely out of their hands.

Read more: Editorial: L.A. court's refreshing candor on money bail: It doesn't make us safer

How does the editorial board vet judicial candidates?

We observe them in the courtroom when possible and ask a lot of questions. We interview the candidates as well as people familiar with their work, such as opposing lawyers, colleagues, judges and courtroom staff.

We look for candidates who know the law and court procedure well, treat others with respect, command respect for themselves, control their tempers under trying circumstances and appear committed to even-handed justice.





If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
An orca swims past a recreational boat sailing just offshore in the Salish Sea in the San Juan Islands, Wash., July 31, 2015.

Whales in Washington state waters could be a little safer thanks to a new boat alert system by the Coast Guard.

The four-year pilot program, aptly named Cetacean Desk, was created to ease the effect of vessel traffic on large whales in the Salish Sea, a tangle of underwater channels and interconnected waterways that runs between British Columbia, Canada and Washington.

Whales, dolphins and porpoises are commonly known as cetaceans, or any member of "an entirely aquatic group of mammals" as defined by Britannica.

The Cetacean Desk is designed to keep a host of marine mammals , including orcas, baleen whales and humpback whales, safe as populations bounce back and visits to the area increasingly more common, according to reporting by The Associated Press.

Nearly 300,000 vessels made their way across the region in 2023, which makes the need to reduce the instances of ship strikes and whale disturbances in the Puget Sound region especially important.

The U.S. Coast Guard is stepping up for mariners, whales, and other wildlife in Puget Sound, coordinating and efficiently sharing valuable insight, said Grace Ferrara, a marine mammal biologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations fisheries office, in a news release.

Heres what we know.

How can I report a whale sighting?

A bulk carrier and other boats are seen in Seattle's Elliott Bay on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, near Seattle.

Mariners and members of the general public can report a whale sighting to the Coast Guards Cetacean Desk.

Lt. Cmdr. Margaret Woodbridge, Cetacean Desk program manager, encouraged the public and mariners to document all whale sightings through the Whale Report app, Whale Alert app or Orca Network.

The desk, hosted by Puget Sound Vessel Traffic Services, also can take whale sighting reports from Vessel Traffic Services users by phone at (206) 217-ORCA (x6722) or Puget Sound VTS designated traffic channels (5A, 14), according to the Coast Guard's website.

Mariners in Canadian waters can report sightings to the CCG Marine Mammal Desk at (833)-339-1020 or CCG radio.

Reporters will be asked to provide vessel name, whale species sighted, number of animals, direction of travel, and any behavior observed.

How has the Coast Guards boat alert system kept whales safe?

In this July 31, 2015 file photo, an orca leaps out of the water near a whale watching boat in the Salish Sea in the San Juan Islands, Wash.

The boat alert system, which has been in use since December, uses reports of whale sightings from members of the public and mariners alike to provide near-real-time data about the whales location to sailors on the water.

Whale reports have increased by 585% from December 2022 to December 2023, according to AP.

Sightings reported on whale-watching apps are one way the Coast Guard can produce a fairly accurate location. Another is through underwater listening devices, AP reported.

An integrated system picks up the data collected and sends an alert to commercial vessels and regional ferries through the Whale Report Alert System (WRAS) if a whale has been spotted nearby, AP reported.

The mission of the Cetacean Desk aligns closely with that of the Canadian Coast Guards Marine Mammal Desk, which also provides a consistent whale reporting and notification regime for operators of large ships throughout the Salish Sea, according to the news release.

The new Cetacean Desk aligns with our regional goals to help endangered whales and ships share the waters of the Salish Sea, said Rachel Aronson, the Quiet Sound program director at Washington Maritime Blue.

When mariners call in a sighting ... that sighting will be used to help other mariners make safer choices.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vessels will be able to detect whale activity thanks to Coast Guard's new alert system
The exterior of the Capitol in Salt Lake City is pictured on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. Consideration of a proposed amendment that would raise the vote threshold to 60% to pass some initiatives appears to have stalled in the Legislature. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Controversial legislation putting an amendment to the Utah Constitution on the November ballot that would raise the vote threshold to 60% to pass some initiatives appears to be stalled in the final days of the 2024 Legislature.

The resolution detailing the proposed amendment that would apply only to citizen initiatives that increase taxes, HJR14, and an accompanying bill, HB284, both sponsored by Rep. Jason Kyle, R-Huntsville, passed the House earlier this month.

But after Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, raised concerns about what he termed ballot clutter hurting the chances of other constitutional amendments passing this year, the Senate sponsor says they wont get a vote.

I wont be moving the resolution forward, Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, told the Deseret News. I think there is a general sense that the ballot has several constitutional amendments on it already, and thats probably sufficient to ask of the voters this year.

Kyle said, I trust the process. The timing needs to be right for significant policy issues.

He said its too soon to say whether he would try again to win approval for the legislation in a future session. Kyle also attempted last session to get the constitutional change on the upcoming general election ballot.

House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, acknowledged the issue may have to wait.

Theres bills that the House sends over that the Senate doesnt and theres bills that the Senate sends over that the House doesnt pass, Schultz said. We understand the Senates concerns there.

The House has concerns, too, so its probably best to just wait and see on that bill and well keep trying, the speaker said.

This was one I was sad I wasnt part of the debate on, Schultz said. Because ultimately its the voters that get to make the decision on whether or not they want to raise that threshold. And thats the way it should be.

Opponents of the resolution point out that the successful 2018 Medicaid expansion initiative that included a sales tax increase would have failed at the ballot box under the higher vote threshold.

Members of the Let Utah Vote coalition, described as dedicated to protecting and progressing the right to vote in Utah, accused lawmakers of attempting to take away the voice of Utahns.

The House approved the resolution and the bill 54-20, with six Republicans joining the Democratic minority in opposition, more than three weeks ago. Kyle said during the floor debate the legislation is about taxes.

Its really important that we treat our tax dollars like theyre not our money because they are not, Kyle said then. When were voting on these things, theyre other peoples money and it should be difficult to raise taxes.

Whats worrying about trying to make that change this November, Vickers said, is that too many amendments really muddies the field when a voter goes to the polls. So were concerned about that, and potentially them just automatically saying no to everything.

Legislative leaders are counting on voters to approve a constitutional amendment passed in a previous session, removing the requirement that income tax revenues be used only for education and some social services programs.

Theyre so eager to see that earmark lifted that an incentive was put in place. If voters approve ending the earmark on income tax revenues, lawmakers agreed to get rid of the state sales tax on food.
MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. (WOOD)  A grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will provide more than $19 million to overhaul Muskegon Heights water system.

Improvements are needed to replace the aging and undersized pipes and to ensure they meet the latest requirements for lead and other potential contaminants issued by the State of Michigan.

The grant is part of the MI Clean Water Plan and is supported by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Interim city manager Melvin C. Burns II told News 8 that the funding will help prevent rate hikes that would otherwise be needed to cover more costs of the project.

Sign up for the News 8 daily newsletter

The city will receive $19.8 million in all. Last year, city officials estimated work in 2024 would cost $24 million. Without assistance, the estimated rate for the average customer would have gone up approximately $26 per month to cover the costs.

According to EGLE, two key water mains will be replaced: Broadway Avenue from Glade Street to Reynolds Street and Sanford Street from Oakwood Avenue to Norton Avenue.

These funds will allow the city to continue to make upgrades and repairs to its water distribution system and continue with the replacement of lead water supply lines to hundreds of Muskegon Heights residents and businesses, Burns said.

This isnt the first time EGLE grants have helped along water infrastructure projects in Muskegon Heights. Just last year, the city received two grants totaling $11.4 million to help cover water main and service line replacements.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Every American is familiar with former President Donald Trump's efforts to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election.

But before those cries of wolf became a foundational Republican election strategy, some Democrats in El Paso were walking the same path.

Now, one of those Democrats is looking to make a return to politics and the former state representative still has questions about the 2018 March primary.

More: No to vouchers: District 77 candidates discuss key Texas education, workforce issues

Former state Rep. Norma Chavez was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1997, a post she held until being bested in the runoff for her 2010 reelection campaign. Seven years after leaving the Texas Legislature, Chavez ran for the District 16 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In the Democratic primary in March 2018, Chavez and five other Democrats were trounced by U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, who secured more than 62% of the vote to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke.

But Chavez and two other Democratic primary candidates  John Carrillo and Enrique Garcia  weren't ready to accept the results.

The trio filed a lawsuit against Escobar and El Paso County Elections Administrator Lisa Wise alleging that "an election officer or other person(s) officially involved in the administration of the election" tampered "with the initial programming of some of the hard drives before the election began" and distributed "those hard drives to high-producing voting locations to extract votes from petitioners for the benefit of Veronica Escobar."

No evidence was produced to support the fraud claims and the suit was eventually thrown out.

I was stunned that a long-time officeholder who should have been familiar with the process would not only make such an outrageous claim," Escobar said in an email, "but would go so far as to accuse hard-working public servants in the county elections office of rigging an election."

For her part, Chavez maintains that the outcome of her 2018 lawsuit would have been different had her side been able to fly in a forensic expert to conduct an analysis.

"I know who I am," Chavez said. "I am not frivolous. I never filed lawsuits or complaints, nor do I make wild unfounded accusations."

In a move eerily reminiscent of her previous comeback attempt, Chavez is now mounting a campaign to return to the Texas House representing District 77.

And despite being El Paso's first lady of election denial, despite goading lobbyists into footing the bill for a lavish graduation party in 2009, despite calling her Democratic opponent a lesbian in 2010, she has strong support from the city's Democratic elite, including former state Rep. Joe Pickett, former city Rep. Cissy Lizarraga and Eastside Democrats.

"To voters concerned about Norma Chavez's past controversies, including the election fraud lawsuit and other allegations, it's crucial to consider her entire record of service and advocacy for the people of El Paso," Emma Acosta, chair of the Eastside Democrats, wrote in an email. "While there may have been challenges or missteps along the way, Norma Chavez has demonstrated a deep commitment to addressing critical issues facing our community and advocating for positive change."

'Elections in El Paso County are secure'

Much like Trump's allegations over voter fraud and election rigging in 2020, Chavez's allegations two years earlier rang hollow as she and her cohorts presented no evidence to support their claims.

"I believed those allegations to be unfounded, as did the court," Wise recalled in an email. "The judge recognized that there was no basis for the lawsuit, and it was dropped because of lack of evidence."

El Paso County Elections Admistrator Lisa Wise demonstrates the new voting machines at her Downtown El Paso office in 2020.

Wise, who has headed the county Elections Department since 2015, said there has not been one case of voter irregularities during her tenure.

"Elections in El Paso County are secure," she said. "All of our voting equipment has been through both federal and state certification. These certifications are rigorous and take years to complete."

El Paso's voting system is a standalone system, which means it is not connected to the internet and therefore less vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Beyond that, the county Elections Department employs a variety of measures to ensure each ballot is safe.

"Prior to each election, logic and accuracy tests are performed where members of the public assist with testing all ballot styles and checking that ballots are tabulating correctly," Wise said. "There are also manual (hand count) audits conducted following each election using precincts randomly assigned by the Texas Secretary of State."

Further, she said her department is in regular contact with the FBI and Homeland Security on best practices, with assigned contacts in each agency on hand to address any concerns that arise.

Most of those measures, she noted, were already in place during the 2018 primary, but Chavez still stopped short of voicing confidence in the county's election system.

"I am confident that I will continue to advocate for voter protection and election integrity," she said.

The effects of election denial

While Chavez's foray into baseless election denial was short-lived, the effects of such accusations can have a chilling effect on voters and society at large  a good example of that is the Jan. 6 insurrection, where Trump supporters egged on by allegations of a stolen election stormed and vandalized the U.S. Capitol.

"One of the gravest threats to our fragile democracy comes from those who attack our institutions and sow distrust in our elections," Escobar said. "Trust in our institutions is fundamental to having a functioning democracy."

Furthermore, she noted, such claims have "dire consequences" that often lead to "voter suppression tactics that are anti-democratic and make it harder for people to vote" in states where lawmakers buy into such fraud allegations.

"Thats certainly been the case in Texas," Escobar said, "where early voting has been curtailed, as have vote-by-mail programs, and other innovative practices that were intended to increase voter turnout, especially for communities of color, older Americans and those with disabilities.

And Escobar's not alone in her assessment  a 2021 study from the Center for Election Innovation and Research found that claims of election fraud have already impacted U.S. elections, especially among Republican voters.

This poll confirms that the campaign to discredit elections has grievously injured Republican voter confidence, David Becker, Executive Director and Founder of CEIR, said in a news release. "The evidence suggests that election denial could have a long-term negative effect on turnout, particularly among Republicans and Trump voters."

While confidence in local elections remains high, the study found that state and national elections don't enjoy the same level of voter faith: where 75% of Republican voters expressed confidence in community elections, that number drops to 61% for statewide elections and a dismal 32% for national elections.

Because election denial has largely been a Republican tactic, it's unclear how the phenomenon is affecting Democratic voters.

'Let's keep the election on today's issues'

While Democrats on the national playing field have relentlessly harped on the dangers of election denial, Chavez's previous indiscretions aren't thwarting her supporters, especially the Eastside Democrats, who represent an ally in the District 77 race.

Former state Rep. Norma Chavez, one of four candidates for the Texas House District 77 seat, speaks at the Eastside Democrats Endorsement Forum at the Firefighters Hall in East El Paso on Feb. 6.

"Let's keep the election on today's issues," Acosta said, "and not more than a decade ago."

"Norma Chavez has always been steadfast in upholding the integrity of the electoral process and advocating for fair elections," she added. "While there may have been concerns or disputes in the past, I have full confidence that Norma Chavez will accept the results of this year's March primary, just as she has respected the outcomes of previous elections."

For Acosta, Chavez's record of service during her first seven terms in the Texas House of Representatives is more than enough to warrant support from El Paso voters, including her work to establish El Paso's Texas Tech School of Medicine, her opposition to plans to use El Paso as a dump site for New York, and her efforts to allow the Tigua tribe to establish a casino.

And like the candidate herself, Acosta noted that Chavez would return to the Texas Legislature as a senior member and therefore be afforded the perks and powers of an eight-term officeholder.

"Importantly, if elected as House Representative for District 77, Norma Chavez will retain her seniority and be among the top 30 high-ranking representatives," Acosta said. "This means she will have priority in being placed on top working committees, which is significant for El Paso."

"With her elevated position, Norma Chavez will be better positioned to advocate for the needs and concerns of our community at the highest levels of government."

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso Dems confident 2018 election denier Norma Chavez best choice
Detectives are searching for a man who allegedly sexually assaulted an 86-year-old woman after breaking into her North Charlotte home Saturday night, said the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

In a press release, the department said the victim stated the unknown suspect broke into her home on Hucks Road before physically and sexually assaulting her, then fleeing on foot.

The suspect was described as being in his mid-to-late 20s, about 5 foot, 11 inches tall and heavyset. He was wearing jeans, a jacket and a hat.

The victim was taken to a local hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The European Union is expected to move toward seizing Russian profits generated in the bloc, a key step to backing Ukraine that stops short of calls to confiscate assets outright, a Greek envoy told AFP on Monday.

Britain and the United States have led calls for the takeover of billions of dollars in frozen Russian banking and other assets, meeting reluctance from European partners who fear that such a step will send other countries racing to pull money out of the West.

Spiros Lampridis, Greece's special national envoy for Ukraine, said the Europeans were coming to consensus on a more "subtle" approach of seizing profits from Russian investments and assets, either public or private, to set up a fund for Ukraine.

The Europeans will tell Russia "I'm not going to allow you to make profits on the capital you have accumulated on my soil, so the profits of that can be confiscated," Lampridis told AFP on a visit to Washington.

"We're about to do it. I think it's a question of months," he said, adding that the European Commission was working out legal and practical implementation.

Compared with an estimated 500 billion euros ($540 billion) -- or likely much more -- needed for Ukraine's reconstruction, he estimated that the move would generate 50 to 60 billion euros.

"It's a trifle, but still, really, it's at least a move to show them -- look what you have done," he said of Russia.

"You cannot replace the lives that you have destroyed," he said, "but at least you can contribute in rebuilding what you destroyed."

Lampridis said that the more "brutal" approach of seizing Russian assets was "totally illegal" under international law.

"Practically, well, there are lots of assets of Western companies or countries in Russia itself, so you can imagine what the next step will be," he said.

On seizing profits, "of course, the Russians will react to that as well," he said.

"But even if they take us to the international courts, I think we're going to win."

- G7 consults on action -

The Group of Seven industrialized democracies, in a weekend statement marking two years since the invasion, called for "all possible avenues" to use Russian assets to support Ukraine "consistent with our respective legal systems and international law."

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, in an opinion piece in the Sunday Times, called for the West to "be bolder" and start by taking interest from Russian assets before finding "lawful ways to seize the assets themselves."

The United States unveiled hundreds of new sanctions last week to mark the anniversary invasion and the death in custody of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny but did not touch assets, with Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo saying Washington wanted Western powers together to "move as a coalition."

Greece, which has historic ties both with Russia and Ukraine, has been outspoken in opposing the invasion and has worked closely with the United States to bring arms to Kyiv.

Lampridis said Greece, which recently held a reconstruction conference for businesses, was committed to working to repair Ukraine's economy including by helping Kyiv transport its national gas and transition to solar and other renewable energy.

He said that Greece has a "very big comparative advantage" as it has partnered with other countries including Romania, Bulgaria and Balkan states as they modernized their economies to integrate with the European Union.

He acknowledged that businesses had longstanding concerns about corruption in Ukraine but praised efforts by Kyiv's technocrats and said that the Europeans would be monitoring funding "very, very meticulously."

"So that danger is not disappearing, but it is going to be much less," Lampridis said.

sct/dw
EVANSVILLE  The chance to have their voices heard couldn't come at a better time for CenterPoint customers.

In the past couple weeks, hordes of people in Facebook groups such as Direct Action Against CenterPoint Energy have gone online to vent about sharp increases in their January bills.

The Courier & Press reviewed bills from other customers as well. Some saw their costs more than double.

It all comes as CenterPoint attempts to hike bills even more. In January, the company filed a request with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to increase its base electrical rates, all while Evansville already pays the highest residential electric costs in the state.

Now public hearings on the request are slated for Feb. 29 at the Old National Events Plaza's Locust Room, allowing citizens to speak directly to some members of the IURC commission: the five unelected, governor-appointed officials who can approve or deny any proposed rate hike from a state utility.

According to the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, this rate increase would take a residential electric bill for 1,000 kilowatt hours from $207.20 to $253.40.

The IURC hasn't said which commissioners will attend. The sessions are set for 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.

It won't just be residents speaking out. The Evansville City Council voted earlier this month to hire legal counsel to officially intervene in the case. The Vanderburgh County Commissioners oppose the proposed increase as well, with all three members voting for an anti-hike resolution during their meeting on Feb. 20.

CenterPoint Energy's main office in Downtown Evansville, Indiana.

Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry said in an "Ask the Mayor" series on Facebook that she would be in attendance at the Feb. 29 public hearing, as well.

City Councilors Alex Burton, D-4th Ward, and Missy Mosby, D-2nd Ward, said the skyrocketing bills put an even greater hardship on Evansville's low-income residents, whose incomes already trail far behind the Indiana's median average.

"The money that is going to our only energy provider is simply draining too many of us," Burton said. "Though this intervening will not solve all of our problems immediately, it is a start."

CenterPoint's claims on why bills are increasing don't always add up

The Courier & Press reached out to CenterPoint earlier this month for an explanation on the sudden jump in costs. They pointed to two main reasons: a harsh cold snap and a longer billing period.

"January brought the coldest weather this winter season yet, with multiple days of temperatures below freezing,"' CenterPoint spokesman Noah Stubbs said. "As a result, some Southwestern Indiana customers may see an increase in their bill amount."

But despite a few days of sub-zero wind chills, January was mild overall. According to data the National Weather Service provided to the Courier & Press, there were only eight days last month in which temperatures didn't nudge above freezing.

Meanwhile, January saw four days that hit 50 degrees or higher, and two more that reached at least 48 degrees. And some customers' billing periods actually began in late December, when Evansville saw a wave of unseasonable warmth.

The billing periods, however, were unquestionably longer. According to bills reviewed by the Courier & Press, some customers were charged for as much as 39 days.

Stubbs said many bill cycles "were temporarily adjusted in December and January in preparation for a billing system update."

When the Courier & Press asked if customers were told about the longer billing period beforehand  so residents could prepare for the potential jolt to their budget  spokeswoman Michelle Hundley said CenterPoint "missed the opportunity" to let customers know.

"We have waived late fees for our customers for the current bill cycle," she said.

Then there were the "distribution and service charges" for natural gas users. In a bill provided to the Courier & Press, one customer paid only $34 for gas itself. The distribution and service charge for that? $104.

In another, a customer paid $49 for gas. The distribution and service charge was $123.

Distribution and service charges are determined by a morass of fixed and volumetric fees and adjustments. In the winter of 2021, those increased by 271%, leaving many Evansville residents scrambling for help and local assistance programs struggling to keep up.

"Unless theres some concerted systemic effort ... the bills arent going to go down and the needs are going to continue to increase, a nonprofit worker told the Courier & Press at the time.

CenterPoint requests to talk to journalists, legislators ahead of public hearing

On Feb. 14, CenterPoint reached out to the Courier & Press and other local media outlets with an "offer to meet on background and discuss the details of our filing with the reporter who might cover the field hearings."

After clarifying that "on background" did in fact mean off the record, the Courier & Press declined the offer, noting the preference for a conversation that could be relayed to the public. CenterPoint never offered to have an on-the-record talk.

Three days later, during a local Meet Your Legislators event, Indiana State Sen. Vaneta Becker told the at-capacity crowd CenterPoint had reached out to her earlier in the week, as well, also wanting to meet about the rate case.

"I said, 'Well, I'll meet with you, but I can tell you right now I'm opposed to it,'" she said.

Becker, who represents all of Warrick County and parts of eastern Vanderburgh County, encouraged people to attend the field hearings on Feb. 29. If the legislature ends on time for the day, Becker said she plans to be at the 6 p.m. session.

"People cannot afford this," she said. "I just got my utility bill and it's $338. And I'm sure everybody's is way too high."

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Why is my CenterPoint bill higher this month?
TOP SENATE REPUBLICANS appear to be closing ranks around former President Trump, who has tightened his grip on the party ahead of a likely rematch with President Biden in November.

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnells (Ky.) team is reportedly in talks to endorse Trump as he closes in on the Republican nomination. Only a handful of states have voted so far in the GOP primary, but Trump has dominated throughout and holds large leads in states that have yet to vote.

Two sources also told The Hill that McConnell is inching toward an endorsement, amid discussions among his and Trumps top aides.

Meanwhile, Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Republican in the chamber, is throwing his support behind Trump after the former president notched his fourth consecutive early-state win on Saturday, a source told The Hill.

Trump won South Carolinas GOP primary, defeating his last remaining rival Nikki Haley in her home state by 20 points. Still, Haley is pushing ahead to Michigan, which votes Tuesday, and Super Tuesday, on March 5.

The moves come despite Trumps relentless attacks on McConnell after leaving office. McConnells wife, Elaine Chao, was Trumps transportation secretary but resigned after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

Trump then disparaged her on social media and alleged that McConnell had a death wish for brokering bipartisan agreements with Democrats.

The newfound support comes after several other GOP senators announced they would back Trump after the New Hampshire primary late last month.
The war in Ukraine has completely destroyed nearly 400 educational institutions. Every seventh school sustained damage.

Source: Yevhen Kudriavets, Ukraines Deputy Minister of Education, at Ukraine. Year 2024 forum, as reported by Ukrinform news agency

Quote: "Every seventh school in Ukraine is currently damaged as a result of the full-scale invasion. Over 3,500 educational institutions have suffered some kind of destruction, and nearly 400 have been completely destroyed," Kudriavets noted.

According to him, the World Bank estimates the cost of restoring Ukraine's educational infrastructure at nearly US$14 billion.

At the same time, some damaged institutions cannot be repaired.

According to Kudriavets, destroying educational infrastructure violates children's and young people's right to an education. This has an impact on educational quality, socialisation, and societal integration.

"Almost a million children are enrolled in online education where they are unable to communicate with their friends or teachers in person.

Another million have access to mixed-study format. This means that they cannot study offline constantly, but they occasionally have the opportunity to attend school," he added.

According to Ukraines Ministry of Education and Science, the number of damaged and destroyed educational institutions was smaller in July 2023, with over 1000 and 300, respectively.

In Zaporizhzhia, underground schools will be open until 1 September so that children can receive mixed-format education the following school year. And the mayor of Kharkiv hopes that the city's first underground school will be operational in March.

In addition, Lviv teachers raised over UAH 1 million (approx. US$26,000) for Lyceum No. 55 in Mykolaiv. It will be the only school in the area with an equipped bomb shelter and the option for offline learning.

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Hunter Biden (right) is a target for US Republicans who have sought to use him as a way to smear his father President Joe Biden (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS)

A former FBI informant charged with lying about US President Joe Biden and his son Hunter was denied bail by a judge Monday ahead of his trial.

Alexander Smirnov, 43, was first arrested two weeks ago and indicted for fabricating claims that Hunter Biden demanded multi-million-dollar bribes from Ukrainian firm Burisma -- on whose board he was serving at the time -- to protect it from an investigation when his father was US vice president.

He was released on bail at the time, but re-arrested last week on the same warrant, with his lawyers demanding his immediate release.

But at a hearing in Los Angeles on Monday, US District Judge Otis Wright said he was concerned Smirnov -- a dual US and Israeli national -- could jump bail.

"I am not satisfied that there are conditions... to ensure that you will not flee the jurisdiction," he said.

Federal prosecutors argued that Smirnov had a record of dishonesty and could not be trusted to return to court if allowed to go free.

The defendant has extensive contacts in Russia and elsewhere, they argued, and has "access to over $6 million in liquid funds -- more than enough money for him to live comfortably overseas for the rest of his life," court papers showed.

"He cannot be trusted," Assistant US Attorney Leo Wise told the court.

The grand jury indictment against Smirnov that was unsealed this month appears to undermine the impeachment effort against Joe Biden being put together by congressional Republicans, who had touted Smirnov's evidence as proof the Bidens were collectively involved in a criminal enterprise.

The claim that Hunter Biden leveraged his father's name for personal gain has been central to a Republican narrative, pushed heavily by ex-president Donald Trump, that Joe Biden is corrupt.

The indictment said that for at least a decade Smirnov was acting as a "confidential human source" for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, providing his handler with information to be used in criminal investigations, and that some of what he passed on was false.

A subsequent filing claimed that Russia's intelligence services were the root of the false information Smirnov had given to his FBI handler about the Bidens.

It also said that the efforts were not only historical, but continued and were an apparent effort to sway the 2024 presidential election.

"During his custodial interview on February 14, Smirnov admitted that officials associated with Russian intelligence were involved in passing a story about (Hunter Biden)," prosecutors said last week.

Smirnov faces one charge of making a false statement, and one of creating a false and fictitious record, in his dealings with an FBI investigation.

hg/bfm
A former FBI informant pleaded not guilty on Monday to lying to federal agents about President Biden and his son Hunter's dealings with the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, and a judge in Los Angeles ordered the informant to remain behind bars.

From the outset of the hearing, U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II said he was concerned that Alexander Smirnov might escape the country while awaiting trial on charges of obstructing justice and lying to the FBI.

Lawyers for Smirnov pressed for his release and even offered to hire private security and rent a home in L.A., part of a broader proposal aiming to address concerns that he could flee. Smirnov, 43, responded to questions from Wright and entered his plea but otherwise sat quietly, wearing a tan jumpsuit and thick black glasses, his head closely shaved.

"I have not changed my mind," Wright said near the end of the 40-minute hearing. "The man will be remanded pending trial."

The decision by Wright marked the latest development in a case that has reverberated to the White House and torpedoed much of the effort by Republican lawmakers in Congress to impeach Biden on the very claims that prosecutors now say were fabrications.

Smirnov was charged Feb. 14 with falsely telling his longtime FBI handler that in 2015 or 2016, an executive at Burisma had arranged for payments of $5 million each to Biden and his son during the elder Biden's tenure as vice president, according to the indictment. Republican leaders made Smirnov's accusations public in the summer by releasing internal FBI records, spurring weeks of attacks on the Biden family.

Federal agents arrested Smirnov on Feb. 15 at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas as he was returning from overseas. He had planned to embark on a months-long international tour and meet with intelligence contacts before the criminal charges thwarted him, prosecutors said.

In their push to keep Smirnov behind bars, prosecutors have pointed to his ties to Russian and other foreign intelligence agencies, as well as his murky wealth  including access to more than $6 million  and shadowy existence. During the hearing Monday, prosecutors revealed that Smirnov also had worked with the U.S. Department of Defense and said that Smirnov's banking records contradict his and his lawyer's claims that he works in the security and finance industries.

Read more: The informant next door: A quiet L.A. life masked Kremlin ties for FBI source accused of lying about Bidens

Further, prosecutors have portrayed Smirnov as a vessel for a Russian disinformation campaign.

"The defendant's lies in this case have captured the national imagination," Assistant U.S. Atty. Leo Wise said at an earlier hearing. On Monday, Wise detailed that Smirnov in September had peddled a new lie, claiming that Hunter Biden was recorded talking to his father while staying at a hotel in Kyiv, Ukraine. Prosecutors said Hunter Biden has never set foot in Ukraine.

"Thus, Smirnovs efforts to spread misinformation about a candidate of one of the two major parties in the United States continues," prosecutors wrote in court papers.

But Smirnovs defense team, headed by veteran Las Vegas attorney David Z. Chesnoff, portrayed their client as a valuable government asset who was hung out to dry  and had his covert work exposed for the world to see. Chesnoff proposed a variety of conditions for Smirnov to be released, including house arrest; the appointment of a third party over his bank accounts; and a guarantee from the Israeli Consulate in L.A. that it would not reissue another passport to Smirnov, who is a dual U.S. and Israeli citizen.

The attorney also proposed round-the-clock security (paid by Smirnov) and pointed to his client's relatives in the courtroom who would ensure he would not flee, including longtime girlfriend Diana Lavrenyuk, who sat alongside her adult son Nikolay, and Smirnov's cousin, Linor Shefer.

"We so badly want him to be out so that we can fight this case," Chesnoff said. "So that he gets a fair trial, he has to be able to help us."

Smirnov was briefly released from custody last week after a federal magistrate judge in Las Vegas found that although he posed a flight risk, the court could impose sufficient conditions to ensure he would not flee.

"I understand the concern about foreign intelligence agencies potentially resettling Mr. Smirnov outside of the United States," said the magistrate judge in Las Vegas, Daniel Albregts, "but I think on some level that's speculative as well because ... I don't know what Mr. Smirnov will be thought of in Russia, but my guess is at this stage he probably thinks that's not the most attractive place to go either if he was in fact inclined to go hide somewhere."

After being released, Smirnov was rearrested Thursday while at his lawyer's office, under a new warrant from Wright. In a court order last week, Wright had suggested that defense attorneys wanted him free likely to facilitate his absconding from the United States.

Defense attorneys vehemently disputed that they were assisting their client to evade prosecution. Chesnoff filed an emergency petition last week with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, arguing that Wright had no authority to order Smirnovs rearrest and transfer to L.A. The defense team also sought to have the case reassigned to another judge, accusing Wright of biased and prejudicial statements.

Late Sunday, the 9th Circuit denied Smirnovs petition.

After the hearing Monday, Chesnoff told reporters outside the courthouse that he planned to return to the 9th Circuit and press for his client's release.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, who was charged with providing false claims about Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign to the bureau, was ordered detained until trial at a hearing in Los Angeles on Monday.

U.S. District Judge Otis Wright, a federal judge in California, last week ordered the re-arrest of Smirnov, 43, after federal prosecutors told the judge that Smirnov was likely planning to leave the United States. The order came after Smirnov was arrested by federal authorities at the airport in Las Vegas this month upon his arrival on an international flight. A federal magistrate judge in Nevada last week ordered Smirnov to be released with a GPS monitor, prompting the judge in California, where the case against Smirnov was brought, to issue the order.

It has come to this Courts attention that counsel for defendant has sought an emergency hearing in the District of Nevada to arrange the release of Defendant Smirnov, likely to facilitate his absconding from the United States, Wright wrote in an order unsealed Friday. The judge wrote, bolding his order for emphasis, that he issued an arrest warrant specifying that upon his arrest Defendant should be brought promptly to this Court for a hearing in his Los Angeles courtroom Monday.

At the hearing, Otis ordered that Smirnov be held until trial.

Prosecutors said in a filing last week that Smirnov, who had worked as a confidential source for the FBI since 2010, said that some information he shared about the Bidens came from officials associated with Russian intelligence. They added that Smirnov is actively peddling new lies that could impact U.S. elections after meeting with Russian intelligence officials in November.

Prosecutors with special counsel David Weiss office said Smirnov provided false derogatory information to the FBI about the Bidens, including bogus claims that officials at the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, where Hunter Biden had worked, had paid them $5 million each and it would take 10 years for investigators to locate the alleged payments.

politics legal situation (Mariam Zuhaib / AP file)

House Republicans made Smirnovs allegations against the Bidens a central part of their impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden. Although GOP leaders had repeatedly pointed to Smirnov's unsubstantiated claims, since his indictment they have been downplaying the importance of his false allegations to their probe.

Weiss' office did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment on Monday's hearing.

Smirnov's lawyers, David Z. Chesnoff and Richard A. Schonfeld, declined to comment to NBC News about the hearing. They previously said they are advocating for Mr. Smirnovs release in both the federal [district] court and in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
LOS ANGELES  Alexander Smirnov, the former FBI informant who is charged with lying to the FBI about the Biden family, will remain in jail until his trial, a federal judge ruled Monday.

U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II hastily called the Monday hearing after Smirnov was rearrested last week following his release by a Las Vegas magistrate judge. Wright said the dual American and Israeli citizen has a concerning habit of making false statements and could be a flight risk if released on bail.

Smirnov, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, was shackled in a prison jumpsuit for the court appearance and was accompanied by four lawyers. He wore glasses, and his lawyers said he suffers from an eye condition that requires significant medical care and surgery. His attorneys said the condition was a reason for him to remain out of jail. They noted that he is being held in isolation because of the high-profile nature of his case.

Federal prosecutors indicted Smirnov on Feb. 14 for falsely telling the FBI that executives for a Ukrainian energy company had paid bribes to President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. The bribery claim became a central part of House Republicans impeachment inquiry of the president.



The charges against Smirnov were brought by special counsel David Weiss, who has led a long-running investigation of Hunter Biden and has charged the presidents son with gun and tax crimes.

Prosecutors warned that Smirnovs self-described ties to Russian intelligence put him at high risk of fleeing if he were not kept in jail while awaiting trial. His lawyers said FBI and Defense Department officials urged him to make contacts with foreign government officials in his role as a government informant  and that the existence of those relationships shouldnt justify his detention.

But Wright was unconvinced, questioning whether all Smirnovs foreign ties resulted from his government work. His defense lawyers conceded that they did not.

Defense lawyers noted that Smirnov was arrested for the second time last week while meeting with them at their office  an indication that he was preparing for trial, not trying to flee. But prosecutors said they chose to arrest him there because he has nine guns at his home, including an assault weapon.



Smirnovs indictment stunned Washington. He had no public profile before being charged with lying to the FBI. But his relationship with the bureau as an anonymous source drew national attention last year when congressional Republicans  led by Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa  obtained and released notes that his FBI handler wrote about a conversation they had.

According to the FBI notes, Smirnov told his handler in 2020 that a Ukrainian energy mogul told him in 2016 or 2017 that the mogul had paid bribes to Joe and Hunter Biden. When the FBI notes became public in 2023, Republicans and conservative media figures cited them as evidence of Biden family corruption  and as a reason to start an impeachment inquiry. They also accused the Justice Department of ignoring the potentially damning allegation.

But now, the Justice Department is accusing Smirnov of lying to the FBI when he made that allegation. Smirnovs lawyers have said he could face three years in prison if convicted.

Nieves reported from Los Angeles. Swan reported from Washington.
A former Sea Cadet volunteer who sexually abused children has been jailed for 22 years.

Phillip Grove was found guilty of 15 charges linked to sexual assaults in the 1990s - including rapes - while living in Somerset.

In December a jury convicted Grove of two counts of rape, 10 counts of indecency with a child and three counts of indecent assault.

Grove, 70, was jailed at Taunton Crown Court on Friday, 23 February.

A trial at North Somerset Courthouse heard how Grove, from Sheffield, raped one of the victims, sexually assaulted another and was indecent in front of two other victims in the 1990s while in the volunteer position of chief petty officer at a Sea Cadet group.

'Sick, sick man'

In a statement read out in court, one of the victims said they had lived in "constant shame" for 30 years.

They said: "The whole of my adult life has been overcast in shadow, which I have never been able to shake off A part of me, who I am, was taken away from me by Phillip Grove.

"My days are plagued by the memories of what happened and the nights I manage to get sleep, I am haunted by nightmares of both the incidents and Phillip himself."

Avon and Somerset Police said that in September 2020, one of the victims reported what had happened to her and the other children to police and an investigation into Grove was launched.

In a letter to the judge, another victim said she felt "worthless" and described Grove as a "sick, sick man".

The incidents Grove was convicted of happened over a span of six years, police said.

'Dishonest and callous'

Grove was arrested in March 2021 and on Friday, 8 December last year, was unanimously found guilty for 15 of the 16 charges against him.

Presiding Judge Cullum referred to Grove as a "dangerous" paedophile.

Judge Cullum said: "You are a self-centred, dishonest and callous individual who has shown no remorse."

Investigating officer Det Con Becky Norton said: "All four victims have been incredibly brave throughout the process and have exhibited exceptional courage.

"Without them, we would not have been able to put an incredibly dangerous man in prison and seek the justice they so rightly deserve."

'Exceptional courage'

Det Con Norton added the Sea Cadets were "very supportive" of the investigation and had conducted an internal investigation to help gather information for the police.

Grove was jailed for 22 years, one year of which will be spent on extended licence.

The judge also granted a life-long Sexual Harm Prevention Order and instructed Grove to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

He was also barred from working with children.

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Explainer-How Super Tuesday could be Haley's last chance to stop Trump

By Costas Pitas

(Reuters) - Super Tuesday could be former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley's last chance to stop former U.S. President Donald Trump's drive to clinch the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Fifteen states hold the party's nominating contests on March 5, the biggest day of primaries, when more than a third of delegates will be assigned to July's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

President Joe Biden is a shoo-in for the Democratic nomination when party loyalists vote for delegates to August's Democratic National Convention in Chicago, with only two long-shot challengers remaining.

Here are the key details about Super Tuesday:

WHAT IS SUPER TUESDAY AND WHEN IS IT?

Super Tuesday describes the day in the U.S. presidential primary cycle when the most states vote. It takes place on March 5 this year.

In the Republican contest, 865 of 2,429 delegates will be up for grabs, including from the two most populous states, California and Texas. At least 1,215 delegates are needed to win the nomination at the Republican National Convention in July.

Contest-by-contest, the Republican delegate counts for the Super Tuesday votes are: Alabama (50), Alaska (29), Arkansas (40), California (169), Colorado (37), Maine (20), Massachusetts (40), Minnesota (39), North Carolina (74), Oklahoma (43), Tennessee (58), Texas (161), Utah (40), Vermont (17) and Virginia (48).

About a third of Democratic delegates will also be decided on March 5, with nominating contests held in 14 of those 15 states, plus American Samoa. In Alaska, Democrats vote on April 6.

March 5 is also the final day for Democrats in Iowa to mail in their ballots in that state's caucuses and when results will be announced.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

With so many states and a territory voting across different time zones, it could take a while for the full results to be clear.

In California, vote-by-mail ballots are valid as long as they are postmarked on or prior to primary election day and received by March 12.

In addition, some states hold "open primaries" that allow registered voters to choose whether to cast their ballots in the Democratic or Republican primary, adding a possible layer of unpredictability.

WHO IS LEADING IN THE POLLS?

Haley has no clear path to beating Trump. This could be her last chance to at least slow the former president's path to the nomination.

Opinion polls show Trump to be an overwhelming favorite in California and Texas, as well as in states such as Alabama, Maine and Minnesota. His campaign projects that he will win at least 773 delegates on Super Tuesday and clinch the nomination a week or two later.

Trump has scored big wins in nearly all of the Republican nominating contests so far, including in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina, Michigan, Idaho and Missouri. However, Haley triumphed in Washington, D.C., delivering a small symbolic boost for her campaign.

Trump has repeatedly urged Haley to drop out to set up a rematch of the 2020 election against Biden that polls show many Americans don't want.

Haley, a former South Carolina governor who served as U.N. ambassador under Trump, has vowed to stay in the race. She crisscrossed the country with an aggressive travel schedule leading up to Super Tuesday, and her campaign has rolled out a leadership team in Georgia, where voters go to the polls on March 12, a week after Super Tuesday.

She said after her defeat in South Carolina on Feb. 24 that voters "have the right to a real choice, not a Soviet-style election with only one candidate.

"I have a duty to give them that choice."

The Super Tuesday results in North Carolina will be closely watched for signs of each candidate's strength in one of the potential battleground states that could decide the November general election. Trump won the state in 2020 by just over a single percentage point.

North Carolina will award 74 delegates on Super Tuesday. The state allows voters who are unaffiliated with a party to participate in any primary they choose, which could boost Haley's performance given her relative strength with independent voters compared to Trump.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas, additional reporting by James Oliphant; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Alistair Bell and Rosalba O'Brien)
A safari operator in South Africa recently spotted a pink elephant calf playing in a waterhole  and no, he wasnt watching Disneys Dumbo.

The extremely rare African elephant was bathing in the mighty Olifants river in Kruger National Park, Theo Potgieter, a guide and safari operator, said in a Feb. 13 Facebook post.

Photos show the pink-skinned, light-eyed elephant playing with a gray elephant.

The elephant calf is likely around a year old, and has albinism, Potgieter told Live Science. Albinism is a genetic mutation that stops the production of melanin, which creates pigment in the eyes, hair and skin.

These little gems are very vulnerable to the harsh & bright African sun. This little guy however have a whole family to take care of him, as they do with all their young, Potgieter said in his post. What an absolute (privilege) to have witnessed this family recently.

Albinism impacts eye sight, too, according to Hoedspruit Elephant Rehabilitation and Development Trust (HERD), which cares for another albino elephant at another game reserve in South Africa.

The pigment in eyes contributes to the function of many parts of the eyes, and therefore the lack of pigment in the eyes of albinos causes their eyes to develop abnormally, HERD said in a blog post. There is a lack of research on how exactly albinism affects eye development, and there is evidence that the degree of abnormal development differs between species. It is likely that most albinos struggle to focus and to perceive depth.

Potgieter told Live Science only about 1 in 10,000 elephants are born with albinism, but he said he has previously seen another albino elephant calf at the park.

In both recent sightings of two different individuals, the rest of the herd seemed to be very protective and patient with the presence of these young individuals, Potgieter told the news outlet. It is always a privilege to be able to witness these extremely rare and special animals.

Social media users shared their awe at Potgieters encounter.

How fantastic, one person wrote.

Happy valentines day to the animal kingdom, another commenter said.

Wowwww amazing sighting, a third person commented.

Kruger National Park is in northeastern South Africa, near the Mozambique border.

Boaters spot incredibly rare all-white sea creature  possibly first in world. See it

Mystic sea creature  with snow-white body  spotted with her baby. See them swim

Rare creature leaves photographer speechless as it swims near Australian reef. See it
A new report commissioned by the Federal Aviation Administration identified a long list of issues surrounding Boeings approach to safety.

According to the panel of experts that weighed in on the report, there is a disconnect between Boeings senior management and other members of the organization on safety culture.

It also went on to state that despite improvements to systems that allow employees to internally report issues, there are still opportunities for retaliation to occur, particularly with regards to salary and furlough ranking.

KIRO 7 spoke to one former Boeing employee last week, who echoed that sentiment, claiming he had been targeted by the company after raising concerns that seats in 737s were not being bolted down correctly.

The FAA report released this week laid out a series of over 50 recommendations for Boeing to enact, while pushing for the company to develop an action plan ... that comprehensively addresses each recommendation.

In a statement on the report, Boeing said that they will carefully review the panels assessment and learn from their findings, as we continue our comprehensive efforts to improve our safety and quality programs.

Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell issued a statement on the report as well, saying the following:

Congress commissioned the Expert Panels report as part of the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act to hold Boeing accountable for improving the safety culture of its Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) unit. The report makes clear that Boeings safety culture and SMS need to improve, and FAA should hold them accountable in doing so. The FAA and manufacturers should listen to both Machinists and SPEEA who are asking for a stronger safety culture to improve certification and production quality.
An ongoing national blood shortage could delay critical medical procedures, Dr. Nick Bandarenko, Duke Healths medical director of transfusion services, told ABC11 last month.

Surgery, transplant or accident in a car. Suddenly theres a need for blood, said Dr. Bandarenko. The Red Cross is one of the major suppliers in our region. Theyve asked us to exercise conservation measures to make sure those who truly need blood will have it available.

But despite the critical need for blood donors, theres been some debate online about whether those who have received a COVID vaccine are eligible to donate.

The American Red Cross is now asking blood donors if they ever received the Covid vaccine, an X user posted last week. If you answer Yes, they want you to call ahead to see if youre still eligible. I thought the vax was safe and effective? What info are they hiding from us?

Similar rumors have been spread on Facebook and TikTok, Snopes reported  but the claims concerning ineligibility are false.

If you have received a COVID vaccine, you are eligible to give blood  but in rare cases you may have to wait before donating.

Do I have to wait to give blood after getting vaccinated?

In most cases, there is no wait time to donate blood for those who received the COVID vaccine, according to the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross says those who received vaccines from the following manufacturers and are symptom-free do not have to wait to give blood:

AstraZeneca

Janssen/Johnson & Johnson

Moderna

Novavax

Pfizer

However, if you got a vaccine from a manufacturer not listed above, or you dont know what type of vaccine you received, youll have to wait two weeks before donating blood, according to the Red Cross.

How do I know which type of vaccine I received?

If you were vaccinated, you should have received a card or printout indicating which COVID vaccine you got, the Red Cross says.

The Red Cross encourages donors to bring those cards with them to their appointments.

Am I eligible to donate blood in NC?

In North Carolina, you must be at least 16 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds to donate blood, according to UNC Medical Center. Donors under 18 must have a signed parental consent form to donate blood on the day of donation.

Donors should feel well and healthy on the day of donation and free of infectious diseases, including colds, UNC Medical Center says.

Additional eligibility criteria may apply to individuals with certain medical conditions, or who are on medication, according to the Red Cross.

NC Reality Check is an N&O series holding those in power accountable and shining a light on public issues that affect the Triangle or North Carolina. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email realitycheck@newsobserver.com
Claim:

In 1712, Sweden added an extra leap day, Feb. 30, to its calendar, for that year and that year alone.

Rating:

Rating: True

Every fourth year on the Gregorian calendar is a "leap year"  one in which an extra day (called a "leap day") is added to make a year 366 days long instead of 365. Why? Because the earth actually revolves around the sun slightly more than the 365 times a year allowed for on the calendar. Observing a leap day every four years is the "workaround," if you will, meant to keep the calendar in sync. That day is Feb. 29.

Therefore, there exist people, known as "leaplings," unlucky enough to have been born on a leap day, meaning they go through life having to celebrate their birthday either a day earlier or a day later  or not at all  during non-leap years, because leap days don't exist in between leap years.

Imagine, then, the frustration of being born in Sweden on Feb. 30, 1712, a date that actually occurred, but only once in history. This is the story of how that anomaly came about.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar to correct discrepancies in the existing Julian calendar, which had been in use since the time of Julius Caesar. Historically, calendar reform  which is accomplished, basically, by adding or subtracting days, weeks or even months  was never easy or readily accepted by a populace long accustomed to regulating its religious, official and commercial affairs under another system. It took several hundred years for the Gregorian calendar to be universally adopted  kingdom by kingdom, nation by nation  and there were misadventures along the way.

Take Sweden. The Swedes didn't jump on the Gregorian bandwagon until 1700, and even then proceeded slowly and in a piecemeal, even haphazard, fashion. As Roscoe Lamont explained in Popular Astronomy:

The year 1700 was a leap year by the Julian calendar but not by the Gregorian, and therefore March 1, 1700, Julian, corresponded to March 12, 1700, Gregorian, the difference then amounting to eleven days. Sweden, however, decided to stay just ten days behind, the same as she had been for over a hundred years, and therefore made the year 1700 a common year. The years 1704 and 1708 were leap years, and in 1712, also a leap year, another day was added to February to compensate for the one omitted in 1700, thus giving 367 days to the year 1712, February having thirty days. The extra day was added in February so that Easter would be celebrated on the Sunday designated by the Julian calendar-rules, it having been found that in 1705, 1709 and 1711, Easter day as observed in Sweden fell one week before the day observed in England where the Julian calendar was [still] used, and this would have happened again in 1712 if another day had not been added.

What it boiled down to was that Sweden resynchronized itself with the old Julian calendar by adding an extra leap day, Feb. 30, to 1712. Easter Sunday was restored to its proper day. But imagine you were a Swede born on Feb. 30, 1712. When would you have celebrated your birthday? Or imagine you were Sven Hall and Ellna Jeppsdotter, who, according to The Wall Street Journal, got married in Ystad, Sweden, on Feb. 30, 1712, and were never able to celebrate their wedding anniversary on the actual date for the rest of their lives.

When the country finally did adopt the Gregorian calendar in full in 1753, 11 days had to be excised from the month of February, with the result that the calendar skipped directly from Feb. 17 to March 1 that year. Eleven days simply vanished into thin air.

More: Julius Caesar: He Came, He Saw, He Conquered the Calendar and Gave Us New Year's Day

Sources:

Lamont, Roscoe. "The Reform of the Julian Calendar." Popular Astronomy, vol. 28, pp.18-32. https://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1920PA.....28...18L. Accessed 9 Mar. 2023.

Calendar - The Gregorian Calendar | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/calendar/The-Gregorian-calendar. Accessed 9 Mar. 2023.

Emery, David. "Julius Caesar: He Came, He Saw, He Conquered the Calendar and Gave Us New Year's Day." Snopes, 1 Jan. 2022, https://www.snopes.com/articles/387886/julius-caesar-new-years-day/.

"Measuring the Days of Our Lives." The Wall Street Journal. 25 Nov. 2017, http://web.archive.org/web/20171125002618/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203960804577241612978783838.

Mikkelson, Barbara and Mikkelson, David. "'Leap Day' Proposal." Snopes, 18 Feb. 2004, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-privilege-of-ladies/.

Updates:

Feb. 27, 2024: A previous version of this article erroneously stated that the earth revolves around the sun slightly more than 365 times a year. In point of fact, the earth rotates on its own axis slightly more than 365 times a year.
Claim:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was high on cocaine during a February 2024 interview with NBC News.

Rating:

Rating: Unfounded

On Feb. 25, 2024, viral posts on X claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was high on cocaine during an interview with NBC News. During the interview, which aired that day, Zelenskyy discussed the need for more aid from the United States to support Ukraine in the war against Russia.

At specific moments, Zelenskyy could be seen glancing off camera and shifting around, which some users on X described as signs of his being "antsy," "unfocused" and "visibly coked out of his mind." Another post asked, "Is Ukraine aid going up Zelensky's nose?"

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy is so visibly coked out of his mind while getting asked about the losing war and Congress wants to send him another $60 billion.



  pic.twitter.com/yfQinklfWz   (@caldiax) February 26, 2024

No evidence was provided, nor did Snopes find corroborating evidence, that Zelenskyy was "high on cocaine." As such, we rate this claim as "Unfounded."

The clip is available on NBC News' YouTube channel. Thirty seconds into it, Zelenskyy can be seen walking into a room where he is interviewed. Around one minute into the clip, he can be seen with his hand on his face, finger on forehead, raising his eyebrows and nodding. He also appears to be trying to focus on something while responding in a halting manner.

There are many theories about Zelenskyy's mannerisms in that interview, but nothing in the way of proof of what actually contributed to his behavior. Ukraine is in the midst of a war, and there are likely a range of pressing issues on Zelenskyy's mind, so cocaine use is an unlikely reason for his behavior, and there is no real evidence to back it up.

We do know that his attention was also on the device in his ear that possibly aided with translations (he appeared to take it out whenever he was talking and then put it back in). Zelenskyy has used such a device in past interviews and news conferences before, as seen in this CBC News clip and on Getty Images. The president predominantly speaks Ukrainian in interviews, and while he grew up speaking Russian, he has almost stopped using it in public. He speaks in English only occasionally, as it is not his strongest language.

While responding to a question about the cost of having no more U.S. aid to Ukraine, he said, "We will lose a lot. We will lose territories. If you give us a strong package [...] our steps will be more strong on the battlefield."

This is not the first time rumors of cocaine use have spread about Zelenskyy. During the course of the Russia-Ukraine war began, we have fact-checked digitally edited footage that falsely showed cocaine on his desk during a video call with Elon Musk. In another fact check, we demonstrated that footage had been digitally altered to falsely show Zelenskyy "admitting" to using cocaine.

We have no publicly available information about drug use by Zelenskyy. As such, there is no way to prove or disprove this claim which has emerged from rumor-mongering on social media.

Sources:

Ibrahim, Nur. "Was Cocaine on Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Desk During Video Chat With Elon Musk?" Snopes, 4 May 2022, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/volodymyr-zelenskyy-cocaine-video/. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.

"Ukrainians Are Ushering the Russian Language out of Their Country at a Rapid Pace | CBC News." CBC, 26 Apr. 2023, https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ukrainian-langauge-growth-ukraine-russia-1.6822777. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.

"Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky Adjusts His Earpiece during a..." Getty Images, 11 Jan. 2024, https://www.gettyimages.in/detail/news-photo/ukraines-president-volodymyr-zelensky-adjusts-his-earpiece-news-photo/1918186833. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.

"Video Showing President Zelenskiy 'Admitting' to Using Cocaine Is Digitally Altered." Reuters, 27 Oct. 2022. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N31S1RD/. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.

"Zelenksyy Explains Why He Needs to Keep Checking His Phone." CBC News, Oct. 19, 2022. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oN9QhSHsLsU. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.

"Zelenskyy Discusses Need for Aid from Allies as Ukraine Marks 2 Years since Russian Invasion." NBC News, Feb. 25, 2024. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNNQNAAcIJc. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.


Family members of a murdered nursing student are honouring her memory as some Republican political leaders seek to tie her death to President Joe Bidens immigration policies.

Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at the Augusta University College of Nursing, was found dead on the University of Georgia campus 22 February after going for a jog. In the days since her death, her family has issued a statement honouring her memory.

We wish to thank the public for their prayers and thoughts during this tragic time, the familys statement read. Laken was an amazing daughter, sister, friend and overall person in general. Her love for the Lord was exemplified in every aspect of her life. She will be missed every day, but we promise to honor her life moving forward in a very big way.

Ms Rileys family has launched a GoFundMe in her memory.

During this most difficult time, we ask that you respect our privacy, and provide us the time and space necessary to grieve our daughters life that was tragically cut short, the statement continued.

Police have a suspect in custody: 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra. He has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping and other charges related to Ms Rileys death.

Laken Hope Riley was found dead on the University of Georgia campus (AP)

Mr Ibarra does not have an extensive criminal history, University of Georgia Police Chief Jeff Clark said on Friday, and there is no evidence he previously knew Ms Riley. Mr Ibarra, who is not a US citizen, migrated from Venezuela to the US in 2022. While crossing into El Paso, Texas, he was arrested by border patrol agents before entering the country with temporary permission.

He appeared in court on Saturday charged with felony murder and kidnapping and was ordered held without bond,.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, pictured, has been charged in connection with the death of Laken Riley (Clarke County Sheriffs Office)

Mr Ibarras brother was also charged on Friday with possessing a fraudulent green card, CNN reports.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, called on President Biden to take action on immigration after learning that Mr Ibarra migrated.

For more than two years, weve demanded action to secure our southern border and answers from the White House about whos coming into our country, Mr Kemp wrote on X. Weve yet to get an answer, weve yet to see action, and now a tragedy has happened. We need answers, and we need action, from Joe Biden and the White House NOW.

Mr Kemp has long advocated stricter immigration policies and opposed Mr Biden. Last year, the Republican pledged to help Texas Governor Greg Abbotts efforts to suppress US-Mexico border crossings, the Associated Press reported.

Mike Johnson, Speaker of the US House of Representatives and a staunch opponent of Mr Biden, also used the tragedy to speak about immigration policy.

The brutal murderer who took the life of Laken was one of the millions of illegal aliens that the Biden Administration simply released and unleashed upon our country, Mr Johnson, a Republican, wrote on X. For Laken, and the countless many others lost to this border catastrophe, House Republicans will continue to fight tooth and nail for a return to law and order.

It is a widespread myth that those who migrate to the US are more likely to commit crimes  a recent study from the Pew Research Center revealed 57 per cent of Americans believe the large number of migrants seeking to enter the country leads to more crime.

But there is no evidence to suggest people who migrate to the US, including those who are undocumented, commit more crimes than those born in America. In fact, between 2012 and 2018, undocumented migrants in Texas were less than half as likely to commit violent crimes than those born in the US, according to a widely cited, peer-reviewed study from 2020.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson has made stricter immigration policies the hallmark of his time as House Speaker.

Earlier this year, three US Senators unveiled a bipartisan agreement to restrict immigration and put in place additional border security resources in exchange for aid to Ukraine and Israel.

Then, US House Republican leadership  including House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik  put out a joint statement saying the bill was DEAD on arrival.

But what they produced for us right now really isnt a border security bill, Mr Johnson told reporters at the time. Its an immigration bill.
The family of the Virginia couple who went missing after their yacht was found abandoned and ransacked in the Caribbean is speaking out and thanking those who have helped in the search efforts.

"We want to reach out to the entire cruiser community to express our gratitude for everyone that worked to gather information from eyewitnesses and provide search and rescue support," Bryan Hendry and Nick Buro said in a statement released by the couple's sailing group  Salty Dawg Sailing Association (SDSA). "It means so much to us that so many people cared for Ralph and Kathy as friends and fellow cruisers that they are willing to stop and help in whatever way possible."

Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel were docked on Sunday in the St. George's area of Grenada, which they frequent annually in the winter months when authorities said three fugitives ambushed them and stole their yacht called "Simplicity."

Three escaped prisoners; Ron Mitchell, a 30-year-old sailor; Trevon Robertson, a 19-year-old unemployed man, and Abita Stanislaus, a 20-year-old farmer, were taken into custody on charges of violent robbery, with the eldest also being held on three counts of attempted rape, according to the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF).

VIRGINIA COUPLE FEARED DEAD AS ESCAPED PRISONERS HIJACK YACHT IN CARIBBEAN

The family thanked all the search and rescue crews for all their efforts to find Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel.

Police said all three prisoners are locals from Paradise in Grenada and had been locked up since December.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The RGPF said the three escaped prisoners were discovered near another Caribbean Island on Wednesday, but there was no sign of the couple.

"For the safety of the cruising community, we are asking all cruisers, and anyone that is not affiliated with the officials with presiding jurisdiction, to stand down. The only way we feel this situation could be worse would be if anyone was hurt or endangered trying to conduct searches," the family said.

Investigators said the boat was ransacked and that a violent act took place.

"The RGPF is currently working on leads that suggest that the two occupants of the yacht may have been killed in the process," police said in a Thursday Facebook post. "It is believed that the occupants of the yacht were American citizens."

BAHAMAS RESORT REFUTES AMERICAN CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS' SEX ATTACK WARNING

A Virginia couple who were enjoying their retirement cruising the Caribbean on their yacht are feared dead after three escaped prisoners hijacked their vessel - called "Simplicity."

Fox News' Christina Coleman sat down for an interview with Nick Buro and Bryan Hendry, the sons of Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry, to share their reaction to their parents' disappearance.

"I think the reaction was pretty similar to how most people would react. Shock, fear. Anger. Sadness all at once," Buro said.

Buro said what makes this all even worse is that his parents worked their whole lives to live out their dreams during their retirement on the boat.

"They traveled the world, on their boat up and down the East coast, everywhere. They've been doing it for many years. They've been doing for 12 years. And they sold all their possessions to live out their retirement years on, on this boat. It was their home. It was their livelihood. It was their possessions. It was everything that they had in the world, and it was taken from them," Buro said.

Buro described his parents as adventure seekers and that they always led with their heart.

HUSBAND OF FLORIDA WOMAN MISSING IN SPAIN DENIES INVOLVEMENT, CLAIMS 'NASTY' DIVORCE

"We've been reached out to by hundreds of their friends, in the community, in the sailing community and in their lives before they started living on the boat. They are extremely highly regarded in business circles. They were extremely competent in their jobs, they were extremely giving and caring. They were philanthropic. And they really enjoyed learning about different subjects and sharing that with people that they loved and cared for," Bryan Hendryl said.

A GoFundMe post by Jessica Mause, who said she is a close friend of one of the couples sons, wrote that they were dead.

"It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we share the devastating news of the senseless act of violence that tragically claimed the lives of husband and wife, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel. Kathy and Ralph were seasoned sailors who lived on their beloved catamaran, Simplicity. Their lives ended in unimaginable tragedy on Sunday, February 19th, off the shores of Grand Anse Beach, Grenada," Mause wrote.

However, Buro said that despite conflicting stories from different outlets, he is still holding out hope that his parents are still alive.

"We would love to believe that they are still alive and out there and can be found and brought back to us safely. It's obvious from. What evidence has been found of the boat that that is a concern that that may not happen, but we, of course, are holding hope that they are still alive and can be found," Buro said.

KENTUCKY MOMS SURVIVE BAHAMAS DRUGGING, SEXUAL ASSAULTS AFTER CRUISE STOPS AT RESORT: REPORT

Ron Mitchell, a 30-year-old sailor; Trevon Robertson, a 19-year-old unemployed man, and Abita Stanislaus, a 20-year-old farmer, were taken into custody in relation to the disappearance of Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel.

Bob Osborn, SDSA President, speaking for the whole Salty Dawg family, said, "This is a very upsetting event and details are still unconfirmed by the authorities, but this does appear to be a tragic event  our hopes and prayers are with Ralph and Kathy and the family who love them. I have spoken to the families and have offered our deepest condolences and our assistance in any way possible. In all my years of cruising the Caribbean, I have never heard of anything like this."

As of Sunday, the GoFundMe page as reached nearly $45,000 with Mause stating that the funds will be going towards recovering the vessel and belongings, covering funeral costs, and providing support to the grieving families as they deal with the tragedy.

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The Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) said the three prisoners were discovered near another Caribbean Island on Wednesday, but there was no sign of the couple.

The RGPF said in a statement released Friday that they were working on leads "that suggest" the two occupants of the yacht might have been killed.

"This investigation is in its infancy stage," police said.

Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this story.





Original article source: Family of Virginia couple missing in the Caribbean asks public to leave search to experts: 'Stand down'
Alyssa Farah Griffin, former White House communications director under President Trump, said Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haleys strong showing in South Carolina on Saturday should serve as a five-alarm fire to the GOP.

On Saturday, Trump won the South Carolina primary by about 20 points, leading Haley 59.8 percent to 39.5 percent, according to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ election results tracker.

In a panel discussion on CNN after the race was called, Farah Griffin said the Republican party should be concerned that Haley was able to get 40 percent of the GOP primary vote  when her opponent was running with all the benefits of an incumbent candidate.

Somebody whos running as virtually an incumbent  Donald Trump  getting 60 percent, and 40 percent being against him? Thats not a mandate, she said. Especially with the entire Republican party apparatus behind him, with most elected Republicans behind him.

Now, its unclear what a path could look like for Nikki Haley, Farah Griffin continued. I think were all very open-eyed about that. But she is underscoring the fundamental weakness of Donald Trump, and it should be a five-alarm fire for the party, but for some reason, it is not.

Haley has pledged to stay in the race, despite calls for her to drop out as her path to victory in the GOP primary remains narrow.

On Saturday, however, she reiterated her commitment to staying in the race and said she thought it was important for voters still to have a choice between candidates, not a Soviet-style election with only one candidate. And I have a duty to give them that choice.

Farah Griffin said Haley made the appropriate remarks after the primary concluded Saturday, saying, Shes powering through. She said what she had to say last night.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Alec Baldwin speaks on the phone in the parking lot outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in Santa Fe, N.M., after he was questioned about the accidental shooting on the set of the film "Rust." (Jim Weber / AP)

New Mexico prosecutors attempting to prove that Alec Baldwin was criminally negligent in the fatal shooting of the "Rust" movie cinematographer must grapple with a complicating piece of evidence: a damaged gun.

Baldwin has long maintained that he did not pull the trigger of his prop gun  a Colt .45 revolver  on Oct. 21, 2021, while rehearsing a scene on the movie set outside Santa Fe, N.M. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was standing a few feet away when Baldwin's gun discharged, firing a lead bullet that fatally struck her in the chest. The shot also injured film's director, Joel Souza, who recovered from his wound.

A month after the accident, Baldwin told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos: I didn't pull the trigger. ... I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them."

Persistent questions about the gun's condition at the time of the shooting have proved to be thorny for prosecutors. Baldwin's defense team has suggested the actor's prop gun was faulty and may have malfunctioned, leading to its discharge  a theory that is expected to be a centerpiece of the actor's defense. His lawyers have pointed to the weapon's failure during testing to support Baldwin's recollection of his role in the tragic shooting.

Last month, a Santa Fe County grand jury indicted Baldwin on involuntary manslaughter charges. If convicted, the 65-year-old actor could serve up to 18 months in prison. On Monday, New Mexico First Judicial District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer scheduled Baldwin's trial to begin with jury selection on July 9.

However, two ballistics experts have cast doubt on Baldwin's claims, including an FBI forensic examiner who testified Monday in the criminal trial of Hannah Gutierrez, the "Rust" armorer who loaded the actor's weapon that day. Gutierrez is facing involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering charges in connection with the "Rust" shooting. This week's testimony, in a Santa Fe County courtroom, comes as New Mexico special prosecutors look to fortify their felony cases against Gutierrez and Baldwin.

Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His trial is expected to last eight days.

Read more: 'I didn't pull the trigger,' Alec Baldwin says in new interview about 'Rust' shooting

On Monday, the third day of Gutierrez's trial, FBI forensic examiner Bryce Ziegler took the stand.

Ziegler testified that he was responsible for damaging the gun during testing at the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Va., nearly two years ago.

Read more: Alec Baldwin charged again with involuntary manslaughter in 'Rust' shooting

The FBI analyst said Monday that he performed a rigorous set of tests, including striking Baldwin's prop gun several times with a "rawhide mallet."

Ziegler said he used the rawhide mallet to strike the gun, while the hammer was pulled back, from several directions. The tests were intended to determine whether bumping or jostling the weapon would result in a discharge. He said he was trying to simulate scenarios for the gun to go off  without the handler pulling the trigger.

During that test, he broke several components of the gun. The fractured parts included the tip of the trigger, the sear and the hammer.

Ziegler said he was only able to get the gun to fire during two of the tests, including at the fully cocked hammer position. "Some of the internal components of the firearm actually broke to allow that hammer to fall and fire the primed cartridge case," Ziegler said.

Baldwin's attorneys, through a spokesperson, declined to comment on the testimony.

Ziegler testified that the gun damage occurred during his testing at the FBI Lab.

"It was functioning normally when I received it," Ziegler testified Monday. "As a result of the testing, it was damaged."

Ziegler was one of three FBI experts who testified during Gutierrez's trial on Monday. The proceedings were broadcast by Court TV.

Read more: Full coverage: The fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the Rust set

The "Rust" weapons and ammunition provider, Seth Kenney, testified during a deposition last year that the gun  an Italian-made pistol designed to look like a vintage 1873 single-action revolver  was fully functional when he sent it to the production. Kenney has said that he purchased the gun for "Rust."

But, for the prosecutors, the fractured gun parts have raised nettlesome questions about the integrity of the firearm. Special prosecutors separately hired an Arizona gun expert to review the broken pieces, among other evidence, and determine whether the gun was faulty during the "Rust" production.

That expert, Lucien C. Haag, studied the gun and rebuilt it with new parts. "The trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver," Haag wrote in his August 2023 report.

Read more: New firearms report casts doubt on Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' account

Baldwin maintains that it wasn't his job to inspect the revolver to make sure the bullets inside were inert "dummy" rounds. That position was affirmed by SAG-AFTRA, the performers union that includes Baldwin. When Baldwin was handed the gun, he was told that it was cold, meaning it had no ammunition.

However, the gun contained five so-called dummy rounds and one live bullet.

"Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun  or anywhere on the movie set," his attorney Nikas said previously. "He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win.

Read more: 'Sloppy' or 'a scapegoat'? Two portraits of 'Rust' armorer emerge at trial

Gutierrez, the armorer, told sheriff's investigators that she loaded the gun but thought all of the bullets inside were dummies. Special prosecutor Jason J. Lewis, in his opening statement, last week said the trial would feature "Rust" crew members who would testify that Gutierrez was "sloppy" and "unprofessional."

Gutierrez's attorney, Jason Bowles, disputed the characterization, saying the young armorer was being made "a scapegoat" by prosecutors and film producers looking to find blame for Hutchins' tragic death. The film set had other issues, including a walk-off by camera crew members.

What you are seeing in this courtroom today, is trying to blame it all on Hannah, the 24-year-old, Bowles said during his opening statement on Thursday. Why? Because shes an easy target. She was the least powerful person on that set.

Gutierrez has pleaded not guilty. Her trial is expected to last through March 6.





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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
It's been more than a dozen years since Rockford's Dr. Gautam Gupta was placed on the FBI's most-wanted list, and the doctor's exact whereabouts remain a mystery.

Authorities believe Gupta is currently residing in India.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General's website, Gupta is among 133 individuals wanted for health care fraud, abuse or child support obligations.

Gupta, 69, is a former Rockford-area weight loss doctor. Gupta disappeared in 2011 and is facing multiple counts of fraud involving his business, The Nutrition Clinic, which had locations in Rockford, South Beloit, Naperville, Arlington Heights, and Chicago.

According to the Inspector General's website, Gupta allegedly defrauded the federal government out of $9 million.

Gupta allegedly defrauded government and private insurers, as well as patients, out of a total of almost $25 million from unwarranted medical tests and false billings for doctor visits. The majority of the fraudulent claims were for those enrolled in Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, according to allegations.

"The alleged fraudulent claims include payment for testing that was not medically necessary, including extensive blood screenings, echocardiograms, thyroid ultrasounds, and nuclear stress tests," the United States Attorney's Office said in a release.

Authorities further allege that from 2003 through 2010, several patients were provided with controlled substances intended for weight loss and were given tests by unqualified staff, as directed by Gupta.

Dr. Gautam Gupta has been placed on the FBI's most-wanted list.

Related: Rockfords Dr. Gupta put on FBI most-wanted list

Business ventures

In addition to his business and a family that included a wife and two young daughters, Gupta left millions in Rockford-area real estate holdings behind.

When he fled in July 2011, property he owned included his North Mulford Road clinic, 519 E. State St., which housed the Irish Rose Saloon, 128 N. Church St., home of The Rock River Times newspaper, and several downtown commercial buildings that have since been sold and redeveloped. His 5,500-square foot home at 1660 N. Mulford Road was seized by the government.

One of the biggest assets Gupta acquired during his time in Rockford was 51% of longtime manufacturing company Roper Whitney, which has been operating at 2833 Huffman Blvd. since 1910. In 2004, Gupta used the company as collateral to secure $4 million in loans, cash authorities say he used for various ventures.

Because Gupta still owned $3.8 million on the Roper Whitney loans when he disappeared, a court allowed Fifth Third Bank to seize the company. Roper Whitney, which makes sheet metal fabricating tools and machinery, was then sold at auction to Tennsmith Inc., an automotive manufacturer based in McMinnville, Tennessee.

Gupta also owned rural property in Winnebago and Stephenson counties at the time of his disappearance, according to records.

Gupta's 2011 indictment was not his first brush with authorities. In 2009, the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission accused him of insider trading. The commission charged him with using illegal information to purchase $1 million in Georgia-Pacific stock, stock he sold for a profit of $690,000 when the company was acquired by Koch Industries. He was ordered to repay the profits and pay a civil penalty of more than $600,000.

In 1999, Gupta's controlled substance license was suspended by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for "failing to properly apprise several female patients of the procedures required in completing heart-lung examinations."

On the run

Authorities say Gupta could be living in India, his country of origin. The FBI reports that he also has ties to Los Angeles, London, England; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Canada; Estonia and Finland.

Extradition treaties with India, England, Canada, Estonia and Finland could see Gupta returned to the United States to face charges if he's captured in one of those countries.

Gupta is charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, seven counts of mail fraud and health care fraud. Each count of mail fraud carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Health care fraud is a felony with a maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Gupta faces up to five years for conspiracy to commit fraud.

Jim Hagerty writes about business, growth and development and other general news topics for the Rockford Register Star. Email him at jhagerty@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Former Rockford Dr. Gautam Gupta still on the run
Jose Antonio Ibarra, charged with the murder of nursing student Laken Riley, was booked into the Clarke County jail on Feb. 23, 2024.

It was recently confirmed that the murder suspect in the slaying of Athens nursing student Laken Hope Riley and the suspects brother entered the United States illegally, according to statements from federal and local officials.

The illegal immigration status of the men resulted in swift condemnation from politicians, including Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, and was noted in a letter to the parents of students from University of Georgia President Jere Morehead and others.

Murder suspect Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, entered the U.S. illegally from Venezuela in September 2022 via the Texas border and was released pending a review of his immigration case, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported Sunday, according to CBS news.

Ibarra is charged with numerous crimes, including murder, in the Feb. 22 slaying of Riley, who was killed while she went on a run at UGAs intramural fields off College Station Road. Riley did not know the suspect, according to UGA police, but both lived in separate apartment buildings on the Milledge Avenue side of the recreational area.

Riley was attacked on a trail in the woods behind Lake Herrick and died of what police described as blunt force trauma, through an autopsy had not confirmed the cause of death as of Monday. Riley was a former UGA student and current nursing student studying at the Athens campus of Augusta University's College of Nursing. She will be laid to rest Friday in her hometown of Woodstock, Georgia.

ICE reported that New York Police charged Ibarra in August 2023 with a vehicle license violation and acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17. He was released by the NYPD before ICE could file a detainer.

The suspect on Monday remained in the Clarke County jail without bond. Only a Superior Court judge can consider bond in Ibarras case. ICE officials in Atlanta also filed documents to detain him if he were released from criminal custody in Athens.

Ibarras brother, Diego Ibarra, 29, who like his brother resides in Athens, was charged on Friday with possessing a fraudulent green card, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Middle District of Georgia.

UGA police along with Athens-Clarke County police, Georgia State patrol and the GBI search the Cielo Azulyk apartment complex after executing a search warrant and arresting Jose Antonio Ibarra age 26 for the murder of Athens nursing student Laken Riley in Athens, Ga., on Friday, Feb. 23. 2024.

Diego Ibarra was arrested Friday by an Athens-Clarke police officer after he was detained because he matched the description of his brother, who was wanted in the homicide investigation, federal authorities said.

Originally, he was arrested on April 30, 2023, at the U.S. border near El Paso, Texas, but was released to New York due to his credible fear of return to Venezuela. What constituted his fears has not been released by ICE.

Federal agents have not said when Diego Ibarro moved to Athens, but the officials did say he was arrested in Athens on Sept. 25, 2023, on a DUI charge. Since then, he was arrested two more times, in October for shoplifting and in December for failing to appear in court.

Morehead released a statement over the weekend that Diego Ibarra had worked briefly in UGA Food Services as a temporary dishwasher at Bolton Dining Hall. However, he used a fake green card and was never paid, according to his statement.

He has been fired, the statement reads.

Diego Ibarra is in the county jail with a hold placed on him by ICE.

In the wake of the murder case, Gov. Kemp issued a statement demanding that President Joe Biden answer questions about the immigration status of the brothers.

Laken Rileys tragic death struck the hearts of Georgians everywhere and has rightfully sparked national outrage, Kemp said.

U.S. Congressman Mike Collins in a released statement laid the blame of the slaying not only with Biden and his Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, but also the government of Athens-Clarke County.

This man had no business being in America, much less the UGA community to brutally murder this young American while she was on a run, Collins said.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Immigrations officials eye suspect in student's death on UGA campus
People engaged in journalism frequently acquire information others wish would never see the light of day. This often means gathering tips in violation of workplace rules or through other people's carelessness. That can result in legal battles and, in the age of technology and cybercrime, in governments coming after the curious with tools crafted for malicious hackers. All this appears to be the case with Tim Burke, who has been targeted with a controversial law by the feds after gathering information through electronic means.

Scoop or Hack?

"Federal prosecutors in Florida have obtained a disturbing indictment against well-known journalist Tim Burke," the Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) warned last week. "The indictment could have significant implications for press freedom, not only by putting digital journalists at risk of prosecution but by allowing the government to permanently seize a journalist's computers."

Specifically, in the February 15 indictment, federal prosecutors say that Burke "intentionally intercepted, endeavored to intercept, and procured another person to intercept and to endeavor to intercept, the contents of a wire, oral, and electronic communication as it was occurring, by means of a device, namely a computer."

Burke's home was raided last year after he distributed intercepted video, including outtakes of the rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West) making antisemitic comments during an interview with Tucker Carlson while the host was still with Fox News. Burke has built a reputation with his very online presence and distinctive style. He has also rubbed some people the wrong way with his reporting and, perhaps, the means by which he acquires material. But the prosecutors going after Burke are also accused of resorting to questionable tactics, including invoking the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, an anti-hacking law.

Creative Interpretation of the Law

"The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act is a vague, ambiguous law, and the Supreme Court and the DOJ itself have cautioned prosecutors against testing its outer limits," notes FPF Advocacy Director Seth Stern. "Prosecutors should not be experimenting with the CFAA as a means of criminalizing journalists finding information online that embarrasses public figures."

In response to the indictment, the Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF) Andrew Crocker also questioned "whether the prosecution is consistent with the DOJ's much-vaunted policy for charging criminal violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA)."

Despite pressure for reform and restraint, Crocker added, "the law remains vague, too often allowing prosecutors and private parties to claim that individuals knew or should have known what they were doing was unauthorized, even when no technical barrier prevented them from accessing a server or website."

That's important, because Burke's lawyers argue in court documents that "no leaks or hacking occurred Mr. Burke learned of the Internet location (the URL) of the feed by using a 'demo' credential posted publicly online by the owner of the credential and not by any unauthorized person."

Added Burke's team, "the hosting website ('Website 1') automatically delivered to any user  including users of their free demo service  lists of the URL's of all live streams hosted on the service" and "access to these live streams was not restricted to users of the site."

Clicking your way through a poorly secured website doesn't satisfy most people's definition of hacking. It also doesn't satisfy the U.S. Supreme Court.

In Van Buren v. United States (2021), the court cautioned that the federal government's creeping expansion of the definition of unauthorized access "would attach criminal penalties to a breathtaking amount of commonplace computer activity." Using data that's been made available in unapproved ways might violate policies, the court observed, but that doesn't mean it's prosecutable under the CFAA.

We'll Do Better, Fibbed the Feds

Seemingly chastened, the Department of Justice implemented a policy pledging, in part, that it "will not charge defendants for accessing 'without authorization' under these paragraphs unless when, at the time of the defendant's conduct, the defendant was not authorized to access the protected computer under any circumstances by any person or entity with the authority to grant such authorization."

Additionally, after numerous abuses and complaints, in a 2021 news media policy announcement the Department of Justice promised, subject to some exceptions, it "will not use compulsory legal process for the purpose of obtaining information from or records of members of the news media acting within the scope of newsgathering."

That's why, in October, after the raid but before the indictment, FPF joined with EFF and numerous other press and civil liberties groups to "call for greater transparency from the Department of Justice, regarding the raid of journalist Tim Burke's home, and seizure of equipment and work product." The coalition's letter cautioned that because of the government's conduct "journalists around the country are left uncertain about whether they could be prosecuted for acts of routine journalism on the mistaken grounds that they violated state or federal computer crime laws."

The formal indictment appears to be the government's response to both Burke's legal filings and the coalition's letter. Nowhere does it recognize that Burke was engaged in journalism (which might invoke the news media policy), and it seems to imply that he had no right to publish the information he discovered unless he asked for explicit permission to use tidbits left lying around for anybody to find (a novel interpretation of authorized access).

Begging for Permission Isn't Journalism

"An investigative journalist's job is to find information that powerful people would prefer to be kept secret," points out FPF Deputy Director of Advocacy Caitlin Vogus. "It's a safe bet that if journalists need to ask permission to publish information that casts public figures in a negative light, the answer will often be 'no.' Journalists should be encouraged to use the internet to find newsworthy informationnot prosecuted for doing so."

The powers that be have long tried to treat the release of inconvenient information, or even the casual discovery of their own sloppy security practices, as the equivalent of espionage. The misuse of a law against hacking to target those who do journalism without prior authorization is an inevitable escalation in the war between people who publish secrets and those who seek to keep them.

The post Feds Target Journalist Tim Burke With Law Intended for Hackers appeared first on Reason.com.
HMP Moorland in Doncaster was avoiding labelling people as offenders in order to help them move on from their lives of crime - Danny Lawson/PA

A 20-year-old female prison officer has been suspended over a sexual relationship with a prisoner in a jail previously criticised for treating inmates as residents.

Prison officials have launched an investigation into the woman who is said to have engaged in heavy petting with a sex offender in HMP Moorland in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

A source claimed the pair had also exchanged mobile phone numbers, both of which are potential breaches of prison security.

The investigation is being overseen by the prison services counter-corruption unit, which has been set up to root out dangerous behaviour between prisoners and staff that can lead to blackmail to get staff to smuggle in illicit items.

Staff found guilty of inappropriate relationships with prisoners can be jailed for misconduct in public office.

Officer and inmate affairs rocket

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesman said: We take all allegations of wrongdoing extremely seriously but it would be inappropriate to comment further on a live investigation.

Last year, the number of prison officers caught having affairs with inmates was found to have hit a record high, with 36 warders sacked for them since 2019.

Prison insiders link the increase to work by the counter-corruption unit which has recruited 120 new staff as well as 20 police investigators dedicated to detecting, disrupting and investigating officers suspected of wrongdoing.

HMP Moorland faced criticism last year after putting up a sign directing residents or prisoners in the jail to facilities despite an instruction from the Justice Secretary that inmates must no longer be called such politically correct terms.

The language which has also seen offenders called clients or service users has been part of efforts by prison officials to avoid labelling people as offenders in order to help them move on from their lives of crime.

Guard had sex in cell

HMP Moorland was praised last year by Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, as a capable and well-led jail where staff-prisoner relationships were mostly open and positive.

But the inspection report found: It was clear from the evidence of many prisoners, however, that a minority of uniformed staff spoke disrespectfully and inappropriately to and about some prisoners.

And this was shown especially in the attitude of a few of the younger officers towards those convicted of sexual offences.

Officers of the opposite sex to inmates have been employed in prisons since 1982. While only four per cent of the prison population is female, almost 40 per cent of public sector prison staff are women.

Among the officers caught was one who had sex with a prisoner in his cell at Maidstone Prison and had his baby. She received a suspended jail term in 2022.

At HMP Berwyn in north Wales, meanwhile, 18 female staff were found to have had relationships with inmates since the prison opened in 2017.

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Fire department personnel extinguish a fire in a shelter for asylum seekers in the district of Donau-Ries. Marius Bulling/dpa

A fire in an asylum centre in the south of Germany, in which one person died and three were injured, has been extinguished.

The fire broke out on Sunday afternoon for reasons that were still unclear, police said.

The mayor of the town of Nordlingen in the state of Bavaria, where the centre is located, told BR radio that a child may have caused the fire.

A police spokesman said on Monday morning that this could neither be confirmed nor ruled out based on the current state of the investigation.

Around 130 people lived in the residence, police said on Monday. The accommodation was so badly damaged by the fire that it had to be demolished. The residents have been housed in a hall for the time being.
A firefighter accused of secretly filming a 14-year-old girl showering was also in possession of child porn of other young victims, Texas police said.

Kenneth Zink, who is listed in court records as a full-time firefighter for the Houston Fire Department, was charged Saturday, Feb. 24, with possession of child porn, police said.

Zink, 47, was caught by family members filming the 14-year-old girl as she was showering, according to court records.

When confronted by officers, he admitted to recording the girl and also showed he had child porn on his phone, police said.

Officers found additional videos of (the girl) in bathroom (and) other videos of children being sexually abused, authorities said.

One of the videos, according to court records, appeared to show a girl about 7 years old engaging in sexual intercourse with an adult male.

Zink has been employed with the Houston Fire Department for 21 years, records show. He has been placed on administrative status pending an investigation, according to KTRK.

The employees actions, if true, do not reflect the values of the Houston Fire Department, nor do they speak for the thousands of hardworking firefighters who do great things every day, the department said in a statement to KPRC.

As part of his bond conditions, Zink is not allowed to have contact with any children unless its permitted by the court. He has also been prohibited from accessing the internet, according to court records.

Man posted child porn menu on Snapchat, California cops say. More victims possible

Elementary school principal hid cameras, recorded students in bathroom, feds say

Cop lied about child porn to arrest Florida dad, barring him from seeing kids, suit says
The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office is investigating after a 911 call that appears to be a hoax triggered a lockdown at First Coast High School on Monday afternoon.

JSO Patrol Division Chief Jaime Eason said the 911 call came in at 1:46 p.m. The call came from a person who said they were in a bathroom at the school, in distress, armed, and was potentially going to cause harm, Eason said.

The school sent the following initial message to families:

Hello First Coast families this is Duval County Public Schools.

We want to let you know that police are investigating a report of a possible firearm on campus. Due to the nature of this report and the current investigation, the school is currently in a lockdown status. Again, the school is in a lockdown status. Because this is so close to dismissal, it is possible that dismissal will be delayed.

As we get additional information, we will keep you informed.

The first officer arrived at the school at 1:51 p.m., Eason said. There were already Duval County School Police on site, and JSO linked up with them to search inside each of the schools bathrooms.

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Eason said there was such a large police presence that responded to the school because we take these calls seriously.

Dismissal of students was delayed and parents were asked to not come to the school. DCPS said the school then sent this follow-up communication to parents:

Hello again First Coast families, Dismissal continues to be on hold as the police search the campus. The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office has requested that parents do not come to the campus at this time. We will call you back when the situation is clear, and it is possible to begin dismissal.

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After students, faculty, and staff were released from the school, officers did another search, and again, nothing was found, Eason said.

Eason said police are going to trace the phone number to figure out where the call came from and the person who made the call could face criminal charges.

Action News Jax spoke with Alexis Ford and Hannah Gaytes who graduated from First Coast High School and still have friends attending the school.

Weve seen lockdowns happen here before, cause Ive lived in this area for like ten years, nothing like this. Nothing. So, when we pulled up I knew it was more serious, said Gaytes.

Action News Jax told you in February 2023 when a false 911 call also triggered a widespread emergency personnel response to the school.

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Virtual Incisions Mira robot could be used on long-duration space missions after a successful test on the International Space Station (Virtual Incision)

A team of Earth-based doctors have performed the first ever remote-controlled surgery in space using a robot aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

The successful procedure, which saw surgeons slice through rubber bands as a stand-in for human tissue, could pave the way for a new era of space medicine that facilitates long-distance missions to Mars and beyond.

The spaceMIRA robot, built by engineers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the US, had a signal latency of between two-thirds to three-quarters of a second. This is far greater than similar remote-controlled surgical robots currently used on Earth, however short enough to perform a range of surgeries that would previously have been impossible without a specialist onboard.

Those surgeries will enable us to go on these longer-duration missions, further from Earth, said Nasa astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli. So its a real game-changer.

Virtual Incision, a private company created to develop the robot, said spaceMIRA is currently the only robotic surgery device that is small enough to be suitable for space missions.

Nasa has been researching and investing in the technology for decades in the hope of one day using it on deep space missions. A round-trip to Mars, which is one of the horizon goals of the US space agency, is anticipated to take around two years to complete.

Longer space missions increase the likelihood that crew members may need surgical procedures, whether simple stitches or an emergency appendectomy, Nasa wrote in a blog post detailing the mission.

Results from this investigation could support development of robotic systems to perform these procedures.

Beyond long-duration space missions, Virtual Incision said its robot could be used to perform surgeries in remote places on Earth, offering any operating room the option to have access to specialist surgeons.

As thrilling as it is to have our technology in space, we expect the impact of this research will be most notable on Earth, said the companys chief executive John Murphy.

The introduction of miniRAS has the potential to revolutionise healthcare by making every operating room robot ready.
Geneva (dpa)  The stage was set for a grand birthday gala yet the car show to mark the 100th anniversary of Geneva's annual horsepower parade failed to generate much advance interest.

After three cancellations and a guest appearance in far-off Qatar, the Geneva International Motor Show is finally back in Switzerland but the winds of change blowing through the industry have left their mark.

Big automotive names stayed away just as they have been avoiding the IAA in Munich and the Paris Salon.

Organizers struggled to fill the gaps with shows of historic vehicles and fancy seating areas but maybe they need not have bothered.

Geneva remains a significant show because the few remaining exhibitors are making a virtue out of necessity and are making a big splash. This allows them to bask in the attention that, for once, they don't have to share with industry giants such as Mercedes, Volkswagen, Stellantis or Japanese makers.

And the Palexpo exhibition centre is not completely devoid of premieres either. In fact five Geneva innovations are well worth a closer look.

Renault R5: Big comeback for the little car

It is perhaps the most important Renault innovation of the decade and has what it takes to bring electric mobility to the masses as a successor to the Zoe.

Renault is reviving the spunky little R5 from the 1970s and elevating it into an electric beacon of hope. The car gets launched in late summer at prices starting at around 25,000 and has the potential to redefine entry-level mobility.

There are two battery options with 40 or 52 kWh for a range of up to 400 kilometres and a top speed of 150 km/h. The styling is retro, with lots of nods to the past but the car also has a modern look and four doors all in a package standing at 2.5 metres. Modern families may want more space but it's great for nipping around to the next baguette shop for some crispy loaves.

MG3: Greetings from the old world

Most of the new cars in Geneva are electric and many of them come from China, home of MG, the most successful Chinese brand in parts of Europe. The heirs of one of motoring's most famous badges are bucking the trend and showing a new combustion engine.

The MG3, which, at 4.11 metres, will be in the same league as the VW Polo or Opel Corsa, is heading for Europe with a 1.5-litre petrol engine turning out 75 KW/102 PS. However, the four-door model also has a 100 kW/136 hp electric motor on board and a 1.83 kWh battery, which makes it a hybrid and reduces consumption to 4.4 litres (CO2 emissions 100 g/km). MG has yet to name a price, but speculation here is that it will be well under 25,000.

Lucid Gravity: a streamlined SUV

Lucid has made a name for itself with the Air luxury saloon. A good six months after its European debut, the American start-up is now following up with the Gravity, which is set to compete against models such as the Mercedes EQS, the Tesla Model X and the BMW iX.

This pretty thing with a streamlined face and slippery bodywork will arrive by the end of the year. Lucid is advertising it with up to 588 kW/800 hp, an expected range of 700 kilometres and enough charging power to provide enough fresh electrons for 300 kilometres within 15 minutes. There are no prices yet, but since the cheapest Air already costs 85,000, the price for the Gravity is likely to be six figures.

YangwangU8: The SUV that turns unto a boat

There is no mistaking the Chinese origins of this oddly-named car from BYD. The company has been shaking up the market with the Tang, the Dolphin and the Seal but now the Chinese are aiming higher. They offered a first glimpse of their flagship Yangwang U8 in Geneva.

Visually a cross between the bullish Land Rover Defender and boxy Mercedes G-Class, it comes equipped with a range extender for over 1,000 electric kilometres. The 882 kW/1200 hp off-roader is already being sold in China for the equivalent of 140,000. Social media users have been swooning at its amazing "emergency flotation" function that ensures the U8 can bob on on water for up to 30 minutes. That's right folks, this tank-like SUV can morph into a boat.

IMLS7 is a brazen Tesla copy

The latest new brand is on hand in Geneva and of course it comes from China. For all those for whom MG (Morris Garages) sounds too much like merry old England, the SAIC Group offers the moniker IM which stands for Intelligent Mobility. There is naturally lots of new technology in what some pundits have called the boldest Tela copy so far, including largely autonomous driving features.

The sensors are hidden in the humps above the windscreen of the individual models. The IM is due to be launched in Germany next year. On the shores of Lake Geneva, the Chinese are fielding the 425 kW/578 hp LM7 all-wheel-drive version, which is reminiscent of the VW ID7 and designed to travel around 500 kilometres on a 90 kWh battery.

Intelligent Mobility (IM) is the name of a new electric brand presenting the 578-hp L7 all-wheel-drive saloon in Geneva. Thomas Geiger/dpa

The second generation of the MG3 will be available as a hybrid model at German dealerships in the summer. Thomas Geiger/dpa

Electric mobility for the mass market: Renault is bringing back the R5 as the successor to the Zoe. Thomas Geiger/dpa

Lucid is presenting the Gravity to the European public for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show. Thomas Geiger/dpa
Floridas Division of Hotels and Restaurants routinely inspects restaurants, food trucks and other food service establishments for public health and cleanliness issues.

The reports are public information.

During the most recent inspections in Manatee County, restaurants were cited for issues including live and dead bugs on site and having food that was too old to serve.

Heres what inspectors found:

Antojitos Autenticos Mexicanos 4 Hermanos, 5108 15 St. E. #16, Bradenton  Inspected Feb. 20

High priority: Raw animal foods (chicken and beef) were not properly separated from each other in a reach-in cooler based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Corrective action was taken.

High priority: Ten raw shell eggs were cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse and the eggs were discarded.

High priority: Cooked rice was hot held at a temperature less than 135 degrees. Corrective action was taken.

Intermediate: The establishment had no written procedures for employees to follow in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event where the vomit or diarrhea is discharged onto surfaces in the establishment. Corrective action was taken.

Intermediate: No proof was provided that food employees were informed of their responsibility to report to the person in charge information about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses. Corrective action was taken.

Basic: Two violations, including an unauthorized increase in restaurant seating.

The restaurant met inspection standards.

La Belle Fourchette, 5108 15th St. E. #209, Bradenton  Inspected Feb. 20

High priority: Chlorine sanitizer was not at the proper minimum strength for manual warewashing. An inspector took a sanitizer reading of zero. Corrective action was taken.

High priority: Cooked pork was date-marked as more than a week old. A stop sale was issued due to food being in unsound condition and it was discarded.

High priority: Cut tomatoes and potato salad were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.

Basic: Two violations, including a box of salad dressing stored on the floor.

The restaurant met inspection standards.

Discovery Village at Sarasota Bay, 1408 69th Ave. W., Bradenton  Inspected Feb. 20

High priority: An employee cracked raw shell eggs, failed to wash hands during a glove change and then touched a serving plate. Corrective action was taken.

High priority: Raw animal foods (beef and seafood) were not properly separated from each other in a reach-in cooler based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Corrective action was taken.

High priority: Butter and pancake mix were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.

Intermediate: A slicer was soiled with dried food particles. Corrective action was taken.

Intermediate: No measuring device was at hand for measuring utensil surface temperature while hot water was being used as sanitizer in a dishmachine.

Intermediate: No paper towels were provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.

Intermediate: Required food safety training was expired for one employee.

Intermediate: Written procedures for non-continuous cooking of raw animal food (chicken) lacked provisions for identifying food cooked with non-continuous process.

Basic: Two violations: Hood filters were soiled with grease and no handwashing sign was posted at an employee handwash sink.

The business met inspection standards.

Hibachi Grill Supreme Buffet, 3616 First St., Bradenton  Inspected Feb. 20

High priority: Pork ribs that were being held for future use had not been cooled from 135 degrees to 41 degrees within six hours.

High priority: Garlic in oil was cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.





High priority: A can of peaches was dented at the seam. Corrective action was taken. The can was removed from service.

High priority: Raw shell eggs were stored over clean lettuce in a reach-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.

Intermediate: Required food safety training was expired for all employees.

Basic: Four violations, including an employee preparing food without a hair restraint.

A follow-up inspection was required.

Pattys Snack Bar, 6832 14 St. W., Bradenton  Inspected Feb. 20

High priority: Meat sauce and cooked pasta, beef chili and cheese sauce were date-marked as more than a week old. A stop sale was issued due to food being in unsound condition and the items were discarded.

High priority: The business was operating with an expired license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants.

A follow-up inspection was required.

RJ Gators of Bradenton, 6100 Cortez Road W., Bradenton  Inspected Feb. 20

High priority: An inspector observed 12 small live flying insects in the restaurant, including in a food storage area and in the bar area.

High priority: Sour cream and milk were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued and the items were discarded.

Intermediate: Soda dispensers were soiled with buildup.

Intermediate: Food was stored in an employee handwash sink.

Intermediate: Racks in a dry storage area were rusted.

Basic: An inspector observed four dead roaches, including in food storage areas. Corrective action was taken. A manager cleaned up the roaches.

Basic: Seven other violations, including floors that were not clean throughout the kitchen, dish area and dry storage area.

A follow-up inspection was required. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit on Feb. 22.

Takeria Alexander, 5323 15th St. E., Bradenton (Food truck)  Inspected Feb. 19

High priority: An employee washed hands with no soap in a non-handwashing sink.

High priority: Beef, ham, pork, chicken, cut tomatoes, cut lettuce, cooked beans and cheese were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees in reach-in coolers. Corrective action was taken.

High priority: The business was operating with an expired license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants.

Intermediate: No paper towels were provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.

Intermediate: No soap was provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.

Intermediate: There was no proof of required food safety training for any employees.

Intermediate: No proof was provided that food employees were informed of their responsibility to report to the person in charge information about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses. Corrective action was taken.

Basic: Six violations, including flour and cooking oil stored on the floor, hood filters soiled with grease and a cutting board that had cut marks and was no longer cleanable.

A follow-up inspection was required. During a follow-up visit the next day, an inspector found unresolved issues. Another follow-up inspection was required.

Taqueria Mi Rancho, 3603 15th St. E., Bradenton  Inspected Feb. 19

High priority: Pinto beans that were being held for future use had not been cooled from 135 degrees to 41 degrees within six hours. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse and the beans were discarded.

High priority: Raw shell eggs were stored over flour tortillas. Corrective action was taken.

High priority: Enchilada sauce was date-marked as more than a week old. A stop sale was issued due to food not being in sound condition, and the sauce was discarded.

Basic: Three violations, including single-service cups stored on the floor.

The restaurant met inspection standards.

Editors Note: According to the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, these reports are a snapshot of the conditions present at the time of the inspection and are public record. The agency is required to inspect every licensed restaurant at least once per year, but new and high-risk establishments tend to be inspected more frequently.

When an emergency shutdown order is given by an inspector, it must first be reviewed and approved by agency supervisors. In order for a business to reopen, an inspector will continue visiting the establishment daily until compliance is met. Some citations may include a financial penalty. Inspectors may also respond to complaints, which can be filed at www.myfloridalicense.com.

The Bradenton Heralds weekly dirty dining reports list restaurants where inspectors found issues that might concern the average diner  such as unsafe food temperatures, employee hand-washing issues or moldy drink machines  regardless of whether or not the businesses passed inspection.
TechCrunch

A top story for this week was Griffin Bank over in the U.K. The banking-as-a-service company managed to do something that even the regions most valuable fintech company, Revolut, hasnt been able to do yet  obtain a banking license. Granted, as Mike Butcher writes, banking licenses are difficult to come by (Griffins took a year), but Revolut has talked about securing a banking license for the past three years. Now that Griffin has a banking license, it offers a full-stack platform for fintech companies to offer banking, payments and wealth solutions via automated compliance and an integrated ledger.
New College of Florida, the school infamously overhauled by Gov. Ron DeSantis and his pals, was slapped with a rare sanction by a national faculty group Monday for egregious and extensive standards violations during its conservative takeover last year.

The decision to sanction came after a vote by the American Association of University Professors, which has placed just 12 other universities on its sanctioned list over the last three decades.

The nonprofit, which serves as a resource to professors and fights for their wellbeing, wrote in a report that its decision stemmed from New Colleges unprecedented politically motivated takeover that was a complete departure from shared governance.

That takeover was orchestrated by DeSantis who, while performing near-daily political stunts leading up to his failed presidential bid, had the tiny liberal arts school completely overhauled in a matter of months.

New College of Florida Dean Cracks Homophobic Jokes in Baffling Comedy Routine

DeSantis appointed six new members to the schools board of trustees in January 2023, which quickly got to work at his behest.

One of the new boards first points of order was to oust its president and hire a pal of DeSantis to replace him at double the positions previous annual salary. Soon after, the board eliminated gender studies as a major. DeSantis praised the moves as necessary to save the school from ruin, even though it regularly pumped out Fulbright scholars despite having an enrollment well below 1,000.

The association said Monday these changes were done entirely without meaningful faculty involvement and denied academic due process to multiple faculty members during their tenure applications and renewals.

A news release about the sanction lambasted the new leadership at New College, located in Southwest Florida, saying it may have damaged its reputation for the foreseeable future.

These actions have seriously impaired, if not irreparably damaged, the collective and individual functions of the New College faculty, the release said.

The association said it publicly sanctions schools for the purpose of informing Association members, the profession at large, and the public that unsatisfactory conditions of academic government exist at the institutions in question.

It also announced sanctions against Spartanburg Community College in South Carolina. However, the associations report on Spartanburg was far less substantial than its report for New College, which spanned 32 pages and included subheads about the universitys takeover, its assault on DEI, and its assault on LGBTQ rights.

LeRoy Pernell, a Florida A&M Law professor, told the association that the situation at New College has many Florida professors looking to take jobs outside the state.

What we are witnessing in Florida is an intellectual reign of terror, he said. There is a tremendous sense of dread right now, not just among faculty; its tangible among students and staff as well. People are intellectually and physically scared. We are being named an enemy of the state.

Even DeSantis Thinks Florida Book Removals Have Gone Too Far

In a statement to the Tampa Bay Times, a New College spokesperson said the American Association of University Professors lacks the authority to issue sanctions and called the announcement a headline grab.

Their persistent targeting of New College for any change they disagree with is clear evidence that New College is at the forefront of reforming higher education, the statement said.

Florida has been controversially overhauling education at all levels under DeSantis. Thats included the passage of the infamous Dont Say Gay bill in 2022, the banning of hundreds of booksincluding some about LGBTQ people and even Jackie Robinsonand a public battle with the College Board over the contents of its AP African American History class.

Among the most egregious policy changes has been the welcoming of PragerU content into Florida classrooms, as well as new U.S. history curriculum that is teaching Florida children that slavery brought personal benefit to Black people in the South.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Medical experts have reiterated that Covid-19 mRNA vaccines cannot change a person's DNA after Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo Tucker Carlson

"Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo said there is 'no doubt' that the mRNA Covid-19 vaccines could change people's DNA!" read a simplified Chinese post shared on January 21, 2024 on X.

The post included a clip from an interview that Ladapo did with Carlson, who posted a longer version of the interview on his X account here on January 16, and the complete interview on his website here (archived link).

Carlson can be seen asking Ladapo if it is "conceivably possible that mRNA vaccines change people's DNA", to which he replies: "It's absolutely possible. There is zero question about that."

The false video surfaced after Ladapo claimed in a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 6, 2023, that Covid-19 mRNA vaccines contain the simian virus 40 (SV40) -- a DNA virus that can cause tumours in animals -- which he said posed a "unique and heightened risk of DNA integration into host cells".

A screenshot of the false post on X.

Similar false claims were also shared on X here and here, and Facebook here and here.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis -- who has openly questioned the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines -- appointed Ladapo as the state's surgeon general on September 21, 2021 (archived link).

DeSantis has pushed to permanently ban introducing Covid-19 related mask and vaccine mandates in the state, while Ladapo called for a halt in the use of mRNA vaccines (archived links here and here).

But medical experts have told AFP that mRNA vaccines do not contain SV40 and the jabs cannot change a person's DNA.

Unfounded claim

Anna Wald, professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington, said in an email to AFP that the false claim was a "preposterous statement" as mRNA vaccines "cannot change people's DNA" (archived link).

"DNA integration means that a piece of foreign DNA is inserted into the genome, potentially changing the DNA," she said. "This issue is not relevant to the mRNA Covid vaccines, as they are RNA and not DNA vaccines."

Although polio vaccines used in the late 1950s and early 1960s were contaminated with SV40, it has not been present in any vaccine since 1963 (archived link).

Abram Wagner, an assistant professor of epidemiology and global public health at the University of Michigan, also told AFP that SV40 was not present in Covid-19 vaccines in an email on February 6 (archived link).

"The available scientific evidence strongly indicates that genetic material from the Covid-19 vaccines is quickly metabolised and excreted from the body, and does not incorporate into our DNA," he said.

"At this point, billions of individuals have received an mRNA vaccine. If there were a negative health impact relating to an altered genome, we would have heard about it sometime in the past four years."

Aubree Gordon, professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, also said the social media posts containing the interview with Ladapo were "false" (archived link).

"mRNA cannot enter the nucleus and is broken down quickly by the body," she explained to AFP in an email in February 2024. "Our cells use mRNA all the time, as it is how we make proteins. The Covid vaccine mRNA is a messenger that allows our bodies to make a protein. Our immune response to that protein then protects against Covid-19."

National health watchdogs, including those from the United States and Australia, have separately said Covid-19 vaccines do not alter DNA (archived links here and here).

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also debunked the same claim in a statement: "mRNA vaccines are not live virus vaccines and do not interfere with human DNA." (archived link)

AFP has repeatedly debunked claims that Covid-19 vaccines alter human DNA here, here, and here.
Are social media platforms' decisions on who to ban and how to regulate content protected free speech?

Florida doesn't think so. And its leadership wants that set as precedent nationwide.

Florida's solicitor general appeared before Supreme Court justices on Monday to hash out that argument in a generational First Amendment case that will have big implications on internet life.

Henry Whitaker, who's filled the role since 2021, is fighting on behalf of a law passed several years ago that barred social media platforms from suspending or banning political candidates, penalizing offenders with lofty fines. It additionally allowed Floridians to sue those platforms if they'd been unfairly banned.

The law came in the months after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection on the nation's Capitol. Facebook and Twitter (now called X) suspended the accounts of former President Donald Trump and supporters who fueled the mob with false claims of a stolen 2020 election.

When you de-platform the president of the United States but you let Ayatollah Khamenei (Irans supreme leader) talk about killing Jews, that is wrong, Gov. Ron DeSantis said when he signed the legislation. (Khamenei was banned earlier this month from Facebook and Instagram but remains active on X.)

Despite his words, trade associations representing social media companies sued, and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked key components of the law, saying platform moderation is protected by the First Amendment.

The Supreme Court also heard arguments Monday for and against a Texas law that says big social media platforms can't ban users for their viewpoints.

The hearing came nearly a half-century after the Supreme Court said government can't dictate what newspapers publish, setting an important precedent for the freedom of the press. That case, by the way, was triggered by the Miami Herald in Florida.

Now, 50 years later, Florida is again involved in a monumental First Amendment case that could forever alter the flow of information to readers across the nation. And it comes in an era where a substantial portion of Americans get their news from social media.

(FILES) Justices of the US Supreme Court (from left) Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Samuel Alito and Associate Justice Elena Kagan, (Standing behind from left) Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, pose for their official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on October 7, 2022. The US Supreme Court unveiled an ethics code on November 13, 2023, following a series of scandals over lavish gifts and luxury vacations received by some of its justices. The nine members of the nation's highest court are the only federal judges not explicitly subject to ethical oversight, and pressure has been mounting from Democrats in the Senate for them to adopt a code of conduct. (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY / AFP) (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images) ORIG FILE ID: AFP_343E4EL.jpg

Dueling First Amendment arguments

Whitaker immediately swatted at social media groups' First Amendment claim when addressing the justices on Monday.

"Internet platforms today control the way millions of Americans communicate with each other and with the world," said the state solicitor general, a position that puts him in charge of Florida appeals cases. "(They) have no First Amendment right to use their services as a choke point to silence those they disfavor."

Whitaker painted the platforms more as telephone operators than newspapers.

"If Verizon asserted a First Amendment right to cancel disfavored subscribers at a whim, that claim would fail," he said. "Social networking companies too are in the business of transmitting their users' speech."

Whitaker said he agreed that newspapers are "engaging in inherently expressive conduct," referring to behavior meant to convey a message, which has constitutional protections.

Social media attorney Paul Clement rebutted this: "If you are telling the websites that they can't censor speakers, you can't turn around and say you're not regulating expressive activity," he said.

"Florida's effort to level the playing field and to fight the perceived bias of Big Tech violates the First Amendment several times over," Clement said. "It interferes with editorial discretion, it compels speech, it discriminates on the basis of content, speaker and viewpoint."

Also speaking against the laws was Elizabeth Prelogar, the solicitor general for the United States.

"The First Amendment protects entities that curate, arrange and present other people's words and images and expressive compilations," Prelogar said. "As this court's cases have held, those principles cover newspaper editors, parade sponsors and web designers. It also covers social media platforms."

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How broad is Florida's law?

Several justices raised concerns about the broadness of Florida's law.

While most of the discourse about the measure has been around huge social media platforms like Facebook and X, justices indicated they believed the law could impact other platforms.

"Florida's law, so far as I can understand it, is very broad," said Trump-appointed Justice Amy Barrett. "It looks to me like it could cover Uber. It looks to me like it could cover Google search engines. Amazon Web Services."

Justice Sonia Sotomayor pointed out Etsy, an online marketplace that opposes the law.

"They don't want you to talk politics," said Sotomayor, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama. "All they want you to do is sell your product. But if they're a public marketplace, which they are, they're selling to the public, this law would cover them. "

But, in digging into the law's applicability, the justices uncovered something that also concerned Sotomayor and others.

"Does Gmail have the First Amendment right to delete, let's say, Tucker Carlson's or Rachel Maddow's Gmail accounts if they don't agree with his or her viewpoints?" asked Justice Samuel Alito, appointed by former President George W. Bush.

"They might be able to do that, your honor," Clement replied. "That's obviously something that's been the square focus of this litigation."

Sotomayor wondered "if it might be OK" for the law to apply to functions like direct messaging.

Does Big Tech have a right to censor or deplatform you for political speech it does not like?



The US Supreme Court will consider that question today in arguments involving laws enacted by FL and TX designed to protect individuals from political censorship. pic.twitter.com/59yiavqyq4  Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) February 26, 2024

DeSantis weighs in

In a video posted on X before the hearing Monday morning, DeSantis voiced his support for Florida's law.

"These companies get liability protections from the federal government because they say they're not the publishers, they're not making editorial judgements," he said. "While you can't have your cake and eat it, too."

DeSantis said he was looking to see how the justices reacted to the arguments and that there are things that "can be worked out" with the law. But he added the "principle" of the law was more important than the provisions of it.

"The principle is going to be does Big Tech have a right to simple censor, regardless of any protections for the consumer?"

USA TODAY contributed. This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Douglas Soule can be reached at DSoule@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida defends law in Supreme Court case, could upend social media
Adler Telfort, 27, of Tamarac, Florida, faces several charges after a high-speed chase of over 120 mph led to the discovery of several toy guns inside his SUV.

A man facing several charges after a high-speed chase of more than 120 mph led to the discovery of several toy guns inside his SUV pleaded not guilty Monday.

The driver, Adler Telfort, 27, of Tamarac, entered the plea before Collier Circuit Judge Elizabeth Krier. He's charged with reckless driving; aggravated fleeing and eluding; possession of marijuana; violation of probation; and driving while license suspended.

Just before 7:45 a.m. Jan. 31, Florida Highway Patrol troopers responded to reports of an SUV traveling south on Interstate 75, near mile marker 124, in Estero.

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Authorities said Telfort displayed a firearm at another motorist.

Troopers found Telfort's SUV on the interstate, around mile marker 115, past the Lee-Collier county line. As troopers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, Telfort accelerated and fled, reaching speeds of mote than 120 mph and passing other traffic on the paved shoulder, authorities said.

After a pursuit, troopers immobilized Telfort's SUV and arrested him. They said they didn't find a real firearm inside the SUV, but instead discovered several toy guns.

Telfort remained in custody Monday on $29,000 bond. He's next due in court April 11 for a case management conference.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Man who displayed toy gun at driver enters not guilty plea
Los Angeles  An ex-FBI informant who is accused of lying to investigators about President Biden and his son Hunter's business dealings was ordered detained pending trial in a Los Angeles court on Monday, just days after he was set free in Nevada.

Alexander Smirnov was charged with two counts that amounted to allegedly making up fake stories about the Bidens  namely that they were each paid $5 million by a Ukrainian energy company  and passing that false information along to his FBI handlers for further investigation in 2020. Special counsel David Weiss, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney who was elevated to continue his investigation into Hunter Biden, sought the indictment against him earlier this month.

Last week, Smirnov, 43, was briefly released from federal custody after a magistrate judge in Las Vegas said that certain conditions would permit his secure pretrial freedom despite his alleged ties to foreign intelligence services that made him a flight risk. But on Thursday, Smirnov was taken back into federal custody and ordered to appear before the federal judge in Los Angeles who will oversee his case, following a request from prosecutors to reconsider the release order.

In court on Monday, prosecutors successfully argued that the judge should keep Smirnov detained, contending "he cannot be trusted."

Smirnov, who was wearing a beige jumpsuit and shackles, pleaded not guilty to both counts.

"There is nothing garden-variety about this case," the judge said from the bench. "I find no comfort in assurances you may offer that you will not flee the jurisdiction."



Alexander Smirnov in federal court with his attorneys on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. / Credit: Wes Rand/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

In a notable move, Wright wrote in his initial order last week detaining Smirnov that defense attorneys were working to "arrange the release of Defendant Smirnov, likely to facilitate his absconding from the United States." The defense attorneys pushed back on those assertions, telling the judge he was "wrong."

Smirnov's lawyers opposed his detention and wrote last week that his personal relationships in the U.S. mitigated his risk of fleeing the country and his lack of criminal history supported his release.

"When he was arrested for a second time, Mr. Smirnov was already free and working on his defense in his lawyers' office," his legal team wrote, "This is hardly what would be expected of a person preparing to jump bail and flee the country; to the contrary, had he not been rearrested, Mr. Smirnov would have voluntarily traveled to Los Angeles with his lawyers to attend the upcoming hearing."

During Monday's court hearing, his defense team pointed to Smirnov's longtime partner who they said could serve as a third-party custodian. Prosecutors pushed back, saying she did not know they had about $3 million in their savings accounts and could not be trusted.

Speaking outside of court Monday, Smirnov's attorney David Chesnoff said they might seek to appeal the judge's detention order. He also called the judge's comment that the attorneys might have been trying to help the defendant flee the U.S. a "dead issue."

In seeking Smirnov's detention, the special counsel's team revealed that after his arrest, the defendant claimed that individuals "associated with Russian intelligence" were tied to efforts to peddle a story about Hunter Biden.

"He is actively peddling new lies that could impact U.S. elections after meeting with Russian intelligence officials in November," prosecutors wrote last week, without revealing which claim about Hunter Biden apparently stemmed from Russia.

"Law enforcement knows about Smirnov's contact with officials affiliated with Russian intelligence because Smirnov himself reported on a number of those contacts to his FBI Handler," the special counsel's team alleged. "These contacts are extensive and extremely recent, and Smirnov had the intention of meeting with one of these officials on his upcoming planned overseas travel."

But it was not just Russia. Investigators alleged that the man charged with lying to them also claimed to have had contacts with other foreign intelligence services that all posed a risk if he had been granted pretrial release.

Prosecutors did not say whether Smirnov's claims about the alleged ties to Russian intelligence have ever been substantiated and wrote that while he was used as an informant for many years, Smirnov was ultimately deemed unreliable and indicted.

The alleged fake stories that Smirnov has been charged with providing to his FBI handlers were memorialized in a federal document that became a flashpoint for Republican Congressional leaders as they pushed ahead in their investigation of the first family's business dealings. They pointed to the document's allegations of bribery as evidence of misdeeds, but the charges against Smirnov blunted those claims as the ex-informant is accused of "transform[ing] his routine and unextraordinary business contacts with Burisma in 2017 and later into bribery allegations against" Hunter and Mr. Biden.

His claims are not cited in either of Weiss' two indictments against the president's son, charging him with gun crimes and failure to pay taxes in federal courts in Delaware and California. Hunter Biden's legal team nevertheless referenced Smirnov's relationship with the FBI in a court filing last week in an effort to bolster their case.

Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to all counts against him and has filed numerous motions to dismiss both indictments.

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A former sheriff of Marshall County  where the current sheriff and a detective revealed they have for years seized livestock without warrants  denied the sheriffs claims that imply previous administrations had done similar things in the past.

Norman Dalton, who was Marshall Countys sheriff from 2010 to 2014, said he was shocked at the amount of animals seized by the office since Sheriff Billy Lamb took over in 2014. Records filed in discovery in a lawsuit show the office seized animals from at least 10 people from 2014 to 2019, none with a seizure warrant. Detective Tony Nichols handled all the animal cruelty cases, Lamb said in a deposition in the same lawsuit.

During that deposition, Lamb agreed when asked by prosecutors if it was consistent with his 38 years of experience in the sheriffs office that officers dont get warrants before conducting searches or seizures related to animal cruelty investigations. Lamb also said that the office could expect to make a profit after seizing and selling the animals in some cases.

Dalton said that wasnt true during his tenure or the sheriff's before him, Les Helton. Helton was sheriff from 1990 to 2010 and died in 2014.

Former Marshall County Sheriff Norman Dalton at his home in Lewisburg, Tenn., Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. Dalton spoke up after reading the current sheriff, Billy Lamb, made what he considered a false statement in a deposition that insinuated the sheriff's office had been seizing livestock without warrants for decades. Dalton was sheriff from 2010-2014. Les Helton  now deceased  served 20 years as sheriff from 1990-2010.

More: A Tennessee sheriff's office for years seized livestock without warrants. Now, it must pay

It appeared that he was trying to insinuate that wed been picking up cattle all these years and making a profit through the court, Dalton said in an interview in late January. Thats the way I understood it, and thats not true.

Dalton said that throughout his tenure, he remembers just two instances when animals were seized. Records show that in 2013, Nichols seized seven horses from a woman in Marshall County. Dalton also recalled officers seizing dogs that were in poor health from a property.

Dalton explained how he believes an animal cruelty investigation should be handled. First, he said, it is unusual that just one detective  Nichols in this case  has handled all such cases for the sheriffs office. The Marshall County Sheriffs Office has three detectives, who are assigned cases on a rolling basis, Dalton explained.

Dalton also said officers should obtain seizure warrants every time they seize animals unless the owners consent to relinquishing their property.

Every time you seize an animal, they should have had a warrant, Dalton said. "They done wrong."

Former Marshall County Sheriff Norman Dalton at his home in Lewisburg, Tenn., Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. Dalton spoke up after reading the current sheriff, Billy Lamb, made what he considered a false statement in a deposition that insinuated the sheriff's office had been seizing livestock without warrants for decades. Dalton was sheriff from 2010-2014. Les Helton  now deceased  served 20 years as sheriff from 1990-2010.

Heres how the process should go, Dalton said. After the sheriffs office receives a complaint about mistreated animals, an officer should first visit the owner and talk to them. If the office receives more complaints, an officer should return to the property with a veterinarian to assess the animals. That information should then be taken to a judge to obtain a seizure warrant. If at any point the owner doesnt give officers permission to enter the property, they need to get a search warrant, Dalton said.

Dalton said never should Marshall County make a profit from livestock seizure.

Youre not in it for profit, Dalton said.

Dalton also said he didnt see why officers would seize healthy animals from the same herd. In 2018, Nichols seized Matthew and Julie Hopkins 50 cattle, many of which were in good condition. Hopkins sued and in 2023 was awarded nearly $500,000 after a jury trial.

After the animals were seized, they were held on the property of a Marshall County farmer whom Nichols selected because he knew him, according to Lamb's deposition. The sheriffs office paid that farmer tens of thousands of dollars.

By doing so, Nichols entered the county into a binding verbal financial agreement. Lamb said no other officers have the authority to do that.

Dalton found that arrangement troubling.

You got too many chances for kickbacks there, Dalton said. I wouldnt put up with that.

Darlene Wood visits her two horses, Molly and Red, at her home in Lewisburg, Tenn., Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. Wood is keeping her horses and pony, Beau, at the next door neighbor's while she repairs some fencing on her property. Beau and another pony, Pepper, were the only animals left after the Marshall County Sheriff's Office confiscated her eight Tennessee Walking Horses without a seizure warrant in 2015.

In 2015, Nichols seized eight horses from Darlene Wood, who said she raised Tennessee walking horses. She did this to supplement her husbands income.

Nichols first contacted her on March 31, 2015. On April 6, she returned from the doctor to find officers loading her horses onto a trailer on her property. She said she did not consent to the seizure and records do not indicate that officers had obtained a seizure warrant.

At no point in time did Nichols show me one piece of paper, Wood said.

Wood was later convicted of one count of animal cruelty.

Nichols did not respond to a request for comment. Several messages were left with the Marshall County Sheriffs Office seeking comment.

Darlene Wood's two horses, Molly and Red, and pony, Beau, run through her neighbor's pasture in Lewisburg, Tenn., Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. Wood is keeping her animals there while she repairs some fencing on her property. Beau and another pony, Pepper, were the only animals left after the Marshall County Sheriff Office confiscated her eight Tennessee Walking Horses without a seizure warrant in 2015.

Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EvanMealins.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee livestock seizure: Past Marshall County sheriff weighs in
A former teacher at a charter school in St. Paul has been charged with sexually abusing a 16-year-old student numerous times last year after being fired in May for contacting the girl.

Brandon Michael Bunney, who taught at Hmong College Prep Academy, was charged by warrant last week in Ramsey County District Court with felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct for allegedly abusing the student at several locations, including in his car on St. Pauls East Side, starting in late July.

The sexual relationship is believed to be ongoing, Thursdays criminal complaint says.

Bunney, 42, was arrested Friday and booked into the Scott County jail. He posted an interim $60,000 bond and was released ahead of a March 14 first appearance in Ramsey County District Court. An attorney is listed for him in court records but could not be reached for comment.

Hmong College Prep Academy said in a emailed statement Monday that Bunney taught at the school from September 2014 until May 18, when he was relieved of his duties. Our leadership has proactively cooperated with law enforcement throughout the process.

Rumors of an inappropriate relationship between Bunney and the girl began to surface last spring at the school, the complaint says. School administration told him several times to stop contacting the girl, and he was ultimately fired from his teaching job for failing to do so.

After his firing, Bunney began spending more time with the girl. Numerous messages between Bunney and the girl began on May 24. By July, Bunney was sending the girl messages describing sexual acts he wanted to engage in with her, the complaint says.

She told police they began having sexual encounters in his car and at an Apple Valley house where he lived at the time. The girl told her friends about sexual encounters she had with Bunney in July, August, September and October, the complaint says.

Police spoke with Bunney on Feb. 6. He said he was fired from the high school because of a perception that I hung out with a student, the complaint states. Bunney said that a bunch of people had concerns and he was told to kinda ghost the girl, but he didnt.

Bunney said he would meet up with (the victim) to talk because she was struggling and the relationship progressed to being intimate over the summer, the complaint states. He declined to respond to further questions about the sexual abuse, and stopped the interview.

In its Monday statement, Hmong College Prep Academy, which is located near Como and Snelling avenues, said that it conducts thorough background checks on all teachers and staff.

HCPA asks that if any student or family member has concerns about an interaction or the conduct of Mr. Bunney they contact HCPA leadership or law enforcement, the statement continued.

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Migrants living in an illegal encampment in Denver clear out their belongings after city officials ordered the area cleared.

Fort Collins City Council members have been receiving emails asking them not to accept migrants from Denver as that city grapples with the financial and logistical demands that have come with a surge of new immigrants.

Council has received around two dozen emails from individuals ever since Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said at a Feb. 6 Denver City Council meeting that cities like Fort Collins had expressed that they were open to partnering on help for immigrants.

Johnston's brief mention of Fort Collins, around the 21st minute of the meeting, was in response to a question about whether there was any interest from others in the region to help.

"There's some places that have been very supportive. Want to shout out both Grand Junction and Fort Collins, who have been open to partnership on this and want to see how they can do that," he said.

But Fort Collins says it hasn't received any requests for help and doesn't have a standing program to support such efforts.

City spokesperson Amanda King said a request would typically come through the state of Colorado.

"That request would include clear needs, expected outcomes, timelines and resources to be provided from the state to support the request," she said in an email.

If a request were received, "we would work with other jurisdictions in Larimer County, and nonprofit partners, to assess if there is the ability to support the request and to what capacity," King said. "Again, that assessment typically would not happen without a request from the state of Colorado."

After Johnston's comments, the city of Grand Junction issued a statement saying it had made no commitment nor plans to partner with Denver.

Lori Hodges, Larimer County's director of emergency management, said she doesn't know of any efforts inside the county to aid migrants.

And while individual immigrants can and do show up on their own, the county isn't seeing "busloads" of migrants. County elected officials do get emails stating needs and seeking information about whether jurisdictions are willing or able to help coordinate services, Hodges said. But there have been no formal requests.

What is a 'sanctuary city'? And is Fort Collins one?

Many of the people who sent emails to council said they didn't want Fort Collins to be a "sanctuary city," a term some cities have adopted to declare they have policies to not ask for immigration status, disclose it to authorities or deny services based on it.

In responses to the emails to council, city staff said:

" Sanctuary City is not a legal term, and the City of Fort Collins has never taken any action to declare itself a sanctuary city.' "

But Fort Collins has passed two resolutions in recent years with the goal of showing support for immigrants.

A 2019 resolution called for the humane treatment of immigrants at the southern border and urged the federal government to create a sustainable path for legal immigration. It was born out of an effort to help immigrants in the community to feel safe and welcomed.

A 2017 resolution known as the Community Trust Initiative clarified that police and other city employees may not ask residents about their immigration status unless that information is required by state or federal law.

The resolution also called for a city outreach effort to address fears in the immigrant community about interacting with government officials, including when it involved reporting crimes.

The city estimates Fort Collins has an immigrant community of more than 11,000 people, and about 4,500 are not U.S. citizens. About half are eligible for naturalization.

What does Fort Collins' immigration legal defense fund do?

Fort Collins has set up an immigration legal defense fund to assist people who are seeking citizenship or establishing a lawful presence.

The fund was created as a pilot program in 2021.

It pays community organizations, attorneys or law firms to provide immigration legal services for free to people involved in cases related to things like naturalization and citizenship, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, seeking asylum, family reunification, deportation/detention and work authorization.

The fund has since been allocated $250,000 per year through 2024.

A status report from late 2022 showed that since the start of the fund, 97 cases had been taken on.

The most common cases were related to special immigrant juvenile status, which is for children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned by parents. There were 22 of those.

Sixteen cases involved U visas, designated for victims of crime.

Twelve cases involved naturalization, and nine were related to obtaining green cards. Eight were asylum cases, seven were related to women experiencing violence, and six were related to deportations/detention.

Fort Collins churches helped host immigrants in 2022

Fort Collins was the site of temporary shelter for about 60 migrants in late 2022.

For 10 days in December of that year, the county, the Red Cross, three churches and nonprofit groups Alianza Norco, Sanctuary Everywhere and Fuerza Latina worked to provide temporary shelter and transportation help.

But that effort revealed that the county didn't have the services to support an endeavor like that in the future, Hodges said.

Furthermore, she said, the county learned that Larimer wasn't a good destination to help people get where they wanted to go. Half of the people needed to go back to Denver to get to their next destination.

Coloradoan reporter Pat Ferrier contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Is Fort Collins a sanctuary city? Is it helping Denver with migrants?
A Fort Myers police report reveals new details about the moments leading to the discovery of an unresponsive child at a Fort Myers lake, near a residence.

A Fort Myers police report reveals details about the moments leading to the discovery of an unresponsive child at a Fort Myers lake, near a residence.

According to the heavily redacted report, around 2:45 p.m. Feb. 17, officers responded to the 3700 block of Winkler Avenue after witnesses reported a child was in the lake.

Officers saw an unconscious boy on his back near the water. The child was taken to Gulf Coast Medical Center, 13681 Doctors Way, where the time of death was called at 4:13 p.m.

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Authorities said an additional officer, fluent in Portuguese, was called to the residential area, to facilitate dialogue between authorities and witnesses.

Police spoke with five witnesses, whose statements remained redacted Monday afternoon. They didn't release the boy's name or age, where he was from or any other related details.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Fort Myers police: Boy lay unconscious near lake behind home
Chef Tim Love is eager for fans to check out many artists at the second annual Fort Worth Music Festival and Conference.

Chief among them is Fort Worth native Louie TheSinger, whose song Down Here featuring Paul Wall went viral last year.

Hes the example of what this festival is all about, Love said. Discovering new talent to where eventually they become our biggest headliner a couple years down the road, or a year down the road.

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Love is one of the people behind the Fort Worth Music Festival and Conference, along with Live Nation and country music icon Larry Joe Taylor.

Over 40 local and national artists are lined up to perform at the event next week, which runs from Feb. 28 to March 2. On the conference side, ticket holders can attend panel discussions and network with those involved in the local and statewide music scene.

Tickets for the festival and conference are available online, here.

The full lineup for the 2024 Fort Worth Music Festival and Conference.

This is the second annual festival and conference after last years events drew over 3,500 people to the Stockyards.

Love said feedback from last year changed things going into year two, including adding an outdoor stage and a new venue at the Cowboy Channel Studio. Additional music will lengthen the Saturday lineup, after being a little short in 2023.

New changes to the conference include adding more breakout sessions for people to drill down into specific interest areas such as venue operation and booking talent.

Were really pushing the conference because theres not a place in Texas for young artists, managers and agents to come mingle and learn, Love said. In order to improve the music scene, you got to give people the education.

Along with expanding access to the local and statewide music scene, the Fort Worth Music Festival and Conference will give people a taste of the Stockyards.

Festivities will be spread out across seven venues in the Stockyards: Tannahills Tavern & Music Hall, Tannahills Lounge, White Elephant, Love Shack, Billy Bobs Texas, Cowboy Channel Studio and an outdoor stage.

Love recommends people make the most of the experience, whether that be listening to a few artists and then getting a drink at Tannahills or stopping by Lonesome Dove for a steak. Having the festivities in the Stockyards gives attendees a choose-your-own-adventure feel.

At the end of the day, Love said the festival supports the local music scene which has seen its share of venue closures over the last several months.

As we see these music venues in Fort Worth come and go, we need to support the music and support live music especially, Love said. So we keep seeing these great bands develop out of our city.
Amber Sanders looked around her new bathroom and beamed.

I havent had privacy for the last 13 years of my life; Ive always shared a bathroom with my children, she explained, unable to hide her giddiness. This is one of the best parts of the house.

Sanders, 34, and her two boys moved into their first home Feb. 13. She grew up about a mile south, bouncing between rentals before purchasing the property in Stop Six with the help of the Housing Choice Voucher homeownership program. The federal initiative, finalized in 2000, helps aspiring property owners with below average incomes cover the daunting range of expenses involved with buying and keeping a house.

Housing advocates praise the vouchers as one of the few proven programs keeping the dream of homeownership alive for the citys least privileged. But what are its potential limits?

To dream and to own

Owning a home seemed a fantasy not too long ago, Sanders said. For an ever-growing number of Fort Worth residents, it still is.

A family earning the median income can no longer afford a median priced home in Fort Worth, according to the citys 2023 Housing Affordability Strategy. City officials have labeled the collapse in affordability a crisis.

The problem is especially acute in the citys southeast, where property values are spiking even as wealth levels stagnate. The median price of a single family home in the citys poorest neighborhoods jumped almost 60% between 2016 and 2021.

Public housing advocates view federal homeownership housing choice vouchers as a rare bridge across the gaping affordability gap.

Programs like this aid in creating pathways to economic independence and breaking generational poverty, said Deana Boussard, the director of client and customer service for Fort Worth Housing Services, the citys public housing authority.

The agency began distributing homeownership vouchers in 2003. It has helped 250 families buy homes since, Broussard estimates.

The programs requirements are specific and stringent. The vouchers are only available to aspiring homeowners who received rental vouchers for at least a year. Prospective purchasers must also be first-time homebuyers with full-time work and at least $2,000 in savings and $16,000 in annual income. Only after completing an exhaustive syllabus of financial literacy courses and securing pre-approval from a lender can the applicant begin looking for homes.

The exact value of the subsidy vary, depending on the applicants income, the value of the home (and the corresponding mortgage), and other factors. Housing choice voucher recipients must generally lay out 30% of their monthly adjusted gross income on home expenses.

The demand for families to utilize the HCV homeownership option has been steadily increasing throughout the years, Broussard added. The desire to become homeowners has been fueled by the understanding that homeownership can be a conduit for creating generational wealth and financial freedom.

The bridges gaps

Fort Worth Housing Services is among the quarter of public housing authorities nationwide that offer homeownership vouchers, according to the Urban Institute, a D.C.-based think tank. Fewer than 0.5% of issued housing subsidies are used to support home purchases (most are used to cover rent, not mortgages); by comparison, just over 2% of housing vouchers supplied by Fort Worth Housing Services support homeownership, the second highest rate in Texas and twice the state average.

Experts point to numerous, often intersecting currents limiting the scope and power of homeownership vouchers.

With rental assistance in high demand, many public housing agencies dont have the cash or staffing capacity to spend on homebuying subsidies, Urban Institute researchers noted.

The researchers observed that homeownership vouchers are less commonly distributed in areas with more expensive rental markets (where low-income households are more likely to need help with rent).

High mortgage rates and pricier homes can also limit the vouchers potential.

Many struggle to receive loan approvals to meet higher purchase prices, the Urban Institute report added.

Finding the personal and financial footing to pursue a home can be an ordeal of its own.

Sanders, with the help of housing authority case workers, spent years budgeting and tidying her credit before convincing a bank to give her a mortgage. An unexpected medical bill almost derailed the process.

Some rental voucher recipients arent even aware they can get help buying a home.

I never knew that the program offered to help me buy a house until they told me, Sanders said.

Better advertising could boost the programs usage, experts predict. But supplemental funding, they stress, could boost its utility.

Pathways to homeownership for program participants may be hampered by a lack of external funding programs to leverage in addition to vouchers, the Urban Institute team remarked.

Fort Worth, for its part, runs a separate homebuyers assistance program, offering owners-in-waiting up to $25,000 in funds to cover down payments and closing costs.

With tweaks and time, city officials and their partners hope the homeownership program will expand its impact.

Nobody ever left me anything, so I wanted to leave something behind for my children, Sanders reflected.

She isnt alone.
The Fort Worth Independent School District school board could approve a new, abstinence-based sex education curriculum on Tuesday about a year after the district suspended its previous curriculum amid backlash from parents and community members.

The Board of Education will vote at its Tuesday night meeting on whether it wants to adopt the Choosing The Best curriculum, which would be used in the sixth grade Moving to Wellness health course and the high school Health 1 course. The curriculum comes forward at the recommendation of the districts School Health Advisory Council, or SHAC, after its members evaluated new options throughout January and discussed the topic in multiple community meetings. The council was directed by the Board of Education in August to find a new curriculum.

Approving the SHAC recommendation for the adoption of Choosing the Best provides the opportunity for students to participate in high-quality learning aligned to the (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) while honoring the (Texas Education Code) and parents rights to opt-in their child for human sexuality education instruction, the Tuesday agenda item states.

The sixth-grade curriculum encompasses six, 45-minute sessions including lessons on identifying risks of teen pregnancy and STDs, avoiding unhealthy relationships and reinforcing the risks of sexual activity while also emphasizing the positive benefits of sexual delay, according to the curriculum provider. For the high school curriculum, there are eight, 45-minute lessons that focus on avoiding pregnancy and STDs through abstinence, overcoming pressures in the media and from peers to be sexually active, including a discussion on the problem of pornography and sexting, and learning about the negative emotional effects of casual sex and how sexual delay provides freedom: freedom from physical and emotional risks and the freedom to pursue dreams and personal goals.

If passed, the district would purchase the curriculum for about $72,200, replacing its previous curriculum known as HealthSmart, which sparked concerns from parents for its inclusion of topics about sexual orientation and gender identity.

A rally of those disputing the proposed curriculum is scheduled at 5 p.m. Tuesday before the 5:30 p.m. meeting at ZBonz Dog Park, across the street from the Fort Worth ISD administration building, according to Emma-Eliz Barberena, an organizer with the Fort Worth chapter of Bans Off Our Bodies and a junior at Arlington Heights High School. Attendees are expected to include students and other organizations such as Students Engaged in Advancing Texas.

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Barberena said shes noticed that Fort Worth ISD teachers have appeared uncomfortable while teaching sex education in the past, tiptoeing around certain topics to avoid receiving backlash from parents or administrators, she said. As a result, relevant conversations are not addressed properly, she added.

Even though many of us have the resources to inform ourselves about our bodily functions at home, or have parents that will teach us at home, theres so many kids that do not and that are forced to intake their parents ideals, Barberena said.
Fort Worth Independent School District students saw gains in reading and math across kindergarten through eighth grade this school year  a bright spot that could signal continual growth as the districts state test scores have fluctuated while attempting to rebound from COVID-19 learning gaps.

Superintendent Angelica Ramsey recently presented mid-year MAP exam scores at a school board meeting, highlighting progress in reading from kindergarten through eighth grade for English-speaking students while Spanish-speaking students saw gains from kindergarten through fifth grade. In math, progress was also seen from kindergarten through eighth grade. In both subjects, these gains also applied to Hispanic, African-American, white, emergent bilingual and special education students.

Although it remains to be seen whether this progress continues through the end of the school year, and how it might translate to improvements in future STAAR exam scores, district officials have a hopeful outlook on the mid-year data.

These are not the type of reports that were used to giving, and so you can see even our staff out here all smiles because all of the hard work thats happening at our campuses is paying off, Ramsey said, referring to district staff who attended the Feb. 13 meeting presentation.

Congratulations to our students and our teachers. Youre seeing growth, were seeing the trajectory, and were also seeing that were not far off of the national mean, Ramsey added.

MAP is a national exam that focuses on individual student growth and is taken by Fort Worth ISD students three times a year, according to Ramsey. In contrast, the STAAR exam, or the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, is taken at the end of the school year and measures what students are learning at each grade level. STAAR results are intended to show how well students are prepared to move on to the next grade, but kids arent held back if they dont perform at grade level on the test.

A graph shows increases in reading MAP scores for Fort Worth ISD students in kindergarten through eighth grade, comparing beginning of the year scores to middle of the year scores.

The mid-year MAP scores could indicate a positive shift for Fort Worth ISD students, especially in reading assessments on the STAAR exam. The percentage of Fort Worth ISDs third-graders last year who scored on grade level in reading was 32%, while 60% either approached or met grade level  a dip from the previous year when 38% met grade level and 66% either approached or met grade level.

Although district officials do not formally use MAP exams as a predictor for what STAAR test results could look like, MAP is used as a tool to help students catch up who are behind while also raising the ceiling for high achievers, according to Charles Garcia, an associate superintendent for the district.

We have high hopes that we will continue to grow and we cant predict, but it would be an implication of looking at what our STAAR scores will look like later on. Although I want to be very clear that its not intended to be a predictor of STAAR scores at all, Garcia told the Star-Telegram.

The NWEA, the organization that administers the MAP exam, released a report in July 2020 that predicted students STAAR performance based on their MAP scores. The report focused on third- through eighth-graders and used spring 2017 data, which was updated to include 2020 data, to create a link between MAP assessments and STAAR performance levels.

A graph shows increases in reading MAP scores for Spanish-speaking Fort Worth ISD students in kindergarten through fifth grade, comparing beginning of the year scores to middle of the year scores.

With this information, educators can identify students at risk of failing to meet state proficiency standards early in the year and provide tailored educational interventions. The linking study has been updated since the previous version published in December 2017 to incorporate the new 2020 NWEA MAP Growth norms, the report reads.

A new study that takes into account the new format of STAAR, which was implemented last year, is expected to be completed most likely later this spring, according to an NWEA spokesperson.

Although the latest report states that a third-grade student with a MAP reading score of 200 in the winter is likely to meet proficiency on the STAAR reading test in the spring, critics of STAAR have pointed to studies that have found inconsistencies in the readability of test items and whether questions meet the intended grade levels. A 2019 study by Texas A&M University-Commerce professors determined that STAAR tests had difficulty levels one to two years ahead of the grade level being assessed in most cases.

The data provided by Ramsey shows that the current average MAP reading score for third-graders in the district is 185 while the current national average is 194. It remains to be seen whether the new format of STAAR, which includes more writing prompts and fewer multiple choice questions, will change these conversions calculated by NWEA.

Sarah Woulfin, an associate professor of educational leadership and policy at the University of Texas at Austin, said an updated crosswalk between the two tests could create a more reliable connection between MAP scores and STAAR scores, even as they serve different purposes.

If we can do that crosswalk and say, if MAP scores are looking this strong in one particular district, whether its Fort Worth or another district, then we can see the bright spot and see the bright side and say, Its quite likely that were going to see gains (and) see some positive news from the STAAR results, she said.

Woulfin also noted that districts investments in accelerated learning efforts and tutoring programs over the past couple of years after reopening campuses to students appears to show recovery from COVID-19 learning gaps.

Credit for Fort Worth ISDs MAP exam improvements was attributed to additional learning programs, specifically Lexia reading programs and Dreambox math programs that have been utilized in recent school years through ESSER funding. The fund, known as the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund, was approved by Congress in three iterations in 2020 and 2021 to help districts catch up on learning gaps and expires on Sept. 30 this year.

Garcia, the Fort Worth ISD associate superintendent, said district officials are discussing the financial potential of keeping these programs in place.

Due to the fact that we have seen some gains, and were seeing the growth using these two supplemental support programs, we are in talks to ensure that we are solidifying the funding sources needed, Garcia said. As always, we go back to academic return on investment: Is it paying off for our kids, and what are the metrics that were using to ensure that thats validated?

Rebecca Sayman, a fifth-grade teacher at Glen Park Elementary School, said she had students who started severely below grade level in reading at the beginning of the school year who have caught up in a matter of months with help from the learning programs that are used in the classroom and at home. These students are comprehending what theyre reading as students meeting grade level standards for the first time.

When Im able to look at these reports, for both Lexia and Dreambox, it really breaks it down to such a level that Im able to target those exact skills that each student needs It really has revolutionized, I think, the way that ... teachers are able to track our students progress, she said. You really get to see just great leaps in their learning because theyre excited and their confidence builds.
Salah's takeaway was accused of selling Coca-Cola under the counter - Asadour Guzelian/Guzelian

A brawl erupted outside a kebab shop after pro-Palestinian protesters stormed the restaurant and allegedly demanded the owner boycott Coca-Cola.

Footage of the confrontation, at Salahs takeaway on Leeds Road in Bradford on Friday evening, shows a large group of demonstrators draped in Palestinian flags shouting outside the restaurant.

Police said four men had been arrested.

Video footage posted on social media showed how the situation appeared to escalate after a man inside the takeaway came outside to confront the crowd.

Fighting erupts as members of the group try to hit the man with sticks and the wooden ends of their protest flags.

He also appears to lash out at the protesters with a pole.

People in the background can be heard shouting: Guys, guys calm down.

Smashing the windows outside

Other footage appears to show the group shouting expletives and smashing the windows from outside the takeaway.

A friend of Salahudin Yusuf, the owner of the restaurant, said there were around 40 to 50 people outside the takeaway protesting against the sale of Coca-Cola.

The man, who gave his name as Mirban, told the Halal food news website Feed the Lion that the protesters were threatening them to stop selling certain products, including the fizzy drink.

He said: [Mr Yusuf] was defending his business. Theyve approached his business and carried out an assault outside the shop. The owner was hurt and suffered stitches to his lip.

He added: We are for the Palestinian cause. Any attacks on innocent people we condemn. But were purely a business. For these individuals and groups to start attacking these businesses is out of order and its not from Islam.

He said the outlet no longer sold the drink but the protesters accused them of selling it under the counter.

Friends of Al-Aqsa, a UK-based NGO, said: Coca-Cola operates on stolen Palestinian land and is therefore directly profiting from Israels illegal occupation and apartheid in Palestine.

The group has previously called for a National Day of Action boycotting restaurants and cafes that sell the soft drink.

Criminal damage and assault

There is no suggestion that the group were involved in the violent altercation in Bradford.

Four men aged 30, 34, 46 and 50 had been arrested on suspicion of offences including criminal damage and assault, West Yorkshire Police said. All the suspects were released on bail pending further enquiries.

The force added: Police were called to a disturbance at Salahs takeaway, in Leeds Road, Bradford, with reports of damage being caused to a window and people assaulted.

Officers established that the incident appeared to arise from a pro-Palestine protest involving a group outside the premises.

There were no serious injuries caused, they added.

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Four Texas residents forever connected by two kidney donations in different cities: 'Superbly timed'

Two hard-to-match transplant patients 250 miles apart started the year of 2024 with shining new hope for long, healthy lives  thanks to the collaboration of two Texas hospitals .

UT Southwestern Medical Centers Solid Organ Transplant Program in Dallas, Texas, and University Health Transplant Institute in San Antonio worked together to find compatible living kidney donors for their failing patients.

In Dallas, Jorge Mendez, 50, an automotive shop foreman, was in need of a life-saving transplant .

BLOOD TEST MAY PREDICT THE ORGANS IN THE BODY THAT ARE AGING FASTER THAN NORMAL, SAYS STANFORD STUDY

Mendez was on dialysis  which has a significant impact on not only a person's quality of life on a daily basis, but also long-term health.

It was important for him to find a transplant before he became too sick for the procedure, according to his doctor.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Rebecca Warden, second from left, volunteered to give a kidney to her mother, 71-year-old Ann Winer of San Antonio, far left. And Svetlana Balmeo Stockdale, 28 (far right), volunteered to give a kidney to her co-worker, Jorge Mendez, 50, standing beside her.

Mendezs coworker, Svetlana Balmeo Stockdale, 28, offered to donate a kidney to her friend  but unfortunately she was not a match.

Meanwhile, 250 miles away in San Antonio, 71-year-old Ann Winer was also in dire need of a kidney transplant.

She was on dialysis after waiting almost two years for a kidney donor.

Winers biggest obstacle was that she had unusual antibodies that made it very difficult for her to match with a donor, her doctors said.

Winers daughter, Rebecca Warden, wanted to donate a kidney  but it was not a compatible match.

Winer would likely have become weaker over time and her condition would have grown worse, according to doctors from University Health. As she told doctors, Winer had almost given up hope of receiving a transplant.

Rebecca Warden, left, volunteered to give a kidney to her mother, 71-year-old Ann Winer of San Antonio, right. Warden was not a match, though, so Winers medical team in San Antonio collaborated with another team in Dallas to find a donor swap for their respective patients.

The leaders at both institutions began working together to find matches outside their local transplant networks.

After learning that she wasnt a match for her friend, Stockdale  the intended donor for Mendez  got a surprising phone call.

ONE FAMILY DONATES FOUR KIDNEYS TO SAVE A NEW YORK MANS LIFE: DEFIED ALL ODDS

"A little while after I was told my kidney wasnt a match, UT Southwestern called me and they said, You couldn't donate to Jorge, but we could do a swap with somebody else,'" she said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

As it turned out, Stockdale was a match for Winer, the grandmother in San Diego  and Warden, who had intended to donate to her mother, was a match for Mendez.

The medical teams in Dallas and San Antonio began plans for a donor swap for their respective patients.

"[After finding the matches], we began discussing, When would we start the surgeries? How would we transport the organs? How would the organs be tracked?" said Dr. Elizabeth Thomas, transplant surgeon with University Health who led the transplant team in San Antonio, in a comment sent to Fox News Digital.

Jorge Mendez, 50, left, received a replacement for his failing kidney after medical teams in San Antonio and Dallas searched beyond their own networks for compatible living donors for their patients. Shown at right with him and wearing a matching yellow gown, Svetlana Balmeo Stockdale, 28, walks with Mendez after the two underwent surgery at UT Southwestern in Dallas.

Through "carefully choreographed surgical schedules and chartered flights," the transplant teams ensured that the donated organs would be safely transported and transplanted as quickly as possible, according to a statement from the hospitals.

"[The transport] could be tracked minute by minute in the plane via a tag that was on the box that was used to transport [the kidneys]," Thomas said.

ARKANSAS MILITARY VETERAN RECEIVES WORLDS FIRST WHOLE-EYE AND PARTIAL-FACE TRANSPLANT

"It is important because we want to keep the time that the organ is out of the body without blood to a minimum."

On Aug. 31, 2023, after a day of "superbly timed surgeries and close coordination," according to the hospitals, Winer and Mendez received the new, functioning kidneys they needed to save their lives.

On Aug. 31, 2023, after a day of "superbly timed surgeries and close coordination," according to the hospitals, Winer and Mendez received the new, functioning kidneys they needed to save their lives.

"There are various ways you can do the swaps and various reasons to do them  It never gets old," Parsia Vagefi, M.D., the transplant surgeon at UT Southwestern who led the surgical team in Dallas, told Fox News Digital.

Only a quarter of the transplants performed at UT Southwestern are from living donors, but Vagefi said he is hoping to expand that number, as living kidney donations last longer for the recipients.

"Its really great to participate in it and form a collaboration with others who are working toward the same mission but in a different city," he said. "We crossed geographic boundaries to help these families."

Because of the life-saving transplant , Mendez was able to hold his new granddaughter when the baby was born in January.

"It brought tears to my eyes to hold her," he said in a statement. "Now I can live a little bit longer to spend time with her."

He later wrote to his donor: "Thank you very much. I owe you the world."

"I felt like theyd never find a donor for me, but they did," Winer said.

On a card she sent to her Dallas donor, she wrote: "I will never be able to repay you."

Stockdale, who had intended to donate to her friend Mendez, shared what being a donor means to her in a statement to Fox News Digital.

PIG HEART RECIPIENT'S LAST WISH WAS TO HELP DOCTORS LEARN FROM PROCEDURE, DYING MAN SAID: WE WILL MISS HIM'

"I don't think of it as me saving somebody's life," she said. "I think of it as me giving Jorge's family members more time with him."

"[For Winer], whatever she hasn't accomplished in life yet that she ultimately wanted to do, I hope she gets to do it. Life's too short to not live out your wildest dreams."

Winer, the retired nurse anesthesiologist, later wrote a letter to Stockdale thanking her for the kidney.

Through "carefully choreographed surgical schedules and chartered flights," the transplant teams ensured that the donated organs would be safely transported and transplanted as quickly as possible, according to the hospitals.

"Thank you for giving me back my life," she wrote.

"I thought I would never get a transplant with my weird antibodies, and then you came along. Bless you."

Warden  Winers daughter who had intended to donate to her mother but agreed to donate to Mendez in exchange for her mother receiving a transplant  also expressed her gratitude.

Parsia Vagefi, M.D., is the transplant surgeon at UT Southwestern who led the surgical team in Dallas.

"At the end of the day, I'm happy that I've been able to help two people and not just one," she said in a statement.

Today, both transplant recipients are doing well.

Winer is back at work part-time as a nurse anesthesiologist and is planning to retire at the end of July.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Mendez has also returned to work. "I feel great," he said.

Scott Bennett, associate vice president of the Solid Organ Transplant Program at UT Southwestern, said in a press release that "a patients access to a lifesaving transplant shouldnt be limited by geographic or organizational boundaries."

Dr. Parsia Vagefi of UT Southwestern led the surgical team in Dallas that collaborated with University Health in San Antonio to save two patients with failing kidneys.

"It was rewarding to see the collective can-do spirit of two highly regarded programs collaborate to make it happen," he added.

A kidney is the organ in the greatest demand for transplant.

A healthy person can live a full life after donating one of their two kidneys, according to experts.

The average life expectancy for someone on dialysis is five to 10 years, according to the National Kidney Foundation.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health .





Original article source: Four Texas residents forever connected by two kidney donations in different cities: 'Superbly timed'
French President Emmanuel Macron is due to host a conference for Kyiv's partners on Feb. 26 to strengthen the allied commitment to Ukraine after the full-scale war entered its third year.

Ukraine faces mounting challenges in early 2024. Delays in U.S. aid caused ammunition shortages that contributed to the Ukrainian withdrawal from the key front-line city of Avdiivka.

In turn, Russia is ramping up pressure along the front while hiking defense spending and securing military assistance from its partners like North Korea and Iran.

The meeting, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. local time, will be a chance to "reaffirm their (allies') unity as well as their determination to defeat the war of aggression waged by Russia in Ukraine," the French presidency said.

"We want to send Putin a very clear message, that he won't win in Ukraine," Macron's advisor said, according to Reuters.

"Our goal is to crush this idea he wants us to believe that he would be somehow winning."

Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us

According to the French newspaper Le Monde, the meeting is also a chance for France's head of state to present himself as a champion of the pro-Ukrainian coalition amid waning support from the U.S.

"Two years of war. Battered and bruised, but still standing. Ukraine is fighting for itself, for its ideals, for our Europe. Our commitment at its side will not waver," Macron said on the social media platform X on Feb. 24 on the second anniversary of the full-scale war.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to deliver an opening address via video conference. Some 20 European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Polish President Andrzej Duda, U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, are expected to attend.

The U.S. will be represented by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Jim O'Brien, and Canada by Defense Minister Bill Blair.

The French advisor told journalists that the meeting would not be a chance to announce new aid deliveries but an opportunity to brainstorm more effective support and improve coordination between Kyiv and partners.

Paris concluded a long-term security agreement with Ukraine earlier this month, committing 3 billion euros ($3.25 billion) in military aid this year, as well as a new assistance package including artillery and air defenses.

Read also: Editorial: Its been 2 years and worlds on the brink. Time to wake up or fall

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
France's foreign minister Stephane Sejourne has reiterated Paris' "clear and constant" support for Morocco's autonomy plan for the Western Sahara, during a visit to Rabat.

French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne, who arrived in Rabat on Sunday evening, said that he had been "personally" commissioned by President Emmanuel Macron to work towards closer relations with Morocco.

"This visit is a major step towards opening a new chapter in the relationship between our two countries", a diplomatic source explained.

During a press conference on Monday, alongside his counterpart, Nasser Bourita, the French foreign minister said of the Western Sahara: "This is an existential issue for Morocco. We know that [...]. It is now time to move forward. I will see to it personally", also announcing his desire to build a partnership with Morocco for the next 30 years.

Diplomatic tensions

The last visit by a French foreign minister dates back more than a year. In December 2022, Catherine Colonna went to Rabat to announce the end of visa restrictions to France. But there was no significant improvement between the two countries in the following weeks.

A vote by the European Parliament in January 2023 condemning the deterioration in press freedom in Morocco added to the diplomatic tensions.

Relations seemed to have reached an dead end until the French ambassador to Morocco issued a public mea culpa in October. A new Moroccan ambassador to France was then appointed.

(with AFP)



Read more on RFI English



Read also:

Scientists find 100,000-year-old human footprints on Moroccan beach

Morocco names woman former journalist as ambassador to France

Traditional methods urged for Morocco rebuild, a month after quake
The U.S. Air Force member who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., on Sunday has died.

The service member, who identified himself as Aaron Bushnell in a video he shot of the incident, said he will no longer be complicit in genocide. He added, I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, before dousing himself in flammable liquid and lighting himself on fire. He repeatedly yelled, Free Palestine! as he burned.

According to The Washington Post, a D.C. police spokesperson said the man died Sunday night. In a statement shared with Rolling Stone, D.C. police also confirmed the mans identity as Aaron Bushnell, 25, of San Antonio, Texas. The MPD is investigating the incident alongside the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

In a statement, an Air Force spokesperson said, The individual involved in yesterdays incident succumbed to his injuries and passed away last night. We will provide additional details 24 hours after next of kin notifications are complete.

Bushnell self-immolated just before 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25. The incident was live-streamed on Twitch, with the video lasting just over three minutes. In the video, police officers appeared to approach Bushnell in the moments before he lit himself on fire. Off-camera, one asks him, Can I help you, sir.

It took police and Secret Service officers extinguished just over a minute to extinguish the fire. In the video, one officer can be seen pointing a gun at Bushnell as he burns while others douse him with fire extinguishers. After the fire was put out, Bushnell was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Bushnell reportedly shared a link to the video stream on Facebook, alongside the message, Many of us like to ask ourselves, What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide? The answer is, youre doing it. Right now (via Newsweek).

The Twitch account on which the video was posted contained no other content, according to The New York Times, and its header image was a Palestinian flag. The video of Bushnell was swiftly removed Sunday and replaced with a message saying the channel had violated the platforms guidelines.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

More from Rolling Stone

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BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11)  Students at a Bronx medical school will get free tuition thanks to a massive donation from the boards chair.

A $1 billion donation will cover all incoming students tuition at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx  which costs well over $59,000 per year  in perpetuity, according to representatives of the school.

Northeast has highest percentage of stomach bug cases in US: CDC

Current fourth-year students will have their spring tuition covered, according to the school.

The donation comes from Ruth Gottesman, chair of the schools board of trustees, who started working at Einsteins Childrens Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center over 55 years ago.

Its a donation the school expects will completely transform its student population and students lives.

This donation radically revolutionizes our ability to continue attracting students who are committed to our mission, not just those who can afford it, said Yaron Tomer, a dean at the medical school. Additionally, it will free up and lift our students, enabling them to pursue projects and ideas that might otherwise be prohibitive.

Gottesman made the donation using money left by her husband, David Sandy Gottesman  the founder of First Manhattan Co. who died in 2022, Ruth Gottesman said.

[Students] leave as superbly trained scientists and compassionate and knowledgeable physicians, with the expertise to find new ways to prevent diseases and provide the finest health care to communities here in the Bronx and all over the world, Gottesman said.

l feel blessed to be given the great privilege of making this gift to such a worthy cause.

The school enrolls over 100 students each year and around 180 in 2023. The current class of 2027 is nearly half New York state residents, with a slew of students from local schools like New York University, the City University of New York, State University of New York and Yeshiva University.

We can change healthcare history when we recognize that access is the path to excellence, said Philip O. Ozuah, President and CEO of Montefiore Einstein.

Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter from Los Angeles who has covered local news for years. She has been with PIX11 since 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Friends who recently sailed with a missing Virginia couple, whose boat was overrun by seafaring bandits in the Caribbean, are "praying for a miracle," despite the gloomy outlook.

Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry are still missing after their yacht  named "Simplicity"  was found in tatters and abandoned over the weekend.

Three escaped prisoners  Ron Mitchell, a 30-year-old sailor; Trevon Robertson, a 19-year-old unemployed man, and Abita Stanislaus, a 20-year-old farmer  were arrested and charged with robbery, and the oldest suspect is being held on three counts of attempted rape, according to the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF). Investigators said the yacht was found ransacked.

"We would love to believe that they are still alive and out there and can be found and brought back to us safely," one of the couple's sons, Nick Buro, told Fox News. "It's obvious from what evidence has been found of the boat that that is a concern that that may not happen, but we, of course, are holding hope that they are still alive and can be found."

FAMILY OF COUPLE MISSING IN THE CARIBBEAN ASKS PUBLIC TO LEAVE SEARCH TO EXPERTS: STAND DOWN

Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel are feared dead after their yacht was found abandoned and ransacked in the Caribbean.

A Rhode Island couple, who have been friends with Brandel and Hendry for years, told WTKR that they are, "Praying for a miracle."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Pete and Tammy Sisson said they sailed with Brandel and Hendry during the first leg of the trip from Hampton, Virginia, to Antigua, but left after a few days in Antigua.

NURSE HELPING AMERICANS IN ALLEGED BAHAMAS ATTACK WAS SCARED BY WHAT SHE SAW: COULDVE BEEN MY DAUGHTERS

The Sissons expressed survivors' guilt in their interview with the local news outlet. They said their destination was "gorgeous," and they described the "beautiful lush green island with waterfalls, and a rainforest-type atmosphere."

It created a sense of safety. The Sissons left a few days before Hendry and Brandel, but now Pete Sisson says he and his wife cannot help but wonder if the situation would have been different had he and his wife stayed with the couple.

"I also thought perhaps if there were four people instead of two, maybe these perpetrators would have done something different," he told WTKR.

The suspects who were arrested in relation to the disappearance of the couple.

The trip was part of a rally organized by the Salty Dawg Association, which released a statement from Bryan Hendry and Buro on behalf of their parents on Friday, which thanked and cautioned well-intended volunteers.

"We want to reach out to the entire cruiser community to express our gratitude for everyone that worked to gather information from eyewitnesses and provide search and rescue support," Bryan Hendry and Buro said.

"It means so much to us that so many people cared for Ralph and Kathy as friends and fellow cruisers that they are willing to stop and help in whatever way possible."

VIRGINIA COUPLE FEARED DEAD AS ESCAPED PRISONERS HIJACK YACHT IN CARIBBEAN

However, for the "safety of the cruising community, we are asking all cruisers, and anyone that is not affiliated with the officials with presiding jurisdiction, to stand down," they said in the statement.

"The only way we feel this situation could be worse would be if anyone was hurt or endangered trying to conduct searches."

Authorities continued to search for the couple Monday, as conflicting reports about their presumed demise pop up on social media and news outlets, and authorities sort the details about what happened on the Caribbean seas.

The RGPF said in a statement Friday that they were working on leads "that suggest" the two occupants of the yacht might have been killed, but they have not released anything official since.

Fox News' Christina Coleman spoke to Buro and Bryan Hendry, who said their parents were living their post-retirement dream on a boat.

"They've been doing for 12 years," Buro said. "And they sold all their possessions to live out their retirement years on this boat. It was their home. It was their livelihood. It was their possessions. It was everything that they had in the world, and it was taken from them."

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Bob Osborn, president of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, said, "This is a very upsetting event and details are still unconfirmed by the authorities, but this does appear to be a tragic event  our hopes and prayers are with Ralph and Kathy and the family who love them.

"I have spoken to the families and have offered our deepest condolences and our assistance in any way possible. In all my years of cruising the Caribbean, I have never heard of anything like this."

Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this story.





Original article source: Friends who sailed with missing Americans 'pray for miracle' after yacht hijacking: report
Poilce clash with farmers during a protest called by the farmers' organizations Federation Unie de Groupements d'Eleveurs et d'Agriculteurs (FUGEA), Boerenforum and MAP, as the EU agriculture ministers are meeting to discuss rapid and structural responses to the crisis facing the agricultural sector. Nicolas Maeterlinck/Belga/dpa

Convoys of farmers protesting agricultural regulations and food imports occupied the EU quarter in Brussels on Monday, blocking roads and lighting fires.

Tractors have cut off road access to the European Commission and other European Union buildings, while riot police have built barricades to keep the farmers at bay. Police have also closed two subway stations serving the area and restricted press access.

While farmers' protests are common in Brussels, Monday's demonstrations are the most extravagant the city has seen since the anti-establishment "yellow jackets" marches in 2018.

Farmers say they're angry about burdensome regulations and cheap imports, particularly from Ukraine. Falling incomes from agricultural produce are also a major source of anger.

The air was filled with smoke and the sound of explosions and blaring horns as farmers burnt tyres and set off large fireworks.

On Rue de la Loi, the main thoroughfare leading to the European Commission's headquarters, a tractor bearing a sign saying "Imports = Pollution" pushed a burning substance onto a pedestrian crossing. Farmers also sprayed hay and spilled liquid manure onto the roads.

With tractor engines revving outside, EU agricultural ministers are meeting to pacify the farmers' fury.

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a "bureaucratic monster which means that climate protection is not attractive for farmers," German Agricultural Minister Cem Ozdemir said on his arrival.

CAP refers to the EU's flagship agricultural subsidy policy. The French Agricultural Minister Marc Fesneau said the bloc needs "to have something that is pragmatic, that is operational, that is understandable for farmers."

The commission has presented a raft of options to reduce the bureaucratic burden on farmers to access subsidies, among other things, offering more flexibility around land use and farming inspections.

The non-governmental organization World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) warned however that farmers concerns are not being addressed by these measures.

The European Commission is running around like a headless chicken throwing environmental measures under the tractor," Anu Suono, agriculture policy expert at WWF, said in a statement.

"They are failing to solve farmers real problems by tackling unfair pricing and a Common Agricultural Policy that is no longer fit to secure our food supply in the long-term," she added.

Another gesture on February 6 was the withdrawal of a controversial commission proposal for a law to cut pesticide use.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen followed up on the move with the formal announcement of her bid for a second term.

While that will be decided behind closed doors by EU leaders, not voters, it appears as if the centre-right German politician may be trying to boost her reappointment chances by taking a softer line on environmental regulations for farmers.

Farmers burn hay and tyres during a protest called by the farmers' organizations Federation Unie de Groupements d'Eleveurs et d'Agriculteurs (FUGEA), Boerenforum and MAP, as the EU agriculture ministers meeting to discuss rapid and structural responses to the crisis facing the agricultural sector. Benoit Doppagne/Belga/dpa

Farmers with their tractors take part in a protest called by the farmers' organizations Federation Unie de Groupements d'Eleveurs et d'Agriculteurs (FUGEA), Boerenforum and MAP, where the EU agriculture ministers meet to discuss rapid and structural responses to the crisis facing the agricultural sector. Benoit Doppagne/Belga/dpa
Demonstrators drive their tractors in Brussels, during a protest against the European agricultural policies and their working conditions. Luis Soto/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Convoys of farmers protesting agricultural regulations and food imports occupied the EU quarter in Brussels on Monday, blocking roads and lighting fires.

Tractors have cut off road access to the European Commission and other European Union buildings, while riot police have built barricades to keep the farmers at bay. Police have also closed two metro stations serving the area and restricted press access.

While farmers' protests are common in Brussels, Monday's demonstrations are the most extravagant the city has seen since the anti-establishment "yellow jackets" marches in 2018.

Farmers say they're angry about burdensome regulations and cheap imports, particularly from Ukraine. Falling incomes from agricultural produce are also a major source of anger.

The air was filled with smoke and the sound of explosions as farmers burnt tyres and threw eggs at the police and set off large fireworks. Farmers also used tractors to dismantle police barricades.

On Rue de la Loi, the main thoroughfare leading to the European Commission's headquarters, a tractor bearing a sign saying "Imports = Pollution" pushed a burning substance onto a pedestrian crossing. Farmers also sprayed hay and spilled liquid manure onto the roads.

Police deployed tear gas to disperse crowds and used water cannons to extinguish the fires.

With tractor engines revving outside, EU agricultural ministers met to pacify the farmers' fury with a raft of measures under proposal to loosen usually strict access rules to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies.

Among other things, EU ministers want to offer more flexibility for farmers around land use requirements and farm inspections to receive finances from the bloc's flagship agricultural fund.

Another gesture was the previous withdrawal of a controversial commission proposal for a law to cut pesticide use.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen followed up on the move with the formal announcement of her bid for a second term.

While that will be decided behind closed doors by EU leaders, not voters, the decision may be viewed as an attempt from the centre-right German politician to boost her reappointment chances by taking a softer line on environmental regulations for farmers.

The economic effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the EU's grain market were also on the ministers' agenda with the impact of the bloc's suspension of tariffs on Ukrainian exports under scrutiny.

Russia has tried to stop Ukraine from exporting grain products to hit the country's economy and create global market instability. As a relief measure, the EU suspended tariffs to support Ukraine and maintain global supply chains.

However, a new method is needed "so that agricultural products from Ukraine can go to their traditional markets outside of the EU," Belgian Minister of Agriculture, David Clarinval said after the meeting.

"At the moment, the Russians are using this lever to destabilize Ukraine and the rest of Europe," he said.

The tariff suspension is causing a major economic distortion, EU Agricultural Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowsk said. "No market can sustain this kind of increase of imports in such a short time."

Asked to address the violence of the farmers' protests in the Belgian capital, Clarinval said the scenes were "negative for the world of agriculture."

"I don't think it's the right way of negotiating," he added.

Despite EU agricultural ministers' efforts on Monday, the non-governmental organization World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) warned that farmers concerns are not being addressed by the new measures.

"The European Commission is running around like a headless chicken throwing environmental measures under the tractor," Anu Suono, agriculture policy expert at WWF, said in a statement.

"They are failing to solve farmers' real problems by tackling unfair pricing and a Common Agricultural Policy that is no longer fit to secure our food supply in the long-term," she added.

Demonstrators drive their tractors in Brussels, during a protest against the European agricultural policies and their working conditions. Nicolas Maeterlinck/Belga/dpa

Demonstrators drive their tractors in Brussels, during a protest against the European agricultural policies and their working conditions. Nicolas Maeterlinck/Belga/dpa
Democratic Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego is proposing a bill to fund law enforcement, first responders and emergency operation centers in jurisdictions where emergency services are dealing with upticks in migrant arrivals.

Gallegos emergency funding proposal comes in the wake of a failed bipartisan border policy deal in the Senate and as he is running for the Senate seat currently held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.).

Ive heard directly from Arizonas front-line border leaders, and they all tell me the same thing: Their communities resources are strained dealing with the increase in migrant arrivals, especially their police and fire departments, Gallego said.

The current federal funding system provides no additional support for first responders  a deficiency we must correct.

First responder agencies in communities with large concentrations of newly arrived migrants have for months complained over a lack of resources, from struggling to pay overtime to properly supporting employees tasked with recovering corpses from the Rio Grande.

Several times in recent years, Federal authorities have found themselves overwhelmed by large numbers of aliens seeking to enter the United States. During such occurrences, State and local public safety resources are strained as well, said Fraternal Order of Police President Patrick Yoes, who endorsed Gallegos bill.

This program would be available to cover operational costs and assist with staffing needs  including overtime.

The program would also allow for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide grant funding for emergency responders whove lost money as jurisdictions redirect funds to account for new arrivals.

Fire departments across our country are facing unprecedented demands for service. In local governments efforts to fund services to assist newly arriving immigrants, fire fighters are seeing their budgets slashed, staffing decreased, and new equipment delayed, International Association of Fire Fighters General President Edward Kelly said.

We cannot sacrifice the safety of our fire fighters and the communities they serve. More emergency calls mean more stress on our public safety infrastructure. The current load on our members is unsustainable and is a recipe for injuring or killing fire fighters.

While Gallego, a progressive, has supported legislation to grant undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship, he has more recently focused on proposals to improve conditions in border communities with overwhelmed social services.

He has pushed Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to consider funding packages that prioritize those communities and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to take executive action against travel agencies that encourage irregular migration in the Western Hemisphere.

In November, Gallego put up a plan to fund migrant shelters, after a scuffle with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials over interior cities receiving the lions share of grant funding for shelters.

While Gallegos emergency responders grant is unlikely to receive solo airtime in a House barreling toward two funding deadlines on March 1 and March 8, appropriators are still discussing a potential DHS funding package.

And the focus on assisting law enforcement provides a platform for Gallego in the Senate race, where he holds a solid lead in a head-to-head race against Republican Kari Lake, but has a smaller lead if Sinema decides to jump in the race.

Sinema, the incumbent, has not said whether she is running for reelection and has yet to file a statement of interest with the Arizona secretary of state  after filing that notice, Sinema would have until April 1 to collect about 42,000 signatures to register as an independent candidate.

As Ive long said, our border communities should not be left to deal with this national crisis alone. Thats why Im committed to fixing the system and fighting for our brave public safety and emergency response workers so they get the support they deserve, Gallego said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and his supporters have about $12 million to spend to help fellow Democrats and boost his national stature  and part of the money could be used to help fund an eventual White House bid, new campaign finance reports show.

About $6 million could be used to fund ads to publicize his views, and could someday promote his White House candidacy. The governor has emphatically denied hes running for the office this year.

Another $6 million is available for Newsom to publicize his positions on a range of issues and help state Democratic parties, which hes been doing across the country since he was re-elected in 2022..

Newsom has been a strong supporter of President Joe Biden. Ads from one of Newsoms political committees ran last month urging donors to contribute to the Biden campaign, and the governor has raised an estimated $6.7 million to help the presidents re-election. Biden has been in California this week raising more campaign cash, while Newsom was in Washington for a governors conference and White House meetings..

This is all about helping out Democrats, said Nathan Click, a Newsom consultant, of all of the Newsom campaign efforts. Click said there is no intention to use the funds for a presidential run.

A run for president?

Concerns about Bidens popularityand his age and stamina  have stoked increasingly loud chatter in the political world about what could happen if the president chose not to run again.

In that case, Newsom would have the political infrastructure he would need.

He has set up a fundraising and spending system typical of politicians thinking of a presidential bid. He would likely need a lot more than the $6 million now available from Super Political Action Committee supporting him, but prominent national figures and their backers have shown in the past year they can quickly raise bigger sums.

Super PACs are campaign finance vehicles that allow unlimited contributions. They can run ads promoting positions and voter turnout, and have become important ways of helping specific candidates.

The Stand for America Fund, which supports former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, raised $50.1 million in the last half of 2023 as she became the most prominent challenger to GOP frontrunner Donald Trump for the partys presidential nomination. The group raised a total of $68.9 million last year and spent $65.3 million.

Never Back Down, which supports Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, raised $145 million last year and spent $130 million. DeSantis dropped out of the race in January after finishing a distant second to Trump in the Iowa caucus, the first contest of this years election cycle.

Newsoms political arms

Newsom and his supporters are using three fundraising committees, according to data from OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog group, and the Federal Election Commission:.

 The Campaign for Democracy Group is not subject to contribution limits, though as long as Newsom is not a candidate for federal office, it can coordinate with him.

The PAC has taken in $9.7 million as of December 31. About $8.4 million came from funds left over from Newsoms 2022 gubernatorial campaign. It has $6 million on hand.

The PAC could eventually run ads or take other steps to promote a Newsom White House campaign, though if Newsom is a declared candidate he cannot have contact with the group. The PAC so far has spent largely on administrative expenses.

With this money parked in a Super PAC linked to Gov. Newsom, it provides flexibility in how that money could be spent, said Brendan Glavin, deputy research director at OpenSecrets. Legally the super PAC can not coordinate with any candidate, but it could spend money independently on any future Newsom campaign, or any election it chooses to.

Click emphasized none of the Newsom-affiliated PACs are presidential exploratory committees, but vehicles to help other Democrats.

 The Campaign for Democracy Committee is called a joint fundraising committee. It operates like a bank, mostly collecting and distributing funds to the other groups.It currently has about $1.2 million available to be sent to those groups.

 The Campaign for Democracy Political Action Committee plays by different rules. It is directly affiliated with Newsom, and has run ads across the nation in recent months featuring the governor and promoting his political positions. Contributors can give no more than $5,000 annually, and direct donations from corporations and labor unions are not allowed.

As of the end of last year, it had raised $9 million and spent $3 million. About two-thirds of the money raised was a transfer from money left over from Newsoms 2022 gubernatorial campaign.

The rest came from more than 700 individual donors of more than $200 each. They listed addresses in at least 41 different states and Washington, D.C., though most are from California.

They could give up to $5,000. Money from this PAC could not be used for a presidential campaign.

Ads around the country

Newsoms funds are being used to boost his national stature, through spending on ads and helping other campaigns. It has contributed $43,935 to different Democratic campaigns and parties.

Most of the ads from Newsom supporters ran in 2023 were on social media and centered on Newsom and his views. In January, the ads involved Newsom urging viewers to donate to Bidens campaign.

An ad last month, viewed an estimated 1 million times, ran in seven states, including the political swing states of Pennsylvania and Illinois. It also ran in Florida, Texas, New York, Washington and California.

Gavin Newsom here, the ad begins as the governor appears.

Its a critical moment as Donald Trump inches closer to securing the Republican nomination. We cannot let our country take a step backward by allowing these extremist Republicans to ban books and undermine our reproductive rights, it continues.

Last years ads centered on polarizing issues such as abortion and gun rights.

If you support mandating background checks, banning civilian purchases of assault weapons, and raising the federal minimum age to buy a firearm from 18 to 21, then please: sign our petition today to join the movement to pass the Right to Safety Amendment to the Constitution today. Its a small act that can make a big difference, Newsom said in an ad, which ran for two weeks in the fall. That ad ran in all 50 states.
California could save nearly $1 billion annually if it closed five more state prisons, according to a new report from the Legislative Analysts Office.

The nonpartisan analysts are once again urging Gov. Gavin Newsoms administration to cull the states prison infrastructure as the number of inmates continues to decline. The savings could help Newsom shore up a projected $38 billion deficit  the LAO released a far higher projection of $73 billion last week.

The number of inmates, meanwhile, has fallen by 34,000 individuals in the last five years, according to the corrections department  a nearly 26% reduction to 96,033 in 2023 from 129,417 in 2019. The number of people incarcerated in state prisons sits at 93,579, according to figures compiled by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

CDCR already has plans to close facilities such as Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in Blythe within the next year, according to the LAOs report. But the governors current proposed budget would still use precious taxpayer dollars to fund an estimated 15,000 empty beds. The LAO projects that number will grow to 19,000 by 2028, even with the planned closure.

Put another way, without additional prison closures, about one-fifth of the states total prison capacity could sit empty, according to the LAO.

We recommend that the Legislature direct CDCR to begin planning to reduce capacity by the end of 2028, the report says. We estimate that deactivating five prisons, for example, could allow the state to save nearly $1 billion in ongoing General Fund costs.

Newsoms administration has previously pushed back against additional closures due to fears of violating a federal court decree mandating population limits, among other concerns. However, the LAO analysis shows that CDCR could operate with a 2,500 empty bed buffer even after closing five of CDCRs 33 current sites.

The administration has already closed two state-owned facilities since 2021  the Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy and the California Correctional Center in Susanville. The state has also closed eight prison yards at various state-owned prisons. The LAO noted, however, that closing yards doesnt yield the same savings as full closures.

While individual yard deactivations do allow staffing levels to be reduced, the report states, prisons have many centralized staffing costs  such as for administration and perimeter securitythat must be maintained regardless of the number of yards in operation.

CDCR estimates past closures since 2021 have saved the General Fund about $620 million in operating expenses per year, according to the LAOs report. The closures also allowed the state to avoid funding infrastructure repairs that wouldve otherwise been needed to keep those facilities operating, such as a $32 million water treatment project at the Tracy facility.

Last year, the states corrections department spent close to $14.8 billion in General Fund dollars, budget documents show  down from close to $16 billion the previous three years. Newsoms proposed budget for 2024-25 includes about $14.3 billion for CDCR.

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In certain places at certain times, just staying alive is something for a boy to be proud of - let alone going out every day to find the food that keeps your family from starving.

Every morning, Mohammed Zo'rab, 11, goes out into the southern Gaza city of Rafah on a mission.

He takes a big plastic bowl and heads to schools that have become refugee centres, and to makeshift camps on the roadside where people suffer like his own family but might still find something to feed the child of strangers.

Mohammed also goes to hospitals where the wounded arrive at all hours, and anywhere else where there might be a pot boiling over an open fire.

"When I go back to my family with this food, they get happy and we all eat together," he says.

"Sometimes I go empty handed and I feel sad."

Mohammed is the eldest of four children and lives with his mother, father and his siblings in a flimsy shelter made of plastic and tarpaulin.

His father, Khaled, roams around Rafah looking for odd jobs to raise five shekels (about $1.38; 1.08) to buy diapers for their two-month-old daughter, Howaida.

The Zo'rab family

Mohammed is one of thousands of children who have become primary food gatherers for their families.

"When the line is crowded and there are almost 100 people in front of me, I sneak between people," he says, proud of his skill at navigating large crowds without getting into fights.

Back at home, he hands the bowl of baked beans to his mother, Samar, who distributes the food to the other children. She is gaunt and barely eats herself.

"I have cancer in my bones," she reveals. "I am 31-years-old but when you see me you think I'm 60. I can't walk.

"If I walk, I get very tired. All my body hurts and I need treatment and nutrition."

Like so many others, Samar and her family came to Rafah from their home further north in Khan Younis because the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told them it would be safe. That was three months ago.

Since then, the war has come steadily closer to Rafah. More than 70 people were killed less than a fortnight ago when Israeli launched a raid to rescue two hostages being held by Hamas.

Map showing area of south eastern Gaza told to evacuate and Israeli ground operations in and around Khan Younis

The Zo'rab family's shelter leaks and the floor fills with rain. Sometimes, baby Howaida has no fresh diapers.

Each day offers relentless indignities in a place where 1.5 million people - five times the normal population - are crammed next to the Egyptian border.

With 85% of Gaza's population now displaced, the amount of aid getting into the enclave is nowhere near what is needed.

According to the United Nations (UN), five hundred trucks of aid per day are required. The daily average has been ninety.

The situation in northern Gaza is particularly acute.

Israel says the UN is failing to distribute aid in the north and that aid supplies are backed up - waiting to be collected on the Gaza side of the border.

The organisation has suspended movement of food aid in northern Gaza because it says there is no protection for truck drivers, who have faced attack by criminal gangs and looting by desperate people.

One truck was hit by shellfire, which the UN says came from an Israeli naval craft.

In addition, the Hamas-run police force in Gaza is no longer willing to escort food trucks because they fear being shot by the IDF.

'Give us back our people'

Zvika Mor's eldest son Eitan is a hostage in Gaza

In Israel, the military conduct of the war is still supported by a large majority.

There is no discernible body of opinion that supports stepping up the aid effort for civilians in Gaza. In one recent poll, 68% of Jewish respondents said they opposed the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza while Hamas still held Israeli hostages.

By contrast Arab Israelis polled were 85% in favour of aid.

Zvika Mor, whose eldest son, Eitan, is a hostage in Gaza, speaks of a boy who was the "first person to call me Daddy" and of how much he, his wife and their other seven children miss the young man kidnapped by Hamas on 7 October.

Eitan was acting as an unarmed security guard at the Nova music festival, where Hamas killed an estimated 360 people in and around the area.

Mr Mor heads a small group of hostage families that want their loved ones returned before any negotiations with Hamas. They are opposed to the government doing a deal that would make this conditional on a ceasefire, increase in humanitarian aid in Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

"Israel makes [a] humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Because our purpose is to release our people," Mr Mor says.

"We want our people, okay? And first of all, before all the negotiations and other things, give us our people."

Asked if this was not harsh, given that it was the lives of Gaza civilians that were at stake, Mr Mor replies: "Yes, but we have babies and women and, and the elders, okay?

"It's very, very simple. Give us our people and we will give you food and medicines. So simple."

In Gaza, charities are using what is left of their food resources to provide some assistance.

Mahmoud Al-Quishawi of the US-based charity Pious Projects of America was standing close to the boiling pots of beans where Mohammed received food for his family.

"We are trying tirelessly every day to extend a helping hand to these people to tell them 'we are with you, we won't let you stand alone'," says Mr Al-Quishawi.

The charity has run out of bottled gas to heat the food, so volunteers gather wood and keep fires burning.

"The atmosphere is gloomy," he says. "The situation is catastrophic."

In northern Gaza, there have been reports of children dying from malnutrition. The British charity Action Aid cited a doctor in northern Gaza as saying that a significant number of children had died.

In a video recording, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya - the head of paediatrics at the Kamal Adwan Hospital - said malnutrition was widespread, as well as infections of the digestive system.

According to Action Aid, one in six children under the age of two "who were screened at IDP [internally displaced persons] shelters and health centres in January were found to be acutely malnourished".

That, says the charity, represents a "decline in a population's nutritional status that is unprecedented globally in three months."

Another medic at Al-Shifa Medical Complex, also in northern Gaza, said he had treated a two-month-old boy named Mahmoud Fatouh, who died soon after arriving at the hospital.

"This child could not be provided with milk. His mum was not provided with food to be able to breastfeed him," says Dr Amjad Aliwa.

"He had symptoms of severe dehydration, and he was taking his last breaths [when he came]".

In Gaza, the civilians are stranded where war and hunger have trapped them.

With additional reporting by Alice Doyard, Haneen Abdeen, Gidi Kleiman and Stephanie Fried.
(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer are seeking to steer British politics back to domestic affairs ahead of a by-election this week and tone down political conflict over the Israel-Hamas war.

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That effort will be up against the Scottish National Party, which said Monday it will press House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle for a renewed vote on a cease-fire motion after a chaotic debate in Parliament last week ended in partisan recriminations. Thursdays by-election in Rochdale, a town near Manchester in northwestern England, has turned into a proxy for the Israel-Gaza debate as well.

Theres no possibility of the SNP initiating a vote that would be binding on UK foreign policy, but a debate this week would achieve the nationalists political aim of keeping their policy - and Labours discomfort - high on the political agenda, with the Rochdale by-election heightening attention to Gaza at the same time, Hannah White, director at the Institute for Government think tank, said in an interview.

The original SNP motion calling for a cease-fire and accusing Israel of subjecting Gaza to collective punishment  a war crime  didnt reach a vote last Wednesday and almost cost Hoyle his job. The speaker faced accusations he had helped Starmer avoid another damaging revolt from Labour MPs over the issue.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said in a statement his party will seek to move the Gaza cease-fire debate forward by introducing a motion to press Parliament to back concrete actions to achieve an end to hostilities.

With Sunak announcing a funding package for transport networks in the north of England and Starmer promising to run a patriotic economy with plans to boost home ownership and establish the next generation of new towns, the two main leaders are trying to move forward.

While Labour has held the Rochdale seat since 2010, the party is no longer fielding a candidate after their original contender repeated a conspiracy theory that Israel was complicit in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

In a district where 19% of respondents describe themselves as Muslim, according to 2021 census data, George Galloway, the 69-year-old candidate for the Workers Party of Britain is seeking to capitalize on Starmers original reluctance to call for an immediate cease-fire.

Galloway was a longstanding Labour MP before his party expelled him for attacking former Prime Minister Tony Blair over the Iraq war. He has since twice beaten Labour in strongly Muslim areas.

Safety Threats

Lawmakers have expressed concerns about their safety and security, with many saying they have received threats of violence over their stance on Israels military offensive in Gaza. Hoyle cited security concerns as his reason for changing voting procedures last week.

Senior Conservatives spent the weekend dealing with the fallout from comments by a former deputy party chairman that London Mayor Sadiq Khan is controlled by Islamists.

On Saturday, Lee Anderson had the Conservative whip suspended, meaning that if not reinstated he wont be allowed to vote in Parliament or stand as a Tory at the next general election, expected in the second half of this year.

Sayeeda Warsi, a Conservative member of the House of Lords and former Tory co-chair, said shes deeply disturbed for her partys future after Andersons comments.

Weve ended up with a group of people who are radical, who divide our country, who set these fires up and leave a nation much more unstable and much more divided, she told Times Radio on Sunday.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden refused to be drawn on whether he views the comments as racist. Dowden told the BBC he had deep concern about threats targeted at MPs, which are often coming from Islamic extremists.

We shouldnt be shy of calling that out, he said. Sunak has criticized an emerging pattern of intimidation in the wake of the chaotic Gaza cease-fire vote.

Sunak made his first intervention on the impact of pro-Palestine marches on UK politics on Saturday, saying our democracy cannot and must not bend to the threat of violence and intimidation or fall into polarized camps who hate each other. Labour politicians, including Khan, accused the Tories of failing to condemn anti-Muslim sentiment.

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The Georgia Bureau of Investigation ruled the September death of a Columbus infant to be a homicide, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan announced Monday.

Shantra Gates was previously arrested and charged with murder and first-degree cruelty to children in the death of her 6-month-old daughter KeNiyah Gates.

Bryan said the infant suffered blunt force head trauma.

The infant was injured in September at Bull Creek Apartments, located at 17 Creek Way, according to Sgt. Lorri Zieverink in a Recorders Court hearing in December. She said police were called Sept. 25 to the pediatric emergency unit at Piedmont Columbus Regional, where the baby was brought by ambulance.

The child was then flown by helicopter to Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta, according to Zieverink.

Zieverink said doctors in Atlanta performed surgery to try to relieve pressure caused by bleeding in the babys brain before the infant ultimately died. Police previously said the child died the next day, though the coroners office said Monday that the child died Sept. 25.

The mother told investigators she and a relative were bringing laundry into the apartment, and the relative set the laundry basket on the floor while she lay the baby on a bed, according to Zieverink.

Zieverink said Gates told police the infant fell onto the floor when she left to get the laundry. The mother comforted the child until she stopped crying, and went to bed, awaking at 7:20 a.m. to find the child still asleep, the officer said.

After the mother took a shower, she found the baby was having seizures, and texted the childs father before calling 911, the investigator said.

She said Gates, who also has a 3-year-old, sent the infants father a text that read, When these children are dead, youre going to be sick.

The bed the mother said the baby fell from was just over 40 inches off the floor, and doctors said the trauma was too extensive to have been caused by a fall from that height, Zieverink said.

Public defender Shaneka Terry, Shantra Gates lawyer, repeatedly asked whether any doctor specifically said the babys injury could not have resulted from a fall. Zieverink said the autopsys classifying the trauma as non-accidental meant the fall could not have caused the trauma.

Judge Susan Henderson sent the case to Muscogee Superior Court, where the case is still pending. Gates is scheduled to appear in court next month for a bond hearing, court records show.
Georgia Power customers will be paying higher electricity rates over the next two years as well as more taking on more costs for nuclear expansion at Plant Vogtle and reimbursement for fuel costs. John McCosh/ Georgia Recorder

Two House and Senate Legislative committees have unanimously backed proposals that would shift the responsibilities of Georgias utilities regulators.

The Senate Regulated Industries Committee passed Senate Bill 457 late last week, which would create a consumers utility counsel to advocate for the public in electric rate cases. Earlier in the week, a House Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee passed a proposal to place the Public Service Commission in charge of private water companies.

Both bills now head before their respective Rules Committees that determine which bills go before the full chambers.

Republican Sen. Chuck Hufstetler said he filed SB 457 in response to the PSC recently signing off on Georgia Powers multiple utility bill increases due to increased electricity base rates, overrun costs associated with building the Vogtle nuclear power plant units, coal ash cleanup and other expenses.

The PSC regulates Georgia Power and a number of other public utilities that provide electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications services. The PSC has limited authority over the more than 90 Electric Membership Cooperatives and municipal gas and electric companies located throughout Georgia.

Hufstetler said that while the elected five-member Public Service Commission is responsible for considering public interests when making utility decisions, SB 457 establishes an independent director to ensure that regulators are getting more robust information before deciding on electricity rate cases and other proceedings affecting customers.

They would have legal standing on behalf of the consumer, and we would join 46 other states, including all those around us, in having someone who advocates for this cause, Hufstetler said during Thursdays Regulated Industries Committee meeting. Of course, it would be subject to budgetary appropriations, but it would be pretty minimal cost.

The legislation would restore a consumer utility counsel that was shut down in 2008 by Gov. Sonny Perdue while the state was in the midst of a budget crisis caused by the recession.

The Savannah Morning News reported in September 2008 that the five-member commission would review roughly 25,000 complaints within a year and would take legal action against utility companies on behalf of the public.

The PSCs Executive Director Reece McAlister said that there isnt a need to reestablish an Office of the Consumers Utility Counsel since there is currently a PSC public interest advocacy staff that represents residential, small commercial and industrial groups in utility cases.

The public interest advocacy staff, which is employed by the PSC, will cross examine witnesses, have its own expert witnesses testify in cases and make recommendations to the PSC on behalf of customers.

Creating the new utility consumer advocate would be a duplication of what already exists, McAlister said.

Even today many consumers are at odds with each other that may be in the residential market, he said during a Feb. 14 committee hearing on the measure. Nonprofit consumer groups who represent ratepayers in front of the PSC find themselves with competing interests. For example, clean energy is not always the cheapest or the most reliable, and sometimes the financial needs of a large house with solar panels on the roof could be in direct opposition to the needs of a smaller house with a family on a modest income.

Georgia Conservation Voters lobbyist Doug Teper said the consumer utility council once played an important role in representing the public in cases that affected their pocketbooks.

For example, if you were a major industrial group, you would pay a different rate per kilowatt hour than residential does, Teper said at the committee hearing. Each group would quite often have one of the top Atlanta law firms to go cut a deal. It was very important that residents had somebody who was representing their interests.

Concerns raised by private water companies high bills

A House Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee voted in favor of Greensboro Rep. Trey Rhodes HB 1220, which gives the Public Service Commission oversight of Georgias private water companies with more than 1,000 customers.

The unanimous decision to move HB 1220 ahead to the House Rules Committee came after the panel heard testimony from a Greensboro resident, business owner, and Greene County commissioner about how their water and sewer bills from their unregulated private water company are significantly higher than the typical water bills.

Jacob Fried, a resident of Greene County, said that Piedmont Water Companys high water and sewer costs for his two Putnam County businesses and the ongoing legal battles have forced him into bankruptcy.

Fried said that Piedmonts rates for water will have increased by 30% and sewer by 20% over a three year period once the latest hikes kick in.

Fried testified last week that he spent about $80,000 hooking up the water and sewer lines at the Eatonton car wash he opened two years ago. Since then, the average monthly water bill for the car wash has been $7,000, compared to a national average of $3,000 for car washes.

And a few months after opening the car wash, Piedmont would inform Fried that he owed the water company an additional $100,000 in impact fees because the car wash was using more water than he had estimated.

Theres no option B for small business owners, he said. Theres a private water system thats unregulated and able to charge whatever they want to charge. Im here begging you to do something about this and do something for our community.

Piedmont Water Company founder and chairman Jerry Shaifer said the company charges fair rates to its customers in 14 counties in the state.

The company has spent $20 million to build a water treatment plant that serves 5,000 customers in Greene County and has made other significant capital investments, he said.

We currently run our pricing through a regulatory model anyway, frankly, because we always assumed that this would happen so weve been preparing for that day, Shaifer said.

In Georgia, more than 560 water systems are operated by several dozen private water companies.

Tom Bond, director of utilities at the PSC, said the commission is agnostic about taking over water companies.

The PSC would need time to develop rules and to get budgetary resources from the state to take on this new role before it could begin regulating water utilities, Bond said.

Bond said the PSC would need to find out how many of the private water companies have at least 1,000 customers and it would need the authority to set terms and conditions, such as when a company can disconnect a customer.

According to the bill, the PSC would have the same powers as state regulators with regard to natural gas and other utilities.

The post Georgia Power hikes prompt legislation to restore consumer advocate for PSC electricity rate cases appeared first on Georgia Recorder.
Germany is holding confidential talks with India on purchasing shells for Ukraine through intermediaries, Der Spiegel reported on Feb. 25.

India allegedly has "several hundred thousand" artillery shells in storage. The negotiations are being conducted in secret, as India "still maintains friendly relations with Moscow".

Read also: German Bundestag approves long-range weapons for Ukraine, Taurus delivery uncertain

Similar agreements in Ukraine's interests are possible, in particular with Arab countries. Some of them have large stockpiles of ammunition.

According to the experts interviewed, several Balkan states and a number of African countries have the capability to produce ammunition.

Germany and India did not comment on the talks.

Read also: Germany unable to fully supply Ukraine with artillery shells  Rheinmetall CEO

Spiegel reported that, according to Western intelligence services, Ukraine's own ammunition stocks will run out by June, and possibly even earlier.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Feb. 20 that Ukrainian forces were forced to retreat from Avdiivka due to the delay in Western military aid and a shortage of weapons at the front.

Delay in U.S. aid to Ukraine - what is known

A bill to fund about $106 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan failed to pass a procedural vote in the U.S. Senate on Dec. 6 due to Republican demands for a stricter migration policy. They sought to strengthen border protection with Mexico and consider this issue only in relation to assistance to Ukraine and Israel.

Read also: Security source reveals Czech President Pavel found artillery stockpile critical to Ukraine's defense

House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Jan. 19 that he often discusses border enforcement with former U.S. President Donald Trump, including during a conversation with him on the eve of Biden's meeting on the border and aid to Ukraine.

The Financial Times reported on Jan. 26 that Republicans are being influenced by Trump, who is demanding that the party reject a compromise deal on immigration.

In his first official speech as speaker on Jan. 31, Johnson said that the deal taking shape in the Senate was not sufficient to prevent migrants from Mexico from entering the United States. Johnson previously hinted that he would not unblock aid to Ukraine and called the deal in the Senate "dead on arrival."

Joe Biden accused on Feb. 6 the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, of trying to intimidate Republicans in the House and Senate into not voting for the Ukraine bill.

Read also: President Biden says Trump threatened Republicans if they supported border bill containing Ukraine aid

The U.S. Senate failed to support consideration of a bipartisan border reform package that includes aid for Ukraine and Israel on Feb. 7. The bill did not receive enough votes during the procedural vote.

Legislators then decided to set aside border measures with Mexico and consider aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan separately instead.

The U.S. Senate in the final vote on Feb. 13 supported a bill that provides $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, $60 billion of which is intended for Kyiv.

Johnson reiterated that he would not bring the Senate-backed bill to the floor for consideration.

The House of Representatives recessed from Feb. 16 until Feb. 28. It is expected to consider the Ukraine bill no earlier than mid-March.

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
Basel Adra, left, was applauded when receiving the Berlin Film Prize, when he said the Gaza population was being 'massacred' (Nadia WOHLLEBEN)

German officials will investigate how Berlin film festival winners made "one-sided" comments condemning Israel's war in Gaza at the awards gala, a government spokeswoman said on Monday.

At Saturday's ceremony, several winners were accused of making anti-Semitic remarks on stage in relation to Israel's military assault, which began after an attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

US filmmaker Ben Russell, wearing a Palestinian scarf, accused Israel of committing "genocide" with its bombardment of the densely populated Gaza Strip.

Palestinian filmmaker Basel Adra said the Palestinian population was being "massacred" by Israel, to applause from the audience.

"It is unacceptable that... the terrorist attack by Hamas on 7 October was not mentioned," government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann told reporters in Berlin on Monday.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz "agrees that such a one-sided stance cannot be allowed to stand", Hoffmann said.

"In any debate on this topic, it is of course important to keep in mind the event that triggered this renewed escalation of the Middle East conflict -- namely the Hamas attack on 7 October," she said.

Culture Minister Claudia Roth and Berlin's mayor Kai Wegner have also found themselves in hot water over the ceremony.

A report in top tabloid Bild carried a picture it said showed the pair applauding Adra's remarks.

On Sunday after the ceremony, Wegner posted on social media that the anti-Israel remarks were "unacceptable", adding that "there is no place for anti-Semitism in Berlin".

Hoffmann said Wegner and the culture minister would review the incidents and hold talks with the festival's incoming director to ensure such incidents did not happen in future.

- 'Understand the outrage' -

Germany, influenced by its own World War II history when millions of Jews were killed by the Nazis, has steadfastly backed Israel following the October 7 attack.

The Hamas assault killed 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 29,782 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The festival, known as the Berlinale, receives substantial government funding.

Asked whether the funding would now be reviewed, Hoffmann said the focus was on ensuring such incidents were not repeated.

After the controversy erupted, the film festival issued a statement Sunday saying that winners' remarks were "independent, individual opinions (which) in no way reflect the position of the festival".

But, it added, "We understand the outrage, and that the statements of some of the award winners were perceived as too one-sided."

Organisers also said the Berlinale's Panorama Instagram account was briefly hacked on Sunday to display anti-Semitic posts about the war in the Middle East.

"The posts were deleted immediately," organisers said Monday, adding that the Berlinale had "filed criminal charges against unknown persons" over the incident.

Amid the widespread anger at the comments at the award ceremony, Israel's ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, said on social media: "Once again, the German cultural scene showcases its bias by rolling out the red carpet exclusively for artists who promote the delegitimisation of Israel."

At the film festival, "anti-Semitic and anti-Israel discourse was met with applause", he added.

Felix Klein, the government's commissioner for the fight against anti-Semitism, told the Funke media group that the "one-side, anti-Israel statements" show "how widespread anti-Semitism is not only in the arts and culture scenes, but also in the film industry".

sr/mfp/js
Germany has handed over 14,000 155 mm shells, ten Vector reconnaissance drones with spare parts, and other aid in their latest delivery of military aid to Ukraine, the German government said on Feb. 26.

The tranche also included four Wisent 1 demining tanks, three mobile, remote controlled, and protected mine clearing systems, material for explosive ordnance disposal as well as 250 more tool kits with blasting material.

Ukraine also received 22 anti-drone sensors and jammers, four border protection vehicles, and 12 satellite communication terminals.

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Berlin on Feb. 16 to sign a long-term security agreement with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Scholz then revealed that Berlin was reading a new large-scale defense assistance package of 1.1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) that includes artillery ammunition, air defense systems, and more.

At the same time, the chancellor once again ruled out the delivery of long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine on Feb. 26, days after the German parliament rejected a measure explicitly calling for Taurus to be provided.

Read also: Our reserves will run out: Ukrainian artillery sounds alarm on Western shell shortage

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Nancy Faeser, Germany's Interior Minister, stands in the RedBull Arena during her visit to see the preparation for the UEFA EURO 2024 and met with representatives of the city and the police. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wants to intensify police cooperation with South American countries in the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking.

"Large quantities of cocaine for the European market are transported from the countries of origin through Brazil. Germany and Brazil's authorities are therefore working closely together," the Interior Ministry in Berlin said at the start of Faeser's trip to South America in Brazil's capital Brasilia on Monday.

The cooperation is already working well, the Social Democrat (SPD) politician said at a meeting with Brazilian Federal Police Director General Andrei Rodrigues. "We want to deepen it further," she said.

Faeser travelled to Brazil with a delegation for political talks on Sunday and then plans to travel to Peru, Ecuador and Colombia by Saturday.

"I am very concerned about the massive import of cocaine from South America. These drugs destroy people and generate huge revenues for organized crime," she said. "I therefore want to see tougher and more closely coordinated international action against the trade in cocaine and other drugs."

According to Faeser, she wants to help "push back the destructive influence of the drug cartels in the countries of origin," referring to environmental destruction, violence and corruption. "Drug gangs exert an unbelievable spiral of violence - even in the centre of Europe," she said.

Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher recently travelled to Colombia and Ecuador together with his counterparts from Rotterdam and Antwerp to discuss a joint strategy in the fight against drug smuggling with the security authorities there.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz answers questions from Sven Goesmann, dpa Editor-in-Chief, and Michael Fischer at the 2024 Editor-in-Chief Conference in the dpa newsroom. Michael Kappeler/dpa

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the death of opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

"Like everyone else, I also assume that it was the regime that killed him," Scholz said on Monday in Berlin at dpa's editors-in-chief conference.

Russia is a dictatorship, the chancellor added. "His death is now the consequence of a dictatorship."

Navalny died on February 16 in the prison camp with the unofficial name "Polar Wolf" in the Siberian Arctic region of Yamal, Russian authorities said.

The circumstances of his death remain unclear.

Russia's leading dissident, weakened by a poison attack and repeated solitary confinement in the camp, is said to have collapsed while exercising at the icy prison yard and died despite attempts to resuscitate him.

According to Navalny's team, the death certificate mentions "natural" causes.

It is difficult to say whether Navalny's death will weaken or strengthen the opposition, Scholz said.

"In any case, it is clear that all those who are oppositional need a lot of courage."

The situation now is even more dangerous than during his last visit to Moscow, he said.

"At the same time, we can see that the Russian president and all those who support him politically are very afraid." This can be seen by the fact that the only presidential candidate supported by the opposition has been excluded from the ballot, he said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz answers questions from Sven Goesmann, dpa Editor-in-Chief, and Michael Fischer at the 2024 Editor-in-Chief Conference in the dpa newsroom. Michael Kappeler/dpa
Police are investigating reports of shots fired at a Springfield apartment complex.

>>RELATED: Were not ignoring this; City officials detail how they are combatting uptick in gun violence

People who live in the Cole Manor Apartments on South Burnett Road said they heard gunfire around 8 p.m. on Saturday.

News Center 7s Malik Patterson spent time learning if Springfield residents feel safe in their community.

Trying to do that, in the process of moving out of here, Cole Manor Apartments resident Charles Shipton said.

Shipton has lived in Cole Manor for a decade. He said people were calling to check up on him after they heard of a possible shooting.

I try to stay in after a certain hour. I dont, you know, come out of my apartment because of the situation, Shipton said.

Shipton said the recent shootings around this complex and the city are continuing to get worse.

Its getting pretty dangerous, Shipton said.

Springfield residents said they are frustrated with the increased gun violence.

>>RELATED: 4 separate shootings within days put local city on edge

It is just terrible. Its a travesty, Springfield resident Ann Pearson said.

Pearson has lived in the city for 36 years and she remembers when things started to change.

Maybe 15 years ago, it was not like this. It really wasnt, Pearson said.

This week, News Center 7s John Bedell talked with Springfield Mayor Rob Rue about what the city is doing to keep its residents safe.

We know and were going after those folks. Were not ignoring this. This is very important to the city and its very important that we have a safe environment here, Rue said.

Springfield police told News Center 7 that they are looking into the incident on South Burnett Road, but could not provide further comment.

Yeah, its scary. It really is because Im scared to deal with, you know what I mean, Shipton said.

We will continue to follow this story.
The late U.S. District Court Judge Stephan P. Mickle had a bench memorializing his life and legacy dedicated during a ceremony Sunday at Lincoln Middle School in southeast Gainesville.

The memorial bench dedication, attended by more than 50 people from a cross-section of the community, was part of Kristen Coopers Girl Scout Gold Project, which is the highest achievement within the organization.

Cooper, 18, is a senior at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School.

The bench memorializes Mickles dedication to the Lincoln Estates community where Lincoln Middle School is located. Mickle walked the halls of the school and graduated from Lincoln when it was an all-Black middle and high school before it closed in 1969.

Were here to celebrate his legacy and acknowledge the significant impact that Judge Mickle placed in this community, said AuBroncee Martin, a member Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, of which Mickle was also a member. This moment is about inspiring generations to come. This was the cornerstone of Mickles life which built his character and personality.

Martin thanked Cooper for honoring Mickle.

You are a manifestation for what every parent wants from their child, said Martin, a felony division chief with the 8th Judicial Circuit Public Defender's Office.

Cooper thanked everyone who helped her with the project, including the Lincoln Estates neighborhood, her parents, Lincoln Middle School assistant principal Mickey Ebert and Alachua County Public Schools.

Girl Scouts: Girl Scouts honor 4 difference makers

Thank you for helping me with the project, Cooper said. I wanted to choose someone who meant a lot to Lincoln Estates, and I chose a trailblazer, and I am so thankful. I want to thank the Lincoln Estates neighborhood. Your love pushed me to complete it.

Described as a man who never sought the limelight, Mickle broke racial barriers throughout his life:

- In 1965, he was the first Black person to earn an undergraduate degree from the University of Florida.

-In 1970, he was the second Black student to earn a UF law degree.

-In 1979, he became the first Black Alachua County judge.

-In 1993, he became the first Black federal judge in the 1st District Court of Appeal.

-In 1998, he became the first Black federal judge in the U.S. District Court of Florida's northern district. He was nominated by then-President Bill Clinton.

His achievements were recognized by UF in 1999 when he became the first Black graduate to receive a distinguished alumnus award.

In October 2020, the UF Levin College of Law hosted a special event that honored Mickles life, and a portrait of him was unveiled.

Mickle was raised in southeast Gainesville by his parents, Catherine Mickle and the late Andrew Mickle Sr., both of whom were educators at Lincoln.

Catherine Mickle and Evelyn Mickle, wife of the late judge, were presented with a plaque by Cooper and her mother, Cynthia Cooper.

I feel so thankful today, Catherine Mickle said. She had it in her heart to do this project. Everyone played a hand in the success of Judge Mickles life, and I thank you for that.

Daryl Cooper, Kristens father, said he hopes the bench will serve as a constant reminder for students at the school of Mickles legacy.

It is an honor that the life of Judge Stephan P. Mickle is being dedicated to Lincoln Middle School on behalf of the Gold Scout project, he said. We hope that it not only preserves his legacy but inspires students to dream big. With hard work, dreams can be attainable.

Cynthia Cooper said her daughter and fellow Girl Scout Shanaya Brown were the last two girls remaining after their troop started out with 11 to 12 girls.

Theyve been dedicated and spent 10 years working hard, she said. They are the go-getters of the Gateway Council.

The Girl Scouts of the Gateway Council serve more than 19,000 members across 35 counties in north Florida.

Kristen Cooper, right, dedicated a bench on Sunday memorializing the life and legacy of the late U.S. District Judge Stephan P. Mickle that she donated to Lincoln Middle School as part of her Girl Scout Gold Project. She is pictured here with the late judge's mother, Catherine Mickle, left, and his wife, Evelyn Mickle, center. (Credit: Photo by Voleer Thomas, Correspondent)

Cynthia Cooper said her daughter and Brown sold 2,700 Girl Scout cookie boxes this year, with funds from the sales going toward the expenses of the bench and school supplies that were donated to Lincoln Middle School, as well as plaques that were given to the Mickle family.

The bench cost $2,500, and her daughter donated 1,000 pencils, 144 folders and 24 backpacks to the school.

They are going places, Cynthia Cooper said. They work hard and they do any task that is given to them. We appreciate you and thank you for the work you do and being a role model to others. They are constantly pouring and volunteering.

She also thanked the Mickle family for their time in mentoring her daughter throughout the project.

I want to thank the family who spent a lot of time mentoring and pouring into Kristen, she said. They talked about Mickle, and she learned about his past and what he did. We need to understand that kids can be inspired and move forward to achieve their dreams.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Bench unveiled in honor of late Judge Stephan P. Mickle in Gainesville
Bioluminescent tides washing up on Southern California shores left something mind-blowing behind  what appears to be glowing sand.

Photographer Vishwas Lokesh, who specializes in photos and videos of bioluminescence, captured a video of the phenomenon early Sunday, Feb. 25, his Instagram page shows.

Last night was mind-blowing, Lokesh wrote. I couldnt stop laughing from the excitement and joy!

He has been trying to capture a photo of glowing sand left by bioluminescent tides since 2020, Lokesh wrote.

It finally came through, he wrote.

Lokesh told McClatchy News that he checks constantly for the phenomenon after each bioluminescent tide in the San Diego area.

The glow actually comes from bioluminescent algae washed ashore by the tides mixed in with the sand, not from the sand itself, he said.

An earlier check of another beach after a bioluminescent algae bloom didnt turn up anything, but then another visitor told Lokesh where he might find the elusive glowing sand.

I went around checking and found it, Lokesh told McClatchy News. This spot isnt close to the ocean, so the water doesnt change out as frequently.

In the video, Lokesh waves his hands across the sand to produce the bluish glow.

Every step I took was glowing. Whenever I set the bag or tripod down, it would glow, Lokesh told KUSI. Just crazy!

Bioluminescent tides, which appear to glow blue at night, are the result of a phytoplankton bloom, Sea Grant California said. They can last from days to months. In the sunlight, they can appear red or golden in color.

Deep-sea creature  able to glow in the dark  caught by trawlers. Its a new species

Ocean waves are glowing blue again on Californias coast. Heres why

Hair ice is something magical in this Washington photo. How does this gift occur?
Temple fair held in C China's Henan

Xinhua) 08:31, February 26, 2024

Folk artists perform lion dance during a temple fair held in Xunxian County of central China's Henan Province, Feb. 25, 2024. Local residents of Shehuo performing teams participated in a temple fair in Xunxian on Sunday, one day after the Chinese Lantern Festival. Shehuo is a traditional carnival-like folk celebration, featuring performances like dragon dance, lion dance, traditional Chinese opera, drum playing and other folk performances that may vary in different regions. (Photo by Zhang Tingyuan/Xinhua)

Folk artists perform dragon dance during a temple fair held in Xunxian County of central China's Henan Province, Feb. 25, 2024. Local residents of Shehuo performing teams participated in a temple fair in Xunxian on Sunday, one day after the Chinese Lantern Festival. Shehuo is a traditional carnival-like folk celebration, featuring performances like dragon dance, lion dance, traditional Chinese opera, drum playing and other folk performances that may vary in different regions. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang)

Folk artists perform dragon dance during a temple fair held in Xunxian County of central China's Henan Province, Feb. 25, 2024. Local residents of Shehuo performing teams participated in a temple fair in Xunxian on Sunday, one day after the Chinese Lantern Festival. Shehuo is a traditional carnival-like folk celebration, featuring performances like dragon dance, lion dance, traditional Chinese opera, drum playing and other folk performances that may vary in different regions. (Photo by Zhang Tingyuan/Xinhua)

Folk artists perform a comedy show during a temple fair held in Xunxian County of central China's Henan Province, Feb. 25, 2024. Local residents of Shehuo performing teams participated in a temple fair in Xunxian on Sunday, one day after the Chinese Lantern Festival. Shehuo is a traditional carnival-like folk celebration, featuring performances like dragon dance, lion dance, traditional Chinese opera, drum playing and other folk performances that may vary in different regions. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang)

Folk artists perform lion dance during a temple fair held in Xunxian County of central China's Henan Province, Feb. 25, 2024. Local residents of Shehuo performing teams participated in a temple fair in Xunxian on Sunday, one day after the Chinese Lantern Festival. Shehuo is a traditional carnival-like folk celebration, featuring performances like dragon dance, lion dance, traditional Chinese opera, drum playing and other folk performances that may vary in different regions. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang)

Folk artists perform during a temple fair held in Xunxian County of central China's Henan Province, Feb. 25, 2024. Local residents of Shehuo performing teams participated in a temple fair in Xunxian on Sunday, one day after the Chinese Lantern Festival. Shehuo is a traditional carnival-like folk celebration, featuring performances like dragon dance, lion dance, traditional Chinese opera, drum playing and other folk performances that may vary in different regions. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang)

Folk artists perform dragon dance during a temple fair held in Xunxian County of central China's Henan Province, Feb. 25, 2024. Local residents of Shehuo performing teams participated in a temple fair in Xunxian on Sunday, one day after the Chinese Lantern Festival. Shehuo is a traditional carnival-like folk celebration, featuring performances like dragon dance, lion dance, traditional Chinese opera, drum playing and other folk performances that may vary in different regions. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang)

A folk artist performs during a temple fair held in Xunxian County of central China's Henan Province, Feb. 25, 2024. Local residents of Shehuo performing teams participated in a temple fair in Xunxian on Sunday, one day after the Chinese Lantern Festival. Shehuo is a traditional carnival-like folk celebration, featuring performances like dragon dance, lion dance, traditional Chinese opera, drum playing and other folk performances that may vary in different regions. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Jasmine Moulton's children have a series of complex medical conditions. On some days five-year-old Harper's skin allergies flare up so badly, her body has to be wrapped in bandages. Three-year-old Joshua has problems with breathing and swallowing. Both need regular hospital check-ups.

NHS Trusts contact Jasmine about medical appointments via letter. But in recent months these letters have either been late or don't arrive at all.

At the beginning of January this year, Jasmine received a call from the hospital to inform her that not only had both her children missed appointments, Joshua had missed a surgery which should have taken place in late December.

"And I was like, 'pardon?' And I was in a bit of shock. I explained that we hadn't had any post come through. She sounded shocked," Jasmine says.

As Jasmine talks, Joshua, who has a chest infection, lies on the sofa next to her. He coughs and wheezes. They had hoped the operation that he missed might have helped with his swallowing.

"It's just so frustrating. On top of being a mum to two children with..." Jasmine can't finish her sentence, she starts to cry. She is clearly exhausted.

"It stresses me out every day because I just think, how many other appointments have we missed? And just not knowing when we're going to be able to move on. And seeing him suffering."

Royal Mail says it is "not acceptable" that the NHS letters didn't arrive and apologised to the family.

The company's director of corporate affairs, Jenny Hall, said: "I've got young children myself and I know that must have been hugely stressful."

Royal Mail: Where's My Post?

For more on this story, watch Panorama on BBC One at 20:00 GMT on Monday, 26 February and on BBC iPlayer afterwards.

Reporter Zoe Conway speaks to Royal Mail insiders about problems facing the company and hears from its management about how proposed changes may help stave off multi-million-pound losses.

Four miles from Jasmine's home in Cheshire is Royal Mail's Winsford delivery office. On a weekday morning in early February, a steady stream of people turned up to collect undelivered letters.

One woman, who is recovering from cancer, was worried she had missed an NHS letter: "I'm expecting an appointment next month. If I miss it, it could be life threatening."

Another woman said she had collected a birthday card from her grandmother who had been upset to hear that it had failed to arrive on time. "She lives in Wales, I don't see her very often," she said.

Royal Mail says that it will investigate what has been going on at the Winsford delivery office as "a priority".

But it is not just in Cheshire that Royal Mail is struggling to deliver. Second class letters, which now cost 75p, should arrive within three working days. First class letters, which cost 1.25, should arrive the next working day. Ten years ago, 92% of first class post arrived on time. By the end of last year it was down to 74%, according to the regulator Ofcom.

In some places, the picture is even worse. In 17 postcodes between June and September 2023, more than a third of all first class post was late. In November Ofcom fined Royal Mail 5.6m for failing to meet its targets.

A letter about surgery for three-year-old Joshua failed to arrive

Under what is called the Universal Service Obligation, Royal Mail is required by law to deliver letters six days a week and parcels five days a week to every address in the UK.

Yet former and current Royal Mail staff have told BBC Panorama that at times letters have been left behind in sorting offices, while parcels and tracked items are prioritised for delivery.

Over the last two decades we have been sending fewer letters, while at the same time there has been big growth in parcels, largely due to the boom in online shopping. Parcel delivery is important for customers and represents a growing business opportunity.

One former Royal Mail area manager, who left recently and asked to speak anonymously, says he was so short-staffed that for weeks at a time he instructed postal staff to leave letters behind.

"You knew that you were letting customers down and there was no hiding from it," he says. Those decisions were taken in consultation with his managers, he adds.

He also says that senior management would have known that letters were being left behind while tracked items and some parcels went out because every delivery office in the country collects data daily on what is and isn't being delivered.

He says that data was collated and sent up the management chain to the top of the company. It was "impossible" that the top of Royal Mail didn't know this was happening as "everyone all the way up the chain was reporting those failures, was saying this is what we're prioritising".

Royal Mail says it is its job to ensure every letter and parcel is delivered on time because that is what customers have been promised.

"There are certain times of the year particularly, or where you've got resourcing issues like Christmas, where volumes double. And we can tell you that sometimes it's logistically necessary to move the parcels first. However, it should not be happening as a matter of course. What should not be happening is that sort of instruction," says Jenny Hall of Royal Mail.

Royal Mail postal worker

The postal regulator, Ofcom, investigated the issue of parcel prioritisation last year. It said it had not found evidence of a "general organisation-wide policy directed by Royal Mail's senior management" of prioritising parcels over letters in "business-as-usual periods".

But it said it was concerned that there was "insufficient control, visibility and oversight" by senior management over the decision-making at delivery offices.

The failure to meet its delivery targets is not the only challenge facing Royal Mail. It is also losing money, with a loss of 419m last year.

It could save hundreds of millions of pounds if the obligation to deliver letters six days a week were watered down or if it were allowed to take longer to deliver letters.

Reform to the service now seems inevitable, with Ofcom recently setting out options for changes to the service that it says it wants to see publicly debated.

Many people have told the BBC that they see Royal Mail as a vital public service. The challenge then is how to square that with Royal Mail's need to turn a profit.
I was in Kyiv on Saturday. When I visited the city in May 2023, bombs fell; nights were spent in underground shelters. This time, all was quiet. Then, however, the mood was bright, glowing with success against the Russians.

Today, the Ukrainians are still the giantkillers. At the front, roughly five Russian soldiers are killed for every one Ukrainian. But there is military stasis. The consequent mood is more anxious, more critical, wearier.

Opposite my hotel is St Michaels monastery. After dropping in on a service there, I inspected the square. As last year, an almost random collection of shot-out Russian tanks clusters beside the statue of St Olga, the 10th-century regent and first Christian ruler of Kyiv. Now, however, Olga wears a flak-jacket  a protest at the failure of the army to design combat-wear that fits womens bodies.

On the monasterys long exterior wall are chronological charts with thousands of names and photographs of the dead, dating, as Ukrainians always do, not from the 2022 invasion but from Putins conquest of Crimea in 2014. Soon the wall-space will run out.

I noticed a friendly American, attending the same conference as I, offering comfort to a young woman who sat weeping by the wall. Politely but firmly, she cast down her gaze and looked away, inconsolable.

British leadership

The conference, Two Years  Stay in the Fight, was organised by YES, brainchild of the Ukrainian oligarch Victor Pinchuk. Since that slogan is our Governments policy, it seemed a pity that no British minister was present.

Britain stands high in Ukraine because, among Western nations, it got there first, producing military aid vital in the early defence of Kyiv and urging Nato on. Just before the invasion, the Germans privately expressed the defeatist thought that the least bad thing would be a quick Russian victory. That contrast is not forgotten in Kyiv. British policy remains sound. But London no longer leads, and we are not currently well placed to resupply.

Because of the war, no one can fly to Ukraine, so I arrived bleary-eyed on the early-morning train from Poland. But Boris Johnson, with whom I was travelling, had a spring in his step. To Ukrainians, he remains a hero  perhaps the only foreign leader so regarded.

Despite security and the half-light of the Kyiv station platform, his tousled hair and demeanour of a rugby player advancing on opponents were instantly recognised. Throughout the busy day, he was besieged by selfie-seekers, mostly young women. One composed her fingers in a heart shape for the camera.

Of course, Boris loves the adulation, but I think Ukraine does matter to him. As with Brexit, he seized the moment when a situation becomes critical. Whereas Emmanuel Macron had courted Putin, Boris flew to Kyiv as soon as he could. On Saturday, he seized the second anniversary to encourage Ukraine and re-dramatise its situation for Western countries.

In the conference and the press interviews I watched him give, Boris emphasised the link between Ukraine and the rest of us.

Ukraine is the tip of the spear, he said, against a Russia that threatens us all. He detected, in what Putin had said to Tucker Carlson, a thinly veiled threat to Poland. He pointed to Russias vulnerability in Crimea (Why is the Kerch Bridge still standing?). He asserted that a Western world whose industrial strength is 25 times greater than that of Russia has the power to underwrite Ukrainian military victory: The way to peace is to make it clear that Ukraine has chosen its destiny.

Alicia Kearns, the chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, can be too loquacious. In the conference hall, however, she hit the right point hard. Doubters in America, she said, kept telling her, Ukraine needs to show us it can make progress. It has made huge progress, she said, but how can it break through if we deny it the tools for the task?

From the floor, one uniformed veteran stood up on his crutch and explained he had lost his leg because he had lain unaided for six and a half hours on the battlefield. His country would suffer similarly if help goes on stalling. This message  simple, urgent  should be painfully obvious.

Shifting support

The most urgent talk was about the United States. What could shift the Republicans in Congress to resume its Ukrainian spending? What about Donald Trump?

In an entire continent that does not understand the once and would-be future president, Boris  who has never fallen out with him  is someone to whom people turn for elucidation. The Johnson line is, I think Trump will want to be the president who wants to stand up to Putin.

After the conference ended, the Boris party was swept off to Santa Sophia, the nearby former cathedral and national sanctuary.

In reception rooms within the cathedral curtilage, President Zelensky received us. As was visible, the two men are friends, sharing an inner energy and subversive humour.

After about 10 minutes of general conversation, Boris asked Zelensky for a talk alone. While we waited outside, I reflected how helpful it might be if the tiny Ukrainian and the vast American could meet before Americas November polls. They have done so before, but that was in 2019, well before Putins greatest aggression. The news film of that encounter shows a clean-shaven young Zelensky with poor English, a three-piece suit and a deferential air. How much the world has changed today. How much it might benefit from a fresh encounter, this time in Kyiv.

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Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about the recent 88th Legislative Session to an audience at the Texas Public Policy Foundation offices in Austin, on June 2, 2023. Abbott recounted policy victories in regards to fentanyl and the border crisis, as well as limiting gender affirming care and banning DEI practices in higher education. Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune

Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday that he supports Texas families having access to in vitro fertilization treatments and has no doubt the state will address issues raised by a recent controversial court ruling out of Alabama. Abbott did not call on the Legislature to take specific action to protect IVF treatment.

Texas is a pro-life state, and we want to do everything possible that we can to maintain Texas being a pro life state, Abbott told CNNs Dana Bash on Sunday. But at the very same time  we as a state want to ensure that we promote life, we bring more life into the world and we empower parents to be able to have more children.

Last week, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children under a state law that allows parents to sue for wrongful death of minor children.

Unborn children are children, Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell wrote in the ruling, without exception based on developmental stage, physical location, or any other ancillary characteristics.

The case focused on three families who accuse a fertility clinic of failing to protect their frozen embryos. But the ruling has had much wider implications, as several health care systems in Alabama paused IVF treatments and some families raced to move frozen embryos out of state.

The ruling applies only to Alabama and does not impact the legality of IVF treatment in Texas. But it has opened thorny questions about fetal personhood  the legal concept that a fetus should be afforded the same rights as a living child  that many Republicans have tried to sidestep, especially in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential elections.

In Sundays interview, Abbott voiced his support for former President Donald Trumps statement on the issue, in which Trump said he strongly supports the availability of IVF in every State in America for couples who are trying to have a precious baby.

"Today, I am calling on the Alabama Legislature to act quickly to find an immediate solution to preserve the availability of IVF in Alabama, Trump wrote on Truth Social. The Republican Party should always be on the side of the Miracle of Life - and the side of Mothers, Fathers, and their Beautiful Babies. IVF is an important part of that, and our Great Republican Party will always be with you, in your quest, for the ULTIMATE JOY IN LIFE!"

Abbott said Texas wants to make it easier, not harder, for people to have babies, and IVF is a way of giving life to even more babies.

I think the goal is to make sure that we can find a pathway to ensure that parents who otherwise may not have the opportunity to have a child will be able to have access to the IVF process and become parents and give life to babies, Abbott said.

But Abbott, a former Texas Supreme Court justice, said there were specific scenarios and fact questions that would need to be parsed, including what happens to the frozen embryos if the person who created them died or the couple got divorced.

These are very complex issues where I'm not sure everybody has really thought about what all the potential problems are, Abbott said. And as a result, no one really knows what the potential answers are.

In March, a Galveston man sued three women under the states wrongful death statute, accusing them of helping his wife terminate her pregnancy. While the case does not focus on IVF, it raises many of the same questions about whether a pregnancy receives the same rights as a living child under state law. The case, which was brought by former Texas Solicitor General Jonathan Mitchell and state Rep. Briscoe Cain, remains pending in state district court.

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.
Gov. Katie Hobbs still hasn't disclosed her donors, so lawmakers may change the law to force her.

The Arizona Legislature is working on a bill that would force Gov. Katie Hobbs to come clean on how much money shes raising  and where the money is coming from  to try to flip control of the Legislature to Democrats.

I dont often say this when referring to our esteemed leaders in the House and Senate ... but good for them.

Hobbs is the only state elected official who cant seem to manage to disclose her 2023 campaign fundraising.Its a bad look for a governor, especially one who previously, as secretary of state, was in charge of campaign finance reporting.

Especially one who, on her first day as governor pledged transparency, even as she was declining to disclose who was kicking in up to $250,000 apiece to pay for her inauguration celebration.

She eventually broke down and provided an accounting after several weeks of being dogged by state Capitol reporters.

A year later, here we are again.

Hobbs doesn't have to disclose until 2026

Earlier this month, The Arizona Republics Stacey Barchenger reported that Hobbs is the only statewide officeholder who didnt disclose the source and amounts of money she raised during 2023.Turns out the GOP-run Legislature passed a law in 2016 that allowed state officeholders to keep state officers fundraising under wraps until the year they come up for reelection.

For Hobbs, that means she can prevent the public from finding out which special interests are shoveling cash into her campaign account until 2026.

Despite that 2016 law, every other state official filed a campaign finance report in late January, detailing their 2023 haul.

Hobbs makes like a pirate: To cover school pay raises

Hobbs told Barchenger that her campaign could not file a report because shed already updated her campaign account in the SOS campaign finance software to the 2026 election cycle.

Theres not even a mechanism to file even if I wanted to, Hobbs told Barchenger in early February. I did want to.

Legislature may make her donors public

And yet, she hasnt.

Barchenger helpfully offered to make the information public if Hobbs would provide it, but curiously, that hasnt happened.

Thus comes House Bill 2403, which cleared the House last week on a bipartisan 49-9 vote. The bill would require candidates who hold office four years  like Hobbs  to report their campaign finances four times a year, every year.

People in these very powerful statewide roles owe it to voters to let them know who is contributing to their campaign throughout the year, and each year that they are in office, the bill's sponsor, Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, told Barchenger. We need more disclosure, not less.

We do.

It shouldnt take a change in law for Hobbs to tell us what who donated to a sitting governor last year, especially given her plans to use some of that money this year to try to flip the Legislature to Democratic control.

Apparently, Hobbs agrees because she has signaled that she will sign the bill, should it pass the Senate and reach her desk.

"She supports the changes for more disclosure and transparency," her spokesperson Christian Slater told Barchenger.

Funny thing is, Hobbs doesnt actually need a change in state law to come clean with the public.

Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @LaurieRoberts or on Threads at laurierobertsaz.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Gov. Katie Hobbs won't disclose her donors, so Legislature must do it
Russian forces struck the Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on Feb. 26, wounding a 70-year-old man, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

Nikopol, situated on the banks of the dried-up Kakhovka Reservoir, just across from Russian-occupied Enerhodar and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, is a regular target of Russian attacks.

The Nikopol district was hit nine times throughout the day with drones and artillery, Lysak said on Telegram.

Ten houses, a five-story building, an infrastructure facility, a social facility, an outbuilding, a car, a power line, and gas pipelines were reportedly damaged.

A Russian drone hit a truck in Nikopol on Feb. 25, killing a man, according to Lysak.

Three people were injured, and homes were damaged in Russian strikes against the Nikopol district on Feb. 20, as reported by the regional authorities.

Read also: Life near Russian-occupied nuclear plant: I dont know if tomorrow will come

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
WELLSBORO, Pa. (WETM)  The Grand Canyon FFA Chapter at Wellsboro High School is hosting a community pancake breakfast this weekend to raise money for a renovation project at the Tioga County Fair.

The breakfast is being held at the Wellsboro Firemans Annex, located at 21 East Avenue in Wellsboro, on Saturday, March 2, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Steuben County to raise awareness for overdose deaths with Black Balloon Day

The breakfast will feature pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon and drinks. All proceeds will go towards the Beef Barn Renovation Project at the Tioga County Fair.

Admission to the breakfast is $8 for adults, $5 for kids and free for kids under five, as well as farmers.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.
The USCGC Mobile Bay breaks ice to prepare regional waterways for tanker movements on March 16, 2022, on Green Bay northeast of Marinette, Wis. In 1979, the U.S. and Canadian coast guards had 20 icebreakers stationed throughout the Great Lakes. Now, there are only 11.

A congressional lawmaker is coming to Wisconsin later this week to talk about an important resource that keeps the Great Lakes region's economy afloat: icebreaking.

Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin is set to host a field hearing in Green Bay on March 1 with Admiral Linda L. Fagan, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, several other U.S. Coast Guard officials, and business leaders to testify on the need to expand icebreaking capacity on the Great Lakes.

Baldwin, who is the chair of the Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change and Manufacturing, which has jurisdiction over the U.S. Coast Guard, helped negotiate a measure called the Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022. The bipartisan measure authorized $350 million for a new heavy icebreaker for the lakes.

If the Great Lakes region were a country, it would be the third largest economy in the world after the U.S. and China, according to the Council for the Great Lakes Region. Shipping is the backbone of this economy with more than 90 million tons of cargo moving throughout the Great Lakes each year. Keeping shipping lanes open by icebreaking is an integral part of commerce in the winter months.

In 1979, the U.S. and Canadian coast guards had 20 icebreakers stationed throughout the Great Lakes. Now, there are only 11, which must cover more than 2,300 miles from Duluth, Minnesota, to the Atlantic Ocean and the 94,000 square miles of ice-covered lakes in between. The U.S. Coast Guard owns nine of these icebreakers.

The USCGC Mackinaw breaks ice to prepare regional waterways for tanker movements Wednesday, March 16, 2022 on Green Bay northeast of Marinette, Wis. The U.S. Coast Guard has one heavy icebreaker on the Great Lakes  the Mackinaw, a 240-foot vessel that has the capacity to break through heavy ice that usually is stationed in the Straits of Mackinac between Lakes Michigan and Huron.

The Mackinaw is the only icebreaker in the U.S. fleet capable of leaving a wide enough path for large freighters to pass through. The new "heavy" icebreaker that was authorized will be similar in size to the Mackinaw.

While ice may not be on the top of everyone's mind this winter, the lack of icebreaking capacity has had costly consequences in some years. For instance, during the 2018-19 ice season, the Great Lakes maritime industry lost more than a billion dollars and roughly 5,800 jobs.

If we cant break the ice on the Great Lakes, our Made in Wisconsin economy suffers, consumers might not see the goods they need on the shelf, and thousands of jobs are on the chopping block," Baldwin said.

"Im proud to have secured funding to support a new icebreaker for the Great Lakes, and now Im excited to be bringing Washington, D.C., to Wisconsin to show the real impact of the Great Lakes on Wisconsins economy, way of life, and future," she said.

Baldwin and Fagan will be joined by Master Petty Chief Heath Jones, Master Petty Chief of the U.S. Coast Guard; Rear Admiral Jon Hickey, Ninth District Coast Guard Commander; Master Chief Mathew Buckman, Ninth District Coast Guard Command Master Chief; Dean Haen, director of the Brown County Port and Resource Recovery department; Ken Przybyla, vice president of operations of GLC Minerals; and James Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers Association.

Caitlin Looby is a Report for America corps member who writes about the environment and the Great Lakes. Reach her at clooby@gannett.com or follow her on X @caitlooby.

Please consider supporting journalism that informs our democracy with a tax-deductible gift to this reporting effort at jsonline.com/RFA or by check made out to The GroundTruth Project with subject line Report for America Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Campaign. Address: The GroundTruth Project, Lockbox Services, 9450 SW Gemini Dr, PMB 46837, Beaverton, Oregon 97008-7105.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tammy Baldwin hosting Wisconsin hearings on Great Lakes icebreakers
Dr Bonnie Baxter, a biology professor at Westminster College in Utah, is fighting to save the states iconic Great Salt Lake from drying up (Adam Finkle/ajfphoto.com)

Some things are so precious, so essential for the common good, they cannot be bought or sold. They fall, instead, to the public trust, a doctrine of common law that dates to the Roman empire.

Great Salt Lake is one. The worlds eighth largest saline lake is the cornerstone of Utahs outdoorsy lifestyle, supports 7,700 jobs and $1bn in annual economic output. Millions of migratory birds flock to its shores, earning it a reputation as Americas Serengeti.

And, it is dying.

The lakes water levels hit a record low in November 2022. Despite a record snowfall that winter, its footprint remains one-third what it was a few decades ago. Thats 11ft lower than when the lake was first measured in the mid-1800s.

Without dramatic intervention, the lake will disappear in five years, according to 2023 research from Brigham Young University.

The Great Salt Lake crisis embodies Utahs struggle between a pro-growth mindset, long embedded in the American West, and the need to protect a critical natural resource.

Threats to Great Salt Lake are colliding on two fronts. More water is being diverted upstream for booming development, which has made Utah the fastest-growing US state, particularly around the Salt Lake City area. Long-foretold consequences of the climate crisis are finally sinking in, drying up rivers and streams, and worsening an already two-decade-long megadrought in the southwest.

Dr Bonnie Baxter has witnessed the lakes crisis up close. She arrived in Utah in the late Nineties, drawn west from her native North Carolina by a love of camping and hiking, and to work at a small, private liberal arts college, Westminster University.

I wanted to be in a place where I could do excellent science education with undergrads and not just yammer at the top of a classroom with hundreds of students, the biology professor tells The Independent. I really wanted to engage students in research and teach science, through doing science.

She planned to stay five years  enough time, she figured, to experience the west coast. A little east coast naivete, she says, rolling her eyes.

A section of Great Salt Lake that used to be underwater, pictured in August 2021 (Getty)

Baxter isnt a climate scientist. Instead, her work focuses on really tiny things  microbial communities which form the base of the lakes entire ecosystem. I think about the life that lives in extreme environments and what kind of secrets can it teach us about surviving environmental damage, she says.

Despite Great Salt Lakes unique characteristics, and that its the largest saline lake in the western hemisphere, it had been overlooked for research. This meant ripe opportunities for Baxters undergrads, away from areas typically crowded by post-grads and PhDs. [My students] present at international meetings because its a system thats so understudied that everything we do is novel, she says.

That work also turned Baxter into Great Salt Lakes go-to person. I had to suddenly become an expert on a lake system, which was not my background. I fell into that relationship with the lake lovingly, but a little from the side, she explains.

When I talked to people about the lake, they would say its a stinky place or tell me a negative story. I was having all of these amazing scientific and personal experiences, and I thought, this lake just needs attention.

She founded the Great Salt Lake Institute in 2008 to expand scientific research and raise awareness about an ecosystem heading for collapse. The latter has involved some unusual tactics for a scientist, including in 2019, when she and a colleague, Jaimi Butler, wrote the lakes obituary.

Great Salt Lake, and these other saline lakes in the world, are canaries in the coal mine

Dr Bonnie Baxter

We were trying to envision what if the lake had died, she says. We took the perspective of a person in the future writing an obituary for a woman, what she had contributed to society, and what we missed about her.

In a video , Baxter stands on the parched lakebed, wearing a black dress. Great Salt Lake experienced her final glimmering sunset today, succumbing to a long struggle with chronic diversions, exacerbated by climate change, she reads, noting that the lake was a non-conformist and an entrepreneur.

She supported Utahs economy for many years but we did not adequately fund her healthcare in time. Had we done so, we may not be mourning her death today, Baxter continues.

The obituary pays tribute to the many people who pleaded for action but notes that the megadrought of the southwest and climate change were not so easily overcome.

Bonnie Baxter reads an obituary standing on the dry ground where Great Salt Lake has receded to raise awareness of its plight (Bonnie Baxter/The Salt Lake Tribune)

It closes: In lieu of flowers, conserve water and call your legislators to advocate for smart water laws. In keeping with her salty personality, she requested that her admirers play the song AnotherOne Bites The Dust at her memorial.

Baxter says the performance left her emotional.

I think thats when I started to understand that Great Salt Lake, and these other saline lakes in the world, are canaries in the coal mine, she said. They are so dependent on water inflow and when that changes from either diversions or climate change, were going to see them shrink before we see changes in other systems.

Thats when I started thinking of myself as studying climate change because that was never my intent. But when this happens to a system that you know and love, you have to start trying to clamour about that.

An environmental nuclear bomb

Great Salt Lake formed around 11,000 years ago, and Indigenous peoples came to its shores to harvest salt for generations before white settlers arrived in 1847. With the lake five times saltier than the ocean, settlers diverted water from three rivers that feed the lake. Today, 70 per cent of diversions go to agriculture, and the rest is split between industry and residential.

The shrinking of the lake is not only expected to harm wildlife populations and the economy. It is, what one Republican lawmaker told The New York Times, a potential environmental nuclear bomb.

Great Salt Lake is terminal as industrial and agricultural by-products, and naturally occurring elements in surrounding mountains, wash into its basin and dont get flushed out.

The lakebed contains toxic chemicals  arsenic, lead and mercury  and as water recedes, the wind picks up particles from the dusty flats. Poisonous dust storms could cause severe breathing problems, and increase infant mortality and cancer rates.

Varying levels of salinity cause different colours, with an algae that flourishes in higher salt content causing the red pigment (EPA)

These threats are far from hypothetical: precedent exists among the Utah lakes salty cousins.

In Iran, Lake Urmia, once the worlds sixth-largest saline lake, has all but dried up. A study last year found that Urmias drought significantly contributed to rising cases of hypertension in a county bordering the lake, from 2 per cent in 2012 to 19.5 per cent just seven years later.

We all have lungs, right?

As the crisis at Great Salt Lake deepens, Baxter has given more and more public talks. I strongly believe that scientists should be speaking to the public, not just in our laboratories, and that we should be telling folks what we see, she said.

There are a dozen reasons to care about Great Salt Lakes demise, she said, including, We all have lungs, right? All of us need to care about that one.

Baxter has spoken to country and rotary clubs, care homes, art galleries and in city parks. At the Chamber of Commerce, she heard concerns about how toxic dust plumes could impact real estate values, and the ability to attract companies to Utah.

At Snowbird, one of the USs top ski resorts, people wanted to know how losing Great Salt Lake would impact weather patterns that create the regions pristine powder, and what would happen if dust landed on the snow. The regions ski industry supports 20,000 jobs and adds $1.2bn (948) to the economy.

Baxter says the most enthusiastic response came from seniors at assisted-living homes.

Everyone in that room had a positive relationship with Great Salt Lake, she explains. They knew about resorts on the lake in the first part of the 1900s, they had memories of floating in the lake and birdwatching out there. They had a rich knowledge but also were concerned about leaving this ecosystem devastated because they care about their grandkids.

Even though Utah is deeply conservative, both lawmakers and everyday citizens are engaged to take action.

Baxter has studied the lake for 26 years and has witnessed its decline (Adam Finkle/ajfphoto.com)

The thing that is unmistakable in the West is how people are connected to the outdoors. These arent empty messages to people who live here.

I dont think you would see this [happening] in Texas, she adds, regarding the plans being introduced to protect the lake.

Utahs legislature has passed 64 water bills since 2018, some with unanimous, bipartisan support. Last year, lawmakers appointed a Great Salt Lake commissioner to the governors cabinet, a role with the express purpose of acting in the lakes best interests. In January, the first-ever strategic plan to get the lake back to healthy levels was published.

What that plan makes clear is there is no silver bullet to save the lake but that it will take a combination of water conservation, negotiations over water rights, and monitoring water levels to succeed.

That wont happen without farmers, a group well aware of the perils of ignoring natures warning signs on such a formidable agricultural landscape. Farmers are biologists, at the end of the day, Baxter says. They understand the trophic nature of the food chains and the ecosystem. Talk about people whove had to pay attention to climate.

Millions of dollars are being dedicated to an Agricultural Water Optimisation Programme to improve efficiency and shepherd conserved water back to the lake.

Baxter says she hoped there would be more cooperation with neighbouring states and is urging for Indigenous representation on every committee, to lean on their ancestral knowledge of water systems in the West, that helps us learn to value water in a different way. But the most important factor is how quickly fixes can be rolled out.

I just know we dont have much time, Baxter says.

Great Salt Lake in June 1985... (Nasa.gov)

...and the lake in July 2022 (Nasa.gov)

Conservation groups are pushing the state to do more. Stu Gillespie, senior attorney at Earthjustice, described Utahs strategy to safeguard the lake as a plan to do a plan.

Earthjustice filed a lawsuit against the state in September on behalf of a coalition of conservation groups. The suit demands Utah fulfil its obligation to protect the lake by addressing water rights and says failure to do so is a breach of public trust.

Currently, Utahs laws to protect Great Salt Lake do not allow override, substitute, or modify[ing] of water rights.

In the past, however, Utah has used the public trust doctrine in its favour, Gillespie tells The Independent. In a 1990 lawsuit, Utah cited public trust as its basis for breaching a causeway on Great Salt Lake in order to release flood waters after mineral extraction companies objected.

In its briefing to the Utah Supreme Court, the state fully embraced the public trust. It said there was nothing that could limit that public trust principle, Gillespie says.

In an email to The Independent, Utah governor Spencer Cox declined to comment on specifics of the recent lawsuit but said that we invite all to work with us to find meaningful ways to benefit the lake, its ecosystem, and surrounding communities.

In recent years, there has been unprecedented interest, investment and action by the state of Utah, cities, towns, residents, farmers, and others throughout the state to preserve and protect the Great Salt Lake. The state has been actively working with many interested parties to take concrete actions to help the lake, the governor says.

What appears non-negotiable among most Utah lawmakers is ambitious plans for economic growth and development.

Pro-growth and pro-development has been the way to go out here since the 1840s, frankly, Baxter says. Yet, she notes, these issues were the only things that the state could control in the right timescale.

Asked about her optimism for the future of Great Salt Lake, she pauses.

Some scientists are working within systems where they feel like theyre banging their heads against the wall, she says, emphasising thats not whats happening in Utah.

The message is being heard and people are acting, Baxter says. Its just the levers of government are slow, and there are competing interests.

Where I have pessimism is that the climate situation is not getting better. Im just not convinced, as a scientist, that we can work at the rate we need to, in order to solve this problem.

But optimism comes from the fact that so many people have been convinced that this is a battle worth fighting.

The climate crisis has ushered in a new normaI with both immediate impacts  in the chaotic aftermath of extreme weather events and disasters  and fallout that is harder to predict long term. In a new series, Global Warning, The Independent is interviewing people fighting on the front lines of climate change across the country
Spyridon Lambridis, Special Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic to Ukraine, has expressed confidence that the EU will agree to the scheme to use the profits from Russian sovereign assets on its territory and direct them to help Kyiv.

Source: Spyridon Lambridis an interview with AFP, European Pravda reports

Details: Lambridis says that the EU is approaching a consensus on a more subtle approach to the seizure of profits from Russian assets, both public and private, in order to create a fund to support Ukraine.

"I think this is a matter of months," he said.

The Greek representative estimates that the EU mechanism will provide between 50 and 60 billion euros. "This is a small thing, but it is at least a step towards showing them (Russians  ed.): look what you've done," Lambridis added.

The diplomat spoke out against the confiscation of Russian assets, as it contradicts international law and will in turn lead to the confiscation of Western assets in Russia.

"Of course, the Russians will react to this (use of profits  ed.). But even if they sue us in international courts, I think we will win," he said.

Read also: Challenges of confiscation: what will help Ukraine to achieve the transfer of Russian assets.

Background:

On 12 February, the Council of the European Union adopted a decision that brings closer the creation of a mechanism for using the excess profits of frozen Russian assets in the EU for the benefit of Ukraine.

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Carewell, a Charlotte-based online retailer focused on providing family caregivers with tools and resources to care for family members facing Alzheimers and other forms of dementia, plans to move its headquarters to Miami.

To make the move, Carewell secured nearly $25 million in capital from investors, including from a team based in Coral Gables, and has hired four former executives from Plantation-based Chewy, an online pet goods retailer.

Chewy laid off more than 200 employees, including some top executives, in November.

The move, to a central location in Miami not yet identified, is designed to be accessible for Carewells growing team in South Florida. The digital healthcare company plans to hire from the area, CEO and co-founder Bianca Padilla said in an email to the Miami Herald.

The shift from Charlotte about seven years after its 2017 founding should have no disruptive effect on Carewells customer base given it conducts its business as e-commerce. The funding will help grow Carewells product base and services, leaders say.

Carewell is designed to support independent caregivers through phone and online support services, educational resources and the sale and delivery of supplies necessary in the care of aging patients. The product mix includes nutritional supplements like Boost and Ensure, incontinence supplies, adult wipes and diapers and pads, respiratory care items like nebulizer kits and masks, mobility supplies like walkers, wound care merchandise, and medication management and monitors.

Carewell offers fast, free shipping all across the contiguous U.S. While the move to Miami primarily affects our corporate team members, our customers can expect the same level of service they have been receiving from Carewell, Padilla said.

About Alzheimers and dementia

Innovative new blood tests can now detect hidden signs of Alzheimers disease, years before the onset of heartbreaking symptoms.

The market is growing. According to the Alzheimers Association, 6.7 million Americans ages 65 and older were living with Alzheimers in 2023. The CDC predicts that figure of Americans with dementia is to double to 14 million by 2060.

About one in nine people age 65 and older, 10.7%, has Alzheimers. Almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimers are women. And older Black Americans and Hispanics are twice and 1.5 times, respectively, more likely to have Alzheimers or other dementia as older whites..

Family caregiving

More than 42 million Americans are caring for someone age 50 or older, and 24% of these people are providing care for at least two people, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These are not healthcare professionals in a medical setting. These are regular people tasked with taking care of loved ones suffering from cognitive disabilities like dementia and Alzheimers while also balancing their own life like holding down a job and maintaining daily routines and their own health.

Family caregiving is becoming an increasingly more common experience in the U.S. with spouses, children, parents, and even grandchildren having to take on a caregiving role overnight without warning, Carewells Padilla said in a statement. Understandably, these individuals can experience significant mental, physical, and emotional stress as they balance their role as caregivers with other responsibilities to work and family, and our mission at Carewell is to help educate, support and advocate for these selfless heroes.

How do you become a Carewell customer?

 Visit Carewell.com online to shop home healthcare supplies.

 Call the care team at any time daily at 800-696-2273 for product recommendations and for answers to questions.

Who is on the new healthcare team?

Carewells investors in the planned move to Miami, new hires and expansion plans, include Coral Gables-based MBF Healthcare leading the initiative along with other existing investors.

Carewells commitment to providing an exceptional 24/7 customer experience and tailored high-end products at competitive prices sets them apart from competitors and we are proud to support a family-run company dedicated to shaping the future of healthcare and caregiving, Mike B. Fernandez, chairman of MBF Healthcare Partners, said in a statement.

The new Carewell executive hires, all from Chewy, are:

 Mike Pacifico is chief financial officer. He was previously head of finance at Chewy and CFO at Arteza, an arts and crafts brand.

 Jason Klinghoffer is chief marketing officer. He worked at Chewy from 2014 to 2018, the South Florida Business Journal reported.

 Samantha Rassner, who led software development at Chewy and also worked at BEX Realty, is chief technology officer.

 Kelli Durkin is vice president of customer service. In addition to Chewy Durkin worked at The Farmers Dog.

What the new team brings to the table is experience navigating a fast-growing e-commerce company and successfully creating a household name with a customer-first approach, Padilla told the Miami Herald. Were leaning on their learnings, processes and experience to grow faster.
The president of Georgia State University says hes planning more security measures after a 21-year-old man was shot to death near campus.

It happened just after 12:30 p.m. Sunday near the RaceTrac gas station on Piedmont Ave.

When police arrived, they found a man with multiple gunshot wounds who was not breathing.

In a statement posted online, GSU President Brian Blake said a fight between two groups quickly escalated into gunfire.

None of the parties involved have been identified as GSU students or staff, he wrote. The off-duty police officer added earlier this year inside the RaceTrac was on the scene and responded immediately.

The Fulton County Medical Examiners Office identified the victim as Javare Shakir-Fulford. He died at the scene, police said. Investigators have not identified any suspects or a motive.

Blake said he spoke with officials from the RaceTrac gas station and with Atlanta and campus police about the shooting. He vowed to make security improvements on campus.

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We have made recent enhancements that added more officer monitoring and cameras, reoriented our building entrances and provided staff training, and we will assess this incident to make more impactful changes, Blake wrote.

Students are frustrated with the violence near GSU. Just last month, bullets hit the windows of a GSU dorm.

In December, two people were shot on campus at one of the administrative buildings. One man was killed.

In October, at the RaceTrac next door to campus, four people were shot, including two students. An innocent bystander was killed.

Theres a lot of stuff that can be done to reduce crime in the city in general, but its shocking to see it happen feet away from the campus, said student Preston Paris.

Zayvian Sheppard, the GSU student body president, said he would like to see Atlanta police and city officials do more to bolster security around the campus.

Were doing everything we can on an administrative level, Sheppard said. But myself, and other students dont really feel like were being supported by the city. I just think there needs to be honest and open conversation about what can we do as a university and what can the city do to help us moving forward.

Several months ago, Georgia State announced it would revamp its security systems, making a $3 million investment to add more cameras, lights and call boxes on campus.

But students say theyre not sure what it will take to prevent the gunfire.

I feel scared because also knowing it happened in broad daylight on a random day, student Emily Paredes said. You never know, it could be me. It could be somebody I know.

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The Oklahoma Legislature is considering a short and seemingly simple bill, but one that would have devastating impacts on some of our states most at-risk students.

House Bill 3551 strips funding for alternative education students who have chosen to attend virtual charter schools. What is also striking is the bill only targets virtual charter school students, not those in traditional schools. It is a clear case of unequal treatment.

This bill is a significant threat to the 1,150 students and families at Insight School of Oklahoma (ISOK), the only alternative education virtual charter school recognized by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

ISOK students are sixth- through 12th-graders who were not able to thrive in other schools. Some are teen parents, some are recovering from addiction, some have challenging medical conditions, and some need to support themselves with jobs during the regular school day. Whatever their circumstances, all these students chose ISOK to help them recover, learn and get back on track. And ISOK has a proven record of success in helping these students overcome their challenges and continue their education.

HB 3551 would kill that progress. Additionally, it would treat ISOK differently than every other alternative education school in the state. Instead of giving parents and students more choices and more freedom, it would force students back into schools they left  schools that were not able to serve their needs. That is unfair.

This bill protects school systems, while showing little regard for the needs of actual students who want to stay in school and earn a diploma. Without options like ISOK, they are much more likely to drop out. Young people who dont finish their education have a greater chance of becoming unemployed or underemployed, which makes them more likely to rely on the state.

In fact, over the past four years, over 750 students who dropped out of traditional education options are now high school graduates thanks to ISOK. Most of these graduates are now productively working in our state or continuing their education.

This isnt the first unwarranted attack on ISOK. In the fall of 2023, the State Board of Education also considered harmful changes that would have shut down the school and sent more than 1,000 students back to the schools where they didnt thrive. The board wisely sided with parents and kids and did not deprive our students of their best chance at success.

We urge the Legislature to follow this example  to support our students, their families and education choice  and reject HB 3551.

Cindy Friedemann

Cindy Friedemann is the president of the Board of Education for Insight School of Oklahoma.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: House Bill 3551 threatens vital Oklahoma virtual alternative school
Joseph Jimenez Jr. looks at his attorney during his arraignment at the Riverside Hall of Justice on Aug. 5, 2021. (Watchara Phomicinda/AP)

A man, who shot and killed a TikTok star and an 18-year-old college student at a Corona movie theater three years ago, was sentenced Monday to life in prison without possibility of parole.

Joseph Jimenez Jr., 23, was sentenced in a Riverside courtroom. He was convicted during a December trial of two counts of first-degree murder, as well as a sentencing enhancement of personal use of a firearm causing death.

On July 26, 2021, Jimenez shot 19-year-old TikTok star Anthony Barajas and college sophomore Rylee Goodrich, both of Corona, during a showing of the film "The Forever Purge" at the Regal Edwards Corona Crossings theater, according to authorities. Six people were in the audience for the 9:35 p.m. showing; Barajas and Goodrich were on their first date.

In what authorities described as an "unprovoked attack," Jimenez went to his car and got a bag containing a gun. He sneaked up behind the victims as the credits rolled and opened fire. Investigators said there was no indication Jimenez knew the victims or had any interaction with them before the shooting.

Barajas was shot "execution-style" and Goodrich was also shot point-blank in the head, authorities said. Goodrich died at the scene, and Barajas died days later at a hospital after being taken off life support.

Jimenez was arrested the day after the shooting after his friends told police he left the theater halfway through the movie and returned with a bag holding a "strap," according to a search warrant. Investigators found a gun that matched the weapon used in the shooting, as well as additional evidence at Jimenez's house.

Read more: 20-year-old arrested in deadly shooting at Corona movie theater

Jimenez initially pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and said during his insanity trial that he was not taking his schizophrenia medication the day of the killings and heard voices in his head from "Abigail" and another person saying that the victims were dangerous.

In a jailhouse interview with the Riverside Press-Enterprise, Jimenez said that he had been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia but that he had stopped taking his medication because he ran out of pills. Jimenez told the newspaper that the only way he could save himself from the victims was to shoot them.

Jimenez was ruled sane by Superior Court Judge Timothy J. Hollenhorst in December.

During the trial, Hollenhorst said his decision to find Jimenez sane was influenced by the fact that he stole Goodrich's wallet after the shooting and had a "normal interaction" with a female concession worker before the movie, in which he asked her for her phone number. Hollenhorst also pointed out that Jimenez warned his friends about the shooting, ran out of an emergency exit door afterward and didn't immediately tell Corona police about the voices.

There is no question that the defendant suffers from schizophrenia.  It is also clear to this court that the defendant was not treating his mental health issues appropriately by not regularly taking his medication, Hollenhorst said at the time.

Barajas was known on TikTok as itsanthonymichael and had nearly a million followers on the social media platform. He had attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana.

Goodrich was a sophomore at Grand Canyon University. Her family said she and Barajas went to the theater on a first date after Barajas had just returned from a trip to Hawaii.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Tax preparer H&R Block deceptively pushed ads promising free online tax filings, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Now, its the subject of a federal complaint.

The commission is suing the tax prep giant over claims it deleted users tax data when they opted for less-expensive products, forcing them to restart the filing process from scratch, per a Feb. 23 news release.

Further, H&R Block is accused of marketing its online filing products as free  though that wasnt the case for many users, the FTC said.

H&R Block designed its online products to present an obstacle course of tedious challenges to consumers, pressuring them into overpaying for its products, Samuel Levine, director of the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in the release.

Todays action demonstrates that companies using coercive techniques that harm consumers can expect to hear from the FTC.

Fair and transparent pricing

H&R Block responded to the complaint, saying it provides filers with unmatched tax expertise, and fair and transparent pricing.

The multitude of resources we offer to all filers via educational resources, free tools, and calculators, and The Tax Institute demonstrates our commitment to making filing your taxes more accessible and more transparent for all, Dara Redler, chief legal officer for H&R Block, told McClatchy News in a statement.

In its complaint, the FTC accused H&R Block of forcing filers to pay for pricier products they didnt need or that werent required for their particular tax situation.

Once users realized they didnt need that particular product, H&R Block made it difficult to downgrade to a cheaper service, federal officials said.

FILE- In this Feb. 14, 2018, file photo, H&R Block signs are displayed in Jackson, Miss. Congressional Democrats are accusing big tax preparation firms including Intuit and H&R Block of undermining the federal governments upcoming electronic free-file tax return system, and are demanding lobbying, hiring and revenue data to determine whats going on. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

The complaint further alleged that customers looking to switch to a more budget-friendly option offered by H&R Block were required to call the companys customer support line. All their tax information submitted up to that point was erased, the FTC said, and users were forced to restart the tax filing process.

This stands in contrast to the upgrade process, where consumers data seamlessly moves to the more expensive product instantly, according to federal officials.

Whats more, the FTC said H&R Block promised free online filing for users with simple returns but has changed its definition of a simple return multiple times in recent years.

In a statement, Redler said H&R Block gives users the option to switch to a cheaper DIY Product via multiple mechanisms while ensuring the preparation of accurate tax returns.

Its just the latest lawsuit against the tax prep company. In 2023, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sued H&R Block after it was accused of sharing Missourians sensitive tax data with tech giants, including Meta, the Kansas City Star reported.

More recently, the tax giant agreed to pay $141 million to settle claims it steered some users to upgrade to its paid tax filing service when they qualified for a free version offered to those who earned less than the IRSs income limit, according to The Los Angeles Times.

H&R Block denied any wrongdoing in that case, the newspaper reported.

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HACKENSACK  After an audit, the city is asking the state attorney general to weigh in on whether it is legal for police officers to be paid twice for the same time worked.

The resolution asking for Attorney General Matthew Platkins formal opinion on the practice, adopted by the council last Tuesday night, is the latest development in ongoing tensions between Hackensack police officers and leaders of the city and the Police Department.

A 2022 review of the department revealed widespread overtime abuse by ranking officers and a drop in arrests. A second audit similarly revealed overtime and extra-duty detail abuses by some of the highest-ranking and highest-paid officers.

Among the "troubling practices" the reports noted were splitting shifts, changing schedules to maximize the number of extra-duty details worked and "double-dipping" by overlapping shifts so officers were paid for working extra-duty details, such as traffic control at construction sites, and working their regular assignments at the same time.

Using those methods, some officers would make $30,000 to over $50,000 in extra-duty pay in a year, padding their total pay to more than $260,000, city officials said.

The audit was previously sent to the attorney general and the Bergen County Prosecutors Office, but the city has not received a response.

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Taxpayers rely on police superior officers to set an example and provide effective leadership, but instead a handful of bad actors placed their own financial gain ahead of their sworn duties to the residents they serve, Mayor John Labrosse said in a statement. This may well be happening in other law enforcement agencies across the state, and we hope the attorney general will make a declarative ruling that this practice was improper and never should have happened in Hackensack.

Police Director Ray Guidetti was hired in August 2022 after the review of the department recommended that the city hire an outside director rather than appoint a police chief from within.

Ray Guidetti, part of the Hackensack response team, poses for a photo at Hackensack City Hall on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022.

He quickly began reforming the department, including addressing the overtime concerns raised in the report by using an outside system called Jobs4Blue to manage extra-duty details.

Since Guidettis hiring, five lawsuits and numerous grievances have been filed by Hackensack officers against the city and the director.

Both Policemen's Benevolent Association Local 9, the union representing the city's rank-and-file officers, and PBA Local 9A, the supervisors' union, recently voted to express no confidence in Guidetti and Capt. Michael Antista.

Shortly after the vote by PBA Local 9 in December, city officials announced they were extending Guidetti's contract by another year, to run through 2026.

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City officials say the pushback and lawsuits are part of an effort to return to a broken system that was lucrative for some officers but damaging to the department.

The city has made it clear based upon the findings of what we believe is a highly credible audit that this practice was detrimental to the citys law enforcement efforts, City Attorney Steve Kleinman said. There appears to be a desire by some in the department to go back to practices that we feel were at a minimum horribly inappropriate. And we want the attorney general to make clear thats unacceptable.

At a council meeting last month, the rising tension between the sides was on display as Guidetti, Antista and several officers gave vastly different accounts of the state of the department and their views of its direction.

Hackensack Mayor John Labrosse speaks during the celebration held by Fairleigh Dickinson University for the historic 2022-23 seasons of the Knights' men's and women's basketball teams in Hackensack on March 27, 2023.

Officers described plummeting morale and a lack of communication with department and city leadership.

At one point during the meeting, Labrosse referred to the officers as "the enemy" when they filed out of the meeting while Deputy Mayor Kathy Canestrino talked about the accomplishments made under Guidetti's leadership.

Union leaders have called the audits misleading and one-sided. An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office into the allegations last year exonerated five supervisors, they said.

The Bergen County Prosecutors Office conducted a thorough investigation and found no wrongdoing whatsoever, said Anthony DiPersia, the president of Local 9A. The results of that investigation speak for itself.

But Kleinman said the outcome of that investigation should not be taken as an indication that the overtime and extra-duty practices were acceptable.

Just because something was not pursued from an internal affairs standpoint doesnt mean that it is OK, he said. Its not just necessarily what is legal but what is right, and only the attorney general can make that definitive determination. And thats what were asking he do.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Hackensack police pay issue may go to NJ attorney general for review
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Tuesday voters in Michigan will head to the polls to cast their ballots in the states presidential primary race.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley took her campaign to Michigan Monday where she is hoping Republicans in that state will reject former President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

Dont complain about what happens in a general election if you dont do something in this primary, Haley said.

Haley says shes not ready to give up yet despite Saturdays 20-point loss to former president Trump in her home state of South Carolina.

But the latest Emerson University/TheHill.com poll shows Trump is leading Haley by well over 40 points in Michigan.

After Michigan, win or lose Haley promises to continue campaigning in multiple states leading up to next weeks Super Tuesday primaries.

I have never seen the Republican party so unified as it is right now,  Trump said.

Trump is largely ignoring Haley and looking ahead to a rematch with President Biden.

Were going to look at Joe Biden and were going to look him right in the eye, hes destroying our country. And were going to say, Joe, youre fired. Get out, get out, Joe.

70% of Americans dont want a Trump-Biden rematch, Haley said.

While Trump and Haley are fighting for votes in Michigan, President Biden was in New York Monday raising money for his reelection campaign.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
ST. LOUIS  It was another Sunday morning of sometimes heated but always civil political debate on Hancock and Kelley for Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024.

Republican consultant John Hancock and Democratic consultant Michael Kelley discuss the following topics:

A FOX 2 New interview with a St. Louis alderwoman about the citys reckless driving crisis is interrupted by blatant reckless driving: motorcyclists doing wheelies, running a red light, driving on the wrong side of the road and circling cars waiting for the light to change. Alderwoman Cara Spencer is calling for booting the wheels of reckless drivers. The mayor and aldermanic president want to bring back red-light cameras, which would put citations in the mail for offenders, but blatant offenders will likely ignore them, knowing they face no threat of jail time.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson sends Missouri National Guardsmen and state highway patrol troopers to help with the border crisis in Texas, just as the crisis shifts to California.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker calls for nearly $900 million in tax hikes to help cover the cost of processing more than 35,000 migrants whove crossed the southern U.S. border and are now flooding the sanctuary city of Chicago.

Republican Congressman Mike Bost, who represents a large portion of the St. Louis area in Illinois, agrees with President Joe Biden on something. He says Congress should be in session instead of taking a two-week winter break with pressing issues like the border crisis and military aid for Ukraine and Israel demanding action.

Former President Donald Trump wins the Republican presidential primary in South Carolina in a landslide over former S.C. Governor Nikki Haley in her home state.

Missouri Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who is running for governor, creates a stir by saying military veterans should not get special treatment like discounts. I dont think we ought to say if youre in the military, well give you this discount, but everybody else has to pay twice as much, he said. If its good for veterans, its good to do it for everyone.

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Abandoned buildings and properties are a persistent issue that faces the City of Jackson, and more could be added to the list with the closures of 20 schools owned by the Jackson Public School District.

In an effort to prevent this from happening, JPS has created a Facilities Repurposing Advisory Committee, responsible for helping the district figure out the best way the schools can be reutilized for future use in the community.

At the JPS Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 19, the school board voted 5-1 to close 11 schools, with two being merged. Other facilities on the list were closed by the district in the past.

The closings are a part of the district's optimization plan, which was first presented to the board by Superintendent Errick Greene in October 2023, though 16 were originally planned.

Wilkins Elementary School, seen here form this Sept. 6, 2023, is one of 20 schools the Jackson Public Schools District's Facilities Repurposing Advisory Committee is trying to repurpose for future use in the community.

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The main reasons for the closures or consolidations per the optimization plan are declining enrollment, expensive investments in the school's facilities and issues with staffing teachers.

Here is the full list of facilities JPS are trying to figure out how to repurpose:

Baker Elementary School Brown Elementary School Rowan Middle School Siwell Middle School Watkins Elementary School Woodville Heights Elementary School Dawson Elementary School Raines Elementary School Lake Elementary School Lester Elementary School Marshall Elementary School Shirley Elementary School Smith Elementary School Sykes Elementary School Barr Elementary School Brinkley Middle School Chastain Middle School French - REAP George Elementary School Wingfield High School

During the school board's first meeting on Feb. 6, Greene reported the committee held its first meeting on Jan. 30. He said a few schools, though he wasn't specific, have already been in discussions for how to be repurposed. One is in partnership with the city's Department of Planning and Development to be used for housing purposes. Three others have been proposed to be demolished to create green space.

Other outcomes of the meeting, included a request for proposals "to formally invite potential purchasers or lessees or developers to express their interest in one or another of our facilities." The RFP has no closing date, Greene said, so the district can continue gathering interest from entities.

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"We fairly regularly hear from various members of the public around some interest or with questions about one facility or another, so this would be a formal way for people to engage with us and share their thoughts about how they might utilize (the facilities) and for us to consider," Greene said.

Secondly, the committee discussed the need for more marketing of the facilities, so people know they are available.

"That's a charge that came out of the meeting. To rethink our use of the web-page with that information, kind of connected also to the RFP issuance and even thinking about broader about broader engagement with the community," Greene said.

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Lastly, the committee agreed to establish a standing monthly meeting to continue discussions.

"We would continue to develop some common understanding around various opportunities, looking at models in other states and other districts for how they repurpose schools. Some of the financial opportunities and funding opportunities for some of these potential projects and also obviously to consider any proposals that we get prior to that meeting," Greene said.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: JPS school closings: What will happen to buildings after they close
The Minister of Energy of Ukraine Herman Halushchenko told how Ukraine got through the winter

Synchronization with the European power grid helped Ukraine maintain its energy system amid Russian attacks, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said, Energy Ministrys press service reported on Feb. 25.

Halushchenko recalled that two years ago, on the night of Feb. 24, 2022, Ukraine's unified energy system, which had been connected to the energy systems of Russia and Belarus since Soviet times, disconnected and entered a planned isolation mode.

Read also: Ukraine will begin construction of American-designed nuclear power plants this year

"And three hours after we disconnected and shut down the last line  the war began, he said.

Back then, the Russians didn't massively attack the energy system, but we had a lot of damage because there were hostilities everywhere."

The Energy Ministry held hourly conference calls with representatives of electricity distribution system operators and other energy companies during those days, Halushchenko said.

"The scariest thing was when the oblast energy companies didn't get in touch, he said.

Read also: Interior Ministry reveals plans to prepare for blackouts

After all, it wasn't clear what was happening, particularly from the energy system's perspective, as it is more vulnerable in isolation. However, the energy workers held their ground, doing a tremendous job."

After 21 days of operating in isolation, Ukraine's emergency reconnection to the European ENTSO-E network was attributed to the proactive efforts of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who engaged in negotiations with world leaders, the minister said. The support from Ukraine's energy partners in Europe and the United States played a crucial role in this development.

"Everyone at the time pushed for the decision to connect Ukraine in an emergency, Halushchenko said.

It was a crucial move. Without synchronization with European networks during the period of extensive attacks on the energy system in 2022-2023, we could have indeed had a blackout."

Strengthening air defense and the largest repair campaign in Ukrainian history on energy facilities made it possible to ensure a stable passage through the winter of 2023-2024, he said.

Read also: After the war, Ukraine to offer global system for protecting energy facilities during combat, says UkrEnergo

"This set of measures produced results: today we can state that we lived through this winter with a stable energy system, he said.

We both entered and are ending this season with light and heat."

As part of the repair campaign, the highest number of planned repairs and restoration work on facilities damaged by Russias attacks occurred in the years of independence, Halushchenko said. The campaign resulted in the addition of 2.2 GW of capacity to the energy system. Repairs persisted throughout the heating season and are slated to continue in the future.

This winter Russia changed their tactics of attacks on energy facilities, Halushchenko said.

"Both generation facilities and substations are being fired upon at the frontlines, he said.

The attacks are a daily occurrence. In contrast to last winter when the enemy targeted the energy system nationwide to induce a blackout, this winter sees them focusing on specific regions, particularly industrial ones. The intent is to exert influence on the economy through the energy sector, to stop our largest industries and, consequently, influence the state."

Halushchenko suggested on Nov. 10 that Ukraine might consider targeting Russian oil and gas infrastructure if Russia resumed attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities in winter.

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He reported on Nov. 8 that Russian forces attacked Ukrainian energy infrastructure 60 times in recent weeks.

Natalia Humeniuk, spokesperson of the Southern Operational Command said on Nov. 7 that Russian troops could begin shelling critical energy infrastructure in Ukraine with the onset of cold weather.

If Russia succeeds in attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure again this winter, Ukraine will consider retaliating in kind by attacking Russias oil and gas infrastructure, Halushchenko said on Nov. 10, adding that Ukraine is implementing systems to protect critical infrastructure from Russian strikes, including air defense systems and other systems that we will not talk about.



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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
The co-chair of a Harvard University task force dedicated to combating antisemitism has resigned after just a month in the role, the Ivy League school has announced.

Harvards interim president, Alan Garber, launched the task force in January after the resignation of his predecessor, Claudine Gay, amid a furious backlash to answers she gave at a congressional hearing about on-campus antisemitism. Professor Raffaella Sadun, who had been at the helm of the task force for roughly five weeks, is now being replaced, the university announced Sunday.

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Professor Sadun has expressed her desire to refocus her efforts on her research, teaching, and administrative responsibilities at HBS [Harvard Business School], Garber said in a statement. He added that he is extremely appreciative of Saduns efforts in recent weeks. Her insights and passion for this work have helped shape the mandate for the task force and how it can best productively advance the important work ahead, he added. She has advanced our efforts to be a stronger, more inclusive Harvard and for that we owe her our deep thanks.

In her own statement, Sadun said she felt grateful to have had the opportunity to help advance the vital work to combat antisemitism that she believes Garber has put together an excellent task force. I will continue to support efforts to tackle antisemitism at Harvard in any way I can from my faculty position, she added.

The task force, which was announced on Jan. 19, was established with Derek Penslar, a professor of Jewish history, as its other co-chair. Penslars appointment created controversy as some critics took exception to some of his previous positions about Israel and antisemitism.

In August, before Hamas Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, Penslar signed an open letter criticizing Israels long-standing occupation which has yielded a regime of apartheid. In January, he also told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Harvard does have a problem with antisemitism but said that outsiders had taken a very real problem and proceeded to exaggerate its scope.

Some critics, including economist Larry Summers, said his selection as co-chair of the task force was highly problematic, although an open letter signed by Jewish leaders around the country defended Penslars appointment, noting his virtually unparalleled depth of knowledge about antisemitism.

Penslar will continue in his role while Sadun will be replaced with Jared Ellias, a law professor, as the new task force co-chair.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) will attach an amendment reauthorizing and expanding a law compensating Americans exposed to radiation by the federal government to all items moving on the Senate floor, his office confirmed Monday.

In a letter to Republican Senate colleagues, Hawley urged the caucus to back an amendment reauthorizing the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) and expanding its coverage to New Mexico, Missouri, Idaho, Montana, Guam, Colorado, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alaska.

Our reauthorization bill passed the Senate last summer with a strong bipartisan vote, and I am grateful for much support from our Conference, Hawley wrote. Now we must finish the job. There are RECA claimants in every state, including each of yours. They will benefit if this bill is passed. Simply put, this is the right thing to do.

Hawleys announcement comes as the government is set to shut down at the end of this week without a funding agreement.

The law, enacted in 1990, compensates Americans who were downwind of nuclear testing or exposed to radiation through uranium ore mining. The states covered under the current law include residents of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona and their survivors. However, it does not cover those in New Mexico, the site of the 1945 Trinity atomic bomb test, nor does it cover residents of Missouri exposed to radiation through uranium processing at Mallinckrodt Chemical Works.

President Biden has already reauthorized the law, which was set to sunset in 2022, a further two years, but it is set to expire this year without further action.

Hawley co-sponsored the reauthorization and expansion as part of the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) last year with Sens. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). The amendment passed the Senate with a supermajority, but it was removed during conference with House leaders and not included in the final version of the bill.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
[Source]

Veteran animator Shinsaku Kozuma revealed that Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki used to segregate his animators based on their blood types at the workplace.

The anecdote: In a recent interview with Full Frontal, Kozuma recounted his extensive experience working on various animated projects, such as Yu Yu Hakusho, numerous Final Fantasy titles and the latest season of Jujutsu Kaisen. During the interview, he shared an anecdote of his tenure at Studio Ghibli, highlighting Miyazaki's practice of imposing fines for tardiness and his belief in the superstition linking blood types to personality traits.

"They were pretty high fines!" Kozuma said. "And Miyazaki really checked out when everybody got in or out. His seat was the closest to the door, so he saw everything. He was also the one who decided who got to sit where. He really believes that blood types influence personality, so he had the B-type people and the A-type people sitting separately."

Blood type superstition: In Japan, a popular belief associates personality traits with blood types, which are considered significant in various aspects of life, including matchmaking and job applications. The common beliefs associate type A individuals as sensitive perfectionists and good team players who can be over-anxious, while type Bs are seen as cheerful but eccentric, individualistic and selfish. Moreover, type Os are associated with curiosity and stubbornness, and ABs with artiness and unpredictability.

Trending on NextShark: 70-year-old grandfather from China amazes with his physique and fitness routine

This concept has led to a cultural phenomenon, with books, horoscopes, dating agencies and even products catering to different blood types. The belief reportedly persists despite scientific debunking, leading to negative stereotypes and discrimination, known as "bura-hara" or blood-type harassment, impacting relationships, job opportunities and kindergarten teaching methods.

Miyazakis personality: Miyazaki, known for his eccentricity, has been described as intimidating by those who worked with him. The renowned filmmaker had been accused of overbearing behavior, especially when dissatisfied with an animator's style.

Differences between older, hands-on animators like Miyazaki and current animators are reportedly apparent, with the former being considered tougher. This depiction aligns with the previous era's animation industry dynamics, where a single individual often played a decisive role in the success or failure of a project.

Trending on NextShark: Woman faces backlash for telling Asian dog walker to Go back to China

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Madera residents wasted no time when questioning the California Assembly candidates competing to represent the city and northwest Fresno. They wanted to know what the winner will do to make sure Madera Community Hospitals reopening is permanent.

Our health became a privilege, Madera resident Feliza Cruz told them in Spanish. It should be a right.

Cruz said her father died last year outside of a hospital in Fresno because there was no hospital in Madera.

The race for the 27th California Assembly District pits Democratic incumbent Esmeralda Soria against Republican Joanna Garcia Rose, of Atwater, who has worked as a farmer and tax auditor, and says she is not a politician.

Rose is hoping that will help her win the district, which also covers the Merced area to the north and stretches to the west past Coalinga, Mendota and Los Banos.

We need to stop electing career politicians who have spent their entire lives working with, for other politicians, Rose said Friday, speaking through an interpreter to a mostly Latino immigrant crowd on Maderas east side.

Soria was elected in the 27th District, which is 66.8% Latino, in 2022 and previously served on the Fresno City Council. A first generation Mexican American, Soria told Madera residents she has already spent the past year fighting for our community in Sacramento.

This race will be decided in the November election. Heres what the candidates said about Maderas shuttered hospital, jobs and resources for farm workers.

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Madera Community Hospital

Soria, whose term began in January 2023, said making sure Madera hospital reopens was the first big issue to make it to her desk.

Its been priority number one for me, Soria said in Spanish. In the first year, I made sure there were funds available for the hospital.

Soria worked with State Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Fresno, to help pass the Distressed Hospital Loan Program bill through the state legislature after the closure of Madera hospital in January 2023. It was the only adult hospital in all of Madera County and served a large number of low income Latino immigrants, many of them farm workers.

Once signed into law last year, the loan program allocated more than $50 million to help reopen Madera hospital. Its now in a position for a potential reopening this summer with its new management partner, American Advanced Management Inc. While AAMI has said its reopening will happen with or without the state funding, receiving the loan is dependent on state approval of its management agreement.

We have to make sure the new management will be good for the community, Soria said. The state still has to approve the deal to make sure its not just a one or two-year thing and is sustainable in the long run.

Rose, who said she had life-saving cancer surgery at Madera hospital before its closure, thinks the problem is that Californias health care system is broken.

We need leadership that will be proactive and not reactive, she said. This hospital never should have closed.

Rose said the hospital needs strong fiscal, responsible management, and said there were plenty of warning signs that its past administration was not running it well.

We need to do something different, she said. If we just throw money at the problem and dont have a change in leadership, the problem will repeat itself ... Doctors that worked there are hesitant to come back if theres not good leadership.

Jobs training for young people

Rose said a lack of local job opportunities for high school graduates is a problem the entire state is facing.

People are seeking opportunities elsewhere because the leadership in California has been the same for decades, she said.

She wants to focus on policies that spur local business growth and increasing opportunities for trades apprenticeships and tech training.

We also need to focus on affordable living, gas, housing and costs, Rose said.

Soria said she has supported programs that provide grants and scholarships for working families. She also touted her support of the California College Promise Program, which provides two years of free tuition for community college students.

Ive supported the reforms that have made colleges like Madera Community College almost free for anyone who wants to attend, she said.

She said she agrees with President Joe Bidens cancellations of student loan debt, arguing that its extremely helpful to the livelihoods of people who want to contribute to the public but have been stuck with large amounts of debt.

The finish line. Madera hospital reopening plan approved by judge. Heres whos involved

Farm workers rights

Madera resident Cristina Gonzalez, who worked in agriculture for many years, told the candidates that organizations that provide resource information to farm workers are often unable to reach them on job sites. Supervisors often deny them access, she said.

Gonzalez, who said she spoke on behalf of the farm worker community, wanted to know what the candidates will do to support the creation of a comprehensive resource center where these workers can access help more easily.

Rose said she used farm labor contractors to hire workers on the 5,000-tree family farm she previously helped run.

We need leaders in Sacramento that understand the burden, she said. I worked alongside them, making sure they had facilities available, shade, water and proper hours.

Rose said the state needs to do better in enforcing requirements on farm employers and ensuring make resources available for their workers. She repeatedly stressed a need for change in Sacramento.

Im a working mother, she said. I have a 3-year-old, and Im trying to keep his American dream alive as well as your American dream alive here in the Central Valley.

Eight killed, including seven farmworkers, in head-on crash in California

Soria, whose parents immigrated to the U.S. without documentation in the 1970s and worked in the agricultural fields, said this topic is deeply personal to her. She said she supports the creation of a farm worker resource center.

Last year, Soria said, she supported a bill that would expand unemployment benefits to undocumented farm workers in California.

In times of great floods, our people stop working for weeks at a time and cant obtain their pay, despite the fact they work so hard, she said.

There are bad employers in farm work, Soria said, who do not follow the law.

We also need to make sure our farm workers feel comfortable reporting them to the state, she said. Thats what were doing. Were working to make sure our farm worker families feel empowered and know they have rights, regardless of their immigration status.
UNISON members take part in a rally outside Belfast City Hall during a major strike of around 170,000 public sector workers over the freezing of pay increases due to a breakdown of the region's power-sharing government, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, January 18, 2024.

Healthcare workers and civil servants in Northern Ireland have been offered a 5% pay increase.

They are the latest public sector pay offers to flow from Stormont's financial package.

The proposed settlement for healthcare workers would see the restoration of pay parity with England.

The healthcare offer includes a one-off payment of 1,505, while civil servants would receive a payment of 1,500.

Both offers follow meetings with trade unions last week.

The lowest paid civil servants have been offered a 10% increase to bring them up to the level of 'real living wage'.

Trade unions will now consult with their members on whether to accept the offer.

Nipsa General Secretary Carmel Gates said she believed members would welcome the offer and it "begins to set right the wrongs our members endured because of sustained and historic low pay".

'Properly rewarded'

Unison, which represents thousands of health workers, said months of industrial action had "finally yielded a result".

Health Minister Robin Swann welcomed his department's offer as "a positive step" towards reaching a pay settlement.

"I commend the constructive negotiations that have taken place with trade unions," he said.

"Staff are the backbone of health and social care services and deserve to be properly rewarded for their work."

He said pay settlements for 2023/24 were "long overdue, having been delayed by political and budgetary instability", adding the health pay offer would be backdated to April 2023.

Health Minister Robin Swann said staff are the "backbone of health and social care services"

Speaking to BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster, Patrick Mulholland from NIPSA said that the move was a "considerable step forward".

"We want to see strike action come to an end, but we are preparing for further strike action if it is necessary," he added.

Mr Mulholland said the pay deal is significant in itself, but in the wider context of public sector pay "it is the first rung in the ladder".

Rita Devlin from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said that she feels "frustrated and disappointed with the lump sum, as it does not give our nurses parity with nurses in England".

"My view is that we wanted parity with England, and the pay offer does not provide that," she added.

'End the pay dispute'

Anne Speed from Unison said there was still more negotiation to be done as "we are still third on the league table of pay".

"We always have the leverage of taking industrial action, if negotiations don't go our way."

Last year, nurses in England were offered a 5% pay rise and a one-off settlement of at least 1,655.

The RCN said it would be consulting members on the proposed pay settlement "shortly".

Unite said it was "encouraging members to vote yes to accept this pay offer and end the pay dispute".

"This offer ensures pay parity with NHS workers in England and Wales and will address safe staffing," Brenda Stevenson from the union said.

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is also recommending to its members that they accept the proposal.

The RCM's General Secretary Gill Walton said that "while this deal is not everything our members deserve it's an important start and allows us to move forward".

Sinn Fein's Caoimhe Archibald said the current offer does not provide a "sustainable solution" to public sector pay demands

On 18 January, nurses, midwives and healthcare workers took part along with other public sector workers in the largest strike in Northern Ireland for 50 years.

Last week, junior doctors in Northern Ireland voted to take strike action for the first time.

The result of the ballot would see junior doctors taking part in a 24-hour walkout from 6 to 7 March.

Reflecting on the civil service pay offer, Dr Archibald said: "Civil servants, like other public servants, have been waiting some time for their 2023 pay award against the context of a cost-of-living crisis and pressures on their own household budgets.

"I hope staff will look favourably on the offer and that unions' consultation with their members will proceed as swiftly as possible so we can get pay to staff as soon as practicable."

The minister has also said she hopes a Stormont budget can be agreed by the end of April.

Transport strike suspended

Meanwhile, the Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd has welcomed the suspension of the transport strike which was due to begin on Tuesday 27 February and would have seen all bus, rail and glider services cancelled.

The 72-hour strike by transport workers from Unite, GMB and Siptu unions was struck off after Translink offered an improved pay offer.

On Monday, Davy Thompson from Unite said: "I don't think its good enough in terms of the percentage but that's the deal we have on the table.

"This is bite-sized chunks, we are going to a ballot we have suspended our action to allow that to happen, so let's see what the next stages are off the back of that," he added.
Heartbroken: US Airman who set himself ablaze outside Israeli Embassy in D.C. grew up in Mass.

An active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force, who grew up in Massachusetts, died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. while declaring that he will no longer be complicit in genocide.

The 25-year-old airman, Aaron Bushnell, of San Antonio, Texas, died from the injuries, he suffered in protest of the Israel-Hamas war, the Metropolitan Police Department said Monday.

Bushnell attended Nauset Public Schools from 2003-2007 and 2013-2014, the school district confirmed in a statement to Boston 25 News.

In the statement, NPS said, The Nauset Public Schools is heartbroken to learn of the untimely death of one of our former students, Aaron Bushnell. Mr. Bushnell was a student in the Nauset Public Schools between 2003-2007 and 2013-2014. Our school community is saddened by Mr. Bushnells death and we offer our condolences to his family and friends.

Bushnell had walked up to the embassy shortly before 1 p.m. on Sunday and began livestreaming on the video streaming platform Twitch, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. Law enforcement officials believe the man started a livestream, set his phone down and then doused himself in accelerant and ignited the flames. At one point, he said he will no longer be complicit in genocide, the person said. The video was later removed from the platform, but law enforcement officials have obtained and reviewed a copy.

In a statement Monday, the Air Force said, The individual involved in yesterdays incident succumbed to his injuries and passed away last night.

The incident happened as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking the cabinet approval for a military operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah while a temporary cease-fire deal is being negotiated. Israels military offensive in Gaza, however, has drawn criticisms, including genocide claims against the Palestinians.

Israel has adamantly denied the genocide allegations and says it is carrying out operations in accordance with international law in the Israel-Hamas war.

In December, a person self-immolated outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta and used gasoline as an accelerant, according to Atlantas fire authorities. A Palestinian flag was found at the scene, and the act was believed to be one of extreme political protest.

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.

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Smoke billows during an Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday. Israel Defense Forces conducted what it called clearing operations in western and eastern Khan Younis on Monday, as well. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI

Feb. 26 (UPI) -- The Israeli military says it is intensifying its battle against Hamas militants in the southern Gaza Strip around the key city of Khan Younis as it seeks to seize weapons and uncover hidden infrastructure.

The Israel Defense Forces conducted what it called clearing operations in western and eastern Khan Younis as fighting that has escalated in the last week continued across the area on Monday.

The IDF said a "terrorist compound" in Khan Younis was targeted in an airstrike, which produced secondary explosions that it said indicated Hamas fighters were "carrying numerous weapons."

"Our troops located weapon parts along with grenades, ammunition and additional military equipment," the military said.

IDF soldiers have encountered heavy armed resistance from Hamas gunmen in Khan Younis as they ramp up their operations there, Israeli media reported.

Palestinians search the rubble of their house destroyed in an overnight Israeli air strike in east Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday. Israel Defense Forces conducted what it called clearing operations in western and eastern Khan Younis as fighting that has escalated in the last week continued across the area on Monday. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI

Elements of the IDF's 7th Brigade reported they killed seven militants with tank and sniper fire while attacking a building that was found to house "a substantial cache" of military hardware, including explosive devices, grenades, sniper and assault rifles.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said they raided the house of a senior Hamas military intelligence officer in Khan Younis, where they discovered a tunnel and a cache of weapons, which were destroyed.

Palestinians search the rubble of their house destroyed in an overnight Israeli air strike in east Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI

The IDF Southern Command said the Givati Brigade infantry is also continuing to operate in Khan Younis.

U.N. health officials said Monday that the intense fighting in and around Khan Younis over the last five weeks "is causing loss of life and damage to civilian infrastructure," including the destruction of the largest refugee shelter in the southern Gaza Strip.

A Jordanian military aircraft drops humanitarian aid over Rafah in the skies over southern Gaza Strip on Monday. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI

"This is forcing thousands of Palestinians to flee further south towards Rafah, which is severely overcrowded," the U.N. Palestinian Refugee Agency said in an update. "At the same time, population movements out of Rafah and towards Deir Al Balah and Nuseirat refugee camps [in central Gaza] have been reported, even though there are reports of further fighting and airstrikes in those areas."

Smoke billows during Israeli bombardment in southern Gaza Strip on Monday. The Israeli military said on Monday that they raided the house of a senior Hamas military intelligence officer in Khan Younis, where they discovered a tunnel and a cache of weapons. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Here's why it's an aircraft carrier tradition to catapult a pair of boots

The US Navy is full of time-honored traditions.

A personal one for naval aviators is known as a "boot shoot."

Catapult officers, known as shooters, launch their boots off a flight deck in a final sendoff.

The US Navy has many unique traditions, such as painting sailors' noses blue when operating in the Arctic Circle or putting "pollywog" sailors through a series of disgusting initiation rites while crossing the equator.

Among the peculiar practices is launching a pair of boots off the flight deck of an aircraft carrier in a special ceremony known as a "boot shoot."

What is a boot shoot?

A pair of boots prepare to be launched off the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Madison Cassidy

A "boot shoot" commemorates the end of a tour or change of command for a catapult officer aboard an aircraft carrier.

Launching their own pair of boots off the deck of the carrier symbolizes the sailor's final departure from the ship.

Signal for takeoff

Lt. Nicholas Woodworth and Robert Wilkerson prepare to shoot their boots off the flight deck of USS Carl Vinson using the ship's catapult. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Adrian White

Catapult and arresting gear officers give the final signal to a pilot before takeoff  colloquially named "shooters" after their distinctive, crouched pose before a fighter jet catapults off the flight deck.

Beyond conducting an aircraft launch through a series of hand gestures and poses, shooters have a number of other responsibilities to ensure a safe takeoff.

"The catapult officer is responsible to ensure the catapult is prepared and ready to launch aircraft, the aircraft is properly configured to launch, all personnel are in their proper position, and any observers are behind the foul lines," Lt. Cmdr. Robert Neff, a shooter aboard George Washington, told DoD News.

"We inspect the entire catapult system, the jet-blast deflector, and input our calculations for wind to determine how much steam is needed to launch aircraft," Neff added.

'The conductor of the flight deck'

A US Navy catapult and arresting gear officer signals for the launch of a T-45C Goshawk training aircraft aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mick DiMestico

Shooters are best known for giving "the signal to get the jet in the sky."

"The Shooter is the conductor of the flight deck  but their batons glow in the dark, their symphonies are afterburners, and their instruments are million-dollar fighter jets," according to the Navy.

Yellow shirts

Lt. Cmdr. Alex Cleaveland secures a pair of boots to a catapult to be launched off the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Madison Cassidy

Flight deck crew are identified by the colors of their shirts. Shooters wear yellow turtlenecks, signaling to others that they are leaders on the flight deck.

Yellow shirts are also worn by enlisted aviation boatswain's mates, the air boss, and the mini-boss.

"Air department is the biggest department on the ship, with nearly 750 sailors," Neff said. "When we're not out there on the flight deck shooting aircraft, we're running our divisions and leading our sailors."

Highly trained personnel

Cmdr. Dennis Metz, the mini-boss aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, prepares for a boot shoot on the flight deck. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bill M. Sanders

Naval aviators undergo months of training in order to become a shooter.

"For us, it's all about being around flight operations and continuing to do so," Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Kreutz, George Washington's lead catapult officer, said told DoD News. "All of us come from different backgrounds as naval aviators, and being a shooter is a completely different job than we're used to, so it's nice to see a different side of the aviation world and control flight operations."

Final sendoff

Sailors signal the catapult launch during a boot shoot on the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Nicholas Burgains

Now-Cmdr. Kacee Jossis described her own "boot shoot" in 2014. Jossis, then a lieutenant, served as a V2 Division Officer aboard the USS George Washington when it was forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan.

"For my last shot on the flight deck, I was able to shoot my boots to signify my completed tour as a shooter," Jossis told DoD News. "It was a nice way to send me off and onto my next command."

A bittersweet farewell

Sailors observe boots being launched during a "boot shoot" on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Clayton A. Wren

"If you're going to come to a carrier as a pilot and not fly, shooting is the best job you can have," Jossis said. "I really enjoyed working with everyone in Air department. It's bittersweet to leave, but I'm ready to fly again."

Read the original article on Business Insider
FIRST ON FOX: A House Republican who has been critical of rushing to impeach President Biden is calling for his removal over questions about his mental fitness for the job.

Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., told Fox News Digital that he plans to introduce a resolution on Monday to call on Bidens Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment of the Constitution.

His most-cited reason was Special Counsel Robert Hurs report on Bidens handling of classified documents. The report did not recommend any charges for the president but repeatedly painted him as an aging leader with a poor memory.

Buck said the report "addressed what many Americans have long witnessed with their own eyes  that President Biden is no longer fit to successfully discharge the critical duties of his office."

JAMES BIDEN SAYS HIS BROTHER 'HAS NEVER HAD ANY INVOLVEMENT' OR ANY 'FINANCIAL INTEREST' IN BUSINESS VENTURES

Rep. Ken Buck, left, is introducing a resolution to call on President Biden's Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment.

"Numerous instances were articulated in the report, and have played out in full public view, showing President Bidens apparent cognitive decline and lack of mental stamina," he told Fox News Digital.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"The societal challenges and security threats our country faces are innumerable and require a chief executive with both strong mental and physical faculties. The time has come for the vice president and the Cabinet to put our country first and move forward on invoking the 25th Amendment."

DEVON ARCHER: HUNTER BIDEN, BURISMA EXECS CALLED DC TO GET UKRAINIAN PROSECUTOR FIRED

In his resolution text, Buck also cited Bidens verbal stumbles and public gaffes as evidence of mental decline. It pointed out that Biden recently confused French President Emmanuel Macron with a predecessor who died decades prior, and that he also mixed up German leaders names and mistakenly referred to the president of Egypt as the president of Mexico.

Biden and his allies have vigorously denied that his mental acuity is suffering.

But Bucks resolution is a significant addition to the growing pressure for Biden officials to address scrutiny over the presidents mental fitness.

Buck's resolution would urge Vice President Kamala Harris to invoke the 25th Amendment against Biden.

The Colorado Republican, who is retiring at the end of this term, is one of the few House GOP lawmakers who have publicly expressed wariness over the push to impeach Biden over allegations that he and his familys businesses profited off of his political weight.

Buck voted along with the rest of the House GOP Conference to formalize the Biden impeachment inquiry in December, but just last week he criticized the probes leaders for relying on allegations made by FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, who was recently indicted for lying to the bureau.

BIDEN MET WITH CHAIRMAN OF CHINESE ENERGY FIRM HUNTER DID BUSINESS WITH IN 2017, EX-ASSOCIATE TESTIFIES

"Weve always been looking for a link between what Hunter Biden received in terms of money and Joe Bidens activities or Joe Biden receiving money. This clearly is not a credible link at this point," Buck said in a CNN interview.

He told the network in September, "I want to make sure we dont ruin this institution over a tit-for-tat impeachment. If the evidence is there I will absolutely vote for impeachment. I dont see the evidence at this point."

The basis of Buck's resolution is Special Counsel Robert Hur's report on Biden's handling of classified documents.

Section 4 of the 25th Amendment allows the vice president and a majority of the White House Cabinet to declare the president unfit to perform his duties, transferring power to the vice president.

The president is able to take those powers back by writing to Congress that he is able to serve. The Cabinet would then have four days to refute that, after which Congress would vote on whether the president could remain in power.

Buck is one of several Republican lawmakers who have called for the constitutional amendment to be invoked in the wake of Hur's report, including Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, as well as Reps. Mary Miller, R-Ill., and Mike Collins, R-Ga.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment on Buck's resolution.





Original article source: House Republican critical of Biden impeachment push demands his removal via 25th Amendment
Plans for a 40m development in the north of the Isle of Man have been rejected by planners.

The Sulby Riverside development by Blythe Church Investments Limited proposed a mix of 205 semi-detached homes, townhouses and flats, as well as shops, parks and a pub.

Concerns raised during the planning meeting focused on the effects it would have on local wildlife and the flood risk posed by the river.

Objectors said the decision was a "victory for the landscape" but the developers said they would now assess their options.

Manx National Heritage ecologist Erica Spencer gave evidence at the hearing

The Planning Committee heard evidence from interest parties, including those opposed to the scheme on ecology grounds.

They included ecologist for Manx National Heritage Erica Spencer, who said as the area was home to a salt marsh area with endangered species of plants and wildlife, the application was "in the wrong place" ecologically.

Dr Spencer said the land in question should be designated "as an area of special scientific interest".

"It's a victory for common sense, it's a victory for the ecology, it's a victory for the landscape," she added.

Geoff Megarity said the developer would now assess its options

Geoff Megarity of consultants Bell Cornwell, who represented the developers at the hearing, said the scheme had been designed in such a way that "should ecology become an issue", the firm would "amend the design".

He said that was an aspect the members of the planning committee "maybe didn't quite appreciate".

He said, while he was disappointed with the decision, it did not mark an end of the project and those behind the plans would now assess their options, "whether that be the appeal route or re-submission".

Mr Megarity said: "It's an important site for Ramsey, it's in a sustainable location.

"We want to deliver something that improves the north of the island."

Why not follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X? You can also send story ideas to IsleofMan@bbc.co.uk

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HOWELL  Howell High School Assistant Principal Brian McCarthy discovered a new appreciation for his community during a visit in late January to Finland as a recipient of the Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program Award.

McCarthy attended the international exchange and professional learning program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with educators from around the world. He, along with others in his cohort, spent 10 days learning and collaborating with school and government leaders in Finland.

There, he learned about Finlands educational system and explored different strategies to prepare Howell students with the skills and understanding necessary to address global challenges and succeed in a global economy.

Howell High School Assistant Principal Brian McCarthy visited Finland in late January as a recipient of the Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program Award.

These skills are of critical importance in todays schools, McCarthy said, because leaders are often looking for competency in areas like empathy, teamwork and diversity.

Yet the biggest takeaway, he said, was how unique and important Howell community support is. One example is a recent survey that showed broad interest in a language immersion program for students.

This may sound a little corny, but it did make me proud to be a Highlander because theres an understanding that global knowledge and things like empathy are a big part of the (student) experience, McCarthy said. It seemed that (getting that community) buy-in might be a little harder for some other attendees.

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Another takeaway was Finlands commitment to cross-cultural communication. He hopes to partner with a teacher he met at the conference to find effective ways for embedding United Nations Sustainable Development Goals like ending hunger and achieving food security into teacher lessons and programs.

McCarthys cohort included administrative leaders from school districts in large cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City. Meeting other school leaders, he said, adds to the network of resources McCarthy has.

There are so many administrators doing incredible things that we can all learn from each other, he said. We have many students who are already on their way to becoming leaders, but we want to help them flourish in other areas as well.

 M. Alan Scott is a freelance writer for The Livingston Daily. Contact the newsroom at newsroom@livingstondaily.com.

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Howell assistant principal visits Finland, returns with global focus
AKRON, Ohio (WJW)  The Summit County Land Bank will begin the demolition of the former Atlantic Foundry in Akron.

The building, located on 182 Beaver Street, has become an area that is unsafe for the community, according to a press release from the Summit County Land Bank.

Bible found intact after CLE church destroyed by fire

Its deteriorated condition led to unlawful scrapping, squatting, and other activities jeopardizing community safety, the release states. Since closing in 1989, this tax-delinquent property has burdened the community, posing safety hazards and hindering economic opportunities.

The Atlantic Foundry was open from 1905 to 1989. It produced iron for Akron industries and employed up to 450 people, according to the release. The condemned building was then acquired by the Summit County Land Bank in 2020.

LAND BANK TO CELEBRATE DEMOLITION KICK-OFF

LAND BANK TO CELEBRATE DEMOLITION KICK-OFF

Demolition of blighted and unutilized structures like the former Atlantic Foundry is essential for ensuring the safety and long-term growth of our neighborhoods, said Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro, Summit County Land Bank Board Vice Chair.

The demolition, funded by the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program, will begin on March 7 at 3 p.m., with the viewing area on Annandale Avenue, overlooking the 254,826 square-foot site.

Were grateful to the State Legislators who recognized this projects significance in their allocation of the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Operating Budget, said Patrick Bravo, Summit County Land Bank Executive Director.

Cleveland Clinic to test magic mushrooms as treatment for this

The Operating Budget provided $350 million for projects across Ohio, which includes $20 million for Summit County, according to the release.

The Atlantic Foundry Project received approval for funding of up to $1.9 million to address hazardous materials, demolition and underground storage tank removal.

This significant investment from the state demonstrates a commitment to revitalizing neglected areas and enabling their redevelopment for the benefit of Summit County residents, said Summit County Fiscal Officer Kristen M. Scalise, CPA, CFE, Summit County Land Bank Board Chair. Were excited to continue moving our communities forward.

To learn more about the Summit County Land Bank, click here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
The News

House Republicans have a clear No. 1 demand these days when it comes to the border: President Biden, they say, should bring back Remain in Mexico.

The controversial Trump-era program required some asylum-seekers to stay south of the border while awaiting their immigration court dates, instead of allowing them to enter the U.S. Speaker Mike Johnson wrote in a letter last week that the administration could prove it was serious about tackling the migrant crisis by reviving the policy, which he had previously called the best legal tool available to slow arrivals at the border.

But even if Biden wanted to revive the program, its not clear Mexicos government would play along. Last year, the countrys Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would reject any effort to resurrect the policy. That resistance could potentially make the entire idea a policy dead-end, some immigration experts argue.

Mexicos leaders are reluctant to reestablish the program because they dont believe its first iteration effectively deterred migration and worry that a new version could spark fresh legal battles with human rights groups, said Ariel Ruiz Soto, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.

It will be hard for Mexico to quickly apply a new protocol that has the rigor to pass a legal standard under Mexicos Supreme Court to allow the practice to start up again in big numbers, Ruiz Soto told Semafor.

Step Back

Conservatives widely credit Remain in Mexico  formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols  for helping quell the massive surge of migrants that overwhelmed the southern border in 2019. Though only a sliver of the new arrivals were sent back across the border to await their court date, proponents say it created a deterrent by shutting asylum-seekers out of the U.S.

The Biden administration ended Remain in Mexico after a lengthy legal battle against states that sued to keep the program in place. The program drew criticism from human rights groups for returning asylum-seekers to border towns where many were subjected to kidnapping, extortion, and other violence.

Still, Remain in Mexico has become a rallying point for Republicans. The House GOPs party-line border reform bill, H.R. 2, would have restored a stringent version of the program. More recently, House moderates proposed a bipartisan bill on Ukraine aid and the border that would compel the White House to restore a version of the policy for one year.

Josephs view

Republican aides I spoke with mostly didnt have clear answers when I asked them what the Biden administration was supposed to do if Mexico refused to cooperate with a new version of the program. One of the recent bipartisan House bills architects wasnt able to explain it either.

Thats something well have to work out, Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said earlier this month. Im not an ambassador, so I have no idea how theyre going to respond. Our guys want something that makes a difference on the border.

Simply ignoring Mexicos wishes doesnt seem like a workable plan: After all, the U.S. relies on cooperation from its neighbor on other aspects of border enforcement, which could be put at risk if Washington angered its leaders.

Room for Disagreement

Conservative experts outside Capitol Hill suggested that the answer was simple: Biden would just have to play hardball.

That was Donald Trumps strategy: He used the threat of tariffs to secure the Mexican governments cooperation on border enforcement issues, including a major expansion of Remain in Mexico.

Lora Ries, the director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at the conservative Heritage Foundation, told Semafor the U.S. could threaten to tax remittance payments sent from undocumented immigrants to their families in Mexico or put up additional trade barriers with Mexico, now the U.S. largest trading partner. For example, Oklahoma imposes a 1% fee on all remittance transfer payments larger than $500.

Mexicos gonna say it doesnt want to do it because they know they can get away with that with Joe Biden in the White House. Joe Biden doesnt want to do it either, Ries said. So you need a U.S. president that knows what levers to push or pull to get Mexico to cooperate.
Human Rights Watch on Monday accused Israel of blocking aid to Palestinians in violation of a United Nations court order issued last month that ruled Israel must contain civilian deaths in Gaza.

Human Rights Watch said the Israeli government failed to comply with at least one measure in last months order from the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The preliminary ruling was issued in response to a plea from South Africa to order a cease-fire in Gaza and halt the displacement of the Palestinian people.

The ICJ said in a preliminary ruling that Israel must take all steps necessary to protect against the killing of Palestinian civilians, limit the physical destruction of infrastructure and increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Human Rights Watch said that one month after the order was issued, Israel continues to obstruct the provision of basic services and the entry and distribution within Gaza of fuel and lifesaving aid.

The Israeli government is starving Gazas 2.3 million Palestinians, putting them in even more peril than before the World Courts binding order, said Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch. The Israeli government has simply ignored the courts ruling, and in some ways even intensified its repression, including further blocking lifesaving aid.

The ruling stopped short of demanding a cease-fire in the region but ordered Israel to submit a report within one month on the measures it has implemented. Its not clear whether Israel has submitted the report yet.

Human Rights Watch cited the drop in the daily number of aid trucks going into Gaza in its accusations. The organization said there were only 93 aid trucks between Jan. 27 and Feb. 21 while there were 147 trucks sent in from Jan. 1-26.

Israels blatant disregard for the World Courts order poses a direct challenge to the rules-based international order, Shakir said. Failure to ensure Israels compliance puts the lives of millions of Palestinians at risk and threatens to undermine the institutions charged with ensuring respect for international law and the system that ensures civilian protection worldwide.

Nearly 30,000 people in Gaza have been killed since the onset of the war, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

The accusation from the humanitarian group comes as Israel is preparing to enter Rafah  a city in southern Gaza where an estimated 1.4 million civilians are taking refuge.

The Associated Press reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said his countrys war cabinet approved a plan to deliver humanitarian aid safely into Gaza that would prevent the cases of looting.

The White House continued to sound the alarm bells over the Netanyahus plans to invade Rafah. The Biden administration has repeatedly urged Israel not to move forward with the operation in Gaza without an effective plan to evacuate civilians from harms way.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said on NBCs Meet the Press Sunday that the White House has not seen any plan to evacuate civilians.

Netanyahu said on CBSs Face the Nation that going into Rafah has to be done, adding that once operations in the city start, total victory against the militant group Hamas will be weeks away.

The Associated Press contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Children in Cabarrus and Stanly counties wont have to worry about staying warm this winter, thanks to a partnership with Subaru Concord, Operation Warm, and The Salvation Army.

MORE: Nonprofit collecting Thanksgiving meal donations for families in need

Last Wednesday, more than 250 coats, socks, and shoes were delivered to children served by The Salvation Army Tucker Center of Hope Shelter; all were donated by Subaru Concord and Operation Warm.

The coats and shoes donated come in a large size range to fit all children with different colors to choose from.

These essential items help keep children protected, warm, and dry and can significantly impact a childs mental and emotional well-being, Bill Musgrave, a Subaru retailer said, These items can mean the difference between attending school and participating in activities or sitting out. No child should ever have to face these circumstances.

For more information about Operation Warm, click here.

(WATCH BELOW: Record Coat Collection for the 20th Anniversary of Steves Coats for Kids)




















Newly elected Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok takes an oath during his inauguration ceremony at the plenary session of the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest, Hungary, Monday Feb. 26, 2024. Tamas Sulyok, the outgoing head of the Constitutional Court was the sole candidate for the post, received 134 votes of 139 valid ballots, with 5 lawmakers voting against him in a secret ballot. (Zoltan Mathe/MTI via AP)

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP)  Hungary's parliament on Monday elected a new president after its previous head of state resigned in a scandal over a pardon she granted to an accomplice in a child sexual abuse case.

Lawmakers in a secret vote approved the appointment to the presidency of Tamas Sulyok, 67, a lawyer who previously served as the head of Hungary's Constitutional Court.

Several opposition parties did not participate in the vote, and called for direct presidential elections instead of appointments by vote in parliament. They argued that the new president would be a party soldier of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Sulyok received 134 votes in favor of his presidency while five lawmakers voted against.

In a speech following his appointment, Sulyok presented himself as a follower of the letter of the law who would seek to refrain from engaging in Hungary's political life.

The role of president in Hungary is largely ceremonial, though they do have the power to send bills back to lawmakers or to the Constitutional Court for review.

In his speech, Sulyok referenced procedures currently ongoing against Hungary in which the European Union has frozen billions in funding over rule-of-law and democracy concerns.

We can see how the correctly defined concept of the rule of law is being lost, transformed from an ideal into an idol in todays Europe as part of a purely utilitarian political approach, he said.

He also spoke about his belief that member states of the European Union retain their legal national sovereignty despite their membership in the bloc.

Sulyok is expected to formally assume the role on March 5.

The election of a new head of state came after Hungarys conservative president resigned on Feb. 10 amid public outcry over a pardon she granted to a man convicted of helping to cover up child sexual abuse in a state-run orphanage. That decision unleashed an unprecedented political scandal for Orban's long-serving government.

Before the vote on Monday, opposition lawmaker Bence Tordai requested that members of parliament rise to observe a moment of silence for the recent death of Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny in a Siberian prison.

While most members of the opposition rose from their seats, members of Orban's Fidesz party, which has among the closest relations with Russia in the EU, remained seated.

In later remarks in parliament, Orban criticized Navalny for comments he made during Russia's 2008 invasion of Georgia that were criticized for their nationalist tone.

"I thank the ruling party caucus for keeping their nerve in the Navalny case. Chauvinists do not deserve respect in the Hungarian parliament, Orban said. But anyway, may he rest in peace.
Semafor Signals

The News

The Hungarian Parliament voted in favor of Swedens bid to join NATO on Monday following months of delays.

Today is a historic day, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote on X. The parliaments of all NATO member states have now voted in favour of Swedish accession to NATO. Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security.

Under NATO agreements, all members must unanimously agree to admit new states into the alliance.

Sweden has typically adopted a neutral stance in military conflicts, but took the historic step of seeking to align itself with the defense alliance after Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago. That move was opposed by Hungary and Turkey, which demanded concessions from Stockholm in order to agree to its membership.

Budapests decision to bring forward the membership vote on Monday followed a meeting between Kristersson and Hungarys Viktor Orban last week. We are ready to fight for each other, to give our lives for each other, Orban told a press conference after Stockholm committed to providing Hungary with a large defense package that includes access to warplanes and the establishment of an artificial- intelligence research center in the nation.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

Swedens ascension doesnt turn Baltic Sea into NATO lake

Source: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Some security experts believe that Swedens accession to NATO could turn the Baltic Sea into a NATO lake that would deter Russia from pursuing aggression in the region. But this is unfortunate framing that implies the Baltic is NATOs alone, that the Western alliance has little to worry about from a security perspective, U.S. Army War College researcher John R. Deni wrote for the Carnegie Endowment of International Peace. Russia still has a considerable submarine fleet capable of specialized sea-floor operations, such as disrupting energy and communications grids, and bureaucratic and transportation issues make it difficult for NATO to adequately equip the Baltic states against Russian submarine operations. However, Swedens accession could help NATO overcome some of these challenges by ensuring logistical throughput across the Scandinavian peninsula, Deni wrote, by connecting civilian road, rail, sea, and air infrastructure to quickly move military equipment through Northern Europe.

Moscow prepares for a possible war with West, but rushed restructuring could hamper its efforts

Sources: Politico, Critical Threats

In response to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, Moscow has been restructuring its military command structure to prepare for a possible future war with the alliance, as well as seeking to increase the number of soldiers in its armed forces from 1.15 million to 1.5 million by 2026, a report from Estonias foreign intelligence service stated. As part of this, Russia has re-established its Leningrad Military District which would centralize military activities along its border with the Baltic and North Seas. Along with heightened recruitment efforts, its a sign that the Kremlin is gearing up for a long-term confrontation with the entire collective West, and is likely anticipating a possible conflict with NATO within the next decade, the head of the Estonian body said. However, rushed changes aimed at quickly sending formations to Ukraine will likely impede the accomplishment of Russia attempting to prepare itself for conventional warfare against NATO, Russia watcher Karolina Hird wrote for defense analyst site Critical Threats.

Sweden can no longer sell neutrality model

Source: The Guardian

Swedes have long touted their neutrality in the face of conflict as an example of ideal diplomacy. But the decision to join the military alliance is about pragmatism, and the war in Ukraine has shown Swedes that they are too scared and too small to cope and we have no principles left to sell, author Gunnar Ardelius wrote for The Guardian. Staying silent is nota passive or noble act, it in fact often contains violent activity and effort, he argued, citing the countrys exports of iron ore to Germany during World War II as an example of what he called its hypocrisy. Swedes have also long connected the nations strong welfare provision with its stance on foreign policy, but this model is no longer applicable as the country experiences record-breaking income inequality and crime that has shifted much of the electorate further to the right, Ardelius wrote.
Editor's note: This is a developing story.

Hungary's parliament voted to ratify Sweden's application to join NATO on Feb. 26, finalizing the country's membership after almost two years of delays.

Sweden and Finland applied to join the alliance in 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but their accession was held up by objections from Turkey and Hungary.

Finland joined NATO in April 2023. After Turkey formally ratified Sweden's NATO membership on Jan. 25, Hungary remained the last member yet to approve Sweden's application.

The ratification of Sweden's membership bid comes three days after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson in Budapest.

At the Feb. 23 meeting, the leaders vowed to overcome their differences and increase cooperation. They also signed a deal in which Sweden agreed to sell four Swedish JAS Gripen fighter jets to Hungary.

Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson previously told the Kyiv Independent that his country was open to providing Ukraine with modern fighter jets after finalizing its NATO bid.

Hungary's ruling Fidesz party pledged its support for the ratification on Feb. 20.

Read also: Opinion: Europe must rearm now

Hungary previously delayed ratifying Sweden's NATO accession in part due to the country's criticism of the deteriorating rule of law under Orban's tenure.

Sweden will become the 32nd member of NATO. Accepting a new country into the alliance requires unanimous support from all members.

Finland became the 31st member of NATO in April last year, citing the international alliance as being "the only effective security guarantee in the region" amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

NATO militaries have strengthened their capacity and preparedness since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While the prospect of the war escalating to an all-out clash between the alliance and Russia has so far been averted, there are concerns that the West has not truly accepted that it may still be a possibility.

Several NATO commanders and other alliance leaders have warned in increasingly stark terms in recent months about the dangers of such a war and what impact it could have across Europe.

Ukraine applied for a fast-track NATO accession on Sept. 30, 2022, after Russia claimed the annexation of four Ukrainian regions. However, until Moscow's war against Ukraine ends, the country's prospects of NATO membership seem to remain low.

Read also: Editorial: Its been 2 years and worlds on the brink. Time to wake up or fall

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks at the parliamentary session prior to the vote on the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership. Marton Monus/dpa

The Hungarian parliament ratified Sweden's membership in NATO by a large majority on Monday, clearing the last hurdle on the Scandinavian country's path to join the Western military alliance.

Stockholm applied to become a member of NATO in May 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. All members must sign-off on applications before a new country is admitted.

Hungary was the final NATO country to ratify Swedish membership, even though Budapest had promised allies that it would not be the last.

Hungarian leaders didn't raise any specific objections to Sweden joining the alliance but held up the decision for months.

The previous obstacle had been Turkey, which sought the extradition from Sweden of individuals allegedly involved in the Gulen movement, which Ankara views as a terrorist organization.

The Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, visited Budapest on Friday at the invitation of Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban takes part in the parliamentary session prior to the vote on the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership. Marton Monus/dpa

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (L) takes part in the parliamentary session prior to the vote on the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership. Marton Monus/dpa
The results of the vote on the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership can be seen on a monitor during the parliamentary session. Marton Monus/dpa

The Hungarian parliament ratified Sweden's membership in NATO by an overwhelming majority on Monday, clearing the last hurdle on the Scandinavian country's path to join the Western military alliance.

In the vote, 188 members of parliament decided in favour of ratification. Six voted against.

"I welcome the Hungarian parliaments vote to ratify Swedens membership in NATO. Now that all Allies have approved, Sweden will become the 32nd NATO Ally," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Sweden's membership will make us all stronger and safer."

Stockholm applied to become a member of NATO in May 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. All existing members must sign-off on applications before a new country is admitted.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a post on X: "Today is a historic day. The parliaments of all NATO member states have now voted in favour of Swedish accession to NATO. Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security."

Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs posted on social media, "Hungary has a vested interest in Europes security, and I am sure, that in Sweden we have a strong and reliable ally who will benefit the future of NATO for the better."

Hungary was the final NATO country to ratify Swedish membership, even though Budapest had promised allies that it would not be the last.

Hungarian leaders didn't raise any specific objections to Sweden joining the alliance, but nevertheless held up the decision for several months.

In a speech ahead of the parliamentary vote, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told legislators, "Before we let a new member into this alliance, we must first settle our disputes," according to an English-language government press release.

"Hungary and Sweden, as long-established European countries, know how to resolve our differences without the need for unsolicited guardianship or disrespectful intervention," Orban said.

Kristersson visited Budapest on Friday at Orban's invitation. Later that day, Orban announced Hungary would buy four Gripen fighter jets from Sweden.

The Gripen deal would "put an end to a discussion which is extremely important for Hungary," Orban told Kristersson in a speech, a subtitled video excerpt of which was posted to the Hungarian premier's X account.

The four Gripen jets will be added to an existing fleet of 14 in 2025 and 2026, Kovacs said.

Before Hungary emerged as the final holdout, the previous obstacle to Swedish membership had been Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sought the extradition from Sweden of individuals allegedly involved in the Gulen movement, which Ankara views as a terrorist organization.

Sweden applied for NATO membership together with neighbour Finland. But Finland's path was far smoother: It was welcomed as the 31st member of the alliance at the beginning of April last year.

A general view of the Hungarian parliament during the parliamentary session to vote on the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership in Budapest. Marton Monus/dpa

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen take part in the parliamentary session to vote on the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership in Budapest. Marton Monus/dpa
Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, left, and his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban pose at the Carmelite Monastery in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb 23, 2024.

Hungarys parliament voted Monday to ratify Swedens bid to join NATO, ending months of delays and diplomatic wrangling following the Scandinavian country's security policy shift in response to Russias war in Ukraine.

The vote was the last major hurdle to Sweden joining the military alliance. It passed 188 to six.

Historically neutral Sweden applied to join NATO at the same time as Finland, in May 2022. Finland became NATO's 31st member in April. Sweden's application was held up by objections from Turkey and Hungary.

Turkey expressed reservations about Sweden's support for Kurdish separatist groups and restrictions on arms exports to Turkey. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a right-wing nationalist who has forged close ties with Russia, had said that criticism of Hungarys democracy by Swedish politicians had soured relations between the two countries and led to reluctance among lawmakers in his Fidesz party to support Sweden's NATO bid.

Russia has long opposed NATO expansion. President Vladimir Putin has said Russia will respond if NATO begins to establish military infrastructure in either of the two nations. Russia has an 830-mile border with Finland.

"Several people tried to intervene from the outside in the settling of our disputes (with Sweden), but this did not help but rather hampered the issue, Orban said as the voted passed. "Hungary is a sovereign country, it does not tolerate being dictated by others, whether it be the content of its decisions or their timing."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hungarys parliament approves Swedens bid to join NATO
Hungarys parliament has finally ratified Swedens bid to join Nato, clearing the last hurdle for a historic step after months of diplomatic wrangling.

Sweden applied for membership alongside Finland in May 2022 in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine. At the time, it amounted to an intention to abandon a principle of neutrality that had stood since 1812, enacted in the wake of a Russian takeover of some of its land.

Prime minister Ulf Kristersson, who visited Hungary last Friday to sign an arms deal, said that Sweden is ready to take responsibility in Nato.

Today is a historic day. The parliaments of all Nato member states have now voted in favour of Swedish accession to Nato, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security.

Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg immediately welcomed Hungary's ratification. Swedens membership will make us all stronger and safer, he said on X.

Earlier on Monday, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban told parliament that Swedish-Hungarian defence cooperation and Swedens accession to Nato would strengthen Hungarys security.

Therefore, I ask my fellow lawmakers to approve the legislation on Swedens Nato accession in a vote today, he said.

Sweden will become Natos 32nd member.

While Finland became a Nato member last April, Sweden was kept waiting as Turkey and Hungary, which both maintain relations with Russia, raised objections. Turkeys president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hungarys Mr Orban remain the only two leaders of Nato member states that have met with Putin since he announced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson, left, and Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban (AP)

Turkey withheld ratification on Swedens membership demanding tougher action against militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party it said had made a home in Sweden.

Sweden then changed its laws and relaxed rules over arms sales to assuage Turkey. President Erdogan also linked ratification with US approval of sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, with Ankara now expecting the United States to work on securing the US Congresss endorsement.

It was less obvious why Hungary had dithered over ratifying Swedens membership bid, with Budapest mostly venting its annoyance over Swedish criticism of the direction of democratic development under nationalist Mr Orban rather than any concrete demands.

But Turkeys signature left Hungary as the final hold-out with Mr Orban facing pressure from Nato allies to fall in line.

The ratification will now be signed by the speaker of parliament and Hungarys president within a few days, after which the remaining formalities, such as depositing accession documentation in Washington, are likely to be concluded swiftly.

While Sweden has ramped up cooperation with the alliance in recent decades, contributing to operations in places such as Afghanistan, its membership is set to simplify defence planning and cooperation on Natos northern flank.

Sweden also brings into the alliance resources such as cutting-edge submarines tailored to Baltic Sea conditions and a sizable fleet of domestically produced Gripen fighter jets. It is hiking military spending and should reach Natos threshold of two per cent of GDP this year.

David Cameron arrives at the Elysee Palace in Paris (AFP via Getty Images)

In Paris on Monday, more than 20 leaders from across Europe met to send Russian president Vladimir Putin a message about their resolve to support Ukraine against Moscows invasion and crush the idea that Russia could win against Kyiv.

President Emmanuel Macron invited his European counterparts to the Elysee Palace for a working meeting announced at short notice to discuss how to ramp up ammunition supplies to Ukraine amid what his advisers say is an escalation in Russian aggression over the past few weeks.

We want to send Putin a very clear message, that he wont win in Ukraine, a presidential adviser told reporters in a briefing. Our goal is to crush this idea he wants us to believe that he would be somehow winning.

Ammunition supplies have become a critical issue for Kyiv. The European Union, though, is falling short of its target of sending Ukraine a million rounds of artillery shells by March.

We must be able to deliver more shells. The principle is that shells will be purchased where they are available, said the adviser. There is no dogmatic [French] position.

On the ground, Ukraine has been fighting hard to keep Russian forces from advancing along areas of the 600-mile frontline, but soldiers on the battlefield say they are running short of ammunition and weaponry, particularly with fresh military aid from the US being held up by domestic political spats.

On Monday, Ukrainian troops pulled out of a village, Lastochkyne, in the east of the country. The soldiers fell back to nearby villages in an attempt to hold the line there, Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesman for one of the Ukrainian troop groupings, said on national television.

Lastochkyne lies to the west of Avdiivka, a suburb of Donetsk city that the Kremlins forces captured earlier this month in an intense battle. In that case, too, outnumbered defenders chose to pull out troops and mount a defence elsewhere.

Although not in itself a major loss, abandoning Lastochkyne illustrates the battlefield challenges Ukraine is currently facing. The new phase of the war has brought some bleak developments for Ukraine.

AP and Reuters contributed to this report
ABUJA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's anti-graft police on Sunday announced plans to investigate a staggering 3,000 cases of financial crimes across the country to combat malfeasance.

In a statement obtained by Xinhua on Sunday, Ola Olukoyede, chief of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said the 3,000 cases approved for investigation were part of the over 5,000 petitions received by EFCC.

The cases marked for investigation span a wide array of financial misdeeds, including fraud, money laundering, embezzlement, and cybercrimes, Olukoyede noted.

Lamenting the pervasive corruption in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, the anti-corruption official said: "The EFCC has innovated mechanisms to either stop or minimize the stealing of public funds and other financial and economic crimes."

"All we have to do is investigate and present the facts before the court," he said, emphasizing the collective responsibility of citizens to support the government's fight against corruption.

In recent years, the commission has intensified its efforts to enhance its investigative capabilities and streamline its operations, having adopted modern investigative techniques and forged partnerships with international law enforcement agencies to effectively tackle transnational financial crimes.

Founded in 2003, the anti-graft police operates is vested with broad powers to combat financial malfeasance and promote transparency and accountability in Nigeria's public and private sectors. 
The Hungarian Parliament ratified Swedens accession to NATO on 26 February, a year and a half after the fact.

Source: European Pravda with reference to 444.hu

Details: 188 Members of the Hungarian Parliament have voted in favour of the ratification of Swedens NATO accession, 6 have voted against.

Formally the ratification process will end after the ratification protocol is signed by the President of Hungary and published in the official journal. The process is expected to be finalised within a week.

Hungary was the last NATO member state to approve Swedens accession to NATO.

Budapest claimed for a long time that it supported Swedens accession and would not be "the last to approve it". In reality the ratification was carried out in the Hungarian Parliament even later than in Turkiye, which actively criticised Sweden due to insufficient "efforts against terrorism".

Background:

On 23 February, Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden, arrived in Budapest with a visit. During the visit his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban stated that "trust was rebuilt" in the relations between the two countries. The information that Sweden is planning to sell four more Gripen fighter jets to Hungary and extend the agreement on their maintenance was confirmed.

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Hungary's parliament will vote on ratifying Sweden's application for NATO membership on Feb. 26, Reuters reported.

Sweden's Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, visited Hungary last week. The countries signed an agreement on arms supplies during his visit, so it is expected that the voting in the Hungarian parliament, scheduled for Feb. 26, will proceed smoothly.

Hungary's ruling Fidesz party proposed on Feb. 20 that parliament vote on ratifying Sweden's NATO membership on February 26. The party stated its readiness to support this step.

Despite promises that it would not be the final country to ratify Swedens NATO application, Hungary remains the only country to yet ratify Sweden's membership application.

Read also: Hungary about to ratify Swedens NATO membership

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Katalin Novak stepped down after her decision to pardon a man convicted in a child abuse case caused outrage (Handout)

Hungary's parliament on Monday is expected to elect Constitutional Court head Tamas Sulyok as new president following the resignation of Katalin Novak, who caused outrage by pardoning a man convicted in a child abuse case.

The affair has turned into the biggest political crisis that nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban has faced since his return to power in 2010.

Orban ally Novak resigned as president earlier this month after it was revealed she had pardoned a convicted child abuser's accomplice.

Last week, ruling party Fidesz named Sulyok, 67, to replace Novak.

Sulyok is expected to be approved by parliament, where Fidesz' ruling coalition with the Christian Democratic KDNP holds a two-thirds majority.

The vote is scheduled to take place at 4:40 pm local time (1540 GMT) with the result expected to be announced later Monday, just after the votes are counted.

Little known to the broader public, Sulyok became a constitutional court judge in 2014 and, two years later, the court's head.

Around 3,000 people attended a Sunday protest by four opposition parties, calling for direct presidential elections.

The Novak scandal broke early this month when news site 444 revealed that she had pardoned the former deputy director of a children's home last year, on the eve of Pope Francis' visit.

The man was sentenced in 2022 to three years and four months in prison for helping to cover up his boss sexually abusing kids and adolescents there.

Tens of thousands of people have protested against the presidential pardon in Hungary, whose government has long campaigned on a pledge to protect children.

Orban likened the resignation of Novak, Hungary's first woman president, to a "nightmare", but stressed it was the right decision.

ros-jza/cw
Tens of thousands of people have protested against the presidential pardon (ATTILA KISBENEDEK)

Hungary's parliament on Monday elected a political novice as president following the resignation of his predecessor, who caused outrage by pardoning a man convicted in a child abuse case.

The affair has turned into the biggest political crisis that nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban has faced since his return to power in 2010.

Orban ally Katalin Novak resigned as president earlier this month after it was revealed she had pardoned a convicted child abuser's accomplice.

Last week, ruling party Fidesz nominated Constitutional Court head Tamas Sulyok, 67, to replace Novak, Hungary's first woman president.

On Monday, parliament -- where Fidesz' ruling coalition with the Christian Democratic KDNP holds a two-thirds majority -- approved his appointment, after which he took the oath of office.

He will become president on March 5.

Little known to the broader public, Sulyok became a constitutional court judge in 2014 and, two years later, the court's head.

The opposition has criticised the nomination of politically inexperienced Sulyok.

Around 3,000 people attended a Sunday protest by four opposition parties, calling for direct presidential elections.

The post is largely ceremonial.

- 'Duller presidency' -

The Novak scandal broke early this month when news site 444 revealed that she had pardoned the former deputy director of a children's home last year, on the eve of Pope Francis's visit.

The man was sentenced in 2022 to three years and four months in prison for helping to cover up his boss sexually abusing children and adolescents there.

Tens of thousands of people have protested against the presidential pardon in Hungary, whose government has long campaigned on a pledge to protect children.

Orban has likened the resignation of Novak to a "nightmare", but stressed it was the right decision.

When opening the parliament session on Monday, he described Sulyok as someone with "vast experience, respected knowledge and undisputed authority".

"I believe that Hungary needs such a president now," he said.

Under Sulyok, the Constitutional Court made several controversial rulings, including on teachers' rights to strike.

To calm anger over the pardon scandal, Orban has promised to tighten existing laws to bar convicted child abusers from receiving clemency.

He also wants to vet those working with children to make sure they have passed the "appropriate suitability test", covering "lifestyle, sexual deviance and psychological fitness".

Szabolcs Pek, a political analyst from research institute Iranytu Intezet, said the decision to appoint Sulyok, who is not a party member and described as a "reserved man", meant Orban was playing it safe.

"We cannot expect from Tamas Sulyok the kind of world-travelling, 'influencer' politics that Katalin Novak represented, for his professional character and personality are the guarantee of a duller, perhaps one might say boring, presidency, which is all Fidesz needs," he told AFP.

ros-jza/giv
The Hungarian parliament has approved Swedens application for NATO membership, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 26.

Hungary was the last NATO country to ratify Sweden's bid for alliance membership, following Turkey doing so in January.

Read also: Denmark closes investigation into Nord Stream explosions, following Sweden

According to Bloomberg, Sweden has "cleared the final hurdle" on its path to joining NATO. Hungarian PM Viktor Orban relented after last week's visit to Budapest by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. During the visit, the countries struck a deal for Hungary to purchase Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets.

Sweden's membership will be finalized after ratification documents are deposited with the U.S. State Department, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg extends an invitation for Sweden to join the bloc.

Read also: Stoltenberg assures that Ukraine will join NATO

Earlier, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said the country could provide Ukraine with Gripen aircraft once its NATO application is fully approved.

Read also: Putin-Erdogan meeting delayed amid Russian elections preparations  Peskov

On Jan. 25, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a law ratifying Sweden's NATO membership.

In May 2022, Sweden and Finland both applied for NATO membership in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

On April 4, 2023, Finland officially joined NATO, becoming the 31st member of the alliance.

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
LLANO, Texas (KXAN)  The April 8 eclipse is a little more than a month away, but Hill Country leaders want residents to get ready now. A Facebook post from the City of Llano published on Feb. 26 is asking residents to stock up ahead of the eclipse.

In a nutshell, have two weeks worth of groceries purchased in advance by April 1. Same thing is true for vehicular fuel, prescriptions refilled, errands run and any other supplies you may need purchased a week before the coming eclipse, the post, published as part of the Mayors Minutes, said.

The post followed a recent town meeting. For months, eclipse experts have advised smaller Texas towns located on the eclipse path that they can expect thousands of visitors during the once-in-a-lifetime event.

This eclipse is going to be the last eclipse for a long long time, we will have eclipse watchers flocking to our area, we dont know for sure how many will be here, but we have prepared as best we can as a city to meet the challenge, the post stated.

The city is asking for residents to make all their purchases by April 1, in order to give retailers time to restock ahead of any visitors. Theyre also advising people hunker down for several days to avoid the extra traffic woes.

KXAN reached out to the City of Llano about the post, but has not yet heard a response.

Small towns prep for the eclipse

Llano isnt the only town taking steps to prepare for the event. The City of Kyle, which sits on the edge of the eclipse path, recently hosted a town hall to address concerns. RV demand has skyrocketed, with many smaller towns expanding their camping options.

Geographers have tracked where these expect the most people to flock to during the event. The town of Kerrville may see as many as 500,000 visitors during the event.

This eclipse is the last total solar eclipse over the United States until 2044. There wont be another total eclipse over Central Texas for several hundred years.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Hunter Biden in an interview published Monday linked his continued sobriety as key to his father, President Biden, blocking former President Trump from winning the White House in November.

The presidents son, in a rare interview, said democracy is at stake in the next election and revealed there are weighty implications if he cant remain sober.

Most importantly, you have to believe that youre worth the work, or youll never be able to get sober. But I often do think of the profound consequences of failure here, Hunter Biden told Axios.

Maybe its the ultimate test for a recovering addict  I dont know, he added. I have always been in awe of people who have stayed clean and sober through tragedies and obstacles few people ever face. They are my heroes, my inspiration.

Hunter Biden is at the center of the House GOPs impeachment probe, based on allegations that Biden as vice president deliberately used government policy to benefit his sons work for a foreign company. Republicans have probed whether the president benefited from his sons foreign policy dealings, an accusation the White House has repeatedly denied.

The younger Biden is set to give a deposition to two House committees behind closed doors Wednesday.

I have something much bigger than even myself at stake, the 54-year-old told Axios. We are in the middle of a fight for the future of democracy.

Hunter Biden has spoken out for himself more regularly in recent months. He made two surprise visits to the Capitol late last year, including a public statement in December to buck House investigators requests for a closed-door deposition. He had said he would only testify in a public setting but changed course ahead of his testimony this week.

He also spoke in a recent podcast, saying Republicans are trying to use him to destroy his fathers presidency and opening up about his sobriety.

He told Axios he is resolute to make it through that fight clean and sober, and I feel a responsibility to everyone struggling through their own recovery to succeed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
I have something much bigger than even myself at stake. We are in the middle of a fight for the future of democracy, Hunter Biden said.

I have something much bigger than even myself at stake. We are in the middle of a fight for the future of democracy, Hunter Biden said. Photograph: Tierney L Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images

In a rare interview, Hunter Biden said his battle to stay sober is unique because failure would be used as a political cudgel as his father seeks a second term as US president.

Related: Democratic political operative admits he commissioned robocall of AI Biden

Most importantly, you have to believe that youre worth the work, or youll never be able to get sober, Joe Bidens son told Axios on Monday. But I often do think of the profound consequences of failure here.

Maybe its the ultimate test for a recovering addict  I dont know. I have always been in awe of people who have stayed clean and sober through tragedies and obstacles few people ever face. They are my heroes, my inspiration.

I have something much bigger than even myself at stake. We are in the middle of a fight for the future of democracy.

Joe Biden is set to face Donald Trump in November in a rematch of the 2020 election. Hunter Biden, 54, became embroiled in that first contest amid Republican attempts to capitalise on his personal struggles and tangled business affairs, particularly in relation to Burisma, an energy company in Ukraine.

As the 2024 election approaches, Republicans are still using Hunter Biden and Burisma as political weapons, alleging corruption as they seek to impeach the president, notwithstanding the indictment for lying of a key source also linked to Russian intelligence.

That effort is in large part motivated by a desire for revenge for Democrats first impeachment of Donald Trump, which focused on attempts to extract dirt on the Bidens from the Ukrainian government.

On Wednesday, Hunter Biden is due to sit for a closed-door interview with the House oversight and judiciary committees.

The same panels last week interviewed James Biden, the presidents younger brother. Coupled with charges and revelations concerning Alexander Smirnov, the FBI informant behind allegations against the Bidens trumpeted by senior Republicans, the James Biden interview was widely held not to have advanced the GOPs case.

Joe Bidens surviving son, after the death of the former Delaware attorney general Beau Biden in 2015, Hunter Biden has previously publicly discussed his struggles with grief and addiction, not least in Beautiful Things, a memoir published in 2021.

Facing tax- and gun-related felony charges, Hunter Biden has sworn in federal court that he has not used alcohol or drugs since 1 June 2019. Axios said a representative said Biden continued to test negative for alcohol or drugs.

Jonathan Turley, a conservative law professor who has appeared as a witness for Republicans pursuing impeachment, said the Axios interview had powerful moments as Hunter describes his struggle with addiction and the pressure that he feels to stay sober in light of the election.

Related: What is the cost for Republicans of their key FBI informant having Russian ties?

But, Turley said, it would not be surprising if this interview finds its way into filings by the government as the court considers defence pre-trial motions in Bidens felony firearms case, in which he is accused of lying about drug use when buying a firearm.

Biden said he felt a responsibility to everyone struggling through their own recovery to succeed with his attempt to stay sober.

I dont care whether youre 10 years sober, two years sober, two months sober or 200 years sober  your brain at some level is always telling you theres still one answer.

Embrace the state in which you came into recovery, which is that feeling of hopelessness which forces you into a choice. And then understand that what is required is that you basically have to change everything.
Hunter Biden reportedly said in a new interview published Monday that he views his sobriety battle as key to ensuring former President Trump does not win a second term in November.

"Most importantly, you have to believe that you're worth the work, or you'll never be able to get sober. But I often do think of the profound consequences of failure here," Hunter Biden told Axios about his struggle with addiction.

"Maybe it's the ultimate test for a recovering addict  I don't know," the president's son said. "I have always been in awe of people who have stayed clean and sober through tragedies and obstacles few people ever face. They are my heroes, my inspiration."

"I have something much bigger than even myself at stake. We are in the middle of a fight for the future of democracy," he added.

HUNTER BIDEN'S PHONE CONTAINED MULTIPLE PHOTOS OF COCAINE, CRACK COCAINE AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA: DOJ

Hunter Biden departed a House Oversight Committee meeting on Capitol Hill on Jan. 10, 2024, meant to consider citing him for contempt of Congress.

Hunter Biden said he feels obligated to "make it through that fight clean and sober, and I feel a responsibility to everyone struggling through their own recovery to succeed."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"I don't care whether you're 10 years sober, two years sober, two months sober or 200 years sober  your brain at some level is always telling you there's still one answer," he said.

The president's son also gave advice to others struggling to stay sober.

"Embrace the state in which you came into recovery  which is that feeling of hopelessness which forces you into a choice," he said. "And then understand that what is required is that you basically have to change everything."

Hunter Biden and his lawyer Abbe Lowell crashed a House Oversight Committee meeting on Jan. 10, 2024, in Washington, D.C., after demanding the president's son publicly testify  instead of behind closed doors like lawmakers wanted.

Hunter Biden is expected to testify before closed doors on Wednesday before the Republican-led House Oversight and Judiciary committees, where lawmakers are expected to focus on President Biden's son's business dealings, as well as his addiction to alcohol and crack cocaine.

In a filing last week, the Justice Department alleged that Hunter Biden's iPhone had pictures and videos of "apparent" cocaine, crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia documenting his drug use in November and December 2018. Hunter Biden is charged with lying about his drug use on a federal form to purchase a firearm.

HUNTER BIDEN LAWYER SAYS PHOTO ON HIS PHONE SHOWED SAWDUST, NOT COCAINE: PROSECUTION IS FLAT OUT WRONG

The filing also revealed that Hunter talked about his drug use with his then-girlfriend, Hallie Biden.

Hunter's lawyers disputed one of the photos, saying it depicted sawdust, not drug residue.

Hunter Biden's notorious laptop's content provided a window into his overseas business dealings, as well as more sordid material like homemade sex tapes and videos that appeared to show him using illegal drugs. The New York Post's reporting about the laptop was censored on social media before the 2020 election amid pressure from the FBI.

Hunter Biden smiles while departing a House Oversight Committee meeting at Capitol Hill on Jan. 10, 2024, in Washington, D.C.

Last July, Hunter Biden swore in a federal court hearing that he had been sober since June 1, 2019.

At a hearing in September, U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher Burke said Hunter Biden had tested negative for drugs and alcohol since August, and the president's son's legal team told Axios he has continued to test negative since then.

A baggie of cocaine was found at the White House in a storage locker last July, but the Secret Service closed their investigation without identifying a suspect.

In his memoir, Hunter Biden wrote about how he was still in the throes of his addiction weeks after a family intervention at their home in Delaware when his father, Joe Biden, announced his presidential candidacy in April 2019. Hunter fled to California, where he met and soon married Melissa Cohen, a documentary filmmaker.

He considered their wedding his initial sobriety date  May 17, 2019, the day before Joe Biden officially launched his campaign in Philadelphia, according to Axios.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.





Original article source: Hunter Biden says staying sober crucial to preventing a Trump win: 'Ultimate test for a recovering addict'
Hunter Biden with parents Joe and Jill. Joe Biden is accused of benefiting from his son's businesses when he was vice-president - Alamy

Hunter Biden says he is staying sober to help his father Joe Biden, the US president, in a fight for democracy.

The businessman said he was facing the ultimate test for a recovering addict, believing a relapse could hand Donald Trump the keys to the White House.

Hunter, 54, is at the centre of a Republican investigation into claims that when Mr Biden was vice-president he profited from his sons business dealings.

Most importantly, you have to believe that youre worth the work or youll never be able to get sober. But I often do think of the profound consequences of failure here, Hunter told the Axios news outlet.

Maybe its the ultimate test for a recovering addict, he added.

I have always been in awe of people who have stayed clean and sober through tragedies and obstacles few people ever face. They are my heroes, my inspiration.

Hunter, who has previously admitted to struggling with addictions to alcohol and crack cocaine, told a court in 2023 that he had been sober since June 2019 but warned he was tempted to return to his old habits.

I dont care whether youre 10 years sober, two years sober, two months sober or 200 years sober, your brain at some level is always telling you theres still one answer, he said.

Hunter Biden told a court in 2023 that he constantly struggled against the pull of addiction - Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

Hunter has previously accused his fathers opponents of trying to kill him in order to destroy the US presidents re-election prospects.

His intervention came two days before he was expected to testify in a closed-door session before a Congressional committee investigating his father.

House Republicans launched an impeachment inquiry into the US president in September 2023, focused on whether he personally benefited from his sons overseas business dealings.

Failed to uncover evidence of bribery

So far it has failed to uncover evidence finding that he acted corruptly or accepted bribes in his current or previous role.

Republicans leaned heavily on evidence from Alexander Smirnov, a former FBI informant, who claimed executives associated with Ukrainian energy company Burisma paid the pair $5 million (4 million) each in 2015 and 2016.

Mr Smirnov, who allegedly has extensive contacts with Russian intelligence agencies, was in February 2024 charged with fabricating claims about the president and his son.

House Republicans released testimony in 2023 from two whistleblowers claiming the Biden justice department interfered with a tax investigation into his son  an allegation which it denied.

Hunter pleaded not guilty in February to evading $1.4 million (1.1 million) in taxes between 2016-19.

According to the indictment, he spent enormous sums on drugs, escorts, and expensive cars. If convicted he faces up to 17 years in prison.

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ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 people were killed in two separate traffic accidents that happened in Ethiopia on Sunday, according to local officials.

The first deadly traffic accident happened on Sunday evening when a transport bus carrying 27 passengers lost control and veered off the road in Wolaita zone of South Ethiopia regional state, leaving at least 11 dead, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) quoted local officials as saying.

The passengers were said to be government employees and local business people en route to Hawassa city after participating in a leisure sporting activity.

Local officials said the 16 other people who have sustained light and serious injuries from the accident are currently receiving medical treatment in nearby health institutions.

Another six people were killed in a traffic accident in Central Ethiopia regional state, local officials disclosed on Sunday.

In a press statement, the regional police commission said the accident happened on Sunday afternoon in Meskan district of Gurage zone when a dry freight truck collided head on with a transport auto-rickshaw, killing six people inside the auto-rickshaw.

Although the East African country has one of the lowest per capita car ownership rates in the world, deadly traffic accidents are relatively common. The blame is often put on bad roads, reckless driving, lax enforcement of safety rules, and a flawed system for issuing driving licenses. 
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  Parents and caregivers face an unsettling battle when they find out their child has developmental delays. However, one partner agency of the United Way of Madison County aims to ease that process for the child and their caregiver.

The nonprofit United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Huntsville & Tennessee Valley, Inc. offers three pediatric programs: Building Blocks (Early Intervention), Parents as Teachers and Childrens Therapy Services.

United Way of Madison County searching for volunteers for Read Across America celebrations

The Building Blocks program is for children ages 0 to 3. It includes professionals providing training for the parent or caregiver in the childs natural environment (home, daycare, etc.).

According to UCP Huntsville, these services are free to the family as long as the child has a qualifying diagnosis or displays at least a 25% delay in one developmental area.

Parents as Teachers is a home visiting program. Staff visit with the parent or caregiver and give them education, resources and support. The goal is to increase knowledge of parenting and child development. Parents as Teachers is free for children up to 5 years old, and anyone can apply.

Childrens Therapy Services provides outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy for children from birth to 18 years old for any delay or diagnosis. UCP staff said a physician referral is required, and most insurances are accepted.

For more information on any of these programs, click here or call (256) 852-5600.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  An infants death last year has now been ruled a homicide, according to the Muscogee County Coroners Office.

6-month-old Keniyah Gates was pronounced dead on Sept. 25, 2023, the Coroners Office says. Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan confirmed Keniyah Gates cause of death was blunt force head trauma.

On Monday, Keniyah Gates death was ruled as a homicide by the GBI.

VERDICT: Jury finds one guilty of murder, all three convicted on gang charges in Wilson Apartments murder-gang trial

The mother, Shantra Gates, is under arrest and facing charges in connection to the case.

WRBL will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
One of the challenges for alternative proteins, particularly plant-based, is developing a product that mimics the taste of traditional meat.

Many startups have taken on this challenge. But the co-founders of Ingrediome, an Israeli food tech startup and alum of SOSVs Indie Bio incubator program, say they are inventing better-tasting lab-grown protein that's up to 10x less expensive to produce.

Of course, one caveat is that their product wont solely be plants. The company is making hybrid meat, dairy and eggs it says, by combining traditional animal proteins with plant-based ingredients.

Some say the absence of fat in products is what causes the taste problem. But Ingrediomes co-founders say it's the texture of alternative proteins thats the real culprit. Texture is a result of the way the fats, proteins and water are combined.

Aviel Even and Michael Kaholi, who founded the company in 2022, hope to address texture by developing recombinant animal matrix proteins made from carbon dioxide to make alternative meat and seafood. Recombinant proteins are those that are manipulated so they can produce in larger quantities.

We use our meat proteins, oils, water and spices to get to our formulation, and that allows us to create a clean-label product, Even told TechCrunch. This much more faithfully replicates the way the actual meat cooks. Our meat proteins cook in the same manner, the same temperature range, etc. The nutritional values are very similar because we replicate what you would find nutritionally, at least in terms of protein.

Making the proteins involves copying the genes responsible for making a variety of animal proteins, then teaching microorganisms how to make them using carbon dioxide from the air and natural sunlight as the feedstock. Their production environment involves photobioreactors located on the roof of their office.

By using microorganisms that eat CO 2 and sunlight as their feedstock in the photobioreactors, Ingrediome will be able to more affordably scale a lab-grown meat operation, Even and Kaholi say. Production costs have been a big inhibitor preventing more alternative-protein startups from bringing their wares to market. These founders say their production method is up to 10x less expensive than precision fermentation, another popular method for making cultivated meat.

Signed contracts

At two years old, Ingrediome is still pretty early, and it will be at least two more years before it can manufacturer enough product to sell to traditional meat companies. Still, its founder says the company has made fast progress. It has engineered four out of the five proteins it is targeting to produce its CO 2 bacteria and algae, they say, and also cultivated two of those proteins to 100 liters. It also has successfully created prototypes of its meat ingredients.

The company has already signed with a European ingredient company for an 18-month collaboration and has a joint R&D agreement with an Israeli deli company and a letter of intent toward a commercial partnership with another company.

Ingrediome closed $2.46 million in funding to date toward engineering that fifth protein and scale to 1,000 liters of its bacteria for producing meat. The investment came from an investor group that included SOSV, Siddhi Capital, Meach Cove Capital, Beyond Impact and Alumni Ventures and Genesis Consortium.

Up next, the company plans to submit a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) notice with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Its a designation given to companies making substances for food.

We're scaling up to making 300 liters of bacteria per year, but our next phase is 1,000 liters, though 20,000 liters is not far away, Even said. I think we can get there around the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026 and be able to make thousands of kilograms of meat per year.
An escaped inmate doesnt have anything to lose after he reportedly attacked a Louisiana deputy and drove away in her patrol car, according to the Jefferson Parish sheriff.

Leon Ruffin, 51, remained on the run as of Monday, Feb. 26, as authorities continued their urgent search.

Ruffin, whos serving a life sentence after he was convicted of murder, was being escorted back to jail around 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 25 after being treated at Ochsner Medical Center following a seizure, Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said at a news conference.

Leon Ruffin, 51, is wanted after he escaped custody in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, on his way back to jail.

In our opinion, he was probably faking some injuries that he had, the sheriff told reporters, adding that Ruffin had been in the jails medical facility for some time before he was taken to Ochsner for treatment.

On the way out of the parking lot, Ruffin reportedly caused a disturbance and pepper sprayed the deputy tasked with returning him to jail, Lopinto said.

He then fled the parking lot in her marked patrol car, according to the sheriffs office.

Lopinto said its not clear how or where Ruffin got the pepper spray.

My deputy still has her pepper spray on her, still has her Taser, still had her firearm but he was able to pepper spray her, the sheriff told reporters.

The deputy fired her gun at Ruffin but authorities said its not clear if he was hit.

The stolen patrol car was found abandoned in Algiers at 9:20 p.m., the sheriffs office said.

There were no updates on Ruffins whereabouts as of Feb. 26, a department spokesperson told McClatchy News.

I definitely consider him armed and dangerous by all means, Lopinto said.

Jefferson Parish is about 30 miles south of New Orleans.

Woman kidnapped in Walmart parking lot is forced to drive at gunpoint, Maine cops say

16-year-old girl escapes man accused of sex trafficking her by calling 911, feds say

Dad used kids as shields in standoff, cops say. Hes sentenced to 291 years in prison

Woman kidnapped in Walmart parking lot is forced to drive at gunpoint, Maine cops say
Experts from both Hungary and China discussed China's decisive role in global connectivity through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and expected deepening China-Hungary friendship through BRI during a seminar held in Budapest.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service








Pennsylvania's House of Representatives is seen in Harrisburg on Feb. 21, 2023. The state is one of several where Democrats are looking to enact an ambitious, multiyear plan to seize across-the-board partisan control.

Pennsylvania's House of Representatives is seen in Harrisburg on Feb. 21, 2023. The state is one of several where Democrats are looking to enact an ambitious, multiyear plan to seize across-the-board partisan control.

Democrats at the state level are pursuing an ambitious six-year plan to control half of state legislative chambers by 2030, according to a new strategy memo released Monday and shared first with HuffPost.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the party arm in charge of winning state-level elections, plans to dedicate roughly a third of its 2024 spending to building up power in chambers it does not expect to capture this year but could flip in future cycles.

Among its ultimate goals is to revive Democrats ability to wield influence during end-of-the-decade redistricting conversations. Republicans have all but dominated the process for the last decade, allowing them to severely gerrymander swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and keep a stranglehold on power.

State power is so incredibly important for moving the presidents agenda, for moving our partys agenda forward, said Heather Williams, the committees president. But state legislative majorities arent won in a single cycle.

The DLCC and other Democratic groups focusing on the states are playing catch-up. Republicans currently control 57 state-level chambers to Democrats 41, and they enjoy complete partisan control of both chambers and the governors mansion  known as a trifecta  in more than two dozen states. Until a few years ago, Republicans vastly outspent Democrats in state-level races. At the peak of the Redistricting Majority Project, or REDMAP  a secret, multiyear project of the GOP to dominate redistricting  Republicans controlled 68 chambers.

The DLCCs new plan spells out the Democratic Partys hopes to build on its far-reaching agenda for 2024. In this Novembers elections, Democrats are seeking to flip multiple chambers in crucial swing states like Arizona and New Hampshire. They are also defending several new majorities and hoping to crack veto-proof majorities that Republican legislators wield in states with Democratic governors.

But another critical goal is to position Democrats to flip statehouses in future cycles. For example, in Pennsylvania, where the party narrowly controls the states House of Representatives, only half of the state Senate is up for reelection this year. Democrats are hoping to snatch enough seats to flip the chamber in 2026, when the other half of lawmakers are on the ballot. Other long-term targets include Wisconsin, Kansas and North Carolina.

Republican dominance of state politics has started to fracture as voters turn on some of their signature policies, like restrictions on abortion and voting rights.

In 2022, Democrats pulled off the unusual feat of defending every one of their majorities in state legislative chambers and even gaining some. Typically, the party that holds the White House loses state control.

Weve gotten a really nice picture of the difference between Republicans and Democrats, Williams said. They will introduce bills to ban books, they will introduce bills to roll back voting rights, they will introduce bills to ban abortions.  Its a losing issue for them, and theyre on the wrong side of it.

Michigan and Minnesota, where Democrats wrestled back full partisan control in the 2022 midterms and passed sweeping progressive agendas, have offered a stark contrast.

You saw new trifectas who did things like pass access to free lunches in school, address family leave and child care costs and make sure workers were protected at their jobs, Williams said. They protected abortion. That attention to things that really matter is why Democrats in the states keep being put in positions to lead.

The DLCCs vision depends on its ability to meet a record fundraising goal of $60 million for this election cycle. As of January, the committee raised $21 million for this cycle. A committee spokesperson said the DLCC is raising more money so far this year than it did in 2020, and at a faster pace.

But competition for donors dollars and attention will become tight as U.S. congressional and presidential races heat up.

We are telling Democrats: We cant just keep investing in the election were in today, Williams said. Theres too much at stake, too much happening right now to have that narrow view.
ASBURY PARK - Since a flood back in September, the Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten has been closed indefinitely. Missing out on Oktoberfest was the first crucial blow to the German-inspired bar and restaurant; now it will miss out on St Patrick's Day too.

Oktoberfest for Biergarten is like Fourth of July or Memorial Day weekend for other bars, according to general manager Nick Falco, who told the Asbury Park Press the establishment will not be open in time for March 17 either, its second biggest holiday of the year.

He said the restaurant has been unable to get insurance to cover the losses from the flooding. "We got denied, across the board they denied us everything, loss of revenue, content damage, the flood," Falco said. "Nothing was covered. They denied us."

He added the Biergarten is appealing the decision and insurance adjusters were on site as recently as this past Friday, Feb. 23.

'Nothing you could do': Asbury Park businesses clean up after lake flooding

"Right now I don't even have an estimate on when we could be opening our doors," Falco said. He said it took insurance two months to get one engineer on the site.

"We already started working so it didn't look like it did back in October. You can't expect us to wait for you it has been two months (since the flood)," Falco said. "And now it took another two months on our appeal that we did."

Flooding at the Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten has closed the popular Asbury Park beer hall just before its annual Oktoberfest celebrations.

Looking to buy or rent in NJ? Sellers and landlords now required to disclose flooding risks

The engineer's report from the Feb. 23 visit could take seven to 10 business days to go through. Then once it gets to the insurance carrier it could be up to 30 days for the carrier to make a decision  well past St. Patrick's Day.

There is no date in mind but "a lot of stuff is going on behind the scenes."

"(Our landlord) thinks it is ridiculous we don't have the dining room open yet," Falco said. "I am a biergarten without a beer system. We have no refrigeration. Our grill got soaked wet, so it rusted out."

Options under consideration: How can Asbury Park, Neptune stop ferocious lake flooding?

He added that opening the doors now would mean one-star reviews "across the board and nobody coming back" because they can't offer their customers what they expect from Biergarten.

"We need over $150,000 just to get the doors open and that is just the minimal repairs," Falco said.

The Asbury Festhalle and Biergarten in Asbury Park.

Thirty-five employees, including the kitchen staff, bartenders and management, are out of work until Biergarten reopens.

"We are getting support from clientele but they are the only ones showing support. I mean (Asbury Park) just wants us to get our doors open," Falco said. "Hopefully this (insurance) appeal will get a different result and hopefully we can start doing some major work."

Charles Daye is the metro reporter for Asbury Park and Neptune, with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. Contact him: CDaye@gannettnj.com @CharlesDayeAPP

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten still closed as St. Patrick's Day looms
An investigation is underway after two bodies were found inside a hotel in Boston on Monday, officials said.

Officers responding to a report of a pair of bodies found at 240 Tremont Street shortly before 12:30 p.m. pronounced two people dead upon arrival, according to the Boston Police Department.

A law enforcement source told Boston 25s Bob Ward that the bodies found in the hotel were that of a man and a woman. The names of the victims havent been released.

The Moxy Boston Downtown hotel is listed at 240 Tremont Street in the citys Theater District, according to Marriots website.

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A hotel guest told Boston 25s Bob Ward that there was heavy police presence on the 13th floor of the hotel.

Suffolk District Attorney Kevin R. Hayden said its way too early to tell if foul play played a role in the deaths and that the public shouldnt be concerned at this time.

Hayden didnt offer up any additional details, calling the incident an ongoing death investigation.

The Boston Police Departments homicide unit is assisting with the investigation.

At Moxy Boston Hotel on Tremont St, where Boston Police are investigating the deaths of two people. One guest who stayed on 14th floor said heavy police presence on 13th floor. Waiting for DA to speak to us. @boston25 pic.twitter.com/XCD12X3dbw  Bob Ward Boston 25 (@Bward3) February 26, 2024

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Federal health officials are investigating whether exposure to hazardous materials at a pair of Triangle-area university buildings could have caused cancer among employees.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating N.C. States Poe Hall and UNC Healths McClendon Laboratories to determine whether there is an increased risk of cancer at the two workplaces and from there whether materials found in those workplaces could be playing a role.

But proving that suspicions are actually evidence of a cancer cluster is difficult, with researchers sifting through slippery data as they try to determine whether a communitys concerns are valid. We talked with North Carolina experts to see why that is the case.

Its a high bar to clear, not because the definition is so strict but just because the data are really often not there to allow you to really make that determination, Dr. Zack Moore, North Carolinas state epidemiologist, told The News & Observer.

What is a cancer cluster?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines a cancer cluster as a greater-than-expected number of cancer cases that are either the same, similar or have similar causes. Those cases must occur among a similar group of people in a defined geographic area over a defined period of time.

For instance, an abnormally high number of childhood cancer cases in Clyde, Ohio, from 1996 to 2010 led to the official label of a cancer cluster. That resulted in an investigation that eventually discovered a significant amount of polychlorinated biphenyls, a probable human carcinogen, in the soil at a recreational park that had been owned by Whirlpool.

No cancer clusters have been proven in North Carolina, although there has been significant community suspicion in recent years about thyroid cancer cases in Iredell County and ocular melanoma cases in Huntersville.

How do you prove it?

When a group of people or a doctor report a suspected cancer cluster in North Carolina, it goes to the states Central Cancer Registry. Even those reports are relatively rare.

We believe its important to investigate those concerns that do come to us. We know that they very rarely are going to lead to linking cancers to a specific exposure, Moore said.

The registry looks at the rate of a suspected cancer in a given area and determines if its higher than expected. If the number of cases is suspiciously high, CDC guidelines say state health officials would next consider:

Whether the rate of cancer is significantly different in the area being studied than a comparison area.

Whether the rate has increased over time or spiked over a certain period.

Whether there is an increase or a pattern in deaths among people diagnosed with cancer.

If any of those questions show a pattern, health officials would look at diagnoses to see if the cases are clustered geographically or if the people reporting certain kinds of cancers share environmental risk factors like drinking from the same water system or living downwind of a certain factory.

Next, the CDC recommends that health officials work with environmental agencies or the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to evaluate potential sources of exposure and determine if they align with the observed patterns of cancer diagnoses.

Why are cancer clusters hard to confirm?

Gaps in data make it extremely difficult for health officials to confidently evaluate whether something that appears to be a pattern of cancers actually is one, Moore said.

Part of that is the information included in North Carolinas cancer registry.

The north atrium of Poe Hall at N.C. State University in Raleigh, N.C., photographed Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024.

When a cancer diagnosis is reported to the registry, the address that is used is the place where the person is living at the time. That omits the rest of a persons history and doesnt account for potential exposures.

You might live in Wake County when youre diagnosed, but you were living in Brunswick County for 20 years, just as an example, Moore said.

A doctor making a cancer diagnosis is unlikely to review a patients entire life history to see where they might have been exposed to a cancer risk, Moore said. If a doctor did ask for that data, Moore added, it wouldnt be recorded in the states cancer registry.

Understanding that history is important because of the way cancer develops. Different kinds of cancers have different latency periods  the time between the initial exposure to something and when the disease it has caused is found. These are typically measured in years and often in decades.

Figuring out if a cancer rate is higher than expected can be difficult, said Andrew Olshan, a UNC-Chapel Hill cancer epidemiologist.

In cases like a school or a workplace where a cluster is suspected, determining both the number of diagnosed cancer cases and the number of total people who passed through the building is challenging, Olshan said.

From there, it is harder still to ascertain who was in the building and potentially exposed to a carcinogen.

You dont know about people who have died  maybe of cancer maybe not  or people who dont work there anymore and didnt get the message, Olshan said, noting that most cancer cluster investigations in workplaces begin with employees growing suspicious about seemingly related diagnoses that come in quick succession.

If health officials are able to figure out the number of cases linked to a building and the number of people who were there, tying the cases to a particular exposure is difficult.

Doing that is easiest in a setting like a factory, Olshan said, where people are exposed to the same materials consistently over the course of years. Researchers can see if theres a risk factor in those materials and evaluate the workers for different biomarkers and health outcomes over a period of time.

It is tremendously difficult in a setting like a school building, where people may have been exposed to something but then quickly scattered.

This, to me, is one of the most challenging circumstances because it has all of these things that often are not controllable that are all sources of uncertainty and potential bias, Olshan said.

Poe Hall at NC State University.

Whats happening at Poe Hall?

Poe Hall, which was built in 1971, housed N.C. States College of Education and psychology department.

The school started investigating Poe Hall in August after someone raised a concern about air quality during a renovation project. By October, N.C. State officials had asked DHHS for help evaluating breast cancer cases potentially linked to the building.

DHHS suggested that the school work with NIOSH, which often evaluates concerns about cancer in workplaces.

In mid-November, after receiving lab results that showed levels of a certain PCB to be high, the EPA recommended removal, and N.C. State closed Poe Hall. Chancellor Randy Woodson recently announced the closure is likely to remain in effect for the rest of the year while the school evaluates environmental hazards in the building and NIOSH conducts a Health Hazard Evaluation.

Whats happening at McClendon Clinical Laboratories?

NIOSH is also conducting a Health Hazard Evaluation at UNCs McClendon Clinical Laboratories, a facility located on the first floor of UNC Medical Center.

That investigation started in January, ABC11 reported, after someone told the health system that at least four current employees and possibly as many as a dozen former employees had been diagnosed with cancer in the last 20 years. UNC Health told ABC11 that more than 1,000 people have worked in the lab over the past 20 years.

How often do health hazard investigations find cancer clusters?

Virtually never.

It is extremely uncommon for NIOSHs Health Hazard Evaluations to find cancer clusters, and even more rare for those clusters to be attributed to a particular source.

NIOSH evaluated 170 workplaces for cancer concerns between 2001 and 2020, finding clusters in only seven, according to a peer-reviewed study NIOSH researchers recently published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

Investigators did not link an occupational hazard to cancer in any of the seven workplaces where they did identify clusters, the study said.

In these community workplace settings it can sometimes be unsatisfying to everybody involved because theres a legitimate concern raised and the epidemiological and statistical methodology kind of leave the story hanging, Olshan said..

In reversal, NC State and CDC agree on new Poe Hall health investigation, chancellor says

Are cancer cluster investigations still worth it?

Even if a final determination of a cancer cluster is unlikely, Moore believes that researching a cohort and determining potential exposures can have real benefits for public health.

Moore used the example of a building that is being investigated for a suspected cluster. Even if that investigation doesnt yield a direct link to elevated cancer risk, it could reveal a contaminant or similar threat to human health.

There are steps you can take to reduce or eliminate that exposure, Moore said. Thats going to help the people who are in that setting even if youre not able to draw a clear linkage between that exposure and the cancers.

Poe Hall at N.C. State University in Raleigh, N.C., photographed Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024.

What work is happening in North Carolina?

State Sen. Vickie Sawyer, an Iredell County Republican, represents a district that has grappled with concerns about cancer clusters for years, with many linking cases to coal ash.

Last session, Sawyer introduced a bill that would have hired cancer cluster investigators and educators at the N.C. Collaboratory. That would have included a cancer epidemiologist who would have responded to public concerns about potential clusters and proactively evaluated cancer incidences. It also would have included a public health educator and staff who would have worked directly with physicians.

The data is key, Sawyer said, particularly in something as challenging as evaluating cancer clusters.

Its really tough to prove this, but its important work to be done because we need to know if there is something in the environment that is causing people to become sick, Sawyer said in an interview.

As part of that legislation, Sawyer also called for the states cancer data collection to be more uniform to ensure that doctors are reporting cases when they are diagnosed, not at various points in the treatment.

That legislation failed to advance out of committee, as did a similar effort in 2022.

Both bills grew out of a 22-researcher panel Olshan chaired in 2019 that looked at how North Carolina could improve its cancer cluster reporting and research capabilities.

Now, Olshan is part of a Collaboratory team working to evaluate thyroid cancer rates and analyze how they compare to the distribution of hazardous waste sites and air pollution across North Carolina.

Olshan hopes to complete the study by summer 2025 and wants it to serve as a model for how state health officials could evaluate future worries about cancer clusters.

It is unlikely that the study will find a causal link between some kind of hazardous waste site or air pollution and the Iredell County cancer cases, Olshan said. But he hopes that it can at least narrow the possibilities for people who have been seeking answers for more than five years.

Theyve been calling for more action and more study for years and hopefully we at least do something the best we can to start to address their questions and concerns, Olshan said.

NC Reality Check is an N&O series holding those in power accountable and shining a light on public issues that affect the Triangle or North Carolina. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email realitycheck@newsobserver.com

This story was produced with financial support from the Hartfield Foundation and Green South Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work. If you would like to help support local journalism, please consider signing up for a digital subscription, which you can do here.
By Francois Murphy

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran's stock of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade has shrunk, bringing it below the theoretical threshold at which it could produce three atom bombs, but problems with inspectors persist, reports by the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Monday.

Although the International Atomic Energy Agency has said Iran's enrichment of uranium to up to 60% continues apace, Iran diluted more than it produced in the past three months, one of the two confidential quarterly reports to member states said.

The IAEA reports did not give a reason for the so-called downblending of 31.8 kg of material enriched to up to 60%, after which the stock fell by an estimated 6.8 kg since the last such quarterly reports to 121.5 kg.

"At the beginning of the year they decided to do a downblending ... A couple of weeks later they did another downblending, this time with a smaller amount," a senior diplomat said when asked about the reports seen by Reuters, adding that it was not clear why Iran had done it.

"Maybe they don't want to increase tensions (with the West). Maybe they have an agreement with somebody. We don't know."

At the end of last year Iran had enough uranium enriched to up to 60% purity - close to the roughly 90% of weapons-grade - to potentially, if enriched further, produce three nuclear bombs, according to the IAEA's theoretical definition.

It also has stocks of uranium enriched to lower levels with which it could, if it wanted to, produce enough fuel for more bombs. Iran denies having any such intention. Western powers say there is no civilian justification for such high enrichment.

Iran slowed its enrichment of uranium to up to 60% purity last year in what diplomats said was probably the result of secret talks between Washington and Tehran that led to the release of U.S. citizens held in Iran.

In November, however, Iran ended that slowdown and returned to its pre-slowdown production rate of around 9 kg a month from the slowdown rate of 3 kg, an IAEA report in December showed.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told Reuters last week the rate had slowed slightly since the end of last year to around 7 kg a month. The senior diplomat said, however, that Grossi was using an average over months and the current rate was 9 kg a month.

The secret talks have ended and there is little hope of reviving them with the Israel-Gaza conflict raging, diplomats have said. There is also little sign the United States and its allies are prepared to take action like pushing for a resolution against Iran at the IAEA's Board of Governors meeting next week.

The reports said Iran has failed to provide the necessary cooperation on various pressing issues, such as the so-called de-designation of some inspectors that has drastically reduced the expertise on uranium enrichment the IAEA can deploy in Iran.

"The Director General (Grossi) deeply regrets that Iran has yet to reverse its decision to withdraw the designations for these inspectors. This is essential to fully allow the Agency to conduct its verification activities in Iran effectively," one of the reports said.

(Reporting by Francois Murphy; editing by Christina Fincher and David Evans)
A Dunkin Donuts employee suffered facial burns when a drive-thru customer chucked boiling hot coffee at her, according to police.

The man, who remains at large, grew angry after being given a free cup of coffee, the New Port Richey Police Department said in a news release.

It happened around 8:45 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, at the Dunkin on U.S. 19. New Port Richey is about 30 miles northwest of Tampa.

The ... suspect was given an extra cup of coffee for free by (the) employee, New Port Richey police said.

The suspect became irate and threw the hot cup of coffee at the employees face resulting in her having blisters.

He drove away in a silver 4-door SUV, officials said.

Police released photos of the man in hopes someone will recognize him and help make an identification.

Restaurants typically serve hot beverages at temperatures ranging from 160 degrees to 185 degrees, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Brief exposures to liquids in this temperature range can cause significant scald burns, the library reports.

Man robbing CVS had odd list of demands  including all the Viagra, Florida cops say

Beer-drinking burglary suspect is found passed out on Florida bars stage, cops say

Thieves dragging ATM from bank didnt realize they left a big clue, Florida cops say
IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WJMN)  The Iron Mountain Police Department announced that it is investigating a scam targeting local restaurant chains.

According to a press release from the police department, the scammer calls the restaurant claiming to be the CEO of the company. The person claiming to be the CEO has been providing information to the local chains that only someone who has worked there would have knowledge of. The scammer tells the employee over the phone that the employee needs to go to the safe, take money out, and go to a business that sells pre-paid credit cards. Once the employee completes the transaction, they are instructed to expose the number on the back and send them a picture of the card.

The Iron Mountain Police Department encourages businesses to educate their employees of this scam and report any suspicious activity. You can call the police department at 906-774-1234.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJMN - UPMatters.com.
BEIRUT, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Three Hezbollah fighters were killed and nine people, including three Hezbollah fighters and six civilians, were injured on Sunday in Israeli strikes on Lebanon's southern border, Lebanese military sources said.

The sources, who spoke anonymously, said the casualties resulted from 13 Israeli airstrikes on six towns and villages in the border region and artillery shelling of 18 villages and towns in southern Lebanon, which destroyed eight houses and damaged 35 others.

According to the sources, all the injured people have been transferred to a hospital in southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah announced that its fighters had attacked several Israeli sites.

The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing increased tension since Oct. 8, 2023, after Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attack on Israel the previous day, prompting Israel to respond by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 314 people on the Lebanese side, including 212 Hezbollah members and 59 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources. 
By Alexander Cornwell

ABU DHABI (Reuters) -Israel is committed to winning the war in Gaza and eliminating Hamas regardless of the economic toll on the country, Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat said on Monday.

Israel's $500-billion economy has taken a hit during the more than four-month-old war against the Palestinian militant group in Gaza, during which thousands of people have left the Israeli workforce and gone to serve in the military.

But Barkat, who is widely seen a potential candidate to succeed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, made clear that national security was not only paramount but also vital for Israel's economy.

Asked what the risk of a bigger trade deficit and another ratings downgrade might mean for Israel, Barkat told Reuters: "Look, we're committed to win the war. We're going to win the war regardless of anything."

"I think when people look at the economy of Israel, they want to make sure, first of all, we're a secure ... country," he said during a visit to the United Arab Emirates for a ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization.

Barkat said Israel would borrow in the near-term. This borrowing, compounded with the economic impact of the war, would increase the debt to gross domestic product ratio - a measure of Israel's ability to repay its debt - from 62% to 70%, he said.

But Barkat, a member of Netanyahu's Likud party, said that did not concern him. He predicted the post-war economy would grow, gaining from an innovation boom in Israel's high-tech sector, a major contributor to the economy.

Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron also underlined the economy's resilience on Monday after the bank kept interest rates steady following a quarter-point cut in January.

He said that while there was uncertainty over the expected severity and duration of the war, Israel's economy "rests on solid and resilient foundations", and typically recovers after military conflicts and "returns rapidly to prosperity".

'COLLABORATION WITH PEACEFUL COUNTRIES'

Barkat said foreigners would continue to fill the jobs held by Palestinians from the occupied West Bank and Gaza before Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, triggering the Gaza war and leading to them being collectively banned for security reasons.

He said Palestinian workers would be able to return only when the Palestinian Authority, which has limited rule over parts of the West Bank, enacts reforms including ceasing to pay stipends to families of militants killed or imprisoned by Israeli authorities.

Barkat said he was due to meet several UAE ministers this week and briefly met his Saudi counterpart earlier on Monday. Saudi Arabia, which does not have ties with Israel, has not commented on the meeting.

"The future is more and more collaboration with peaceful countries around the world against the regimes of Iran and Hezbollah and Hamas," he said.

Barkat said he had confidence in Netanyahu as prime minister but declined to say whether he intended to challenge him for the leadership of the Likud party.

Israel began its offensive in Hamas-ruled Gaza after gunmen form the militant Islamist group killed some 1,200 people and took 253 hostages during the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed around 30,000 Palestinians in the coastal enclave, according to Gaza health officials.

(Editing by Timothy Heritage)
More than four months since Hamas terrorists invaded Israel on Oct. 7, the Israeli military continues its bombardment of the neighboring Gaza Strip.

The conflict, now the deadliest between the warring sides since Israel's founding in 1948, shows no signs of letting up soon and the brief cease-fire that allowed for over 100 hostages to be freed from Gaza remains a distant memory.

Click here for updates from previous days.





Latest Developments





Feb 27, 3:55 PM

Bidens optimism for deal stems from ongoing negotiations: State Department

After President Joe Biden said Monday he "hopes" to see a cease-fire reached by March 4, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Tuesday that Bidens optimism stemmed from "the broad outlines of a deal" agreed to by Israel, the U.S. and other partners last week, as well as negotiations that are continuing through this week.

PHOTO: A poster depicting Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin is displayed in Re'im, southern Israel at the Gaza border, Feb. 26, 2024, at a memorial site for the Nova music festival site. (Maya Alleruzzo/AP)

But Miller said Hamas wields significant control over when and whether a deal is reached.



"Certainly, we'd welcome getting one by this weekend," Miller said. "What I can say about the overall progress is that we made significant progress towards an agreement last week when we had officials from United States government engaging in the region. We continue to pursue further progress this week."



"We are trying to push this deal over the finish line -- we do think it's possible," Miller said.



-ABC News Shannon Crawford





Feb 27, 2:26 PM

A senior Israeli political source told ABC News on Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "surprised" by President Joe Biden's remarks that he was hopeful a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas could be in place "by next Monday."

PHOTO: This picture taken from Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip shows an Israeli army soldier sitting on an armored personnel carrier as it moves out of Gaza, Feb. 26, 2024. (Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images)

Netanyahu said in a statement later on Tuesday, "Since the beginning of the war, I have been leading a political campaign whose purpose is to curb the pressures intended to end the war before its time, and on the other hand also to gain support for Israel."

"We have significant successes in this area, because today the Harvard-Harris survey is published in the United States, which shows that 82% of the American public supports Israel," he continued. "This gives us two more strength to continue the campaign until the complete victory."

PHOTO: A Palestinian man walks past destroyed buildings in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, Feb. 26, 2024, amid continuing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. (AFP via Getty Images)

-ABC News' Zoe Magee, Jordana Miller and Morgan Winsor





Feb 27, 7:15 AM

UNRWA 'needs to be dissolved,' Israeli official says

An Israeli official told ABC News on Tuesday that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is "intertwined with terror and needs to be dissolved."



"Their sole goal was to perpetuate the Palestinian refugee problem," the official said. "Their compliance with Hamas terrorism and incitement was exposed. Any prospect for peace depends on dissolving UNRWA."



The Israeli official said humanitarian aid in the war-torn Gaza Strip should be provided by people "who are not associated with Hamas or UNRWA."



ABC News has reached out to UNRWA for comment.



In a dossier released in late January, the Israeli military alleged that 13 UNRWA employees participated in the Hamas-led Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel.



UNRWA has said it is investigating the allegations and took swift action against those accused of being involved in the attack. However, the United States and other top donors have suspended their funding to the agency, which is the biggest humanitarian aid provider in Gaza.



-ABC News' Jordana Miller and Morgan Winsor





Feb 27, 5:42 AM

Qatar says no breakthrough in talks between Israel, Hamas

A spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday that there is no breakthrough to announce concerning a potential deal between Israel and Hamas on a cease-fire and hostage release.



"Many developments have occurred. Nothing to announce today, but we feel optimistic," the spokesperson told reporters.



The spokesperson said the talks remain "ongoing" and they cannot comment on U.S. President Joe Biden's remarks that a deal is expected by next Monday.



Qatar, along with Egypt and the United States, has been mediating talks between the warring sides.



-ABC News' Emma Ogao and Morgan Winsor





Feb 27, 5:37 AM

Hamas' demands in negotiations 'are still delusional,' Israeli official says

An Israeli official told ABC News on Tuesday that Hamas' demands in ongoing negotiations "are still delusional."



"Military pressure and determined negotiation have helped free 112 hostages to date. Israel will get the remaining hostages home," the official said. "A deal was done in November and another deal can be made once Hamas comes to reality. Hamas demands are still delusional."



-ABC News' Jordana Miller and Morgan Winsor





Feb 26, 6:28 PM

Biden 'hopes' for cease-fire in Gaza by next Monday

President Biden said he "hopes" to have a cease-fire in Gaza by March 4.



"I hope by the end of the weekend," the president told reporters Monday. "My national security advisor tells me that were close, it's not done yet. My hope is by next Monday well have a ceasefire."



The comments came during a stop at Van Leeuwens ice cream shop in New York City as the president visited NBC "Late Night" host Seth Meyers.

Pres. Biden said he "hopes" to have an Israel-Hamas cease-fire in Gaza by next Monday, adding, his national security advisor says "we're close."



The comments from the president came during a stop at Van Leeuwens ice cream shop in New York City. https://t.co/2HIZlzkSd7 pic.twitter.com/70ymmwdyPb  ABC News (@ABC) February 26, 2024





Feb 26, 4:03 PM

State Department says there's been 'progress' in hostage talks

State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said Monday that theres been "progress" in hostage talks over the last few days, but he said its unclear whether Hamas would accept the latest proposal.



"Weve had progress with the conversations we've had between Egypt, Israel, the United States and Qatar," Miller said.

PHOTO: Demonstrators block traffic as they take part in a rally calling for the release of hostages kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas from Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Feb. 26, 2024. (Dylan Martinez/Reuters)

He was then asked if they might reach a deal before Ramadan, which begins on March 10.



"I can't make that assessment because it depends on Hamas. We believe a deal is possible and we hope Hamas will agree to one," he said.



-ABC News Shannon Crawford





Feb 26, 12:16 PM

Aid to Gaza has dropped by half since January, UNRWA says

Humanitarian aid to Gaza dropped by 50% from January to February, according to Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

PHOTO: Palestinians wait for humanitarian aid on a beachfront in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Feb. 25, 2024. (Mahmoud Essa/AP)

"Aid was supposed to increase not decrease to address the huge needs of 2 million Palestinians in desperate living conditions," Lazzarini said on social media Monday. "Among the obstacles: lack of political will, regular closing of the crossing points & lack of security due to military operations + collapse of civil order."

Lazzarini stressed the need for a cease-fire.

PHOTO: People find their way through a rubble-covered alley, following overnight Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Feb. 25, 2024, amid continuing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. (Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images)





Feb 26, 1:14 PM

IDF presents war cabinet with plan to evacuate Gazans from 'areas of fighting'

The Israel Defense Forces has presented Israel's war cabinet with a "plan for evacuating the population from the areas of fighting in the Gaza Strip," a release from the prime minister's office said early Monday local time.

PHOTO: Palestinians inspect destroyed houses following an Israeli airstrike on the Al-Farouq Mosque in the Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, Feb. 22, 2024. (Haitham Imad/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

"In addition, the plan for providing humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip in a manner that will prevent the looting that has occurred in the northern Strip and other areas was approved," the statement added.



Editor's Note: This post has been updated to reflect that the IDF presented the plan, not the prime minister's office, as originally reported.





Feb 24, 4:34 PM

Israel agrees to updated framework in cease-fire, hostage deal

Israel has agreed to an updated framework that would establish a six-week cease-fire in Gaza in exchange for the release of 40 hostages, an Israeli source told ABC News. The development follows talks in Paris, which includes officials from the U.S., Israel, Qatar and Egypt.



While Israel says it's waiting to hear back from Hamas on whether it will accept the updated language from this weekend's talks, Israel is pushing forward with plans to enter Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X that operational plans and evacuation plans in Rafah are ready to be approved by his cabinet.



As part of the proposed deal, Israel has agreed to release jailed Palestinians at a higher ratio than the previous deal, which was 3 to 1. Up to 400 Palestinian prisoners could be released in this new deal.



The Israel Defense Forces will redeploy but not withdraw from Gaza.



-ABC News' Marcus Moore

Click here to read the rest of the blog.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israeli forces will push into the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah with or without a temporary ceasefire agreement.

It has to be done, Netanyahu said on CBSs Face the Nation on Sunday. Because total victory is our goal, and total victory is within reach.

Netanyahus comments come amid talks to pause fighting in the war that began on Oct. 7, when Israeli officials say Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took hundreds of others hostage. Israels retaliatory assault on Gaza has left more than 29,000 Palestinians dead, according to the territorys Hamas-controlled Health Ministry, which estimates that approximately two-thirds of them were women and children.

 Netanyahu says U.S. would be doing a hell of a lot more after a terror attack

Israel has come under intense criticism for its bombardment of Gaza, which has also injured tens of thousands and displaced more than half of the 2.3 million living there, the Health Ministry says.

Earlier this month, President Biden said that Israels response in Gaza has been over the top.

Netanyahu bristled at that assessment Sunday.

What would America do? he asked. Would you not be doing what Israel is doing? You'd be doing a hell of a lot more.

 U.S. Air Force airman dead after setting himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy

A U.S. Secret Service vehicle is seen parked outside of the Israeli Embassy on Monday. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

An active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force has died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., in an apparent protest over Americas support of Israels war in Gaza.

The airman, identified as Aaron Bushnell, 25, of San Antonio, Texas, succumbed to his injuries, the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Air Force said Monday.

According to the Associated Press, Bushnell had walked up to the embassy shortly before 1 p.m. on Sunday and began livestreaming on the video streaming platform Twitch, set his phone down, doused himself in accelerant and lit himself ablaze, saying he will no longer be complicit in genocide.

 Biden to hold funding talks while activists in Michigan plan primary protest

President Biden speaks in the East Room of the White House on Friday. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

President Biden is scheduled to sit down with congressional leaders at the White House Tuesday to discuss government funding and a stalled aid package to Ukraine and Israel.

The same day, Muslim and Arab American activists in Michigan are planning a protest vote in Michigan during the states Democratic primary over Bidens support of Israels war in Gaza.

The activists are encouraging Michigan Democrats who are against U.S. support of Israels bombardment of Gaza to vote uncommitted instead of for Biden.

 Palestinian PM resigns over postwar Gaza plans

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh takes part in a meeting in Ramallah on Monday. (Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh announced his resignation on Monday, Reuters reports:

The move comes amid growing U.S. pressure on President Mahmoud Abbas to shake up the Authority as international efforts intensify to stop the fighting in Gaza and begin work on a political structure to govern the enclave after the war.

Shtayyeh's resignation must still be accepted by Abbas, who may ask him to stay on as caretaker until a permanent replacement is appointed.

The Palestinian Authority, created around 30 years ago as part of the interim Oslo peace accords, has been badly undermined by accusations of ineffectiveness and corruption and the prime minister holds little effective power.

As the AP notes, the move could open the door to U.S.-backed reforms in the Palestinian Authority, which the U.S. wants to rule postwar Gaza but in a revitalized shape. The Palestinian Authority is one of two competing Palestinian governing entities, the other being its rival Hamas.

 U.N.s top court holds last day of hearings on Israels occupation

People search for survivors amid the rubble of a collapsed building in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on Monday following an Israeli airstrike. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the United Nations top court heard a final day of arguments on the legality of Israels decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories.

The hearings mark the first time the International Court of Justice has been asked to rule on Israels decades-long occupation, settlement and annexation of the territories, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Turkey's Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Yildiz described the occupation as the real obstacle to peace and urged the judges at The Hague to rule it illegal.

The unfolding situation after Oct. 7 proves once again that, without addressing the root cause of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there can be no peace in the region, he said

Israel is not taking part in the hearings, which it says are prejudiced.
Israeli fighter jets on Monday carried out strikes in eastern Lebanon for the first time since its conflict with Hezbollah dramatically escalated amid the parallel war in Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it hit Hezbollah air defenses in the Bekaa Valley in response to an Israeli Hermes-450 drone being shot down by a surface-to-air missile earlier in the day. At least two Hezbollah militants were killed in the reprisal strikes, Lebanese sources told Reuters.

Uniformed U.S. Airman Sets Himself on Fire Near Israeli Embassy in D.C.

The Israeli strikes represent the deepest attacks inside Lebanese territory since Hezbollah began exchanging fire with troops across Israels northern border after the Gaza war began. Targets were hit near Baalbek, a city known for its ancient ruins not far from the Syrian border, as simultaneous strikes were reportedly launched.

Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah politician, said in televised comments that Israels aggression on Baalbek or any other areas will not remain without response. Hezbollahs al-Manar TV reported that a car in southern Lebanon had also been hit by another Israeli strike, with a security source claiming that at least one person had died.

The IDF will continue operating to defend the State of Israel from the threat of Hezbollah terrorist organization, including in aerial operations above Lebanese territory, the Israeli military said in a statement.

Hezbollah claimed it had successfully shot down the Israeli drone over southern Lebanon. Another missile launched at the drone by the Iran-aligned group was intercepted by Israel, according to Al Jazeera, with the wreckage falling close to a synagogue in a town near Nazareth in the north of Israel. No one was injured and no damage was caused.

Since the cross-border skirmishes began, around 50 civilians have died in Lebanon along with an estimated 200 Hezbollah militants. Five civilians and around a dozen Israeli soldiers have died on the southern side of the border.

The violence began when Israel launched its war in Gaza in response to Hamas Oct. 7 terror attacks which, according to Israeli figures, left 1,200 people dead. Almost 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza during the conflict, according to Palestinian health officials, while nearly 2 million residents have been displaced.

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Smoke rises from damaged buildings in the northern Gaza Strip seen from southern Israel as fighting between Israeli troops and Islamist Hamas militants continues. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa

The Israeli army says it has stepped up its attacks in the Gaza Strip as aid organizations continue to warn of the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the embattled coastal strip.

In one neighbourhood of Gaza City, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday said "over than 30 terrorists" were killed within one day.

In Khan Younis, in Gaza's southern region, one militant "armed with an RBG" was killed by the Israeli air force, the IDF said, referring to a rocket-propelled grenade. Numerous weapons and other military equipment were also found, the army said.

Meanwhile, two Israeli towns on the edge of the Gaza Strip were hit by rocket alarms again on Monday morning. According to Israeli figures, more than 14,500 rockets have been fired at Israel from the coastal area since the start of the war.

The number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip has now risen to 29,692, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority The figures cannot be independently verified, but are considered reliable by international organizations.

The Gaza war was triggered by the unprecedented massacre carried out by Hamas militants and other extremist groups on October 7 in Israel near the border with Gaza.

More than 1,200 people were killed on the Israeli side and some 240 were kidnapped and taken into Gaza. Israel has responded with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive in the coastal region, causing international criticism due to the high number of civilian casualties.
U.S. President Joe Biden meets with U.S. governors at the White House in Washington

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with U.S. governors at the White House in Washington

By Dan Williams, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Jeff Mason

JERUSALEM/CAIRO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday he hopes to have a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza start by next Monday as the warring parties appeared to close in on a deal during negotiations in Qatar that also aim to broker the release of hostages.

The presence of both sides for so-called proximity talks - meeting mediators separately but in the same city - suggested negotiations were further along than at any time since a big push at the start of February, when Israel rejected a Hamas counter-offer for a four-and-a-half-month truce.

Biden said he hoped a ceasefire would start within days. "Well I hope by the beginning of the weekend, I mean the end of the weekend," he said, when asked when he expected a ceasefire to start.

"My national security adviser tells me that we're close. We're close. We're not done yet. My hope is by next Monday we'll have a ceasefire," Biden told reporters during a visit to New York.

A U.S. official said U.S. negotiators had been pushing hard to get a pause-for-hostages deal by Ramadan's beginning on March 10 and top U.S. officials were working on the issue last week. The optimism appeared to grow out of meetings between the Israelis and Qataris, the official said.

In public, Israel and Hamas continued to take positions far apart on a possible truce, while blaming each other for delays.

After meeting Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Ismail Haniyeh, the reclusive head of Hamas, said his group had embraced efforts to find an end to the war, and accused Israel of stalling while Gazans die under siege.

"We will not allow the enemy to use negotiations as a cover for this crime," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was ready for a deal, and it was up to Hamas to drop demands he described as "from another planet."

"Obviously, we want this deal if we can have it. It depends on Hamas. It's really now their decision," he told U.S. network Fox News. "They have to come down to reality."

Al Thani's office said Al Thani and the Hamas chief had discussed Qatar's efforts to broker an "immediate and permanent ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip."

A source told Reuters earlier that an Israeli working delegation had flown to Qatar to create an operational centre to support negotiations. Its mission would include vetting proposed Palestinian militants that Hamas wants freed in a hostage release deal, the source said.

Israel continues to maintain in public that it will not end the war until Hamas is eradicated, while Hamas says it will not free hostages without an agreement to end the war.

"We're totally committed to wipe Hamas off the face of the Earth," Israel's economy and industry minister, Nir Barkat, told Reuters at a conference in the United Arab Emirates, where his presence signalled Israel's continued acceptance by Arab states that has angered Palestinian militants.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters on Monday any ceasefire agreement would require "securing an end to the aggression, the withdrawal of the occupation, the returning of the displaced, the entry of aid, shelter equipment, and rebuilding."

Israel is under pressure from its main ally the United States to agree on a truce soon, to head off a threatened assault on Rafah, the city in southern Gaza where over half the enclave's 2.3 million people are sheltering, which Washington fears could become a bloodbath.

'WE'LL GO IN'

Netanyahu insisted an assault on Rafah was still planned, and Israel had a plan to evacuate civilians from harm's way. Asked if Israel would attack even if Washington asked it not to, Netanyahu said: "Well, we'll go in. We make our own decisions, obviously, but we'll go in based on the idea of having also the evacuation of the civilians."

The momentum behind talks appears to have grown since Friday, when Israeli officials discussed terms of a hostage release deal in Paris with delegations from the United States, Egypt and Qatar, though not Hamas.

Since Hamas killed 1,200 people and captured 253 hostages on Oct. 7, Israel has launched an all-out ground assault on Gaza, with nearly 30,000 people confirmed killed, according to Gaza health authorities.

In a development that could have an impact on longer-term negotiations, the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, which exerts limited civil control in parts of the West Bank, stepped down on Monday.

Mohammad Shtayyeh said he was resigning to allow for the formation of a broad consensus among Palestinians about political arrangements following the Gaza war.

The PA, recognised by the West as the official representative of Palestinians, lost control of Gaza to Hamas in 2007. Washington has called for reforms to the PA as part of an overall solution to govern Palestinian territories including Gaza after the war.

(This story has been refiled to add dropped words to quote in paragraph 3)

(Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, Andrew Mills in Qatar and Steve Holland in Washington, Writing by Peter Graff and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Timothy Heritage, Alison Williams and Rosalba O'Brien)
The Israeli military has submitted a plan to the war cabinet for evacuating the population of Gaza from areas of fighting, amid warnings that an offensive on the southern city of Rafah will take place soon.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said he had directed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to draw up a plan for the evacuation of civilians from Rafah, where more than a million people are crammed.

That upcoming operational plan was submitted for approval on Monday, Netanyahus office said, though its Monday statement did not mention Rafah by name. CNN has not seen a copy of the plan.

Fears are growing in Gaza and across the international community over the IDFs planned offensive on Rafah, which lies next to the shuttered border with Egypt.

The city has become home to the majority of displaced Palestinians as the Israeli military advanced south through the enclave, but those civilians seemingly have no further place to escape.

Israel has already targeted Rafah with near-daily airstrikes, while preparing for a ground offensive in the city. - Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images

The US has warned it would not support a campaign on the city without a credible plan to evacuate Palestinians.

Mondays statement from Netanyahus office said the cabinet also approved a plan for providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza in a manner that will prevent the looting that has occurred in the northern Strip and other areas.

The Israeli leader pledged to press ahead with the effort in Rafah during an interview on CBSs Face the Nation on Sunday.

We cant leave the last Hamas stronghold without taking care of it, Netanyahu said, adding that the last command stronghold of Hamas is in Rafah, with four command battalions concentrated there. CNN cannot independently verify those numbers.

He told the program that once Israel begins the Rafah operation, the intense phase of fighting is weeks away from completion, not months, weeks away from completion.

And he indicated he had asked the IDF to submit a double plan; one to enable the evacuation of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and another to destroy the remaining Hamas battalions.

If we have a deal, itll be delayed somewhat. But itll happen, Netanyahu said, referring to a potential deal that would see a humanitarian pause in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. If we dont have a deal, well do it anyway. It has to be done, he said.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN Sunday that negotiators had come to an understanding on the broad contours of a potential deal, and talks are continuing in Qatar on Monday.

These negotiations come even as indirect discussions with Hamas continue. Crucially, Hamas has not yet signed onto this possible framework and any possible final deal is still, at the earliest, days away as negotiators continue to hammer out the actual details.

The representatives of Israel, the United States, Egypt and Qatar met in Paris and came to an understanding among the four of them about what the basic contours of a hostage deal for temporary ceasefire would look like. Im not going to go into the specifics of that because it is still under negotiation in terms of hammering out the details of it, Sullivan told CNNs Dana Bash.

There will have to be indirect discussions by Qatar and Egypt with Hamas because ultimately they will have to agree to release the hostages. That work is underway, Sullivan added. And we hope that in the coming days, we can drive to a point where there is actually a firm and final agreement on this issue. But we will have to wait and see.

UN warns of final nail in the coffin

An all-out Israeli offensive in Rafah would be the final nail in the coffin of the UNs aid operations in the besieged Palestinian territory, the UN Secretary-General said on Monday, in comments that could escalate tensions between the organization and Israel.

Speaking to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Antonio Guterres said that Rafah was the core of the humanitarian aid operation in Gaza, and called the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) the backbone of that effort.

An assault on the city would not only be terrifying for more than a million Palestinian civilians sheltering there; it would put the final nail in the coffin of our aid programmes, he said.

Guterres also reiterated his call for a humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

The Secretary-General said both Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians and collective punishment of the Palestinian people could not be justified, adding that under international humanitarian law, violations by one party do not absolve the other from compliance.

Last week, the CEO of the humanitarian group CARE USA, which has aid workers inside the enclave, told CNN there are so many lives that hang in the balance in Rafah as the Israeli offensive looms.

They (Palestinians) are desperately hoping and praying that there will be no invasion in Rafah, which I think we all recognize would be devastating, Michelle Nunn said. One of the distinctions in this crisis is that you cant get out.

Many of those who have been displaced from their homes feel like theyre at the end of the line and have nowhere else to go, she added. The kind of horror that people are facing into is really unbearable.

CNNs Sana Noor Haq, Camila DeChalus, Sam Fossum, Richard Roth and Lucas Lilieholm contributed reporting

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Editor's Note: This page is a summary of news on the Israel-Hamas war for Monday, Feb. 25. For the latest news on the conflict in the Middle East, view our live updates file on the war for Tuesday, Feb. 27.

Israel sent a delegation to Doha, Qatar, on Monday to continue negotiating an extended cease-fire and the release of hostages, and while its officials did not appear encouraged a deal would materialize, there are optimistic signs.

Israeli media reported the progress made during weekend talks in Paris has stalled in part because Hamas demands troop withdrawal and a major increase in the amount of humanitarian aid going into war-battered Gaza, where a large segment of the population is facing famine.

But Israel has made a major concession, indicating a new willingness to trade the freedom of Palestinian prisoners convicted of major terrorist acts for the release of some Israeli soldiers captured in the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, the New York Times reported.

At a public appearance in an ice cream shop Monday, President Joe Biden was asked about a possible start date for a truce and said, I hope by the end of the weekend. My national security adviser tells me that were close, were close. Were done yet. My hope is by next Monday well have a cease-fire.

Reuters reported the presence of both quarreling sides in the same location even when they're exchanging proposals through mediators instead of face-to-face  so-called proximity talks  is a sign of movement toward an agreement.

Reuters also reported Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, whose nation has played a key role brokering talks along with the U.S. and Egypt, met Monday with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Publicly, both sides remain far apart, as exemplified by Haniyeh accusing Israel of stalling while Palestinians die in Gaza, saying, "We will not allow the enemy to use negotiations as a cover for this crime." Netanyahu has called Hamas' demands "delusional.''

People walk in front of the Al-Faruk mosque, leveled by Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Feb. 25, 2024.

Developments:

 Yoav Gallant, Israel's defense minister, said "only after all the hostages are released" will the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza be able to return to their homes in the north, Al Jazeera reported.

 The number of trucks bringing humanitarian aid into Gaza has dwindled from a daily average of 139 in the first six weeks of the year to 70 over the last 2 1/2 weeks, according to U.N. figures. Truck influx has been sporadic in the last 10 days, with as many as 220 one day as as few as four another.

 The Jordanian Armed Forces on Monday carried out four airdrops of aid for civilians in Gaza, according to Al-Mamlaka TV, a Jordanian public news channel.

 Across northern and central Gaza, Israeli forces have killed over 40 militants, a statement from the military said. In Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza where the military has focused its offensive for weeks, an Israeli fighter jet struck a Hamas compound.

 The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said on Monday morning that over the last 24 hours, 90 Palestinians were killed and 164 were injured across the territory. Since the war began, more than 29,700 Palestinians have been killed.

This picture taken from Rafah shows smoke billowing following Israeli bombardment of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Feb. 26, 2024.

Israeli War Cabinet sees Rafah plans

The Israeli military has presented the War Cabinet with its plan to evacuate Rafah  the city in southern Gaza where more than a million displaced civilians are sheltering  and details of its imminent invasion to dismantle what Israeli leaders have called Hamas' final stronghold, authorities said Monday.

Though the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the developments, specifics of the plan have not been released. It's also unclear whether the War Cabinet approved the long-awaited plan, which has been the concern of humanitarian aid groups, the U.N. and the Biden administration. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday that the administration has yet to see a strategy for Rafah it would support.

The statement from Netanyahu's office added that the War Cabinet approved a "plan for providing humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip in a manner that will prevent the looting that has occurred in the northern Strip." Last week, the World Food Program suspended aid deliveries to northern Gaza, citing "violence and chaos due to the collapse of civil order."

"Gaza is hanging by a thread and WFP must be enabled to reverse the path toward famine for thousands of desperately hungry people," a statement from the U.N. group said.

Houthis wreak havoc again, damage communications cables, report says

The Houthi rebels in Yemen, who for months have been attacking merchant ships in the Red Sea, have found another way to disrupt Western commercial endeavors.

The Iran-backed militant group has damaged four underwater communications cables in the Red Sea linking Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Djibouti in east Africa, the Israeli Globes news platform reported Monday.

The sabotage of cables belonging to the Seacom, TGN, AAE-1 and EIG companies is "causing serious disruption of Internet communications between Europe and Asia,'' Globes reported, adding that the biggest impact has been felt in the Persian Gulf countries and India.

The report also said it will take at least eight weeks to repair the damage, and that communications to the affected continents will be impaired but not cut off because other cables in the area connecting Asia, Africa and Europe remain intact.

The Houthis say their assaults on commercial shipping are meant to show solidarity with Palestinians in embattled Gaza, and they have not desisted in their missile and drone campaign despite the U.S. and U.K. striking several of their launch sites.

Palestinian aid group suspends missions in Gaza, blames Israeli forces

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society, an independent aid group, announced Monday that it will suspend coordinating medical missions throughout Gaza for at least 48 hours, saying Israeli forces have on multiple occasions detained medical personnel and delayed urgent transports of patients.

The PRCS said Sunday that its workers evacuated patients from Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis and took them to Rafah because they required specialized medical treatment. The group said that despite its members and the U.N. humanitarian coordination office receiving clearance from the Israeli military for the evacuation and providing the convoy route, Israeli forces stopped them for more than seven hours, mistreated medics and arrested three of them. One of them was released several hours later, the PRCS said in a post on X.

The group called for the international community to compel Israel to "respect and protect medical personnel and facilities and to provide a safe humanitarian space that is essential for the survival of Palestinians in Gaza."

US serviceman dies after setting himself ablaze in protest of war in Gaza

The active duty U.S. Air Force member who set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington while shouting, "Free Palestine," died from his injuries, the Metropolitan Police Department confirmed Monday.

Aaron Bushnell, 25, of Whitman, Massachusetts, doused himself in liquid and lit himself Sunday afternoon after saying in a video livestreamed on Twitch that he "will no longer be complicit in genocide."

The Air Force confirmed on Monday that Bushnell was an active duty member. he was a cyber defense operations specialist with the 531st Intelligence Support Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland, Texas. He served on active duty since May 2020.

The MPD said police are working with the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to investigate the incident.

When a tragedy like this occurs, every member of the Air Force feels it, said U.S. Air Force Col. Celina Noyes, 70th Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance Wing commander. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Senior Airman Bushnell. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and we ask that you respect their privacy during this difficult time.

 Tom Vanden Brook, Cybele Mayes-Osterman

Israeli jets strike Hezbollah targets 'deep inside Lebanon,' military says

Israeli fighter jets on Monday struck what the military said were Hezbollah targets "deep inside Lebanon," the latest escalation in fighting since cross-border exchanges became near daily occurrences after Oct. 7.

Three airstrikes hit the outskirts of the Buday village, near the Hezbollah stronghold of Baalbek, according to Lebanese security officials. At least two people were killed, a Hezbollah official told reporters. Israel later said one of its strikes hit a car in the southern village of Majadel, near the countries' border, killing Hezbollah field commander Hassan Salami.

Following the strikes near Baalbek, Hezbollah fired about 60 rockets at an Israeli military base in Syrias Golan Heights, which Israel occupies. The Israeli military said on a post on X that the strikes were in response to a missile fired at Israel from Lebanon. A missile also reportedly downed an Israeli drone operating inside Lebanon.

The Israeli strikes on Monday were the most significant escalation in fighting since Saleh al-Arouri, a top Hamas leader, was killed in January when an apparent Israeli strike hit a Beirut suburb.

Human rights groups say Israel noncompliant with UN order

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International on Monday accused Israel of failing to comply with an order by the U.N.'s top court to provide humanitarian aid to the more than 2 million people in the war-torn enclave.

In January, the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Netherlands, ordered Israel to take measures to limit death and destruction in Gaza as part of a case brought by South Africa alleging Israels military campaign amounts to genocide.

Human Rights Watch said the number of aid trucks that have entered Gaza in recent weeks has dropped by 30% and that Israel has not facilitated fuel deliveries to the northern part of the territory. On Sunday, the Gaza Health Ministry said a lack of fuel has forced several hospitals in the north to cease operations and has put intensive care patients at risk.

"The Israeli government has simply ignored the courts ruling, and in some ways even intensified its repression, including further blocking lifesaving aid," said Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch.

Israeli leaders have denied the allegations and blamed humanitarian organizations, saying hundreds of trucks filled with aid sit idle on the Palestinian side of the main crossing. The U.N. says it cant always reach the trucks at the crossing because at times it's too dangerous.

Palestinian prime minister, government resign

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and his government resigned Monday in a move that could signal a willingness by Palestinian leadership to back reforms seen as necessary by the U.S. to revitalize the governing body for a role in Gaza after the war ends.

Authority President Mahmoud Abbas must still decide whether to accept the resignation of Shtayyeh, who has been in the role since 2019, and his Cabinet. The authority was ousted from Gaza in a Hamas coup in 2007. It still has administrative control over some parts of the West Bank.

The next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political arrangements that take into account the new reality in the Gaza Strip, Shtayyeh said at a Cabinet meeting in Ramallah in the West Bank. Abbas is expected to choose Mohammad Mustafa, chairman of the Palestine Investment Fund, as the next prime minister.

Abbas, 88, and his Fatah political party have dominated the Palestinian Authority since 2005. However, polls show many Palestinians regard his administration as corrupt, undemocratic and out of touch. Abbas has not held elections since 2006. After U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Abbas late last year, he told reporters they discussed reforms to combat corruption, empower civil society and support a free press.

 Kim Hjelmgaard

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israel Hamas war updates: Signs of hope, 'proximity talks' in Qatar
The Student Innovation Center at Iowa State will hold a Creativity Carnival from 2-7 p.m. this Wednesday.

Iowa State University's Student Innovation Center is encouraging students to get creative.

The university hopes to inspire creativity among its student body at the first "Creativity Carnival" from 2-7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28.

The Creativity Carnival is the first new event the Student Innovation Center will host this spring, event organizer Rebecca Nation said. The Student Innovation Center's learning and development specialist said the creativity carnival is essentially an extension of other new events, including the All Makers' Eve for Halloween and the Holiday Memory Maker in the winter.

"We want to build sustainable programming that gets students in the door and interested in doing more creative adventures here," Nation said. "I think these keystone events really do that for students. It's not just a beautiful building; there are some really cool events happening here too."

The goal of Iowa State's innovation programming is to help students realize they all have the capacity to be creative, Nation said.

"Everybody can be creative or fill that capacity," Nation said. "Doing fun things, experiencing fun and joy, that's really closely related to being creative and initiating new ideas."

More: How can buildings resist tornado damage? Proposed Iowa State facilities could find solutions

Handmade crafts from a past Student Innovation Center event last semester.

Creative Carnival will have six innovative challenges

Wednesday's Creativity Carnival will have six different realms of creativity for participants to explore. Activities include:

Scrap Art: Transforming discarded scraps into works of art. Scrap art judging kicks off at 5:30 pm.

30 Circles : Compete against fellow Iowa State students to fill 30 circles with imaginative objects that push the limits of creativity.

Brainstorm Blitz : Following a video, there will be a self-paced brainstorm session and tackle real-world challenges head-on.

Creative Photo Contest: Submit photos that ignite sparks of to show off visual storytelling skills. Names and netID must be included in the photo file's name. Upload to this folder.

Carnival-Inspired Photo Booth : Photo booth with vibrant backdrops and whimsical props to capture unique moments.

Virtual Reality Ride: A virtual reality headshot will be ready for a thrilling experience.

Wednesday's Creativity Carnival at Iowa State's Student Innovation Center will have tokens participants may win and exchange for prizes

Visitors can collect tokens from the different activities and turn them in for prizes. The carnival will also have free prizes and treats.

More: Iowa State University begins search to replace its longest-serving provost

Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: ISU's Student Innovation Center to host first Creativity Carnival
Russian officials and state-controlled media largely refrained from publicly discussing the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 to avoid highlighting Russia's failure to achieve its stated military objectives, the Institute for the Study of War announced in their daily assessment on Feb. 25.

Russian opposition media reported on Feb. 25 that state-controlled media channels did not mention the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion. Popular pundits on these channels mentioned the anniversary but did not provide further commentary on the subject. ISW also found minimal discussion of the date from political leadership.

ISW assessed that Russian officials and state-affiliated media were reluctant to discuss the anniversary to avoid highlighting Russia's failure to achieve its stated goals in Ukraine at a significant human cost.

Earlier this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced at a forum commemorating two years of full-scale war that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers and 180,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since Feb. 24, 2022.

Independent Russian media outlets Meduza and Mediazona reported in a joint study on Feb. 24 that 83,000 Russian soldiers had been killed in Russia's war.

The U.K. Defense Ministry reported on Feb. 24 that according to its estimations, approximately 350,000 Russian personnel have been killed or wounded.

Neither Moscow nor Kyiv releases public information about troop losses, but the Russian military's culture of dishonest reporting means that Russian officials themselves likely have a "low level of understanding" about casualty figures, the ministry said in December 2023.

Read also: After 2 years of Russias full-scale war, Ukraine keeps fighting

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KABUL, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan caretaker government's ministry of education has identified and annulled 700 "ghost schools" across the country, the spokesman for the ministry Mansour Ahmad Hamza said.

"The ministry of education has culled up to 700 'ghost schools' from official lists since the government took power more than two years ago," the local Television channel Tolonews quoted the official on Monday as saying.

During the previous U.S.-backed regime in Afghanistan, "ghost" schools, teachers, students, soldiers and police personnel existed as a pretext to enable those at the helm to earn money illegally from the foreign donors, according to the media.

Based on the information of the ministry of education, over 18,000 primary, secondary and high schools are operating in Afghanistan where 260,000 teachers are currently working, the report added. 
I've lived in 7 different countries. Here are 11 things that surprised me about living all around the world.

After living in seven different countries, I've learned a few things that surprised me.

Prague was the hardest place to adjust to because of its cold temperatures and language.

Texas' Dry Sundays, Europe's showers, and Wales' KFC menu surprised me the most.

Moving abroad can be exhausting, but I've done it multiple times, leaving my native island of St. Lucia for college in the US almost 15 years ago. Since then, I've lived in places like Wales, the Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, and Greece.

Traveling was daunting at first, especially coming from a country with a population of less than 200,000. But I loved immersing myself in new cultures, forming close friendships, and discovering new delicacies in every possible city.

I felt knowledgeable about my destinations from my education, books, and television, but you never truly know a country until you've lived like a local.

Here are 11 things that surprised me during my travels.

Living in Spain can require a lot of paperwork

Inside a hall at the University of Barcelona

Some parts of Spain still embrace the tradition of siesta.LEOCHEN66/Shutterstock

There's always a lot of paperwork involved in traveling, but Spain is a different level of bureaucracy if you plan on living there for more than six months.

First, you must secure the Empadronamiento or "padron," which is a document necessary to register with the town hall in the region of Spain you live in. This document adds your name and address to your city's census and is also necessary for administrative tasks like applying for a social security number, residency, public healthcare, opening a bank account, and getting married.

The process needs to be repeated if you move to another city and your residency must be canceled before leaving the country. Though the process seems simple, spots are often unavailable so booking an appointment to do so can be very difficult.

The food scene is vast and varied in Prague

As a tourist in the Czech Republic, there are certain meals that you must try: beef steak tartare, Kulajda, Svickova, and kolache.

Prague's international food scene is impressive, with restaurants representative of multiple cultures and palates. I was even able to find the ingredients to cook a local St. Lucian meal that included chicken backs and ripe plantains.

If you're not sure where to start or want to sample a variety, Manifesto Market features an eclectic mix of cuisines including authentic Hawaiian poke, rump steak tartare with shiitake mushrooms, traditional Mexican tacos, and Mediterranean dishes.

The bars are also stocked with Italian prosecco and a selection of craft beers.

Italian food is actually as good as advertised

The writer holds a cup of gelato

The gelato in Italy was velvety and delicious.Nasha Smith

I had often been told that you haven't had real pizza or pasta until you go to Italy, and I can confirm that this is true.

The best pizza I had was at a small, family-run joint in Crocetta del Montello, a tiny commune about an hour outside of Venice. It was simple, with some well-seasoned sauce and cheese on a crispy crust, but tasted amazing.

The same can be said for the gelato, which is velvety with intense fruit flavor.

I have also always loved spaghetti Bolognese, but enjoying the savory sauce in its native Bologna was unmatched.

Some states participate in Dry Sundays

Dry Sundays don't usually exist in states outside Texas, like in New York. Nasha Smith

During the two years that I lived in Texas, I discovered Dry Sundays, during which liquor sales are prohibited on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

If Christmas or New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the liquor store is closed the following Monday.

The law itself can be a bit complex, as beer sales on Sundays are permitted from 10 a.m. to midnight and wine sales are regulated within special hours.

There are also different stipulations in place if you're attending a fair, festival, concert, or sporting event.

Other states like Kansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee participate in some variation of Dry Sunday as well.

Showering can be an extreme sport in some places

Showers in Europe can be small, making it difficult to move around. The half-door, which doesn't extend all the way across the tub, can also result in a very wet and messy floor.

The shower nozzle can be handheld, and once you figure it out, showering will be a breeze. However, washing your hair can be difficult, so be prepared to lay some towels out on the floor.

Greece has a Caribbean vibe

Skafidia Beach in Greece reminded me of my home in the Caribbean. Nasha Smith

As a native of one of the premier vacation and honeymoon spots in the world, if the water is cold or there are rocks in lieu of sand on the beach, I am not interested.

But as I drove along the coastline to Olympia, the blue sea and sunny sky were reminiscent of St. Lucia. Skafidia Beach made me feel at home and showed me that Greece is a fantastic option if you can't make it to the Caribbean.

Some parts of Spain take siestas very seriously

In Prague, my Valencian roommate retreated to her bedroom every day around two o'clock for siesta, the Spanish tradition of taking a nap shortly after lunch. Our professors at a Barcelona university also scheduled classes during the morning to observe the ritual.

In my L'Hospitalet de Llobregat neighborhood, well outside of Barcelona's city center, the practice was going strong. Stores closed every day from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and I even witnessed a shop owner ask a woman to leave so that he could close at two.

KFC and many other fast-food chains don't have the same menu around the world

The KFC menu in other countries, like Italy, differ from the selection I was used to. Nasha Smith

Kentucky Fried Chicken struck gold when it opened in the Caribbean Islands, becoming the most popular fast-food restaurant across the region, beloved even by Barbados native Rihanna.

Besides the fried chicken, one of the most popular sides is the golden buttermilk biscuit. Or at least that's what I thought until I wandered into a KFC in Wales only to discover that they didn't have it. After some confusion from workers that I was trying to order a cookie, they offered me rice, which I never knew was an option.

Major food chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, and KFC offer location-specific menus to appeal to target audiences worldwide. This can range from a Samurai Burger in Asia to a Chee-Zee Marmite Stuffed Pizza Crust in New Zealand.

People are friendlier than you might expect across the globe

I've found that people are friendly and helpful throughout my travels. Nasha Smith

Friendly faces are always a welcome sight and in Spain, Greece, and Italy, I found the locals to be patient and helpful even if I wasn't fluent in the language.

In the US, I met some of the warmest people when I lived in Detroit, Louisiana, and Texas.

In the UK, I initially thought people were a bit more reserved. However, when I had a problem with my visa, an amazing family in Wales helped me through it.

Though I thought Czechs, had a tough exterior, they also have a wonderful, dry sense of humor.

I learned to travel with an open mind and ignore the stereotypes  otherwise, you might miss out on connecting with some incredible people.

Prague was the most difficult place to adjust to

A frozen lake in Prague

Prague was hard for me to adjust to due to the area's icy temperatures.Nasha Smith

With its Romanesque architecture, steep hills, and small rivers, Prague is one of the most gorgeous cities in Central Europe.

However, Prague is also a cold city, so I bundled up in layers  coming from the tropical Caribbean, this was a tough adjustment.

The Czech language was also difficult to learn and unlike in Spain, where English was very prevalent in the city center, Czech was spoken virtually everywhere. Because Czech falls in the West Slavic language group, it didn't have the familiar structures shared by French, Spanish, and Italian, which made it hard for me to retain.

The Czech Republic is very dog-friendly

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Prague's pet owners proudly walking with their dogs and on the trams instead of strays roaming the streets.

The pets were also incredibly obedient and well-behaved at restaurants and on public transportation. This is the antithesis of St. Lucia's cultural norms, in which pets are not typically allowed in restaurants or public buses.

Read the original article on Business Insider
I've visited 39 US national parks. One stands out as the most underrated and unique.

After visiting 39 US national parks, one stands out as the most unique I've been to.

Unlike many national parks, Hot Springs National Park is set in the middle of an Arkansas city.

This park features a row of historic bathhouses and the only brewery located in a US national park.

When thinking of national parks, many people imagine vast tracts of land and scenic drives through awe-inspiring mountain, forest, or desert scenery.

Hot Springs National Park, on the other hand, is the country's second smallest national park and is set right in the middle of a small Midwest city.

Although the park features plenty of hiking trails and outdoor activities, the centerpiece is its row of historic bathhouses.

In my quest to visit all of the national parks in the continental US and Hawaii, I looked forward to knocking Hot Springs National Park off my list.

After an autumn visit to this historic site in Arkansas, I can confidently say Hot Springs National Park is a must-see for history buffs, wellness aficionados, and outdoorsy types.

Here's why I think Hot Springs National Park is one of the most unique and underrated national parks in the US.

Hot Springs National Park has no entry fees.

I was surprised to see a national park sign posted on a public street corner. Kara Williams

Upon pulling up to Central Avenue in Hot Springs, Arkansas  about 50 miles southwest of Little Rock  I was pleasantly surprised to see an iconic national park sign posted on a public street corner.

Unlike many national parks that require driving through an official entrance to pay a fee (or making a timed reservation in advance), the grounds at Hot Springs National Park are open to the public and free to enter.

Hot Springs National Park offers more than just beautiful trails.

Bathhouse Row is the centerpiece of Hot Springs National Park. Kara Williams

Although visitors can still find more than 26 miles of beautiful trails in Hot Springs National Park, the historic bathhouses set this park apart from others.

The centerpiece of Hot Springs National Park is Bathhouse Row: eight buildings constructed between 1892 and 1923.

In their heyday, these bathhouses hosted worldwide visitors seeking relaxation and healing in the mineral-rich water pumped in from nearby natural hot springs.

Today, they've been repurposed in a variety of unique ways.

The Fordyce Bathhouse, which opened in 1915, now serves as the park's visitor's center.

The men's changing room was much more ornate than the ladies' changing area. Kara Williams

The Fordyce Bathhouse, which now serves as the park's museum and visitor's center, was once a place 20th-century visitors flocked to for healing.

Visitors can walk through the restored bathhouse and get close to the whirlpool tubs, steam cabinets, multi-spray showers, lounge chairs, and other facilities that bathers once used.

Informative exhibits detail how physicians once wrote prescriptions for bathing in and drinking the thermal water.

Two of the bathhouses on Bathhouse Row still offer therapeutic services.

The women's changing area at Buckstaff Bathhouse featured vintage lockers. Kara Williams

Today, the Quapaw and Buckstaff bathhouses still offer therapeutic services. My husband and I sampled the four coed indoor hot-spring pools at Quapaw Baths & Spa .

Also available here are private mineral baths, body treatments, massages, and facials.

Next, we stopped by the Buckstaff Bathhouse, which has been in continuous operation since 1912, to indulge in the traditional bathing package.

Just as spa enthusiasts did a century ago, we headed to separate mens and womens locker rooms to fully undress and get wrapped in a large sheet, toga-style. Then, we were led around to the various hydrotherapy stations in gender-specific areas.

For $89 each, we soaked in a private mineral bath, got a loofah rubdown from an attendant, sat in a vapor cabinet, squatted in a sitz bath, got wrapped in steamy hot towels, and enjoyed a 20-minute massage.

I felt like a floppy noodle when it was all over  in a good way.

Hot Springs is also the only US national park with a brewery.

The Superior Bathhouse now operates as a brewery. Kara Williams

The Superior Bathhouse, which operated from 1916 to 1983, reopened as a brewery in 2014. This casual spot with lots of outdoor seating is the only brewery in a US national park.

We enjoyed Superior Bathhouse Brewery so much that we visited it twice. One afternoon, we went to an Oktoberfest celebration with live music and special menu items, like bratwurst and pretzels. The next day, we sampled more of the brewerys 18 draft beers.

One of the bathhouses now operates as a hotel.

The Hale Bathhouse has been turned into a hotel. Kara Williams

Next to the brewery is Hotel Hale, which is the oldest building on Bathhouse Row.

Dating back to 1892, the former Hale Bathhouse is now home to nine hotel suites. Each room features a tub for soaking in piped-in geothermal mineral water.

Visitors can still get the classic park experience with tons of hiking trails.

There are over 26 miles of hiking trails in Hot Springs National Park. Kara Williams

Gentle walking paths and more rigorous hiking trails are both part of the experience for visitors seeking good health in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

We accessed trails just behind Bathhouse Row, spending a couple of hours strolling through the forest. Over 26 miles of trails weave through the hills and canyons on either side of Central Avenue.

Of all the national parks Ive visited, this one stands out as the most unusual.

I really enjoyed our trip to Hot Springs National Park. Kara Williams

As a fan of water wellness, hiking, and hops, I loved visiting Hot Springs National Park.

The well-done museum, opportunities for soaking in a historic bathhouse, and various hiking trails make this national park well worth a road trip stop or weekend getaway.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Hannah Miles, right, and her husband, Ricky,

Hannah Miles, right, and her husband, Ricky, are in the middle of IVF treatment in Birmingham, Alabama. (Courtesy of Hannah Miles)

Birmingham resident Hannah Miles has been trying to have a baby for more than three years, fighting obstacles like endometriosis, diminished ovarian reserve and cancer treatment that affected her husbands sperm. The couple is already nearly $40,000 into the in vitro fertilization process after one failed transfer into her uterus in January. Their last embryo is scheduled to be transferred on March 19.

She messaged her IVF nurse through tears earlier this week, asking if she should continue the medication injections that cost $800 per vial out of pocket to keep her endometriosis from flaring up.

Her clinic, Alabama Fertility, indicated her transfer can move forward, she said, but it has paused any new treatments or transfers because of the Feb. 16 ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court declaring that frozen embryos are equivalent to human children. The clinic made a post on its Facebook page Thursday addressed to patients.

That means Miles wont have another shot at egg retrieval for the foreseeable future in Alabama if this one doesnt work.

IVF requires the collection of as many eggs as possible that are then fertilized. Some that would not make it after implantation in the uterus because of abnormalities or other health factors are destroyed. That could leave clinics open to prosecution as a result of the new ruling.

Its heartbreaking, and its something you dont think youll ever have to face, Miles, 29, said. Now were here, and were paying $20,000 a cycle in the hopes that maybe one day well get a baby, and now were facing not even being able to pay exorbitant amounts of money to be able to have a baby.

The 8-1 decision, authored by Justice Jay Mitchell, has already led more clinics in Alabama to pause IVF treatments, including the states largest hospital, the University of Alabama Birmingham, for fear of prosecution. Companies have also decided to stop shipping frozen embryos to and from Alabama, according to RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.

The ruling came as a shock to many Americans, but experts say it is the culmination of more than 40 years of efforts to grant personhood status to embryos and fetuses.

State Sen. Tim Melson, chairman of the Alabama Senate Healthcare Committee, plans to introduce a bill that would protect IVF by saying an embryo should be considered a potential life but not a human life unless and until it is implanted in the uterus and a viable pregnancy can be detected. As of Feb. 23, Melsons legislation hadnt been introduced yet.

Miles and a few friends are hoping to make it to the Alabama Capitol on Feb. 28 for an advocacy day and to testify at a public hearing on a similar bill introduced by Democrats, House Bill 225, if its being heard.

We have to do something about it, Miles said. It feels like theres not much we can do, but we have to do something.

Previous personhood efforts failed

Its unclear whether the bill will conflict with the concurring opinion authored by Chief Justice Tom Parker, who wrote,  any legislative (or executive) act that contravenes the sanctity of unborn life is potentially subject to a constitutional challenge under the Alabama Constitution.

Parker has long been active in the anti-abortion rights space, and his opinion quoted extensively from the Bible, using religious reasoning for the decision  something he has often done during his time on the court, according to ProPublica reporting from 2014. He worked at former Chief Justice Roy Moores think tank, the Foundation for Moral Law, which promotes the idea that the Bible should be the basis of the law in America and championed the personhood movement in Alabama. Parker also served as Moores spokesperson during the controversy over a Ten Commandments monument that ultimately got Moore ousted from his position as a judge in 2003.

Margaret Marsh, historian and professor at Rutgers University, said many anti-abortion groups have opposed the fertility treatment since the worlds first IVF baby was born in 1978, calling it a morally abhorrent technology and successfully lobbying against federal funding for research using human embryos.

Their goal was to try to make sure that the American people would think of embryos as people, Marsh said.

In 1983, the U.S. Senate held a vote on the passage of a constitutional amendment to declare that human life begins at conception, but the measure was defeated. In the following years, at least 38 states passed fetal homicide laws that allowed prosecution for the death of a fetus as a result of domestic violence or other assault, and some included the option to prosecute someone who is pregnant for using drugs that caused the death of a fetus.

But attempts to go further at the state level largely havent been successful, Marsh pointed out. In 2011, an initiative on the ballot in Mississippi that would have granted full personhood status to fertilized eggs failed by a vote of 57% to 42% after doctors and abortion rights groups raised concerns about the consequences it could have for birth control, IVF and other reproductive care. A similar measure in North Dakota failed in 2014 by an even wider margin, 64% to 35%.

If these things are put to a vote, for the most part, the voters have turned them down, and I think it is likely because they are thinking of either themselves needing infertility treatment, or their friends, or their sisters, Marsh said. So they may be anti-abortion, but I dont think they see assisted reproductive technology in the same way they see being pregnant and having an abortion.

Legislation weighed in other statehouses

Several state legislatures have considered bills this year that relate to fetal personhood laws, including Kansas, Florida and Idaho. A bill in Idaho to change the words embryo and fetus in state law to preborn children was pulled back earlier in the session when a doctor from a local IVF clinic raised concerns about its implications for fertility treatments.

Kansas bill specifies that the embryo must be in utero, but it would allow those who are pregnant to seek child support at any stage of gestation. Representatives for Planned Parenthood in Kansas said its a tactic to open the door for anti-abortion laws, two years after voters soundly rejected an attempt to amend the constitution to ban abortion in the state.

In Florida, the Legislature is considering a bill that would add a fetus to those who could be counted in a wrongful death lawsuit. An amendment would establish that the fetus is a person from conception, according to Florida Phoenix.

The state with one of the most successful personhood laws is Georgia, where abortion is banned after six weeks, and any embryo or fetus with detectable cardiac activity can be claimed as a dependent on a residents tax returns.

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Shana Gadarian, a political scientist professor at Syracuse University who studies public opinion, said despite the support at the legislative level for such laws, shes not sure this latest development out of Alabama will be politically popular with the majority of the country.

IVF is a pretty common procedure now, and if someone directly hasnt gone through it, it is relatively common among groups that are more likely to be conservative, Gadarian said. These are procedures people think of as important in their own lives and are probably separable from abortion.

Polling from Pew Research Center in 2023 found that 42% of adults in the U.S. say they or someone they know has used fertility treatments, and a majority of Democrats and Republicans surveyed thought insurance should cover the treatments. Less than half of the country has mandated insurance coverage for IVF, according to Stateline.

Whatever happens next, Miles said shes ready to contact her representatives at the local, state and federal levels to change the laws, including helping to elect Democrat Greg Griffin, whos running to replace Parker as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.

Until IVF is protected at the federal level, we are all at risk of having something like this happen, Miles said. There is no one angrier at the world than someone going through IVF. Theyve pissed off the wrong people.

The post IVF patient vows to fight for access to treatment in Alabama following court ruling appeared first on Idaho Capital Sun.
Special counsel Jack Smith invoked Robert Hurs report on President Bidens handling of classified material in court documents filed Monday in former President Trumps federal classified documents case.

Smiths filing comes in opposition to Trumps attorneys claiming the former president is being selectively prosecuted. Smith invoked Hur, who was appointed as special counsel to oversee an investigation into Bidens handling of classified documents, to argue that the two cases are practically incomparable in scope.

Most notably, Trump, unlike Biden, is alleged to have engaged in extensive and repeated efforts to obstruct justice and thwart the return of documents bearing classification markings. And the evidence concerning the two mens intentwhether they knowingly possessed and willfully retained such documentsis also starkly different, as reflected in the Hur Reports conclusion.

Biden was cleared of criminal wrongdoing by Hur, who determined that the presidents keeping of classified information in his home and office was against procedure, but not illegal. The most damning aspects of Hurs report were descriptions of Bidens well-being, in which he was described as an elderly man with poor recall. Hur cited those descriptions as a reason why he didnt believe a jury could convict Biden.

Biden, along with the White House and his 2024 campaign, have strongly pushed back against the characterization.

Smith, who like Hur was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland  chosen to lead the Justice Department by Biden  argued that Trumps violations were willing and intentional and included sharing classified information with unauthorized people. Trumps willful retention, federal prosecutors argue, is the reason his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida had to be searched by the FBI, where it discovered boxes of non-secured classified materials in various parts of the complex.

Bidens team, on the other hand, said they fully cooperated with investigators when the classified materials  dating back to his time as vice president and senator  were found at his home in Delaware and an old office in Washington.

Smith argued in his filing that Trumps comparison of the two cases failed to identify someone else who faced a similar legal predicament.

The defendants have not identified anyone who has engaged in a remotely similar suite of willful and deceitful criminal conduct and not been prosecuted. Nor could they, Smith wrote in the filing. Indeed, the comparators on which they rely are readily distinguishable.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
JACKSON  A growing private school population prompted the Jackson School District to partner with neighboring Lakewood on a new busing deal that will affect thousands of students.

Jackson's Board of Education approved a plan this week to bus its non-public school students through the Lakewood Student Transportation Authority beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The transportation authority is a nonprofit organization that transports Lakewood's more than 50,000 students.

In the new school year, the Lakewood Student Transportation Authority will also bus Jackson's more than 4,800 non-public school students.

The deal will replace a system in which Jackson's private school parents received aid-in-lieu of transportation from Jackson School District. Under New Jersey law, private school families who live more than 2 miles from a student's school are entitled to transportation or aid-in-lieu of transportation from the local public school district.

Aid-in-lieu of transportation is capped at $1,165 for the 2023-24 school year in New Jersey.

The deal will help to consolidate transportation routes and reduce the workload of Jackson School District's transportation department, according to a notice posted online by the district. The cost to the school district  and by extension local taxpayers  will remain the same, school officials said in the notice.

The deal is also expected to benefit local private school families, who receive aid-in-lieu of transportation and who have struggled to find contractors willing to transport their student to school for a year for just $1,165, according to Jackson school officials

School buses navigate busy West Cross Street in Lakewood near the Jackson border in September, 2020.

In addition, the thousands of contractors and parents who drive these Jackson students each day are increasing traffic on already busy roads, according to township officials.

"This change will remove the (Jackson) school district from the administrative overhead required to cut checks to thousands of families for transportation," Jackson Township Council President Jennifer Kuhn said in an email newsletter. "Under the consolidation, the LSTA (Lakewood Student Transportation Authority) which already manages routes for 50,000 students each day will absorb the administrative overhead and work to streamline routes and consolidate bus routes to lessen the number of buses on our roads."

Public safety: Who's the top cop? Jackson police chief pans public safety director job

In Jackson, 4,893 students who currently attend non-public schools would qualify for transportation through the Lakewood Student Transportation Authority, according to Jackson School District spokeswoman Allison Erwin. Some of Jackson's private school students do not qualify, because they live within two miles of their elementary and middle schools or 2.5 miles from their high school.

Erwin said the transportation authority will bus Jackson students  not only to private schools in Lakewood and Jackson  but to schools located elsewhere, such as Donovan Catholic High School in Toms River.

Jackson Mayor Michael Reina, in the email newsletter, said the deal with the Lakewood Student Transportation Authority would bring more safety to Jackson private school students by providing one point of contact for police, school officials and the township's Department of Public Works.

Jackson Councilman Mordechai Burnstein said that while the deal is a win for township families, but he added that New Jersey lawmakers still need to address the problems facing private school transportation funding.

"We have been calling for the state to start providing transportation aid as this service is another unfunded state mandate that burdens everyone in town," Burnstein said in the email newsletter. "Transportation costs are skyrocketing because we have to abide by the state regulations, but if they are making us do this, they need to chip in more on the financial costs like they do in other parts of the state to accommodate unique educational situations."

Last month, New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill that allows nonprofit consortiums to form to help reduce costs for private school transportation. Prior to the bill's passage, only Lakewood was permitted to use such a consortium, due to the township's uniquely high number of private school students  totaling more than 40,000.

Related: How private school students will gain from new busing legislation

Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than a decade. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jackson signs deal with Lakewood busing consortium to drive students
Jackson police arrested 18-year-old Amari White and 17-year-old Jarvis Harolson who are wanted in connection to a fatal shooting in early February.

According to a Saturday press release, both were charged with capital murder and aggravated assault.

The Clarion Ledger typically does not publish the names of minors, but because law enforcement agencies named the minors and considered them armed and dangerous, they were named as a public service.

On Feb. 9, Jackson police began investigating the fatal shooting that occurred in the 100 block of Covington Park Drive. The victim, 20-year-old Jadamian Marquez Nichols, was fatally shot once and died at the scene.

Jackson's January homicides: JPD: Jackson sees 12 homicides in the month of January 2024. Who are the victims?

Another victim was also shot and transported to a local hospital.

On Feb. 14, Jackson police arrested 16-year-old Jordan Long as another suspect in this case. Long was also charged of capital murder and aggravated assault.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: JPD MS arrest two more teenagers wanted in shooting and killing one
A schizophrenic man who stabbed a teenager at random has been sentenced to four years and three months in jail.

Mohammed Ikram Iqbal, 34, attacked the 17-year-old boy in Halifax in November 2022, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Iqbal's pleas of guilty to wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife were accepted by the prosecution.

On Monday, Iqbal, of Parkinson Lane, Halifax, was also given an extended licence period of four years.

'Unprovoked attack'

The court heard that before Iqbal, who had a history of mental illness, attacked the teenager on 24 November 2022, he had called a mental health nurse and threatened he was going to stab someone.

Judge Jonathan Rose said Iqbal, who had no previous convictions, had then gone on to carry out the "random and entirely unprovoked attack" on the teen.

Judge Rose told the court that Iqbal had been trying to sleep at his home after he had drunk a substantial part of a bottle of whisky between 08:00 GMT and 09:00 GMT.

But after being disturbed by the noise of moped riders outside, Iqbal had made a conscious decision to go outside and stab someone.

However, the court heard that after finding that the moped riders had gone, he instead vented his frustration on the next person he saw - running towards the 17-year-old and stabbing at him with a blade protruding from a cigarette lighter.

As a result, the teenager suffered a stab wound to his back, which left a permanent scar.

The teenager later described the attack as the scariest situation of his life, Bradford Crown Court was told.

Iqbal was later arrested at his home and he told officers he had "woken up on the wrong side of the bed" and felt he had to carry out a random attack.

Police originally charged him with attempted murder, but last June his guilty pleas to the other charges were accepted by the prosecution.

'Significant damage'

A psychiatrist had concluded Iqbal's schizophrenia was not the cause of the attack and at the time he had not been taking his medication and was abusing alcohol and cannabis, the court heard.

Barrister Jeremy Barton, defending, said Iqbal had since expressed remorse for his offending and had exhibited some insight into his own mental health issues.

"The phone call to the mental health nurse is perhaps the strongest evidence that at the time he realised he was going to do something criminal, something bad," Mr Barton said.

Sentencing Iqbal, Judge Rose said his victim had no warning of what was coming and the defendant had chased after him.

He added that while the teenager's impact statement showed the physical harm he suffered was "thankfully, and entirely fortuitously, not the most serious", the psychological damage was "extremely significant".

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Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has claimed he has been a victim of political persecution since leaving office just over a year ago.

He told tens of thousands of supporters in Sao Paulo that coup allegations against him were a "lie".

He also called for an amnesty for hundreds of his supporters convicted for attacks on public buildings.

Police are investigating whether Mr Bolsonaro incited a failed coup after losing the 2022 election.

Addressing Sunday's rally in Brazil's largest city, the 68-year-old former president dismissed the allegations against him as politically motivated.

He said it was time to forget the past and let Brazil move on.

He also used his speech to talk about the next presidential elections in 2026.

Mr Bolsonaro is still barred from running for office for eight years for undermining the electoral system in Brazil and claiming the last election was fraudulent, despite there being no evidence of electoral fraud.

Jair Bolsonaro returned to Brazil from the US in March 2023, saying he had nothing to fear

Huge crowds wearing yellow and green - the colours of the Brazilian flag - gathered to hear Mr Bolsonaro speak. Those I have spoken to say they are here demonstrating for freedom, and in particular freedom of speech.

They criticise what they see as threats to put Mr Bolsonaro in prison for "saying his opinion".

Several of his supporters at the rally repeated unproven claims that the last election was fraudulent. He had asked them not to bring posters saying this or criticising institutions like the Supreme Court.

Alexandre Franca, a 53-year-old commercial director, told the BBC many people gathered for the rally because "we must express what we want for our country.

"Today everyone is afraid of being repressed. So I think we're here to show our faces. We want Brazil for everybody, freedom for everybody," he added.

Rogerio Morgado, a 55-year-old military official, was another rally participant interviewed by the BBC. He said: "Brazilian politicians are afraid of people on the streets, it's the only thing that Brazilian politicians are afraid of."

Mr Bolsonaro's speech is being watched closely by the authorities for anything that could be seen as inciting riots or undermining the electoral system.

Earlier this month, the former president had to surrender his passport as he is facing an investigation over the accusations that he tried to overturn the October 2022 election results and pressure military chiefs to join a coup attempt.

After he lost the poll to the left-winger Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, thousands of his supporters stormed government buildings in the capital Brasilia - including the presidential palace, the Supreme Court and Congress - looting and vandalising the buildings.

Three of Mr Bolsonaro's allies have since been arrested, and the head of his political party has also been detained.

Police accuse them of spreading doubts about the electoral system, which became a rallying cry for his supporters.

This, police argue, set the stage for a potential coup. When it failed to get the support of the armed forces, however, his frustrated supporters stormed Congress, the building housing the Supreme Court and the presidential palace, on 8 January last year.

Mr Bolsonaro was in the US when the attack on Congress happened. He returned to Brazil in March 2023, saying he had nothing to fear.

He remains the most influential figurehead for the right in Brazilian politics.
On a recent evening, scores of janitors donned matching purple shirts as they marched across downtown Miami shortly after voting for their union leadership to call a strike if necessary.

They held up posters in Spanish and English over their heads, asking for justice and fair pay. Some of the workers held white roses as they protested across the business district where many of them clean offices.

A mariachi band accompanied the protesters, representing the fighting spirit of the South Florida cleaners in song, and sometimes serenading in forceful language: Deja el mapo y la escoba, que es la hora de luchar contra los patrones nos vamos a levantar.

Put down the mop and the broom, its time to fight... against the bosses we are going to rise, belted the group.

The protesters are part of 32BJ SEIU, a janitors union that formally organized in South Florida in 2021. The labor group says it represents about 1,500 workers who provide services in almost 80% of the buildings in downtown Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

And the majority of the union members  currently fighting for higher wages, more full-time positions, and more holidays and paid time off  are immigrant women.

We are all on the same boat. We are immigrants who come from our countries for the American Dream, said union leader Vanesa Gandara.

The union is set to resume contract negotiations on Tuesday. The current agreement with more than a dozen contractors and companies expires this week. A report released in January by 32BJ SEIU which analyzed federal government data found that, at $13.32 an hour, Miami metro area janitorial wages are the lowest among several U.S. metropolitan areas.

If we dont negotiate, if they dont pay us what we deserve, we arent going to clean anymore, said Gandara of the strike vote, which authorizes the unions bargaining team to stop work if no agreement is reached.

Janitors in South Florida met at the Courtyard by Marriott in protest on Wednesday February 21st., 2024 in Downtown Miami.

The report argues that the South Florida commercial real estate market is thriving, and given the high living and housing costs that janitors shoulder, they should be paid more. Workers interviewed for the story said that wages and work conditions have improved since entering their first contract with employers in 2022. The Miami Herald reached out to some of the companies on Monday, but none responded to requests for comment.

Gandara came to the U.S. from Argentina two decades ago. She cleans houses and also has a part-time job as a janitor in Doral. She spends about 14 hours a day working and commuting, a sacrifice she makes to give her children the best opportunities in their adopted country.

But after she and her husband were unable to fully cover their bills, their eldest son, now 25, withdrew from college to help. He now works as a security guard. Meanwhile, Gandaras 15-year-old daughter is studying so she can get scholarships to for college. She hopes to become a lawyer one day.

Gandaras son wants to go back to school. But its an uphill battle on the familys wages.

Many people here in Miami dont know the conditions of cleaning workers. They come to the office the next day and everything is clean, said Gandara, Thats why we took to the streets. So they hear us, because the famous American Dream can be pretty unjust.

Most Miami-Dade essential workers are immigrants

32BJ SEIU conducted a a survey of more than 200 janitors for its January report. It found that 98% of its members in South Florida are foreign-born, while 97% identify as Hispanic or Latino. The unions workers mainly hail from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Nicaragua, Honduras and Cuba. Most have been in the United States for a long time, according to the labor organization. But the group estimates that between 30 and 40 percent have been here for three years or less, part of a wave of recent arrivals looking to make a life in South Florida.

The composition of the unions membership is also reflective of Miami-Dades labor trends. A June 2021 survey from Miami-Dades Office of New Americans found that people born outside the U.S. made up 80% of the essential services workforce, which includes building cleaning, waste management, auto repair, and veterinary services. In all, the survey reported that while the countys foreign-born population is 54.7%, immigrants made up 65% of the employed population.

Janitors in South Florida walks the downtown street in protest on Wednesday February 21st., 2024 in Downtown Miami. Strike could disrupt services for thousands of office tenants & companies throughout South Florida New study shows janitors are mostly immigrant women, lowest paid in the country.

Immigrants also made up the bulk of the workforce in industries such as agriculture, general services, manufacturing, finance, hospitality, healthcare and social assistance, and construction, according to the county office survey.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava met with members of 32BJ SEIU last month to show support for their labor fight.

These contract negotiations are about ensuring that the economic success of Downtown is also felt in Little Havana, Hialeah, Homestead, and other neighborhoods where hardworking janitors live. This contract is about raising standards for thousands of working families that keep our Country clean every day, said Levine Cava in a statement.

They dont speak up for fear of losing their job

The day-to-day work of the janitors is arduous. They often arrive at their workplaces late in the day, once the office workers have left and the air conditioning has been turned off. They clean bathrooms and kitchens, and throw out heavy garbage bags filled with food scraps and office supplies.

Its tough work, said Aurora Mendoza, 58, another union member from the Nicaraguan capital of Managua, Some part-time workers will have four hours to clean three floors.

Mendoza said that sometimes cleaners can be afraid to speak up on the job because they feel vulnerable as immigrants. The janitors have all kinds of immigration statuses, ranging from Temporary Protected Status to citizenship. The workers report their wages to the federal government and get taxes withheld, said the groups communications manager.

There are people who only have a work permit. They are the ones who are more afraid to assert their rights, said Mendoza, They dont speak up for fear of losing their job.

Mendoza came to the U.S. after Hurricane Mitch devastated Central America and killed more than 11,000 people in late 1998. She didnt have a stable job, and her mother was out of work. She found a gig cleaning as a house cleaner and planned to stay half a year in Miami.

Six months turned into 25 years. Today, Mendoza is a cleaner at a gym in Brickell. She disinfects the gym equipment, washes towels and keeps the bathroom sinks and floors dry. She feels fortunate that she has a full-time position, unlike many of her fellow union members, who work part time.

But Mendoza, who moonlights at a community organization and sells homemade desserts on the weekends, has struggled to afford housing. Last year, she and her two sons, who are studying digital security and firefighting, saw the rent go up hundreds of dollars within a few months. The landlord asked them to turn over the unit. It took them months to find another apartment.

Like Mendoza, many of the unions janitors are parents. The four children of Martha Aburto, who works in a Brickell office building, are all adults in their 20s and 30s. But one of her sons has schizophrenia. He wanted to become a doctor when he was younger, but cannot work or study anymore.

He is my motor, my life, and the reason I am here standing, said Aburto, 56.

At the frontlines

Elsa Romero, 60, came alone from Honduras nearly 40 years ago to support her mother and young daughter. She earns about $13 an hour as a part-time janitor and also works as a house cleaner.

Romero has diabetes and needs insulin weekly. The medication can cost as much as $480 a month, though shes able to get it for half the price through a friend at a pharmacy, she said. Still, the life-sustaining medicine can be an exorbitant cost.

Romero used to walk four blocks every night after her shift ended at 11 p.m. The parking lot at the Miami Tower, where she still works, was expensive and empty that late. But one night, three years ago, a homeless man exposed himself and attacked her with a traffic cone, injuring her head. She went back to work the next day, she said.

READ MORE: Downtown Miami janitors say parking is a safety issue  and too costly to afford

The cleaners now have parking in the building, the union confirmed. But the traumatic attack motivated Romero even more to keep fighting for South Floridas janitors. Today, shes part of the bargaining committee.

We are essential workers, she said. We have always been on the front lines.
Former Republican Florida Gov. Jeb Bush came to the defense of former President Trump in a Wall Street Journal op-ed slamming the recent New York civil fraud court case that ordered the 45th president to pay a $354.8 million fine plus interest.

"Every American has a right to be critical of Mr. Trumps politicsone of us ran against him in 2016," reads Bushs op-ed, titled, "Elon Musk and Donald Trump Cases Imperil the Rule of Law."

"But equality before the law is precious, and these rulings represent a crisis not only for the soundness of our courts, but for the business environment that has allowed the U.S. to prosper," the opinion piece continued. "If these rulings stand, the damage could cascade through the economy, creating fear of arbitrary enforcement against entrepreneurs who seek public office or raise their voices as citizens in a way that politicians dislike."

The column, which was co-authored by Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, railed against the recent monthslong civil fraud trial against Trump, which resulted in a nearly $355 million fine and bars Trump from operating his business in New York for three years. The opinion piece also spoke out against how a Delaware judge recently rescinded tech billionaire Elon Musk's $56 billion compensation from Tesla.

TRUMP BLASTS 'CLUBHOUSE POLITICIAN' JUDGE AFTER BEING FINED $350M, DEFENDS THE 'GREAT COMPANY' HE BUILT

Bush ran against Trump in the 2016 presidential election, when the two exchanged repeated barbs, including personal jabs such as Trump claiming Bush is an "embarrassment to his family." In 2018, Bush said Trump is "Republican in basically name only" and took another apparent stab at the then-president, saying after he bowed out of the primary that he returned home where his children "actually love me."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Following Jan. 6, 2021, when supporters of Trump breached the U.S. Capitol, the former Florida governor said Trump "provoked the disgusting events at the Capitol today."

"He has gone from creating chaos to inciting insurrection," Bush said in a post at the time. "Mr. President, accept your defeat, go home to Florida and let our elected officials do their jobs and rebuild confidence in our democracy."

TRUMP BACKS GEORGE P. BUSH, JEB'S SON, IN TEXAS POLITICAL RACE

The op-ed marks a defense of Bush's former 2016 rival, albeit not for Trumps political stances. Instead, Lonsdale and Bush are calling for a "dispassionate" legal system that will not throttle businesses and lead to a weakened economy.

"New York and Delaware have played an outsize role in business in the U.S." the pair wrote. "Many major companies are incorporated in Delaware owing to the states body of corporate legal precedents; and a significant number of banks operate in New York, the world financial capital. The appellate courts in those states now have a chance to review these dangerous judicial rulings and try to stop further damage to the reputations of their respective judiciaries."

"If they dont, blue-state politicians may have the satisfaction of sticking it to Messrs. Trump and Musk, but the loss to those states will be significant," they continued. "The damage to the legal fabric of the country will be even worse. A dispassionate justice system is at the heart of American exceptionalism, and the country will be poorer if we lose it."

Judge Arthur Engoron presides over the civil fraud trial of the Trump Organization in New York City on Nov. 13, 2023.

Trump has since appealed the ruling and repeatedly argued that the presiding judge, Arthur Engoron, and New York Attorney General Letitia James were politically motivated in the case.

FORMER TRUMP RIVAL JEB BUSH CALLS MANHATTAN GRAND JURY INDICTMENT 'VERY POLITICAL'

"A crooked New York judge working with the very corrupt attorney general of New York State, who ran on the basis of I will get trump before knowing me  before even knowing anything about me  just ruled that I have to pay a fine of $355 million based on absolutely nothing," Trump told Fox News Digital after the fine was announced. "No victims. No damages. Great financial statements, with full disclaimer clauses, only success."

NEW YORK AG TAKES VICTORY LAP AFTER TRUMP FRAUD RULING: 'JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED'

The op-ed noted that when James was on the campaign trail for the attorney general position, she ran on a campaign "promise to target the man she called 'an illegitimate president."

"The unusual New York law Ms. James used to investigate and sue Mr. Trump didnt require her to prove that he had intended to defraud anyone, or even that anyone lost money. The Associated Press found that of the 12 cases brought under that law since its adoption in 1956 in which significant penalties were imposed, the case against Mr. Trump was the only instance without an alleged victim or financial loss," the pair wrote.

Trump attorneys had asked Engoron to delay enforcement of the payment by 30 days to allow time for an "orderly post-judgement process," which was denied Thursday afternoon.





Original article source: Jeb Bush comes to Trumps defense after $355M fraud judgment: 'Damage could cascade'
Lantern Festival extends Spring Festival joy across Europe

Xinhua) 08:32, February 26, 2024

People make handicrafts during a celebration of the Lantern Festival at the Chinese Cultural Center in Berlin, Germany, Feb. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

The festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations and symbolizes the coming of spring.

BRUSSELS, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Concerts, galas, lantern riddle solving, as well as fairs and exhibitions, were held across European countries including the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Romania, the Netherlands, among others, to celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival.

The festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations and symbolizes the coming of spring. This year, the Lantern Festival fell on Saturday.

On Saturday evening, in Oxford, the United Kingdom, the Oxford Chinese Students and Scholars Association organized a gala celebrating the Year of the Dragon and the Lantern Festival, showcasing an array of cultural performances such as lion dance, martial arts display, folk music and dance, Sichuan Opera face-changing, and a cappella.

A person takes selfie during a temple fair to celebrate the Lantern Festival at the Atrium City Hall in The Hague, the Netherlands, Feb. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)

Approximately 1,000 attendees reveled in the diverse performances. "The diversity and vibrancy that our Chinese friends bring to Oxford enrich our cultural tapestry and foster an environment of mutual understanding and respect," said Lord Mayor of Oxford Lubna Arshad.

A highlight of the gala was a Chinese-style stand-up comedy, or "Xiangsheng." It entertained the audience by talking about Chinese poems and their translations, eliciting laughter from the audience with a skillful blend of wordplay and humor.

One of the comedians, Shyshov Yegor, a Ukrainian living in China for more than 15 years, told Xinhua that he first went to China as an exchange student. He said "Xiangsheng" is not only a performance that can bring joy to people but also a language art that facilitates mutual understanding between different cultures.

Also on Saturday, a Chinese Spring Festival fair with over 30 booths provided a festive display of Chinese food, martial arts, calligraphy, Tai Chi, and Hanfu display in Antwerp, Belgium.

The one-day event, co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Belgium and the overseas Chinese societies in Belgium, attracted nearly 2,000 residents, overseas Chinese in the country, and tourists from other countries.

A resident, who gave his name as Lucas and wore a deep-blue Chinese Tang suit with dragon-shaped embroidery on his sleeves, shared his knowledge about the Spring Festival with Xinhua. "I know there are 12 zodiac signs in China. My zodiac sign is a tiger. It's a bit sad that I'm not a dragon, but a tiger is also pretty cool," he said with a big smile.

People attend an event celebrating the Lantern Festival at the Chinese Cultural Center in Bucharest, Romania, Feb. 23, 2024. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

In Binche, Belgium, the Happy Chinese New Year of the Dragon exhibition was held at the International Carnival and Mask Museum. The show running until March 31 represents understandings of the Chinese dragon by 41 artists through their paintings and designs.

At a Lantern Festival party in Slovakia on Friday evening, some 200 attendees participated in activities such as solving lantern riddles, writing Chinese characters and making sweet glutinous rice dumplings called yuanxiao, or tangyuan.

An award ceremony for a lantern drawing contest, dedicated to the Chinese Lantern Festival, was held at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria on Thursday evening. About 120 out of more than 300 contestants, who are students from six national art schools in five Bulgarian cities, participated in the award ceremony.

"These works are imbued with the strong spirit of traditional Chinese culture and the wonderful imagination of children," Guan Xin, cultural counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria said.

Avelina Nikolova from Sliven, who was honored with prize, told Xinhua that the event was a "very entertaining, exciting experience," and she learned a lot about Chinese culture.

On Wednesday and Thursday in Malta, two Chinese Lantern Festival concerts captivated local audiences with the enchanting melodies of traditional Chinese music. The event, hosted by the China Cultural Centre in Malta, featured classic Chinese songs such as "Give Me a Rose," "Nocturnal Peace" and "Moonlight over the Spring River."

Chinese artists perform during a Chinese Lantern Festival concert in Valletta, Malta, on Feb. 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian)

The China Broadcasting Performing Arts Troupe's performance in the capital city of Valletta on Wednesday night received a standing ovation, and the artists gave an encore of two more songs: "Jasmine Flower" from China and "Festa" from Malta.

Mary Ann Cauchi, director of Funding and Strategy for the Arts Council Malta, said that the Chinese festival has become a popular attraction. It promotes the convergence of two different cultures, and two ancient civilizations, she said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
BEIRUT, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- A Hezbollah official was killed and four civilians were injured in Israeli strikes across different areas of southern Lebanon on Monday, said Lebanese military sources.

An Israeli drone launched an air-to-surface missile at a car in Al-Majadel town, located in the southwestern Lebanese city of Tyre, killing Hassan Hussein Salameh, an Hezbollah official in southern Lebanon, and wounding a person sitting next to him and another passer-by in the vicinity, the sources said on condition of anonymity.

In a separate incident, two paramedics from the Islamic Health Authority affiliated with Hezbollah sustained injuries, and their ambulance was destroyed during an Israeli raid on the village of Aita Al-Shaab in southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah announced that in response to Israel's attacks, its fighters on Monday afternoon "launched 60 Katyusha rockets targeting an Israeli army base named Nafah in the occupied Golan Heights in Syria."

The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing increased tension since Oct. 8, 2023, after Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attack on Israel the previous day, prompting Israel to respond by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 317 people on the Lebanese side, including 215 Hezbollah members and 59 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources. 
The Jeep Recon rides on the STLA Large platform and expands Jeeps powertrain options.



The Jeep Recon will expand the brands battery-electric presence and will follow the Wagoneer Ss 2024 launch.

Jeep is targeting the end of 2024 to launch the Recon.

The Jeep Recon is comingmaybe sooner than you expected. During a media roundtable, freshly minted Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa discussed a pair of Jeeps upcoming models.

Filosa spoke candidly about the Jeep Wagoneer S and the Jeep Recon and their prospective arrival dates to North American dealers. While we knew the Wagoneer S was coming to the streets in 2024, the Wrangler-inspired Recons arrival window wasnt exactly clear. That is until Filosa said Jeep is trying to get it to dealers before the end of this year.

Details are still surprisingly light on the upcoming Jeep Recon, but we do know some of what to expect. The Jeep Recon and Jeep Wagoneer S will both ride on the Stellantis Large platform, which is also set to underpin the upcoming Dodge Charger.

That means these Jeep EVs could offer an absurd amount of power down the line. Jeep also said the Jeep Recon has the capability to cross the Rubicon, which means this BEV Jeep has the chops to tackle difficult trails.

The Recon also lets you remove the doors and experience the open air with the Freedom top. Although, removing the doors does seem like a taller task than with the Wrangler.

The Recon will also feature underbody protection, the Jeep Selec-Terrain traction management system, and e-locker axle technology.

While the Recon might hit the streets before the end of the year, you can almost expect it to carry 2025 as the model year.

This late 2024 launch will give the Recon a full 2025 calendar year to help sway prospective Jeep customers toward its EV off-roader. Pricing information will have to wait until later in the yearand ultimately will play a major role in this whole formula.

Do you think the Jeep Recon is going to be a success? Tell us your thoughts below.
Luke Davies and Jesse Baird are suspected to have been murdered

Australian police have been searching a remote property for the bodies of a TV presenter and his boyfriend, after their suspected murders last week.

Detectives allege Jesse Baird and Luke Davies were killed by a serving police officer in a Sydney house last Monday.

Senior constable Beaumont Lamarre-Condon, who once dated Mr Baird, has been charged with two counts of murder. He has not commented on the charges.

Police divers are combing waterholes about 185km (115 miles) from Sydney.

They say Mr Lamarre-Condon, 28, may have left the pair's bodies on the remote Bungonia property, after moving them in a white hire van from the alleged murder scene in Mr Baird's home.

On Monday, New South Wales Police said the suspected killer had taken "an acquaintance" to the Bungonia property last Wednesday.

After severing a lock on a gate, Mr Lamarre-Condon then left the female acquaintance there before driving the van on to the property and returning 30 minutes later, police said.

She "wasn't aware the bodies were in the vehicle" and has been co-operating with detectives, Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said.

He added that police were investigating whether Mr Lamarre-Condon had later returned and moved the bodies again.

The suspect had bought an angle grinder and weights from separate stores last Wednesday, the deputy commissioner said.

Mr Hudson also said that in the hours after the alleged killings, Mr Lamarre-Condon had sent messages from Mr Baird's phone telling his friends he was moving to Western Australia.

New South Wales Police have previously said a bullet matching Mr Lamarre-Condon's work-issued gun was found inside Mr Baird's house, along with a "significant" amount of blood.

The suspect was charged after taking himself to a Sydney police station on Friday.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The case is believed to be the first suspected murder carried out by a New South Wales police officer in decades, and it has prompted an independent review into police officers' out-of-hours access to firearms.

Mr Baird had been a presenter and red carpet reporter on Network 10's morning show Studio 10 until the programme was axed in December, while Mr Davies was a flight attendant for Qantas.

Mr Lamarre-Condon joined the police force in 2019 and was previously a celebrity blogger who had met stars including Taylor Swift, Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus.
John Oliver is the latest late-night host to mock Tom Sandoval, taking a swipe at the Vanderpump Rules stars intelligence.

The Bravo reality personality, 40, was also the butt of Saturday Night Live jokes this weekend after he compared his infamous cheating scandal to OJ Simpson and George Floyd in an interview last week.

Im not a pop-culture historian really, but I witnessed the OJ Simpson thing and George Floyd and all these big things, which is really weird to compare this to that, I think, but do you think in a weird way its a little bit the same? he said when asked why he believed there was such public outrage toward his on-screen infidelity.

During the latest episode of Last Week Tonight, Oliver, 46, made a reference to pig butchering  a scam technique in which victims are gradually lured into investing in seemingly legitimate ventures.

Imagine being the victim of this scam, the British comedian said, turning on the news and suddenly learning the shorthand for people in your situation is  the pigs.

Although, I will say, it couldve been worse. Pigs are awesome. They are one of the most intelligent animals on the planet. They are smarter than dogs, most three-year-olds and Tom Sandoval.

John Oliver dings #PumpRules star Tom Sandoval pic.twitter.com/QLvbkD35SR  Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) February 26, 2024

Following the backlash, Sandoval issued an apology, saying: My intentions behind the comments I made in New York Times Magazine were to explain the level of national media attention my affair received. The comparison was inappropriate and ignorant. Im incredibly sorry and embarrassed.

Elsewhere in the interview, the TomTom Bar and Restaurant co-owner also said feels like he got more hate than Danny Masterson over the scandal.

In 2023, the That 70s Show star was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after he was found guilty of raping two women over two decades ago.

Last year, it was revealed that Sandoval was cheating on his partner of nearly 10 years with his Vanderpump Rules co-star Raquel Leviss.

While the drama shook the series and its cast, it did wonders for the shows ratings as Vanderpump Rules became the most-watched reality show on television.

Sandoval was originally in a longtime relationship with fellow cast member Ariana Madix before he embarked on a months-long affair with Leviss. Madix and Sandoval split in the wake of the scandal.

Vanderpump Rules, which is currently in its 11th season, premiered on Bravo in 2013. It follows the lives of servers and bartenders working at Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpumps restaurant, SUR Restaurant and Lounge.
The city of Westwood will move forward with selling its lone park so it can be redeveloped into retail and office buildings, now that a Johnson County judge has ruled that a resident petition aiming to stop the sale is invalid.

Judge David Hauber on Friday sided with the city, deciding the residents who submitted the petition failed to meet several legal requirements to place the sale of the park on the ballot. Without being required to hold a public vote, city officials say they will now complete the sale this summer to pave the way for the redevelopment project.

The sale of the citys only park has caused ongoing controversy in Westwood, with several residents concerned about losing the 1-acre Joe D. Dennis Park at Rainbow Boulevard and 50th Street to private development. After months of debate, the Westwood City Council in October voted 5-1 approving plans for a mixed-use development on 8 acres, including the park.

In addition to building the office space, Johnson County-based Karbank Real Estate Company and the city have reached an agreement to replace Joe D. Dennis with a new 3.8-acre park.

The site also includes the former Westwood View Elementary School, as well as a piece of vacant city property, previously occupied by the Westwood Christian Church. Karbank has agreed to pay off a $275,000 debt the city still owes on the church property. And it has offered the city $2.6 million to purchase the school property from the Shawnee Mission district, to demolish the building and grade much of the land so Westwood can build the new park.

Why wont residents vote on park sale?

Residents  hoping to keep the current park and concerned the development will change the character of the area and worsen traffic  filed a petition protesting the sale, seeking a chance to vote on the land transfer at the ballot box.

Attorney Todd Hauser, who has represented some of these residents, wrote in a previous letter to the city that such impactful change should not come at the communitys expense with lack of sufficient community voice.

In the northern Johnson County city of 1,800 people, residents collected 220 signatures on the petition, and 169 were deemed valid and from registered Westwood voters by the Johnson County Election Office.

But city and county officials both determined that the petition did not meet the legal requirements to be placed on the ballot.

In a Jan. 17 letter, Johnson County Chief Counsel Peg Trent issued the opinion that the petitions language did not comply with state law. And city officials agreed there were several flaws, including that the petition did not clearly state the question that would be posed to voters on the ballot, which is a requirement under Kansas statute.

The City Council voted unanimously that the resident petition did not meet the legal requirements to be placed on the ballot and sought a judges opinion on the matter.

And on Friday, the judge agreed that the petition is invalid.

He found several issues with the petition, including that it did not state the question that would be asked of voters, and that it lacked dates for each signature, as required by law. He said it also failed to include the required recital: I have personally signed this petition. I am a registered elector of the state if Kansas and of Westwood, Kansas and my residence address is correctly written after my name.

The petition has glaring issues that ultimately fall short of what could be considered substantial compliance, Hauber wrote in his decision. While the Court recognizes the concerns of the petition participants, there must be substantial compliance.

The judge wrote that a resident petition does not have to be perfect. But, he said, there must be a significant attempt to comply with the statutory requirements which, if nothing else, is to prevent fraud. There are procedural safeguards to prevent misuse or abuse of the protest system. But there must be an attempt to comply beyond what occurred here.

Fighting for the park

In a statement on Monday, Westwood Mayor David Waters said he is grateful for the Courts ruling, which allows for the Citys vision  as reflected in years of work, planning, and resident input  to become a reality.

We understand that some residents may still have concerns with this project, but we are thankful for their engagement, which led to significant positive changes in the original proposal. We hope residents will continue to be involved as we work to bring this exciting opportunity to life for our community.

The opposing residents also had argued that the city should be following a state law that requires municipalities to publish two public notices of the sale of park land.

The city argued the Kansas statute does not apply to the sale, saying the land was never legally dedicated as a public park. In a lengthy letter, the citys legal counsel demanded the resident group withdraw its claims and cease slandering the Citys title.

But a month after the residents argued that the city had not complied with the law, city officials published two public notices of sale as the statute requires, saying it was necessary to obtain title insurance as it faced litigation threats.

As part of the lawsuit, Westwood officials asked the judge to rule the state law is not applicable to the property and allow the sale to move forward.

In his ruling, the judge wrote that the citys website shows the property has been used as a park for decades and includes features of a typical park. And he said the city has taken action, including posting notices of the sale, indicative that the state law does apply.

But he said a further evidentiary hearing would be necessary to rule on the issue. And he said the city suggested that a ruling on the validity of the petition was all that was needed to determine if a ballot measure was required.

City officials say they hope residents will continue offering feedback as it moves ahead with the sale.

The city has established a committee to discuss the new park design. The group is set to start meeting next month, with broader public engagement expected in the fall.
The Jordanian army on Monday said it had carried out a series of humanitarian aid drops of food and other supplies into the besieged Gaza Strip, one of them by a French army plane.

Jordanian forces made "four air drops carrying aid for the people of Gaza", under the directive of Jordanian King Abdullah II, a statement said.

The operation came on the same day that two human rights groups accused Israel of further limiting humanitarian aid into Gaza -- where the UN has warned of famine -- despite an order from the UN's top court.

Jordan has conducted a total of 16 air-drop operations since the war broke out on October 7 between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza.

Previously announced air drops, including a joint operation with the Netherlands, sent medical and other aid to the Jordanian field hospital in northern Gaza.

Monday's operation "aimed at delivering aid to the population directly and drop it along the coast of the Gaza Strip from north to south," the Jordanian army statement said.

It comprised "relief and food supplies, including ready-made meals of high nutritional value, to alleviate the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip", the statement added.

"Four C-130 aircraft, one of them belonging to the French armed forces," carried out the deliveries, it said.

The cargo floated down on parachutes from the transport aircraft, including over the southern Gaza Strip where around 1.4 million Gazans have converged.

In November Israel said it had coordinated an air drop with Jordan.

Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

Israel's retaliatory bombardment and ground offensive has killed at least 29,782 people, mostly women and children, according to the latest tally by the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

kh/ysm/it
CAIRO, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Egypt and South Sudan signed a deal on Monday to build branches of Egypt's Alexandria University in the South Sudanese capital Juba and the town of Tonj.

The MoU was signed by Alexandria University President Abdelaziz Konsowa and South Sudanese Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Gabriel Changson Chang in Cairo, said Egypt's Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in a statement.

The planned university branches will offer programs in the fields of agriculture, veterinary medicine, education, nursing, engineering, business, biotechnology, and others, said the statement.

Under the agreement, students will be admitted based on the admission standards decided by Alexandria University, and if funding is available, outstanding students can be allowed to spend an academic year at the campus in Egypt.

During the signing ceremony in Cairo, Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ayman Ashour said setting up branches of the university will open new horizons for cooperation between the two countries in higher education.

He said the Egyptian ministry is willing to provide all necessary facilitations to South Sudanese students studying in Egypt and strengthen cooperation between the universities of the two countries.

For his part, Gabriel Changson Chang said the agreement marks an important step for South Sudan to develop higher education while extending thanks to Egypt for its continued support for his country in various fields. 
MENOMONIE  Another community is contending with a contamination of "forever chemicals" in its soil and groundwater, after a release of the chemicals from a nearby 3M manufacturing facility.

The company is investigating the extent of PFAS contamination on its property after a 2022 release of firefighting foam containing the compounds. The chemicals have not yet been detected in the city of Menomonie's drinking water wells, which draw from the groundwater, but that doesn't mean there isn't concern.

Thomas Pearson, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stout and the department chair of the social science department, came across a notice of the contamination during a routine search of the state's PFAS contamination database. He wasn't aware of it before this year, he said, and it's unlikely many other residents are either.

While 3M was required to notify the DNR about the contamination on its property, wider public notification wasn't mandated because the contamination hadn't impacted drinking water.

Thomas Pearson walks in Menomin Park on Friday, February 16, 2024, in Menomonie, Wisconsin. The park is adjacent to 3M's 712,000 square foot plant. Groundwater near the 3M plant on the edge of the Dunn County city has tested positive for PFAS, although none has been found in municipal wells. PFAS chemicals, a group of more than 10,000 compounds, are widely used in consumer products, including rain jackets, nonstick pots and pans, and waterproof mascara. They get into the environment through manufacturing, industrial waste, landfills and the use of firefighting foam.

"I want to know, what does it mean? And if they're detecting these chemicals, and monitoring the wells on the site, where is it going to move to?" he said. "And what are the things that we people should be watching for?"

According to documents submitted to the Department of Natural Resources, samples of groundwater and soil at the site contain levels of PFOA as high as 890 parts per trillion, and PFOS as high as 1,800 parts per trillion. State standards are 70 parts per trillion for both compounds in drinking water, either alone or combined. The recommended federal standards for the two compounds are 4 parts per trillion for drinking water. There are no standards for groundwater yet in Wisconsin, and the federal government does not regulate groundwater.

The facility, which employs about 600 people, manufactures goods related to film, tape, coatings, optical and personal care products, according to DNR documents.

The PFAS detected in tests by 3M stem from an unintended release of firefighting foam in 2022 within the facility. Some of the foam was able to make its way out of the building and into nearby grassy areas, necessitating a wider investigation by the company, said Trevor Nobile, a field operations director for the DNR.

"They initiated a cleanup as part of that fire suppression deployment. And that led to subsequent site work where they removed some material, they cleaned up that spill, but then started collecting some samples around their facility," he said. "The initial spill was what really kind of triggered the ongoing PFAS investigation at the facility."

It's unknown if all of the contamination stemmed from that spill, or if it was in the ground and water before then, Nobile said. That will be answered by the investigation, though it's not clear how long that will take.

Documents seem to show that the contamination was found at several different locations on the 3M property, which consists of nearly 500 acres and several buildings not far from Lake Menomin, an impoundment of the Red Cedar River.

A sign marks the border between Menomin Park and 3Ms plant on Friday, February 16, 2024, in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Groundwater near the 3M plant on the edge of the Dunn County city has tested positive for PFAS, although none has been found in municipal wells.

Questions remain about whether the contamination could spread farther, and about whether the lake  where people often can be seen fishing  has any level of contamination, since storm water flows in its direction from the 3M facility. There hasn't yet been any testing of the lake, according to the DNR, but in the report submitted to the DNR, water from the site could have unintentionally migrated from the facility.

Chris Zahasky, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Geoscience, said the lake and the unnamed tributary that flows into it may be more of a concern than the drinking water, because of how close it is to the 3M facility.

"More than likely what's happening is that PFAS is getting into those tributaries and running into the lake and it's probably a bigger surface water issue," Zahasky said.

Pearson lives only a short distance from the 3M plant; he can see the factory and its smokestacks from his children's bus stop. Sometimes, when he's out for a run at the part behind the factory, he can see foam gathering on Lake Menomin and its unnamed tributary.

While it's not clear if the foam is due to PFAS or something else, he wants the city, which is home to nearly 17,000 people, to seek those answers out and ensure residents are safe and informed.

'We shouldn't assume that just because we don't have information that therefore everything's OK," he said. "I would hope that local officials, DNR officials and 3M are trying to demonstrate that things are safe rather than just assuming it."

An unnamed tributary that runs through Menomin Park and adjacent to 3Ms plant is shown Friday, February 16, 2024, in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Groundwater near the 3M plant on the edge of the Dunn County city has tested positive for PFAS, although none has been found in municipal wells. PFAS chemicals, a group of more than 10,000 compounds, are widely used in consumer products, including rain jackets, nonstick pots and pans, and waterproof mascara. They get into the environment through manufacturing, industrial waste, landfills and the use of firefighting foam.

When asked about the contamination, 3M acknowledged its investigation but did not respond to additional emailed questions.

"3M, in coordination with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, is developing environmental work plans to address the presence of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in soil and groundwater at the Menomonie facility through the agencys Remediation and Redevelopment Program, in which 3M enrolled in 2022," said Grant Thompson, the company's community engagement and public relations senior specialist, said in an email.

To aid in its investigation, 3M has installed seven monitoring wells on its property, and collected samples of both the groundwater and soil. Documents show that further investigation is needed to understand where the PFAS came from, if they may have migrated from another source in the business park, and how far they've spread.

More: High levels of 'forever chemicals' found in well at 3M plant on the outskirts of Wausau

While PFAS  and in particular PFOS  have been detected in both the ground and the water at the site, it hasn't affected Menomonie's municipal water supply. Testing done by the city last year found no PFAS in the drinking water, and the DNR exempted the city from having to do additional testing until next year.

At this point, the city isn't worried, water superintendent Jeremy Hoyt said.

"No concerns with the 3M land," he said in an email. "The state has oversight on that and has done a good job with it."

But Pearson, who has looked at community reaction to PFAS and its impact in places such as Marinette, said there could be more action to get out ahead of the concern that will bloom once more residents are aware of the contamination.

"The report raises so many questions," he said of the documents 3M submitted so far about their findings. "It just makes you wonder."

3Ms 712,000 square-foot plant is shown Friday, February 16, 2024, in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Groundwater near the 3M plant on the edge of the Dunn County city has tested positive for PFAS, although none has been found in municipal wells. PFAS chemicals, a group of more than 10,000 compounds, are widely used in consumer products, including rain jackets, nonstick pots and pans, and waterproof mascara. They get into the environment through manufacturing, industrial waste, landfills and the use of firefighting foam.

Wausau 3M plant also struggling with contamination

The Greystone 3M plant, located on the outskirts of Wausau, also had elevated levels of PFAS detected in its drinking water well and is asking employees to not consume water from taps within the building.

It is not clear where the contamination at the 3M location came from, or if it is at all related to the elevated levels of PFAS in Wausau's wells.

Wausau has one of the most extensive PFAS contaminations in the state, with all of its drinking water wells impacted by the chemicals. To combat the issue, the city is working to install a granulated carbon filtration system, which is currently the best way to extract PFAS from water.

3M is also more widely under scrutiny nationwide for its role in manufacturing PFAS and distributing the compounds without warnings to buyers. Earlier this year, the company agreed to pay up to $10.3 billion over a 13-year period to public water suppliers that have detected the substances in drinking water across the nation.

3M is among the world's largest manufacturers of polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

About PFAS

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a family of man-made chemicals used for their water- and stain-resistant qualities in products like clothing and carpet, nonstick cookware, packaging and firefighting foam.

The family includes 5,000 compounds, which are persistent, remaining both in the environment and human body over time. The chemicals have been linked to types of kidney and testicular cancers, lower birth weights, harm to immune and reproductive systems, altered hormone regulation and altered thyroid hormones.

The chemicals enter the human body largely through drinking water. PFAS have been found across Wisconsin.

Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X at @SchulteLaura.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Discovery of PFAS contamination at Menomonie 3M site raises worries
The Supreme Court grappled with competing views of free speech on social media as it heard nearly four hours of arguments Monday on a pair of state laws that regulate how large tech companies control what content can appear on their sites.

Most justices seemed to think that, in some contexts, the Florida and Texas laws likely violate the First Amendment rights of the social media firms. But the justices also expressed concern that blocking the laws in their entirety might go too far.

The laws, which have not yet taken effect, would force the companies to carry all users viewpoints and prevent them from deplatforming political candidates.

Republican legislators in the two states passed the laws to try to battle what they contend are efforts to squelch conservative voices on platforms like Facebook, YouTube and X, formerly known as Twitter. The laws were inspired in part by platforms banning Donald Trump for violating their rules against inciting violence in his posts related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Mondays cases  Moody v. NetChoice and NetChoice v. Paxton  stem from challenges by key tech lobbying groups, NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Information Association, which say the laws violate their First Amendment rights to make editorial choices about what content to allow or ban.

If the laws are allowed to take effect, the trade groups say, it will be virtually impossible for platforms to police hate speech, pro-terrorism advocacy or various types of content that could harm children.

Potentially pivotal justices in the cases  including conservative Amy Coney Barrett and, unexpectedly, liberal Ketanji Brown Jackson  said that the correct course for the court was murky because large social media platforms play many different roles. While they primarily curate speech crafted by users and enjoy broad First Amendment protection for doing so, the sites also provide services, like private messaging, that dont involve much, if any, editorial supervision by the sites. The services, those justices suggested, are similar to telephone or internet providers and can be subject to more government regulation.

The other justices seemed to sort themselves into camps aligned with the platforms or the states efforts to control them.

The courts most conservative members  Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch  appeared deeply skeptical of the platforms conduct, painting the social media sites as trying to rebrand as content moderation what amounted to efforts to silence or smother views they disagree with.

Is it anything more than a euphemism for censorship? Alito asked. Some may want to resist the Orwellian temptation to recategorize offensive conduct in seemingly bland terms.

However, other justices of different ideological stripes  namely Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Elena Kagan and Justice Brett Kavanaugh  pushed back against the idea that a social media platforms decision to block users or ban certain content is akin to traditional notions of censorship. The First Amendment is designed to guard against censorship by the government, not by private actors, they suggested.

The First Amendment doesnt apply to them, Roberts said flatly. The First Amendment restricts what the government can do.

You said the design of the First Amendment is to prevent suppression of speech, Kavanaugh said to Florida Solicitor General Henry Whitaker. You left out what I understand to be three key words in the First Amendment  by the government.

Texas Solicitor General Aaron Nielson warned that interpreting the First Amendment broadly enough to protect social media platforms policies related to arranging and organizing content had the potential to upend all sorts of laws, including consumer protection and anti-discrimination laws.

At some point the First Amendment has to end or everything is covered by the First Amendment, Nielson said.

The lawyer who represented the trade groups, Paul Clement, warned that the big social media platforms would face stark choices if the laws went into effect and they were required to treat all viewpoints neutrally, as the government typically is.

That means that if you have materials that are involved in suicide prevention, you also have to have materials that advocate suicide promotion. Or if you have those on your site that are pro-Semitic, then you have to let materials onto your site that are anti-semitic, Clement said.

One point of contention that drew attention from the justices was whether the social media platforms should be considered common carriers  like telephone companies  which typically cant discriminate against customers or messages based on the content they host.

Gorsuch claimed that, because the tech platforms have liability protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, they should be considered common carriers.

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, who argued for the Biden administration in support of the tech trade groups, disputed that interpretation of Section 230, a key federal law that insulates online platforms from many lawsuits based on content posted by their users. Section 230, Prelogar said, shows that Congress wanted the platforms to have legal protections for their editorial role, not to be thought of as passive common carriers.

Barrett and Thomas also appeared confused as to how Section 230 impacts the two state laws being challenged  which specifically say they do not conflict with existing Section 230 protections.

Barrett said that Section 230 could pose challenges for future rulings. If what we say about this is that this is speech thats entitled to First Amendment protection, I do think then that has Section 230 implications for another case, she said. So, its always tricky to write an opinion when you know there might be landmines that would affect things later.

Both lawsuits challenged the underlying laws on their face before they were to take effect. To get an injunction under those circumstances, challengers usually need to show that the legislation lacks any plainly legitimate sweep.

But Jackson repeatedly expressed concern that some provisions in the laws might be constitutional, yet could be put on ice if the Supreme Court blocks the statutes completely.

The law on its face is really broad, Jackson said of the Florida measure. To the extent the entire law goes, other lawful applications would go, too.

Similarly, Barrett expressed trepidation with a wholesale takedown of potentially constitutional provisions. We have to look at the statute as a whole, she said. We dont have a lot of briefing on this. And this is a sprawling statute and it makes me a little bit nervous.

Multiple justices suggested it might be best to send the cases back to the lower courts to have them parse through the various provisions.

Suppose we think its pretty obvious that this covers a lot of stuff that does not look like Facebook feed, suppose we can take notice of that, then what? Justice Sonia Sotomayor told Prelogar.

Prelogar said the court should make clear that the major social companies have First Amendment protections over editorial decisions, but then send the cases back to the lower courts to get clarity on how the laws affect smaller platforms.

The two challenges came to the Supreme Court after two federal circuit courts reached opposite conclusions on the laws constitutionality: The 11th Circuit largely struck down Floridas law, and the 5th Circuit sided with Texas.
A hearing officer scheduled to hear the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Controls case against Justins House of Bourbon is off the case.

Why? Because he has a potential conflict of interest: The value of his own bourbon collection could be impacted by the ruling.

According to an order with the Public Protection Cabinet, which is the parent agency of the ABC, Shawn Chapman, the executive director of the cabinets Office of Administrative Hearings, voluntarily withdrew from the case on Feb. 21.

A new hearing officer, Jesse L. Robbins, has been assigned, according to a Feb. 22 order issued by the cabinet.

In the recusal, Chapman said that it is well known that certain rare, older, or otherwise collectible bottles of bourbon and other distilled spirits can be quite valuable, which has led to various black markets where unlicensed persons sell the bottles for many times their retail cost. ... One of the legal questions in (the Justins House of Bourbon) case is whether certain bottles of rare or older distilled spirits, including brands and bottlings that are still currently or regularly produced but are rarely available from a wholesale, constitute vintage distilled spirits that may be legally sold by an unlicensed person.

A closed sign on the front door of Justins House of Bourbon at 601 West Main St. in downtown Lexington, photographed Jan. 19, 2023. The vintage liquor was raided by the ABC after complaints alleging several violations associated with Justins House of Bourbon for the improper acquisition, possession, transport, and sale of bourbon, including Vintage Distilled Spirits. The case is still ongoing.

Chapmans personal bourbon collection apparently includes such bottles.

Chapman said in his recusal that if this case proceeds to a hearing on the merits, it will likely set precedent that will affect the value and salability of those bottles. He said he had previously disclosed to the parties in the case that he owns a collection of bourbon bottles, some of which may qualify as vintage distilled spirits, depending on how the statutes at issue are interpreted and applied. Thus this action will likely affect the value of bottles owned by the hearing office  and whether those bottles may legally be sold at all. This creates at least the potential for a conflict of interest.

Latest update on ongoing Kentucky vintage bourbon case

The Justins House of Bourbon case has been going on for more than a year; ABC agents raided two stores in Kentucky and while District of Columbia agents raided a storehouse in D.C. in January 2023.

Two of the owners of Justins House of Bourbon are suing Kentucky ABC in Franklin Circuit Court, attempting to have the case tossed out and their sales of rare and valuable but not old spirits declared legal.

More than 600 bottles, including bottles of Blantons and Weller premium bourbons, seized by the state have been returned to Justins House of Bourbon, which is still barred from selling them while the administrative case is pending.

More than 600 bottles of bourbon seized by Kentucky Alcohol Beverage Control in January 2023 from Justins House of Bourbons stores in Lexington and Louisville have been returned. But the vintage retailer still cant sell them.

The vintage whiskey seller has alleged that a bottle worth $100,000 and another that is near-priceless were damaged while in state custody; the ABC disputes that.

Earlier this month, Franklin Circuit Court Judge Thomas D. Wingate again declined to act on Justins House of Bourbons motions but said that the Court understands Plaintiffs frustrations with the longevity of the administrative process. The Court directs the agency to expedite this matter.

Potential new Kentucky law could impact vintage bourbon stores

Meanwhile, Kentucky lawmakers are considering legislation designed to make large-scale vintage sales and purchases of rare bourbons illegal. The bill would reform aspects of Kentucky Vintage Distilled Spirits Act passed in 2018 to allow private citizens to sell bottles to retailers, bars or restaurants.

House Bill 439 would make it a Class A misdemeanor crime for a first offense punishable by up to a year in jail, and a Class D felony crime, punishable by up to five years in jail for each subsequent offense, to sell more than 24 bottles in a year or to buy more than 24 bottles in a year from the same seller.

Justin Thompson, left and Justin Sloan, right, in the vintage bourbon room at their Justins House of Bourbon at the corner of Jefferson and West Main streets. Many of the bottles came from their personal collections.

In 2023, the Herald-Leader analyzed Vintage Distilled Spirits sales reported to the Kentucky Department of Alcohol Beverage Control and found some individuals sold hundreds of bottles to retailers over the five years since the Vintage Distilled Spirits Act was passed.

The legislation would cap the number of bottles of popular bourbons such Blantons, Weller and Pappy Van Winkle that could be flipped to vintage stores such as Justins House of Bourbon.
Kansas lawmakers advanced several bills on election laws before their Friday turnaround deadline.

The four bills passed by the House last week now head to the Senate. While some got bipartisan supermajority support, one controversial bill did not get enough to override a potential veto.

Advance voting changes

The House passed House Bill 2512 in a 97-23 vote.

Under the bill, in-person advance voting would no longer be offered on the Monday before a Tuesday election, starting in 2025, though local officials could make exceptions. Currently, the advance in-person voting period closes at noon the Monday before an election.

The bill, starting this year, would allow in-person advance voting on both the Saturday and Sunday of the weekend before election day. Election offices would be required, at a minimum, to have four hours on such Saturdays. Currently, election offices are allowed but not required to be open on the Saturday before an election.

Advance voting signage at the Shawnee County Election Office. Kansas lawmakers are considering requiring election offices to be open for early voters on the Saturday before an election.

The stated intent was to reduce the burden on election officials from Monday voters.

"I understand the problem of people coming in at the last minute, adding to all that needs to be done in preparation for election day," said House Minority Leader Vic Miller, D-Topeka.

But Miller also proposed an amendment to allow anyone who votes by mail to opt into the permanent advance voter list, meaning they would no longer have to apply again ahead of every election. He said county election officers support his idea because it would make their jobs easier and reduce their paperwork.

Rep. Paul Waggoner, R-Hutchinson, said the state should not expand the permanent advance voter list.

"That would be a total mistake as far as keeping our election process clean, transparent and the notion of trying to create an environment where you do have complete voter confidence in the integrity of elections," he said.

Speaker Pro Tempore Blake Carpenter, R-Derby, said it could potentially lead to issues at rental properties from which voters have moved.

"If we pass this today, we are going to allow for these advanced ballots to continue to go to these homes where people might not live anymore. And then at that point, we have to trust that those people who are there are ethical with those other people's ballots."

Signature verification can't be relied upon, he said, because of an ongoing legal challenge against it.

Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, D-Overland Park, said it is already a crime for someone else to fill out a ballot, so "we definitely have controls in place."

Republicans rejected Miller's amendment in a 37-83 vote.

Making it harder for independents to run for office

The House also passed House Bill 2516 in a 68-52 vote, which would make it more difficult for an independent candidate to get on the ballot for statewide office by roughly quadrupling the number of signatures needed.

The bill would change the petition signatures required from an independent candidate to get on the ballot from 5,000 to at least 2% of the total votes cast in the preceding election. That would mean more than 20,000 signatures required if an independent wanted to run for governor in 2026.

"Any credible and serious independent candidate should be able to collect the signatures required in this bill," said Rep. Les Mason, R-McPherson. "And that's the simple goal, to make sure that the independent candidate is serious and credible, not motivated by ego or personal vendetta."

Mason cited the failed 1930 and 1932 campaigns of independent candidate John Brinkley, who ran after his medical license was revoked, as reason for the bill. But he also acknowledged that independents have also run in recent gubernatorial elections and noted that "in Kansas' three most recent gubernatorial elections, the declared winner received less than a majority of the vote."

Rep. Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, said it "feels a little retaliatory" toward Dennis Pyle, and independent senator from Hiawatha who ran for governor in 2022.

Pyle has frequently been blamed by Republicans for Derek Schmidt's narrow loss to Gov. Laura Kelly, even though Kelly's margin of victory over Schmidt was by more votes than Pyle got.

Voting booths are set up at the Shawnee County Elections Office.

Requirements for poll workers changed

A bill would allow military members, dependents of military members and college students to volunteer in areas that are not the same as where they are registered to vote.

House Bill 2616 passed the House on a vote of 93-27. The bill's carrier, Rep. Jeff Underhill, R-Junction City, explained that the expansion toward military families and college students is because those demographics are often registered to vote outside of their current precinct.

"County election clerks struggle to find additional reliable workers to run elections," Underhill said. "Further, nearly 60% of all poll workers are aged 61 and older."

The House Election Committee amended the bill to add a qualification that poll workers must be citizens of the United States. The bill was uncontroversial in committee, garnering no testimony in opposition, and a ranking Democratic member of the House asked for it to be passed on the House floor.

"As we talked about in our caucus, if you're pro more poll workers vote yes," Woodard said, "and if you don't want Kansans serving as poll workers vote no."

False representation of poll workers

A bill clarifying language from a 2021 bill that criminalizes impersonating a poll worker passed the House on an 85-35 vote.

House Bill 2618 would add that whoever is charged with impersonating a poll worker must be proven to have acted with the intention to deceive someone. The 2021 law is currently tied up in the Kansas Supreme Court, with opponents arguing that the law is written vaguely enough that it could stop volunteers from participating in voter registration drives over fears of prosecution.

"This is hopefully going to remove some vagueness and make it more clear how we want this bill to be applied," said Rep. Leah Howell R-Derby.

Woodard questioned whether the bill actually makes the law clear. He said it doesn't cite specific actions that are illegal and that it doesn't specify what intent means. He asked the House to reject it while the court makes a decision.

"This issue was before the Kansas Supreme Court and I feel like this bill is an attempt to do Attorney General Kobach's job for him," Woodard said.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas House sends four bills on election laws to Senate
A Norfolk County Assistant District Attorney and one of Karen Reads lawyers provided contrasting descriptions of the secret documents the U.S. Attorneys Office turned over last week from their probe of Reads arrest and prosecution.

During a hearing for Read Monday in Dedham, defense attorney Alan Jackson said his team was still reviewing the 3074-page document dump, but he described the information hes already examined as being favorable to Read.

Judge Beverly Cannone agreed to push back her trial from March 12 to April 16 to give both sides time to review the new findings.

Karen Read trial has been postponed. Judge has moved it to April 16th. Its a 5 week delay  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) February 26, 2024

All of it is brand new. And all of it, your honor, appears to us to be exculpatory, Jackson said about the federal findings. We will be filing a motion for extraordinary governmental misconduct based on certain evidence that we just received, he said.

In addition to filing a misconduct claim, Jackson said he plans to issue additional subpoenas based on the federal paperwork, but he didnt provide the names of the individuals he plans to question.

Jackson told Judge Beverly Cannone he would be adding information from the federal probe to two existing motions she still needs to consider. One is a motion to dismiss the case, the other is a motion to disqualify and sanction the Norfolk DA.

Jackson asking Judge for more time review the federal findings. He says there's "no possible way" he will be ready to argue motion to dismiss the case in March.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) February 26, 2024

Read's attorney Jackson says the feds have released 3074 pages of information from their investigation of the Karen Read case.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) February 26, 2024

The prosecution said it has reviewed all the evidence from the feds and Assistant D.A. Laura McLaughlin disputed the defenses interpretation of it.

I would say approximately 90% to 95% of the material that weve received is consistent with the Commonwealths theory of the case, McLaughlin said in court. The evidence, as a whole, is very consistent with prior statements made by witnesses.

Jackson said the defense will need additional time to work on motions. Judge Cannone asked him to put the request in writing.

Judge Cannone also said that the Deputy U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts has agreed to allow both sides to reference the federal findings in upcoming proceedings.

The parties can make oral references to the contents in the materials and proceedings in this courtroom only as necessary to further the proceedings, Cannone said.

Karen Read, 41, of Mansfield, Mass., is charged with manslaughter in the Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, death of Boston police Officer John OKeefe. O'Keefe, 46, was off duty at the time of his death.

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe

Karen Read is arraigned in Stoughton District court accused of manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston Police officer John O'Keefe

Prosecutors have alleged that Read backed over her boyfriend, Officer John OKeefe, and left him to die in a January 2022 blizzard in Canton. She is charged with second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a collision in connection with his death.

25 Investigates reported last week that a new filing from the prosecution indicated OKeefes DNA was found on Reads broken taillight and that testing found tiny pieces of taillight in his clothing were consistent with broken pieces from Reads taillight.

25 Investigates: Prosecutors say taillight DNA evidence implicates Karen Read

Reads lawyers declined to comment last week.

Reads lawyers claim she is being framed in a massive cover-up, and that feds have been investigating the probe into OKeefes death.

Earlier this month, a filing obtained by 25 Investigates initially showed Reads trial might begin later than scheduled.

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Registered Republicans will have the choice of who they want to appear on the fall ballot in the Summit County clerk of courts race.

Napoleon Rodgers Jr. and Katie Reed both hope to bring a fresh perspective to the administrative role that was vacated last year when the former clerk was elected as the Akron Municipal Court clerk.

The winner of the GOP race will go on to face the Democrat Tavia Galonski, who was appointed as the county clerk in early January.

What is the clerk of courts?

The clerk's office is divided into two divisions: legal and title.

The legal side maintains and preserves records, including case files and calendars, for each court while the title division issues title certificates for watercraft and motor vehicle owners, according to the Summit County Clerk of Courts website.

The clerk oversees and manages this office and the staff that carries out these tasks.

Katie Reed, 35-year-old Barberton clerk of courts

Katie Reed, 35, is the Barberton Municipal Court clerk who is running to be on the Republican ticket in the fall for the Summit County clerk of courts race.

Reed, 35, of Green is the current clerk at Barberton Municipal Court. She had about four years of municipal court experience before she was appointed to the clerk role in July 2023

Before moving into court administration, she raised her two young kids alongside her husband while running campaigns across the state, including one for Judge Jennifer Hensal of the Ninth District Court of Appeals.

In 2019, she became a bailiff at Akron Municipal Court, she said. Six months later, COVID-19 struck alongside a job offer.

"The previous Barberton Clerk of Courts of 12 years contacted me to be her chief deputy," Reed said. "She took me under her wing and taught me everything I knew."

In the three years that followed, Reed learned and began taking on more responsibilities, including the hiring of staff members and budgeting.

"It is about being able to get a team that works together to work with the public and help have what they need when they walk out of the courthouse," Reed said.

If elected on the county level, she hopes to increase access to resources while improving communication between the courts and the clerk's office.

"I love what I do," Reed said. "I love the interactions with the public and being able to help."

Napoleon Rodgers, 52 of Akron

Napoleon Rodgers Jr., 52, hopes to be the next Summit County Clerk of Courts.

Rodgers, 52, of Akron and a Howard University graduate, cares for two people living with disabilities, one with autism and another who is developmentally delayed, he said.

His experience as a caretaker, time in the Navy reserve and his own experience in domestic court, he said, influenced his decision to run to be the next county clerk of courts.

"I want to teach people how to avoid the court system by teaching them about its resources and the consequences of their actions," Rodgers said. "People don't know what the consequences of their actions are until they are in jail."

At the same time, he wants to push for community policing by increasing cooperation between law enforcement and community leaders to hold people who commit violent crimes accountable.

If elected, Rodgers would like to lobby for an emergency overnight shelter for men.

"Where is there to go for men when they are in a bad situation?" he asked. "All they need is a bed to stay out of trouble, because that's my job, to keep you out of the court system."

Rodgers said his personal experience in the Summit County Domestic Relations Court was difficult.

He said his goal would be to teach the courts how to have empathy when dealing with those entering the system and those with little to no experience with that system.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Who is running for Summit County clerk of courts?
The famously bone-dry salt flats at the bottom of Death Valley National Park in California aren't the first spot where most experienced kayakers would expect to paddle out.

Most of the time, water evaporates far faster than it can fill the Badwater Basin, which, at 282 feet below sea level, is one of the hottest, driest and lowest-elevation places in North America. But in the aftermath of record torrential rains and flooding, water has transformed the arid landscape into a thriving lake.

And park-goers are finally taking advantage of the rare occurrence.

The park recently re-opened to guests after road closures and flash flooding damage prevented visitors from reaching the basin in the aftermath of Hurricane Hilary. Since then, adventurers have flocked to witness the lake formation for themselves and wade out into its waters.

Haven't been yet? You may want to get a move on: Park rangers warn that water levels are expected to drop in a matter of weeks. Here's what to know:

Alexandria Klein, left, and Laura Klein ride Thursday in Badwater Basin, a famously dry salt flat at the bottom of Death Valley National Park Rangers aren't sure how long the lake will be there.

Why did the Death Valley lake form?

In the past six months, a deluge of storms bringing record amounts of rain led to the lake's formation at Badwater Basin, which runs along part of central Californias border with Nevada.

Amid torrential downpours, Death Valley National Park's valley floor has received a record 4.9 inches in the past six months, far surpassing the average annual rainfall of about 2 inches per year, according to park officials.

Satellite images released by NASA show how the lake formed in August in the aftermath of Hurricane Hilary. Though it gradually shrank, it persisted throughout the fall and winter before it was filled back up by another strong Californian storm earlier this month, known as an atmospheric river.

A paddle boarder paddles through water Thursday at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, Calif. Kayakers and visitors have flocked to the park to take advantage of the ephemeral waters that have filled the basin, which is normally a dry salt flat.

NASA's series of three images compares the desert basin in July before the flooding with its more-waterlogged state following both major storms in August and then in February.

Because the Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America, it goes without saying that it will collect water. But Park Ranger Nichole Andler told the Associated Press that it typically evaporates faster than it flows, making the lake formation especially rare.

To have as much water as we have now  and for it to be as deep and lasting as long as it has  this is extremely uncommon, Andler said. If its not once-in-a-lifetime, its nearly.

What are visitors doing at the Badwater Basin lake?

A paddle boarder tows an inflatable unicorn Thursday on a temporary lake in Death Valley National Park. A series of storms have brought more than double the California park's annual rainfall in the past six months.

Badwater Basin was once the site of the large ancient inland Lake Manly, which evaporated tens of thousands of years ago, leaving behind concentrated salt deposits. Stretching for 200 miles, the salt flats have since become a popular spot for tourists drawn also by the scenic surrounding towering mountains surrounding them.

The presence of water, of course, has only served to draw in more visitors.

Photos taken Thursday by the Associated Press show hundreds of visitors wading through the waters, which also remained up to a foot deep in parts, enough for kayakers and other boaters to paddle through them.

Brian Nelson, left, and Kathleen Nelson, right, both of Bishop, Calif., pull kayaks Thursday into water at Badwater Basin. Record rains and flooding have filled the normally-dry basin with water in the past few months.

It hadn't been for 20 years that visitor Bob Gang was aware that the lake had filled to the point that boaters could go out on it, and he didn't intend to miss out again, the AP reported.

Its a lot of fun, Gang, who gave a girl a ride on his kayak, told the outlet. Its good to see the little kids out here enjoying this and seeing something totally unique.

But it won't last forever.

Vinaya Vijay, right, and Vijay Parthasarathy wade through water at Badwater Basin, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Death Valley National Park, Calif. The basin, normally a salt flat, has filled from rain over the past few months.

How long is the lake expected to last?

The lake remains about six miles long and three miles wide, but water levels are expected to drop in only a matter of weeks. Park officials speculated that the lake, which is shrinking every day, could last until late March or April  if we're lucky.

Kayakers might not have as much time to paddle out, but other visitors should be able to see the stunning reflections of the surrounding peaks in its calm waters for a little longer.

"Then itll be a muddy, wet mess, and then itll dry out into those gorgeous white salt flats," Andler told the Associated Press.

Contributing: The Associates Press

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kayaking at Death Valley lake draws visitors: Could water dry up soon?
Downing Street has refused to describe Lee Andersons comments as Islamophobic amid a growing row over the use of the term.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman would not use the term to describe Mr Andersons claims that Islamists have got control of Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.

Kemi Badenoch, the equalities minister, rejected the term as defined by Labour, which describes Islamophobia as a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.

It is understood Mrs Badenoch feels the definition of Islamophobia, which has also been adopted by the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru, the Mayor of London and all major political parties in Scotland, runs the risk of being used to shut down legitimate criticism of Islam.

Both Labour and the Lib Dems are demanding that Rishi Sunak use the term to describe Mr Andersons remarks.

But the Prime Ministers official spokesman refused to do so, saying: The PM has been clear that we dont tolerate any anti-Muslim hatred in any form, and we will combat that and any sort of discrimination of that kind, as we do any racism or prejudice and intolerance wherever it occurs.

Kemi Badenoch claims Labour's Islamophobia definition would create 'a blasphemy law' if adopted - Henry Nicholls/Reuters

Downing Street reiterated the Governments refusal to back the definition of Islamophobia coined by the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims, which was adopted by Labour in 2019 as an important statement of principle and solidarity.

As the Government has stated previously, there are issues in relation to the all-party parliamentary groups definition of Islamophobia, which conflates race with religion, does not address sectarianism within Islam, and may unintentionally undermine freedom of speech, said the spokesman.

But as Ive said, we have always been clear that this Government does not and will not tolerate anti-Muslim hatred.

Mr Sunak has condemned Mr Andersons comments as wrong and unacceptable, but the refusal to describe them as Islamophobic led Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, to say the Prime Minister was too weak to call it out for what it is.

The Lib Dems also urged Mr Sunak to go further. Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader, said: The refusal of Rishi Sunak and his ministers to properly call out Lee Andersons extreme comments shows just how low the Conservative Party has fallen.

Rishi Sunak needs to condemn Andersons comments for what they are  Islamophobic and racist  and make clear he wont be let back into the Conservative Party.

Mrs Badenoch has claimed Labour would risk creating a blasphemy law with its definition of Islamophobia and said it was best to use the term anti-Muslim hatred to protect both religious freedom and the freedom to criticise religion.

Anneliese Dodds, Labours shadow equalities secretary, has accused senior Tories of failing to call out Islamophobia in the wake of Mr Andersons suspension, suggesting this was because the party had refused to adopt the definition used by every other major political party in Britain.

But Mrs Badenoch suggested taking this line would risk compromising the freedom to criticise religion and said Labours

definition was not in line with law as written.

She wrote on X, formerly Twitter:

We use the term 'Anti-Muslim hatred'. It makes clear the law protects Muslims. In this country, we have a proud tradition of religious freedom AND the freedom to criticise religion.



The definition of 'Islamophobia' she uses creates a blasphemy law via the back door if adopted. https://t.co/lhHdSbs6Kz  Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) February 25, 2024

Linking to a letter sent to Sajid Javid when he was home secretary, in which dozens of signatories alleged that the all-party parliamentary groups definition of Islamophobia threatens civil liberties, Mrs Badenoch added: Anti-Muslim hatred is more precise and better reflects the UKs laws, as others have noted.

The Cabinet minister was responding to a tweet from Ms Dodds.

Mr Khan has accused Mr Sunak of enabling anti-Muslim hatred in the Conservative Party. Mr Anderson admitted his original remarks were clumsy, but said saying sorry would be a sign of weakness.

Live: Politics latest news

Sunak 'too weak' to label Lee Anderson remarks Islamophobic, claims Starmer

Read more

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Kemi Badenoch is to meet the UAE economy minister as the UK attempts to secure a free trade deal with Gulf states - JEFF OVERS/BBC

Kemi Badenoch, the Business Secretary, will meet the United Arab Emirates economy minister during her visit to the Middle East country this week, as the Abu Dhabi-funded bid for the Telegraph remains in limbo.

Ms Badenoch and Greg Hands, the trade minister, are both attending a World Trade Organisation (WTO) gathering in the UAE.

The trip comes with the Government still deciding whether to approve a UAE-backed takeover of The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and Spectator magazine.

A bid by RedBird IMI, a fund 75 per cent financed by the UAE, for the titles is being investigated by Ofcom on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). An update from ministers is expected next month.

MPs from across the political divide have raised concerns about a foreign government owning a British newspaper, warning it could undercut impartiality and free speech.

Critics have questioned whether the Governments attempts to attract investment from the UAE could colour its consideration of whether to let the takeover go ahead.

Ms Badenochs visit to the UAE is not linked to the Telegraph sale.

Global trade talks

In recent months, Government spokesmen have consistently said the takeover will not be discussed by ministers who talk to UAE figures about other matters.

Ms Badenoch is due to meet Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE minister of economy, and his counterparts from other Gulf states as part of the UKs attempts to secure a trade deal.

The Government is hoping to strike a free trade deal with a group of six Gulf nations: The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait.

Six rounds of negotiations have already taken place. Ms Badenoch will hold talks with ministers from all six governments in Abu Dhabi this week.

The countries have at least 19 billion already invested in each others economies and total trade worth 59 billion.

Ms Badenoch will attend the WTOs Thirteenth Ministerial Conference, known as MC13. The gathering brings together more than 150 of the worlds trade ministers for a week, with talks on global rules for tariffs, regulations and how businesses sell their goods overseas.

Opportunity knocks

Ms Badenoch said before her trip: Free trade creates jobs, opportunities for businesses, and puts money in peoples pockets.

We want to see more barriers torn down, not new ones being put up. This is why its important the UK is here at MC13, to secure meaningful outcomes for companies and consumers back home and around the world as part of the Governments plan to grow the economy and boost opportunities for our young people. I look forward to working with members this week to make that happen.

The DCMS has commissioned Ofcom, the media regulator, and the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate the proposed UAE-funded takeover of The Telegraph.

However, the Cabinet Office is yet to use another potentially relevant power, stepping in over whether the takeover would undermine UK national security.

Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, would have the final say on whether a national security intervention is justified.

Calls for such a move have come from MPs in different political parties, including Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former leader of the Conservative Party.

Sir Iain said in a piece for The Telegraph last month: In a world where we are overwhelmed with information and deepfakes, and where a story can reach the other side of the world in a matter of seconds, the value of reliable journalism  with a commitment to integrity in its reporting  has never been clearer. A free press is the cornerstone of British democracy, especially when it makes life uncomfortable for politicians like me.

We have a proud tradition of journalistic independence and editorial freedom in this country. That tradition depends on journalists knowing that their publications will stand by them when others seek to silence them. That is why the prospect of the UAE government taking control of The Telegraph should concern us all.

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PHNOM PENH, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet will pay an official visit to Malaysia on Feb. 27 at the invitation of his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim, the country's foreign ministry said in a press statement on Monday.

The two prime ministers will hold a bilateral meeting to discuss diverse dimensions of cooperation, including political security, trade and investment, tourism, labor, halal food industry, ICT and digital technology, and energy security, the statement said.

The two leaders will also preside over the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between central banks from the two sides on cooperation in the area of financial innovation and payment systems, it added.

During the visit, Hun Manet will also attend the Cambodia-Malaysia Business Forum, where he will deliver a keynote address and witness the signing of two MoUs covering trade cooperation between the chambers of commerce from the two sides, the statement said.

The visit "will contribute further to deepening the long-standing ties between Cambodia and Malaysia in bilateral and multilateral frameworks for the best interests of the two countries and the region," the statement added. 
A Kentucky man who used movie prop money to buy a pickup truck and other items has been sentenced to four years and four months in federal prison.

A judge also fined Timothy Noble $8,200.

Noble, 35, of Melbourne, in Campbell County located in Northern Kentucky, had been in custody for a year before he was sentenced and received credit for that time, leaving his remaining sentence at 40 months, according to court records.

Using a fake name, Noble responded to an advertisement on Facebook Marketplace for a 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche in April 2022.

The seller agreed to take $4,700 for the vehicle, but discovered after Noble left with the truck that Noble had given him six real $100 bills and 41 fake ones, according to the court record.

Noble used movie prop money he bought through Amazon.

Two weeks after buying the truck, Noble used fake money to buy a trailer in Ohio, using the truck to tow it, and then bought another trailer with counterfeit money two days later in another Ohio county, according to a sentencing memo from the prosecutor, Assistant U,S. Attorney Andrew A. Spievack.

That same day, Noble tried to use fake money for another purchase but the seller recognized the cash wasnt real and reported the incident to police, who found Noble in the pickup truck with more than $26,000 in counterfeit bills, according to the prosecution memo.

Noble told police he didnt try to pass the fake bills at gas stations because the clerks handle enough money to spot counterfeit bills, then regretfully acknowledged that he just told on himself, Spievack said in the memo.

The conviction in federal court was Nobles 11th theft-related conviction, with other cases still pending, according to the sentencing memo.

Nobles attorney, Stefanie L. Durstock, said in a court document that he had a long history of substance abuse and was using heroin Percocet and Xanax daily when he was arrested.

Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves sentenced Noble Feb. 21.

Kentucky doctor sentenced for improper prescribing, exceptionally high dosages

Kentucky man sentenced for $4 million in loan fraud. It was his third federal case.
Knowing when, and where, Carl Brashear grew up might make you pause when you learn he became the first Black master diver in the U.S. Navy.

But Brashear never let adversity stand in his way.

Born in the 1930s in rural Kentucky, Brashear's parents were sharecroppers in the area around Larue and Hardin counties in the middle of the Jim Crow era  known for its segregation and discriminatory treatment of Black people in America.

Though Carl only had a middle school education and spent much of his early life tending to farm duties such as milking cows and chopping wood, he had his sights set beyond the agricultural world of Kentucky.

"My father wanted to get away from sharecropping the farm, so he joined the Navy," Carl's son, Phillip Brashear, recently told the Courier Journal.

Carl Brashear was born and raised in Kentucky. Carl went on to join the U.S. Navy and break boundaries as the first Black person to become a Master Diver. Following an accident, Carl lost his leg but continued to prove himself as a diver for years.

In 1948, after meeting with military recruiters, 17-year-old Carl packed his bags and joined the U.S. Navy, which had only been desegregated two years before his enlistment. At the time, many Black soldiers in the Navy only held lower-level roles such as messmen, cooks and stewards.

Carl helped change that. A few years after joining the Navy, while on a trip to Key West, Florida, he got his first glimpse of Navy divers and knew that was what he wanted to do. But wanting it was easier said than done.

One of the trickiest parts of Carl's journey, even before he put on any diving gear, was getting his application accepted.

"He put in a lot of applications which were denied automatically because they didn't want a Black man going to Navy dive school," Phillip said. "But eventually one went through, and he was sent to Navy dive school."

Through "hard work and determination," Phillip said his father graduated from the dive school and became the first Black and amputee Navy master diver in U.S. history, earning the highest qualification possible for divers in 1970.

Carl Brashear was born and raised in Kentucky before joining the U.S. Navy and becoming the first Black person to be a Master Diver.

"I can honestly say that I reached my goal in the Navy. It was an exciting career, it was a rewarding career, but then it wasnt a bed of roses either. I had my ups and downs in the Navy, but I would do it over if I could. I enjoyed the excitement of being a deep-sea diver. I think the Navy was the best place for me to grow up and find myself, a quote from Carl Brashear on the United States Naval Undersea Museum website states.

In 2006 at the age of 75, Carl passed away from respiratory and heart failure, but the legacy he leaves behind is one of grit and perseverance.

"I never want my dad's name to become a myth ... he's going to remain an American military legend," Phillip said.

Here are five things you don't know about Kentucky's war hero Carl Brashear.

The 'Men of Honor' movie is based on Carl Brashear's life

"Men of Honor," a film starring Cuba Gooding Jr., that details Carl's life and journey, was released by 20th Century Fox in 2000. During the production of the film, Phillip said his father spent lots of time on the set as a technical consultant.

The film showcases the racism and discrimination Carl faced and how he overcame it all to become "the best" in the U.S. Navy.

"On premiere night, getting out of the limousine with my father and getting to walk the red carpet with the spotlights and cameras is an experience I'll never forget," Phillip said.

Carl Brashear lost his left leg in an accident but continued diving

Carl Brashear is a native Kentuckian who broke racial boundaries in the U.S. Navy, becoming the first Black person to achieve the rank of Master Diver.

During a mission in 1966, two U.S. Air Force planes accidentally collided off the coast of Spain, sending one plane carrying nuclear weapons into the ocean.

During a retrieval effort, Carl had an accident that caused him to lose his left leg.

"The Navy determined at this point that with the loss of the leg, he wouldn't be able to be a diver again," Phillip said.

But the Navy was wrong. Carl spent the next 11 months rehabbing, recovering, and rigorously training to continue his diving career.

"He proved to the Navy he could be a Navy diver and the Navy decided after everything ... he was capable of doing it, so they gave him his diving rank back, which was a feat in history," Phillip said.

The Radcliff Veterans Center is dedicated to Carl Brashear

In 2023, the Radcliff Veterans Center was named after and dedicated to Carl Brashear, a Kentuckian who became the first Black Master Diver in the U.S Navy.

A Kentucky veterans center in Radcliff was named the Carl M. Brashear facility. The 120-bed veterans home features private suites for residents.

"To have such an honor and such a facility named for my father, it's such a high point in my family's life ... there's entities like this to keep my father's story alive," Phillip said.

Currently, the center is in need of multi-million-dollar repairs for its air conditioning system among other features. This concern was brought up earlier this year during the legislative session in Frankfort.

There is a Navy ship named after Carl Brashear

In 2008, the seventh Lewis and Clark class Auxiliary Dry Cargo ship was officially named Carl Brashear.

The 689-foot-long ship supplies cargo and ammunition to other fleets and can carry more than 6,600 tons of supplies.

Phillip Brashear started a foundation in his father's honor

Phillip Brashear, the son of iconic U.S. Navy veteran Carl Brashear, followed in his father's footsteps and joined the armed forces. Phillip flew helicopters for the U.S. Army.

Phillip's admiration for his father, who he described as "very hard on me" and also "my best friend," extends into every aspect of his life.

Following in his father's footsteps, Phillip joined the Navy. Eventually, he realized his passion was aviation and he transitioned to the Army, where he flew helicopters until he retired in 2022.

In his retirement, Phillip has turned his focus to the Carl Brashear Foundation, which focuses on providing help to veteran hospitals across the country.

Phillip also uses the foundation to keep his father's story alive by traveling to places like the Pentagon, the Library of Congress, various universities, and even the White House to speak about Carl's contributions to the armed forces and U.S. history.

"I think it's good for people to have motivational stories like my father's story so that they can understand and believe that anything is possible," Phillip said.

Contact business reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@courier-journal.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter at @oliviamevans_.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky's Carl Brashear was first Black master diver in U.S. Navy
Archimandrite Ephraim and the King became friends in the late 90s

The King has sought support from a Greek Orthodox monk in the wake of his cancer diagnosis.

The monarch is said to have turned to Archimandrite Ephraim for spiritual advice after the health scare, which has prompted him to postpone all public-facing duties.

The two men struck up a friendship in the late Nineties, when the King visited Elder Ephraims Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos in Greece on multiple occasions.

Elder Ephraim, 67, said he had spoken to the monarch after the King had reached out to him, adding that they enjoy a very good rapport.

Yes, he has been in contact since the diagnosis and I believe hell overcome it. Charles has a spiritual sophistication, a spiritual life, he told a Greek newspaper and television station.

The King has visited Vatopedi Monastery at Mount Athos, Greece, several times - Igor Ilyutkin/Alamy

Greek news reports reveal that the King has visited the 10th-century Vatopedi monastery eight times and even has his own quarters at the site.

Three of those visits took place between spring 2003 to May 2004, with the then Prince of Wales reportedly refusing the presence of Greek officials.

The King has long maintained a deep fascination with all religious faiths, from Islam to Buddhism, and has worked to bring different faith leaders together.

His father, Prince Philip, was baptised in the Greek Orthodox Church, although later converted to Anglicanism before marrying Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen.

The Kings interest in the Orthodox Church has seen him speak out in defence of persecuted Christians in the Middle East.

Byzantine icons at Highgrove

In 2004, it was claimed that he had become so enamoured with the Orthodox faith that he had adorned a section of his Highgrove home with prized Byzantine icons, many said to originate from the Mount, the Orthodox worlds holiest site.

At his Coronation, last May, a Greek choir performed Psalm 71 in Greek in honour of his paternal heritage.

He was anointed with chrism oil hailing from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, where the Kings paternal grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, is buried.

The King will miss a thanksgiving service for his close friend and second cousin, King Constantine of Greece, on Tuesday as he continues his treatment for cancer.

Instead, the Queen will lead members of the royal family as they gather in St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle, in honour of the former ruler and last King of Greece, who was toppled from the throne in the 1960s in a military coup.

Constantine II was a first cousin once removed and sailing partner of Prince Philip. He died at the age of 82 in January last year. The King had a close friendship with Constantine, choosing him as a godfather for son William, now the Prince of Wales.

Constantines widow, Queen Anne-Marie, their eldest son Crown Prince Pavlos and other members of the Greek royal family will fly to the UK for the memorial service in the nave of the 15th century chapel in Berkshire.

However, the King is not expected to see them, even privately, as he seeks to reduce public interactions.

On Friday, the King said he had been moved to tears by well-wishers after receiving 7,000 cards and letters from across the world following his cancer diagnosis. Sitting at a desk in a room in the 18th Century Room of Buckingham Palaces Belgian Suite, he is seen laughing at a card featuring an illustration of a dog.

The pet was wearing an Elizabethan collar - better known as the cone of shame - after having veterinary treatment, with a caption reading: At least you dont have to wear a cone!

The picture was released after footage showed the King meeting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday which marked the Kings first in-person audience since mid-December, and his first engagement since his cancer diagnosis was confirmed on Feb 5.

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On the morning of 22 February, 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley set off on her regular morning jog around the University of Georgia campus. She never returned.

Her disappearance set off a desperate search to find her and bring her home safe  a search that came to a tragic end late that day when her beaten body was found along her running route.

Now, Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, is behind bars charged with Rileys murder.

Mr Ibarra, who comes from Venezuela and is not a US citizen, has no known connection to the student and no known violent criminal history. Instead, police are describing Rileys violent death as a crime of opportunity.

As the investigation continues, Mr Ibarras status as a non-US citizen has already sparked conflicting reports from law enforcement agencies about his criminal past on American soil  and has also spurred Republican lawmakers to seize on the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the hour to push offensive theories about migrants online.

Heres what we do know so far about the murder suspect:

Who is Jose Antonio Ibarra?

ICE records show that Mr Ibarra is a 26-year-old Venezuelan migrant.

While the investigation into Rileys death is still ongoing, UGA Police Chief Jeff Clark said that it appears to be a solo act and that the suspect and victim did not know each another prior to the alleged attack.

This was a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual, and bad things happened, Chief Clark said in a press conference.

Mr Ibarra appears to have first entered the US almost 18 months ago.

Back on 8 September 2022, Customs and Border Protection officials encountered Mr Ibarra after he crossed the USs southern border with Mexico near El Paso, Texas, ICE officials told ABC7 in a statement.

He was paroled and released for further processing, officials said.

The agency also said that Mr Ibarra had been arrested by the New York Police Department on 14 September 2023 and was charged with acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation.

New York officials then released him before a detainer could be issued, ICE said.

However, the NYPD toldThe Independent that the department has no record of Mr Ibarras arrest on file  and so could not confirm whether this account was correct.

The Independent has also contacted ICE for more information.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, has been charged with malice murder and felony murder in connection with the death of Laken Riley (Clarke County Sheriffs Office)

What charges is the suspect facing?

Athens-Clarke County jail records show that Mr Ibarra was charged on Friday 23 February with malice murder, felony murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping and other charges.

Newly filed affidavits unveiled gruesome details, accusing Ibarra of disfiguring her skull in support of the aggravated battery charge. The filing also claimed that Ibarra used an object to harm her and dragged her body to a secluded area.

He is being held in custody in Georgia where he was denied bail.

Following his arrest in Georgia, ICE also lodged a detainer on him.

Mr Ibarras brother Diego Jose Ibarra was also arrested for possessing a fraudulent green card, arrest records show.

Immigration status becomes a right-wing rallying cry

Rileys murder  and the immigration status of the man charged with it  has become a rallying cry for some prominent Republicans to blame migrants for crime in America and blast the Biden administration for its handling of the situation at the southern border.

Laken Rileys tragic death struck the hearts of Georgians everywhere and has sparked national outrage, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said in a post on X.

Joe Bidens failed policies have turned every state into a border state, and Im demanding information from him so we can protect our people when the federal government wont!

After saying that Mr Ibarra illegally entered the country, Tennessee Sen Marsha Blackburn wrote: The disastrous policies and negligence of the Biden administration is putting American lives at risk!

Failed Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis also chimed in, reacting to ICEs statement: The combination of open borders and sanctuary and soft-on-crime policies is deadly. The illegal alien who murdered Laken Riley had recently been arrested in NY  and then released.

The brutal murderer who took the life of Laken was one of the millions of illegal aliens that the Biden Administration simply released and unleashed upon our country, House Speaker Mike Johnson said on X. The brutal murderer who took the life of Laken was one of the millions of illegal aliens that the Biden Administration simply released and unleashed upon our country.

It is a widespread myth that those who migrate to the US are more likely to commit crimes  a recent study from the Pew Research Center revealed 57 per cent of Americans believe the large number of migrants seeking to enter the country leads to more crime.

But there is no evidence to suggest people who migrate to the US, including those who are undocumented, commit more crimes than those born in America. In fact, between 2012 and 2018, undocumented migrants in Texas were less than half as likely to commit violent crimes than those born in the US, according to a widely cited, peer-reviewed study from 2020.

As of Monday, President Joe Biden has yet to make a comment on Rileys murder.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, Homeland Security Sec Alejandro Mayorkas was impeached by the House, accusing him of willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law by allowing the release of migrants awaiting legal proceedings and breaching public trust when he told lawmakers the southern border was secure.

What happened to Laken Riley?

The 22-year-old Augusta University College of Nursing student was reported missing on Thursday after she set off for a morning jog at the University of Georgias intramural fields.

When Riley failed to return home for several hours, her concerned roommate called the police around noon.

Less than 40 minutes later, search teams located Riley in an area behind Lake Herrick. She was unconscious, not breathing and with visible injuries, police said.

The Athens-Clarke County Coroners Office and Morgue said that a preliminary autopsy found she died from blunt force trauma to the head. Affidavits narrowed down the time frame of the incident to happening between 9am and 1pm on 22 February.

In a press conference on Thursday night, Chief Clark underscored the rarity of her killing, saying there had not been a homicide on campus in the last 20 years.

Laken Riley (Supplied)

The police chief vowed that were not going to leave any rock unturned in this investigation, as the campus police, Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation work together in the case.

A GoFundMe page set up for Riley and her grieving family has garnered more than $118,000 in three days. The money will assist her family with funeral expenses, help establish a scholarship in her name, and raise homicide awareness, according to the fundraiser.
What we know about Jose Antonio Ibarra, the man charged with murdering a Georgia nursing student

On the morning of 22 February, 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley set off on her regular morning jog around the University of Georgia campus. She never returned.

Her disappearance set off a desperate search to find her and bring her home safe  a search that came to a tragic end late that day when her beaten body was found along her running route.

Now, Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, is behind bars charged with Rileys murder.

Mr Ibarra, who comes from Venezuela and is not a US citizen, has no known connection to the student and no known violent criminal history. Instead, police are describing Rileys violent death as a crime of opportunity.

As the investigation continues, Mr Ibarras status as a non-US citizen has already sparked conflicting reports from law enforcement agencies about his criminal past on American soil  and has also spurred Republican lawmakers to seize on the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the hour to push offensive theories about migrants online.

Heres what we do know so far about the murder suspect:

Who is Jose Antonio Ibarra?

ICE records show that Mr Ibarra is a 26-year-old Venezuelan migrant.

While the investigation into Rileys death is still ongoing, UGA Police Chief Jeff Clark said that it appears to be a solo act and that the suspect and victim did not know each another prior to the alleged attack.

This was a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual, and bad things happened, Chief Clark said in a press conference.

Mr Ibarra appears to have first entered the US almost 18 months ago.

Back on 8 September 2022, Customs and Border Protection officials encountered Mr Ibarra after he crossed the USs southern border with Mexico near El Paso, Texas, ICE officials told ABC7 in a statement.

He was paroled and released for further processing, officials said.

The agency also said that Mr Ibarra had been arrested by the New York Police Department on 14 September 2023 and was charged with acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation.

New York officials then released him before a detainer could be issued, ICE said.

However, the NYPD toldThe Independent that the department has no record of Mr Ibarras arrest on file  and so could not confirm whether this account was correct.

The Independent has also contacted ICE for more information.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, has been charged with malice murder and felony murder in connection with the death of Laken Riley (Clarke County Sheriffs Office)

What charges is the suspect facing?

Athens-Clarke County jail records show that Mr Ibarra was charged on Friday 23 February with malice murder, felony murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping and other charges.

Newly filed affidavits unveiled gruesome details, accusing Ibarra of disfiguring her skull in support of the aggravated battery charge. The filing also claimed that Ibarra used an object to harm her and dragged her body to a secluded area.

He is being held in custody in Georgia where he was denied bail.

Following his arrest in Georgia, ICE also lodged a detainer on him.

Mr Ibarras brother Diego Jose Ibarra was also arrested for possessing a fraudulent green card, arrest records show.

Immigration status becomes a right-wing rallying cry

Rileys murder  and the immigration status of the man charged with it  has become a rallying cry for some prominent Republicans to blame migrants for crime in America and blast the Biden administration for its handling of the situation at the southern border.

Laken Rileys tragic death struck the hearts of Georgians everywhere and has sparked national outrage, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said in a post on X.

Joe Bidens failed policies have turned every state into a border state, and Im demanding information from him so we can protect our people when the federal government wont!

After saying that Mr Ibarra illegally entered the country, Tennessee Sen Marsha Blackburn wrote: The disastrous policies and negligence of the Biden administration is putting American lives at risk!

Failed Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis also chimed in, reacting to ICEs statement: The combination of open borders and sanctuary and soft-on-crime policies is deadly. The illegal alien who murdered Laken Riley had recently been arrested in NY  and then released.

The brutal murderer who took the life of Laken was one of the millions of illegal aliens that the Biden Administration simply released and unleashed upon our country, House Speaker Mike Johnson said on X. The brutal murderer who took the life of Laken was one of the millions of illegal aliens that the Biden Administration simply released and unleashed upon our country.

It is a widespread myth that those who migrate to the US are more likely to commit crimes  a recent study from the Pew Research Center revealed 57 per cent of Americans believe the large number of migrants seeking to enter the country leads to more crime.

But there is no evidence to suggest people who migrate to the US, including those who are undocumented, commit more crimes than those born in America. In fact, between 2012 and 2018, undocumented migrants in Texas were less than half as likely to commit violent crimes than those born in the US, according to a widely cited, peer-reviewed study from 2020.

As of Monday, President Joe Biden has yet to make a comment on Rileys murder.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, Homeland Security Sec Alejandro Mayorkas was impeached by the House, accusing him of willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law by allowing the release of migrants awaiting legal proceedings and breaching public trust when he told lawmakers the southern border was secure.

What happened to Laken Riley?

The 22-year-old Augusta University College of Nursing student was reported missing on Thursday after she set off for a morning jog at the University of Georgias intramural fields.

When Riley failed to return home for several hours, her concerned roommate called the police around noon.

Less than 40 minutes later, search teams located Riley in an area behind Lake Herrick. She was unconscious, not breathing and with visible injuries, police said.

The Athens-Clarke County Coroners Office and Morgue said that a preliminary autopsy found she died from blunt force trauma to the head. Affidavits narrowed down the time frame of the incident to happening between 9am and 1pm on 22 February.

In a press conference on Thursday night, Chief Clark underscored the rarity of her killing, saying there had not been a homicide on campus in the last 20 years.

Laken Riley (Supplied)

The police chief vowed that were not going to leave any rock unturned in this investigation, as the campus police, Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation work together in the case.

A GoFundMe page set up for Riley and her grieving family has garnered more than $118,000 in three days. The money will assist her family with funeral expenses, help establish a scholarship in her name, and raise homicide awareness, according to the fundraiser.
Social media companies are bracing for Supreme Court arguments Monday that could fundamentally alter the way they police their sites.

After Facebook, Twitter and YouTube barred President Donald Trump in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the Capitol, Florida made it illegal for technology companies to ban from their sites a candidate for office in the state. Texas later passed its own law prohibiting platforms from taking down political content.

Two tech industry groups, NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association, sued to block the laws from taking effect. They argued that the companies have the right to make decisions about their own platforms under the First Amendment, much as a newspaper gets to decide what runs in its pages.

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So whats at stake?

The Supreme Courts decision in those cases  Moody v. NetChoice and NetChoice v. Paxton  is a big test of the power of social media companies, potentially reshaping millions of social media feeds by giving the government influence over how and what stays online.

Whats at stake is whether they can be forced to carry content they dont want to, said Daphne Keller, a lecturer at Stanford Law School who filed a brief with the Supreme Court supporting the tech groups challenge to the Texas and Florida laws. And, maybe more to the point, whether the government can force them to carry content they dont want to.

If the Supreme Court says the Texas and Florida laws are constitutional and they take effect, some legal experts speculate that the companies could create versions of their feeds specifically for those states. Still, such a ruling could usher in similar laws in other states, and it is technically complicated to accurately restrict access to a website based on location.

Critics of the laws say the feeds to the two states could include extremist content  from neo-Nazis, for example  that the platforms previously would have taken down for violating their standards. Or, the critics say, the platforms could ban discussion of anything remotely political by banning posts about many contentious issues.

What are the Florida and Texas social media laws?

The Texas law prohibits social media platforms from taking down content based on the viewpoint of the user or expressed in the post. The law gives individuals and the states attorney general the right to file lawsuits against the platforms for violations.

The Florida law fines platforms if they permanently ban from their sites a candidate for office in the state. It also forbids the platforms from taking down content from a journalistic enterprise and requires the companies to be upfront about their rules for moderating content.

Proponents of the Texas and Florida laws, which were passed in 2021, say that they will protect conservatives from the liberal bias that they say pervades the platforms, which are based in California.

People the world over use Facebook, YouTube, and X (the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter) to communicate with friends, family, politicians, reporters, and the broader public, Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, said in one legal brief. And like the telegraph companies of yore, the social media giants of today use their control over the mechanics of this modern public square to direct  and often stifle  public discourse.

Chase Sizemore, a spokesperson for the Florida attorney general, said the state looked forward to defending our social media law that protects Floridians. A spokesperson for the Texas attorney general did not provide a comment.

What are the current rights of social media platforms?

They now decide what does and doesnt stay online.

Companies including Metas Facebook and Instagram, TikTok, Snap, YouTube and X have long policed themselves, setting their own rules for what users are allowed to say while the government has taken a hands-off approach.

In 1997, the Supreme Court ruled that a law regulating indecent speech online was unconstitutional, differentiating the internet from mediums where the government regulates content. The government, for instance, enforces decency standards on broadcast television and radio.

For years, bad actors have flooded social media with misleading information, hate speech and harassment, prompting the companies to come up with new rules over the past decade that include forbidding false information about elections and the pandemic. Platforms have banned figures such as influencer Andrew Tate for violating their rules, including against hate speech.

But there has been a right-wing backlash to these measures, with some conservatives accusing the platforms of censoring their views  and even prompting Elon Musk to say he wanted to buy Twitter in 2022 to help ensure users freedom of speech.

What are the social media platforms arguing?

The tech groups say that the First Amendment gives the companies the right to take down content as they see fit, because it protects their ability to make editorial choices about the content of their products.

In their lawsuit against the Texas law, the groups said that just like a magazines publishing decision, a platforms decision about what content to host and what to exclude is intended to convey a message about the type of community that the platform hopes to foster.

Still, some legal scholars are worried about the implications of allowing the social media companies unlimited power under the First Amendment, which is intended to protect the freedom of speech as well as the freedom of the press.

I do worry about a world in which these companies invoke the First Amendment to protect what many of us believe are commercial activities and conduct that is not expressive, said Olivier Sylvain, a professor at Fordham Law School who until recently was a senior adviser to the Federal Trade Commission chair, Lina Khan.

How does this affect Big Techs liability for content?

A federal law known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shields the platforms from lawsuits over most user content. It also protects them from legal liability for how they choose to moderate that content.

That law has been criticized in recent years for making it impossible to hold the platforms accountable for real-world harm that flows from posts they carry, including online drug sales and terrorist videos.

The cases being argued Monday do not challenge that law head-on. But the Section 230 protections could play a role in the broader arguments over whether the court should uphold the Texas and Florida laws. And the state laws would indeed create new legal liability for the platforms if they take down certain content or ban certain accounts.

Last year, the Supreme Court considered two cases, directed at Googles YouTube and Twitter, that sought to limit the reach of the Section 230 protections. The justices declined to hold the tech platforms legally liable for the content in question.

What comes next?

The court will hear arguments from both sides Monday. A decision is expected by June.

Legal experts say the court may rule that the laws are unconstitutional, but provide a road map on how to fix them. Or it may uphold the companies First Amendment rights completely.

Carl Szabo, the general counsel of NetChoice, which represents companies including Google and Meta and lobbies against tech regulations, said that if the groups challenge to the laws fails, Americans across the country would be required to see lawful but awful content that could be construed as political and therefore covered by the laws.

Theres a lot of stuff that gets couched as political content, he said. Terrorist recruitment is arguably political content.

But if the Supreme Court rules that the laws violate the Constitution, it will entrench the status quo: Platforms, not anybody else, will determine what speech gets to stay online.

c.2024 The New York Times Company
FILE - Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, left, shakes hands with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban at the Carmelite Monastery in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, Feb 23, 2024. Swedens bid to join NATO  held up for almost two years  cleared its last hurdle when Hungary gave its go-ahead Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, to let the Nordic country into the alliance. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos, File)

STOCKHOLM (AP)  Swedens bid to join NATO  held up for almost two years  cleared its last hurdle when Hungary gave its go-ahead Monday to let the Nordic country into the alliance.

It brought an end to more than 18 months of delays by the nationalist government in Budapest that have frustrated Hungarys allies.

All existing NATO countries must give their approval before a new member can join the alliance. Hungary was the only hold-out.

Here is a look at Swedens complicated path toward NATO membership.

WHY DOES SWEDEN WANT TO JOIN NATO?

Sweden has stayed out of military alliances for more than 200 years and long ruled out seeking NATO membership. But after Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it ditched its longstanding policy of nonalignment almost overnight and decided to apply to join the alliance together with neighboring Finland.

Both Sweden and Finland, which joined the military alliance last year, had already developed strong ties with NATO after the end of the Cold War, but public opinion remained firmly against full membership until the war in Ukraine.

Nonalignment was seen as the best way to avoid tensions with Russia, their powerful neighbor in the Baltic Sea region. But the Russian aggression caused a dramatic shift in both countries, with polls showing a surge in support for NATO membership.

Political parties in both Finland and Sweden decided they needed the security guarantees that only come with full membership in the U.S.-led alliance.

WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG?

While Finland became NATOs 31st member in April, Swedens application has been held up. All alliance members but Turkey and Hungary gave their thumbs up.

On Jan. 23, Turkish legislators voted in favor of Swedens membership in NATO.

To let Sweden join, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan put forth a series of conditions including a tougher stance toward groups that Turkey regards as threats to its security, such as Kurdish militants and members of a network it blames for a failed coup in 2016.

Although the Swedish government tried to appease Erdogan by lifting an arms embargo on Turkey and promising to cooperate on fighting terrorism, public demonstrations in Sweden by supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and by anti-Muslim activists who burned the Quran complicated the situation.

Pressure from the U.S. and other NATO allies on Turkey to remove its objections to Swedish membership appeared to have little effect until Erdogan said at a NATO summit last year that he would send the documents to Parliament for approval. But the issue was held up in Parliament until lawmakers finally held a vote on the issue and ratified Swedens accession protocol. The Turkish government finalized the step by publishing the measure in an official gazette.

Now the parliament in Hungary has ratified Swedens bid to join NATO, bringing an end to more than 18 months of delays by the nationalist government.

Initially, Hungary didnt give any clear reason for its delays and Prime Minister Viktor Orban long insisted that his country wouldnt be the last to give approval. But the tone toward Stockholm hardened last year, with Hungary accusing Swedish politicians of telling blatant lies about the condition of Hungarys democracy.

Orban has broken ranks with NATO allies by adopting a Kremlin-friendly stance toward Russias invasion of Ukraine.

WHAT WOULD SWEDEN BRING TO THE ALLIANCE?

The inclusion of Sweden would leave the Baltic Sea almost surrounded by NATO countries, strengthening the alliance in the strategically important region. The Baltic Sea is Russias maritime point of access to the city of St. Petersburg and the Kaliningrad enclave.

Swedens armed forces, though sharply downsized since the Cold War, are widely seen as a potential boost to NATOs collective defense in the region. The Swedes have a modern air force and navy and have committed to increase defense spending to reach NATOs target of 2% of gross domestic product.

Like the Finns, Swedish forces have for years participated in joint exercises with NATO.

HOW HAS RUSSIA REACTED?

Not surprisingly, Moscow reacted negatively to Sweden and Finlands decision to abandon nonalignment and seek NATO membership, and warned of unspecified countermeasures.

Russia said the move adversely affected the security situation in Northern Europe, which it said had previously been one of the most stable regions in the world.

Earlier this year, Swedens top military commander Gen. Micael Byden said all Swedes should mentally prepare for the possibility of war, and on Feb. 19, Thomas Nilsson, head of Sweden's external intelligence service, MUST, said that "the situation has continued to deteriorate during 2023.

"In the event of NATO membership, we must have the capability through an alliance to counter a revanchist and unpredictable Russia," the agency said in its assessment.

Both Sweden and Finland have warned of an increased risk of Russian interference and hybrid attacks.
Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action), the political wing of the conservative network led by billionaire Charles Koch, will halt spending on Nikki Haleys presidential campaign, the group said in a memo one day after Haleys disappointing showing in the South Carolina primary.

In a memo dated Feb. 25 to AFP Action staff, senior adviser Emily Seidel wrote, With the South Carolina presidential primary this weekend and the Senate engagement really heating up, its time to take stock of where we are and  as we always do  make sure were optimizing our resources for maximum impact towards our goals.

Seidel, in the memo shared with The Hill, said the group will be focusing its resources on the U.S. Senate and House races instead, while making clear the groups endorsement of Haley, a former United Nations ambassador, still remains.

Nikki Haley has been willing to take on that challenge and offer America a forward-looking vision and solutions to the toughest issues our country faces. She is by far the best candidate to turn the page on our dysfunctional politics and take our country in a new, positive direction, Seidel wrote. As weve discussed since the endorsement in November, we knew the presidential primary faced the longest odds  but we also knew given whats at stake, we couldnt sit on the sidelines. 

She has made it clear that she will continue to fight and we wholeheartedly support her in this effort. But given the challenges in the primary states ahead, we dont believe any outside group can make a material difference to widen her path to victory. And so while we will continue to endorse her, we will focus our resources where we can make the difference. And thats the U.S. Senate and House, Seidel added.

The memo comes just months after the Koch-aligned group announced its support for Haleys White House run in November, in what was the first time the deep-pocketed group put its support behind a Republican candidate in a presidential primary. At the time, the group said former President Trump and President Biden will only further perpetuate the countrys downward spiral in politics, after signaling last year it would not endorse Trumps 2024 bid.

The spending halt is the latest blow to Haley, who is coming off a disappointing loss in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday. The former president beat Haley by nearly 20 points in her home state, according to Decision Desk HQ results, making the Palmetto State the third state in a row in which Trump has won by a significant margin over Haley. The two did not compete in Nevada, where a dueling primary and caucus were held instead.

Despite the various primary losses, Haley vowed to stay in the primary race, citing the disapproval ratings of Biden and Trump.

Olivia Perez-Cubas, Haleys national spokesperson, thanked AFP for their help in the race on Sunday.

AFP is a great organization and ally in the fight for freedom and conservative government. We thank them for their tremendous help in this race, Perez-Cubas said in a statement to The Hill. Our fight continues, and with more than $1 million coming in from grassroots conservatives in just the last 24 hours, we have plenty of fuel to keep going. We have a country to save.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Americans for Prosperity Action, the super PAC backed by the billionaire Koch brothers, on Sunday announced they would stop spending on GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haleys campaign following her defeat in the South Carolina primary.

The former South Carolina governor has vowed to stay in the race until at least Super Tuesday despite her loss to GOP front-runner Donald Trump in her home state Saturday by over 20 percentage points.

Emily Seidel, the president and CEO of AFP Action, said that while the group still stands behind its endorsement of Haley, which they describe as by far the best candidate to turn the page on our dysfunctional politics and take our country in a new, positive direction, they no longer believe spending their resources on her candidacy could change the trajectory of the race.

Haley has made it clear that she will continue to fight and we wholeheartedly support her in this effort, Seidel said in an email to staff, first reported by Politico. But given the challenges in the primary states ahead, we dont believe any outside group can make a material difference to widen her path to victory.

The group still believes that if Donald Trump is at the top of the Republican ticket, the risk of one-party rule by a Democratic Party captured by the Progressive Left is severe and would do irreparable damage to the country, Seidel said.

The last 3 election cycles have painted a very clear picture of what we can expect from voters who consistently rejected Donald Trump and his impact on the Republican party brand, she said, adding that AFP Action will now shift its attention to down-ballot races in the House and Senate, where they believe they make a difference.

The most important  and hardest  thing we may need to do is convince millions of voters who will never cast a ballot for Donald Trump to vote for Republican candidates for Senate and House who will advance our shared principles, Seidel wrote.

Sundays announcement represents a setback for Haley as she continues her long-shot campaign against Trump. The groups decision to endorse her in November gave her momentum ahead of the first primary nominating contests.

Still, Haley failed to get traction to pose enough of a challenge to Trump.

Haleys campaign on Sunday said they were grateful for the support they received from AFP Action, adding that they still have enough money to stay in the primary.

We thank them for their tremendous help in this race, the campaign said in a statement. Our fight continues, and with more than $1 million coming in from grass-roots conservatives in just the last 24 hours, we have plenty of fuel to keep going. We have a country to save.

AFP Action spent tens of millions of dollars on Haleys White House bid, according to The New York Times, though the exact amount remains unclear. The group had already cut back its spending on the former U.N. ambassador after she finished second in New Hampshire, the Times added.

Meanwhile, Trump appeared to celebrate the development with a post on his Truth Social platform.

CHARLES KOCH AND HIS GROUP GOT PLAYED FOR SUCKERS RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING! Trump wrote.

The former president, however, faces his own challenges in the contest as a significant chunk of Republican primary voters reject his candidacy, as evidenced in Saturdays results.

Haley said, 40% is not some tiny group. There are a huge number of voters in our Republican primary who want an alternative.

Related...
A math teacher banned from teaching by the U.K. Education Secretary for saying, Well done, girls, to a group of students that included one who identified as a boy is appealing the ruling at the High Court.

The Teaching Regulatory Authority (TRA) imposed an indefinite ban on Joshua Sutcliffe, 32, last May, claiming he was bringing the profession into disrepute.

The Christian teacher took legal action in 2017 against Cherwell School in Oxford and settled out of court, according to advocacy group Christian Concern, but he still faces the indefinite ban from teaching for misgendering a biological girl who identified as a boy.

The original seven-day TRA hearing saw a panel deem Sutcliffe guilty of unacceptable conduct. Alan Meyrick, chief executive of the TRA, concluded that the ban was proportionate and in the public interest in part because Sutcliffe showed insufficient remorse about calling the student a girl.

This means that Mr. Joshua Sutcliffe is prohibited from teaching indefinitely, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said in the prohibition statement, adding that the teacher could not apply for an end to the ban until 2025 and cannot teach in any school, sixth-form college, relevant youth accommodation or childrens home in England.

Christian Concern said the education secretarys decision was at odds with Keegans defense of another teacher accused of misgendering pupils at an all-girls school by saying, good afternoon, girls.

Sutcliffe remains banned even though the U.K. governments draft guidance on transgender issues, announced in December, states that teachers should not be forced to use a pupils preferred pronoun. The draft guidance would not come into effect until consultations are finished.

No teacher or pupil should be compelled to use these preferred pronouns, noted Section 6.3 of the government guidance, and it should not prevent teachers from referring to children collectively as girls or boys, even in the presence of a child that has been allowed to change their pronouns.

The draft guidance states that colleges and schools have specific legal responsibilities framed by a childs biological sex, and that there is no general duty to support a student to social transition.

A further note on the governments website reinforces this view. Answering the question, What if a school supports a child to change their name or pronoun? The response is, These are significant decisions that impact both the child and those around them. As a result, particularly for pronouns, we expect changes to be rare. And even in these rare occasions, children and teachers shouldnt be made to use preferred pronouns.

Instead, it states, people should use alternatives such as using first names, adding, bullying mustnt be tolerated.

Sutcliffes lawyers are expected to argue that Keegans decision lacked authority, and that asking him to use the pupils preferred pronouns interfered with his human rights.

I feel vindicated by the government guidance, but this means nothing if my ban is not now overturned, Sutcliffe reportedly said. To continue to be barred from the profession I love in light of the draft guidance would be another of the many cruel injustices I have had to face for expressing my Christian beliefs.

There was no training and guidance on such issues for teachers when he was fired in 2017, he said.

I was a young teacher building my career in the profession at a time when schools were taking guidance from Stonewall [an influential U.K. gay rights group], not the government or any experts on these issues, Sutcliffe told Christian Concern. After the pronouns debacle, I was a marked man in the education system and was pursued for any expression of my Christian belief until I was forced out of the profession indefinitely.

Sutcliffe said the TRA ruling puts every teacher is at risk if they share gender views in the classroom.

I believe affirming children in gender confusion in the classroom is psychologically damaging for them, he added. I refused to go against my conscience and cause a child harm and refused to apologize for that.

The TRA wanted him to capitulate and say that he was wrong, he said.

I have been mercilessly punished for refusing to do so, Sutcliffe said. I have been bullied and pursued and have had every part of my life scrutinized for expressing my beliefs and biological truth.

Sutcliffe said he feared repercussions for his young family following the TRAs ruling.

This decision has put me and my family at risk. I have a young son and everything that is happening is affecting him, he said. In light of the new guidance, I believe it is time for the TRA and the government to do the right thing.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting him, expressed concern that Christian teachers faced intimidation for having biblical viewpoints.

Its now high time for justice for Joshua, Williams said. The teaching ban must be lifted. He has been vindicated by the government guidance.

The ruling in Sutcliffes case has had a chilling effect that must not be underestimated, she said, as teachers are intimidated into silence for fear of losing their jobs if they say something with which a regulator disagrees.

The teaching profession is no longer an easy place to navigate for Christian teachers  expressing long held Christian beliefs on marriage and gender can get you suspended, investigated and barred, she said.

Williams agreed with Sutcliffe that he became a marked man from the moment he expressed his Christian beliefs on marriage in response to questions from pupils.

From that moment, everything he did in and out of the classroom came under intense scrutiny, she said. From the beginning, Joshua has faced viewpoint discrimination from the schools. For loving Jesus and expressing his beliefs in response to questions, Joshua has been punished severely by the TRA and the Secretary of State for Education.

The ruling should not stand in light of the new draft guidance, which states that teachers should not have to act against their conscience and affirm a child in gender confusion, Williams said.

This signifies a shift in the governments thinking, she said. The language in the government guidance moves away from the gender ideology that has permeated existing guidance for schools.

It also demonstrates that the government understands the difficulties Sutcliffe faces, she said.

If the guidance had been in place six years ago, none of what Joshua has been through would have happened, Williams said. Its now time for justice for Joshua. The ban must be overturned.
The doctors' action has resulted in cancellations and postponements of surgeries for cancer patients and C-sections for pregnant women (ANTHONY WALLACE)

South Korea called Monday for trainee doctors to come back to work, warning they could face prosecution if they do not return to hospitals in the next three days, as protests over medical reforms entered a second week.

Official figures show more than 10,000 junior doctors -- 80.5 percent of the trainee workforce -- have resigned as part of a spiralling action against government plans to sharply increase medical school admissions in the face of shortages and a rapidly ageing society.

The mass work stoppage has resulted in cancellations and postponements of surgeries for cancer patients and C-sections for pregnant women, with the government raising its public health alert to the highest level over the fallout.

Doctors are considered essential workers in South Korea and are restricted by law from striking. The government has repeatedly claimed the mass resignation is unlawful.

As of Monday, 9,006 trainee doctors had not shown up for work, and the government warned that legal action -- including prosecution and the suspension of medical licences -- against those on strike will soon be "inevitable".

"Please return to your workplaces by the end of this month, February 29," Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo told a press briefing.

"If you return to the hospital you left by this date, you will not be held responsible for the past," he added.

Those who fail to return to work will have their medical licences suspended for at least three months, Park warned, noting that this measure would remain on their record and might affect the junior doctors' future career prospects, including overseas employment.

"It is not too late, so please return to your patients immediately," he said.

- Shortages -

Hospitals across the country have struggled with a shortage of doctors in the past week, with local media reporting Monday that more doctors -- including fellows and even fresh medical school graduates -- were joining the protests.

Seoul says it has one of the lowest doctor-to-population ratios among developed countries, and the government is pushing hard to admit 2,000 more students to medical schools annually, starting next year.

Doctors have voiced fierce opposition to the government's plan, maintaining it would hurt the quality of service.

Proponents of the reform say doctors are mainly concerned the reforms could erode their salaries and social status.

Junior doctors say the reforms are the final straw in a profession where they already struggle with tough working conditions. They also argue that the over-reliance on trainees in the current healthcare system is not reasonable or fair.

But polls suggest up to 75 percent of the South Korean public supports the increase in medical school admissions, with those living in remote areas struggling to access quality health care.

An editorial carried by the country's Chosun Ilbo newspaper said a "significant increase" in the number of medical school students was "inevitable", adding the issue should be resolved through dialogue.

"Doctors will know better than anyone else the reality of a shortage of medics," it said.

"Putting the patients in jeopardy because the scale of the increase is more excessive than they expected is unacceptable," the paper added.

The doctors were denying the "purpose of their existence" by refusing to treat their patients, it continued, adding: "The trainee doctors must first stop collective action."

sh/ceb/smw
Flowers lie in front of a picture of leading Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who died in prison while serving a 19-year sentence, during a prayer service at Schillerplatz in Stuttgart. Christoph Schmidt/dpa

The Russian government has rejected accusations that it has been trying to pressure relatives of the late opposition figure Alexei Navalny into burying him in private, after his body was finally released on Saturday.

"Of course the Kremlin cannot exert any pressure. These are further absurd statements by (Navalny's) supporters," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Interfax news agency on Monday.

The body of Navalny, who died in a Siberian prison aged 47 on February 16, was only handed over to his mother on Saturday after days of waiting and pleading with the authorities, including a direct appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin to release the body.

Lyudmila Navalnaya also accused the authorities of having tried to pressure her to bury her son in secret.

Navalny died on February 16 in the prison camp with the unofficial name "Polar Wolf" in the Siberian Arctic region of Yamal, Russian authorities said.

The circumstances of his death remain unclear.

Russia's leading dissident, weakened by a poison attack and repeated solitary confinement in the camp, is said to have collapsed while exercising at the icy prison yard and died despite attempts to resuscitate him.

According to Navalny's team, the death certificate mentions "natural" causes.

It is still unclear where and how Navalny will be buried. His mother has denied the request for a secret funeral calling for a public ceremony instead to allow his supporters to pay their respects as well.
The Russian publication Meduza reports that popular Russian TV series such as Slovo Patsana ("The Boy's Word"), Kholop ("Serf"), and others had been produced as covert propaganda in the lead-up to the re-election of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Source: Meduza, the Russian Latvia-based media outlet, citing internal documents of the administration of the Russian president, to which the publication gained access.

Details: Reportedly, in the spring of 2023, a meeting took place in the Kremlin dedicated to the upcoming re-election of Vladimir Putin, exactly one year before the event. During the meeting, a multipage presentation titled "Creative content for elections" was showcased to administration staff, federal officials, and political technologists.

It was presented by Sergey Novikov, the head of the public projects department in Putin's government, whose department currently makes key decisions regarding Russia's state cultural policy.

Novikov collaborated with Alexey Goreslavsky, the head of the Internet Research Institute (IRI), in preparing the presentation. During the war, the IRI bankrolled the production of films, series, and other cultural products, many of which are of a propagandistic nature, to a substantial extent.

The text indicates that in the leadup to the 2024 elections, the presidential administration and the IRI prepared several dozen "creative projects."

Novikov's subordinates took on the task of promoting them through bloggers and the media, while Goreslavsky's department handled digital and conventional advertising, as well as overall marketing. The work also involved the Dialog autonomous NGO, another propaganda organisation with branches across Russia, which, since 24 February 2022, has been spreading disinformation about Ukraine. The presentation notes that Dialog members were entrusted with "content distribution across Russia."

The document lists the titles of movies and TV series that are planned to be "distributed" and "promoted" in connection with the Russian presidential elections. Among them are projects "themed to the special military operation" (i.e., related to the war against Ukraine) and very popular mainstream films and series attempting to advance a state agenda.

The document mentions the comedy series Kholop 2, the drama Led 3 about figure skating, the musical Bremen Town Musicians, the fantasy film At the Pike's Behest, and the Slovo Patsana series.

The presentation's authors believe these and other projects are intended to ensure the "protection of national interests" and demonstrate "the preservation of cultural identity, traditions, and sovereignty."

In particular, the most popular Russian TV series in recent years, Slovo Patsana, depicting criminal gangs in Kazan during the final years of the Soviet era, aims to "increase the population's awareness of positive changes in people's lives in Russia, historical and contemporary achievements of compatriots, heroes of our days, and good role models."

The Kremlin also thinks that Slovo Patsana portrays "qualitative changes in life in Russia as a sustainable trend" (presumably suggesting that Russians in the 2020s live better than Soviet citizens in the 1980s  a note by Meduza). It is reported that Slovo Patsana was filmed, in part, with funding from the IRI.

The Prorok ("Prophet") musical film about the life of Alexander Pushkin is featured in the presentation with the focus statement "Heroes of our time, reasons to be proud, and great Russian historical figures."

The document also includes more explicit examples. For instance, the NDR series, depicting the work of a Soviet intelligence officer in East Germany, is described in the presentation as "[bolstering positive perceptions] of state security officer[s]."

Other projects directly depict the war in Ukraine and the lives of the "residents of new territories." For example, Ottsy Donbassa ("The Fathers of Donbas"), referred to as a "multi-series documentary film about people and events on the southern borders of Russia in the territories of the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Rostov oblasts of the Russian Federation."

Meduza said that the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives spent nearly 20 million rubles on this project.

Another project about the war, the 20/22 series, tells the story of the love between Danil, who went to Donbas as a "volunteer on a humanitarian mission," and Alice, a "staunch opponent of the special operation."

Another series, Nuremberg, aims to change the situation where "in the annals of mainstream history, shaped in part by Hollywood, Anglo-American achievements in shaping the world order always come to the forefront, while the role of the USSR is practically forgotten."

Meduza reached out to the creators of these films and series for comment, but they reportedly refused to provide statements. Meanwhile, sources close to the production crews and directors claimed that they were allegedly "finding out for the first time" that these productions were influenced by the government and could be part of Putin's pre-election campaign.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. -/Kremlin/dpa

Russian President Vladimir Putin has postponed a planned trip to Turkey to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan until after the upcoming Russian presidential elections, the Kremlin said on Monday.

"The president has a rather full and intensive schedule until the elections, and Mr Erdogan's is also very full," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists after being asked about the trip, according to Russian news agency Interfax.

However, preparations for the meeting, initially scheduled for February, continue, he added.

Russia's presidential elections will take place in March, with Putin widely expected to be confirmed in office for a further six years.

A visit to Turkey would be Putin's first trip to a NATO member state since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Putin, against whom an arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague over suspected war crimes in Ukraine, rarely travels abroad these days.

On Monday, Putin and Erdogan spoke on the phone on occasion of the Turkish president's 70th birthday, according to the Kremlin. The Russian president praised Erdogan's commitment to Turkish-Russian relations, it said.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on Ukrainians who left Ukraine during Russia's full-scale invasion to return and help defend their homeland.

Source: Kuleba in an interview with The Irish Times; European Pravda

Details: The foreign minister thanked Ireland, which has sheltered more than 100,000 Ukrainians since the start of the full-scale invasion and provided tens of millions of euros in humanitarian aid, in addition to other support.

"We respect the individual choice of each person, but we also call on all Ukrainians who have fled the country since the start of the full-scale invasion to consider returning home," Kuleba added.

"We understand that some people may not have this choice due to health or other personal circumstances. But those who do have a choice, we invite them to return and help Ukraine fight and survive with their direct personal contribution," he explained.

An estimated six million people have fled Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, most of them to the European Union.

Last month, media outlets reported that Ukraine is holding talks with EU officials to ensure that future EU migration rules help ensure that more Ukrainians return home next year to support the Ukrainian economy.

Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the EU, Vsevolod Chentsov, predicts that in 2025, when temporary protection for Ukrainians in the EU is due to expire, a battle for Ukrainian citizens will unfold between member states and Kyiv.

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Europe should suspend ammunition exports to third countries other than Ukraine in light of the shortages faced by the Ukrainian military, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in an interview with RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND) published on Feb. 26.

Kyiv is being confronted with critical shortages of ammunition, as $61 billion in funding from the U.S. remains stuck in Congress, causing defense aid deliveries to run dry.

Reports suggest Ukraine could face a catastrophic shortage of ammunition and air defenses within weeks.

"All contracts for the export of ammunition produced in Europe to third countries must be put on hold, and all such ammunition should be sent to Ukraine," Kuleba told RND.

"Every cartridge produced in Europe should serve the purpose of defending Europe."

Ukraine's European allies are aware of the lack of ammunition and have admitted they were "too late" in deciding to "ramp up their own production, sign long-term contracts, and put new production lines into operation," according to Kuleba.

"Unfortunately, we are now paying for these mistakes."

The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said on Feb. 19 following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels that he urged member states to procure ammunition for Ukraine outside the bloc if this source of supply is "better, cheaper, and quicker."

Read also: US Senator Schumer in Lviv: Without aid, Ukraine will lose war, with aid it will win

Borrell said that the European defense industry claims to be capable of increasing ammunition production.

The ministers discussed how to increase the EU's provision of shells to Ukraine through bilateral and European frameworks, according to Borrell.

Earlier in February, Czechia began to push a plan to jointly finance the purchase of 800,000 artillery shells outside the bloc. Prague has suggested that Europe could turn to arms companies in South Korea, Turkey, or South Africa, according to Politico.

Canada has signaled that it is ready to help Czechia with the plan, but details of the cooperation are still being established, according to CBC News on Feb. 22. Canada may contribute up to $22 million, CBC News said.

Plans to buy ammunition from outside the bloc face opposition from France, Greece, and Cyprus. While France wants to boost its domestic defense industry, Greece and Cyprus do not wish to buy arms from Turkish producers, given their tense relations with Ankara.

Denmark responded to Kyiv's calls for help by deciding to donate all the artillery rounds from its stockpiles to Ukraine.

"If you ask Ukrainians, they are asking us for ammunition now, artillery now. From the Danish side, we decided to donate our entire artillery," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 17.

Ukraine's withdrawal from the city of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast on Feb. 17 demonstrated Ukraine's need for more artillery shells, as well as air defense systems, long-range weapons, and fortifications, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.

Umerov had said earlier in February that Ukraine was unable to fire more than 2,000 shells per day, around a third of Russia's average daily shell usage.

Estonia's Foreign Intelligence Service reported on Feb. 13 that as well as producing new shells, Russia refurbishes Soviet stocks of artillery ammunition, allowing it to produce as many as 4 million units in 2023.

"It is almost certain that Western ammunition deliveries to Ukraine in 2024 will not be able to keep pace," and the gap "in available artillery ammunition between Ukraine and Russia is expected to widen even more in 2024," the report said.

The EU aims to deliver over 1 million shells to Ukraine by the end of 2024.

Read also: Our reserves will run out: Ukrainian artillery sounds alarm on Western shell shortage

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Ukrainian officials on Feb. 25 asked Warsaw to find and punish those responsible for 160 metric tons of Ukrainian grain being destroyed while in transit through Poland.

The crops, en route to the port of Gdansk and then to other countries, were dumped at a Polish railway station near Bydgoszcz, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Feb. 25.

This is the fourth such case amid the ongoing protests by Polish farmers that started earlier in February in response to Ukrainian agricultural imports and the EU's Green Deal.

"Those who have damaged Ukrainian grain must be found, neutralized, and punished," Kubrakov said.

"Such planned demonstration videos and comments have similarities with the (R)ussian hybrid war."

Ukraine's Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Zvarych denounced the incident as an act of "barbarism."

"We appeal to the Polish authorities and police to do everything possible and impossible to find and justly punish the perpetrators of such shameful acts!"

The Polish police have already taken procedural steps on the spot, Kubrakov noted.

Previously, unknown individuals dumped rapeseed from a Ukrainian train at the Dorohusk border crossing into Poland on Feb. 23. Polish protesters have also been recorded spilling grain from train cars at the Medyka crossing on Feb. 20 and from trucks at the Dorohusk checkpoint on Feb. 11.

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A Catholic has languished in jail for six months on a blasphemy charge even though a teenage boy has confessed and told police the 34-year-old father had no part in the acts, sources said.

Zimran Asims family has been forced to leave their home after officials of the Counter-Terrorism Department and police arrested him in Chak No. 37 village, Sargodha District, Punjab Province on Aug. 27 on allegations that he helped desecrate pages of the Quran and wrote blasphemous content at three locations.

The allegations against my younger brother are completely false and baseless, the jailed co-defendants brother, Zeeshan Asim, told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Police have maliciously named him as an accused in the three cases of blasphemy even though his co-accused has confessed that he had carried out the actions single-handedly.

Zimran Asim told family members that a Christian neighbor, 17-year-old Akash Masih, confessed to police that he was behind one blasphemy incident on July 16 and another within two weeks after Muslim villagers on Aug. 16 burned and looted Christian homes and businesses in response to a blasphemy allegation in Jaranwala. Police reportedly identified Akash from CCTV footage from a bookshop where he had bought a quranic booklet.

Zimran got implicated with Akash because one day he had taken the boy on his motorcycle to get a gas cylinder filled from a neighboring village, Zeeshan Asim said. When the police circulated Akashs photo taken from the CCTV footage in a bid to trace him, the gas vendor recognized him and informed the police that he had seen the boy with Zimran. This is how my brother landed in police custody.

He said that when the family was finally able to meet Zimran in jail, he told them that Akash had immediately confessed to committing the acts deemed blasphemous.

Akash told police that he was angry at the Muslims for persecuting Christians and burning churches in Jaranwala, Zeeshan Asim said. Zimran also told us that though Akash had categorically absolved him of involvement, the police still named him as an accessory in the three cases.

Investigators accused Zimran Asim of acting as a lookout when Akash desecrated quranic pages and wrote the blasphemous content, Zeeshan Asim said.

Akash and Zimran Asim were booked under Sections 295-A, 295-B, 295-C and 298-A of the blasphemy statutes for three incidents that took place on July 16, Aug. 20 and Aug. 25, he said. Violations under 295-C, blaspheming Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, carries a mandatory death sentence.

Police claim they have concrete evidence against Akash, but they have no proof of my brothers involvement, Zeeshan Asim told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. The police know hes innocent, yet they have made him a scapegoat and scarred him for life.

Zimran Asims family was forced to leave their village after his arrest as village Muslims branded him and Akash as blasphemers and spies, he said.

There was a vicious campaign against our family on social media after the Punjab police chiefs press conference in which he claimed that the incidents in Sargodha were carried out at the behest of a foreign country, Zeeshan Asim said. Our photographs were downloaded from Facebook and made viral in social media groups and pages, putting the security of the entire family at serious risk. My elderly parents and siblings had no other option but to relocate from the village.

He added that Muslims had planned to burn their house when the allegations surfaced, but timely intervention of police and local elders thwarted their intentions.

Though our house was saved from being burned down, someone broke into our house and stole all our household items, Zeeshan Asim said. My father tried to register a theft case, but instead of taking action, the local polices attitude was very derogatory towards him  they taunted him for being the father of a blasphemer and questioned his upbringing of Zimran, despite knowing that my brother was innocent.

Zeeshan Asim said that his brother has not seen his 3-year-old daughter since he was arrested.

Zimran misses her very much and longs to see her, but the circumstances are such that even we have to exercise extreme discretion when we go to court hearings or for prison meetings, he said. We can only pray and hope that God will rescue Zimran from these false cases, and he will reunite with his family soon.

Aneeqa Maria of The Voice Society, who is Zimran Asims defense attorney, said police have no justification for holding him in custody.

Zimrans only crime is that he was Akashs neighbor, Maria told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Though police claim they have sufficient evidence against Akash, there is no evidence against Zimran. All three First Information Reports [FIRs] were filed against unknown people, making it easier for the police to entangle Zimran in the cases without proper evidence.

She emphasized the need in Pakistan for ensuring fair trials in blasphemy cases, including objective assessment of evidence and scrutinizing intent behind alleged blasphemous acts.

Zeeshan Asim said law enforcement personnel arrested his brother on a roadside as he was going to work.

The police officials told Zimran that a shopkeeper had informed them that he had seen him with a Christian boy who had bought the quranic booklet which was desecrated in two incidents, he said. Zimran told the police he had no clue about the allegations and led them to the house of the boy in question.

Akashs family has been their neighbor for decades, Zeeshan Asim said.

No one suspected that Akash could be involved in the desecration and blasphemy incidents in Sargodha, he said.

Area Muslims were quick to suspect Christians after the Jaranwala attacks as Punjab Police Inspector General Dr. Usman Anwar on Aug. 28 stated that the riots and desecration of the Quran in Sargodha were evidence of a conspiracy by Indian intelligence agencies to detract from that countrys mistreatment of Christians. He also claimed that investigators had evidence that both the suspects arrested, without naming Zimran Asim and Akash, had links with the hostile agencies.

Church officials strongly refuted the police chiefs claim, calling it ludicrous and an attempt to bury the facts, as has been the past practice in all such incidents.

Instead of investigating the underlying reasons of such attacks and addressing the root cause, i.e. misuse of the harsh blasphemy laws, the police are arresting and harassing innocent Christians and trying to cover up the truth behind the violent attacks in Jaranwala by blaming foreign intelligence, Church of Pakistans President Bishop Azad Marshall said at the time.

Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year.
Nick Offerman: "It's not a gay story, it's a love story"

The Last of Us actor Nick Offerman has used an awards speech to condemn the "homophobic hate" he has received from viewers, over his character.

At Sunday's Independent Spirit Awards, Offerman won best supporting performance in a new scripted series, for playing Bill in the TV drama.

Bill and his partner, Frank, are among the survivors of a fungal brain infection in the hit HBO show.

Offerman thanked HBO for "having the guts" to tell such stories.

He added they were "stories with guts, that when homophobic hate comes my way and says, 'Why did you have to make it a gay story?', we say, 'Because you ask questions like that - it's not a gay story, it's a love story.'"

Offerman's comments were met with loud applause from the audience at the event, in Santa Monica, California.

Offerman with co-star and fellow nominee Murray Bartlett, at the Emmy Awards, last month

He was nominated alongside Murray Bartlett, who played Frank; while Bella Ramsey was up for best lead performance, for playing Ellie.

Their co-star Keivonn Montreal Woodard won the award for best breakthrough performance, for playing Sam.

Netflix's Beef also won two awards in the TV categories - best new scripted series and best lead performance, for Ali Wong.

In the film section, Korean-American romance Past Lives won best feature and best director, for Celine Song.

Literary-satire American Fiction won best lead performance, for Jeffrey Wright, and best screenplay, for Cord Jefferson.

The Holdovers star Da'Vine Joy Randolph is hotly tipped to win an Oscar

And 1970-set boarding-school comedy-drama The Holdovers picked up best supporting performance, for Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and best breakthrough performance, for Dominic Sessa.

The Independent Spirit Awards ceremony, held in a marquee on Santa Monica seafront, is the latest event in the Hollywood awards season, and focuses on programmes and films made outside the major studio system.

A pro-Palestinian protester made sure his message was heard by playing a recorded chant over a loudspeaker throughout the event.

It "created a stir in the audience at the ceremony, as it was louder than the show itself", Variety said.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Oppenheimer won the top prize at another ceremony, the Producers Guild of America Awards.

The PGA award is one of the best predictors of the Academy Award for Best Picture, when the awards season reaches its climax, at the Oscars, on 10 March.
Keeping up with Donald Trumps court schedule is a dizzying task, since he faces two federal trials, a criminal trial in Georgia, and two separate civil and criminal trials in New York. (Oh, and hes running for president.) To make it easier to follow along, each Monday well be looking back on all the Trump trialrelated developments you might have missed the previous week.

Last week, attorneys for Trump filed a flurry of motions aimed at dismissing his federal classified documents case, while also introducing new evidence that could kick Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis off the Georgia election interference case. And to kick things off this week, lawyers for the former president filed a motion to appeal his civil fraud case verdict, which demands an enormous $454 million penalty.

Judge Aileen Cannon had some homework over the weekend! On Thursday, Trumps attorneys filed seven separate motions making various arguments for dismissing special counsel Jack Smiths classified documents case.

One of the reasons cited will sound familiar: presidential immunity. Attorneys for Trump argue he designated classified documents as personal under the Presidential Records Act and ordered that they be moved from the White House to Mar-a-Lago in Florida, all while he was still president. The alleged decision was an official act, and as such is subject to presidential immunity.

Heres the thing about Trumps presidential immunity claim: It was recently rejected by a federal appeals court in Smiths federal election interference case. Trump is expected to appeal that decision with the Supreme Court, but for now hes asked the high court only to stay the order so the caseand trialcan remain on pause while the appeal is considered.

Trumps lawyers also argued that the classified documents case should be dismissed because of flaws in how Smith has interpreted and applied the PRA to the former presidents actions in the waning days of his presidency. They believe that the act gave Trump wide discretion in handling classified documents, that because he allegedly reassigned classified documents as personal records, the National Archives had no role with respect to personal records once the Presidency concludes, and that Trump technically was the constitutional superior of the Archivist.

After Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, who oversaw Trumps civil fraud trial, slapped the former president with a $454 million finereflective of a $355 million penalty plus nearly $100 million in prejudgment interestfor filing fraudulent financial documents, on Monday Trumps attorneys fired back by filing a notice of appeal to undo Engorons decision.

We trust that the Appellate Division will overturn this egregious fine, Alina Habba, Trumps attorney on this case, wrote in the latest court filing seeking the appeals courts opinion on whether Engoron committed errors of law and/or fact, and whether he abused his discretion and/or acted in excess of his jurisdiction.

Throughout the trial, Trump and his lawyers repeatedly accused Engoron and his principal law clerk Allison Greenfield of biasand the vitriol got so bad that Engoron issued a gag order to stop Trump and his lawyers from publicly speaking about his staff. While the trial was still ongoing, Trumps attorneys filed for a mistrial, which the judge promptly rejected.

In the end, on Feb. 16, Engoron delivered a verdict that found that Trump had failed to accept responsibility for submitting blatantly false financial data for the Trump Organization. The financials in question overinflated the companys assets and gave way to more favorable loan terms, insurance rates, and tax benefits.

Even though Trumps attorneys have initiated the appeals process, he still has to deposit sufficient funds into a court-controlled account or to secure a bond for the entirety of his $355 million penalty within 30 days of the verdict. He cant receive an automatic stay, pausing enforcement of Engorons decision, without doing that first. Moreover, if he fails to post bond, New York Attorney General Letitia James can soon begin to seize Trumps properties.

A new court filing in Georgia includes cellphone data that suggests that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she hired to work on her election interference case against Trump and others, may have been dating in 2021contradicting both of their sworn testimonies.

Willis and Wade are embroiled in a messy fight against Trump and his fellow co-defendant Mike Roman, who claim that Willis hired Wade because the two were dating and that they both have a conflict of interest in prosecuting the Georgia election interference case. Judge Scott McAfee ordered an evidentiary hearing that quickly became heated, with Willis and Wade testifying on the witness stand. Both prosecutors said they were friends for some years before Wade was hired in 2021 to work on Willis investigation, but that they didnt start dating until 2022.

However, new cellphone data submitted to the court by Trumps attorney indicates that in 2021 Wade made at least 35 visits to the neighborhood where Willis lived, and that they exchanged almost 10,000 text messages and made over 2,000 phone calls to each other.

Its worth noting that cellphone data is notoriously unreliable. An engineering professor told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the data reveals not Wades exact location, but more likely a rough average that includes Willis home. The data could also indicate that Wade was driving in the area around Willis home.

The DA fired back in a motion of her own and offered up copies of her calendar that show she would have been at her office or at crime scenes at the time of Wades alleged activity near her home. She also insisted that cellphone records do not prove that Special Prosecutor Wade was ever at any particular location or address; they do not prove that Special Prosecutor Wade and District Attorney Willis were ever in the same place during any of the times listed.
Latvia's Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze called on the European Union to add Russian foodstuffs to sanctions lists on Feb. 26, ahead of an EU Agriculture Ministers meeting in Brussels.

Latvia is the first EU country to decide to ban imports of grain and other foodstuffs from Russia and Belarus. The ban will come into force in March.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said in January that he supported the ban, as agricultural exports support the Russian economy, and what is labeled as Russian grain may in fact be Ukrainian grain stolen from Russian-occupied territories.

Krauze said the law is "not effective" without an EU-wide ban, as it does not apply to goods transiting to other EU member states or third countries.

Krauze also appeared to imply that the ban would not necessarily mean that overall supply would be impacted, as "everything that is imported from Russia can be imported from Ukraine."

"This way we are helping Ukraine and not helping Russia to support its war machine."

A Latvian official said in December 2023 that over 380,000 metric tons of Russian grain had been imported into the EU through Latvia in 2023, an increase of about 80,000 tons of grain compared to 2022.

This figure did not include the grain transported from Russia to non-EU countries via Latvia.

Read also: Media: Polish carriers plan to rejoin protests at Ukraines border on March 1

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Lawmakers are racing to avoid a partial shutdown by Fridays funding deadline, an effort that grew more difficult over the weekend after leaders failed to reach a deal  and traded barbs on who is responsible for the holdup.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Sunday that congressional leaders had not yet reached an agreement on compromise spending bills, blaming House Republicans for the delay. But Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) shot back, placing the onus on new Democrat demands in negotiations.

The Senate reconvenes Monday, and House lawmakers are back in Washington on Wednesday, leaving lawmakers just a handful of days to hash out their differences and approve appropriations bills  or, if needed, clear another short-term stopgap. Four spending measures are due Friday, and the remaining eight must be approved by March 8.

President Biden is hosting the top four Congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday to discuss the upcoming government funding deadline and the Senate-passed foreign aid package that is awaiting action in the House.

Also this week, Hunter Biden is set to testify before the House Oversight and Judiciary committees as part of the GOPs impeachment inquiry into his father, President Biden, a closed-door deposition that marks a make-or-break moment for the probe, which has been met with skepticism from Republicans inside and outside the Capitol.

In the upper chamber, senators are awaiting retrieval of the articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, though questions remain about how Schumer will handle the charges.

Sprint to shutdown deadline

Government funding is at the top of the to-do list for Congress this week as lawmakers stare down a Friday deadline to pass four appropriations bills or face a partial shutdown.

It is the fourth time this Congress that members are facing a shutdown cliff.

Appropriators closed out the weekend without releasing the compromise spending bills that have been the subject of negotiations for months, putting lawmakers behind the eight ball as Fridays deadline quickly approaches.

Funding for military construction, water development and the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Veterans Affairs, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development lapse Friday. The remaining eight spending bills expire March 8.

The top four Congressional leaders  Johnson, Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)  will convene at the White House on Tuesday to meet with Biden and discuss government funding and the stalled foreign aid package.

The four corners last met at the White House in January to discuss sending additional aid for Ukraine. Johnson, however, has been pushing for a one-on-one meeting with Biden to discuss national security and the border.

This weeks gathering comes after Schumer and Johnson played a round of the blame game over the weekend, holding each other responsible for the delayed announcement of the compromise appropriations bills.

While we had hoped to have legislation ready this weekend that would give ample time for members to review the text, it is clear now that House Republicans need more time to sort themselves out, Schumer wrote in a Dear colleague letter Sunday.

He called on Johnson to step up to once again buck the extremists in his caucus and do the right thing when it comes to funding the government.

Johnson, however, clapped back at the letter and its counterproductive rhetoric, writing in a statement that it was the Democrats fault that the bicameral bills had not been rolled out.

Leader Schumers letter fails to mention that many of the points still being debated come from new Democrat demands that were not previously included in the Senate bills, Johnson said. At a time of divided government, Senate Democrats are attempting at this late stage to spend on priorities that are farther left than what their chamber agreed upon.

This is not a time for petty politics, he added, noting that the House has worked nonstop, and is continuing to work in good faith, to reach agreement with the Senate on compromise government funding bills in advance of the deadlines.

Johnson is looking to stave off this weeks partial shutdown by passing a package of spending bills, known as a minibus, a source familiar with the situation told The Hill over the weekend. It is unclear how many appropriations measures will be in the package, but Johnsons goal is to include the four due Friday, the source said.

Hunter Biden to testify on Capitol Hill

Hunter Biden, the presidents son, will go face-to-face with Republican lawmakers Wednesday during a closed-door deposition that comes at a crucial moment in the GOPs impeachment inquiry.

The highly anticipated deposition  set to begin at 10 a.m. with the House Oversight and Judiciary committees  comes after a handful of setbacks for the Republican-led probe, and will take place amid increased skepticism in the GOP over the strength of the conferences case.

Last week, James Biden, the presidents brother, sat for a transcribed interview and testified the president never had any involvement or any direct or indirect financial interest in those activities. And earlier this month, the Justice Department indicted the FBI informant at the heart of the GOPs key claim against President Biden, alleging the confidential human source fabricated his assertions about him.

The committees will now turn their attention to Hunter Biden, who they have long said is key to the case against the president. Republicans have looked into the younger Bidens business activities and personal life, investigating alleged influence peddling from when his father was vice president.

We will see what Hunter Biden says this Wednesday, House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said on Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures.

Wednesdays deposition marks the culmination of a months-long battle between Republicans on the committees and Hunter Biden over the terms of his appearance.

Republicans issued him a subpoena in November, requesting he appear before the panels. The next month, on the day of his scheduled deposition, Biden delivered a brief statement in the Capitol complex, defying the subpoena and re-upping his request to testify in a public setting rather than behind closed doors. Republicans, however, had insisted he first sit for a private deposition before a public hearing.

Bidens defiance prompted Republicans to move ahead with a resolution to hold him in contempt of Congress. But ahead of the full House vote on the resolution, Hunter Bidens team said he would testify privately if the GOP reissued him a subpoena, arguing that the first one was not valid because it was sent before the lower chamber voted to authorize the impeachment inquiry  a request Republicans complied with.

Senate waits for Mayorkas impeachment articles

The Senate this week is preparing to deal with the articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, after the House voted to penalize him earlier this month.

How the chamber addresses the articles, however, remains up in the air.

Schumer announced the day Mayorkas was impeached that the House impeachment managers would present the articles to the Senate after recess, then senators will be sworn in to serve as jurors during the trial, which Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray (D-Wash.) will preside over.

The first question surrounding the next step for the impeachment of Mayorkas is when the articles will be transmitted from the House to the Senate, a matter that has been complicated by the looming government funding deadline. Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) told The Hill last week that he expects the chamber to take up the articles this week.

Then there is the question of how the Senate will handle the articles. Schumer could attempt to dismiss the charges, table them or send them to a special committee, all of which would require a majority vote in the chamber. Referring them to a special committee would allow the panel to review the articles and punt a vote on the matter to after Election Day, which could shield vulnerable Senate Democrats from having to take a tough vote ahead of November.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will appear before House lawmakers on Thursday to answer questions about his cancer diagnosis and his decision not to inform key administration officials about his health status before and after he was hospitalized in early January.

The hearing, in front of the House Armed Services Committee, comes after several chamber lawmakers have already called for Austins resignation over the episode.

Austin, 70, was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Jan. 1 after developing a urinary tract infection from complications related to prostate cancer surgery on Dec. 22. Senior military leaders were not informed of his condition until several days later, and White House officials  including President Joe Biden  were not made aware the defense secretary was hospitalized until Jan. 5.

Earlier this month, acknowledged communication mistakes in his handling of the incident and said his decisions were more about privacy than secrecy.

White House officials and many congressional Democrats have offered their support for him in recent weeks, but congressional Republicans have said the incident raises significant questions about the security of the militarys chain of command.

Tuesday, Feb. 27

Senate Homeland Security  10 a.m.  562 Dirksen

Russian Technology Theft

Outside experts will discuss the use of American technology in Russian weapons being used against Ukraine.



Senate Foreign Relations  2:15 p.m.  419 Dirksen

Red Sea Security Issues

State and Defense officials will testify on security threats in Yemen and the Red Sea.



Senate Health  Time to be determined  S127 Capitol

Nominations

Senators will consider the nomination of Julie Su to be the Secretary of Labor and Stephen Ravas to be inspector general of the Corporation for National and Community Service.





Wednesday, Feb. 28

Senate Armed Services  9:30 a.m.  216 Hart

Industrial Base Personnel

Outside experts will testify on staffing and personnel management issues in the private-sector industrial base.



Senate Foreign Relations  10 a.m.  419 Dirksen

Iran Proxy Networks

Outside experts will testify on the threats posed by Iran proxy networks in the Middle East.



Senate Veterans' Affairs  3:30 p.m.  418 Russell

VA Cemeteries

Department officials will testify on current operations and upcoming challenges with VA cemetery services.



Senate Armed Services  3:30 p.m.  222 Russell

Blast Exposure Care

Defense Department officials will testify on treatment and long-term care for blast exposure injuries.



Senate Agriculture  Time to be determined  328A Russell

Department planning

Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will discuss the agencys needs and challenges for the year ahead.





Thursday, Feb. 29

House Armed Services  10 a.m.  2118 Rayburn

SecDef Health Issues

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will testify on issues surrounding his cancer diagnosis and lack of communication regarding his health to key administration officials.



House Homeland Security  10 a.m.  310 Cannon

Maritime Port Cybersecurity

Coast Guard officials will testify on cyber threats facing U.S. port facilities.



House Oversight  2 p.m.  2154 Rayburn

Cybersecurity

Lawmakers will discuss whether the General Services Administration is complying with purchasing restrictions, particularly as it relates to Chinese goods.




An Italian restaurant in Pittsburghs Lawrenceville neighborhood has opened a new location three years after a fire destroyed its original place of business.

Pesaros Pizza held a grand reopening on Monday for its new location at 5424 Butler Street. Some dedicated fans were able to grab a slice of pizza for free during a soft launch over the weekend.

We really appreciate all the love and support that we are getting, today is the first day open. Please be patient with our crew today. Thank you so much Lawrenceville. We are excited to be back, a Facebook post from Pesaros Pizza read in part.

The Pesaros location on the 4300 block of Butler Street was destroyed in a fire in March of 2021.

>> Flames, smoke cause damage to Lawrenceville businesses

While the restaurant was rebuilt, it worked out of its sister store, Caprionis Pizza.

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An arrest at the Bridgewater Commons two years ago can become a "teachable moment" for police about the harmful impact of implicit bias, according to the lawyer for the Somerville teen who was involved in the 2022 fight at the mall that drew international attention after a video showing a police officer tackling him went viral.

Gregg Zeff, attorney for Z'Kye Husain and his parents, said at a Hackensack press conference last week, along with civil rights attorney Ben Crump and the Bergen County NAACP, that the NAACP will offer training to all police officers in New Jersey on implicit bias.

"Bridgewater, we want to see you there," Zeff said.

Zeff said he had extended an invitation to Bridgewater officials to attend the press conference in a spirit of "let's do something together" to mark the resolution of the legal action between the teen and the township.

"Wouldnt it be wonderful if I could get those police officers and the government in Bridgewater into this room, standing next to us and say, 'we're sorry for what happened,'" Zeff said, adding that it would have been an opportunity for the community to learn about implicit bias and "teach them why it was wrong."

Instead, Zeff said, the township "scoffed" at the suggestion he had offered "over and over again."

Bridgewater decided "we're going to take taxpayer money and make them an offer you can't refuse," he said.

Bridgewater Township had no comment on the press conference.

Zeff later said "we can all learn" about implicit bias from the incident and that he believed Bridgewater wants the issue "to away."

"We're not going to let it go away," Zeff said.

The lawyer also pressed the state Attorney General's Office to release its report on the incident.

Z'Kye Husain is surrounded by his parents Ebone and Jihad as well as Civil rights attorney Ben Crump (left) and Rev. Steffie Bartley Sr., the Northeast Regional Director of the National Action Network, inside the Bridgewater Township, NJ, municipal building Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump claims that Z'Kye Husain was a victim of explicit bias and excessive force when he was slammed to the ground, face first, with a knee put on his back after a fight at the Bridgewater Mall.

The controversy began on Feb. 12, 2022, when two teens, Z'Kye Husain, then 15, a Black male from Somerville, and Umar Joseph Franco, then, 15, of Colombian and Pakistani heritage, and who was perceived to be white, became involved in a scuffle near Bloomingdale's on the third-story of the mall.

The video shows Husain and Franco, then a sophomore at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, arguing and pointing fingers at each other. That leads to pushing and shoving and after two police officers responded to the scene, one officer forced the Black teen, Husain, to the floor and handcuffed him while the other teen, Franco, was placed on a chair and was not handcuffed.

Both teens were released to their parents and no charges were filed.

More: Why hasn't report on Bridgewater police response to mall fight been released?

The incident was recorded by bystanders and posted to social media. More than 1,000 complaints were received by the Bridgewater Police Department and the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office.

In the following weeks, Bridgewater was roiled with protests against the police and an anti-Black Lives Matter banner was hung on a pedestrian bridge over the ramp from Route 22 to Route 202-206, near Bridgewater Commons.

On Feb. 1 Somerset County Superior Court Judge Robert Ballard sealed the settlement between the township and the teen's parents after a Friendly Conference was held to obtain the court's approval of a settlement on behalf of a minor.

Details of the settlement remain confidential because of the teen's age, but the lawsuit stated that it was asking for $100,000.

Crump said the police officers in the Commons incident "automatically assumed the white child was innocent and the black child was guilty."

"They could only see what society has stereotyped him to be," he said.

Crump said they treated Husain like a "predator" and the other teen in the fight "like an angel."

Crump reiterated Zeff's point that the incident could become a " teachable moment."

"The question is, do you want to be better?" he said.

Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Bridgewater Commons mall viral arrest a 'teachable moment': lawyer
Kayleigh Mason will be celebrating her fourth birthday at the end of the month, and, like everyone her age, she's looking forward to getting her learner's permit and getting behind the wheel.

"My friends can't wait for it, too," Kayleigh told The Providence Journal, adding that her friends tell her, "When you can drive, you're bringing us all in your car. You're taking us to Starbucks and Chipotle."

Raya Rishe, born one minute after Kayleigh at Women & Infants Hospital, also is looking forward to her fourth so she can get a job.

"On my birthday," Raya said, "I'm going to apply to Burlington."

Meanwhile, it seems like decades that Cindy Elder has been waiting for her Sweet 16 to roll around. All kinds of good discounts are going to be coming my way before too long, she told The Journal.

"I'm about to turn 20," said Pieter Vanderbeck. The retired janitor, who was a student at the Rhode Island School of Design, is looking forward to his weekly hike at Lincoln Woods State Park as a way of celebrating.

For these four, and dozens of other Rhode Islanders, birthdays are a rare occurrence to be celebrated with gusto every time they roll around. They only get one-fourth the number of birthdays because they were born on Feb. 29, leap day, which is added to the calendar every four years. That means people born that day don't have a birthday the other three years.

From left, Kayleigh Mason, Cindy Elder, Pieter Vanderbeck and Raya Rishe all were born on Feb. 29, leap day.

That also means they experience time differently than the rest of us do.

You begin to think about time in a different way, instead of just this incremental passage of time every year, said Cindy, of Barrington, who knows she'll turn 64 when she celebrates her 16th birthday. It does soften the blow of aging, because theres a little sense of humor about your birthday, and you realize its really not so serious. And then theres this delightful part about creating confusion about when your birthday is.

What's it like having Feb. 29 as a birthday?

"It's just different," said Kayleigh, of Providence, a student at E3 Academy. "Everybody has normal birthdays. I just get one every four years. And I just have fun with it." And she added, for the people who will be born this Thursday, "Your birthday's special. Just enjoy it. Because not very many people get to have that birthday."

"Everybody has normal birthdays. I just get one every four years," said Kayleigh Mason. "And I just have fun with it."

Often on leap years, you open up the newspaper and you read a story about the poor leap year children who only get a birthday once every four years," said Cindy. "Every time I look at those stories, I think they have it wrong. Its actually the greatest birthday in the world. And it gets a lot better as time marches on, because, for instance, when I turned 50 I didnt have a birthday. Its not divisible by four. How great is that? You dont even have to acknowledge it.

"When it's close to my actual birthday, I'm glad I was born on the 29th," said Raya, of Pawtucket, a sophomore at Tolman High School. "The three years I don't have a birthday, it's kind of awkward, because people don't know how to celebrate."

More: Retired Warwick couple don't go to the movies as a hobby. They're IN the movies.

Its a delightful birthday to have, Cindy, executive director of the Barrington Land Conservation Trust, summarized. Theres something about having a birthday that a lot of people dont understand that allows you to think of yourself as different, in a good way.

And, Pieter, of Providence, points out that leap year alters the time between birthdays for everyone. "Everybody else doesn't have their birthday on the same day either."

Do people born on Feb. 29 have a sense of humor about it?

While Kayleigh enjoys many of the leap year jokes people make, she does have one complaint: "When people use the same jokes over and over again, it's annoying."

"Once in a while I make a joke about being a quarter my age," said Pieter, adding that that can prompt others to joke. "They'll make a comment about: I'm still a baby."

That happens to Raya, too. "When I do immature stuff, they say, 'What are you, 3?' And I say, 'Yes.'"

When do people born on Feb. 29 celebrate their birthdays?

Obviously, their birthdays are celebrated Feb. 29 in leap years, but in the off years, the four who spoke to The Journal have different strategies.

Raya celebrates on Feb. 28 with one parent and on March 1 with the other.

"When I turned 50 I didnt have a birthday. Its not divisible by four," said Cindy Elder. "How great is that? You dont even have to acknowledge it.

Kayleigh celebrates during the 24 hours from noon on Feb. 28 to noon on March 1.

Pieter said he moves it around: "One year it's on the 29th; two years it's on March 1, and one year it's on the 28th."

Cindy tries to milk as much out of it as she can: I generally encourage a sense of confusion, so people can celebrate me whenever they want to.

Is Feb. 29 a rare birthday?

With the exception of three years every 400 years, when there is no leap year in years that are evenly divisible by 100, Feb. 29 occurs only once every 1,461 days, much less frequently than the once every roughly 365 days for every other birthday.

From Jan. 1, 1960, to Dec. 31, 2023, 874,034 babies were born in Rhode Island, according to the state Department of Health. Of those, only 547  just 0.06%  were born on Feb. 29. That pales in comparison with the 2,286  0.26%  born on Feb. 28 and the 2,438  0.28%  on March 1.

"I'm about to turn 20," said Pieter Vanderbeck, a retired janitor, who plans to celebrate the day with a hike at Lincoln Woods State Park.

Including 1960, there were 16 leap years during that time. On average in those leap years, 34 babies were born on Feb. 29, while 36 were born the day before and 39 the day after. Certain birthdays can generally be intentionally chosen  or avoided  through the scheduling of elective Caesarean sections or use of methods to speed up or slow down labor. That could account for that difference. Interestingly, during five of those 16 leap years, Feb. 29 births exceeded the average of Feb. 28 and March 1 combined.

For one of the people who spoke to The Journal, that's exactly what happened, although not so much to choose a Feb. 29 birthday. Cindy Elder's mother, Barbara Hail, had begun labor, but it looked like Cindy wouldn't arrive until March 1. And Hail's doctor had to leave for a conference that day, so he offered Hail the opportunity to speed things up. Hail didn't want an unfamiliar doctor to deliver her baby, so she chose to have Cindy on Feb. 29.

Why is 2024 a leap year?

Leap day is a calendar oddity, added once every four years so that the Earths orbit around the sun, which takes about 365 days, stays in sync with the calendar year, which normally is 365 days.

(The year is actually 365.2422 days long, so a few more adjustments are needed: Even though it meets the requirement of every four years, there is no leap day in years that are evenly divisible by 100, except when theyre also evenly divisible by 400, which is why 2000 was a leap year but 2100 wont be.)

More: Tiny unicorns are spreading joy all over Providence. Who's behind them is a mystery

Julius Caesar began the concept of leap year in 46 BC to keep annual festivals in the same season each year, but the modern standard of using AD years evenly divisible by four wasn't adopted until 1582, under Pope Gregory XIII. The Gregorian calendar also introduced skipping leap year in three out of four century years.

So, because 2024 is evenly divisible by four, but not a century year, it's a leap year, and Thursday will be Feb. 29, leap day.

What do you call someone born on Feb. 29?

Several of the people interviewed by The Journal refer to themselves as "leap year babies," and the Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies, a website run by people born that day, offers a bunch of additional terms, including: "leaper," "leapean," "leapy" and "leapster."

The society also adds the specialized terms of "leapling" for newborns, "leap dude" for males, and "leap chik" and "leapette" for females.

For leap year babies, big parties four years ago, then disaster

The Rhode Islanders born on Feb. 29 experienced their last birthday like no one else.

While the leapers were partying on Feb. 29, lab technicians were busy processing tests on a 40-year-old man who had been hospitalized the day before with a respiratory illness. Then, on March 1, 2020, health officials announced: The lab test was positive, and the COVID-19 pandemic had come to Rhode Island.

"When I do immature stuff, they say, 'What are you, 3?' And I say, 'Yes,'" said Raya Rishe, who will mark her fourth official birthday on Thursday.

"It was me and a bunch of my dance friends," Kayleigh recalled about her third birthday festivities that year. "We were just playing games and having fun."

But then the fun and games ended. "It was weird just being stuck inside for months."

"Just think about the timing," said Cindy. Her 15th birthday, which marked her arrival at age 60, was a big blowout, with lots of friends from throughout her life. "It was fantastic. And one week later, the world shut down. Wed had that incredible moment, when we hugged each other, we laughed with each other, we were all together in the same room. And, for many of my friends, it was the last time we saw each other for more than two years.

She expects to get together with pretty much the same people this year, but she'll spread it out over a number of much smaller gatherings. I feel like, number one, I dont want to trigger another pandemic by having a party.

A Feb. 29 birthday keeps them forever young

Theres something kind of neat about being 16 again," said Cindy, "because 16 was a time where ... everything seemed possible and everything seemed confusing.

Or, as Pieter sees it, "I have all my life refused to grow up."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Leap day birthdays are special celebrations for these Rhode Islanders
I made some comments yesterday that some people thought were divisive. Politics is divisive and I am just incredibly frustrated about the abject failures of the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

Khan called for an immediate ceasefire weeks ago with no conditions while the hostages are still there being held at gunpoint by a terrorist organisation.

Hundreds of people had been arrested for racist abuse on these marches and we barely heard a peep from the mayor. If these marches were about something less fashionable Sadiq Khan would have been the first to call for them to be cancelled. Its double standards for political benefit.

But when you think you are right, you should never apologise because to do so would be a sign of weakness. If you are wrong, apologising is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.

Seeing the words From the river to the sea on Elizabeth Tower made me feel sick to the pit of my stomach. Khan has stood by and allowed our police to turn a blind eye to the disgusting scenes around Parliament.

It is not my intention to upset anyone. I believe in free speech and have 100 per cent respect for people of all backgrounds.

The vast majority of Muslims are not Islamists in the same way the vast majority of Christians are not conservatives or socialists.

The vast majority of our Muslim friends in the UK are decent, hard-working citizens who make an amazing contribution to our society, and their religion should not be blamed for the actions of a tiny minority of extremists.

My words may have been clumsy, but my words were born out of sheer frustration at what is happening to our beautiful capital city. Weve got to get Khan out at the elections in May.
An upcoming TV adaptation of the 1984 movie "Amadeus," which revolves around the life, music, and career of the legendary classical master Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is set to premiere in the UK this year through local broadcasting and the streaming service Sky.

Sky Original Series 'Amadeus' Synopsis and Background

"White Lotus" star Will Sharpe will take on the titular role, portraying the genius maestro during the time of his first arrival in the busy city of 18th-century Vienna as a young composer-to-be, bringing along hopes, dreams, and ambitions of becoming a great classical musician.

As the 1984 movie was in turn an adaptation of the original 1979 Peter Shaffer play of the same name, the upcoming series will also be revolving around the mostly fictional story of Mozart and his contemporary "lesser," Antonio Salieri.

Apart from his fated meeting with his rival Salieri-who would ultimately usher in Mozart's downfall-he also met his later wife, Constanze Weber, a young soprano who would similarly transform the master's life.

The new TV iteration of Schaffer's five-time Tony-winning original play is expected to be equally "fresh, intimate, and irreverent," said Sky TV, as quoted by Broadway World.

It will comprise five episodes and will be produced by STV Studios' Two Cities Television and Sky Studios. Acting as executive producers for the latter studio are Paul Gilbert and Megan Spanjian, with Michael Jackson and Stephen Wright serving as the executive producers for the former.

In addition, Sharpe himself will be contributing to the classical music biopic as an executive producer. Joe Barton will also join the project as an EP, alongside being the show's primary writer. Julian Farino and Alice Seabright will be co-directing, with the former also acting as an EP.

The show is expected to roll out later this year and will follow another high-profile biopic that was released earlier this year, Bradley Cooper's "Maestro."

Read Also: AI May Produce TV Soaps Within 3 Years, Director Warns

 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Brian Cullen was found with serious injuries at a property in Midghall Street

A man has been charged with the murder of a pensioner.

Brian Cullen, 73, was found injured in a Liverpool city centre property on Sunday, 10 February, and later died in hospital.

Merseyside Police said officers had been called to reports of a domestic assault in Midghall Street.

Ryan Cullen, 34, was arrested and has been charged with murder and criminal damage.

Mr Cullen, of no fixed address, is due to appear at South Sefton Magistrates' Court in Bootle on Monday (26 February).

Merseyside Police said the victim's family is being supported by specialist officers as the investigation continues.

Why not follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk
In one of the rare longueurs of this pulsating final, Liverpool fans amused themselves as only they could, striking up a scarf-twirling rendition of Allez Allez Allez that felt like it would never end. The ringleaders in the Chelsea seats did their best to orchestrate a response, but managed nothing better than the waving of a few plastic replica flags. In its way, it was a perfect distillation of the day, of a match when the private equity boys from west London ran aground against an unstoppable emotional force.

At the heart of this rhapsody in red, as always, was Jurgen Klopp. He was the figure launching his assistants into the air at the final whistle, performing his signature triple fist-pump for the faithful, and then, in a teary crescendo, swaying with his team to Youll Never Walk Alone on the Wembley halfway line. To think, there are three months of his final campaign still to run. Should he conclude it, as is still possible, with a quadruple of trophies in May, it will count as perhaps the most extravagantly lachrymose farewell in sport.

It is this choreography that lies at the heart of Klopps genius. Somehow, this son of the Black Forest has come to understand Liverpool, whether the club or the city, in all its idiosyncrasies, establishing himself not just as a visionary manager but as the totem of a community. Where he leads, everyone else follows. And so when Klopp prefaced this victory over Chelsea by shrugging off criticism of his celebrations, declaring that they were for us and nobody else, supporters were emboldened to toast this triumph as if they had just won the Champions League.

Warnings flashed up on Wembleys giant screens that pyrotechnics were banned both inside and outside the stadium. Some hope: when Virgil van Dijks header rippled the net in the 118th minute, supporters set off their contraband flares as if this were an Istanbul derby, filling the night sky of north-west London with the acrid tang of garish red smoke. This represents the essence of Liverpool under Klopp, where the more you criticise them, the more they double down.

You saw it in the mass derision towards God Save the King before kick-off. When the Kop produced the same reaction after King Charles coronation last year, TV controversialists lined up to denounce the behaviour. But they might as well have whistled in the wind. After all, fans disdain for the national anthem had the official sign-off from Klopp, who echoed Liverpools position that the decision about whether to boo or not was a personal choice. This was sufficient for the disciples in red, who, presented with another chance here to enrage their detractors, took it with glee.

Liverpool fans let off red flares after Virgil van Dijk's winning goal - Jacques Feeney/Getty Images

Klopp is the human force-field around whom everything at Liverpool coalesces. It was his decision to send on a cluster of academy products to crush Chelseas resistance in extra-time, and it brought the most handsome reward. Quite the storyline, all told: homegrown youngsters thwarting opponents who had cost 1 billion to assemble. Not that Liverpool can exactly be called parsimonious. But it is Klopps cult of personality, coupled with his fearsome tactical acumen, that makes the difference in a contest as tense as this. The fact that three close Wembley finals in two years between these teams have all been resolved in Liverpools favour is not a coincidence. Not with a personality as irrepressible as Klopp on the touchline.

What will they do without him? For those who hang on his every word, it hardly bears thinking about. In a perfect world, Xabi Alonso would arrive from Leverkusen in the summer to sustain the clubs voracious appetite for success. But there is no substituting Klopps vast influence at every level of this institution. The intensity of the passion expressed after this stirring win could only have been scripted by Liverpool, but it also owed much to the manager. He has only left two clubs before, Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, and both were left weak at the knees in gratitude by the end. At Liverpool, his absence will leave not just a hole, but a crater.

Klopp is not interested in what outsiders think of Liverpool's post-match celebrations - Andy Rain/Shutterstock

It was instructive to hear Klopp acclaim this afterwards as the most precious trophy he had won. Better than a first Premier League crown in 30 years, better than two Bundesligas against the might of Bayern Munich? It would appear so, for the simple reason that this performance exemplified all the qualities he has spent nine years instilling in Liverpool: the persistence, the resilience, the inexhaustible self-belief. That it was Van Dijk, the one true veteran left on the pitch, stealing in at the death for the winner only sweetened the sensation.

The power that Klopps presence exerts cannot be exaggerated. A few minutes before kick-off, a corporate guest insisted on posing for a selfie with him. It is as if the closer he comes to writing the last chapter, the more everyone around him wants him to memorialise the moment. What he will be remembered for, above all else, is the defiance he brings in every department. It is a mentality that enables Liverpool to deal with all the brickbats, all the carping and belittling, and to decide that ultimately, they just do not care.

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Leap Day happens every four years and some local shops celebrate the special day.

About 5 million people worldwide share the Leap birthday; being born on Leap Day can certainly be a talking point.

In celebration of Leap Day, some local shops offer deals for people born on Feb. 29.

Read: Bark for your buck: Help local animal charities with annual Pints n Paws festival

Chuck E. Cheese

Leap and play away at Chuck E. Cheese. The trampoline zone is giving away free All-Day Jump Passes to children under 52 inches tall.

Click here to get the one-day coupon, and present it when visiting on Feb. 29.

City Works Eatery & Pour House

City Works in Disney Springs is offering a free entree to all people born on Leap Day. People must show their ID when they order.

Read: Pet Alliance features Sammy during kitten season

Cowboy Chicken

Cowboy Chicken is ready to celebrate with a savory birthday gift. The wood-fire rotisserie chicken chain will give all leaplings, or those born on Leap Day, Feb. 29, a free whole chicken to celebrate their special day.

Guests must appear in person at Cowboy Chicken Kissimmee and show identification to prove their birthday.

This offer is available during operating hours on Feb. 29. No purchase is required.

Only one free chicken per person and this offer may not be combined with other offers.

Read: Winter Park to hold St. Patricks Day Parade next weekend

Duck Donuts

Duck Donuts is celebrating Leap Day with a Sweet $2.29 Combo!

To celebrate the extra 24 hours in 2024, guests can enjoy a cinnamon sugar donut and medium hot coffee or cold brew combo for just $2.29 on Thursday, Feb. 29.

McDonalds

McDonalds through Central Florida is offering 50 cent Double Cheeseburgers on Leap Day. The one-time offer is only via the McDonalds Mobile App.

Read: Wine Wars kicks off the Spring Festival Season at Lake Eola Park

Mellow Mushroom

To commemorate this special Leap Year, Mellow Mushroom will offer free delivery on Leap Day.

Museum of Illusions Orlando

The Museum of Illusions is offering free entry for people who were born on Leap Day.

The visitor would need to bring a valid ID and a paying guest.

Guests can leap into a world of optical illusions, eye-fooling exhibits, and interactive fun as they embark on a magical journey of discovery and wonder.

Read: The Canopy: $30M 10-acre park to be built beneath I-4 in downtown Orlando

World of Beer Bar & Kitchen

To celebrate Leap Day, World of Beer is giving Leaplings the opportunity to choose one free item from a selection of four at any participating location.

Simply present your ID as proof of a Leap Day birthday to redeem your choice of a complimentary item.

Choose one of the four items listed below:

Birria Quesadilla- Tender brisket, mozzarella cheese, diced red onion and fresh cilantro, tucked inside a flour and corn blend tortilla and seared crispy. Served with beef consomme for dipping. Full Portion.

BBQ Smoked Brisket Burger- Fresh Angus beef burger topped with tender BBQ beef brisket, applewood smoked bacon and cheddar cheese, served with chipotle BBQ sauce and fried onions on a toasted brioche bun.

WOB Chicken Wings- Traditional- Served with carrot sticks and celery and your choice of house made blue cheese or ranch. Tossed in choice of sauce. 10-piece wings.

Flatbread of your choice:

Margherita Flatbread- Freshly diced tomatoes and mozzarella over a basil and pesto, drizzled, with a sweet balsamic glaze and topped with fresh arugula. Black & Blue Flatbread- Blackened steak, caramelized onions and mushrooms, mozzarella and blue cheeses, finished with fresh arugula and a sweet balsamic glaze. Chipotle BBQ Flatbread- Tender, grilled chicken with onions, pepper, and bacon smothered in mozzarella cheese. Finished with a drizzle of chipotle BBQ.



Read: SeaWorld food festival has expanded the performance lineup

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
There's a good reason locusts are considered plague-worthy. Despite their size, swarms of these insects can cause considerable damage by shredding plant life to bits like ravenous piranhas.. The bugs destroyed millions of American lives during the so-called "Dust Bowl" of the 1930s and caused massive hardship in East Africa from 2019 to 2020  perhaps the authors of the Exodus were right to vilify the notoriously gluttonous insects.

Despite the human tendency to demonize these bugs, they are a natural part of the world and can serve important ecological functions while at the same time being extremely destructive. Nonetheless, locusts pose big risks to human agriculture and food security, as laid bare by a recent study from the journal Science Advances. It details that, as climate change worsens, locusts will expand their ranges in the very same North African and Middle Eastern regions where the Bible is set.

It all comes down to the weather. As humans continue to burn fossil fuels and thereby release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, Earth's temperature will continue to warm. Researchers from China and Singapore found that this will increase the prevalence of cyclical droughts and heavy rains in North Africa and the Middle East  and those are ideal conditions for locust swarms. Their eggs will thrive in the damp soil, and as vegetation grows sparse, they will congregate into groups with billions of individuals seeking food while flying up to 90 miles every day.

The United Nations has already described locusts as the most destructive migratory pest in the world," and that will have been the case before climate change encourages even more swarming behavior. According to the authors of the Science Advances paper, their model finds that locusts' range could expand by as much as 13 to 25 percent because of global warming, imperiling food security all over the world.

"A warming climate will lead to widespread increases in locust outbreaks with emerging hotspots in west central Asia, posing additional challenges to the global coordination of locust control," the authors write, noting that locust populations have always relied on climate conditions, thriving or declining from dryness, precipitation and flood frequency to wind speed, air temperature and soil moisture. Everything from how locusts breed and incubate to their migration patterns is shaped by climate and weather conditions. As a result, weather events like the El NinoSouthern Oscillation are crucial in determining whether locusts are abundant or comparatively scarce.

"We find a strong teleconnection between the recurring climate variation and locust dynamics," the authors write. "The transition between the positive (El Nino) and negative (La Nina) phases of [the El NinoSouthern Oscillation] affects the abundance and distribution of locusts. Highly active areas contributing to locust dynamics are 65% larger during El Nino years than La Nina years."

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Cyril Piou, an ecologist at France's Center for Biology and Management of Populations, criticized the study to Inside Climate News by arguing that it did not sufficiently collaborate with scientists from that region. Had they done so, Piou argued, they might have taken local conditions like pest control programs into consideration.

There are many scientists in these countries that actually know a lot about locust ecology and management, Piou told Inside Climate News. And [the researchers] could have gotten some grasp of this information to avoid arriving at conclusions without knowing whats happening already on the ground.

Other recent research has indicated the ways in which climate change is helping insect populations that humans wish to see hindered. A December study from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Research found that agricultural insect pests will thrive as climate change worsens. Elevated carbon dioxide concentrations, worsening droughts and higher temperatures will all reduce crop production while working to the advantage of a number of insect pest species.

"Global warming could increase insect populations, resulting in earlier infestations and crop damage," the authors explain. "Optimal temperatures for many insect pests could increase pest infestations under global warming scenarios. However, a uniform increase in pest abundance and crop losses is not guaranteed due to varying needs, tolerances, and temperature effects among insects."

This finding is similar to that from a 2021 article in the journal Insects. The authors of that piece also found that climate change will be a boon to certain types of agricultural insect pests.

"Changes in climate can affect insect pests in several ways," the authors explained. "They can result in an expansion of their geographic distribution, increased survival during overwintering, increased number of generations, altered synchrony between plants and pests, altered interspecific interaction, increased risk of invasion by migratory pests, increased incidence of insect-transmitted plant diseases, and reduced effectiveness of biological control, especially natural enemies."

It is important to note that both of those studies did not claim climate change would be a blanket benefit to insect pests; because species are so different from each other, it is possible that certain ones will falter instead. This point was also made in a 2020 study for the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, which similarly examined how global insect pests will react to climate change. After analyzing 31 plant-eating insect pest species, they found that for a majority the severity of their threat to humanity was impacted (for better or worse) by climate change.

"Among these insect species, 41% showed responses expected to lead to increased pest damage, whereas only 4% exhibited responses consistent with reduced effects; notably, most of these species (55%) demonstrated mixed responses," the authors concluded. "This means that the severity of a given insect pest may both increase and decrease with ongoing climate warming."

If one thing is certain, it is that as the Earth continues to overheat, the types of weather conditions that benefit pests and disadvantage crops will become more and more common. As a study last year in the journal PNAS demonstrated, climate change if left unchecked will eventually lead to so-called compound drought and heatwaves (or CDHW events), which will happen roughly twice a year with each one lasting approximately 25 days. This is bad news for humans, but great news for pests like locusts. If our species wishes to avoid this outcome, it must prevent a warmed Earth from becoming a new normal.
The Spring has been given major improvements to interior quality and connectivity

Dacia could consider bringing production of the Spring to Europe, as the cost advantage of building it in China and importing it becomes less obvious.

The Spring  Europe's third-best-selling electric car after the Tesla Model 3 and Y  has been heavily updated for 2024, and will finally be launched in the UK in right-hand-drive form later this year. It will continue to be built initially in Hubei, China, by Dongfeng Renault, but the firm is evaluating the possibility of building European cars locally.

The firm's sales and marketing boss Xavier Martinet told Autocar that building the European-market Spring in China "made sense at the time" it was launched in 2021, because that was "where the ecosystem was" and so it "reduced the risk of investment".

He said the ability to build cheaply in China has been crucial to the Spring's positioning as the cheapest full-sized electric car in Europe, but wondered "how long will this advantage continue?".

"Assembling in China is what has made a success of the car so far, and we'll see how long this is the reality," he said. "The market is changing a lot: regulations are coming in as well  plus we have a bonus in terms of incentives and stuff like that, so it does somewhat change the equation a little bit, and we have to adapt to that."

Dacia Spring at Geneva motor show  rear quarter

Martinet also cited the evolution of Europe's battery manufacturing industry as a potential facilitator of local Spring production, and highlighted that as parent company Renault increases the number of EVs it builds in Europe, there could be production efficiencies from which Dacia could benefit.

"There is this complementarity of offers within the group, which enables us to take some decisions which do make sense," he said.

The Spring is not based on the same CMF architecture that will underpin each of Renault's European EVs, so it is unlikely that it can slot into an existing production line - and Martinet stopped short of naming any potential locations.

Dacia has its own European factory in Pitesti, Romania, but has not yet given any indication of plans to build electric cars there.

Importantly, Dacia remains committed to the Spring's value billing, and would avoid incurring any significant increase in production costs so as not to threaten its list price.

Martinet said: "We don't want to deviate from this positioning - it's what makes the success of Dacia today: to be the best value proposition in every segment that we compete in."

Dacia Spring facelift: Everything you need to know

Dacia Spring at Geneva Motor show

The Spring will finally head to UK dealers in the coming months to become the nations cheapest electric car, following a substantial overhaul inside and out aimed at sustaining strong European sales volumes.

The Spring was originally introduced in Europe in 2021 as a rebadged version of the Chinese-market Renault City K-ZE. Its low launch price of just 16,800 (14,385 at todays exchange rate) meant it quickly rose up the EV sales charts, and three years on, 140,000 Springs have been bought on the continent.

However, the original Spring was not imported to the UK  partly because it was lacking a bit of modernity, in the words of Dacia design chief David Durand.

Now, though, it has been heavily updated to rectify that, with major improvements to interior quality and connectivity, and it is due to hit the market imminently, priced from just above 17,000.

Inside, the outgoing cars curved dashboard and piano black finish have been replaced by a more modern, rugged design in line with the new Duster.

Also gone is the old 7.0in infotainment display. Range-topping Extreme cars get the 10.1in touchscreen from the Duster in its place, which can be updated wirelessly without going into a dealer.

Lower-grade models rely on a smartphone app, which still provides on-the-go access to popular services such as Waze and Spotify.

Advanced driver assistance systems such as lane keeping assistance, advanced emergency braking and driver attention monitoring have also been added to the Spring. This is to ensure compliance with Europes new GSR2 safety regulations, but a physical My Safety button provides quick access to the ADAS settings, should drivers wish to disable them.

Dacias new Youclip accessory mounts appear on the centre console, dashboard and glovebox. These offer attachment points for amenities such as a phone cradle, cupholder and even a glovebox  useful as the Spring features a Fiat 500-style open shelf as standard.

Its all change for the Springs exterior styling too. It gets a new-look front end that brings it into line with the Duster and the upcoming Bigster, featuring LED daytime-running lights and indicators on the grille. The rear gets thinner, Y-shaped lights, which are joined by a matt black plastic panel.

The cladding around the wheel arches and the lower section of the front and rear bumpers is left unpainted to cope better with any dents or scrapes incurred around town.

Mechanically, however, the new Spring is largely the same as before. A single electric motor sends either 44bhp or 64bhp through the front wheels, with the more powerful variant dispatching 0-62mph in a leisurely 13.7sec.

The small, 26.8kWh battery delivers a claimed range of more than 137 miles and is a key reason why the Spring weighs only 984kg  just 6kg more than the outgoing car. This means the Spring is still the only full-size EV sold in Europe that tips the scales at less than a tonne.

The 44bhp car can take charge at a maximum of 11kW (AC), while 64bhp cars get 30kW DC charging as standard. In Extreme cars  expected by Dacia to account for 65% of UK sales  the charger is also able to deliver power from the cars battery to external sources, rated at 220V.

UK deliveries of the Spring will begin in October, with its sub-18,000 price tag undercutting the 26,000 BYD Dolphin and the upcoming Citroen e-C3, which will be roughly 23,000.

Q&A with Christophe Combre, Dacia Spring product leader

Will it always be feasible to build the Spring in China?

We are in the near future [going to build it in China]. We have no doubt about that. In the history of Spring, it started from an existing vehicle, which was already made in China. So for us, it made a lot of sense to take it from there, in this ecosystem, because the suppliers are already there.

Are you looking to expand the Springs target market?

Our customer targets are completely in line with the existing Spring. Its mostly people in Europe, in their fifties, looking for a second car because they need something practical for commuting and everyday business they have to attend. Most of the time, its a second car or maybe sometimes even a third car.

We are actively pursuing to renew the needs of those customers and also to try to appeal to younger customers, who are no longer necessarily looking for a traditional means of mobility.

Does the Springs success give you confidence in Dacias electric future?

We are still studying that for the time being. This is the only electric car we have, and we are working on the electrification of the range, with HEVs [hybrids], for instance, coming on other models. We keep on thinking, but today this is our [only electric model].

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Lord Jacob Rothschild, the financier and member of the Rothschild banking family, has died at the age of 87.

In a statement on Monday, his family called Lord Rothschild "a towering presence in many peoples' lives".

His career begun at the family bank, NM Rothschild & Sons, before he moved on to start his own wealth management fund in 1989.

The Rothschild family has an estimated fortune of around 825m, according to last year's Sunday Times Rich List.

Lord Rothschild was described as "a superbly accomplished financier, a champion of the arts and culture, a devoted public servant, a passionate supporter of charitable causes in Israel and Jewish culture, a keen environmentalist and much-loved friend, father and grandfather," in a statement released by his family.

Born in Berkshire in 1936, the late financier was educated at Eton College and went on to study history at Christ Church College, Oxford.

He left the family bank to build his own financial empire in the City of London, founding investment trust RIT Capital, which he chaired until 2019.

Lord Rothschild also held roles including deputy chairman at BSkyB Television, director of RHJ International, now known as BHF Kleinwort Benson Group, and was a member of the council for the Duchy of Cornwall for the then-Prince of Wales.

He was also known for being a longstanding patron of the arts, and was a trustee of the National Gallery between 1985 and 1991, as well as chairing the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Rothschild banking family traces its roots back to 18th Century Frankfurt, from where family members moved to cities across Europe to build out banking businesses.

In 1815 the bank made a fortune when Nathan Mayer Rothschild bought British government bonds in anticipation of Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo.

Lord Jacob Rothschild's cousin Sir Evelyn de Rothschild was chairman of NM Rothschild between 1976 and 2003, and was said to have advised Queen Elizabeth II on financial matters.
Ahead of her "Eras" tour's UK leg this coming August, London's Victoria and Albert Museum is currently searching for the ultimate Taylor Swift fan to help in advising its curatorial experts on the significance of the artist in the recent contemporary history of art and design.

The V&A Museum posted the job listing on its site last Thursday, Feb. 22, seeking one heavily informed Swiftie who will gain the chance to browse the institution's some 2.8 million-strong collection and possibly steer the museum's future programs.

However, one indispensable characteristic the V&A is reportedly looking for in a candidate, according to CNN, is that the would-be Swift expert should be able to put together and share invaluable insights into the "culture and artisanry" that surrounds the artifacts shared and made for her concerts.

Friendship Bracelets, Signages, and The 'Eras' Tour Culture

One object in particular, the friendship bracelets Swifties often swap with one another, is what the V&A is interested in, alongside the handcrafted signages that are frequently brought in 'Eras' tour shows.

The bracelets have evolved and developed into a sort of "ritual" during the entire run of the tour, inspired by the lyrics from Swift's "You're on Your Own, Kid" song from her 2022 record, "Midnights," which depicts the star artifact as a potent manner in which to share an experience over.

The wrist accessory also plays a huge part in the artist's heavily documented relationship with one of the NFL's top players, Travis Kelce.

Specifically, in a July episode of his podcast, he recalled that his relationship with the icon started after he attempted to give a bracelet with his number to Swift in one of her shows, prompting the artist to get in touch.

Such objects not only play a big role in the Swifty community it also exemplify the outstanding cultural, economic, and social performance of the pop icon's "Eras" tour that started last March and is set to continue until December this year.

Read Also: The Reverend Shawn Amos Shares Second Single 'Back To The Beginning' From Upcoming Album 'Soul Brother No. 1'

V&A's Effort to Onboard 'Grassroots' Expertise

The role is not specific to just Taylor Swift fans, however, as this initiative is part of the institution's larger goal to employ individuals with "grassroots expertise" in nich cultural entities, be they artists, games, media franchises, or even competitions.

Aside from Swifties, the V&A museum is looking for true "stans" of Crocs, emojis, drag, and the rug-making technique of tufting.

The institution said that this is done to help inform their would-be exhibitions on the aforementioned subjects, which will comprise objects and artifacts from the institution's collection that respectively relate to these phenomena.

So far, the V&A has already brought in Pokemon, Lego, and Gorpcore experts, the latter of which is an incredibly specific fashion trend that sees hiking wear adorned as day-to-day attire. The institution has even hired an expert on the human-shaped Toby jugs.

The museum has not publicly shared any information regarding the actual digits concerning the salary of the position, however, it did say that it will be "within reason" and enough to cover would-be travel costs.

Successful prospects will also be able to receive a V&A Membership.

Read More: 'White Lotus' star Will Sharpe Cast as Mozart in Upcoming Series 'Amadeus'

 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Unsurprising: Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley lost to Donald Trump in her home state's primary on Saturday, winning 39.5 percent of the vote to Trump's 59.8 percent.

Haley has said she will not be dropping out of the presidential race "until the last person votes" with her campaign announcing more ad spends ahead of Super Tuesday. Meanwhile, her Koch-affiliated funders at Americans for Prosperity Action have decided to pull support, instead choosing to focus on more winnable House and Senate races. (Disclosure: Reason Foundation, the nonprofit which publishes this website, has also received Koch funding.)

Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, that billionaire Charles Koch "and his group got played for suckers right from the beginning!" and called Haley "braindead."

"I said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina, I would continue to run for president. I'm a woman of my word," Haley said in a speech on Saturday. "I'm not giving up this fight when a majority of Americans disapprove of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden."

Haley is right that both candidates' disapproval ratings are stunningly high, and that third-party candidates such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are somewhat unprecedentedly gaining traction. But that doesn't mean that staying in the race will do much of anything.

Self-immolation outside the Israeli embassy: An active-duty U.S. airman named Aaron Bushnell has reportedly died after setting himself on fire outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C., protesting the Israeli government's invasion of Gaza.

Bushnell filmed his protest and livestreamed it on Twitch. "I will no longer be complicit in genocide," said Bushnell, prior to setting himself on fire. "I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest," he said before dousing himself in a liquid, lighting himself on fire, and shouting "Free Palestine!"

This is the second self-immolation in front of an Israeli embassy that's happened in response to the current conflict in Gaza. The first protest took place in Atlanta late last year, and it resulted in severe injuries but not death of the protester.

Meanwhile in Gaza The Israel Defense Forces have reportedly presented plans for removing civilians from active combat zones in Gaza, which "reinforces Israel's intention to send troops into Rafah," per The New York Times. Rafah, which is on the border with Egypt, is where hundreds of thousands of Gazans have taken refuge. The Israeli military's intentions have drawn criticism from the United States. Very little information has emerged to the general public about what is in the plan.

Scenes from New York: "There's been a national shortage of ADHD medication for more than a year and a half," writes Intelligencer's James D. Walsh. "According to the government and industry experts, there are multiple overlapping causes: manufacturing problems, labor issues, supply-chain failures, and a huge rise in demand during the pandemic. But Ascent [a drug manufacturer based on Long Island] claims there's another factor exacerbating the shortage, one that's completely sui generis: the fact that it's been shut down by the Drug Enforcement Administration." More here.

QUICK HITS

"A bill to legalize testing strips for xylazine, a powerful tranquilizer that has been showing up in cities, towns and villages across the state, passed the state Assembly Wednesday on a voice vote," reports the Wisconsin Examiner. "Like fentanyl testing strips, tests for xylazine are considered drug paraphernalia under current Wisconsin law."

"The United States has the most expensive transportation infrastructure in the world," writes Alon Levy at Asterisk. "That's because we refuse to learn from experts, other countries, and our own history."

"Vultures 1 is not Kanye's best work, but his B-minus is an A-plus for most artists," writes Eli Lake in The Free Press. "And in 2024, despite his controversies and failed cancellations, Kanye is still capable of finding musical brilliance inside of his crazy."

More straight-up absurdity from Google's artificial intelligence chatbot, Gemini:

I was able to replicate this! They need to shut Gemini down. It is several months away from being ready for prime time. It is astounding that Google released it in this state. https://t.co/wCqKE1eLbI pic.twitter.com/dxWavP3oei  Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) February 25, 2024

This app-powered trash food article from The New York Times is actually kind of awesome, if you're willing to look past a lot of the climate-related justifications.

Mail delivery in Ukraine amid the backdrop of war.

The post Losing the Home State appeared first on Reason.com.
Michael Henry decided to play a Virginia lottery online game before heading out to see a Friday night movie.

He didnt let a nearly $3 million win derail his plans, he told lottery officials.

Henry hit the jackpot in the Palace of Dragons online game, the Virginia Lottery said in a Feb. 23 news release. His prize came out to $2,953,832.

He still went to the movies.

I had a hard time concentrating, but I enjoyed it, he told lottery officials.

The Glen Allen man said he didnt have plans for his winnings right away.

I was dumbfounded for a minute, he said. I thought, This is not real.

He hit the progressive jackpot shortly before 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 5, according to the Virginia Lottery. He often relaxes by playing online games on his device, lottery officials said.

Mr. Henry lives in Henrico County, which received more than $30.7 million in Lottery funds for K-12 education last fiscal year, according to the lottery organization. In Fiscal Year 2023, the Lottery raised more than $867 million for K-12 education, making up approximately 10 percent of Virginias total K-12 school budget.

Glen Allen is about 15 miles northwest of downtown Richmond.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

Lottery player sits in car shaking after big win. Wondered if I was dreaming

Player thought he won $1,000 on Maryland lottery ticket. It was much more

Daughter sees Facebook lottery post and tells mom to check her ticket. It was a winner

71-year-old lottery player gets a call to check his numbers. sure enough...
A Louisiana inmate is back in custody after he pepper-sprayed a sheriffs deputy and escaped while being returned to jail after medical treatment, authorities said.

Police located Leon Ruffin, 51, at a hotel in New Orleans and took him into custody, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said in a Tuesday news conference.

Ruffin had been in custody since July for a second-degree murder  for life in prison at this point, Lopinto said earlier this week. I definitely consider him dangerous by all means.

This handout image with text added by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office shows inmate Leon Ruffin. - Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office

Early Sunday morning, Ruffin was taken to a hospital after authorities say he faked a seizure and fell out of his wheelchair, hitting his head, according to Lopinto.

At about 6:40 p.m., he was discharged from Ochsner Medical Center in suburban Gretna and put into the back of a patrol vehicle to be taken back to the correctional facility, according to a news release from the sheriffs office.

As the deputy was driving, Ruffin yelled out that the medical boot on his leg was causing him pain, Lopinto said. The deputy got out of the car, when she opened up the door  he pepper-sprayed her, he said.

The deputy fired her service weapon at Ruffin at least once and its unknown if he was struck, according to the news release.

Ruffin then stole the deputys vehicle, according to the news release. Around 9:20 p.m., the unoccupied vehicle was located in nearby Algiers.

It is unclear how Ruffin got the pepper spray, the sheriff said, since the deputy still had her own with her. The deputy was treated for the exposure to the spray at the same hospital, he said.

Hindsight 20/20. We probably should have done a whole lot different, but sometimes you got to take their word, the medical staffs word, of whats wrong with him. Unfortunately, he gamed the system in order to be able to take advantage of that situation, Lopinto said at the news conference.

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Louisiana convicted killer on the loose after escaping custody by pepper-spraying deputy: officials

A Louisiana inmate is on the run after he pepper-sprayed a deputy then escaped custody during a medical transport on Sunday, according to officials.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office is searching for convicted murderer Leon Ruffin, Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said at a news conference Sunday night. Ruffin is described as a Black man who is bald and about 5 feet, 9 inches tall and 270 pounds.

His current whereabouts are unknown. Ruffin is considered armed and dangerous and the public is urged to report any information related to his location to the authorities.

He had been in custody since July on multiple charges, including second-degree murder, aggravated assault with a weapon, and felon in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced to life.

LOUISIANA GOV. LANDRY DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER POLICE SHORTAGE

Lopinto said Ruffin was transported from the Ochsner Medical Center at 2500 Belle Chasse Highway to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center at about 6:40 p.m. following treatment for a seizure when the transport was interrupted by Ruffin creating a disturbance, prompting the escorting deputy to exit the vehicle.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

When the deputy opened the vehicle door to address the disturbance, Lopinto said Ruffin used pepper spray on her, charged at her and stole the vehicle. The deputy responded by shooting her gun multiple times toward Ruffin, although it is unclear if any of the shots struck him.

It is also unclear where Ruffin found the pepper spray, as the deputy still had her pepper spray, Lopinto said.

LOUISIANA GOV. LANDRY SIGNALS PUSH FOR STATE TO RESUME DEATH ROW EXECUTIONS

Ruffin fled the scene in the marked Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office vehicle with ID number GO68 and license plate 239626.

The abandoned police vehicle was found in the Algiers neighborhood at around 9:20 p.m., but Ruffin was not located in the area.

The sheriff's office is working with other agencies to locate Ruffin.

This incident remains under investigation.





Original article source: Louisiana convicted killer on the loose after escaping custody by pepper-spraying deputy: officials
Louisville Metro Government will pay a consultant $150,000 to analyze its hiring process in hopes of helping the city combat its approximately 26% job vacancy rate, according to documents obtained by The Courier Journal through an open records request.

The vacancy rate includes the hundreds of open Louisville Metro Police positions, Deputy Mayor Dana Mayton said. Some positions have been vacant for several years and may need to be cut. Other jobs might have been posted under different titles, filled and had vacancies left on the books.

While the data may be inexact, the city's government's vacancy rate is still far from what Mayton would like it to be. Louisville's government employs about 5,800 people and is looking to hire hundreds more.

To improve "the talent acquisition and recruitment process," the city sought out a partnership with Deloitte, a consulting company that is contracted by the state. State procurement rules allowed Metro Government to use state contracts, Mayton said, which has "streamlined" this process.

Still, city government  not the state  is paying the $150,000 for Deloitte's services.

The city is struggling to compete with private companies for employees, Mayton said. She knows the length of the hiring process and pay are significant factors in this.

"Last February of 2023, it was taking us as long as 287 days on average to get someone hired," Mayton said. "Well, you're going to lose all your candidates in that process. Now we have it down to 89 days. That is still too long, in my opinion."

Louisville Metro Council President Markus Winkler said he knows from his experience in the private sector that if the hiring process doesn't move quickly, people move on.

"Our speed to hire is way too slow and we often hear from applicants who think they go long periods of time between steps in the process," he said. "In a highly competitive hiring environment, employers cannot afford to be slow to interview and make decisions."

The government is competing for highly sought-after employees, like nurses and engineers, Mayton said.

The base salary for a Metro engineer is $53,726 and can go up to over $90,000, according to the government's hiring website. Some available nursing positions for Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness have hourly rates ranging from $18.68 to $24.14. Others have negotiable salaries.

With the loss of defined benefit pension plans, it has been harder to compete with the private sector, Mayton said.

"While that didn't equalize it for everyone, it certainly was an incentive for people to work for government at a lower salary knowing you were going to have a robust pension," she said. "Those things are gone, so that does not give us the competitive edge that we once had."

The first step of Deloitte's 12-week plan will be an analysis of the current problems with recruitment and retention. This will include conversations with eight members of "city leadership and HR personnel" and meetings with staff hired within the last six months, according to the contract. It will also include documentation of the current vacancy rates. There will then be a "transformation workshop" followed by a "talent acquisition and transformation action plan."

A year from now, Mayton said she would love to see the vacancy rate "in the single digits."

"I want people to know that this is a great place to work," she said. "I made the choice to come here as did many of my colleagues."

But on Feb. 14, a former city employee filed a lawsuit against the Louisville Metro Government claiming wrongful termination under the Kentucky Whistleblower's Act. In the lawsuit, plaintiff Samantha Ricketts claimed to have been treated in "condescending" and "demeaning" ways in her job within the Mayor's Office.

Greenberg has pushed back against these assertions, calling Ricketts a "disgruntled former employee" and saying the allegations have "no legal merit." He also said Ricketts was offered another position in the government after she was laid off.

When asked if city officials are concerned whether the lawsuit might impact application rates to government jobs, communications director Scottie Ellis said they were focused on moving Louisville forward.

"We're taking every single second of every single day to focus on that work and for getting the job done and we're delivering results together," Ellis said. "We hope that other people see those results and accomplishments and join the team and be a part of the solution with us."

This talent attraction and retention analysis will not apply to appointed positions, like directors, Mayton said.

"I'm talking about people down in the agencies, whether it's engineers in public works or IT professionals  those sorts of folks out in the agencies," she said. "I don't think that this is going to have a very intensive focus on those higher-level appointed positions."

Some departments have been without a permanent leader for long stretches of time  like an executive director for the Parks and Recreation Department.

The government has been searching for a permanent parks department executive director for more than a year, even undergoing a national search and coming up empty. It is being led by interim executive director Ozzy Gibson, who is also the interim director of the Transit Authority of River City and will eventually become the permanent director of Louisville Metro Animal Services.

More: Leaked report reveals where ShotSpotter's hidden microphones are placed in Louisville

"We are very committed to moving Louisville in a positive direction and finding leaders who have the right experience to drive these very important agencies that are essential to our city and our success," Ellis said. "If it takes a little bit more time to identify those leaders, we will do it. ... We want to make the right choice."

The work with Deloitte is set to commence within the next couple of weeks. The money to pay for its consulting services will come out of the Office of Management and Budget's $20.6 million budget.

To see the Louisville government's open positions, visit its job portal. Some listings have multiple open positions under one title, like the ones for police officers.

Reach reporter Eleanor McCrary at EMcCrary@courier-journal.com or at @ellie_mccrary on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville city jobs going unfilled; consultant to examine vacancies
Love Island's Toby Aromolaran has a "little date night" planned with Georgia Steel after their romantic reunion on the show.

The two rekindled their brief Love Island Games romance in a shocking recoupling on Love Island: All Stars but are yet to see each other since leaving the South African villa.

In an exclusive chat with Digital Spy, Toby has revealed he and Georgia are taking things slow on the outside, with a particular emphasis on the word "relax" now they've escaped the pressure of the show.

ITV

Related: Love Island's Maya Jama delights fans with lewd joke

"You know what, the update between me and Georgia is we're taking time just to relax, chill," he said.

"We're now adjusting to coming out, again, with each other and it's like... We're in different circumstances than we were before. Now we can actually talk, relax, have fun together," he continued.

"I haven't actually seen her since landing yet but I am seeing her tomorrow so that's gonna be fun," he then revealed.

"And you know what, it's just nice that we're probably just gonna relax, enjoy the company of each other... I feel like in the villa we didn't. We were in the company of each other, but we constantly had to like, battle with people."

ITV

Related: Love Island: All Stars couple dumped by former contestants

Hinting at the future of their relationship, Toby seemed happy to explore their connection away from the limelight.

"I feel now we can finally take that away and actually enjoy us two and see where it goes," he said.

"That's the fun in it all. No pressure on it now, that's what I like as well."

Love Island: All Stars airs on ITV2, ITVX and STV.

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Lowitja ODonoghue, one of the most respected and influential Aboriginal activists in Australian history, has died at age 91.

ODonoghue, who passed away surrounded by her family on Sunday in Adelaide, dedicated her life to fighting for the health and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

She received numerous honors in recognition of her trailblazing advocacy, including becoming the first Aboriginal woman to gain Membership of the Order of Australia in 1976. Other titles included Australian of the Year in 1984, Australian National Living Treasure in 1998 and many others.

Away from home she was also appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and awarded a papal honor from Pope John Paul II.

Born in 1932, ODonoghue was the fifth of six children born to an Irish father, whom she never knew, and a Yankunytjatjara mother in Indulkana, a remote Aboriginal community in South Australia.

When she was just 2 years old, she and two of her sisterslike thousands of other mixed-race children at the timewere removed from their family and taken into the care of missionaries. She would not see her mother again for more than 30 years.

Nevertheless, ODonoghues difficult start in life did not stop her from forging a promising career for herself. She became the first indigenous Australian to train as a nurse at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1954, going on to become a charge sister despite enduring much racism along the way.

After several years in the profession, she went into public service. She successfully campaigned for the recognition of Aboriginal peoples in a 1967 referendum and went on to head up numerous indigenous bodies, both at state and national level, while in 1992 she became the first Aboriginal person to address the United Nations General Assembly.

O'Donoghue won many accolades and titles for her fierce campaigning for the health and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. - Mark Baker/AFP/Getty Images

In 2010, the Lowitja Institute was established in her honor, to promote the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Australias prime minister, Anthony Albanese, described ODonoghue as one of the most remarkable leaders this country has ever known.

In a lengthy tribute posted on X, Albanese said: Dr ODonoghue had an abiding faith in the possibility of a more united and reconciled Australia. It was a faith she embodied with her own unceasing efforts to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and to bring about meaningful and lasting reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia.

Her death was announced by her family online. They said: Our Aunty and Nana was the Matriarch of our family, whom we have loved and looked up to our entire lives. We adored and admired her when we were young and have grown up full of never-ending pride as she became one of the most respected and influential Aboriginal leaders this country has ever known.

Aunty Lowitja dedicated her entire lifetime of work to the rights, health, and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We thank and honour her for all that she has done  for all the pathways she created, for all the doors she opened, for all the issues she tackled head-on, for all the tables she sat at and for all the arguments she fought and won.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Marie Newton and Mary Loughrey had sued the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

The widows of two men murdered by loyalist paramilitaries have been awarded "significant" settlements.

John Toland and James Loughrey were shot within days of each other in the villages of Ellington and Greysteel, County Londonderry, in 1976.

Their families always claimed there was collusion and sued the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

On Monday, the MoD and PSNI settled with no admission of liability.

At the High Court in Belfast on Monday, a barrister representing the victim's widows, Mary Loughrey and Marie Newton, confirmed that confidential settlements had been reached.

The defendants are also to pay the two widows' legal costs as part of the resolutions.

BBC News NI has approached both the PSNI and MoD for comment.

Relatives of John Toland and James Loughrey spoke to the media outside court in Belfast on Monday

Speaking outside court, solicitor Padraig O Muirigh was unable to make any financial disclosures under the terms of confidentiality but did state the figure is "significant".

He said the Toland and Loughrey families are "satisfied with the outcome of this litigation."

James Loughrey's son, John, said the family are relieved the case has now concluded.

"It has been a worthwhile journey because we have reached an outcome that gives us that degree of satisfaction," Mr Loughrey said.

"This has been an important process for us in terms of feeling like we have got some degree of justice," he said.

John Toland was working as a barman in the Happy Landing pub in Eglinton when he was killed.

The 36-year-old was shot four times in the back after two men walked into the pub on 22 November 1976.

The Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), a cover-name for the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), admitted responsibility for the murder and claimed that he had been passing information to the IRA.

His family always denied the claim and in 2012, the Historical Enquires Team (HET) found it to be entirely without foundation or substance.

The HET also found evidence of collusion between security forces and loyalist paramilitaries in the murder.

And they said it could not be ruled out in the murder of James Loughrey in nearby Greysteel the same month.

The father-of-eight, who was also 36 years old, was shot by the UDA at the front door of his home on 14 November and died on 25 November.

James Loughrey was shot dead in front of his family at their home in Greysteel in 1976

His family criticised the original police investigation and said that the allegations of collusion were never properly investigated.

In the initial police investigation, nobody was charged with any offences in relation to Mr Toland's murder.

However, there was a significant development in 1986 when Leonard Campbell, who was in prison for armed robbery, contacted the police and admitted his involvement in the murders of Mr Toland and two other men.

Mr Campbell along with two others - Colin Gray and David Hamilton, a serving soldier in the British army's Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR), were subsequently charged with Mr Toland's murder.

In 1987, David Hamilton was jailed for five years for providing the murder weapon after two murder charges against him were dropped.

Colin Gray was acquitted after it emerged that he had been in prison at the time of Mr Toland's murder.

Sara Duddy, of the Pat Finucane Centre, which supported the families, said the settlement is "a positive outcome for two widows and two families devastated by these murders over forty years ago".

"Both widows had large, young families, and the emotional and financial impacts caused by Jim's and John's murders are still felt to this day," she said.

"This settlement goes some way to acknowledge the hurt caused.

"It is a disappointing that other families will not be afforded the same opportunity to pursue this course of action due to the shameful Legacy Act that stops civil actions."
On April 8, Rochester will go to the dark side, briefly, during the total solar eclipse. But a long time ago (relatively), it worked for The Force.

The makings of Luke Skywalkers lightsaber originated in Rochester, rather than in a galaxy far, far away.

The discovery came to light a few years ago. Eagle-eyed "Star Wars" fan Pablo Hidalgo was watching Star Wars: Episode V  The Empire Strikes Back (1980) at home when he noticed that NEW YORK was visible on the bottom of Luke's lightsaber and tweeted about it.

Further investigation revealed that the movies set designer, Roger Christian, had created the prop (originally for 1977s Star Wars: Episode IV  A New Hope) by assembling some old camera parts he bought in a vintage photography shop in London, according to the George Eastman Museum.

Those parts included a Graflex flashgun handle made in Rochester.

The main components for Luke Skywalker's lightsaber were made in Rochester.

Flashguns were bulky devices that held flashbulbs you might see used by a newspaper photographer during the 1940s.

Graflex was founded in the late 1800s in New York City as Folmer & Schwing Manufacturing Company. But in the early 1900s, the company came under the ownership of Eastman Kodak Co., which changed the name to Graflex.

On X (formerly Twitter), the Eastman Museum quoted Christian as saying: I put chrome tape around the handle to hide the Graflex name. And I had a calculator bubble-strip, which was where the illuminated numbers would come up, and that I put into the grip, and we added the D-ring on the end so we could hang it on Lukes belt. And that was it!

Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments. Send story tips to mgreenwo@rocheste.gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @MarciaGreenwood.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Star Wars: Was Luke Skywalker's lightsaber made in Rochester NY?
The Odysseus lander transmitted its first photos from the surface of the moon Monday, a milestone for the first lunar probe operated by a private company.

On Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024 the Intuitive Machines Odysseus lunar lander captures a wide field of view image of Schomberger crater on the Moon approximately 125 miles (200 km) uprange from the intended landing site, at approximately about 6 miles (10 km) altitude. (Intuitive Machines via AP)

Odysseus touched down near the south pole of the moon Thursday, becoming the first American probe to land on the moon in more than 50 years. The mission was a success but faced setbacks after the probe tipped over on landing. It is now lying on its side.

The fisheye lens photo shows the bottom legs of the probe sticking up from the gray, rocky lunar surface. Additional imagery showed the moons surface as the probe descended, some of the closest images of the moons south pole region ever taken.

The south pole is of special interest to scientists because it is believed the region could contain water ice reserves and mineral deposits. NASA plans to send manned missions to the region in the future.

Odysseus was developed by Intuitive Machines, a Houston-based aerospace firm that counted NASA among its customers alongside other aerospace companies. NASA spent about $120 million on the project, with the agency and other customers stuffing the probe with numerous scientific instruments and experiments.

Intuitive Machines announced Monday that the probes mission will be cut a few days short, shutting down early Tuesday when the sun sets on the region.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Pro-Palestinian protesters joined this years Lunar New Year parade in New York Citys Chinatown on Sunday.

Over a dozen activists marched with the group Asians 4 Palestine NYC, unveiling a banner with the slogan Ceasefire Now! End the Siege! during a parade that was meant to ring in the Year of the Dragon and mark the end of a two-week celebration across many Asian cultures.

Sarinya Srisakul, an organizer of Asians 4 Palestine NYC, told NBC News that the issue hits home for many in the local Chinatown community.

A lot of us march in the parade every year with different groups, but this was the year where we couldnt really fully celebrate without talking about whats happening in Palestine, Srisakul said.

Better Chinatown, the community group that organizes the parade, did not respond to NBC News request for comment.

The protesters not only marched with their banner, which was translated into English, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese; they also displayed a red, green and black dragon that closely matched the Palestinian flag.

Over a dozen activists marched with the group Asians 4 Palestine NYC on Sunday. (Cindy Trinh)

Srisakul said that her group started off the parade enveloped with fellow activist organization Art Against Displacement. AAD had been protesting the proposed Chinatown megajail, one of four facilities meant to replace the controversial Rikers Island by 2027. When the contingent reached the intersection of Mott and Bayard streets, members of Asians 4 Palestine NYC unveiled pro-Palestinian banners, flags and other materials, Srisakul said.

The group also organized a protest at Chinatowns East Broadway market, where activists handed out materials about the conflict in Gaza, translated in English, Chinese and Korean.

We make noise in the new year to chase away the bad spirits, Srisakul said. Were making noise to call attention to this really dire situation in Palestine.

Since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7  in which, according to Israeli authorities, some 1,200 people were killed and 240 were kidnapped  29,700 people have been killed in Gaza according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. More than 69,800 have been injured, and thousands more are missing and presumed dead. Most of the Palestinian victims are women and children, local authorities say.

Activist group Asians 4 Palestine NYC joins the Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade (Cindy Trinh)

Nearly half of Asian American and Pacific Islander adults believe the United States is not supportive enough of Palestinians in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, a report released by AAPI Data/AP-NORC showed. Its significantly higher than the 36% of the general population that feels the same way.

Karthick Ramakrishnan, director of AAPI Data, previously underscored that the findings do not equate to a pro-Palestinian stance, however. The same study showed that just 11% of AAPI see Israel as a rival.

This is not anti-Israeli sentiment that is coming through, but probably a concern about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and making sure that Palestinian civilians are alive and safe, Ramakrishnan said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Emmanuel Macron has been accused of sending the daughter of a farmer to the slaughter after choosing her to square off against Marine Le Pens populist poster boy in the EU elections.

Valerie Hayer, 37, head of the centrist Renew Europe group in the European Parliament  the chambers third-largest  will reportedly take on Jordan Bardella, 28, of the National Rally party in the June vote.

Mr Macron is said to have been won over by the fact that she is, in her own words, a farmers daughter, granddaughter, sister and sister-in-law. She was brought up on a farm in Saint-Denis-dAnjou in the Loire area.

Theyre appointing an unknown, its a bet. But she has proved her worth at the European Parliament, said one government aide.

Mr Macron was booed during an appearance at the annual Paris Farm Show this weekend.

During the event, furious farmers clashed with riot police and broke stands.

Ms Hayer was not Macron's first choice as EU election campaign leader - Getty/Jean-Christophe Verhaegen

Arnaud Rousseau, chairman of the National Farmers Union, said: Ive been coming to the show for 25 years and Ive never seen anything like it. It was total chaos.

Ms Hayer was not Mr Macrons first choice as EU election campaign leader. At least three men, including Jean-Yves Le Drian, ex-defence minister, and Bruno Le Maire, the current finance minister, reportedly turned the post down. The previous favourite, Stephane Sejourne, became foreign minister in a recent reshuffle.

Mr Macron spurned Clement Beaune, his erstwhile anti-Brexit pitbull who has fallen from favour, and ruled out Thierry Breton, internal market commissioner, according to Le Monde.

Some question whether a little-known politician such as Ms Hayer stands a chance against the high-profile Mr Bardella. In a WhatsApp group among Macron aides seen by Le Monde, one fretted: The men all said no. They send a woman to the slaughter. Its a hospital pass.

During the Paris farm show, the French president cut the ribbon to chants of Macron, resign but eventually managed to partially win over union leaders in a no-holds-barred discussion by promising more concessions just weeks after tractors laid siege to Paris in protest.

His government had already unveiled a 1.2 billion package to appease farmers complaining of falling revenues, environmental constraints and red tape less than a month ago.

However, Mr Bardella, widely seen as a future head of state in an increasingly Right-wing country, received a heros welcome from many farmers, who vented their despair over financial difficulties and stifling EU norms, along with unfair foreign competition.

His National Rally party, RN, is polling to comfortably beat Mr Macrons Renaissance group in the June European elections. That may change, the Macron camp hopes, now that it has belatedly named its leader  the last to be announced.

EU agriculture promises to be a key issue in the upcoming ballot amid farmer protests in several countries.

Nathalie Loiseau, Frances former, ill-fated, Europe minister, described Ms Hayers nomination as excellent news.

A competent and courageous young woman is our campaign leader, she said.

It was about time someone was appointed and we started campaigning. We have work to do, one Macron loyalist told Le Parisien.

The French president is reportedly banking on his prime minister Gabriel Attal to lend his support to Ms Hayer. He dispatched the 34-year-old government chief to the farm fair in a last-minute surprise visit on Sunday night to steal Mr Bardellas thunder.

A poll in Le Parisien on Monday suggested Mr Attal and Mr Bardella are almost neck and neck in popularity ratings among 18-to-24-year-olds on 32 to 35 per cent support, respectively.

Mr Macron clearly also intends to wade into the campaign.

In an interview with Le Figaro, he accused militant farmers union Coordination Rurale of having direct links with Ms Le Pen and acting as her henchmen. He also said voting for Mr Bardella could lead to a de facto Frexit and the end of public accounts committee subsidies, which amount to around 9 billion per year for France.

On Sunday, Mr Bardella denied his supporters were behind violence at the farm fair, describing the head of state as a schizophrenic conspiracy theorist who is worryingly paranoid.

Ms Hayer is due to officially launch the European campaign for Mr Macrons Renaissance group in Lille on March 9.

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.
About twenty heads of state and government, mostly from Europe, will gather in Paris on Monday at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron to push for support for Ukraine.

Source: Le Figaro, as European Pravda writes

Details: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to speak at the meeting, held at the Elysee Palace, via video conference.

The meeting will be attended by the vast majority of European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda, as well as prime ministers from about 15 EU countries.

The meeting will also be attended by representatives of the United States and Canada and UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron.

The talks in Paris will take place at a time when US support, which is important for Kyiv, is still blocked in Congress, and Emmanuel Macron will call on Europe to make a "collective breakthrough" against Russia, Le Figaro notes.

The meeting will also discuss the increasing number of cyberattacks and misinformation efforts by an increasingly aggressive Russia, the Elysee Palace said.

The aim of the talks is to "mobilise and explore all means of effective support for Ukraine," the Elysee Palace said in a statement,

Quote: "It is about... confirming that we are not tired and that we are determined to defeat Russian aggression. We want to send a clear message to Putin that he will not win in Ukraine," Paris insists.

Although no new aid announcements are planned, the meeting will look for ways to "act better and more decisively", while Kyiv said on Sunday that half of the promised Western weapons are arriving late.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 25 February announced President Emmanuel Macron's forthcoming visit to Ukraine and new details of French support.

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French President Emmanuel Macron receives German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) at the Elysee Palace to take part in an international conference aimed at strengthening Western support for Ukraine. Ludovic Marin/AFP/dpa

French President Emmanuel Macron called for more weapons and resources to be rushed to Ukraine at an aid conference in Paris on Monday.

The meeting, which was organized at short notice, featured top representatives from many of Kiev's key European backers, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron.

"The general realization today is that the security of all of us is at stake," Macron told some 20 heads of state and government at the Elysee Palace.

As Ukraine's war enters its third year, Macron said Moscow's behaviour was becoming more aggressive on the political level and on the front line in Ukraine.

"Russia must not win the war," Macron emphasized, saying support cannot be allowed to waver and that Ukraine's backers must intensify efforts.

Increased aid for Ukraine with money and weapons must be mobilized both jointly and at the national level, he said.

"We are in the process of ensuring our security today and tomorrow," said Macron.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined the meeting in Paris via video.

An advisor to Macron said in advance that the consultations in Paris are less about new assurances for arms deliveries and more about increasing the efficiency of the military aid already promised - including the training of Ukrainian soldiers and cyberdefence.

French President Emmanuel Macron receives German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L) at the Elysee Palace to take part in an international conference aimed at strengthening Western support for Ukraine. Ludovic Marin/AFP/dpa
French President Emmanuel Macron is due to host European leaders Monday for a conference aimed at strengthening Western support for Ukraine, two years into the Russian invasion.

The meeting in Paris will be a chance for participants to "reaffirm their unity as well as their determination to defeat the war of aggression waged by Russia in Ukraine", the French presidency said.

It also signals Macron's eagerness to present himself as a European champion of Ukraine's cause, amid growing fears that American support could wane in the coming years.

"Battered and bruised, but still standing. Ukraine is fighting for itself, for its ideals, for our Europe. Our commitment at its side will not waver," Macron wrote on X, formerly Twitter, to mark two years since the conflict broke out.

For Macron, the conference is also a chance to show European autonomy in security matters, which he called for even before the invasion.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda will be among some 20 European heads of state and government present at the conference, which will be opened by a video address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Other states will be represented at ministerial level, with Foreign Secretary David Cameron travelling to Paris for Britain. The United States and Canada will also be represented.

- 'Clear message' -

According to the French presidency, the meeting will "examine all means to support Ukraine effectively".

Western officials acknowledge that Russia risks gaining the upper hand in the conflict in 2024 as Ukraine runs out of weapons and ammunition.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said on Sunday that half of Western military aid pledged to Kyiv is delivered late, lamenting that "commitment does not constitute delivery".

Revealing the magnitude of Ukraine's human losses, Zelensky said 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in the war with Russia.

A French presidential official, who asked not to be named, said the meeting needed to contradict any "impression that things are falling apart" after Ukraine's setbacks on the battlefield.

"We want to send a clear message to Putin that he will not prevail in Ukraine," said the official.

Even if new aid announcements are not planned, participants will examine ways to "do things better and more decisively," the official added.

- 'Entirely different conflict' -

There are growing doubts about the viability of long-term American backing for Ukraine as a new aid package struggles to find legislative approval and Donald Trump eyes a return to the presidency in elections later this year.

Zelensky said Sunday that his country's victory "depends" on Western support and that he was "sure" the United States would approve a critical package of military aid.

"We are neither resigned nor defeatist," said the French official, adding, "there will be no victory for Russia in Ukraine."

Debra Cagan, a former American diplomat and now senior advisor at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, said if the West had given Ukraine weapons such as F-16 combat aircraft or Taurus German missiles "we would be seeing an entirely different conflict now".

"And that is what indecisiveness does, it causes more deaths, more destruction and harder decisions down the road," she added.

The conference is due to start at 1600 GMT with a news conference expected from Macron around 2030 GMT.

cf-sjw/spb/lb
DELTA COUNTY, Mich. (WJMN)  Authorities in Delta County have released details of two separate ice rescue calls from the weekend. While one incident ended with everyone able to walk away, the other had a deadly outcome.

The first incident happened around 6:25 a.m. on Saturday, February 24th on Little Bay De Noc. Two people were on a four-wheeler when it went through the ice. They were able to get themselves out of the water and back to shore. They did not accept any medical treatment at the scene.

On Sunday evening, around 8:43 p.m., a call came in for multiple people in the water after snowmobiles fell through the ice. Emergency personnel found the people about a mile from the Days River. Six people were present when the ice cracked. Four went in the water. The two who stayed on the ice were able to start pulling the others from the water.

Get your latest U.P. weather information here.

First responders then arrived and were able to get everyone from the water. One of them was unresponsive. After receiving care at the scene and being taken to the hospital, one man passed away.

He has been identified as James Massey Jr. from South Carolina.

Teen dies following Schoolcraft County snowmobile incident

The Delta County Sheriffs Office responded to two separate Ice Rescue calls over the weekend on Little Bay de Noc. On Saturday February 24th at 6:25am dispatch received a call that a four wheeler had gone through the ice and two subjects where in the water. Both subjects were able to get themselves out of the water and back to shore where they denied any medical treatment.

The Sheriffs office encourages extra caution in the area circled in yellow from the photo below. Additional ice was broken up during the rescue efforts.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJMN - UPMatters.com.
Police say a man is accused of trying to kidnap a woman after forcing his way into her car at a gas station in Cobb County.

It happened at the QuikTrip on Windy Hill in Smyrna early Monday morning.

Channel 2s Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell spoke with drivers in the area after the incident, live on Channel 2 Action News at 6 p.m.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

I feel crime is up and thats a shame. Men picking on vulnerable people, said Gina R., a driver.

Police say Akeem Thrasher forced his way into the womans car just before 3 a.m. at the gas station.

The victim told police she was in fear for her life.

She said Thrasher had a disturbing look on his face and stared at her inside the car.

She managed to get away from Thrasher but told police he returned when they left, so she told him to leave.

Channel 2 Action News found the suspects mugshots after discovering his lengthy criminal background which dates back to 2008. He was accused of committing crimes involving drugs, theft, and criminal trespass to name a few.

Now, police say Thrasher is charged with hijacking a car and criminal trespass.

I dont know if the gas station should have extra security after a certain time, said Aletha Gill, a driver.

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Police said back in December, Thrasher managed to get into someones house after lying to a child about why he showed up at the home.

A couple of months before that, police said he was seen walking around a neighborhood wearing gloves and holding a screwdriver. According to police, several people noticed him going onto porches and looking in windows.

Newell reached out to the QuikTrip about the incident but they have not gotten back.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
US service member sets himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy in DC

Fire officials and police in Washington, D.C., responded after an active-duty Air Force member set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy on Sunday afternoon.

Police on Monday confirmed that the airman, identified as 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell of San Antonio, Texas, died in the incident.

DC Fire and EMS said it responded to a call about a person on fire outside the Israeli Embassy just before 1 p.m.

D.C. law enforcement is shown outside the Israeli Embassy.

D.C. police said it responded to the 3500 block of International Drive NW around 1 p.m. to assist the U.S. Secret Service.

NETANYAHU VOWS TO INVADE RAFAH REGARDLESS OF POTENTIAL CEASE-FIRE WITH HAMAS: IT WILL HAPPEN

Officials arrived to find the fire extinguished by U.S. Secret Service members.

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The Secret Service said its uniformed division responded to the scene for a person who was experiencing a possible medical or mental health emergency.

D.C. police and fire officials respond to the scene outside the Israeli Embassy on Sunday afternoon.

DC Fire and EMS rushed the airman to a nearby hospital.

DC police said its explosive ordnance disposal team was requested to the scene due to a suspicious vehicle that may be connected to the individual.

"I can confirm an active duty Airman involved in today's incident," U.S. Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told Fox News Digital in a statement.

The Israeli Embassy said none of its staff were injured.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin and Madeleine Rivera contributed to this report.





Original article source: US service member sets himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy in DC
An active-duty member of the US Air Force who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, on Sunday, has died, authorities said.

Aaron Bushnell, 25, said in a video of the incident obtained by CNN that he would no longer be complicit in genocide and that his suffering was minimal compared to that of Palestinians as the humanitarian crisis persists in Gaza.

He then sets the recording device on the ground before pouring an unknown liquid over himself and igniting it while yelling Free Palestine repeatedly. He eventually collapses as police officers rush to douse the flames with fire extinguishers.

He was subsequently transported by DC Fire and emergency services to a local hospital where he died, the Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement. Local police are working with the US Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate the incident, which took place around 1 p.m. in northwest Washington.

Bushnells identity was confirmed by MPD on Sunday. The Air Force also confirmed his identity Monday and said he was a cyber defense operations specialist assigned to the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Wing. He served with the 531st Intelligence Support Squadron and had been on active duty since May 2020, according to the Air Force.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Senior Airman Bushnell. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and we ask that you respect their privacy during this difficult time, said Col. Celina Noyes, the commander of the 70th ISR Wing, in a statement.

The 70th ISR Wing gathers intelligence across air, space and cyberspace, according to its website, working alongside the National Security Agency in supporting intelligence needs across the Air Force and the military.

A spokesperson from the Israeli Embassy said no embassy staff were injured in the incident.

In December, a person set themselves on fire outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta in what police said was likely an extreme act of political protest. A Palestinian flag that was part of the protest was recovered at the scene, and gasoline was used as an accelerant, police and fire officials told reporters at a news conference.

Israel is waging war against Hamas in Gaza, after the groups October 7 terror attacks that killed 1,200 people in Israel, according to Israeli authorities. The response has killed nearly 30,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.

CNNs Natasha Bertrand, Rafael Romo, Jaide Timm-Garcia, Shawn Nottingham, Avery Lotz and Oren Liebermann contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
BALTIMORE -- The television ad displayed a photo of an unsmiling Larry Hogan alongside oversized words that the Republican opposes a womans right to choose.

The 30-second, Democratic-produced commercial aimed to remind voters of anti-abortion statements made by Hogan, 67, more than 30 years earlier.

Its the sort of attack ad that could appear this year as Maryland Democrats seek to derail Hogans U.S. Senate candidacy.

Except that the ad is from the 2014 gubernatorial campaign. Hogan, who said the disgraceful spot misrepresented his position, went on to defeat Democrat Anthony Brown, now Marylands attorney general, and serve the first of his two four-year terms in Annapolis.

Ten years later, Democrats are betting that the political climate has changed in their favor  that the U.S. Supreme Courts 2022 overturning of the Roe v. Wade decisions abortion protections has generated new urgency in the abortion rights movement and galvanized its voters.

The Senate campaigns of Prince Georges County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Rep. David Trone  who are vying for the Democratic nomination in the May 14 primary  are going after not only Hogans abortion record as governor, but his lesser-known positions as a congressional candidate in 1981 and 1992.

Hogan spokesman Mike Ricci said Thursday that the strategy amounted to scare tactics that will once again flop and fall flat.

Trone and Alsobrooks are each staunch abortion rights supporters. Trone voted for legislation in 2022  it did not pass  to codify abortion rights into federal law. Alsobrooks has pledged to immediately promote similar legislation, if elected to Congress. Hogan says he personally opposes abortion, but never sought to overturn Maryland law protecting the procedure.

In his 1981 campaign in the 5th Congressional District, a 24-year-old Hogan  according to three newspaper accounts  supported an anti-abortion, human life proposal that would give the unborn civil rights from the time of fertilization. Congress did not approve that proposed Constitutional amendment.

In a 1992 campaign for the same seat  once held by his father, Larry Hogan Sr.  Hogan wrote in a Prince Georges Journal voters guide that he backed abortion restrictions such as a 24-hour waiting period and counseling from a doctor about alternatives to an abortion.

Hogan lost both of those U.S. House races, but the Democrats strategy in 2014 and 2018 of trumpeting those earlier statements fell short. Hogan called the 2014 ads lies, and a Baltimore Sun news analysis said those ads could be seen as misleading because they used the present tense to describe Hogans old positions.

Hogan said at the time that while he was still opposed to abortion, he would not act as governor to restrict womens reproductive rights.

Democrats say today that while he may have muted his opposition to abortion, the old statements  and his record as governor  suggest a Sen. Hogan would align with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who applauded the overturning of Roe v. Wade and has championed the national anti-abortion movement.

What is relevant is that the positions that he took decades ago are consistent with his actions as governor, and his action as governor was to limit abortion care access in the state, Alsobrooks told The Sun on Thursday. In 2022, Hogan vetoed legislation allowing nurse practitioners, midwives and other non-physician medical professionals to perform abortions in Maryland. The Democratic-controlled General Assembly overrode his veto.

McConnell helped recruit Hogan to run for the Senate vacancy created by the retirement of Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin after this year. Hogan faces minimal opposition in the Republican primary.

If Republicans gain a Senate majority in the November elections, McConnell will likely again be a key figure in approving or rejecting Supreme Court nominees whose decisions could continue to shape abortion law.

Democrats currently hold a 51-49 Senate majority. One Senate Democrat in a red state  West Virginias Joe Manchin  has also announced his retirement, posing a challenge for Democrats, who must also defend a handful of seats in states that Democratic President Joe Biden narrowly won in 2020.

Abortion is definitely going to be a forefront issue, said Flavio Hickel, an assistant political science professor at Washington College. And if I was advising a Democratic candidate, I would probably say that its worthwhile to put out ads or social media content or talking points indicating Larry Hogan has a checkered history on this.

Hogans campaign did not make him available for interviews.

Ricci, the spokesman, said in an emailed statement, For over 30 years, Gov. Hogan has been on record opposing a federal ban on abortion. For eight years as governor, he kept his promise that he would not support anything that overturns Maryland law. He has a proven track record, and he has earned the trust of Marylanders.

Abortion is a particularly sensitive issue for Hogan. Democrats, whose voters typically back abortion rights, have a more than 2-1 voter registration advantage in Maryland. Hogan would need sizable Democratic crossover support to win in November.

Although Hogan often declared as governor that Maryland abortion rights had been settled in a 1992 state referendum, he nevertheless clashed with the Democraticcontrolled General Assembly over issues related to abortion access. He withheld $3.5 million in funding to train additional clinicians to perform abortions  money that his successor, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, released on his first full day in office in 2023.

Moore has endorsed Alsobrooks and has been assisting her campaign. She said Moore, along with other Democrats, are helping us to grow our grassroots support across the state, introducing us to a number of leaders with whom he has relationships, and also providing a bit of ground support for us.

U.S. House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries of New York and Katherine Clark of Massachusetts have endorsed Trone, who lives in Montgomery County.

Following the toppling of Roe v. Wade, the Maryland General Assembly approved a measure last year to allow Maryland voters to decide this November whether to affirm the right in the Maryland Constitution.

Hogan told CNN on Feb. 14 that it is not really necessary for the state constitution to include abortion rights, but said he would not vote for a national ban on the procedure if elected to the U.S. Senate. Hogan, who lives in Anne Arundel County, did not say specifically whether he would vote against the ballot question, and his campaign did not respond to a question about it.

At a time when Marylanders are fighting to guarantee abortion rights in our state constitution, Larry Hogan is insisting that protecting those rights is unnecessary, Trone said in a statement. We know that Maryland voters cant trust Larry Hogan on abortion, because Mitch McConnell does.

Voter turnout is typically high in presidential election years such as this one. Hogans two gubernatorial victories came in off years.

The presence of the Maryland ballot question on abortion, a volatile issue, in November could further drive voter interest in the candidates positions.

The day Hogan filed to run, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee immediately raised the issue with a statement that read: A vote for Republican Larry Hogan is a vote to make Mitch McConnell Majority Leader and turn the Senate over to Republicans so they can pass a national abortion ban.

Republicans counter that voters already know where Hogan stands.

Marylanders know and trust Larry Hogan because they witnessed his eight-year record of success firsthand, said Tate Mitchell, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. No amount of Democrat lies or desperation will change that.
[Source]

Legendary manga creator Masashi Kishimoto expressed his excitement after Destin Daniel Cretton was named as the director for Lionsgates live-action Naruto movie project.

Driving the news: Cretton has been tapped to direct and write the live-action adaptation of Kishimoto's famous manga, according to the Hollywood Reporter. It remains unclear if Cretton will co-write the series alongside Tasha Huo, who was announced as the films screenwriter in November 2023.

About "Naruto": Created by Kishimoto, Naruto is one of the worlds most popular manga franchises of all time, with a record of approximately 250 million copies sold worldwide since its release on Sept. 21, 1999. The series is considered one of the Big Three of anime, a term used to describe the most popular running titles in Shuheishas Weekly Shonen Jump during their golden age in the mid-2000s, with the other two being Bleach and One Piece.

Naruto follows the story of Uzumaki Naruto, an orphan boy ninja who aspires to be the great leader, also known as a Hokage, of their home country, Konohagakure.

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"Expansive vision": In a statement, Cretton said he was honored to meet Kishimoto during his trip to Tokyo and hear his expansive vision for his creation. He added, We are very excited to collaborate and bring Naruto to the big screen.

Meanwhile, Kishimoto praised the "Shang-Chi" director and said he believed that he would be the perfect director for the live-action adaptation after seeing his movies.

After enjoying his other films and understanding that his forte is in creating solid dramas about people, I became convinced that there is no other director for Naturo, Kishimoto noted. In actually meeting Destin, I also found him to be an open-minded director who was willing to embrace my input, and felt strongly that we would be able to cooperate together in the production process.

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About the project: The live-action adaptation has reportedly been in development since 2015.

In addition to directing and writing, Cretton will also be serving as a producer along with Jeyun Munford and Arad Productions Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Emmy Yu, the same studio behind the film adaptation of the video game Borderlands. Jeremy Latcham of Dungeons and Dragons will also produce.

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An orange star is orbited by six planets, each a different color. their orbits are outlined with white circles.

Late last year, astronomers discovered a fascinating star system only 100 light-years away from us. Its six sub-Neptune planets circle very close to their host star in mathematically perfect orbits, piquing the interest of scientists searching for alien technology, or technosignatures, which they argue would offer compelling evidence of advanced life beyond Earth .

To be clear, no such evidence was found in the system, dubbed HD 110067. However, the researchers say they're not done looking yet. HD 11067 remains an interesting target for similar observations in the future.

In our own tiny pocket of the cosmos, radio waves from satellites and telescopes beaming out in the plane of our solar system , meaning that if somebody outside our solar system watched Earth cross the face of our sun, they'd maybe be able to pick up a signal that coincides with the planet's transit.

Related: This rare exoplanet system has 6 'sub-Neptunes' with mathematically perfect orbits

HD 110067 is viewed edge on from Earth, so we are seeing the six planets in the plane of their system  a view that gives us an excellent chance of picking up such a signal if there exists one, study co-author Steve Croft, a radio astronomer working with the life-searching Breakthrough Listen program at the University of California, Berkeley, told Space.com

"Our technology in our own solar system has spread outside the habitable zone ," Croft told Space.com. So technology-friendly civilization in HD 110067, if any, may have communication relays set up on multiple planets in the system, he said. "Even if it is a negative result, that still tells us something."

When HD 110067's discovery was announced, Croft and his team used the world's largest fully steerable telescope, the Green Bank Telescope ( GBT ) in West Virginia, and searched the system for signs of alien technology. The researchers looked for signals that were continuously present when the telescope was pointed at the system and absent when directed away, the smoking gun of technosignatures local to HD 110067.

But such signals are difficult to distinguish from natural sources of radio waves and humankind's own technological signals, such as radio waves beaming from cell phones connected to Wi-Fi, SpaceX 's Starlink satellite network in low Earth orbit . This creates a haystack of signals in which researchers look for a needle of a potential extraterrestrial signal, said Croft.

"I should add we don't know if there are needles in the haystack," he said. "We don't really know what the needles look like."

Despite this lack of sufficient knowledge of what alien technology looks like, the team employed a few techniques to ensure a detected signal is not local interference. For instance, if one were to build a transmitter in the hopes that somebody else would pick it up, that transmitter would pump a lot of energy into a narrow range of frequencies. Natural astrophysical phenomena, by contrast, beam radio waves across a much broader range.

Signals from such a transmitter placed on a planet spinning around a foreign star would drift in time when observed from Earth, "the same as when an ambulance goes past you, the sound of it shifts from very high to very low," study lead author Carmen Choza , an assistant researcher at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute in California, told Space.com.

The search ultimately did not detect a technological signal  however, the results do not eliminate the existence of technosignatures in HD 110067, Croft said, but rather tell us that no signal was beamed in our direction at the time of the observations.

Meanwhile, the discovery team is refining the radii of the six detected planets using the European Space Agency 's CHEOPS space telescope, and the planets' masses using HARPS-N and CARMENES instruments in Spain, Rafael Luque of the University of Chicago told Space.com.

Accurate data on sizes and masses of the planets would shed more light onto the system's chemical makeup. Using that information, it may be possible to somewhat "reverse engineer" the evolution of the system and its planets to learn their formation mechanisms, the team had shared late last year.

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 Europe's exoplanet-hunting CHEOPS mission extended through 2026

 Newfound alien planet has nuclear fusion going in its core

 7 ways to discover alien planets

Scientists have long been searching for life outside our solar system in hopes of learning our place in the universe , by trying to answer one question that's being pondered over for thousands of years, "Are we alone?"

"Sometimes people ask me, 'what are your chances of success in the next 10 years?'" Croft said. "My answer to that is, "well, I don't know, but they are better than they were in the last 10 years because our searches are getting powerful all the time ."

Croft echoed the words of SETI pioneer Jill Tarter: "We reserve the right to get smarter."

This research is described in a paper published last month in the journal Research Notes of the AAS.
Xi replies to letter from Iowa's Muscatine High School students

Xinhua) 08:33, February 26, 2024

BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday, also the Chinese Lantern Festival of the Year of the Dragon, replied to a letter from students of the U.S. Iowa state's Muscatine High School who visited China in late January and sent them New Year cards in return.

In the letter, Xi extended holiday wishes to the teachers and students of the school, and encouraged more American youths to come to China for exchanges and study.

Xi noted that the students' letter featured beautifully written Chinese characters as well as vividly hand-painted Chinese dragon, also known as the "loong," the Great Wall and pandas.

The Chinese president said he felt happy for the students as they visited several Chinese cities, where they saw pandas, tasted Chinese delicacies, experienced Chinese culture, and had a lot of fun.

Learning that the U.S. students have made many Chinese friends during the trip, and invited those friends to visit their hometown in the United States, Xi said he found their friendship very touching.

Citing a Chinese saying that reads "seeing is believing," Xi said the warm and friendly American people he met during his first visit to the United States in 1985 have given him an indelible impression.

Likewise, it is believed that through this exchange visit, the students can gain a more intuitive and in-depth understanding of China and the Chinese people, Xi said.

The Chinese president encouraged the Muscatine High School students to revisit China and encouraged more American youths to come to China for exchanges and study, where they can get first-hand experience of a real China in a multi-dimensional and comprehensive manner, foster genuine friendship with Chinese youths and learn from each other so that they can jointly contribute to a stronger friendship between the people of the two countries.

Noting that the Chinese Lantern Festival has long been an important moment for the Chinese people to express their hope for a better life, Xi extended his best holiday wishes to the teachers and students of the school.

During his trip to the United States in November 2023, Xi announced a program to invite 50,000 American youths in the next five years to China for exchanges and study.

Sarah Lande, a friend of Xi in the U.S. state of Iowa, wrote a letter recently to Xi, in which she expressed the hope that Muscatine High School students can join the program.

With Xi's support, more than 20 Muscatine High School students paid an exchange visit to Beijing, Shanghai and Hebei Province, among other places in China from Jan. 24 to 30, becoming the first group of American students to visit China under the program.

One of their gifts to Xi upon their arrival in Beijing was a school flag written with Chinese characters "Grandpa Xi, Here We Are."

After the visit, the students wrote a letter to the Chinese president, sharing with him their joy during their China trip and thanking him for the invitation.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
LYNCHBURG, Va. (WFXR)Following the recent uptick in shootings in the Hill City, Mayor Stephanie Reed announced that the 40-Ways Coalition will meet on Monday, Feb. 26.

The coalition focuses on youth crime prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation. Mayor Reed formed the 40-Ways Coalition after 6-year-old Kingston Campbell was killed in a shooting on May 1, 2023.

She says the goal of the coalition is to protect Lynchburgs children from becoming victims of violent crimes, intervene with youth who may be heading down the wrong path, and try to help those who have made choices that could lead to life-altering events.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Diamond Hill Baptist Church. Mayor Reed is hoping to come up with a solution to recent incidents and discuss ways the community can help be a part of the solution.

LPD arrests two men for allegedly shooting at a home on Pierce Street

That is why this Coalition was formed and why we HAVE to come together as a community to find ways to be part of the solution. There should never be another Kingston and there should never be another group of people who want to go out and kill someone like that group did that nigh, explained Mayor Reed in a social media post.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel will resign from her post March 8, she said early Monday, as former President Trump looks to shuffle the organizations leadership as he closes in on the partys presidential nomination.

It has been the honor and privilege of my life to serve the Republican National Committee for seven years as Chairwoman to elect Republicans and grow our Party, McDaniel said in a statement.

I have decided to step aside at our Spring Training on March 8 in Houston to allow our nominee to select a Chair of their choosing, she continued. The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition.

McDaniels decision was not unexpected. She had reportedly planned to step down after the South Carolina primary Saturday, and Trump has already endorsed his preferred replacement, RNC general counsel Michael Whatley.

RNC co-chair Drew McKissick said in a statement Monday that he would also resign from his role in March. Trump has endorsed his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to serve as the next co-chair.

I look forward to working with the RNC and President Trumps team to make sure that we WIN this November by taking back the White House, the Senate and maintaining our majority in the House of Representatives, McKissick said.

McDaniel on Monday cited the GOP winning back the House in 2022, the creation of an Election Integrity Department and a push for Republicans to vote early as examples of successes during her roughly seven years on the job.

She first became RNC chair with Trumps backing in 2017, and won reelection four times, including in a contested election last year. But her critics pointed to the lack of electoral success and questioned the partys spending. Her relationship with Trump was also strained as the former president pushed the RNC to cancel primary debates and back him in the 2024 process instead.

Trump has coasted to victory in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, and he is leading in the polls in other upcoming primary states over his lone remaining rival, Nikki Haley, who has vowed to stay in the race at least through Super Tuesday, March 5. Trumps campaign has projected he will secure the necessary number of delegates to clinch the Republican nomination no later than March 19, setting up a rematch with President Biden.

Whatley and Lara Trump are expected to be elected as the new chair and co-chair in the coming weeks, with RNC members typically giving the presumptive presidential nominee deference to put their own leadership in place. Top Trump adviser Chris LaCivita is also shifting to the RNC to oversee day-to-day operations.

Chairwoman McDaniel has led our party with grace and vision and has been a true friend to me and the North Carolina Republican Party, Whatley said in a statement Monday. Her leadership on election integrity, minority outreach, voter contact and so much more will be felt not only in the 2024 election, but in elections to come.

A major question moving forward is whether the party will pay Trumps legal bills. The former president is facing 91 felony charges across four separate investigations, and he recently was ordered by a New York judge to pay $355 million in a civil fraud case.

Trumps campaign has spent millions of dollars on legal fees over the past year, leaving his operation at a significant cash disadvantage compared to President Bidens campaign.

LaCivita reportedly said in recent days the campaign would not ask the RNC to pay Trumps legal bills. But skeptics have noted that once the two start jointly fundraising, the money may ultimately be used for legal fees anyway.

LaCivita has also sharply pushed back against RNC members who have resisted calls to make Trump the presumptive nominee before he clinches the necessary delegates, arguing they are hamstringing the partys efforts to win the general election.

The primary is over and it is the RNCs sole responsibility to defeat Joe Biden and win back the White House, LaCivita said in a statement Saturday. Efforts to delay that assist Joe Biden in the destruction of our nation. Republicans cannot stand on the sidelines and allow this to happen.

Updated at 7:48 a.m. ET

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Polish carriers may resume protests at up to four border crossings with Ukraine on March 1, saying that promises made to them by Polish authorities have not been fulfilled, RMF24 reported on Feb. 26.

Carriers and farmers began blocking trucks at four border crossings with Ukraine in November 2023, claiming that their Ukrainian competitors were running them out of business. In particular, the carriers protested against the EU's decision to liberalize transit rules for Ukrainian truckers.

The blockade was suspended in January after Warsaw promised to address the demands of the protesters.

Polish agricultural workers launched a new blockade at six crossings earlier in February, complaining about a supposed lack of action by Polish authorities regarding Ukrainian imports and about the EU's Green Deal.

Starting early next month, carriers from Poland's Lublin and Podkarpackie regions want to relaunch a blockade at the Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska, Dorohusk-Yahodyn, and Krakovets-Korczowa crossings and possibly also at the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint, RMF24 reported.

Poland's Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak said that the demands of Polish carriers had not been forgotten.

"All of them are being implemented, the problem of farmers and carriers is extremely similar," Klimczak said.

"We had an announcement from the Infrastructure Ministry that a draft bill would be presented that would tighten inspections of Ukrainian carriers," said Maciej Wronsk, the chair of a Polish transport association, adding that no such bill has been passed so far.

Wronsk also said that Polish carriers are already participating in the protests, but unofficially.

The ongoing protests continue to threaten Ukraine-Poland relations, as some participants dumped Ukrainian crops and displayed anti-Ukrainian slogans.

The Polish government said it seeks to address the demands of the protesters but promised to step in against any displays of pro-Russian propaganda and ensure the passage of humanitarian, military, and other crucial supplies to Ukraine.

Polish and Ukrainian officials are expected to meet in Warsaw next month to find a solution to the disputes.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Robert Kennedy Jr.s independent presidential campaign is being boosted by deep-pocketed supporters of Donald Trump, venture capitalists, conservative Hollywood types, and other celebrities.

Democrats worry the Kennedy campaign could help tank President Joe Bidens reelection bid and make Trump president again. He is also a danger to public health: Kennedy has spread false conspiracy theories about Covid-19 vaccines and claimed vaccines cause autism.

American Values 2024, a super PAC backing Kennedy, is the most important funding vehicle for his longshot bid for president. The group spent $7 million on a 30-second Super Bowl ad hyping Kennedys bid, which used recycled jingles and footage from the late President John F. Kennedys campaign, prompting outrage from the Kennedy clan and an apology from RFK.

More importantly, the super PAC is funding efforts to secure Kennedys line on ballots, pledging to spend $15 million to gather signatures. The centrist Democratic group Third Way has pressed state officials to reject signatures collected by American Values 2024, on the grounds that super PACs must operate independently from candidates under federal election rules.

American Values 2024 has so far raised $38 million, and its most important donor is longtime Republican financier Timothy Mellon. Mellon, the scion of the famous banking magnate Andrew Mellon, has contributed millions of dollars to conservative candidates over the years, including $15 million in donations to MAGA Inc, the premiere pro-Trump super PAC, this election cycle.

For American Values 2024, Mellon is a financial linchpin. Hes given $20 million to the group, or more than half of what its raised, helping the super PAC outstrip the Kennedy campaigns own fundraising of nearly $25 million so far. Mellon previously drew criticism for using racist stereotypes in his autobiography.

Mellon is not the only big-dollar MAGA donor propping up what many Democrats see as a spoiler candidate. Financier Omeed Malik, who has donated to both Republicans and Democrats over the years, leads an anti-woke investment firm financing former Fox News host Tucker Carlsons new media venture.

Malik gave the $6,600 maximum to Kennedys campaign committee, Team Kennedy, last year. After a brief flirtation with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis doomed Republican presidential campaign, this month Malik committed to raising $3 million for Trumps 2024 bid.

Former Papa Johns Pizza CEO John Schnatter has given $6,600 to Team Kennedy. Schattner, who resigned as chairman of the pizza conglomerate in 2018 after apologizing for using a racist slur during a conference call, has long supported Republican candidates and causes. During the Obama era, Schattner opposed the Affordable Care Act and hosted Mitt Romney for a fundraiser during his 2012 presidential run.

More recently, Schattner has become a vocal Trump supporter, criticizing Bidens economic policies and praising Trump during a 2022 appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Gavin de Becker, a security consultant to tech titans like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, followed Mellon, offering American Values its second largest source of revenue in the form of $10 million worth of donations. Oddly, the super PAC has returned most of de Beckers cash  with the explanation given that he has been providing bridge funding to the group. He has pledged to give more.

Venture capitalists like Yext CEO Michael Walrath and former PayPal president David Marcus both contributed the maximum to Team Kennedy.

Kennedy, who is married to actress Cheryl Hines, has tried to recruit celebrities to his campaign, including at a Los Angeles fundraiser last week. The event featured right-wing shock jock Adam Carolla, actors Jeremy Piven and Mike Binder, comedian Rob Schneider, who appeared on stage to tepid reviews. Its unclear yet how much the event raised  tickets ranged from $150 to $1,500  but a handful of Camelot-vintage and conspiracy enthusiast celebs have ponied up to Kennedys personal committee so far.

Oliver Stone, the director of the 1991 conspiracy flick JFK about the assassination of Kennedys uncle, also maxed out his contribution to Team Kennedy. Stone says he voted for Biden in 2020 but has soured on the incumbent following the Biden administrations support for Ukraine amid the Russian invasion. Stone admires and has hailed Russian President Vladimir Putin as a a great leader.

Similarly, in the summer of 2023, rock guitarist Eric Clapton, donated $5,000 to Kennedy, his first campaign contribution in federal election records. As Rolling Stone reported, Clapton has embraced conspiracy theories about Covid-19 and vaccines, and has donated to a number of anti-vaccine groups since the start of the global pandemic.

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Incumbent San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, whos running for re-election in the March 5 primary, is being challenged by four opponents.

Gloria  the citys 37th mayor  has held the seat since 2020. The following candidates are now vying to take his spot: Jane Glasson, Genevieve Jones-Wright, Daniel Smiechowski and Larry Turner.

What does the mayor do?

The mayor is the highest-ranking official in the city, acting as San Diegos chief executive officer. While in this role, the mayor is tasked with enforcing and executing the laws enacted by the San Diego City Council. This public servant also oversees city departments, operations, and is in charge of creating an annual budget proposal.

Some of things in which the mayor has power to do includes hiring or firing city officials, vetoing laws passed by the city council, representing government bodies, among other duties.

Who are the candidates?

*Each candidate is listed in alphabetical order based on their last name, with the incumbent at the top.

Todd Gloria

Todd Gloria is running for a second term as San Diego mayor. Before he took over the role amid the pandemic in 2020, he served on the city council and in the state assembly.

According to his campaign website, Gloria wants to focus on the following key issues if re-elected: public safety, solving the homelessness crisis, addressing the issue of housing and tackling aging infrastructure.

During an interview with the San Diego Tribune, Gloria said he hopes to finish the work he started during his first term as mayor. He also said he would continue to renounce extreme policies that divide us and focus on whats best for San Diego.

Jane Glasson

Jane Glasson.

Jane Glasson is a self-described Republican and conservative, according to her campaign account on X, formerly known as Twitter. Her experience includes being the treasurer and secretary of her homeowners association.

During an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, Glasson said the main issues shes focused on includes supporting homeowners and renters, restoring public safety, as well as supporting local businesses.

Other things she hopes to accomplish if elected, according to that same interview, are fixing San Diego streets and providing free meals to those experiencing homeless in the city.

Genevieve Jones-Wright

Genevieve Jones-Wright, a San Diego native, has a masters degree in law and works as an adjunct professor. She is also a member of the San Diego Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention, and serves as the founding executive director of Community Advocates for Just and Moral Governance.

According to her campaign website, Jones-Wright said her main priorities as mayor, if elected, would be creating a pathway to housing and homeownership, creating vibrant neighborhoods with accessibility to crucial needs, and creating trust and accountability in governance.

During an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, Jones-Wright said one if the first things she would do as mayor is meet with key stakeholders and heads of every city department to collaboratively set goals.

Daniel Smiechowski

Daniel Smiechowski is a real estate professional. During an interview with the San Diego Tribune, he said he has spent his life advocating for the citizens of San Diego, which is why he is vying for the position of mayor.

According to his campaign website, some of the issues Smiechowski would focus on, if elected, include roadway improvements, cracking down on crime, protecting private property rights, standing against SB10, as well as being a senior and taxpayer advocate.

One of first things he would do in the role, as mentioned in the interview, would be stopping all projects that involve the sale of city-owned land. He said he would also institute a 10% pay cut of all salaries in city government that exceed $150,000.

Larry Turner

Larry Turner is a self-described lifelong independent, according to his campaign website. He served 23 years in the Marine Corps before becoming an officer for the San Diego Police Department. Hes currently a community relations officer downtown.

Some of the key issues he believes are facing San Diego, as listed on his webpage, is the homeless crisis, infrastructure, the local economy, border and immigration issues, crime and safety, transportation, as well as housing.

During an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, Turner said one of the first things he would do as mayor, if elected, would be immediately ordering the construction of additional homeless shelters. He said he would also order the police chief to begin enforcing the California penal code, as well as have an emergency session on infrastructure.

How do I vote in the election?

Several voting centers have already opened across the county, and drop-off ballot locations are also scattered throughout the region. San Diegos guide to elections during the March 5 presidential primary can be found here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
The Wood County Sheriff's Office's youngest member, 12-week-old black lab Lola, sits in her workplace on Feb. 15 at the Wood County Jail in Wisconsin Rapids. Lola is in training to become the department's first therapy dog.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS  Visitors to the Wood County Courthouse the past few weeks may have noticed a small four-legged bundle of energy straining to meet them.

Lola, a 12-week-old black lab, has joined the Wood County Sheriff's Office and will serve as a therapy dog helping Sheriff's Office staff, inmates and others in the community who need a little warmth and happiness.

Lola and her handler, Jail Lt. Susanna Wagner, have joined K-9 Sig and handler Deputy James Pidgeon, K-9 Timo and handle Sgt. Justus Arendt, K-9 Rosco and handler Deputy Kristine Beathard and K-9 Bingo and handler Sgt. Brandon Christianson.

Sig, Timo and Rosco are considered "full-service" dogs, which mean they are trained in narcotics detection, patrol apprehension and tracking. Bingo is an explosives and firearms detection dog who recently helped find a stolen gun in the village of Port Edwards and assisted in the search of the Mosinee schools following a bomb threat.

Lola is already putting a smile on people's faces and making a difference

The Wood County Sheriff's Office's youngest member, 12-week-old black lab Lola, sits in her workplace on Feb. 15 at the Wood County Jail in Wisconsin Rapids. Lola is in training to become the department's first therapy dog.

Right now, Lola is like most puppies. She'll decide to take a nap in the middle of the hallway when going for a walk and likes to shred anything she can find, eliminating the need for a shredding machine in the office Wagner shares with four other people. Lola is doing well on potty training but has had a few accidents, Wagner said.

Although she hasn't started formal training yet, Wagner has been getting Lola used to the world she'll live in. Wagner takes her on walks through the jail, through the courthouse and has even had Lola in the Wood County courtrooms. Wagner also has taken Lola to visit fire departments and sporting events. Wagner wants the puppy to get used to being around a lot of people.

Even without training, the difference the puppy makes with people is already apparent. Recently, while Wagner was taking Lola into the jail, several people in the inmate visiting area called out to meet the puppy. Wagner took her in and Lola got pets and scratches from her newest friends and even gave out a few kisses. The mood in the room seemed to get lighter.

Wagner said just seeing the puppy in the jail puts a smile on the faces of everyone they pass. The same is true for going through the halls in the courthouse. Everyone stops the duo and takes a few moments to meet Lola, who seems to love all the attention. When not meeting people, Lola flops down and naps any chance she gets.

Wagner said it is taking her a lot longer to get anywhere she goes, but she doesn't mind the many stops for Lola to get a few pets and snuggles. It's what Wagner hoped a therapy dog could do for the people in the courthouse.

More local news: Vesper woman pleads no contest and is found guilty in 2022 crash that killed Port Edwards man

More local news: Wisconsin Rapids voters will see ATV/UTV ordinance written by activists on November ballot

Wood County and Marshfield will both add therapy dogs to their departments

Wagner, who has been in law enforcement for 20 years and has been a Wood County corrections officer for 10 years, said she loves dogs. A few years ago, Wagner heard about therapy dogs being used to help people in nursing homes and other institutions, including jails. She got the idea to get a therapy dog for the Wood County Jail but the timing wasn't right, she said.

In the meantime, Marshfield Police Officer Anthony Klein, one of two school resource officers for the city of Marshfield, completed his first full year working in the schools last year. He said he's enjoyed the rapport, connections, friendships and trust he's been able to build with the students. During the summer, Klein said he began brainstorming ways to build on the foundation and culture he had been able to create.

Lola, a 12-week-old black lab, chases handcuff chains being carried around the Wood County Jail on Feb. 15 in Wisconsin Rapids.

During that summer, Klein had a particularly tough day at work and he was not in the best of moods when he went home. Then, he opened the door to his house and his 11-year-old yellow lab, Rudy, greeted him bouncing up and down and wagging his tail. Klein said the grin on Rudy's face told him how happy the dog was to see him.

"In that moment, all the negativity, stress and emotions were lifted off my shoulders; an instant better mood," Klein said. "It clicked and I thought, 'How cool would it be to provide this feeling for individuals that could use it on a day-to-day basis.'"

Klein often sees students when they are having some of the worst days of their lives. He knows a dog would bring a calming effect to people in crisis.

Heather Clark, owner of Blueberry Cottage Labradoodles in Osseo, has offered a puppy free of charge, Klein said. The Marshfield Police Department is on a waiting list and expects to receive the puppy sometime between June and August. The puppy will go to school immediately, and will attend weekly obedience classes. The dog should be fully certified as a therapy dog by the time it is 2 years old.

After the Marshfield Police Department accepted the offer from Clark, they were offered another therapy dog. They contacted Wood County Sheriff Shawn Becker to ask if he'd be interested in the second dog.

Wagner said the timing wasn't right for a therapy dog when she first got the idea, and the Wood County Jail is currently crowded and doesn't have room for a dog. However, the new Wood County Jail is expected to open in early 2025 and it will be able to provide much more programming to the inmates and will be the perfect place for Lola to work, Wagner said.

Lola will help jail inmates as well as staff who experience traumatic events

Lola, a 12-week-old black lab, shows off her Wood County Sheriff's Office badge on Feb. 15 at the Wood County Jail in Wisconsin Rapids.

Eventually, Lola will help inmates in the Wood County Jail and Wood County Sheriff's Office staff who have gone through traumatic situations, Wagner said. The black lab also will be available to help children who are crime victims, other emergency service personnel in the county who have undergone a traumatic event and other situations in the community where people may be traumatized. Wagner also sees Lola being able to help children who have to testify in court.

Sheena Bohl recently joined the Wood County Sheriff's Office as its new counselor. She previously worked for 10 years as a corrections officer in the Wood County Jail. Bohl wanted to do more to help the inmates she worked with, so in January 2018 she quit her job and went back to school to get her master's degree in psychology. Bohl had to complete 3,000 hours of supervised clinical work and pass a state exam to become a licensed professional counselor through the state of Wisconsin.

When the former counselor left the jail position, Bohl stepped in. She's excited to get to help the inmates in the same jail where she was a corrections officer. Her time as a corrections officers gives Bohl a unique understanding of how a jail works. Becker said it is an incredible opportunity to have a counselor in the jail who worked as a corrections officer for so long and knows what to expect.

Bohl also is excited to get to work with Lola and Wagner. Lola can be an immense help calming agitated inmates down during counseling sessions, Bohl said.

"One thousand percent, she's a help for me daily," Bohl said.

Training 'will be a lot of work for the next year'

Wood County Jail Lt. Susanne Wagner feeds a treat to the Wood County Sheriff's Office's newest addition, Lola, a 12-week-old black lab, on Feb. 15 at the Wood County Jail in Wisconsin Rapids. As an avid dog lover, Wagner took it upon herself to care for the Sheriff's Office's therapy dog and serve as her handler as soon as the idea was proposed.

Wagner said Lola's training will begin with puppy classes from the Wisconsin Rapids Kennel Club. Lola will then go through an advanced puppy and beginner obedience class. Once Lola is a year old, she'll start going through the Kennel Club's therapy dog class. Lola then will have to be tested and certified.

"It will be a lot of work for the next year," Wagner said.

Wagner, who also is continuing to do her duties as the jail lieutenant, says the extra work is worth it. Wagner loves to see the faces of people who see Lola each day. She hopes Lola will make a big difference in the lives of a lot of people.

The Acacia Foundation of Central Wisconsin gave Wood County a $500,000 grant  $100,000 in each of five years for its K-9 program, Becker said. One aspect of the grant was to assist in the area of mental health. Lola fits that need perfectly, he said.

The Wood County Sheriff Office's other K-9s visit schools and do a lot of demonstrations, but it isn't the same as a therapy dog, Becker said. The other dogs tolerate petting and interaction with people, but what they really want to do is to perform the jobs they're trained for, Becker said.

"Lola is going to be primarily a part of the jail, but she's going to make a difference in the community," Becker said.

Contact Karen Madden at 715-345-2245 or kmadden@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.

This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: Wood County Sheriffs Office therapy dog will help staff and inmates
Chasing down fires is in his blood. His father took him on fire runs. The co-director of the Mansfield Fire Museum fought fires until his retirement in 2006.

Meet your neighbor, Marvin Gallaway, retired firefighter from Mansfield Fire Department.

Gallaway got his start as a volunteer fireman at age 16 in Franklin Township and learned the ropes from his father.

Marvin Gallaway stands in front of a 1943 Seagrave fire truck on display at the Mansfield Fire Museum. A retired firefighter, Gallaway has been co-director of the museum since 2005.

"They didnt know how young they should allow young gentlemen to partake in Franklin Township with the volunteers (firemen), said Gallaway. The township eventually decided that those under 16 were not allowed to go to fires.

Following high school graduation, he went into the Ohio National Guard as a firefighter. As a veteran in 1976, he was hired by Mansfield Fire Department where he spent 30 years.

His service continues at the Mansfield Fire Museum

Ive been the co-director since 2005 with another gentleman, Paul Johnson, said Gallaway. I have a love for the fire service.

This photo of Marvin Gallaway is part of a display featuring the 2006 Mansfield Fire Department.

The museum doesnt give a history of Mansfield itself, but the fire service across the country, noted Gallaway. But he said one of the most popular internet search engines has the museums hours wrong.

There seems to be a little discrepancy between Google and us. We are open Saturday and Sunday from the middle of May to the middle of October. The rest of the time, tours can be arranged by making an appointment, he shared.

You name it and he does it at the museum.

I give tours, whatever needs done here at the museum, said Gallaway. When I retired, I pretty much started working out here.

A 501c3 private nonprofit organization, the fire museum actively raises money every month of the year. Its funded through the Mansfield Fire Department Recreation Club, which runs a Bingo night year round.

One of the oldest pieces of firefighting equipment on display at the Mansfield Fire Museum is this 1837 Button Hand Pumper.

"Bad weather is the only reason why those get canceled because we cant have people coming out when theres Level 1 or Level 2 snow emergencies," Gallaway said.

Although they have other donations that come through from time to time, the museum is mostly funded by Bingo games held at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Since Bingo is heavily regulated, the museum falls under the education clause of charitable Bingo, said Gallaway. Every month, a donation is made to local schools.

Safety program is available for kids

A couple of times a month, school-aged kids are in a smoky hallway and multiple bedrooms filled with six or so kids to simulate a house fire at night. We dont want to have too young of children to do this, itd scare them. We like 8-to-10-years-old or so, said Gallaway.

School kids can watch a safety video, but he says the museum staff will also fill the hallway with smoke, activate the smoke detector and show them how to get out of a house if its on fire.

We teach the children how to get out of a building thats on fire, specifically a home at night," Gallaway added.

This 1900 steam engine is one of several historic pieces of firefighting equipment on display at the Mansfield Fire Museum.

The experience makes the museum a local attraction. Gallaway is inspired by its efforts to educate and to preserve artifacts. Those artifacts, including many trucks, are worth the drive to the museum.

Our oldest pumper is from 1837. Were trying to keep our history so that the rest of the people can see it, he said. The newest one is the 1976 American LaFrance; weve been using that in our parades.here lately.

Each of the museum pieces are functional, but staff wont push their luck.

All the trucks run and are drivable, Gallaway shared. As far as pumping, we dont want to risk doing a whole lot because parts are so hard to find. Of course, the steam engine never leaves the building. Its way too valuable.

Modern firefighting looks quite different

Current firefighters have an arsenal of new tools that werent around when Gallaway retired.

They have GPS on all the trucks, whether theyre responding or in the station. Theres computerized dispatching. The trucks are very expensive now and theres a lot of electronics on them that we didnt have," he noted. "If I pull a lever and I want something to happen, I dont want to have to push a button and something electric go out of whack, but thats me, Im older. I realize that."

Displays like this one tell the history of fire service not only in Mansfield but across the country.

The Mansfield Fire Museum is located at 1265 W. Fourth St. in Mansfield. It can be reached at mansfieldfiremuseum@yahoo.com or by calling 419-529-2573.

Correspondent Joe Di Lullo can be reached at muckrack.com/dilulloj or jp.dilullo0926@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Meet Your Neighbor: Marvin Gallaway and his love for fire service
For men suffering domestic violence and abuse, the main issue is still making people understand that these things can happen to the "stronger sex." Daniel Karmann/dpa

Timo will never forget the first time his wife attacked him, just a month after they were married.

"My wife slapped me and came at me with her fists." She would go on to beat and humiliate him in their home for almost 20 years, he says.

"Domestic violence against men is a taboo subject for many people," adds Timo, who refused to share his real name or allow himself to be photographed for this story. "That leads to prejudice and people not believing me."

In Germany, where he lives, there were 240,547 cases of domestic violence nationwide in 2022, says the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA). In the state of Rhineland-Palatinate alone, there were 13,573 victims in the same year according to the police crime statistics (PKS).

A clear majority of 70.07% (9,511) of the victims were female, while 29.93% (4,062) were male.

Nationwide, a year earlier, 3,749 men suffered domestic violence, data shows.

But the true number of male victims of violence is assumed to be higher; many cases go unreported, according to Bernd Seifried, adviser and couples therapist at the SAFE counselling centre for men in the south-western city of Mainz.

Men are often seen as the "stronger sex" which many find hard to reconcile with the role of victim.

Harder still, "the main problem is the shame threshold."

"Men often don't have anyone in their social environment with whom they can talk about their problems," says Norbert Ries, adviser and social education worker at the counselling centre for men and young fathers in the nearby city of Ludwigshafen.

Not having anyone to talk to doesn't mean the men don't have any friends, he stresses.

Timo, 48, also concealed his suffering from those around him and withdrew from social life over the years of his marriage.

The fear of being dismissed as a whiner or facing questions like "What kind of man are you?" was too great, he says. "I had given up on life."

There are only three contact points for men suffering domestic violence in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, each with an adviser offering professional support.

Germany, with a population of 80 million, only has 12 shelters for men and their children nationwide, says the Rhineland-Palatinate state Ministry of Family Affairs. They are spread out across five of the country's 16 federal states, meaning no such support is available in the remaining 11 states.

But more and more men want help. Ries says the number of men seeking advice has increased significantly in recent years. "Hardly a week goes by without us receiving new enquiries," says Peter Machetanz, adviser and social education worker at the counselling centre run by the Social Service for Catholic Men (SKM) in Trier.

The increasing demand is pushing the counselling centres to their limits. "There will soon be a waiting list, just like there is for therapy," says Machetanz.

The lack of support services for men affected by domestic violence is due to the funding bodies' reluctance, Seifried says. "You first need to know what the local needs are."

Since mid-2021, the SAFE counselling centre in Mainz has been the only facility to receive financial support from the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Family Affairs.

It is a pilot project aiming to assess the need for possible further support services.

Meanwhile contact centres in Ludwigshafen and Trier wind up having to fend for themselves financially, say Ries and Machetanz. "The men's counselling centres often rely on donations or volunteer advisers," says Ries.

For men suffering domestic abuse, counselling should remain free of charge, says Machetanz. His counselling activities will be funded by the diocesan association in Trier until mid-2025.

After that, it is unclear whether he'll be able to secure follow-up funding. "I can't yet say how things will continue," he says.

To combat and prevent violence against women and domestic violence, the Istanbul Convention, a Council of Europe human rights treaty ratified by Germany in 2017, entered into force nationwide in 2018. The convention mainly relates to protecting women, as they are disproportionately affected, says Nils Dettki, spokesman for the Ministry of Family Affairs in Mainz.

When it comes to boys and men, the treaty merely contains an "encouragement" but no obligation for the contracting parties to take measures to protect and support them.

Rhineland-Palatinate is currently working on an action plan focussing on the protection of women. "However, the state government is also focussing on men affected by domestic violence and is supporting them," says Dettki.

So far, 54,000 ($59,000) is earmarked in the 2024 budget for measures to combat violence against men. From December, Rhineland-Palatinate also wants to join the nationwide help hotline "Violence against men" to provide anonymous help and support.

Women are disproportionately affected by domestic violence, and many continue to struggle to get proper support. For men suffering violence and abuse, issues such as shame, and the fear of prejudice and disbelief, mean many struggle on in silence, reluctant to seek help. Fabian Sommer/dpa
Meta has dropped its lawsuit against Israeli web-scraping company Bright Data, after losing a key claim in its case a few weeks ago. The social networking giant has a history of waging war against companies that scrape data from its websites and apps, and Bright Data was among the latest to face a legal attack. However, the court recently ruled in favor of Bright Data on a breach of contract claim, saying that Meta hadn't presented sufficient evidence that proved the firm had scraped anything other than public data. Rather than continue to fight this case, Meta has now dropped the lawsuit, court filings indicate.

Beyond being just another case of web scraping, what made this case particularly interesting was that Meta was a Bright Data customer at one time. That is, the company had provided Meta with data from e-commerce websites to build brand profiles on its platforms. However, when Bright Data scraped Meta's own data, the company sued.

The court last month ruled for a partial summary judgment on the breach of contract claims because it said Meta didn't show enough evidence to indicate that Bright Data had scraped non-public data -- meaning data behind a log-in screen or a password-protected page. The case delved into how much user data is being collected by third-party firms like Bright Data, who then sell their data collections to other companies, where they can be used for a variety of purposes, including market research, marketing, ad tech, AI training, and more.

In this case, Meta had brought to the court an example of Bright Data's web-scraping activities -- a massive dataset that included 615 million records of Instagram data that sold for $860,000. The dataset included fields like users' names, IDs, country, post counts, bios, hashtags, followers, posts, profile images, business categories, emails, and more. But the court didn't believe Meta showed enough evidence that the data could have only been collected by a logged-in user account.

In another example, Meta attempted to show that Bright Data was in possession of non-public information, but the court said this also couldn't be used to prove logged-in scraping, as Meta claimed, since the information could have been publicly accessible at an earlier time when the scraping occurred.

The court additionally disagreed with Meta that using automated tools to bypass access restrictions, like CAPTCHAs, was the same as accessing a "password-protected website."

And even though Meta had found Bright Data advertised a "scraping browser" that automated logging into websites to facilitate logged-in data collection, the court said Meta didn't have evidence that proved the browser was used in this particular case of scraping Meta's data.

Finally, the court said there was no evidence that Bright Data used its own Facebook and Instagram accounts for scraping, so it couldn't be held accountable by Meta's terms of service and other legal policies users agree to. At the time of the ruling, Meta said it was evaluating the next steps in the ongoing litigation.

On Friday, February 23, 2024, Meta filed to dismiss the remaining claim in its lawsuit against the web-scraping firm (a tortious interference claim), "without prejudice," and waived its right to appeal the prior order that granted summary judgment in favor of Bright Data on the breach of contract claim.

It's a rare loss on Meta's part against the industry of web scrapers, which it regularly litigates against to discourage the practice.

In many other cases, Meta has prevailed, including the October 2022 settlement of a case against two other firms, Israeli-based BrandTotal Ltd. and Delaware-incorporated Unimania Inc., which both agreed to a permanent injunction that banned them from scraping Facebook and Instagram data going forward. Both also had to pay Meta a significant financial sum, the tech giant had said. Earlier, Meta settled in 2020 with the scraping service Massroot8. And in 2022, it sued a clone site operator and a company called Octopus, a U.S. subsidiary of a Chinese national high-tech enterprise that had offered scraping services. Meta won that case as well, and the court issued a permanent injunction to stop the firms data-scraping operations.

Last year, Meta sued another scraping-for-hire firm Voyager Labs, but that case is ongoing.

Bright Data says its case was not dismissed because the parties came to a settlement, as it made no agreement with Meta nor will it make any changes to its conduct. In short, the company believes that Metas terms do not apply to the scraping of public information while logged out of an account and that this case upholds its right to do so. However, it also indicates that Meta simply needs to provide better evidence of illegal scraping when taking a web scraper to court, beyond just showing it has Meta's data to sell and runs a business providing data scraping.

"This concession by Meta is a pivotal moment for Bright Data and the web scraping community. We are thrilled with the outcome of this case, solidifying public information is just that public," said Or Lenchner, CEO of Bright Data, in an email with TechCrunch. "Bright Data remains committed to keeping public web data freely accessible to everyone. The internet was intended for everyones benefit and no single entity or person should claim they own it," he added.

Meta has been asked for comment but one was not immediately provided.

The company's lawsuit was case No. is 3:23-cv-00077-EMC and was filed in the U.S. District Court in Northern California.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Homicide detectives have launched an investigation into a deadly Sunday afternoon shooting in Madison.

According to Metro Nashville dispatch, the shooting was called in shortly before 3:45 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25 from the 300 block of Rio Vista Drive.

1 brought to hospital after shooting reported in Bellevue

The Metro Nashville Police Department told News 2 a man was found shot after an apparent exchange of gunfire. The man  who was later identified as 21-year-old Emanuel Scott  reportedly died at the hospital.

On Monday, Feb. 26, police said they were investigating a possible robbery-related motive in the shooting. No additional details have been released about this incident.

 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.
Geological discovery upends politically correct climate science By Tom Harris

web posted February 26, 2024

Late Ordovician brachiopod fossil specimen obtained near Maysville, Kentucky Over the past few decades, one of the greatest mystery stories in the history of science has played outtrying to understand why changes in the output of the Sun, not human emissions of greenhouse gases, appears to be the primary driver of climate change on Earth. For example, it was during a period of high solar activity around 1000 AD when we experienced the Medieval Warm Period when the great cathedrals were built in Europe and the Vikings settled Greenland where they raised sheep and grew grain. And it was during a period of low solar activity that the Little Ice Age occurred between about 1300 and 1850, at the start of which the Viking Greenland colonies died out. Of course, humanity's emissions of carbon dioxide and other infrared-absorbing gases was trivial during both of those time periods, so it is important to understand what natural forces caused such climatic swings and determine if those factors are still the main drivers of climate change today. As my guest Dr. Ian Clark explained in "Earth Scientists The sun drives climate change!" the January 29, 2024 episode of my The Other Side of the Story podcast one of the most influential players in the detective story that helped us answer this question was Professor Jan Veizer, the Distinguished University Professor (emeritus) of Earth Sciences at the University of Ottawa and Institute for Geology, Mineralogy and Geophysics of Bochum Ruhr University in Germany. By analyzing oxygen isotopes in fossilized seashells, in particular the fossils of brachiopods (see photograph above), Dr. Veiser discovered that the Earth warmed and cooled periodically on time scales of tens of millions of years throughout the Phanerozoic, the geologic eon that covers the time period from about 600 million years ago to the present. Here is how he found that. The oxygen atom always has eight protons, hence an atomic number of eightwhich defines it as oxygen in the periodic table (below)and usually eight neutrons, giving it a "mass number" of 16, the sum of the number of protons and neutrons. This is called O-16. However, one "isotope" of oxygen has ten neutrons, giving it a mass number of 18. This is called O-18. In the ocean, most of the oxygen in the sea water, H2O, is O-16, with only a small fraction of it being O-18. While the fraction that is O-18 varies with salinity, temperature and evaporation effects, the natural abundance of O-18 in sea water is typically only 0.2%, meaning that for every 1,000 oxygen atoms in the water, about two of them are O-18. Because the water molecule, H2O, made from O-16 is obviously lighter than that made from O-18, water with O-16 preferentially evaporates over the heavier water with O-18. In warm periods, much of this water falls as rain on the land and then flows back into the sea, maintaining the O-18 to O-16 ratio in the ocean. However, in glacial periods when far more of the land surface of Earth is covered with permanent ice and snow, more of the water evaporated from the oceans falls as snow and stays on the land, thereby measurably increasing the O-18 to O-16 ratio, often referred to as , in seawater. Hard shelled sea animals build their shells with the materials from the environment in which they live of course, including the surrounding seawater. Therefore, during glacial periods, when in the water is higher than during warm times, their shells will reflect this higher ratio. During warm times, the O-18 to O-16 ratio in their shells would naturally be lower, indicating the different environment in which they live. This ratio is preserved in fossilized seashells. Professor Clark explained in the January 29th interview: [note: O-16 and O-18 are both stable isotopes, making them ideal for this method, in contrast with unstable isotopes such as O-15, O-19, and other oxygen isotopes which are radioactive and decay into other elements over time] "The instruments we use to analyze stable isotopes are called gas source mass spectrometers. When you take a shell, that's not a gas so we have to convert our material to a gas. So what we do is take the shelly material, and make sure it's very pristine, unaltered and we grind it up and then we dissolve it with acid under vacuum conditions and that produces CO 2 . The carbon dioxide is the gas that we use [in the gas source mass spectrometers] and it has now preserved the O-18 record from the shell. And remembering the shell had preserved the O-18 record from the ocean water that the animal built its shell from. So we're now measuring CO 2 which has a record of the oxygen-18 in that ocean way back in geological time." This method reveals when there was more or less land glaciation, a proxy for temperature, over the approximately 600 million years that there has been hard shelled sea creatures. And what Veizer found was astonishing: there was a nearly sinusoidal variation of and so the implied temperature over this time frame, as shown below, Figure 1 from the blockbuster 2003 paper, Celestial Driver of Phanerozoic Climate. The black nearly sinusoidal line in the figure shows the variation in , a direct indicator of temperature. The other colored lines around the black line are simply curves showing different averaging and resolution computations of the same data. Note that the vertical axis on the left is inverted, so high , approaching 2 units below the x-axis at about 450 million years ago, indicates an "icehouse" period, highlighted by the dark blue bar at the top of the graph, a time frame far colder and of greater duration than recent ice ages. The top three curves of Figure 1, which are different determinations of CO 2 in the past, GEOCARB IIIin purple, Berner & Streifin dark green and Rothmanin red, also illustrates that there is no meaningful, consistent correlation between temperature and CO 2 levels in the past 500 million years. Note that CO 2 levels are plotted as a logarithm, base 10, of the ratio of the level of CO 2 at some time t in the past to its level today (t = 0), meaning that the curve goes to zero in the present as the logarithm of one is zero. Also note that, when we were at the coldest period in the past half billion years about 450 million years ago, CO 2 levels were considerably higher than today, thereby refuting the assumption that CO 2 concentration has been the dominant driver of temperature over all time frames. See the caption below figure 1 for more information about this graph. So, if it was not variations in CO 2 concentration, what could have caused such temperature changes over time frames of tens of millions of years, detective professor Jan Veiser wondered. In next week's article, I will show how Veiser answered this mystery and demonstrate why this discovery has helped revolutionize our understanding of what really drives climate change on all time scales. Stay tuned! Tom Harris is Executive Director of the Ottawa, Canada-based International Climate Science Coalition . Home
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador criticized YouTube on Sunday night after the tech company removed the video of a news conference in which the leader revealed the private telephone number of the New York Times' Mexico bureau chief.

The platform said the video had violated their policies on harassment and cyberbullying. It later republished an edited version without the reporter's private information.

In response, Lopez Obrador accused the platform of censorship and said it was acting with an overbearing and authoritarian attitude.

The message was accompanied by a picture of the Statue of Liberty, which he said had become a "empty symbol." YouTube did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Thursday, Lopez Obrador read aloud a letter from the Times requesting comment on a story reporters were preparing about a shelved U.S. government investigation into allegations that his allies met with and took millions of dollars from drug cartels after he took office in 2018.

Then he read the phone number of Times' bureau chief. The same day, Mexico's freedom of information body INAI said it was initiating an investigation into his revealing the number.

After the news conference, the Times issued a statement that called it "a troubling and unacceptable tactic from a world leader".

Making public a journalist's private phone number is particularly worrisome in Mexico, one of the most dangerous countries in the world for reporters outside of war zones, especially for Mexican journalists investigating criminal gangs and widespread corruption.

Lopez Obrador frequently attacks the news media during his daily press conferences.

"She is slandering us and if she is very worried, then she should change her phone number," Lopez Obrador told reporters after the video was released. "Above the personal data protection law, there is the dignity of the president."

In the days that followed, social media users published the private numbers of one of Lopez Obrador's sons and both candidates for the country's June presidential race, Claudia Sheinbaum from the president's MORENA party and rival Xochitl Galvez.

Galvez said that she had gotten a flood of messages since her number was published - both critical and supporting - and that she would not change it.

MORENA's New York committee protested outside the Times' office in New York City on Sunday afternoon.

The New York Times story in question, published just after Lopez Obrador revealed the reporter's phone number, noted that the United States never opened a formal investigation and that officials ultimately shelved the inquiry.

Lopez Obrador denied all accusations and said it was "completely false."

That story came on the heels of other recent reporting from other media outlets about a different U.S. investigation into possible collusion between a drug cartel and Lopez Obrador associates to accept money for his 2006 presidential campaign in exchange for leniency.

Lopez Obrador has denied those accusations, calling them slander, and responded by saying the journalist who broke the story was a "mercenary in the service" of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which carried out the investigation.

Concerns about media safety have remained consistent throughout Lopez Obrador's presidency. In January, the theft of the personal data of hundreds of journalists in Mexico, including addresses and copies of voter ID cards and passports, raised fresh worries.

International free-speech organization Article 19 has documented 163 journalist murders in Mexico since 2000.

(Reporting by Sarah Kinosian. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
FILE PHOTO: 85th anniversary of Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History, in Mexico City

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's president on Monday shared a letter from the New York Times' bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for the second time and defended his decision last week to share her private telephone number publicly.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador shared the letter from the Times' Natalie Kitroeff to his head of communications at his morning press conference, although the version on Monday obscured the telephone number which he had made public on Thursday.

The president, however, defended the release of the number, arguing that by sending it to a government communications official Kitroeff had made it public.

"Journalism is a public activity, like politics, and we all have to act with transparency," Lopez Obrador said.

The letter sought comment from the president's office on an investigation into a shelved U.S. government investigation into allegations that Lopez Obrador allies met with and took millions of dollars from drug cartels after he took office in 2018.

The Mexican president has denied the allegations.

Lopez Obrador's release of Kitroeff's phone number raised concerns in Mexico, which is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for reporters outside of war zones.

Mexico's freedom of information body INAI said it was initiating an investigation into the publication of the number. The Times called Lopez Obrador's disclosure of the number "a troubling and unacceptable tactic from a world leader."

The president criticized YouTube on Sunday after the company removed the video of his news conference on Thursday in which he revealed the phone number.

A spokesperson for the tech company told Reuters that YouTube's "harassment policies strictly prohibit content that reveals someone's personally identifiable information, including their phone number."

YouTube "removed and issued a strike to the channels containing the video that violate this policy," the spokesperson said.

An edited version without Kitroeff's private information was later published.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Boyle; Additional reporting from Sarah Kinosian; Editing by Paul Simao)
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Memphis Firefighters are battling a house fire in North Memphis that started overnight.

The fire happened a little after midnight on Delmar Avenue and North Waldren. It was so large our crews could see it from blocks away.

According to MFD, the cause of the fire was incendiary.

WREG is working to learn if anyone is injured but it does appear that home is a total loss.

 Download the WREG App today and stay up to date with breaking news and weather.

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 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South.

No civilians or firefighters were injured in the fire.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
What we learned in Michelle Troconiss trial as shes found guilty of conspiracy to murder her lovers ex-wife

After 27 days of dramatic testimony in the trial of Michelle Troconis, jurors found her guilty of all charges over the killing of her lovers estranged wife, Jennifer Dulos.

The Connecticut mother-of-five was last seen alive on 24 May 2019 as she waved her children off to school in the wealthy enclave of New Canaan. And while her body has never been found, she has been officially declared dead  with police finding that she died a violent death at the hands of Fotis Dulos, the man she had filed for divorce from just two years earlier.

In January 2020, Fotis died by suicide after being charged with her murder, leaving his girlfriend Ms Troconis to take the fall.

Venezuelan socialite Troconis, 49, went on trial in January on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, hindering prosecution, two counts of tampering with physical evidence and two counts of conspiracy to commit tampering with physical evidence.

On Friday 1 March, she was found guilty on all counts. After the verdict was read out, Troconis laid her head on the table as her defence attorney comforted her.

Her sentencing hearing is now scheduled for May 31. She could face up to 50 years in prison.

In a statement to WTNH, family members of Dulos said the verdict was a crucial attribution of accountability but not a victory.

There can be no victory when five children are growing up without their mother, the family wrote. This verdict represents the meticulous collection, analysis, and presentation of evidence to illuminate an unconscionable series of crimes.

That immense body of evidence also serves to highlight the gaps that remain in this case  most important, that Jennifer Farber Dulos still has not been found, they wrote. We have lost a mother, daughter, sister, cousin, and cherished friend. Jennifers loved ones cannot bury her next to her father.

Michelle Troconis is on trial for her alleged role in the murder plot (AP)

Troconis had pleaded not guilty and insisted she did not know Fotis was doing anything nefarious as she watched him toss garbage bags into random bins, or as she helped him write up a timeline of their whereabouts on the day his estranged wife disappeared. Troconis decided not to testify in her own defence.

In closing arguments in the trial at Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford, the court heard from the state how she was a murderous conspirator who wanted her boyfriends estranged wife dead and helped him cover up her killing.

They also heard from the defence that she was an innocent bystander who unwittingly became ensnared in one of Connecticuts most enduring missing person and alleged homicide cases.

Deliberations went on for three days as jurors were tasked with going through 27 days of testimony and more than 200 exhibits before making their decision.

Heres what happened during the high-profile trial:

Prosecutors say Jennifers murder was deliberate and intentional

Prosecutors Michelle Manning and Sean McGuinness told jurors on Tuesday that Troconis was angry and fed up with the divorce case and had called Jennifer Dulos disparaging names.

Jennifer is dead, and Fotis and Michelle Troconis intended that to happen, Ms Manning said.

They agreed to work together to make it happen, and unfortunately they were successful in making it happen. But they got caught. This trial is very simple. Its about a conspiracy and a coverup.

Defence claims Fotis Dulos is ultimately responsible, not Michelle Troconis

Defence attorney Jon Schoenhorn said the prosecution did not prove any of their allegations beyond a reasonable doubt, including whether Fotis Dulos killed Jennifer Dulos or even if he was in New Canaan that morning.

She did not know that Fotis Dulos planned to harm her, Mr Schoenhorn told the jury in his closing arguments.

The state has made, what I would suggest, are unfounded and unfair assumptions and have speculated that Michelle Troconis had to know what was going on because she was romantically linked with Fotis, that she was somehow involved in this nefarious, murderous plot.

But thats not reality, he added. Thats more like one of these cable TV movies, scripted movies. Its not based on the facts that you heard during this trial.

Mr Schoenhorn again stressed that Fotis is ultimately responsible and that Troconis was not involved nor did she know.

Whatever Fotis Dulos did, it was not for or because of Michelle, and it was not with her. Fotis put up a facade until his last, poisoned breath, and he died without ever acknowledging his actions or admitting his role, even to his own children. He never gave answers, Mr Schoenhorn said. Everyone wants closure. Michelle is not the remaining half of a scheming plot, she was never part of the equation. That is pure speculation.

Jennifer Duloss five children watch grandmother testify

Gloria Farber, Jennifers mother, took the stand as the states final witness.

Her five grandchildren, who were orphaned after Jennifers disappearance and presumed death and Fotiss suicide, have been living with Ms Farber and their nanny in New York City.

The children were in the courtroom for the first time as they watched their grandmother on the stand. Her testimony only lasted 10 minutes.

Jennifer Dulos' mother, Gloria Farber, testifies during Michelle Troconis' trial at Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford (Hearst Connecticut Media)

Ms Farber testified that the mother of five had never missed one of her childrens birthdays or name days, which is a Greek tradition.

The testimony appeared to take aim at defence attorney Jon Schoenhorns argument that Jennifer left on her own, a theory Fotis reportedly claimed she had done in the past.

Michelle Troconis may be held in contempt of court

Troconis could be held in contempt of court after she was reportedly spotted looking at sealed custody documents on her laptop during proceedings, according to NBC Connecticut.

Officials in the courtroom said the document Troconis had on display is sealed because it has confidential information about Fotiss five children.

Michelle Troconis sheds a tear as her first interview with Connecticut State Police is presented as evidence (AP)

The concern the state has is this notion that she would have access on her device to a report that it starts off that a member of the audience is able to see, which is clearly under seal, Michelle Manning, the states assistant attorney, said when speaking to Judge Kevin A Randolph.

That is concerning. The second major point is that it was displayed for the public with a news camera behind us and that she couldnt even have read it to begin with.

The judge told the courtroom that only counsel would be able to have access to a computer during proceedings and that the court would not become a hallway monitor, adding that anyone who makes an attempt to communicate with the jury or a witness would be removed.

An inquiry has been launched to determine how she got the report and how the person in the gallery recognised it.

A contempt of court hearing will be held on 5 March.

Fotis Duloss former employee reveals Michelle Troconiss b**** comments

Pawel Gumienny, who was the project manager for Fotis Duloss company Fore Group, testified that he heard Troconis say that Jennifer was a b**** and that she should be buried next to this dog.

He said he heard the shocking statement when they learned the Duloss family dog was sick and needed to be put to sleep.

He [Fotis] said something like, Can you believe that Jennifer wont even let the kids come over and say goodbye to the dog before we put him to sleep? Mr Gumienny said.

Mr Gumienny said Troconis then responded with: That b**** should be buried right next to this dog.

When prosecutors asked Mr Gumienny about Troconiss demeanour when she said this, he responded: I think she was trying to cheer Dulos up. He was heartbroken that his dog was about to be put down.

In the days that followed the Connecticut moms disappearance, Troconis allegedly told Mr Gumienny Im going to kill that f****** b**** when she turns up after he said she had gotten upset about her photo being used in the news reports.

Pawel Gumienny (Hearst Connecticut Media)

Police believe Fotis borrowed Mr Gumiennys red Toyota Tacoma on the day that he allegedly murdered Jennifer in the garage of her New Canaan home.

Blood evidence with Jennifers DNA was found in the garage and on items found in various trash cans around Hartford.

Mr Gumienny also testified that Fotis had the pickup truck cleaned inside and out at a car wash and pressured him to replace the front seats of the truck with other ones. Mr Gumienny said he was growing suspicious as Jennifer remained missing, but he didnt think Fotis was capable of killing her.

When he asked Fotis why he had the truck cleaned, he said Fotis replied, Dont worry about it. Theres nothing going on. ... I just want to clean everything. The police might come in. They find something, they destroy my name, destroy the company name, Mr Gumienny testified.

Mr Gumienny said he then asked Fotis why he wanted to change out the truck seats, which Fotis told him to get rid of so they wouldn't be found.

He said, Can we not talk about it? Can you just do it? He kept on pressing me and pressing me on it.  He was growing angry," Mr Gumienny said.

Mr Gumienny did replace the truck seats, but he kept the old ones and gave them to the police. Authorities later said testing indicated Jennifer's blood was on one of the old seats.

Michelle Troconis included intimate detail in alibi scripts

Documents dubbed alibi scripts by police found at the Farmington home of Fotis Dulos and Michelle Troconis were read in court on 24 January.

Three photocopies  two of which outline the couples movements the day Jennifer disappeared  were found inside a black computer bag during a search of the home on 9 June 2019.

Troconis previously told police that they had been advised by a divorce attorney at the time to write out the timelines.

The first document presented to the court mentioned sending emails to Jennifer and Michelle, a trip to Starbucks at 7pm in which she wrote, West Hartford Starbucks ... Two frappuccinos ... I did not like the sandwich.

The trip to Starbucks was made after Troconis and Fotis were seen driving the route of Albany Avenue as Fotis tossed trash bags that police later discovered contained Jennifers DNA.

Three photocopies  two of which outline the couples movements the day Jennifer disappeared  were found inside a black computer bag during a search of the home on 9 June 2019 (Law&Crime)

A second document was a detailed timeline that began with take a shower with Fotis at 6.40am, a description of an outfit and cooking scrambled eggs for her daughter.

The third photocopy appeared to be a call log which documented the incoming, outgoing and canceled calls and the duration of each one.

A fourth document, found in an office in the home, appeared to be the original version of the first photocopy.

It was dated 25 May 2019 and noted a meeting with an officer from the New Canaan Police Department and what vehicles Michi, Fotis and Pawel drove.

The defence previously asked the judge to ban any mention of the writing as alibi scripts.

Prosecutors clarified that they dont intend to call the documents alibi scripts during the evidentiary portion of the trial, and also have advised their witnesses to call the documents timelines.

However, the state will be able to call the documents alibi scripts during closing arguments.

Kent Mawhinney does not testify as expected

Kent Mawhinney, another defendant in the case and Fotis longtime friend, was expected to testify for the state, but Assistant States Attorney Sean McGuinness ended the states case without him.

Kent Mawhinney of course is a co-conspirator in this matter, hes been arrested, the charges remain pending, Mr McGuninness told the court. He undoubtedly has Fifth Amendment privilege, therefore, is unavailable to both parties. Given that we are going to be resting, I just wanted to indicate that for the record, obviously, there shouldnt be any sort of missing witness arguments during closing arguments ... in light of that fact, hes unavailable.

Mr Mawhinneys attorney, Jeffrey Kestenband, later said his client had not invoked his Fifth Amendment right to not testify, so the reason as to why he didnt testify remains unclear.

Mr Mawhinney will stand trial on his own conspiracy to commit murder charge in the case. Hes accused of trying to create an alibi for Fotis on the morning of Jennifers disappearance.

No presumptive blood found in Fotis Dulos truck

Det Matthew Reilly testified on 24 January that presumptive blood tests police conducted in Fotis truck  believed to have been the vehicle used when Fotis dumped evidence  were negative.

Fotis was seen on surveillance footage driving the truck along Albany Avenue, stopping at multiple trash bins to dumb bags that were later found to contain bloodstained clothes, zip ties and ponchos.

Some of the items tested positive for Jennifers DNA, according to Fotis arrest warrant.

The truck was searched by police on 31 May 2019, and police used Luminol to search for traces of blood.

While several areas were illuminated, police conducted presumptive tests but they came back negative for blood.

Loved ones say it was brutal seeing bloody evidence

Jennifers family released a statement about the grim evidence presented at the trial of the woman accused of helping her then-boyfriend in the cover-up of killing his estranged wife.

For Jennifers family and loved ones, seeing the physical evidence on Tuesday was brutal but also crucial, Carrie Luft said in a statement to NBC.

Witnessing Jennifers blood-soaked clothing, knowing it was the shirt, the bra, she wore on the last day of her life, made us imagine, again, what she must have endured.

We hope that seeing this evidence in three dimensions can put an end to any suggestion that Jennifer is missing. She died a tragic death, and her loss is felt beyond what words can express, she added.

Jennifer Dulos has not been seen or heard since 24 May 2019 (New Canaan Police Department)

Blood-soaked clothing, zip ties, ponchos shown in court

On day eight, investigators testified that they recovered several items covered in blood-like substance stuffed into trash bags and dumped into bins along a four-mile stretch of Albany Avenue in Hartford.

Grim photos of the items were shown in court before the state carefully held up each piece to show to the jury.

State Police Sgt Kevin Duggan testified that the items were pulled from trash bins in Hartford where, according to prosecutors, surveillance video shows Troconis sitting in a black Ford Raptor truck with Fotis as he tossed the bags just hours after Jennifer vanished.

A white bra and Vineyard vines shirt, both of which were cut down the middle and appeared to be soaked with blood, and believed to have been Jennifers, prompted a reaction from her close friend Carrie Luft who buried her head in her hands, CT Insider reported.

The state asked Sgt Duggan to describe the shirt. He pointed out the lettering that read, EDSFTG.

A bloodied Vineyard Vines shirt, believed to be Jennifers, was found cut down the middle (Law&Crime)

A white bra stained red was found with the shirt (AP)

Its a Vineyard Vines slogan, Every day should feel this good, Sgt Duggan responded, at which point Ms Luft let out an audible exhalation, the local paper reported.

The items were recovered on 30 May 2019, after police discovered the video footage showing Fotis making multiple stops to dispose of the trash bags.

According to Troconis arrest warrant, DNA from both Fotis and Jennifer was found on items in the trash and Troconis DNA was found on some of the trash bags. That evidence is expected to come later in the trial.

In the trash bins in the area of Albany Avenue and Green Street, where Fotis was seen stopping on 24 May 2019, Duggan testified about a slew of items covered with a blood-like substance.

Besides the bra and shirt, other items included zip ties which had been cut and appeared to be sized for something larger than a wrist or ankle; two plastic ponchos covered in apparent blood spatter; a white towel covered in reddish stains; the handle of a mop that was coated in red specks and twisted into the shape of an N.

Also found coated in a blood-like substance, was a broken razor blade, two pairs of black gloves, a screwdriver, and a sponge.

A detour on the way to Starbucks

Troconis attorney Jon Schoenhorn argued that she was taken by surprise when her then-boyfriend Fotis Dulos took an extra half-a-mile detour from what was supposed to be a trip to a Starbucks in West Hartford.

Instead, Troconis found herself tagging along with Fotis as he dumped several trash bags in bins along Albany Avenue on 24 May 2019  the same day his estranged wife Jennifer was allegedly killed.

The defence insists his client had no knowledge of any ulterior motive for the trip and did not know what the bags contained.

She did not know what was in any of those bags, Mr Schoenhorn told reporters during a court break.

He explained that Troconis was on the phone with her mother and later her daughter as they drove along in the Ford Raptor truck on Albany Avenue.

At one point, according to Mr Schoenhorn, she looked up and asked Fotis, What are we doing here?

Defence admits surveillance video shows Michelle Troconis in Fotis truck

The state presented surveillance footage of what appeared to be Fotis and Troconis in the Ford Raptor dumping trash in various bins in Hartford.

Former Connecticut State Police Detective Steve Soares, who was tasked with reviewing surveillance footage from the plaza where Starbucks is located, testified that two separate cameras that night captured what appears to be Fotis truck driving past the plaza at 7.27pm and heading toward Hartford. City cameras then captured the truck on its four-mile route in the area of Albany Avenue.

It wasnt until a half-hour later, at 7.54pm, when the truck was spotted pulling into the Starbucks plaza parking lot.

During cross-examination of the witness who was taking the court through the timeline of the footage, Troconis attorney Schoenhorn admitted the videos depicted Fotis and Troconis, but disputed her culpability.

Troconis has pleaded not guilty to the charges she faces and insists she did not know Fotis was doing anything nefarious as she watched him toss garbage bags into random bins.

The surveillance footage showed Fotis Dulos driving his black Ford Raptor pickup truck down Albany Avenue with Troconis riding as a passenger as he threw out trash bags.

In one video, as Fotis was seen getting out of the truck and slipping an envelope down a sewer drain, Troconis is seen opening the passenger door  which was right over the sewer  and reaching down to the sidewalk.

The envelope was later discovered to contain license plates that were once registered to a vehicle owned by Fotis, police said.

Video shows man removing seemingly bloody object from trash

The prosecution showed surveillance footage of what appeared to be a homeless man removing trash from a garbage can where Fotis had been seen discarding something earlier the same day.

The man appeared to remove an item with a large blood-like stain and then he put it back before walking away.

Trooper Brett Attmore, who was on the witness stand at the time, confirmed to the court that law enforcement has been able to identify the person, but details were not revealed.

Two jurors dismissed within a week

Judge Kevin Randolph dismissed two alternate jurors in a span of less than a week.

The first juror was dismissed after reportedly saying We love you to two prosecutors involved in the case, outside the courtroom during a lunch break.

The comment gave the appearance of favouring the prosecution, the judge explained before excusing the juror and warning the others.

The appearance that there was a favourable opinion to the states case indicates to the court that it would be difficult to proceed with him as a juror because the impartiality and fairness of that juror can reasonably be questioned, Judge Randolph said.

The second case of alleged juror misconduct in the trial came just days later when the judge got word that a juror had allegedly likened the case to the novel and movie Gone Girl.

Judge Randolph received an unsigned note from a juror accusing another member of the panel of making the comment in the presence of other jurors.

The juror discussed something about the case and it was all over social media, Randolph said the note read. Said it was like Gone Girl  a brief mention. Several other jurors said, Dont discuss this.

Gone Girl, a 2012 novel by Gillian Flynn that was turned into a 2014 film starring Ben Affleck, is about a woman who fakes her own disappearance and her husband, who becomes a suspect.

The judge questioned jurors about the comment before ultimately dismissing the juror, identified only as Juror 186, who acknowledged making the Gone Girl comment.

Every (other) juror indicated that they would be able to afford the state and defence a fair and impartial trial, Judge Randolph said after reconvening the trial.

The trial now has three alternates remaining, along with six regular jurors.

Jennifer Dulos confided in nanny about Fotiss affair with Michelle Troconis

Lauren Almeida, the nanny who cared for Jennifers five children, and still does to this day, testified in court over the course of two days revealing her day-to-day time with the family, how Jennifer confided in her about Fotis affair and the bad feeling she got the day Jennifer vanished.

Ms Almeida, who often travelled with Fotis and the children, had returned home from a trip in 2017 while Fotis stayed behind with a woman named Michelle Troconis, who he called a friend.

Jennifer reportedly confided to Ms Almeida that she believed Fotis was having an affair and eventually confirmed her suspicions.

Through email and receipts, she found out that he went to Utah with Michelle, Ms Almeida said. She was just like, I knew it. She was, again, very soft-spoken. She seemed sad but also like she was trying to figure out what to do.

Ms Almeida said that Jennifer told her she was no longer in love with Fotis but for the sake of their five children, the Dulos would try to work out what they could.

When Jennifer confronted Fotis about the affair, she said he admitted it and things became tense in the household.

Ms Almeida said Fotis had threatened Jennifer that he would take the kids to Greece and never come back.

After that, Jennifer asked Ms Almeida to start secretly moving things out of the home  things that Fotis wouldnt notice.

Her anxiety was really bad. She lost weight. She was just afraid, Ms Almeida said.

Missing mom hired armed bodyguard before filing for divorce

Ms Almeida testified that Jennifer had hired an armed bodyguard to stand outside her hotel room while she filed for a divorce. It was all part of the plan to get away from Fotis.

She was afraid of what Fotis would do to her and the kids if she filed for divorce while they were living under the same roof, Ms Almeidasaid. She was terrified.

So Jennifer created a plan to leave the family home without Fotis suspecting her intentions.

Jennifer, Ms Almeida and the five children spent a week in Manhattan, where the divorce was filed, before moving to New Canaan. Jennifer had told Fotis that she and the children would be visiting her fathers grave in New York.

We went to New York often because thats where Jennifers parents were, Ms Almeida recounted. Her plan was to file for divorce, once we were in the city.

That night, Ms Almeida said, Jennifer hired an armed bodyguard to stand outside the room she, Ms Almeida and the children shared at the Mandarin Oriental. Fotis then called Ms Almeida and accused her of kidnapping the children.

He was angry, yelled at me, and told me the only reason I was there for Jennifer was because she paid off my student loans, which is an absolute lie, Ms Almeida said. He was yelling in front of the kids.

Bodycam footage reveals blood spatter found in house

Bodycam footage has revealed that police officers spotted what appeared to be blood spatter and a cleaned-up bloodstain inside Jennifers garage on the day she was last seen alive.

Footage played in court on the first day of the trial showed law enforcement officers searching Jennifers home in New Canaan after she was reported missing.

The officers are seen noting that there appears to be blood spatter on the front of her vehicle in the garage.

New Canaan Police Lieutenant Aaron LaTourette testified that he noticed what appeared to be red blood in the front of that vehicle.

A red mark in the grill part of the vehicle. And it caught my attention because it did not match the colour of the grill, he said.

Bodycam video of Jennifer Dulos search shows damage to SUV

Lt LaTourette and the officer are heard on the video discussing the possibility that the driver may have hit a deer. But noted there was no fur.

It doesnt sit well with me, one of the officers says in the footage.

The footage played to jurors also showed red specks on the concrete floor, and a pinkish-reddish area that looked smeared, as if someone had cleaned a large blood stain, he said.

Defence blasts junk science in case

Michelle Troconiss attorneys took aim at what they described as junk science presented by the state as blood evidence in her conspiracy to murder trial.

Troconis legal team questioned the science of the substance used to illuminate blood  suggesting it could illuminate certain types of cleansers or rust and is essentially junk science.

During a break, the judge heard the motion from the defence arguing that it should not be presented at trial.

Theres such danger with the misapprehension or misunderstanding of what is essentially junk science, attorney Jon Schoenhorn said.

He called the process of the blood testing junk science and said that it didnt need to be introduced into evidence by the detective any more than if he said he used a Ouija board to choose where he was going to choose these samples.

Fotis Dulos and Michelle Troconis in their 2019 booking photos (AP)

What you have to understand is the Supreme Court of Connecticut has said is that chemical is so unreliable that it has no value to put it into a case, he said, adding that a detective tasked with taking samples from Jennifera car and garage doesnt need to talk about a chemical that is basically junk science.

But the judge ruled in favour of prosecutors, finding that jurors can hear testimony about presumptive blood testing.

Retired Connecticut State Police Sgt Matthew Reilly, who responded to the scene and was present when the photos were taken, took the stand in the afternoon and told the court that a Blood-like stain had been found on the inside cardboard of a paper towel roll.

Jurors were also shown photos of what appeared to be blood on the paper towel roll as well as on the floor of Jennifers garage.
As President Joe Biden marches towards the Democratic nomination with plunging approval ratings, a movement in Michigan is calling on his party's voters to reject him in the state's upcoming primary in an effort to pressure him to call for a permanent ceasefire and end military aid to Israel.

The campaign, called Listen to Michigan, is encouraging voters to vote uncommitted in the states February 27th primary. The Democratic primary election is an opportunity to question whether the incumbent genuinely holds the support of his own party's base, the campaign says on its website.

The campaign has drawn significant support. It has been endorsed by Detroits Metro Times and the Democratic Socialists of Americas local and national chapters. Former Congressman Andy Levin has supported the cause, as has Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and more than 30 local elected officials have pledged to vote uncommitted. Organizers say its too early to know how many voters will participate, but Dearborn alone has seen 6,000 requests for absentee ballots in the election, compared to 2,200 in 2020, which Layla Elabed, a Palestinian American activist and one of the organizers of the campaign, hopes represents an increase in uncommitted voters.

For Detroit City Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero, one of the local officials planning to vote uncommitted, the move is a show of support for those in her district. So many of our constituents that have family in Palestine and Gaza, that are being directly impacted by this, she says. Some people might say local governments or local voices dont mean anything, but we know the power that we have.

Michigan's Democratic primary comes as Biden struggles on multiple fronts. A recent Gallup poll found that his approval rating had slid down to 38%, and key polls are showing him losing to or in an incredibly tight race with Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee. Concerns are percolating about the 81-year-old President's mental acuity and fitness for the job. And his Administration is dealing with crises on both domestically and abroad, from surging migrant crossings at the U.S. border with Mexico to the war in Gaza. The Biden Administration bypassed Congress to send millions of dollars of weapons to Israel, and is still seeking approval to send an additional $14.3 billion in aid as Israel bombs Gaza in responses to an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

Michigan has been a key battleground state in past presidential elections. In 2016, the state swung red for the first time in decades when Donald Trump won the state by only 10,000 votes. Biden won the state by roughly 150,000 votes in 2020.

Elabed, who is the sister of Rep. Tlaib, notes that the states Muslim and Arab population had a key role in securing Bidens win in the state in the last election, but support from the roughly 200,000 registered Muslim voters in the state is no longer a given in 2024. This feels like a huge betrayal to our community," she says.

Nura Sediqe, an assistant professor of political science at Michigan State University, says that support of key voting blocs, including young voters and Muslim and Arab voters, is critical to Bidens success.They're feeling the dissatisfaction of their vote being taken for granted, she says. In a state like Michigan, that could be precarious for President Biden.

The Biden campaign argues the President is working "to earn every vote in Michigan."

"His investments in infrastructure and green energy have created thousands of union jobs. He walked the picket line with UAW. He is standing up for reproductive rights, an issue that motivated hundreds of thousands of Michiganders to flip the statehouse in the midterms," Lauren Hitt, a senior spokesperson for Biden for America, told TIME in a statement. "He recently met with voters at a black-owned business in Detroit to talk about his Administration's efforts to create record small business growth. And, he is working tirelessly to create a just, lasting peace in the Middle East."

Sediqe says that the movement in Michigan could indicate how the issue might impact Bidens chances for re-election on a national level. Young Americans overwhelmingly support a ceasefire, says Sediqe, who notes that young Democrats might not show up to vote in the election if they feel dissatisfied with elected officials. This is definitely a test case that will send a signal to the administration and the DNC about what [voter turnout] may look like.

A little over 10% of Congress supports a ceasefire, compared to 66% of Americans, and 70% of voters under 45, according to an October poll from Data for Progress, a progressive think tank. A Reuters/IPSOS poll from November found that 68% of respondents agreed with the statement that "Israel should call a ceasefire and try to negotiate."

Organizers say that the uncommitted vote is not a campaign against Biden, but rather a call to action. We've been boycotting, we've been rallying, we've been calling and emailing our elected officials to almost no avail, says Mara Matta, who has been leading phone banking efforts. We want Biden to feel the risk of losing Michigan and the general election to prompt a potential reassessment of this financing and backing of Israel's war in Gaza.

For Elabed, a longtime Democrat who mobilized her friends and family to vote for Biden in 2020, Bidens response in the upcoming months is paramount to how she views her vote. The bare minimum for me to even think about what support could look like for Joe Biden in November," she says," would be a support of a permanent ceasefire and ending unchecked and unconditional military aid to Israel.

Correction, Feb. 26

The original version of this story misstated Nura Sediqe's university affiliation. She is an assistant professor at Michigan State University, not at the University of Michigan.

Write to Simmone Shah at simmone.shah@time.com.
The 2024 Michigan presidential primary election is this week.

On Tuesday, Feb. 27, voters will get the chance to make their voices heard, one week before Super Tuesday. In the primary election, voters will pick one party's ballot to choose their nominee, whether on the Republican side or Democratic side.

The big difference this year is Michigan voters will be able to cast their ballots in the state's presidential primary in late February. Last year, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill to move the primary from the second Tuesday in March to the fourth Tuesday in February, as supporters of the plan say it gives Michigan voters a bigger say in the presidential nominating process.

Here's what voters in Michigan need to know about voting in the 2024 presidential primary election:

You must be registered to vote to participate in Michigan's presidential primary

Voter registration in Michigan is straightforward! If you're unsure if you're already registered to vote, you can check your registration status by visiting the Michigan Voter Information Center at michigan.gov/vote. The Michigan Voter Information Center also contains information on finding your local clerk's office, your polling location, how to request an absentee ballot and more.

Michigan voters can register to vote online or in person up through Election Day. Here's how.

A person stands behind a voting booth as they cast their vote inside the Central United Methodist Church polling place in Detroit on Nov. 8, 2022.

Multiple ways to cast a ballot in Michigan

In addition to heading to the polls on Election Day, Michigan voters have other options to cast their ballots. Voters can request and return an absentee ballot, or take advantage of early, in-person voting (the early voting period, however, closed Sunday for this election).

It's likely too late to mail in your absentee ballot for the primary election, but absentee ballots can still be submitted in person at a local clerk's office or at a secure dropbox up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. After submitting an absentee ballot, voters can check the status of their ballot online at michigan.gov/vote.

For the first time in a statewide election, communities held nine days of early, in-person voting, which ran from Feb. 17 through Sunday, Feb. 25. For all state and federal elections moving forward, communities will be required to hold at least nine days of early voting, but can choose to hold up to 29 days of early voting thanks to a ballot proposal approved by Michigan voters in 2022.

Key dates, deadlines for Michigan presidential primary

While the primary day itself is Tuesday, Feb. 27, here are some key dates to know for the presidential primary:

Monday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m. : Deadline to request an absentee ballot in person at a local clerk's office.

Tuesday, Feb. 27, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.: Election Day! Polls are open. Voters can also obtain absentee ballots at their local clerk's office until polls close, but only if they are registering to vote or updating their voter registration address.

For more on key election dates in Michigan this year, check out this calendar.

Michigan has a closed presidential primary  what that means

Michigan has a closed presidential primary  this means that voters have to select which party's primary ballot they'll be filling out, according to state election law. Unlike the traditional August primary, when voters get a ballot and choose to fill out only a single party's side, voters will be given a ballot with only the party they select for the February presidential primary.

State election law, however, doesn't require voters in Michigan to register with a political party to vote in the primary. This means, if you wanted to, you could vote in the Republican presidential primary election in February but then choose to vote in the Democratic primary in August, when the time comes, or vice versa.

Who will be on the presidential ballot in Michigan

This year, the Republican primary is the more contested ticket, as, for the most part, Democratic figures in Michigan and throughout the U.S. are backing President Joe Biden for a second term. That doesn't mean Biden doesn't have challengers, though, as you'll see below.

Here's the list of candidates who are on the Republican primary ballot, according to the Secretary of State's Office (some candidates who will be on the ballot have already dropped out of the contest):

Ryan L. Binkley

Chris Christie

Ron DeSantis

Nikki Haley

Asa Hutchinson

Vivek Ramaswamy

Donald J. Trump

And here is the Democratic field as it will appear on the ballot, according to the Secretary of State's Office:

Joseph R. Biden Jr.

Dean Phillips

Marianne Williamson

Voters can also choose to vote "uncommitted" on the presidential primary ballot. Here's why that could be significant Tuesday.

Opinion: Biden has lost Arab American voters. So what's the point of 'uncommitted'?

The GOP presidential primary process is a bit different this year, here's why

For voters participating in the Republican presidential primary, their side of the process will look pretty similar to what everyone is used to: fill out a ballot, turn it in, and watch results trickle in after polls close.

But there's a problem  remember Michigan's new, earlier primary date? Moving the primary forward actually violates Republican National Committee (RNC) rules, which state the only presidential contests before the beginning of March are supposed to be those in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.

So to keep in compliance with RNC rules (and hold onto all of the state's 55 nominating delegates which will be awarded at the Republican National Convention this summer), Republicans in Michigan are also going to hold a caucus-style state nominating convention on Saturday, March 2.

How the state awards its nominating delegates (a candidate needs 1,236 of the GOP's 2,470 delegates to clinch the nomination) will be determined by both the primary and the nominating convention. Sixteen delegates are going to be awarded from the presidential primary, while the remaining 39 will be awarded through the nominating convention.

For a full understanding of the Republican nominating process in Michigan, read this explainer from our Washington Correspondent, Todd Spangler, who spoke with RNC National Committee Michigan member, Dr. Rob Steele.

Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@freepress.com. Follow him on X (Twitter) @arpanlobo.

Become a subscriber today.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: When is Michigan primary 2024? What to know, how to vote
If conservative attorneys are all disbarred, this is what it will be like representing ourselves as pro se litigants By Rachel Alexander

web posted February 26, 2024 The left is coming after conservative attorneys, getting them disbarred. Without them, we are going to be unable to represent ourselves since the legal system is biased against pro se litigants. Nick Casavelli and his longtime wife Niki Castelli never thought their dispute with an attorney they retained for their business would turn into an 8-year-long battle in the court system, which still has no end in sight. They have been unable to find an attorney to represent them, since most attorneys are terrified to take on the system in the manner the Casavellis need. The couple alleges that their former attorney, Bryan Eastin, wrongfully helped their business partner take money from them, and then turned around and used the legal system against them as pro se litigants to avoid any consequences. The experience has convinced the Casavellis that the justice system in Maricopa County is a "good ole boy" network, where lawyers and judges look out for each other and squelch the efforts of anyone outside of the system who learns the law as well as they have. "They're trying to take everything we own including our home  everything over $250," Niki told me, referring to sanctions the court hit them with, which have resulted in a lien on their home. "A judge has labeled us 'vexatious litigants,' but we are simply trying to save our home and get the truth out about the injustice that was done towards us. Powerful players in the legal system have colluded to make us look like the bad guys, instead of their mistreatment of us due to being pro se litigants. We've faced years of discrimination merely for not having an attorney." It all began when the Casavellis hired Eastin to form an LLC for them to flip houses with their business partners Gary and Donna Johanson. As is common in that industry, there were plenty of tenant issues that cropped up. The Casavellis said they have paperwork which shows that Eastin advised Johanson to steal money from the LLC and his sister-in-law's trust, transferring it to himself claiming hardship. They believe the Johansons and Eastin were also stealing money from Eastin's sister-in-law in Washington state, forging documents to take $700,000 from her. The woman's long-term care provider filed a complaint, which prompted a criminal investigation by Washington state authorities. In order to allegedly divert attention from the criminal investigation, the Casavellis said Eastin filed a civil complaint against them, accusing the pair of threatening to kick an elderly couple out of their house. He served them with a subpoena  but they believe the clerk's stamp appeared forged , it did not look like other stamps by the clerk. When they pointed that out to the judge, now-retired Maricopa County Superior Court Lisa Daniels Flores, who was appointed to the bench by Governor Janet Napolitano, she sanctioned them with a monetary penalty. When they objected to the sanctions, she sanctioned them again. The Casavellis believe Eastin forged over 280 documents. They said in a divorce case he was involved with, the ex-wife alleged in pleadings that he engaged in forgery. They filed a bar complaint against him, but the State Bar of Arizona did nothing. One of the sanctions against them was $2,300, and the judge demanded a list of everything they had over $250, including about businesses they owned previously. A lien was placed on their home. The couple said they watched Flores tell Eastin what to do in order to get their counterclaims dismissed. They said they have also watched her advise him how to get documents admitted into evidence. They believe documents are being backdated  a deposition was stamped with a date of trial, but they said it could have not taken place that day due to the trial. They called into one hearing and sat on hold for 17 minutes, and have the phone records to prove it, but were never pulled into the call. Later, they were accused of missing the hearing, but court documents prove it was held one day earlier than noticed to them. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sally Duncan, who was appointed to the bench by Napolitano and originally assigned to their case before she retired, labeled them "vexatious litigants," even though they are defendants, not plaintiffs. The phrase refers to litigants who file lawsuits or motions solely to harass or subdue a legal adversary. As a result, they're unable to file many pleadings since the docket clerks have been instructed not to accept them. They have been prohibited from filing pleadings in other, unrelated cases. However, the list of vexatious litigants on the Arizona Supreme Court's website does not include them. They appealed the designation, and have had some success at the appeals court getting the designation limited. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Bruce Cohen denied the Johansons' summary judgment about the Casavelli's home and ruled in their favor, allowing the Casavellis to keep their home, yet Eastin states those claims are still able to go to trial. The couple filed a civil rights lawsuit over their treatment, naming judges and Eastin. It went nowhere, as the defendant judges' Motion to Dismiss was granted. The Casavellis said the Arizona Supreme Court awarded $10,000 in attorneys fees against them over the complaint  even though that court never actually accepted the case on appeal. The couple said Duncan admitted during a telephonic hearing that she was violating their rights. The Casavellis filed a complaint against Duncan, but nothing came of it. They also recorded Eastin saying during a hearing that he had bribed Duncan for $60,000. It must have been a joke. The Casavellis have had some strange things happen to them which they believe are related to the litigation, but they cannot prove it. Nick was shot by an unknown assailant with a .40 caliber handgun, Niki was hit by a car, and a Molotov cocktail was thrown at their house, causing damage. They believe their computers were hacked and deliberately infected with the powerful Neshta virus. They said Eastin bought their old domain name, NC3 Media, even though it was related to their animation business and irrelevant to him. The Casavellis documented their legal experiences with Maricopa County on a site called Reaper Times . They said it has made no difference, perhaps because their case is so complex it would take hours for an average person to grasp the situation. However, no one has sued them for libel, which they believe is evidence they have reported everything accurately. Their case is finally headed to trial probably within the next few months. They hope it will ultimately be resolved in their favor. If not, they may lose their home. "We just want to get on with our lives," Nick told me. "The experience has taken up hundreds of hours of our lives defending ourselves, that we will never get back. It's exhausting. But if we can help improve the system for others who aren't insiders and connected, maybe some good will come out of it." Rachel Alexander and her brother Andrew are co-Editors of Intellectual Conservative. She has been published in the American Spectator, Townhall.com, Fox News, NewsMax, Accuracy in Media, The Americano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications. Home
Ukraine's capacity to produce drones similar to the Iranian-designed Shahed "are no longer inferior to Russia's," Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin said in an interview aired on Feb. 26.

Ukraine has intensified its efforts to ramp up domestic production of attack drones, a critical tool on the battlefield, aiming to manufacture one million drones this year.

Russia has used Shahed-type kamikaze drones, both supplied by Iran and domestically produced, to attack Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The Ukrainian version of the Shahed drone is identical to the original "in terms of the amount of explosives they carry, their range, and other technical parameters," Kamyshin said on national television.

Since autumn 2022, Russia has regularly attacked Ukrainian cities and infrastructure with thousands of Shahed-type drones, initially delivered from Iran but now produced domestically in new factories.

Ukraine's capabilities for 2024 are six times higher than they were last year, and the country's defense industry also produced three times more in 2023 than it did in 2022, Kamyshin said at a forum in Kyiv on Feb. 25.

Read also: Ukraine pins hopes on home-made drones to counter Russia

Over 90% of the drones currently being used on the front line in Ukraine are Ukrainian-made, according to Digital Transformations Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

Ukraine is also working on establishing the mass production of attack drones similar to Russian Lancet drones with a range of 40 kilometers, Fedorov said on Feb. 7.

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree earlier in February creating a separate branch of Ukraine's Armed Forces dedicated to drones.

The Unmanned Systems Forces will focus on improving Ukraine's work with drones, creating special drone-specific units, ramping up training, systemizing their use, increasing production, and pushing innovation.

Read also: How Russias homegrown Lancet drone became so feared in Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Should Minneapolis voters be allowed to simply vote to change the city's laws?

Council Member Robin Wonsley thinks so, and there appears to be enough support on the City Council to move the idea toward a public hearing in mid-March  and a potential ballot question for voters in November.

Here's a primer:

What's the idea?

Wonsley wants voters to amend the city charter to allow residents to vote directly to enact new city ordinances and repeal existing ones. Such a process is often called "citizen initiative," "ballot initiatives" or "popular referendum."

Currently, voters can force the council to consider an issue via a ballot question, but only the council can actually make law. This is what happened with Minneapolis' rent control question in 2021. Voters approved a question saying the council should take the idea on, but the council has yet to pass anything  to the frustration of supporters like Wonsley.

Why?

It's a "power to the people" argument, a form of direct democracy currently favored by many on the left end of the political spectrum in major American cities.

"Ballot initiatives give residents another option when they are faced with bureaucratic stalling tactics, vetoes, and other barriers," Wonsley wrote in a newsletter to constituents, describing the process as "a check and balance on City Hall."

Who else does this?

Remember rent control? While Minneapolis voters told the council to deliberate on the issue, St. Paul voters simply made it happen. That same night, St. Paul voters enacted a rent control policy by approving a more specific  and powerful  question on their ballots.

That's because St. Paul's charter allows for ballot initiatives and referendums. In fact, so do a number of other Minnesota cities, including Duluth, Bloomington and Brooklyn Park, according to a city council staff analysis. Not everyone does; Rochester, for example, operates like Minneapolis.

How would it work?

Wonsley hasn't produced specifics yet. In most referendum communities, a threshold of voter signatures is needed to get a question on the ballot. Sometimes, the city council or mayor need to sign off.

Is there opposition?

There has yet to be a full-fledged discussion on the idea, but Council Member Linea Palmisano recently expressed initial reservations, arguing that citizen initiatives actually weaken the council by bypassing it, and that, she said, actually weakens the council's ability to check the power of the mayor.

What's next?

Specific wording for Wonsley's proposal will be completed in a few weeks, and the city council is eyeing a mid-March public hearing. (The council recently voted to hold a March 4 hearing, but that date appeared likely to be postponed for procedural reasons.)

If the council approves the idea, it could be subject to a veto by Mayor Jacob Frey, who hasn't publicly weighed in. The council could override his veto.

If it survives, it would go to the Charter Commission, whose support is needed to place the question to voters in this fall's general election.
There can't be a "trans genocide"  because "trans" people don't exist By Selwyn Duke

web posted February 26, 2024 Much as our esteemed psychological profession defines "gender dysphoria," there's also a phenomenon known as "species dysphoria." I do understand that among mental-health practitioners it's known as "Species Identity Disorder" (or "clinical lycanthropy"), but give it time. "Gender dysphoria" used to be "Gender Identity Disorder" (and should be "Sexual Identity Disorder") until that was deemed "stigmatizing" to the disordered. Whatever you call it, however, just as gender dysphoria involves the sense that one is stuck in the body of the "wrong" sex, species dysphoria involves the sense that one is stuck in the body of the "wrong" species. Examples of people claiming animal status were Texas girl "Wolfie Blackheart," Norwegian woman "Nano" (who claimed she was a cat) and members of the groups known as "otherkin," "therians" and "furries." What percentage of these people are just role-playing or looking for attention, and how many actually believe they're animals, is not the point. It is, rather, that virtually all of us recognize this as, depending on the case, either a psychological or spiritual/cultural problem. We also know that you can't be "trans-species" because changing your species is impossible; a corollary of this is that since trans-species creatures do not exist, they cannot be driven to extinction. This comes to mind with yet another accusation that normal people are perpetrating a "trans genocide," in this case because the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles will prohibit designer "genders" on driver's licenses and will insist, once again, that only a person's sex (i.e., male or female) be on them. Yet in reality, the activists thus claiming have tipped their hand. That is, if we said that the racial descriptor "black" couldn't be on government documents because being black is not a real physical state of being, the accusations would be, first, that the act would be discriminatory. The second accusation is to the point here, however: We'd hear we were crazy for denying objective physical reality. Since black people exist, we could rightly be sized up for straitjackets. So what's telling about those I correctly call MUSS (Made-up Sexual Status, aka "transgender") activists is that they, quite instinctively, don't even think to accuse us of insanity. They may say we're bigots. Or "transphobes." Or they may accuse us of "genocide." But telling us we're simply crazy for denying an objective reality never occurs to the MUSS crew (though it may become a strategy if enough of them read this piece). This is because objectively speaking, we're not denying an objective reality. They, not we, are the crazy ones. To further illustrate MUSS activists' tacit admissions, consider that unicorns do not exist except in the imagination. Therefore, they cannot be driven to extinction, except in a metaphorical sense of purging them from human imagination and the works (e.g., fiction, encyclopedias) in which they're found. Similarly, that MUSS individuals believe the mere denial of their existence constitutes "genocide"  the elimination of their group  is tacit acknowledgment that their group (as they demand it be conceptualized) exists only in the imagination. This truth is acknowledged, too, in so many words. MUSS-enabling social scientists often point out that "sex" and "gender" are not synonymous, that while the former concerns biological status, "gender" (which shouldn't be applied to humans, only words) is your perception of what you are. This is why scores of "genders" have already been "defined": There can be as many perceptions as there are people. But crazy is as crazy does. The problem here is that cultural insanity is contagious, with too many "normal" people, to a great extent, viewing MUSS individuals as they want to be considered and not as they should be. To wit: We should not waver in embracing the truth that "trans" people do not exist. Yes, people with psychological problems exist. Social contagion exists. Sexual fetishes such as autogynephilia exist. But as ex-MUSS individual Alan Finch told The Guardian in 2004: Their [the MUSS activists'] language is illusory. You fundamentally can't change sex. The surgery doesn't alter you genetically. It's genital mutilation. My "vagina" was just the bag of my scrotum. It's like a pouch, like a kangaroo. What's scary is you still feel like you have a penis when you're sexually aroused. It's like phantom limb syndrome. It's all been a terrible misadventure. I've never been a woman, just Alan. In reality, "transsexualism was invented by psychiatrists," The Guardian wrote, summing up Finch's warning. And Finch's observation about "illusory" language, do note, is something normal people must be mindful of. The side that defines the vocabulary of a debate, wins the debate. This is why I identify the individuals and agenda in question with the acronym "MUSS"  and it is why I implore you to join me in doing so. Using the sexual devolutionaries' language enables their movement. In truth, the MUSS agenda must be completely and totally eradicated. It's one thing, and is a moral imperative, to treat people nobly enduring Sexual Identity Disorder with compassion and offer them counseling. It's quite another to nod along and mainstream and normalize a delusion that is undermining our society and mutilating children's grasp of reality (and sometimes their bodies). Such complicity in evil is evil. Unfortunately, this counsel bumps up against that very conservative instinct to be "reasonable" and "compromise," to say, "Live whatever life you want; just don't shove it in my face  and leave the kids out of it." Yet as I think C.S. Lewis put it, this is like having a fleet of ships and saying that you don't care how they function as long as they don't crash into each other. Of course, though, if they don't function properly, they may not be able to avoid crashing into each other. So it is here. The typical conservative appeal to the MUSS crew is like saying, "You can be mentally ill, just not too mentally ill. You can jump off that cliff  just be sure to stop halfway down so you don't land on a child's head." Apropos to this, G.K. Chesterton had something very profound to say about this attitude of compromise in the Illustrated London News in 1924. "The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives," he wrote. "The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of Conservatives is to prevent mistakes from being corrected. Even when the revolutionist might himself repent of his revolution, the traditionalist is already defending it as part of his tradition. Thus we have two great types  the advanced person who rushes us into ruin, and the retrospective person who admires the ruins." King Solomon was not making a serious proposal when he offered to split the baby; he was cleverly revealing a poseur. Are we just poseurs to principle? If not, we can't try to split the baby of sanity, but must slay the demon child of sexual devolutionary delusion. Contact Selwyn Duke, follow him on MeWeor Gettror log on to SelwynDuke.com. Home
Minnesota GOP Chairman David Hann (left) and Minnesota DFL Chairman Ken Martin hold a joint press conference at the Capitol in St. Paul, Minn. to encourage voter participation in party precinct caucuses on Feb. 26, 2024.

ST. PAUL  Monday, Minnesota GOP and DFL party leadership spoke at a joint press conference at the Capitol to encourage participation in today's party precinct caucuses, just one week ahead of the Super Tuesday nominating primaries.

DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin and GOP Party Chairman David Hann touted the states historically high voter turnout and underlined the importance of the caucuses.

I think it is important that we send the message to the public at large that we want to work together and make sure that the process is honored and conducted in a fair way, Hann said at the press conference.

Over 4,000 precincts across the state will participate tomorrow in electing local party officers, endorsing candidates, and adopting resolutions to party platforms in a process Minnesotas party known as the purest form of grassroots democracy.

"It's a great opportunity for people to express their views and that if they're frustrated with what they see happening, take advantage of those opportunities, Martin told the St. Cloud Times.

Here's everything you need to know about participating.

What is a precinct caucus?

Party precinct caucuses are the first step in the primary process in Minnesota. They take place one week before the presidential nominating primary.

Three primary things happen at these caucuses:

Election of delegates to endorse candidates at future party conventions

Choose who will organize local party activities for the precinct

Discussion of party issues and ideas

How do I participate?

Caucuses start at 7 p.m. and locations can be found at the Secretary of State's website.

All are welcome to watch the caucuses, however, to participate, each party has their own criteria.

To participate in DFL caucus, voters must:

Be at least 16-years-old

Generally agree with the principles of the party

To participate in GOP caucus, voters must:

Be eligible to vote in the coming election

Generally agree with the principles of the party

For Legal Marijuana Now party caucuses, please contact the local party chapter for location and requirement details.

Early voting for Super Tuesday is available until Monday, March 4 and in-person, regular voting begins March 5.

 Sam Woodward is the Minnesota elections reporting fellow for USA Today. You can reach her at swoodward@gannett.com or on X and Threads @woodyreports.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Minnesota elections: What to know about party precinct caucuses
CHICAGO  Police are asking for help in the search for a missing 28-year-old man who may be in need of medical attention.

According to Chicago police, 28-year-old Eric Campos-Ferris, who has been missing since Wednesday, was last seen in the 2000 block of West Morse Avenue in the Far North Side neighborhood of West Ridge.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

Campos-Ferris, who has brown eyes and strawberry blonde hair, stands 5-foot-9 and weighs around 170 pounds, police say.

Police say the missing man was last seen wearing all black clothing and is also known to have tattoos on his arms and a scar on his face.

Missing 28-year-old man last seen on Far North Side

In a photograph provided by Chicago police, Campos-Ferris is seen with facial hair, however, it is unclear if he had any at the time of his disappearance.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

Police notified the public about the mans disappearance in a news release on Saturday evening and said he may be in need of medical attention, but did not provide specific details on why.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of 28-year-old Eric Campos-Ferris is asked to contact the CPD Area Three Special Victims Unit at 312-744-8266 or dial 911.

Those with information that could help authorities in their search can also leave a tip for police at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Dozens of parents, students and teachers frustrated by a lack of communication over plans to phase out grades 7-8 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet voiced their concerns at a school board meeting Tuesday.

Around 30 people donning blue shirts and holding signs joined the Metro Nashville Public Schools board meeting. Several of them spoke during the public comment section of the meeting.

The academic magnet school, which currently offers grades 7-12, is one of the top-performing public middle and high schools in the state, according to U.S. News & World Report rankings. The plan will complete by the 2027-28 school year, folding the middle school seats into the nearby Head Magnet Middle School campus. The changes were announced by MNPS during a Dec. 12 school board meeting  something faculty, parents and students say came on very short notice with no input from them.

Ghebre Debrezion sits with his child, Bethel Debrezion, during the Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education meeting in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.

What to know: Nashville schools to phase out grades 7-8 at Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet School

Sarah Laos, who works as a school counselor at MLK, said staff members were informed about the plan one hour before the Dec. 12 meeting. Parents were informed in an email from the district on Dec. 13.

More than two months later, members of the MLK community say they've gotten no answers on why the decision was made without their input, what data and research backs it up, and what it means for the school's staff, students and unique programming. Questions submitted in the virtual meeting chat and via a form later sent out by the principal at MLK have also gone unanswered, according to Laos and others.

"It's like talking to a wall," Laos said.

MNPS spokesperson Sean Braisted said the questions gathered through the form are being reviewed by MLK leaders and sent along to the relevant district departments to get answers. While there are no meetings about the decision to shift MLK to a 9-12 model planned, Braisted said discussions over this idea are not new.

"The engagement around this topic dates back more than two decades," he said.

An American flag flies outside Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet School on April 3, 2023.

Sue Broder, a parent of two students who graduated from MLK in 2006 and 2011, remembers the district trying to remove grades 7-8 in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2013. She opposed it each time, along with many others.

"I would speculate that it was public opposition to the proposals that prevented the change from going forward," she said.

At the Tuesday meeting, parent Carlos Cordova pointed to that history as he urged the board to reconsider the plan.

"This time its different because community feedback has not been welcomed and opposition to the plan has been ignored," Cordova said.

The crowd applauds after Carlos Cordova spoke during the Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education meeting in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.

The ongoing frustration over a lack of communication led MLK parents, staff and students to coordinate their visit to the Tuesday board meeting. Ahead of the meeting, The Tennessean spoke with more than a dozen people, including faculty, parents, a student and an MNPS spokesperson.

Here are the core issues those conversations, along with the latest board meeting, revealed.

Lack of communication, representation

Parents, students and faculty said they haven't had a way to engage in conversation with district leaders on the decision, save for a Dec. 18 community meeting about a separate matter that drew a large crowd that pressed the issue.

Additionally, District 5, which includes MLK, does not currently have a board member after Christiane Buggs stepped down recently to take a role at a local nonprofit. A school board election is set for Aug. 1, but Braisted said the Metro Council is set to consider a special appointment to the District 5 seat on March 19.

From November: Nashville school board member Christiane Buggs to head nonprofit PENCIL

Faculty, parents, community members and students said they reached out to board members and district leaders. Some received no reply, while a few were promised their questions would be looked into, without any follow up since.

Lauren Herring has a child in eighth grade at MLK and a sixth grader who plans to attend there next year. She is among those who have not gotten replies or answers from board members and district leaders. She also attended the Dec. 18 community meeting, led by District 3 board member Emily Masters.

"It became very apparent that the board members were not informed of Dr. Battle's plan to restructure," Herring said of the meeting. "They couldn't answer any questions."

Lauren Herring speaks during the Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education meeting in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.

Concern over losing staff, funding, academic programs

Herring and others worry that the change will lead to a loss of funding due to lagging demand for high school seats at MLK. That could lead to a cut in staff positions and threaten the schools unique programming, including its world languages program. All that could impact the education her two children get, along with other students, Herring said.

During the Dec. 12 board meeting, Battle assured the board that current seventh and eighth grade teachers at MLK will be given preference on where they want to go as the phase-out unfolds. Battle said she and other district leaders have made plans carefully and are mindful of mitigating the impact the change will have on students, staff and parents.

"Were going to take care of our people," she said.

Metro Nashville Public Schools plans to phase out grades 7-8 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet School and grade 5 at Head Magnet Middle School over the next few years.

Senior Trey Madison, who is the president of the Student Government Association at MLK, worries the loss of middle school seats will not only affect the school's academic rigor but also its positive, inclusive culture. Having the same teachers, advisors and peers from seventh grade through high school is a big part of that, he said.

He especially appreciates the school's culture after enduring bullying before he came to MLK in seventh grade. Madison shared the concerns that others expressed over enrollment numbers, funding, the loss of programs and the lack of input from the community. He has also tried, to no avail, to get information from district leaders.

"It's undeniably a bad decision," he said.

Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School senior Trey Madison holds a sign in protest during the Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education meeting in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.

A loss of academic magnet seats  and why parents say those matter

District leaders say the move will increase academic magnet high school seats by making more room at MLK. It will also open more middle school magnet seats at Head Magnet Middle School, since it will no longer have fifth graders.

Braisted said MLK can accommodate up to 1,350 students, with the median enrollment sitting just shy of 1,200 for the last 17 years. The school currently has 1,206 students enrolled. By removing grades 7-8, roughly 150 more high school academic magnet seats will be available at MLK.

Despite the promise of more middle school magnet seats, Laos and others said they were concerned that those will not come with academic requirements. Head, along with Rose Park Middle, are "pathway" schools to MLK. That means students who attend those schools who meet MLK's academic requirements are guaranteed a spot there.

MNPS Director Adrienne Battle speaks during a school board meeting on July 25.

Ruth Butler, whose seventh grader currently attends MLK, wonders if the change is based on misguided principles.

"The academic magnet schools are perceived by many, including many district leaders, as a place entitled parents try to get their kids because these schools have fewer behavior or social issues," Butler said. "I think this is a really simplistic and biased point of view. There are students who really do need this type of academic environment to thrive."

Cordova echoed that during his comments to the board Tuesday.

"I recognize that academic magnets are not the best fit for every child, but please let parents make that decision based on the knowledge of their own children," he said. "Equity shouldnt be about removing what other people have. It should be about giving people more opportunities for access."

District leaders have said they plan to offer chances for stakeholders to discuss how to develop programming at Head to ensure it is challenging and academically rigorous. No dates have been set yet for those conversations.

While several parents and faculty members pointed to the fact that MLK has not had a waitlist for high school seats for years, Braisted said it did have one at the end of the lottery selection process last year. He expects that demand to increase as the district builds upon its recent growth in academic outcomes.

Students currently enrolled in fifth grade and higher at Rose Park and Head will not be affected by the change, according to MNPS. Students across the district are also welcome to apply at MLK, as they have been all along. They must still meet academic requirements and will be given seats in a lottery-style selection process.

"We are committed to the continued success of MLK," Braisted said.

Reach children's reporter Rachel Wegner at RAwegner@tennessean.com or follow her on Twitter, Threads and Bluesky @RachelAnnWegner.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: MLK Magnet in Nashville: Parents upset by plan to remove grades 7-8
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  Anchor: Were a little more than a week away from crowded primary elections for Congress. Officials with the Mobile County Probate Court office want to reassure voters after a big change that happened last year with Congressional redistricting.

For the first time, Mobile County voters will be in one of two congressional districts instead of just one. Thanks to redistricting thousands of voters in Mobile County will find themselves in a new district.

For the last few weeks, officials have been getting ready. Last week they were testing dozens of voting machines that head out to more than 80 polling locations across Mobile County.

Two weeks ago the probate court also posted a video called Mobile County Elections Done right highlighting the security around vote integrity.

In the last few weeks voters in Mobile County have likely received a postcard from either the county or the state notifying them they are in a new congressional district or voting precinct. But regardless the probate judge still expects a few bumps on primary day.

Don Davis, Probate Judge: I expect, based on past experiences, that theres going to be a lot of confusion on Election Day. If people are going to be surprised that theyre not voting in congressional District one.

The probate judge generally doesnt like to make turnout predictions but says the driver of turnout is generally driven by presidential politics. While we do have some crowded congressional races thanks to the new districtwith the presidential primary almost inevitable that may dampen turnout.

To check your congressional district you can go to the Alabama Secretary of States map page.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
The Ministry of Defence has proposed new rules for housing the armed forces. Instead of the size of the house allocated to service members being based on rank, it is now set to be dictated by the number of children in the family. This is farcical; woke collectivism dreamed up by consultants and faceless, inexperienced civil servants who think it will save a few pounds. Nobody with any sense for military life would have proposed them.

Life serving in the Armed Forces is like no other. It is not a job, it is a vocation. There is no other role on the planet which expects men and women to fight and possibly die for their nation in the way it demands. I have fought the Queens and Kings enemies for the last 35 years, and on this very day 33 years ago I was fighting in 14/20th Kings Royal Hussars, a tank regiment, liberating Kuwait from the illegal Iraqi invasion. Over the ensuing years I did many tours in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. All the while, my wife and children were in a secure Army house in German or the UK.

Over the course of my career, I was responsible for many people. When I commanded the 1st Royal Tank Regiment, that responsibility extended to over 500 soldiers and their families. I was given a subsidised army house, big enough so I could invite almost every one of them to supper or drinks so I could get to know them all. To paraphrase our greatest general, Field Marshall Slim, officers must know their soldiers intimately, know what motivates them, those who need careful encouragement and those who need a kick in the backside. I would never have been able to develop this knowledge in the 3-bedroom house or flat the new policy would have provided

And I repeat, you need to know your men. You carry a heavy burden of responsibility. You are required to lead soldiers into battle, usually from the front, and to take accountability for what comes from your decisions. They rely on you, and you rely on them. Building these bonds is important.

But there is also another, simpler point. In almost every job you can think of, there are perks offered to the higher ups. There are likely some in the MoD who think the new policy will win support from the ranks. But enlisted men aspire to be the leaders of tomorrow, and if the rewards of extra responsibility and work are removed, their motivation for promotion will be much diminished. Nobody joins the Army to become rich, but officers do expect to be well looked after. When housing is made worse, the offer to the men and women of this country of a career leading in the military is much diminished.

At a time when the Army is desperately short of personnel, thoughtless policies like this one will hasten many good people out of the service and discourage new ones in. I know a thing or two about this; I was an Army child, I was an Army officer and I now have a child aspiring to be an Army officer. I humbly suggest the MoD speaks to people like me when it formulates new policies affecting the service of the men and women in the Armed Forces, rather relying on civilian employment executives who have never fired a shot in anger, or seen a mate blown up. They might then understand why something like housing matters so much.

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.
Drivers along Molines 41st Street will notice a change in where they can turn starting next month.

Traffic on 41st Street in Moline heading to John Deere Road will be restricted to no turns on red lights for right-hand turns, starting March 11. The city will use LED message boards, media advisories and social media alerts on their platforms to get the word out.

Why the change? According to a news release from the city, the Moline Police Department has seen a 140% increase in traffic crashes at this intersection since 2018. Over the past two years, there have been 153 traffic crashes at this intersection with John Deere Road; 16% happened in the west turn lane of southbound 41st Street and 42% took place in the east turn lane of northbound 41st Street.

(City of Moline)

The Moline Police Department asked the citys Traffic Engineering Department to review the traffic patterns to see if traffic safety could be improved. The Moline Police Department, Illinois State Police, Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and City of Moline Traffic Engineering met last December to review data and make recommendations to IDOT, who has primary jurisdiction over John Deere Road because it is a state highway.

The groups recommended prohibiting right turns at both red lights, due to the high rate of crashes. IDOT reviewed the recommendation and authorized the city to place signs prohibiting right turns on red at this intersection. The Traffic Engineering department has installed enhanced traffic detection systems in the turn lanes in the intersection and prepared the light patterns to respond to traffic stacking in the turn lane.

(photo by Michael Frachalla)

In Illinois, state law allows right turns on red unless signs at the location prohibit it. It was determined that these incidents were rear-end crashes happening in the turn lanes. In all these incidents, the trailing cars driver had looked over their left shoulder to see approaching traffic and rear-ended the lead car. The trailing cars thought the lead car had turned right on red but had not cleared the intersection.

The city will advise the driving public about the change for two weeks and officially prohibit right turns with signage and activate the enhanced traffic detection on March 11.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
An 8-month-old baby was rushed to the hospital when their mom came home after work to find them burned and covered in bruises, a Florida sheriffs office said.

Now, the babys caregiver is charged with child abuse.

On Feb. 18, the babys mom left the child in the care of a 33-year-old man while she went to work, according to a Feb. 23 news release from the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office.

McClatchy News is not identifying the man to protect the identity of the child.

Sometime during her work day, the man called the babys mom to tell her the child had reached for a cup of hot chocolate and accidentally burned themselves, the sheriffs office said.

When the mother came home later that day, she looked at her baby and saw more than just a small burn, according to the sheriffs office.

She noticed bruises all over the childs body, the sheriffs office said, and rushed the 8-month-old to the hospital.

Doctors found the baby had suffered severe injuries, including injuries to the ears from high-velocity force, broken blood vessels, a non-displaced left parietal fracture, and a significant burn needing skin grafting, the sheriffs office said.

Investigators determined the man had caused the injuries and he was taken into custody Feb. 22, according to the sheriffs office.

He is facing two counts of aggravated child abuse, one count of child abuse and one count of child neglect, the sheriffs office said.

The magnitude of this case is indescribable, Sheriff Chad Chronister said in the release. The thought that someone could inflict such harm on a defenseless eight-month-old baby is sickening.

The sheriffs office said the investigation is ongoing.

Mom takes videos of child beating sibling with belt, Florida cops say. Hit hard, baby

Mother of missing 3-year-old took him to man for disciplinary reasons, officials say

1-year-old left alone for days as mom vacationed dies, officials say. Mom pleads guilty

Mom punishes 7-year-old by making him walk home, then she runs him over, AL cops say
Trump's prospects if Democrat delegates dump Biden

By Mark Alexander

web posted February 26, 2024

Last week, in "Will the Demo Delegates Dump Biden?" I asked, "So what are the implications for Donald Trump's electoral prospects?" I also noted, "Be careful of what you wish..."

That column outlined the latest assessment of Joe Biden's ineptitude and lack of cognitive fitness for office, as illuminated in the findings by Special Counsel Robert Hur's 345-page report, declining prosecution of Biden for possession of more than 300 classified documents.

As you recall, even though Hur "uncovered evidence that President Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen," he concluded that "no criminal charges are warranted" because a jury would never convict "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."

That is a remarkably damning justification and indictment of Biden's competence. Along with the public spectacle of Biden's incompetency issues that followed in his bumbling fumbling effort to refute the competency charges, it started a Demo panic.

If the title of last week's column sounds familiar, it's because 16 months ago, I asserted, "It's Official  Biden Will (NOT) Be the Demo Nominee in 2024." I speculated then that Biden would likely take himself out of the running after the primaries for health reasons, and then the Democrat Convention delegates would choose who will be on the general election ballot. I think there is a substantial probability that this switch is already baked into the Demos' political calculus cake.

Of course, that would be unconventional, and astute political observers more accustomed to the conventional, including National Review's Dan McLaughlin, assert there is no way Democrats will replace Biden. But these are unconventional times, and I note McLaughlin leaves his position open to "a drastic health event."

However, recently, the odds on my outlying prediction have gotten better, as more of Biden's Leftmedia talkingheads and scribes are now openly questioning his fitness for office.

Biden is furious with The New York Times for its coverage of his age and competence. Pressure mounts for him to submit to cognitive testing as part of his annual medical evaluation this month  and to release the results.

So, if Biden withdraws or is replaced by Demo delegates, taking Kamala Harris with him, what does that mean for Trump?

The answer to that question is a consideration of the other obstacles Trump faces.

There are three Trump factions among Republican voters.

The first, and I think largest, is composed of those who have an unwavering devotion to Trump. A close second would be the pragmatic voters like myself. While I think Ron DeSantis would have been a superior "fresh start" candidate, I will vote for Trump without hesitation, as I have twice before. The third Trump faction is composed of Republicans who will not vote for him, either abstaining or voting for an independent candidate.

Trump can count on his grassroots and pragmatic voters because the job he set out to do in 2017 not only remains undone, but the Left has gained a lot of ground under Biden.

Shortly after Trump entered office in 2017, I noted he was a bomb dropper: "The day he arrived in DC, he dropped a bomb on the Beltway status quo in Congress and its special interests. He dropped a bomb on the regulatory behemoths and their bureaucratic bottlenecks. He dropped a bomb on the trade and national security institutions and alliances that failed miserably over the previous eight years. And he dropped a bomb on all the pundits and mainstream media outlets."

And we all wanted him to succeed in that mission!

Unfortunately, the carpet-bombing also ensured that socialist Democrat Party players and their fellow enemies of Liberty would mobilize their Leftmedia propagandists and Big Tech speech suppressors to ensure his defeat in 2020.

Despite only serving one term, and despite the fact that no president has ever been more relentlessly assailed by the Demos' deep state collaborators under the direction of the enemies of Liberty, his administration's record of domestic and foreign policy achievements was undeniable.

It is undeniable, except for that third faction of Republicans who say they will not vote for Trump on principle. But as a matter of principle, in effect, they are enabling the Demo candidate. There is an old maxim: "The water ain't gonna clear up until you get the pigs outa the creek." And the best shot at getting the pigs out is Trump. I hope they will join with us pragmatists!

So, what are Trump's prospects if Biden is not on the ballot?

Again, be careful of what you wish ... because Trump's best chance for victory is likely against Biden. If Demo delegates bait and switch with a more viable and charismatic candidate, all bets are off.

The probability of Biden being replaced by Democrat Convention delegates ultimately hinges on his polling against Donald Trump at the end of the primaries. The Democrat primaries will conclude on 8 June, ahead of the Democrat Convention the third week of August.

Currently, though still nine months before the general election, Trump holds a narrow RCP polling lead over Biden  and has held that lead for almost five months. If Trump's lead against Biden is trending up through the primaries, Democrats will likely pull the plug on Biden (pun intended).

Potential replacements could be Gavin Newsom or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (who is now a third-party spoiler), or perhaps Demo moderate Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on the top or bottom of the ticket (despite saying he isn't running). Maybe that is when Michelle Obama enters stage left.

Unfortunately, even in his enfeebled state, Biden could still defeat Trump because the election is not about Biden; it is about all the fear and hatred Democrats can successfully foment against Trump, as they did in 2020  and the fact Trump tends to throw gasoline on that fire. Demos are the party of fear and hatred, and they are experts at propagating the hysteria.

To that end, Democrats can depend on their largest voter block, women, whom Demo strategists assume are emotionally incontinent idiots and will, like blind lemmings, succumb to the hysterics and vote for the Demo nominee.

Trump has a steep uphill climb to defeat any Demo ticket, but the biggest obstacle remains rigged elections. No, not rigged voting machines as Trump errantly claimed in 2020, or even rigged vote counts in certain Demo strongholds (though I suspect there were some of those).

It will be, again, the Demos' massive bulk-mail ballot fraud strategy  allowing tens of millions of unauthenticated votes.

That strategy originated with Anthony Fauci's lockdowns. Democrats launched a plan to implement bulk-mail registration and balloting schemes across the nation, using the ChiCom Virus pandemic as the rationale. His "mandates" were adopted by all Demo-controlled states and, in effect, excluded any ID requirement to authenticate who was casting those ballots in order to circumvent in-person voting.

And Biden told us all about crafting that voter fraud strategy ahead of the last election.

A political gaffe is when a politician unintentionally reveals the truth about a deception. Biden has a rich history of telling unintentional truths and once declared, "I am a gaffe machine." Of course, he also once declared he was a prostitute, and that was equally true. And we all know that Biden leads the pack of "lying dog-faced pony soldiers."

Biden declared in 2020, "We have put together, I think, the most extensive and inclusive voter fraud organization in the history of American politics." Yeah, Biden is the Gaffe Master, and despite all the contortionist efforts by his Leftmedia hacks to issue their phony fact-check disclaimers about that comment, he said it. Moreover, that was before we knew about the aforementioned bulk-mail ballot fraud strategy, which threw the outcome of that election.

In a nation of 333 million Americans, in 2020, almost 160 million (66%) of 239.2 million eligible voters cast votes. That's the highest voter turnout rate (if one considers bulk-mail balloting "turnout") among eligible citizens since 1900 when 73% of voters actually turned out in person to cast ballots in the race between Republican President William McKinley and Democrat challenger William Jennings Bryan. Elections were close then, too, with McKinley winning with a little more than Biden's margin  51.6% of that vote.

Of the votes cast in 2020, 43% (66 million ballots) were cast by mail  and a majority of those were in states where authentication of the person receiving and casting the ballot is not required. Of all those who voted in person, 66% voted for Trump versus 42% for Biden  which is to say that 58% of Biden ballots, almost 47 million votes, were cast by mail.

Though Trump received 46.9% of the vote (74,223,975) and 232 electoral votes (2,926,539 votes, or 1.8%, were for third-party candidates), the election was much closer than appearances would imply, despite the imbalance of unauthenticated Biden ballots. Biden's seven million vote margin was mostly in California and New York (precisely why the Demos want to eliminate the Electoral College, but Biden actually won the presidency by fewer than 45,000 votes in the key swing states of Arizona, Georgia, and Wisconsin.

What Trump should have focused on in 2020, and seems to finally understand now, is that his defeat was the direct result of the Demos' ballot fraud strategy  and most elements of that strategy are still intact for 2024.

That being said, however, looking back, it is notable that the Trump v. Biden 2020 poll numbers were all in the range of the final ballot numbers.

And a harbinger of the challenge Trump faces in November was made plain by the massive midterm "red wave" fizzle into a red ripple.

Oh, and there is another ballot wild card: Keep in mind that, as Trump's legal challenges mount, if any of those stick, particularly related to the classified document charges, which are very different than the documents case against Biden, it may also fall to the delegates at the Republican Convention to determine an alternate candidate. Notably, regarding the latest high-profile "fines" against Trump, now totaling in excess of $500 million, he is hoping to have those absurd penalties overturned on appeal.

Again, these are unconventional times...

Finally, politics aside, these are also very dangerous times, and the national security implications of a feckless American leader are already abundantly apparent.

The probability of the ChiComs invading Taiwan before January 2025 is also directly tied to Biden's polling against Trump. If the ChiComs believe Trump will return to office, then, like Vladimir Putin invading Ukraine and Iran/Hamas attacking Israel, China will make its move knowing that Biden is "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."

Brace yourself, America...

Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post.
I wasnt exactly a chicken nugget child, but I was always nervous about how the Haitian food I ate at home was different from what my classmates would bring for lunch. So, in an effort to fit in as a child of immigrant parents, I turned into a judgmental jerk when it came to the food of my own people.

My folks would mix pizza night and fried chicken with the food of our people: poul non sos (chicken in sauce), soup joumou and the culinary underdog  espageti (Haitian spaghetti)  a dish that connects the dots of my family history, from America to Haiti and back again.

But that didnt matter to me at the time. I wondered why the dish didnt have meatballs like a can of SpaghettiOs did.

Espageti features spaghetti tossed in a combination of tomato sauce or ketchup, sausage or hot dogs, and epis, the garlicky, oniony and sometimes spicy seasoning base used in most Haitian dishes.

My young self thought this spaghetti, with its roots in several cuisines, was some strange riff my mom had made up herself. I didnt even know it had a name. But its history is much more rich than my adolescent myopia could even imagine.

My moms Haitian spaghetti is like a plate of confetti  a celebration of our history (Joe Lamour / TODAY)

Where did Haitian spaghetti, aka espageti, come from?

From its name, espageti may sound like it made a beeline from Italy to Haiti, but it actually made a stop in the United States first.

The history of espageti has more to do with U.S. occupation than it did with Italian acculturation, Brigid Washington, journalist, educator and author of Caribbean Flavors for Every Season, tells me.

Its widely believed that the origins of espageti occurred in the decades after a tumultuous century for Haiti. After the Haitian people gained independence on Jan. 1, 1804, stability proved elusive for the nearly 500,000 formerly enslaved, free Black people and white folks remaining.

In July 1915, Haitian President Vilbrun Guillaume Sam was assassinated, marking the seventh time in seven years Haiti was left without a president. From 1903 to 1915, at least six presidents were overthrown. Sam wasnt even the first to be assassinated, and more than a few of his predecessors died under mysterious circumstances or confirmed fatal coups.

With this in mind, countries like Germany had their sights set on controlling Haiti. For America, the possibility of Germany gaining control of the island nation located so close to Florida was too risky, so President Woodrow Wilson decided to invade and occupy Haiti. This occupation lasted almost two decades, until 1934.

Haitian epis in parts: onion, pepper, parley, green onion and more. (Joe Lamour / TODAY)

In addition to the U.S. controlling the government and finances of Haiti, the Haitian-American Treaty of 1915 created a military force made up of Americans and Haitians controlled by the Marines. This influx of Americans were now living  and therefore eating  among the Haitian people.

Its well-known that military occupation is responsible for many foods leaping from one culture to another, creating new versions of staple dishes in the process. British curry comes from Britains occupation of India, Spam has become integral to Hawaiian cuisine because of U.S. troops stationed there during World War II, and the banh mi sandwich is a result of France colonizing the country, bringing its crusty bread along for the ride.

By the early 20th century, most Americans were regularly incorporating pasta into meals for the family, so it stands to reason that those troops introduced the popular tastes of home  hot dogs, ketchup and spaghetti  to my very ancestors, who placed those into espageti, historically enjoyed as a breakfast dish.

When were talking about immigrants like during the Haitian Revolution or in the middle of fighting and tours of war, nobody is writing anything down, Washington says.

Its true: Theres a lot of guesswork involved in tracking the history of a formerly enslaved population that, for centuries, was only given portions of the Bible that omitted Moses leading the Israelites to freedom, among other passages.

Learning to appreciate espageti and its legacy

Washington notes that espageti is a daily comfort food that has not yet risen to culinary icon status like other Haitian dishes such as cremas (a creamy, rum-based holiday drink) or griot (fried pork) have.

But it is a dish that has been sold by vendors on the streets of Haiti for decades and served as a source of comfort after the 2010 earthquake, so it deserves its own praise.

A woman eats pasta in her makeshift tent on the street in Port-au-Prince on January 22, 2010. (Jewel Samad / AFP via Getty Images)

As a recovering teenage jerk now entering his 40s with new perspective, grace and openness, I think back to when I first realized that espageti  and by extension, my mothers cooking  was something to be lauded.

While fully immersed in my musical theater era, I spent a hearty chunk of my junior year of high school rehearsing for our musical, Little Shop of Horrors. (I played Seymour.) During the long nights and weekends of rehearsing, we often relied on fast food to fuel us.

One Saturday, my mom made a huge pot of espageti to bring to rehearsal, because, as she said, she was sick of me spending money on grease. It was such a hit, I barely got a bite before my castmates from so many cultures tore apart that pot of Haitian history until there was nary a noodle left. My mom was a hero that day.

Its affordable, adoptable, approachable, says Washington, describing the dishs appeal. She points to other dishes in the Caribbean, like beans and rice and saltfish, that similarly show that simple, flavorful and filling are the keys to feeding people who need sustenance.

(Espagetis) legacy, its easy to miss, but it should not be mocked. When I make my food from Trinidad and my kids are screwing up their faces, I get so mad at them, Washington says. Im like, You have no idea. I know, yes, youre stubborn and you want some Chick-fil-A. This is who you are. This is a part of me. And its a part of you and your story.

Making espageti with Mom

I recently made the dish with my mom to record her recipe, since shed never written it down before.

She taught me how she makes her own preferred epis, with parsley, garlic and a bit of lime. Its something Ive never actually done before, and now a whole new world of Haitian cuisine has opened up for me.

America had an influence on Haitian food, and so did American cooking styles on my mother: Gone are the mortar and pestle she used to use in my youth, when the drum beat of her pounding epis spoke a rhythm noting dinner was on its way.

My moms Haitian spaghetti is like a plate of confetti  a celebration of our history (Joe Lamour / TODAY)

Use the food processor, my mom told me as we chopped bell pepper, onion, scallions and parsley into chunks for eventual blending. As my mom put the pasta in the boiling water, I sliced the kielbasa and marveled at how quick the epis came together.

After sauteing some extra vegetables with a scoop of the epis and the tomato sauce, my mom and I finished the meal with its various components: red, orange, yellow and green peppers, spaghetti, sauce, sausage and some fresh parsley on top. To me, it looked like a plate of confetti  a celebration of our history.

As we ate, my mom told me that Haitian food is easy to make when you know what youre doing.

And now I know what Im doing.

Lamour's Espageti (Haitian Spaghetti) by Marie Lamour and Joseph Lamour

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Jordan, 9

Jordan, 9, loves snuggles.

Jordan is an active boy who is looking to be cared for and snuggled. He likes one-on-one attention and benefits from both structured and unstructured time with the adults in his life. He loves to climb ladders, poles and any playground jungle gym. He loves building forts outside, playing video games and swimming. Jordan is hoping to continue swimming lessons, gymnastics and karate when he moves to his new home. Socially, he does very well in his afterschool program and in his current placement.

Jordan is in elementary school and is doing well. He thrives in structured, consistent environments with routines. He is supported by staff in school and is working on further developing his social and academic skills. Teachers say he is actively engaged in the classroom and makes friends quickly.

Jordan also has a brother with whom he has a strong relationship that he wants to continue when he is adopted. Jordan will do well in either a one- or two-parent household where he can be the only child or the youngest child. Jordan will need some individual one-on-one time with an adoptive placement to build love and trust with his new family.

Can I adopt?

If youre at least 18 years old, have a stable source of income and room in your heart, you may be a perfect match to adopt a waiting child.

Adoptive parents can be single, married or partnered; experienced or not; renters or homeowners; LGBTQ+ singles and couples. As an adoptive parent, you wont have to pay any fees; adoption from foster care is completely free in Massachusetts.

The process to adopt a child from foster care includes training, interviews and home visits to determine if adoption is right for you. These steps will help match you with a child or sibling group that your family will fit well with.

To learn more about adoption from foster care, call the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) at (617) 964-6273 or go to mareinc.org.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Monday's Child: Jordan. 9, an active boy, seeks love and snuggles
Until 2008 there had only ever been two Cabinet meetings held outside of 10 Downing Street in modern times, both to deal with a major crisis. Since Gordon Brown instigated the idea of away-day meetings there have been 20, with Rishi Sunak chairing another today in the North.

It is debatable whether these have the desired intent, which is presumably to persuade people in the area in which they are held that the Government is thinking about them.

This particular Cabinet is to coincide with a major announcement about how the money saved from scrapping the northern arm of HS2 is to be spent. Some may have imagined when the Manchester leg of the railway was abandoned at the Tory conference held in the city last autumn that the purpose was to save money from scaling back a project whose finances are out of control.

However, Rishi Sunak is expected to set out an array of programmes, projects and transport schemes that can now be paid for with the HS2 bonanza. With the Tories in danger of losing the red wall seats won in 2019, the strategy seems to be to match Labours predilection for more public spending in a bid to hold on to some of them.

Mr Sunak promised to re-allocate every penny of the 36bn allegedly saved from axing the northern leg of HS2 and infrastructure investment is important to attracting businesses to the region.

But where the money goes will be up to local authorities, who say they are best placed to make decisions on behalf of their residents but whose control of finances may not inspire confidence, as the experience of Birmingham shows. A close eye will need to be kept on the funding to ensure it really is transformational and not wasted money.

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Once a fixture of congressional hearings and tabloid covers, Monica Lewinsky is now the face of fashion brand Reformations latest ad campaign, urging fans to vote in this years elections.

An email blast sent out to customers Monday featured Lewinsky in a bright red skirt suit with matching tights and heels, her arms folded across her chest in a power pose. The ad copy reads, simply: Monica f*cking Lewinsky.

A spread of other photos on the companys website links to Vote.org, a website that helps users register to vote. It is the brands third collaboration with the non-profit, and Reformations chief creative officer Lauren Cohan told Elle that Lewinsky was a natural choice.

I was like, Whoa, this woman is incredibly funny and smart and also a Ref babe, she told the magazine of Lewinskys viral TED Talk on public shaming. And that was the bullseye.

Everyone Feels Bad About Monica LewinskyEven George Conway

Lewinsky, 50, said she was compelled to participate by the message of the campaign. Weve seen in polls that voter frustration is up and apathy is up, she told Elle. We all have to be reminding each other that we cant let that get in the way of needing to vote, that thats how we use our voice.

Once pilloried for her affair with Bill Clinton while she was a White House intern, Lewinsky has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years, thanks in part to her whip-smart Twitter account and to shifting views of the power imbalances inherent in her relationship with the then-president.

Lewinsky has since made a name for herself as an anti-bullying activist, co-producing an HBO documentary on online shaming and writing powerfully for outlets like Vanity Fair about her own experience with the subject. In a recent interview with journalist Taylor Lorenz in The Guardian, she described herself as patient zero of losing my reputation online, but also heralded the empowerment that social media provides women by having a voice and a presence.

She told Elle she is still wary of online harassment, despite her newfound popularity. I am a huge, huge proponent of blocking, she said of her social media usage. You want to say something, thats your prerogative. I dont have to listen to you.

But she has little to worry about when it comes to the internets response to her campaign.

Monica Lewinsky x Reformation is fabulous, tweeted culture writer Emily Sundber.

Okayyyy @MonicaLewinsky. Werk, added designer Jill Spaeth.

reformation featuring monica lewinsky in their ad campaign was not in my 2024 bingo card, tweeted one surprised user, adding: to be fair she kinda ate.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Photo illustration by Getty Images.

Montanas nursing homes are resilient.

The past few years have reaffirmed our commitment to doing everything necessary to continue providing quality care to our elderly population. The Treasure States policymakers share that resolve and have continued to do their part to ensure our seniors have access to care. In the wake of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic and historic staffing shortages facing the entire health care system, we have continued to make tremendous strides in the right direction.

Unfortunately, the Biden Administrations proposed federal staffing mandate threatens to undermine any progress we have made.

State lawmakers increased the Medicaid reimbursement rate for nursing homes last year  an approximate $50 increase per day for Immanuel Livings facilities. This increase puts us shy just of $90 of the actual cost of daily care. This helps further offset the cost of care and allows us direct resources toward other endeavors like workforce recruitment and retention.

In our nursing homes, weve implemented new incentives and programs to remain competitive in the current job market. We added a childcare benefit to attract new talent, and in the last two years, weve hired a human resources talent acquisition coordinator to help us find qualified caregivers.

We continue to work with schools in our area to develop a strong pipeline of new caregivers and help the entire long term care sector and health care system. This includes creating internships in our nursing homes or implementing training programs for people to become certified nursing assistants. We put a strong emphasis on our work culture and creating an environment where folks want to work and make a difference.

Weve decreased our use of costly staffing agencies, but the underlying problem facing workforce shortages remains  Montana just doesnt have the number of qualified workers to meet the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirements of its one-size-fits-all mandate.

Enforcing a federal staffing mandate in Montana is simply unrealistic. We do not even have enough schools or teachers to train additional caregivers. The mandate is demanding we hire more registered nurses but if we dont have enough qualified RNs in the current labor force already, its unreasonable to expect us to meet an arbitrary new quota.

Added cost is another major concern. One analysis found that meeting the federal staffing requirement would cost Montana $15 million annually. Even with our Medicaid rate increase, we wouldnt be able to absorb this. Even worse, the mandate comes with no new federal dollars to help us hire the nurses and nurse aides we need.

To achieve compliance with the federal mandate, Montana nursing homes will have to turn prospective residents away or even worse, close for good. Montana saw 11 nursing homes close in 2022, which got the attention of our legislature and led to our Medicaid reimbursement increase. Thankfully, we experienced no closures in 2023. However, if the federal staffing requirement is finalized, its only a matter of time until we do..

Sen. Jon Tester recently introduced bipartisan legislation in Congress to stop the Biden Administrations federal staffing mandate. Sen. Steve Daines joined Tester and 26 other senators in signing a joint letter to CMS to express their concerns about the flawed rule. Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montanas second congressional district has also cautioned CMS against this one-size-fits-all mandate. These are great examples of putting people over politics. The Montana delegation understands this isnt a partisan issue but simply a flawed policy that will only hurt our seniors.

The bottom line is that a federal staffing mandate is asking us to do the impossible. The seniors we proudly serve deserve a more nuanced approach that partners with nursing homes to find the right staffing solutions, such as better investment toward recruitment and retention efforts. Lets hope the Biden Administration never finalizes this misguided mandate.

The post Montana leading the charge to support seniors appeared first on Daily Montanan.
MOUNTAIN GREEN, Utah (ABC4)  A moose was struck by two vehicles on a highway in the Mountain Green district, causing minor injuries.

The Mountain Green Fire Protection District said the double collision happened on Sunday night, Feb. 25 on Old Highway. The moose was struck by one car and crashed into the windshield, completely shattering it. It then bounced off and was struck by another car in the opposite direction.

Colombian woman sues Tim Ballard, Angel Studios over slanderous portrayal as villain in Sound of Freedom

Mountain Green Fire responded to the scene to assist the occupants of both cars. The driver of the car with the shattered windshield received a minor cut on the hand. The occupants of the second car reportedly did not suffer any injuries. Mountain Green Fire District did not provide a status on the moose.

Fire District officials said moose collisions can cause serious injuries. According to the National Park Service, wildlife-vehicle collisions kill about 440 people and injure another 59,000, annually. The estimated economic losses of these collisions is believed to be higher than $10 billion.

The National Park Service said car collisions with wildlife such as moose or deer are more than two times more frequent during the winter months, between December and February.

Risk was greatest when and where snow depth was less than 47 inches, said NPS. The analysis suggests that moos migrate into areas with less snow, which increased the risk of collision in those areas.

NPS data showed 82% of moose-vehicle collisions happen after dark.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
A law firm has been appointed to assist consumers with compensation claims after a gas outage in October

More than 250 people are seeking to claim additional compensation from a gas supplier after losing their supplies for several days last October.

Jersey Consumer Council (JCC) has appointed a law firm to assist consumers with compensation claims after the outage.

Some were left without gas for 10 days due to a software failure at Island Energy's (IE) gas plant.

IE, which previously offered an 11.56 refund, has been contacted for comment.

At the time of the offer, the company said it was a "gesture of goodwill" and the technical fault that caused the issue had been "beyond our control".

Up to 4,500 homes and businesses were without gas for about a week, following a loss of power at La Collette.

'Out of pocket'

JCC said more than 250 consumers had so far signed-up to seek additional compensation.

Carl Walker, from JCC, said: "What we're asking impacted customers to do, those that are unhappy with the 11.56 offer from Island Energy is to register with us, and give us an estimation of how much they're out of pocket.

"There's a difference between compensation, but also actually people genuinely trying to recover the costs that they incurred during this outage."

Advocate Philip Sinel, senior partner at Sinels and Co, said consumers had suffered losses and incurred extra costs as a result of having no gas supply.

He said: "Sinels is happy to act on behalf of those consumers affected by last year's gas outage as, in our view, there has been a clear breach of contract.

"Losses have occurred, and as a result, the supplier should be liable for those in our view, and we will do our best to recover those losses for consumers."

'Completely shameful'

Nigel Hammond was one of the IE customers left with no central heating or hot water during the outage.

He said while he did not know how much extra he ended up spending during the supply issues, he was sure the additional costs were more than the 11.56 being offered by IE.

Mr Hammond said a lot of his neighbours "suffered" during the outage and were forced to use other facilities or visit friends and family to get access to things such as a hot shower.

Nigel Hammond was left without central heating or hot water during the outage

He described the 11.56 offer as "derisory" and said he believed the people affected should stick together and demand more compensation from IE.

"They, by law, have a product and a service to provide," Mr Hammond said.

"They did not provide a service, so why should we suffer and have the consequences of having to prove by receipts for petrol, for food?

"Completely shameful it is."

Follow BBC Jersey on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.
Elevated Access is a nonprofit organization made up of volunteer pilots across the country who will fly people in need of abortion or gender-affirming care wherever they need to go, at no cost. (Courtesy of Elevated Access)

Chloe Bell is a case manager at the National Abortion Federation. She spends her days helping people cover the cost of an abortion and, increasingly, the interstate travel many of them need to get the procedure.

What price did they quote you? Bell asked a woman from New Jersey who had called the organizations hotline seeking money to pay for an abortion. Her appointment was the next day.

They quoted me $500, said the woman, who was five weeks pregnant when she spoke to Bell in November. She gave permission for a journalist to listen to the call on the condition that she not be named.

We can definitely help, Bell told her. We can cover the cost of the procedure. You just tell them you have a pledge from the NAF.

Bell is one of a growing network of workers who help people seeking abortions understand whats legal, where they can travel for care, and how to get there.

These navigators can often recite from memory the names and locations of clinics throughout their region that offer abortion services at a given point in a pregnancy. Often, they can then name the hotel closest to the clinic. And some are so familiar with the most common airports for connecting flights that they can help patients find their next departure gate in real time.

State abortion laws have always varied, so helping people access legal abortion services isnt new, but the amount of travel needed to get care has risen sharply.

In the first six months of 2023, nearly 1 in 5 abortion patients traveled out of state to get care, compared with 1 in 10 in 2020, according to an analysis by the Guttmacher Institute, a national nonprofit that supports abortion rights. That increase in travel, even for early-pregnancy abortions, has sparked a corresponding rise in the need for case managers like Bell.

Most callers are like the woman from New Jersey  people in the early stages of a pregnancy who cant afford the $500 cost of a medication abortion. But with elective abortion banned almost entirely in 14 states and after six weeks in two more, the logistics of ending a pregnancy at any stage have become more complicated.

People are being forced later into pregnancies to access care because of the difficulty of arranging travel over long distances and the chilling effect of the bans, said Brittany Fonteno, president of the NAF, a nonprofit professional organization of clinics that provide abortions. It increases the cost of care and has a devastating impact on people.

After hanging up with the woman from New Jersey, Bell told a woman from Georgia that she likely wouldnt need to pay the $4,800 bill for her 24-week abortion. Half the money would come from the National Abortion Federation and Bell would contact local organizations that have their own abortion access funds to find the rest. Once the money was sorted, the woman told Bell she couldnt decide whether she should drive more than 14 hours to Washington, D.C., for her care or buy a plane ticket. Her appointment was the following week.

I was looking at flights, but most of them wont be there at the time that I need to be there, she told Bell, a former librarian who talks to as many as 40 callers a day. The Georgia woman said she had $1,200 saved for the trip. Because of the length of a second-trimester abortion procedure, she would likely have to stay in Washington for three nights.

Sometimes we can help with travel, Bell told the Georgia caller. Book the flight and hotel to see if the $1,200 covers those things, also meals and ride-shares from airport to hotel. Factoring in all of those expenses, if you feel like $1,200 doesnt cover that, reach back out to me immediately.

Since July 2022, NAF case managers like Bell have helped patients pay for nearly three times the number of hotel rooms and plane, train, and bus tickets each month as they did before the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, which had recognized a constitutional right to abortion. The most requests for financial assistance have come from people in Texas, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama  populous states with strict abortion laws. Calls are also longer and more involved. The nonprofit now spends $200,000 a month (up from $30,000 a month before Texas instituted a six-week-ban in 2021) and is still not meeting the need, Fonteno said.

In 2020, Fontenos organization employed about 30 full-time hotline operators. That number rose when Texas passed its six-week ban. And since the Dobbs decision overturning Roe, the line has employed 45 to 55 people, said Melissa Fowler, the NAFs chief program officer.

Other reproductive health organizations  at the local, regional, and national levels  have also added staff like Bell. Planned Parenthood affiliates, including some in states with full bans, now employ 98 people known as patient navigators. Most were hired after Dobbs, said Danika Severino Wynn, vice president of abortion access for Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She estimates 127,000 people have relied on these navigators since July 2021.

Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette in Portland, Oregon, has hired three abortion patient navigators since Roe was overturned, according to spokesperson Sam West. Abortion is legal in Oregon, with no restrictions, but that doesnt mean everyone has equal access to services. One of the new navigators speaks Spanish and focuses on the rural parts of the state, where services are sparse.

The clinic declined a request for a journalist to listen in on calls with its navigators, citing patient privacy. The two other navigators focus on helping callers who are from out of state (usually Idaho), are younger than 15, or are in their second trimester.

Lawyers contacted for this story who are familiar with current state laws said patient navigators are unlikely to be at legal risk for their work helping people connect with abortion services, though it could matter which state they are sitting in when they offer help. For example, an Idaho law stating that adults in Idaho are not allowed to recruit minors to get an abortion could apply to navigators if they answered the phone in Idaho. That law, along with many others in states with bans, is being challenged in court.

Back at her desk in Georgia, Bell took a call from a 20-year-old woman in North Carolina named Deshelle, who was seeking financial support for a second-trimester abortion. Deshelle talked with KFF Health News a few days later, speaking on the condition that only her middle name be used, to protect her privacy.

On the day Deshelle became pregnant, it was legal to get an abortion in North Carolina at up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. About six weeks later, when she discovered she was pregnant, she went to a nearby clinic to have a medication abortion. She went to the first appointment to fill out paperwork. She was required by state law to wait 72 hours before returning to get the abortion pills. She was also given an ultrasound she didnt want. The image of the embryo rattled her and she skipped the second appointment.

By the time Deshelle decided again to go ahead with an abortion, she was nearly 15 weeks pregnant and the North Carolina law had changed. By July 1, nearly all abortions after 12 weeks were banned. She would have to go out of state.

With the help of NAF navigators, Deshelle made an appointment at a clinic in Virginia, where a 15-week abortion is legal. Her mother drove but did not support Deshelles decision to end the pregnancy. Then there were protesters. By the time Deshelle got inside, she was crying. She met with a provider but decided once again not to go through with the abortion.

None of that came up on her call with Bell in November. By that time, Deshelle was 26 weeks pregnant. It was her second time calling the hotline and her third time trying to get an abortion. She just wanted to know if she could still get financial assistance. The cost of her care had escalated from about $500 when she could have gotten a medication abortion to $6,500 for a multiday abortion procedure.

Bell took her cue from Deshelle and stayed focused on logistics. She approved funding to cover half the cost of the procedure and secured a donation to cover the rest. She confirmed that Deshelle had a place to stay and the required companion to go to the clinic with her each day. Then they hung up. The rest of the journey was Deshelles alone.

This isnt what I want, but I think its the best choice for me, Deshelle said from just outside the waiting room on the first day of the procedure. She read aloud from a pamphlet about the medications shed be given and the timing of it all. Then her name was called.

A week later, after it was all over, she still felt shed done the right thing.

You literally have to be really strong to abort your baby and be OK, she said shed tell anyone else in her situation, and you also have to be really strong to be a single mom.

This story was produced by KFF Health News which is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFFan independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

The post More navigators are helping women travel to have abortions appeared first on Daily Montanan.
Their constitutional rights were violated, and they were discriminated against because of their race, says Nicole Phillips, an attorney at Haitian Bridge Alliance.

The Black migrant advocacy group suing the Biden administration over its treatment of Haitian migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in Del Rio, Texas, is hopeful after the case saw its first legal proceeding before a federal judge since the potential class-action lawsuit was filed in 2021.

Last week during a status conference, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb set a March 8 deadline for the Haitian Bridge Alliance, which is representing 11 Haitian migrants who accused the government of mistreatment and racial discrimination while in U.S. custody.

We were really excited to have this hearing and to be able to get a sense of what the court is thinking  and to try to have a schedule moving forward to move this case along, said Nicole Phillips, an attorney for Haitian Bridge Alliance.

The Biden administration sought to dismiss the case, which was filed in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 20, 2021. However, on Thursday, Cobb allowed the Haitian Bridge Alliance to amend its complaint after Title 42, a significant policy at the center of the lawsuit, ended on May 11, 2023, due to a separate court order.

In now infamous photographs, one of the plaintiffs in the case, Mirard Joseph, was grabbed by a U.S. border patrol agent on horseback on Sept. 19, 2021. The photos appeared to show the border agent using his horse reins to hit Joseph. The images drew public outrage, including from elected and community leaders who felt the photographs harkened back to the days of slavery and racial subjugation.

Though the Biden administration maintains that an internal investigation concluded that border agents did not whip migrants with horse reins, the lawsuit  which names President Joe Biden and other Biden officials as defendants  claims that Joseph was assaulted and that the horse-mounted border patrol officer lashed at him with reins, attempted to drag him back into the water, and nearly trampled him.

While coverage of the incident in Del Rio has primarily focused on whether or not Joseph and other migrants were actually whipped by border patrol, attorneys for Haitian Bridge Alliance make clear that the substance of the case goes much deeper.

Their constitutional rights were violated, and they were discriminated against because of their race, said Phillips.

Speaking of Joseph, who was deported back to Haiti after the 2021 incident but now lives in the U.S., Phillips added, What happened to him is what happens to Black people in the United States every day.

The lawsuit argues that Joseph and thousands of other Haitian migrants were subject to inhumane conditions while being held at a makeshift U.S. Customs and Border Protection encampment. The complaint alleges that migrants and their children were denied adequate water, food and medical services.



Joseph and other Haitian male migrants crossed back over to the Mexican side of the border to retrieve food for their families. As they made their way back to the U.S. side, they were stopped by the border officers atop horses. The now-viral photographs captured some of what happened next.

A report from an investigation conducted by a Department of Homeland Security watchdog concluded that while border patrol agents employed unnecessary use of force while interacting with Haitian migrants, there was no evidence the migrants were struck by horse reins based on interviews with border patrol officers and journalists present at the time.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (left) listens to Anthony Crane, of U.S. border patrol, as he tours a border wall section in Hidalgo, Texas, in 2022. (Photo: Joel Martinez/The Monitor via AP, Pool)

The report also concluded that a border officer acted in an unprofessional manner, yelling at a male migrant, This is why your countrys st.

Phillips said the governments internal investigation into the incident holds no validity because officials failed to interview Joseph or any of the other Haitian migrants about what they experienced. She also accused the administration of ghosting the group after the two sides made contact amid the lawsuit.

She continued: Its easy to just put it all on one person  was he whipped or not  versus what about the trauma because of the coarse treatment, the lack of respect that all of these individuals experienced.

The Haitian Bridge Alliance is seeking additional plaintiffs to bring the case to class-action status. Cobb, a Black judge appointed by Biden, gave the group two weeks to do so before ruling to allow the case to move forward or grant the Biden administrations request to dismiss.

The administration argued that the case should be dismissed because the policy being challenged by Haitian migrants, Title 42, is no longer being enforced after a court order ended its practice. The public health statute was used during the COVID-19 pandemic to detain migrants at the border and deport them back to Mexico or their home country.

However, the Haitian Bridge Alliance says the ending of Title 42 does not change the merits of the case. The lawsuit also names the Haitian Deterrence Policy, which plaintiffs argue the U.S. government developed to subject Haitian asylum seekers in Del Rio to deplorable conditions while in government custody. The lawsuit accuses the government of being deliberately indifferent to humanitarian concerns and focused on expelling Haitian asylum seekers as quickly as possible.

The lawsuit also goes through great detail about the history of Haiti and its relationship with the U.S., including the role America played in the years following Haitis overthrow of the French government and declaring of its independence. The lawsuit accuses the U.S. government of taking a series of immigration and foreign policy actions that led to Haitis present-day instability, which includes gang violence and chronic poverty.

In the face of this long history of political and economic instability, Haitians have remained steadfast in their struggle for autonomy against external and internal forces seeking to exploit them, the lawsuit reads.

Immigrants from Haiti, who crossed through a gap in the U.S.-Mexico border barrier, wait in line to be processed by the U.S. border officials on May 20, 2022, in Yuma, Arizona. (Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Phillips contended that, for decades, there has been a deterrence against Haitians who tried to seek protection on U.S. soil, whether its by sea or by land, and a whole host of different tools have been used. She said the Haitian Bridge Alliance became aware of the Haitian Deterrence Policy after a former administration official divulged the information.

Were confident that when were able to get to the discovery phase, we will be able to get more information, Phillips added.

Amid the pending lawsuit, the Biden administration continues to stare down what has been described as a migrant crisis at the U.S. border. Facing opposition from Republican members of Congress and Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump, the White House is reportedly seeking additional executive actions to curb the number of migrants seeking asylum and expand President Bidens authority to deport migrants who do not enter the country legally.

Under current policy, migrants must apply for asylum on a CBP One mobile app and wait in Mexico until they receive a court date in the U.S., which Phillips said could take up to six months. They have been really risking their lives and the lives of their children to remain in Mexico, she said.

The Haitian Bridge Alliance and other advocacy groups say rather than creating more obstacles, the U.S. should do more to ensure that Black migrants, who are fleeing inhumane conditions in their home countries and encountering racial discrimination during their migration journeys, can safely seek refuge.

The cost is severe. Many are sick, and we unfortunately have to deal with death on a weekly basis of Haitian or other Black migrants, said Phillips. All theyre trying to do is seek asylum and safe protection. They shouldnt have to wait this six months in order to be able to do so.

Gerren Keith Gaynor

Gerren Keith Gaynor is a White House Correspondent and the Managing Editor of Politics at theGrio. He is based in Washington, D.C.

Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter.

The post After more than two years, lawsuit against Biden administration for treatment of Haitian migrants proceeds appeared first on TheGrio.
Panelists on MSNBCs Morning Joe voiced disgust Monday over Donald Trumps suggestion that his criminal indictments are increasing his appeal to Black people.

On Friday, at a gala for the Black Conservative Federation, the former president railed against his four criminal indictments, adding, A lot of people said that thats why the Black people like me because theyve been hurt so badly and discriminated against.

Rev. Al Sharpton, an MSNBC analyst and longtime civil rights activist, called Trumps comments the epitome of an insult.

Sharpton said, First of all, lets be clear: Donald Trump is using the stereotype of Blacks being criminals, and therefore, we would gravitate towards somebody in a mug shot. Hes in a mug shot for trying to interfere with an election. Blacks were arrested to get the right to vote.

Sharpton noted that prosecutors leading two of the criminal cases against Trump are Black and that Trump himself has been part of these kinds of unfair prosecutions of Blacks, pointing to the 1989 attack ads he took out calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty amid the arrests of the now-exonerated Central Park Five.

Ive never seen him stand up for Blacks that were treated wrong by the criminal justice system. But now hes a symbol of being persecuted? Sharpton asked.

Trump has also targeted Black prosecutors leading cases against him with racially-charged abuse, co-host Joe Scarborough pointed out.

Mika Brzezinski, co-host of the morning show, said Trump had first likened himself to the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny last week and now the Black community.

These comparisons are sick and grotesque, she said.

Jonathan Lemire, Politicos White House bureau chief, also described another grossly offensive assertion from the Trump camp. He said a Trump advisor had told him that the former presidents new sneaker line would appeal to Black voters.

Trump has a long history of both overt and coded racism, including when he accused Black prosecutors of being racist against him, suggested immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country, and told four congresswomen of color to go back to the countries they came from.

Watch below on MSNBCs Morning Joe.

Related...
Why are U.S. corporations still funding terrorist-infiltrated UNRWA?

By Ethan Peck

web posted February 26, 2024

Six employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) directly participated in the Oct. 7 terrorist attack against Israel, it was recently revealed. At least 12 UNRWA employees had connections to the attack, and about 10 percent of the organization's staff have ties to terrorist groups, including Hamas.

Consequently, 18 countries, including the U.S., have suspended aid to UNRWA. One week after these developments, a Hamas data center was also found directly beneath UNRWA headquarters in Gaza.

But as consequential as this news was in swaying national governments to suspend aid to UNRWA, American corporations have not yet ceased contributions or even commented on the matter, despite years of giving to the group.

My organization submitted a shareholder proposal to Mastercard requesting that the company audit whether its contributions to and partnerships with UNRWA and a number of other ostensible humanitarian organizations are violating its own human rights policy.

We submitted the proposal to Mastercard in December  a month before the UNRWA employees' involvement in the Oct. 7 attack was reported. The reason is that, as explosive as these revelations were to some, anyone who has paid closer attention to the conflict knows that UNRWA's terrorist infiltration is not news.

It has long been an open secret that UNRWA and other charities operating in Gaza and the West Bank regularly aid and abet terrorists. Foreign aid to Palestinians often ends up in the hands of terrorists from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Fatah. This is all in addition to the publicly facing fact that UNRWA openly propagandizes for the terrorists, especially during wartime, and indoctrinates children in its education system with incitements to violence and antisemitism. These on their own would be sufficient reasons for American companies not to give them a cent.

This is why these revelations, although they make the need to defund UNRWA more obvious, are not needed to classify UNRWA as unworthy of any support from shareholders.

This is a point put forward in our shareholder proposal that we reiterated in negotiations with Mastercard. Companies shouldn't pick sides on any divisive issue (although they regularly do to their own detriment), and they should definitely stay out of one of the most divisive issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In fact, their fiduciary duty to shareholders, whose political opinions vary, legally requires them to remain neutral unless they can draw a direct, unassailable line from their position to an increase in shareholder value, which of course Mastercard cannot do here.

In this particular case, giving to UNRWA  or even just providing a platform for others to give to UNRWA, as Mastercard has done  is much worse than just taking a side. It is literally funding terrorism. But Mastercard is standing its ground, refusing to pull funds or stop hosting a donation platform for UNRWA. And the company has been covering this up.

Just a few weeks ago, the company's giving page included a UN Foundations button, which redirected to this page, which lists UNRWA as a recipient of funds. Now that UN Foundations button is nowhere to be found on Mastercard's giving page and can be accessed only with a direct link.

I asked the company's staffers about this. Why, if they're self-aware enough to realize that giving to and hosting a donation platform for UNRWA is a bad look, don't they agree to cut funds and ties to UNRWA altogether? They didn't respond.

Clearly, Mastercard's actions are sinister, but unfortunately, they're not unique. One thing I have learned from my numerous engagements with corporations is that they are all roughly the same  owned by the same asset managers, led by the same board members and proponents of the same woke agenda.

This is why Mastercard is not the only corporate funder of terrorism via humanitarian aid. And it's not just a matter of companies that give to UNRWA directly  as Microsoft does, for example  but also, and even more commonly, of corporations that give to other UN organizations, which then allocate a portion of their budget to UNRWA. For example, UNICEF, WHO, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNDP are all among UNRWA's top funders.

Many if not most large corporations give to at least one of these without a second thought. However winding the money trail is, and however altruistic the intentions, some of that shareholder money is still ending up in the hands of terrorists whose goal is to kill innocent Jews, which also ends up killing innocent Palestinians caught in the crossfire.

There is also the issue of companies giving to organizations credibly accused of spreading and amplifying Hamas propaganda, indirectly or by omission helping the group to achieve its cynical and deadly goals  still an inappropriate use of shareholder funds.

In short, funding terrorism apologists  and in some cases even terrorist collaborators  is a common practice among large U.S. corporations, who regularly misappropriate exorbitant amounts of shareholder money to advance a number of political causes.

If even the Biden administration and the socialist governments of Europe can figure this one out, American companies should be able to figure it out, too.

Ethan Peck is an associate for the Free Enterprise Project at the National Center for Public Policy Research. This first appeared at The Hill.
A majority of Americans now support building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a Monmouth University poll released Monday.

The poll found that 61% of Americans say illegal immigration is a "very serious problem" leading into the 2024 election cycle.

"Illegal immigration has taken center stage as a defining issue this presidential election year. Other Monmouth polling found this to be [President] Bidens weakest policy area, including among his fellow Democrats," said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.

Similarly, 61% of Americans say immigrants seeking political asylum at the border should be made to stay in Mexico while their claims are processed. Just 35% say they should be allowed into the U.S. while they wait, according to the poll.

VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR BREAKS SILENCE ON BIDEN ADMIN PROVIDING VETERAN MEDICAL RESOURCES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

A majority of Americans now support building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a Monmouth University poll released Monday.

Meanwhile, 53% of participants said they support building a wall at the southern border, while just 46% oppose it.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

It is the first time a majority of Americans have supported a border wall since Monmouth began polling the issue in 2015, although the poll has a margin of error of 4.1%.

7.2M ILLEGALS ENTERED THE US UNDER BIDEN ADMIN, AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN POPULATION OF 36 STATES

Monmouth conducted its poll via telephone, surveying 902 U.S. adults from Feb. 9-12.

Last week, another Monmouth poll found that Biden's approval rating on immigration sits at just 26%. When broken down by party affiliation, slightly over half of Democrats (54%) said they approved of Biden's handling of immigration, but just 21% of independents and 2% of Republicans said the same.

Last week, a Monmouth poll found that Biden's approval rating on immigration sits at just 26%.

Biden and former President Trump will hold competing trips to the U.S.-Mexico border this week. Biden will speak with U.S. Border Patrol agents in Brownsville, Texas, while Trump delivers a speech in Eagle Pass, Texas.

BORDER PATROL UNION RIPS BIDEN OVER BORDER CRISIS: YOU OWN THIS CATASTROPHIC DISASTER'

Biden is expected to use his trip to talk about the importance of passing the Senate's bipartisan border security agreement, a White House official said, adding that the president will "reiterate his calls for Congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional U.S. Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more."

Monday's poll from Monmouth found that nearly half of Americans, 47%, say Biden's bill does not go far enough, however. Another 28% say the bill is about right, while 12% said it is too tough.

Multiple polls have found that Trump is far more popular than Biden when it comes to the border.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection sources told Fox News this month that the majority of illegal crossings are shifting away from Texas to Arizona and California, where there is less deterrence.





Original article source: Most Americans call illegal immigration 'very serious problem,' poll finds
Lay Down

The new Moon lander, built and operated by a private company with funding from NASA, is down pretty bad.

The 14-foot tall lander, built by the Houston-based company Intuitive Machines and launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, did land successfully and is "alive and well," per an update from the company. There's just one small problem, as Space.com and others report: it's on its side after catching its "foot" on a rock and falling over.

Odysseus, as the lander is named, took some pretty complex last-minute maneuvering to make Moonfall safely after its rocky road to the Moon.

As Space.com explains, the craft's handlers realized that its laser rangefinders weren't working as it neared its scheduled descent. Thinking fast, they found a workaround using an experimental NASA instrument known as the "Navigation Doppler Lidar for Precise Velocity and Range Sensing," or NDL for short  though clearly, it only kind of worked.

Along with tipping over, the lander also did not deploy its camera  though, to be fair, it did beam back some pretty spectacular selfies with Earth during its "spicy" week-long journey, as Intuitive Machines' CEO co-founder Steve Altemus called it during a press conference.

https://twitter.com/rory_mg/status/1761159963546673412

Good Enough

Despite the drama, the company insists the lander is doing well, all things considered.

"So far, we have quite a bit of operational capability even though we're tipped over," Altemus said. "And so that's really exciting for us, and we're continuing the surface operations mission as a result of it."

As part of NASA's new era of public-private partnership, the lander has lots hanging on it as the first privately-built craft to successfully land on the Moon and the first American one to do so since NASA's Voyager 17 in 1972. That said, India and Japan did both beat the US in getting crafts on the Moon in recent months, though the Japanese one also landed wrong.

Launched at the end of last week, the Intuitive Machines lander's success or failure is, understandably, a huge deal for both NASA and Intuitive Machines. Therefore, before it became clear that Odysseus was sittin' sideways, NASA administrator Bill Nelson called its landing a "triumph" and declared that it had "taken the Moon."

"This feat is a giant leap forward for all of humanity," Nelson said soon after the landing success had been announced, per Space.com. "Stay tuned!"

As such, the wonkiness of the Odysseus landing, along with the other NASA-funded attempt at a lunar lander that failed outright early last month, could be seen as a hit for the agency and the company that launched it  though given that it landed on the lunar surface at all, it's not as bad as it could be.

More on Moon missions: NASA Reportedly Forced to Push Back Moon Landing After SpaceX Fails to Deliver Starship
BEAVER  As the newest district attorney for Beaver County settles into his position, Nathan Bible is facing many of the typical challenges of a new job.

Transitioning to an office nearly eight times larger than his previous law firm, Bible's first two months have included finding a delicate balance between time management, learning the unique roles of everyone around the office and the personalities around that culture in the Beaver County District Attorney's Office. As the young district attorney is introduced to several boards where he represents the county and catches up on the office's progress on local issues, this packed schedule has created a fast-paced and busy environment.

While some may be intimidated by the colossal work expected of a new district attorney, the Bible said he is taking this learning experience in stride and enjoying every minute of the rush.

A profile shot of Nate Bible, the newest District Attorney in Beaver County.

"I wake up every day still so excited," Bible said. "I'm here late on a lot of nights, there is a lot of stuff to get myself familiarized with. It's my first time being a prosecutor, but I couldn't be happier with the start. I'm learning a lot, I'm filling in on all sorts of different types of proceedings. I want to be there, I want to be the backup for everybody, so if somebody's in trial or somebody's out sick, I can fill wherever I'm needed."

Rather than seeing this learning experience as a "challenge," the new district attorney sees this introductory period as the first stepping stone to several of the larger initiatives he wants to implement around the county. Changes can not occur overnight, but Bible hopes to start working on several initiatives he shared during his recent campaign and see positive changes in Beaver County's legal system.

As the excitement continues to build for this work, Bible is hopeful that the adrenaline rush of the new job is something that doesn't go away and continues to carry him through some of these upcoming challenges.

"The morale here is great, everybody is enjoying as much as they can being at work," Bible said. "I've always really enjoyed what I've done as an attorney, so in this job it's really transferred over. There's no day that I wake up that I'm like, 'Oh, God, I've got to go to work today.' I'd like to bottle that up, if I could, and just keep it on the shelf for a few years down the road."

Initiatives for office include introducing a 'drug court' and addressing rises in juvenile crime

One of the first criminal justice changes that Bible wants to see in Beaver County is the addition of a "Drug Court," a judicial body that functions similarly to the county's other specialized courts. This proposed system would operate similarly to the existing Veterans Treatment Court, a system that connects veterans entering the criminal justice system with resources such as outreach programs, mental health treatment and other methods used to reduce recidivism.

"It's going to take some time and take a lot of moving parts," Bible said. "My vision is that it's going to parallel our veterans court, in terms of it's not a quick program. I'm looking at 12 to 18 months to complete it. You're going to do inpatient treatment, intense outpatient treatment. You're going to get clean, there's no way around it. You're not just going to be clean for a little bit, you're going to stay clean."

Specializing in drug abuse treatment options, this proposed court would offer assistance to those who enter the criminal justice system get back to a sense of "normal." While some drug abuse treatment options are offered at the Beaver County Jail, this new program would be tailored to address the specific needs of patients and offer assistance beyond preventing overdoses.

The court would most likely work hand-in-hand with the other specialized courts, such as those for families and veterans, to offer resources for reconnecting with families and getting tailored mental health services. Bible would also hope to connect those in these situations with ways to earn an income through careers in various trades, which can bring stability back into participants' economic situations.

"It's not going to help everybody," Bible said. "I look at it as if you're off drugs, you got your kids back, you're working again, making decent money and you have all these good things going, hopefully, that's a deterrent to not fall back into that lifestyle."

Another focus in the criminal justice system will also be the rise of juvenile crime in Beaver County, a topic that has been affecting multiple communities around western Pennsylvania. Throughout 2023, there was an average of 14 car thefts or crashes per month that were committed by minors, but a lack of beds in detention facilities has led to a "revolving door" for these juvenile criminal offenders.

While solving the issue of potential punishments has become an issue across the state and may take heavier legislative efforts, the Bible is also proposing several ways to reach out to juveniles in Beaver County and encouraging the idea that there are consequences and alternative paths to crime. Rather than addressing the issue after these juveniles commit a crime, the district attorney's office would focus on meeting with students who have issues at home or school to show other options.

One of these alternative options that the Bible stresses is showing students who struggle in school that some jobs and trades can pay well. While schools have always pushed for college education as a goal, Bible feels that there hasn't been as large of a push to show students who struggle in academic settings that there are successful careers that involve more hands-on work experience.

"Society needs those jobs, and I think [it's important] to show kids this completely other path," Bible said. "There's always been the big push that you have to go to college, so [we should be] showing them that there is another path if you don't get great grades. When you're 15 years old, going down this dark path, it just leads to eventually state prison."

While the lack of space in juvenile detention facilities continues to be an issue, there has not been much movement in the discussions of implementing a facility like this in Beaver County. Bible said that the idea has not been talked about during his time in office so far, but he does hope to renew these efforts to find a solution and continue to explore regional options for juvenile detainment.

Several of the existing initiatives in Beaver County will continue to be a priority for the district attorney's office as well, such as addressing policing shortages and continuing to address several local cold cases. While the position of district attorney has a lot of power over local policing, Bible says that he is placing trust in local chiefs and municipalities to address some of the needed changes to their departments and he will step in when it is needed.

One of these issues commonly discussed with Bible is the regionalization of local departments, which was done for the first time last year with the creation of the Beaver Valley Regional Police Department. The department has had many successes during its first year, with residents offering praise to the district attorney's office for some of these changes. While Bible is open to helping other municipalities join the force or form their own regional forces, he says that local communities will be the ones who continue to decide whether that system is right for them.

"I know that it's not my position to force this on anyone," Bible said. "If any municipalities would come to me and say, 'Hey, we're interested in joining, can you help us facilitate this?' I'm 100% on board. Until it becomes something that is absolutely necessary, I don't feel that it's really my position to get too involved with it. So you know, I support it where they want it, and I'm not going to force it on anybody that doesn't so."

As Bible settles into his new office, he hopes to continue addressing the issues people bring to his attention. While the rush of a new job may delay returning calls and emails, the new district attorney hopes that people are comfortable discussing their issues with him and that trust in Beaver County public officials can increase during his time in office.

"I want everybody to know that I'm here for them," Bible said. "I want to be a district attorney that's working for the people of this county."

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Bible shares experience as new DA in Beaver County, goals for office
Richard Schneider alleges a 2023 data breach at USAA led to the theft of $30,000 from his bank account. He says USAA has refused to credit his account for the stolen money, so he's now suing the San Antonio company. He's shown in his home in Bulverde. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Bulverde Richard Schneider has sued USAA after he says $30,000 was fraudulently transferred from his bank account. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer USAA headquarters in San Antonio. Photo by Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News

A Bulverde man who alleges that a data breach last year at USAA led to the theft of $30,000 from his bank account is now in a legal fight with the big insurance and financial services company to get the money back.

Richard Schneider, 77, last week sued San Antonio-based USAA, which determined there was no fraudulent activity involving his bank account and refused his demand to repay the money.

USAA spokesman Roger Wildermuth said Monday that Schneider was not affected by the data breach or any other the company is aware of but added that USAA was still studying the lawsuit and could not comment.

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Zachary Gilbert, Schneiders lawyer, said his client didnt get a letter from USAA informing him he was affected by the breach but believes Schneider was a victim of it.

USAA certainly should be held accountable for not reimbursing Mr. Schneider for the $30,000 that was fraudulently stolen from his account, Gilbert said. Hes in a situation that no one wants to find themselves in.

Schneider, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Navy before becoming a UPS manager, had been a USAA member for almost 11 years but the suit says the relationship ended when it closed his account and canceled his credit card after the alleged incident  causing havoc with his finances.

June letter

USAA disclosed the data breach in late June, reporting that a limited number of call center representatives employed by a third-party service provider improperly shared their USAA access credentials with unauthorized individuals. It said those individuals gained access to the personal information of a limited number of USAA members from Dec. 20, 2022, to May 18, 2023.

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In a letter notifying members, USAA said it had not identified any fraudulent activity that appears to have resulted from this incident.

The data breach affected 2,726 Texas residents, according to a filing with the Texas attorney generals office. USAA later said it affected less than 0.15% of its membership. That would equal fewer than 19,000 people, based on its total of 13 million members.

It said the personal information involved in the breach could include name, Social Security number, bank account numbers and credit card numbers.

Schneider said his trouble began more than two months later. At 11 a.m. on Sept. 6, he received a funds transfer confirmation from USAA detailing a $30,000 transfer from his checking account to one in the name of Brenda Irene Meyers.

Schneider says in the complaint that he contacted USAA to say he did not know Meyers. It informed him that the account in Meyers name was missing from USAAs records at 11:14 am, fourteen minutes after the transfer occurred. Meyers may be an alias, Gilbert said.

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Schneider told USAA that only two people had authority to make a transfer from the bank account  he and his wife. But, the lawsuit says, she has been in hospice memory care for five years and incapable of carrying out such a transaction.

A day after the transfer, Schneider says, USAA notified him that it was closing the account and canceling his credit card. Because of the lack of notice, the suit adds, Schneider was unable to reroute deposits  his Veterans Affairs disability check, Social Security check, pension check and his wifes retirement check  to another checking account.

As a result, the complaint says, he incurred 10% late fees on his wifes hospice care and had to borrow money to pay for her care and other bills.

Complaint, another suit

Schneider filed a claim with USAA on Sept. 11, but the suit says it replied that same day that it found no fraudulent activity and took no further action.

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Almost a week later, he lodged a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. While the names of those who file a complaint are not made public, the San Antonio Express-News was able to find one that matched the details in the lawsuit.

I have not gotten any help with this matter, Schneider wrote in the complaint to the bureau, which is partially redacted. I was told that they had experienced a data breach in XXXX of 2023, my account was XXXX affected. With my funds frozen I am unable to continue to pay for (my wifes) care. USAA does not seem to care.

USAA responded to the complaint, saying it believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law, the bureaus website shows. The lawsuit adds that USAA determined that Meyers account number was added to Schneiders approved transfer list on Sept. 2. As such, USAA concluded the transfer was made by an authorized party and no fraudulent activity occurred. It also declined his request for repayment.

On Oct. 24, Schneider says, he filed a report with the San Antonio Police Department. However, it was unable to locate anyone in San Antonio with the name Brenda Irene Meyers, Gilbert said.

Schneider filed suit Thursday in state District Court in San Antonio. Hes suing USAA for negligence and violation of the states Deceptive Trade Practices Act. He also says USAA beached the deposit agreement under the Texas Finance Code by refusing to pay back the $30,000.

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In addition to the $30,000, Schneider is seeking late fees he says he was charged, out-of-pocket expenses, interest and attorneys fees.

Separately, a possible class-action lawsuit seeking more than $5 million in damages over last year's data breach is pending against USAA Federal Savings Bank. A New York man alleges in the Sept. 12 lawsuit that the bank was negligent in failing to protect members personally identifiable and financial information.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  Angelo State University will feature award-winning novelist and short-story writer Manuel Munoz as the featured speaker for the 27th ASU Writers Conference in Honor of Elmer Kelton.

The conference will be held from Thursday, Feb. 29, to Friday, March 1, in the C.J. Davidson Center inside ASUs Houston Harte University Center at 1910 Rosemont Drive.

During the conference, Munoz will give attendees two free public presentations:

9:30 a.m.  A Conversation with Manuel Munoz

7 p.m.  Reading and Presentation by Manuel Munoz

The conference will also include seven free public sessions, including readings and presentations done by 21 guest authors and poets in attendance. These sessions will be held in the Eldon Black Recital Hall inside the Carr Education-Fine Arts Building at 2602 Dena Drive.

Also a professor of the University of Arizonas English department, Munoz is the author of the novel What You See in the Dark as well as the Zigzagger and The Faith Healer of Olive Avenue short story collections. Many of Munozs short stories have also appeared in the New York Times, Epoch, Glimmer Train, American Short Fiction, ZYZZYVA and Electric Literature as well as The Norton Anthology of Latino Literature and The Heath Anthology of American Literature.

SAPD receives award for compliance to best practices

The Consequences, his most recent short story collection, was published in the United States and the United Kingdom and was a finalist for the Aspen Words Literary Prize. It is slated to be translated into Italian and Turkish.

Among his many honors and awards, Munoz has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York Foundation for the Arts. He has also been recognized with a Whiting Writers Award, three O. Henry Awards and two selections in Best American Short Stories as well as the 2023 Joyce Carol Oates Prize. He was honored in October 2023 with a MacArthur Fellowship for depicting with empathy and nuance the Mexican-American communities of Californias Central Valley.

A native of Dinuba, Calif., and a first-generation college graduate, Munoz holds a bachelors degree in English and American literature and language from Harvard University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Cornell University.

The ASU Writers Conference is dedicated to San Angelos own best-selling Western author, Elmer Kelton. The author of more than 40 books, Kelton was a seven-time winner of the Western Writers of Americas Spur Award and was the first Distinguished Visiting Professor at ASU before his passing in 2009. The conference is hosted by the Natalie Zan Ryan Department of English and Modern Languages and sponsored by the university with support from the ASU Alumni Association, College of Arts and Humanities and Guy and Eva Choate.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
San Antonio-based optical chain Visionworks has been sued over the alleged tracking and sharing of peoples personal health information. Visionworks said that it complies with all state and federal regulations relating to digital privacy. Rye Druzin

San Antonio optical chain Visionworks has joined an expanding list of companies facing potential class-actions lawsuits over the tracking and sharing of peoples personal health information without their consent.

On Friday, four people filed an action against Visionworks of America Inc. in federal court in San Antonio seeking more than $5 million in damages from the company. They call the secret monitoring of their personal information highly offensive behavior.

The plaintiffs allege that Visionworks employs tracking tools to send information related to users searches and activity on the companys website to Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc.

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A Visionworks spokesperson said in an email Monday that the company is deeply committed to consumer privacy and we comply with all state and federal regulations relating to digital privacy.

It added, Our privacy policy and notice of privacy practices are listed on our website and all consumers who visit the Visionworks website are presented with a cookie consent banner giving them control over their pixel sharing choices.

The tracking technologies, known as Meta pixel and Facebook pixel, send tracked information to Meta to monetize users queries, in violation of federal and state wiretap laws, the suit alleges.

Receiving this information enables Facebook and the web developers to build valuable personal profiles for users, enhancing marketing effectiveness and increasing the chance of converting users into paying customers, the complaint adds.

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Meta is not a defendant in the lawsuit.

Numerous other lawsuits making similar allegations have been filed against companies across the country. The companies include retailer Costco, publisher Healthline Media, kidney dialysis services company DaVita Inc., laboratory services company Labcorp of America and health care network Scripps Health.

Last month, North Carolina health care provider Novant Health agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit for $6.6 million over its alleged use of Metas tracking technologies and sharing of personal health information.

Drive more sales

Visionworks has more than 750 locations where it performs eye examinations and sells prescription and nonprescription glasses, contact lenses and sunglasses.

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In the lawsuit against Visionworks, the plaintiffs allege that it didnt obtain users consent to share their tracked queries with Meta. The plaintiffs have a right to privacy when using Visionworks website, the suit adds.

In exchange for participating in the tracking program, the suit says, third-party websites such as Visionworks can gain insights into their advertising efforts in an attempt to drive more sales, either by developing better targeted advertising campaigns by analyzing customer activity on the website or by retargeting customers on other websites with advertising purchased through Meta.

The suit says the Meta pixel is programmed onto Visionworks website and then surreptitiously loaded on to users computers whenever they visit the website.

Meta guides and cautions companies of the dangers of using its tracking tools without first giving notice and then obtaining consent for invasively collecting the plaintiffs protected data and sharing it, the lawsuit adds.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that civilians in Rafah will "have the opportunity to leave" ahead of Israel's invasion of the city.

President Biden's administration has repeatedly warned that the U.S. would not approve of any Rafah operation without a clear plan for protecting civilians in the city. Netanyahu argued in a Monday morning appearance on "Fox & Friends" that the Israeli military is setting the "gold standard" for protecting civilians while fighting terrorists embedded in populations.

"I can tell you that Hamas will be doing everything in their power to make sure that we don't evacuate the civilians, because they actually try to stop them at gun point and often at gunfire, but that's not gonna stop us," Netanyahu said. "We'll get the population out."

Netanyahu went on to say that protecting civilians in Rafah is also an Israeli position, not just an American one.

ISRAELI SECURITY EXPERTS SAY BIDENS PALESTINIAN STATE PUSH IS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel needs to "root out Hamas completely."

"We'll do our best to get as many of them out as possible," he added. "They will have the opportunity to leave."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

BIDEN TO GO TO UN SECURITY COUNCIL TO FORCE TEMPORARY CEASE-FIRE ON ISRAEL, HALT RAFAH OFFENSIVE

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday that the U.S. has yet to see a plan for protecting the civilians and providing them housing following the attack. Nevertheless, Netanyahu says the Israeli military has drafted a pair of plans to both protect civilians and eliminate the remaining Hamas battalions in Rafah.

Rafah is considered Hamas' final stronghold in Gaza. It lies on the border between Gaza and Egypt and has been the sole thoroughfare for aid flowing into the region.

Netanyahu made clear that Israel is committed to an invasion of Rafah on Sunday, even if Hamas agrees to a hostage exchange.

ISRAELI SECURITY EXPERTS SAY BIDENS PALESTINIAN STATE PUSH IS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT

"If we have a deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen. If we don't have a deal, we'll do it anyway," Netanyahu said of the Rafah operation.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday that the U.S. has yet to see a plan for protecting the civilians and providing them housing following the attack.

The prime minister clarified on Monday that Hamas is making "outlandish" demands in hostage negotiations, but that if they lower their expectations to something Israel finds to be more reasonable, Netanyahu is ready to make a deal.





Original article source: Netanyahu vows to 'do our best' to evacuate Rafah ahead of invasion: 'They will have the opportunity to leave'
Joseph Greco, 69, of Washoe Valley, Nev., is accused of sexual battery with two underage family members for incidents alleged to have happened between Nov. 1 and Nov. 14, 2022. He is in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center and faces two charges of criminal sexual conduct with a minor under the age of 16. According to the charges, Greco assaulted two children. The first child was assaulted both in Beaufort County and in Nevada where Greco lives. The second child was assaulted once in Beaufort County. The two local charges are for the assaults that are alleged to have happened in Beaufort County.

Greco was reported to the Washoe County Sheriffs Office after an observed act, while the victim and family were visiting Nevada. When the family returned to Bluffton they were contacted by Washoe County Sheriffs Office through the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office. The Nevada authorities requested that authorities perform a forensic interview with the minors, according to spokesperson Maj. Angela Viens.

While interviewing the two children, two incidents were disclosed to investigators, one happening in Beaufort County, and the other in Washoe County. Greco was arrested in Nevada and extradited to Charleston, before being taken into Beaufort County custody.
Sheep graze along a service road at Enel North Americas solar farm in Haskell County. In Bandera County, some landowners are concerned that development of a big solar farm could cause unwanted storm water runoff and reduce their property values. Trace Thomas for The Texas Tribune

A dozen Bandera County landowners suing a major solar power and battery developer over its plan to build a solar farm have scored an early victory.

Judge Patrick Maguire granted a temporary injunction Feb. 7 barring Pine Gate Renewables from cutting down trees and preparing the land on both sides of FM 3240 near Montague Lake for the project. The order requires work to stop until the North Carolina company gets the proper permits and outlines its plan for preventing stormwater pollution.

But Jennifer Rosenblatt, an attorney representing the neighboring landowners, said Pine Gate has not stopped work nor complied with the judges order. She filed an emergency motion asking the court to find Pine Gate in contempt, issue sanctions against it and appoint a third party to act as a compliance officer.

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Pine Gate, though, said its activities at the property are in line with the courts order. The company is staging equipment and installing silt fencing, and it plans to begin timbering within the week in compliance with what the order allows, spokesperson Kristen Beckham said last week.

The alleged road-grading and associated timbering activity reported by plaintiffs last week is unrelated to the Rio Lago Solar Project and is not being performed by or on behalf of Pine Gate or the project, she said. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with local stakeholders, landowners and community leaders to ensure the successful implementation of the project.

The landowners sued Pine Gate last month, saying they're worried its development could cause environmental harm and reduce their property values.

They are concerned about loss of native vegetation and soil erosion that will increase runoff and cause chemicals to flow into wells, creeks and aquifers, polluting the water and flooding their properties, according to the lawsuit. They also cite the risk of fire in the rural county and allege that construction of the solar farm is interfering with some of their businesses, which include a livestock operation, a bed-and-breakfast inn and an exotic animal farm.

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Pine Gates 123-megawatt solar farm has been in the works for over a year. It could power 22,800 homes when built and represents a $150 million investment, with construction expected to be completed next year, says the company, which is based in Asheville, N.C.

Its unclear how much land the solar farm would occupy. The lawsuit says it would encompass about 1,825 acres across multiple properties, but it has previously been described in news reports as 1,000 acres. Pine Gate would lease a portion from a pair of property owners, who are named as defendants in the suit. The company also is under contract to buy land on which it plans to build a substation, the complaint states.
From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch

Kari Lake has regrets.

Regret is an unusual emotion to encounter in a fire-breathing populist. Populists celebrate anger and strength; contrition reveals vulnerability, so they disdain it as weakness.

The tone for that was set at the dawn of the MAGA movement in 2015, during one of Donald Trumps first major campaign appearances as a candidate. When he was askedat a Christian forum, no lesswhether hed ever sought Gods forgiveness, he thought for a moment and said, I am not sure I have. I just go on and try to do a better job from there. I dont think so.

That was the same event at which he responded to John McCain being called a war hero by sneering, Hes not a war hero. He is a war hero because he was captured. I like people who werent captured.

Which brings us back to Lake. In 2022, she fell just short of becoming governor of Arizona after tens of thousands of Republican voters crossed the aisle to vote for her Democratic opponent. Afterward, detractors reminded her of an infamous comment shed made at an event during the campaign: We dont have any McCain Republicans in here, do we? Alright, get the hell out!

Many McCain Republicans took her up on that offer on Election Day, it seems.

Lake is running for office again this year and now understands that there are enough McCain admirers left in Arizona to spoil her bid for Senate, so shes trying to make amends. In an interview last week, she claimed that her get the hell out remark was said in jest, insisted that John McCain himself would have chuckled at it, and invited Republicans of all ideological stripes to support her this time.

The invitation was not accepted.

No peace, b-, Meghan McCain, Johns daughter, retorted on social media. We see you for who you areand are repulsed by it. Lake responded with a long, uncharacteristically friendly offer to meet McCain for coffee and chat about how to make America better, one Mama Bear to another.

The reply came quickly: NO PEACE, B-!

Lets talk about South Carolina.

On Saturday morning, a few hours before the polls closed in the latest Republican primary, I had the jarring experience of stumbling across my name in the New York Times.

It appeared in Katherine Millers column on Nikki Haleys quixotic bid to deny Trump the Republican nomination.

A few days ago, Nick Catoggio speculated in The Dispatch that perhaps Ms. Haley had concluded shes obliged as a matter of principle to go on trying to rally conservatives as best she can, to show the new populist GOP establishment that the Reaganite bloc is stronger than they think. When I put that to her, she said, Well, I think theres something to that; that look, theres a group of Republicans that are begging to get everyones attention that Donald Trump, you know, is chaos on so many levels.

By Saturday evening, when the votes were in, she was able to put a number on the size of that group: 40 percent.

To be clear, it is not the case that 40 percent of Republicans want a nominee other than Trump. Haleys strong-ish showings in New Hampshire and South Carolina are due to her landslide margins among independents who voted in the GOP primary, winning that cohort by around 20 points in both states. Among actual self-identified Republicans, shes been crushed to the tune of 75-25 or so.

But if these first few primaries and caucuses are representative, it may be close, or closer, to the truth to say that 40 percent of all right-leaning voters prefer a nominee other than Trump. After all, many independents who showed up for Haley were former Republicans whod left the party at some point over the last eight years, presumably unhappy with its direction. Her candidacy has given them a rare opportunity to make their voices heard within the GOP again and theyve taken full advantage.

Increasingly, Haley seems to recognize whats happening. The most interesting thing about the aftermath of South Carolina is how shes begun to conceptualize her bloc as a discrete dissident faction of the right, referring to them repeatedly in a campaign appearance in Michigan on Sunday as the 40 percent.

Why should the 40% have to cave to Trump, NIKKI HALEY asks a packed crowd of 800 in Michigan.



Ill take cuts. Ill take the bruises. Ill go through the pain, because I know sometimes these best things require the pain. pic.twitter.com/Bh7FCPwn7G  Olivia PC (@olivia_pc) February 26, 2024

Hes not going to get the 40%, if hes going and calling out my supporters and saying theyre barred permanently from MAGA. Hes not going to get the 40% by calling them names. Hes not going to get the 40% by trying to take over the RNC," @NikkiHaley says in Troy, Mich.  John McCormick (@McCormickJohn) February 26, 2024

All weekend, pundits wondered why she insists on remaining in the race when she keeps losing badly in state after state and hasnt a prayer of catching Trump for the nomination. The standard theory is that shes hanging around in case his health, or the law, catches up with him, but I dont think thats it. Trump has already taken to branding her as essentially a Democrat, and the Republican Party isnt going to nominate someone whos essentially a Democrat if he cant run.

The truth is simpler. To my surprise, and possibly to her own, Nikki Haley has become the no peace candidate. Her voters are using her campaign to show that the American right isnt united behind Trump after all, and Haley evidently feels an obligation to continue to provide them with that outlet.

That would explain the weirdly persistent upbeat atmosphere of her events even as her remote chances of winning wink out into oblivion.

CHARLESTON, SC  Just an observation from the @NikkiHaley election night event: If you showed up here from Mars & had no idea what this gathering was for, you'd see a full room of happy people & you'd assume they must be celebrating something amazing.  David M. Drucker (@DavidMDrucker) February 25, 2024

Fresh off the heels of the SC primary, HALEY rallies in Troy, MI  saying the tone at the top matters and urging voters to get out and cast their ballots. All caveats about hers being the longest long shot apply, but this crowd is the most engaged Ive seen in a while.  Ali Vitali (@alivitali) February 26, 2024

It also explains why donations have continued to roll in long past the point that her campaign became a lost cause. No one is under the illusion that she might prevail; her candidacy has become a protest vehicle in a party that typically brooks no protest against Trumps leadership. Every vote for Haley at this point is a show of righteous rebellion against him and an affront to his stultifying cult of personality. Why wouldnt her supporters feel exuberant about participating in a cause like that?

Casting a vote for her against Trump is an act of civic hygiene. And everyone feels good when theyre clean.

The great irony of Nikki Haley becoming the no peace candidate is that its not clear that no peace represents her own position toward Trump. When NPR asked her recently who she preferred between him and Joe Biden, she called Biden the more dangerous of the two and, according to NPR, hinted that she would back Trump. Haley did not launch this campaign, Im sure, because she had some Liz-Cheney-esque wish to stick it to Trump and hoped to give the rights MAGA discontents a place to park votes. Shes famously ambitious; no doubt she ran because she thought she might win.

But shes ended up as the no peace candidate anyway because many right-leaning voters do have that wish, and shes an unproblematic vessel through which they can express it. If you dislike the party thats been remade in Trumps fightin populist image, having Ron DeSantis as the last challenger standing might not have appealed to you: More Trump than Trump isnt the obvious rallying cry for a cohort that believes the GOP has grown too Trumpy.

But nice, normal, likable Reaganite Nikki Haley? Sure, thats a vote you can cast with a clear conscience.

Insofar as theres any suspense left to her protest candidacy, its how much the no peace ethic of her base toward Trump might begin to infect her own criticisms of him. Haley has been careful throughout the campaign to avoid harsh moral indictments of his character, as Republican voters have come to believe that only Democrats (or Cheneys) would care about such things. But I paid attention this weekend when she was asked about Trump musing that his criminal indictments might help him with black voters because, after all, they know what its like to be in trouble with the law.

Its disgusting, but thats what happens when he goes off the teleprompter, Haley said to reporters after voting on Kiawah Island. Thats the chaos that comes with Donald Trump. Thats the offensiveness thats going to happen every day between now and the general election, which is why I continue to say Donald Trump cannot win a general election. He wont.

Disgusting is a moral indictment. Haley softened the blow by turning it into a critique of electability, hedging in a way that Liz Cheney would not have, but its unusual in 2024 to see any Republican politician evince contempt for Trump as visceral as that word suggests.

Theres a hint of anger in it, another underrated component of her no peace appeal. The candidate herself remains cool and unflappable as ever, but her voters keep turning out in unexpectedly large numbers, leading one to wonder whats motivating them to put in the effort for a lost cause. Meghan McCains crude but pointed reply to Kari Lake captures it, I think: After eight years of being demagogued remorselessly by angry lowbrow populists, traditional conservatives at last have a chance to flash a little anger of their own.

It turns out that MAGA Republicans arent the only ones capable of holding grudgesor, perhaps, taking hostages. No peace.

Maybe.

On the most recent episode of The Dispatch Podcast, Jonah argued that American politics would profit from greater factionalism within the parties. Imagine how much more productive Congress might be if centrists from both sides cooperated reliably, or hawks from both sides, or members from both sides who represent the same regions of the country, and so on.

Better yet, imagine how much less radical the Republican Party would be if a meaningful Reaganite faction coalesced and resolved to check the worst impulses of the Trumpist majority, especially on foreign policy. Thats why Haley should stay in the race, Jonah continued: If theres any such faction in the offing, this campaign could be its genesis.

Its an encouraging possibility. If you dislike the two major parties (and who doesnt?), the obvious workaround is to have them splinter into mini-partiesi.e., factionsthat can form heterodox alliances with each other instead of unhappily supporting whatever their party demands of them.

In the case of the GOP, Jonahs idea is a solution to the Republican hostage crisis about which Ive written for ages. The only way for traditional conservatives to end populist dominance of the GOP and regain some leverage over the direction of the party is to threaten and impose meaningful consequences electorally if the populists in charge cross some uncrossable red line. We can debate where that line might lie on policy, but there should be no debate that a party that insists on renominating a coup plotter is already way, way beyond it.

It would be nice to think that Nikki Haleys no peace bloc is on its way to imposing those meaningful electoral consequences and becoming a bona fide Republican faction capable of exerting influence over the Trumpy leadership in the future. Im just  not sure how that would happen.

A faction needs leadership. Once Haley is out of the race, which is likely to be in a few weeks, who would its leader be? Which Republicans in Congress are willing to risk Trumps wrath by joining a bloc whose entire purpose is to defy him on policy as necessary? The second highest-ranking GOP Trump holdout in the Senate, John Thune, just endorsed the former president on Sunday. The highest-ranking GOP Trump holdout in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, is reportedly in talks to do the same.

You can have strong factions in a party that operates as a partythat is, one in which leadership is decentralized to some degree and doesnt take it personally when members occasionally prioritize their own local or ideological interests. Factionalism thrives in parties that take policy seriously, as horse trading requires participants to form minor temporary alliances to advance common goals.

None of that is true in Trumps GOP, though. His pathological desire for loyalty means that every member of Congress is potentially one failed litmus test away from a primary challenge, if not something much worse. And Republican voters care sufficiently little about policy that Sen. James Lankfords carefully negotiated immigration compromise in the Senate became radioactive the instant Trump opposed it despite three years of the right demanding that something be done about the border.

For factionalism to work, all factions under a partys umbrella need to agree that being governed by the other party is the worst possible outcome. Only in that spirit can the factions compromise with each other toward an agenda thats satisfactory to all of them. The whole point of the Republican hostage crisis, however, is that diehard populists do not agree that being governed by Democrats is worse than being governed by traditional conservatives. Thats what all the muttering about the uniparty on the New Right is about, and why Republican leaders are forever anxious about devout Trumpers boycotting the general election if their man isnt the nominee.

Blinded by decades of partisanship, conservatives continue to foolishly believe that the worst Republican is preferable to the best Democrat. Populists do not, and thats why they now rule the party.

If Nikki Haleys no peace brigade wants to change that and try to turn the GOP into a truly factional party, then Trump must lose in November at their hands.

They might have the numbers to make it happen. As noted earlier, Haley is consistently winning 25 percent of self-identified Republicans against Trump and a much larger share of independents, many of whom are presumably right-leaning. According to exit polls of South Carolina, 59 percent of Haley votersand more than one in five GOP primary voters overallsaid they wont vote for Trump in November. No less than 78 percent of Haleys supporters said theyd feel dissatisfied if he won the nomination.

Thats a lot of potential Joe Biden voters on the table. If they crossed over en masse and dealt Trump a decisive defeat this fall, its conceivable that the GOPs populist majority would conclude that traditional conservatives need more of a voice in the direction of the party going forward in the name of rebuilding a winning Republican coalition.

Conceivablebut, for various reasons, not likely.

The first step in learning from any failure, political or otherwise, is to accept that you have failed. A populist party led by Trump will never accept that its lost a free and fair national election because itll never part with its conviction that it represents The People. If he loses again, populists will run the same playbook as 2020. The no peace bloc cant chasten them by costing them the election because, you see, the election wasnt lost.

And needless to say, to the extent that some populists are willing to concede defeat, they wont turn around and embrace Nikki Haleys no peace voters as a bloc that needs to be courted in the name of building a majority. Theyll do what populists always do: point fingers instead of reflecting on what they might have done wrong:

Trump will win tonight in SC despite running against the former governor of the state. In a sane world this would end the primary once and for all.



But Haley, funded by a bunch of far left donors, is not in this primary to win. Shes in it to help Joe Biden in the general.  J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) February 24, 2024

As I said, regret is an unusual emotion for these people. Theyre not going to start experimenting with it the day after a Trump defeat. The attitude, to quote Kari Lake, will be that McCain Republicans who handed another term to Biden should get the hell out of the party.

Even if all of that could be overcome, the nature of right-wing media would make it difficult to build a Reaganite faction of the Trump GOP that might prove tolerable to populists. Traditional conservatives worry chiefly about the size of government and preserving the Pax Americana, unsexy topics for a political infotainment industry that thrives on culture war. And the spirit of right-wing media is one of incessant revolt against the establishment, no matter how establishment theyve become themselves. Theyre not in the business of building governing coalitions; theyre in the business of finding ideological heretics on whom to blame their audiences grievances. That will always include Reaganite Republicans as much as Democrats.

So, no, there probably wont be a durable conservative faction born of Haleys bloc. Not one thats invited to the table as a partner to help steer the GOP, at least.

But thats okay. Defeating Trump in November is its own civic reward. And if populists respond as Ive predicted, demonizing traditional Republicans instead of reconciling with them, then the no peace voters shouldnt want to remain part of the GOP anyway. Nikki Haley makes her case to a Republican Party that no longer exists, Reuters reported on Friday, starkly yet accurately. Let those who lament its extinction act accordingly. No peace.

Read more at The Dispatch

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People leave notes and flowers during a vigil for U.S. Air Force active-duty airman Aaron Bushnell outside the Israeli Embassy on February 26, 2024 in Washington, D.C. Bushnell died after setting himself on fire while live streaming, according to published reports, in front of the Israeli Embassy in protest over the Gaza war. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

An Air Force serviceman stationed in San Antonio killed himself Sunday by setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C, to protest Israel's war against Hamas.

Senior Airman Aaron James Bushnell, 25, of Whitman, Mass., was a cyber-defense operations specialist at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland and had been on active duty since May 2020.

A video, apparently made by Bushnell using a smartphone, depicted his last three minutes before he doused himself with a flammable liquid and set himself ablaze around 1 p.m. Sunday in northwest Washington. The video of the gruesome scene was posted to social media by a user who said they had his family's permission to do so.

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"My name is Aaron Bushnell," the airman said as he prepared to immolate himself. "I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force, and I will no longer be complicit in genocide. Im about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, its not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.

Bushnell's LinkedIn profile said he went through Air Force basic and technical training in San Antonio starting in 2020 and graduated "top of flight and top of class." At the time of his death, he was serving with the 531st Intelligence Support Squadron at Lackland, part of the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing based at Fort George G. Meade in Maryland.

People leave notes and flowers during a vigil for U.S. Air Force active-duty airman Aaron Bushnell outside the Israeli Embassy on February 26, 2024 in Washington, D.C. Bushnell died after setting himself on fire while live streaming, according to published reports, in front of the Israeli Embassy in protest over the Gaza war. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

When a tragedy like this occurs, every member of the Air Force feels it, said Col. Celina Noyes, commander of the 70th. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Senior Airman Bushnell."

The Pentagons chief spokesman, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, said Monday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had been briefed on the incident and is following the situation.

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Asked if Bushnell previously had been on the Pentagons radar, Ryder said, "Im not able to provide additional details about this particular airman.

'There's a fire!'

The video posted to social media showed Bushnell walking toward the embassy building on Sunday afternoon dressed in military fatigues.

After making the brief statement about genocide, he continued walking but said nothing. Stopping in front of a gate, he turned to face the street, poured a liquid over his head and shoulders, and placed his Air Force cap over his military-style haircut.

Bushnell then reached into a pocket, tossed away the can containing the liquid, said "Palestine" and prepared to set himself on fire.

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Hi, sir, can I help you? someone could be heard saying in the background. Can I help you, sir?

A few seconds later, flames enveloped Bushnell, who began to chant "Free Palestine!" before screaming in pain.

Theres a fire! someone yelled.

An emergency vehicle, siren blaring, rolled up to the scene as onlookers called for a fire extinguisher. By that time, the airman had collapsed and the flames, which had risen more than 15 feet in the air, had subsided and the body lay motionless.

A firefighter rushed over to Bushnell with a fire extinguisher in hand while a police officer, crouching, aimed a handgun at the body.

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I need fire extinguishers! the firefighter said as another emergency vehicle and more personnel arrived.

Another one! Another one! a police officer cried.

I dont need guns! I need fire extinguishers! another person said.

More officers rushed toward the body and sprayed it with fire extinguishers.

What is this?! Who is this?! a man asks before the video ends at 3 minutes, 12 seconds.

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Emergency personnel transported Bushnell to a local hospital where he was declared dead shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday, Washington's Metropolitan Police Department said. The Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting in the investigation.

Bushnell joined the Air Force on May 5, 2020. He described himself in his LinkedIn profile as an aspiring software engineer with educational and work experience in software development and Linux system administration." He indicated that he intended to continue developing those skills to transition out of the U.S. Air Force into software engineering."

An Air Force spokeswoman, Rose Riley, said Bushnell was a "DevOps" specialist, a position she said involves integrating software development and information technology.

He listed his career experience as three years and 10 months in the Air Force and work as a DevOps engineer from May 2023 to the present.

"I have been commended by senior leaders for my ability to explain complex technical matters to them," he wrote on LinkedIn. "I can bring many such soft skills to the table in any role."

Bushnell held a bachelor of science degree in computer software engineering from Southern New Hampshire University, and he also studied computer engineering at the University of Maryland Global Campus, which offers virtual instruction to working adults.

His military decorations include the Meritorious Unit Award, the National Defense Service Medal, the Air Force Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Air Force Training Ribbon.

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 26: People leave notes and flowers during a vigil for U.S. Air Force active-duty airman Aaron Bushnell outside the Israeli Embassy on February 26, 2024 in Washington, DC. Bushnell died after setting himself on fire while live streaming, according to published reports, in front of the Israeli Embassy in protest over the Gaza war. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

'Giving back'

Bushnell appears to be the son of Dave Bushnell, a home builder and Army veteran from Massachusetts.

The elder Bushnell was an Army intelligence analyst stationed in Augsburg, Germany, from 1989 to 1992, according to a professional biography posted on the website of the design-build firm on Cape Cod, Mass., where he is a construction supervisor.

The father's Facebook page includes photos of Aaron and his brother at youth sports competitions, church events, family gatherings and outdoor excursions. One picture shows the boys at Church of the Transfiguration, which overlooks Cape Cod Bay in Orleans, Mass. The church is part of the Community of Jesus, which describes itself as "an ecumenical Christian community in the Benedictine monastic tradition."

The community's mission statement says it members "are joined in a common commitment of love and service to God, to each other and to the world."

One of Dave Bushnell's Facebook posts says that in 2017, Aaron and his brother were members of Spirit Winter Percussion, a marching ensemble in Orleans.

The percussion group has a strong social service component. It held a bake sale to fight poverty and hunger and support sustainable agriculture, and its members served a dinner to homeless people, according to an online account of its "Giving Back" activities. Members of the group also staged a car wash to raise $900 for the Wounded Warrior Project, which aids injured veterans.

Spirit Winter Percussion is part of Arts Empowering Life, an umbrella for arts organizations that also is based in Orleans.

From 1995 to 2000, the elder Bushnell was a maintenance manager for Paraclete Press in Brewster, Mass., the publishing house of the Community of Jesus. Aaron Bushnell later worked at Paraclete, providing IT support and maintaining the publisher's e-commerce site.

'Liberation for all'

On X, the social media platform previously called Twitter, a user identified as Talia Jane posted the video of Aaron Bushnell's self-immolation, saying that "loved ones ... reached out to me and gave me consent to post a blurred vision of Bushnell's protest today against genocide in Palestine."

Jane, a freelance journalist and labor activist, quoted a friend who worked with Bushnell to help homeless people as saying: "He is one of the most principled comrades Ive ever known." Jane quoted another friend of the airman saying: Hes always trying to think about how we can actually achieve liberation for all with a smile on his face."

The Israel-Hamas war erupted on Oct. 7, when Hamas fighters invaded southern Israel from Gaza and rampaged through communities, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages. Israel responded with a massive counterattack that has leveled large portions of the densely populated Gaza strip. More than 29,000 Palestinians, many of them children, have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The bloodshed has sparked intense protests across the U.S. In December, a protester carrying a Palestinian flag suffered critical injuries after setting themselves on fire outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta.
Legislation advances whole-process people's democracy

08:34, February 26, 2024 By Cao Yin ( China Daily

Thanks to the enactment and modification of several laws last year, China's system of people's congresses has been further improved, contributing to ensuring that the people are the masters of the country, experts said.

While enabling the people to participate more in state governance, the experts said that the improved system has also helped to promote whole-process people's democracy, the mode of democracy in China that guarantees people's right to take part in democratic elections, consultation, decision-making, management and oversight.

This key concept was first put forward by President Xi Jinping in Shanghai in November 2019 during an inspection tour of the city's Hongqiao subdistrict.

In 2014, when addressing an event to mark the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the nation's top political advisory body, Xi said, "Democracy is defined not only by people's right to vote in an election but also by the right to participate in political affairs on a daily basis."

In a recent article by Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, the upholding and improvement of the people's congress system was reiterated, as it is an important institutional vehicle for realizing the concept.

The article was published on Feb 16 in Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee.

In China, the people exercise state power through the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, and local people's congresses at different levels, guaranteeing that their interests are reflected in the decision-making process.

The people's congress system is a foundational political system for upholding the unity between leadership by the Party, the running of the country by the people, and law-based governance, the article said, adding that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee has continued to advance theoretical and practical innovations in the people's congress system.

Mo Jihong, head of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Law, said the legislative items completed over the past year contributed to improving the system.

Last year, China passed the amendment to the Legislation Law, which allows the greater participation of deputies to people's congresses in legislative activities, including lawmaking and the inspection of law enforcement.

The country also updated rules for members of the NPC Standing Committee, requiring them to increase their connection with deputies, especially those from grassroots areas, by various means in order to deeply learn people's opinions and respond in a timely manner to the public's concerns.

In addition, the supervisory power of people's congresses is being strengthened, as China began amending the Law on Supervision by the Standing Committee of the People's Congresses at All Levels, with the adoption of a decision that streamlines the process of reviewing normative documents for the first time.

The decision, which aims to strengthen the supervisory role of the NPC Standing Committee, clarifies that all normative documents, such as administrative regulations and judicial interpretations, should be examined to ensure they are consistent with the Constitution.

Mo, from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, hailed the legislative actions, saying that they are conducive to optimizing the workflow of the people's congresses at each level, upgrading their functions, and thus improving the people's congress system.

"The updates and revisions to the laws also help people's congress deputies better perform their duties, so that the voice of the people from all walks of life can be heard clearly," he said.

Zhang Yuzhen, a deputy to the National People's Congress from Fujian province, said, "The people's congress system is a crucial channel for conveying public suggestions in state governance."

Zhang, who is also head of the Fujian Academy of Environmental Science, submitted a proposal on amending the Maritime Environment Protection Law to the NPC after seeking opinions and ideas from her colleagues and coastal residents.

"Soon, some officials from the NPC Standing Committee visited my hometown to conduct surveys to understand more about my proposal," she told China Daily.

"I was also invited to Beijing to attend seminars with environmental departments and organizations to jointly study how to ramp up ocean pollution prevention when the law was being revised."

In October, the amended law was passed by the NPC Standing Committee, and it took effect on Jan 1.

"What made me happier is that my proposal was heard by and received the attention of the top legislative body, indicating that the people's congress system works," she said.

"I was elected as a deputy by the people. My duty is to serve the people and speak for their interests. Only when channels for collecting the public's opinions are open and smooth can people's difficulties in their work and life be truly resolved."

With new ideas and suggestions collected in her hometown, Zhang added that she is ready to go to Beijing to attend the second session of the 14th NPC, which is scheduled to open on March 5.

Calling for continuous efforts to improve the people's congress system by rule of law, Mo said, "The optimized institutional vehicle will be a stronger support for developing whole-process people's democracy to make the voice of the people louder and clearer."

"The greater participation of the people in social governance is the best embodiment of running the country by the people," he added.

Taking a people-centered approach to legislation and to promoting whole-process people's democracy, the NPC Standing Committee also formulated and reviewed several other laws concerning people's livelihoods last year, including those on charity, construction of barrier-free facilities, preschool education and the prevention of infectious diseases.

In addition, a number of reports, including those on fighting domestic violence and mental health, were submitted for review to the NPC Standing Committee.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
San Antonio police say a son killed his mother when his weapon accidently discharged. kali9/Getty Images/iStockphoto

San Antonio police say a man fatally shot his mother on the South Side when his weapon accidently discharged.

The incident happened about midnight Sunday morning in the 900 block of Ripford Street.

Police said the man, described as being in his 60s, picked up his weapon after he thought he heard a noise in his backyard. As he did so, the weapon discharged accidently, police said.

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The bullet went through a wall into his mothers room, police said.

The mother, who was in her 80s, was shot in the chest, police said. Emergency medical personnel performed lifesaving measures, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

No one else was injured, police said.

Its unclear whether the man will face charges.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  The Oklahoma History Center Museum is hosting the eighth annual Vietnam Veterans Day event.

According to the Oklahoma Historical Society, the History Center is teaming up with VillagesOKC, the local offices of Humana, Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight, Navigating Medicare and the Force 50 Foundation to hold a pinning ceremony to honor all of the servicemen and servicewomen, active or reservists, who served during the Vietnam War. For veterans who are unable to make it to the ceremony, family members may also receive the pin.

LOCAL NEWS: Family of seven-year-old killed in sand accident speaks

The ceremony is being held at the Devon Great Hall of the Oklahoma History Center on Friday, March 29, from 10 a.m. to noon. It is free and open to the public.

OHS says March 29 has been named Vietnam Veterans Day by the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act to be recognized with annual events across the United States. The act says only Vietnam War veterans and their families are to be commemorated, but the Vietnam War Commemoration organization is giving recognition pins to honor any US veteran who served at any point from November 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975.

The event is also featuring keynote speaker Colonel Chuck DeBellevue. He has been named Ace of Aces, one of only five to receive that status. Officials say he has also logged 550 combat hours while flying 220 combat missions. He has received the Air Force Cross, three Silver Stars, three Legions of Merit, six Distinguished Flying Crosses, 18 Air Medals and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Device. He was also inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame in 2012 and received the Congressional Gold Medal.

Also speaking at the event will be Colonel Peter Plank. Hes a founder of the Liberty Jump Team who has taken more than 100 World War II veterans back to Normandy and Belgium for free.

LOCAL NEWS: 110-year-old woman embodies Black history

Taking them to the battlefields they fought in and the villages they liberated is a humbling experience. Being a part of the Liberty Jump Team preserves the memory of those that came before us alive. We owe them that, says Plank.

Michael Do, an Oklahoma City businessman, will also speak at the event on behalf of the Oklahoma City Vietnamese community and the South Vietnamese military.

Finally, there will be music provided by the 145th Army Band, known as The Governors Own.

For more information on the event, visit okhistory.org.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Tally Joyce poses for a portrait at The Pearl on Wednesday in San Antonio. Joyce is an Instagram influencer in San Antonio who creates fashion and lifestyle content. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Tally Joyce films content for a reel at Carriqui on Wednesday in San Antonio. Joyce is an Instagram influencer in San Antonio who creates fashion and lifestyle content. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Tally Joyce films content for a reel at Carriqui on Wednesday, in San Antonio. Joyce is an Instagram influencer in San Antonio who creates fashion and lifestyle content. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Tally Joyce films content for a reel at Carriqui on Wednesday in San Antonio. Joyce is an Instagram influencer in San Antonio who creates fashion and lifestyle content. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Tally Joyce films content for a reel at Carriqui on Wednesday in San Antonio. Joyce is an Instagram influencer in San Antonio who creates fashion and lifestyle content. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Tally Joyce poses for a portrait at The Pearl on Wednesday. Joyce is an Instagram influencer in San Antonio who creates fashion and lifestyle content. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News

Tally Joyce is a multifaceted Afro-Latina living la vida in San Antonio.

She shares glitz, glam and exploration of her culture on her Instagram page, @tallyjoycee, with her 59,000 followers. On TikTok, more than 100,000 people tune in for her experiences as an Afro-Latina in the United States and tips on beauty and fashion.

The full-time influencer shares videos of travels to locales like New York, Las Vegas and Miami. There are glimpses of vacations abroad to Paris, Belgium and Mexico. Some trips are because of work, some are out-of-pocket, for brand deals or, of course, for fun.

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While Joyce, 27, is excited about photo ops with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, her heart beats for the Alamo City she called a blessing.

Its not the biggest city in the world, but theres so much more people can get by living here, Joyce said. Its appreciating where youre at.

About the author A 22-year veteran of the Air Force, Vincent T. Davis embarked on a second career as a journalist and found his calling. Observing and listening across San Antonio, he finds intriguing tales to tell about everyday people. He shares his stories with Express-News subscribers every Monday morning.

One of her ongoing viral posts  Bougie things you can do in San Antonio  whisks viewers to fabulous locales, including luxury hotels with live music and meticulously prepared cuisine.

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Bougie (boo-zhee) is slang, short for bourgeois. In the past, the adjective described wealthy, socially pretentious people. Now, it can mean something posh and people with expensive tastes.

Through the video, Im walking them through the experience theyd have if they visit the place, Joyce said. It makes you feel very elite.

She said her work is a continual process of strategy, creativity and hours of editing videos.

Every detail is calculated, down to what makeup will accentuate the outfit she will wear. Joyce said its challenging to be different and balance personal life with work. On weekends, she finds new places for the series.

Im independent. I take care of everything, like taxes and staying organized, she said. Im really working for myself 24/7.

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Joyce also offers a series called San Antonio activities for longtime residents and people new to the area. She recommends outings such as horseback riding and sites for the best aqua frescos and birria tacos.

The timing was perfect when her post about riding horses coincided with the release of Beyonces country song, Texas Hold Em.

Growing up in Honduras, Joyce didnt have a career path, content to go with the flow. She studied to become a lawyer, but it wasnt her calling. Eight years ago, she moved to San Antonio, where she found her groove.

While attending the University of Texas at San Antonio, Joyces adviser, Brandy Barksdale, suggested she consider a communications degree. From 2017 to 2020, Joyce focused on studies that could lead to a career in broadcasting.

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During the pandemic, she combined her hobby of sharing Instagram posts with skills she learned at UTSA.

Her family was concerned when she became serious about making extra income through social media platforms. Now, theyre surprised and supportive that her plan is working out.

About 6 million adults in the United States identify as Afro-Latino, according to a 2020 Pew Research survey.

A large part of Joyces content is dispelling stereotypes about Afro-Latinos and sharing the culture she loves. The posts are also part of her mission to inspire young Afro-Latinas.

Its really important to share my heritage, Joyce said. People are not really aware of Black Latinos.

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In May 2020, Joyce shared a post with questions people often ask her. Its called, How can you speak Spanish if youre Black? She invited followers to weigh in with their experiences.

The post had 4,469 views.

Among the 60 comments, people said theyd had queries such as Can you speak Honduran? and How are you Honduran if youre Black? One follower wrote, Dont they know Black people come in all colors, shapes, sizes, and speak various languages?

Recently, the NBC News website featured Joyce and her view of when other people use the term negrita (brown) to replace negra (Black).

She said the terms werent bad and could be used as a term of endearment, but the context of how the words are used could be positive or problematic. In the article, Joyce said often, these conversations where things said can be racist arent really had in Latin America.

Her drive for open communication spreads to her daily work. To connect with other like-minded people, she created Content Day, a time for creatives to network and raise their social presence. Joyces first event was at the Pearl, followed by a second at Love Yourself Creatives. A team of supporters helps Joyce curate the free events.

I just wanted a new experience so people can leave inspired, Joyce said. I am big on collaborating rather than competing.
(Bloomberg) -- The prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Shtayyeh, tendered his governments resignation amid a broad push by Arab states and the US for the governing agency to reform itself.

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President Mahmoud Abbas accepted the resignation and asked the government to stay on as caretaker until a new administration is formed, official Palestinian newswire Wafa said.

The prime ministers announcement on Monday marks a likely shift within the Palestinian Authority, as it tries to carve out a role for itself in the governance of the Palestinian territories once the fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza comes to an end.

The US and Arab countries in the region have been pushing for a reformed Palestinian Authority since the current fighting began on Oct. 7, when Hamas raided southern Israeli towns, killing some 1,200 people and kidnapping over 200 others.

The next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political arrangements, Shtayyeh said. Those need to take into account the emerging reality in the Gaza Strip, the national unity talks, and the urgent need for an inter-Palestinian consensus.

The PAs authority must be over the entire land of Palestine, he said, referring to Gaza and the West Bank.

The war has so far claimed the lives of some 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the health ministry run by Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union. Hamas-led authorities dont announce how many of those killed in the war are combatants.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in November that he discussed with Abbas the need to reform, the need to revitalize and revamp the Palestinian Authority including through moves to end corruption and support a free press.

Shtayyeh said in December that his government is working with US officials on a plan to run Gaza after the war is over and that his preferred outcome of the conflict would be for Hamas to become a junior partner under the broader Palestine Liberation Organization after accepting PLO principles.

So far, theres no sign that Hamas will agree to that.

--With assistance from Gwen Ackerman.

(Updates with Abbas accepting resignation of Shtayyeh and his government in second paragraph.)

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Third-grade teacher Eran McGowan works through math problems with his students earlier this month at the Eddie Bernice Johnson STEM Academy in Dallas. Azul Sordo/For the Texas Tribune/Azul Sordo for the Texas Tribune

DALLAS  In Eran McGowans math class, students try to teach each other.

If a student is brave enough to share how they solved a math problem, they stand up in front of the other third-graders and say, All eyes on me. The classroom responds, All eyes on you, and the student explains how they did it.

This collaborative method of learning math is part of a new curriculum, named Eureka Math, that was launched in the Dallas Independent School District this school year. It emphasizes helping students better grasp mathematical concepts instead of their performance on the states standardized test. The new curriculum is described as a step away from memorization.

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The new curriculum moves away from using tests as a way to measure success, said McGowan, who teaches at the Eddie Bernice Johnson STEM Academy. Its more focused on the kids understanding the concept, and in turn, that will help a child pass assessments.

While the teaching approach is different, the intent ultimately continues to be helping students do better on the math portion of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness.

Third-grade teacher Eran McGowan watches students demonstrate their answers to the class. Dallas ISD has adopted Eureka Math, a collaborative math curriculum, across its schools. Azul Sordo/For the Texas Tribune/Azul Sordo/For the Texas Tribune

Last summers results showed that Texas students have still not caught up to the math scores they had in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Forty-five percent of students who took math in third through eighth grade or Algebra I last year passed the STAAR test. While their math scores represent a slight increase from last year, they are still 7 percentage points behind the state average in 2019.

Whats more, the number of students who went above and beyond and mastered the subject has not recovered since the pandemic. In 2023, 19% of all Texas students mastered math at their grade level, down from 26% in 2019. While Texas students overall math scores last year were four points higher than the national average, the percentage of students who master math in the state is significantly behind the national average of 38%, according to the Nations Report Card, which samples fourth- and eighth-grade students reading and math grades across the country.

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Policymakers and educators worry that the low number of students who master math will mean not enough Texans will have the skills to meet the demands of the most lucrative, in-demand jobs in the next few decades. They fear Texas will not be able to produce its own workforce and will be forced to look for talent elsewhere. According to a Stanford University study, students who do not bring their math scores back up to pre-pandemic levels will earn 5.6% less over the course of their lives than students with better grades just before the pandemic hit.

Is our inability to get kids back towards this increased level of mastery  for math  going to limit them in the long run for the types of jobs that youre going to be able to access, or even feel like they can access, in the future? said Gabe Grantham, a K-12 policy analyst at Texas 2036, a public policy think tank. If we dont do anything about this at the state level in 2025, were going to be behind the ball.

Texas wont know how well Eureka Math is working until later in the year, when the next STAAR results are released, but there is optimism. About 400 other Texas school districts, both private and public, are using the curriculum.

Third-grade student Alaiyah B. demonstrates to her classmates how she got the answer to a math problem at the Eddie Bernice Johnson STEM Academy. Azul Sordo/For the Texas Tribune/Azul Sordo/For the Texas Tribune

Across the country, districts that have adopted the curriculum have seen scores improve. Dallas ISD piloted the program at Anson Jones Elementary before adopting it districtwide and found that students math scores and confidence in their handling of the subject went up.

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The Texas Legislature also has taken steps to make it easier for students to advance in their math studies. Lawmakers last year passed Senate Bill 2124, which automatically promotes middle schoolers to a higher math class if they do well at a lower level.

The laws author, state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, said having students perform at a high level in math will increase their lifetime earnings and contribute to a healthy Texas economy. Lawmakers, policy analysts and public education officials are looking for other ways to help students bring up their math scores ahead of the 2025 legislative session, he said.

Grantham said Texas is behind other states when it comes to math reform at the legislative level, but its better to design policies based on data and a careful review of whats working and whats not.

We dont want to throw things at the wall and see what sticks, he said. Everyone wants the same silver bullet, but were trying to parse out what that actually looks like.

For now, Texas is betting on laws passed over the last couple of years to help struggling students, such as mandated tutoring and, more recently, a law that makes it easier for teachers and districts to have access to high-quality instructional materials. Texas education experts and school administrators believe both policies are promising, though they say staffing shortages have made it difficult to comply with mandatory tutoring.

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Teaching challenges

When the pandemic forced Texas schools to close and shift to virtual learning, STAAR scores plummeted to lows not seen in a decade.

Schools and families werent ready for the change. Some children didnt have internet access or computers at home; others were completely absent. Academic achievement in both reading and math took a hit.

Four years later, reading scores have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, but students are still struggling with math.

Principal Umoja Turner sits inside Eddie Bernice Johnson STEM Academy, a Dallas ISD school that adopted the Eureka Math curriculum. Azul Sordo/For the Texas Tribune/Azul Sordo for the Texas Tribune

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The pandemic was just such a large-scale interruption, one that our system didnt really know how to engage with, said Carlos Nicolas Gomez, an assistant professor of STEM Education at UT-Austin. And due to that, even coming back, were still dealing with the interruption.

Gomez and Grantham said the reason why students have recovered faster in reading is because they can practice it at home much easier than math.

Reading, its a lot easier for parents to read to their kids at home, Grantham said. Math is going to take a lot more direct instruction. That was just lost when kids were out of school.

When kids came back to the classroom, many didnt have a grasp of mathematical concepts they shouldve learned in previous years, said Umoja Turner, principal of the Eddie Bernice Johnson STEM Academy.

It fell on teachers to come up with learning plans that incorporated the concepts students are supposed to learn at each grade level, plus fill out the gaps in learning caused by the pandemic.

But Michelle Rinehart, superintendent of the Alpine Independent School District, said the states teacher shortage crisis and the departure of experienced teachers from schools have made it difficult to help students catch up. Only two out of her seven math teachers in grades 3-8 have taught math before, she said.

McGowan helps students work through math problems at his classroom in Dallas. Azul Sordo/For the Texas Tribune/Azul Sordo/For the Texas Tribune

Experienced teachers lead to increased student achievement, according to the Learning Policy Institute, an education policy think tank. But during the last school year, 28% of new teachers hired in Texas did not have a certification or permit to teach, and 13% of all teachers left the profession. Both figures represented historic highs.

That is a really high challenge right now, Rinehart said.

The teaching shortage is especially hard for rural districts compared with their urban counterparts. For starters, Rinehart said, small districts like Alpine cant pay teachers as much and usually have far fewer resources.

A new way to learn

Before Eureka Math was introduced in Dallas and Alpine ISDs, teachers could use a variety of different curricula, mostly geared toward passing the STAAR and memorizing how to solve equations.

This leads to differences in how students across the state learned math. Turner said this sometimes causes students who move to a different campus to struggle when adapting to a new teaching method.

With Eureka Math now being widely adopted across Dallas ISD, students have a more consistent way of learning math, which hopefully will result in better test scores, he said.

McGowan said the curriculum he used in the past heavily emphasized passing the STAAR.

With previous curriculums, it was just, we have an equation, we solve it, but the kids cannot explain the process well, he said.

McGowan watches students demonstrate their answers to the class at the Eddie Bernice Johnson STEM Academy. Eureka Math, McGowan said, emphasizes collaboration among the students. Azul Sordo/For the Texas Tribune/Azul Sordo/For the Texas Tribune

Brittany duPont with Great Minds, the company that designed Eureka Math, has been helping Dallas teachers adopt the new curriculum. She said its been a huge shift in math teaching, and some veteran teachers have pushed back.

But duPont said the teaching tactics that Eureka Math proposes are needed to help kids catch up with their math studies after the pandemic. Theyre also timely because the recently redesigned STAAR test now focuses more on how a child solves a math problem, she added.

Kids are more excited to learn and master concepts with Eureka Math, McGowan said. Another upside of the new curriculum is that it gives teachers room to test kids knowledge on a topic before each lesson, making it easier for teachers to collaborate on ways to help students catch up, he said.

The new curriculum also emphasizes collaboration. McGowan lets his students debate concepts with each other and figure out how they got to certain conclusions. The process allows them to gain a deeper understanding of mathematics.

Moving to a new curriculum always poses a bit of a risk and challenge, especially when its easier to stick to what you know, but McGowan said hes seen kids enjoy learning math in a way he never has in his 18-year career.
The defence secretary apologised for failing to disclose his medical situation to the chain of command

The Pentagon has cleared US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin of wrongdoing over his failure to disclose hospital stays related to his cancer diagnosis.

A three-page defence department report released on Monday found no "indication of ill intent or an attempt to obfuscate" by Mr Austin or his staff.

The Pentagon chief has apologised for not notifying government leaders about hospital stays in December and January.

Mr Austin, 70, has been undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.

Mr Austin's actions have drawn criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike and stoked concerns about both transparency and security.

The defence secretary is just below the president in the chain of command for the US military and is regarded as one of the most important members of the cabinet.

The unclassified internal review published on Monday partly blames the lack of communication on an "unprecedented situation" and says Mr Austin's staff were attempting to protect his medical privacy.

"The process for making decisions to transfer the Secretary's authority could and should be improved," the report says, adding that "nothing examined during this review demonstrated any indication of ill intent or an attempt to obfuscate".

It says that his team began a "transfer of authority" to his deputy on 2 January - one day after he entered hospital and as he was being taken into critical care.

It was not until 4 January that the White House and Mr Austin's deputy - who was on leave in Puerto Rico - were made aware of his admission to hospital.

Earlier this month, Mr Austin apologised for keeping his medical situation a secret.

"We did not handle this right, and I did not handle this right. I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis," he said in a news conference.

"I should have also told my team and the American public. And I take full responsibility."

The secretary is expected to testify before the House Armed Services Committee later this week about his failure to advise officials of his illness.
President Joe Biden meets with UAW members during a campaign stop, Feb. 1, 2024, in Warren, Mich. Evan Vucci/AP

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are both set to make trips to the Texas border Thursday, highlighting how central of an issue record border crossings will be in the expected rematch between the two in November.

Biden is headed to Brownsville to meet with Border Patrol agents, law enforcement and local leaders, part of an effort by the White House to take control of the narrative on the border that has dogged the president virtually from the time he took office. He is expected to stress the need for provisions in a bipartisan border bill that Senate Republicans blocked this month and to renew calls for Congress to take action, the White House said.

Trump is set to visit Eagle Pass, the epicenter of an ongoing battle between the Biden administration and Texas Republicans over Gov. Greg Abbott's border security initiative. Trump's trip was first reported by CNN and confirmed by his campaign, which accused the White House of scheduling Biden's trip to coincide with the former president's.

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The dueling trips, just days before the March 5 primary, come as polling shows Americans are increasingly concerned about the situation at the border, where crossings surpassed a record 10,000 per day in December before dropping in January.

It has been central to Trump's push to retake the White House. His campaign has floated a major crackdown, including mass deportations. And Trump has cheered on Abbott's efforts on the border, which include seizing a 2-mile stretch near Eagle Pass where state soldiers have been preventing the Border Patrol from apprehending and processing migrants. A new state law set to take effect next month would give Texas authorities the power to arrest and deport migrants seeking asylum in the United States.

Biden is heading to a section of the border that was once among the busiest stretches but has been relatively calmer during his time in office. The president has increasingly sought to flip the script on Republicans who have blamed his swift action to undo many of Trump's strictest border policies for increased crossings. The White House has accused the GOP of playing politics with the issue after Senate Republicans blocked the bipartisan bill this month.

The bill included an overhaul of the countrys asylum system and new presidential powers to turn away migrants at the border, as well as funding for more Border Patrol agents, asylum officers and technology to detect fentanyl. Republican U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz of Texas joined all but four Senate Republicans in blocking the proposal, arguing it would do too little to slow crossings and saying they did not trust Biden to implement it properly.

Trump had mounted a pressure campaign against the negotiations, arguing they could deliver Biden a victory months before the election.

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It is Biden's second trip to the border since taking office. In January 2023, he traveled to El Paso, where he surveyed border enforcement operations and met with local officials amid a historic surge of migrants fleeing oppressive governments in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.

Biden campaigned on rebuilding a more "humane" immigration system in 2020. But Gallup polling this month found that immigration was the biggest issue driving his low approval rating.
On Sunday, thousands of Brazilians protested in the streets of Sao Paulo after former President Jair Bolsonaro called for a show of support as he faces coup allegations.

Bolsonaro has claimed he has been the target of political persecution since stepping down from government over a year ago.

Thousands of Brazilians Rally to Support Bolsonaro

According to France 24, Bolsonaro's supporters flocked to Paulista Avenue, one of the main arteries in the country's economic capital. Most of them were dressed in the green and yellow of the Brazilian flag, which Bolsonaro called a symbol while in office.

Bolsonaro arrived waving the Israeli flag in protest of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's comments comparing Israel's offensive in Gaza to the Holocaust before putting his hand to his chest for the national anthem.

The 68-year-old former army officer had asked his supporters to attend a "peaceful rally in defense of the democratic rule of law" in the economic capital Sao Paulo, which the organizers believe would gather at least 500,000 people.

Police have seized Bolsonaro's passport as they investigate him and his inner circle's intentions to try to remain in power after he lost the 2022 elections to Lula. He is still banned from running for office for eight years.

On Thursday, Bolsonaro denied the accusations and refused to respond to queries during a half-hour interrogation at the federal police headquarters in Brasilia.

Builder Wilson Aseka, who traveled 700 kilometers (430 miles) from Minas Gerais to attend the protest, said, "Bolsonaro is an honest person, a victim of persecution."

Aseka noted that it is important to support him because he represents God, country, and family while reiterating Bolsonaro's motto with a Brazilian flag hanging on his shoulders.

Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed the presidential palace, Congress, and Supreme Court a week after Lula took office on January 1, 2023, calling for military intervention to reverse a stolen election.

Furthermore, Bolsonaro, who was in the US then, denied involvement and even suggested that the protesters were not his supporters.

However, investigators claimed that Bolsonaro engaged in months of anti-democratic activities, starting with a plot to undermine Brazil's electronic voting system by launching a "disinformation" campaign ahead of the elections to "legitimize a military intervention" if he lost.

Police reported that Bolsonaro revised a draft presidential decree that would have imposed new elections, declared a state of emergency, and ordered the arrest of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the head of Brazil's Superior Electoral Tribunal.

They also released a video of a July 2022 meeting in which Bolsonaro ordered cabinet ministers to assist him discredit the election system.

Read Also: Alexei Navalny's Body Sent to His Mother for Burial: Report

Bolsonaro Breaks Silence On Election Defeat

On Friday, Bolsonaro spoke out for the first time since he lost in the October 30 election. He spoke to supporters and advocated for a military coup to prevent the leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from becoming the next president.

Bolsonaro said he had kept silent for almost 40 days, adding, "It hurts my soul."

In his ambiguous comments, Bolsonaro declared that the armed forces would uphold Brazil's Constitution but did not support their demand for a military intervention.

Related Article: Bolsonaro Coup Probe Undermines Power of Brazil's Right-Wing


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed on Sunday that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have lost their lives in action over the past two years since Russia initiated its full-scale invasion.

This figure starkly contrasts with estimates previously disseminated by the Russian government, which had suggested significantly lower casualties. Zelensky made this revelation during the 'Ukraine. Year 2024' forum in Kyiv, where western leaders made a symbolic journey to in order to express solidarity with Ukraine as the country marked the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian President Zelensky Reveals Devastating Toll

"31,000 Ukrainian military personnel have been killed in this war. Not 300,000, not 150,000, not whatever Putin and his deceitful circle have been lying about. But nevertheless, each of these losses is a great sacrifice for us," emphasized Zelensky, underscoring the gravity of the toll endured by Ukrainian forces.

While disclosing the death toll, Zelensky did not provide figures concerning the number of troops wounded or missing.

He also lamented the loss of "tens of thousands of civilians" in the occupied regions of Ukraine, highlighting the harrowing human cost of the conflict. However, he admitted that precise figures for civilian casualties remain elusive until the cessation of hostilities.

This disclosure marks the first time that the Ukrainian government has officially acknowledged the extent of its losses since the onset of Russia's full-scale military campaign on February 24, 2022.

In contrast, official casualty figures from the Russian Defense Ministry have been scarce, with the most recent data, released in January 2023, citing just over 6,000 deaths. However, reports from the United States (US) and the United Kingdom officials have indicated significantly higher casualty figures among Russian forces.

An intelligence report declassified by the US in mid-December 2023 estimated that approximately 315,000 Russian troops had either been killed or wounded in Ukraine, suggesting a substantial toll on Moscow's military capabilities.

This revelation aligns with findings from independent Russian news outlets, including Mediazona and Meduza, which reported that the rate of Russian losses in Ukraine remains considerable, with an estimated 120 servicemen perishing daily.

Read Also: Italy PM Blames Russia's Invasion of Ukraine for October 7 Hamas Attack on Israel

Ukraine's Frustration Mounts Over Delayed Western Military Aid

The Ukrainian government's acknowledgment of its casualties comes amidst mounting frustration over delays in Western military aid.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustam Umerov recently criticized Western allies for the sluggish delivery of promised assistance, asserting that the delays have impeded Ukraine's ability to effectively counter Russian aggression.

"At the moment, commitment does not constitute delivery," Umerov said. He emphasized that the absence of supplies placed Ukraine at a further disadvantage in the mathematics of war.

"We do everything possible and impossible but without timely supply it harms us," he stated.

President Zelensky echoed these concerns, emphasizing the critical need for timely and adequate weapon supplies to bolster Ukraine's defense capabilities. He cited the lack of weaponry as a significant factor contributing to setbacks in previous counter-offensives against Russian forces, emphasizing the detrimental impact on Ukraine's strategic position.

As Ukraine commemorates two years since the commencement of Russia's full-scale invasion, Western leaders have reaffirmed their support for the embattled nation.

Notably, Italy and Canada have signed security agreements with Ukraine, pledging substantial financial and defense assistance to bolster its resilience against ongoing aggression.

However, challenges persist for both Ukraine and Russia, with the former grappling with delayed aid deliveries and the latter facing constraints in ammunition production.

Related Article: US To Impose Sanctions on Over 500 Targets Involved in Russia's War With Ukraine
A senior church official confirmed that 15 civilians have been killed following an attack on a Catholic church in north-eastern Burkina Faso on Sunday.

The church official indicated that the gunmen were allegedly extremist Islamists.

At Least 15 People Killed in Burkina Faso Church

Abbot Jean-Pierre Sawadogo, the leader of the local diocese, claimed in a statement that 12 people died at the scene instantly, and three others died at the hospital.

According to the statement, Sawadogo invited everyone to pray for those who died in faith, for the healing of the wounded, and for the consolidation of grieving hearts in this painful circumstance.

The attack happened in Essakane village, known as the "three borders" zone in the northeast of the landlocked West African country, near the borders with Mali and Niger.

This is the latest in a series of crimes that have been attributed to jihadist groups operating in the region, some of which have involved the abduction of clergy members, and others have involved attacks on Christian churches.

Burkina Faso is part of the vast Sahel region, which has been involved in the fight against rising violent extremism since the 2011 Libyan civil war and the 2012 Islamist takeover of northern Mali. The jihadist insurgency has spread to Niger and Burkina Faso in 2015.

When Capt. Ibrahim Traore's took power in 2022, it marked the nation's second coup in less than a year, which both were partly brought on by discontent at the government's inability to stop the jihadist violence.

Furthermore, the violence in Burkina Faso has claimed the lives of about 20,000 people, and more than 2 million of the country's 24 million residents have been forced to flee their homes.

Read Also: Red Sea Shipping Disruption Hits More Than Half of UK Exporters, Firms Say

Bodies of 28 People Found in Burkina Faso

The government announced that the bodies of 28 people who were shot dead had been found in Burkina Faso's north-western town of Nouna.

The Collective Against Impunity and Stigmatisation of Communities (CISC) blamed the killings on armed civilians claiming to be members of a government-backed volunteer force fighting jihadists. The civil society group claimed that the killings happened in reprisal for an attack by suspected militants that occurred between December 29 and 30.

The government remained silent on the claim but said it was investigating.

According to The Guardian, a decade-long insurgency has struck Burkina Faso. The military took control of Burkina Faso last January and declared an end to the attacks, but the violence continues.

The government said the bodies were found on December 30 and 31. It denounced the "unacceptable violence" and demanded calm pending the outcome of an investigation.

Furthermore, it stated that the incident had occurred during a period when the government had started to mobilize the people for the unity of action in the fight against terrorism. The government has established the Homeland Defence Volunteers (VDP) and is actively seeking out civilian recruits for its ranks to fight militant Islamists.

Related Article: Attempted Firebombing: Ohio Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Trying To Burn Church Over Hosting of Drag Shows


White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan claims that Alexei Navalny's death is a sign of Russian President Vladimir Putin's weakness.

Although Vladimir Putin didn't admit to killing Alexei Navalny, many speculated that the Russian ruler was the one who killed him since he was considered his most formidable opponent.

Because of this, numerous critics said that the death of Navalny just shows how powerful Vladimir Putin really is. But, this isn't what Jake Sullivan thinks.

Jake Sullivan Says Navalny's Death Shows Vladimir Putin Has Weakness

According to Politico's latest report, Jake Sullivan shared his remarks regarding Navalny's death and Putin's weakness on Sunday, Feb. 25, during CNN's State of the Union interview.

"What I've been struck by is the commentary in the United States that the death of Alexei Navalny is some great show of strength by Vladimir Putin," said the White House official.

However, Sullivan explained that what people didn't know was the fact that Alexei Navalny's death was a strong sign of Putin's weakness. He said that locking up the critic, as well as trying to muzzle and silence him, is "a sign of weakness, not a sign of strength."

He added that this also goes to other people that Vladimir Putin is trying to silence and suppress. Russia made huge headlines recently after the death of Navalny was confirmed.

U.S. President Joe Biden said that there's no doubt that Vladimir Putin is responsible for Navalny's death in prison.

"Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny's death. What has happened to Navalny is more proof of Putin's brutality," said that American leader.

Read Also: World Leaders React to Alexei Navalny Death: Outrage, Concern, Skepticism Among International Tone

Alexei Navalny's Body Handed Over To His Family

BBC News reported that Alexei Navalny's body was returned to his family, specifically his mother Lyudmila Navalnaya. This was confirmed by his spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, who thanked those who demanded that officials hand over his corpse.

Navalny's mother was asked to sign a death certificate, which states that Vladimir's critic died of natural causes. After that, she was given three hours to agree to a "secret" funeral.

However, Kira said that Lyudmila didn't agree with the negotiation with authorities.

"We don't know whether the authorities will interfere with it being carried out in the way the family wants and as Alexei deserves," explained the spokeswoman.

Jake Sullivan also said that it is not up to the Russian government if Navalny's funeral should be held in private or in public. The White House official stated that this should be decided upon by the victim's mother.

Related Article: Alexei Navalny's Body Sent to His Mother for Burial: Report
A man wearing a military uniform set himself on fire on Sunday afternoon in front of the Israeli embassy located in Washington in what appeared to be a protest for the Palestinian people.

The incident was confirmed in the evening of the same day to include an active-duty airman by a spokeswoman for the United States Air Force, Ann Stefanek. Officers with the US Secret Service were able to extinguish the fire at around 1:00 p.m. The man who self-immolated was then taken to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries and is still in critical condition.

Protest at the Israeli Embassy

Fortunately, there were no staff members at the embassy who were injured as a result of the incident, and a spokeswoman, Tal Naim, said that all workers were accounted for. The suspect seemed to have filmed the incident and live-streamed it on the social media platform Twitch.

This was at the time when law enforcement authorities said they responded to the self-immolation. In the video footage, the man echoed language that the opponents of Isareli's military action in Gaza have used to describe the operation, saying that he will no longer be complicit in genocide, as per the New York Times.

The man then stood in front of the Israeli embassy's gates and set his phone down to film himself dousing his body in a clear liquid from a metal bottle. He then lit himself on fire while yelling "Free Palestine!" until he fell to the ground to his injuries.

The footage also showed law enforcement officers trying to approach the man shortly before the fire caught. One officer was also heard saying, "Can I help you, sir?" They then scrambled for more than a minute to put out the flames engulfing the individual's body.

Authorities worked to remove the video on Sunday afternoon and replaced it with a message saying that the channel violated Twitch's guidelines. It was the only video that was posted on the account, which used a Palestinian flag for its header image.

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Calling Out the Israel-Hamas War

The incident could force the US Air Force into balancing caring for an individual with severe injuries with addressing political actions that go against military guidelines. The Department of Defense's policy states that service members should not engage in "partisan political activity," according to the Washington Post.

Furthermore, the department's policy tells members to "avoid interferences" that political activities imply or appear to have endorsement from military leaders. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October last year, more than 29,000 people have already been killed in the Gaza Strip.

Israel estimated that during the militant group's initial Oct. 7, 2023, attack, they killed roughly 1,200 people and took hundreds of others hostage. Since then, more than 100 have been freed in exchange for more than 200 Palestinian detainees during a November pause in fighting.

Law enforcement authorities said that during the recent incident at the Israeli embassy in Washington, an explosive ordnance disposal unit was called to the scene. This was after a suspicious vehicle that may have been linked to the individual was spotted, said The Guardian.



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Israel's defense minister provided a boost to strikes on Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, even if a cease-fire is achieved with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Hezbollah, engaged in ongoing conflict with Israel during the war in Gaza, has announced its intention to stop its frequent attacks on Israel if a cease-fire is established in Gaza, as per AP News.

Israel Rejects Ceasefire Extension to Northern Front

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has categorically stated that the temporary ceasefire agreed upon for Gaza does not extend to the northern front, dispelling any notions of a pause in hostilities in that region.

"We will continue the fire, and we will do so independently from the south, until we achieve our goals," declared Minister Gallant, emphasizing a clear objective - to push Hezbollah away from the Israeli border, either through diplomatic means or by force.

On October 7, Hamas attacked Israel from Gaza, leading Hezbollah to strike Israel. The cycle of Hezbollah rocket assaults and Israeli airstrikes has displaced tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah indicated a willingness to adhere to a ceasefire in southern Lebanon if an agreement were reached in Gaza. However, Nasrallah warned of resumed and escalated attacks should Israel persist in striking Lebanon after any potential deal with Hamas.

A Sunday report revealed that five Hezbollah members were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes on trucks in the border area between Lebanon and Syria. While Hezbollah acknowledged three fatalities, the Israeli military did not confirm the strikes but announced its response to missile launches in southern Lebanon and the targeting of a "terrorist cell" in the town of Blida.

Minister Gallant asserted that Israel's targeted strikes on Hezbollah commanders significantly weakened the group's capacity to threaten Israel. The toll of nearly five months of continuous low-level clashes includes about 200 Hezbollah fighters and 35 civilians killed in Lebanon and 18 deaths in Israel, comprising nine soldiers and nine civilians, according to Irish Examiner.

Read Also: Netanyahu Slammed After Unveiling Post-War Plan for Gaza, Dismissed as 'Genocide'

Israeli Military Responds to Aerial Threat

The Israeli military reported intercepting a "suspicious aerial target" in the Upper Galilee region of northern Israel on Sunday. Subsequently, rockets were fired at various locations, and airstrikes targeted a "terrorist cell" and two "military compounds" on the Lebanese side of the border.

The most recent proposal, put forward by France, suggests a Hezbollah withdrawal of 10 kilometers from the border. However, both Lebanon and Hezbollah have emphasized that no agreement on the border will be made before a Gaza ceasefire.

Minister Gallant, in a video message, expressed a keen interest in assessing Israel's response to heightened Hezbollah activity from the heavily fortified border, affirming that a deal in the south would not ease tensions in the north.

Sunday saw the Israeli military intercept a "suspicious aerial target" in northern Israel's Upper Galilee. Rockets and airstrikes then attacked a "terrorist cell" and two "military compounds" near the Lebanese border.

Since October 7, the toll from hostilities in the north includes 10 Israeli soldiers and six civilians. On the Lebanese side, at least 276 people have been killed, mostly Hezbollah fighters, along with 44 civilians. Around 1,160 people have died in the battle, including the Hamas strikes on October 7. About 130 captives remain in Gaza. In the militant-Israel conflict, Gaza has lost 29,692 people, Barrow reported.

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Value of China's privately offered funds hits 20.33 trln yuan by end-January

Xinhua) 08:38, February 26, 2024

Photo taken on Oct. 19, 2020 shows an exterior view of the People's Bank of China in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)

BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- The value of China's privately offered funds stood at 20.33 trillion yuan (about 2.86 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of January 2024, industrial data showed.

A breakdown of this total revealed that equity investment funds, with a total worth of 11.07 trillion yuan, formed the largest category, followed by securities investment funds and venture investment funds, according to the Asset Management Association of China.

The number of registered privately offered funds had stood at 153,756 by the end of January.

Established in 2012, the association is a self-regulatory organization that represents China's mutual fund industry.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
An Israeli military operation in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah might be postponed if a deal for a weekslong truce between Israel and Hamas is reached, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He stated that total victory in Gaza is anticipated to be achieved "weeks away" once the incursion commences.

Netanyahu told Margaret Brennan on CBS News's "Face the Nation" that an agreement had been reached but did not provide details. Israeli media reported that a temporary truce and the release of dozens of Gaza captives and Palestinian security prisoners were being negotiated. Unnamed insiders told Israeli media that the war council had implicitly authorized it, as per Times of Israel.

Global Pressure on Netanyahu as Gaza Toll Rises

The international community has intensified pressure on Netanyahu's government to cease its offensive in Gaza, where the death toll is nearing 30,000, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. President Biden, while expressing continued support for Israel, has taken a more critical stance, seeking a prolonged pause in the conflict and advocating for a hostage exchange.

Netanyahu, addressing the ongoing negotiations, described Hamas as being on a different planet but acknowledged Israel's efforts to work towards a resolution and secure the release of remaining hostages. He outlined three goals: the release of hostages, the destruction of Hamas, and ensuring Gaza poses no future threat to Israel.

Asserting the need for total victory to achieve peace, Netanyahu highlighted a divergence in views with the Biden administration. While the White House aims for Palestinian governance of Gaza and a two-state solution, Israel opposes these long-term goals.

In a recent move, Israel formally opposed recognizing Palestinian statehood unilaterally, emphasizing the necessity of decisions through negotiators to preempt international pressure.

Tensions escalated further with Israel's announcement of plans to build thousands of homes in settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The Biden administration condemned the move as inconsistent with international law, maintaining opposition to settlement expansion, according to CBS News.

Read Also: Israel: Lawmakers Back PM Benjamin Netanyahu's Proposal to Reject 'Unilateral' Recognition of Palestinian State

Netanyahu Plans Evacuation

President Biden has urged Netanyahu to refrain from invading the southern Gaza city of Rafah, emphasizing the need for a credible plan ensuring the safety of the population seeking shelter there.

Netanyahu countered, stating that once the Rafah operation begins, the intense phase of the fighting is weeks away from completion. He assured efforts to evacuate Palestinians out of Rafah, emphasizing Israel's commitment to notify Gaza residents about incoming bombardments.

On the diplomatic front, a senior Egyptian official revealed a draft ceasefire deal involving the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, with a proposed six-week pause in fighting and provisions for humanitarian aid.

As discussions progress in Doha, the dire situation in Gaza grows, driving Palestinians further towards Rafah. The closed border in Egypt and the planning of a walled enclosure are causing worries about the future of displaced Palestinians.

Through increasing public pressure and a resurgent protest movement against the government in Israel, Netanyahu is dealing with challenges on both the domestic and international fronts. The worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, characterized by food shortages and serious health problems, reflects the critical need for a comprehensive solution, Daily Mail reported.

Related Article: Biden Pushes Netanyahu To Consider Ceasefire, Warns To Protect Civilians as Rafah Invasion Looms
After identifying a warehouse in the southern region of Ukraine, Ukrainian first-person-view drone operators are seen in a new video aiming their drones at a big concentration of Russian gear.

Ukrainian drones successfully infiltrated a hangar filled with valuable assets from Putin's war arsenal and proceeded to destroy the weaponry inside. The timing and location of the video remain uncertain, and Business Insider was unable to confirm it through independent means.

Ukraine Attack Disrupts Russian Oligarch's UP Facility

The operating process at a facility has been seriously impeded as a result of an assault, according to sources from the region of UP in Russia. The cooling unit and the coke battery, both of which are essential components in the manufacturing process, are among the components that have been impacted. Based on preliminary estimates, it appears that this attack has the capacity to suspend production processes for more than a month.

UP has revealed footage from a drone launch that targeted the factory, shedding light on the nature of the attack. The severity of the situation raises concerns about the overall impact on the region's industrial output.

The plant in question is owned by Vladimir Lisin, ranking as Russia's third-richest oligarch, with well-established connections to President Vladimir Putin. Forbes Magazine recognizes Lisin as one of the top three wealthiest individuals in Russia.

The incident prompted a response from the Lipetsk region's governor, Igor Artamonov, who reassured the public that the fire resulting from the attack was contained to a single workshop. Fortunately, swift action led to the prompt extinguishing of the fire, with no reported injuries, according to Essanews.

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Zelensky Advocates Peace Talks with Russia

Reports from the UNIAN agency indicate that Lipetsk residents were disturbed by explosion noises on a Friday night, with witnesses observing visible smoke in the vicinity of the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Combine. The disruption in this industrial facility, a key player in the region's economy, has raised concerns about the potential ripple effects on employment and economic stability.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended a televised meeting in Kyiv, where he confirmed his dedication to a settlement solution. Take debate a strategy for putting an end to the current violence and reestablishing a just peace, he suggested inviting officials from the Russian Federation to participate in the discussion.

Zelensky originally proposed this negotiation plan at a meeting of the Group of 20 major economies in November 2022. The summit placed a priority on the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity and the total departure of Russian soldiers.

Kyiv continues to maintain its position that it will not engage in peace negotiations with Moscow until all Russian forces vacate civilian land in Ukraine, fueling escalating tensions. The Kremlin has dismissed the current system for peace negotiations, describing Kyiv's peace proposal as absurd due to the fact that it does not include cooperation from Russia in the discussions. Despite the fact that both parties are remaining strong in their opinions, the diplomatic conflict stays, Reuters reported.

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The parliamentary and local elections in Belarus on Sunday are expected to solidify the authoritarian leader's grip on power, despite a prominent opposition leader urging a boycott.

President Alexander Lukashenko has governed Belarus with a firm grip for almost thirty years and recently declared his intention to seek re-election next year. He claims that the West is attempting to manipulate the vote to weaken his administration and create unrest in the country with a population of 9.5 million, as per AP News.

Lukashenko Defends Election

After parliamentary and local council elections, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told the media that foreign criticism of the elections was unjustified. In power since 1994, Lukashenko forcefully stated his decision to participate in the 2018 presidential election, denying exiled opposition claims and said no respectable leader would forsake their people.

The 69-year-old leader, a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, downplayed concerns about the legitimacy of the elections, stating that changes could occur in the year leading up to the presidential vote. Lukashenko, who allowed the Kremlin to use Belarusian territory for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, indicated that societal reactions and election preparations would be influenced by evolving circumstances.

The US State Department criticized the elections as held in an environment of fear that prevented democracy. Belarus' Central Election Commission head, Igor Karpenko, said the US should not comment on Belarusian elections. Karpenko stressed Belarus' electoral sovereignty.

Officials reported a voter turnout of just below 73% by mid-evening, although Lukashenko's opponents in exile called for a boycott. Lukashenko, whose re-election in 2020 triggered widespread protests, stated that the role of the parliament in Belarus would be strengthened, emphasizing that the president's position is not akin to that of a ruler or deity.

In recent times, Lukashenko has orchestrated a severe crackdown on dissent, with hundreds of opponents jailed and thousands forced into exile. The absence of genuine opposition candidates in the current elections has prompted Lukashenko's exiled rivals to advocate for a voter boycott, according to Reuters.

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US Denounces 'Sham' Elections Amid Raids

Lukashenko's caution about potential uprisings during the election comes after a string of operations conducted by Belarus's KGB security service focusing on the relatives of political detainees. As per the latest information from human rights group Viasna, there are currently 1,419 political detainees in Belarusian jails.

Exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who fled to Lithuania in 2020, dismissed the elections in a video statement, asserting that the regime's attempt to legitimize its power through the polls would not succeed.

The United States joined in denouncing the vote as "sham parliamentary elections," highlighting the impossibility of holding free and fair elections in a climate of fear and with over 1,400 political prisoners. The US expressed support for the democratic aspirations of the Belarusian people.

Lukashenko's announcement of his intention to run for president again comes amid his country's increased isolation since allowing Russia to use Belarusian territory for its offensive in Ukraine two years ago. Belarus shares borders with three NATO members, in addition to Ukraine and Russia. The president's health was previously a subject of speculation after he was hospitalized in Moscow in May, raising questions about the future leadership of the politically and economically intertwined Belarus, Daily Mail reported.

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On Sunday, the authorities said that a US Air Force member was engulfed in flames after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in northwest Washington, DC.

Fire and emergency services said the man had serious burn injuries.

US Airman Sets Himself on Fire

The Metropolitan police department responded to an incident on International Drive around 1 pm to assist the Secret Service.

The police department said on X, formerly Twitter, that an adult female was transported by DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to a local hospital, where they remain in critical condition.

Several sources told the Washington Post that a video posted online showed the man in uniform burning himself while chanting "Free Palestine."

He identified himself as an active member of the US Air Force. The individual was reportedly on fire for around a minute before law enforcement put it out, but an Air Force spokeswoman told the Post that they had not identified him.

The police reported that an explosive ordinance disposal unit was also dispatched due to a suspicious vehicle that may be linked to the person. It later stated that no dangerous materials were found.

Furthermore, the Israeli embassy claimed none of its staff were injured.

Pro-Palestinian protesters have focused their efforts on the embassy, demanding an end to the Israeli military's offensive in Gaza, with the death toll likely to pass 30,000 this week.

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Protester Sets Self on Fire in 'Political Protest' in Atlanta

According to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, a man who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy on Friday was in critical condition. Schierbaum said the incident was likely an extreme act of political protest.

The incident outside the Israeli Consulate General occurred at around noon. Schierbaum said he did not think the incident had "any nexus to terrorism."

Police and fire authorities told reporters at a press conference that a security guard at the midtown Atlanta building noticed the demonstrators outside around noon and attempted to stop them from setting themselves on fire. The authorities said that the security guard's wrist and leg were burned.

Furthermore, the officials claimed that gasoline was utilized as an accelerant, and a Palestinian flag that was a part of the demonstration was found at the scene.

The chief noted that there was no apparent threat to the safety of the Israeli consular officials during the incident. The chief was not aware of any attempt to enter the building, and the incident happened outside the building.

Schierbaum said that the community is safe and added that the department is aware of the tensions that are present right now in the Jewish community and the Muslim community. He ensured that they would continue to remain vigilant to protect communities.

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Officials disclosed on Sunday that the suspect in the tragic murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Hope Riley had illegally entered the United States from Venezuela. Identified as 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra.

According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra was arrested by United States (US) Customs and Border Protection in September 2022 near El Paso, Texas, for illegal entry into the country. Despite this, he was released while awaiting further processing due to a lack of detention space, as confirmed by Lindsay Williams, ICE's spokesperson.

Details Unveiled in the Case

The recent apprehension of Ibarra occurred on Friday following the discovery of Riley's body in a wooded area on the University of Georgia's Athens campus.

Police Chief Jeffrey Clarke disclosed during a news briefing that Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, succumbed to blunt force trauma.

Clarke emphasized, "At this time the investigation suggests that they had no relationship. He did not know her at all."

Further details emerged about the charges against Ibarra, ranging from malice murder to concealing the death of another.

Clarke characterized the incident as a "crime of opportunity." Authorities confirmed that Ibarra, who is not a US citizen, had no affiliation with UGA or personal connection to Riley.

"He did not know her at all," the police chief said. "I think this was a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual and bad things happened."

The suspect's illegal immigration status has prompted ICE to seek his detention for potential deportation proceedings upon resolution of his criminal case.

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Suspect's Previous Arrest Record in New York City

ICE stated that the suspect had a prior arrest record in New York. In September 2023, A man with similar name and age as Ibarra was apprehended by the New York City Police Department and faced charges linked to endangering a minor and violating motor vehicle licensing regulations.

Additionally, Ibarra's brother, Diego Ibarra, faces charges related to possessing a fake green card and has been in state custody.

The University of Georgia community mourns the loss of Riley, described as a dedicated student who transferred to the nursing program at Augusta University in spring 2023.

As investigations continue, authorities aim to provide justice for Riley and her grieving loved ones while grappling with the implications of Ibarra's unlawful presence in the country.

Ibarra is anticipated to face charges including felony murder, malice murder, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, aggravated assault, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another.

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President Joe Biden plans to gather the top four congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday to urge them to pass an emergency aid package for Ukraine and Israel, and to prevent a potential government shutdown next month, as per a White House official.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also a Democrat from New York, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, constitute the top four leaders.

Biden Urges Approval of $95B Aid for Ukraine

President Biden is set to hold a crucial meeting with congressional leaders to emphasize the pressing need for passing a bipartisan aid package, alongside legislation to ensure the federal government's operation until the end of September. The meeting, details of which were shared by an anonymous White House official, will focus on the urgency of approving a $95 billion national security package, providing increased assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region.

While the bipartisan-supported national security package received a 70-29 vote approval in the Senate, resistance from Republican Speaker Johnson to bring the aid bill to a vote in the House has become a significant hurdle. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan highlighted the critical role Johnson could play in shaping history by putting the bill forward, expressing confidence in a strong bipartisan majority supporting aid to Ukraine.

The immediate need for the provision of arms and ammunition to assist the Ukrainian people in their defense against Russian forces was raised by Sullivan. It was brought to his attention that during personal meetings with Speaker Johnson, signs were conveyed of a willingness to make sure that Ukraine received funds. The aid package, which is essential for the protection of world security, is inextricably connected to the continuing war that is taking place between Russia and Ukraine, as per ABC News.

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Biden Urges Funding Agreement Amid Shutdown Threat

Separately, the meeting will address the impending expiration of the first tranche of government funding on Friday, with the remainder, including key agencies like the Pentagon, Homeland Security, and State Department, facing expiration on March 8. Senate Majority Leader Schumer highlighted the absence of an agreement to avert a partial government shutdown, urging Johnson to prioritize securing funding to prevent disruptions to essential agencies.

President Biden, in recent weeks, has been consistently urging Congress to swiftly pass additional funding to support Ukraine in its struggle against Russia. The Senate had previously passed comprehensive national security funding, including allocations for Ukraine, Israel, and Indo-Pacific allies. However, challenges persist in the House, with Johnson signaling reluctance due to perceived shortcomings in border provisions.

As Congress reconvenes this week, they confront tight deadlines of March 1 and March 8 for agencies, intensifying the urgency to bridge differences, pass funding bills, and avert a government shutdown. President Biden's meeting with congressional leaders echoes his persistent efforts to secure essential funding for Ukraine and address critical funding gaps to maintain government operations, according to The Hill.

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Mexico City is facing a deepening water crisis amid a worsening climate change situation and experts are worried that the region could run out of water in a few months.

One resident, Alejandro Gomez, has been without proper running water for more than three months. He said that it comes back on for about an hour or two sometimes but only in small quantities, which he argued is not enough to fill a couple of buckets. Then, it could take several days for them to see running water once more.

Mexico City's Water Crisis

Gomez lives in Mexico City's Tlalpan district, which does not have a large storage tank, meaning that it cannot get water truck deliveries. Instead, he and his family are forced to eke out what little water they can buy and store it for future use.

When he and his family wash themselves, they capture the runoff in order to flush their toilet, which he said was difficult. He added that they are in desperate need of water because it is essential for everything. While water shortages are not uncommon in the neighborhood, Gomez said that this time is severely different, as per CNN.

He noted that right now, they are getting severely hot weather and what is worse is that things are more complicated than before. The sprawling metropolis has a population of nearly 22 million people. It is one of the world's largest cities and it is currently facing a severe water crisis.

The situation has been exacerbated by years of abnormally low rainfall, longer dry periods, and high temperatures. All of these factors have added stress to the city's water system which is already struggling to cope with increased demand. Local authorities have been forced to introduce significant restrictions on the water that is pumped from reservoirs.

In a statement, an atmospheric scientist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Christian Dominguez Sarmiento, said that several neighborhoods have suffered a lack of water for weeks. He added that there are still roughly four months left before the rains are expected to start across the region.

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Global Water Shortage

In the past few days, many residents in Mexico City have protested in the streets to raise awareness of the shortages. This comes as authorities described water levels as being at their lowest levels in recorded history, according to UPI.

Demonstrators have focused their frustration and traveled to the National Water Commission in Acambay, which is found in the State of Mexico. They have also protested in the Azcapotzalco municipality in Mexico City, where angry residents blocked key roads to draw attention to the water crisis.

However, many of the city's lawmakers have downplayed the serious nature of the water crisis, averting the talk of any sense of impending crisis. Mexico City's former secretary of civil protection, Fausto Lugo Garcia, said that water shortages are now a new issue.

He added that the capital has recurrent problems in supply and there have been times when the local government has to limit it. However, water experts have issued a warning that the situation in the region has now reached critical levels and that Mexico City could hit "day zero" in a few months.

Climate change is at the forefront of the global water crisis as it acts as both a direct and indirect driver of shortages. Research showed that the main culprits behind the crisis include natural phenomena such as orographic rainfall patterns and human-induced factors, including over-extraction of water resources, said BNN Breaking.



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(Photo : KARIM JAAFAR / AFP) (KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images)

The Taliban militant group has released an 84-year-old Austrian citizen who was said to be a far-right activist after spending his days in detention since being arrested last year.

Afghanistan's de facto rulers, the Taliban militant group, has released an 84-year-old Austrian far-right activist who was arrested after traveling to the region last year.

In a statement, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer expressed his gratitude towards the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. This was because of the latter's "strong support" in working to have the elderly Austrian, identified as Herbert Fitz, released from detention.

Taliban Releases Austrian Citizen

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Nehammer said that it was only due to the trusted collaboration of international partners that the man would be able to go back home to his daughter and grandchildren.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry said that the far-right activist arrived in the capital Doha from Afghanistan on Sunday afternoon. Officials also noted that if needed, the man would be given medical treatment before traveling back to Austria.

Reports last year noted that the individual was arrested in Afghanistan after his travel to the region in May. On top of being a far-right activist, Fitz was also said to be a co-founder of a far-right party, the National Democratic Party, that was banned in 1988, as per DW News.

The first reports of the Austrian citizen's detention in Afghanistan came as he was already in custody for a few weeks. Fitz was said to have been arrested shortly after a far-right magazine published an article that he wrote that was titled "Vacation with the Taliban." In it, he gave a positive view of life in Afghanistan under the group's rule.

In a social media post, Qatar's Foreign Affairs Ministry said that it was "pleased by the decision of the caretaker government" in Afghanistan to release Fitz. It added that the State of Qatar was able to prove that it is a trusted international partner, both regionally and globally, in various important issues.

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Traveling to Dangerous Locations

The statement also encouraged Afghanistan to pursue what officials called a "constructive dialogue approach to achieve the aspirations of the region's people. The country has allowed the Taliban group to open an office in Doha in 2013, but the fall of Kabul has put the capital in a unique position.

The situation comes as the Taliban is under fire for barring women from most areas of public life in Afghanistan. The group also stopped girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade as part of strict measures that they imposed after taking control of the country's government, according to ABC News.

The group seized Afghanistan as the United States and NATO were in the final weeks of withdrawing troops from the country following 20 years of war. Reports noted that Fitz has been a keen traveler to dangerous locations. He allegedly visited Afghanistan in the 1980s and visited Kurds fighting against the Islamic State group in northern Syria a few years ago.

When Fitz was asked about his ordeal in Afghanistan, he said that he believed it was bad luck but argued he wanted to visit the region again in the future. He noted that there were some nice people but said that there were also some foolish people, said Aljazeera.

Related Article: Mexico City Faces Deepening Water Crisis as Climate Change Worsens
Kenneth Mitchell, an actor known for roles in 'Star Trek: Discovery' and 'Captain Marvel' and the husband of 'Center Stage' actress Susan May Pratt, died at 49.

The actor suddenly passed away on February 24 in Los Angeles after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

Kenneth Mitchell Dies at 49

According to an obituary posted on his Instagram on February 25, Mitchell is survived by his wife, son Kallum, daughter Lilah, parents, brother, and other family members.

"Ken was diligent and hardworking in everything he did, but as a father, these traits found their fullest expression," it read. "He was extremely dedicated to being a positive and playful force in the lives of his children. Regardless of his later disabilities, Ken discovered a higher calling to be more fully himself for his kids."

An essay titled "Connect," written by Mitchell himself, was also included in the obituary.

Mitchell shared in the essay that he wants to become a tree, a Ginko, White pine, Jacaranda, Lemon, Cedar, Oak, Myrtle, or Maple when he dies. He said that he wanted to be buried under the roots so he could soak up all his matter, energy, love, laughter, and tears, and he wanted to reach up through the branches and feel the night sky.

The actor has used a wheelchair since 2019 after he was diagnosed with ALS, a neurological condition that causes muscle loss and paralysis. Furthermore, the obituary stated that Mitchell had faced a series of awful challenges from ALS for five and a half years.

His friends and colleagues said in some obituaries that Mitchell lived by the principles that each day is a gift and that they never walked alone. They continued that his life is a shining example of how full one can be when one lives with love, compassion, humor, inclusion, and community.

Ethan Peck, who plays Spock on 'Star Trek: Discovery,' commented on the obituary, using an emoji of the Vulcans' "Live Long and Prosper" hand gesture, that he was just thinking of him and wished him peace.

Read Also: US Airman in Critical Condition After Setting Himself on Fire Outside Israeli Embassy in Washington

Mitchell's Acting Career

Toronto native Mitchell debuted as an actor in the early 2000s, starring in 'Leap Year' on Showtime. Later, he portrayed Sam Lucas in 'Ghost Whisperer' and Eric Green in 'Jericho.'

In 2019, he was featured in 'Captain Marvel' and 'Nancy Drew' on The CW.

He started to appear in 'Star Trek: Discovery' between 2017 and 2021, playing four roles as Klingons Kol, Kol's father Kol-Sha, and Tenavik. Later, when he started to suffer from ALS, he played the human character Aurellio, who used a hoverchair or wheelchair-like device.

Furthermore, he portrayed several roles in the animated series 'Star Trek: Lower Decks.' He occasionally appeared at 'Star Trek' fan gatherings during his time on the franchise.

The last time Mitchell was seen on TV was in a recurring role on the FX series 'The Old Man,' which stars Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow.

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The Koch Network has announced the suspension of its financial support for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's presidential campaign after months of collaboration.

The Sunday announcement comes after the former ambassador to the United Nations' latest defeat in the South Carolina primary against former United States President Donald Trump. The group, known as Americans for Prosperity Action, spent tens of millions of dollars supporting Haley.

Koch Network Suspends Financial Support for Nikki Haley

The group made efforts to elevate the former South Carolina governor and prevent Trump's renomination as the GOP's presidential candidate. However, it had already slowed its spending in the GOP race dramatically after Haley lost the New Hampshire primary last month.

In its announcement, the group said that given the challenges in the primary states ahead, they do not believe that any outside group will be able to make any material difference to widen Haley's path to victory. The email announcement was made by the chief executive of the group, Emily Seidel, as per the New York Times.

Seidel also wrote that the group has chosen to now focus its attention on House and Senate races. She added that the conservative organization remained concerned about the political aftershocks of Trump winning the GOP nomination.

Read Also: Donald Trump Wins SC Primary Race; State Exit Polls Show Conservative Electorate

She also said that if the former president is at the top of the Republican ticket, the risk of one-party rule by a Democratic Party captured by the progressive left is severe. Seidel also described how the last three elections had shown what people can expect from voters who consistently reject Trump as well as his impact on the GOP brand.

On the other hand, Haley's campaign announced that it was able to raise $1 million in less than 24 hours since polls closed in South Carolina on Saturday. The former South Carolina governor has vowed to stay in the presidential race through Super Tuesday, which is scheduled for Mar. 5.

Going Against Donald Trump

The latest announcement comes as the Americans for Prosperity Action's endorsement of Haley in November last year was a significant boost to the presidential hopeful's campaign. She branded herself as the leading alternative to the former president, according to CNN.

The Koch Network group, committed to supporting a single contender in the GOP presidential primary for the first time in history. The group deployed its vast resources and standing army of activists on behalf of Haley.

However, despite the GOP nomination having whittled down to only Trump against Haley, the former president has remained largely the favorite. Seidel also emphasized that AFP Action is still supporting the former South Carolina governor despite no longer providing any form of financial assistance.

In a Sunday statement, Haley's campaign said that the AFP is a great organization and ally in the fight for freedom and conservative government. It added that the former South Carolina governor was expressing her gratitude to the group for its tremendous help in the 2024 presidential race.

So far, the AFP has endorsed five candidates running for Senate and 19 candidates running for House seats. Seidel said that it was time to take stock of where they are and make sure that they are optimizing their resources, said CNBC.



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Fatal Nanjing building blaze prompts safety drive in entire Jiangsu province

08:42, February 26, 2024 By Li Wenfang ( Chinadaily.com.cn

A crowd gathers outside a residential building in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, after it caught fire on Friday. The blaze killed 15 people and injured 44. [Photo by Yang Bo / China News Service]

Safety inspections have been ordered across Jiangsu province, after a fire in a high-rise residential building on Friday killed 15 and injured 44 in Nanjing, the provincial capital.

The blaze in Yuhuatai district was reported to the local fire department at around 4:39 am on Friday and was put out by 6 am. The search and rescue operation at the site ended at 2 pm, according to the city government.

Among the 44 injured who were sent to hospital for treatment, two were in critical condition, it added.

A preliminary investigation suggests that the fire broke out in an open area on the ground floor of the 34-story building, where electric bicycles are parked and charged. Further investigations are underway, said Liang Jun, head of the Nanjing Fire Rescue Detachment, at a news conference on Saturday.

Xin Changxing, the provincial Party secretary, and Xu Kunlin, the governor, visited the injured in the hospital on Friday.

Xin called for every effort to provide the best treatment to those injured, help the families of the victims and assist those who had to be evacuated from their homes.

At a provincial fire safety conference on Saturday, governor Xu requested a thorough inspection across the province to detect and rectify fire hazards. A list of possible hazards will be compiled and those found not addressing the problems will be held accountable, he said.

Cities such as Nanjing, Suzhou and Nantong launched the inspection and review drives on Saturday. In Nanjing, authorities will inspect all major buildings including 15,000 high-rise residential blocks and 238 large markets to rectify potential fire hazards, the Nanjing Daily reported.

Many fires related to electric bicycles have been reported in recent years. A fire safety expert quoted by news website ThePaper.cn, who did not wish to be identified, said there were problems with both the old and new versions of electric bicycle batteries.

The older lead-acid batteries are relatively stable but problems may arise if these are charged improperly, the expert said, adding that the newer lithium-ion batteries can explode in the event of a thermal runaway episode. This occurs when the battery cell reaches a certain temperature, triggering a chain reaction that causes the battery to heat abnormally within seconds.

Some residents of the community where the fire broke out on Friday had earlier expressed concern about too many electric bicycles being parked in the open space on the ground floor, posing a fire hazard, and had called for proper firefighting facilities.

A resident of a neighboring building had told a local TV program in 2022 that he once saw more than 180 electric bicycles in his building after 8 pm. A fire had broken out in the building in 2019 when an electric bicycle was being charged. There were no casualties in that incident.

A representative of the company that looks after the maintenance of the community had then said the open space on the ground floor of the buildings had not been designed for parking electric bicycles and that proper firefighting facilities would be put in place.

The regulation on fire safety at high-rise buildings issued by the Ministry of Emergency Management requires that a safe distance be kept between such a building and the place where electric bicycles are parked or charged.

The place where electric bicycles are parked or charged should be installed with firefighting equipment and the charging equipment should be automatically cut off when a battery is fully charged.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
The South Korean government on Monday gave protesting doctors a deadline of the end of February to return to work as a form of punishment for the week-long demonstrations.

The protests of young doctors have already disrupted services for patients at several major hospitals. Roughly two-thirds of the Asian country's residents and intern doctors walked off the job in protest of a government plan to increase the number of students who are admitted to medical school.

South Korea Urges Protesting Doctors To Return to Work

It was part of efforts to address what authorities considered to be a shortage of doctors that is expected to worsen in one of the world's fastest-aging societies. The demonstrations also forced hospitals to turn away patients and cancel procedures.

In a statement at the opening of a task force meeting, safety minister Lee Sang-min said that considering the gravity of the situation, the South Korean government is issuing the last plea. She added that the chaos brought by the protests was mounting in hospitals and emergency services had reached a "dangerous situation," as per Reuters.

Lee told protesting doctors that if they choose to return to the hospitals that they left behind by Feb. 29, 2024, they will not be held responsible for what has already happened. The government was urging them to remember that their voices will be heard loudly and most effectively when they are by their patients' sides.

Previously, the local government has warned that it could take legal action against doctors who do not comply with a back-to-work order, including prosecution, possible arrest, and stripping of their medical licenses.

On the other hand, the young doctors who are included in the demonstrations are saying that the South Korean government should first address pay and working conditions before trying to increase the number of physicians.

In response, authorities said that more staff are needed to increase healthcare services in remote areas and meet the growing demands of the country. A 25-year-old trainee doctor, Ryu Ok Hada, said that the current medical system in the nation is run by making cheap trainee doctors keep grinding and working, according to Channel News Asia.

Read Also: Mexico City Faces Deepening Water Crisis as Climate Change Worsens

Demonstrating Against New Government Order

While young doctors joined the protests, senior doctors and private practitioners have decided to continue walking but have held rallies urging the local government to scrap its latest plan. There were roughly 400 who gathered in Seoul on Sunday to show their support for the young doctors' demands.

However, a recent Gallup Korea poll found that the government's plan to boost medical school admissions is popular, with roughly 76% of respondents being in favor. Another physician, Park Dan, said that the government's plan is unconstitutional and forces them to work against their will.

Protesting doctors argued that universities are unable to handle so many new students and that the government's latest plan will not resolve a chronic shortage of professionals in some key but low-paying areas such as pediatrics and emergency departments.

During a Monday televised briefing, Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said that the government will not seek any disciplinary action against doctors who return to work by Thursday. He added that they want protesters to go back to serving patients by the end of the month, said the Associated Press.



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South Korean officials have reported a dramatic increase in the number of Russians seeking refuge.

The Korean Immigration Service published a report earlier this month stating that 5,750 Russians sought refuge in South Korea in 2023. That is more than the sum of all Russian asylum applications reported from 1994 to 2019, and it is five times greater than the 1,038 who requested shelter in 2022, according to CNN.

Moreover, the Immigration Service reports that the total number of asylum petitions last year was the most it has been in at least the last eight years. Besides Russians, the biggest influxes of asylum applicants were from Kazakhstan, China, and Malaysia.

Religious and political persecution were the two most prevalent justifications among those seeking refuge. Discrimination based on one's social group, ethnicity, or nationality was another factor.

When it comes to immigration, particularly asylum claims, South Korea is well-known for its stringent regulations.

The study states that out of over 103,000 asylum petitions received by South Korea in the last 30 years, only 4,052 have been officially recognized as refugees.

Also Read: South Korea Gives Protesting Doctors Deadline To End Week-Long Demonstrations

Escaping From Russia

Since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine, the plight of Russian citizens seeking refuge abroad has received considerable media attention. Hundreds of thousands of Russians have left the country in the last two years, with many escaping military conscription.

In 2022, five Russian men fleeing Moscow's war mobilization order were stuck at Incheon International Airport near the capital, Seoul.

Reports of a similar kind have surfaced in other media outlets. Statistics compiled by US border patrol agents reveal an increase in the number of Russian nationals detected after the implementation of the military conscription in September 2022 by Moscow.

Based on United States Customs and Border Protection statistics, around 22,000 Russian nationals attempted to enter the US across the southern border between October 2022 and February 2023.

Also Read: Zelensky: 31,000 Ukrainian Soldiers Killed Since Russia's Full-Scale Invasion
Samsung teased its latest smart product, the Galaxy Ring, which is rumored to feature health-tracking capabilities, which would be the tech giant's first reach into the category.

There was talk last year regarding Samsung planning to launch a smart ring to compete against the likes of the Oura ring. Last month, this became a reality when the Korean tech giant teased the Galaxy Ring in a video at the end of its Unpacked event.

Samsung's New Galaxy Ring

In a message that was shared on Sunday, Samsung announced that the Galaxy Ring will be "publicly displayed for the first time" during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) event. The event will be held this week in Barcelona, Spain.

What is notable about the announcement is the term "displayed," which suggests that there will be no hands-on time for the people who attend the event. The Galaxy Ring could instead be placed inside a glass cabinet under lock and key to be gazed upon by attendees, as per Digital Trends.

However, in a later update, it was found that the Galaxy Ring that will be displayed at the MWC event is a non-functioning prototype that visitors will be allowed to handle.

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The tech giant could also use the occasion to offer potential Galaxy Ring customers a few more details about the product that could persuade them to hold off on buying one of the currently available alternatives.

A prototype of the latest product was made available to a select few before the MWC event, who shared that the product is very light and comes in three colors. However, Samsung did note that the final product is still subject to change depending on their decision.

Teasing Potential Health-Tracking Features

The Galaxy Ring prototypes came in platinum silver, ceramic black, and gold, but the first people who tried it out were not allowed to take any pictures. The ring itself had a slightly concave shape, and each available color was offered in sizes from five to 13, which is a slightly wider range of options than normal. They were marked S through XL on the inside of the band.

On the other hand, Samsung's Vice President of Digital Health, Dr. Hon Pak, did not specifically say what sensors were built into the Galaxy Ring. However, according to The Verge, there could be sleep insights based on heart rate, movement, and respiratory indicators.

Pak also noted that Samsung's partnership with Natural Cycles will extend to the Galaxy Ring as well, which would put it in direct competition with the Oura Ring. For the Korean tech giant's product, the battery size increases slightly in the larger band sizes, but Pak was unable to share any exact battery life estimates.

The VP of digital health said that the Galaxy Ring is fitted with various sensors and added that it could give readings on various information regarding its wearer. He added that the ring will also be able to give a "vitality score" that collects data about physical and mental readiness to see how productive a person can be, said CNBC.



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Lawmakers of the South Pacific nation of Tuvalu announced on Monday (Feb. 26) that they have unanimously elected former attorney-general Feleti Teo as its new prime minister.

The 16-seat parliament elected Teo after the previous prime minister, Kausea Natano, lost his seat in a general election last January, which was closely monitored by Taiwan, China, the United States, and Australia amid geopolitical tension for influence in the region.

Two of the MPs told Reuters that Teo received unanimous support from all their colleagues.

"It is the first time in our history that a Prime Minister has been nominated unopposed," one of the MPs, Simon Kofe, said.

Educated in New Zealand and Australia, Teo was a veteran politician who has long served as an official for Tuvalu's fisheries service and worked with the Pacific Islands Forum before becoming a cabinet official.

"Feleti Teo was declared by the Governor General as Prime Minister for Tuvalu," Tuvalu government secretary Tufoua Panapa said in a statement.

Tuvalu's new ministry would be announced at an oath-taking ceremony for the new government later this week, Panapa added.

The election result in Tuvalu had been delayed by a month due to dangerous weather that prevented boats from bringing the MPs to the capital, Funafuti, highlighting why climate change is the top political issue in the Pacific Islands nation.

Read Also: What Tuvalu Election Could Mean for Taiwan, China, Pacific

Ties with Taiwan At Risk

Tuvalu is one of only three remaining Pacific island nations that formally recognize Taipei after Nauru cut its ties last month in favor of Beijing after China promised more development help.

According to Taiwan's foreign ministry, the Taiwanese ambassador to Tuvalu, Andrew Lin, expressed the congratulations of outgoing Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to Two, adding that Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang planned to visit Tuvalu in the near future.

Teo is a friend of Taiwan's and has visited many times, and has said relations are stable and that maintaining ties is the widespread consensus in Tuvalu, the ministry added.

Officials in Taipei previously said it was paying close attention to the general election after Tuvalu's former finance minister Seve Paeniu said that the new government should debate the diplomatic recognition of Taiwan or China.

Teo's position on Taiwan ties and the Australian security and migration pact has not been made public as of writing.

Some lawmakers were also pushing to review a comprehensive deal Tuvalu signed with Australia in November that would allow Canberra to endorse Tuvalu's police, port, and telecommunication cooperation with other nations in return for a defense guarantee, as well as allowing its citizens threatened by rising seas to migrate.

The deal was seen as an effort to curb China's rising influence as an infrastructure provider in the Pacific Islands.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he looked forward to working with Teo.

"Australia deeply values our relationship with Tuvalu, in the spirit of the Falepili Union," he said, referring to the migration pact.

Related Article: Tuvalu's Election Has Regional Players Taking Notice
World Trade Organization (WTO) Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala warned of the potential impacts of instability and uncertainty on the global economy.

The biennial WTO conference this week that is being held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will see the organization's 164 member countries trying to reach various deals.

These agreements would affect the fate of the world's fish stocks, the future of digital trade, and how nations can safeguard their food security.

WTO Chief Warns of Instability and Uncertainty

However, any agreement on any of these issues may not be enough to salvage a global institution that is increasingly being torn apart by the conflicting goals of its members. It is also affected by economic fragmentation that is being fueled by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and retreating American leadership on global trade.

In a statement, a former U.S. trade official who was a WTO deputy director from 2005 to 2013, Rufus Yerxa, said that you could put the world's greatest matchmaker, arbiter, and negotiator in charge of the organization, and not much would change from the current situation, as per Politico.

Additionally, the failure of WTO member countries to produce agreements worth anything at the group's 13th Ministerial Conference could further erode its ability to create new global trade rules. It could also prevent a world where competing economic blocs lead to higher prices for consumers and businesses.

Read Also: South Korea Gives Protesting Doctors Deadline To End Week-Long Demonstrations

A former Treasury, White House, Commerce Department, and USTR economist, Christin McDaniel, said that many things could go badly at the ministerial level for global trade and economic growth. The question now is whether enough WTO member countries can do damage control and curb some of the perfectionist and populist leanings.

One of the main architects of the WTO system last century, the U.S., is increasingly questioning the organization's underlying structure. Roughly two decades after shepherding China into the WTO, American leaders are accusing the WTO of doing little to bring Beijing's economic system in line with fair and open global trade.

Effects on the Global Economy

While Okonjo-Iweala sought to offer some praise for her organization in the UAE, she was blunt about the risks that lie ahead. This comes as higher prices for food, energy, and other essentials force people around the world into uncomfortable situations, according to US News.

Former United States President Donald Trump, who is running for re-election to the White House, previously threatened to withdraw the American nation from the WTO. He also repeatedly levied tariffs on perceived friends and foes alike. The Republican businessman claiming another term could once again roil global trade.

While the WTO director general did not mention Trump by name, she offered a warning about attacks against multilateralism. She said that the trading system continues to be misconstrued and undermined.

Negotiators are still hoping that member countries of the WTO could reach an agreement to buoy global fish stocks and protect fishermen by banning government subsidies. One trade delegate said that international cooperation is currently in bad shape.

Other outcomes that could result from the WTO's four-day meeting in the UAE that are either definite or achievable include the accession of two new members. These are Comoros and East Timor. This also includes a deal among roughly 120 nations to remove development-hampering investment barriers, said Inquirer.



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Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Ronna McDaniel announced on Monday her intention to resign after Super Tuesday following former US President Donald Trump's endorsement of a new set of party leaders.

Her decision to step down - which would be effective on March 8, according to the New York Times - followed Saturday's South Carolina primary and came less than two weeks after Trump endorsed North Carolina GOP chairman Michael Whatley to become McDaniel's successor.

Trump's daughter-in-law Lara would become party co-chair, and top campaign aide Chris LaCivita would be the party's chief operating officer, NBC News reported.

In a statement, McDaniel said it had been an "honor and privilege" to serve as RNC chair for seven years. She also shared her "proudest accomplishments" during her tenure, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi losing her seat and possessing the Republican majority in 2022, among others.

"I have decided to step aside at our Spring Training on March 8 in Houston to allow our nominee to select a Chair of their choosing," she added. "The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition."

Read Also: Donald Trump Wins SC Primary Race; State Exit Polls Show Conservative Electorate

McDaniel's Legacy in the GOP

McDaniel, 50, was hand-picked by Trump after the 2016 election to serve as the second female RNC chair in the party's history, replacing Reince Priebus, who became Trump's first White House chief of staff. She was re-elected to a fourth term in January 2023 after winning against Harmeet Dhillon.

Before her post, she was previously the GOP chair in Michigan, overseeing Trump's successful 2016 effort in the state.

Trump told Fox News earlier this month that "some changes" were likely at the RNC when he was asked about McDaniel's performance.

"I think she did great when she ran Michigan for me. I think she did OK initially in the RNC," he said in the interview. "I would say right now there'll probably be some changes made."

McDaniel's leadership was scrutinized by party activists after the 2022 midterm elections when Republicans lost several critical Senate seats and governors' races.

Grassroots activists and conservative influencers who were upset with McDaniel's leadership coalesced around Dhillon's effort to unseat her. But McDaniel offered a show of force ahead of the party's winter meetings last year, unveiling a list of more than 100 RNC members who backed her for another term, and she easily defeated the challenge.

Criticism of McDaniel's leadership was focused on her handling of party finances and grassroots efforts. According to the party's latest disclosure with the Federal Election Commission, it showed that it was facing a cash crunch, with less than half as much money in the bank as the Democratic National Committee reported at the end of 2023.

Meanwhile, Lara Trump was asked by reporters in Beaufort, South Carolina, last week whether the RNC would help to pay Trump's legal bills as her father-in-law faces prosecution in four jurisdictions across the country.

"I said every penny will go to making sure Donald Trump will be the 47th president, to ensuring that we have great candidates to expand our lead in the House and to take back the Senate," she responded, adding about providing funding for his legal expenses. "I think that his legal bills have already been covered at this point."

LaCivita told reporters later in the week that the RNC will not use party funds to cover Trump-related legal expenses.

Related Article: Koch Network Suspends Financial Support of Nikki Haley's Presidential Campaign
Google has blocked the ability to generate images of people on its artificial intelligence tool Gemini after users accused the program of an anti-White bias.

The Washington Post published a viral post shared by the account @EndofWokeness on social media platform X. It appeared to show Gemini, which competes with OpenAI's ChatGPT, responding to a prompt for "a portrait of a Founding Father of America" with images of a Native American man in a traditional headdress, a Black man, a darker-skinned non-White man and an Asian man, all in colonial-era garb.

Elon Musk, X owner, and psychologist YouTuber Jordan Peterson accused Google of pushing a pro-diversity bias into its product.

The criticism Gemini has garnered is the latest example of tech companies' unproven AI products getting caught up in the culture wars over diversity, representation, and content moderation. Conservatives continue to accuse tech companies of using AI tools to produce a more favorable liberal agenda.

In response, Google said Wednesday that Gemini's ability to "generate a wide range of people" was "generally a good thing" because Google has users around the globe. "But it's missing the mark here," the company said in a post on X.

It remains unclear how far the issue has spread. Before Google blocked the image-generation feature, a Washington Post reporter asked the program to show a beautiful woman, a handsome man, a social media influencer, an engineer, a teacher, and a gay couple. In response, Gemini produced White people for the reporter's prompts.

Where did Google go wrong?

In a statement released Friday, Google explained that the image feature was built on top of a text-to-text image AI model called Imagen 2. When the ability was incorporated into Gemini, the company "tuned it" to avoid "some of the traps we've seen in the past," including generating "images of people of just one type of ethnicity (or any other characteristic)," when Google's user base comes from around the world.

Senior vice president Prabhakar Raghavan described two things that went wrong. The tuning to show a range of people "failed to account for cases that should clearly not show a range. And second, over time, the model became way more cautious than we intended and refused to answer certain prompts entirely - wrongly interpreting some very anodyne prompts as sensitive."

Google is not the first attempt to fix AI's diversity issues. OpenAI used a similar technique in July 2022 on an earlier version of its AI image tool. If users requested an image of a person and did not specify race or gender, OpenAI made a change "applied at the system level" that DALL-E would generate images that "more accurately reflect the diversity of the world's population," the company wrote.

Safiya Umoja Noble, co-founder and faculty director of the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry, told the Post, "They've been trained on a lot of discriminatory, racist, sexist images and content from all over the web, so it's not a surprise that you can't make generative AI do everything you want."
In an intensification of Beijing's attempts to suppress critical speech, two prominent Chinese bloggers living in exile claim police are investigating their millions of followers on international social media platforms.

Former state broadcaster CCTV journalist Wang Zhi'an and artist-turned-dissident Li Ying, both Chinese citizens known for posting uncensored Chinese news, said in separate posts Sunday that police were interrogating people who followed them on social media, and urged followers to take precautions such as unfollowing their accounts, changing their usernames, avoiding Chinese-made phones and preparing to be questioned, reported The Associated Press.

"Currently, the public security bureau is checking my 1.6 million followers and people in the comments, one by one," wrote Ying.

Ying shared screenshots of private messages he received from followers over the last few months, all claiming the police had interrogated them and caused one person to lose their job.

As of Monday afternoon, Li had dropped to 1.4 million followers on X.

Both social media platforms, X and YouTube, are blocked in China. However, they can still be accessed with software that sidesteps the country's censorship systems.

The Past Decade:

Beijing continues to crack down on Chinese social media, censoring thousands within the Chinese state.

Users have voiced critical opinions online only to be called, harassed, or interrogated by police. Some are called in for questioning and ordered to take down posts or delete their accounts.

On occasion, users have been detained, spending up to two weeks in jail, or even sentenced to years in prison.

According to the AP, Beijing has expanded its reach to tracking non-Chinese platforms such as Facebook, Telegram, and X. A recent leak of documents shows that hackers created tools for police to infiltrate email inboxes and unmask anonymous users of X.

Li said he would not stop posting even if people unfollowed, but he urged his followers to take basic digital safety precautions.

"I don't want your life to be impacted just because you wanted to understand the real news in China," Li said in an additional post. "You only want to understand what's happening, but the price is quite high.
Sweden has taken one step closer to joining NATO as Hungary's parliament approved the country's bid to join the defense organization. This vote of confidence from Hungary after years of negotiations. Observers believe this is a significant geo-political blow to Russia, according to CNN.

Approval from the Hungarian parliament was the final obstacle to Sweden's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

On Friday, Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson visited Budapest, the capital of Hungary, to discuss defense and security concerns with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Both sides agreed to a deal to acquire new Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets, MSNBC reports.

Sweden will formally join the alliance after it submits its instrument of accession with the United States government, which is the depository of the North Atlantic Treaty.

Including Sweden, NATO will now have 32 member countries. Sweden remained neutral in the ideological battle between Western Europe, the United States, and Russia for decades. However, that changed when Russia invaded Ukraine, in part because the country wanted to join NATO.

Finland became the 31st member of NATO in 2023.

Both Finland and Sweden will be protected under Article 5 of the treaty, which states that an attack on one member will be considered an attack against all.

Under the accession rules of the treaty, any member nation can veto a new country from joining. Most countries approved Finland and Sweden's applications immediately, but Hungary and Turkey held out for quite a while.

Turkey accused Finland and Sweden of not doing enough to stop Kurdish terrorist organizations, while Prime Minister Orban said those claims were "outright lies

The European Union froze billions of dollars meant for Hungary until the concerns were addressed. Turkey approved Sweden's application after the country strengthened anti-terror legislation and pledged to cooperate with Turkey on security concerns.

"The Hungarian parliament will meet on Monday and make the necessary decisions, and with this, we have closed a phase and opened a new one with the prime minister," Orban said on X.

While this is a positive overture, NATO members have long expressed concern that, while Budapest has publicly supported Sweden's bid, the foot-dragging was purposeful and only benefitted Russia.
"Our world is becoming less safe by the day," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday during an address to the U.N.'s Human Rights Council.

"After decades of stable power relations, we are transitioning into an era of multipolarity, thus creating new opportunities for leadership and justice on the international stage. But multipolarity without strong multilateral institutions is a recipe for chaos."

As "world leaders" continue to turn a blind eye to international law, Guterres highlighted conflicts in Congo, Gaza, Myanmar, Ukraine, and Sudan, pleading for greater respect for human rights and peace in the world.

"Our world is changing at warp speed," he told the Human Rights Council.

"The multiplication of conflicts is causing unprecedented suffering. But human rights are a constant."

Quoted by The Associated Press, the U.N. chief noted that attacks on human rights can take many forms. He reiterated his frequent calls for debt relief for some of the world's poorest countries and better spending to fight climate change.

Guterres defended UNRWA, the agency for Palestinian refugees, as the "backbone" of aid efforts at a time when Israel has ramped up its most deadly assault on Gaza. Top Israeli authorities are also refusing permission for food or medical aid into Gaza at the height of a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk also lashed out at "attempts to undermine the legitimacy and work" of the U.N. and its affiliates.

"The U.N. has become a lightning rod for manipulative propaganda and a scapegoat for policy failures," he said. "This is profoundly destructive of the common good and callously betrays the many people whose lives rely on it."

UN Council Kicks Off Six-Week Session:

According to an article by The Hill, the remarks come just months after Guterres invoked Article 99 of the U.N. charter for the first time in early December when he warned of a "severe risk of collapse" of the humanitarian system in Gaza.

"Nothing can justify [Hamas's] deliberate killing, injuring, torturing and kidnapping of civilians, the use of sexual violence - or the indiscriminate launching of rockets towards Israel," Guterres said.

"But nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people."
Hong Kong: Govt holds seminar on Qianhai plan

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today held a seminar to promote the Overall Development Plan for the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone at the Central Government Offices.

National Development & Reform Commission (NDRC) Department of Regional Economy Director General Wu Shulin was the keynote speaker and delivered a thematic presentation.

Representatives from the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Hong Kong & Macao Work Office, Guangdong Provincial Development & Reform Commission, and Shenzhen Municipal Government were also present.

Hong Kong Deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) and Hong Kong Members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) as well as relevant Hong Kong SAR Government officials attended the seminar.

They learnt about embracing the central government's requirements and objectives in regard to the Qianhai Overall Development Plan and discussed with the NDRC delegation how to resolutely uphold the central government's strategic decisions on Qianhai development.

At the seminar, Mr Wu focused on studying and upholding President Xi Jinping's important steer on Qianhai's development, profoundly explained the significance of promoting Qianhai's development and opening up, and comprehensively analysed the situation facing Qianhai's development.

Following closely the overall requirements of full implementation of the Qianhai Overall Development Plan, with important missions including to facilitate Guangdong-Hong Kong and Hong Kong-Shenzhen co-operation and expand Hong Kong's scope of development, Mr Wu also systematically elaborated on various specific measures on industry development, business environment, urban development, public services and institutional mechanisms.

In his speech delivered at the seminar, Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang said: The Qianhai Overall Development Plan has a significant bearing on not only the high-level development of Qianhai and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), but also the country's continued deepening reform and opening up and high-quality development in a comprehensive manner.

Mr Tsang also remarked that Hong Kong will continue to support Qianhai in trying out new policies on a pilot basis and pursuing more policy innovation and breakthroughs, with a view to spreading the successful policies to the rest of the GBA and even the entire country, and making greater contributions to the further reform and opening up of the country.

He encouraged Hong Kong Deputies to the NPC and Hong Kong Members of the National Committee of the CPPCC to appeal to different sectors to proactively take forward the development the Qianhai Co-operation Zone and the GBA.

This story has been published on: 2024-02-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Butter sculpture show held in Qinghai to mark Chinese Lantern Festival

Xinhua) 08:51, February 26, 2024

This photo taken on Feb. 24, 2024 shows a view of the butter sculpture show in Taer Monastery in Huangzhong District of Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province. A butter sculpture show was held at the Taer Monastery on Saturday, which marks the Chinese Lantern Festival. The butter sculptures are handmade by lamas in shapes of Buddha figurines, trees, flowers, birds and animals. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

Lamas carry a butter sculpture onto the stage in Taer Monastery in Huangzhong District of Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 24, 2024. A butter sculpture show was held at the Taer Monastery on Saturday, which marks the Chinese Lantern Festival. The butter sculptures are handmade by lamas in shapes of Buddha figurines, trees, flowers, birds and animals. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

This photo taken on Feb. 24, 2024 shows a view of the butter sculpture show in Taer Monastery in Huangzhong District of Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province. A butter sculpture show was held at the Taer Monastery on Saturday, which marks the Chinese Lantern Festival. The butter sculptures are handmade by lamas in shapes of Buddha figurines, trees, flowers, birds and animals. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

This photo taken on Feb. 22, 2024 shows a view of the butter sculpture show in Taer Monastery in Huangzhong District of Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province. A butter sculpture show was held at the Taer Monastery on Saturday, which marks the Chinese Lantern Festival. The butter sculptures are handmade by lamas in shapes of Buddha figurines, trees, flowers, birds and animals. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

Lamas carry a butter sculpture onto the stage in Taer Monastery in Huangzhong District of Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 24, 2024. A butter sculpture show was held at the Taer Monastery on Saturday, which marks the Chinese Lantern Festival. The butter sculptures are handmade by lamas in shapes of Buddha figurines, trees, flowers, birds and animals. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

This photo taken on Feb. 24, 2024 shows a view of the butter sculpture show in Taer Monastery in Huangzhong District of Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province. A butter sculpture show was held at the Taer Monastery on Saturday, which marks the Chinese Lantern Festival. The butter sculptures are handmade by lamas in shapes of Buddha figurines, trees, flowers, birds and animals. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

People visit the butter sculpture show in Taer Monastery in Huangzhong District of Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 24, 2024. A butter sculpture show was held at the Taer Monastery on Saturday, which marks the Chinese Lantern Festival. The butter sculptures are handmade by lamas in shapes of Buddha figurines, trees, flowers, birds and animals. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

Lamas carry a butter sculpture onto the stage in Taer Monastery in Huangzhong District of Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 24, 2024. A butter sculpture show was held at the Taer Monastery on Saturday, which marks the Chinese Lantern Festival. The butter sculptures are handmade by lamas in shapes of Buddha figurines, trees, flowers, birds and animals. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

A lama plays a flute during a butter sculpture show in Taer Monastery in Huangzhong District of Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 24, 2024. A butter sculpture show was held at the Taer Monastery on Saturday, which marks the Chinese Lantern Festival. The butter sculptures are handmade by lamas in shapes of Buddha figurines, trees, flowers, birds and animals. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

People take part in the butter sculpture show in Taer Monastery in Huangzhong District of Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 24, 2024. A butter sculpture show was held at the Taer Monastery on Saturday, which marks the Chinese Lantern Festival. The butter sculptures are handmade by lamas in shapes of Buddha figurines, trees, flowers, birds and animals. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

This photo taken on Feb. 24, 2024 shows a view of the butter sculpture show in Taer Monastery in Huangzhong District of Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province. A butter sculpture show was held at the Taer Monastery on Saturday, which marks the Chinese Lantern Festival. The butter sculptures are handmade by lamas in shapes of Buddha figurines, trees, flowers, birds and animals. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

This photo taken on Feb. 24, 2024 shows a view of the butter sculpture show in Taer Monastery in Huangzhong District of Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province. A butter sculpture show was held at the Taer Monastery on Saturday, which marks the Chinese Lantern Festival. The butter sculptures are handmade by lamas in shapes of Buddha figurines, trees, flowers, birds and animals. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The United Nations Highest Court concluded historic proceedings on Monday into the legality of Israel's 57-year occupation of lands sought by Palestinians for a future state, with most countries arguing against the Israeli government.

Over the course of six days, the ICJ heard from an unprecedented number of countries, and the majority believed Israel was violating international law and called for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

"The real obstacle to peace is obvious - the deepening occupation by Israel of the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and failure to implement the two-state vision, Israel and Palestine living side by side," Turkey's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Yildiz said.

Outlier, Fiji was one of the few countries to argue that the court should reject the request and noted the Hamas attacks that "set off the war in Gaza," leaving about 1,200 people dead and nearly 250 held hostage. Meanwhile, the Palestinian death toll has now reached 29,782-- many of whom are children.

"The events of 7 October 2023 have shown us what could happen if there were a complete and unconditional withdrawal without the necessary arrangements in place to guarantee the security of Israel," Filipo Tarakinikini said on behalf of the South Pacific Island nation.

Israel's loyal and complicit ally, the United States, also warned the court against issuing an opinion calling for an immediate withdrawal from the territories.

According to The Associated Press, acting State Department legal adviser Richard Visek said last week that the judges should not seek to resolve the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict "through an advisory opinion addressed to questions focusing on the acts of only one party."

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki had previously urged the 15-judge panel to uphold the Palestinian right to self-determination and to declare "that the Israeli occupation is illegal and must end immediately, totally and unconditionally."

Despite the hearings held against the backdrop of Israel's war on Gaza, they predated this round of conflict and focused instead on Israel's open-ended occupation of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem.

Last month, the court ordered Israel to halt its assault to prevent the deaths of innocent civilians as well as any acts of genocide in its military offensive. South Africa also filed a separate case accusing Israel of genocide due to the collective punishment Israel has reigned on the territory.

How does Israel feel?

Israel continues to deny these claims and rejects accusations that its treatment of Palestinians amounts to apartheid, going as far as accusing UN bodies and international councils of bias.

The AP reported that Israel did not participate in the oral proceedings. However, in a five-page written submission, Israel said the questions put to the court are prejudiced and "fail to recognize Israel's right and duty to protect its citizens" from unarmed children in Gaza.

In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. The three areas are a blueprint for an independent Palestinian state.

In 2004, the court ruled that a separation wall Israel built through East Jerusalem and parts of the West Bank was "contrary to international law."

The court has again and again called on Israel to halt its illegal construction in Palestine. To date, Israel has consistently ignored the ruling.

The court stated it would issue its opinion in "due course."
Former President Donald J. Trump takes the stage after receiving Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's endorsement for President during a rally at the South Texas International Airport in Edinburg last November. Some oil and gas executives have lined up behind him, while others are weighing their options. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer

WASHINGTON  Texas oil and gas moguls are a well-known source of campaign cash for any Republican presidential candidate.

But even as Texas Republican voters line up overwhelmingly behind former President Donald Trump, the billionaires and multimillionaires who control oil and gas companies in Houston, Midland and beyond are so far divided in their support for the presumptive GOP nominee.

A handful of Texas GOP donors are among the largest givers to Trump's campaign and the super PACs supporting him, according to an analysis by the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics. That includes $5 million from Tim Dunn, the Midland billionaire and CEO of Crownquest Operating, one of the largest oil producers in Texas; $1 million from George Bishop, founder of GeoSouthern Energy in The Woodlands; and $250,000 from Kenny Troutt, the Dallas telecom billionaire.

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But otherwise, Texas' major GOP donors have largely been spreading their money to former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie  the latter two of which have dropped out of the race after poor results in early primaries.

"Youve seen a similar divide in other states, with the business wing of the party behind Haley and the more conservative hard-liners behind Trump," said Matt Mackowiak, an Austin-based Republican political consultant. "It wasnt that different in 2016."

Trevor Rees-Jones, the Dallas oil and gas billionaire, donated more than $30,000 to Haley's campaign effort last year. And Javaid Anwar, CEO of Midland Energy, gave Haley $13,200 and DeSantis $6,600 last summer. Harlan Crow, the Dallas real estate mogul, wrote a $100,000 check to Christie's Tell It Like It Is PAC in June, along with smaller donations to DeSantis and Haley. Public campaign finance databases showed no record of Rees-Jones, Anwar or Crow giving to Trump.

There was also no record of Jeff Hildebrand, CEO of Houston oil and gas company Hilcorp, and his wife, Melinda, giving to Trump this campaign after donating more than $900,000 to one of his campaign funds in 2020. Houston Rockets' owner Tilman Fertitta, another big Trump donor in past elections, contributed almost $10,000 to Trump campaign funds in June, $3,300 more than he gave President Joe Biden in December.

None of the donors named above, nor the Trump campaign, responded to requests for comment.

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Trump leads in Texas

As Trump moves closer to wrapping up the GOP nomination  a recent University of Houston poll showed him leading Haley 80% to 19% among likely voters in next month's Texas Republican primary  he is starting to pull in additional GOP donors in Texas and beyond who had previously supported rival candidates.

Kelcy Warren, the Dallas pipeline billionaire who wrote Trump a $10 million check in 2020, had been directing his support toward DeSantis but in December handed Trump a $14,900 donation.

Other oil and gas tycoons, who might have initially resisted Trump's candidacy in the 2024 election, are also coming along. Harold Hamm, the North Dakota oil billionaire who had a falling-out with Trump during his four years in the White House, called for the New York businessman to drop out of the race last summer, only to write one of his super PACs a $200,000 check in October after coming to the realization Trump was going to win the primary, the Washington Post reported.

"Kelcy Warren is one of those Republicans who really wanted a shift away from Trump," said Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University. "The support for Trump tends to be in the second and third layers of the oil and gas sector, with people like Tim Dunn who dont have to worry as much about public opinion and are more able to give money in support of their economic and ideological interests."

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A spokesperson for Warren questioned that analysis but declined to comment on his support for Trump's campaign.

Even as Haley's chances of winning the Republican nomination are narrowing as the primary seasons rolls on, some Texas donors are standing by her.

When she came through the state this month, with stops in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, donors including Ross Perot Jr. and Crow hosted fundraising events for her campaign, according to the Texas Tribune.

The hope among Haley supporters is that Trump will somehow be unable to run because of the myriad of criminal indictments he faces, but with the speed at which those cases are proceeding, that outcome looks unlikely, Mackowiak said.

"I think once Trump clinches the nomination the major donor community will largely rally around him," he said. "At that point the choice becomes binary."
A Bitcoin mining facility in Rockdale. A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order pausing a Department of Energy effort to collect electricity consumption data from cryptocurrency miners. MARK FELIX/AFP / AFP via Getty Images

A federal judge temporarily halted a Department of Energy effort to collect electricity consumption data from cryptocurrency miners, a win for Texas bitcoin miners who claim the agencys mandatory survey was a politically motivated attack on the industry.

The Energy Information Administration, an arm of the DOE that collects, analyzes and disseminates energy data, estimated that cryptocurrency mining represents from 0.6% to 2.3% of U.S. electricity consumption annually. To develop more rigorous estimates of the industrys electricity use, the EIA used an emergency clearance earlier this month to require miners to turn over details related to their energy use on a monthly basis from February through July.

In response, the Texas Blockchain Council, an industry association of crypto miners in the state, and Riot Platforms, whose Rockdale facility is the most power-intensive bitcoin mine in the country, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas last week. The miners alleged the DOE pushed out the mandatory survey without a public notice and comment period by appealing to a contrived and unlawful emergency.

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We felt very vindicated in our efforts, Lee Bratcher, president of the Blockchain Council, said of Fridays temporary restraining order. Were not averse to sharing data. We just want the government to go about data collection in a lawful way and not in a way that is politicized.

The EIA declined to comment on pending litigation.

Cryptocurrency miners use banks upon banks of computers to process strings of numbers and letters that in certain arrangements unlock sought-after cryptocurrency. Running these computers and the cooling they require consumes large amounts of energy; by one estimate, a single bitcoin transaction uses as much power as the average U.S. household uses in more than 37 days.

Though cryptocurrency mining began in the United States about a decade ago, activity expanded rapidly in the past five years largely when miners relocated from China, which banned the industry from operating within its borders in 2021, according to the EIAs initial analysis explaining its mandatory data request.

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Many of those miners moved to Texas, which has become the bitcoin mining capital of the world, as a result of its mostly-cheap electricity prices, the ability to be paid to shut off during times of grid strain and a warm embrace from the states political leaders. Theres approximately 2,450 megawatts of electricity consumption by bitcoin miners in Texas, according to Bratcher, enough electricity to power 490,000 homes during peak demand. Around 40,000 megawatts of demand are pending for what are called large flexible loads, which include bitcoin mines and other data centers, in the grid managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

As the industry grows, its heavy reliance on electricity has drawn increasing scrutiny from policymakers over concerns that mining operations increase electricity prices, add to grid strain and prop up the continued use of fossil fuel power generation.

Cryptocurrency miners dispute the criticism, claiming they benefit grid stability because they have an economic incentive to shut off when electricity prices are high and the grid is most stressed.

According to the EIA, getting an accurate read of how much electricity is consumed by cryptocurrency miners is complicated by the difficulty of distinguishing mining activity from the millions of other electricity customers.

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ERCOT has also voiced concern that it has limited visibility into how sensitive large flexible loads such as bitcoin miners are to electricity prices. According to ERCOT, there have been multiple events in the past year where a significant amount of large flexible loads unexpectedly disconnected. These loads have exhibited inconsistent behavior when electricity supply is tight, ERCOT said.

Ultimately, the Texas Blockchain Council and Riot Platforms are seeking a permanent injunction requiring the DOE and EIA to destroy all data already received from miners through the survey. The miners also want to prohibit the agencies from collecting data from cryptocurrency miners without first allowing for public comment.

Thats because the EIA is seeking the specifications of miners machines and other sensitive, competitive information, according to Brian Morgenstern, head of public policy for Riot Platforms.

The fact that the government is demanding that we hand it over, with criminal penalties if we dont and promising to publish it on a government website, is outrageous behavior. The costs of compliance and competitive harm would absolutely result in irreparable harm, he said.

A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
Pre-K bilingual teacher Claudia Hite works with her students at Highland Heights Elementary on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 in Houston. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

Houston ISD is making an aggressive $10 million effort to expand pre-kindergarten enrollment by adding 500 seats by August 2025 and marketing its program to parents scrambling for options, a move that could help curb the steep enrollment declines plaguing the district.

HISD currently enrolls about 13,000 pre-K students, which is about half the 3- and 4-year-olds who live in the district boundaries, according to district records.

While pre-K enrollment across the nation drastically declined during COVID-19, early childhood education experts say the pandemic also forced several private preschools and child care centers to close, leading parents to seeking public pre-K programs.

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Getting students enrolled at a young age may help reverse enrollment declines in HISD. said Xin Li, an early childhood education assistant professor at the University of Houston. The districts enrollment has shrank to about 184,000 students during the 2023-24 school year, down from 209,000 during the 2019-20 year.

According to a 2017 study, children who attended one or two years of pre-K in HISD were significantly more likely to be considered school ready than children who did not attend pre-K in the district.

A lot of kids that go to pre-K have a better outcome in even their high school and college admissions, Li said. So yes, I would say pre-K has not just the short-term return in the lower elementary child development outcomes, but in the long term, it helps them to have a better overall educational outcome as well.

THE REPORT CARD: Subscribe to the Houston Chronicles weekly newsletter recapping HISD news

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State-appointed superintendent Mike Miles said the $10 million budgeted for expanding pre-K capacity for Houston ISDs low-income students is a key to his systemic reform efforts.

HISD currently has 159 elementary campuses that offer pre-K programs, along with eight early childhood centers, according to the districts website. The district reported in January that it has added around 70 pre-K spots so far this academic year. Another 200 seats can be added by August 2024 and 300 more by 2025 in areas where there is the highest demand for classes based on applications for the 2024-2025 school year.

Since the district cant wait for a bond to expand capacity, Miles said portable classrooms, or modular buildings, can be used to meet demand for the short-term.

We may have to put some good modulars  not your fathers Oldsmobile  but some really nice looking ones to expand the pre-K program, Miles said during a January board meeting.

The district also plans to establish partnerships with child care centers that could host HISD pre-K classes in areas where there is high demand but limited building capacity, HISD Chief Academic Officer Kristen Hole said.

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The child care centers provide us with the facilities in the space but HISD hires the instructor (and) is responsible for the instruction in the classroom, Hole said. Its treated as a normal HISD pre-K classroom on a day to day basis with HISD teachers, curriculum and requirements.

A drop in the bucket

However, multiple early childhood education experts say the districts planned addition of 500 seats within two years is unlikely to be anywhere near enough to meet all the demand for pre-K in Houston.

HISD currently enrolls 47% of eligible pre-K students, with more than 14,300 eligible students in district boundaries who are not enrolled in HISDs Pre-K programs, according to a December analysis by Good Reason Houston.

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We applaud HISD going forward with 500 to 600 seats this year, but frankly, wed love to see that number be even bigger, said Cary Wright, Good Reason Houstons chief executive officer.

Patrick Gill, a manager of research and data for Good Reason Houston, said other comparable districts around Texas, including San Antonio, Austin and Dallas ISDs, are doing significantly better at enrolling a higher percentage of eligible students in the district into pre-K classes.

HISD is currently at 47% of eligible 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in pre-K and with another 500 students, wed get up to about 48%, so its a drop in the bucket, but compared to peer districts in the region, they are enrolling a higher proportion (of students,) Gill said.

The district plans to determine if it can expand capacity beyond 500 seats after the budgeting process this spring for next year and the end of the pre-K application process, Hole said.

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Additional Pre-K changes

HISDs plans to expand pre-K capacity come as it has already made several reforms to its early childhood education programs since the beginning of the school year, according to district documents.

HISD has changed the pre-K enrollment process for the 2024-2025 school year to assign each student to a zoned pre-K campus instead of having them all apply through a lottery. Parents still have to fill out an application for their child but they will not need to participate in a lottery process unless there is not enough space available for all interested zoned students.

Families can enroll students in pre-K for free if they live within HISD boundaries and meet certain criteria, including being economically disadvantaged or homeless, but otherwise must pay tuition, which is $6,484 for the academic year in HISD. State law requires the district to provide seats to all students eligible for free pre-K 4 before seats are provided to tuition-paying pre-K 4 students or students in pre-K 3.

LOOKING FOR A SCHOOL? Here are 5 resources to find the best Houston-area school for your child.

The district also reported that it had lowered the teacher student ratio to 15 to 1 and added teacher assistants for pre-K classes at New Education System schools and NES-aligned schools. The average class size of pre-K classrooms is 18.9 students at non-NES schools, according to the district.

Hole said pre-K students now have a grade-appropriate version of the Demonstration of Learning, an end-of-lesson test that is one of the trademarks of Miles' reforms. However, instead of taking a daily 10-minute graded quiz like students in K-12 schools, she said students can share what theyve learned with hand motions or a verbal response to a question.

The DOL might be a journal response where they color something or a kinesthetic response where you ask them to make a hand motion or an oral response where you can say, Whats the color of this?  and theyll say green, Hole said. Its grade appropriate checks for understanding for those kids.

Mike Morath, the Texas Education Agency commissioner, previously told the Chronicle editorial board that if HISD leadership focused on early childhood education systems, it could be eligible for millions of dollars from the state that could help the district expand its pre-K capacity.

Between pre-K and summer learning opportunities, theres like $200 million a year on the table ready for Houston to gain access to, and the answer to that is not like some magic wand from the state, Morath said in March. The answer to that is focused, local leadership that says 'We should probably prioritize this strategically.

Wright said for HISD and other school districts to increase pre-K enrollment, theyll need to make the case for the value of the educational programs. He said if HISD gets more funding, including through a potential increase to the early childhood allotment, the district would then be able to provide additional services that could attract more families.

Added (allotment) funding obviously motivates districts to get more kids enrolled and also comes with a commensurate amount of bonus funding, so to speak, that helps them fund some of the additional capacity needs, Wright said.  I dont think that (increasing enrollment) is just on districts themselves though. I think its the community coming together to support districts to say, 'If we really care about all kids getting a strong start to their education, lets figure out how to make sure the quality spaces are there.'
A new Texas A&M report paints a grim picture of how state prisons are failing to combat the sweltering summer heat, with researchers saying TDCJ isn't doing enough to help. Rhonda Oaks/Associated Press

As sweltering heat bombards Texas, a new report from Texas A&M University questions whether state prisons are handling those extreme temperatures effectively and keeping inmates safe.

Researchers from A&M's Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center, as well as the Texas Prisons Community Advocates group, surveyed 309 incarcerated individuals between June 2018 and 2020. The responses paint a grim picture, with many inmates saying they fear the heat will kill them.

Most Texans have the luxury of cooling off indoors, but not all inmates do. Texas is one of at least 13 states without universal air conditioning in state prisons, the report states.

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"With our prisons not having air conditioning, it's a really dangerous situation," said J. Carlee Purdum, a research assistant professor at A&M. "When we have a heat wave such as this summer, it can potentially lead to disastrous consequences."

FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD: Prisoners are dying. Texas must do more to help.

Temperatures inside prisons have been shown to regularly reach 110 degrees, according to the report, with at least one unit topping 149 degrees.

At least 79 incarcerated people and prison staff reported heat-related illnesses from January to October 2018, the report states. Since 1998, TCDJ has recorded at least 23 heat-related deaths.

"Every summer I battle with heat rash and it's maddening," one inmate wrote in the report.

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Another said he fainted four times in a cell without any medical attention offered or report filed.

Between September of 2019 and August of 2020, 6,341 grievances were filed specific to heat-related issues, according to the report.

According to the TPCA survey, one third of participants reported having filed at least one heat-related grievance, and the majority of participants who filed a grievance contested the initial response by filing a second grievance. A significant number of participants (16 percent) who had filed a grievance had not yet received a response.

"Grievances are futile, a waste of time, wrote one inmate from the Stevenson Unit.

Purdum and her co-researchers say the issues are systemic and that the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's current policies are "not enough."

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A TDCJ spokesperson said via email Friday that the agency operates 100 facilities across the state, with 31 completely air-conditioned, 55 partly air-conditioned and 14 having no A/C.

"We take numerous precautions to lessen the effects of hot temperatures for those incarcerated within our facilities. These efforts work," said Amanda Hernandez, TDCJ's director of communications.

Hernandez said the agency has worked to increase the number of cooled beds available over the past few years, adding it also uses an "array of measures to keep inmates safe." These measures include providing access to ice and water, and "strategically" placing fans in facilities to move the air.

"Each summer we continue to refine and improve our practices," Hernandez said. "What has not changed is our commitment to do all that we can to keep staff and inmates safe."

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But even getting access to a cooled bed or a cup for water is difficult, inmates said in the report.

"I have heat restrictions through medical and psych due to my health and medications," wrote one incarcerated woman with serious health vulnerabilities who has struggled to get access to a cooled bed at the non-air conditioned Hobby Unit. "I struggle with the heat so bad I cant eat I cant gain weight I suffer from the heat I get dizzy and headaches I am weak. I have diarrhea too with leg cramps at night. I have even passed out a few times. I drink plenty of water. They do not allow respite."

The woman, who reported that she has no family to help her, begged for help with a unit transfer.

Not having a cup to access communally distributed water also creates significant vulnerability to heat-related illness, the report stated, noting in 2012 Larry McCollum, an incarcerated man who died from hyperthermia in the Hutchins State Jail run by TDCJ, did not have access to a cup for water, which must be purchased from the commisary.

Indigent incarcerated people are to be given a cup per TDCJ policy, yet many incarcerated participants reported not having one. In 2019, only a quarter of survey participants reported that they had access to a cup. This proportion increased in 2020 where

62 percent of participants had access to a cup, likely because of lockdowns due to COVID, the report said.

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Even with slight improvements and heat-mitigating measures that have been taken at prisons, A&M's researchers argue the impact of the heat is "wildly underestimated."

"People don't understand how much of an issue this is," Purdum said, "and it has enormous spillover effects for our prison systems and our communities."

The lack of air conditioning in prisons, especially in housing areas, has previously been argued to be a violation of human rights under the U.S. Constitution, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.

In 2019, a federal judge accused the Texas prison system of violating the terms of a settlement in a contentious class-action lawsuit. The judge ordered prison officials to transfer inmates out of a sweltering Beaumont lock-up after a failed cooling system saw indoor temperatures exceed 90 degrees.

The solution to the problem, Purdum says, is to reduce heat exposure in the first place, rather than attempt to reduce its impact. "The only way to really do that at this point is to add air conditioning to the units and bring the temperatures down."

TDCJ has previously claimed it would cost $1 billion to install A/C across all units, according to the report, with an additional $140 million needed annually for utilities and maintenance.
A Rice's whale is pictured. These whales were found to frequent Texas coasts in the Gulf of Mexico, after new research was released by the NOAA in February 2024. NOAA Fisheries

New research shows that Rices whales  one of the most critically endangered large whale species in the world with only 51 known animals remaining  can be regularly recorded off the Texas coast in the Gulf of Mexico, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently reported.

These whales, which grow up to 40 feet long, were previously thought to reside in the northeastern portion of the Gulf, near Florida's coast, and while that is still considered their "core area," audio recordings have found evidence these whales travel farther than previously believed, toward South Texas and even Mexico.

To detect the mammals presence, researchers moored passive audio recorders to the sea floor for two years, collecting ocean sounds, and then used software to analyze Rice's whale calls, low pulsating underwater moans that can last up to a minute, which were also manually confirmed by an acoustic analyst, according to the NOAA fisheries announcement.

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In 365 days of the NOAAs data-gathering off the shores of Texas, it was found that Rices whales could be heard on 25% of the days, meaning they spent a significant enough amount of time in the area to support an ongoing consideration for the species critical habitat designation.

Since these underwater mammals spend time exploring near Texas shores, heres what you might need to know about the endangered species.

What are Rices Whales?

Rices whales, originally known as a subsection of the Byrdes whales that lived in the Gulf of Mexico, received their official name and scientific description in 2021. The skull of a whale that was fatally beached due to injuries from ingesting plastic in 2019 was closely examined and scientists found the subsection of the Byrdes whale was genetically different enough to receive its own designation. The new species of whale was named after prominent marine biologist and cetologist, Dale W. Rice, according to NOAAs website.

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Rices whales are around 40 feet in length, have three prominent ridges on their blowhole and a curved dorsal fin. They are the only baleen whale that lives full-time in the Gulf of Mexico and does not migrate out of the territory. These whales can birth a calf every two to three years on average, once they reach maturity at 9 years. Due to limited research on the newly designated species, their current average lifespan is unknown.

According to data gathered about the species, Rices whales spend most of their time near the continental shelf in the Gulf of Mexico between 100 and 400 meters deep. They travel mostly alone or in pairs, or small groups during feeding times. They spend their days diving toward the seafloor and their nights within 50 feet of the waters surface.

An infographic from the NOAA to raise awareness about the newly designated endangered species, Rice's Whales. These whales were found to frequent Texas coasts in the Gulf of Mexico, after new research was released by the NOAA in February 2024. NOAA Fisheries

Are there efforts to conserve the population?

Rice's whales are teetering on the edge of extinction, with only 51 recorded whales left in existence based on data collected in 2017 and 2018. Efforts to conserve the Rices whale population have been ongoing for years, largely beginning after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, which decreased the population of these whales by 22%.

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But it was only in 2019 that the whales were given an endangered species recognition, after findings in 2016 that the Byrdes whales were in danger of extinction. The species still does not have a critical habitat designation, necessary under the Endangered Species Act to aid in conservation, although that process is underway.

What are their main threats of extinction?

Oil spills, vessel strikes, ocean debris and deafening ocean noise are just a few of the key threats to the Rice's whales. One lactating female whale in 2009 was struck dead by a vessel and carried on the hull all the way to Tampa, where it was recovered and studied by scientists. Researchers have found evidence of whales with significant spinal damage likely resulting from boats crashing into them. Since they spend their nights within 50 feet of the oceans surface, and because the Gulf is bustling with commerce and shipping activity, vessel strikes are a significant threat.

Another whale beached in 2019 and was found to have ingested plastic that caused hemorrhaging and gastric necrosis that led to its death. That whales skull, which was preserved and researched, ultimately led to the classification of Rices whale as its own species.

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Ocean noise is also harmful to Rices whales, although there is less data showing its statistical impacts. According to a National Public Radio news story from November, the Gulf of Mexico is one of the loudest underwater areas in the country, and one Canadian expert interviewed said that when ship propellers at speeds of over 10 knots begin to rotate, whales cant hear themselves think.

This noise also interferes with vital communication for the species, which relies on their underwater conversations to relay information about predators, prey and also to maintain relationships with one another. Evidence has shown that when Rices whales are confronted with loud noises from boats, they stop making their own.

Additionally, noise from seismic air guns, dragged behind boats to find potential locations for oil and gas, emit high-pressure shots of compressed air into the sea floor, creating noise that can be heard for 400 miles. Because of its low frequency, it overlaps with the noises that Rice's whales make to communicate. NPR reported that there are more marine-friendly air guns out there on the market, but most major oil and gas companies do not use them.

Fishing gear entanglements and climate change also affect their populations, along with inbreeding due to their small population size.

Why has action taken so long?

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against the NOAA for lack of fast action in the case of the Rices whales. Petitions have also been filed to the agency to mandate that boats of a certain size reduce their speed to 10 knots when entering into the Rice's whales habitats. The petition was reviewed by the NOAA, but after significant pushback from energy and oil companies against the measure, the agency ruled that they did not have the ability to mandate the speed limit because they wanted to spend their time finalizing the critical habitat designation and creating a recovery plan for conservation.

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It was also ruled that widespread public education and volunteer speed reduction measures should be put in place before forcing vessels to reduce their speeds. Since the petition was rejected in late October, voluntary speed limit reductions have been put in place, and the NOAA urges captains to do so, along with reporting any sightings of Rices whales and staying at least 100 yards away if there is a sighting. Research has shown Rice's whales can be curious about boats and ships.

Will these regulations have economic consequences?

In order for a critical designation plan to be considered, it must evaluate any potential economic impact for the industries that would be affected by regulating activities within a critical habitat for any endangered species.

Activities that the NOAA found could be affected by these measures, if approved, are: oil exploration and development, renewable energy development, fishery management, military activities, water quality management, scientific research and monitoring, space vehicle launches and reentry, and in-water construction.

But the financial impact on all above industries combined is as low as $240,000 over the course of 10 years, according to the NOAAs predictions.

Will it resolve anytime soon?

The NOAA said it will take up to 69 years to restore the population to 95% of its baseline trajectory. But as long as significant factors in their extinction remain, this possibility grows dimmer.

The current critical habitat designation plan is in the evaluation stage, after a public hearing and public feedback was gathered in 2023 and ended on Oct. 6, the same day Chevron released a 24-page letter asking the National Marine Fisheries Service to reconsider their proposed U.S. boundaries for a critical habitat designation. The letter cited a lack of evidence and research surrounding the whales and a critical impact to their shipping routes and hundreds of leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

Despite this pushback, the process should see a resolution in the summer of 2024, according to the NOAA, when the critical habitat designation will either be approved or rejected.

What if a critical habitat doesnt get approved?

The critical habitat designation is just one step in a process to conserve the dwindling population of these whales, which conservationists have been urging for years.

An open letter to the Biden administration in October 2022 signed by scientists and researchers urged the federal government to take immediate action on the conservation of Rices whales.

Unless significant conservation actions are taken, the letter reads, the United States is likely to cause the first anthropogenic extinction of a great whale species.
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.
Advocates for those incarcerated in Texas prisons construct a make-shift cell before a rally on the steps of the Texas Capitol, July 18, 2023, in Austin, Texas. O (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) Eric Gay/Associated Press Candelario Hernandez and his mother, Hortencia Hernandez. Courtesy photo Marisol Arce says the family still hasnt received a full report from Texas prison officials about the corrections officer who slammed her brother, Candelario Hernandez, Jr., to the floor and put him into a coma for two weeks in 2019. Courtesy photo

Like many prison confrontations, the one between inmate Candelario Hernandez, Jr. and corrections Officer Aaron Kloesel was brief and brutal.

On Nov. 4, 2019, Kloesel was manning the infirmary door at the Stevenson Unit, a state prison outside of Victoria. Hernandez had arrived early to a medical appointment to treat an arm injury and demanded to go in.

Kloesel said Hernandez yelled at him, although witnesses recalled Kloesel raising his voice first. When Hernandez moved to put his foot into the infirmary door, Kloesel wrapped his arms around the prisoner, picked him up and drove him onto the concrete floor.

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For Kloesels bosses at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the altercation would be the final straw. It was the latest of several policy violations by the officer, including one that may have contributed to a prisoners death, court documents show. Following the Hernandez altercation, TDCJ recommended he be terminated.

While accounts conflicted as to how the incident began, its ending was meticulously documented.

As Kloesel began handcuffing an unconscious Hernandez, the inmate had a seizure. He was airlifted to Brooke Army Medical Center, in San Antonio. To relieve pressure from the blood pooling in his head, doctors cut out a piece of his skull. Court documents show Hernandez remained completely unresponsive for the next two weeks.

In Texas prisons, two weeks also happens to be the period of time inmates have to lodge an official grievance  a hard deadline that has launched Hernandezs family on a frustrating and, at times, baffling journey through the catch-22 world of prisoner justice.

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Months after Hernandez was hospitalized, they filed a federal lawsuit alleging Kloesels excessive use of force had caused Hernandez serious and permanent injuries. He remains paralyzed on one side of his body and still suffers memory and vision impairment, his family said.

But a controversial 30-year-old federal law designed to limit prisoner lawsuits prohibits inmates from filing one unless theyve first gone through the grievance process. And as the states lawyers pointed out, Hernandez had blown that deadline  no matter that it was because an officer found to have violated policy had put him into a coma.

Without the grievance, Hernandezs lawsuit was summarily tossed by a U.S. district judge, who noted the law left him with little choice.

Grievances, and red tape

The Prisoner Litigation Reform Act was a response to a dramatic rise in prisoner lawsuits that corrections officials said was straining the governments time and checkbook. In 1980, the number of lawsuits from incarcerated people numbered about 13,000; by the time the law passed, in 1996, it had tripled, according to research by University of Michigan law professors.

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Yet the increase also coincided with new tough-on-crime laws that were packing jails and prisons. In the same 14-year span, the total number of inmates also tripled, making the rate of legal filings nearly the same as in 1996 and 1980.

The PLRA aimed to restrict prisoner lawsuits by creating hurdles that litigants in the free world dont face. One of the most consequential requires prisoners to exhaust their facilitys internal grievance process before gaining access to the courts. Although innocuous sounding, civil rights lawyers say the systems strict and confusing rules can be used to thwart legitimate lawsuits.

Scholars have cited grievances being denied because they referenced more than a single complaint, used handwritten documents instead of photocopies or wrote on both sides of a page instead of one. Texas 154-page manual says a complaint wont be considered if it contains excessive attachments or vulgar language. No one  lawyers and family members included  may file one on a prisoners behalf.

Deadlines are tight. Texas prisoners have 15 days  more than some states, but fewer than many. Louisiana allows three months; Illinois has a two-month deadline. As a lawyer, there are very few things I must file that quickly, said Sara Zampierin, director of the civil rights clinic at the Texas A&M University School of Law. Failure to meet the deadline means permanent dismissal and no lawsuit.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, most prisoners have low regard for the grievance system. Surveys of Texas prisoners show a large majority dont trust it. More than half said they experienced retaliation from officers after filing a grievance.

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Civil rights organizations and legal scholars have called for the acts repeal. (Then-U.S. Sen. Biden expressed reservations, saying it places too many roadblocks to meritorious prison lawsuits.) Yet the PLRA has accomplished its goal: since its passage, prisoner lawsuits have plummeted.

The law gave prison officials an opportunity to set up a system that isnt designed to solve problems in a fair way, but a system a prisoner would have great difficulty in navigating, said Michael Mushlin, a Pace University law professor and author of "Rights of Prisoners." Im sorry to say its been very effective.

Officer had been disciplined 3 times

Marisol Arce, Candelarios younger sister, said her family learned of her brothers injuries when an inmate called to say he had been taken away in an ambulance. Panicked, they tried contacting the prison. Several hours later an official called back, telling her only that an accident had happened, and he was in the hospital, she recalled.

Arce drove to San Antonio from her Dallas home the following morning, meeting her sister at the hospital. Her brother looked awful, she said. His head was covered in bandages and looked like a balloon. His eyes were all swollen up.

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The prisons initial use-of-force report was bland: Offender Candelario Hernandez pulled away from the officer as he was attempting to apply hand restraints, thus resulting in a use of force that the officer placed the offender on the ground to gain compliance. Kloesel told investigators he was forced to react when Hernandez swung at him, hitting him in the face. (Kloesel is being represented by the Office of the Attorney General. His lawyer said he could not talk to the media and had advised his client not to, as well.)

Interviews with nearby prisoners and employees who witnessed the confrontation painted a more complicated picture.

I heard Officer Kloesel holler really loud, a unit employee wrote in a statement. So I turned to see what was going on and thats when I saw Officer Kloesel slam Offender Hernandez to the ground.

When the offender swung his hand at Kloesel, it was a get away from me swing, not an aggressive swing like he was going to punch Officer Kloesel, reported Officer Anna Larkins, who had given Hernandez permission to attend his medical appointment early. The offender did not make contact when he swung.

Next, she said, the officer wrapped his arms around the offender and picked the offender up off of the ground in a very aggressive manner and turned around with the offender up in the air over his head and slammed him to the ground head first.

It wasnt Kloesels first brush with the disciplinary process. The investigative report noted two incidents, in 2016, resulting in probation. Several months before the Hernandez incident, hed been placed on probation again after not calling for timely medical help as a prisoner lay dying in his cell following an inmate attack.

In 2011, an inmate sued Kloesel, claiming he slammed me to the floor while handcuffed. The use-of-force report contained familiar language: After the prisoner tried to hit him, Kloesel wrote, I placed the offender on the ground with the least amount of force necessary.

The lawsuit eventually was dismissed. Unlike poor civilians, who can have court fees waived, the PLRA requires inmates to pay. Court records show the prisoner continued making payments over the next two-and-a-half years.

The prisons internal investigation of the Hernandez incident recommended Kloesel be fired for using excessive force and failing to de-escalate a confrontation. He protested in a hearing, documents show, but quit soon after.

Arce said even after he regained consciousness her brother struggled to communicate. More than four years later, Hernandez still cant walk normally and must wear adult diapers, she said. He is serving a 23-year sentence for a first-degree aggravated kidnapping conviction.

She said she never received a full report from the prison about what happened. Several weeks after the incident, Arce and her sister began looking for a lawyer.

It gets Kafkaesque

Over the years, civil rights lawyers have tried to find wiggle room in the grievance exhaustion requirement of the Prison Litigation Reform Act. But judges have been reluctant to grant any, even for extenuating circumstances.

Texas prison officials acknowledged Hernandezs medical condition might have prevented him from meeting their 15-day deadline. Which, said Hernandezs attorney, Susan Hutchison, is where it gets Kafkaesque.

The states grievance policy references deadline extensions only for prison officials, who can request additional time to respond. Yet lawyers argued Hernandez still couldnt sue because he had never even tried to file a grievance after regaining consciousness. And if he hadnt tried, he couldnt have exhausted the process. Therefore: no lawsuit.

In a September 2021 order, U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton dismissed the lawsuit because of the blown 15-day deadline. But given the states position that Hernandez should have filed even a late grievance, the judge also said he would give him time to try.

Hernandez filed his grievance claiming excessive force on September 30. Which, per policy, TDCJ quickly rejected as past the deadline.

Texas two-step process requires an appeal to be considered exhausted. Hernandez filed his on October 13. Which the prison denied the following day as untimely.

By then the judge had seen enough. In February 2023, Tipton revoked his earlier dismissal. If Hernandez couldnt complain on time because a guard put him into a coma, and still wasnt allowed to file a late grievance, it could be the administrative procedure is a dead end, he wrote.

Put another way: If the legal maze Hernandez was being forced to walk actually led nowhere, the system was a sham. Its been the most frustrating lawsuit Ive ever worked on, said Hutchison, who has been practicing civil rights litigation for three decades. The case is ongoing.

Hernandezs sister said that as a boy and young man growing up in Laredo, what her brother loved most was sketching. He could look at a photograph and just draw it. Now, she said, his injuries cause his hands to shake so much he can barely grip a pencil.
LNG pipeline that leads to LNG tankers on the Sabine Pass during a media tour of Chenieres Sabine Pass LNG Terminal on Thursday, April 14, 2022 in Cameron Parish, LA. Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer A tugboat moves past a LNG tanker during a media tour of Chenieres Sabine Pass LNG Terminal on Thursday, April 14, 2022 in Cameron Parish, LA. Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

In 2020 while running for president, Joe Biden did what many political candidates do when they're trying to win over a segment of voters in a Democratic primary: he made a lofty promise that would be hard to keep. During a one-on-one debate with Bernie Sanders, Biden offered a policy vision that would make environmentalists swoon: "No more drilling on federal lands, no more drilling including offshore  no ability for the oil industry to continue to drill."

Politically, it was a master stroke. Biden outflanked his chief rival on a hot-button issue at a crucial juncture of the primary, helping him secure the Democratic nomination. As president, Biden initially made good on the pledge, signing an executive order upon taking office pausing the leasing of federal lands for drilling. Yet last year, after an extended court battle over the pause, Biden relented, leasing a tract of the Gulf of Mexico for oil companies to drill.

Four years later, it appears Biden is hoping another environmentally conscious moratorium will help energize the Democratic base and win him reelection despite low approval numbers.

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Last month, Biden announced he would be temporarily pausing the permitting of new liquefied natural gas export terminals. The moratorium would put at least a half-dozen export projects that are being planned but are not permitted on hold  including several on the Texas and Louisiana coast  jeopardizing tens of billions of dollars in future capital investments. Congressional Republicans and oil and gas executives are apoplectic, denouncing the measure as a "war on American energy" that would send global customers back to the cozy embrace of Vladimir Putin and Russia's gas market.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm countered the pause will allow the Department of Energy to update its economic and environmental analyses to better account for how LNG export facilities impact climate change. While the timing of the moratorium early in an election year is politically convenient  and inconvenient for some oil and gas companies deciding whether to bet future capital on LNG  we believe a temporary pause is justified.

For one thing, Biden's policy shift comes at a time when the U.S. is already the world's leading natural gas exporter. And even more export capacity is coming. The moratorium won't affect any LNG terminals currently being built. At least five major export terminals are coming online on the Gulf Coast which, combined with new projects in Canada and Mexico, will more than double North American export capacity through 2027. If there ever was a time for the Biden administration to tweak its environmental review process for LNG exports, it's now, when there are few major global natural gas competitors, particularly as sanctions have knocked Russia down a peg or two in a market it once dominated.

Given those risks, Biden's temporary LNG permitting pause makes sense. Even some oil and gas executives agree that the export market can withstand a short-term halt to new permits, but the long-term impacts of an extended moratorium would be problematic for the economy, national security and even an orderly transition to renewable energy. We urge Granholm to swiftly adapt her agency's environmental review process in order to pave the way for future capital investments.

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It's to be seen if Biden's LNG decision helps him politically. Amid questions about Biden's age and fitness to be the Democratic presidential nominee, he seems to be betting that the moratorium will appeal to Democratic voters, particularly younger ones, who view his candidacy warily.

Biden's environmental record is arguably his signature domestic achievement. No president in the modern era has more deftly walked the tightrope of balancing our short-term energy security  record oil and gas production along with declining prices at the pump  with aggressive decarbonization investments. He shepherded a massive, historic down payment on clean energy through Congress and has proposed significant regulations on harmful greenhouse gases such as methane. Pausing LNG export terminals presents another opportunity for Biden: Can he sell it to his base on the campaign trail as sensible climate policy while also alleviating legitimate concerns in the oil and gas sector?
Jeremy Wallace has covered politics and campaigns for more than 20 years. Before joining the Hearst Texas newspapers in 2017 he covered government and politics for the Tampa Bay Times, The Miami Herald and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Previously he covered Congress for the Boston Globe and Detroit Free-Press. Originally from San Antonio, he attended the University of North Texas and earned his bachelors degree from the University of Missouri.

Jeremy also authors the Texas Take with Jeremy Wallace newsletter, where he shares insights from inside the Capitol along with the occasional Willie Nelson reference. You can sign up here.

You can follow him on Twitter, @JeremySWallace, or email him at Jeremy.wallace@chron.com.
Iraqi Shiite militia says current calm with U.S. forces "temporary tactic"

Xinhua) 09:04, February 26, 2024

BAGHDAD, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- The leader of an Iraqi armed Shiite militia said Sunday that the current period of calm among Iraqi armed groups in their conflict with U.S. forces is a "temporary tactic," stressing that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq did not abandon its support for the Palestinians.

Akram al-Kaabi, secretary general of the Iranian-backed al-Nujaba Movement, said in a statement that the current calm is only a tactic for repositioning and deployment, stressing, "It is only the calm before the storm."

He said that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq "is an essential part in the battle to confront the Zionist aggression (the Israeli military campaign) and its supporter America against the Gaza Strip."

Al-Kaabi also said that there is high-level coordination between different "open fronts" against the Americans and Israelis in the region, stressing that "any calm on one front and ignition on another is an intentional, purposeful and coordinated strategy."

"Although the Islamic resistance did not reject the government's negotiations to schedule the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, we affirm that the U.S. occupier is a liar, a deceiver, and an arrogant one," the statement said.

Days after fighting broke out between the Gaza-ruling Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq launched rocket, drone, and mortar attacks on military bases housing U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria.

On Jan. 27, Iraq and the United States began the first round of dialogue to discuss ending the U.S.-led international coalition's mission in Iraq, but later three U.S. soldiers were killed in an attack on a U.S. base near Jordan's border with Syria. The United States said the attack was carried out by Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella term for pro-Iran Shiite Islamic armed groups in Iraq.

The death of the U.S. soldiers prompted the U.S. forces to retaliate by striking some headquarters of Iranian-backed armed groups affiliated with the Iraqi paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces, killing and wounding dozens of them.

Later, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq suspended their attacks on U.S. bases to pave the way for the Iraqi government to hold negotiations with the U.S.-led coalition to end their presence in Iraq.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Mayor John Whitmire attends a news conference in the aftermath of the shooting at Lakewood Church in February. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

Mayor John Whitmire was elected Houstons 63rd mayor in December 2023, securing a big win after leaning into his bipartisan bona fides and focusing on driving down crime.

Whitmire took over City Hall in January 2024 after serving for more than 50 years in the Legislature, representing Houston in the Texas House and then the Texas Senate.

LANDSLIDE WIN: John Whitmire elected Houston mayor in race he dominated from start to finish

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Here are some of the key things to know about Houstons new mayor.

Is John Whitmire a Democrat or a Republican?

Whitmire is a longtime Democrat, although city elections and the mayoral office are technically nonpartisan. He has long touted his ability to work across the aisle, and he has labeled himself the epitome of a moderate at times in his career.

How long has Whitmire been in office?

Whitmire first ran for office back in 1972, when he was a 22-year-old student at the University of Houston. He served in the Texas House for 10 years before being elected to the Texas Senate in 1982, taking the seat formerly held by state Sen. Jack Ogg, the father of Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.

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Whitmire had a reputation as a back bencher in the House, rarely passing notable legislation. That changed shortly after he got to the Senate, when then-Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock named him the chair of the Senates Committee on Criminal Justice. That selection came shortly after a man robbed Whitmire and his family at gunpoint in their driveway.

From that perch, Whitmire oversaw a rewrite of the Texas Penal Code in 1993, crafting the states criminal justice laws. He held the chairmanship for most of the next 30 years, eventually becoming the only Democrat to hold a gavel in the GOP-controlled Senate. He also wielded heavy influence over the chamber generally as its longest-serving member.

Whitmire shepherded legislation that allowed for the construction of Minute Maid Stadium and Toyota Stadium in downtown Houston.

He garnered controversy as well, developing a reputation for blending lawmaking with his personal business as an attorney. He attracted a number of scandals in the 1990s for accepting work with clients who had interests before him in the Legislature. He joined the influential law and lobbying firm, Locke Lord, soon after working with its head lobbyist to pass the stadium legislation.

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Whitmire has said such conflicts are relatively unavoidable in a part-time Legislature that pays its members $7,200, and he has said his personal work never affected his votes or bills in Austin.

How old is Whitmire?

Whitmire is 74, the oldest person elected Houstons mayor in at least 100 years.

What are Whitmires priorities as mayor?

Whitmire placed a heavy emphasis on crime during the campaign, leaning on his reputation for taking on criminal justice issues in the Legislature.

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He has argued Houston needs more police officers on the streets, and said early on in his tenure that he wants to fold the Metro police department into Houstons ranks. He has also called for bringing in Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to help assist the Houston Police Department.

In addition to tackling public safety, Whitmire has said the city must get on a firmer financial footing and restore confidence in basic city services. His administration is expected to release its first budget proposal in May.

His earliest waves at City Hall have been around personnel changes. Whitmire has installed several department heads, appointing new leaders for the finance department, planning department, neighborhoods department, airport system, Metro and transportation planning authority.

STAFFING UP: All the major leadership changes made by Houston Mayor Whitmire as he shakes up City Hall

Is John Whitmire related to former Mayor Kathy Whitmire?

Kathy Whitmire was married to John Whitmires late brother, Jim, who died of diabetes in 1976.

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When is Whitmire up for re-election?

Whitmire won election in 2023 and would be up for re-election in 2027. Houstons mayor is limited to two four-year terms.

Did Whitmire vote to impeach Ken Paxton?

Whitmire voted to impeach Paxton on all but one of the 16 articles the Senate voted on. While all 12 Democrats in the Texas Senate voted to impeach Paxton on many of the charges, only two members supported the article that Whitmire and nine other Democrats also opposed. That article alleged Paxton had misused his office in administering public information laws.

The main thrust of the Paxton impeachment involved allegations that he had abused his authority as Texas top law enforcement official, allowing a friend and campaign donor, Nate Paul, to use the attorney generals office to help him evade legal and financial trouble.
TOKYO, Feb 26 (News On Japan) - Daihatsu Motor Co. has resumed production of ten vehicle models, including its mainstay mini vehicles, at its factory in Oita Prefecture, which had been halted due to an issue with improper certification acquisition. However, the scale of the production resumption, including models for which a plan has been established, remains limited to 40% of Daihatsu's total domestic production, raising concerns about the prolonged impact on suppliers and related businesses.

In late December last year, Daihatsu suspended operations at all of its domestic automobile factories due to the certification scandal. Following the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's lifting of the shipping suspension for two commercial vehicle models, production resumed at the Kyoto factory on the 12th of this month. On the 26th, Daihatsu Kyushu, a subsidiary, restarted production of an additional ten models at the Oita plant.

Starting around 5 a.m. on the 26th, employees began entering the factory one after another. A man in his forties, who said he was a temporary worker, expressed relief: "During the shutdown, there was absolutely no work, and life was tough. I'm glad production has resumed." The production resumption includes the company's mainstay light commercial vehicle "Hijet" and the mini vehicle "Mira e:S." The combined production volume of these ten models in the last fiscal year was over 280,000 units, accounting for 30% of Daihatsu's total domestic production.

While the company is preparing to restart production of three more models at the Shiga factory after April 4th, nine models, including the mainstay mini vehicle "Tanto," have not yet had the shipping suspension lifted by the government. With the production resumption limited to 40% of the total, including models for which a plan has been established, there is growing concern over the long-term effects on small and medium-sized enterprises that are part of the supply chain.

Source: NHK
TOKYO, Feb 26 (News On Japan) - A special screening and talk show was held in Tokyo on Sunday for the first episode of the new MBS drama series "Cinderella Complex," which stars Miku Tanaka and Hiromu Iijima, depicting a steamy affair between a teacher and student.



"Cinderella Complex" is a live-action adaptation of a popular Korean webtoon that has garnered over 400 million views. It is a "love psycho-thriller" that begins with a forbidden affair between a popular handsome teacher, Yosuke Aizawa (played by Iijima), and a bombshell female high school student, Yura Maezono (played by Tanaka). Tanaka plays the bewitching and addictively charming heroine, while Mori portrays Kudo Kaname, a high school student who attends the same school as Yura but has trouble fitting in and carries a shadowy presence. Ugaki plays Mai, Aizawa's wife, who also works as a teacher at the same high school.

Iijima introduced his character Aizawa with a wry smile, saying, "He's a bad guy, isn't he?" He continued, "The character of Aizawa is very broken. I thought about how to portray the real and heavy atmosphere of hell and the human desires that are packed into Aizawa." On playing the role of a man engaged in an affair, Iijima said, "I thought about how to lie and deceive effectively," and added, "But at the same time, I thought Aizawa was pure, so I also took care to portray that aspect." When asked by the host if he was good at lying, Iijima responded with a laugh, "Me? That's a secret."

Mori spoke about Iijima's likable off-camera demeanor, saying, "Being around Iijima-san, with his looks and voice, gives a sense of security during filming, and you naturally want to follow him. I thought it was great working with him." He also mentioned, "I thought he was a cool person, but he actually has a bright atmosphere, and I felt that gap. We talked about saunas, and I thought I'd like to go with him." Iijima responded with a pleased expression, saying, "Since I played a teacher, I tried to portray a more adult-like presence compared to the students."

Tanaka, who played the devilish heroine, said, "It's rare to come across such a role, so I worked hard. I stayed true to the original work because if I played it naturally, the impact would be lost and Yura-chan's uniqueness would disappear." Iijima praised Tanaka's passionate performance, saying, "The challenge and passion she brought to the role of Yura were incredible. I thought she truly has the soul of an actress." Iijima also commented on the intense scenes, "There are extreme scenes like slapping, and she said, 'Please slap me, Iijima-san!' It was a learning experience for me as an actor not to break that spirit."

When the talk theme "If you could use just one magic spell" came up, Tanaka recalled a kissing scene with Iijima. "I wasn't tall enough for the kissing scene. Iijima-san bent his knees where the camera couldn't see, and I felt sorry. I wish I were a bit taller," she shared.

Ugaki, who plays the wife being cheated on, reflected on her role, saying, "Nothing but pitiful things happen. It gets even worse after the first episode. I played Mai-chan, who gets dragged into terrible situations, while encouraging her to 'hang in there.' If I were Mai-chan, I think I would knock Aizawa out."

"Cinderella Complex" is set to bring a new twist to the drama landscape with its compelling storyline and dynamic characters.

The drama will begin airing on February 29th on MBS every Thursday at 24:59, among other times.

Source: MDPR
GUNMA, Feb 27 (News On Japan) - A renowned manufacturer of scarves, highly acclaimed domestically and internationally, has decided to close its doors. Scarves with vertical stripes and bold colors are its hallmark. It even topped sales for five consecutive years at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

The maker was the local factory "Matsui Knit Giken" in Japan. Its unique vertical knitting technique attracted attention worldwide, with many famous designers like Kansai Yamamoto visiting the factory during the Heisei era.

Founded in the Meiji era, in Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, known as the "town of textiles," it has continued to create Japan's pride for the world. However, the factory has not been in operation for several months now.

Matsui Knit Giken President Toshio Matsui (80): "I'm also 80 years old now, and my body doesn't listen to me anymore, so I'm thinking of stopping."

The 6th generation president has decided to close the curtain on 120 years of history. What could have happened?

Scarves, beloved worldwide for their unique vertical knitting design, are disappearing. The 6th generation of the longstanding company that decided to close its doors cannot hide his loneliness.

Matsui President: "Since all the experience we've built up will disappear, it's really sad."

However, there is a reason behind the decision to close.

Matsui President: "Manufacturing requires technical expertise in everything, so it's not something that can be done easily. Knowing that, I think it would be questionable to force someone to take over. Learning the technology itself requires considerable determination."

However, this does not mean that the factory's lights will go out. Originally planned to close this month, President Matsui intends to continue the search for successors a little longer.

Matsui President: "We've had discussions from Gunma Prefecture and Kiryu City saying, 'Since you've come this far, can we look for a successor?' If someone really wants to take over, we'll cooperate at that time."

Source: ANN
Two local Democratic Party leaders were recognized by state party leaders for their work in their communities.

The awards were presented during a chili cook-off and trivia party fundraiser at the Council Bluffs Elks Lodge, which brought out about 100 people, said Lisa Lima, chair of the Pottawattamie County Democrats.

Lima was recognized with the Iowa Democratic Party's Rising Star in the Region award, for which she was nominated by fellow party members across Pottawattamie, Mills and Harrison counties.

Im humbled and honored, Lima said. Im so grateful and pleased. ... I love what I do.

Candella Foley-Finchem, chair of the Mills County Democrats, received the Outstanding Democratic Party Volunteer award.

Unfortunately, she was unable to attend the event, Lima said.

Shes very deserving, Lima said. Im thrilled that both of us were recognized.

The fundraising event raised about $5,000 for the Democratic Party, Lima said.

We had a very good turnout, she said. It was so much fun.

Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart praised the honorees.

I am so proud of our award recipients, Hart said. These two women have proven they are passionate and dedicated leaders within their communities.
Severe storms with probable tornadoes tore through several central U.S. states, damaging homes and businesses and killing at least three people, with more bodies likely to be discovered, authorities said. As the sun rose Friday, officials scrambled to assess the extent of the destruction wit
The U.S. Department of State and the Embassy of Morocco in Washington jointly organized a briefing on the latest developments in the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation.

The Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation was launched in September 2023, as a multilateral forum heralding a new era in regional cooperation, where Morocco stands out as a founding member and active participant. The Partnership aims to usher in a new era of regional cooperation, forging closer ties between Atlantic nations across four continents. Its dual objectives are: to expand collaboration among Atlantic countries on shared goals and to champion a set of common principles for Atlantic cooperation.

Alongside the American initiative, Morocco pursued its own vision for structuring the African Atlantic space, as King Mohammed VI, in his November 6, 2023 speech, emphasized this ambition. Our wish is that the Atlantic coast becomes a high place of human communion, a pole of economic integration, and a center of continental and international influence. He further announced that Morocco has taken the initiative to create an institutional framework bringing together the 23 Atlantic African States with a view to consolidating security, stability, and shared prosperity in the region.

The Royal Atlantic Initiative took center stage during the briefing that was held at the headquarters of the Moroccan embassy in the presence of ambassadors and representatives of 39 Atlantic countries.

Moroccan ambassador to Washington, Youssef Amrani, highlighting the royal initiatives potential to leverage Moroccos Atlantic coast as a strategic hub for enhancing logistical connectivity, facilitating maritime and aerial trade exchanges, and bolstering economic growth.

He underscored Moroccos active role in promoting a stable, prosperous, and inclusive Atlantic space, capable of fostering the socio-economic transformation of the entire region.

Amrani explained the goals of the royal initiative, which places the Atlantic at the heart of the bold and innovative vision of King Mohammed VI for the African continent, based on the principles of solidarity, cooperation, and co-development.

Referring to the structuring projects outlined within this Initiative, the ambassador specified that these concrete actions aim to create an economic corridor linking the Atlantic Africa to the northern and western hemispheres, in addition to facilitating access for Sahel countries to this maritime space.

Amrani stressed the importance of ensuring complementarity between the various initiatives aimed at building an expanded Atlantic space, and emphasized that it is in this spirit that the Kingdom actively participates in the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation and co-chairs, with Spain and Angola, a working group on Marine Spatial Planning.

He insisted that for Morocco, the Atlantic constitutes a priority geostrategic zone, a vector of peace and sustainable development, which will establish, thanks to joint efforts, an essential dynamic space on the international stage.

During the briefing, the US coordinator for Atlantic cooperation, Jessica Lapenn, first thanked Morocco for its leadership and commitment to enhancing the Atlantic space.

Ms. Lapenn, who welcomed the exchange opportunity provided by this first in-person briefing for the diplomatic corps accredited in Washington, surveyed the shared values that promote the emergence of a common Atlantic identity.

The American official invited the countries member of the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation to work closely together to overcome similar challenges we face and seize integrated development perspectives, likely to ensure the sustainability of Atlantic Ocean resources for future generations.

Besides the Royal Atlantic Initiative which seeks to streamline investment mechanisms in southern countries and promote the integration of value chains, particularly within the African-Arab-Latin American geo-economic sphere, rich in global primary resources, King Mohammed VI took another initiative to promote access to the Atlantic Ocean for the Sahel states.

The countries bordering the African Atlantic coast have convened three times at the ministerial level: in Rabat on June 8, 2022, in New York on September 23, 2022, on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, and again in Rabat on July 12, 2023.

The World Bank estimates the Atlantic Oceans contribution to the global economy at a staggering $1.5 trillion annually, predicting it will double by 2030.
The defense cooperation agreement between Somalia and Turkey signed earlier this month (8 February) aims to achieve several objectives, experts say, including Ankaras helping Mogadishu secure its maritime interests and serving as a counterbalance against the recent Ethiopian controversial deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland.

The defense cooperation agreement Somalia inked with Turkey last week would see Ankara help Mogadishu secure its maritime interests, according to experts. Upon Somalias request, we will provide support in the field of maritime security, as we did in the field of fight against terrorism, a senior official from the Turkish Defense Ministry told reporters. This move comes amid rising tensions in the Horn of Africa region after Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland inked a controversial agreement granting Addis Ababa access to the Red Sea. Somalia fiercely denounced the Ethiopia-Somaliland agreement as a blatant breach of its territorial sovereignty, raising concerns of a wider conflict as several major powers are vying for influence in the strategic region.

Turkey now has a large military base in Mogadishu, it has reportedly trained more than 16,000 Somali forces, an equivalent of one-third of the military, and Turkish firms operate the citys airport and port. For sure, the Turkish naval presence in the Somali territorial waters would be a deterrent against terrorism, piracy and others, Mehmet Ozkan, a professor at Turkeys National Defense University, said. But Ankara isnt looking for adventure to go to war against other nations. Ozkan also added that the Turkish presence in Somalia has many aims, but in terms of direct Turkish national interest, the benefits are limited. According to Ismail D. Osman, former deputy director of Somalia National Intelligence & Security Agency (NISA), this ten year agreement emphasizes an approach to boosting Somalias integration into the economy with a special emphasis on marine resources as well as ensuring regional stability through an inclusive defense strategy.
Junta leaders in the coup-hit West African countries have recently made headlines when they pushed for the ditching of the West African franc (CFA), a colonial-era legacy, though the desire to change the currency seems to not be uniform yet among the three juntas.

Since the coup in Niger in July last year, fissures within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have become bigger, most recently with Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali announcing their withdrawal from the ECOWAS for illegal, illegitimate, inhumane and irresponsible sanctions it imposed on them after coups. Among their grievances is the continued use of the CFA, a remnant of the French colonial system. More changes might still surprise you. And its not just about currency. We will break all ties that keep us in slavery, Captain Ibrahim Traore, leader of the Burkinabe transitional government, said earlier this month. Currency is a sign of sovereignty, said his Nigerian counterpart, Abdourahmane Tchiani, within days, confirming that a major monetary shake-up could be in the offing. The AES member states are engaged in the process of recovering their full sovereignty. It is no longer acceptable for our states to be Frances cash cow, he added.

Across the continent, criticism of the continued use of the CFA seems to be on the rise, though its far from certain when the planned change will happen or if indeed it will, the desire to change the currency seems to not be uniform yet among the three countries. For years, the CFA, which was created by France in 1945 as a currency for its African colonies, was trumpeted by government officials as a mechanism for promoting monetary stability, facilitating economic integration, and enhancing overall economic performance. While in previous years, there has been talk of at least reforming the CFA system, with anti-French sentiments increasing in the wake of the coups, there are mounting calls for ending the currency system. Economists point out that the CFA system has undergone some reforms, though these went largely unnoticed by mainstream society. But the junta governments in these Sahel countries may be motivated by other factors and their definition of pragmatism may differ from that of economists.
Paris and Rabat are expected to take a further step towards warming up their diplomatic relations with the visit this Monday of French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne to Morocco, where he held talks with his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita.

The two officials were expected to discuss Euro-Moroccan partnership, Sahel issues, and a potential visit by President Emmanuel Macron, according to French media reports.

The visit is viewed as a new step in the rapprochement between France and Morocco, and an effort to warm up ties between the two countries after a series of diplomatic crises that marked bilateral relations during the past two years.

Few days before his visit, Stephane Sejourne told the media he will invest in improving ties with Morocco and reaffirmed Paris support for the Sahara autonomy plan.

The Republics President has personally asked me to invest in French-Moroccan relations to open a new chapter in our ties. I will be committed to that, Sejourne told Ouest-France daily paper.

Ties between Morocco and France worsened in the two past years against the backdrop of a series of events, notably Paris falling short of following the USAs full recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over the Sahara, manoeuvres by French MPs against Moroccan interests at the European parliament, and Macrons Algiers tropism.

There have been many contacts with Moroccan diplomacy, said Sejourne.

Now, it is time to move forward. I will do everything in the upcoming weeks and months so that France and Morocco get closer, he said, adding that his priority will be rebuilding trust.

Regarding the Sahara issue, he said France has a position that is clear and steady in support for the autonomy plan since 2007.

Earlier this month French Ambassador to Morocco Christophe Lecourtier said mending ties with Morocco requires Paris making its position clear on the Sahara.

French officials repeatedly voiced support for the autonomy plan but they fell short of an outright recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over the territory following the US suit, despite mounting calls on Macron to do so.

The French ambassador also said in a lecture on Morocco-France relations in Casablanca that relations between France and Morocco should be renewed, and that relying on close common history and traditional positive ties alone would be arrogant, as crises will not resolve by themselves.

the French ambassador said that the Kingdom has changed for the better in the last two decades, but this has not been accompanied by a change of perception on the French side.

We French have lost a little bit more knowledge and intimacy with Morocco than Morocco has with France, he said.

As a signal of the thawing of Moroccan-French ties, Frances First Lady Brigitte Macron, welcomed last Monday the three sisters of King Mohammed VI of Morocco at the Elysee Palace.
Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a landmark $35 billion investment deal to develop Ras al-Hekma peninsula on the Mediterranean coast that, economists say, will inject $35 billion of foreign direct investment into the struggling Egyptian economy, helping it to bolster economic growth and address a hard currency crisis.

The deal is the largest foreign direct investment in an urban development project in Egypts modern history, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Friday (23 February) after weeks of speculation. It is a partnership between the Egyptian government and an Emirati consortium led by ADQ, he added. The countrys main recipe for attracting foreign capital has relied on making big bets on natural gas exploration, expanding the Suez Canal, expanding tourism infrastructure in a restive region, and pouring billions of dollars into megaprojects, most notably a huge new administrative capital. But now that this recipe has stopped working and Cairo may be hesitant to implement reforms of the countrys military-dominated economic model as demanded by the IMF in exchange for a bailout, the government is doubling down on the same approach.

Meanwhile, news about the sale has triggered condemnation by critics of the government, who blame it for selling what is the land in one of Egypts most valuable coastal locations and that it should be developed by local investors. But Madbouly sought to alleviate these concerns by saying that the Egyptian state will have a 35% share of the profits from this project, although it is a private investment with the majority of shares held by the UAE consortium. According to Khaled Ikram, an economist and former director of the World Bank Egypt department, this event should strengthen the hand of the Egyptian authorities in negotiations with the IMF. The deal should ease up on fears of Egypts defaulting on its external obligations as well as reassure creditors and investors that they should stop speaking of waning support for Egypts economy from the Gulf countries, Ikram added.
Militias of the terrorist Polisario group murdered three Sub-Saharans last Tuesday evening, a few kilometers from the camps of Tindouf in Algeria, according to sources quoted by the news website Sahel Intelligence.

The three men were accompanying Sahrawis attempting to flee the Tindouf camps, where terror imposed by the Polisario prevails.

General Said Chengriha, chief of the Algerian army and the de facto ruler, has prohibited any investigation into the killing of the three Sub-Saharans. This decision adds to the impunity enjoyed by the Polisario, a subcontractor of Algerian security and intelligence services in the expulsion of Sub-Saharan migrants.

The reasons behind this decision remain unclear, but many suspect the military power in Algiers of seeking to protect its own interests by stifling any attempt to hold the Polisario accountable for the murders.

Sahrawi activists in the Tindouf camps have repeatedly expressed their outrage at the blatant attempts to conceal the crimes committed by the Polisario terrorists and their accomplices.
Units of the Royal Armed Forces in charge of coastal surveillance intercepted, on Sunday about 190 km south of the town of Dakhla, a beached pirogue with 122 sub-Saharan would-be immigrants on board, including a corpse and a minor, according to a statement by the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces.

The would-be immigrants, who were planning to reach the Canary Islands, were given the necessary care before being handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie for the usual administrative procedures.
As Morocco and France prepare to turn the page on an era of diplomatic frost, French foreign Minister Stephane Sejoune said Morocco can rely on his country on the Sahara issue, adding that France is aware that the Sahara issue is an existential matter for Morocco and Moroccans.

Sejourne, who was speaking at a joint press conference with his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita, Monday in Rabat reiterated his countrys clear and steady support for Moroccos autonomy plan offered for the Sahara under its sovereignty, saying that France has been backing the autonomy plan for the Sahara since 2007.

France is aware that the Sahara issue is an existential matter for Morocco and Moroccans, he said, urging progress on the basis of round tables with the participation of all parties, and expressing support for a realistic, lasting and mutually accepted solution in conformity with UN Security council resolutions.

Sejourne announced that France will open two schools in Dakhla and Laayoune in addition to an itinerant cultural centre in the Sahara territory.

He also lauded Moroccos social and development achievements in the Sahara, highlighting particularly the efforts made in terms of training, renewable energies, and the blue economy.

France will support development of the region by supporting Moroccos efforts there, he said.

Sejournes visit to Morocco is his first to Africa and to the Maghreb, sending a strong signal that French diplomacy is willing to open a new chapter in its longstanding ties with Morocco.

Officials from the two countries will be exchanging visits to lay the basis for a long-term partnership covering culture, trade, industry, renewable energies as well as working together on climate and regional peace and stability, he said.

Speaking on the same occasion, Moroccan foreign minister underscored the time-honored relations between the two states based on mutual respect and partnership.

Moroccan-French relations are undergoing a moment of renewal, he said, describing bilateral ties as exceptional.

Thanks to its ambitious reforms, Morocco stands as a source of stability in the region, he said, adding that he discussed working with France as partners in Africa.
Photo: Twitter

On Sunday afternoon outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., 25-year-old Air Force service member Aaron Bushnell placed his phone on the ground to set up a livestream. He then stood before the embassy gates and lit himself on fire while shouting Free Palestine in a horrific protest against the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Below is everything we know about Bushnell, who died from his wounds hours later.

Aaron Bushnells background

Bushnell was a 25-year-old member of the U.S. Air Force stationed at the Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio and originally from Whitman, Massachusetts. He joined the Air Force as an active-duty member in May 2020 and has since worked in information technology and development operations. In a statement on Monday, the Air Force stated that he was a cyber-defense operations specialist with the 531st Intelligence Support Squadron.

Bushnell grew up in a religious group on Cape Cod called the Community of Jesus, whose former members have come forward alleging abuse and a rigid social structure. According to a family friend and former Community of Jesus member who spoke with the Washington Post, he was raised in a religious compound in Orleans associated with the group. The friend told the Post that young people in the Community of Jesus often join the military, moving from one high-control group to another high-control group. Another friend told the New York Times that Bushnell left the church community in 2019.

Friends who spoke with the Post say that while Bushnell was stationed in San Antonio, he was attending events for a socialist organization and delivered food to people on the street. Friends state that his contract with the military was to expire in May and he was looking for a career transition. Following the police killing of George Floyd, they say he had become more open in his objection to the military. He said that he kind of went from one extreme  the conservative beliefs that he had grown up around  to the opposite, forming his anarchist, anti-imperialist values, a friend in San Antonio told the New York Times. And he said it was a very quick shift, and he just said it went from one extreme to the other. Another friend in San Antonio told the BBC that, though he was a little shy, he volunteered to hand out food and clothing for mutual aid groups. In late 2023, friends say he moved to Ohio as part of a military training program for transitioning out of active duty.

On Sunday, hours before he went to the Israeli embassy, Bushnell texted a friend who shared the message with the Post. I hope youll understand. I love you, Bushnell wrote. This doesnt even make sense, but I feel like Im going to miss you. Weeks earlier, Bushnell talked on the phone with the same friend about their shared identities as anarchists and what kinds of risks and sacrifices were needed to be effective, according to the Post.

A friend who spoke to the New York Post states that Bushnell spoke to him on the phone on Saturday night. Bushnell said that he had top-security clearance and that he was distressed by what he was seeing in Gaza. He told me on Saturday that we have troops in those tunnels, that its U.S. soldiers participating in the killings, the friend said. Theres just too many things I dont know, but I can tell you that the tone of his voice just had something in it that told me he was scared, the friend said. (While the U.S. has special-operations troops in Israel to reportedly identify American hostages, the Biden administration has stated that there will be no American soldiers in Gaza.)

The self-immolation at the embassy

Hours before lighting himself on fire, Bushnell posted a Twitch link on his Facebook page with the caption:

Many of us like to ask ourselves, What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide?

The answer is, youre doing it. Right now.

Shortly before 1 p.m. on Sunday, Bushnell began his livestream and walked toward the Israeli Embassy with an insulated water bottle full of flammable fluid. I will no longer be complicit in genocide, he said in his video. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest. But compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, its not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.

Bushnell then placed his phone on the ground and walked to the gates of the embassy, where he doused himself in liquid from the bottle. Free Palestine, he said, as he struggled to light himself. A law-enforcement officer approached, asking, Can I help you, sir? At this point, Bushnell lit himself on fire, screaming, Free Palestine.

As Bushnell screamed in pain, a law-enforcement officer off-camera yells at him to get on the ground. A second officer yelled at the first: I dont need guns, I need fire extinguishers. By the time D.C. Fire and EMS arrived on the scene, the fire had been put out.

The aftermath and Bushnells death

An incident report filed by a Secret Service agent states that they received a distress call regarding an individual exhibiting signs of mental distress outside the Israeli embassy. (The Secret Service is responsible for foreign-embassy security.) Before the Secret Service officers could engage, [Bushnell] doused himself with an unidentified liquid and set himself on fire. The Secret Service officers promptly intervened, extinguishing the flames before the arrival of the fire department. [Bushnell] was subsequently transported to a local hospital due to the burns sustained from the incident. The report states that Bushnell was pronounced dead at 10:06 p.m. on Sunday.

In the hours before his death, Bushnell emailed several left-leaning websites alerting them to his highly disturbing final act. Today, I am planning to engage in an extreme act of protest against the genocide of the Palestinian people, read the email, which was forwarded to the BBC.

Bushnells video was taken down by Twitch for violating its terms of service, though edited versions blurring out his burning figure are circulating on social media. The Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the incident along with the Metropolitan Police Department. Prior to his death, he emailed several left-leaning websites, stating that he was planning to engage in an extreme act of protest against the genocide of the Palestinian people.

People who knew Bushnell in San Antonio were stunned by his act. At a public vigil for Bushnell in the city on Friday, one told the BBC that Initially, there was just a lot of shock and sadness, that he felt this was the only action that he could do to bring attention to something that he cared heavily about. Its hard that he chose these actions, its hard to comprehend even from people who sympathise with a ceasefire and the safety of Palestinian people and civilians.

Bushnells act was not the first self-immolation in apparent protest of the Israel-Hamas war. In December, a woman lit herself on fire in front of the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta in what police described as an act of extreme political protest over the war. The woman survived but sustained third-degree burns over her entire body and was hospitalized in critical condition. Her identity has not been released by police. A 61-year-old Army veteran who worked as a security guard at the consulate suffered severe burns when he attempted to save the woman.

Since the Vietnam War, self-immolation has been a dramatic but rare act of protest in the U.S. Vigils were held throughout the country on Monday night in memory of Bushnell, including at the Israeli Embassy where he held his final protest.

This post has been updated.
Earlier this month, Joe Biden committed a gaffe by blurting out, at a fundraising event, Im a practicing Catholic. I dont want abortion on demand, but I thought Roe v. Wade was right. The line became the immediate subject of mockery on the left, woefully out of the step with the style of rhetoric employed by pro-choice activists.

That harsh judgment appears to have congealed into conventional wisdom. Recently, the following passage appeared in the New York Times  not as an op-ed, but as a news story:

The vice president may be a more natural messenger on abortion than Mr. Biden, an 81-year-old practicing Catholic. Mr. Biden has sometimes expressed discomfort in talking about the issue, even as it has helped power Democrats to unexpected victories since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

At a fund-raiser this month, he used the language of the anti-abortion movement  saying that he opposed abortion on demand  while expressing support for abortion rights. The comment was noted with concern by some progressives.

At this point in his career, with his muffled speaking voice, Biden is not an especially effective messenger for any issue. But the notion that he has a special vulnerability on abortion, because hes a Catholic who has personal reservations, has little to back it up and is probably closer to the opposite of reality.

Polls show abortion is the issue where Biden commands his strongest advantage over Donald Trump. Pro-choice advocates presumably think he could have an even stronger advantage if he talked about the issue the way they do.

But theres not much evidence for that belief. One poll testing different pro-choice messages found a candidate who is personally opposed to abortion but wishes to reestablish Roe v. Wade outperforms an anti-abortion candidate by 26 points, while a candidate who believes abortion is a fundamental human right  the formulation preferred by pro-choice groups  enjoys a margin of just 14 points.

That would, indeed, fit with polling that shows that the public is broadly pro-choice, but only a small minority favors abortion without limits (or, as Biden put it, on demand).

Now, it is true that pro-choice advocates have waged a broadly successful campaign to get Democrats to stop talking about abortion the way Biden did and start adopting more positive framing. Both Bill and Hillary Clinton used to routinely call for abortion to be safe, legal, and rare. Barack Obama gave a commencement address at Notre Dame largely dedicated to abortion, in which he urged the audience, let us work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions, lets reduce unintended pregnancies, and promised to honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion.

Why did pro-choice activists get Democrats to abandon this kind of message? Not because the message didnt work. Activist groups, especially on the left, see it as their job to push politicians to their side. These groups often set out to get politicians to adopt their chosen positions and rhetoric without regard to the political effect. They got Biden to renounce his support for the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal funding for abortion, even though most polls show the amendment is popular and, more importantly, there was never any realistic prospect Biden could repeal it.

Other progressive groups have likewise pushed Democrats to the left of their Obama-era positions on subjects like immigration, climate, and more. This is one reason why the emerging Democratic majority that appeared to be imminent during the Obama era disappeared: Rather than consolidate their majority, Democrats moved to the left.

Theres a certain logic to this activist strategy, especially if you accept the premise that more strident rhetoric shapes can shape the terms of public debate and drive underlying opinion trends to one side or another over the long run. Activist groups also tend to believe that, left to their own devices, politicians will drift toward the most popular stance and need to be nailed down to public commitments they cant easily renounce.

Notably, social-conservative activists have avoided this. Theyve given Trump a lot of leeway to position himself in public as a moderate on abortion, even though he has presumably given private commitments to advance their agenda by appointing likeminded reactionaries to administrative and judicial positions. Trump himself will be term-limited if he wins, and wont have to worry much about a backlash.

I am not Catholic, nor do I have any personal moral opposition to abortion. But I very much do want Biden to defeat Donald Trump in the election. One of Bidens remaining advantages as a candidate is an ability to reach culturally moderate Democrats and independents and emphasize points of agreement, such as Roe v. Wade was good. If pro-choice activists want Biden to win the election and advance abortion rights, theyll let him talk like Joe Biden.
President Joe Biden speaks at Culver City Julian Dixon Library in Culver City, Calif., Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

The claim: In an ad timed for Black History Month, President Joe Biden touted gains Black Americans made during his tenure, including that there have been record numbers of new Black entrepreneurs.

PolitiFact ruling: True. Census Bureau and the Federal Reserve Board datasets found record levels of Black business ownership in 2021 and 2022. Independent analyses say that some of Bidens policies likely played a role.

Discussion

The Feb. 13 advertisement said, The lowest Black unemployment rate in history. Black child poverty cut in half. Record numbers of new Black entrepreneurs. And over $130 billion in student debt forgiven.

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Weve rated a few of those claims Mostly True: The record low for Black unemployment was reached in April 2023 and Black child poverty hit a record low of 22.3% in 2022. The Biden administration also has announced student debt forgiveness totaling $136 billion. While the student loan forgiveness efforts do not have racial guidelines, about 85% of Black undergraduates finish college with student debt, compared with 69% of whites, so Black loan recipients benefit significantly from debt forgiveness efforts.

What about record numbers of new Black entrepreneurs? Biden has made similar comments a few times recently, including in campaign speeches Jan. 27 in South Carolina and Feb. 4 in Las Vegas.

Data supports the claim that the prevalence of Black-owned small businesses has reached record levels under Biden, based on available data since 1989.

According to a Brookings Institution analysis of the U.S. Census Bureaus Annual Business Survey, the number of Black-owned businesses with more than one employee has increased every year since 2017. The biggest increase came between 2020 and 2021, when the number rose from about 140,000 to a little over 161,000. 2021 is the most recent year for which final data from this survey is available.

The growth from 2020 to 2021 represented the largest percentage increase  14.3%  of any year since 2017.

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The second dataset comes from the Federal Reserves Survey of Consumer Finances, conducted every three years, most recently in 2022.

The 2022 survey found that 11% of Black households held equity in a business, far higher than the previous record of 6.6% in 2016.

Black-owned businesses also grew faster in several categories than businesses owned by whites, Asian Americans, Latinos or Hispanics, and Native Americans did. Black-owned businesses had a 7% increase in employees, a 30% increase in revenue and a 27% increase in payroll in 2021, the analysis by Brookings, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, showed.

When contacted for comment, the White House shared independent analyses suggesting that some Biden policies helped spur these increases.

One policy involved changes the Biden administration made to the Paycheck Protection Program, a pandemic-era initiative that lent businesses money to keep workers paid when public health restrictions limited businesses operations. In most cases, the loans were designed to be excused if the recipient businesses followed the programs regulations.

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An August 2020 evaluation of the program found that minority-owned businesses were having trouble securing loans from the program, which began under former President Donald Trump and was approved with bipartisan congressional support.

When the program was phased out in June 2021, the Government Accountability Office found, lending in traditionally underserved counties was proportional to their representation in the overall small-business community. GAO cited changes during the Biden administration that stoked this shift, such as expanding lender participation in the program, including self-employed people, and seeking minority businesses for lending.

A January 2022 study by Robert Fairlie of the University of California, Santa Cruz, found similar gains for minority business owners in securing Paycheck Protection Program loans.

Despite recent gains, Black business ownership continues to trail rates for white Americans.

In 2021, Black Americans represented 14.4% of the U.S. population but 2.7% of business owners. By contrast, white Americans accounted for 72.5% of the U.S. population while owning 82% of businesses. Asian Americans made up 6.3% of the population but owned 10.9% of businesses. Like Black Americans, Latinos and Native Americans also own a smaller share of businesses than their share of the population.

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Even if Black business ownership continued to grow at the rate it did in 2021  the largest percentage increase since 2017  Black-owned businesses would still not reach parity with their population share for another 80 years, Brookings wrote.
Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

Former First Lady Melania Trump is a mysterious woman. Why is she skipping almost all of her husbands 2024 campaign events? Did she really think those blood-red pine trees looked Christmasy? Did Donald Trump really call her Mercedes at CPAC? (No, as it turns out, but the fact that people found this plausible is telling.) And why did she wear a $39 Zara jacket emblazoned with the phrase I Really Dont Care Do U? during a 2018 trip to visit child migrants at the border? To paraphrase Melanias (also mysterious) tweet about a beluga whale, What was she thinking?

A forthcoming book offers a new yet still confusing explanation: She was trying to insult Ivanka Trump.

Over the years, weve heard contradictory explanations for Melanias most notorious moment as First Lady. Initially, the Trump administration claimed it didnt mean anything at all. Its a jacket. There was no hidden message, said Melanias spokesperson.

But several hours later, the president himself tweeted that it was actually a dig at the press:

I REALLY DONT CARE, DO U? written on the back of Melanias jacket, refers to the Fake News Media. Melania has learned how dishonest they are, and she truly no longer cares!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2018

Melania stuck to that explanation in an ABC News interview months later, saying she wore the jacket for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticizing me. And I want to show them that I dont care.

Melania Trump tells @TomLlamasABC she wore the I really dont care jacket for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticizing me. And I want to show them that I dont care. #MelaniaTrump https://t.co/EqEyfZkJvZ pic.twitter.com/2EWeCKB0de  ABC News (@ABC) October 13, 2018

However, in her 2021 memoir, Stephanie Grisham, Trumps former White House press secretary, said blaming the press was just a cover story the president came up with after the whole thing exploded. She insisted that Melania, an immigrant herself, was genuinely concerned about the migrant children separated from their parents and never explained why she wore a coat that overshadowed her visit to an immigration detention facility in McAllen, Texas.

To be honest, I dont know what she was thinking, Grisham wrote. Maybe she was sending a message to someone else by wearing that jacket, but I was never sure.

Now, Katie Rogers, a White House correspondent for the New York Times, reports that the jacket was in fact a message aimed at Ivanka. In her forthcoming book, American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, From Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden, Rogers says Melania and Trumps eldest daughter engaged in a four-year internal power struggle over who would fulfill the duties of the First Lady. Melania, understandably, thought it should be her. But when she took months to move into the executive mansion, Ivanka tried to take over her stepmothers role and quarters in the White House, so they could be geared to serving the entire First Family, not just the First Lady.

According to the New York Post, which reviewed an early copy of the book, Rogers says the jacket was meant to convey Melanias displeasure at the Trump kids role in the administration:

Even the Slovenian-born First Ladys most infamous moment grew out of her scorn for Ivanka. According to former administration officials, Melania was sending a message to her stepdaughter when she wore her I really dont care, do you? jacket ahead of her June 2018 visit to see detained migrant children at the southern border. The pair were locked in a quiet competition for press coverage at the time, Rogers reported.

Its unclear why anyone would look at a photo of the First Lady wearing a jacket with a rude phrase scrawled across the back and think: Wow, she really put Ivanka in her place! But perhaps coherent insult messaging is too much to expect from the woman who gave us Be Best.
Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: Getty

Roberta Kaplan was already a renowned litigator long before she represented E. Jean Carroll against Donald Trump. Now, shes the only lawyer in history who has both successfully argued a monumental case before the Supreme Court and defeated Trump in court  twice. Earlier this month, a jury in New York ordered Trump to pay a whopping $83.3 million in damages to Carroll for defamation, and in the latest episode of On With Kara Swisher, Kaplan tells Kara that the former president has almost no chance of winning an appeal. Kara and Kaplan also discussed Trumps legally perilous antics, his memory lapses about his wives, and the juvenile attempt he once made to call Kaplan a cunt in code. Two excerpts from their conversation (which was recorded shortly before Trump was hit with a $450 million penalty in the New York State civil fraud case) are below.

Kara Swisher: Lets talk first about, obviously, the news, which is this verdict that you got: $83.3 million. Its a big number. Talk about what it means. You had a couple weeks to reflect upon it; Id love to know what you think now.

Roberta Kaplan: So its interesting. I was actually with E. Jean yesterday, and we kind of spent the day together at her house. Its the first time Id ever been there. And we were kind of both remarking on, I mean, really just kind of processing the fact that when we got the first verdict, which was actually where the jury found that he had committed the sexual assault, it didnt really get that much play.

Swisher: Right.

Kaplan: And we now think that the reason for that was because it was only $5 million. But the $83.3 million obviously served as a wake-up call, not only to Trump, I think, but also to the people who are kind of watching all this, and they realized then that this was a big deal.

Swisher: That things have a price.

Kaplan: Correct.

Swisher: So for people who dont know, the jury awarded Carroll $7.3 million for pain and anguish, $11 million in reputational repair, and $65 million in punitive damages. Talk about the last number. Were you surprised it was that high? And what does it tell us about the jurys view of Trumps behavior? This is a measure of intended malice toward Carroll, right?

Kaplan: Yeah. So I thought it would be high. The reason I  before the trial, I dont know if I would have thought it would have been this high. But the problem for Trump is that his behavior during the trial was so atrocious in various ways that he almost gave the jury no choice. Its almost like he was daring them to do it, taunting them. And that included behavior from openly disrespecting the court and the judge in the courtroom, to being in court, leaving the courthouse, doing a press conference where he continued to defame E. Jean, literally during the trial. I think my all-time favorite is he recorded a video  I think its a video  where he said, Im gonna keep on doing it.

This is, again, during the trial, a thousand times. You can imagine I emphasized that a lot in my closing. So I think the jury  I mean, its hard because we didnt get to talk to them, and I dont think we ever will. I dont know who they are. But I think they were offended by the open contempt, kind of our system, our judicial system, our democracy, the rules, the prior jurys verdict, et cetera. So he really brought it on himself, I have to say.

Swisher: Would you say he did that on purpose? Because obviously fundraising is part of his ploy with all these court cases. This isnt a new, fresh thing. Was that a beneficial thing for him to do despite this verdict?

Kaplan: So its very hard for me to get inside his head. I think he thought it was gonna be beneficial to him. He kind of sees it as a strategic benefit to him politically. I cant imagine  even putting aside the personal issues for him of having to pay $83.3 million  I cant believe that, had he known that it was gonna result in a verdict that high, he would have thought that was good for him.

Swisher: Right.

Kaplan: But again, I dont try to get into his head.

Swisher: Well, if he gets to be president, that is good for him. Right? I think I assume thats the figuring hes doing. Now Trumps team has already motioned for a mistrial, which has been denied. The judge said the request made no sense. Trump has also said hed appeal. Can you walk us through what happens? Everyone doesnt quite understand, in terms of the  well get to the cash in a minute  but walk us through what happens next.

Kaplan: So what happens next is the judge issued the judgment last week. That means Trump has 30 days  and this gets a little bit to the cash  to either post a bond or to deposit the judgment number with some extra money for interest with the court. I dont think a number that high has ever been deposited with the SDNY, but its potential here, then they will appeal to the Second Circuit. Both in this latest trial and the earlier trial, I think their appellate issues are very, very, very weak. Judge [Lewis] Kaplans a very strong judge. Most of their arguments are evidentiary. He knows very well how to rule on evidentiary issues. I give them extremely low prospects on appeal.

Swisher: And what happens to the cash? So if he does a bond, does it let  he has to pay less or he has to just guarantee it?

Kaplan: Yeah. If he does a bond, he has to pay less. He has to put up 20 percent.

Swisher: To the bond people?

Kaplan: To the bond people.

Swisher: Then theyre on the hook for the large amount.

Kaplan: And he has to give us some collateral, but they are on the hook. Um, interestingly, last time when the verdict was so much lower, the $5 million, he did not post a bond. He actually deposited the money with the court and in  Im embarrassed to say how long  30-some years of litigating, Ive never seen anyone do that. Most people would rather only put up 20 percent than put up the entire amount. So, like, he put up, rather than putting up a million dollars on the last verdict, which is all it would have cost on the bond, he deposited $5.5 million with the SDNY.

Swisher: And why is that? Why do you imagine? Do you have any idea?

Kaplan: Why did he have to do that? I suspect its because he couldnt get a bond.

Swisher: Oh, interesting.

Kaplan: That whatever questions the bond companies were asking, either he didnt wanna answer or they didnt like his answers.

Swisher: They didnt like his answer. So then what happens? He goes to the appeal. He loses that, say. Lets assume hell lose that. Where does that go then?

Kaplan: Theoretically  Im trying to think of it  theoretically, he could try to ask the Supreme Court to take the case. Either case, theres really not much left by way of federal issues that the Supreme Court could legitimately take. They would probably  he might probably try to come up with something that would be a legitimate federal question of federal law for the Supreme Court. The chance there, again because its mostly state issues of defamation law, of sexual-assault law, et cetera, is even lower than the chance of winning at the Second Circuit. So almost negligible.

Swisher: And what would that mean in this appeals process? Because it takes a while. He could be president when youre doing this. Correct? He has no ability to get out of it even if he was president.

Kaplan: If he is elected president, he will be president when the appeal is happening for sure. Itll take about a year or two years. Under our system  Im gonna sound super kind of freaky and nuclear right now  under our system as it currently exists, there is nothing he can do. Hes already said as president that hes willing to consider measures that are pretty inimical to our democracy and our democratic system. So I guess theoretically, he could, you know, tell the Second Circuit that hes not gonna stand by. You know, hes not gonna honor their decision or, I dont know, just refuse.

Swisher: Then what happens?

Kaplan: Well, again, up until this point in time, up until 2024 in American history, court decisions and judgments and appellate decisions always got enforced because people respected that, the legitimacy and the authority of those systems.

I dont know. I mean, if were in that kind of a situation, arguably, we have a much worse problems on our hands because were almost in a situation of losing our democratic or republican form of government.

Swisher: He could just refuse. Could they arrest him?

Kaplan: Yes. But, again 

Swisher: Hes the president.

Kaplan: As president, who knows what hell do? Right.

Swisher: Right. Right. Wow. Thats  okay.

Kaplan: I mean, again, if were ever in that place, I think our problems are so much worse than E. Jean Carrolls judgment.

Swisher: So every week we get a question from an outside expert. Today, we have one from a fellow lawyer you know quite well. Have a listen.

George Conway: Hi, Robbie, its George Conway. I heard that there has been a lot of public discussion recently about older men and the extent to which their memories deteriorate over time. I am not sure where I heard that, cause Im getting old. But it reminded me of the fact that at Trumps deposition, Trump seemed to have forgotten what his second wife, Marla Maples, even looked like. You showed him a photograph of E. Jean Carroll, and he mistook the woman in the photograph as being Marla Maples.

Now, its obviously not unusual for people to have failures of recollection when testifying, but that one struck me as while being a well-meaning misrecollection, it was totally and completely bizarre and, frankly, a bit disturbing to the point that if I were charged with managing Donald Trumps mental well-being, and thankfully Im not, uh, Id wanna take him to the nearest geriatric neurologist. Were there any other instances of bizarre testimony from him at his deposition? You know, stuff other than the self-serving kind of thing that you normally expect to hear from somebody whos a complete liar?

Swisher: Okay. Talk about that deposition and what George is asking.

Kaplan: Yeah. So the short answer to Georges question  and as people may or may not know, George is the person who told E. Jean to call me in the first place, so he has a key role in this whole story. To answer his question directly, the answer is yes. And I would say it came up in two different ways.

One, going back to the question of impulse control, he couldnt really control himself with me at the deposition. So it was not only a constant barrage of insults to E. Jean, who wasnt in the room. There were a lot of insults to me. So at one point, he said, when he was talking about [how Carroll was] not my type, he told me that I wasnt his type either. He told me that he was gonna sue me very strongly, whatever that means. He told me that I was a disgrace, et cetera, et cetera. Im not really  Im gonna be honest here  Im not someone whos known for their equanimity. Im just not. Thats not how Im wired.

Swisher: I can attest to that. Yeah. Go ahead.

Kaplan: But for some reason, I knew it was important to stay calm. And so I just did. I just let him keep saying it, and he would kinda go off. He does this a lot in all the different cases. He kind of goes on a tirade, like, he speechifies in answering questions  which is never what you want your client to do. And I would just kind of look up after a while, and I would say to him, Are you done yet? Because I have another question to ask. Which, of course, drove him completely insane.

Swisher: Right, that you didnt react. That you didnt  the non-reaction was a strategy, presumably.

Kaplan: Correct. Correct. And I have to say it took a lot of impulse control on my part, but I managed.

And two, there were other lapses of, kind of, cognition and memory. The most important one is  so one of the arguments he was making is that this assault never happened. His strongest argument was the fact that E. Jean does not know the precise date, and that is true. We know it was in the spring of 1996 because of what her job was at the time. We know it was a Thursday, because Bergdorf Goodman only stayed open then on Thursday evenings.

So we have some details, but you cannot say, no one can point to a Thursday evening in the spring of 1996 and say thats when it happened. So his point was, well, if she doesnt know the exact date, it didnt happen. The problem for him, with that, is there were a whole bunch of other things he didnt remember. The key one being, he didnt remember his anniversary with Melania. He didnt remember, he didnt remember anything about his wives, how long hed been married to any of them, when he got married to the next wife.

And from a key perspective, I said to him, because he was making this point about how E. Jean is lying because she doesnt remember. And I said, So when  whats your anniversary with your current wife? And he said something like, Im not gonna dignify that with an answer.

Swisher: Did that strike you, or was he being  because you could be just obstreperous or you could really have a neurological issue.

Kaplan: Well, it also could be that he just doesnt care about his anniversary with Melania. Like, Im not a hundred percent sure what it was, but it was very clear he didnt know it, and he was using the Im not gonna dignify it kind of as a defense to the fact that he didnt know.

Swisher: Now one of the stories you told George was when he started insulting you, he seemed to be focused on any woman that challenges him, right? I would assume because it seems that thats a pattern, for anyone whos paying attention. And his lawyer set this up. Can you tell this story? And I will say the actual words so people know. I know you couldnt say it on cable news. You dont have to. But the put the story up for us.

Kaplan: The story, the insulting me at the deposition, is saying Im not his type, or 

Swisher: No. The other one.

Kaplan: So the other one is a different case, just to be clear. Its a case in which we sued Trump and his corporation for basically engaging in a pyramid scheme or fraudulently promoting a pyramid scheme called ACN. And in the fraud deposition, it was a very different deposition. I was just  our evidence is so strong in that case that I just wanted him to confirm: Yeah. This is my signature on this contract. Yeah. Thats me in that video. Yeah. This is what I said here, etcetera. So he kind of realized that as the time went on and was super-irked by it. Because I think he also realized as time went on that we had a very strong case. So there were two episodes of him kind of completely losing his temper.

Well, maybe one of losing his temper and second of being insulting. The first was at about 11:30 in the morning, I said to him  oh, I didnt know what to call him, so I decided to call him sir  So I said, Okay, sir 

Swisher: He likes that.

Kaplan: Uh, Ive got one more topic to cover, and then how about if we take a break for lunch? And he said something like, Why do we have to break for lunch? This a waste of my time. Lets just go straight through. I dont wanna break.

And I said, Look, if it were up to me, that would be fine. But theres a court reporter, theres a videographer, theyre entitled to a lunch break, and we have to have a lunch break.

And then you could kind of see his brain, like, the gears in his brain turning. And he said to me, Well, youre here at Mar-a-Lago. Where do you think youre gonna get lunch?

And I said  I have to admit, I kinda knew this was coming, I kind of enjoyed this  I said to him, Well, I actually spoke to your counsel about this yesterday, and they very graciously offered to provide us with lunch. At which point, he was so pissed off that  there was a huge pile of business documents in front of him, and he basically threw the documents across the table

Swisher: Wow.

Kaplan: And then he started screaming at his lawyers. And Im not gonna repeat what he said, but it wasnt pleasant.

Ultimately they did provide us with lunch, and so everything went on fine. But it was  you know, our son is now almost 18  and I havent seen him do anything like that for many years. I mean, it was really like a toddler.

Swisher: Yeah.

Kaplan: Then at the end of the day, we probably ended the deposition around four oclock in the afternoon. And he said something like  We came back in the room. Usually, at every deposition, you give each side a chance to see if they wanna do anything else on the record. And we came back in, and we said were done.

And they immediately said, Off the record, off the record. You could tell that they kind of had a joke about it. Um, and he looked up at me and said, See you next Tuesday.

For this, I am incredibly grateful for my utter ignorance.

Swisher: Yeah.

Kaplan: I had literally no idea what that meant. And so I said to him, What are you talking about? Im coming back on Wednesday. Which was when the Carroll deposition was. And then I didnt know anything until we got in the car, and my colleague  who is much younger and hipper  said to me, Robbie, you know what that means? And I said no. They told me, and I said, Oh my God. Im so glad. Because I would not have kept my equanimity.

Swisher: Im gonna say it. Its C-U-N-T, which is cunt. He called you a cunt, essentially. Which is his way. Thats the perfect insult that he would think is really devastating to you.

Kaplan: Yeah, you could tell theyve been joking about it. They thought it was like, you know, again, like, young boys would joke. Im pretty sure that had I understood it, I would not have been able to keep my calm, uh, demeanor. Im pretty sure I would have gotten angry and said something. I would have made a record. I probably would have brought the transcript back on the record and made a record so I could use it with the judge.

Swisher: Right.

Kaplan: In fact, when we got back, when I realized I said to everyone, Check the record, check the video, see if we have anything. And everything was off, so we had no documentary proof of it. There were a lot of witnesses in that room who sort of heard it.

Swisher: Right. And then you just let it lie. Let it go.

When he announced he would show up in court  so based on all this behavior  when he announced that he would show up in court, people were saying he would treat the court as a sort of campaign appearance and would spin it to his advantage. Do you think it did? Did you have a sense it could? Were you worried about that?

Kaplan: Well, the thing we were most worried about, Kara, is E. Jean. This was the first time E. Jean was going to see Donald Trump since the spring of 1996. And I was very worried about her reaction to it. And in fact, as we were preparing her to testify, wed  you know, you do it in a case like this many, many times. And I think this was the Thursday before, the trial was supposed to start the next Tuesday, and we were doing a prep session in my office and she almost lost the ability to speak. Like, you could tell she was in a really bad shape. And, you know, shes an incredibly articulate human being as you can imagine in her own unique style. And she also said she wasnt feeling good.

About two weeks before that, during the prep, I had said to her, Look, what about getting the psychological expert we used last time  whos an expert on trauma and just a wonderful person  and having her come in and be in New York during the trial?

And E. Jean being kind of the midwestern Indiana person that she is said, Thats ridiculous. I dont want her here. No way. Dont need her. And so I kind of let it drop.

But that night after this prep session where she really couldnt talk, I said to her, Look, you know, E. Jean, after you wrote your book, you got very, very ill. Her book in which she told the story about Donald Trump. And you actually had to be hospitalized, I said, and now youre telling me you feel sick, physically sick. I said, Maybe you should talk to Dr. [Leslie] Lebowitz. I think it might be a good idea because I think youre stressed about the trial, and I think youre stressed about seeing Donald Trump.

And so she agreed at that point  my logic at that point was strong enough to convince her. And she had a long phone session, I think, with Dr. Lebowitz. And then by the time she got to trial, they talked about strategies, and then by the time she got to trial, she was fine. What she said is that the minute I started asking questions, she was fine. So that was the No. 1 concern from our perspective. It wasnt even about the strength or what it would do the trial. It was about what it would do to E. Jean.

In terms of the trial, I think, Im trying to remember because theres so much going on at this point in my head every minute. I think my gut feeling was if he showed up, that would be good for us. We would get more money. I dont think I ever thought $83 million, but his behavior in court, particularly in a case in which were saying this is a guy who cant respect the law and respect the jury verdict, would only inure to our benefit.

We knew that there was very little that he could say. Thats the crazy part about it. I should  this really has come out  I should explain: Because of the earlier verdict and because of this principle known as issue preclusion or collateral estoppel, the fancy legal term, there was  he was not allowed to show up at the second trial and say to the jury, I didnt rape her.

Swisher: I didnt do it.

Kaplan: I didnt do it. I didnt defame her. He couldnt do any of that. So you have to think about, from their perspective, any good lawyer, Im sure you  Im sure Alina [Hanna] said this too  any good lawyer would say, Dont show up. Theres nothing you could do to help yourself. But he showed up anyway.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

On With Kara Swisher is produced by Nayeema Raza, Blakeney Schick, Cristian Castro Rossel, and Megan Burney with mixing by Fernando Arruda, engineering by Christopher Shurtleff, and theme music by Trackademics. New episodes will drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Some think Donald Trumps decisive South Carolina victory was pyrrhic. Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

From any straightforward point of view, Donald Trumps decisive, 20-point win over Nikki Haley in her home state of South Carolina was very good news for the former presidents comeback aspirations. He has easily won the first three contests in the Republican nomination battle (or first four, if you count his uncontested win in the Nevada caucuses), gaining 100 of the 142 pledged delegates awarded so far (with 12 more going to candidates who have subsequently dropped out and endorsed him). New Hampshire and South Carolina were by most accounts Nikki Haleys two best states. Just ahead are Michigan, where a new Emerson poll shows Trump leading Haley by 49 points (69 percent to 20 percent), then a host of Super Tuesday states in which best we can tell Haley isnt within striking distance of the front-runner.

Haleys increasingly sharp and personal criticisms of Trump have eliminated any tiny chance that Republican convention delegates would turn to Trumps last rival if his candidacy somehow explodes in a courtroom or a hospital room. So her candidacy is pointless going forward unless she secretly plans to continue it beyond the GOP contest as an independent or on a No Labels Unity Ticket (which she has foresworn so far). And it may run out of fuel soon if the Koch-family networks decision to abandon her cause is a leading indicator of what other donors will do.

Having said all that, there is a persistent argument heard in the commentariat that in pummeling Haley, Trump is exhibiting weaknesses that will lead to his defeat in November. Heres an illustrative take on South Carolina from Politico:

Behind every silver lining, there has been a cloud for Trump during the GOP primary, and otherwise sunny South Carolina proved no exception. With about three-quarters of the expected vote in, some 40 percent of voters rejected Trump.

That number itself isnt a problem in a primary. But it includes some serious reasons for concern in a general election. Trump lost moderate and liberal voters to Haley by a wide margin, according to exit polls. And, according to AP VoteCast, a bit over 1 in 5 GOP primary voters said they would not vote for Trump in November if he was the partys nominee.

An analysis of the South Carolina vote by Axios echoed this glass-half-full approach to Trumps big win:

Those who went to the polls reflected Trumps strengths:

This was the oldest South Carolina GOP electorate this century. (Chuck Todd)

60% of primary voters were white evangelical or born-again Christians. (CNN)

Reality check: That group isnt remotely big enough to win a presidential election. He would need to attract voters who are more diverse, more educated and believe his first loss was legit. South Carolina exit polls show he didnt do that.

Theres been one more perspective suggesting storm clouds for the overwhelming winner of the first Republican contests: Nate Cohn of the New York Times observes that Trump keeps underperforming his poll numbers:

In Iowa, the final FiveThirtyEight polling average showed Mr. Trump leading Nikki Haley by 34 points with a 53 percent share. He ultimately beat her by 32 points with 51 percent. (Ron DeSantis took second.)

In New Hampshire, he led by 18 points with 54 percent. In the end, he won by 11 points with 54 percent.

In South Carolina, Mr. Trump led by 28 points with 62 percent. He ultimately won by 20 points with 60 percent.

In the scheme of primary polls, these arent especially large misses. In fact, theyre more accurate than average.

But with Mr. Trump faring well in early general election polls against President Biden, even a modest Trump underperformance in the polls is worth some attention.

But as Cohn himself notes, participation in the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries included a hard-to-quantify group of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents who were basically Biden voters from the get-go and were never going to support Trump (i.e., they are not swing voters at all):

[T]he polls [may have] simply got the makeup of the electorate wrong. In this theory, pollsters did a good job of measuring the people they intended to measure, but they were measuring the wrong electorate. In particular, they did not include enough of the Democratic-leaning voters who turned out to support Ms. Haley.

Its impossible to prove, but I think this is probably a major factor. Its always relatively hard to predict the makeup of the electorate in a presidential primary, but the large number of Democratic-leaning voters motivated to defeat Mr. Trump is a particularly great challenge this cycle. For the first time since 2012, theres no competitive Democratic presidential primary to draw Democratic-leaning independents away, and the Republican runner-up is a relative moderate who may be palatable to many Democratic-leaning voters.

It obviously makes a lot of difference whether Haley voters are disgruntled Republicans or just crossover Biden voters who will return home in November, as Trump holds on to his MAGA base and a solid share of swing voters. There are two ways to answer the question of what Trumps lack of unanimous Republican primary support means: continue to look at general-election polls (where at the moment Trump has a small but consistent lead), or perhaps begin to focus on closed primaries where non-Republicans cannot participate (e.g., on Super Tuesday, California, Colorado, Maine, Oklahoma, and Utah). If Haleys vote drops to next to nothing in these states, its a pretty good sign shes been drawing voters who werent ever really on the table for Trump and whose loss is no big deal for him.

For now, the safe thing to say is that Trump is cruising toward an easy and early nomination victory and that he looks entirely competitive in November now matter how much that mystifies or horrifies a lot of us.
Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photos: Getty Images

In November 2022, Intelligencer published this story about MITs decision to require applicants to submit SAT and ACT scores again, two years after nearly every elite college in the country made test scores optional. In early 2024, Dartmouth reinstated a standardized testing requirement, followed a few weeks later by Yale.

On the last Monday of March 2022, two weeks after MIT finished notifying 1,337 applicants that they had been accepted (and rejected some 32,000 others), a post appeared on the website of the universitys admissions office. After two pandemic-disrupted application cycles, during which basically every college in America ditched its SAT and ACT requirements, the dean of admissions, Stu Schmill, announced that MIT would be asking for test scores again, starting with the high-school seniors applying this fall. MIT had determined that it needed tests to make sure its students could do the work  a conclusion reached after careful research, Schmill wrote. The 1,400-word post was accompanied by nearly 3,000 words of endnotes, citing everything from academic journals to MITs own graduation data.

In bringing back the tests, MIT was going out on a limb. Since the start of the pandemic, the system by which universities craft and replicate the American elite has radically shifted, and standardized tests  once a rite of passage for generations of teenagers  are no longer assumed mandatory. Instead, our relationship with the tests has splintered into three positions. The first is the legacy policy: A test is required. The second is the test blind or test free approach, adopted by the University of California system in 2021, in which test scores are eliminated from the admissions process altogether. And the third is the test-optional approach, in which applicants choose whether to submit a score. In the spring of 2020, 600 campuses, including the entire Ivy League, became test optional, a temporary work-around to closed test sites. But then colleges kept extending the expiration date of their policies. Last September, Cornell said this years high-school seniors and juniors wouldnt need to submit scores. Stanford followed in November, exempting this years seniors from sending scores. In December, Harvard went even further: Students applying as far out as the class of 2030 (this years ninth-graders) could consider their test scores optional.

Even before the pandemic, thered been a growing disenchantment among colleges toward requiring test scores, which study after study has demonstrated are strongly linked to the applicants family income and race. In 2019, according to the testing-watchdog group FairTest, nearly 50 campuses made test scores optional for applicants  a record number, according to the Washington Post. There was a growing realization that the value of the test as a predictive tool likely didnt outweigh the harm it created, Akil Bello, FairTestss director of advocacy, told me. Until Schmills announcement, the only other admissions dean at an elite institution willing to publicly throw his weight behind the tests during the pandemic was Charles Deacon at Georgetown University. Deacon, one of the longest-serving admissions deans in higher education (hes been in his role since the Nixon administration) is unapologetic about his belief in the necessity of the tests. Its not politically correct, he admitted.

It was not only that MIT was moving in the opposite direction of nearly all of its competitors that caught high-school counselors and admissions officers by surprise but also how Schmill framed the decision. Bringing back the SAT and ACT, he argued, would be more equitable than keeping tests optional. Evaluating applications without scores tends to raise socioeconomic barriers to demonstrating readiness for our education, Schmill wrote, and the SAT and ACT allowed MIT to identify (some) students who would not otherwise be picked up by other indicators because MIT, like most other colleges, buys names of prospective students whose standardized-test scores fall within a particular range to assist in recruiting its first-year class.

By being the first highly selective college to return to a test requirement, MIT would, Schmill knew, face criticism. The day after the announcement, Jon Boeckenstedt, vice-provost for enrollment management at Oregon State and a frequent critic of the SAT and its owner, the College Board, tweeted a thread of acerbic criticism at MIT, challenging Schmills claims and ending, Just say you like tests. No one is going to cancel you. One of the few public affirmations of MITs decision came, not unexpectedly, from the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal, which proclaimed, Test Scores Count Again at MIT. When Deacon saw Schmills blog post, the next thing I did was write an email to Stu congratulating him, he told me.

In the past two years, the broad shift toward the test-optional approach has reshuffled the math of college admissions: Without what used to be the one universal element in a holistic admissions process, a students chances of getting admitted to a selective school today are significantly different from what they were two years ago. The question for future classes is whether MIT is a bellwether that its competitors follow or whether test optional, and its downstream effect on admissions, is here to stay. MITs decision to require standardized tests again has reignited debates over what, in the decidedly unfair realm of elite-college admissions, constitutes equity and fairness  principles that admissions deans, students, parents, counselors, and even the courts have conflicting ideas about, particularly when the demand for seats so exceeds the number available.

Before it became the subject of editorial pages and Twitter spars between college deans, the SAT was seen as a purely egalitarian tool. In the 1930s, the then-president of Harvard University, James Bryant Conant, persuaded his fellow elite-college presidents to adopt the exam so they could expand their student bodies beyond pedigreed young men from East Coast boarding schools. As the number of teenagers going to college swelled in the second half of the 20th century, colleges used the SAT and later the ACT to quickly sort through applicants. By the late 1980s, U.S. News & World Report had started using scores as a metric in its college rankings; as a result, colleges felt obligated to report high scores to move up in the rankings.

But at the turn of this century, colleges increasingly began to see the tests as an unnecessary barrier, particularly for low-income and minority students. A bar graph on FairTests website illustrates a spike, starting in 2001, in the number of colleges that eliminated test scores as an admissions requirement. Most were less selective schools, joined by a small set of elite liberal-arts colleges. In 2008, Wake Forest University became the first top-30 national university in the U.S. News & World Report rankings to go test optional; ten years later, the University of Chicago became the first top-ten university, and by 2019, more than a thousand colleges had gone test optional. But as the number of schools that eliminated testing requirements rose, so did the number of test takers: In the cutthroat competition that elite-college admissions had become, students wanted any edge they could find. In the high-school class of 2015, 1.7 million students took the SAT. By 2019, 2.2 million students did. At the highest-ranked test-optional institution before the pandemic, the University of Chicago, 85 to 90 percent of applicants still submitted scores.

That devotion to the tests couldnt even be disrupted by COVID-19 at first. There was a run on test sites before there was a run on toilet paper, Adam Ingersoll, founder and principal of Compass Education Group, an academic-advising and test-prep firm, told The Chronicle of Higher Education in 2020. Throughout the spring and summer, college officials realized they would need to relax their test requirements for admission the following fall. The reluctance of some institutions was evident in their initial, sometimes cryptic announcements. Purdue University called its policy test flexible, saying, If students can take an SAT or ACT, wed still suggest and prefer they do so. The University of Michigan said, while missing scores wouldnt hurt a students chances, Scores are encouraged  if available. And Cornell University said students who didnt submit scores would be assessed with increased scrutiny.

With little preparation, colleges embarked on an experiment: What would happen if, for two application cycles, nearly every elite institution in America let students choose what to do about their test results? And what admissions deans found was that a test-optional policy, presented to students as a move of compassion, served their own agendas, too. Unsure whether testing was really optional or what a good score was when not everyone sent one, students aiming for selective colleges hedged their bets and applied to more schools than usual; according to forthcoming research from the Common App, average applications per student have increased during the first two years of the pandemic, with 17 percent of students applying to ten or more colleges this year using their platform (known in the industry as high-volume applicants). Top-ranked private colleges received the bulk of their applications. Having more prospective students to choose from gave colleges permission to lean more into their priorities, whether its admitting students from a particular geographic region, low-income students, men, students of color, athletes, legacies, or full payers. And now that scores werent required, colleges could craft a class however they wanted without worrying whether low scores from sought-after applicants might impact the average for the entire first-year class  and ultimately their rankings and prestige.

I saw how schools balanced those priorities while embedded in the admissions offices at three selective colleges for my book Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions. Typically, institutional priorities really come into play in the final weeks of admissions season after the rough sort of the class is completed. By early March, colleges have a general sense of what their incoming class looks like in terms of their overall academic profile and demographics, so this is when admissions offices focus on smaller groups of applicants  shaping the class, as they call it  to add diversity or certain majors or bring in legacies, employees children, or donors. But a test-optional policy gives you more degrees of freedom in selection, said an admissions dean at a prestigious private university. It brings other elements of the file forward that had to compete with test scores in the past.

In July, the College Board released the results of a study on 51 public and private colleges that were test optional for fall 2021 and the policys impact on admissions. Applications were up across all kinds of institutions, but highly selective privates  those that admit fewer than 25 percent of students  saw the biggest jump, with more than half of applicants not disclosing a test score. These schools were also the only group that didnt make more space to meet demand, resulting in ultralow acceptance rates. And while the overall numbers showed that the enrollments of underrepresented students of color and low-income students stayed basically flat, highly selective private institutions saw their numbers rise among their biggest admissions priorities: Black students, low-income students, and students with high GPAs.

I have yet to speak to a counselor at a low-income high school who doesnt believe that test optional has helped open the doors wider for their students, Angel B. Perez, chief executive officer of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, told me. This fall, I spoke to a first-year college student from Texas named Jorge, the son of a single mom who works as a custodian. In high school, Jorge was interested in Columbia but had worried about his SAT scores; after taking three SATs, his best combined score was a 1230, which fell below Columbias middle 50 percent of test scores for admitted students, 1490 to 1560. Why waste my time when I dont have the scores? he thought. In the back of my mind, I thought, Im not going to get in. At the time, he was working with a nonprofit that provides college-counseling to low-income students, and his advisers encouraged him to apply anyway. Jorge sent in his application without test scores and was accepted early decision.

What remains to be seen is whether the switch to test optional at selective colleges has any impact on who stays and graduates. Fans of the tests have long argued that scores are a necessary benchmark for evaluating applications from high schools with varying degrees of rigor. Its not a score cutoff were looking for but one thats high enough that you think, Well, maybe the student can do it, Deacon said. We dont want people coming in for whom that is a real question. The really low test score is a warning signal. But other deans have yet to make up their minds. I asked an admissions dean at one of those highly selective privates if it would be difficult to go back to requiring the tests should they continue to see the rise in underrepresented students admitted. Its the million-dollar question, he said, one his institution is trying to answer by tracking the performance of undergraduates who enrolled without test scores. Hes not alone: One reason so many schools have extended their test-optional policies is so they can conduct an A/B test comparing how those undergraduates who withheld their scores fare over their college careers compared with those who included them, based on grades and how many return to campus.

A few weeks into his first year, I caught up with Jorge at Columbia. I asked him how the semester was going. Its difficult, but its just about how you can effectively manage your time, he said. Graduating from an early-college high school where he took college-level courses helped. I didnt need an SAT score to tell me that I was going to be okay, he said.

Meanwhile, other anecdotal results from the test-optional experiment are starting to trickle in. At one top-ranked liberal arts college, where 60 percent of the students who enrolled last year submitted scores, the admissions dean told me that the average first-year GPA for members of the freshman class that submitted scores was 3.57; for non-submitters it was 3.47. Institutional research tells me the difference is statistically significant, he said. Another admissions dean, from the selective private university weighing the million-dollar question, told me faculty members have informed him about students who have a little less confidence in the classroom. Since professors dont know whether their students submitted scores, the admissions dean asks for names. He then looks them up. Most of the time, he said, the students didnt submit scores. The question is, if Im coming in with a 1600 or a 1550 on the SAT, does that do something to my level of confidence in the classroom versus someone who just came in with grades? this admissions dean wonders.

Few universities were as reluctant to drop testing as MIT. It was one of the last of the top-ranked institutions to announce a policy change. The first year of the pandemic, applications to MIT jumped 66 percent, more than at almost every other selective college. We certainly did not increase our staff by 66 percent, Schmill told me in June, when I met him in his office in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Our staff got very burned out. MIT had every intention of restoring its test requirements after one year, but as COVID lingered, MIT was forced to extend its testing policy for a second year.

By fall 2021, Schmill had grown concerned about the pandemic-inspired policy. On October 1, MITs Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid (known on campus by the acronym CUAFA and made up of faculty, students, and other campus officials) convened over Zoom. On the agenda: what to do about testing in the fall of 2022. According to Chris Peterson, director of special projects in the admissions office, committee members werent in agreement about reinstating the tests. They knew the tests were controversial and, for a year and a half, had heard about the structural inequities they helped perpetuate. Plus, when other institutions were extending their test-optional policies or eliminating tests altogether, why, some committee members wondered, would MIT make a U-turn?

Schmill and Peterson came to that CUAFA meeting armed with data. To determine whether to keep the tests, MIT had taken a different approach from its peers: Rather than continuing to experiment on current classes, Schmill and his admissions team chose to look backward at historical data the school had been collecting on students since the early aughts. We have 20 years of data where we fiddled with different levers over time, Peterson told me.

One of those levers was the SAT itself  specifically, the range of MIT students scores today compared to 20 years ago. In the fall of 2020, the last year tests were required, the middle 50 percent of MIT first-years scored between 780 and 800 (out of a possible 800) on the math section. That means the top 25 percent of the class scored a perfect 800 and the bottom 25 percent scored a 780 or below with none scoring below 700. (To put these numbers in perspective: If a student missed two math questions out of the 58 on most versions of the SAT, theyd score a 770, putting them below 75 percent of the first-year class at MIT.) But in the early aughts, MIT admitted students with a wider range of scores: About a tenth of first-years scored between a 600 and 699 on the SAT math section, according to MITs archived Common Data Set. They did not do well, Peterson said. Graduation rates at the time hovered just above 90 percent, high for most colleges but not good enough for MIT.

Schmill didnt publicly release any of the data he shared with the committee, nor would he show it to me, a stipulation he made when I approached him for this article in April. He was also reluctant to describe how this data broke down across demographic groups. (In late October, the Supreme Court would begin to hear oral arguments for Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, a lawsuit that used, among other factors, Asian American students test scores to argue against affirmative action, and nearly every admissions dean I spoke to throughout the summer and fall worried about speaking publicly about how race factored into their decision-making.) But to get a sense of what the committee saw  and what made Schmill argue in his blog post that requiring a test score supports greater diversity rather than working against it  I dug into historical data on retention and graduation rates by ethnicity in MITs institutional research pages. Heres what I found: 88 percent of Hispanic students who entered in the fall of 2006 (when 13 percent of MIT first-years scored between a 600 and 699 on the SAT math section) graduated within six years. Black students who started in the fall of 2006 had an 84 percent graduation rate, the lowest among any demographic group except American Indian/Alaska Native. Over the following years, as MIT reduced the percentage of students it enrolled with SAT math scores between 600 and 700, the overall percentage of Black students stayed relatively steady while the percentage of Hispanic students rose. But the graduation rates for both groups started to inch up with each eclipsing the 90 percent mark by 2013.

Schmills definition of equity in admissions, he told me, is not all about who comes in the door but also who goes out. Every year, MIT sees applications from students who didnt take rigorous math and science courses in high school  many of whom are minority or low income  and without test scores, Schmill said, admissions officers risk accepting students less likely to make it to graduation. For students who applied without test scores the past two years, admissions officers looked for other evidence of math achievement, such as Advanced Placement tests, International Baccalaureate courses, or American Mathematics Competitions. Without any of those data points, the likely result was a rejection, but access to those assessments is even more closely tied to wealth than performance on the SAT or ACT.

For now, MIT remains in the minority in its claims about the predictive power of the SAT. In 2021, Wake Forest, which went test optional in 2008, released a longitudinal analysis that found that applicants who dont submit scores  who are twice as likely to be low income, students of color, or the first in their family to go to college  have a lower GPA their first year at Wake Forest, but it narrows each subsequent year to a .03 difference by graduation with minimal difference in graduation rates. (Interestingly, students who withheld their scores even graduated at a slightly higher rate, at 90 percent, than those who sent scores, at 87 percent.) Studies of other colleges that went test optional before the pandemic have arrived at similar conclusions: After some time as an undergraduate, there isnt much difference in the academic performance between students who submitted and those who didnt. But as Schmill pointed out to me repeatedly, MITs undergraduate curriculum  its focus on mathematics especially  is unique even among its elite peers.

After the first meeting in October, CUAFA gathered on Zoom twice more, each time pressing the admissions office for more data on admitted students and how they performed on campus. Eventually, they set aside what they all might have believed prior, Schmill told me, and came up with a decision that they thought was best for MIT. In February, MITs senior administration signed off on the decision: MIT would require standardized tests again.

SAT and ACT scores have long commanded an enormous amount of signaling power for students in the admissions process. For students with lower scores  often low-income and underrepresented students  the SAT once functioned as a flashing red light, a warning that they need not apply to a selective college. For students with a high score, the SAT functioned as a vote of confidence: They believed their score would be the one thing that differentiated them from the hordes of teenagers with top grades and a laundry list of extracurriculars. The pandemic, and the mass pivot to test optional, has made that test scores signal much weaker. And even when a student does have a test score, there is much more noise in interpreting it.

One unintended consequence is that the ambiguous rules of college admissions have become even more muddled, a change most keenly felt in pressure-cooker high schools where offers to selective schools were once taken for granted. Test optional raised the anxiety level across the board, Jeff Makris, director of college counseling at Stuyvesant High School in New York, told me. Before COVID upended admissions, test scores served as a guide for students, who used a schools middle 50 percent range to decide where to apply and to gauge their shot at getting in. But in a world where only the top scorers submit, who knows what a strong score is anymore? said Owen, who graduated from a New York City public high school in June. Owen scored a combined 1560 on the SAT  a number that, in a previous era, when everyone was required to submit a score, he knew would have easily placed him among the top test takers at any selective college, yet he was rejected by 16 of the 22 colleges he applied to. He had his heart set on Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, or Duke; he ended up at the University of Southern California on the condition that he defer his start on the schools Los Angeles campus until the spring.

Amid the confusion, high-school counselors are struggling to find new signposts to guide their students. One problem, counselors told me, is that the information they get from colleges isnt standardized. Some report the percentage of applicants who applied without test scores but not the percentage accepted; others report the inverse. And while colleges report the SAT and ACT score ranges of enrolled students, they dont indicate which percentage of the incoming class submitted those scores, leaving students to wonder how much the figures have been inflated by those with high scores who bothered to submit them. Two years in, counselors have no idea: What is a good score? Do I submit a score or not? And if so, should all colleges on my list get my score? Schmill tells me he gets those same questions from friends whose children are applying to other colleges. I never had a good answer, he said. Like, I have no idea.

After the past two admissions cycles, very few selective schools released data on who got in with or without test scores. (We did admit students without test scores, Schmill said wryly of MIT. Not just one or two, so some.) When they have, the statistics generally reveal that students who submitted test scores got accepted at a higher rate. In some cases, at Boston College, Notre Dame, and Amherst, the admit rate for this falls first-year class was twice as high for students with test scores compared to those without, according to data collected by Compass Education Group. At Emory University, while the overall acceptance rate for this fall was 11 percent, it was 15 percent for those who applied with test scores and 8 percent for those who didnt. Those figures seem to indicate submitting a score at test-optional colleges provides an advantage, but several admissions deans and independent admissions counselors said those high scorers tend to have other things going in their favor too  top among them, high GPAs.

While an all-star students prospects may remain intact, the pattern that seems to be emerging is that a test-optional policy has scrambled the odds the most for the edge-case students. In the spring, Hannah Wolff, a former college counselor at Langley High School, a top-ranked high school in the wealthy suburbs of Washington, D.C., heard from admissions counselors at several public universities that a few Langley seniors who were rejected might have been admitted if they had not submitted their SAT scores, which were in the 1350 range. While a 1350 would have been considered a good score in the past at those schools, now, when the only applicants submitting scores are mostly those well above the average, the expectations of admissions officers have risen with the scores  especially for applicants from wealthy academic powerhouses like Langley. For students at competitive high schools who hover at the threshold, the decision to share a score can hurt as much as it can help. But as Georgetowns admissions dean explained, If youre from some unknown high school in the middle of Mississippi and youve got a 1200, you should send it because thats a good score for a place that were actually looking to add students.

Stuyvesant students are good test takers, but even then, Makris agrees, theres a lot of situations where its a gray area. He recalled a senior last year who came to him for advice about whether to send her just-under-1500 on the SAT to an Ivy League school. He showed the student the middle 50 percent of test scores for those who had enrolled a year earlier. Technically, looking at data that is now about a year old, it looks like youre a little bit under, he told her. He reminded her that admissions officers understand Stuys rigor and that they would respect her grades. I could go either way, he remembers telling her. But why volunteer something that could potentially work against you? The students dad later emailed Makris, disagreeing with the counselors take; Makris doesnt know if the student ultimately applied without scores, but either way, she was rejected. Stories like that make him and other high-school counselors reluctant to tell students what to do about their scores. The more we tell them what to do, the more we become scapegoats when they dont get in, he said.

While we spoke, Makris pulled up the admissions results for his students going back to 2016. He rattled off a bunch of college names. About the same number of his students get accepted at the usual suspects in the Ivy League now as six years ago, though many more apply too. What might surprise students and parents from a few years ago, however, is the next set of colleges Makris mentioned: Northeastern, Case Western, Boston University, and Binghamton University. In 2016, 298 students applied to Northeastern, and 91 were admitted; last year, applications to the Boston school jumped to 422, but only 49 were admitted. Last year, 129 Stuy students applied to Case Western, about the same number as in 2017, but admits were almost cut in half to 36. In 2016, the acceptance rate for Stuys students who applied to Boston University was 43 percent; last year, it was 14 percent. Normally, Makris said, about 50 to 75 graduates enroll at Binghamton University, one of the states top public universities but a safety school among many Stuy students. This fall, 124 students went there. As numbers like those get passed down to students in the hallways of schools like Stuyvesant, Makris anticipates that students and their families will eventually reset their expectations and cast a wider net in their college search.

For some students, that reset has already begun. Over the summer, I spoke to Emma, who graduated from a New York City high school last spring. She had gotten a 1530 on the SAT  including a perfect 800 on the math section  but she still tried to balance her college list between reach schools, such as Harvard, Yale, and Cornell, and likely schools, including Boston University, Stony Brook, and Binghamton University. Emma was accepted to four schools, including the University of Rochester, where she started as a freshman this fall. I didnt think of Rochester as my first choice, she said. I fell in love with it after the fact, when the other options werent present.

In late September, some 6,000 college-admissions officers and high-school counselors gathered in Houston for the annual conference of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. It was the first time the organization had gathered in such a big way since before the pandemic and the rapid expansion of test-optional policies. There were several sessions on the topic, each filled to capacity. At a session I moderated, one of the panelists, a high-school counselor from Florida, said the students she works with still believe they need a test score  and a high one at that  and the audience burst into applause. They did again when she said the lack of transparency by colleges around test scores makes it impossible to advise students. Another panelist, Yvonne Romero Da Silva, the vice-president for enrollment at Rice (which is test optional for now), said, I dont know what more we can say. I mean 25 percent of our students are at Rice without submitting a test. I think thats some of the proof thats in the pudding.

What was clear in the sessions and hallway discussions in Houston among many admissions officers was that test optional gives them flexibility in selecting students and, as a result, that the policies might be here to stay. Even the College Board, the private corporation at the center of the multibillion-dollar testing industry, has toned down its opposition to the test-optional movement: In January, the organization announced a new, all-digital SAT. When its rolled out, starting in the spring of 2024, it will be an hour shorter than the current three-hour paper version. The hope among College Board executives I spoke with is that, if tests are optional for admission, students will want to take a test instead of feeling they must take one.

What is even more likely to establish test optional as a permanent policy among highly selective colleges is the U.S. Supreme Court, which recently heard arguments in two cases challenging the constitutionality of race-conscious admissions policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Given the Courts 6-3 conservative majority, the expectation among admissions deans is that it will end the use of race in admissions, a precedent it set more than 40 years ago and has repeatedly upheld since. According to Deacon, Georgetowns admissions dean, being test optional could give colleges greater freedom in shaping a class with diversity in mind because test scores for applicants and admitted students are often used by plaintiffs in such cases as evidence of discrimination.

The question remains whether selective colleges will go a step further to avoid legal land mines (and provide clarity to applicants) by doing away with the tests altogether. A few weeks before the NACAC conference, the California Institute of Technology announced that its test-blind policy, adopted early in the pandemic, would be extended another two years to 2025, at which point the plan is to announce a permanent decision one way or another. In many ways, CalTech and MIT are more like each other than other top universities, and yet on this question their own internal research came to opposite conclusions. The ability to firmly state that tests dont matter reduces ambiguity and stress for applicants, Ashlee M. Pallie, director of undergraduate admissions at CalTech, told me.

The patchwork of policies about this single piece of the college application has seemed only to further cement the power of the tests in the admissions process even as we talk about diminishing their influence. The admissions process is messy, Peterson, of the MIT admissions office, reminded me. His first job there involved monitoring the forum College Confidential. That experience answering questions about MIT on a website where misinformation and anxious chatter about admissions run rampant taught him that no single measure of merit, no metric of achievement, no amount of information about how someone ends up in the acceptance pile will satisfy students and their families. In the end, Peterson said, what they want is to make the admissions decisions themselves.
Takeshi Ebisawa, accused of trying to sell nuclear material. And Vladimir Putin. Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photos: Getty, Reuters

These are tense times in the world of nuclear deterrence. The Biden administration recently warned that Russia is considering putting a nuclear weapon into orbit, purportedly for the purpose of targeting American satellites. Two weeks later, the Department of Justice announced charges against an alleged yakuza member accused of trying to sell nuclear material originating from Iran. Against this dramatic backdrop, China is continuing to amass nuclear material, Vladimir Putin is showing off his countrys nuclear bombers, and Kim Jong Un is making noises about destroying his neighbor. To help understand all these developments, I spoke with Harvard Kennedy School professor and former White House adviser Matthew Bunn, who negotiated with the Kremlin on nuclear security as part of the Clinton administration. Bunn says that the current scenario is by far the most intense set of nuclear dangers that have existed in my adult life.

Lets start with the Russian plans to put a nuclear device into orbit. Was this a contingency the U.S. and NATO have been considering for some time or more of a surprise development?

Nuclear bombs in orbit have been considered for decades. In fact, one of the James Bond movies was about a nuclear weapon in orbit. Thats one reason why theyre prohibited in the Outer Space Treaty from way back in the 1960s.

We dont know a lot about the specifics of what the Russians may be developing. Existing weapons like intercontinental ballistic missiles can lob a nuclear bomb into low earth orbit anyway to attack satellites. So if theres a new capability, it may be to actually put it in space permanently, or it may be a more advanced nuclear weapon designed to emphasize one particular aspect of energy release or one particular direction of energy release. For example, in the 1980s, as part of the Strategic Defense Initiative, the United States was working to develop nuclear-pumped X-ray lasers, which would force energy in a particular direction, to try to shoot down nuclear missiles. One could imagine that it might be something in that general scope, but its hard to speculate because we really dont know based on the public reporting what exactly its about.

If Russia were to put the nuclear device into orbit, how would the U.S. respond?

Certainly there would be a huge effort to rally international opposition given that it would violate the Outer Space Treaty. And this not just a treaty like any of the others Russia has violated. This is a treaty that almost all countries in the world are party to because it makes clear that space is the common heritage of all humankind, and clearly putting a nuclear bomb up there is very much contrary to that idea. Now, Putin may not care. He has violated practically every law of war in Ukraine. He has violated the fundamental U.N. Charter by invading a foreign country and seizing chunks of its land.

But its a situation where one of the founding members of the United Nations, one of the permanent members of the Security Council charged with protecting international peace and security, is the one committing exactly the kind of aggression that the United Nations was founded to prevent.

How can the U.S. prepare for such a threat?

One thing the United States certainly needs to do, and has already been moving to do, is make sure that its satellite capabilities are highly resilient.

Part of that is maintaining networks of small satellites rather than relying on a few huge, expensive, difficult-to-replace satellites. Part of that is having the ability to launch new satellites to replace ones that may be harmed or disabled or destroyed. Part of that is the ability to operate without satellite support if need be. U.S. strategic bombers, for example  their pilots are trained to be able to operate without any support from satellites at all, because theyre expecting to be flying in enemy airspace with lots of electronic jamming and so on. The guidance systems of U.S. long-range nuclear missiles dont depend on any communication from the outside world or from satellites because of the concerns about electronic interference with such communication. But for a lot of the U.S. military, space is fundamental to their operations. Still, there are opportunities for at least temporary alternatives in the way of ship-to-ship, air-to-air, ground-to-ground communications, et cetera.

This is just one nuclear threat among many right now. Russia has warned of using nukes on Ukraine over the past two years; how do you view that possibility at the moment?

This is part of a broader collapse of U.S.-Russian relations and a broader Russian decision to try to highlight its nuclear threats to the West. Putin and other people in his government have repeatedly issued such threats since they invaded Ukraine two years ago. Most recently, just a few days ago, Dmitry Medvedev, who had been president of Russia and is now deputy chairman of the Security Council, said on his Telegram channel that if Russia was pushed back to its internationally recognized borders, it would launch all-out nuclear war, including the destruction of Washington, Paris, London, and Berlin. And as far as Im aware, virtually no western newspapers even bothered to report that because so many Russian nuclear threats have already been made.

Among Russian nuclear strategists, there is a sort of public discussion about How do we get the West to pay more attention to our nuclear threats? And one could easily imagine that moving toward a nuclear weapon in space would be one aspect of that.

Its a really dark situation in nuclear relations between the United States and Russia. Almost all nuclear-arms agreements limiting U.S. and Russian forces are gone. Only the New START Treaty remains, which is still in force, although Russia is violating its provisions by refusing to allow inspections. Both sides have said they will at least remain within the numerical limits of that treaty for the time being. But that treaty expires in February 2026, and there are absolutely no talks underway to consider any sort of replacement. So it may be that quite soon, for the first time in half a century, well be in a world with absolutely no limits on U.S. nuclear forces or Russian nuclear forces. There already have never been any limits on Chinese nuclear forces, which are now getting built up, and relations between the United States and Russia are more hostile than they have been since the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Where would you place the current threat level compared to the Cold War era?

This is by far the most intense set of nuclear dangers that have existed in my adult life, and Im in my 60s. I gave a talk a little while ago summarizing nuclear dangers around the world generally, titled The Darkening Horizon. Its not just U.S.-Russia, but U.S.-China, U.S.-North Korea, India-Pakistan, Iran, et cetera. Its bad, and our efforts to try to moderate the danger are just not working very well. Russia is refusing any serious talks on nuclear issues. North Korea is refusing any serious talks on nuclear issues. To the Biden administrations credit, theyve managed to get some conversations with China going again, but at a very limited level, which so far is not affecting the rapid Chinese nuclear buildup underway. India and Pakistan continue nuclear-arms competition more or less in slow motion. Id say just arms competition, but you have incidents like India accidentally firing a cruise missile in the middle of Pakistan  a nuclear-armed country whose government is very much up in the air at the moment.

What do you take away from the Justice Departments announcement last week that the FBI had arrested an alleged yakuza member accused of selling nuclear material obtained from an insurgent group in Myanmar? That also sounds like a spy-movie plot.

Its a reminder that there may well be potential nuclear-bomb material out of the control of any particular country. We also dont know how important this particular episode was because we dont know how much nuclear material the smuggler had and how much more that smuggler might have access to. But it apparently was weapon-grade plutonium, and the undercover agents who caught the smuggler told him that it would go to an Iranian nuclear-weapons program. So the smuggler was not at all concerned about the possibility that they were supporting the spread of nuclear weapons.

For decades, the United States has been worried about the possibility that terrorists would get hold of the essential ingredients of nuclear bombs and has tried both to help countries improve their security and account for nuclear material. Stopping nuclear smuggling is a really hard problem, because the amount of material you need for a nuclear bomb easily fits in a suitcase. And while its radioactive, its not that radioactive. I mean, you can carry it around. Im fond of using a photograph from the Manhattan Project of a man who is wearing a T-shirt and remarkably dirty chinos and he has a box that hes holding in one hand and the box has it at the plutonium for the first-ever nuclear bomb for the Trinity test. And its just an example that this stuff is not hard to carry around and its really hard to find once its out of the place where its supposed to be.

What did you take away from the pictures in the indictment, which prosecutors describe as showing small amounts of nuclear material?

There clearly was nuclear material there. It clearly was small quantities of nuclear material. Some of it appears to have been whats referred to as yellowcake.

The indictment says there was uranium, there was thorium, and there was plutonium. Plutonium is the only one where they mentioned the isotopic content and say that it was weapon grade. But we dont know how much  and it mightve been just contaminated with plutonium or some very small amount of plutonium.

But one mystery about the whole thing is that it was being smuggled from Myanmar, which does not have a nuclear program. There have been suspicions over the years that they might be starting a nuclear program, but theres no evidence they actually have any plutonium or any substantial amounts of uranium that would be a serious problem. Myanmars dictatorship does have decently close connections to North Korea. And North Korea, of course, has a lot of plutonium and a lot of enriched uranium. There are sanctions that bust operations from North Korea, which ships nuclear material to places like Myanmar, which then ships it somewhere else. And its certainly true that the North Korean government makes use of crime groups to help get what it wants. Theres absolutely no evidence in the indictment that theres any such connection, but Im just speculating as to why on earth something coming from Myanmar would be nuclear.

Weve talked a lot about recent escalations of the nuclear threat. How can the U.S. deescalate in this uncertain time?

One of the key lessons that President Kennedy drew from the Cuban Missile Crisis was to always give your adversary a face-saving choice between humiliating defeat and nuclear war. And unfortunately, I think we have to be thinking that way. What is a climb-down option for Putin in the Ukraine war? At the same time, Putin does not appear to be looking for a way out at the moment. He appears to be looking to dominate Ukraine indefinitely.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
10 items in this article Illustration: Lauren Martin

The beauty editors and writers on staff at the Strategist have so much to say about the products they try that they recently launched a newsletter, The Strategist Beauty Brief, to share what they are liking and testing at any given moment. We sat in on a meeting to see where the team currently stands on the pimple (and how to get rid of one).

You notice a pimple. What is the first thing you do?

Crystal Martin, senior editor: I use red light. It works for everything. Im just like, Give me the red-light bed. I have a CurrentBody mask, but the LightStim handheld is what I use when I need a heavy hitter. When I feel the soreness of a hard lump under the skin, I use the red light immediately. Sometimes I can stop a pimple from forming if I feel it early enough.

Tembe Denton-Hurst, writer: I get these very cystic pimples. In the beginning, I drink hella water and take ibuprofen, and that helps to calm down some of the inflammation.

Rachael Griffiths, writer: Ive been taking ginger shots for the past three months, and thats helped a lot. When I feel a spot coming, Ill absolutely chug one and just hope that does something.

Have any other lifestyle changes helped?

Dominique Pariso, writer: My aesthetician told me to stop using fabric softener because it puts a film on your textiles; especially when its on your bedding or clothing, that film can clog your skin. She also told me to change my pillowcase frequently  use a pillowcase once, flip it over on the second night, then switch it by night three.

C.M.: No dryer sheets, either. Theyre terrible.

D.P.: Im on a fish-oil supplement also recommended by my aesthetician, and that has helped me a lot in terms of the whiteheads I have on my chin.

The ones from VitaMedica have no fishy aftertaste.

Arielle Avila, writer: Im a big picker, and I touch my face a lot too, so the pimple patches have helped a ton because I literally cant touch the pimple if I have those on.

Is everyone into pimple patches?

T.D.H.: Im a big pimple-patch person. Do you guys use Starface Hydro-Stars?

D.P.: Yeah, they sent me a box. I use them sometimes, but I wouldnt necessarily buy them.

T.D.H.: I dont think its a great pimple patch for an active pimple.

If I have a whitehead, Im not putting a Starface patch over it unless Im going out and Im like, Okay, its cute to have a little star on your face. I use the Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patches on a real pimple, though. I feel like those are head and shoulders above in effectiveness.

D.P.: Yeah, those are way better at pulling stuff out.

R.G.: Ive tried pretty much all of the big ones since I wrote our Best in Class on pimple patches. What really helps my deep hormonal spots are the ZitSticka microdart patches. When you have a pimple thats really sore and you know youre not going to be able to squeeze it  though Im not condoning squeezing  you stick one of those on, and within 12 hours it will bring to the surface what would ordinarily be festering under your skin for days.

Do any of you ever  pop?

D.P.: Anyone who works in beauty who admits to popping zits is like a doctor who smokes cigarettes: Youre not supposed to do it, but you do it anyway. If you are going to do it, its about waiting for the right time and not picking preemptively.

T.D.H.: Sometimes Ill put a pimple patch on a whitehead thats not totally mature to extract it to the point where its time for it to come out. Then Ill just pop it. Ill put on another patch after that to extract whatevers left so the bacteria is not continuing to fester and creating more of an issue underneath the skin.

D.P.: Also, if I pop, I make sure to follow up with a salicylic-acid toner, which keeps the breakout from spreading across my face. I use the Face Reality Sal-C Toner.

Okay, what else works?

D.P.: I am obsessed with Sofie Pavitts Mandelic Clearing Serum. Ive been using it for months. Its a gentle exfoliant and has helped so much with my acne and skin texture. Everyone calls Pavitt the acne whisperer. Shes the best aesthetician in New York for acne-prone skin, and its reflected in that product in particular.

Kitty Guo, writer: I get regular facials at the Sofie Pavitt studio in Chinatown, but her mandelic acid wasnt working for me, so they bumped me up to a stronger serum. Im on Face Realitys 5% Glycolic Serum, but you can only buy it directly from an aesthetician.

T.D.H.: I have started using retinol because its good for acne. It increases cell turnover and helps skin shed a little faster so youre not getting that buildup. I use Skinbetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream. Its designed for sensitive skin, and it has a bunch of other active ingredients alongside the retinol like lactic acid and ceramides.

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Danai Gurira and Andrew Lincoln have so much chemistry both on and off screen good lord lmao I liked it! Some of the dialogue was kind of...lol, but I kind of expect that from TWD. I was surprised by how genuinely sad and sweet the ~alternate universe scenes were. Rick and Michonne are just SO good together. ugh. If nothing else, I'm glad we get to see their story wrap up in a real way. The way they looked at each other in the last scene was incredible.

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It's funny you say that cause for me I was impressed with the dialogue because the first ep was written by Gimple and his dialogue is terrible. So I was surprised the dialogue for the episode was pretty...normal (the bar is extremely low ok lol). It was such an improvement from the flagship show.

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it's honestly mostly a me problem since I hate exposition-y type of stuff, which I know is necessary especially in a case like this where they have only six episodes to do everything. Having said that, I do agree that it was way better than the original show and I'm excited to watch the rest of the season. Especially the episode that Danai wrote.

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Danai Gurira and Andrew Lincoln have so much chemistry both on and off screen good lord lmao



Good lord, they really, really do! I was blown away by their chemistry in the dream/alt-universe scenes even. The two of them are off the charts when they're on screen together. They're forging whole new heretofore unknown tiers of chemistry lol.



Edited at 2024-02-26 06:40 am (UTC)

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I thought the dialogue with Esteban was weirdly terrible? The rest was okay. Daryl Dixon's writing felt more natural and the show looked better. This one is way better than the Negan/Maggie show though.

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[ Spoiler (click to open) ] I saw the attacker carrying a samurai sword in the periphery of the screen, and then again when the camera showed her face... that kind of noise lol. I had a feeling that's where the scene was going and I still hollered lmao. The SOUND that came out of my body whenI'm honestly surprised my neighbors didn't call the police to report someone being murdered in my house, because it waskind of noise lol. I had a feeling that's where the scene was going and I still hollered lmao.

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[ Spoiler (click to open) ] her sword came into view. When I saw the ep at the LA premiere the audience went WILD when. It was such an exhilarating experience to see the show with fellow fans and the cast&crew.

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Same. I was lying in bed and jumped up as soon as I saw the sword. I don't think I screamed but there was definitely some noises made lol

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I enjoyed it way more than I thought considering it has a lot of stuff I do not care for. I just dont want Big government, big military, big cities in twd. I dont find it interesting. I see the show relates back to world beyond.



What I loved was the alt universe. We got bloody Rick, tears in his eyes Rick. My favorite Ricks. That final scene was everything. I need the next episode now.

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Only watched the first half hour because I wanted to go to bed early. I stopped watching TWD after Rick left so the quick clips of what happened with michonne after kind of confused me. I also hated the heavy and kind of quick exposition of what happened in the last five years. I feel like I missed something. So Ill prob rewatch the first 30min again.



My initial thoughts - what city was he supposed to be near? And damn Andrew Lincoln is fine

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Ricks in Philadelphia. And to add some context since you stopped watching after Rick died- 6 years have passed in our world since Andy left the show and about 8-10 years have passed since Rick had been taken from his family in their world. Theres only 6 episodes (and less than an hour for each ep) so that explains why the exposition is being a little speed-runned. Theres a lot that has happened in canon with characters going to different spin-offs (theres 5 other spin-offs) so this show unfortunately had the very important and huge task of typing up loose ends and giving long-awaited answers and clarity to fans (and characters) and connect the other spin-offs to this one.

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i'm trying to remember exactly when i stopped watching the walking dead. it wasn't immediately after glenn died. maybe a season after that? idk?

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Glenn dies in the first episode of season seven. Season eight theyre still fighting Negan and Carl dies.

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maybe season 8 then? i was so checked out by then

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I did stop when Glen died, I should look for a recap on YouTube lol

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Does anyone know if they released a free month of AMC+ code for this like they did for IWTV?



I love Richonne but I can't afford a new streaming service rn 

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imma PM u bb

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let me know if you find one! pleaseeee

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haven't seen it (i do like twd so i probably will) but danai looks fucking unreal in that insta pic

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Rick creating his own AO3 AU head canon for him and Michonne was everything

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Give me a Danai and Andy romcom rn!

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When the franchise goes on so long it becomes a zombie itself

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Rick and Michonne were my favorite thing about the show. I stopped watching after Season 7 but their chemistry was the fire that kept me going.

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Oh my god that video where they address the Michonne/Ezekiel kiss is so. Fucking. Cute. Ugh I love them both.



Haven't watched the entire episode yet so I'll have to get to that soon.

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I was only able to watch the first few minutes so far and I literally let out a scream when Rick did THAT. Holy fuck.

Also...just seeing Rick on screen again is all I ever wanted. And then there was that AU scene of him and Michonne and I was like...I think this show is gonna give me exactly what I want and make me go crazy in the best possible way.

I did feel kinda confused about some stuff in the "previously on" part...were those on TWD or on any of the other spin off shows? Cause I've never seen those scenes of Rick sitting alone and then under the helicopter and I feel like I'm missing out on stuff 

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Idk if I'll watch (I stopped TWD around the time Maggie leaves and Rick gets taken by that helicopter I think?) but its nice how invested they are in this, with them both being EPs and Danai writing an episode. I feel like thats the ultimate fangirl/shippers dream lol - to see the actors be as invested as they are.

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Big Oil and its allegedly exclusive role in bringing about apocalyptic climate change has been the ultimate villain in the eyes of climate activists. Calls for a forceful death of the industry have become the norm, and protests against oil and gas production are an everyday occurrence in the West.

But activists are not only targeting their ultimate villain directly. They are also attacking proxy industries such as banks, which lend to the oil and gas industry. The offensive is yielding results: bank after bank pledges an end to funding for new oil and gas projects. Besides banks, however, there is another major pressure point activists are targeting: insurance.

Last summer, a group of climate activist organizations organized protests against nine insurance companies, calling on them to refuse to provide coverage for the Eastern African Crude Oil Pipeline project.

The EACOP has, since its inception, been a huge problem for environmentalists, who have cited the inevitable increase in emissions from the production and transportation of oil along the new piece of infrastructure and the risk of spills. To prevent all this, they chose to pressure the insurers of the project. And it worked.

A total of 28 insurance companies so far have declared they would not partake in the insurance of EACOP, the East African reported earlier this month. The reason for this unwillingness to work with the oil industryclimate activist pressure. Related: Native American Tribes Given Power To Halt Hydropower Projects

As a result of that pressure, EACOP is, per the above report, hanging in the balance because there are not enough local insurers that can shoulder the burden of such a massive project. Chinese insurers are an option, but they are in no hurry to decide. In the meantime, Uganda's oil sits in the ground.

From the perspective of the activists, this is a small win in a sea of losses. Euronews reported this month that U.S. insurers continue to provide coverage to the oil and gas industry, citing 2019 numbers from a survey done by a slew of climate advocacy organizations. The survey showed that U.S. insurers held oil- and gas-related assets worth $536 billion as of that year, and the number for the next four years was likely to be similar, according to them. The solution to this perceived problem? Protests.

Radical environmentalists from Extinction Rebellion are currently launching a week-long series of protests targeting the insurance industry in London in a bid to get their message across. The message: stop "enabling" the oil and gas industry.

"If fossil fuel companies have no insurance for their massive projects, the entire financial risk falls on their shoulders, so if something goes wrong, they are liable for whatever happens," one Extinction Rebellion member explained to Euronews.

The explanation echoed an earlier one offered by 23 climate NGOs in a letter to a group of large insurers last year. "Insurers, as society's risk managers, have a special responsibility to act and the power to drive change: without insurance most new fossil fuel projects cannot go ahead and existing ones cannot continue to operate," the climate activists wrote at the time.

Despite the pressure, insurers have not started fleeing the oil and gas industryyet. Indeed, many of the largest ones are also among the biggest insurers of oil and gas projects, according to an annual survey by yet another climate activist group, Insure Our Future.

Eight of the ten top individual insurers of oil and gas, the survey found, were from the West, with one insurer from China and Russia each also making the top 10 list. That included names such as Allianz, AXA, Zurich Re, and Chubb and AIG from the U.S.

In fact, according to the same groupInsure Our Future80% of insurers and 53% of reinsurers do not have any restrictions on their business with the oil and gas industry. On the plus side, from the group's perspective, insurers have shrunk the business they do with coal producers, which has made it harder for the latter to secure coverage for new projects.

Yet it appears that this is nowhere near enoughneither the mass unwillingness among insurers to provide coverage for EACOP nor companies' pullout from coal. "Insurers have demonstrated that they can accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels through their coal exit policies," Insure Our Future said last November in a report cited by Bloomberg. "They urgently need to adopt similar policies for oil and gas."

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If developments around the EACOP project are any indication, this might eventually happen, not least because there is a persistent argument that the insurance industry is suffering losses from increasingly frequent extreme weather that is caused by the use of the hydrocarbons that their clients from the oil and gas industry produce.

Insurers appear to believe that argument, which means they are halfway there when it comes to withdrawing from oil and gas. It may yet be a while before they start refusing coverage, but it is a distinct possibility, as losses from some severe weather events, such as thunderstorms, remain on a steady upward trajectory.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Since November, Yemen's Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked cargo ships passing through the strait of Bab al-Mandab that splits north-east Africa from Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. The Iran-backed rebels have been targeting vessels with connections to Israel and Western countries, forcing dozens of shipping companies to take a 4,000-mile detour around the continent of Africa at significantly higher costs and extra shipping days.

Unfortunately, resurging attacks coming from notorious piracy hotspots have shipping companies worried about the new route. Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization, has warned shipping companies to be on high alert for piracy after vessel seizures in the Gulf of Guinea and off the Somali coast.

Dominguez has urged companies to return to the stringent security levels of the previous piracy crisis, They need to be more in line with how they were back in 2008 to 2012 off Somalia. Were having conversations to create awareness surrounding the Gulf of Guinea . . . with the increased traffic in the region, we should avoid new escalation or increased incidents of piracy, he said.

One vessel hijacked in December remains off the Somali coast, while pirates briefly seized another bulk carrier the following month before it was freed by the Indian navy.

On Friday, Houthi rebels attacked and set ablaze a cargo ship traveling through the Gulf of Aden. Last month, a tankers crew was kidnapped off Equatorial Guinea by pirates. On February 19, the crew of a dry bulk carrier sailing on Somali waters was forced to abandon ship after a missile attack. The ships Beirut-based owner says the vessel was listing and in danger of sinking. However, the shipping company is working with a salvage company to have the ship towed to Djibouti. Related: Red Sea Chaos To Have Limited Effect On LNG Prices

The Gulf of Guinea and Somalias Gulf of Aden were once considered some of the most dangerous piracy zones for oil companies and other seafarers with a wave of piracy peaking in 2018. What makes these places particularly vulnerable is a lack of sufficient equipment and manpower as well as the fact that attacks are mainly staged far off coastlines beyond countries' territorial jurisdictions. Further, the Gulf of Guinea is rich in oil and gas as well as a relatively well-trained militia that has honed its skills fighting in the Delta's secessionist movement. In the past, pirates operating in the Gulf of Guinea have targeted human capital instead of hijacking ships.

The Gulf of Mexico remains another piracy blackspot due to its abundant oil and gas resources, although pirates there are mostly associated with local crime groups rather than cartels and prefer stealing valuable equipment and materials instead of targeting tankers and larger vessels.

Thankfully, the African menace was largely eliminated by the adoption of on-board security measures, including traveling with armed guards. Some coastal states have also adopted more rigorous anti-piracy action.

Western, Israeli-Linked Ships Paying 50% Extra Insurance Premiums

Its unlikely that surging piracy on African waters will persuade shipping companies to return to the Red Sea any time soon due to the even higher risk of facing Houthi attacks coupled with exorbitant insurance premiums being levied on ships plying the Red Sea. Underwriters have started charging ships linked to U.S, British and Israeli companies as much as 50% extra in war risk premiums to navigate the Red Sea due to the persistent threat of attacks. The war risk premiums for Red Sea voyages now hover at ~1% of the value of a ship, up from around 0.7% previously, with additional costs translating into hundreds of thousands of dollars for a seven-day voyage.

The ships that have so far had problems, almost all of them have some element of Israeli or U.S. or U.K. ownership in there somewhere, Marcus Baker, global head of marine and cargo with Marsh, has told Business Insurance.

The Yemeni rebels have been relentless with attacks on commercial ships despite counterstrikes by the U.S. and British navies, and have vowed to continue doing so. The Houthis persist in upholding their religious, moral, and humanitarian duties towards the Palestinian people and in defense of their beloved Yemen in the face of American-British aggression. Military operations will not stop unless the aggression stops and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted, Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said in a pre-recorded statement on Thursday.

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By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

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Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov visited Washington on February 20-21. He held meetings with senior U.S. officials and secured an agreement that could be a significant step towards boosting Azerbaijani gas exports to Europe.

The sides "agreed to cooperate in the direction of US support for the expansion" of the Southern Gas corridor - the three pipelines that carry Azerbaijani gas exports to Europe, according to the Azerbaijani Energy Ministry's readout.

"We have considered opportunities to develop traditional energy partnerships at a new stage," Shahbazov said February 21 in a post on X, following a meeting with the U.S. assistant secretary of state for energy, Geoffrey Pyatt.

No further details were given of the agreement, or of what form either the cooperation, or future U.S. support for expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor may take.

Azerbaijan's Energy Ministry reported on February 21 that Shahbazov also met with U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.

Their meeting included discussions of possible bilateral cooperation on the supply of both gas and "green energy," with views exchanged on "energy security projects implemented by Azerbaijan as a traditional energy supplier," as well as the development of the Caspian-Black Sea-Europe and Central Asia-Azerbaijan-Europe green energy corridors."

Also discussed were issues related to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP29 which Azerbaijan will host in Baku between November 11-24 this year.

Shahbazov's Washington trip could be viewed as primarily a courtesy call ahead of COP 29.

However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to the near complete cessation of Russian gas exports to Europe, resulting in a surge of interest in transiting gas from both Azerbaijan and its fellow Caspian littoral state Turkmenistan to Europe.

As such, any high-level discussions between Azerbaijani and U.S. officials have to be viewed as significant, especially as efforts to boost Azerbaijani gas exports to Europe appear to have hit something of a brick wall.

In July 2022, Azerbaijan and the European Union reached a landmark agreement to double Azerbaijani gas exports to Europe to 20 billion cubic meters a year by the end of 2027.

Progress has been slow with exports last year reaching only 11.8 billion cubic meters, and no decisions taken on the major investments needed to expand the capacity of the sequence of three pipelines that make up the Southern Gas Corridor which carries Azerbaijan's gas to Europe.

Currently, the third pipeline in the corridor, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) which carries the gas from the Turkey-Greece border to Italy has a nominal capacity of just 10 billion cubic meters a year.

The consortium that operates the line announced in January last year that it was ready to expand capacity by just 1.2 billion cubic meters a year by 2026, a long way short of the extra 10 billion cubic meters a year promised to Brussels.

And no plans have yet been announced for the expansion of either the TANAP pipeline which carries the Azerbaijani gas across Turkey, or the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) which carries the gas from Azerbaijan to Turkey, both of which will need to be significantly increased.

Expanding the three pipelines will be costly, with all three lines requiring expensive new compressors and the SCP line also possibly requiring the laying of a new parallel pipeline.

A decision on the necessary investments will need to be taken soon if Azerbaijan is to meet its promise to Brussels.

Azerbaijani officials have complained that the investment has to be funded by orders for the extra gas Azerbaijan has promised to supply by 2027, but European buyers have been slow to commit.

Many have preferred to look instead to Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) delivered by ship, and which is already available from multiple sources and via multiple import terminals across Europe.

Any public support or cooperation from the United States to help realize the pipeline expansions could help overcome buyer unwillingness to commit to a source of gas they remain unsure will be available.

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At least questions over whether Azerbaijan will be able to produce enough gas to meet both its export commitments and its growing domestic demand, without the need for imports from Turkmenistan, Iran or Russia, appear to have been answered.

Azerbaijan's imports of gas via a swap deal with Iran and Turkmenistan halted late last year with no apparent problems.

While they could yet be restarted if a new pricing agreement can be reached between Baku and Ashgabat, Baku appears to be under less pressure than it has been over the past two years.

Azerbaijan's main gas and oil producer BP confirmed on February 9 that it expects to start gas production from the deep gas field below its ACG oil field in Azerbaijan's sector of the Caspian, as soon as early next year.

Although BP has yet to confirm exactly how much gas the field will produce, the high cost of drilling wells 4,500m below the Caspian seabed suggests that the volume will be significant.

By David OByrne via Eurasianet.org

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
(Photo : Unsplash/Jason Briscoe)

A Texas man earned nearly two million dollars through illegal trading by listening in on his wife's conversations with her BP Plc coworkers about a potential acquisition of TravelCenters of America, per the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC).

Illegal Trading Sanction

According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Loudon, a Houston resident, made one million, seven hundred sixty thousand dollars through illegal trades using inside information about his wife's company's potential acquisition. Set to be sentenced on May 17, Loudon could face up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and agreed to give up the one million, seven hundred and sixty thousand dollars in illegal profits.

READ ALSO: Finance Worker Victimized by a Deepfake Chief Financial Officer, Pays $25 Million Through 15 Bank Transfers

Additionally, the SEC filed a civil complaint against Loudon for the same behavior, which he did not dispute. Loudon's lawyer, Peter Zeidenberg, told CNBC that his client acknowledged his error in judgment and accepted full responsibility.

The TravelCenters of America Acquisition Deal Leakage

The deal for BP to buy TravelCenters of America Inc. for around one point three billion dollars granted the British oil major access to a network of U.S. gas stations. TravelCenters had 281 locations in 44 states at the time.

In December 2022, authorities stated that Loudon learned about BP's confidential plans to acquire TravelCenters while he and his wife worked from a small Airbnb during a trip to Rome due to pandemic-related policies, according to the SEC's complaint filed in Houston federal court.

After their trip to Rome, the couple continued to work remotely in close quarters, with their home offices within 20 feet of each other, according to the SEC.

The SEC mentioned that Loudon's wife admitted to sometimes talking about the acquisition with her husband in regular conversations, which is typical of married couples. However, during the following months, Loudon quietly acquired 46,450 shares of TravelCenters without informing his wife.

Loudon Making a Profit of $1.76 Million

On February 16, 2023, when TravelCenters disclosed the BP acquisition, leading to a 71% surge in its stock, Loudon sold all the positions in his brokerage account and Roth IRA, along with other equities, making a profit of one million seven hundred sixty thousand dollars, as per the U.S. attorney's office. His wife, a BP mergers and acquisitions manager, was unaware of his trading.

In March, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) asked BP for a list of individuals aware of the TravelCenters acquisition beforehand. A former BP employee involved in the acquisition contacted Loudon's wife, expressing frustration about disclosing personal information to comply with FINRA.

When Loudon's wife mentioned the conversation with the former employee, he inquired if current employees would face similar scrutiny, and she confirmed they would, according to the SEC complaint. A week later, Loudon confessed to his wife that he had traded TravelCenter shares illegally so that she did not have to work long hours anymore, per the SEC. Loudon's wife reported his insider trading to her BP supervisor, resulting in her termination, and later filed for divorce in June.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the SEC has pursued many insider trading cases linked to information obtained while working remotely with a partner.

RELATED ARTICLE: Former IRS Contractor Leaking Trump's Tax Records, Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison

 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
As the war rages on in Gaza, Israel has reported that its gas supplies to Egypt and Jordan soared by 25% last year, despite the temporary halt of one of Israels offshore gas fields due to the conflict in October.

On Monday, Israel not only said that gas supplies to both Egypt and Jordan had increased by one-quarter, but that exports would be boosted further, in line with Israels ambitions of becoming an important energy hub supplying Europe.

Europe is a potential destination for Israeli gas via liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities in Egypt or potentially new facilities at home.

"The dramatic growth in natural gas exports to Egypt and Jordan proves just how much the natural gas market is a strategic asset for Israel and helps regional stability," Israel's Energy Minister Eli Cohen said in a statement.

In October last year, the smaller of Israels two producing offshore gas fieldsTamarwas shut down for a month as Israel launched a war of retaliation against Hamas in Gaza. That shut-in reduced Tamar production by 11% in the third quarter.

For full-year 2023, Tamar exported 2.56 billion cubic meters of natural gas, the bulk of which went to Egypt, Reuters reports.

Israels largest offshore gas field, Leviathan, which is now operated by Chevron, was

Israel discovered two offshore gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean were discovered in 2010, with production launching in 2013, putting the country on the energy map for the first time and turning Israel into an exporter. The Leviathan field is now operated by Chevron.

For 2023, year-on-year, Israel saw a nearly 14% increase in gas production from its offshore fields, bringing in over $600 million in royalties for its new sovereign wealth fund, Reuters reports, with the government now targeting up to $12 billion for the fund over the next decade from taxes and profits.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Argentinas oil-producing provinces have threatened to cut off oil supply to the rest of the country if the government of Javier Milei goes through with plans to withhold billions in federal tax revenues.

"Not a drop of oil will come out on Wednesday if they don't respect the provinces once and for all and take their foot off our back," the governor of the southern Chubut province, Ignacio Torres, told a local TV channel, as quoted by AFP.

The central government wants to withhold the equivalent of some $15.3 million from Chubut as a way of collecting on unpaid debt from that and 10 other provinces, as explained by Economy Minister Luis Caputo.

In response to the threat, the Argentinian president took to X to slam the governor of Chubut and his peers for being fiscal degenerates. The spat prompted a local analyst to issue a warning that the president might have bitten off a larger piece than he could chew.

"There is a rebellion in the provinces, and a mistaken assessment by Milei about the level of conflict," Artemio Lopez told AFP. He went on to explain that it was one thing for the president to lock horns with an unpopular parliament but provincial governors were a different sort of opponent.

Most of them got a higher percentage of the vote than he did in the last election," the analyst said.

Patagonia, in the southern part of Argentina, is the home of most of the countrys oil production, present and future. The Vaca Muerta shale playthe second largest in the worldis in the northern part of that region but state-owned YPF recently announced a shale oil and gas discovery in Chubut, which is about 1,000 miles south of the Vaca Muerta formation.

At the moment, the Vaca Muerta accounts for about two-thirds of Argentinas oil production. Investments in the play last year were expected to top $10.7 billion, which was an 18% increase from 2022.

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Denmark is dropping the investigation over what it described as a deliberate sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022, due to insufficient grounds to pursue a criminal case, the Copenhagen police said on Monday.

Gas leaks in each of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were discovered at the end of September 2022 from the infrastructure just outside Swedish and Danish territorial waters in the Baltic Sea.

Nord Stream 2 was never put into operation after Germany axed the certification process following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia, for its part, shut down Nord Stream 1 indefinitely in early September of 2022, claiming an inability to repair gas turbines because of the Western sanctions.

An investigation launched by the Swedish authorities concluded that the leaks were the result of detonations, likely the result of serious sabotage.

But earlier this month, Swedens authorities concluded a preliminary investigation into the Nord Stream blasts but found they lacked jurisdiction to continue, as the incident occurred in international waters and involved no Swedish nationals. Therefore, Sweden ended the probe in early February.

Denmark also ended its investigation on Monday, with the Copenhagen police saying in a statement that The joint investigation conducted by the Copenhagen Police and the Danish Security and Intelligence Services (PET) into the Nord Stream explosions has been concluded.

Throughout the investigation, the Danish authorities have cooperated with relevant foreign partners, Denmark said.

The investigation has led the authorities to conclude that there was deliberate sabotage of the gas pipelines. However, the assessment is that there is not the sufficient grounds to pursue a criminal case in Denmark, the police said.

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Apart from Denmark and Sweden, Germany has also investigated the Nord Stream blasts, but Berlin hasnt concluded its own investigation into the sabotage. A spokesperson for the government told Reuters earlier in February that Germany was still interested in solving the case. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]

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Faster-than-expected land inventory drawdowns due to seaborne trade disruptions from the Red Sea crisis have prompted Goldman Sachs to revise up its forecast for summer peak Brent Crude prices to $87 per barrel, up by $2 from earlier expectations.

OECD commercial stocks on land have drawn somewhat faster than expected as the redirection of flows away from the Red Sea has increased inventories on water, analysts at the investment bank wrote in a Sunday note, as carried by Reuters.

According to Goldman, the international benchmark Brent Crude will likely remain in the $70-$90 a barrel trading range in the near term amid modest geopolitical premium from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

OPEC+ has higher spare capacity now, which would help it mitigate any real disruptions to supply in most scenarios, the banks analysts say. Moreover, non-OPEC+ supply is set to keep pace with expected solid growth in global oil consumption this year, Goldman Sachs notes.

The Wall Street bank expects the OPEC+ alliance to decide in early March to roll over the first-quarter cuts into the second quarter, and only gradually to unwind the supply reductions beginning in the third quarter of this year.

Oil industry watchers and analysts are also betting on OPEC+ extending its oil production cuts beyond the first quarter of 2024 into the next quarter, a new Bloomberg survey revealed on Friday.

Goldman Sachs expects Brent prices to average around $80 a barrel in 2025 and doesnt see as likely that the price could drop below $70 for a sustained period of time.

Last week, analysts at Deutsche Bank said that a nearly balanced market in the first half of the year and seasonal strengthening of demand in the second half are set to push the price of Brent Crude to $88 per barrel by the end of 2024.

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We look for continued OPEC+ discipline in a nearly balanced market for H1, and seasonal strength in H2, the banks strategists wrote in a note last week carried by FXStreet.

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Bitcoin miners in Texas have filed a lawsuit accusing the Department of Energy of trying to collect data illegally after the department asked that they disclose their electricity consumption.

The Texas Blockchain Council called the request an unprecedented and illegal data collection demand in a letter sent to the Energy Information Administration at the end of last week.

The EIA backed down and said it would not enforce the mandatory energy consumption survey on the bitcoin miners, instead using data it already had, Bloomberg reported.

Bitcoin miners in the United States consume as much electricity as the state of Utah, a survey released by the EIA earlier this month revealed. Per that survey, bitcoin miners used electricity accounting for between 0.6% and 2.3% of total national demand last year.

The sale of electricity consumption for the bitcoin mining industry has prompted concern about grid security among regulators and legislators. There are currently 137 bitcoin-mining facilities across the U.S., located in 21 states, per data from the Energy Information Administration. A lot of them relocated from China after Beijing banned bitcoin mining three years ago.

CBECI [Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index] estimates put electricity supporting Bitcoin mining in 2023 at about 0.2% to 0.9% of global demand for electricity, according to the EIA. Based on those estimates, global electricity use in cryptocurrency mining was about the same as total electricity consumption in Greece or Australia, respectively.

It appears, however, that Bitcoin miners do not necessarily consume all of that electricity themselves. Per the Bloomberg report above, there is a practice to pre-buy certain amounts of electricity and if any of that is left unused, it is fed into the grid at a time of tight supply. Last year, one of the big players in Texas, Riot Platforms, raked in $71 million from pre-buying and reselling electricity.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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U.S. diesel exports to Europe have tumbled so far in February amid lower refinery output and tighter supplies in America, which have decreased arbitrage opportunities and further tightened European diesel supplies.

Europes imports of U.S. diesel have nearly halved so far in February to 6.65 million barrels, down from a seven-year high imports of 11.44 million barrels in January, according to an analysis by ship tracking firm Kpler cited by Reuters.

The lower imports of U.S. diesel have added to Europes current struggles to secure distillate volumes, amid tightening supply due to the Red Sea shipping disruptions.

With many tankers now avoiding the Red Sea/Suez Canal route, diesel supply to Europe from Asia has become more expensive as freight and insurance rates have jumped and vessels are making a longer trip all around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. This has led to a rally in Europes diesel prices, which has threatened to test the resilience of European economies which have narrowly avoided recessions in recent months.

The U.S. hasnt been able to materially boost diesel exports to Europe this month, due to a tight domestic distillate market, too, as well as a slump in refinery runs because of the cold snap in January, the outage at BPs refinery in Whiting, Indiana, and planned seasonal maintenance at other U.S. refineries, including the biggest, Motiva Enterprises 626,000 bpd refinery in Port Arthur, Texas.

In the week to February 16, U.S. distillate fuel inventories, which include diesel, fell by 4.0 million barrels, and are about 10% below the five-year average for this time of year, the EIAs latest weekly inventory report showed.

The tighter U.S. diesel market has led to a surge in U.S. diesel refining margins in recent weeks, which has nearly closed arbitrage opportunities to ship the fuel to Europe.

In the spring, the return of U.S. refining capacity from outages and maintenance and the expected rise in Europes diesel prices due to European refinery maintenance is set to re-open the arbitrage for U.S. diesel exports to Europe, analysts tell Reuters.

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The Yemeni Houthis fired a ballistic missile at a U.S.-flagged and operated tanker in the Gulf of Aden but missed, the U.S. Central Command has said.

The Houthis also reported they had targeted the MV Torm Thor on Sunday, with "a number of appropriate naval missiles," according to a Reuters report.

Central Command said the USS Masona guided missile destroyershot down one ballistic missile in the area, adding it was likely to have been the one launched at the MV Torm Thor.

U.S. forces also shot down two one-way drones, Reuters reported, citing Central Command as saying the move was in self-defense.

The Houthis, who control most of Yemen, began attacking ships in the Red Sea in November, calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and pledging to continue targeting ships in the Red Sea until Israel stopped bombing Gaza.

The attacks caused a massive rerouting of vessels around Africa, making journeys between Europe and Asia longer and more expensive, and messing up maritime schedules. It also caused worry about oil supply disruption although this has so far failed to materialize.

In early 2024, as U.S. and UK forces began responding to the ship attacks with attacks on land targets, the Houthis refined their targets, specifically noting U.S. and UK vessels among them. Despite a steady string of attacks by the Western duo, the Houthis have not stopped targeting whatever ships still pass through the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

The situation has also had a side effect: it has seen an increase in pirate activity along the southeastern coast of Africa as more ships are diverted around the continent from Bab el-Mandeb.

Last week, the secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization had to issue a warning to shipowners about the situation, urging them to tighten security.

They need to be more in line with how they were back in 2008 to 2012 off Somalia. Were having conversations to create awareness surrounding the Gulf of Guinea . . . with the increased traffic in the region, we should avoid new escalation or increased incidents of piracy, Arsenio Domingues said.

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A $20 million state grant will give a major boost to the Malcolm X Memorial Foundations efforts to preserve the slain civil rights leaders legacy and offer programming at his birth site in North Omaha.

Hopefully it shows that the state is finally beginning to honor the legacy of Malcolm and what he means to not only North Omaha, but what he means to the world, State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha said. And by giving that amount of money to the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation, his legacy will continue to go on and hopefully more people will begin to learn more about Malcolm, visit the center and visit North Omaha and see it for what it really is.

The grant money comes from the more than $400 million the Nebraska Legislature appropriated for North and South Omaha economic recovery. A bill passed in 2023, after Malcolm X was voted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame, approved up to $20 million for a museum honoring him.

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development recently announced the grant to the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation for a museum that will serve as a tourism destination and cultural hub.

The Hall of Fame induction and future development plans are an opportunity for people from all walks of life to learn and connect with Malcolm X through visiting the bust or the historic landmark, said JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike, executive director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation.

A cultural convening space in North Omaha

The landmark, at 3448 Pinkney St., marks the site of Malcolm Xs family home when he was born as Malcolm Little in 1925. Less than two years after his birth, the family fled Omaha because of threats from the Ku Klux Klan. The nonprofit foundation has a visitor center and outdoor plaza on the 17-acre site.

The grant will help fund a new cultural and educational center and an amphitheater, LeFlore-Ejike said.

We have a need for cultural convening space in North Omaha, she said. This will allow us to have more community programming, because in our current space, we reach capacity a lot in our 200-person-capacity building.

The site has attracted about 10,000 visitors a year in recent years, LeFlore-Ejike said. Many of them have attended a Juneteenth festival on the site, but people come from all over the nation.

Just think if we could receive more people, people could have a more intentional visit while theyre here, she said. And local residents can have a hub for cultural experiences that North Omaha has never had before.

Asked if the $20 million will cover the whole cost of the project, LeFlore-Ejike said that will depend in part on how much infrastructure improvements cost.

I would imagine though that were still going to need to do some fundraising, she said.

The timing of the developments is uncertain, but the grant requirements call for the money to be used by 2027.

Preston Love Jr., whose history tour in North Omaha includes the Malcolm X Center, said the investment from the state has the potential of making the Malcolm X facility rival The King Center in Atlanta.

Malcolm X has an international following thats as great as Martin Luther King, as well as domestically, said Love, who teaches a class on African-American history at University of Nebraska at Omaha and is a 2024 U.S. Senate candidate. Once that is there and established and programmatically relevant, it will change the nature of tourism and become a place of choice for workshops and all sorts of domestic and international events.

McKinney said he hopes the center will attract more people to North Omaha and generate more economic impact on the community.

More tourism, more jobs, he said. The center will be able to hire more people and hopefully more businesses will be going up as well.

Malcolm X had been nominated for the Hall of Fame at least two times before 2022, when he became the first Black person chosen.

But these last couple of years have been good, McKinney said. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame and now this has happened, so, steps in the right direction.

Photos: Malcolm X through the years
Ron Hug has discovered a new way to quickly discern someones age.

He just tells them about his work to restore the Omaha house where Fred Astaire was born.

If theyre younger than 40, theyre saying, Who? And then the more mature they are, the more of the response I get, Hug said. People in their 50s are, Oh yeah, thats nice. People in their 60s and older go, Wow, thats cool.

For the under-40 crowd, Fred Astaire was born Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha in 1899. He had an older sister, Adele, born in 1896. The family lived in the house at 2326 S. 10th St.

Fred, who died in 1987, was considered by many to be the top entertainer of the twentieth century with success on stage, in film, through recordings, and on television, according to History Nebraska.

Freds father worked at Storz Brewing. And legend has it that Fred took his first dance steps at the Chambers Dance Academy in Omaha at age 4.

Fred and Adele, became a vaudeville act, and the family moved to New York. The pair changed their last name to Astaire.

As Fred and Adele Astaire, they were prodigies in vaudeville, then grownup stars on Broadway. When Adele retired to marry an English nobleman, Fred moved into films and formed a partnership with Ginger Rogers.

According to History Nebraska, that partnership with Rogers produced some of films most renowned and loved dance scenes.

Hug, also a member of the Omaha City Council, represents the nonprofit 1880 House, which is working to preserve the home and return it to how it would have looked when Fred and Adele lived there.

We want to give people a real true representation of how the average working family would have lived 1880 to 1890, even up to 1900, Hug said.

Initially, Hug said he was using the word museum to describe what the house would become, but now he sees it as a venue for hands-on experiences. People will be able to host parties, get married or just enjoy the space.

They can sit down in that chair, Hug said. They can play the piano. They can crank up the Edison phonograph and play a record.

All of that stuff was built to be used, Hug said.

You have to tear out so much before you start putting it back in

The house was built in 1880 and was a private residence for years before the nonprofit acquired it. Hug said the house was full of so much stuff from previous occupants that it took four dumpsters to get rid of everything.

Then workers and volunteers worked to secure the house from animals and people who may have wandered in and out during the years it was vacant.

Workers also have torn out layers of flooring, wallpaper and the front porch of the house.

Under the layers of flooring, workers found newspapers stuck to the floor, including a 1953 article from The World-Herald with the headline, P-TAs set Meet Record.

Hug had an expert look at all the wallpaper before five layers of it was torn out to make sure it wasnt original to the house. Most of the layers were from the 1930s and 40s.

You have to tear out so much before you start putting it back in, Hug said.

Unlike other houses, Hug said the house that Fred was born in was not remodeled or improved over and over again through the decades. There are no electrical outlets in the walls. Hug thinks the kitchen sink is probably from the 1910s.

A monument to all the stars that came out of Omaha

Hug said he will hold another fundraising drive this spring, but thanks to donations, they have enough money to finish getting electricity in the house, the plumbing fixed, air conditioning and a furnace installed.

Hug, a self-described old movie buff, said it was always nice to watch Fred knowing he was from Omaha.

Freds connection to Omaha and the house on 10th Street has been celebrated over the years. The City of Omaha put up a commemorative sign for Fred Astaire Avenue on 10th Street at Martha Street, less than a block from the house where he was born.

Hug said hes been working with History Nebraska to get a historical marker placed in front of the house.

We get people coming in from all over the world, Hug said. Everyone takes their picture in front of the house.

The interest in the house was one of the reasons Hug said it needs to be restored and saved.

Hug said many of the places with ties to Omahas famous actors and actresses have been demolished, which is why its important to save the house where Fred was born.

Hug listed actors and actresses such as Dorothy McGuire, Montgomery Clift, Marlon Brando and Henry Fonda, who have Omaha roots.

This house should never be in private hands again, Hug said. It should never be a personal residence. It should be preserved and saved not only as a monument to Fred Astaire and his sister Adele, who was very famous in her own right, but to all the stars that came out of Omaha.

Photos: Nonprofit hopes to renovate Fred Astaire's Omaha home
DES MOINES, Iowa  Baby Olivia isn't a real baby. It's an animated fetus that develops over the course of a three-minute video that has become a new front in state-level abortion politics.

Bills in the Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri and West Virginia legislatures would require public school students to watch a video like Baby Olivia, which was created by an organization that opposes abortion. The legislation mirrors a North Dakota law passed last year.

The organization, Live Action, and supporters of the legislation say it would teach kids where they came from and encourage an appreciation for human life. But some educators and physicians say the video is deceptive and problematic for a young audience.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a professional organization with over 60,000 members, said in an email that the video is anti-abortion misinformation designed to manipulate the emotions of viewers.

Baby Olivia is the starring character in an animated video that's meant to visualize development in the womb. A voiceover introduces viewers to Olivia as an illustration of a fully developed baby in utero appears on screen. Olivia's mouth and eyes open and close, and her hands move.

Though she has yet to greet the outside world, she has already completed an amazing journey, the narrator says.

Live Action says on its website it exists today to shift public opinion on abortion and is dedicated to supporting a culture of life.

Founder Lila Rose said the video was designed to be informative, lifelike and appropriate for anyone, and made in consultation with doctors. Of the six, two are trained OB-GYNs; the others are trained in anatomy, biochemistry, pediatric medicine and neuroscience.

The organization spent nearly $5 million in 2022 to create and distribute content widely, according to filing reports. Those reports also show Live Action more than quadrupled its cash from contributions and grants in just four years, totaling $14 million in 2022.

Live Action also is known for efforts to expose Planned Parenthood, publishing videos and reports obtained by posing as patients.

Similar efforts by another organization, the Center for Medical Progress, led a federal jury to award Planned Parenthood $2 million in damages in 2019. David Daleiden, a co-defendant who founded the Center for Medical Progress, previously worked for Live Action, but Live Action was not a defendant and not involved in the case.

The video shows an egg being fertilized and implanted, then walks through embryonic and fetal developments over the course of a pregnancy.

It calls out general markers in what Rose said is an average developmental process using weeks after fertilization. That's different from weeks after the last menstrual cycle, which is what a pregnant person would typically hear from a doctor.

Iowa physicians and educators said in a letter to state lawmakers that by using weeks after fertilization, the video misleads viewers because the framing indicates milestones happen about two weeks earlier than is accurate.

Rose argued that weeks after fertilization is more typical of an academic context, like biology class, and Live Action said critics calling out inaccuracies are not taking that difference into account.

The Iowa physicians and educators said references to fetal heartbeat are widely disputed. At six weeks, the embryo isnt yet a fetus and doesnt have a heart.

The video also describes the animated figure's motion and actions with words like playing, exploring," sighing, and making speaking movements. Those words assign human traits and properties to a fetus that are more sophisticated than medicine can prove, said Emily Boevers, a practicing OB-GYN in Iowa and co-founder of Iowans for Health Liberty, which advocates for reproductive health care.

There are signals that the brain is developing and functioning, Boevers said, but the video's language implies a level of intention that we just cant say is present."

Iowa Rep. Luana Stoltenberg, a Republican, said she was impressed by the video's portrayal of science, and she believes showing fetal development could help curious kids understand where they came from.

Whats the worst that can happen? Stoltenberg said. Maybe a young child learns how they are developed and grow and so if they become pregnant, they decide maybe I dont want an abortion? Is that a horrible thing?

Rose said she believes backlash is being driven by abortion rights advocates who dont want imagery of life in the womb shown because it directly threatens their worldview, which is that this is not a life that is worthy of protection.

Sen. Patricia Rucker, a Republican in West Virginia, said Baby Olivia isnt preaching or partisan. It shows human growth as a beautiful, miraculous thing"  not unlike learning how a chick develops  and that teachers can springboard from that to further explanation.

Many states have started to more strictly regulate what is taught about sex education and when. State and federal agencies goal in educating students is typically to prevent teen pregnancies and reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Chronic absenteeism is still up in schools across the US Chronic absenteeism is still up in schools across the US An improving situation, but not enough
By Lee Yeon-woo

2024 will be a year for the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) to build a foundation for a rebound in its asset management sector, according to Kim Oun-young, IBK's executive vice president who is in charge of the wealth management group at the bank.

As the newly appointed leader of the group, she emphasized that the focus is on regaining the eroded trust of financial consumers throughout the industry.

"My main responsibilities revolve around managing funds, bancassurance, trusts, and custody services. But the market is quite contracted at this moment. In response, we are adopting an extremely careful approach from product selection onwards, double-checking our decisions to prevent any issues. Branch staff can thereby operate with confidence and assertiveness," Kim told The Korea Times in a recent one-on-one interview at IBK Finance Tower.

Kim explained the ongoing efforts of the group, such as innovating sales approaches, strengthening asset management expertise, optimizing the product lineup and enhancing the value of service offered to consumers. Recently, the group also launched two wealth management support centers.

"Our approach extends beyond serving walk-in clients; branch employees can refer clients to us, and our private banking experts will personally visit these clients to offer services. Starting with these two centers as a pilot, we plan to assess their effectiveness and, if successful, we aim to broaden our operations. We are deeply invested in the success of this initiative," she said.

Kim is a seasoned financial expert who started her career with the bank in 1989. Since then, she progressed through various roles, including the head of the inspection division. After serving as the leader of the financial consumer protection group last year, she has taken the leading role of the asset management group. This is the second time she has served as the vice president of the bank.

"I have experience in working from the perspective of our customers, and in managing our employees' tasks. This time, I am engaging in sales activities. I believe these diverse experiences have given me a comprehensive understanding of our operations. This fuels my confidence in my capability to excel within the new group," Kim said.

Throughout her career, she was committed to prioritizing customer interests. As the head of the financial consumer protection group, she successfully launched a project that analyzed customer complaints and compliments over the past three years and integrated this feedback into the system. This initiative received positive responses from customers and significantly reduced complaints.

"By prioritizing the interests of our customers, the bank can secure their trust. This trust, I believe, will ultimately translate into long-term profit enhancement for the bank," Kim explained.

Despite her passion, Kim has faced personal ups and downs as well. She even considered quitting to focus on child-rearing after reaching her eighth year at the office. However, encouragement from both IBK's headquarters and her colleagues has helped her overcome these challenges, according to Kim.

"The management and even the customers have placed so much trust in me. I am truly thankful for their support," Kim said.

Indeed, IBK has been instrumental in increasing the number of women in executive roles in the domestic financial industry. In 2013, it made history by appointing Kwon Seon-joo as the first woman bank president in Korea's banking sector. Additionally, it distinguishes itself with the rare practice of including two women vice presidents on its executive team.

IBK's success in promoting women executives can be attributed to its continuous efforts to boost the representation of women in managerial positions. Over the last three years, there has been consistent growth in the proportion of women managers (team leaders and above), with figures rising from 31 percent in 2021, to 35 percent in 2022, and reaching 37 percent in 2023.

"In the 2023 recruitment of new bank employees, 56.2 percent of hires were women. Isn't that remarkably encouraging?" Kim said.

Kim is optimistic that the workforce composition at IBK will continue to evolve with a greater presence of women, driven by the significant influx of applications from women.

"Each of my predecessors in vice president roles has been outstanding. I hope to live up to their legacy and aim to support juniors  regardless of their gender  like a big sister. It's particularly gratifying to see juniors at the IBK performing so well independently. It gives me great confidence while working," Kim said.
HARTINGTON, Neb.  Economic development directors continually look for every possible way to attract visitors and businesses to their towns and cities.

So when the Nebraska Creative District program was launched a couple of years ago, Miranda Becker and others in Hartington jumped at the chance to be included and gain access to grant money that could help make their home more alluring.

I think people see a small town and they think theres nothing to do here, said Becker, Hartingtons economic development coordinator.

With the promise of grant money that comes with the Creative District designation, Becker and other city leaders knew a successful application could fund community improvements aimed at drawing visitors to Hartington, a northeast Nebraska town thats about 150 miles from Omaha.

Theres funding available through that for things that wouldnt be high-priority for the city, things like murals and art, Becker said.

Authorized by the Nebraska Legislature in 2020 and run by the Nebraska Arts Council, the Creative District program, according to its website, aims to promote and support economic development opportunities in communities dedicated to growing their arts-related economic sectors. Among its goals are attracting artists, creative enterprises and businesses, establishing districts as tourist destinations and promoting communities cultural and historic heritage.

Once accepted into the program, a community receives a $10,000 grant and is eligible for up to $250,000 more in grant funds in future years.

That kind of money earmarked just for arts-related projects and improvements is a big incentive, Becker said, especially for smaller towns that dont have a lot of extra funds in their budgets after providing basic services such as street maintenance and other infrastructure needs.

Becker submitted Hartingtons application in March and was notified of the towns acceptance in December.

The towns Creative District encompasses much of the downtown business district along Broadway Avenue, which already was a nationally registered Downtown Historic District. It includes historic buildings such as the Hartington Hotel, Globe Clothing building, Cedar County Courthouse and city library.

Becker, who has added the title Creative District administrator to her duties, said potential uses for the initial $10,000 grant include a sound system for the downtown area that could play ambient music and be utilized during the annual downtown Candlelight Christmas parade. Also under discussion are building murals, decorative benches and garbage can holders downtown and finding attractive ways to cover gaps between downtown buildings. Some in the community also would like to reopen an art gallery.

Wed just really like to grow this so we have a good community environment, Becker said.

Becker foresees using the Creative District designation as a marketing tool to pique interest in Hartington and attract visitors. In the meantime, the goal is to start a few projects that will get residents involved and maybe spur more ideas.

Its something you can immediately see and people can be a part of this, Becker said. Once you see things beginning to happen, people will get behind it.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of February 2024
She raised money and organized volunteers.

Even while she could barely walk after breaking a leg in a vehicle accident, Epona Horse Rescues Lin Guyton struggled through the snow and cold to care for 39 horses taken last summer from veterinarian Jennafer Glaesemann.

Now, Guytons afraid their lives could be in danger again after an auction Saturday at the Palmyra Livestock Auction in Palmyra, Nebraska. The auction firm said on Facebook that it would work to find the horses forever homes with proper care.

But Guyton said she knows that one person who buys animals, including horses, for slaughter attends the auction each month.

Ive also been told that there are two kill buyers coming in from out of state just for this auction, she said. These horses deserve better than that.

Guyton, who has operated the nonprofit horse rescue in Crete, Nebraska, for 20 years, has said the animals reminded her of deprived children from an impoverished country when they were confiscated from the Blue Valley Veterinary Clinic and Pickrell Veterinary Clinic owned by Glaessemann in August.

In the six months the horses have been at Epona Horse Rescue, theyve grown fatter and are looking healthier. Guyton said she learned out of the blue that 37 horses are going to be sold at auction. Two others were leased and not part of the auction.

Guytons fear is that all of the rescues work to rebuild the horses has made them attractive to the wrong kind of people, including kill pen buyers .

Were trying to raise money to save them, she said. The horses I save Im hoping to rehome into new homes. They will go into safe homes that we know they wont go to slaughter or be overbred.

A GoFundMe account has been started to raise $50,000 or more to try to buy the horses at auction. As of Monday afternoon, it had raised about $12,000. Epona Horse Rescue is also accepting donations mailed to 20000 SW 114th St., Crete, NE, 68333.

Come and help a horse

In a Facebook post Sunday, the Palmyra Livestock Market said it is acting as sale agents only trying to find the horses a safe and loving place to live.

They will be auctioned off to the highest bidder, the post says. Please come and help a horse if you can we are trying to find them forever homes with proper care.

Guyton has already lined up buyers for several of the horses and is teaming with another rescue to try to save others. Ten of the 37 horses at the auction are stallions, and shes afraid theyll go to backyard breeders.

Im bidding on all the stallions so I can get them gelded, Guyton said. So I can guarantee these guys become nice productive geldings in their next life.

Guyton said its sad to realize that the horses she helped rescue in August have grown more attractive for buyers. Now, it will cost more money to save them  again.

The money raised at auction, beyond the expenses of Gage County and Guyton, could go to Glaesemann, Guyton said. Glaesemann is not charged with any crimes, though the county had alleged 15 to 17 horses died in her care.

Guyton said expenses would include veterinarian bills and some of the feed bills the county has paid since mid-January. The approximately $75,000 in donations for the feeding and caring of the animals would not be repaid.

Those donors need to be made aware of what is going on, she said. I worry that if the auction money goes to (Glaesemann), those donors wont step up the next time animals are in need.

No charges, merely citations

Several news outlets, including The World-Herald, had reported last year that Glaesemann had been charged with 37 counts of misdemeanor animal neglect. Gage County court records do not show any criminal charges being made.

Gage County Attorney Roger Harris did not reply to attempts to speak with him about the case.

In a text to The World-Herald on Monday, Glaesemann confirmed that she has never been charged, merely cited for animal neglect by the Gage County Sheriffs Office following an investigation.

Citations issued by a law enforcement agency do not automatically mean that charges will be brought. That decision is left up to a city, county or state prosecutor.

In a Facebook post Sunday, Guyton said she is heartbroken and dispirited by the process.

This is one of the hardest times I can remember. These horses deserve so much more than what they are getting, she wrote. The more time I spend with them, the sadder I get. They do not deserve this auction.

So many people have put their heart and soul into saving their lives and regaining their health. Now outside people are clamoring for a piece of this story. Profiting on this nightmare. It is disgusting and vile. Where were you when we worked long hours, when exhausted we kept going. Tonight, I truly question ... why should I continue to rescue?

World-Herald staff writer Molly Ashford contributed to this report.
An Ebute Meta Magistrates Court, Lagos, on Friday remanded a dismissed Police Inspector, Olalekan Ogunyemi  charged with murdering Kolade Johnson  till May 6.

Magistrate A.O. Salawu remanded Ogunyemi at Ikoyi Prisons, pending advice from Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The courts order was sequel an application by the police.Ogunyemi, 45, of No. 17, Alhaji Ede Street, Igando, was docked on a one-count charge of murder.

Prosecuting Inspector Kehinde Olatunde told the court that the defendant committed the offence on March 31, at about 5:10pm, at Onipetesi Estate, Idi-Mangoro, Lagos.

He said Ogunyemi, who served in the Anti Cultism Unit of Lagos State Police Command, shot Johnson, a 36-year-old father of one, to death, with his Ak47 rifle.

The offences, the prosecutor said contravened Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Olatunde informed the court that he had a remand application order by the police to remand the defendant for the next 30 days.
Though no official statement has been released, Media Aide to the minister, Mr. Austine Elemue, confirmed the incident but did not go into details.

File photo used only for illustrative purpose

A significant fire outbreak occurred at the private residence of Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Sunday.

Daily Trust reports that the outbreak started at the residence in highbrow area of Asokoro in Abuja in the afternoon.

Firefighters reportedly failed to respond to the incident early enough, worsening the situation.

Though no official statement has been released, Media Aide to the minister, Mr. Austine Elemue, confirmed the incident but did not go into details.

He said the cause of the fire outbreak was being investigated.

Details later
Baldo and Baban Yara, two wanted bandit leaders, alongside scores of their foot soldiers, have been eliminated by Nigerian troops.

According to PRNigeria, the warlords were behind the coordination of movement and exchange of kidnapped victims within camps in the Zamfara/Katsina axis.

A defence intelligence source confirmed to PRNigeria that the terrorists were killed on Saturday in a deadly military operation along the Zamfara/Katsina axis.



Our troops engaged the terrorists at Aliero West axis and succeeded in killing the two bandit kingpins and 28 of their foot soldiers. Lately, our troops have intensified their aggressive operation in the North West and are pounding terrorists heavily.

We want to rid the region of criminal elements so that farmers can carry out their agricultural activities without delay, said a military intelligence operative.

Meanwhile, a local source privy to the activities of the troops as a security volunteer told PRNigeria that the operation was swift as no terrorists sighted were spared.

The source said, The military worked on the intelligence in ambushing and eliminating the warlords and their followers mostly riding on motorcycles.

If this operation is sustained, our farmers will surely return to the farms while, hopefully, we will have a peaceful Ramadan period of fasting, which is just around the corner.
A significant number of bandits were reportedly killed during a fierce clash between two rival groups in the vicinity of Hayin Alhaji to Munhaye forest in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

A local, Mohammed Sanda told The PUNCH on Sunday that the two bandit groups engaged in a supremacy fight last Saturday where scores lost their lives.

According to Sanda, a group of bandits from neighbouring Katsina State invaded some communities in Zamfara State intending to kidnap the residents.

But the powerful and notorious bandits kingpin Ado Alero who is an indigene of the area intervened and refused to allow the rival bandits group to kidnap the villagers.

Sanda maintained that the two rival groups engaged in a gun battle which resulted in the death of several bandits from both sides.

He stressed that the people of the area were currently trouping to the battleground to see the dead bodies of the neutralised bandits.

He also added that there were over 20 motorcycles abandoned by the bandits at the place where the fight took place

He said, Some bandits who came from Katsina State invaded some communities between Tafkin Kazai and Munhaye village around five oclock pm last Saturday evening trying to abduct the residents of the area.

While they were in the area, another group of bandits led by Ado Alero came to the place in a bid to protect the residents.

The two bandit groups exchanged hot words and finally began to shoot at each other, while the residents ran helter-skelter for their dear lives.

As we were running, the bandits leader Ado Alero told us not to panic and asked us to remain where we were.

The two groups fought for several hours where many of them were killed and when we returned to the area early morning of today Sunday, we saw many corpses and several motorcycles.

As I am speaking to you at the moment, many people are trouping to this place to see the corpses and the abandoned motorcycles, Sanda added.

Sanda also explained that the communities were looking into the possibility of giving a mass burial for the dead bodies of the bandits because of the absence of security personnel.

We may dig a big grave and bury the dead bodies before they decompose.

When contacted for comment, the spokesperson for the state police command ASP Yazid Abubakar said he was not aware of this development.

He said, I am not aware of this, but it is a very important development. God is answering our prayers in the fight against banditry.
By Our Reporter

A legal luminary and stakeholder of Nawfia community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Barrister Beluolisa Emmanuel Ikechukwu Nwofor, has been accused of fueling leadership crisis in the town.

Barr. Nwofor, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was accused in a statement signed and made available to Journalists in Awka on Sunday by the Community Traditional Ruler, H.R.M., Igwe Daniel Ogochukwu Obelle and the President General of Nawfia Progressive Union (N.P.U.), Chief Daniel Okoye Okongwu.

The accusation notice was contained in a statement signed and made available to Journalists in Awka on Sunday by the Community Traditional ruler, His Royal Majesty Igwe Daniel Ogochukwu Obelle and the President General of Nawfia Progressive Union (N.P.U.), Chief Daniel Okoye Okongwu.

The two signatories alleged that Barrister Nwofor, while supporting a factional leadership in the community, brought in security operatives (soldiers and mobile policemen) for a mere Town Union election that violently took place at the Communitys Civic Centre, on Saturday, 24th February, 2024.

The statement reads in part: We wish to draw the attention of Ndi Nawfia at home and in the diaspora, the Anambra State Government and the general public, to the event that purportedly took place in Nawfia as the Nawfia Progressive Union (N.P.U.), held general elections on February 24, 2024.

In the morning of 24th February, 2024, at about 9.00am, some persons broke into the Nawfia Civic Center in the company of some miscreants who were apparently imported into the town. However, they were resisted by members of the Nawfia Vigilante Service and well-meaning citizens of Nawfia town.

Following the ensuing fracas that engulfed the venue, the situation became very rowdy and tense.

The arrow head of the sham election, Barrister BEI Nwofor (SAN) brought in soldiers and mobilized police men for a mere town union election in a very peaceful community like Nawfia . In fact, there were more security men outside the Civic Center than the electorate inside the building as accompanying videos show.

For the avoidance of doubt, before any election can take place in any community in Anambra State, including Nawfia, the Anambra State government should be notified in writing and approval obtained in writing and the necessary fees paid to Anambra State government and the ASATU.

In fact, neither the Anambra State government nor Anambra State Association of Town Union (ASATU) is aware of any NPU election slated for the 24th of February, 2024 at Nawfia.

The state government and the ASATU did not send their representatives to observe the so-called election as the Anambra State law provides.

Consequently, any purported election held in Nawfia on the 24th of February, 2024 is fake and illegal and should be disregarded by the Ndi Nawfia, Anambra State government and the general public.

The entire leadership of Nawfia, the Igwe, the PG, the Umuada and the Youth and the good people of Nawfia condemn in very strong terms the anti-social activities of these renegade elements of Nawfia who are bent on disturbing the hard won peace and tranquility of the community.

When contacted via telephone call, Barrister Nwofor, swiftly said, I am not the one, please.

The State police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, when contacted said he has no such information before him.

I dont have any information on this and from the video you sent, I didnt see any fracas or rowdy activity as claimed, he reacted.

Related
Authorities in Cameroon have deployed masked troops of the Rapid dintervention Battalions , BIR, to Abana, Archibong, Atabong East and Akpankanya communities said to be Pro-Biafra militants base in Bakassi Peninsula.

According to eyewitness report , the BIR were deployed in the morning on Saturday , February 24, 2024.

Report say the troops have ban residents from going out of the Peninsula to Nigeria, in readiness to dislodge the Black Marine and Dragon Fighter Marine.

Meanwhile , Orange Network has reportedly bounced back days after Biafra separatists carried out bomb attack on its mast.

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By Umar Usman Duguri.

Since the coming of senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohamed administration, he a promised to overhaul and change the narratives of all learning institutions against its inherited poor condition in every facets, ranging from structures, environ and to a man power to help in setting a paradigm shift in the academic environment and for better result in the students they are producing and the moral conduct should both staff non-academic staff and the students would have as a logo to themselves and to the Bauchi state government whenever they go to. This is the reason why the provost College of Agriculture Dr. Ahmed Isa Ahmed, remained committed to the selfless service of the college of Agriculture (BSCOA) that solely owned and funded by the state Government. Manned with the responsibilities among which are; sound knowledge, discipline and good conduct as well as setting a yardstick for a dynamic future agriculturist/ horticulturist in the northeastern Nigeria.

The college of Agriculture Bauchi state under the leader of Governor Bala Mohamed progresses from the grass to grace, according to the provost of the college,  we are glad to have a passionate agriculturist Governor in Bauchi state, in his close to five years of transformational leadership he has overhauled the educational story of academic and non-academic activities in Bauchi state that is attractive more economic activities in the state, for instance, recently we secured a partnership to produced thousands of seedlings that would be exported outside the state possibly the country, and in the course of doing that our students would display their prowess, they would benefit in many ways, opportunities would created and rapid boost of the college and the state by extension

It is on record, since the creation of the college, no governor has ever committed himself to supports the institution than, the incumbent, all our institutions request was 100% approved without any delay in order to consolidate on his lofty goals.

On Employment, the college secured approval recruit fresh indigenous staff to ensure speedy and effective service delivery at various Department including the security architecture of the college that has zero record of security tension now.

Dr. Ahmed Isa, further, says, the Bauchi state college of Agriculture regained its lost glory through multiple drives, among which are approval of all National Diploma courses and Higher National Diploma courses that some have expire since 2016/2020.

in order to compliment the modern learning skills, the management of college has constructed and ICT center name after Governor Bala Mohamed, based on his passion for the ICT development of the college. This development help in college in integrating, compiling, assessing as well as proper keeping of record and capacity building both staffs and students IQ.

Almost every decayed and collapsed buildings were fixed and put to order to ensure good serenity within and outside the institution. This development was the reason that encourage time to time workshops and seminars to enhance capacity building, these aside from consistent sponsoring of staffs to advance their knowledge.

Interestingly, the college of Agriculture begins the post graduate degree courses, some of these courses are; Animal health production in collaboration with the federal university Dutse, and Agric extension Development, crop science and soil science.

In the area of welfare, the collage improved packages and allowances of staffs to ginger their morale and the students entitlements were enhanced to ensure sanity and good moral, this is the reason why the college in the last five years record zero immorality or misconducts. Solar Street light were installed, all offices are fixed and furnished to ensure conducive learning atmosphere.

The provost of the college, Dr. Ahmed concluded by thanking the Government of Bauchi state for its continues support and collaborations with relevant stakeholders in fixing the college to its appropriate position as well as founding fathers of the college whose the management is working on its yardstick.
Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has said he is worried about a new scheme to remove him from office.

He said the scheme was intensified after he was elected as a factional candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the upcoming governorship election.

Shaibu, the deputy governor of the state, said this at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday.

The returning officer in the PDP governorship primary and Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal had on Thursday announced Asue Ighodalo as the winner of the delegate election, having polled a total of 577 votes.

However, in the parallel primaries that took place at the Benin residence of the Deputy Governor, the returning officer, Bartholomew Moses, declared Shaibu the winner, saying he won with over 300 votes.

Even as we speak, my team has been calling me that, Look at what these people are doing. They are saying they are going to impeach you; that you have gotten too far. They are threatening to impeach me, he said.

And I said, well, if fighting for my rights and all of us collectively fighting for my rights as in the constitution, triggers impeachment, so be it, because fighting for my rights and saying I must contest the election is my constitutional rights and cannot be taken by anybody.

So if constitutional right is why they will now trigger impeachment, the courts are there; they will interpret it, he said.
Korea plans to tighten export controls on Russia and Belarus for items that can potentially be used for military purposes, the trade ministry said Monday.

The announcement came after Korea added 682 items with actual or potential military use to the list of items to be banned from shipping to Russia and Belarus last week.

"The ministry will bolster the implementation of export controls under ties with related organizations, as there will be more attempts to dodge export controls and seek evasive shipments," the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in a statement.

The ministry will especially focus on monitoring exports of "common high priority items," including chips that can be applied to drones, with other partner nations, it added.

Korea will make efforts to inform exporters about the updated list of controlled products to prevent unauthorized exports resulting from a lack of awareness, the ministry said.

The new rule, meanwhile, raised the total number of items on the list to 1,159.

On the previous day, the government also said it is investigating a Korea-based company sanctioned by the United States over its alleged connection to Russia.

Daesung International Trading, a company located in Korea's southeastern city of Gimhae, was one of 93 entities added to an "entity list" for export restrictions by the Bureau of Industry and Security under the U.S. Commerce Department on Friday. (Yonhap)
A fire outbreak on Sunday razed the private residence of the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr Mariya Mahmoud.

It was gathered that the fire outbreak started at the residence in the highbrow area of Asokoro in Abuja in the afternoon.

Daily Trust reports that firefighters failed to respond to the incident early enough, worsening the situation and the impact of the fire.

Meanwhile, the media aide to the minister, Mr. Austine Elemue, has confirmed the incident but did not provide details on it.

Elemue reportedly said that the cause of the fire outbreak was being investigated.
President Bola Tinubu had a crucial meeting with some members of the organised private sector on Sunday.

The meeting is held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Those in the meeting include Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President, Dangote Groups; Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holding and Transcorp Plc; Abdulsamad Rabiu, Chairman, BUA Group; Wale Tinubu, and other members of the private sector.

This is coming amid the economic hardship confronting Nigerians.

The current hardship is occasioned by the rise in the exchange rate of dollars to naira.

News Direct recalls that at the close of work on Friday, FMDQ data showed that the naira depreciated to N1,665.50 per US dollar from N1571.31 on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria announced draft guidelines in a sweeping policy intervention for BDCs, including a ban on street trading and a fresh per capital share requirement for registration.
The former Vice President of Nigeria shared this insight on his official X account on Sunday, urging Tinubu to take lessons from Argentinas President Javier Milei on swiftly rebuilding investor confidence despite inheriting an unstable economy.

Nigeria is where we are today simply because of what Tinubu has done or did not do. His shifting the blame on the opposition and, even ridiculously, his predecessor is needless and myopic. Market forces dont play politics. They respond to your actions and inactions, Atiku posted.

He continued: The examples set by President Milei are the requirement of leadership in a time when the economy has begun to fail the peoples expectations.

The reforms implemented by the Tinubu administration are ad hoc and hurriedly put together without proper review. Ours is unlike Argentinas Milei, who is sequencing his reforms

President Milei anticipates the after-reform shocks and admits that things will be tough for the people. But he is fully prepared for the aftershocks and has in place mitigating pills.

He walks the talk. He sacrifices himself by giving up the perks of office. It is not business as usual for the presidency while the people are called upon to make sacrifices.

Argentina runs a lean government by reducing the number of ministries, privatising nearly 40 state-owned enterprises, and reducing wasteful spending.

Conversely, Tinubu in Nigeria increased the number of ministers and ministries and is spending enormous resources renovating houses for himself, his deputy, and the first lady

That is nothing short of Nero playing fiddle while Rome is on fire! Worse still, Tinubu has refused to roll up his sleeves and do the work that he signed up for. Instead, he and his team are preoccupied with behaving like Napoleon and Squealer, characters in the satire book Animal Farm, who made it a state policy to scapegoat Snowball (the opposition) for their failures arising from their ill-advised policies.

I am attracted to the reforms in Argentina because Javier Mileis stabilization plan bears a similar emblem to my Recover Nigeria Plan.

It is a plan that I am more than willing to disclose details of its workings with the current government to take Nigeria out of the hunger and anger that we find ourselves in.

The plan includes strategic steps to recover the economy and make it stronger, dynamic, resilient, and competitive.

Unless, and until there are clear-cut policies and pathways to economic rejuvenation predicated on a leadership-led sacrifice, there will be discontentment, especially among the youths, which may find expression in protests and for which it will be silly to continue to blame the opposition for, Atiku stated.

Kanyi Daily recalls that the Presidency announced on Sunday that Abubakar Atikus attempt to criticize the governments foreign exchange policy had failed
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

An economic advisory committee has been set up by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pave the pathway for the economic growth and development of the country.

The president made this known on Sunday after meeting with some members of the Organised Private Sector at the State House, Abuja.

President Tinubu stated that the committee comprises of the federal government, sub-nationals and the private sector.

Tinubu disclosed that the goal is to advise the government on additional efforts in stabilising the economy and ensuring the best economic future for Nigerians.

Addressing his invitees, Tinubu wasted no time in tabling his proposition before them, expressing concerns for the welfare of the ordinary Nigerians and the need for government at all levels to ensure they are not disappointed.

He said: Lets look at what were doing right and what were doing wrong to bring life back to the economy. As I have said many times, the people of this country are the only people whom we have to please, and we are very much concerned, from students to mothers and fathers, farmers, and traders and realise that every one of us will have to fetch water from the same well. 

Were looking for additional efforts that might help the downtrodden Nigerians, and we will provide that hope and reassurance that economic recovery is on its way. 

We are not saying that we have all the answers, but we will not be blamed for not trying. We assure Nigerians that we will do our best to get our marshall plan in place and fashion out the best economic future for this country.

Among those at the meeting were Vice President Kashim Shettima; Governors Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Charles Soludo (Anambra); Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Ministers of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari; Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

Some of the private sector players at the meeting include Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu; Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu; Group Chief Executive Officer of Pandora Plc, Wale Tinubu; Managing Director of Matrix Group, Abdullabir Aliu; Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivative Company, Bismarck Rewane; Director-General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir, among others.
Certain bakers, represented by the Supreme Bakers and Confectioners Association of Nigeria , criticized the decision to go on strike during a challenging period for Nigerians, deeming it unnecessary and potentially worsening the situation.

A group of bakers across the country have expressed their displeasure over the nationwide strike embarked upon by a faction within their ranks.

The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria announced on February 14 that it is poised to begin a nationwide strike on February 27 unless the Federal Government honours the agreement made with the association in 2020.

The association additionally advocated for the establishment of a price control and monitoring committee, permitted by the amended constitution, and other measures to improve the business environment in the country.

However, in a statement issued on Monday, certain bakers, represented by the Supreme Bakers and Confectioners Association of Nigeria, criticized the decision to go on strike during a challenging period for Nigerians, deeming it unnecessary and potentially worsening the situation.

The acting National President of the association, Edmund Egbuji, urged all members of the group to refrain from participating in the strike.

The statement read, The BOT chairman and the entire members of the board of trustees, in conjunction with the national exco of Supreme Bakers and Confectioners Association of Nigeria, wish to bring to the notice of the general public that Supreme Bakers Association will not embark on a nationwide withdrawal of services (strike) proposed by some bakers association in the country.

Supreme bakers deem it as unpatriotic at this time of food insecurity and scarcity in the country. Going on strike will never be an option rather the government through its relevant ministries should call for a roundtable discussion to cushion the effects of food scarcity plight.

All members of the supreme bakers are hereby directed to go about the business of feeding the nation as any contrary action will add to the pains of the overstretched citizens.
Nnamdi Kanu, the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has initiated a new bail plea.

This is amidst ongoing legal challenges against the treasonable felony charges brought by the Federal Government.

Kanus legal representative, Mr. Aloy Ejimakor, submitted the bail application to the Federal High Court in Abujas trial Justice, Binta Nyako, with the motion dated February 5.

In response to the development, the Federal Government has enlisted the expertise of Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, a distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), to spearhead the prosecution of Kanus case.

Awomolo confirmed his involvement and receipt of Kanus latest bail request during court proceedings.

Kanu, initially apprehended by security forces in Lagos on October 14, 2015, has been in detention since his re-arrest on June 29, 2021, following an extraordinary rendition from Kenya.

Despite being granted bail on health grounds by Justice Nyako in April 2017, Kanu fled Nigeria after a military raid on his residence in Umuahia, Abia State, leading to fatalities among his followers.

The pro-Biafra advocates legal journey saw a significant turn when the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal ordered his release on October 13, 2022, citing a breach of legal procedures in his forceful extradition.

However, the Federal Governments dissatisfaction with this ruling led to an appeal to the Supreme Court, which on December 15, 2023, overturned the appellate courts decision, allowing the trial to proceed.


Ruling APC Mourns, Confirms Death Of Party Member, Six Others In Stampede At Nigerian Customs Office While Struggling To Buy Cheap Rice Amid Hardship

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) says that one of its members, Comfort Funmilayo Adebanjo, and six other people died after they were stampeded at the Nigeria Customs office in Lagos while trying to buy rice.

The incident occurred on Friday at the Customs office in Yaba, Lagos after the Controller General of the Customs, Adewale Adeniyi flagged off the sale of rice at the service.

The requirements for the collection of the rice were a National Identification Number (NIN) and the sum of N10,000 for half a bag of rice; however, the service later removed the fee and started sharing the rice for free.

Many rushed to the Customs office at Yaba with the hope of securing their share of the rice, but due to the large number of people present, a stampede ensued and several people were reported dead.

According to a report, an obituary released on Saturday, the Coordinator of FKL Ward E1, Lagos State APC, Oluwafemi Fadahunsi, and Secretary, Comrade Adebari Adewale, confirmed that Adebanjo was one of the seven persons who died during the stampede.

It read, It is with heavy hearts and regret we announce the painful death of one of our members in FKL WARD E1, Mrs Adebanjo Comfort Funmilayo of house number 104, Ibidun Street by Akinhanmi street, Ojuelegba.

She was among the 7 victims who died in the course of buying custom rice at Yaba.

May God grant all the members of her family and all the residents of WARD E1 the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.

Related
From Msurshima Andrew, Makurdi

The Senior Special Assistant to the Benue state Governor, Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia on Youth Mobilization and Empowerment, Hon. Moses Mkeenem, has condemned the states federal legislators for politicizing the unfortunate insecurity bedeviling Benue state which he said Governor Alia was having sleepless nights to quell.

The governors aide made this allegation at the weekend, when he brief newsmen on what he called unpatriotic and perturbing attitude of the National Assembly Caucus from Benue state. Recall that recently, the National Assembly Caucus from Benue, at a press conference in Abuja, accused Governor Alia of not taking security serious, even after taking huge amount of money from the federal government as security vote. They also blamed the Governor for unjust sacking of some caretaker chairmen from office saying his actions have led to increased insecurity in the state. But the Governors aide, Mkeenem said the Assembly members were accusing the Governor wrongly because he has refused to share states funds with them. The Governor cannot share monies that come to the state with NASS members because the monies are meant for the development of the state. Alia is welcome to developmental ideas and anyone is welcomed to contribute his ideas but sharing of money cannot be done under this government. The Governor has been clear on this.

He called on the security agencies to charge those politicizing the insecurity in the state for treason saying they are the enemies of the state.

He also expressed worry over information that some persons suspected to be from the National Assembly wrote a letter and dropped for herders at the Nigerien borders that the states anti open grazing law has been relaxed for them to come and occupy the state.

The aide who described such acts as unpatriotic said all indigenes of the state are expected to support the state government to curtail the insecurity in the state, but instead of supporting the Governor and contributing to quell it, they are checking figures; how much is sent to the state and how much is withdrawn.

He noted that since Governor Alia assumed office, he is applying and deploying all that is humanly possible to nip insecurity in the board in the state adding that as a result of his measures, insecurity in Sankara axis has dropped drastically and sooner, the expected peace would rest on the state.

He called on the Benue people to support the Alia Government to develop the state saying the Benue youths would no longer fold their hands and watch those at the National Assembly continue to abuse power and endanger the future of the people and that of the state.

The Adviser called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to investigate the whereabouts of the palliatives given to Benue causus members to distribute to their constituents last year.

I, on behalf of millions of Benue youths would like to yo also use this opportunity to convey to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that the palliatives he gave to the National Assembly members gor onward distribution to their constituents sometime last year have not reached them.

Therefore, the President should be careful when entrusting NASS members from Benue with palliatives, he said.
A recent clash between rival cult groups, Black Axe and Red Axe, in North Bank, a suburb of Makurdi, Benue State, resulted in the tragic deaths of at least seven individuals, according to reports.

The intensity of the clash prompted the closure of the market situated in the area, as residents grappled with the aftermath of the violence.

Cibilus Odinaka, chairman of North Bank market, provided insight into the genesis of the conflict, recounting how a member of one faction was accosted while accessing products in the market, sparking a retaliatory confrontation. Odinaka lamented, Between that Saturday and today (Monday), six persons have been killed.

Despite the proximity of military barracks to the scene, residents expressed frustration over the perceived ineffectiveness of security measures. Odinaka remarked, The issue of barracks as far as we are concerned, is completely useless.

Nura Umah, a leader of a local vigilance group, confirmed the casualties, noting that six cult members lost their lives during the clash, with an additional casualty being a commercial motorcyclist inadvertently caught in the crossfire.

Security personnel have since been deployed to the area to restore calm. Catherine Anene, the state Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident, stating, Report of cult activities in North Bank were reported and the command deployed police officers to take charge. Investigation is ongoing.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled March 19 for a ruling on the bail application filed by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in the terrorism charges brought against him.

Justice Binta Nyako adjourned the proceedings on Monday after Kanus counsel presented the bail application, which was contested by the federal governments counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).

Kanus bail application was submitted following the resumption of the hearing in the seven-count charges against him, as directed by the Supreme Court.

Kanus primary argument is that he requires bail to adequately prepare his defence and have unrestricted access to his legal team. Additionally, he cited health issues, including acute hypertension and heart disease, as further grounds for his bail request.

However, the federal government opposed the application, citing Kanus previous bail breach and flight from the country. They argued that all previous bail conditions were violated, urging the court to dismiss the request.

Awomolo, representing the prosecution for the first time, also contested another motion filed by Kanu, which sought to halt the trial until the Department of State Services (DSS) ceased interfering with his legal team during visitations. Additionally, Kanu requested permission to wear clothes of his choice during proceedings.

The federal government objected to these requests, asserting that Kanu does not have the right to dictate trial proceedings under the law.
Korea's technology exports rose 2 percent to hit an all-time high of $15.2 billion in 2022, driven by increased sales to the United States, government data showed Monday.

Technology imports also added 5 percent on-year to record $19.6 billion during the same period, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Due to the sharper increase in imports, the country's trade deficit in tech expanded 17.1 percent on-year to $4.4 billion.

By country, exports to the U.S. jumped 40 percent on-year to $4.5 billion in 2022 thanks to higher demand for electronics and game techs.

Imports from the U.S. decreased 2.4 percent to $6.8 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $2.4 billion.

Exports to China dipped 17.7 percent to $2.6 billion due to lower demand for game techs, while imports soared 77.6 percent to $1.8 billion on semiconductor techs.

The ministry said the value of Korea's technology trade rose tenfold over the past 20 years and the ratio of exports to imports also improved more than threefold thanks to the stronger competitiveness of the country's science technologies. (Yonhap)
The Nigeria Police Force has reportedly sealed off the Lagos office of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to prevent the planned nationwide protest against hunger and hardship in the country.

This was revealed via Twitter by an activist and national coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Hassan Taiwo.

Meanwhile, the efforts have yielded no positive results as citizens have defied the warnings and trooped out to the streets to protest the striking economic hardship in the country.

The Lagos state police command has, however, refuted the information.

In a tweet sent out by the force PRO in Lagos, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command stated that the polices presence was to ensure adequate security for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and prevent their procession from being hijacked by hoodlums.

The statement further mentioned that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Adegoke Fayoade, addressed the protesters before their procession took off in his presence and the procession has so far been peaceful without any untoward incident.

In Edo state, the civil Society Organisations have stormed the streets of Benin City, the state capital.

The protest followed the current economic hardship currently affecting Nigerians.

Members of the CSOs carried various placards such as End Economic Hardship, FG End the Hunger in Nigeria Now, among many others to state their grievances.

The Benin protest is coming after Ibadan residents protested against economic hardship

In anticipation of the upcoming organized labour protest set to commence on Tuesday, the Take It Back Movement, a human rights group, has initiated a nationwide demonstration in Lagos State to address the prevailing economic hardships in the country.

This protest was held against the warning issued by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, on Sunday.

The Nigeria Labour Congress has vowed to also stage a protest beginning tomorrow.

On February 16, the NLC announced the nationwide protest scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday over the alleged governments failure to implement agreements reached between both parties on October 2, 2023, following the removal of the fuel subsidy.

The decision followed the conclusion of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to implement measures against the widespread hardship.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, administered the oath of office to 11 new Justices appointed to the bench of the Supreme Court, admonishing them not to allow personal ambitions to cloud their sense of judgment.

Among the newly sworn-in Justices are Jummai Hannatu Sankey, Chidiebere Nwaoma Uwa, Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme, Haruna Simon Tsammani, and Moore Aseimo A. Adumein.

Addressing the new Justices, Justice Ariwoola emphasized the importance of maintaining integrity and letting conscience guide their decisions, especially when faced with litigants criticisms or verbal assaults.

He reminded them that pleasing everyone is impossible and urged them to prioritize adherence to the Constitution and alignment with divine expectations. He said, Once your judgment is in consonance with what God expects from you, and is also in accordance with the Constitution, you should consider yourself the happiest and freest person on earth.

Justice Ariwoola highlighted the significance of the new appointments, noting that they come at a time when the Supreme Courts ranks have been significantly depleted due to retirements and deaths. He urged the new Justices to uphold moral uprightness, integrity, and respect for the law.

Moreover, he underscored the solemn responsibility they hold, stating, Any judgment given at this level can only be upturned in heaven.
Tunisian Imam Mahjoub Mahjoubi has been deported from France.

He was deported over his controversial remarks about the French flag.

This is a significant move underscoring the nations stance on radicalism.

The decision, announced by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, comes in the wake of a video that surfaced online, where Mahjoubi seemingly described the French flag as satanic, sparking widespread condemnation.

Mahjoubi, who has lived in France for 38 years and served as an imam in the southern town of Bagnols-sur-Ceze, faced immediate action under Frances tightened immigration reforms. These reforms have been designed to swiftly address and deport individuals making unacceptable public declarations against national symbols or engaging in hate speech.

The imam, however, has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that his comments were misconstrued and that he did not intend any disrespect towards the French flag or its values. Despite his denial, the French authorities proceeded with his deportation, highlighting their zero-tolerance policy towards radicalism and hate speech.

The imam also referred to the Jewish people as the enemy and called for the destruction of Western society, the indictment said.

Mahjoub Mahjoubi, who also runs a construction business, articulated that his controversial comment was an inadvertent mistake. He expressed his determination to return to France, emphasizing his four-decade-long residency and the critical dependency of his family on him, especially highlighting the grave situation of his youngest child, who is undergoing cancer treatment.

Mahjoubi outlined his legal strategy, stating, My attorney will initiate legal proceedings in France. Should the initial verdict not be in my favour, I am prepared to take my case to the European Court of Human Rights. He firmly denied any intention to disparage the Jewish community or the French flag.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin defended the deportation, asserting it as evidence of the effectiveness of recent immigration legislation in bolstering Frances security. He portrayed the law as a necessary measure to counteract the rising influence of far-right ideologies, emphasizing that stringent actions are warranted in such cases.

Darmanins critique labelled Mahjoubi as a radical imam for his unacceptable remarks, underscoring the governments stance on maintaining public order.
The continuous trial of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been frowned at by the group.

The group insisted that it stands by the judgment of the Appeal court, which ordered Kanu not to be tried anymore in any Nigerian court.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday fixed March 19, 2024, to rule on the fresh bail application filed by the embattled IPOB leader.

The court also scheduled March 20, for the commencement of the resumed trial. The trial judge, Justice Binta Nyanko adjourned after listening to the argument by counsel to parties in the matter.

Trial resumed on the matter on Monday after being suspended by the Court of Appeal which discharged and acquitted Kanu in October 2022.

The appellate court also declared illegal and unlawful, the rendition of Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria and quashed the entire terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.

But in a statement on Monday by the spokesman, Emma Powerful, the pro-Biafran group called on President Bola Tinubu to unconditionally release Kanu and other IPOB members in various detention facilities across the country.

The group said, Recall that the Supreme Court justices on December 15, 2023, sent the case of Kanu back to the High Court. The same High Court fixed February 8, 2024, to commence hearing on the matter or matters. But on the said date the Federal Government refused to appear in court.

Refusing to make an appearance on that day showed that the Federal Government has no cogent reason to either prosecute Kanu and should unconditionally release him.

IPOB leadership has reviewed the actions of the Federal Government and the legal system and we totally stand on no further trial of our leader in the High Court or any other court.

No matter what the Federal Government does today, we stand by the Appeal court discharged and acquitted pronounced on our leader. They know very well that they have no case against him or the organisation that he leads.

Our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was illegally abducted and detained for almost two years between 2015 and 2017. In 2021, our leader was again abducted, tortured, and extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria. For three years since 2021, our leader has again been remanded to solitary confinement in the Nigeria DSS dungeon, which adds up to five years of persecution.

Irrespective of all the judiciary rigmarole, eventually, some courageous honourable Justices in the Appeal Court in Abuja on October 13, 2022, delivered a landmark Judgment that history will never forget. The Court, in its ruling, discharged and acquitted Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of all the trumped-up charges based on the illegal abduction and extraordinary rendition by the Federal Government.

Instead of the Federal Government to obey the ruling of the Court of Appeal, they decided to intimidate the honourable Justices by transferring them out of Abuja jurisdiction to different areas of the country.

The group said in view of the above scenarios and other considerations, the IPOB family worldwide, therefore, firmly stands on no more court trial of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

We call on President Bola Tinubu to unconditionally release our leader and other innocent IPOB members in various detention facilities across the country.
The Senior Pastor of the Christian Praying Assembly, Lagos, Reverend Chukwuemeka Ezeugo aka Reverend King has been wished a happy birthday.

The clergyman who is on death row was wished a happy birthday by an ardent fan who took 13 pages out of a National Daily newspaper to celebrate him as he turns a year older today February 26.

Reverend King made news in August 2006 after he set seven members of his church on fire for indulging in fornication. One of them later died from the injuries she sustained from the incident. The Lagos state High court sentenced him to death by hanging after finding him guilty.

The clergyman approached the state Court of Appeal on January 11th 2007 but it upheld the ruling of the state High court. He proceeded to the Supreme Court where the verdict for him to be hung to death was also upheld by the apex court on February 26, 2016.

He has since been on death row.
The TUC President, Festus Osifo, stated this at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday ahead of the planned NLC protest.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has said it will not partake in the nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The strike is scheduled to hold for two days, Tuesday and Wednesday.

The TUC President, Festus Osifo, stated this at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday ahead of the planned NLC protest.

Osifo asserted that members of the TUC were not part of the plan to go on a nationwide protest to press the demands on the current economic hardship being faced by Nigerians.

He stated that the union would rather engage the government further to find solutions to the hardship being faced by Nigerians rather than to protest.

Osifo said the TUC would present fresh 15-point solutions to the current economic challenge to the federal government rather than taking over the streets.

There is no point saying were opting out a process we were not originally part of initially. We are going to present the way forward weve highlighted to the government, not through protest, Osifo said.

Recall that the National President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, had announced a two-day nationwide mass protest to press the demands on the current hardship being faced by Nigerians.

However, the TUC opted out of the two-day nationwide protest over the failure of the NLC to carry the union along before making the announcement.

Also, not less than 65 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the aegis of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations Forum pulled out of the planned nationwide protest.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has given an advice to President Bola Tinubu over the hardship in the country.

TUC asked Tinubu to put aside the national pride of striving to achieve local food sufficiency and immediately begin importing food.

The TUC stressed that it is a population that is alive that can celebrate the gains and beauty of any government policy.

Speaking on behalf of the congress, the TUC President, Festus Osifo, during a press conference in Abuja on Monday, said Nigerians are hungry and battling economic hardship, so it is time for the federal government to begin the importation of food in order to mitigate the soaring prices of food across the country.

According to him, Nigerians have never witnessed this level of hardship before, even during military regimes, adding that it is time for the government to jettison policies that are not effective and get capable hands to man the affairs of the country.

Nigerians must live to see tomorrow before we can understand how beautiful a government policy is. The national pride of striving to achieve food sufficiency locally should be temporarily relaxed. Governments at all levels should immediately purchase sufficient quantities of food items from different parts of the world and share them with vulnerable Nigerians.

Importing food abroad at this point will assist to reduce the hyper-inflation of food in the country. FG should allow importation of food items for Nigerians consumption within the next two weeks, Osifo submitted.

The TUC President further called on President Bola Tinubu to, without considering partisanship, ethnicity or tribal issues, strengthen the economic management team of his administration and get them to develop homegrown solutions to the hardship facing the country.
Rights group, Amnesty International, has condemned the Federal Governments decision to proscribe the Shiite group, Islamic Movement of Nigeria.

In a statement on Wednesday, AI described the proscription as an attempt to cover up the massacre of over 350 Shiites in Kaduna State in 2015 as well as the murder of several others in subsequent protests that occurred.

The statement read in part, Amnesty International is concerned that Nigerian authorities are increasingly depriving members of Islamic Movement in Nigeria of freedom of religion and freedom of association.

The proscription of IMN is a deliberate attempt to divert attention from crucial issues including; justice for the massacre of over 350 in Zaria in December 2015 as well many other IMN supporters killed by security agencies over the years.

The rights group said many Shiites have been missing and the Nigerian authorities have not even bothered to address their plight.

It said the Muhammadu Buhari-led government blatantly refused to release the leader of the IMN, Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, who was granted bail in 2016.

AI noted, Many members of IMN have been missing since 2015; their families and relatives are yet to know their fate and their search for justice has been largely ignored by Nigerian authorities.

Despite Federal High Court order of December 2016, Nigerian authorities have continued to keep Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky in unlawful detention and his bail application perpetually delayed, despite repeated concerns over deterioration of his health.

The fact that authorities have not indicated any attempt to investigate and ensure justice in all incidences involving IMN clearly shows a government resolve to deprive them of their fundamental human rights.

We insist that Nigerian authorities ensure justice in all cases involving all Nigerians, including IMN.
Luck has ran out on two scammers who have been duping people while impersonating Nigeria s first, Lady Aisha Buhari and Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

The two fraudsters

Edo State Command of the Department of State Service (DSS) has paraded two impersonators of First Lady Aisha Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The suspected internet fraudsters were paraded on Wednesday after their arrest for allegedly using the aforementioned names to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

Police revealed their names as Amos Asuelimen, a 30-year-old Business Administration student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, and Kelvin Ogashi, 18.

The Deputy Director (Security Enforcement) of DSS, Galadima Byange, alleged that Asuelimen created a fictitious Facebook account in the name of the Vice President to scam unsuspecting victims.

The suspect, who admitted defrauding not less than five persons, said he told them to send money and recharge cards to process their registration and subsequent eligibility for a loan of N100, 000 each.

He added that he began scamming people to pay his fees and complete his tertiary education.

Ogashi said he was a fashion designer, adding that he created an Instagram account in May 2019, with a message that the First Lady was empowering Nigerian youths with cash to begin their businesses and that interested persons were required to register with money.

Mr Byange advised young people to engage in decent ventures to avoid being arrested.
Mohammadu Sanusi II

The Emir of Kano, Mohammadu Sanusi II, has finally deferred to Governor Abdullahi Gandujes request to chair the affairs of the state Council of Chiefs.

Recall that on December 9, Mr Ganduje had announced the appointment of Mr Sanusi as the council chairman and directed him to immediately summon the inaugural meeting of the Council in accordance with the provisions of the Law.

However, weeks after the appointment, Emir Sanusi allegedly kept the governor in limbo as to whether or not he had accepted the appointment, a development that elicited the governor to issue a 2-day ultimatum to the emir directing him to declare his position on the matter.

In the ultimatum letter, the governor stated that, the acceptance or otherwise should reached (sic) His Excellency the Executive Governor of Kano State within two days of the receipt of this letter.

However, barely 24 hours after the issuance of the ultimatum, the emir accepted the appointment as contained in a letter dated December 19 and signed by the acting Secretary, Kano Emirate Council, Abba Yusuf, to the Secretary to the State Government.

In the letter sighted by DAILY NIGERIAN, the emir stated that he did not reject the appointment.

Mr Sanusi, however, requested for further directives from Governor Ganduje regarding the appointment of other members of the council.

According the emir, Mr Ganduje needed to issue another directive on appointment of staff of the council, provision of accommodation for the council secretariat and other logistics to make the council operational.
Former President Donald Trump could view America's growing trade deficit with Korea with "concern" if reelected, a prominent U.S. expert has said, as his campaign proposal for new tariffs has raised worries among nations.

Wendy Cutler, a vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute and former negotiator of a Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA), made the remarks during a press meeting, noting that Trump continues to place "such a big emphasis on trade deficits."

"What is a bit concerning is during the previous Trump administration, the bilateral deficit with Korea was declining, and I think that was welcomed by the Trump administration," she said during the meeting with the Korean press corps in Washington on Thursday.

"But over the past few years, particularly given our trade in autos and semiconductors, our trade deficit with Korea now is on an upward trajectory. So that is something that could be of concern to the Trump administration if they were to win the election."

Cutler also pointed out that Trump "believes passionately that trade deficits are bad."

"He looks at the fact that if we're buying more from a country than we're selling to them, then that relationship works against our interest, and that we should be in balance with our trading partners," she said.

With victories in all early voting states, including South Carolina on Saturday, Trump has cemented his overwhelming lead in the Republican presidential nomination race to clinch the GOP ticket to face presumptive Democratic Party nominee President Joe Biden in November.

His commanding lead in the intraparty race has led many countries  even those with free trade agreements with the United States  to wrestle with a puzzling question about a potential policy shift that Trump could bring about should he return to the White House.

Particularly, his proposal to phase in a "universal baseline tariff" of 10 percent on most foreign products is feared to raise friction with many countries.

"It's just unclear because all (former) President Trump has said so far is 'I plan to impose a 10 percent tariff across the board.' But the question I have (is) does that apply to FTA partners?" she said.

"To be clear, that would violate, in my mind, our obligations under the FTA. That is exactly what you are not supposed to do under a FTA is to arbitrarily increase tariffs among the two partners," she added.

Cutler called attention to the fact that the Korea-U.S. (KORUS) FTA was renegotiated under the first-term Trump administration.

"They also have a stake in this agreement as well," she said. "They can't blame the past administrations for any shortcomings in the KORUS that they see."

Cutler warned that a new 10 percent tariff on all imports, if imposed, is going to "really wreak havoc on the multilateral trading system."

"I think it will make it very difficult to work with our allies and partners on issues where we want their help and assistance," she said. "I would hope that policy, even though it's being discussed on the campaign trail, would disappear when and if Trump becomes president."

Asked about a hedging strategy to cope with Trump's potential trade policies, she stressed the need to look closely at what tools his administration can use against countries and work on ways to mitigate the impact of those potential measures.

"I suspect that many of our trading partners are talking among themselves about how maybe they could collectively respond to some of the proposals that Trump already has put on the table," she said.

Cutler formerly served as acting deputy U.S. Trade Representative and the chief U.S. negotiator for the KORUS FTA. (Yonhap)
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has broken his silence since President Muhammadu Buhari won a re-election last week.

On Tuesday, Obasnajo said he will continue to criticise Buhari.

The former leader who had campaigned against Buharis re-election by raising a Third Force and a Coalition group, before finally settling for Abubakar Atiku, spoke at an event marking his 82nd birthday.

The event took place at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta.

His comment followed an advice by the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Aremu Gbadebo that Obasanjo should stop his attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari.

Gbadebo, who noted that Obasanjo had been a warrior all his life, urged him to rest, fight less and rather take a position of a consultant at his new age.

At 82 years, I think you should keep your sword more rather than use it always, he said.

Gbadebo, who served as a military officer during the military administration of Muhammadu Buhari between 1984 and 1985, said he had always told Obasanjo to leave his boss (Buhari) alone.

Obasanjo, who responded to goodwill messages from friends, family members and well wishers at the programme, responded by saying that the issues between him and Buhari were not personal.

According to him, governance is not a family affair, adding that democracy involves criticisms and consideration of all sides to an issue.

There is nothing personal between President Buhari and I.

In a democracy, you can criticise a policy, a government or a leader because democracy is not a family affair.

If it is my brother that is occupying the leadership role and he is not doing what I believe he should do, he must be criticised and that is what democracy is all about.

I have been in that position longer than any Nigerian will ever be there.

So if I say anybody in government in Nigeria is not doing well, let that government prove that it is doing well, he said.

Earlier, former Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Mangosuthu Buthelezi, delivered a lecture entitled: Colonialism, Apartheid, Freedom and South Africa Rising.

Buthelezi, in the lecture, identified corruption as the biggest challenge facing the African continent.

He expressed concern that South Africa currently ranked so poorly on the Corruption Perceptions Index of the Transparency International.

The former South-African Minister attributed the development to the mistakes we have made, allowing resources to be consumed by greed and abuse.

Buthelezi, who noted that only six countries in the African Union had ranked above 50 on the corruption index, stressed that corruption is pervasive throughout the region.

This is difficult to hear and perhaps, it stirs our anger. We must, however, accept the facts and fix them.

When we consider countries like Seychelles and Botswana who have become paragons of excellence, we need to ask what they did to achieve this.

We know that Botswana, for instance, reinforced its legal and institutional frameworks and made resources available specifically to fight corruption.

There are measures we can take and we must take them.

If we can overcome these challenges in Africa, we will open the possibilities for growth, development and social justice that were the dreams of my generation, he said
The Police Command in Benue, on Wednesday, exhumed an unknown decomposed body in a rice farm in Ukum Local Government Area of the state.

The Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Ms Catherine Anene, disclosed this to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi.

Anene however, said she had yet to get full details of the operation.

She said that the body was on transit to Makurdi, the state capital, adding that the media would be briefed accordingly.

Yes, we have exhumed a decomposed body; for now we have yet to get full details, she said.

NAN recalls that the command recently exhumed 11 bodies in Ushongo Local Government Area and arrested six suspects, who are already facing prosecution in the state.
URBANA  A Mahomet woman has been acquitted of charges that she injured an infant while running a day care in her home in 2018.

Champaign County Judge Roger Webber issued the directed verdict Friday to Ashley Jo Cox, 41, who was charged with two counts of aggravated battery to a child causing permanent disability and bodily harm.

Webber determined it was unnecessary for the defense to present evidence, thus cutting short the bench trial that began Tuesday and focused on whether Cox was responsible for head trauma found in a 3 1/2 -month-old baby that was left in her care in March 2018.

Webber ruled that the evidence presented fell short of proving that the head trauma was of abusive rather than accidental origin or that Cox personally inflicted it. The child is reported to be currently healthy.

On Tuesday, Kate Kurtz of the Illinois Office of the State's Attorney Appellate Prosecutor called the child's mother to the stand, who testified that she gave birth to the child, her first, in December 2017. She said that three days after the birth, the baby suffered an "apneic event" in which it struggled to get oxygen for approximately five minutes. The baby was brought to the emergency room, but the mother testified that the baby was fine before the ambulance arrived.

Once the mother started going back to work, she decided to have her baby stay with Cox, a friend from high school, during the day. Cox later testified that she typically took care of five children at a time in her home.

The baby's first day with Cox was Feb. 5, 2018. The mother testified that after picking her baby up on Feb. 14, the baby was unusually lethargic and threw up a lot of fluid. She said the baby had spit up food before, but had never vomited before.

The mother testified she brought her baby to a doctor the next day, who said it was probably a virus from being around other children at the day care. After returning to the day care on March 6, the baby was lethargic and vomited again.

On March 8, the doctor referred the baby to a gastroenterologist and the mother changed the formula being given. The baby returned to the day care on March 15, and when the mother later picked her up, the baby was once again lethargic and vomiting.

Cox's sister, Amy Vandre, a respiratory therapist with 14 years of experience, testified she had stopped by Cox's house earlier in the day on March 15 to drop off some boots, and her sister had asked her to look at the baby because it had just been crying inconsolably but was now listless.

Vandre testified that the baby was limp, its eyes wouldn't track and it was almost panting, like it was trying to catch its breath. But within a minute of Vandre holding the baby, it snapped out of it and started crying again.

Vandre testified she was concerned and told Cox to text the baby's mother if that happened again, but she noted that her sister is a "baby freak."

"Everybody wants to snuggle a baby. When babies are crying, most people want to give them back to their mother or their father or anybody else that will take them," Vandre said. "My sister is the type that when a baby is crying, she's the one saying, 'Gimme. Gimme. Gimme all the babies.'"

The mother took her baby to the gastroenterologist on March 21 and the doctor noted concern about the enlarged circumference of the baby's head. On March 22, the baby received an ultrasound and was admitted to the hospital.

In an interview with sheriff deputies at her home on March 22, Cox said she never shook the baby and never left it out of her sight and that it vomited every day it was at day care.

Channing Petrak, a doctor who consulted on the baby's care team, testified that the infant had blood on its brain and no signs of fever or diarrhea. Absent any information of an innocent explanation, the doctor said the baby's condition was "consistent" with abuse.

Cox's defense attorney, Jim Martinkus, noted that the baby didn't have outward injuries common with abuse, like bruises. But Petrak testified that the absence of those injuries is not significant because they are not found in every abuse case.

Webber noted that to determine Cox was responsible for the baby's injuries would overlook the fact that the baby had complications at birth, and he heard no explanation for the apneic event the baby had three days after being born.

The judge also called attention to text messages between Cox and the baby's mother that showed that the baby had been vomiting at home for several days before being brought back to her day care on March 6.

"I think the judge is spot on," Martinkus said after the hearing. "The evidence does not support the position that the state was taking. My client was clearly innocent."

If convicted, Cox faced between six and 30 years in prison.
CHARLESTON  Members of the union representing various support services workers at Eastern Illinois University have ratified a contract proposal that includes a wage increase and new parental leave provisions.

EIU's Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on this proposed agreement with American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 981 at its April 19 meeting. The union represents approximately 180 building service, clerical, food service and other workers.

Local 981 reported in a press release on Monday that it took nine months at the bargaining table, picketing by employees frustrated over low pay and the slow pace of negotiations, and the involvement of a federal mediator for the union to get this contract.

The union reported that the agreement includes "significant strides" toward improving wage levels and provides paid parental leave for the first time, among other provisions.

For nine months, we stayed united and fought hard for long overdue wage increases and crucial benefits for ourselves and our families," said Local 981 President Kim Pope, who is an office manager in the EIU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. "Together we won an agreement that takes important steps in the right direction.

Pope said in the release that Local 981 is committed to supporting students and the whole campus community. She said this contract will allow them to keep doing that by ensuring the improved wages and benefits that employees deserve.

The university had not released a new statement as of late Monday morning regarding the union's ratification of the proposal. The administration did issue a joint statement with the Local 981 on Feb. 13 regarding a tentative agreement on the contract. The statement said they reached agreement following "a collaborative process that started in May."

Local 981 reported that its members voted "overwhelmingly" to ratify the agreement at worksite meetings held on Wednesday. The contract reportedly raises wages by 15-24% across the board during its four-year term, with the lowest-paid employees seeing an immediate 13% increase as minimum pay goes to $16. It was $13.72 before Jan. 1.

The agreement also reportedly provides four weeks of paid parental leave, whereas the university previously offered none. Other provisions include restoring parity pay for clerical-technical employees, strengthening worker protections against harassment on the job, and allowing more leeway for remote work where possible.

A recent study by the University of Illinois and the Illinois Economic Policy Institute showed that public university employees are paid 21% less than their counterparts in state government who do the same jobs, Local 981 reported.

Together in our union were fighting for fair pay and good benefits for every university employee, AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch said in the release. When state universities are good places to work, theyre better places to learn.

Close St. John's Lutheran School Eagles archery team member Will Hayden, at center, selects an arrow from his quiver while competing during his school's tournament on Saturday in Eastern Illinois University's Student Recreation Center in Charleston. Eastern Illinois University student and ROTC cadet Christian Wood receives the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross Award presented by EIU College of Health and Human Services Dean John Storsved on Thursday in Coleman Auditorium. Eastern Illinois University international graduate student Junny Olajumoke of Nigeria left, and Home Church member Danah Himes visit during a spring semester welcome dinner Thursday evening at this church in Charleston. Eastern Illinois University staff members represented by AFSCME Local 981 picket on Wednesday in front of Old Main as their contract talks with the administration continue. Eve, played by Bri Olshawsky, is tempted by Snake, played by multiple cast members, during a rehearsal Monday evening for the EIU Doudna Fine Arts Center's production of "Children of Eden," set to start on Thursday, Nov. 2. Snake is played, from the left, by Sadie Stowell, Rose Brazzell, Emily Ritter, Abby Smith, and Andi Hortenstine. Brazzell is a Mattoon resident, Hortenstine is an Effingham resident, and the others are EIU students. Students and community members march across Eastern Illinois University's campus on Wednesday during a rally in support of Gaza. Embarras Volunteer Stewards participants Barb Hunter and Daisha Mitchell, who is an Eastern Illinois University student, remove invasive plant species Saturday morning at Lakeview Park in Charleston. Officials involved with developing the new Linder Sports Complex in Charleston prepare to cut its grand opening ribbon on Saturday with the help of emergency responders, Eastern Illinois University's Billy the Panther mascot and the Sparky the Fire Dog mascot, who were present for the subsequent Fire Prevention Week Celebration there. Eastern Illinois University graduate student Kennedi Hall of Chicago, at left, and senior Emily Ross of Newton paint a street light pole on Aug. 19 across from Charleston City Hall as part of an EIU student community service day at the start of the fall semester. This particular service project was organized by Charleston CAN (Community Action Network). Members of the Eastern Illinois University women's soccer team finish their lap at the Run for the Fallen on Saturday at the new Linder Sports Complex in Charleston while walking past a giant U.S. flag flown by the Charleston Fire Department's ladder truck. Eastern Illinois University Police Chief Marisol Gamboa and her department's new therapy dog, a beagle-foxhound mix named Penny, visit with Jason Tucker and his children, 3-year-old Isaiah and 2-year-old Ivey, at the National Night Out event Tuesday evening on the grounds of the First Southern Baptist Church in Mattoon. PHOTOS: Eastern Illinois University 2023-2024 This collection includes Eastern Illinois University-related photo from summer and fall 2023 through spring 2024. St. John's Lutheran School Eagles archery team member Will Hayden, at center, selects an arrow from his quiver while competing during his school's tournament on Saturday in Eastern Illinois University's Student Recreation Center in Charleston. Eastern Illinois University student and ROTC cadet Christian Wood receives the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross Award presented by EIU College of Health and Human Services Dean John Storsved on Thursday in Coleman Auditorium. Eastern Illinois University international graduate student Junny Olajumoke of Nigeria left, and Home Church member Danah Himes visit during a spring semester welcome dinner Thursday evening at this church in Charleston. Eastern Illinois University staff members represented by AFSCME Local 981 picket on Wednesday in front of Old Main as their contract talks with the administration continue. Eve, played by Bri Olshawsky, is tempted by Snake, played by multiple cast members, during a rehearsal Monday evening for the EIU Doudna Fine Arts Center's production of "Children of Eden," set to start on Thursday, Nov. 2. Snake is played, from the left, by Sadie Stowell, Rose Brazzell, Emily Ritter, Abby Smith, and Andi Hortenstine. Brazzell is a Mattoon resident, Hortenstine is an Effingham resident, and the others are EIU students. Students and community members march across Eastern Illinois University's campus on Wednesday during a rally in support of Gaza. Embarras Volunteer Stewards participants Barb Hunter and Daisha Mitchell, who is an Eastern Illinois University student, remove invasive plant species Saturday morning at Lakeview Park in Charleston. Officials involved with developing the new Linder Sports Complex in Charleston prepare to cut its grand opening ribbon on Saturday with the help of emergency responders, Eastern Illinois University's Billy the Panther mascot and the Sparky the Fire Dog mascot, who were present for the subsequent Fire Prevention Week Celebration there. Eastern Illinois University graduate student Kennedi Hall of Chicago, at left, and senior Emily Ross of Newton paint a street light pole on Aug. 19 across from Charleston City Hall as part of an EIU student community service day at the start of the fall semester. This particular service project was organized by Charleston CAN (Community Action Network). Members of the Eastern Illinois University women's soccer team finish their lap at the Run for the Fallen on Saturday at the new Linder Sports Complex in Charleston while walking past a giant U.S. flag flown by the Charleston Fire Department's ladder truck. Eastern Illinois University Police Chief Marisol Gamboa and her department's new therapy dog, a beagle-foxhound mix named Penny, visit with Jason Tucker and his children, 3-year-old Isaiah and 2-year-old Ivey, at the National Night Out event Tuesday evening on the grounds of the First Southern Baptist Church in Mattoon.
CHICAGO  At least four people were shot, one fatally, in the Chatham neighborhood Sunday night, according to the Chicago Fire Department.

It marked the second mass shooting of the day, hours after two men shot at a group in a park in the Rogers Park neighborhood, killing one and injuring three others.

In the latest shooting, officers and paramedics responded to the 8000 block of South Vincennes Avenue on the South Side of the city at approximately 7:30 p.m.

One person was found dead on arrival and three others were initially reported in critical condition, a CFD spokesperson said. Two of the victims were taken to University of Chicago Medical Center and one was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center.
Did you know?

The Department of Veterans Affairs completed its first year of a policy allowing eligible veterans and certain former service members in acute suicidal crisis to go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for no-cost emergency health care. Results show that 49,714 veterans and former service members have used this benefit, providing them with lifesaving care and saving more than $64 million in health care costs.

The policy has helped prevent veteran suicide by guaranteeing no-cost, world-class care, including emergency room care, inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days, outpatient care for up to 90 days, and transportation costs.

The policy has also increased access to no-cost emergent suicide care for up to 9 million veterans, because eligible veterans do not need to be enrolled in the VA health care system or go to a department facility to use this benefit.

VA to issue burial urns or plaques

The VA has expanded its policy that previously provided headstones, markers, medallions and burial receptacles to eligible individuals. The new VA policy will include commemorative plaques or urns for certain veterans whose cremated remains are not interred in specific types of cemeteries. If not interred in national cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, tribal cemeteries, county cemeteries or a private cemetery, the honorably discharged veteran will be eligible for the urn or plaque. The one caveat is that once the commemorative plaque or urn is furnished, the VA is prohibited from interring that veteran in a VA national cemetery.

Browse "military plaques for cremation urns burial" for more details on the policy and directions on how to apply for a VA commemorative plaque or urn.

American Legion Premier Boys State

The Illinois American Legion Boys State week that shapes a lifetime is looking for a few good young men to attend this year's Boys State program June 8 to 14 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

The Illinois American Legion Premier Boys State Program began in 1935 as a way for Legionnaires to pass on to the succeeding generations of young men the greatness of our nation, the values that exemplify the American way of life," how government is supposed to work under our federal and state constitutions, and leadership.

Young men finishing their junior year in high school and entering their senior year in the fall of 2024 are eligible to attend. The cost of the program is covered by the American Legion.

Visit illinoisboystate.org or contact Illinois American Legion State Headquarters in Bloomington at 309-663-0361 for information about the program.

Did you know?

Veterans affairs benefits processors are on pace to shatter last years workload levels, but that still might not be enough to make significant progress on the overdue claims backlog until next year. During fiscal year 2023, benefits officials completed nearly 2 million veteran and survivor claims, the most in agency history and up almost 16% from the previous year.

The department also indicated that during the first three months of fiscal year 2024, the staffers are 34% ahead of last years record pace.

The backlog of claims may be exacerbated due to the recent Agent Orange policy that now allows claims for veterans who can prove they were exposed to Agent Orange at duty locations stateside, Canada and India. These new claims are going to be fast-tracked by the VA due to the expected age of the veterans or survivors filing the claims and because of VAs extremely long time in making such claims presumptive to exposure to Agent Orange.

Quote of the day

Today, our nation again seems to be engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. What we become as a nation is uncertain as our institutions, news media, academia and business leaders seem to be rejecting the wisdom of the Constitution and the values that have made America the "last great hope of mankind."

Veterans have an important role in passing on to the next generations why the American way of life, while not perfect, is superior to all previous or current systems. The following quote provides some guidance as to the path forward.

The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.  Albert Einstein

Photos: Bloomington Labor Day Parade 2023
The New Minister for Roads and Highways and Member of Parliament for Bantama, Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye, urges students of Islamic Senior High School to embrace the spirit of discipline as their schools anthem echoes which is the cornerstone of shaping their character, fostering academic excellence and ultimately the overall success in their life.



Speaking at the inaugural SRC week celebration as the Special Guest of Honour organized by the Islamic Senior High Student Representative Council under the theme, The Role of the SRC in the Development of the School.



The Minister for Roads and Highways revealed that he drew inspiration from the schools anthem during his recent visit with Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia which centered on the importance of self-discipline, a key theme echoed in the anthem.



He emphasized the vital role of self-discipline as an integral component in the journey towards achieving their goals in life. He admonished the students on the importance of fostering a culture of discipline, describing it as a catalyst for shaping their lives and molding them to become responsible adults. According to the Minister, discipline serves as a fundamental principle for achieving success and personal growth.



I stand before you as a Minister today not by chance, but first, due to the mercies of the Almighty, and also due to the resilience and self-discipline I dedicated to my studies when I was a student like you. Therefore, I would like everyone to draw inspiration from my personal experience to encourage you as you strive to achieve excellence."- Asenso-Boakye added



Again, he urges students to prioritize Allah in all their endeavors and abide by the teachings to receive his blessings and guidance in their lives.



As he concluded his speech, he emphasized his unwavering commitment to the school's management. He reassured them of his willingness to offer ongoing support and assistance within his capacity to ensure the success of the school.



The National Chairman of the Ghana Muslims Mission, Sheikh Dr. Amin Bonsu, expressed his gratitude on behalf of the Schools management for the Minister's gracious acceptance of their invitation despite his busy schedule. He further extended appreciation for His support towards the development initiatives of the school.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A woman with the 'world's biggest lips' has revealed she had six procedures done in single day as an 'experiment' - even though her usual doctor refused to do it.



Andrea Ivanova from Bulgaria regularly hits the headlines due to her enhanced appearance, which has seen her fork out an estimated 20,000 on lip filler alone.



Although the 26-year-old has previously admitted she struggles to find love because of her dramatic look, it hasn't stopped her from her goal of having the biggest lips and cheeks in the world.









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Mauritius has denied a Norwegian cruise ship permission to dock at the capital Port Louis over fears of a potential cholera outbreak on board.



At least 15 people on the Norwegian Dawn have been in isolation over suspected illness.



Mauritian authorities said the decision to block the ship was "taken in order to avoid any health risks".



Samples were taken for testing on Sunday, with results expected to be known on Tuesday.



The passengers developed mild symptoms of a stomach illness during a trip to South Africa, a representative of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said.



Mary Francovilla Dees, 69, a passenger on the Norwegian Dawn told the BBC that despite the delay the atmosphere on the ship has been "fairly calm".



"The passengers on this ship have appeared to take this in their stride," she said.



Ms Francovilla says passengers have entertained themselves by sitting by the pool, attending shows and going to the bar.



A Dutch passenger on board told BN DeStem they were told there could be a cholera outbreak on board by the captain.



There have been cholera outbreaks in southern Africa over the last few months, with Zambia being hardest hit.



Since January 2023, at least 188,000 people have been infected with cholera across seven countries in southern Africa, according to the UN. More than 3,000 people have died.



"The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost to the authorities," the Mauritius Ports Authority said.



The ship arrived in Mauritius on Saturday evening after arriving a day early because it did not stop in Reunion Island.



There are 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members on the ship. About 2,000 planned to disembark in Port Louis, with another 2,000 expected to board at the same time.



Those who were disembarking or joining the cruise will now do so on 27 February, the Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said.

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.

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Nana Ofori Owusu, National Chairman of the Progressive People's Party (PPP), has expressed worry over the continuing conflict in Bawku in the Upper East Region.



The Bawku conflict has resulted in the deaths of many people and several others incurring various degrees of injuries.



The latest report emanating from the area is the closure of some four radio stations, which sources say was carried out last Saturday, February 24, 2024, amid heavy military protection, following a recommendation by the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC).



Peacefmonline.com is reliable informed that incendiary utterances of some panelists and presenters of the affected radio stations have contributed to the escalation of the Bawku conflict leading to loss of lives and property in the area.



The affected stations are Bawku FM, Source FM, Zahra FM and Gumah FM respectively.



Commenting on the issue, Nana Ofori Owusu noted that Bawku is underdeveloped due to the tensions and asked the residents and the leaders in the nation to ensure peace in the area.



He stressed it is precarious for every person in the country if Bawku remains unsafe.



"We, as Ghana as a totality, must see that an attack on any of us is an attack on all of us. If someone has discomfort or living in virtually a war zone, are you safe? You are not safe!", he exclaimed.



The PPP National Organizer appealed to the people to find a lasting solution to their dispute, saying "how can you grow up in the same community, you don't have good drinking water, that affects all of you. You are not getting good schools, that affects all of you. You are getting good roads, that affects all of you".



He continued; "You are not access to funding, that affects all of you and instead of looking at the things that are common to all of us for us to fight against to better our way of living, we are rather looking at each other to bring each other down, to harm each other and to do all of these things. At some point, the responsibility of the community must come to bear and the community must rise up and hold each other's arms to bring about the solution."



Nana Ofori made these submissions on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show Monday morning.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The size of North Korea's rice paddies decreased 1.1 percent in 2023 from a year earlier, data showed Monday, amid lingering concerns over the North's chronic food shortages.

The North's rice paddies totaled 533,591 hectares last year, contracting from 539,679 hectares tallied in 2022, according to Statistics Korea.

The estimate is based on satellite images taken over the April-September period of 2023.

The figure is around 75 percent of the 707,872 hectares of rice paddies in South Korea.

South Hwanghae Province accounted for 26.3 percent of North Korea's total, trailed by North and South Pyongan provinces with 19.1 percent and 14.1 percent, respectively. (Yonhap)
As part of measures to commemorate this years, International Womens Day (IWD 2024), the Slamm Foundation, International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC2) and Yadaba Communications are partnering to offer a free, one-week intensive cyber security training program for young women aged 20 to 36.



The program, which runs from March 4 to 8 in Kumasi, under the 2024 IWD general campaign theme  'Inspire Inclusion, will address the gender gap in the tech industry by providing women with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in cybersecurity.



Director for Slamm Foundation, who doubles as Chief Operations Officer for Slamm Technologies, Fransisca Boateng said this represents a great opportunity for women who were never encouraged to pursue STEM careers.



She said while an information technology degree can be helpful, it is not mandatory and cyber skills can be taught on the job.



This program is designed to open doors for young women to the burgeoning field of cybersecurity, addressing the gender gap and fostering equality in this critical area of technology,she said.



She added that the: Slamm Foundation and ISC2 are committed to providing a comprehensive learning experience that not only covers the fundamentals of cybersecurity but also offers insights into the latest trends and practices in the field.



The program includes a combination of practical skills training, mentorship, and insights into the latest cybersecurity trends.



Bridging the Gender Gap in Cybersecurity



Despite the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals worldwide, women remain underrepresented in the tech sector, particularly in specialized fields like cybersecurity.



An ISC2 study highlighted the dramatic decline in the percentage of girls choosing I.T., tech or computer classes past primary school. Meanwhile, aPWC research reported that just 3% of women who studied information technology at the tertiary level went on to work in cybersecurity.



This program aims to change that narrative by offering young women the tools, knowledge, and confidence they need to excel within the domain.



Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at ISC2, Dwan Jones made a clarion call to young women on the need to participate in the training and any other training that presents an opportunity to study cybersecurity



We invite young women with a passion for technology and an interest in cybersecurity to seize this unparalleled opportunity and any other opportunity that they lay their hands on particularly in the field of cybersecurity, she noted.



Public Relations Executive at Yadaba Communications, Mabel Ocansey said the program would not be just a talkshop but one that drives impact.



This promises not only to equip participants with valuable skills but also to inspire them to pursue careers in a field where they can truly make a difference, she said.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Vloggers are content creators who use video to communicate with their audience. They create video content that typically centers around a specific topic or theme, such as beauty, travel, or cooking.



Vloggers often build a following by establishing a personal connection with their audience and sharing their experiences, opinions, and perspectives.



Vloggers can come from a variety of backgrounds and may have different levels of experience with video production. Some vloggers are professional videographers or filmmakers, while others may be amateur enthusiasts passionate about a particular subject.



Some Ghanaian content creators who identify as travel vloggers are really putting Ghana on the map.



Akosua Shirley



Akosua Shirley, affectionately known as "The Area Girl with Brandiiiing." Her vibrant personality, coupled with a down-to-earth demeanor, forms the heart and soul of her engaging content.



Originating from a profound love for all things Ghana, Akosua's journey in the realms of food, travel, and lifestyle began as a response to the lack of representation for individuals like herself. Her blog is a testament to her personal goal - to make travel accessible to everyone, particularly Ghanaians.



With an unwavering spirit and a mantra of "yes, you can," Akosua, armed with a 'weak' passport and inconsistent funds, embarked on solo adventures across the world, from her solo backpacking journey across the entirety of Ghana in 32 days to traveling 16 other countries. Her blog not only narrates her personal escapades but also serves as a lens through which she showcases her Ghana to the world, aspiring to instill patriotism among her fellow Ghanaians.



What sets Akosua apart is the authenticity that permeates every aspect of her brand. Always true to herself, she shares not only her love for travel but also her passion for trying new things, her affection for plants and animals, and her commitment to an eco-conscious lifestyle.



Looking forward, Akosua is eager to collaborate with brands in the hospitality, travel, food, and lifestyle sectors that align with her values. Hers is a simple yet compelling human story of cherishing the present while exploring the vastness beyond.



Follow her on

IG: @akosuashirley

Twitter: @akosuashirly

TikTok: @akosuashirley

YouTube: Akosua Shirley



Kofi Dotse



Kofi Dotse is a content creator and a travel contributor from Ghana with a keen focus on narrative-driven visual storytelling. He has worked with leading global brands and on award winning campaigns. As a contributor, his work can be seen in Global Citizen, Fodor's Travel, Timeout Travel, Jetsetter Magazine amongst others



Handle: @kofigramm on all platforms



Pearl Afua Fynba Pireku



Fynnba@Travel Blogger: Hey there, Im Pearl Afua Fynba Pireku, a dynamic Ghanaian-born content creator and influencer with a multifaceted portfolio spanning the realms of travel, fashion, and lifestyle. My journey into the digital sphere has been marked by a passion for exploration and self-expression, leading me to collaborate with esteemed brands such as NIVEA, Samsung, GTP, Club Shandy and many others.



My initial niche was within the fashion domain, but the trajectory has since evolved organically, leading me to diversify into lifestyle and travel content creation. My adeptness in navigating diverse cultural landscapes has taken me to captivating destinations, including Rwanda and South Africa, where I have partnered with local tourism boards to showcase the richness of these regions.



Across platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X, i have cultivated a devoted following drawn to my authentic storytelling, vibrant aesthetic, and unwavering zest for life. My ability to seamlessly weave together narratives of style, adventure, and cultural exploration has not only captivated audiences but has also solidified my position as a leading voice in the digital influencer space in Ghana.



With an eye for detail and a genuine connection to my audience, I would want inspire and empower others to embrace their passions, explore new horizons, and celebrate the beauty of diverse cultures around the globe.



Fynnba@Travel Blogger: @fynnba_ on Instagram & X

Fynnba@Travel Blogger: Fynnba Pireku on YouTube

Fynnba@Travel Blogger: Fynnba_explores on TikTok





Stella Shanelly



My name is Stella Kafui Sabuki, with a brand name as Stella Shanelly. A travel lifestyle creator. Ive covered all 16 regions in Ghana and explored 18 countries. I have a YouTube channel named, Stella Shanelly that aims at exploring beautiful tourists places in Ghana and beyond.



Just over five years years ago, I started a youTube channel with the sole purpose of documenting and sharing a fun trip I had with friends. What was meant to be the post of one leisurely trip, become two posts and today, over 10 million total views later, has become one of the fastest-growing Ghanaian youTube channels.



The brand Stella Shanelly focuses on creating fun, educative and informative travel and lifestyle experiences.

Having spent some time as a facility manager and a commercial model, I have been able to incorporate my presentation skills as well as a naturally friendly demeanor into my videos and this has endeared me to a lot of viewers both on YouTube and other social media platforms.



All my social media platforms are with the name

Stella Shanelly.









Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Government Spokesperson, Kofi Tonto has criticized John Dramani Mahama's 24-hour economy policy he intends to implement if elected President of Ghana.



Mr. Mahama, the presidential candidate for the National Democratic Congress and former President, in seeking re-election tells Ghanaians he will ensure the economy runs 24-hour services.



He explained what the policy entails in a Facebook post saying, my objective is to create a 24-hour economy in Ghana by enabling businesses to operate in three shifts. This will help Ghana become self-sufficient and focus on export-oriented growth. To achieve this goal, the government and private sector will collaborate. The 24-hour economy is designed to create new employment opportunities, particularly for young people, address unemployment, and enhance living standards in Ghana".



He added; "My government will enact new laws to support businesses operating 24/7, including labour laws and tax incentives. To assist companies, there will be favourable tax policies, stimulus packages and financial assistance available for specific industries including agro-processing and manufacturing. Buying local products and services will be governments top priority, and measures will be implemented to ensure the smooth operation of the 24-hour economy."



Mr. Mahama also said; "Security, sanitation, cleaning, and environmental protection will be critical components of the 24-hour economy. Financial services at the ports will be operational 24/7, reducing delays and congestion. The initiative aims to benefit various sectors, create jobs, improve living standards, increase productivity, and provide convenience for citizens."



Kofi Tonto, speaking on Peace FM's Friday's edition of "Kokrokoo" morning show, questioned Mr. Mahama and his communicators' commitment to the policy.



He noted the former President and his communicators have given no practical examples to clarify the ambiguous policy, therefore asked them what exactly they intend to do to make this 24-hour economy policy feasible.



To Kofi Tonto, Mahama and his team are only doing a "copy and paste", stressing they, themselves, are confused about the policy.



"24-hour economy is a demand-driven economy. It is common in America but there are parts of America, you will notice some activity and some parts too, everyone is asleep...It is a demand-driven policy. So, you can't just say 24-hour economy if you can't stimulate demand," he argued.



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.

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Head of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe says his party will focus on enriching Ghanaians when voted into power.



According to him, the hardship Ghanaians are going through under the Akufo-Addo-led government is unbearable - hence, the reason the NDC will ensure Ghanaians are satisfied when John Dramani Mahama is voted to head Ghana in the 2024 presidential polls.



"We want to focus on getting the pockets of Ghanaians loaded. Once people have money, they can do many other things with the support of the state; critical is the 24-hour policy proposal, he told Joy News in an interview and was monitored by Peacefmonline.com.



Lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe also assured the NDC's next government will be for the people - emphasising the introduction of Mahama's 24-hour economy policy implementation.



"As you are aware, we already have the Peoples Manifesto, the 2020 manifesto of the NDC. If you recall, some of the policy initiatives in the 2020 manifesto in the 2020 elections included the 24-hour economy policy proposal. What we are doing is that from 2020 till date, there have been a lot of interventions.



"And so, we want to have a situation where we can engage researchers, persons from academia, and experts to help shape these policy programs and proposals we put out before Ghanaians in the year 2020, to firm them up for the 2024 elections, so that we will come out with a workable document Ghanaians generally will accept, and that is what exactly we are doing.



"We recognize that the problems facing Ghanaians are not funfair; they are serious matters. Basically, after this, what advice they will be given is not for public consumption. Its purely for the use of the party internally. To shape how we proceed going forward, he noted.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama says the Akufo-Addo-led government has done nothing to develop the six new regions it created.



According to him, the new regions are purely emblematic entities established by the current administration only on paper.



It is easy to create a region, but the region must have certain things to be a region, the six regions that were created, were created just in name. The things that must exist so when you enter the region you will know this is a region are still not there.



I can assure you that not only for the Savannah region but all the six new regions when the NDC comes into power, the things that you need to be called a region, we will make sure that you have them. John Mahama told traditional leaders in a meeting at the Jakpa Palace during his Building Ghana Tour.



He, however, promised to ensure all six regions get their share of the national cake if reconsidered to be president again.



I will prioritize the development of the newly created regions if elected. He noted



The ongoing Building Ghana Tour initiated by the NDC is designed to address public concerns and integrate them into the partys manifesto for the upcoming election.







Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com









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In a fiery revelation, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central in the Central Region, has vehemently expressed his bitterness towards some of his colleagues in the aftermath of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primary.



The Primary Faceoff and Consequent Discontent



During the NPP presidential primary held late last year, Vice-President Bawumia emerged victorious, obtaining 118,210 votes representing 61.47% of the total valid vote cast. Agyapong, his main contender, secured 71,996 votes, accounting for 37.41% of the votes cast.



Despite the outcome, it was not Dr. Bawumias victory that left Agyapong embittered.



Betrayal and Hurtful Remarks



In an exclusive, yet-to-be-aired interview with Kwaku Sintim-Misa on Pan African Television, Agyapong disclosed his deep-seated resentment, citing the treatment he received from colleagues during the contest.



He expressed his discontent not only with those who did not support his candidacy but primarily with former allies who resorted to derogatory remarks against him.



Agyapong remarked, It is not every MP who didnt vote for me that Im angry at. No, everybody has a choice. But the very people who were my friends that I have helped to come to Parliament  Its not the betrayal but the bad things they said about me, that is where I have the problem.



Unveiling Frustrations and Unleashing Venom



The vocal MP did not mince his words as he highlighted his frustrations, underlying the pain caused by the insults and negativity hurled his way by individuals he had supported in their political journeys. Agyapongs candid admission of bitterness reveals the depth of hurt and discord that followed the presidential primary, tarnishing relationships within the political sphere.



Navigating Political Fallout and Personal Disillusionment



Kennedy Agyapongs outspoken criticism sheds light on the underlying tensions and rifts within the political landscape, showcasing the complexities and motivations that drive interactions among colleagues vying for influential positions.



His public revelation serves as a stark reminder of the repercussions of political competition and the lasting impact of personal betrayals in the pursuit of power.



As Agyapongs revelations continue to reverberate, it remains to be seen how these grievances will shape the dynamics within the NPP and impact future collaborations and alliances among its members.



















Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former Majority leader of Parliament, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, has been described as an institution following his long service in Ghana's parliament since the inception of the Fourth Republic.



Frederick Kofi Ameyaw, Head of Communications at Ghana's Permanent Mission at the United Nations (UN), underscored the massive contribution by the Suame lawmaker to the democracy of Ghana as far as the works of Parliament is concerned.



He was speaking on United Television (UTV's) Adekye Nsoroma.



Commenting on the recent shakeup in the majority leadership of Parliament, Kofi Ameyaw, who is also a Communications Team Member of the NPP said, "It is true Osei-Kyei Mensah Bonsu is an institution. If you look at his services in Parliament for almost two decades, it is monumental. It is very laudable. I don't think his name will be exempted from the laurels and successes chalked by Ghana's parliament, especially in the fourth republic."



''That not withstanding, change is inevitable. I don't believe NPP will have a majority leader through and through with one person. We have done a lot of changes. Personally, i think it is time for him to take a bow which he has personally done..." he added.



Whiles touting the selection of Hon Alexander Afenyo Markin as substantive majority leader, Kofi Ameyaw, however, expressed concern over Parliament's new Standing Orders relative to appointment of leaders in the House.



"This is because, he is coming with fresh energy, fresh blood, new ideas and dynamism which is going to help Ghana's democracy.



"....there is nothing wrong except for the lack of clarity that surrounds the new Standing Orders of Parliament regarding the appointments of Parliamentary Leaderships," he stated.



On Friday, February 23, the former majority leader revealed that he willingly resigned from his position as opposed to earlier speculations that he was kicked out in rambo style.

Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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Private legal practitioner and convenor of the #FixTheCountry Movement, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, has voiced strong criticism towards former President John Mahama and his proposed 24-hour economy policy.



In a Facebook post, Barker-Vormawor described the policy by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as lacking substance and called it a strange choice for a flagship agenda.



Barker-Vormawor dismissed the 24-hour economy policy as mere sloganeering and fanfooling by Mahama.



He argued that the policy fails to address the pressing issues faced by Ghana and emphasized the need for more practical and effective measures to drive meaningful change.



The critique from the convenor of the #FixTheCountry Movement highlights the ongoing discussions surrounding political agendas and the necessity for comprehensive policies to address the challenges and opportunities in Ghanas economic landscape.



Meanwhile, Mahama has emphasized the importance of the 24-hour economy.



Speaking at the National Democratic Congress national policy dialogue, Mahama stated that the policy is the surest way for the country to achieve significant economic expansion.



He believes that the policy will boost productivity, curb imports, and generate well-paying jobs, offering hope to the restless and despondent population.



The clash between Barker-Vormawor and Mahama brings attention to the varying perspectives within the political landscape and the need for thoughtful and substantial policies to improve Ghanas economy.











Source: Daily Guide









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Renowned economist and elder statesman, Kwame Pianim is advocating for Ghanaian electorates to choose the New Patriotic Party's flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as president ahead of NDC's John Dramani Mahama in the December 7 presidential election.



He foresees Ghana's developmental transformation if the Vice President is elevated to be president.



Mr Pianim who is also an advisor on Bawumia's campaign team told Joy News in an interview monitored by Peacefmonline.com that, the National Democratic Congress's flagbearer, Mr Mahama has nothing new to offer Ghanaians having been tried as a president not too long.



Mahama has been a president, Bawumia hasn't so why don't we give him the chance so we see what he can do? He questioned.



Mr Pianim further noted that claims that Dr Bawumia is distancing himself from the Akufo-Addo-led government in his recent Bold Solution for the future speech is unfortunate.



"I don't think Bawumia is trying to detach himself from it. The message I got from Bawumia is that I was helping my president. The president has a lot of advisors including his own family. Everybody in Ghana is an advisor to the president. But the duty of a vice president is limited, despite that, you dont take decisions as vice president and implement them. You are only supporting the president.



Whatever the president decides, that is what you will do, so let's give Bawumia the benefit of the doubt. Let's give him an opportunity and see, he added.







Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com









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" " Cults are not, by any stretch of the imagination, exclusive to the U.S., but the country seems to have a particular fascination with the social phenomenon. Jessica Miller / Getty Images

Cults are not unique to the United States, but there is a long history of cults in America. "Compared to other developed nations, the U.S. does have this consistent relationship with cults," Amanda Montell, author of "Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism," tells LitHub. "Whenever I talk to my friends who are not American and I tell them Im writing this book about cults, their eyes do not light up the same way that Americans eyes do.

"And thats because, across the world, levels of religiosity tend to be the lowest in countries with the highest standards of living, meaning strong education levels, long life expectancies, that sort of thing. But the U.S. is an exception in that its both highly developed and full of believers."

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While there is interest in cults in the U.S., we do not have enough information on them  and that's by design. Psychologist Steve Eichel, president of the International Cultic Studies Association, estimates there are as many as 10,000 cults today, but, as he told "48 Hours", they "very deliberately try to stay under the radar. Unless they commit a crime, unless they do something that draws attention to them  negative attention and criticism to them  we generally don't know about them."

Some of the most famous cults have become news fodder and the focus of documentaries, giving us insight into how they operate, their belief systems and how they affect members. Read on to learn more about U.S.-based cults.
Putin has little to gain by promising automatic intervention in event of war

By Jung Min-ho

Concerns have been rising over how far Pyongyangs ties with Moscow would go since North Koreas state media called for reinforcing the partnership based on a new legal foundation last month.

Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putins possible visit to the North Korean capital, some worry the foundation could mean the revival of a defense treaty between the two countries  one under which one party must intervene militarily in support of the other in the event of a war.

After signing such a mutual defense treaty in 1961, the two countries had maintained it for 35 years until 1996, when it was abrogated after years of diplomatic efforts by South Korea.

Analysts contacted by The Korea Times on Monday said the chances of the two sides inking such a high-stakes deal are slim. Putin, they said, has much more to lose than gain by siding officially with Kim Jong-un, North Koreas ill-famed leader.

Putin, who desperately needs North Koreas continuous support for his war in Ukraine, will likely offer something Kim would like if he visits Pyongyang. But I think it wont be a defense treaty, Chung Eun-sook, a Russia expert at the think tank Sejong Institute, said.

Kim would seek stronger military ties with Russia and frame the current geopolitical situation as a new Cold War. But Russia knows thats against its national interest in the long term. It just needs North Koreas ammunition and shells.

Despite plenty of evidence of having used North Korean weapons in its war efforts, Moscow has denied that it violated U.N. Security Council resolutions, which prohibit all forms of arms trade with Pyongyang.

This shows the Kremlins consistent diplomatic strategy of denial and suggests it is not keen to make its own admission of their hidden trade by signing a defense treaty, according to Cho Han-bum, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), a state-funded think tank.

Unlike the Cold War era, during which Russia was one of only two dominant countries in de facto two separate worlds, Russia now belongs to the single global supply chain system and cannot leave it, Cho said. The war has brought Russia and North Korea closer. Yet, the war is not going to last forever. When it ends, Russia will find North Korea much less useful.

But as long as the war continues, North Korea will remain the Kremlins crucial partner. With the armed conflict showing no signs of abating, Putin could respond favorably to Kims calls to upgrade the current friendship treaty, Hyun Seung-soo, another analyst at the KINU, said.

A likely scenario would be adding a clause with much room for interpretation to that treaty  with stronger terms that can highlight Russias possible help for North Korea in the case of a war [with South Korea or the United States], he said.

At a U.N. Security Council briefing on the Ukraine issue at U.N. headquarters in New York on Friday local time, Cho Tae-yul, South Koreas foreign minister, expressed concerns over the Norths suspected military collaboration with Russia.

If and when it turns out to be the case that North Korea receives in return, whether advanced military technology or oil shipments exceeding limits under Security Council resolutions, this would redound to North Koreas ability to threaten security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond, he said.
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Chinampa techniques use canals and artificial islands. This photo shows one in 1912. Credit: Karl Weule, Leitfaden der Voelkerkunde via Wikimedia

In dozens of archaeological discoveries around the world, from the once-successful reservoirs and canals of Angkor Wat in Cambodia to the deserted Viking colonies of Greenland, new evidence paints pictures of civilizations struggling with unforeseen climate changes and the reality that their farming practices had become unsustainable.

Among these discoveries are also success stories, where ancient farming practices helped civilizations survive the hard times.

Zuni farmers in the southwestern United States made it through long stretches of extremely low rainfall between A.D. 1200 and 1400 by embracing small-scale, decentralized irrigation systems. Farmers in Ghana coped with severe droughts from 1450 to 1650 by planting indigenous African grains, like drought-tolerant pearl millet.

Ancient practices like these are gaining new interest today. As countries face unprecedented heat waves, storms and melting glaciers, some farmers and international development organizations are reaching deep into the agricultural archives to revive these ancient solutions.

Drought-stricken farmers in Spain have reclaimed medieval Moorish irrigation technology. International companies hungry for carbon offsets have paid big money for biochar made using pre-Columbian Amazonian production techniques. Texas ranchers have turned to ancient cover cropping methods to buffer against unpredictable weather patterns.

But grasping for ancient technologies and techniques without paying attention to historical context misses one of the most important lessons ancient farmers can reveal: Agricultural sustainability is as much about power and sovereignty as it is about soil, water and crops.

I'm an archaeologist who studies agricultural sustainability in the past. Discoveries in recent years have shown how the human past is full of people who dealt with climate change in both sustainable and unsustainable ways. Archaeologists are finding that ancient sustainability was tethered closely to politics. However, these dynamics are often forgotten in discussions of sustainability today.

Maya milpa farming: Forest access is essential

In the tropical lowlands of Mexico and Central America, Indigenous Maya farmers have been practicing milpa agriculture for thousands of years. Milpa farmers adapted to drought by gently steering forest ecology through controlled burns and careful woodland conservation.

The knowledge of milpa farming empowered many rural farmers to navigate climate changes during the notorious Maya Collapsetwo centuries of political disintegration and urban depopulation between A.D. 800 to 1000. Importantly, later Maya political leaders worked with farmers to keep this flexibility. Their light-handed approach is still legible in the artifacts and settlement patterns of post-Collapse farming communities and preserved in the flexible tribute schedules for Maya farmers documented by 16th century Spanish monks.

In my book, "Rooting in a Useless Land: Ancient Farmers, Celebrity Chefs, and Environmental Justice in Yucatan," I trace the deep history of the Maya milpa. Using archaeology, I show how ancient farmers adapted milpa agriculture in response to centuries of drought and political upheaval.

Modern Maya milpa practices began drawing public attention a few years ago as international development organizations partnered with celebrity chefs, like Noma's Rene Redzepi, and embraced the concept.

However, these groups condemned the traditional milpa practice of burning new areas of forest as unsustainable. They instead promoted a "no-burn" version to grow certified organic maize for high-end restaurants. Their no-burn version of milpa relies on fertilizers to grow maize in a fixed location, rather than using controlled fire ecology to manage soil fertility across vast forests.

The result restricted the traditional practices Maya farmers have used for centuries. It also fed into a modern political threat to traditional Maya milpa farming: land grabs.

Traditional milpa agriculture requires a lot of forested land, since farmers need to relocate their fields every couple of years. But that need for forest is at odds with hotel companies, industrial cattle ranches and green energy developers who want cheap land and see Maya milpa forest management practices as inefficient. No-burn milpa eases this conflict by locking maize agriculture into one small space indefinitely, instead of spreading it out through the forest over generations. But it also changes tradition.

Maya milpa farmers are now fighting to practice their ancient agricultural techniques, not because they've forgotten or lost those techniques, but because neocolonial land privatization policies actively undermine farmers' ability to manage woodlands as their ancestors did.

Maya farmers and researchers explain milpa farming.

Milpa farmers are increasingly left to either adopt a rebranded version of their heritage or quit farming all togetheras many have done.

Mexico's fragile artificial islands: Threats from development

When I look to the work of other archaeologists investigating ancient agricultural practices, I see these same entanglements of power and sustainability.

In central Mexico, chinampas are ancient systems of artificial islands and canals. They have enabled farmers to cultivate food in wetlands for centuries.

The continuing existence of chinampas is a legacy of deep ecological knowledge and a resource enabling communities to feed themselves.

But archaeology has revealed that generations of sustainable chinampa management could be overturned almost overnight. That happened when the expansionist Aztec Empire decided to re-engineer Lake Xaltocan for salt production in the 14th century and rendered its chinampas unusable.

Today, the future of chinampa agriculture hinges on a pocket of protected fields stewarded by local farmers in the marshy outskirts of Mexico City. These fields are now at risk as demand for housing drives informal settlements into the chinampa zone.

Andean raised fields: A story of labor exploitation

Traditional Andean agriculture in South America incorporates a diverse range of ancient cultivation techniques. One in particular has a complicated history of attracting revival efforts.

In the 1980s, government agencies, archaeologists and development organizations spent a fortune trying to persuade Andean farmers to revive raised field farming. Ancient raised fields had been found around Lake Titicaca, on the border of Peru and Bolivia. These groups became convinced that this relic technology could curb hunger in the Andes by enabling back-to-back potato harvests with no need for fallowing.

But Andean farmers had no connection to the labor-intensive raised fields. The practice had been abandoned even before the rise of Inca civilization in the 13th century. The effort to revive ancient raised field agriculture collapsed.

Since then, more archaeological discoveries around Lake Titicaca have suggested that ancient farmers were forced to work the raised fields by the expansionist Tiwanaku empire during its peak between AD 500 and 1100. Far from the politically neutral narrative promoted by development organizations, the raised fields were not there to help farmers feed themselves. They were a technology for exploiting labor and extracting surplus crops from ancient Andean farmers.

Respecting ancient practices' histories

Reclaiming ancestral farming techniques can be a step toward sustainable food systems, especially when descendant communities lead their reclamation. The world can, and I think should, reach back to recover agricultural practices from our collective past.

But we can't pretend that those practices are apolitical.

The Maya milpa farmers who continue to practice controlled burns in defiance of land privatizers understand the value of ancient techniques and the threat posed by political power. So do the Mexican chinampa farmers working to restore local food to disenfranchised urban communities. And so do the Andean farmers refusing to participate in once-exploitive raised field rehabilitation projects.

Depending on how they are used, ancient agricultural practices can either reinforce social inequalities or create more equitable food systems. Ancient practices aren't inherently goodit takes a deeper commitment to just and equitable food systems to make them sustainable.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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(a) Distribution of earthquakes with M V no less than 3.0, from the JMA catalogue, with the rectangular highlighting the study region in this editorial around the Noto Peninsula. Time period is from January 1, 1995 to the occurrence of the M W 7.5/M V 7.6 earthquake on January 1, 2024. Red dots are the aftershocks above M V 3.0 from January 1, 2024, to January 15, 2024, approximately indicating the rupture of the M W 7.5 earthquake. This analysis, focusing on the swarm, only covers the nucleation point of the M W 7.5 earthquake, as shown by its focal mechanism in red. The 2007 M W 6.7 earthquake is marked by its focal mechanism in blue. (b) Magnitude statistics of the catalogue around the Noto Peninsula (within the rectangular), indicating the transition period of seismological monitoring around 2006. The 2007 M W 6.7 earthquake is marked as a hollow star in blue, and the 2024 M W 7.5 earthquake is marked as a solid star in red. (c) Magnitude statistics of the catalogue around the Noto Peninsula (within the rectangular) using the index of events, further confirming the completeness magnitude around 1.0 and 20072008 the final transition of seismological monitoring. Credit: Earthquake Research Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.eqrea.2024.100290

The 'Dragon King' theory was proposed based on the physics of complexity. According to this theory, 'Dragon King' events deviate from the power law distribution as a statistical outlier and, noticeably, have predictability.

On January 1, 2024, a significant moment magnitude Mw7.5 earthquake struck beneath Japan's Noto Peninsula. Prior to this seismic event, extensive studies had been undertaken in the region, primarily focusing on the earthquake swarm originating beneath the Noto Peninsula in November 2020.

Examining the scaling law of the selected sequence using data from the Japan Metrological Agency (JMA)'s focal mechanism catalog, a team of researchers from China identified the Mw7.5 earthquake as exhibiting characteristics of a 'seismic dragon king.'

"We applied the load-unload response ratio (LURR) to analyze earthquakes in close proximity to the Noto Peninsula, where pre-mainshock seismicity primarily delineated the aftershock zone of the 2007 Mw6.7 Noto-Hanto earthquake and the ongoing earthquake swarm," explains first author of the study, Yue Liu.

"The minimum magnitudes of smaller events gradually decreased from approximately Mv 2 to 0 between 1995 and 2006, likely attributed to the integration of the Hi-net and other dense seismic networks during this period."

The team reported their findings in Earthquake Research Advances.

The LURR method, proposed by Xiangchu Yin, who serves as the senior and co-corresponding author of this study, has seen successful application in various earthquakes globally.

This approach, grounded in damage mechanics, leverages seismic event responses to tidal stress fluctuations induced by celestial bodies like the sun and moon to gauge the mechanical state of the medium. Liu, a student of Yin, observed a precise alignment between the variation in LURR preceding the Mw7.5 earthquake and theoretical predictions.

Further investigations by the team are underway; Yin, however, cautioned about exercising prudence in interpreting findings from retrospective case studies, emphasizing the need to approach such analyses with caution despite their potential to enhance understanding of earthquake mechanics. Meanwhile, Yongxian Zhang, another student of Yin and co-corresponding author, highlighted the prevalence of seismic swarms in China and worldwide.

More information: Yue Liu et al, Tracing the pace of an approaching 'seismic dragon king': Additional evidence for the Noto earthquake swarm and the 2024 MW 7.5 Noto earthquake, Earthquake Research Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.eqrea.2024.100290

Provided by KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
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Schematic explanation of how seismic events impact forest resilience. A) Precipitation resulting in enhanced run-off and reduced infiltration prior to an earthquake. B) Seismic waves generate cracks in the soil and around roots of trees that improve soil permeability and infiltration of precipitation to deeper layers of the ground. Credit: Gao et al. 2024.

Earthquake effects are often thought of in terms of the human impact, be that fatalities or destruction to homes and infrastructure. However, the environmental toll can also be damaging, and new research, published in Nature Geoscience, suggests the forest recovery may take even longer than rebuilding an urban zone's infrastructure, on the scale of decades. For example, after the 1950 Zayu-Medog, Tibet, earthquake it took 45 years for the forests to fully recover.

Zones of tectonic activity are susceptible to earthquakes, which can damage forests by splitting and uprooting trees, as well as disturbing their water and nutrient supply. Dr. Shan Gao, of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and colleagues turned to dendroclimatology to explore this further, studying the annual concentric growth rings of trees to reconstruct past environmental conditions.

Generating a forest dataset dating from the 1900s to present day across seven mountainous regions globally, accounting for 23% of Earth's forest cover, the researchers decoupled the link between the width of each growth ring and climate, so as to identify seismic-specific effects. Tree rings were dated and matched to known earthquake events over the last ~120 years, with the magnitude of each calculated using a Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale.

The team identified 31.4% of their 4,685 tree ring sites, across the Circum-Pacific and Alpine Himalayan seismic belts, experienced earthquakes with MMI 4, 16.2% MMI 5 and 7.3% MMI 6. They then tested the probability of an association between earthquakes and changes in tree growth rates over the 20 years directly following the event. In doing so, they identified key environmental conditions that either enhance or exacerbate the recovery resilience of forests post-earthquake event.

Forest resilience changes in the 30 years post-earthquake for seven regions globally (western North America, northwestern North America, the Tibetan Plateau, the Mediterranean region, the Mongolian Plateau, southwestern South America and New Zealand). Graph lines indicate different earthquake magnitudes according to the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale. Credit: Gao et al. 2024.

Dr. Gao and colleagues identified dry temperate zones (such as western North America, the Mongolian Plateau, the Tibetan Plateau, the Mediterranean region and New Zealand) as being the most resilient, experiencing a noticeable positive response to precipitation patterns in the size of tree growth rings after seismic activity.

For North America, the Tibetan Plateau and South America, recovery occurred within a few years and lasted for >20 years in western North America. However, for areas of the Tibetan Plateau and New Zealand, negative precipitation and growth responses to earthquakes occurred more frequently over the study interval and lasted for 1015 years, making them less resilient than their contemporaries aforementioned. Meanwhile, in drier parts of the Mediterranean and Mongolian Plateau response patterns were less distinct.

This is linked to cracks and fractures in the soil, created by vigorous ground shaking, generating permeability pathways for deeper precipitation infiltration through the ground, thus enhancing the reservoir of water and nutrient supply to trees. It is even more noticeable for the Mongolian Plateau and Mediterranean regions which preserve seismic activity in trees at lower elevations, supporting the benefits of enhanced infiltration compared to steeper topography that has less water storage, such as that of New Zealand.

Conversely, a significant decline in resilience was found in regions, like New Zealand, with high precipitation rates due to the negative impact on soil erosion and leaching of nutrients from the immediate area, stunting tree ring growth.

Overall, Dr. Gao suggests climate-related shifts in forest resilience may only last up to five years, whereas those resulting from seismic activity can be sustained for 20 years or more.

Understanding forest resilience after earthquake events is important to assess the challenges unique biodiversity may face in their own recovery, as well as the need to manage risks in order to protect these vital carbon sinks in the wake of our current global climate crisis.

More information: Shan Gao et al, Shifts of forest resilience after seismic disturbances in tectonically active regions, Nature Geoscience (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-024-01380-x Journal information: Nature Geoscience

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Schematic of critical masses for three types of soliton instabilities with the smallest to largest critical masses corresponding to the Decay, Nova and Kaup instability. Physical Review D (2024). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.109.043019

We could be closer to understanding the mystery behind what dark matter is, following new research from physicists at King's College London.

First theorized in 1977, axions are a hypothetical, light-mass particle that have been suggested as a possible contender for dark matter, due to the heat they give off. However, due to the range of sizes and masses they could possibly be, their conclusive identification has been difficult.

In a series of papers in Physical Review D, Liina Chung-Jukko, Professors Malcolm Fairbairn, Eugene Lim, Dr. David Marsh and collaborators have suggested a new approach to locate this 'wonder particle' that could explain both dark energy and dark matter.

Professor Malcolm Fairbairn explains, "Axions are one of the prime candidates for dark matter. We discovered that they have the capacity to heat the universe just like supernovae and ordinary stars after coming together in dense clumps. Armed with that knowledge, we know with far more certainty where to point our instruments out in the field to find them."

Einstein's theory of general relativity suggests that around 85% of the material in the universe is dark matteran unknown form of matter we've been unable to observe or probe. Gravitational effects, observed in scenarios like the formation of galaxies, don't make sense within Einstein's model unless there is a large amount of matter that we can't see and that doesn't interact with light or electromagnetic fields.

Axions are a contender for this hypothetical form of matter. These low-mass particles must be present in very large numbers to explain the missing mass in galaxies. As these axions must exist in large numbers, they must also be packed densely in specific areas, meaning they become subject to the laws of quantum mechanics.

This would mean individual axions would begin to act in concert. That would mean that there could be large groupings of axion dark matter at the center of galaxies, otherwise known as "axion stars."

Schematic of reionization caused by axion star explosions. Credit: Physical Review D (2024). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.109.043018

These axion stars can become unstable past a certain mass threshold, exploding into electromagnetic radiation and photonsparticles of light, as shown in more detail by Liina Chung-Jukko. The scientists suggest that these explosions have the potential to have heated the intergalactic gas that exists between galaxies in the time separating the big bang and the formation of the first stars, 50500 million years after the beginning of the universe.

This would change the way that cosmic background radiation (CMB)the electromagnetic radiation that fills all spacewould look like during this period, which scientists can currently observe through radio waves using a method called 21cm measurement.

By looking for signals of where axion stars exploded in the early or present universe in this way, scientists may be able to use these methods to track down the so far unobserved axion and discover the source of some, if not all, dark matter.

Malcolm Fairbairn said, "Coherent axion stars, even those which are relatively compact, have the potential to burst into a halo of electromagnetism and light. Knowing the kind of structures axion dark matter can form and its impact on surrounding intergalactic gas, can pave new ways for its detection.

"Being able to find the axion would likely help us solve one of science's biggest questions, over a century in the making, and help lay bare the history of the early universe."

By computing the total number of axion stars in the universe, and by extension their latent explosive potential on intergalactic gas, the team have also surmised the size of the signal axion stars would give out in the CMB. This would allow 21cm measurements to categorize what is and what isn't originating from axions accurately, aiding in the search.

The work from King's joins a growing chorus among the scientific community searching for the axion as the prime contender for dark matter, David Marsh said, "21cm measurement is generally seen as the future of cosmology, and the part that it plays in the search for the axion is a large reason for that. There is currently a huge proliferation of axion searches being built, including projects like Dark Matter Radio. It is a very, very exciting time to be an astrophysicist right now."

More information: Miguel Escudero et al, Axion star explosions: A new source for axion indirect detection, Physical Review D (2024). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.109.043018 Xiaolong Du et al, Soliton merger rates and enhanced axion dark matter decay, Physical Review D (2024). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.109.043019 Journal information: Physical Review D
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A community of fishers work together to harvest reef fish in the Solomon Islands. Credit: Alec Hughes/Wildlife Conservation Society

With fish stocks declining globally, more than 190 countries recently made a commitment to protect about a third of the world's oceans within "Marine Protected Areas," or MPAs by the year 2030. But these designated areas of the ocean where fishing is either regulated or outright banned can come at a huge cost to some coastal communities, according to a new analysis.

To help prepare for the expansion of MPAs, an international team of researchers from Duke University, Florida State University, World Wildlife Fund and other organizations assembled a global dataset of over 14,000 fish surveys in and around 216 marine protected areas (MPA) in 43 countries to determine what works and why.

Their analysis appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the study found that no-take MPAs are the most effective in restoring fish populations in heavily affected areas. However, for coastal communities who depend on fishing for food, income, and important cultural/Indigenous practices, the new study suggests there may be other effective options.

"In those under-resourced and culturally important areas, it would be unethical to take away local and indigenous people's rights to harvest and eat fish," said lead author David Gill, an assistant professor of marine science and conservation at Duke University's Marine Lab in Beaufort, NC.

Multiple-use MPAs, in which fishing can be regulated by species, size, or season, are a reasonable alternative.

"Many people, especially those in coastal communities, have strong food, job, or cultural ties to the ocean," said co-author Dominic Andradi-Brown, lead marine scientist at World Wildlife Fund. "Our results show that big gains for nature don't have to come at the cost of excluding people. Future ocean protection and conservation that is tailored to allow a range of uses can be successfulprovided that good management is in place."

"Our research shows that both no-take and multiple-use MPA approaches were 97% likely to improve fish populations," Gill said. "But neither will work very well without adequate staff or sustainable use regulations in place."

The study recommends investing in enhanced staff resources and contextually appropriate management, particularly for multiple-use MPAs, and using a portfolio of well-managed notake and multiple-use MPAs designed to meet the local context.

"It's not an all-or-nothing game," Gill said. "There are options out there to get positive results. You can get benefits from marine protected areas where fishing is allowed. But they have to be done well."

The authors recommend that it's important to take into account communities that depend on natural resources to survive and thrive. In areas where no-take MPAs are not ethical or possible, well-staffed and appropriately regulated multiple use MPAs are an excellent alternative.

"A key takeaway from these results is that context matters," Gill said. "There is no cookie-cutter approach to effectively, and equitably, protect the world's marine ecosystems. We need to consider what mix of conservation approaches are best for the local context and then invest in managing them fairly, and managing them well."
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

As this month marks the third consecutive summer with extremely low sea-ice cover around Antarctica, new statistical research points to fundamental changes taking place in the polar Southern Ocean.

Antarctic sea ice reached its summer minimum area of 1.97 million km2 on 18 February, the third lowest on record behind 2023 (lowest) and 2022.

Hobart-based scientists have published a study titled "Observational evidence for a regime shift in summer Antarctic sea ice" in the Journal of Climate.

Lead author Dr. Will Hobbs, of the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP) at the University of Tasmania, said a "regime shift" is an abrupt change in the behavior of a system.

"The extreme lows in Antarctic sea ice have led researchers to suggest that a regime shift is under way in the Southern Ocean, and we found multiple lines of evidence that support such a shift to a new sea-ice state," Dr. Hobbs said.

"We explored whether a significant change in sea-ice variability has led to more extreme sea-ice events over the last decade or so, and whether that's because of a changed response to the atmosphere or the ocean," Dr. Hobbs said.

"We found that the variability of Antarctic sea ice, and how long the anomalies last, has increased significantly since 2006."

"Perhaps the most striking change for scientists is that while the atmosphere has always been the main driver of Antarctic sea-ice variability, the recent extreme fluctuations over the last decade can't be explained by the atmosphere alone," he said.

"AAPP research shows that the changes we're seeinghow much the sea ice can shift from its average state, and how long those shifts can stick aroundare controlled by ocean processes. This is more evidence that ocean changes are probably the secret to what's happened in recent years."

A co-author of the study, Dr. Phil Reid of the Bureau of Meteorology (an AAPP partner agency) said that scientists are now looking carefully at whether the new freeze seasonwhich should start in Marchwill bring a repeat of last winter's alarming low sea-ice cover.

"To understand and be able to simulate the mechanisms responsible for these unprecedented extreme events, we need a coordinated and sustained observation network that includes real-time monitoring of the upper ocean, immediately under the sea ice."

"We also need to monitor where and when sea ice isn't presentparticularly around the coastal margins. The presence of sea ice can act as a buffer between ocean swells and ice shelves. The removal of this buffer increases coastal exposure which can destabilize ice shelves, potentially increasing the flow of Antarctic glaciers and adding to sea level rise."

"This summer has set a new record for the length of Antarctic coastline exposed to damaging swells and surface ocean warming," Dr. Reid said.

While this study doesn't consider the very extreme 2023 winter, it applied a branch of physics/mathematics called dynamical systems theory (proven in fields as broad as economics and ecology as well as in climate science) which shows there are three early warning indicators of an abrupt critical transition, or regime shift:

more variability (this study found variability almost doubled for summer sea ice from 19792006 to 20072022); more persistence (this study found a much longer sea-ice "memory" from season to season, meaning anomalies accumulate rather than dissipate over time); and greater spatial coherence (this study notes that low sea ice is seen in all sectors around Antarctica, not just a few locations as in the past).

"All these statistical changes are consistent with the theoretical indicators of a regime shift. Whether or not sea-ice changes have been forced by human-caused climate change has yet to be formally proven," said Dr. Hobbs. "But one thing is clear: the future of a frozen ocean in a warming world is increasingly uncertain."

"Continued low sea ice is bad news for unique polar ecosystems, global sea level and the planet's climate," he said.

More information: Will Hobbs et al, Observational evidence for a regime shift in summer Antarctic sea ice, Journal of Climate (2024). DOI: 10.1175/JCLI-D-23-0479.1
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The variant found in Austria, called Leptospira borgpetersenii serogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjobovis, is extremely adaptable. Credit: Thomas Suchanek/Vetmeduni

Leptospirosis is a globally distributed infectious disease that affects both animals and humans. While the infection is endemic in tropical regions, its incidence seems to increase in temperate regions. The serological diagnostic test used in routine to detect antibodies against the bacteria responsible for the disease performs better when local variants are used. In Austria, however, no locally circulating strain has been available to date.

A new study published in the latest issue of Scientific Reports, has now been able to close this research gap.

"In our study, we show that cattle on Austrian farms can carry the bacteria Leptospira and can be a source of infection for other animals, but also for humans or the environment," says epidemiologist and CSH researcher Amelie Desvars-Larrive.

Genetic analysis revealed that the variant found in Austria called Leptospira borgpetersenii serogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjobovis, is extremely adaptable, as it can be found in many places, in domestic and wild ruminants, as well as humans. This emphasizes the potential zoonotic risk, especially in settings where there is close interaction between humans and animals, according to Desvars-Larrive.

"The identified strain is widespread in parts of Europe and North America and has already been detected in various wild and farm animals as well as in humans," explains Desvars-Larrive, leading author of the study who also works at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Vetmeduni).

"At present, Austria uses strains from abroad to diagnose the disease in humans and animals. It will now be possible for the national laboratory to use this new strain," points out the epidemiologist. "In other words, the test performance will be improved when using the local strain."

Field work

The search for the pathogen in Austria was anything but easy, says Desvars-Larrive. For 2021 and 2022, the epidemiologist and her colleagues from the CSH, Vetmeduni, and Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) conducted targeted sampling to maximize their chance of isolating the bacteria in a non-endemic country. They used statistical methods, a literature review, and a farm network to search for infected animals.

"Samples were taken from 410 cattle," says the epidemiologist. "Five of them tested positive for leptospirosis. The bacteria were successfully isolated, cultivated, and precisely identified three times."

Leptospirosis was detected in five out of 410 samples taken from cattle. Credit: Thomas Suchanek/Vetmeduni

And lab work

The team also faced a number of challenges during the characterization process. "The cultivation of Leptospira is very challenging and time-consuming. Samples had to be in the laboratory (AGES Modling) within two to six hours. The bacteria needed a complex medium in which antibiotics specifically protected them from contamination by other bacterial strains," points out Cynthia Sohm from Vetmeduni, the first author of the study.

"Samples had to be cultivated for between seven and 23 weeks before the bacteria could be observed." Additionally, the presence of the bacteria in samples was verified using a PCR test, adds Sohm.

Lastly, the pathogen was isolated from successful cultures and genotyped at the Institut Pasteur in Paris. "Certain parts of the genetic material were sequenced so that the bacterial strain could be precisely characterized," explains Desvars-Larrive.

Austria and Europe

In her opinion, the study raises awareness of leptospirosis' dangers. Compared to tropical areas where infection frequency and severity are much higher, Austria has so far considered the disease relatively harmless. "But with global warming and associated flooding events, it is becoming increasingly common in temperate countries, including in urban areas," warns the epidemiologist. "This means that the risk of infection may also increase in Europe in the future."

As Desvars-Larrive points out, leptospirosis poses a public health problem for both humans and animals. In cattle, leptospirosis can lead to fertility problems and reduced milk production, making the disease economically relevant as well, adds the epidemiologist.

Using an integrated approach is an effective way to prevent infection on farms, says Desvars-Larrive. "In particular, through enhanced biosecurity measures and management of environmental reservoirs. Rats and other rodent populations, which are considered maintenance hosts for the bacteria, must be reduced as much as possible. If the infection is diagnosed in the livestock, antibiotics can also be used for treatment."

A devastating disease

Globally, leptospirosis kills over 50,000 people a year and infects over 1 million, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the most common zoonotic infectiona disease that can naturally be transmitted between humans and animalsin the world.

The disease is usually spread by direct contact with infected animals' urine, or by coming into contact with contaminated soil or water. Most mammalian species, wild and domestic, can be infected with Leptospira and potentially transmit leptospirosis, including rodents, cattle, pigs, and dogs.

In humans, it can cause a variety of symptoms, from mild, flu-like syndrome, mimicking other diseases, to a severe form called Weils disease. Leptospirosis can lead to kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, respiratory distress, and even death without treatment.

More information: Cynthia Sohm et al, First isolation and genotyping of pathogenic Leptospira spp. from Austria, Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53775-w Journal information: Scientific Reports

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This image provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)/Takara Tomy/Sony Group Corporation/Doshisha University shows an image taken by a Lunar Excursion Vehicle 2 (LEV-2) of a robotic moon rover called Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, on the moon. A Japanese moon explorer, after making a historic pinpoint lunar landing last month, has also captured data from 10 lunar rocks, a far greater than expected work that could help find the clue to the origin of the moon, its project manager said Wednesday, Feb. 14 , 2024. Credit: JAXA/Takara Tomy/Sony Group Corporation/Doshisha University via AP, File

Japan's first moon lander responded to a signal from Earth, suggesting it has survived a second freezing weekslong lunar night, Japan's space agency said Monday.

JAXA called the signal, received late Sunday night, a "miracle" because the probe was not designed to survive the lunar night, when temperatures can fall to minus 170 degrees Celsius (minus 274 degrees Fahrenheit).

The craft, Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, made a "pinpoint" touchdown on Jan. 20, making Japan became the fifth country to successfully place a probe on the moon.

But the probe landed the wrong way up, with its solar panels initially unable to see the sun and had to be turned off within hours.

SLIM regained power on the eighth day after its landing, when it got the sun. For several days, SLIM collected geological data from moon rocks, before going back into hibernation in late January to wait out another lunar night.

JAXA said Sunday's communication was kept short because it was still "lunar midday" and SLIM was at a very high temperature, about 100 Celsius (212 Fahrenheit). JAXA is now preparing to make contact again when the vehicle has cooled.

Scientists are hoping to find clues about the origin of the moon by the comparing mineral compositions of moon rocks and those of Earth.

 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Thermal tolerance of field-derived Aedes aegypti populations sampled from five locations in Mexico (Jojutla, Ciudad Juarez, Acapulco, Monterrey, and Cabo San Lucas, in order of decreasing thermal tolerance), together with a long-standing laboratory-adapted population. Tolerance was measured using a thermal knockdown assay in which adult mosquitoes were exposed to 41C and the time until knockdown recorded. The p-value is based on a log-rank test to determine differences between knockdown curves. The colored lines represent the proportion of the mosquitoes resisting knockdown for 60 individual mosquitoes per population, with the shaded areas representing 95% confidence intervals. The dotted line indicates when 50% of individuals were knocked down. Individuals were monitored until all were knocked down. Credit: Global Change Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17041

Thermal adaptation is the ability of organisms to adjust their life history traits as the temperature changes. In the case of mosquitoes, these traits can determine their risk of transmitting mosquito-borne diseases and how this risk might change in the future as they respond to climate warming.

"Global drivers such as transport, trade and climate change, are altering the distribution of mosquitoes around the planet and, with this, comes shifting patterns of disease risk," said Matthew Thomas, a UF/IFAS professor and UF/IFAS Invasive Science Research Institute (ISRI) director.

In the study, "Phenotypic adaptation to temperature in the mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti," published in the journal Global Change Biology, a team of scientists including some researchers at the Invasive Science Research Institute, examine a critical aspect often overlooked in models that examine the impact of climate change on mosquito-borne diseases.

Many models don't take into account the potential influence of thermal adaptation in mosquitoes.

"It is well accepted that temperature affects mosquito biology, but the implications for disease transmission are still not well understood," said Thomas.

The authors contend that if mosquitoes undergo thermal adaptation in their local environments, it could lead to variation in how different populations respond to temperature. Models that take a uniform approach, a "one-size-fits-all" method, might not accurately represent the diversity of responses among different mosquito populations. Additionally, these models may fail to predict how mosquitoes could adapt in the future as temperatures change.

"It is likely that if there is local adaptation in mosquito populations, there could be increased variation in the expected results of climate change on mosquito-borne disease transmission. In other words, there may be cases where we would expect a decrease in disease transmission, but we see the opposite," said Nina Dennington, a co-author and doctoral student in Thomas' previous lab at Pennsylvania State University.

The authors focused on Aedes aegypti, commonly known as the yellow fever mosquito. This mosquito is one of the most important invasive species globally, responsible for infecting more than 400 million people worldwide each year with viruses such as dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika.

Researchers aimed to assess how Aedes aegypti populations may adapt phenotypicallywhat scientists call observable characteristicsin response to temperature changes. By understanding these adaptive responses, researchers can improve the accuracy of models that predict the spread of mosquito-borne diseases under different climate scenarios.

They started by examining five populations collected from different locations in Mexico, together with a longstanding lab colony. This part of the study revealed significant variations in thermal tolerance, or the ability to withstand high temperatures between the different populations. The researchers then conducted a novel experimental evolution study to explore whether these differences were likely a response to environmental temperature.

"We provided support that there are existing differences in thermal tolerance for populations of mosquitoes due to local adaptation. We then show how differences in environmental temperature can affect mosquito fitness over time, and in this case, only 10 generations," said Dennington.

"We aim to understand better whether a change in temperature that is similar to the increase expected with climate change may influence mosquito fitness responses and consequently vector-borne disease transmission."

The results showed that temperature tolerance, together with other key biological traits such as survival and the ability to produce an abundance of offspring, could shift in response to temperature within just 10 generations.

"Our results provide support for local thermal adaptation in a primary mosquito vector. Not only do we find differences in thermal responses between populations in the field, but we also show that these responses are not static and have the potential to shift in response to changing environments," said Dennington.

"This study challenges the assumption that you can take a temperature-based model derived from measures in one location and simply extrapolate it to all other locations or future climates," said Thomas. "We now need further research to confirm what this means for disease risk and whether similar patterns might exist for other mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria."

More information: Nina L. Dennington et al, Phenotypic adaptation to temperature in the mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, Global Change Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17041
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Credit: Kevin B from Pexels

Bearing signs with slogans like "East Chicago demands clear air" and "IDEM, let us breathe," nearly 100 Northwest Indiana residents and environmental advocates gathered to voice anger and frustration at BP Whiting refinery at a public meeting held by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

Held on the campus of Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Indiana, the event was an opportunity for members of the public to weigh in on a pending air permit renewal application submitted by BP for its refinery. Though the meeting was part of the routine re-permitting process that IDEM undertakes every five years, interest in the event was high due to a series of publicized environmental incidents.

In January, equipment failures at the refinery caused two separate tank leaks that resulted in a release of benzene and hydrogen sulfide into the atmosphere and spread a strong chemical odor across Northwest Indiana and into the South suburbs of Illinois. On Feb. 2, the facility was evacuated and temporarily shut down following a power failure that led to unplanned gas flaring and the precautionary closure of nearby roads by local law enforcement.

In the wake of the incidents, region residents have taken to social media in droves to complain of headaches, nausea and other negative symptoms that they have attributed to airborne pollutants from the refinery.

"Maybe if you had to wake up each day with your with a sore throat or a headache, you'd understand the deep sadness we have," East Chicago resident Elizabeth Palacio told representatives of IDEM's Office of Air Quality. "That we see completely that you ignore us in the region."

During more than two and a half hours of testimony, community members urged IDEM to use the permitting process to impose more stringent safety and emissions requirements on BP.

Carolyn Marsh, a Whiting resident and longtime environmental advocate, asked that BP's permit be amended to include a requirement that the company give public notice of future emergencies and emissions incidents.

"What we need is a community benefits agreement. In that agreement, we have to have a warning system," Marsh said. "We need to know immediately when that plant is in trouble  to be ready and prepared to stay indoors or to be prepared to leave your house."

Throughout the meeting, IDEM staff repeatedly stressed the limited scope of its permitting process, which curbs the power of the agency to set rules for polluters.

BP is legally required to report any excess emissions or irregular operations at the refinery to IDEM, which is responsible for investigating incidents and taking appropriate enforcement actions. Permitting, however, is largely separate from the agency's enforcement role, and past permit violations are typically not taken into account during the re-permitting process.

IDEM's obligation under state and federal law is to issue a permit that, if followed, will ensure that a business is in compliance with environmental regulations, explained Matt Stuckey, assistant commissioner of IDEM's Office of Air Quality.

"There seems to be the sense that IDEM, the state of Indiana has this unlimited amount of authority and power to do more than what we're allowed to do under our federal and state laws," he told the crowd.

Not all of the meeting's participants came to criticize IDEM or BP. Paul Myers, a lifelong resident of East Chicago's Marktown Historic District, told the crowd that though he grew up around industrial sites and their pollution, he sees no cause to complain.

"I have no problems with it," Myers said. "None whatsoever."

In a statement, a BP spokesperson wrote that the company "is committed to safe and compliant operations at the Whiting Refinery."

"We recognize that the IDEM hearing is not a venue for broader concerns related to recent operational incidents at the refinery," the spokesperson wrote, "but we are committed to hearing from the community, sincerely listening and working closely with IDEM and the community to address questions."

In a 2023 settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency, stemming from alleged violations of the Clean Air Act, the company agreed to pay $40 million in fines and to install $197 million in pollution-prevention measures at the refinery. BP also agreed to install a total of 14 new air quality monitors at and near the refinery site and plans to develop a publicly available website that will display data from the monitors.

Thursday's meeting was originally slated to be held on Feb. 8 at East Chicago Central High School, but it had to be rescheduled at the last minute when a dispute arose between IDEM and East Chicago school officials. IDEM attributed the cancellation to East Chicago interim school superintendent Marlon Mitchell's unwillingness to allow news media into the school, while the School City of East Chicago blamed IDEM for failing to provide adequate security for the event.

2024 Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
China is unlikely to lift import ban on Japanese seafood as dumping continues

Global Times) 09:58, February 26, 2024

Half a year after Japan opened Pandora's box by dumping nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean, Japanese media are discussing the possibility of bilateral talks for getting China to revoke its import ban on Japanese marine products, in an apparent attempt to test the waters.

In response, Chinese experts told the Global Times on Sunday that, in the short term, it is unlikely that China will revoke the ban as there are currently no conditions for a withdrawal.

Meanwhile, a Kyodo News survey on Friday showed that most Japanese fishery groups have been affected by the discharge, with many feeling the impact through China's import ban on Japanese seafood.

The survey found that 29 out of 36 respondents among the members of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations said they "had felt" or "had somewhat felt" negative effects, including financial damage due to the contaminated water dumping, overwhelmingly due to the subsequent import ban by China.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press conference that the precautionary measures taken by China and some other countries in response to Japan's move are aimed at protecting food safety and people's health.

"These measures are entirely legitimate, reasonable and necessary," Mao said.

Chang Yen-chiang, director of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea Research Institute of Dalian Maritime University, revealed several main factors why China is less likely to revoke the ban in the short run.

There is no halt in the ocean discharge, that is, the Japanese side has not withdrawn from their erroneous actions, he said.

Currently, half a year has passed since the dumping began, meaning that under the influence of ocean currents, the impact of Japan's nuclear-contaminated water discharge on East Asia may just be starting, and further impacts need to be assessed, Chang said.

In addition, predatory species higher up in the food chain have a greater chance of experiencing bioaccumulation and biomagnification of radioactive substances. As time goes on and more nuclear-contaminated water is discharged, the negative effects will only increase, Chang said. "Under these circumstances, how could the ban be lifted?" the expert asked.

TEPCO - operator of the Daiichi plant - plans to release a total of about 54,600 tons of nuclear-contaminated water on seven occasions in the 2024 fiscal year, more than double the amount of 2023, according to media reports.

Chang called on Japan to consider solving the Fukushima nuclear power plant issue on a fundamental level, such as focusing on research on how to handle the burnt-out nuclear reactors. Otherwise, radioactive substances will continue to be produced endlessly, and the discharge of nuclear contamination could last for over 100 years, making the situation increasingly worse.

Japanese media have reported on a series of scandals concerning leaks occurring during the contaminated water discharge process, which led to soil contamination around the nuclear power plant.

Most recently, 1.5 metric tons of highly radioactive water escaped in early February during valve checks at a treatment machine designed to remove cesium and strontium from the contaminated water, according to TEPCO.

According to Japanese experts studying the soil, the radiation levels in Fukushima soil are much higher compared to other areas.

"We should be more vigilant toward crops and plants grown in this contaminated soil. China should increase radioactive testing of Japanese agricultural products and cosmetics imports," Chang stated.

As Japanese industries, including fisheries and cosmetics, have been affected, Japanese media continues to report news about bilateral talks aimed at getting China to revoke its import ban on Japanese marine products, trying to test the reaction from China.

The Asahi Shimbun revealed Friday that nuclear experts from Japan and China started talks in January regarding contaminated water. The report noted that the Chinese side has still shown no signs of ending its import ban.

The Kyodo News reported on Thursday that when Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao met with the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Mizuho Fukushima, in January, China's import suspension was also discussed, but there were no conditions for lifting the ban at present.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
Suspension of licenses, indictments inevitable from March

By Jun Ji-hye

The government issued an ultimatum to junior doctors on Monday, stating that those who return to work by Thursday will not face accountability. This comes after interns and resident doctors submitted their resignations and went on strike last week to protest the government's proposal to increase the annual quota of medical school enrollments.

Interior Minister Lee Sang-min urged junior doctors to recognize the severity of the current situation, highlighting instances where patients are essentially held hostage and are experiencing delays and disruptions in necessary medical procedures.

The government has asserted that the collective action taken by the doctors is illegal, a stance that the doctors themselves refute.

Patients lives and health are under threat due to intensifying confusion caused by trainee doctors collective action, Lee said during a government meeting.

The government said junior doctors who return to work by Thursday "will not be held accountable for their violation of the relevant law."

In accordance with laws and principles, license suspensions for at least three months and judicial process including investigations and indictments will be inevitable, beginning in March, for those who do not return, Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said during a media briefing.

The license suspension goes on ones permanent record and could affect his or her attempt to get a job in other countries. Striking doctors should bear this in mind, Park added.

A fierce standoff has ensued between the government and doctors since authorities announced plans on Feb. 6 to increase the annual enrollment quota at 40 medical schools nationwide. The proposal aims to raise the quota from the current 3,058 to 5,058 starting next year.

In protest, trainee doctors at major hospitals across the country began submitting resignations since Feb. 19. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 10,034 junior doctors, or 80.5 percent of all such physicians, have submitted their resignations as of Friday. Among them, 9,006 have actually left their worksites.

The government issued the ultimatum, suggesting the last day of February as a deadline, as concerns are rising that the situation could grow worse if medical fellows join the collective action by refusing to renew their contracts and opting to leave hospitals.

Fellows are doctors who are undergoing specialized training after completing a residency and have filled the medical service vacuum left by striking trainee doctors. Generally, they renew their contracts annually at the end of February.

Considering the government's warning of severe consequences for doctors involved in collective action, punitive measures are expected to be enforced, potentially including license revocations, if trainee doctors do not adhere to the ultimatum.

The government already announced a decision to dispatch prosecutors to the health ministry to seek advice on legal grounds and promptly take judicial action against collective action.

During a weekly meeting with his senior secretaries, President Yoon Suk Yeol also said, Providing timely and proper medical treatment to sick people is at the core of welfare and constitutional responsibility of the state, according to presidential spokesperson Kim Soo-kyung.

The president's remarks were interpreted as a means of exerting further pressure on striking trainee doctors and reaffirming the government's determination to take decisive action against those involved in collective action.

The health ministry stressed that the door for dialogue remains open. But the possibility of reaching an agreement seems almost impossible at this point. Doctors are continuing to call on the government to go back to square one and reconsider its quota hike plan. But the government emphasizes that the decision to raise the quota by 2,000 is deemed a minimal increase.

Amid growing concerns over the prolonged confrontation, a group of professors at Seoul National Universitys college of medicine issued a statement, urging the government to hold regular talks with relevant parties.

"The government should focus on persuading trainee doctors rather than resorting to threats," the group stated. "If the government initiates unjust legal actions against our students, we will respond accordingly."
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Ringtail. Credit: Jonathan Armstrong, Oregon State University

Secretive species can pose special conservation challenges simply because they are so skilled at staying under the radar that researchers have uncovered comparatively little about their basic needs.

One such species is the ringtail, a relative of the raccoon that has cultural significance to many Indigenous peoples in North America.

A collaboration among scientists from Oregon State University, the Hoopa Valley Tribe, Penn State and Cal Poly Humboldt has shed light new on the cat-like animal known for its large eyes and fluffy, striped tail. The study is published in the journal Northwest Science.

The nocturnal carnivore, known scientifically as Bassariscus astutus, usually weighs between 1 and 2 pounds and is around 24 inches long including its tail.

Ringtails use the cavities of living trees or standing dead ones, called snags, to rest, sleep, avoid bad weather, hide from predators and make dens to raise their young.

The research, conducted on the Hoopa Valley Reservation northeast of Eureka, California, found ringtails selected tree cavities in mature and older forests, as well as in younger forests with some older trees still present, rather than oak woodlands or other more open areas.

"Ringtails were also less likely to rest closer to streams," said study co-author Sean Matthews, a wildlife ecologist with OSU's Institute for Natural Resources. "And we found the presence of fishers, another charismatic, cat-like carnivore known to compete with ringtails for resources, did not influence where ringtails chose to rest."

These findings differ from what is known ringtails in other portions of their range, Matthews added, and offer important guidance for forest managers seeking to conserve trees with cavities used by ringtails.

Medium-sized carnivores like the ringtail are under pressure because of a wide-scale loss of habitat, particularly oak woodlands, Matthews said, "and there are so many unknowns about fundamental aspects of their ecology."

"They're definitely a species of conservation concern in California and Oregon," he said. "Gaps in what we know about their life history traits, habitat preferences, species interactions and population-level threats inhibit effective population monitoring, habitat management and conservation planning. Learning more about ringtails on the Hoopa Valley Reservation will assist the Tribe in their forest management and restoration efforts."

Also referred to as ring-tailed cats or miners cats, they were kept in mining camps to control rodents but are not a member of the feline family. Ringtails live from southwestern Oregon to northern Mexico, with their range stretching east to include southern Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Ringtails are superlative climbers, capable of ascending vertical walls as well as trees and cacti. Their hind feet rotate 180 degrees, making for a strong grip during descent, and they have excellent eyesight and hearing.

Wild ringtails typically live between six and nine years; their lifespan is longer in zoological settings.

In addition to tree cavities, ringtails will make dens in rock crevices, tree hollows and other animals' abandoned burrowsand also in mine shafts, abandoned buildings and, occasionally, the attic of an occupied home.

Ringtails eat insects, lizards, snakes, small mammals, birds and bird eggs. They will eat fruit too.

More information: Kathleen P. Gundermann et al, Ecological Characteristics of Diurnal Rest Sites Used by Ringtails (Bassariscus astutus), Northwest Science (2023). DOI: 10.3955/046.096.0306
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Graphical abstract. Credit: Journal of the American Chemical Society (2024). DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c11277

Scientists have developed a water-soluble, non-toxic fluorescent spray that makes fingerprints visible in just a few seconds, making forensic investigations safer, easier and quicker.

Latent fingerprints (LFPs) are invisible prints formed by sweat or oil left on an object after it's been touched.

Traditional forensic methods for detecting fingerprints either use toxic powders that can harm DNA evidence, or environmentally damaging petrochemical solvents.

The new dye spray, developed by scientists at the Shanghai Normal University (China) and the University of Bath (UK), is water soluble, exhibits low toxicity and enables rapid visualization of fingerprints at the crime scene.

They have created two different colored dyescalled LFP-Yellow and LFP-Redwhich bind selectively with the negatively-charged molecules found in fingerprints, locking the dye molecules in place and emitting a fluorescent glow that can be seen under blue light.

The dyes are based on a fluorescent protein found in jellyfish called Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), which is used extensively by research scientists to visualize biological processes. This means the dyes are biologically compatible and don't interfere with subsequent DNA analysis of the fingerprints.

Scientists at the University of Bath (UK) and Shanghai Normal University (China) have developed a biocompatible fluorescent spray that detects fingerprints in ten seconds. The spray, based on a fluorescent protein from jellyfish, is safer, more sustainable and can be used on multiple types of surface. Credit: University of Bath

The fine spray prevents splashes that could damage prints, is less messy than a powder, and works quickly even on rough surfaces where it is harder to capture fingerprints, such as brick.

Professor Tony James, from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Bath (UK), said, "This system is safer, more sustainable and works faster than existing technologies and can even be used on fingerprints that are a week old.

"Having two different colors available means the spray can be used on different colored surfaces. We're hoping to produce more colors in the future."

Dr. Luling Wu, also from the University of Bath (UK), said, "The probes are only weakly fluorescent in aqueous solution, but emit strong fluorescence once they bind to the fingerprints through the interaction between the probes and fatty acids or amino acids."

Fingerprints can be visualised a few seconds after spraying. Credit: Shanghai Normal University

The principal investigator, Professor Chusen Huang from Shanghai Normal University in China, said, "We hope this technology can really improve the detection of evidence at crime scenes."

"We are now collaborating with some companies to make our dyes available for sale. Further work is still ongoing."

Their study is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

More information: Nanan Ruan et al, De Novo Green Fluorescent Protein Chromophore-Based Probes for Capturing Latent Fingerprints Using a Portable System, Journal of the American Chemical Society (2024). DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c11277
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Conceptual diagram of the modeling scenarios including characteristic patterns of pCO 2 and the incorporated processes. Scenario 1 is analogous to a degassing groundwater seep with no additional CO 2 . Credit: Global Biogeochemical Cycles (2024). DOI: 10.1029/2023GB007860

A team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst that specializes in accounting for the carbon dioxide release by streams, rivers and lakes has recently demonstrated that the chemical process known as "carbonate buffering" can account for the majority of emissions in highly alkaline waters. Furthermore, carbonate buffering distorts the most commonly used method of tracking the origins of CO 2 in streams.

The research, published in Global Biogeochemical Cycles, proposes a better method for tracking the origin of riverine CO 2 emissions.

Inland waters, including streams, rivers and lakes, account for roughly 5.5 gigatons of CO 2 emissions annuallyabout 15% of what humans emit. But current climate models have trouble accounting for this carbon, says Matthew Winnick, assistant professor of Earth, Geographic and Climate Sciences at UMass Amherst and the paper's lead author, in part because much of this carbon seems to be produced cryptically, through carbonate buffering.

"The process is a little weird," says Winnick. "It acts as a kind of hidden reserve pool of CO 2 , replenishing carbon that is lost to the atmosphere, and ultimately increasing the amount of CO 2 available for off-gassing."

To show how this hidden pool operates, Winnick and his co-author, then-UMass graduate student Brian Saccardi, looked to studies that focused on the carbon content of the oceans. "Carbonate buffering is a really well-known phenomenon in the ocean," says Winnick, "and even though oceans work differently from inland waters, we were able to borrow the geochemical equations to build a series of models that could account for a wide range of river and stream conditions."

So what is carbonate buffering? It begins with CO 2 which is everywhere: in the air, in the soil and in water. When CO 2 dissolves in water, it can react to form carbonic acid, which, through further reactions, can then become bicarbonate and carbonate. This reaction can also run in reverse, which means that high levels of bicarbonate and carbonate can act as reserve pools of CO 2 , driving emissions. This entire balance of CO 2 , water and carbonate is called "carbonate buffering," and the carbonate reserves can be emitted as a greenhouse gas from stream systems.

Indeed, Winnick and Saccardi found that this hidden pool can account for more than 60% of CO 2 emissions under alkaline conditions.

There's yet another trick that carbonate buffering has up its sleeve. In the era of global warming, it is critically important to know both how much carbon is being emitted overall and where this carbon is coming from. "While we don't think stream emissions contribute to global warming, there is a big question about whether these emissions will change as climate warms, which could amplify warming in the future. To predict changes, we need to know where the CO 2 is coming from," says Winnick.

But figuring out which molecule of CO 2 came from which source is not a simple task. To track carbon, especially carbon emitted by bodies of water, scientists often use carbon isotopes, or versions of carbon with different masses, which act as a sort of forensic signature that can indicate the carbon's origin.

However, Winnick and Saccardi discovered that isotope signals in streams are highly sensitive to carbonate buffering reactions. "The primary way we use isotopes to track sources is through their relationship with CO 2 concentrations, but carbonate buffering causes these relationships to break down," says Winnick. This breakdown can point to the wrong carbon culprit if not properly accounted for.

One way to account for carbonate buffering is to measure multiple isotopes of carbon, the new study suggests. Scientists typically only focus on one of the two tracer isotopes, because of the high cost of analyzing both, but the team has found that tracking the origins of both isotopes can help unmask the hidden sources of CO 2 .

More information: Matthew J. Winnick et al, Impacts of Carbonate Buffering on Atmospheric Equilibration of CO2, 13CDIC, and 14CDIC in Rivers and Streams, Global Biogeochemical Cycles (2024). DOI: 10.1029/2023GB007860
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Radio frequency unit. Credit: Joseph Sites, ARS

The CDC estimates Salmonella bacteria causes about 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the United States every year. Despite their appearance in everyday meals and snacks, the truth is that raw eggs and egg products can carry Salmonella and cause foodborne illness and outbreaks, and even death, in some circumstances. But researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently found a way to combat this through Radio Frequency (RF) technology.

A simple solution to foodborne pathogens in eggs would be to pasteurize all raw eggs before they are consumed; however, less than 3% of commercial eggs are pasteurized in the United States. Conventional thermal pasteurization of intact eggs is usually a long process that involves submerging eggs in hot water for more than 57 minutes to inactivate Salmonella cells. Researchers at the Agricultural Research Service's (USDA-ARS) Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pa., have used a novel thermal technology that pasteurizes eggs and inactivates Salmonella cells with a short processing time.

During the study, the water molecules inside the egg rotate and align with the RF instrument's electric field. This molecular friction causes the liquid inside the egg to heat up quickly and subsequently reduce Salmonella by 99.999% within 24 minutes. The RF-processed eggs were transferred to the refrigerator and kept at 7 C for seven days to simulate the commercial cold chain temperature.

"After treatment with the system, no intact Salmonella or sub-lethal Salmonella cell remnants were recovered, and no cell recovery was found in the RF-treated eggs when stored at retail refrigerated temperature," said USDA-ARS Research Food Technologist Daniela Bermudez-Aguirre. "The egg quality, such as the color and other parameters, were also preserved through the processing."

This technology has shown several advantages when used in food, all without a negative effect on food quality. Statistics also show that Americans consumed a total amount of 93.1 billion eggs in 2023. So, this is a promising advancement for small farmers or egg processors and can ensure food-safe eggs while minimizing Salmonella. Consumers will also benefit from this technology since it preserves the quality of the eggs that can be used for special markets such as nursing homes, hospitals, or schools.

ARS researchers will continue to develop this technology's capabilities and expect it to be commercially available in the near future.
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Attached to the balloon, the gondola is being prepared for launch on Dec. 31, 2023. Credit: NASA

Fifty-eight days ago, on a nearly windless morning on the Ross Ice Shelf, a stadium-size balloon took flight above Antarctica, carrying with it far infrared technology from the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory in search of clues about the stellar life cycle in our galaxy and beyond.

GUSTOshort for the Galactic / Extragalactic ULDB Spectroscopic Terahertz Observatoryhas now broken the record as NASA's longest-flying heavy-lift balloon mission, which previously stood at 55 days, 1 hour and 34 minutes. Currently, the enormous zero-pressure balloon is riding stratospheric air currents 120,000 feet above the Antarctic continent, collecting far infrared radio emissions from the matter between stars. GUSTO surpassed the previous record at 10:22 a.m. Saturday Tucson time.

The faint terahertz signals that GUSTO seekswith frequencies up to a million times higher than the waves emitted by an FM radioare easily absorbed by water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere before they can reach ground-based telescopes. Only very dry or high-elevation places are well-suited for observatories that catch some of those elusive photons, such as the high Atacama Desert and the South Pole.

In search of drier conditions, "we are driven to go to more and more remote places," said Steward Observatory astronomy professor Chris Walker, principal investigator for the GUSTO mission, who has worked on telescope projects in Antarctica since 1994. Balloon science opens new possibilities for the rapidly evolving field of terahertz spectroscopy, allowing observers to collect far infrared signals before they are lost in the lower layers of the atmosphere, at a fraction of the cost of a fully space-based telescope.

Balloon telescopes such as GUSTO marry the strength of space observation with the proximity of Earth-based operations, and they come with unique challenges. A successful launch requires a perfect weather window, with low wind speeds both on the ground and in the stratosphere.

When conditions allow, the launch itself is a high-drama spectacle. Support trucks driven out onto the ice shelf pipe helium into the balloon, which luffs and flaps "like a sail" as it fills, Walker said. "You begin to hear the rush of the helium as the balloon inflates, and when they let it go, it rumbles as it unfurls." This is a tenuous timeif there's an imperfection or a wind shear, the balloon can shred. Of the record-breaking project, Walker said "ballooning is the hardest thing I've done professionally, but it's also the most rewarding."

If all goes wellas it did for GUSTOthe balloon lifts the telescope inside its specialized gondola and carries it 22 miles above the Earth to the remote seam between the stratosphere and space. From here, astronomers rely on the circular currents of wind above the Antarctic continent during the Southern Hemisphere summer to carry the balloon in broad loops, collecting the light signatures of cosmic chemicals.

Aboard GUSTO, emission line detectors collect molecular information about the interstellar mediumthe cosmic gas and dust between stars that gives birth to new stars and galaxies.

"We were all part of the interstellar mediumevery atom and molecule in your body was at some point gas and dust flowing between the stars," Walker said. To complicate matters, the chemistry of the universe is different today than it was after the big bang. To understand the story of star formation in the universeand by extension, the story of our own originsastronomers are interested in comparing the composition of the interstellar medium in galaxies of different ages.

GUSTO aims to map out distribution of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen in the young Milky Way and in the neighboring Large Magellanic Cloud, which has characteristics comparable to much older galaxies. A comparison of the two galaxies will help the GUSTO team provide the first complete spectroscopic study of all phases of the stellar life cycle, from the development of interstellar gas clouds, to the formation of stellar nurseries, to the birth and evolution of stars.

The GUSTO mission has traveled a long path to reach the stratosphere. Walker's team submitted a NASA Explorer Program proposal in 2014, and the project was selected by NASA in 2017. The gondola for the mission was built by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; Walker's team from Steward Observatory at UArizona provided the telescope and instrumentationcalled the "payload"working alongside various partners including NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

In August 2023, the GUSTO team performed a hang test at the NASA Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas. From there, the fully integrated gondola and payload, weighing roughly as much as an SUV, traveled to Antarctica aboard a NASA C-130H cargo aircraftthe first time a balloon mission had shipped fully assembled by air. In Antarctica, the GUSTO team spent the fall and winter months taking daily 12-kilometer trips from McMurdo Station to the hangar to prepare the telescope for launch, traveling aboard Antarctic vans with colossal low-pressure tires across the frozen terrain.

On Dec. 31, a decade after the GUSTO team had submitted its research proposal, the mission launched amid low winds and clear skies, the white balloon billowing up against the backdrop of icy Mount Erebus.

On the UArizona campus, GUSTO researchers continue to exercise endurance in extreme conditions. While many members of the GUSTO team traveled to McMurdo Station to prepare for the mission launch, Craig Kulesa, Steward Observatory associate research professor and GUSTO deputy principal investigator, "deployed" to the Applied Research Building on the UArizona campus, Walker said. From there, in a windowless room, Kulesa operates the payload in flight, often sleeping on the floor and sharing the controls with a Steward Observatory team.

Data arrives in real-time through a diverse network of telecommunications technologies, including geosynchronous satellites, Iridium and StarLink. GUSTO team members at UArizona and Johns Hopkins work around the clock to monitor and remotely manage the instrumentation and gondola, respectively. A 24-hour Zoom line connects partners across continents, from Harvard to Holland.

Pulling up a live feed of GUSTO's flight path, Walker showed the path the balloon has already traveled above the 5.4-million-square-mile continent, each loop a different color on the screen. The mission has no set date for landingfor the first time, NASA has given clearance for the balloon to fly for as long as it can, even if it strays beyond the edge of the Antarctic continent or lands where it cannot be retrieved.

It will be the longest stratospheric heavy-lift balloon mission in history. Of the record-breaking flight.

"GUSTO has proven that balloons can be used to do really groundbreaking science, not just for a few days, but over weeks and weeks of time," Walker said.

The length of the flight will ultimately be dictated by how long the cooling system can run (onboard, a liquid helium tank is expected to last into March) and by the change in temperature as Antarctic days begin to shorten. Balloons such as GUSTO can only fly long-duration missions during the summer in polar regions, where the balloon stays in constant sunlight and does not sink in the cooling night air.

The overlapping blue, green and red signatures of GUSTO's flight loops show up small on Walker's screen, but they represent an enormous step in terahertz astronomy: 4,800 pounds of UArizona technology moving at the extreme edge of the atmosphere for longer than ever before.

If Walker's next research proposal goes through, the same instrumentation currently aboard GUSTO may be tested in space, in search of the elusive far infrared signatures of planet-forming systems and habitable zones.

"If you're not pushing the edge, what's the point?" Walker said.
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New research from Binghamton University, State University of New York reveals that the chemicals listed on tattoo ink labels often don't match what's actually in the bottle. Credit: "My Rose TattooAll bruised!" by ohsarahrose is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

When you get a tattoo, do you know what you're putting under your skin? According to new Binghamton University research, the ingredient labels on tattoo ink don't match the actual substances in the bottle.

Produced by the lab of Binghamton University Assistant Professor of Chemistry John Swierk, "What's in my ink: An analysis of commercial tattoo ink on the U.S. market" was recently published in the journal Analytical Chemistry.

Swierk's lab explores the potential impact of light on tattoos and their chemical breakdown. Early on, doctoral student Kelli Mosemanthe article's lead author, along with Ahshabibi Ahmed and Alexander Ruhrennoticed that the tattoo inks they were researching contained substances that weren't on the label. Were they breakdown products from the interaction with light or something in the ink from the start? What's actually in a bottle of tattoo ink?

The researchers analyzed tattoo inks from nine manufacturers in the United States and compared their actual contents with the label. The manufacturers ran the gamut from major, global companies to smaller producers; the inks in question came in six colors.

Of the 54 inks, 45 of them90%had major discrepancies with the labeled contents, such as different pigments than the ones listed or unlisted additives.

More than half contained unlisted polyethylene glycol, which can cause organ damage through repeated exposure, while 15 contained propylene glycol, a potential allergen. Other contaminants included an antibiotic commonly used to treat urinary tract infections and 2-phenoxyethanol, which poses potential health risks to nursing infants.

Their research cannot identify whether unlisted ingredients were added intentionally or if the manufacturer was provided with incorrectly labeled or contaminated materials.

"We're hoping the manufacturers take this as an opportunity to reevaluate their processes and that artists and clients take this as an opportunity to push for better labeling and manufacturing," Swierk said.

Swierk noted that the research on the safety implications of tattoos is still out. Allergic reactions are the most common negative outcome, and they can be persistent, painful, and even disfiguring, he said. Red pigments are a particular problem, although science hasn't yet determined why.

Regulatory concerns

Potential risks associated with tattooing usually focus on skin cancer and the pigments themselves, but additives can also cause risksincluding some beyond the skin. If a client begins to develop issues related to the tattoo weeks or even years later, unlisted ingredients can make it difficult to figure out what reaction is happening and why.

Regulation of tattoo inks on the American market is very recent. At the end of 2022, Congress passed the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), which allowed the federal Food and Drug Administration to regulate tattoo inks for the first time, including accurate labeling practices; prior to that, tattoo inks were considered cosmetic in nature and not subject to regulation.

"The FDA is still figuring out what that is going to look like, and we think this study will influence the discussions around MoCRA," Swierk said. "This is also the first study to look at inks sold in the United States explicitly and is probably the most comprehensive because it looks at the pigments, which nominally stay in the skin, and the carrier package, which is what the pigment is suspended in."

Their study focused only on substances at 2,000 parts per million (ppm) or more, considered high concentrations. European regulations, however, consider substances in the 2 ppm range. In other words, there could be even more substances in the inks than the ones the lab found.

The tattoo inks available in the American and European markets differ because the latter is subject to stricter regulations overseen by the European Chemicals Agency.

In the future, the lab will investigate pigments banned in Europe and see if those components are present in tattoo inks sold there, Moseman said. She is currently working on a study focused on blue and green inks sold in Europe, which have been particularly affected by chemical regulations.

"Our goal in a lot of this research is to empower artists and their clients. Tattoo artists are serious professionals who have dedicated their lives to this craft, and they want the best possible outcomes for their clients," Swierk said. "We're trying to highlight that there are some deficiencies in manufacturing and labeling."

More information: Kelli Moseman et al, What's in My Ink: An Analysis of Commercial Tattoo Ink on the US Market, Analytical Chemistry (2024). DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c05687
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A combine harvests soybean near Friend, Nebraska. Credit: Craig Chandler, University Communication and Marketing/University of Nebraska-Lincoln

In the late 2010s, a mysterious pestone that came to be identified as a new species of gall midge, Resseliella maximabegan infesting the soybean fields of Nebraska and neighboring states. Since then, the tiny but deadly fly has spread to at least seven Midwestern states, threatening the yields of the region's second most common crop.

Nebraska's Justin McMechan and colleagues helped determine that R. maxima eats its way from the fringes of a soybean field, where yield losses can sometimes surpass 90%, to the center. The Husker researchers later used high-speed video to verify that R. maxima adults lay eggs in soybean fissures that reside just a few centimeters above the soiland emerge around the time that a plant is sprouting its second leaflet. Those eggs hatch into larvae that feed on the tissue within.

To date, no cost-effective strategies have shown themselves capable of deterring R. maxima. McMechan and colleagues from the Department of Entomology decided to test the potential of hilling, which involves covering the base of a plantin this case, soybean and its fissureswith surrounding soil. That soil, their thinking went, might prevent R. maxima from infiltrating the fissures and laying its eggs inside.

The team conducted experiments in the soybean fields of three Nebraska counties: Otoe, Lancaster and Cass. After hilling random rows of soybean plants at each site, the team eventually collected both those plants and some that had not been hilled. The work is published in the Journal of Economic Entomology.

Credit: University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Depending on the county, the team found R. maxima larvae in 46% to 90% of the non-hilled plants. The hilled soybean fared far better: In the Otoe fields, for instance, 20% of hilled plants were infested, compared with 50% of their untreated counterparts. And whereas that untreated Otoe soybean housed 14.7 larvae per plant, the average hilled plant held just 1.5.

Soybean yields reflected those stark disparities in the presence of the pest. Hilled soybean in Otoe County yielded 3,000-plus kilograms of soybean per hectare, more than 10 times that of the untreated plants. Substantial yield gaps showed up in the other counties, too.

Given that hilling is not usually practiced with soybean, multiple questions remain about how to best wield it against R. maxima, the team said. The specifics of timing and locationWhen would hilling need to begin? Could growers afford to hill just the edges of a field?are among them.

But the technique seems like a viable one, the researchers said, and should warrant consideration from soybean growers contending with the new threat.

More information: Anthony Justin McMechan et al, Hilling as a cultural control strategy for soybean gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), Journal of Economic Entomology (2023). DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad195 Journal information: Journal of Economic Entomology
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Hylaeus derectus male. This little bee (35 mm) bee is only known thus far from near Mt Nadarivatu on Viti Levu, Fiji. It was collected from a canopy-flowering mistletoe. Credit: James Dorey Photography

In 1934, American entomologist Elwood Zimmerman, then an undergraduate student at Berkeley, participated in the "Mangarevan expedition" to Polynesia. Among the samples he collected were three tiny (4 mm long), orange-brown solitary bees found on tahetahe flowers in the Tuamotu Archipelago.

The specimens rested undisturbed in the Bernice P Bishop Museum of Honolulu until 1965 when the famous bee specialist Prof Charles Michener examined them. He described them as a species new to science: Hylaeus tuamotuensis, or Tuamotu's masked bee, in the family Colletidae.

How these tiny bees had reached French Polynesia was a mystery: its nearest known relatives lived in Australia, New Guinea, and New Zealand, more than 3,000 km west of Tuamotu. What's more, the new species had never been collected again and was feared extinctuntil the present day.

Now, 59 years later, the puzzle has been answered in a new study published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.

"Here we show that, despite almost a decade of sampling for bees in Fiji, there is a whole group of species that flew right over our heads until now. By exploring new sampling techniques, we discovered an unknown species radiation of Hylaeus masked bees in the forest canopy," said Dr. James Dorey, a lecturer at the University of Wollongong and an adjunct lecturer at Flinders University and lead author of the study.

"With these bees, we can solve the mystery: the ancestors of H. tuamotuensis reached French Polynesia by island-hopping via Fiji and the southwest Pacific."

Hylaeus navai female. Found on the Viti Levu and Taveuni islands of Fiji, this species is still only known from the females, but is named in honour of Navai Village and their long-term support of Fijian bee research. Credit: James Dorey Photography

New to science

There, the team of authors describes eight new species of Hylaeus, discovered between 2014 and 2019 in the Pacific and shown by DNA barcoding and morphology to be relatives of Tuamotu's masked beeno longer an anomaly.

Six of the newly discovered species are from the Fijian archipelago: named the straight-faced, little yellow-spotted, and Navai's Hylaeus from the island of Viti Levu, and the white-spotted, open-faced, and veli's Hylaeus from Taveuni. Chuuk's Hylaeus was discovered on Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia, and the golden-green Hylaeus on Tahiti in French Polynesia, 450 km southwest of Tuamotu.

The team was only able to discover the new species by sampling from the tree canopy on these islands. Previous sampling efforts had focused on flowering plants at ground level, which the new species seem to avoid. Also surprising was that the new species seem to prefer red flowers, as the sensitivity of most bees to red light is poor.

"It wasn't until we brought very long nets to Fiji and started collecting from the trees that we started to find our mysterious little bees. Maybe we should not be surprised when the etymology of Hylaeus might mean 'belonging to the forest,'" said Dorey.

Navai Village on the island of Viti Levu, Fiji. Including locals, guides, hosts, and Flinders University/University of South Australia students that were funded by the Government's New Colombo Plan in 2019. Credit: James Dorey Photography

Much of our research would be impossible without the help of locals who act as guides, hosts, and friends. Here, guides and researchers pause for a break while hiking up to Lake Tagimoucia in tropical heat. Credit: James Dorey Photography

More discoveries expected soon

Hundreds of islands lie between Fiji and French Polynesia, for example Tonga, Samoa, the Cook Islands, and Wallis and Futuna. Now that the scientists know to look for them in the canopy, they expect to discover many more Hylaeus species on those islands.

But how did the bees hop between islands? Their typical flight range is unknown, but likely only a few kilometers.

"Because most masked bees nest in wood, it's likely that they rafted between islands, especially when tropical cyclones wash masses of plant materials down rivers and out to sea. It is also possible that they were blown by high winds, but that would have been a much more perilous journey for our little bees," said Dorey.

Mount Tomanivi is Fiji's highest peak at 1,324 m above sea level. It is home to unique bee species, although it has yet to be specifically sampled for new Hylaeus bees. Credit: James Dorey Photography

Namosi Village on Viti Levu Island, Fiji, shows an incredible mixture of anthropogenic and forested habitats with a backdrop of wild mountains. Credit: James Dorey Photography

Lake Tagimoucia as seen from Des Voeux Peak on Taveuni, Fiji. Both the lake and the peak have been the sites where new species were found. The Peak in particular is where the first Fijian Hylaeus were collected for this project. Credit: James Dorey Photography

How long ago these dispersal events happened can't be resolved yet from the available DNA data. Nor do the authors know how common the new species are on the islands to which they appear to be endemic.

"[We named veli's Hylaeus] for the veli of Fijian folklore who are powerful little people associated with forests. Accounts of the veli are varied, and they were often seen in a positive light, but they could also be dangerous, for example, if you chopped down their favorite trees. Hence, the name is meant to invoke a sense of responsibility for protecting these new forest-specialist species and their trees," reminded the authors.

Provided by Frontiers
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Paul Maley has spent much of his life chasing solar eclipses.

He has witnessed 83 solar eclipses from 1960 to 2023. On April 8, he plans to see the 84th aboard a cruise ship in Mexico, located right in the path of totalitythe swath where the moon fully blocks the sun.

"It's more eclipses than anyone living or dead," he said, proudly.

But millions of Americans will also get a chance to see the next eclipse. The heavenly display will be visibleweather permittingin North America to about 31.5 million people living in the path of totality, including a long stretch through the U.S. The rest of the continental United States, as well as parts of Alaska and Hawaii, will be able to see a partial solar eclipse.

Maley's pursuit of the phenomenon has taken him across the worldfrom the icy land of Antarctica to the Cocos Islands off the western coast of Australia. Some of the experiences have been unnerving, like a trip to Turkey in 1999 during a period of unrest when military police filled the streets, Maley said.

Others have been blissfully simple. A trip to watch a partial eclipsewhich doesn't attract nearly the same fanfare as a total eclipse (more on that later)in South Korea with his wife ended with a celebration for two at a Dunkin Donuts.

Maley, 76, says these journeys are somewhat of an obsession for him. But they also provide an escape and are an easy way to put one's place in the universe in perspective, he said.

"No matter how many things in this world are screwed up, whether it's political or military or economic, nobody can change what's going on in the sky when it comes to an eclipse of the sun," he said. "It's going to happen. There's nothing you can do about it, so you might as well go there and enjoy it and free yourself from all the problems that you're facing."

What happens during a total solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun from view and casting a shadow onto the Earth. For people viewing the eclipse from locations where the moon's shadow completely blocks the sun, known as the path of totality, the sky will become dark.

Depending on the weather and visibility, people along the path of totality will see the sun's corona, the outermost part of the sun's atmosphere, which is typically obscured by the sun's brightness. Just before totality, viewers can also spot flashes of lightknown as Baily's beadsalong the circumference of the moon.

A rapid drop in temperature typically occurs during a total solar eclipse. At times, birds will fall silent and nocturnal animals will abruptly awaken, mistaking the brief phenomenon for nightfall.

The phenomenon also has appearedand had various interpretationsin religious texts. Some Indigenous people have traditions they observelike abstaining from foodduring solar eclipse events.

The last total solar eclipse that crossed the United States was in August 2017. It was the first total solar eclipse visible in the contiguous U.S. in 38 years, according to NASA. The April eclipse will be the last to be visible in the Lower 48 until Aug. 23, 2044.

When will this total eclipse happen and who can see it?

The eclipse will begin over the South Pacific Ocean and will move diagonally across Mexico, the United States and Canada. Mexico's Pacific coast will be the first location in continental North America to experience totality around 11:07 a.m. PDT.

The eclipse will enter the United States in Texas and make its way through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. A map on NASA's website provides an approximate time that each location in the path of totality will see the eclipse.

While more than 30 million Americans will get a chance to experience a total solar eclipse, most will see only a partial eclipse, which happens when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth but all three bodies are not perfectly lined up, as is the case on either side of the path of totality. Rather than being completely obscured, the sun will appear as a crescent shape.

The maximum duration of totality along the eclipse path will be 4 minutes, 28 seconds, though it's likely to be shorter in most locations.

Why does this happen and how often?

Solar eclipses occur because, as the Earth is orbiting the sun, the moon is orbiting the Earth. Roughly every 28 days as the moon makes a complete journey around the Earth it moves between the sun and Earth, said Nick DiFrancesco, an assistant professor of geology at the University at Buffalo.

But eclipses don't happen every 28 days.

"The three factors that influence whether an eclipse is going to occur or not are the alignment of the Earth, moon and sun, that tilt or inclination of the moon's orbit around the Earth and the last thing, essentially, is how close to the Earth the moon is," DiFrancesco said.

Those factors have to be in perfect alignment to get a total solar eclipse.

How to get the best viewing experience

People frequently travel to the path of totality to experience the total solar eclipse with their own eyes. Eclipse chasers will tell you that's the only way to do it. There are even travel guides that plan complete vacations with the eclipse as the central focus.

This year, Maley has helped organize a cruise for roughly 200 people to see the eclipse in Mexico. He also helped put together a trip for eclipse chasers at an all-inclusive beachfront hotel in Mazatlan, Mexico, which will feature discussions with experts in addition to the viewing.

Even the popular travel website Expedia put together vacation packages for the eclipse. The U.S. National Park Service has posted tips about which parks are best situated to see the eclipse.

However you choose to view it, experts say, you should plan ahead. Cities in the path of totality are expecting an influx of visitors and major traffic jams as people flood to those communities to get a glimpse of the scientific wonder.

The weather can also affect visibility. Experts suggest monitoring the forecast and being flexible enough to move from your initial location to one with less cloud cover, if necessary.

And while it's unlikely you'll need much gear to view the eclipse, there is one must-have: adequate eye protection. Solar viewing glasses, also known as eclipse glasses, can be purchased online. Experts recommend taking care to ensure the glasses meet the ISO 12312-2 standard for solar viewers and to inspect them for any damage prior to viewing the eclipse.

NASA experts say a quick way to do this is to pull out your phone flashlight and shine it onto the glass lens. If they offer enough protection, you'll only be able to see a pinpoint of light.

Maley may be biased but he says there is no substitute for seeing an eclipse in person.

"It's something that has to be seen. The photographs that people have taken, including myself, never do it justice, and even the videos are all two-dimensional," he said. "It's just something that cannot accurately be conveyed to people unless they're right there on the same spot experiencing it with you."

2024 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah

As a means to ensure gender parity, the Minister of Transport and Aviation, Col.Rtd Alhaji Fanday Turay says fifty female drivers have been trained to operate the new buses that began test runs in Freetown yesterday.

Turay made this disclosure at the official launch of the new Public Transport Reform under which the buses will operate, at the Miatta Conference Hall, Youyi Building in Freetown on the 29th of January this year.

He said his Ministry would work with the Drivers Union, the Bike Riders Union, and the Kekeh Riders Union among others, to ensure the smooth operation of the buses. These groups came together for the setting up of the Metro Company and will be responsible for the operation of these buses, he said, noting that they are the ones that invested in the buses.

The Minister recalled that the project was designed for a twenty million dollars loan, but later turned out to be a grant of fifty million dollars given by the World Bank.

We have installed traffic signals at seven intersessions and installations of streetlights, he went on. He stated that they have constructed four footbridges to improve pedestrian safety and security and that transit transport terminals have been constructed as well. He said there would be special lanes for the plying of the said buses.

Speaking about the challenges the Minister asked the public to exercise restraints as there would be reforms in the transport sector within the urban centers, insisting that the first three days of free carrying of commuters would help identify the challenges that they would need to tackle before the start of full-scale operation of the buses.

In her statement, the First Lady, Fatima Bio said the facilities in the new buses would record through CCTV cameras any act of violence or sexual harassment against women in the buses. So, I am happy that the buses have CCTV cameras. So, whosoever attempts that nonsense against women, we would know what to do, she emphasized.

She went on to say that transportation fares would be reduced and that there would be designated seats for people with disabilities.

The First Lady said the design of routes for the buses would connect key destinations such as schools, markets and healthcare facilities that would make it easier for women navigating their daily livelihood.

She noted that women would be part of the project, as drivers, mechanics and monitors among others.

She said they would build a transportation system that would not just connect us geographically but connect us through empathy and shared commitment.

A representative from the World Bank stated that the project has come a long way, since its inception two and half years ago.

He said they would work with the Ministry of Finance to create data to get projects implemented on time. He noted that they went through a smooth process in the procuring of the buses.

In his statement, Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh said the buses are not for any political party and believed jobs would be created and the local economy would improve.

The Sierra Leone Integrated and Resilient Urban Mobility Project (SLIRUMP) is a project that the World Bank funded through the Ministry of Transport and Aviation to address public transport challenges within the urban centers.

The Metro Transport Limited Company comprises the Drivers Union, Poda Poda and Bus Owners Association, Kekeh Union, and Bike Riders Union which will be managing the buses. They are to start full-scale operation on 2nd February this year.

Copyright  2024 (Politico 31/01/24)
Cases of patient damage are piling up, with an elderly woman dying of cardiac arrest without treatment, as trainee doctors have been away from work for the seventh day Monday in protest of the government's medical school quota hike plan.

Concerns about a healthcare service crisis are growing as more than 9,000 intern and resident doctors have walked off their job at general hospitals across the nation in protest against the plan to raise medical school enrollment seats by 2,000 next year.

With no signs of a breakthrough between the government and doctors, major general hospitals in Seoul and elsewhere were grappling with the absence of trainee doctors, a core part of the workforce in hospital operations.

Surgery capacities have been halved from normal levels at many general hospitals, while some patients in need of emergent medical attention have been denied admission to hospitals, forcing them to wait hours for treatment.

In the central city of Daejeon, a woman in her 80s was emergently transported by an ambulance from her home in a state of cardiac arrest Friday. All seven hospitals contacted initially, however, refused to accept her, citing an absence of doctors in charge, a lack of hospital beds or other reasons.

By the time she finally arrived at a hospital 53 minutes after leaving home, she was pronounced dead.

Early on Monday morning, an ambulance transported another male patient in his 40s from his home in Daejeon for sudden convulsion, contacted eight hospitals for emergency admission, but all of them refused.

He was admitted to a general hospital only 37 minutes after leaving home.

In a similar incident, a foreign woman in her 30s had to wait for about three hours after leaving home in an ambulance Sunday due to stomachache and bleeding before being admitted to a hospital. A total of 14 hospitals contacted refused to admit her.

In the southeastern port city of Busan, a woman in her 70s had to be transported to a hospital in the nearby city of Changwon for treatment of her leg injuries last Wednesday after hospitals in her city refused to admit her.

According to the fire authorities in Daejeon, 23 cases of delayed emergency medical transportation have been reported in the city since last Tuesday, while the southeastern port city of Busan saw 42 such cases.

Doctors at general hospitals express concerns that already-strained hospital operations may suffer a fatal blow if fellowship-trained doctors follow suit and join the collective action as they have suggested.

"Hospital operations would practically come to a standstill if half of the fellowship-trained doctors, who have been filling the vacuum left by trainee doctors, depart the hospital when their contracts expire in March," a professor at Chonnam National University Hospital told Yonhap News Agency.

It has been suggested that about half of the hospital's 100 fellowship doctors may opt not to renew their contracts starting in March to join the collective action.

The government announced Monday that it could begin suspending the licenses of protesting trainee doctors unless they return to work soon, urging them to be back to their duties by Thursday. (Yonhap)
By Saio Marrah

Francess Lawson, the Finance Manager of the Makeni branch of a local micro-finance institution called LAPO has appeared before a magistrate in Freetown on four counts of conspiracy to defraud, embezzlement, forgery of document, and altering documents.

According to the prosecution, 27 year old Ms. Lawson, who appeared before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at the Pademba Road Court No.1 on Monday 29th November 2024, on diverse dates between the 1st April and 31st August 2023 in Makeni, with the intention to defraud conspired with other persons unknown and defrauded the financial institution.

The amount of money involved is (NLe 104,416) One Hundred and Four Thousand Four Hundred and Sixteen New Leones, property of LAPO Microfinance Sierra Leone Limited. According to court documents, Lawson embezzled the money received by her for and on behalf of one Alpha Amadu Jalloh.

On the offence of forgery and altering documents, the accused is said to have forged and altered a LAPO Microfinance Loan Application form dated 1st December 2021 purporting that it was prepared and signed by Aminata Jalloh.

The head of the Loan Recovery Unit of the institution, Sulaiman Jalloh, testified before the court on Monday that on the 28th July 2023, after receiving an internal audit report of the accuseds branch, he reported the matter to Sierra Leone Police for investigation.

A bail application by her lawyer was refused by magistrate Kekura on the grounds that the offence for which the accused is charged is very serious.

The case resumes 2nd February this year.

Copyright  2024 (Politico 31/01/24)
By Prince J Musa in Kenema

As access to Health facilities remains a major factor for maternal deaths in Kagbando- Jegbla Section in the Nongowa Chiefdom Kenema District, First Lady Fatima Bio has commissioned an Ultra-modern health centre in the community.

Addressing the people of Maleh and Nongowa chiefdom on the 27th of January 2024, the First Lady expressed delight for the health facility, saying anything related to women in this country matters to her most because no nation will progress in development without thinking about the education of the children, health issues, and the safety of women in that country.

She said that this government has several pointers that serve as a good legacy to the people of Sierra Leone and that Kenema city is now one of the enviable cities unlike in 2018 when it was neglected by the previous regime.

She called on the health workers to take good care of the health facility as it will help fight maternal and infant mortality rates in the district and commended the council for fulfilling President Julius Maada Bios development agenda. But she warned parents to desist from forcing their girl child into early marriage as most of the maternal death victmss are teenagers.

Paramount Chief Sadique Mator Kapuwa of Nongowa Chiefdom, described the moment as another historic event for his people as the initiator for building the health center was no mistake. He said that Maleh has been one of the isolated communities in Nongowa Chiefdom but he commended the facilitators for removing tears from the eyes of his people and appealed to the Chiefs and stakeholders to take good care of the facility so it can serve them for its intended motives.

Chairman of the Kenema District Council Mohamed Amodu Sesay said construction of the health post at Maleh is timely as it is a deprived section in the Nongowa chiefdom that shares boundaries with Jaluahun chiefdom in Kailahun district. He commended the medical team in Kenema for the support given to the district council in the health sector.

In his statement, the Resident Minister East, Gbessay Chucky Ngobeh commended President Bio for the gesture and recognition of traditional leaders and for supporting the infrastructural projects, and that building a health center for the community is a means of saving more lives for the people, and part of human capital development.

Member of Parliament of Constituency 016, Alice Konya Sandy appreciated the community for embracing the project, especially their support and commitment to making sure the project come to completion. She promised to serve the people as a Member of Parliament especially when entrusted with their confidence to serve them.

She discouraged women from stopping home delivery as it most times leads to maternal death in the district and encouraged the traditional birth attendants to refer all pregnant women to the health facility.

Kenema district Medical Officer, Dr. Donald Samuel Grant, referred to the construction of the maternal child health post in that section as another big relief for the district health management team. He recalled that in 2022, Kenema district recorded 42 maternal deaths, and 29 for 2023, saying their target is to reduce maternal death by less than 50% in 2024.

He stated that Kagbando Jeigbla people work for over five miles to access health facilities and that the construction of the health post has reduced the burden on them. He said the facility will serve over 11 communities including those from Kailahun district with more than 2,000 (two thousand) people benefiting from its services.

We have the conviction that our vision to reduce maternal death can be achieved in 2024 in Kenema district, he said.

In his statement, Ibrahim Brima Swarray told the gathering that the construction of the health center has been one of the felt needs of the people. He commended the people for the support given to President Bio and the Member of Parliament to ensure that the construction of the maternal child health post at Maleh became a reality.

He assured the people of the transformation and development of Sierra Leone and urged them to put aside their differences and trust the leadership and the Government.

Copyright  2024 (Politico 31/01/24)
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By Nam Hyun-woo

The government will lift development restrictions on 339 square kilometers of military facility protection zones in seven regions, including Seosan in South Chungcheong Province and Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province, to facilitate regional development, President Yoon Suk Yeol said, Monday.

The two areas are home to two of the country's major air bases.

A total 8.2 percent of the countrys land is preserved as military facility protection zones, and building or rebuilding in the areas is prohibited due to regulations, Yoon said during a town hall meeting at Seosan Air Base.

The government has been reviewing the security necessity of all military facility protection zones since its inauguration, and as a result, it has decided to lift the barriers as long as it does not compromise security, so that we can reflect residents demands.

Designated by the Minister of National Defense, military facility protection zones are areas prohibited from construction and other development work due to military purposes. So far, the defense ministry has regularly lifted regulations on such zones following residents requests.

Of those zones, 287 square kilometers were zoned off due to their proximity to air bases. In those areas, civilians can construct new buildings or renovate existing ones without consulting with the military, as long as they are lower than the flight safety limit.

The size of the latest clearing is 117 times the size of Yeouido in Seoul, and the largest of its kind since a relevant law was enacted in 2007.

Military facility protection zones were first introduced in the 1970s, Yoon said. And there have been significant changes in the (security) environment. The nation has undergone rapid urbanization and technological advance, resulting in major shifts in the structure of our military and national security.

Yoon also noted Seosans efforts to build a civilian airport by using existing runways at the air base. It will be a successful model case of the private sector cooperating with the military for economic development, he said.
The Atlantic County Republican Committee held its convention Saturday and endorsed Cape May businessman Curtis Bashaw to run for U.S. Senate.

Bashaw is one of a number of Republicans and Democrats running for the seat occupied by U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., who has been charged with corruption and other federal crimes. Menendez has not formally announced his reelection bid.

On the Democratic side, leading candidates include New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy and U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, D-3rd.

Bashaw, 63, is best known for the renovation of Cape Mays Congress Hall, bringing a dilapidated historic building from the brink of demolition to a high-end hotel. Hes also the co-founder of Cape Advisors and Cape Resorts, and started Beach Plum Farm.

The Atlantic County GOP also endorsed former President Donald Trump in the presidential race, U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, in his reelection bid, Atlantic County Commissioners Maureen Kern and James Bertino for reelection, and Commissioner candidate Michael Ruffu.

Ruffu, an attorney from Margate, is running for the At-Large seat now occupied by Commissioner Frank Balles, who chose not to run for re-election, Purdy said.

Meanwhile, Kim won the Democratic county conventions in Burlington and Hunterdon this weekend.

Kim won by a vote of 245-21 in his home county of Burlington and by a vote of 120-64 in Hunterdon. He has represented the 3rd congressional district, which covers most of Burlington County and parts of Mercer and Monmouth counties, since 2019.

His primary opponent, Murphy, has secured a large number of endorsements from unions and political leaders but lost her home county of Monmouth to Kim recently.

Other Democratic candidates include Patricia Campos-Medina, head of the Worker Institute at Cornell University; and progressive activist Lawrence Hamm.
ATLANTIC CITY  Mayor Marty Small Sr. celebrated the installation of a new, custom-made conference room table and chairs in the Mayors Office recently, sending out social media posts full of pictures and video.

The table features a full-size graphic of the mayors catchphrase, Its a great day here in the City of Atlantic City. Can we say Great Day.

The city seal is embroidered on the seat backs.

It was all put together and installed by the public works facilities team and designed by my graphic artist of 20 years Chase Charles Preston, Small said on Facebook.

The photos got some people wondering, What did that cost?

The new furniture cost $21,000, according to an Open Public Records Act request.

More cops coming, rolling chair and tram fees may go up: Atlantic City briefs Atlantic City Council passed a resolution Wednesday night to share the cost of 12 new police officers with the Board of Education, to provide security in city schools.

According to an Oct. 6 purchase order, the city paid $5,584 for 16 office chairs at $349 each; $4,980 for 20 sled-base chairs at $249 each; $1,199 for one love seat and $1,349 for another; $2,449 for a gloss-finish executive conference table; with a $200 fee for the artwork and a $250 fee for item digitizing.

A freight charge was an additional $2,566, according to the purchase order.

A city spokesperson said the new furniture was part of the 2023 budget to renovate the Mayors conference room.

Many high-level meetings occur in this room, so the city needs to make sure it is as presentable as possible, Andrew Kramer said in an email response to questions.

The previous furniture in the conference room was very old, which is the case with furniture all throughout city buildings, so the city is in the process of upgrading furniture within all departments. This started back in 2019 with the Mayors Office.

The old conference table is in storage, Kramer said.

Small has said funding came out of the regular budget item for furniture at City Hall, and replaces furniture that had seen better days  especially the chairs.
Smart budgeting is key for any business aiming to grow in 2024. It's about more than just balancing books  it's about strategically allocating resources to fuel growth. Navigating business expansion requires careful planning and a keen understanding of where to invest.

Not sure where to start? Consider these strategies for scaling your business growth in the new year.

Define Your Business Goals

Setting clear, achievable goals is the starting point of any growth-driven financial plan. Goals provide direction and focus, helping businesses allocate resources effectively. Make sure your goals are specific and tailored to what your business wants to achieve, whether its expanding operations, increasing market share, or launching new products.

Analyze Your Current Financial Situation

Before plotting a course for the future, it's important to understand where your business stands today financially. This means taking a closer peek at your current assets, liabilities, and overall cash flow.

Amanda Howland, Co-Founder of ElleVet Sciences said, A thorough analysis of your current finances is like a health check for your business  essential before planning for growth. (The legal status of CBD varies by state. The reader is responsible for complying with local laws on the use of information gathered.)

Understanding your financial baseline helps in making more informed decisions about where to invest and where to cut back.

Identify Your Revenue Streams

A clear understanding of all your revenue streams is key for effective budgeting. This step involves pinpointing every source of income  from the most consistent sales to the more sporadic ones. Knowing where your money comes from helps in forecasting and stabilizing your income.

Natalia Kuvelas, Marketing Manager of Custom Goods shared, Identifying all revenue streams solidifies the foundation of your financial plan, ensuring no opportunity for growth is overlooked.

When you know where your revenue is coming from, you can create strategies more effectively and allocate resources to the departments that need them.

Project Future Earnings

Projecting future earnings is a mix of informed guesswork and strategic forecasting. It involves analyzing past and current sales trends to estimate future revenue. This projection helps in setting realistic financial goals and preparing for future market changes.

Projecting your earnings is a balancing act, said Saad Alam, CEO and Co-Founder of Hone Health. You need to be optimistic yet realistic, ensuring your financial plan is both ambitious and achievable. (This link is provided for informational purposes only by the contributor and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Always consult a healthcare provider for medical advice.)

You dont want to spend money youll never have, but you also dont want to be so frugal that it prevents your future growth. Naturally, you need to spend money to make money  but it helps to do it backed by the power of data analytics.

Outline Expected Expenses

Mapping out expected expenses is crucial for a well-rounded financial plan. This step requires detailing all potential costs  from fixed expenses like rent and salaries to variable costs like marketing and utilities.

In order to budget wisely, its best to have a concrete list of your upcoming expenses, so youre well prepared to cover expected costs, as well as those that may vary, said Roman Peysakhovich, CEO of Cleango.

Accurately outlining expenses allows for better financial control and helps you avoid overstretching your budget.

Plan for Tax Obligations

Taxes can take a big bite out of your revenue, so planning for them is crucial. Understanding your tax obligations and setting aside funds accordingly can prevent unwelcome surprises.

Good tax planning is key to financial health, said Mara Dumski, Chief Fragrance Experience Officer of Pura, a company known for their smart fragrance air diffuser. Its not just about compliance but also about smartly managing your cash flow.

By staying on top of tax planning, you ensure that tax payments dont become a roadblock on your financial map.

Assess Risks and Plan Contingencies

Risk assessment and contingency planning are vital for any business, especially when scaling. Identify potential risks  whether financial, operational, or market-related  and develop plans to mitigate them.

Owen Martinetti, Co-Founder of Snoozy, a company known for their Delta 9 Gummies stated, Assessing risks and having contingency plans in place isnt pessimistic; its a sign of a strong business strategy. (The legal status of Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC varies by state and municipality. The reader is responsible for complying with local laws.)

Risk assessment ensures that your business remains resilient and adaptable in the face of unforeseen challenges. Unforeseen challenges are an inevitability. Its your response to them that will determine your potential for success.

Determine Financing Needs

If your growth plans require more capital than you have on hand, determining your financing needs is the next step. This might involve taking out loans, seeking investors, or reallocating funds within the business.

Understanding your financing needs is about striking the perfect balance between ambition and practicality, said Dr. Michael Green, Chief Medical Officer of Winona. Find that sweet spot where your growth plans align with your financial capabilities. (Winonas content is linked for informational purposes only by the contributor and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Please consult your healthcare provider for medical advice.)

Carefully consider all options and choose the one that aligns best with your business goals and financial health.

Create a Budget

Creating a budget is like drawing a map for your business's financial journey  it involves synchronizing your expected revenue with your planned expenses and investments. This budget becomes your guide, helping you make decisions on spending and saving.

A well-crafted budget is a tool that ensures youre surviving, thriving, and growing as a business, shared Titania Jordan, CMO of Bark Technologies, a company known for their line of phones for kids.

Every dollar you spend should contribute to your business goals, whether thats employee retention or long-term expansion.

Develop a Cash Flow Management Strategy

Effective cash flow management is the lifeblood of any growing business. It involves ensuring you have enough cash on hand to cover your expenses and take advantage of growth opportunities.

To develop a mindful strategy, focus on timing your income and outgoings in a way that keeps your business running smoothly. While that may seem obvious, its the common sense heart of the matter.

Set Investment Strategies

Deciding where and how to invest in your business is crucial for long-term growth. This could mean investing in new technology, staff training, or market expansion. Consider which investments will bring the most value to your business and how they fit into your overall financial plan.

Track Your Financial Performance

Monitoring your business's financial health is crucial  especially during growth phases. This involves keeping an eye on key indicators like revenue growth and profit margins.

Melissa Houston, CPA and author of "Cash Confident: An Entrepreneurs Guide to Creating a Profitable Business," put it well in an article at Forbes: As you expand and grow your small business, it's important to track its financial performance closely.

Houston advises focusing on metrics such as revenue growth, profit margins, and return on investment (ROI). This practice helps ensure your business expansion is not only successful but also financially sustainable.

Regularly Review and Update the Plan

A financial plan is not a one-time document but a living, breathing guide that needs regular updates. Market conditions change, new opportunities arise, and challenges pop up.

Regular updates ensure that your financial plan remains aligned with your current business situation and future goals. What you needed at the beginning of your business may not be what it needs to thrive in the present.

Embrace Tech for Smarter Financial Planning

Using technology for financial planning isnt just helpful  its essential. Financial planning software can simplify complex calculations and give you a clearer picture of your finances.

This approach to embracing technology in business is underscored by Serenity Gibbons, former assistant editor at The Wall Street Journal, who wrote in Forbes in 2023: In the world of SEO, the algorithms, data, and results are changing in an instant, making it necessary to have technology on our side to reduce repetitive tasks and improve productivity.

This insight is just as relevant in financial planning, where leveraging technology leads to efficiency and better decision-making.

Get Expert Financial Advice

Dont hesitate to reach out to financial experts. Talking to accountants, advisors, or business consultants can give you a fresh perspective on your financial plan. These professionals can spot things you might miss and suggest practical ways to improve.

Experts can also provide valuable guidance during uncertain economic times, helping your business navigate financial challenges. They can assist in identifying potential risks and opportunities so your financial plan remains adaptable.

Share Your Plan With the Team

Your financial plan shouldnt be a secret. Share it with your team so everyone knows the goals and how they can contribute. Its not just about keeping everyone informed  its about getting everyone involved.

When your team understands the financial goals, they can help in ways you might not expect, said Cody Candee, Founder and CEO of Bounce. It turns your plan into a team effort.

Involving your team in the financial plan can also foster a sense of ownership and responsibility, leading to increased motivation and productivity. It encourages open communication and collaboration, which can generate innovative ideas and solutions to achieve your financial goals.

Stay Adaptable and Flexible

In the ever-changing business world, flexibility is key. As you implement your financial plan, be prepared to make adjustments. Markets shift, new trends emerge, and challenges arise. Staying adaptable means you can pivot quickly to keep your business on track.

Flexibility in financial planning isnt a sign of weakness  its smart business, shared Greg Hannley, Founder and CEO of Soba Texas. The ability to adapt quickly can be your biggest strength in a fast-paced market.

Embracing this flexibility can also open up new opportunities, allowing your business to capitalize on emerging trends or changes in the market. It cultivates a culture of resilience and agility within your organization, essential traits for long-term success in today's dynamic business environment.

Oh, the Places Youll Grow

There you have it  a roadmap to crafting a financial plan that can help steer your business toward growth in 2024. From setting goals to staying flexible, each step is a building block in creating a solid financial foundation.

Keep your plan updated, involve your team, and seek advice when needed. With this approach, youre helping to set your business up for success in the coming year.

This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or financial advice. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this paid post belong solely to the contributor.

Lee Enterprises newsroom and editorial were not involved in the creation of this content.
The Eldridge Fire Station is seen Feb. 25, 2024.

A helmet lies on the ground at a live fire training for Scott and Clinton county fire departments, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024.

Scott and Clinton county firefighters participate in a live fire training Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. The firefighters fought propane fires, controlled by instructors.

Scott and Clinton county firefighters participate in a live fire training Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. The training was held at Eldridge Fire Department and was part of a Fire Service Training Bureau Fire Fight 1 class.

Scott and Clinton county firefighters enter the training trailer in a live fire training Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Eldridge.

Scott and Clinton county firefighters participate in a live fire training Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. Around few dozen volunteer firefighters attended.

Photos: Scott County, Clinton County fire departments do live fire training in Eldridge

A few dozen volunteer firefighters fought controlled propane fires in a training exercise Sunday morning at Eldridge Fire Department.

It was part of a Fire Service Training Bureau Fire Fight 1 class, which is a course all firefighters must complete to be certified as a firefighter.

Participants entered a red trailer called an interior fire attack simulator, where firefighters encountered propane-fueled fires controlled by an instructor.

Participants worked through the simulator in small groups of three or four to identify and extinguish the fires. The simulator provides several different situations firefighters may encounter, such as basement fires, second story fires, kitchen fires and obstacles to represent furniture or interior doorways.
CAMBRIDGE  Henry County Board members removed an item from Thursday's agenda about a migrant resolution, instead returning the matter to committee for more information before taking action.

Effingham and Grundy counties have recently passed measures to make it difficult for migrants coming from out-of-state to receive locally funded services, while the McLean County board voted against such a prohibition.

Henry County Board member Dale Stiles complained that a resolution would have no teeth to it. He said with Interstate 80 running right through the county, it's possible busloads of migrants could be dumped here.

"What are we going to do with them?" he said.

"A resolution is nice, it makes us feel good, but we need to have an action plan," he added.

Board chairman Kippy Breeden said Mat Schnepple, director of the Office of Emergency Management, has a plan.

"I think everyone will be pleased," she said.

Schnepple said policies have been in effect since October.

"We're not looking forward to the time, but we're prepared for the time," he said.

In other business, the board voted 16-0 to spend $59,000 on courthouse window replacement design which would be the preliminary step to acquiring bids for actual window replacement. There are 130 windows in the old courthouse and 75 in the newer judicial center. Administration committee chairman Jill Darin said some of the windows in the judicial center are leaking.

Board member Kathy Nelson said she recalled replacing a lot of windows years ago, but Breeden said the windows the county put in were not quality windows and they are deteriorating.

Finance chairman Mark Burton said he didn't think the work would be done this year, but whenever it is done, the money will come from the general fund surplus, which he termed "pretty big."

Board member Dave Dobbels said water was leaking into the law library 22 years ago when he was a board member and a patchwork repair failed, so another patchwork repair was done.

"We can't allow rainwater to come in to these facilities," he said.

The board also approved a $50,000 rural revolving loan for Vibrant Chiropractic Health Center of Cambridge, which is purchasing Birks Chiropractic Center of Geneseo. The separate primary lender is loaning $350,000 for the purchase, which will see the business retain all its current employees.

Eddie Toliver of the Salvation Army gave a report to the board on how his organization is using the $34,256 which the county granted it in American Plan Rescue Act funding. Fourteen community organizations were granted funding in October of 2022.

Toliver said the biggest need is for help with utilities and housing, and his organization spent $10,336 on utilities for people in need.

Board member Jeanna Moore thanked Toliver for all his work, noting the organization has been very accommodating in the instance of house fires.

Photos: Migrant families leave NYC shelters under eviction notice
Saturday marked the two-year anniversary of when Russian forces launched their large-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Feb. 24, 2022, is a date Xenya Mucha of LeClaire said she will never forget, and she wants to make sure people remember the war for freedom being fought there.

Mucha organized and joined about 35 other people  a good portion of whom are Ukrainians living in the Quad-City region  with posters and flags at the northeast corner of Elmore Avenue and 53rd Street to show continued support for Ukraine.

Im a first-generation of my family born in the United States, Mucha said, adding her parents immigrated to the United States and settled in Philadelphia after World War II.

There is a large Ukrainian community in Philadelphia, so we were raised in a Ukrainian community, speaking Ukrainian and knowing only Ukrainian when I went into kindergarten. I knew only two English words then, bathroom and cookie.

Mucha said she attended 12 years of Saturday Ukrainian school as a child, learning Ukrainian culture, grammar, history and geography. Because of her education, she has remained fluent in Ukrainian.

Knowing what I know about Ukraine I feel such a tie to the country, she said. So, when the invasion happened it was the perfect opportunity to stand with them and organize these events to show solidarity."

She also wants politicians to be reminded that Ukraine is counting on the United States for assistance in fighting against the Russian invasion.

Dr. Ivan Kukhar, of Bettendorf, an anesthesiologist, said he immigrated to the United States when he was 24 and had lived here for 25 years.

While the U.S. is his home now, Kukhar said U.S. aid to Ukraine is crucial to the survival of my motherland. I love Ukraine as my mother, but the U.S. is my second mother.

The situation is black and white, he said of Russias invasion. We are fighting against evil, which is the Russian Federation. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is the personification of evil. Theyre trying to kill an entire nation.

Kukhars wife, Nataliya Kukhar, also a physician, drew parallels to the 1930s famine in Ukraine, know as the Holodomor, in which millions died and which is attributed to Soviet policy decisions.

Her husband said he saw history repeating itself.

We have no option to fight, he said. If we stop fighting, theyll occupy Ukraine. Theyll starve people to death. This has happened before."

If they Russians take Ukraine, he added, They will not stop. If we stop fighting, we all die.

Mucha said Ukraine's goal was simply to defend its borders and remain an independent country.

Lets get Russia back to where they are supposed to be and allow Ukraine to be the independent country it had been and then we can retain the global order, she said.

In thinking of the United States, Mucha added, We have to celebrate the freedoms we have. We have to look around and rejoice in our democracy and we have to hope that that spirit keeps spreading. Its up to us to keep it alive.

Two years into war, thousands of Ukrainians search for missing loved ones
Glenn Drowns has been growing heirloom vegetables, grains and flowers on his small Clinton County farm for 35 years, carefully saving their seeds to protect their genetic information for future generations.

At present, he maintains about 2,950 distinct plant varieties in his seed bank.

He also preserves poultry  ducks, geese, turkeys, guineas and chickens  raising some 220 breeds of heirloom stock in homemade sheds, some not tall enough for him to walk in, and open pens.

As a seed- and breed-saver, Drowns has been literally the only force standing between certain plants and poultry and their extinction.

Drowns also teaches junior high and high school science, instructing an estimated 1,000 students over a 40-year career in the Calamus-Wheatland Community School District.

For these accomplishments and more, Drowns, 62, will receive the 2024 Oberholtzer Award for present-day conservation leadership from Nahant Marsh Education Center, Davenport. The presentation will be Saturday, March 9, during a Nahant fundraiser at The Bend Event Center, East Moline.

The award is named for Ernest Oberholtzer (1884-1977), a Davenport native, explorer, author and champion for the protection of natural areas in northern Minnesota. In addition to the category of present-day conservation, awards will be presented for past and future (students) leadership. The purpose is to recognize individual efforts in protecting the natural world, to promote awareness and to inspire others to action.

Drowns was a pioneer in preserving food diversity years before that idea became mainstream. He sometimes has been  and continues to be  regarded as a nut case or not very normal, to use his own words, for his continued passionate commitment.

Nowadays more people are aware that genetic diversity is being lost and, with the consolidation of agriculture, there are far fewer varieties of food seeds than previously. This is dangerous for humanity because if major varieties of wheat seeds, for example, were to be wiped out by disease, hunger would follow.

Drowns began by storing seeds in glass jars on shelves in a room of his one-story house. In time he built another home for living because the seeds squeezed him out, filling floor-to-ceiling shelves in every room and five chest freezers in the basement.

As for poultry, a lot of breeds died out in the 1980s, Drowns said, and it turned into a situation where I (was) compelled to try to save these breeds. In 1995, Drowns had the only flock of Partridge Chanticleer chickens in the United States. Now they are carried by a couple of major hatcheries, he said.

This has lightened the burden he feels but still, every so often, hell get a letter from someone with a rare flock that they can no longer maintain, asking him if he can take them. He has no choice but to say yes.

In her 2012 book The Seed Underground: A Growing Revolution to Save Food, Janisse Ray sought out and talked to seed savers across the United States. She describes Drowns as perhaps the most famous folk seed saver and plant breeder of our time.

You have to hear the numbers to truly understand the dedication of Glenn to the diversity of food, Ray writes. He has single-handedly rescued poultry breeds from extinction.

Add to that the nearly 3,000 varieties of corn, squash, tomato, sweet potato and other vegetables and the numbers are mind-boggling, she writes.

Drowns work has earned him a national reputation in conservancy circles. In 1999, he won the significant achievement award from the American Livestock Breeds Conversancy, based in North Carolina.

Sharing genetic material

Another part of Drowns work is sharing genetic diversity through a mail-order seed and chick business. Yes, young chicks can be sent through the United States mail.

My goal is to get as many unique things in the hands of people wholl benefit from them, he told author Ray.

He plants, harvests and packages all his seeds by hand, but the labor involved in that pales in comparison to keeping up with the poultry. First, they are living animals that must be fed and watered twice daily, beginning at 4:30 a.m. during the school year.

Then as eggs are laid, Drowns collects them, marks them by breed, "candles" them by holding them up to a light to determine whether they are fertile and places them in one of several antique incubators he has refurbished. Hatching season runs from March to mid-October. When the chicks emerge, he puts them into corrugated boxes and mails them to customers.

He is so knowledgeable about poultry that when editors for Massachusetts-based Storey Publishing were looking for someone to write a how-to guide, they contacted Drowns. The result was a 450-page tome published in 2012.

Teaching

During this 2023-24 school year, Drowns is teaching eight unique classes: physical science, chemistry, advanced chemistry, anatomy and physiology, physics, college environmental science and two semesters of college biology.

Yes my teaching schedule is crazy, but theres a shortage of science teachers and I just couldnt stand letting three classes go online especially since Id had many of their parents, he said.

High school Principal Andrea Howard said Drowns had had a profound impact on students because he involves them in very hands-on learning and lab work.

He doesnt do a whole lot of tests. He has them do projects to show their learning," Howard said.

Advocating for and supporting nature

I try to influence as many people as I can, Drowns told author Ray. I tell people, agriculture doesnt have to be the way it is. Theres a way to farm thats not destructive. Maybe thats why Im here.

Drowns began his unique brand of farming in 1988 when he bought a 40-acre property west of Grand Mound, Iowa.

At the time, just 23 acres of the land were tillable and the place was regarded as a junk property, covered with sand burs and horse nettle.

I thought, Wow, this is perfect,  Drowns said.

Drowns named his property Sand Hill Preservation Center because the soil is mostly highly erodible sand. He called it a preservation center because that is what he wanted to do there  preserve heirloom seeds and breeds of poultry.

He has done that and, in the process, something else happened. The property lost its junk status. With repeated applications of compost, manure and green manure, the sandy soil has evolved into something resembling rich, fertile loam.

By leaving some acres untilled, native prairie has reasserted itself and stands of trees have taken root. Both support a diversity of birds, with warblers, indigo buntings, meadowlarks, killdeer and even wild turkeys spotted on a regular basis. To warrant this, Drowns did nothing, he said. Nature found a way.

In addition to the fields planted in heirloom vegetables, grains and flowers, Drowns maintains a 96-tree orchard with pears, apples, apricots and a few persimmons.

Explaining the breadth of what Drowns does in a given day invites disbelief.

He gets invaluable help from his wife Linda and hires seasonal labor at crunch times, but mostly its just him in nearly perpetual motion.

Accepting the award will mean a rare pause.

Glenn Drowns' background Hometown: Born and raised in Salmon, Idaho. Family: Married Linda in 1993. They have two grown sons. Education: Bachelors degree in biology from Lewis-Clark State College, Lewiston, Idaho. Masters degree in biology from Western Illinois University, Macomb.

If you go What: Fifth annual Oberholtzer Awards, a fundraiser for Nahant Marsh Education Center, Davenport, with brunch, a live auction, raffles and live music. When: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, March 9. Where: The Bend Event Center, 910 Bend Boulevard, East Moline. How much: $50 For more information: nahantmarsh.org

The next pandemic could strike crops, not people The next pandemic could strike crops, not people Industrialization made food a global commodity, the burdens of which made crop diversification difficult Not all microbes are bad, and limiting or eliminating them can negatively impact biodiversity Intercropping may provide a means of making large-scale agriculture more biodiverse
SPRINGFIELD  An Illinois lawmaker is gaining momentum in his latest attempt to implement digital identification cards and drivers licenses, now with the support of Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.

Rep. Kam Buckners, D-Chicago, latest bill, House Bill 4592, would allow the Secretary of State to issue a mobile ID or mobile drivers license (mDL) to Illinois residents. Buckner introduced the bill Jan. 31, but it remains in the gatekeeping House Rules Committee.

While Buckner has been seeking to implement a version of the measure since 2019, this is the first time it also includes both digital IDs and drivers licenses.

And, crucially, it is the first time the the Secretary of State's office has backed the initiative. This is important because one of the office's primary responsibilities is issuing licenses to Illinois drivers.

Buckner said that this legislation would continue to help the Secretary of States office modernize the services it offers to Illinois residents.

I know change is hard and change is different, but it is important that we have to start making sure we're (technologically) advanced in a way that puts us on par with our counterparts around the country, Buckner said.

Illinois would join 12 other states already offering mobile licenses if Buckners bill passes, including Iowa, Missouri and Maryland. At least 18 other states are currently working toward implementing this program as well.

I am excited about this technology, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias told Lee Enterprises in an interview. Our smartphones have become a convenient place to store movie tickets, boarding passes (and) credit cards, so the time is right for Illinoisans to introduce the option of carrying a digital version of their drivers license."

"I would tell you that I dont view this as a standalone," he continued. "I think its a companion, not a replacement, but I think its more secure.

If the legislation passes and is signed into law, Illinois residents would have the option to receive the digital copy of their ID or driver's license. The legislation makes it clear that the digital version is not a replacement for the physical copy, and also requires the state to abide by standards of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

The association is a nonprofit organization that develops model programs in motor vehicle administration, law enforcement and highway safety and represents various United States and Canadian officials who administer and enforce motor vehicle laws.

Giannoulias said that his office will begin working out the technology, the vendor and the more specific details of how the process would work in Illinois if the bill is passed and signed into law. If the bill does pass, Giannoulias office will issue a request for proposals.

Michael McCaskill, AAMVA identity management director, said the timeline for implementing digital IDs can range from three months to over a year, depending on the circumstances in each state. Since Illinois is still early on in the process, Giannoulias office said it would take about a year to have them ready.

McCaskill said costs for the process and for digital IDs vary for states as well. Giannoulias office said that if there were to be a cost for digital IDs, it would be nominal.

Giannoulias goal with Illinois program is to have the mobile licenses available in an app, but those plans are still fluid as well.

States that have the program are still required to issue the physical copy for identity presentation purposes. Those who opt for the digital version would still have to carry their physical copy with them in certain instances, like driving or traveling to states that have not implemented the program yet. This requirement is due to standards set into place that make physical IDs the basis for those identity and authentication purposes.

There should not be an issue where a person only has a digital credential because every state has a law that says you must carry your physical credential on you  at all times, McCaskill said. So in general, a person should not be without their physical credential. If they have an mDL, and they walk into an establishment where they need to prove identity and that establishment cant accept the mDL and doesnt, they use their physical card just like they would any other time.

McCaskill said AAMVA has a working group to create and build these standards for states that have started issuing or are in the process of getting mDLs issued to residents. States then go on to adopt these requirements and set those standards within their own jurisdiction as they begin that implementation process.

In Maryland, for instance, airports allow people to use their mobile license to board flights. People in these settings are able to show only their most relevant information on their mobile licenses to authorities rather than showing all their information on their physical ID.

For example, if an individual were to go through a TSA checkpoint or try to get into a bar, they can choose to present only the information needed like a name and date of birth rather than everything else listed on their ID, such as a home address. From there, the authorities checking that information will go through its electronic verification process to confirm that information.

Chrissy Nizer, motor vehicle administration administrator for the Maryland Department of Transportation, said this privacy component with the mobile licenses is a huge benefit to people because they are able to limit whatever information they dont need to be sharing in these types of situations.

One of the nice things about mDL is its always in your control," Nizer said. "You have to initiate the action and indicate that you are comfortable sharing your data in the case with TSA, but with whoever youre interacting with."

Maryland was among the first states to offer the digital product through Apple Wallet. And its the first state to offer it to residents through Google Wallet. The state's department of transportation has been providing access to the Apple version since 2022 and to the Android version since last year.

Nizers office said that Maryland has a total of 204,710 active customers enrolled in its Maryland Mobile DL/ID program as of Wednesday. Her office also reports that there has been a total of 223,902 downloads on mobile phones and smart watches. There are 4.3 million licensed drivers in the state, meaning about 5% participate in the program.

While states like Maryland have seen a lot of success with their programs, McCaskill said that one of the biggest challenges for AAMVA and these states during this process is educating state officials and residents about what mobile driver's licenses are and the privacy components that come with them.

McCaskill said the AAMVA has assisted states in the creation of that education, whether it be presentations or documents, and supported these states in their efforts to implement mobile driver's license solutions and update relying parties on these changes. The organization attends conferences around the globe to educate these parties as well.

McCaskill said the challenge is that it's "a brand new topic.

This is something thats not been done ever on the globe," McCaskill said. "As you can imagine, anything thats brand new can take a lot of education for people to trust it.

If Illinois joins these states in issuing this technology, Giannoulias said businesses and driver's services facilities can expect his office to offer that education in addition to other necessary tools that would help with the transition  such as technology, tutorials and counseling.

Giannoulias said his office wouldnt be pursuing this if it werent about the security and efficiency factors. For him, the move to issue mobile licenses represents a growing trend across the country that allows and uses more fraud-resistant technology in everyday life.

This is the future," Giannoulias said. "Its all part of the modernization of the office. This is a companion to the drivers license, and we want people to know that we will only do this with security in mind, the safety of our roads and the safety of data at the forefront.
Wearing a light green pantsuit and beaded earrings dangling past her shoulders, Savannah Francis, a University of Oklahoma law student, took a deep breath before addressing a panel of three people who were meant to act as United States Supreme Court judges.

Francis, a citizen of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, was one of more than 100 law students nationwide to attend the National Native American Law Students Association Moot Court Competition at the University of Montana on Friday.

In the competition, teams of two students study a fictitious case. Then, with just a few minutes' warning, they are assigned a side to argue in front of a panel of practicing attorneys.

The National Native American Law Students Association (NNALSA) aims to train people interested in pursuing Indian law at the appellate level. The Moot Court Competition is in its 32nd year. This year marked the first time a Montana school hosted the event.

Sapphire Carter, Chippewa Cree, is the NNALSA treasurer and university chapter president. She said Native Americans make up less than 1% of attorneys nationwide.

Were often an invisible class of people, she said. We need more Native American attorneys at every level  people who understand the experience of growing up on the reservation and the experience of being Native American.

Federal Indian law is a field of law that regulates relationships between Native American tribes, individual states and the United States as a whole.

Carter said she hopes the event will inspire more people to pursue Indian law.

Native Americans are the ones who are affected by the laws that are governing tribes, she explained. This is valuable because when you have someone who has lived that experience, theyre able to really advocate for tribal interests. We do this to ensure Native American law students can thrive.

Monte Cole, a law student at UM who helped put on the event, said the competition is also valuable as it brings people from all over the country together.

People will make friends here that theyll work with for the rest of their lives, Cole said.

'I want to help tribes'

Francis assigned case had to do with the fictional Northern Tribe and the fictional Dakota Farm Bureau. The mock setting considered a dispute between the tribe and bureau regarding the co-management of a river.

Francis and her co-council, Ivy Chase, argued the tribe could not be sued due to its sovereign status. Competitors  Tori Shiraki and Lia Cook from the University of Hawaii  argued the tribe could be sued.

Each competitor presented an oral argument, as judges on the panel interrupted with questions.

Afterward, judges Dawn Gray, managing attorney for the Blackfeet Nation, Jessica Wiles, an Oregon-based attorney, and Daniel Rey-Bear, partner at a Washington law firm, gave competitors feedback. They encouraged the students to pause before responding to questions and to familiarize themselves with the tribe, its history and values.

As the judges deliberated, the law students let out sighs of relief in the hallway, laughed about particularly hard questions and congratulated each other on a job well done. Each of them hopes to one day specialize in Indian law.

I want to help tribes, Francis said. I want to work for a tribe in Oklahoma and strengthen the relationships between the tribes and the state.
As the only dental school in the state, the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry plays a critical role in educating the next generation of dental professionals and supporting the oral health of communities across the commonwealth.

VCU is seeking to build a new home for the school of dentistry on the VCU Health Campus, as its 70-plus-year-old facilities are beyond their useful life and no longer meet the needs of its students or patients.

Lyndon F. Cooper, D.D.S., Ph.D., dean of the school, recently offered insights into why the proposed new building is needed and how it would enhance oral health care across Virginia.

VCU is seeking support from Virginia to build a new school of dentistry building. Why is this new facility needed?

The current school consists of three buildings, cobbled together decades apart with a significant portion more than 70 years old. Virginia deserves a state-of-the-art dental school. The oral health of every community in the commonwealth depends on it.

We are requesting funds in the states next biennial budget to begin planning for the construction of a new school of dentistry building on the VCU Health Campus.

New facilities planned specifically with our communities needs in mind would allow us to welcome more patients, create environments accommodating those with special needs, support continued innovation in clinical care and research, tackle workforce challenges and compete with schools in other states for the highest-caliber students and faculty.

How would the proposed new school of dentistry building improve VCU dental students education? And how would it enhance care for patients?

We need a building with an advanced technological infrastructure conducive to the latest trends in clinical care and education. It will facilitate highly efficient care for our patients, where many restorative needs, such as crowns and dentures, can be manufactured in-house to decrease costs and increase access to care. It will also support tele-dentistry initiatives that can reach underserved communities throughout the state.

Modern facilities will transform the care we give, especially for our most vulnerable pediatric and adult patients with special needs. A new building will enable us to deploy state-of-the-art equipment and enhance the training that dentists need to provide care for Virginias diverse population.

Our outstanding track record of training dentists must be extended, and it requires outstanding faculty and students who are attracted to cutting-edge facilities. Among the 72 dental schools in the U.S., 10 are brand new, and others have constructed new facilities. Our 70-year-old school will no longer be competitive in the recruitment of some of the most talented students and faculty.

Finally, our patients deserve a welcoming environment that expresses our focus on cultural competency and care. A new building can provide ease of access, comfort and safety that our current spaces cannot provide. A thoughtfully designed building will more seamlessly connect dentistry with VCU Health and the other VCU Health Sciences schools, inspiring new and unique partnerships that improve health care and inspire new research.
Police have begun an investigation into key officials of two doctors' associations over possible legal violations related to the ongoing strike by trainee doctors, Seoul's police chief said Monday.

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho told reporters that key officials of the Korea Medical Association (KMA) and leaders of the Korea Intern Resident Association (KIRA) will come under police investigation.

Cho's remarks came after a civic group filed a complaint last Wednesday against trainee doctors, who collectively resigned over the planned hike in medical school enrollment quotas, and leaders of the two medical associations.

The police were asked to investigate Kim Taek-woo, chief of the KMA's emergency committee, a number of ranking KMA officials, and Park Dan, the head of the KIRA, on eight counts of charges, including violation of the medical law, threats and coercion.

The Seoul police agency said it was also investigating a suspected obstruction of business case in connection with a recent post on an internet community of doctors and medical students that urges trainee doctors to delete hospitals' patient data before resigning.

The agency also said it will sternly crack down on any illegal acts during a large-scale rally of doctors slated for Sunday. (Yonhap)
Richard Thomas graced television screens 50 years ago as John-Boy Walton on The Waltons; now, hes in Richmond to grace the Altria Theater stage.

The Emmy-winning actor stars as Atticus Finch in Aaron Sorkins Broadway adaptation of Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird, which starts its Richmond run on Tuesday.

Sorkins dramatization of the novel opened on Broadway in 2018. The adaptation breathes new life into a story audiences thought they knew, Thomas said in an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The novels themes of prejudice and inequality have garnered plenty of controversy, typically landing it at the top of banned book lists. Thomas says Sorkins adaptation made the story and his character, Finch, more approachable.

Its a beautifully written part. Hes taken him off the pedestal, Thomas said. I wanted this Atticus to be very much a small-town lawyer and not a figure of any sort of stature. Hes just a man raising two kids.

Told through the eyes of 13-year-old Scout, To Kill A Mockingbird centers around the story of Tom Robinson, a Black man accused of rape in pre-civil rights-era Alabama. Scouts father, Finch, is the lawyer who defends him.

Atticus Finch is often seen as a man of great nobility going against his community in order to give Robinson a fair trial. For Thomas, Sorkins version of Finch has more humanity, showing growth and vulnerability.

He questions so many of these given ideas he has about community. It (Sorkins script) takes into account the lens through which we currently view social justice today. We didnt need another white savior, Thomas said.

Sorkins script also adds depth to characters like Robinson and Calpurnia, the Finch familys cook. Both one-dimensional characters in the novel, this adaptation gives them the space they deserve.

Aaron Sorkin has brilliantly fleshed out the roles of Calpurnia and Tom Robinson. Shes quite a gem to play, said Jacqueline Williams, who stars as Calpurnia in the Broadway in Richmond production. Shes funny, shes wise, shes frank, shes the truth. This live theater Calpurnia is the Calpurnia we have been waiting for.

Thomas says the relationship between Finch and Calpurnia is centered more in this adaptation.

They tease each other, they check each other, and they appreciate each other. You get a feeling they are really raising these kids together. Its a wonderfully real relationship and aspirational in the sense that it tries to move across barriers, Thomas said.

Sorkins Broadway adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird has received praise for both elevating and honoring Lees classic novel.

It expresses things that Harper Lee couldnt express as easily in 1960, Williams said.

From the Archives: Jackson Ward in the 1970s and 80s
Many dog owners know the struggle.

The vacation is planned, the tickets are booked and the bags are packed. Now, what to do with the puppy?

It can be difficult for any dog owner to make arrangements for their pets during travel, work or lifes various other demands. And for owners of dogs with behavioral issues, the task can prove impossible.

Thats where Susan Aceti, owner and operator of Challenging Dogs Pet Care, comes in.

Acetis business, which started as a side project and soon ballooned into a full-time job, offers walking services, daycare and dog-sitting for dogs with behavioral issues in Richmond and the greater Washington, D.C. area. Through conditioning and preparation, Aceti and her team work with clients to prepare and care for dogs in the absence of their owners.

Our goal is to understand dog behavior and treat dogs with respect and compassion, Aceti said. Our parallel goal is to do the same thing with owners.

A challenging dog

Aceti, 58, who lives in the Washington-Baltimore area, knows firsthand how hard it can be to deal with a dog that has behavioral issues.

In the early 1990s, Aceti adopted her first dog  a lab mix named Molly  from a local animal shelter. The day after she brought Molly home, Aceti learned her new friend would react aggressively if she saw another person or dog.

It was a horrible couple weeks in the beginning, Aceti said, noting that it was particularly difficult to find people who would watch or spend time with Molly.

Frustrated by Mollys behavior, Aceti sought advice from her veterinarian, who recommended the book The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller.

Millers guidance, which largely centered around positive reinforcement training, helped Aceti and Molly get on the right path, Aceti said.

Aceti would eventually apprentice under Miller at Millers company, Peaceable Paws  a dog and puppy training center in Maryland. That experience further strengthened her love for dogs and her ability to accommodate some of the more unruly among them.

My client list exploded

Molly died about five years ago, Aceti said. Aceti was grieving, and was not ready to adopt again. So she signed up to become a Rover  a pet sitter available for hire via an app of the same name.

Aceti said she advertised her experience with anxious and fearful dogs, which immediately gave her a leg up over the competition. Pet owners began booking her to take care of their dogs, and were so impressed with her work that they turned into repeat customers.

My client list exploded, she said.

By 2020, Aceti realized the demand was sufficient to start her own business, and that is just what she did. To promote the venture, Aceti said she reached out to local trainers and local vet behaviorists to create a referral pipeline.

They were falling over themselves, like yes, finally, someone we can refer people to, Aceti said. The  pipeline has not slowed down.

Desensitization and counter-conditioning

Aceti now manages a staff of 10 employees: seven in the Greater Washington area and three in Richmond. Her team offers daycare and longer-term dog-sitting services, but the work often starts long before the animals are left in their care.

The process begins with a Zoom interview, Aceti said, in which a team member meets the dogs owners to discuss specific details about the dog. The team member asks a series of questions, such as, What would happen if I walked into your house right now?

From there, the team member will work with dog owners to gradually desensitize and counter-condition the dog. The dog learns to be comfortable in the presence of the team member through such activities as parallel walks and meet-ups in public, neutral spaces.

Eventually, the group will transition into the dogs home, where the dog learns to accept and tolerate the team member in its space.

Aceti compared the job to exposure therapy. By spending more and more time closer and closer to the team member, the dog learns that the team member is a safe and friendly presence. And by rewarding the dog when it responds well, the team member is able to form a relationship with the dog before the daycare or dog-sitting is scheduled to take place.

Aceti emphasized the importance of positive reinforcement. Instead of responding to bad behavior with austere punishment  an act that Aceti said can further traumatize a dog and exacerbate existing problems  the Challenging Dogs team incentivizes good behavior by manipulating and managing the environment.

The entire process can take anywhere from three to 20 or more visits, Aceti said  and thats only the run-up to the caretaking service.

This is not your average dog-sitting job, Aceti said. You have to have a certain fortitude.

Its opened up a whole new world

Aceti described the services she and her team offer as essential, and her clients absolutely agree with her.

Before hiring Challenging Dogs, Ashley and David Calkins, both of Richmond, were unable to travel because they were too afraid to leave their pitbull, Rosie, alone with anyone.

Rosie did not always respond well to strangers and other dogs and struggled with separation anxiety, Ashley said, which made getting pet-sitting and boarding very difficult.

We were not able to travel, Ashley said. We had not found a solution that would work that would be safe for everybody.

But the Calkins wanted to visit Ashleys family for the holidays, so, at the recommendation of Rosies vet, they reached out to Challenging Dogs for help.

David said they were looking for someone who could give Rosie the extra care and attention that she needs  understand her quirks and be willing to work with her. They found that someone in Milo Triana Sox: one of Acetis Richmond-based employees.

Sox and Rosie bonded right away (and became) really good friends David said, freeing the Calkins to leave Rosie in Soxs care while they left town over the holidays. For the Calkins, the relief and newfound freedom was life-changing.

Its opened up a whole new world for us, Ashley said.

The appreciation is mutual. Sox described Rosie as a best friend and an example of just how rewarding the job can be.

The moment that a dog whos known for not wanting to be touched lets you touch their head for just a second, or leans against your leg  its this moment of connection. The moment where they decide you are okay is worth everything, Sox said.

Its amazing, Sox added.

Cats and dogs that need homes in the Richmond area
A University of Virginia student was seriously injured after an alleged hazing accident at the Kappa Sigma fraternity house in Charlottesville late Tuesday night.

The news was first broke by the Jefferson Independent, a conservative, student-run news outlet on Grounds, which reported that a second-year transfer student pledging Kappa Sigma had been drinking heavily at the fraternity house on Rugby Road when he fell backward down a staircase and hit his head on a wall at the bottom. According to the publication, sources say the student has been hospitalized and is comatose.

Neither a UVa spokeswoman nor a Kappa Sigma spokesman denied the report when contacted by The Daily Progress.

UVa spokeswoman Bethanie Glover said Kappa Sigma has been suspended pending a Division of Student Affairs investigation into the matter.

We take allegations of hazing seriously and act quickly to investigate them and take disciplinary action if necessary, Glover told The Daily Progress in an email. State and/or local law enforcement agencies investigate allegations of hazing under Virginia law. The Division of Student Affairs investigates allegations of hazing under University policy.

Glover said she could not divulge any more information until the investigation is closed, including the students condition.

A spokesman for Kappa Sigma, which has its national headquarters just south of Charlottesville city limits, said the fraternity is aware an injury did occur. He offered no other details.

Our hopes and prayers are with our member for a speedy recovery, Leo Brown told The Daily Progress via email.

Brown also gave a full-throated condemnation of hazing, which is not only explicitly forbidden at UVa but a crime in the commonwealth of Virginia.

Hazing is disgusting and is not tolerated by the Kappa Sigma Fraternity as it violates our Code of Conduct, he said. Kappa Sigma will take swift and severe actions against the membership of those credibly involved in hazing.

The Daily Progress reached out to the Inter-Fraternity Council at UVa, an independently run student organization that oversees Greek life at the university. The council did not respond.

There were several accounts of hazing within student organizations and clubs in 2022 reported to the University Judiciary Committee, a student-run body that issues sanctions based on the findings of Student Affairs investigations.

In September 2022, the womens gymnastics club was charged with hazing at an initiation event where incoming members were instructed to perform various stunts and required to take a shot of alcohol or water if they failed. In response, the judiciary committee required the groups co-presidents to attend two meetings with a member of the UVa administration from Student Engagement or Fraternity & Sorority Life and required all executive members to attend Hoos Against Hazing training.

That same fall, incidents of hazing were reported with the University Guide Services. Current members forced new members to chug alcoholic drinks and served alcohol to underage members on several occasions, according to reports. The judiciary committee decided the group must create a central document of conduct for all of its members that includes anti-hazing expectations. The University Guide Services must also hold a meeting every semester where these expectations are explained to members.

Tuesdays incident at Kappa Sigma comes a little more than a week after Virginia legislators passed a bill requiring hazing awareness and prevention training at public high schools in the commonwealth. Senate Bill 379 was approved two years after the passage of whats known as Adams Law, which mandates hazing training at all Virginia colleges. The bill is named after Virginia Commonwealth University student Adam Oakes who died in 2021 after a fraternity hazing incident.

Senate Bill 379 calls for the State Board of Education to approve hazing education curriculum to be taught in ninth- or 10th-grade health and physical education classes.

Best colleges in Virginia Best colleges in Virginia
When Virginia first lady Suzanne Youngkin saw that a trip to Southwest Virginia with her husband, Glenn, shortly after he took office, included training on administering the antidote to an opioid overdose, she was more than a little nervous.

I told Glenn, Im not sure I can do this, she said Monday after hosting a training at the General Assembly Building on recognizing drug overdoses and treating them with naloxone. But what I saw is that it is really very simple.

She is campaigning for more and more Virginians to get the training  it takes a less than an hour  and to keep a recovery kit close at hand.

She keeps hers in the small carry-on bag she takes with her to public events and on trips.

You never know when an emergency is going to happen; maybe its in a Walmart or McDonalds or Chick-fil-A, and if you know what to do, thats a life that can be saved, she said.

Drug overdose deaths in Virginia more than doubled between 2015 and 2021, when there were more than 2,600, according to the state health department.

Many schools, stores and other public facilities have naloxone kits on hand, so if you know what to do, even if you do not have your own kit immediately at hand, it can save a life, said Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littel.

More than two dozen General Assembly members attended Mondays training and picked up the small blue REVIVE! kits that include nasal spray devices for naloxone as well as gloves and face shields in case help means giving a victim rescue breaths. Theres an instruction card, too, as a reminder of the five steps to follow if it looks as if someone has overdosed.

The signs? The person is unresponsive, not reacting even to yelling, or they arent breathing, or are breathing in only really slow or shallow breaths. Or theres no pulse or only a slow and irregular one. Of if their lips or fingertips are blue.

Once you check, call 911.

If the person is not breathing, tilt their head back and give two rescue breaths.

Place the nasal spray in one nostril and press the plunger. That will give the person a single dose that should revive them. Resume rescue breathing. If they dont come around after a few minutes, you can try a second dose.

Naloxone can take 1 to 3 minutes to start working. It works only on opioids  it has been used in emergency rooms for years for that purpose and, other than countering the effect of an overdose, it has no effect on the body.

Sometimes after receiving a dose and reviving, a person will go into opioid withdrawal, including vomiting, agitation and nausea.

The effects of a naloxone dose can last for 30 to 90 minutes, and a person can relapse into overdose, so they need to get medical care as soon as possible.

Want to know more?

For more questions, reach out to revive@dbhds.virginia.gov.

Today in history: Feb. 26 1952: Winston Churchill 1987: Ronald Reagan 1998: Oprah Winfrey 2005: Hosni Mubarak 2012: Trayvon Martin 2014: Jan Brewer 2016: Chris Christie 2016: Moonlight 2017: Joseph Wapner
Virginians go to the polls Tuesday to help pick the Democratic and Republican nominees for president. Heres a look at what you need to know.

When is the primary?

Virginia is one of 16 states and territories that will vote on presidential nominees on Tuesday, March 5.

Who can vote?

Any registered voter may cast a ballot. Virginians do not register by party, so voters can choose to cast a ballot in the Republican contest or in the Democratic contest, but may not vote in both.

Who is on the Virginia ballot?

The remaining candidates in Virginias Republican primary are former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina Gov. and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Four other candidates who have dropped out will appear on the Virginia ballot: Ryan Binkley, a Texas pastor and businessman who dropped out Tuesday and endorsed Trump; former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis; and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.

The remaining candidates in Virginias Democratic primary are President Joe Biden and U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn. A third candidate who qualified for the Virginia ballot, author Marianne Williamson, has suspended her campaign.

What is at stake?

To win the GOP nomination, a candidate needs to gain 1,215 delegates.

There are 48 delegates at stake in Virginias Republican primary. Twelve will be allotted to the statewide winner, and three each will be allocated proportionately, depending on the results in each of the states 11 congressional districts. Three delegates are not bound to a candidate.

To win the Democratic nomination, a candidate needs to gain 1,968 delegates. There are 119 delegates at stake in Virginias Democratic primary, of which 99 will be pledged, depending on the statewide vote and the vote in each of the states 11 congressional districts. Twenty of the Virginia Democratic delegates will be unpledged.

What is the current delegate tally?

As of Wednesday, according to The Associated Press, Trump had 122 delegates, to 24 for Haley, nine for DeSantis and three for Ramaswamy. Among Democrats, Biden had 206, two were uncommitted and Phillips had 0.

Which other states vote on March 5?

Fourteen other states and American Samoa are voting on Super Tuesday. The other states are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Vermont.

Can I vote early?

Yes. Saturday, March 2, is the last day of in-person, early voting at your local voter registrars office. It closes Saturday at 5 p.m.

Where else can I vote early?

Chesterfield County has satellite voting locations at five libraries: Clover Hill Library, 6701 Deer Run Road, Midlothian (zip code 23112); Ettrick-Matoaca Library, 4501 River Road, Petersburg (23803); LaPrade Library, 9000 Hull Street Road, North Chesterfield (23236); Meadowdale Library, 4301 Meadowdale Blvd., North Chesterfield (23234); and North Courthouse Road Library, 325 Courthouse Road, North Chesterfield (23236).

Henricos early voting sites are the Eastern Government Center, 3820 Nine Mile Road, Henrico (23223); the Henrico Government Center at 4301 E. Parham Road, Henrico (23228); and the Varina Library, 1875 New Market Road, Henrico (23231).

Richmonds satellite early voting sites are Richmond City Hall, 900 E. Broad St., Richmond (23219); and Hickory Hill Community Center, 3000 E. Belt Blvd., Richmond (23234).

What time are the polls open on March 5?

The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters who are in line as of 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

How do I contact my registrars office?
Active American soldier wanted for murder of Mexican girlfriend extradited from U.S.

Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua  An American man wanted in Mexico for the 2023 murder of a Mexican woman has been extradited from the U.S. Mexican authorities received Saul L, an active U.S. military officer, for the alleged murder of his teenaged girlfriend.

Last week, the Government of the United States granted the extradition of the requested person to the Government of Mexico. Saul L landed on Mexican soil Tuesday after being handed over at the Stanton International Bridge, which connects El Paso, Texas with Ciudad Juarez.

The Fort Bliss soldier will face charges for the 2023 death of his 19-year-old girlfriend Aylen M in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua.

According to Mexican Officials, Aylens body was found on April 7, 2023, at an intersection in Juarez with gunshot wounds to her head and stomach.

Active American soldier Saul L is facing charges for the 2023 murder of his 19 year old Mexican girlfriend. Photo: AEI February 20, 2024.

Saul L was wanted by the First Instance Criminal Accusation of the Bravos Judicial District in Chihuahua, for his probable responsibility in the crime of feminicide with aggravated penalty, the State Attorney General of the Republic (FGR) reported in a statement Saturday.
Cozumel suffers week of street shootings and publicly hung threat messages

Cozumel, Q.R.  Police collected shell casings from the scene of a street shooting on Cozumel this weekend. It was the third time in a week that island residents reported shots being fired into the air.

The latest shooting happened shortly before midnight Saturday in the Flores Magon III neighborhood. Residents reported gunfire to police, who arrived to find shell casings in the street.

First reports indicate that armed individuals, apparently on a motorcycle, were the ones who shot into the air then fled. There were no injuries reported.

The three air shootings are in combination with a string of ongoing criminal activity that also includes public threats. Island police have been dealing with large handwritten threat messages being left in public places.

Police collect shell casings from a residential street after reports of shots fired. Photo: February 24, 2024.

On Friday, a large threat message was left outside the offices of the Subdirectorate of Ecology addressed to the Mayor Juanita Alonso Marrufo, whom they allegedly warn not to fall victim to characters linked to illicit activities.

Police take down a threat message left strung up on the Ecology office of Cozumel by island criminals. February 23, 2024.

The latest tarp measured 2 x 2.5 meters and was found after an anonymous report of the message being hung outside the Ecology office. The message names several government people that they claim are responsible for island murders and extortion, including taxi drivers, named island business owners and the FGE in general.

On February 22, another handwritten threat messages was found left outside the mayors house.

The large white tarp was located around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, when unknown persons arrived at the home of Cozumel Mayor Juanita Alonso Marrufo and left it attached to the building.

A narco-message, as they are referred to locally, was found outside the mayors house Wednesday night.

The content of that message is not directed at the mayor but against the State Attorney Generals Office (FGE) and the Governor demanding the release of two of the four people that were arrested Tuesday at the hands of State Police. That threat message was signed by Maseca.

Threat messages being hung in public spaces around the island is not new, however, they are becoming more and more frequent and detailed regarding island crime and criminals.
Mexico buys out Mitsubishi shares of Salt Export

Mulege, Baja California Sur  President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has nationalized Exportadora de Sal (ESSA) after acquiring 100 percent of the company.

The Government of Mexico purchased the 49 percent owned by Japanese company Mitsubishi.

We are very pleased and very grateful for the work of the Secretary of Economy, Raquel Buenrostro () We want to keep this heritage of all Mexicans safe so that there is no risk because privatization has not helped Mexico, privatizing is synonymous with corruption. That is what neoliberal policy meant for a long time, Lopez Obrador said Saturday.

The process to acquire the 49 percent owned by Mitsubishi began in July 2023 on Isla de Cedros. Lopez Obrador said the goal was not to privatize the company, but deliver it to the people of Mexico.

Mexicos Secretary of Economy, Raquel Buenrostro

The Secretary of Economy, Raquel Buenrostro Sanchez, said after 70 years, company Exportadora de Sal (Salt Exporter) is nationalized as part of the transformation project. Until today it had a majority state participation of 51 percent and the rest of the shares belonged to the Japanese company Mitsubishi.

The Q4 Government invested 1.5 billion pesos in order to acquire the shares of the foreign company. In this way, a 25 percent participation by the Mexican Geological Service and 75 percent by the Mining Development Trust was maintained so it became a 100 percent parastatal entity.

With the nationalization of ESSA, the Presidents precept is fulfilled that the benefits generated with our natural resources remain in our country and are used for the well-being of the people of Mexico, she stated.

Lopez Obrador, seen here with Raquel Buenrostro, celebrates after the Japanese buy out. Photo: AMLO February 24, 2024.

Lopez Obrador said that the buy out was not an expropriation but rather an agreement reached with Mitsubishi executives for which he thanked them for their willingness in this purchase.
Tulum taxi driver charged in beach restaurant shooting that killed American and Belizean

Tulum, Q.R.  A Tulum taxi driver has been charged in the deaths of an American woman and Belize man. Jose de Jesus N will stand trial for his role in the two deaths after allegedly driving three armed men to the Tulum restaurant where the murders took place.

State authorities say Jose de Jesus N is the driver of the taxi that transported three subjects who committed the two homicides on February 9.

The State Attorney General of Quintana Roo says Jose de Jesus N will stand trial due to his probable relationship in events that could constitute the crime of qualified homicide to the detriment of two victims of withheld identity, in events that occurred in this municipality on February 9 of the current year.

The accused is Jose de Jesus N, who, according to investigations, is the driver of the taxi that transported three subjects, the same ones who committed the two homicides to the beach of a restaurant in Tulum, they reported.

Police at the scene of the February 9 Tulum restaurant shooting.

On the day of the shooting, Jose de Jesus N stopped the taxi in front of a restaurant while the alleged perpetrators went to the beach area in search of a man they located and shot. The shot man is reported by state authorities as belonging to a criminal group known for local violence.

As collateral damage, they injured and caused the death of a woman of foreign nationality, who was not related to the target of the aggressors, the state agency added.

While the three men were inside the beach restaurant, Jose de Jesus N remained outside the restaurant, waiting for the return of the three subjects. However, he eventually fled the scene alone. The three subjects escaped in different directions after committing the homicides.

Jose de Jesus N was picked up on an arrest warrant and charged over the weekend. He is to remain in preventative detention for a period of two years.

Two people were killed in the targeted restaurant shooting.

During that targeted shooting, 44-year-old American Niko H was killed when she was hit by a stray bullet during the exchange of gunfire between the two criminal groups. The shot man targeted by the other group, who is reported to have died later in hospital, was from Belize.
Two murder suspects returned to U.S. to face charges

Mexico City, Mexico  The suspect in the 2005 murder of an Illinois man has been extradited to the U.S. On Saturday, Juvenal S, who was required by the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, for the crime of first-degree murder, was handed over to U.S. agents.

Juvenal S was wanted in the January 2005 shooting death of an Illinios man. He was arrested in September 2023 in Tarimbaro, Michoacan and held for extradition purposes.

Over the weekend, U.S. officials also returned Moises P to the U.S. to face charges of homicide. His charges stem back to 2009 for the death of his then ex-girlfriend. According to Mexican authorities, Moises P was wanted by the Court of the Tenth Judicial District of Galveston County, Texas for homicide.

In September 2009, Moises P is accused of shooting his ex-girlfriend in the head, causing her death. He was arrested in Panuco, Veracruz, in August of last year.

The Government of Mexico granted the extradition of those claimed to the Government of the United States. They were handed over to U.S. agents at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM).
By Kim Hyun-bin

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) will create shelters at 41 convenience stores across the capital, so citizens can cool down during summer or escape cold weather during winter.

The city government said Sunday that it signed memoranda of understanding (MOU) with BGF Retail and GS Retail respectively last Friday.

BGF Retail is the operator of the country's major convenience store franchise CU, while GS Retail operates GS25 convenience stores.

Traditionally, community centers and welfare facilities have served as shelters during extreme weather conditions. However, limited access and operating hours posed challenges for many. To address this, the city proposed utilizing convenience stores due to their accessibility and round-the-clock operation.

BGF Retail and GS Retail expressed their support, leading to the commitment of 23 CU stores and 18 GS25 stores, located in 18 districts across the capital, to serve as initial shelters.

These stores will provide rest zones with the aim of offering shelter to citizens during both cold snaps and heat waves.

As part of the initiative, the city government will install signs certifying these stores as collaborative partners and embark on promotional activities. Additionally, administrative support measures, such as assistance for store owners, will be provided to encourage voluntary participation.

The trial operation of these centers will commence on Thursday and run until March 15 when the city government's readiness against cold waves will be lifted. It will then analyze the effectiveness of the shelters and work to expand the number before the heat waves begin.

"These shelters represent a public-private partnership model," an SMG official said, adding that the partners will do their best to make Seoul safer and more comfortable amid extreme weather conditions.
The Virginia State Police is stressing pedestrian safety, following what it says is an alarming uptick in pedestrian deaths on Virginia roads.

Ten pedestrians were killed across Virginia since Feb. 11, according to a state police news release.

The fatalities have occurred in the counties of Prince William (two), Henrico, Chesterfield, Albemarle, Fairfax, Pittsylvania, Loudoun, Wythe and the city of Virginia Beach. Preliminary data shows there have been 19 pedestrian deaths in Virginia so far this year, according to the release.

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Highway Safety Office has multiple recommendations for pedestrians to increase their safety when walking near traffic, according to the release:

Be predictable, follow the rules of the road and obey signs and signals.

Plan a route with safe crossings.

Avoid distractions, alcohol and drugs, and be alert.

Dress to be seen, but never assume drivers see you.

Wear reflective clothing and carry a blinking light or flashlight at night.

Walk on sidewalks facing traffic.

If theres no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far from traffic as possible.

Watch for cars backing up, especially in parking lots and driveways.

Cross at crosswalks or intersections  where drivers expect pedestrians. While crossing, look for cars in all directions, including those turning left or right, and make eye contact with turning drivers before proceeding when possible.

Turning vehicles can be especially dangerous at intersections. If there is no crosswalk or intersection, go to a well-lit area with the best view of traffic, wait until there is enough time to cross safely, and continue to watch for traffic while crossing.

Drivers have a role to play in pedestrian safety as well. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers should always look for pedestrians, and use extra caution in hard-to-see conditions. Drivers should also slow down and be prepared to stop when entering a crosswalk. Drivers should also yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk, and never pass stopped vehicles at a crosswalk. NHTSA also asks drivers to follow speed limits when people are around, and in school zones and neighborhoods. Drivers should also be extra cautious when backing up.

Preliminary data shows in 2023, 118 pedestrians died in crashes on Virginia roadways, according to the release.
Onzlee Ware was remembered Sunday by fellow judges, lawmakers, lawyers, local leaders and others who spoke of how he made Roanoke a better place with a life story  both good and bad  that inspired others.

Several hundred people attended a memorial service for Ware, who served as the first Black judge in Roanoke Circuit Court, a member of the House of Delegates, an attorney for the accused and, many said, as an example of how to overcome adversity.

I feel like Im a descendant of his, Del. Don Scott, the first Black speaker of the House in Virginias history, told a crowd gathered in the Berglund Performing Arts Center to honor Ware, who died Feb. 10 at the age of 70.

This is the legacy he has brought forward, Scott said.

Scott, a Portsmouth Democrat, was first elected to the House in 2019, well after Ware had stepped down from his 10 years in the legislature. At the time, Scott said, he was worried that his past  he served prison time for a drug conviction decades ago before turning his life around  would hurt him politically.

He recalled being told by an adviser: You need to look up the story of Onzlee Ware. You dont have anything to be ashamed of.

Ware became a legislator and then a judge after he openly talked about his days growing up in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he sold drugs in the 1970s as a college student. Although he was not convicted after becoming a police informant, Ware lost his left leg when he was shot by an angry drug dealer.

Greg Habeeb of Salem, who served with Ware in the House, recalled a conversation he had with him about wanting to wear a black robe. Habeeb said he warned Ware that some people might hold his history against him.

Thats why I want to become a judge, Ware replied, according to Habeeb. People need to hear my story.

As Ware told The Roanoke Times in 2007: 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. It does remind me Ive been blessed and I was saved for something.

Numerous speakers during Sundays celebration of Wares life recalled how his openness and honesty made him a mentor to many.

Although Ware had an accomplished record as a lawmaker  including his work to bring Amtrak service to Roanoke, restoring the civil rights of convicted felons and crafting state budgets as a member of the House Appropriations Committee  Habeeb said he was perhaps best known for his humanity.

Thats how he was able to get things done, through his humanity, Habeeb said.

Ware moved from Greensboro to Roanoke in the 1980s to take a job with the Boy Scouts of America. He then earned his law degree and began a general practice. In 2003, he was elected to the House of Delegates, where he served until 2013. The legislature then appointed him a judge in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, and elevated him to Circuit Court in 2020.

Ware left the bench last September, after a Roanoke woman accused him in a civil proceeding of trading legal advice for sex. An investigation by the state Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission found no credible evidence to support the claim. A suspension the commission had earlier ordered was lifted.

By then, though, Ware was in the hospital with a serious illness.

His last act as a judge was to sign an order from his hospital bed, dismissing charges against a defendant who had successfully completed a Drug Court recovery program, which he oversaw, Circuit Judge Charlie Dorsey said.

Dorsey told the crowd that Ware had a faith that he didnt forsake when his character and reputation was impugned  He trusted in his faith, he trusted in the process, and he trusted in the truth. And his trust was justified when he was exonerated.

Roanoke Sheriff Antonio Hash became emotional in his remarks about Ware, pausing several times to regain his composure.

As we bid you farewell in your final season, we take confidence in knowing that you have fought the good fight, you have finished the race, and you have kept the faith, Hash said. Your journey may have come to an end, but your spirit will continue to guide us in pursuit of justice and righteousness.

Photos: From the celebration of the life of Roanoke Circuit Judge Onzlee Ware
Community colleges in Southwest Virginia participated, collectively and individually, in studies to determine how having them in the that part of the state contribute to the local and regional economic landscape.

That included New River Community College. Others involved were Mountain Empire Community College, Southwest Virginia Community College, Virginia Highlands Community College and Wytheville Community College, according to a news release about the studies.

The results reveal that the schools play a vital role in the economic growth as each college in the region serves its respective communities by providing accessible, affordable education and workforce training, according to the release.

The economic impact study prepared by Lightcast, a company that researches global labor markets, shows a positive correlation between the colleges and their communities economies.

The study, according to the release, found that the colleges contributed to the economy by:

Adding $560.4 million in income to the Southwest Virginia economy, a value approximately equal to 5.4 percent of the regions total gross regional product.

Supporting 8,424 jobs.

Employing 1,501 full-time and part-time faculty and staff with a payroll totaling $61.6 million.

Spending $59.7 million (including construction) on day-to-day expenses related to facilities, supplies, and professional services.

According to the study, the activities of SWVA colleges and their students support one out of every 14 jobs in Southwest Virginia.

The findings of this recent study reaffirm the profound impact that community colleges have on our region. These institutions, both collectively and individually, serve as catalysts for economic growth and life transformation. By offering accessible and affordable education, providing essential workforce training, and facilitating job placement, community colleges play a pivotal role in strengthening our local and regional economy, said AJ Robinson, who is a Southwest Virginia representative on the Virginia Community College System Board of Directors.

The data related to each specific college was not immediately available.

The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) also recently participated in an economic activity study to analyze the economic impact of community colleges in the Virginia communities that they serve. The study revealed that Virginias community colleges had an estimated impact of $11.6 billion on the states economy during the 2021-22 academic year, according to the release.

 The Roanoke Times
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Belarusians vote in a tightly controlled election as the opposition calls for its boycott

Tightly controlled parliamentary and local elections in Belarus are set to cement the hard-line rule of the countrys authoritarian leader, despite a prominent opposition leaders call for a boycott
EU researchers have identified new ways that certain substances can interfere with people's hormone system and brain development.

Professor Joelle Ruegg is breaking new ground in a quest to learn more about how everyday chemicals can impair brain development in people, including infants, by interfering with their hormones.

An expert in environmental toxicology at Uppsala University in Sweden, Ruegg leads a research project that received EU funding to examine the impact of such substances on neurodevelopment. They're known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs, and can have the biggest effects on unborn babies and children.

Sensitive system

The endocrine system sends out hormones, which activate "pathways" that deliver important signals to different types of cells. These signals help control growth, metabolism and even moodand disruptions can have serious consequences.

Evidence over the years has pointed to a connection between EDCs and, for example, autism, hyperactivity and lower IQ, according to Ruegg. While many of the mechanisms underlying this link are still unknown, her project has started to shed some light on them.

'We were able to connect certain signalling pathways to processes that are important for brain development,' said Ruegg. 'These hormonal pathways have not been identified previously as targets of these chemicals.'

EDCs are present in items ranging from toys and plastic containers to cosmetics and pesticides. Such chemicals include dioxins, bisphenols and phthalates and can be absorbed through contact with the air or water, through the skin or from food.

'We're constantly exposed to hundreds of chemicals that have these endocrine-disrupting properties,' said Ruegg. 'They affect a systemnamely, the hormonal systemthat's sensitive to very small signals.'

Neural impacts

Called ENDpoiNTs, the project that she runs began in January 2019 and continues through June 2024. It belongs to a clusternamed EURIONof eight EU-funded research initiatives to improve the identification of endocrine disruptors.

Ruegg, originally from Switzerland, became interested in the connection between EDCs and the developing brain after doing a Ph.D. in Munich, Germany on links between stress hormones and depressive disorders.

In cellular and molecular studies, her team found six hormonal pathways not previously known to be linked to negative effects on neurodevelopment, adding to three known ones.

The team also observed differences between males and females, with some pathways affected in one sex but not the other.

Ruegg said evidence suggests that this factor may lead to variances in things like memory function.

Early action

Better knowledge about EDCs and their potential effects will also allow for more targeted regulation of certain chemicals by the EU and other authorities to prevent damage before it is done, according to Ruegg.

While the EU has among the strictest chemical laws in the world, they continue to evolve as new potential risks come to light. In 2023, for example, new European rules to identify endocrine disruptors entered into force.

'The more we understand how EDCs work, the better we can design test methods,' she said. 'It's best if you can say from the start that this chemical may affect brain development. Proactively, we want to avoid the situation where we see effects in the human population.'

On the basis of its findings, the ENDpoiNTs team has developed testing and screening tools to predict whether chemicals will have an effect on neurodevelopment.

This could make it easier to pinpoint substances that should be excluded from commercial goods.

'The idea is to help as early as possible in a production process to identify these flags,' Ruegg said.

Environmental hunt

The EU is also funding research to measure concentrations of EDCs in the environment more effectively.

That's the aim of a project that runs for three years through 2025. Called GREENER, it's developing environmentally friendly sensors to gauge EDCs in water.

While some devices can detect low levels of EDCs, the process can be time-consuming and costly because samples often need to be taken to laboratories for testing, according to Dr. Martin Mobius, a researcher in photonics at the Center for Microtechnologies at Chemnitz University of Technology in Germany.

'A lot of steps are necessary to define these concentrations,' said Mobius, who leads GREENER. 'Our idea is that we want to be able to measure concentrations directly on-site.'

The project team will develop a spectrometera device that identifies substances by measuring how much they absorb different wavelengths of light. Quantum-dot crystalstiny semiconductorswill allow measurements at short wavelengths.

The plan is to have a working model ready by the end of 2025.

Handy sensors

This kind of sensor could be useful in fisheries because EDCs can alter the physiology of fish and affect their sexual development and function. People in the industry could use the spectrometer to learn whether local fish populations are exposed to EDCs.

Similarly, the technology could be deployed in wastewater treatment to remove harmful materials.

GREENER intends to make its sensor easy to use for non-experts and compactabout the size of a bread tin.

'When you have a small device, you can, for example, install it on a pipe where you have wastewater or drinking water and see what's inside,' Mobius said.

In general, portable devices like GREENER's planned spectrometer have the potential to provide a more detailed picture of the presence and levels of EDCs in various bodies of water across a wide geographical area.

'We know some of the effects of these chemicals, but we don't know the concentrations and where they all are,' Mobius said. 'This is what we have to find out to protect the environment.'

Research in this article was funded by the EU's Horizon Programme. The views of the interviewees don't necessarily reflect those of the European Commission.

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This article was originally published in Horizon the EU Research and Innovation Magazine.

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BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Huawei hosted the 5G Beyond Growth Summit at MWC Barcelona 2024 today. At the summit, Li Peng, Huawei's Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ICT Sales & Service discussed how carriers can achieve business success in 5G and how 5.5G will further unlock the potential of networks and create new growth opportunities.

"5G is on the right path to business success," said Li. 5G began commercialization in 2019, and over the past five years, it has already gained 1.5 billion 5G users around the world. It took nine years for 4G to make this happen. Currently, 20% of global mobile subscribers are using 5G. These users generate 30% of all mobile traffic and contribute to 40% of mobile service revenue.

Li explained, "5.5G is entering commercial use in 2024, and as 5.5G, AI, and cloud converge, carriers can unlock the potential of new applications and capabilities."

He went on saying carriers around to the world should focus on high-quality networking, multi-dimensional monetization, emerging services, and generative AI to grasp these opportunities.

Li Peng, Corporate Senior Vice President; President of ICT Sales & Service, Huawei (PRNewsfoto/Huawei)

High-quality networks are still the foundation of business success

Mobile users have proven willing to purchase experience upgrades for their mobile packages if their networks are of high enough quality. The traffic generated by these users is therefore expected to significantly increase, allowing carriers to maximize the value of traffic. This has led to more and more carriers proposing strategic goals that include the construction of high-quality 5G networks.

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Some carriers in the Middle East, for example, have already deployed Massive MIMO networks, and the optimal experience delivered by these networks have made 5G FWA rollout a success. Currently, 5G FWA has connected nearly 3 million households, making it a powerful engine of revenue growth for carriers.

Multi-dimensional monetization maximizes the value of each bit

More than 20% of global 5G carriers have already adopted speed-tiered pricing models. One carrier in Thailand, for example, recently released a 5G Boost Mode add-on, which allows subscribers to select different speed tiers to best meet their usage needs. This model has helped the carrier increase its ARPU by about 23%. Another Chinese carrier has launched a guaranteed uplink package to provide livestreamers with smooth, high-definition livestreaming experiences. The package has become quite popular and helped the carrier increase its ARPU by more than 70%.

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Li Peng delivers opening remarks at the summit (PRNewsfoto/Huawei)

New emerging services enable long-term sustainable growth

New services like New Calling, cloud phones, and glasses-free 3D are getting more and more attention from consumers. For example, New Calling's value-added functions like virtual avatars are becoming quite popular. Users are also willing to pay more for services that deliver real-time experience, such as one-stop car insurance claims.

5G has been also adopted among many industries. In China, more than 50,000 private 5G network use cases have entered commercial use in over 50 industries. The new capabilities of 5.5G, including deterministic latency, precise positioning, and passive IoT, are expected to create even more opportunities for carriers in the B2B market.

Generative AI will drive the mobile industry into the era of all intelligence

According to IDC, global AI mobile phone shipments will reach 170 million in 2024. This will account for 15% of all smartphone shipments. Next-generation AI phones will have more powerful storage, display, and imaging capabilities. The AIGC applications powered by these phones will generate hundreds of billions of GB data and create new opportunities for carriers.

Li closed out his remarks at the summit by promising, "Together with carriers, we will unlock the potential of 5G and 5.5G, and drive incredible new growth."

SOURCE Huawei
(Reuters)  U.S. aluminium producer Alcoa on Monday made a $2.2 billion all-stock buyout proposal for its Australian joint venture partner Alumina, in a deal that would give it greater upstream exposure and simplify its operations.

Alumina's only asset is a 40% stake in the Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals (AWAC) joint venture, which is controlled by Alcoa and has interests in bauxite mining, alumina refining and aluminium smelting across Australia, Brazil, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Guinea.

Alcoa CEO William Oplinger told analysts the deal would eliminate Alumina's A$12 million ($7.87 million) a year of overhead costs and allow the combined company to tap tax advantages related to holding debt.

The broader global footprint will also allow Alcoa more options for growth, he added.

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Under the proposed deal, Alumina shareholders would receive 0.02854 shares of Alcoa common stock for each share held, giving them a 31% stake in the combined company. This would imply a value of A$1.15 per Alumina share, based on Alcoa's closing price as of Friday.

Alumina shares closed 7 Australian cents higher at A$1.09 on Monday. Alcoa's shares were down 2.9% in U.S. premarket trading.

Melbourne-based Alumina said its board backed the deal in the absence of a superior offer, though it also noted there was no certainty the proposal would be made binding.

Alumina's largest shareholder, investment manager Allan Gray Australia, holds just under a 20% stake in the company, which it said it had agreed to sell to Alcoa.

"To a very large degree it simplifies the corporate structure," portfolio manager Simon Mahwhinny of Allan Gray said of the deal.

An Alcoa aluminum plant in Alcoa, Tennessee. (Reuters)

Alumina was created from a 2002 de-merger of WMC Ltd's alumina assets and an Alcoa buyout has been viewed as logical by analysts for more than two decades.

AWAC also has a 55% interest in the Portland aluminum smelter in Australia with China's CITIC Resources and Japan's Marubeni.

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CITIC Resources and other subsidiaries of its parent CITIC Ltd hold a combined 19% stake in Alumina, according to CITIC Resources' 2023 interim report, making the Chinese group the second-largest shareholder. CITIC did not respond immediately for a request for comment on whether it backed the Alcoa offer.

"We believe this transaction makes strategic sense, but the economic upside to Alcoa is offset by the premium paid," Jefferies analysts in a note on Alcoa.

"We would expect shareholders of both companies to vote for this transaction, although this is not certain as AWC shareholders may be disappointed by the relatively small premium in an all-share deal."

The deal offered a 13% premium to Alumina's last closing price, below more typical takeover premiums of about 30%.

The Alcoa proposal comes at a tough time in the alumina industry due to low prices.

Alcoa said in January it planned to stop production this year at AWAC's loss-making Kwinana alumina refinery in Western Australia due to challenging market conditions and the facility's age.

(Reporting by Melanie Burton in Melbourne and Echha Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Diane Craft and Jamie Freed)
PRIMGHAR, Iowa  A Sanborn man has pleaded not guilty of robbing a Sanborn bank.

Del Evans Jr., 40, filed his written plea Sunday in O'Brien County District Court to charges of second-degree robbery and second-degree theft.

Evans is charged with the Jan. 22 robbery of Sanborn Savings Bank. Bank officials reported a man walked into the bank at 219 Main St. and handed a teller a note saying this was a robbery and demanding cash. No weapons were displayed or referenced.

The suspect left the bank on foot with an undetermined amount of cash between $1,500 and $10,000, according to court documents.

Using bank workers' descriptions of the robber, police developed a suspect and went to 201 W. Fifth St., where an Iowa State Patrol hostage negotiator announced law enforcement presence to the people inside. Evans was taken into custody without incident shortly after.
OMAHA -- A South Sioux City man has been indicted in federal court on four child pornography charges.

In an indictment filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Omaha, Clifford Halverson, 56, is charged with two counts of production of visual depiction of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and single counts of receipt or distribution of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and possession of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

According to the indictment, Halverson on July 28 and 29 employed, persuaded, enticed or coerced a person under age 18 to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of capturing a visual depiction of it.

Halverson also is charged with receiving and distributing child pornography from July 29 to Aug. 2 and possessing child pornography on Aug. 23.

If found guilty, Halverson faces minimum prison sentences of 10-35 years and possible maximums of life in prison.

According to the indictment, Halverson was convicted of rape in South Dakota in 1996 and gross sexual imposition in North Dakota, also in 1996.
By Jun Ji-hye

Foreign missions in Korea can now represent workers from their countries who file industrial injury insurance claims.

The Korea Workers Compensation and Welfare Service said Monday that a related system has been improved to grant foreign missions the right to represent migrant workers free of charge in industrial accident cases.

Previously, only direct family members of migrant workers and certified labor attorneys could represent workers in filing insurance claims.

The restriction had been making the process more expensive for workers and leaving them vulnerable to fraudulent brokering services due to language barriers, which led many of them to forgo the filing altogether.

Allowing foreign missions to represent their workers is expected to help resolve these issues.

The measure came as the massive influx of migrant workers into Korea, which began in the early 1990s due to labor shortages here, has led to an increase in the applications for industrial injury insurance.

According to Statistics Korea, the number of employed foreign nationals in Korea reached a new high of 923,000 in 2023, up 10.7 percent compared to five years ago.

The number of their applications for industrial injury compensation has also increased annually to 9,543 cases in 2023, up 25.9 percent compared to five years ago.

The government anticipates that the number of industrial injury insurance filings by migrant workers will continue to rise, given that many of them work in injury-prone workplaces such as factories.

In response to the trend, the Korea Workers Compensation and Welfare Service devised, in 2022, plans to make the insurance filing process easier for the workers, including launching helplines and offering relevant education.

This year, the service will deploy counselors to assist the workers better and offer guidance services in their native languages through mobile phones.

We will continue to expand assistance so migrant workers working in unfavorable working environments are not excluded from compensation, Park Jong-kil, president of the service, said.

Park Jong-pill, a spokesman for the Ministry of Employment and Labor, said, "The latest measure marks significant progress in protecting the human rights of migrant workers."
DAKOTA CITY -- A Tyson Foods worker faces two felony charges in connection with the stabbing of another plant worker.

Derry Tokoishy, 18, of North Sioux City, on Monday made his initial appearance in Dakota County Court, where he is charged with use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony and second-degree assault.

Judge Edward Matney set Tokoishy's bond at $300,000 and scheduled a preliminary hearing for March 20.

The Dakota County Sheriff's Office was called to the Dakota City plant, 1131 Dakota Ave., at about 7 p.m. Tuesday and was briefed by security about a stabbing.

According to court documents, the deputy reviewed video surveillance that showed Tokoishy and another man in a verbal altercation while on the production line. The two men stepped off the line, and Tokoishy grabbed a knife from a table and stabbed the victim six times in the head and neck before dropping the knife, which was recovered and turned over to authorities as evidence.

The victim was transferred to MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center. While at the hospital, the victim told authorities he got mad at Tokoishy for not doing his job on the production line and was ready to fight him when Tokoishy approached him with the knife and stabbed him.
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SIOUX CITY  The Sioux City Council, by approving a resolution Monday, moved forward plans for a seventh McDonald's restaurant.

The council unanimously green-lighted a resolution announcing the city's intent to accept a proposal from McDonald's USA, Inc. to purchase land at 3100 Floyd Boulevard in Floyd Valley Crossing.

"Staff is recommending the McDonald's proposal due to the fact that the capital investment is about twice as much as the other proposal, and they are offering a significant amount over the asking price," Business Development Coordinator Chris Myres told the council before the vote.

Honey Badger Development, a Minnesota-based developer and Domino's franchisee in Sioux City, also submitted a proposal to purchase and develop the property, which is directly south of Silverstar Car Wash.

"I'm always going to wish and hope for diverse options in our community. So I would have loved to have seen something that we maybe don't have in this community," Councilman Alex Watters said. "I think this is a significant investment with the developer. I really appreciate the aggressive nature of their proposal; and I believe in that product and its ability to have an economic impact in that area."

The restaurant would be McDonald's second northside location in the city. The fast-food chain also has a restaurant on Hamilton Boulevard. A McDonald's inside the Floyd Boulevard Walmart permanently closed amid the pandemic.

Myres said city staff believes that a McDonald's at that location will drive more traffic to Northern Valley Crossing and help sell the other two remaining lots at the commercial site.

"We had a Realtor from the Clinton area that had been investigating probably at least half a dozen different franchises that are new franchises to the area, and he just couldn't get them to commit," Myres said.

Since the property is located in an urban renewal area, the city must follow the urban renewal law and give a 30-day notice of its intent to sell land in the Combined Floyd River Urban Renewal Area. Passage of the resolution sets an April 1 hearing date and authorizes city staff to publish a required urban renewal notice on March 2.

McDonald's Floyd Boulevard rendering A rendering of a proposed McDonald's restaurant at 3100 Floyd Blvd. is shown.

McDonald's USA, LLC proposed purchasing the 1.09-acre parcel for $500,000, which is above the city's asking price of $6.50 per square foot or $310,096. The company would spend an estimated $4.9 million in capital expenditures for the project, hire an estimated 72 full- and part-time employees, and pay the required $34,389 for participation in the regional stormwater pond. The restaurant would be constructed similar to existing McDonald's locations in the city.

Honey Badger Development offered the city the property's asking price and proposed spending roughly $2.4 million to build a 6,000-square-foot shopping center, which would house a Domino's with a pickup window and two or three complementary businesses.

"He may be interested in developing on the back lot," Myres said of the Domino's franchisee.

The 29-acre Northern Valley Crossing, which is nearly built out, is also home to an ALDI grocery store, Pizza Ranch, the Shoppes at Northern Valley, Dollar Tree and Telco Triad. Aftershock Ventures plans to build a five-unit retail center on the commercial site, with the anchor tenant being a Starbucks coffee shop.
LYMAN, Ukraine  When the Russian army mounted a full-scale invasion two years ago, Ukrainian men zealously rushed to recruitment centers across the country to enlist, ready to die in defense of their nation.

Today, with Russia in control of roughly one-quarter of Ukraine and the two armies virtually deadlocked along a 620-mile front line, that spirit to enlist has faded: Many Ukrainian men are evading the draft by hiding at home or trying to bribe their way out of the battle.

Along the frigid and muddy front line, commanders say their army is too small and made up of too many exhausted and wounded soldiers. As the war enters its third year, the most urgent and politically sensitive challenge pressing on Ukraine is whether it can muster enough new soldiers to repel an enemy with far more fighters at its disposal.

Russias population is more than three times as large as Ukraines, and President Vladimir Putin has shown a willingness to force men to the front if not enough volunteer.

The lack of soldiers isnt Ukraines only predicament  it is also desperate for Western military aid, which has been harder to come by as the war drags on. But mobilizing enough soldiers is a problem only Ukraine can solve.

The parliament is considering legislation that would increase the potential pool of recruits by about 400,000, in part by lowering the enlistment age from 27 to 25. But the proposal is highly unpopular, forcing elected officials to grapple with questions that cut to the heart of nationhood: Can they convince enough citizens to sacrifice their lives? And, if not, are they willing to accept the alternative?

A Ukrainian soldier fighting near the city of Avdiivka, where soldiers retreated recently to save lives, said his unit was recently outnumbered by about 5 to 1 when dozens of Russian soldiers stormed their position, killing everyone but himself and two others.

Where did all the US aid to Ukraine go? Feb. 24 marks two years since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, and the politics surrounding the conflict have certainly changed in that ti

We were almost completely defeated, said Dima, who refused to provide his last name for security reasons.

Roughly 500 miles away, a 42-year-old man afraid of being sent to the front hides at home outside of Kyiv, distressed. I feel a sort of a guilt for being a man ... I cannot feel myself free, said Andrii, who insisted on using his first name only to speak about dodging the draft.

Tens of thousands of other eligible Ukrainian men are estimated to be evading the draft, at home or abroad.

Because there arent enough new recruits, soldiers on the front line arent getting enough rest in between rotations. Two years of grueling battles have left men fatigued and more susceptible to injury. When there are new recruits, they are too few, too poorly trained and often too old, according to interviews with two dozen Ukrainian soldiers, including six commanders.

Commanders say they dont have enough soldiers to launch offensives, and barely enough to hold positions amid intensifying Russian assaults.

Brigades of 3,000-5,000 soldiers are typically fighting with only 75% of their full strength, according to Vadym Ivchenko, a lawmaker who is part of the parliaments national security, defense and intelligence committee.

Igor Ivantsev, 31, was among a dozen men treated recently at a field hospital near the front. He has been wounded twice in the span of four months. His body aches when he carries his machine gun, but doctors deem him fit to serve. Ivantsev said that of the 17 men he enlisted with, most are dead; the rest are like him, wounded.

Ivantsevs commander, who would only provide his first name, Dmytro, said his exhausted and depleted company is working overtime to dig deeper trenches and build better locations from which to counter constant Russian artillery. We have no people, nowhere to get them from, Dmytro said.

At the start of the war, soldiers were rotated every two weeks for one week of rest, he said. But now his soldiers fight for a month, then get four days of rest.

We are not made of steel, said Ivantsev.

The legislation being discussed in parliament would enable the military to draft more men so that those already enlisted can get more rest or even be relieved of duty.

An estimated 300,000 Ukrainian soldiers are currently fighting along the front line, while others serve elsewhere, lawmakers said. Putin has said twice as many Russian troops are in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian military seeks to mobilize up to 500,000 more men, but realizing how unpopular such a move would be, lawmakers are treading carefully. Over a thousand amendments have been attached to draft legislation that even President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has yet to publicly endorse.

Under the draft legislation, any individual who fails to respond to call up notices could potentially have their bank accounts frozen and their ability to travel outside the country restricted.

Lawmakers critical of the legislation, including Ivchenko, say the military hasnt adequately explained how a surge in conscription will meaningfully change the outcome of the war. The two countries have been at a near standstill for months following a failed counteroffensive by the Ukrainians over the summer. But the Russians have recently taken the initiative.

Will this law be enough for the armed forces to change the situation on the battlefield? asked Ivchenko.

How has US wealth evolved since the 1980s? How has US wealth evolved since the 1980s? Household assets have skyrocketed since 1989 The wealthy tend to own shares in companies
SEATTLE  Photographer Matt McDonald had lived on Puget Sound for years, but had never seen a whale, so he was elated when he spotted a giant marine mammal just off Seattle's waterfront one evening.

The excitement was short-lived. As McDonald tracked the whale in his camera's viewfinder, a state ferry that dwarfed the animal came into the frame. The next morning he saw on the news that the humpback whale had died in the collision he witnessed.

I still remember the moment of when they crossed paths and my heart just sinking like, Oh my God, the ferry just ran over the whale,' he recalled of the 2019 encounter. I wish there was something I could have done.

Now, five years later, there is.

The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a pilot program to alert ships to whale sightings in Washington state's Salish Sea. The goal of the agency's cetacean desk is to keep the marine mammals safe from boat strikes and reduce noise in the highly transited inland seawaters by collecting sightings from civilians and mariners.

The program, which began official operations in December, comes at a time when visits by humpback whales and sea mammal-hunting orcas increase as their populations rebound.

Fed by the Pacific Ocean, the Salish Sea is a maze of islands and canals that make up the inland waters between Washington state and British Columbia, including Puget Sound. Two groups of orcas  one that preys on salmon and the other on sea mammals  as well as baleen whales have cruised these waters since time immemorial and are now often visible from Seattle's shoreline.

But these waters are now also home to major American and Canadian ports, and nearly 300,000 vessels crisscrossed the area in 2023, from commercial container ships to cruise ships to ferries, according to the Coast Guard. That number doesn't include private boats.

The new whale desk reduces the risk of collisions by combining sightings by mariners and civilians on whale-watching apps and data from underwater listening devices into an integrated system that will send out alerts to commercial vessels and regional ferries through a mobile app. The alerts will not go out to private or recreational boats.

We're focusing on empowering the ship operators with the situational awareness ... so theyre able to slow down preemptively, perhaps give a little bit of a wider berth to an area with a recently reported whale, said Lt. Commander Margaret Woodbridge, who is managing the whale desk.

The Salish Sea is an "incredible area that has a lot of a rich diversity of whale species here," Woodbridge added. And also a lot of economic activity on the waterways. And so were really trying to help both thrive.

People who spot whales can download one of two apps that will feed into the Coast Guards Puget Sound Vessel Traffic Service. Mariners can use radio frequencies and a phone tip line when they spot whales. Participation in the program is voluntary for ships.

The whale desk is modeled to match the Canadian Coast Guard's Marine Mammal Desk. Both American and Canadian desks are built on the backbone of the Whale Report Alert System (WRAS), a program developed by Canada-based Ocean Wise that incorporates sightings from publicly available apps and other sources, such as tracking information used by whale watching boats.

Work on the four-year pilot program began years ago as state and federal agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration grappled with how to help the endangered population of southern resident killer whales, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell said.

The southern residents, which number just 75, use echolocation to hunt salmon. But ship noise disrupts that. By slowing down, vessels reduce the noise they make.

We kept pushing NOAA. What else can we do? What else can we do? said Cantwell, a Washington state Democrat who shepherded the legislation that created the whale desk. When we realized that vessel noise might be part of the situation, people start talking. ... The Coast Guard is already like, we know where everybody is, and were just asking them now to take on a different responsibility: where everybody, including orcas, are.

Its really a bit of a watershed moment, Kevin Bartoy, who has been chief sustainability officer for Washington state ferries for about a decade, said of the alert system.

The collision between the humpback whale and the ferry was shocking for Bartoy, but it underlined the need for a widely used and available alert system. He said the ferry system had already joined WRAS but it wasn't widely used in Washington then. The day of the 2019 collision there had been only one alert of a whale in the area, he said.

Now the more integrated network has resulted in an exponential increase of sightings. Woodbridge, of the Coast Guard, said reports spiked by 585% when comparing December 2022 and December 2023 when the desk launched and now that WRAS has sightings from the apps.

The amount of sightings now that we get on any given day is incredible, Bartoy added. We can know essentially where a whale is at any time.

Photos: Humpback whales draw thousands of visitors to Colombia's Pacific coast
Theocratic authoritarianism, colonial violence, the pitiless economics of resource extraction: These subjects are present in Denis Villeneuves Dune movies, not as vague allegories gestured at between action sequences to add some thematic heft, but as the very substance of the story. With the release of Dune: Part Two, all the meticulous (some might say exhausting) attention Villeneuve paid to building out the first movies vast and complex worldan interplanetary empire governed by multiple competing families, each with centurieslong dynastic historiespays off. More than any science-fiction epic I can think of in recent years, the Dune movies, each really constituting one-half of a full story arc, belong to the tradition of speculative science fiction that Frank Herberts original 1965 novel partook of and helped to establish: They are movies as much about mass belief systems and political power struggles as they are about characters and relationships, without sacrificing the specificity of the human stories at their center. I was not even a huge fan of Dune: Part One, which struck me as more visually and sonically hypnotic than it was narratively coherent. I was also among the critics who found its truncated ending almost comically abrupt. But to his great credit, Villeneuve has followed through on the task he set for himself in Dunes moody, enigmatic, and expansive first chapter: He now returns to the world he so painstakingly established, ready to orchestrate the grand-scale conflicts that are about to tear it apart.

Part Two dispenses with expository supplements like the scenes in Part One in which our young sort-of-hero Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) watches what are essentially 3D documentaries about the geography and culture of Arrakis, the planet where his family is about to be sent to command an occupying army. Instead of reviewing that material, Villeneuve dumps us directly onto Arrakis, the occupied desert planet where, at the end of the last film, Paul and his mother, Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), found themselves newcomers among the planets native inhabitants, the underground-dwelling Fremen. Now that Pauls father and most of his home planets inhabitants have been massacred by the Harkonnens, denizens of a fascistically organized planet ruled by the repellent Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard), it falls to the still-inexperienced Paul to help lead the Fremens uprising against their colonizers. The substance over which all of these forces are fighting is the coveted mineral resource known as spice, a substance found only on Arrakis that has the capacity both to enable interstellar travel and to confer exceptional psychic powers to those exposed to it.

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Dunes plot has no shortage of moving parts, making for plenty of scenes set elsewhere than the parched landscapes of Arrakis. An interplanetary sisterhood of soothsayers called the Bene Gesserit, in which Jessica is a powerful priestess, hovers behind the scenes, influencing the decisions of various characters through advanced practices of mind control, as well as other, more subtle methods of persuasion. The emperor himself (Christopher Walken), an elderly leader who keeps himself removed from the clashes between worlds he rules over, depends on the political savvy of his daughter, the Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), herself a Bene Gesserit acolyte. And on the eerie planet of Giedi Prime, homeworld of the Harkonnens, gladiatorial games unfold as fascistic mass spectacles that recall Leni Riefenstahls Nazi propaganda films, with battles to the death fought out in impossibly vast geometric arenas while all-black firework displays explode like inkblots against a chalk-white sky.

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Villeneuve and co-writer Jon Spaihts do a good job of balancing the pacing among these competing story strands, but the heart of the movies action takes place in the sands of Arrakis, where Paul and the young Fremen rebel Chani (Zendaya), who appeared in the first film mainly as a fragmentary part of Pauls prescient dreams, become first side-by-side fighters against the invading Harkonnens, then lovers. Part of what binds these two together is their shared resistance to the prophecy, encouraged and manipulated by the Bene Gesserit, that a messiahin the eyes of the believers, Paul himselfwould liberate the Fremen from generations of oppression by their various occupiers.

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Like Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars saga, then, Paul Atreides is a callow youth summoned by ancient augury to play a key role in a vast interplanetary struggle. But unlike Luke, an orphaned outsider from a remote moisture farm, Paul is a coddled son of the aristocracy, born into unimaginable privilege and educated since early childhood to assume the reins of power. Similarly, Timothee Chalamet, at 28 still convincing as a juvenile, seems to have been born to play this ambivalent prince. Chalamets detractors have been known to point out, sometimes accurately, that he can be unpersuasive in roles that require him to tap into a characters darker depths, as with the wide-eyed younger version of future misanthrope Willy Wonka in the recent Wonka. But when Chalamet is well castas the lovestruck queer teen in Call Me by Your Name, the playful next-door neighbor in Little Women, or the reluctant prince of the house of Atreides in the Dune moviesits impossible to imagine anyone else in the part. And as Paul, the actor hardly shies away from confronting his own inner darkness; his recurring visions of himself as the leader of a crusade that will result in the agonizing death of millions are as terrifying as his slow but steady assumption of the mantle of power. There is something Shakespearean in the late scenes where Paul turns away from once-close relationships in the name of consolidating and augmenting his own political and personal power. His final duel with the notoriously ruthless Harkonnen Feyd-Rautha (a bone-chilling Austin Butler) is both thrillingly staged and persuasively high-stakes: In a culture as honor-based and violence-driven as the one weve been introduced to, its perfectly plausible that the fate of an interplanetary alliance might hang upon which civilizations symmetrical-featured scion is handiest with a knife.

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Related From Slate Is Dune a White Savior Narrative? Read More

Anyone who has seen the first Dune movie will come into the second with at least one of the same burning questions I did: When are we going to get some sandworm action? These giant invertebrates native to the planet ArrakisIm talking the length of at least a few city blockswere the subject of much directorial teasing in Dune Part One but were rarely glimpsed for more than a few seconds at a time. In Part Two we are finally treated to several full-on worm-centric set pieces, including an absurd yet exalting moment when Paul gets the chance to ride one of the colossal burrowing beasts across the desert with a technique picked up from the Fremen leader Stilgar (an excellent Javier Bardem). In these and other scenes requiring computer-generated imageryfor example, in the rendering of this worlds organic-looking spaceships or the dragonfly-like ornithopters, which transport characters on Arrakis from place to placethe images have a solidity and texture thats unusual in the context of the outer-space blockbuster genre. Combined with Hans Zimmers literally unearthly scoreits booming, jagged chords seem to emerge from the same barren vistas as the dunes, the rock cliffs, and the building-sized wormsthe geography and technology of this fictional world strike the viewer as genuinely new and strange, no easy task in an era when fictional space exploration is so common the outermost reaches of the galaxy can sometimes feel routine.

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The original Dune books have long been considered unadaptable, despite how many versions of the story have been told in the past five decades across many mediums. I havent read the books, only watched all extant movie adaptations (as well as the delirious 2014 documentary Jodorowskys Dune, about the visionary director Alejandro Jodorowskys unsuccessful yearslong quest to film the novel), but I think I understand the consensus among their fandom that whats unique about them translates imperfectly from page to screen; the same could be said of most truly great novels. Still, Villeneuves films, taken together as two halves of a single story, do effectively convey several key elements of the Duniverse: the books vast scale, the seriousness of their thinking about authoritarian politics and the danger inherent in religious mass movements, and their authors rejection of the familiar trope of the One, a solitary (nearly always white and male) hero destined by fate to act as the savior for an (often nonwhite) oppressed population.

Dune: Part Two deepens the first movies ambivalence toward messianic legend by embedding that ambivalence not only in Paul Atreides struggle to reconcile himself with his fate but in the audiences struggle to know what outcome to root for. As the movie ends, the tone is not triumphant but ominous: After the long-desired prophecy is finally fulfilled, what rough beast slouches toward Arrakis to be born? Even those who, like me, came into the theater more or less Dune-indifferent may find themselves wanting another chapter to find out.
Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here.

Dear Care and Feeding,

After we put the kids (1F and 2M) to bed the other night, my husband asked me if there was a default parent in our relationship. I asked why, and he said someone at work had brought it up at lunch because their wife had been yelling at them the night before about how she was tired of being the default parent and wanted things to change. I told my husband that yes, we do have a default parent and its me. He asked what that meant for me, and I said Id ask him a list of questions to give him an idea. I asked him if hes ever thought about needing to buy diapers, wipes, diaper cream, or any medication our kids ever need or if theres just always more of each in the spot its kept; if hes ever needed to switch the clothes in the kids dresser because theyre not the right size and season or if he can just reach in and grab something because its right; if hes ever looked through their wardrobe for a season and determined what is missing and needs to be purchased, then bought it; if he has the phone number for the desk at the doctors office instead of the answering service and knows which receptionist to ask for when you need a last-minute day-of appointment; if daycare had ever called him first even though we listed his number first; if the kids come to him when they want a pouch opened or if theyll walk past him to find and ask me; and if he has ever automatically assumed he needed to get up when one of them woke up at night or if he waited to see if I was doing it yet.

He told me he just assumed I didnt mind taking care of most of that stuff because Id never said anything and that hed take some of that on if I just told him what I didnt want to do. I thanked him for being more aware of it and told him he could take on keeping us stocked with all diaper change supplies and medicines. He asked me what size diaper each is in, which store I usually buy them from, how often I usually do it, and if there was a certain brand for each medicine because he sometimes noticed the bottles were different. I kind of laughed and told him the fact that he needs to ask all those questions is why Ive just always taken care of it. Its easier to do it myself than teach him how to do it and then also check and make sure hes continuing to do it (or maybe find out he isnt when there suddenly arent any more diapers). He got mad and said it sounds like I think all he does is make my life more difficult. I reminded him that he was the one who initiated this conversation and wanted to know the reality of being the default parent, that I have never once complained about any of this, and that I was calm the whole time we talked about it. He was the one getting upset. And that if he was upset at hearing this, he had complete control over changing it.

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Its been a few days and hes been pretty quiet, but he did come home from work yesterday with diapers and wipes in the correct size for each of our kids and said he has a reminder in his phone for every two weeks for more. Should I specifically talk to him about this more, or let him adjust to figuring out that our realities of parenting are so different?

I Kind of Thought He Knew Already

Dear Thought He Knew,

Bravo! I want to save this letter, because it is a great exampleon both your partsof how to deal with this really loaded situation. He was curious and asked for your thoughts; you gave concrete examples that he could understand and that were not about his actions; he asked how to help; you explained that burden; and he actually followed through and did the thing! Im not even disappointed that he got defensive at the end, because hes a human being, and he was in a Catch-22 when he asked how he could help, so its perfectly understandable. I have no notes, you both earned an A in partnership today!

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In terms of your question, you can open the conversation again, but only insofar as to check in. No one really likes being confronted with the notion that they arent pulling their weight in the way they thought they were, so you want to be sensitive to that. Give him some time. Maybe bring home his favorite dessert and tell him that you appreciated his curiosity and willingness to listen, as well as his follow-through. See if he wants to talk and reflect about it at all.

If either of you are interested in rebalancing more responsibilities, thats great, but I wouldnt use this first conversation to do it. Use this one just to get on the same general page, and talk about the specific tasks in a few days or a week. When you do, you can use a book like Fair Play or similar to help guide you. Good luck!

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Submit your questions to Care and Feeding here. Its anonymous! (Questions may be edited for publication.)

Dear Care and Feeding,

My husband and I are having a disagreement and need an impartial party to weigh in. When hes sick, he plants himself on the couch in the living room and spends the day there trying to nap and rest. I ask him if hes sick enough to not be able to help with child care (which he always claims to be) to please go to a different room that our kids are not located in. They are 1 and 2 and do not understand him being in the room but basically refusing to interact with them. It also makes me angry/annoyed every time I have to walk by him to deal with something kid-related that he can hear/see but is just too unwell for. He says he would feel guilty removing himself entirely.

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This happens probably once a month. Ive gotten to the point where I wont step in to stop the kids from bothering him. Two-year-old wants to climb up on the couch, straddle you, and starting bouncing up and down? Wouldnt be happening if you were in the guest bedroom on a different floor of the house! My friend weighed in on my side, but he said of course shed support me, shes my friend. So, person who knows us in no way: Whos right here?

If You Cant Help, Go Away

Dear Go Away,

You are. Listen, I appreciate the value of a good old couch nap. Im generally for it, and when Im sick, I dont always want to be cooped up in my room. But when you have asked him to leave and he wont because he says he would feel guilty, what I hear is, I know my illness is putting a logistical and emotional burden on you, but its more important to me that I get to pretend Im being present than it is to actually be helpful.

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That might be uncharitablemaybe being around the kids does legitimately bring him joy and comfort and hes lonely in the bedroom. If thats the case, then youre handling things just fine. He has made his bedliterallyand must lie in it. But I think no matter what, you can ask for a more in-depth explanation as to why he does this, because right now, hes kind of just assuming youll roll with it, and thats not cool.

Bottom line: If seeing him on the couch while you work double-time raises your blood pressure, he needs to go elsewhere. And if you dont care where he is, so long as you dont have to play referee, thats fine too. But also tell him to go see a doctor. Getting this run down on a monthly basis is not normal.

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Catch Up on Care and Feeding

 Missed earlier columns this week? Read them here.

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Dear Care and Feeding,

My husband does most of the grocery shopping for our family. Every week, he buys a couple of boxes of sugary cereal for our kids (9, 7, and 5). Ive been concerned for a while about how much sugar our kids consume. Diabetes runs in my husbands family, and while I know that eating sugar doesnt directly cause diabetes, I worry that were getting into bad habits that will increase their diabetes risk even more in the future.

My husband is not at all concerned about any of this. He basically thinks that eating sugary cereal is just part of being a kid, and our children are all at healthy weights, even a little on the slim side. Each of them is pretty stubborn and picky, so I know its going to be a huge fight to get them to eat something else. I think its important to try to cut down on our sugar intake a little bit, but Im finding it hard to stick to my guns when everyone in this house thinks Im a huge buzzkill. Is this a battle worth choosing?

Not So Sweet

Dear Sweet,

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This is one of those situations that feels like an all-or-nothing scenario, but I dont think it needs to be. You can work together to find ways to incorporate the cereal without it being the only focus of breakfast. For example, you can mix the cereal with Greek yogurt, or serve it with a side of turkey sausage and fruit, etc. Or pick a few days a week where you make alternative breakfast for the whole family, like breakfast muffins Monday, or granola and smoothies on the weekends. If you go down the nutritionist rabbit hole on social media, youll find a lot of professionals who advise that eating some indulgent food is fine if it helps you also eat the good stuff. (Think ranch dressing on carrot sticks.) Theres also a lot of evidence that limiting whole categories of food, and labeling foods as good or bad, can lead to disordered eating in the future. So, however you want to do it, figure out a way you can both be comfortable with balancing nutrition and fun in your household.

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If youre really committed to diversifying your cereals but are concerned about the picky eaters, you can host a taste-test party (with no boring earth-tone boxes visible) where everyone gets to try several new varieties in a fun way. Just be aware that some of the healthy-seeming cereals have as much or more sugar than their chocolatey counterparts, so shop smart.

Dear Care and Feeding,

My father-in-law insists on cooking for almost every holiday gathering. Hes very generous. But theres one problem: He consistently undercooks food and makes it inedible and dangerous to consume. Ive been served raw hamburger and pink chicken and hes in shock when I dont eat it or take it away from my young daughter, insisting that its done! My partner thinks Im overreacting, but the food is visibly uncooked. Last night I finally vomited and had diarrhea from the raw burger but havent told my family yet. How can I tell him kindly and gently that he needs to cook food safely so we can eat it without offending him?

Tummy Troubles

Dear Tummy Troubles,

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Yikes, you dont want to mess around with raw food. This is a hard one to definitively advise on because its so specific to individual personalities and relationship dynamics. I tend to think stuff like this is best coming from the child of the parents in questionso, in this case, your partner. You literally got sick, so this is no longer something that they can roll their eyes and blow off. They should be able to have a heart-to-heart with their dad, awkward though it might be.

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How exactly to approach it can vary, but I think that any opportunity to point to a third partyrather than telling your FIL that he does a poor job cookinghelps. You or your partner can tell him about a neighbors daughter who got super sick from undercooked meat, or describe a serious directive about food safety that you received from your pediatrician, etc. Fiction? Maybe, but for an important reason. I also think you can consider swallowing your pride and just saying something self-deprecating like, I know, I probably sound paranoid, but I am just really a stickler for food temperature, I appreciate you understanding. You could even buy a fancy meat thermometer that you keep at your FILs place and use as food is being plated. Anything for you or your daughter that pings a number you dont like goes in the microwave. Is this annoying? Yes. Should you have to throw yourself under the bus for something like this? No. But sometimes the ends justify the means.

Allison

More Advice From Slate

Im a 35-year-old single woman and last year I began have a panicked feeling that my time was running out to meet someone and have kids. I have been seeing a counselor since last September about it, and she has helped me sort through my feelings and look at my options. I have come to understand that the thing thats most important to me is to have a child, and that marriage is not in fact what really interests me. She helped me look at becoming a solo mom by choice as a real possibility.
The sun was out and the water was smooth on July 5, 2018, the day Mark Olsons back got sliced open by a surfboard fin. Earlier that morning, Olson had chatted with a buddy about the surf conditions at Miramar Beach in Montecito, an exclusive enclave on Californias central coast. When Olson got to the beach and paddled out into the water, he saw waves with a clean, fun shape, he later recalled. Classic Miramar.

Olson set up among the other surfers and watched the waves rolling in. Surfing is a waiting game, and a typical session involves a lot of floating and staring. Soon there came a rideable wave, about three feet tall, and Olson and a few other surfers started paddling for position. Olson and one other guy made the wave and popped to their feet; it was go time. To outsiders, surfers might seem like a devil-may-care bunch, but they follow complex rules when determining who has right of way on a wave, and those who dont wait their turn usually hear about it, loudly, out in the water. The other surfer was behind Olson on the wave, meaning that guy had priority, but Olson believed they were a safe distance from each other. He couldnt say the same thing about the third surfer, Patrick Saville, who entered the wave next, right in front of Olson.

Surfers call this dropping in or shoulder hopping. If someone is already riding a wave and you try to catch that same wave in front of them, youre the baddie. Many nonsurfers are familiar with the general idea from the original Point Break movie, when Keanu Reeves character, Johnny Utah, clambers onto this dorky pink surfboard and gets right in the way of another rider. Its easy to sympathize with Utah after the other surfer punches him in the face and cuts his leash, the cord that keeps him connected to his surfboard. Its even easier to sympathize with our brown-eyed hero after the other surfer and his buddies try to rough up Utah on the beach.

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Those guys are assholes and their response to Utah is completely outsized. But the thing is, Utah couldve seriously hurt that other surfer with his board. When it comes to surf etiquette, Utah was in the wrong. He doesnt deserve to get punched, but hes still an inexperienced surfer, the type of newbie longtime surfers might call a kook. Which brings us back to Mark Olson and Patrick Saville on July 5, 2018.

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Saville dropped in on Olson, and Olson veered back toward the whitewater, the crashing part of the wave, to avoid bumping into Saville. Olson grabbed hold of his board, held his breath and went under. Before he came back up, he felt something ram into his back. I immediately stood up in pain, he later recalled. I put my hand in through my wetsuit that was sliced open and inside the flesh of my torso that had been cut wide open.

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Olson was standing in waist-high water, screaming in anguish. He turned toward the beach and saw a greenish-yellow longboard in the whitewater, and thats when he realized Saville had been out there without a leash. Saville helped Olson toward the shore, and they were soon joined by Olsons buddy, fellow Montecito surfer Dorian Avery. While they waited for the paramedics, Avery got a good look at Olsons back. It was a very deep, long, open wound that looked like he had been cut open by a filet knife, Avery later recalled. It made me nauseous and feel like throwing up. The cut was through his wetsuit. It looked like his guts were hanging out.

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Two years later, Olson sued Saville for personal injury and damages. Olson lost the first round when the judge declared that the inherent risks of the sport of surfing include surfers dropping in on other surfers, not wearing leashes while riding longboards of the type used by respondent, and using surfboards that have sharp fins. Olson lost the second round last month when an appellate court upheld the original decision, affirming that surfing is inherently risky and being a kook is not enough to make you liable for others injuries.

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Olson and his lawyer declined to speak to Slate for this story; Saville could not be reached and his lawyers did not respond to multiple requests for comment. But both surfers provided plenty of details from that day in the court documents, which also include insights from former pros about surf etiquette and show just how risky collisions in the water can be.

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Sharks might get all the media attention when it comes to surf injuries, and the girl in Blue Crush might have gotten wrecked by a reef, but the biggest risk to wave-riders is all the boards banging around during wipeouts. Ive experienced this danger myself. A few years ago I fell off my surfboard and somehow jammed my foot down on a fin; I wound up needing stitches and had to walk on crutches for weeks. Many of my surfing friends have similar stories of getting sliced by their fins or bludgeoned by their boards.

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It can get especially dangerous when multiple surfers are hustling for the same waves, and the informal rules for right of way are there to help keep them from slamming into each other. The sports popularity boomed during the pandemic lockdowns, bringing more and more kooks into the water. Which means the appellate courts decision might have the unintended consequence of eroding surf etiquette at a time when its needed most.

So what is surf etiquette exactly? Olsons legal team brought in former pro Shaun Tomson, who laid out a version of the rules similar those posted on signs at popular surf breaks. In short, those rules are: 1) dont drop in on surfers already riding a wave, and 2) dont lose control of your board. This etiquette is not obvious to new surfers, and they often learn the rules from others in the water, usually not in sotto voce. Theres a lot of ambient noise out in the waves, and many surfers are hard of hearing anyway, so yelling is just part of the dealkind of like when car drivers honk their horns in traffic. Sometimes in the past (and even the present), the yelling has turned racist and/or sexist, and the shouts are especially nasty if surfers who live near a surf spot feel like outsiders are getting in their way, a phenomenon known as localism. None of that is cool. But beyond jerks abusing the system, the shouts are a fairly efficient means of self-governance.

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When outlining surf etiquette for Olsons legal team, Tomson included the rule: Wear a surf leash to control your surfboard in the event you lose control of it. You generally wont see that one posted on signs at California beaches, and thats because its debatable. Some longboarders like to ride leashless so they can more easily walk around on their boards, working their way up to the front and hanging 10 toes over the edge. Savilles lawyers brought in their own former pro, Ian Cairns, who said, Many longboard surfers particularly enjoy the challenge and freedom of surfing without a leash, because the leash can interfere with a surfers longboard style, such as footwork and speed. Cairns agreed there are rules when it comes to right of way, but he said the etiquette is fluid depending on a variety of factors. The defendant took it even further: I would say surfing etiquette is as infinite and as moveable as the quantity of waves that Mother Nature dishes out.

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Among the surfers I interviewed for this story (including my own surfing buddies), the consensus is that this should not have been a case at all. Olson was in his 50s and Saville in his 60s at the time of the accident, and they both had decades of surfing experience. When Saville dropped in on Olson, he was acting like a kook, no doubt, but it happens all the time. Montecito is a bougie townhome to Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Prince Harry and Meghan Markleso its difficult for us surfing plebes to see this case as anything but gratuitous litigiousness. But now that theres been a ruling, it might encourage some surfers to abandon the etiquette altogether.

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The ruling may have the unintended consequence of emboldening the practice of kooks who shoulder-hop and burn other generally more experienced surfers who have the right of way on a wave, writes Los Angeles attorney Vic Otten in an email to Slate. People who follow the rules of the sport may be denied access to the courts when they are injured by someone who can only catch a wave by dropping in on a surfer who has the right of wayor, as in the case of localism, a person who feels that outsiders should not surf at a local spot.

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A former surfboard shaper, Otten has been practicing environmental law for more than 30 years. Along with attorney Kurt Franklin, he recently won a landmark case against the city of Palos Verdes Estates, arguing that local surfers decadeslong practice of harassing outsiders at Lunada Bay was a violation of the California Coastal Act, a law that encourages public access to beaches. Trying to keep all the waves for themselves, surfers who lived near Lunada Bay had been making threats, blocking trails, vandalizing vehicles, and throwing rocks and punches. Out in the water, they intimidated nonlocals by dropping in on every wave they could.

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Some aggressive surfers, such as Malibu legend Miki Dora, have been known to kick their boards at other people in the water, a move that is outright sociopathic. The ruling in Olson v. Saville does not give surfers the right to harm each other intentionally; the judge made sure to note that surfers could be held liable if they engaged in conduct that is so reckless as to be totally outside the range of the ordinary activity involved in the sport. That would include aiming a surfboard straight for someone elses body.

As for regular kooks, theyre going to drop in because thats what kooks do. The ocean is unpredictable, and there are often many surfers going for the same wave. Its sloppy and crowded out there, and most of us get in the way sometimes. Well just keep yelling at each other when it happens and try not to get hurt.
Raped on a dinner date by a man she met on a dating app, Alicia Franklin, a Black woman, immediately went to the Memphis Police Department, desperate for her perpetrator to be brought to justice. Despite collecting evidence that would have allowed officers to quickly find Franklins rapist, law enforcement officials let her rape kit sit on the shelf for months. It took nearly a year before DNA testing came back with a positive match.

The same day that a forensics team completed DNA testing on Franklins rape kit, police found the body of Eliza Fletcher, a white woman who went missing while on a jog near the University of Memphis. In contrast to Franklins almost yearlong wait, police processed evidence found on Fletchers body within hours of her discovery. The results showed that the same man who raped Franklin had now raped and murdered Fletcher, 11 months after Franklin initially reported her rape to the police.

The tragic story of Alicia Franklin and Eliza Fletcher is not an isolated one. While a local judge dismissed Alicias lawsuit against the city, thousands of rape victims in Memphis last year joined together in a class action, alleging that the city is at fault for not processing 12,000 rape kits between 1985 and 2014. One of these women is Debby Dalhoff, whose rape case hasnt been solved since she reported it to the Memphis Police Department in 1985. They let perpetrators run free that couldve been in jail, she told a local journalist. Theyve destroyed so many women.

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Last year, after four Memphis police officers brutally beat and murdered Tyre Nicholsan unarmed Black manthe Justice Department opened a pattern-and-practice investigation into the Memphis Police Department. Authorized by federal statute, these investigations take place when there is reasonable cause to believe that a government agency consistently commits civil rights violations. In justifying the investigation, the DOJ pointed to the MPDs excessive use of force, aggressive escalation of traffic stops, and unnecessary deployment of specialized units.

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Nowhere in this announcement, however, is any mention of the Memphis Police Departments profound failure to investigate gender-based violence. This is not altogether surprising: The DOJs own explainer on pattern-and-practice investigations does not mention gender-based crime when detailing which issues may be considered during these investigations.

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This does not mean, of course, that the Department of Justice turns a blind eye to how law enforcement agencies treat cases involving gender-based violence. After all, its August 2016 report on the Baltimore Police Department, March 2023 report on the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department, and open investigation into the NYPDs Special Victims Unit reflect the DOJs growing willingness to confront police departments that fail to adequately protect women.

Nonetheless, the lack of explicit language regarding sexual assault in its public-facing guidelines, in addition to the dozens of pattern-and-practice investigations that make no mention at all of gender-based crime, suggests that DOJ officials frequently overlook their ability to hold law enforcement officers accountable on this issue.

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This is especially egregious when one considers how well established it is that law enforcement agencies consistently fail to handle gender-based crime. In Austin, a DNA testing center was closed for months, leading rape kits to go unprocessed. In Chicago, between 80 percent and 90 percent of sexual assault reports made to the citys police department in the previous decade did not result in an arrest. Out of the more than 1,000 sexual assault cases reviewed by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, police conducted a background check on the suspect only 10 percent of the time. Lawsuits filed against police departments in San Francisco and Greenwich, Connecticut, furthermore, have criticized law enforcement agencies for failing to conduct victim interviews, pursue leads, and retrieve important evidence.

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The failure of law enforcement officers in this regard facilitates more gender-based violence. Because many police officers treat sexual assault crimes as low priority compared to other crimes, rapists get away more often than perpetrators of any other violent crime. In addition, more than two-thirds of police officers questioned in a 2018 report admitted they had no training on how to read rape kit results, and a CNN investigation revealed that law enforcement agencies disposed of evidence in 400 sexual assault cases before the statute of limitations had run out. In those cases where evidence is properly gathered, detectives sometimes view rape survivors skeptically based on their emotional response during questioning, leading prosecutors to drop otherwise winnable cases. When DNA is untested or cases are dropped, rapists go on to commit more rapes.

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The failure of law enforcement agencies to resolve sexual assault cases, which increases the reluctance of victims to report what happened to them, occurs on a systemic scale. When law enforcement officers do not investigate and prosecute these crimes, not only is justice not served, but victims constitutional rights to due process and equal protection are infringed.

For this reason, the Department of Justice should mandate that pattern-and-practice investigations include an analysis of how police departments respond to gender-based violence. While these investigations are not perfect, they do make an impact. A study of 23 police departments that agreed to consent decrees found that the average number of civil rights suits filed per year against the law enforcement agency in question dropped between 23 and 36 percent after the federal investigation.

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Moreover, oversight has proven to be an important tool in compelling police departments to change their practices. After investigative journalism revealed untested rape kits in Phoenix, the Phoenix Police Department applied for federal grants that facilitated the processing of these cases. In Pennsylvania, the Womens Law Project conducts a yearly case review of uninvestigated sexual assault claims, helping to limit the states rape kit backlog. The Baltimore Police Department, for its own part, responded to the DOJs 2016 report by processing rape kits at a higher rate and by increasing consistency in its data documentation procedures. And within three years of a settlement with sexual assault victims, the Austin Police Department announced it had eliminated its rape kit backlog.

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Victims of gender-based crime deserve to have their stories heard, their cases investigated, and their offenders prosecuted. History shows that when law enforcement agencies mistakes are publicized and their policies are overseen by external actors, they do a much better job at dealing with gender-based violence. Along these lines, the Department of Justice must, in all its pattern-and-practice investigations, assess how law enforcement agencies treat gender-based crime. As a first step toward this, the Department of Justice should call out the Memphis Police Department for its profound failure to investigate cases of sexual assault. Doing so will increase womens trust in law enforcement, stop the brazen behavior of perpetrators who too often escape punishment, and move us closer to a world where women like Alicia Franklin and Eliza Fletcher are safer from violence.
As more and more legal bills come due for the former president, you may be wondering: What do campaign finance rules have to say about which money trees Donald Trump is allowed to shake in order to pay what he owes? On this weeks Amicus podcast, Dahlia Lithwick turned to election-law whisperer University of California, Los Angeles, law professor Rick Hasen for answers. This excerpt of their conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

To listen to the full episode of Amicus, join Slate Plus.

Dahlia Lithwick: There are a lot of campaign finance questions that are swirling in the news that seem kind of Hasen-worthy. Part of that is, can Lara Trump drain the RNC coffers to pay off her father-in-laws massive judgments after a pair of big losses in Manhattan? Theres the Stormy Daniels lawsuit, which is, at heart, a campaign finance case. I wonder if you just have some thoughts about where we are in this moment. Were talking about all these things as unrelated, but in some sense its all related to if campaign finance laws worked as intended, this stuff wouldnt be so thorny and intractable and awful.

Rick Hasen: It should be a no-brainer that a political party cannot pay the restitution that is owed by a person for committing business fraud. The whole point of disgorging profits is that youre taking the ill-gotten gains away from the wrongdoer.

Remember the E. Jean Carroll case? It was, I think, over $60 million in punitive damages? The whole point of punitive damages is to punish the wrongdoer. Well, if someone else is paying, youre not punishing the wrongdoer. I dont think theyre actually gonna try to pay these things out of the RNCs coffers or even out of the PAC.

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I think theyre gonna keep paying the legal expenses out [of the PAC]. Now, legal expenses, you know, what could they be? $3 million, $4 million? Its $50 million in legal fees.

Alina Habba. Shes not cheap.

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Well, Trump is doing for the defense bar what he did for the Washington Post while he was president.

The money is just rolling in because of the outrageous conduct, but there you go. We dont have real-time campaign finance enforcement. I think thats the important point. If this turns out to be a campaign finance violation, when will we find that out? Two or three years at the Federal Election Commission where theyre completely deadlocked on party lines or a criminal case brought by the Department of Justicewhen, in three years? Merrick Garland doesnt seem to move all that quickly when it comes to Trump. Thats part of the reason were in the situation we are right now with this race against the clock.

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So even if there are campaign finance violations, even if they try and do some outrageous things, its not like someone can run into court, get an injunction, and say, Stop allowing Trump to pay the money. Thats just not how it works in that area. The Stormy Daniels payments was, what, 2016 and thats whats now going on trial potentially at the end of March.

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Right. Thats the template for how utterly unenforceable this is in real time. Only now are you going to get to hear hours of Michael Cohen saying, Oh yeah, no, we broke all the laws. Quite a lag time.

The federal government never brought that suit, remember? This is being brought in state court and Im quite skeptical. I wrote a piece in Slate years ago saying the federal government should bring this case, and then they didnt. And I said the state government shouldnt bring this case. And of course they did. So, you know, whos listening to me?

Related From Slate The Genius of E. Jean Carrolls Strategy Read More

But the problem with the state case is that to turn a misdemeanor into a felony here, youve gotta show some underlying crime. And if the underlying crime is violating federal campaign finance law, its not clear under New York law that you could do that kind of bootstrapping.

Im not a fan of that case. Big fan of the election subversion case in D.C., but not of this one.

Huge fan of the Mar-a-Lago case, which our great-grandchildren will enjoy covering very much.
By Lee Hae-rin

Universities in Korea are struggling to fill their classes as the number of first-year students matriculating to colleges this spring falls short of their intended class sizes amid the country's falling birthrate.

Jongno Hagwon, one of Korea's largest college preparation institutes, said in its analysis of Korean Council for University Education data that 169 schools in the country failed to fill their admission quotas by the registration deadline this year, falling short by 13,148 student enrollments in total.

Universities outside Seoul accounted for 88.2 percent of the total enrollment shortage, failing to fill 11,595 places.

Some of these universities failed to reach 50 percent of their enrollment goals, with one university only managing to fill 21.6 percent of its incoming class, the analysis showed.

The trend affected the so-called in-Seoul universities, referring to more prestigious schools in the capital that many students wish to attend for better employment opportunities and social recognition.

Among these schools, 31 failed to recruit a total of 618 first-year students this year, which accounts for 4.7 of the total enrollment shortfall.

Seokyeong University saw the most significant shortage, needing 111 students to meet its enrollment goal, followed by Sejong University with 53, Hansung University with 34, Hongik University with 31, Kookmin University with 29, Chung-Ang University with 19, Hankuk University of Foreign Languages with 18 and Hanyang University with 17 students.

Gyeonggi Province and Incheon also had 35 universities needing to recruit 935 more students, accounting for 7.1 percent of the total shortage.

Jeju Island was found to need the biggest number of additional students. Two of the island's universities are seeking an average of 226.5 additional students.

Meanwhile, Kangwon Tourism College, the only college in the eastern city of Taebaek, Gangwon Province, will close down at the end of this month due to a lack of students.

It is the second community college in the country to shut down after Daegu Future College, which closed six years ago for the same reason, and the 20th institution of higher education to close since 2000.

The school decided to close its doors 30 years after its founding, which the Ministry of Education approved earlier this month.

According to the Korean Educational Development Institute, the number of elementary, middle and high school students in the country will drop from this year's 5.2 million to 4.25 million in 2029 due to a plummeting birthrate.

Korea's birthrate hit a record low at 0.78 last year, and Statistics Korea estimates the figure will fall even further to 0.65 next year.
A preview of this story was featured in the Surge, Slates weekly newsletter about all the most important political nonsense. Subscribe now!

To the fellas in the Republican Party: Are we having fun yet with post-Dobbs reproductive rights policy? As was not unexpected after Dobbs, a state Supreme Court (Alabamas in this case) has determined that frozen embryos have personhood rights, prompting the states largest hospital to halt IVF treatments for fear of legal repercussions. This is a fully insane situation. The vast majority of everyone supports access to IVF as practiced.

Butbut but but!this is the sort of outcome you will get when you enshrine into law that personhood begins at the moment of fertilization, and thats a litmus test for many Republican candidates. And so, over the past week, weve seen them tripping all over their own faces trying to discuss the decision. Heres Nikki Haley last week in her cleanup effort, fumbling, blind, for oxygen: I didnt say that I agreed with the Alabama ruling. What the question that I was asked is, Do I believe an embryo is a baby? I do think that if you look in the definition, an embryo is considered an unborn baby. In the course of a single conversation, meanwhile, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville said he was all for the ruling, then said the pause on IVF treatments in Alabama was really hard and that we need more kids. Then he diverted to Id have to look at the entire bill, how its written (what bill?) and finally landed on: This is a state issue. Yeah, no kidding!

Other politicians who had a hard time responding to this news included Sen. Tim Scott, who dodged the issue with a simple Well, I havent studied the issue, despite the fact that he, like Tuberville, co-sponsored Rand Pauls 2021 personhood bill, which would have likely banned IVF.

Republicans in the House also had a hard time responding to the matter thanks to their own Life at Conception Act, which has 124 co-sponsors and no carve-out for IVF. House Rep. Nancy Mace, one of the co-sponsors, pinned a tweet declaring that she would stop any and all efforts to ban IVF. (The tweet comes with a contextual note from readers that clarifies that she  is a co-sponsor of an act with no carve-out for IVF.) The Democratic opposition research machine is fully whirring as campaign season rolls around. When Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers stated that he opposes any and all efforts to restrict access to IVFperiod, his rival, Elissa Slotkin, pointed to four bills he co-sponsored that threatened IVF.

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Some Republicans tried to go the more personal route. Reps. Michelle Steel and David Schweikert, both co-sponsors of the Life at Conception Actwhich is still in committee and has not had a hearingspoke of IVF helping their own families. IVF allowed me, as it has so many others, to start my family, Steel tweeted on Thursday. My wife and I struggled for years to have children, Schweikert wrote Friday. Both faced accusations of caring about reproductive freedom only as it affected them.

Related From Slate Alabamas Assault on IVF Is Even Worse Than It Sounds Read More

Other Republicans attempted to frame IVF as a pro-life issue, sometimes awkwardly. Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, speaking on Meet the Press on Sunday, tried to imitate Donald Trump, who wrote on social media, We want to make it easier for mothers and fathers to have babies, not harder! But what he actually managed to say was that IVF is important to couples because it helps them breed great families. Who doesnt want to breed a great family? Our country needs that, he added.

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The Republican party knows this is badto the point where the Senate Republicans campaign group sent a memo to its candidates on Friday instructing them to align with the publics overwhelming support for I.V.F. and fertility treatments. As the memo noted, 85 percent of all respondents in the groups polling support increased access to fertility treatments, and even 83 percent of evangelical Christians support IVF. Candidates were instructed in the memo to support IVF without equivocation and to reject any efforts to restrict access. Its no wonder that Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, went out of their way in their messaging to avoid being tagged the anti-IVF party. It would be a political death knell.

But Republicans saying that they absolutely adore IVF wont get Democrats off their case just yet. Those who say they supportwant to expand, even!access to IVF procedures as well as broadly worded legislation determining that life begins at conception are in a contradictory position. All eyes will be on the Alabama Legislature, which has promised to take action to ensure the legality of IVF procedures, to see what sort of exception it carves out. Until the Republican Party can determine that path forward, their tongues will remain tied.
This is a lightly adapted version of a piece first published on Jill Filipovics Substacksubscribe to that here.

Earlier this month, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos kept frozen at a fertility clinic are actually extrauterine children and therefore considered people under Alabama law. In response, Alabama fertility clinics are predictably pausing some of their operations, recognizing that fertility medicine as its widely practiced may now be extremely legally risky and potentially even criminal in this new pro-life legal landscape.

Anti-abortion groups unsurprisingly see this as a win and plan to push for more. Denise Burke, senior counsel with the Alliance Defending Freedom, an anti-abortion group that has been a key architect of abortion bans nationwide, told the New York Times that the decision was a tremendous victory for life. Kristan Hawkins, the president of Students for Life, told the Times, I cant name one pro-life group that I know of that would say that they are OK with the I.V.F. procedure.

And its these same anti-abortion groups hoping to end IVF and deem any fertilized egg a person who have the ear of Donald Trump, and are helping to create his second-term strategy.

Trump learned some important lessons from his first term. Chief among them: Dont cater to or staff your team with moderates or reasonable Republicans. Find people with the ability and inclination to carry out your desires, no matter who objects or what it costs the nation.

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The people who have stepped up to the plate are Christian nationalists and newly emboldened anti-abortion groupsalthough anti-abortion doesnt even cover it, given that these same groups are working to scale back access to reproductive health care including contraception and fertility treatments. And none of this is a secret; theyve literally published a playbook on their strategy.

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Leading the effort to force through far-right legislation, democracy be damned, is the Heritage Foundation. Its also working with a series of other groups, including just about every major anti-abortion organization, to radically reshape the government and the country. The next president, these groups write in their Mandate for Leadership, must enshrine conservative values and crush liberal ones, starting by deleting the terms sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), gender, gender equality, gender equity, gender awareness, gender-sensitive, abortion, reproductive health, reproductive rights, and any other term used to deprive Americans of their First Amendment rights out of every federal rule, agency regulation, contract, grant, regulation, and piece of legislation that exists.

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And thats just the start. Some of the most extreme anti-abortion groups, including those that oppose IVF and many forms of contraception, have the ear of the man they hope will be president, despite his stated claim that hed only restrict abortion after 16 weeks. The conversations were having with the presidential candidates and their campaigns have been very clear: We expect them to act swiftly, Hawkins told Politico. Due to not having 60 votes in the Senate and not having a firm pro-life majority in the House, I think administrative action is where were going to see the most action after 2024 if President Trump or another pro-life president is elected.

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Hawkins group and some of the countrys other most extreme anti-abortion groups are already working with Trump to map out how his administration might swiftly and thoroughly strip abortion access from all Americans. These groups are clear that on Day One of a Trump presidency, they expect their man in the White House to end the Biden administrations directive that medical workers have to save pregnant womens lives, even if doing so requires offering those women abortions. A Trump Environmental Protection Agency will be told to reclassify abortion pills as forever chemicals, which will subject them to even tighter regulation. A proposal from one anti-abortion group would mandate that any doctor who prescribes the pills will be tasked with retrieving and disposing of the embryo or fetus post-abortionan absolutely insane, disgusting, outrageous rule that is wholly impossible to carry out in practice. Some of the groups with Trumps ear just want him to ban the pills entirely, rolling back FDA approval of one of the safest prescription medications on the market. I dont see any universe in which Trump would not sign a national abortion ban if one were delivered to him.

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Contraception is on the chopping block, too. The first Trump administration cut off Title X funding, the federal dollars for low-income family planning services, to any clinic that so much as told women they had the legal option to end their pregnancies. That will no doubt be repeated if we get Trump II. But the administration may go farther. Anti-abortion groups, including two of the countrys (and a future Trump administrations) most influentialthe Alliance Defending Freedom and Students for Lifehave long been laying the groundwork for the argument that the most effective contraceptive methods are actually abortifacients and that conscience rules should allow any person the right to refuse providing contraception services. That would include doctors and pharmacists but also employers who provide health insurance plans, an argument that was already affirmed by the Supreme Court in Hobby Lobby. As law professor Mary Ziegler lays out, a core argument in the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe was an originalist one that abortion rights do not have a long history of recognition and protection in the United States. Well, the same is true of contraception. And the Supreme Court case that enshrined the right to contraception into law was based on essentially the same legal reasoning as Roe. Which is why I have a really, really difficult time seeing how this conservative Supreme Court could or would uphold the contraception cases after demolishing the entire premise behind them.

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Related From Slate Bidens Entire Candidacy Depends on the One Issue He Still Refuses to Talk About Read More

Ending the right to contraception would, of course, require a case to go to the Supreme Court. Pro-life groups, most of which either oppose contraception or are mum on the issue, realize that their anti-contraception positions are wildly unpopular in a nation in which the vast majority of women use contraception at some point in their lives, and where contraception has led to far fewer maternal and infant deaths, happier marriages, longer-living adults, and freer women and men (most men, like most women, do not wish for a world in which there is a much higher probability that any sex act may trap them into parenthood). So I would not expect todays anti-abortion movement to prioritize overturning the Constitution protections for contraceptionbut thats mostly because they still have many, many more abortion bans to pass.

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Still, I do expect them to press Trump to use any authority he has (and authorities he doesnt have) to make contraception much harder to get. And eventuallyperhaps sooner rather than later, because this is not a movement known for its timiditythey will come for the constitutional protections of contraception access. Some of the most influential leaders of these groups, who are now among the chief architects of Trumps second-term agenda, have been clear that they see ending or radically scaling back contraception access as crucial for their Christian nationalist agenda. Russell Vought was Trumps director of the Office of Management and Budget and remains a top pick for his future chief of staff; hes also the man drafting many of Trumps post-2024 plans. And hes close with former Trump administration official William Wolfe, who shared his suggestions for how to restore the American family on Twitter, writing out a neat list:

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-End no-fault divorce -End abortion -Reduce access to contraceptives -Require men to provide for their children as soon as its determined the child is theirs -End sex education in public schools -End surrogacy -Overturn Obergefell

Obergefell is the Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage. And some of these same conservative groups, including the Alliance Defending Freedom, are coming for it.

In other words, those leading Trumps second-term plans want the U.S. to be a Christian theocracy, governed by biblical principlesthat is, biblical principles as these far-right groups interpret them, which also includes putting migrants into internment camps and brutalizing innocents at the U.S. border.

The fundamental goal here is what these right-wing groups call restoring the American family. By that they mean enshrining an extreme brand of American patriarchy that has never actually fully existed here. They want to cut off aid to single mothers in an effort to pressure them into marriage. They want to restore a mans right to be the financial and political head of his household, with his wife and children legally subservient. They want to remove womens abilities to control our reproduction and determine the number and spacing of our children, because they know that without that ability, we simply cannot be as free as mencannot pursue education to the same degree, cannot pursue anything in life we might want, will simply be tethered to more-powerful men and see our lives and our futures curtailed. This is also why these same right-wing actors oppose things like no-fault divorce, which enables women and men alike to end unhappy or abusive marriages.

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Also on the list: surrogacy, which is certainly ethically and morally complex and worthy of discussion and policy debate, but in the direction of how do we best protect the worlds vulnerable and not how can right-wing psychos best oppress women. IVF, too, is on the chopping block, because its awfully hard to give a fertilized egg a full set of rights and also allow those eggs to continue being created in labs, frozen, and sometimes destroyed.

I dont know that I even need to mention gender-affirming care, do I? Because obviously thats under attack from the right, and not just for kidsthese right-wing maniacs simply want to diagnose any trans person as mentally ill, and they seek correction rather than the basic freedom for adults to decide for themselves how to live. LGBTQ+ rights that are widely popular and that many thought were settled, including basic nondiscrimination rules and the right to same-sex marriage, are also in the rights crosshairs. And conservative Supreme Court justices are signaling, loud and clear, that they may be open to overturning the case that secured same-sex marriage rights for all Americans. And they may be willing to go even further, putting anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination outside of the bounds of standard anti-discrimination law, including laws that ban gender discrimination.

Does Trump actually care about abortion, contraception, LGBTQ+ rights, or any of this stuff? No, not really. But he does care about securing and maintaining power. And the only people left who are willing to help him do thatand who understand the basic mechanisms of American democracy well enough to break themare these religious right extremists who are willing to assist Trump in exchange for getting some of what they want. And what they want, more than anything, is the establishment of a firm gender hierarchy with men at the top.
Where and how do you spend advertising and marketing money? Which advertising and marketing channels should you use? These become two of the most important questions a business owner has to wrestle with year after year. And today, you find so many channels available to you and so many expert voices clamoring for your attention. Dont get swept away by a current of media buzz. Avoid making unprofitable decisions.

Choosing the Right Advertising and Marketing Channels for Your Business

Choosing the right advertising and marketing channels is essential for effectively reaching and engaging your target audience while maximizing the return on your investment.

The decision should be based on a thorough understanding of your business goals, audience preferences, and the unique advantages each channel offers. Heres a brief overview of the key considerations and strategies for selecting the most suitable channels:

Know Your Audience : Identify where your target audience spends their time, whether thats online on social media platforms, searching the web, or offline reading newspapers or watching TV. Understanding their habits and preferences is crucial.

: Identify where your target audience spends their time, whether thats online on social media platforms, searching the web, or offline reading newspapers or watching TV. Understanding their habits and preferences is crucial. Define Your Goals : Clearly define what you aim to achieve with your advertising efforts, whether its brand awareness, lead generation, or direct sales. Different channels are better suited to different objectives.

: Clearly define what you aim to achieve with your advertising efforts, whether its brand awareness, lead generation, or direct sales. Different channels are better suited to different objectives. Consider Your Budget : Your budget will play a significant role in determining which channels you can afford to leverage. Digital channels often offer more flexibility and tracking capabilities for smaller budgets.

: Your budget will play a significant role in determining which channels you can afford to leverage. Digital channels often offer more flexibility and tracking capabilities for smaller budgets. Evaluate Channel Suitability : Each channel has its strengths and weaknesses. For example, social media is great for engagement and brand awareness, while SEO and content marketing are effective for driving organic traffic and leads.

: Each channel has its strengths and weaknesses. For example, social media is great for engagement and brand awareness, while SEO and content marketing are effective for driving organic traffic and leads. Integrate Offline and Online Efforts : Combining digital strategies with traditional advertising can create a cohesive and multi-faceted campaign that leverages the strengths of both approaches.

: Combining digital strategies with traditional advertising can create a cohesive and multi-faceted campaign that leverages the strengths of both approaches. Leverage Emerging Technologies : Stay abreast of emerging technologies like AR, VR, AI, and IoT to explore innovative advertising opportunities that can set your brand apart.

: Stay abreast of emerging technologies like AR, VR, AI, and IoT to explore innovative advertising opportunities that can set your brand apart. Measure and Adjust: Use data analytics to measure the effectiveness of your chosen channels. Be prepared to adjust your strategy based on what the data tells you about your audiences response.

In the following sections, we will explore each of these considerations and strategies in more depth, providing you with the insights and tools you need to make informed decisions about your advertising and marketing efforts.

By carefully selecting and integrating the right channels, you can create a powerful marketing strategy that resonates with your audience and drives your business forward.

Advertising and Marketing Channels

Keep this in mind. Consider your options in light of what works for whom and why these options work. Try to better target your advertising and marketing spend. Then get a better idea about what outcomes to expect.

Digital Strategies

Every business today needs a digital marketing strategy. At the very least, your small business needs a website. Youll find this statistic shocking! Research indicates that slightly less than half of all U.S. small businesses do not have a website.

Lets assume that you have a site. Now the first question you need to ask yourself is whether or not your competitors have sites. If they dont, then having a good site and keeping it up to date may be all you need to do. If you owned the only yoga studio in Anytown USA, this might be you.

SEO

But if you have competitors  and thats most of us  then search engine optimization (SEO) becomes important. Great SEO gets your business at or near the top of search results.

This brings us to the next question: Are your customers local? If theyre local, then your focus should be on local SEO optimization and long-tail keywords (words that you want to feature on your pages).

Scott Keever SEO uses a local plumber to illustrate local and long-tail keywords:

Plumbing company near me

Best plumber in New Jersey

Top plumbing companies in Chicago

Best plumbing company for water damage

Can I fix a leaky pipe?

Closely related to SEO is paid search engine advertising. Nearly every purchase today starts with an internet search, so buying ads on Google and other search engines that are displayed when people search for your long-tail keywords can pay offor at least get visitors to your site.

Targeted Digital Advertising

This takes us to a type of advertising that is a bit more sophisticated: retargeting. If youre selling something, theres an overwhelming chance that prospects wont buy on their first visit to your website, so you want to get your ad in front of their eyeballs a few more times. With retargeting, theyll see your ad as they surf the web.

Note how I said retargeting is good for businesses that are selling something. Its not a very good strategy for businesses whose customers are making a spur-of-the-moment buying decision, restaurants for example.

In this case, geofencing or geotargeting may be the way to go. A huge number of searches today are being done on smartphones. With this strategy, Google ads and social media ads are displayed when a prospect is within your defined area.

Social Media Channels

Next up is discussing the role of social media. As I mentioned above, you can advertise on social media, but your digital strategy can be further enhanced by establishing and maintaining a presence.

In this case, you need to ask yourself if your customers use social media, and if they do, which channels do they frequent. Maybe all your buyers are senior citizens and few are habitual users of social media.

However, this probably isnt the case, so you need to match demographics to preferred social media channels and go to work on those channels.

Let me first give you what I think is the Golden Rule of social media: Have something extremely engaging to say/show. The goal of social media is to create followers and if your posts are mundane, no one will follow you in the long run.

I also want to loop back to our discussion of SEO because social media and SEO can work together. You see, an important element of SEO is how often your site or pages within your site are visited. The more visitors, the higher placement on search results.

In other words, rather than actually finding great content, search engines simply follow the herd and assume the herd has found the great content. If you can direct the herd to your pages via social media  to your blog or posted videos for example  search engines will assume you have content worth featuring highly in search results.

Dont expect an immediate payoff from social media; youre trying to build familiarity youre your name and establish your credentials/trust.

Social media influencers can turbocharge this process a bit. Paying the right influencer or micro influencer can put your product or service in front of a lot of prospects much more quickly than you can probably achieve by yourself.

Analog Strategies

Digital strategies get almost all of the hype today but dont forget about more traditional ways to get your message out to your prospects. Even Google  who has every digital marketing tactic at its disposal  has promoted services to me via snail mail.

Targeted local mailings, for example, can be extremely cost-effective, and if done well, their return on investment can be calculated down to the penny  unlike some digital strategies.

Newspapers, magazines, radio, and television ads are all worth considering. Local businesses may have never before considered television advertising, but with the latest tools, buying TV time isnt much different than signing up for a Google ad.

And before I leave the topic of traditional local ads, I want to mention one of my favorites: company vehicles. You see these around town all the time. They can be a truck with the company colors and logo on it, or they can be a car wrapped with incredible graphics.

I know a landlord who needs to replace the windows in a duplex he owns. He was talking about it the other day and mentioned that he keeps seeing the Pella Windows truck all around town. That tells him that Pella has a lot of customers in his area so they must be doing something right.

Ive given you a rundown on most of the tools in the local business advertising and marketing toolbox. Few owners can do all of them. The idea is to start with the ones you think will work best, keep the ones that prove their worth, and then experiment with the one you are less confident in.

You might be surprised by the outcome.

Channel Description Key Considerations Digital Strategies Essential for businesses; includes having a website and online presence. Ensure your website is user-friendly. Check if competitors have websites. SEO Improves search engine rankings; focus on local SEO and long-tail keywords if customers are local. Local SEO optimization and keyword research are critical. Paid Search Advertising Utilize paid ads on search engines to capture potential customers. Target long-tail keywords and monitor ad performance for ROI. Retargeting Re-engage potential customers who didn't convert initially. Effective for products or services that require multiple touchpoints. Geofencing/Geotargeting Display ads when prospects are within a defined area, often used for mobile marketing. Suitable for businesses with local, location-dependent customer decisions. Social Media Channels Establish a presence on relevant platforms; engage and create followers. Match demographics to preferred social media channels; focus on engagement. Traditional Strategies Traditional advertising methods like direct mail, print, radio, and TV ads. Local businesses can consider TV advertising; company vehicles as mobile billboards.

Data Analytics in Advertising and Marketing

In todays fast-paced digital landscape, the success of advertising and marketing efforts relies heavily on data analytics. While the article has covered various advertising and marketing channels, its crucial to emphasize the role of data-driven decision-making in optimizing these strategies.

The Importance of Data

Data analytics provides businesses with invaluable insights into customer behavior, campaign performance, and market trends. It enables you to make informed decisions, allocate resources more efficiently, and maximize the return on investment (ROI) for your advertising and marketing efforts.

Customer Insights

One of the primary benefits of data analytics is its ability to help you understand your target audience better. By analyzing data from various sources, including website traffic, social media interactions, and email engagement, you can create detailed customer personas.

These personas can help you tailor your messaging and advertising content to resonate with your audiences preferences, interests, and pain points.

Optimizing Campaigns

Data analytics allows you to track the performance of your advertising and marketing campaigns in real-time. By monitoring key metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and cost per acquisition, you can quickly identify which strategies are delivering results and which need adjustments.

This agile approach enables you to allocate your budget to the most effective channels and tactics.

Personalization and A/B Testing

Personalization is a game-changer in modern advertising. Data analytics empowers businesses to personalize their marketing messages and offers based on individual customer behavior and preferences.

A/B testing, for example, lets you experiment with different ad creatives, headlines, and calls to action to determine what resonates best with your audience. This iterative process can lead to higher conversion rates and improved ROI.

Attribution Modeling

Attribution modeling is another critical aspect of data analytics in marketing. It helps you understand the customer journey and identify the touchpoints that contribute most to conversions.

By recognizing the channels and interactions that play a significant role in the path to purchase, you can allocate your budget more effectively and prioritize the strategies that drive results.

Predictive Analytics

Looking beyond current performance, data analytics also enables predictive modeling. By analyzing historical data and market trends, businesses can make educated predictions about future consumer behavior. This foresight can inform long-term marketing strategies and product development decisions.

Data Privacy and Compliance

As you delve into data analytics, its essential to prioritize data privacy and comply with relevant regulations, such as GDPR or CCPA. Ensuring the ethical and legal handling of customer data builds trust and protects your brand reputation.

Continuous Learning

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, staying updated with the latest data analytics tools and techniques is essential. Regularly invest in training and skill development to harness the full potential of data-driven marketing.

Integrating Offline and Online Marketing Efforts

In the digital age, the line between offline and online marketing efforts is increasingly blurred. A holistic approach that integrates both can significantly amplify your brands reach and resonance. Heres how to merge these two spheres effectively:

Unified Brand Messaging

Consistency is key across all platforms. Ensure that your brands voice, tone, and messaging are cohesive whether a customer encounters your marketing in a digital ad, on social media, or a traditional billboard. This consistency helps reinforce your brand identity and aids in building trust with your audience.

Cross-Promotional Strategies

Leverage the strengths of each channel. For example, use your social media platforms to promote an in-store event or a traditional print ad to direct customers to an online contest. This not only increases the reach of your marketing efforts but also encourages your audience to engage with your brand across multiple platforms.

Tracking and Analytics

Incorporate tracking mechanisms, such as QR codes in print ads, to measure the success of offline marketing efforts in driving online traffic. Similarly, online advertising can be used to gauge interest in offline events or promotions by monitoring click-through rates and online registrations.

Omnichannel Customer Experience

Strive to provide a seamless customer experience, whether your audience interacts with your brand online or offline.

This could mean aligning your in-store experience with your online aesthetic or ensuring that customer service is equally responsive on social media as it is in physical locations. The goal is to create a fluid brand experience for customers, no matter where or how they choose to engage.

Leveraging Local SEO

For businesses with physical locations, integrating local SEO strategies with traditional local advertising (like flyers or local radio ads) can be particularly effective.

Encourage in-store customers to leave online reviews, and mention your physical locations proximity to well-known landmarks in your digital content to boost local search rankings.

Emerging Technologies in Advertising

The advertising world is rapidly evolving, thanks to emerging technologies that offer innovative ways to engage with consumers. Heres a look at some of the most promising advancements:

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

AR and VR are transforming the advertising landscape by creating immersive experiences that captivate consumers. For instance, AR can bring print ads to life, allowing consumers to visualize products in their own space before making a purchase.

VR offers even more immersive experiences, like virtual test drives or tours, providing a deeply engaging way to experience a brand or product.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI is revolutionizing personalized advertising by enabling brands to analyze vast amounts of data to predict consumer behavior and preferences.

This can lead to highly targeted ads, personalized email marketing campaigns, and chatbots that provide instant customer service and recommendations, enhancing the customer experience while increasing efficiency.

Blockchain Technology

Blockchain is starting to play a role in advertising by increasing transparency and reducing fraud. It can help verify the authenticity of ad deliveries, ensuring that ads are seen by real people rather than bots. This technology also offers potential for more direct and secure transactions between advertisers and publishers, reducing the need for intermediaries.

Internet of Things (IoT)

IoT devices offer new channels for personalized and contextual advertising. Smart home devices, wearables, and connected cars can provide advertisers with real-time data on consumer habits and preferences, allowing for more timely and relevant ad placements. For example, a smart fridge could suggest recipes and offer discounts on ingredients, directly linking advertising with consumer needs.

5G Technology

The rollout of 5G is set to turbocharge mobile advertising by dramatically improving loading times and enabling more complex and interactive ad content on mobile devices.

This could lead to richer, more engaging mobile ad experiences that are as sophisticated as those on desktops, opening new avenues for creative mobile-first campaigns.

Integrating these emerging technologies into your advertising efforts can not only enhance the creativity and effectiveness of your campaigns but also provide your audience with unique and memorable brand experiences. As these technologies continue to develop, staying abreast of trends and experimenting with new tools will be key to maintaining a competitive edge in the dynamic landscape of digital marketing.

Mastering Advertising and Marketing: Key Takeaways

In the ever-evolving world of advertising and marketing, a few key takeaways can help guide your business decisions:

Digital Dominance: Embrace digital marketing as the cornerstone of your strategy, beginning with a user-friendly website.

Embrace digital marketing as the cornerstone of your strategy, beginning with a user-friendly website. Know Your Competitors: Assess whether your competitors have a digital presence, and tailor your strategy accordingly.

Assess whether your competitors have a digital presence, and tailor your strategy accordingly. The Power of SEO: Invest in search engine optimization to secure prime placement in search results.

Invest in search engine optimization to secure prime placement in search results. Local SEO: If your customers are local, prioritize local SEO optimization and long-tail keywords.

If your customers are local, prioritize local SEO optimization and long-tail keywords. Paid Search Advertising: Capitalize on paid search engine advertising to capture motivated prospects.

Capitalize on paid search engine advertising to capture motivated prospects. Retargeting: Implement retargeting for products or services that require multiple touchpoints before conversion.

Implement retargeting for products or services that require multiple touchpoints before conversion. Geofencing and Geotargeting: Use geofencing to reach potential customers when they are physically nearby.

Use geofencing to reach potential customers when they are physically nearby. Social Media Engagement: Establish a strong presence on social media, offering engaging and valuable content.

Establish a strong presence on social media, offering engaging and valuable content. Synergy with SEO: Leverage social media to boost site visits, positively influencing your search engine ranking.

Leverage social media to boost site visits, positively influencing your search engine ranking. Influencer Partnerships: Collaborate with social media influencers to swiftly expand your brands reach.

Collaborate with social media influencers to swiftly expand your brands reach. Traditional Tactics: Dont overlook traditional advertising methods like direct mailings, newspaper, magazine, radio, and TV ads.

Dont overlook traditional advertising methods like direct mailings, newspaper, magazine, radio, and TV ads. Branded Vehicles: Consider using branded company vehicles as mobile billboards to increase local visibility.

Consider using branded company vehicles as mobile billboards to increase local visibility. Iterative Approach: Continuously refine your strategies based on performance, and be open to experimenting with new channels.

Continuously refine your strategies based on performance, and be open to experimenting with new channels. Creativity Wins: Engage your audience with captivating content and memorable branding across all channels.
Harnessing the power of AI tools has become a game-changer for small businesses. This article goes into a compilation of the 15 most effective AI tools for business users. From enhancing customer engagement to optimizing operations, these tools hold the potential to revolutionize various facets of modern enterprises.

What are AI Tools for Business and Machine Learning?

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Machine Learning (ML) tools are revolutionizing how businesses operate, make decisions, and interact with customers.

AI tools for business encompass a wide range of applications designed to mimic human intelligence through tasks such as language understanding, pattern recognition, problem-solving, and decision-making.

These tools leverage algorithms to enable systems to perform complex tasks autonomously, without needing explicit instructions for every step.

AI tools in business settings extend beyond simple automation, offering capabilities that include:

Problem-solving: AI tools can analyze situations, identify problems, and devise effective solutions, mirroring human cognitive processes.

AI tools can analyze situations, identify problems, and devise effective solutions, mirroring human cognitive processes. Learning and Adaptation: These tools learn from interactions and data, refining their algorithms over time to improve performance and adapt to new information.

These tools learn from interactions and data, refining their algorithms over time to improve performance and adapt to new information. Self-correction: AI systems are capable of recognizing errors and learning from them to avoid future mistakes.

AI systems are capable of recognizing errors and learning from them to avoid future mistakes. Reasoning and Decision-making: By evaluating data and possible outcomes, AI tools can make informed decisions, often in real-time.

By evaluating data and possible outcomes, AI tools can make informed decisions, often in real-time. Sensory Perception: Advanced AI applications can interpret external data through sight, sound, and other sensors, enabling richer interactions and responses to environmental stimuli.

Machine Learning in Business

Machine Learning, a critical subset of AI, focuses specifically on data analysis and pattern recognition. ML tools for business are designed to:

Process Data Efficiently: By analyzing vast datasets, ML tools can uncover trends and insights that would be impossible for humans to identify manually.

By analyzing vast datasets, ML tools can uncover trends and insights that would be impossible for humans to identify manually. Learn from Data: ML models improve by continuously processing new data, enabling them to make increasingly accurate predictions and decisions.

ML models improve by continuously processing new data, enabling them to make increasingly accurate predictions and decisions. Identify Patterns: These tools excel at recognizing patterns and regularities within data, providing a foundation for predictive analytics and personalized customer experiences.

These tools excel at recognizing patterns and regularities within data, providing a foundation for predictive analytics and personalized customer experiences. Adapt Over Time: ML systems adjust to new data and changing conditions, ensuring that businesses can remain agile and responsive.

ML systems adjust to new data and changing conditions, ensuring that businesses can remain agile and responsive. Automate Decision-making: ML enables automation of complex decision-making processes, relying on data-driven insights to guide actions.

AI and Machine Learning tools are essential for businesses seeking to enhance efficiency, innovate services, and create more engaging, personalized customer experiences. By harnessing these technologies, companies can unlock new opportunities for growth and competitive advantage.

15 Essential AI Tools for Business

We will now explore a curated list of the top 15 AI tools for business, each offering unique benefits and applications to transform various aspects of enterprise operations.

1. ChatGPT

ChatGPT is an advanced AI-powered tool developed by OpenAI. So exactly what is Chat GPT and how does Chat GPT work? Its designed to have interactive conversations with users, providing human-like responses and solutions.

For small businesses, ChatGPT offers diverse benefits. It can enhance customer support by addressing ChatGPT prompts instantly and accurately, ensuring better engagement. Additionally, it can assist in drafting content for marketing or communications, saving time and maintaining consistent quality.

ChatGPTs ease of implementation, customizability, and 24/7 availability make it an invaluable asset for small businesses looking to improve customer interactions and streamline various tasks, ultimately boosting efficiency and customer satisfaction.

2. Bard

Bard is a Google-powered assistant designed to collaborate with you using the PaLM 2 model. With Bard, you can harness the power of AI for creative projects, enhance productivity, and make complex topics simple to understand.

Whether its planning an event, making decisions, or comprehending intricate concepts, Bard lends a hand. It can even assist with coding, though its still experimental. This makes it one of the most customizable tools out there.

3. Midjourney

Midjourney, a generative AI program, lets you turn simple text into stunning images without artistic skills. This AI innovation is like DALL-E and Stable Diffusion, creating images from written descriptions.

Midjourneys roots are independent and it uses novel technologies like large language models and diffusion to turn ideas into visuals. Its a game-changer for businesses seeking visual content effortlessly, and has received positive feedback from users so far.

4. Grammarly

Grammarly is a powerful writing assistant that offers substantial advantages to small businesses. It goes beyond simple spell checks, providing advanced grammar and punctuation corrections and enhancing overall writing quality.

This means professional and error-free communication for small businesses, improving credibility and customer perception. Grammarly also suggests clearer phrasing and vocabulary, ensuring concise and impactful messages.

With its browser extension and integration with various platforms, Grammarly supports seamless writing across emails, social media, and more. The tool also has a positive reputation and the tool is easy to implement.

5. Pictory

Pictory is a cutting-edge platform that transforms any content into captivating videos powered by AI. Swift, scalable, and budget-friendly, Pictory aids in generating leads and elevating sales.

It crafts engaging snippets for social media by extracting key moments from recordings, enhancing marketing efforts. It also streamlines video sales letter creation, adds captions seamlessly, and breathes life into blogs through video integration.

Pictory offers an array of benefits, enabling small businesses to harness the power of AI for impactful video marketing.

6. Surfer SEO

Surfer SEO is a valuable tool for small businesses aiming to improve their online presence. It offers data-driven insights to optimize website content, ensuring higher search engine rankings.

Surfer SEO helps small businesses tailor their content strategy for maximum visibility by analyzing competitor websites and identifying relevant keywords.

This tool is easy to use and provides specific recommendations, such as word count and keyword density, enabling businesses to create content that resonates with their target audience and search algorithms.

Small businesses can leverage Surfer SEO to enhance their online reach, attract more visitors, and boost conversions, making it an essential asset in the digital landscape.

7. ElevenLabs

ElevenLabs is a powerful Generative Voice AI thats here to revolutionize how small businesses communicate. Whether youre a content creator, storyteller, game developer, or author, ElevenLabs has you covered.

Craft engaging audiobooks, enhance gaming experiences, and even design AI assistants with personality.

This scalable, customizable tool ensures natural intonation and emotion, offering a range of voices in 28 languages. Elevate your content game with ElevenLabs and reach audiences in new, compelling ways.

8. Perplexity

Perplexity is an AI research assistant designed to make online information searches feel like an expert guides you. It understands your questions in everyday language and tailors its responses to your preferences.

It even engages in conversations to clarify your needs. Small businesses can benefit from Perplexity by quickly getting personalized, relevant answers to their queries, saving time, and enhancing decision-making.

9. HitPaw Photo Enhancer

HitPaw Photo Enhancer is a user-friendly tool that brings immense value to small businesses seeking to enhance their visual content. It empowers businesses to upgrade the quality of their images effortlessly.

HitPaw elevates the visual appeal of product photos, marketing materials, and social media posts by removing noise, refining details, and improving colors. Small businesses can create captivating visuals without the need for complex editing skills.

This tool streamlines the process, saving time and ensuring professional-looking images that resonate with audiences. HitPaw Photo Enhancer serves as a cost-effective solution for small businesses aiming to make a lasting impression through striking visuals.

10. Plus AI

Level up your presentations using Plus AI  a game-changing tool for small businesses. Whip up and tweak slides effortlessly with AIs help, taking your Google Slides experience up a notch.

When you plug in the add-on, youre seamlessly bringing AI into your usual work routine, sparing you from juggling multiple design tools.

Crafting custom presentations? Its a walk in the park  just let us know what youre after. And the AI-powered editing? Its like having a personal slide guru.

11. Jasper

Jasper AI is a smart writing tool designed to help bloggers, marketers, and small businesses create top-notch content effortlessly. By providing basic details, Jasper generates original content perfect for blogs, marketing materials, and product descriptions.

Its easy to implement, cost-effective, and a great tool for idea brainstorming and content creation. Whether youre a startup or an established business, Jasper AI has got you covered. With Jasper AI, you can boost your content game without breaking a sweat.

12. Fireflies

Fireflies is a valuable tool for small businesses seeking to optimize their meetings and communication. It offers automated transcription services that convert spoken conversations into written text, enhancing record-keeping and accessibility.

With its integration capabilities, Fireflies seamlessly syncs transcriptions with various apps and platforms, making information readily available. This tool aids small businesses in maintaining accurate meeting records, extracting actionable insights, and facilitating collaboration.

By saving time on manual note-taking and ensuring clarity in communication, Fireflies is a scalable tool that enables small businesses to focus on growth and efficiency, ultimately contributing to improved productivity and streamlined operations.

13. Synthesys

Synthesys offers a powerful solution for small businesses aiming to enhance their audio and video content. It utilizes advanced AI technology to generate realistic voiceovers and speech from text.

This tool empowers small businesses to create professional audio content for marketing videos, podcasts, and presentations without the need for a recording studio or voice talent.

With multiple language and voice options, Synthesys ensures flexibility and customization. Small businesses can save time and resources while producing high-quality audio content that captivates their audience, amplifies brand messaging, and adds a polished touch to their digital presence.

14. ClickUp

ClickUp is a comprehensive project management tool and AI writing assistant with substantial benefits for small businesses. It centralizes tasks, communication, and collaboration in one platform, improving team coordination and efficiency.

With customizable features, support, and integrations, ClickUp adapts to diverse business needs. It offers task tracking, document sharing, and goal setting, ensuring projects stay on track. Small businesses can streamline operations, reduce information silos, and foster a cohesive work environment.

ClickUp enhances productivity by providing a clear overview of tasks, deadlines, and progress, making it an essential tool for small businesses striving for effective project management and growth.

15. Play.ht

Play.ht is a tool that transforms text into lifelike speech, offering a valuable asset to small businesses. With Play.ht, written content such as articles, blogs, or product descriptions can be converted into engaging audio, enhancing accessibility for diverse audiences.

This auditory experience can captivate visitors, making the website more interactive and fostering longer engagement. For small businesses, this means increased user retention, improved communication, and the potential to tap into a wider demographic.

By adding a human-like voice to their online presence, Play.ht empowers small businesses to convey information more effectively and forge stronger connections with customers.

Feature/Tool Description Primary Use Case for Small Businesses ChatGPT AI-powered tool by OpenAI for interactive conversations. Enhancing customer support, drafting content, and improving interactions. Bard Google-powered assistant using the PaLM 2 model. Assisting in creative projects, productivity, decision-making, and coding (experimental). Midjourney Generative AI for transforming text into images. Creating visual content without artistic skills. Grammarly Advanced writing assistant. Ensuring professional communication, grammar correction, and enhancing writing quality. Pictory AI platform that transforms content into videos. Video marketing, extracting key moments for social media, and enhancing blog content. Surfer SEO Data-driven SEO tool. Optimizing website content for better search engine ranking. ElevenLabs Generative Voice AI. Crafting audiobooks, enhancing gaming experiences, designing AI assistants. Perplexity AI research assistant. Personalized and relevant answers to online queries. HitPaw Photo Enhancer AI tool for photo enhancement. Improving visual appeal of images without complex editing. Plus AI AI add-on for Google Slides. Enhancing presentations and AI-powered editing. Jasper Smart writing tool. Content creation for blogs, marketing materials, and product descriptions. Fireflies Automated transcription service. Transcribing meetings, enhancing communication, and syncing transcriptions. Synthesys AI tool for realistic voiceovers. Generating voiceovers for marketing videos, podcasts, and presentations. ClickUp Comprehensive project management and AI writing assistant. Task tracking, communication, document sharing, goal setting, and overall project management. Play.ht Text-to-speech converter. Converting written content into engaging audio, enhancing accessibility, and user retention.

Selecting the Best AI Tools for Business Enhancement: Our Methodology

We looked at the following factors to craft the above list of the top tools available to todays businesses. Each factor is listed below and rated on a scale of one to ten in terms of importance, with ten being of the highest importance. Heres a look at our thought process:

Ease of Implementation (Importance Scale: 9/10) User-friendly setup and integration. Minimal technical expertise required for deployment.

(Importance Scale: 9/10) Cost-Effectiveness (Importance Scale: 8/10) Affordable pricing with clear ROI. Scalable pricing plans as your business grows.

(Importance Scale: 8/10) Customizability (Importance Scale: 7/10) Tools that can be tailored to specific business needs. Flexibility to adjust as your business evolves.

(Importance Scale: 7/10) Data Security (Importance Scale: 10/10) Robust data protection and privacy features. Compliance with relevant data protection regulations.

(Importance Scale: 10/10) Functionality and Features (Importance Scale: 10/10) Relevant AI capabilities that address your business challenges. Includes features like predictive analytics, automation, or chatbots as needed.

(Importance Scale: 10/10) Integration with Existing Systems (Importance Scale: 8/10) Compatibility with current business software and tools. Seamless data integration and migration capabilities.

(Importance Scale: 8/10) Scalability (Importance Scale: 7/10) Ability to handle increasing data volumes and complexity as your business grows.

(Importance Scale: 7/10) Vendor Support and Training (Importance Scale: 7/10) Access to reliable customer support. Availability of training resources or tutorials to maximize tool usage.

(Importance Scale: 7/10) Performance Tracking and Analytics (Importance Scale: 6/10) Tools to monitor and analyze the performance and impact of the AI solutions.

(Importance Scale: 6/10) User Reviews and Industry Reputation (Importance Scale: 5/10) Positive feedback from other users and businesses. Strong reputation within the industry for reliability and effectiveness.

(Importance Scale: 5/10)

Using the above criteria, weve delved deep into the AI landscape and identified tools that can revolutionize different facets of business, from human resources and marketing to supply chain management and finance.

How to Choose the Right AI for Small Business

Picking the perfect AI tool for your small business is like selecting the right tool from a toolbox. Heres how to find the best fit.

Identify Your Business Needs and Goals

Begin by understanding your businesss needs and aspirations. Do you seek enhanced customer service or streamlined task management?

Its vital to connect the dots between the AI tool and your specific objectives. Whether its boosting sales or optimizing operations, align the AI tool with your business ambitions for optimal results.

Compare Features and Pricing of AI Tools

Much like shopping for the best deal, delve into the details. Scrutinize the offerings of each AI tool  what features does it bring to the table and how does the price align?

Seek the sweet spot where functionality meets affordability. Ensure that the chosen AI tool provides the maximum value for your investment.

Understand the Learning Curve of Artificial Intelligence Tools

Navigating AI tools is a bit like learning driving skills. Some are intuitive, while others demand practice. Factor in the learning curve when making your choice. Opt for an AI tool that complements your expertise level.

Going for a tool with a learning curve that matches your comfort zone will prevent unnecessary hurdles and ensure a smoother integration process.

The Role of AI in Business

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been increasingly integral in reshaping how businesses operate, innovate, and grow.

Much like a prodigious employee, AI is highly efficient, unerringly consistent, and always evolving. Its ability to process vast amounts of data in real-time allows for insights and efficiencies that were previously unattainable.

Data Analysis: Swift Processing: AI can sift through immense datasets at lightning speeds, extracting meaningful information within moments. Insight Generation: AIs deep data analysis can reveal business trends, customer preferences, and operational inefficiencies, enabling informed decision-making. Predictive Analysis: Beyond just understanding current data, AI can predict future trends, helping businesses strategize and stay ahead of the curve.

Retail Enhancements: Optimized Inventory: Based on buying patterns and predictions, AI can recommend inventory restocks or reductions, minimizing overheads. Personalized Shopping: AI can tailor shopping experiences for individual users based on their past behavior, increasing sales and customer satisfaction. Dynamic Pricing: AI algorithms can adjust prices in real time based on demand, competition, and other market factors.

Customer Service Improvements: Chatbots and Virtual Assistants: AI-driven chatbots can handle a multitude of customer queries simultaneously, 24/7, ensuring customers receive timely responses. Sentiment Analysis: AI can analyze customer feedback, reviews, and interactions to determine overall customer sentiment and highlight areas for improvement. Automated Problem Solving: Beyond just answering queries, AI can assist in resolving customer issues, often without human intervention.

Operational Efficiency: Automated Task Execution: Routine tasks can be automated using AI, freeing up human resources for more value-driven activities. Supply Chain Optimization: AI can forecast demand, detect potential supply chain disruptions, and suggest alternatives. HR and Recruitment: AI can screen vast numbers of job applications to shortlist candidates based on specific criteria, speeding up the recruitment process.

Continuous Availability: 24/7 Operation: AI doesnt need breaks, vacations, or sleep. It ensures that essential business processes and customer interactions continue around the clock. Consistent Performance: Unlike humans, AI doesnt have off-days. It provides consistent, error-free performance every single day.



AI is a powerhouse for modern businesses, propelling them to new heights of efficiency, personalization, and innovation. With AI, businesses optimize their current operations and pave the way for future growth and transformation.

Uses of AI Tools for Business: Examples

Small businesses can gain big advantages from AI tools. Lets explore some key areas where AI can be a game-changer.

Creating AI Generated Content for Small Businesses: AI can be your writing assistant, crafting blog posts and product descriptions. This saves time and effort and ensures that the writing is not only engaging but also free from errors.

AI can be your writing assistant, crafting blog posts and product descriptions. This saves time and effort and ensures that the writing is not only engaging but also free from errors. Using an AI Tool to Automate Repetitive Tasks: Repetitive tasks can be draining, but AI is your virtual assistant. Whether its sorting emails or managing appointments, AI takes care of these tasks, freeing you to focus on more crucial aspects of your business.

Repetitive tasks can be draining, but AI is your virtual assistant. Whether its sorting emails or managing appointments, AI takes care of these tasks, freeing you to focus on more crucial aspects of your business. Leveraging AI Technology for Better Decision-Making: AI transforms data into insights like a crystal ball predicting optimal business choices. By sifting through data, AI helps you make informed decisions, steering your business towards success.

AI transforms data into insights like a crystal ball predicting optimal business choices. By sifting through data, AI helps you make informed decisions, steering your business towards success. Enhancing Customer Relationship Management with AI: AI becomes your customer insights guide. Tracking customer interactions and preferences, AI empowers businesses to effectively provide tailored services that cater to customer needs.

AI becomes your customer insights guide. Tracking customer interactions and preferences, AI empowers businesses to effectively provide tailored services that cater to customer needs. Using an AI Tool for Social Media Management: Managing social media becomes effortless with AI. Not only does it schedule posts, but it also analyzes trends, suggesting content ideas that resonate with your audience.

Managing social media becomes effortless with AI. Not only does it schedule posts, but it also analyzes trends, suggesting content ideas that resonate with your audience. Using Artificial Intelligence for Editing Videos: AI simplifies the video editing process. It trims clips, adds captivating effects, and ensures a polished and professional appearance, even if youre not a video editing expert.

AI simplifies the video editing process. It trims clips, adds captivating effects, and ensures a polished and professional appearance, even if youre not a video editing expert. Using an AI-Powered Chatbot on Your Website: AI chatbots revolutionize customer service. Theyre like your round-the-clock helpers, instantly answering customer queries and creating a seamless, user-friendly experience on your website.

Future Trends in AI for Business

As businesses continue to harness the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI), staying ahead of emerging trends is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. Here are some pivotal AI trends that are set to redefine business operations, customer interactions, and market dynamics:

AI and Automation Synergy

The convergence of AI with automation technologies is creating smarter, more efficient workflows. AI-driven automation extends beyond routine tasks, facilitating strategic decision-making processes. Businesses will increasingly rely on this synergy to optimize operations, reduce costs, and enhance productivity.

Advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP)

NLP technologies are evolving to understand, interpret, and generate human language with unprecedented accuracy. Future advancements will enable businesses to improve customer service chatbots, automate content creation, and glean deeper insights from data analysis, making interactions more intuitive and personalized.

AI-Powered Cybersecurity

As cyber threats grow in sophistication, AI will play a pivotal role in detecting and mitigating risks. AI algorithms can analyze patterns and predict potential vulnerabilities, offering real-time protection against emerging threats. Businesses will increasingly adopt AI-powered security solutions to safeguard digital assets.

Ethical AI and Governance

With AI integration comes the responsibility to address ethical considerations. The trend towards developing ethical AI frameworks and governance models will gain momentum. Businesses will focus on transparency, accountability, and fairness in AI applications, ensuring that AI decisions do not perpetuate biases or inequalities.

AI in Decision-Making

AIs ability to analyze vast datasets will be leveraged for strategic decision-making. Predictive analytics and decision intelligence tools will provide businesses with foresight into market trends, consumer behavior, and operational efficiencies, enabling informed, data-driven decisions.

Overcoming Challenges in Adopting AI Tools for Business

Adopting AI technology can present several challenges for businesses. However, with the right strategies, these obstacles can be overcome to successfully integrate AI into operations:

Addressing Data Privacy Concerns

Ensure compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. Adopt transparent data collection and processing practices, and invest in secure AI systems that protect customer information.

Simplifying Technical Complexity

AI integration can be daunting due to its technical complexity. Partner with AI vendors that offer user-friendly platforms and robust support services. Consider hiring or training staff with AI expertise to facilitate smoother implementation and troubleshooting.

Managing Change Resistance

Change resistance can hinder AI adoption. Foster a culture of innovation by educating employees on the benefits of AI and involving them in the transition process. Highlight how AI can augment their work, not replace it, and provide necessary training to build confidence in using new technologies.

Ensuring Ethical AI Use

Develop ethical guidelines for AI use that consider fairness, accountability, and transparency. Regularly review AI decisions for biases and implement corrective measures when needed. Engage with stakeholders to discuss ethical concerns and solutions.

How to Stay Updated with Developments in AI Tools for Business

Keeping abreast of AI developments is essential for leveraging the latest technologies and staying competitive. Here are ways to stay informed:

Follow Industry Publications and Blogs

Subscribe to reputable AI and technology news sources, such as TechCrunch, Wired, and the AI section of MIT Technology Review. These platforms provide insights into the latest AI research, trends, and applications.

Participate in Online Courses and Webinars

Engage in continuous learning through online courses offered by platforms like Coursera, edX, and Udemy. Many institutions and companies offer webinars on AI advancements and practical applications, providing valuable learning opportunities.

Join Professional Networks and Forums

Become part of AI and tech-focused professional networks, such as LinkedIn groups or forums like Reddits r/MachineLearning. These communities are great for sharing knowledge, discussing trends, and networking with AI professionals.

Attend Conferences and Trade Shows

Attend AI and technology conferences, trade shows, and workshops, such as CES, TechCrunch Disrupt, and the AI Summit series. These events offer insights from industry leaders, showcase innovative solutions, and provide networking opportunities.

By understanding future AI trends, addressing adoption challenges, and staying informed about developments, businesses can effectively navigate the complexities of AI integration and harness its full potential to drive growth and innovation.

FAQs: AI Tools for Business

Are the Best AI tools affordable for Small Business Owners?

Affordability is a key concern for small business owners when exploring AI tools. While some options might seem pricey, its important to weigh the potential benefits against the costs. Look for tools that offer a range of pricing plans and consider the long-term value they can bring to your business.

What Are Some Things Small Businesses Should Consider Before They Implement AI?

Before diving into AI, small businesses should evaluate their needs. Identify specific areas where AI can make a difference, such as automating tasks or improving back office operations. Also, consider the learning curve  choose tools that match your teams skill level to ensure a smooth integration. For example, you may research questions like, what is a prompt in Chat GPT? before getting started.

Will an AI-Powered Solution Really Help with the Content Creation Process?

Absolutely! AI-powered tools can be a game-changer in content creation. They analyze data, generate ideas, and even craft text. While theyre not creative geniuses, they can save time and offer a fresh perspective. However, human touch is still valuable to ensure content resonates with your audience. Research tools like Chat GPT vs Jasper AI to find the best content creation tool for your business.

How can natural language processing benefit small businesses in their customer support operations?

Natural language processing (NLP) is like teaching computers to understand and talk like humans. For small businesses, NLP helps in customer support. Computers can chat with customers, understand their issues, and provide solutions  just like a human support agent. It improves customer experience measurement and frees up your team for more complex tasks.
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Breakroom Furniture: The Top Choices for Your Business

A well-designed break room is essential for any business looking to provide employees with a comfortable and relaxing space. With the right breakroom furniture, your office can transform from a standard workplace to an inviting environment that encourages productivity, satisfaction, and overall well-being. In this guide, well discuss the importance of office breakroom furniture, offer tips on selecting the perfect pieces, and provide inspiration for your office redesign.

How to Choose the Right Office Breakroom Furniture

Selecting the right breakroom furniture for a business, whether its for an office, factory, or any other workplace, involves considering several factors to ensure you create a comfortable, functional, and inviting space for employees. Heres a guide to the key criteria for choosing the best breakroom furniture:

Comfort and Ergonomics: Scale of Importance: 9/10

Comfortable seating and ergonomically designed furniture are crucial for employee relaxation and well-being during breaks. Durability and Material Quality: Scale of Importance: 9/10

Furniture should be durable and capable of withstanding regular use. Materials should be easy to clean and maintain. Space Efficiency and Layout: Scale of Importance: 8/10

The furniture should fit well in the available space, allowing for easy movement and a layout that encourages interaction or provides quiet areas, depending on the workplaces needs. Aesthetics and Design: Scale of Importance: 7/10

The style of the furniture should complement the overall office design. An attractive breakroom can enhance morale and reflect positively on the company culture. Functionality and Versatility: Scale of Importance: 8/10

Furniture should be functional, meeting the needs of employees. Versatile pieces that can be reconfigured or serve multiple purposes are beneficial. Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance: Scale of Importance: 8/10

Surfaces should be easy to clean and resistant to stains and spills, considering the nature of use in a breakroom. Storage and Organization: Scale of Importance: 7/10

Adequate storage solutions for utensils, appliances, and personal items help keep the breakroom organized and tidy. Budget and Cost-Effectiveness: Scale of Importance: 7/10

Balance quality and durability with budget constraints. Investing in quality pieces can be more cost-effective over time due to longer lifespans. Environmental and Health Standards: Scale of Importance: 6/10

Consider furniture made with environmentally friendly materials and low emissions for healthier indoor air quality. Supplier Reputation and Warranty: Scale of Importance: 6/10

Choose suppliers with good reputations for quality and service, and consider warranty terms for added value.

These criteria are key in choosing breakroom furniture that meets the specific needs of a business, ensuring a welcoming and functional space for employees to relax and recharge.

Breakroom Furniture Ideas to Inspire Your Office Redesign

Now that you know what to look for when selecting breakroom furniture lets explore some design ideas to inspire your offices break room transformation.

Cafeteria-style Seating

Cafeteria-style seating is a popular choice for break rooms because it provides ample space for employees to eat, socialize, and relax. This layout typically features long tables and chairs or benches, allowing for a large number of people to sit together. You can enhance this design by incorporating modern breakroom furniture, like bar-height tables and stools, which adds visual interest and provides a unique seating option.

Lounge Areas with Sofas and Coffee Tables

Create a cozy and inviting atmosphere in your break room by incorporating lounge areas with sofas, coffee tables, and plush chairs. This type of seating arrangement encourages relaxation and casual conversation, helping employees feel more at ease during their breaks. To maximize comfort, consider adding a coffee maker and other beverage stations to the space, allowing employees to enjoy a hot drink while they rest.

Collaborative Spaces with Modular Furniture

Modular furniture is ideal for break rooms that need to accommodate both individual relaxation and group meetings or brainstorming sessions. Modular pieces can be easily rearranged to create various seating arrangements, providing flexibility and adaptability to suit your employees needs. Look for modern breakroom furniture that encourages collaboration, like round or square tables, to promote teamwork and creativity.

Outdoor Breakroom Spaces

If your office has access to outdoor space, consider creating an outdoor breakroom area where employees can enjoy fresh air and natural scenery during their breaks. This type of environment has been shown to reduce stress and increase overall well-being. To design an outdoor breakroom, invest in durable outdoor furniture, such as weather-resistant tables and chairs, and consider adding umbrellas or shade structures for added comfort.

Best Breakroom Furniture Options: Our 10 Top Picks

We searched through pages and pages of different types of breakroom seating and furniture to bring you our ten favorite picks. These include both indoor and outdoor seating options, as well as some other must-have pieces. Enjoy looking through our recommendations, and good luck creating or revamping your breakroom with some great furniture!

Learniture Flexible Modular Collaborative Soft Seating Bench

Modular soft seating is becoming very popular in breakrooms, waiting rooms, classrooms, and more. This collaborative soft seating is designed to fit together with other pieces, allowing for easy creation of various seating arrangements. With its durable frame and lightweight design, this stool offers versatile and comfortable seating options for any environment.

Product Features:

Lightweight and easy to move for quick configuration changes

Durable, sturdy wood frame supports up to 300 pounds

Easy-to-clean vinyl-covered foam resists stains and abrasions

Comfortable wide seats with thick padding for added comfort

Promotes collaboration and communication in group settings

Available in multiple colors and styles

Learniture Flexible Modular Collaborative Soft Seating Bench

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Leisure Season Round Picnic Table

Add a touch of rustic charm to your outdoor break area with the Leisure Season picnic table. Designed to comfortably seat up to eight people, this brown wooden table is perfect for enjoying meals, collaborating on projects, or simply relaxing outside with colleagues. Crafted from solid cypress wood, the table boasts exceptional durability and resilience against decay. Plus, the pre-made umbrella hole makes it easy to add shade and protection from the elements.

Key Features:

Designed for outdoor use, featuring an acrylic protective finish for weather resistance

Pre-made hole for convenient outdoor umbrella placement

Constructed from solid cypress wood for sturdiness and decay resilience

Spacious seating for up to eight people with comfortable legroom

Dimensions: 82D x 82W x 30H

Attached benches provide ease of access and space efficiency

Leisure Season Round Picnic Table

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TYBOATLE 3 Piece Modern Breakroom Furniture

TYBOATLEs modern breakroom furniture sets includes a loveseat couch with 2 USB charging ports and 2 comfortable accent armchairs. Constructed with a solid wood frame, block legs, and 100% polyester upholstery, this set ensures durability and support. The skin-friendly and hard-wearing linen fabric, combined with high-stretch foam, provides exceptional comfort.

Product Features:

Set includes: 1 loveseat and 2 accent armchairs

Durable: Solid wood frame, block legs, polyester upholstery, and high-stretch foam

Diverse functionality: Armrest side storage pockets and USB charging ports

Stylish modern design: Simple lines and stable tapered legs

Comfy and sturdy: Natural solid wood frame, thick and highly elastic cushion, and ergonomically designed back cushion

Specifications: Chair size (27.95L x 33.46H x 25.6W), holds up to 300-350 lbs; Sofa size (54.73W x 31.89H x 28.35D), holds up to 400-600 lbs

TYBOATLE 3 Piece Modern Breakroom Furniture

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Office Star Resin Furniture 3-Piece Set

The versatile and functional Office Star 3-piece resin furniture set can be used in both indoor and outdoor settings. This lightweight set features a durable, heavy-duty blow-mold light gray resin construction and includes two folding benches and a 6-foot folding table, making it an excellent choice for a variety of occasions.

Key Features:

Durable, heavy-duty blow-mold light gray resin construction for lasting use

Set includes two fold-in-half benches and a 6-foot fold-in-half table

Compact design for easy storage when not in use

No assembly required

Table dimensions: 72 W x 30 D x 29.25 H

Bench dimensions: 72.5 W x 12 D x 17.5 H

225-pound load capacity

Office Star Resin Furniture 3-Piece Set

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Cain Round Breakroom Table with 4 Stack Chairs

The Cain 48 round breakroom table comes with 4 Zeng stack chairs and is a perfect blend of functionality and style. for your breakroom needs. The sturdy table is made from thermal fused melamine laminate, making them highly resistant to scratches, stains, and scalds.

Product Features:

Tabletop constructed from 1 thick thermal fused melamine for durability

Finished with a black T-mold edge band to protect against wear

Sturdy cast metal X-base for stability

Chairs stack for easy storage  Tabletop highly resistant to scratches, stains, and scalds

Available in various colors and sizes to suit your specific needs

Cain Round Breakroom Table with 4 Stack Chairs

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ikalido Modern 3-Piece Dining Table Set

Enhance your breakroom with the ikalido 3-piece set, featuring a sleek black metal frame and walnut board design. This versatile set not only offers a comfortable dining experience but can also serve as a workspace or gathering spot for your team. The rectangular shape and space-saving design make it a perfect fit for even the most compact areas. The table supports up to 330 lbs., while the benches support up to 550 lbs. each.

Product Features:

Spacious table and benches accommodate up to four people

Benches can be stored under the table to optimize space

Easy to clean and maintain, resistant to daily wear and tear

Lightweight and portable, allowing for easy rearrangement

Scratch-resistant foot pads protect floors from damage

ikalido Modern 3-Piece Dining Table Set

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Breaktime 2 Piece Coffee Buffet

This factory-assembled set is designed for busy companies seeking a stylish and functional space for employees to enjoy their breaks. Constructed with commercial-grade, thermally-fused melamine, this furniture set is built to withstand daily use in busy environments. The fully assembled pieces save valuable business timesimply order, unpack, set in place, and enjoy.

Product Features:

2-piece group in espresso color

Factory assembled

Commercial-grade thermally-fused melamine construction

Includes all buffet furniture items shown (appliances and accessories not included)

Dimensions: 39D x 75W x 39H

Mounting type: Floor mount

Breaktime 2 Piece Coffee Buffet

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Flash Furniture Round Laminate Table Set

The Flash Furniture Round Laminate Table Set is a stylish and cohesive set option for elevating your breakroom with minimal effort. The table features a 1.125 thick mahogany laminate finish with a high impact melamine core. The top plate comes pre-welded to the column, making assembly quick and easy with just a single bolt. The barstools boast vinyl upholstered backs and seats, thick foam padding with fire retardant foam, and 18-gauge steel frames.

Product Features:

Stylish upgrade: Instantly enhance your space with this cohesive table and barstool set

Table specifications: Round mahogany laminate finish, high impact melamine core, and black T-mold edge

Barstool specifications: Burgundy vinyl upholstery, 2.5 thick foam padding, CAL 117 fire retardant foam, and 18-gauge steel frame

Weight capacity: Barstools can hold up to 500 lb.

Measurements: Table Size: 30W x 30D x 42H. Chair Size: 17W x 18D x 42.25H. Back Size: 15W x 12H. Seat Size: 16.75W x 16.5D x 31H

Flash Furniture Round Laminate Table Set

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Breaktime Break Room Buffet 3 Piece Group

Upgrade your break room with the practical and stylish Breaktime 3-piece furniture set. This fully assembled and ready-to-use breakroom furniture set is designed to meet the specific needs of a busy workplace while maintaining a professional appearance. Its durable construction and convenient drawers and cabinets, this set will make a welcome addition to your breakroom or lounge.

Product Features:

Constructed with commercial-grade thermally-fused melamine for durability in high-use areas

High-impact edges resist bumps and dings, ensuring a long-lasting, polished appearance

Fully finished edges on front, back, and bottom for increased functionality

Solid back panels provide rigidity and a perfectly square shape

Easy-to-install back splashes on prep stations and trash stations prevent spills and messes

European-quality hinges and hardware, featuring full-extension ball bearing slides and soft-close hinges

No assembly required

Breaktime Break Room Buffet 3 Piece Group

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Sprogs Quarter Round Flexible Modular Collaborative Soft Seating Stool

The Sprogs 18 Quarter Round Stool is another soft seating option. This durable stool is designed to be easily arranged and configured with the brands other pieces, allowing you to create a comfortable and collaborative space for your team.

Constructed with a robust wood frame, this stool can support up to 300 pounds while maintaining its lightweight nature for easy mobility. The foam seat is covered in stain and abrasion-resistant vinyl, ensuring the stool stays looking fresh even with heavy use. With a variety of shapes and leg types available, you can customize your breakroom to suit your unique needs.

Product features:

Customizable seating: Easily create various arrangements to suit any environment

Durable construction: Sturdy wood frame supports up to 300 pounds

Easy maintenance: Stain and abrasion-resistant vinyl-covered foam

Comfortable design: Wide seats with thick padding for ultimate comfort

Dimensions: 37 L x 27 W x 18 H; weighs 25 lbs.

Available in multiple colors: Choose from 9 vibrant options to match your space

Range of shapes and leg types: Customize your seating configuration to fit your needs

Sprogs Quarter Round Flexible Modular Collaborative Soft Seating Stool

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What materials should I look for when purchasing breakroom furniture?

When shopping for breakroom furniture, prioritize durable materials like wood, laminate, and vinyl. These materials can withstand daily use, resist stains and scratches, and are easy to clean and maintain.

Additionally, choose upholstery and finishes that are designed for commercial use, as they are typically more durable and resistant to wear and tear.

How can I maximize the use of limited breakroom space while still providing comfortable seating?

To make the most of a small breakroom, opt for space-saving furniture like bar-height tables and stools, which can accommodate more people in a smaller footprint. Additionally, consider using wall-mounted or foldable tables and chairs that can be easily stored when not in use.

Finally, create a sense of openness by using light colors, mirrors, and minimalistic furniture designs that dont overcrowd the room.

Are there any breakroom furniture sets specifically designed for small businesses?

Many furniture manufacturers offer breakroom furniture sets tailored to small businesses, which typically include a combination of tables, chairs, and storage solutions that suit smaller spaces. Look for compact, multifunctional pieces that provide the necessary features without taking up too much room.

How can I ensure that the breakroom furniture I choose is easy to clean and maintain?

When selecting breakroom furniture, prioritize materials and finishes that are easy to clean, such as laminate, vinyl, and stain-resistant fabrics. Additionally, choose furniture with smooth surfaces and minimal seams, which will help prevent dirt and debris from accumulating.

Regular cleaning and maintenance, like wiping down surfaces and vacuuming upholstery, will help keep your breakroom furniture looking new and fresh.

What are some eco-friendly breakroom furniture options?

Eco-friendly breakroom furniture options include pieces made from sustainable materials, such as reclaimed wood, bamboo, or recycled plastic. Additionally, look for furniture manufacturers that prioritize environmentally responsible practices, like using low-VOC (volatile organic compound) finishes and water-based adhesives.

Choosing eco-friendly furniture not only benefits the environment but also demonstrates your businesss commitment to sustainability.

Selecting the perfect breakroom furniture for your office is an essential step in creating a comfortable and functional environment for your employees. By considering factors like space, layout, design, and durability, you can transform your breakroom into a space where employees can relax, recharge, and collaborate. With the right furniture, your break room will become a cherished oasis within the workplace, promoting productivity and overall well-being.
Package handlers are critical to logistics and distribution. They have a variety of responsibilities, including sorting packages based on their destinations size, type and delivery route. They can be involved in the physical aspects of the job, like loading and unloading packages and quality control.

Package handlers ensure deliveries arrive on time and compliance with safety and regulatory standards is met.

What Do Package Handlers Do?

Package handlers play a critical role in the logistics and supply chain operations. Their duties extend beyond merely moving packages; they are instrumental in ensuring the efficiency and safety of the package transportation process. Heres an expanded overview of their responsibilities:

Operate Material Handling Equipment : Package handlers are skilled in using various material handling equipment to facilitate the movement of goods. This includes: Hand Trucks : Utilized for moving smaller loads within a facility, enhancing mobility and reducing physical strain on the handler. Pallet Jacks : Essential for transporting palletized goods, these tools help in moving heavier loads with ease, ensuring stability and safety. Forklifts : For larger and heavier items, forklifts are indispensable in warehouses and distribution centers, allowing for the stacking and retrieval of goods from different heights.

: Package handlers are skilled in using various material handling equipment to facilitate the movement of goods. This includes: Unload and Load Vehicles : They are responsible for efficiently unloading goods from incoming vehicles and loading them onto outgoing ones. This involves: Inspecting Goods : Checking for any damage or discrepancies upon arrival and before dispatch to ensure quality control. Optimizing Space : Strategically arrange packages within the vehicle to maximize space utilization, ensure stability during transit, and prevent damage.

: They are responsible for efficiently unloading goods from incoming vehicles and loading them onto outgoing ones. This involves: Inventory Management : Some package handlers are also involved in inventory management tasks, which include: Stock Audits : Participating in periodic inventory checks to verify stock levels, identify discrepancies, and update inventory records accordingly. Inventory Organization : Ensuring that goods are properly organized within the warehouse or facility, making it easier to locate items when needed and maintaining a tidy workspace.

: Some package handlers are also involved in inventory management tasks, which include: Ensure Safety and Compliance : Package handlers must adhere to safety protocols and regulatory compliance standards to prevent injuries and accidents. This includes: Following Safety Procedures : Using personal protective equipment (PPE), adhering to safe lifting techniques, and following guidelines for operating equipment. Hazard Identification : Recognizing potential hazards in the workplace and taking appropriate measures to mitigate risks.

: Package handlers must adhere to safety protocols and regulatory compliance standards to prevent injuries and accidents. This includes: Collaborate with Team Members : Effective communication and teamwork are crucial, as package handlers often work in coordination with other warehouse staff, drivers, and management to ensure the smooth flow of operations.

: Effective communication and teamwork are crucial, as package handlers often work in coordination with other warehouse staff, drivers, and management to ensure the smooth flow of operations. Documentation and Record-Keeping: Completing necessary paperwork related to shipping and receiving, tracking inventory movements, and maintaining records for accountability and traceability.

Basically, package handlers are integral to the logistics sector, ensuring the smooth and efficient flow of goods from origin to destination. Their multifaceted role requires a blend of physical skill, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

The Importance of Package Handlers in the Logistics Chain

Package handlers oversee deliveries for logistics and distribution networks. They optimize operational workflows and minimize delays by scanning and tracking packages at different warehouse or facility transition points.

Crafting the Perfect Package Handler Job Description

Is your small business looking to hire one of these employees? You need to put together an excellent job description.

A good job description will outline the qualifications, required skills, and responsibilities. Usually, a good candidate has a high school diploma or equivalent and a basic proficiency with scanning equipment and technology. Generally, they should be able to lift about 50 pounds.

Differences and Overlaps: Package Handlers, Warehouse Workers, and Material Moving Machine Operators

A package handler has responsibilities that include:

Sorting packages and categorizing them by destination, size and priority.

Safely load and unload from different vehicles using techniques and equipment to prevent damage.

Package handlers should also be able to use barcode scanners and other tracking systems.

The package handler job description includes walking, bending, and lifting. Candidates are often asked to work different shifts, including weekends and nights.

A job description for a general warehouse worker has similarities and differences.

These employees are tasked with receiving, counting, and managing inventory and picking and preparing packaging orders for shipments.

They should be able to operate various warehouse tools like pallet jacks and forklifts.

One of the significant differences between the two job descriptions is that package handlers are specifically trained to handle, sort and move packages.

Aspect Package Handlers Warehouse Workers Material Moving Machine Operators Primary Duties Loading and unloading packages from delivery vehicles, sorting packages, and preparing them for shipment or distribution. Receiving, storing, and distributing materials, parts, and products within a warehouse. They may also be involved in inventory management and order fulfillment. Operating machinery such as forklifts, conveyor belts, cranes, and other equipment to move, load, and unload materials in a variety of settings. Typical Work Environment Distribution centers, warehouses, and sorting facilities. Work is fast-paced and can be physically demanding. Warehouses, distribution centers, and storage facilities. The environment can be fast-paced, especially in facilities that operate around the clock. Warehouses, manufacturing plants, construction sites, and ports. The environment can vary widely depending on the industry and specific machinery operated. Necessary Skills Physical stamina and strength, attention to detail, ability to work in a team, time management. Physical stamina and strength, organizational skills, basic math skills for inventory, teamwork and communication skills. Mechanical skills, attention to detail, certification for operating specific machinery (e.g., forklift certification), safety awareness. Education Requirements High school diploma or equivalent is often sufficient; on-the-job training is typically provided. High school diploma or equivalent is commonly required; additional training or certifications can be beneficial. High school diploma or equivalent; technical training or certifications for specific machinery (e.g., forklift, crane operation) may be required. Career Advancement Opportunities With experience, package handlers can move into supervisory roles, or transition into other logistics and supply chain roles. Opportunities to advance to supervisor or manager positions, or specialize in areas like inventory management or logistics planning. Potential to advance to supervisory or managerial positions, or specialize in operating more complex machinery. Some operators may pursue certifications in multiple types of equipment to enhance job prospects.

Key Qualities and Qualifications for a Package Handler

A good package handler has the following qualities:

Physical stamina and strength are essential because package handling is demanding. It requires an employee who can move heavy items and carry and lift different items safely and effectively.

A good employee also pays attention to detail. Packages need to be dispatched, handled and sorted correctly. Errors need to be minimized

They also must have the ability to be fast and efficient because accuracy is essential. Package handlers must also have good communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

They must also be familiar with local safety regulations, including procedures and workplace safety standards. Because these jobs are usually entry-level, a high school diploma is often all thats needed. It demonstrates the basic mathematical and literacy skills for performing simple calculations and completing paperwork.

The Hiring Process for Package Handlers

Recruiting the best package handlers means understanding the skills, physical demands, and duties required. You should offer a competitive compensation package thats above the market rate.

Identifying Your Warehouse Needs

Hiring the correct package handler means clarifying your warehouse needs.

Shipment Volume

Taking stock of your projected and current incoming and outgoing shipments will tell you how many package handlers are necessary.

Processing Times

The average time it takes to process a shipment is another metric. For example, if processing times are bad and delays are happening, it might be time to add more package handlers.

Seasonal Differences

Every industry has peaks and valleys, like retail outlets holiday seasons. During the spikes, youll often need additional staffing.

There are other things to consider, such as whether your warehouse plans an expansion requiring more employees.

Where to Find Skilled Package Handlers

If youre ready to grow your team and want to avoid needing to hire a family member or do all of the work yourself, here are some options:

Platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Monster have an extensive reach. They have a vast user base and a diverse applicant pool. Many of these have advanced filtering options that make it easy to find the best candidates.

Specialized job platforms specific to industries are another option. They cater to a target audience; the candidates your small business can find on these will have the relevant skills and experience. They also offer additional resources and insights.

You can also explore job fairs, community bulletin boards, and other unusual ways to promote a job opening. Some companies even explore building a team with contractors and freelancers instead of traditional employees.

Interviewing and Hiring for a Package Handler Job

A candidate should have a mix of soft skills and physical capabilities.

Role-playing exercises can reveal their abilities to collaborate and communicate.

A candidate can be tested on stacking boxes or organizing different items in a specific time frame.

You can also test a candidates ability to find errors in lists and shipping labels.

The standard hiring process should include a few steps: an application review, an initial interview, and an aptitude and skills assessment for a package handler. Create an objective methodology to ensure you find the best fit and reduce hiring bias.

An in-person interview often follows that up, and then a check of the references before a job offer is made. Send an interview rejection letter to candidates who dont make the cut and follow up with those who do.

Compensation and Benefits for Package Handlers

Two big players in the industry, FedEx and UPS, pay different compensation and have benefits as part of their package handler job listings.

As of this year, a FedEx package handler earns approximately $15.80 an hour, ranging between $13 and $19 per hour. FedEx offers full-time health benefits and some coverage for part-timers.

UPS offers benefit packages to both part-time and full-time unionized employees. That company provides healthcare, a pension, tuition assistance, option days and paid holidays.

Onboarding and Integrating New Package Handlers

A good onboarding process checks the following boxes for a package handler. Heres a guide on how to onboard new employees in this sector:

Clear job descriptions that outline expectations, responsibilities and roles should include performance standards and safety protocols. A small business should emphasize safety right away with guidelines on any package handler job description .

package handler job description A formal orientation should include a welcoming session that explains the companys values and cultures. Youll also need to conduct comprehensive safety training.

Thats followed up by hands-on training thats job-specific. This is an excellent time to match up new hires in a mentorship program with experienced employees.

Onboarding should be an ongoing process that includes regular safety workshops and safety and performance evaluations for packaging handling.

FAQs: How to Hire a Package Handler

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions that will help you find the right package handler.

Is a high school diploma needed for a package handler job?

That depends on the employer and the specific nature of the job they are hiring for. Many small businesses prioritize how a candidate can handle packages and adhere to safety protocols over education.

Is health insurance typically offered to part-time package handlers?

Health insurance depends on the specific terms of the job. In the United States, the Affordable Health Care Act requires that some companies with 50 or more employees offer this type of insurance to full-time workers.

Theres no mandate for extending this to part-time employees, even though some companies offer benefits to part-time package handler employees.

What are important safety protocols for package handlers?

Proper lifting techniques are at the top of this list on any job board. Employees should always be taught to use leg muscles instead of the back and bend at the knees. Proper lifting techniques also include teaching them to avoid twisting their backs.

Personal protective equipment should include safety shoes and gloves, as well as high-visibility vests.

A package handler should also receive training on hazardous materials if applicable. Equipment safety and proper training on pallet jacks, forklifts, and conveyor belts are important.

Finally, these employees should be trained in emergency procedures and know the location of first aid kits and how they are used, plus the location of emergency exits and evacuation routes.

What training is recommended for package handlers?

Package handlers should receive training with solid information about any package handler job.

An introduction to company policies and procedures and an overview of the entire process that includes sorting, loading, and unloading should be first. Safety training is important, and that includes the use of personal protective equipment as well as equipment safety and proper lifting techniques. Teamwork and communication skills are critical. Thats why these employees should be trained in effective communication with supervisors and team members. A package handler should also have some training in quality control that includes attention to detail in all areas of package handling.

Use a training plan template to streamline the process and include all these elements.

Whats the typical career progression for a package handler?

The Entry Level Position

An entry-level package handler should be developing efficient handling techniques and working to understand the whole logistical process. That should be clear on any job board.

An experienced package handler is ready to train new employees and manage a specific part of the operation.

The Supervisor Package Handler Job Description

Supervisory positions include team leaders or shift supervisors, overseeing other employees work and managing schedules.

A warehouse or operations manager might require additional training because they oversee the entire operation. They have moved well beyond loading packages.

Finally, a logistics distribution manager has an advanced skill set that includes a full understanding of supply chains, and advanced analytics know-how.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has unveiled a new funding competition to bolster the entrepreneurial skills of women veterans. This initiative is designed to empower non-profit organizations and private sector firms to offer specialized entrepreneurship training to this distinguished group. With an application window open from today until March 21, 2024, eligible entities have a unique opportunity to secure up to $300,000 in funding.

The initiative, dubbed the Women Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program (SB-OVWV-24-001), is orchestrated by the SBAs Office of Veterans Business Development. It plans to distribute a total of $300,000 among up to six successful applicants. This funding is allocated for a base project period of 12 months, extendable for three additional 12-month periods. The programs primary goal is to furnish women veterans who either aspire to or are already navigating the intricacies of business ownership with essential entrepreneurial education.

Timothy Green, the acting associate administrator for the SBAs Office of Veterans Business Development, highlighted the critical need for this program. With more than two million women veterans living in the U.S. today and over 12 million businesses owned by women, there is an incredible need for more advocates and resources tailored to women veteran entrepreneurs, Green stated. He underscored the programs mission to not only train but also empower women veterans to embark on or expand their entrepreneurial ventures.

The programs impact is already visible through its participants. For instance, Kristen Wright, a military spouse and the owner of Kristen Wright Strategic Communications LLC in Tulsa, Oklahoma, shared her transformative experience with the program. Overwhelmed by the complexity of competing for government contracts, Kristen turned to ONABEN, a grantee of the SBA Women Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program. Through the Beyond the Boots program, she gained invaluable insights into federal contracting opportunities, enabling her to grow her business in the competitive federal marketplace.

Organizations interested in applying for the Women Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program must do so through grants.gov, using the opportunity number SB-OVWV-24-001, by the March 21 deadline. Late submissions, or those not made through grants.gov, will not be considered.

This funding competition not only reflects the SBAs commitment to supporting women veterans transition into entrepreneurship but also underscores the broader effort to enrich the small business ecosystem. As these entrepreneurs bring unique perspectives and skills honed through military service, their success in business further diversifies and strengthens the U.S. economy. Small business owners, particularly those with a military background, stand to benefit significantly from the resources and networks that such programs cultivate, marking a pivotal step toward inclusive economic growth.
A good strategy for business service centres would be a start, says expert Peter Rusinak.

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Business service centres have created one of the most important and stable sectors of the Slovak economy. According to Peter Rusinak, from the AmCham Business Service Center Forum, this is a sector of the future, the potential of which Slovakia has not yet exhausted.

But part of society does not know much about the sector even today.

This sector suffers from the fact that, unlike the automotive industry, it does not produce nor own any material goods. But you have many nice examples of why this sector is unique, says Rusinak.

The AmCham Business Service Center Forum (BSCF) has been helping to raise awareness of the sector for 10 years.

The business service centres (BSC) sector is said to be the second or third strongest in the Slovak economy. So, is it second or third?

The BSC sector is the most stable sector of the economy. It is the third largest in terms of contributions to the state budget. Im not exaggerating when I say that roughly 40,000 employees contribute almost 4 percent to the running of this country in terms of income. It is the third largest after the automotive and electrical engineering industries. Of course, there are sectors in Slovakia that are larger in terms of number of employees.

These centres have been operating in Slovakia since the nineties. How many are there today?

Overall, for the number of companies, we usually state that there are between 60 and 65 business service centres in Slovakia. Thirty-nine companies, which together employ 95 percent of all employees in the sector, are members of the AmCham Business Service Center Forum. When we founded the BSCF 10 years ago, the companies that helped to establish it were mostly giants. Each employed several thousand people. Together, these centres employed roughly 20,000 people. However, such companies stopped coming here in 2010. Instead, many companies that employ 200, 400, or maybe 500 people started arriving.

When you say that 40,000 people work in the BSC sector, is that a number that you and the state agree on?

The state itself does not monitor the number of workers in the sector, it draws data from us. And that, for example, is one of the challenges we face. When you click on the website of the Statistics Office, you will not find any mention that there are positions in business service centres. For example, when we try to communicate with labour offices and want to tell them what types of positions are in short supply on the Slovak market, we have to use codes relevant for some other types of positions. Some do overlap, but you cant officially assign them to business service centres.

For the countrys better overview of what kind of people work in the sector, the taxes they pay, what their work means for the Slovak economy, it would be very helpful if the Statistics Office identified that this is a separate sector of the economy. But this is not only Slovakias problem.

I assume that the state knows about it and is working to change it?

I highly wish for it. But its important to say that there are institutions like the Economy Ministry that have a very good overview of the BSC sector and understand it. On the contrary, the Statistics Office, district offices and municipalities are still not completely familiar with what these centres do. The Statistics Office is perhaps not even the first institution that should solve this problem.

For a long time, we have been communicating these things to the Central Office for Labour, Social Affairs and Family, especially when we try to identify for them the long-term shortage of positions in the regions of Slovakia. The feedback from the Office was that they understand our problem and that they are trying to solve it together with the problems of other sectors. But I dont feel that there is an effort towards an individual approach. Its more about trying to find one approach for the whole economy. For that matter, it might not be quite what we all need.

Who is to blame for the fact that the BSC sector is not recognised by people in the same way as, for example, the automotive industry?

Its a very good question. I certainly wouldnt go seeking a specific culprit. Our approach is different. We ask what we can do together to improve the branding of these companies and the sector.

Yes, this sector suffers from the fact that, unlike the automotive industry, it does not produce any material goods. But you have a lot of nice examples of why this sector is unique. In Kosice, for example, people operate oil towers in the Persian Gulf, because they developed software for that, controlled from Kosice. In addition, the sector is growing not only quantitatively, but also qualitatively in the typology of job positions we have in Slovakia. The job positions are significantly different from what these companies came here with 20 years ago. They are far from repetitive; the centres need people who think more.

(Source: BSCF)

Okay, but how do you promote your activities? BSCF has not been very active on social networks until now.

Our long-term plan to attract people to the BSC sector is to actively work with schools. We have long-term cooperation with those fields of study that are key to the skills these companies need. Young people thus have the opportunity to get to know companies already during their studies and work on interesting and innovative projects as part of their education.

This is important for us. But I agree with you that more can always be done in regards to social media promotion.
The prime minister denies that Slovakia has territorial claims on Ukraine, but still talks of neo-Nazis.

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Welcome to your weekly commentary and overview of news from Slovakia. The country marked six years since the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova. Two years after the full-scale war in Ukraine started, the government has halted military aid to Ukraine  but many Slovaks are still willing to help. The EU is about to lift sanctions against the Slovak leader of a Kremlin-aligned motorcycle gang.

If you have a suggestion on how to make this overview better, let me know at michaela.terenzani@spectator.sk.

Two anniversaries show two faces of Slovakia

Everyone should live through one day of war to realise that it is much closer than it seems, to see what its like to fight against a nuclear superpower. It is a gift that we dont have Russia as our neighbour, says Eliska Horsakova.

If Ukraine fell, we would have Russians just across our border. And I do not want Russians across the border, says Marcel Rebro.

Horsakova and Rebro are among the many Slovaks that are not giving up on Ukraine even two years into Russias barbaric aggression against Slovakias neighbour. My colleagues at the Sme daily interviewed them for a special issue marking the second year since Ukraine, against its will, entered into an all-out war with Russia.

Fico keeps calling for peace

But even people who are not giving up on Ukraine admit that the mood of the people they meet both in Slovakia and in Ukraine is deteriorating. Even though there are still many who are willing to contribute financially or otherwise to the war effort, public opinion in Slovakia, heavily affected by the rhetoric of members of the current governing coalition, has been tilting away from support for Ukraine for some time.

Last week, Robert Fico found himself in a peculiar situation in the middle of an interview he gave to the virulently pro-Russian disinformation website Hlavne Spravy. When the propagandist conducting the interview asked Fico the mind-blowing question of whether Slovakia would claim part of Ukraines territory in the event that it lost the war, even the prime minister, who rarely has a good thing to say about Ukraine, was forced to defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Russia needs security guarantees, and Ukraine needs security guarantees. Ukraine must feel safe, he told the interviewer.

That of course does not signal a change of heart.
The war also affects us.

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Today, many feel that they know everything about the war on Ukraine. It's as if a running series has become dull and is no longer interesting enough to be watched. As if they have already read all the stories of suffering. They already helped once, their help didn't solve anything. How long are they supposed to help?

After two years, the pandemic is over, and this war should also be over. After all Robert Fico said he was for peace. This is exactly the state of mind that Vladimir Putin, who bet on a frozen conflict that would exhaust and numb people and make them question their doubts, counts on.

Fewer and fewer people are following the situation on the front line. Some Ukrainian cities have turned into an open-air museum of destruction. No one is repairing blocks of flats torn to pieces. Family photos were burned, washing machines and microwaves were stolen by Russians. What if they come back for more stuff before long?
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung accused the government and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Monday of churning out pork-barrel promises in an attempt to woo voters ahead of the general elections.

Lee, the chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), made the accusations, saying President Yoon Suk Yeol and PPP leader Han Dong-hoon have been traveling around the country while "overissuing rosy pledges and policies" that could cost the country 1,000 trillion won ($751.8 billion).

"They are dishing out some 1,000 trillion won worth of rosy campaign pledges and policies, but are they capable of keeping them?" Lee said during a party meeting held in Incheon, west of Seoul. "Now is not the time to carry out a policy scam. ... We have to implement economic and livelihood policies that are truly helpful to people."

The DPK chairman also criticized the government's hardline response to the doctors' protest against the government's decision to substantially boost the number of medical school seats as the walkout entered its seventh day Monday.

"Looking back, this government is putting forward prosecutors to resolve matters with fists instead of words. A representative example is its response to the physicians' walkout," he said.

The remark is a swipe at the government's decision Sunday, to dispatch a prosecutor to the health ministry for legal consultations after the government warned of legal actions against doctors engaged in collective action.

As of Monday, more than 9,000 trainee doctors have left their worksites, while the number of trainee doctors who submitted resignations topped 10,000, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. (Yonhap)
Slovak NHL player's contract terminated over video, Ukrainian graphic designer makes a war poster a day, and how Ukrainians feel in Slovakia.

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Good evening. Here is the Monday, February 26 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.

Explaining PM Fico's comments about soldiers, losing his post

Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer). (Source: TASR)

On Sunday evening, PM Robert Fico announced that he decided to hold a Security Council meeting on Monday in order to consult Slovakia's position with coalition partners Hlas and SNS, as well as intelligence agencies and the police. This position will later be presented at an informal meeting with the leaders of EU and NATO member states in Paris, in which further support for Ukraine will be discussed.

Without providing explanation, he gave the impression that he could be in danger of losing his position and Slovakia forced to send its soldiers to Ukraine.

"Even if my position were to cost me the post of prime minister, I would do everything to prevent the direct participation of Slovak soldiers in the war in Ukraine," he claimed.

The Smer chair also asserted that the topics the leaders are supposed to talk about in Paris are 'chilling' and he called the entire informal summit a 'combat meeting'.

There is no possibility of Fico losing his post based on his attitudes towards Ukraine. Find out more about what he said, including why he is the only one talking about sending soldiers to Ukraine, in this explainer.

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FEATURE STORY FOR MONDAY

A war poster a day

Graphic designer Mykola Kovalenko. (Source: Courtesy of M. K.)

Ukrainian graphic designer Mykola Kovalenko came to Bratislava in 2015. When investigative journalist Jan Kuciak was killed and the Russians invaded Ukraine, anxiety and shock overcame him.

He mobilised graphic designers all over the world to show solidarity with Slovak journalists, and he himself has been publishing a new poster about the war every day for two years.

EVENT FOR TUESDAY

When two musicians meet

Cellist Jozef Luptak. (Source: TASR)

Tomorrow at 18:00 in Kniznica Kornela a Nade Foldvariovcov (The Kornel and Nada Foldvary Library) of the Slovak National Gallery, Slovak cellist Jozef Luptak and Italian guitarist Alberto Mesirca will play a selection of the works of Bach, Schubert and other famous composers. Admission is voluntary, the venue in Namestie Ludovita Stura square.

IN OTHER NEWS

According to new research by experts from the Slovak Academy of Sciences, since the war in Ukraine started Ukrainians have felt accepted in Slovakia. The research says that although women often managed to get a job, many are performing unqualified and low-paid jobs despite their university education. Many women with children are also overburdened. However, many live in uncertainty over the reduction of the allowance for those providing accommodation for Ukrainian refugees, the sometimes insufficient accommodation, and how the situation in their homeland will unfold. (SAV)

The research says that although women often managed to get a job, many are performing unqualified and low-paid jobs despite their university education. Many women with children are also overburdened. However, many live in uncertainty over the reduction of the allowance for those providing accommodation for Ukrainian refugees, the sometimes insufficient accommodation, and how the situation in their homeland will unfold. (SAV) A new poll for the private TV Markiza shows that had the second round of the presidential election taken place in February, Speaker of Parliament and Hlas chair Peter Pellegrini would have won with almost 55 percent of the votes , followed by former foreign affairs minister Ivan Korcok with 45. In the first round, Pellegrini would have gained 35 percent, Korcok 34 percent, ex-justice minister Stefan Harabin 11 percent, and opposition 'Slovensko' (formerly OLaNO) leader Igor Matovic 5 percent. (TASR)

, followed by former foreign affairs minister Ivan Korcok with 45. In the first round, Pellegrini would have gained 35 percent, Korcok 34 percent, ex-justice minister Stefan Harabin 11 percent, and opposition 'Slovensko' (formerly OLaNO) leader Igor Matovic 5 percent. (TASR) Attending a Slovak-Indian business forum that took place last Thursday, Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer) said that the country has an open door to the Indian market . The event was attended by 22 Slovak businesses and representatives of various institutions as well as more than 100 Indian business partners. (TASR)

. The event was attended by 22 Slovak businesses and representatives of various institutions as well as more than 100 Indian business partners. (TASR) Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Hlas) announced that first to fourth graders in primary schools may be banned from using mobile phones, while fifth to ninth graders may be restricted in their use. The Education Ministry should finish updating guidelines by the end of March. (TASR)

WEATHER FOR TUESDAY: Occasional fog in the morning. Cloud cover will change throughout the day. Daily temperatures between 11 C to 18 C. Level 1 wind warning applies to the mountainous regions in the northern Slovakia, see map here. (SHMU)

FEBRUARY 27 NAME'S DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Alexander

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The embassy considers the marriage expedient.

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Almost 33,000 foreigners applied for a long-term residence in Slovakia last year. Of these, only 35 applications were rejected. If partners are not married, a long-term residence in Slovakia cannot be obtained.

However, a married Slovak-Malian couple in which the woman is expecting a child also has problems living together in Slovakia, reports public broadcaster RTVS.

Slovak Jozef Kostnac was introduced to Malian Moussokoro Coulibaly by their mutual acquaintance, Ibrahim Maiga, a showbiz personality of Mali origin well-known in Slovakia.

For more than a year, they communicated via an online translator. When Kostnac first visited Mali, they married. Although three years have passed, they are still not living together even though the woman is now pregnant and wants to be with her husband.

The Slovak blames a worker at the Slovak embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, where the couple was interviewed in order for the woman to obtain a long-term residence of 5 years.

According to Roman Hajek, spokesperson of the Slovak Police Force, the decision was based on the law governing the residence of foreigners, as well as the opinion of the embassy, which stated that the marriage is expedient, and the way the two met combined with the fact that they haven't lived together seems suspicious.

However, according to experts RTVS talked to, the whole process is taking too long. Visa advisor Oto Kohut says that a process taking three years is not standard. Independent lawyer Branislav Welter recommends re-initiation of the proceedings.

Another option would be to wait for the birth of the child and demand the right of family reunification.
More than 20 leaders will meet in Paris on Monday.

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After an alleged attack on the dog of Smers former labour minister Viera Tomanova, and the Government Office being threatened with cobblestones in the bushes in the past, PM and Smer party leader Robert Fico has found yet another unusual reason to convene a Security Council meeting.

On Sunday evening, he posted a short video on social media to announce his decision to hold the meeting on Monday. He claimed that he had to consult his coalition partners Hlas and SNS, intelligence agencies and the police about Slovakias position, which will be presented at a meeting with EU and NATO member states in Paris on Monday (February 26) evening.

Fico helped himself by intimidating the public. Without explanation, he gave the impression that he could be stripped of his job and that Slovakia could be forced to send its soldiers to Ukraine.

Even if my position were to cost me the position of prime minister, Ill do everything to prevent the direct participation of Slovak soldiers in the war in Ukraine, he said.

The Smer leader also created an atmosphere of fear by asserting that the topics that the leaders are supposed to talk about in Paris are chilling and he called the entire informal summit a combat meeting.

On Monday, he claimed that several NATO and EU member states are considering sending their soldiers to Ukraine on a bilateral basis.

Heres why and how Fico is lying about the Paris conference: Why is Fico misleading when he claims that he could lose the post of prime minister?

What does the French president have to do with Slovak soldiers?

Why is Fico the only one claiming that troops will be sent to Ukraine?

Why does Fico, after 30 years in politics, actually know that he is not going to a combat meeting?

In what ways do Fico IVs claims copy Fico in the opposition, Fico III and [ex-prime minister with authoritarian tendencies] Vladimir Meciar?

1) Why is Fico misleading when he claims that he could lose the post of prime minister?

There is no possibility of Fico losing his post based on his attitudes towards Ukraine.
We are less than a year away from the European Union officially enacting a new law banning the import of commodities, like coffee, linked to deforestation, and the difficultiesand opposition to the measure as it currently standscontinues to mount. In order for the goods to be imported, without a hefty fine at least, the law requires companies to be able to trace their origins to prove they werent grown on newly deforested land.

But now, the European Coffee Federation is urging the EU to delay the implementation of the law due to a potentially devastating impact on millions of growers.

As reported by Bloomberg, the ECF cites significant disruptions, particularly for smallholder coffee farmers, if the law goes into effect on December 30th as planned. Based on the findings of a survey by the International Coffee Organization, the ECF notes that 80% of farmers havent mapped their land as required by the law, stating further that they wouldnt know how to properly participate in the exercise.

To compound problems even further, the ECF states that compliance support tools have been developing slowly, not allowing sufficient time for their implementation. Thus the ECF is calling on the EU to reconsider the timing of the new law.

The implementation and the timeframe are proving to be a challenge not only for the entire coffee sector and related stakeholders, but also for the EU competent authorities, an ECF letter to the EU states. The ECF and its members remain fully committed to the spirit of the EUDR and will continue to work to ensure that the overall objective set out by the European Commission is met by all, when the time is right, without the numerous unintended consequences.

The ECF joins NGOs Conservation International and Solidaridad who have previously expressed reticence over the implementation of the deforestation measure and how it will negatively impact smallholder coffee farmers. There is even speculation that some green coffee currently sitting in EU warehouses may have to be dumped if not sold before the law takes effect.

Per Bloomberg, the EU commission has received the letter expressing the ECFs concerns and will reply in due course.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240226/israel-denies-visas-to-aid-workers-as-palestinians-in-gaza-die-of-starvation-1116984130.html

Israel Denies Visas to Aid Workers as Palestinians in Gaza Die of Starvation

Israel Denies Visas to Aid Workers as Palestinians in Gaza Die of Starvation

Sputnik International

A two-month-old Palestinian boy in Gaza reportedly died of hunger over the weekend.

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As Israels blockade claims lives across the Gaza Strip, the country has refused to renew visas and work permits for relief workers providing essential services to the besieged enclave, it was revealed on Sunday.The policy extends to directors and managers of organizations as well as low level aid workers, according to Faris Arouri of the Association of International Development Agencies. Among the groups targeted are well known and respected organizations like Oxfam, Amnesty International, Action Against Hunger, Catholic Relief Services and Care International.Israels Welfare Ministry, the government department responsible for issuing the visas and permits, has claimed the ministry is unable to process a backlog of requests. But Israel has frequently accused relief organizations, whose employees witness the consequences of Israels occupation firsthand, of harboring anti-Israel views.Israel has long criticized the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which it sees as perpetuating Palestinians identification as refugees. The vendetta was noted in a recent report by the US National Intelligence Council, which described how the Israeli government sees UNRWA as an impediment to their desired final solution. The report found no evidence for Israels claims that a handful of UNRWA workers participated in Hamas October 7 attack in Israel.Meanwhile, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have begun to succumb to famine as Israel imposes a tight blockade on the enclave. A two-month-old Palestinian boy died of starvation over the weekend, according to Al Jazeera. Over half a million Gazans soon face death from hunger if current conditions continue, observers have warned.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240224/lockstep-us-support-for-israel-eroding-confidence-of-americans-in-own-government-1116958270.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/un-agency-for-palestine-refugees-says-570000-people-in-gaza-strip-face-dire-hunger-1116327573.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240226/leaked-details-on-cia-ops-in-ukraine-signal-end-is-near-for-kiev-agency-vet-1116996822.html

Leaked Details on CIA Ops in Ukraine Signal End is Near for Kiev: Agency Vet

Leaked Details on CIA Ops in Ukraine Signal End is Near for Kiev: Agency Vet

Sputnik International

The New York Times published an expose on Sunday about the Central Intelligence Agencys operations in Ukraine, providing details on the creation of a dozen clandestine intel forward operating bases near Russias borders. Sputnik reached out to former CIA officer Larry Johnson to help separate the wheat from the chaff in the NYTs reporting.

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larry johnson

maria zakharova

valentyn nalyvaichenko

ukraine

russia

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Russias Foreign Ministry has dissected Sundays NYT story on the CIAs operations in Ukraine, challenging the newspapers assertion that Western intel services active involvement in the country began only after the February 2014 Euromaidan coup.NATO countries intelligence services worked to establish bases and other infrastructure in Ukraine long before the 2022 escalation, the spokeswoman said, and not only on the border with Russia, but across the country.According to the Times account, the CIA created a dozen secret spy bases in Ukraine near Russia over an eight year period going back to 2016, with the intelligence partnership supposedly taking root a decade ago, after Maidan-appointed spy chief Valentyn Nalyvaichenko contacted then-CIA director John Brennan and the MI6 asking them to help rebuild the Security Service of Ukraine (Ukrainian acronym SBU) from the ground up.Lies to Build a NarrativeTheyre lying about the US role in those early stages, says former CIA analyst and State Department Office of Counterterrorism expert Larry Johnson.Youve got once piece of disinformation after another in the story, according to the observer.And then, theyre saying that it was the United States trying to rein in Ukraine from carrying out all these terrorist attacks. So its really like were trying to send the message that these attacks on Russia were not the fault of the United States, it was the Ukrainians acting on their own, which is another patent falsehood, Johnson said.Weve had connections [with Ukrainian anti-Soviet and anti-Russian elements] going back to 1955. I mean the CIAs role in dealing with the Banderites goes back into the late 1940s and early 1950s. Theyre trying to portray that this is like some new relationship or just over the last 10-15 years. Thats nonsense, the former CIA analyst emphasized.Rats Starting to Leave the Sinking ShipAsked about the likely motivations to publish the expose at this stage of the proxy war in Ukraine, while Russia is advancing through the Donbass and US and European arms assistance to Kiev is under threat, Johnson suggested it may be a signal that Washington has decided to wrap up its Ukrainian project.As for the dozen clandestine bases mentioned in the piece, Johnson expressed confidence that Russia knew about these facilities, and likely has taken or will take action to eliminate them.Bases No Surprise for RussiaThe CIA sets up bases in every friendly territory. These are bases for facilitating the work of the CIA, including technical, operational and human intelligence, says Rustem Klupov, a Russian reserve colonel, Hero of Russia and veteran of military intelligence.The CIA is a spy organization, it is a military-political organization whose main goals are ensuring the creation of favorable conditions for US soft power or with the help of special operations, including special espionage and sabotage operations. For this reason, wherever the CIA trail is found, rotten, foul-smelling activities and events take place, the observer noted.Similar bases were created ahead of the so-called Arab Spring protests in 2011, the veteran Russian officer said, noting that the CIA trained itself on the Arabs for the coming conflict in Eastern Europe, with the aims of the latter project including driving a wedge between neighbors and brotherly peoples.Americans Play the Long GameThe Americans play the long game, Klupov emphasized, saying Washington has been doing this as far back as the First World War in Europe, first supplying them with weapons and then extracting dividends. They played the long game in all theaters of war, and where it was not possible to seize power quickly, created long-term projects. And Ukraine as part of the USSR and the Soviet Union as a whole was a program in which they played the long game.The main goal is the collapse of Russia. They do not need Russia itself, but the natural resources it possesses," Klupov emphasized, pointing out that the proxy war in Ukraine, like any modern conflict, has economics at its core.Ultimately, Klupov believes that if Russia did not kick off its military operation in Ukraine two years ago, it would have been forced to witness firsthand the trampling of Russian residents of the Donbass and the turning of the territory into scorched earth. And there we would have American bases, with all their latest weaponry, right next door to us.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240225/cia-set-up-12-secret-facilities-in-ukraine-along-russian-border-over-eight-year-period---report-1116977679.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240226/us-uk-spy-agencies-trained-spooks-saboteurs-in-ukraine-way-before-2022---russian-mfa-1116986877.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240108/new-polish-chapter-in-cias-nord-stream-cover-story-signals-growing-us-eu-split-1116059237.html

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why did new york times leak information about cia activities in ukraine, is info in nyt's cia ukraine story true
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240226/mideast-country-doubles-down-on-lng-production-after-sanctions-slam-europe-1116983027.html

Qatar Doubles Down on LNG Production After Sanctions Slam Europe

Qatar Doubles Down on LNG Production After Sanctions Slam Europe

Sputnik International

Global gas producers continue to increase output after Western sanctions on Russia wreaked havoc on European economies.

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Western sanctions imposed on Russia after the countrys special military operation in the Donbass backfired spectacularly, causing economic hardship and deindustrialization across Europe. Now one Middle Eastern country is increasing production of liquified natural gas (LNG) to help address shortfalls.Qatar announced a multibillion dollar expansion of LNG production on Sunday that will raise the countrys output to 142 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).We see that Europe is going to need gas for a very, very long time, he added, speaking at a press conference in Doha. But the growth in Asia is definitely going to be bigger than the growth in Europe, basically driven by population growth.We need more gas for the world, and we need more players, al-Kaabi pointed out.Qatar is one of the worlds top exporters of LNG, along with Russia, Australia, and the United States. The US recently announced a pause in expansion of exports amidst concerns global sales drive up domestic energy costs. US President Joe Biden also faces pressure from environmental activists opposed to increased fossil fuel production.Al-Kaabi expressed willingness to help make up the difference, but criticized US policy.Buyers will not go for these [American] sellers if every day the government could stop the process, he said. Its very difficult to have long-term planning when you have that.Qatar's exit from OPEC in 2019 amid a regional diplomatic crisis and Saudi-led blockade signaled its shift towards a focus on LNG production over oil-centric strategies. The move strengthened Qatar's position as a global energy powerhouse and demonstrated its resistance to geopolitical pressure.US energy policies have since created an opportunity for Qatar to expand its LNG production. Qatar's investment in LNG capabilities positions it as a crucial player in the global energy supply chain, contributing to stability amid geopolitical tensions and environmental debates.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240226/russian-forces-take-control-of-lastochkino-village-in-avdeyevka-area---mod-1116993850.html

Russian Forces Take Control of Lastochkino Village in Avdeyevka Area - MoD

Russian Forces Take Control of Lastochkino Village in Avdeyevka Area - MoD

Sputnik International

The Russian armed forces are now in control of the Lastochkyne village in the Avdeyevka area, the Defense Ministry said on Monday.

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russia's special operation in ukraine

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In the Avdeyevka direction, units of the center grouping of forces liberated the village of Lastochkino and continued to improve the situation along the front line, the ministry said in a statement. The Russian military also repelled an attack in Rabotyno, while the Ukrainian forces lost up to 50 soldiers in the Kherson direction, the ministry added.On February 17, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky announced the decision to withdraw troops from Avdeyevka, a northern suburb of Donetsk. Volodymyr Zelensky said that the decision to pull out the troops had been made to "save people's lives." Later, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Russian military had taken full control of the city of Avdeyevka.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240217/battle-for-avdeyevka-the-view-from-donetsk-1116832006.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240226/some-eu-nato-states-ponder-possibility-of-sending-military-to-ukraine---slovakias-fico-1116995905.html

Some EU, NATO States Ponder Possibility of Sending Military to Ukraine - Slovakia's Fico

Some EU, NATO States Ponder Possibility of Sending Military to Ukraine - Slovakia's Fico

Sputnik International

Some EU and NATO countries are mulling over the possibility of sending their military to Ukraine on the basis of bilateral agreements, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Monday

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Later in the day, Paris will host a meeting where members of the EU and NATO will discuss the situation in Ukraine. Possible deployment of the EU and NATO military to Ukraine will not allow them to achieve concessions from Russia, but will only lead to an escalation of the conflict, the prime minister said. Slovakia is not planning to send its soldiers to Ukraine, Fico added.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240124/slovakia-hungary-undeterred-by-pressure-and-threats-over-ukraine-aid-1116354480.html

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PPP chooses serving lawmakers instead of fresh faces

By Nam Hyun-woo

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) is taking the easy way out in nominating the partys candidates for the upcoming April 10 general elections by filling its roster with serving lawmakers over fresh faces.

Compared to the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which is suffering from serious factional feuds in its candidate nomination process, the PPPs selections are helping the conservative party secure stability in the congressional campaigns. However, questions are also growing whether the party wants to change itself.

The PPPs candidate recommendation committee on Monday nominated Rep. Kweon Seong-dong as its candidate for the electoral district in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, without holding a primary. Kweon has been serving four consecutive terms in the coastal city since 2009.

In Ulsans Jung constituency, Rep. Park Sung-min will compete with two other hopefuls in a primary. Meanwhile, Lee Won-mo, former presidential secretary for President Yoon Suk Yeol, has been nominated for the Yongin A constituency in Gyeonggi Province without the need for a primary.

As of Monday, the PPP has finished recommending its candidates in 127 out of 253 constituencies in the general elections, but only one serving lawmaker, Rep. Lee Tae-kyu, has failed to get his candidacy.

The day before, the PPP revealed the results of primaries for candidacies in 19 constituencies. Among them, five incumbent lawmakers secured candidacies in their respective districts by prevailing over their regional rivals in the primaries. These lawmakers are Reps. Chung Woo-taik, Lee Jong-bae, Park Duk-hyum, Jang Dong-hyeok and Eom Tae-young.

As all of the PPP's incumbent lawmakers have clinched their candidacies so far, the party's candidate nomination shows a relatively stable and quiet progress compared to that of the main opposition party. This is becoming a windfall for the conservative party in surveys, as recent results show that the PPP is closely trailing or outpacing the DPK in support ratings.

However, questions are also growing at the same time that the PPP's candidate nomination process is hindering the introduction of fresh faces into mainstream politics. Critics argue that the party is primarily focused on preserving the vested rights of incumbent politicians rather than embracing a more inclusive approach.

For example, former lawmaker Kim Sun-gyo, who secured candidacy in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, by defeating incumbent lawmaker Lee Tae-kyu, has a controversial history. Last year, he lost his lawmaker status due to his accounting manager being fined for illegally raising funds.

Hong Joon-pyo, Daegu mayor and a senior PPP member, expressed his dissatisfaction on Facebook, stating that the recommendation committee "gives chances to those who should have been sidelined." He criticized the party's candidate nomination process, claiming that it lacks interest and fails to initiate reforms.

In response to the criticism, PPP interim leader Han Dong-hoon told reporters Monday that "there will be plenty of reforms in the end."

"Our quiet candidate nomination is possible because of many sacrifices, even though they may not be visible at the time," Han said.

"Serving lawmakers have survived many difficulties and challenges. The nomination rules are very disadvantageous for serving multi-term lawmakers, and it is natural to doubt the competitiveness of rookies who failed to overcome those rules."

Although Han and the PPP's leadership are confident about the integrity of their candidate nomination process, pundits are saying the ruling party may face internal conflicts when it announces candidates for conservative strongholds such as Seoul's Gangnam area, Daegu and surrounding North Gyeongsang Province.

Since those areas are easier for PPP candidates to win, chances are high that primaries there will be competitive. Unlike other areas, the primaries will reflect surveys of party members and the general public in a 50-50 ratio. The PPP plans to announce primary results of 25 constituencies on Wednesday, and the results will include 11 Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province constituencies.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240226/us-lawmakers-trade-barbs-over-govt-spending-in-scramble-to-dodge-shutdown-1116989520.html

US Lawmakers Trade Barbs Over Gov't Spending in Scramble to Dodge Shutdown

US Lawmakers Trade Barbs Over Gov't Spending in Scramble to Dodge Shutdown

Sputnik International

In scramble to avoid US government shutdown, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) traded volleys of verbal barbs over the weekend.

2024-02-26T11:06+0000

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2024-02-26T11:06+0000

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Things are getting heated in the scramble to avoid a partial government shutdown. As tempers flared over the weekend, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) traded volleys of verbal barbs.Schumer aimed a broadside at House Republicans in a "dear colleague" letter on Sunday evening, saying they apparently "need more time to sort themselves out."Despite "intense discussions" with Speaker Johnson's team, he lamented that extreme House Republicans have shown they're more capable of causing chaos than passing legislation."Schumer urged Johnson to "buck the extremists in his caucus and do the right thing."The House speaker wasted no time shooting back a reply, railing against the "counterproductive rhetoric" he said Schumer's letter was steeped in. He assured that the House had "worked nonstop, and is continuing to work in good faith."Johnson faulted Schumer for failing to mention "new Democrat demands" that were not included in the Senate's spending bills.The terse exchange reflects the tensions running high among lawmakers as they face crunch time to pass as many as four appropriations bills in just three days when both chambers are in session.The haggling over government spending has already resulted in three funding patches that followed last-minute agreements to suspend the debt ceiling in June 2023. Last year, the shutdown deadline was pushed up in September and November, with another funding extension this January. The US House of Representatives suspended legislative business until February 28 after US House Speaker Mike Johnson said lawmakers would not hold a vote on a $95 billion spending bill passed by the US Senate. The bill included money for Ukraine and other foreign policy priorities, but did not include the negotiated bipartisan border agreement with provisions to increase border security. A bipartisan group of US House lawmakers subsequently unveiled a $66.32 billion spending bill  the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act  with aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as border security measures. US Congressmen Brian Fitzpatrick, Jared Golden, Don Bacon, and others released a statement on the legislation, saying "this legislation would require the suspension of entry of inadmissible aliens to achieve operational control over US borders, require immigration officers to detain and immediately expel inadmissible aliens, and provide $66.32 billion in defense-only funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.'' Around $47.69 billion of the money would be allocated to support Ukraine, according to the bill.Some Republicans are expected to continue to oppose efforts to fund the government without spending cuts or policy riders that Democrats view as unacceptable.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240221/us-house-republicans-expect-federal-govt-shutdown-1116899397.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240220/us-house-lawmakers-urge-colleagues-to-back-ukraine-aid--border-security-bill-1116885482.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240226/watch-russian-mortar-crew-destroy-ukrainian-observation-post-on-right-bank-of-dnepr-river-1116986251.html

Watch Russian Mortar Crew Destroy Ukrainian Observation Post on Right Bank of Dnepr River

Watch Russian Mortar Crew Destroy Ukrainian Observation Post on Right Bank of Dnepr River

Sputnik International

The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of a mortar crew destroying an enemy observation post on the right bank of the Dnepr River.

2024-02-26T07:54+0000

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The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of a mortar crew destroying a Ukrainian observation post on the right bank of the Dnepr River. Reconnaissance units detected a group of enemy infantry and UAV operators stationed in an abandoned building on the right bank of the river. After receiving coordinates, the crew of the 120 mm 2B11 mortar of Battlegroup Dnepr hit the target, the ministry said.The 2B11 provides high accuracy and mobility, making it an important tool for Russian forces in combat situations. Overall, it is quite effective as a means of supporting infantry and providing firepower on the battlefield.

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Mark MacDonell enjoyed a memorable night at Flamboro Downs on Sunday, Feb. 25 as the 23-year-old Port Hood, N.S. native celebrated his first career driving win with Dapper Fella.

MacDonell made his mark in the evening's seventh race for $8,000 claiming pacers, sending Dapper Fella on the attack from next-to-last as the field headed in front of the grandstand on the way to the half. They reeled in the front-striding favourite, Excavator (Travis Cullen), with a quarter-mile to go and drew off by 6-1/2 lengths for the 1:58.2 triumph. Excavator finished second while Go Mud (Rob Jenkins) edged out Just A Poor Boy (Ryan Desroche) in a show photo.

After closing from the backfield at long odds of 98-1 to finish third in the same claiming-conditioned class last week, Dapper Fella was sent off as the 9-5 second choice this time out and returned $5.70 to win.

MacDonell, who earned his first win after making just 18 starts since his driving debut last fall, celebrated the milestone victory with a cold shower courtesy of his fellow reinsmen as he was doused by buckets of water when he returned to the paddock after the race.

The young horseman also trains Dapper Fella and shares ownership with Blenise Young. The four-year-old Straight Shooting gelding was acquired earlier this month by MacDonell, who has recorded 15 training wins so far in his career.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.

(Standardbred Canada)
Some local governing bodies, such as the Scottsbluff and Gering city councils, will see new faces next year as incumbents opted not to run for re-election.

The deadline for incumbent filings was Feb. 15.

As of Feb. 26, according to information obtained from the Scotts Bluff County Clerks Office, a number of races will be contested.

At the county level, current Board of Commissioners chairman Ken Meyer and commissioner Russ Reisig both filed for reelection in District 4 and District 2, respectively. No challengers have filed for either race.

For the county Airport Authority, current chairman Neal Smith filed for reelection, as did board member Bob Unzicker.

Two incumbents on the Scottsbluff City Council declined to run for reelection: vice-president Jordan Colwell and Angela Scanlan. So far, three candidates have filed to run for those two vacated positions on the council: Charles Lieske, Jerry Stricker and Selena Lerma.

All three incumbents on the Scottsbluff school board  president Scott Reisig, vice-president Beth Merrigan and Paul Snyder  filed for reelection. No challengers have filed to run as of yet.

Three current Gering City Council members filed for reelection: Susan Wiedeman in Ward 1, council president Michael Gillen in Ward 2 and Troy Cowan in Ward 4.

At least one new face will be seen on the Gering City Council, as Ward 3 incumbent Ben Backus chose not to run for reelection. No candidates have filed to run for the open position as of Monday.

Two incumbents have filed to retain their seats on the Gering school board: Joshua Lacy and Tracy Wiese. Current vice-president BJ Peters did not file for reelection, bringing his 20-year tenure on the board to a close. No new candidates have filed to fill the third seat.

Two seats on the Mitchell City Council are up for new terms. Incumbent Douglas French filed for reelection, and will be joined on the ballot by Kyle Kakuda and Stanley Murrell.

Mitchell school board incumbents Dustan Keener, Paul Pieper and Brad Helgerson will be joined by non-incumbent Derrick Perkins in the race for three available seats.

Minatare Mayor Cheryl Spencer did not file for reelection. Current city council member Frank Costa did file for the mayoral race, as did Carolyn Nelson. As for the Minatare council, president Celeste Sanchez filed to run for another term in Ward 1. Non-incumbents Eric Longoria and Melissa Lally filed to run in Ward 1 and Ward 2, respectively.

On the Minatare school board, incumbents Karol Garduno, April Newlin and Jackie Meyers all filed for reelection, with no new candidates filed.

In Terrytown, Tom Blackos and Emily Norman are the only candidates who have filed for City Council seats in Ward 1 and Ward 2, respectively.

The deadline for non-incumbent filings will be end of day on Friday, March 1.
A fire prompted evacuations from Rolling Hills Road to north of Gothenburg Monday amid high winds and red flag warnings.

North Platte and other area fire crews were called about 10:45 a.m. to a grassfire east of Twin Lakes Road.

North Platte Fire and Rescue requested mutual aid from several area fire departments as the fire spread to the north and east. Fire crews from Logan, Dawson and Custer counties were also called to battle the blaze as it grew.

One resident of the area was in a desperate search for two of her dogs who had gotten loose around the time the fire broke out. The two Labrador retrievers were found safe and sound roughly 40 minutes after.

The North Platte 911 Center sent a RAVE alert about noon asking people who live from Rolling Hills Road to Maxwell Road to evacuate. That evacuation area was extended to homes north of Brady and north of Gothenburg, according to a RAVE alert sent about 2:45 p.m.

By 4 p.m., authorities had evacuated Callaway as the fire spread east.

Authorities had little information to release to the public at 4:50 p.m. Monday, Region 51 Emergency Management Director Brandon Myers said, though the fire was still very active.

The Fire Information Resource Management System map showed burn areas throughout much of rural northeastern Lincoln County, from about two miles north of U.S. Highway 30 north of Maxwell and Brady, north to Garfield Table Road, then east to the Dawson County line.

Fires crossed that line into Dawson and Custer counties south of Arnold and spread along Nebraska Highway 40 Monday afternoon.

The Salvation Army in North Platte, 1020 N. Adams Ave., opened as an evacuation center for people who were displaced.

Fire crews were also called to a fire in Perkins County Monday morning and to a blaze northeast of Wallace Monday afternoon.

Logan County crews, along with other area mutual aid, battled still yet another fire west of Stapleton near the South Loup River.

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for Monday throughout west-central Nebraska with a high around 68 and winds expected to be steady at 25-35 mph and gusting to 50 mph.

The red flag warning was expected to last until 7 p.m., with temperatures expected to dip overnight into Tuesday and light snow expected on Tuesday.

Most of Nebraska, southern South Dakota, northern and western Kansas and eastern Colorado are under a red flag warning with unseasonably high temperatures and high winds. Iowa, parts of Missouri and Illinois were also under red flag warnings on Monday.

Stay tuned as more information is available.
The Nebraska State Penitentiary on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022, in Lincoln. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  State Corrections officials are facing another lawsuit concerning the slaying of an inmate in a double-bunked cell that is eerily similar to a 2017 murder within prison walls.

Earlier this month, the estate of deceased inmate Kevin Carter filed a updated federal lawsuit alleging that then-State Corrections Director Scott Frakes and 10 other prison officials were negligent and reckless in housing the then-20-year-old Carter with a reportedly paranoid, delusional and threatening convicted murderer.

On Nov. 6, 2020, about a week after Carter was housed in the same cell at the Nebraska State Penitentiary with inmate Angelo Bol, Carter was found unresponsive under a bed sheet. He later was pronounced dead.

Bol had history of mental illness

At the time, Bol, who was 40, was serving a life sentence for shooting and killing a former co-worker in the parking lot of a packinghouse in Gibbon, Nebraska, in 2015.

Carter, who was from Council Bluffs, was serving a six- to nine-year sentence for terroristic threats and assault with a deadly weapon in association with a street corner stabbing near downtown Omaha in 2019.

The lawsuit, filed in November but amended earlier this month, stated that prison medical officials were aware of the dangers posed by Bol, especially when he was unmedicated.

Despite that, officials ended the involuntary medication of Bol, who had a history of schizophrenia, delusional disorder and paranoia. That decision led to the death, according to the lawsuit filed by Omaha attorney Tom Monaghan.

Bol, the lawsuit alleges, told prison officials he didnt want to be housed in the same cell as Carter because he believed that he was connected to a Sudanese tribe that had hired Carter to kill (him).

Officials indifferent to risks

Bol, who had a history of assaulting other inmates and threatening guards, said he would kill Carter if they were not separated, the lawsuit stated.

Prison officials, the lawsuit claims, were indifferent to the risks posed by Bol, even though they were well aware of potential fatal consequences of housing two inmates in a single cell due to a similar slaying in a double-bunked cell in 2017.

Because of overcrowded conditions in Nebraska prisons  they held nearly 1,900 more inmates than theyre designed for at the end of 2023  officials required two inmates to double-bunk in some cells designed for a single prisoner.

That includes the Nebraska State Penitentiary, which held an average of 205 inmates per day above its design capacity of 818 in the last quarter of 2023. Overcrowding and staff shortages were cited as problems in the Carter lawsuit.

In the past, State Corrections officials have said they screen inmates to ensure that they are compatible and can co-exist safely.

But in the wake of a similar, 2017 slaying in a double-bunked call, a state legislative watcher, Doug Koebernick, who is the inspector general of Corrections, called for the practice to be suspended and reviewed.

A spokeswoman for Corrections declined to comment, citing agency policy of not commenting on pending lawsuits.

Monaghan, who is a former U.S. district attorney, also declined to comment.

The lawsuit cites the 2017 murder of an inmate in a double-bunked cell in stating that prison officials should have been aware of the risks.

Berry family won settlement

In that case, Terry Berry, a 22-year-old inmate, was choked to death by his cellmate, Patrick Schroeder, after they were double-bunked in a solitary confinement cell at the Tecumseh State Prison.

Schroeder, who was serving life in prison for the murder of a Pawnee City farmer, had told prison officials he didnt want to be housed with Berry and said he killed him because he wouldnt shut up.

Schroeder was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death, but he committed suicide two years ago in his cell at Tecumseh.

Berrys family, meanwhile, was awarded $479,000 to settle a lawsuit against a handful of prison officials who made the decision to double-bunk the pair.

A similar lawsuit against the Department of Corrections over the death was dismissed in a controversial, split ruling by the Nebraska Supreme Court, concluding that the government was immune from such lawsuits. Unlike that lawsuit, the Carter case attacks the individuals  not the government institution  who made the decision to double bunk the inmates.

Bol, now 44, is awaiting trial in Lancaster County for first-degree murder. He was initially deemed not competent to stand trial, but after treatment at the Lincoln Regional Center, he was found competent in May for the case to proceed.
This Is what I remember about my grandfather, John Raymond Riggs I.

I remember the smell of his chewing tobacco.

I remember him coming to see us when we lived in Florida. He looked so out of place in his cowboy hat there. He didnt care though. He was a cowboy.

I remember him teaching me how to ride a horse. I never could put the saddle on to his specifications though.

I remember watching him care for the little kittens at the ranch. There were always a dozen feral cats out there, and he always had a soft heart for the smallest and weakest of them.

I remember the orphaned pet goats and sheep that were always around on the ranch too. He would find them out in the pasture and feed them from a bottle until they could make it on their own. Of course after all that care they all followed him around like a dog. There was a sheep named Wrinkle-Snoot. There was even a cow they named Sally that did the same.

I remember every time we came in from outside he would tell us to wash our hands. The only soap I ever remember was that original yellow Dial hand-soap.

I remember going to see him at his day-job one time. He worked for the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission on the border between the U.S. and Mexico.

I remember him telling me to get out and open the bump-gate whenever we drove a vehicle without a grill-guard on the ranch. I let the gate slip once and dinged the side of my cousins old truck. He was not even that mad about it.

I remember sleeping in the back of my grandparents house in town sometimes during the summer. Everyone would watch T.V. after dinner. And my mom and I would sometimes call my dad who was back in Saudi Arabia from an old telephone in the back bedroom.

I remember him saying the prayer before every meal. It was his house, and he was always the one who prayed before we ate. It always started: We thank the oh gracious heavenly father

I remember him passing the offering plate as a deacon at church, and I remember the Juicy Fruit gum he always kept in his shirt pocket.

I remember him taking us hunting. Ranch hunting, that is. We would ride around in the truck with the windows down listening to the radio, with the heater turned up.

I never remember getting in his truck that the radio wasnt turned on.

I remember working with him and my cousin on the ranch. We would get up early before the sun, nap in the heat of the day, and sit on the front porch after a late dinner. We would train horses, fix fences, dig post holes, paint gates, brand cattle, and take cattle off to auction. As dusk came, sometimes a flock of wild turkeys would roost in the tree by the far gate.

One time in particular that my grandfather woke us up, my cousin and I complained about the alarm clock. He said he would quit using it. The next morning he woke us up standing in his underwear. He had on a white t-shirt, playing a guitar and singing at the top of his lungs. Scared us to death. I wish I could remember what song it was. We were only kids and we thought that was so funny.

And I remember him holding my daughter at his 90th birthday party.

They say smell is the most nostalgic of the senses, and most of all, I remember the smell of my grandfathers chewing tobacco. I remember opening a pouch of it and smelling it as I sat in the front seat of his truck. I can still smell it today.

See, both my grandparents died a few weeks ago.

My grandfather had recently turned 93. And my grandmother was 88.

They were married for 71 years and they died just over two days apart.

Its alright though, they both had a good long life, and Ill see them soon.
Veteran politician's role in party limited: experts

By Lee Hyo-jin

Veteran politician Kim Chong-in has returned to politics, now donning the distinct orange colored jacket of the Reform Party.

The 84-year-old took the helm of the party's nomination committee last week, with less than 50 days remaining until the April 10 parliamentary elections.

Kim is a demonstrated campaign expert, having played a crucial role in securing victories for former Presidents Moon Jae-in and Park Geun-hye in their presidential elections. Also, he led the Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) landslide victory in the 2016 general elections, serving as the party's interim leader.

This time, he chose the Reform Party, a newly formed party headed by former People Power Party (PPP) leader Lee Jun-seok, which brands itself as an alternative option for voters disappointed by bipartisan politics.

"I have long believed that, unless new political forces emerge, it is unlikely for us to bring new change to Korean politics [...] I accepted the offer to help cultivate the seeds of emerging political forces," Kim said Monday during the party's Supreme Council meeting.

The party has been facing challenges expanding its presence between the nation's two major parties, reflected in its approval ratings remaining below the five percent range, raising speculation that the party may secure only one or two seats in the next Assembly, according to pundits.

Public sentiment toward the party worsened following a failed merger with the Saemirae Party, which only lasted for 11 days.

However, Kim said he "does not care much" about the party's currently low approval rating, adding that his past experiences indicate that election victory depends on the party's ability to appeal to the public with a clear vision.

"I don't believe that the current polling results precisely align with the public's will," he told reporters, saying that the Reform Party could succeed if it concentrates on highlighting what it aims to offer to the public.

Despite the election czar's track record, however, observers were skeptical over whether he would be able to emulate his past success with the Reform Party in the present.

Kim Hyung-joong, a professor at Paichai University and former president of the Korean Association of Electoral Studies, said, "When Kim [Chong-in] previously led election campaigns for major parties, he had many cards to play. Things are much different with a small party."

He added, "Public attention and expectations regarding the Reform Party are diminishing day by day."

The professor said the politician's role as the nomination committee head would be limited, citing the party's small pool of potential candidates to nominate in the country's total 253 constituencies.

Eom Kyeong-young, director of the Zeitgeist Institute, a private political think tank, said Kim's appointment appears to be one of the few reasonable decisions made by Lee since he launched the party in January.

"However, I don't think we'll be seeing the so-called Kim Chong-in effect in the upcoming elections, given that the Reform Party's overall performance hasn't been so good so far," Eom told The Korea Times.

He added that Kim's role within the party would go beyond nominating candidates.

Recognized as an experienced politician with a reputation as a center-right figure, Kim is expected to assist Lee in avoiding missteps and contribute to the party's rebranding, particularly in light of the failed merger with the Saemirae Party.

As a mentor to Lee, the 84-year-old could also play a pivotal role in shaping the future of 38-year-old Lee's political career.

After joining the Reform Party on Friday, Kim proposed that Lee consider running in a constituency in Daegu or North Gyeongsang Province, a traditional conservative stronghold.

However, Eom said that Kim's arrival might pave the way for Lee to pursue a proportional representation seat, offering a relatively easier path to securing an Assembly seat.
Todd Young paused in his storytelling to make sure the college students knew what a Piggly Wiggly is. They did, and Saltvilles mayor went on to tell them about failure transforming into success as his towns one-time grocery store became a vibrant health center.

Young was speaking to Dr. Scott Sikes State and Local Politics and Public Policy class, a required course in Emory & Henry Colleges Civic Innovation major.

Of the class, Sikes said, I find myself telling the students over and over that these policy issues are the ones that most end up affecting their day-to-day lives.

Sikes serves as E&Hs director of the Appalachian Center for Civic Life and is the chair of the Interdisciplinary Program in Civic Innovation among other duties.

In asking Young to address the class one Monday morning, Sikes told him, First, I always want students to come away with an appreciation for the ways ordinary citizens give their time and energy to the work of local government.

Young shared that goal, telling the students, You guys can change the world. He followed that statement by urging them to, in the future, seek a council seat or the mayors office or serve as a town manager  to change the world by serving in their community.

Whether they take a role in local government, he urged them all to take an active role by expressing their opinions on issues. Sign-up to speak during local council and boards citizens time, Young urged. You have that right, he said.

Young, who raised his family in Saltville, shared that speaking during citizens time was the act that introduced him to the idea of serving on the town council.

Active in local government for about 20 years, Young did caution the students, Government is very slow.

The mayor told them about wanting to bring a fitness center to Saltville. I want to see people healthy and vibrant, he told the students.

Young explained that the one-time Piggly Wiggly had become a call center that closed. Then, a private gym opened. It failed. Out of that failure came success, the mayor said. As people and organizations began to work together to bring a branch of the Smyth County Community Foundations Lifetime Wellness Center to Saltville.

It took three years to get the facility there, Young said. With pride, he noted that 350 members were needed to bring the health center to the community. Today, he said, it boasts a membership of more than 700 with an 85% usage rate.

The mayor also used the class time to educate the students about Saltville, pointing out that its the only town in the commonwealth with salt mines.

He taught a bit of history, explaining that William King, one of the first commercial salt miners, sent barges of salt down the river establishing Kings Port, todays Kingsport, Tenn.

The lesson shifted to economic and business with Young sharing that those mines still produce salt with the private United Salt sending out about 60 tractor-trailer loads of the substance every day.

While thats a major revenue source for the town, Young shifted gears to local and state government. He noted that those tractor-trailers are using roads that pass through residential areas and that werent designed for such big loads.

Now, local officials, he said, are working with state and federal representatives to find an answer whether its a better or new road.

Again, he cautioned, Politics is slow, slow, slow.

Still, Young told the students, Im always trying to better or promote the Town of Saltville.

That said, the mayor noted that officials wont always make the right decisions and that, even doing the best for the community, will often leave people unhappy.

He polled the class to see how many had visited the town and the vast majority had, listing attractions ranging from bird watching in the well fields to eating at the popular Chinese restaurant.

Young shared insights into Saltvilles motto of from the Ice Age to the Space Age, including the risk and cost of being a community focused on chemicals.

The mayor also quizzed the students about his salary, asking for their guesses about what hes paid for carrying out his duties.

Their guesses ranged from $10,000 to $75,000 with only a couple giving the correct figure  $0.

The natural follow-up question was why serve?

I have a commitment to service, and I hope you do too, Young answered.

He later explained that he believes that service is what were here for. Young urged the students to try it. See how it makes you feel.

Great people have come before me and great people will come after me, he told the students, but its an honor to serve.

Growing up with a learning disability, the mayor and Virginia Municipal League board member said hes proud of what hes doing, of Saltville, and Southwest Virginia. He invited each student to visit Saltville and come for a tour.

For Sikes, Youngs lesson was well timed. The class had just talked about the administrative divisions of counties, cities, and towns in Virginia and considered how these subdivisions relate to the state and some of the issues involved in policy making on such a localized level.

Throughout the semester, Sikes, who has been teaching at E&H for about 11 years, said, We study the interrelationship of local, county, and state governments and related agencies and practice skills of public policy analysis. A key objective is for students to understand the role of citizens in local decision-making and policymaking.

The class also follows the state legislature, and the students read two historical books about policy issues  one related to the eugenics movement and state sterilization practices in the early 20th century and the other about massive resistance in Virginia to school desegregation in the 1960s.

During the semester, each student must attend a local government meeting, write an op-ed, and complete a final case study project of a local public policy issue.

Sikes said he invited Young to speak to the class because one thing I want students to understand is that the work of local government in rural areas especially happens because of the time, effort, and dedication of ordinary citizens, most of whom serve as a way to give back to a community they love.
Sources within the camp have reported to Athr Press a "sudden cessation of murders".

Sources within the al-Hol camp, situated in the northern countryside of Hasakeh, have reported a sudden cessation of murders within the camp. They explain that there is no longer any noticeable activity from ISIS cells, which were previously active in enforcing the extremist organizations rules upon the camps residents. The population of the camp, which once reached approximately 70,000, has gradually decreased to around 51,000 individuals.

Information obtained by Athr Press indicates that organizations operating within the camp have informed the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who control the camp, of their intention to withdraw if the security issues persist. Consequently, some of these organizations have ceased their activities, particularly out of concern for their foreign staff.

In response to this security concern, sources close to the camp administration, who preferred to remain anonymous, revealed to Athr Press that the US Forces Command, through a series of visits to the camp, presented the SDF with two options: either to resolve the security chaos internally or to allow the formation of a faction by the Americans, independent of the SDF, to solely manage and ensure security within the camp.

In terms of crime statistics, approximately 113 murders were recorded in 2021, followed by 93 in 2022. However, since the beginning of 2023 until the present, no crimes have been reported. Additionally, the so-called Hisba apparatus, responsible for patrolling the foreigners wing and enforcing strict dress codes, has vanished from public view.

Several months ago, the SDF initiated a security crackdown by arresting leaders of the camp guard Asayish on charges of smuggling weapons, incendiary and explosive materials, and mobile devices into the camp. This crackdown also targeted the smuggling of materials by tankers and car drivers contracted with various organizations. The SDF increased the number of camp guards and collaborated with residents to locate hidden weapons and ammunition, as well as identify extremist figures. This concerted effort significantly hampered the activity of extremist cells.

Security stability has notably improved after US forces compelled the SDF to relocate the majority of foreigners to the Rojava camp, thereby alleviating pressure and reducing the likelihood of ISIS activity.

These strategic maneuvers by the SDF and US forces stem from concerns about the potential withdrawal of organizations from the camp, which could escalate the financial burden of their continued presence in Syrian territory. Withdrawal of humanitarian organizations would necessitate that the SDF assume the financial responsibilities previously borne by these organizations.

Its worth mentioning that on August 23, 2023, the commander of the US Central Command, General Michael Kurilla, visited both the Hol and al-Roj camps, where he met with camp directors and residents. Furthermore, on the 16th of the same month, former US Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller visited eastern Syria and held discussions with the co-chairs of the Department of Foreign Relations in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, emphasizing the importance of providing necessary support to address issues related to ISIS prisons and camps in northeastern Syria, particularly the Hol camp.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
A missive, dispatched by the director General of the West Asia Division at the Iranian Trade Promotion Organization, was received by Assad's ambassador in Tehran.

Iran has conveyed fresh communication to the Assad regime, emphasizing the imperative for the latter to honour the ratified agreements and eliminate all impediments hindering investment endeavours.

The missive, dispatched by Abdolamir Rabihawi, Director General of the West Asia Division at the Iranian Trade Promotion Organization, was received by Shafiq Diop, Assads ambassador in Tehran.

According to IRNAs report on Saturday, Rabihawi underscored in his discussions with Diop the necessity to revitalize exhibition activities and facilitate the exchange of trade and commercial delegations to execute the ratified trade accords.

The Iranian official referenced the agreements sealed during Iranian President Ebrahim Raisis visit to Damascus, along with subsequent deliberations including those during Assad Prime Minister Hossein Arnouss visit to Tehran.

Diop highlighted certain challenges encountered by businessmen and emphasized the imperative of addressing them, underscoring the Syrian leaderships resolve to enhance trade cooperation with Iran.

He expressed readiness to participate in the Syria Reconstruction Conference scheduled for next week.

Diop also proposed pragmatic remedies to tackle the challenges confronting businessmen and eliminate trade barriers between the two nations, as reported by IRNA and other Iranian media outlets.

Assads Prime Minister, Hussein Arnous, visited Tehran last December, with Iranian media reporting the objective as finalizing previously agreed memorandums of cooperation.

Following meetings with Tehran officials, Arnous announced the resolution of obstacles hindering the implementation of the memorandums of understanding between the two parties, indicating that the outcomes of recent discussions will manifest in the coming days.

He asserted that the agreements entered into by the regime with Iran were founded on a win-win principle benefiting both sides.

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.
Mahmoud Ibrahim revealed that he faces multiple allegations, including "supporting armed disobedience".

Mahmoud Ibrahim, a journalist employed in the state-run media, penned a post on his personal social media page on Sunday, February 25, just hours before he was apprehended by the Assad regime on charges of violating the republics constitution and undermining the prestige of the Syrian state.

In his statement, Ibrahim revealed that he faces multiple allegations, including supporting armed disobedience, citing a security dossier purportedly authored by a journalist from Tartous linked to Assads intelligence. This dossier allegedly incriminates him for his advocacy of the peaceful movement in the Suweida governorate.

He disclosed that he is scheduled for a judicial hearing on Sunday and recounted being summoned for questioning at the Criminal Security Branch in Tartous several days before the end of last year. During these interrogations, decisions were made to terminate his employment at Al-Wahda newspaper, prohibit his future employment, and initiate legal action against him.

Ibrahim criticized these decisions as unjust, affirming his support for the Suweida movement due to its peaceful nature. He also accused the regime of propagating falsehoods about the Syrian revolution, such as labelling it extremist and violent, and claimed that such narratives were disseminated in various publications.

Kinan Waqaf, a journalist formerly aligned with the Syrian regime who recently defected from regime-controlled areas, commented on the arrest of his colleague and neighbour Ibrahim. He derided the accusation of undermining the states prestige, characterizing it as ludicrous given the ongoing destruction and loss of dignity inflicted by the regime.

Despite years of loyalty and promotion of the regimes agenda, many media professionals find themselves targeted, detained, and stripped of their credentials. It appears that their previous support and dissemination of misinformation in favour of the regime did not guarantee them immunity from repercussions.

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.
Jamous noted that regional and international conflicts have diverted attention from the Syrian crisis, according to Syria TV.

The head of the Syrian Negotiation Commission, Badr Jamous, emphasized that any normalization with the Assad regime, absent tangible political progress, will fail to repatriate displaced Syrians and restore stability to the country. He underscored the Commissions ongoing dialogue with Arab nations, aiming at facilitating a political resolution within Syria.

Jamous delivered these remarks during a briefing on political developments in Syria at the 70th session of the General Assembly of the National Coalition, held at the Syrian Interim Government headquarters in Aleppos countryside.

He noted that regional and international conflicts have diverted attention from the Syrian crisis, prompting the Commission to devise a new strategy. This strategy involves bolstering grassroots involvement in negotiations, cultivating fresh international relations and alliances, and navigating diplomatic relations to advance the Syrian cause.

Continuing, Jamous stated that maintaining communication with Arab nations remains pivotal to advocating for a just political resolution aligned with international mandates. He reiterated that normalization efforts must coincide with substantive political advancements to ensure the reunification of Syria and the safe return of its displaced populace, thereby fostering sustainable stability in the region.

Furthermore, he stressed the Commissions commitment to keeping the Syrian crisis on the United Nations agenda, advocating for Security Council deliberations inclusive of the negotiating committee. This, he asserted, would spotlight the impediments hindering political progress and identify those responsible for the stalemate.

Concluding his address, Jamous condemned the Assad regimes obstructionism, citing its defiance of international resolutions, particularly Resolution 2254. He criticized the regimes reluctance to engage with the United Nations and its rejection of proposals by UN special envoy Geir Pedersen aimed at revitalizing efforts to address the Syrian crisis.

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.
Tech giants are racing to ward off a carbon time bomb caused by the massive data centers they're building around the world.

A technique pioneered by Google is gaining currency as more power-hungry artificial intelligence comes online: Using software to hunt for clean electricity in parts of the world with excess sun and wind on the grid, then ramping up data center operations there. Doing so could cut carbon and costs.

There's an urgent need to figure out how to run data centers in ways that maximize renewable energy usage, said Chris Noble, co-founder and chief executive officer of Cirrus Nexus, a cloud-computing manager tapping data centers owned by Google, Microsoft and Amazon.

The climate risks sparked by AI-driven computing are far-reaching  and will worsen without a big shift from fossil fuel-based electricity to clean power. Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang has said AI has hit a tipping point. He has also said that the cost of data centers will double within five years to power the rise of new software.

Already, data centers and transmission networks each account for up to 1.5% of global consumption, according to the International Energy Agency. Together, they're responsible for emitting about as much carbon dioxide as Brazil annually.

Hyperscalers  as the biggest data center owners like Google, Microsoft and Amazon are known  have all set climate goals and are facing internal and external pressure to deliver on them. Those lofty targets include decarbonizing their operations.

But the rise of AI is already wreaking havoc on those goals. Graphics processing units have been key to the rise of large language models and use more electricity than central processing units used in other forms of computing. Training an AI model uses the more power than 100 households in a year, according to IEA estimates.

The growth in AI is far outstripping the ability to produce clean power for it, he said.

Moreover, AI's energy consumption is volatile and more akin to a sawtooth graph than a smooth line that most data center operators are used to. That makes decarbonization a challenge, to say nothing of ensuring grid stability.

AI's growth is being driven by North American companies, keeping computing power  and energy usage  concentrated there, said Dave Sterlace, account director for global data centers at Hitachi Energy. That's a trend he didn't expect two years ago.

To lower data center CO2 emissions, hyperscalers and other data center providers have financed massive amounts of solar or wind farms and used credits to offset emissions. (In the case of credits, some have failed to have a meaningful impact on emissions.)

But that alone won't be enough, especially as AI use ticks up. That's why operators are turning to the strategy employed by Alphabet Inc. unit Google called load shifting. The idea: Lower emissions by upending the way data centers function.

Today, most data centers seek to operate in a steady state, such that their energy consumption is fairly stable. That leaves them at the mercy of the grid they're connected to and whatever the day's mix of natural gas, nuclear and renewable power generation is given the lack of transmission lines between regions. To break their reliance on dirtier grids, tech giants are looking for opportunities to shift daily or even hourly data center operations around the world in an effort to soak up excess renewable energy production.

Google launched the first effort to match its power usage at certain data centers with zero-carbon power on an hourly basis in a bid to get its machines running on clean energy 24/7. No one has fully achieved that goal yet. And, to be sure, the strategy of shifting loads around the world might be complicated by countries pushing for data sovereignty policies that attempt to restrict and safeguard the flow of data across borders. But what Cirrus Nexus and Google are testing could still be a critical piece of the puzzle for cutting emissions.

Manhattan-based Cirrus Nexus scours the world's power grids and measures emissions in five-minute increments to find the least polluting computing resources for itself and its clients in industries that range from pharmaceuticals to accounting. The company had a chance to put that search into practice last summer.

The Netherlands was in the midst of its sunniest June on record, causing the cost of solar power on the grid to drop. That made it cheaper and less carbon-intensive to run servers. Cirrus Nexus then shifted its computing load to California once the sun went down in the Netherlands, allowing it to draw on solar power just coming online for the day in the Golden State.

By chasing the sun from Europe to the US West Coast and back again, the company was able to slash computing emissions for certain workloads for itself and clients by 34% rather than relying on servers in either location alone, according to company data shared with Bloomberg Green. Making operations flexible to do that comes with both benefits and risks.

Being able to pursue spare zero-carbon megawatts can help reduce stress on grids, such as during a heat wave or frigid winter storm. But data centers need to cooperate with utilities and grid operators because big swings in demand can throw electric systems into disarray, boosting the odds of blackouts. Dominion Energy, which is seeing data center demand soar at its Virginia utility, is working on a program to harness load shifting at data centers to ease stress on the grid during extreme weather.

In recent years, Google and Amazon have tested shifting data center use for their own operations and for clients that use their cloud services. (Cirrus Nexus, for instance, uses cloud services offered by Amazon, Microsoft and Google.) In Virginia, Microsoft inked a deal with Constellation Energy Corp. that guarantees more than 90% of the power for its area data center will be zero-carbon energy. Reaching 100%, though, remains a formidable goal for it and other hyperscalers.

Google's data centers run on carbon-free energy about 64% of the time, with 13 of the regional sites getting to 85% and seven at just over 90% globally, said Michael Terrell, who leads Google's 24/7 carbon-free energy strategy.

But if you're not displacing fossil assets, then you're not completely achieving your climate goals, said Terrell.

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NTT DOCOMO and NEC announced that they plan to establish a joint venture company, OREX SAI, INC. on April 1 to provide OREX Packages solutions for the full-scale global deployment of Open RAN services.

OREX SAI will locally source products and services from members of OREX PARTNERS in each market and perform system verifications to deliver mobile networks tailored to the needs of each overseas telecommunications operator. Leveraging NECs established business infrastructure and global network in over 50 countries and territories, the joint venture will accelerate its global expansion of Open RAN business.

In addition, DOCOMO and NEC plan to strengthen cooperation with OREX PARTNERS through OREX SAI to promote the commercialization and realization of true Open RAN that enables the interoperability of equipment and systems from diverse vendors.

The joint venture will procure all necessary Open RAN network equipment and software from OREX PARTNERS, and then conduct system verification for the planning and construction of optimal mobile networks tailored to each telecom operator. Full-stack services will include planning, construction, maintenance and operation under the OREX Packages framework.

DOCOMO established the O-RAN ALLIANCE with leading global telecom operators in February 2018 and launched the worlds first nationwide Open RAN 5G service in Japan in March 2020. Since introducing the OREX brand in February 2023, DOCOMO has been supporting Open RAN verifications for global telecom operators to help realize more open mobile networks around the world.

NEC, having delivered Open RAN solutions to telecom operators in Japan and other countries, was selected by DOCOMO as a vendor for virtualized radio access networks (vRANs), one of DOCOMOs 5G commercial services in Japan. With extensive experience in building communication infrastructure around the world, NEC offers strong system-integration (SI) capabilities.

In their collaboration with OREX PARTNERS to realize Open RAN, DOCOMO and NEC recognize the importance of optimizing local product and service delivery. In response, they will now form a joint venture company to establish a global system capable of accelerating the realization of Open RAN.

Hiroshi Kobayashi, President and CEO of OREX SAI, said, We are excited to bring our true Open RAN solutions to telecom operators worldwide through the joint venture OREX SAI, which combines DOCOMOs Open RAN implementation expertise, OREXs innovative solutions and NECs global system-integration capabilities. We are committed to driving innovation and connectivity for all, making global telecommunications open, seamless and inclusive.

Going forward, OREX SAI will work with OREX PARTNERS to provide optimal products and services that accelerate the global adoption of high-quality, cost-effective and energy-efficient Open RAN solutions. In addition, they will enhance cooperation with global partners to foster a vibrant and open ecosystem.

The new company will also explore application of the NTTs IOWN all-photonic network for transmission, the use of low-power servers equipped with optoelectronic devices, and collaboration with the Cognitive Foundation.

Joint Venture Overview
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:

Chinese car manufacturer BYD commissioned the construction of its own ships to transport its vehicles.

Thousands of cars from China's BYD rolled off a ship in the German port of Bremerhaven on Monday, as the world's biggest electric carmaker brought its challenge directly to Europe's auto making powerhouse.

The delivery was made by the BYD Explorer No.1, the first of eight cargo ships specially commissioned by the Chinese group to expand its export operations.

The arrival of the shipment could become a further headache for established European auto giants, who have trailed upstart rivals in the switch from combustion engines to batteries.

BYD overtook US carmaker Tesla as the biggest maker of battery electric vehicles by volume at the end of last year, delivering over 500,000 units in the last quarter of 2023.

After stopping off in the Dutch port of Vlissingen, the BYD Explorer No.1 docked in Bremerhaven on Sunday, a spokeswoman for the German port told AFP.

Some 3,000 vehicles were unloaded on Monday from the vessel, which carries the carmaker's own livery, the spokeswoman said.

BYD began life in 1995 as a battery manufacturer, and later turned its attention to producing plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles.

Vehicles produced by the Shenzhen-based company compete against Tesla on price inside China and in Europe.

Some 3,000 vehicles were unloaded on Monday from the vessel.

As well as shipping large numbers of cars to Europe, BYD has plans to establish its own factory in the region, much like Tesla, which operates a plant near Berlin.

BYD said in January that the planned base in Hungary would begin operations in three years' time.

 2024 AFP
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A rush by Australian companies to use generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is escalating the privacy and security risks to the public as well as to staff, customers and stakeholders, according to a new study.

The University of the Sunshine Coast research, published in a paper in AI and Ethics, warns that rapid AI take-up is leaving companies open to wide-ranging consequences.

These include mass data breaches that expose third-party information, and business failures based on manipulated or "poisoned" AI modelingwhether accidental or deliberate.

The study included a five-point checklist for businesses to ethically implement AI solutions.

UniSC Lecturer in Cyber Security Dr. Declan Humphreys said the corporate race to adopt generative AI solutions like ChatGPT, Microsoft's Bard or Google's Gemini was fraught with not just technical, but moral issues.

Generative AI applications turn large amounts of real-world data into content that appears to be created by humans. ChatGPT is an example of a language-based AI application.

"The research shows it's not just tech firms rushing to integrate the AI into their everyday workthere are call centers, supply chain operators, investment funds, companies in sales, new product development and human resource management," Dr. Humphreys said.

"While there is a lot of talk around the threat of AI for jobs, or the risk of bias, few companies are considering the cyber security risks.

"Organizations caught in the hype can leave themselves vulnerable by either over-relying on or over-trusting AI systems."

The paper was co-authored by UniSC experts in cyber security, computer science and AI, including Dr. Dennis Desmond, Dr. Abigail Koay and Dr. Erica Mealy.

It found that many companies were making their own AI models or using third-party providers without considering the potential for hacking.

"Hacking could involve accessing user data, which is put into the models, or even changing how the model responds to questions or the answers it gives," Dr. Humphreys said. "This could mean data leaks, or otherwise negatively affect business decisions."

He said legislation had not kept pace with issues of data protection and generative AI. "This study recommends how organizations can ethically implement AI solutions by taking into consideration the cyber security risks."

The five-point checklist includes:

Secure and ethical AI model design

Trusted and fair data collection process

Secure data storage

Ethical AI model retraining and maintenance

Upskilling, training and managing staff.

Dr. Humphreys said privacy and security should be a top priority for businesses implementing artificial intelligence systems in 2024 and beyond.

"The rapid adoption of generative AI seems to be moving faster than the industry's understanding of the technology and its inherent ethical and cyber security risks," he said. "A major risk is its adoption by workers without guidance or understanding of how various generative AI tools are produced or managed, or of the risks they pose.

"Companies will need to introduce new forms of governance and regulatory frameworks to protect workers, sensitive information and the public."

More information: Declan Humphreys et al, AI hype as a cyber security risk: the moral responsibility of implementing generative AI in business, AI and Ethics (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s43681-024-00443-4
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The US Supreme Court, in a case that could determine the future of social media, heard arguments on Monday about whether a pair of state laws that limit content moderation are constitutional.

The justices appeared to have concerns about the scope of the laws passed by conservative Republican lawmakers in Florida and Texas in a bid to stem what they claim is political bias by the big tech companies.

"I have a problem with laws like this that are so broad that they stifle speech just on their face," said Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a liberal.

Florida's measure bars social media platforms from pulling content from politicians, a law that was passed after former president Donald Trump was suspended from Twitter and Facebook in the wake of the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol.

In Texas, the law stops sites from pulling content based on a "viewpoint" and is also intended to thwart what conservatives see as censorship by tech platforms such as Facebook and YouTube against right-wing ideas.

Both sidesthe solicitor generals of Florida and Texas and lawyers representing tech groupssought to cloak their arguments in the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which protects free speech.

Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, now known as X, achieved their vast success by "marketing themselves as neutral forums for free speech," said Henry Whitaker, the solicitor general of Florida, but now "they sing a very different tune."

"They contend that they possess a broad First Amendment right to censor anything they host on their sites," Whitaker said. "But the design of the First Amendment is to prevent the suppression of speech not to enable it."

Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative, noted that the First Amendment prohibits Congress from restricting free speech and expressed concern about government regulation of the internet.

"I wonder since we're talking about the First Amendment whether our first concern should be with the state regulating what we have called the modern public square," Roberts said.

"The First Amendment restricts what the government can do," he added. "What the government's doing here is saying 'You must do this, you must carry these people.'"

'Compels speech'

Justice Elena Kagan, a liberal, said the social media companies were seeking to deal with content they consider "problematic" such as misinformation about voting, public health, hate speech and bullying.

"Why is it not, you know, a classic First Amendment violation for the state to come in and say, 'We're not going to allow you to enforce those sorts of restrictions?'" Kagan asked.

The case was brought to the court by associations representing big tech companies, the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice, who argue that the First Amendment allows platforms to have the freedom to handle content as they see fit.

Florida's law "violates the First Amendment several times over," said Paul Clement, representing NetChoice and the CCIA.

"It interferes with editorial discretion, it compels speech, it discriminates on the basis of content, speaker and viewpoint and it does all this in the name of promoting free speech," Clement said.

Like Sotomayor, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative, expressed concern about the scope of the Florida law, saying it could be potentially extended beyond the "classic social media platforms."

"It looks to me like it could cover Uber. It looks to me like it could cover Google's search engine, Amazon Web Service," she said.

The Biden administration also argued against the state laws with Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar saying that while there are "legitimate concerns" about the power and influence of social media platforms the government has the tools to deal with it.

"There is a whole body of government regulation that would be permissible that would target conduct, things like antitrust laws that could be applied, or data privacy or consumer protection," Prelogar said.

The nine-member Supreme Court voted narrowly to suspend the controversial laws until it heard Monday's oral arguments, which lasted nearly four hours.

 2024 AFP
Chinese firms can narrow AI gap with US within 1 or 2 years: founder of cybersecurity company

10:11, February 26, 2024 By Liu Caiyu, Chen Qingqing and Bai Yunyi ( Global Times

Zhou Hongyi, founder and chairman of 360 Security Technology and a national political advisor, talks to reporters on February 23, 2024. Photo: Liu Caiyu/GT

The main difference between China and the US in artificial intelligence (AI) lies in "determining the technical direction," but once the direction is determined, with China's strong advantage in its rapid learning capabilities, the gap will be narrowed within one or two years, said Zhou Hongyi, founder and chairman of 360 Security Technology who is also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference to the upcoming two sessions.

2024 may become the "year of application" for China in the field of AI, Zhou told the Global Times on Friday, reaffirming his confidence in China's development in the realm of AI, believing that large models will have great potential in many vertical areas across the economy this year.

"It may be difficult for China to create a universal large model, which surpasses GPT-4 for now, but it is entirely possible to surpass GPT-4 in some vertical fields," Zhou said.

Last week, OpenAI released Sora, a text-to-video AI generator, which can create realistic videos based on user text prompts, sparking global attention and discussion. Zhou said on the following day that OpenAI likely still has some unleashed secret weapons, suggesting that there are still gap between China and the US in this regard.

"I believe there is a gap between China and the US, and I have always insisted on saying so. Only by recognizing the gap can we know how to catch up. If you don't admit there is a gap and think we are all far ahead every day, then it won't work," Zhou told the Global Times on Friday.

He believes that the main gap between China and the US in AI lies in the "original direction" for AI technology, referring to transformers, a deep-learning architecture that OpenAI is based on. Transformers are a type of neural network architecture that learns context and meaning by tracking relationships in sequential data.

Zhou explained that when the Japanese dominated electric cars, they chose a hydrogen architecture, Toyota went with a hybrid architecture, and Tesla went with a pure electric battery architecture. Through continuous development, BYD now has the opportunity to surpass Tesla in sales, he said.

Through these examples, Zhou emphasized that the main gap between China and others lies in the sense of direction. Considering that transformer architecture, Sora, and the like are fundamentally software, this kind of gap can be bridged within one to two years, Zhou noted.

"Once the direction is determined, Chinese companies' learning capabilities are very fast. Especially when peers release open-source projects or publish papers publicly, it is not a difficult problem for Chinese teams to follow up."

When discussing the impact and prospects of Sora, Zhou mentioned that what impressed him the most about Sora is that those generating videos are just a "by-product." In the process, Sora needs to learn a lot of video material, not just how to draw patterns, but more importantly, it must understand the interactive relationships among many elements in the real world.

"Some argue with me that drawing software can also depict a dog in the snow, but the issue is, depicting a static dog and snow doesn't require understanding common sense; you just need to draw according to the image. However, to show a dog frolicking in the snow, with snow falling softly, requires learning and accumulation of real-world common sense," he explained.

He also indicated that in the end, technological competition boils down to talent density and profound accumulation. AI may not necessarily disrupt all industries quickly, but it can stimulate creativity in more people.

"Sora brings us a step closer to AGI (Artificial General Intelligence)," Zhou told the Global Times.

GPT actually solves the problem of mutual understanding and interaction between machines and humans, which is overcoming the first major hurdle. However, it doesn't know many of the rules of this world; for example, training a robot to fetch tomatoes from the fridge and then fry eggs would be difficult because it needs to know that tomatoes don't break when dropped, whereas eggs do, he explained.

"It also needs to know how to crack eggs, something it must have seen like a human. I think this might be unintentionally achieved by OpenAI in developing Sora. Through this training method, machines can interact with the world," Zhou said.

This implies that Sora may be applied in the future in robotics and autonomous driving fields, as it has developed a perception of interaction with the real world.

Discussing the prospects of China's AI development in 2024, Zhou said that 2024 should be the "year of application" for Chinese AI, believing that large models will have great potential in many vertical fields of enterprises this year. "Large models should trigger an industrial revolution in the future, accompanying enterprises into various industries and integrating with many business processes and product functionalities."

Creating a universal large model that surpasses GPT-4 may be challenging at the moment, but GPT-4 currently "knows everything, yet not specialized." If we can excel in a particular business domain by training a large model with unique business data and integrating it with many business tools within that vertical, such a large model will not only have intelligence but also possess unique knowledge, even hands and feet, he said. "It is entirely possible for China to surpass GPT-4 in some vertical domains."

Some argue that the development of large models in China requires significant effort in content security and regulation. But Zhou believes that large models worldwide face security challenges, especially when it comes to ensuring their trustworthiness, controllability and reliability.

"Large models can either assist good people or become accomplices to bad people. For example, in the past, you had to know programming to conduct cyberattacks, but now you can converse with a large model by tipping it and it can diligently assist you, even colluding with you," he said.

Videos generated by Sora can be used to interfere in US elections, become a weapon affecting national security, or could even be used for fraud, presenting significant dangers. As AI technology has advanced beyond legal frameworks, the world is considering how to effectively regulate AI and prevent it from being misused or exploited, which is currently a global challenge, Zhou noted.

"I don't think regulation hinders the progress of AI. On the contrary, without any regulation, various AI tools developed by major internet companies may not be utilized by good people," he said.

Zhou indicated that reasonable regulation should have a positive impact on the development of AI, rather than being perceived as a hindrance.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
By Shin Hye-suk

As I reflect on the passage of time this mid-February, I'm reminded of Ban Chil-hwan's poignant poem:

"The stork flies, The horse runs. The turtle walks. The snail crawls, The slug rolled and arrived on New Year's Day at the same time. The rock arrived sitting down."

In these lines, I find solace in the diverse rhythms of existence. Perhaps, like a snail, my pace is slower, but does that truly matter? What if embracing this unhurried journey is the key?

This verse celebrates the beautiful diversity of life, where each individual moves to their own rhythm. Imagine a world where every soul dances to a unique tune. How splendid that would be!

In the course of living, unexpected events may disrupt our plans and expectations. In such moments, I find solace in solitude. I delve into books that resonate with my experiences, contemplating various ideas. Sometimes, I unearth truths within the pages, and other times, a single line of poetry bestows fresh resilience upon me.

Amidst these solitary reflections, I explore diverse realms of thought. I find truths within the pages, draw strength from verses of poetry, and luxuriate in the tranquility of organizing my thoughts.

In the end, I find solace in becoming my own mentor, whispering to myself, "Well done. You're remarkable. No one could have handled things better. You gave it your all, and everything fell into place!" I offer myself praise, a habit born from my inclination toward self-reliance in navigating challenges without burdening others, particularly during my time studying abroad.

Reflecting on my college days in Japan over three decades ago, I remember the prevalence of solo dining and drinking at one-room tables in restaurants. Since then, I've often enjoyed solitary meals, train journeys and introspective moments. While valuing genuine connections, there's a unique joy in solitary musings, especially during times of adversity.

Meanwhile, in England, addressing the plight of solitary seniors has transcended individual concern to become a state initiative. In 2018, the U.K. appointed a minister for loneliness, a pioneering governmental move globally. It was a response to growing concerns about social isolation and loneliness, particularly among the elderly population.

I observe many friends who struggle to dine alone, and I wonder if such a ministry could offer them solace, mirroring the English model.

The enduring popularity of TV programs like "I Live Alone" highlights a societal shift: living alone is no longer seen as dull. These shows depict solo individuals embracing daily routines with vitality, reflecting modern social trends.

As we enter the centennial age, pursuing a fulfilling life means prioritizing personal joys and passions. Despite governmental interventions like in the U.K., cultivating enduring friendships remains crucial. It's the hyper-positive mindset that lets one revel in solitude without feeling lonely, setting them apart.





Shin Hye-suk (sinesu@naver.com), whose English name is Shindy, completed a Ph.D. in sociology, has devoted two decades of her life to academic pursuits at a university in Japan. She is also a flower artist and has served as president of Rotary International Korea.








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The use of romance as a hook to commit financial fraud is provoking new alarm.

The "wine trader" wooed her online for months with his flirtatious smile and emoji-sprinkled texts. Then he went for the kill, defrauding the Philadelphia-based tech professional out of $450,000 in a cryptocurrency romance scam.

The conwhich drained Shreya Datta, 37, of her savings and retirement funds while saddling her with debt - involved the use of digitally altered deepfake videos and a script so sophisticated that she felt her "brain was hacked."

The scam is commonly known as "pig butchering," with victims likened to hogs fattened up by fraudsters with feigned love and affection before the proverbial slaughtertricking them into a fake crypto investment.

The rapid growth of this fraud, thought to be run by crime syndicates in Southeast Asia, has resulted in losses worth billions of dollars in the United States, with victims saying there is little recourse to recover the money.

As it has for many victims, Datta's experience began on a dating appHinge, in her case, where last January she met "Ancel," who introduced himself as a French wine trader based in Philadelphia.

Datta said she was "charisma bombed" as the conversation quickly moved to WhatsApp. The gym buff with a dreamy smile deleted his Hinge profile to give her "focused attention," a refreshing experience in the age of fleeting online relationships.

They exchanged selfies, flirty emoticons and did brief video calls in which the suave but "shy" man posed with a dog, later determined to be AI deepfakes.

They texted daily, with "Ancel" enquiring about little things like whether she had eaten, preying on Datta's desire for a caring companion after her divorce.

Plans to physically meet kept getting pushed back, but Datta was not immediately suspicious. On Valentine's Day last year, she received a bouquet from "Ancel" sent from a Philadelphia flower shop, with the card addressing her as "Honey Cream."

When she sent him a selfie, posing with the flowers, he sprayed her with red kiss mark emojis, according to WhatsApp exchanges seen by AFP.

'Traumatizing'

Between the mushy exchanges, "Ancel" sold her a dream.

"The dream was, 'I'm retiring early, I'm well off. What is your plan?'" Datta, an immigrant from India, told AFP.

"He's like, 'I've made all this money investing. Do you really want to work till you're 65?'"

He sent her a link to download a crypto trading appwhich came with two-factor authentication to make it appear legitimateand showed her what he called money-making trades through annotated screenshots seen by AFP.

Datta converted some of her savings into cryptocurrency on the US-based exchange Coinbase and the fake app initially allowed her to withdraw her early gains, boosting her confidence to invest more.

"As you make astronomical amounts of money trading, it messes with your normal risk perception," Datta said in hindsight.

Romance crypto scams have resulted in losses worth billions of dollars.

"You feel like, 'Wow, I can do even more.'"

"Ancel" egged her on to invest more savings, take out loans and, despite her reluctance, liquidate her retirement fund.

By March, Datta's nearly $450,000 investment had more than doubled on paper, but alarm bells went off when she tried to withdraw the amount and the app demanded a personal "tax."

She turned to her London-based brother, who did a reverse image search of the pictures "Ancel" had sent her and found they were of a German fitness influencer.

"When I realized it was all a scam and all the money was gone, I had proper PTSD symptomsI couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't function," Datta said.

"It was very traumatizing."

'Brainwashed'

Dating sites are rife with disinformation, with Facebook groups such as "Tinder swindler dating scams" and "Are we dating the same guy?" cropping up, and researchers calling out the growing use of AI-generated profile pictures.

But the use of romance as a hook to commit financial fraud is provoking new alarm.

The FBI told AFP that last year more than 40,000 people reported losses totaling well over $3.5 billion from cryptocurrency fraud, including pig butchering, to the agency's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

But that estimate is likely low, as many victims tend not to report the crime out of shame.

"What's horrific about this crime is it is meant to take every last penny from its victim," Erin West, a California-based prosecutor, told AFP, adding that she is "deluged with victims every day."

Self-harm among victims is a common concern, campaigners say, with most unable to recover their losses and some falling prey to another breed of scammersfake recovery agents.

Datta, who is in therapy and has moved to a smaller apartment to manage her debt, said she had little hope of recovery after reporting the crime to the FBI and Secret Service.

Neither body responded to AFP's queries about her particular case. Nor did Coinbase, which informed Datta in an email - after she was connedthat she "may have sent cryptocurrency to a fraudulent investment platform."

More agonizing, Datta said, was dealing with public judgments such as, "How could you be so stupid?"

"There should be no shame in becoming a victim of this absolutely masterful psychological scam," West said.

"Victims are truly brainwashed."

 2024 AFP
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Developers of a huge wind farm proposed for construction near Anchorage say it could help provide a much-needed boost to the area's energy needs, and will be most productive when it's most needed, when temperatures drop and demand for energy soars.

They say it could have provided 20% of the electricity used in the city during the recent extreme cold snap, reducing the strain on natural gas if it had already been built and was producing power.

The estimated power from the project, called Little Mount Susitna Wind, could have given Southcentral Alaska more breathing room during a critical period when natural gas supplies threatened to run short during the severe cold that began in late January and ended early this month, they said.

"When wind is available, gas assets can catch up," said Matt Perkins, a co-founder of Alaska Renewables, the company behind the wind farm.

For more than a year the company has employed meteorological stations to study the wind at the site, about 35 miles northwest of Anchorage, across Cook Inlet. The 120-megawatt project being reviewed calls for the construction of 30 turbines on land that would be leased from the state, the developers say.

It could cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build. First wind power would be delivered as early as 2027, with full supply achieved in 2028 as the project is completed, if things go according to plan.

For the most part, the project should not be noticeable from Anchorage, the developers have said.

Chugach Electric Association said it has confirmed that annually, the project could provide about 20% of the utility's electric production, Chugach Electric spokeswoman Julie Hasquet said in an email.

The utility has also determined, based on data from Alaska Renewables, that during the cold snap the site would have provided "above-average production," Hasquet said. That wind power "could have helped reduce gas requirements" on the energy system from Homer to Fairbanks, she said.

That view is in line with statements by Alaska Renewables that the wind farm site receives more wind as temperatures drop in Anchorage, due in part to the area's geographic characteristics.

The observations about the project come at a critical time.

Natural gas from Cook Inlet, the source of power and heat for decades across the region, could begin to run short as early as next year, forcing utilities to import costly liquefied natural gas, officials in the energy industry have said.

The Regulatory Commission of Alaska has expressed alarm that the problem could lead to power interruptions if utilities can't close the gap. It has warned that alternatives, such as renewable power projects like the wind farm, may not come online as quickly as expected.

The cold stretch in Anchorage underscored those concerns. Temperatures plunged well below zero across Southcentral Alaska and led to record deliveries of natural gas by Enstar as people cranked up thermostats in their homes and offices.

At the time, two wells at a natural gas storage reservoir in Cook Inlet experienced production problems, reducing the gas available to meet that demand and bringing the reservoir "extremely close" to losing gas deliverability, the president of Enstar told Alaska lawmakers.

Chugach Electric said that Little Mount Susitna Wind, once fully operational, could replace gas use by about 3.5 billion cubic feet annually. That's one-fourth of the gas used in 2022 by Chugach Electric, which also relies heavily on hydropower.

The utility selected Alaska Renewables about two years ago for a research phase, after issuing a request for competitive proposals for renewable projects. The utility's goals included diversifying Chugach's power supply to preserve gas, without increasing members' rates.

Alaska Renewables co-founder Andrew McDonnell, a former oceanographer at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said he studied historical wind data available at the university, as well as data from other sources, to select the Little Mount Susitna site.

Alaska Renewables is handling the work to develop the wind farm. Chugach Electric is working with the company to study how the wind farm's power could be integrated into the Railbelt grid, Perkins said.

Alaska Renewables is also studying the development of other potentially large wind farms in Alaska, including one near Fairbanks, based on McDonnell's research.

'Ideally' located

The Little Mount Susitna Wind farm is "ideally situated" for producing wind power, McDonnell said.

"The colder it gets in Anchorage, the windier it gets on Little Mount Susitna, so that translates to enhanced power production during those times," he said.

The farm should produce "at or near its maximum power rating during these coldest periods of gas system and grid stress," the company said in a statement.

Deep winter cold spells are "often associated with high pressure in the Interior spilling towards lower pressure in the Gulf of Alaska," Chugach Electric said in a statement. "When this occurs, the wind is funneled through the LMS area, even when the air may be calm around Anchorage."

The wind farm site lies about half a mile above sea level, well above the cold air and calm winds settling in the Susitna River Valley that's barely above sea level at that point, said Rick Thoman, Alaska climate specialist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The site is about 7 miles west of Mount Susitna, commonly called Sleeping Lady.

"Overall, it's a pretty exposed, windy area year-round, but especially in winter when Anchorage could really use the power," Thoman said. "Almost always it will be a productive power generator."

Lou Bowers, a meteorologist and consultant working on the project, said wind farms typically perform better in winter than summer, in part because colder air is denser, pushing the blades more, he said. Storms in winter are also generally more frequent and stronger than in the summer.

During the cold snap, the wind speed at the site averaged about 18 mph, he said. Wind power output then was about 50% higher than it would be year-round, he said.

The performance would have been "quite good," Bowers said.

2027 not 'set in stone'

Perkins said the project is on the verge of reaching important milestones, including that a primary investor should be announced soon.

"We ran a competitive process to identify the best investment partners and are evaluating several options," Perkins said.

McDonnell said 2027 for first wind power is not a "set-in-stone date." It could potentially take a year longer than expected, he said.

McDonnell said various steps will need to be taken, including construction to improve roads and a barge landing, and installing the substation, power lines and other electrical infrastructure to deliver electricity to Chugach Electric.

Power purchase agreements with utilities also need to be completed, he said.

Perkins and McDonnell say there's room for expansion at Little Mount Susitna, beyond what's currently being studied.

Many more turbines could be added, significantly boosting wind power from the site beyond what's currently being pursued, they say.

2024 Anchorage Daily News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Microsoft said Monday it had partnered with French startup Mistral AI, as the software giant seeks to tighten its grip on the emerging technology.

The US firm, which has already ploughed billions into ChatGPT maker OpenAI, called Mistral "an innovator and trailblazer" in a statement on Monday.

Microsoft said it had sealed a "multi-year partnership" that would allow Mistral to use its platforms including Azure AI, which enables businesses to build apps using AI.

The deal comes just weeks after US authorities began to investigate whether Microsoft's reported $13 billion investment in OpenAI broke antitrust laws.

The deal is one of three partnerships between big tech companies and AI startups being scrutinised by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The firm has denied any wrongdoing and has not stopped its forays into a sector that has so far been defined in the public's imagination by OpenAI.

The Silicon Valley company has developed software that enables users to generate text, pictures and video from simple requestswith results generally regarded as superior to its competitors.

'Le Chat'

Mistral, formed last year by ex-Google and Meta researchers, is a rare European player in a field dominated by US firms.

The French company, which has already raised almost 500 million euros ($540 million), confirmed the partnership with Microsoft on Monday.

"We are thrilled to embark on this partnership with Microsoft," said Mistral boss Arthur Mensch.

He said it would help propel his company's products to customers across the world.

Some investors valued Mistral at more than $2.0 billion in December, leading to frenzied speculation about it becoming a future European tech champion.

The firm, which has so far focused on back-end development for business clients, announced its first chatbot on Monday, which it dubbed "Le Chat".

"Le Chat is natively multilingual and offers a pedagogical and fun way to explore Mistral AI's technology," the firm said in a statement in English.

The company said it would let some of its customers test the bot before releasing it more widely.

Mistral also announced upgrades to its existing language modelsthe term used by AI firms to refer to the programs they develop with the help of public data.

 2024 AFP
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The method developed at UNESP involves the use of a class of materials called MXenes. Credit: CDMF

In an article published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry C, Brazilian researchers describe a strategy to enhance the efficiency and stability of solar cells made of perovskite, a semiconductor material produced in the laboratory. The results of the project could be highly positive for the future of the solar power sector.

Developed by researchers at Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) in Bauru, Brazil, the method involves the use of a class of materials known as MXenes, a family of two-dimensional materials with a graphene-like structure combining transition metals, carbon and/or nitrogen, and surface functional groups such as fluoride, oxygen or hydroxyl. Their properties include high electrical conductivity, good thermal stability, and high transmittance (relating to the amount of light that passes through a substance without being reflected or absorbed).

In the study, the MXene Ti 3 C 2 T x was added to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) to form a passivation coating, which was spin-coated on top of the perovskite layer of inverted solar cells. Passivation coatings are designed to mitigate possible defects in polycrystalline solids (perovskite in this case) due to interaction with the environment or to their internal structure.

Perovskite solar cells have a layered structure, and the order of layers (architecture) is crucial to their performance. In an inverted solar cell, the architecture of the device is reversed to ensure high optical transparency as sunlight reaches the perovskite layer.

The use of Ti 3 C 2 T x increased the cells' power conversion efficiency from 19% to 22%. It also increased the stability of the cells, which lasted three times longer with no performance impairment compared to control cells (without the passivation layer).

For Joao Pedro Ferreira Assuncao, first author of the article and a master's candidate under UNESP's program of graduate studies in materials science and technology, the results were surprising because the initial aim of the project was merely to remediate the drop in performance caused by addition of the insulating passivation layer.

Research on perovskite solar cells is currently focusing on how to devise large-scale industrial production systems to make stable high-performance cells.

"The article shows that addition of the MXene can be feasible under mass production conditions, and points to a way of achieving this. It also describes several electrical, morphological and structural characterization techniques that we explored to increase the scientific understanding of how this complex class of devices behaves and functions," Assuncao said.

The study is a promising step toward the sustainability goals of producing clean energy, mitigating environmental impact, and making Brazil a leading industrial producer of solar cells, he added.

More information: Joao Pedro F. Assuncao et al, Interface passivation with Ti3C2Tx-MXene doped PMMA film for highly efficient and stable inverted perovskite solar cells, Journal of Materials Chemistry C (2023). DOI: 10.1039/D3TC03810F
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Comparison of modular MultiModN (a) vs. monolithic P-Fusion (b). Credit: arXiv (2023). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2309.14118

Researchers at EPFL have developed a new, uniquely modular machine learning model for flexible decision-making. It is able to input any mode of text, video, image, sound, and time-series and then output any number, or combination, of predictions.

We've all heard of large language models, or LLMsmassive scale deep learning models trained on huge amounts of text that form the basis for chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT. Next-generation multimodal models (MMs) can learn from inputs beyond text, including video, images, and sound.

Creating MM models at a smaller scale poses significant challenges, including the problem of being robust to non-random missing information. This is information that a model doesn't have, often due to some biased availability in resources. It is thus critical to ensure the model does not learn the patterns of biased missingness in making its predictions.

MultiModN turns this around

In response to this problem, researchers from the Machine Learning for Education (ML4ED) and Machine Learning and Optimization (MLO) Laboratories in EPFL's School of Computer and Communication Sciences have developed and tested the exact opposite to a large language model.

Spearheaded by Professor Mary-Anne Hartley, head of the Laboratory for intelligent Global Health Technologies hosted jointly in the MLO and the Yale School of Medicine and Professor Tanja Kaser, head of ML4ED, MultiModN is a unique modular multimodal model. It was presented recently at the NeurIPS2023 conference, and a paper on the technology is posted on the arXiv preprint server.

Like existing multimodal models, MultiModN can learn from text, images, video, and sound. Unlike existing MMs, it is made up of any number of smaller, self-contained, and input-specific modules that can be selected depending on the information available, and then strung together in a sequence of any number, combination, or type of input. It can then output any number, or combination, of predictions.

"We evaluated MultiModN across ten real-world tasks including medical diagnosis support, academic performance prediction, and weather forecasting. Through these experiments, we believe that MultiModN is the first inherently interpretable, MNAR-resistant approach to multimodal modeling," explained Vinitra Swamy, a Ph.D. student with ML4ED and MLO and joint first author on the project.

A first use case: Medical decision-making

The first use case for MultiModN will be as a clinical decision support system for medical personnel in low-resource settings. In health care, clinical data is often missing, perhaps due to resource constraints (a patient can't afford the test) or resource abundance (the test is redundant due to a superior one that was performed). MultiModN is able to learn from this real-world data without adopting its biases, as well as adapting predictions to any combination or number of inputs.

"Missingness is a hallmark of data in low-resource settings and when models learn these patterns of missingness, they may encode bias into their predictions. The need for flexibility in the face of unpredictably available resources is what inspired MultiModN," explained Hartley, who is also a medical doctor.

From the lab to real life

Publication, however, is just the first step toward implementation. Hartley has been working with colleagues at Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and Inselspital, University Hospital Bern uBern to conduct clinical studies focused on pneumonia and tuberculosis diagnosis in low resource settings and they are recruiting thousands of patients in South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia and Benin.

The research teams undertook a large training initiative, teaching more than 100 doctors to systematically collect multimodal data including images and ultrasound video, so that MultiModN can be trained to be sensitive to real data coming from low resource regions.

"We are collecting exactly the kind of complex multimodal data that MultiModN is designed to handle," said Dr. Noemie Boillat-Blanco, an infectious diseases doctor at CHUV. "We are excited to see a model that appreciates the complexity of missing resources in our settings and of systematic missingness of routine clinical assessments," added Dr. Kristina Keitel at Inselspital, University Hospital Bern.

The development and training of MultiModN is a continuation of EPFL efforts to adapt machine learning tools to reality and for the public good. It comes not long after the launch of Meditron, the world's best performing open source LLM also designed to help guide clinical decision-making.

More information: Vinitra Swamy et al, MultiModN- Multimodal, Multi-Task, Interpretable Modular Networks, arXiv (2023). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2309.14118
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Earlier this month, a Hong Kong company lost HK$200 million (A$40 million) in a deepfake scam. An employee transferred funds following a video conference call with scammers who looked and sounded like senior company officials.

Generative AI tools can create image, video and voice replicas of real people saying and doing things they never would have done. And these tools are becoming increasingly easy to access and use.

This can perpetuate intimate image abuse (including things like "revenge porn") and disrupt democratic processes. Currently, many jurisdictions are grappling with how to regulate AI deepfakes.

But if you've been a victim of a deepfake scam, can you obtain compensation or redress for your losses? The legislation hasn't caught up yet.

Who is responsible?

In most cases of deepfake fraud, scammers will avoid trying to fool banks and security systems, instead opting for so-called "push payment" frauds where victims are tricked into directing their bank to pay the fraudster.

So, if you're seeking a remedy, there are at least four possible targets:

the fraudster (who will often have disappeared) the social media platform that hosted the fake any bank that paid out the money on the instructions of the victim of the fraud the provider of the AI tool that created the fake.

The quick answer is that once the fraudster vanishes, it is currently unclear whether you have a right to a remedy from any of these other parties (though that may change in the future).

Let's see why.

The social media platform

In principle, you could seek damages from a social media platform if it hosted a deepfake used to defraud you. But there are hurdles to overcome.

Platforms typically frame themselves as mere conduits of contentwhich means they are not legally responsible for the content. In the United States, platforms are explicitly shielded from this kind of liability. However, no such protection exists in most other common law countries, including Australia.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is taking Meta (Facebook's parent company) to court. They are testing the possibility of making digital platforms directly liable for deepfake crypto scams if they actively target the ads to possible victims.

The ACCC is also arguing Meta should be liable as an accessory to the scamfor failing to remove the misleading ads promptly once notified of the problem.

With audio, video and image deepfakes only growing more realistic, we need multi-layered strategies of prevention, education and compensation.

At the very least, platforms should be responsible for promptly removing deepfake content used for fraudulent purposes. They may already claim to be doing this, but it might soon become a legal obligation.

The bank

In Australia, the legal obligations of whether a bank has to reimburse you in the case of a deepfake scam aren't settled.

This was recently considered by the United Kingdom's Supreme Court, in a case likely to be influential in Australia. It suggests banks don't have a duty to refuse a customer's payment instructions where the recipient is suspected to be a (deepfake) fraudster, even if they have a general duty to act promptly once the scam is discovered.

That said, the UK is introducing a mandatory scheme that requires banks to reimburse victims of push payment fraud, at least in certain circumstances.

In Australia, the ACCC and others have presented proposals for a similar scheme, though none exists at this stage.

The AI tool provider

The providers of generative AI tools are currently not legally obliged to make their tools unusable for fraud or deception. In law, there is no duty of care to the world at large to prevent someone else's fraud.

However, providers of generative AI do have an opportunity to use technology to reduce the likelihood of deepfakes. Like banks and social media platforms, they may soon be required to do this, at least in some jurisdictions.

The recently proposed EU AI Act obligates the providers of generative AI tools to design these tools in a way that allows the synthetic/fake content to be detected.

Currently, it's proposed this could work through digital watermarking, although its effectiveness is still being debated. Other measures include prompt limits, digital ID to verify a person's identity, and further education about the signs of deepfakes.

Can we stop deepfake fraud altogether?

None of these legal or technical guardrails are likely to be entirely effective in stemming the tide of deepfake fraud, scams or deceptionespecially as generative AI technology keeps advancing.

However, the response doesn't need to be perfect: slowing down AI-generated fakes and frauds can still reduce harm. We also need to pressure platforms, banks, and tech providers to stay on top of the risks.

So while you might never be able to completely prevent yourself from being the victim of a deepfake scam, with all these new legal and technical developments, you might soon be able to seek compensation if things go wrong.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:ARW  Get Free Report) CAO Yun Sung Cho sold 739 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.22, for a total value of $86,625.58. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 1,389 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $162,818.58. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website.

Arrow Electronics Stock Performance

Shares of Arrow Electronics stock traded down $0.35 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $116.49. 244,204 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 588,833. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $116.38 and a 200 day moving average price of $120.48. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.40 and a beta of 1.40. Arrow Electronics, Inc. has a one year low of $108.51 and a one year high of $147.42. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37.

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Arrow Electronics (NYSE:ARW  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The technology company reported $3.98 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.72 by $0.26. The company had revenue of $7.85 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.84 billion. Arrow Electronics had a return on equity of 17.22% and a net margin of 2.73%. The firms revenue was down 15.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $5.69 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Arrow Electronics, Inc. will post 12.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently issued reports on ARW. StockNews.com lowered Arrow Electronics from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. Truist Financial reduced their price objective on Arrow Electronics from $128.00 to $124.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 9th.

View Our Latest Analysis on ARW

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd raised its holdings in shares of Arrow Electronics by 25.5% during the 2nd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 5,964 shares of the technology companys stock worth $854,000 after acquiring an additional 1,211 shares in the last quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System increased its position in shares of Arrow Electronics by 3.9% during the 2nd quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 339,374 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $48,609,000 after purchasing an additional 12,598 shares during the last quarter. South Dakota Investment Council grew its position in Arrow Electronics by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter. South Dakota Investment Council now owns 74,556 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $9,337,000 after acquiring an additional 2,372 shares during the last quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec grew its position in Arrow Electronics by 21.2% in the 2nd quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 566,015 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $81,070,000 after acquiring an additional 99,034 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can bought a new position in Arrow Electronics in the 2nd quarter valued at $11,510,000. 94.79% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Arrow Electronics Company Profile

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Arrow Electronics, Inc provides products, services, and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Global Components and Global Enterprise Computing Solutions.

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By Chun In-bum

Reports from Europe and Ukraine say that more and more North Korea-made ammunition is being discovered on the battlefield. The shrapnel identified as rockets and missiles include the infamous KN-23 ballistic missile. Although it's hard to verify, it is also being reported that approximately 20 percent of the ammunition being fired againstUkraine is of North Korean origin.

To further elaborate on the situation's complexities, it's essential to understand the strategic calculations behind North Korea's recent maneuvers. The use of North Korea-made ammunition in conflict zones, particularly in Ukraine, underscores Pyongyang's intent to circumvent international sanctions and foster a revenue stream through arms sales. This not only aids the Kim regime in sustaining its economy but also in acquiring foreign technologies that could significantly advance its military capabilities. The partnership with Russia, seemingly strengthened in the face of geopolitical tensions, provides North Korea with a powerful ally capable of supporting its ambitions on the global stage.

Meanwhile, making threats has now become a policy for North Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) no longer identifies South Koreans as Korean. This is significant because, despite a civil war and ideological differences, the North Korean leadership justified its claims to the South because it wanted to liberate the "people" from imperialism and capitalism.

At first glance, it seemed North Korea was relinquishing its desire to unify Korea on its own terms, but further statements seem to advocate that the South Koreans are no longer worthy of being considered Korean and are entities to be despised and marginalized. Kim Jong-un has designated the Republic of Korea as the DPRK's main enemy and charged his military to prepare to defend the nation and, in case of an emergency, be prepared to occupy and pacify the South.

The alarming shift in North Korea's policy toward South Korea, as articulated by Kim Jong-un, represents a dangerous escalation in rhetoric that could destabilize the already volatile situation on the Korean Peninsula. By renouncing the shared ethnic and cultural identity with South Koreans, Kim Jong-un is not only redefining the North's ideological stance but is also attempting to rally domestic support by creating an external enemy. This strategy, however, risks further isolating North Korea internationally and exacerbating tensions with both South Korea and its global allies.

Strengthened by an improved relationship with Russia, Kim Jong-un can now exercise more flexibility in its dealings with China. Exports of weapons will bring not only monetary revenue but also technology transfers from the Russians. It will also provide North Korea with valuable feedback on the actual employment of their weapons in battlefield conditions. This will bring important improvements to North Korean weapons that will make them more capable and more threatening to the free world.

Although the North is not capable of conducting a full-scale war at the moment, it seems logical that all this rhetoric is an attempt to prepare the North Korean military to do exactly that in the near future. Armed with nuclear weapons and on the verge of obtaining the capability to strike the continental United States, Kim will undoubtedly attempt to extort concessions from unsuspecting South Korean liberals and isolationists in America.

South Korea and the U.S. must now re-evaluate their security policies. Is the South Korean three-axis system for deterrence of North Korean nuclear weapons still viable? Is the Nuclear Consultative Group sufficient to counter the North Korean threat, or is it there to pacify South Korea? Should South Korea have its own nuclear capability, and would it solve its security concerns? These are just some of the questions for the nuclear debate.

North Korea must understand that there is no seam between the Republic of Korea and the United States alliance. In order to achieve this, South Korea must have a unified voice that is based on the understanding and support of its people. With this voice South Korea must dialogue with the United States and form a common understanding of the problem and an agreed path to a solution. This cooperation can not reach its full potential without Japan as a partner. Koreans and Japanese must realize the seriousness of the challenge they face for North Korea and its allies.

Finally, it is important that North Korea understands that South Korean patience has expired. Another direct provocation, such as an artillery attack or a drone incursion, would bring war and devastation to the Korean Peninsula.

In conclusion, the current developments on the Korean Peninsula and beyond demand a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the strategic dynamics at play. Only through a concerted international effort, grounded in a robust alliance and a clear-eyed assessment of the threats posed by North Korea, can stability be maintained and peace be pursued. The stakes are high, and the time for decisive action is now.

Chun In-bum (truechun@naver.com) served as a lieutenant general of the ROK Army and commander of Special Forces Korea.
Atrium Mortgage Investment Co. (TSE:AI  Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Friday, February 2nd, Zacks reports. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th will be given a dividend of 0.075 per share on Tuesday, March 12th. This represents a $0.90 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.02%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 28th.

Atrium Mortgage Investment Trading Up 0.7 %

Atrium Mortgage Investment stock opened at C$11.22 on Monday. Atrium Mortgage Investment has a 52-week low of C$9.76 and a 52-week high of C$12.48. The company has a market cap of C$494.24 million, a P/E ratio of 9.84 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a quick ratio of 102.54, a current ratio of 41.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 77.81. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of C$10.86 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$10.74.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Fundamental Research set a C$13.42 price objective on Atrium Mortgage Investment and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. Laurentian cut Atrium Mortgage Investment from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a C$13.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, TD Securities dropped their price target on Atrium Mortgage Investment from C$13.00 to C$12.50 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, November 16th.

About Atrium Mortgage Investment

(Get Free Report)

Atrium Mortgage Investment Corporation, a non-bank lender, provides residential and commercial mortgages services in Canada. The company offers various types of mortgage loans, such as land and development financing, construction and mezzanine financing, and commercial term and bridge financing services for residential, multi-residential, and commercial real properties.

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Cross Timbers Royalty Trust (NYSE:CRT  Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Friday, February 16th, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be given a dividend of 0.1142 per share by the oil and gas company on Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $1.37 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.82%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th.

Cross Timbers Royalty Trust has increased its dividend by an average of 35.2% annually over the last three years.

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Cross Timbers Royalty Trust Stock Up 1.0 %

NYSE:CRT opened at $17.52 on Monday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $17.66 and a 200 day moving average price of $18.89. Cross Timbers Royalty Trust has a fifty-two week low of $13.51 and a fifty-two week high of $26.10.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Cross Timbers Royalty Trust

About Cross Timbers Royalty Trust

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in shares of Cross Timbers Royalty Trust by 54.9% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 6,374 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $83,000 after purchasing an additional 2,260 shares during the period. Citadel Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Cross Timbers Royalty Trust in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $216,000. UBS Group AG boosted its position in Cross Timbers Royalty Trust by 4.8% in the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 11,765 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $229,000 after buying an additional 541 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC boosted its position in Cross Timbers Royalty Trust by 20.9% in the 2nd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 13,010 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $197,000 after buying an additional 2,251 shares during the period. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted its position in Cross Timbers Royalty Trust by 817.7% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 20,327 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $517,000 after buying an additional 18,112 shares during the period.

(Get Free Report)

Cross Timbers Royalty Trust operates as an express trust in the United States. It holds 90% net profits interests in certain producing and nonproducing royalty and overriding royalty interest properties in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico; and 75% net profits working interest in four properties in Texas and three properties in Oklahoma.

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Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE:DHI  Free Report) by 1.6% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,447 shares of the construction companys stock after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the quarter. Tiemann Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in D.R. Horton were worth $585,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of D.R. Horton by 390.6% during the 3rd quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 743,311 shares of the construction companys stock worth $79,884,000 after buying an additional 591,787 shares during the last quarter. SteelPeak Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of D.R. Horton during the 3rd quarter worth $218,000. Cibc World Markets Corp increased its holdings in shares of D.R. Horton by 36.8% during the 2nd quarter. Cibc World Markets Corp now owns 77,066 shares of the construction companys stock worth $9,378,000 after buying an additional 20,711 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of D.R. Horton by 16.7% during the 2nd quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,528 shares of the construction companys stock worth $429,000 after buying an additional 506 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Berkshire Hathaway Inc acquired a new stake in shares of D.R. Horton during the 2nd quarter worth $726,454,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.12% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently issued reports on DHI shares. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on D.R. Horton from $116.00 to $142.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a report on Monday, January 22nd. StockNews.com downgraded D.R. Horton from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Wedbush reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $115.00 price target on shares of D.R. Horton in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Seaport Res Ptn cut shares of D.R. Horton from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, Raymond James upped their price objective on shares of D.R. Horton from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $148.65.

Insider Buying and Selling at D.R. Horton

In other D.R. Horton news, SVP Aron M. Odom sold 1,213 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.00, for a total value of $185,589.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 5,103 shares in the company, valued at $780,759. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, SVP Aron M. Odom sold 1,213 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.00, for a total transaction of $185,589.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 5,103 shares in the company, valued at $780,759. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Barbara K. Allen sold 470 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.21, for a total transaction of $59,318.70. Following the transaction, the director now owns 5,650 shares in the company, valued at approximately $713,086.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 13,431 shares of company stock worth $2,015,326. 1.74% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

D.R. Horton Stock Performance

NYSE DHI traded up $0.17 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $146.27. The companys stock had a trading volume of 594,166 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,565,880. The company has a current ratio of 6.56, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $147.86 and a 200 day simple moving average of $128.20. D.R. Horton, Inc. has a 52 week low of $89.05 and a 52 week high of $157.93. The stock has a market cap of $48.54 billion, a PE ratio of 10.57, a PEG ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 1.64.

D.R. Horton (NYSE:DHI  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The construction company reported $2.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.88 by ($0.06). D.R. Horton had a return on equity of 21.06% and a net margin of 13.18%. The business had revenue of $7.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.55 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.76 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 6.5% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that D.R. Horton, Inc. will post 14.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

D.R. Horton Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 6th were issued a $0.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 5th. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.82%. D.R. Hortons dividend payout ratio is currently 8.63%.

D.R. Horton Profile

(Free Report)

D.R. Horton, Inc operates as a homebuilding company in East, North, Southeast, South Central, Southwest, and Northwest regions in the United States. It engages in the acquisition and development of land; and construction and sale of residential homes in 118 markets across 33 states under the names of D.R.

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Samalin Investment Counsel LLC reduced its stake in Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET  Free Report) by 4.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 45,295 shares of the pipeline companys stock after selling 2,328 shares during the period. Samalin Investment Counsel LLCs holdings in Energy Transfer were worth $635,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. McGowan Group Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. McGowan Group Asset Management Inc. now owns 838,816 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $11,769,000 after acquiring an additional 2,941 shares during the last quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC now owns 69,005 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $968,000 after buying an additional 1,668 shares in the last quarter. Operose Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 649.6% in the 3rd quarter. Operose Advisors LLC now owns 26,656 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $374,000 after buying an additional 23,100 shares in the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 17.2% in the 3rd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 15,440 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $217,000 after buying an additional 2,264 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jaffetilchin Investment Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 20.6% in the 3rd quarter. Jaffetilchin Investment Partners LLC now owns 22,466 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $315,000 after buying an additional 3,845 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 33.79% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

ET has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. UBS Group lowered their price objective on shares of Energy Transfer from $23.00 to $22.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. Citigroup increased their target price on Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Energy Transfer currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $17.57.

Energy Transfer Stock Down 1.2 %

Shares of Energy Transfer stock traded down $0.18 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $14.71. 8,884,921 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 14,176,449. The company has a 50 day moving average of $14.08 and a two-hundred day moving average of $13.71. Energy Transfer LP has a fifty-two week low of $11.45 and a fifty-two week high of $14.98. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37. The stock has a market cap of $49.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.49 and a beta of 1.64.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 14th. The pipeline company reported $0.37 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.08. Energy Transfer had a net margin of 4.85% and a return on equity of 12.17%. The company had revenue of $20.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.46 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.34 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 20th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 7th were paid a dividend of $0.315 per share. This represents a $1.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 8.57%. This is an increase from Energy Transfers previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 6th. Energy Transfers dividend payout ratio is currently 115.60%.

Energy Transfer Company Profile

(Free Report)

Energy Transfer LP provides energy-related services. The company owns and operates approximately 11,600 miles of natural gas transportation pipeline, and three natural gas storage facilities in Texas and two natural gas storage facilities located in the state of Texas and Oklahoma; and 19,945 miles of interstate natural gas pipeline.

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Envista Holdings Co. (NYSE:NVST  Get Free Report)s stock price gapped down before the market opened on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $22.65, but opened at $21.98. Envista shares last traded at $22.46, with a volume of 71,538 shares.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have commented on NVST. Piper Sandler cut Envista from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and lowered their target price for the company from $39.00 to $25.00 in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on Envista from $42.00 to $32.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price on Envista from $45.00 to $36.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group cut Envista from a buy rating to a sell rating and set a $22.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Monday, December 11th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group cut Envista from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $30.00 to $23.00 in a report on Friday, February 9th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $29.60.

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View Our Latest Stock Analysis on NVST

Envista Stock Performance

The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $23.69 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $25.62. The company has a market cap of $3.77 billion, a P/E ratio of -37.13, a PEG ratio of 2.44 and a beta of 1.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 2.23 and a quick ratio of 1.90.

Envista (NYSE:NVST  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 7th. The company reported $0.29 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.33 by ($0.04). Envista had a positive return on equity of 6.31% and a negative net margin of 3.90%. The firm had revenue of $645.60 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $638.37 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.52 EPS. Envistas revenue for the quarter was down 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that Envista Holdings Co. will post 1.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Envista

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its position in Envista by 10.5% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 125,507 shares of the companys stock worth $3,020,000 after purchasing an additional 11,925 shares in the last quarter. GSA Capital Partners LLP purchased a new position in shares of Envista during the 4th quarter valued at $379,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio grew its holdings in shares of Envista by 74.1% during the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 119,975 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,887,000 after acquiring an additional 51,072 shares in the last quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV purchased a new position in shares of Envista during the 4th quarter valued at $226,000. Finally, Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management N.V. purchased a new position in shares of Envista during the 4th quarter valued at $42,270,000.

Envista Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Envista Holdings Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells dental products in the United States, China, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Specialty Products & Technologies, and Equipment & Consumables. The Specialty Products & Technologies segment offers dental implant systems, guided surgery systems, biomaterials, and prefabricated and custom-built prosthetics to oral surgeons, prosthodontists, and periodontists; and brackets and wires, tubes and bands, archwires, clear aligners, digital orthodontic treatments, retainers, and other orthodontic laboratory products.

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Epoch Investment Partners Inc. reduced its position in Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ  Free Report) by 3.4% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 857,542 shares of the companys stock after selling 29,955 shares during the period. Johnson & Johnson comprises approximately 0.9% of Epoch Investment Partners Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest holding. Epoch Investment Partners Inc.s holdings in Johnson & Johnson were worth $133,562,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of JNJ. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 90,144.4% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 54,386,720 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,607,414,000 after acquiring an additional 54,326,454 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson in the 4th quarter valued at $4,609,399,000. Capital International Investors increased its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 62.7% in the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 27,825,795 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,605,627,000 after acquiring an additional 10,724,110 shares in the last quarter. Journey Strategic Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 161,420.2% in the 2nd quarter. Journey Strategic Wealth LLC now owns 7,276,483 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,204,404,000 after buying an additional 7,271,978 shares during the period. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 12.0% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 42,224,521 shares of the companys stock worth $7,458,962,000 after purchasing an additional 4,521,062 shares in the last quarter. 68.40% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Johnson & Johnson Price Performance

Shares of JNJ opened at $161.84 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 1.16. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $158.56 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $157.79. Johnson & Johnson has a fifty-two week low of $144.95 and a fifty-two week high of $175.97. The stock has a market cap of $389.84 billion, a PE ratio of 11.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.53.

Johnson & Johnson Dividend Announcement

Johnson & Johnson ( NYSE:JNJ Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The company reported $2.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.28 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $21.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $21.02 billion. Johnson & Johnson had a net margin of 37.79% and a return on equity of 37.27%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.35 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 5th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be issued a dividend of $1.19 per share. This represents a $4.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.94%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 16th. Johnson & Johnsons payout ratio is currently 34.47%.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Jennifer L. Taubert sold 59,397 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $156.27, for a total transaction of $9,281,969.19. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 141,416 shares of the companys stock, valued at $22,099,078.32. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

JNJ has been the subject of several recent research reports. StockNews.com upgraded Johnson & Johnson from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and set a $181.00 price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $170.00 to $169.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $215.00 target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. Finally, UBS Group raised shares of Johnson & Johnson from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their target price for the company from $167.00 to $180.00 in a report on Friday, December 1st. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Johnson & Johnson has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $176.14.

View Our Latest Research Report on Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson Company Profile

(Free Report)

Johnson & Johnson, together with its subsidiaries, researches, develops, manufactures, and sells various products in the healthcare field worldwide. The company's Consumer Health segment provides skin health/beauty products under the AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, DR. CI:LABO, NEUTROGENA, and OGX brands; baby care products under the JOHNSON'S and AVEENO Baby brands; oral care products under the LISTERINE brand; TYLENOL acetaminophen products; SUDAFED cold, flu, and allergy products; BENADRYL and ZYRTEC allergy products; MOTRIN IB ibuprofen products; NICORETTE smoking cessation products; and PEPCID acid reflux products.

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Epoch Investment Partners Inc. decreased its holdings in The Macerich Company (NYSE:MAC  Free Report) by 43.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 724,413 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 552,217 shares during the quarter. Epoch Investment Partners Inc. owned 0.34% of Macerich worth $7,903,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bridgewater Associates LP grew its holdings in shares of Macerich by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter. Bridgewater Associates LP now owns 45,327 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $511,000 after purchasing an additional 911 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC grew its holdings in Macerich by 8.1% during the 3rd quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 13,068 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $103,000 after acquiring an additional 980 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Macerich by 4.1% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 25,081 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $283,000 after purchasing an additional 983 shares during the period. Captrust Financial Advisors lifted its position in shares of Macerich by 5.0% in the 4th quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 20,864 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $235,000 after purchasing an additional 994 shares during the period. Finally, Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its position in shares of Macerich by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 25,312 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $276,000 after purchasing an additional 1,049 shares during the period. 90.14% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Macerich Trading Down 2.4 %

MAC stock opened at $16.74 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67. The Macerich Company has a 52-week low of $8.77 and a 52-week high of $17.69. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $16.06 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $13.07.

Macerich Dividend Announcement

Macerich ( NYSE:MAC Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 7th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.55 by ($0.26). The company had revenue of $238.70 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $224.49 million. Macerich had a negative net margin of 31.00% and a negative return on equity of 10.26%. Macerichs revenue for the quarter was up 4.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.53 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that The Macerich Company will post 1.79 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 4th. Investors of record on Friday, February 16th will be issued a $0.17 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.06%. Macerichs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -53.54%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently issued reports on MAC shares. StockNews.com lowered shares of Macerich from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Friday, February 16th. Piper Sandler raised their target price on Macerich from $12.00 to $17.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 20th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Macerich from $9.00 to $13.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and one has given a hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Reduce and an average price target of $13.25.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Macerich

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, President Edward C. Coppola sold 50,000 shares of Macerich stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.20, for a total value of $860,000.00. Following the sale, the president now owns 655,667 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,277,472.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.57% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Macerich Company Profile

(Free Report)

Macerich is a fully integrated, self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust (REIT). As a leading owner, operator and developer of high-quality retail real estate in densely populated and attractive U.S. markets, Macerich's portfolio is concentrated in California, the Pacific Northwest, Phoenix/Scottsdale, and the Metro New York to Washington, DC corridor.

Further Reading

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Valley National Advisers Inc. lowered its holdings in Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM  Free Report) by 1.3% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 34,501 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 457 shares during the period. Valley National Advisers Inc.s holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $4,057,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Intrepid Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. Intrepid Capital Management Inc. now owns 7,928 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $850,000 after buying an additional 92 shares during the last quarter. Lee Financial Co raised its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. Lee Financial Co now owns 20,454 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $2,194,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Traynor Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 4.2% in the 3rd quarter. Traynor Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,346 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $276,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp raised its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 3,119 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $367,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Defined Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 2.4% in the 3rd quarter. Defined Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,051 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $476,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 58.53% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Exxon Mobil news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 2,400 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.00, for a total transaction of $252,000.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 30,189 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,169,845. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 2,400 shares of Exxon Mobil stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.00, for a total transaction of $252,000.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 30,189 shares in the company, valued at $3,169,845. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Jeffrey W. Ubben sold 2,077,000 shares of Exxon Mobil stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.06, for a total transaction of $216,132,620.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 13,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,352,780. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 2,091,400 shares of company stock worth $217,616,420. Company insiders own 0.04% of the companys stock.

Exxon Mobil Stock Performance

Shares of XOM traded up $0.32 on Monday, reaching $104.16. The companys stock had a trading volume of 4,639,726 shares, compared to its average volume of 18,852,600. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.48 and a quick ratio of 1.09. The stock has a market capitalization of $412.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.68, a PEG ratio of 3.74 and a beta of 0.97. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $101.42 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $106.12. Exxon Mobil Co. has a 12-month low of $95.77 and a 12-month high of $120.70.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The oil and gas company reported $2.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.20 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $84.34 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $90.03 billion. Exxon Mobil had a net margin of 10.45% and a return on equity of 18.51%. The firms revenue was down 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $3.40 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 14th will be paid a dividend of $0.95 per share. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.65%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 13th. Exxon Mobils payout ratio is 42.74%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have commented on XOM shares. Erste Group Bank restated a hold rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a report on Friday, December 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $120.00 price target on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Monday, February 5th. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $133.00 to $132.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $134.00 to $127.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic upgraded shares of Exxon Mobil from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the stock from $116.00 to $119.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $127.53.

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About Exxon Mobil

(Free Report)

Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in the United States and internationally. It operates through Upstream, Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas.

Further Reading

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Profund Advisors LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of General Electric (NYSE:GE  Free Report) by 1.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 12,449 shares of the conglomerates stock after selling 220 shares during the period. Profund Advisors LLCs holdings in General Electric were worth $1,376,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. D1 Capital Partners L.P. boosted its stake in General Electric by 159.8% in the 2nd quarter. D1 Capital Partners L.P. now owns 1,455,000 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $159,832,000 after purchasing an additional 895,000 shares during the period. Hoey Investments Inc. boosted its stake in General Electric by 51,152.3% in the 3rd quarter. Hoey Investments Inc. now owns 22,551 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $2,493,000 after purchasing an additional 22,507 shares during the period. Qsemble Capital Management LP acquired a new position in General Electric in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $1,846,000. Cambridge Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in General Electric in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $6,285,000. Finally, Radnor Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in General Electric in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $3,057,000. 74.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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General Electric Stock Performance

Shares of GE opened at $153.33 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $166.87 billion, a PE ratio of 18.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 1.25. General Electric has a one year low of $81.65 and a one year high of $153.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.18 and a quick ratio of 0.85. The companys fifty day moving average price is $133.49 and its 200 day moving average price is $120.85.

General Electric Dividend Announcement

General Electric ( NYSE:GE Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The conglomerate reported $1.03 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $19.42 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.27 billion. General Electric had a net margin of 13.95% and a return on equity of 10.88%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 15.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.24 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that General Electric will post 4.53 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 25th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 28th were given a $0.08 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 27th. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.21%. General Electrics dividend payout ratio is 3.82%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other General Electric news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 22,055 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.87, for a total value of $3,195,107.85. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 56,284 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,153,863.08. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 22,055 shares of General Electric stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.87, for a total transaction of $3,195,107.85. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 56,284 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,153,863.08. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 13,601 shares of General Electric stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.55, for a total transaction of $1,843,615.55. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 48,339 shares in the company, valued at $6,552,351.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.67% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of General Electric from $124.00 to $136.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 20th. Barclays increased their target price on shares of General Electric from $144.00 to $153.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of General Electric from $135.00 to $148.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, December 11th. TheStreet upgraded shares of General Electric from a c+ rating to a b+ rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of General Electric from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $132.00.

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About General Electric

(Free Report)

General Electric Company operates as a high-tech industrial company in Europe, China, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa. It offers gas and steam turbines, full balance of plant, upgrade, and service solutions, as well as data-leveraging software for power generation, industrial, government, and other customers.

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Informatica Inc. (NYSE:INFA  Get Free Report) CEO Amit Walia sold 85,996 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.14, for a total value of $2,935,903.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 2,537,995 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $86,647,149.30. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

Informatica Stock Performance

Shares of Informatica stock opened at $32.34 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 1.66 and a current ratio of 1.66. Informatica Inc. has a twelve month low of $13.29 and a twelve month high of $36.00. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $29.77 and a 200 day moving average price of $24.84.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Citigroup raised their target price on Informatica from $28.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, February 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Informatica from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $26.00 to $44.00 in a research note on Friday, February 16th. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on Informatica from $21.00 to $27.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Thursday, December 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Informatica from $33.00 to $38.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price objective on Informatica from $27.00 to $37.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $31.63.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Informatica

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its holdings in shares of Informatica by 30.5% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 8,339,728 shares of the technology companys stock worth $164,626,000 after purchasing an additional 1,949,022 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Informatica by 26.1% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 5,308,121 shares of the technology companys stock worth $150,698,000 after purchasing an additional 1,098,246 shares during the last quarter. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Informatica during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $14,375,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its position in shares of Informatica by 202.2% during the 3rd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 976,649 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $19,602,000 after buying an additional 653,473 shares during the period. Finally, Kennedy Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Informatica by 133.9% during the 2nd quarter. Kennedy Capital Management LLC now owns 914,166 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $16,912,000 after buying an additional 523,400 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 38.76% of the companys stock.

About Informatica

(Get Free Report)

Informatica Inc develops an artificial intelligence-powered platform that connects, manages, and unifies data across multi-cloud, hybrid systems at enterprise scale in the United States. The company's platform includes a suite of interoperable data management products, including data integration products to ingest, transform, and integrate data; API and application integration products that enable users to create and manage APIs and integration processes for app-to-app synchronization, business process orchestration, B2B partner management, application development, and API management; data quality products to profile, cleanse, standardize, and enrich data to deliver accurate, complete, and consistent data; and master data management products to create an authoritative single source of truth of business-critical data.

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By Steven L. Shields

A recent headline in this newspaper asked, How old is elderly? The question is entirely wrong. I am 69 years old this year (Korean age). But calling me elderly is downright offensive. Elderly is not an age group. The term is ageist  a biased word that labels a group of people as other.

These days in Korea, older adults have become a much-disparaged other. Othering is a serious problem. Writers must be mindful of their words to avoid labeling any group of people. A label makes a person or group become the other.

Both the government and media are continually worrying about Koreas aging population. We hear too many over 65s using public transport for free, the pension system cannot handle the needs of more retirees and insurance premiums have to increase because the older population puts a burden on the health care system because they use doctors and hospitals so much more than other people. Many openly voice concern that the Korean people will disappear from the face of the earth in a few decades. The list goes on. Its as if those of us over 6o are causing damage to the nation.

Some of the labels that cause othering of older adults as they age include elder, senior and the aged. Such terms negatively stereotype older adults and lead to bias. The fatalistic and negative language about Koreas aging population fosters discrimination. Because of this continued negativism, Korean society has experienced a marked decline in attitudes toward older adults. On city buses, for example, there is little regard for the specially marked seats. Since I use public transport almost exclusively, I see this daily. Its become commonplace.

One of the challenges of working in a multi-language setting, such as The Korea Times, is that translation software and language dictionaries rarely do justice to the nuances of modern expression that is free of ageism, sexism and other isms. Language is never fixed in a moment. The Korean language has changed in the decades since I first began learning Korean. Some of the words and expressions common in the 1970s are now quite old-fashioned and, in some cases, not understood by anyone under 40. Likewise, younger generations have borrowed and adopted expressions that I must scramble to understand if I hope to stay current.

Ive spent my adult life navigating multilinguistic and multicultural settings. I have shared the struggles faced by writers, editors, translators and interpreters to be sensitive to the shifting nuances of language as we tried to achieve the best possible expressions of essential ideas. In my former job, I was able to help standardize a several-hundred-point lexicon of alternative words and phrases that promoted inclusive language for all people  not just the male-female dichotomy (and the English language media in Korea has a lot of sexist language problems, too).

The bottom line of what I am suggesting here is how to speak about older adults without creating bias. After all, aging is a normal human process, not the abnormal characteristic of some other group. Discrimination based on age (young or old) is ageism and is inappropriate in modern society.

Age-inclusive language is a human right. So, friends and colleagues, lets eliminate age bias from our writing. Terms like seniors, elderly, the aged, aging dependents, old-old, young-old and similar othering language are to be avoided. Instead, older persons, older people, older adults, older patients, older individuals, persons 65 years and older or older population help us move in the right direction. Such language is less likely to create negative stereotypes and discrimination. We can also use age ranges, such as persons aged 65 and older or women over 75. The same goes for diseases and levels of ability. Never say diabetic man, but say man with diabetes. We can be helpful and sensitive when we replace suffering from arthritis with diagnosed with arthritis. Senior citizen is not a status. Older age is not a phase. Perhaps the media can encourage government agencies to stop the innate discrimination.

Age is not a problem to be solved. Age is not an obstacle to overcome. The aging population is not a catastrophe. Such fatalism only fuels bias. Sure, the increase in the number of older adults must be addressed. Our needs and abilities change as we age, but those are individual rather than group-related. We need to stop defining old age or putting a number on it. At the same time, support systems need to be strengthened  using other factors along with chronological age (such as general health of an individual, their available assets and other factors could be considered).

Because health care, nutrition and other elements of the quality of life in early 21st-century Korea have contributed to the longer lives of our parents and grandparents, we ought to celebrate those advances rather than disparage those who built them.

Rev. Steven L. Shields (slshields@gmail.com) has lived in Korea for many years, beginning in the 1970s. A lifelong member of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea, he has served as a director and president. He was copy editor of The Korea Times in 1977. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not reflect The Korea Times editorial stance.
Computer Modelling Group Ltd. (TSE:CMG  Get Free Report) Senior Officer Robert David Hicks sold 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$10.15, for a total value of C$101,500.00.

Computer Modelling Group Stock Performance

Computer Modelling Group stock traded down C$0.16 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting C$10.04. 27,188 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 77,946. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of C$9.74 and a 200 day moving average price of C$9.36. The company has a quick ratio of 2.25, a current ratio of 1.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 59.81. The company has a market cap of C$815.55 million, a PE ratio of 35.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 1.13. Computer Modelling Group Ltd. has a one year low of C$6.21 and a one year high of C$10.76.

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Computer Modelling Group (TSE:CMG  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 7th. The company reported C$0.08 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of C$0.08. Computer Modelling Group had a return on equity of 42.70% and a net margin of 25.10%. The company had revenue of C$33.01 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of C$31.65 million. On average, equities analysts forecast that Computer Modelling Group Ltd. will post 0.3499142 EPS for the current year.

Computer Modelling Group Announces Dividend

Analysts Set New Price Targets

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 7th will be paid a $0.05 dividend. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.99%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 6th. Computer Modelling Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 68.97%.

Several brokerages have recently commented on CMG. National Bankshares set a C$12.50 target price on Computer Modelling Group and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Echelon Wealth Partners reiterated a buy rating on shares of Computer Modelling Group in a research report on Tuesday, November 14th. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their target price on Computer Modelling Group from C$10.50 to C$11.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Barclays lifted their target price on Computer Modelling Group from C$8.00 to C$9.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Computer Modelling Group from C$10.00 to C$11.50 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$10.83.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Computer Modelling Group

About Computer Modelling Group

(Get Free Report)

Computer Modelling Group Ltd., a computer software technology company, engages in the development and licensing of reservoir simulation software and related services in Canada and internationally. The company offers CMOST-AI, an intelligent optimization and analysis tool that offers solution for reservoir by combining advanced statistical analysis, machine learning, and non-biased data interpretation; IMEX, a black oil simulator that is used to model primary and secondary oil recovery processes in conventional and unconventional reservoirs; and GEM, an equation-of-state reservoir simulator for compositional, chemical, and unconventional reservoir modelling.

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Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA  Free Report) by 28.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,267 shares of the credit services providers stock after acquiring an additional 279 shares during the period. Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Mastercard were worth $493,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MA. GeoWealth Management LLC bought a new position in Mastercard in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Hibernia Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in Mastercard in the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new position in Mastercard in the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. Bollard Group LLC bought a new position in Mastercard in the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Barometer Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in Mastercard in the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.94% of the companys stock.

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Mastercard Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE MA traded up $0.69 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $474.11. The company had a trading volume of 926,983 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,505,133. The company has a market capitalization of $442.29 billion, a PE ratio of 40.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.80 and a beta of 1.08. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $440.41 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $414.94. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06. Mastercard Incorporated has a one year low of $340.21 and a one year high of $475.17.

Mastercard Announces Dividend

Mastercard ( NYSE:MA Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The credit services provider reported $3.18 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.08 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $6.55 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.46 billion. Mastercard had a return on equity of 191.22% and a net margin of 44.60%. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.65 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Mastercard Incorporated will post 14.36 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 9th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.66 per share. This represents a $2.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.56%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 8th. Mastercards payout ratio is currently 22.32%.

Mastercard announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Tuesday, December 5th that authorizes the company to repurchase $11.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the credit services provider to purchase up to 2.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are typically an indication that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MA has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Mastercard from $425.00 to $480.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 12th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Mastercard from $480.00 to $490.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Raymond James increased their price target on Mastercard from $452.00 to $504.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Monness Crespi & Hardt initiated coverage on Mastercard in a research note on Wednesday, December 20th. They set a neutral rating on the stock. Finally, Tigress Financial raised their price objective on Mastercard from $476.00 to $495.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Mastercard currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $471.85.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on MA

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Craig Vosburg sold 13,542 shares of Mastercard stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $460.06, for a total transaction of $6,230,132.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 46,491 shares in the company, valued at $21,388,649.46. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, insider Ajay Bhalla sold 98 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $439.52, for a total value of $43,072.96. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 6,235 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,740,407.20. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Craig Vosburg sold 13,542 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $460.06, for a total value of $6,230,132.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 46,491 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,388,649.46. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 30,540 shares of company stock worth $13,542,519. Company insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

About Mastercard

(Free Report)

Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. The company offers integrated products and value-added services for account holders, merchants, financial institutions, digital partners, businesses, governments, and other organizations, such as programs that enable issuers to provide consumers with credits to defer payments; payment products and solutions that allow its customers to access funds in deposit and other accounts; prepaid programs services; and commercial credit, debit, and prepaid payment products and solutions.

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Meeder Advisory Services Inc. trimmed its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 22.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 22,158 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 6,522 shares during the quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc.s holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $1,286,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Herold Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 3.2% during the 3rd quarter. Herold Advisors Inc. now owns 33,668 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,954,000 after buying an additional 1,051 shares during the period. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 69.6% in the 2nd quarter. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. now owns 5,049 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $323,000 after purchasing an additional 2,072 shares during the last quarter. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 9.5% in the 3rd quarter. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC now owns 139,811 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $8,115,000 after purchasing an additional 12,121 shares during the last quarter. Metis Global Partners LLC raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 14.8% in the 3rd quarter. Metis Global Partners LLC now owns 101,772 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $5,907,000 after purchasing an additional 13,122 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jmac Enterprises LLC raised its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 11.4% in the 3rd quarter. Jmac Enterprises LLC now owns 12,171 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $706,000 after purchasing an additional 1,245 shares during the last quarter. 74.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently commented on the company. Bank of America downgraded Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $68.00 to $60.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded Bristol-Myers Squibb from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $68.00 to $55.00 in a research note on Wednesday, November 15th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $58.00 to $51.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. StockNews.com cut Bristol-Myers Squibb from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, TheStreet cut Bristol-Myers Squibb from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Thursday, November 9th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $61.17.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Price Performance

BMY opened at $51.38 on Monday. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $50.40 and its 200 day moving average price is $53.88. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 12-month low of $47.58 and a 12-month high of $71.07. The company has a current ratio of 1.43, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24. The firm has a market cap of $103.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.38, a PEG ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.38.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $11.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.19 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 50.95% and a net margin of 17.83%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs revenue was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.82 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 6.61 earnings per share for the current year.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 5th were given a $0.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 4th. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.67%. This is a positive change from Bristol-Myers Squibbs previous quarterly dividend of $0.57. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 62.18%.

Bristol-Myers Squibb declared that its board has initiated a share repurchase program on Thursday, December 7th that permits the company to buyback $3.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the biopharmaceutical company to buy up to 2.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often a sign that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling at Bristol-Myers Squibb

In related news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner purchased 2,000 shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were bought at an average price of $49.78 per share, with a total value of $99,560.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 82,672 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,115,412.16. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Bristol-Myers Squibb news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner bought 3,071 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $48.86 per share, with a total value of $150,049.06. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 79,384 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,878,702.24. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Christopher S. Boerner bought 2,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $49.78 per share, for a total transaction of $99,560.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 82,672 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,115,412.16. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 0.08% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

(Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for various anti-cancer indications, including bladder, blood, CRC, head and neck, RCC, HCC, lung, melanoma, MPM, stomach and esophageal cancer; Pomalyst/Imnovid for multiple myeloma; Orencia for active rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis; and Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

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MQS Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kirby Co. (NYSE:KEX  Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 6,819 shares of the shipping companys stock, valued at approximately $565,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of KEX. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its position in shares of Kirby by 1.8% during the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 99,767 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $7,202,000 after acquiring an additional 1,756 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Kirby during the 1st quarter valued at about $201,000. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund acquired a new position in shares of Kirby during the 1st quarter valued at about $392,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Kirby by 33.4% during the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 38,864 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $2,806,000 after acquiring an additional 9,734 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rhumbline Advisers boosted its position in shares of Kirby by 1.9% during the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 164,306 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $11,861,000 after acquiring an additional 3,103 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.93% of the companys stock.

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Kirby Stock Down 0.5 %

Shares of KEX opened at $87.50 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $5.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 1.18. Kirby Co. has a 12-month low of $64.92 and a 12-month high of $88.08. The companys 50-day moving average price is $80.68 and its 200 day moving average price is $80.18. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Kirby ( NYSE:KEX Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 1st. The shipping company reported $1.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.03 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $799.18 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $778.70 million. Kirby had a net margin of 7.21% and a return on equity of 7.12%. Kirbys revenue was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.67 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Kirby Co. will post 4.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Separately, Stephens restated an overweight rating and issued a $105.00 price objective on shares of Kirby in a report on Monday, February 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $98.33.

Read Our Latest Report on Kirby

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Kirby news, insider Christian G. Oneil sold 6,861 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.42, for a total transaction of $551,761.62. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 12,811 shares in the company, valued at $1,030,260.62. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, Director Richard Ross Stewart sold 3,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.62, for a total transaction of $256,860.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 21,660 shares in the company, valued at $1,854,529.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Christian G. Oneil sold 6,861 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.42, for a total transaction of $551,761.62. Following the sale, the insider now owns 12,811 shares in the company, valued at $1,030,260.62. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 54,972 shares of company stock worth $4,577,007 over the last three months. Company insiders own 1.50% of the companys stock.

Kirby Company Profile

(Free Report)

Kirby Corporation operates domestic tank barges in the United States. Its Marine Transportation segment provides marine transportation service and towing vessel transporting bulk liquid product, as well as operates tank barge throughout the Mississippi River System, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, coastwise along three United States coasts, and in Alaska and Hawaii.

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Natixis Advisors L.P. lifted its position in MSCI Inc. (NYSE:MSCI  Free Report) by 7.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 41,516 shares of the technology companys stock after purchasing an additional 2,816 shares during the quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. owned 0.05% of MSCI worth $21,301,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. grew its holdings in MSCI by 15.5% during the 3rd quarter. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. now owns 895 shares of the technology companys stock worth $459,000 after acquiring an additional 120 shares during the last quarter. Personal CFO Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in shares of MSCI in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $264,000. Optiver Holding B.V. acquired a new stake in shares of MSCI in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its holdings in MSCI by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 9,164 shares of the technology companys stock worth $4,702,000 after buying an additional 178 shares during the period. Finally, Northern Trust Corp grew its stake in shares of MSCI by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 702,957 shares of the technology companys stock worth $360,673,000 after acquiring an additional 18,877 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 88.61% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Oppenheimer raised their price target on shares of MSCI from $572.00 to $601.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, January 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on shares of MSCI from $544.00 to $617.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on shares of MSCI from $588.00 to $638.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Morgan Stanley raised shares of MSCI from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and raised their target price for the company from $526.00 to $600.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. Finally, Raymond James reissued a market perform rating on shares of MSCI in a research note on Friday, January 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $578.21.

MSCI Stock Performance

MSCI opened at $568.97 on Monday. MSCI Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $451.55 and a fifty-two week high of $617.39. The company has a market capitalization of $45.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.51, a P/E/G ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 1.10. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $563.00 and a 200-day moving average of $534.41.

MSCI (NYSE:MSCI  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The technology company reported $3.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.29 by $0.39. MSCI had a negative return on equity of 111.17% and a net margin of 45.42%. The company had revenue of $690.11 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $662.64 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.84 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 19.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that MSCI Inc. will post 14.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MSCI Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 29th. Investors of record on Friday, February 16th will be paid a $1.60 dividend. This represents a $6.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.12%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 15th. This is an increase from MSCIs previous quarterly dividend of $1.38. MSCIs payout ratio is 44.44%.

About MSCI

(Free Report)

MSCI Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides critical decision support tools and solutions for the investment community to manage investment processes worldwide. The Index segment provides indexes for use in various areas of the investment process, including indexed financial product, such as ETFs, mutual funds, annuities, futures, options, structured products, and over-the-counter derivatives; performance benchmarking; portfolio construction and rebalancing; and asset allocation, as well as licenses GICS and GICS Direct.

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Numerai GP LLC lessened its stake in Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. (NYSE:TPH  Free Report) by 46.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 32,253 shares of the construction companys stock after selling 27,465 shares during the quarter. Numerai GP LLCs holdings in Tri Pointe Homes were worth $882,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S acquired a new position in shares of Tri Pointe Homes during the 2nd quarter worth $359,000. TD Asset Management Inc boosted its position in Tri Pointe Homes by 73.3% during the third quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 80,400 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $2,199,000 after acquiring an additional 34,000 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its holdings in Tri Pointe Homes by 30.4% during the 3rd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 6,728 shares of the construction companys stock worth $184,000 after acquiring an additional 1,569 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its position in shares of Tri Pointe Homes by 26.9% in the 3rd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 727,045 shares of the construction companys stock worth $19,885,000 after acquiring an additional 153,994 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Summit Global Investments lifted its stake in shares of Tri Pointe Homes by 269.2% in the 3rd quarter. Summit Global Investments now owns 33,663 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $921,000 after purchasing an additional 24,546 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.59% of the companys stock.

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Tri Pointe Homes Stock Performance

NYSE TPH opened at $35.59 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 2.11, a quick ratio of 2.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $34.88 and a 200 day simple moving average of $30.89. Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. has a 12-month low of $22.98 and a 12-month high of $36.43. The company has a market cap of $3.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.32, a PEG ratio of 0.73 and a beta of 1.53.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Tri Pointe Homes ( NYSE:TPH Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 20th. The construction company reported $1.36 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.12 by $0.24. Tri Pointe Homes had a net margin of 9.37% and a return on equity of 11.75%. The company had revenue of $1.24 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.20 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.98 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 17.5% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. will post 3.74 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

TPH has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on Tri Pointe Homes from $35.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Oppenheimer reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $41.00 price objective (up previously from $36.00) on shares of Tri Pointe Homes in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. Finally, Wedbush reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $32.00 price target on shares of Tri Pointe Homes in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Tri Pointe Homes currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $38.20.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Tri Pointe Homes

Tri Pointe Homes Profile

(Free Report)

Tri Pointe Homes, Inc engages in the design, construction, and sale of single-family attached and detached homes in the United States. The company operates through a portfolio of six regional home building brands comprising Maracay in Arizona; Pardee Homes in California and Nevada; Quadrant Homes in Washington; Trendmaker Homes in Texas; TRI Pointe Homes in California, Colorado, and the Carolinas; and Winchester Homes in Maryland and Northern Virginia.

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Numerai GP LLC cut its holdings in IAMGOLD Co. (NYSE:IAG  Free Report) (TSE:IMG) by 53.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 377,039 shares of the mining companys stock after selling 439,652 shares during the period. Numerai GP LLC owned about 0.08% of IAMGOLD worth $811,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Van ECK Associates Corp grew its stake in IAMGOLD by 4.0% in the 3rd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 46,749,294 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $100,513,000 after purchasing an additional 1,779,306 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its position in IAMGOLD by 0.7% during the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 17,085,400 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $46,308,000 after buying an additional 124,300 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in IAMGOLD by 2.9% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 16,240,870 shares of the mining companys stock worth $17,378,000 after buying an additional 460,969 shares during the last quarter. P Schoenfeld Asset Management LP raised its position in IAMGOLD by 3.7% in the second quarter. P Schoenfeld Asset Management LP now owns 7,906,532 shares of the mining companys stock worth $20,794,000 after acquiring an additional 282,410 shares during the period. Finally, Two Sigma Investments LP boosted its stake in IAMGOLD by 492.0% in the first quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 7,284,801 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $19,742,000 after acquiring an additional 6,054,262 shares during the last quarter. 49.40% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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IAMGOLD Stock Performance

Shares of IAG opened at $2.60 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $2.50 and a 200-day moving average price of $2.39. The company has a market cap of $1.28 billion, a PE ratio of 13.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.69 and a beta of 1.65. IAMGOLD Co. has a 12-month low of $1.99 and a 12-month high of $3.34.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently commented on IAG. StockNews.com downgraded IAMGOLD from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Monday, February 19th. National Bank Financial reissued a sector perform spec overwgt rating on shares of IAMGOLD in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Raymond James dropped their price objective on shares of IAMGOLD from $3.25 to $3.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 31st. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on shares of IAMGOLD from $3.25 to $3.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 10th. Finally, CIBC lifted their price objective on shares of IAMGOLD from $3.00 to $3.10 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, IAMGOLD has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $3.31.

Read Our Latest Analysis on IAG

About IAMGOLD

(Free Report)

IAMGOLD Corporation, through its subsidiaries, explores, develops, and operates gold mining properties in North America and West Africa. The company owns 100% interest in the Westwood mine, covers an area of 1,925 hectare and located in Quebec and the Cote gold project, which covers an area of 596 square kilometer located in Ontario, Canada; and 90% interests in the Essakane mine situated in Burkina Faso and Boto gold project located in Senegal, West Africa.

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O ROURKE & COMPANY Inc increased its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ  Free Report) by 1.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 9,130 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 170 shares during the period. Johnson & Johnson makes up about 1.0% of O ROURKE & COMPANY Incs holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest position. O ROURKE & COMPANY Incs holdings in Johnson & Johnson were worth $1,422,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in JNJ. Capital Square LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. Capital Square LLC now owns 4,245 shares of the companys stock valued at $703,000 after buying an additional 58 shares during the period. Chesapeake Wealth Management lifted its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management now owns 9,196 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,522,000 after buying an additional 60 shares during the period. RPG Investment Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. RPG Investment Advisory LLC now owns 4,876 shares of the companys stock valued at $807,000 after buying an additional 60 shares during the period. Texas Capital Bancshares Inc. TX lifted its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Texas Capital Bancshares Inc. TX now owns 5,744 shares of the companys stock valued at $951,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the period. Finally, FIDELIS iM LLC increased its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 3.1% in the 4th quarter. FIDELIS iM LLC now owns 2,117 shares of the companys stock worth $374,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.40% of the companys stock.

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Johnson & Johnson Trading Down 0.0 %

Shares of Johnson & Johnson stock opened at $161.76 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $389.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.72, a PEG ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.53. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $158.56 and a 200-day moving average price of $157.79. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. Johnson & Johnson has a twelve month low of $144.95 and a twelve month high of $175.97.

Johnson & Johnson Announces Dividend

Johnson & Johnson ( NYSE:JNJ Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 23rd. The company reported $2.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.28 by $0.01. Johnson & Johnson had a return on equity of 37.27% and a net margin of 37.79%. The firm had revenue of $21.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $21.02 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.35 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 5th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be paid a $1.19 dividend. This represents a $4.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.94%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 16th. Johnson & Johnsons payout ratio is currently 34.47%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on JNJ shares. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $181.00 price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. Raymond James upped their price objective on Johnson & Johnson from $172.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and issued a $215.00 price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Johnson & Johnson from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $170.00 to $163.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded Johnson & Johnson from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $167.00 to $180.00 in a research note on Friday, December 1st. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $176.14.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Johnson & Johnson news, EVP Jennifer L. Taubert sold 59,397 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $156.27, for a total value of $9,281,969.19. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 141,416 shares of the companys stock, valued at $22,099,078.32. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.20% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Johnson & Johnson

(Free Report)

Johnson & Johnson, together with its subsidiaries, researches, develops, manufactures, and sells various products in the healthcare field worldwide. The company's Consumer Health segment provides skin health/beauty products under the AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, DR. CI:LABO, NEUTROGENA, and OGX brands; baby care products under the JOHNSON'S and AVEENO Baby brands; oral care products under the LISTERINE brand; TYLENOL acetaminophen products; SUDAFED cold, flu, and allergy products; BENADRYL and ZYRTEC allergy products; MOTRIN IB ibuprofen products; NICORETTE smoking cessation products; and PEPCID acid reflux products.

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Main Street Capital (NYSE:MAIN  Get Free Report) had its price target raised by investment analysts at Oppenheimer from $41.00 to $43.00 in a report issued on Monday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a market perform rating on the financial services providers stock. Oppenheimers target price indicates a potential downside of 5.66% from the stocks previous close.

Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the stock. B. Riley lowered shares of Main Street Capital from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $47.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on Main Street Capital from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, January 22nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $45.60.

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Main Street Capital Stock Up 0.5 %

Institutional Trading of Main Street Capital

Shares of NYSE:MAIN opened at $45.58 on Monday. The firms 50 day moving average price is $44.29 and its 200 day moving average price is $41.80. The stock has a market cap of $3.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.73 and a beta of 1.30. Main Street Capital has a fifty-two week low of $36.48 and a fifty-two week high of $46.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 0.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15.

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Main Street Capital during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Citigroup Inc. boosted its holdings in Main Street Capital by 945.9% in the 3rd quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 638 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 577 shares during the period. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in Main Street Capital by 562.3% in the 3rd quarter. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC now owns 1,000 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 849 shares during the period. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. boosted its holdings in Main Street Capital by 73.6% in the 4th quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 1,139 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $49,000 after acquiring an additional 483 shares during the period. Finally, Signaturefd LLC boosted its stake in shares of Main Street Capital by 157.9% during the 3rd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 1,220 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $50,000 after buying an additional 747 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 20.20% of the companys stock.

Main Street Capital Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Main Street Capital Corporation is a business development company specializes in equity capital to lower middle market companies. The firm specializing in recapitalizations, management buyouts, refinancing, family estate planning, management buyouts, refinancing, industry consolidation, mature, later stage emerging growth.

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Samalin Investment Counsel LLC increased its stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO  Free Report) by 5.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 22,958 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 1,273 shares during the quarter. Samalin Investment Counsel LLCs holdings in Altria Group were worth $965,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the first quarter worth about $25,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the third quarter worth about $26,000. Nemes Rush Group LLC raised its position in shares of Altria Group by 103.2% in the third quarter. Nemes Rush Group LLC now owns 636 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 323 shares during the period. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the second quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the third quarter worth about $31,000. 58.94% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Altria Group Price Performance

NYSE MO traded down $0.27 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $40.86. 4,389,403 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,860,366. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $39.06 and a 52-week high of $48.04. The company has a market capitalization of $72.27 billion, a PE ratio of 9.00, a PEG ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.66. The firms 50-day moving average is $40.73 and its 200-day moving average is $41.70.

Altria Group ( NYSE:MO Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.17 by $0.01. Altria Group had a net margin of 33.21% and a negative return on equity of 243.71%. The company had revenue of $5.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.06 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.18 EPS. Altria Groups revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock repurchase program on Thursday, February 1st that authorizes the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the company to repurchase up to 1.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are often an indication that the companys board believes its stock is undervalued.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 21st were paid a $0.98 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 20th. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 9.59%. Altria Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 85.78%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Altria Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday. UBS Group restated a sell rating and set a $36.10 price target on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Altria Group currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $47.22.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Altria Group

About Altria Group

(Free Report)

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company provides cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; cigars and pipe tobacco principally under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco products and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; and on! oral nicotine pouches.

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The science ministry said Monday it will invest 121.9 billion won ($91.5 million) to bolster the local cloud computing industry this year.

The budget marked a 17.2 billion won increase from the previous year's allocation, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.

The ministry said cloud technology plays a key role in advancing artificial intelligence (AI) as it provides high performance computing capacity and massive data storage capabilities.

In detail, the ministry plans to inject 24 billion won into the development and commercialization of innovative cloud services, 7 billion won into cloud-based software as a service (SaaS), and 8 billion won into the transformation of software to SaaS.

Around 20 billion won is set aside to create an innovation fund for SaaS.

"We will foster cloud technology across industries and society and support the innovative growth of local cloud companies, including SaaS, in the era of AI sparked by Chat GPT," a science ministry official said. (Yonhap)
San Juan Basin Royalty Trust (NYSE:SJT  Get Free Report) declared a monthly dividend on Friday, February 16th, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th will be given a dividend of 0.0303 per share by the oil and gas producer on Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.06%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th. This is a positive change from San Juan Basin Royalty Trusts previous monthly dividend of $0.02.

San Juan Basin Royalty Trust Stock Up 0.6 %

San Juan Basin Royalty Trust stock opened at $5.15 on Monday. San Juan Basin Royalty Trust has a 1-year low of $4.37 and a 1-year high of $11.20. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $5.08 and a 200 day simple moving average of $6.29.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Wealthsource Partners LLC grew its position in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 6.0% in the 2nd quarter. Wealthsource Partners LLC now owns 504,360 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $3,747,000 after acquiring an additional 28,587 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA boosted its holdings in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 56,762.8% during the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA now owns 252,471 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $2,214,000 after buying an additional 252,027 shares during the period. UBS Group AG boosted its holdings in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 198.9% during the 1st quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 208,562 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $2,194,000 after buying an additional 138,777 shares during the period. Wells Fargo & Company MN boosted its holdings in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 44.3% during the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 181,891 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $2,077,000 after buying an additional 55,800 shares during the period. Finally, Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 772.0% during the 2nd quarter. Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC now owns 139,521 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $1,037,000 after buying an additional 123,521 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 13.56% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, TheStreet downgraded shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Monday, February 12th.

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San Juan Basin Royalty Trust Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

San Juan Basin Royalty Trust operates as an express trust in Texas. The company has a 75% net overriding royalty interest carved out of Southland's oil and natural gas interests in properties located in the San Juan Basin in northwestern New Mexico. It also owns subject interests consist of working interests, royalty interests, overriding royalty interests, and other contractual rights in 119,000 net producing acres in San Juan, Rio Arriba, and Sandoval Counties of northwestern New Mexico, as well as 825.6 net wells.

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Sittner & Nelson LLC grew its position in shares of T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:TCHP  Free Report) by 6.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 13,565 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 800 shares during the quarter. Sittner & Nelson LLC owned 0.10% of T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF worth $368,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in TCHP. Glenview Trust co lifted its holdings in shares of T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF by 8.9% during the 3rd quarter. Glenview Trust co now owns 1,085,301 shares of the companys stock worth $29,477,000 after acquiring an additional 88,835 shares during the period. Trust Co of Kansas boosted its stake in shares of T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. Trust Co of Kansas now owns 571,243 shares of the companys stock valued at $15,515,000 after purchasing an additional 6,585 shares during the last quarter. Advisor OS LLC raised its position in shares of T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF by 54.5% in the 3rd quarter. Advisor OS LLC now owns 247,377 shares of the companys stock worth $6,719,000 after acquiring an additional 87,293 shares in the last quarter. Roundview Capital LLC acquired a new position in T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF in the second quarter valued at approximately $211,000. Finally, Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF by 0.5% during the third quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 311,955 shares of the companys stock worth $8,473,000 after acquiring an additional 1,400 shares in the last quarter.

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T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF Stock Performance

TCHP traded down $0.16 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $34.43. 63,046 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 105,578. T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF has a 1 year low of $21.36 and a 1 year high of $34.89. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $32.15 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $29.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $453.79 million, a PE ratio of 26.89 and a beta of 1.14.

T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF Profile

The T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth ETF (TCHP) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Russell 1000 Growth index. The ETF currently has 291.89m in AUM and 78 holdings. TCHP is an actively-managed, non-transparent fund that focus on companies with potential for above-average growth TCHP was launched on Aug 4, 2020 and is managed by T.

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Coupang, Inc. (NYSE:CPNG  Get Free Report) was the target of unusually large options trading on Monday. Traders acquired 16,790 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of 35% compared to the average daily volume of 12,481 put options.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Pranam Kolari sold 2,356 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.88, for a total transaction of $32,701.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 182,844 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,537,874.72. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, insider Tae Jung Kim sold 5,350 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.00, for a total value of $85,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 248,240 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,971,840. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Pranam Kolari sold 2,356 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.88, for a total transaction of $32,701.28. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 182,844 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,537,874.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 30,008,646 shares of company stock worth $461,832,871 in the last three months. 14.90% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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Institutional Trading of Coupang

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Baillie Gifford & Co. increased its position in Coupang by 21.6% during the 4th quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. now owns 145,524,128 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,356,036,000 after buying an additional 25,843,034 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors grew its position in Coupang by 22.4% during the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 63,111,241 shares of the companys stock worth $1,098,136,000 after purchasing an additional 11,528,981 shares during the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its stake in Coupang by 12.4% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 59,970,385 shares of the companys stock valued at $970,922,000 after purchasing an additional 6,618,577 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Coupang by 205.6% in the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 33,752,146 shares of the companys stock worth $587,287,000 after buying an additional 22,708,662 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Capital World Investors lifted its stake in shares of Coupang by 7.8% during the second quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 26,715,039 shares of the companys stock worth $464,835,000 after buying an additional 1,936,311 shares during the period. 72.02% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Coupang Trading Down 1.8 %

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CPNG traded down $0.29 during trading on Monday, hitting $16.11. 5,406,955 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 9,221,658. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 1.14. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $15.42 and a 200 day simple moving average of $16.61. The firm has a market cap of $28.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 68.34 and a beta of 1.19. Coupang has a 1 year low of $12.66 and a 1 year high of $19.99.

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on CPNG shares. UBS Group lowered shares of Coupang from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $26.00 to $18.50 in a report on Wednesday, December 20th. Citigroup downgraded Coupang from a buy rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $20.00 to $17.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Finally, TheStreet cut Coupang from a c- rating to a d+ rating in a report on Wednesday, November 8th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $20.79.

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Coupang Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Coupang, Inc, together with its subsidiaries owns and operates in e-commerce business through its mobile applications and Internet websites primarily in South Korea. The company operates through two segments, Product Commerce and Developing Offerings. It sells various products and services in the categories of home goods and decor products, apparel, beauty products, fresh food and groceries, sporting goods, electronics, and everyday consumables, as well as travel, and restaurant order and delivery services.

Further Reading

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Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC lowered its stake in shares of Devon Energy Co. (NYSE:DVN  Free Report) by 5.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 77,657 shares of the energy companys stock after selling 4,270 shares during the quarter. Devon Energy comprises 0.9% of Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 29th largest holding. Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Devon Energy were worth $3,517,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. AlphaCrest Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Devon Energy during the first quarter worth about $364,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Devon Energy in the first quarter valued at approximately $188,000. Blair William & Co. IL increased its position in shares of Devon Energy by 52.1% in the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 99,120 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $5,861,000 after buying an additional 33,936 shares in the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. increased its position in shares of Devon Energy by 9.2% in the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 414,354 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $24,500,000 after buying an additional 34,870 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new stake in shares of Devon Energy in the first quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Institutional investors own 68.34% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

DVN has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Pickering Energy Partners raised Devon Energy from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, November 9th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on Devon Energy from $60.00 to $55.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. UBS Group dropped their target price on Devon Energy from $52.00 to $48.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 14th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Devon Energy from $50.00 to $48.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Finally, Mizuho lowered their target price on Devon Energy from $54.00 to $53.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $56.65.

Devon Energy Stock Performance

Shares of DVN stock traded up $0.02 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $43.90. The company had a trading volume of 4,126,847 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,062,429. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $43.49 and its 200 day simple moving average is $46.07. Devon Energy Co. has a 52-week low of $40.47 and a 52-week high of $57.13. The stock has a market cap of $28.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.55, a PEG ratio of 0.16 and a beta of 2.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 0.96 and a quick ratio of 0.89.

Devon Energy Profile

(Free Report)

Devon Energy Corporation, an independent energy company, explores for, develops, and produces oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the United States. It operates in Delaware, Anadarko, Williston, Eagle Ford, and Powder River Basin. The company was incorporated in 1971 and is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

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Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) by 18.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,350 shares of the utilities providers stock after buying an additional 1,000 shares during the period. Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Southern were worth $436,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. FMR LLC raised its position in Southern by 5.0% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 38,906,760 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $2,518,045,000 after purchasing an additional 1,838,857 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Southern by 2.3% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 19,816,104 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,387,945,000 after purchasing an additional 452,511 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in Southern by 4.2% during the second quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 16,070,918 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,128,982,000 after purchasing an additional 642,737 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors raised its position in Southern by 8.0% during the second quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 11,910,166 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $836,689,000 after purchasing an additional 883,544 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp increased its holdings in shares of Southern by 1.6% during the third quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 10,737,843 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $694,953,000 after buying an additional 163,986 shares in the last quarter. 62.85% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Southern Stock Down 1.9 %

Shares of SO traded down $1.27 on Monday, reaching $66.42. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,904,762 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,661,173. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. The Southern Company has a twelve month low of $61.56 and a twelve month high of $75.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $72.47 billion, a PE ratio of 18.65, a PEG ratio of 4.22 and a beta of 0.50. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $69.26 and a 200-day moving average of $68.69.

Southern Dividend Announcement

Southern ( NYSE:SO Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 15th. The utilities provider reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $6.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.90 billion. Southern had a net margin of 15.79% and a return on equity of 11.40%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.26 EPS. Equities analysts predict that The Southern Company will post 4.01 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be paid a $0.70 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 16th. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.22%. Southerns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 77.14%.

Insider Transactions at Southern

In other news, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 899 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.06, for a total transaction of $60,286.94. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 22,502 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,508,984.12. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 899 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.06, for a total value of $60,286.94. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,502 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,508,984.12. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider David P. Poroch sold 10,099 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.96, for a total transaction of $706,526.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 28,691 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,007,222.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 25,998 shares of company stock worth $1,817,613 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.37% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on SO. Mizuho lowered their price target on shares of Southern from $76.00 to $73.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Scotiabank downgraded shares of Southern from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and set a $78.00 price target for the company. in a report on Friday, November 3rd. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on shares of Southern from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 16th. StockNews.com raised shares of Southern from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Southern from $69.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $73.46.

View Our Latest Report on SO

Southern Profile

(Free Report)

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.

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Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC cut its position in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 4.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,158 shares of the companys stock after selling 180 shares during the quarter. Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $380,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in PM. Studio Investment Management LLC raised its position in Philip Morris International by 33.8% in the 4th quarter. Studio Investment Management LLC now owns 428 shares of the companys stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Townsend Asset Management Corp NC ADV raised its position in Philip Morris International by 3.8% in the 3rd quarter. Townsend Asset Management Corp NC ADV now owns 2,993 shares of the companys stock worth $277,000 after buying an additional 110 shares during the last quarter. Corrigan Financial Inc. raised its position in Philip Morris International by 2.5% in the 2nd quarter. Corrigan Financial Inc. now owns 4,602 shares of the companys stock worth $449,000 after buying an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Berger Financial Group Inc raised its position in Philip Morris International by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter. Berger Financial Group Inc now owns 3,902 shares of the companys stock worth $381,000 after buying an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Western Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 2.4% during the 2nd quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,791 shares of the companys stock valued at $468,000 after purchasing an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. 79.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Wilde Frederic De sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $94.25, for a total transaction of $942,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 198,447 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,703,629.75. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.15% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on PM shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. UBS Group lowered shares of Philip Morris International from a buy rating to a sell rating and reduced their price target for the company from $105.00 to $86.50 in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Societe Generale raised shares of Philip Morris International from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $87.50 price target for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic started coverage on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, November 16th. They issued a neutral rating and a $95.00 target price for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $105.40.

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Philip Morris International Stock Down 1.5 %

PM stock traded down $1.37 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $90.19. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,692,392 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,968,571. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 12 month low of $87.23 and a 12 month high of $101.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $140.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.63. The company has a 50 day moving average of $92.56 and a two-hundred day moving average of $92.90.

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $1.36 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.44 by ($0.08). Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 116.29% and a net margin of 8.53%. The business had revenue of $9.05 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.99 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.39 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 11.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Philip Morris International Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 21st were paid a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 20th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.77%. Philip Morris Internationals payout ratio is 103.59%.

Philip Morris International Profile

(Free Report)

Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches.

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Valley National Advisers Inc. decreased its position in shares of The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK  Free Report) by 9.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 93,244 shares of the banks stock after selling 9,446 shares during the period. Valley National Advisers Inc.s holdings in Bank of New York Mellon were worth $3,977,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. King Luther Capital Management Corp increased its stake in Bank of New York Mellon by 0.6% in the second quarter. King Luther Capital Management Corp now owns 38,109 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,697,000 after acquiring an additional 224 shares during the period. Pinkerton Retirement Specialists LLC lifted its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 0.4% during the second quarter. Pinkerton Retirement Specialists LLC now owns 63,013 shares of the banks stock worth $2,805,000 after purchasing an additional 240 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 1.7% during the first quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 14,451 shares of the banks stock worth $717,000 after purchasing an additional 245 shares in the last quarter. Arjuna Capital lifted its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 0.5% during the third quarter. Arjuna Capital now owns 48,446 shares of the banks stock worth $2,066,000 after purchasing an additional 251 shares in the last quarter. Finally, McIlrath & Eck LLC lifted its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 4.9% during the second quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 5,711 shares of the banks stock worth $254,000 after purchasing an additional 268 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.29% of the companys stock.

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Bank of New York Mellon Trading Up 0.1 %

NYSE:BK traded up $0.05 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $55.69. The stock had a trading volume of 1,231,720 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,155,806. The Bank of New York Mellon Co. has a one year low of $39.65 and a one year high of $56.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a current ratio of 0.72. The company has a market cap of $42.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.02, a P/E/G ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.12. The businesss 50 day moving average is $53.96 and its 200-day moving average is $48.02.

Bank of New York Mellon Dividend Announcement

Bank of New York Mellon ( NYSE:BK Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 12th. The bank reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.12 by $0.16. Bank of New York Mellon had a net margin of 10.01% and a return on equity of 11.62%. The business had revenue of $4.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.30 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.30 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that The Bank of New York Mellon Co. will post 5.24 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 2nd. Investors of record on Monday, January 22nd were issued a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 19th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.02%. Bank of New York Mellons payout ratio is 42.32%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $60.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Bank of New York Mellon from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and upped their target price for the stock from $52.00 to $62.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Bank of New York Mellon from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $54.50 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $54.00 to $62.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 9th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $54.75.

View Our Latest Analysis on Bank of New York Mellon

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Bank of New York Mellon news, VP Catherine Keating sold 4,498 shares of Bank of New York Mellon stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.81, for a total value of $246,535.38. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 123,490 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,768,486.90. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, VP Hanneke Smits sold 15,425 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.16, for a total transaction of $850,843.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 119,656 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,600,224.96. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP Catherine Keating sold 4,498 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.81, for a total transaction of $246,535.38. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 123,490 shares in the company, valued at $6,768,486.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About Bank of New York Mellon

(Free Report)

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, and data analytics.

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Wittenberg Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 2,829 shares of the investment management companys stock after buying an additional 100 shares during the period. Wittenberg Investment Management Inc.s holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $915,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in GS. Cambridge Trust Co. boosted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 82.0% during the third quarter. Cambridge Trust Co. now owns 91 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Pacific Center for Financial Services bought a new position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $33,000. Worth Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in The Goldman Sachs Group in the 1st quarter valued at $33,000. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. acquired a new position in The Goldman Sachs Group during the second quarter worth $34,000. Finally, PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group during the second quarter valued at $34,000. 69.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have issued reports on GS. JMP Securities restated a market outperform rating and set a $440.00 target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Morgan Stanley raised shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price target for the company from $333.00 to $449.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. Barclays raised their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $437.00 to $493.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 2nd. UBS Group boosted their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $382.00 to $440.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $491.00 to $506.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $409.93.

The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Up 0.3 %

Shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock traded up $1.25 on Monday, reaching $392.30. 551,992 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,322,249. The company has a market capitalization of $127.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.16, a PEG ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 1.43. The company has a current ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.07. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a one year low of $289.36 and a one year high of $396.79. The company has a 50-day moving average of $383.21 and a 200 day moving average of $346.96.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 16th. The investment management company reported $5.48 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.62 by $1.86. The firm had revenue of $11.32 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.80 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 7.85% and a return on equity of 7.82%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.32 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 32.66 earnings per share for the current year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th will be given a dividend of $2.75 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $11.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.80%. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 48.20%.

Insider Transactions at The Goldman Sachs Group

In other news, insider Brian J. Lee sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $376.39, for a total transaction of $1,129,170.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 10,121 shares in the company, valued at $3,809,443.19. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, insider Kathryn H. Ruemmler sold 7,277 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $379.81, for a total transaction of $2,763,877.37. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 6,501 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,469,144.81. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Brian J. Lee sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $376.39, for a total value of $1,129,170.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 10,121 shares in the company, valued at $3,809,443.19. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 14,734 shares of company stock worth $5,529,824. Company insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock.

The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in resale agreements.

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Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 5.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,326 shares of the payment services companys stock after acquiring an additional 110 shares during the quarter. Tiemann Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in American Express were worth $347,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Tyler Stone Wealth Management purchased a new position in American Express in the second quarter worth $27,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in American Express in the third quarter valued at about $29,000. RVW Wealth LLC purchased a new position in American Express in the third quarter valued at about $33,000. Operose Advisors LLC purchased a new position in American Express in the third quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, Brown Shipley& Co Ltd purchased a new position in American Express in the second quarter valued at about $49,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.08% of the companys stock.

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American Express Stock Up 1.0 %

Shares of AXP stock traded up $2.13 on Monday, hitting $216.69. The stock had a trading volume of 1,324,149 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,420,335. The stocks 50 day moving average is $195.09 and its 200-day moving average is $170.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71, a quick ratio of 1.63 and a current ratio of 1.63. The firm has a market capitalization of $156.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.14, a P/E/G ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 1.23. American Express has a 52-week low of $140.91 and a 52-week high of $217.39.

American Express Announces Dividend

American Express ( NYSE:AXP Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 26th. The payment services company reported $2.62 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.64 by ($0.02). American Express had a net margin of 13.84% and a return on equity of 30.99%. The firm had revenue of $15.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.07 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that American Express will post 12.83 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 5th were issued a $0.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 4th. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.11%. American Expresss dividend payout ratio is currently 21.41%.

Insider Buying and Selling at American Express

In other American Express news, insider Laureen Seeger sold 84,420 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $212.98, for a total transaction of $17,979,771.60. Following the sale, the insider now owns 57,512 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,248,905.76. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other American Express news, insider Howard Grosfield sold 7,029 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.65, for a total transaction of $1,431,455.85. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 12,388 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,522,816.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Laureen Seeger sold 84,420 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $212.98, for a total transaction of $17,979,771.60. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 57,512 shares in the company, valued at $12,248,905.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 193,055 shares of company stock valued at $40,064,664. Corporate insiders own 0.12% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Oppenheimer raised their price target on American Express from $208.00 to $219.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of American Express from $220.00 to $226.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, January 29th. Morgan Stanley cut shares of American Express from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $212.00 to $222.00 in a research note on Thursday, February 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of American Express from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $167.00 to $205.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. Finally, Robert W. Baird cut American Express from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and set a $190.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $189.00.

Get Our Latest Report on AXP

American Express Company Profile

(Free Report)

American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, operates as integrated payments company in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Canada, the Caribbean, and Internationally. It operates through four segments: U.S. Consumer Services, Commercial Services, International Card Services, and Global Merchant and Network Services.

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Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC cut its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 4.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 9,093 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 375 shares during the period. Tiemann Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $881,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of ABT. Patriot Investment Management Group Inc. grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 3.1% during the 4th quarter. Patriot Investment Management Group Inc. now owns 3,236 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $356,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. Camden National Bank grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter. Camden National Bank now owns 4,637 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $506,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. Oxbow Advisors LLC grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. Oxbow Advisors LLC now owns 8,350 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $910,000 after purchasing an additional 98 shares during the last quarter. Shepherd Financial Partners LLC grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Shepherd Financial Partners LLC now owns 2,275 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $250,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC now owns 20,029 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $2,371,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. 73.70% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have weighed in on ABT shares. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $116.00 to $121.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. Barclays boosted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $141.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. TheStreet upgraded Abbott Laboratories from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. Raymond James upped their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $124.00 to $127.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $128.00 target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Abbott Laboratories currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $120.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,315,537.50. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction on Monday, January 29th. The stock was 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 directly owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,315,537.50. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $108.00, for a total value 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 disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Abbott Laboratories Price Performance

NYSE ABT traded down $0.86 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $118.60. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,543,205 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,385,612. The companys 50-day moving average is $112.45 and its two-hundred day moving average is $104.32. Abbott Laboratories has a 1-year low of $89.67 and a 1-year high of $120.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $205.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.64, a P/E/G ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.16.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $1.19. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.65% and a net margin of 14.27%. The business had revenue of $10.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.19 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.03 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.61 EPS for the current year.

Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 15th. Investors of record on Monday, April 15th will be given a dividend of $0.55 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 12th. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.85%. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is 67.48%.

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 company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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By Lee Min-hyung

Hyundai Motor Group is recruiting security and diplomatic experts in the United States to prepare for the potential reelection of Donald Trump, industry officials said Monday.

The steps the automaker is taking are widely viewed as a move to bolster its risk management in the world's largest economy. This comes as the Republican primary frontrunner continues to emphasize a tough stance on eliminating tax credit benefits provided to Korean electric vehicle and battery manufacturers.

In response, Hyundai Motor is expanding its global policy office by recruiting Woo Jung-yeop, former director general for strategy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Woo will serve as a senior vice president at the office led by Kim Il-bum, executive vice president of the automotive group.

Kim was recruited to lead the unit last year, given his diplomatic expertise. His previous role involved serving as secretary for protocol to President Yoon Suk Yeol for a year from March 2022.

Woo is expected to help map out Hyundai's U.S. strategy amid escalating economic and diplomatic uncertainties ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November. With Trump signaling a strong inclination toward economic protectionism, Korean automakers, like Hyundai Motor and Kia, and a group of export-reliant manufacturers are monitoring the election.

Woo is a U.S. expert with contacts that include officials from various levels of the U.S. government. Previously, he served as a senior research fellow specializing in the U.S. at the Sejong Institute, a prominent private think tank.

The latest recruitment came about two months after the automaker hired Sung Kim, former U.S. ambassador to Korea, as its advisor. This aims to enhance its networking efforts abroad and strengthen alliances with both U.S. and other overseas partners.

The Hyundai Motor advisor was also seen assisting Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun during this year's CES in Las Vegas.

Industry officials said not just the automaker, but battery firms and a group of other export-driven tech firms here, have no choice but to strengthen their lobbying activities ahead of the upcoming U.S. election.

"From the perspective of Korean companies, there are no clear solutions to navigate Trump's unpredictable policy direction," an official at a Korean conglomerate said on condition of anonymity. "The recruitment of these U.S. experts is part of the firm's initiative to bolster its networking efforts and establish stronger connections with the U.S."
Titan Global Capital Management USA LLC lessened its position in NexGen Energy Ltd. (NYSE:NXE  Free Report) by 14.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 572,270 shares of the companys stock after selling 98,001 shares during the quarter. Titan Global Capital Management USA LLC owned approximately 0.11% of NexGen Energy worth $3,416,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in NXE. FMR LLC lifted its stake in shares of NexGen Energy by 99,379.5% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 11,674,918 shares of the companys stock valued at $69,882,000 after purchasing an additional 11,663,182 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in NexGen Energy by 20,783.5% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 3,217,515 shares of the companys stock valued at $18,211,000 after buying an additional 3,202,108 shares in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its position in NexGen Energy by 12.4% during the 3rd quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 23,761,298 shares of the companys stock valued at $142,884,000 after buying an additional 2,612,540 shares in the last quarter. Lingotto Investment Management LLP increased its position in NexGen Energy by 289.3% during the 2nd quarter. Lingotto Investment Management LLP now owns 2,958,763 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,965,000 after buying an additional 2,198,763 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can bought a new position in NexGen Energy during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $6,233,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 29.46% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on NexGen Energy from $10.00 to $11.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 28th.

NexGen Energy Stock Up 1.6 %

Shares of NexGen Energy stock traded up $0.11 on Monday, reaching $6.94. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,719,430 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,615,436. The company has a market cap of $3.65 billion, a P/E ratio of -29.78 and a beta of 1.93. The companys fifty day moving average price is $7.29. NexGen Energy Ltd. has a 52 week low of $3.49 and a 52 week high of $8.31. The company has a quick ratio of 13.66, a current ratio of 13.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28.

About NexGen Energy

(Free Report)

NexGen Energy Ltd., an exploration and development stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and evaluation and development of uranium properties in Canada. It holds 100% interest in the Rook I project comprising 32 contiguous mineral claims totaling an area of 35,065 hectares located in the southwestern Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan.

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Treasurer of the State of North Carolina raised its stake in General Electric (NYSE:GE  Free Report) by 0.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 476,661 shares of the conglomerates stock after purchasing an additional 2,420 shares during the quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolinas holdings in General Electric were worth $52,695,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Steward Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of General Electric in the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. lifted its position in shares of General Electric by 808.1% in the first quarter. Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 336 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 299 shares during the last quarter. Motco lifted its holdings in General Electric by 143.0% during the 2nd quarter. Motco now owns 294 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 173 shares during the last quarter. Financial Freedom LLC acquired a new stake in General Electric during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Macroview Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in General Electric by 43.4% during the 3rd quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 317 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. 74.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 22,055 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.87, for a total value of $3,195,107.85. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 56,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,153,863.08. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other General Electric news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 13,601 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $135.55, for a total transaction of $1,843,615.55. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 48,339 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,552,351.45. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 22,055 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.87, for a total value of $3,195,107.85. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 56,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,153,863.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.67% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have weighed in on GE. StockNews.com raised General Electric from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Citigroup lifted their price objective on General Electric from $135.00 to $148.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, December 11th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on General Electric from $150.00 to $148.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on General Electric from $124.00 to $136.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, December 20th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded General Electric from a c+ rating to a b+ rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $132.00.

View Our Latest Research Report on General Electric

General Electric Price Performance

GE stock traded up $1.26 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $154.59. 2,448,697 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,177,832. The stock has a market capitalization of $168.24 billion, a PE ratio of 18.32, a P/E/G ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 1.25. General Electric has a 52 week low of $83.38 and a 52 week high of $155.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.18 and a quick ratio of 0.85. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $133.49 and a 200 day moving average price of $120.85.

General Electric (NYSE:GE  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The conglomerate reported $1.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $19.42 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.27 billion. General Electric had a return on equity of 10.88% and a net margin of 13.95%. General Electrics quarterly revenue was up 15.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.24 earnings per share. As a group, analysts expect that General Electric will post 4.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.

General Electric Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 25th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 28th were issued a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.21%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 27th. General Electrics dividend payout ratio is presently 3.82%.

General Electric Profile

(Free Report)

General Electric Company operates as a high-tech industrial company in Europe, China, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa. It offers gas and steam turbines, full balance of plant, upgrade, and service solutions, as well as data-leveraging software for power generation, industrial, government, and other customers.

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Trustmark National Bank Trust Department decreased its stake in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL  Free Report) by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 23,227 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 168 shares during the period. Trustmark National Bank Trust Departments holdings in Aflac were worth $1,783,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in AFL. Panagora Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Aflac by 36.2% in the first quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 23,941 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,542,000 after buying an additional 6,369 shares during the period. Blair William & Co. IL grew its stake in Aflac by 6.8% during the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 17,268 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,112,000 after purchasing an additional 1,102 shares during the period. Aviva PLC grew its stake in Aflac by 0.7% during the first quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 210,634 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $13,563,000 after purchasing an additional 1,503 shares during the period. Dakota Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Aflac during the first quarter worth approximately $428,000. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in Aflac by 7.3% during the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 6,142 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $396,000 after purchasing an additional 417 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 66.75% of the companys stock.

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Aflac Stock Performance

NYSE:AFL traded down $0.72 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $79.69. The stock had a trading volume of 824,027 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,218,206. The stock has a market cap of $45.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.93. Aflac Incorporated has a 12-month low of $60.20 and a 12-month high of $86.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.06 and a current ratio of 0.06. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $81.42 and a 200 day simple moving average of $79.52.

Insider Buying and Selling

Aflac ( NYSE:AFL Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The financial services provider reported $1.25 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.47 by ($0.22). Aflac had a net margin of 24.92% and a return on equity of 17.59%. The company had revenue of $3.78 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.44 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.29 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that Aflac Incorporated will post 6.43 EPS for the current fiscal year.

In related news, CFO Steven Kent Beaver sold 3,114 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $82.71, for a total transaction of $257,558.94. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 20,914 shares in the company, valued at $1,729,796.94. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other Aflac news, Director Arthur Reginald Collins sold 3,000 shares of Aflac stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $79.73, for a total transaction of $239,190.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 5,592 shares of the companys stock, valued at $445,850.16. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CFO Steven Kent Beaver sold 3,114 shares of Aflac stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $82.71, for a total value of $257,558.94. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 20,914 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,729,796.94. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 36,607 shares of company stock worth $2,933,445 over the last ninety days. 0.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently commented on AFL. UBS Group raised their target price on Aflac from $80.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. Raymond James raised their price objective on Aflac from $83.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on Aflac from $61.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Aflac from $75.00 to $80.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Aflac from $74.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Aflac presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $80.36.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Aflac

Aflac Company Profile

(Free Report)

Aflac Incorporated, through its subsidiaries, provides supplemental health and life insurance products. It operates in two segments, Aflac Japan and Aflac U.S. The Aflac Japan segment offers cancer, medical, nursing care, work leave, GIFT, and whole and term life insurance products, as well as WAYS and child endowment plans under saving type insurance products in Japan.

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Truvestments Capital LLC lowered its position in shares of International Business Machines Co. (NYSE:IBM  Free Report) by 5.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,833 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 148 shares during the period. Truvestments Capital LLCs holdings in International Business Machines were worth $397,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of International Business Machines during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Live Oak Investment Partners purchased a new stake in International Business Machines during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Briaud Financial Planning Inc purchased a new position in International Business Machines in the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in International Business Machines in the 2nd quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Pacific Center for Financial Services acquired a new stake in shares of International Business Machines in the 1st quarter valued at about $41,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 56.16% of the companys stock.

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International Business Machines Price Performance

IBM stock traded down $0.60 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $185.12. The stock had a trading volume of 1,080,324 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,305,825. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.22. International Business Machines Co. has a 52 week low of $120.55 and a 52 week high of $196.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $169.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.84, a P/E/G ratio of 3.64 and a beta of 0.71. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $173.52 and a 200 day simple moving average of $156.74.

International Business Machines Announces Dividend

International Business Machines ( NYSE:IBM Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The technology company reported $3.87 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.78 by $0.09. International Business Machines had a net margin of 12.13% and a return on equity of 39.55%. The firm had revenue of $17.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.29 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $3.60 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that International Business Machines Co. will post 10.06 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, March 9th. Investors of record on Friday, February 9th will be given a dividend of $1.66 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 8th. This represents a $6.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.59%. International Business Machiness dividend payout ratio is presently 81.67%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have commented on IBM. Societe Generale restated a sell rating and issued a $143.00 target price on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Friday, January 5th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of International Business Machines from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. Wedbush restated a neutral rating and set a $140.00 price target on shares of International Business Machines in a report on Monday, November 13th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $179.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Friday, January 5th. They issued a hold rating and a $180.00 price target on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $171.92.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on International Business Machines

International Business Machines Profile

(Free Report)

International Business Machines Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated solutions and services worldwide. The company operates through four business segments: Software, Consulting, Infrastructure, and Financing. The Software segment offers hybrid cloud platform and software solutions; software for business automation, AIOps and management, integration, and application servers; data and artificial intelligence solutions; and security software and services for threat, data, and identity.

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Twin Focus Capital Partners LLC reduced its stake in BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK  Free Report) by 11.7% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 1,850 shares of the asset managers stock after selling 245 shares during the period. Twin Focus Capital Partners LLCs holdings in BlackRock were worth $1,196,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A bought a new position in shares of BlackRock during the second quarter worth approximately $26,000. West Tower Group LLC bought a new position in BlackRock in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Archer Investment Corp bought a new position in BlackRock in the second quarter valued at approximately $29,000. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new stake in BlackRock in the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Tyler Stone Wealth Management acquired a new stake in BlackRock in the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. 77.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling at BlackRock

In related news, Director Rachel Lord sold 36,059 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $818.06, for a total transaction of $29,498,425.54. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 17,004 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,910,292.24. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, insider Marc D. Comerchero sold 450 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $785.11, for a total value of $353,299.50. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 5,975 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,691,032.25. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director Rachel Lord sold 36,059 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $818.06, for a total transaction of $29,498,425.54. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 17,004 shares of the companys stock, valued at $13,910,292.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 69,533 shares of company stock worth $46,774,326 over the last three months. 1.06% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

BLK has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of BlackRock from $720.00 to $818.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of BlackRock from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and set a $708.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Friday, December 15th. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of BlackRock from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $885.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. TD Cowen upgraded shares of BlackRock from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $819.00 to $938.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of BlackRock from $719.00 to $793.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, November 30th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, BlackRock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $785.73.

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BlackRock Stock Down 1.0 %

BlackRock stock traded down $8.08 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $805.51. 146,369 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 597,585. BlackRock, Inc. has a 52-week low of $596.18 and a 52-week high of $823.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $119.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.80 and a beta of 1.38. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $795.24 and its 200-day moving average price is $721.42. The company has a quick ratio of 3.72, a current ratio of 3.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33.

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The asset manager reported $9.66 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $8.84 by $0.82. The firm had revenue of $4.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.65 billion. BlackRock had a net margin of 30.81% and a return on equity of 14.85%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $8.93 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that BlackRock, Inc. will post 39.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

BlackRock Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 22nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 7th will be paid a $5.10 dividend. This represents a $20.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.53%. This is a boost from BlackRocks previous quarterly dividend of $5.00. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 6th. BlackRocks payout ratio is presently 54.78%.

About BlackRock

(Free Report)

BlackRock, Inc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks.

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Twin Focus Capital Partners LLC cut its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF (NYSEARCA:EWJ  Free Report) by 53.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 4,725 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 5,477 shares during the period. Twin Focus Capital Partners LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI Japan ETF were worth $285,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake in iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 15.7% in the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 202,282 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $12,462,000 after purchasing an additional 27,428 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its stake in iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 37.8% in the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 92,661 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $5,807,000 after purchasing an additional 25,415 shares during the period. Prudential Financial Inc. boosted its stake in iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 15.3% in the 1st quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 89,447 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $5,511,000 after purchasing an additional 11,850 shares during the period. Wit LLC bought a new stake in iShares MSCI Japan ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $239,000. Finally, Founders Financial Securities LLC bought a new stake in iShares MSCI Japan ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $2,797,000.

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iShares MSCI Japan ETF Trading Down 0.1 %

NYSEARCA EWJ traded down $0.08 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $68.93. The company had a trading volume of 3,973,690 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,355,297. The company has a market capitalization of $14.70 billion, a PE ratio of 12.76 and a beta of 0.68. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $65.54 and a 200-day moving average price of $62.60. iShares MSCI Japan ETF has a twelve month low of $54.56 and a twelve month high of $69.27.

iShares MSCI Japan ETF Company Profile

iShares MSCI Japan ETF (the fund), formerly Ishares Msci Japan Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the Japanese market, as measured by the MSCI Japan Index (the Index).

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VAALCO Energy, Inc. (LON:EGY  Get Free Report) declared a dividend on Monday, February 26th, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.06 per share on Thursday, March 28th. This represents a dividend yield of 1.43%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. The official announcement can be accessed at this link.

VAALCO Energy Stock Performance

EGY opened at GBX 345 ($4.34) on Monday. VAALCO Energy has a twelve month low of GBX 282.33 ($3.55) and a twelve month high of GBX 424.29 ($5.34). The company has a fifty day moving average of GBX 354.64 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 356.53. The stock has a market cap of 362.80 million, a PE ratio of 1,437.50 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a quick ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.09.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Canaccord Genuity Group reiterated a buy rating and set a GBX 720 ($9.07) price target on shares of VAALCO Energy in a report on Thursday, November 9th.

VAALCO Energy Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

VAALCO Energy, Inc, an independent energy company, acquires, explores for, develops, and produces crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. The company holds Etame production sharing contract related to the Etame Marin block located offshore in the Republic of Gabon in West Africa. It also owns interests in an undeveloped block offshore Equatorial Guinea, West Africa.

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Valley National Advisers Inc. reduced its holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO  Free Report) by 4.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 132,312 shares of the companys stock after selling 6,196 shares during the period. Altria Group accounts for about 1.0% of Valley National Advisers Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest holding. Valley National Advisers Inc.s holdings in Altria Group were worth $5,564,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd acquired a new position in Altria Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Nemes Rush Group LLC increased its position in Altria Group by 103.2% in the 3rd quarter. Nemes Rush Group LLC now owns 636 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 323 shares during the period. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Legacy Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group during the third quarter worth $30,000. 58.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently commented on MO shares. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Altria Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday. UBS Group reiterated a sell rating and issued a $36.10 target price on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $47.22.

Altria Group Price Performance

Altria Group stock traded down $0.32 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $40.81. 2,035,195 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,801,554. The firms 50 day moving average price is $40.73 and its 200 day moving average price is $41.70. The firm has a market capitalization of $72.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.00, a P/E/G ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.66. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $39.06 and a 52-week high of $48.04.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.18 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.17 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $5.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.06 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 33.21% and a negative return on equity of 243.71%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.18 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.07 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 21st were given a dividend of $0.98 per share. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 9.61%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 20th. Altria Groups payout ratio is currently 85.78%.

Altria Group announced that its board has initiated a stock buyback program on Thursday, February 1st that permits the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the company to purchase up to 1.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are generally a sign that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

About Altria Group

(Free Report)

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company provides cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; cigars and pipe tobacco principally under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco products and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; and on! oral nicotine pouches.

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Spring break is coming, and the week of March 3 through 8 is going to be jam-packed with great free programs for all ages at the Grand Island Public Library.

The week kicks off at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 3, with another Celtic Music Session. This is open to all musicians of all skill levels. If you play guitar and can play a G chord, D chord, and A chord (and maybe the occasional E or B minor), youre already able to play about 50% of tunes in the tune book! Listeners are also welcome.

Open Celtic Music Sessions are scheduled for the first and third Sundays of the month through May 19 (except April 21), so join us anytime. It is always a joy to make music with others.

At 2 p.m. Monday, March 4, is our annual Dr. Seuss Birthday Bash, with special guest the Cat in the Hat himself! Theodor (yep, no e!) Seuss Geisel was born in 1904, published his first childrens book in 1937, and generations of young readers have discovered the joy of literacy though his books ever since. Kids will enjoy games, crafts, activities and special treats. This event is best for ages 3 and older.

At 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 5, is a Construction Challenge for kids ages 3 and older. Were pulling out all our construction toys, including the ever-popular LEGOs and straw builders, and challenging kids to use their imaginations to the fullest. No registration is required; just drop in and start building!

A special Teen Makerspace program is planned for 2 p.m. that same Tuesday. Teens ages 12-18 will use the laser cutter and melted crayons to make colorful custom wooden nameplates. Space is limited and registration is required, so call 308-385-5333 or visit gilibrary.org to register.

At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 6, special guests from Grand Island Senior High will be presenting a theater program for kids ages 3 and older. Enjoy fun activities with the student stars of the upcoming GISH production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. No registration is required.

A Creative Writing Workshop for tweens ages 10-13 is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, March 7. Each participant will receive their own mini writers notebook to decorate and keep. This is a great opportunity for tweens to let their creativity soar! Registration is required for this one, too, so call or register online.

On Friday, March 8, its all aboard! for an afternoon of train-themed fun. At 1:30 p.m. kids ages 3 and older can join us for a storytime and craft  no registration required!

Then, at 2 p.m. we welcome guest musician David Seay for Train Songs and Tales, an all-ages presentation sponsored by Humanities Nebraska. David will share a variety of railroad-inspired songs and stories that offer peeks into the past from a wide variety of points of view. This upbeat excursion is accompanied by guitar, banjo, harmonica, whistles, and a sing-along or two  fun for the whole family!

We have hosted many Humanities Nebraska presenters at the library over the years and they never disappoint. From multi-instrumentalists, to storytellers, to reenactors, to historians, they always have something important and engaging to share.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Humanities Nebraska, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Nebraska State Legislature, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and private donations, all Humanities Nebraska programs at the library are presented free of charge and no registration is required to attend.

Check our website at gilibrary.org and click the big green Events button for a full listing of events. If youve never been to the library before, now is a great time to stop by for a visit! Theres always something new to discover at your library.
Construction of first northern Vietnam LNG power project must start in Q3: Quang Ninh authorities

By Vy Anh, Minh Hue Mon, February 26, 2024 | 9:35 am GMT+7

Authorities in Vietnams northern province of Quang Ninh have requested the investor and relevant agencies to urgently complete legal procedures to start construction of a $2.23 billion LNG power project in the third quarter of this year.

If the schedule is not met, the project's license will be revoked, stressed Cao Tuong Huy, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee while chairing a meeting reviewing the projects progress on Saturday.

Covering 60 hectares in Cam Thinh ward, Cam Pha town, the Quang Ninh LNG power project was included in the newly-approved power development plan VIII (PDP VIII) as a priority project. It is designed to have two turbines with a total capacity of 1,500 MW.

Its investor is Quang Ninh LNG Power JSC - a consortium of PV Power, a subsidiary of state-owned Petrovietnam; the Quang Ninh-based Vietnam Mechanical Assembly JSC (Colavi); and Japanese firms Tokyo Gas and Marubeni.

An illustration of the Quang Ninh LNG-to-power plant project in Quang Ninh province, northern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Quang Ninh newspaper.

As the first power project in northern Vietnam to use imported liquefied natural gas (LNG), once operational, it will contribute to promoting the rapid development of LNG thermal power, making it an important source of electricity for the nation.

At the same time, it will help realize the goal of building Quang Ninh into a growth hub, a gateway for international economic cooperation, and a source of fuel and energy supplies for the whole country.

The project was initiated at the end of October 2021 and is expected to go into commercial operation in the third quarter of 2027. When put into operation, it is expected to contribute VND57.7 trillion ($2.43 billion) to the local budget over 25 years.

At the meeting, the investor reported that the project feasibility study report has been submitted to the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) for appraisal.

Its detailed construction planning at a scale of 1/500 is being adjusted under the directions of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Transport.

The investor has also worked on an agreement with state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN) on a plan to connect the plant to the national grid, it added.

The provincial chairman asked the investor to prioritize resources to speed up the progress of completing investment procedures in order to kick off construction of the project in Q3 in accordance with the MoIT' instructions.

It should closely coordinate with the MoIT to complete documents to serve the appraisal and approval of the project feasibility study, he stated.

Huy also asked relevant agencies to strengthen coordination and support the investor to effectively deploy related works.

He required the Department of Planning and Investment to make adjustments to the investment registration certificate within five days from the time it receives completed dossiers from the investor.

Cam Pha must immediately approve the adjustment of the detailed construction plan at a scale of 1/500 for the project before March 10, 2024, and closely coordinate with the investor to complete site clearance work, he noted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action in the two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion .

Zelenskyy said that the number was far lower than estimates given by Russian President Vladimir Putin's government.

31,000 Ukrainian military personnel have been killed in this war. Not 300,000, not 150,000, not whatever Putin and his deceitful circle have been lying about. But nevertheless, each of these losses is a great sacrifice for us, Zelenskyy said at the Ukraine. Year 2024 forum in Kyiv.

The Ukrainian leader said that he wouldn't disclose the number of troops that were wounded or missing. He also said that tens of thousands of civilians had been killed in occupied areas of Ukraine, but said that no exact figures would be available until the war was over.

We dont know how many of our civilians they killed. We dont, he said.

It's the first time that Kyiv has confirmed the number of its losses since the start of Russias full-scale war on Feb. 24, 2022.

Russia has provided few official casualty figures. The most recent data from the Defense Ministry, published in January 2023, pointed to just over 6,000 deaths, although reports from U.S. and U.K. officials put that number significantly higher.

A U.S. intelligence report declassified in mid-December 2023 estimated that 315,000 Russian troops had been killed or wounded in Ukraine. If accurate, the figure would represent 87% of the roughly 360,000 troops Russia had before the war, according to the report.

Independent Russian news outlet Mediazona said Saturday that about 75,000 Russian men died in 2022 and 2023 fighting in the war.

A joint investigation published by Mediazona and Meduza, another independent Russian news site, indicates that the rate of Russias losses in Ukraine is not slowing and that Moscow is losing about 120 men a day. (AP)
Danang-based Danapha looks to enhance Vietnam pharmaceutical industrys position: CEO

By Thanh Van, Minh Hue Mon, February 26, 2024 | 4:55 pm GMT+7

Danapha Pharmaceutical JSC (Danapha) has been focusing on high-tech, quality products to export around the world, thus enhancing the position of Vietnams pharmaceutical industry, said CEO Le Thang Binh.

Danapha CEO Le Thang Binh. Photo courtesy of the company.

2023 was a difficult year for businesses in general. What about Danapha?

In 2023, with difficulties stemming from the global economic crisis, Danapha made constant efforts and achieved extremely impressive results. In particular, it posted record high output and sales.

All of Danapha's product groups saw impressive growth, which was a source of pride and an important contribution to the development of the country's economy in general.

Notably, the companys export turnover in 2023 reached nearly 8 million, with the largest share in the Eastern European market. Danapha's products are currently present in 20 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Bulgaria and Southeast Asian nations.

What are Danaphas goals in 2004?

Our common objective is still to pursue our mission of "dedication to public health with ethical humane values", along with specific goals to realize this mantra.

The company will complete and put into operation a high-tech pharmaceutical factory in Danang Hi-Tech Park (Danang city). This will be the top priority, aiming to bring to domestic and foreign customers high quality products at reasonable prices with treatment effectiveness equivalent to those imported from Europe.

In addition, the company aims to increase research to create products that apply high-tech applications and advanced and modern technology in automated drug production lines, and optimize the production process, thereby improving performance and profit to improve product quality and maintain a leading position in the pharmaceutical industry.

It will also focus on expanding export markets, especially distributing products in potential and developed markets in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia.

How will Danapha achieve these plans?

Danapha always puts customers at the center. Its leadership and staff know that "safety and quality of products and services" are our core development direction. The company's products have been constantly researched and improved. This is the result of efforts with a long-term vision and strong determination that make Danapha different and give the company an advantage.

It is easy to see rapid changes around the world in recent times. More than ever, technological advances, sustainable development goals and risk response strategies are at the forefront and becoming clear.

To deal with potential difficulties, we have set out specific solutions. We will focus on developing both human resources inside and outside the enterprise; standardize processes to achieve optimal speed in production activities, promote innovation through products and services, and set up and develop new markets with a focus on customer experience and increased collaboration with strategic partners.

The company is developing a pharmaceutical factory and a high-tech research and development center in Danang High-Tech Park. Could you give more details about these projects?

The pharmaceutical factory and high-tech research and development center, covering over 3 hectares in the park, will be fully invested with multiple high-tech production lines. The Danapha High-tech Research and Development Center is set to meet European standards.

The headquarters of Danapha in Danang city, central Vietnam. Photo courtesy of the company.

The projects have a total investment of nearly VND900 billion ($36.43 million) with two phases. The factory will include production lines for non-betalactam oral solid (OSD) and non-betalactam liquid drugs using modern BFS technology.

After two years of implementation, the first phase of the project is about to be put into operation, focusing mainly on products meeting EU-GMP standards.

Once the project is completed and put into operation, it will contribute to the effective implementation of the government's science and technology development orientation, boosting economic growth and improving residents quality of life. At the same time, it aims to export drugs to the region and the world, enhancing the position of Vietnam's pharmaceutical industry.

Meanwhile, the center will research and develop new products that meet standards and testing methods, apply advanced technology with high technology content, and promote cooperation in researching and developing formulas in technology transfer projects with leading partners around the world.

Besides the above projects, does the company plan to invest in other projects?

In addition to the projects in Danang Hi-Tech Park, we are also considering new projects in the pharmaceutical field. In addition, we has started work on the Danapha Tower office-tourist apartment project with multi-purpose use, promising to bring a modern working space combined with a unique travel experience. This is a strategic move, expanding Danapha's business activities and creating an additional source of income.
Vietnam PM invites Siemens to build urban railway lines

By Thai Ha Mon, February 26, 2024 | 10:37 pm GMT+7

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked Siemens AG to research and participate in bidding for urban railway line projects in Vietnam and transfer technology to the country in this area.

Such projects include the Metro Line 2 in Ho Chi Minh City, the Prime Minister told Roland Busch, president and CEO of Germany's Siemens AG, at a meeting in Hanoi on Monday, according to the government's news portal.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Siemens AG president cum CEO Roland Busch at their meeting in Hanoi on February 26, 2024. Photo courtesy of the government's news portal.

Chinh noted that Vietnam always attaches importance to deepening relations with Germany in all fields.

"After nearly 50 years of diplomatic ties and over 10 years of establishing a strategic partnership, Vietnam-Germany relations have constantly been cemented, nurtured and developed in all fields, especially in trade and investment.

"The German side highly values the partnership with Vietnam in these two areas, especially after the fruitful visit to Vietnam by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in January 2024," the Prime Minister said.

Chinh added that he highly appreciated Siemens's business results in the world and in Vietnam, especially projects in the fields of electricity-gas, mechanical engineering, energy infrastructure, industrial automation and railway development.

In line with the agreements reached between senior leaders, the Prime Minister proposed Siemens promote cooperation in high-tech fields, green transformation, renewable energy, especially wind turbine production, transportation like electric vehicle manufacturing and digital transformation; build a Siemens R&D center in Vietnam; facilitate a partnership with the National Innovation Center; and expand cooperation with Vietnamese technology companies.

Siemens has also been asked to enhance cooperation in human resource training, governance improvement, and development of modern institutions in the above-mentioned fields.

In response, Siemens AG president and CEO Roland Busch praised Vietnam for its great development potential given the country's population of 100 million people and its trained, young workforce.

Busch said he highly appreciates Vietnam's goals in green transformation, climate change response, developing high-tech industries, especially semiconductors, and building transport infrastructure systems, especially railways.

He said Siemens is actively cooperating with the Vietnamese side and wants to continue expanding cooperation and business in the fields the Prime Minister mentioned.

Busch emphasized that the German corporation is interested in the North-South high-speed railway project and can provide solutions for locomotives, carriages, railway signaling systems, and transfer of technology for manufacturing carriages.

Siemens AG, a leading technology corporation, focuses on the fields of industry, infrastructure, transportation and healthcare. With nearly 320,000 employees in more than 200 countries globally, Siemens achieved revenue of 77.8 billion ($84.39 billion) and net profit of 8.5 billion ($9.22 billion) in fiscal 2023.

The group has been present in Vietnam since 1979 with the supply and installation of two industrial steam turbines for Bai Bang Paper Mill. It established a representative office in 1993 and a limited liability company in 2002. The group inaugurated a busbar manufacturing factory in Binh Duong province in 2005.

Siemens cooperates with Vietnam in many fields, especially renewable energy and transportation. The corporation has participated in solar power projects estimated to contribute 1 billion kWh of electricity to the country each year.

It is a leading supplier of effective power transmission solutions, having provided equipment and solutions for protection and automation for hundreds of 110-220 kV transformer stations and dozens of 550 kV stations in Vietnam. The corporation has also promoted automation and digitalization in Vietnam such as helping Saigon New Port maximize productivity and reduce ship clearance time.

Regarding transportation cooperation, Siemens was involved in a project to upgrade and modernize the signal system at Vinh railway station; a project to design and supply 16 diesel locomotives for Vietnam Railway Corporation; a Noi Bai Airport lighting system project; a project to provide automatic cargo handling systems for Tan Son Nhat Airport; and the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway project.

In the energy sector, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Siemens have signed an MoU on infrastructure development in the fields of gas-electricity and renewable energy.
Vietnam to buy electricity from 7 Laos wind power projects

By Tri Duc Mon, February 26, 2024 | 10:51 pm GMT+7

Seven wind power projects in Laos with a total capacity of 4,149 MW are looking to sell electricity to Vietnam via transmission lines in the latter's central province of Quang Tri.

State utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN) says in a report to the Ministry of Industry and Trade that the Lao side is hoping to sell 682 MW by 2025.

It says the purchase aims to serve and reduce possible power shortage in northern Vietnam amidst the lowering contribution of affordable power (hydropower) and the rising role of expensive power (LNG-fired and offshore wind power), per the national power development plan VIII (PDP VIII).

EVN has said earlier that importing power from Laos is feasible thanks to affordable prices. The price of electricity purchased from Laoss hydroelectric plants would be about 6.95 U.S cents per kWh, 2-30% lower than domestic sources.

The Vietnamese section of the 220 kV Nam Mo-Tuong Duong power line for transmission of electricity from Laos to Vietnam. Photo courtesy of EVN.

It can facilitate the import of 300 MW at the moment and increase this to 2,500 MW from end-2027, EVN says. It is processing the 500kV Monsoon-Thanh My power line to transmit more electricity from Laos to Vietnam, aiming to begin commercial operation from the second quarter of 2025.

EVN has signed power purchase agreements (PPA) to buy 2,240 MW from Laos. This is lower than the 3,000 MW by 2025 and 5,000 MW by 2030 mentioned in a bilateral agreement signed by the governments of both countries.
Vietnams first oil refinery prepares for fifth, most comprehensive maintenance

By Tri Duc Mon, February 26, 2024 | 3:25 pm GMT+7

Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical JSC (BSR), operator of Dung Quat, Vietnams first oil refinery, will conduct its fifth general maintenance from March 15 to May 1, or 48 days.

The latest maintenance is expected to outweigh previous exercises, involving 546 static mechanical equipment, 977 pipeline equipment, 67 mechanical equipment, 275 electrical equipment, 3,195 automation equipment, 67 improvement projects, and seven tie-in projects.

Operator BSR is preparing a 48-day maintenance of the Dung Quat oil refinery in Quang Ngai province, central Vietnam, starting March 15. Photo courtesy of BSR.

Nghi Son and Dung Quat, the only two operational oil refineries in Vietnam, account for over half of the petroleum supply in the country.

Starting operations in February 2009, Dung Quat, located in Quang Ngai province, has so far churned out 91 million tons of petroleum products, earned revenues of VND1,570 trillion ($63.5 billion), contributed VND220 trillion ($8.9 billion) to the state budget, and recorded post-tax profits of VND49.2 trillion ($1.99 billion).

In 2023, the facility recorded its highest ever output at 7.36 million tons and earned revenues of VND150 trillion ($6.07 billion).

Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical JSC reported a consolidated net profit of VND8.51 trillion ($348.5 million) in 2023, down 42.2% year-on-year. It posted revenues of VND147.42 trillion ($6.04 billion) last year, down 11.8% year-on-year, according to the company's consolidated financial statement. Higher financial, sales and management costs were factors behind the fall in revenue, it said.

Vietnams petroleum output increased 25.8% year-on-year to nearly 1.43 million tons in January, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). Last year, the country's petroleum output climbed 1.5% year-on-year to nearly 14.52 million tons.
VinFast begins building $500 mln EV factory in India

By Tri Duc Mon, February 26, 2024 | 11:11 am GMT+7

VinFast Auto, the electric vehicle (EV) arm of Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, officially broke ground on its first integrated EV manufacturing facility in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, on Sunday.

This landmark project, creating employment opportunities for approximately 3,500 local residents, affirms VinFasts commitment to global green transportation.

While strengthening partnerships with world-leading suppliers, VinFast also plans to promote localization, contributing positively to local economic growth, the EV maker added in a release.

VinFast's groundbreaking ceremony of its manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu state, India on February 25, 2024. Photo courtesy of VinFast.

Spanning 400 acres within the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) industrial estate, the EV facility boasts a total initial investment of $500 million over five years, out of the total investment of $2 billion, with a projected capacity of 150,000 vehicles annually, VinFast said.

This milestone strengthens the bonds between the robust economies of Vietnam and India, and underscores VinFasts dedication to a zero-emission transportation future, Pham Sanh Chau, CEO of VinFast India and former Vietnamese Ambassador to India, said at the event.

India represents a key market in VinFasts global expansion plan, capitalizing on the potential presented by this rapidly growing market, VinFast highlighted.

In addition to the manufacturing facilities, VinFast plans to establish a nationwide dealership network to build a strong brand presence and swiftly connect with customers across the country.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP)  Donald Trump has won South Carolina's Republican primary, beating his last major rival, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, in her home state. Trump has now swept every contest that counted for Republican delegates, adding to previous wins in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A 2020 general election rematch against President Joe Biden is all but inevitable. The former president's latest victory Tuesday will increase pressure on Haley, who was South Carolina governor from 2011 to 2017, to leave the primary race. But Haley has raised copious amounts of campaign funds and vowed to stay in the race despite increasing questions about where she might win any upcoming contests.
(TBTCO) - Sang nay, gia vang the gioi chua co bien ong moi. Cac chuyen gia cho rang, quan iem va quyet inh lai suat cua cac ngan hang trung uong se tac ong en huong i cua vang tuan nay. Trong nuoc, tai thoi iem 6h30, vang SJC tai Ha Noi van uoc niem yet o moc 81,72 trieu ong/luong o chieu ban ra. at hon gia vang the gioi 15,684 trieu ong/luong.
When Princeton University junior Ella Weber opened her inbox one day during her sophomore year, she wasnt expecting an email from a professor that had the potential to shape her life for more than a year.

Weber, a public policy major, had taken a class with Princeton Anthropology Professor Ryo Morimoto the previous spring that focused on the intersection of Indigenous studies with nuclear science and policy. Morimoto was reaching out in regards to a research project about the impact and implications of the arsenal of nuclear weapons that spans the middle of America, including dozens in northwest and north central North Dakota.

Weber is a citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation and a native of Crookston, Minnesota, a city just across the North Dakota-Minnesota border from Grand Forks. Morimoto was mapping the potential impact of nuclear fallout, and in that email, he informed Weber that there were 15 underground nuclear missile silos on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in western North Dakota. An attack on the weapons would put the entire region at risk -- and it would devastate MHA Nation, which calls the reservation home.

Soon after, Weber set a meeting to learn more about the research, which was published last November in a partnership involving Princeton, Columbia University and Scientific American. With researchers, she pored over fallout maps, paying special attention to the shadows being cast around North Dakota and Minnesota.

I pointed at my home area and asked, So what does that mean? Weber said. And what it essentially boiled down to is, if there was a nuclear attack, if you had this dose that's being shown on the map, from fallout, you would be dead within like a month.

That kind of sent me into a spiral, she added.

Weber had never heard about the missile silos -- Fort Berthold is the only reservation in America to house such weapons -- and was taken aback when her mother, Jenipher, said she was aware of their existence. Webers grandmother, Deborah, lives on the reservation, and Weber has visited multiple times throughout her life. So Weber got involved with the research.

The final product of that effort is The Missiles on our Rez, a five-part podcast published as one facet of the teams investigation. The project also includes an issue of Scientific American, a documentary film and interactive maps. But the podcast, which Weber hosted and reported, chronicles the way in which these missiles were placed at Fort Berthold, the U.S. governments effort to deploy new missiles on this land for the next 50 years and the potential impact of nuclear war on the region.

My primary task at first was to connect with different tribal nations to see who's impacted by fallout, Weber said. But then we looked even closer and we realized, oh, this is actually a really interesting story of how the missiles ended up on the reservation.

Telling the story

Weber has now spent months researching and debating nuclear policy. But she was set on an entirely different track for much of her life.

For the longest time, she had always talked about working for NASA, Jenipher Weber said. She wanted to land the rocket.

It wasnt until her appointment to the statewide Minnesota Young Womens Cabinet during her senior year of high school that Weber began considering a future in public policy. The Cabinet connects young leaders across the state with policy leaders, enabling them to advocate for change that can benefit their communities.

Through this process, Weber realized she was passionate about the interactions and advocacy that come with policy work. The pivot surprised both Weber and her mother -- but she dove in headfirst, starting at Princeton with the intent to focus on health and education policy.

The email from Morimoto upended that plan.

Just months later, Weber ended up outside a missile alert facility in western North Dakota with a cohort of Princeton students and Morimoto. The group was visiting over spring break in March 2023 for the first of two research trips -- and as they were observing the building, two armed guards approached. That moment is the opening scene of the podcast, setting the tone as the strength and influence of the U.S. military looms over the project throughout its duration.

To create the final product, Weber conducted hours of interviews with tribal stakeholders to gain an understanding of members' knowledge of the silos' existence and future, though she was unable to speak with the MHA Nation's Chairman, Mark Fox, to better understand conversations between the military and tribal government.

The Air Force in a statement to the Tribune characterized its conversations with tribal leaders as "meaningful, effective and sustained." The tribes said in a statement that their interactions with the Air Force are a "significant shift toward respecting tribal sovereignty and integrating cultural values into military endeavors," and said the partnership included direct dialogue between Air Force leaders and Fox, as well as collaborative projects such as ethnobotany research.

Weber went broad on the first trip, with the main goal of getting a base-level understanding of the dynamics at play in North Dakota and Minnesota that could have led to the missiles placement and learning how to tell the story. The second trip was more pointed, as conversations focused on the reservation and its residents, understanding their existing knowledge, informing them of the missiles and discussing paths forward.

Weber said her tribal affiliation and family ties meant the community members she interviewed understood her personal stakes in the matter, and were able to open up more. Its also meant shes invested long-term, even though the podcast has concluded. But the story she wanted to tell didnt take shape until after her second trip, which took place in June.

As Weber has searched for that story, shes also grown into her voice, according to Jessica Lambert. Lambert, a 2022 Princeton graduate, met Weber at the end of her junior year of high school and mentored her through the college application process.

Over the course of her research, Weber advocated for herself and learned how to speak on tribal issues with authority, Lambert said -- a potentially challenging feat at an institution like Princeton.

Native people know best. And its hard as an undergrad to go into those rooms where people are nuclear scientists, and people are anthropologists and have Ph.D.s and all these degrees, Lambert said. It takes a while to build up the confidence to be like, No, these are my people, and this is what we deserve. And these are the voices that we need to highlight.

'What will we do?'

What Weber found in her research -- and what she details in the podcast -- is the kind of story thats played out between tribes and American governmental forces countless times over the course of history.

When the missiles were first placed in the 1960s, the federal government didn't consider the part of the Fort Berthold Reservation where theyre located as part of the tribes land. A 1972 court case ruled that the land had always been part of the reservation, meaning it reverted back to tribal ownership. But by that point, the missiles had already been deployed for years.

If America ever faced a nuclear attack, large population centers would naturally become targets. But adversaries might also take aim at nuclear silos such as those on the reservation, according to Sebastien Philippe, a research scholar with Princeton's Program on Science and Global Security and the lead academic researcher on the project.

The strategic role of those silos is, to a large extent, to absorb a possible nuclear strike on the U.S. homeland, so essentially serving as a target -- a nuclear kind of sacrifice, Philippe said in reference to the federal government's decision to locate nuclear silos in sparsely populated states such as North Dakota and Montana.

The U.S. Air Force is in the midst of an effort to replace the countrys nuclear arsenal at a projected cost of upward of $1.5 trillion over the next 30 years, including the missiles at Fort Berthold. Under that plan, missiles would be in place on the reservation through at least 2075.

And though the Air Force shared some details about the potential impact of the project with residents in a sparsely attended public meeting at the reservation, the meeting focused primarily on jobs and safety benefits, without addressing the role the missiles may play in U.S. nuclear strategy, Weber said.

The Air Force in its statement to the Tribune said it also manned booths at two powwows during summer 2023 to allow residents to ask questions, and that it "continues to make project personnel available to visit tribal nations to discuss the project whenever requested by tribal nations."

The tribes added in their statement that veterans and members of the women's auxiliary were engaged in discussions about the effort, and underscored that the partnership would set a precedent for collaboration between tribal leaders and the military.

Still, Weber said some tribal members have been left in the dark about the effort and its potential consequences.

Weber ends the podcast with a question. As she imagines potential futures for the Fort Berthold Reservation, including some that dont include the missile silos, she wonders, What will we do?

On a defense policy front, thats not necessarily a question she can answer. But as an individual, Weber knows that the publication of this research isnt the end of her work on the issue with MHA Nation -- shes intending to continue conversations with community stakeholders as the situation evolves. And she hopes it sparks further discussions about tribal sovereignty and the relationships between tribal governments and federal and state governments.

I really want to make sure I don't just tell the story and never do anything with it again, Weber said. This doesn't just affect me, this affects everybody. I want to make sure everybody has their voice heard, and we work together to figure out what we want to do after everybody gets all this information."
Israels defense minister vowed Sunday to step up attacks on Lebanons Hezbollah militant group even if a cease-fire is reached with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Hezbollah, which has been exchanging fire with Israel throughout the war in Gaza, has said it will halt its nearly daily attacks on Israel if a cease-fire is reached in Gaza.

But Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that anyone who thinks a temporary cease-fire for Gaza will also apply to the northern front is mistaken.

We will continue the fire, and we will do so independently from the south, until we achieve our goals, Gallant said. He said there is a simple aim: to push Hezbollah away from the Israeli border, either through a diplomatic agreement or by force.

Hezbollah began striking Israel almost immediately after Hamas triggered the fighting in Gaza with a deadly attack along Israels southern border from the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7. Tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border have been displaced by the continued cycle of Hezbollah rocket and missile attacks and Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech earlier this month that the group would adhere to a cease-fire in southern Lebanon if a cease-fire should be reached in Gaza. But he said it would resume and escalate attacks if Israel continued to strike in Lebanon after any agreement with Hamas.

A Lebanese security official said Sunday that five Hezbollah members were killed in two separate Israeli airstrikes on trucks in the border area between Lebanon and Syria. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to share the information with journalists. Hezbollah announced that three of its fighters had been killed, but did not say where.

The Israeli military did not acknowledge the strikes on the Lebanon-Syria border but announced that it had struck several sites in southern Lebanon in response to missile launches and that it targeted a terrorist cell in the town of Blida.

Gallant said Israels targeting of Hezbollah commanders has significantly weakened the group's ability to attack Israel.

About 200 Hezbollah fighters and 35 civilians in Lebanon have been killed in nearly five months of daily low-level clashes between the Lebanese militant group and Israeli forces against the backdrop of the Israels war with Hamas, a Hezbollah ally. In Israel, nine soldiers and nine civilians have been killed in Hezbollah attacks.

Most of the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel has been confined to the area within a few kilometers on either side of the border.

Diplomats from the United States and European countries have presented a series of proposals in hopes of producing a deal that would tamp down the border conflict.

The ideas mostly hinge on a Hezbollah pullback a few kilometers from the border, a beefed-up Lebanese army presence in the border region, and negotiations over border points where Lebanon maintains Israel has been occupying small areas of Lebanese territory since withdrawing its forces from the rest of southern Lebanon in 2000.

Eventually, the plans could lead into a demarcation of the land border between Lebanon and Israel, following the maritime border deal reached in 2022.

The most recent of these proposals, put forward by France, would involve Hezbollah withdrawing its forces 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border, said a Lebanese government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations.

Lebanon is still studying the proposal, and Hezbollah officials have indicated they are willing to consider it, but both government and Hezbollah officials have said there would be no agreement on the border before there is a cease-fire in Gaza. (AP)
Although congregating wildlife is known to spread deadly chronic wasting disease (CWD) and brucellosis, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is touting its new elk feedground management plan as a path forward without abandoning the practice.

The agency unveiled its strategy following four years of work that included public meetings across the state. Twenty-one winter elk feeding operations are overseen by the department in western Wyoming.

The state began the program in the winter of 1909-1910 to ensure the prized big game animals didnt starve as their traditional wintering grounds were subdivided and migration routes were hampered by development like roads and fences.

In 2020 the cost of the feeding program was $2.7 million, the majority of which was spent on hay. Two full-time employees administer the program with 16 private contractors hired annually.

Disease concerns

Chronic wasting disease is an always fatal affliction that has steadily marched across Wyoming and adjoining states, including Montana. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, CWD is now found in free-ranging wildlife in 32 states and four Canadian provinces. Thats up from detections in 21 states only four years earlier.

CWD is spread by infected cervids (members of the deer family, including moose) through bodily fluids. Unlike other illnesses caused by viruses or bacteria, however, CWD is triggered by misfolded proteins called prions. The prions are difficult to kill, seem to persist in certain soils for years and may be able to spread via plants.

For years, conservation groups and even Montanas Fish and Wildlife Commission have urged Wyoming to abandon the practice of feeding wildlife, since Wyomings wildlife are known to migrate to surrounding states. Yet the practice has been repeatedly touted as a way to keep elk from potentially infecting cattle with brucellosis and competing with livestock for grass. Some outfitters and hunters are also concerned about a sharp decline in elk populations if the feedgrounds are abandoned.

While CWD is a significant factor in feedgrounds management, the ultimate goal of the feedgrounds collaborative process was to consider all biological, social, economic, and political issues, along with wildlife diseases, to achieve a durable long-term feedgrounds management plan informed by a public process for Department-operated feedgrounds. Wyoming Game and Fish explained in its plan.

Yet the agency also noted in the plan that, Given the Departments responsibility to manage for healthy and sustainable cervid (deer, elk, and moose) populations over the long-term, CWD cannot be disregarded.

Setting up guidelines

The departments answer to the conflicting social issues was to create sideboards meant to provide assurances to the public and affected stakeholders.

The sideboards include: elk herd population reviews; prioritizing hunting as the primary tool to manage elk populations; minimizing elk damage to private property and disease transmission to livestock; avoiding negative economic impacts to livestock producers; and minimizing elk competition with other wintering wildlife.

To ensure these sideboards are followed, Wyoming Game and Fish will develop feedground management action plans for each elk herd unit.

There has not been unified goals for feedground management in the past, said Brad Hovinga, regional wildlife supervisor for the Jackson Region of Game and Fish, in an email.

The individual feedground plans, combined with the state plan, will provide consistent direction to all Department employees on their roles and responsibilities, Hovinga added.

Yet the agency also acknowledged that the status quo may be the only option for some feedgrounds unless conditions change in the future.

Tactics to avoid disease

To lessen the chances that disease will spread on feedgrounds, the department may shrink elk populations through hunting. In some places, this may mean a reduction to the point where the herd can subsist without a feedground. Another tactic is to spread out feed to disperse the animals, or to move feeding areas. The duration of the feeding season could also be cut.

Habitat enhancement to improve native forage is another tactic being considered.

To manage disease issues in western Wyoming elk, new and innovative paths need to be explored to allow elk to winter away from feedgrounds where opportunities allow while continuing to minimize conflict with livestock operations and limiting competition with other wintering wildlife, the WGFD plan said.

In the case of Teton and northern Lincoln counties, this will require looking outside of traditional agricultural use properties.

Jim Magagna, executive vice-president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, said his group recognizes the many challenges Wyoming Game and Fish faces in dealing with elk feedgrounds, disease transmission and large elk populations.

If we are to eliminate the feedgrounds, then, we believe, that the G&F must analyze the need to significantly reduce these elk populations, he wrote in an email.

We are also concerned with the consideration of the acquisition of more winter grazing on private lands in lieu of feeding elk. If this is done, it is critical that it be done in a manner that does not in any way reduce available grazing capacity for livestock.

Montana elk hunter and Sierra Club Northern Rockies field organizer Nick Gevock said the WGFD plan continually contradicts itself, acknowledging the problem of disease while also calling for the status quo to be maintained.

This is just bad wildlife policy, he said. We talk about managing wildlife by the science, and the science is very clear.

Wrapping it up

In concluding its 96 page feedground plan, WGFD noted, its clear that some changes are needed. Negotiating those changes, however, will be difficult.

It is easy to see what we have in common; an instinctive and serious obligation to make certain that healthy, sustainable wildlife populations endure, the agency wrote. It is difficult, however, to come to agreement on how to accomplish that monumental task.

The conclusion also noted, Controlling elk distributions in western Wyoming through supplemental feeding is not sustainable. Therefore, the department is dedicated to incremental change over the long term.

The plan also concludes with a substantial list of research priorities, including such topic as environmentally friendly methods of prion deactivation and a pilot project for feedground phase-out at North Pine and Alkali feedgrounds.
Over 80 bills died when both chambers of the Legislature adjourned on Friday evening.

Friday marked the deadline for the second reading of bills in their house of origin and 81 bills  25 in the House of Representatives and 56 in the Senate  were scheduled to be heard for the first time out of committee.

Friday additionally marked the midpoint of the 20-business-day session where the Legislature is tasked with setting and approving the entire states budget for 2025 and 2026.

Bills brought forward ranged from the budget, property taxes, mental health funding to non-budget-related bills.

Roughly half a dozen property tax bills relief in the Senate were proposed and none survived past Friday. Three House bills relating to property tax relief remain alive and have been handed to the Senate.

House Bill 3 would provide property tax exemptions for residential property owners over 65 years of age who have paid property taxes in Wyoming for at least 30 years and House Bill 4 would expand eligibility for the existing property tax relief program.

A property tax relief program was created last year to tackle rapidly rising statewide property taxes, which rose an average of 20.3% last year.

The current program caps eligibility for household incomes over 125% of the county or state median household income. House Bill 4 seeks to increase the cap to 165% of county or state median household income and implement tiers of relief.

The remaining active bill is House Bill 45, sponsored by Rep. Barry Crago, R-Buffalo, which would act as a 5% cap on yearly property tax increases for single family residential structures  the bill does not affect land.

The Wyoming constitution is allowed to provide tax exemptions but a cap on property taxes would require amending the constitution. House Bill 45 would not require changing the constitution as it is structured as an exemption.

Funding for mental health fell short but bills potential changes to health care in Wyoming remain.

House Bill House Bill 186 and House Bill House Bill 144 would have contributed money to the 988 system trust, which was created last year but not funded. Both bills were not read for a second time.

The 988 system is a national network of local suicide and crisis call centers and Wyoming for years has struggled with one of the highest suicide rates in the nation.

Health care bills that have survived include House Bill 15, which would set a two-year limit for health insurers to seek reimbursement for health insurance overpayments. Exceptions are made for fraudulent claims.

House Bill 14, which would set regulations for prior authorization  a process health insurance companies use to determine which treatments and medications they will cover and pay for under a patients plan.

Wyoming is the only state in the country without laws regulating prior authorization and the process has been criticized by doctors and health providers as time and resource consuming while patients are left waiting for care.

House Bill 1 and Senate File 1  the states budget  both passed their chambers Thursday evening with amendment and were handed to the opposite chamber as of Friday.

The nearly 170 proposed amendments in the House and over 125 in the Senate created late nights during the second week of the session.

Over 60 changes were adopted in the Senates bill and 70 changes were adopted in the Houses bill.

The Senate and House Appropriations Committees were set to hold separate meetings Monday morning to review changes made to the budget.

Monday additionally marks the final day for the third reading of bills in their chamber of origin. The Session is scheduled to wrap up on March 8.
Wyoming wildlife managers worry that a proposed change to landowner compensation regulations could hurt efforts to get a handle on inflated elk populations.

Legislation advancing in the statehouse, House Bill 60  Excess wildlife population damage amendments, is intended to give the Wyoming Game and Fish Department more incentive to lower elk numbers in areas where wapiti are overpopulated. The statute change would do so by sweetening compensation entitlement for ranchers who lose grass on rangeland to wildlife, offering them 150% of the market value.

But in Game and Fish Chief Warden Rick Kings view, that amount of compensation could perhaps have the opposite effect: encouraging landowners to host elk, while exacerbating overpopulation problems.

I do worry that paying such a high rate above fair market value can potentially be a disincentive for the landowner to want to help cooperate and get our elk herds to [the] objective, King told members of the House Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources Committee last week.

The livestock lobby disagrees. Testifying at the same meeting, Jim Magagna, longtime representative for the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, pushed back on Kings contention.

Landowners and ranchers have told me repeatedly, Even if this makes us more money, were not in the business to make money by growing elk, Magagna said. Were in the business to make money by raising sheep or cattle.

Magagna was instrumental in formulating the proposed reforms to Wyomings damage program. The legislation emerged from the Ag Committee, though it wasnt an interim topic. The committees initial meeting yielded several radical proposals, like rounding up elk with helicopters, using drones to help hunters locate herds and suspending wanton waste rules so animals in overpopulated herds could be shot and left to rot. None of that came to fruition, but HB 60 emerged from the committee deliberations, which were precipitated by acute elk overpopulation problems in places like the Laramie Mountains and Iron Mountain north of Cheyenne.

The bill includes a presumption that landowners are eligible for 150% of market payments for extraordinary damage to rangeland, which is defined as loss of grass that exceeds 15% of the total estimated grass on a property or a state land grazing allotment. Alternatively, the presumption exists if a big game herd is overpopulated for two consecutive years.

Wyoming Game and Fish wardens and biologists would have a chance to rebut those presumptions and investigate claims of damage.

If the legislation leads to new statute, the rangeland compensation program could be a significant financial drain on the state agency. Already, Game and Fish spends an average of $1.25 million annually fulfilling claims for the damage that game species cause to cropland, livestock and rangeland that sustains extraordinary damage.

The changes proposed by HB 60 would lead to an additional $1.68 million in payments, according to the bills fiscal note. But thats the low end of the estimates, King told lawmakers.

Hunting and angling advocacy groups lobbying in Cheyenne havent received the proposed revisions to the states damage program warmly.

This policy would disincentivize cooperation between private landowners, sportsmen and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, worsening elk overpopulation issues not only in southeast Wyoming, but across the entire state, said Josh Metten, who works as the Wyoming field manager for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

Jessi Johnson, with the Wyoming Wildlife Federation, took issue with such a large chunk of Game and Fishs self-sustaining budget  which is funded by hunter and angler license dollars  being funneled toward private landowners.

A 150% of fair market value, Johnson said, thats a really hard pill for sportsmen and sportswomen to swallow.

Magagna, however, says the legislation change is needed. While Wyomings damage program overall  how it addresses fence damage, crop damage and loss of livestock  has worked well, theres one place where the program has failed, he said.

Thats where it talks about extraordinary damage to grass, Magagna told WyoFile. I dont even like that term. Were not talking about damage to grass, were talking about consumption.

House Bill 60, he said, addresses that shortcoming. The legislation survived introduction on the House floor in a 54-6 vote, then passed the House Ag Committee 9-0, but was rereferred to the Appropriations Committee.
ENERGY Minister Stuart Young has taken umbrage at comments made by Ronald Harford, former chairman of Republic Financial Holdings Ltd, as he boasted about the success of the energy sector.

Young said whenever somebody becomes a former, their mouth gets big, as he quoted from an article in Fridays Express report where Harford made critical comments.
A new camera system is being installed along this countrys roadways with the aim of tackling traffic congestion and reducing the countrys crime.

This was said yesterday by Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan, who spoke with the media at the intersection of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway and Golden Grove Road in Piarco.
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.
Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro gathered on Sunday on Sao Paulo's iconic Paulista Avenue to show support for the former far-right Brazilian president as he finds himself embroiled in several investigations that many believe could land him in jail.

Bolsonaro called the rally, which he dubbed a "peaceful gathering in favor of the rule of law and our freedom, families and future," after being targeted by a police raid earlier this month as part of a probe into an alleged coup attempt.

He had his passport confiscated and was accused of editing a draft decree to overturn election results, pressuring military chiefs to join a coup attempt and plotting to jail a Supreme Court justice after his electoral loss to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2022.

Supporters of Bolsonaro, a populist often likened to former U.S. President Donald Trump, invaded and ransacked Brazil's presidential palace, Supreme Court and Congress calling for a military coup on Jan. 8, 2023, a week after Lula took office.

Allies expect Sunday's demonstration to show that Bolsonaro, who is barred from running for office until 2030 for spreading election falsehoods and faces several other criminal probes, still holds political strength in deeply polarized Brazil.

"He is not dead, he is competitive and there can be no injustice," said Congressman Marco Feliciano, a member of Bolsonaro's Liberal Party, adding Brazil would "turn into chaos" if the former president were to be arrested.

Fabio Wajngarten, a spokesperson for Bolsonaro's family, said he was hoping up to 700,000 people would show up in support of the former president, including dozens of lawmakers and three state governors.

Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas, who served as Bolsonaro's infrastructure minister during his 2019-2022 term and is seen as a potential successor in Brazil's right-wing politics, confirmed he would attend.

"He wants to try to show his strength to the Supreme Court and remain politically viable, even if he gets arrested," a source close to Bolsonaro said, comparing him to Lula, who spent 580 days in prison in 2018-2019 on corruption charges before having his sentence annulled.

Some allies are concerned the demonstration poses a risk for Bolsonaro, as any remarks against the Supreme Court, authorities or Brazilian institutions could get him into even hotter water.

A source said people close to him were hoping Bolsonaro would follow the script and not attack any rivals or institutions. "But he is unpredictable," the person added.

According to a federal police source directly involved in the probe into Bolsonaro, he could further implicate himself and others depending on his remarks. (Reuters)
Jean-Paul Bierny would be thrilled by the party his colleagues at Arizona Friends of Chamber Music are throwing in his honor next weekend.

On Saturday, March 9, the chamber music presenter is hosting a celebration at the tail end of its 30th anniversary Tucson Winter Chamber Music Festival that will honor Biernys legacy as co-founder of the event. Bierny, who led the group as its president for 35 years, died in October at the age of 85.

The March 9 Festival Celebration at Leo Rich Theater, which replaces the gala dinner and concert, will feature most of the festival artists including headliners Dover Quartet performing works by some of Biernys favorite composers, said Randy Spalding, the longtime Arizona Friends of Chamber Music board member and chairman of the festival committee.

The celebration program will include Schuberts Cello Quintet with the Dover Quartet and its cellist Camden Shaw; Greigs somber Dereinst, Gedanke mein (One day, O my mind) with baritone Randall Scarlata making his festival debut; a solo piano work by Ross Edwards with longtime festival pianist Bernadette Harvey; Brahms Clarinet Quintet with clarinetist Romie de Guise-Langlois and the Dover; and Dvoraks Terzetto with violinists Axel Strauss and Jennifer Frautschi  another festival newcomer  and violist Masumi Per Rostad.

Bierny and cellist Peter Rejto created the festival, which launched in 1994; Rejto continues to be the festivals artistic director, bringing in musicians from around the country and beyond to perform in various ensembles.

Peter Rejto loves mingling groups together and having you play genuinely with friends that you dont often get to work with, said Dovers founding cellist Shaw. It always feels very positive and fruitful.

The Dover Quartet is making its third festival appearance including headlining the 2022 event and being on a lineup in 2018 with the legendary Romero Guitar Quartet and Germanys Morgenstern Trio.

We love this festival, Shaw said from a tour break last week in New York City. I think Peters direction and understanding of what its like to be a performer, because he was one, one feels very understood.

The Dover and clarinetist de Guise-Langlois on March 10 will perform the world premiere of Pierre Jalberts Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, which was the last work commissioned by Bierny and his widow, Chris Tanz, for the Friends and the fourth time the Friends have commissioned Jalbert.

This is the first time Tucson will see the Dover with its new violist Julianne Lee of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, who officially joined the group last September. Lee replaced founding violist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, who left in 2022.

The Dover formed while its members  Shaw, Pajaro-van de Stadt and violinists Joel Link and Bryan Lee  were undergrads at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia in 2008. Shaw said that the four were teens, just finding their musical voices, which they developed together, each sharing the same approach to music, from finger choices to bowing style.

You really get this oneness that I do think can be quite powerful, Shaw said of the groups performances.

Their unity on stage has earned them legions of fans and comparisons to some of the countrys top ensembles including the Emerson String Quartet, which ended its 47-year run in 2023.

They are an exceptional group, Spalding said. They are one of the premiere quartets in the country ... and not only are they great musicians but they are very nice people.

Tucson got to see the Dover five years after their breakthrough win at the prestigious Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2013, which makes returning for their third festival feel like a homecoming, Shaw said.

Other highlights of the 2024 festival, which will present five concerts in addition to the festival celebration from Sunday, March 3, to March 10, includes Randall joining Harvey for Ravels song cycle Don Quichotte a Dulcinee on March 3, and selections from Mahlers Des Knaben Wunderhorn on March 6. The festival also continues its tradition of presenting a youth concert with festival artists on March 7.

But the highlight for Spalding will be the festival celebration honoring Bierny, with whom he worked closely in his 27 years on the Friends board.

For me, its a very emotional (festival) in that ... weve had this festival 30 years. And though Jean-Paul is not physically here to enjoy it, his spirit lives on in the music, Spalding said.

Concerts are at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 3, and March 10 and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave. Tickets are $45 for single concerts, $12 for students, or $170 for a festival pass that covers all five concerts. Admission to the March 9 festival celebration, which starts at 6 p.m., is $150, which includes food and drinks afterward. Tickets are available through arizonachambermusic.org.
Lawmakers standing with Robbins

PHOENIX  Several Arizona legislators held a press conference to support University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins' handling of the university's $177 million deficit.

"Despite the news this issue is not unique to the University of Arizona. We have seen this across the country in the wake of the global pandemic and inflation driving up costs. I am confident that the U of A's willingness to change direction, great times are on the horizon," Sen. Brian Fernandez, a Yuma Democrat, said at Thursday's press conference.

"President Robbins's plan to address the university's financial situation protects the students and the university's core mission of teaching and research. The plan delivered to the governor last Friday demonstrates this commitment and has our support," Fernandez continued. "The plan calls for reduction in administration and appropriate accountability measures to ensure all university budgets spend within their means. It is built upon reasonable and necessary steps that will create a sustainable budget for the institution moving forward."

Sen. David Gowan, a Sierra Vista Republican, also said the plan protects the core mission and has his full support. Of Robbins, he said: "I 100% believe he's the person to save it. He knows the university well."

Sen. Ken Bennett, a Prescott Republican who chairs the Senate Education Committee, said, "I'm supportive of President Robbins and his administration righting the ship. Is he responsible? Yes. But part of being responsible is identifying when you fall short and fixing those situations.

"I'm open to tightening up the reporting and procedures to prevent this from ever happening again or in other institutions," Bennett said. "To me, part of integrity is admitting when you've fallen short and stepping up to the plate and saying you're going to fix it. That's what I sense from President Robbins and the entire university. And I support that and I support him."

 Capitol Media Services
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

Re: the Feb. 12 article Rock climbers speaking out against proposed restrictions.

The recent Arizona Daily Star article didnt tell the whole story. The process that the Departments of Interior (National Park Service) and Agriculture (National Forest System) are jointly engaged in aims to develop guidelines that will help both agencies better manage the growing sport of mountain climbing within their jurisdictions.

The article touched upon one particular point of contention  the use or placement of fixed (permanent) anchors within both designated and recommended wilderness areas. On one side are the climbers who see fixed anchors as a convenience and safety issue. On the other side are those who want wilderness to be free of permanent fixtures, something the 1964 Wilderness Act specifically states. To that point, in 1990, Deputy Assistant General Counsel for the USFS opined that fixed anchors (bolts) are in opposition to the 1964 Wilderness Act, which prohibits permanent improvements (fixed bolts are considered as such), as well as being installations which are specifically prohibited by the Act. Fixed anchors within wilderness areas may not seem like a significant impact to some, but they are forbidden by the Wilderness Act. Its the law. If either agency allowed fixed anchors within wilderness areas, they would be in violation of the Wilderness Act.

A reminder: The Wilderness Act of 1964 is considered the gold standard for wildlands protection and currently safeguards less than 4% of the contiguous 48 states.

Those calling for fixed, permanent anchors in wilderness claim that its a matter of safety and that it would enable more climbers to participate in the sport. But isnt rock climbing, particularly in the wilderness, supposed to be challenging and perhaps just a bit inconvenient and dangerous? Should we then install hand holds on exposed traverses? Should we construct bridges across wilderness streams considered by some to be unsafe and inconvenient to cross? Perhaps if we feel something is unsafe, we shouldnt participate. And certainly, within a wilderness, we shouldnt demand that the situation be tamed by installing permanent conveniences. To do so goes against the very spirit and ethic of the primitive nature of wilderness.

Fixed anchors (often set in holes made with battery-operated drills) will delineate routes for years and attract more folks because they feel safe and secure clinging to convenient installations along clearly marked routes. How does beckoning climbers to fixed routes mesh with experiencing outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation, which the Wilderness Act exhorts?

It should be mentioned that not all climbers favor fixed anchors. Many traditional climbers prefer the challenge of finding their own way, and when faced with insurmountable obstacles, acknowledging that some faces, some pitches, some mountains are simply too wild for them to climb, and as such, they should remain.

Another argument is, why not allow permanent anchors because very few will ever see them? Thats like reconciling leaving litter in the backcountry because few will ever see it. What happened to pack it in, pack it out and leave no trace? Remove the anchors and use them another day. Leave the wild untrammeled so another can experience the thrill of personal accomplishment.

Clearly, the Wilderness Act does not prohibit climbing nor the use of temporary anchors  those placed and removed when the climb is completed. It welcomes traditional rock climbing, just not the installation of permanent climbing hardware. There are countless climbing opportunities outside wilderness areas where climbers can challenge their abilities  with or without permanent anchors.

Why must we surrender the primitive nature of our remaining wilderness to a small, select segment of the population? Are we willing to surrender to manifest destiny the last of the wild, so no land remains untrammeled for future generations? Have we lost all humility and self-restraint?
A tree grew through the roof of a house that Oklahoma's first woman architect designed for herself.

The alternative for Mary Caroline Cole would have been to cut down the large elm that was on the site where she wanted to add a combination office-living room addition to her small home at 15 E. 21st St. in 1955.

"I didn't have the heart to cut it down," the architect later told a Tulsa World reporter. "It was here first."

To accommodate the tree, Cole had holes cut in the roof for the branches to grow through, fashioned what she called "turtleneck sweaters" of clear plastic and added door springs to hold the "sweaters" tight against the branches. She put charcoal around the base of the tree to keep the soil sweet.

She also designed glass gable ends to the room to allow her to watch the moon as it moved across the sky -- an idea that came to her as she lay in bed in the unfinished room. "The view was lovely, much too lovely to lose when the roof was added," she said.

The pioneering architect slept in the room even before the walls were finished, explaining that her bulldog, Honey Finn, slept on the foot of her bed and she kept a shotgun beside her.

But the nature-loving architect's efforts to save that tree failed a few years before her death in 1991 at the age of 78. A leak that couldn't be stopped developed around the tree and she had to have it removed. The house was removed a few years after she died.

Cole specialized in breaking down barriers in her profession and in designing buildings that were "friendly" to people with physical limitations.

She developed an interest in architecture in the late 1920s when her father, C.C. Cole, was chairman of the building committee at Boston Avenue Methodist Church. The building had been designed by a woman, Adah Robinson, a Central High School art teacher, she said. (Many say it was designed by Bruce Goff, who had been one of Robinson's students.)

Cole at first majored in history at Smith College but decided when she was a senior that she would rather be an architect. She received a bachelor of architecture degree in 1941 from Cornell University -- the only woman in the graduating class.

She designed a house in 1949 for a child with physical limitations and began her lifelong interest in helping people with disabilities. She later served on the governor's committee on the employment of the handicapped and the Tulsa mayor's commission on employment. She helped compile the barrier-free requirements for Tulsa's building codes.

She was the only Oklahoma architect delegate to the first White House conference on handicapped individuals in 1976. She also was one of the first women named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects.

Cole learned early in her career that a woman architect shouldn't inspect a project while wearing a skirt. The first time she went to a building site, she started up a ladder while wearing a skirt, causing a sudden halt to the hammering and sawing. She recalled that she climbed back down, went home, changed to slacks and returned to finish her inspection without incident.

She designed several churches, office buildings and three Tulsa fire stations.

Like this column? Read all the columns in the Only in Oklahoma series from the Tulsa World Archive.
OWASSO  The collective glow of flickering flames illuminated Owassos Redbud Festival Park.

Around 200 people gathered at the downtown park Sunday night to join in a candlelight vigil for Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old Owasso High School student who died earlier this month.

Benedict, who identified as nonbinary and used gender-neutral pronouns, died Feb. 8, one day after being involved in a fight inside a restroom at their school.

Detectives are now investigating details and evidence relating to the Feb. 7 altercation after ruling out trauma as a cause of death, based on preliminary autopsy results from the Oklahoma State Medical Examiners Office.

Benedicts high-profile death has caught the attention of millions across the globe as speculation and misinformation, cited by the school district, continue to spread amid public outcry over whether they were the target of a hate crime.

Despite the growing unrest and division surrounding the ongoing case, numerous vigil attendees like Lisa Mahoney paused to reflect on Benedicts life and legacy.

It (Nexs death) hit my heart, Mahoney told the Owasso Reporter. With our daughter identifying as nonbinary, it just felt important to come and just be here.

Mariah Brown, another attendee, added: I felt compelled to come here tonight because Im a member of this community  and just wanted to be a part of the communal support for Nexs family.

Event organizer Anna Richardson, who owns Prairie Bakeshop in Owasso, wanted to bring concerned citizens like Mahoney and Brown from across the Tulsa area together to honor benedict in a special way.

I am a mother first and foremost, and losing a child is unimaginable to me, Richardson told the Reporter. So being able to have the capacity and the voice in the community and be able to gather the students to have a safe space to talk about this was important.

Sundays gathering played host to several speakers who paid tribute to Benedict and the impact they left on not only their hometown of Owasso but now on thousands of communities throughout the world.

Robin Ingersoll, for example, who dated Benedict, took the stage and reminisced about their time together, using masculine pronouns.

He was so much more than his transness, Ingersol told attendees. As an individual, Nex was one of the strongest and toughest people I have ever met. He could be one of the funniest and sweetest and most thoughtful people, and he would have done anything for someone that he cared about and loved.

One of Nexs closest friends, Allison, who declined to use her last name, echoed Ingersolls sentiments, also using both masculine and gender-neutral pronouns.

They were such a brave, talented and playful soul that knew exactly how to light up a room, and its a shame that more people didnt know them, Allison said. More than anything, I wish he would walk back into class and everything would be normal again. He was an amazing friend and I love him very dearly. He will always be missed.

Leaders of regional advocacy groups also graced the spotlight. Olivia Gray, founder and president of Northeast Oklahoma Indigenous Safety & Education, or NOISE, called on attendees, particularly local students, to embrace peace and diversity in honor of Benedict, who was a Choctaw citizen.

Whether were in the same tribe or not, whether we are related by blood or not, were all relatives. Everyones fallen in love with Nex.  This is your friend. This is your relative, Gray said. You demonstrate how to love; you demonstrate how to show acceptance and kindness, because when enough of you do that, the people who hate lose all of their power.

Olivia Cotter, administrative coordinator at Oklahomans for Equality, added: We do not have the ability to change anything that happened yesterday, but we can act today. We can comfort the injured and seek better for everyone. As a community, we need to draw close to each other to protect and support our youth.

Sundays event also gave organizations such as NOISE, Free Mom Hugs and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, or GLAAD, an opportunity to meet with and show support to attendees in need of their services.

Benedicts legacy  radiated by the glow of Sundays outdoor service  will continue to live on in the hearts of many as the world awaits further answers in the ongoing investigation of their death.

Police released surveillance footage from the hallway at OHS showing Benedict walking to an administrative office following the fight. The agency also released audio of 911 calls made by Benedicts mother on Feb. 8 and Feb. 9.

The evidence collected from a police search warrant issued to OHS will accompany pending toxicology and other ancillary testing results, in addition to Benedicts official autopsy report, which will be available at a later date.
Curtis Killman Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Curtis Killman Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Related content Removing Osage Wind farm leaves school district with huge funding gap

The owners of an Osage County wind farm that is subject to court-ordered removal is pitching an alternative plan that would keep the turbines in place.

Osage Wind LLC has proposed that rather than be forced to remove the 84-turbine wind farm it be permitted to remove backfill material used to support the towers  material owned by the Osage Nation  and replace it with backfill that does not infringe any rights of the Osage mineral estate.

This removal and replacement would be accomplished without removing the wind turbines (the blades could be temporarily removed if necessary to enhance stability), and  is expected to take considerably less time than removing the wind turbines, the wind farm owners stated in a Thursday court federal filing.

Otherwise, the removal of the wind farm either by controlled demolition or more targeted decommissioning and dismantling  or a combination of both  is expected to take 18 months, according to the court filing.

The response from Osage Wind LLC, co-owned by Italian-based renewable energy company Enel, comes after a federal judge ruled Dec. 20 in favor of the federal government and the Osage Nation in its 10-year battle against the wind farm.

In her ruling, U.S. Court of International Trade Judge Jennifer Choe-Groves granted the United States government and the Osage Nation through its Minerals Council permanent injunctive relief via ejectment of the wind turbine farm for continuing trespass.

The Minerals Council is an arm of the Osage Nation that manages the Osage Mineral Estate.

The ruling follows a 2017 appellate court decision that determined the use of subsurface rock and dirt for wind farm tower support constituted mining and required a lease from the Osage Nations Minerals Council, which the defendants failed to obtain.

In ordering the removal of the wind farm, Choe-Groves, sitting by designation in Tulsa federal court, gave Osage Wind until Thursday to come up with a turbine removal plan and plans for rehabilitation of the impacted land.

The judge also gave the federal government and Osage Minerals Council until March 7 to file a response to Osage Winds plan.

A non-jury trial has been scheduled for May 21 to determine how much monetary damages shall be awarded on the federal governments and Osage Nations trespass and conversion claims. And while the judge has ruled that the towers must be removed for continuing to trespass, she is permitting input as to the timing of the removal.

Osage Wind, meanwhile, claimed in its court filing that its more tailored remedy keeps revenue flowing to two local school districts, surface rights owners and the handful of employees who work on the wind farm.

For instance, the Shidler school district is projected to lose nearly $500,000 in annual revenue generated from property taxes, franchise fees and other payments associated with the wind farm.

At one time the 150-megawatt wind farm spread over 8,400 acres leased from landowners in Osage County was projected to generate $1 million per month in revenue for its owners, according to court records.

Regardless of how the judge rules, Osage Wind, in its court filing, asked Choe-Groves to stay any injunctive relief order so as to permit appellate review of these important questions without further delay.

The federal government filed a federal lawsuit in November 2014, seeking a declaratory judgment that the defendants engaged in unauthorized mining and excavation in the Osage Mineral Estate during construction of the wind farm.

The U.S. Department of the Interior administers the Osage Nations mineral rights, which include ownership of rocks and minerals below the grounds surface. Federal law requires developers to obtain a permit from the tribes Minerals Council to engage in any mining activity in the county.

A federal district judge initially ruled in favor of the wind farm project in 2015, finding that excavation of the rock for the wind turbine concrete foundation did not constitute mining.

But the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver reversed that decision in a 2017 ruling.

The appellate court held that Osage Winds extraction, sorting, crushing and use of minerals as part of its excavation work constituted mineral development, thereby requiring a federally approved lease that was not obtained. It disputed the district judges interpretation that the definition of mining required the sale of minerals.

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request by Osage Wind to review the appeals court decision.

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Mayor G.T. Bynum said Monday that he believes District 5 City Councilor Grant Miller is unfit for office.

I have served with 32 different city councilors. He is the only one that I would say that about, Bynum said in response to a question on KRMG Morning News With Dan Potter. Everybody else, they have approached their job  I might not have agreed with what they were saying, and I have fought with plenty of them  but I always knew that they were doing what they thought was best for their constituents.

With Grant Miller, it is all about himself, promoting himself and using his position to enact revenge on people that he thinks have done him wrong. And that is not something worthy of the Tulsa City Council.

Bynums remarks came less than a week after the Tulsa World reported that the Oklahoma Board of Bar Examiners had voted unanimously to deny Millers entry into the Oklahoma Bar Association after finding that he had failed to meet his burden to establish his good moral character, due respect for the law, and fitness to practice law.

The OBBEs decision was based in part on sworn testimony from Bynum and three of Millers colleagues on the City Council. Miller, who passed the bar exam last year, must wait at least 24 months before going back before the Board of Bar Examiners for reconsideration, according to the decision. He has vowed to appeal the decision.

Bynum said the OBBEs proceedings were intended to be confidential and that he and other witnesses had been told not to talk about them.

We had (not talked about them) until Councilor Miller and his attorney leaked the report so that he could start personally attacking everyone who testified against him, which he has said he is going to do.

Which I think is unfortunate  but also speaks to again the ethical issues that many of us testified to in that hearing.

Miller, who said he had not heard the radio interview, described Bynums remarks as rich coming from the weak, thin-skinned mayor that weve got.

What kind of mayor comes down off his perch on his way out the door to try to take shots at people at a bar exam hearing and on KRMG?  It is what it is, Miller told Tulsa World.

Bynum told KRMG that he did not seek out the opportunity to testify before the OBBE and that he simply answered the examiners questions honestly.

Most of that, as was reported in the Oklahoma Board of Bar Examiners report, related to Councilor Millers treatment of city staff, the way that he has smeared the professional reputation of civil servants during his brief time in office, his treatment of security personnel.

Miller referenced the fact that Tulsa will be voting on a new mayor Aug. 27 after Bynum declined to campaign for a third term.

I couldnt be happier that hes leaving the spot hes leaving,  and I know a lot of other residents feel the same way, Miller said.

Bynum dismissed what he said was Millers assertion that the OBBEs decision was politically motivated, noting that the board is made up of well-respected attorneys from across the state, only one of whom is from Tulsa.

So these are not folks who care a lick about Tulsa politics, and they voted unanimously in their determination on this, Bynum said. And this is something that Councilor Miller and his attorney had plenty of time in the hearing, by the way, to refute anything that anybody had to say about him.

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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

City Councilor Jayme Fowler is learning fast about the potential pitfalls of holding one elected office while running for another.

Fowler, a Republican running for mayor, proposed a new city ordinance last Wednesday that would prohibit the city from spending city dollars to house, accommodate, or benefit illegal immigrants.

The measure received a cool reception, with some of his colleagues questioning whether it was politically motivated while not explicitly mentioning his run for mayor.

The insinuation that this is political, I just dont think that is the case, Fowler told his fellow councilors on Wednesday. The reason why this was brought was really kind of (out of) timeliness.

Yet on that same day, the Fowler for Tulsa campaign website posted a link to the Jayme Fowlers Safe City ordinance with a detailed explanation of the proposal and asked Tulsans to sign a petition supporting it.

On Monday, Fowler initially said he had no idea that the proposed ordinance was going to be posted on his campaign website, but he later clarified his remark.

I got mixed up; I was informed and did authorize the website page, Fowler said. We put together information about it so the public could understand the spirit of the ordinance, i.e. its background and intent.

As the author, I want feedback from the city and feel a responsibility to inform the public about what Im proposing. Blaming politics is just an attempt to distract from the facts.

His campaign staff also informed him, Fowler said, of text messages it was sending in his name to Tulsans seeking their support for the proposed ordinance.

The text message reads in part:

The migrant crisis is overwhelming large cities like Chicago, New York City, and Denver. I believe its only a matter of time before it reaches midsized cities like Tulsa. Safe City protects Tulsa tax dollars and ensures our city shelters are reserved for Tulsans who need them the most.

Im asking you to join me by sending a message to City Hall that you support this common-sense measure to safeguard Tulsa.

The text also includes a link to the proposed ordinance on the Fowler for Tulsa website.

Asked whether his campaign consultants, Tomahawk Strategies, helped craft the proposed ordinance, Fowler said no.

I did get a message through them to an attorney who helped me craft this, Fowler said. They had no involvement with actually crafting the ordinance.

Josh Wagoner with Tomahawk Strategies said casting cheap shots on Fowlers character for posting the ordinance on his campaign website is fundamentally unfair.

State ethics rule 2.69 pertaining to municipal elections is clear that candidates may only have one committee open at one time. His mayoral committee replaced his council committee, Wagoner said. It would be absurd to expect incumbents to cease all paid communications the minute they file for a new office.

Also, Jayme never once mentions his mayoral campaign in his Safe City communications, so lets save the coordinated drama for the theater.

Nothing in the city charter or in city ordinances prohibits a city elected official from using a proposal or program he has initiated or championed in his or her campaign for another elected office.

The city charter allows municipal employees to participate in partisan and nonpartisan political activities as long as they do so only during off-duty hours and while not in uniform.

Fowler insisted that he has not enlisted his City Council staff or city employees to assist him in his run for mayor.

No, we have been given pretty strict instructions not to, Fowler said. You cannot do that, cant do it.

As for the future of his proposed ordinance, Fowler is continuing to fine tune it and will bring it back to his colleagues on the council this Wednesday.

If this was really, really just political, this would have been introduced long before, Fowler said. But the reality is that just literally the inaction by the federal government, and its left these cities in a very precarious situation. 

These major cities have hit pretty well their maximum limit, and its only a matter of time before immigrants are going to be released in second-tier cities like Tulsa.



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'Lock the clock' legislative history

Many people might think Americans have always reset clocks twice a year, but thats not true. Heres some background:

As a strategy to save energy during World War I, President Woodrow Wilson instituted daylight saving time. However, he faced backlash from farmers, and Congress abolished it after the war.

During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt reinstituted daylight saving time, but it was repealed later after some states and cities went back to standard time on their own.

In 1966, in an effort to get all states on the same page, federal lawmakers passed the Uniform Time Act, making it U.S. policy to observe six months of daylight saving time and six months of standard time each year.

In late 1973, as a strategy to save energy during a national energy crisis, President Richard Nixon signed a bill to make daylight saving time year-round, but people worried about children walking to school in the dark.

In 1974, President Gerald Ford signed a bill bringing the U.S. back to standard time for four months of the year.
Steve Metzer Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer Follow Steve Metzer 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

OKLAHOMA CITY  An Oklahoma lawmaker has set out to get more small-town police officers trained to detect when people are driving while high.

Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, said it has become more common in Oklahoma in recent years for people to take to the roads while under the influence. Many may be under the false impression that if they have a medical marijuana license its OK to drive while high.

To be clear, its not.

It remains strictly illegal for people to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while theyre intoxicated or impaired by any substance.

Paxton introduced a bill this year, Senate Bill 1279, to establish a pilot program to help police departments with training. He said all officers get some basic detection training provided by the states Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training, but he said more is needed.

It can be tricky to prove marijuana impairment in court, as evidence of use of the drug can remain in a persons system for a long time. Results of testing of a person who used marijuana an hour earlier might not look much different from the results of a person who used it regularly over the past month.

Thats why its important for officers to know how to detect and document telltale signs of impairment, things like an obvious smell of marijuana, red or glassy eyes, and slow response times.

Paxton said many larger police departments have multiple officers with not just basic training but Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement, or ARIDE, training or even more sophisticated training to classify them as drug recognition experts or evaluators.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, officers typically must complete more than 80 hours of classroom instruction and 100 hours of field certification training and pass several written and other tests to achieve designation as drug recognition experts or evaluators.

Paxton said his bill would help departments with ARIDE training. He told colleagues on the Senate Public Safety Committee recently that smaller departments with only a handful of officers would benefit the most.

Under the bill, the Department of Public Safety would establish and administer the pilot program to help prepare officers to conduct various drug-impairment detection tests at roadside. Committee members passed it without specific funding attached, but Paxton said it would take $500,000 to get the program started.

The DPS would establish grant criteria and administer the program.

It is a known fact that due to the prevalence of marijuana use, theres a lot more people driving high, Paxton said. I think there will be a demand for this.

He said the initial funding proposed probably would help to get 200 to 300 additional officers ARIDE-trained.

According to a statement provided by the DPS, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol was contacted by Paxton about the bill and would favor any help it might provide in getting officers better equipped to detect impaired driving.

Impaired driving in general is a problem in our state, no matter the intoxicant. This can include alcohol, illegal drugs, as well as legal drugs, including prescription medication, the DPS said. Smaller police departments or agencies dont always have the funding for training (and) the OHP would like to ensure everyone tasked with keeping our streets safe has the knowledge to detect impaired drivers.

According to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, there are more than 350,000 medical marijuana license holders in the state.

Sarah Gossett-Parrish, an attorney who specializes in cannabis law in Oklahoma, said that although she hasnt seen statistics, its reasonable to conclude that police officers are encountering more drivers who have recently consumed marijuana.

Detection is an issue, she said. With alcohol theres a test, and if youre over a certain percentage youre clearly impaired. With cannabis, it can stay in your system for 30 days (and) there would be no way to ascertain when it got in the system. So I think thats a real problem.

Gossett-Parrish said any program to better educate people about medical marijuana and marijuana law would be helpful.

I think education is important, both for patients, who need to know that its not OK to drive while high, and also for law enforcement people to be able to identify impairment, she said.

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Donald Trump's big primary victory on Saturday over Nikki Haley in her home state of South Carolina was the result of a ruthless and methodical campaign to eliminate her as a threat, according to aides and people close to both campaigns.

Despite having already secured a string of primary victories, it was crucial for Trump to win South Carolina, a key early Republican primary state that often predicts the party's nominee. Unlike in 2016, Trump was facing a rival who had won two terms as governor of the state and is still locally popular.

The plan was to isolate Haley politically by locking down endorsements from scores of officials in the state as quickly as possible to demonstrate publicly that she had no path to the presidency through South Carolina, aides with knowledge of the Trump campaign plan said.

Trump's victory on Saturday was not a complete blowout but he still defeated her by a comfortable 20 percentage points on her home turf.

"We were facing a two-term governor. That necessitated a show of force. We needed endorsements to stop donors and voters taking a look at Nikki," a senior Trump campaign adviser told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Chris LaCivita, a co-manager of Trump's campaign, said the series of big-name endorsements played a critical role in snuffing out the competition in the state.

LaCivita said another crucial part of Trump's success was to harvest data on the thousands of voters who attended the former president's rallies.

"What happens in the state after we're on the airplane. That's where the real work begins," LaCivita said.

Working out of a nondescript office park in North Charleston, campaign staff have been toiling for months to use voter data to communicate regularly with potential voters. Trump used a similar game plan to win in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Endorsement windfall

As recently as December 2023, Haley was still saying publicly that South Carolina was where she would finally score a win over Trump and turn the nominating contest around. Instead, it may be remembered as the state where her campaign suffered its fatal blow.

By Jan. 24  a month before the primary  Trump had secured the endorsements of 158 current and former South Carolina Republicans officials, including lawmakers, mayors and sheriffs. By this week Haley had received endorsements from one member of the U.S. House of Representatives, 11 current state lawmakers and two mayors.

"Those endorsements (of Trump) do matter. They are absolutely embarrassing in their numbers for Nikki Haley," the Trump campaign adviser said.

"If you have the local police chief or a city council person evangelizing about President Trump at a barbecue or at a local meeting, it's a force multiplier on our ground game and grassroots efforts," the adviser said.

Spearheading the push to lock up endorsements was the state's governor, Henry McMaster; Ed McMullen, Trump's former ambassador to Switzerland and a veteran of South Carolina politics; and Justin Evans, a state operative who ran Haley's first political campaign in 2010.

The influential South Carolina House of Representatives speaker, Murrell Smith, who endorsed Trump in August 2023, also played a key role in securing endorsements inside the State House, as did the state's lieutenant governor, Pamela Evette.

McMullen said he and other Trump allies began sketching a plan to ensure the former president's total dominance in the state as early as June 2022, months before Trump officially announced he was running for president that November 2022. Haley declared her candidacy in February 2023.

Trump's South Carolina surrogates began contacting every state House and Senate member in May 2023. Lawmakers who were reluctant to endorse Trump were invited to personal meetings with him when he flew into the state, either at airports or other venues.

"The president was very generous with his time, he met with numerous people, it made clear to people he was serious and very much wanted their support," McMullen said.

For her part, Haley said publicly she was not bothered by the endorsements Trump received, although associates have spoken of a sense of betrayal that some high-profile allies deserted her.

Her effort relied on some 1,700 volunteers across the state, and she crisscrossed South Carolina aggressively in recent weeks.

"Just like when she ran for governor, Nikki is the outsider, conservative candidate," said Olivia Perez-Cubas, a campaign spokesperson. "As governor, she signed pro-life legislation, cracked down on illegal immigration, and took on both parties over spending and transparency issues."

Seeking endorsements is common practice in U.S. presidential politics, but securing so many played a significant role in South Carolina for Trump, given Haley's ties to the state.

The former president employed similar tactics to try to force Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, out of the race. Trump highlighted his overwhelming advantage in endorsements in Florida to fuel the narrative that he was the runaway favorite to win the nomination. DeSantis ended his campaign in January.

'Designed for maximum impact'

A much sought-after endorsement was that of Tim Scott, one of South Carolina's U.S. senators and a onetime presidential rival to Trump who dropped out of the race in November 2023.

Scott had been appointed to his Senate seat in 2013 by Haley when she was governor, so securing his endorsement over the woman who sent him to the U.S. Senate was a big prize, several donors and operatives close to both Trump and Haley said.

Trump had maintained a relationship with Scott for some time. In 2020, he called Scott's mother on her birthday, a source close to Scott said. Toward the end of his presidency, Trump invited Scott and his mother to ride aboard Air Force One.

Trump called Scott shortly after the senator dropped out of the race, a person close to Trump said, while Trump allies kept talking to Scott about an endorsement.

One person close to Haley said she exchanged text messages with Scott after he dropped out, but never verbally discussed an endorsement. It is unclear why they never directly discussed the matter, but Scott and Haley's relationship deteriorated over the course of a campaign during which both camps took jabs at one another, said the person.

At a rally in New Hampshire on Jan. 19, four days before the primary election there, Scott endorsed Trump, a big blow to Haley and her hopes in South Carolina.

Trump's team made sure Scott was standing prominently alongside the former president at his New Hampshire victory rally on Jan. 23. Trump appeared triumphant, suggesting to Scott he "must really hate" Haley. Scott replied: "I just love you!"

Haley was not deterred.

Fueled by donor money she persisted with her insurgent campaign even as she seemed to acknowledge she faced certain defeat to Trump in her home state. Trump and his allies hoped that a loss on home ground would finally persuade Haley to quit the race, but she said on Saturday night she was not giving up and would continue her presidential campaign. (Reuters)
The Chinese C919 and ARJ21 passenger jets made their debut at Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam on Monday morning for an air show held by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) in the Southeast Asian country.

The C919 and ARJ21 jetliners, both manufactured in China, safely arrived at the airport, signaling the start of the inaugural COMAC Airshow in Vietnam, scheduled to run from Tuesday to Thursday.

Shortly before that, they participated in the Singapore Airshow 2024, which began last Tuesday and concluded on Sunday.

Chinas C919 passenger aircraft receives a ceremonial water cannon salute upon its arrival at Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam, February 26, 2024. Photo: T.Duong / Tuoi Tre

The C919 and ARJ21-700 aircraft represent Chinas initial endeavor into civil aviation, with the ARJ21-700 being a twin-engine jet seating up to 90 passengers, while the C919 is a narrow-body passenger aircraft with a capacity of up to 192 seats.

The C919 introduction places China among a group of select nations capable of independently designing and manufacturing aircraft, including the U.S., Russia, Brazil, Canada, the UK, France, and Germany.

Chinas C919 passenger aircraft arrives at Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam, February 26, 2024. Photo: T.Duong / Tuoi Tre

Hoang Van Dung, deputy director of Van Don International Airport, emphasized that hosting the COMAC aircraft exhibition and demonstration underscores the airports status as Vietnams premier private airport, equipped with comprehensive infrastructure.

The event is expected to lay the groundwork for future commercial flights linking Chinese provinces and cities with Quang Ninh, particularly services from Shantou City in Chinas Guangdong Province to Van Don.

Officials from the Department of Tourism of Quang Ninh Province, along with representatives from Van Don International Airport, extend a warm welcome to the leadership team of the COMAC Group and the cabin crew of Chinas passenger aircraft C919 upon their arrival in Quang Ninh, northern Vietnam, February 26, 2024. Photo: T.Duong / Tuoi Tre

The opening ceremony of the COMAC Airshow is scheduled for Tuesday morning, with the participation of leaders from the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, Quang Ninh Province, Chinese airlines, Vietnamese airlines, and representatives from travel companies.

Attendees will have the opportunity to witness test flights and explore the aircraft firsthand before they are showcased statically at Van Don International Airport and subsequently travel to Con Dao Airport on the namesake island off southern Vietnam, Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, and Dong Hoi Airport in north-central Quang Binh Province.

Chinas ARJ21-700 aircraft arrives at Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam, February 26, 2024. Photo: T.Duong / Tuoi Tre

The COMAC aircrafts stops will also include Da Nang City in central Vietnam and Vientiane in Laos.

Cao Tuong Huy, chairman of the Peoples Committee of Quang Ninh Province, is slated to engage in discussions with Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo and representatives from COMAC Group to strengthen cooperation in developing Chinese air routes to Van Don and confer on the establishment of a COMAC Group representative office in Quang Ninh.

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Vietnam exported around 12,000 tonnes of tea worth over US$21 million in the first month of 2024, with Pakistan remaining the largest buyer, according to official figures.

With these results, the Vietnamese tea sector witnessed a substantial 85 percent year-on-year increase in both the volume and value of tea exports, the General Department of Vietnam Customs reported recently.

In contrast to December, there was a 9.7-percent decrease in quantity and a 10-percent decline in turnover, Bao Cong Thuong (Newspaper of Industry and Trade) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, reported, citing the general department.

The past month saw Vietnamese tea exported to 16 markets, one less than from the same month last year and three lower than that for the entirety of 2023.

In January, the average tea export price for Vietnam reached $1,694 per tonne, remaining consistent with the same month of the previous year but experiencing a slight three percent decrease compared to the average for the whole of last year, Bao Cong Thuong said.

Higher average prices in the past month were recorded in some markets such as Germany ($7,579 per tonne), Saudi Arabia ($2,546), UAE ($2,192), and Pakistan ($2,013).

Lower average prices were seen in Malaysia ($684 per tonn) and Indonesia ($991).

In January, Pakistan maintained its top position among the key importers of Vietnamese tea, with more than 4,556 tonnes worth nearly $9.2 million, accounting for 36.7 percent of Vietnams total tea export volume and 43.7 percent of its overall tea export turnover, customs data showed.

Pakistan was followed by Taiwan, the U.S., and Poland.

Compared to the same month of last year, Pakistans imports of tea from Vietnam increased 33 percent in quantity and 52 percent in value.

It is expected that many Vietnamese tea businesses will apply technology to tea production, boost trade promotion, find new markets, and log more turnover in the coming time, contributing to improving the countrys tea export results this year, the Vietnamese Tea Association said.

In 2023, Vietnamese exporters shipped out 121,000 tonnes of tea worth $211 million, down 16.9 percent in volume and 10.9 percent in value year on year, respectively, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

Last year saw the countrys tea export volume drop to the lowest level in seven years, the agency said.

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As a longtime expat in Ho Chi Minh City, there is nothing that makes me happier or prouder than to see my fellow countrymen making a difference to the lives of those most in need in Vietnam.

Seeing two men walk from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City to raise money for underprivileged children has been a real high point in my decade of living in this great country.

Walking from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City is an achievement that few people in history can attest to completing, but on Saturday, two expats, both living in Hanoi, walked into a restaurant in Thao Dien Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City after completing an 80-day Charity Walk which covered around 2,000km and took in some of the most amazing parts of this country.

A supplied photo shows Sean Down and Jake Norris being joined by expats in Ho Chi Minh City for their final stretch from the Municipal Theater in District 1 to Thao Dien in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City on February 24, 2024. Photo: Duong Van Duc

Walking to raise money for children in need, Australian Jake Norris and Irish Sean Down started with a dream around three years ago that culminated in them setting out on an adventure to monilize funds for the Blue Dragon Foundation and the Thanh Loc Project, both significant NGOs that do great things for the less fortunate in Vietnam.

Blue Dragon helps kids in crisis throughout Vietnam. They work with street kids, runaway children, victims of human trafficking, children with disabilities, young rural-urban migrants, kids affected by drugs and HIV/AIDS, homeless families, child prisoners, and the poor living in rural areas.

Operating since 2003, this NGO has helped an uncountable number of children and adults in Vietnam, particularly in the north.

Thanh Loc Project is an NGO that has been in operation since 2008 and supports children in need across the south.

"The difference that Jake and Sean have made to the Thanh Loc Project is immense, said Rod Stone from Thanh Loc Project.

We are a small boutique NGO and we operate in very remote areas where we can make a significant and sustainable difference through education scholarships and education-based projects.

Education is the key to a better life, and our motto is that Everyone Deserves the Right to a Decent Education."

A significant amount of the money raised in this Charity Walk will go to service the needs of children being supported by the Thanh Loc Project.

A supplied photo shows Jake Norris and Sean Down being joined by expats in Ho Chi Minh City for their final stretch from the Municipal Theater in District 1 to Thao Dien in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City on February 24, 2024. Photo: Duong Van Duc

Norris, a 36-year-old from South Australia, moved to Hanoi around seven years ago and has been working as a primary school teacher in the countrys capital.

Down, who is a 44-year-old from Irelands capital city of Dublin, has lived in Hanoi for around five years and works as an IELTS examiner in the city.

This challenge started almost three years ago as planning and logistics were delayed due to COVID-19, Norris said.

The walk was born out of a desire to give back to the country, which has given us so much."

It was the challenges of the COVID-19 lockdown period that prompted this idea when Norris was stuck in Australia.

With so many in-need children in mind, on December 2, 2023, the two men left the steps of the Opera House in central Hanoi and, unassisted, began the trek from there to Ho Chi Minh City with the focus of raising money and getting to the southern metropolis within the set time.

I sat in the back corner watching the welcoming ceremony and I became a little emotional. I could see the passion and love in the faces of not only these men but so many other people in the room that have supported them.

Norris and Down, much like myself, are ordinary individuals. However, it is the choices they have made, along with their energy and unwavering commitment to helping others, that distinguish them from the rest. For this reason, I am truly in awe and immensely proud of what they have accomplished.

Speakers at the welcoming ceremony included Vi Do, CEO of Blue Dragon, who gave an inspiring look at the true value of helping others and noted that over 1,500 trafficked children have been saved by the group.

Rod Stone and Ngan Le from the Thanh Loc Project also shared their stories of success, including that the NGO has supplied over 1,000 years of education since starting. It was also interesting to hear from Norris and Down, who shared their experiences of the walk.

Jake Norris and Sean Down are welcomed by Rod Stone from the Thanh Loc Project as they arrived at a welcoming event in Thao Dien Ward, Thu Duc City after finishing their final stretch from the Municipal Theater in District 1 to Thao Dien in Ho Chi Minh City on February 24, 2024. Photo: Vu Thi Loan

And, I suppose, in that moment, I realized that every effort made by all of us, not just Norris and Down but also all the donors and support people, culminates in a child walking into a school and receiving an education.

It ends up as a child getting the opportunity to learn how to use a computer or maybe even get a degree.

It will also give a homeless teenager a bed and it might even mean that a young girl stolen from her village will, one day, feel the warmth of her mothers embrace again.

This is what this commitment and focus has achieved.

While the primary reason and motivation for this event are to assist those most in need, it is also an opportune moment to commend Norris and Down. After covering 2,000km on foot through almost every conceivable weather condition, the accomplishments they have achieved should not be underestimated.

But rather than sinking back into normality, the boys are already motivated and looking ahead at another Charity Walk in the future.

Supporting children in Vietnam holds great importance to them, and both are dedicated to undertaking this challenge again in the future to continue assisting kids in need throughout Vietnam.

As I sit in the back of the welcoming party in Ho Chi Minh City, the sea of smiles reminds me of what a wonderful country Vietnam is.

It reminds me that it is possible for anyone to make a difference and it is appreciated by so many when you do.

While we take pride in our origins, I can observe that there is a collective sense of being, if only to a small extent, Vietnamese.

This is because Vietnam is a country of remarkable people with a strong sense of community.

As expatriates, we consider ourselves privileged to partake in the vibrant spirit and rich culture of Vietnam.

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Chef Dao Thuy Linh spent this past Lunar New Year (Tet) festival splitting her time between celebrating with family and wandering around the Cho Lon neighborhood in Ho Chi Minh City to document the local cuisine.

With the help of a friend, Linh visited a local market and bought the ingredients needed to make a traditional family meal featuring delicacies from Vietnams ethnic Hoa people, or those with Chinese heritage.

A meal at a family of Hoa people in the Cho Lon neighborhood in Ho Chi Minh City is captured during Dao Thuy Linh's trip to discover local culinary culture in January 2024. Photo: Supplied

Linh also visited the long-standing restaurants in the neighborhood, while learning to make traditional cakes and trying well-known dishes.

The activities were part of the 38-year-old's personal project to explore the cuisines of 54 ethnic groups across Vietnam, which she started in July 2023.

Dao Thuy Linh is seen in this supplied photo taken during a trip to discover Churu people's cuisine in Don Duong District, Lam Dong Province, located in Vietnam's Central Highlands, in November 2023.

A long-time cherished dream

So far, she has documented cuisines from 12 groups in the country including the Hoa, Cho Ro, Cham, E De, Chu Ru, to name a few.

Linh expects to complete the mission of discovering all 54 groups cuisines by the end of this year.

As a chef and founder of Ech Xanh, a frog meat restaurant chain with locations in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ngai, and Binh Dinh, Linh called the project 'a dream' she has cherished for a long time.

"Vietnam boasts 54 ethnic groups, each with its own distinctive culinary cultural richness, yet these culinary treasures are not widely known," Linh told Tuoi Tre News while she is busy preparing for her next trip to the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang to feature Khmer peoples cuisine.

"While I possess knowledge about general cuisine, I find there is much I don't know, particularly when it comes to the diverse array of ethnic cuisines.

"I am genuinely delighted that I now have the opportunity to both expand my own knowledge and share it with a broader audience."

A meal at a family of Choro people in Xuan Loc District, Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam is captured during Dao Thuy Linh's trip to explore local culinary culture in November 2023. Photo: Supplied

In the videos posted on her TikTok channel @liana.linlin, which boasts over 80,000 followers, Linh embarked on journeys to various provinces in Vietnam.

She actively engaged with local communities, requesting to participate in their daily activities, cooking with their families, and documenting the experiences on film.

It normally takes her five days to a week to complete each trip.

Dao Thuy Linh (R) joins local people from the Ma ethnic group in harvesting coffee beans in Loc Lam Commune, Bao Lam District, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam in November 2023. Photo: Supplied

In addition to showcasing local foods, Linh offers historical, cultural, and demographic insights about the various ethnic groups she encounters.

"I chose social media to promote my journeys because my target audience is young people," she explained.

"I aim to convey the timeless features of traditional culinary culture and capture the unique beauty that appears to be gradually fading away.

"Hopefully, in the future, my project will reach a broader audience, allowing people to discover more intriguing aspects of Vietnamese cuisine."

According to Linh, there are two aspects of the project for which she is grateful  the first being the knowledge she has gained, and the second being the friendships she has forged along the way.

In this supplied photo, Dao Thuy Linh (first from left) joins a meal with Ma people at a coffee farm in Loc Lam Commune, Bao Lam District, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam in November 2023.

The journeys have also broadened the chef's own understanding, such as discovering that 'cassava leaf is edible' while learning to cook with the E De people in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak.

'Cook for the kids'

On her way to discovering ethnic Vietnamese cuisines, Linh came up with the idea to organize 'Nau An Cho Em' events where she cooked for local children.

When I saw the children at the places I visited, I felt like doing something to create sweet memories of their childhood, and I decided to cook for them because I'm a chef, Linh said.

Dao Thuy Linh and local children pose for a photo during a 'Nau An Cho Em' event with Ma people in Loc Lam Commune, Bao Lam District, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam in December 2023. Photo: Supplied

So far, Linh has organized three free-of-charge cooking events for children and plans to organize many more.

Despite having a timeline for her main project of discovering 54 cuisines, Linh hopes to run 'Nau An Cho Em' for as long as she can.

Linh still vividly remembers the first cooking event she coordinated in Cu Kroa Commune, situated in Dak Lak's M'Drak District, in July 2023.

"We brought our signature dish, 'frog roasted with salted egg,' from our restaurant," Linh recalled.

"While the children were gathered to enjoy their meal, one of them fell on the ground with scratches.

However, he calmly sat up and continued his meal without shedding a tear.

"That image left a lasting impression on me about the resilience of the children in the mountainous region."

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SEOUL -- Ryu Ok Hada always wanted to help people, but now the South Korean trainee doctor has walked off the job and stands outside the hospital where he worked, holding his medical gown in his hand.

Park Dan, who recently realised his childhood dream of being an emergency physician, is also one of over 7,800 interns and residents who have resigned in a confrontation with the government, which threatens to arrest them.

Park Dan, head of the Korean Intern Resident Association, speaks during an interview with Reuters in Seoul, South Korea, February 25, 2024. Photo: Reuters

Ryu and Park say the junior doctors, a crucial cog in South Korea's highly regarded medical system, are overworked, underpaid and unheard.

Hospitals have turned away patients and cancelled surgeries after about two-thirds of the country's young doctors walked off the job this month in protest.

The young doctors say their pay and working conditions should be the priority, rather than the government's plan to boost the number of physicians. The authorities say more staff are needed to increase healthcare services in remote areas and meet the growing demands of one of the world's most rapidly ageing societies.

"The current medical system in South Korea, which is a great one, is run by making cheap trainee doctors keep grinding," Ryu, 25, told Reuters.

Senior doctors and private practitioners have not walked out but have held rallies urging the government to scrap its plan, with 400 gathering in Seoul on Sunday.

But the government's plan to boost medical school admissions is popular, with about 76% of respondents in favour, regardless of political affiliation, a recent Gallup Korea poll found.

Medical workers walk at The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul ST. Marys Hospital, ahead of the protests by doctors against the government's medical policy, in Seoul, South Korea, February 25, 2024. Photo: Reuters

Torn between patients, policy

Intern and resident doctors in South Korea work 36-hour shifts, compared to shifts of less than 24 hours in the U.S., according to the Korean Intern Resident Association. It says half the young U.S. physicians work 60 hours a week or less, while Korean doctors often work more than 100 hours.

Ryu said he worked more than 100 hours a week at one of the country's most prestigious university hospitals, for 2 million won to 4 million won ($1,500-$3,000) a month including overtime pay. A first-year U.S. resident averages about $5,000 a month, according to American Medical Association data.

Hospitals have not processed the resignations of the protesting doctors, who say they are not on strike. The government has ordered them back to work, threatening to arrest them or revoke their licenses, saying their collective action cannot be justified and people's lives must come first.

Park and other doctors say the order is unconstitutional, forcing them to work against their will.

The doctors on walkout represent just a fraction of South Korea's 100,000 doctors, but they can make up more than 40 percent of staff at large teaching hospitals, performing crucial tasks in emergency rooms, intensive care units and operating rooms.

Ryu O. Hada, 25, one of the thousands of South Korean trainee doctors who resigned en masse to protest the government's medical policy, holds his white coat in front of the hospital where he worked in Seoul, South Korea, February 25, 2024. Photo: Reuters

Emergency rooms at South Korea's five biggest hospitals were on "red alert" on Sunday, meaning they were running out of beds. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said on Friday that public hospitals would stay open longer and on weekends and holidays to meet demand.

Park, 33, who heads the Korean Intern Resident Association, wants the authorities to bring doctors into essential disciplines such as paediatrics and emergency departments at large hospitals.

A patient is wheeled at The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul ST. Marys Hospital, ahead of the protests by doctors against the government's medical policy, in Seoul, South Korea, February 25, 2024. Photo: Reuters

Doctors want better legal protection from malpractice suits and changes to a system where many hospitals rely on a low-paid workforce and off-insurance services to stay afloat in a country often praised for providing universal quality medical coverage affordably, Park said.

He said he was torn between his patients and a government enforcing policy without listening to the doctors, but that he had little choice."With pride to save patients I came this far. As many doctors say, it was heartbreaking and difficult to leave patients behind," Park said. "But the current system is distorted, so we need better than that."

($1 = 1,329.9500 won)
A significant number of vendors and service providers in Vietnam are adopting overpricing practices, potentially leading to an erosion of their integrity and self-esteem, according to Professor Truong Nguyen Thanh.

Overpricing refers to setting the price of a product or a service extremely higher than its initial perceived value.

The issue was a primary focus in his recent Facebook post, which garnered thousands of mixed reactions from netizens.

In the post, Thanh shared instances of him being overcharged in Vietnam.

He disclosed that he became acquainted with overpricing and learned certain psychological tricks to secure good bargains during his adolescence in Vietnam.

At the time, he worked as a cigarette peddler and a plowman but he never fleeced his customers, with many of them praising his truthfulness at work.

The professor added that he no longer bargained when shopping for something after more than 40 years of living in the U.S..

Lately, he went to a wet market in Vietnam early in the morning to buy some fresh root vegetables as each visit to the traditional market reminded him of his time living in Saigon, the former name of Ho Chi Minh City.

Thanh stopped by a fruit and vegetable market stall where a female vendor offered one kilogram of carrots at VND35,000 (US$1.4).

As soon as he was about to walk away since he recollected that carrots at a supermarket he visited a few days earlier were quoted at around VND25,000 ($1) per kilogram only, he noticed some cauliflowers at the stall and asked for the price.

When the vendor replied that the cauliflowers sold for VND25,000 per kilogram, Thanh thought that she was apparently offering a more reasonable price and decided to buy the greens.

On the following day, he came by another stall at the same market, where another female vendor sold her carrots at VND15,000 ($0.6) per kilogram.

The pricing practice adopted by the first vendor seemed to drive shoppers like Thanh away. He vowed never to visit her stall again.

He also recounted his bad salon experience in his neighborhood a few months ago.

One day, he entered a barbershop run by an old man, with no customers inside.

After having his hair cut, Thanh was asked to pay VND120,000 ($4.8) for the service, while a nearby shop had previously charged him only VND50,000 ($2) for a haircut.

Thanh, once again, declared he would never visit the shop of the old man again and did not want to greet this barber every time he walked by the venue.

He elaborated that a few dozen Vietnamese dong was not a big deal for him, but he felt like he had been fleeced and would not trust them an inch after experiencing their ways of doing business.

The professor cited another rip-off case that went viral on social media and was widely covered by local media, including the news site VnExpress, late last year.

In the case, a Japanese man who has lived in Vietnam for around six years went to the iconic Ben Thanh Market in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, where he was offered three pairs of socks at VND700,000 ($28).

After several attempts to bargain with the stall owner, the Japanese visitor declined to buy the socks and left, even though the vendor finally brought the price down to VND60,000 ($2.4).

Commenting on this case, Thanh guessed that the Japanese mistrusted the vendor and could buy nothing from her stall again.

Thanh mentioned a high possibility of international visitors like this Japanese man opting not to return to Vietnam.

If he was a foreign tourist who was ripped off during his stay in Vietnam, he would rather travel to other countries, Thanh said.

The professor came to the conclusion that the overpricing practice by certain Vietnamese vendors may teach people to tell lies, become dishonest, and have low self-esteem, while self-esteem is one of the core values that can help build a civilized community.

Born in 1962, Thanh earned his PhD in computational chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1990.

He taught at the University of Utah between 1992 and 2002, and served as president of Ho Chi Minh Citys Institute for Computational Science and Technology from November 2007 until June 2017.

In January 2017, Thanh was appointed vice-president of Hoa Sen University in Ho Chi Minh City.

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The driver of a speeding long-haul bus refused to stop following an order of traffic police officers in Lang Son Province, located in northern Vietnam, and drove erratically before slamming into the back of a police car many times instead.

A video of the case went viral on Sunday.

The case occurred at about 1:00 pm on the same day on a National Highway section in Lang Son Province, according to the Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security.

At the time, a team of traffic police officers found the bus driven by Nguyen Van Giang, a 50-year-old resident in Bac Ninh Province, also in northern Vietnam, driving at 75 kilometers per hour, while the section allows a maximum speed of 50 kilometers per hour.

The damaged police car. Photo: Supplied

The broken bus. Photo: Supplied

The traffic policemen signaled the bus to stop but Giang kept driving.

The police officers later used a police car to chase the bus and continued signaling it to stop.

However, the driver defied the instructions and kept driving the bus in a zigzag pattern and crashed into the police car instead.

The vehicle was later identified to have no dashcam and passenger transport contract as required. The driver tested negative for drugs and was not under the influence of alcohol.

Local police are completing procedures to keep Giang in custody and handle him in line with the law.

Nguyen Van Giang, a 50-year-old resident in Bac Ninh Province, northern Vietnam, the bus driver (R), at the police station. Photo: Supplied

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Phan Van Mai, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee, has tasked the investor of the citys metro line No. 1 with devising a plan to either wave or reduce fares in the initial period of its commercial operation to incentivize usage among the public.

In particular, Mai asked the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) to report the metro line operation plan.

The first phase of the project is scheduled to start commercial operations in July.

Mai instructed a team, headed by Ho Chi Minh City vice-chairman Bui Xuan Cuong and tasked with reviewing and addressing impediments to the first metro line project, to commence their work.

The citys first metro line project, including 2.6 kilometers of underground railways and 17.1 kilometers of elevated tracks, carries a price tag of VND43.7 trillion (US$1.8 billion).

It is now over 97 percent complete.

Earlier, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport had planned a fare of VND12,000-18,000 ($0.5-0.7) per single trip for the metro line.

In particular, tickets would cost VND12,000 for passengers traveling less than five kilometers, and VND18,000 for over 15 kilometers.

Long-term fare cards will also be available at VND40,000 ($1.6) per day, VND90,000 ($3.6) per three days, and VND260,000 ($10.5) per month.

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The biggest ever Bluey episode, with a running time of 28 minutes is coming to ABC Kids.

The world premiere of The Sign will air Sunday 14 April at 8am before becoming available globally.

Patrick Brammall returns as the voice of Uncle Rad, alongside Megan Washington as Calypso, Claudia ODoherty as Frisky, Myf Warhurst as Trixie, and Rose Byrne as Brandy.

Making their Bluey voice debut are Rove McManus, Deborah Mailman, Brendan Williams and Joel Edgerton.

ABC Head of Children and Family Libbie Doherty said, We have set the date! The Sign  the biggest Bluey episode ever  will premiere in April on the ABC, the home of Bluey. Australian audiences will be the first to watch the 28-minute special, uniting with fans around the globe as they wake up to share in this major broadcast event. Joe Brumm and the team at Ludo have exceeded all expectations  were sure this episode will delight and surprise, so get ready.

Prior to The Sign a brand-new regular length episode Ghostbasket, will also premiere.

Both episodes are penned by creator and writer Joe Brumm, directed by Richard Jeffery, and produced by Ludo Studio.

Ludo Studio said Were so excited to share Ghostbasket, a brand-new Bluey episode followed by The Sign which is the equivalent to nearly six Chunky Chimps! The crew have worked so hard on these two new episodes, making them the very best that they can be and we cant wait to share them with a global audience.

Co-commissioned by ABC Childrens and BBC Studios Kids & Family, Bluey is the #1 kids show on Australian broadcast television, and the most watched series ever on ABC iview.

Managing Director, BBC Kids & Family Cecilia Persson, said: This is going to be an unmissable event for every Bluey fan worldwide and a fantastic springboard into the incredible world of Bluey for those new to the show whove yet to experience its pure joy.

Ghostbasket 8am Sunday 7 April

The Sign 8am Sunday 14 April 2024 at 8am, both on ABC Kids and ABC iview.
A former Australian Story senior producer is ABC for underpayments.

The Australian reports Richard Quentin McDermott, employed for 21 years until 2020, is seeking more than $288,000 in compensation.

A statement of claim filed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia in Sydney claims the ABC breached the Fair Work Act.

He is seeking $288,443.41 in compensation for underpayments, an estimate due to not keeping records of hours worked.

The documents state that McDermott was regularly required to work hours in excess of his ordinary hours including outside of his span of hours with an average of 53 to 72 hours a week while conducting research, filming and post-production.

McDermott joined the ABC in 1999 as Latelines supervising producer before joining Four Corners as both a reporter and producer, and subsequently Australian Story.

The ABC declined to comment.
Michigan's presidential primary on Tuesday will offer a serious test of President Joe Biden's ability to navigate dissent within the Democratic Party over his response to Israel's war with Hamas. The leading Republican in the White House race, former President Donald Trump, is looking for another primary win that would add to his sweep of the early-voting states and move him that much closer to becoming his party's nominee.

The Michigan contest is the final major race before the election calendar broadens dramatically on Super Tuesday, March 5. That's when more than a dozen states will hold elections with thousands of delegates at stake.

The results this Tuesday will be closely watched for any clues about where Michigan is trending before the November election. With a narrow win in 2016, Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate to carry the state since 1988, securing his path to the White House. Biden reclaimed the state for Democrats in 2020, contributing to his defeat of Trump.

Biden is facing minimal opposition from Democrats and his grip on the nomination is not in doubt. But primary voters in Michigan can pick uncommitted, which could give some in his party the option of casting what is essentially a protest vote.

That could prove especially enticing in a state with the highest number and concentration of Arab Americans. Biden is facing intense pressure to press for a permanent cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, to the point that a core group of elected officials have joined a campaign to promote backing uncommitted instead of the president on Tuesday.

The potential of an uncommitted" win is highly unlikely. But if that option receives notable double-digit support, it could serve as an early warning sign for Biden heading into the general election, signaling that core Democratic constituents won't simply fall in line with the president. That's critical for Biden because if these voters stay home in November, the state could slip away, raising pressure on him to flip other Republican leaning states such as North Carolina, Florida or Ohio.

For evidence of the Listen to Michigan campaign's effectiveness, pay particularly close attention to Dearborn, a suburb of more than 109,000 southwest of Detroit with a Muslim and Arab American population of more than 50 percent.

Biden's team sent top administration officials to meet with Arab American and Muslim leaders Michigan this month. Biden's campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, and other political aides visited last month but found a number of community leaders unwilling to meet. Biden was in Michigan on Feb. 1 to court union voters while Vice President Kamala Harris was in the state Thursday to discuss abortion and to advocate for reproductive rights. On Saturday, Biden joined a campaign organizing call with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes.

Republican Nikki Haley has spent the past several weeks focusing on campaigning in her home state of South Carolina, where Trump beat her soundly in the first Southern primary of 2024.

While Haley has spent little time in Michigan, she planned to campaign Sunday in suburban heavy Oakland County and western Michigan's GOP hub, Grand Rapids, on Monday. The two spots, populous and with a wide range of Republican and independent voters, fit with Haley's effort to reach beyond the conservative core, which in Michigan, as elsewhere, is vastly loyal to Trump.

Trump has campaigned in Michigan recently as well, including at a private air hangar in Oakland County last week, where he drew more than 2,000.

But there has been little appetite for anti-Trump Republicans in Michigan. Peter Meijer was elected to the U.S. House from Grand Rapids in 2020 and was quickly defeated for reelection two years later after he voted to convict Trump during the second impeachment after the violent Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol siege by pro-Trump protesters.

Meanwhile, the Michigan Republican Party is trying to emerge from an internal struggle between competing pro-Trump factions. Despite the conflict, Trump remains the heavy favorite among the party's rank and file, while incoming state GOP Chairman Pete Hoekstra is a Trump loyalist with ties to wealthy donors.

While Biden faces questions about the intensity of his support among some Democrats, there is plenty of GOP turmoil in Michigan.

Though the party's most active members heavily support Trump to be the 2024 nominee, a power struggle inside the state party organization could complicate his team's effort to organize the state to turn out the vote in November.

The state party organization is facing more than $600,000 in debt under ousted Chair Kristina Karamo, though Karamo refuses to step aside despite the ouster and Trump's endorsement of Hoekstra, a former congressman who was Trumps ambassador to the Netherlands.

Hoekstra has pledged to restore relationships with longtime donors. Koroma refused to meet with some of them or turned them off by criticizing them as insufficiently conservative or out of step with Trump.

Still, Hoekstra has said it will be difficult to rebuild fewer than nine months a state party that, in recent presidential cycles, has operated with a budget of $20 million to $30 million.

Trump beat Democrat Hillary Clinton in Michigan in 2016 by fewer than 11,000 votes.

Biden carried the state in 2020 by fewer than 155,000 votes. That 2.6 percentage point margin was the sixth-narrowest of all 50 states. (AP)
The Free to Air premiere of Season 8 of Grand Designs New Zealand hosted by Tom Webster debuts this week on ABC.

Ever since he was a child, Mark Ahearn has loved holidaying in the Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand. Now based in Perth, Western Australia, he and his Australian wife Liz have decided to take a year out from their hectic lives to build their own family home for themselves and their toddler Winter, overlooking Ligar Bay.

After a few false starts, theyve put the reins of their specialised concrete business and their two busy cafes into the hands of others and made the move to New Zealand so Mark can embark on building their legacy family home.

Their Christchurch based architect Greg Young has designed a home for their steep site that is a modernist take on the Kiwi bach, comprising of four interconnected glass boxes angled to take in the breath-taking views of Abel Tasman.

While Greg is confident in Marks ability to pull his build off, hes also under no illusion that there is the risk that it could all go catastrophically wrong.

Ominously, its almost like the universe reads his mind

8:30pm Thursday February 29 on ABC.
Greys Anatomy returns for a milestone 20th season in March.

This season, Jessica Capshaw (pictured top) will return as a guest star to reprise her role as Dr. Arizona Robbins, and Alex Landi will return as Dr. Nico Kim.

L to R: Alex Landi, Natalie Morales, Freddy Miyares.

Meanwhile, Natalie Morales heads to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital as Monica Beltran, a pediatric surgeon whose pragmatism and level-headedness have made her one of the best in her field. Her willingness to push boundaries can be admirable and aggravating, but its always aimed at providing top-quality care to her patients. Freddy Miyares joins the cast in a recurring role as Dorian, an intelligent, warm and likable patient who is involved in a serious accident and is struggling with his future.

Jessica Capshaw can most recently be seen on the hit Disney+ series Tell Me Lies. She is best known for her portrayal of Dr. Arizona Robbins on Greys Anatomy. Prior to Greys, she starred in the hit ABC series The Practice. Capshaw can also be seen in the Netflix romantic comedy Holidate, opposite Emma Roberts, as well as starring in Gren Wells independent feature Dear Zoe with Sadie Sink, Theo Rossi and Justin Bartha. Capshaws other television credits include The L Word, Bones, Blind Trust, Head Case, One Angry Juror and the TNT miniseries Into the West.

Half-Korean, half-Italian actor Alex Landi is best known for starring as Dr. Nico Kim on Greys Anatomy. The role marked the series first male LGBTQ+ surgeon as well as the first male surgeon of Asian descent.

Actor, writer, award-winning director and activist Natalie Morales made her simultaneous directorial debut in 2021 with the Hulu Original film Plan B and the SXSW Audience Award-winning feature Language Lessons, in which she co-starred and co-wrote. In television, Morales can be seen in the third season of Apple+s The Morning Show, and she recently reprised her role as Michelle alongside Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini in the final season of the Netflix series Dead to Me. Morales stars opposite Academy Award winners Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris in the feature film My Dead Friend Zoe. The film will premiere at this years SXSW. Morales can also be seen on Netflix starring alongside Jennifer Lawrence in the R-rated comedy No Hard Feelings, on Hulu opposite Jake Johnson in Self-Reliance, and Anthony Mackie in If You Were the Last.

Freddy Miyares can most recently be seen in the HBO Max limited series DMZ, opposite Rosario Dawson and directed by Ava Duvernay. He can also be seen in Evil on Paramount+ and previously starred in Duvernays Netflix limited series When They See Us as Raymond Santana, one of the Exonerated Five. Miyares also recurred on the Showtime series The L Word: Generation Q. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon and a native of Miami.

Thursday March 28 on Disney+.
Legendary director, actor, and producer Ron Howard will speak at producers conference Screen Forever next month.

The former Happy Days star turned powerhouse Hollywood director will speak with one of his long-time producing partners Bill Connor (Life of Pi, Thirteen Lives), live from New York with an In Conversation session, moderated by Bazmarks Managing Director Schuyler Weiss (Elvis, Faraway Downs).

The duo recently filmed Eden in Queensland, starring Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Daniel Bruhl and Sydney Sweeney.

Both will discuss how their producing partnership came to be, projects they have collaborated on, Australia as a destination for international productions, ever-changing shifts in the global screen industry, and what they see on the horizon for Australian creatives and storytelling.

After shooting Thirteen Lives in Queensland in 2022, I was incredibly impressed with our crew on the film, as well as with the support of the Australian film community as a whole. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to come back to shoot Eden. Choosing a location to shoot a film in is of the utmost importance, and Queensland is a premiere international production location, with its creatively adept crews, supportive filming community, and beautiful exterior locations.

Screen Forever will take place March 19  21 on the Gold Coast.
Strange trade-offs

thekovtun/Shutterstock

Pepsi for tomato paste, sticky rice for aircraft and mackerel for puffins are just some of the weirdest modern examples of barter, a system you may think had died out centuries ago. The reality is barter has remained surprisingly popular for all sorts of reasons, from a way of getting around trade and currency embargoes to a means for countries and organisations lacking hard cash to acquire goods and services. Looking back over recent history, read on as we reveal some of the most peculiar countertrade deals ever. All dollar values in US dollars.

Canned ham for aircraft

Aero Icarus [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]

In the late 1960s US aircraft manufacturer McDonnell Douglas received substantial amounts of canned ham as part of a DC-9 deal it closed with Yugoslavia's official airline JAT. However, the meat products were impossible to shift and the company resorted to giving the cans away to staff.

Cocoa beans for oil

King Bangaba [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

A scarcity of cash prompted newly-independent Ghana to sign a sweet barter deal with the Soviet Union in 1960. At the time the West African country was the world's number one producer of cocoa beans, which it arranged to supply in great quantities to the USSR in exchange for copious amounts of crude oil.

Pepsi for Stolichnaya vodka

thekovtun/Shutterstock

In 1974 Pepsi became the first Western brand to be produced in the Soviet Union thanks to a groundbreaking barter deal, which involved swapping concentrate of the cola for Stolichnaya vodka. The Russian currency, the rouble, was subject to an embargo, so companies had to think creatively. In fact, PepsiCo was the sole Stoli distributor in the US until 2009 when the contract passed to William Grant & Sons.

Pepsi for tomato paste

Olyina V/Shutterstock

PepsiCo also traded concentrate of its sugary drink for Soviet tomato paste as part of the arrangement according to the BBC. Back in those days the food and drinks company owned Pizza Hut, and the puree was used on the chain's pizzas in Europe.

ABBA music for oil commodity rights

Courtesy getabba.com

During the late 1970s the management of ABBA shrewdly sidestepped restrictions surrounding the Russian rouble by setting up a plum deal with the Soviet Union. Instead of hard cash the Swedish pop group received royalties in the form of oil commodity rights, which proved to be very lucrative indeed.

Story continues

Designer know-how for silk and cashmere

John Minihan/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty

In 1979 Pierre Cardin sewed up a landmark deal with the Chinese government. In exchange for the French designer's expert advice, China agreed to sell his company's wares in China and pay royalties in high-quality silk and cashmere.

Computer for art reproduction rights

Popova Valeriya/Shutterstock

Also in 1979 US computer manufacturer Control Data provided the Hermitage Museum in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) with a $3 million machine. In lieu of a cash payment the tech company was loaned several of the institution's masterpieces and granted exclusive rights to market reproductions of its artworks.

Lamb for oil

Tobin Akehurst/Shutterstock

New Zealand's Department of Trade and Industry turned to good old-fashioned bartering in 1982 when it clinched a $150 million deal with Iran to supply the Middle Eastern country with lamb, which was exchanged for oil. That's the equivalent of a $400 million (303m) deal in today's money.

Dairy products for bauxite

Yanawut Suntornkij/Shutterstock

Between 1982 and 1984 the USA swapped thousands of tonnes of surplus dairy products as well as other foodstuffs for large quantities of Jamaican bauxite. The rock, which has a high aluminium content, was added to America's National Defense Stockpile.

Lada cars for bauxite

granada_turnier [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]

Not ones to miss a trick when it came to countertrading, the Soviets got in the act yet again during the early 1980s by concluding a deal with Jamaica to acquire bauxite ore in exchange for Lada cars, which were a relatively common sight in the Caribbean country back in the day.

Oil for sugar and Volkswagen assembly kits

PRESSLAB/Shutterstock

A nation that is big on bartering, Nigeria offloaded a hefty $500 million-worth of oil to Brazil in 1985, the equivalent of $1.2 billion (910m) in today's money. In return, the South American country sent over 250,000 tonnes of sugar and 500,000 Volkswagen assembly kits.

Lamb for heavy industrial equipment

Shutterstock.com

Also in 1985 the New Zealand Meat Board embraced countertrading in a major way by signing a deal with Poland, which at this time was under communist control, to barter lamb for heavy industrial equipment.

Tobacco for PCs

Chris Sheppard/Shutterstock

Zimbabwe has long been one of the world's leading tobacco producers and is among the most countertrade-friendly countries on the planet. In 1987 the African nation traded the cash crop for Bulgarian Isotimpex computers.

Tobacco for combine harvesters

DPA DEUTSCHE PRESS-AGENTUR/DPA/PA

That same year Zimbabwe entered into a bartering arrangement with East Germany, which exported combine harvesters to the African country in exchange for large quantities of tobacco leaves.

Asbestos for three-wheel scooters

kev Hughes / Shutterstock.com

Staying in 1987 Zimbabwe swapped asbestos for Indian three-wheel scooters, as well as other items including paper, photocopiers, sewing machines and TV sets. While the cancer-causing substance was banned in India in 2011, it continues to be imported and used in insulation, roofing materials and brake linings.

Scrap iron for trains

Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty

The government of Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, put its ample reserves of scrap iron to excellent use in 1989 by swapping a sizeable batch of the spent metal for 12 Italian-manufactured locomotives, which ended up running on the country's state-owned railway.

Pepsi for Soviet warships and tankers

Norbert Schiller/AFP/Getty

Seasoned barterer PepsiCo went all out in 1990 when it finalised a $3 billion deal with the USSR to swap Pepsi concentrate for vodka and, believe it or not, 17 submarines, a cruiser, a frigate and a destroyer, as well as tankers and freighters, which it planned to lease and sell overseas. The so-called deal of the century was the biggest a US company ever signed with the Soviets.

Frozen fish for freezers

Oranoot/Shutterstock

Presumably short of equipment to freeze its catches, Tunisian fishing company CNP hooked up with the Algerian state-owned refrigeration firm Enafroid in 1991 to barter frozen fish for freezing technology.

Frankincense for tea

JurateBuiviene/Shutterstock

As a condition of a countertrade deal arranged in 1991, Sudan agreed to supply China with aromatic frankincense, which according to the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus was one of the three gifts presented by the Magi to the Christ child, in exchange for a variety of commodities including tea.

Palm oil for fighter jets

Suriya Desatit/Shutterstock

The Malaysian government came up with a novel way to help pay for 18 Russian MiG-29 fighter jets back in 1994. The cash-strapped southeast Asian country brokered a deal with Russia worth $550 million (the equivalent of $955m/724m today), settling almost 20% of the bill with refined palm oil.

Insect traps for Apache helicopters

Vadimmmus/Shutterstock

In 1995 US aircraft manufacturer McDonnell Douglas agreed to install a sophisticated system of insect traps in order to close a $250 million deal with the UAE for Apache helicopters. That would be worth $422 million (320m) in today's money. At the time the emirate was plagued with a white fly infestation that was wiping out its vegetable crops.

Sticky rice for cargo planes

Doraemon9572/Shutterstock

A super-popular foodstuff throughout southeast Asia, sticky rice from Thailand took the place of hard currency in a major aircraft deal back in 1996 when Indonesian aviation company Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN) traded two of its cargo planes for 110,000 tonnes of the glutinous grain.

Natural gas for free passage

Karolis Kavolelis/Shutterstock

In 1998 Bulgaria permitted trade destined for Russia to pass through its territory from countries including Greece, Macedonia and Turkey. In exchange, the country started receiving free natural gas from Russian state-owned energy company Gazprom.

Oil for doctors

Mario Tama/Getty

In 1999 Venezuela's extreme left-wing president Hugo Chavez signed a deal with the leader of communist Cuba, Fidel Castro, to supply the Caribbean island nation with 100,000 barrels of crude oil a day in exchange for 20,000 Cuban doctors and other professionals, who decamped to work in the South American country.

Condoms for arms

Fuss Sergey/Shutterstock

As part of an expansive deal to furnish South Africa with arms, German steelmaker Ferrostaal invested in an Eastern Cape condom plant in 2001 and organised the export from Germany of 100 million unfinished condoms.

Frozen chicken for fighter jets

Shutterstock.com

The Thai government worked out a deal with Lockheed Martin in 2005 to swap thousands of tonnes of chicken for a number of F16 fighter jets. Commenting on the exchange, the then-Thai defence minister Thammarak Isarangura quipped: They both have wings and they can both fly. Unfortunately a coup in Thailand the following year scuppered the arrangement.

Copper and cobalt for railways and hospitals

Samir Tounsi/AFP/Getty

In 2008 the Democratic Republic of the Congo teamed up with the China Railway Engineering Corporation to wrap up a mega countertrade deal worth $9 billion, the equivalent of $10.7 billion (8.1bn) today. In exchange for colossal quantities of cobalt and copper, the Chinese state-owned company agreed to construct miles of railways and roads, scores of hospitals, and more.

Palm oil and coffee for fighter jets

Borka Kiss/Shutterstock

Mirroring somewhat the deal struck between Malaysia and Russia in 1994, the government of Indonesia announced in 2017 that it would exchange palm oil, coffee and other commodities for 11 Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets. Such an arrangement has been seen as a way to get around the trade sanctions imposed by the US against Russia, Iran, Venezuela and other countries who work with them.

800 mackerel for 12 puffins

Johnny Giese/Shutterstock

Zoos in the US are prohibited from buying or selling endangered animals without a hard-to-obtain permit. A loophole in the law, however, effectively allows them to exchange protected species without a permit, which has led to some bizarre deals. The New England Aquarium, for instance, once swapped 800 mackerel for a dozen puffins.

Oil for basmati rice

Nipol Plobmuang/Shutterstock

Severely restricted due to US sanctions, Iran recently resurrected a deal it had with India way back when to exchange oil for basmati rice. Iran is actually the biggest export market for the high-quality fragrant grain.

Now find out about the countries the US trades most with
Russian President Vladimir Putin via Associated Press

Separatists in Moldova have formally asked Vladimir Putin to protect them against pressure coming from their central government.

Moldova, a country on the western side of Ukraine, is pretty far away from Russia itself  but pro-Russia rebels in the breakaway region of Transnistria want Putins support right now.

The separatists did stop short of officially asking to become part of Russia, though, despite early reports suggesting Transnistria would request an annexation.

Heres what you need to know.

Why did some think Transnistria wanted to become part of Russia?

A Transnistrian opposition politician, Gennady Chorba, warned last week that the pro-separatist government might be making a request to the Kremlin on Wednesday, when its Congress of Deputies meets.

This is a noteworthy meeting  the last time it gathered was in 2006, when the region passed a referendum trying to join Russia and rejected a separate referendum on reuniting with Moldova.

According to the US-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the politicians might have been thinking of asking Russia to annexe Transnistria under the pretext of needing to protect Russian citizens and compatriots, supposedly from threats originating from Moldova or Nato or both.

Chorbas remarks also come after Russias foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, warned the rights of pro-Russia separatists in Transnistria need to be respected.

Lavrov even accused the West of making Moldova the next Ukraine in February last year  a worrying comparison after Russias brutal invasion of Ukraine.

Transnistria will ask Putin to join Russia?



On February 28, for the first time in 18 years, Transnistria will hold a congress of deputies of the so-called "Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR)". The opposition believes that at the meeting they will ask Putin to "accept" them pic.twitter.com/p3B2cs5UqW  NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 22, 2024

What actually happened instead?

A resolution adopted on Wednesday by hundreds of politicians in the region read: [We resolved to] appeal to the Federation Council and the State Duma of the Russian Federation, requesting measures to protect Transnistria amidst increased pressure from Moldova.

Story continues

Moldova has denied pressuring the region at all, instead claiming Russia destabilised the area.

What is the connection between Transnistria and Russia?

A former Soviet state, Transnistria has a population of around 400,000 where Russian is widely spoken.

In fact, more than 220,000 Russian citizens live in the region, according to the separatist politicians.

It illegally declared independence in 1990 but it is still tied economically to Moldova  no UN member recognises its sovereignty and its widely perceived as part of Moldova.

But, Transnistria gets free gas and pensions from Russia, which also watches over its security.

Meanwhile, the rest of Moldova has ambitions to join the EU  an expansion Putin has been trying to fight against for some time, and which partly motivates the Russian presidents invasion of Ukraine.

The Kremlin seeks to use Transnistria as a Russian-controlled proxy that it can use to derail Moldovas EU accession process, among other things, the analysts at ISW explained.

The Kremlin has geopolitical ambitions to control all post-Soviet states, including Moldova, and considers Moldova to be a part of Russias rightful historical territory.

The region is in an advantageous position for Moscow, too, being on the western border to Ukraine  according to Reuters, 2,000 Russian peacekeepers stay on the border between the two areas.

Was it ever likely Putin would annexe the region?

The probability of it actually happening was always pretty low.

The ISWs analysts said in the most dangerous course of action, Putin could declare Russias annexation of the region during his planned address to the Russian Federal Assembly on Thursday, February 29 if Transnistria requested.

But, they added: That appears unlikely.

According to the ISW, Putin may be trying to stoke tensions in the separatist region to create an imminent political crisis in Moldova.

Moldovas central government already admitted a month ago talks with the separatist region about joining the EU were difficult, while the Transnistrian government said the situation had deteriorated sharply since January 1, 2024  which is why its congress meeting was hastily arranged.

The region could offer a geopolitical advantage to Putin in the Ukraine war, too.

Back in 2022, there were fears Moscow might use the breakaway region to form another front in the attack on Ukraine.

Putin has used separatists to his advantage before  he recognised the independence of two breakaway Ukrainian regions, Luhansk Peoples Republic and Donetsks Peoples Republic  to justify his invasion of Ukraine back in February 2022.

He ordered troops into the European country three days after declaring the two pro-Russia regions as republics, claiming Russia was just trying to protect them.

However, as ISW predicted: Putin will more likely welcome whatever action the Transnistrian Congress of Deputies takes and offer observations on the situation.

Analysts in the Moldovan capital Chisinau had a similar take  that it was unlikely to actually happen.

As one anonymous source telling The Telegraph: Somebody may have ordered this to provoke tensions, to provoke reactions, and its worked.

Related...
Two youths were shot dead Monday as Guinea's capital was paralysed on the first day of an open-ended general strike, a key test for the junta that seized power in 2021 and banned demonstrations while muzzling critics.

A confederation of the main unions has urged public and private sectors to strike for the release of a prominent media activist, lower food prices and an end to media censorship.

Schools, shops, markets and roads were empty early Monday in Conakry and hospitals only offered skeletal services as youths set up barricades on arterial thoroughfares.

Sporadic clashes broke out in some outskirts and two young men were shot dead.

"They killed our son, they targeted him and shot him in the neck," Adama Keita, a relative of an 18-year-old who was caught up in clashes with security forces, told AFP.

This was confirmed by a witness and a police source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"I saw the motionless body of this teenager, I had tears in my eyes, and I immediately left the scene so as not to be associated with this type of crime," the police source told AFP.

Another young man died elsewhere in similar circumstances, a doctor at the hospital where he died told AFP.

The Guineematin.com news site contacted the second victim's father who confirmed the information.

"Around 12:00 pm (the security forces) called me when I was at the construction site to tell me that they had shot my child," the website quoted him as saying.

"When I got home, my younger brother called me back to say that he had died," he said.

Even government officials backed the protest.

"I'm on strike because Guineans are sick of the artificially created suffering, maintained by our leaders."

(AFP)



Read more on FRANCE 24 English



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(Reuters) - Andrei Kostin, CEO of Russia's No. 2 bank VTB, has rejected a U.S. charge that he illegally circumvented sanctions restrictions, calling accusations in a U.S. court indictment "groundless".

The United States on Feb. 22 charged Kostin and two U.S.-based associates with sanctions violations as part of a flurry of enforcement actions aimed at Russia two years after it invaded Ukraine.

Kostin, who was sanctioned by the United States in 2018, is accused of money laundering and sanctions violations through his maintenance of two yachts worth more than $135 million and a home in the resort town of Aspen, Colorado, according to an indictment in Manhattan federal court.

"I have never violated any, including American, legislation, or circumvented any sanctions," Kostin said in comments to Russian media. "And I urge all my partners not to look for or come up with any means of circumvention, but to build another world  independent of pressure from the political elite and U.S. military lobby."

Kostin said the U.S. establishment was unhappy that VTB had minimised the damage from sanctions imposed two years ago.

(Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Peter Graff)
A Spanish ship that sank in the Caribbean in 1708 could hold sunken treasure including gold, silver, and emeralds worth up to $20bn, the Colombian government said, unveiling plans to explore the legendary galleon.

Colombia said it is launching a government expedition to investigate the wreck of the San Jose galleon, dubbed the holy grail of shipwrecks.

Historical records suggest the ship was carrying wealth accumulated from several of South Americas Spanish colonies, including over 100 steel chests full of emeralds and millions of gold and silver coins.

Launched in 1698, the ship sank in a battle off Baru Island south of Cartagena as it was travelling from the New World to the court of King Philip V of Spain, laden with treasure for the royal coffers.

Historians say the ship encountered a British squadron near Baru and in the ensuing battle the legendary galleons powder magazines detonated, destroying it and killing over 500 members of the crew.

A previous expedition by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution located the sunken galleon in 2015, but attempts are yet to be made to recover its treasure.

Colombia said on Friday that it is investing about $4.5m in 2024 alone to explore the galleon.

The government is keeping the location of the expedition a secret to deter amateur treasure hunters.

Spanish galleon San Jose sunken in battle in 1708 (Colombian Armada)

Researchers hope to use new technology to explore the water around the shipwreck at a depth of nearly 600m (about 2,000 ft).

So far, oceanographers have used sea depth analysis and soil studies of the ocean bed to understand the best ways to extract the galleons contents.

The government plans to use submerged robotic technology to extract some of the treasure from the surface of the sunken ship between April and May.

San Jose galleon shipwreck Grab from video released by Colombian Armada (Colombian Armada)

This could help determine what condition treasure from other parts of the ship would be in when it comes out of the water.

The ships discovery sparked a tug-of-war over its custody, with Spain claiming the bounty was theirs and Bolivia insisting the treasures belonged to its indigenous Qhara Qhara nation who were forced to mine for the precious metals by Spanish colonists.

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Colombian president Gustavo Petro wants to use the governments own resources to recover the wreck and ensure it stays within the country.

Officials say the expedition is being planned for cultural reasons more than to discover sunken treasure, mainly to understand what life was like for the hundreds on board before the vessel sank.

History is the treasure, Juan David Correa, Colombias minister of culture, told the Associated Press.
The United Nations Security Council is likely to discuss the appointment of a special envoy for Afghanistan on Monday despite the Talibans refusal to have an international representative for the war-torn nation.

In a closed-door meeting, the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres will share a report on the appointment of a special envoy for Afghanistan and the recent international meeting on Afghanistan in Doha, said Naseer Ahmed Faiq, Charge dAffaires of the Afghanistan Permanent Mission to the UN.

The Taliban regime in Afghanistan is seeking international recognition for its own officials and denies the need for a diplomat selected by the UN to speak on issues concerning Afghanistan.

Speaking at the UN-sponsored talks in Doha last week, Mr Guterres had clarified the need to have clear consultations with the Taliban to understand the envoys role and who it could be to make it attractive from their point of view.

It was in the Talibans interests to be part of the consultations, Mr Guterres had argued last Monday.

However, the Taliban threw up last-minute objections and did not attend the meeting, ostensibly over the presence of Afghan civil society members who are not a part of the Islamist group.

The Doha meeting included representatives from the US, China, Pakistan and the European Union had reached a "total consensus" on proposals from a UN independent assessment on Afghanistan, Mr Guterres said.

He added that the assessment recommended the appointment of a UN special envoy  a proposal backed by Western nations but rejected by the Taliban authorities.

Zabiullah Mujahid, the chief spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan claimed that the war-battered nation is not in crisis and it does not need a new representative with the existing presence of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA) in the country.

As for the special representative, the position of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan [the Talibans name for the country] is very clear and there is no need to appoint a special representative for Afghanistan, he said.

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Mr Mujahid claimed: Afghanistan is a secure country and does not suffer from any crisis and needs international cooperation, but within the framework of the cooperation that existed before. In the presence of UNAMA, all issues between the United Nations and Afghanistan will be resolved.

While no country formally recognises the Taliban government in Afghanistan, informal backing for it has increased from a number of regional powers including China and central Asian nations, for whom the country is an important trade and infrastructure partner.

The international community and Western nations in particular are refusing to provide validation to a regime that has enforced a blanket ban on education and work for women and girls. Mr Guterres said the Doha meeting participants agreed it was essential to revoke these restrictions.
22 killed, 10 injured as tractor trolley overturns in India

Xinhua) 10:36, February 26, 2024

NEW DELHI, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 22 people were killed and 10 others injured, some of them critically, after a tractor trolley overturned and fell into a pond on Saturday in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

The accident took place in Patiyali area of Kasganj district, about 266 km northwest of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.

"So far 22 deaths have taken place in the accident and 10 people injured are being treated at different hospitals," Kasganj Chief Medical Officer Rajiv Agrawal told media.

According to police, the victims were heading to Kadarganj to take a holy dip in the Ganga river.

"Today a tractor trolley overturned and fell into a pond on the Patiyali-Dariyavganj road in Patiyali area. The occupants in the trolley were going to take a bath in the Ganga river," a local government official said. "The villagers were the first to respond to the accident and they fished out the victims, a majority of whom were women and children."

Rescuers removed the bodies from the spot and shifted them to a mortuary, where they will be handed over to their families after conducting post-mortem examinations.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the deaths and offered condolences to the bereaved families. He also announced financial assistances to the families affected by the accident.

Preliminary investigations said the tractor driver was trying to overtake another vehicle, which led to the overturn.

Deadly road accidents are common in India, often caused by overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.

Around 150,000 people are killed every year in about half a million road accidents across India.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Chinas C919 single-aisle jet made its international debut at the Singapore Airshow, attracting masses of visitors and hundreds of orders, but analysts say it still has a long way to go before it can compete with aircraft from market leaders Boeing and Airbus.

The Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China - also known as COMAC  has received over 1,000 orders for the jet, mostly from Chinese airlines. A lack of international certification means the aircraft cannot operate commercially in most countries unless they recognize certifications by Chinas civil aviation regulator.

Over the course of last week's airshow, which drew over nearly 120,000 trade and public visitors, the C919 performed fly-pasts, allowing visitors to see the jet in action. Its only previous foray outside mainland China was to Hong Kong in December.

Its quite symbolic and a major milestone in that push by China to become considered, alongside Airbus and Boeing, for commercial aircrafts, said Brendan Sobie, an independent aviation analyst based in Singapore.

COMAC aims to compete with companies like Boeing and Airbus in the single-aisle jet market. But first, the C919 has to be certified internationally, he said.

The plane is currently certified only in China, where China Eastern Airlines are operating four C919 aircrafts. A lack of international certification means the C919 cannot operate in most countries unless they recognize certifications by Chinas civil aviation regulator.

Another aspect COMAC needs to work on before its jets can become serious contenders alongside the Airbus A320neo and Boeings 737 Max narrow-body airliners is building up a reliable distribution system and market support services for its aircraft.

Most of the orders come from Chinese airlines and the challenge moving forward is that in order to have a sustainable future, COMAC must demonstrate that they are able to go beyond Chinese shores, said Mabel Kwan, managing director at consultancy Alton Aviation.

COMAC declined to make its executives available for an interview.

So far, the state-owned company says it has received 1,061 domestic orders for the C919, but it has yet to secure many international customers. Brunei-based GallopAir, which is backed by Chinese investors, signed a letter of intent in September to purchase 30 aircraft from COMAC, including a C919 jet, in a deal estimated to be worth $2 billion.

COMAC faces supply chain challenges similar to those of Boeing and Airbus, which currently have backlogs of thousands of aircraft yet to be delivered. While the C919 is designed in China, much of its technology and many of its parts are from foreign suppliers. Its engine, for example, is made by CFM International, a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Frances Safran Aircraft Engines.

Its not like China has its own supply system, its own avionics, its own engines, so that theyre not impacted by whats happening globally, Sobie said, adding that COMAC might not be a high priority for suppliers also struggling to catch up with deliveries to Boeing and Airbus.

COMAC however does have the luxury of a wide talent pool from China, Kwan said, and in the long run this may allow the firm to develop more homegrown technology and parts for use in its aircraft.

Right now, COMAC is using mostly Western technology  but with enough research & development, training and education, the whole ecosystem may be able to overcome (challenges in the long term), she said. (AP)
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Every year, we find ourselves asking 'where is hot in May'? Although the spring season should be well under way in the UK and the need for winter breaks is over, you might have to head a little further afield for guaranteed sunshine.

Much like the hunt for where is hot in March and April (and even the search earlier in the year in January and February), there are some long-haul destinations that tick the boxes, whether you're seeking a city break or a fly and flop treat. The Seychelles reach the ideal hot-but-not-sweltering temperatures in May, as does much of Japan (which is unmissable in spring time) and more unexpected locations like South Korea.

But May is also the time that Europe wakes up from its wintery slumber and beckons visitors who are keen to get some spring sunshine without the crowds. In fact, some of the best hot holidays in May take the form of European city breaks, when it's not too hot to soak up some culture through days of sightseeing.

Then there are European beach holidays, a dreamy choice for hot holidays in May, with temperatures around the mid-twenties in hotspots like Ibiza and Malta. There are some amazing hotels to check in to in each, but you also might want to rent, with great options for Paros Airbnbs if you're looking for a Cycladic treat.

So, here's our edit of the where is hot in May in Europe and beyond...

Florence, Italy - where is hot in May?

Visit Florence in May and not only will you get to enjoy balmy temperatures of up to 24C, you'll also avoid the hordes of tourists that descend on this historic city in the summer months. Thanks to both of these, you'll be able to wander the city's soul-stirring streets and piazzas, visit the Uffizi Gallery without queuing, see the Duomo without the crowds  and score a table at the best restaurants in town. You'll also get a better rate at the best hotels, like Villa La Massa, which is set outside the main city on the banks of the Arno River.

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Hokkaido, Japan - where is hot in May?

Japan may be famous for the transient beauty of cherry blossom, celebrated in the ritual of hanami, but if you go a little off the beaten track to the volcanic northern island of Hokkaido, you'll also get to witness flower fields bursting into life. Cherry blossom also blooms later here, so you might well catch the last of it in May, when temperatures reach the comfortable teens  and can go up to 20C. Stay in the capital city of Sapporo in a hotel like the sleek Cross Hotel  and remember that, thanks to the bullet train, Tokyo is only four hours away.

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Ibiza, Spain - where is hot in May?

You might know it as the party isle  and there are plenty of opportunities for late-night revelry in the wild child of the Balearics  but Ibiza is also a place of elevated seafood restaurants, bohemian spirit and scenic, secluded coves. The latter are quieter than ever in May, when the average temperature is a pleasant 18C and highs can reach the mid-twenties. More than enough for a blissful beach day or long, languid pool session. For that, you'll want to stay in a place like Mondrian Ibiza (or its neighbouring Hyde Ibiza), which is fresh for this year's season and has direct access to Cala Llonga beach. And if you do want to experience the White Isle's legendary nightlife, you may be interested to know that opening parties kick off at the end of April...

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Seoul, South Korea - where is hot in May?

May is great time to visit South Korea's vibrant metropolis, Seoul. The end of springtime sees temperatures in the late teens and early twenties  ideal for exploring the city's buzzy skyscrapers and pop culture as well as serene temples and palaces. Splash out on a stay at Four Seasons Seoul, which is near to key sites including Gyeongbokgung Palace, Jongmyo Royal Shrine and Bukchon Hanok Village. The achingly sleek modern style and international luxury is tempered with authentic Korean hospitality, so you'll know exactly where you are throughout your stay.

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Paros, Greece - where is hot in May?

Hot holidays in May can be a great way to visit an area that can become overrun with tourists later on in the year  and Paros is a case in point. This heavenly Greek island has surged in popularity in recent years, thanks to its classic Cycladic architecture, heavenly beaches and charming villages. Summer starts early here, and you can gladly swim in the glistening Aegean sea in May, when temperatures can reach 23C. To experience an authentic stay on the island, find a Paros Airbnb like this dreamy beach house for four.

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Budapest, Hungary - where is hot in May?

With architectural splendour and cultural intrigue, Budapest makes a great city break at any time of year. But it's particularly good if you're on the hunt for where is hot in May, when temperatures average 19 or 20C  and can rise to 23C. This makes for the most perfect sun-dappled spring strolls along the gleaming Danube River and the gorgeous green spaces and majestic buildings that surround it. For an elegant stay right at the heart of it all, check in to Matild Palace, a gem that transports guests back to the Belle Epoque era with heaps of Hungarian heritage  not to mention chic, airy rooms and elevated classics in a restaurant by Wolfgang Puck.

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Seychelles - where is hot in May?

This classic hot holiday destination is perfect in May, when you can expect maximum temperatures of 29C and an average of eight hours of sunshine per day  the ultimate antidote to disappointing British springs. What's more, underwater visibility is best in the month of May, so diving and snorkelling fans will rejoice. Splash out on a stay at the divine Six Senses Zil Pasyon on the secluded private island of Felicite in the Seychelles. Here, you can expect pure white beaches, rocky outcrops, an eco-conscious ambience and the freshest seafood known to man.

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Valletta, Malta - where is hot in May?

When you ask where is hot in Europe in May, you also need to ask where is reliably dry in May  and Malta is both. You might need a light jacket for evenings here, but daytime temperatures reach the mid-twenties, making for the perfect sunny weather to enjoy the vibrant towns and bays surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. Another compelling reason to come here is the beautiful places to stay  including Welcome Beyond's upscale portfolio, where you'll find boutique gems like Casa Ellul, a tiny, design-led hotel that has been owned by the same local family since the early 1800s.

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More holiday ideas:

- The best alternatives to the Maldives

- Where is hot in November

- Where to go in Italy

- Top places for winter snow

- Luxury wellness retreats

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Charming medieval metropolises

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The Middle Ages  from around AD 500 to 1500  produced some of the finest and most beautiful architecture in the world and if you know where to look a surprising amount is still standing. From fabulous fortifications in France to the higgledy-piggledy streets of Vietnams capital we take a tour of charming medieval metropolises around the globe.

York, England

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Although it dates back to Roman times, York flourished during the Middle Ages. The city built its wealth on trading in wool and textiles, and society's most affluent people invested in property such as the cottages of Our Ladys Row in Goodramgate, dated to 1316. Star sights here include The Shambles, a street seemingly straight out of Harry Potter, which takes its name from the butchers' benches, placed outside shops to display wares. York Minster, constructed between 1230 and 1472, is one of the finest examples of Gothic cathedrals in the world too.

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

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Cesky Krumlov  whose name is purported to mean 'Crooked Meadow in Czechia'  is tucked away in a bend of the Vltava river in the Czech Republic's south. Small but perfectly formed, it's crisscrossed with narrow, winding streets and dominated by its huge castle, dating from the 13th century. Over all that time, only three aristocratic families have ever owned the place. The city's other prominent structure, the Gothic church of St Vitus, was consecrated in 1439.

Hanoi, Vietnam

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The ancient capital of Vietnam, set on the banks of the Hong river in the north of the country, has a fascinating labyrinth of streets dating back a thousand years. Medieval shop fronts, where merchants traditionally lived above their premises, stick out among the modern architecture. Particularly striking, the Temple of Literature began as a university in the 11th century, and was where the teachings of Confucius were traditionally imparted.

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Fez, Morocco

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The city of Fez in northern Morocco was first mentioned in 789, but most of its famous landmarks date from the 13th and 14th centuries. In fact, the old town, or Medina, is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the Arab world. It's tipped as having the worlds largest pedestrian zone, with a tapestry of narrow streets, busy squares and souks lined with goods. The city also has an ancient university and religious schools, and its traditional trade of tanning leather continues to this day.

Bamberg, Germany

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First mentioned in 902, Bamberg lies in the southern German state of Bavaria. The town is famous for brewing beer  especially dark smoke beer  and a handful of breweries still exist in the city, many with their own pubs. One such venue is the delightfully crooked Schlenkerla pub, housed in a building dating from the 15th century. Another picturesque sight, the Little Venice area of the town boasts medieval fishing houses along the banks of the river Regnitz, while the quirky town hall rests on an island linked by two bridges.

Sighisoara, Romania

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Given that this Transylvanian town was on the edge of the Ottoman Empire  and subject to many attacks during the medieval period  it's amazing that so much of its early architecture remains. Set in the heart of Romania, Sighisoara originated in the 12th century when it was colonized by the Saxons. Today a magnificent citadel still sits atop the main hill, surrounded by a ring of walls and nine towers, including a clock tower.

Monsanto, Portugal

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Nestling close to the Spanish border, the Portuguese village of Monsanto was the main town in this region in the 12th century. The castle, the ruins of which are still visible today, was constructed in 1171 and used as a defense against the Moors. Other charming sights include the red-roofed buildings and narrow streets which, in more recent times, earned Monsanta the title of most Portuguese village in Portugal". Its the geology that really stands out, though  huge granite boulders litter the landscape and appear to be almost crushing the tiny houses.

Nuremberg, Germany

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Situated in the south German state of Bavaria, Nuremberg was first mentioned in 1050 as a settlement surrounding the castle. As the Middle Ages progressed, the city became a center of commerce, trade, manufacturing and the arts. The artist Albrecht Durer was born here and his half-timbered house, built in 1507, survives. Other attractions include the beautiful 14th-century Schoner Brunnen fountain and the Hauptmarkt, which remains a center of trade today.

Chester, England

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The magnificent walls that surround the city of Chester, located on the River Dee in northwest England, were completed by the middle of the 12th century. Nearly 2 miles (3.2km) in length, they encompass a beautiful city bursting with medieval architecture. The unique Chester Rows, or galleries, were built in the 13th century and comprise a series of covered walkways behind which stand the citys shops. The Three Old Arches on Bridge Street is considered to be the oldest shop front in Britain.

Pingyao, China

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Pingyao, which lies around 360 miles (579km) south west of Beijing, flourished during the Ming Dynasty (13681644). The shape of its magnificent walls earned it the nickname Turtle City, as the six gates and criss-crossing paths between them look like the four legs, head, tail and patterned shell of a turtle. The Ming-Qing shopping street retains its medieval architecture and two grooves, worn in by centuries of wheeled carts on the stone thresholds, are still visible.

Troyes, France

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A historic city in northeastern France, Troyes became incredibly wealthy through trade in the Middle Ages. The city hosted two annual trade fairs, which drew merchants from all over Europe and the Troy Weight, on which the imperial system of weights is based, is even named after the city. Troyes well-preserved half-timbered buildings still produce a delightful patchwork of contrasting pastel colours today.

Prague, Czech Republic

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Prague escaped destruction in the Second World War and is therefore home to a wealth of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, dating from 800 to the 15th century. Among its many medieval jewels is a still functioning astronomical clock on the side of the Old Town Hall  it was built in 1410 and its technical skill is a testament to medieval craftsmanship. Prague sits on the river Vltava and the beautiful Charles Bridge, built in 1357, is another historic wonder.

Rostov, Russia

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Located around 130 miles (200km) northeast of Moscow along Lake Nero, Rostov is often called The Great, to distinguish it from the southern city of Rostov-on-Don. It became famous as a great religious center in the 14th century and its Kremlin is said to be the finest outside Moscow. The central square is home to the Cathedral of the Assumption, the lower parts of which date from the 12th century.

Girona, Spain

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You may recognize the Catalonian city of Girona from season six of Game of Thrones, where it was called Braavos  but it's filled with real-life medieval wonders too. The city walls were originally Roman, but enlarged in the 800s, and again in the 14th century. Meanwhile, the Museum of Girona Cathedral contains the Tapestry of Creation, which was made in the 11th century and rivals the Bayeux Tapestry in size and importance. Girona also has a beautifully preserved Jewish quarter, which flourished in medieval times until the expulsion of the Jews in 1492.

Istanbul, Turkey

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Originally called Constantinople, Istanbul has an ancient history but flourished during the medieval period. The city is situated between Europe and Asia, and Christianity and Islam vied for dominance here. The Hagia Sophia, constructed from 537, was a Christian cathedral until 1453, then a mosque for 500 years (it functions as a mosque again today). The Topkapi palace, built from 1466 for the Sultan, is also impressive, but its the medieval street markets of the ordinary people that really bring the city to life.

Rhodes, Greece

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The island of Rhodes, off the east coast of Greece, has a wealth of ancient structures  but its perfectly preserved medieval city is a wonder to behold. In 1309, the military Order of the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem made their headquarters on the island and set about transforming it into a stronghold. It later came under Italian and then Turkish rule. The beauty of the Gothic architecture, constructed in white stone, makes the city shine like a jewel.

Nara, Japan

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Nara, 20 miles (32km) east of Osaka in southern Japan, was the capital and seat of the Emperor in the 8th century. The city has many ancient Buddhist temples including the Seven Great Temples, which are storied wooden pagodas dating from the 8th century. But Nara is perhaps most famous for its deer: going right back to the medieval period, deer were considered sacred messengers and they still roam the city today.

Visby, Sweden

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The beautifully preserved medieval town of Visby is situated on the island of Gotland, off the southeast Swedish coast. Visby grew rich on the trade between Russia and Western Europe and by 1161 was one of the principal cities of northern Europe. Its famous for a brutal battle fought in 1361 between the locals and the Danes, after which the city went into decline. However, today its well-preserved walls and tower gates, 14th-century merchant houses and cathedral make it a jewel in Scandinavia's glittering crown.

Carcassonne, France

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Situated in the beautiful Aude Valley, the 13th-century slate roofs of Carcassonne's 52 towers are a vision of beauty, glinting in the sun. These towers fortify the outer and inner ring of the city walls. Within the fortifications, there is a wealth of winding cobbled streets and houses which make up La Cite Medievale.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

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This walled medieval city, formerly called Ragusa, is set on a rocky outcrop in the southern tip of Croatia, looking out over the Adriatic. For centuries, Dubrovnik rivalled Venice as a trading port and its stone walls, built between the 11th and 17th centuries, gave the city vital protection. After damage wrought during the Bosnian War in the 1990s, the city is back to its former beauty.

Tallinn, Estonia

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The Estonian capital is first mentioned in the record of 1219 during an attack by the Danes when the area fell under their control. Tallinn grew prosperous on trade and the magnificent town hall, located in the main square, dates from 1402, while the Great Guild Hall built in 1407 is evidence of the importance of its merchants. Tallinns many churches fill the skyline, the oldest being St Marys which dates from the 13th century

Frias, Spain

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In 1435, Frias was given the title 'the smallest city in Spain' and today it is home to only 275 inhabitants. Situated south of Bilbao, in the north of the country, Frias lies on the hills overlooking the river Ebro and is dominated by its castle, built between the 12th and 15th centuries. Near the town is a well-preserved medieval bridge over the river, while the sloping red roofs, stone houses and narrow streets give the impression Frias remains frozen in time.

Hallstatt, Austria

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Although an 18th-century fire destroyed many of the medieval wooden buildings here, Hallstatt still retains much of its original beauty. Located in Upper Austria, the town grew wealthy from its trade in salt since prehistoric times, and its relative isolation means it has kept its picture-postcard appearance. Mountain-fringed Hallstatt is also said to be the inspiration for Arendelle in the Disney franchise Frozen.

Mostar, Bosnia Herzegovina

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The word Most means bridge in Slavic languages and this town is named after its most famous feature, a bridge that spans the river Neretva. Mostar began as a trading town between the Adriatic coast and central Bosnia in medieval times  the pedestrian bridge was then made of wood, but was rebuilt in stone in 1468 when the town came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. Tragically, the 400-year-old bridge was destroyed during the Bosnian war in the 1990s, but has since been reconstructed.

Siena, Italy

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Set in the beautiful Tuscan countryside, Siena is a jewel of a city. Although it has Roman origins, the city was rebuilt in the medieval period with the huge Piazza del Campo at its heart. Between 1278 and 1355, The Council of Nine ran Siena and built the Piazza to symbolize the cloak of the Madonna, protecting Siena. The Council also instituted the famous twice-yearly horse race. The particular red of Siena's bricks also gave rise to the colour known as Burnt Sienna.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

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Rothenburg, located in the Franconia region of Bavaria, is thought to be medieval Germanys second-largest town and is now one of its best preserved walled cities. The settlement is first mentioned in 970 and the first castle was built 100 years later. In 1170 the town received its city rights and the walled defenses were built. Work also began on St James Church in 1311 and the beautiful carved wooden altar was completed in 1484. Today the pretty town could still pass for the location of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

Bergen, Norway

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Meaning the green meadow among the mountains, Bergen, originally founded in 1070, grew into a major trading town with easy access to the rest of Europe. In the 13th century, it became the capital of Norway and the Bergenhus Fortress was constructed in 1240. Although the capital moved to the south, Bergen continued to prosper, and the quayside is still lined with the wooden merchant houses from that time.

Delft, The Netherlands

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This city, in the west of The Netherlands, lies along the Schie waterway between Rotterdam and The Hague  it was founded in 1075 and given its charter in 1246. Then, in 1389, the Schie was made into a canal, and the goods that were traded in and out of the city made Delft the most important city in the Netherlands in the medieval period. Bolstering the city further, the huge brick Eastern Gate (the only one surviving of four gates) was built in 1400, and enhanced by towers around a century later.

Krakow, Poland

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Located in the south of Poland, Krakow has the best preserved original medieval architecture in the country. Dating from the 10th century, the city grew as a trading center, bursting with opulent merchants homes. In 1320, King Wladyslaw united Poland and made Krakow the capital with the royal palace at Wawel. The medieval Jagiellonian University is one of the oldest in Europe and the huge market square is a testament to the wealth and power of this trading city.

Colmar, France

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Some argue that Colmar is the most beautiful city in Europe  and they could be right. This picture-perfect place lies in the Alsace region of France, south of Strasbourg, and is first mentioned in records around AD 823. By the 1200s, Colmar had become prosperous due to its location on the wine trade routes, with the rivers Lauch and Thur providing easy access. Colmars brightly-coloured half-timbered houses, quaint streets and ornate market squares give the feeling you really have stepped back in time.

Now check out the world's most beautiful walled towns and cities
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Watch: Shouting 'Free Palestine', US Soldier sets himself ablaze; succumbs

An on-duty member of U.S. Air Force set himself on fire shouting Free Palestine and slamming Genocide of Palestinians in Gaza outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC Sunday February 25, 2024. Read More

Monday February 26, 2024 7:40 PM , ummid.com News Network

Washington: An on-duty member of U.S. Air Force set himself on fire shouting Free Palestine and slamming Genocide of Palestinians in Gaza outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC Sunday February 25, 2024.

The U.S. airman who is identified as Aaron Bushnell, 25, was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Independent Journalist Talia Jane said she obtained the footage of the incident which shows Aaron Bushnell was wearing a military uniform and described himself as an active duty member of the US Air Force.

Jane later shared on social media platform X a blurred version of the video with the permission from the family of Aaron Bushnell.

Loved ones of Aaron Bushnell, 25, reached out to me and gave me consent to post a blurred version of Bushnells protest today against genocide in Palestine, Jane wrote on X, originally launched as Twitter, while sharing the video.

In the little over 3 minute horrifying and disturbing video, Aaron Bushnell is seen walking to the gates of the Israeli Embassy in the U.S. capital  in military uniform and carrying cans which probably had some volatile material.

Upon reaching the Israeli Embassy, Aaron Bushnell is seen pouring the volatile substance over his body and later setting himself on fire.

I will no longer be complicit in genocide and Free Palestine Aaron Bushnell can be clearly heard saying before igniting himself. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest. But, compared to what the Palestinians have been experiencing at the hands of their colonizers, is not extreme at all, he is heard saying as he walked to the Israeli Embassy.

US Air Force spokeswoman Rose Riley later confirmed to CNN that an active duty airman was involved in todays incident.

Watch Video (Disturbing Content)

#AaronBushnell



this is a tribute to this fallen American hero who protested the genocide by Apartheid Israel against the palestinian children.



his action is deeply saddening, as he had hopes and dreams, and he shouldn't have done it.

but his protest will not be in vain. pic.twitter.com/AYVApKcWUZ  Hewarjoyer (@Speechbruh) February 26, 2024

Friends have described Aaron Bushnell a kind-hearted and gentle person.

Aaron is the kindest, gentlest, silliest little kid in the Air Force, said Errico, who met Bushnell in 2022.

Widespread protests against the far right Zionist regime in Israel are continuing in different parts of the world, including the United States, ever since Oct 7, 2023 when the Israeli Occupation Forces launched their brutal military operation against the Palestinians in Gaza.

The Israeli Occupation Forces are engaged in the massacre of the Palestinians in retaliation of the Hamas attack on the Occupied Palestinian territories under the Zionist control that killed over 1,100.

The Palestinian Resistance Groups also took some 250 hostages while retreating. About 110 of them have been released as part of a prisoner swap deal in November last.

The Israeli forces have so far killed more than 30,000 Palestinians  over 70% of them women and children, and have also imposed total blockade and siege of the Gaza Strip.

The Americans in different parts of the United States are not only protesting againt the brutal Israeli military operation and forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza but also the Joe Biden and his government's monetary and military support to Israel .

Israel on the other hand terms its military action in Gaza self-defence. But, a number of world leaders, including officials of the United Nations, have said Israeli actions in Gaza have gone beyond the scope of self-defence .

International scholars and academicians have went to the extent of describing Israeli carnage in Gaza  a textbook case of genocide " while a top UN official said Israel as an occupation power does not have the right to self defence as per the international law .

The Israeli Occupation Forces, meanwhile, have also ignored the International Court of Justice (ICJ) order asking them to stop killing civilians. The ICJ preliminary order was in response of South Africa plea accusing the Israeli occupation forces of violating Genocide Convention.





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SIA files chargesheet against two Narco-terror financers 18 Mar 2024 | 5:47 PM Srinagar, Mar 18 (UNI) State Investigation Agency, Jammu and Kashmir police, on Monday filed chargesheet against two accused who along with their other associates were involved in operating a narco terror financing module in the union territory. see more..

Three killed in road accident in Hardoi 18 Mar 2024 | 4:01 PM Hardoi (UP), Mar 18 (UNI) Three persons were killed after being hit by a truck in the Sandila area of Hardoi district in Uttar Pradesh, police sources said here on Monday. see more..

Jammu and Kashmir government sabotaged J&K assembly polls: Omar 18 Mar 2024 | 3:40 PM Srinagar, Mar 18 (UNI) National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Monday blamed the J&K government for sabotaging the move to hold Assembly and Parliamentary elections simultaneously. see more..

Teacher shot dead by head constable over petty dispute in UP 18 Mar 2024 | 3:34 PM Muazaffarnagar, March 18 (UNI) A teacher was shot dead by a head constable deployed for security of answer sheets of Uttar Pradesh board examination over petty dispute in Civil Lines area of Muzaffarnagar district, police sources said on Monday. see more..
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says combatants in places such as Congo, Gaza, Myanmar, Ukraine and Sudan are turning a blind eye to international law as he made a plea for greater respect for human rights and peace around the world.

Speaking as the U.N.s top human rights body opened its latest session, Guterres warned Monday that the world is becoming less safe by the day.

Our world is changing at warp speed, he told the Human Rights Council. The multiplication of conflicts is causing unprecedented suffering. But human rights are a constant.

The U.N. chief said attacks on human rights take many forms, and reiterated his frequent calls for debt relief for some of the worlds poorest countries and greater spending to fight climate change. He defended UNRWA, the agency for Palestinian refugees, as the backbone of aid efforts in Gaza at a time when top Israeli authorities have called for its dismantling.

The U.N. human rights chief, Volker Turk, also lashed out at attempts to undermine the legitimacy and work of the U.N. and its affiliates.

The U.N. has become a lightning rod for manipulative propaganda and a scapegoat for policy failures, he said. This is profoundly destructive of the common good, and it callously betrays the many people whose lives rely on it.

The council was kicking off a six-week session on Monday as crises of human rights abound. On many minds will be the death this month of opposition leader Alexei Navalny while held in prison in President Vladimir Putins Russia, a permanent U.N. Security Council member. (AP)
VIFA EXPO 2024 will be held at the SKY EXPO VIETNAM Center, Quang Trung Software City, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, from February 26 to February 29, 2024.

The expo is co-organized by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Ho Chi Minh City Branch (VCCI-HCMC), the Vietnam Association for Building Materials (VABM) and the Lien Minh Company, with support from the Vietnam Coconut Association (VCA), the Ho Chi Minh City Advertising Association (HAA), and the Vietnam Investment Construction - Services in Agriculture and Forestry Association (VICSAFA).

Furniture Trade Hub in Southeast Asia

VIFA EXPO 2024 will feature over 600 exhibitors, with nearly 2,000 carefully-crafted booths. Together with local exhibitors from 22 Vietnamese cities and provinces, foreign exhibitors from 17 different nations and territories, including the US, Canada, China, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, the UK, Denmark, France, Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan (China), will be present at the expo.

In addition, nearly 3,500 foreign furniture buyers have registered to attend VIFA EXPO 2024 in order to find potential suppliers. These buyers come from 83 different countries and territories, including the US, Canada, Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Japan and South Korea.

Additionally, VIFA EXPO 2024 has also strengthened its partnerships with top international furniture exhibition organizers, such as the China International Furniture Fair (CIFF), the International Famous Furniture Fair (3F), Interzum (China), the Indonesia International Furniture Expo 2024 (IFEX) (Indonesia), the Sofurn & Lifeshow (South Korea), the Hive Furniture Show (the UAE), the Index Plus (India), and the Momarik Expo (Turkey).

Exclusive Support Program for International Buyers

With a significant number of foreign exhibitors and buyers in attendance, VIFA EXPO 2024 will present excellent prospects for all attendees. In particular, international furniture buyers will have access to a specialized assistance programme during VIFA EXPO 2024.

 Complimentary Hotel Stay: Provide VIP buyers with complimentary lodging for two nights along with a souvenir kit during the exhibition period.

 Free Airport Support Services: Provide essential supports for international buyers at Tan Son Nhat Airport.

 Free Factory Tours: Arrange free tours for international buyers to visit furniture manufacturers in Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces.

 Free Shuttle Bus: Offer free transportation from Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon, New World Hotel and First Hotel to the SKY EXPO VIETNAM Centre.

 Exclusive Savings on Hotel Accommodations at Hotels Listed for VIFA EXPO 2024: Give international buyers 20% to 50% off at 4-5 hotels.

 Free Industrial Seminar Attendance:

-Seminar 1: "Global Furniture Outlook 2023, Trends & Forecast 2024" featuring speakers from Italy, and Canada or Alibaba.com, who are experts in the furniture and design sectors

-Seminar 2: "Using New Materials in Interior and Exterior Furniture Production," including construction industry professionals from the Vietnam Association for Building Materials (VABM) and the HCM City University of Technology.

 Special Exhibitor & Buyer's Night function: The purpose of the event is to recognize the exhibitors who, over the previous 16 years, have partnered with VIFA EXPO to advance trade and create international contacts in the furniture business. Additionally, this is a chance for foreign buyers and exhibitors to network and exchange business.

Sign up to meet 600+ furniture exporters from Vietnam and abroad at VIFA EXPO 2024: Register for free at https://www.vifaexpo.com/clientRegister. For additional details, please get in touch with:

LIEN MINH COMPANY

Address: 2/13 Bau Cat 2, Ward 14, Tan Binh District, HCMCTel: +84 28 7306 7887  Hotline: +84 79 999 7657Email: info@hawacorp.com.vn  Website: www.vifafair.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/vifafairLinkedIn: https://vn.linkedin.com/company/vifa-expo
AK LAK  ak Lak Province has shipped large volumes of agricultural produce this year to many markets around the world, a positive sign for its exports.

They were officially exported to China and to Korea.

On January 3 Nutri Soil Import  Export Joint Stock Company in Buon Ma Thuot held an event to celebrate the first ever export of ak Lak macadamia, when over 10 tonnes were shipped to Korea.

Officials from both countries inspected the consignment for food safety and hygiene, packaging and traceability. The product is expected to be sold through major supermarket chains.

Le Thi Trang, director of Nutri Soil Import  Export Joint Stock Company, said the company tied up with farmers, researched, invested in processing equipment, and looked for markets for over eight years.

She said the first shipment to Korea was a success.

The province has suitable land and weather for growing macadamia, she added.

On January 20 the Krong Pac District Peoples Committee organised an event to celebrate the export of the first consignment of birds nest by the Thanh Dung Birds Nest Import  Export Joint Stock Company to China.

The event was an important milestone for the bird's-nest farming industry in ak Lak Province since China is the worlds biggest market for the product.

According to Y Djoang Nie, vice chairman of the district Peoples Committee, 200 households harvest birds nests.

Official exports create opportunities to access large markets, and the product fetches high profits for enterprises and farmers.

On February 15 Banana Brother Farm Joint Stock Company celebrated the shipment of bananas through official export quotas to China and to Korea.

Its fresh products met the stringent quality standards in those markets and Japan.

According to Daklak September 2nd Import  Export Company Limited, on the first day after the Tet holidays ended it exported 572 tonnes of coffee and 56 tonnes of pepper.

The province targets exports of $1.6 billion this year and increasing them by 4.3 per cent a year.

One of its strengths is that many of its key agricultural products are exported through official channels, and its markets are expanding.

Huynh Ngoc Duong, deputy director of its Department of Industry and Trade, said, thanks to their proactive efforts in 2023, businesses got new orders right at the start of the new year.

Coffee prices are currently at a high VN80,000 per kilogramme, which would help increase export value.

ak Lak grows 13 out of 14 agricultural products that are officially exported to China, including highly processed items such as birds nest and macadamia, according to Duong.

These are positive signs for its exports. Exporters have been facing difficulties such as international conflicts and high shipping costs.

Duong said the department needed to work with enterprises to help them retain traditional customers and markets, develop new products and access new markets, thus increasing the number of exporters.

There should be conferences and seminars to acquaint enterprises with bilateral and multilateral trade agreements that they could take advantage of, he added.

The province has tied up with other provinces and cities to facilitate exports.

In 2024 its agricultural sector will continue to study the 16 free trade agreements that Viet Nam has signed to make use of them and thoroughly research markets that have demand for Vietnamese goods.

It will restructure production towards concentrated farming and focus on origin traceability, certification and branding to raise the value of products.  VNS
HA NOI  Vietnam Airlines (VNA) will host the International Airline Symposium (IAS) 2024 in Ha Noi from February 27 to 29.

The IAS is an annual conference that has been held since 1988, bringing together leaders and experts from various fields in the global aviation industry to discuss important issues.

By hosting the event, Vietnam Airlines is not only showcasing its position as the national airline and one of leading companies in the aviation industry of Viet Nam but also gaining the trust of the international community. It's a significant opportunity for Viet Nam to demonstrate its capabilities and contributions to the aviation sector.

This symposium will provide a platform for valuable discussions and the exchange of ideas among industry professionals, contributing to the further development and advancement of the global aviation industry.

The conference is expected to have around 60 delegates, including leaders from aviation and non-aviation organisations and businesses from different countries.  VNS
HA NOI  A delegation of representatives from 14 international financial institutions led by Maybank Investment Banking Group (Maybank IBG) recently visited Viet Nam to learn about the local market, according to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

The two sides discussed investment potential of the Vietnamese market, especially the financial and business environment of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or startups, where Maybank and other investment funds have strengths.

The Maybank IBG is part of the Maybank, the largest financial and banking group in Malaysia and the fourth largest in ASEAN, with total assets of more than US$200 billion.

Nguyen Manh Dung, head of institutional equities sales at Maybank, said that in Vietnam, the lender has been providing banking and securities services since 1996, and has also invested in and become a strategic shareholder of An Binh Commercial Joint Stock Bank since 2008. In addition, the group has been a credit partner of numerous domestic companies and corporations, typically Vingroup, Hoa Phat or Thaco.

The delegation also included representatives from other investment funds of Malaysia like LTH and KWAP, Thailands SCBAM and Asset Plus, Japans Nomura Asset Management, and Haitong International of Chinas Hong Kong.

VCCI Vice President Nguyen Quang Vinh said that many corporations have been interested in and committed to investing in Viet Nam which boasts a population of 100 million, an abundant young workforce, a stable socio-political environment, and important investment attraction policies of the State, in such fields as semiconductor, high-tech manufacturing, and clean energy.

In addition, Viet Nam also has fundamental strengths in infrastructure and human resources, and its Government has issued strategies to pursue new fields such as technology, semiconductor, green economy, clean energy and startup investment, he added.  VNA/VNS
VIENTIANE  Vietjet has inaugurated a new route connecting HCM City with Vientiane (Laos), expanding opportunities for economic development, tourism and cultural exchange between the two neighbouring countries.

The new route serves passengers with four return flights per week, operating Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, providing a complete flying experience to the "Land of a Million Elephants" in just 1 hour and 45 minutes flight time.

Vietjet Vice President Nguyen Thanh Son said that the route will not only shorten travel time between Viet Nam and Laos but also expand Vientiane's connections to destinations in the region and the world via Vietjet's international flight network.

According to Vietjet, Vientiane is both the capital and the largest city, a political and economic centre of Laos. Located on the banks of the Mekong River it has picturesque beauty, ancient charm, famous architectural landmarks, temples, pagodas, local festivals and unique cuisine.

Meanwhile, HCM City is a prominent economic, cultural and tourist centre with distinctive cultural features, a vibrant modern lifestyle, and convenient connectivity to various destinations in Viet Nam and internationally.  VNS
HCM CITY  The 15th Viet Nam International Furniture & Home Accessories Expo (VIFA EXPO 2024) began on February 26 at the SKY EXPO VIETNAM Center, Quang Trung Software City, District 12, HCM City.

With 2,000 booths occupying 36,000sq.m, the event features over 600 exhibitors from 22 Vietnamese cities and provinces, as well as participants from 17 different nations and territories, including the US, China, India, South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand.

It offers opportunities for furniture and home accessories businesses to exhibit their products and pursue orders from domestic and international clients.

According to Tran Ngoc Liem, director of VCCI HCM City Branch, Viet Nam's wood and furniture exports faced challenges in 2023, experiencing a contraction after two decades of growth. However, late 2023 and early 2024 saw a strong recovery.

Exports reached nearly US$1.8 billion in January 2024, constituting over 29 per cent of Viet Nam's agricultural export turnover. It also became the sole sector to achieve monthly exports of over $1 billion.

Despite this success, the industry encounters ongoing challenges amid global uncertainty.

Therefore, trade promotion is crucial, and the 15th VIFA EXPO serves as a critical platform, bridging businesses seeking orders and providing opportunities for exhibitors to display products and secure deals, he said.

Moreover, the exhibition also organises additional activities, including seminars, business matching programmes, and factory visit tours.

VIFA EXPO is one of the leading trade promotion events in the furniture industry in the region, ranking eighth on the list of the top 100 global furniture events on the reputable website www.10times.com.

The exhibition is organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Ho Chi Minh City Branch (VCCI-HCMC), the Vietnam Association for Building Materials (VABM) and Lien Minh Company, with support from the Vietnam Coconut Association (VCA), the Ho Chi Minh City Advertising Association (HAA), and the Vietnam Investment Construction - Services in Agriculture and Forestry Association (VICSAFA).

The exhibition lasts until February 29.  VNS
HA NOI  The VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) rose 12.17 points, or 1 per cent, to 1,224.17 points. This snapped its three straight days of falling. The index had lost 1.25 per cent last Friday.

On the southern bourse, the market's breadth was positive as the number of gainers surpassed that of fallers by 194 to 121.

Liquidity stayed at a high level of above VN20 trillion. However, it fell sharply from the previous session by more than 50 per cent. Particularly, the trading value on HoSE dipped 52.3 per cent to nearly VN21 trillion (US$849 million). This was equivalent to a trading volume of over 889.7 million shares.

The index's reversal was mainly driven by gains in large-cap stocks, especially in banking, information technology and manufacturing industries.

The VN30-Index, tracking the 30 biggest stocks on HoSE, increased 10.22 per cent, or 0.84 per cent, to 1,233.31 points. In the VN30 basket, 19 stocks advanced, while eight ticker symbols ticked lower and three stayed flat.

Leading the rallies was one of the domestic Big4 State-owned commercial banks, BIDV (BID). Shares of the lender soared nearly 3.1 per cent.

It was followed by FPT Corporation (FPT), Vietnam Rubber Group (GVR), Techcombank (TCB) and Vietcombank (VCB). The stocks were up in a range of 0.67-4 per cent.

Also contributing to the recovery, uc Giang Chemicals Group (DGC) surged 7 per cent, the biggest intra-day gain on the southern exchange. Techcombank (TCB) climbed 2.74 per cent, Hoa Phat Group (HPG) jumped more than 1.4 per cent, and a brokerage firm SSI Securities Corporation (SSI) increased 2.78 per cent.

On the contrary, some big names still faced strong selling pressure, such as Vingroup (VIC) which plunged 1.33 per cent, VPBank (VPB) dropped 1.28 per cent and Novaland (NLV) dropped 1.18 per cent.

The HNX-Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX) also opened the market on a positive note, up 1.78 points, or 0.77 per cent, to 232.86 points.

During the session, over 98.5 million shares were traded on HNX, worth more than VN1.8 trillion.

The market was also supported by the return of foreign investors as they net bought VN78.35 billion on both main exchanges.  VNS
HA NOI  Minister of Industry and Trade (MoIT) Nguyen Hong Dien called on all members of Cairns Group, a coalition of agricultural exporting countries, to commit to achieving an open, market-oriented and more equal playing field in agricultural trade.

The Vietnamese delegation led by Minister Dien attended the Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the Cairns Group under the framework of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday.

Speaking at the meeting, Dien emphasised the importance of agriculture in ensuring the welfare, food security and socio-economic development of each country.

Good agricultural growth and healthy agricultural trade development will ensure the stability of the world economy, especially in the context that many countries are still in the recovery phase after the COVID-19 pandemic, said Dien.

However, he also said that the results achieved by WTO members in reforming agricultural regulations recently were still very modest and had many limitations.

For example, domestic supports distort trade, market access is limited, and export competition is unfair, stressed Dien.

The leader affirmed that Viet Nam always welcomes new initiatives as well as efforts to promote negotiations for common benefits, on a basis consistent with the level of development and implementation capacity of the economies. These initiatives must be feasible and not create burdens due to new obligations.

In addition, Viet Nam commits to continuing to coordinate closely with members of the Cairns Group in efforts to achieve specific results in priority areas to support the development of the multilateral trading system.

"Viet Nam believes that the MC13 of Cairns Group will achieve more substantive results, contributing to promoting fair trade in agricultural products," said Dien.

At the meeting, countries recognised that agricultural negotiations were at an important stage. Among issues the WTO is promoting negotiations on, agriculture is the most important area and agricultural trade reform is considered the "health" of the multilateral trading system, as well as the process of building future global trade rules. Therefore, during the meeting, countries agreed to coordinate closely with industry associations in the process of developing these reforms.

The meeting also witnessed consensus among member countries on promoting progress in all three pillars of the Agreement on Agriculture, including domestic support, market access and export competition, to ensure balance in the reform process and promote fair trade in agricultural products.

The Cairns Group was established in 1986 in Cairns, Australia, to lobby and implement activities to promote agricultural trade liberalisation. Viet Nam became an official member of the Cairns Group in 2013.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam is gradually perfecting its policy and legal framework to promote comprehensive actions at all levels, sectors and communities in enhancing the capacity for biodiversity conservation.

Hoang Thi Thanh Nhan, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environments Natural Conservation and Biodiversity Department, told Tai nguyen Moi truong (Natural Resources and Environment) newspaper that from now until the end of the decade would be an important period for ministries, sectors and localities to take action.

The priority solution is to continue improving policies and regulations to enhance biodiversity conservation capacity. The policy and legal framework needs to be reviewed to ensure systematic, unified and updated requirements to fulfil Viet Nam's international commitments and practical needs, according to Nhan.

As the lead agency for the Biodiversity Convention, in 2023, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment submitted the draft National Biodiversity Conservation Plan for the period of 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050 and the draft national biodiversity strategy to 2030 with a vision towards 2050 highlighting wildlife conservation, especially endangered species to the Prime Minister for approval.

Specialised agencies are also urgently perfecting and amending related contents in Decree No08/2022/ND-CP and Circular No02/2022/TT-BTNMT providing detailed guidance and implementation of some provisions of the Environmental Protection Law. These include content on biodiversity impact assessment, biodiversity compensation, environmental heritage management and protection plans.

The system of policy and legal documents, combined with dissemination efforts to enhance awareness and responsibility for nature and biodiversity conservation, has helped promote widespread conservation activities within the community.

Many localities and businesses have made nature conservation and biodiversity a criterion for sustainable and green development. This is a positive signal for Viet Nam as building a harmonious society with nature has become a common model for many countries worldwide.

According to the Natural Conservation and Biodiversity Department, in 2024, the department will conduct a 15-year assessment of the implementation of Law on Biodiversity. This will lay the groundwork for proposing amendments to the Law on Biodiversity in 2028.

Meanwhile, research will be conducted to propose mechanisms, policies, and management measures for protecting natural landscapes, establishing management mechanisms for conservation areas beyond protected areas.

Although Viet Nam is recognised as the 16th country in terms of possessing some of the world's richest biodiversity, including rare and valuable genetic resources, it is currently grappling with swift biodiversity degradation. The nation is confronted with significant challenges such as environmental pollution, land degradation, ocean plastic pollution, and other severe impacts of climate change.

According to Pham Minh Thao, Director of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Viet Nam's Program Development, while forests still exist, under the forest canopy, there is a loss of wildlife habitats and a decline in species diversity. Without timely action, many endangered species will face extinction, leading to biodiversity loss.

Nguyen Manh Ha, Director of the Nature Conservation and Development Centre, said that the State budget currently did not adequately meet the needs for biodiversity conservation in implementing basic management and research tasks. Therefore, there was a need for a new financial mechanism and policies to attract external resources.

For example, Viet Nam could establish mechanisms to encourage the participation of Vietnamese people and businesses in investing in biodiversity conservation, or new mechanisms for ecosystem service payments outside forest ecosystems and policies to encourage individual and corporate tax contributions to biodiversity conservation.

Additionally, there was a need for biodiversity credit mechanisms, access to carbon credit markets, debt swap mechanisms for nature conservation, green bonds and green credits, he added.

Tran Quang Bao, Director of the Forestry Department, said that in the coming time, the department would complete regulations to provide a legal basis for specialised forest management boards to implement collaborative forest leasing for businesses and individuals organising ecotourism.

Expanding the conservation system

With areas outside natural reserves lacking strict protection, Viet Nam is moving towards an integrated approach to sustainable economic development, with the participation of local communities, which will significantly increase the area of conserved ecosystems.

As part of its participation in the global biodiversity framework, Viet Nam is committed that 30 per cent of land and sea areas will be conserved through the establishment of reserves and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) by 2030.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), OECMs not only help Viet Nam meet conservation commitments with the international community but also allow for the protection of highly threatened biodiversity hotspots.

A 2023 study identified nine potential OECMs in Viet Nam.

They are natural buffer zones of reserves; buffer zones of conservation areas; natural production forests; areas protecting fishery resources; areas with high biodiversity outside reserves; biodiversity corridors; important wetland areas; important ecological landscapes and national tourism sites.

These are significant natural landscapes with high biodiversity that have been recognised in Viet Nam's legal documents and internationally acknowledged for conservation efforts outside official reserves.

Additionally, agricultural production areas, such as shrimp-rice systems in the Mekong Delta and agroforestry systems like durian, passion fruit and avocado in the Central Highlands, can also learn from conservation initiatives both within and outside the reserve system to enhance biodiversity.

If combined with strict protection of remaining natural forests, many large areas with OECM potential can be identified, providing both biodiversity and socio-economic benefits to localities, it said.

Jake Brunner, Head of IUCN's Lower Mekong Sub-region, said: "While reserves must primarily aim for conservation, OECMs can be managed for various purposes as long as they achieve effective and long-term conservation goals.

"Structuring OECMs will not only help Viet Nam fulfil international commitments but also protect biodiversity in threatened habitats such as independent limestone mountain areas, seasonal floodplain areas, and coastal tidal flat areas that are currently underrepresented in the reserve system."

The number of OECMs in localities will be substantial due to land allocation policies to local communities. This poses challenges in defining specific boundaries, creating maps, and establishing management organisations.

To expedite OECM recognition, international organisations recommended that Viet Nam promptly develop and issue official criteria and guidelines, pilot management mechanisms for new OECM models and policies for local communities and private sectors in establishing and managing OECMs.

Moreover, applying ecosystem service payments at OECMs would be crucial for establishing sustainable financial mechanisms for biodiversity conservation, they said.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nams traditional festivals as well as those which are shaping up their brand, are adding lustre to local tourism while spurring the country to join hands with other ASEAN member states to develop sustainable festival tourism.

One example is the Tuyen Citadel Festival, renowned for its giant lanterns, which has made the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang a tourism magnet during the mid-autumn festival. The festival has set several Viet Nam Guinness records for its gigantic lanterns.

Moving to the central region, Hue City of Thua Thien-Hue Province, dubbed the city of festivals with more than 500 royal, traditional and religious ones, has successfully organised the Hue Festival and Traditional Craft Festival over years. The event has helped the locality capitalise on its cultural heritage to promote traditional values as well as popularise local images of the ancient capital city to the world.

Meanwhile, the central coastal city of a Nang has cashed in on the International Fireworks Festival as the festival brand has been unceasingly consolidated. The city hosted over 63,000 tourist arrivals, including 19,000 foreigners at the final night of the 2023 event.

Viet Nam's leading tourist destination, the ancient town of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province, had its Full Moon Festival recognised as a national intangible heritage item in September 2023. Its a post-harvest festival during which people gather together in celebration of a bumper harvest by making cakes and offerings from farm produce, expressing thanks to Heaven for peace and abundant crops.

The Lion and Unicorn Dances are a focus of the festival on the main stage in the Hoai River Square and along the streets of the Old Quarter.

The festival is decorated by lanterns in the Old Quarter and candle-lit paper flowers released on the Hoai River on the 14th and 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Its also a favourite rendezvous for local people and foreign tourists visiting and exploring the culture and lifestyle of Hoi An.

Festival tourism  a new trend to improve competitiveness

According to the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN welcomed some 143.5 million international visitors in 2019  the time before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, with a growth rate of 6.1 per cent, higher than the worlds average rate of 4 per cent.

Reinventing tourism services to drive competitiveness is part of the blocs focus to bolster post-COVID-19 recovery for the tourism sector. The development of festival tourism is seen as an effective way to open up numerous opportunities for ASEAN, including Viet Nam to sharpen its competitive edge and promote sustainable growth.

Deputy Director General of the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) Ha Van Sieu said that festivals had been considered an attractive tourism product that would help improve foreign tourist experiences and contribute to ASEANs tourism growth.

Festival tourism has been developed in Southeast Asia, with countries issuing policies to branch out sustainable tourism in tandem with cultural preservation, including the revival of traditional festivals, according to Sieu.

Renowned festivals attract huge crowds of tourists such as Chol Chnam Thmay festival (Cambodia), Songkran and lantern flying festivals (Thailand), boat racing (Laos) and Bali art festival (Indonesia). Traditional art performances, folk games, and culinary festivals held within the festivals are unique features that make for attractive tourism products.

The ASEAN member states are working closely to develop festival tourism, including the capitalisation of digital technologies to popularise festival tourism offerings.

A digital marketing campaign will be rolled out, targeting accessing 10 million potential tourists within a year, while digital content for regional festival tourism will be well prepared.  VNS
HOI AN - Two more traditional crafts in the ancient town of Hoi An  hammock weaving from tree bark strings and making houses from bamboo and nipa palm  have been recognised as national intangible heritage, adding to the heritage preservation list of the favourite tourism hub.

Nguyen Van Lanh, vice chairman of Hoi An Citys Peoples Committee [Administration], told Viet Nam News that the honour helps promote the community-based tourism and crafts in communes of Tan Hiep in Cham Islands, off the coast of Hoi An, and Cam Thanh in the suburban area.

The hammock weaving craft has been part of the surge of eco-tourism on the Cham Islands, 18km off the coast of Hoi An, offering hands-on experience in weaving a hammock using strings taken from ngo ong bark tree (Firmiana colorata).

Visitors can enjoy the craft experience at the Cham Islands Cooperative on the second floor of Tan Hiep Market in the centre of Cham Islands.

Only six old skilled weavers, including four aged between 75 and 85, could make hammocks from tree bark.

Three trees, which grew on the island for some 200 years, were honoured as Heritage Tree by the Viet Nam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment.

The Cham Islands-Hoi An area, recognised as a world biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2009, hosts around 400,000 tourists annually, of which 10 per cent are foreigners.

Meanwhile, Cam Thanh Commune, 5km away from Hoi An, is home to precious nipa palm swamps in the rich ecological system of wetlands that spreads from Hoi An to Cua ai Estuary, and on the Cham Islands.

The local community has preserved the traditional craft of making houses and furniture from bamboo and nipa palm trees for generations.

Vo Tan Tan, who owned the Taboo Bamboo workshop in the commune, and other craftsmen have turned bamboo material into sustainable and low carbon souvenirs and decorations.

He said local villagers promote innovations in making bamboo decorations as non-plastic, zero-waste and recyclable products for private houses and hotels, as well as public display.

Tan said tourists visiting the workshop can enjoy a hands-on experience creating gifts from bamboo themselves in a few hours.

The nipa palm swamps in Cam Thanh, which play an important role in the Cham Islands-Hoi An world biosphere reserve site as they shelter fishes and other aquatic species during breeding, are also a favourite eco-tour site after the Old Quarter of Hoi An.

Hoi An successfully launched community-based tourism activities such as farming, fishing, coracle rides and biking in Cam Thanh Commune and suburban communities around Hoi An town.

Previously Hoi An, a UNESCO world heritage, already received six national heritage certificates for the annual Nguyen Tieu (full moon day of lunar January) Festival, Thanh Chau edible bird's nest, Thanh Ha Pottery village, carpentry of Kim Bong Village, vegetable planting in Tra Que Village, and the mid-autumn Full Moon Festival (on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month).

Last year Hoi An became a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the Crafts and Folk Art category.

The citys heritage preservation and management centre said there are 1,700 households and 685 small-scale enterprises engaged in crafts and the performance of folk arts in Hoi An.

The Old Quarter in Hoi An is often decorated with lanterns on weekends, hosting local people and foreign tourists visiting and exploring the culture and lifestyle of the old town.

Hoi An ancient town and My Son Sanctuary in the central province of Quang Nam were recognised as UNESCO world heritage sites in 1999, while Cham Islands-Hoi An was listed as the world biosphere reserve in 2009. VNS
HCM CITY  The Ao Dai Museum will offer a series of cultural activities to celebrate its 10th anniversary this year.

Fashion shows and exhibitions featuring ao dai (traditional long dress) will be organised on International Women Day, March 8.

Talks by political, cultural and artistic stalwarts will be featured in April and May to celebrate International Museum Day on May 18.

The Ao Dai Museum, owned by veteran fashion designer Si Hoang of HCM City, opened in 2014 to share the history of the traditional long dress with foreign visitors and future generations and increase their awareness of traditional costume.

It attracted more than 39,000 visitors in 2022 and 60,000 last year.

In January, the museum attracted 2,000 visitors on weekends.

The museum displays 500 ao dai designs dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries and their subsequent evolution.

It displays ao dai owned by theatre icons such as Peoples Artists Kim Cuong and Bach Tuyet, considered gurus of cai luong (reformed opera).

Others include garments owned by national heroine Nguyen Thi inh, the first woman major general in the Viet Nam People's Army, and former deputy president Nguyen Thi Binh.

After ten years, the museum has organized many ao dai fashion shows and photo and painting exhibitions capturing Vietnamese culture and lifestyles.

Visitors can try making their own ao dai using paper, and souvenirs such as dolls in ao dai are available for sale.

Our activities aim to introduce Vietnamese culture and lifestyle and promote the images of Vietnamese women through the ao dai, said the museums director Huynh Ngoc Van.

The museum opens daily at 8:30am and closes at 5:30pm at 206/19/30 Long Thuan Street, District 9, Thu uc City.

Pioneer

Veteran fashion designer Hoang opened the Ao Dai Museum after several years working to make his dream come true.

Graduating from HCM City Fine Arts College, Hoang designed his first ao dai in 1989 when the countrys first beauty contest, Miss Ao Dai, was held in HCM City.

He painted flowers on ao dai which were worn by the competitions winners. His designs impressed judges and audiences. The trend of painting on ao dai was born.

In 2002, he opened iem Mot Thoi, a tea shop offering fashion shows and Vietnamese tea served in traditional style in HCM Citys Nguyen Huet Street. The luxury shop quickly became an essential part of life in HCM City for many residents.

iem Mot Thoi served Queen Sylvia of Sweden and her husband King Carl Gustaf XVI during their tour to Viet Nam in 2004. They revealed their musical side when they played the parts of "cup clickers" during a performance of traditional Vietnamese music at the shop. They also watched beautiful girls in ao dai at a fashion show.

Hoang is also working as a stage costume designer. His creations were used in large-scale plays, including two produced by the Viet Nam Cheo Theatre and the Ha Noi Drama Theatre, to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of Ha Noi City.  VNS
Dr Mattias Larsson*

Hien is an energetic one-year old child. However, in the last few weeks, she has been tired and pale and has eaten less. The parents went to the local doctor who examined her, diagnosed an ear infection, and gave antibiotic treatment. After several days it was however clear that the treatment did not have the intended effect, she was still tired and pale, and she also developed diarrhea.

Thuy, Hiens mother had heard that Family Medical Practice had good paediatric care. When arriving they met the paediatrician, who examined her and found that she was pale but alert otherwise normal findings. The complete blood count showed that Hien had severe anemia with a hemoglobin (Hb) of only 57 g/L and small red blood cells.

The parents asked what could have caused the anemia. The doctor explained that common causes are: Decreased production of red blood cells, consumption, or hemolysis, and bleeding. The paediatrician explained that as Hien was not more affected the severe anemia had probably existed for a long time.

To understand if there is some hereditary condition the pediatrician asked about the family history. Both the mother and an older sister have had anemia but not severe, so they didnt think much more about it. The doctor asked if they had heard about thalassemia, which they recognised as the name of the condition they had been diagnosed with.

The paediatrician explained that thalassemia is one of the most common hereditary diseases. It is caused by mutation of genes responsible for hemoglobin synthesis. The most common mutations are alpha-thalassemia and beta-thalassemia. The severity depends on the number of mutations. The alpha chain of hemoglobin is encoded by two pairs of genes, while the beta chain has only one pair. The genes can be inherited from one parent or two.

To diagnose the thalassemia, the doctor ordered Hemoglobin electrophoresis and iron in the blood. To prepare for blood transfusion the blood group was checked. The parents wanted to know more, about what kind of thalassemia Hien has and what treatment would be recommended. The doctor further explained:

Alpha-thalassemia who have the gene from one parent (heterozygotes) usually dont have anemia. Those who have genes from both parents (homozygotes), with defects in 2 genes, develop alpha thalassemia minor with mild anemia but seldom need treatment. Those with defects in three genes develop hemoglobin H disease with severe anemia and an enlarged spleen. A defect in all four genes often causes foetal death.

Beta-thalassemia minor occurs in those with genes from one parent (heterozygotes), with mild to moderate anemia. Beta-thalassemia is major in those with two beta-thalassemia genes from both parents (homozygous), which cause severe anemia and affect the physical development, need for regular blood transfusions and complications in several organs.

Globally about 7 per cent carry thalassemia genes. Alpha-thalassemia occurs mainly in populations from Southeast Asia, while beta-thalassemia is most common in the Mediterranean region, Arab countries and India. In Viet Nam, the prevalence of Alpha thalassemia is 11 per cent and beta-thalassemia 2 per cent.

When the tests were done it showed that Hien had beta-thalassemia major. She was planned to come for a blood transfusion every three weeks to maintain an Hb >95 g/L and treatment to control the blood iron levels. The doctor explained that with adequate treatment and good compliance, the expected lifespan is normal.

The parents asked if there was any treatment that could cure the beta-thalassemia major. The doctor said that stem cell transplantation could be a cure, however, the treatment had potentially serious side effects and a matching donor had to be found.

Thuy asked if there was a risk that if they had more children, that they might also have thalassemia. The doctor explained that thalassemia is a preventable disease if couples screen, or if already pregnant the fetus may be screened. The parents said that they didnt know this before they married and had children. Also, if they had known they are not sure that it would have changed much as they love each other and the kids. But if they became pregnant again, they would certainly consider screening. Family Medical Practice

*Dr Mattias Larsson is a paediatric doctor at Family Medical Practice and associate professor at Karolinska Institutet and has a long experience in research on infectious diseases. He has worked with the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit and the Ministry of Health of Viet Nam. He is fluent in English, Swedish, Vietnamese, German, and some Spanish.

Visit Family Medical Practice Hanoi 24/7 at 298I Kim Ma Street, Kim Ma Ward, Ba inh District.

To book an appointment, please call us at (024).3843.0784 or via Whatsapp, Viber or Zalo on +84.944.43.1919 or email hanoi@vietnammedicalpractice.com.

FMPs downtown location in Ho Chi Minh City is in Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, and 95 Thao ien Street, District 2. Tel. (028) 3822 7848 or email hcmc@vietnammedicalpractice.com.
NEW DELHI  Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs o Hung Viet has recently attended the 9th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, India, where he highlighted multilateral cooperation for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Raisina Dialogue is Indias premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community.

It is hosted annually by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Government of India. This effort is supported by a number of institutions, organisations and individuals, who are committed to the mission of the conference.

Themed "Chaturanga: Conflict, Contest, Cooperate, Create," this years event took place on February 22 and 23, bringing together 2,500 delegates, including many leaders, senior officials, researchers and scholars from more than 100 countries in and outside the region.

Addressing a session titled Desecuritising Development: Resilience in the Indo-Pacific, Viet pointed to ongoing hot spots and conflicts in the region and the world, along with non-traditional security challenges, complex developments in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea), and severe climate change, and unsustainable use of natural resources in the Mekong sub-region, which have posed challenges to sustainable development and efforts to maintain long-term peace and stability in the region.

The context presents a message that the Indo-Pacific is not only an area of strategic competition between superpowers but also a place where countries strive for multilateral cooperation for peace and stability, and join hands to settle common challenges, he stressed.

Viet Nam and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are committed to building the message by creating a resilient and comprehensive community network, where every country can grow in peace, stability and sustainable development, while promoting the importance of multilateral cooperation, constructive dialogue and prosperity for all, the official stressed.

The Raisina Dialogue 2024 further focused on initiatives of the Group of 20 (G20) where India held the 2023 Presidency, and looked into security and economic challenges worldwide.

The participants shared the view on the significance of cooperation, dialogue, trust building and respect for international law and multilateralism, including the acceleration of United Nations reform.

Within the framework of the dialogue, Viet had bilateral meetings with Polish Secretary of State Wadysaw Teofil Bartoszewski, Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, Secretary-General of the European External Action Service Stefano Sannino, and Director-General of the Office of National Intelligence of Australia Andrew Shearer.

At the meetings, they touched upon bilateral relations, as well as regional and international issues of shared concern.  VNS
BANGKOK  Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida have recently hosted a reception for outgoing Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phan Chi Thanh.

The King spoke highly of the friendship and comprehensive, fruitful cooperation between the two countries, as well as Ambassador Thanhs contributions to the relationship during his tenure in Thailand.

Recalling his Viet Nam visit in his capacity as Crown Prince, the King noted with pleasure the countrys rapid development at present, and expressed his wish that the bilateral relationship will be consolidated and enhanced in the time ahead, and the ambassador will make more contributions to the friendship.

For his part, Thanh thanked the King for his attention to and support for the bilateral relations, as well as the operation of the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand.

He especially thanked the royal couple for their support to the Vietnamese community in Thailand over the past years.

The Vietnamese government will continue creating favourable conditions for Thai businesses to invest and operate in Viet Nam, and encouraging Thai people to visit the country, he said.

The diplomat repeated the Vietnamese Presidents invitation to the King and the Queen to visit Viet Nam at an appropriate time.  VNS
GENEVA  Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has called on countries to support Viet Nam's bid for re-election as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2026-2028 tenure.

Leading a Vietnamese delegation to the UNHRCs 55th session in Geneva on February 26, Minister Son said human rights could only be best ensured in a peaceful, stable environment where international law is maintained and respected, and where the State places its people at the centre of all policies, ensuring comprehensive and sustainable development.

He underscored the need for the UNHRC to prioritise fulfilling basic human rights needs, including access to economic, social, and cultural rights, the right to development, and ensuring the protection of vulnerable groups.

The UNHRC should pay attention to promoting the implementation of Viet Nams proposed Resolution 52/19, especially urging countries to promote mutual respect, understanding, tolerance, inclusiveness, unity, and appreciation of differences, dialogue, and cooperation, he added.

The minister also reaffirmed Viet Nam's priorities if re-elected, including protecting vulnerable groups, promoting gender equality, embracing digital transformation, and upholding human rights.

At the 56th session of the UNHRC in June, Viet Nam will propose an annual resolution on ensuring human rights in the face of climate change, he said.

According to him, Viet Nam has submitted its national report under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism for the fourth cycle, with nearly 90% of the recommendations received in 2019 being fulfilled. VNA/VNS
HA NOI  Comprehensive plans are in place to rejuvenate and advance Viet Nam's information and communications infrastructure.

The Ministry of Information and Communications on Friday announced details of the information and communications infrastructure planning for the period 2021-2030, with a visionary outlook extending to 2050, which was recently approved by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

This plan outlines Viet Nam's ambitious objectives to establish the groundwork for a digital government, foster a thriving digital economy and cultivate a connected digital society.

The envisioned information and communications infrastructure encompasses a cohesive framework that integrates various components, including the postal network, digital infrastructure, information technology industrial infrastructure, national digital transformation platforms and security assurance systems. This interconnected network is pivotal for ensuring the integrity and security of all information within the system.

Digital infrastructure

The plan aims for significant advancements in digital infrastructure by 2025. It envisions ubiquitous access to fiber optic cable for households, ensuring that 100 per cent have access when needed.

It sets goals for smartphone ownership among the adult population, access to high-speed Internet for technological hubs and government agencies, integration of IoT in essential infrastructure and the adoption of cloud computing services by Vietnamese businesses.

Simultaneously, the plan entails deploying and investing in two to four additional international telecommunications cable lines. It also outlines the establishment and deployment of national data centres, including at least three national multi-purpose data centre clusters, regional multi-purpose data centre clusters, and one or two regional data centres catering to the needs of financial centres in Viet Nam, the region, and internationally.

Looking ahead to 2030, the focus shifts towards substantial improvements in fixed broadband access network infrastructure. Additionally, the plan aims to extend the coverage of 5G mobile broadband networks to 99 per cent of the population, with an emphasis on advancing next-generation mobile networks.

Furthermore, the target is set for 100 per cent of state agencies, state-owned enterprises, and over 50 per cent of the population to utilise cloud computing services provided by domestic enterprises.

To support these initiatives sustainably, the plan calls for the development of large-scale data centre clusters adhering to green standards.

By 2030, the completion and seamless operation of national-scale digital platforms will be prioritised to meet the demands of the digital government, digital economy, and digital society. The objective is to ensure universal access to and utilisation of advanced digital services of high quality at reasonable prices for all individuals.

In terms of network information security, aiming for robust safeguards across digital government, digital economy, and digital society domains, the target by 2025 is to achieve comprehensive security coverage. This entails ensuring that 100 per cent of information systems within state agencies are fortified at the system level, with adherence to the four-layer model for network information security by all ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and provincial People's Committees.

Additionally, all terminal devices within state agencies are slated to be equipped with solutions to guarantee network information security. Furthermore, efforts will be directed towards enhancing public awareness and equipping internet users with access to information, educational materials, skills, and fundamental cyber information security services. Each agency, organisation, and business is expected to have at least one dedicated unit specialising in network information security, while every individual will possess at least one tool to safeguard network information security.

The plan also aims to establish a comprehensive cyber information security product ecosystem, encompassing 100 per cent of its categories, with the development of three to five key information security products and services. These products are intended to not only dominate the domestic market but also compete globally.

By 2030, Viet Nam seeks to emerge as a prominent hub in Asia for ensuring network information security and network security. The goal is to shape a market renowned for its competitiveness and influence across the region and beyond. Vietnamese digital technology enterprises are encouraged to leverage open-source technologies to attain technological autonomy, thereby mastering the Vietnamese network information security and network security market.

This strategic direction underscores Viet Nam's commitment to becoming a powerhouse in cyberspace security, safeguarding national cyberspace sovereignty, ensuring information security, and preserving social order and safety.

In line with advancing the information technology industry, plans are in place to formulate and implement schemes and projects for 12-14 concentrated information technology parks and members of the software park chain by 2025.

By 2030, the aim is to expand this to 16-20 concentrated information technology parks and members of the software park chain. The development of Viet Nam's digital technology industry is envisioned with a focus on merging self-reliance with international cooperation. This entails activities such as design, integration, technology mastery, and technology creation, targeting not only the Vietnamese market but also the global arena.

Solutions

The plan introduces several key solutions, including some innovative approaches.

These include phasing out old-generation mobile telecommunications technology in favour of newer technologies, reallocating frequency bands to develop advanced 4G, 5G, and future generations of mobile networks.

The plan also recommends prioritising the development of the 5th generation (5G) mobile information network starting from 2025, with the allocation of telecommunications resources based on market mechanisms to ensure service quality on par with global standards.

The Government will also work to allow data centres to procure electricity directly from the source, enabling regional data centres (Digital Hubs) to implement specific mechanisms, with preference given to locations within regional financial centres and international government hubs.

Establishing key laboratories to develop essential "Make in Vietnam" products tailored for digital government, digital economy, digital society, digital transformation, smart production, and smart agriculture is also included.  VNS
IEN BIEN Na Co Sa Border Guard Station apprehended Ho Thi La, a 47-year-old resident of Huoi Po Village, Na Co Sa Commune, located in the northern mountainous province of ien Bien, for illicitly cultivating poppy plants within a green vegetable field.

Preliminary investigations revealed that approximately 600 poppy plants were in the blooming stage, interspersed among green vegetables, occupying an area of about 30 square meters within the village.

Upon uncovering the situation, the border guard station collaborated with local authorities to eradicate and remove all poppy plants, and initiated the necessary paperwork for submission to the competent authorities for further legal proceedings.  VNS
BINH INH  Six students with developmental disabilities who were swept away by strong waves on a beach in Binh inh Province on Sunday were fortunately rescued.

Tran inh Truc, chairman of the Cat Tien Town People's Committee, said on Monday that authorities and local people managed to rescue the six, all students at a local school for the disabled.

At 2.30pm on Sunday, they were swimming in Trung Luong Beach in Cat Tien, when they were swept away.

Some fishermen spotted them and informed the Border Guard and police, who arrived swiftly.

Two of the students, who were in critical condition, were given first aid by the rescue team before being taken to the town medical centre, Truc said.

One of them had fluid in the lungs, and so the medical staff contacted the SOS Binh inh rescue team, who took the student to the provincial capital, Qui Nhon City, for treatment, he said.

Dr Vo Thanh Nam Binh, deputy director of the Binh inh Province General Hospital, said after being treated promptly, the patient's condition has stabilised.

The others are all fine.

Nguyen Van Hung, chairman of Phu Cat District, said the children, whose ages are not known, went to the beach unsupervised.

The sea off Trung Luong is currently rough with strong waves and winds, he said.

There is a warning in place from local authorities against swimming in the area.

In Viet Nam, drowning is one of the top 10 causes of death of children aged five to 14.

While fatalities have been decreasing, nearly 2,000 children still drown each year, and remains one of authorities top priorities. VNS
Agreements with strategic partners help AstraZeneca Vietnam offer even more life-saving initiatives

In attempts to mark World Cancer Day in February and the 69th anniversary of Vietnam Physicians Day this week, a joint initiative has screened around 100,000 people in just a few months through the Healthcare Innovation Network.

In late 2023, AstraZeneca Vietnam joined forces with the Vietnam Young Physician Association to launch the network and its inaugural initiative, Digital Transformation for Lung Health. Over the span of the first two months, with the participation of 25 hospitals across five provinces and cities, the programme successfully conducted lung examinations and X-rays for over 64,000 individuals aged 40 and above.

The achievement is the latest in a long line of actions carried out by the company in recent times. To strengthen and promote cooperation, AstraZeneca Vietnam and the Young Physician Association of Vietnam in January signed a five-year MoU that aims to pursue long-term objectives, leveraging the transformative potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to further contribute to the wellbeing of the people and community, as well as the sustainable health system in Vietnam.

Last year, AstraZeneca Vietnam signed another MoU with the Ministry of Health (MoH) on comprehensive collaboration in the areas of drug research and development, drug manufacturing, disease prevention and control, and the establishment of a sustainable healthcare system. In October, the company was granted a registration certificate, allowing the transfer of innovative pharma production tech to Vietnam. The step aligns with the companys $90 million investment to enhance domestic pharmaceutical production capacity.

In terms of such tech transfer and also environmental protection in the country, AstraZeneca has been at the forefront of sponsoring clinical trials for years. With a committed investment of $360 million towards 2030, a significant portion is dedicated to research and development, strengthening Vietnams research capabilities and expanding patients access to advanced drugs.

AstraZeneca also demonstrated its dedication to Vietnams sustainable development goals last year through substantial investments, notably a pledge of $50 million investment to restore forests and landscapes. The funding aligns with Vietnams ambitious objective of attaining net-zero emissions by 2050.

Nitin Kapoor, chairman of AstraZeneca Vietnam, said, Over 30 years, AstraZeneca has consistently prioritised the health of the people and sustainable development in Vietnam. I take immense pride in witnessing the positive outcomes that collective efforts have brought, leading to innovation and sustainability in the healthcare sector.

AstraZeneca leader also extend heartfelt appreciation to invaluable contributions of healthcare physicians, pharmacists, and practitioners across Vietnam. Their dedication has positively impacted the lives of millions across the country, Kapoor added.

In December, Kapoor was awarded the state presidents Friendship Medal, which recognises exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the governments pandemic response and healthcare improvement efforts.

Those efforts include AstraZenecas enduring partnership with Vietnamese healthcare agencies and organisations, underscored by a multitude of impactful initiatives since it was established in Vietnam in 1994.

Among them are the Healthy Lung Programme to improve the quality of outpatient management of asthma, lung cancer, and more; the Young Health Programme to prevent and reduce non-communicable disease risk among young people; the CaReMe Programme to transform the cardiovascular-renal-metabolic care ecosystem; the Love your lungs campaign to raise awareness of screening for lung cancer; and the Health System Sustainability and Resilience initiative to holistically reinforce the Vietnamese health system against future risks.

AstraZeneca has been operating in Vietnam for over 30 years and currently employs more than 600 staff. Its COVID-19 vaccine became the first approved, distributed, and used in Vietnam. Through advance purchase agreements and bilateral assistance from governments, AstraZeneca has provided over 72 million doses of the vaccine, which is estimated to have contributed to preventing more than 232,000 deaths in Vietnam.

AstraZeneca Vietnam partners with Can Tho city to improve health services AstraZeneca Vietnam and Can Tho city officials signed an agreement on November 14 to work together on health projects and create a lasting healthcare system.
In 2024, Vietnam and the United States will continue boosting their comprehensive strategic partnership. What does this mean for bilateral trade?

Richard D. McClellan, country director of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change in Vietnam

This year is very important for the US and Vietnam, as it will mark 30 years since the trade embargo was lifted. Following the normalisation of relations between the two countries in 1995, Vietnam has become the seventh-largest trading partner of the US as of 2022. Meanwhile, Vietnam currently has 230 projects in the US, registered at $1.26 billion.

Both countries have agreed to work together on developing a semiconductor ecosystem in Vietnam and improving its position in the global semiconductor supply chain.

What is more, they have announced the launch of initiatives to train the Vietnamese workforce in semiconductor-related skills. The US government has provided $2 million in initial funding for this purpose, and both the Vietnamese government and private sector have pledged their support.

The Vietnamese government has devised a plan to develop its semiconductor sector, including the goal to increase the number of semiconductor human resources to 50,000 by 2030. The National Assembly has urged the government to establish an investment support fund for the high-tech industry, including the semiconductor industry.

You highlighted the importance of the semiconductor industry. What approach should Vietnam take in this field?

Thanks to its strategic location and potential for development, Vietnam has become an appealing destination for many major US corporations, who are showing their commitment through long-term investments in the country.

The investment activities of major corporations such as Apple and Intel offer a positive impact on Vietnams economy. In addition to bringing advanced technology and infrastructure, these corporations also facilitate Vietnamese businesses to integrate more deeply into their global supply chains. Such investments are expected to create a spillover effect, encouraging other technology corporations to invest and expand their operations in Vietnam.

However, Vietnam faces the challenge of creating a solid infrastructure and policy foundation to attract American investors while ensuring a level playing field for all. Vietnam should focus on developing energy infrastructure that aligns with socioeconomic development, offers sustainable pricing, and generates profit.

Additionally, there is mounting pressure to promote green development and greener production. If Vietnam fails to provide clean energy to global manufacturers soon, the market may lose its attractiveness, and investors may start to find other alternative markets.

Vietnam and the US can expand cooperation in many other fields. What areas in Vietnam are likely to offer opportunities for expansion?

Vietnam has been exporting a large quantity of goods to the US market over the years. In 2022, Vietnams primary export products to the US were machinery, equipment, tools, and spare parts ($20.1 billion), followed by textiles ($17.3 billion) and computers, electronic products, and components ($15.9 billion). Given Vietnams competitive advantage in these sectors, we predict that these product groups will continue to play a significant role in Vietnams exports to the US in 2024 and beyond.

In addition, emerging fields will also offer more opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to participate in supplying raw materials, components, and equipment to industries such as energy, aviation, the digital economy, semiconductors, and AI. These industries are also aligned with Vietnams export strategy in the foreseeable future.

The US is implementing trade protection policies to safeguard domestic production. Do you have any suggestions for Vietnamese export businesses?

Maintaining high product quality and compliance with international standards will play a crucial role in enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods.

By meeting strict requirements, local exporters can reduce the chances of facing non-tariff barriers, which in turn increases US consumers trust in Vietnamese products. This can lead to greater export market opportunities and expansion.

Vietnamese businesses should also actively seek opportunities to cooperate with US businesses through joint ventures or forming strategic partnerships. This will facilitate market entry and assist in resolving legal issues.

Leveraging the expertise and networks of local partners will help Vietnamese businesses improve their understanding of the US market and complex legal system, thereby optimising their strategies for sustainable growth.
The Government Office last week released a conclusion from the seventh meeting of the governments Steering Committee on Administrative Reform. The conclusion underlined that the government, ministries, and localities must remove all unnecessary business conditions as soon as possible.

Ministries and sectors are required to take the initiative in researching and reviewing all business conditions, and proposing the removal of conditional business conditions in the sectors that can apply other more effective management solutions. This task has to be completed before June because it is very urgent, the conclusion stated.

They are also ordered to promptly review and propose the eradication of business conditions that are unnecessary, infeasible, unclear, difficult to determine, and unsuitable to the reality. Also, they have to annul all unnecessary certificates, and reduce certificates overlapped in content, and this task has to be completed in Q2 of 2024, the conclusion continued.

Latest drive to phase out red tape begins, illustration photo Le Toan

The government in 2024 has set out a mission in boosting administrative reform to create new values, new impetuses, and new success, with the public and enterprises being the biggest beneficiaries. Efforts are to be made to remove and decrease at least 10 per cent of compliance costs for administrative procedures and business regulations.

In 2024, the government will complete all decentralising administrative procedures that are subject to the power of the government and prime minister, ensuring that at least 70 per cent of public services will be provided online and the rate of people performs such services will be at least 40 per cent. Last year, the government cut, reduced, and simplified 340 business regulations; simplified 390 administrative procedures; and decentralised 156 procedures.

With such efforts, the government has achieved some achievements in public financial reforms. Specifically, state budget revenue exceeded about 8.12 per cent of the estimate, while exempting, reducing, extending taxes, fees, charges, and land rental of nearly $8.2 billion. At the same time, the government increased revenues and saved expenses, and set aside about $23.63 billion to contribute to resources that will be used for salary reform in the 2024-2026 period.

Disbursement of public investment capital hit $27.96 billion, the highest ever, reaching about 93 per cent of the initial plan. This is nearly $5.2 billion higher in absolute terms compared to 2022.

However, according to the General Statistics Office, in 2023, just over 89,000 businesses halted operations  up 20.7 per cent as compared to the previous year. Some 65,500 enterprises stopped operations and waited for dissolution procedures  up 28.9 per cent; and 14,400 enterprises completed such procedures.

According to the the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Hanoi, some regulations continue to introduce new administrative procedures such as licensing, approvals, and heavy reporting requirements. For example, there is still uncertainty and a lack of clarity regarding the requirements to obtain work permits for foreigners. AmCham encourages the government to clarify those elements of Vietnamese law that hinder the efficient deployment of foreign investment, and that any additional administrative burdens in draft laws and regulations be carefully considered and avoided whenever possible.

Meanwhile, Marko Walde, chief representative of AHK in Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, said that German businesses are boosting their presence in Vietnam both in direct investment and indirect investment. However, challenges remain.

While mergers and acquisitions are an effective strategy for German companies aiming to enter or expand in the Vietnamese market, they may encounter certain challenges from a German perspective, Walde said. These challenges include cultural differences, legal and regulatory hurdles, due diligence complexities, and issues related to intellectual property and post-acquisition integration.

Foreign-invested enterprises' export turnover accounts for 73 per cent Foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) contributed $259.95 billion out of Vietnams total export turnover of $355.5 billion in 2023, equalling 73.1 per cent.

Enterprises make efforts to ensure Tet employee bonus Companies have found headroom to offer workers bonuses for the Lunar New Year break  even those with falling order numbers and bleak business results.
Delegates at 5G-Advanced Trial Showcase (Photo: Maxis)

Kuala Lumpur - Maxis, one of the oldest and largest telecommunications companies in Malaysia, announced on February 23 that it and Chinese tech giant Huawei have successfully staged the first 5G-Advanced technology trial in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.

The 5G-Advanced Trial Showcase included a live speed test to demonstrate 5G-Advanceds capabilities to achieve ultra-fast peak speeds of up to 8Gbps.

5G-Advanced, also known as 5.5G, promises up to 10 times improvement in speed, connected devices, and latency compared to 5G.

Chairman of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Tan Sri Mohamad Salim bin Fateh Din said that this 5.5G trial demonstrates the potential of Malaysias telecommunications sector in contributing meaningfully to advancing communications connectivity.

He expressed his hope that more industry players will pioneer innovative technologies that will help Malaysian enterprises move up the value chain through next-generation commercial and industrial solutions. This will position Malaysia as a front-runner in telecommunications globally, he added.

Wife of Malaysia former finance minister charged in assets case The wife of a former Malaysian finance minister who has close ties to a political rival of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was charged Tuesday with failing to disclose her assets to anti-graft investigators.

Malaysia looks to become EV manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia Malaysia aims to attract more electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers as it is striving to establish itself as an EV manufacturing hub for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), an official has said.
Communication campaigns carried out to raise the Lao communities' awareness of HIV and AIDS. (Photo: WHO)

Vientiane  The number of new HIV/AIDS cases in Laos has steadily climbed partly due to a shortage of financial support from foreign countries and limited budget from the government.

A report from the Centre for HIV/AIDS/STI under the Lao Ministry of Health showed that the country documented 2,066 HIV cases in 2023, increasing the total infections to 20,688, with 7,059 progressing to AIDS.

More than 5,600 people died from the virus, and 11,980 have been treated with antiretroviral medicines.

Minister of Health Bounfeng Phoummalaysith said global instability has affected countries budget, including Laos, adding the lack of financial support from outside has made it hard for the ministry to carry out HIV/AIDS prevention plans.

Upgraded Vietnamese-funded hospital inaugurated in Laos A ceremony was held on December 27 in Xaysomboun province, Laos, to inaugurate and hand over the upgraded Xaysomboun hospital  a gift from the Government of Vietnam to Laos.
As a trusted partner of innovative eye-care device manufacturers, how has DKSH been bringing innovations to the Vietnamese market?

DKSH offers a spectrum of services ranging from sourcing and logistics to sales, marketing, and after-sales support, and operates in healthcare, consumer goods, performance materials, and technology.

Mai Thi Viet Ha, business line manager of Ophthalmology Medical Devices and Business Unit Healthcare at DKSH Vietnam

In the medical equipment sector, DKSH has solidified its strategic partnerships with companies from Europe, America, Japan, and beyond. Leveraging our extensive network and nuanced understanding of diverse markets, particularly in the ophthalmology industry, we have cultivated a team of highly specialised professionals with a profound understanding of ophthalmology.

This is why we have been in a strategic collaboration with many manufacturers of eye-care devices, such as Alcon, for the past decade. Under this particular partnership, DKSH has been contributing to Alcons growth in the Vietnamese market and adding value to both stakeholders and the ophthalmology industry in this country.

In recent years, we have witnessed a surge in patients with cataracts in Vietnam. Additionally, theres a noticeable uptick in the prevalence of eye conditions such as near-sightedness, far-sightedness, and refractive errors.

Alcon has had a significant presence in Vietnam for nearly three decades. We are proud that a significant number of Alcons cutting-edge technologies, widely utilised globally, have found their way here.

At DKSH, we take immense pride in our strategic partnership with Alcon, facilitating the introduction of their latest technologies and techniques into the Vietnamese ophthalmology industry, notably within the Saigon Eye Hospital system. The hospital has consistently placed trust in and utilised Alcon products throughout its history.

Presently, through DKSH, the hospital benefits from the most advanced devices and equipment, including the Phaco Centurion device, vitreo-retinal surgery equipment like Constellation, Revalia surgical microscopes, and more.

What are the most significant milestones in the collaboration of parties such as those mentioned?

Over the past decade of being Alcons strategic partner, DKSH has celebrated crucial milestones that we take immense pride in.

Firstly, a decade ago, we transitioned from older devices and equipment to the Infinity devices - the very devices initially adopted by the Saigon Eye Hospital. In recent years, we solidified a strategic cooperation with the hospital to upgrade the entire Infinity surgical device system to a more advanced generation - the Phaco Centurion device.

This upgrade aimed to better serve patients, surgeons, and technicians alike. This marked our first milestone, and the impact of this achievement resonates nationwide, with approximately 80 of these surgical devices now enhancing cataract surgeries for the Vietnamese people.

The second noteworthy milestone revolves around lenses. There are various types of lenses, and Vietnam stands among the first countries to utilise FDA-approved trifocal crystal lens products. Saigon Eye Hospital has been a significant user of these lens products, contributing to the improved vision and enhanced quality of life for millions of Vietnamese patients.

Could you share DKSHs upcoming plans to bring more innovations to the eye-care industry?

To enrich peoples lives by providing healthcare for all, we are making a great effort to strengthen our collaboration with partners to bring the latest devices, including ophthalmology. Regarding the partnership with Alcon, we are set to introduce a new product in the form of an optical eyeball biometric measuring device, among one of the most advanced globally, in Vietnam in early 2024.

With this new device, we aim to provide Vietnamese doctors and patients with the most accurate measurements for placing lenses in the eye, ensuring optimal vision.

Additionally, Alcon has various systems like its Alcon Vision Suite, which is a series of devices offering comprehensive solutions for doctors and technicians from the pre-operative stage to the post-operative stage. We hope to bring this system back to Vietnam in 2024.
Millions of US dollars are being pumped into agriculture-based ventures in Phu Yen province

The National Institute of Animal Science under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at the end of last year kicked off the process of developing several high-quality livestock breeds at the Phu Yen High-tech Agricultural Application Park in Phu Hoa district.

Pham Doan Lan, the institutes deputy director, said the project covers three hectares and boasts total investment of $1.68 million from the state budget. It aims to build barns and synchronous equipment for raising 5,000 breeding poultry, 7,000 pullets per year, and 42,000 baby poultry per year, Lan said.

Nguyen Van Hung, head of the parks management board, added, The groundbreaking of the institute is a major turning point for the development of the Phu Yen High-tech Agricultural Application Park and Phu Yen province in the process of restructuring its agricultural sector.

As of last year, the park had attracted investment in nine projects worth a total of $19.37 million and covering just over one-third of the total area. The management board is continuing to call for investors with the capacity and suitable orientation to implement projects such as an Institute of Medicinal Materials and a medicinal research centre.

According to Phu Yens planning towards 2030, the western key area covering Tay Hoa, Phu Hoa, Son Hoa, and Song Hinh districts is oriented to develop high-tech agriculture and raw material areas associated with processing factories.

High-tech agricultural areas will include growing areas for rice, biomass corn, sugarcane, mushrooms, flowers, pepper, fruit trees, medicinal plants, dairy farming, and for raising cows and pigs.

In March, Phu Yen Peoples Committee will approve investors for three projects in the agricultural sector.

The first involves high-quality rice production, purchasing, and export processing by Trung An High Agriculture JSC. The project covers over 10ha with the investment capital of about $25 million. The second is a high-tech livestock project from Quang Minh Livestock Technology Development Investment (60ha and worth $33.5 million), and the third is in cashew nut production from Olam Vietnam Co., Ltd. (2.2ha and $2.8 million in value).

At the same time, Phu Yen Peoples Committee also called for investment in nine other projects in the agricultural sector. These include concentrated livestock and production areas in various districts; specialised tuna port and auction market in Tuy Hoa city; fruit processing and export fruit packaging factories; high-tech agriculture in Van Hoa Highlands; aquaculture areas in Song Cau town; high-quality rice production areas in four districts; building beef and poultry farms across the province; and creating fruit tree and medicinal plant areas and associated processing factories in various districts.

Phu Yen takes on logistics infrastructure investment With the development of Vung Ro and Bai Goc seaports, Phu Yen province is determined to locate a logistics centre in Dong Hoa town that can connect to Tuy Hoa airport.

Phu Yen pushes its promise via planning The south-central province of Phu Yens master planning, approved last month, opens a wider door to its socioeconomic development, with a clear goal to become a modern and sustainable locality.

Phu Yen leaning into industrial growth Located on the south-central coast with a temperate climate, abundant land, and infrastructure gradually being completed synchronously, Phu Yen province is considered a promising land for industrial development.

Phu Yen determined to modernise its urban appearance Phu Yen province is set to upgrade existing urban areas and form new ones in accordance with the nations urban classification plan and its own local needs.

Tourism to spearhead fresh era for Phu Yen With beautiful natural scenery rare to find anywhere else, Phu Yen province vows to become a major tourist centre for the entire country.
Phu Yen has important traffic routes passing through, such as national highways 1A, 1D, 25, and 29; the North-South Expressway and North-South Railway, and provincial road systems connecting from the sea to mountainous areas.

Phu Yen has transformed in recent times thanks to a focus on industry and infrastructure overhauls

Furthermore, situated five kilometres southeast of Tuy Hoa city, the provinces Tuy Hoa airport is being upgraded. In particular, Phu Yen boasts Vung Ro seaport, which can receive ships of 100,000 tonnes, while Bai Goc port can receive ships of 50,000 tonnes.

Phu Yen has a natural area of over 502,000 hectares, of which the available land for production is still considerable. These are deemed great advantages in attracting investment in developing the industrial sector.

In recent years, Phu Yens industry has reaped some positive results in terms of attracting investment in the South Phu Yen Economic Zone (EZ). According to its management board, up to now, the zone and others in the province have 118 projects at registered capital of about $430.5 million.

In addition, there are a number of large investors interested in research in the South Phu Yen EZ area such as the $1.1 billion Bai Goc Port, Hoa Tam Industrial Park (IP), and iron and steel complex in Hoa Tam IP, a commercial and service area project worth $29.5 million, and a refining and petrochemical complex boasting capacity of eight million tonnes annually.

Despite making a positive contribution to the provinces economy, Phu Yens industry still has a lot of potential that has not been fully exploited to achieve a contribution ratio on par with provinces in the south-central coast.

To help it develop as expected, Phu Yens provincial planning towards 2030 has outlined important directions to promote potential advantages, which includes determining the pivotal role of the industrial sector and focusing on investment in infrastructure of IPs and EZs.

Nguyen Xuan Hung, head of the EZ Management Board of Phu Yen, said Currently in the province there are five IPs covering over 430ha that have been put into production and business activities. In general, the technical infrastructure in these IPs is basically complete. They operate in a stable manner and meet the needs of investors to use the technical infrastructure network.

Regarding related infrastructure, up to now, the South Phu Yen EZ area has invested in ventures that contribute to creating improvements for attracting investment such as a road tunnel through the Ca pass, extension to a road from Hung Vuong bridge to Vung Ro Port, connecting National Highway 1A to Hoa Hiep IP, and various fishing port projects.

Phu Yen aims to promote more favourable policies to engage new high-quality investors in vital sectors as metallurgy, oil refinery, energy, agricultural processing, forestry and fishery products, chemicals, mechanical engineering, textiles, building materials, and more.

The province also focuses on mobilising and utilising all resources effectively and economically, especially its available land, to create a breakthrough in building a modern infrastructure system.

Deputy Chairman of Phu Yen Peoples Committee Le Tan Ho said, The goal of Phu Yen province is to maintain a high growth rate in the industrial sector in a sustainable manner. This will also be the main driving force for the economic growth of the province.

Phu Yen targets regional GDP growth rate of industry in 2021-2030 to reach 13-13.5 per cent annually. The proportion of industry in the economy by 2025 will account for about 21.5 per cent, which is expected to reach 24 per cent by 2030.

Phu Yen takes on logistics infrastructure investment With the development of Vung Ro and Bai Goc seaports, Phu Yen province is determined to locate a logistics centre in Dong Hoa town that can connect to Tuy Hoa airport.
Stock market appeal efforts now underway, illustration photo

In an ambitious bid to elevate Vietnams stock market from a frontier to an emerging market by 2025, the Vietnamese prime minister in mid-February issued a directive mandating the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to lead, in coordination with the State Bank of Vietnam and the Ministry of Planning and Investment, urgent resolution of all challenges impeding the markets reclassification.

The governments resolve to boost the stock markets profile is clear, with a progress report demanded by July.

Financial experts anticipate that the upgrade could unlock a torrent of billions of US dollars in foreign investments. According to VinaCapital, the implementation of the new Korean Exchange (KRX) trading system within Q1 2024 is pivotal to addressing technical barriers, potentially paving the way for a reclassification by FTSE-Russell by year-end. The new trading system is a game-changer for Vietnam, setting the stage for our ascent to the emerging market status, VinaCapital said.

Efforts are also underway to enhance the markets attractiveness, including the early deployment of the KRX trading system and the removal of the 100 per cent pre-funding requirement for institutional investors securities purchases.

VinaCapital also predicts that, upon the markets upgrade, Vietnamese stocks could comprise about 0.7-1.2 per cent of the MSCI and FTSE Russell emerging markets indices, potentially channelling an additional $5-8 billion from foreign investors into the Vietnamese stock market.

SSI Securities projects an optimistic scenario where FTSE Russell could elevate the Vietnamese market to emerging status as early as September this year, with a baseline scenario pointing to March 2025.

Vietnam could immediately attract $1.7-2.5 billion in foreign investments following the upgrade, SSI said.

A recent analysis by BIDV Securities (BSC) places Vietnam in the Frontier Market category, as per the classifications of all three leading rating agencies.

Vietnam currently aligns with seven out of nine FTSE criteria for Secondary Emerging Market status. However, it fulfils only half of MSCIs requirements, meeting nine out of 18 criteria.

BSC also forecasts a significant influx of foreign investment through open funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking MSCI and FTSE indices. The firms research suggests that an upgrade could lead to $3.5-4 billion in fresh investments in Vietnamese stocks, assuming an average weighting of 0.7 per cent, akin to the Philippine stocks in FTSEs emerging market index.

The anticipation of MSCI and FTSE upgrades could see a substantial flow of capital into Vietnam, mirroring the success of similarly positioned markets, noted a BSC analyst. As Vietnam is not currently on MSCIs upgrade watch list but is on FTSEs, the market eagerly anticipates official reclassification. Upon FTSE Russells official upgrade, we expect to welcome approximately $1.3-1.5 billion from ETFs and open funds, a significant boost comparable to the Philippine market.

Investors are advised to monitor several key developments closely, including annual market classification reviews, particularly FTSEs assessments, progress with the KRX systems deployment, regulatory efforts to address pre-funding issues, foreign ETF activities, and the engagement of relevant ministries and agencies in the upgrade process.

Wanming Du, FTSE Russells director of Index Policy for Asia-Pacific, said, The foreign ownership limit and simplification of account opening procedures for international investors were identified as pivotal, albeit not directly influencing ranking metrics. Similar foreign ownership restrictions are encountered across significant Asian markets, including China, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea. Vietnam is not alone in this regard.

FTSE Russell has pinpointed delivery versus payment and the issue of settlement costs associated with failed trades as areas needing attention. The prevalent practice in Vietnam of ensuring fund availability before transactions has effectively mitigated failed trades, rendering the latter criterion somewhat moot in the local context.

On the MSCI front, Vietnams market remains outside the consideration set for an upgrade, with no marked progress on the nine outstanding criteria since before 2021.

MSCIs analysis also identifies critical areas for improvement, notably the foreign investor registration process, currently necessitating Vietnam Securities Depository approval, and the accessibility of legal and corporate disclosures in English, ensuring equitable information access for international investors.

Accordingly, BSC experts highlight a series of regulatory adjustments needed to propel Vietnam towards its upgrade ambition. These include the establishment of a central counterparty clearing house - a linchpin for both FTSE and MSCI - enhancements in market infrastructure, transparency, corporate disclosure quality, and policy and legal framework refinement.

Addressing foreign ownership caps and streamlining the foreign investor account registration process are also flagged as essential steps, alongside bolstering investor protection measures and regulatory oversight.

Our strategy encompasses addressing critical areas such as FTSE-highlighted criteria, resolving foreign ownership limit issues, and increasing market transparency, said Ta Thanh Binh, director of the Securities Market Development Department under the State Securities Commission. We are in the process of proposing amendments to key legal frameworks that provide guidance on the LSecurities Law, along with relevant financial circulars. Our goal is to introduce a consolidated amendment circular to simplify the update process. Currently, the draft is in its final stages of preparation, awaiting review by the MoF, after which we will seek feedback from the market, Binh added.
Illustrative photo (Photo: pattayamail.com)

Bangkok  The rising debts of households in Thailand have prompted financial institutes to employ stricter criteria in granting auto loans, resulting in the automotive industry's production and sales down in January compared to the same period last year, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI)s Automotive Industry Club.

Surapong Paisitpattanapong, the clubs spokesman, said that Thailand manufactured 142,102 cars in January, marking year-on-year decrease of 12.46 per cent.

Production of pickup trucks and passenger vehicles for domestic sales contracted 50.89 per cent and 14.68 per cent year on year respectively, he added.

Automotive sales in January were recorded at 54,814 units, down 16.42 per cent year on year. Sales of pickup trucks which are usually the top seller totalled only 14,864 units sold, down 43.47 per cent year on year.

Meanwhile, the sales of PPV (pickup passenger vehicle) also contracted 43.86 per cent year on year due to the lack of new models released, while its market shares were also partly taken away by affordable SUVs.

Surapong said buyers are facing stricter loan criteria as financial institutes are using the measure to ward off risks from rising household debts.

Other factors affecting automotive sales include several months delay of budget disbursement under the budget bill for fiscal 2024, which has resulted in delayed investment, decreased spending, and a slowdown in economic expansion since the last quarter of 2023.

Exports of Thai-made vehicles contracted slightly in January to 86,716 units, down 0.08 per cent year on year. The main reason was the lack of space on cargo ships heading to Asia, Africa and North America, Surapong explained.

However, the export value of vehicles, engines, components and parts amounted to 79.63 billion baht (2.2 billion USD) in January, increasing 14.25 per cent year on year.

Meanwhile, the Department of Land Transport reported that 15,943 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were registered to run on Thai streets in January, an increase of 238.71 per cent over the previous month.

Thailand keen on alternative energy More state-run energy firms in Thailand are eager to try alternative fuels to support the campaign against climate change, with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) becoming the latest agency, aiming to replace coal with wood pellets to fuel its power plant.
US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper stated two weeks ago that the US government is currently reviewing Vietnams non-market economy status and its desire to receive market economy status.

US considers upgrading Vietnams economy status, illustration photo

This is something our Department of Commerce (DoC) is working on. There is a 270-day deadline to do this, which began in October 2023. The US government is committed to an impartial and transparent process that is consistent with international rules, Knapper said.

We look forward to the continued effort by our DoC to do this. And we look forward to continuing to work with Vietnam as we deepen and strengthen even further our countrys trade and investment relationship.

The review also includes a public comment period before a determination is made. Thus the US will conclude the review in around mid-July this year.

On September 8, the Vietnamese government filed an official request that the DoC consider it a market economy citing the countrys economic reforms made in recent years.

Since the first anti-dumping investigation involving Vietnam in 2002, the US has considered Vietnam a non-market economy. According to US regulations, the determination of a market economy status is based on six criteria set by the DoC.

These criteria include the currency conversion rate, wage and labour negotiation issues, foreign investment levels, state and private ownership, government control over resources and prices, and other relevant factors.

Currently, the US categorises 12 countries as non-market economies in trade defence cases, which has a significant impact on Vietnamese businesses, especially in anti-dumping investigations.

The US assesses a Vietnamese products value based on what it is worth in a third country (a market economy) and then assumes this is the likely production cost to a Vietnamese company, rather than using data provided by the company itself.

This calculation causes the dumping margin to be pushed up very high and does not actually reflect the situation of Vietnamese companies, according to the Centre for WTO and International Trade managed by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

If recognised, the market economy status will help Vietnam shun anti-dumping duties by the US, and Vietnam would be able to make their products more competitive in the US market, also meaning that Vietnams export-oriented manufacturing sector will develop further.

At present, the US is among the key export markets of Vietnam. Two-way trade between Vietnam and the US increased from $450 million in 1995 when the two countries established their diplomatic relations, to $110.6 billion last year. Vietnam is the US eighth-largest trading partner and its largest trading partner in ASEAN, while the US is Vietnams second-largest trading partner and its top export market.

Vietnam is the US eighth largest trading partner and our largest trading partner in ASEAN, we are Vietnams second largest trading partner. And we are also Vietnams number one export market. You know, we firmly believe in the importance of Vietnam in terms of global supply chains, Ambassador Knapper said.

During a state visit to Vietnam last September by US President Joe Biden, the two countries elevated ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. President Biden and Vietnam Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong reaffirmed the importance of economic, trade, and investment cooperation and innovation-driven inclusive economic growth as the core foundations and sources of momentum in the bilateral relationship.

Both sides pledged to create stronger conditions and facilitate the further opening of markets for each others goods and services, support trade and economic policy, and regulatory measures to achieve this aim; and to address issues such as market access barriers via the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, said a joint leaders statement released during the visit.

The US applauds Vietnams progress in significant market-based economic reforms, and affirms its enthusiasm and commitment for a broad, strengthened, supportive, and constructive engagement with Vietnam in its transition to a market economy, and subsequently to market economy country status, under US law, the statement added.

Under the joint statement, the US noted Vietnam requested the review of its market economy status last September. The US will review Vietnams request as expeditiously as possible, in accordance with US law.

The US appreciates Vietnams ongoing efforts to further modernise and enhance the transparency of its monetary policy and exchange rate management framework, to promote macroeconomic stability, and to ensure the safety and soundness of the banking system, the joint address noted.

At the same time, the US also committed to work with Vietnam to help it to develop the semiconductor industry and other high-tech industries, as well as to build a workforce for the 21st century in terms of computer scientists, engineers, and IT workers who can help to work in the high-tech economy that Vietnam and the US aspire to.

It is expected that in late March, Vietnam and the US will jointly organise a dialouge at the foreign ministerial level in order to continue materialise the shared strong commitments made in the comprehensive strategic partnership. According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnamese side will continue working with the US about the recognition of Vietnam as a market economy.

To date, 72 countries including major economies such as Canada, Australia, Japan, and South Korea have recognised Vietnam as a market economy. Most recently, the UK recognised Vietnams market economy status in a formal letter when it joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. This recognition ensures that the UK will not apply unfavourable rules to Vietnamese imports in cases of trade defence investigations.

The joint leaders statement announcing the comprehensive strategic partnership upgrade has reaffirmed the importance of trade and investment collaboration and highlighted innovation-driven economic growth as a foundation of the bilateral relationship. On the heels of this momentous occasion, US businesses should have much to be excited about in the Vietnam market. Previously, US firms were slow to take advantage of the growing opportunities that Vietnam presented. However, they are now increasingly looking towards this market as a key component to their growth strategy in Asia. There are five reasons explaining why US companies should consider exporting to Vietnam: - The fastest growing middle and affluent classes in the region, providing the right demographics for growth and receptivity to US products and services. - Over the past few years, Vietnam has been active in signing bilateral trade agreements with countries throughout the world. - Strong GDP growth expected to continue for the medium term. - Large population of almost 100 million consumers, half of which are under the age of thirty. - Political stability. The US-Vietnamese commercial relationship has grown dramatically since the US lifted its trade embargo against Vietnam in 1994 and the two countries renewed diplomatic relations in 1995. The US is now the largest export market, and the major source of foreign direct investment of Vietnam, helping fuel Vietnams remarkable economic growth. The US has also benefitted from stronger trade ties. Over the past five years, Vietnams export revenue to the United States surged 230 per cent, while its import value grew by more than 175 per cent. This country of almost 100 million consumers, with an overwhelmingly positive view towards the US, exhibits the demographics needed for continuous growth over the next 20 years, a rising star among Asias bustling economies. Source: International Trade Administration under US Department of Commerce

Adam Sitkoff, Executive director American Chamber of Commerce in Hanoi This month marks 30-years since US President Clinton lifted the 19-year old trade embargo on Vietnam. This year is also the American Chamber of Commerces (AmCham) 30th birthday in Vietnam. During that time, we have witnessed firsthand the transformation of Vietnams economy and the remarkable changes that have occurred. The US and Vietnam are now good friends and recently upgraded to comprehensive strategic partners - something once thought unimaginable. Vietnam has become one of Americas fastest growing trading partners and we expect this positive trend to continue. AmCham regularly works with our partners in the Vietnamese government on challenges to foreign investment, including corruption, a weak legal system, a shortage of skilled vocational labour, obstacles to investment in key infrastructure, and the governments slow decision-making process. We believe continuous improvement and dialogue  rather than unfair tariffs  can benefit both countries. While there may be some disagreement over whether Vietnam has adequately addressed each of the statutory criteria commerce uses to evaluate a countrys market economy status, it is certain that Vietnams economy is very different to the other 11 countries on the non-market economy list. We believe that sufficient progress has been made and that graduating Vietnam to market economy status serves the interests of both of our great countries. Nguyen Hoai Nam, Deputy general secretary Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers If the United States recognises Vietnam as having a market economy, future anti-dumping lawsuits initiated by the US will be subject to market economy rules, meaning that the US will no longer use a third country as a replacement value. Then hopefully there will be more advantages for Vietnamese exports to the US. In 2023, Vietnams shrimp exports to the US are estimated to hit $682.5 million, down 15.4 per cent on-year, while exports of tuna and tra fish hit $326.6 million and $271 million, down 32.9 and 49.6 per cent on-year, respectively. Also last year, the US remained the biggest importer of Vietnams aquatic products, with a total value of $1.56 billion, down 27.2 per cent on-year. Nguyen Lan Phuong, Partner, Baker McKenzie A US designation of Vietnam as a market economy will have important implications for Vietnamese goods exported to the US. Under the current standard, with Vietnam designated a non-market economy,, there is a risk that Vietnamese goods may be subject to inflated import duties imposed via trade remedies in World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements. This is because when imposing WTO trade remedies, the US can disregard domestic prices in non-market economies. This is disadvantageous for exporters of Vietnamese goods as it means that economic realities in Vietnam will not factor into the trade remedy price assessment. A designation of Vietnam as a market economy will improve predictability for exporters since WTO trade remedies in the US will take actual economic realities of producers and exporters in Vietnam into account. There are important political implications as well, since the market economy designation will be a significant acknowledgement that Vietnams economy functions according to certain free market principles. This designation would be a sharp reorientation when compared with 2020 when the US Trade Representative initiated an investigation into alleged Vietnamese currency undervaluation. A market economy designation is an encouraging development in trade relations. Luan Nguyen, Vietnam country president, Cargill Vietnam has played an important role in Cargills operations since we entered the country in 1995. Here, we strive to make positive contributions in animal nutrition and community development. Cargill has long advocated for the recognition of Vietnam as a market economy, especially given its implications for key industries like aquaculture. Vietnams classification as a non-market economy has resulted in significant anti-dumping taxes on species such as pangasius and shrimp, adversely affecting their competitiveness in vital markets like the US. Recognition as a market economy would alleviate these burdens, facilitating access to the US market. This regulatory shift would not only reduce trade barriers but also strengthen bilateral relations between the US and Vietnam, which have flourished over the years, and were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership last year. Market economy recognition would stimulate production and services in industries where Vietnam holds export strength, including agricultural products. This, in turn, fosters greater economic collaboration between the nations.

Inherent advantages lay the path for investment from US February marks the 30th anniversary of the US lifting its trade embargo with Vietnam, opening a wider door for bilateral relations. Richard D. McClellan, country director of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change in Vietnam, talked to VIRs Viet Duong about economic and trade prospects between both countries.
WATERLOO  The Iowa Supreme Court has reversed the winnings a woman claimed at the state Court of Appeals in a case involving a jackpot at a Waterloo casino.

Sydney Leiann Slaughter, 35, had been found guilty at trial of making a false claim for winnings. She allegedly attempted to claim a boyfriends $4,000 jackpot at the Isle Casino Hotel in 2020 so the money wouldnt be applied to offset fines and child support he allegedly owed.

She appealed the verdict, and in August the Iowa Court of Appeals overturned the conviction, saying the state failed to prove Slaughter didnt make the actual wager that led to the jackpot.

The state then asked the Iowa Supreme Court to review the case.

In a decision handed down Friday, the high court found that there was sufficient evidence at trial to support the conviction.

Here's why Americans spend nearly 4 times more money gambling at casinos than in the lottery Here's why Americans spend nearly 4 times more money gambling at casinos than in the lottery Casino spending grows faster than lottery spending
WAVERLY  A Manchester contractor accused of bilking clients in Waverly is now charged with trying to deceive a bank to acquire a loan.

A federal grand jury handed up an indictment charging Randall Lee Randy Less with one count of making a false report to a financial institution on Thursday.

Authorities allege Lee submitted a mechanics lien wavier for $86,629 as part of paperwork in connection with a residential construction loan at Fidelity Bank and Trust on Oct. 27, 2021.

Officials allege the lien waiver was actually for $36,629 and had been altered to reflect the higher amount, according to court documents.

Less, 56, is also awaiting trial in Bremer County District Court for theft and forgery charges in connection with the construction project.

In Dubuque County, Less is also charged with theft for allegedly passing an incomplete check to pay for $3,328 worth of building materials from Triple J Liquidations in October 2023 and allegedly stealing $2,743 worth of building materials from Menards in September 2023.

5 early warning signs of fraud on your account, according to banking experts 5 early warning signs of fraud on your account, according to banking experts
Full (of it) Grassley

Iowans, and all Americans, owe Sen. Chuck Grassley a big thank you. Responding to a reporters question about the tax bill including an expanded child tax credit which the House had passed by a vote of 357-70, Grassley expressed Senate Republican opposition. He said, Passing a tax bill that makes the president look good  mailing out checks before the election  means he could be re-elected, and then we wont extend the 2017 tax cuts. (Note: The bill does not include mailing out checks.) Congressional Republicans have clearly demonstrated they prioritize keeping immigration policy as a campaign issue over actually doing something about problems at our southern border. Grassley is a key member of the Senate Republican leadership team. His statement reflects Republicans real priorities. The 2017 tax cuts which primarily benefit the wealthiest tell us Republicans core values and which Americans concerns are most important to them. Thank you, Senator Grassley.

Al Charlson, Waverly

Puppets

I want to thank Mr. Van Oort for his recent letter, even though he gets it completely backward at the end. This backward twisting of things had been the hallmark of the Republican game plan for a long time.

State indoctrination begins by banning books that might make you actually think and make every child recite robotically certain national platitudes.

Critical thinking means to examine everything in detail. To stretch the mind like stretching muscles which can freeze permanently when not used. You cannot examine things you wont look at. When you do that, you realize that the republic in which we live gets stronger by adding diverse voices and rejects the nonsense of far left (communism) and far right (fascism).

The idea of being woke is to be aware of each individuals gifts and challenges  the very opposite of trying to fit everyone into the same tight box. I have heard Republicans from different parts of the country recite supposed grievances in the exact same words and phrases. It makes me wonder who is pulling their puppet strings; who they are following without really thinking.

Rick Johnson, Waverly

Border hypocrisy

It has become abundantly clear the Republicans have no real desire to fix the border crisis. They relish using the chaos at the border to criticize President Biden and Democrats but have refused to take action to solve the problem. After four months of bipartisan work on a bill that would help control immigration at the border, Donald Trump has killed the bill.

Twice over the past two decades, Congress has gotten close to a bipartisan immigration bill. Both times it has been Republicans who have backed away. This was the most conservative immigration proposal in a long time, yet Republicans preferred to campaign on a chaotic border rather than pass this law. The Chamber of Commerce, Border Patrol, conservative Wall Street Journal, etc. have come out in support of this bill, and yet the Republicans refused to even take a serious look at it.

Its time to quit criticizing and blaming the Biden administration and congressional Democrats for the immigration controversy. It is the Republicans that talk tough but refuse, when given an opportunity, to pass a bill that would actually address the immigration problems at our border.

Ann Bock, Waverly

Save us, millennials

There is a bill in the Legislature to compel local officials to state their party affiliation when running for office. What an an outrage, the absolutely corrupt political parties demand locals to join their cabal. Both Democratic and Republican parties shield their candidates, with Republicans putting up a potential criminal and reveling in support. If the mafia had closed ranks like this they would not have relinquished their power. As a 75-year-old veteran, I see that with the current state and national leadership little future for democracy. Maybe millennials have the honesty to save us!

Harold Tuchel, Waterloo

Truck troubles

Iowa is next to the worst state in the U.S. for having an above average of its fatal crashes where large trucks are involved, a politically unfavorable fact youll never hear from regular news. Google 1. NHTSA National center for statistics and analysis  large trucks involved in fatal crashes, by state. 2. 2021 Data: Large trucks stats NHTSA. 3. Scroll to table 5. Percent of total vehicles. Iowa did 15.5%. Only Nebraska was higher at 16.1%. The lowest was Rhode Island at 3.2%. The national average was 9.3%. Republican lawmakers make a big ballyhoo about being pro-life but they care nothing about the above victims. Instead, they make big rig owners/operators immune from lawsuits over a certain amount. They know where their election funding comes from, and it doesnt come from the dead victims that get ran over by 80,000 pound machines. Governor Reynolds got rid of the motor/commercial vehicle enforcement department and diverted them into other work. There has not been any increase in the numbers of enforcement personnel to properly police the speed of large trucks, to keep up with the exploded numbers of them that have came on recently.

Herman Lenz, Sumner

Christian nationalism

What is Christian nationalism? Its the belief that Christianity is the rightful religion of the United States, and that laws should give preference to fundamentalist Christian interpretations of the Bible. Today, there are many signs of this dangerous, unconstitutional trend gaining ground across America, and the state of Iowa is a prime example.

Right now, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act is in the Legislature. Nobodys actual religious freedoms have been abridged. This bill means evangelicals can discriminate against someone because of their sincerely held religious beliefs. Suppose a landlord doesnt want to rent an apartment to someone because theyre LGBTQ+. This law says thats OK. If a pharmacist doesnt want to dispense legally available contraceptives, they dont have to. A business can refuse service to anyone if they claim the business owners religion disapproves of the customer. I thought we already had the conversation about who gets to sit at the lunch counter in America. Public accommodations must serve all citizens.

Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowas GOP are waging a war against everyone who isnt a straight, white Christian. What would Jesus say about invoking his name to discriminate against anyone?

Welcome to Iowa, Americas first Christian nationalist state.

Doug Smith, Cedar Falls

Perspectives

What are we seeing in recent perspective?

How about these: Having a (border) wall does not mean keep out. It means use the door (come in legally). If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, according to Facebook fact-checkers, it is, in fact, a squirrel. I was just asked to not use my electricity from 2 till 8 to keep from destroying the grid. But I should run out and buy the first electric car I can find. God formed us. Sin deformed us. The Bible informs us. Jesus transforms us. We live in a world where the truth has to be explained again and again, while a lie is believed. ISIS was defeated under Trump. Hamas didnt invade Israel under Trump. The world respected President Trumps mantra of peace through strength.

What are we seeing in the current administration?

Dave Smith, Waterloo

Watch out, Iowa

Authoritarian government, unquestioning obedience to authority rather than individual freedom judgment and action. When Iowa votes into power an authoritarian political party such as the current Iowa Republican Party, this is what we got. The Republican Party in Iowa is ruthlessly attempting to control our childrens education, the books in public libraries that a citizen is allowed to read. Not content with this, they attack how the needy are fed, children mainly. Has it been too long ago for Iowans to remember WWII and the authoritarian government of a little man with a mustache and snappy salute. Watch out Iowa!

Bob Black, Waterloo

Precision medicine

Precision medicine is revolutionizing cancer care, and people need access to it. Biomarker testing opens the door to precision medicine, which can improve chances of survival and quality of life for cancer patients. Biomarker testing helps connect patients to the right treatment at the right time. Progress in improving cancer outcomes increasingly involves the use of precision medicine, which uses information about a persons own genes or proteins to better diagnose or treat diseases like cancer. I wish my late mother had access to biomarker testing when she was diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately, insurance wont always cover the biomarker testing cancer patients need to determine the best treatment for their diagnosis. The Iowa Legislature is currently considering a bill that would expand access to this type of testing so that more of our family, friends, and neighbors could benefit from personalized medicine and targeted treatments. That is why I recently traveled with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network to Des Moines, to ask our elected officials to support this critical legislation. Join me in calling on our lawmakers to support this important policy so that more cancer patients can benefit from the latest advances in treatment.

Josh Wilson, Cedar Falls
President Joe Biden will convene the top four congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday to discuss the emergency aid package for Ukraine and Israel, as well as avoiding a government shutdown next month.
Kenneth Fox

A man in his 60s has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the discovery of the body of a pensioner in Co Kerry.

Patrick O'Mahony Snr, aged in his 80s, was found dead outside his home in Castlemaine on Sunday morning with suspected gunshot wounds.

A postmortem examination is expected to be carried out at University Hospital Kerry, while the arrested man is being questioned at a Garda station in the county.

Gardai said an incident room has been established at Tralee Garda Station, and a senior investigating officer has been appointed to the case. A Garda Family Liaison Officer is in contact with the family.

Sources told the Irish Examiner that Mr O'Mahony had been retired for some time, but had still been active in his community.

Independent TD Michael Healy Rae was a close friend of Mr O'Mahony, and said he was very popular in the local community.

"We here in the local area are very shocked and saddened at the sudden death of Paddy O'Mahony," Mr Healy Rae told Newstalk radio.

"[Mr O'Mahony] was a very good friend to all of us, a great local historian, a very experienced man at his trade for many years. A very popular man who was involved in all aspects of the community."

Other tributes have been paid to Mr OMahony, who once owned and operated a shooting range and gun supply business.

A local who has known the OMahony family all his life told the Irish Examiner that the late pensioner was a character.

Guns were his life. He was a gun enthusiast all his life. People came from all over the country to the shooting range.

His son took over the shooting range when Paddy retired. He was a sound man, a good neighbour. Everyone got on with him.
Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (25 February 2024)

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.

In Kupyansk direction, as a result of active actions by units of the Zapad Group of Forces, manpower and hardware concentration areas of 143rd infantry and 25th airborne brigades of the AFU have been hit close to Prikolotnoye (Kharkov region) and Terny (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

In addition, four enemy counterattacks have been repelled near Senkovka railway station (Kharkov region).

The enemy losses were up to 180 servicemen, one tank, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system, one U.S.-manufactured M198 howitzer, and one D-20 gun.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces have improved their position along the front line and defeated formations of 22nd, 28th, and 92nd mechanised brigades of the AFU near Kleshcheevka, Dyleevka, and Kurdyumovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The enemy losses were over 360 servicemen, one tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, and four motor vehicles.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, one U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system, one German-manufactured Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled artillery system, one D-20 gun, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one AFU ammunition depot have been hit.

In Avdeevka direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have taken more advantageous lines and positions and defeated manpower and hardware concentration areas of the 3rd Assault Brigade and the 107th Territorial Defence Brigade of the AFU near Tonenkoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

In addition, seven enemy counterattacks have been repelled near Novgorodskoye, Leninskoye, Lastochkino, and Novobakhmutovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 100 servicemen, four armoured fighting vehicles, eight motor vehicles, one Grad MLRS, one D-30 howitzer, and one Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces have inflicted a fire defeat on formations of 72nd mechanised and 58th motorised infantry brigades, and the 121st Brigade of the AFU close to Novodonetskoye, Ugledar, and Staromayorskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

In addition, one counterattack by an AFU assault group has been repelled near Novodonetskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 140 soldiers, two tanks, three armoured fighting vehicles, seven motor vehicles, and one Grad MLRS.

In addition, one Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station and one AFU ammunition depot have been hit.

In Kherson direction, as a result of coordinated actions by units of the Dnepr Group of Forces, manpower and hardware concentration areas of 28th and 65th mechanised brigades of the AFU have been hit close to Rabotino and Shcherbaki (Zaporozhye region).

In addition, two counterattacks by assault groups of the 15th Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard have been repelled near Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses were up to 30 soldiers, three motor vehicles, and one U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised manpower and military hardware in 127 areas.

Air defence facilities have destroyed six HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system projectiles.

In addition, 77 unmanned aerial vehicles have bit shot down close to Novokrasnyanka, Raigorodka, Troitskoye, Golikovo (Lugansk Peoples Republic), Sladkaya Balka (Zaporozhye region), and Chernomorovka (Kherson region).

In total, 574 airplanes, 267 helicopters, 13,392 unmanned aerial vehicles, 473 air defence missile systems, 15,220 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,225 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,161 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 19,055 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.

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The Oscars are almost here. Here's what to know and how to watch

After a winter barrage of award shows  the Emmys, the Golden Globes, the Grammys  the grandaddy of them all, the Academy Awards, are around the corner
FILE - President Joe Biden speaks about border security in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Jan. 5, 2023, in Washington. The Democrats' reframing of the immigration debate risks straining Biden's alliance with immigrants and advocates who campaigned for him in 2020. But it appears to be working for Democrats after they won a special House election in New York. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Manuel Margot walks back to the dugout in the middle of the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Phoenix, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
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Israeli female paramedic soldiers take cover from the wind made by a landing military helicopter during an exercise simulating evacuation of wounded people in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.
Bat Sheva, center, mother of Israeli solider Staff sergeant Narya Belete, mourns in grief during his funeral in Netanya, Israel, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. Belete, 21, was killed during Israel's ground operation in the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli army has been battling Palestinian militants in the war ignited by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack into Israel. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
French President Emmanuel Macron, center right, delivers a speech at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. More than 20 European heads of state and government and other Western officials are gathering in a show of unity for Ukraine, signaling to Russia that their support for Kyiv isn't wavering as the full-scale invasion grinds into a third year. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Pool via AP)
When summer arrives, the sun, sand and sea beckon. So its no surprise that a University of Alabama study found that beaches are the most preferred type of vacation destination. (Sorry about that, mountains!) Luckily, the U.S. has dazzling coasts that offer a wide variety of beach escapes  from remote, dune-swept shores to boardwalk-lined golden sand with calm, swimmable waters. Slow down the pace in a quaint shore town or get a side of culture and adventure with your sunshine in an oceanfront city. No matter what your perfect beach vacation looks like, we are sure youll find it in one of these nine summer getaways.

Gulf Shores is a casual, family-friendly beach destination in Alabama. W. Drew Senter, Longleaf Photography/Getty Images

Gulf Shores, Alabama

The citys signature slogan, Small Town, Big Beach, says it all. Throughout Gulf Shores, youll find eight public access points that lead to white-quartz sand and the bath-like waters of the Gulf of Mexico. For a lively atmosphere, head to Gulf Place. The main public beach, just off Highway 59, is known for its volleyball tournaments, beach bars and independent shops. Families should check out the Hangout, a 2.5-acre oceanfront entertainment venue that hosts concerts, cook-offs and game nights. If you prefer to unplug, Gulf State Park offers a mellower vibe, and a beach pavilion and interpretive center provide niceties such as showers, paddleboard rentals and a snack bar.

Stay: When the 350-room Lodge at Gulf State Park debuted in 2018, it set a benchmark for sustainable tourism in the area with eco-friendly initiatives including native landscaping. The beachfront hotel has direct access to the emerald waters of the Gulf, as well as more than 6,000 acres of trails within the park. Rates start at $194.

Insider tip: Oyster fans shouldnt miss a meal at Jesses on the Bay, a new steakhouse and seafood spot, and its casual offshoot, the Cold Hole Bar & Grill.

The art deco buildings are close to the water in South Beach. Alexander Spatari/Getty Images

South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida

The ultimate urban beach escape, Miami Beachs dozen-plus miles of talcum-colored sand and turquoise sea are set against a backdrop of sleek condos and hotels spanning from First to 192nd streets. Its divided into three neighborhoods, and South Beach, which runs from South Pointe Park north to 23rd Street, is the most famous and features pastel-hued art deco buildings and a see-and-be-seen crowd. South Pointe Park stands out, with its 450-foot-long pier, walking trails, playground and picnic tables, where you can lunch on ceviche and key lime pie from nearby Joes Takeaway. Lummus Park, a 10-block stretch along Ocean Drive, offers the best combination of idyllic sand and people watching.

Stay: Lifehouse, South of Fifth, on Collins Avenue is surrounded by art deco icons and is steps from the sands of South Beach. The 27-room propertys vintage beach-bungalow style sets it apart in a neighborhood known for glitzy hotels. Rates start at $173.

Insider tip: Chris and Tracy Vlaun, the husband-and-wife duo behind V Art of Wellness, offer the perfect yin-and-yang workout-yoga sessions on the sand (group and private) in Miami.

Travelers can enjoy large swaths of undeveloped beach in the Outer Banks. epicurean/Getty Images

The Outer Banks, North Carolina

Home to one of the largest swaths of undeveloped beaches on the East Coast, this chain of barrier islands attracts adventurous souls who want to do more than just lounge. Lovingly known as OBX, the region is made up of four islands, six towns and 12 seaside villages. Shallow water and consistent wind make spots like Manteo and Jockeys Ridge State Park kite-flying and windsurfing meccas. The waves in Nags Head and Rodanthe are magnets for surfers. And thousands of shipwrecks lure divers to the coast. Some of the best beach camping can be found within Cape Hatteras National Seashore. When it comes to childhood summertime nostalgia, you cant beat the town of Duck, where families still go crabbing straight off the docks.

Stay: Sanderling Resort is a staple summer oasis set on 13 acres that front the Atlantic and Currituck Sound near the town of Duck. Private beach access means guests are always steps from the sand, though the world-class spa may have you wishing for a cloudy day. Rates start at $354.

Insider tip: Aviation fans can fly a reproduction of the Wright brothers 1902 glider above the dunes of Jockeys Ridge State Park at Kitty Hawk Kites.


SS-1H IP30 Flow Test Results

Sydney, Feb 26, 2024 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Tamboran Resources Corporation's ( ASX:TBN ) ( TBNNY:OTCMKTS ) SS-1H achieves commercial IP30 flow rate of 3.2 MMcf/d (normalized to 6.4 MMcf/d over 1,000 metres), exceeding pre-drill expectation.



Highlights



- The Shenandoah South 1H (SS-1H) well in EP 117 achieved an average 30-day initial production (IP30) flow rate of 3.2 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) over the 1,644-foot, 10 stage stimulated length within the Mid Velkerri B Shale, normalized to 6.4 MMcf/d over 3,281-feet (1,000 metres).



- Results from the SS-1H well exceeded our pre-drill expectation, which provides the Company with confidence to progress drilling activities during 2024, subject to funding and key stakeholder approvals.



- Exit rate trajectory showed a steady, low-declining curve at 2.9 MMcf/d over the stimulated length (normalized at 5.8 MMcf/d per 3,281 feet) with a flowing wellhead pressure of 575 psi.



- Geological rock properties at SS-1H compare favourably with those in the average Marcellus Shale dry gas window, including reservoir pressure, effective porosity and gas-in-place.



- The Company believes the SS-1H IP30 result elevates the Beetaloo West region as one of the most favorable places to anchor an initial development and commences the de-risking of more than 1 million acres below 8,850 feet (true vertical depth).



- Tamboran will progress development plans for the proposed 40 MMcf/d Pilot Project in the Shenandoah South location. The project is expected to require six upfront 10,000-foot development wells to achieve plateau production. Drilling is planned to commence in Q2 2024.



- At the end of January 2024, Tamboran held ~A$55 million in cash to support ongoing activities, which the Company expects to use to fund its 38.75% working interest in the proposed Pilot Project, subject to final Joint Venture approvals.



Tamboran Resources Corporation Managing Director and CEO, Joel Riddle, said:



"We are extremely excited to announce the results from the SS-1H well, which are the highest normalized rates achieved in the Beetaloo Basin to date. The normalized flow rates of 6.4 MMcf/d over a 1,000-metre (3,281-foot) lateral section demonstrate to us the commerciality of the Beetaloo Basin.



"The IP30 result gives us confidence to commence the construction phase of the proposed 40 MMcf/d Pilot Project at Shenandoah South under the Beneficial Use of Gas Legislation, which allows gas that would otherwise be flared to be sold into the local gas market. These volumes have potential to supply natural gas into the Northern Territory gas market in 1H 2026. Final Investment Decision is planned for mid-2024.



"Importantly, the rock properties, including reservoir pressure, effective porosity and gas-in-place, have delivered IP30 flow rates at Shenandoah South in the Beetaloo West area that compare favourably to production rates in some regions of the Marcellus Shale dry gas window.



"We will continue flow testing of the well over an initial 90-days to allow for an independent analysis of the expected 20-year EUR of the wells in the region. We then expect to commence drilling of the first two development wells for the proposed Pilot Project, which will be the first 10,000-foot wells drilled in the Beetaloo Basin."



Shenandoah South 1H flow results



The SS-1H well in Tamboran B2-operated Exploration Permit EP 117 achieved IP30 flow rates following the 10-stage stimulation program within the bottom 501 metres (1,644 ft) of the 1,020-metre (3,346 ft) lateral section in the Mid Velkerri B Shale.



Testing was carried out following the installation of production tubing and a three-week soaking period to allow for water used in the stimulation process to be absorbed by the shale. The soaking aims to increase the relative permeability to gas of the formation and enhance future production performance.



During the initial draw down period from 25 January to 8 February 2024 (~13.3 days), the choke was opened from 16/64" to 40/64" over staged intervals resulting in gas rates from 12.9 to 3.0 MMcf/d, with an average of 3.5 MMcf/d and 46.2 MMcf cumulative production over that period. Flowing wellhead pressures were drawn down from 4,611 psi to 792 psi.



During the subsequent continuous flowing period from 8 to 24 February 2024 (~16.7 days), the choke was opened to 43/64" at the beginning of the period, resulting in gas rates from 3.3 to 2.9 MMcf/d, with an average of 3.0 MMcf/d and 50.3 MMcf cumulative production over that period. Flowing wellhead pressures were drawn down from 792 to 578 psi.



The SS-1H well has demonstrated the geological rock properties, indicative of favorable well performance, compare relatively with those of the average (>10,000 wells) Marcellus Shale geological rock properties, including reservoir pressure, effective porosity and gas in place. Flow testing has demonstrated a pore pressure gradient of ~0.6 psi/ft, resulting in higher reservoir pressure at Shenandoah compared to all other Beetaloo Basin wells drilled to date.



The SS-1H IP30 flow rate delivered the highest normalized rates achieved in the Beetaloo Basin to date, exceeding the previous normalized IP30 record achieved by the Tanumbirini 3H well in the Santosoperated EP 161 acreage in 2022. The result continues to support that the deepest regions of the Beetaloo Basin have the most consistent geology and have the potential to deliver the highest flow rates and recoverable volumes (refer to Table 2*).



Ongoing development activity



The result from the SS-1H well gives Tamboran confidence to progress the proposed 40 MMcf/d Pilot Project (~15 MMcf/d net Tamboran) in the Shenandoah South region of the Beetaloo West. Tamboran is targeting first production from the project in H1 2026, which is expected to deliver volumes into the Northern Territory gas market over a 10-year plateau period, subject to completion of a binding Gas Sales Agreement, construction of necessary midstream infrastructure, funding and key stakeholder approvals.



The proposed Pilot Project is expected to include six upfront development wells drilled to 10,000 feet to achieve plateau production, the construction of the 40 MMcf/d Sturt Plateau Compression Facility (SPCF) and the 35-kilometre Sturt Plateau Pipeline (SPP) connecting the SPCF to the APA-owned Amadeus Gas Pipeline.



Tamboran has the funding to commence drilling the initial two wells in the proposed Pilot Project program and will evaluate opportunities to support funding the remaining capital commitments to reach first production, including issuance of equity and/or debt, evaluation of pre-payment for gas from the proposed Pilot Project and potential farm-down opportunities.



*To view tables and figures, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/26R3TK27



To view the Shenandoah South Flow Test Results Presentation, please visit:

https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/L85K1I02





About Tamboran Resources Corporation





Tamboran Resources Corporation (ASX:TBN) is a natural gas company that intends to play a constructive role in the global energy transition towards a lower carbon future by developing low CO2 unconventional natural gas resources in the Beetaloo Sub-basin within the Greater McArthur Basin in the Northern Territory of Australia. Tamboran's key assets are a 25% working interest in EP 161 and a 100% working interest in EP 136, EP 143 and EP(A) 197 which are located in the Beetaloo Sub-basin.

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Tamboran Increase Beetaloo Basin 2C Gas Resources to 2.1 TCF

Sydney, Feb 26, 2024 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Tamboran Resources Corporation ( ASX:TBN ) ( TBNNY:OTCMKTS ) has booked its first estimate of contingent gas over the Shenandoah South region across EP 98 and 117 in the Beetaloo Basin following a successful 30-day initial production (IP30) flow test of the Shenandoah South 1H (SS-1H) well.



The EP 76/98/117 unrisked net 1C contingent gas resources increase by 33 billion cubic feet (Bcf) to 284 Bcf and unrisked net 2C contingent gas resources increase by 152 Bcf to 1.2 trillion cubic feet (Tcf).



The resource upgrade has been evaluated and certified by leading independent third-party resource certifier Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. (NSAI), with an effective date of 31 January 2024.



The 2C resources support the sanctioning of the proposed 40 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) Shenandoah South Pilot Project, which is expected to be sanctioned in mid-2024 and deliver first gas into the Northern Territory in Q1 2026, subject to securing financing and key stakeholder approvals.



Tamboran Resources Corporation Managing Director and CEO, Joel Riddle, said:



"The Shenandoah South 1H well has de-risked some of the highest quality shale intersected to date in the Beetaloo Basin, with the IP30 flow results demonstrating strong and commercial deliverability. Importantly, this has led to the first booking of contingent gas resources over the Shenandoah South region of the Beetaloo Basin, on the border of the EP 98 and 117 permits.



"The initial unrisked 2C contingent gas resources booking of 152 Bcf net to Tamboran over the Shenandoah South area is expected to support the initial proposed 40 MMcf/d Pilot Project. These volumes are anticipated to secure important gas supply into the Northern Territory gas market for the next decade. This comes at a time when local supplies of gas, which provide the majority of the Territory's power, are at risk of running low.



"Tamboran stands by its commitment to deliver first volumes from the Beetaloo Basin into the Northern Territory before exporting volumes into the East Coast and international LNG gas markets."



Increase to Beetaloo Basin contingent gas resources



Tamboran has increased net Beetaloo Basin unrisked net 2C contingent gas resources by 8 per cent to 2.1 TCF. The increase follows the drilling and successful flow test of the SS-1H well, which has resulted in an initial resource booking over the Shenandoah South region of the exploration permits (EPs) 98 and 117.



The changes to the net 1C contingent gas resources from the previous resource estimate (September 2023) include an increase of 33 Bcf in EP 76/98/117.



*To view tables and figures, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/U7S3KH0B





About Tamboran Resources Corporation





Tamboran Resources Corporation (ASX:TBN) is a natural gas company that intends to play a constructive role in the global energy transition towards a lower carbon future by developing low CO2 unconventional natural gas resources in the Beetaloo Sub-basin within the Greater McArthur Basin in the Northern Territory of Australia. Tamboran's key assets are a 25% working interest in EP 161 and a 100% working interest in EP 136, EP 143 and EP(A) 197 which are located in the Beetaloo Sub-basin.

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The new age woman is a trailblazer in several fields and has her own set of aspirations and expectations, which brands need to recognise and address. The traditional marketing methods are no longer relevant or adequate while engaging with todays women, as she has travelled a long way, and her outlook, demands, and needs have evolved with time.

Today, women are driving businesses with equal panache as she is managing her home and family. Women are making the choice to be single mothers, taking solo vacations, turning entrepreneurs, taking the top seat in boardrooms, and even becoming successful farmers, preserving traditional crafts and cultures, crafting newer narratives in the fields of filmmaking, and so much more.

To shed further light on the new age women and how brands need to recalibrate their marketing strategies, the latest edition of Adgullys #GullyChat, held on February 23, 2024, focused on Brand Mantras to Engage with the New-Age Woman.

Adgully brought together a distinguished panel of industry experts to take forward this pertinent discussion:

Akanksha Jain, Head - PR & Communications, BharatPe

Anubhuti Sharma, Founder, Impresario Global

Harpreet Kapoor, Chief Business Officer, Konverz.ai Partner, Kognoz

Monalisha Thakur, Co-founder & CMO, Tummoc

Monica Becerril, Co-founder & Chief Marketing Officer, Unived

Shivani Kamdar, Associate Creative Director - Content, Socheers

Shweta Munjal, Vice President & Global Head Corporate Communications & Sustainability, Lupin

Sukrati Gagrani, Head of Communications, Toprankers

How can brand mantras resonate with modern womens values amid evolving societal roles?

Monalisha Thakur, Co-founder & CMO, Tummoc: #NewAgeWomen seek authenticity and empowerment. Brands that champion inclusivity, innovation, & resilience resonate deeply. It is about aligning values with actions, not just talking about what we stand for, but demonstrating how we uplift and inspire.

Anubhuti Sharma, Founder, Impresario Global: Brands need to break away from stereotypical gender bracketing and focus more on messaging centred on quality, trust, personalisation and customised brand positioning. We need to revisit the word modern and its meaning. Women now exercise a relatively substantial economic influence owing to their evolving financial prowess. So, the mantra for any brand will benefit from an authentic appeal to values that have come to define todays consumer.

Monica Becerril, Co-founder & Chief Marketing Officer, Unived: Creating brand mantras that effectively resonate with modern women requires a deep understanding of their diverse perspectives and evolving roles in our society, and avoiding stereotypes and embracing a broad spectrum of identities, experiences, and perspectives.

Sukrati Gagrani, Head of Communications, Toprankers: Even a brand like Bumble states, Make the first move, championing womens agency in dating and networking, breaking traditional gender norms. Brands can resonate with modern women by challenging traditional standards. For example, Dove promoted authenticity and self-acceptance by celebrating diverse representations of beauty.

Harpreet Kapoor, Chief Business Officer, Konverz.ai Partner, Kognoz: Modern and new age women need to embrace their feminism. The brands need to showcase the true power of Shakti.

What strategies empower brands to craft inspiring mantras for todays women?

Akanksha Jain, Head - PR & Communications, BharatPe: Brands can run a focussed campaign to bring to life stories of inspiring women whose work has impacted society at large. Their journey, struggles and successes can inspire millions and also help brands build a stronger connect with their audience. Brands need to conduct thorough research to grasp what is valued by new-age women, their aspirations, and challenges effectively. They need to spotlight womens strengths, resilience, and capabilities prominently in brand messaging.

Shweta Munjal, Vice President & Global Head Corporate Communications & Sustainability, Lupin: It is important for brands to craft mantras beyond mere words  ones that resonate (deeply) with the TG through authenticity, inclusivity, and not-to-miss, compelling storytelling. For example, Nikes iconic Just Do It mantra, which transcends market rhetoric to a CTA for women to embrace their strength.
Edelman, the world's largest PR firm, faced a mixed bag in 2023. While experiencing a slowdown in overall growth and a significant decline in US revenue, the company witnessed positive performances in other regions and expressed confidence in its future prospects.

Global CEO Richard Edelman acknowledged the year's difficulties, describing it as "a difficult year for the industry." This sentiment resonates with the broader PR landscape, following a period of modest growth for some of Edelman's competitors. Despite experiencing a global revenue decline of 3.7% to $1.038 billion, Edelman managed to maintain its position as the industry leader.

The decline was primarily driven by a 9.1% drop in US revenue, reaching $639 million in 2023. This drop contrasted with the positive performances seen in other regions like EMEA (up 7.1%) and LatAm (almost 30% growth). Specific offices within regions like Dallas/Houston, Miami, Belgium, and the Middle East also saw encouraging growth figures.

While acknowledging the challenges, Edelman pointed to its strong relationships with top clients as a key differentiator. The company highlighted the stability of its top 30 clients and the 6% growth achieved by its top 100 clients, demonstrating consistent value proposition in client leadership.

However, navigating the evolving business landscape required course correction. Edelman acknowledged "staffing up in 2022" as a mistake, leading to workforce reductions and a renewed focus on more efficient business management practices. The global headcount dropped to 6,116 from 6,433 in 2022, reflecting this strategic shift.

Despite these challenges, Edelman has undergone significant leadership changes in 2023, including the appointment of a new US CEO and other key positions. Richard Edelman expressed his confidence in the new team's ability to regain growth momentum.

Looking ahead to 2024, Edelman sees potential for renewed growth driven by several factors. The increased activity in the AI sector and upcoming elections around the world present opportunities for the company's expertise in navigating complex communication challenges. While the article omits specifics regarding China due to its focus on a positive outlook, it acknowledges continued challenges in the region.

Overall, 2023 presented a mixed bag for Edelman. While facing headwinds in the US market and adapting to industry changes, the company witnessed growth in other regions and remains confident in its future, thanks to its strong client relationships, leadership changes, and a renewed focus on business management efficiency. As the PR landscape continues to evolve, Edelman will be keen to translate its global experience and expertise into sustainable growth in the years to come.
GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited (GSK) has launched a new public awareness initiative  Project 90  featuring Soha Ali Khan, Milind Soman, Neelam Soni, and Rohan Bopanna to raise awareness about shingles, a painful viral disease.

Shingles is a disease of the nerves caused by the same varicella-zoster virus that causes chickenpox. The virus remains inactive in the bodys nerves after a person recovers from chickenpox and may reactivate anytime later, largely in ageing adults above the age of 50 years with weakened immunity to cause shingles.The campaign is named Project 90 because the virus is potentially present in over 90% of Indians over the age of 50 years.

The multi-phased social media campaign kicked off with a simulated takeover of the celebrities Instagram profiles by intrusive Project 90 spam and pop-ups. The fans of the celebrities were made to believe that Project 90 had disrupted the celebrities' Instagram accounts to create a buzz and generate interest in the campaign; this disruption mirrored how the virus may suddenly re-activate to disrupt the lives of ageing adults. Soha Ali Khan, Milind Soman, Neelam Soni, and Rohan Bopanna shared informative reels on the disease and highlighted the heightened risk associated with shingles in individuals aged 50 years and older.

Commenting on the campaign, Dr Rashmi Hegde, Medical Director, GlaxoSmithKline India said, Through this campaign, we want to increase awareness about shingles for people above the age of 50. Past studies have shown that the virus that causes shingles may be potentially present in over 90% of Indians aged 50 years and above. We are confident that the voices of celebrity influencers, Soha Ali Khan, Milind Soman, Neelam Soni, and Rohan Bopanna for this campaign will bring attention to the seriousness of this disease, encouraging open conversations that have the potential to save ageing adults from the pain of shingles.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Milind Usha Soman (@milindrunning)
The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) recently announced the commencement of its 15th-year celebration, marking a milestone in showcasing the vibrant spirit of Indian cinema to audiences worldwide. In addition to its motive to constantly take on groundbreaking initiatives, Following the success of the first IFFM Summer Festival IFFM announces the launch of the Second IFFM Summer Festival.

Taking place from February 29th to March 2nd, this three-day celebration of cinema takes the larger festival that happens annually in August, transforming it into a biannual celebration. The festival will witness the opening film - Laapataa Ladies which is Kiran Raos directorial which made its world premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival and opened to rave reviews across. The film will have its Australian premiere on 29th February at the festival ahead of its release on 1st March 2024.

Kira Rao expressed, Its a great honour for Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies) to be the Opening Film at IIFM. I am absolutely delighted and would like to convey my heartfelt gratitude to the festival. I hope the Melbourne audience enjoys the film, and that I get to visit this great city in person soon!

VicScreen CEO Caroline Pitcher said, IFFM is the largest celebration of Indian cinema in the southern hemisphere, lighting up Melbourne every year with incredible films and unforgettable star power. VicScreen is proud to support the expansion of the festival, with the return of a three-day summer program, which includes the highly anticipated Australian premiere of Laapataa Ladies.

Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick shares her enthusiasm for the IFFM Summer Festival, stating, "This festivals summer edition this year will have Laapataa Ladies as an opening film, directed by the talented Kiran Rao. We are thrilled to kickstart our latest venture with Kirans nuances film of layered human relationships, celebrates women and the unexpected complexities that life throws at us. This is our continued endeavour to have a widespread year round celebration of Indian films down under and we are excited to have Kirans remarkable film be the opening film of the summer edition of our festival.
Myntra, one of Indias leading fashion, beauty and lifestyle ecommerce destinations, has unveiled a new campaign Sneaker for Every Scene shining a spotlight on the premium sneakers offering curated by the Myntra Sneaker Club (MSC) store on the platform. The Myntra Sneaker Club has evolved to be the go-to destination for Indias burgeoning sneaker enthusiasts, offering them a curated array of premium selections and some of the legendary and iconic lines from globally renowned sneaker brands. This includes coveted lines such as Nike Pandas, Air Jordans, Air Force, Dunks, etc from brands such as Nike, Adidas, Asics, New Balance and more. This campaign not only celebrates the love for sneakers among individuals but also underscores the diverse and expansive sneakers range available at the Myntra Sneaker Club, a testament to its growth and journey over the years.

Spreading the love for sneakers, Sneaker for Every Scene campaign focuses entirely on the platforms premium range of sneakers and the depth of its offering that includes 10k+ styles from 20+ leading brands. Designed with an overall category insight that sneakers give a sense of confidence, help individuals conquer every scene and stay at the forefront of trend-first fashion, the campaign keeps sneakers at the heart. It includes a film based in three different settings, highlighting sneakers as essentials for every scene and giving individuals a sense of confidence to overcome any situation, while putting the spotlight on premium sneaker lines and latest drops from some of the biggest sneaker legacy brands such as Nike, Adidas, PUMA, New Balance, Skechers, Converse, Reebok, Under Armour etc available as part of the Myntra Sneaker Club.

Agency - The Voice Authority (TVA Group)

Director - Nikunj Singh

This 360-degree campaign will see the inclusion of AI films, influencer activations, OOH, Times Booklet Inserts (Sneaker specific booklets that will be compiled with the help of industry experts, covering some of Myntras top sneaker styles).

As part of the campaign, Myntra will collaborate with over a dozen sneakerheads to foster engaging conversations on sneakers and build salience for the Myntra Sneaker Club property and its selection with their fans.

Snap Filter: The Myntra Sneaker Club will also see the debut of an AR filter on Snapchat that will allow the large sneakerhead audience on the app to explore and try-on the vast catalogue of sneakers available on Myntra, while enabling them to go to the Myntra app and purchase them too.

Speaking on the launch of the campaign, Abhishek Gour - Director, Marketing, Myntra, said, We have been witnessing an unprecedented surge in demand for sneakers, reflective of a nation embracing global sneaker trends like never before. Yet, while the appetite for sneakers grows exponentially, access to coveted legacy lines remains a challenge for enthusiasts, at large. With the unparalleled selection of premium sneakers at the Myntra Sneaker Club, Myntra has been bridging the gap to meet the evolving tastes of the discerning sneakerheads. The campaign celebrates the sneaker culture while reaffirming our commitment to delivering the pinnacle of sneaker trends.

Footwear is one of the top emerging categories on Myntra, housing a robust selection of 1.5 lakh styles and 700+ brands for men, women and kids. The category has shown a strong growth in CY 23, led by sneakers with rise of casualisation, and trendification and comfort taking centerstage.

The sneakers demand in India has been seeing an increasing rise. Myntra expects its sneaker segment to grow much faster than the market, led by premium collections. The journey of the Myntra Sneaker Club is marked by exciting collaborations with esteemed global sneaker brands, resulting in several limited edition sneaker lines to be consistently sold out in record time.

The Myntra Sneaker Club is set to revolutionize the online shopping experience for sneaker enthusiasts. In addition to selection, the Myntra Sneaker Club store on the platform flaunts a new and dynamic look and feel, showcasing sneakers fit for different occasions - Sneaker for Every Scene, Performance Kicks, All Thats Buzzing that highlights sneakers trends such as Coquette Core, Bold Colour Clash to name a few. In addition, the store will also showcase coveted collaborations with industry giants such as Nike's iconic Big 3 Launches (Air Jordan, Air Force, Dunks), Puma's stylish Colourblocked Shoes, timeless classics from Birkenstock, New Balance, Adidas' ever-popular Samba collection, and the latest offerings from Jack & Jones.
Reliance Industries (RIL) and Walt Disney Company have reportedly signed a binding agreement to merge their media operations in India, according to a Bloomberg report. This major development is set to significantly alter the Indian media landscape, with RILs media unit expected to hold a majority stake (at least 61%) in the merged entity.

Key Points:

RIL and Disney signed a binding agreement to merge their Indian media operations.

RILs media unit is expected to hold a majority stake (at least 61%) in the merged entity.

Disney reportedly agreed to sell 61% of its India business to Viacom18 (owned by RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani) for $3.9 billion.

This follows Disneys previous attempts to gain a foothold in India, which havent yielded consistent success.

Implications:

The merger will create a powerful media powerhouse in India, combining Reliances resources with Disneys global reach and content library.

This could impact competition in the Indian media market, potentially affecting other players and content creators.

It remains to be seen how the merged entity will navigate local regulations and content preferences.

Uncertainties Remain:
Riya Sharma has been outstanding in her portrayal of Princess Tara on Sony SAB's 'Dhruv Tara - Samay Sadi Se Pare', winning the hearts of audiences with her grace and charm. As the show unfolds an interesting tale of love and time travel, set against the backdrop of the 17th and 21st centuries, Tara's character has always symbolized royalty. When the storyline took an unexpected turn with Tara losing her memory, Riya Sharma bid farewell to her portrayal of Princess Tara and embraced the role of Bijli, a completely different character.

While Tara dressed herself in regal attire with detailed gold jewelry, Bijli, being a dancer, chooses vibrant and eye-catching clothing paired with simpler jewelry, reflecting her lively personality. Tara's sleek and carefully styled hair stands in stark contrast to Bijli's untamed and wild locks, which flow freely, adding to the difference between their appearances. Additionally, their personalities and mannerisms sharply differ as well. Bijli's loud, messy, and direct attitude contrasts with Tara's graceful and polite nature, creating a noticeable difference between the two characters.

Riya Sharma faced a unique challenge while stepping into the shoes of Bijli as she had to embody a completely different persona while keeping the essence of the show intact. After portraying Tara for almost a year, Riya's dedication to her craft was evident in her portrayal of Bijli, bringing authenticity to the character. Now, with Bijli becoming just as beloved as Tara, Riya discusses her preparation for the role and shares her thoughts on the character.

Riya Sharma, who embraced the role of Bijli, said, Bijli's character is really fascinating. When we were deciding how she should look, it was initially overwhelming and confusing for me because it was so different from Tara's. But I just adapted to it perfectly, whether it's the clothes, the makeup, or the character itself. During the scenes, Karan sir, who plays Suryapratap, and our director helped me a lot. Bijli is very lively, unlike Tara who is royal and elegant. I had to adjust my performance to be more subtle for Tara because she wasn't anything like me. But Bijli is a lot like my own personality, making it easy for me to relate and portray. It's been enjoyable playing this fun character. Fortunately, the response from the channel, production, and my producers has been very positive, and seeing the audience's reaction makes me even happier."

Tune in to watch Dhruv Tara- Samay Sadi Se Pare every Monday to Saturday at 8:00 PM only on Sony S
In a move set to revolutionize brand marketing in the music industry, Spotify has launched AUX, its in-house music advisory agency tailored for brands. With a mission to enhance campaigns through music, AUX aims to connect brands with Spotify's vast ecosystem of over 600 million fans worldwide.

Jeremy Erlich, Spotify's VP and Head of Music Content, expressed enthusiasm for AUX, stating, "Spotify is always looking for ways to leverage our music ecosystem to deepen the connections between artists, brands, and fans."

Heading AUX is marketing veteran Jean-Francois Pathy, who brings a wealth of experience to the role. Pathy emphasized the agency's commitment to crafting unique marketing initiatives for brands, leveraging Spotify's music expertise and insights.

AUX's inaugural partnership with Coca-Cola exemplifies its potential. The collaboration sees AUX facilitating a long-term partnership between Coca-Cola and Peggy Gou, the acclaimed Berlin-based producer-DJ-vocalist. This collaboration extends across various platforms, including live concerts, social media, and branded playlists, showcasing the power of music-driven campaigns.

Joshua Burke, Global Head of Music & Culture Marketing at The Coca-Cola Company, hailed AUX as a groundbreaking initiative. He stated, "We are proud to be an early partner to AUX, which integrates Spotifys expertise to enable authentic connections with music fans worldwide."

Additionally, Coca-Cola's commitment to supporting emerging artists is further demonstrated through the launch of Coke Studio at Spotify LA, providing recording support and promotional opportunities for up-and-coming musicians.

As brands increasingly recognize the value of music in their marketing endeavors, AUX emerges as a vital resource, poised to shape the future of music-driven campaigns and deepen connections between brands, artists, and fans on Spotify's platform.
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern, 26.02.2024 - On 26 February, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis received the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mr Saleumxay Kommasith, in Bern for an official working visit. Discussions focused on the development of bilateral relations, Switzerland's partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the geopolitical situation.

Political, economic and consular ties between Switzerland and the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic have been strengthened in recent years, with the opening of a consular agency in Vientiane in 2021 and an honorary consulate in Luang Prabang in 2022. At their meeting in Bern, Mr Cassis and Mr Kommasith welcomed these developments. This dynamic is in keeping with the objectives of the Federal Council's South East Asia Strategy 202326, which aims to consolidate and deepen Switzerland's relations with the countries in this region. It was also highlighted during the celebrations to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2023, in Vientiane.



Switzerland's participation in various high-level meetings organised by ASEAN, of which Laos holds the chairmanship this year, was also at the heart of discussions. Switzerland and ASEAN, considered to be the most important international organisation in the AsiaPacific region, have maintained a sectoral dialogue partnership since 2016. This enables Switzerland to assert its interests in South East Asia more effectively at the multilateral level.



International cooperation: Switzerland active in Laos for almost 30 years



Discussions also focused on development cooperation. Switzerland has been present in Laos since 1995 as part of its regional programme devoted to the Mekong. It has been active in three main areas: climate change and natural resource management, inclusive economic development, and governance and civic engagement. In concrete terms, Switzerland supports initiatives in cross-border water management, hydroelectric dam safety, and vocational training in the tourism sector. Swiss support for the Mekong region amounts to around CHF 140 million, including CHF 60 million allocated to Laos, for the 202225 period.



Mr Cassis and Mr Kommasith touched upon the current geopolitical situation, particularly in Myanmar and the Middle East. Possible avenues for lasting peace in Ukraine were also discussed. Following his visit to Bern, Mr Kommasith will take part in the 55th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, which was opened today by Mr Cassis.



Address for enquiries

FDFA Communication

Federal Palace West Wing

CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland

Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55

E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

Twitter: @SwissMFA

Publisher

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html




Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture

Bern, 26.02.2024 - Senior officials of G10 Members (Iceland, Israel, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Chinese Taipei) met on 26 February 2024 on the fringes of the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organisation in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Upon invitation from Switzerland, the G10 Members discussed current developments in the WTO negotiations on agriculture. They emphasized their willingness to engage constructively in agricultural talks at MC13 and beyond while making sure that their unique perspective is taken into account.

The G10 is a group coordinated by Switzerland, which defends common positions in the agricultural negotiations at the WTO from the perspective of net-food importing countries. Jean-Marc Chappuis, Deputy Director of the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture, chaired a meeting of high-level representatives of G10 Members.

Underlining their common support for a well-functioning and rules based multilateral trading system, G10 Members exchanged views on ongoing agricultural negotiations at MC13. They expressed their support for a successful MC13 with political guidance for the negotiations. Under the precondition that their sensitivities are taken into account, G10 Members confirmed their ongoing efforts to engage constructively in agricultural talks at MC13 and beyond.

As net-food importing countries, G10 Members emphasized the importance of their positions being taken into account in the ongoing agricultural negotiations and stressed the need to consider non-trade concerns in any outcome. The Group remains specifically concerned about the current state of food insecurity, supply disruption and prices at a record high and supported the need for the WTO to make a meaningful contribution to ensure global food security and predictability of international markets. Advancements in the area of export restrictions is perceived by the group as one important element for global food security. G10 Members noted that any work program resulting from MC13 should be balanced, not prejudge the outcome of future negotiations and have global food security objectives at its core.

G10 Members agreed to continue to cooperate closely in WTO negotiations as well as to emphasize the concerns of net-food importing Members and to contribute towards a transformation to more sustainable and resilient agriculture and food systems.

Address for enquiries

Hugo Wyler, Communication and Language Services, tel. +41 58 463 01 07, media@blw.admin.ch

Publisher

Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture

http://www.blw.admin.ch




Yesterday afternoon, active-duty member of the US Air Force Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, in protest against US imperialisms complicity with the war on Gaza. The news of this brave act of self-sacrifice by a single man has powerfully echoed through the hearts of hundreds of millions of men and women.

They feel the same profound desperation at the scenes of the genocide being committed in Gaza; impotence as the collective military might of western imperialism is used to crush and murder a small, oppressed people; they feel the same choking rage at our bloodthirsty capitalist politicians here in the West who have allowed this slaughter.

On Thursday morning, 25-year-old cybersecurity and IT engineer for the US Air Force Aaron Bushnell contacted various newspapers, stating his intention to lay down his life in protest:

My name is Aaron Bushnell, I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide. Im about to engage in an extreme act of protest but, compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, its not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.

Faced with the rank hypocrisy of the imperialists, who preach democracy and human rights while arming the murderous Netanyahu regime to the hilt, Bushnell, who was an anarchist, correctly placed the blame squarely where it belongs: with the ruling class.

The video of Bushnells final moments, as he approached the gates of the Israeli embassy, make for harrowing viewing. Initially seen on Twitch by just a few dozen viewers, subsequent uploads of the footage have been seen by millions. Even as the flames engulfed his body, Bushnell screams out: Free Palestine! Free Palestine! These were his final words.

Alongside this scene of a young man in the prime of his life giving up everything to bring attention to the suffering of the Palestinian people, the video also captured the spectacle of either a plain-clothes police officer or a member of embassy security pointing a gun at the dying man, demanding he get on the ground.

Media insinuations

Immediately, the authorities and the media have disgracefully sought to muddy the waters, using the typical Orwellian Newspeak, which we have become so used to since the war against Gaza broke out.

ABC News referred to an apparent political protest, the scare quotes being entirely their own. Others noted that no Israeli embassy staff were harmed, and that a bomb disposal team were called out to check a suspicious vehicle in the area  insinuations that suggest the safety of the embassy and its staff were somehow under threat.

The impact of Bushnells death is shown in the immense outpouring of sympathy and support on his social media / Image: fair use

The Washington Metropolitan Police, meanwhile, released an incident report talking about a man in mental distress walking outside the embassy before Bushnells self-immolation. The Secret Service reported that it had received reports of someone experiencing a possible medical / mental health emergency. Many in the press dutifully picked up this narrative, in a filthy attempt to undermine Bushnells protest by suggesting they were the actions of a man not of sound mind.

These actions were not the result of mental illness, but of a deep frustration and anger, the same sentiment with which the hearts of millions of workers and youth burn. We are sick of the mass murder, and of the lies coming from the capitalist media and politicians, in the USA and everywhere, who attempt to blacken the reputations of those standing with Palestine, while justifying Israels slaughter.

But Bushnells message to the world was not simply one of anger, it also showed the desperate, seething need to do something in the face of all this injustice. In powerful words, he wrote in his final social media post:

Many of us like to ask ourselves, What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide? The answer is, you're doing it. Right now.

Faced with the horrors of imperialism, millions feel the need to act. But as individuals, we seem impotent to halt the bone-crushing might of the imperialist juggernaut.

A more powerful example of individual protest than that of Aaron Bushnell, who will forever be remembered, cannot be imagined. What is needed now is an organised expression, to collect all of this rage into a powerful, invincible force: a revolutionary party that can challenge and overthrow this rotten capitalist system, and the whole gang of imperialist war criminals, from Biden to Sunak, Macron, Scholz, Trudeau  the lot of them.

A volcanic revolution

The impact of Bushnells death is shown in the immense outpouring of sympathy and support on his social media. Messages of solidarity from thousands of commenters revealed how deeply his actions had been felt:

I have felt how you feel, no one seems to be listening or caring enough to stop this genocide. Shame on you, Joe Biden. Shame on you, Blinken. You murderers! The ignition of your good body will be the beginning of a volcanic revolution to stop injustice and support the oppressed.

This is the mood among millions. Bushnells screams of free Palestine will echo long after his death. What is needed, is precisely as the above comment points out, a volcanic revolution, channelling the righteous anger of the millions who oppose the ceaseless oppression engendered by capitalism and imperialism at home and abroad.

Bushnells protest is the most recent in a long history of self-immolations against imperialist war and oppression. Similar protests were famously carried out during the Vietnam War, both by US and Vietnamese protesters.

More recently, the self-immolation of Tunisian street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi in 2010  against the grinding poverty and humiliation that he, like millions of others, suffered at the hands of the regime  acted as the last straw for the revolutionary movement that erupted in Tunisia, ushering in the Arab Spring and the downfall of dictators.

Today, the destruction of Gaza is radicalising millions of people in the Middle East. Regimes throughout the region hang by a thread. The possibility of a new Arab Spring is in the air, terrifying the imperialists.

Similar revolutionary developments are on the order of the day all over the world. The question of Gaza has become a key factor in the radicalisation of hundreds of millions. The same mood is building everywhere. What is needed is organisation and a clear revolutionary programme to expropriate the capitalists and carry through a communist revolution. Only this can turn rage and despair into revolutionary hope and a force that will change society.

Free Palestine!

Intifada until victory! Revolution until victory!
Saturday Night Live could not get enough of Alabama this week. Whether or not the feeling is mutual might depend on the quality of the jokes, but the legendary sketch comedy show took four stabs at it.

After satirizing the Alabama Supreme Courts ruling on frozen embryos and randomly airing a sketch about fictional Alabama-born character Forrest Gump, SNL employed one of its most popular performers to portray author Truman Capote during Weekend Update.

Dressed in a black blazer, multicolored scarf, tinted glasses and a fedora on top of a gray wig, cast member Bowen Yang did a fun, if not Philip Seymour Hoffman-level, impersonation of the In Cold Blood author who grew up in Monroeville.

Capote stopped by the fake news show to commemorate Womens History Month (happening in March), which surprised co-anchor Colin Jost.

Why? I love women, Capote said. Theyre what dolls are based on.

Jost then said he has watched the new FX series FEUD: Capote vs. the Swans, based on the book Capotes Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era about Capotes fractured friendships with a socialite group of New York City high society. The anchor said the series shows how Capote betrayed his female friends by writing mean things about them.

I didnt betray them, Yang said as Capote. I simply published what they told me in confidence. We were friends. I called them my swans. When Jost pressed him on why, Capote replied, Because theyre beautiful, mean, and one of them took a dump on my car.

Capote then said he wanted to talk about some of his favorite women from history, starting with Amelia Earhart. She was so brave, such an innovator, he said. Terrible what happened to her. You know, shes the reason why we dont have female pilots. Jost pointed out there are female pilots, while Capote said, Well we shouldnt.

He moved on to figures like Betsy Ross, Florence Nightingale, Eleanor Roosevelt and Sacagawea, telling one lie after another about each.

It really doesnt seem like you love women, Jost said.

Oh please, Colin, Yang/Capote retorted. No one loves women like a gay man who hates women. Watch the full segment in the video above.

Yangs bit marked one of several Alabama connections seen during the episode hosted by Shane Gillis (with musical guest 21 Savage). Following the Alabama Supreme Courts recent ruling that frozen embryos are people, Update spent a few jokes on the story before allowing a frozen embryo (played by Marcello Hernandez) to react to the news.

Feud: Capote vs. the Swans an eight-episode series with an all-star cast, airs on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. CT on FX. Tom Hollander of The White Lotus stars as Capote in the prestige project, teaming with actresses such as Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Demi Moore, Molly Ringwald, Chloe Sevigny and Calista Flockhart.
Chris Gauthier, a Canadian actor known for Once Upon a Time, Smallville and Eureka, died on Feb. 23 from an unspecified short illness, according to his management. He was 48.

In a statement posted to Facebook, TriStar Appearances Chad Colvin confirmed the news: When his wife reached out to me yesterday with the news, I wept tears of disbelief for hours. Its taken me til now to fully mentally and emotionally steel myself to write this.

Chris was the literal textbook definition of a character actor. You may not have known his name but you knew his face, you knew his voice, and you knew that if he was onscreen, you were in for a helluva ride. Whether he was standing toe-to-toe against Clark Kent on Smallville as the Toyman (pictured), tormenting Dean on Supernatural, on deck with Hook as Smee in Once Upon A Time or in guest roles in the countless other productions he was in, he ALWAYS gave it his all when the camera was rolling, the statement continued.

In addition to the roles Colvin highlighted, Gauthiers other TV credits include Harpers Island, Sanctuary, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Legends of Tomorrow, Charmed and Joe Pickett. On the film side, Gauthier had roles in 40 Days and 40 Nights, Agent Cody Banks and Freddy vs. Jason.

Gauthiers friend Corrine Wright wrote in a Facebook post that the actor had worked with stars such as Anthony Hopkins and Robin Williams, as well as a host of other actors who all speak very highly of how great a person he was.

Colin ODonoghue, who played Hook in Once Upon a Time opposite Gauthier, paid tribute to the actor on Instagram: Rest in Peace Chris! Heartbroken! My love and thoughts go out to Erin and the boys! You will be missed brother! You were the real captain!!

Gauthier is survived by his wife and children.

 2024 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
A popular travel vlogger has dropped a video on Fairhope that puts a glossy sheen on some of the popular destination areas best-known charms, under the heading of Exploring Wealthy Alabama.

Peter Santenello boasts about 2.8 million subscribers on YouTube and his 40-minute segment on the Eastern Shore has racked up more than 800,000 views since he released it on Saturday. While arguably the shallowest presentation of the Eastern Shore since Hulus Love In Fairhope miniseries, it certainly illustrates some of the areas best known selling points: Downtown Fairhope is picturesque, there are lots of beautiful (and expensive) bayfront homes, the Grand Hotel is pretty doggone swanky and many residents pride themselves on their genteel approach to life.

To the extent that Santenello has a theme, its that while a place like Alabama may tend to be stereotyped as poor and backwards, a place like Fairhope can show thats not the whole story. Alabama, a state known for many things, but usually wealthy neighborhoods and beautiful beaches dont come to mind, he says.

(For the record, when Forbes listed the richest cities and communities in the state last year, based on 2021 Census data, Fairhope barely made the Top 20 and had less than half the mean household income of Mountain Brook. But those figures represent averages; Santenello sticks mostly to the bayfront landscape of Fairhope and Point Clear, which came in seventh in that list.)

The view that Fairhope counters outside stereotypes is shared by those Santenello meets on his first-ever day in Alabama, including his primary guide, realtor Doug Kilborn. Kilborn says hes lived elsewhere and been dismayed to see his homes name used as shorthand for discrimination and other social woes.

Were kind of the original melting pot, down in the South, Kilborn says. A lot of people from different places have lived around each other for a long time. And weve worked it all out.

Walking along a wharf, Kilborn offers one shrewd bit of insight: You know somebody really has the bling around here when their pier has been rebuilt, he says. He explains its a major recurring expense after tropical storms.

First impressions, I gotta say, theres a real calming feel, says Santenello of the bayfront vibe.

Its easygoing, says Kilborn. Its easygoing, yeah, agrees Santenello.

People dont get caught up in the rat race, says Kilborn.

Well, you have to have the money to pull it off, obviously, says Santenello.

You do, says Kilborn. And theres like maybe a little fight because people dont want to. But some people just have the money and they dont have to be a part of the rat race because theyve already got the money.

Santenello also picks up a valuable bit of local lingo: If a wine is not great but its good enough to sip outdoors while enjoying the good life on Mobile Bay, thats a porch wine.

The full segment can be found on Santenellos YouTube channel.
Kevin Costners two-part Western epic Horizon: An American Saga, hitting theaters in summer 2024, finally has a full trailer, and we get our first glimpse at an Alabama native playing a key role in the action-packed adventure.

Costner has recently re-emerged as one the Western genres biggest stars thanks to the hit Paramount Network drama Yellowstone, a modern spin after his previous work in more traditional films like Silverado, Dances with Wolves and Open Range.

Billed as a two-part event, Horizon explores the lure of the Old West and how it was wonand lostthrough the blood, sweat and tears of many, according to its studio Warner Bros. Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, Costners ambitious cinematic adventure will take audiences on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.

The first film, billed as Chapter One, hits theaters June 24, 2024, followed by Chapter Two in August.

READ: Kevin Costners 10 best movies ranked

Costner leads the cast along with Sienna Miller (American Sniper), Sam Worthington (Avatar), Jena Malone (Stepmom), Luke Wilson (Old School) and Will Patton (Remember the Titans). The ensemble also features Giovanni Ribisi, Danny Huston, Jeff Fahey, Thomas Haden Church and Dale Dickey.

Also on board is Alabama-born actor Michael Rooker, now best known for his work in Marvels Guardians of the Galaxy films in which he played Yondu Udonta.

We get our first look at Rooker in the film in this new trailer. Sporting a full salt-and-pepper beard, Rooker is dressed in a navy dress shirt (sleeves rolled up), tan suspenders and a light brown cowboy hat, as he stands in the middle of a crop field while wearing an uneasy look.

The Jasper native and longtime character actor moved to Chicago at age 13 and later attended DePaul University. Rooker first came to prominence in the terrifying title role of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Other notable film work includes Eight Men Out, Mississippi Burning, Days of Thunder, JFK and Tombstone. He also earned acclaim for playing Merle Dixon, a villainous survivor on AMCs The Walking Dead.

MORE: 20 celebrities you didnt know were from Alabama

Costner won two Oscars for Dances with Wolves, one for directing and another for producing/best picture. The film won seven total and grossed more than $420 million worldwide.

He also directed the 2003 Western Open Range, co-starring Robert Duvall, Anette Bening and the late Michael Gambon.

Since 2018, Costner has portrayed John Dutton on the television dramas series Yellowstone, for which he earned a Golden Globe award win and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.

His director of photography is J. Michael Muro, who operated Steadicam and B-camera on Dances with Wolves and served as cinematographer on Open Range.

Horizon: An American Saga will open in 2024, part one on June 28 and part two on Aug. 16. Watch the new trailer above.
John Olivers Last Week Tonight is the latest late night show to satirize the Alabama Supreme Courts recent ruling that frozen embryos are people.

Following The Daily Show and Saturday Night Live, the HBO show, which airs Sunday nights at 10 p.m. central, quickly turned around a segment after the Feb. 16 ruling.

They ruled frozen embryos are the same as people, which is wrong for a bunch of reasons, Oliver said. Mainly, if you freeze an embryo, its fine. If you freeze a person, you have some explaining to do.

The Emmy-winner cited a CNN report that said nearly 2 percent of babies born in the U.S. are born as a result of IVF.

This is a seismic decision, and the reason the court was hearing this case to begin with was pretty wild, Oliver said.

The host was referencing the wrongful death lawsuits three couples filed against a Mobile fertility clinic and Mobile Infirmary Medical Center after they claimed a hospital patient allegedly broke into Mobile Infirmarys freezer and dropped frozen embryos.

The court ruled that the clinic could be suit for wrongful death, Oliver said. And while that accident is genuinely horrible, someone wandering into a lab and dropping frozen embryos just isnt murder. If anything, it sounds like a script for a pretty tasteless Mr. Bean sequel, but that is it. This included a graphic of a fake Mr. Bean film called Diagnosis Eggative.

Oliver said the reason clinics are pausing treatment is because nobody knows what it could mean for an embryo to be legally equivalent to a person going forward. He then posited several hypothetical scenarios asking what happens if an embryo is stored improperly, what if theyre destroyed in the implantation process, what about genetic testing which carries the slight risk of damaging embryos. It is chaos, he said.

None of this should be that surprising, Oliver continued. This ruling is a natural outgrowth of the concept of fetal personhood, long-pushed by anti-abortion groups, which Republicans have spent decades courting. And some politicians suddenly seem alarmed to have to deal with the consequences of a movement that they have actively empowered.

Oliver then showed the viral clip of Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville commenting on the ruling, which the host described as the senator seeming to realize the problems with his position in real time. Tuberville, speaking after his appearance at CPAC, said he was all for the decision but added we need more kids, which the ruling undermines as several fertility clinics in Alabama announced they would pause in vitro fertilization treatments.

Well guess what, Tommy. Ive got great news, Oliver said. Since your political philosophy seems to begin and end with We need more kids, youll be thrilled to know that, thanks to a judge in Alabama, theres now whole freezers full of them. Go play with all those frosty kids, senator. Or maybe thats not what you had in mind when you think of children, which is exactly the f--king point here.

You can stream the latest episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on Max, or watch the segment on the shows YouTube channel when it appears.

Attorney General Steve Marshalls statement on Friday that his office has no intention of prosecuting IVF clinics or families who use the procedure. While the state says it has no plans to prosecute IVF providers or families, those entities could still be held liable for wrongful death in civil suits as a result of the Alabama Supreme Court decision.

Alabamas Republican lawmakers are considering legislation to protect in vitro fertilization and their vision of the right to life following the ruling. Democratic lawmakers in the state filed a bill last Thursday classifying fertilized eggs or human embryos outside of a uterus as not considered an unborn child or human being for any purpose under state law. The bill, HB 225, would protect in vitro fertilization. State Sen. Tim Melson, (R-Florence), also said last week that he plans to file a bill to address the issue.

After the surprise ruling, three fertility clinics in the state paused services, placing embryos and hopeful parents in limbo. Clinics and patients are planning public demonstrations this week.

Sarah Whites-Koditschek contributed to this story.
Kenneth Mitchell, best known for his roles in Star Trek: Discovery and Captain Marvel, has died at age 49 after a five-year battle with ALS.

His family announced the news just after midnight on Saturday, releasing a statement to his official social media accounts.

With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Kenneth Alexander Mitchell, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, son and dear friend, the family wrote.

Ken was widely known as an actor in many films and television shows. Hes portrayed an Olympic hopeful, an apocalypse survivor, an astronaut, a superheros dad, and four unique Star Trekkers, the statement added.

Mitchell, a Toronto native, leaves behind two children, 16-year-old Lilah and 11-year-old Kallum, whom he shared with his wife, Susan May Pratt.

The actor accumulated over 50 film and TV credits, including his roles as Klingons Kol, Kol-Sha, Tenavik and Aurellio, on CBS Star Trek: Discovery.

He also played the father of Carol Danvers in the 2019 movie Captain Marvel and had roles in Miracle, Jericho, The Astronaut Wives Club, Ghost Whisperer, and Switched at Birth.

After being diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease, in 2018, Mitchell began sharing his experience with his followers on social media.

Recognizing the five-year anniversary of his diagnosis last August, he wrote, Im so thankful to have this day in front of me. Its been a long 5 years. So much lost, so much gained. Incredibly hard times, mixed with so many more blessings.

Regardless of his later disabilities, Ken discovered a higher calling to be more fully himself for his kids, his family said in their post Sunday.

For five and a half years Ken faced a series of awful challenges from ALS. And in truest Ken fashion, he managed to rise above each one with grace and commitment to living a full and joyous life in each moment, they added.

_________

2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Priceville police have arrested a 16-year-old they say broke into an elementary school, and later returned to take a school bus on a joy ride.

According to police, the juvenile entered Priceville Elementary after hours on Feb. 16. Security cameras recorded the juvenile walking the halls and attempting to enter locked rooms with a screwdriver, police said in a news release.

The same juvenile returned to the school on Feb. 18 - this time breaking into a school bus on the property, starting the bus, and driving it around the parking lot.

Priceville Officer Reggie Gibbs, along with Morgan County SROs and other school officials, investigated the incident.

The juvenile, whose name was not released, was charged with third degree burglary and unauthorized use of a vehicle.

He was transported to a nearby juvenile detention center, police said.
An apartment building containing 16 separate units went up in flames Saturday night, as Mobile Fire-Rescue Department personnel fought the three-alarm fire.

According to the MFRD, multiple units responded to a report of a fire just before 7 p.m. Saturday night at Montlimar Apartments on Azalea Road.

As they were responding, firefighters on on one truck could see the large flames coming from the building and called for a second alarm.

Once on the scene, firefighters first ensured all residents were evacuated, including one resident who had been asleep and was assisted out of the building by firefighters. There were no reports of injuries.

As the fire spread throughout the two-story building and into the attic, a third-alarm was called just before 7:30 p.m., dispatching more fire units to the scene. Ultimately, the fire was brought under control by 8 p.m., with firefighters then undertaking the process of locating and extinguishing hotspots.

By 10:39 p.m., the fire was considered fully extinguished, with one unit remaining on the scene on fire watch.

According to the MFRD, every apartment suffered smoke damage, with several receiving major fire and water damage. The Red Cross is assisting residents displaced by the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Israels war on Gaza has exposed the hypocrisy of the western rules-based order, and demonstrated the impotence of the United Nations and the international laws it adjudicates. In reality, the UN is nothing more than a tool of imperialism.

[Originally published at communist.red]

The world is watching Israels war on Gaza with horror. Over 30,000 have been killed, half a million are facing hunger, and 2.2 million people are living in barbaric conditions.

Already the western imperialists are spreading the conflict across the Middle East, leaving a trail of death and destruction in their wake.

For the past three months, workers and youth across the world have mobilised massive marches calling for a ceasefire, desperate for the bombing to stop.

Many of the leaders of the Palestine solidarity movement are putting all their hopes in the United Nations (UN), hoping that world leaders can gather around the table and find a peaceful solution.

International law

The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has described the situation in Gaza as hell on earth. He has repeatedly called for a ceasefire. Yet every attempt to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the UN Security Council has been blocked by the United States.

So when the UNs International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that it was at least plausible Israel is committing genocide, many activists and leaders within the Palestine movement saw it as step in the right direction.

Lindsey German from Stop the War (StW) wrote that: The courts ruling on the case brought by South Africa was a powerful indictment of Israel and said that the country had a case to answer for possible genocide.

German thought it was disappointing that the ICJ had not called for a ceasefire, because it has the power to doas it did with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. She however welcomed the ICJs demand on Israel to take steps to prevent genocide.

The example of Russia precisely proves, however, that while the ICJ can make all sorts of demands, it has no power whatsoever to enforce them.

Similar statements can be found from Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), who begged the Tory government to respect the court. They wrote: The ICJ, as an internationally recognised judicial body, has the mandate to interpret and apply international law. Its rulings should be respected and upheld by all states, including the UK.

So instead of exposing the impotence of UN bodies such as the ICJ, and the sham of so-called international law, both StW and PSC spread illusions in these institutions.

The only solutions that they offer is the abstract need for more international pressure on Israel to force them into a ceasefire and to end the occupation.

In the last few months, however, international pressure has indeed mounted on Israel. But still nothing  including the demands of the ICJ  is stopping Israel from carrying out the mass murder of the Palestinian people.

Pessimism

There is now widespread pessimism about the UNs future. The recent turbulent events in the Middle East have completely paralysed the organisation. But the crises within the UN started long before the war in Gaza.

It has been unable to respond to conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, the civil war in Sudan, or the multiple coups in West Africa. UN peacekeepers were even kicked out from Mali this summer.

In an interview with the Financial Times podcast The RachmanShow, Mark Mallock-Brown, the former deputy secretary general of the UN, said that the reduced peacekeeping operations in Africa is a very low point, and that the UN is looking like it is in very serious troubles at the moment.

In September, at the annual UN General Assembly meeting, Antonio Guterres warned that a great fracture in the global governance system was looming. He said: We cannot effectively address problems as they are if institutions dont reflect the world as it is. Instead of solving problems, they risk becoming part of the problem.

This pessimism is a symptom of the fracturing of world relations, given the worldwide crisis of capitalism, the relative decline of US imperialism, and the rise of both China and Russia as imperialist powers.

Harmony

Tensions between countries, conflicts, and war are inevitable under capitalism / Image: public domain

The UN describes itself as being the one place on Earth where all the worlds nations can gather together, discuss common problems, and find shared solutions that benefit all of humanity.

It claims that its four purposes are to: 1) maintain international peace and security; 2) to develop friendly relations among nations; 3) to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights; and 4) to be a centre for harmonising the actions of nations.

From this, one would think that the UN is an independent organisation with some special power to make the worlds leaders somehow see sense and finally unite for the good of humanity.

The idea that the UN can provide a platform for harmonising solutions between nations implies that the differences between them are merely accidental, and that arguments or disagreements between nations can be overcome simply through discussion.

But one only needs to flick through the UNs track record to realise that ever since it was founded in 1946, it has never been able to secure international peace or develop friendly relations between nations. War has been a permanent feature of the world during the UNs entire existence.

Indeed, Uppsala University in Sweden identified 285 distinct armed conflicts that have taken place since 1946. Instead of preventing war, the UN has done the exact opposite.

Dis-United Nations

Tensions between countries, conflicts, and war are inevitable under capitalism. This is as nation states are in constant competition to survive on or/and dominate the world market, where the powerful gobble up the weak. It is naive to think otherwise.

Today, with the concentration of capital in a few key monopolies and financial institutions, capitalist nation states are highly interlinked with private and state monopolies.

Lenin explained that the cause of war in the modern epoch is the division of the world between competing imperialist nation states. Conflicts and wars will inevitably erupt from the contradictions between different nation states, which at the end of the day are rooted in the interests of their respective capitalist classes.

The UN is not an independent body which acts on its own accord, but is made up of representatives from nearly 200 competing nation states. But among these, it is the big imperialist powers that call the shots  and none more so than the USA.

The permanent members of the UN Security Council are the US, the UK, Russia, China, and France, all of whom have veto rights. These imperialist powers always look after their own interests first.

Since the UNs inception, it was paralysed between the irreconcilable interests of western imperialism on the one side, and the Stalinist bureaucracies of the USSR (and later China) on the other. This conflict has only continued with the restoration of capitalism in Russia and China, and their development into imperialist powers.

With the breakdown of globalisation and the major crisis in world relations, the impotence of the UN is being increasingly revealed. The US, UK, and France cannot be expected to find an agreement with Russia or China on questions like the war in Ukraine, the global trade war, or the situation in West Africa. The interests of the imperialist powers on these questions are mutually exclusive.

Lenin explained that the League of Nations, the UNs predecessor, was a unification on paper only. In reality it was a group of beasts of prey in constant struggle with one another and who will never trust one another.

Lenin described the League of Nations as a thieves kitchen  a piece of fakery from beginning to end; it is a deception from beginning to end; it is a lie from beginning to end.

Tool of imperialism

So rather than being an instrument for peace, the UN is a tool of imperialism.

This can be seen when the UN intervened after the colonial revolution in the Republic of Congo in 1960.

Once Congo had liberated itself from Belgian domination, an insurrection backed by their former coloniser broke out in the mineral-rich south east of Congo. The insurrection was a clear attempt to destabilise the new government led by Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically elected Prime Minister.

Congo reached out to the UN Security Council for help, who responded by sending over 13,000 troops. They also sent a large civilian UN task force to take over public administrations like airfields, hospitals, communications, the central bank, police, etc.

But instead of helping Congo, the UNs presence made it more difficult for the newly-elected government to function. The UN never condemned or took any action against the Belgians. Instead they prevented Lumumba from calling for support from friendly African nations and blocked aid from the Soviet Union.

Coup

The UN is a tool of imperialism / Image: public domain

Western imperialism was highly concerned about the spread of the colonial revolutions, and was determined to put an end to Lumumbas government. These western imperialists were the main source of the UNs authority.

From the start, the UN worked against the newly elected government.

After Lumumba had reached out to the Soviet Union for aid, the CIA (which has a long history of interfering with foreign governments) was authorised by the White House to replace the Lumumba Government by constitutional means. The CIA sponsored protesters to disrupt Lumumbas speeches, and began scheming to assassinate him.

A few months later, Lumumba was removed and executed in a coup organised by the Chief of Staff of the Army, Mobutu. The actions against Lumumba were openly supported by Belgium and the United States.

Although the UN knew that Lumumba had been under threat of assassination, nothing was done to prevent it from happening. Instead, they were relieved when Mobutu came to power.

Brian Urquhart, the UNs main representative in Congo at the time, said that:

By comparison with his boss, Mobutu was a pillar of pragmatism and common sense.

In those early days, Mobutu seemed a comparatively sensible young man, one who might even, at least now and then, have the best interests of his newly independent country at heart.

By common sense, Urquhart meant an amenability to opening up Congo to western imperialism, and a rejection of the USSR.

The UNs professed mission to bring peace, democracy, and human rights therefore evaporates upon contact with the heat of real class struggles and conflicts between the powers.

This is for the simple reason that the UN is no more than a talking shop; a diplomatic cover for the main imperialist powers.

The UN is interested in peace only insofar as the imperialist powers, from time to time, desire peace. But when a government, such as Lumumbas, threatens their interests, peace goes out the window.

Haiti

A more recent example of UN peacekeeping in the interests of imperialism is the case of Haiti.

The United States backed a coup in 2004 against the left-wing president Aristide. Just like Lumumba, Aristide was also the first elected president of the country. UN troops were sent there immediately after the coup to prevent any attempts of Haitians to organise against the new western-backed regime.

The UN mission (MINUSTAH) was specifically designed to prevent resurgent populist and anti-market economy political forces, and even worked to ban Aristide from returning to Haiti. So much for promoting respect for human rights!

This was all justified on the grounds that any movement against the new government threatened peace and stability. The UN thus set itself the task of preserving the order of the rotten status quo.

MINUSTAH lasted from 2004-2017. In those years, the so-called peacekeepers showed their true faces in a number of scandals.

For example, it was found that girls as young as 11 were sexually abused and impregnated by UN peacekeepers. There were so many children fathered by peacekeepers that the nickname Petit MINUSTAH became common amongst Haitians.

The UN occupation in Haiti reveals that it is ultimately a tool for western imperialism to secure their interests, and provide the major capitalist powers with a mask of neutrality and peacefulness.

Describing the League of Nations, Leon Trotsky explained that: In its defence of the status quo, it is not an organisation of peace, but an organisation of the violence of the imperialist minority over the overwhelming majority of mankind. The same can be said of the UN.

Illusions

Even though the United Nations has shown time and time again that it cannot be trusted, many left reformists still look towards the UN for solutions.

In relation to the war in Gaza, the World Federation of Trade Unions has demanded an end to Israeli occupation and settlement in the occupied Arab territories, as provided for in the UN resolutions.

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT union in Britain, echoed those words and called for a just settlement based on UN resolutions and international law.

But to think that there is some way of making the Israeli state respect UN resolutions when they go against the interests of the Israeli ruling class, is a utopia.

Even if it did manage to pass a resolution in the Security Council  the only body within the UN that could pass a binding resolution  the Israeli state would just ignore it, as it has ignored countless resolutions and international laws over decades.

Many left reformists still look towards the UN for solutions / Image: public domain

Just look at what happened in the 2003 Iraq war, when the US could not get the Security Council to sanction their invasion, effectively making the war illegal according to the UN. It did not stop the United States from bombing the country to ruins. The UN has no power to counter that of the US.

At the same time as the ICJ ruling that South Africas case was at least plausible, and that Israel must do everything they can to prevent genocide, Israel accused a dozen staff members of the UN aid organisation for Palestine, UNRWA, of participating in Hamas attack on 7 October.

These accusations led to 15 countries, led by the US, freezing their funding to UNRWA. The Gaza strip is completely reliant on aid from UNRWA. The freezing of funds will therefore lead to thousands more Palestinians dying of starvation or disease.

This shows clearly how the UN is not an independent force, capable of pursuing its own policies, but is a diplomatic arena for the big powers to pursue their own interests.

Fight imperialism

The task of communists is not to spread illusions in the United Nations. No peace can be gained from this capitalist institution.

As well as acting as a shield for the capitalists interests, it acts to lull the working class, by telling them that conflicts can be avoided through discussions with world leaders. It is an organisation for capitalists to justify their actions in the name of democracy and peace, and to control anger from the working class within safe channels.

No diplomatic solution is going to be able to stop the real underlying cause of war  which is capitalism. Capitalists resort to war precisely when the normal methods of diplomacy and negotiations are insufficient to secure their interests. In the words of Clausewitz, war is simply the continuation of politics by other means.

Millions of people are losing their trust in the UN and are looking for a real solution to end the barbarism around us. Communists must therefore expose the hypocrisy of the ruling class, as embodied in institutions like the UN.

Workers and youth should only trust their own forces, and fight the imperialist war through class methods.

The real alternative is the struggle against imperialism and the overthrow of capitalism. Thats why we say: no war but class war; and why we raise the slogan of an intifada  i.e. a mass uprising, not just against the Zionist Israeli regime, but against capitalism worldwide.

The way we best support the oppressed in Gaza is to take up the struggle against British imperialism, and to call for workers of the world to do the same against their own ruling classes. The UN is not a tool in that struggle, but quite the opposite.

The struggle against imperialism and capitalism must be based on international working class solidarity, and a programme for the world socialist revolution.
Five men are being held on $1 million bond each after North Alabama authorities say they were arrested in a child exploitation sting.

Albertville police said Monday that the men were in communication with what they believed were children via text and phone calls in order to engage in unlawful sex acts.

The Marshall County Sheriffs Office, District Attorneys Office, Covenant Rescue Group and Homeland Security were also involved in the undercover investigation, according to police.

Charged with two counts of traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act, and two counts of electronic solicitation of a child, were Roger Brian Ayers, 54, of Guntersville; and Juan Eduardo Paredes Rios, 26, of Attalla.

Charged with one count of travleing to meet a child for an unlawful sex act, and one count of electronic solicitation of a child, were Ricardo Isaias Carrillo Becerra, 36, of Fort Payne; Mario Antonio Rocha Placensia, 40, of Fyffe; and Gerardo Orellana, 44, of Buford, Ga.

This operation was the result of months of preparation and planning, and we in Marshall County will continue to pursue those who seek to prey upon our children, Albertville police said in a statement.
UPDATE: Family said they had been notified that Wanda Faye Tate is safe. They were en route to the hospital to see her.

EARLIER: Authorities are asking for the publics help in locating a missing 67-year-old Birmingham woman.

Wanda Faye Cookie Tate was last heard from at 3 a.m. Monday, according to Birmingham police. She lives in the 1800 block of Bessemer Road.

Police said it is unknown if Tate left on foot or got a ride from someone. She was wearing a green jacket, gray pants, and a brown wig.

Tate is 5-feet, 4-inches tall and weighs 110 pounds.

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham police at 205-328-9311.
Several Democratic lawmakers touted a bill Monday that would clarify that frozen embryos outside the human body cannot be considered human lives under state law.

That bill, if it becomes law, could restart IVF treatments paused since a controversial Alabama Supreme Court decision.

But one of their colleagues said on Twitter that reversing the ruling and restarting those fertility treatments could require a Constitutional Amendment that wont be voted on until November.

Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, said the personhood amendment that passed in 2018 broadly protects human life after fertilization, with no exceptions for rape, incest or in vitro fertilization.

In my opinion, that will require us to pass a constitutional amendment creating an exception for embryos in an IVF clinic, England posted Sunday night.

If true, then that cant happen until November when the amendment can be on the ballot for people to vote on whether or not to add that to our constitution.

Efforts by AL.com to reach England for comment were not immediately successful on Monday.

In my opinion, Alabamas issue with IVF is bigger than the Supreme Courts opinion. Unfortunately, I think it is going to take more than a law to actually fix the problem. I think we are going to have to amend the Alabama Constitution to create an exception for IVF. pic.twitter.com/94rMnjqwoh  Chris England (@RepEngland70) February 26, 2024

House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, introduced a bill last week that would make it clear that fertilized eggs or embryos stored outside the human body are not considered human lives for any purpose under state law.

At a press conference Monday, he said he consulted with fertility clinics and other groups who said they believed the bill would allow them to restart treatment paused last week following the Supreme Court decision.

Im proud of HB 225, which would immediately put a halt on the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that happened a couple weeks ago, Daniels said. Sadly, the court ruling that frozen embryos stored in a laboratory freezer are children is harmful to those hoping to build families, especially those using IVF.

Daniels said he had heard from families hoping to create families through in vitro fertilization who had appointments postposed due to the uncertainty around the ruling.

On Friday, the chief counsel for the Alabama Attorney Generals office said Steve Marshall had no plans to prosecute IVF providers. However, the ruling concerned a wrongful death case, which means that clinics could still be held liable in civil court.

One of the co-sponsors, Rep. Prince Chestnut, D-Selma, said he hoped the bill could provide more clarity and allow treatments to restart.

Due to this ruling, many fertility clinics in Alabama have now pause operations, Chestnut said. This has disrupted the lives of women and hopeful parents who use these treatments to start or expand their families.

The proposed bill is only three pages long and is narrowly tailored to address the issue of whether frozen embryos stored outside the body could be considered children.

A majority of justice on the Alabama Supreme Court ruled they were, referring to them as extrauterine children. The ruling relied heavily on the language from the 2018 amendment.

Daniels said he hoped the bill could be heard by committee as early as this week.

Rep. Tim Melson, R-Florence, told the Alabama Reflector he planned to file a bill to protect in vitro fertilization. Daniels said Melson had not yet filed a bill.

Daniels said he hoped his bill could quickly restart treatment for families waiting in limbo since the ruling. A Constitutional Amendment would not go on the ballot until November and could potentially fail, he said.

Families right now cant wait until November, Daniels said. This bill helps people right now, immediately.
A 69-year-old man was taken into custody Monday morning in the 2001 death of his wife.

Dwight Mills is charged with murder and abuse of corpse in the slaying of Sharon Mills, who was 49 years old when she was killed nearly 23 years ago.

Sharon Mills was reported missing from Dothan on Dec. 30, 2001. Her husband is the one who reported her missing.

More than a month later - in February 2002 - body was found in a drainage ditch at the intersection of County Road 173 and Lyons Lane located just north of Bonifay in Holmes County, Florida.

Dothan police launched an investigation, but the probe stalled when detectives had exhausted all leads, said Lt. Scott Owens.

In a periodic review of the old case file, new information on the case was uncovered, which led investigators to reinvestigate all aspects of the case.

With fresh eyes, Owens said, current investigators worked new and old leads, tips, and processed several pieces of evidence to solve the case.

That evidence and information enabled them to obtain the warrants against Dwight Mills.

Dothan police and the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Task Force took Dwight Mills into custody.

What are commonly referred to as cold cases are always on the minds of police investigators, Owens said. No murder case is ever closed, and the Dothan Police Department will always proceed forward in the prosecution of a case, no matter how much time has passed.

Investigators have recently reviewed other cold cases and are actively working on them, he said. We will do everything we can to bring closure to families and perpetrators to justice.
Alabamas Republican lawmakers are considering legislation to protect in vitro fertilization and their vision of the right to life following the Alabama Supreme Courts recent ruling that frozen embryos are people.

While legislation proceeds, some conservatives said over the weekend, Alabama fertility clinics that shut down last week should reopen.

These clinics should start providing these services again. It is not fair to patients to have their embryos held hostage and procedures cancelled, Rep. Susan DuBose, (R-Hoover), told AL.com Sunday. My heart goes out to the families caught in IVF process.

She pointed to Attorney General Steve Marshalls statement on Friday that his office had no intention of prosecuting IVF clinics or families who use the procedure. The Alabama Supreme Court ruling held that frozen embryos had the same status as children in wrongful death lawsuits.

Dubose said she will support legislation that gives clear guidance to clinics on how to proceed with in vitro fertilization. Several Democratic lawmakers already have filed a bill that say that any fertilized human egg or human embryo outside of a human uterus under any circumstances would not be considered an unborn child, a minor child, a natural person, or any other term that connotes a human being for any purpose under state law. State Sen. Tim Melson, (R-Florence), also said last week that he plans to file a bill to address the issue.

After the surprise ruling on Feb. 16, three fertility clinics in the state paused services, placing embryos and hopeful parents in limbo.

The Eagle Forum, a prominent lobbying group in the state, pointed to fertility clinics as culprits for patients current impasse.

Now that Attorney General Marshall has publicly stated that he has no plans to prosecute In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) clinics, there is no excuse for any Alabama IVF clinics to stop holding the hopes of parents and the welfare of their children hostage. Please reopen and let your competent and compassionate staff practice, the organization said in a statement Saturday.

But one major health organization said Sunday that reopening isnt so simple.

We very much appreciate Attorney General Steve Marshalls support of IVF. Because attorney general opinions are not binding on Alabama courts, we are required to follow the Alabama Supreme Courts decision unless and until it reconsiders its opinion, or the Alabama Legislature addresses it through legislation, a spokesperson for UAB said in an email.

Clinics and patients are planning public demonstrations this week.

Dr. Mamie McLean, a doctor with the clinic Alabama Fertility, asked Alabamians to gather at the legislature to voice support for IVF at a possible public hearing on Wednesday of this week.

Were aware of two proposed bills that would help us save IVF in Alabama, however there are two opposing groups and so were concerned about this she said Sunday in an Instagram video. Please come, please tell your parents, please tell your grandparents, and lets show up in numbers to highlight the importance of saving IVF.

After the ruling, which cited the belief that life begins at conception, Republicans have rushed to affirm options for people in the state who want to start families.

Republican House Speaker Nathanial Ledbetter acknowledged that the state highest courts ruling presented a challenge that requires a legislative solution.

Alabamians strongly believe in protecting the rights of the unborn, but the result of the State Supreme Court ruling denies many couples the opportunity to conceive, which is a direct contradiction, said Ledbetter, according to Todd Stacey, publisher of Alabama Daily News, on X Friday.

And now from House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter on IVF:



Alabamians strongly believe in protecting the rights of the unborn, but the result of the State Supreme Court ruling denies many couples the opportunity to conceive, which is a direct contradiction.



The Legislature will  Todd Stacy (@toddcstacy) February 23, 2024

Democratic lawmakers in the state filed a bill Thursday classifying fertilized eggs or human embryos outside of a uterus as not considered an unborn child or human being for any purpose under state law. The bill, HB 225, would protect in vitro fertilization.

The Alabama Senate GOP reiterated on X its intention to chart a pro-life stance on the fertility issue.

We firmly believe in the fundamental right to life and the dignity of every woman to bring life into the world. We are committed to supporting strong families and providing women grappling with infertility the resources and support they need to build healthy and happy families, the group stated.

Sen. Steve Livingston similarly weighed in on X on Friday.

We believe in fostering a culture of life that values and protects the sanctity of every human being. Life is precious, and fertility clinics play an important role in the miracle of life. #alpolitics https://t.co/N6skxrTUkr  Steve Livingston (@SenLivingstonAL) February 23, 2024

We believe in fostering a culture of life that values and protects the sanctity of every human being. Life is precious, and fertility clinics play an important role in the miracle of life, he said.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has hired a law clerk accused of sending a text message, while she worked for a conservative nonprofit organization, that stated, I HATE BLACK PEOPLE.

George Mason Universitys Antonin Scalia Law School last week announced that Thomas had hired Crystal Clanton, who is a graduate of the school. She was previously hired by Chief U.S. Circuit Judge William Pryor.

Clanton was also previously employed by Thomas wife Ginni, a conservative activist.

Thomas hired Clanton as a judicial clerk for the 2024-25 term. She previously served as a clerk for U.S. District Judge Corey Maze in Birmingham.

After Judge Maze recounted to me how well Crystal performed in her clerkship on the district court, I had high expectations for her on the Eleventh Circuit, Pryor said in a statement released by the school.

And she exceeded those expectations. Crystal is an outstanding law clerk.

Clanton was a former national field director for the conservative student group Turning Point USA.

A 2017 New Yorker story reported that Clanton, who was 20 at the time, had sent a text message to a colleague stating I HATE BLACK PEOPLE ... I hate blacks. End of story.

Clanton, who resigned from the position, said that she had no recollection of the messages, which do not reflect what I believe or who I am.

The New York Times reported that Thomas has called the allegations against Clanton unfounded, and says he does not believe her to be a racist.

After Clanton was selected for her clerkships in 2021, members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee filed an ethics complaint against Pryor and Maze.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Judicial Council, which considered the case due to conflicts in the 11th Circuit, declined last year to change an earlier 2022 decision dismissing the misconduct complaint.
Tesla has offered to reimburse thousands of dollars that a California bakery lost when the electric vehicle maker abruptly canceled a huge order of mini pies without explanation, the stores owner says.

The Giving Pies, a fixture in San Joses Willow Glen district, has become a small-business David going up against a corporate Goliath that now appears to have shifted gears into full mea culpa mode after the tech titans order cancellation that left the local merchant in a financial squeeze.

I got contacted by Tesla to cater two of their events on March 5 and 7 for 1,800 pies each day, individually wrapped, Voahangy Rasetarinera, owner of The Giving Pies, said in an email she sent to this news organization. They also offered to pay the $2,000 loss that I experienced because of the cancellation.

Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk entered the fray after the corporate behemoth encountered a firestorm of disdain due to the companys cancellation of the huge order of mini pies.

Just hearing about this, Musk stated in a tweet on Feb. 23. Will make things good with the bakery.

At the time of the tweet, Tesla wasnt offering any specifics as to how the company would accomplish a make good for the canceled order.

Until now, apparently.

I was really surprised that it had reached him, Rasetarinera said in the emailed comments, referring to the unexpected turn of events that caused the controversy to wind up on the radar screen of Musk, one of the worlds wealthiest captains of industry.

But Musk, according to his tweet, did become aware of the fiasco that had embroiled both his electric vehicle company and the San Jose bakery. The next step was what action would Musk take.

He (Musk) didnt have to get involved, Rasetarinera said in the email. But I understand that in the face of so much pressure, he had to put a stop to it by getting involved and showing some type of care.

The debacle began when The Giving Pies received a phone call on Feb. 14 from Laura at Tesla who wished to place an order for 2,000 mini pies that would be delivered the following week, Rasetarinera disclosed in a post on the bakerys Facebook page.

Complications arose when the payment process was redirected through Teslas vendor, City Flavor, Rasetarinera stated in a Facebook post. Despite this hurdle, I remained optimistic as I awaited payment. Yet, when payment failed to materialize, I grew concerned.

Next, on Feb. 15, Laura from Tesla contacted the bakery again. Laura apologized for the mixup and promptly doubled the order to 4,000 pies. The Giving Pies staffers told Rasetarinera that they would be able to scramble to fill the dramatically increased request from Tesla.

The Giving Pies sent Tesla an invoice on Feb. 16 that reflected the revised order, but soon after that, Laura texted the bakery shop owner that Tesla was going to cancel the order  yet again.

This abrupt reversal left me reeling, realizing the extent of the impact on my small business, Rasetarinera stated in the Facebook post. I had invested time, resources, and effort based on assurances from Tesla, only to be left high and dry. In a heartfelt message to Laura, I expressed the profound disappointment and damage inflicted on my business.

Customers, new and old, also have flocked to The Giving Pies, in person, on the phone and via the Internet to help buoy the bakerys fortunes in the wake of Teslas blunders regarding the mini pie order.

The deluge of demand is reflected in the bakerys voicemail message.

Due to the overwhelming support from customers we are unable to answer all incoming calls, The Giving Pies voicemail states. Please note, if you come to the store, we might have already sold out of all of our pies.

The reaction by customers stunned Rasetarinera, she said.

I was blown away, Rasetarinera said in her emailed comments. It feels so overwhelming.

___

(c)2024 Silicon Valley, San Jose, Calif.

Visit Silicon Valley, San Jose, Calif. at https://www.siliconvalley.com/

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Its good to see yall back, and I hope your weekend was a good one.

Its no surprise were going to pick right back up with Story No. 1 in the state right now -- the legal status of embryos and its effect on in vitro fertilization.

Well end with the weekly Week in Review Quiz, which you can take by clicking here or down below when youve read the newsletter.

Thanks for being with us.

Below is the podcast player followed by the newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each day here.

From embryos ...

Embryo-gate raged on through the weekend, even taking up time on Saturday Night Live, for anyone who mightve been watching.

Heading into the weekend in Alabama, Democrats introduced a bill in the House and Republicans in the Senate said they were preparing legislation to preserve in vitro fertilization in the wake of the state Supreme Courts ruling that interpreted a state law as giving human embryos the same rights as children.

Gov. Kay Ivey also said she was working with lawmakers to preserve IVF.

Within days of the courts ruling, some clinics stopped providing IVF services. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said on Friday that the AGs office had no intention of prosecuting anyone using the procedure. That prompted some, including Hoover Republican Rep. Susan DuBose, to lean on clinics to restart IVF treatments, reports AL.coms Sarah Whites-Koditschek.

Note that while the AGs promise may have eased concerns over criminal prosecution, this issue arose from a civil case over destroyed embryos.

... to fetuses (or a lack of, in this case)

AL.com did a story last year on the extent to which Etowah County has arrested women who allegedly used drugs while pregnant. Its happened more there than anywhere else -- 250 over a 10-year period -- and led to some women spending much of their pregnancy in jail.

Now, reports AL.coms Amy Yurkanin, a woman recently settled a lawsuit against Etowah County Sheriffs Office employees over being jailed for endangering a fetus that didnt exist.

According to court documents, the woman spent 36 hours in jail and wasnt pregnant at all. Apparently, her young child -- who does exist -- told a case worker that the mom was pregnant.

Youngns, man.

According to court documents, the woman offered to take a pregnancy test but it didnt happen. Terms of the settlement were not released.

Mayor for a long, long time

Thomas Tartt has passed away after serving 43 years as Livingstons mayor, reports AL.coms John Sharp.

Tartt won a seat on the Livingston City Council when he was 22 years old. He became mayor four years later in 1980.

The length of time he spent in office is second only to Sonny Penhales 44 years as Helenas mayor.

Tartts family said hed been fighting a form of lung cancer for nine years.

Therell be an informal celebration of his legacy from noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday in Livingston at the Bored Well.

(Side note: Bored Well doesnt describe readers at the end of this newsletter. It is a well drilled the old-fashioned way -- by having a mule walk in circles to bore an auger into the ground. Similar to how theyd mill grits in the old days. Water from the Bored Well in Livingston was once a destination for people who believed it had medicinal qualities.)

The funeral will be held on Wednesday.

Thomas Tartt was 69 years old.

Picture That

(Photo by Greg Garrison/AL.com)ggarrison@al.com

Artists Dewon Moton, left, and Marcus Fetch work on a mural honoring Birmingham Batman -- Willie J. Perry, who drove his Thunderbird around Birmingham during the 1980s to help stranded motorists.

AL.coms Greg Garrison reports that the mural is on the Magnolia Point building on the corner of Magnolia Avenue and 23rd Street.

More Alabama news

The podcast
UPDATE: Mahogany Jackson has been found shot to death. The original article continues below.

A young Birmingham woman has been missing since Sunday morning after her family received a message saying she was being held hostage and to send police.

Mahogany Jaquise Jackson, 20, sent her mother and her sister the messages, along with sharing her location, her mother said.

The location was at Serenity Apartments in Birminghams Powderly community, and Jackson was nowhere to be found when police and family members showed up there.

Here is full coverage of the case

I dont know where she is, said her frantic mother, Gail Maddox. I need to know something.

Birmingham police Sunday night issued a missing alert for Jackson. Detectives have been investigating all day.

Maddox said she was on her way to pick up her son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter from the airport in Atlanta when her other daughter called her and said shed received a disturbing message from Jackson.

Maddox looked at her phone  it was 7:46 a.m.  and she, too, had missed calls through Facebook messenger, but Maddox was on the phone, so she didnt receive the notification.

She sent me a text message that said she was being held hostage and sent her location, Maddox said. She told her mom not to call her but to call police.

Family members rushed to that location, as did Birmingham police.

The resident of the apartment, a female who Jackson knows, finally allowed them inside but they did not see Jackson.

That woman told police Jackson had been there, but had left at 2 a.m.

I know thats not true because she sent that message and her location at 7:46 a.m., Maddox said.

Between then and now, I dont know what happened, she said.

Maddox fears something terrible has happened.

I feel it in my stomach, she said. My daughter would never say call the police, but she was afraid and thats why she asked us to.

Jackson is 5-foot, 3-inches tall and weighs 122 pounds. She was last wearing a blonde wig, black shirt and blue jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to call 205-328-9311.
Former 2016 presidential candidate and ex-U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton weighed in on Alabamas embryo ruling that has temporarily halted in vitro fertilization at some clinics, warning that birth control could be at risk next.

They came for abortion first, Clinton wrote in a social media post. Now its IVF and next itll be birth control.

Clinton, the former First Lady and Secretary of State who lost her 2016 presidential bid against Donald Trump despite winning the popular vote, said extremists want government control over personal freedom.

She called for a law to restore the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade which made abortion legal nationwide, but was reversed by the court in 2022, making abortion laws a state matter.

The extreme right wont stop trying to exert government control over our most sacred personal decisions until we codify reproductive freedom as a human right, she wrote.
Chinese people celebrate Lantern Festival with joy, hope

Xinhua) 10:43, February 26, 2024

People attend a "Wulong Xuhua" show to celebrate the Lantern Festival in Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- A seven-day temple fair opened in south China's city of Guangzhou on Saturday, celebrating the Lantern Festival and presenting visitors with traditional dances, lion dances and delicious food.

"I've been recording the fair with my phone because it's so lively," said Chen Yonghao, a tourist from south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Chen visited the fair with his wife and child. "The traditional culture here is well-preserved, and the cultural performances are distinctive," he said. "I'm really happy to spend the festival, which symbolizes reunion, with so many other visitors."

The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar. People usually hang colorful lanterns, play riddle games and express their wishes and hopes for the future.

In Guangzhou's Yuexiu District, lanterns and illuminations adorn Yuexiu Park, creating a festive mood. Next to a 100-meter-long illumination in the shape of a loong -- or Chinese dragon -- tourist Shen Xiaoran was recording the scene on her phone.

"For Chinese people, the loong symbolizes good weather for the crops and happiness. I hope that everything goes well and I'll be able to navigate my workplace with ease this year," said Shen.

In the city of Zhangye, northwest China's Gansu Province, a centuries-old traditional cultural event was held on Friday night to mark the Lantern Festival. The tradition, called the Jiuqu Yellow River Lantern Array, is an intangible cultural heritage for Gansu Province.

Wearing a high hat and a robe, 53-year-old Jiao Wenjie, an inheritor of this cultural tradition, walked slowly onto the stage to the accompaniment of music.

As Jiao and other performers intoned prayers for a blessed new year, the winding array of golden lights was switched on, forming the shape of a large square maze. Gongs and drums were beaten, and the flock of tourists was allowed to file into the lantern maze and guess the riddles prepared beforehand.

The Jiuqu Yellow River Lantern Array consists of 365 lanterns arranged according to the Nine Palaces and the Eight Trigrams Formation, which was used for divination in ancient China. In the past, people believed that walking around the lantern array would bring them a good harvest and a better life in the coming year.

Niu Zhenhao, a tourist from north China's Shanxi Province, made a special trip this year to see the lanterns. "This lantern array contains very rich cultural elements, which is quite amazing," said Niu.

In the Chinese capital of Beijing, various experience activities were held in the Fragrant Hills Park. Tourists played riddle games and learned information about the Lantern Festival through scanning the QR codes hung on the lanterns.

To create a festive atmosphere, more than 400 cultural activities, such as temple fairs and lantern fairs, were scheduled to take place in Beijing during the festival.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
NAHA, Feb 26 (News On Japan) - On January 25th, which corresponds to the 16th day of the first month in the lunar calendar, the people of Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, were seen celebrating the New Year for the deceased, known as "Juurukunichi."

This lively tradition involves families visiting graves and offering feasts to honor their ancestors. Juurukunichi is an annual event grandly observed in the Miyako and Yaeyama regions. This year, coinciding with a Sunday, saw many relatives gathering at the cemetery parks in Miyakojima City from the morning. In front of the graves, dishes and sweets were offered, and after burning Uchikabi, considered the money of the afterlife to ensure ancestors do not suffer from financial woes, the gathered individuals joined hands in prayer. The crowd then enjoyed the feast offerings while merrily paying respects to their ancestors. A man in his thirties, who had returned to the ancestral grave with his children and grandchildren for the first time in eight years from the main island of Okinawa, said, "I prayed to our ancestors for the health and well-being of our family." Furthermore, a woman in her twenties shared, "I reported the birth of my child to them."

Source: NHK
Abortion rights politics are creating plenty of headaches for national Republicans following the controversial Alabama State Supreme Court ruling that embryos created through in vitro fertilization could be considered children under state law.

But its also already having an impact in a few political races in Alabama, a ruby red state where voters overwhelmingly send Republicans to statewide office, including the entire Supreme Court.

It could also loom large over some tight races ahead of the General Election, specifically the Alabama 2nd congressional district race that Democrats are looking to flip.

The political fallout nationwide stems from Chief Justice Tom Parker quoting the Bible in a concurring opinion, arguing its up to the Legislature to decide how to address the IVF industry in Alabama.

The Chief Justice is talking about the wrath of God (in the IVF ruling), said Mary Zeigler, a professor at the University of California-Davis School of Law, and an expert on the politics of reproduction. It wont do favors for Republicans going into the 2024 general elections. This is not something Republicans in competitive races are happy about, even competitive races in Alabama. There is more than one kind of Republican in Alabama.

National polling suggest abortion politics are problematic for Republicans following the June 2022 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court to undo abortion protections under Roe v. Wade. Democrats view abortion politics as its top-tier issue, especially after voters in several right-leaning states like Kansas, Kentucky and Ohio voted to affirm abortion access or turned back attempts to undermine the right.

The Alabama decision intensifies the Republican Partys challenge to articulate a consistent, appealing position on abortion access, said Gregory Koger, a political science professor at the University of Miami who analyzes abortion politics. It illustrates that the pro-life position, in its most extreme forms, can interfere with the ability of parents to bring the children they want into the world.

Chief Justice race

The Republican candidates for Alabama State Supreme Court Chief Justice - Associate Justice Sarah Stewart (left) and attorney Bryan Taylor (right)John Sharp/jsharp@al.com

Two contests could shape up quickly on the decision, the first being a primary race next week to replace Parker who is barred from running again because of a provision in Alabama law that prevents anyone over age 70 from being a judge.

One of the candidates in the March 5 Republican primary is Sarah Stewart, an associate justice on the Alabama State Supreme Court who joined the majority in supporting the controversial IVF ruling. She isnt providing public statements on the decision and did not write an opinion when the ruling was rendered.

She did concur with associate justice Greg Shaws opinion, who supports Alabama law that the term minor child includes an unborn child with no distinction between in vitro or in utero. He, like other justices, suggests if there is an inconsistency in state law, it needs to be handled by the Legislature.

Bryan Taylor, a former state senator and legal counsel for Governors Bob Riley and Kay Ivey, said Stewart as a member of the Court, who ruled against the IVF clinic in the Supreme Court case, could have written an opinion in this case, like other members of the Court did.

Stewart, who holds a considerable financial advantage over Taylor, hasnt addressed her opponents criticism and her past rulings on the bench while on the campaign trail.

At a GOP forum in Mobile in January, Stewart told Republicans that the No. 1 most important thing to me is my relationship with God and Jesus Christ. Her campaign ads vow she will be tough on crime and combat woke liberals.

At the judicial branch, all we have is the trust of the people, Stewart told Republicans in Mobile. If you cannot trust that the outcomes are derived fairly and justly from the rule of law, then we dont have justice in Alabama. You can expect from me that Ill work hard every day to restore our trust from our branch of government.

Taylor said he anticipates swift action by the Alabama Legislature to allow IVF treatments in Alabama, something which appears to be happening after Republican state Sen. Tim Melson of Florence said he plans to introduce legislation saying embryos must be planted in the uterus to be considered viable, and to protect the IVF industry in Alabama.

State Rep. Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, introduced similar legislation under HB225, which defines any human embryo outside the uterus as an unborn child under Alabama law.

Looming over those bills is former President Donald Trumps influence. The ex-president, for the first time, requested the Alabama Legislature act on an issue, saying that state lawmakers should prioritize legislation to preserve IVF facilities within the state.

Three facilities in Alabama have said they plan to discontinue IVF treatment in Alabama following the high courts ruling, thrusting the entire industry into chaos.

The ruling came in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by couples whose frozen embryos were destroyed in an accident at an Infirmary Health clinic in Mobile. The court agreed with the couples that embryos were protected under Alabamas Wrongful Death of a Minor Act.

Everyone in this case, including the defendant IVF clinic, agreed that embryos were human beings whose lives began at fertilization, Taylor said. The only disagreement here was whether IVF clinics could be sued and held liable for the tragic, unintentional loss of those embryos under a specific Alabama statute.

Taylor said he, as a pro-life conservative, believes the state can uphold the sanctity of life without subjecting IVF clinics to lawsuit abuse.

Special House election

Democrat Marilyn Lands announced her candidacy for Alabama House District 10 outside the Madison County Courthouse on Sept. 12, 2023. (Paul Gattis | pgattis@al.com)

The first general election in which the IVF ruling could be a looming issue in Alabama is in the March 26 special election in the Alabama House District 10 race to replace former Republican Rep. David Cole of Huntsville, who was removed from office after pleading guilty last year to voter fraud.

Democratic hopeful Marilyn Lands has elevated the health care and reproductive health as a top issue for her campaign platform, highlighted with a social media video last week in which she discusses her own emergency abortion situation.

Its the story of millions of women who live in places where MAGA extremists are devising new and cruel ways to further erode our most basic freedoms, Lands says in the video, retweeted last week by former Democratic U.S. Sen. Doug Jones.

MUST-WATCH VIDEO:



Republican elected officials in Alabama are at it again. Our so-called conservative government continues to put the state government in control of the most important of our individual rights and liberties.



This includes restrictions on womens reproductive https://t.co/0tqN3JIgFd  Doug Jones (@DougJones) February 21, 2024

Lands, who lost to Cole in 2022, is running in a district considered one of the very few competitive legislative districts in the state, and national Democratic organizations are taking note. The district includes portions of Madison, south and southwest portions of Huntsville, Triana, and encompasses Redstone Arsenal and the Huntsville International Airport.

I have had a lot of people reach out to me and a lot of women have shared their stories of heartbreaking diagnosis, Lands said about the video. In the last couple of days, Ive heard from families not affected so much by the IVF ruling, but they had in vitro and shared their stories with me and their stories about building their families in the future.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is spotlighting Lands candidacy, and recognizes that she is running in true battleground district in a red state.

The next opportunity to put Republicans on notice that attacks on reproductive care have gone too far is a special election in Alabama on March 26, said the DLCCs National Press Secretary Sam Paisley. Democrat Marilyn Lands is running as a strong advocate for reproductive freedoms, and just this week, shared her abortion story. The stakes in the states are incredibly high this year and electing candidates like Marilyn in state legislatures across the country is the only way to stop the GOPs relentless attacks.

Lands said she was unaware of how her Republican opponent -- Madison City Councilman Teddy Powell  views the issue. But she said the Supreme Courts ruling illustrates the danger of our supermajority Republican stature.

Were having very powerful reactions to our ad with this alarming IVF ruling, Lands said. I thought it was as bad as it could get here. I didnt know it could get any worse. (The Supreme Courts ruling) undermines family freedom.

Teddy Powell, a member of the Madison city council, announced his candidacy for Alabama state House District 10 seat on Oct. 4, 2023. (Submitted photo)

Powell, in an email to AL.com, said he believes every family in Alabama should have access to IVF treatments.

Supporting families and making Madison County the best place to live is and has been my message from the start and that will never change, he said. I hope the Legislature acts quickly to correct this issue in the law. IVF allows women to become mothers and couples to become families. Protecting the sanctity of life while supporting womens access to IVF treatments go hand in hand.

Powell said he supports a womans access to fertility-related treatments.

I will always support a couples journey to become a family and be a compassionate, respectful, and supportive champion for families in District 10 and across Alabama, he said.

Jess Brown, a retired political science professor at Athens State University, said the House 10 seat has kept a low profile ahead of the special election. He said the seat leans Republican, and that Powell appears to be a stronger candidate than Cole. He said that Lands nearly won the seat because of her strong appeal and deep roots within the district.

Maybe it leans Republican, but its a district with young voters, relatively affluent votes, and well-educated voters, said Brown, a longtime observer of Alabama state politics.

He said if the Legislature acts and pushes through a bill defining an embryo in state law, the issue could become moot before the special election.

But if not? It could be an advantage for Lands.

Republicans want to talk about immigration and Biden, Brown said. They do not want to talk about abortion. So, this gives a little bit of evidence that Republicans will take extreme positions on abortion if you empower them.

This story was updated at 10:35 a.m. on Feb. 26, 2024, to include comments from the DLCC.
Georgia Republicans are expected to pursue a slate of measures targeting illegal immigration after a suspect who officials say was in the U.S. illegally was charged with the murder of a student on the University of Georgias campus.

Senior Republicans are considering several still-evolving proposals, such as more stringent requirements that local governments cooperate with federal immigration authorities and stiffer penalties for illegal immigrants convicted of crimes.

The election-year push for new crackdowns comes after the death of nursing student Laken Riley, who was found dead at a wooded trail on campus hours after she went for a run.

The suspect charged with her death, Jose Antonio Ibarra, is a Venezuela native who authorities say entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and was previously arrested in New York. His brother has also been charged with having a fake green card.

House Speaker Jon Burns, Senate President Pro Tem John Kennedy and other legislative leaders have indicated they will back new immigration-related measures in response to Rileys killing. Theyll face a tight deadline with just weeks to go in the 2024 legislative session.

Gov. Brian Kemp, who will address an Athens business group early Monday, is said to be receptive to state-level immigration measures.

He has ratcheted up calls for President Joe Biden to shut down the U.S. border with Mexico and take other steps to deter uncontrolled migration. Earlier this month, he outlined plans to deploy more Georgia National Guard troops to Texas to patrol the border.

Every state is a border state. We are beyond frustrated, Kemp told Fox News on Sunday, adding: This is a federal issue. This is an issue that the president can take action on.

Democrats have accused Republicans of seeking to score political points in an election year. And some party figures slammed congressional GOP leaders for refusing to adopt a bipartisan Senate deal that would have made it harder for migrants to apply for asylum once theyve entered the country illegally.

They say likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pushed to kill the deal to ensure border problems remain a front-and-center issue in the race against Biden.

If Republicans truly cared about border issues, theyd have passed recent bipartisan immigration reform instead of pandering to Trump, said state Sen. Nikki Merritt, D-Gwinnett. The hypocrisy is unreal.

Its not immediately clear what immigration-related legislation will emerge, but key GOP lawmakers took note of recommendations by Insurance Commissioner John King, the first statewide Latino elected official in Georgia history.

King, a native of Mexico, urged lawmakers to ban illegal immigrants charged with violent crimes from receiving bond under any circumstances. He also said legislators should block illegal immigrants who are convicted of a crime from being eligible for parole or early release.

This is a logical, long overdue step that will keep criminal aliens behind bars where they belong and save lives, King wrote in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution op-ed. The time to act is now, before another tragedy strikes another family, and we must get it done.

Others advocate for new restrictions on so-called sanctuary cities. Georgia law has banned cities and counties from adopting a sanctuary policy for nearly 15 years. But some local governments, including Athens-Clarke County, have limited their cooperation with federal immigration officials.

Athens-Clarke authorities say they check the criminal history of detainees to hold anyone with outstanding warrants but dont keep undocumented immigrants jailed if they have no criminal history.

2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The CEO of Mercedes-Benzs Vance plant told employees last week at a mandatory meeting that workers shouldnt have to pay union dues that generate millions of dollars per year for an organization where you have no transparency where that money is used.

Bloomberg, which reported it had obtained a recording of the meeting, said Michael Gobel, who oversees production in North America for the automaker, also told workers he doesnt believe the UAW can help us to be better.

The remarks come as the United Auto Workers have targeted Mercedes, as well as Hyundais Montgomery plant, in an effort to organize Southern automotive factories that have historically resisted unionization efforts.

I believe you shouldnt have to go through strikes, years of negotiation, or complicated processes to communicate and resolve conflicts, Gobel said.

Last week, the UAW executive board committed $40 million over the next two years to fund its organizing push among non-union auto and electric battery workers, concentrating some of the money in the South.

Mercedes-Benz said the meeting covered several topics.

In addition, our CEO gave his opinion on the UAWs current campaign, company spokesman Edward Taylor told Bloomberg. In doing so, he emphasized that the decision on unionization is ultimately up to each individual team member and we must respect each others opinions.

Mercedes will continue to share facts and opinions through open and direct communication to support our team members in making an informed decision.

Gobel said that employees should all respect different opinions and different viewpoints and to not let the team become divided.

UAW announced over the last month that it has signed up more than 30% of workers in Vance and Montgomery, and more than half at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga. The goal for the union is 70% membership, at which time the union says it can begin collective bargaining.
A Montgomery County Circuit Court judge remains hospitalized after authorities say he was attacked and seriously injured by his son over the weekend.

Judge Johnny Hardwick is the presiding judge of Montgomery Countys Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.

His son, 36-year-old Khalfani Hardwick, is charged with first-degree domestic violence-assault and certain persons forbidden to possess a firearm.

New court records made public Monday say Khalfani Hardwick stabbed his father multiple times in the face and shot him in the face before fleeing the scene.

The assault happened about 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Hardwick home.

Deputies immediately saturated the area and located Khalfani Hardwicks abandoned vehicle on Trotman Road. A short time later, deputies located him on U.S. 231, and he was taken into custody.

Judge Hardwick, a circuit judge since 2001, is the current president of the Alabama Association of Circuit Court Judges.

A Montgomery native, the judge is a 1973 graduate of Alabama State University. According to a news release from the university in August, Hardwick helped spearhead the Golden Class (50-year) reunion of his college graduating class, which made a more than $250,000 donation to their alma mater, the largest single donation by a Golden Class in recent years.

An updated condition for the judge has not been released.

Khalfani Hardwick in 2017 pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree assault in the 2014 shooting of another man. He was initially charged with attempted murder.

According to court documents, he shot the man in the back of the head and left him for dead.

Court records show Khalfani Hardwick received a 3-year suspended sentence with three years of probation.

He spent 19 months on probation before he petitioned for an early release.

According to the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles, Khalfani Hardwick graduated from Alabama State University with a degree in accounting while on probation and was offered a job. He could not, however, be seated in a CPA certification class while on probation, hence the request to be dismissed.

He has accepted his punishment for his actions an embraced the opportunity to better himself, the Pardons and Paroles paperwork stated, adding that he had a stable home life.

The Alabama Attorney Generals Office opposed the request, noting that the Pardons and Paroles board requires all violent probationers serve a minimum of 24 months before consideration of early termination.

The defendant entered a guilty plea to assault in the second degree for shooting the victim in the back of the head and leaving him for dead, which is absolutely a crime of violence, the AGs office argued.

Montgomery County Circuit Judge John E. Rochester granted the early release on Nov. 5, 2019.

Khalfani Hardwick was booked into the Montgomery County Detention Center a 9:03 p.m. Saturday and remains held without bond.
An active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force was critically injured Sunday after setting himself ablaze outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., while declaring that he will no longer be complicit in genocide, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

The man, whose name wasnt immediately released, walked up to the embassy shortly before 1 p.m. and began livestreaming on the video streaming platform Twitch, the person said. Law enforcement officials believe the man started a livestream, set his phone down and then doused himself in accelerant and ignited the flames. At one point, he said he will no longer be complicit in genocide, the person said. The video was later removed from the platform, but law enforcement officials have obtained and reviewed a copy.

The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Police did not immediately provide any additional details about the incident.

The incident happened as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking the cabinet approval for a military operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah while a temporary cease-fire deal is being negotiated. Israels military offensive in Gaza, however, has drawn criticisms, including genocide claims against the Palestinians.

Israel has adamantly denied the genocide allegations and says it is carrying out operations in accordance with international law in the Israel-Hamas war.

In December, a person self-immolated outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta and used gasoline as an accelerant, according to Atlantas fire authorities. A Palestinian flag was found at the scene, and the act was believed to be one of extreme political protest.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington said its officers had responded to the scene outside the Israeli Embassy to assist U.S. Secret Service officers and that its bomb squad had also been called to examine a suspicious vehicle. Police said no hazardous materials were found in the vehicle.
This is an opinion cartoon.

Our GOP Alabama lawmakers are obsessed with everything they dont understand.

This neanderthal mindset is costing us our future. You dont have to be woke to wake up. Like it or not, America is changing. For the better, for the most part (the frenzied conservative backlash leaves a lot to be desired.) Young people are the future. And young people, thank God, are way more inclusive than most of us older folks.

Last year, the divisive concepts torch was carried by Republican state Rep. Ed Oliver. This year the torch has been handed to Will Barfoot (caricatured above - youre welcome, dude), the Republican state senator from Pike Road, Alabama. To his credit, the multi-tasking Barfoot has tried to consolidate all of his partys misguided, ignorant and racist policies into one horrible catch-all, anti-diversity bathroom bill. Thank you. Thats where this thing belongs. The toilet.

Related: Vote frozen embryo for Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice - al.com

Related: The only thing we have to fear is Alabamas red state politics of fear - al.com

Related: Alabama: The Frozen Embryos are People state - al.com

Related: Alabama Senate passes bill that impacts college DEI programs, bathroom access - al.com

Related: Woodfin says if anti-DEI bill passes, he would urge athletes to leave Alabama - al.com

We live in a beautiful state. With amazing, generous and genuine God-loving folks. But politics sucks the life out of this place. Out of us all. The young folks are figuring it out. High fives all around and God bless em going forward.

Read my colleague Roy S. Johnsons column: Roy S. Johnson: DEI bill tells all students: We dont want you to win. Or be safe - al.com

An excerpt from Johnsons column:

Thats how Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin got their attention. Although Im the biggest Bama fan, I have no problem organizing Black parents and athletes to attend other institutions outside of the state where diversity and inclusion are prioritized, Woodfin posted Wednesday on social media.

If supporting inclusion becomes illegal in this state, hell, you might as well stand in front of the school door like Governor Wallace, he continued. Mannnn its Black History Month. Yall could have at least waited until March 1.

Bless our hearts.

Recent JD Crowe cartoons

Vote frozen embryo for Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice - al.com

Alabama: The Frozen Embryos are People state - al.com

Nick Saban, Eli Gold are gone. Bryant-Denny is icon-free - al.com

Latest Alabama star in transfer portal hits Nick Saban hard - al.com

Kay Ivey is on the Highway to Hell: AC/DC rocks the caption contest - al.com

True stories and stuff by JD Crowe

The mysterious Bubble Guy of Fairhope and the art of bubble Zen - al.com

How I met Dr. Seuss

Robert Plant head-butted me. Thanks, David Coverdale

I was ZZ Tops drummer for a night and got kidnapped by groupies

Check out more cartoons and stuff by JD Crowe

JD Crowe is the cartoonist for Alabama Media Group and AL.com. He won the RFK Human Rights Award for Editorial Cartoons in 2020. In 2018, he was awarded the Rex Babin Memorial Award for local and state cartoons by the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. Follow JD on Facebook, Twitter @Crowejam and Instagram @JDCrowepix. Give him a holler @jdcrowe@al.com.
KYOTO, Feb 26 (News On Japan) - Mimurotoji Temple in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, known for its beautiful flowers, is currently celebrating the peak bloom of approximately 250 weeping plum trees, delighting visitors with the arrival of spring.

While the temple is famed for its hydrangeas and azaleas, this season is highlighted by the weeping plums. The plum grove, created on a mountainside, spans roughly 8,000 square meters and is planted with about 250 weeping plum trees. Visitors enjoyed the subtle fragrance of the plum blossoms and admired the white and pink flowers, capturing the beauty with their cameras. According to the temple, this year's bloom arrived 10 days to two weeks earlier than usual due to the mild winter.

A woman in her 70s, who visited with her husband from Hiroshima Prefecture, commented, "The weeping plums are as magnificent and beautiful as cherry blossoms." A woman in her 60s from Nagoya City said, "Not only are the plum blossoms beautiful, but the view is also wonderful." The weeping plum blossoms at Mimurotoji Temple are expected to be enjoyed until early March.

Source: NHK










English News China sees more and more "gigabit cities"

Alwihda Info | Par People's Daily - 24 Fevrier 2024



The MIIT said it will leverage the exemplary and leading role of gigabit cities, strengthen exchanges of typical experiences, promote a pattern where key cities take the lead and other cities develop simultaneously, and foster a favorable environment for development.

By Wang Junling Ninety-seven Chinese cities have newly became "gigabit cities" in 2023, meaning they gained the capability to offer gigabit 5G and gigabit optical fiber services, known as "dual gigabit," said China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) recently.



Building gigabit cities is a landmark project of new digital infrastructure development in China. As of the end of October 2023, all households in China's gigabit cities had been covered by gigabit optical fiber services. On average, there were 21.2 5G base stations per 10,000 people in gigabit cities. The average proportion of 10G-PON ports stood at 53.7 percent. The average proportion of users with speed of 500Mbps or higher reached 33.2 percent, and the average 5G users account for 49.2 percent.



In gigabit cities, over 99.5 percent of public hospitals that rank at the top of China's three-tier grading system, key universities, cultural and tourist areas, as well as train stations (above second class) offering passenger services, main airports, and key roads were covered by 5G network, the MIIT said, adding that the accessibility rate stood at 100 percent in 91 of these cities.



Gigabit cities have vigorously promoted the innovation and application of gigabit 5G and optical fiber technologies, and actively explored the deployment and construction plans as well as business models for the coordinated development of "dual gigabit.". This has enabled various industries to improve productivity and efficiency.



For example, in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan province, the efficiency of topcoat painting quality inspection has been improved by 30 percent thanks to the application of 5G+ smart factories. Shijiazhuang in north China's Hebei province has leveraged "dual gigabit" networks to build intelligent hospitals, leading to a 50 percent improvement in the efficiency of X-ray image processing. In Ziyang, southwest China's Sichuan province, technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things, big data, and cloud computing have been utilized to enhance the Internet plus government services.



How the list of gigabit cities in China is getting longer and longer? According to an official with the MIIT, those new gigabit cities continuously increased policy support to encourage various market entities to actively participate in the construction of gigabit cities. Efforts have been made to address the bottlenecks, difficulties, and pain points in the construction and application of "dual gigabit" networks.



For instance, some gigabit cities have strengthened policy support by incorporating fiber optic network construction and 5G site planning into the same-level national land and spatial planning. Baoji in northwest China's Shaanxi province and Lhasa, capital of Xizang autonomous region have introduced relevant policies to support the development of "dual gigabit." Zhongshan in south China's Guangdong province and Danzhou in south China's Hainan province have included fiber optic network construction plans in the same-level national land and spatial information platform.



In addition, in terms of reducing the construction costs of "dual gigabit", some gigabit cities have exempted or reduced rental fees for occupying public places to construct fiber optic networks, 5G base stations and other communication infrastructure.



Harbin in northeast China's Heilongjiang province has opened up tourist attractions, parks, green spaces, street lamps and other public facilities for free 5G base station construction. Zhumadian in central China's Henan province, Anshan in northeast China's Liaoning province and some other places have promoted unconditional free opening of facilities owned by government agencies, public institutions, as well as public places like airports, train stations, high-speed rail stations, etc. for 5G base station construction.



The MIIT said it will leverage the exemplary and leading role of gigabit cities, strengthen exchanges of typical experiences, promote a pattern where key cities take the lead and other cities develop simultaneously, and foster a favorable environment for development.



Dans la meme rubrique : < > China's cruise economy embraces rapid development China still considered favorable investment destination by foreign companies China will remain staunch force for peace, stability, progress of world Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)










English News Chinese market boosting growth in Brazilian coffee exports

Alwihda Info | Par People's Daily - 20 Fevrier 2024



Specialty coffee is one of the key growth areas for Brazilian coffee exports to China. The Mantiqueira region, located at the junction of Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states, has high altitudes and large diurnal temperature variation, making it a sound place for growing coffee.

By Shi Yuanhao, People's Daily Brazil exported more than 39.24 million 60-kg bags of coffee last year, on par with those in 2022, according to the the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council.



Of these, 1.48 million bags were exported to China, a significant 278.6 percent increase over 2022, making China the 6th largest export destination for Brazilian coffee.



"In 2017, Brazil's coffee exports to China were less than 83,000 bags. In recent years, coffee consumption in the Chinese market has achieved continuous growth, and Brazilian coffee is gaining more popularity," said Marcos Antonio Matos, director general of the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council.



He said that with its large population, China still has great room for growth in coffee consumption. Brazil values the Chinese coffee market and hopes more Chinese merchants will purchase Brazilian coffee beans.



Minas Gerais is one of Brazil's main coffee producing states. It said on its news website that the Chinese market provides important opportunities for the Brazilian coffee industry.



Specialty coffee is one of the key growth areas for Brazilian coffee exports to China. The Mantiqueira region, located at the junction of Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states, has high altitudes and large diurnal temperature variation, making it a sound place for growing coffee.



Helcio Junior, Executive Director of Unique Cafes located in Mantiqueira, said that his company has cooperated with its Chinese partners for eight years and long been engaged in the promotion and sales of specialty coffee in China.



Unique Cafes has also participated in the China International Import Expo in Shanghai multiple times through the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency.



"The Chinese market is boosting growth in Brazilian coffee exports," said Junior.



The Cerrado Coffee Growers Federation in Minas Gerais recently said that China is one of the most promising countries for importing high-quality Brazilian coffee in the future, and expanding the coffee business in the Chinese market will be an important effort going forward.



Brazil's CarmoCoffees, mainly engaged in coffee bean exports, often sends its commercial trader for the Chinese market, Brayan Cunha Souza, to participate in relevant exhibitions held in Chinese cities.



"In many Chinese cities, you can see more and more coffee shops popping up on streets and alleys. Demand in the Chinese market for Brazilian coffee, especially specialty coffee, continues to grow," Souza said.



Brazilian coffee brands attach great importance to the Chinese market and will continue to strengthen cooperation with Chinese partners, he added.



"There are certain differences among Brazil's coffee-producing regions, so we can provide coffees with diverse flavors," said Eduardo Heron Santos, technical director of the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council.



He added that the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council is committed to investing in research on coffee varieties and tastes to further meet the diversified demands of the Chinese coffee market.



Dans la meme rubrique : < > China's cruise economy embraces rapid development China still considered favorable investment destination by foreign companies China will remain staunch force for peace, stability, progress of world Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
Mike Benz, a former State Department official, argues that over the decades since World War II the U.S. has developed a huge intelligence system to spy and spread propaganda and influence elections in foreign countries. In about 2016 the U.S. government converted these intelligence systems elections to spy and censor and manipulate elections right here in the U.S. (Clarice Feldman already reviewed here Tucker Carlsons interview of Mike Benz published on February 16, 2024 on the question of our national security state.)

I will be referring to the interview transcript at Happyscribe.com.

The idea that the government is spying on us right here at home would be nothing but a conspiracy theory but for The Twitter Files. If nothing else, Matt Taibbi & Co. clearly showed that the intelligence community was directing traffic during the late COVID unpleasantness through direct communication with social media companies and the disinformation/misinformation/malinformation ideology of the nations Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency.

Benz told Tucker that the U.S. has been rigging foreign elections since we stopped the Italian Communist Party from winning the Italian elections of 1948 with a spot of ballot-box stuffing. Eventually we graduated to the color revolutions that changed governments in Yugoslavia, Georgia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, and the Arab Spring. Says Wikipedia:

[C]ritics have accused the United States of orchestrating these revolutions to expand its influence.

No, no, no. It was all about Democracy! Mike Benz:

So you had the systematic targeting by our State department, by our IC, by the Pentagon, of groups like Germany's AfD, the alternative for Deutschland there, and for groups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.

Then came Brexit in June 2016, and within a month NATO changed its policy from tank warfare to information warfare. NATO?

[Because] the entire rules based international order would collapse unless the military took control over media, because Brexit would give rise to Brexit in France with Marine Le Pen, to spexit in Spain with the Vox party, to Italy. Exit in Italy to Gregson in Germany to Grexit in Greece.

And Trump Russia here at home!

Lets say it again. Back in the day the national security state was busy defending democracy from authoritarians around the world. Then in 2016 the government turned around the entire intelligence apparatus to protect Our Democracy from the authoritarian Trump right here at home.

Saving democracy. Benz again:

Where they took all of this censorship architecture spanning DHS, the FBI, the CIA, the DoD, the DoJ, and then the thousands of government-funded NGO and private sector mercenary firms were all basically transited from a foreign predicate, a Russian disinformation predicate to a democracy predicate, by saying that disinformation is not just a threat when it comes from the Russians, it's actually an intrinsic threat to democracy itself.

I have to admire the execution of The Predicate Shuffle, from the Russian predicate to the democracy predicate, saying that disinformation is an intrinsic threat to democracy itself. Just in time to curate the election of 2020.

Oh, by the way, theres Google.

Google began as a DARPA grant by Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were Stanford PhDs, and they got their funding as part of a joint CIA NSA program to chart how, quote, birds of a feather flock together online through search engine aggregation.

And Google Maps got its start by purchasing CIA satellite software. But there is no mention of the CIA or DARPA at about.Google or Wikipedia. So, is it true?

I went and looked at my blog on the Benz interview and I saw that I missed a key point. Its not just Trump. Its the entire populist nationalist movement that has to be stopped.

Because? You can understand the point of view of the global ruling class. Populist nationalism overthrows the whole post-WWII American/West European regime, the world that makes its pilgrimage every year, borne on the wings of private jets, up the Magic Mountain to hear prophecies from the Oracle of Klaus at the Temple of Davos about liberal democracy and the global order. The only thing missing is the Corinthian columns.

It all leads me to think again about January 6. For sure, Nancy Pelosi and the Capitol Police didnt have a clue how to fake up an insurrection. But I am sure that the Intelligence Community and the IC-adjacent NGOs, with skills honed from dozens of color revolutions and ballot-box stuffing successes, were up to the mark.

These people believe that they spent the last century saving civilization. First they saved us from the Kaiser, then they saved us from Hitler. Then they saved us from the Soviets. And now they are going to save us from the far-right populists.

They know that populist nationalism will take us back to the Dark Ages. And they know that they have to stop it.

Christopher Chantrill @chrischantrill runs the go-to site on US government finances, usgovernmentspending.com. Also get his American Manifesto and his Road to the Middle Class.

Image: Wannapick Studio
Arguably the strangest country in the world is one which most have not heard of. I speak of Turkmenistan, a landlocked country in Central Asia. It is bordered by Uzbekistan to the north, Afghanistan to the east, Iran to the south, and the Caspian Sea to the west.

I traveled there recently with my son on his quest to visit every country in the world. He is now about 80 percent of the way there. We arrived via Istanbul, a middle of the night flight to Ashgabat, the capitol city of Turkmenistan.

Standing at the edge of the Darvaza Gas Crater

The airport was beautiful and pristine, adorned with marble and gold. Taking photos was verboten as the numerous police officers reminded us.

Getting through immigration to the terminal required six passport checks. Turkmenistan does not seem the type of country that the rest of the world is trying to sneak into.

A COVID test was also required, which we had to pay for. The swab barely entered my nose, but I think the objective was the fee, not the actual test. Turkmenistan locked down hard during COVID and was one of the last countries to reopen.

A difficult-to-obtain visa is necessary to visit, one of the reasons why Turkmenistan only sees 20-30 foreign tourists a day, less than 10,000 per year, mostly from neighboring countries. Once part of the Soviet Union, it is now an independent country ruled by a charismatic dictator in a cult-of-personality manner. America had one of those too, about a dozen years ago.

As in any dictatorship, rules are strict and harshly enforced. There is no free internet, specifically no news or social media available to residents or visitors. Technically the internet and Wi-Fi worked but almost every website was blocked.

Surprisingly we could do Google searches, reading the search results but unable to access any subsequent links. Wikipedia was also unblocked, where ironically I could easily read about human rights abuses in Turkmenistan. A blocked internet makes it difficult for travel, changing or confirming flights, accommodations, and so on.

Most residents access the web via ever changing VPNs and many of the younger residents are active on social media. The government cracks down on these VPNs but as one is shut down, a new one appears. Where theres a will, theres a way.

Some stores in the mall displayed their Instagram handles, surprising if the internet is blocked. Perhaps the blocking is more for show and control.

Ashgabat is a cross between North Korea and Las Vegas, with beautiful, clean, and wide roadways, adorned with ornate streetlights. Buildings are made of marble, white and shining in the high desert, a climate like Denver.

Ornate monuments adorn the city, celebrating political leaders and anniversaries of independence from the USSR. They boast the worlds largest indoor Ferris wheel, which we rode, completely alone. It seemed an odd way for a country to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Turkmenistan boasts the largest indoor Ferris wheel

At one point, Turkmenistan also boasted the worlds tallest flagpole. But they now rank number eight. There must be something about tall flagpoles and dictatorships. The tallest ones are in the Middle East or Southern Asia, not in the West. Might be a Freudian thing.

One of many monuments in Ashgabat

"Alone" was a common theme as we saw few people in the city, parks or around the Vegas-like marble apartment buildings housing government workers, much of the population. Despite the strict rules, we had a free afternoon to roam the city unattended and walking behind some of the apartment complexes revealed actual people.

We visited the largest hotel in Ashgabat, aptly named the Ashgabat Hotel. The lobby was spectacular as were the grounds and pool. But the lobby was empty. Where were the guests?

Empty lobby of the ornate Ashgabat Hotel

We also drove by their Institute of Cardiology, a building larger than most U.S. hospitals. I am not aware of Turkmenistan performing cutting-edge heart research and treatment. They dont have a population to warrant a Cleveland Clinic-like facility.

Many of these grandiose buildings appeared more for show than function, showcasing the countrys wealth, but mostly a facade. Or else the buildings and monuments serve to funnel money to friends and family of the rulers. Then again, this is common practice in America too.

By law, all cars must be white, and must be clean. This is quite the change from filthy cars driving around many U.S. cities, especially in the winter. It is a nice look, seeing clean cars, as one might see in Southern California or South Florida. But there it is optional, unlike Turkmenistan.

Women wear colorful but modest traditional long dresses but none of the face coverings seen in other Muslim countries. Despite being a Muslim country, we saw few mosques and did not hear the traditional five times a day call to prayer common in Istanbul, Tehran, or Dubai.

Horses are revered by the current ruling family, father Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov (say that ten times fast) and now his son Serdar. Many statues and monuments feature horses. Photos or paintings of the president on a horse are commonplace.

Past President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov

The president rarely makes world news but did in 2013 when he flew Jennifer Lopez to Turkmenistan to sing him happy birthday. Human rights groups were outraged. I suspect J Lo had no idea where she was, just happy to collect a fat check for a song.

By law, we were required to have a tour guide, a young man, ethnic Russian, who didnt say much but gave us a great tour. We stayed in a Soviet-like hotel, simple but we joked about it being bugged, Soviet style. If anyone was listening, they werent bothered by our jokes about bugs in the lamps.

A highlight was my son and I getting a haircut at a local barber shop, a fun way to experience local culture. Barbers outside the U.S. are true craftsmen, meticulous with attention to detail. All for about $5 each.

Haircut in Ashgabat

The next day, our guides father and his friend drove us four hours north through the desert, passing roaming camels, to the famous Darvaza gas crater. 50 years ago, Soviet engineers were drilling for oil over a sinkhole which collapsed under them. Natural gas was leaking through the ground.

The Darvaza gas crater, also known as the Gates of Hell

The engineers lit the gas to burn it off, keeping it from polluting the surrounding air. After it was lit, they tried to put out the multiple flames, all without success. 50 years later the gas pit is still burning and is a popular and fascinating tourist attraction. Government ineptitude spans countries, cultures, and the globe.

We spent the night in a traditional desert yurt about a quarter mile from the gas crater. The eerie flames burning in the crater led to its nickname of gates of hell. Natural gas is where the country gets its wealth, on display in Ashgabat, the city of gold and marble.

The people were all very nice and seemed to be living relatively normal lives, despite the countrys reputation as a ruthless dictatorship. Most living in Ashgabat worked for the government with highly subsidized housing and free gasoline and electricity.

They are not living paycheck to paycheck, like so many Americans. I did not observe any homeless people. Illegal migration is nonexistent there, and crime is relatively low. American social oddities like wokeness, DEI, and 57 genders were refreshingly absent in Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan is not trying to commit suicide as America is over the past few years.

The food was delicious, a cross between Middle Eastern and Russian. We were treated well and had no safety concerns, more than I can say about venturing into downtown Denver or Chicago.

If you want to visit a strange and eccentric country far off the beaten path, give Turkmenistan a try. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and are grateful for the opportunity to visit.

Brian C Joondeph, MD, is a physician and writer.

Follow me on Twitter @retinaldoctor

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Our military recruiting programs are abysmal failures. Similarly, the retention of our best and brightest military officers, NCOs, and enlisted personnel is a sad commentary on the military force structure. Our warrior class is not wanted, so it is abandoning military service.

The woke and weakened military is no accident, nor is Biden the principal cause of this problem. Biden cannot craft any strategy that would transform an institution like the military into a socialistic morass.

For that, we must look to Obama. He crafted the strategy and set the wheels in motion. Over five years, Obama fired 197 senior military officers who did not agree with his foreign policy nor his vision of the role to be played by the military. The coup of our countrys warrior class leadership had begun.

This coup created a void in the ranks of our nations senior generals and admirals, and Obama began filling that void with sycophants who saw the opportunity for promotion. Over the ensuing 12 years, each promotion cycle focused upon more like-minded generals and admirals who, coincidentally, had been groomed and selected by those Obama initially chose to replace the fired 197. The message became crystal clear: Go woke or go home. Bidens inner circle has simply followed the Obama recipe.

Image by Andrea Widburg.

And so, we got the likes of Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, who was followed by the new Joint Chiefs Chairman Charles Q. Brown, Jr. The superintendents of our woke military academies (see, i.e., the DEI minor at West Point) are also products of this philosophical screening.

Under these new woke leaders, we have CRT and DEI infecting our current and future soldiers, sailors, marines, and guardians. Woke seminars, drag queen shows, and racial quotas are the orders of the day. Worst of all, this system replenishes itself with each successive generation of woke generals and admirals. These woke senior officers now select and promote the next generation...and so on.

It will take a concentrated effort to stop this generational decline in our militarys poor focus upon combat readiness and effectiveness. The loss of warrior-class recruits is no accident. The departure of warrior-class service men and women is a tragedy. The military is a shallow and uninviting shadow of its former self. Our military must return to its former lethal greatness.

But for now, Obama is smiling, Biden remains clueless, and the American people are vulnerable.
The Biden administration has gone to federal court in Austin, Texas, to prevent the Lone Star State from prosecuting border violators for illegal entry and failure to depart. They have even enlisted a State Department deputy assistant secretary to advocate for Central America and Mexico, instead of Texas.

Overrun by human waves of unlawful migrants and thwarted by the Supreme Court last year in its effort to force federal enforcement of existing law, Texas enacted its own illegal entry law set to take effect on Super Tuesday, March 5, 2024. The law is known as Texas Senate Bill 4, or SB4.

The Biden lawsuit against Texas and SB4 pending in the U.S. District Court sends a stark message to governors, cartels, and their U.S. enablers: border violators are immune from state judicial process. Foreign diplomats never had it so good, and gangs like MS-13, 18th Street, and Venezuelas Tren de Aragua are surely taking note. But the Biden initiative against Texas SB4 is just the latest chapter in a continuing saga of immunizing border violators from the consequences of their illegal conduct. Here is a brief travelogue along the road to impunity.

Since 2021, the Biden administrations assertion of unprecedented prosecutorial discretion to nullify the Immigration and Nationality Act has attracted over 8 million border violators. Within the United States, it led the Biden team to direct government lawyers to abandon tens of thousands of well-founded deportation cases and dismiss them from Immigration Court. Some involve violators with adverse criminal histories or prior deportations. When will border violators excused by the Biden administration be held accountable? Maybe never.

Federal courts contribute in other ways to border violator impunity. Thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court, thousands of pending deportation proceedings have been terminated from Immigration Court. Why? Because overtaxed immigration officials issued charging documents and Immigration Court hearing notices to violators in two documents instead of one. Madness.

Male border violator convictions for assaults on women are no longer sufficient, standing alone, for deportation, thanks to another federal court decision affecting Texas. In 2023, the same Supreme Court that recognizes border violator standing to sue immigration authorities denied standing to Texas and Louisiana when they sued the Biden team to enforce the law at the border.

Congress, too, contributes to border violator impunity. Take, for instance, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) juggernaut, which has encouraged and perpetuated unlawful presence since 1990. There is nothing temporary about TPS. Congress has also failed to repeal the non-return doctrine, a consequence of U.S. acceptance of the 1967 U.N. Refugee Protocol. The doctrine perpetuates asylum fraud and is a key reason for our nations loss of control over its border with Mexico. To regain control of the border our next president should immediately remove the United States from the 1967 Protocol.

Congress missed another opportunity to do the right thing recently with the tragic Capitol Hill border security charade over H.R. 815, the emergency defense supplemental appropriations bill. Why a charade? The solution to the Biden border crisis is not new law. Rather, it is to cut off funds to Biden programs that suspend existing law. Instead, the Senate meekly accepted draft legislation from administration technical advisers that is plainly unrelated to the current crisis. Border violators and their U.S. enablers emerged unscathed from the H.R. 815 circus.

Americans must stop kidding themselves. Since 9/11, the general immigration enforcement trend has been no enforcement at all. Open border pressures have mounted. Boiled down, our collective government response across all three branches has been to abolish ICE openly or through exaltation of prosecutorial discretion to end entire categories of enforcement.

Now we have reached a new stage with Biden administration litigation in the federal court in Austin against SB4. In practical effect, if it succeeds, the Biden lawsuit will elevate border violators to the same status as foreign embassy officials assigned to the U.S. who enjoy diplomatic agent status. Diplomatic agents are immune from all state judicial processes in the United States, including state prosecution for criminal conduct.

If Joe Biden succeeds in driving a stake through the heart of SB4, another milestone will be reached in the national trend toward full border violator impunity. To get there, unfortunately, the Biden-Obama immigration team has had plenty of help from both political parties, all three branches of government, and an army of private immigration activists.

The author is a Texas lawyer and Navy veteran of submarines and Iraq. He has extensive experience on the border, in immigration, and with the U.S. Senate.

Image generated by AI.
California landlords, get out while you can.

Yesterday, Jeff Charles at RedState reported that Democrat lawmaker from San Francisco, Matt Haney, had recently introduced a bill that would prohibit landlords from enacting blanket pet bans in regards to their properties. Here are the details, according to a press release from Haneys office:

AB 2216 will require landlords to have reasonable reason(s) for not allowing a pet in a rental unit and only allows landlords to ask about pet ownership after a tenants application has been approved.

Seems like the fact that a pet is, by its very nature, a beast, would be reason enougheveryone expects pet ownership to come with less-than-pleasant smells, accidents indoors, and, at best pet wear-and-tear, at worst, total destruction. Secondly, youd think that in a free country, a property owner wouldnt need to make a case to the government on why he/she conducts personal business affairs in the manner of his/her choosing. (If I were a landlord, I sure wouldnt want the headache of a tenant with an animal.)

Haney suggests that because landlords have the freedom to keep renters with pets from their properties, there is a lack of pet friendly housing which in turn, is causing renters to hide their pets from their landlordsbut naturally, the solution for the Democrat lawmaker is to assault the freedom of the person being victimized, not the dishonest renter.

Haneys announcement also includes this little blurb:

Like it or not humans have pets, they always have and they always will, said Haney. Blanket no companion pet policies are causing landlords to miss out on good tenants who get rejected without even getting a chance to apply for a place to live. The current system is bad for everyone.

No, its not bad for the landlords and homeowners, otherwise they would have adopted pro-pet policies. Thats the beautiful thing about capitalismtheres tremendous incentive to meet the demands of the market. But furthermore, who does Haney think he is telling property owners whats best for their situations and their private property? And, why does Haney think its his business to make sure landlords dont miss out on good tenants? Because news flash: ITS NOT.

In The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels go to war against the idea of private property ownership, and although they write that the abolition of existing property relations is not at all a distinctive feature of communism their idea of property revolution is certainly the most unethical, because it seeks to strip the middle class, or the bourgeois of their property:

In one word, you reproach us with intending to do away with your [middle class] property. Precisely so; that is just what we intend.  You must, therefore, confess that by individual you mean no other person than the bourgeois, than the middle-class owner of property. This person must, indeed, be swept out of the way, and made impossible.  Of course, in the beginning, this [revolution] cannot be effected except by means of despotic inroads on the rights of property.

Plainspeak like swept out of the way and despotic inroads is quite an affront though, even to uninformed leftist voters in California, so the states communist lawmakers are getting creative.

Marx would be beaming and licking his chops.

Image generated by AI.
Get ready to seethe.

Jonathan A., or Mr. Cash Money as he calls himself on social media, is a Nigerian-born migrant, and according to an explosive report out today, hes making around 22,000 a month off of German taxpayers, because thanks to the open borders policies of the left, he now has citizenship. To add to the madness he doesnt even appear to live in Germany.

Here are the details, per John Cody at Remix News:

According to public media, German taxpayers are paying for his [Jonathans] 24 children from various women, who are mainly from African countries. Jonathan A., who was born in Nigeria, has since obtained German citizenship. As a result, any child he has, regardless of where they are born, automatically receives citizenship, and through family reunification, the mothers, the children, and their relatives automatically receive the right to reside in Germany. In Jonathan A.s case, this total currently equals 94 people. He earns approximately 22,000 in welfare payments for his various children and has an additional two paternity applications in the pipeline. Nevertheless, the office responsible for disbursing payments to the man labels him as destitute since he earns no income from any job.

As Cody explains it, women with children pay Jonathan to lie on government paternity forms, claiming to be the father; in turn, given Jonathans citizenship status, these women and their families are given the right to settle in Germany and receive social benefits for themselves and their offspring. How is this possible? Well, lying about paternity is not actually a crime.

Without government, who would be literally the worst at everything?

And what does Jonathan do with all the money he rakes in off of the taxpaying German citizenry? Well, he funds a very lavish lifestyle; per the news report, Jonathan has a fleet of high-end luxury vehicles, and his social media page has images of him arrogantly wearing a bathrobe while posing in front of his cars.

Theyre not sending their best now, are they?

The migrants of Africa now pouring into the West are overwhelmingly third-world scammers and exploiters, full of materialism and greed, with nothing to offer, and their presence is increasingly deleterious to a functioning society.

Image: Free image, Pixabay license, no attribution required.
Brussels, Belgium (PANA)  The European Council on Monday adopted a regulation on the automated search and exchange of data for police cooperation
Not long ago, a Mexican friend warned me about the cartels and resorts. His basic argument was that if we lose the resorts then we lose tourism. No small loss considering the millions who travel there every year.

The resorts are safe but we do hear stories like these:

Four warring Mexican drug cartels indiscriminately kill to assert dominance over an 80-mile stretch of resorts along the Caribbean coast to tap into the countrys $30 billion tourism revenue, private investigator Jay Armes III told Fox News Digital. In the process, Americans -- and visitors from around the world -- have become collateral damage, see gruesome violence or just disappear, wiped off the face of earth, Armes said. Over the last two weeks, cartel members dismembered rival gang members with machetes in tourist hotspot Cancun; a California woman was killed in the crossfire near a popular Tulum beach; and an abducted New York man was left in a secluded jungle with his eyes taped shut. And thats just what hits the national news.

The problem is that you cant fill the beach with soldiers and end up scaring tourists. Do you want to go to a beach full of guys with machine guns? You may appreciate their willingness to protect you but may change your plans the next time you are booking a getaway.

The Mexican government has always operated under the assumption that the less said the better. Sort of like silence is golden. The problem is that silence may be the policy but its tough to hide severed heads when you can see them.

In the past, the criminal elements have avoided resorts to avoid a big fight with the armed forces. Are they changing strategy? No one knows for sure but something is going on.

P.S.: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

Image: Pexels, Angel Valladares
One of the things thats been vexing for many conservatives is how passive the Republican National Committee has been when it comes to the lawfare being waged against Donald Trump. Dont they understand that Trump is the trial balloon and that, if the lawfare against him is successful, itll be used against all Republicans? However, an opinion piece at the Wall Street Journal that Jeb Bush co-authored suggests that, finally, the GOP is becoming aware of the global threat of lawfare.

The GOP never liked Trump. One of the things to remember about Trumps presidency is that, for the first two years, Congress had a Republican majority in both the House and the Senate. Nevertheless, Trump was unable either to get rid of Obamacare or to gain funding for serious border control. In those cases, and many others, it was the Republicans who stood in the way. The Democrats ability to undermine him reflected not just the oppositions animus but also a civil war within the Republican party itself.

That civil war was reflected in the fact that many Republicans have been muted, at best, in responding to the lawfare being waged against Trump. You can see them thinking either that eh, theres no smoke without fire (as in, if Democrats are suing or indicting Trump, there must be something there) or theyre thinking, thank goodness theyre getting rid of him for us so that real Republicans can fully control the party.

The problem with either of these lines of thinking is that theyre crumbling under the weight of reality. The conduct of the trials and the verdicts against Trump in the New York civil cases revealed that the judges and anti-Trump attorneys involved had no regard whatsoever for silly little things like due process, rules of evidence, legal procedure, honesty, etc. Get Trump was the sole principle guiding events.

The news that Biden is getting a pass for improperly handling classified documents when he was a Senator and Vice Presidentpositions that gave him no authority at all to declassify documentshighlights the partisan nature of the attack on Donald Trump regarding classified documents.

Under the Constitution, and in keeping with Supreme Court precedent, Donald Trump had full authority to do anything he wanted with classified documentsincluding declassifying them by walking them out of the White House on his last day as president. Those legal realities, especially when paired with Biden keeping the documents in the garage to which his junkie son had access versus Trump keeping them in a locked room under Secret Service guardianship, rubbed everyones noses in the lawfare against Trump.

The icing on the political cake has been the recent revelation that the RICO lawsuit against Trump in Georgia was carried out in what can, at best, be called an unprofessional manner. As matters now stand, there are facts indicating that Fani Willis handed Trumps indictment to a lover who was unqualified for the job and to whom she paid almost three-quarters of a million in taxpayer dollars, that he coincidentally paid for lavish vacations for the two of them, and that she apparently refunded those payments with cash that neither he nor she can account for. Oh, and he worked closely with the Biden White House before indicting Trump.

But its not just Trump, of course. Elon Musk was a leftist darling when he cranked out electric cars. However, when he proved to be a fan of free speech, bought Twitter, and turned it into a (mostly) free-speech social media outlet, the Biden government went after him, too. And its the fact that the Biden government and its state allies are branching out in their war against dissent that may finally be waking up the GOP stalwarts.

Last week, in the wake of Judge Engorons ruling against Trump and a Delaware courts rewriting of Teslas compensation scheme, Jeb Bush (yes, that Jeb!) and Joe Lonsdale, an entrepreneur, wrote an essay for the Wall Street Journal warning that the Democrat-led attacks on Trump and Musk imperil the rule of law.

But two unprecedented legal decisions, against Donald Trump in New York and Elon Musk in Delaware, call that into question. In both cases, judges have ordered massive punitive judgments on behalf of dubious or nonexistent victims. Every American has a right to be critical of Mr. Trumps politicsone of us ran against him in 2016or Mr. Musks public persona. But equality before the law is precious, and these rulings represent a crisis not only for the soundness of our courts, but for the business environment that has allowed the U.S. to prosper. If these rulings stand, the damage could cascade through the economy, creating fear of arbitrary enforcement against entrepreneurs who seek public office or raise their voices as citizens in a way that politicians dislike.

The brief essay concluded that its currently up to the respective states appellate courts to review the two rulings and try to stop further damage to the reputations of their respective judiciaries. Failing that, the essay warns,

[B]lue-state politicians may have the satisfaction of sticking it to Messrs. Trump and Musk, but the loss to those states will be significant. The damage to the legal fabric of the country will be even worse. A dispassionate justice system is at the heart of American exceptionalism, and the country will be poorer if we lose it.

As Trump famously tweeted at the time of his first (bogus) impeachment, all of these actions arent about him; theyre about the ideas and the people for which he stands:

It seems that some deep within the Republican establishmentand kudos to themare finally figuring out the truth.

Image: Trump in the way meme.
The United Statess existence is predicated on the existence of God, the divine Creator who has endowed us with inalienable rights. While other nations may acknowledge the Creator, and some may even have official churches to worship Him, only one nation other than America is inextricably connected to Him from the very beginning. That nation is Israel.

This fact is important. It is the underlying connection that links the two countries. That connection is more powerful than any political power, more binding than any treaty, and stronger than any military force.

These facts do not preclude conflicts of interest between the US and Israel. There are some. Our predominant religions are different, even though both are rooted in the Old Testament. Partisan political interests bring about disagreements, sometimes serious ones. Internal to each nation are social divisions that affect the stability of both.

Despite all this, the social and cultural values of both the US and Israel are strikingly compatible. Yes, the nations of the Anglosphere (the US and the British commonwealth countries) are fairly tightly knit but, in the United States, Biblical values are still more strongly influential compared to the more secularized Western Europe. Indeed, as noted, both America and Israel are founded specifically in recognition of divine intervention in human affairs. That means more than may at first be apparent.

Image of flags at Ben Gurion Airport by the U.S. Embassy Jerusalem. CC BY 2.0.

An important factor binding the two nations together is that Americans view both as having divinely ordained callings. For the US, it was once called Manifest Destiny, which was mainly geographic. More lately, we have felt that we bear the burden of illuminating the world with our constitutional values; namely, the idea that governments are ordained to serve the people rather than vice versa. Regarding Israel, our Holy Scripture portrays Israel as the worlds final bastion of spiritual redemption, where the final battle between good and evil will take place. Perhaps thats already happening.

To be sure, Jews do not feel the same way about this as do American Christians. Israeli Jews are in varying degrees secularized, more so than Evangelical Christians. Orthodox Jews seem far less inclined to proselytize, to persuade gentiles to adopt their religion, compared to the religious zeal of Christian missionaries. Jews seem to me to be far less interested in End Times prophecy than are Evangelical Christians and even far less interested in the concept of life after death, which to Christians is paramount.

Despite these differences, both nations find themselves on the same side against the barbarism of radical Islam. Not only that, both place a high value on fighting their wars in accord with the civilized values associated with the Geneva Conventions. Granted, all civilized nations respect those principles, but we have encountered enemies who do not. Imperialist Japan and Nazi Germany were two examplesand, now, Hamas.

Religious Jews prophesy a worldly savior, a political Messiah, rather than the spiritual redeemer whom Christians worship in Jesus. Yet, when Jesus returns, He may well be accepted as the Jewish Messiah if one so interprets the Old Testament prophet Zechariah 12:10:

And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

And Isaiah 53:5:

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

These scriptures have other interpretations, but a key point to bear in mind is the mental undercurrent that, in the minds of both Jews and Christians, these passages are the word of God. As much as we may respect the writings of Hindus and Buddhists and of other world religious traditions, Biblical truth is special to us. Our nations are founded upon it.

When the chips are down, when the barbarians come crashing through the gate, our tendency is to turn back to these words. They give us a strength that our enemies do not begin to understand.
Over the weekend, Nikki Haley lost to Donald Trump in the South Carolina Republican primary. Trump haters claim that its actually a victory because it wasnt a complete wipe-out. However, to the extent she didnt lose to none of the above, thats mostly because Haley benefitted from South Carolinas open primary system. Her campaign is over, and her donors know it.

Going into the South Carolina primary, the polls showed that Nikki Haley had some support among the states Republicans. This was inevitable because she was a relatively successful two-term governor. Nevertheless, the states Republicans were mostly behind Trump. The following is a compilation of the polls that Real Clear Politics collated in advance of the Republican primary, showing Trumps dominance in Nikkis home state:

Screen grab (cropped) from Real Clear Politics running polls compilation.

To offset a defeat in her home state, Haley spent lots of money campaigning for non-Republican votes in the states open primary. I wrote here about one of the flyers Haley sent out to encourage non-Republicans to vote against Trump.

That wasnt the only such flyer I received. In fact, at last count, I had four on my kitchen counter. It was very easy to believe that Haley spent $16.5 million campaigning in South Carolina, compared to Trumps $1.3 million.

South Carolina voters, like Republicans across America, recognize that Trump must be the candidate. Rejecting him means that the Democrats lawfare worked, and every conservative knows that this cannot be allowed to happen. They probably recognize, too, behind Haleys shrill and strident militarism, shes just another soft leftist, right down to the icky feminism and the embrace of so-called transgenderism.

When the big day finally arrived, Nikki Haley did exactly what the polls predicted: She lost. However, because the spread was smaller than the polls had indicated it would be (roughly 20 points rather than the 22-28 points that polls predicted), anti-Trumpers hailed her loss as a victory. Here are just two examples.

MSNBC Claims Trump's Numbers In South Carolina Are "Disastrous" Despite Defeating Nikki Haley https://t.co/yAS5fsB7Y7  zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 26, 2024

Yes, 40% of the GOP not wanting Trump is indeed a warning sign. But it is also true that Trump received the smallest percentage of GOP votes ever for a nominee in 2016 and won the general election. Biden is extremely vulnerable in 2024. But he is paired with a weak opponent.  Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) February 25, 2024

Haley herself, in true Black Knight mode, declared that she will continue in the race, even though she is predicted to lose by 30-50 points in upcoming primaries. Shes also starting to hemorrhage the financial support that she needs to keep going:

While Nikki Haley insists on slow-walking the eventual suspension of her presidential campaign, one of her most important backers has confirmed that they have reached the end of the line. It wasn't always this way: Americans for Prosperity Endorses Nikki Haley for President, Plans Major Ad Buys Americans for Prosperity (AFP), which is bankrolled by the multi-billion dollar Koch network, announced that it was pulling the plug on financial support for Haley on the grounds that it is no longer money being well spent.

This follows on the heels of Reid Hoffman, the Democrat who founded Linked In, cutting off Nikki Haley a month ago. No matter how much you hate Trump, its apparent that Nikki isnt the one whos going to bring him down.

The question remains, then, why Nikki refuses to get out of the race. Some guesses are that she hopes that, if lawfare destroys Trump, shell have the nomination handed to her because shes the last person standing; that she envisions a profitable gig on CNN or MSNBC; that she imagines a book deal; or that shes delusional.

Or maybe she really is a Democrat and is doing this to drain Trumps coffers. By staying in the race, shes forcing him to campaign in future primaries, even as the lawfare waged against him costs him millions. (I happen to believe that, because these are quite obvious political hits, the RNC should be helping Trump with his legal fees. Its time it realizes that this isnt about Trump. Lawfare against Republicans is a political tactic and needs to be treated as such.)

Gavin Newsom, the smarmy, hard-left, but not stupid California governor, certainly views Haley as a Democrat asset:

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said Friday that GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley is among his partys best surrogates on the campaign trail, as she seeks to take down former President Trump in the Republican primary. I think shes one of our better surrogates, so I hope she stays in. I hope she does well tomorrow  at least, well enough, Newsom said, referring to the GOP South Carolina primary, after CNNs Jake Tapper asked whether Haley or Trump had a better chance against President Biden in November. Newsom, a staunch supporter of Biden, added that he agreed with most of the attacks Haley has made on the former president. I think shes spot on, on 99 percent of it, he said. So, Im enjoying this primary. And I hope it continues, so I wish her luck.

For now, Republicans are stuck with Haley. Its unfortunate, but thats the reality were in.

Image: YouTube screen grab (edited).
Now that America has gotten a whiff of Venezuela's emptied prisons, Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro is continuing with his original plan, telling Joe Biden America can keep them.

He's not taking them back.

According to Fox News:

Venezuela has stopped accepting flights of migrants deported from the U.S. and Mexico, while Venezuelan migrants in Chicago are allegedly committing crimes just to get a free ride back to their home country on the taxpayer's dime. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, President Nicolas Maduros authoritarian regime is refusing to cooperate with deportation requests after Washington reimposed some of the economic sanctions it had previously lifted on Venezuela. The move heaps more pressure on President Bidens effort to manage the deepening crisis as it becomes a top issue in November's presidential election. Former President Donald Trump has vowed to deport mass numbers of illegal aliens if elected. A deal between the two countries in October to fly illegal Venezuelan migrants directly back to their home country was meant to be a signal from the White House that it was vigorously tackling the issue in the wake of mounting criticism.

And over here in the states, we are getting the likes of these guys from Maduro's slums and prisons:

He was illegal Brian. I can tell you that.





The killers wife, Layling Franco, 23, also of Venezuela, told the New York Post she and Ibarra were put on a bus to New York City in September 2022 after illegally entering the U.S. near El Paso, Texas, along with Francos pic.twitter.com/LV7h8M28yz  Bennetta Elliott (@belliott123) February 25, 2024

He was illegal Brian. I can tell you that.





The killers wife, Layling Franco, 23, also of Venezuela, told the New York Post she and Ibarra were put on a bus to New York City in September 2022 after illegally entering the U.S. near El Paso, Texas, along with Francos pic.twitter.com/LV7h8M28yz  Bennetta Elliott (@belliott123) February 25, 2024

... this one, too:

Neither he, nor the middle-fingering cop-beaters of Manhattan, nor the motorcycle thugs, nor the killer of the Georgia girl, nor this chiseler, can be sent back to Venezuela. They're here to stay because Joe Biden opened the border to let them all in, and Maduro, seeing that, now says Biden can't deport them back when and if the courts catch up to them.

Ostensibly, Maduro has done this as a counter-move against Joe Biden's sanctions on his cronies, following Maduro's breach of a deal to hold free and fair elections in exchange for an end to some sanctions -- Maduro promptly arrested his election opponent -- this halting of deportation flights.

But it's probably part of Maduro's plan all along, given that his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, once threatened to camp out at the U.S. border in order to inflict millions indigent migrants into the U.S., and Maduro himself no longer cares if his legitimate opponents go into exile. Maduro got caught last week sending goons into Chile to take out a dissident, meaning, he can get his dissidents any time he wants to. He doesn't of course, send his goons after the thugs because, well, he wants them here.

Maduro, in the same manner of his hero, Fidel Castro of Cuba, could see the Biden weakness opening the border and the havoc millions of migrants were causing, and promptly began emptying his prisons of all but the political prisoners.

What better way to Get Gringo than to rain the contents of his jails and shantytowns onto the U.S.? Maduro knows this, which is why he's playing hardball with Joe Biden.

It's astonishing, really. How did that ridiculous deal even get there in the first place and what kind of incompetents would have left the U.S. open to this kind of migrant-bomb blackmail if Maduro couldn't be trusted to keep his word on the deal?

That's right, Biden's "three stooges." I wrote about them here, here, and here.

And while this crew has made a hash of things, first with that deal, now it's this: Maduro is refusing to take his criminals back, leaving America holding the bag.

Somehow Biden doesn't have the wherewithal to use muscle on Maduro to take his criminals back and Maduro knows this. Biden could threaten tougher sanctions if Maduro doesn't take them back, if not institute an all-out blockade if those criminals aren't taken back, or Biden could just force him to take them back whether he likes it or not, perhaps by ship and rowboat into Venezuela, or else through a third country, such as Guyana, which is under threat from Maduro and looking to the U.S. for help. Maybe they can be muscled into allowing a deportee staging area through its Jim-Jones-style jungle.

Think they'd say 'no'?

But he doesn't. He just stands there helplessly as Maduro empties his prisons into the U.S.

There's no reason Joe Biden can't get what he wants from these tinhorn regimes. That he stands there helplessly as these migrants wreak havoc and meekly allows them to stay here, it seems pretty obvious he doesn't know what he's doing. His weakness has assured Maduro he can do anything he wants with him.

His migrant bombs on a weakling like Biden are the perfect weapon.

Image: Twitter screen shot
In the last few days of the year leading up to the midnight of December 31, two Dutch teams from the neighboring districts of Scheveningen (in Noorderstrand) and Duindorp (in Zuiderstrand) battle each other on Scheveningens North Beach for the title of the largest bonfire in the Netherlands. The long tradition and a matter of pride keeps the emotions churning as enthusiastic participants stack wooden crates and pallets as high as they can. The battle is closely monitored not only from Scheveningen and Duindorp, but also in the rest of the Netherlands and beyond. Tourists come all the way from America, Germany, France and England to see the bonfires. Before the bonfires are lit on the midnight of December 31, there are usually performances by artists and fireworks display.

Photo credit: reddit.com

The tradition of lighting bonfires to celebrate important events goes back by at least a few centuries. In Scheveningen, the first bonfire after Christmas were probably lit around 1850. After World War II, The Hague became the center of New Year celebration. At that time, groups of young people would go out hunting for Christmas trees and would put a match to it. Fights between rival gangs often resulted in injuries.

The police tried to keep the situation under control by designating six congregation places where bonfires could be lit. But the crowd continued to be as unruly as ever, dumping everything thats combustible on the fire Christmas trees, tires, and furniture. These unstable structures became a fire hazard. Besides drunk young men often caused trouble in the area, forcing the city police to restrict all bonfire lighting activities to the North Beach.

The city proposed that they could build bonfires as big and high as they wanted as long as they keep the infighting among themselves civilized and organized and on the beach. They could only use wooden crates. No tire burning or Christmas tree burning was allowed. Most people felt the new rules were too strict and missed the thrill of hunting for Christmas trees in the neighborhoods and other things to burn. Some neighborhoods took part for a year or two and then quit. The only two groups that remained are Scheveningen and Duindorp. Now most neighborhoods who wishes to take part either side with Scheveningen or with Duindorp.

This year Duindorp won the battle again.

Also see: St John's Eve Bonfire in Alesund

Photo credit: Arjen Toet/Flickr

Photo credit: Arjen Toet/Flickr

Photo credit: Maurits Verbiest/Flickr

Photo credit: Maurits Verbiest/Flickr

Photo credit: Maurits Verbiest/Flickr

Photo credit: Maurits Verbiest/Flickr

Photo credit: Arjen Toet/Flickr

Photo credit: Hollandse-Hoogte via ZUMA Press

Source: www.vreugdevuur-scheveningen.nl
The small archipelago of Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, off the coast of the Canadian province of Quebec, is home to some 12,000 people. Nearly everyone of them is a descendant of a shipwreck survivor.

The Magdalen Islands, also known as Iles de la Madeleine, have a long history of shipwrecks. In the 18th and 19th centuries, an estimated 500 vessels fell victim to the shifting sands and shallow waters of the Magdalen Islands, in Canadas predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec. In those days, there were no lighthouses in the area and charts were less than accurate. In the heavy winds, fog and choppy waters, navigation became a game of guessing and dexterity. Many ships along with their passengers perished in the waters. Those who survived chose to settle down and make the islands their home.

Photo credit: Raymond Brow/Flickr

One of the most talked about shipwrecks on the Magdalen Islands is the immigration ship, the "Miracle", which was transporting families from Ireland to Canada, when she went ashore at East Point during a violent storm. The Captain of the "Miracle", Master H.H. Elliot, while expressing his gratitude and admiration for their Magdalen Islands rescuers in his report, highlighted the necessity for having lighthouses in these areas.

This is to certify that the ship "Miracle" under my command wrecked on the Magdalen Islands on the 19th, of May, 1847, with 446 souls on board, and through the exertions of Mr. James Clark and his sons succeeded in saving nearly the whole of them and they deserve great praise for their exertions, both in supplying them with provisions and shelter. I firmly believe a light on the east end of the island would save many a shipwreck, as Brion and Bird Rocks can be sure.

Nearly twenty years before the incident, in 1828, a similar report was sent by Captain Edward Boxer to the Grand Admiral of Maritime Britain, in which he mentioned:

I have found a great need for lighthouses in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. On this sea, navigation is so dangerous because of strong and irregular currents, and there is not a single lighthouse in all the Gulf. It is truly lamentable to find so many shipwrecks at different places on the coast... the number of lost lives is very large and certainly incalculable....

Their complaints were finally heard, and the first lighthouses were erected in the early 1870s. Today, there are six lighthouses around the islands.

Many of the Magdalen Islands shipwrecks lie hidden at the bottom of the sea in various states of decay. But a few old hulks are visible from the beach, such as a 1963 shipwreck on the Corfu Island. Other pieces of wrecks are visible in dry ground in different forms, such as houses. Many homes in the Magdalen Islands are constructed from wood salvaged from the islands many shipwrecks. A hundred-year-old church is built from the same material.

Today, the island is made up of mostly French-speaking people, with only about 550 residents speaking English. They are descendants of people who came from England, Scotland and Ireland. They live virtually isolated from the rest of the world, especially during winter when the gulf freezes making boat trips impossible. Their only communication link to the mainland is a wireless telegraph station.

Photo credit: Uladzimir Taukachou

Photo credit: Raymond Brow/Flickr

Photo credit: Miville Tremblay/Flickr

Photo credit: Pionites melanocephalus/Flickr

Sources: BBC / magdalenislands.blogspot.in
The Thaua people, who reside around Twofold Bay on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia, share a special bond with killer whales or orcas, which they call beowas. We consider beowas to be our brothers, writes Thaua historian Steven Holmes in a study published in Journal of Heredity in December 2023. According to Thaua beliefs, when a member of their community passes away, they are reincarnated as a beowa.

Holmes recounts a personal anecdote involving his great-great-grandfather, a blind man who would walk along the beach singing to the beowas. The beowas would follow him along the beach communicating back and forth with him. It was a strong friendship between these beowas, and my people, Holmes reflects.

Whalers off Twofold Bay, New South Wales, 1867 by Sir Oswald Brierly.

The bond between the Thaua people and the beowas transcended mere companionshipit represented a relationship of mutual understanding and benefit. Over generations, the beowas assisted the men in hunting by herding other whales into the shallow waters of the bay, facilitating the whalers' task of finishing them off. While the men harvested the meat, the killer whales enjoyed the delicacy of the tongue. This unusual alliance was initially documented in 1844 by European whalers, yet Holmes indicates that this collaborative hunting tradition dates back centuries.

The hunting expeditions typically occurred during winter, coinciding with the arrival of a population of killer whales in Twofold Bay. At times, the Thaua people would serenade the beowas, encouraging them to herd baleen whales closer to shore. With strategic precision, the beowas would ambush the baleen whales, tearing along their fins and flukes, while others swam beneath them to bite along the lip area. Some would breach atop the whale, near the blowhole, attempting to submerge and drown it. Once the prey was driven into shallower waters, local hunters swiftly dispatched them.

In a gesture of gratitude for the beowas' assistance, the Thaua hunters would sever the tongue of the fallen whale and cast it into the waters for the beowas to feast upon.

In the 19th Century, European colonizers capitalized on this extraordinary cooperative hunting dynamic to create a booming commercial whaling operation in the bay. The killer whales would herd the victims into the bay and then alert the whalers of the baleen whales by slapping their tail and splashing in front of the whaling station. Responding to these cues, the whalers would swiftly launch their boats, following the lead of the beowas to locate the prized baleen whale targets. Once harpooned, the whale was left anchored overnight to allow the killer whales to eat the tongue and lips. Only after the beowas had had their feast, the carcass was collected for processing. This arrangement was called "the law of the tongue".

Old Tom swimming alongside a whaling boat that is being towed by a harpooned whale.

One killer whale called Old Tom became legendary due to his active role in the hunts for at least three decades. He would tug at the tow ropes, seizing and pulling the harpoon line in his mouth after it was shot into the baleen whale. Aside from Old Tom, there were many recognizable individuals all named after popular whalers such as Hooky, Cooper, Humpy, Typee, Jackson, Stranger, and Big Ben. It's estimated that towards the late 19th century, there were approximately 25 to 30 killer whales divided into three distinct groups. However, over time, their numbers dwindled, and by the 1930s, the once-thriving population of killer whales had vanished entirely from the bay.

There have been many theories regarding the disappearance of the killer whales from Twofold Bay. According to Thaua tradition, the decline was attributed to a breach of trustan event etched in infamy in 1900, when a European whaler callously gunned down a stranded killer whale on the beach. This senseless act of violence reverberated deeply within the Aboriginal community. It was said that only seven members of the once 30 strong pod returned the following year.

The breach of trust was further compounded in the mid-1920s, when another whaler defied the established protocol, attempting to tow a whale ashore without adhering to the sacred "law of the tongue." In the ensuing struggle, Old Tom seized the tow rope with his teeth and lost some of his own in the process. When Old Tom was discovered dead on the shore a few years later, his mouth was abscessed because of the missing teeth, and its likely he died of starvation. The skeleton of Old Tom is now preserved at the Killer Whale Museum in Eden, established in 1931, shortly after old Toms death.

The skeleton of Old Tom at Killer Whale Museum in Eden. Photo credit: Fanny Schertzer/Wikimedia Commons

In the wake of Old Tom's demise, the pod ceased its appearances off the coast of Eden, the coastal town where captured whales were processed. While some speculate that his death directly influenced this absence, another grim theory suggests that the remaining members of the pod met their end at the hands of Norwegian whalers in Jervis Bay, located approximately 300 km up the coast.

Since their departure, only a scant few sightings of killer whales have been reported in Twofold Bay, none of which are descendants of Old Tom's group, as confirmed by DNA analysis. Regrettably, it is widely believed that these once-renowned killer whales have succumbed to extinction, leaving behind a legacy of cooperation and companionship now relegated to history.

References:

# Ancestry testing of Old Tom, a killer whale central to mutualistic interactions with human whalers, Journal of Heredity

# The Legend of Old Tom and the Gruesome "Law of the Tongue", Scientific American

# Killer whales in Eden on anniversary of Old Tom's death, ABC
Apple has long been known for its commitment to user privacy and security. To double down on that, the tech firm has recently announced a groundbreaking upgrade to its messaging platform iMessage to make it resistant to decryption efforts by quantum computers.

With the expansion of quantum computers, many tech companies worried that bad actors could use the existing potential to break into victims servers and compromise their data and privacy.

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Apple notes that quantum computers can bypass the current end-to-end encryption of iMessage. Meanwhile, thanks to the firms post-quantum cryptographic protocol, known as PQ3, iMessage is now more robust against any attempts by quantum computers to compromise users privacy.

Apple iMessage can now protect your data against attackers using quantum computers

More than simply replacing an existing algorithm with a new one, we rebuilt the iMessage cryptographic protocol from the ground up, Apple said in its blog post. It will fully replace the existing protocol within all supported conversations this year. The iPhone maker also claims it had not found any evidence of breaching so far following the implementation of PQ3.

Most messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram now rely on end-to-end encryption to preserve users privacy. However, Apple has taken its protection measures to a new level by introducing a state-of-the-art PQ3 protocol. Other messaging apps could also launch similar protection in the coming years.

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iMessage PQ3 protocol will be available to all Apple operating systems and devices

Apple confirmed the PQ3 is available with the public releases of iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, macOS 14.4, and watchOS 10.4. Its also already available in developer preview and beta releases. Apple also says all conversations between devices that support PQ3 are automatically upgraded to the post-quantum encryption protocol.

Apple hopes to safeguard iMessage from future attacks by quantum computers by integrating encryption algorithms resistant to quantum computing. With the iMessage PQ3 protocol, users can now benefit from extra security. Additionally, they have more peace of mind, knowing that their confidential chats are not visible to prying eyes.
The Hindu News, February 21, 2024

A Taliban official said journalists were committing "a major sin" by taking pictures, Afghan media reported on Wednesday.

Television and pictures of living things were banned under the previous Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, but a similar edict has so far not been imposed since authorities took back power in Afghanistan in 2021.

"Taking pictures is a major sin," Mohammad Hashem Shaheed Wror, a senior official in the justice ministry, told a seminar for department staff in the capital Kabul on Tuesday, according to footage broadcast by several media.

"Our media friends, Afghans, they are always busy in this sin and always pulled towards immorality."

Officials in the Taliban birthplace of Kandahar were ordered this week not to take any images of living things, but the ban did not extend to media or the public, the spokesperson for Kandahar's governor Mahmood Azzam told AFP.

Images of humans and animals are generally avoided in Islamic art, extending for some Muslims to an aversion to any images of living things.

Several media outlets have refrained from using images of people and animals since the Taliban returned to power more than two years ago.

However, official central government departments frequently distribute and share pictures of senior officials meeting foreign dignitaries.
Samsung may be planning a price cut for its next-gen mid-range smartphones. Rumors say the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35 will see a tiny drop in prices compared to their predecessors, at least in Europe. The new A-series phones are expected to go official in March or April.

Samsung to price the Galaxy A55 and A35 more competitively in Europe

According to a SamMobile report, Samsung will price the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant of the Galaxy A55 at 479 in Europe. The 256GB storage variant (comes with 8GB RAM) will cost 529 at launch. The Galaxy A34 will reportedly cost 379 for the 6GB+128GB variant, while its 8GB+256GB option will be priced at 449.

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If you recall, the Galaxy A54 debuted with a price tag of 490 for the 6GB+128GB variant. Its higher storage variant (8GB+256GB) was priced at 550 in Europe. For the Galaxy A34, Samsung charged 390 and 460, respectively. If the rumored prices for the 2024 models are accurate, we are in for a price drop of up to 20 in Europe this year.

It isnt a big cut, but any price drop is noteworthy in the mid-range segment where pricing is key. The prices look sweeter when you consider the upgrades the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35 bring to the table. Most notably, the former is getting a metallic frame (the Galaxy A54 has a plastic frame) while the latter is switching from a notched display to a punch-hole design. Samsung will also upgrade the internals, including the camera.

Leaks have already revealed that the Galaxy A55 will feature the Exynos 1480 mid-range chipset with a custom GPU Samsung co-developed with AMD. The Galaxy A35, on the other hand, will use the Galaxy A54s Exynos 1380 SoC. It may also borrow the 50MP primary rear camera from the 2023 model. Both phones will sport the Key Island design with a bumper on the frame around the power and volume buttons.

The new mid-range phones are a few weeks away

Samsung launched the Galaxy A54 and Galaxy A34 in March last year. The 2024 models should arrive around their first anniversary. Rumors say the company will delay the launch of the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35 by a few weeks. So, we might see them go official sometime in April if not in March. The official support pages for the phones are already live on Samsungs websites in several countries. We will let you know when we have more information.
The MWC 2024 is officially underway, bringing us new products, services, and other announcements from tech companies worldwide. Coinciding with the event, Google announced a bunch of Android and app updates. The company introduced nine new features to help you stay productive, including AI-powered Android Auto and Gemini for Google Messages.

Google announces new features for Messages, Android Auto, and more

Gemini, Googles generative AI tool, is now available in the Google Messages app. You can ask Gemini to draft a message for you, come up with a joke, have random conversations, and more. The AI tool can also provide answers to your questions and help you with your creative ideas. You no longer have to use a separate app or visit a website for all this.

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AI is also coming to Android Auto. If you are driving, AI will summarize long texts and group chats and suggest relevant replies and actions. You can simply tap a button to send your response, share your ETA, or start a call. Google originally announced this feature during Samsungs Galaxy S24 launch last month. It is now rolling out to all Android Auto users.

Googles Lookout app, which uses computer vision to assist people with low vision or blindness, can generate audio descriptions of photos with the help of AI. This feature was available in the US, UK, and Canada and is now rolling out globally in English. The company has also added screen reader support to the Lens in Maps feature introduced last October. It reads a places business hours, ratings, and directions out loud.

Android phones and tablets also now support handwritten annotations in Google Docs. You can use a stylus or simply annotate a document using your fingers. Google offers a variety of markup tools, including different pen colors and highlighters. For Spotify users, you get new casting controls to easily switch the output between your Spotify Connect devices. This feature is already available for YouTube Music.

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Wear OS gets Google Wallet passes and transit directions

The latest updates from Google bring passes to Google Wallet for Wear OS. You can access your fight boarding passes, event tickets, gym memberships, loyalty cards, and more from your Wear OS-powered smartwatch. Google lets you select which passes to hide or display. This feature started rolling out last month. A wide rollout may have just begun.

Wear OS watches are also getting support for public transit directions on Google Maps. You dont need to pull out your phone to check departure times for your bus, train, or ferry. You get compass-guided navigation directions to your destination directly on your wrist. If you want to look up things on your phone, you can mirror directions to your watch for hands-free navigation.

Finally, the Fitbit app is gaining the ability to pull up your health data from other apps. Google names AllTrails, Oura Ring, and MyFitnessPal among the supported apps. Data from the connected apps will be available next to your Fitbit data in the You tab. Data like exercise, steps, calories burned, floors climbed, and distance traveled from Health Connect-compatible apps appear in the Today tab.
Google co-founder, Sergey Brin, got sued by the widow of a pilot killed while flying one of his planes from Santa Rosa to his private island in Fiji last year. The plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean and killed pilot Lance Maclean and his co-pilot Dean Rushfeldt.

The lawsuit is filed with the state court in Santa Clara County. It alleges that the auxiliary fuel tank attached to the billionaires $8 million twin-engine seaplane has malfunctioned several times. The fuel tank supposedly forced pilots to have an emergency return to California.

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As earlier reported by Bloomberg, Sergey Brin is not the only defendant in the case. The lawyers of Maria Magdalena Olarte, Macleans widow, have also named Google, the maintenance company that attached auxiliary fuel tanks to the airplane, and the company the pilots were contracted to as other defendants. The pilots widow is demanding at least $150,000 in financial damages.

A malfunctioning fuel tanks reportedly caused Sergey Brins plane to crash

Lawyers stated that Sergey Brin, now working on AI tools in Google, is one of the wealthiest people in the world. And If he wanted to recover the aircraft and the remains of those lost, it would be done. But the billionaire didnt do so because he, presumably, already knew the troubling facts that the FAA later uncovered in its investigation.

The lawsuit also accuses Brin of destroying evidence at the plane crash site by obstructing recovery efforts. Google and other defendants have not yet commented on the matter. Meanwhile, Brins family office said two days after the incident that it would provide families with assistance and will continue to do so as long as needed.

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As per the suit, the Viking Air Ltd. DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400 plane took Brin to his private island in Fiji. So he could have a party with his guests. On May 20, 2023, the aircraft allegedly carrying an unauthorized and illegally installed auxiliary fuel system crashed about 13 miles short of the coast near Half Moon Bay.

Pilots did declare an emergency and tried to return to California

The complaint noted that pilots declared an emergency and tried to return to California. However, the plane crashed and killed both pilots. The suit added the plane didnt have enough fuel to fly the billionaire roughly 2,350 miles from Santa Rosa, California. So, Brin hired mechanics to add an auxiliary fuel tank to the plane. But the fuel wasnt transformed from the auxiliary tank to the main tank because it was installed from memory. The malfunctioning fuel tanks finally resulted in a fuel shortage and crashed the plane.
RAWA NEWS, February 26, 2024

Italy contributes in giving voice to Afghan women  together with the Women's Peace Humanitarian Fund (WPHF).

On 19th November 2023 the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, with this title, proudly presents on its website funds of 4.5 million euros for 2022 specifically aimed for supporting Afghan women".

In particular, they said the support is in favor of "Fawzia Koofi, the first vice-president of the Afghan Parliament, as well as former President of the Commission for women's issues and human rights, who after the fall of Kabul into the hands of Taliban, continued to fight to promote the rights of Afghan women and girls. In June 2022, thanks to the support of the Women's Peace Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), Fawzia Koofi traveled to Geneva to ask the United Nations Human Rights Council to hold a debate on the women's and girls' rights crisis in Afghanistan. ...Fawzia Koofi's denunciation activity would probably not have been possible without the contribution of the United Nations WPHF"...

The belief of the importance of stopping gender violence, supporting the capacity of local women, in order to free them from violence and contribute to peace processes, has led Italy to support also the global action of the Women Peace Humanitarian Fund, with a further amount of 2 million euros in 2022 and 3 million euros in 2023 - to support women's voices and fight against violence"

But what happened or will happen to the funds allocated to Fawzia Koofi by the Italian International Cooperation? How will be used to support Afghan women?

To answer this question we tried to follow the money distributed by Italy in recent days.

It has been quite easy because it is indicated in the purposes of the International Fund. WPHF which distributed the funds and to which Italy contributed to. Really Italy did not give the money directly to Fawzia Koofi but simply gave 4.5 euros to WPHF.

The International Fund explains on its website who the money is allocated to. The funds that interests us has

ended up in the hands of Fawzia Koofi through support to the "1000 Women Leaders Programme".

"WPHF Funding Window for WHRDs" i.e. defenders of women's human rights.Its purpose is to provide, in collaboration with NGOs, rapid and flexible funding and direct logistical support to WHRD coming or working in different conflict-affected areas,  [women or LGBTI who] individually or in association with others, formally or informally, act to promote or protect human rights, including women's rights, peacefully at local, national, regional and international levels".

The support, it is specified, comes through two flows:

- Safety net in collaboration with partner NGOs with funding of up to $10,000

to cover urgent costs, such as living expenses and short-term protection, including equipment (computers, security cameras), Internet, self-care, legal assistance and relocation or return home;

- advocacy support,

to organize and cover logistical expenses (transport, visa fees, accommodation, daily allowance, accessibility for DDUs with disabilities) to participate in a meeting, event or decision-making process at a national, regional or international level that contributes to promoting human rights and peace.

With this Window, it is explained, Fawzia Koofi traveled to Geneva in June 2022 to ask the Human Rights Council to hold an urgent debate. Three months later she also received travel assistance to brief the United Nations Council in New York on the situation in AfghanistanEvidently UN, United States, European and Western governments focus on her as a leader for the future of Afghanistan. Moreover, the WPHF has "an ambitious goal: to support "1000 women leaders in 1000 communities affected by the crisis around the world". And as the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) says in the article, it is thanks to the support of the WPHF that Fawzia Koofi was able to have the role and the international importance that she has....However, there is a big gap between the 10,000 dollars officially given to Fawzia Koofi and the 4,5 million euros given by Italy "specifically aimed to support Afghan women".

For whom, which women, what projects were given? So we return to the starting problem: how the Italian money is distributed and controlled?

There is no response on the Italian Cooperation website.

Who is Fawzia Koofi?

Who really is this woman who enjoys so much trust from international institutions?

She presents herself and is presented everywhere as a defender of Afghan women rights, but was and is she really one?

Wikipedia reports that she began her political career in 2001, after the fall of the Taliban, working with UNICEF. From 2005 to 15 August 2021 she was the Member of Parliament (Wolesi Jirga) for Badakhshan district and the first female Vice President of the National Assembly. In 2020, she was one of the 21-member team that was supposed to represent the Afghan government in peace negotiations with the Taliban. She also considers the defense of women's and children's rights as a priority and she supported it in Afghanistan with various initiatives.

But we discover that in 2015

the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan, RAWA,

had published an article on website where attacks her, revealing a series of facts about her and her family and inform us that she is a very well-known and important political figure in Afghanistan and she was responsible of abuses and corruption.

The article shows how her family has always been interested in politics, despite never having joined a specific party but always ready to support the politicians in power who could help them in their business. Fawzia Koofi and her sister have always used their political power to get their brothers out of trouble, often prosecuted for drug trafficking, rape, etc. She has always taken advantage of her position to keep for herself or for her own business a good part of the Western funds she obtain to build schools or houses for poor people. She often hid behind the defense of women's and children's rights to use the funds provided through NGOs... All this has been denounced, accompanied by photos and documents, by the inhabitants of the remote region where she was a parliamentary representative.

This declaration had been used by Cisda to notify by letter the Mayor of Turin Fassino and his council, who had financed, through Italian Cooperation funds, the Afghan association supporting women's rights, SSSPO, of which Fawzia Koofi was the representative. The letter was showing the inappropriateness of this financing action. But no answer was given to us.

Even in recent times, we must not forget that Fawzia Koofi in the last years of the republican government was a parliamentarian and vice president of the National Assembly and therefore was responsible, as much as the men, for having supported that corrupt and incapable government. The government wanted and supported by USA, made up of warlords who often had notoriety and power not for their political skills but for the brutal acts committed. The role of women does not lessen the responsibility of having supported it for personal or family interest.

Fawzia Koofi also endorsed US agreements with Taliban in 2020 to allow their return to power, participating directly in Doha negotiations thus providing an appearance of democracy that fell entirely on Afghan people, while the members of government fled the country as she did.

So her activism makes us thinking more to

a former political leader interested in renewing the role she lost with exile than in providing concrete aid to the suffering women and people in Afghanistan.

But why, despite her background, she is now wanted by all international institutions and held up as an example of representative and spokesperson for the freedom of Afghan women, instead of set aside like all the other Afghan politicians, considered servants of the republican government wanted and supported by USA when they handed over power to the Taliban?

Why such a person

- a woman who can be used as a success of the West, an expert in politics, willing to do anything and capable of adapting to the political interests of those who support her and riding the symbolic objective of defending the rights of Afghan women

- is convenient in this moment for Western politics?

Both to show democracy of the West in crisis by the long failed war in Afghanistan and the flight of USA and its allies, and to have women available when the Taliban should fall or at least accept some form of female openness. Thus public opinion can believe that openness to women 's rights is possible even with the Taliban in power. Opening that justifies the start of negotiations for the reintegration of Afghanistan into the global economic and geopolitical games even with the Taliban in power.

International institutions, with their NGOs and all organizations supported by them, show that they do not care about the rights of Afghan women who live in Afghanistan and fight and resist daily against Taliban and their restrictive, repressive, fundamentalist and inhuman measures.

What interests them are the women who are part of the ruling class:

preparing a ruling class that shares Western economic and political interests, so to have members who will realize them.

The impact of these policies on the people - poverty, hunger, crushing of rights... - is not important for them but the local government has to think about.
Financier and member of the Rothschild banking family, Lord Jacob Rothschild, has died at the age of 87, his family has announced.

The British peer started his career in the family bank, NM Rothschild & Sons, in 1963, before going on to take control of Rothschild Investment Trust and later co-founding the then J Rothschild Assurance Group, now St Jamess Place, with Sir Mark Weinberg in 1980.

Lord Rothschilds family have an estimated fortune of around 825 million, according to last years Sunday Times Rich List, and give away a reported 66 million to Jewish causes, education and art.

In a statement to the PA news agency, the family said: Our father Jacob was a towering presence in many peoples lives, a superbly accomplished financier, a champion of the arts and culture, a devoted public servant, a passionate supporter of charitable causes in Israel and Jewish culture, a keen environmentalist and much-loved friend, father and grandfather.

He will be buried in accordance with Jewish custom in a small family ceremony and there will be a memorial at a later date to celebrate his life.

Born in Berkshire, Lord Rothschild was educated at Eton College and then went on to study history at Christ Church college, Oxford University.

He was chairman of RIT Capital Partners  one of the largest investment trusts quoted on the London Stock Exchange  until 2019, but also held roles including deputy chairman at the then BSkyB Television, director of RHJ International, now known as BHF Kleinwort Benson Group, and was a member of the council for the Duchy of Cornwall for the then Prince of Wales.

In the cultural sector, he was chairman of trustees at The National Gallery and chairman of The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

A renowned patron to the arts, he also sat for numerous portraits, including by Lucian Freud and David Hockney.

The Rothschild Foundation and Waddesdon Manor are deeply saddened to announce the death of Lord Rothschild, businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and cultural leader. He will be greatly missed by his family, his colleagues and his many friends. pic.twitter.com/wKkZZjQu8l  Waddesdon (@WaddesdonManor) February 26, 2024

He also founded Windmill Hill Asset Management to manage the familys philanthropic portfolio and was chairman of the trustees for The Rothschild Foundation charity.

One of his biggest philanthropic commitments was to Waddesdon Manor and the Waddesdon estate in Buckinghamshire, having taken over the management on behalf of the National Trust from his cousin Dorothy de Rothschild in 1988.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Rothschild Foundation and Waddesdon Manor said they were deeply saddened to announce the death of Lord Rothschild, businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and cultural leader.

He will be greatly missed by his family, his colleagues and his many friends, they added.

The Rothschild Foundation confirmed Lord Rothschilds daughter Hannah would succeed him as chair of the charity.

The foundation added: Jacob Rothschild was an extraordinary person and his loss will be felt by many.

The family is committed to continuing his legacy and the foundation which he loved and endowed.

He was married for more than 50 years to Serena, who died in 2019 and with whom he had four children  Hannah, Beth, Emily and Nat  and many grandchildren.
Irish President Michael D Higgins has appealed to countries that have withdrawn funding from a relief agency in Gaza to think again and provide support to help avoid a catastrophe.

Several countries have frozen funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) while a review of Israeli allegations that some of its staff took part in the Hamas attack on October 7 is under way.

UNRWA has 13,000 staff in the Gaza Strip and helps educate 30,000 children.

In a statement released on Monday, Mr Higgins urged the countries, including the UK and Germany, to revoke their decision.

Mr Higgins is among many heads of state and government leaders who have made the call.

As Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of UNRWA, stated yesterday, this is a man-made disaster and famine can be avoided if there is genuine political will to grant access and protection to the delivery of meaningful assistance, Mr Higgins said.

The lead taken by Ireland in giving increased and additional aid to UNRWA is an example of which Irish people can be proud of, not only because our own history, but given the importance international humanitarian action and international humanitarian law has in our world.

As president of Ireland, I would appeal to those countries which have withdrawn aid to think again and to provide the desperately-needed support to UNRWAs 30,000 staff in the region and 13,000 staff in Gaza so we can avoid this catastrophe.

While negotiations on a necessary permanent ceasefire are proceeding, I repeat Irelands call once again for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

Children must not be abandoned to die as the facts of these situations are carried on the television screens of the world.

Mr Higgins said that in a speech to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres drew attention to the serious breaches of international human rights law.

President Higgins has issued a statement in support of @UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres's remarks to the Human Rights Council in Geneva today, highlighting that in Gaza children are dying for lack of bread and water https://t.co/p1rB8C6muD  President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) February 26, 2024

He said Mr Guterres words were delivered with a sense of urgency.

The secretary-general, in the course of his remarks, drew attention once again to the completely insufficient level of humanitarian aid reaching those in such desperate need in Gaza and how, as he put it, an all-out Israeli offensive on Gaza would put the final nail in the coffin of our aid programmes, he said.

One wonders how the representatives of those countries who have withdrawn funding from UNRWA can look on as young infants struggle to live, infants whose lives could be saved by having such basics as bread and water.

Some of the most experienced and qualified experts familiar with what is happening in Gaza are saying that famine looms, with young children in particular heavily at risk and needing bread and clean water. Their mothers and close relatives listen to their cries in what must be conditions of unbelievable stress.

In my visits to Gaza all those years ago, which I visited a number of times over a 20-year period, one of the most striking features was the importance of bakeries.

Today we have seen bakeries wiped out together with most places of shelter, where children struggle for food. Surely it cannot be possible for people to look on and allow this tragedy to unfold on our screens.

Mr Higgins also said the weakening of UNRWA is undermining the UN.
Lee Anderson has doubled down on his criticism of Sadiq Khan and refused to apologise for remarks that sparked an Islamophobia row, as Rishi Sunak came under pressure to call out his words as Islamophobic.

The former Tory deputy chairman on Monday admitted his original remarks were clumsy, but said saying sorry would be a sign of weakness.

It came after the Prime Minister broke his silence on the matter to denounce Mr Andersons comments that cost him the Conservative whip as wrong.

The Ashfield MP was suspended over the weekend after he claimed Islamists had got control of Mr Khan and London.

On Monday, Mr Anderson told GB News: When you think you are right you should never apologise because to do so would be a sign of weakness.

In a statement to the channel, where he presents a weekly show, he said he had made comments that some people thought were divisive.

Politics is divisive and I am just incredibly frustrated about the abject failures of the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Mr Anderson said.

My words may have been clumsy but my words were borne out of sheer frustration at what is happening to our beautiful capital city.

In a fresh attack on Mr Khan, the now-independent MP said: Hundreds of people had been arrested for racist abuse on these marches and we barely hear a peep from the mayor. If these marches were about something less fashionable, Sadiq Khan would have been the first to call for them to be cancelled. Its double standards for political benefit.

Lee Anderson has been no stranger to controversy since being elected to Parliament in 2019 (Jacob King/PA)

Mr Sunak said Mr Anderson had been deprived of the Tory whip because his choice of words wasnt acceptable, it was wrong.

But he refused to describe the MPs comments as Islamophobic when pressed repeatedly, telling broadcasters in Yorkshire: I think the most important thing is that the words were wrong, they were ill-judged, they were unacceptable

Its important that everybody, but particularly elected politicians, are careful with their words and do not inflame tensions.

Sir Keir Starmer said the Tory leader lacks the backbone to call this out for what it is.

Speaking to reporters in Shrewsbury, the Labour leader said: I think this is straightforward. Its Islamophobia and the Prime Minister should call it out for what it is.

The reason he wont is because he is so weak.

And Mr Khan said the Prime Ministers refusal to call Mr Andersons remarks Islamophobic speaks volumes.

The Labour Mayor wrote in the Evening Standard: It shouldnt be hard to call out comments that are so unambiguously ignorant, prejudiced and racist. Yet those at the top of the Conservative Government are stubbornly refusing to do so.

Its a tacit endorsement of anti-Muslim hatred and can only lead to the conclusion that anti-Muslim bigotry and racism are not taken seriously.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said Lee Anderson has poured petrol on the fires of hatred (Victoria Jones/PA)

The Prime Minister also declined to criticise former home secretary Suella Braverman, who claimed the Islamists, the extremists and the antisemites are in charge now.

I think that those comments were not about an individual in particular, he said, adding that its important that we call out the kind of unacceptable scenes we have been witnessing on our streets in recent times.

Asked whether his party has an Islamophobia problem, Mr Sunak told local BBC radio stations in the morning: No, of course it doesnt.

Amid a wider spat in the party about language used, West Midlands mayor Andy Street lambasted fellow Conservative Paul Scully for claiming that a part of Birmingham with a large Muslim community was a no-go area.

The idea that Birmingham has a no-go zone is news to me, and I suspect the good people of Sparkhill, Mr Street said on X, formerly Twitter.

It really is time for those in Westminster to stop the nonsense slurs and experience the real world.

The idea that Birmingham has a no-go zone is news to me, and I suspect the good people of Sparkhill. It really is time for those in Westminster to stop the nonsense slurs and experience the real world. I for one am proud to lead the most diverse place in Britain.  Andy Street (@andy4wm) February 26, 2024

No 10 said Mr Sunak did not agree with Mr Scullys assessment.

Asked whether the Prime Minister concurred that there are no-go areas in Birmingham, his official spokesman said: No, and the PM has talked before about the value of the very diverse communities and societies that we have in the UK.

A Conservative party source had defended Mr Andersons comments on Friday night, before he was stripped of party support on Saturday amid mounting condemnation from across the political divide.

Mr Anderson, a standard bearer for the Tory right, will now sit as an independent unless he defects to another party that chooses to offer him its backing.

Reform UK leader Richard Tice did not rule out opening the door to Mr Anderson after his suspension.

Lee Anderson may have been clumsy in his precise choice of words, but his sentiments are supported by millions of British citizens, including myself, he said in a statement.

I do not and will not give a running commentary on any discussions I have with any MPs, but those MPs have my number.

Mr Andersons comments have put a spotlight on the ongoing dispute over the classification of Islamophobia.

Downing Street reiterated the Governments position of refusing to back the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims 2019 definition.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman told reporters: As the Government has stated previously, there are issues in relation to the APPGs definition of Islamophobia, which conflates race with religion, does not address sectarianism within Islam, and may unintentionally undermine freedom of speech.

But as Ive said, we have always been clear that this Government does not and will not tolerate anti-Muslim hatred.

This is absolute nonsense Kemi and you know it.I met you alongside other colleagues over a year and a half ago and the definition was explained to you in detail  you were asked to detail your concerns / any objections and the basis of it .You DID NOT follow up.Instead all https://t.co/fMupIlAxWo  Sayeeda Warsi (@SayeedaWarsi) February 26, 2024

Tory peer Baroness Warsi criticised Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch after she said the definition supported by Labour and the Liberal Democrats creates a blasphemy law via the back door if adopted.

This is absolute nonsense Kemi, Baroness Warsi, who was a cabinet minister in Lord David Camerons government, tweeted.

The government has dragged its heels on any work to tackle this form of racism

No new initiatives, no engagement with communities, no definition. Instead culture wars, othering and blatant anti-Muslim racism.
A grandmother thought she was experiencing symptoms due to the menopause but was diagnosed with cancer. (Carol Kernaghan/SWNS) ((Carol Kernaghan/SWNS))

A woman who thought she was experiencing symptoms of the menopause, went on to be diagnosed with terminal cancer and was told she may need to start planning her funeral.

Thankfully, however, Carol Kernaghan, 63, from Frome, Somerset, has defied the odds and is currently living cancer-free.

Kernaghan initially dismissed her symptoms - blood spotting in her pants and a pain in her hip - as the menopause.

But after experiencing a haemorrhage and undergoing a biopsy, in January 2021 she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer and offered a hysterectomy.

A further MRI and PET scan showed the cancer had spread to the bowel, bladder, cervix, pelvic wall and sacral nerves.

To doctors' amazement, the treatments Kernaghan underwent worked so much better than expected and she has now been cancer-free since October 2021.

Speaking about her diagnosis Kernaghan, a former dementia carer, explains: "Once they went inside they realised things were a heck of a lot worse than what they thought.

"I had an MRI scan and they found it [the cancer] was in my bladder, my cervix, my bowel, my pelvic wall - it was everywhere.

"I was told I was palliative - there was nothing they could do, it was inoperable."

Kernaghan initially noticed a pain in her hip in October 2020 but put it down to a slip she'd had. Around the same time she also noticed some spotting which she assumed was due to the menopause because of her age.

"I was so busy because I was working 12 hours a day and it wasnt bothersome or causing me any issues," she explains.

"So I just carried on as normal."

But Kernaghan was later rushed to A&E after suddenly suffering a huge haemorrhage.

Doctors found the endometrial cancer, which had caused the bleed, and she was offered a hysterectomy to treat it.

Kernaghan went through immunotherapy for treatment for the endometrial cancer. (Carol Kernaghan/SWNS) ((Carol Kernaghan/SWNS))

But before she could have the procedure her bowel ruptured - resulting in being fitted with a stoma bag leading to her experiencing a severe bout of sepsis.

Further tests uncovered a large tumour had spread from her womb and infiltrated other organs including her bowel, with doctors revealing the cancer was terminal.

"It was like my brain couldn't take it in," she says of the moment she learned. "In that situation, you can't process what's going on.

"It was just about getting through every day."

Following her initial terminal diagnosis Kernaghan says found it hard to accept and didn't want to think about planning her funeral.

"I didnt want to know how long I had left either," she adds.

Doctors did keep Kernaghan's daughter, Jennifer, 35, informed and she took her mother home to look after her there.

"That day was the same day she learned she was pregnant with my grandson," Kernaghan recalls. "I remember thinking I'd never live to see him born.

"My little grandson is two now, and he's just gorgeous. I'm so glad I could meet him."

Kernaghan underwent immunotherapy - a treatment which stimulates the body's own immune system to fight cancer cells - in February 2021 in the hope it would give her a better quality of life.

"I was so ill and so weak, I only weighed about 40 kilos," she says. "I was like a skeleton."

Despite the side effects, the immunotherapy shrunk Kernaghan's tumours.

"Luckily for me the treatment did more than give me a quality of life - it gave me back my life," she says.

Following treatment, Kernaghan had an operation to remove the rest of the tumour and was declared cancer free in October 2021.

"I just cried," she says of the moment. "I couldn't believe it was over.

"I just rang the bell and cried."

Carol Kernaghan is now cancer-free. (Carol Kernaghan/SWNS) ((Carol Kernaghan/SWNS))

During treatment, doctors discovered Kernaghan has a genetic condition called Lynch syndrome - a genetic variant which makes her predisposed to having colorectal cancer.

While she is in recovery at the moment, doctors can not give her any guarantees she will not develop cancer again because of her advancing age and Lynch syndrome.

Kernaghan's children - Jennifer Brown, 35, Samuel Kernaghan, 33, and Chloe Kernaghan, 32 - have found out they all have the same genetic condition.

"The good thing is it means they get early screening so that if there is a problem it gets picked up early," Kernaghan explains.

Both of her daughters have been offered prophylactic hysterectomies and they are considering it.

"I think every woman of menopausal age should be screened for endometrial cancer because it is so silent," she continues.

"Endometrial cancer slips under the radar somehow.

"Its very important that people are aware of it."

Looking back at her experience Kernaghan describes it as feeling "amazing" to have beaten a terminal diagnosis.

"Nobody can guarantee the cancer won't come back but I'm cancer free right now, and every day is a blessing," she adds.

Endometrial cancer

Cancer Research UK explains that womb cancer is sometimes called uterine cancer by doctors, but it is also referred to as endometrial cancer.

Endometrial cancer is the most common type of womb cancer.

Most people who develop womb cancer are older women. It's much less common in those younger than 40.

Womb cancer is most common in women who've been through menopause, but it can affect anyone with a womb.

You cannot get womb cancer if you've had surgery to remove your womb (hysterectomy).

Risk factors of womb cancer

Having a high level of a hormone called oestrogen is one of the main things that can increase your chance of getting womb cancer, the NHS says.

You may have high levels of oestrogen if you:

are overweight

take some types of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

have never given birth

have polycystic ovary syndrome

went through the menopause after the age of 55

You might also be more likely to get womb cancer if you have:

diabetes

a family history of bowel, ovarian or womb cancer

inherited a rare gene that causes Lynch syndrome

taken medicines like Tamoxifen (used to treat breast cancer)

had radiotherapy on your pelvis

Symptoms of endometrial cancer

According to the NHS the main symptoms of womb cancer can include:

bleeding or spotting from the vagina after the menopause

heavy periods from your vagina that is unusual for you

vaginal bleeding between your periods

a change to your vaginal discharge

Other symptoms of womb cancer can include:

a lump or swelling in your tummy or between your hip bones (pelvis)

pain in your lower back or between your hip bones (pelvis)

pain during sex

blood in your pee

If you have any of these symptoms, you must get them checked by your GP. But remember, they can all be caused by other conditions. Most people with these symptoms dont have womb cancer.

Additional reporting SWNS.

Cancer: Read more
More than 2,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel.

Home Office figures show 290 people made the journey in five boats on Sunday, suggesting an average of around 58 people per boat.

This is the highest number of people making the crossing in a single day for more than a month, after 358 people were recorded on January 17.

The latest crossings take the provisional total number of arrivals for 2024 so far to 2,006.

This is 32% lower than the total recorded this time last year (2,953) but 49% higher than the total at this stage in 2022 (1,482).

Some 29,437 migrants arrived in the UK after making the crossing in 2023, down 36% on a record 45,774 arrivals in 2022.

The figures came as Rishi Sunak denied he is ignoring concerns being raised by locals about the use of RAF Scampton near Lincoln as accommodation for asylum seekers.

Im not ignoring them, the Prime Minister told BBC Radio Lincolnshire as he was challenged repeatedly on Monday.

We do need to make sure that we house people in appropriate accommodation and the best way to resolve this issue long term is to stop people coming in the first place.

So anyone who cares about this should be backing us to get the Rwanda Bill through Parliament so we can get a deterrent up and running.

(PA Graphics)

Im confident that we really will be able to stop the boats and that will mean that we wont have this pressure in all our local areas to find places to house illegal migrants.

He insisted he understands peoples frustration over the use of the site, telling the radio station: I wish we were not having to do any of this, whether its RAF Scampton or other sites across the country, or indeed in hotels and communities across our country that now are being used to house illegal migrants.

I dont think any of that is right and it costs a fortune.

He added that use of the former airbase would be on a temporary basis although the Government could extend its use as asylum housing for a further three years.

Labours shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock accused Mr Sunak of failing miserably to deliver on a key promise to the British people over a year after he vowed to stop the boats.

But Downing Street insisted the Government had taken robust action to prevent crossings.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Obviously our priority is to stop the boats, which is why we have taken robust action to crack down on people-smuggling gangs, deter migrants from making crossings and intercept vessels, working with our French counterparts.
Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair has been among those paying tribute to financier and member of the well-known Rothschild banking dynasty, Lord Jacob Rothschild, after his death at the age of 87.

Described by his family as a towering presence in many peoples lives, Lord Rothschild started his career in the family bank, NM Rothschild & Sons, in 1963.

He went on to found businesses and charitable foundations and was a renowned patron of the arts and philanthropist.

Lord Rothschilds family have an estimated fortune of about 825 million, according to last years Sunday Times Rich List, and give away a reported 66 million to Jewish causes, education and art.

Tony Blair's tribute to Lord Jacob Rothschild: https://t.co/IRL2BX64uN pic.twitter.com/DOyc3OwN8f  Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (@InstituteGC) February 26, 2024

In a statement to the PA news agency, the family said: Our father Jacob was a towering presence in many peoples lives, a superbly accomplished financier, a champion of the arts and culture, a devoted public servant, a passionate supporter of charitable causes in Israel and Jewish culture, a keen environmentalist and much-loved friend, father and grandfather.

He will be buried in accordance with Jewish custom in a small family ceremony and there will be a memorial at a later date to celebrate his life.

Tributes poured in for Lord Rothschild from across the business, political and cultural sectors.

Sir Tony, who now runs the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change think tank, said: Jacob was a dear friend and a wonderful human being. I will miss him immensely.

He was of course a towering figure in Britains Jewish community but his impact was global in his support for great causes, including in the arts and the environment, and in his tireless work to advance peace in the Middle East.

Sad to hear the news about Jacob Rothschild  he made the very most of the privilege he was born into, contributing hugely to the cultural and commercial life of Britain. His contributions to the Waddesdon gallery make it one the jewels of the British Museum. Smart, curious, full  George Osborne (@George_Osborne) February 26, 2024

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, ex-chancellor George Osborne, who is now chairman of the British Museum, said Lord Rothschild made the very most of the privilege he was born into, contributing hugely to the cultural and commercial life of Britain.

He said: His contributions to the Waddesdon Gallery make it one the jewels of the British Museum.

Smart, curious, full of new projects and with a dry humour  he will be missed.

Born in Berkshire, Lord Rothschild was educated at Eton College and studied history at Christ Church College, Oxford.

After leaving the Rothschild bank he took control of Rothschild Investment Trust, now RIT Capital Partners, and later co-founded the then J Rothschild Assurance Group, now St Jamess Place, with Sir Mark Weinberg in 1980.

He was chairman of RIT Capital Partners, one of the largest investment trusts quoted on the London Stock Exchange, until 2019, and was also deputy chairman at then BSkyB Television, director of RHJ International, now known as BHF Kleinwort Benson Group, and was a member of the council for the Duchy of Cornwall for the then Prince of Wales.

In the cultural sector he was chairman of trustees at The National Gallery and chairman of The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

H also sat for numerous portraits, including by Lucian Freud and David Hockney.

The Rothschild Foundation and Waddesdon Manor are deeply saddened to announce the death of Lord Rothschild, businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and cultural leader. He will be greatly missed by his family, his colleagues and his many friends. pic.twitter.com/wKkZZjQu8l  Waddesdon (@WaddesdonManor) February 26, 2024

The National Gallery tweeted: Jacob Rothschild was a businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and cultural leader.

Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.

Lord Rothschild also founded Windmill Hill Asset Management, to manage the familys philanthropic portfolio, and was chairman of the trustees for The Rothschild Foundation charity.

One of his biggest philanthropic commitments was to Waddesdon Manor and the Waddesdon estate in Buckinghamshire, having taken over the management on behalf of the National Trust from his cousin Dorothy de Rothschild in 1988.

In a post on X, the Rothschild Foundation and Waddesdon Manor said they were deeply saddened by his death.

He will be greatly missed by his family, his colleagues and his many friends, they said.

The Rothschild Foundation said Lord Rothschilds daughter, Hannah Rothschild, would succeed him as chairman of the charity.

The foundation added: Jacob Rothschild was an extraordinary person and his loss will be felt by many.

The family is committed to continuing his legacy and the foundation which he loved and endowed.

He was married for more than 50 years to Serena, who died in 2019 and with whom he had four children, Hannah, Beth, Emily and Nat, and many grandchildren.
Indian Express News, February 26, 2024

Afghan women feel scared or unsafe leaving their homes alone because of Taliban decrees and enforcement campaigns on clothing and male guardians, according to a report from the UN mission in Afghanistan.

The report, issued Friday, comes days before a UN-convened meeting in the Qatari capital is set to start, with member states and special envoys to Afghanistan to discuss engagement with the Taliban and the countrys crises, including the human rights situation.

The Taliban  which took over Afghanistan in 2021 during the final weeks of US and NATO withdrawal from the country  have barred women from most areas of public life and stopped girls from going to school beyond the sixth grade as part of harsh measures they imposed despite initial promises of a more moderate rule.

They are also restricting womens access to work, travel and health care if they are unmarried or dont have a male guardian, and arresting those who dont comply with the Talibans interpretation of hijab, or Islamic headscarf.

The UN missions report, published Friday, said the decrees are being enforced through arrest, harassment and intimidation. Women said they increasingly fear going to public spaces owing to the threat of arrest and the long-lasting stigma and shame associated with being taken into police custody.

Over half of the women interviewed for the report felt unsafe leaving the house without a male guardian, or mahram.

Risks to their security and their anxiety levels worsened whenever a new decree was announced specifically targeting them, the report said.

Women who went out with a mahram felt safer but noted the stress from depending on another person to accompany them. Some said their male guardians chided them for wasting time if they wanted to visit certain shops or stray from a route limited to performing basic necessary tasks.

This undercut chances to enjoy even micro-moments of stimulation or leisure outside the home, said the report.

Some women said that male relatives were also afraid and reluctant to leave the home with female relatives, as this would expose them to Taliban harassment.

A spokesman from the Vice and Virtue Ministry, the Talibans morality police that enforces such decrees, said it was nonsense and untrue that women are scared to go to the shops.

There is no problem for those sisters (women) who have observed hijab, said Abdul Ghafar Farooq. As women are naturally weaker than men, then Shariah (Islamic law) has called mahrams essential when traveling with them for the sake of their dignity and respect. He said harassing women was against the law.

Heather Barr, from Human Rights Watch, told the Associated Press that Afghan womens fear of leaving home unaccompanied was damning and devastating but not surprising.It seemed to be a specific goal of the Taliban to frighten women and girls out of leaving their homes, Barr said.This begs the question of what on earth this discussion is in Doha, with the UN hosting special envoys, she said.

We need to be asking why the focus of this meeting and every meeting isnt about this crisis that is unprecedented for women around the world. The UN envoy for Afghanistan last year warned the Taliban that international recognition as the countrys legitimate government will remain nearly impossible unless they lift the restrictions on women.

First uploaded on: 17-02-2024 at 16:42 IST
The Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, with the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orban, in Budapest last week. Photograph: Janos Kummer/Getty Images

Hungarys parliament has approved Swedens Nato accession nearly two years after the historically neutral country applied to join the western military alliance, bringing to an end months of diplomatic wrangling.

Speaking after the vote in Budapest on Monday, the Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, hailed a historic day.

The parliaments of all Nato member states have now voted in favour of Swedish accession to Nato. Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security, he said.

At a press conference later, he described the move as a homecoming for the country, which ditched two centuries of neutrality and military non-alignment when it applied to join the military alliance in 2022 after Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Sweden now leaves 200 years of neutrality and alliance-independence behind us. Its a big step, which we will take seriously, but also a very natural step  Nato membership means that we are coming home to a large number of democracies working together for peace and freedom and a very successful cooperation.

It was also a landmark moment for the Nordic region, he said, whose other countries are already in Nato. When Sweden becomes a Nato member, the Nordics will for the first time in 500 years have a shared defence, he said.

Jens Stoltenberg, the outgoing Nato secretary general, said the move, which will see Sweden become the 32nd Nato ally, would make us all stronger and safer.

The vote followed a meeting on Friday between Kristersson and his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban, in which they agreed to put aside their differences, saying they were prepared to die for each other.

The two countries signed a new military agreement during a warm yet tightly stage-managed joint press conference in the Hungarian capital, during which Sweden promised to sell four new Gripen planes to add to the 14 Hungary has previously bought.

Turkey gave its approval to the Nordic countrys Nato ratification last month, leaving Hungary the last remaining country to do so  despite assurances from Orban that it would not be the final Nato member to sign.

Sweden applied to join Nato in May 2022, at the same time as Finland, in a historic shift in its security policy.

The former prime minister Magdalena Andersson, who started the process, welcomed Hungarys decision on Monday, telling the broadcaster SVT that it would strengthen our security.

Anderssons decision to apply for membership marked a dramatic departure from the Social Democrats previously vehement opposition to joining. Commenting on her partys U-turn, the politician, now in opposition, said Russias invasion had changed her mind.

Today we can focus on this decision, which is good for Swedish society, she said. We cannot go backwards.

Now that the parliament has approved the move, the decision will be sent to Hungarys interim president, Laszlo Kover, who will have five days to sign off on it and send it to the US state department in Washington.

Under Nato protocol, the US government must be notified of member states ratification of a new country. The secretary general invites the new country to accede to the treaty, which is then sent to the US state department, which formally invites them to become a Nato member.

Kristersson said he did not have a date by which the process would be completed.

Swedens membership process took far longer than that of Finland, its neighbour, due to diplomatic tensions with Nato members Turkey and Hungary. Last summer a series of burnings of the Quran in Sweden inflamed tensions with Ankara, while Orbans government became embroiled in a public row with Sweden last September over criticism of Hungarys democracy and teaching in Swedish schools.

Even after Turkeys parliament gave Sweden the green light, the Hungarian prime minister, who is increasingly known for occupying the position of lone holdout in international agreements involving western allies, was still pushing for further negotiations.

However, after Kristerssons visit to Budapest last week, Orban, a rightwing nationalist who has forged close ties with Russia, hailed a new phase of cooperation between Hungary and Sweden.

Asked by journalists what had made his country drop its opposition to Sweden joining Nato, Orban said: Being members of Nato means that we are prepared to die for each other. It is based on mutual respect. Taking that process at an appropriate pace has been wise.

Sweden joining Nato means the Baltic Sea will be surrounded by members of the alliance  Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, Germany and Poland  leading some analysts to nickname it a Nato sea.

Moderate Kristerssons centre-right coalition government, backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats, has been grappling with the Nato issue ever since taking over from Anderssons government in 2022.

Kristersson said on Friday: We respect each others differences and sometimes reach good compromises. Now we are also entering into joint Nato cooperation with precisely the attitude of being prepared to fight for each other in a dangerous time.

Asked who should take credit for Swedens Nato membership  himself or Andersson  Kristersson said it was a joint achievement: We have done this journey together, he said.

While he was pleased about the outcome, it was not a celebratory moment, he said: I am happy, but festivities can come when Ukraine has its freedom.
Rishi Sunak has said MP Lee Andersons remarks that sparked an Islamophobia row werent acceptable, they were wrong, as he denied the Conservative Party has Islamophobic tendencies.

The Prime Minister addressed the row on Monday after facing growing calls to speak out about the former Tory deputy chairmans comments.

Mr Anderson lost the Conservative whip over the weekend after failing to apologise for claiming Islamists had got control of Sadiq Khan and London.

But critics including the London mayor and Tory peer Baroness Warsi hit out at Mr Sunak for failing to explicitly condemn the comments.

Speaking to local BBC radio stations during a visit to North Yorkshire, the Prime Minister said: I think its incumbent on all of us, especially those elected to Parliament, not to inflame our debates in a way thats harmful to others.

Lees comments werent acceptable, they were wrong. And thats why he had the whip suspended.

Mr Sunak continued: Clearly his choice of words wasnt acceptable, it was wrong.

Words matter, especially in the current environment where tensions are running high and I think its incumbent on all of us to choose them carefully.

Asked whether his party has an Islamophobia problem, the Prime Minister said: No, of course it doesnt.

Rishi Sunak said it is incumbent on politicians not to inflame situations (Peter Byrne/PA)

Mr Sunak said it was not a fair characterisation at all to say he has condemned antisemitism while overlooking Islamophobia in his own party.

Racism or prejudice of any kind is completely unacceptable and not British, he said.

He said he is proud of the fact that it wasnt a big deal when he became the first British-Asian prime minister, adding: And thats because were the most successful multi-ethnic democracy in the world.

A Conservative party source had defended Mr Andersons comments on Friday night, before he was stripped of party support on Saturday amid mounting condemnation from across the political divide.

Ministers previously said he was deprived of the whip because he did not apologise, while Mr Sunak appeared to go further by saying he was suspended because of his unacceptable comments.

Lee Anderson has been no stranger to controversy since being elected to Parliament in 2019 (Victoria Jones/PA)

It came after one of the most fractious weeks in Westminster in recent years, which saw Parliament descend into chaos over a row about the handling of a Commons vote on Gaza and concerns for MPs safety.

Mr Anderson, the Ashfield MP who is standard bearer for the Tory right, will now sit as an independent unless he defects to another party that chooses to offer him its backing.

Cabinet minister Mark Harper on Monday left the door open for Mr Andersons possible return to the Tory party.

Asked what he needs to say to be welcomed back, the Transport Secretary told Sky News: I hope he will reflect on what he said and he will retract those comments and apologise

Hes contributed a lot in the past. Id like to see him be able to contribute to the Conservative Party in the future.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper declined to say whether Lee Andersons remarks were racist (Jacob King/PA)

Asked what message the consideration of a return to the party sends to British Muslims, Mr Harper said his suspension sends a very strong message that we dont tolerate people saying such things in the Conservative Party.

He declined to say whether Mr Andersons remarks were racist despite being pressed repeatedly, reiterating only that they were wrong and not true.

Tory former minister Baroness Warsi, who previously urged Mr Sunak to call out anti-Muslim racism, on Monday accused the Government of dragg(ing) its heels on any work to tackle this form of racism.

No new initiatives, no engagement with communities, no definition. Instead culture wars, othering and blatant anti-Muslim racism, she tweeted.

Labour chairwoman Anneliese Dodds said condemned Mr Andersons remarks as appalling and said they were clearly not to do with who Sadiq Khan is, it was a slur that was directed at him because of Islamophobia.

She said she has written to the Conservative Party chairs seven times over the past three years calling for them to take action against Islamophobia in the party.

This isnt something that popped up five minutes ago, it is a continuing concern, Ms Dodds told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: Rishi Sunak needs to condemn Andersons comments for what they are, Islamophobic and racist, and make clear he wont be let back into the Conservative Party.
The UK and its allies will continue to defend against the Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping as long as the militants continue their barbaric behaviour, Grant Shapps has said.

The Defence Secretary said early analysis indicated the RAF had successfully struck its eight targets in Yemen, which included sites being used for Houthi long-range drones  both for

reconnaissance and attack missions.

The action over the weekend was the fourth time that a joint operation had been launched against the rebel group since January 12, though the action appears to have done little to deter Houthi attacks.

Making a statement to MPs, Mr Shapps told the Commons: The Houthis could stop this barbaric behaviour any time they want. Instead, they callously choose to continue their reckless acts of aggression, causing harm not just to innocents, but to their own people in Yemen.

Until they stop, we will continue to act, but the consensus continues to grow that the Houthis violations simply cannot continue, and that is why recently the European Union officially launched its Operation Aspides. Members will know that Aspides meant the shield in ancient Greece.

We very much welcome the commitment of our international partners and our EU partners to join the work that has been going on, because no nation should ever be able to threaten the arteries of global commerce.

Mr Shapps added the indiscriminate attacks by the Houthis on vessels made a mockery of the rebels claims their action was all about Israel.

He also pointed to an attack on a vessel called the Sea Champion, which he said highlights the Houthis recklessness and near-sightedness.

Mr Shapps said: Considering that the Sea Champion had delivered humanitarian aid to Yemen 11 times in the past five years, and it was due to unload thousands of tonnes of much-needed aid to Yemen people through the ports of Aden and Hodeida, the Houthi attack was quite simply callous.

The Defence Secretary said that intelligence analysis suggested the joint attacks on Saturday had been successful, and also told MPs: I am pleased to say that it remains the case that to date, we have seen no evidence at all to indicate the RAF strikes cause civilian casualties, and the UN have noted that they have observed no civilian impact arising from the RAF strikes.

Yet while we have eroded Houthi capacity, their intent to prosecute indiscriminate attacks against innocent vessels remains undiminished.

John Healey, shadow defence secretary (Peter Byrne/PA)

Shadow defence secretary John Healey said Labour accepted the latest airstrikes were legal, limited and targeted to minimise the risk of civilian casualties.

He told the Commons: The Houthis are threatening international trade and maritime security, theyre putting civilian and military lives in serious danger.

He added: The Defence Secretary has said this afternoon that Houthi intent remains undiminished, so have deterring attacks now been dropped as one of the Governments objectives for this military action?

As the Defence Secretary says this was the fourth such operation since January 11. When does the Government judge this to be a sustained campaign, and at what stage does the Government think that Parliament needs a say?

Mr Shapps responded: We very much do intend these attacks on the Houthi infrastructure to be deterrents.

I think it is plain to see that if they continue to do this then they themselves think that they can continue, so perhaps the emphasis is more on ensuring that not just they understand that there will be consequences and a price to pay, but actually perhaps other people controlling other waterways will understand that the world will not simply stand back and allow those things to happen.

He added: I should point out just generally to him that actually, hes technically wrong, authority legally is signed off by the Defence Secretary, its part of royal prerogative so legally I have responsibility for these attacks although, as he rightly points out, the Prime Minister has in fact been to the House and carried out the first two of these statements.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has insisted that he does not want to run down the NHS as junior doctors continue strike action across England.

Training medics have walked out for the 10th time since March as the bitter row with the Government over pay continues.

Dr Robert Laurenson, co-chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) junior doctors committee, claimed that the Government is quite happy having the strikes happen and that ministers do not want to end the dispute.

It comes as Mr Sunak told BBC Radio York: I come from an NHS family, of course I dont want to run it down.

Were putting a record amount of investment in, more funding, so thats never been higher  more doctors, more nurses, and were making improvements.

Now, look, thats not going to happen overnight. But if you look at the performance of ambulances and emergency departments this winter, its better than it was last winter. So that is progress.

From 7am, we strike again. The Government had the option to avert this strike. We offered to cancel if they extended our mandate and they declined. We're still willing to cancel at any point if they come back with a credible offer on the table.#DoctorsStrike #PayRestoration pic.twitter.com/AVjqH5CRoY  Junior Doctors (@BMA_JuniorDocs) February 24, 2024

He added: When it comes to the waiting lists, in the last few months actually weve seen the waiting lists start to fall. And thats because we havent had as much industrial action.

Obviously there is once again industrial action, but at the end of last year we had no industrial action in October or November and the waiting list fell by about 150,000.

Mr Sunak continued: Are we where we want to be? Not yet. Are we making progress? Yes, the plan is working. If we stick with it, I know that things will get better.

Junior doctors on the picket line outside Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham (Jacob King/PA)

Speaking from a picket line at St Thomas Hospital in Westminster, Dr Laurenson told the PA news agency: I dont think the Government wants to end this dispute.

I think they are quite happy having the strikes happen. And I think they are failing everyone.

I find it difficult to understand if this is incompetence or malice. Either way, it fails everyone.

Dr Laurenson added: This round of action is because back in December the Secretary of State (Victoria Atkins) said she would be back around the table in 20 minutes with another offer to make. But those 20 minutes turned into 20 days.

So then she sent a junior minister who said they had no further offer up his sleeve, so the Government lied.

Junior doctors are calling for pay restoration, saying that they have faced real-terms pay cuts of more than a quarter since 2008.

We have gone above and beyond every single time with regards to our good will, to make sure we can run a service, but the Government returns that with pay cuts, Dr Laurenson said.

We are seeing the absolute collapse of goodwill. It has been long said that the NHS runs on goodwill, and now because weve seen that collapse I think were seeing the outcome of the NHS collapse as well.

Another doctor on the picket line outside St Thomas expressed his disappointment that junior doctors were having to stage more walk outs.

Dr Joseph Kendall, 30, a psychiatry doctor from Kent, said: The only thing the Government listens to is strike action.

There is no real engagement to reach a deal for staff.

It is really disappointing because none of us want to be on strike. We really dont. We want to be at work. But I dont want to be in a situation where I am seeing more and more colleagues leaving the country, and less and less doctors staying in training.

In response to Mr Sunaks remarks on waiting lists, Dr Kendall said: When you talk about waiting lists, it is just disingenuous to point the blame at our door.

Youre looking at a waiting list of 7.6 million. That hasnt occurred because of junior doctor strikes.

The latest industrial action began at 7am on Saturday, with junior doctors returning to work at 11.59pm on Wednesday.
A Montgomery, Alabama, judge is in critical condition after he was allegedly shot Saturday by his own son, who was convicted in 2014 for shooting someone else, authorities said.

Johnny Hardwick, presiding judge of Montgomery Countys 15th Judicial Circuit, was allegedly assaulted and shot by his son, Khalfani A. Hardwick, 36, following a domestic dispute, according to the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office.

At approximately, 1:00 p.m., the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office responded to Judge Johnny Hardwicks residence in reference to a domestic incident, police said.

Upon arrival, deputies learned that Judge Hardwick had been assaulted, shot, and seriously injured by his son, a press release states.

Police said his son fled the scene and abandoned his vehicle on Trotman Road. Shortly after, he was located on U.S. Highway 231 and taken into custody.

Khalfani Hardwick is charged with first-degree domestic violence and with certain persons forbidden to possess a pistol.

In 2014, Khalfani Hardwick pleaded guilty to second-degree assault after shooting family friend Clayton Riley in the head. He served no prison time.

Johnny Hardwick served in federal, state and Montgomery city positions before being appointed to the circuit court in 2001.

Last August, he was named president of the Alabama Association of Circuit Court Judges.
A Benner state prison inmate died on Tuesday, according to a statement from State Correctional Institute at Benner Township.

Evan Smith, 39, was found unresponsive in his cell Tuesday before being transported to Mount Nittany Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 2:23 a.m.

The official cause of death was asphyxiation by hanging, according to the Centre County Coroners Office. Pennsylvania State Police are conducting an investigation as per state policy.

Smith was serving a 23-47 year sentence for third-degree murder in Bucks County and had been at Benner Township since March 30.

Smith marks the ninth inmate at Benner Township state prison to take his own life there since 2018. Centre Countys two state prisons rank high in deaths by suicide compared to other state prisons over the same time period. Four inmates have died by suicide this year at Rockview state prison.

Several staff members at Centre Countys state prisons have also been assaulted by inmates this year.

SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or chat at 988Lifeline.org

Center for Community Resources: Visit 2100 E. College Ave., 24/7
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has not ruled out another run for the White House if President Biden decides not to run for reelection, according to a memo written by one of Sanders' top advisers.

"In the event of an open 2024 Democratic presidential primary, Sen. Sanders has not ruled out another run for president, so we advise that you answer any questions about 2024 with that in mind," Faiz Shakir, who was Sanders' campaign manager in 2020, wrote in the memo sent to allies on Wednesday.

The memo, first reported by The Washington Post and obtained by CBS News, is titled "Embrace the Attacks."

"As campaigning heats up in states across the country, your political opponents and their corporate-aligned allies will try to make you feel defensive about Sen. Bernie Sanders' support for your candidate," the memo says. "Our advice is to embrace the attacks."

CBS News reached out to Sanders' team, but has not yet received a response. Mike Casca, Sanders' spokesman, told The Washington Post, "While it's frustrating this private memo leaked to the media, the central fact remains true, which is that Senator Sanders is the most popular officeholder in the country."

It cites recent polling from YouGov that found Sanders is the most popular current office holder in the country and an NBC News poll that found his endorsement would make 71% of Democratic primary voters more likely to support a candidate. It also touts Sanders' recent work in the labor movement, including an upcoming trip to Staten Island on Sunday to support organizing Amazon workers and to Richmond, Virginia, to support organizing Starbucks workers.

Sanders was the last Democratic candidate to drop out of the 2020 presidential primary. In May 2020, Sanders told the Washington Post that the odds of him running for president again were "very, very slim."

"I think it's very, very unlikely that I'll be running for president ever again," Sanders said. "I think next time around you're going to see another candidate carrying the progressive mantle."

Some of the top names mentioned as potential future presidential candidates to run in the progressive lane are Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who recently wrote a New York Times op-ed about what Democrats should do to improve their midterm prospects, and Reps. Ro Khanna of California and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

Pete D'Alessandro, who worked on Sanders' Iowa presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020, suggested that Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley would be someone who progressives could rally behind.

"He is one of the most decent people in public life," D'Alessandro told CBS News. "He would be a very interesting progressive candidate to run."

But this may all be moot in 2024 if the 79-year-old president decides to run again. Mr. Biden told ABC News in December that he would run again if he's in "good health."

In a recent interview with "CBS Sunday Morning," Valerie Biden Owens, the president's sister and longtime adviser, said she wants her brother to run again in 2024, even though he would be in his 80s.

"I think he's the right person at the right time for the right job," she told "CBS Evening News" anchor Norah O'Donnell.

While many in the Democratic Party will be clamoring for Mr. Biden to make a decision, waiting until after the midterms is not out of the ordinary. While former President Donald Trump filed to run for reelection on Inauguration Day, former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush filed their paperwork in the spring of their third year in office.

Biden aides know that formally launching a reelection campaign triggers a suite of legal and logistical challenges that will require recalibration of day-to-day operations.

Shakir's memo indicates that Sanders will be involved in the 2022 midterms and is seeking advice about where the senator should be traveling. It also says that Sanders will be endorsing more candidates.

The memo also advises top Sanders allies on how to respond to questions about their support for Sanders. It instructs candidates who are questioned about accepting Sanders' endorsement, since he is technically an Independent and considers himself Democratic Socialist, to say that Sanders "is putting forward an extremely popular vision for the Democratic Party that will win back critical support that we have lost."

The memo gives advice on how candidates and allies should respond if asked about whether they'd support a Sanders challenge to Mr. Biden in 2024.

"Sen. Sanders is focused on helping Joe Biden have a successful presidency," the memo suggests as a response. "As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, no one fought harder for the president's policy agenda than Bernie. He traveled to Republican Congressional Districts last summer to promote Build Back Better. Unfortunately, that legislation was stopped by corporate Democrats."

President Biden to sign executive order protecting some of the nations largest and oldest trees

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WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden will convene the top four congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday to press lawmakers on passing an emergency aid package for Ukraine and Israel, as well as averting a looming government shutdown next month, according to a White House official.

The top four leaders include House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

During the meeting, the president will discuss the urgency of passing the aid package, which has bipartisan support, as well as legislation to keep the federal government operating through the end of September, said the White House official, who was granted anonymity to discuss a meeting not yet publicly confirmed.

The Republican-led House is under pressure to pass the $95 billion national security package that bolsters aid for Ukraine, Israel as well as the Indo-Pacific. That legislation cleared the Senate on a 70-29 vote earlier this month, but Johnson has been resistant to putting up the aid bill for a vote in the House.

This is one of those instances where one person can bend the course of history. Speaker Johnson, if he put this bill on the floor, would produce a strong, bipartisan majority vote in favor of the aid to Ukraine, Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, said Sunday on ABC's This Week.

Sullivan stressed that Ukrainians need weapons and ammunition to fend off Russian forces, and that in his personal conversations with the speaker, he has indicated that he would like to get the funding for Ukraine.

Separate from the national security package, the first tranche of government funding is due to expire Friday. The rest of the federal government, including agencies such as the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, expires on March 8.

In a letter to his colleagues sent Sunday, Schumer said there was not yet an agreement to avoid a partial shutdown of the agencies whose funding expires this week. That includes the departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture and Veterans Affairs.

While we had hoped to have legislation ready this weekend that would give ample time for members to review the text, it is clear now that House Republicans need more time to sort themselves out, Schumer wrote in the letter. The Senate majority leader called on Johnson to step up to once again buck the extremists in his caucus and do the right thing" by greenlighting funding to keep the government open.
BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazil's Finance Minister Fernando Haddad has been diagnosed with COVID-19 after feeling unwell on Sunday night and his in-person participation in the G20 finance track events scheduled for this week in Sao Paulo may be compromised.

The Finance Ministry said in a statement on Monday that Haddad would chair the meetings on Feb. 28 and 29 virtually, while continuing to undergo tests. If he tests negative, he will be cleared to attend the events in person, it added.

In addition to participating in the G20 events as part of Brazil's presidency of the group gathering the world's largest economies, Haddad had scheduled bilateral meetings and other engagements.

An encounter with the International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Monday is now set to be held virtually, the ministry said, as well as his gathering with the IMF's executive director in Brazil.

Haddad was also expected to meet with Russia's Finance Minister Anton Siluanov on Monday and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Tuesday. The ministry did not immediately respond about whether those would also be held virtually.

Some 450 delegates representing other G20 members, nine invited countries and 17 international organizations are set to arrive in Sao Paulo by Thursday, according to Brazil's Finance Ministry.

Official meetings kick off on Monday with a gathering of finance and central bank deputies, extending through Tuesday.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the first meetings of finance ministers and central bank governors will take place under Brazil's presidency.

The South American country aims to tackle topics such as inequalities combat, progressive international taxation, national debts and financing for sustainable development.

(Reporting by Marcela Ayres; editing by Gabriel Araujo, Bernadette Baum, Kirsten Donovan, William Maclean)
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhu attends the funeral for First Sergeant Major Gal Meir Eisenkot (aged 25) in the Herzliya cemetery on December 8, 2023 in Herzliya, Israel. The Israel Defense Forces said the 25-year-old major, son of the cabinet minister and former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, died on Thursday in Gaza. Over two months have passed since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas that sparked a retaliatory ground and air campaign by Israel in Gaza. Credit - Alexi J. Rosenfeld-Getty Images

The war between Israel and Hamas is approaching a key moment of decision. Will the powerful Israel Defense Forces (IDF) smash their way into calamitously crowded Rafah? After destroying many thousands of homes elsewhere in the strip, Rafah would be the IDFs final target. Thats where Hamas leaders are believed to be hiding in their vast network of tunnels, probably with more than 130 hostages kidnapped from Israel on October 7 as part of a terrorist attack that killed around 1,200 people.

Or perhaps Hamas will end this war by freeing all the hostages? That could be part of a deal in which the Islamic radical groups leaders would be allowed to leave for exile, probably in some Arab countrywhich is what the PLOs Yasser Arafat chose to do, departing Lebanon after the IDF invaded that country in 1982.

President Joe Biden has pointedly told Israel that Rafahwhere the usual population of 400,000 Palestinians has swelled by an additional million who fled there to escape Israeli bombings and fightingshould not be the next battleground, unless Israel can carry out a detailed plan to evacuate the civilians.

The result, so far, is a game of chicken. Who will blink first?

More from TIME

Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahubut also retired General Benny Gantz, his political rival who joined an emergency war cabinet after October 7have declared that the IDF has to go into Rafah: to finish the job of destroying Hamass governing power, to kill or capture the groups leaders, and to rescue as many hostages as possible. Gantz even suggested a deadline of March 10.

Yet so far, the refugees in their tents have not been leaving: not going back to damaged or destroyed homes, and certainly not being allowed by neighboring Egypt to cross the border into the Sinai peninsula. Those displaced Palestinians understandably tell aid workers and reporters that there is no place safe in the Gaza strip. Many say they are entrusting their fate to God.

What pressure might compel Hamas to give up? The leaders who planned and executed the October 7 attack that humiliated Israelexposing that its expensive border fence was easily penetrated, and then IDF troops didnt show up for hoursmust have known that Israel would react with a big and brutal invasion of Gaza. But Hamas probably did not expect that its very existence would be imperiled, in a war that would last for months.

A child standing inside a damaged building, stares at the Al-Faruq mosque, levelled by Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on a foggy day on February 25, 2024, amid continuing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. MOHAMMED ABED-AFP/ Getty Images

In past mini-wars along that frontier, there would be a few Israelis killed or kidnapped, then bombing and shelling by Israel would kill hundreds of Palestinians, and then some kind of deal mediated by the U.S. and Egypt would end the fightinguntil next time.

The murders, rapes, wholesale destruction, and kidnappings suffered by Israel were so severe this time that Netanyahu decided to go for broke. He vowed that no one was going to stop the IDF from destroying Hamas.

The Palestinians say around 30,000 of their people have been killed in Gaza, and while the number comes from Hamas and is thus unreliable, the toll of death and destruction has obviously been extremely high. That is why a majority of countriesas is obvious from votes in the United Nations condemn Israels war tactics. The IDF blames Hamas for hiding among civilians, and insists it is doing a lot to minimize non-combatant casualties.

Though not as horribly in the number of deaths, the war has also been costly for Israel. As of Wednesday, 576 IDF soldiers died in combat in Gaza. Around 200,000 Israelis have left their homes near the Gaza strip or near the northern border with Lebanon, both considered to be war zones since October. Most were accustomed to living in affluent comfort and are putting heavy political pressure on Netanyahu to finish this war, so they can return home.

The families of the Israeli hostages are also putting pressure on Netanyahu and his war cabinet. They want the prime minister to make a dealany dealto get their loved ones out of Hamas captivity, which they say has been brutal, and a new report by Israeli activists contains evidence of sexual assaults and mutilation of bodies by the terrorists who attacked on October 7. The families are having nightmares that the torture is continuing.

Israeli officials are expressing gratitude to the U.S. for vetoing a U.N. Security Council resolution this week that would have demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gazawhich Israel says would be equivalent to letting Hamas win the war. And Israel is grateful that the U.S. openly disagrees with criticsnotably South Africas lawsuit against Israel in the International Court of Justicethat claim the Israelis are committing genocide against the Palestinians.

Netanyahu must be wondering, however, how much longer President Biden will be willing to be so pro-Israeldefying global public opinion, and that of many in his Democratic Party who believe the death and destruction in Gaza have been excessive. No one forgets that Israel is dependent on the U.S. for weapons, ammunition, and diplomatic support.

A rift is growing between the U.S. government and Israel, specifically Netanyahu, after literally decades of a prickly relationship between him and Biden. The American president once recalled inscribing a photo of himself and the Israeli leader, using his nickname: Bibi, I love you but I don't agree with a damn thing you had to say.

They have had several long phone conversations this month, and Biden put forward a historically large ask: that Netanyahu agree to declare that the best solution for the long Israeli-Palestinian conflict is for the two peoples to have two states, side by side, living in peace.

On this issue, the Israeli leader used to say, Yes, but, pointing to his attempts over the years to negotiate with Arafat and his successor, Mahmoud Abbas. But the answer has become a firmer no. Netanyahu claims that the two-state solutionthe key to the Oslo Accords, signed by Israeli and Palestinians leaders in 1993 on the White House lawnwould endanger Israel, and the prime minister says the massacres and kidnappings of October 7 prove his point.

Netanyahu and many other Israelis contend that moving toward Palestinian statehood now would be a bizarre reward for the aggression by Hamas. But the fact is that Hamas does not seek a two-state solution. The groups Islamic radical leaders vow to eliminate the State of Israel, repeatedly claiming that Jews are colonialist strangers in the Holy Landdespite thousands of years of Jewish presence dating back to Abraham, the birth of monotheism, the kingdoms of David and Solomon, and the preachings of a Jew from Nazareth named Jesus.

Biden and the administrations Middle East expertswho until October 7 were working to foster a more moderate, pro-America region to include friendly relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia see the Gaza war as an opportunity to get back onto the peace train. They believe it is time to push aside the rejectionists led by Hamas and nurture a new Palestinian leadership that would be willing to live in peace alongside Israel.

Skeptics point to a reputable opinion poll, and many indications in Arabic-speaking media, that a large majority of Palestinians are proud of the October 7 attack. They are happy that Israels military and intelligence were humiliated. Yet Bidenand other optimists who believe that a positive future can emerge from a tragic, hate-filled presenthope that Saudi money, cooperation from other Arab nations in reconstructing Gaza, and abject humiliation for Hamas can combine to create a more cooperative environment.

Netanyahu refuses to consider, in detail, any new structure for Israel and the territories it captured in 1967. Oddly echoing the river to the sea phrase chanted by anti-Israel protesters around the worldwhere they call for a free Palestine to replace the Jewish statethe prime minister declares that complete control over security from the Jordan to the Mediterranean must be in Israels hands. His countrys occupation of Gaza ended in 2005, when the IDF and thousands of Jewish settlers departed; but the results included round after round of warfare. He claims that if the Israeli occupation of most of the West Bank were to end, then that territory would also become a hotbed of hostility.

In response, Biden recently said that a state of Palestine is necessary but could be demilitarized, as Netanyahu set out as a minimum demand. One thing the White House is not willing to declare publicly is Bidens opinionconfirmed by many Americans with whom he has spokenthat Netanyahu himself is one of the roadblocks making Israeli-Palestinian peace so difficult to achieve.

The man who is Israels longest serving prime minister is proud of the disagreements that he has had with Biden. Standing firm is popular among right-wing voters, who generally dont trust Arabs and want to keep the West Bank forever.

At a news conference in December, Netanyahu boasted that he had put the brakes on a flawed Oslo peace process and blocked establishment of a Palestinian state. Obviously referring to the U.S., the Israeli leader declared: Among friends, its important not to foster illusions.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Steve Kramer, a veteran political consultant working for a rival candidate, acknowledged Sunday that he commissioned the robocall that impersonated President Joe Biden using artificial intelligence, confirming an NBC News report that he was behind the call.

In a statement and interview with NBC News, Kramer expressed no remorse for creating the deepfake, in which an imitation of the presidents voice discouraged participation in New Hampshires Democratic presidential primary. The call launched several law enforcement investigations and provoked outcry from election officials and watchdogs.

Im not afraid to testify, I know why I did everything, he said an interview late Sunday, his first since coming forward. If a House oversight committee wants me to testify, Im going to demand they put it on TV because I know more than them.

Kramer said he has received a subpoena from the Federal Communications Commission, suspected he might get sued by a half dozen people and said he could even face jail time, but that he would keep working in politics.

NBC News has reached out to the FCC for comment.

Kramer claimed he planned the fake robocall from the start as an act of civil disobedience to call attention to the dangers of AI in politics. He compared himself to American Revolutionary heroes Paul Revere and Thomas Paine. He said more enforcement is necessary to stop people like him from doing what he did.

This is a way for me to make a difference, and I have, he said in the interview. For $500, I got about $5 million worth of action, whether that be media attention or regulatory action.

Phillips softens Biden threat to democracy criticism (Charles Krupa / AP file)

Kramer said he came up with the idea for the hoax entirely on his own and that it had nothing to do with his client, Biden's long-shot primary challenger, Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn. Phillips had paid Kramer over $250,000 around the time the robocall went out in January, according to his campaign finance reports.

Phillips and his campaign have denounced the robocall, saying they had no knowledge of Kramers involvement and would have immediately terminated him if they had known.

Phillips press secretary Katie Dolan said in response to Kramers statement Sunday, Our campaign repeats its condemnation of these calls and any efforts to suppress the vote.

Phillips team hired Kramer in December and January for ballot access work in New York and Pennsylvania, which involves collecting thousands of signatures from voters so a candidate can qualify for the ballot.

Im sure that a half dozen people will try to sue me, but theyre used to dealing with people like themselves, Kramer said in the interview. I can tell you theyre not used to me. I wrestled in college."

He also acknowledged commissioning an earlier deep fake robocall impersonating Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., which he said was just a test.

The calls went to 300 South Carolina likely Republican primary voters. It was a poll that had Grahams voice ask recipients whom they supported in the GOP primary. Kramer said the response rate from the familiar voice of Graham was four times higher than the response rate to an automated call.

Paul Carpenter, a New Orleans magician, performs card tricks during an interview in New Orleans on Friday. (Matthew Hinton / AP)

Kramer was first linked to the fake Biden robocall Friday by an NBC News report.

So why did Kramer wait to come forward to until he was caught, if this was his plan all along?

I was waiting for the South Carolina primary to be over, I didnt want to interfere with that, he said in the interview. He also said that his calls impersonating the president, which went to more than 5,000 New Hampshire voters telling them not to vote, wasnt going to change anything in that primary.

"If I had come out right away, it takes away from the goal of the call," he added, claiming the time was necessary to allow regulators to act.

Until Carpenter came forward, it was unclear whether the world would ever know who was behind the first-known use of an AI deepfake in a presidential campaign.

Paul Carpenter, a New Orleans street magician, said Kramer hired him to use AI software to create an audio file replicating Bidens voice reading a script Kramer prepared and provided.

Carpenter was paid $150 for the work, according to Venmo transactions and text messages he shared with NBC News.

Kramer said in the interview that he hired Carpenter because the magician was down on his luck and Kramer wanted to help.

He said he came up with the idea after having clients start ask him about doing AI work.

Kramer, a get-out-the-vote specialist and president of his own small firm, has worked on dozens of federal, state and local campaigns over the past 20 years. He has worked mostly for Democrats and his career grew out of his involvement with the Young Democrats of America, though his most prominent client was likely Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, who hired Kramer for his brief 2020 independent presidential campaign.

Carpenter, a nomadic performer, said he met Kramer through a mutual acquaintance last year and was under the impression that Kramer was working for the Biden campaign when he asked Carpenter to create the audio file that eventually became the robocall.

Authorities in New Hampshire are investigating the robocall for potentially violating state laws against voter suppression. A multistate task force of state attorneys generals focused on robocalls is looking to crack down on the people involved in the Biden robocall in order to set an early example as the technology becomes more widespread. And the Federal Communications Commission sped up plans to outlaw AI robocalls in response to the Biden robocall.

A voter casts his ballot in the New Hampshire primary in Laconia on Jan. 22. (Matt Nighswander / NBC News file)

In his statement, Kramer confirmed that to distribute the calls, he hired the Texas telemarketing company Life Co., which has been named by investigators as the originator of the calls.

They had no knowledge of the content of this call prior to delivery, Kramer wrote. Id use them again, but they are done with my business.

He also confirmed Carpenters account that he directed the content of the fake Biden robocall, saying the call was created using a script of my specific choosing.

Even individuals acting alone can quickly and easily use A.I. for misleading and disruptive purposes, Kramer added.
WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden will host the top four congressional leaders at the White House to negotiate Tuesday as the Senates top Democrat warned of a potential partial government shutdown at the end of the week.

The high-stakes meeting is set for just three days before funding for the departments of Agriculture, Energy, House and Urban Development, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs, as well as other programs, runs out late Friday. Funding for the rest of the government, including the Defense, State and Justice departments, will expire a week later, on March 8.

We are mere days away from a partial government shutdown on March 1, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a letter to his colleagues Sunday. Unless Republicans get serious, the extreme Republican shutdown will endanger our economy, raise costs, lower safety, and exact untold pain on the American people.

Shutting down the Agriculture Department would threaten critical food aid programs for women and children and block loans for farmers, he warned, while shuttering the Transportation Department could increase the risk of travel delays and safety by freezing the training of air traffic controllers and halting investigations.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) Holds News Conference Discussing The National Security Supplemental Bill (Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images)

Schumer said a first tranche of federal funding bills was supposed to be ready over the weekend to give ample time for members to review the text. He cast blame on the GOP for the missed deadline, saying, It is clear now that House Republicans need more time to sort themselves out.

Part of the reason for the delay is that House conservatives demand that Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., attach a number of conservative policy riders to the spending bills even though the Democratic-led Senate would reject them.

Johnson fired back at Schumer on Sunday night, accusing him of engaging in petty politics and arguing that the holdup is, in part, due to eleventh-hour Democrat demands that were not part of the Senates funding bills.

Despite the counterproductive rhetoric in Leader Schumers letter, the House has worked nonstop, and is continuing to work in good faith, to reach agreement with the Senate on compromise government funding bills in advance of the deadline, Johnson said in a statement.

At a time of divided government, Senate Democrats are attempting at this late stage to spend on priorities that are farther left than what their chamber agreed upon," he continued.

Another hurdle to staving off a shutdown is the congressional calendar. Senators return to Washington on Monday, but House members are not scheduled to get back into town until Wednesday evening, giving Congress little time to pass funding bills that have not even been released.

It almost certainly means that House and Senate leaders will need yet another stopgap funding bill  known as a continuing resolution, or CR  to keep the governments lights on past Friday.

On a conference call Friday night with rank-and-file House Republicans, Johnson alluded to the possibility that another CR extending funding another week or two might be needed, even as he said he hated the idea of passing another short-term funding bill.

Bidens meeting with top Hill leaders  Schumer, Johnson, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.  will focus not only on averting a shutdown but also on passing a national security package, including critical military aid for allies Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

Fresh from a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Lviv, Schumer dialed up the pressure on Johnson to bring the Senate-passed foreign aid legislation, known as a supplemental, to the House floor and warned that Russia could win the war unless aid is sent immediately.

Congress has a chance, right now, to ensure Putin is not victorious. The bipartisan national security supplemental currently sits at the feet of Speaker Johnson, Schumer wrote Sunday to his Senate colleagues.

I call on the Speaker to go to Ukraine and witness what we witnessed, because I believe it is virtually impossible for anyone with decency and goodwill to turn their back on Ukraine if they saw the horrors of that war with their own eyes," Schumer continued. "If Speaker Johnson put the national security supplemental on the floor today, it would pass with a large number of both Democrats and Republicans. Now is the time for action.

Johnson and conservatives in both chambers have argued that the U.S. should not send additional foreign aid to Ukraine until the southern border with Mexico is secure. Johnson wants tougher border policies enacted alongside aid for Ukraine.

"This is not a time for petty politics," Johnson said. "House Republicans will continue to work in good faith and hope to reach an outcome as soon as possible, even as we continue to insist that our own border security must be addressed immediately."
When a group of historians gather for their monthly get-together at Lansing Community College at 2:10 p.m. Tuesday, the film they'll watch tells a tragic tale of how a thriving Black neighborhood in Lansing was destroyed.

Its the story of the Interstate-496 expressway and how it wiped out a community along St. Joseph, taking away peoples homes and businesses and funneling them into redlined areas of the city.

Jessie Richardson, left, with grandson Tyrone Gridiron (3), in front of their home on St. Joseph and Everett. The photo was taken after the demolishing in 1965-1966 of more than 600 homes in the area. Photo was taken just prior to the beginning of construction. Across the median the Main Street School can be seen.

The film, Pave the Way: They Even Took the Dirt, was created last year by the Historical Society of Greater Lansing using a grant from the National Parks Service. The film showcases more than 75 oral histories of people who lived in the neighborhood and their children.

The Washington Avenue bridge takes shape in June 1967, one of several bridges to span the expressway that runs below ground level for some distance.

The building of I-496 between 1965 and 1970 caused the demolition of 700 homes and many Black-owned businesses, churches and schools. Most families were given only nine weeks of notice to move and homes were often under-valued.

The film starts by showing what the neighborhood used to be, as described by those who lived there and shown in photos and newspaper clippings. It goes on to share personal stories and illustrate the effect the demolitions had on those who lived there.

Aerial view of construction on I-496 in the 1960s.

The 496 Projects goal is to preserve the history of this neighborhood through oral storytelling, photographs and the documentary.

Two people who lived in the neighborhood collected the oral histories  Kenneth Turner, the videographer, and Adolph Burton, the interviewer. They conducted more than 130 interviews, though not all were able to be used in the documentary. The post-production editing was done by Craig Jones and Greta Haney-Trice shepherded the film from start to finish.

Haney-Trice and Jones will join LCC Professor David Siwik in a panel discussion after the showing of the film at Dart Auditorium. Admission to the film and the discussion is free and open to the public. The event is part of LCCs Black History Month offerings.

A bulldozer demolishes a home as part of the connector route clearance for I-496, January 1966.

Siwik said that the film screening and discussion allow audience members to share their reflections on learning how infrastructure projects can transform and displace communities over time. The Interstate Highway Act was passed in 1956 and I-496 was planned as an urban highway that would connect freeways and provide a corridor between downtown and Michigan State University.

The displacement of people in the neighborhood and why they chose it to go over the actual streets in the area is tied very deeply into the way the communities at the time manipulated real estate markets and zoning ordinances to divide communities up along racial lines, Siwik said.

He pointed out that there was a major difference between highways that went through rural communities and caused little disruption and those that went through densely populated neighborhoods.

When the city planners mapped out where Interstate 496 was going to go, they identified properties that were deemed to be of lower value, Siwik said. Oftentimes when this happened in communities across the United States, the lower-valued properties were overwhelmingly rental properties that were white landlords with minority tenants. But the really important thing to keep in mind about the neighborhood that I-496 went through was that many of the properties were not rental properties. They were owner-occupied family homes that people had lived in for a long time.

Haney-Trice considers the documentary to be a miracle given the challenges faced with creating it during a pandemic and the fact that they had to rely almost entirely on volunteers, albeit ones who were passionate about the project. She credits Turner and Burtons work for being foundational to the success of the film because they were able to authentically capture personal stories and experiences that conveyed the hurt around the displacement.

A 1904 Oldsmobile carrying Barbara Dean, Miss Michigan Highways of 1970, and driven by Bernie LaDuke, with an unidentified man and Dick Letts, far right, at the opening of the I-496 Oldsmobile Expressway, Dec. 18, 1970.

The oral histories were done by people who were volunteering their time and who had connections in the neighborhood, Haney-Trice said. They both grew up in the neighborhood. Ken and Adolph were the unsung heroes - without them, there would have been no documentary. They were doing it for the right reasons. The hurt you see on this film - you would not have gotten that, people would not have been as willing to talk about it (if it werent for Turner and Burton). They are not professional historians or videographers. They were two men who grew up here and care about the story. You see and feel that in the film.

Siwik said the filmmakers had a wealth of materials to draw from between the oral interviews, photos and the scrapbooks that people had put together at the time that included letters, newspaper articles and classified ads.

It started to paint a very vivid picture of just how lively this community was at the time, Siwik said.

Creating the film involved balancing many perspectives with very few resources. It was impossible to include all the stories, so Haney-Trice said they had to find a way to include the most relevant ones without a lot of repetition.

I wanted to see as many faces and places as possible - I didnt care how grainy they were, Haney-Trice said. It was how we could give honor to these people and their families.

Many of the people interviewed were second generation as the events took place in the mid-60s and, as Haney-Trice pointed out, people owning a home in 1964 were probably 40 or 50 years old and its now 60 years later. Many of the people interviewed were kids when they lived there.

While the film is available in many places, including on YouTube, Haney-Price said that isnt the same as experiencing it in community with others. It is a richer experience to watch it with others and be able to discuss it afterward. She said she felt the way they put the film together made sure it wasnt done in a hostile way that would further divide people.

There are some hard truths that people dont like to hear, but people who see this leave in tears, Haney-Trice said.

Siwik attributes the films effectiveness with it being told in the voices of the people who lived it.

Its the collective story of the people who lived through this incredible experience, Siwik said. The people who lived in that neighborhood that were displaced by the freeway are still in our community. It is absolutely essential for us to really understand our community and our neighbors and to know what people lived through. Hopefully, this film accomplishes that.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: LCC hosts film on destruction of Lansing neighborhood to build I-496
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Monday shot down the idea of mounting an independent bid for the White House.

Ive been a conservative Republican my whole life. Im not going to switch over and have a Democrat vice president. Thats not something I would do, Haley said in an interview on Fox News on Monday, referencing a run with the organization No Labels that would pair her with a Democrat on the ticket. My heart has always been with the Republican Party and this country. So thats what Im gonna do.

Haley pushed back on Fox News host Martha MacCallums suggestion that Haleys only two paths to victory are running on an independent ticket and staying in the race just in case the Trump Train implodes, and you hope that youll be the alternative to that.

Im sitting here focused on Super Tuesday states, Haley said, when asked which of those two paths she is eyeing. Thats what Im going to do.

Haley said she has not been approached by any political organization, including No Labels, which said this weekend theyd be interested in Haley to potentially lead a split-party ticket for the presidency this year.

Im a Republican. I have not talked to any other organization. I have not put a second of thought into an independent run because Im a Republican. Thats what Ive always been, Haley said.

Haleys defiance comes as her path to the GOP nomination narrows.

Haley outperformed polling predictions in the South Carolina primary this past weekend, but she still trailed the party front-runner, former President Trump, by about 20 points, approximately 60 percent support to 40 percent, in her home state.

Haley pledged, after conceding the South Carolina primary, that she would not drop out of the race, saying she thought it was important for GOP voters to have a choice between candidates, not a Soviet-style election with only one candidate. And I have a duty to give them that choice.

Still, the next day, the national director of the political organization No Labels said in an interview that theyre looking for great quality people to lead the independent ticket in 2024, and that Nikki Haley is somebody [theyd] definitely be interested in.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
NEW YORK (AP)  President Joe Biden said Monday that he hopes a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas that would pause hostilities and allow for remaining hostages to be released can take effect by early next week.

Asked when he thought a cease-fire could begin, Biden said: Well I hope by the beginning of the weekend. The end of the weekend. My national security adviser tells me that were close. Were close. Were not done yet. My hope is by next Monday well have a ceasefire.

Biden commented in New York after taping an appearance on NBCs Late Night With Seth Meyers.

Negotiations are underway for a weekslong cease-fire between Israel and Hamas to allow for the release of hostages being held in Gaza by the militant group in return for Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The proposed six-week pause in fighting would also include allowing hundreds of trucks to deliver desperately needed aid into Gaza every day.

Negotiators face an unofficial deadline of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan around March 10, a period that often sees heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions.

Meanwhile, Israel has failed to comply with an order by the United Nations' top court to provide urgently needed aid to desperate people in the Gaza Strip, Human Rights Watch said Monday, a month after a landmark ruling in The Hague ordered Israel to moderate its war.

In a preliminary response to a South African petition accusing Israel of genocide, the U.N.s top court ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in the tiny Palestinian enclave. It stopped short of ordering an end to the military offensive that has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe.

Israel denies the charges against it, saying it is fighting in self-defense.

Nearly five months into the war, preparations are underway for Israel to expand its ground operation into Rafah, Gazas southernmost town along the border with Egypt, where 1.4 million Palestinians have sought safety.

Early Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said the army had presented to the War Cabinet its operational plan for Rafah as well as plans to evacuate civilians from the battle zones. It gave no further details.

The situation in Rafah has sparked global concern. Israels allies have warned that it must protect civilians in its battle against the Hamas militant group.

Also Monday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh submitted his government's resignation, and President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to appoint technocrats in line with U.S. demands for internal reform. The U.S. has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern postwar Gaza ahead of eventual statehood  a scenario rejected by Israel.

In its Jan. 26 ruling, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to follow six provisional measures, including taking immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance" to Gaza.

Israel also must submit a report on what it is doing to adhere to the measures within a month. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said late Monday that it has filed such a report. It declined to share it or discuss its contents.

Israel said 245 trucks of aid entered Gaza on Sunday. Thats less than half the amount that entered daily before the war.

Human Rights Watch, citing U.N. figures, noted a 30% drop in the daily average number of aid trucks entering Gaza in the weeks following the courts ruling. It said that between Jan. 27 and Feb. 21, the daily average of trucks entering was 93, compared to 147 trucks a day in the three weeks before the ruling. The daily average dropped to 57, between Feb. 9 and 21, the figures showed.

The rights group said Israel was not adequately facilitating fuel deliveries to hard-hit northern Gaza and blamed Israel for blocking aid from reaching the north, where the World Food Program said last week it was forced to suspend aid deliveries.

The Israeli government has simply ignored the courts ruling, and in some ways even intensified its repression, said Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch.

The Association of International Development Agencies, a coalition of over 70 humanitarian organizations working in Gaza and the West Bank, said almost no aid had reached areas in Gaza north of Rafah since the courts ruling.

Israel denies it is restricting the entry of aid and has instead blamed humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, saying large aid shipments sit idle on the Palestinian side of the main crossing. The U.N. says it cant always reach the crossing because it is at times too dangerous.

In some cases, crowds of desperate Palestinians have surrounded delivery trucks and stripped them of supplies. The U.N. has called on Israel to open more crossings, including in the north, and to improve the process.

Netanyahus office said that the War Cabinet had approved a plan to deliver humanitarian aid safely into Gaza in a way that would prevent the cases of looting. It did not disclose further details.

The war, launched after Hamas-led militants rampaged across southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking roughly 250 people hostage, has caused vast devastation in Gaza.

Nearly 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza, two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry which does not distinguish in its count between fighters and noncombatants. Israel says it has killed 10,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Fighting has flattened large swaths of Gaza's urban landscape, displacing about 80% of the territorys 2.3 million people, who have crammed into increasingly smaller spaces looking for elusive safety.

The crisis has pushed a quarter of the population toward starvation and raised fears of imminent famine, especially in the northern part of Gaza, the first focus of Israels ground invasion. Starving residents have been forced to eat animal fodder and search for food in demolished buildings.

I wish death for the children because I cannot get them bread. I cannot feed them. I cannot feed my own children!" Naim Abouseido yelled as he waited for aid in Gaza City. "What did we do to deserve this?

Bushra Khalidi with U.K. aid organization Oxfam told The Associated Press that it had verified reports that children have died of starvation in the north in recent weeks, which she said indicated aid was not being scaled up despite the court ruling.

Aid groups say deliveries also continue to be hobbled by security issues. The French aid groups Medecins du Monde and Doctors Without Borders each said that their facilities were struck by Israeli forces in the weeks following the court order.

___

Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, Chehayeb from Beirut and Miller from New York. Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
For the last three decades, Peeyush Mittal has frequently driven the 185 miles from the Indian capital to the city of Jaipur. The journey always took him six hours.

For 30 years theres been this promise of doing that journey in three hours. It has never been possible, said Mittal, a portfolio manager at Matthews Asia, a San Francisco-based investment fund. Theyve expanded the highway, gone from one lane to two lane to three lane, everything has been done. But that journey has always remained six hours.

Except last year, when he cruised at 75 miles per hour on a new expressway connecting the two cities, and made the trip in half the time.

My jaw dropped when I first time got on that highway. I was like, Wow, man, how is this even possible  in India? he said.

The quality of Indias new infrastructure is just one of many reasons why Mittal, who manages funds focussed on emerging markets, and other investors are excited about the countrys growth prospects.

Financial professionals around the world are noticing Indias development since 2014 under two-term Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has said he wants the South Asian nation to become a $5 trillion economy by 2025.

The optimism around the worlds most populous nation is in stark contrast to the mood found in China, which is grappling with a myriad of economic challenges, including an accelerated flight of capital from the country.

Its stock markets have suffered a protracted slump since recent peaks in 2021, with more than $5 trillion in market value having been wiped out from the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong bourses. Foreign direct investment (FDI) plunged last year, and fell again in January, down nearly 12% compared to the same month in 2023.

Indias stock market, meanwhile, is hitting record highs. The value of companies listed on Indias exchanges surpassed $4 trillion late last year.

The future appears even brighter. Indias market value is expected to more than double to $10 trillion by 2030, according to a Thursday report by Jefferies, which would make it impossible for large global investors to ignore.

China is a no go, so  which is the other country that can maybe replace China? said Mittal. Theres no country like China other than India  in some form or fashion, it is the substitute that maybe the world is looking for to drive growth.

Japan has benefited from investors seeking an alternative to China  Tokyos benchmark index hit a new high for the first time in 34 years last week, helped by improving corporate profits and a weak yen. But the country is stuck in recession and recently lost its position as the worlds third biggest economy to Germany.

The latest revision by global stock index compiler MSCI reflects the bullishness towards India. MSCI said this month that it would increase Indias weighting in its emerging markets index to 18.06% from 17.98%, while reducing Chinas to 24.77%.

MSCIs indexes help institutional investors worldwide decide how to allocate money and where to focus their research.

Indias weight in the MSCI emerging market index was about 7% a couple of years back, said Aditya Suresh, head of India equity research at Macquarie Capital. Do I think that 18% [in the MSCI index] is naturally gravitating more towards 25%? Yeah, thats kind of clearly where our conversations are leading us to believe.

As India heads towards national elections in the coming months, market watchers are hoping that Modis ruling Bharatiya Janata Party wins a third term, bringing greater predictability to economic policies for the next five years.

If Modi is back with a majority and political stability is there, then I can certainly say with confidence that therell be a lot more investor interest in India on a more sustainable basis, said Mittal.

The next global growth engine

There are good reasons for the euphoria around India. From a surging young population to humming factories, the country has a lot going in its favor.

The International Monetary Fund expects India to grow by 6.5% next financial year compared to 4.6% for China. Analysts at Jefferies expect the country to become the worlds third largest economy by 2027.

Much like China more than three decades ago, India is only at the beginning of a infrastructure transformation, spending billions on building roads, ports, airports and railways.

There is a very strong multiplier effect on the economy from the investments in digital and physical infrastructure, which you cannot roll back, Suresh said.

Labourers work at the 'Chennai Metro Rail project' construction site in Chennai. - R. Satish Babu/AFP/Getty Images

The worlds fastest growing major economy is also trying to capitalize on the rethink underway among companies on supply chains. Global businesses want to diversify operations away from China, where they faced obstacles during the pandemic and are exposed to risks arising from tension between Beijing and Washington.

India is a prime candidate to benefit from the friend-shoring of supply chains, notably at the expense of China, wrote Hubert de Barochez, a market economist at Capital Economics, in January.

As a result, some of the worlds biggest companies, including Apple (AAPL) supplier Foxconn, are expanding their operations in India. Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk said last June his company is looking to invest in India as soon as humanly possible.

[Modi] really cares about India because hes pushing us to make significant investments in India, which is something we intend to do, Musk told reporters.

But some worry that Indias confidence may be bordering on hubris.

Is it worth the hype?

While interest in the worlds fifth largest economy is rising, the lofty prices of Indias stocks are scaring some international investors away.

Indian shares have always been expensive compared to other emerging economies, said Suresh, but now the premium on the premium has expanded.

Domestic investors, both retail and institutional, seem to be brushing aside these high valuations, driving Indias stock market to unprecedented peaks.

According to Macquarie, retail investors alone own 9% of Indias equity market value versus foreign investors at slightly under 20%. Analysts, however, expect foreign investments to pick up in the second half of 2024, once the election is out of the way.

Pedestrians walk past the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building in Mumbai. - Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images

Theres another potential challenge. Despite its new economic swagger, India does not have the capacity to absorb all the money that is flowing out of China, whose economy is still about five times bigger.

China has a few too many companies which are $100 and $200 billion plus [in value], Mittal said. It is difficult to find home for that kind of chunk of money in India.

But the fact that Indias sizzling rally is driven by domestic investors adds to the countrys strengths and reduces its dependence on foreign fund flows.

It just massively insulates India from global dynamics, Suresh said.

Apart from geopolitical rifts and an uncertain economic outlook, foreign companies and investors have grown increasingly wary of domestic political risks in China, including the possibility of raids and detentions. Institutional investors are still very wary about buying Chinese stocks, even though many now look like a bargain.

There are many good businesses in China, but with all the regulatory issues it becomes very difficult to predict what they will look like in the long run, said Priyanka Agnihotri, portfolio manager at Baltimore-based Brown Advisory.

India, on the other hand, enjoys healthy relations with the West and other major economies, and is aggressively wooing large firms to set up factories in the country.

In her budget speech in February, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said FDI inflows since Modi first came to power in 2014 stood at nearly $600 billion, which is twice the amount during the previous decade.

For encouraging sustained foreign investment, we are negotiating bilateral investment treaties with our foreign partners, in the spirit of first develop India, she added.

Analysts say that it would hard to stop the economic juggernaut India has set in motion, irrespective of what happens to China.

Even if China comes back to the table and resolves a lot of problems, I dont think India is going back into the background anymore, said Mittal. It has arrived.

Laura He and Anna Cooban contributed to this report.

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Since the brands establishment in 1910, the name Chanel has become synonymous with luxury goods and haute couture. But in The New Lookthe new Apple TV+ series dramatizing the rise of the modern fashion industry in Paris after World War IIAcademy Award winner Juliette Binoche hopes to separate legendary designer Coco Chanel from the house she founded.

What I feel responsible for is to give a human side of Chanelnot to excuse her or save her, because it is not my rolebut for people to understand her, where she came from, Binoche tells Harpers Bazaar on a recent video call from Los Angeles. As I was reading books and understanding where she was coming from, I could feel that there were big traumas behind [her decisions], because this need of conquering, this need of survival comes from a [personal] place.

The New Look opens in 1955, when designer Christian Dior is preparing to speak at a conference celebrating his collections, at the Sorbonnes Grand Ampitheatre in Paris. Meanwhile, Chanel has recently returned from exile in Switzerland, after being accused of working with the Nazis during the war, and is primed to make her long-awaited return to haute couture. Following the liberation of France a decade earlier, Dior opened his own fashion house, debuted a legendary collection in February 1947, and eclipsed Chanel as the most famous fashion designer in the world. An embittered Chanel has criticized Diors focus on ultrafemininity and opulence, which she claims results in beautiful but not particularly functional dresses.

She saw [her fashion as,] and people acknowledged it as, the creation of freedom for women in terms of what theyre wearing. She viewed Dior as, I think, setting women back, executive producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura tells Bazaar. Whats interesting is that [Dior] was not a guy who criticized [openly], so you dont know so much about what he was feeling about Chanel. She was lambasting him, even after he was dead.

It is difficult to overstate the impact Chanel and her namesake brand have had on womens fashion. Above all else, her elegantly casual and timeless designs prioritized comfort and mobility, replacing the 20th-century corseted silhouette with sportswear. Her jersey separates of skirts, dresses, sweaters, and cardigans liberated women from the pretenses of dressing for an occasion or for an allotted time of day, an online exhibit by the Metropolitan Museum of Art says.

By her own admission, Binoche knew very little about Chanel before signing on to The New Look. But the actor soon became interested in digging into the many lives of the designer, who had a tendency to hide and spin certain facts about her life. Having already cast his former Bloodline star Ben Mendelsohn to play Dior, series creator Todd A. Kessler tells Bazaar he wanted to find a French icon to play Chanel. Whereas past depictions of Chanel have focused on her rise, Kessler connected with Binoche over their shared desire to paint a nuanced portrait of the designers life during and after the war.

Apple

For her interpretation of Chanel, Binoche worked with The New Looks costume designer, Karen Muller Serreau, to re-create some of the designers most famous black-and-white and cream-colored looks. It was very simplified, and [the periods depicted in the show were] also during the war and just after the warnot during the 50s, like 56 and 57, when she came with a suit. Karen wanted, sometimes, for me to wear some of the colors, such as pinks and light blues, Binoche says. But the moment I got more involved, if I may say, was when I was choosing the jewels in the morning for the scenes. I think Karen was eager for me to choose, because it was my way to own my character.

Despite casting Binoche (one of the most accomplished French actors working today) and shooting the show in Paris, the producers decided against recording any part of the 10-episode first season in French. In retrospect, Binoche says, it was very strange and very difficult to play Chanel without speaking in her mother tongue.

She has a very specific voice, and I find it difficult to translate it into English. I tried to do it, and then Im dubbing [now] in French, so its even more difficult to go back to the French and try to get this kind of a voice, she says. Chanels very fast and pointed way of speaking is challenging to capture in English, but Binoche tried to bring the same idiosyncratic, self-educated energy to her performance, regardless of the language barrier.

With more than seven nationalities represented in the ensemble cast, Kessler says he chose to use English as the unifying language for the series characters and actorsa creative decision he acknowledged could be jarring to some viewers.

It felt like it would get too confusing if some characters were speaking French and others werent, says the showrunner, who did not want The New Look to be labeled that French show. (It should be noted, however, that there has never been a greater acceptance of subtitles than in todays global TV and film landscape.) We really, in essence, doubled down on the best talent, and we let that be the decision maker for what language the show should be in. It felt like that was the greatest honor that we could do to the actual people, as opposed to honoring them by speaking the language that they spoke.

Astrida Valigorsky - Getty Images

Using drawn-out flashbacks, The New Look offers a look at the decisions and moral compromises that Dior, Chanel, and their contemporaries had to make to survive the war. Dior, at the time a nobody working in Paris for couturier Lucien Lelong (John Malkovich), begrudgingly agrees to make dresses for the partners of Nazi officers, to support himself and his French Resistance fighter sister, Catherine (Maisie Williams). Binoches portrayal of Chanel, on the other hand, suggests the designer was caught between wanting to maintain her own autonomy and choosing to accede to Nazi demands as an act of self-preservation.

Unlike Dior, Chanel clearly cut herself off from creating during the war, Binoche explains. When the Germans came to Paris, she closed everything. She had 4,000 seamstresses, had a factory of making cloth, and decided, No way, Im not going to work with the Germans. She kept her [signature perfume] No. 5 in order to make a living, to survive.

As it turned out, ethough, Chanel did end up working with the enemy during the Nazi occupation of France. In 1934, she had moved into a suite at the Ritz Paris, where she would live until her death in 1971. After briefly fleeing from Paris during the Vichy period, she returned to the hotel, only to discover her suite had been requisitioned by Nazis. She moved into a smaller room, where she had a romantic liaison with a German officer, Hans Gunther von Dincklage (played by Danish actor Claes Bang), which lasted until the end of the war. Furthermore, in a failed bid to become sole owner of her company, Chanel invoked the Nazis Aryan lawswhich forbid Jews from owning businessesagainst her Jewish partners, Pierre and Paul Wertheimer. It is also likely she used her connections to secure the release of her beloved nephew, Andre, who was being held as a prisoner of war in Germany.

French intelligence documents unsealed in the 1980s revealed that Chanel had even been tasked by Nazi leaders with brokering a secret peace deal between the Germans and the Allies, behind Hitlers back.

The French did not have such a great admiration for the Germans, but many of the Germans had a great admiration for Paris, including Walter Schellenberg, who is the officer who assigned her the mission, Kessler says. He was obsessed with movie stars; he was obsessed with good-looking, powerful people. One of his opening lines is Who better to greet me and welcome me to Paris than Coco Chanel? Bigger than any movie star! That [scene in The New Look] is inspired by actual Schellenberg research.

Apple

The moment is dramatized in The New Look: In 1943, a distressed Chanel convinces her socialite friend Elsa Lombardi (Emily Mortimer) to travel with her to Madrid under the pretense of opening a new boutiqueonly to reveal later that she is actually trying to deliver a message from the Nazis to British prime minister Winston Churchill, a friend. (Chanels code name was Westminster, for the famous London abbey church.) Codenamed Operation Modellhut, the mission was a bust, and Chanel was accused of collaborating with the Nazis. Her friend Churchill protected her, but Schellenbergs testimony during the Nuremberg trials after the war ultimately revealed Chanels work as a Nazi agent.

The New Look poses the age-old question: Is it possible to separate the art from the artist? Each person has to see how they want to see things, Binoche says, refusing to take a side. I understand the little girl who wanted to conquer. I think she got trapped in her fears, in her need of surviving, in her need of holding onto things.  When you see what she created, shes definitely an amazing artist. But as a person, I think that she became the prisoner of her own world that she created.

Of course, us stepping back, knowing that the war was the way it was, knowing about the concentration camps and the horrific war it was, its a different perspective [we are able to have today], Binoche adds. What was interesting for me in playing her is to come from an inside point of view, so we understand whats going on and have another color of her life. It doesnt mean to save her or to make her a better human being. Its just to emotionally understand where it came from.

The New Look is now streaming on Apple TV+. A new episode premieres every Wednesday through April 3.

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Kamila Valieva, then aged 15, tested positive for banned heart medication trimetazidine in December 2021

Canada and Russia have appealed against the reallocation of the 2022 Olympic team figure skating medals, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has confirmed.

Russia were dropped from gold to bronze by the International Skating Union (ISU) after Kamila Valieva, 17, got a four-year ban for doping in January.

The United States were promoted to gold with Japan taking silver.

Canada believe they should have been awarded bronze, while Russia want to be reinstated as gold medallists.

Despite removing Valieva's marks, the ISU said Russia's total score was a point higher than fourth-place Canada's.

There is currently no indication as to when a hearing may take place to resolve the matter.

The eight members of the Canada team, supported by their national federation, disagree with the ISU's calculations and believe they should have received one more point than the Russians to take a place on the podium.

Meanwhile, the Russians have launched three separate appeals - from the national Olympic committee, the national skating federation and from their six skaters, including Valieva, who are asking to be moved back up into gold-medal position.

ISU regulations only provide for collective disqualification in the event of a positive doping control of one of the athletes during the competition, not one from eight weeks before as was the case with Valieva.

The medals were not awarded in Beijing because of the doubts surrounding Valieva, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has not yet indicated when, or where, a medal ceremony will be held.

Across the BBC banner
Former President Donald Trump continued his winning streak in the GOP presidential primary Saturday, notching a victory in South Carolina thanks again to his dominance among core Republican voters.

Trump followed a similar path to victory to the ones he took in Iowa and New Hampshire earlier this year, earning majorities from nearly every key group in the South Carolina GOPs primary electorate, according to NBC News exit poll results. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, meanwhile, struggled to garner support beyond the moderates and independents in her home state.

Here are four key sets of numbers that help explain Trumps decisive win over Haley in South Carolina:

1. Trumps dominance among the GOP base

Self-described Republicans made up a sizable majority of the South Carolina primary electorate on Saturday (68%), and Trump once again carried these voters by an overwhelming margin, winning 70% to Haleys 30%.

Trump also garnered majority support across traditional Republican voting blocs: 84% of very conservative voters, 71% of white evangelicals, 65% of military veterans and 86% of the Republican primary voters who say they are part of the MAGA movement.

2. Haleys smaller coalition

Haley did have some success among the more moderate voters and non-Republicans who showed up to vote in the South Carolina GOP primary, but they made up much smaller shares of the electorate.

The former South Carolina governor overwhelmingly won voters who identify as moderate or liberal, winning 74% to Trumps 25%, but they only made up one-fifth of the primary vote. Haley also carried independents, who accounted for just 22% of the electorate, though she won them by 25 points, a smaller margin than Trump won with Republicans.

Haley managed to win 82% of voters who believe President Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 election, but they only made up a third of the electorate.

Haley only narrowly won a group where she might have had more of an opening: college graduates. She won 54% of them, besting Trump by 9 points.

Haleys two main messages in the closing days of the race  electability and respect for the military  also did not appear to resonate. Just 17% of primary voters believe Trump is not likely to defeat Biden in November. Trump also overwhelmingly won the 17% of voters who have served in the military, even as Haley argued that Trump has disrespected service members, including her husband.

3. Voters top issues favored Trump

A majority of South Carolina GOP primary participants said immigration and the economy were the two issues that were most determinative to their vote. And those voters largely favored Trump.

Among the 36% of voters who said immigration was their top issue, Trump won 80%, while Haley won just 20%. And among the 33% of voters who said the economy was their top issue, Trump won 62% to Haleys 38%.

Haley bested Trump among voters who said foreign policy and abortion were their top issues, but those voters made up just one-fifth of the primary electorate.

4. Voters made up their minds before Haleys rise

Trumps commanding win also came as the vast majority of voters who turned out Saturday said that they made up their minds on which candidate to support even before the first primary contests took place last month  and well before the primary became a two-person race between Trump and Haley.

A whopping 77% said they decided whom to support before January, and roughly 3 in 4 of those voters supported Trump. Just 7% decided who they would vote for in January, 7% decided earlier in February, and 9% made their decisions in the last week.
Congressional leaders are trading blame as both sides struggle to strike a bipartisan deal to stave off the threat of a partial government shutdown.

Lawmakers have until Mar. 1 to pass legislation to fund the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and other offices for fiscal 2024 or risk their first partial government shutdown in years.

Leaders were expected to announce an announcement this weekend on potential next steps as spending talks continued over the current recess. But leaders on both sides said Sunday that more work is needed for both sides to reach a compromise.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Sunday that lawmakers hoped to have legislation ready this weekend to give members time to review text but pinned blame on House Republicans shortly after, saying its clear the party needs more time to sort themselves out.

We are mere days away from a partial government shutdown on March 1. Unless Republicans get serious, the extreme Republican shutdown will endanger our economy, raise costs, lower safety, and exact untold pain on the American people, Schumer wrote in a letter to lawmakers Sunday.

However, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) pushed back on Schumers comments shortly after.

Despite the counterproductive rhetoric in Leader Schumers letter, the House has worked nonstop, and is continuing to work in good faith, to reach agreement with the Senate on compromise government funding bills in advance of the deadlines, Johnson said.

Leader Schumers letter fails to mention that many of the points still being debated come from new Democrat demands that were not previously included in the Senate bills, he added. At a time of divided government, Senate Democrats are attempting at this late stage to spend on priorities that are farther left than what their chamber agreed upon.

Spending cardinals in both chambers have been working for weeks crafting the 12 annual government funding bills that must win bipartisan support to pass. However, many senior appropriators have acknowledged partisan riders as a key hurdle in talks.

Weve basically finished our negotiation at the subcommittee level, Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.)  head of the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development appropriation subcommittee  told The Hill shortly before the Houses recess earlier this month.

There are some unresolved items that weve kicked up obviously to the four corners, he added, referring to riders and additional money.

Schumer said intense discussions continue between bipartisan leadership in both chambers, along with top appropriators in the upper chamber.

The back and forth between both sides also comes as the House Freedom Caucus pushed the prospect of a yearlong stopgap funding bill. The legislation would trigger automatic cuts to government spending if the party doesnt win concessions on controversial policy riders.

Some of the measures the ultraconservative caucus has pressed for include efforts to reduce Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas salary to $0, targeting the Pentagons abortion travel policy and defunding Planned Parenthood.

At the same time, however, Democrats have also been applying pressure on the other side of the aisle to oppose the so-called poison pills.

Schumer also took aim at Johnson for not bringing up a major Senate-passed defense and foreign aid package to the floor that includes funding for Ukraine.

I call on the Speaker to go to Ukraine and witness what we witnessed, because I believe it is virtually impossible for anyone with decency and goodwill to turn their back on Ukraine if they saw the horrors of that war with their own eyes, Schumer wrote in the letter, which comes after he recently visited Ukraine as part of a congressional delegation over the weekend.

If Speaker Johnson put the national security supplemental on the floor today, it would pass with a large number of both Democrats and Republicans. Now is the time for action. Speaker Johnson cannot let politics or blind obeisance to Donald Trump get in the way, Schumer added.

Updated at 7:23 pm.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Louisiana inmate in custody on a second-degree murder charge escaped Sunday after he pepper-sprayed his transporting deputy and stole her vehicle, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said.

Leon Ruffin had been transferred from the corrections center to a local hospital around 12 p.m. after having suffered a possible seizure. He was discharged around 6:30 p.m. and escorted back by a deputy.

As the deputy was leaving the hospital with Ruffin in the vehicle, he "created some type of disturbance." The deputy got out of the car and opened the door to check on Ruffin when he pepper-sprayed her, Sheriff Joe Lopinto said at a news conference.

Jefferson Parish inmate Leon Ruffin. (Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office)

Ruffin escaped in the vehicle. His whereabouts are unknown.

I really dont believe he has anything to lose, Lopinto said. Hes in for a second-degree murder for life in prison at this point in time, so I definitely consider him armed and dangerous by all means.

The deputy had her pepper spray, Taser and weapon on her as Ruffin escaped and was able to fire three shots at him. It remains unclear whether any rounds hit Ruffin.

Ruffin is not believed to have access to a firearm, but he is still carrying the pepper spray and driving the deputy's vehicle. Authorities do not know how Ruffin obtained the pepper spray.

Before he was treated at the hospital, Ruffin had been in the corrections center's medical facility, but Lopinto said authorities believe he was faking his injuries. Ruffin was wearing a walking boot from the hospital, which he removed when he escaped.

The deputy was treated for the pepper spray at the hospital and is in good spirits. The search for Ruffin continues.
An active-duty airman has died after authorities say he set himself on fire Sunday outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., in what he described as "an extreme act of protest" over the Israel-Hamas war.

The man was identified by the Metropolitan Police Department as 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell of San Antonio. The Air Force confirmed to ABC News that Bushnell was on active-duty status at the time of his fatal protest.

The incident unfolded just before 1 p.m. ET outside the gates of the Israeli Embassy in northwest Washington, according to statements from the city's Metropolitan Police Department and Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department.

MORE: Protester sets self on fire in apparent 'political protest' outside Israeli Consulate office in Atlanta

ABC News has obtained an unedited recording of the video Bushnell livestreamed to Twitch Sunday, showing him dressed in camouflage fatigues and walking up to the embassy gate before dousing himself in a flammable liquid and setting himself on fire.

During the livestream, Bushnell is heard saying "I will no longer be complicit in genocide" and repeatedly screamed "free Palestine" as flames engulfed his body.

"We arrived to find an apparent adult male who had been on fire," the Fire and EMS Department said in its statement.

Members of the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division extinguished the flames before fire crews arrived, officials said.

PHOTO: The Israeli flag flies at half-staff in memory of former Israeli President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Sept. 30, 2016. (Gary Cameron/Reuters, FILE)

Bushnell was unconscious when he was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to police.

Police officials did not comment on why the man set himself ablaze.

Police detectives, the Secret Service Uniformed Division and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the incident.

The Secret Service is conducting a search of Bushnell's hotel room in Silver Spring, Maryland, where the airman stayed just before he set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy, according to a source familiar with the situation.

The agency is doing an investigation into what his motivators could have been, and his life up to date, according to the source.

The Secret Service declined to comment when reached by ABC News.

MORE: Israel agrees to updated framework in cease-fire, hostage deal

The police department's Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit was also called to the scene as police investigated a suspicious vehicle in the area that authorities believe is linked to Bushnell. The vehicle was searched, but no hazardous material was found, police said.

The Israeli Embassy released a statement saying the man was "unknown" to embassy staff.

No embassy workers were injured in the incident, and all were reported safe, embassy officials said.

Twitch, which is owned by Amazon, removed the video of Bushnell's act. ABC News has reached out to the social media platform for comment but has yet to receive a response.

The video was also posted on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, and Meta's Facebook and Instagram.

Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said in a statement to ABC News that the platform has decided not to remove Bushnell's video from its site.

"We allow images and video of this incident, but include a warning screen so that people are aware the content may be disturbing," Stone said.

"When a tragedy like this occurs, every member of the Air Force feels it, said U.S. Air Force Col. Celina Noyes, 70th ISRW Commander."We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Senior Airman Bushnell. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and we ask that you respect their privacy during this difficult time."

Bushnell grew up on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where he attended Nauset Public Schools between 2003 and 2014, school officials told ABC News.

"The Nauset Public Schools is heartbroken to learn of the untimely death of one of our former students, Aaron Bushnell," the school district said in a statement. "Our school community is saddened by Mr. Bushnell's death and we offer our condolences to his family and friends."

MORE: Man dies after setting himself on fire outside Supreme Court Building, officials say

Bushnell also attended Southern New Hampshire University, taking online courses in 2023 to pursue a computer science degree, the college said in a statement. Bushnell was pre-registered for the upcoming term, which is scheduled to start next week, according to the school.

"We are deeply saddened by the news of Aaron's passing and the SNHU community sends its deepest condolences to Aaron's family and friends," the school said in a statement.

A similar incident occurred on Dec. 1 outside an Israeli Consulate office in Atlanta, where a woman wrapped in a Palestinian flag intentionally set herself on fire in an apparent political protest, according to police. The woman, who was critically injured, ignited herself after dousing herself with gasoline, police said. A security guard suffered burns when he attempted to put the fire out, according to police.

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

ABC News' Luke Barr, Sinead Hawkins, Nate Luna and Luis Martinez contributed to this report.

Airman dies lighting himself on fire, saying 'free Palestine' outside Israeli Embassy originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Anyone who believes Budge Lightyear is their pet should contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018 - RSPCA

A lost budgie, affectionately named Budge Lightyear after it was found at a UK space attraction, is looking for its owner.

The brightly coloured yellow-and-green bird was discovered on Thursday by a visitor at the National Space Centre in Leicester, and alerted staff.

Budge Lightyear was rescued by RSPCA staff, who called the bird a feathered voyager and took it into care at the charitys Woodside Animal Centre in Leicester.

The RSPCA suspects the lone budgie is an escaped pet as it is ringed and numbered, but staff could not contact the owner as the birds details are not registered.

Ellie Grindrod, animal rescue officer, who nicknamed the budgie, has urged anyone who recognises Budge Lightyear to contact the charity.

New adventure

She said: It is highly likely that he is an escaped pet and we would love to reunite him with his owner, so we urge anyone who recognises him to get in touch with us.

Thanks to the swift action of everyone involved, Budge Lightyear has now embarked on a new adventure at our Woodside Animal Centre, where he is getting a lot of TLC.

His epic journey serves as a reminder of the importance of compassion in safeguarding our feathered friends, wherever they may roam.

Malika Andress, from the National Space Centre, thanked the RSPCA for rescuing the budgie.

She said: We cannot thank RSPCA staff enough for their help with Budge Lightyear, who was found by a visitor in our car park.

We got excellent advice on the phone on how to make Budge comfortable in the short term, and then a member of the local team was able to get to us really swiftly to pick the bird up.

Our team rallied round to ensure Budge enjoyed their time with us but, despite being scientists, engineers, educators and specialists in our field, looking after budgies is outside our expertise  we know a lot about other flying things.

Anyone who believes Budge Lightyear is their pet should contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018.

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.
WASHINGTON  Top advisers to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and former President Donald Trump have engaged in behind-the-scenes conversations for months that have included efforts to secure an endorsement of the former president by McConnell, sources involved in those discussions said.

The conversations, first reported by The New York Times, have been held between longtime McConnell adviser and consigliere Josh Holmes and Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita. The two men go back decades in the GOP campaign trenches, and their discussions on the topic began in earnest in early January.

The back-channeling comes as Trump closes in on the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and gains endorsements on Capitol Hill. McConnell, R-Ky., whose tense relationship with the former president is well known, is the last remaining member of the congressional GOP leadership who has not publicly endorsed him.

McConnells office declined to comment.

McConnell and Trump havent spoken since before Jan. 6, 2021, and had a frosty relationship even before it collapsed entirely over the Capitol attack. Since then, Trump has routinely mocked both McConnell and his wife and former Trump Cabinet official, Elaine Chao, in both political and personal terms.

Although he voted to acquit Trump on impeachment charges of inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection, McConnell delivered a scathing speech calling Trump "practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day." In the February 2021 speech, he added that despite the Senate acquittal, Trump was not immune from criminal or civil liability for his actions.

I recently reread it. I stand by what I said, McConnell told reporters last month.

The month after the 2022 elections, McConnell blamed Trump for crucial GOP losses, saying the former president had alienated independent voters and moderate Republicans by creating the impression that the party was sort of nasty and tended toward chaos. He said Trumps stature had diminished as a result.

But Trump has maintained his iron grip over GOP voters, which has helped the ex-president expand his influence within the Senate Republican caucus as McConnell's firm grasp has loosened. As recently as this month, McConnell championed a deal to toughen border security and Trump successfully pushed Republicans to kill it, hoping to wield the border as a political weapon against President Joe Biden in November.

At his weekly news conferences, McConnell has repeatedly refused to comment on Trump, using a refrain that he wont weigh in on the GOP presidential primary or its candidates.

Still, McConnell has long held out that he would endorse the eventual Republican presidential nominee  even if it were Trump.

Trump referred to the possibility of McConnell backing him during a town hall with Laura Ingraham of Fox News last week, saying that while McConnell will probably endorse him, hes not sure he can work with the Kentuckian in a potential second term.

McConnell's Senate term expires at the end of 2026. His current term as Republican leader expires at the end of 2024. He has not said whether he'll run for the post again, although it's still early.

McConnells GOP skeptics say they wouldnt be surprised if he follows through on endorsing Trump, but they doubt that the relationship between the two men can be salvaged. Trump, in particular, is known for holding grudges.

Would you say someone has a relationship if their interactions are purely transactional? said one Senate Republican aide.
LINCOLN -- Nebraska lawmakers, legislative staff, and lobbyists start their day by walking into the State Capitol building to introduce bills, debate policy reform, and, if theyre lucky, be greeted by their favorite political animal: Cameron the Capitol Cat.

The dark brown and black striped tabby, who does have a home just a few blocks away, is usually seen lounging around the south and west doors of the state house, awaiting pets and treats regardless of party affiliation.

The feline fixture has been the legislatures unofficial mascot since 2020 - even posing with Republican Gov. Jim Pillen in support of the Pet Insurance Act last year.

Its kind of wild hes such a sensation, Camerons guardian, Diana McGinnis, said. I dont think Ive had a cat as sociable as Cameron.

Cameron, the Nebraska State Capitol's "Feline Fixture"

More: Commander, Biden's banished German shepherd, had at least 25 biting incidents in a year

McGinnis adopted Cameron in 2015 when he was just a kitten from the Capital Humane Society and, while well-fed and taken care of, is often seen roaming the state capitol grounds to the delight of staffers, including Scott Shafer, who works for the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs.

Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals, everyone loves that cat; hes an escape from the rigors of political life, Shafer said. Theres something about that cat; he seems to be a safe space.

Although quite the celebrity at the state house, there was an inadvertent catnapping in August 2022 when two women mistook Cameron for a stray because he wasnt wearing a collar and taken to the local human society.

Given his wandering ways, McGinnis didnt even realize Cameron was missing until she read a post on his fan page on Facebook. I thought he was at the Capitol until I got a tip that someone had taken him, McGinnis told the Lincoln-Journal Star when it happened. He may come (home) once or twice a day just to get something to eat, and then hell be right back outside, probably back to the Capitol again.

Fortunately for everyone, Cameron was microchipped and quickly returned home.

Cameron, the Nebraska State Capitol's frequent visitor

During a time of political rancor and partisan politics, elected officials from both sides of the aisle appear to agree on at least one thing - Cameron makes everything a little better.

Its a real bonding opportunity, State Sen. Anna Wishart told USA Today. It doesnt matter what issues were debating ... we all enjoy his company.

Since Cameron started coming to the state building, he has gotten more comfortable coming up to people, even stopping to sit on some laps, according to Wishart. She says he even has an internal clock and knows when people will be coming and leaving, even showing up to the statehood gala last year, greeting the attendees in their gowns and tuxes.

More: A look at the presidential pets of American history

Although given a blue collar with his name embroidered to avoid future confusion, a recent photo on X, formerly known as Twitter, shows the eight-year-old tabby defiantly collar-free, proving nothing can keep him from greeting everyone from politicians to taxpayers.

Camerons there when youre walking into work in the morning and youre tired. When you leave for the day, hes there, Shafer said. Cameron doesnt judge.

Nebraska Capitol visitors write messages about Cameron in the snow.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nebraska's "Capitol Cat" brings paw-sitivity to politics
By Andrew Hay

SANTA FE, N.M. (Reuters) - Actor Alec Baldwin's manslaughter trial is set for July 10 for the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during filming of the Western movie "Rust", a New Mexico judge ruled on Monday.

Should his case reach trial, it would be remarkable as Hollywood has little precedent for an actor being held criminally responsible for an on-set shooting. Charges against Baldwin have been dropped once already.

Hutchins died when the reproduction Colt. 45 revolver Baldwin was rehearsing with inside a movie-set church outside Santa Fe fired a live round that also wounded director Joel Souza.

"Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez is standing trial for allegedly bringing the live Colt .45 round on set and failing to detect it due to what prosecutors called her "sloppy and unprofessional" work. She told police she loaded it into Baldwin's gun, mistaking it for a dummy round.

Like Baldwin, Gutierrez faces an involuntary manslaughter charge. Her lawyers claim she is being scapegoated for the actor's failure to follow firearms safety rules and a chaotic, low-budget production where industry safety guidelines were ignored.

On Monday, "Rust" camera crew member Ross Addiego told jurors that Gutierrez and first assistant director Dave Halls would skip firearms safety checks. Halls entered a plea deal last year and was convicted of negligent use of a deadly weapon.

"We were moving at ludicrous speeds," said Addiego, adding that Gutierrez was "not as professional" as other armorers he had worked with.

Baldwin has denied responsibility for Hutchins' death. His lawyers plan to file a motion for charges to be dismissed on grounds a grand jury failed to follow certain rules when it reinstated charges against him in January.

During Gutierrez's trial on Monday, FBI firearms expert Bryce Ziegler said the Italian-made Pietta revolver Baldwin was holding would not fire when fully cocked without the trigger being pulled.

The testimony contrasted with Baldwin's initial comments after the shooting. He told ABC television in December, 2021 that he cocked the gun but did not pull the trigger.

Charges were dropped against Baldwin last year after new evidence suggested the hammer might have been modified and the gun could have fired without the trigger being pulled.

Prosecutors called a grand jury to recharge Baldwin after an independent test of the single-action revolver confirmed the FBI's findings that it would not discharge without a trigger pull.

Ziegler said he did not notice any modifications to the firearm when it arrived at the FBI labs in Quantico, Virginia.

"It was functioning normally when I received it," he said.

(Reporting By Andrew Hay; editing by Donna Bryson, Aurora Ellis and David Gregorio)
President Joe Biden said Monday that he hopes there will be a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war by next week.

"My hope is by next Monday we will have a cease-fire," Biden said in response to a reporter's question while he was in New York City.

"My national security adviser tells me that were close, close but not done yet," he said.

The White House has been working on cease-fire negotiations amid growing pressure from progressives and Palestinian allies.

NBC News has reported that Qatar is mediating talks between Israel and Hamas this week, and cease-fire negotiations have taken place among U.S., Israeli, Qatari and Egyptian officials in Paris.

According to several senior administration officials and Arab diplomats, the negotiators are racing to reach a temporary cease-fire. This is not only to release some of the hostages taken on Oct. 7 and get more aid to starving Gazans, the officials said, but to prevent an explosion of violence around the region when the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins March 10.

Appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers Monday, Biden revealed that there has been an agreement by the Israelis that they would not engage in activities during Ramadan to give us time to get all the hostages out.

A person familiar with the negotiations in Qatar told NBC News there has been progress, but there are still obstacles to be resolved. This includes wrangling over the ratio of hostages to Palestinian prisoners that would be freed, they said.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday that representatives "came to an understanding" about what "the basic contours of a hostage deal for temporary cease-fire would look like."

"There will have to be indirect discussions by Qatar and Egypt with Hamas, because ultimately, they will have to agree to release the hostages," Sullivan said in an interview with CNN, while declining to divulge specifics because the deal was still being negotiated. "That work is underway, and we hope that in the coming days we can drive to a point where there is actually a firm and final agreement on this issue, but we will have to wait and see."

Biden president podium american flag usa us (Evan Vucci / AP)

Israels military is planning a ground offensive in Rafah, where about 1.5 million people are taking refuge. Earlier Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the military has proposed a plan for evacuating civilians.

Earlier Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that if there were a temporary cease-fire, Israel would "then continue fighting until the very last hostages return."

The war began on Oct. 7 when Hamas attacked Israel, where 1,200 people were killed and 200 were kidnapped, according to the Israeli government. Nearly 30,000 people in Gaza have been killed since then, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

During a previous weeklong truce that ended on Dec. 1, more than 100 hostages held in Gaza were released in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
The student at Campbellsville University in Kentucky who was found dead in his dorm room died by manual strangulation, the coroner announced Monday.

Josiah Malachi Kilman, 18, a freshman wrestler, was found unresponsive in his dorm at 12:43 a.m. Saturday.

Kilman, of Columbia Falls, Montana, died of asphyxia by manual strangulation, according to preliminary autopsy results, the Taylor County Coroners Office said Monday.

Josiah Kilman, freshman wrestler at Campbellsville University. (Campbellsville University)

Fellow Campbellsville University student Charles E. Escalara, 21, was arrested Saturday evening on a murder charge in connection with Kilmans death.

Campbellsville police said in an update Monday: "A motive for the crime is still undetermined at this time, however the case is on-going."

Escalara was on the schools men's wrestling team from 2021 to 2022 under the name Zeke Escalera, according to the roster from that year. Campbellsville Police Chief Shannon Wilson told NBC News that Escalara goes by the nickname "Zeke."

Campbellsville police launched a search for Escalera after Kilman was found dead. Just after 5 p.m. Saturday, authorities received a call about a suspicious male inside a barn in Green County. Escalera was found there and arrested by Kentucky State Police.

He was booked into the Taylor County Detention Center on a charge each of murder and second-degree burglary with bond set at $2 million, online booking records show.

Campbellsville, a private Christian university, is 85 miles south of Louisville.

Kilman's family said in a statement that he was "a beautiful, young, 18 year old Christian man from Columbia Falls, Montana who had a passionate heart on fire for the Lord.

They said Kilman was at Campbellsville University on a biblical scholarship with the dreams of leading others to follow the Lord through the Christian principles, of which he himself adhered to.

He was well known to many as an avid athlete and faithful religious leader, his family said. Josiah influenced many hearts as he was a true example of compassion, kindness and love."

University President Joseph Hopkins remembered Kilman as a beloved member of our community and a bright light.

On Monday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said, It is tragic when we lose any of our young people, especially to violence."

I cant imagine as a parent sending your child to college only to learn that you lost them, he said after an unrelated event at Luhr Elementary School in Louisville.

My heart mainly goes out for both that individual and their family, who are struggling the most," Beshear said. "And then thinking of everybody on that campus and how theyre feeling and the work we need to do to re-establish the feeling of security and safety that they and every other Kentuckian ought to be able to wake up with every day."
OWASSO, Okla.  Ally, a senior at Owasso High School here, said the last thing Nex Benedict said to them was happy birthday.

Nex was involved in a fight at the school on Feb. 7, Allys birthday, and died the next day. Nexs mother, Sue Benedict, told The Independent that Nex, 16, was bullied because of his gender identity. As a result, his death has become a rallying cry for LGBTQ activists as Oklahoma and states across the country consider dozens of bills that target the community.

Ally, who uses they/them pronouns and asked to go by only their first name to protect their privacy, said in an interview that they were close friends with Nex.

It was one of those things where you meet them and you automatically feel like youve known them for years kind of thing, Ally said Sunday before a vigil for Nex, whom they met at the start of the school year. They were such an adventurous little thing. It was never really a dull moment with them.

Ally said Nex primarily went by he/him pronouns at school but also used they/them pronouns, which Nex's family also used. Several other friends said Nex preferred he/him pronouns.

The Owasso Police Department said in a statement Wednesday that preliminary information from an autopsy report shows Nexs death wasnt the result of trauma. A toxicology exam is still pending, and an official autopsy will be released later.

non binary death non-binary (Sue Benedict / AP file)

The department released a series of videos Friday that offer a glimpse into the day before Nexs death, including body camera video from a police officers interview with Nex, in which he described how three students jumped him after he threw water on them because they were bullying him and his friend.

Ally and Nex's friend group would always get in trouble for laughing too loudly, particularly in art class, Ally said. Nex  who was also known by friends as Roach or Roachie  was a talented artist and could spend 30 minutes working on something that turned out to be a masterpiece, Ally said.

Ally said the minute they saw the news article about an Owasso student dying after a fight, they knew it was Nex because Nex told Ally and other friends in a group chat that he had been in a fight.

They were always someone who was never afraid to be who they are, Ally said. It was like wherever they went, you were going to accept them, and if you didnt, that was your problem, and they were going to make it your problem. They were very confrontational.

Ally was one of a few people who shared stories about Nex at a vigil Sunday at Redbud Festival Park in Owasso.

Tyler Wrynn, who was one of Nexs teachers at the Owasso 8th Grade Center, told NBC News ahead of the vigil that Nex wasnt on his roster but that he and a plethora of queer kids were always in my room because they knew Wrynn offered "a safe space.

Nex was a fiery kid, Wrynn said. He would light up a room and jump to defend any of his friends if they were getting picked on.

Wrynn said at the vigil that his favorite memories of Nex happened every day when he went out for bus duty after school. Nex would yell across the campus Im gonna fight you and challenge Wrynn over cartoonishly absurd things, Wrynn said. One day it was winner-gets-Wrynns-Ford Mustang. The next it would be if Nex wins, he gets to transfer into Wrynns class.

Among the unanswered questions about Nex and his death is how he identified within the LGBTQ community. Sue Benedict told The Independent that Nex did not see themselves as male or female. Nex saw themselves right down the middle.

Robin Gray, 16, said he dated Nex on and off, and he started his speech at the vigil by clarifying how Nex identified.

I want to start off by saying that Nex was transgender, and he used he/him pronouns, Gray said. He was so much more than his transness.

Gray said one of his favorite memories of Nex was the first time Nex cooked for him. He made Gray wings with a variety of spices, and the next morning he made pancakes.

Spencer, who went by only his first name at the vigil, said that he was Nexs partner and that Nex helped him come out as gay to his parents.

He made everything easier, Spencer said. He kept energy levels high. He would always keep the room in a good mood. He was always one of the brightest kids in the room, whether he would smile or not.

Anna Richardson, a local business owner, said she started organizing the vigil after her son, an Owasso senior, told her about what happened to Nex and about bullying that LGBTQ students at the school face. She said that they had daily conversations at home about whether the students had a place to process Nexs death at school and that her son told her, Nobody feels like they can talk about it or are allowed to talk about it.

So, she said, she asked Nexs family whether she could plan a vigil to give the community a place to remember Nex and grieve, and Nexs great-grandmother said yes, though the family didnt attend.

Its important to me that this is a safe place for us to honor a child that senselessly died in our community, Richardson said ahead of the vigil.

Ally said their once-rambunctious group in art class is quieter without Nex. Despite the near-constant news about Nexs death, Ally said, they are in denial.

For some reason, its like Im always looking for them wherever I go, even though I was there at the funeral. I watched them be placed in the ground. I was one of the last people to leave, Ally said. I always look for them in crowds, and Im still waiting for them to come back to our class. I do miss them a lot.
Shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, Sen. Josh Hawley predicted the decision would bring transformational change to American politics.

Now, for the first time since that court ruling, Hawley is caught up in that transformation.

Hawley, a Missouri Republican, is up for reelection in a state that has one of the strictest abortion laws in the country, further than Hawley himself supports. The procedure is banned even for victims of rape and incest.

The first-term senator could be on the same ballot as a measure to enshrine abortion rights in the Missouri Constitution and a presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, whose allies are seeking to strengthen federal limitations on the procedure.

How Hawley navigates the abortion issue may determine whether he pays a political price at the ballot box. Hawley won election in 2018 by a margin of nearly six percentage points and Democrats will attempt to use Hawleys views on abortion to eat into his support.

Once a bellwether, Missouri has become reliably Republican in the six years since Hawley defeated former Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in 2018. But Democrats have seized on abortion rights in conservative states like Kansas and Kentucky to help win gubernatorial races and defeat ballot initiatives aimed at further restricting abortion rights.

Hawley has said he believes abortion laws should be decided by the states and he supports the idea of Missourians voting on abortion rights. But he has also said he believes a measure to allow abortion in the state will fail.

In my lifetime, nothing that any voter in my state has ever voted on has mattered with regard to abortion, Hawley said after the Dobbs ruling in 2022. Because weve never had any say. The voters of Missouri and every other state now, what they decide on this is going to be law. And thats a big change.

Still, Hawley also supports federal measures to limit abortion and signed on to a bill to ban the procedure after 15 weeks, months after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. Its unlikely such a ban would be able to make it through the U.S. Senate, where it would require bipartisan support to pass.

Hawleys campaign declined to comment on the record for this article.

Should Trump win the White House in November, anti-abortion activists are looking beyond Congress. A policy plan written compiled by scores of key conservative activists, called Project 2025, called the Dobbs ruling just the beginning of the conservative effort to prevent abortion.

With the absence of Roe setting a legal requirement for how far the federal government can go to restrict abortion, activists are advocating for a Republican president to use executive power to block abortion pills, restrict travel for abortion and back off from defending abortion rights in the courts.

Its clear that a lot can be done, said Kristi Hamrick, the vice president for media and policy at Students for Life, an anti-abortion group. From the use of the bully pulpit, to the use of regulatory power, to the use of personnel. Theres a lot that can be done.

One key target  abortion pills.

Medication abortion counts for more than half of the abortions performed in the United States. In 2021, the FDA made it easier for women to access medication abortion by no longer requiring in-person doctor visits to receive the two pills  mifepristone, then misoprostol  at home.

The rule change has made it possible for abortion clinics in states where the procedure is legal to mail pills to people in states where the procedure is illegal. The New York Times reported that clinics in states like Massachusetts have even been protected against criminal charges by their state government.

Anti-abortion advocates are pushing for a Republican administration to restrict or eliminate the use of medication abortion.

One way is through enforcement of the Comstock Act, a 1873 federal law which prohibits the mailing of obscene material, including anything used for contraception or abortion. The Supreme Court ruled that law does not apply to birth control, but a case, led by Erin Morrow Hawley, argues that the Comstock Act should apply to medication abortion.

Morrow Hawley, who works with the Alliance Defending Freedom and is married to Sen. Hawley, is leading a case before the Supreme Court next month on behalf of a group of doctors who argue that mifepristone is not safe enough for FDA approval. She has already won partial victories focused on safeguards for the drug in lower courts.

The case is among the first significant legal challenges pushing the Supreme Court to go further in restricting access to abortion. In a column last June in the WORLD News Group, a religious news organization, Morrow Hawley called her case hope on the horizon in the struggle against chemical abortion pills.

Yet the fact that many states still allow elective abortions under a regime more extreme than Roe underscores the need to change hearts and minds, Morrow Hawley wrote. We must not only make abortion unlawfulbut also unthinkable.

Already, Democrats have highlighted the anti-abortion advocacy of the Hawley family. Lucas Kunce, a Democrat running for Senate, has said he plans to make abortion rights a significant part of his campaign against Hawley, should he win the Democratic primary in August.

He has framed the issue as a way that Hawley wants to control the people of Missouri.

This is him, Kunce said in an interview with The Star. This is his life. This is his crusade. This is his familys business. This is what they do. This will be a referendum on him and abortion at the same time.

The November election may also contain a referendum on abortion rights in Missouri. Activists are currently circulating a petition that would make the procedure legal in the state, but would allow restrictions after fetal viability.

Jared Young, an independent candidate running for Senate, said he supports the referendum but thinks it should be one decided by the individual states.

I always felt like the national mandate that Roe created was a mistake, Young said. This divisive, emotional issue, this is exactly the kind of issue that the founders envisioned this laboratory of democracy, federalist system for. And so Missouri will decide for Missouri.

Activists have until May to collect around 170,000 signatures  8% of voters in two thirds of six out of Missouris eight congressional districts.

And while advocates point to the success of abortion rights groups against ballot measures in Kansas and Kentucky, the Missouri ballot measure will be different.

Instead of rejecting ballot language that would allow state legislatures to create stiffer abortion regulations, Missourians will be asked to reverse the existing law that prevents abortions in the state.

Jean Evans, the former executive director of the Missouri Republican Party, said if the measure makes it on the ballot, she expects that it would increase turnout among suburban women and young women, just as it has in other states.

But she said she doesnt think the issue will cost Hawley the election.

Its a double digit, conservative state, Evans said. That would be an awful lot for a challenger against Josh Hawley, who is extremely popular amongst Republicans. I know that Democrats dont like him, but Josh Hawley is arguably one of, if not the most, popular Republican in Missouri politics.

In 2022 Democrats nominated Trudy Busch Valentine, from the family that owned Anheuser-Busch, in a year where abortion rights were the focus of Democratic candidates across the country. Busch Valentine lost the race by more than 13 percentage points.

Still, Democratic groups are centering abortion rights again in 2024, amid a presidential election where two widely unpopular candidates are expected to be at the top of the ballot.

When Republicans tell you who they are, believe them, said Danni Wang, a spokeswoman with Emilys List, an advocacy group that focuses on electing women who favor abortion rights.

They want to pass a national abortion ban and if they had their way, they would absolutely pass a national abortion ban with no exceptions. This is certainly the case in the plans that theyve telegraphed.
By Boldizsar Gyori

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's parliament elected Constitutional Court chief Tamas Sulyok as the country's next president on Monday, two weeks after the unexpected resignation of Katalin Novak.

Novak, a close ally of conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban, resigned from the largely ceremonial role as president after she came under mounting pressure for pardoning a man convicted of helping to cover up sexual abuse in a children's home.

Sulyok's swift election could help Orban regain the political initiative after a scandal that appeared to clash with one of his party's key tenets: its commitment to traditional family and Christian values.

Parliament elected Sulyok for five years with the backing of lawmakers from Orban's ruling party, which has a commanding majority.

"Just as a lawyer, also as President of the Republic, I can best serve the public good and stand for the unity of the nation by upholding the fundamental values of the law," Sulyok said in a statement after his nomination.

In a brief speech after his election, he promised transparency in his decisions about presidential pardons and awards.

Sulyok has been the president of Hungary's top court since 2016, a mandate he also received with the backing of lawmakers from the Fidesz ruling party.

He is expected to take up the role on March 5.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than and Boldizsar Gyori; editing by Christina Fincher and Andrew Heavens)
By Krisztina Than and Niklas Pollard

BUDAPEST/STOCKHOLM, Reuters - Hungary's parliament approved Sweden's NATO accession on Monday, clearing the last hurdle before the historic step by the Nordic country whose neutrality lasted through two world wars and the simmering conflict of the Cold War.

Hungary's vote ended months of delays to complete Sweden's security policy shift and followed a visit by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Friday during which the two countries signed an arms deal.

"Today is a historic day," Kristersson said on X. "Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security."

Sweden's NATO membership was supported by 188 lawmakers in Hungarian parliament, with 6 against and no abstentions.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government has faced pressure from NATO allies to fall in line and seal Sweden's accession to the alliance.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg immediately welcomed Hungary's ratification. "Sweden's membership will make us all stronger and safer," he said on X.

Stockholm abandoned its non-alignment policy for greater safety within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

With Sweden following Finland into NATO, President Vladimir Putin has effectively achieved the very thing he sought to avert when he launched his war in Ukraine - an expansion of the alliance, Western leaders have said.

While Finland became a NATO member last year, Sweden was kept waiting as Turkey and Hungary, which both maintain better relations with Russia than other members of the U.S.-led alliance, raised objections.

LONG ROAD TO RATIFICATION

Turkey withheld ratification on Sweden's membership demanding tougher action against militants from the Kurdistan Workers' party (PKK) it said had made a home in Sweden.

Sweden changed its laws and relaxed rules over arms sales to assuage Turkey. President Tayyip Erdogan also linked ratification with U.S. approval of sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, with Ankara now expecting the United States to work on securing the U.S. Congress' endorsement.

Hungary's foot-dragging was less clear in nature with Budapest mostly venting its annoyance over Swedish criticism of the direction of democratic development under nationalist premier Orban rather than any concrete demands.

Orban - who has refused to send weapons to neighbouring Ukraine and repeatedly criticised Western sanctions against Russia - on Monday again urged a ceasefire in Ukraine.

The accession of Sweden, which has not been at war since 1814, and Finland is the most significant expansion of the alliance since its move into Eastern Europe in the 1990s.

While Sweden has ramped up cooperation with the alliance in recent decades, contributing to operations in places such as Afghanistan, its membership is set to simplify defence planning and cooperation on NATO's northern flank.

"NATO gains a member that is serious and capable and it removes a factor of uncertainty in Northern Europe," said Robert Dalsjo, senior analyst at the Swedish Defence Research Agency, a government think tank.

"Sweden gains security in a crowd ... supported by American nuclear deterrence."

Sweden also brings resources such as cutting-edge submarines tailored to Baltic Sea conditions and a sizable fleet of domestically produced Gripen fighter jets into the alliance. It is hiking military spending and should reach NATO's threshold of 2% of GDP this year.

The ratification will now be signed by the speaker of parliament and Hungary's president within a few days, after which the remaining formalities, such as depositing accession documentation in Washington, are likely to be concluded swiftly.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than in Budapest, Niklas Pollard, Simon Johnson and Johan Ahlander in Stockholm; additional reporting by Marie Mannes and Tom Little; Writing by Niklas Pollard and Krisztina Than; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Ros Russell)
The political network financed largely by billionaire Charles Koch announced Sunday that it will no longer spend funds to support Nikki Haley's presidential bid.

Former President Donald Trump on Saturday swept to victory over Haley in South Carolina, her home state, where she once served as governor.

In an email obtained by NBC News, which was confirmed by two sources who received it, the network's advocacy arm said that following Haleys loss in South Carolina, the group no longer believes it can make a meaningful difference for her in the race, senior adviser Emily Seidel said. Instead, Americans for Prosperity Action will focus its resources down the ballot on House and Senate races.

She has made it clear that she will continue to fight and we wholeheartedly support her in this effort, Seidel said. But given the challenges in the primary states ahead, we dont believe any outside group can make a material difference to widen her path to victory.

Politico first reported the decision. A representative for Americans for Prosperity, or AFP, did not respond to a request for comment.

The move is a blow to Haley as she vows to continue against Trump, who beat her by about 20 percentage points Saturday and captured all but three delegates.

AFP provided crucial support to Haley on the ground, mobilizing its vast network of grassroots political activists to help get the vote out for her in early states. The group also poured money into advertising, hoping to fuel her rise. AFP Action, a super PAC, spent more than $31 million boosting Haley in the race, according to Federal Election Commission data.

Donors to Americans for Prosperity, which is part of the political arm of the larger Koch network and is led by Seidel, had pressed the group to endorse a Republican primary candidate in the race to find an alternative to Trump.

When the group endorsed Haley in November, Seidel said AFP Action was looking for the best Republican to turn the page on the current political era. She said that candidate was Haley, with the group better equipped to help her do it than any other organization.

Even so, many longtime Koch-world operatives questioned the decision, seeing little chance for her to win the nomination.

Haleys pathway has now all but closed, with Trump appearing to be cruising toward his partys presidential nomination.

Haley has said she does not think Trump can defeat President Joe Biden.

Sounding a resolute note Sunday, Haleys campaign touted new fundraising numbers to fuel the fight ahead.

AFP is a great organization and ally in the fight for freedom and conservative government. We thank them for their tremendous help in this race, Haleys campaign said. Our fight continues, and with more than $1 million coming in from grassroots conservatives in just the last 24 hours, we have plenty of fuel to keep going.

Haley's team added, We have a country to save.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the Koch network had been "played for suckers right from the beginning."

The announcement Sunday was a disappointing end for AFP's strategy after it promised a year ago to reverse American politics' downward spiral by backing a Trump alternative.

On Sunday, Seidel wrote that AFP knew from the start that the path faced the longest odds but that given the stakes, it couldnt sit on the sidelines.

This organization exists to do hard things, she said.

The enthusiasm felt through the start of the year and into New Hampshire appeared to slip as Trump's grip on the race became harder to ignore.

Asked about AFP Actions decision, a source briefed on the decision said that after the New Hampshire primary, theyd already made a commitment on January 8 with the TV buys. And there was hope, realistic hope, that things would change.

That notion began to fade when the surge never materialized.

There was an honest objective belief that her campaign was still surging, especially when Donald Trump reacted the way he did towards her doing so well and not dropping out, the source said. That hope did not come to fruition.
By Ju-min Park and Minwoo Park

SEOUL (Reuters) - Ryu Ok Hada always wanted to help people, but now the South Korean trainee doctor has walked off the job and stands outside the hospital where he worked, holding his medical gown in his hand.

Park Dan, who recently realised his childhood dream of being an emergency physician, is also one of over 7,800 interns and residents who have resigned in a confrontation with the government, which threatens to arrest them.

Ryu and Park say the junior doctors, a crucial cog in South Korea's highly regarded medical system, are overworked, underpaid and unheard.

Hospitals have turned away patients and cancelled surgeries after about two-thirds of the country's young doctors walked off the job this month in protest.

The young doctors say their pay and working conditions should be the priority, rather than the government's plan to boost the number of physicians. The authorities say more staff are needed to increase healthcare services in remote areas and meet the growing demands of one of the world's most rapidly ageing societies.

"The current medical system in South Korea, which is a great one, is run by making cheap trainee doctors keep grinding," Ryu, 25, told Reuters.

Senior doctors and private practitioners have not walked out but have held rallies urging the government to scrap its plan, with 400 gathering in Seoul on Sunday.

But the government's plan to boost medical school admissions is popular, with about 76% of respondents in favour, regardless of political affiliation, a recent Gallup Korea poll found.

TORN BETWEEN PATIENTS, POLICY

Intern and resident doctors in South Korea work 36-hour shifts, compared to shifts of less than 24 hours in the U.S., according to the Korean Intern Resident Association. It says half the young U.S. physicians work 60 hours a week or less, while Korean doctors often work more than 100 hours.

Ryu said he worked more than 100 hours a week at one of the country's most prestigious university hospitals, for 2 million won to 4 million won ($1,500-$3,000) a month including overtime pay. A first-year U.S. resident averages about $5,000 a month, according to American Medical Association data.

Hospitals have not processed the resignations of the protesting doctors, who say they are not on strike. The government has ordered them back to work, threatening to arrest them or revoke their licenses, saying their collective action cannot be justified and people's lives must come first.

Park and other doctors say the order is unconstitutional, forcing them to work against their will.

The doctors on walkout represent just a fraction of South Korea's 100,000 doctors, but they can make up more than 40% of staff at large teaching hospitals, performing crucial tasks in emergency rooms, intensive care units and operating rooms.

Emergency rooms at South Korea's five biggest hospitals were on "red alert" on Sunday, meaning they were running out of beds. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said on Friday that public hospitals would stay open longer and on weekends and holidays to meet demand.

Park, 33, who heads the Korean Intern Resident Association, wants the authorities to bring doctors into essential disciplines such as paediatrics and emergency departments at large hospitals.

Doctors want better legal protection from malpractice suits and changes to a system where many hospitals rely on a low-paid workforce and off-insurance services to stay afloat in a country often praised for providing universal quality medical coverage affordably, Park said.

He said he was torn between his patients and a government enforcing policy without listening to the doctors, but that he had little choice."With pride to save patients I came this far. As many doctors say, it was heartbreaking and difficult to leave patients behind," Park said. "But the current system is distorted, so we need better than that."

($1 = 1,329.9500 won)

(Reporting by Ju-min Park and Minwoo Park; Editing by William Mallard)
Senators are set to deal with the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in swift fashion this week as they look ahead to a pair of government funding deadlines.

The Senate returns to Washington on Monday from a two-week recess staring down a number of priorities, including averting a partial government shutdown. But first, they must deal with a pair of articles of impeachment against Mayorkas the House approved earlier this month.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has said the articles would be transmitted upon the Senates return, with senators set to be sworn in as jurors shortly after.

Its unclear how Schumer will try to dispense with the articles. He could try to dismiss them, or he could refer them to a special committee, both of which would require a simple majority vote.

No matter which he chooses, members on both sides of the aisle widely expect the chamber to spend the minimal amount of time possible on the topic, especially with government funding on the front burner.

I dont know what leaderships preference would be. But I bet the preference is going to be to spend as little time as possible so we can focus on [appropriations], Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told reporters last week, noting the Senate also has to act on the Houses tax reform bill and could return its focus to the national security supplemental it passed before recess.

Those are items that we want to turn our attention to. Those are meaningful and substantive, Kaine continued. Unlike the Mayorkas impeachment.

Many Republicans agree.

There has been increasing skepticism from corners of the Senate GOP conference who question whether Mayorkas  who has no shortage of detractors among the membership  reached the bar of high crimes and misdemeanors and whether impeaching him was a good use of time.

They also have wondered aloud whether impeachment is the correct remedy as some believe Mayorkas is simply carrying out the Biden administrations agenda, and that an ouster of the secretary wouldnt change much.

Theres so much happening.  We already know the outcome, so why would we spend time on a pointless exercise, said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.). Im not even comfortable impeaching cabinet secretaries. They work for the president. To the degree that their boss would be facilitating high crimes and misdemeanors in the cabinet, thats the bosss fault.

I just think its weird to be impeaching somebody who already has a supervisor, Cramer said.

It remains unclear exactly when the articles will come over. One Senate GOP source said the House has not yet decided when to transmit them because doing so next week could be complicated by the first government funding deadline.

The first four funding bills need to be dealt with by Friday at midnight, while the rest of the funding expires the following Friday.

Top senators still expect the articles to arrive this week though, and for Schumer to move quickly once they are transmitted. Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Republican, told The Hill in an interview that he expects the chamber to take up the articles this week and that Schumer will move to table them almost immediately.

Thats my assumption on how hes going to play it, Thune said. I think that well get a better read on that [this week], but thatd be my guess.

The two impeachment articles accuse Mayorkas of refusing to comply with immigration laws passed by Congress and of obstructing and misleading congressional oversight.

Skepticism from both sides hasnt dissuaded a group of Senate conservatives who called on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to pressure Schumer to have a full trial on the pair of articles against Mayorkas. Thirteen Republicans signed the letter, which was organized by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah).

This is an action rarely contemplated and never taken by the U.S. Senate in the history of our Republic, the letter read. It remains to be seen if the Senate rules will even allow us to brush aside our duty in this manner, but one thing is sure, if a similar strategy was contemplated by Senate Republicans when we were in the majority with a Republican occupying the White House, the opposition would be fierce and the volume from Democrats would be deafening.

Cramer took issue with the letter, saying that he doesnt know why theyre pushing it and questioned why it was addressed to McConnell as Schumer controls the floor.

He also noted the conference has not discussed the Mayorkas impeachment at recent lunches and meetings, the last of which came during as the chamber debated and ultimately passed the national security supplemental.

Biden, meanwhile, is weighing an executive order that would tighten how asylum claims are handled at the southern border, a move that would attempt to stem the flow of migrants at the Southern border and give him a political boost ahead of November. The move would come after a bipartisan legislative effort flamed out quickly after months of negotiations, which Biden was supportive of.

However, Republicans are panning him for the potential move, arguing it is too little and too late as border crossing numbers have exploded throughout his presidency, culminating with more than 300,000 crossings in December.

The Biden administrations irredeemable. Theres just nothing they can do at this point. Theres no executive order he can issue. Theres nothing else that can restore his credibility on the border, Cramer said. This is all on him. In fact, anything he does to correct it is an admission of his own failures.

One question that still looms is whether Schumer will move to dismiss or table the articles, or to refer them to a special Senate committee to review the impeachment articles. The latter move would bury the articles until after Election Day and be beneficial for a number of Senate Democrats, including Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who are running for reelection in red or purple states and would avoid a tough vote months before Election Day.

People are already blaming Biden and Democrats on the border, so wed love to keep talking about it, one Senate GOP aide said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Three years ago, Florida and Texas passed laws prohibiting Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube from engaging in viewpoint discriminationforbidding them from censoring content or deplatforming users. NetChoice, a trade association of e-commerce businesses, sued both states to challenge their authority to impose these restrictions. The laws are enjoined for now, after the 11th and 5th Circuit Courts of Appeals issued conflicting decisions. Today, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in both cases.

The states will argue, among other rationales, that they have authority to enforce these laws because the social media platforms are common carriers. The problem? No one seems to know what a common carrier is.

The term first applied to businesses that transported goods, but over the years courts have imposed common carrier regulations on everything from utilities companies to grain elevators. At the same time, theyve expressed uncertainty about whether internet service providers or cable operators count. Justice Clarence Thomas inspired further debate (and perhaps even the Florida and Texas laws) when he suggested in a 2021 concurrence that some digital platforms resemble traditional common carriers. But he struggledlike everyone elseto define exactly what a common carrier is.

However we choose to define common carrier, the stakes are high. Common carriers lose some of the legal privileges of private companies and become subject to stricter regulation. For instance, if a common carrier denies someone equal service, that person can sue for damages. Thats a common law ruleno legislation required. (In fact, if the Supreme Court decides social media platforms are common carriers, the Texas and Florida anti-discrimination laws wont matter. The platforms would be subject to common law tort claims by anyone across the nation who was denied equal service.)

Despite the many failed attempts at a definition, history points us to a straightforward answer: Social media platforms are not common carriers.

Texas definition is at once overinclusive and underinclusive.

In NetChoice v. Paxton, Texas argues that the centuries-old calling card of a common carrier is that it does not make individual decisions, in particular cases, whether and on what terms to deal. This is often referred to as the holding out test. A common carrier holds out to serve the public without individualized bargaining.

Imagine if this were the true definition of a common carrier. It would presumably include every local doughnut shop (or barber or grocery store or auto mechanic). Have you ever walked into one of those that made an individual decision about whether to serve you or on what terms? Me neither. So either a doughnut shop is a common carrier, or this cant be the whole definition. Its overinclusive.

The definition is underinclusive, too. Under Texas definition, companies could evade common carrier regulation merely by stating they make individual decisions on what terms to deal. Consider water and electric utilitiescompanies that have historically been subject to common carrier regulation. Once theyve established their networks in an area, they dont pick and choose which people theyll serve. Now imagine a water company announcing that it will do business only via individual bargaining. It stops holding out to serve the public. Does Texas definition mean that the water company wouldnt be a common carrier and courts couldnt require it to serve citizens indiscriminately? (Im not sure I buy this argument. But several scholars raise it as a problem with the holding out standard.)

Texas does hedge its bets by noting that courts sometimes consider other factors. The state says you might be a common carrier if you:

operate in the communications industry,

possess market power,

benefit from government support, or

are affected with a public interest

Aside from the first of those factors, the other three share something important in commonno one could possibly know what they include and what they exclude. These definitions are the dream of any judge who wants to impose whatever standard he or she chooses. Theyre the nightmare of any judge who wants to simply call balls and strikes. Is the common law definition of common carriers really this indeterminate?

What About Florida?

Florida claims the common carrier doctrine has long extended to those who disseminate or facilitate the speech of others. The state points to historical regulation of telegraph and telephone companies for support. But does this now mean that every bookstore or record store is a common carrier? Each disseminates  the speech of others.

These examples arent what common law courts had in mind when they assumed extra regulatory power over ferries, innkeepers, and public utilities.

So what should the Supreme Court do? Is every definition too narrow, broad, or nebulous to adequately capture the historical meaning of common carrier?

Yes, every definition fails. What the court should do instead is to provide exactly two clear definitions.

Why we need two definitions.

The long history of common carrier doctrine shows that it developed along two separate tracks. Each track has a different formal test, a slightly different regulatory regime, and a different functional rationale for the regulation. The reason modern courts and scholars seem to miss that point is that businesses on both tracks were often referred to simply as common carriers, even though they were classified that way based on different characteristics and for different purposes.

Whenever we attempt to merge the tracks, we develop an unsatisfactory rule or a dubious balancing test. Keep the tracks separate, though, and each rule comes into focus. As Ive detailed at length, we can simply describe the two types of common carriers as track one and track two carriers.

Track one carriers are identified by two elements: 1) they hold out to serve the public without individualized bargaining, and 2) they either carry goods as bailees or they host traveling strangers. Think of ferries, innkeepers, and FedEx. Common law courts required anyone in this group to serve all comers equally. The courts also held them strictly liable for the goods they carried.

Courts justified imposing higher standards on this group because travelers and people who shipped goods were uniquely vulnerable. Common carriers and innkeepers, meanwhile, were uniquely positioned to exploit those vulnerabilities. Without legal protection, a traveler who relied on an innkeepers services risked being stranded, and someone shipping goods risked embezzlement. Imagine, for example, you ship a money order via a common carrier and the carrier says he was robbed along the way. Who should bear responsibility? Common carrier doctrine says the carrier does. That way he cant fake the robbery and steal the money.

The history explains why several courtsincluding, finally, the Supreme Court in Primrose v. Western Union Telegraph Companydecided that telegraph companies dont belong to this first group of common carriers. They are not common carriers because they are not bailees, in any sense. Telegraph messages cannot be the subject of embezzlement, so the rationale for subjecting telegraph companies to strict liability for their transmissions didnt fit like it did for companies that offered delivery of physical goods.

You might be surprised by that. Telegraphs are common carriers, no? They arebut of a different kind. Theyre track two carriers.

A track two carrier is identified by a single element: its acceptance of a franchise of government power. When a company accepts access to a power or privilege typically reserved to the government, it becomes invested with a public interest. Specifically, if a company receives access to public property or the right to exercise a legal monopoly, its a track two carrier.

When telegraph companies used eminent domain or public rights-of-way to string their lines, they engaged in a regulatory bargain with an implied agreement to serve the public. If theyd used eminent domain power without the implied bargain to serve the public, it would have violated the Takings Clause (and before the 14th Amendment, similar clauses in state constitutions).

The logic of track two carrier regulation is straightforward: If the government gives public property or power to a private business, that business must use what it has received to serve the public indiscriminately. Otherwise, it would constitute a public taking for private use.

Now we see why most public utilities have been subject to common carrier regulation. They required access to public propertyand sometimes a legal monopolyto develop their extensive infrastructure networks. In exchange, they agreed to serve everyone in the area equally.

Table 1: Form, function, and regulation of track one and track two carriers

The two-track theory resolves each of the problems above.

Recall my earlier examples: doughnut shops, a water company that stops holding out to serve the public, and book and record stores. The track one and track two definitions resolve questions about each.

My local doughnut shop isnt a common carrier, even though it doesnt make individual decisions about whether to serve or on what terms. Thats because it doesnt carry goods for its customers. It cant embezzle my property because it never takes custody of it. Yes, the doughnut shop holds itself out to serve the public indiscriminately, and that can make it a public accommodation. But that doesnt make it a common carrier.

What about a water company that announces it will only do business via individual bargainingit says it doesnt hold out to serve the public? These definitions dont let it off the hook. If the track one definition were the only definition of common carriers, the water company might evade its public duty. But under track two, if the company accepted special access to public property when it ran its pipes, it implicitly agreed to serve the public. Businesses that accept access to public property cant dodge their public duty by not holding out.

And what about bookstores and record stores? Even though they disseminate the speech of others, they look more like a doughnut shop and less like a telegraph company under this analysis. They dont carry anything for their customers, and they havent accepted a public franchise. Once again, they might be public accommodations, but they wouldnt qualify as either type of common carrier.

The two-track theory also explains why many of Texas other cobbled-together factors are often present in common carriers but dont determine whether a company is a common carrier.

Texas claim that participation in the communications industry can make someone a common carrier confuses correlation for causation. Most communications providersphone companies, cable TV, and internet providersneed access to public property to develop their networks. That makes them track two carriers, because of their use of public property, not because of their general affiliation with the communications industry.

Same for the market power factor Texas uses. Companies that develop large infrastructure networks will often have outsized market power. But the market power is a result of the networks they built using government franchises. A companys market power doesnt, on its own, make it a common carrier.

Finally, Texas other proposed standardsgovernment support and public interestdo fit the historical definitions of track two carriers, but only if we make them more specific. A common carrier does enjoy government support, but so does every business that receives a tax incentive. The rule has to be narrower to match its historical form and purpose. We need to ask whether a business has received government support in the form of a legal monopoly or access to public property, not just whether it has received any government support. Same with Texas fourth factor: affected with a public interest. The phrase had a fixed meaning in its original context. Businesses that enjoy the kind of government support Ive just referenced are invested with a public interest. The rest are not.

Now apply this to social media platforms.

Track one: Social media platforms obviously dont fit the track one carrier standard. They serve the public without individual bargaining, so they can be regulated as public accommodations. But just as telegraph companies arent track one carriers because they arent bailees, neither are social media platforms.

In his 5th Circuit NetChoice opinion, Judge Andrew Oldham called the physical carriage requirement a wooden metaphysical literalism. Thats because he misunderstood that literal carriage is a key element if this part of the doctrine is supposed to protect against embezzlement. Oldham also complained that telegraphs cant be common carriers if physical carriage is required. He nearly got that right. Theyre not this kind of common carrier. He just missed that a second kind exists.

Track two: The historical track two standard doesnt fit the platforms, either. They havent received eminent domain authority or public rights-of-way from the government. And the government never granted them legal monopolies so they could develop without competition.

Instead, the track two argument relies on other ways the government has supported the companiesmost notably via Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Section 230 immunizes the platforms from lawsuits that treat them as speakers when others use their platforms to speak. That means Facebook cant be sued for someones libelous posts or comments. Texas and Florida say that kind of government support converts a company to common carrier status. History doesnt support that argument, nor does constitutional reasoning.

True, many common carriers have received special immunities from the government. But governments have historically granted those immunities because a business was regulated as a common carrier. They didnt use the immunities to convert a business into a common carrier.

Constitutional reasoning doesnt support the Section 230 argument.

Consider what happens if states can impose common carrier obligations on any company by giving it some kind of immunity. To take an example of states trying to regulate businesses on other grounds, Colorado could grant all bakeries and web designers some benign immunity, then declare theyre common carriers that can be regulated differently than other companies. The state would argue that Masterpiece Cakeshop and 303 Creative no longer apply because bakers and web designers no longer enjoy the same constitutional protections as other private companies. Whether that would be a winning argument is uncertain. But its the argument Texas and Florida are making.

The Supreme Court could resolve the NetChoice cases on other grounds, but I hope the court doesnt miss this opportunity to resolve the common carrier question. Otherwise, the problem will continue to bedevil courts. A two-track definition would get us out of the strained definitions and indeterminate balancing tests that run throughout todays doctrinal mess.

Read more at The Dispatch

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Ahmad abu Alezz, left, and Mohammad Al Farra spend their evenings in Ramallah watching the news, smoking and talking about their loved ones trapped in the Gaza Strip by the war. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Since the war began, two friends have spent most evenings holed up at the Ramallah television studio where one of them works.

They remain long after the nightly news has taped and most of the staff has departed, chain-smoking cigarettes and talking about the only thing that matters: Gaza.

Both men have families who are trapped there. Ahmad abu Alezz's four sons are crammed into tents in the southern city of Rafah. Mohammad Al Farras parents are camped in the nearby town of Al Mawasi.

At least thats what he hopes. It has been six weeks since Al Farras mother or father answered one of his messages. Each day he scans lists of the latest victims of the Israel-Hamas war, praying he wont find their names.

The Gaza Strip and the West Bank, territories that Palestinians claim for their future state, are separated by some 25 miles. But they are worlds apart.

Since 2007, when Hamas seized control in Gaza, an Israeli blockade on the territory has almost completely curtailed Palestinians' ability to move between the two regions, and residents from each area have led increasingly disconnected lives.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Top, a boy takes trash to a bin on a hilltop overlooking the Qalandiya checkpoint on the outskirts of Ramallah, West Bank. Bottom, commercial trucks near the checkpoint. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

The war in Gaza has exacerbated that sense of distance, with periodic power outages and scarce internet leaving people there more cut off than ever from the outside world. In the West Bank, where news channels feature constant coverage of the nearly 30,000 Gazans who have been killed by Israel's attacks, the war has stirred feelings of solidarity  and impotence.

Al Farra, 44, can barely sleep not knowing whether his parents are alive or dead. One of the last times he spoke to his mother, she told him she was so hungry she had resorted to eating weeds.

Im the oldest son, he said. I should be there to protect them.

He was unable to protect his sister.

Mohammad Al Farra, center right, carries son Yosef, 8, on his shoulders as he and his family march at a Ramallah rally calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

A cameraman, Al Farra left Gaza in 1999 for a work opportunity in the West Bank.

He never returned. But he managed to stay close to his family, beaming in virtually for birthdays and other celebrations.

He was especially attached to his sister, Semat, who was one year older. She was full of life, a gossip who knew so much about the neighbors that Al Farra jokingly called her Reuters, after the news agency. Semats eldest daughter was to be married on Oct. 25. Al Farra had sent her a gift.

On Oct. 7, Hamas militants broke through the border barrier that encircles Gaza and killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, in southern Israel. In Gaza, Al Farra's family postponed the wedding and braced for Israel's response.

Al Farra tried to stay in touch with his relatives as Israel unleashed a massive bombing campaign and he worked overtime as a journalist in the West Bank, where many feared spillover violence.

Palestinians march in Ramallah, West Bank, to call for a cease-fire in Gaza. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

On Oct. 25, he was in the field with his camera when colleagues told him the news: A missile had struck his familys apartment building in Gaza. His parents had survived, but Semat and most of her children  including the daughter whose wedding had once been planned for that day  were dead.

A video of Al Farra weeping, still dressed in a bulletproof vest emblazoned with the word press, went viral.

In the subsequent weeks, Al Farra found himself lingering at the studio long after he finished work. He didnt want to bring his misery home to his wife and two children.

Abu Alezz, 52, stepped in, showing up to cook Al Farra dinners of fish seasoned with Gazan spices. The men had met years before through a mutual friend  the manager of the station  but the purgatory of war had brought them closer.

We calm each other down, said Al Farra. It makes it easier.

Abu Alezz, who lives alone in a small apartment filled with caged songbirds, was dealing with his own nightmare.

He fled Gaza in 2007 after getting cross-ways with Hamas, which had unleashed a campaign of violence against political rivals when it seized control of the enclave. His sons remained there with their mother.

Ahmad abu Alezz tends to his songbirds. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

When bombs started falling in October, the family fled its home in Jabaliya and was forced to move four more times, eventually ending up with other displaced civilians  more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million population  in Rafah.

Israel had declared the city a safe zone from the fighting.

This month, the military said it plans to invade Rafah to root out remaining Hamas fighters. Abu Alezz has been gripped with fear.

Its maddening, he said. They want to encircle 1.5 million people with tanks?

It was approaching midnight, and the studio was mostly empty. Al Farra had his arm draped over Abu Alezzs shoulder as they smoked and watched TV. Eventually Abu Alezz rose from the leather sofa and began to pace.

Mohammad Al Farra tears up as he speaks about his family trapped in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

If they invade Rafah, Israel will regret this for a million years, he said. How will you convince the people there to ever want peace?

Al Farra nodded. This is a genocide," he said. "How will a child who saw their siblings or a parent blown apart ever forget this?

Both lighted another cigarette.

Before Oct. 7, they each smoked a few packs a week. Now they needed two or three just to make it through the day.

For each other's sake, they try to keep things light.

Al Farra joked that his wife is jealous of all the time he spends with Abu Alezz  and of the fish dinners his friend feeds him.

"At least she's saving on groceries," Abu Alezz quipped, and they laughed.

But everything comes back to the war. Images of leveled buildings in Gaza aren't abstractions to the men who grew up there. "Of course I know that street," Al Farra said when an image flashed on screen showing a bomb crater in a residential neighborhood in Khan Yunis.

For months, Abu Alezz has helped people stuck in Gaza recover identity documents they lost while fleeing their homes, searching for birth certificates in archives kept by Palestinian authorities in the West Bank.

He also takes advantage of his Palestinian phone number, which allows him to make calls to Gaza, to facilitate conversations between people there with loved ones abroad.

On most nights, Ahmad abu Alezz connects calls from Palestinians overseas to their family members in Gaza. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

On a recent evening, Abu Alezz put two phones together, screen to screen. On one line was a man in Egypt. On the other, a relative of his in Gaza.

Is there any flour? the man in Egypt asked.

Yes, but not a lot. People are starving. People are sick.

How is my dad?

Hes OK. But the situation is very difficult."

Al Farra also tries to stay busy. He works overtime, and sometimes takes his young children, 5-year-old Lilia and 8-year-old Yosef, to protests calling for a cease-fire.

At a recent event in downtown Ramallah, the kids each wore a checkered kaffiyeh scarf  long a symbol of Palestinian resistance. They helped carry a banner memorializing the war's victims, a majority of whom are women and children. It included the names of Al Farra's sister and her children.

Their deaths thrust Al Farra into the center of a story that he had long covered as a journalist. "It feels different because I am part of this thing," he said. The death toll in Gaza was so high, he said, that few Palestinian families were untouched.

At a rally in Ramallah, Mohammad Al Farra's children, Yosef, 8, and Lilia, 5, wearing scarves at center right, help hold up a banner covered with names of people killed in the Israel-Hamas war. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Once, Al Farra and Abu Alezz dreamed of returning to Gaza. They'd study maps of the enclave and talk about how they would like to rebuild it. No longer.

I dont want to go back, except to say goodbye to my sister and make her a nice grave," Al Farra said. "I want to take all the people and move them far from there.

My Palestinian identity is in my heart, he said. "And I'm tired of war."

Abu Alezz said he felt the same. He has been trying to cobble together funds to evacuate his children. If they get out alive, he wants to join them and for the family to move far from the Middle East.

But for now, all the friends could do was sit in the studio in Ramallah.

They turned back to the TV and its endless montage of destruction: missiles striking buildings, women screaming in a hospital, a young girl pulled from the rubble of a collapsed home.

Mohammad Al Farra looks out with his daughter, Lilia, at a rally calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Such a young child, Abu Alezz remarked.

Al Farra said nothing. They sat and smoked in silence.

Times staff photographer Marcus Yam and special correspondent Asala Zreiqi in Ramallah contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
TASHKENT (Reuters) - A court in Uzbekistan sentenced 23 people to prison terms on Monday over the deaths of 68 children linked to contaminated cough syrups produced by India's Marion Biotech, following a six-month-long trial.

The Central Asian nation had previously reported 65 deaths linked to the medicines, but last month the prosecutors at the Tashkent city court updated the death toll and said two more people had been charged during the hearings.

The defendants, including one Indian national, faced jail terms ranging from two to 20 years. They were found guilty of tax evasion, sale of substandard or counterfeit medicines, abuse of office, negligence, forgery, and bribery.

Singh Raghvendra Pratar, an executive director of Quramax Medical, a company that sold medicines produced by Indias Marion Biotech in Uzbekistan, was handed the longest  20-year - prison term.

Former senior officials who were in charge of licensing imported medicines were also sentenced to lengthy terms.

The court decided that compensation amounting to $80,000 (1 billion Uzbek sums) would be paid to each of the families of 68 children who died from consumption of the syrup, as well as to four other children who became disabled.

Parents of eight other children affected by the drug will get from $16,000 to $40,000. The compensation money will be collected from seven of the convicts, the courts decision said, according to the Supreme Court statement.

(Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov, Editing by William Maclean)
OKLAHOMA CITY  Hundreds of people gathered in Oklahoma City on Saturday to pay tribute to Nex Benedict, a teenager whose death following a fight inside a high school bathroom sparked widespread heartbreak and outrage across the nation.

Interest in the high school sophomore's death has swelled over the past week, particularly because of Nex's gender-expansive identity and claims of what led up to the fight at Owasso High School on Feb 7. Nex, who went by the pronouns he/him and they, them, and was part of the LGBTQ+ community, their friends and family have said.

Although the exact details of the fight remain unclear, the teen's family and friends have said Nex was routinely bullied because of their gender identity. Medical examiners are still completing their investigation into what killed Nex, but police have said that an autopsy determined they did not die as a result of trauma. The family held a funeral service for the teen on Feb. 15.

On Saturday, more than 500 people filled the Point A Gallery, a venue in Oklahoma City's LGBTQ+ community haven, while at least 100 others crowded the street outside, watching the vigil on their phones via livestream. People like Rebecca Bevan said they were saddened by the 16-year-old's death and they wanted to pay their respects.

"It is important for us as a community to come together to show our support for our young people, to let them know that it is okay for them to be who they are no matter  trans, bi, straight, poly  no matter who they are, they can be themselves and be who they are in the open and not have to hide, because I was one of those people that had to hide as a lesbian," Bevan told The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Kathleen Hanlon said she read about Nex's death and felt compelled to attend the candlelight service.

"I can't quit thinking about it," she said. "I feel so bad."

Kody Macaulay holds a sign during a candlelight service for Nex Benedict on Saturday at Point A Gallery, 2124 NW 39 Street in Oklahoma City. (Credit: NATE BILLINGS/FOR THE OKLAHOMAN)

'We need change in Oklahoma'

The vigil, hosted by Rural Oklahoma Pride and Point A Gallery, was one of many memorial events held Saturday around Oklahoma.

Bryan Paddock, one of the co-founders of Rural Oklahoma Pride, said his organization wanted to bring people together because he said a vigil is an event where a stance is taken to "light the pathway forward."

"We lost a member of our community  they may have been young, but they were lost to us way too soon," he said.

"This is us taking a stand for that person as well as our community. We need change in Oklahoma. We need change in the United States. That youth was not protected as they should have been and there's so much legislation out there that is seeking to erase or dispose of our community."

Kendra Wilson-Clements, who is Choctaw, gave a blessing at the beginning of the event that conveyed the love that many attendees said they felt for Nex, though they had never met them.

"As you journey beyond this realm, may the strength and wisdom of our ancestors guide you as you transcend the pain and cruelty inflicted upon you in this world," Wilson-Clements said of Nex. "Rest in power, knowing that you are loved, cherished, and held in everlasting remembrance."

What does 'gender-expansive' mean? Oklahoma teen's death puts identity in spotlight.

Pushing back against rhetoric, legislation

The accusations of bullying and the school altercation have drawn particular interest from LGBTQ+ advocates and allies, along with criticism toward officials overseeing Nex's case. Several advocacy groups have said Oklahoma right-wing extremists' rhetoric surrounding gender and sexual identity were contributing factors in Nex's death.

The organizations are calling for better protection for students who may be bullied because of their gender or sexual identity.

These concerns seemed to contribute to the tone of Saturday's event as part memorial service, part rally. Speakers shared prayers and paid tribute to Nex, while also urging attendees to show their support for young people in the LGBTQ+ community. Advocates also urged taking a stand against anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, violence, and legislation.

Oklahoma, they said, has become known for all of those things, and that needs to change.

"Governor (Kevin) Stitt wants it to be a top ten state, well what I see is top ten hate," said Nicole Poindexter, associate regional campaign director at the Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBTQ+ advocacy group.

Poindextor said the Human Rights Campaign is calling for the Oklahoma State Legislature to remove state Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters from his post and asking the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education to each conduct investigations into the claims of anti-LGBTQ+ bullying of Nex at Owasso High and the altercation that occurred the day before they died.

Nicole McAfee, executive director of Freedom Oklahoma, said some people were saying Nex's story was a "wake-up call" for Oklahoma but added that "this isn't a wake-up call  we've been screaming for help."

"We know that no one is going to come save us but us," McAfee said.

The LGBTQ+ leader said library book bans, mandatory outing of students to their parents and limiting bathroom access were "all new versions of old tactics meant to isolate and cause despair" in the LGBTQ+ community. But McAfee said connecting through events like the prayer vigil sparked hope. She asked attendees to help keep Nex's story in the media as part of the quest for justice.

Nex Benedict case: Death of teen did not result from trauma, police say; many questions remain

'You're not alone'

Toward the vigil's end, Kris Williams, who formerly worked to help queer young people in the 39th Street District, spoke to the crowd. Williams asked all the queer adults to hold their candles high in the air during one of the more poignant moments of the event.

"Show these babies where all the queer adults are," Williams said.

"This is your family. These are the people who have your back. These are the people who made it through their teenage years and came out on the other side. They are the ones who are living healthy, good lives. You are not alone  do you understand? You are not alone."

Lance Preston, founder and executive director of Rainbow Youth Project USA, said his Indianapolis-based organization provides mental health services for young people in the LGBTQ+ community. He said his group has been partnering with LGBTQ+ advocacy groups in Oklahoma for years and he came to the prayer vigil on Saturday in solidarity with the Oklahoma LGBTQ+ community.

Preston said his organization is receiving an increased number of crisis calls from young people in the weekend following Nex's death. He said typically, the agency receives about 87 crisis calls a week, and they had more than 200 calls the weekend after the Owasso teen's death. Preston said 87% of the young people reported bullying and 60% mentioned Nex's name.

Because of this, he said he was especially pleased to see the large crowd gathered to honor Nex and support LGBTQ+ young people like them.

"What I love is that the kids see this and they know they've got somebody," Preston said.

A photograph of Nex Benedict is projected during a candlelight service in Oklahoma City.

Contributing: Christopher Cann, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Nex Benedict remembered by hundreds in Oklahoma City vigil
No one will be reprimanded for keeping Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's hospital stays a secret -- including the secretary himself or his chief of staff -- after an internal Pentagon review of the matter concluded there was no indication of "ill intent or an attempt to obfuscate" the situation.

An unclassified summary of the Pentagon's findings says concerns about medical privacy and a rapidly changing situation were mostly to blame. But the summary didn't answer key questions about when individual members of his staff became aware of his condition and whether the defense secretary himself was advised to alert the White House but chose not to.

The Pentagon has provided additional classified details to Congress, officials said.

"As a learning organization, we will continue to learn and adjust," Austin wrote in a memo to his staff.

The findings didn't satisfy critics on Capitol Hill who say Austin and his top advisers had a duty to notify Congress, the White House, and the public when the secretary was unable to fulfill his duties.

Austin is expected to testify Thursday before the House Armed Services Committee.

"Unsurprisingly, the review of Sec Austin's actions, conducted by his own subordinates & subject to his approval, HELD NO ONE ACCOUNTABLE," tweeted Rep. Mike Rogers, the Alabama Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, following release of the review. "This is why we are conducting our own investigation. We will seek answers at our hearing w/ Sec Austin on Thursday."

The defense secretary underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure for prostate cancer Dec. 22, which led to a urinary tract infection and serious intestinal complications. He was hospitalized again on Jan. 1, but the White House didn't learn about either event until Jan. 4. He was released Jan. 5.

Austin's deputy was granted authority over the Defense Department at various points, but she wasn't told why she had been put in charge, according to a detailed account provided to lawmakers.

MORE: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says cancer diagnosis was 'gut punch,' instinct was keep private

Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters on Monday that there was never any gap in authority, and that it was clear who was in charge at every point during those two hospital stays.

"This was an unprecedented situation and the staff was using the process and procedures that they have employed previously, and again to the best of their abilities, ensuring ... that there were no gaps in command and control," Ryder said at a briefing Monday.

When pressed on the point that no one was going to be held accountable, Ryder said Austin has already accepted responsibility. Austin has said previously that he called the president to apologize but never at any point considered resigning.

Austin "recognizes that we should have done a much better job notifying those who should have been notified. I will say that the Secretary is very proud of the team that he has supporting him," Ryder said.

The delay in informing President Biden and top administration officials of his hospitalization remains under investigation by lawmakers and the Pentagon's inspector general, which is expected to release a separate report later this year. President Biden publicly faulted Austin for not informing him earlier, telling reporters last month he still had confidence in Austin, but noted it was a lapse in judgment.

Austin told reporters earlier this month that his cancer diagnosis was a "gut punch" and that his first instinct was to keep it private. That was a mistake, he said.

"We did not handle this right. I did not handle this right," Austin said.

ABC's Matt Seyler and Luis Martinez contributed to this report.

Pentagon finds no one to blame for keeping Secretary Austin's hospital stays secret originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Sunday its forces had taken more advantageous positions near Avdiivka and Donetsk after President Vladimir Putin ordered the military to push further into Ukraine following two years of full-scale war.

A Ukrainian report made no mention of Russian gains in Donetsk region, the focal point of Moscow's slow advance in eastern Ukraine. It noted clashes around Avdiivka, captured by Russian forces last week, and other areas contested for months.

Russia's defence ministry said its troops had pushed back Ukrainian forces near Klishchiivka, Dyliivka and Kurdiumivka, villages south of Bakhmut, a town taken by Russian troops last May but an area where Ukrainian troops remain active.

The Russian report also said Moscow's troops had taken better positions near Avdiivka.

"In the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern grouping of troops improved the situation along the front line and defeated formations of the 22nd, 28th and 92nd mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Klishchiivka, Dyliivka and Kurdiumivka," it said.

"In the Avdiivka direction, units of the Centre group of forces occupied more advantageous lines and positions, and also defeated manpower and equipment of the 3rd Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the 107th Air Defence Brigade."

The ministry said Russian troops had repelled seven Ukrainian counterattacks in the area. Seventy-seven Ukrainian drones were destroyed, the ministry said.

The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces, in its evening report, said Kyiv's forces had repelled 18 attacks near Avdiivka. It said five Russian attacks had been beaten back near Bakhmut, referring to Klishchiivka, Kurdiumivka and other localities.

Reuters was unable to immediately verify battlefield accounts from either side in the war.

Putin said last Tuesday Russian troops would push further into Ukraine to build on their success after the fall of Avdiivka, where he said Ukrainian troops had fled in chaos.

Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, triggering full-scale war after eight years of conflict in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian forces on one side and pro-Russian Ukrainians and Russian proxies on the other.

Along the 1,000 km (600-mile) front line, Russian troops are dug in behind deep mine fields patrolled by drones and guarded by heavy artillery.

Russia controls a little under one-fifth of territory internationally recognised to be Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says he will not rest until every last Russian soldier is ejected.

Russia says the territory its forces control is part of Russia and that it will never be given up. The West has committed about 250 billion euros ($271 billion) worth of aid to Ukraine in an attempt to defeat Russian forces.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge, Ron Popeski and Richard Chang)
Sarah Matthews, an ex-staffer of former President Trump, on Sunday warned the former presidents rhetoric has recently become more unhinged, and called on voters to listen closely to his language.

I do think that hes [Trump] gotten more unhinged in his rhetoric, Matthews said Sunday during an interview on MSNBCs Inside with Jen Psaki.

Obviously, Donald Trumps first four years in office were marked by lots of controversies, but I think that type of rhetoric that hes using today, its really concerning. Its almost Hitler-esque in a way, especially when he talks about things like immigration, saying things like poisoning the blood of our country.'

Matthews, who resigned as Trumps deputy press secretary hours after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, was referencing the former presidents remarks late last year where he claimed immigrants coming into the U.S. are destroying the blood of our country.

The comments drew comparisons to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

I mean, hes trying to prey on peoples worst instincts and get them angry and riled up and thats something he tends to do, but its just the rhetoric that hes using is really concerning to me now, Matthews said.

Contending Trump is a threat to the countrys democracy, Matthews said Trumps comments speak for themself.

You just have to look at what hes saying and pay close attention when he says things like hes going to be a dictator on day one, she said, in reference to Trumps pledge in December to be a dictator for one day, if reelected to the White House in order to secure the southern border and begin drilling in the U.S.

And not even just his words. He showed us already what a second Trump term would look like, she added. By the way, his first term ended because look, he cannot accept the fact that he lost in 2020 to Joe Biden, so then he tried to overturn a free and fair election and helped incite an insurrection on our nations capital.

Matthews testified in 2022 before the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack and said at the time of her resignation she was disturbed by the events that unfolded that day.

She has since emerged as a vocal critic of the former president and went as far to say she would choose President Biden if he faces off against Trump in Novembers election.

I have said that if it is a choice between Donald Trump and Joe Biden in a general election, that even if I dont agree with the policies of President Biden, that I would put policy aside and I would cast my vote for him for democracy, Matthews said. Because I look at Donald Trump, and this is someone who has shown us he will not uphold the Constitution. And so, there is no question in my mind then that I would be voting for Joe Biden.

Matthews on Sunday noted her support has been with Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who has so far lost three consecutive primary battles against the former president.

Im really encouraged to see her performance last night in South Carolina, I know she lost, Matthews said. But look, she garnered 40 percent of the vote and that shows there is a faction in the Republican Party that wants to leave Donald Trump behind and so it gives me hope for the future.

Trump trounced Haley in her home state of South Carolina over the weekend by nearly 20 points, according to Decision Desk HQ results. Despite the loss, Haley has vowed to remain in the primary race, citing disapproval ratings of Biden and Trump.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Former President Trump says he wouldnt protect Prince Harry if he wins the White House in November.

He betrayed the queen. Thats unforgivable, Trump told the U.K.s Daily Express in an interview over the weekend.

Amid an ongoing lawsuit filed by the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation against the Department of Homeland Security about whether the department followed relative rules in granting the 39-year-old British royal his visa, Trump accused the Biden administration of protecting Harry.

I wouldnt protect him, Trump said.

He would be on his own if it was down to me, the 45th president added.

Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, stepped down as full-time working members of Britains royal family in 2020 and moved to California.

Last year, Harry released a tell-all book about his life as a member of the royal family, titled Spare. The memoir detailed his struggles with grief following the 1997 death of his mother, Princess Diana, his criticism of the British press and his strained relationship with his family.

Harrys grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, died in 2022 at 96.

In his comments to the Daily Express, Trump claimed the royal family has been too gracious to Harry after what he has done.

In an interview earlier this month, Harry told ABC News that hes considered becoming a U.S. citizen.

American citizenship is something thats crossed my mind, but certainly not something thats a high priority for me right now, Harry said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
In 1940, as Hitlers troops rolled across Europe, a growing chorus of Republicans argued against sending American weapons to Britain.

The U.S., they said, would be wasting resources sending help to London and instead Washington should put America First.

Now, former President Donald Trump and his allies in Congress use the same slogan to make similar arguments against sending military aid to another democratic country in Europe under assault by a powerful authoritarian regime.

Donald Trump, left, chats with Vladimir Putin (Mikhail Klimentyev / AFP via Getty Images)

The American people deserve to know what their money has gone to. How is the counteroffensive going? Are the Ukrainians any closer to victory than they were 6 months ago? more than two dozen Republican lawmakers wrote in a letter this month, declaring their opposition to additional U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

Not since the years before America entered World War II, when Ohio Sen. Robert Taft and others warned against giving a blank check to Britain, has isolationist sentiment gained so much traction in the U.S.

On Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor ended the debate about U.S. neutrality. More than 80 years later, the outcome of the deadlock in Congress over an aid package to Ukraine and this Novembers election could decide whether America continues to play a leadership role in the world or pulls back from its alliances and pursues a go-it-alone agenda.

As Ukraine marks two years since Russias full-scale invasion, Trumps supporters in Congress continue to block a proposal to send more help to Ukraine, despite repeated pleas from Kyiv that its soldiers are dying because of shortages of ammunition. Some Republicans that had favored sending more help to Kyiv have shifted their stance, including even Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, an outspoken champion of Ukraines cause.

Senate Luncheons (Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images)

And Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, is once again questioning the value of NATO and casting doubts about whether the U.S. would fulfill its commitments to allies if he returns to the White House. Trump said earlier this month he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want if it attacked a NATO country that didnt spend enough on defense. And he has also said he would consider letting Russia take over parts of Ukraine in a possible deal to end the war.

I do see many similarities between the views and arguments of the Taft Republicans of the 1930s and the Trump Republicans today, said Robert Kagan, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank, who has written a series of books about the history of U.S. foreign policy.

[In the 1930s], there was a fair amount of sympathy with Nazi Germany among American conservatives, who saw Hitler as a bulwark against communism just as Trump Republicans now look to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin as a great bulwark and leader against liberalism, said Kagan, author of The Ghost at the Feast: America and Collapse of World Order, 1900-1941.

Similar to what some GOP lawmakers say about Ukraines prospects, Republicans in the 1930s argued that Britain was certain to lose and that any weapons or money sent to Britain were wasted on a hopeless cause, with the money better spent at home, Kagan said.

Trumps relentless criticism of Ukraine, U.S. allies and international engagement generally  echoed by his supporters and right-leaning media outlets  appears to have had an effect on public opinion over the past three years, according to recent surveys and analysts.

In a new poll by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, a stunning 53% of Republicans said it would be best for the future of the U.S. to stay out of world affairs rather than take an active role. It marked the first time in the 49-year history of the survey that a majority of Republicans adopted that view.

As for Ukraine, the share of Americans who say the U.S. is providing too much support to Kyiv has increased steadily since Russias full-scale invasion two years ago, particularly among Republicans, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in November and December.

Forty-eight percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say the U.S. is delivering too much aid to Ukraine, while just 16% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters view the current level of assistance as excessive, the Pew survey said.

Firefighters extinguish a fire after a Russian attack on a residential neighborhood in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 10. (Yevhen Titov / AP)

Not long ago, sending weapons to Ukraine to fight invading Russian forces would have been roundly embraced by the party of Ronald Reagan, said Matthew Kroenig, vice president at the Atlantic Council think tank.

Reagan really defined modern Republican foreign policy for more than a quarter of a century. The Reagan Doctrine was all about arming freedom fighters against communists wherever they are around the world, Kroenig said. Thats not where the party is today.

Instead of Reagans ideas about free markets, U.S.-led alliances and America as a beacon of freedom, Trump Republicans are hostile toward multilateral arrangements, free trade, foreign policy elites and immigration.

Despite growing skepticism of Ukraine aid among GOP voters, many Republicans in Congress still support arming Ukraine, Kroenig said, but a minority in the House has been able to block a vote on a proposed package for Ukraine.

Republicans opposed to aiding Ukraine say its a useless endeavor and its time for Kyiv to admit defeat and negotiate a peace deal with Russia.

I havent voted for any money to go to Ukraine because I know they cant win, said Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama. He was one of more than two dozen Republicans who voted against a proposed Ukraine aid package in the Senate. Donald Trumpll stop it when he first gets in. He knows theres no winning for Ukraine. He can work a deal with Putin.

The rise of a new isolationist, protectionist outlook on the right is not unique to Trump and America. Far-right parties in Europe, advocating what is sometimes called Christian nationalism or conservative nationalism, are also questioning the post-World War II order and are skeptical of arming Ukraine. Polls show them gaining ground.

Many Trump loyalists have heaped praise on Hungary, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has been accused of imposing autocratic rule on his country and has opposed Europes aid to Ukraine while keeping up friendly ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Even before Trump emerged as a political figure, the long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq shook many Americans faith in Washingtons management of foreign policy, especially on the political left, and raised questions about what was to be gained by U.S. military interventions abroad.

But fatigue with the traditional U.S. internationalist approach has evolved into a set of grievances stoked by Trump, with the underlying argument claiming that America is threatened by migrants and is getting a raw deal from its partners and the globalists who shape U.S. foreign policy.

Filling the void

If the proposed aid for Ukraine fails to win approval in Congress, and if Trump returns to the White House ready to carry out his America First agenda, what would it mean for the U.S. and the world?

Current and former Western officials and analysts say if the U.S. steps back from alliances, the risk of regional or even world wars would increase, the global economy could enter a more volatile era, and authoritarian adversaries would try to step into the breach.

If Russias Putin wins in Ukraine, he, but also other forces like China, are going to learn that its possible to just change borders and that NATO is not going to hold it against [them], Ricarda Lang, a co-leader of Germanys Green Party, part of the countrys ruling coalition, said at the recent Munich Security Conference.

That would lead to a world with less security, and  a world with less freedom for the E.U. but also for the U.S.

Under the U.S.-led rules-based order since World War II, GDP per capita in the world and in the U.S. has increased many times over since 1945. There were about a dozen democracies in the world in 1945, and now there are about 100, Kroenig said. The U.S. and its allies helped usher in a more peaceful, prosperous and relatively stable era over the past 80 years, but Americans now take it for granted, he said.

I think its worked so well that people assume its the natural state of things, that if the United States withdraws that things will just keep humming along. And unfortunately, thats not the case, he said. If the United States withdraws, bad actors are going to fill the void and were going to have conflict and economic chaos.

Advocates of America First contend that conditions have changed dramatically since the Cold War, that the U.S. has become overextended, that American workers were shut out of the benefits of free trade and that the U.S. needs to focus on its needs at home, including a crackdown on migration across the southern border.

But in a speech at the Munich Security Conference a week ago, Vice President Kamala Harris tried to make the case for Americas continued global leadership, warning of the risks of abandoning allies.

History has also shown us: If we only look inward, we cannot defeat threats from outside; isolation is not insulation. In fact, when America has isolated herself, threats have only grown, she said.

At the end of World War I, the U.S. retreated into isolationism, only to be attacked on its home territory, said Mary Elise Sarotte, author of Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate.

That approach failed, and since then the U.S. has been committed to starting its defense on the far sides of the oceans, she said. It would be a grave mistake to go backwards in time.
There is a simple reason why many Republicans will snub Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys desperate plea for billions of dollars in arms and ammunition.

Sending more taxpayer funds to a war on the edge of Europe is incompatible with the America First creed of a party dominated by ex-President Donald Trump.

The previous and possibly future commander in chiefs position is countered by President Joe Biden, who warns that allowing Russia to win would embolden an adversary that could threaten US security. Their likely rematch means the 2024 election is about far more than who will run the United States for the next four years. Its likely to decide the fate of Ukraine, the shape of the Western world and the nature of US global power.

In an interview with CNN, Zelensky appealed to the Republican-led House to unblock the latest US aid package after Ukraine marked the second anniversary of Russias unprovoked invasion. There are increasing signs the war is tilting Moscows way as Ukrainian solders run out of bullets.

And Zelensky warned that Trump, who has said hed end the war within 24 hours if elected to a new term  a solution that could only be achieved on terms favorable to Vladimir Putin  simply didnt understand the Russian president. Zelensky said it was unbelievable that the Republican front-runner appeared to be on the side of the Kremlin strongman.

I think Donald Trump doesnt know Putin, Zelensky said. I know he met him  but he never fought with Putin. (The) American army never fought with the army of Russia. Never.  I have a better understanding, Zelensky said in a clip from the interview with Kaitlan Collins that will air in full later Monday on CNN.

I dont think he understands that Putin will never stop, he said.

Trump has led the party away from its internationalist, anti-Kremlin past represented by conservative traditionalists such as Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell. The increasing hostility of some Republicans to the US lifeline to Kyiv also coincides with fresh evidence of the GOP presidential front-runners habitual cozying up to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trumps looking to thwart Bidens central foreign policy goal while highlighting his failure to stem a crisis closer to home  on the southern border.

The ex-president has declined to say who he wants to win the war in Ukraine. He is billing his first term as an oasis of peace before the recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East and says only he can prevent World War III.

Biden  who has reinvigorated the Western alliance more than any other president since the fall of the Soviet Union  warns, however, that supporting Ukraine is an obligation given Americas founding democratic ideals. He says a Putin victory would encourage Russia to turn on a NATO power and start a war that would see US troops directly involved. He reacted with disgust to Trumps failure to condemn Putin over the death of opposition leader Alexey Navalny and to the ex-presidents recent warning that hed let Russia do whatever the hell they want with NATO members who fail to reach defense spending guidelines.

For Gods sake, its dumb. Its shameful. Its dangerous. Its un-American, the president said earlier this month.

How Trump transformed the GOP

The Ukraine war funding showdown highlights how Americas domestic politics are already reverberating around the globe.

The dispute is rooted in the changing face of the GOP. Party principles that once advocated a strong, globalist foreign policy have been rejected in favor of a more transactional approach to US obligations abroad, distilled from growing resentment among rank-and-file GOP voters after years of economic crises and costly foreign wars.

Republican presidents such as Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush would not recognize their party now.

Pro-Trump Republicans have locked into a concise yet powerful argument among their supporters that could spell doom for Ukraines hopes of more help from Washington. They say that the US should not be spending billions of dollars abroad to fight Ukraines war when America is facing a crisis at its border with Mexico.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference last week, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, a strong Trump supporter, claimed US aid to Ukraine was now sloshing around the money laundering capitals of the world and warned that while the US had a porous border, it was spending huge sums on a forever war.

Trump embodies this worldview more than anyone else and has exploited it and curated it since rising to power in 2016.

His refusal to support more aid to Ukraine is anchored in beliefs that form an essential part of his political appeal to millions of Republican voters. This is why a weak, inexperienced House speaker, Mike Johnson  plagued by a tiny majority that makes governance impossible  could lose his job if he brings up a Senate-passed foreign aid bill to fund the arms and ammunition Ukraine desperately needs.

Trumps power among the GOP grassroots also explains why some senators who support more aid for Ukraine and have warned against handing victory to Putin voted down a border security bill that included funds for Zelenskys armed forces.

Biden, who has vented increasing frustration that Johnson is sitting on the foreign aid bill, has called the top four congressional leaders to the White House on Tuesday as officials warn the situation in Ukraine is increasingly grave.

There is a strong bipartisan majority in the House standing ready to pass this bill if it comes to the floor, and that decision rests on the shoulders of one person, and history is watching whether Speaker Johnson will put that bill on the floor, Jake Sullivan, Bidens national security adviser, told CNNs Dana Bash on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday.

How Trumps growing power is felt around the world

Trumps growing influence, after yet another thumping win in the GOP primary in South Carolina on Saturday, is hardening anxiety among among European allies still traumatized by his first term, when he turned the United States  the guarantor of stability in the Western world for more than seven decades  into a force of volatility and disruption.

Trumps views and the prospect that he could be president this time next year are already causing sweeping geopolitical consequences.

 The delay in US funds means Ukrainian forces are running short of bullets and Russia is recording some key battlefield advances.

 The prospect the US will desert Ukraine this year and of a Trump-led US administration means Putin has no incentive to end the war soon.

 In the short term, NATOs European powers may have to do far more to prevent Ukraines defeat if the US walks away.

 Theres also increasing concern that Trump could walk out of NATO entirely if hes president or that he would neuter the alliance if he repudiates its creed of mutual self-defense.

 If Trump steps back, Russia could threaten the security structures that kept the peace in Europe since the end of World War II and the Cold War.

 The idea that Washington could turn its back on Ukraine  a European democracy under assault from a tyrant  will have far-reaching implications for US power around the globe. It could alter the calculations of other US adversaries  including China as it seeks to fold democratic Taiwan into the mainland.

Much of the Trump GOPs thinking on Ukraine is embodied by recent remarks from Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, who is one of the most forceful advocates against America spending billions of dollars over another countrys borders when it faces a crisis at its own.

The Republican senator is part of a new generation of pro-Trump lawmakers who reject the traditional US foreign policy consensus. He traveled to the Munich Security Conference earlier this month with a message that was unpopular with European diplomatic elites and US advocates of the transatlantic alliance. And at the subsequent Conservative Political Action Conference in the US  now a pro-Trump bastion  he explained why America should no longer finance Ukraines fight for its freedom.

I have  Republican colleagues, who are much more emotionally invested in whats going on 6,000 miles away than they are in their own country, Vance said at the conference  whose theme was Where Globalism Goes to Die. He backed Trumps position that the war should be ended and the killing would stop.

Its good for the country to have somebody saying, How long does this go on? How much money are we supposed to funnel into this country? said Vance  who has also argued the US lacks the manufacturing capacity or sufficient military reserves to send more ammunition to Ukraine. If you care about Ukraine, but most importantly, if you care about America, you should be wanting this thing to come to some diplomatic resolution. I think its the only hope.

Zelensky  who said Sunday the conflict had killed at least 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers, in addition to many civilian casualties  rejected Vances criticisms of the war in his interview with CNNs Collins.

To understand it is to come to the front line to see whats going on, to speak with the people, then to go to civilians to understand  what will (happen to) them without this support. And he will understand that millions  will be killed. Its a fact, Zelensky said.

Of course he doesnt understand. God bless you dont have the war on your territory, he said.

A more uncertain future

The White House is not giving up its efforts to get $60 billion in Ukraine aid through the House despite the opposition from Trump, who has suggested the country could be given a loan  even though it is in no state to pay it back after two years of devastating warfare.

The administration is increasingly tying the challenges of Ukraines front-line forces  including the loss of the town of Avdiivka  directly to Johnsons refusal to move the spending bill in the House.

But even if Biden wins a second term, there is no guarantee that Ukraine can rely on a perpetual stream of US billions to support its fight for survival. Recent battlefield struggles have only increased concerns in the US that ultimate victory is impossible, sparking debate about how sustainable Western aid would be under such circumstances.

While some Republicans appear to be against Ukraine aid just for political reasons  to please Trump  there is increasing pressure on Biden to justify large amounts of taxpayer funds being sent to a foreign war.

Polls have shown a gradual ebbing of public support for the US financial involvement in the war, especially among Republicans. Some 55% of Americans said in a CNN poll in August that Congress should not authorize additional funding to support Ukraine. The survey found 71% of Republicans opposed new spending. The splits in the GOP over Ukraine were exposed last week when 26 Senate Republicans voted against the bill containing Israel and Ukraine aid while 22 backed it.

And however the 2024 election turns out, the balance of power in Congress is likely to be narrow  meaning that an increasingly nationalist GOP may be able to block future aid tranches.

Theres a growing conversation in the foreign policy community about whether an alternative approach  that is more politically sustainable  is possible. Is it, for instance, more feasible for the US and Europe to focus on preventing Ukraine from losing any more territory  in preparation for future ceasefire talks  than it is to think about winning the war? Such a scenario would be complicated by Ukrainians who may be determined to fight on, and the impossibility of ever trusting that Putin would honor any peace agreement. Any deal would also risk rewarding Putin with captured territory for an unprovoked attack on a neighbor.

Zelenskys comments to CNN show hes not close to giving up.

But can the same be said of the United States?

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
A Potpourri of Vestiges Feature

Murtaza Ali Khan, noted Indian film critic and curator, was invited the Federal Republic of Germany to attend the prestigious 74th Berlin International Film Festival. As a distinguished guest of the Federal Republic of Germany, Khan's participation underscored the strong cultural ties between India and Germany. The festival was held in Berlin from 15  25 February, 2024.

Hosted by the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany through its Visitors Programme, Khan's attendance at the Berlinale presented a unique opportunity for him to engage with various luminaries from the global cinema industry. During his visit, Khan got a firsthand taste of the vibrant culture of Germany. His itinerary included visits to prominent institutions such as Deutsche Kinemathek  Museum fur Film und Fernsehen, Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, Federal Foreign Office, and Goethe-Institut Berlin. Additionally, Khan participated in events organized by Berlinale Talents and engaged in discussions on film financing and location promotion.

The Berlin International Film Festival, established in 1951, is renowned for its rich history and serves as a vital platform for intercultural exchange and critical exploration of societal issues. Khan's presence at the festival as a critic, cultural writer, and curator further enhances the dialogue between India and Germany, reinforcing the festival's commitment to fostering global understanding through cinema.

Murtaza Ali Khans participation in the Berlin International Film Festival holds special significance for Indo-German cultural exchange as Khan is set to curate a rare retrospective for the Indian audiences based on the legendary German filmmaker Fritz Lang known for films such as Metropolis, M, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, etc. Back in 2022, Khan had curated and presented a very unique film festival dedicated to the city of Berlin at the India Habitat Centre for the Embassy of Germany.

Readers, please feel free to share your opinion by leaving your comments. As always your valuable thoughts are highly appreciated

About A Potpourri of Vestiges
YEREVAN, 23 FEBUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 26 February, USD exchange rate up by 0.07 drams to 404.42 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.96 drams to 438.63 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.03 drams to 4.38 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.13 drams to 512.60 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 49.41 drams to 26361.72 drams. Silver price down by 4.56 drams to 295.35 drams.
Feature: China's history of dumplings, from archaeological finds to modern tables

Xinhua) 10:45, February 26, 2024

This undated photo shows a chef figurine dating back to the Eastern Han and Three Kingdoms periods unearthed from a tomb in southwest China's Chongqing.(Sichuan Museum/Handout via Xinhua)

BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- During the Spring Festival, Chinese families come together for a reunion. And dumplings, also known as jiaozi, usually play a central role in this tradition.

In the north, fillings like celery and chives do not just provide flavor but symbolize diligence and longevity. In the south, ingot-shaped egg dumplings and fried yau gok are known to carry people's hopes for a prosperous new year.

But despite the popularity of dumplings in China and around the world, their origins are not clear. Archaeologists in east China's Shandong Province told Xinhua that the earliest physical record of dumplings dates back approximately 2,500 years.

Tengzhou in Shandong, which is about an hour's drive from Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, was the capital of a small state called Xue during the Spring and Autumn period (770 B.C.-476 B.C.).

Wang Dongmei, deputy director of the archaeological research department at the Shandong Museum, said that during an archaeological project in 1978, archaeologists discovered a corroded, shut bronze container in the tomb of a Xue monarch who ruled about 2,500 years ago.

"After prying it open, we found yellow, triangular food items that were about 5 or 6 centimeters on their longer sides, resembling dumplings and covered in a layer of white powder that blew away with the wind. When we prodded them gently with a bamboo stick, they crumbled, revealing stuffing-like crumbs inside, but it was no longer possible to identify the filling," Wang said.

She noted that the tomb, which had been untouched by looters, housed a total of 28 bronze ritual vessels containing well-preserved cattle, sheep, chicken and fish bones.

"To my knowledge, no older dumplings have been found in Shandong or in any other region across the country. This suggests that dumplings, which are a unique part of Chinese culinary culture, likely originated in Shandong," said Hu Xinli, the lead archaeologist of the excavation.

Skipping forward to the Eastern Han period (25-220 A.D.) and the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 A.D.) and moving to the southwest of the country, and dumplings seem to have become an indispensable part of Chinese cuisine.

The Sichuan Museum houses a chef figurine dating back to the Eastern Han and Three Kingdoms periods that was unearthed from a tomb in Chongqings Zhong County. The chef's demeanor is relaxed, and there is a rich array of ingredients on the cutting board in front of him, as well as a clearly identifiable dumpling.

Wen Xiaohua, the curator of the Yunyang Museum in Chongqing, said that figurines of laborers and dancers from the same era commonly feature joyful expressions, reflecting an optimistic spirit, abundant vitality and a hopeful outlook.

Over 10 pottery figurines featuring dumplings have been discovered in Chongqing alone.

"In the Sichuan and Chongqing regions, a significant number of vivid chef figurines have been unearthed, dating back to the Eastern Han and Three Kingdoms periods, and ranging from 20 to 50 centimeters in height. There are typically rich varieties of ingredients on their cutting boards, and they generally have smiles on their faces, seemingly enjoying the cooking process," said Zuo Zhiqiang, an associate research fellow at the Chengdu Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute.

Dumplings from over a thousand years ago have also been discovered in northwest China's Xinjiang.

"Due to the dry climate, well-preserved pastries and dumplings from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) have been excavated from the Astana Tombs in Turpan, Xinjiang. The dumplings closely resemble the ones commonly seen today in terms of size and shape," said Wang Renxiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Archaeology,

Lu Lipeng, a research fellow at the Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, said that approximately 20 Tang dumplings have been unearthed at Astana to date. Some tombs had been disturbed by tomb raiders, but the dumplings were often found in ceramic or wooden vessels next to the head of the tomb's occupant, making them difficult to access.

Reflecting on the 2,500-year history of dumplings across China, Wang Renxiang said that dumplings are simple to make and can have a variety of fillings to meet different taste preferences. The combination of convenience, taste and rich symbolism has facilitated their enduring presence through the generations.

"From the archaeological sites of the Spring and Autumn period to modern dining tables, dumplings carry the sentiment and cultural identity of the Chinese people, and symbolize their love for life and their anticipation for the future," said Hu.

He said that whenever the aroma of dumplings wafts through his home, his mind still floods with memories of his exhilarating discovery back in 1978.

This undated photo shows pastries and dumplings excavated from the Astana Tombs in Turpan, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology/Handout via Xinhua)

This undated file photo shows triangular food items resembling dumplings in a bronze container excavated from the tomb of a Xue monarch who ruled about 2,500 years ago, in Tengzhou, east China's Shandong Province. (Shandong Museum/Handout via Xinhua)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
By SA Commercial Prop News

Tokai on Main shopping centre.



A R35 million upgrade and redevelopment of the Tokai on Main Shopping Centre in Main Road, Tokai which includes a new, state-of-the-art 3500 square metre Food Lovers Market, is nearing completion.

Colin Anderson, a director of the Rabie Property Group, said the building work had been completed and final touches were now being done.



He said the Food Lovers Market had accounted for the bulk of the redevelopment - which included raising the roof to bring in natural light - with five other shops being closed or relocated to make way for the enlarged store.



The groups largest store in the Western Cape, the Food Lovers Market had opened in December and was trading way ahead of expectations attracting customers from far afield.



As a fresh produce emporium it is really spectacular offering not only a huge variety of fruit and vegetables but also cheeses, meat, fish, chocolates and pasta. There is also a general grocery department, a bakery, a deli, a sushi bar, coffee shop, biltong bar, wood burning pizza oven and wine bar.



Anderson said the incredible support from local shoppers justified the upgrade as there had certainly been a pent up demand for genuine convenience retailing in the area.



And the increased foot count the new Food Lovers Market is drawing to the centre will no doubt improve the trading density of all the tenants.



Graeme Liebenberg, Group Property & Business Development Manager, of Food Lovers Market, said the store had exceeded all expectations in terms of sales performance which bears testimony to the fact that we are providing what the consumer is looking for.



The new Food Lovers Market gives the customer the Theatre of Food experience, which is unique in South African food retail and brings a level of excitement to an otherwise mundane experience.



The Tokai Food Lovers Market is the latest example of our innovation and years of constantly analyzing international food trends offering the customer an experience that is right on the forefront of global food retail and which could be in New York, Paris or London.



The shopping centre, which is managed by Rabie Property Administrators, includes Baby City, Sportsmans Warehouse, Super Plants, Postnet and Dial a Bed. This too has received a facelift with work now nearing completion.



The redevelopment had also improved the parking flows while still retaining in excess of 370 parking bays.



The redevelopment of the shopping centre, along with other large urban renewal projects in the area including the upgrade of the nearby Blue Route centre, was assisting the repositioning of the area as a strong commercial node and there had also been a strong pick up of inquiries for the adjacent offices in recent months, said Anderson.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, ARMENPRESS. On February 26, in Geneva, on the sidelines of the high-level session of the UN Human Rights Council, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan had a meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, the foreign ministry said.

The interlocutors discussed a number of issues on cooperation within the framework of the UN Human Rights system.

The steps and achievements taken towards the protection of human rights and strengthening the rule of law in Armenia were touched upon, thanks to which Armenia, according to the indexes of various authoritative international bodies, rose to leading positions in the region.

Touching upon the challenges in protection of human rights in different parts of the world, the importance of effective use of existing tools was emphasized, since the opposite leads to failure in preventing the most serious violations and the repetition of tragic outcomes.

Touching upon the ethnic cleansing carried out by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, Minister Mirzoyan briefed his counterpart on the steps taken to address the needs and rights of the Armenian population forcibly displaced from their homeland.

During the meeting, Ararat Mirzoyan and Volker Turk also exchanged views on the latest developments in the South Caucasus. Minister Mirzoyan briefed on the approaches of Armenia to key issues in the normalization process of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, based on unequivocal respect for the principles of territorial integrity, inviolability of borders, and sovereignty. Minister Mirzoyan stressed that with a clear commitment to these principles, as well as refraining from aggressive rhetoric and from steps aimed at escalating the situation on the ground, it will be possible to move forward in the peace process.
India earlier had said it is aware that a few Indians have been recruited in support jobs with the Russian Army

New Delhi also said it remains committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army. (Representational Image/AFP)

NEW DELHI: India on Monday said each and every case of Indians who had been hired as non-combatant security helpers and then allegedly duped into fighting for the Russian Army at the battlefront against Ukranian forces  that has been brought to the attention of Indian authorities has been taken up with Russia promptly, adding that several Indians have already been discharged as a result from the Russian Army.

New Delhi also said it remains committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army.

The MEA assured that every case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities and those brought to the attention of the ministry have been taken up with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi.

It may be noted that, India earlier had said it is aware that a few Indians have been recruited in support jobs with the Russian Army.
Nadda to launch 1,000 video vans; drive to continue till March 15 (strap)

New Delhi: The BJP on Monday officially launched its election exercise as party president J.P. Nadda flagged off the Viksit Bharat Modi Ki Guarantee Rath and the Sankalp Patra Sujhav Abhiyan for the coming Lok Sabha elections. The exercise will continue till March 15, and will see senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers, reaching out to prominent people, various associations, professionals, youth outfits, traders unions, among others, to seek suggestion for the manifesto and seeking votes for the Modi ki guarantee.

An upbeat BJP is planning to reach out to more than one crore people with nearly 1,000 such raths (video vans) with 6,000 suggestion boxes covering all Assembly constituencies spread across the country. BJP state units will also undertake a similar exercise of seeking suggestions and highlighting the achievements of the Modi government in the last decade.

A prabandhan (management) committee, which will be keeping a tab on the suggestions received for the manifesto, comprising senior BJP leaders Shivprakash, Sunil Bansal and Tarun Chugh, held a workshop earlier on Monday that was attended by 82 delegates from 34 state units. The BJP is yet to announce its key panels, including for election management and campaign for the Lok Sabha polls.

The party is also seeking suggestions for the manifesto on the NaMo app, its various social media platforms, and most important, through its over 17 crore members. A missed call service has also been stated where people can leave their suggestions for the manifesto.

Building the Viksit Bharat, Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Vishwamitra Bharat was something beyond imagination before 2014. But today, these dreams are turning into reality under the able leadership of Modi ji During this Amrit Kaal, Bharat is ready to take a long leap towards becoming a developed nation, Nadda noted at the event to flag off the raths. The BJP president asserted that the BJP was making sure that aspirations of the public should reach us in every way. Nadda also said that under Modi's leadership, the BJP will fulfil the dreams and aspirations of people in the next five years. The BJP has set the target of 370 parliamentary seats and 400-plus seats for the BJP-led NDA in the coming polls.
Tibetan monks who took to the streets against Chinese authorities were arrested and mistreated in detention. Plans to build a hydroelectric power plant would see two villages and six monasteries submerged, which is why Beijing has issued an order to relocate residents, which the latter are resisting.

Dharamsala (AsiaNews)  Chinese police have begun questioning Tibetans arrested over the weekend for protesting the construction of a dam in Dege county, Sichuan province, on the border with Tibet.

Those taken into custody are being held at various locations in Dege County as no single site could detain more than a thousand individuals at once.

A source that spoke to Radio Free Asia (RFA) on condition of anonymity for personal safety said that the detainees were slapped and beaten severely each time they refused to answer important questions, while Many had to be taken to the hospital.

Another source added that some prisoners passed out because of the lack of food amid the freezing temperatures.

For their part, Chinese authorities imposed COVID-19-like restrictions, banning people from leaving their homes.

Local monks and residents began to protest peacefully on 14 February, after receiving a forced relocation order from Beijing due to the construction of the Gangtok (Kamtok in Tibetan) hydroelectric power plant.

For the project to be completed, the villages of Upper Wonto and Shipa, home to about 2,000 Tibetans, and six monasteries  three in Dege County and three in Chamdo (Changdu) township, must be demolished before they are submerged by water.

Several videos posted online show the monks prostrating themselves before Chinese officials (a gesture that Tibetans consider awful), urging them to review the decision and stop the demolition of their places of worship.

In particular, the monasteries in Wonto (which contain precious painted walls dating back to the 13th century) and Yena, the closest to the construction site, are home to about 300 monks and carry important religious and cultural value for local Tibetans.

Beijing, however, seems unwilling to stop the project.

The 2,240-megawatt Gangtuo (Kamtok) hydroelectric power plant is located along the upper Yangtze River (Drichu in Tibetan and Jinsha in Chinese).

It is part of a broader plan by the National Development and Reform Commission to build dozens of the world's largest hydroelectric stations in the Three Parallel Rivers (Yangtze, Mekong, Salween) protected area in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Tibet, where they originate.

The area, which has long been targeted by China for clean energy production, is also a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.

According to Tibet advocacy groups, Beijing approved the construction of the dams while sending partial information to the UN agency about possible environmental damage.

Complaints by the local population and environmental activists seem to fall on deaf ears; in early December 2023, China announced that it had completed 50 per cent of the construction of the Yebatan dam, just south of the Gangtuo dam.

According to the Chinese government, the plant, in which Beijing has invested more than 33 billion yuan (US$ 4.6 billion), will be operational by the end of 2025 and will serve the regions social and economic development.
by Mathias Hariyadi

Indonesias Religious Affairs Office is becoming more inclusive, Religious Affairs Minister Qoumas announced, with services available to "all Indonesian citizens, not only Muslims. Its premises will be open for weddings of members of religious groups that do not yet have places of worship.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  Indonesias Religious Affairs Office (Kantor Urusan Agama, KUA) is becoming more inclusive, offering its services to people all faiths, not only Muslims, Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas announced last Saturday. Indonesia is the world most populous Muslim-majority country.

"We all agree in principle for a radical change in the (legal) status of the office," Choumas said at a working meeting of the ministry's Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance.

The ministry's decision is not surprising, since the head of the ministry comes from the country's most moderate Islamic organisation, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). Before he was appointed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo during the latter's second term, Quomas headed the NU's paramilitary wing, better known as Banser.

The minister also said that the KUA will be available to all Indonesian citizens, regardless of their religion. Hitherto, only Muslim couples could access their services to get married, register the marriage, or get divorced.

Now, The KUA will also be the place where all couples could register their marriage certificates whatever their faith.

Marriage in Indonesia is considered valid only if it is performed at a religious institution. For Catholics and other Christians, this means that marriages can take place only in a church, in front of a pastor or priest.

After the ceremony, the bride and groom must go to the Civil Registration Office (Kantor Catatan Sipil, KCS) to officially register their marriage.

It is unclear whether the jurisdictions of the KCS and the KUA will overlap; however, Minister Qoumas said that all information recorded by the two agencies will be synchronised and valid.

The minister also stated that the KUA will be open and without restrictions to non-Muslim religious groups that do not yet have a place of worship.

The Director General of Islamic Community Guidance, Kamaruddin Amin, also said that starting this year, the KUA will officially serve "all Indonesians".

Such an agency already existed before independence in 1945. Under Dutch rule, the colonial government set up the Agency for Indigenous Peoples, later transformed by the Japanese into a religious office for Muslims.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Grozny today bets on the promotion of the Kazacestvo movement - Russia's Cossacks - to revive mobilisation for war and to counter drug trafficking. A bet on yesterday's enemies that the Kremlin has always considered a guarantee of loyalty in the peripheries of the empire.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The authorities of Chechnya have presented a large program of "state strategy" demonstrations linked to the Kazacestvo, the movement of the Cossacks of Russia, which will be involved in the Caucasus territory above all to revive the mobilization for war, and also to counter drug trafficking.

The Cossacks were born as "free men" at the beginning of the ancient conflicts between Russians and Polish-Lithuanians, and the attempt to appropriate their traditions is one of the most effective propaganda moves in the face of current conflicts.

In the decree signed by the Prime Minister of Groznyj, Muslim Khuchiev, some salient points of the operation are listed, such as the dissemination of Kazachestvo among Chechen youth, the analysis of the conditions of Cossack culture on the territory of the republic and the celebrations for Cossack Day of Terek, from the name of the ancient Caucasian locality that served as a headquarters for the semi-nomadic groups of the area.

The Cossacks must also be integrated in a specific manner into the contingents of the Ministry of Defense and Rosgvardia, placing themselves in strategic positions in Chechnya, and the aid to be allocated to the families of the wounded and fallen in the war in Ukraine is specified.

Currently only 308 Chechen citizens are members of Cossack societies, precisely in the Terek-Grebensk province, and there are plans to significantly strengthen this membership.

It should be remembered that during the Caucasian wars of bygone times the Cossacks were enemies of the gortsy, the mountain dwellers of the region. We remember Cossack heroes such as General Aleksej Ermolov at the time of the Napoleonic wars, considered by the Chechens as one of the greatest criminals in local history, while the "mountain" enemies of the Cossacks, such as Imam Shamil, Bajsangur Benoevskij or Sheikh Mansur are idols historians of Chechnya.

The Cossacks were in fact among the main protagonists of the Russian conquest of the Caucasus between the 18th and 19th centuries, but during the revolution they opposed the Soviets, then ending up under the persecution of the Bolshevik regime.

After the end of the USSR, the Cossacks tried to revive their community, appealing to the law "On the rehabilitation of repressed peoples", and today there is a Kazakhestvo Council at the presidency of Moscow, which coordinates with the military structures and has activated sections in all regions, as well as in Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan.

Special subsidies are assigned to the Cossacks to "recover historical-ethnographic memory", and in each region the "Cossack question" ends up influencing local politics as well. The regional authorities are interested in additional funding linked to the activities of the Cossacks, who can participate in military life directly in the army, joining volunteer companies or forming their own fighter structures for various destinations, under the aegis of the "historical legacy".

The republic of Ramzan Kadyrov, being the most animated by the war spirit, therefore supports with great emphasis the development of the small group of Cossacks of Chechnya, and the president himself actively participates in the sessions of the Council of Moscow and Groznyj, to express his " support for Cossack culture".

The presence of the Cossacks on the outskirts of the empire, moreover, has always been considered by the Kremlin as a guarantee of total loyalty. Today the "decorative" performance of the Cossacks serves to cover the often unscrupulous actions of the Kadyrovtsy, the Chechen fighters in Ukraine and beyond, guilty of numerous massacres beyond the control of the military leadership itself.

There is currently an army corps of Cossacks operating in the war in Ukraine which brings together various sub-groups, the Kubansky, made up of elements from the regions of Krasnoyarsk, Adygea and Karachaevo-Cherkesja: it has over 60 thousand members and to which smaller groups such as Chechen. Its commander, hetman Alexander Vlasov, defines it as "the mobilization reserve of the whole country", together with the newly formed Terek battalion of 15,000 soldiers entrusted to the new hetman Vladimir Savchenko.

The effectiveness of the presence of the Cossacks in the war also counts on the difficulty of the Ukrainians to consider them as real enemies, being descendants of a common heritage, unlike the Russians, Tatars, Buryats or the Chechens themselves.
Best Boot Socks for Men

The Best Socks to Pair with Your Favorite Boots

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

You put plenty of time into shopping for, selecting and then breaking in the right pair of leather boots, so why not go a step further (pun intended) and bolster that selection with a pair of the best boot socks? The right pair of socks makes all the difference, be it in the depths of winter or the blustery days of early spring (and beyond).

And boots require an added sense of care and attention to detail in your sock selection. The best boot socks are built with a thicker weave and more texture than most socks, taking advantage of materials like merino wool and wool blends for added warmth. And since your boots are going to be put through the ringer in chilly, rainy or blustery weather, you want socks that fit snugly, feel great and regulate the temperature of your feet.

RELATED: Best Leather Boots for Men

Added features like extra padding, ventilation and reinforcement at key stress points can go a long way, too. And although the best boot socks are valuable as a companion to workwear, they can add a sense of style and texture to more casually rugged seasonal looks, too. However you choose to wear your boot socks  for work, play or somewhere in between  these are the top pairs to slide into. Your feet will surely thank you later.

Sea Culture Brand Mongolian Yak Cashmere Socks

Best known for its breezy, coastal-inspired shirting and outerwear, Sea Cultures Mongolian yak cashmere socks are impeccably crafted and ultra-soft. Available in a dark brown and a versatile tan-brown, theyve got texture and contrasting touches at the heel and toe for added padding and style points. Theyre a bit of a splurge price-wise, but your wardrobe will be all the better for it.

$30 at SeaCultureBrand.com

Darn Tough Merino Wool Boot Socks

Nestled in the rolling hills of Vermont, youll find a steadfast commitment to craft (and to making some of the very best boot socks) from Darn Tough. The company uses high-quality merino wool and carefully controlled processes to get the best of the best out of every pair. This midweight pair should prove plenty comfortable and breathable, while cushioning at key stress points makes for a smooth ride underfoot. Better still is the fact that theyre guaranteed for life, no questions asked.

From $27.40 at Amazon.com

Flint and Tinder Marled Boot Socks

The good folks at Huckberry and Flint and Tinder went to the drawing board and seemingly dreamed up a pair of socks tailor-made to be worn with the retailers rugged rotation of some of the best mens boots. And the end result? A sturdy yet supple, expertly crafted pair of boot socks, complete with USA-made construction and durable yet soft fibers. Add Flint and Tinder jeans and a trucker jacket to complete the look.

$19 at Huckberry.com

Peregrine Boot Socks

Peregrine takes its British heritage seriously: The outfitter makes some of the toughest and yet most stylish waxed outerwear on the market, for example. The company knows a thing or two about warmth from the ground up in frigid British coastal conditions, and theyve put that know-how into these carefully crafted, heritage-quality socks. Nylon adds stretch, while British wool provides warmth alongside any pair of rugged-meets-refined leather boots.

$28 at BespokePost.com

Taylor Stitch Merino Socks

Merino wool is a surefire pick when it comes to the best socks to wear with your favorite boots: Its moisture-wicking and breathable yet warm when needed, plus its durable and features natural stretch. That makes it excellent in all manner of basics, from underwear and T-shirts to these essential Taylor Stitch socks. Padding at the toes and the foot bed reinforces their durability, which is a great thing: Youll want to wear these socks plenty as a companion to handsome Taylor Stitch boots.

$22.50 at TaylorStitch.com

GOLDTOE Mens Boot Socks

Its not just the gold toe design that makes these socks a keeper and an icon in their own right. Its the use of modern REPREVE recycled plastic fibers for sustainability and stretch, while Thermolite technology controls temperature and keeps your feet warm yet comfortable all the while. These socks boast a burly, sturdy design, yet manage to be impossibly soft all at once. Youll want to stock up on pairs for every day of the week.

$22 at Amazon.com

Carhartt Force Performance Work Socks

Extreme conditions, especially frigid winter mornings in the shop or garage, call for the toughest gear on the market  Carhartts iconic waxed jackets and workshirts come to mind. The Michigan brand also makes some of the toughest boot socks out there, the kind that come in mighty handy during long days on your feet. Extra heel and toe cushioning provides support, while ribbed channels improve leg ventilation.

$14.99 at Amazon.com

Wrangler Western Boot Socks

All things Western seem to be all the rage right now, so you might as well lock in the ideal pair of socks for those trusty new Western boots, right? The outdoor heritage brand went all-out with helpful details like a seamless toe for added comfort, plus a half-cushioned foot for support. The moisture-wicking design also ensures performance all day long.

From $18.79 at Amazon.com

Columbia Moisture Control Crew Socks

For activities like hiking and even daily pursuits while outfitted in thick boots, Columbia came up with the perfect pair of moisture-wicking socks. Strategically placed mesh vents deliver critical air flow for outdoor pursuits and anything an active guy might get up to during a long day. The outdoor retailer also designed these socks with a secure fit in mind, so you neednt worry about them slipping or moving out of place on the go.

$16.01 at Amazon.com

American Trench Ribbed Wool and Silk Blend Boot Socks

Going the extra mile, like focusing on USA-made production using the finest materials, doesnt tend to come cheap, but its worth it for American Trench. That extends from the companys famed outerwear, like its USA-made trench coat, to these elegant and soft boot socks. Silk adds both strength and comfort, while the chunky vertical ribbed knit is perfect foil to hard-wearing leather boots.

$34 at Nordstrom.com

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A drone returns from a flight over Smuggler Mountain in a search for a man suspected of wielding a knife on a woman who was hiking earlier today.
In an attempt to improve bilateral relations after several diplomatic crises, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stephane Sejourne, has paid an official visit to Morocco.

During his stay in Rabat, Sejourne reiterated the "clear and constant support" of Paris for the Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara.

"This is an existential question for Morocco, and we know it", the head of French diplomacy declared during a press conference with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita.

"Morocco can count on France's clear and constant support" for its autonomy plan, he added, according to AFP. "We have said it before and I say it again today even more forcefully: now is the time to move forward. I will personally see to it", he stressed.

In this sense, the French minister announced that he wants to encourage and promote "the development" of this region, while supporting "Moroccan efforts" to achieve this goal.

Merci pour votre accueil cher Nasser Bourita et pour cet echange chaleureux et approfondi. Le lien qui unit nos deux pays est exceptionnel. Tournons-nous vers lavenir ! pic.twitter.com/pNTptvTwn8  Stephane Sejourne (@steph_sejourne) February 26, 2024

"Morocco has invested heavily in development projects for the benefit of local populations and in terms of training, renewable energies, tourism, blue economy linked to aquatic resources," Sejourne explained, referring to the numerous development projects promoted by Rabat.

In addition to reiterating Paris' support for Rabat's plan for the region, Sejourne's visit is intended to "open a new chapter" in relations between Morocco and France, a diplomatic source told AFP.

Au Maroc aujourdhui pour ouvrir un nouveau chapitre dans notre relation. Amitie, sincerite, confiance. pic.twitter.com/r1uL5JAMPO  Stephane Sejourne (@steph_sejourne) February 26, 2024

During his visit, the French minister also proposed a "cutting-edge" partnership with Morocco for the next 30 years, focusing in particular on renewable energies, training and "the development of new innovative industrial ecosystems".

"France is a distinguished partner of Morocco at the political, economic and humanitarian levels," said the head of Moroccan diplomacy, Nasser Bourita.


From Sarah Feldberg, Editor for Emerging Product:



Looking for a great restaurant can be an overwhelming experience.

Want excellent Indian food in San Francisco? Searching for a great coffee shop in Oakland? Internet searches can feel like a fire hose of information with impossible-to-vet reviews from anonymous users and ratings that should be taken with a grain  if not a tablespoon  of salt.

What if there were a trusted source for Bay Area restaurant suggestions with tips on where to get everything from dim sum to ice cream?

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Just ask Chowbot, the San Francisco Chronicles new artificial intelligence-powered restaurant recommendation bot launching today.

The bot has been built off hundreds of reviews in the Chronicles Top Restaurant lists, all written and vetted by our experienced food and wine writers and critics.



When you type a query into Chowbot  Im looking for great pizza in Oakland, for example  the bot will parse all the information in dozens of food guides to give you a few great recommendations, like Square Pie Guys and Heshers Pizza. And it will cite its sources, so you can go straight to our list of the Top Pizza in the Bay Area to browse even more of our writers favorite slices.

Our critics have eaten all over the Bay Area and have written up the best in the form of Top Restaurants lists  Top Pizza! Top Brunch! Top Dim Sum!  over the past few years, explains senior food and wine editor Janelle Bitker. Its a lot of content for readers to sift through to find exactly what theyre looking for.  The goal is for this bot to make getting a recommendation easier. And to have some fun.

Chowbot was built by the HNP DevHub, a team of editorial engineers, data journalists and content strategists who collaborate with reporters and editors at the Chronicle and other Hearst Newspapers newsrooms across the country. Working with the Chronicle Food & Wine team, the DevHub created a database of 65 guides covering nearly 1,000 restaurants and then spent months working on concepts that allow Chowbot to respond to readers prompts in useful ways.

Our goal was always to make S.F. Chronicles dining recommendations and food expertise more accessible through this exciting new technology, said Tim ORourke, Hearst Newspapers vice president of content strategy and founder of the DevHub. Being able to build on top of the teams exclusive reporting and highly vetted guides made this a logical project to harness the power of generative AI while being cautious in our approach.

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As for the technical side of the project, every query submitted to Chowbot goes on a multistep journey to return an answer to the reader. After passing through a content moderation check, Chowbot runs a query through what is called an embeddings model. That allows it to convert the query in a way that a computer can use to compare its meaning  or vibes  to the vibes of each of the hundreds of restaurants in our database. If you were to ask Chowbot for pizza places in San Francisco, for example, Italian restaurants would be closer in vibes than sushi restaurants would be.

Once Chowbot does this comparison, it selects the three closest restaurants to a query to create a prompt that is passed to a fine-tuned version of the large language model GPT-3.5-Turbo, which powers OpenAIs free version of ChatGPT. (Want to get even deeper into the weeds? Check out the How we use AI section at the bottom of Chowbots page.)

Overall, Chowbots usefulness will only improve as the Food & Wine team updates and publishes more guides and our generative AI processes improve.

Ultimately this bot is a reader-friendly tool that I think accentuates the hard work of our team  work that truly can only be done by humans, Bitker wrote in a Q&A about the new bot. This bot is trustworthy because of the source material: constantly updated reviews that reflect what its actually like to eat out right now.

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To try Chowbot, click here. And for more information on the Chronicles AI-powered restaurant recommendation bot, read Bitkers Q&A about Chowbot here.

About the San Francisco Chronicle
A little over a year ago, Mercedes revealed the mid-cycle refresh of the GLE sport utility vehicle. No fewer than four safety recalls have been issued for the 2024 model since then, beginning with a recall for a software error affecting the ESP control unit.

NHTSA

AMG

Mercedes further discovered that GLE 350 and GLE 450 vehicles may leak gasoline from the seal between the high-pressure fuel pump and tandem oil pump. As if that wasn't bad enough, certain units have been produced with fuel pumps that may shut down unexpectedly, causing a loss of drive power.The fourth and latest recall published on the's website is for an improperly welded accelerator pedal module, which may result in the bracket detaching or breaking while driving. Dealers have already been instructed to drill through the iffy spot welds to secure the bracket with rivets. At no charge to the customers, of course, which will be notified via first-class mail no later than April 16th, 2024.466 affected vehicles require said remedy, split between 199 units of the GLE 350, 96 of the GLE 450, 7 of the GLE 53, and 164 of the GLE 53 Coupe. Their production dates range between May 3rd, 2023 and May 17th, 2023. Both the standard GLE utility vehicle and the coupe-styling sibling are manufactured at the Alabama-based MBUSI plant.Merc's codenames for the GLE and GLE Coupe are V167 and C617, respectively. The accelerator pedal assembly's part number is A1676201002, with Mercedes listing Gestamp Servicios S.A. as the supplier. Back in May 2023, the German automaker from Stuttgart was informed by one of its suppliers that certain spot welts on the accelerator pedal module's bracket may not be up to snuff, yet Mercedes remedied only the modules in its control.Mercedes-Benz AG and Gestamp Servicios S.A. conducted a plethora of tests and analyses between June 2023 and February 2024, eventually determining that a potential safety risk cannot be ruled out. The supplier changed its production procedure on May 18th, 2023. Owners can easily determine if their GLEs are included in this recall by entering the 17-character vehicle identification number on the NHTSA's website.Closely related to the full-size GLS, the midsizer can be had in six distinct flavors, beginning with the four-pot 350 and six-pot 450. The 450e is a plug-in hybrid with four-cylinder turbo muscle, whereas the 580 means twin-turbocharged V8. Adding to the confusion, the-ified GLE 53 is a straight-six mild hybrid. The range-topping GLE 63 S obviously has eight cylinders to its name. In this application, the M177 engine produces 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet (850 Nm) of twist.The GLE Coupe, on the other hand, is branded Mercedes-AMG exclusively in this part of the world. The range comprises the 53 and 63 series. Both offer similar 0-60 performance to the regular GLE, namely 4.9 seconds for the 53 and 3.7 seconds for the 63. At press time, the most affordable GLE available for model year 2024 in the United States market is the 350 at $62,650 (sans destination).At the other end of the spectrum, the GLE 63 S can be yours for $127,700 at the very least. For the more exotic-looking coupe, that would be $129,050.
Returning after a short hiatus to the US automotive market, the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser is neatly tucked between the old-school 4Runner and the TNGA-F-based Sequoia full-size off-road family SUV.

SUV

Naturally, that means its dimensions are slightly on top of the fifth-generation Toyota 4Runner, which costs almost $41k for the 2024 model year and comes with a nearly obsolete 4.0-liter naturally aspirated V6 suitable for sending 270 horsepower to the four wheels through a jittery five-speed automatic transmission. However, it's not as big as the three-row Sequoia, which starts from over $61k.Still, there are more common elements with the latter than the former for the 2024 Land Cruiser  like the fact they're both produced on the same modular TNGA-F architecture and share the exclusivity of a hybrid i-Force Max powertrain. However, the 2024 Land Cruiser starts from around $56k with 326 horsepower under the hood, while the Sequoia gets a higher tune of 437 hp because it uses a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 instead of a 2.4-liter turbo inline-four alongside electric power.So, you see, for a few more dollars, you can get a hulking Sequoia with more power, or for a lot less, you can be as traditional as you can be in this day and age with the slightly smaller 4Runner. Additionally, both have another advantage over the 2024 Land Cruiser  they have seven grades or five trims for the 4Runner and Sequoia, respectively. Instead, the J250 Land Cruiser mid-size off-roadonly comes with three options  1958, Land Cruiser, and $75k First Edition . Even those would be fine, to be honest, but the top tier is only available for the first 5,000 buyers, and then you're left with just two grades to choose from.No worries, as there are solutions to any conundrum, of course. To solve the problem, the imaginative realm of digital car content creators has come up with the second Land Cruiser special series  the 2025 Black Edition. That is courtesy of the good folks over at the AutoYa info channel on YouTube, who have imagined the CGI looks of this stylish Land Cruiser special series in a bid to replace the First Edition for the second model year of the off-road SUV.The channel's pixel master was busy envisioning this potential new flagship grade, and because the 2024 Land Cruiser already has a black paint option in the online configurator, they didn't narrow down the hypothetical 'Black Edition' to just one color. Instead, the CGI expert cycled through various hues, many of which aren't available currently, both for the exterior and interior, while also adding black badges, blacked-out LED lights front and back, dark protection elements, and a new set of tires plus wheels that are more inclined toward a street build rather than off-road adventures.
The South Korean mid-size crossover SUV Hyundai Palisade shouldn't be considered old since it entered the market in 2018 and arrived in America as a 2020 model year product.

SUV

The replacement for the Maxcruz  or Santa Fe XL outside of South Korea, it became not only the flagship crossoverin the lineup but also a very popular model among Kia and Hyundai buyers alongside the Kia Telluride. Of course, just like the Santa Fe  inspired by the namesake city in New Mexico, the Palisade nameplate was chosen to have resonance in the United States.On this occasion, though, it references both the term palisade as well as the neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, plus the Hudson River palisade, which runs for almost forty miles opposite Manhattan, New York, towards North. That way, it's something that invites buyers from both coasts, right?Anyway, in the highly competitive mid-size crossover SUV segment, they are both formidable contenders, and their continued popularity is due to their spacious interiors, advanced features, good overall value for money, and more tidbits. Interestingly, if we compare the sales head-to-head, it seems the Kia Telluride is gaining a subtle yet visible advantage over the Hyundai Palisade. Naturally, the automaker has also observed the issue and will soon address it with an all-new second-generation flagship CUV.The 2026 Hyundai Palisade was first spied on in January, so we are still some time away from the actual reveal  usually, these test programs go on for a couple of years before the automakers sign them off into production and onto the market. Clad in heavy camouflage, the all-new Palisade still feels directly inspired by the smaller Santa Fe, and the interior setup is mostly similar with a new dual-screen layout.As such, the rumor mill now expects it to feel and act like an oversized companion of the smaller Santa Fe, which is now again a three-row family-oriented crossover SUV. That means the Palisade will have to grow a little and offer even more interior space for the occupants and their luggage. With the CUV still clad in thick layers of camouflage, it's still hard to pinpoint the exact design details.That is probably why some folks  especially across the imaginative realm of digital car content creators, hope the boxy rugged design won't apply and, by some sort of camouflage miracle, the next Hyundai Palisade will be as stylish as a Land Rover Defender 130, for example. More precisely, the digital creator NYMammoth loves both NYC and South Korea, which is why many of his virtual creations focus on the American lineup of Kia and Hyundai One of his passions as of late is also the second-generation 2026 Hyundai Palisade, which is why the pixel master has opted to show it on numerous occasions, both on social media and in unofficial videos, from all angles and also dressed in various ritzy colors. Obviously, in some of them, it's easy to see that the CGI expert used a Range Rover as a source of inspiration, so do take all of these renderings with a healthy dose of salt because we haven't seen any Hyundai-Land Rover partnerships for the production of the next Palisade iteration based on a British SUV. However, do you like it or not?
The Lyriq is a hugely important vehicle for Cadillac. The brand's first venture into all-electric vehicles also happens to be the very first General Motors vehicle underpinned by the BEV3 platform. The Lyriq further spearheads the Detroit-based automaker's return to the European continent.

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Photo: Cadillac

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To make a long story short, GM sold its European business  comprising German marque Opel and British sibling Vauxhall  in 2017. The buyer was none other than Groupe PSA, which became Stellantis after the merger with Fiat Chrysler.Back in October 2023, the American automaker announced that it would start its electric journey in the Old Continent with the Lyriq in  of all places  staunchly neutral Switzerland . Cadillac plans to expand to five additional markets by the end of 2025, including Sweden and France. In this part of the world, the Lyriq can be purchased online in a similar fashion to Tesla's direct-to-consumer model. After Switzerland and-centric Sweden, the next European country to welcome the Lyriq is France.According to General Motors Europe big kahuna Jaclyn McQuaid, the order books will open March 23. The chief executive officer and president of General Motors Europe didn't mention specifications or pricing, which is a bit weird. Even so, we do have an idea. Remember Switzerland?Over there, Cadillac lists the Lyriq with a starting price of 82,000 francs and a delivery window of May to June 2024 for orders placed today. At current exchange rates, 82,000 CHF is 93,175 USD, making the Euro-spec Lyriq a lot pricier than the Lyriq for North America. For the 2024 model year, the Lyriq starts at 58,590 dollars in the US of A.There is, however, a significant difference between the American and European versions. More specifically, Europe gets the dual-motor setup by default. Rated at 388and 610 Nm or 520 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque in old money, the Lyriq needs 5.3 seconds to reach 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour). The 102-battery pack is good for up to 530 kilometers (329 miles) in the's combined test cycle.The high-voltage battery is covered for eight years or 160,000 miles (around 100,000 miles). By comparison, the new vehicle warranty is four years or 100,000 miles (just over 60,000 miles). Extremely well equipped from the outset, the Lyriq for Europe is rocking a 19-speaker audio system from AKG, wireless charging for one's mobile phone, and Google built-in features to boot.The biggest problem of the Lyriq, however, is pricing. Despite being a far more luxurious vehicle than the Tesla Model Y Dual Motor Long Range, 82,000 CHF is way too much compared to 50,980 CHF or 57,925 USD at current exchange rates.Adding insult to injury, the Model Y Dual Motor Long Range is faster, quicker, and slightly better in terms of driving range. Tesla's Swiss website lists 5.0 seconds, 217 kph (135 mph) instead of 210 kph (130 mph) for the Caddy , and no more than 565 km (351 mi) with the standard 19-inch alloy wheels.
Three original Tesla Roadsters were parked inside three containers for 12 years, and no one knew where they were. Now, they have returned to America. But what is the story of the lost roadsters?

Photo: WHAT'S INSIDE? FAMILY | YouTube

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The three of them ended up in the hands of an expert known as "Doctor Roadster" of Wedlock & Sons. He worked for Tesla when it rolled out the first-generation Roadster . But these three that he is working on to restore are unique examples that were never driven by anyone outside Tesla and never owned by anyone.Two of them are orange and the third is painted red. The cars were offered in an auction, but the results were never public. It turns out that they were sold in a private deal.All three cars, plus one that was in parts, were bought by the same person, whose identity remained undisclosed until now. The owner is tech billionaire Dan O'Dowd, an entrepreneur who sells software to military customers. But why would he buy so many Teslas if he has been posing as Tesla's biggest hater for years?During the Super Bowl, he ran a commercial to show the dangers of Tesla's FSD , and he has been continuously lashing Elon Musk and his abilities. He is also behind the Dawn Project, which has been highlighting the failures of the Tesla software and the risk it poses to traffic participants.However, Dan O'Dowd owns several Teslas, with these three roadsters, plus the one dissembled included, and two more Roadsters that he has in storage in California. He also owns two Model 3 s and his wife drives the Model S. After he bought the Roadsters lost for 12 years, he took them to Carl Wedlock to fix them up.The story of the three roadsters dates back 13 years ago. They were purchased by an engineering firm that wanted to ship them from the US to China to disassemble them and see what Tesla was doing in terms of technology, hoping to use whatever they discovered in the cars they were working on at the time.But once they arrived in China, they were detained by the government. They remained in their shipping containers for 12 whole years until they were sent back to the US.One of them drove 104 miles because Tesla used to test every new car for 100 miles to make sure everything was working the right way. That was the last time they were driven: The battery is down to zero range, which means those batteries are gone and lost forever. Data collected from theof one of the orange Roadsters shows that the battery of one of the cars has been dead since December 4, 2011.The other orange car displays serious paint damage on the front bumper, which is also bent, probably from the expansion of the protective material inside the container over all these years. Meanwhile, the carbon fiber parts seem cracked.The rubber of the tires cracked, too, so there's one more reason these cars can't be driven.The three roadsters are the only ones in the world that have never been titled and the only ones with zero owners before Dan O'Dowd bought them. Carl thinks that Dan is not going to title them but just put them in some museum.Each of the roadsters was $125,000 when new, with optional equipment taking them to $160,000.
San Leandro Police Chief Abdul Pridgen left his position last week after an investigation into allegations that he violated department policies. San Leandro Police Department

San Leandro Police Chief Abdul Pridgen left his position last week after an investigation into allegations that he violated department policies, according to the city.

Pridgens last day was Feb. 20.

The city selected Los Altos Police Chief Angela Averiett to step in as interim chief in late April. Current interim Chief Kevin Hart will serve until Averiett takes over, the city said.

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Pridgen was placed on paid leave in September while an outside firm investigated the allegations against him. The city did not release details about the alleged policy violations.

City Manager Fran Robustelli said in a statement that the city is prohibited by law from releasing information about the matter, including the results of the investigation and the reason for Pridgens departure. The city did not say whether Pridgen was fired or resigned.

Pridgen could not be immediately reached for comment.

Pridgen became San Leandros police chief in 2021, after two years as police chief in Seaside. He previously worked for the Fort Worth, Texas, Police Department for almost 26 years, rising through the ranks to assistant chief in 2009.

Before he was hired in San Leandro, Pridgen was passed over for the job in Oakland. In late December, he was on a list of candidates the Oakland Police Commission recommended to Mayor Sheng Thao. The mayor rejected the candidates, and the commission reopened the application process. It was unclear Monday whether Pridgen reapplied for the job.

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The city of San Leandro will search for a permanent chief while Averiett leads the department, Robustelli said. Averiett previously served as deputy chief for the Bay Area Rapid Transit District.
In the picturesque German town of Neustadt an der Aisch, not far from the bustling city of Nuremberg, youll find Elemental Custom Cycles (ECC). Founded back in 2017, the Bavarian bike-modding outfit is the brainchild of Thomas Lambert, who believes theres no time in life to settle for mundane things. In fact, this ethos has been the main guiding principle for ECCs custom endeavors ever since day one.

Photo: Christian Motzek Photography via Silodrome

Photo: Christian Motzek Photography via Silodrome

As illustrated by their website, the shops philosophy is simple and straight to the point: "Life's too short to ride boring motorcycles." This creed clearly demonstrates their commitment to crafting two-wheeled works of art that not only look great, but are also an absolute blast to ride. Dubbed Project 4, the elegant BMW cafe racer shown above ticks both these boxes many times over.Its story began when Elemental was paid a visit by a guy named Andi, who journeyed six hours from Frankfurt to discuss his dream airhead build. Ideas were bounced around until Thomas and his crew understood exactly what the client was after, then the hunt for an appropriate donor got underway. As fate would have it, the guys quickly found a well-kept BMW R 80 with just 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles) on the odo in their local area.First released in the early '80s and produced for just over a decade, Motorrads R 80 Monolever garnered widespread acclaim for its bulletproof 797cc boxer-twin engine. The air-cooled mill came with a respectable 50 hp and 43 pound-feet (58 Nm) of torque on tap, which could translate into speeds of up to 110 mph (177 kph). During the models production run, more than 22,000 copies have rolled off the assembly line.That means the R 80 Mono is fairly easy to come by on todays second-hand market, so it has long been a go-to platform for customization. Scoring top points for both reliability and retro charm, BMWs nameplate serves as a perfect basis for a scrambler or cafe racer conversion. While the exact number of surviving Monolevers remains a mystery, theyve undoubtedly proven their worth to the custom motorcycle community.With all this being said, lets dive right in for a closer look at what ECCs caffeinated R 80 is all about. Right from its inception, Project 4 was envisioned as a harmonious fusion of minimalistic neo-retro looks and thoroughly upgraded performance. Andi was happy to give Elemental free reign over the customization process for the most part, only providing them with a few general instructions before the makeover began.The task at hand was nothing too complicated for the German firm, but Thomas and his team still found ways to make it interesting and challenge themselves. For starters, Elemental Custom Cycles kicked things off with a complete disassembly, which saw many of the old Beemers stock components deleted altogether. Then, the real fun took off with a few structural changes.Seeing the need to replace the OEM subframe with a more suitable alternative, ECC set to work fabricating the new rear frame tubing from scratch. On the other hand, the R 80s fuel tank was retained but repositioned to create a perfectly level bone line. Rear-end suspension duties are now managed by a modern adjustable shock absorber, which was sourced from the YSS catalog.You will still see the motorcycles standard forks at the front, but theyre held in place by bespoke triple clamps and equipped with Wilbers internals. Moreover, the entire front end was also lowered by 50 mm (two inches), so as to get the R 80s posture just right. Improved stopping power in that area is made possible thanks to a fresh pair of Brembo brake discs and a replacement master cylinder.Clip-on handlebars with adjustable control levers adorn the creatures cockpit, along with a digital Motogadget dial embedded into the top clamp. The same German brand supplied the grips and bar-end turn signals, as well, and we notice a single underslung mirror on the left-hand side. An aftermarket LED headlight is placed further ahead, while a custom fender can be spotted lower down.Out back, the cafe vibes continue with a handmade tail section, bearing Motogadget blinkers on the flanks and a small but potent taillight at its rearmost tip. Although the adjustments mentioned thus far were in no way easy to pull off, Elemental describes the footwear-related mods as the most challenging of all. Andi wasnt a huge fan of the stock alloy hoops, so theyve been swapped with laced 17-inch units shod in Continental tires.Custom wheel hubs and many hours of painstaking labor were required to install the new footgear, but the effort was definitely worth it! As a final touch before moving on to the paint job, ECC came up with a bespoke stainless-steel exhaust system that ends in a boxy muffler. Lastly, the specimen s colorway blends a dark grey base with gorgeous turquoise accents, but the engine, frame, and rims were all painted black.
Let's face it: if you want to sell a product, you have to hit people where it hurts, and that means their pockets. If you manage to build an amazing machine for low bucks, chances are you'll scoop up tons of cash. As we know, China is a master at this, and today, we'll be exploring what kind of tiny home you can get your hands on for under $20K.

Photo: Foshan Kindle Import&Export Co., Ltd.

Photo: Foshan Kindle Import&Export Co., Ltd.

Photo: Foshan Kindle Import&Export Co., Ltd.

Folks, the image gallery before you is filled with examples of tiny homes. Some are bigger than others, some more modern, but all are from the same Chinese manufacturer, and according to Foshan Kindle's Alibaba page, these babies don't cost a dime beyond $19K, with some obvious catches , of course.For example, to get your hands on a tiny home of this price, you'll need to buy bulk; after all, China's not messing around when it comes to production. And if you hit a certain target of units, you can even get that price reduced to $18K (16,500 at current exchange rates), maybe even less. Obviously, you'll need to cover shipping and import taxes, so let's take a step back and see what we're up against here.First and foremost, I cannot help but point out that the Alibaba pages for these homes state that they're "Expandable Inflatable" tiny homes. I'm not sure where the "Inflatable" part comes in in all this, but what I think they meant to say was 'modular.' Or was that for the "Expandable" bit?Anyhow, it doesn't matter much that insignificant details were lost in translation. What matters is that these things could very well be our ticket to joining the tiny home movement, or, get this, you get yourself a few of these babies, throw in a bit more cash to get the interiors just right, and open up a neat little cabana-style B&B overlooking some lake, beach, or other natural attractions. Come to think of it, keep things simple and just flip them for a small profit Now, as you've noticed, there are countless styles and units to choose from, some with a single axle, some with a double axle, and even three-axles. Some units come across as more modern, while others portray that proverbial house on the prairie look. Judging by the images here, units can even include elevated lofts from where you can peak at the world around you without ever getting out of bed. Heck, one layout, although a rendering, even showcases a rooftop patio on one of the units. I wonder if we'd get what we ordered with that one.And yes, judging by what we see and what the manufacturer's product page states, these babies are brought to life using mostly fiberglass and wood, obviously, with a few metals here and there, like the corrugated roofs and even exterior siding portrayed by some of the units.But, it's once we decide to head indoors that we start to notice a bit of an issue. The images offered by the manufacturer may lead us to believe that these units are already furnished , but, alas, they aren't; they're just here to give us a bit of guidance as to what your unit could eventually look like.Now, that price is bound to sound amazing, but there are a few speedbumps you'll need to handle before getting your hands on a pair of these potential investments. Exploring what it would take to import such a large item from China, I learned that you'll need to have a business setup and/or become an importer.That means taxes after taxes after taxes. I should know; I, too, had to take up the title of "importer" as I've had large commercial goods shipped over from the Land of Silk. I'll let you in on a secret: the taxes aren't that bad, but what you're importing does matter.Up next, you need to consider that your units will surely need assembly, even if you get it delivered with walls erected. So, you'll need to weigh your options for this one, but yes, you and your friends, family, or workforce will need to play with some very life-size LEGO pieces before you're looking at a shell that's in dire need of furnishings. After all, you can only sleep on an inflatable mattress for so long. Oh, and you can be sure you'll need to bring your own life-giving systems and possibly even need to draw up plumbing lines.But one thing seems to be certain: Foshan Kindle will deliver. According to reviews on Alibaba, several US customers have had their orders met on time and with flying colors, and it's not just tiny homes that this crew manufactures and delivers either.Foshan, like many other Chinese manufacturers, is one of those crews that doesn't just specialize in tiny homes; they craft an array of trinkets, including truck campers, travel trailers , boats, utility trailers, and countless other gear and components, while being apparent masters at working with materials the likes of steel, aluminum, fiberglass, and wood. If you've been looking for a sign to get started on your very own tiny home business, this might be it.
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Absolutely unsurprising, yet another upcoming automobile has leaked ahead of its official presentation. Spied, rendered, teased, and filled with alternative marketing, the Renault 5 revival's production version has jumped the gun ahead of its worldwide reveal. This time around, it has done so only a few hours ahead of the unveiling programmed at the 2024 Geneva Motor Show  it should arrive shortly from 9:30 AM CET (3:30 AM EST) on Monday, February 26, alongside other novelties from the French brand.As far as we know, the electric supermini will arrive at European dealerships later this year to remind everyone of the original but with a sustainable twist. Unfortunately, it won't be as affordable because the rumor mill believes this fashionablewill rock a starting price of about 25k or $27k. It doesn't sound like a lot, but the Renault 5 is a pocket-sized city car, after all. It's poised to rival the electric MINI Cooper E, so we didn't expect any wonders, anyway.Faithful to the preceding concept, this is the Renault 5 in all its yellow-like-sunflower splendor ahead of the official reveal. The car looks exactly as we expected, but the nice surprise comes from the interior  which blends the charming Renault interiors of the old models from the 1980s and 1990s with modern technology. But wait, that's not all. These last few hours have been great for the rumor mill. In fact, the good folks over at CocheSpias have also uncovered another interesting EV.Thanks to a tip from a fan, the outlet has given us the potential first look at the high-performance version of the Tesla Model 3 Highland. Although the refresh was presented months ago and has gone on sale since last year in Europe or China, Tesla only offers  at home too  the $38,990 Model 3 RWD and dual-motor all-wheel drive Model 3 Long Range ($47,740) at the moment. Instead, the Performance version is said to have succumbed to the powers of automotive Valhalla.No worries, something powerful is coming  and the rumor mill believes that it's going to be a Tesla Model 3 Plaid , much in the same vein as the $90k Model S Plaid and $95k Model X Plaid, which both have 1,020 horsepower. Well, a Tesla Model 3 Highland was leisurely strolling among pedestrians in Valencia, Spain, for a photoshoot (note the camera car in the background), and a man called David Valencia on social media immediately noticed that something was amiss  including the new set of aero wheels, the rear bumper, and the subtle badge on the right side of the trunk.
How do we know that? Because the lion brand has just released a teaser video on social media that reveals its interior. The clip is only a few seconds long and reveals what we already knew: an identical dashboard panel, the same widescreen displays that mix the infotainment and digital cluster behind a single pane of glass that measures 21 inches in diagonal, an identical steering wheel, a familiar center console, and so on.There are minor differences between the new Peugeot E-5008's interior and that of its smaller sibling, and they mostly revolve around the door cards, from what we can see. Nonetheless, the biggest update in this case is the fact that the upcoming model will feature a three-row layout with seating for up to seven, whereas the latest E-3008 has seating for five. Moreover, with the third row folded flat, the larger high-rider will offer superior space in the cargo area.Peugeot has used the same STLA Medium platform to come up with the 2024 E-5008. The versatile construction will also underpin the upcoming Jeep Compass, as well as the Opel/Vauxhall Grandland, a pair of DS models, and another one from Lancia. Chances are it will offer a range similar to that of the E-3008, which can do up to 435 miles (700 km) on a full charge in its most frugal configuration.Mind you, besides the E-5008 , with the prefix standing for electric to evoke its all-quiet nature, Peugeot is also expected to launch a few versions with internal combustion power. Details surrounding the exact mills that might be used here are yet unknown. What we can tell you is that all of them should be partially electrified, either using the mild-hybrid tech or the plug-in hybrid one. Thus, this model will be very flexible and an interesting proposal for Europe's mid-size, high-riding, mid-size class.Speaking of which, the space between the axles and overall footprint will put it against the likes of the Tesla Model Y, so it should be very good if it wants to steal some sales from this ultra-popular electric crossover. We won't have to wait that long to find out all about it, as the French automaker, which is part of Stellantis, will drop the veils shortly. According to Peugeot, the all-new E-5008 will be revealed in March, albeit not at the 2024 Geneva Motor Show, as only a handful of automakers are attending it, and Peugeot isn't on the list.
Photo: SEAT

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If you are unfamiliar with the color palette and wheel options available on the 2024 SEAT Arona, then the new FR Limited Edition will drive under the radar. The reason is that the bespoke Graphene Gray exterior paint finish and the exclusive 18-inch alloys with a Cosmo Gray look are the only novelties on the outside.The gray air vents bring some outside influences into the cabin. The Spanish auto brand , which operates under the VW Group, also mentions the dark aluminum matte look of the door and console moldings. Last but not least, future owners will be able to specify it with front bucket seats at an extra cost, wrapped in textile upholstery.The automaker hasn't mentioned anything about the car's pricing yet, stating only that it will become available in the first quarter of the year. Nevertheless, it will likely cost more than the regular Arona FR Sport, which starts at 27,035 ($34,255) in the United Kingdom and slots between the FR and XPerience.Described as the sporty one, this model comes with 18-inch wheels, heated front seats, microsuede upholstery, and a 10-inch digital cockpit, among others. The Arona FR is offered with a choice of two gasoline burners, a 1.0 and a 1.5-liter mill. The former produces 115 ps (113 hp/84) and comes with standard manual or optional automatic transmission, and the latter is good for 150 ps (148 hp/110 kW) and features a DSG.The lineup also comprises the SE, SE Technology, FR, XPerience, and XPerience Lux trim levels, which kick off at 22,450 ($28,445), 23,515 ($29,795), 25,865 ($32,775), 26,585 ($33,685), and 28,250 ($35,795), respectively. The base model is offered with a standard manual 95 ps (94 hp/70 kW) 1.0L TSI gasoline unit, which can be upgraded to the 115 ps (113 hp/84 kW) DSG.In production at the Martorell factory in Spain since 2017 and refreshed in 2021, the Arona is SEAT's smallest and most affordable crossover. It is a subcompact model that sits below the compact Ateca and mid-size Tarraco, building on theA0 platform. The Ibiza, Skoda Kamiq, VW Polo, T-Cross, Audi A1, and others use the same construction, so you can consider it the T-Cross' Mediterranean cousin.It is unknown what the future holds for this nameplate, though with SEAT reportedly narrowing down its model lineup and positioning itself as an entry-level brand in the VW Group's portfolio, chances are the Arona will not receive a second generation, even as an
For a brief period of time not long ago the word "hyperloop was on everybody's lips. Popularized by Elon Musk in a 2013 white paper, the idea of high-speed travel through a low-pressure tube and using capsules is all but dead. Or is it?

Photo: Hyperloop

Photo: Hyperloop

Not long ago there were three companies working on this: the Elon Musk-founded The Boring Company, Richard Branson's Hyperloop One (aka Virgin Hyperloop), and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT).As you all know, The Boring Company was building a test tunnel in California to prove Musk's theory that capsules made from aluminum and filled with people or cargo could reach speeds of up to 760 mph (1,223 kph) inside airless tubes. Only his tunnel was not nearly airless, there were only people on foot and the occasional Teslas that went through it, and that spelled doom for the project.Hyperloop One on the other hand didn't even get nearly as far. A couple of test pods were made, but they got nowhere, not even inside a tunnel, so the company decided to call it quits at the end of last year.This brings us to HyperloopTT, the only one of the original three companies playing in this field that is still standing. Not only standing, but thriving, it seems, as a major step forward for the company was announced this week.This crew was set up in 2013 in California with the declared goal of creating a means of transport that can reach "airplane speeds on the ground." It conducted its first major feasibility study in 2019, and given how that proved this idea could work, money started flowing.HyperloopTT presently has ongoing projects in a couple of regions in Europe. In Veneto, Italy, it is working on creating a prototype hyperloop transportation system to link the cities of Venice-Mestre to Padua.The project is called HyperTransfer, and aims to "reduce heavy trafc, decrease traditional transport times and energy consumption, improve road safety, and enhance the interconnections between transport systems and smart cities in the local area." It will be, for all intents and purposes, the world's rst operational commercial hyperloop system.Over in Germany something called the HyperPort exists. Located in the Port of Hamburg, it's an effort meant to create a high-speed transportation solution for shipping containers both inside the port and further inland.Work on the technologies to be deployed in these projects was until this week conducted at a research and development center in Toulouse, France. But, given how back in January the contract for the Italian HyperTransfer was signed, HyperloopTT decided to move R&D operations to the country that gives us Ferraris and Ducatis.The company will establish several centers in the European country. The offices will be located near Venice, with some work to be conducted in Puglia as well. For that to happen, the company will have to move in from France a lot of hardware, including the capsules that are the stars of the transportation system, the vacuum pumps used to pull air from the test tracks, the levitation and propulsion systems, and, naturally, the control center.We're told that, partially, the decision to move operations was also fueled by the fact the location in France did not have enough land for the needs of HyperloopTT's testing procedures  to be properly put through its paces, the system needs "tens of kilometers" of track.The relocation of HyperloopTT's operations will take about six months. Neither the project in Italy nor the one in Germany have set completion deadlines.The last we heard about HyperloopTT before this week's announcement was back in the fall of last year, when we were given a taste of the Express Freight concept for moving cargo (check the second video below).Meant to take advantage of the speed of a hyperloop system, the capsules are also meant to revolutionize how freight is loaded and transported as well. The floors of each Freight pod are lowered, and there is a pocket door between the structural ribs in a bid to gain more space.Loading and unloading them could be made autonomously and simultaneously, thanks to staggered doors fitted on both sides of the pod  in essence, one side is used for unloading and the other for loading as soon as space becomes available. Because of a special system called DockLock, the pods can easily connect to existing infrastructure.As for the people-carrying variant of the pod, at its finest the contraption will be capable of holding up to 48 passengers in a space about as large as that inside a small commercial aircraft. The pods would shoot through tubes with a diameter of 13 feet (four meters), levitating on a near-frictionless magnetic field.There is no deadline for when we could be experiencing these pods firsthand either.
What became known to the public as Opener's Blackfly is now Pivotal's Helix aircraft. It was one of the eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) pioneers and one of the most intriguing personal electric aircraft concepts. Today, it's not only gearing up for the first deliveries in just a few months but also kicking off an evaluation process with the US Air Force (USAF).

AFWERX Agility Prime has been linked to several eVTOL makers as the military's initiative for supporting this innovative technology. One of the latest of these aircraft to be eyed for an evaluation process by USAF is Pivotal's Helix, previously known as BlackFly.Eight BlackFlys are set to participate in this evaluation program that will unfold at two locations - New Braunfels National Airport in Texas and the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport in Ohio.Four of them have already been delivered, and they'll be joined by two flight simulators as well. After AFWERX and MTSI (Modern Technology Solutions, Inc.) selected Helix for Agility Prime, the California-based Pivotal committed to providing USAF with eight aircraft units, two flight simulators, as well as support services and pilot training. BlackFly was designed for private use and is currently being commercialized as a personal eVTOL. Compared to eVTOLs that were designed to operate as air taxis, these electric aircraft with just one or two seats have different potential benefits when it comes to military operations. An aircraft like the BlackFly/Helix could be useful in surveillance, emergency response, and special operations. According to the AFWERX Agility Prime branch chief, Lt Col John Tekell, cost-effectiveness compared to conventional helicopters is one of the main selling points.These eight Pivotal aircraft now have eight months of intensive testing ahead. In the end, the USAF will decide whether the potential for military use is worth investing further.In the meantime, the aircraft is already up for grabs for the general public. Like all eVTOLs intended for private use, Helix doesn't require a pilot license. There are a few basic requirements related to both the location and the personal data (height and weight) of the future owners, which must be met prior to ordering the aircraft. Once that's out the way, the manufacturer will schedule the customer for a training session at its customer center in Palo Alto, California.Pricing starts at $190,000 with a non-refundable $250 order fee and a $50,000 deposit. Those who want to take things to the next level can even customize their Helix aircraft with a 4K camera and a premium flight deck, among others.The first Helix personal aircraft are set to be delivered to their owners in just a few months, starting June 10.
Slotted just below the M3, the M340i xDrive is one seriously capable sedan. Not only does it pack a turbocharged sixer with more power at the crank that BMW says it produces on paper, but it's also seriously quick from a dig thanks to impeccably calibrated launch control and all-wheel drive.

Photo: CSL AutoTime on YouTube

PHEV

The M340i xDrive in the video below is reportedly stock, meaning that we're dealing with 387 ps and 500 Nm of torque. Metric figures were used because the video was filmed in Thailand, which has used the metric system since 1923. Converted to mechanical ponies, that would be 382 horsepower at 5,800 to 6,500 revolutions per minute. Regarding maximum torque, 500 Nm is 369 pound-feet.Tipping the scales at 1,670 kilograms or 3,682 pounds, the M340i xDrive is equipped with an eight-speed automatic by default. By comparison, the previous-gen Civic uses a continuously variable transmission. Pictured in Hatchback RS flavor, the Civic originally made 173 ps and 220 Nm (170 hp and 162 lb-ft). But as you can tell from the aftermarket hood, stickier tires, and that nice-looking engine bay, it's not exactly a stock car.The modified Civic belts out 370 ps and 550 Nm or 365 horsepower and 406 pound-feet, allegedly. Torquier than the M340i xDrive , it's also lighter at 1,323 kilograms (2,917 pounds). Harder to launch than the rear-biased M340i xDrive, the Civic RS clocked a respectable 12.90 seconds at 179 kilometers per hour (around 111 miles per hour).Over no fewer than four drag races, the Bimmer posted a best of 12.60 seconds at 176 kilometers per hour (109 miles per hour). Then again, what did you expect from the M3's more understated brother?Not even a Civic Type R could pose a threat to the M340i xDrive, with the former FK8 and the current FL5 topping 320 ps (315 hp) from a displacement of 2.0 liters. Honda deserves a standing ovation for keeping the CTR manual, but alas, that may change in the not-so-distant future due to regulations.Honda technical advisor Koa Yamamoto let it slip that a certain level of plug-in hybrid assistance is possible, which is only natural given the FL5's platform. The so-called Honda Architecture of the eleventh-gen Civic supports hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Think Civic e:HEV and CR-V e:for continental Europe and the UK.The 3 Series, on the other hand, will be redesigned in 2026. Still based on the CLuster ARchitecture of the G20/G21, the internal combustion-engined 3 Series will be joined by the NA0/NA1 i3. The latter uses the German automaker's Neue Klasse platform, an electric vehicle architecture that supports up to four drive units.The all-electric brother of the i3 will be preceded by the iX3 (a.k.a. NA5). The newcomer shouldn't be confused with the first-gen iX3, which is a development of the internal combustion X3.
Tesla recently announced that it would switch on the adaptive headlight features for the refreshed Model 3 in Europe, with other models to come online soon. However, US customers are left in the dark, literally, as local regulations prevent the use of adaptive headlights without a thorough redesign.

EV

NHTSA

We are working on it. FMVSS 108 for adaptive driving beam is pretty strick, but well keep plugging away.  Lars (@larsmoravy) February 23, 2024

There's a noisy chatter about adaptive headlights lately, especially as the US regulations were changed in 2022 to allow this technology on US roads. It enables the headlights to bathe the road ahead in bright light like high beams do but without blinding other road users. This can be achieved by shaping the light beam to avoid other cars while covering the rest of the view field in bright light. This enhances safety for everyone because it allows drivers to see further without blinding oncoming drivers.Adaptive headlights are common on European, Chinese, and Canadian roads but can't be used in the US. Many luxury carmakers, including Tesla, already ship their vehicles with matrix LED headlights , which can offer advanced adaptive functions. However, no car model offers adaptive headlights in the US yet. These functions are not enabled in software because US specifications differ from the ones in Europe and the rest of the world. Instead, vehicles sold in the US are fitted with automatic high beams, which automatically switch to low beams the moment another vehicle is detected ahead.In January, Tesla announced it would enable adaptive headlights for the refreshed Model 3 in Europe. Themaker also announced that it's working on allowing the adaptive headlight features on other models fitted with matrix LED headlights, including the refreshed Model S and Model X and newer Model Ys. Unfortunately, US customers will not get adaptive headlights, not even on the Model 3 Highland, which only started deliveries in January. This is even though thechanged the regulations in 2022 to allow carmakers to offer adaptive headlights.In a recent reply to one of the owners on X, Tesla's VP of Engineering, Lars Moravi, confirmed the carmaker is working on bringing the adaptive headlights to the US. "FMVSS 108 for adaptive driving beam is pretty strict, but we'll keep plugging away," Moravi promised. Still, since the same headlights are street-legal in Europe and even Canada, why is it that Tesla cannot offer the same functions in the US? Especially now, as the legislation has been amended to allow them.The first thing that differs between Canadian and US regulations is that the former permits European headlamps , while the latter prohibits them. Moreover, the US adaptive headlight rules set in the FMVSS 108 standard differ from those in other regions. Based on experts consulted by CNN , the US requirements are challenging to meet, so carmakers struggle to offer adaptive headlights in the US.More specifically, NHTSA's rules require adaptive headlights to respond extremely fast after detecting another vehicle. This is not only much faster than other standards in use in Europe and Canada but also quicker than humans could switch regular high beams. They also dictate extremely narrow lines between bright and dark regions of the light beam, which is difficult to achieve in practice. This prevents current matrix LED headlamps from ever being switched on in the US. Instead, carmakers will be forced to redesign their adaptive headlights according to US regulations.This not only prevents proven technology from being used in the US but is also detrimental to traffic safety, forcing everyone to use inferior solutions like automatic high beam switching. Until the NHTSA changes the rules , adaptive headlights in the US are only good for light shows and nothing more.
26 February 2024 14:18 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

Today is the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide. Exactly 32 years ago, on the night from February 25th to 26th, Armenian armed forces attacked the peaceful residents of Khojaly, and 2500 Khojaly residents, who remained in the encircled town, began to move towards Aghdam. But Armenians shelled them in an ambush by encircling them from all four directions. As a result of the Khojaly genocide, which was a tragedy of a century, 613 civilians, as well as 63 children, 106 women, and 70 old people, were killed atrociously, 8 families were annihilated, 25 children lost both parents, 130 children lost one parent, 487 were wounded (76 of them were children), some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostage, and the fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children, remains unknown.

Today, there are very few people who survived from Khojaly, however, after the 32-year partition, those people are returning to their homeland. Khojaly was cleared of separatists on September 19-20, 2023, as a result of the local anti-terrorist measures carried out by the Azerbaijani Army in Garabagh. On October 15, 2023, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev raised the State Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the city of Khojaly. The waving of the Azerbaijani flag in this city demonstrates once again that the blood of the victims of the Khojaly tragedy did not remain on the ground.

Even after years pass, it will not be possible to forget that night. Azerbaijanis living abroad are trying their best to convey this terrible event to the world as well.

Elnur Enveroglu, the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Azernews, says that peaceful actions related to Khojaly were held in London, Canada, and many European cities, and Armenian crimes were demonstrated to the world community. Since this massacre took place in recent history, witness statements and the already existing evidence could easily prove these heinous crimes.

Khojaly crime has been recognized by about 17 countries around the world. 10 of these countries recognised Khojaly as a massacre, and 7 other countries, including Azerbaijan, recognised it as genocide. In addition, approximately 28 states in the United States have officially recognised the Khojaly genocide.

Although this had a certain effect on the restoration of justice for Khojaly, the fact that the city was completely under Armenian occupation for 31 years did not change anything, he added.

E. Enveroglu thinks that the liberation of Garabagh from occupation caused a historical turning point through which part of the culprits of the genocide are in Baku prisons.

In my opinion, the questioning of the criminals before the court of justice and the liberation of Khojaly from the occupation may mean the full establishment of justice for Khojaly.

He reminded that Khojaly is the blood memory of Azerbaijan, and it will continue like this for millennia.

Of course, the dead cannot be brought back. There is only one way to do this, and that is to bring the criminals, the perpetrators of the crimes, to justice. For example, the detention of Madat Babayan, who was involved in the Khojaly genocide, and the arrest of Vagif Khachatryan, are the best means for a fair trial of this heinous crime. However, this does not mean that all criminals receive their deserved punishment. There is no doubt that the legislative bodies of the Azerbaijan Republic continue to search for this, E. Enveroglu stressed.

As for the attitude of society hereafter, the editor-in-chief also said that there were such brutal crimes between a number of tribes, nations, and states in history.

For example, massacres in Indonesia in 1965-66 and Bangladesh in 1971, as well as acts of genocide in Cambodia, Guatemala, and East Timor, can be examples of them. Also, in spite of all this, after such events, a peace and reconciliation act was signed between the states. Peace has only a symbolic meaning, and it is for ensuring security and safety for the region and neighbouring countries. Enemies never sleep. Of course, Armenia has been harbouring hatred for the Azerbaijani people since a hundred years ago. However, behaving like more civilised societies befitting Azerbaijan - that is, being a warrior in war and a pioneer in peace - is characteristic of the Azerbaijani mentality.

Touching on the efforts made to commemorate the victims of the Khojaly genocide, Elnur Enveroglu said that since the liberation of Karabakh from occupation, the Azerbaijan Republic continues to search for those who died and went missing during the First Garabagh War. The remains of human skeletons found in mass graves discovered recently played a fundamental role in confirming a number of facts.

Unfortunately, the fate of 150 Azerbaijanis missing in the Khojaly genocide is still unknown. Just as Armenia refuses to provide mine maps, it also avoids providing information about the fate of the murdered Azerbaijanis. This is an Armenian trait, and of course, Armenia thinks that it can avoid responsibility. But all the facts will come out sooner or later. Nothing remains hidden.

Along with Khojaly, the mass graves found in Kalbajar, the vicinity of Asgaran fortress, the territory of Shusha prison, the Edilli village of Khojavend and other areas testify to Armenian crimes. Armenia does not want this issue to be raised in the international court one day and tries to cover up its crimes by all means, the journalist added

The Deputy Editor-in-Chief, emphasizing that the criminals get their own punishment, concluded by stating that criminals have already been caught one by one and brought to Baku.

Based on the interrogations of Vagif Khachatryan and Rashid Beglaryan, as well as Madat Babayan, many organised Armenian crimes were registered. Those who are arrested are the perpetrators of the crime and those who carry out the tasks. Of course, behind this are those who organised the genocide plan, and we believe that one day it will be their turn.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Gavin Newsom speaks during a news conference on Feb. 1 in Sacramento. The California governor is facing his fifth recall effort. Justin Sullivan/TNS

California Gov. Gavin Newsom faces his fifth recall attempt as a citizen-led group of conservative activists launched a fresh campaign on Monday to remove him from office.

Organizers with Rescue California plan to serve the governor with recall papers, citing concerns such as the states budget deficit, public safety and immigration.

Over 400 Californians of every political persuasion and from all walks of life, have joined together to serve as official proponents of this Recall, Anne Dunsmore, the director of the latest effort, said in a statement.

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Serving Newsom with the recall papers represents the first step of a potentially prolonged and costly process before the issue is put to California voters.

Newsom, who successfully beat back the only recall attempt to make it onto the statewide ballot in 2022, dismissed the latest endeavor in a statement shared on his social media platforms.

Trump Republicans are launching another wasteful recall campaign to distract us from the existential fight for democracy and reproductive freedom, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. We will defeat them.

President Joe Biden, right, talks with California Gov. Gavin Newsom after disembarking Air Force One at San Francisco International Airport on Nov. 14 as he arrives to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders week. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/TNS

The organizers of the latest effort said theyre aiming to thwart Newsoms presidential ambitions. While he has denied White House aspirations and has actively supported President Joe Bidens reelection bid, Newsoms fundraising and campaign activities have widely fueled speculation about a potential candidacy.

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This may be our last opportunity to rescue and restore our state, while we highlight for the rest of the country the destruction Newsom has left in his wake, Dunsmore said.

To secure a spot on the statewide ballot for a recall, a petition must gather valid signatures equivalent to 12% of the voter turnout in the previous gubernatorial election. For the current initiative, the group must collect approximately 1.38 million verifiable signatures by May to be eligible for the November ballot.

Despite the long-shot effort, Newsoms campaign press secretary Nathan Click said in a statement that the governors office is taking it seriously.

These Trump Republicans are targeting Gov. Newsom because he is out there defending democracy and fighting for the reelection of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, Click said. Hes not going to be distracted from that fight.

Click added, Democracys on the ballot, and hes going to keep fighting.
26 February 2024 22:55 (UTC+04:00)

Abbas Ganbay Read more

It has been 32 years since the Khojaly tragedy, which left a scar in the memory of the Azerbaijani and Turkic nations. On the night from February 25 to 26, 1992, Armenian vandals massacred the inhabitants of several settlements including Karkijahan, Meshali, Malibayli, Gushchular, Garadaghli, and a number of others, where the inhabitants of Khojaly suffered the heaviest losses.

On this 32nd anniversary of the tragedy, the Azerbaijani people remember with deep respect and honor the memory of the innocent victims of ethnic hatred and genocide committed by Armenia.

The town of Khojaly, which was under siege and where land communication as well as power supply was cut off from October 1991 and January 1992, was occupied by the Armenian armed forces with the assistance of the 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the former USSR after a massive artillery bombardment.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people were brutally killed, including 63 children, 106 women, 70 elderly citizens, 8 families were completely destroyed, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken captive and hostage, as well as subjected to cruel torture, is still unknown.

Let us remind the world community about the Armenian murderer and butcher who has not yet had his trial. It is surprising that Armenians, who claim to be a Christian nation, have not expressed their condolences to the Azerbaijani people, have not recognized their guilt and their ancestors, and do not know what they have done and what it has led to. After all, as it is stated in the sacred scriptures, the prophet Jesus proclaimed: "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you," (Matthew 5:43-44).

Unlike the Armenian civilians who left Garabagh peacefully and without bloodshed after the liberation of Garabagh by the Azerbaijani army from terrorists, the Azerbaijani residents were met by murderers.

I would like to remind about the leader of the terrorist gang "Rabo" Manvel Yeghiazaryan, who was brutalized that night in 1992 in Garadagli, Khojaly. Many years later, in an interview on Armenian television, the TV host asked Manvel a question:

"Azerbaijani propaganda lately and every year, does not skimp on words and talks about such atrocities of Armenians, and every year they luxuriously celebrate the genocide of Khojaly. As a participant of those events, so to speak, as an eyewitness, what do you say about it?" said the TV presenter.

The head of "Arabo" gang Manvel Yeghiazaryan answers the anchor:

"I will tell you as an eyewitness that Monte Melkonian was my fighting comrade, he could not solve issues in either Garadaghli or Khojaly in 1992, and he did not even hold any position. So his brother Markar Melkonyan wrote a book in America, and our Armenians must have helped him, that after a fierce attack the "Arabo" detachment entered Garadaghli and started stabbing people with knives, in Khojaly they cut them, skinned them alive. Brother, when you write this, is the writer Armenian or Azerbaijani? This is Monte Melkonian's brother, Markar Melkonian.

Turks and Azerbaijanis attacked us on all their websites that "Rabo" squad are thugs, (And especially your name was discussed-says the presenter to him), yes they talk about "Arabo", open Azerbaijani websites and read. And now I ask this man (Markar M.) brother why do you write such things?

If you wanted to glorify your brother Monte, I could have done it much better, I was his friend, but it does not mean that you can say things about people that did not really happen. In Garadagli, the youngest woman was 75 years old, what women, what children is he writing about? They were not there, he writes shameful things about us (Armenians), why is that? Because there is no control. Look how much Azerbaijanis spend on propaganda? But ours don't." said the gang leader.

So, the leader of this gang "Arabo" Manvel Yeghiazaryan, who brutalized Azerbaijani residents in 1992 in Garadaghli, Khojaly, makes a statement against Markar Melkonian, brother of Monte Melkonian, whom he said was his comrade-in-arms, for the book that Markar Melkonian published and wrote in America, it is a biography of Monte Melkonian, where the book is called "My Brother's Way", the book is in English , and the translation from the original into Armenian that came out later, pay attention to the differences in the text of the original and the distortions in them. Even the author reproaches Armenians for helping Markar in writing this book, and he does not agree with the fact that "Arabo" entered Garadagli, cut people with knives, and that people were skinned alive, he reproaches him for this, and the TV presenter can't understand whether an Azerbaijani or an Armenian wrote the book (allegedly an Armenian can't write such a book) and to the presenter's surprise it was Monte's brother, Markar Melonian, that is an Armenian, and Manvel came to the conclusion that there is no control over what is written, that Azerbaijanis and Turks use it.

On the opposite, there was control when the book was translated from the original in English into Armenian in Yerevan for local readers, where many places were distorted and omitted intentionally.

In the photos below there are examples of texts where the things that were included in the Armenian text are marked in yellow color, and the things that are marked in blue color were taken out of context intentionally.

Here is an excerpt from the test:

"In mid-February, Monte and his Patriotic Squad bivouacked in Mehdishen, a village north of Stepanakert (Khankandi) located a fair distance from the district center of Martuni, to gather more intelligence, this time for a planned attack on the neighboring town of Khojaly. Khojaly, with a population of 6,000 was Azerbaijan's second largest Azerbaijani populated town in Nagorno-Karabakh, after its citadel of Shusha. The Azerbaijanis in Khojaly controlled Nagorno-Karabakh's only airstrip, and their arrows cut off the two main roads through the region-one to the east and the other to the north." (what went into the text)

"Nevertheless, the armed presence in Khojaly was for the most part defensive in nature. It consisted of approximately 40 OMON fighters plus "self-defense groups" of between 60-200 men, mostly inexperienced recruits." (that was cut from the text when translating into Armenian)

On February 16, Monte's offensive operation was interrupted because he received an urgent call from his superiors in Stepanakert (Khankandi). He left his binoculars and rushed to the Armed Forces headquarters, located at the former train station on Stepanakert (Khankandi) Freedom Fighters Boulevard. While he listened to the chirpy Arthur Mkrtchyan, the bespectacled president of Nagorno Garabagh, he explained that the Arabo and Aramo units had attacked the village of Garadaghli, on their own initiative and without authorization, and that the Azerbaijani defenders of the village had repelled the attack, killing one of the attackers during a firefight.

Mkrtchyan knew that Monte had intelligence on Garadaghli, and asked that he finish the operation, which was thwarted by the renegats. (In the Armenian translation, the word is "rebellious".

The Armenians knew that they would have to translate the book in their own way, cut out important information from the text, so that in the future generations of Armenians would consider the murderers of women and children and the elderly as heroes.

This year, for the first time, on the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, Azerbaijan tricolor flag flies over all territories of Azerbaijan, including the city of Khojaly, which is a heartbreak and an incurable wound for every Azerbaijani.

The liberation of Khojaly symbolizes Azerbaijan strength and solidarity, being a bond of loyalty to the victims of the Khojaly genocide.

---

Abbas Ganbay is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @Noend33

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
26 February 2024 19:50 (UTC+04:00)

Fatime Letifova Read more

Since last year, the Armenian authorities have been making claims about being disintegrated from the CSTO at many events and conferences. The Prime Minister of the country, Nikol Pashinyan, sometimes openly and sometimes covertly, brings the tension between him and his countrys old ally, Russia, to the attention of the world community.

But why does Armenia want to turn its back on Russia today, when for many years, especially during the occupation of the Karabakh region, it was hiding behind the peacekeeping forces and carrying out its insidious plans with ease?

It seems that the Armenian government, which is deceived by the empty promises of its patrons in the West and tries to show itself worthy of them, thinks that after the failure in Garabagh, it will be more prosperous by distancing itself from Russia and under the protection of its allies in Europe.

However, we should not forget that Russia's political and economic network in Armenia can bring an end to Yerevan, which still claims territory against Azerbaijan.

For example, since September 1992, Armenia has entrusted the protection of 345 km of its borders with Turkiye and 45 km with Iran to the border management of the Federal Security Service of Russia.

The 102nd Russian military base established in Armenia in 1995 is of great importance in the relations between the two countries. In 2010, the term of the base's location on the territory of Armenia was extended until 2044. To this day, that base is considered an important element, enabling Armenia to be ruled by Moscow.

Currently, Russia also uses border detachments located in Gyumri, Armavir, Artashat, and Megri for these purposes. At the same time, the departure point of the "Zvartnots" international airport and the "Agarak" departure point on the highway on the border with Iran are also under Russian control. In total, about 5,000 Russian soldiers protect Armenia's borders.

In the smallest confrontation, Armenia can consider 5,000 people who have served for years and are familiar with the country's military system as its executioners.

However, Armenia's dependence on Russia is manifested not only in the country's military sphere but also in its economic and industrial platforms.

Thus, almost all enterprises that produce energy in Armenia and deal with its financial issues belong to Russia.

For example, the country's main producer of electricity is the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, which accounts for about 40 percent of Armenia's total electricity production. In 2003, the management of this station was entrusted directly to the Russian energy company "Inter RAO UES".

The most humane and safe answer to the cooling of Armenia's relations with Russia can only be related to the operation of this NPP.

However, by insisting on straining relations with Moscow, official Yerevan endangers not only the country's electricity, but also the economic situation of its citizens.

It should be recalled that before the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, about 80,000 people from Armenia used to go to Russia for seasonal work. Armenia's economy is also significantly dependent on labour migrants who send money to their homeland from Russia.

According to the Central Bank of Armenia, in 2021, approximately 865 million dollars were transferred from Russia to Armenia. In 2022, this number increased by almost 4 times and reached 3.6 billion dollars. This is related to the arrival of approximately 100,000 citizens from Russia to Armenia in connection with the Ukrainian war.

The head of the Central Bank of Armenia, Martin Galstyan, said at the annual conference of the International Monetary Fund that Armenia is witnessing a 25 percent increase in human capital in the field of Information Technologies. The reason for this is that talented and educated people come to Armenia.

It seems that the head of the Bank himself admits that Armenia is developing at the expense of Russia, and accepts the fact that the country suffers from the lack of talented and educated personnel.

But migrant workers are not the only reason that the country needs Russia economically.

The only land route for the export of Armenian goods pass through the "Upper Lars" point of the Georgian-Russian border. In the past, this road was called Daryal Pass, and now it is called the Military Georgian Road.

This 208-kilometer road, which usually freezes in winter months and is sometimes closed by special instructions of Russia, makes hundreds of Armenian products, including perishable, fish and fruit trucks, wait for days.

Last year, at the end of November, when the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, refused to participate in the Minsk summit of the CSTO, Russia only tightened phytosanitary control, especially for Armenian products, and reminded with a small nuance how dependent this country is on Moscow.

At present, Armenia's "far-sighted" friends, like itself, think that it will be able to get rid of Russia at some point and are giving courage to Pashinyan's government. Although many countries think that Russia "could not duely punish" Armenia due to the sanctions imposed on it, it is not difficult to understand that our northern neighbour does not simply want to go down to the level of Armenia.

It is true that Russia is currently rapidly descending the list of the world's great superpowers. And if Pashinyan's government relies on this move and continues to irritate Russia by turning to the West, there is a high probability that neither Armenia nor Pashinyan himself will have a better future.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
26 February 2024 16:06 (UTC+04:00)

Every business subject has a right to operate any business activities that are not prohibited by the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, to perform some business activities, entrepreneurs must obtain a licence or permit, depending on the type thereof. In accordance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on "Licences and Permits (hereinafter, the Law), entrepreneurs must have the licence (hereinafter, the "Licence") for the activity (hereinafter, the Activity) on the diagnostic of equipment and technical installations operated at potentially hazardous facilities and conducting other technical inspections.

Requirements

To obtain this licence, the entrepreneur should apply to a licence issuing authority  the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan(hereinafter, the Ministry) with the required documents mentioned below:

An application

Corporate documents (the extract, Tax ID, and charter), if the applicant is a legal entity;

A copy of the ID card and Tax ID, if the applicant is an individual entrepreneur;

The Power of Attorney issued by the applicant if another person applies on behalf of the applicant; and

The documents that confirm to meet special requirements of the Activity depending on its characteristics, set forth in the legislation.

In accordance with Additional requirements for issuing a special permit(license) depending on characteristics of the type of activities confirmed by the Decision of the Cabinet of Ministers, dated 07 November 2002, 174(hereinafter, the Decision), following additional requirements are required for obtaining the License:

Copies of the documents confirming that employees and specialists have respective specialties for the Activity(including employment agreements and respective diplomas);

The list of normative-technical documents that are required for the activity;

The copy of the certificate on accreditation of the laboratory belonged to the applicant(including the documents confirming the existence of the ownership or lease rights of the applicant over the laboratory);

Information about having the tools and technical equipment for carrying out respective works (including the documents confirming the existence of the ownership or lease rights of the applicant on these tools and equipment).

Application process

Initial process

The applicant may apply with the above-mentioned documents through the electronic portal (https://lisenziya.gov.az/) or physically at the Asan Service Centers. In the case that the applicant applies via the electronic portal, it does not need to submit the first four documents mentioned above in the second paragraph.

The Ministry reviews the application and attached documents within 5 working days after the date of receipt hereof. During this time, in the case that remediable deficiencies are detected, the applicant is informed about the reasons for the deficiencies.

The applicant must remedy these deficiencies within no later than 10 working days from receipt of this information, otherwise, the Ministry issues an act on pending the application and informs the applicant within 2 working days. Nevertheless, the applicant may re-submit after the detected deficiencies are remedied.

Main process

In the case that the Ministry did not detect any deficiency or the applicant can remedy it in duly time, the following measures may be taken as the next step of the process:

Involving an expert or specialist from the relevant authority. If the Ministry may apply to the relevant state authority (the Ministry of Emergency Situations) to engage experts or specialists, the authority must provide their experts or specialists within 1 working day. The term for obtaining a decision or opinion of the experts must not exceed 5 working days. This term is not included in the term of issuance of the Licence. Assessing the enclosed documents in the area of the laboratory indicated in the respective document.

In any case, the Ministry must issue an act on whether to give a licence or not, based on the results of a review of the application and attached documents, but no later than 10 working days from the date of registration of the application. In practice, the general process may exceed 10 working days because of the remediation of deficiencies and the involvement of an expert.

In the case that the Ministry grants the application, it informs the applicant to make a payment of the state fee in the amount of 250 AZN (735 USD) for the License. Upon the applicant pays the state fee, the Ministry must issue the Licence within 2 working days and the applicant can take the Licence from the respective ASAN Service Center.

The Licence is issued for an indefinite term, but the applicant must re-issue it in the event of any amendments to the name and (or) address of the applicant. The applicant must apply with new documents to the Ministry no later than 5 working days from the date of occurrence of these amendments, without any charge. The Ministry makes appropriate amendments and submits the re-issued License to the licence holder within 3 working days of receipt of the relevant application.

For the following reasons, the Ministry may accept the act of refusing to issue the licence:

The application and the attached documents have incorrect information, which cannot be remedied;

the applicant did not adhere to the terms of issuing a licence set out in the Law.

In the events mentioned above, the act of refusing to issue the licence must be justified by stating the reasons. The applicant may appeal the act through administrative and judicial processes.

Potential risks

The entrepreneurs may face some critical risks if they perform this activity without obtaining the licence and without using it properly, and their operation may be interpreted as an illegal business activity by the legislation. Depending on the amount of income received or damage caused as a result of this activity, the entrepreneur may be punished for committing an administrative offence or a criminal act.

Under the Code on Administrative Offences, the entrepreneur may be punished by paying a fine in the amount of two to four times the income damage as a result of the administrative offense if this income or damage does not exceed 50,000 AZN (29,411 USD), otherwise, this act may be accepted as a crime.

As per the Criminal Code, if the entrepreneur receives income or reasoned damage in the amount of more than 50,000 AZN (29 411 USD) as a result of this Activity, it may be punished by paying a fine in the amount up to four times the damage or income arising out hereof or charged up to seven years imprisonment.

Recommendation

In practice, entrepreneurs face some challenges when they apply for a licence.

It should be noted that the applicant should make sure that it has duly technical infrastructure and staff to meet the requirements completely outlined in the decision before applying to the Ministry.

As a next step, the applicant should adhere to all requirements indicated in the Law and Decision. Otherwise, the Ministry may refuse to issue the licence as previously noted, and it requires extra time for re-application or appeal. Therefore, it is advisable to consult with experienced professionals in this procedure.

About the author

Imamverdi Novruzlu is a professional lawyer with over 3years of experience in the area of law. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the Academy of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan with a bachelor's degree in 2020.

He specialises in dispute resolution, corporate law, contracts, intellectual property, and especially customs law. Currently, he is a senior lawyer at Legalize Law Firm. For more information about the author, please see the following link:

https://www.legalize.az/en/team/imamverdi-novruzlu
26 February 2024 16:00 (UTC+04:00)

The international board and secretariat of the Eurasian Regional Centre of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF-ERC) made a declaration on the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, committed against Azerbaijani civilians during Armenias military aggression and occupation of the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In the mentioned declaration, the ICYF-ERC underscores its support for the "Khojaly: Recognise to Reconcile" International Coalition, established during an international conference on Reconciliation through Recognition: Peacebuilding and Transitional Justice held in the Italian Senate on March 1, 2022. Khojaly: Recognise to Reconcile International Coalition consists of representatives of renowned human rights organisations, such as the Association Mothers of Srebrenica, Budapest Centre for Dialogue and Mass Atrocities Prevention, and the Italian Federation of Human Rights, whose main objectives are to encourage Armenia to properly recognise the Khojaly massacre and offer a public apology to its victims, to facilitate direct dialogue between Azerbaijanis and Armenians to overcome memories of the conflict, and together find ways to achieve reconciliation and sustainable peace in the South Caucasus.

In the declaration, the ICYF-ERC calls on Armenian leaders to acknowledge the genocide and extend a public apology to its victims. That would be an important step for reconciliation efforts. Armenian authorities should hand over all perpetrators of this crime to the Azerbaijani authorities, and the international community should conduct a thorough legal assessment of the Khojaly genocide, recognising it as genocide. ICYF-ERC solemnly commemorates and honours the innocent victims of the Khojaly genocide and shares its condolences with the people and government of Azerbaijan, the declaration reads.

It should be noted that the Indonesian National Youth Council, a member of ICYF, and the Indonesian OIC Youth Organisation, one of the largest youth organisations in this country, made a joint declaration.

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26 February 2024 15:21 (UTC+04:00)

Abbas Ganbay Read more

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko advised the Armenian side not to hurry and not to make any sudden moves. He drew attention to Armenia's contacts with France, Azernews reports.

"They communicate with Emmanuel Macron in France all the time. Statements followed - France will help Armenia with air defence systems, military, and economic assistance. So, they will take Yerevan on their shoulders and carry it. No one will carry anyone. You see what is happening in France. Therefore, the politicians in Yerevan should wake up and, popularly speaking, they should not lose what they have," advised the President of Belarus in the course of communication with the media.

The President cited Georgia as an example: "Thank God, normal relations are being established first of all with Russia, and with us, the economy is rising. The West has tasted light bread. Americans have already forgotten about Georgia. As soon as Georgians started to move in the sense that this was their independent and sovereign country, the West started to put pressure on them. Including, first of all, the United States. So we should draw the appropriate conclusion. No one in the West needs them. There are thousands of problems there."

"Today, for example, in the US, Biden will support Ukraine, Armenia, and so on. Tomorrow, the power will change, and Trump will say, 'Look, I don't know you. My friends, I see you for the first time!" he added.

The President once again urged not to lose what you hold in your hands: "It's easy to get out, but it will be difficult to get in. Georgia is an example again. Well, it left the CIS and all its structures. Is it better for it? No. It is desirable to return. And it is always more difficult to return. There is a loss of face, and so on.

---

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26 February 2024 10:01 (UTC+04:00)

Abbas Ganbay Read more

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has issued a statement on the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, Azernews reports.

The statement reads: "Today, it has been 32 years since the Khojaly genocide committed against Azerbaijani civilians during Armenias military aggression and occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan.

Armenias policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide against Azerbaijanis was carried out along with crimes against humanity in settlements, including Baganis Ayrim, Jamilli, Karkijahan, Meshali, Malibayli, Gushchular, Garadagli, etc. throughout the occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan. One of the worst atrocities of this kind was committed against Khojaly residents.

On the night of 25-26 February 1992, Khojaly city, which was sieged and whose ground traffic, as well as energy supply was cut off since October 1991 and January 1992 respectively, was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, 8 families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

Use of heavy weaponry without any military necessity against the city of Khojaly where peaceful Azerbaijanis were living, investigative materials on atrocities committed against the civilians, eyewitness testimonials, as well as the confession of Armenias then Defense Minister and ex-President, Serzh Sargsyan that Before Khojaly, the Azerbaijanis thought that ... the Armenians were people who could not raise their hand against the civilian population. We were able to break that [stereotype] leaves no room for doubt that the massacre committed was not an accident, but a deliberate crime of genocide planned by Armenia and carried out by its subordinate forces.

As other crimes against humanity perpetrated by Armenia against Azerbaijanis, Khojaly genocide is also a gross violation of international humanitarian law, human rights law, as well as the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Due to the failure to end the impunity of Armenia for crimes against humanity, this country continued its existing practice and committed war crimes against the population living in regions such as Ganja, Barda, Tartar which are located at a considerable distance from military operations during the 44-day Patriotic War. This once again demonstrates the dire consequences of failing to bring those responsible for crimes against humanity such as genocide, which fall under the scope of universal jurisdiction, to justice.

From this perspective, world communitys support for measures taken at the national and international level to end the impunity of criminals, as well as collaboration in this field are critical.

This year for the first time, on the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, our tricolor flag is flying over all the territories of Azerbaijan, including the city of Khojaly, which is a mental blowout and an incurable wound for every Azerbaijani.

Liberation of Khojaly embodies our strength and solidarity, thus it is a bond of loyalty to the victims of the Khojaly genocide.

At the same time, Azerbaijan believes that continuing measures taken at the national level and within the framework of current international law will serve to end impunity and bring those responsible for serious crimes committed during Armenias aggression against Azerbaijan to justice.

On this 32nd anniversary of the tragedy, we remember with deepest respect and honor the memories of the innocent victims of Armenias ethnic hatred and genocidal crimes, including the Khojaly genocide.

Rest in Peace!"

---

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26 February 2024 10:20 (UTC+04:00)

Abbas Ganbay Read more

Turkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has expressed condolences to the Azerbaijani people on the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide on the official page of the department's social network "X", Azernews reports.

"We condemn the massacre of innocent civilians in the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly, committed by Armenian armed forces on February 26, 1992. This tragedy has become a black stain in the history of mankind," the publication reads.

"The brutality that took place on that day left a black mark in the history of mankind. The pain of our 613 brothers tortured in Khojaly and all Azerbaijanis who were wounded, captured and missing on that day is still in our hearts. We pray for God's mercy for those killed in the Khojaly tragedy and express our condolences to the Azerbaijani people," they added.

It should be noted that 32 years have passed since the Khojaly genocide. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Armenian armed formations destroyed the town of Khojaly with the participation of the 366th regiment of the former Soviet army, located in the town of Khankandi. As a result of another massacre committed by Armenian aggressors against the people of Azerbaijan, 613 people, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 old people were killed with special cruelty, 1275 civilians were taken captive, and the fate of 150 people is still unknown. As a result of this act of genocide, 8 families were completely destroyed, 25 children lost both parents and 130 children lost one of their parents.

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26 February 2024 12:35 (UTC+04:00)

Abbas Ganbay Read more

French journalist Jean-Michel Brun, editor-in-chief of La Gazette du Caucase, an online newspaper based in Paris, published an article dedicated to the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, Azernews reports.

"It has been 32 years since the Armenian Armed Forces committed this crime, the horror of which surpasses all imagination. Those who managed to escape the attackers were killed in the forest where they had sought refuge, while others died of cold or were seriously wounded. Most of them were women, children, and the elderly.

The Armenian invasion resulted in the occupation of more than 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, killing more than 20,000 people. More than 50,000 people were wounded or maimed. More than a million civilians, victims of the Armenian policy of ethnic cleansing, lived as refugees, internally displaced persons for almost three decades," the author writes.

Jean-Michel Brun emphasised that no sanctions have been taken against Armenia for these crimes - neither by the United States nor by the European Union.

"The same is true for France, which has never condemned Armenia for the occupation of a sovereign state, never for ethnic cleansing, never for the Khojaly genocide. On the contrary, several French cities signed twinning agreements with Azerbaijani cities that were under Armenian occupation at the time," Brune noted.

The article further noted that when Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hoisted the national flag in the town of Khojaly on October 15 last year, it was a historic event marking the restoration of justice for all Azerbaijanis.

"Today, large-scale construction and reconstruction work is underway in Khojaly. Hundreds of houses are being revived from ruins. The construction of roads, communication, water supply, sewerage, electricity, and other main lines in the city is being completed. The resettlement of residents will begin very soon. According to the local authorities, 50 families are expected to return to Khojaly within the first six months of this year. Thus, the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan have already been restored, and 32 years after the tragedy, Khojaly is being revived," the conclusion reads.

Also, the Austrian online newspaper dasfazit.at dedicated an article to the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, where it is reported that the Khojaly genocide is one of the most heinous crimes against humanity, Azernews reports.

"32 years ago Armenian terrorists committed the Khojaly genocide, one of the most heinous crimes against humanity. Khojaly, once a peaceful town in Azerbaijan, was captured on the night of February 25-26, 1992. During the occupation, Armenian terrorists killed 613 civilians in Khojaly. "They were old men, women, and children," the article says.

The authors emphasise that neither the US nor the EU imposed any sanctions against Armenia for these crimes. On the contrary, in 1992 (the same year Armenian terrorists committed genocide in Khojaly), the US passed the 907th Amendment to its Constitution against Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan won the 44-day war under the leadership of President and Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev and carried out an anti-terrorist measure in Garabagh. Thus, Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity have been fully restored. On October 15, last year, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, raised the state flag in Khojaly. This historic event marked the restoration of justice, the beginning of a new, peaceful life in the town, which was subjected to brutal destruction by Armenian terrorism.

Hundreds of houses in Khojaly are undergoing large-scale repair and reconstruction works (all communications, drinking water, sewerage, electricity, and main lines of the city) and are already at the stage of completion. The residents will be resettled in Khojaly in the near future. During the first six months of this year, 50 families are planned to be resettled in the town. This will be another Great Victory of the Azerbaijani people," the article says.

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26 February 2024 13:27 (UTC+04:00)

Fatime Letifova Read more

US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mark Libby expressed his condolences to the people of Azerbaijan on the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by the USA Embassy in Baku, on its official X account.

Today we join Azerbaijanis in mourning the hundreds who were killed in Khojaly in 1992. On behalf of the United States, I extend my deepest sympathy to the families of those killed, injured, and displaced in Khojaly. We have a duty to work for peace in the region and ensure such tragedies never happen again," the ambassador said.

Today we join Azerbaijanis in mourning the hundreds who were killed in Khojaly in 1992. On behalf of the United States, I extend my deepest sympathy to the families of those killed, injured, and displaced in Khojaly. We have a duty to work for peace in the region and ensure such pic.twitter.com/tm4oADm4BX  U.S. Embassy Baku (@USEmbassyBaku) February 26, 2024

On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorised Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens, were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured, is still unknown.

---

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26 February 2024 11:52 (UTC+04:00)

Abbas Ganbay Read more

Azerbaijan Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov said in an address to journalists that a meeting of the delegations of Azerbaijan and Armenia will be held in the near future, Azernews reports.

"Despite a certain break in the negotiations, the work on the text of the peace agreement continued. However, after the meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan within the framework of the Munich Security Conference, it was decided to resume the process. In the coming days, it is planned to hold physical negotiations on the peace agreement between the delegations of Azerbaijan and Armenia," the Foreign Minister said.

Recall that Azerbaijan and Armenia had resumed talks on border delimitation as delegates from the two countries met on the conditional interstate border back in November 2023.

Led by Azerbaijan's Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev and his Armenian counterpart Mher Grigoryan, the border delimitation commissions met on the Gazakh-Ijevan section of the border on November 30.

According to the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, the delegates discussed several organisational and procedural matters and proceeded with a mutual agenda on delimitation issues.

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Police in Berkeley are investigating a string of dozens of car break-ins that occurred in a span of 48 hours. Jacom Stephens/Getty Images

Berkeley police said Monday that they were still investigating the break-ins of 53 cars parked in West Berkeley late Thursday night.

Footage of the aftermath recorded the following morning has since gone viral, showing a long line of parked cars with smashed windows police say were burglarized.

The 53 break-ins were reported to the Berkeley Police Department around 6 a.m. Friday, according to Sgt. Kevin Kleppe. Reports that more than 50 cars had been hit started spreading online by 10 that morning.

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Berkeley police cant be sure all 53 break-ins were carried out by the same perpetrators, and the investigation is ongoing, Kleppe told the Chronicle in an email. Most of the cars were parked on city property, but a private parking lot for residents of an apartment complex was also the location of several of the break-ins.

Kleppe said hes not aware of any recent incidents where 10 or more car break-ins occurred at once. The Berkeley Police Association, the union representing Berkeleys rank-and-file officers, told KTVU they were all performed by the same overnight crew the morning after the burglaries. In footage from a security camera provided to the Berkeley Scanner, a group can be seen breaking into cars before fleeing in a white SUV.

Berkeley police declined to comment on whether its investigation has linked the footage to the other crimes or identified the vehicle.

The rash of burglaries followed a Wednesday incident at the North Berkeley BART Station where thieves broke into 23 cars in the middle of the day, BART spokesperson Chris Filippi told the Chronicle. BART police were working with the Berkeley Police Department on the case, but no arrests had been made as of Monday afternoon.

Berkeley City Council Member Terry Taplin, who represents the area where the break-ins occurred and Council Member Rashi Kesarwani, who represents Northwest Berkeley, including the Fourth Street shopping district and the North Berkeley BART station, could not be immediately reached for comment.

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26 February 2024 14:38 (UTC+04:00)

Fatime Letifova Read more

EU Ambassador to Azerbaijan Peter Michalko expresses condolences over the Khojaly genocide, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by the EU Representation in Azerbaijan on its official Facebook account.

"Commemorating the victims of the Khojaly tragedy 32 years ago, EU Ambassador to Azerbaijan Peter Michalko stated: We mourn the victims of the horrible tragedy in Khojaly: women, men, children, elderly, and we keep memory of all of them. I express my deep condolences to all those who lost their families, friends, and homes in Khojaly. We all need to continue to work together and do everything for reconciliation and long-lasting peace in order to ensure that such tragedies never happen again", Michalko said.

On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorised Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens, were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured, is still unknown.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
26 February 2024 17:56 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

The National Art Museum has hosted a lecture by numismatist Rustam Huseynov on the coins of the Shaki Khanate.

"Coins of the Shaki Khanate, especially transitional types, can tell a lot about important details of Azerbaijan's history, shed light on not only the political, but also the economic history of the late 18th to early 19th centuries. Some varieties and denominations are known in extremely limited numbers," Rustam Huseynov told Azernews.

The Shaki Khanate was a historical state that existed in the mid-18th to early 19th centuries in the northwest of modern Azerbaijan.

The coins of the Shaki Khanate, despite their significant importance to the history of Azerbaijan, are poorly researched and studied. The minting of its own coins was one of the most important regalia of the state, an attribute of power and sovereignty.

In his lecture, Rustam Huseynov provided insight into the denominations and types of Shaki coins, the characteristics of their minting, and touched on little-known facts about the appearance of the first coins of the Shaki Khanate, their status in the markets of that time, the types of Shaki coins with the crown of the Russian Empire, and the circulation of these types of coins after the liquidation of the Shaki Khanate.

The lecture showcased unique numismatic specimens of different denominations with great historical value, including rare heavy silver abbasis. Some of these were demonstrated to the public for the first time.

As Huseynov noted, besides the unique exhibits themselves, the audience was particularly interested in the differences between the nominal and real value of different types of coins, speculation conducted based on these differences, and the almost detective story related to private gain hindering the political process of unifying coin circulation in the region.

"The lecture sparked a large number of questions from participants related to little-known details of the minting of khan's coins, as well as the political and economic aspects associated with them," he added.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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26 February 2024 17:16 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

On the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, which is one of the most terrible crimes against humanity in the history of mankind, the employees of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan visited the Khojaly Massacre Memorial.

Bunches of flowers were arranged in front of the monument erected in memory of the victims of the genocide, and the memory of the victims of the tragedy was remembered with deep respect.

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26 February 2024 18:12 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

The Azerbaijan Embassy in Pakistan organised a seminar dedicated to the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly Genocide in the National Library of Pakistan together with the Muslim Institute, one of the leading think tanks in this country, Azernews reports.

The Chairman of the Defence Committee of the Pakistani Senate, Senator Mushahid Husayn Syed, the Chairman of the Human Rights Committee, Senator Walid Iqbal, ambassadors and diplomats of foreign countries, leading staff of various think tanks and universities in Pakistan, and public and mass media representatives participated in the event.

The event commemorated the memory of the Khojaly Genocide victims with a minute of silence, and a video containing extensive information about the Khojaly Genocide was screened.

Khazar Farhadov, Ambassador of the Azerbaijan Republic to Pakistan, gave a speech at the event and noted that the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly Genocide, which is one of the greatest tragedies of humanity, was commemorated.

Stating that the Azerbaijani people are continuously subjected to the policy of ethnic cleansing, genocide, and aggression by the Armenian nationalists, the ambassador gave detailed information about the Khojaly genocide. He emphasised that on the night of February 25-26, 1992, the armed forces of Armenia violated all norms of international law, together with the 366th motorised rifle regiment of the former USSR, attacked Khojaly and destroyed this city. As a result of this terrible crime, 613 peaceful Azerbaijanis were killed. He pointed out that 487 people were brutally murdered, and mutilated, 1275 residents were taken hostage and subjected to brutal torture, and the fate of 150 hostages, including 68 women and 26 children, is still unknown.

Farhadov emphasized that it was on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev that the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis made a political and legal assessment of the Khojaly genocide in 1994, and February 26 was declared Khojaly Genocide Day, and the truth about the tragedy was conveyed to the international community.

Touching upon the Justice to Khojaly! international campaign initiated by Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the ambassador said that the large-scale activities carried out by the Foundation in this direction around the world and noted that the Khojaly tragedy was recognized as genocide by a number of countries, including Pakistan, and various international organizations.

Speaking about the 44-day Patriotic War, as well as the anti-terrorist operations held on September 19-20, 2023, Farhadov drew attention to the fact that the Azerbaijani Army under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev, ended the Armenian occupation and ensured the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.

The ambassador brought to the attention of the guests the visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, to the city of Khojaly on October 15, 2023, and the raising of the Azerbaijani flag there.

The ambassador talked about the restoration and construction works carried out in the liberated territories, including in Khojaly, and emphasised that the residents of Khojaly would return to their homes within the framework of the Great Return program in 2024.

The Chairman of the Defence Committee of the Pakistan Senate, Mushahid Huseyin Seyed, and the Chairman of the Human Rights Committee, Walid Iqbal, spoke at the event and said that Armenia committed genocide in the city of Khojaly in February 1992 and strongly condemned the inhumane and terrible crimes. Senators pointed to the adoption of various resolutions related to the Khojaly genocide by the Pakistan Senate and underlined that they showed solidarity with Azerbaijan. Stating that Azerbaijan has freed its lands from occupation, they expressed their admiration for the wise policy of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, for the restoration of the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as for national interests. At the end of their speech, they expressed their respect for the memory of the Khojaly victims.

The Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Mehmet Pacac, head of the Muslim Institute Sahibzadeh Sultan Ahmed Ali, president of the Centre for South Asian and International Studies Major General Khalid Amir Cefri, and expert Prof. Dr. Tughral Yamin gave a speech at the seminar and spoke about the Khojaly genocide and said that they honor the memory of the victims of the genocide. Emphasising that this genocide committed against peaceful people is a crime committed not only against Azerbaijan but against humanity, the speakers called on the international community to condemn Armenia for these heinous acts.

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26 February 2024 09:00 (UTC+04:00)

The strategic partnership between Georgia and Turkiye was discussed on Friday in a meeting between Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Ali Kaan Orbai, the Turkish Ambassador to the country, Azernews reports citing to Agenda.ge.

The meeting also discussed prospects for the development of cooperation between the two countries, with the officials highlighting matters of economic relations, including the two states active cooperation in regional geostrategic projects, the Georgian Government Administration said.

The parties noted the existing regional projects were a clear example of effective and reliable partnership between the two countries.

They also discussed the current situation in the wider region and emphasized the importance of peace and stability to ensure further development and long-term prosperity of the region.

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26 February 2024 16:53 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

A protest action related to the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide was held in front of Cologne Cathedral, Azernews reports.

Azerbaijanis living in Cologne and surrounding cities and representatives of communities with a friendly attitude towards Azerbaijan attended the protest action organised by the European Azerbaijan Centre.

First, the National Anthem of Azerbaijan was played, and then the memory of the martyrs and Khojaly victims was commemorated with a minute's silence. Chairman of the European Azerbaijan Centre Zaur Aliyev, deputy chairman Sardar Aliyev, member of the board of directors Gazanfar Kazimov, members of the families of martyrs, and others delivered speeches. They said that though thirty-two years have passed since the Khojaly Genocide, Azerbaijanis living abroad have not forgotten the pain of those terrible days.

It was stated that the Khojaly genocide was a crime against humanity, and it was not the only act of genocide committed by the Armenians. The slogans were chanted in German and Azerbaijani.

Informative posters depicting Armenian vandalism were displayed by the protesters. Books, flyers, and brochures published in German and English were distributed to city residents. The exhibition of photos depicting the horrors of the Khojaly genocide aroused great interest among the members of the local community.

The event, attended by more than 200 people, ended with the waving of national flags of Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Germany under the strains of Koroghlu Overture.

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26 February 2024 19:15 (UTC+04:00)

Aybuke Fatma Sapmaz, a young Turkish woman doctor, has been elected as an associate member of Sigma Xi, a US-based scientific research society, for her work in the field of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

The disease, also known as NAFLD, is a liver problem that affects people who consume little to no alcohol. It involves the accumulation of excessive fat in the liver and is frequently observed in individuals who are overweight or obese.

The highest rates of NAFLD have been reported in the Middle East (32%) and South America (31%).

"I am both very happy and proud to have gained the right to become a member of Sigma Xi, one of the most prestigious scientific organizations in the world," Sapmaz, 30, a graduate of the School of Medicine at Marmara University in Istanbul, told Anadolu.

NAFLD has rapidly become the most common liver disease globally and is currently estimated to affect 38% of the global population.

More than 200 Nobel Prize winners have been members of Sigma Xi, which was founded in 1886 to honor excellence in scientific investigation.

Sigma Xi has nearly 60,000 members in over 500 chapters in the US, Canada and other countries, including Switzerland, Thailand, Lebanon, New Zealand and Australia, according to its website.

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26 February 2024 23:05 (UTC+04:00)

In the Urganch district (Khorezm region), an inspection was held in cooperation with law enforcement agencies, Azernews reports, citing Kun.uz News Agency.

In particular, it became known that farm M. in the district was illegally using natural gas by laying an additional network in its own building.

According to preliminary estimates, the amount of damage caused to the interests of the state amounted to 3 billion 374 million soums (2 million 249 thousand cubic meters of natural gas).

According to the report, relevant documents were drawn up and submitted to the law enforcement agencies to take action against the consumer in the prescribed manner.

Earlier in January, it was reported that 94 billion 542 million soums of electricity and natural gas were illegally used in the regions. About a thousand administrative cases have been formalized.

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Los Altos police arrested a mail theft suspect after they say she rammed a patrol car with this vehicle, pinning an officer. Los Altos Police Department

A driver was arrested Sunday morning after police say she intentionally rammed into a Los Altos police vehicle and pinned an officer against it.

The driver and a passenger were suspected of stealing mail at an apartment complex on the 900 block of North San Antonio Road, an incident that officers responded to at about 3:10 a.m., police said.

The location was targeted several times in similar incidents in recent weeks, police said in a statement. They declined to provide further details about the series of thefts.

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On Sunday, officers said they encountered the two mail-theft suspects  a female driver and a male passenger  in a minivan on Pasa Robles Avenue near North San Antonio Road. As officers got out of their vehicles, the driver turned the minivan slightly and accelerated, police said. One of the officers tried to jump back in his vehicle, but the driver rammed into it and pinned the officer, police said.

The officer suffered moderate injuries and was taken to a hospital. He was expected to recover and was at home Sunday afternoon, police said.
State Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls' First Amendment lawsuit against the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission is heading to a courtroom next week. A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 2 in Greensboro on Earls' motion for a preliminary injunction.Earls argues that the commission's investigations into her conduct have chilled her speech about matters of public interest.Sixteen self-described civil rights organizations and 20 legal ethics professors filed court documents on Oct. 20 supporting Earls.Meanwhile, Earls submitted multiple new court filings on the same day. One supported her request for a preliminary injunction. The other opposed the commission's attempt to have Earls' case dismissed.Earls said in her most recent court declaration.She cited her recent decisions to edit the contents of a Yale Law Review article and to decline a request to write for Slate magazine. She also mentioned her decision not to answer an audience question about proposed court rules changes during a September speech for the Greensboro Bar Association.Earls said.The civil rights groups submitted their briefLed by the left-of-center Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the 16 groups listed in the brief include the NAACP, League of Women Voters, and Planned Parenthood.The 20 legal ethics professors who submitted a separate brief include at least one representative of each of North Carolina's law schools. The list also features professors at Georgetown, Northwestern, Cornell, and other out-of-state law schools.the law professors wrote.the law professors added.The Judicial Standards Commission filed paperwork on Oct. 6 to dismiss Earls' suit and to block her request for a preliminary injunction.according to a brief supporting the dismissal motion filed Friday in US District Court.The judicial standards group acknowledged that it notified Earls on Aug. 15 of aof statements attributed to her in a published article. The statementsaccording to the commission's lawyers.The 14-member Judicial Standards Commission is chaired by state Appeals Court Judge Chris Dillon. Dillon, a Republican, was initially appointed to the chair's post by then-Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, a Democrat. Current Chief Justice Paul Newby, a Republican, reappointed Dillon.The commission now has six Democrats, five Republicans, and three unaffiliated members. They conduct business in two seven-member panels.The commission offered 283to judges in 2022. Those opinions offer ato judges.executive director Brittany Pinkham declared to the federal court.That same year the commission had 560 complaints pending against judges across North Carolina. Just 28 reached the formal investigation stage, Pinkham said. Anof formal investigations ended with the complaint's dismissal.Pinkham indicated to the federal court.Earls' lawsuit says the commission has initiated two investigations against her this year related to public commentsThe publication Law360 published a June 20 interview titledShe was responding to a May 17 article in the North Carolina Bar Association's publication. That article focused on the race and sex of lawyers arguing cases as the state's highest court.according to the complaint.The First Amendmentthe complaint added.Earls argues that the investigation into her commentsShe accuses the commission ofThe justice labels the August notice part of aher free-speech rights. Her complaint cites an earlier investigation in March. It related to comments Earls made about rule changes and a proposed legislative change linked to the state's courts.District Judge William Osteen admonished both Earls and the Judicial Standards Commission in September forlanguage in their court filings.
Under the cover of Covid, and now in the shadow of the infamous Election Irregularities of that fated 2020 presidential election, with current emerging alleged election fraud in Nevada and Pennsylvania inconveniently slipping into the public discourse, there is proved a colluded ongoing Election Interference in the nomination of the Republican candidate, the likes of which has never occurred in our Constitutional Republic's history, albeit, the question remains: Do you support the plain-sight Election Interference of the Democratic Socialist party, employing its minions in their Propagandistic Media, and their Two Tiered Justice System?

98.25% No, I do not support Election Interference; I am a patriot unto our Constitution.1.75% Yes, I do support Election Interference; the alternative, Donald Trump, to this mentally diminished president is far worse.0% "What, me worry" if elections are rigged?
Healthgrades recently released its rankings for the best hospitals in the U.S. for cardiac surgery, including seven in New York.

The rankings recognize hospitals that deliver superior patient outcomes in heart bypass surgery and heart valve surgery.

Read more on the publication's ranking methodology here.

Here are the leaders of the New York hospitals and health systems that were included in the rankings:

Northwell Health Lenox Hill Hospital (New York City)

Daniel Baker, MD, executive director

Elan Levy, MD, medical director

Brandon Cole, associate executive director, hospital operations

Mount Sinai Hospital (New York City)

Brendan Carr, MD, CEO

Margaret Pastuszko, president and COO

Vicki LoPachin, MD, chief medical officer

Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, chief nurse executive and senior vice president, cardiac services

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (New York City)

Steven Corwin, MD, president and CEO

Brian Donley, MD, executive vice president and COO

Michael Breslin, group senior vice president, CFO and treasurer

Deepa Kumaraiah, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer

Northwell Health North Shore University Hospital (Manhasset)

Jon Sendach, executive director

David Hirschwerk, MD, medical director

Tara Laumenede, RN, chief nursing officer

Northwell Health South Shore University Hospital (Bay Shore)

Irene Macyk, PhD, RN, executive director

Jay Enden, MD, medical director

Ralph Civello, RN, associate executive director of patient care services and chief nursing officer

William O'Connell, RN, deputy executive director

Northwell Health Staten Island University Hospital (New York City)

Nicole Berwald, MD, medical director

Myrna Capabianco, BSN, chief nursing officer

Westchester Medical Center (Valhalla)
CMS found Asheville, N.C.-based HCA Mission Hospital in compliance with its plan of correction and recommended removing the immediate jeopardy designation, Blue Ridge Public Radio reported Feb. 23.

The hospital's plan of correction to address serious deficiencies it was cited for in January focuses on improving policies and educating staff. Among the changes are ensuring patients are triaged and assigned a nurse within 10 minutes of emergency department arrival and having lab results returned within 30 minutes. Those changes are related to deficiencies CMS identified in its recent report detailing what led to the immediate jeopardy sanction, including long wait times, delays in lab work and other issues that allegedly led to the deaths of four patients, according to documents obtained by the Asheville Watchdog.

A failure to address the issues cited by CMS would have resulted in a loss of Medicaid and Medicare funding for the hospital.

"We are pleased that the state surveyors found Mission Health to be in compliance with the corrective action plan previously accepted by CMS, and who are recommending removal of the immediate jeopardy," Nancy Lindell, a hospital spokesperson, told Blue Ridge Public Radio. "We appreciate the expertise of all the surveyors present this week who took the time to thoroughly review our compliance."

However, a group of physicians and patient advocates have criticized the plan of corrections for not including an increase in staff. In a letter to Mark Benton, chief deputy secretary for health at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, seven physicians and three patient advocates called the plan "insufficient" and urged regulators to request staffing information from the hospital and assign a third party to monitor the hospital's execution of the correction plan. They say the plan offers "only bureaucratic solutions to what is fundamentally a workforce issue."

The hospital has not said whether it will hire more staff. Ms. Lindell told Becker's, "We are pleased that CMS accepted our Plan of Correction and we will continue to collaborate with the surveyors through this process."
The BlackCat ransomware gang is claiming responsibility for an attack on Change Healthcare, TheRegister reported Feb. 26.

Two people familiar with the matter told news outlet Reuters that BlackCat, which operates as a ransomware-as-a-service group, was behind the Feb. 21 cybersecurity incident on Change Healthcare.

Few details have been released about the nature of the cybersecurity issue, and BlackCat's claims have yet to be confirmed by Change Healthcare. But a Feb. 21 Securities and Exchange Commission filing from UnitedHealth Group, Change's parent company, stated that "a suspected nation-state associated cyber security threat actor" had gained access to some Change IT systems.

A Feb. 26 update on Optum's website indicates that the Change Healthcare incident, which has disrupted the organization's payment and pharmacy processing operations, is still ongoing.

"We are working on multiple approaches to restore the impacted environment and will not take any shortcuts or take any additional risk as we bring our systems back online," the update reads.

Becker's reached out to Change Healthcare and UnitedHealth Group about BlackCat's claims and will update the story if more information is learned.
A case of misidentification on social media has led to false accusations of racism against a respected physician at Dartmouth Health, the Lebanon, N.H.-based system said Feb. 24.

Otolaryngologist Andrew Spector, MD, was wrongly identified as a man who used a racial slur in a viral TikTok video, leading to threats of violence against him and his family. The situation prompted Dartmouth Health to issue a statement defending Dr. Spector's character.

"Dr. Spector is a caring person and a dedicated doctor whose work is focused on promoting the health, well-being, and safety of everyone in our community," Dartmouth Health said in a statement on Dr. Spector's provider profile. "This is an unfortunate example of how a rush to judgment without verification, followed by the viral spread of misinformation, can damage reputations and cause additional harm."

The health system is calling upon social media platforms, including TikTok, and their users to be more responsible in curbing the spread of misinformation.



See the system's full statement here.
Bayfront Health St. Petersburg (Fla.) is undergoing a rebrand and will now add Orlando Health's name to its facility.

Bayfront Health St. Petersburg will transition to the name Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital starting March 1, according to a Feb. 20 news release from Bayfront. The new name aims to "eliminate confusion between healthcare networks located in Tampa Bay," according to the release.

Bayfront Health St. Petersburg officially became a part of Orlando Health on Oct. 1, 2020.
GE HealthCare is partnering with health tech company Biofourmis to expand the application of patient monitoring technology from hospitals to the homes of patients.

Biofourmis' AI-guided algorithms help provide insights that assist care teams in delivering personalized and efficient care at home, according to a Feb. 26 news release from GE. The partnership is looking to integrate Biofourmis' virtual care-at-home solutions with GE HealthCare's monitoring and virtual care solutions.

The aim is to allow GE HealthCare to expand the continuum of care beyond the hospital, enabling care teams to have a comprehensive and continuous view of patients beyond the hospital environment.

With this, both companies are looking at ways to have more patients leave the hospital sooner and provide an option for care at home.
Nora Mishanec is a San Francisco Chronicle breaking news and enterprise reporter. She joined the paper in 2020 as a Hearst fellow and returned in 2022 after a stint at The Houston Chronicle.

She can be reached at nora.mishanec@sfchronicle.com.
Friend, Neb.-based Warren Memorial Hospital on Feb. 8 became the first hospital in the state to convert to a rural emergency hospital, according to omaha.com.

The city-owned hospital was "hours from having to close" when it did not have the funds to cover its payroll in July, Jared Chaffin, CFO and one of the hospital's three interim co-CEOs, told the publication.

Two cash infusions from the city, totaling $250,000, covered the hospital's next two payrolls. The hospital foundation provided $75,000 and a special hospital tax district provided more than $40,000 as a temporary solution to keep the facility open and maintain access to care in the area.

The REH designation means that Warren Memorial has given up its inpatient beds and now focuses solely on outpatient and emergency department services. In exchange, CMS will provide the facility with a 5% increase in Medicare payments as well as an average facility fee payment of about $3.2 million a year.

"It's a lifeline we've been looking for," Mr. Chaffin told omaha.com. "It's not the answer to all of a sudden [becoming] profitable, because there are still things we need to do as a hospital to make sure we stay open, but it's a lifeline."

Warren Memorial is the 20th hospital to successfully transition to the REH model, according to data compiled by the University of North Carolina's Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research.

More rural hospitals, including Clifton-Fine Hospital in Salt Lake, N.Y., are pursuing the designation this year as a way to shore up their finances and continuing providing vital healthcare services in their communities.
Escondido, Calif.-based Palomar Health is proposing a structural reorganization under which health system executives would be employed by a nonprofit, outside management organization rather than a public entity.

The proposal is a 15-year contract with Mesa Rock Healthcare Management. Under the proposal, the existing board for the public healthcare district  which is accountable for oversight and implementation of policies, including financial policies, and monitoring of Palomar's performance  would remain in place, Palomar President and CEO Diane Hansen told Becker's during a phone interview. A nonprofit, private board would be responsible for the management of the hospital operations, and Mesa Rock would hire Palomar's executive team. The same team would then manage the operations of the public healthcare district but would not own the assets. No hospitals or equipment would be transferred to outside ownership.

"The contract that was proposed allows [Palomar] to remain independent as a [public] healthcare district," Ms. Hansen said. "We are the largest healthcare district in the state of California. So we bear some responsibility to the state and to our community.

"The idea is that we allow for the continuation of this healthcare district to stay intact. And we have the ability to operate in a different fashion that gives us more flexibility to make decisions to partner with other organizations or affiliate with other organizations in a different way without having everything negotiated in public."

The proposed change comes as the health system faces financial challenges. On Feb. 23, Moody's Investors Service placed Palomar's debt "under review for downgrade," citing "a material and unexpected decline in unrestricted cash reserves ... that has resulted in roughly 39 days cash on hand," The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

John Kern, an attorney with Holland & Knight who Palomar hired to create the management agreement, argued that the contract with Mesa Rock would allow the health system to operate more nimbly and compete with for-profit hospitals while preserving the public health core of the organization.

"The board and the executive team are absolutely locked up in unison that they want to remain a healthy public institution," Mr. Kern told Becker's. "The problem is that the laws that gave rise to the creation of healthcare districts in California were passed just after World War II and also put into place a lot of rules and restrictions about how public hospitals like Palomar can operate.

"When they passed those laws 80 years ago, no one envisioned healthcare economics being what it is today. And it's simply not realistic for an institution like Palomar to sustain and compete with for-profit hospitals in its region without making some type of creative pivot. And so the idea of the agreement is to partner with an outside nonprofit organization that will then hire Palomar's executive team. And then through that vehicle, be able to enter into affiliation relationships with other regional health partners that, under the current public structure, it could not."

Attorneys confirmed to the Union-Tribune that if the contract is approved, Mesa Rock's appointed board of directors would have the authority to directly terminate Ms. Hansen or any future CEO, but the existing Palomar board would retain the right to end the Mesa Rock contract or veto a new CEO hire proposed by Mesa Rock. Palomar's existing elected board would also still control the annual budget.

Attorney David Holtzman, also with Holland & Knight, who has been involved with the proposal, told Becker's: "The same publicly elected officials representing their various constituencies would still exercise control and oversight. So, in terms of leadership structure, there should be almost no change at all, other than freeing up and adding to the flexibility of the executive team to work for the benefit of" Palomar.

Ms. Hansen said the executive team will ask the existing public healthcare district board on Feb. 29 to vote to approve the contract between Mesa Rock and Palomar. If approved, Mesa Rock may enter into new joint affiliation and investment relationships with, among others, regional health systems.
















Montefiore's Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City said it will offer free tuition in perpetuity to medical school students after a $1 billion donation from Ruth Gottesman, EdD, chair of the Einstein board of trustees and Montefiore Health System board member, The New York Times reported.

Philip Ozuah, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Montefiore Einstein, announced the "historic gift," which is likely the largest made to any medical school in the U.S.

The donation will provide reimbursement to current fourth-year medical school students for their spring 2024 semester tuition, according to the medical school. All medical school students moving forward will receive free tuition at Einstein, effective beginning in August.

"This donation radically revolutionizes our ability to continue attracting students who are committed to our mission, not just those who can afford it," Yaron Tomer, MD, the Marilyn and Stanley Katz Dean at Einstein, said in a news release shared with Becker's.

"Additionally, it will free up and lift our students, enabling them to pursue projects and ideas that might otherwise be prohibitive. We will be reminded of the legacy this historic gift represents each spring as we send another diverse class of physicians out across the Bronx and around the world to provide compassionate care and transform their communities."

Dr. Gottesman, along with her late husband, David "Sandy" Gottesman, have been donors to Einstein in the past, and she has been associated with the medical school for more than 50 years, formerly serving as a faculty member and director of psychoeducational services, according to the Times.

Einstein is part of New York City-based Montefiore Health System. More than 100 students enter the medical school each year, according to Dr. Gottesman.
Morristown, N.J.-based Atlantic Health System and Wayne, N.J.-based William Paterson University have signed an agreement for a collaboration to help improve health profession education and health services in New Jersey.

Under the agreement, Atlantic Health and William Paterson will identify and implement collaborative projects and initiatives focused on improving the nursing and healthcare workforce, according to a Feb. 22 William Paterson news release.

The potential collaborations would also include pathways for nursing and healthcare students to gain Atlantic Health-related opportunities; creating programs enabling students to secure nursing and healthcare careers needed in the Northern New Jersey area; give academically prepared Atlantic Health nurses opportunities to act as adjunct faculty members at the university; amplify a joint research center that focuses on science and grant opportunity advancements; and continue to build on community- and campus-facing health and wellness service opportunities.

"Development and execution of this collaboration will provide a strong academic clinical partnership between the two organizations, resulting in additional opportunities for academic matriculation while providing strong clinical affiliations and nursing employment opportunities," Trish O'Keefe, PhD, RN, president of Morristown Medical Center and chief nurse executive for Atlantic Health, said in the release.

A nonprofit health system, Atlantic Health System comprises more than 550 care sites, including seven hospitals, and its Atlantic Medical Group, which has over 1,600 physicians and advanced practice providers. It features over 20,000 employees, including 5,440 affiliated physicians.






Digital transformation is rapidly gaining traction throughout the healthcare industry. While historically, the industry has lagged behind in embracing new technologies  and has continued to perform many administrative tasks manually  it faces an urgent imperative to change how care is delivered. Digital tools hold great potential to help address challenges like workforce shortages, clinician burnout, rising patient acuity and monitoring patients at home.

Becker's Healthcare recently spoke with Frank Chan, President of the Patient Monitoring business at Medtronic, to learn more about how innovative technologies such as remote patient monitoring solutions can redefine how care is delivered.



Technology helps reduce administrative burden and enhance the patient experience

Despite the buzz around the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare, many providers still find themselves burdened with manual administrative tasks. This reduces efficiency and contributes to providers burnout.



At the same time, hospitals and health systems nationwide continue to deal with staffing shortages and increasing labor costs1,2. In many cases, organizations have lost more staff than they've been able to recruit and hire.



As a result, health systems are being forced to meet higher levels of demand for important healthcare services with fewer people and less capital. With high levels of clinician burnout and an increased number of clinicians leaving the workforce3, the criticality of managing clinician workloads has never been greater.



One important solution is connectivity tools that automate tasks. When technology solutions are integrated seamlessly into hospital workflows, clinicians can focus on what matters most, which is taking care of the patient.



"Connecting medical devices to the EMR eliminates the need for clinicians to manually chart data, saving time," Chan said. "These types of workforce enablement solutions can dramatically improve efficiency. Clinicians spend less time on administrative work and more time with patients. That improves caregiver satisfaction and patient experience."



Remote patient monitoring improves patient safety4 and reduce costly events5-8

Rising patient acuity is also a challenge for many healthcare organizations9. Patients are sicker in general9, and lower-acuity areas of the hospital like the general care floor are often serving sicker patients10. At organizations with capacity constraints, patients are more likely to be discharged home for their recovery.

When patients transfer from high-acuity areas, like the ICU, to lower-acuity areas or are discharged, they typically go from receiving intense, frequent monitoring to lower levels of less frequent monitoring  or no monitoring at all.

We call this situation the monitoring cliff, Chan said. In his scenario, patient deterioration can go undetected. Remote monitoring technologies that continuously monitor patients data inside the hospital and at home can help by detecting patient decline sooner, especially among individuals with multiple comorbidities who are at higher risk of deterioration and readmission.

In response to such capacity and patient safety issues, digital innovations in patient monitoring are being leveraged to help free up healthcare providers to focus on what they do best: providing personalized care.



Also, by applying AI to patients' vital signs and physiological data, technology-based remote monitoring solutions can predict when individuals might start to decline. Based on this information, clinicians can initiate early interventions, which improve patient safety and outcomes4,8. These interventions may also reduce patients' unplanned returns to the ICU8,11,12, as well as readmissions after discharge8,13. The result is lower healthcare costs and the benefit can be significant, since the average hospital readmission in the U.S. costs $15,00014.



Wearables offer insight into patient vital signs from hospital to home

Nashville, Tenn.-based Ardent Health Services operates 30 hospitals and more than 200 sites of care nationwide. In Oklahoma and Texas, the organization has adopted a multi-parameter wearable technology called the BioButton. The BioButton device, a technology from BioIntelliSenseTM and a key part of MedtronicTMs HealthCast portfolio, is a patch that patients wear on their chest, measuring about 1.5 by 1.5 inches. This wearable has connectivity, enabling continuous measurement of key vital signs.



Ardent's Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Okla. uses the BioButton technology for patients on 10 units with 250 beds. While BSA Hospital in Amarillo, TX currently has the BioButton device deployed on 3 units with 119 beds.



"This technology has become an essential decision-making tool for doctors and nurses," Chan said. "In the first five months of use at Hillcrest Medical Center, there were 70 instances where clinicians on medical surgical units used the BioButton for early patient deterioration. They were able to intervene before the patient's condition became more serious. 198 similar instances occurred at BSA Hospital in Amarillo since Sep 2022, where nurses could intervene quickly to provide more acute care for patients who were deteriorating"



Ardent Health Services plans to expand the BioButton program to more facilities across four states.



Successful tech adoption requires the right solution and the right partner

When choosing a technology solution, healthcare organizations must find one with the right form, fit and function to meet their requirements.



"Technologies need to have the right performance characteristics," Chan said. "They must be interoperable, so they can integrate into hospital systems and simplify workflows for clinicians. They also need to be comfortable and durable for patient compliance."



In addition, hospitals and health systems should select a technology partner that can provide a full spectrum of services and support, ranging from installation to workflow implementation, training, troubleshooting and ongoing support like device updates.



With digital transformation, change management and stakeholder involvement are key

For many hospitals and health systems, change management can be daunting. Clinicians and other new-technology users must be brought in early, so they understand why change is necessary and what value it will provide.



"When users believe in the change and are part of the implementation, it leads to more successful technology adoption," Chan said.



As organizations gather key stakeholders to embark on digital transformation, they must also remember that the IT function will play a prominent role in both selecting and implementing any technology solution. Including the IT team early in the transformation process will pay dividends later on.



Medtronic's vision is to empower clinicians and patients with actionable insights to personalize care anytime, anywhere. Remote monitoring solutions like the Medtronics HealthCastTM portfolio, which includes the BioButton wearable, HealthCastTM VitalSyncTM remote patient monitoring, and other innovative tools are designed to provide clinicians with the right information at the right time to help them make better decisions, faster.



"We want to become a health technology provider of choice and help our partners improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs and expand patient access to care," Chan said.

Patient monitoring products should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis or therapy and are intended only as an adjunct in patient assessment.



References:
Health systems continue to partner with Big Tech on artificial intelligence, data analytics and mixed reality projects. Here are nine Becker's reported on in the past month.

1. Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare is working with Google on its data strategy and generative AI, Becker's reported in February.

2. St. Louis-based Mercy said Feb. 22 it teamed up with Microsoft to create a generative AI-powered chatbot named "Joy" designed to act as a "super-smart assistant" for its employees.

3. Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare has been partnering with Google to use predictive analytics to better connect with patients, Becker's reported Feb. 12.

4. San Diego-based Sharp HealthCare purchased 30 Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headsets  which run $3,500 apiece  to test for a variety of uses, including working with EHR vendor Epic to investigate healthcare applications, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Feb. 5.

5. Boston Children's Hospital launched an app Feb. 2 for the new Apple Vision Pro.

6. Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai said Feb. 2 it created a new behavioral health app for the Apple Vision Pro.

7. Boston Children's Hospital and Renton, Wash.-based Providence both worked with Microsoft and OpenAI to create their own internal ChatGPT platforms, Becker's reported in February.

8. Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems said Jan. 31 it is using Google Cloud technologies to introduce new generative AI features throughout its organization.

9. Health systems using the DAX co-pilot tool from Microsoft subsidiary Nuance include Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health, Durham, N.C.-based Duke Health, Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Health Care and Chapel Hill, N.C.-based UNC Health, the Association of American Medical Colleges reported Jan. 30.
Three prisoners attempted to escape police custody after being treated at hospitals across the country  all within the same 24 hours.

The unrelated incidents took place at hospitals in Louisiana, Florida and Pennsylvania. In two cases, police are still searching for the escapees.

Ochsner Medical Center-West Bank

During the afternoon of Feb. 25, Leon Ruffin  a convicted felon in custody on a second-degree murder charge  was taken to Ochsner Medical Center-West Bank in Gretna, La., about 4 miles from the jail where he was being held, USA Today reported. Mr. Ruffin was to be treated for a suspected seizure; however, police suspected he was faking some of his injuries, Jefferson Parish (La.) Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said during a news conference.

Mr. Ruffin was discharged from the hospital around 6:40 p.m., and was to be transported back to the jail by a deputy. But before the deputy's unmarked vehicle had left the hospital parking lot, Mr. Ruffin created a disturbance that led the deputy to exit the vehicle and open Mr. Ruffin's door. Mr. Ruffin pepper sprayed her and fled in the vehicle, ABC News reported. The deputy fired shots at the car, but does not know if Mr. Ruffin was hit. Authorities are still unsure where he got the pepper spray.

Mary Deynoodt, CEO of Ochsner Medical Center-West Bank, told Becker's no colleagues or patients were harmed during the altercation.

"Law enforcement continues to have our complete cooperation in their ongoing search and investigation into the incident. We are grateful to local law enforcement and our security team for their efforts to keep our campus, colleagues and those we care for safe," Ms. Deynoodt said in a statement Feb. 26. "We recognize how unsettling this event was for those who live and work nearby. We are communicating with and making resources available to any staff in need of assistance."

HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital

On the morning of Feb. 26, Ernest Lee Reese was arrested shortly before 1 a.m. on domestic violence charges, according to NBC affiliate WPTV. That afternoon, he was taken to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, Fla., complaining of a health issue.

Mr. Reese was medically cleared and discharged, but said that he felt faint upon leaving the hospital. An officer let him sit on the curb outside the facility to drink some water; he was still handcuffed at the time, per the report.

Mr. Reese "took off," according to Fort Pierce Police Lieutenant James Grecco. The officer lost sight of him after a brief foot chase. He carjacked someone in a nearby physician's office's parking lot, and was later seen entering an acquaintance's apartment complex. The acquaintance told police she had dropped Mr. Reese at another location. He was located and arrested hours later.

HCA Healthcare did not immediately return Becker's request for comment; however, a spokesperson confirmed to the news station that the carjacking took place outside the hospital's campus.

Temple University Hospital-Episcopal Campus

Alleem Bordan was also arrested on Feb. 25 on charges of stealing a car from a delivery driver. He complained of pain while being booked, and was taken to Temple University Hospital's Episcopal Campus in Philadelphia, ABC6 reported.

He was discharged around 6:42 a.m. on Feb. 26 and was being walked to a police vehicle in the hospital parking lot when he fled, still in handcuffs, according to NBC10.

Upon his escape, a few schools in the area went into lockdowns, which have since been lifted. Mr. Bordan still has not been located.

A spokesperson for Temple Health confirmed to Becker's that Mr. Bordan had been discharged and was no longer a patient at the time of his escape.

Implications

Such events are not new; Becker's reported on a string of summer hospital escapes last year.

In 2015, Kevin Tamez, an inmate advocacy consultant, told Newsweek that many prisoners plan hospital escapes far in advance. Due to the routine nature of medical visits and transports, it can be easy for officers to let their guards down.

Inmate escapes are one of hospitals' many safety concerns as healthcare workers continue to face heightened acts of violence.

"Incivility in society continues to come through our doors every single day," J. Stephen Jones, MD, CEO of Falls Church, Va.-based Inova Health, told Becker's last week.
The World Health Organization recommends the Northern Hemisphere's 2024-25 flu vaccines be trivalent.

On Feb. 23, the WHO told national vaccine regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical companies its recommendations for the viral composition of next season's influenza vaccines.

A trivalent vaccine protects against three strains of the flu, including two influenza A strains and one influenza B strain. Last year, the WHO recommended quadrivalent shots.

For egg-based vaccines  which the CDC recently OK'd for people with egg allergies  the WHO suggests they target an A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus, an A/Thailand/8/2022 (H3N2)-like virus, and a B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus.

Cell-culture or recombinant-based vaccines are recommended to contain an A/Wisconsin/67/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus, an A/Massachusetts/18/2022 (H3N2)-like virus, and a B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus.

Quadrivalent vaccines for the 2024-25 Northern Hemisphere flu season are encouraged to also include a B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus.
For academic health systems, a strong ranking is more than an affirmation  it's a magnet for top talent and a catalyst for future developments, according to Jakub Tolar, MD, PhD, dean of the Minneapolis-based University of Minnesota Medical School and its vice president for clinical affairs.

In a Feb. 25 op-ed published in the Star Tribune, Dr. Tolar explained why academic medical centers anxiously await new data each winter. Specifically, he discussed a list from the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, which ranks medical schools and hospitals based on how much funding they received from the National Institutes of Health.

This year, the University of Minnesota Medical School ranked 24th out of all medical schools that won grant funding from the NIH.

"Why is this important? These are critical outside resources we bring to Minnesota that support the research and discoveries that lead to healthier lives and better healthcare," Dr. Tolar said.

In 2016, the university received state funding to form four "Medical Discovery Teams" to target issues afflicting the state: addiction, aging, brain health and rural/Indigenous healthcare. The next year, once the teams had formed, the university won $143 million in NIH awards. In 2023, it won $295 million  a 107% increase in funding despite a 43% increase to the overall NIH budget, per Dr. Tolar.

Seeing the rankings allows the academic medical center to compare itself to peers and to remain competitive. It also helps attract and retain top faculty to develop new practices and provide better care, Dr. Tolar said.

"Medical schools nationwide are competing for the same external funding and talented professionals. The U must demonstrate that our team, this institution and our state can provide the environment for groundbreaking research and innovative care not possible elsewhere," Dr. Tolar said. "That's what academic health and medicine are all about  the relentless pursuit of better care and outcomes for our patients."



Read the full op-ed here.
The University of Chicago Medicine is growing its neuroscience partnership with Shanghai Blue Cross Brain Hospital in China.

The two entities first signed an assessment agreement in 2019, according to a Feb. 26 news release. Under their expanded partnership, UChicago Medicine will share more resources with the Shanghai hospital, including virtual clinical case conferences, neuroscience research symposiums and joint workshops. UChicago will also offer consultations on hospital management improvement and provide second opinions on cases.

Recently, two UChicago neuroscience experts  Shyam Prabhakaran, MD, and Peter Warnke, MD  visited Shanghai Blue Cross Brain Hospital for a tour, staff interviews, case discussions and surgical observations. During their visit, they shared expertise on stroke and epilepsy with Chinese specialists.

"The neurology collaboration at SBCBH has laid the foundation for more cooperation between UChicago Medicine and various parties in the Chinese healthcare sector," the news release said. "In the future, UChicago Medicine aims to facilitate world-class experts and scholars in more fields to diversify industry exchanges and benefit more patients."
Chowbot, the Chronicles AI restaurant recommendation tool, suggested a meal at La Vaca Birria in S.F. Cesar Hernandez / The Chronicle

When I accepted this job as a restaurant critic, a screenwriter friend, then on the picket lines, said, That is such a smart move; AI cant eat. Yet!

Im sure some local company is working on that and is cruising towards a billion-dollar valuation. In the meantime, if you want to know whether that new restaurant is worth checking out, youre stuck with the fleshy taste buds of corporeal critics.

Still, one week into my new role, I was introduced to my newest colleague: Chowbot, an AI-powered restaurant recommendation tool, launched publicly today. You can read more about it here, but to wit, Chowbot scans Top Restaurant lists written by the Chronicles (human) reporters and critics, returning relevant results.

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Most of my meals are carefully planned with reservations made weeks in advance, but I try to leave space for opportunistic grazing. As a new resident of San Francisco, Im very much still learning where to get a burrito in the Bayview or a cortado in Cow Hollow. And so I decided to let Chowbot be my Virgil for a few days and dictate where I would eat.

We got off to a rocky start. Chowbot had no suggestions for dumplings in Chinatown, which did not inspire confidence. The tool, according to developer Ryan Serpico, is super duper conservative in its assumptions, and Chronicle critics can be quite specific. Plug in har gow in Chinatown and youll get results, but Chowbot isnt able to categorize the translucent parcels of shrimp as a genre of dumpling.

More successful were queries that helped me plan an outing in the Mission, starting with coffee. Grand Coffee has two locations on Mission Street, Chowbot informed me, both offering a bold product and fun drinks like the pineapple tea and the lime rickey. I headed to the second location, Grand Coffee Too, near 21st Street. Normally I might have opted for a plain capp, but if AI wanted me to be a fun drinks gal, lets go nuts, Chowbot. I added a shot of orange blossom orgeat to my drink, instantly rendering it vacation coffee instead of Tuesday coffee.

Next, I walked to 24th Street towards a Chowbot pick for birria in the Mission. La Vaca Birria, wrote Chowbot, somewhat clunkily paraphrasing a guide from my colleague Cesar Hernandez, serves exceptionally spiced beef birria with a focus on warm spices and a Chicano-style flavor profile. The quesabirria tacos were generously filled, the spices permeating the saucy shredded meat indeed both warm and exceptional. Thanks, Chowbot (and Cesar)!

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A few days later I decided to give Chowbot even broader latitude, asking it where I should eat lunch in the Richmond. Id been to Lily  a great option for a more unique lunch experience according to the bot, in a writing style that assured the safety of my job for the time being. But its other suggestions were new to me. I decided to save the affordable lunch specials at the family-run Han Il Kwan for another day, lured by the promise of shrimp and chile crisp-topped mac and cheese at Richmond Republic Draught House. The drippy, gooey mac, tinted a neon orange by the black bean chile crisp, was the antidote I was seeking to another drizzly and dreary afternoon.

For a final challenge one morning, feeling peckish, I asked Chowbot to find a bakery near the office. This proved a difficult exercise. Bakeries in SoMa returned nothing, while the more specific bakeries south of Market suggested two pizza spots and a wholesale operation that sells at farmers markets. I tried adjacent neighborhoods. Bakeries near Union Square got me nowhere, but bakeries near Civic Center surfaced Arsicaults second location, a convenient ten minute walk from 901 Mission. Chowbot promised there would be indoor and outdoor seating, but it left me to discover for myself the expanded offerings only available at the Civic Center location, including fruit-filled bostocks and jambon beurre sandwiches. Also there was no line. No. Line.

Ultimately, Ive had more luck with another tool the Chronicle released last year: the Best Restaurants Near Me map, which puts all our restaurant recommendations together geographically. But Chowbot is a bit of culturally relevant fun that surfaced some results I might not have found on my own. Play around with it and, if it ends up steering you somewhere delightful, let me know what you think.

Grand Coffee Too. 2544 Mission St., San Francisco. grandcoffeesf.com

La Vaca Birria. 2962 24th St., San Francisco. lavacabirria.com

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Richmond Republic Draught House. 642 Clement St., San Francisco. richmondrepublicsf.com
Amid violence against healthcare workers, hospitals, health systems and states across the U.S. are working to address the issue. These efforts range from appointing "workplace violence coordinators" to holding a gun violence prevention forum.

Here are four recent updates:

1. State University of New York Upstate Medical University selected two "workplace violence coordinators" to address violence against healthcare workers. The Syracuse, N.Y.-based organization named Frank Ferrante and Gerald Santoferrara to the new roles on its risk management team.

2. Two laws that take effect this year in Michigan doubles penalties and fines for assaulting a healthcare worker. Under House Bill 4520 and House Bill 4521, a person convicted of assaulting or assaulting and battering a healthcare professional or medical volunteer while the victim is performing their job duties faces punishment of up to 93 days in prison and/or a fine of up to $1,000. The punishments increase if the assault involves "serious or aggravated injury" or a weapon.

3. The Georgia Nurses Association and the Georgia Hospital Association held a Workforce Violence Prevention Summit on Feb. 12. The summit included an overview of legislation that would impose harsher penalties related to assaults on healthcare workers, along with discussions about issues such as law enforcement responses and safety strategies.

4. On Feb. 27, New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health will host its fifth annual Gun Violence Prevention Forum. The half-day forum will feature healthcare, government, business and community leaders, and former U.S. President Bill Clinton. It also coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, signed into law by President Clinton.
DePuy Synthes, Johnson & Johnson's orthopedic company, is asking an appeals court to reverse a $20 million award granted to Gary Rasmussen, MD, in a 2022 patent case.

The verdict, which was awarded in March 2022, centered on the "Balanced Sizer" product included in DePuy's Attune knee system. A federal jury found DePuy Synthes infringed on a device invented by Dr. Rasmussen that reshapes existing bone and cartilage before knee replacement procedures.

In May 2022, Dr. Rasmussen asked a Massachusetts federal court to approve $8 million for attorney fees after blaming the opposition's alleged defense tactics for the litigation's high cost.

But now DePuy Synthes is arguing that the verdict should be reversed entirely on multiple grounds, according to a brief filed Feb. 21 in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

The company argues Rasmussen Instruments didn't own the patent it asserted against DePuy, the claims "were improperly construed," sufficient proof of direct infringement wasn't submitted and the court "abused its discretion" by ordering a permanent injunction.

A spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson MedTech didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Becker's.
Indiana (Pa.) Regional Medical Center has successfully completed 500 joint replacement surgeries with the Mako SmartRobotics system.

The system provides surgeons with more information prior to total knee, partial knee and total hip replacement procedures, increasing precision and accuracy, according to a Feb. 23 news release.

Surgeons can create a personalized plan for each patient to optimize their procedure, allowing for less pain and shorter hospital stays than manual techniques permit.

The medical center offers joint replacement surgeries with the Mako system at its locations in Indiana and Johnstown, Pa., the release said.
Philadelphia police are searching for a man who stole approximately $100,000 worth of spinal implants from a vehicle in a parking garage on Feb. 19 around 4:30 a.m.

The suspect was wearing a surgical mask and all dark clothing, according to a Feb. 23 police blotter report.

About 26 implants were stolen as part of the theft, according to a Feb. 25 report from BNN Breaking.

The theft is causing concerns in the local medical community about the potential impact on patients awaiting spinal surgeries, according to the report.

It is currently unclear who owned the vehicle the implants were stolen from. Becker's has reached out to the Philadelphia Police Department and will update this article as more information becomes available.
German transport company Saarbahn GmbH has ordered 28 Kite Hydroliners with the first due to be delivered this year from the zero-emissions manufacturer.

The order is a significant deal for Wrightbus in the European market, following orders in Germany from West Verkehr, which will receive 12 single-deck Kite Hydroliners, and Regionalverkehr Koln GmbH, which has signed a contract for up to 60 Kite Hydroliners.

Further contracts for 51 buses from two additional customers have already been signed in 2024. Earlier this month, Wrightbus announced an order had been secured for another 16 zero-emission London double-decker buses and another order to deliver 87 buses for Arriva, which will also be operated in London.

Wrightbus offers a range of zero-emission buses in Europe and the UK, including single and double-deck hydrogen and battery electric buses.

The buses will be built at the Wrightbus factory in Ballymena, Northern Ireland  which the manufacturer said will support hundreds of new high-skilled jobs.

Jean-Marc Gales, Chief Executive of Wrightbus, said: This is a significant deal for Wrightbus, Saarbahn GmbH and the people of Saarland. We are delighted to deliver even more zero-emission buses in support of clear net zero targets

Saarbahn is the largest public transport operator in Saarbrucken and the surrounding area. Therefore, adding hydrogen buses to the fleet will have a significant positive impact on the regions environment.

Project manager Torsten Burgardt from Saarbahn said: We are extremely pleased to be working with Wrightbus to bring zero-emission buses to the roads of Saarland. We take our environmental responsibilities very seriously and this is the first step towards ensuring that half of our fleet is made up of zero-emission buses in the next three years.
Former fashion model Pattie Boyd is to auction letters from the time she was involved in a love triangle with former husbands Eric Clapton and George Harrison.

Boyd, 79, a renowned model of the 1960s, met Beatles member Harrison on the set of the 1964 film A Hard Days Night and was married to him for more than a decade before she wed Clapton in 1979.

The Pattie Boyd Collection includes a handwritten letter from 1970, labelled urgent and sent by Clapton to Boyds house in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. It is expected to fetch between 10,000 and 15,000.

A love letter from Eric Clapton to Pattie Boyd (Christies Images Ltd 2024/PA)

In the letter Clapton asks her to clarify any romantic feelings and writes: What I wish to ask you, is if you still love your husband, or if you have another lover? if there is still a feeling in your heart for me you must let me know!

Clapton famously wrote the 1970 track Layla about Boyd, and his 1977 hit Wonderful Tonight.

Elsewhere, a letter from Harrison from 1971 is estimated to sell for a similar amount, and one of his handwritten love notes from the 1960s is expected to fetch between 2,000 to 3,000.

It reads: Pattie, dont forget I love you  George.

Various Beatles songs written by Harrison are also said to have been inspired by Boyd, including I Need You (1965) and Something (1969).

Boyd said of the sale: Im happy to let go of these things which I have treasured and loved for so many years.

These items represent special moments in my life but now I think its time to move on and share what I have with others.

A letter from 1971 from George Harrison to Pattie Boyd (Christies Images Ltd 2024/PA)

As both a model and photographer, Boyds collection also has a wide range of original photographs, some taken during the Beatles stay at Maharishi Mahesh Yogis ashram in Rishikesh, India, in 1968.

There is also a Polaroid photograph by Boyd of Clapton with his favourite Fender Stratocaster guitar, nicknamed Blackie, which could fetch between 800 to 1,200.

Another photo of Boyd and Harrison, standing in front of roses at their Surrey home Kinfauns, could fetch between 4,000 and 6,000.

A set of handwritten lyrics for unreleased Clapton song Sweet Eloraine will be sold, and an original design doodle for an Apple Records LP label drawn by Harrison.

The sale is led by the original artwork chosen by Clapton for the cover of Derek And The Dominos 1970 album Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs, estimated to fetch between 40,000 and 60,000.

Pattie Boyd and George Harrison at their Surrey home (Christies Images LTD 2024/PA)

A small amount of jewellery and watches owned by Boyd will also be sold.

The full sale from The Pattie Boyd Collection will be on public view at Christies headquarters in London from March 15 to 21.

Adrian Hume-Sayer, director, private and iconic collections and head of sale, Christies London, said: Pattie Boyds extraordinary life and career chart some of the key moments of the cultural revolution that changed the world in the 1960s.

This unique collection includes an array of cherished personal letters, photographs and mementoes, which provide a tangible link to that amazing time.

Patties passion for photography also provides a glimpse from behind the lens, adding further colour to the intimate portrait of her life in the spotlight alongside two of historys most iconic musicians.

This auction offers collectors, fans and enthusiasts an unparalleled chance to see and own a piece of cultural history  everyone is welcome.
A convicted killer extradited back to Northern Ireland from the Republic was today handed a nine-month jail sentence for being unlawfully at large.

Jailing 54-year-old James Meehan at Craigavon Crown Court, Judge Patrick Lynch KC said while he had little option but to plead guilty, the offence had to be marked with a jail sentence because he had breached the trust prison authorities had placed in him.

That makes it less likely for other people to be released in the future and that is to the detriment of other prisoners and to yourself because the parole commissioners will be less likely to repose any further trust in you as youre likely to scarper to the Republic of Ireland, said the judge.

Prosecuting counsel Joseph Murphy told the court how Meehan had been granted temporary release to attend a birthday party for his brother on October 9, last year, but he failed to return to custody and was deemed unlawfully at large.

In 2009 Meehan, whose address has been given as c/o HMP Maghaberry, was handed a life sentence with an order to serve a minimum of 14 years in jail for the murder of Derry man Jim McFadden.

The 42-year-old victim was repeatedly punched in the chest and died from a ruptured heart in an attack that took place after the wedding reception of Mr McFaddens sister-in-law in Donegal in May 2007.

The court heard that Meehan was found to be living in the Republic and during legal proceedings in Dublin High Court, Meehans lawyers unsuccessfully applied for a stay on extradition proceedings, arguing that he had been released on his lifelong licence rather than a temporary release.

Dublin judges disagreed and after ordering Meehans extradition, the killer appeared in court in NI on December 29, last year.

In Craigavon court today, defence counsel Seamus Lannon conceded that Dublin High Court wasnt too sympathetic but he highlighted that Meehan had been on bail in the south and he had not committed any further offences, something which was to his credit.

Having heard that Meehan is due to have a hearing before the parole commissioners in the coming months, Judge Lynch warned him this offence will hardly assist you in their assessment.
Three men who admitted playing varying roles in a catalogue of ATM thefts were handed jail sentences amounting to more than 10 years today while a fourth man walked free from court with a combination order.

Judge Roseanne McCormick KC said the series of thefts which were committed by an organised crime gang had caused damage and loss to businesses and local communities not just in the tens of thousands but in the hundreds of thousands.

Sentenced at Antrim Crown Court for their respective roles were:

 Kenneth David Clarke (32), from Broughshane Lane in Cullybackey  sentenced to five years and eight months after he pleaded guilty to three offences of conspiring to steal, conspiring to commit arson and conspiring to cause criminal damage between October 1, 2018, and December 6, 2019;

 Jamie McConnell (31), Upper Hightown Road in Belfast  sentenced to three and a half years for the same offences;

 Gary John Kincaid (36), from Flush Road also in Belfast  sentenced for 11 months for two charges of doing acts capable of encouraging or assisting in burglary or theft on October 26, 2018, and April 26, 2019 and;

 David Edward McClurkin (39), originally from Templepatrick but now living at Mantlin Park in Kesh  sentenced to a combination order of two years on probation and 60 hours of community service for one charge of doing an act capable of encouraging or assisting in burglary or theft between April 10-16, 2019.

Ordering the jail sentences to be served half in custody and half on licence and adjourning confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the judge warned McClurkin that if he failed to comply with either aspect of his combination order, you will be brought back to court, I will have my notes and I will know that you would have been sentenced to eight and a half months.

The court heard that in general the offences followed the same general Modus Operandi in that a digger or excavator would be stolen from a nearby building site or business premises, a vehicle and/or a trailer would also driven to the scene and once the digger had ripped the cash field ATM from the wall, it would be driven away to be emptied and the evidence destroyed, often by setting all the vehicles on fire.

Taking each defendant in turn, the court heard that Clarke was admitting guilt on a joint enterprise basis in relation to involvement in six ATM thefts and with the sourcing of a vehicle, a Mitsubishi L200, which was used in two of the six incidents committed across Co Antrim in Ballyclare, Mallusk, Moira, Crumlin, Antrim and Ballymena.

Judge McCormick said while the PPS accept the evidence cannot identify Clarke as having removed ATMs or handled the cash extracted from them however, he accepts by his plea that he is guilty on a joint enterprise basis and accepts that he sourced a vehicle and acted as a lookout/scout and took a logistical role in the enterprise.

That sourced vehicle, the court heard, was a Mitsubishi L200 pickup truck bought by Clarke and McConnell from a man in Dromara.

McConnell was pleading guilty, said the judge, on the basis that he played no direct role in the stealing or destruction of the vehicles involved but he knew that this was part of the modus operandi of the conspiracy to steal the ATM machines.

While Clarke had admitted involvement in two ATM thefts, McConnell was admitting two of those, committed within a week of each other in Crumlin and Ballymena in April 2019 but his role was limited to driving and playing a supporting role to others who had other roles in the incidents but he was present during the two ATM thefts.

McClurkins role in assisting the gang was to service and make roadworthy the L200 pickup truck whose in Kincaids case, he collected and delivered on request a BMW car and a Volvo jeep, each man knowing or believing the vehicles would be used in a burglary or theft.

Sentencing the four men, Judge McCormick said that in general there were a multiplicity of aggravating features including that the offending was pre-planned with a high degree of organisation, high value of offending and the gratuitous destruction of property which caused massive losses in both a financial sense as well as a loss of service to local communities.

She emphasised however the guilty pleas from each man were particularly welcome given the complexities of the case so an extensive amount of court time had been saved.

Ordering Clarke, McConnell and Kincaid to be taken into custody and advising McClurkin that he was free to leave the dock, the judge adjourned confiscation proceedings until September.
The widows of two men murdered by loyalist paramilitaries nearly 48 years ago have secured significant settlements in legal actions against the police and Ministry of Defence over alleged collusion in their killings.

Jim Loughrey and John Toland, both aged 36, were shot dead by the UDA within days of each other in the Co Derry villages of Greysteel and Eglinton, Co Derry.

Civil proceedings were issued at the High Court following reports issued by the now defunct Historical Enquiries Team.

The investigative unit concluded it was likely there had been collusion between individual members of the security forces and those responsible for murdering Mr Toland in his workplace at the Happy Landing Bar in Eglinton in November 1976.

It was also unable to rule out collusion in Mr Loughreys killing at his home in Greysteel the previous week.

The victims widows, Mary Loughrey and Marie Newton, sued the MoD and PSNI in a bid to secure damages.

In court today their barrister, Ronan Lavery KC, confirmed that confidential settlements have been reached in both actions.

The defendants are to pay the two widows legal costs as part of the resolutions, which involve no admission of liability.

Its been a long time coming, Mr Lavery said.

With family members of the two victims present in court, the judge congratulated them for achieving the outcome.

Mr Justice Humphreys told them: These are always difficult matters.

The courts have very many cases involving events that happened years ago, where efforts are made to try and find out what happened in the deaths of loved ones.

That is a very difficult and emotional trial for families to go through, but with the help of your lawyers you have managed to reach a conclusion that is satisfactory.

He added: By achieving a settlement what you have done is bring finality to a lengthy and difficult process.

Speaking outside court, a solicitor for the two widows, Padraig O Muirigh, said no financial disclosures can be made under the terms of confidentiality.

But he stated: I can confirm, though, that the figure is significant and that the Toland and Loughrey families are satisfied with the outcome of this litigation.

Mr O Muirigh also called for a repeal of the UK Governments new Troubles Legacy Act so that similar cases can be continued.

Unfortunately, many families will be deprived of the opportunity to pursue their own legal actions due to this draconian legislation which is a clear breach of the European Convention of Human Rights and other International human rights standards, he claimed.

Sara Duddy from the Pat Finucane Centre, which backed the legal actions, said: This settlement is a positive outcome for two widows and two families devastated by these murders over 40 years ago.

Both widows had large, young families, and the emotional and financial impacts caused by Jim and Johns murders are still felt to this day.

This settlement goes some way to acknowledge the hurt caused.
Former Queens University Belfast president and vice-chancellor Sir Peter Gregson has died, the university has announced.

Sir Peter (66) was vice-chancellor from 2004 to 2013. An aerospace engineer, he was awarded a knighthood for services to higher education in 2011.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the university said the community was deeply saddened to hear of Sir Peters death.

"Sir Peter led the university with distinction through a period of unparalleled progress and achievement," they said.

Under his leadership, Queens entered the Russell Group in 2006 as one of the UKs leading research intensive universities, was named Entrepreneurial University of the Year in 2009 and secured two Queens Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education in 2005 and 2011.

In March 2008 he welcomed the late Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and the President of Ireland Mary McAleese to the University, as Queens celebrated 100 years of the granting of the University Charter.

Sir Peter made a remarkable contribution to the university, Northern Ireland and Queens internationally. He was a values-led, inspirational leader, whose commitment to Queens students, staff and the wider University community was unwavering, the spokesperson added.

The entire university community extends its deepest condolences to Lady Gregson, their daughters Ellie, Maria and Chrissie and the family circle.
Owners Lorella Degan and Massimiliano Conti at La Ciccia in 2017. Leah Millis/The Chronicle

A new Italian wine bar is coming to San Francisco from the former owners of beloved restaurant La Ciccia.

Binu Bonu  good wine in Sardo, the language of Sardinia  will open in late April at 230 West Portal Ave. The spaces current occupant, Que Syrah wine bar, will remain open through the end of March.

The restaurant newsletter Tablehopper was first to report the news.

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Owners Massimiliano Conti and Lorella Degan are known for the soulful Sardinian dishes they served at La Ciccia, like bottarga spaghetti and spicy octopus stew. But Conti emphasized that Binu Bonu will be a bar, not a restaurant.

Weve done the restaurant already, said Conti. We wanted to do something that wouldnt involve staying there all day like we did at La Ciccia. Besides, the space doesnt have a kitchen. They plan to serve snacks like cheese and charcuterie.

Lugore Vermentino di Sardegna, one of the many Sardinian wines that La Ciccia carried. Leah Millis/The Chronicle

The selection of about 50 to 60 wine producers will be mostly, but not entirely, Italian, favoring small-scale winemakers that practice sustainable farming. There will be some Sardinian wines but, unlike at La Ciccia, that wont be the focus. There will also be a wine retail component.

We need to have wines that you can enjoy without food, Conti said, so we cannot have something thats too austere.

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Conti and Degan sold La Ciccia in 2022 to Cheryl Maloney, a regular who was also the restaurants real estate broker. After 16 years of running the Noe Valley institution, the couple said they were feeling burnout and needed a break. Degan finally got the foot surgery that shed been putting off for years, and they spent extensive time in Italy with family.

But they feel ready to take on a new project now, Conti said, and theyre excited about the West Portal neighborhood. Elenas, a new Mexican restaurant from the family behind the popular Original Joes restaurants, recently opened across the street from where Binu Bonu will be, and a high-end doughnut shop from an acclaimed pastry chef is in the works.

Massimiliano Conti outside La Ciccia in 2020. He and Lorella Degan sold the restaurant in 2022, citing burnout. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

Conti recalled his early years in San Francisco, when he frequented Zarzuela in Russian Hill and would have a drink at Bacchus wine bar nearby while he waited for a table. He hopes for a similar synergy in West Portal. Were going to try to have a good relationship with all the restaurants in the neighborhood, Conti said. West Portal is one of those places that will keep evolving in the next few years.

Binu Bonu. Opening late April. 230 West Portal Ave., San Francisco.

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Millions had previously been made available for shared education and integrated school builds.

Education Minister Paul Givan has written to the Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris to ask the UK Government to reinstate funding for a number of shared education and integrated school builds.

The Department of Education revealed on Friday that only the nine new build projects currently under construction would now be completed.

Around 150m had been set aside from Fresh Start funding from the UK Government for another 10 developments, but that money is no longer available.

"The minister has placed these projects into the departments major capital works programme and they will continue to progress in planning proceeding to construction when funding is available, a departmental spokesperson said.

Minister Paul Givan has now written to Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris asking for the funding to be recommitted to allow the projects to be completed. He said the NI Executive was not in a position to provide the level of investment needed to complete the projects.

"The Fresh Start Programme had significant strategic importance for Northern Ireland delivering a wide range of educational, societal and economic benefits, said Mr Givan.

"As well as providing much needed investment in the chronically underfunded schools estate, the programme promotes a culture of inclusivity, respect, and mutual understanding, contributing to community cohesion and good relations by increasing the number of children from different community backgrounds being educated together.

Education Minister Paul Givan

"Such investment in educating our young people together has the potential to be truly transformative for our society.

"There will now be huge disappointment for the school communities previously within the Fresh Start Programme whose long-awaited construction projects have been left unfunded by recent decisions.

"I am sure you will appreciate that this will undoubtedly result in significant reputational damage to the UK Government and will lead to fundamental questions in regard to pledges made, expectations raised and the commitment of the UK Government to the development of a shared society, particularly through sustained investment in integrated education.

Mr Givan highlighted the position of Millennium Integrated PS, which has more than 400 pupils enrolled and is urgently awaiting funds to proceed to construction having had construction tenders returned.

The Lagan Valley MLA has requested a meeting to discuss the problems as a matter of urgency.

"As an absolute minimum, it would provide reassurance and certainty for the UK Government to recommit funding to the original levels envisaged for the Fresh Start Programme, he said.

"This funding could be provided over an extended four or five year timeframe to ease financial pressures.

"The decision to remove Fresh Start funding, which is explicitly targeted at building a shared society, will have a disproportionate impact on the future of children and young people in Northern Ireland and is a matter of the highest significance.

It comes as Finance Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald said the Department were still waiting for clarity over how exactly 708m of funding was repackaged.

"The financial package that was put on the table was put on the table by the British government, by the Treasury, she told BBC Evening Extra.

"We were clear in December and January when the talks were happening in Hillsborough that much of the money in relation to that was repackaged money.

"We are actually still waiting for clarity from Treasury as to what exactly was in that package of 708m, to what exactly has been repackaged.

"Our understanding from officials is that it is things like the Fresh Start funding, Levelling Up and some New Decade New Approach money.

"The Treasury has repackaged the money. It wasnt a decision that the Executive has taken. It will be a decision for the Executive how to spend the money that is in that 708m package.

"Obviously the Executive will have to prioritise its projects and take decisions around that.

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said repurposing the money had provided spending flexibility to the Executive.

"The UK Government is providing the Executive with a significant 3.3 billion spending settlement to stabilise its finances and protect public services, said a spokesperson.

"This package increases the spending power of the Executive by repurposing over 700 million of existing and new UK Government funds.

"Repurposing 150m of The Fresh Start Agreement funding has provided additional flexibility to the Northern Ireland Executive to decide how it uses the non-ring fenced funding and new UK Government funding streams."
Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald made the offer to the workers in Northern Ireland, which comes after industrial action calling for pay parity across the UK. It comes following negotiations with Civil Service trade unions.

Unions will now confer with their members on the offer.

The offer includes a 5% increase to the majority of Civil Service pay scales, bringing up the pay of the lowest-paid staff to the voluntary Living Wage Foundation rates of 12 an hour or 23,177 annually - a 10% increase - performance-related progression and a 1,500 non-consolidated payment to staff eligible for the 2023 pay award.

Its after January saw one of the biggest strikes in Northern Irelands history by public sector workers  including civil servants.

Read more Nurses frustrated as unions to ballot members on new pay offer

Following the restoration of devolved government earlier this month, Ms Archibald said her department aimed to move quickly. "Following meetings with recognised Civil Service unions last week, I am pleased to have been able to move quickly to make this pay offer for civil servants which recognises their role in the delivery of public services," she said.

"Civil servants, like other public servants, have been waiting some time for their 2023 pay award against the context of a cost-of-living crisis and pressures on their own household budgets.

"I hope staff will look favourably on the offer and that unions' consultation with their members will proceed as swiftly as possible so we can get pay to staff as soon as practicable.

"Our public sector workers are at the heart of service delivery. We have a challenging journey of enhancing services in the time ahead for which we will need the expertise of our staff."
Gerry Kelly pursues libel case against writer despite damning judgment last month

Having lost his action aimed at Malachi ODoherty for saying he had shot prison officer during Maze breakout in 1983, Sinn Fein MLA is still suing Ruth Dudley Edwards on the same grounds

A judge said that Mr Kelly's case against Malachi O'Doherty might not have been thrown out had he not written so extensively about his role in the Maze escape

Sam McBride Mon 26 Feb 2024 at 08:07

Gerry Kelly is continuing with a libel action against a critic of Sinn Fein, despite a similar case being thrown out by a judge who sharply rebuked him for abusing the law to intimidate a journalist.
Minister Robin Swann has welcomed the decision and said the proposed settlement  which would finally see the restoration of pay parity with England for health and social care staff covered by the Agenda for Change framework  is a positive step forward.

Those involved in the framework includes a large proportion of the overall health and social care service workforce in Northern Ireland.

The announcement comes after almost 40,000 NIPSA members joined the picket lines last month alongside other public sector workers demanding better pay.

It became the biggest strike in living memory for workers in Northern Ireland which also included teachers, bus drivers, cleaners and civil servants.

An estimated 150,000 workers joined the 24-hour strike action with locations all across Northern Ireland.

Earlier this month, following the restoration of the Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive, returning Health Minister Robin Swann announced that he had written to trade unions in Northern Ireland to invite them for discussions around pay after reiterating his intention to resolve the current industrial action.

Speaking on the recent announcement of a new proposed pay deal, Mr Swann has commended the constructive negotiations between his department and trade unions in recent weeks.

He said: I said on taking office that my first priority was to get pay settlements over the line for staff. This is a positive step in that direction, and I commend the constructive negotiations that have taken place with trade unions representing Agenda for Change staff.

The unions will now ballot their members and I want them to be given the time and space for this to happen. Staff are the backbone of health and social care services and deserve to be properly rewarded for their work.

Staff pay settlements for 2023/24 are long overdue, having been delayed by political and budgetary instability. They will be backdated to April 2023.

Under the proposed settlement, HSC Agenda for Change staff will receive a consolidated pay uplift of 5% and a non-consolidated (pro-rata) payment of 1505. The lowest pay values for Band 1 and Band 2 will also be removed.

Responding to the announcement, the Royal College of Nursings Northern Ireland Director, Rita Devlin said: While we acknowledge the 5% consolidated pay uplift for HSC staff, we are extremely disappointed that the non-consolidated element of the pay award falls short of what our colleagues in England received.

Hard-working nursing staff have been waiting a very long time for the pay situation to be resolved here, showing patience and resilience despite worsening conditions in the health service.

While we recognise that there has been progress on this issue, many will be disheartened at not receiving the same amount as nursing staff across England. For some, this will leave them hundreds of pounds out of pocket.

In the longer term this pay award does little to restore the significant reduction in pay nurses have suffered over a decade which has left them worse off. This in turn will make the struggle to retain experienced nursing staff more difficult.

We will be launching a consultation on this proposed pay settlement with our members shortly and it will be up to each member to look closely at what the pay offer means for them and to decide how to vote.

In a joint statement, Anne Speed, lead Joint Secretary of Unison; Patrick Mulholland of Nipsa and Brenda Stevenson of Unite said the news had followed an extended period of industrial action and an exceptional political situation.

"Trade Unions representing those HSC staff on Agenda for Change terms and conditions in Northern Ireland have concluded talks with the Department of Health and HSC Employers. Through collective bargaining the trade unions have achieved an outcome which we are now bringing to our members, they said.

Mr Swann had previously been Health Minister from January 2020 to October 2022.
Michael D Higgins has appealed to countries that have withdrawn funding from a relief agency in Gaza to think again (Niall Carson/PA)

Irish President Michael D Higgins has appealed to countries that have withdrawn funding from a relief agency in Gaza to think again and provide support to help avoid a catastrophe.

Several countries have frozen funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) while a review of Israeli allegations that some of its staff took part in the Hamas attack on October 7 is under way.

UNRWA has 13,000 staff in the Gaza Strip and helps educate 30,000 children.

In a statement released on Monday, Mr Higgins urged the countries, including the UK and Germany, to revoke their decision.

Mr Higgins is among many heads of state and government leaders who have made the call.

As Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of UNRWA, stated yesterday, this is a man-made disaster and famine can be avoided if there is genuine political will to grant access and protection to the delivery of meaningful assistance, Mr Higgins said.

The lead taken by Ireland in giving increased and additional aid to UNRWA is an example of which Irish people can be proud of, not only because our own history, but given the importance international humanitarian action and international humanitarian law has in our world.

As president of Ireland, I would appeal to those countries which have withdrawn aid to think again and to provide the desperately-needed support to UNRWAs 30,000 staff in the region and 13,000 staff in Gaza so we can avoid this catastrophe.

While negotiations on a necessary permanent ceasefire are proceeding, I repeat Irelands call once again for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

Children must not be abandoned to die as the facts of these situations are carried on the television screens of the world.

Mr Higgins said that in a speech to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres drew attention to the serious breaches of international human rights law.

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He said Mr Guterres words were delivered with a sense of urgency.

The secretary-general, in the course of his remarks, drew attention once again to the completely insufficient level of humanitarian aid reaching those in such desperate need in Gaza and how, as he put it, an all-out Israeli offensive on Gaza would put the final nail in the coffin of our aid programmes, he said.

One wonders how the representatives of those countries who have withdrawn funding from UNRWA can look on as young infants struggle to live, infants whose lives could be saved by having such basics as bread and water.

Some of the most experienced and qualified experts familiar with what is happening in Gaza are saying that famine looms, with young children in particular heavily at risk and needing bread and clean water. Their mothers and close relatives listen to their cries in what must be conditions of unbelievable stress.

In my visits to Gaza all those years ago, which I visited a number of times over a 20-year period, one of the most striking features was the importance of bakeries.

Today we have seen bakeries wiped out together with most places of shelter, where children struggle for food. Surely it cannot be possible for people to look on and allow this tragedy to unfold on our screens.

Mr Higgins also said the weakening of UNRWA is undermining the UN.
Infection prevention and control teams must work with emergency departments to maximise patient safety, a report said (PA)

Hospital emergency departments in the UK have been urged to return infection prevention and control to the top of their agendas or risk putting patients lives at risk, after a report revealed standards have slipped since the pandemic.

It warned that both staff and patients are still at risk from contracting Covid-19 and called on healthcare workers to get vaccinated against the virus, as well as getting their flu jabs.

The three-year quality improvement programme (QIP) by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) gathered data on more than 65,000 patients across 127 emergency departments.

It probed the level of screening across three categories, including tests for Covid-19.

It also examined screening in those with so-called vulnerable conditions such as being pregnant, unvaccinated or with immune system issues, and patients presenting with the likes of diarrhoea, vomiting an unexplained rash and fever.

The report found the national average of patients being screened when attending A&E was 17% last year, down from 25% in 2022.

RCEM president Dr Adrian Boyle added: It is unconscionable that directly after a terrible pandemic that the system is not providing the standards that staff and patients need.

We must ensure that an environment where staff and patients are protected properly against infectious diseases is the norm.

The RCEM also found 35 of 127 emergency departments did not record any patients being screened for all three conditions.

It said the importance of record keeping of screening should be highlighted to all staff.

The report warned there has been a rise in hospital attendances at our emergency departments with Covid-19 as well as a drop in the number of healthcare staff being vaccinated against the virus and flu.

It is unclear why this is happening but we have an increasingly concerning situation for both patients and staff, it added.

Elsewhere, the RCEM found the national average of patients identified as potentially infectious and moved to an appropriate area was 62%, down from 80%.

On average, those patients were moved in 135 minutes, up from 83 minutes in the previous 12 months and 46 minutes in 2020/2021.

In his foreword, Dr Boyle wrote that the results show performance has dropped across all the QIPs standards.

He added: In some instances, performance has dropped by over 20% across the three years, highlighting the need for trusts and hospitals to return to placing IPC (infection prevention and control) at the top of their agendas as was done in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Among its recommendations, the RCEM said we must continue to raise awareness that Covid-19 is present and a real risk to both patients and staff.

It called for staff to be encouraged to screen patients and document results, as well as being vaccinated themselves.

It also said infection prevention and control teams must work with emergency departments to maximise patient safety.

The RCEMs QIP team was led by Dr Fiona Burton, an emergency medicine consultant.

She said the drop in standards is worrying but the highly unusual context of the pandemic, as well as overstretched emergency departments, have to be considered.

As Covid emerged there was naturally strong messaging about the importance of escalating infection control measures including the focus on identifying the people who were most vulnerable, Dr Burton said.

However, with the successful vaccination programme the messaging has lessened and assessing peoples vulnerability as soon as they enter the emergency department is perhaps no longer as prominent a consideration as it was  especially as other system pressures mount.

But we have to remember that Covid has not gone away and it, and other infectious diseases, still pose a serious threat to patients and to staff. And that not being able to provide adequate IPC measures can put peoples lives at risk. It must remain a priority.

Publication of the RCEMs report comes after health chiefs warned the NHS in England is facing an enormous challenge due to winter pressures and industrial action by junior doctors, which started on Saturday.

Data released last week showed an average of 2,208 patients were in hospital in England each day last week with flu, including 112 in critical care beds. The figure is up by 68% compared to the start of January while the number in critical care is the highest so far this winter.

An average of 2,720 people who had tested positive for Covid-19 were also in hospital last week, down from 3,229 the previous week.

Covid-19 patient numbers peaked at more than 9,000 last winter.

An NHS spokesperson said: NHS teams are very aware of the ongoing risk from Covid-19 and other infections with strong infection prevention and control measures in place to keep both patients and staff safe, and we continue to work with local NHS teams to promote and encourage staff vaccination.

The NHS urgent and emergency care recovery plan sets out a range of measures to reduce pressure and crowding in A&E including greater use of community and same day emergency care, alongside more beds and measures to reduce delayed discharges which affect patient flow and how quickly someone can be admitted.
Stephen Flynn MP has written to opposition leaders in a bid to get backing for a fresh ceasefire motion (House of Commons/PA)

The SNPs Westminster leader has said he will seek support from opposition parties in order to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel after a previous attempt dissolved into angry recriminations and demands for the Commons Speaker to resign in what were described as shameful scenes.

Stephen Flynn MP has written to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey calling on them to support a fresh motion.

The SNP has reached out to both parties to hold talks on the matter, the party said.

Last week, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle publicly apologised to the SNP, and offered the party an opportunity to hold a fresh vote, following chaotic scenes which saw MPs blocked from voting on the SNPs motion for an immediate ceasefire due to an unprecedented change in the rules of Parliament following a meeting between the Speaker and Sir Keir.

Speaker Lindsay Hoyle faced calls to resign over shameful scenes in the Commons last week (Hannah McKay/PA)

The SNP is, among other actions, proposing the UK Parliament mandates the UK government to use its position on the UN Security Council to vote for an immediate ceasefire, and follow the advice of independent UN experts to halt all transfers of military equipment and technology, including components, to Israel, and to suspend the issuing of new licences.

Mr Flynn said: After the shameful scenes at Westminster last week, its vital the UK Parliament urgently focuses on what really matters, doing everything we can to help secure an immediate ceasefire and lasting peace in Gaza and Israel.

The SNP wants to move the debate forward with a fresh motion that focuses on the specific, practical, concrete steps the UK government must now take to help make an immediate ceasefire happen.

As a key ally and defence trading partner of Israel, and a member of the UN Security Council, the UK has an important role to play but the UK government, which still opposes even calling for an immediate ceasefire, is not doing anywhere near enough to secure one.

The party claim their actions forced Sir Keir to U-turn on his opposition to calling for an immediate ceasefire and said MPs must work together to get Rishi Sunak to do the same.

Mr Flynn added: We are keen to build as much consensus as possible, while recognising the need to substantially shift the dial on the positions of Sunak and Starmer, who have been too timid in their approach to securing an immediate ceasefire  and not forgetting the success the SNP has had in changing the terms of the debate by doggedly sticking by our principles and values.

The devastation in Gaza gets worse every day, with more innocent children, women and men killed, more homes bombed, and more civilians facing starvation.

The time for warm words is over, the UK must use every lever at its disposal to help end this conflict and secure lasting peace.
The First Minister was speaking while campaigning in Glasgow (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Scotlands First Minister has urged the UK Government to back a ceasefire in a vote at the UN and stop selling arms to Israel.

Speaking as he campaigned in Glasgow ahead of a local council by-election, Humza Yousaf welcomed last weeks vote for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire following chaotic scenes in the House of Commons.

However, he pushed the UK Government to go further.

He told journalists: Theres a couple of concrete actions were suggesting the UK Government takes now that the House of Commons has, I am pleased to say, backed an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

Those two actions would be primarily that the UK votes for a ceasefire in the United Nations  they have abstained in previous votes.

But also that we should stop as a country exporting arms to Israel, given what are quite frankly flagrant breaches of international law.

There can be no justification, none whatsoever, for continuing to send arms to Israel and the Israeli government.

His comments come the week after the Commons was plunged into chaos after the Speaker decided to hear a Labour amendment to an SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire.

The actions of Sir Lindsay Hoyle were largely seen as positive for Labour, meaning the party could avoid a revolt from its MPs.

Mr Yousaf said the attention paid to the actions of Sir Lindsay and subsequent criticism from MPs meant the focus was not on those in Gaza.

The Speaker was criticised for his actions in the Commons last week (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA)

The real tragedy of last week was that we spent an inordinate amount of time talking about the Speaker, or processes in the House of Commons when what we should have been talking about was the people of Gaza that are suffering, he said.

Westminster has an incredible ability to talk about itself when actually what I think we should be talking about is the concrete actions the UK can take, that is why Stephen Flynn has put this motion forward.

Another vote on the issue was expected this week, with the SNP seeking to push the UK Government to take action on the conflict, but Sir Lindsay confirmed on Monday there would be no such debate.

Speaking while of the belief the debate would take place, the First Minister said the SNP would be more than happy to work with Labour to ensure their support.

We have been trying to get Labour to a much better position, I think there is no argument about the fact that the Labour Party changed their position because of some of the pressure we have been exerting publicly on them over a number of months, he said.

I welcome that change. It may have taken longer than any of us would have liked but the fact of the matter is the House of Commons voted for a ceasefire last week and the really important issue now is seeing concrete action being taken as a result of that vote, hence the motion.

An FCDO spokesman said: We have made clear that the priority in Gaza must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.
Humza Yousaf has called on Rishi Sunak to order a probe into Islamophobia within the Conservative Party (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Scotlands First Minister has called on Rishi Sunak to lead from the front and tackle Islamophobia within the Conservative Party in the wake of despicable comments made by MP Lee Anderson.

Humza Yousaf insisted the Conservative Party is riddled with Islamophobia as he demanded the Prime Minister instigate an independent, external review of the issue.

His comments come in the wake of remarks made by former deputy Conservative Party chair Mr Anderson, who lost the Tory whip at the weekend after failing to apologise for claiming Islamists had got control of Sadiq Khan and London.

With Mr Yousaf revealing he had spoken to SNP MSP John Mason after being deeply concerned about comments his backbencher had made that were perceived to be antisemitic, the First Minister condemned Mr Sunak for failing to tackle Islamophobia within the Conservative Party.

The SNP leader branded Mr Andersons comments as being really explicit Islamophobia as he said the MP should be expelled from the party.

Mr Andersons comments are a further demonstration of the fact that Islamophobia is normalised, Mr Yousaf said.

He added: You can look at any one of the tweets that I put out, or any one of the social media posts I put out, and you will see streams of Islamophobic abuse.

The fact that an MP thinks it is acceptable to make such Islamophobic comments against anybody, let alone the Mayor of London, I think is despicable.

I think the Conservative Party should be investigating what, I think, is clearly structural Islamophobia within that party.

Mr Yousaf said he was in full solidarity with fellow Muslim Mr Khan as he called on the Tories to take tough action against Mr Anderson.

He shouldnt be allowed to continue to stand for the Conservatives, he shouldnt just be suspended, he should be expelled from the party.

The former Tory deputy chairman had the whip suspended (Victoria Jones/PA)

Mr Sunak has denied there is a problem with Islamophobia in his party, with the Prime Minister insisting that racism or prejudice of any kind is completely unacceptable and not British.

Mr Sunak stated: Lees comments werent acceptable, they were wrong. And thats why he had the whip suspended.

The Prime Minister continued: Clearly his choice of words wasnt acceptable, it was wrong.

Referencing a newspaper piece by former home secretary Suella Braverman, in which she said that Islamists are in charge of Britain now, Mr Yousaf said those disgraceful comments to me highlights that the Conservatives have got a real problem with Islamophobia.

Mr Yousaf said: The Prime Ministers response to not just Lee Andersons comments but Suella Bravermans despicable comments has been that he hasnt shown leadership on this issue.

I would urge him to allow an external review into Islamophobia in the Conservative Party.

The Prime Minister has to lead from the front, hes the Prime Minister, it is his party that is under scrutiny for unacceptable Islamophobia, he should be instructing an externally-led review into Islamophobia within the Conservative Party.

SNP MSP John Mason has recently been criticised for comments in a debate on Gaza in Holyrood (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Mr Yousaf spoke out as he campaigned in Glasgow ahead of an upcoming council by-election, where he was joined by SNP MSP Mr Mason, who came under fire after he used a debate on the situation in Gaza to question if it was not antisemitic for some to say that the present Israeli offensive has been over the top and has possibly crossed the line from defence to revenge.

The SNP leader said he had spoken to Mr Mason about those comments and had also spoken to leading figures within the Jewish community.

The First Minister said: They were not acceptable remarks, but he clarified what he was meaning and gave an apology alongside that.

He added: John Mason was asked by the Jewish community, who I spoke to on Friday, to apologise and to clarify his remarks.

He has apologised and clarified his remarks, he has done exactly what was asked of him.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: An investigation and subsequent independent review, both conducted over several years by Professor Swaran Singh, found no evidence of institutional racism in the Conservative Party.
Republican presidential candidate and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks at a campaign event in Troy, Michigan (Carlos Osorio/AP)

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley says it is not the end of our story despite Donald Trumps easy primary victory in South Carolina.

And Mrs Haley, who had long suggested her competitiveness with the former president would show in her home state, warned Mr Trump will not receive the backing of her supporters if he wins the nomination.

Defying calls from South Carolina Republicans to exit the race, the former US ambassador traveled to Michigan, which holds its primary on Tuesday, speaking to a hotel ballroom packed with hundreds of supporters on Sunday.

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Her campaign said that she had raised one million dollars (790,000) from grassroots supporters alone in the 24 hours since here latest primary defeat, a bump they argued demonstrates Mrs Haleys staying power and her appeal to broad swaths of the American public.

Addressing the rally in vote-rich Oakland County, northwest of Detroit on Sunday evening, Mrs Haley reiterated her comments from Saturday that she nearly notched 40% in South Carolina shows.

She says the percentage of voters who do not favour Mr Trump would make it hard for him to win the general election.

Hes not going to get that 40% if hes going and calling out my supporters and saying theyre barred permanently from MAGA, she said, referencing Mr Trumps comments directed at anyone who funded her campaign. Hes not going to get the 40% by calling them names.

Tailoring her speech to a Michigan audience, she called President Joe Bidens incentivising of electric vehicle programmes corporate welfare, asking attendees in a state where the auto industry is a major economic driver about the unfairness of any requirement to switch to electric.

Former president Donald Trump attends a primary election night party at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia (Andrew Harnik/AP)

What about the fact that maybe we all dont want to drive an electric car? she said. Have you seen how expensive they are?

Mrs Haley has pledged to keep going through at least the batch of primaries on March 5, known as Super Tuesday.

Asa Hutchinson, a critic Mr Trump and former Arkansas governor who dropped out of the Republican presidential race after Iowas lead-off caucuses in January, said he thought Mrs Haley should stay in.

The challenge is that she did everything she could in South Carolina, he told CNN. But its got to accelerate because you run into the delegate wall. And the delegate wall is March 5. So shes got to prove herself.

Mr Trump has now every primary or caucus on the Republican early-season calendar that awards delegates.

I have never seen the Republican Party so unified as it is right now, he said in a victory night celebration in Columbia on Saturday.
A new bill from Assembly Member Matt Haney would make California the first U.S. state to mandate routine testing of wastewater for fentanyl and other drugs. The information could help guide government action in response to the crisis. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

For years, state and local health officials have watched in dismay as drug overdoses spiraled ever higher. Now they could gain a new tool to track the extent of the crisis.

If proposed legislation from Assembly Member Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, is successful, California could become the first state to mandate routine testing of wastewater treatment plants statewide for fentanyl, methamphetamine and other drugs.

It would mark a significant geographical expansion of a novel approach that a few California counties, including Marin and San Francisco, began experimenting with over the last few years. And it signals a growing urgency as overdose deaths continue to soar. California reported nearly 7,400 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2022, the most recent full-year data available.

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The drug epidemic is horrific and getting worse, Haney said. Wastewater testing provides critical information that can be used to respond rapidly to spikes in the use of drugs. We cant wait on people to die to know whats happening and where its happening.

The data could help inform public policy  and responses.

Its true that were desperate for solutions, said Dr. Matt Willis, public health officer for Marin County, which started its wastewater surveillance program for fentanyl in 2023.

The purpose of testing sewage for traces of drugs is to try to better understand what drugs are flowing into a community so health officials can intervene early to reduce overdoses.

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Current data on overdoses  deaths reported by hospitals and 911 calls for possible overdoses, for instance  are fragmented, incomplete and delayed, making it hard to know whether more dangerous drugs are coming into a region or city in real time before its too late.

In Marin, when wastewater testing showed a rise in norfentanyl  the metabolite found in urine that the body produces after using fentanyl  officials sent out an overdose spike alert to notify health care providers and groups that work with drug users that the risk of overdosing could be extra high at that moment, Willis said.

That way, local emergency departments, substance use treatment programs and mental health providers knew to double down on measures we know can prevent overdose or save a life if someone has an overdose  making sure theyre not using alone, having Narcan on hand, using fentanyl strips, Willis said.

Haneys bill, AB3073, would require local sanitation agencies to collect wastewater samples to test for fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and morphine. It would mandate the state water board report the results to the state public health department.

A new bill from Assembly Member Matt Haney, shown here in Sacramento, would make California the first U.S. state to mandate routine testing of wastewater for fentanyl and other drugs. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

The measure would not require all sewage plants in the state to submit samples for testing. Though some of the details are still to be worked out in the legislative process, it would likely require about 250 major treatment plants to do so at least twice a week. And it would allow the state to request samples from minor treatment plants that are located in counties with high overdose deaths.

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It would cost an estimated $50 to $200 per test, amounting to up to $21,000 a year, that each county would be responsible for covering.

In the United States, testing sewage for infectious pathogens dates back many years, but it didnt become widespread until the COVID pandemic. Applying the concept to drugs is relatively new.

Many countries in Europe, though, have been doing wastewater testing for drugs for more than 10 years to help monitor drug use, according to Joao Matias of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, which collects data on drug use and treatment from European Union countries. Wastewater is just one source of data that researchers combine with other sources, like surveys where people self-report drug use habits.

European sewage testing, though, focuses on stimulants such as MDMA, amphetamine, methamphetamine and cocaine. The prevalence of fentanyl and other opioid use in the general population there is so low itd be hard to detect accurately in wastewater, Matias said, so only a few cities are doing it  mostly for academic research.

Willis, of Marin, says he would support statewide sewage surveillance.

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Photographers take pictures as Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, centre right, stands at a parliament session (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Hungarys parliament voted on Monday to ratify Swedens bid to join Nato, bringing an end to more than 18 months of delays that have frustrated the alliance as it seeks to expand in response to Russias war in Ukraine.

The vote, which passed with 188 votes for and six against, came as a culmination of months of wrangling by Hungarys allies to convince its nationalist government to lift its block on Swedens membership.

The government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban submitted the protocols for approving Swedens entry into Nato in July 2022, but the matter had stalled in parliament over opposition by governing party lawmakers.

Unanimous support among all NATO members is required to admit new countries, and Hungary is the last of the alliances 31 members to give its backing since Turkey ratified the request last month.

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has forged close links with Vladmir Putins Russia (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Mr Orban, a right-wing populist who has forged close ties with Russia, has said that criticism of Hungarys democracy by Swedish politicians had soured relations between the two countries and led to reluctance among lawmakers in his Fidesz party.

But the vote on Monday removed the final membership hurdle for Sweden which, along with neighbouring Finland, first applied to join the alliance in May 2022.

Addressing lawmakers before the vote, Mr Orban said: Sweden and Hungarys military co-operation and Swedens Nato accession strengthen Hungarys security.

Mr Orban criticised Hungarys European Union and Nato allies for placing increased pressure on his government in recent months to move forward on bringing Sweden into the alliance.

Several people tried to intervene from the outside in the settling of our disputes (with Sweden), but this did not help but rather hampered the issue, Mr Orban said.

Hungary is a sovereign country, it does not tolerate being dictated by others, whether it be the content of its decisions or their timing.

Last weekend, a bipartisan group of US senators visited Hungary and announced it would submit a joint resolution to Congress condemning Hungarys alleged democratic backsliding and urging Mr Orbans government to immediately lift its block on Swedens trans-Atlantic integration.

On Monday, ambassadors from several Nato countries were in the parliamentary chamber during the vote.

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The US ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman, told reporters Swedens approval was a decision of strategic significance to the United States of America, to Hungary and to the trans-Atlantic alliance as a whole.

This has been a decision that has taken some time, and we look forward to the process concluding rapidly, Pressman said.

A presidential signature, which is needed to formally endorse the approval of Swedens Nato bid, was expected within the next few days.

But on Friday, Ulf Kristersson, Swedens prime minister, met with Mr Orban in Hungarys capital where they appeared to reach a decisive reconciliation after months of diplomatic tensions.

Following their meeting, the leaders announced the conclusion of a defence industry agreement that will include Hungarys purchase of four Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripen jets and the extension of a service contract for its existing Gripen fleet.
Its often said from a parent to a child: Keep every promise you make and only make promises you can keep.

But for that to ring true, adults need to set the right example.

It has been nearly 10 years since a financial promise was made to integrated schools across Northern Ireland, many with pupils still in temporary accommodation long past being fit for purpose.

The Fresh Start deal laid out a promise of money for building programmes, and while some have been delivered, more have been left waiting.

Late on Friday, the Department of Education confirmed that, while work would continue on projects which have been started, money for a further 10 potential new-builds from the UK Government is no longer available.

Stormont is pointing the finger of blame at the UK Government, but there must also be questions asked over what funding the new Executive signed up to if money that was once available is suddenly no longer there.

Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris has made no secret of his desire to see more integrated schools in Northern Ireland.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that integrated education should be the norm, not the exception. The announcement of the funding cut came in a week which saw a new shared education building at Limavady High School and neighbouring St Marys officially opened, bringing the two schools from each side of the community closer together, and with it the young people of the town.

Speaking at that event, Lord Caine, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, took pride in saying the project was constructed with support from the UK Governments Fresh Start funding for integrated and shared education and demonstrated commitment to reconciliation and educational excellence providing state-of-the-art facilities to enable young people to work together to reach their potential.

He added: The UK Government will continue to support and promote educational integration in Northern Ireland.

For the future success of Northern Ireland rests on its young being able to grow up looking forward to a shared future, rather than back to a divided past.

That was last Wednesday. Two days later and 10 integrated schools were being told their funding for building work wasnt there any more.

So soon after the restoration of Executive is not a good time to be breaking promises. When children are involved, there never really is.
Amazing tale of Jewish familys Kazakhstan to Kilkeel odyssey being made free to NI schools

From left: Author Csilla Toldy, Walter's son Richard and Darren Rice from the National Lottery Heritage Fund

From Kazakhstan to Kilkeel. That is the journey made by Walter Sekules, who as a 10-year-old escaped the horrors of the Holocaust and Soviet detention camps.

Mr Sekules, who moved to Northern Ireland with his family in 1950, died last summer aged 83.

But now his story is being told in full for the first time in a childrens book.

Enemy Alien: Walter Sekules Journey Through Adversity, which is supported by the National Heritage Lottery Fund and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, is being made available free of charge to schools and libraries.

Author Csilla Toldy said a camp built for foreigners in Kazakhstan had been home to Mr Sekules for seven years before he moved to Co Down.

The new book, illustrated by Agnes Tamcsu, is dedicated to the detention camp survivor, who never lost his heavy European accent.

He joked in a 2019 interview: I came to Kilkeel almost 70 years ago, so I guess you could say I am fairly local now.

Mr Sekules and his parents, Edith and Kurt, were forced to flee Vienna after the Nazis annexed Austria.

As refugees, they lived in Soviet detention camps, including Oranki in modern-day Russia and Aktyubinsk and Kok Uzek in Kazakhstan.

It was only after the Second World War ended that they became aware of what had happened in Nazi concentration camps and realised how lucky they had been.

Edith published a memoir in 2000 called Surviving the Nazis, Exile and Siberia, in which she recalled: The hardest part of being a prisoner was not the loss of freedom or being forced to be in a group all the time but the fact that all decisions were made for you by someone else.

The author of the new book said it told Mr Sekules incredible story of survival against the odds.

Mrs Toldy added: Walter was a young Jewish boy growing up in a camp for enemy aliens in Kazakhstan, where the winters were harsh and the summers were hot. His parents are from Austria. For Walter, the camp is the only home he knew for seven years while the Second World War was raging in Europe.

In the autumn, when the fields turn into swamps, he contracts malaria. He makes friendships with the soldiers who guard them.

When the war is over, he and his family embark on a 3,000-mile journey through war-torn Europe in search of the rest of their family and a new home.

From left: Author Csilla Toldy, Walter's son Richard and Darren Rice from the National Lottery Heritage Fund

After settling in Northern Ireland, the family set up Kilkeel Dancing Hose, a tartan socks business that shipped products to Scottish Highland dancers around the world, with a pair of socks selling for between 120 and 150 at one point.

Walter ran the factory until it closed, and the family donated artefacts to the Newry and Mourne Museum which are on display until April.

The National Lottery Heritage Funds Darren Rice said: Walter Sekules came to Northern Ireland to build a new life after surviving the war and the Holocaust.

With an award of 7,500, the Light Theatre Company is able to tell his story to illuminate and acknowledge a lesser-known aspect of local heritage and broaden understanding in schools and in the wider community.

The Light Theatre Company is also donating copies of the book to schools and libraries.

Author Mrs Toldy is holding a series of talks to mark the launch of the book. The first is in Kilkeel Library at 3.30pm on March 14.

For more information about the book or to arrange a school visit, contact Csilla Toldy on lighttheatrecompany@gmail.com
Loyalists laugh off claims UDA drugs cartel will quit crime for 1m in funding

Insiders say NIO talks just a ruse to keep the police off gangs back

Former UDA mural on Devenish Drive

Sunday Life Investigations Mon 26 Feb 2024 at 07:30

The South East Antrim UDA drugs cartel is in talks with the government about abandoning crime in return for up to 1m in cash.
Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto sees off Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles (not in the frame) after their meeting at the office of the Defense Ministry in Jakarta, Feb. 23, 2024.

Indonesias presidential and legislative elections this month were the worst since the countrys democratic transition, two watchdog groups have said, citing issues ranging from campaign finance to electoral fraud.

Indonesia Corruption Watch as well as KontraS, a human rights group, also accused outgoing President Joko Jokowi Widodo of meddling in the Feb. 14 presidential and legislative elections and showing favoritism toward the winning ticket, which featured his son.

The polls were marred by a lack of transparency, accountability and fairness, the watchdog groups said as they called for urgent reforms to prevent a further deterioration of the electoral system in Southeast Asias largest country, a 25-year-old democracy.

We think it is reasonable for the public to question the election results, based on the process that is suspected to be fraudulent and problematic, the groups said in a joint statement Friday.

The failure of the General Elections Commission to carry out its responsibilities as an election organizer, and the dysfunctionality of the Election Supervisory Agency as an election monitor has led us to categorize the 2024 elections as the worst elections in the reform era.

The end of President Suhartos 32-year dictatorship in 1998 ushered in the so-called reform era.

Prabowo Subianto, a former army general and the current defense minister, won the presidential race with more than 57% of the vote, according to unofficial quick counts by reputable pollsters.

He defeated his rivals Anies Baswedan, the former governor of Jakarta, and former Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo.

Prabowo, Suhartos ex-son-in-law who ran with Jokowis son Gibran Rakabuming Raka as his vice-presidential candidate, claimed victory based on the quick counts, which have proven accurate in past elections. Jokowi is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.

Protesters demonstrate in front of the General Election Commission office demanding an investigation into alleged fraud in the Feb. 16 presidential and legislative elections, Jakarta, Feb. 23, 2024. [Bay Ismoyo/AFP]

The watchdog groups said the election commission did not provide the public enough information on the source of campaign funds for the elections, thus raising concerns about influence-peddling.

The vote counting process was opaque and unreliable, undermining public trust in the results, they said.

KontraS and Indonesia Corruption Watch said they found 310 cases of alleged fraud involving election organizers, government officials, civil servants and candidates.

Cases included ones such as the mobilization of village heads to support the Prabowo-Gibran ticket, the tampering of ballots by polling station workers, and vote buying, the groups said.

And while violence was comparatively lower in this election compared with the previous one in 2019, they documented at least 18 incidents, including voter intimidation.

These incidents resulted in 80 injuries and four deaths, they said.

The two groups called on the commission to address these issues and take steps to improve the quality and integrity of future elections. They also urged the electoral supervisory board to rigorously investigate and prosecute any violations that occurred during the polls.

We never joke around

Meanwhile, a parliamentary inquiry into the elections is in the works, as the main parties that backed the losing presidential candidates Ganjar and Anies agreed to join forces to probe alleged electoral fraud.

Adian Napitupulu, from Ganjars Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the ruling party, said it was ready to start the inquiry after the parliaments recess ends on March 5.

The parties said they would use their constitutional right to investigate how the election law and government policy were implemented, and whether they had violated any regulations.

We are ready to roll out the inquiry with PDI-P as the initiator, said a joint statement released by Anies coalition on Friday.

Ganjar also said he was serious about the inquiry.

We never joke around or bluff, Ganjar told reporters on Friday.

Jokowi has said that he did not mind the inquiry plan, saying: That is a democratic right.

A parliamentary inquiry can be initiated by at least 25 lawmakers and more than one coalition. It can also summon election officials and others to testify on the fraud claims.

On Feb. 16, Jokowi had a meeting with NasDem, one of the main parties in the coalition that supported Anies. Both the president and Anies played down the meeting, according to the local media, with Anies saying that the alliance still strongly backed him.

A demonstrator shouts slogans during a protest against alleged election fraud in Jakarta, Feb.16, 2024. [Dita Alangkara/AP]

The National Mandate Party (PAN), a member of the alliance that backs Prabowo, said it opposed the idea of a parliamentary inquiry.

Election disputes should follow the existing rules and mechanisms, PAN leader Saleh Partaonan Daulay told the Media Indonesia newspaper on Sunday.

He said the Constitutional Court had always handled election result disputes in the past and all election candidates could file lawsuits there.

Indonesias parliament, though, has the power to investigate the governments policies, its implementation of some regulations and public officials conduct, including the presidents, according to Reuters news agency.

Anies camp has alleged that the Prabowo team had used underhand tactics to gain a higher vote count.

The PDI-P has accused the Prabowo camp of resorting to legal manipulation, various forms of coercion, and abuse of state resources to gain an advantage in the contest.

Presumptive vice president Gibran, the mayor of Solo, benefited from a controversial ruling by the Constitutional Court in October that paved the way for him to contest for the number two post.

The courts chief justice, Anwar Usman, who is married to Jokowis sister, was dismissed from his post in November for ethical violations linked to the ruling.

Jokowi was accused of using populist measures, such as handing out social aid early, and raising salaries for civil servants, police and the military, which critics said were aimed at boosting Prabowos chances.

The president refuted any manipulation of the judiciary or favoring a particular set of candidates.

Jokowi did not publicly endorse any of the candidates, but critics alleged that his administration had tampered with government materials and influenced the judiciary to ensure a victory for Prabowo and 36-year-old Gibran.
This undated photo published by Tuvalu TV on Facebook on Feb. 26, 2024 shows Feleti Teo, Tuvalus new prime minister.

Tuvalu has chosen a seasoned Pacific leader as prime minister as it navigates challenges such as its diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, a contentious security treaty with Australia and funding for an ambitious land reclamation project.

Feleti Teo was the only candidate nominated for prime minister, allowing the Pacific island countrys governor-general to declare him elected, Tuvalus state TV said Monday, citing government secretary Tufoua Panapa.

It said the government and opposition ranks in the 16-member Parliament wont be clear until later this week when an oath taking ceremony takes place. Tuvalu held its election in late January, but it has taken a month for all members of Parliament to gather from across the far-flung archipelago in the capital atoll Funafuti.

Teo, over the past two decades, has had leading roles in key regional organizations such as the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, the Pacific Islands Development Forum, the Forum Fisheries Agency and the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat. He is a former attorney general of Tuvalu.

Teos election bodes well for the new government, according to Meg Keen, director of the Pacific Island Program at the Lowy Institute, an Australian think-tank.

He will be an astute navigator, she said, of relations with countries that have interests in the region.

He is well respected both in Tuvalu and the region. He brings to the office a deep understanding of the geopolitics of the region and the critical climate and resource issues affecting Tuvalus sovereignty and survival, Keen told BenarNews.

We can expect that Tuvalus voice will be well projected at home and in the region.

Teo was congratulated on social media site X by lawmaker and former foreign minister Simon Kofe. It was the first time in Tuvalus history that a prime minister had been nominated unopposed, Kofe said.

This photo taken on Jan. 25, 2024 shows people outside a polling station on election day in Funafuti, the capital of the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu.

Tuvalu, home to about 11,000 people, is one of the dwindling number of nations that have diplomatic relations with Taiwan instead of Beijing. Last month, another Pacific island nation, Nauru, severed ties with Taiwan, reducing its diplomatic allies to 12 countries. Among Pacific island nations, Palau and the Marshall Islands also recognize Taiwan.

Chinas government has courted Pacific island nations for the past two decades as it seeks to isolate Taiwan diplomatically, gain allies in international institutions and challenge U.S. dominance. Beijing regards Taiwan, a democracy and globally important tech manufacturing center, as a renegade province that must be reunited with the mainland.

Kofe, in a radio interview last month, said views on diplomatic recognition of Taiwan and a security treaty with Australia, which was signed in November last year, are likely to influence groupings in the new Parliament.

The treaty between Tuvalu and Australia, called the Falepili Union, requires Tuvalu to have Australias agreement for any partnership, arrangement or engagement with any other state or entity on security and defence-related matters. Its expansive scope and lack of consultation was criticized during the election campaign.

Tuvalu also is seeking U.S. $1.3 billion from international donors for a land reclamation plan that would double the size of Fongafale, the most populated island, by reclaiming 3.6 square kilometers (1.4 square miles) from its lagoon.

Tuvalu says half of Fongafale would be inundated during the high tide by 2050. Its projections for sea-level rise are based on the most pessimistic scenario for greenhouse gas emissions developed by the United Nations climate panel.
Lantern Festival function held for Taiwan business people on mainland

Xinhua) 11:05, February 26, 2024

BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- A function for Taiwan business people in celebration of the Lantern Festival was held Saturday in Beijing by the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

At the event, Song Tao, head of the two offices, delivered remarks and extended festive greetings to Taiwan compatriots.

Song said that the mainland's sound economic momentum, strong resilience of economic growth, high-quality development, and the advantages brought by reform and opening-up will bring more opportunities for Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan enterprises on the mainland.

He called on compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to jointly create a bright future for cross-Strait relations and the Chinese nation, and advance the great cause of national reunification.

Representatives of Taiwan business people at the event expressed their confidence in continuing to take root on the mainland and their aspiration to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

About 200 people attended the event, including representatives from the Taiwan business community and representatives of young people and farmers of Taiwan.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Rep. Katie Porter has rankled some feathers in the Democratic Partys congressional delegation. Jonah Reenders/Special to the Chronicle

While Rep. Katie Porter has many qualities to recommend, theres a reason the Democratic leadership has endorsed Rep. Adam Schiff.

In the past, Porter has not been a team member or leader. She tried an end-run around congressional committee rules, disrespecting the venerable Rep. Maxine Waters, chair of the Financial Services Committee. Porter then implied getting left off the committee was due to her politics, not for violating rules.

Porter did not get Rep. Nancy Pelosis endorsement. Porters attack ads against Schiff cost her the support of former Sen. Barbara Boxer, seemingly a natural ally.

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Porter is leaving a critical Orange County seat for the Republicans to win, which will weaken our fight against the tyranny of the GOP.

I like Porters politics, but her demeanor doesnt lead to progress.

Schiff is a collegial representative and has accomplished more because of it. I want someone to get things done for California, not a performative loner.

Adam Schiff for Senate.

Nicole Kowalski, San Rafael

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Maintain landlines

When a corporations product becomes part of the infrastructure of the community that it serves, the well-being of the public must come first.

Just as we have laws governing other industries to ensure public safety, so too must we regulate AT&T. The state Public Utilities Commission should reject AT&Ts request to stop providing landline telephone service.

But if AT&T is allowed to drop landline service, the government needs to take over the infrastructure. The state can either subcontract out to AT&T for maintenance and repair services at low rates or the company can support the government going forward.

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AT&T is a big corporation with little motivation to care about customers or treat them fairly. That being so, lets take the bull by the horns to ensure the well-being of our communities.

Landline telephone service must be available, robust and well-maintained in California.

Barbara Monnette, St. Helena

Vote for Kalb

Looking at the state Senate District 7 candidates to succeed Nancy Skinner, Im convinced Dan Kalb has the strongest record, relevant experience and proven skills for the job.

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Kalb developed complex climate policy, built coalitions to pass bills and engaged in the rough-and-tumble state legislative process for 10 years before holding elected office. He can make Sacramento work.

As an Oakland City Council member, he secured tens of millions for affordable housing, kept public libraries open during challenging times, created a partnership to help kids stay in school and crafted legislation that can actually reduce crime.

Kalb has been the go-to elected for issues that are heavy lifts, and he doesnt compromise to where a policy looks good but has little positive impact.

Early on, Kalb proposed a statewide expansion of prison rehabilitation programs. He supports single-payer health care and expanding residential drug treatment to reduce overdose deaths and help our unhoused. Planned Parenthood Advocates rated him 100%.

Kalb is a passionate clean-money elections advocate, and he is running a principled campaign devoid of special interest attacks.

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Kalb is the only candidate with a deep environmental background similar to Skinners. He has earned our vote.

Don Link, Oakland

My hearts in S.F.

Im saddened when I read all of the negative stories about the decline of San Francisco. I dwell on the beautiful areas that I remember from when I lived and worked in the city for 30 years.

I worked on the waterfront repairing ships. The smell of the bay and the piers and the wildlife and the fog is impregnated in my soul. It was beautiful and magical.

There was a vibe and feel in my old neighborhood that defined San Francisco, and it will always be there. I miss the shopkeepers, the bartenders, the fabulous restaurants and the nationalities of people walking the streets.

The bottom line is I miss San Francisco, and I know its still there and it will never go away. I hope I can go back and take a walk back in time, to breathe in the city, to soothe my soul.
A fisherman from Masinloc, a town in Zambales province on Luzon island in the northern Philippines, prepares his boat for an expedition in the South China Sea, Feb. 26, 2024.

The Philippines Senate and House have separately approved a bill to establish the countrys maritime zones through legislation that marks a significant milestone in managing territorial waters amid tense disputes along some of its sea borders, analysts said.

The Philippine Maritime Zones Bill sets the archipelagic boundaries as well as the Philippines internal waters and exclusive economic zones, the analysts and lawmakers said.

The House passed the bill in May 2023, while the Senate approved it on Monday. The two houses must make sure the language in both bills is the same before sending that version to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to sign.

Sen. Francis Tolentino, sponsor of Senate Bill 2492, said it would serve as the cornerstone of our maritime policy, protecting our sovereignty and addressing our national security needs.

Tolentino said the bill would highlight the Philippines sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its EEZ in the West Philippine Sea  the waters of the South China Sea that lie within Manilas jurisdiction  and Benham Rise, off the countrys eastern seaboard in the Philippine Sea.

Whatever happens in Scarborough Shoal, whatever happens in the ocean in the West Philippine Sea, whatever happens in Benham Rise, the measure is part of our history and it will be a marker of our freedom, Tolentino said in a statement on Monday.

Within the maritime zones law, we can forge more alliances with other countries, under a rules-based international order in compliance with UNCLOS, Tolentino said.

The legislation is anchored in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and a 2016 international arbitration courts ruling that invalidated Beijings sweeping claims in the South China Sea.

China claims historic ownership of nearly all of the South China Sea and lately has blocked or attempted to block Philippine ships and fishing boats in the maritime region on multiple occasions. Apart from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan also have territorial claims in the strategic waterway.

Beijing has maintained a constant presence near the two major flashpoints in these waters, Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) and Scarborough Shoal.

The Philippines this month launched coast guard patrols around Scarborough Shoal to challenge China.

More recently, the Philippine government on Sunday accused the China Coast Guard of attempting to block efforts to deliver supplies to fishing boats near Scarborough Shoal, according to media reports.

The incident involving harassment of the BRP Datu Sanday occurred on Feb. 22, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. It said the incident occurred a week after a similar encounter involving the BRP Datu Tamblot.

A Philippine FA-50 fighter-jet (bottom) and a U.S. B-52H bomber carry out an air patrol over Manilas exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, Feb. 19, 2024. [Philippine Air Force/ Facebook]

Meanwhile on Feb. 19, the Philippine Coast Guard posted deatails and photos on its Facebook page of a joint air patrol with the United States that covered 90 nautical miles in Manilas EEZ. One photo showed a Philippine FA-50 flying next to a U.S. B-52H Stratofortress bomber.

Significant milestone

In recent years, China had sent research ships to the other side of the Philippines, in the Benham Rise, without Manilas permission.

In 2018, Beijing registered names for five undersea features, raising alarm bells that Beijing would encroach in these waters, according to Jay Batongbacal, director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea at the University of the Philippines.

Batongbacal said the bills passage marks a significant milestone in the countrys long and difficult quest toward effectively managing our seas.

Foreign states will be obliged to ensure that their flag vessels comply with the laws and regulations of the country in accordance with international law. This enables us to secure international cooperation in the conservation and management of our inter-island and offshore waters, Batongbacal told reporters on Monday.

Julio S. Amador III, interim president of the Foundation for the National Interest, a Philippine NGO, said that clearly delineating maritime zones was essential for the Philippine government in harnessing natural resources and tapping the blue economys potential. Blue economy refers to proper, sustainable use of sea resources.

It will also provide a legal basis for the effective exercise of Filipinos rights in maritime areas, Amador said in a news commentary published on Feb. 20. This puts us in good standing with our partners and allies, and with the wider international community.

The passage of the bill, Amador told BenarNews, underscores the Philippines commitment to defend its rights in its waters.

I hope President Marcos can sign the bill into law the soonest, he said.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Generally cloudy. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High near 40F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Snow showers. Low 28F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Biden and Trump both plan trips to the Mexico border Thursday, dueling for advantage on immigration

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will make dueling trips to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas on Thursday following the failed border deal that was opposed by the Republican front-runner
When General Electric Co. embarks on its yearslong cleanup plan to remove PCBs from the Housatonic River, it will potentially be working in the vicinity of numerous sites of "significance" to a tribe of Native Americans.

And as the plans for the Rest of River cleanup take shape, efforts are ongoing on numerous fronts to protect those sites.

The Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that burial and other cultural or historic sites are not destroyed or otherwise impacted.

Our office is aware of, and actively consulting government-to-government with EPA representatives on the Rest of the River Housatonic cleanup project, wrote Bonney Hartley, tribal historic preservation manager, via email. She noted the tribe's Williamstown-based office represents the tribes cultural resource interests in its ancestral territories.

The plan calls for the removal of PCBs, beginning in 2025, from areas of the river from Southeast Pittsfield to Lenox, Lee, Stockbridge and Housatonic village in Great Barrington. GE released PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, into the Housatonic from its Pittsfield plant for decades until the 1970s.

Last month, the EPA offered a conditional approval of the work plan covering the southeast Pittsfield portion of the river, starting at Fred Garner Park, including descriptions of potential historic and archaeological impacts. But GE is required to revise and resubmit the plan by March 22.

Ashlin Brooks, the EPAs community involvement coordinator for the agencys Northeast Region, emphasized that under the final work permit issued to GE, the company is required to take a number of steps to comply with the applicable state and federal laws and to mitigate any potential impacts to cultural resources.

Under EPA supervision, GE compiled a report in 2022 on cultural impacts of the project based on field studies. A revised report required by the agency was approved in March 2023, she said.

The EPA also has reached out to the tribe for reaction and involvement over the course of the project, which could take up to 13 years.

We also work with Tribal representatives so that they can be present during GEs cultural resources field work, Brooks wrote. Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Jeffrey Bendremer, also based at the Stockbridge-Munsee office in Williamstown, has been consulted for comments on GEs reports and fieldwork.

We will be sure to engage with our Tribal partners and work with their schedules so that they can participate in any field investigations that they wish to be involved in, Brooks stated.

In response to concerns raised early this month by Stockbridge Select Board member Patrick White, the EPA stated that the agency is well aware of Tribal issues and the potential to encounter areas of significance during the cleanup.

Whites letter to EPA officials was copied to state Sen. Paul Mark, D-Becket, and state Rep. William Smitty Pignatelli, D-Lenox.

White stated that Native American remains are located at potential staging areas for the Rest of River project. There are at least 20 documented areas of significance in Pittsfield alone, and dozens more as you move south, he wrote.

Selection of staging area sites impacts areas of prime importance to Mohicans who lived along the Housatonic, White noted.

In the 1780s, the tribe was forced to relocate out of Stockbridge and other native homelands from southwest Vermont, the Hudson River valley from Lake Champlain to Manhattan, Western Massachusetts up to the Connecticut River valley, northwest Connecticut, and portions of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The 1,500 descendants are represented by the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band tribal council in Bowler, Wis.

It would be wise that EPA considers its obligations under a 1990 Federal law with respect to the decisions you will make as you implement the Rest of River cleanup, White wrote. He cited projects in Stockbridge to foster reconciliation and renewal of the Towns relationship with the Mohican people who will return here with their pending purchase of the north face of Monument Mountain.

He urged the EPA and GE to identify burial and archaeological locations before any staging-area site selections are considered and decided for the Rest of River project.

Among the steps he suggested:

 Review of historical documents that provide a remarkable level of detail regarding important burial and archaeological locations.

 Identification of locations that are likely to have been used for burials. Likely sites include bluffs above the river.

 Mapping of such locations that may involve ground disturbance using ground penetrating radar technology.

 A plan for oversight of all actual ground disturbance with on-site representatives of the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican tribal historic preservation officer.

 A plan to either choose different sites or mitigate the impact on these sites should they be found to contain archaeological artifacts or human remains.

EPA and GE have both a legal and moral obligation to conduct this review and honor the cultural traditions of our local indigenous people, White said.
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Parts of electric buses are seen in an electric vehicles manufacturing company in St. Cloud, Minn.
A Palestinian woman reacts Saturday after an Israeli strike on a family house in Rafah, Gaza Strip. Columnist Ruth Bass notes the Israeli-Hamas War looks more like revenge and slaughter than an eye for an eye.
Huy Do solves a math problem in an advanced placement calculus class at Burton High School in San Francisco. Teaching algebra in the eighth grade gives students a chance to take calculus by the time they are seniors. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle 2015

Voters are being asked through a nonbinding measure known as Proposition G if the city of San Francisco should encourage the San Francisco Unified School District to offer an algebra course, once again, to eighth graders.

Its the political equivalent of asking people if they like ice cream. The answer to both questions is, Yes, of course.

How did we get to the point where such a seemingly no-brainer measure needed to be on the ballot? A decade ago, the school district removed algebra from its eighth-grade curriculum in an attempt to de-track schools and give underrepresented students better opportunities for advanced classes in later grades. The results have been disastrous and widened the education gap in math. Lower-income students lost access to advanced math courses, while their higher-income counterparts could afford private classes.

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The district acknowledged this problem and is planning to reintroduce eighth-grade algebra. But, when it comes to addressing the challenges San Franciscos education policy faces, Prop. G is just the tip of the iceberg.

San Francisco is a highly educated, wealthy place, and overall, its public school student math scores reflect that. According to the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, 46% of San Francisco public school students tested proficient in math, compared to 35% for California  better than virtually every other urban district, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach and San Jose. White students at the San Francisco school district who are not considered economically disadvantaged do particularly well and score close to the top of all districts in California, with 71% proficiency compared to 58% for the statewide peer group.

But when it comes to low-income Black and Latino students, the San Francisco school district is among the worst districts in the state. Just 12% of low-income Latino students are proficient in math compared to 19% statewide. The situation is even worse when it comes to low-income Black students: only 7% of these students in the San Francisco school district are proficient in math, compared to 13% statewide.

In a supposedly progressive city, these outcomes are unacceptable.

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Last year, building on the groundswell of parent mobilization that started during the pandemic, my organization, San Francisco Parent Coalition, launched a parent-led campaign to demand the district do better. As a result, the district assessed its K-8 math program, and the timeline for evaluation and audit was reduced by 50%. Now, the district has actionable results and information.

TNTP, an external education evaluation firm, identified significant issues with the districts early and middle school math program, citing noncompliance with official math standards. The firm pointed to the districts challenges in guiding teachers on instructional delivery, conducting effective student assessments, and promoting connections across mathematical concepts.

The findings align with the districts self-monitoring of its progress toward meeting its 2027 goals for student proficiency in math, which in a recent report it described as significantly off track. While the district is working on a long-term plan to address many of the underlying issues, that wont help the thousands of kids who need more support now.

The district and the San Francisco Board of Education could issue an urgent and corrective plan to avoid perpetuating years of lost learning opportunities for our students. For example, the district could use the remaining federal and state pandemic-relief funding it received on high-dosage evidence-based tutoring programs. Education research highlights how these interventions are game-changers for kids who are struggling to meet grade-level milestones. The district could also do basic things like moving closer to the recommended 300-minute minimum each week for daily math instruction in classrooms. Its hard to expect a lot from our students in math if  as in some middle schools  theyre receiving just 60% of the recommended minutes.

Many of the issues afflicting the San Francisco school district are political ones. The seven elected members of the school board set the policy and direction for the district. As we saw when San Francisco had the longest COVID closures of any major district, it really matters whos on the school board.

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My organization started in 2020 when parents were frustrated at how obstinate the school board was in refusing to even discuss reopening schools, instead focusing on renaming them. Today, parents are now holding the board accountable for focusing on essential issues, including an excellent and equitable K-8 math program.

Thriving cities depend on thriving public school systems. Even private and parochial schools are impacted by them. The San Francisco school district, for example, is considered a model for many of the citys independent schools due to its research partnership with Stanford University. What happens in the district impacts all of us.

Voting for Prop. G in the March 5 primary election is a first step in improving our childrens education. Our citys youth will need all of us to do much more to advocate on their behalf and to ensure a thriving and equitable school system.

And then, come November, all of us must return to the ballot box to ensure those running to serve on the Board of Education are committed to putting the futures of our 50,000 public school students first.

Our children are depending on it.
"In the world but not of the world." We've heard this phrase all too often as Christians.

Home. The word stirs deep sentiment, a subtle longing, nostalgia. We can make a house a home, but the essence of home doesnt require the support of four walls. At any moment, no matter where we are, that at-home feeling can sweep over us. The lingering aroma of slow roasting turkey, the gentle caress of a wrinkled hand, a babys coosour senses can spark the feeling of home, but no single word in the English language can adequately capture the depth of its meaning.

What Does it Mean to Live in the World but Not of the World?

During His final days of ministry on earth, Jesus was confronted with the question of home. The same world He had spoken into existence now screamed against Him. The very people He had chosen to call His own, now chose to disown Him. Falsely accused, battered, and alone, Jesus stood before Pilate and declared, My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place(John 18:36).

With that powerful proclamation, Jesus turned the world upside down. Since the beginning of His ministry, Jesus had tried to convey to His followers that the time had comethat time which had been foretold by the prophetsthe time when Gods children no longer needed to search for refuge in a sin-laden land that was not their own. The King had come. And with Him came the keys to an everlasting Kingdom they could now call home.

Christs Kingdom is the homeland for all believersits where we belong. In Him and with Him. We may physically reside on planet earth, But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus ChristPhilippians 3:20.

What Does the Bible Say about 'in the World but Not of the World'

As citizens of Heaven, our view of this temporal world matters. What we think and believe about this foreign land helps us find our proper place in it. The only reliable source for this information comes from the creator, Himself. Heres what Gods Word has to say about this world:

This world is temporary (1 John 2:17, 2 Corinthians 4:18, Matthew 5:18).

This world is not our friend (John 15:18-19, James 4:4, 1 John 2:15-17).

This world is full of trouble (John 16:33, 2 Timothy 3:1-4, James 1:2-4).

Satans power is active in this world (1 John 5:19, Ephesians 2:1-2, 2 Corinthians 4:4).

Christ has overcome this world (John 16:33, 1 John 4:4, John 12:31-32).

How Can Christians Live In the World but not be Of the World?

Viewing the treacherous condition of this world from Gods perspective can be overwhelming. Heres the good news: that bad news is no longer our burden to carry, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.

While we sojourn through this dry and weary land, we are not alone. Christ has made every provision for our successful journey. Hes given us His word, His armor, His example, and the best resource of allHimself. His Holy Spirit indwells each believer, sets us apart, leads us into truth, and helps us live out our earthly calling through His divine power.

In fact, Jesus was so passionate about equipping us for our journey that He took the request straight to the Father on the eve of the crucifixion. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth (John 17:15-19).

What Is a Christians Role in This World?

Equipped with His power, each believer has been assigned a mission to fulfill while were here on earth. Some of these callings are unique to the individual, but as ambassadors of Christ, we also have a collective responsibility to represent our kingdom well. Our loyalty to our King should come before any other allegiance, but part of our duty to Him involves conducting ourselves in a worthy manner while were away from home. Heres what the Bible has to say about the role of Christians in this world:

Christians should be mission-minded in this world (Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 10:14, Romans 10:15, Matthew 24:14, 1 Timothy 2:1-15).

Christians should be noticeably different than those who are of this world (Romans 12:2, Colossians 3:7-11, 1 Peter 2:9-11, Luke 6:32-36, John 13:35).

Christians should love and serve the people of this world (Matthew 5:13, Matthew 5:14-15, Mark 12:31, Luke 6:31-38).

For the Lords sake, Christians should submit to authority in this world (Romans 13:1, 1 Peter 2:13-15, 1 Peter 2:17, Jeremiah 29:7).

Christians should avoid futile arguments and the entanglements of this world (2 Timothy 2:14, 2 Timothy 2:23-24, Titus 3:1-2, Romans 14:1, 2 Peter 2:18-20, James 1:27).

Six Practical Ways Christians Should Live in a World thats Not Our Home

Armed with Gods view of this world and His instructions for earthly livinghere are six practical ways to apply the will of our King to practical life on earth:

Be Mission MindedWhen Christians think of missionaries, we typically picture a super-saint who is called to minister in a foreign country. While in that land, the missionarys goal is to serve and love the indigenous people while preaching the Gospel. Many missionaries endure untold hardships, suffer persecution, and trade their wealth to live in poverty. Why? Because they are driven by the internal fire of their calling.

Few of us can fathom, though we truly revere, the kind of sacrifice required of missionaries. But the truth is if we view this world as God does, and we take His instructions for living to heart, we are left with a stark realization; though were not all assigned the role of a missionary, we are all called to the same mission. Our Kings missionto seek and save the lost. Are we driven by the internal fire of that calling? God has sovereignly placed people in our path who need to know Him. Do we have eyes to see the plight of the unbeliever? Only when our mind is on the mission can our eyes, ears, and heart engage in the calling.

Stay in Touch with The King and Fellow CitizensWe serve a God who is not in the business of abandonment. Jesus died to close the gap that sin had created between us and the Father. He would never leave us to our own devices to fulfill our mission. Now, more than ever, its important to take advantage of our sacred access to Him on a regular basis. Through prayer and time in His Word, we can discover His ways, discern His plans, and seek His willbut most importantly we can press on to know Him. Our strength and joy are found in His presence.

Our loving Father has also given us the privilege and responsibility of fellowship with other Kingdom citizens. We are His Body. Christ fits believers together, like pieces of a puzzle, to accomplish His purposes. When we neglect that fellowship, we undermine our God-given provision to combat loneliness and discouragement. Together we are stronger and our love for fellow believers speaks volumes to the perishing world.

Stay CleanWhen far away from home for an extended period, its easy to get swept into the flow of a different culture. The more we immerse ourselves in worldly customs, pleasures, and pastimesthe less we look like citizens of our rightful home.

Our King has called us to be holy. At first glance, that word is intimidating because the worlds definition of holiness can be summarized as out of reach. But Gods definition of holiness means set apart. Until we reach home, we will not be perfect. But its important to acknowledge our sins, confess them, turn from them, and allow Christs regenerative blood to keep us set apart for Him.

Submit to AuthorityThroughout history, God has appointed leaders and rulers to govern His people. Some of those leaders have been evil. Some good. All have been used by God to accomplish His divine purposes.

When we forget that this world is not our homeand this life is not our ownour old nature will try to appoint itself as a leader. Our old nature values its own rights above all. Our old nature will demand its own way and use any means possible to secure it. Our old nature ignores Gods sovereignty, or worse will reinvent a god in his own image, to justify self-righteous actions.

Submission to earthly authority is not about passively going with the flow of this culture; its about laying down our own ideas and standing firm on Gods plan. When the winds and waves of civil unrest threaten to overtake the land, we have a choice to participate in the worldly chaos or stand firmnot on any worldly institution, personal conviction, or righteous causebut on the only foundation that lasts. BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED 1 Peter 2:6.

Rightly Identify the EnemyThis world is not our friend, but that doesnt mean the lost people of this world are our enemy. Satan, the true enemy, is holding the lost captive. He has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. When Christians treat unbelievers as the enemy, rather than the captive, Satan wins.

While were busy fighting, opposing, and debating our captive neighbors, Satan tightens their chains of unbeliefand sows seeds of pride, bitterness, and self-righteousness in our own hearts. But when we, as Christians, choose to love our neighbor as ourselves, Christs light can shine through us and become a beacon of hope that pierces the darkness.

Avoid Divisive ChatterSocial media platforms have opened the door to unlimited access to this world. A Christians online presence should reflect whose we are. While there is a time and place for healthy spiritual deliberation, social media platforms are not that forum. No matter how right, wise, or pious the argument, no Christian has ever rescued a non-believer from Satans grip through a heated social media debate. But plenty of well-meaning Christians have been used by Satan to repel genuine seekers from the truth that could set them free.

When citizens of Heaven use abrasive words to win a spiritual argument, we mar the public image of our King and create a stumbling block to the Gospel. Dont have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lords servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will 2 Timothy 2:23-25.

"In the world but not of the world." Home. Our Heavenly home is less than a century away for each of us. Our King has placed a deep sentiment and subtle longing in our hearts for the homeland. That yearning drives us closer to Him and to our destiny in Him. No matter where we stake our claim, plant our flag, or pledge our allegiance in this temporal worldmay the mark we leave behind become a roadmap for others to find home. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end Ecclesiastes 3:11.

Further Reading

What Does it Mean To Be "In the World but Not of It"?

Coming Up for Air: How to Be "In the World but Not of the World"

Photo credit: GettyImages/ipopba

Annette Marie Griffin is an award-winning author and speaker who has managed and directed childrens and youth programs for more than 20 years. Her debut childrens book, What Is A Family? released through Familius Publishing in 2020. Annette has also written curriculum for character growth and development of elementary-age children and has developed parent training seminars to benefit the community. Her passion is to help wanderers find home. She and her husband have five childrenthree who have already flown the coop and two adopted teens still roosting at homeplus two adorable grands who add immeasurable joy and laughter to the whole flock.

This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy-to-read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. We hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in your life today.
Marks a significant stride towards enhancing patient safety in healthcare settings

Bengaluru-based startup Dozee, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based contactless remote patient monitoring (RPM) & early warning system (EWS), has announced the launch of its innovative Fall Prevention Alert (FPA) feature aimed at revolutionising patient safety in hospitals. The unveiling took place at the 11th International Health Dialogue in Bengaluru, where healthcare professionals and experts gathered to discuss advancements in healthcare.

As per World Health Organization (WHO), patient falls are the most frequent adverse event in hospitals. Falls are the second leading cause of deaths due to unintentional injuries, and represent one of the most prevalent patient safety incidents in healthcare facilities worldwide. As a result, fall prevention needs to be the foremost parameter for improving patient safety. According to a recent study, falls occur at a mean rate of 6.6 per 1000 occupied bed days (OBDs) in the United States alone, with up to 30% resulting in physical injury, including fractures.

The Fall Prevention Alert (FPA) feature by Dozee revolutionises patient safety with its real-time monitoring capabilities and proactive alerts. Leveraging advanced technology, including the Dozee Sensor Sheet's bed exit logging, FPA offers customisable alerts for high-risk patients, ensuring prompt intervention.

With audio and visual cues, nurses are instantly notified when patients attempt to leave their beds, enabling timely assistance and reducing the risk of falls. Org-level configurations further streamline workflow, making FPA a comprehensive solution to enhance patient safety in healthcare settings.

Dozee enables healthcare workers to remotely monitor patients vital parameters such as heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, SPO2 levels, temperature, and ECG. Dozees Early Warning System (EWS) tracks the trends of vital parameters and provides alerts to healthcare providers for early detection of patients' clinical deterioration, enabling timely medical intervention.
Significance of Vitamin D extends well beyond bone health, influencing outcomes in various conditions

Ahmedabad-based Cadila Pharmaceuticals has announced the launch of the world's first aqueous formulation of cholecalciferol, setting a new benchmark in the treatment of Vitamin D deficiency.

This ground-breaking innovation demonstrates superior pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) compared to traditional oil-based cholecalciferol preparations available in the market.

Vitamin D deficiency is a major health concern globally, contributing significantly to the outcomes of various diseases. Cadila Pharmaceuticals' innovative aqueous cholecalciferol injection offers a unique solution with rapid correction of Vitamin D deficiency in short span of time.

The breakthrough not only enhances the efficacy of treatment but also ensures a painless and easy administration process, marking a significant advancement in patient care.

Patients can benefit from a swift correction of Vitamin D deficiency in short span of time, addressing a critical need for expedited treatment outcomes in many major illnesses.

Significance of Vitamin D extends well beyond bone health, influencing outcomes in various conditions such as Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, and weakened immune systems. Vitamin D acts as an anti-hypertrophic agent, a stimulator of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, anti- fibrotic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and an inhibitor of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS).

By introducing the world's first aqueous cholecalciferol injection, through totally indigenous research, the company envisions a paradigm shift in addressing Vitamin D deficiency globally.
To serve the needs of both public and private organisations

In a significant stride towards enhancing global health security and pandemic preparedness, TechInvention Lifecare has announce the ground breaking of its Global Collaborative Centre for Medical Countermeasures (GCMC) with an investment of approx. $15 million. The centre is strategically located close to the upcoming international airport in Navi Mumbai.

GCMC has been acknowledged for its global significance at the 2nd World Local Production Forum in The Hague on 6-8 November 2023, organised by the WHO. The objective of GCMC is well aligned to WHOs call to action, CEPIs 100 days mission, Indias National Biotechnology Development Strategy (2020-2025), and other global key initiatives.

This facility will serve the needs of both public and private organisations, such as academic institutes, startups, MSMEs, and R&D organisations, to provide a comprehensive ecosystem, facilitating the transition from R&D to GMP-scale production for pre-clinical/clinical batches with required regulatory approvals.

GCMC is a unique eco-friendly centre to cater to crucial medical countermeasures, the entire cycle of vaccine development, from strain to supply, biotherapeutics and diagnostics for both human and veterinary segments, while ensuring sustainable manufacturing.

Syed S. Ahmed, Director and CEO of TechInvention, said, The current challenges posed in biologics equity arise from the disparity in translational research dissemination from the centres of excellence to the regional manufacturing hub and spoke model setups. We believe that GCMC would be the needed intervention, strengthening the hubs by providing scaled-up, regulatory-approved, cost-effective, and free of IP infringement Biosolutions sourced from both indigenous research and centres of excellence worldwide.
David Alt, author and a retired professor of geology at the University of Montana, explains why gold was found in Grasshopper Creek and the surrounding gulches.

"At Bannack, as in many gold mining districts, much of the production came fast and early from bonanza deposits in stream placers. Early miners working the gravels in the streambed skimmed the cream off the district, leaving the hardest work and leanest pickings for those who came later. That happens because streams concentrate gold as though they were natural sluice boxes. The process is really quite simple.

"When bedrock that contains gold, the so-called mother lode, breaks down into soil, the gold remains in the soil as flecks or nuggets of native metal. Then the process of erosion moves the soil downslope and dumps it, gold and all, into the stream. However, metallic gold is much denser than any other mineral and therefore tends to lag behind as the running water washes all the lighter minerals downstream. Occasionally, great floods that shift the entire streambed at once permit particles of gold to settle through the mass of moving gravel to the bedrock surface beneath. There they lodge against the irregularities, exactly as they do against the riffles in a sluice box."

The early gold miners weren't always satisfied with just a placer deposit. Many lived with the conviction that far greater wealth must exist in the bedrock. But in fact, bedrock deposits are generally much leaner than those in the streambed and more difficult to work. Bannack proved to be no exception.

At first glance, Bannack must have seemed an unlikely place to look for an ore body. The pebbles and boulders along the creek are limestone, a specimen that rarely contains gold. And since there is no gold upstream from Bannack and very little downstream, the source of the bedrock gold must be within the cliffs above the area.

Geologists postulate that during a period of widespread volcanic activity in southwestern Montana, the limestone canyon walls on each side of Grasshopper Creek and a few hundred feet above its level were intruded by large masses of molten magma. The rock formed by the hardened magma was the most common igneous intrusion  granite.

When molten granite magma comes in contact with limestone, it reacts to create a wide variety of minerals. As the magma hardens, it forms an outside layer over the granite intrusion, separating it from the limestone. This mineral-filled contact zone may be anywhere from a few feet to a few hundred feet thick. Prospectors know contact zones around granite intrusions, especially those in limestone, are likely to contain deposits of gold. The early miners at Bannack learned that fact well. Before the summer of 1862 ended, they found the gold in the contact zone and staked claims around its margins on both sides of Grasshopper Creek.

This geologic process and its rich mineral results extended well beyond Bannack and are responsible for southwest Montana becoming the catalyst that gave life to Big Sky Country. Fort Benton may be considered the state's birthplace  as it is the oldest continuing community  but it was southwest Montana and its geology that provided the reason steamboats carried thousands of would-be wealthy men to Fort Benton to strike out overland for the hills and valleys of Montana's southwest province.

The procedure that filled up Bannack's mountain with igneous rocks also occurred throughout neighboring landscapes. Geologically speaking the end result is called a batholith, a massive body of igneous rock (granite in Montana) created by hot magma that was forced from deep within the

earth into every nook and cranny just below its surface. The intrusions formed are usually erosion resistant, and when the overburden of sediments above them is worn away, they form hills and mountains. The gold found in Last Chance Gulch leading to the founding of Helena is a result of a batholith.

In some instances, especially with the Boulder Batholith, which begins just south of Helena and follows a rather narrow corridor toward Butte and a bit beyond to the Highlands, the molten material reached daylight and covered the original rocks. In the immediate Helena area, gray limestone sediments give way to outcrops of the light- to dark-gray and sometimes reddish-brown granite of the batholith.

The Idaho Batholith, primarily in Idaho, extends more than 16,000 square miles. Parts of it reach into Montana south of Stevensville and into the Bitterroot Mountains. It and its Montana counterpart need to be thanked, as the great gold, silver and copper camps of Montana's and Idaho's recent past owe their existence to these underground creations.

University of Montana | Department of Geography | Rick and Susie Graetz
My wife Doreen and I recently returned from a tour of the southern border in the Douglas, Arizona area. Since we once lived there and managed a Registered Charolais ranch between Douglas and Bisbee, we wanted to see for ourselves the differences from when we were there.

The evening we arrived in Douglas we stopped at a convenience store and by chance ran into three Border Patrol agents with three horses in a horse trailer just going out on patrol. We had a conversation on the part they play intervening with those illegally coming across and moving through the rough desert area filled with mesquite bushes.

The next day we travelled with the Border Patrol along the border wall. The wall there was a combination of three different styles. When we were there in the 70's I don't remember much of a wall at all. The main port in Douglas is very well staffed and maintained. We were able to visit on the many challenges they deal with. The wall across the desert at Douglas is partly a wall approximately 18 feet tall and then blends into a 27 foot steel wall with wire at the top that is very intimidating to view. Even then, the cartels have strategies to get people to our side of the wall with a lot of effort on their part and at great peril to the ones being trafficked. It is such a profitable business for the cartel they are willing to risk the lives and well-being of those they are bringing into our country.

The next day, Doreen and I were allowed to attend a round table discussion among 24 community members in the Cochise area and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Each member had five minutes to describe the effect the current border policies are having on the area, economy, schools, hospitals, law enforcement, public safety, etc. Kennedy took meticulous notes and asked detailed questions to clarify certain statements. We also had lunch together and watched presentations of real-life situations.

We were treated to an evening with friends we met along the way. One was a Border Patrol agent, his wife a teacher in an elementary school. Here again we had enlightening conversations, and were invited to her school the next day, visiting with the vice superintendent and one of the principals. Having served as a School board member in the 90's, it was helpful to understand some of the dilemmas they face.

We visited with a lady Doreen met in New Mexico. Her husband was killed along with his dog, by the cartel, as he was out checking on water for his cows. We also had a morning visit with a young rancher still trying to survive in the same area.

I will conclude with how serious this is. It is imperative we change course quickly. This will haunt us for decades to come.

*****

Senator Bruce "Butch" Gillespie, R-Ethridge, represents Montana Senate District 9 in the Montana Legislature.
Bob Egelko has been a reporter since June 1970. He spent 30 years with the Associated Press, covering news, politics and occasionally sports in Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento, and legal affairs in San Francisco from 1984 onward. He worked for the San Francisco Examiner for five months in 2000, then joined The Chronicle in November 2000.

His beat includes state and federal courts in California, the Supreme Court and the State Bar. He has a law degree from McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento and is a member of the bar. Coverage has included the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, the appointment of Rose Bird to the state Supreme Court and her removal by the voters, the death penalty in California and the battles over gay rights and same-sex marriage.

He can be reached at begelko@sfchronicle.com.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is currently facing an extradition case in Britain after being charged with felonies under the Espionage Act by the United States, and one of the judges overseeing the case has a glaring conflict of interest.

A report from Declassified UK peered into the records of Justice Jeremy Johnson, a judge overseeing Assanges extradition case, and found that Johnson once worked for the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and their Ministry of Defence, their nations version of the Deep State.

While working as an attorney in 2007, Johnson represented the MI6 to protect the agency amidst inquires regarding the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed. At the time, Johnson was described as an attorney who does an enormous amount of often sensitive work for the British government. Johnson also worked for the Ministry of Defence to protect Brtitish military personnel who were accused of torturing and murdering Iraq prisoners back in 2004.

Johnson will be sitting with his superior judge, Dame Victoria Sharp, to oversee the Assange extradition case. Entertainer and social commentator Russell Brand commented on the news during a recent episode of his video podcast:

As its discovered that the judge set to rule on the Assange extradition case was previously paid to represent the interests of MI6 and the Ministry of Defence  whose activities WikiLeaks has exposed  what are the chances of a fair hearing for Julian Assange? pic.twitter.com/Yjlv8HJWwG  Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) February 23, 2024

Big League Politics has reported on the Biden regime rejecting appeals to end the persecution of Assange on human rights grounds:

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has confirmed that the Biden regime will be doubling down on their ongoing prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with the Espionage Act.

Blinken paid lip service to the concerns and views of Australians, but asserted that Assanges journalism risked very serious harm to our national security, to the benefit of our adversaries, and put named human sources at grave risk  grave risk  of physical harm, and grave risk of detention.

Blinken added that Assange has been charged with very serious criminal conduct and facilitated one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of our country.

Blinken made the case despite the pleas from the Australian government to release Assange. Assange was born in Austalia.
Aaron Bushnell, 25, an active duty member of the US Air Force, self-immolated outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC on Sunday after stating that "I will no longer be complicit in genocide."



"I am an active duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide," Bushnell said in video he livestreamed on Twitch. "I'm about to engage in an extreme act of protest but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it's not extreme at all."



Bushnell then doused himself with accelerant and set himself on fire while repeatedly shouting, "Free Palestine!"



Bushnell succumbed to his injuries on Sunday night, Talia Jane reported.



WARNING: CENSORED BUT DISTURBING:





Loved ones of Aaron Bushnell, 25, reached out to me and gave me consent to post a blurred version of Bushnells protest today against genocide in Palestine.



Aaron is the kindest, gentlest, silliest little kid in the Air Force, said Errico, who met Bushnell in 2022. https://t.co/oQFc5r5XFo pic.twitter.com/wpRKVb8KSW  Talia Jane  (@taliaotg) February 26, 2024

i lookup for his information, then i found his linkedin ... damn hurts. Rest in peace aaron bushnell pic.twitter.com/AKbJMrVSoW  Paw (@xzalmn) February 26, 2024



Talia Jane first broke the story:





UPDATE: I got footage of the self-immolation at the Israeli embassy in DC.



The individual, wearing fatigues, introduces himself as an active duty member of the U.S. Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide.



After ignition, he repeatedly yells Free Palestine. https://t.co/wk5LGK4Hp2 pic.twitter.com/EX1L8zG8tR  Talia Jane  (@taliaotg) February 25, 2024

For a full minute, police (unknown sector, maybe fed or DC) see him, say May I help you sir? and as hes on fire scream at him to get on the ground but do not otherwise engage. One cop appears with a gun drawn on the man after he collapses, still consumed by flames.  Talia Jane  (@taliaotg) February 25, 2024

Its unclear if the man is still alive: The white shirt who responded first came across the device used to film the incident and made the video stop.  Talia Jane  (@taliaotg) February 25, 2024

Im about to engage in an extreme act of protest, he says calmly, walking down a street. But compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, its not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.  Talia Jane  (@taliaotg) February 25, 2024

Its at this point off-screen security/police are heard saying Can I help you?: https://t.co/1bIgdQ2rWi  Talia Jane  (@taliaotg) February 25, 2024

Per DC Fire & EMS, he is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries and responding cops were Secret Service. https://t.co/lrAetcSEvQ  Talia Jane  (@taliaotg) February 25, 2024

A LinkedIn belonging to a person with the same name shows 3 years in USAF and attending university for an undergrad in software engineering.



As info has not yet been verified, I am not linking or sharing the name.  Talia Jane  (@taliaotg) February 25, 2024



UPDATE:









UPDATE: Twitch nuked the channel!



For media verification: I screenshot the channel and screen recorded the video. EMAIL IN BIO. pic.twitter.com/p3zF9eRw49  Talia Jane  (@taliaotg) February 25, 2024



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by James Corbett

corbettreport.com

February 25, 2024

"Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them."

Frank Herbert

The worst thing in the world is to be right.

No, that's not quite right. Let me amend that. The worst thing in the world is to be right about something horrific and inescapable, a looming danger that you can see approaching from the distance but whose progress you are powerless to prevent no matter how loudly you ring the alarm.

This is the lesson of Cassandra, the Trojan princess of Greek mythology who, having deceived the god Apollo, was cursed with the gift of uttering true prophecies that were never believed by anyone.

And, agonizingly, it is also the lesson I have had the displeasure of learning through personal experience during my 17 years of creating The Corbett Report.

I produced podcasts warning about transhumanism and technocracy before most people even knew what a podcast was.

I filed a report on Medical Martial Law in 2009, back when quarantines and forced vaccinations were treated as the far-out fantasies of Hollywood script writers.

And in 2021 I warned about the coming of the next stage of The Media Matrix: the metaverse.

Now, here we are in 2024, and, once again, the general population is just starting to catch up with what we Corbett Reporteers have seen coming for years.

So, are you ready for the horrors of an always-on, constantly connected, interminably intermediated "mixed reality"?

No, of course you aren't. Here's why.

Have you encountered one in the wild yet? You know, a real, live Vision Pro wearer?

Maybe not. But, chances are, you will soon enough.

For those not in the know, Vision Pro is the sexy new $3,500 mixed-reality headset from the same bitten-Apple gadget porn designers who brought you the iPhone and the iPod and the iWatch and a seemingly never-ending assortment of Chinese slave-made fondleslabs and digital doohickies.

The Apple Vision Prothe latest object of fetishistic devotion from the wizards of Cupertinois being marketed as "an infinite canvas that transforms how you use the apps you love" and as an "introduction to the era of spatial computing."

So, what does this commercial claptrap really mean? What does a "mixed-reality headset" actually look like?

Well, like this, of course:

If this is your first time seeing the Vision Pro in use, you would be forgiven for concluding that we are experiencing an invasion of transhuman cyber-soldiers. But don't worry, it's not that. It's just the beginning of the dystopian cyberpunk horror film that is the world of 2024.

Anyway, you can go to the Apple site and watch the promotional materials to learn all about this new technological marvel and how it will soon change all our lives for the better . . . but you don't need to do that. You can just read one of the many, many, many, many, many, many "news articles" (read: advertisements) for the gadget that have been generated in the dying dinosaur media of late.

"WATCH: Man in Apple Vision Pro headset crosses street, officers pause in bewilderment," reports Fox 5 San Diego.

"Stop Wearing Vision Pro Goggles While Driving Your Tesla, U.S. Says," The New York Times informs its readers (while subtly implanting the idea that this new gadget is so awesome you'll literally never want to take it off).

"I lived inside a Vision Pro for two weeks. Heres what it was like," gushes Chris Velazco, the hard-hitting, no-nonsense, definitely-not-compensated-by-industry tech reviewer at The Washington "Democracy Dies in Darkness" Post.

And yet, despite how incredibly NEW AND EXCITING all of this "mixed reality" Vision Pro hype appears to be . . . doesn't it seem vaguely familiar?

Well, it should seem familiar. And I'm not just saying that because I predicted it in my Things That Will Absolutely, Definitely, No Doubt Happen in 2023 article at the beginning of last year

Thats right! Everyone loves their phone . . . and now their phone can love them back! And theyll never have to worry about forgetting their phone at home ever again!

(Ahhh, satire!)

No, this should seem familiar because you almost certainly saw it (or at least the COOL AND EXCITING gestural interface the Vision Pro relies on) in that 2002 summer blockbuster, Minority Report. In reality, Minority Report was not just a COOL AND EXCITING! action flick from Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise, but a masterclass in predictive programming. For years afterward, everyone was citing every disturbing new technological "advancement"from the creepy digital marketing billboards that could identify you by eye scan and address you personally by name to the amazing gestural technology that allowed Cruise (as Detective John Anderton) to waltz his way through oceans of digital information like a composer conducting a symphonyas an example of a Minority Report-style dystopia coming into view.

Well, in case you didn't know, Minority Report's amazing ability to predict the future was no mere happenstance. In fact, Minority Report was a textbook example of predictive programming, in which we were inoculated against our current-day invasion of Vision Pro-wearers by witnessing it all on the silver screen before it came to pass in reality.

As I reported 12 years ago in PSYOPS 101: The technology of psych warfare:

Minority Report is a 2002 Hollywood sci-fi movie from director Steven Spielberg presenting a dystopian future of pre-crime, total surveillance and police state technology. Unlike many science fiction fantasies, however, the technology depicted in the film has already proven remarkably prescient. From statistical analysis programs like IBMs Blue CRUSH that purports to be able to predict criminal hotspots to drone technologies that are beginning to look more and more like the police tracking robots depicted in the movie, Minority Report has proven time and again to have been ahead of the curve in predicting technology. This is not accidental. During the films pre-production in 1999, Spielberg invited a panel of experts to a three-day think tank in Santa Monica, California. Including architects, biomedical researchers and computer scientists, the group wrote the 2054 bible, an 80-page book detailing the most likely technological, sociological, architectural and political changes of the next half-century.

That's right! The wizards of Holy/Wood and their scriptwriting sorcerers actually convened an ad hoc "think tank" to write a bible of the future, in which they boldly "predicted" what our world would look like in 50 years. And that ragtag bunch of young up-and-comersincluding the corpulent, Hillary-worshipping Jaron Lanier of The Social Dilemma fame and Shaun Jones of DARPA biowarfare infamy and Steward Brand of Whole Earth Catalogue notorietyjust happened to put together a movie that depicted a number of future technologies (like the gestural interface technology that is now creeping out random passersby on the street in New York and other tech-enslaved hotspots) with eery accuracy.

Funny how that works, isn't it?

Here are the real questions: Why are the Holy/Wood magicians and the news repeaters and the tech giants and seemingly everyone else in positions of power so invested in getting us to strap a computer to our face? What is this tech takeover really about? And how is this technology going to start changing us as a species?

A FAKE WORLD FOR FAKE PEOPLE

The scenes of Vision Pro-clad transhumans walking around our cities is nightmarish enough. Merely watching these not-quite-here people trying to interact with their fake online digital spaces at the same time as they're navigating crosswalks and driving cars is anxiety inducing in itself. But what does it look like from their perspective?

Once again, as a clued-in Cassandra of The Corbett Report community, you will already know the answer to that question. Specifically, you'll be able to cast your mind back to Lesson 3 of the Mass Media: A History online course ("Caught in the Web") in which we experienced "hyper-reality"the immersive simulation of the augmented reality of the future originally developed in 2009 by filmmaker Keiichi Matsuda as part of his masters thesis at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London.

Viewers of that non-stop assault on the senses will no doubt remember how incredibly overwhelming that imaginary experience in a "mixed reality" environment is at first, with an ordinary bus trip . . .

. . . and an ordinary shopping trip to the grocery store

. . . being transformed into a kaleidoscopic eyegasm of information, messages, advertisements and activities, all displayed for the film's first-person protagonist (Juliana Restrepo) on a display presumably being projected into her eyes by a Vision Pro-style headset in some near-future setting.

But you will also remember that gut-dropping moment when the protagonist's headset comes under cyberattack and she is forced to reboot her system, revealing the bare, boring, non-hyper-reality underlying the frenetic visual display on her device.

What makes Matsuda's film so powerful is that it demonstrates not only what the world might look like for those who choose to strap themselves into the mixed-reality nightmare of the Big Tech overlords, but also how utterly addictive such an unreality can become even after a few short minutes of exposure. The revelation of the simple, unadorned supermarket aisle in all its drab reality is a gut punch to those viewers who didn't even realize they were already starting to get drawn into the digital matrix being overlayed on the screen.

As I say, if you did take the online mass media history course and you did get through Lesson 3, then you experienced this moment for yourself, and you already know it to be true. But, in case you're one of those people who can believe something only when it's confirmed by third parties, here's your confirmation:

"Beware: The Apple Vision Pro may rewire our brains in unexpected ways"

That's an article by Adam Rogers at BusinessInsider documenting an experiment conducted by a team of researchers led by Jeremy Bailenson at the Virtual Human Interaction Lab at Stanford. In that experiment, subjects attempted to wear an Apple Vision Pro or a Meta Quest (Zuckerberg's Facebook equivalent of the mixed-reality goggles) for weeks at a time, and the results were shocking. As it turns out, the "passthrough" process by which these devices take the real world and then present it to its wearer via the digital screen begins to have profound dissociative effects on the gadget's user after prolonged periods of use.

Because passthrough captures and then re-renders reality, it can have an unnerving, distancing effect over time. When Bailenson's colleagues actually tried to talk to people, the world turned into a giant, confusing Zoom. Video chats, as we've all experienced, are plagued by delays in responses and missed social cues. Conversations lose subtlety, but it's good enough for a meeting. But passthrough magnifies the effect  the people you talk to start to seem unreal. Up close, they look like avatars. Farther away, they become just part of the background.

In other words, the difference between the digital world and the "real" world starts to blur. The digital world may seem more "real" but only at the expense of the "real" world losing its sense of reality.

So, what is the end result of such a process?

Do we begin to lose our cognitive faculties altogether?

Do we start to imbue the machines and bots and algorithms and avatars that form the fabric of this mixed-reality universe with humanity?

And, most worryingly of all, do we forsake our humanity altogether by engaging in this fake digital world? That is to say, if we continue to follow this pathif we strap on the goggles and literally immerse ourselves in the Media Matrixdo we start to become machines?

NOW, LAUGH AT CASSANDRA, AS YOU HAVE BEEN PROGRAMMED TO DO!

If you don't know how these long-term social engineering programs work yet, let me clue you in. It's at this point that the narrative controllers put out some sort of "news" story that elicits laughter at the Cassandras warning about the looming catastrophe. Soon, everyone will be relentlessly mocking anyone who sees any sort of threat from the mixed-reality dystopia.

Don't believe me? Well, think back to when the term "metaverse" was first seeded in the public consciousness a few years ago. Do you remember how the term immediately got hijacked by Mark Zuckerberg? And how our first impression of the metaverse was the clunky Facebook version of that virtual space? Now the very word "metaverse" is a running gag about bad branding decisions and silly-looking avatars and whoever warns us about the dangers of immersing ourselves in these digital spaces of the future is dismissed like Cassandra.

"Pfff. James was warning us about this metaverse stuff a few years ago, but look how wrong he was! It was all a bunch of fluff and hype, and it never caught on. Now excuse me while I strap on my Vision Pro."

Of course, you can guess what the latest headlines about the Vision Pro are telling us. That there's nothing to worry about! That the Vision Pro hype was all just a silly two-week trend and, thank goodness, it's all over now!

Observe: "Apple Vision Pro users begin returning headset, blaming headaches and limited uses."

You see? Relax, everybody. These goggle thingies are cumbersome and uncomfortable, and people are already returning them. End of story.

If this is your first rodeo, here's how this scam works: these "people are returning their Vision Pro" reports, too, are just another part of the extended dinosaur media advertising campaign that is seeking to ease us into the media matrix.

Now, don't get me wrong: this is not an advertising campaign for the Vision Pro in particular. It's a campaign to convince us this "mixed-reality" nonsense (or whatever they're calling it this week) is part of our day-to-day reality now. It's inevitable. It's here to stay. Get used to it. Or at least get used to seeing people using it, because, as it turns out, this is all an aspect of the "mimetic desire" phenomenon that will eventually lead to us adopting this technology. (Remember when Stephen Colbert took a bizarre break at the 2010 Grammy Awards to show off his spiffy new iPad to the TV-addicted masses?)

The point of this new "everyone is returning their Vision Pro!" news story advertisement is to plant the idea in the public consciousness that our unease with this latest technology is understandable. After all, at this stage the technology is clunky and headache-inducing. But the headlines are simultaneously planting the idea that these contingencies of form are the only reason people aren't lining up around the block to strap themselves into the goggles right now. Once someone cracks the design code and makes glasses that are comfortable and stylish, then the social engineers will have removed the one obstacle to this technology that they have allowed us to recognize.

And then, when people begin inserting themselves into the "mixed-reality" media matrix . . .

. . . well, unfortunately, my fellow Cassandras know all too well how the rest of the story plays out. Let's just hope that Apollo's curse is not upon us so we can successfully warn the masses before it's too late.

Like this type of essay? Then youll love The Corbett Report Subscriber newsletter, which contains my weekly editorial as well as recommended reading, viewing and listening. If youre a Corbett Report member, you can sign in to corbettreport.com and read the newsletter today.

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by Paul Cudenec

The criminocracy is in danger of losing its carefully-constructed shield of invisibilty as it accelerates its deranged bid for total and permanent global control.

It is therefore obliged to ramp up its attacks on those who dare expose its existence, its crimes and its lies.

While Julian Assange is the most famous victim of its war on real journalism, another important case is that of Richard D. Hall.

Iain Davis writes: UK independent journalist, researcher and documentary filmmaker Richard D. Hall faces conviction, sizeable damages and an injunction that could potentially end his career and his livelihood.

The High Court of Justice has denied Hall the opportunity to present any kind of meaningful defence. This travesty of justice has potential implications, not just for Richard D. Hall, but for all journalists who dare to question power.

The overall situation is that Hall is being sued by two alleged victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, which he convincingly argues was nothing of the sort, but a manufactured psy-ops.

In a recent video, Hall describes in detail the issues involved and wonders whether the case against him is really being instigated by the alleged victims or by other, hidden, forces.

He mentions in particular Marianna Spring, the BBCs first ever disinformation specialist and social media correspondent, who has been actively seeking to discredit his work.

Kit Klarenberg writes on The Grayzone site that there are troubling questions about Spring, who appeared out of nowhere to take up the newly-created thought-police post in March 2020, at the tender age of 24.

She played a leading role in diminishing and discrediting sizable anti-lockdown protests that engulfed the streets of central London and depicted them as comprised almost entirely of fringe lunatics, he writes.

Klarenberg points to Springs links with the extremely dodgy think tank the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, which I described in this recent article.

As I explained, the ISD was co-founded by ardent Zionist George Weidenfeld and enjoys an institutional partnership with the even more ardently pro-Israel Anti-Defamation League.

A 2022 episode of the BBCs Panorama programme presented by Spring featured ISD boss Sasha Havlicek discussing how and why people come to believe that terror attacks are hoaxes.

Halls admirable forensic investigation into the Manchester event was presented as evidence of a supposed mainstreaming of extremism, hatred and conspiracy, with Spring and Havlicek stressing the impact these conspiracy theories have on the survivors of terror attacks.

The ISDs Zionist affiliations are particularly pertinent here, since the Manchester bombing is officially regarded as having been the work of Islamic extremists.

Wikipedia describes it as the deadliest act of terrorism and the first suicide bombing in the United Kingdom since the 7 July 2005 London bombings, also blamed on Islamist terrorists.

The same familiar enemy is said to have been behind pretty much every big terrorist attack of the 21st century, starting with 9/11, and pesky conspiracy theorists have been asking questions about all of them.

There is certainly historical evidence to suggest that terror attacks are often not what they appear to be.

Gianfranco Sanguinetti wrote in 1980: I have never said that the secret services were behind every single attack, given that these days even a Molotov cocktail or a workplace sabotage are considered to be attacks: but I have said, and I have been saying for nearly ten years now, that all spectacular acts of terrorism are either remote-controlled, or directly carried out, by our secret services.

He was referring to the terrorist attacks, in Italy and across Europe, which are now known to have been co-ordinated by NATO under what is often termed Operation Gladio.

The aim of that wave of killing  which was not faked but very real  was seemingly to push scared populations into the arms of the security state and to discredit radical groups falsely accused of being responsible.

The first of these aims is most likely still true today  who, since 2020, can seriously doubt that deliberate fearmongering plays an important part in keeping populations under control?

But the second aim must be slightly different now, because the terrorists involved are said to be Islamist.

Why would the system feel the burning need, one might ask, to create fake or false-flag events to discredit Islamist groups that do not present an obvious domestic political threat to the governments of the various countries targeted?

The answer, I suspect, lies in the way in which our political institutions have been systematically captured by elements favourable to, and often funded by, Israel  a reality that has become all too obvious since the onslaught against Gaza began.

We might also consider a document published by Jerusalem Summit nearly 20 years ago. The Acorn reported in 2016 that the leadership of this Zionist organisation included Daniel Pipes, the pro-Israel and anti-Islam US commentator, and Britains Baroness Cox, described by Craig Murray in 2014 as a prominent supporter of organisations which actively and openly promote the ethnic cleansing of all Palestinians from Gaza.

The document in question envisages relocation of Palestinians from their homes in Israeli-controlled territory to allow them to build a new life for themselves and their families in countries preferably, but not necessarily exclusively, with similar religious and socio-cultural conditions.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been in the limelight in recent months, accusing Israel of crimes against humanity and, in turn, being depicted as a tool of Hamas by Israel and its supporters.

Interestingly, the archived Jerusalem Summit document declares that the dissolution of UNRWA is an essential prerequisite for any comprehensive, durable solution of the Palestinian issue.

Also, crucially in the context of this article, it states: The de-legitimization of the Palestinian narrative becomes a vital prerequisite to any comprehensive resolution of the Palestinian issue.

How exactly could that narrative be delegitimized  thus allowing the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, by whatever means necessary, to go ahead without too much global opposition?

One way would be to associate Palestinians, in the minds of the international public, with terrorists who have been attacking their own communities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long been trying to make this link, claiming back in 2014: ISIS and Hamas are branches of the same poisonous tree. When it comes to their ultimate goals, Hamas is ISIS and ISIS is Hamas. And what they share in common, all militant Islamists share in common.

He made the same claim in October 2023, declaring: We have always known what Hamas is. Now the whole world knows. Hamas is ISIS We will defeat [Hamas] precisely as the enlightened world defeated ISIS.

With many people pointing out that Hamas was created and propped up by Israel itself, insisting that ISIS is a US-Israeli creation and wondering if the October 7 attacks were a false-flag event, a disconcerting possibility emerges.

Could it be that all or most of the big Islamist terror attacks of the first two decades of this century were fake or false-flag events, designed to whip up hatred and fear of Muslims and thus of Palestinians, to demonise and dehumanise them in order to achieve the de-legitimization of their cause, as recommended by Jerusalem Summit?

Was this all part of a long-term plan to pave the way for the ethnic cleansing horrors that we have seen unfolding in Gaza since October 2023?

If so, is this why the Israel-linked IDS is so keen, through its boss Havlicek and her sidekick Spring, to shut down all investigation of the truth behind these events and the genocidal agenda they were designed to advance?

[Audio version]

Richard D. Halls videos about the Manchester Arena bombing and other subjects can be viewed here.


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Krisha Militante, co-owner, selects flowers as she creates a flower arrangement at Diosa Blooms while the former office building for San Francisco SAFE is seen in the window behind her at left on Friday. The family-owned flower shop says it is owed approximately $18,000 from the nonprofit SF SAFE. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

The Diosa Blooms flower shop in San Franciscos Mission District had never had a customer quite like Kyra Worthy.

The disgraced former executive of a city nonprofit with deep ties to the Police Department threw around words like big, bold and extravagant when placing orders inside the small, family-owned shop, said owner Katie Militante. Worthy usually bought bouquets and arrangements for her office, a birthday or retirement, but also for the lavish parties she threw for City Halls top brass.

The shops other corporate clients always had tight budgets.

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Not Worthy. She wanted to realize grand visions. Costs, she told them, werent an issue, said Katie Militante  who runs the shop with five family members.

So when Worthy left an unpaid bill of nearly $18,000, the Militantes couldnt believe it.

Now the crime prevention nonprofit has shut down after a city audit found misuse of public money for lavish expenses and after the nonprofits board fired Worthy and accused her of forging checks and emptying the organizations bank accounts. The San Francisco Police Department ended its contract with the longtime nonprofit and the District Attorneys Office is investigating it. SF SAFE helped set up neighborhood watch organizations, operated surveillance cameras, did safety assessments and ran an ambassador program in the Mission.

Diosa Blooms is one of several former SF SAFE clients and subcontractors that have been left reeling from its unpaid bills. The Latino Task Force, a nonprofit that helps the Latino community, is owed $625,000. More than a dozen street ambassadors who worked in the Mission District are missing their last paycheck. SF SAFEs landlord is owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid rent. Worthy, who couldnt be reached for comment, has left a trail of financial distress in her wake.

We put a lot of trust in her, Militante told the Chronicle. She was such a frequent customer, I never thought shed be one to not pay us.

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The familys experiences show how Worthy used her warmth and charm to build trust. Other colleagues and employees also described Worthy to the Chronicle as kind. That left them feeling even more disappointed and confused when the organization collapsed.

In December, Worthy told Diosa Blooms she would pay the $18,000 she owed the shop through a payment plan on Bill.com. SF SAFE had spent just over $9,000 on a San Francisco Police Department Christmas party and a little over $8,000 for a Black History Month brunch event. Attendees included Mayor London Breed, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, Police Chief Bill Scott and top officials from the Police Department and other city agencies.

The Militantes believed Worthys promises that the shop would get paid. The first payment was scheduled for Jan. 26.

Krisha Militante, co-owner, creates a flower arrangement at Diosa Blooms on Friday in San Francisco. The family-run flower shop says it is owed approximately $18,000 from SF SAFE. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle Kyra Worthy, then executive director of the police nonprofit SF SAFE, speaks during a Lunar New Year public safety news conference on Jan. 11. SF Gov TV

But it never came.

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The Militantes said they had to cut back store hours, going from three or four staff daily to two. It also meant cutting back on third-party deliveries: The Militantes drove through San Francisco themselves to fill orders.

They even had to cut back plant and vase inventory by so much that neighbors raised eyebrows, asking, Are you moving out?

It got a little stressful, said Krisha Militante, Katies sister. We have to pay our farmers and vendors. It was also the end of the year and I was planning for next year. Part of that planning was needing capital. But Im sitting there like, She didnt pay us! What can we do?  

In hindsight, Krisha Militante said Worthy built trust with them, making it seem like they were her personal florist.



She definitely got special treatment, Katie Militante said. She would come in whenever she had free time, walk around our store and kind of just pick up plants for the office and be like, Just bill me later. 

I feel like thats such a rich person thing to do, Katie continued. No one else in the history of this business ever got that kind of treatment.

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Still, the Militantes were hesitant to disparage Worthy, who they said was kind to them.

Worthy often stopped by the shop to say hello on her way to the SF SAFE offices a block away on Mission Street. Within months Worthy built trust with the Militantes and was using the place like a gift shop, Katie Militante said, buying presents for family and friends.

Worthy even gave the Militantes some of the wooden, SFPD logo-emblazoned luxury gift boxes the city controller called out as an excessive expense in his January report.

The Kyra we knew, I genuinely liked, said Krisha Militante. She was nice, charismatic and had lots of personality. I dont want to say anything bad about her.

But, she said, she really took our kindness for blindness.

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Losing her business was also a gut punch for the flower shop.

Worthys orders were unique and ostentatious. Diosa Blooms made an entire online photo book showing exactly how Worthy liked her flowers done. Some of the most creative work theyve ever done as a business was for her.

As a designer, it was nice, Krisha Militante said.



In hindsight, the Militantes say they feel weird about some of the lavish orders, knowing it was likely taxpayer money that shouldnt have been used.

The Militantes said theyll never trust anyone again in that way. Every flower client must have a contract, every arrangement a deposit. And timely, scheduled payments now must be part of every deal.


Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addresses the inaugural session of 'Firstpost Defence Summit 2024', in New Delhi. A PTI Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): In the next four years, India's annual defence production is expected to touch a whopping Rs 3 lakh crore and exports of military hardware is poised to reach Rs 50,000 crore, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, announcing that high-end systems like aero-engines and gas turbines will be produced within the country.



In an address at a defence conclave last Saturday, Singh, delving into structural defence reforms, said the three services used to work in "silos" earlier but now they are ready with better coordination to deal with any challenge jointly.



"Earlier, the three services used to work in silos. We focused on their integration which was an out-of-the-box step and the need of the hour. It was a little difficult in the beginning; but today our military is ready with better coordination to deal with every challenge together," he said at the Firstpost Defence Summit.



Singh noted that the government has been focusing on jointness among the Indian Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force that would ensure enhanced coordination in times of "crisis".



He said India's annual defence production is expected to clock Rs 3 lakh crore and defence exports Rs 50,000 crore. According to latest data, the defence production has crossed Rs one lakh crore mark while the defence exports in 2023-24 has been estimated at around Rs 16,000 crore.



"Earlier, India was known to be an arms importer. But today, under the leadership of the prime minister, we have come out of our comfort zone and found a place in the list of top-25 arms exporter nations," Singh said.



"Seven-eight years ago, defence exports did not even touch Rs 1,000 crore. Today, it has touched Rs 16,000 crore. By 2028-29, annual defence production is expected to touch Rs 3 lakh crore and defence exports Rs 50,000 crore," he added.



The defence minister added that Rs 6.21 lakh crore was allocated to the defence budget for 2024-25.



He said capital acquisition projects worth more than Rs 4,35,000 crore have been given in-principle approval in the financial year 2023-24, and the government is now aiming for production of high-end systems like aero-engines and gas turbines in India in the next five years.



Singh said restrictions on import of arms was difficult in the short-term but the challenge is slowly turning into opportunity, and India is rising on the defence industrial landscape of the world.



"Today, our military is using weapons and platforms, which are manufactured on our own soil," he said.



He asserted that no military can protect its nation from equipment imported from outside and self-reliance in defence production is must for India in today's time, adding the government's persistent efforts have started to bear fruit as the defence production has crossed Rs one lakh crore.



"The government, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is focusing on long-term gains and not short-term outcomes to make India a developed nation by 2047," Singh said.



He described "giving priority to long-termism and long-term gains" as the main difference between the present government and the previous dispensations, adding radical changes have been made in the defence sector for long-term gains and achieve the goal of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India).



On the major steps taken in the field of defence manufacturing, Singh said the his ministry notified five "positive indigenisation lists" of the services, comprising over 500 items, and four other lists, with over 4,600 items for defence public sector undertakings to ensure that the soldiers use made in India weapons and platforms.



He also referred to the decision to earmark 75 per cent of the capital acquisition budget for procurement from local companies.



The defence minister added that some people were of the view that indigenous weapons won't be world class. However, the government believes in the capabilities of the domestic industry and that they can consistently improve and deliver state-of-the-art products, he added.



He enumerated reforms undertaken in the defence sector for long-term gains in the last few years, including creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff and setting up of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA).



Singh said the DMA has enhanced jointness, synergy and smooth coordination among the three services.



He added that Rs 6.21 lakh crore was allocated to the defence budget for 2024-25.



He also spoke of the Agnipath scheme, saying it aims to make the country's military as one of the strongest in the world. "These decisions reflect the government's long-term approach towards national security," he said.



Singh said the government has firmly set its sight to make India a major defence manufacturer.



"When the ability and dedication of our youth is extraordinary and the intentions of the government are clear, the question of setting simple targets does not arise. We will soon embark on an exciting journey towards achieving extraordinary goals," he said.



Singh stated that while the government is supporting huge companies, it is also inviting young ignited minds to the defence sector through start-ups, terming it another step taken for long-term gains.



He said in the coming 20-25 years, these companies, on the back of their innovations, will help give a new dimension to India's strong identity on the global stage.



He referred to the recent meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council, in which effective steps were taken to promote start-ups.



For procurement from start-ups, costing, payment terms, eligibility etc have been liberalised, he said.


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Mary Poppins age rating has been raised from U to PG by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) almost 60 years after its release.

The age rating was changed because of discriminatory language, the BBFC said.

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The 1964 film, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, uses the colonial term Hottentots, a derogatory word historically used by white Europeans to refer to the Khoikhoi people in South Africa.

Actor Reginald Owens character, Admiral Boom, uses the term twice in the film, once when he asked one of the children, Michael, if he was going on an adventure to defeat Hottentots.

A scene from the 1964 film Mary Poppins (United Archives/IFTN/PA)

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Later, when chimney sweeps with soot-covered faces are spotted by the admiral, he shouts: Were being attacked by Hottentots, before launching fireworks in their direction.

The BBFC told the PA news agency: While Mary Poppins has a historical context, the use of discriminatory language is not condemned, and ultimately exceeds our guidelines for acceptable language at U.

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We therefore classified the film PG for discriminatory language.

The film has been classified as containing some scenes (that) may be unsuitable for young children.

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The BBFC added: We understand from our racism and discrimination research  that a key concern for  parents is the potential to expose children to discriminatory language or behaviour which they may find distressing or repeat without realising the potential offence.

Content with immediate and clear condemnation is more likely to receive a lower rating.

Pixars Ratatouille was reclassified by the BBFC from a U to a PG rating due to instances of comic violence and mild bad language.

Brad Pitts Fight Club was downgraded from an 18 rating to 15 despite its portrayal of sequences of graphic and brutal violence.

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BBFC ensures its compliance officers always classify content in line with its classification guidelines, which means older content may require a higher or lower age rating.
Far from uniting the Republican Party as he claims he has, Donald Trump has been unable to win over a substantial bloc of voters he may need if he is to take back the White House in a repeat election match-up against US president Joe Biden.

After winning South Carolinas Republican primary vote on Saturday, Mr Trump is firmly on track to secure the partys nomination in the coming weeks.

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But rival Nikki Haleys better-than-expected showing in South Carolina exposed weaknesses on Mr Trumps flank, particularly among more traditional Republicans and moderate voters.

Some experts say those voters are more likely to be alienated by Mr Trump's hardline policies on immigration and other issues and his racist rhetoric. The possibility of Mr Trump being convicted on some of the numerous state and federal charges he faces may also deter some of those voters.

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Mr Trump has recently described migrants as "poisoning the blood" of the country. Over the weekend, he claimed at an event that Black voters like him because of his multiple indictments, comments that triggered a swift backlash.

Ms Haley won about 40 per cent support in South Carolina after taking about 43 per cent of the vote last month in the New Hampshire primary. In both cases, she was bolstered by independents and some Democrats who took part in the primary to back her over Mr Trump.

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Ms Haley insists she will fight on and argues that a large swath of Republicans continue to reject Mr Trump.

There are huge numbers of voters in our Republican primaries who are saying they want an alternative, she wrote in a fundraising pitch to supporters on Sunday.

People hold signs for Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, as CNN declares former president Donald Trump the winner of the South Carolina Republican presidential primary on February 24th, 2024 in Charleston, South Carolina. Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images

Ms Haley says she will stay in the race through "Super Tuesday" on March 5th, when 15 states and one US territory will award delegates to the Republican Convention. Her campaign said on Sunday she had raised a fresh $1 million (920,000) since her loss in South Carolina.

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Mr Trump lost the 2020 election to Mr Biden, a Democrat, in part because Mr Biden was able to pull white suburban voters, who are often more moderate than rural voters, away from him.

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Mr Biden won independents by a sizeable gap, 54 per cent to 41 per cent. Millennial and Gen Z voters also favoured Mr Biden.

Those same segments of the electorate have gravitated to Ms Haley in South Carolina and New Hampshire, raising the question of whether Mr Trump will be able to reel in those voters once she exits the race.

If you're Donald Trump, you've got to wonder: Am I going to be able to carry those people through? Are they going to show up on Election Day for me in November? said Dave Wilson, a South Carolina-based Republican strategist.

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There is a lot of courting that will have to be done of that vote in other states if South Carolina plays itself out as a kind of microcosm of America as a whole."

So far, Mr Trump hasnt seemed interested in adjusting his rhetoric to court those voters, nor does his campaign appear to believe they are an issue.

"Ive never seen the Republican Party so unified as it is right now," Mr Trump said after his South Carolina win.

Asked for comment, Mr Trump's campaign shrugged off Ms Haley's vote share, saying she's "the candidate of choice for liberal Democrats and Never Trumpers".

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Mr Trump "is the strongest person to take back the White House," said spokesperson Steven Cheung, pointing to polls that show Mr Trump leading Mr Biden in several battleground states that could determine the election.

Mr Trumps message on the stump over the last several months has been consistent: hardline stances on issues such an immigration and foreign policy that appeal most strongly to his conservative base, which has rewarded him by propelling him to easy victories.

But voters in a general election differ greatly from those in the Republican primary.

Polls show Trump edges Biden

The most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, taken earlier this month, showed Mr Trump with a 37 per cent - 34 per cent edge over Mr Biden, suggesting he could draw enough support to prevail. But 22 per cent of respondents said they wanted another choice or would not vote, a group that likely will remain fluid until election day.

At a rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina on Friday, Mr Trump accused Ms Haley of staying in the race to damage his chances against Mr Biden.

All shes trying to is inflict pain on us so (Democrats) can win in November," he said.

Mr Wilson was sceptical Mr Trump would be able to modify his combative and polarising approach.

Ireland Maynooth professor's theory becomes central to Tru... Read More

You're asking Donald Trump to be something other than Donald Trump if you ask him to kind of change his messaging or change himself. He doesn't do that, he said. But there are a different group of voters who are looking for a different style of president.

According to exit polls conducted by Edison Research, Ms Haley edged out Mr Trump among college-educated voters and claimed 70 per cent of those who described themselves as moderates.

Those voters are among those most likely to blame Mr Trump for his role in the January 6th, 2021 assault on the US Capitol, said Adolphus Belk, a professor of political science at Winthrop University in South Carolina.

Trump does really well with people were strong Republicans or kind of independent, but lean heavily Republican, Porf Belk said. He's going to have a challenge in the general election with moderate voters who cannot get over what happened three years ago."
The DAAs challenge to a notice restricting nighttime flights at Dublin Airport will be heard next month, while its action seeking to quash aircraft noise mitigation measures imposed by a local development plan has been scheduled for September.

The two cases brought by the operator of Dublin Airport challenge separate decisions of Fingal County Council, as the relevant local authority.

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DAA, a semi-state body, secured a court order last August pausing the effect of the councils enforcement notice limiting flights between 11am and 7am to 65 per night.

The notice was issued on grounds that the number of flights scheduled by the airport exceeds the terms of a planning condition for nighttime flights. In seeking the pause of the notice, the airport operator warned it could be forced to cancel thousands of flights.

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The court has been told the council stands over the validity of its enforcement notice, which was issued after a four-month investigation. However, the pause to its effects remains in place while the court deals with the dispute.

Ryanair and Aer Lingus have joined this action and can make submissions at the March hearing as parties whose interests are directly affected by the enforcement notice. The Irish Aviation Authority, which is charged with co-ordinating aircraft movement slots, is also a notice party along with a local resident.

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On Monday, DAAs senior counsel, Fintan Valentine, told Mr Justice Richard Humphreys the case is set to proceed over five to six days from March 12th.

The judge also agreed to schedule the DAAs second planning challenge for September. In the case for hearing in the autumn, the airport authority alleges Fingal county councillors acted unlawfully by prescribing aircraft noise mitigation measures that could cost some 1.8 billion.

The DAA argues the additions are invalid, irrational and beyond the elected members powers. They were adopted at a council meeting a year ago against the recommendations of the councils chief executive.

Fingal County Council and An Bord Pleanala granted permission for the development of the airports north runway in decisions that provided for the establishment of voluntary noise insulation schemes for dwellings typically experiencing aircraft noise at 63 decibels.

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The DAA claims the county development plan, approved by councillors, went on to include an objective to take measures to expand noise insulation to ensure noise levels reduce to below 40 decibels at night. The authority alleges the elected members exceeded their jurisdiction and improperly and unlawfully interfered, or sought or purported to interfere with the regulation of aircraft noise.

It says the Office of the Planning Regulator wrote to the Minister of State for Local Government and Planning in March recommending deletion of the noise insulation amendment in the plan.

The development plan came into effect in April 2023, but this amendment was paused pending a decision from the Minister on whether to issue a direction on this issue.

Last June, the Minister did direct the removal of noise mitigation measures last June via the Office of the Planning Regulator. This decision is being challenged in the High Court by two environmental protection groups.

This action, brought by the Friends of the Irish Environment and SMTW Environmental DAC, which represents residents of St Margarets and the Ward in north Dublin, is due to be heard in September alongside DAAs noise mitigation challenge.

All of the cases are contested.
The cyberattack that targeted Munster Technological University (MTU) last February has so far cost the educational institution 3.5 million.

The university's annual report for 2022 outlined a number of measures it has taken to strengthen online security against any further cyberattacks.

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As a result of the cyberattack, the TU Cork campus was closed temporarily following the significant IT breach and phone outages.

The Kerry campuses of MTU remained unaffected. As part of the cyberattack, a ransom had been demanded but MTU had not engaged.

Arising from the incident, MTU engaged in close contact with the National Cyber Security Centre, the Data Protection Commission, An Garda Siochana and other relevant stakeholders, including Government departments.

MTU was set up in 2021 and comprises the former Institute of Technology Tralee (ITT) and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and has a student body of 18,000.

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The annual report said that "following a cyber attack in February 2023 a large body of work is underway across the MTU IT environment to best align IT systems with leading practices in relation to both IT security, environment recovery, and data integrity/monitoring.

The report said "a series of systems and enhanced controls have been put in place.

The university also "engaged the services of KPMG to review and implement many of these measures to-date.

The report said the direct costs associated with the cyberattack currently stood at 3.5 million.

Separately, the report also discloses that weaknesses in relation to compliance with procurement rules and guidelines were identified and 2.7 million expenditure was incurred where the procedures employed did not comply with the guidelines.

The report said the main reasons for non-compliance were international student recruitment, outsourced course delivery and delays in capital projects due to Covid-19.

MTU recorded a surplus of 5.27 million in the 12 months to the end of August 2022. The university recorded income of 228.5 million and costs of 223.1 million.
The partner of an innocent man who was shot dead by the Kinahan crime organisation has said that her "soulmate had his life extinguished" because he was photographed walking to the funeral of his life-long neighbour, Eddie Hutch.

Bernadette Roe also revealed that she was in the car beside her partner Noel Kirwan when he was shot dead outside their home.

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She said she still feels terrified at any bang or crash she hears and often rubs the area of her head where he "banged off" her when one of the shots hit his body.

Mr Kirwan's daughter Donna told senior cartel member Declan Brady and his co-defendants that if they had the intelligence to do their "homework", they would have realised that her dad was an innocent man.

False belief

Gardai have said repeatedly that Noel Kirwan was not involved in criminality in any way. It is understood he was targeted by the Kinahans due to the false belief that he might be linked to the Hutch organisation.

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Eddie Hutch was a brother of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch. Gerard Hutch was acquitted last year of the murder of a senior Kinahan cartel member at the Regency Hotel in 2016.

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Brady is already serving 11-and-a-half years in prison, after he admitted supervising a firearms arsenal, as well as a sentence of seven years and three months for laundering hundreds of thousands of euro in crime cash.

At a sentencing hearing today, the Special Criminal Court heard details of Declan 'Mr Nobody' Brady's involvement in facilitating Mr Kirwan's murder.

Tracking device

The court heard that Brady and another man were linked to a tracking device that was attached to Mr Kirwan's car to monitor his movements up to the time when he was shot dead outside his home.

Det Supt Mark O'Neill told prosecution counsel Dominic McGinn SC that Brady and another man were seen on CCTV entering and leaving the Beacon South Quarter apartment complex in Sandyford in Dublin where a computer was being used to communicate with the tracking device.

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The device was initially attached to a BMW that Mr Kirwan owned but then sold a short time before the shooting.

Brady was caught on CCTV in the vicinity of the car dealership at the time when the tracking device was removed from that BMW to be placed a short time later on Mr Kirwan's new car, a Ford Mondeo.

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Mr Kirwan was in the driver seat of that Ford Mondeo when he was shot six times on December 22nd 2016 at St Ronan's Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.

Following Mr Kirwan's murder, gardai entered the apartment at Beacon South Quarter and found the laptop used to communicate with the tracker and an instruction manual linked to the device by a unique serial number. A toothbrush was taken from the apartment and analysis revealed DNA matching Brady.

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Under cross-examination, Det Supt O'Neill agreed with defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC that Brady's DNA was not found on the laptop.

He said gardai are not in a position to say who was using the laptop to communicate with the tracker and there is "no evidence Brady owned or was operating the laptop".

Supt O'Neill agreed that Brady may not have been aware of the specific purpose for which the tracker was being used although he would have been able to work out that it was in the furtherance of a serious criminal offence and that a person was being targeted.

The detective also agreed that Brady is a model prisoner, is housed in the progression unit for enhanced prisoners at Mountjoy and has dissociated himself from all those involved in the criminal group.

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The hearing was adjourned to April 30th to allow a probation report to be prepared for the court. Mr O'Higgins, defending, said that his client has had a "significant period of reflection" in custody and has disassociated from organised crime.

He said he will be making the case that there is "a reset button here" and told the court that a probation report would be helpful in determining an appropriate sentence.

Previous hearing

Brady, of Wolstan Abbey, Celbridge, Co Kildare pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court in July 2019 to supervising a firearms arsenal including an assault rifle and thousands of rounds of ammunition that had been stashed in a Dublin business park.

He was sentenced to 11-and-a-half years in prison with the final year suspended for that offence.

While in prison in 2021, Brady pleaded guilty to laundering more than 400,000 in crime cash through multiple bank accounts in 2017.

He was sentenced to eight years and three months with the final year suspended, in a term which was to run from April 2021.

Ms Roe's and Donna's statements were read to the court by Maddie Grant BL.

Donna referred to Brady by his name throughout, telling him that he and his friends had planned to kill a 62-year-old innocent grandfather. "You had plenty of time to change your mind," she said. "What did they give you for it? Was it worth it?"

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She said that one day Brady's sentence will be over and he will walk free. "We will never get to do that because we will live in torment forever."

She said that if Brady and his friends "had the intelligence between the lot of you to do your homework, you would have realised he was an innocent man."

The tracking device planted on Mr Kirwan's car was there when Ms Kirwan and her child were driving around shopping for Christmas presents. "Would you have had him murdered with us in the car?" she asked.

She said that there won't be any justice because "nothing will bring our dad back, no sentence would be enough".

Ms Roe said her soulmate and best friend was "murdered senselessly and for no good reason" and her life was "horrifically and devastatingly changed forever". She said she feels angry and cheated of the future that she and Noel planned together.

She said she still sees the horror in the faces of the younger members of the family who came after hearing the shots being fired. One, who "cradled Noel in her arms as he was dying", has never been the same since, she said.

"My love, my soulmate, had his life extinguished all because he was pictured by the press walking to the funeral of a life-long neighbour."

"He was a good man," she said. "He was very kind and loved to help others in need. He loved to call into his elderly neighbours to see if they needed anything and he would stop in to wash their windows every two weeks."

Ms Roe was sitting in the car when her partner was shot. She said any bang or crash is terrifying to her and she still rubs the area of her head that he banged off when one of the shots hit his body.

Brady (57) pleaded guilty earlier this year that between October 20th 2016 and December 22nd 2016, within the State and with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation did participate in, or contribute by activity, or by being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission by a criminal organisation or any of its members of a serious offence: to wit the murder of Christopher (aka Noel) Kirwan, contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal justice Act.
Gerry Diaz is the San Francisco Chronicle's former Newsroom Meteorologist.

He received his Bachelor's degree in Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois and a Master's in Climate Science at Western Kentucky University, conducting research on particulates in the Intermountain West. He previously conducted air quality research on Salt Lake City's transit network before serving as a meteorologist for the National Weather Service Bay Area. In that position he led an initiative aimed at increasing outreach to Spanish speaking communities during extreme weather events.

Most recently he worked as a meteorology specialist for the utility Southern California Edison, providing forecasts for solar output and fire weather behavior.

Diaz enjoys hiking through California's diverse cities and parks while building on his panoramic photography skills, with a recently discovered interest in landscape and portrait shots.

He can be reached at gerry.diaz@sfchronicle.com.
Claims by Catholic bishops that the proposed changes to the Constitution on family would weaken the incentive for young people to marry have been rejected by the Minister for Public Expenditure.

The bishops urged the public to vote No in the referendums next month.

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Two referendums will be held on March 8th  International Womens Day  proposing to change the Constitution.

One, the family amendment, proposes amending Article 41 of the Constitution to extend the meaning of family beyond one defined by marriage and include those based on durable relationships.

In statements read out during masses last weekend, the church said that the changes on family and care would diminish the relationship between marriage and family.

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However, Paschal Donohoe said the proposed wording strengthens and protects relationships that are important to society.

I believe far from weakening anything within our country, I believe it has strengthened it, Mr Donohoe said.

The changes that we are asking the country to consider with regard to our constitution, actually, for me strengthen and protect the relationships that are so important within our society and our country.

Due to the way in which our Constitution is currently drafted, so many young girls and boys now who are born into family units that are not recognised by our constitution.

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That for me, its a matter of huge importance that we can update our Constitution so that its language and values reflect the diversity of modern Ireland.

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I believe far from weakening anything within our country, I believe it was strengthened it.

There are currently 150,000 cohabiting couples, and 75,000 cohabiting couples with children.

Almost 20 per cent of families are one-parent families, with 80 per cent of those one-parent families headed by women.

Explained March 8th referendums: Everything you need to know... Read More

Some 40 per cent of births are outside of marriage while 40 per cent of families are non-marital.

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The second proposed change, the care amendment, proposes deleting Article 41.2.1 and 41.2.2, which make reference to a womans roles and duties in the home, and replace it with a new article  42B  that acknowledges family carers.

The bishops argue this will have the effect of abolishing all reference to motherhood in the Constitution and leave unacknowledged the particular and incalculable societal contribution that mothers in the home have made and continue to make in Ireland.
DUP MP Ian Paisley has said he will personally take plants from Britain to Northern Ireland amid ongoing frictions in trade.

Speaking in the House of Commons during a debate relating to Northern Irelands trading arrangements, Mr Paisley warned: Dear help the official who tries to stop me.

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The DUP ended their boycott of devolved government after a deal was reached between the Government and the party to address unionist concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements.

The party had declined to participate at Stormont since 2022 as they believed the trading arrangements represented an internal border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

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Speaking at Westminster on Monday, Mr Paisley said: I have several examples where companies in my own constituency and across Northern Ireland are being held back because of these frictions.

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I, for example, had a constituent in my office this week who said that orders for plants from an English wholesaler, a very, very small business, but she too has been told, go elsewhere. Try somewhere else, dont buy from the United Kingdom.

Now I have volunteered to my constituent that as her MP I am quite happy to bring those stocks, those samplings and those seeds over in my hand luggage if she so requires. And I tell you this  dear help the official who tries to stop me.

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Mr Paisley asked for clarification on when a veterinary medicines working group and a plant-working group would be established, and when an east-west inter-trade body would be operational.

He also said there was zero-risk to the EU single market in him personally transporting plants from mainland UK to Northern Ireland.

He said: Its the same with biscuits. The leader of my party (Sir Jeffrey Donaldson) today met with a company which has been demanded to do certain labelling.

(The EU) are not trying to change the content of what is in the biscuits or the recipe, but theyre trying to change the label because the single market might be damaged by the wrong label.

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Thats how bent bananas, squared-up cucumbers this argument actually is and we should have left this argument long ago.

Mr Paisley said the examples he mentioned show the ongoing damage to Northern Irelands trade within the UK.

He said: I and my party leader have both been in contact with senior civil servants in Northern Ireland challenging them why frictions continue when this place has spelt out that those frictions ought to have been removed.
A sister of convicted drug dealer and gang "patriarch" Christy Keane, who was caught with 124,000 in crime cash in her attic, has been jailed for two years and six months.

Sandra Hehir (56) will have to be of good behaviour for a period of two years after her release or she will face a further 12 months in prison.

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Passing sentence at the Special Criminal Court on Monday, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath said Hehir knew the money in her attic and in numerous bank accounts controlled by her were the proceeds of crime.

While she had no direct involvement in the criminality of the Keane group, the judge said she was "not a passive participant in laundering the proceeds of that criminal activity".

There was evidence she had lied to gardai about the source of the money, he said, which was an indication of her mindset and intention.

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She had been involved, the judge said, in a significant number of financial transactions over a significant period.

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In mitigation, the judge noted Hehir's early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions and good employment record as a hairdresser.

Going to prison for the first time aged 56, Mr Justice MacGrath said she is likely to experience difficulty in adjusting and her standing in her community is likely to be diminished. He noted a probation report which stated that she is unlikely to reoffend and has no addiction or mental health issues.

Mr Justice MacGrath sentenced her to three years and six months in prison but suspended the final year for two years.

Hehir, with an address at Assumpta Park, Island Road, Limerick City, pleaded guilty in October last year before the non-jury court to laundering the money at her home in June 2020.

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She pleaded guilty that on June 17th, 2020, at the same address she handled, acquired and/or possessed cash to the value of 124,055, knowing or believing (or being reckless as to whether) property in the said premises was the proceeds of criminal conduct.

The charge came under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Monday Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.

At a previous hearing, defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC said Hehir had been told by her now deceased husband that the money that went through her accounts had come from gambling. However, she accepted that, in all probability, it had been the proceeds of crime.

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Mr Dwyer said his client denied any criminal involvement, had entered a guilty plea and had expressed her regret.

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The court heard that Hehir had accumulated 68,000 in savings over five years and had withdrawn 70,000 to pay the balance of her mortgage, a position that gardai said was not in line with her legitimate income.

Sergeant Cathal O'Sullivan told Fiona Murphy SC, for the prosecution, that a 2020 garda anti-money laundering operation was designed to target the Keane Organised Crime Group in Limerick, particularly Christy Keane and his nephew, Warren Hehir.

In July last year, Warren Hehir (33) was sentenced to five years and three months with the final 12 months suspended for laundering 59,000 in crime cash through house renovation works. Hehir had 54 previous convictions at the time of his sentencing that included money laundering and drug offences.

Sgt O'Sullivan told the court that when Sandra Hehir's house was searched on June 17th, 2020, 124,055 in 13 separate bundles was found secured in a plastic sheet in the attic. A "tick-list" was also found relating to substantial sums of money owed.

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The Keane gang and its associates are involved in the distribution of drugs and suspected of the importation of firearms on a national and international level, Sgt O'Sullivan said. The court heard they had been involved in an ongoing feud with the McCarthy-Dundon gang since 2000 and that there had been 19 murders.
The one-year jail term handed down to a married secondary school teacher who sexually exploited a 16-year-old girl through Instagram was too lenient, the Court of Appeal has ruled in doubling his sentence.

The three-judge court had heard a probation report that found the defendant John Murphy (43) has some in-built hostility to women and was at medium risk of reoffending.

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Murphy, a married father of one with an address at Ferncourt Crescent, Ballycullen in Dublin, pleaded guilty at Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court in July last year to a charge of the sexual exploitation of the then 16-year-old victim on dates between June 2017 and June 2018.

The Galway native also pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, relating to two videos of graphic content. Those offences occurred in 2008 and 2010.

Aggravating factors

Appealing the leniency of the sentence given to Murphy earlier this month, Roisin Lacey SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said that when passing sentence, Judge Cormac Quinn had failed to adequately take into account a number of aggravating factors.

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Murphy, she said, carried on the communications with the vulnerable 16-year-old for a whole year while he was a secondary school teacher and she was doing her junior certificate exams.

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Ms Lacey said the sentencing judge had put too much weight on mitigating factors, such as Murphy's good career and lack of previous convictions, and not enough weight on the aggravating factors. The offending had a serious impact on the victim, she said.

In ruling on the State's application to overturn the sentence at the Court of Appeal on Monday, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the trial judges assessment that the accused might not have been aware of the specific vulnerabilities of the injured party might seem generous.

A probation report records the accused as acknowledging his awareness of the victims mental health difficulties and his eagerness to affirm that these difficulties predated his contact with her.

The complainant had referred to self-harm and to the fact that years earlier she had been diagnosed as clinically depressed, said Mr Justice Birmingham.

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Personal circumstances

The trial judge took into account Murphys personal circumstances by way of mitigation in that the accused was 42 years old at the time of his sentencing, married, had a young child, came from a good family and benefited from their support, said Mr Justice Birmingham.

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Early pleas of guilty also avoided any issue regarding the search warrant which resulted in gardai accessing the computer devices on which the child pornography was located, noted Mr Justice Birmingham.

Mr Justice Birmingham said the trial judge said that bearing in mind the issues set out in the probation report and to incentivise and to ensure rehabilitation, I am going to suspend the final two years of that sentence.

Mr Justice Birmingham noted the trial judge had said that, having regard to "the issues set out in the probation report" and to "incentivise and to ensure rehabilitation", he would suspend the final two years of the sentence.

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The respondent knew, or out to have known, he was dealing with a vulnerable complainant and even if he did not have specific knowledge of the complainants individual vulnerabilities, and we think he did, as a teacher, he must have known that a child of that age was vulnerable, said Mr Justice Birmingham.

The child pornography material was placed in category one, the judge also noted.

Accessing the material had taken place in 2007 to 2010, and a consecutive sentence, though technically available, would seem harsh. On the other hand, the possession of such material is not a matter to be ignored, said Mr Justice Birmingham.

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Had the judge arrived at a sentence of three years and left matters there it seems to us that the sentence would have been a not inappropriate one, and one with which we would not have been minded to interfere with, he said.

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Mr Justice Birmingham said the court was of the view that suspending two years of the three-year sentence was "excessive and amounted to an error".

Re-sentencing as of Monday's date, he said the court was prepared to suspend the final 12 months of the adjusted three-year sentence.

At the appeal hearing Ms Lacey said there had been an escalation in the graphic nature of the communication between Murphy and the girl, including "explicit descriptions of penetrating her and what he wanted to do to her".

She cited a further concern that a probation report had stated that Murphy "tended to rationalise his behaviour" and is at a medium risk of reoffending.

The report also stated that Murphy had a limited understanding of the harm he caused, was emotionally disconnected, had limited insight of his offending and displayed sexually compulsive behaviour over a long period.

Text exchanges

A sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court had previously heard Murphy, who resigned from his teaching job in Tallaght in 2022, had during text exchanges with the girl on Instagram asked her for naked pictures of herself and told her that he wanted to be the one to take her virginity.

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While no images of the girl were found on Murphys computer, she told gardai that she had sent images of her in her underwear to the accused.

Ms Lacey said the sentencing judge had set a headline sentence of six years but reduced that to three years and then suspended the final two years.

When sentencing Murphy, Judge Corman Quinn said Murphys online exchanges with the girl had been peppered with explicit sexual conversations, which had escalated over time.

The judge accepted that Murphy, who was 36 when he began contact with the girl, had never made any concrete plans to try and meet his victim in person.

He also noted that the accused had no previous criminal convictions and had cooperated with gardai and provided them with passwords to his devices.

The judge said an aggravating factor in the case was the gap in ages between the parties.

Judge Quinn said it was clear from a victim impact statement provided by the girl that she had been severely affected by the offences.

While Murphy might not have known his victim was a specifically vulnerable child, the judge said, as a teacher, he should have known anyone of that age was vulnerable, but instead he had "preyed" upon that.

The judge acknowledged that Murphy had entered an early guilty plea and had not raised the issue of a recent court ruling over the need to specifically note computers and other devices in applications for search warrants.

Murphy had also offered an unreserved apology to his victim and expressed his sincere remorse, the court heard.

The judge also accepted that Murphy had suffered the loss of his career as a teacher, as well as some adverse publicity.

The court had previously heard that a probation report had also remarked that Murphy had some in-built hostility to women.

Judge Quinn said the victim in the case should be commended and had did absolutely nothing wrong as she had been preyed upon by the accused.
President Michael D Higgins has appealed to countries that have withdrawn funding from a relief agency in Gaza to think again and provide support to help avoid a catastrophe.

Several countries have frozen funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) while a review of Israeli allegations that some of its staff took part in the Hamas attack on October 7th is under way.

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UNRWA has 13,000 staff in the Gaza Strip and helps educate 30,000 children.

In a statement released on Monday, Mr Higgins urged the countries, including the UK and Germany, to revoke their decision.

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Mr Higgins is among many heads of state and government leaders who have made the call.

As Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of UNRWA, stated yesterday, this is a man-made disaster and famine can be avoided if there is genuine political will to grant access and protection to the delivery of meaningful assistance, Mr Higgins said.

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The lead taken by Ireland in giving increased and additional aid to UNRWA is an example of which Irish people can be proud of, not only because our own history, but given the importance international humanitarian action and international humanitarian law has in our world.

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As President of Ireland, I would appeal to those countries which have withdrawn aid to think again and to provide the desperately-needed support to UNRWAs 30,000 staff in the region and 13,000 staff in Gaza so we can avoid this catastrophe.

While negotiations on a necessary permanent ceasefire are proceeding, I repeat Irelands call once again for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

Children must not be abandoned to die as the facts of these situations are carried on the television screens of the world.

Mr Higgins said that in a speech to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres drew attention to the serious breaches of international human rights law.

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President Higgins has issued a statement in support of @UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres's remarks to the Human Rights Council in Geneva today, highlighting that in Gaza children are dying for lack of bread and water https://t.co/p1rB8C6muD Advertisement  President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) February 26, 2024

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He said Mr Guterres words were delivered with a sense of urgency.

The secretary-general, in the course of his remarks, drew attention once again to the completely insufficient level of humanitarian aid reaching those in such desperate need in Gaza and how, as he put it, an all-out Israeli offensive on Gaza would put the final nail in the coffin of our aid programmes, he said.

One wonders how the representatives of those countries who have withdrawn funding from UNRWA can look on as young infants struggle to live, infants whose lives could be saved by having such basics as bread and water.

Some of the most experienced and qualified experts familiar with what is happening in Gaza are saying that famine looms, with young children in particular heavily at risk and needing bread and clean water. Their mothers and close relatives listen to their cries in what must be conditions of unbelievable stress.

In my visits to Gaza all those years ago, which I visited a number of times over a 20-year period, one of the most striking features was the importance of bakeries.

Today we have seen bakeries wiped out together with most places of shelter, where children struggle for food. Surely it cannot be possible for people to look on and allow this tragedy to unfold on our screens.

The President also said the weakening of UNRWA is undermining the UN.
Renaults all-electric Scenic has been name Europes Car of the Year for 2024. At a ceremony at the Geneva Motor Show, the French car brand saw off stiff competition from BMWs 5 Series.

The Scenic topped the voting of the jury, made up of 58 members representing 22 countries, including this reporter. Each jury member awards 25 points across the seven shortlisted finalists, chosen from a list of over 50 new models to arrive on market this year.

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With 329 vote, the Scenic won the award, ahead of BMW 5 Series with 308 points. Both were well ahead of the third-placed Peugeot 3008 with 197 and Kias EV9 with 190.

For 22 Jurors, the Scenic topped their list of finalists.

This is the seventh time that Renault has won the Car of the Year trophy, which is in its 61st year.

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Of the others, the Volvo EX30 scored 168, BYD Seal scored 131 and Toyota C-HR got 127 points.

Accepting the award, Gilles Le Borgne, Renault Groups chief technology officer, said: In 2020 we were deep in the red and a few weeks ago we gave the best financial results ever for Renault. He attributed the success to the hard work of the team over the last few years, with promises of more success to come.
Farmers have clashed with police in Belgium, spraying officers with liquid manure and setting fire to piles of tyres in a fresh show of force as European Union agriculture ministers met in search of ways to address their concerns.

Brussels police said that 900 tractors had entered the city, many bearing down on the European Council building where the ministers were meeting.

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Smoke drifted through the air near where police in riot gear used water cannons to defend the EUs headquarters from behind concrete barriers and barbed wire.

The farmers are angry at red tape and competition from cheap imports from countries where the EUs relatively high standards do not have to be met. They lined up scores of tractors down main roads leading to the citys European quarter, halting traffic and blocking public transport.

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Police face farmers and tractors at a security checkpoint in Brussels (Nicolas Landemard/AP)

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A few tractors forced their way through one barrier, sending officers scurrying.

Some lamented what they see as the slow death of working the land.

Agriculture. As a child you dream of it, as an adult you die of it, said one.

At the start of the month, a similar demonstration turned violent as farmers set fire to hay bales and threw eggs at police near a summit of EU leaders.

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We are getting ignored, said Marieke Van De Vivere, a farmer from the Ghent region in northern Belgium.

She invited the ministers to be reasonable to us, to come with us on a day to work on the field, or with the horses or with the animals, to see that it is not very easy because of the rules they put on us.



Tractors parked behind a blockade during a protest in Brussels (Nicolas Landemard/AP)

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The protests are the latest in a series of rallies and demonstrations by farmers across Europe.

On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron was greeted with boos and whistles at the opening of the Paris Agricultural Fair by farmers who claim that he is not doing enough to support them.

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Spain, the Netherlands and Bulgaria have been hit by protests in recent weeks.

The movement has gathered pace as political parties campaign for Europe-wide elections on June 6-9.

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It has already had results. Earlier this month, the EUs executive branch shelved an anti-pesticide proposal in a concession to the farmers, which make up an important voting constituency.

On the other side of the barriers in Brussels, ministers were keen to show they are listening.



Protesters light fires during a demonstration by farmers in Brussels (Harry Nakos/AP)

The EU presidency, currently held by Belgium, acknowledged that the farmers concerns include the burden of respecting environmental policies, a drop in assistance from the blocs agricultural subsidy system and the impact of Russias attacks on Ukraines grain supplies.

We hear, clearly, their complaints, said David Clarinval, Belgiums agriculture minister. Still, he urged them to refrain from violence. We can understand that some are in difficult circumstances, but aggression has never been a source for solutions.

French agriculture minister Marc Fesneau told the few reporters who were permitted by police to enter the building that theres a need to send signals immediately to tell farmers that something is changing, not only in the short term, but also in the medium and long term.

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Irish agriculture minister Charlie McConalogue said the priority must be to slash administrative red tape.

The EU should ensure that policies are straightforward, that theyre proportionate and theyre as simple as possible for farmers to implement, he said.

Mr McConalogue underlined that we do respect the massively important work that farmers carry out every day in terms of producing food.
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley says it is not the end of our story despite Donald Trumps easy primary victory in South Carolina.

And Mrs Haley, who had long suggested her competitiveness with the former president would show in her home state, warned Mr Trump will not receive the backing of her supporters if he wins the nomination.

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Defying calls from South Carolina Republicans to exit the race, the former US ambassador traveled to Michigan, which holds its primary on Tuesday, speaking to a hotel ballroom packed with hundreds of supporters on Sunday.

Im fighting because huge numbers of Republican primary voters are saying that they want an alternative. And because 70 percent of Americans dont want to see a Trump-Biden rematch. pic.twitter.com/JhROaOTJUz  Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) February 25, 2024 Advertisement

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Her campaign said that she had raised one million dollars (790,000) from grassroots supporters alone in the 24 hours since here latest primary defeat, a bump they argued demonstrates Mrs Haleys staying power and her appeal to broad swaths of the American public.

Addressing the rally in vote-rich Oakland County, northwest of Detroit on Sunday evening, Mrs Haley reiterated her comments from Saturday that she nearly notched 40% in South Carolina shows.

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She says the percentage of voters who do not favour Mr Trump would make it hard for him to win the general election.

Hes not going to get that 40% if hes going and calling out my supporters and saying theyre barred permanently from MAGA, she said, referencing Mr Trumps comments directed at anyone who funded her campaign. Hes not going to get the 40% by calling them names.

Tailoring her speech to a Michigan audience, she called President Joe Bidens incentivising of electric vehicle programmes corporate welfare, asking attendees in a state where the auto industry is a major economic driver about the unfairness of any requirement to switch to electric.

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Former president Donald Trump attends a primary election night party at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia (Andrew Harnik/AP)

What about the fact that maybe we all dont want to drive an electric car? she said. Have you seen how expensive they are?

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Mrs Haley has pledged to keep going through at least the batch of primaries on March 5, known as Super Tuesday.

Asa Hutchinson, a critic Mr Trump and former Arkansas governor who dropped out of the Republican presidential race after Iowas lead-off caucuses in January, said he thought Mrs Haley should stay in.

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The challenge is that she did everything she could in South Carolina, he told CNN. But its got to accelerate because you run into the delegate wall. And the delegate wall is March 5. So shes got to prove herself.

Mr Trump has now every primary or caucus on the Republican early-season calendar that awards delegates.

I have never seen the Republican Party so unified as it is right now, he said in a victory night celebration in Columbia on Saturday.
Lee Anderson has doubled down on his criticism of Sadiq Khan and refused to apologise for remarks that sparked an Islamophobia row, which Rishi Sunak condemned as wrong.

The former Tory deputy chairman on Monday admitted his original remarks were clumsy, but said saying sorry would be a sign of weakness.

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It came after the UK prime minister broke his silence on the matter to denounce Mr Andersons comments that cost him the Conservative whip.

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The Ashfield MP was suspended over the weekend after he claimed Islamists had got control of Mr Khan and London.

On Monday, Mr Anderson told GB News: If you are wrong, apologising is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.

But when you think you are right you should never apologise because to do so would be a sign of weakness.

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In a statement to the channel, where he presents a weekly show, he said he had made comments that some people thought were divisive.

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Politics is divisive and I am just incredibly frustrated about the abject failures of the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Mr Anderson said.

My words may have been clumsy but my words were borne out of sheer frustration at what is happening to our beautiful capital city.

Lee Anderson has been no stranger to controversy since being elected to Parliament in 2019 (Victoria Jones/PA)

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In a fresh attack on Mr Khan, the now-independent MP said: Hundreds of people had been arrested for racist abuse on these marches and we barely hear a peep from the mayor.

If these marches were about something less fashionable, Sadiq Khan would have been the first to call for them to be cancelled. Its double standards for political benefit.

Mr Sunak said Mr Anderson had been deprived of the Tory whip because his choice of words wasnt acceptable, it was wrong.

But he refused to describe the MPs comments as Islamophobic when pressed repeatedly, telling broadcasters in Yorkshire: I think the most important thing is that the words were wrong, they were ill-judged, they were unacceptable

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Its important that everybody, but particularly elected politicians, are careful with their words and do not inflame tensions.

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The UK prime minister declined to criticise former home secretary Suella Braverman, who claimed the Islamists, the extremists and the antisemites are in charge now.

I think that those comments were not about an individual in particular, he said, adding that its important that we call out the kind of unacceptable scenes we have been witnessing on our streets in recent times.

Rishi Sunak said it is incumbent on politicians not to inflame situations (Peter Byrne/PA)

Asked whether his party has an Islamophobia problem, Mr Sunak told local BBC radio stations in the morning: No, of course it doesnt.

The prime minister said it was not a fair characterisation at all to say he has condemned antisemitism while overlooking Islamophobia in his own party.

Racism or prejudice of any kind is completely unacceptable and not British, he said.

A Conservative party source had defended Mr Andersons comments on Friday night, before he was stripped of party support on Saturday amid mounting condemnation from across the political divide.

Mr Anderson, a standard bearer for the Tory right, will now sit as an independent unless he defects to another party that chooses to offer him its backing.

Reform UK leader Richard Tice did not rule out opening the door to Mr Anderson after his suspension.

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In a statement, he said: Lee Anderson may have been clumsy in his precise choice of words, but his sentiments are supported by millions of British citizens, including myself. Never has Westminster and the craven left leaning Establishment been so out of touch with ordinary people.

I do not and will not give a running commentary on any discussions I have with any MPs, but those MPs have my number.

Mr Andersons comments have put a spotlight on the ongoing dispute over the classification of Islamophobia.

Downing Street reiterated the UK governments position of refusing to back the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims 2019 definition.

The prime ministers official spokesman told reporters: As the Government has stated previously, there are issues in relation to the APPGs definition of Islamophobia, which conflates race with religion, does not address sectarianism within Islam, and may unintentionally undermine freedom of speech.

But as Ive said, we have always been clear that this Government does not and will not tolerate anti-Muslim hatred.

This is absolute nonsense Kemi and you know it.

I met you alongside other colleagues over a year and a half ago and the definition was explained to you in detail - you were asked to detail your concerns / any objections and the basis of it .

You DID NOT follow up.

Instead all https://t.co/fMupIlAxWo Advertisement  Sayeeda Warsi (@SayeedaWarsi) February 26, 2024

Tory peer Baroness Warsi criticised UK business secretary Kemi Badenoch after she said the definition supported by Labour and the Liberal Democrats creates a blasphemy law via the back door if adopted.

This is absolute nonsense Kemi, Baroness Warsi, who was a cabinet minister in David Camerons government, tweeted.

The government has dragged its heels on any work to tackle this form of racism.

The only structures and programmes that still survive are what we put in place during a Cameron government over a decade ago.

No new initiatives, no engagement with communities, no definition. Instead culture wars, othering and blatant anti-Muslim racism.
With two weeks to go before the Oscars, Oppenheimer looks unstoppable as the film continued its run of success at award shows.

Director and producer Christopher Nolans tale of the life of J Robert Oppenheimer and the birth of the atomic age won the top prize at the 35th Producers Guild of America (PGA) Awards  a frequent predictor of Oscar best picture winners  the night after doing the same at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

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Oppenheimer won the PGAs Darryl F Zanuck Award for outstanding producer of theatrical motion pictures over the exact same set of 10 nominees up for best picture at the Academy Awards on March 10, including Barbie, Poor Things and Killers Of The Flower Moon, whose director, Martin Scorsese, was honoured on Sunday for his concurrent career as a producer.

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The Zanuck Award winner has gone on to take the best picture Oscar for five of the past six years, and 12 of the past 15, including last year with Everything, Everywhere All At Once.

Oppenheimer stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr at the Producers Guild Awards (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

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From the stage at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood, in the same complex where the Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre, Nolan thanked his fellow producer Charles Royen for giving him American Prometheus, the book that led to Oppenheimer, and starting a chain reaction thats spread all over the world.

Earlier in the show, Robert Downey Jr called it the highest-grossing film about theoretical physics yet made.

Downey on Saturday won best supporting actor at the SAG Awards, where Oppenheimer also won best ensemble, part of an awards season sweep that also included wins at the Golden Globes and Directors Guild Awards.

Succession and The Bear took the top television prizes at the PGA Awards after doing the same at the SAG Awards and last months Emmy Awards.

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Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, nominated for the animated feature Oscar, won the PGAs animated motion picture award. Its predecessor, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, won the PGA award in 2019 before going on to win the Academy Award.

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Scorsese joined Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg and Kevin Feige as winners of the David O Selznick award for an outstanding body of work as a producer of motion pictures.

Scorsese said the first film he remembers seeing, at the age of four, was the Selznick written and produced Duel In The Sun.

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Martin Scorsese was honoured at the awards ceremony (PA)

It was condemned by the Catholic church, and my mother wanted to see it, Scorsese told the audience. She said, The kid likes westerns, Im taking him.

Scorsese said the very first impact of classic Hollywood cinema starts right there for me.

The 81-year-old said he was grateful for the privilege of getting to spend his life exploring beauty thats at the core of what we all strive to do.

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Other career achievement awards went to producers Charles D King and Gail Berman.

King became the first black winner of the PGAs Milestone Award, whose previous winners include Walt Disney, Clint Eastwood and George Lucas, for historic career contributions to the motion picture industry.

King was lauded for leaving his job as a Hollywood agent in 2015 to found a media company dedicated to amplifying the voices of black artists and other people of colour.

King thanked our ancestors who kicked down doors, made sacrifices and blazed a trail for me to be able to do what Im blessed to do.

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Berman, the only woman to have held the top job at both a major film company and television network, was given the Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television. Berman was the driving force behind the creation and airing of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, whose star, Sarah Michelle Gellar, presented her the award.

Not a single person on this earth was interested in buying that television show, Berman said. But I just couldnt ignore my gut telling me there was something unique there.
              Ruen  ...
Celine Songs quiet romance Past Lives has won two of the biggest prizes at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, including best feature and best director.

Other big winners were Cord Jeffersons comedic satire American Fiction, with Jeffrey Wright winning for lead performer; and Alexander Paynes The Holdovers, which won prizes for DaVine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa.

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The 39th edition of the show was held on Sunday in a beachside tent in Santa Monica, California.

Thank you so much for letting me share what it feels like to be human, to love and be loved, and thank you for loving our film, Song said in accepting the directing prize.



Jeffrey Wright accepts an award for his role in American Fiction (Chris Pizzello/AP)

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Her film was among the top nominated at the show, alongside May December, which won only one award (for Samy Burchs first screenplay) and American Fiction, which fared better.

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Wright won for playing a frustrated author who becomes wildly successful by writing something he hates in American Fiction.

You go to these awards shows, you kind of grow tired of them, Wright said. And then you get one, and it kind of changes the vibe a little bit.

He noted that it was made independently because nobody wanted to finance it.

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The Spirit Awards sit firmly within the larger Hollywood awards season, which culminates with the Oscars on March 10. But with a budget cap of 20 million dollars for nominees, the show celebrates films that sometimes go unheralded, or at least under-nominated, at the bigger shows.

Welcome to the Film Independent Spirit Awards, also known as the bisexual oscars, host Aidy Bryant said. Bryant called it the only place in the world where 20 million dollars is like no money.



Dominic Sessa accepts the award for best breakthrough performance for his role in The Holdovers (Chris Pizzello/AP)

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Randolph continued her sweep of the broader season, winning best supporting performance for playing the grieving cook Mary Lamb in The Holdovers. Not 24 hours ago she also picked up the best supporting actress award at the SAG Awards.

Independent films are the beating heart of our industry, and they are worth fighting for, Randolph said. She did, however, wish that they might have been able to afford heated seats while filming in Boston in the winter.

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Randolph beat the likes of Anne Hathaway (Eileen), Charles Melton (May December) and Sterling K Brown (American Fiction) for the prize. The Spirit Awards switched to gender neutral acting awards in 2022. The first awards were given at the 2023 show.

Her co-star, Sessa, later won the breakthrough prize.

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I promise its not all downhill from here, Sessa said, thanking his high school acting teachers.

Last year, Everything Everywhere All At Once swept the Spirit Awards before going on to do the same at the Oscars. But this year, many top Oscar contenders  including Oppenheimer, Barbie and Killers Of The Flower Moon  would not have qualified.

Kaouther Ben Hanias film Four Daughters, which is nominated for the corresponding Oscar, won best documentary. And Justine Triets Anatomy of a Fall, also nominated for best picture at the Oscars, won best international feature over The Zone of Interest.

The Spirit Awards also honour television. Netflixs Beef won best new scripted series and Ali Wong picked up best lead performance.

Nick Offerman won best supporting performance in a new scripted series for his turn in The Last Of Us. And 11-year-old actor Keivonn Montreal Woodard also won the breakthrough performance award for a new scripted series for The Last Of Us, giving his acceptance speech in American Sign Language.
An associate of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has said that talks were under way shortly before his death to exchange him for a Russian imprisoned in Germany.

Alexei Navalny could have been sitting here now, today. Its not a figure of speech, Maria Pevchikh, who lives outside Russia, said in a video statement.

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She said she received confirmation the talks were in the final stages on February 15, the day before Mr Navalny was reported dead.

According to Ms Pevchikh, Mr Navalny and two US citizens held in Russia were supposed to be swapped for Vadim Krasikov.



Tributes to Alexei Navalny near the Russian embassy in Budapest (Denes Erdos/AP)

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He was serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 killing in Berlin of Zelimkhan Tornike Khangoshvili, a 40-year-old Georgian citizen of Chechen descent.

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She did not identify the US citizens that were supposedly part of the deal.

There are several in custody in Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, arrested on espionage charges, and Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan, convicted of espionage and serving a long prison sentence.

They and the US government dispute the charges against them.

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German officials have refused to comment when asked if there had been any effort by Russia to secure a swap of Krasikov.

US commentator Tucker Carlson earlier this month asked President Vladimir Putin about the prospects of exchanging Mr Gershkovich, and Mr Putin said the Kremlin was open to negotiations.



Mr Navalny was a Russian opposition leader (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)

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He pointed to a man imprisoned in a US-allied country for liquidating a bandit who had allegedly killed Russian soldiers during separatist fighting in Chechnya. Mr Putin did not mention names but appeared to refer to Krasikov.

Ms Pevchikh alleged in her video that Mr Putin wouldnt tolerate setting Mr Navalny free and decided to get rid of the bargaining chip. She offered no evidence to back that claim.

Asked at a regular news conference in Berlin about the claim by the Mr Navalny team, German government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann said she could not comment.

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Mr Navalny, 47, Russias most well-known opposition politician, died on February 16 in an Arctic penal colony while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges that he rejected as politically motivated.

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His family spent a week fighting with the authorities, who reportedly insisted on a secret funeral, before his body was returned to them. Prominent Russians released videos calling on authorities to release the body.

Western nations have hit Russia with more sanctions in response to Mr Navalnys death as well as for the invasion of Ukraine, which marked its second anniversary on Saturday.

Mr Navalnys spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, said on Monday they were looking for a venue for a memorial service later this week.
Republican Party chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said on Monday she was leaving the job, after weeks of public pressure from the party's likely 2024 presidential candidate, Donald Trump.

The move came after former US president Trump, the frontrunner for the party's presidential nomination, indicated he wanted to make changes to the Republican National Committee (RNC) as he prepares for a likely rematch with president Joe Biden, a Democrat, in November.

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"The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee, and it has always been my intention to honour that tradition. I remain committed to winning back the White House and electing Republicans up and down the ballot in November," Ms McDaniel said in a statement.

She thanked Mr Trump and said the move would be effective March 8th to allow the Republican nominee to choose the chair.

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Fifteen states and one US territory will hold Republican nominating contests on Super Tuesday, which falls on March 5th this year.

RNC co-chair Drew McKissick also said he would step down.

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Two weeks ago, Mr Trump endorsed North Carolina Republican Party chair Michael Whatley as the next RNC chair and his daughter-in-law Lara Trump as co-chair, moving to cement his grip over the organisation as he closed in on the 2024 presidential nomination.

Whoever replaces Ms McDaniel will face the challenge of unifying a fractured party with just nine months to go before the 2024 election.

The RNC plays a critical role in raising money for the nominee, promoting the party's message, marshalling resources and turning out voters.

After a meeting with Ms McDaniel early this month, Mr Trump wrote on social media that he would be pushing for changes at the RNC after South Carolina's February 24th primary, which he won handily on Saturday.

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World Trump struggles to unify Republicans ahead of matc... Read More

Mr Trump, shortly after he won the 2016 election, had endorsed Ms McDaniel - the niece of his former critic and 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney - to take over the RNC.

Ms McDaniel helped Mr Trump win Michigan in that election, a state that was critical to Mr Trump's victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Ms McDaniel, who used her full name Ronna Romney McDaniel in public life, dropped the middle name after that endorsement. Multiple news outlets reported that Mr Trump asked her to do so.

Mitt Romney, now a US senator from Massachusetts, denounced Mr Trump as a "phoney, a fraud" in an unusual March 2016 speech in which he urged Republicans to reject their own frontrunner.
Kogan.com is preparing to implement a price rise on its membership program, promising customers more savings and extra value after net profits tripled to $10.2 million.

The e-commerce marketplace will lift the cost of its premium subscription, Kogan FIRST, from $99 to $129 on April 8 in a move that founder and chief executive Ruslan Kogan said was designed to give members even more bang for their buck.

Kogan.com founder and chief executive Ruslan Kogan. Credit: Eamon Gallagher

We are continuing to increase the benefits that Kogan FIRST members get, and in order to keep the program sustainable and providing that huge amount of value to those customers, we have had to make a difficult decision of a price rise, Kogan said.

Yes, its better to not have a price rise, but theyre still making huge, huge savings across the board.
Taylor Swifts father, Scott Swift, is being investigated by NSW Police over an alleged assault of a paparazzo near Neutral Bay wharf on Tuesday morning.

Police confirmed an investigation was launched after a 51-year-old man reported a 71-year-old man assaulted him about 2.30am before leaving the location. Neither man required medical treatment.

The younger man reported the incident and inquiries are now underway by officers attached to North Shore Police Area Command, a NSW Police spokesperson said.

Ben McDonald, chief executive of Matrix Media Group, confirmed to this masthead he was the paparazzo involved in the alleged incident and that it involved Swifts father.
Past chief executive officers of Akubra had three things in common: they were men, they were members of the Keir family and they loved hats.

The companys new chief executive Natalie Culina, a hat lover, tick one of these three boxes, but its proven enough to get the job done.

Natalie Culina, new chief executive of Akubra, at the Strand Hatters store in Sydney. Credit: Janie Barrett

The Akubra is ingrained in my past, says Culina, who arrives at her first chief executive role following senior positions at Coco Republic and King Furniture. Some of my earliest memories growing up are of an Akubra hat.

Those memories were shaped in Sydney rather than on a farm, with the Akubra a potent symbol of belonging in Culinas migrant family.
This story is part of the February 25 edition of Sunday Life.

Luke Springer is a teacher and social media sensation Mr Luke. Here, the 33-year-old shares his day on a plate.

The teacher follows a plant-based diet full of legumes.

6am Good morning, world! I start the day with a glass of lemon water and a double espresso supplemented with an extract of lions mane and chaga mushrooms.

7am Scrambled tofu with mushroom and avocado on a slice of toast. Another double espresso and a glass of water.

7.30am A vitamin pack (iron, probiotic, biotin, vitamin B12, zinc and acetyl l-carnitine) plus half a tablespoon of garlic and honey. An oat latte to take to school.
Australian wine exports worth $1 billion might be flowing back into China within weeks.

China slapped sanctions worth $20 billion on Australian products during the height of diplomatic tensions in 2020, after the then-Morrison government called for an independent inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trade Minister Don Farrell. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Trade Minister Don Farrell met his Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao on the sidelines of the World Trade Organisations (WTO) ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi and said he received confirmation the lifting of the ban was on track to be resolved by the end of March.

Im hopeful that the goodwill weve built up with my Chinese counterpart will result in a successful outcome with wine, he said.

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We always maintained that the tariffs should not have been introduced in the first place  theyre not justified and we want them now fully removed.

Beijing is reviewing the trade ban on wine under a five-month process after Canberra agreed to suspend a dispute lodged with the WTO until March 31.

Sanctions worth $2 billion remain on wine, rock lobster and some abattoirs.

In a similar process, China lifted tariffs on barley in August last year after Labor paused a WTO dispute in exchange for a review.

Farrell has met his Chinese counterpart six times since May 2023.

AAP
NSW Police hope to reach an agreement with Mardi Gras organisers for officers to march in Saturdays parade, possibly without uniforms, after a turbulent day on which questions were raised about Commissioner Karen Webbs leadership.

Webb had a fruitful discussion with Mardi Gras board members on Tuesday morning, just hours before police confirmed they had found the bodies of Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, allegedly murdered by a gay serving officer last week.

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley (L) and Police Commissioner Karen Webb met Mardi Gras organisers to discuss police participation. Credit: Nine

The events, which unfolded during Sydneys annual Mardi Gras celebrations, have rocked the citys LGBTQ community and police force and led the community organisation to formally request NSW Police not march in this weekends parade.

Some of Webbs language also drew criticism, including her description of the killings as a crime of passion and an attempt to dismiss her critics with a Taylor Swift reference: There will always be haters, haters like to hate, isnt that what Taylor says? she said on morning television.
A staff member at a Sydney high school will face a disciplinary inquiry after accidentally sending a dossier of numerous students personal and private information, including mental health conditions, to parents and students.

Sydney Secondary College Blackwattle Bay Campus on Friday afternoon sent out the PDF document entitled welfare watch which was marked confidential.

Sydney Secondary College at Blackwattle Bay. Credit: Photo via Wikipedia

It listed individual students names alongside the details of their personal mental health diagnosis, contextual information such as being a new pupil, as well as other conditions such as autism spectrum disorder.

Within hours of the document being sent, principal Leiza Lewis sent a letter via email to all parents, informing them of the mistake and instructing them to delete the document.
Word on the street was that Fadi himself was in the gun, with a bounty out on his head. The Haddaras were at war and the challenger was an old enemy who was emerging as a powerful and ruthless new threat  Kazem Kaz Hamad .

Numerous tobacco shops they once controlled had been torched, along with the millions in profits they brought from the sale of illegal cigarettes. Within weeks, a host of other businesses connected to the family would also be reduced to ashes .

Now the familys fortunes were in flames.

Such an attack on the Haddaras and their allies was inconceivable even a year prior, when the family held a seemingly unassailable position in Melbournes underworld, controlling a sprawling criminal empire built over more than a decade on the profits of illicit tobacco and drugs  and protected by a feared name.

The Karizma restaurant in Docklands had been destroyed in a firebombing , the second time in three days someone had dared attack the jewel in the crown of his familys legitimate businesses.

Early one morning in November, crime boss Fadi Haddara woke to learn his pride and joy was burning.

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The Age has identified at least 60 violent incidents suspected of being related to Hamads underworld campaign, including at least 52 arson attacks, two murders, two non-fatal shootings, and numerous standover extortion attempts.

This masthead gathered information from more than half a dozen underworld and police sources, court hearings and other records to compile this story, along with an extensive analysis to identify violent incidents connected to the tobacco wars and calculate the profits obtained by organised crime groups.

Police and underworld sources say the Haddara crime family, which has dominated the illicit tobacco market in Victoria for well over a decade, is now backed into a corner after a sustained firebombing campaign waged against its tobacco shops and legitimate businesses.

Hamad, who has also assumed control of one of Australias most lucrative drug trafficking networks from his sanctuary in the Middle East, has been able to underwrite his war with illicit money and a knack for recruiting street soldiers prepared to commit acts of extreme violence.

After being released from prison in mid-2023 and deported to his native Iraq, Hamad has waged a turf war against the Haddara family for control of the illicit tobacco trade. He is suspected of ordering a series of shooting and firebombing attacks to settle old scores with enemies in Melbournes underworld.

Victoria Police has launched a special squad to deal with the worsening violence, Taskforce Lunar, which is investigating dozens of fires at tobacco shops, restaurants and other businesses, as well as Hamads suspected involvement in vendetta-style attacks against long-time enemies, including the attempted theft and desecration of the corpse of a despised rival.

This includes a man suspected of being a key Hamad lieutenant, several senior members of the Haddara family, and a number of suspected arsonists-for-hire and enforcers allegedly recruited from outlaw motorcycle clubs and street gangs.

The outbreak of serious violence has forced state and federal law enforcement agencies to crack down on both syndicates , executing 70 warrants on tobacconists statewide and arresting and charging 20 players embroiled in the tobacco war rackets since October.

That is being driven by historic incidents and for control of the Melbourne and the wider Victorian illicit tobacco market, it read.

A police intelligence summary, released in a court proceeding last week, described the Hamad syndicate as being involved in extreme acts of violence up to and including murder in its violent feuds with the Haddara family and the remnants of the crime gang run by jailed boss George Marrogi .

By 2013, they were implicated in some of the largest tobacco busts in Australia, including the importation of three shipping containers loaded with thousands of boxes of cigarettes and frozen tobacco declared in customs as lathes, instant noodles and okra (the vegetable). A year later, they were identified as being behind the importation of 30 million cigarettes into Australia.

The crime family, based in Melbournes west, started dabbling in the black market tobacco trade in the early 2000s by doing cigarette rips at suburban petrol stations and supermarkets.

For more than a decade, illicit tobacco has been synonymous with the Haddara name.

We dont apologise for the fact that we focus on individuals. Certain individuals at the moment would be considering their options. But some of these are career criminals, so we dont expect them to hand the keys in.

We feel were having an impact in terms of disrupting, charging, and putting people before the courts that we know are involved, Victoria Police Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly said.

The syndicate is allegedly controlled by 45-year-old Fadi Haddara, a hands-on ruler who attracted the attention of police over a fight with a tobacconist in 2022.

The tobacco importations have been facilitated by the Haddaras deep family and business ties in their native Lebanon, where they have parked a small fortune of their ill-gotten gains. They have also leveraged their connections within Australian organised crime to use powerful bikie gangs as muscle.

Police believe the syndicate has been involved in drug trafficking, gun violence, extortion rackets, money laundering and other violent crimes.

Most recently, police intelligence linked the syndicate to a shipment of cigarettes worth $40 million which authorities intercepted in February 2022. A member of the Haddara family had also been linked to the theft of more than $7 million worth of cigarettes a year earlier.

Over more than a decade, they continued to flood the market with illegal imported cigarettes and sold through a network of tobacco shops dotted across Melbournes suburbs operated by relatives and associates.

The focus of the Australian Border Force and Australian Federal Police on immigration, counterterrorism and drug smuggling meant the Haddaras were able to establish themselves as one of the largest illicit tobacco syndicates in Victoria and continue to operate in the shadows while the agencies focused on other priorities.

Photos of syndicate members posted on social media show them dancing at lavish parties, driving luxury cars and posing with well-known Melbourne underworld identities.

But underworld and police sources say Hamads relentless campaign against the Haddaras has pushed their back against the wall and led to associates defecting to other groups.

Luxury vehicles at the home of one of the Haddara syndicate members. Credit: Instagram

Fadi Haddara was approached via his lawyer but declined to comment.

Hamad, whose current whereabouts are unknown, could not be reached for comment.

The war starts

Police wont call the widespread outbreak of violence since 2023 an underworld war, but authorities date the start of the current conflict to late March of that year.

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It marked the first of what Victoria Police says is an escalating wave of related firebombings in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria targeting tobacco shops.

Soaring government taxes on tobacco have led to an explosion in the availability of cheap cigarettes smuggled into the country and distributed through neighbourhood convenience stores and specialist tobacco retailers. This has been further driven by a growing demand for vapes, which remain largely unregulated.

The profits available for organised criminals are astronomical.

These syndicates can make millions and millions of dollars per container imported into Australia. Thats probably one of the reasons why weve got the current situation here in Victoria. It is a very lucrative market, said Penny Spies, commander of the Australian Border Forces illicit tobacco taskforce.

I would suggest that what the syndicates are doing is flooding the border with the hope to get it through. They can lose a significant number of containers and get one through and still make a profit.

Figures from the Australian Crime and Intelligence Commission suggest only 1 in 30 containers needs to make it through the border for a smuggling syndicate to make a profit. The ABF only checks about 1 per cent of containers coming in through the ports. These are targeted searches based on intelligence.

How much the syndicates make is impossible to know, since the quantity of tobacco successfully smuggled into the country for sale cant be quantified.

A conservative analysis conducted by The Age suggests that Australia-wide, the smuggling syndicates have lost about $750 million in profit after the ABF seized 2.5 billion cigarettes since July 2022.

Victoria is the only remaining jurisdiction in Australia without a tobacco licensing scheme, which means there are no firm numbers on how many tobacco shops are operating in the state. However, estimates suggest hundreds may have opened in the past five years.

Illicit cigarettes imported to Australia from overseas intercepted by Australian Border Force.

Some are owned or operated by the syndicates, some are targeted for extortion. Some might be taken over or burnt out because the syndicate controls that area, or wants to open their own store, Kelly said.

Law enforcement agencies are growing increasingly frustrated with the states lax tobacco regulations  no licence is required to sell tobacco in Victoria  which some believe has contributed to turning Melbourne into the Switzerland of organised crime.

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The Victorian government is reviewing regulation advice from former commissioner for better regulation Anna Cronin, after the spate of firebombings last year caught it off guard and scrambling for a response two years after commissioning the report.

There have been a number of significant changes since the report was provided, including the Commonwealth governments ban on the importation of vaping products, a state government spokesperson said.

It is not clear when the review will be finalised, but any legislative changes to tobacco regulations are unlikely to come into effect before the end of the year.

The federal government has also tipped in $188 million to help Border Force to ramp up its efforts to cut off the supply of illegal tobacco at the border.

In the meantime, many of the operators have been presented with a dire choice: Sell illicit tobacco from one of the syndicates and pay a tax of $2000 a month  or else.

In one instance detailed in court, a member of the Haddara family was put on the phone with Hamad, who allegedly told him he was operating on his turf, and to pay $500 a week or face the consequences.

Mohammed Afghan Ali Akbar Keshtiar.

No one comes and opens a [tobacco] shop here, Hamad allegedly told the shop owner.

When the owner refused to pay the tax, Hamad allegedly responded: Well see soon what happens.

The shop was torched two weeks later. The fire brigade stopped the blaze from spreading to a block of apartments above it.

Police now estimate about half of Victorias 800 to 1000 tobacconists are suspected of having been infiltrated by criminal groups.

The murder of Mohammed Afghan Ali Akbar Keshtiar, who was deeply involved in the tobacco trade and closely connected to the Haddaras, is just one of the violent incidents that have been linked by underworld sources to the worsening attacks by Hamads crew.

Kazem Hamad (left) and Toby Mitchell. Credit: Instagram

Another was the shooting death of underworld figure Robert Issa in a Craigieburn shopping centre car park, who underworld sources say attempted to muscle his way into the extortion racket.

Police are investigating both for potential links to the so-called tobacco wars.

But what began as a tit-for-tat turf war has become a one-sided affair as Hamad and his criminal gang have threatened, burnt out, or gunned down their rivals, to emerge as the dominant force in the black market.

Its not just business, its personal

But its not just players in the illicit tobacco market that are finding themselves at the receiving end of a Molotov cocktail or a drive-by shooting.

We know that those two syndicates are in conflict with each other. We know that there are some personal vendettas and angst between the two groups and the two leaders in the two groups, Kelly said, noting this goes beyond just fighting over the tobacco trade.

Underworld sources say Hamad has reignited dormant vendettas against former associates and long-time enemies who committed some kind of transgression that hes now in a position to punish.

An investigator on the scene where a car was burnt out and shots allegedly fired at a home in Fawkner with links to crime figure Mohammed Charif Oueida. Credit: Chris Hopkins

Hamad is suspected of ordering a shooting of the suburban family home of underworld figure Mohammed Charif Oueida in December.

Underworld sources say Oueida was targeted because of his suspected involvement in a years-old plot to smear Hamads name.

In 2019, Hamad had arranged to hand over to authorities a stash of military weaponry, including a machine gun and hand grenade, that had been planted in a Campbellfield drain in exchange for a sentencing discount after he was convicted of drug trafficking.

Sensing an opportunity for revenge, Oueida and the late sister and business partner of Notorious Crime Family boss Marrogi, Meshilin, spread fake court documents falsely slurring Hamad as an informer.

This is what led  more than four years later  to the shooting at Oueidas house and the unprecedented attempt in July to steal Meshilins body from a Melbourne cemetery.

Mystery also surrounds the death threats and firebombing attacks directed at former Mongols bikie turned boxer Suleiman Sam Abdulrahim.

Last week, two function venues due to host events involving Abdulrahim were firebombed.

While the man nicknamed The Punisher has no shortage of enemies, Taskforce Lunar is probing the fires, a supposed murder contract on the head of Abdulrahim, and whether the attacks could have anything to do with a raging hatred between him and Hamad.

Hamads best mate, Kadir Ors, was murdered by Marrogi in a Campbellfield carpark in September 2016. In Maroggis appeal, the court said we consider that the evidence established that [Marrogi] was connected to Abdulrahim, and that Abdulrahim had the capacity to alert the applicant to Ors whereabouts on the day he was shot.

Whether Hamad is now collecting on this blood debt remains to be seen.

Endgame

Authorities are facing a daunting task when it comes to stopping the violence and reversing the wholesale infiltration of the tobacco market by organised crime.

Hamad himself is something of an unprecedented threat in Melbournes underworld.

In Iraq and out of reach of both enemies and law enforcement, the gang boss has access to vast resources and is prepared to cross lines.

Hamad soldiers and lieutenants are lavishly rewarded for their loyalty, including with access to top-notch lawyers for those who get arrested. Last week, a key figure police have called Hamads regional operations manager was picked up from prison in a Rolls-Royce Ghost.

A Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce outside the Melbourne Assessment Prison as they waited for a Hamad syndicate lieutenant to leave on bail. Credit: Jason South

The lieutenant, who was accompanied by an entourage of associates dressed in designer activewear, was grinning from ear to ear as he told the media to get f-d and slammed the door of the luxury car shut before roaring down Spencer Street escorted by a $600,000 Lamborghini.

The show of power has been interpreted by law enforcement as a blatant f--- you to authorities and the court system, police sources say.

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Melbournes underworld players are terrified of Hamad and the lengths he will go to control his business interests and settle old scores.

Police say the violence has started to drive some players out of the gangland world and led to the fracturing of long-standing alliances among his enemies.

Kelly said Victoria Police could ultimately seek Hamads extradition to Australia to face charges over the chaos that has engulfed Melbourne.

However, it is unclear how successful an extradition attempt would be. Hamad is an Iraqi citizen and does not have Australian citizenship.

The endgame is to disrupt the syndicate and then hold him to account for crimes hes committed here in Victoria and Australia. Anyone who commits crimes in this state should be held to account, Kelly said.

But in the interim, we will target anyone onshore that we can.

In the meantime, Kelly issued a message to those taking advantage of the plethora of cheap illicit tobacco on offer.

Dont put the money in the pockets of organised crime. If you go and buy those illicit cigarettes, youve paid for a shooting, youve paid for a fire, youve paid for someone to die from a drug overdose. It is that simple, he said.

Early on Tuesday, Phoenicia Reception centre in Brunswick was torched. Victoria Police said Lunar taskforce detectives, probing the illicit tobacco trade, are investigating the fire.

John Silvester lifts the lid on Australias criminal underworld. Subscribers can sign up to receive his Naked City newsletter every Thursday.


A man who was shot when he allegedly broke into a home in Perths southern suburbs on Sunday morning claims he was drunk and accidentally stumbled into the wrong house.

Angus Glen Templeman was shot in the upper thigh by the Stake Hill homeowner, who found him in his six-year-old granddaughters bedroom, naked, about 3.20am on Sunday.

Details of how the incident unfolded were outlined in Perth Magistrates Court on Monday. Templeman was due to appear in person after being released from Royal Perth Hospital, but was turned away by court staff because he still had a drip in his arm.

Instead, the hearing was conducted from the back of a police car on Monday afternoon as the 27-year-old was being returned to the watch house.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce will miss this weeks parliamentary sittings as he deals with personal issues weeks after he was filmed lying on a Canberra footpath on the phone.

Joyce has confirmed that he received upsetting news about the health of a family member around the time of the incident, which he blamed on mixing alcohol and prescription medication.

Barnaby Joyce and David Littleproud are rivals in the National Party. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

This masthead reported on February 13, a week after Joyce was filmed, that Coalition leaders David Littleproud and Peter Dutton had privately urged the former deputy prime minister to take leave to sort himself out after a stressful period.

Joyce, who is a member of the shadow cabinet as the portfolio holder for veterans affairs, did not immediately take up the offer of leave.
Donald Trump poses no threat to Australias national security interests if he is re-elected, Scott Morrison says, as the former prime minister prepares to tour the United States in May to promote his forthcoming Christian book, Plans For Your Good.

In an exit interview on the eve of his final speech to parliament, Morrison nominated Labors Julia Gillard as the leader he would most like to emulate when he leaves politics, arguing that it is widely respected the way that Julia Gillard has conducted herself, post-prime ministership, whatever view people have on her prime ministership, positive and negative.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison in his parliament house office on Monday. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Australias 30th prime minister will deliver his valedictory speech at noon on Tuesday, nearly 17 years since entering federal parliament and 21 months since the devastating May 2022 election loss in which a swag of seats were lost to Labor, teal and Greens MPs.

Morrison praised Opposition Leader Peter Dutton for unifying the opposition and contrasted the Coalitions post-election stability with their last period in opposition (2007 to 2009), when Brendan Nelson, Malcolm Turnbull and then Tony Abbott were leaders in quick succession, but warned the Coalition had to try to win back the teal seats it lost.
Mining billionaire Andrew Forrest has slammed the Coalition for advocating nuclear energy as the way to modernise the electricity grid, calling the idea bulldust and warning it is too expensive compared to wind and solar power.

Forrest, whose private company is spending billions of dollars on wind and solar farms, said politicians were masquerading as leaders on the proposal for nuclear power when the idea would only be used to extend the life of existing coal-fired power stations.

The remarks come as an exclusive survey reveals that 36 per cent of voters want nuclear energy but 23 per cent oppose it and 15 per cent are undecided.

Andrew Forrest (left) rubbished nuclear energy on cost grounds. Peter Dutton has been advancing the case for nuclear power. Credit: Marija Ercegovac

The new findings, in the Resolve Political Monitor conducted for this masthead, also show that 27 per cent of voters do not have strong opinions on nuclear power and are open to the government investigating the policy.
Sao Paulo: Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro gathered thousands of supporters on Sao Paulos iconic Paulista Avenue on Sunday to demonstrate political strength amid investigations that many believe could land him in jail.

The far-right former president, who called the rally after being targeted by a police raid earlier this month investigating an alleged coup attempt, spoke for about 20 minutes to defend himself while reminiscing about his 2019-22 term.

Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazils former president, march on Avenida Paulista in Sao Paulo on Sunday. Credit: Bloomberg

He refrained from attacking old foes and the Supreme Court. Allies expressed concern before the event that any remarks against Brazilian authorities or institutions could get him into even hotter water.

Bolsonaro was accused of editing a draft decree to overturn election results, pressuring military chiefs to join a coup attempt and plotting to jail a Supreme Court judge after his electoral loss to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2022.
Listings for retirement properties have surged in the past year, with New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria reporting increases of 77%, 35%, and 27%, respectively. Melbourne has seen a notable rise with an additional 267 apartment listings (18%) now available, and theres been a slight uptick in apartment listings in both Queensland and South Australia.
Workers in this sector are confronted by extremely difficult choices already, like picking between a mother and child fleeing violence or a teenager without a home, Colvin said. The last thing they need is uncertainty about their job or that of their colleague.
Murder Suspect Jose Antonio Ibarra in Georgia Student Case Entered US Illegally, Confirms ICE (Photo: Clarke County Sheriffs Office)

In a recent development that has added a layer of complexity to a tragic case, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed that Jose Antonio Ibarra, the suspect charged in the murder of 22-year-old Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, entered the United States illegally. Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national, crossed into the U.S. near El Paso in September 2022 and was subsequently paroled into the country for further processing.

According to ICE, after his illegal entry, Ibarra was encountered by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on September 8, 2022. Despite being released for further processing, his legal status remained unresolved, a situation that came into sharp focus following his arrest in connection with Riley's murder on the University of Georgia campus.

The case took a more complicated turn when it was revealed that Ibarra had been previously arrested in New York City on September 14, 2023. The charges, as detailed by ICE, included acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation. However, before ICE could issue a detainer-a request to local law enforcement to hold a suspect for ICE custody-Ibarra was released. This incident underscores the challenges faced by immigration enforcement in sanctuary cities like New York, where local policies restrict cooperation with ICE detainers.

ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Atlanta became involved following Ibarra's arrest by the University of Georgia Police Department, where he faced charges of murder among other serious offenses. A detainer was promptly lodged by ERO Atlanta, marking a significant step in the legal proceedings against Ibarra.

The university has since reaffirmed its commitment to campus safety, detailing the comprehensive measures undertaken, including the investment of $16 million over the past eight years in security enhancements. These efforts are part of an ongoing initiative to protect the university community, with additional phases of lighting improvements and security camera installations already approved.

In the wake of this tragedy, a GoFundMe campaign for Riley has surpassed its goal, raising over $81,432, reflecting the community's outpouring of support for her family. The loss of Riley, who had previously attended UGA before joining the nursing program at Augusta's Athens campus and making the dean's list, has left a profound impact on her peers and the broader community.

Layling Franco, Ibarra's wife, also from Venezuela, expressed her disbelief and distress over the allegations against her husband, with whom she shares a 5-year-old son. The couple had married to consolidate their asylum cases, with Franco describing Ibarra as a calm individual seeking better job opportunities in Georgia. She remains hopeful for clarity and justice in the unfolding legal proceedings.

The tragic demise of Laken Riley, an Augusta University nursing student previously affiliated with UGA, has brought grief to the community and raised concerns about campus safety. Riley was found deceased near a lake on the university's Athens campus, with blunt force trauma identified as the cause of death.

This case not only highlights the implications of immigration policy and enforcement but also the broader issues of public safety and the mechanisms in place to protect communities from individuals who might pose a risk. As the legal process unfolds, the confirmation of Ibarra's illegal entry into the U.S. by ICE adds a critical dimension to the discourse surrounding this case, touching on the intersections of immigration law, public safety, and the justice system.
South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol Reshuffles Cabinet, Aiming to Strengthen Position Ahead of Key Parliamentary Elections (Photo: NASA Headquarters / NASA/Joel Kowsky/Public Domain)

In a dramatic standoff with the South Korean government, over 7,800 junior doctors have resigned from their positions, citing unsustainable working conditions and a lack of meaningful dialogue with authorities. The mass walkout, which includes trainee doctors like Ryu Ok Hada and Park Dan, has led to significant disruptions in hospital operations across the country, including the cancellation of surgeries and the refusal of patient admissions.

The crux of the dispute lies in the government's proposal to increase medical school admissions by approximately 65% to address the healthcare demands of one of the world's fastest-aging populations. However, the protesting doctors argue that this measure fails to address the root issues plaguing the medical system, such as the overwork and undercompensation of junior doctors who form a vital part of the healthcare workforce.

Interns and residents in South Korea are subject to grueling 36-hour shifts, a stark contrast to the less than 24-hour shifts in the U.S., with many working over 100 hours a week for a fraction of the compensation of their American counterparts. "The current medical system in South Korea, which is a great one, is run by making cheap trainee doctors keep grinding," stated 25-year-old Ryu, underscoring the systemic exploitation that has driven the young doctors to the brink.

In response to the walkouts, the South Korean government has issued an ultimatum, giving the striking doctors until February 29 to return to work or face severe repercussions, including the suspension of medical licenses and possible legal action. Despite the threat, the striking doctors remain steadfast, with Park, head of the Korean Intern Resident Association, emphasizing the need for systemic reforms to attract doctors to essential yet underserved disciplines like pediatrics and emergency departments.

The government's stance has sparked a legal debate, with experts like Hyeondeok Choi of Daeryun law firm suggesting that a mass suspension of licenses is improbable due to the potential "enormous medical vacuum" it would create. Yet, the authorities seem determined to take punitive measures against the strike leaders to quell the dissent.

Amidst this turmoil, the Korea Medical Association, representing approximately 140,000 doctors, has expressed support for the trainees' cause, with senior doctors holding rallies to oppose the government's expansion plan. Public sentiment, however, appears divided, with a recent survey indicating substantial support for the government's initiative, though critics argue that the primary concern among doctors is the prospect of heightened competition and reduced incomes.

As the deadlock persists, the plight of patients caught in the crossfire becomes increasingly dire, with reports of individuals being turned away from hospitals or missing critical treatments due to the walkouts. The situation has laid bare the deep-seated issues within South Korea's healthcare system and the urgent need for a balanced solution that addresses the concerns of the medical community while ensuring the provision of essential healthcare services to the nation's population.
Boeing CEO David Calhoun said DC makes economic sense for the new offices considering its accessibility to their clients. (Photo: Denis Balibouse/Reuters)

A recent report by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cast a critical spotlight on Boeing's safety culture, uncovering significant concerns in the wake of two fatal 737 Max crashes and a series of safety and quality issues. The expert panel, established in the aftermath of the tragic accidents in 2018 and 2019, which collectively claimed 346 lives, revealed that some Boeing employees were unclear about their safety roles and feared retaliation for reporting safety-related issues.

The findings, which come ahead of a recent incident where a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 mid-flight, suggest that Boeing's journey toward a robust safety culture is fraught with "gaps." The panel's report underscored a "disconnect" between the company's management and its workforce concerning safety culture, highlighting a lack of awareness regarding safety-related metrics across the organization. This disconnect, according to the panel, has led to an "inadequate and confusing implementation" of safety culture components.

Boeing, in response to the panel's findings, acknowledged the need for continued improvement in fostering a safety culture that encourages employee participation. "We have taken important steps to foster a safety culture that empowers and encourages all employees to share their voice. But there is more work to do," Boeing stated, committing to a thorough review of the panel's assessment to enhance its safety and quality programs further.

The FAA, in light of the recent Alaska Airlines incident, has taken immediate action by grounding the U.S. MAX 9 fleet temporarily and prohibiting Boeing from increasing its MAX production rate. This decision reflects the agency's heightened concerns over Boeing's quality control and the implementation of safety-related messages and behaviors across the company.

Senate Commerce Committee chair Maria Cantwell emphasized the importance of a leadership culture at Boeing that prioritizes safety over profits, reflecting the broader sentiment among lawmakers and industry observers regarding the aerospace giant's safety practices.

As Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun prepares to meet with FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker to discuss the company's safety measures and the findings from a recent visit to Boeing's 737 factory, the aviation community and the public eye remain focused on Boeing's efforts to rectify its safety culture and restore confidence in its aircraft. The FAA has pledged to conduct a thorough review of the panel's report and determine the appropriate next steps, underscoring its commitment to holding Boeing to the highest safety standards and ensuring comprehensive adherence to the recommendations.

The unfolding situation places Boeing at a critical juncture, where the company's actions in the coming months will be pivotal in shaping its future and the safety of air travel. As Boeing endeavors to navigate these challenges, the industry and regulators alike will be closely monitoring its progress in reinforcing a safety culture that not only addresses current concerns but also prevents future incidents.
IT services firm Wipro on Monday said it has partnered with Finnish telecom and IT company Nokia to deliver private wireless solutions to enterprises.

Through this solution, enterprises will be able to create an integrated private environment that they can control to better manage their performance and mitigate security risks, as per a statement said.

Wipro said the joint private wireless solution with Nokia will "help enterprises scale their digital transformation".

This joint solution will provide enterprises with a more secure 5G private wireless network solution integrated with their operation infrastructure, it said.

"The solution will bring greater reliability, mobility, connectivity speed, real-time access to business insights, and the ability to process high volumes of data with low latency," the statement said.

This AI-driven solution will initially be made available to customers in the manufacturing, energy, utilities, transportation, and sports entertainment industries.

While Nokia will provide the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) and Modular Private Wireless (MPW) solutions, Wipro will offer strategic guidance and industry insights with its Def-i Innovation Center.

"This partnership will unlock new capabilities to help businesses in various sectors experience enhanced connectivity and AI-driven operational efficiencies, ushering them to the forefront of innovation," Vice President of Enterprise Campus Edge Solutions, Nokia, Stephan Litjens said.

Jo Debecker, Global Head of Wipro FullStride Cloud said the partnership will create a way for enterprises to leverage wireless private networks to digitise at speed and access real-time insights to realise their ambitions.
According to Sen, India's electoral system has been significantly affected by the nature of politics, making it difficult for the common people to be heard | File image | Photo: PTI

Eminent economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court's recent judgment annulling the electoral bonds scheme, denouncing it as a scandal.

Speaking to PTI from Massachusetts, USA, Sen said that the move will lead to greater transparency among people in the electoral context.

"Electoral bonds were a scandal, and I am glad that they have now been dropped. I hope there will be more transparency in the support that people give to each other in the electoral context," Sen said.

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court annulled the electoral bonds scheme earlier this month, citing violations of the Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression, as well as the right to information.

The apex court directed the State Bank of India (SBI) to disclose details of each electoral bond encashed by political parties to the Election Commission. This information should include the date of encashment and the denomination of the bonds and be submitted to the poll panel by March 6.

According to Sen, India's electoral system has been significantly affected by the nature of politics, making it difficult for the common people to be heard.

"The electoral system in India is much affected by the nature of party politics, which makes it very hard for common people to get the hearing that they should get in the polls," he said.

The economist said the country's electoral system is influenced by how the government treats opposition parties.

"It is influenced by the treatment of opposition parties and those that the government would like to keep under restrictions. We do want a free electoral system as much as possible, in addition to freedom of speech and action of citizens," he said.

Sen stressed that "the Indian Constitution wanted to give all citizens substantial political freedom and did not want any particular community to have privileged standing."



Incidentally, senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram also hailed the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the electoral bond scheme, saying it is a great victory for transparency.
Shares of Data Patterns (India) rallied 8 per cent to hit a record high of Rs 2,550 on the BSE in Mondays weak intra-day trade.



The stock surpassed its previous high of Rs 2,484 touched on September 1, 2023. In comparison, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 0.5 per cent at 72,781 at 12:31 PM.

In the past three days, the stock of the aerospace and defence company has surged 24 per cent after the government last week eased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms in the space sector by allowing 100 per cent overseas investment in making components for satellites, as part of efforts to attract overseas players and private companies into the segment.

The satellite sub-sector has been divided into three different activities with defined limits for foreign investment in each such sector, according to an official statement.



Prior to the new norms, FDI in the space sector was allowed up to 100 per cent in the area of satellite establishment and operations through government route only.

Meanwhile, since February 16 that is in the past eight trading days, the market price of Data Patterns has zoomed 37 per cent after the Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC acquired over 6 per cent stake valued at Rs 650 crore in the company via open market.

On February 16, GIC Private Limited on account of Government of Singapore (GOS) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) bought a total 3.54 million equity shares representing 6.32 per cent stake in Data Patterns via the open market.

Florintree Capital Partners, led by Mathew Cyriac, had divested its entire 10.71 per cent stake in Data Patterns, amounting to nearly Rs 1,100 crore.

Data Patterns works closely with the defence PSUs such as Hindustan Aeronautics and Bharat Electronics as well as government organisations involved in defence and space research like Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The companys core competencies include design and development across electronic hardware, software, firmware, mechanical, product prototype besides its testing, validation and verification.



Its involvement has been across radars, electronic warfare suites, communications, avionics, small satellites, automated test equipment, COTS and programmes catering to tejas light combat aircraft, light utility helicopter, BrahMos and other communication & electronic intelligence systems.

The company has strategically aligned itself to leverage favorable industry conditions, particularly in the anticipated tailwinds from government policies, driving a 15 per cent CAGR in India's defense production.



Projections further suggest that the defense outlay in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12 per cent, reaching $147 billion over FY25-29 period.

The management said the organization is well-positioned to capitalize on this growth, aligning with a broader government strategy aimed at advancing the aerospace and defense industries.



This anticipated growth is backed by initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat, positive intergenerationalist and the defense modernization plan and a robust order pipeline for the Indian defense industry.

The company is capitalizing on promising opportunities in radar, electronic warfare and satellite markets.



Data expansions in the export markets were actively pursuing various prospects in collaboration with domestic competitors and we see such active participation in contracts worth Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 3,000 crore over the next three to four years, the management said in Q3FY24 earnings call.

Defence platforms Modernisation, through indigenisation, drives the company business to new heights. The company builds the products against imported products.



The company has a long rich history of participating in defence modernization. It is involving in defence modernization programme such as: Arudhra Radar, Ashwini LLTR, Dharashakti programme, MI 17 Upgrades, Dornier Upgrades, Aerostat upgrades, Lightweight EW requirements, Airborne surveillance radar, Radar Warning Receivers, Next Gen completely wide open for LCA Mk IA and Sukhoi 30 platforms etc.



These programs will drive the company's core business in the short to medium term. The company is actively exploring export market, supplied UK & Europe and expects more orders from other countries. It has strategically positioned itself from component/sub system level to whole system level, said brokerage Choice Broking.
Legislators of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi staged a protest on Monday before the start of the Budget session of the Maharashtra legislative assembly, accusing the government of misleading the Maratha and Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities.

The week-long Budget session of the legislature began on Monday, during which the vote on account will be presented. Assembly elections are due in the state later this year.

Leader of Opposition in Assembly Vijay Waddetiwar, Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat and other legislators gathered on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan, displaying banners and shouting slogans against the Eknath Shinde-led government.

The Opposition MLAs accused the state government of misleading the Maratha and OBC communities over the issue of quota.

MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP, while the ruling coalition has the BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP group under Ajit Pawar as partners.

Last week, the Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category.

Quota activist Manoj Jarange has been firm on his demand for quota for the community under the OBC category and converting the notification on blood relatives' of Kunbi Marathas into a law.
What are economic sanctions?

The US has announced to impose another round of sanctions on Russia as the world marks the second anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war. But ever wondered what economic sanctions are?
By Bloomberg News

China has removed Li Shangfus name from the Defense Ministrys official website, the latest sign that the former defense minister who was unexpectedly removed from his post late last year is in trouble.



The list of top leaders in the Communist Partys Central Military Commission no longer carries Lis name, according to a check of the official website on Monday. Li was among those listed until at least Jan. 3, according to archived internet data.

Picked for the defense minister job in early 2023, Li was ousted from his role without explanation in October. He was stripped of his state councilor title and membership in the governments CMC.

But in a move that underscored the parallel party/government structure in China, Lis name remained for a period on the website showing members of the Communist Partys Central Military Commission. There has not been any formal announcement of a probe into Li, or about his seat on the partys CMC.

According to the Chinese Communist Partys charter, the composition of the partys CMC is decided by the Central Committee, which is due to meet for a third time since the party congress in 2022. That conclave normally takes place in October or November, but has so far been delayed without explanation.

The move comes after President Xi Jinping launched a sweeping purge of the military establishment last year. US spies believe the decision was in response to the discovery of widespread corruption in the military, including in the Rocket Force, which manages the countrys expanding nuclear arsenal.

Chinas former Defense Minister Wei Fenghe, who once led the Rocket Force, was missing from a list of retired cadres who received greetings from the top leadership ahead of the Lunar New Year this month, an unusual omission that also coincides with the military purge.

China named Dong Jun, a navy veteran, as the new defense minister on Dec 29.

Li wasnt the only top official to be abruptly purged in the past year. Foreign Minister Qin Gang, a former ambassador to the US, was removed from his post just seven months into the job, and hasnt been seen in public since.
MOTSHANE  Members of Parliament (MPs) who think they can change the Tinkhundla System of Government from within should simply resign.

In fact, Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development Sikhumbuzo Dlamini said the current system could never be changed from within. Dlamini said this was because political parties would never see the light of day in Eswatini anytime soon, adding that those who believed they could change the system from within should just do themselves a favour and resign.

Thanksgiving

He was speaking during Motshane Member of Parliament (MP) Wilton Nkambules thanksgiving prayer held at Motshane on Saturday. The minister said those who believed they could change the system, whether inside or outside, should follow processes dictated by the Constitution of 2005. All emaSwati want to be governed through the Tinkhundla System of Government, which is why they participated and voted under the same system, said Dlamini. He advised MPs not to be fooled into supporting parties and change the system from within because it would never happen. The minister said if emaSwati wanted to approve political parties, they would follow the Constitution and through the Peoples Parliament. They will not hijack indvuna yenkhundla or MP on the streets and tell them to move a motion in Parliament to remove the current system as that is not the procedure, he said.

According to the minister, no MP was elected under a tree among all the legislators who won the 2023 National Elections, but at umphakatsi level, hence they should respect the chiefs in their areas. Dlamini said the countrys politics were tied back to the chiefs, constituencies and His Majesty King Mswati III. The minister said there was no legislator who could stand on his own, adding that if they tried, the people would distance themselves from that MP. He said he did not want to go back to the unrest situation, though he reflected on things that happened in the country, in particular under his constituency, where he said a person was not even sure that they would wake up the following day.

Targeted

Dlamini said those who had certain positions in power, including MPs and chiefs or even former legislators, were targeted. He said he was also a victim and his truck was damaged by people who failed to communicate what they wanted in the right manner. Instead, he said these people opted to attack him by damaging his property, irrespective of that he was not an MP. I had bought the truck with my pension money, which I received after serving Parliament in 2018 and it cost around E200 000, he said. Dlamini said he was accused of failure to implement laws to free emaSwati while still an MP. As if that was not enough, Dlamini said when election time came, he was asked to declare his stand on whether he was for the King or not because they wanted to work.

The minister said he thanked God because he did not change from his position of supporting the King. Dlamini mentioned that emaSwati loved the King and supported him, adding even those who were forcing him to choose belonged to the King. According to Dlamini, taking a position to choose the King helped him a lot as today he was an MP. Meanwhile, he said there were those people under his constituency who were bragging that they would bring change through political parties as the Tinkhundla System was not working. However, he said such never worked for them, because he won with a landslide victory against those who were against the system. Dlamini said the people of Nkwene, which was his constituency, made it clear that they were for the Tinkhundla System and wanted someone who supported the King, hence they elected him. He said everyone who was elected by the nation under the system should diligently serve it, adding that if ever parties were approved in future, if such time would ever come, they should also do same. He said after being elected, there were some people who hoped he would change the system.

Parties

The minister said no one wanted parties in the country and if there were, it was only a few. He thanked the Motshane constituents for participating in the national elections and choosing MP Nkambule.
In a pre-Ramzan gesture, a UAE-based Indian businessman and philanthropist has donated 1 million dirhams (approximately INR 2.5 crore) to ensure the release of 900 prisoners from jails across the Gulf nation.

Firoz Merchant, 66, who is the owner of Pure Gold Jewellers, donated the money to the UAE authorities, a testament to the holy month's message of humility, humanity, forgiveness, and kindness.

"Prominent Dubai-based Indian businessman and philanthropist Firoz Merchant of Pure Gold has donated close to Rs 2.25 Crores (AED 1 million) to ensure the release of 900 prisoners from jails across the Arabian nation," said a statement from his office.

Under the aegis of The Forgotten Society initiative founded in 2008, Merchant has already been instrumental in obtaining the release of 900 prisoners across the UAE since the beginning of 2024, including 495 prisoners from Ajman, 170 prisoners from Fujairah, 121 prisoners from Dubai, 69 prisoners from Umm Al Quwain and 28 from Ras Al Khaimah.

In conjunction with the Director Generals of Police at the Central Jails across the UAE, Merchant has already succeeded in obtaining the release of over 20,000 prisoners over the years from a wide range of denominations, nationalities, and religions.

He gets their debt paid and donates funds for their air tickets to fly back to their home country.

Merchant says he began this mission keeping in mind the priority the UAE gives to tolerance to give a second chance for them to be reunited with their families.

He aims to facilitate the release of more than 3,000 prisoners in 2024. Merchant's helping hand has been recognised by the rulers, also his kindness, forgiveness and generosity have earned him accolades from senior government officials across the UAE.

"I am very fortunate to affiliate with the government authorities. The Forgotten Society initiative is based on the premise that humanity transcends borders. We work together to provide them with the possibility to reconcile with their family in their home country and society, Merchant said.

Colonel Mohammed Yusuf Al-Matrooshi, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Punitive and Correctional Establishments, Ajman, said that it is rare to see such commitment and concern towards the rehabilitation of prisoners by giving them a helping hand.

So many thousands owe him a debt of gratitude and what makes it so impressive is the quiet and discreet manner in which he sets about doing so much good work and providing genuine hope to those who might be languishing behind bars because they cannot pay their fines, Al-Matrooshi said.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg holds a pair of the touch controllers for the Oculus Rift virtual reality headsets on stage during the Facebook F8 conference in San Francisco, California. Photo: Reuters

Mark Zuckerberg is poised for a packed week in Asia, with stops in Japan, South Korea and India to work on artificial intelligence services and forge ties with business and government leaders in the region.



Meta Platforms Inc.s chief executive officer, whos been in Japan the past week to accompany his family on a ski trip, will meet with his companys developers in Tokyo on Monday and Tuesday, according to a spokesperson. Theyll discuss the companys Quest virtual-reality headsets and its large language model Llama, one of its efforts to compete with OpenAIs ChatGPT.

On Wednesday, Zuckerberg plans to travel to Seoul to meet with partners, the spokesperson said, declining to elaborate further. He is tentatively scheduled to meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the details are private. Hell also meet Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Jay Y. Lee to discuss cooperation in AI and LG Electronics Inc.s CEO to talk about joint development of an extended reality headset, according to local media reports.

Mark is in Japan for a personal trip and will also meet with a few key partners while he is here, the spokesperson said. As its been reported, Mark is planning to visit Korea briefly for a few key partner meetings.

Samsung officials declined to comment. LG Electronics officials werent immediately available for comment.

Meta and Samsung have collaborated on virtual-reality headsets in the past, with Zuckerberg appearing as a special guest at the Korean companys Unpacked event in 2016 to talk about Gear VR. The partnership came after Zuckerberg visited Seoul in 2013 and 2014, when he met Lee and toured Samsungs key plants.

Zuckerberg is returning to Seoul as Meta is racing to compete in AI with powerful competitors from OpenAI and Microsoft Corp. to Alphabet Inc. In an Instagram Reels post last month, Zuckerberg said the companys future roadmap for AI requires it to build a massive compute infrastructure. By the end of 2024, he said that infrastructure will include 350,000 H100 chips from Nvidia Corp.

Zuckerberg and others have talked about aspirations for building artificial general intelligence, or AI as smart as the average human being, despite concerns about the future dangers of AGI for mankind. Samsung, for its part, has reportedly set up a new semiconductor R&D unit called the AGI Computing Lab in Silicon Valley to develop the next generation of chips.

After Seoul, Zuckerberg plans to travel to Jamnagar, Gujarat in western India to attend the pre-wedding celebrations of billionaire Mukesh Ambanis youngest son, Anant Ambani. The three-day festivities, which will start on March 1, will draw celebrities in business, technology and entertainment.
By Fadwa Hodali and Alisa Odenheimer

The prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Shtayyeh, tendered his resignation amid a broad push by Arab states and the US for the governing agency to reform itself.



It wasnt immediately clear if President Mahmoud Abbas would allow Shtayyeh and the rest of his government to step down.

But the prime ministers announcement on Monday marks a likely shift within the Palestinian Authority, as it tries to carve out a role for itself in the governance of the Palestinian territories once the fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza comes to an end.

The US and Arab countries in the region have been pushing for a reformed Palestinian Authority since the current fighting began on Oct. 7, when Hamas raided southern Israeli towns, killing some 1,200 people and kidnapping over 200 others.

The next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political arrangements, Shtayyeh said. Those need to take into account the emerging reality in the Gaza Strip, the national unity talks, and the urgent need for an inter-Palestinian consensus.

The PAs authority must be over the entire land of Palestine, he said, referring to Gaza and the West Bank.

The war has so far claimed the lives of some 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the health ministry run by Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union. Hamas-led authorities dont announce how many of those killed in the war are combatants.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in November that he discussed with Abbas the need to reform, the need to revitalize and revamp the Palestinian Authority including through moves to end corruption and support a free press.

Shtayyeh said in December that his government is working with US officials on a plan to run Gaza after the war is over and that his preferred outcome of the conflict would be for Hamas to become a junior partner under the broader Palestine Liberation Organization after accepting PLO principles.

So far, theres no sign that Hamas will agree to that.
The World Trade Organisation will open its biennial meeting Monday in the United Arab Emirates as the bloc faces pressure from the United States and other nations ahead of a year of consequential elections around the globe.

The WTO's 164 member nations will discuss a deal to ban subsidies that contribute to overfishing, extending a pause on taxes on digital media like movies and video games, and agricultural issues.

But headwinds remain for the organisation and the world's economy, particularly as the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic remains uneven across nations. Meanwhile, there are more than 50 elections affecting half the planet's population planned for this year perhaps none more critical for the WTO than the US presidential election on November 5.

Running again is former President Donald Trump, who threatened to withdraw the US from the WTO and repeatedly levied tariffs taxes on imported goods on perceived friends and foes alike. A Trump win could again roil global trade.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a dual Nigerian and American citizen, has pushed to insist the organisation remains vital as 75 per cent of the world's trade is done on its terms.

What we are focused on at the WTO are what are the appropriate reforms we need to do no matter who comes into power, when, Okonjo-Iweala earlier this month, insisting that the trade body remains relevant. If we get to what you're saying that the WTO becomes irrelevant everyone, including you and me, will be in trouble.

But even if President Joe Biden is re-elected, the US has deep reservations over the WTO. The United States under the past three administrations has blocked appointments to its appeals court, and it's no longer operating. Washington says the judges have overstepped their authority too often in ruling on cases.

The US also has criticised China for still describing itself as a developing country as it did when it joined the WTO in 2001. Washington, Europe and others say that Beijing improperly hampers access to emerging industries and steals or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology. The US also says China floods world markets with cheap steel, aluminum and other products.

Then there's the voting format of the WTO itself. Major decisions require consensus. That means countries must actively vote in favour for proposals to take effect.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said early on Monday that Yemen's Houthis launched one anti-ship ballistic missile likely targeting the MV Torm Thor, but missed the US -flagged, owned and operated oil tanker, in the Gulf of Aden on Feb. 24.

The missile impacted the water causing no damage nor injuries, CENTCOM added in a post on X.



The Iran-aligned group said on Sunday that they targeted the tanker, as the militants continue to attack shipping lanes in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.



The US military also shot down in "self-defence" two one-way unmanned aerial attack vehicles over the southern Red Sea on Sunday, said CENTCOM.



The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have launched exploding drones and missiles at commercial vessels since Nov. 19 as a protest against Israel's military operations in Gaza.



The turmoil from Israel's war with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has spilled over to some extent into other parts of the Middle East. Apart from the Houthi attacks on vital shipping lanes, Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group has traded fire with Israel along the Israel-Lebanon border and Iraqi militia have attacked bases that host US forces.
MWC - Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global IoT solutions provider, has unveiled a new portfolio of Wi-Fi 7 modules that are ideal for PC OEMs looking to support Wi-Fi 7 in their devices connectivity technology options. The expanded Quectel Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 modules range includes the Quectel NCM825, NCM825A, NCM835, NCM865 and NCM865A. All of the new modules offer support for Intel and AMD x86 platforms as well as the Snapdragon X Elite platform for leading Windows PC experiences.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226076383/en/

Quectel introduces new ultra-low latency Wi-Fi 7 modules for PC OEMs (Photo: Business Wire)

The Quectel NCM825, NCM835 and NCM865 series modules utilize a Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 Mobile Connectivity system from Qualcomm Technologies and support simultaneous operation on the 2.4GHz plus 5GHz and 2.4GHz plus 6 GHz frequency bands thanks to 2 x 2 MIMO with dual band simultaneous (DBS) capability. The NCM865 and NCM865A chipsets feature High Band Simultaneous (HBS) technology, which enhances wireless communication by minimizing interference within the high-frequency spectrum. This advancement contributes to a more efficient use of bandwidth, resulting in decreased latency and an increase in data throughput. The modules also support multi-link operation (MLO), a feature that allows routers to use multiple wireless bands and channels at the same time to connect to a Wi-Fi 7 client. MLO enables the NCM8x5 series to achieve a faster data rate, much lower latency and higher network reliability for users.

Were delighted to bring further choice to PC OEMs by adding Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 modules to our portfolio, said Norbert Muhrer, President and CSO, Quectel Wireless Solutions. By harnessing the performance of multi-link operation alongside dual band simultaneous capability we are able to ensure end users can access faster data with ultra-low latency while also continuing to experience outstanding network reliability. This widens the performance envelope for manufacturers and opens up rich experiences and greater flexibility for their customers.

In addition, the new modules support 4K-QAM and 320MHz bandwidth which enables them to achieve a maximum data rate of 5.8Gbps, allowing the ultra-low latency and real-time response that laptop use cases demand. The modules also integrate and support dual Bluetooth, 2Mbps Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), LE audio and BLE Long Range.

The Quectel NCM825 series measures 16.0mm x 20.0mm x 1.80mm, while the NCM865 series measures 22.0mm x 30.0mm x 2.25mm. The modules operate in the -10 C to +65 C temperature range and variants are certified by regulators across the globe.

Quectel places security at the heart for everything they do. Working closely with Finite State, the leader in managing software supply chain risk for the enterprise, to enhance the security of its modules through rigorous security testing, improved software supply chain visibility, and comprehensive software risk management, ensuring security testing in all phases of the development cycle. In addition to penetration testing of its key modules, Quectel announced the release of Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) and Vulnerability Exploitability Exchange (VEX) documents for its IoT modules. As an industry-first among IoT module manufacturers, these resources will be made available through the Quectel website.

Furthermore, to help customers to facilitate their designs, Quectel offers a variety of high-performance antennas which boost wireless connectivity significantly. IoT developers can bundle Quectel modules along with Quectels antennas and pre-certification services, reducing both cost and time-to-market for their IoT devices.

About Quectel

Quectels passion for a smarter world drives us to accelerate IoT innovation. A highly customer-centric organization, we are a global IoT solutions provider backed by outstanding support and services. Our growing global team of 5,900 professionals sets the pace for innovation in cellular, GNSS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules as well as antennas and services.

With regional offices and support across the globe, our international leadership is devoted to advancing IoT and helping build a smarter world.

For more information, please visit: www.quectel.com, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

Qualcomm, Snapdragon and FastConnect are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated.

Qualcomm and Snapdragon branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm patented technologies are licensed by Qualcomm Incorporated.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226076383/en/
Today,Visa (NYSE: V), a leading global payments technology company, and the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation (GSMA Foundation) announced the launch of the Digital Finance for All (DFA) Initiative, furthering Visas decades-long efforts to increase access to the global economy for everyone, everywhere. This five-year initiative aims to advance digital financial inclusion for 20 million individuals, including women, small holder farmers (SHF), and nano, micro and small enterprise (NMSE) owners across low- and middle-incomecountries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

While digital payments use by adults in low- and middle-income countries is up 66% from 20141, women, SHFs, NMSE owners and globally displaced individuals continue to face barriers accessing the digital economy. Women in low- and middle-income countries are 20% less likely than men to hold a formal financial account2 and more than 30% of the worlds food is produced by SHFs3 yet most have limited or no access to formal financial services like credit, loans, savings, or insurance4.

At Visa, we believe that digital payments are critical to including everyone in the digital economy by helping provide access to economic livelihood, said Chiagozie Nwabuebo, Vice President of Global Growth & Social Impact, Visa. Together with the GSMA Foundation, we seek to empower those in underserved communities across the world and provide equal access to help build better financial futures for all.

To help improve financial health, the DFA will:

Deliver financial education resources through a jointly developed mobile financial literacy toolkit that enables easy delivery and scaling across markets to help enable successful access to and participation in mobile money services;

Develop joint research through the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute (VEEI) and the GSMA Foundation focused on financial inclusion, advocacy and product innovation for women, SHFs, NMSEs and globally displaced individuals;

Digitize SHFs and NMSEs to support their adoption of digital financial services to enable their resilience and growth; and

Support meaningful financial inclusion and wellbeing for refugees and the communities who host them.



Mobile money can play a transformative role in advancing financial inclusion and resilience for the nearly 2 billion people who remain unbanked globally. However, poor digital and financial literacy is a key barrier to accessing digital financial services, especially for certain population segments like women, farmers and micro-merchants, said Ashley Olson Onyango, Head of Financial Inclusion and AgriTech, GSMA. We are very excited about our partnership with Visa enabling us to further drive economic empowerment and support millions of users to access life changing financial services.

For more information on Visas commitment to build a more inclusive global economy, visit here.

About Visa Inc.

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

About GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation

The GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation, Inc. (The GSMA Foundation) brings together mobile operators, innovators, governments, and the international development community to realise the positive social, economic and climate impact of mobile technology, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. With funding from donors and the GSMA, the GSMA Foundation runs programmes that advance digital and financial inclusion  with a strong focus on gender inclusivity, climate action, humanitarian response, and investment in innovative digital solutions. Since 2007, these programmes have impacted the lives of over 220 million people.

Find out more at https://www.gsma.com/aboutus/who-we-are/gsma-foundation/

Follow Mobile for Development on X: @GSMAm4d and on LinkedIn: GSMA  Mobile for Development

Follow the Mobile Money programme on X: @GSMAMobileMoney

1 The World Bank (2021), The Global Findex Database 2021

2 GSMA (2023), Accelerating Digital and Financial Inclusion for Women.

3 Ricciardi et al (2018), How much of the worlds food do smallholders produce?

4 CGAP (2019), Smallholder Households: Distinct Segments, Different Needs

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226678583/en/
MANZINI  Businessman Sifiso Simelane may have been killed for money he had to pay bride price with.

This information has emerged following the arrest of four people who are linked to the murder of the businessman. The quartet was arrested over the weekend in a breakthrough over the murder of Simelane, who was brutally assassinated on January 22, 2024. Simelane of Bethany, Mahlanya under Lobamba Lomdzala Constituency, was gruesomely murdered by a gang of thugs, who slit his throat open after robbing him of his items, including a car, money which was in his safe and bank cards, among other things. His body was found dumped in a forest around Malkerns.

Suspect

According to sources, on Saturday, a female suspect was handed over by his lawyer to the Serious Crimes Unit - Lukhozi  at the Manzini Regional Police Headquarters. The suspect, aged 42, *Merlyn, was said to have known about the murder following allegations that she had approached another female, *Shakira, 34 seeking financial assistance. According to sources, Shakira was close to the deceased businessman and supposedly informed Merlyn that she did not have money to help her, but knew where they could get money. The sources claimed that this response got the attention of Merlyn and that was when they hatched the plan to rob the businessman. It was alleged that the two females organised four people who would rob the businessman as it was supposed that there was money in his safe that was saved towards paying lobola. The money, according to sources, was in excess of E40 000.

It was alleged that Merlyn invited her brother into the plan to rob the businessman, while Shakira roped in three other people. It was unclear who issued the instruction to murder Simelane as the intention was to rob him of the money. According to sources, the pair was arrested with another duo of males aged 24. They are said to be currently in police custody, assisting the law enforcers with information which would lead to the arrest of two other suspects. It is worth noting that on February 6, 2024, the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) issued a mug shot of Selby Sgaga Dlamini of Mangozeni, a shanty town located in Malkerns. Dlamini, aged 42, according to the police, is wanted for robbery and they appealed to the public to share information of his whereabouts. Those with information were requested to contact the Regional Crime Branch Officer (RCBO), Thabo Hlophe, at 7606 8570 or Junior Dlamini at 7618 6763 or the investigating officer Ayanda Dlamini at 7603 3449.

It was gathered the police suspected that Dlamini had information that could also assist the police regarding the kidnapping, robbery and gruesome murder of Simelane. At the time of his murder, Simelane operated various businesses around Matsapha, some of which belong to his family. These include The Gallery Hotel. At the time of his murder, Simelane was at his home, when he received a call from people who claimed they wanted to deliver tyres for him. It was said the men made an arrangement that Simelane should meet them in Matsapha, so that they could arrange where the truck, which was supposedly coming from the neighbouring Republic of South Africa, would deliver the tyres. It was gathered that the businessman agreed to meet them and they went to one of his familys businesses in Matsapha, which they rent out. When they arrived at the business premises, this publication reported on January 22, 2024, that the security guard at the premises, where the tyres were to be supposedly delivered, was bundled into the boot of a vehicle.

On the other hand, the suspects demanded the bank account PIN and the security code of the safe. The suspects who eventually killed Simelane reportedly drove to the businessmans home, where they found his wife asleep. It was said they woke her up by assaulting her with bush knives and tied her with tape as well. They reportedly spent about an hour and they stole money and other valuables from the safe, television set, closed circuit television (CCTV)decoder and alcoholic beverages. The suspects further stole two vehicles from Simelane, which were a Mercedes-Benz LDV and also a BMW sedan. The robbers reportedly drove to a forest next to Malkerns Research, where they gruesomely murdered him by slitting his throat open.

It was said that after brutally taking the businessmans life, they proceeded to some automated teller machines (ATMs) around Matsapha and withdrew an undisclosed amount of money. Some of the suspects were said to have also visited one of the eateries in Matsapha to buy meals and one of the liquor outlets to purchase booze. Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni confirmed that four suspects were arrested by the police. She said police were still continuing with their investigations.
Political advisor suggests China scrap birth limit completely

13:25, February 26, 2024 By Zhao Yusha ( Global Times

A national political advisor has suggested China scrap its birth limit completely to boost the country's birth rate, and give equal birth support policies to single parents, as well as children born out of wedlock.

In the face of rapidly declining birth rates, it is no longer appropriate to continue restricting the number of children families can have, said Xiong Shuilong, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee.

Thus, Xiong proposed to completely abolish the limits on the number of children residents can have and truly return the right to have children to families. At the same time, give unmarried or single parents the equal right to enjoy relevant support policies for childbearing, Xiong stated in his drafted proposal which is scheduled to submit during this year's two sessions.

The political advisor also put forward suggestions on reducing social costs borne directly by enterprises due to female employees' childbirth. The proposals include improving cost-sharing mechanisms for maternity leave, significantly reducing the social security costs borne by enterprises for female employees during maternity leave and extended prenatal check-up periods. For enterprises that hire women of childbearing age, certain income tax reductions can be granted, Xiong suggested.

He also appealed local government to provide subsidies for families with multiple children, and accelerate the building of public kindergartens and nursing homes, in order to relieve the burden of parents.

China's population decreased by 2.08 million people in 2023 to 1.40967 billion, the National Bureau of Statistics data showed in January this year. In 2023, 9.02 million babies were born, resulting in a birth rate of 6.39 per thousand people. Meanwhile, 11.1 million people died in 2023, equal to a death rate of 7.87 per thousand people, the data showed.

In 2021, China further lifted its family planning policy to allow each couple to have up to three children. The ratio of third children among Chinese newborns in 2022 was 15 percent, 0.5 percentage points higher than in 2021, a statistical bulletin released by China's top health authority said in October last year.

Policies to boost birth rate are expected to become a focal point for representatives at this year's two sessions, which starts next week. Before the national two sessions, provincial-level regions have concluded their local sessions. The Global Times has noticed that this year's provincial two sessions have seen representatives paying more attention to livelihood issues such as marriage, childbirth, and the protection of minors.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
MBABANE  A businessman at Kutsimuleni, under Mkhiweni Constituency has lost millions of Emalangeni after his business was hindered for four years due to the Manzini Regional Administrator (RA), Chief Gijas refusal to sign a Kings consent document for the business.

Mbone Jet Investments Director, Mboniseni Dlamini, said, despite multiple attempts to have the document signed, he had been allegedly stonewalled by the RA, leaving the business unable to operate and in turn losing millions of Emalangeni. Also, 50 people have been left without jobs in the block yard business. A Kings consent is a legal document that grants permission for businesses to operate on Eswatini Nation Land (ENL). Explaining how the business was started, Dlamini said he was allocated a piece of land by a Dlamini family in 2017, and was taken to the Emfangibhekile Royal Kraal for the inner councils (bandlancane) approval.

Emissary

According to Dlamini, the royal kraal gave him an emissary, who accompanied him to the Eswatini Commercial Amadoda (ECA) for an application to start his business. He explained that all processes were followed and he started operating. Dlamini stated that while conducting his business, he was allegedly stopped by the police and when he requested answers, he was told that his business was operating illegally. I was then called to the RAs Office. At the time, it was held by Prince Gcokoma who, after engagements, said he did not see the need to stop my business from operating, Dlamini said. He highlighted that his business continued operating until 2018, when Chief Gija was appointed RA. Dlamini was once again called to a meeting with Emfangibhekile Council, the Dlamini family (whom he bought the land from), and Manzini Kings liaison officers.

According to Dlamini, in that meeting, he was told to stop operating his business. Nothing was said to the family and council which approved all the processes. The attack was on me to stop my work, without any instrument or documentation to that effect, he claimed. Adding, Dlamini highlighted that Chief Gija told him to stop operating without the Kings consent, despite explaining that this kind of business did not require a Kings consent. He insisted that I should get the Kings consent, and then come back to him so he can sign it. He said he doesnt care where I get it from but all he needs is the document so that the business will operate, Dlamini said. The ECA granted him the Kings consent and the Manzini Kings liaison officer signed it but Chief Gija allegedly refused to sign the document. Dlamini alleged that he was told to inform His Majesty that he had been operating on ENL without authority.

Confused

I was confused about what to do next because this felt like an attack on my business. This area has been without a chief for 38 years and all the businesses I know here, adopted the same model I chose. None of them were requested to tell His Majesty that they were operating unlawfully, he stated. He explained that several people tried to reason with Chief Gija but he allegedly insisted that he should go to the King. Dlamini said as a family, they resolved to seek intervention from higher authorities. He said they presented a cow as a form of apology for any wrongdoing he had done. Dlamini mentioned that after they had presented the cow to the King, they returned to Chief Gija, seeking for the Kings consent but he allegedly refused to grant him.

He stated that instead of being granted the document, he was allegedly accused of failure to respect traditional authorities. I was told I lack respect thus he can even tell the King to reject the cow I presented. We tried to engage with the RA on several occasions. I even sent lincusa to intervene, but nothing changed. Since 2019, the business has stalled because I cant operate without the Kings consent, he said. Furthermore, he mentioned that the most painful thing was that the business had hired local people who were now without jobs. Dlamini said per month, the business made around E450 000 turn-over and was still servicing millions in loans, which were taken to start the business. He viewed this as an attack on his business as a liSwati.

Dlamini stated that since the business was stopped, he had never had peace from people who wanted the bricks and sand they paid for. I owe people their bricks and I am unable to repay them their monies because the business stopped operating. Even if the business can resume operations now, it will take time to regain my customers trust, he said.
Modified On Feb 26, 2024 03:00 PM By Shreyash for VinFast VF6

This EV manufacturing plant spans 400 acres, with a projected annual capacity of 1.5 lakh vehicles.

The Vietnamese carmaker plans to invest over Rs 4,100 crore over five years.

The VinFast EV manufacturing plant targets a production capacity of 1.5 lakh units per year.

The VinFast VF7, VinFast VF8, VinFast VFe34, and VinFast VF6 could be the first few models to be launched in India.

The automaker is expected to make its Indian market debut in 2025.

Vietnamese carmaker VinFast has been looking to enter the Indian market for some time now, and has been ahead of global rival Tesla in that regard. It has moved a step closer to its goal with the inauguration of a 400-acre manufacturing plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu in the presence of Thiru M. K. Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. VinFast also plans to establish a dealership network across the country, but is yet to confirm exact timelines for this endeavor. Lets take a closer look at their objectives and potential future products.

VinFast In India

VinFast plans to invest approximately Rs 4,144 crore over five years in its EV manufacturing plant in India, which is projected to have a capacity of producing 1.5 lakh vehicles annually. The facility will create job opportunities for 3,000 to 3,500 people in the state.

Commenting on the inaugural ceremony, Mr. Pham Sanh Chau, CEO of VinFast India, said, VinFasts groundbreaking ceremony for its plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, is a significant stride towards sustainable and green mobility in India. By establishing an integrated electric vehicle facility, the companys commitment to job creation, green transportation, and strategic partnerships solidifies VinFasts position as a major player in the electric vehicle industry. This milestone strengthens the bonds between the robust economies of Vietnam and India, and underscores VinFasts dedication to a zero-emission transportation future, setting the stage for economic growth, innovation, and environmental sustainability in the region.

Also Check Out: Mitsubishi Set To Make A Comeback In India, But Not In The Way You'd Think

More About Vin Fast

VinFast, a new player in the automotive industry, officially commenced operations in 2017 in Vietnam. Initially, the EV maker introduced scooters and models based on BMW cars. In 2021, VinFast expanded its offerings, launching three electric cars, two new electric scooters, and an electric bus in Vietnam.

The following year, VinFast began expanding its global presence by establishing showrooms in the US, Europe, and Canada. VinFast currently sells models like VF8 and VF9 SUVs in the US, and also the VF6 and VF7 SUVs in Canada.

Also Check Out: These Are The 10 Most Affordable Cars With Cruise Control In India

Expected Models & Timeline

VinFast has shown its commitment for the Indian market with setting up its own facility but it will be some time before we can expect locally built models. It will likely aim to start operations with fully-built imports starting from 2025, and then offering CKDs (completely knocked down units) in India by 2026, with localised models to be introduced after. The first few models could be SUVs and crossovers like the VinFast VF7 and VinFast VF6. You can visit this link to know more about these models in detail.

What are your thoughts on VinFast and its products? Do you believe more automakers should introduce their products in India? Comment below.
You could say that a lot is riding on the Lexus LBX. Not only is it Lexus first three-letter named model after the LFA supercar, but becaus...
MBABANE - Eswatini police have arrested two South African nationals, believed to be hit men, who are reportedly wanted in connection with a number of murder cases including, that a of South African musician.

The two South African nationals who are aged 28 and 29 are brothers who hail from Durban, KwaZulu Natal. In their home country, they are wanted to assist the police with information in the murder cases including that of the musician and three taxi owners. It is suspected that after committing the offences, they came to hide in the Kingdom of Eswatini, where they were renting a house. When the members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) pounced on them on Friday, they were reportedly found inside the house they were renting ever since their arrival in the country. It has been reliably gathered that there were three people living in the house and the other one is still at large. In their home country, the duo with the other suspect, who is now a fugitive of the law, are also wanted for alleged money laundering and kidnapping.

Suspects

According to sources, in most of the murder cases, the suspects purportedly acted as tinkhabi. Tinkhabi is a word that is used in the neighbouring country to refer to people who are hired and paid to kill someone. The suspects are expected to make their maiden court appearance in one of the countrys magistrates court today. In the Kingdom of Eswatini, they are facing charges of remaining in the country without valid documents authorising them to do so. Their arrest comes after the prosecution of the neighbouring country, through their local counterparts, moved an application for their (suspects) provisional arrest. According to sources, in South Africa, one of the suspects is involved in the public transport industry and some of the murder charges he is allegedly facing emanated from a dispute he had with some of his competitors in the business. A provisional arrest is appropriate when the country making the request for extradition believes that there is a risk the fugitive will flee.

Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni only confirmed the arrest of the two South African nationals. She said they received information that in their home country, the two were wanted on charges of murder. Mnguni said pending the processing of their extradition papers; they would appear before court to answer on the charges of having violated the countrys immigration laws.

Gunned

The artist and his friends were reportedly gunned down in February last year. The musician was reportedly standing outside a restaurant when a gunman walked up to him and shot him in the head. He (musician) died instantly. His assassination was captured on video and has been widely shared. The suspects are believed to have fled the Republic of South Africa after learning that police were hot on their heels. Notably, the country and the Republic of South Africa had been working closely and tirelessly to ensure that a wanted person who escaped to hide in either of the countries was extradited. Recently, the South African Police Service (SAPS) handed over to their local counterparts, Sifiso Thwala, one of the suspects allegedly involved, in the murder of a police officer and robbery at Siphofaneni Buy Cash Hardware. It was also SAPS and the INTERPOL who assisted in the arrest of Patrick Bhubesi Shongwe, the police officer who is accused of murdering his girlfriend  a nurse who was based at Hlatikhulu Government Hospital. Shongwe was reportedly arrested by Interpol South Africa (SA), while in Kokstad.
MBABANE - The presence of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry investigating the Office of the Master of the High Court has resulted in people shunning the offices of the latter.

The Office of the Master of the High Court was established in terms of the Administration of Estates Act No.28 of 1902 and is responsible for the administration of deceaseds estates and the winding up of companies. Investigations by this publication have revealed that ever since the commission was introduced, they have seen a growing number of people who no longer go to the Office of the Master of the High Court, but prefer to appear and make their submissions before the Judge Majahenkhaba Dlamini-led commission.

Disputes

Some of those who had turned their back on the Office of the Master of the High Court shared that the reason they felt that their disputes should now be dealt with by the commission was because, for years, they had not been getting any assistance from the Masters Office, such that some beneficiaries died due to depression. Some said they had lost hope in the operations of the Masters Office, as their cases had been stalled for many years with no solution. Others alleged that instead of getting help from the Office of the Master of the High Court, they were purportedly being met with hostility from the officers and their hope was now with the commission. So far, there are 145 cases pending before the commission, inclusive of those which are pending in court and being dealt with by the Office of the Master of the High Court.

This has raised concerns from some members of the public, who were of the view that this would create a lot of misperceptions and confusion. So far, the commission has heard submissions in over 50 matters and some of them were heard in camera after a request from those who wanted to make presentations before the commission. This might generate a lot of confusion, as aggrieved members of the public are now flooding the commission with their complaints and/or disputes knowing very well that same was lis pendens or pending in another forum, said a legal expert. It has also been noted that a number of the cases that had been brought before the commission are subjudice (under judicial consideration and therefore prohibited from public discussion elsewhere). The commission, which is made up of five judges, was put in place by Chief Justice (CJ) Bheki Maphalala, on January 16, 2024.

Confirmed

Secretary of the commission, Siphiwo Nyoni, confirmed that they had noted that some people ran to the commission while their matters were still pending before the master of the High Court. Nyoni urged members of the public to continue utilising the Office of the Master of the High Court. She mentioned that the commission had not come to take away the work of the officers from the Office of the Master of the High Court. We have received calls from people with matters which are pending before the master of the High Court, who want to appear before the commission. We would like to urge people to continue utilising that office as it is its duty to deal with such matters, she said.

Persistent

In his remarks during the establishment of the commission, the CJ said there were persistent and continued negative reports about alleged improprieties and abuse of power at the Office of the Master of the High Court. He stated that the veracity of the alleged improprieties must be investigated properly and corrective measures adopted to stabilise and restore public confidence in the Office of the Master of the High Court. The Judicial Commission of Inquiry is expected to submit its report within 90 days. The commission may, if necessary, investigate and make findings and recommendations on any other matter regarding the master of the High Court, regardless of when it is alleged to have occurred, on condition that such other investigations, findings and recommendations do not cause any delay in the submission of the report, reads part of the commissions terms of reference. It will have powers to determine its own rules of procedures for the effective fulfilment of its mandate.

According to the terms of reference, the Civil Service Act No.16 will apply to the giving of evidence before the commission as though they constituted a court. The commission has the authority to examine and/or review policies, procedures, practices and conduct relating to the operations of the Office of the Master of the High Court. It shall invite oral and written evidence. As part of its powers, it will have the authority to subpoena witnesses to attend and give evidence before it and issue a subpoena for the attendance of a witness and shall be served by a peace officer as if it were a subpoena issued out at the magistrates court.

Document

It has the power to require the discovery and production of any document and/or records it consider relevant to the inquiry. Law Society of Eswatini Secretary (LSE) General Charity when reached comment said: As the Law Society we still maintain our stance about the commission. After the commission was established, the LSE wrote to CJ, wherein it presented 22 reasons why he should stop the commission. In the correspondence, the Law Society brought it to the attention of the CJ that the legal authority to establish a commission into the Masters Office vested in the minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, being the minister with responsibility for the Judiciary and the administration of estates. According to the LES, the responsibility was assigned to the minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs by His Majesty the King in terms of Legal Notice No.189 of 2015.

Meanwhile, Umhluma Women & Youth Foundation Executive Director, Lungelo Zulu said the reasons emaSwati were now flooding the commission, instead of going to the Office of the Master of the High Court, was because they were now confused on what to do as the commissions terms of reference ought to have succinctly stipulated which matters should be presented and/or brought before it. He said estates stayed for a longer period without being distributed within the six months stipulated by the law. He said emaSwati were taking advantage of the commission because estates remained undistributed for a lengthy period, which was something frustrating to the beneficiaries. Zulu mentioned that the establishment of the commission was a good thing as it would help the country to identify loopholes in the manner in which estates were distributed.
McDonald Farm is a truly magnificent place, untouched for generations, saturated in stories from the past. A history that has yet to be told in its entirety, partly because its story isnt quite over. We are now facing the loss of 871 acres of heritage.

The recent rezoning request of the property has served as a call to action for me and many others. The January town hall meeting in Sale Creek provided much insight into the plans Hamilton County officials have for the property, with County Mayor Wamp saying things such as, We want to honor the farm, and its legacy while at the same time announcing the possibility of a parking lot, 277 acres of industrial manufacturing, commercial headquarters, and new roads cutting through McDonald Farm to further integrate Hwy 27. Although, they did announce plans to create an industrial park.

A smarter way to facilitate a profit for the county may be from the agricultural/natural side of things, creating jobs for the community that would educate residents as well as benefit them. Conservation efforts are rising in popularity. Why not seek to get ahead of the rise and embrace the opportunity the county now has, by further enriching the county rather than placing corporations on it and calling it a day? McDonald Farm has incredible potential, the unique landscape could help ring in a new era for Hamilton Countys cultural appeal.

An early May morning on the property is known to produce the thunderous sounds of the large population of wild turkey, who inhabit the same acreage now under the threat of concrete and steel. The property serves a purpose, with over 75 different bird species recorded on the property, including the Brewer's Blackbird. Located in more than one migration path, including the Sandhill Crane, and over 30 warbler species. The sprawling game population that nurtures the thriving ecosystems already in place, are surely to be affected by the industrious plans. Plans that would undoubtedly stain the land for perpetuity. Only to contribute to declining wildlife populations across the east.

This property has stood the test of time, having always played a significant role in history. Be it Civil War activity, Cherokee settlements or peach operations. The McDonald Clan has seen it all, helped inspire growth in the communities they involved themselves in, touching the lives of many people along the way. People that longed for the same, to build a life worth living, for a family worth having. But

McDonald Farm wasnt always the community staple that its known as today; it was shaped that way by people that poured their time, blood, sweat and tears into creating a community. From building the Sale Creek Presbyterian Church that helped bring the first real sense of community to Sale Creek, to keeping unity even through times of great division. From changing the way East Tennessee residents live through some of the first large scale grocery chains. To amplifying the voice of Chattanooga through the paper. The McDonald family has given so much in pursuit of change. Leaving a lineage of accomplishment. A legacy worth preservation, and a legacy worth our attention.

My goal isnt to stop Hamilton County from making money off the historically rich property. I only wish for the property to be used in a meaningful way, through producing an educational and culturally rich environment. Creating jobs for the ever-growing outdoor industry, while preserving the history for future generations. I challenge and/or encourage every reader to now take five minutes of your time to email your district commissioner or mayors office. It doesnt have to be a paragraph, not even a few sentences. Just say Save McDonald Farm, let your county officials know where you stand. There is only one place like this, one McDonald Farm. For the story to continue, for your future, your kids, your grandkids, to never forget what Waldens Ridge looked like 200 years ago. Conservation is key.

Mason Montague Eslinger

* * *

Regarding the disposition of the McDonald Farm: I could not say it better than Mr. Eslinger in his opinion letter.

We have an unparalleled opportunity to preserve 800 acres of natural beauty and agricultural history. Compare that with parking lots, industrial wastes and effluent, not to mention the burgeoning growth of industrial sprawl that accompanies such development. Look at Atlantas growth and ask if thats an environment where you would want to live.

The natural beauty of this area is Chattanoogas number one advantage; its what brings people to this area, and its what they comment most about when they return home.

Everett Kidder
The Tennessee Secretary of States office and Administrator of Elections Scott Allen want to remind all Hamilton County voters that Tuesday is the final day to cast a ballot during the early voting period for the March 5 Presidential Preference Primary and County Primaries.

Early voting concludes on Feb. 27, but there is still time for all registered Hamiton County voters to cast their ballots ahead of Super Tuesday, said Administrator of Elections Allen.

The ballot for the March 5 Presidential Preference Primary was certified and set in December of 2023, so some candidates who have suspended their presidential campaigns will still appear on the ballot.

Voters will not only be selecting their preferred presidential candidate, but they will also be selecting delegates if voting in the Republican Primary and Circuit Court Judge, Div. 3, Criminal Court Judge, Div. 2, County Commission District 3, Assessor of Property, and Hamilton County School Board Districts 1, 2, 4, 7, 10 and 11.

If you are a registered Tennessee voter and you have not yet cast your ballot during the early voting period, now is the time, said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. Early voting provides a safe, secure process for registered voters to let their voices be heard before Election Day.

For details on hours, polling locations, and more, Hamiton County voters can download the free GoVoteTN app or visit GoVoteTN.gov.

Also, you can contact the Hamiton County Election Commission: Email Vote@HamiltonTN.gov or Phone (423) 209-VOTE (8683). Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
A top World Trade Organisation (WTO) official has hailed UAE's commitment to trade liberalisation, including development of green and digital trade globally. Ralph Ossa, Chief Economist at WTO, cited the country's focus on low tariffs, export diversification, while saying this.

The WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) is taking place from February 26 to 29, 2024 in Abu Dhabi. Ministers from across the world will attend to review the functioning of the multilateral trading system and to take action on the future work of the WTO.

Ossa lauded the success of the WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva, MC12, affirming the organisation's plans to build on this momentum here in Abu Dhabi.

There are many important items on the agenda where we are hoping to make significant progress. Agenda items include, for example, the reform of our dispute settlement system, constraints on subsidies that lead to harmful overfishing and also e-commerce."

The WTO chief economist highlighted the great importance of green and digital trade and service, describing these sectors as the future of trade, especially in light of the current boom in digital trade and the promising growth of green trade globally.
The congested section of Interstate 24 between Murfreesboro and Nashville will be the first of the state's venture into "Choice Lanes."

The crowded section of I-24 around Moccasin Bend at Chattanooga is also high on the project list.

The new five-member state Transportation Improvement Board held its first meeting in Nashville on Monday and approved the Nashville project.

The state will enter into contracts with private firms to build and operate the lanes that will have user fees.

Brian Ledford, who occupies the new TDOT position over public and private partnerships, said the Choice Lanes will be brand new lanes - not reworked current lanes.

He said environmental and design work will get underway on initial projects, including traffic and economic studies. It is planned to issue the Request for Proposals by next year.

Mr. Ledford said Tennessee opted for the Choice Lanes alongside existing routes rather than building toll roads or the state going into debt for road projects.

The ambitious program, including the new board, was authorized under the $3.3 billion Transportation Improvement Act.

Mr. Ledford said studies have shown Nashville has the state's most congested roads and has high growth projections.

He said the new lanes will also feature "reliable pathways for mass transit" and offer motorists "reliable trip time."

Mr. Ledford said Choice Lanes are also planned for West Knoxville around the I-75/I/40 split.

He said, for Memphis, it was decided to focus on building a new I-55 bridge rather than Choice Lanes there.

TDOT will be entering into "50-year partnerships" with private developers on the projects, it was stated.

Fred Decosimo of Chattanooga is on the board along with Mike Keeney, Steve Johnson, David Bradshaw and chairman Deputy Governor and Commissioner of Transportation Butch Eley.
photo by Hamilton County Sheriff's Office photo by Hamilton County Sheriff's Office photo by Hamilton County Sheriff's Office photo by Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Previous Next

The body of a missing boater has been recovered from Lake Chickamauga. He was identified as 78-year-old Phil Acord, who reportedly fell into the water around 12:30 p.m. while fishing with a friend.

Mr. Acord retired at the end of 2021 after 52 years at the Chambliss Center for Children.

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, along with the Hamilton County EMA, Hamilton County Sheriffs Office, and Dallas Bay Fire Department, responded to the call. TWRA officers and Hamilton County Sheriffs Office utilized remote operated vehicles to search the area near the Ware Branch boating access on Thatch Road.

Hamilton County Sheriffs office located Mr. Acord just after 5:30 p.m. He was not wearing a life jacket. The water temperature was 53 degrees and water depths in the area vary between 10 and 15 feet.

This is the state's first boating fatality in 2024.
The largest EU research initiative ever launched has come to a successful end: The graphene Flagship was officially concluded at the end of last year. Empa researchers were also involved, such as molecular biologist Peter Wick, who was part of the Health and Environment work package from the very beginning  and has just summarized the findings in this area with international colleagues in a comprehensive review article in the specialist journal ACS Nano.

The "Graphene Flagship" initiative has investigated the effects of graphene (blue) and related materials on health and the environment. Colored scanning electron microscopy. Empa

Think big. Despite its research topic, this could well be the motto of the Graphene Flagship, which was launched in 2013: With an overall budget of one billion Euros, it was Europe's largest research initiative to date, alongside the Human Brain Flagship, which was launched at the same time. The same applies to the review article on the effects of graphene and related materials on health and the environment, which Empa researchers Peter Wick and Tina Burki just published together with 30 international colleagues in the scientific journal ACS Nano; on 57 pages, they summarize the findings on the health and ecological risks of graphene materials, the reference list includes almost 500 original publications.

A wealth of knowledge  which also gives the all-clear. "We have investigated the potential acute effects of various graphene and graphene-like materials on the lungs, in the gastrointestinal tract and in the placenta  and no serious acute cell-damaging effects were observed in any of the studies," says Wick, summarizing the results. Although stress reactions can certainly occur in lung cells, the tissue recovers rather quickly. However, some of the newer 2D materials such as boron nitrides, transition metal dichalcogenides, phosphenes and MXenes have not yet been investigated much, Wick points out; further investigations were needed here.

In their analyses, Wick and Co. did not limit themselves to newly produced graphene-like materials, but also looked at the entire life cycle of various applications of graphene-containing materials. In other words, they investigated questions such as: What happens when these materials are abraded or burnt? Are graphene particles released, and can this fine dust harm cells, tissues or the environment?

One example: The addition of a few percent graphene to polymers, such as epoxy resins or polyamides, significantly improves material properties such as mechanical stability or conductivity, but the abrasion particles do not cause any graphene-specific nanotoxic effect on the cells and tissues tested. Wick's team will be able to continue this research even after the flagship project has come to an end, also thanks to funding from the EU as part of so-called Spearhead projects, of which Wick is deputy head.

In addition to Wick's team, Empa researchers led by Bernd Nowack have used material flow analyses as part of the Graphene Flagship to calculate the potential future environmental impact of materials containing graphene and have modeled which ecosystems are likely to be impacted and to what extent. Roland Hischier's team, like Nowack's at Empa's Technology and Society lab, used life cycle assessments to investigate the environmental sustainability of different production methods and application examples for various graphene-containing materials. And Roman Fasel's team from Empa's nanotech@surfaces lab has advanced the development of electronic components based on narrow graphene ribbons.

A European success story for research and innovation Launched in 2013, the Graphene Flagship represented a completely new form of joint, coordinated research on an unprecedented scale. The aim of the large-scale project was to bring together researchers from research institutions and industry to bring practical applications based on graphene from the laboratory to the market within ten years, thereby creating economic growth, new jobs and new opportunities for Europe in key technologies. Over its ten-year lifetime, the consortium consisted of more than 150 academic and industrial research teams in 23 countries plus numerous associated members.

Last September, the ten-year funding period ended with the Graphene Week in Gothenburg, Sweden. The final report impressively demonstrates the success of the ambitious large-scale project: The Flagship has "produced" almost 5,000 scientific publications and more than 80 patents. It has created 17 spin-offs in the graphene sector, which have raised a total of more than 130 million Euros in venture capital. According to a study by the German economic research institute WifOR, the Graphene Flagship has led to a total added value of around 5.9 billion Euros in the participating countries and created more than 80,000 new jobs in Europe. This means that the impact of the Graphene Flagship is more than 10 times greater than shorter EU projects.

In the course of the project, Empa received a total of around three million Swiss francs in funding  which had a "catalytic" effect, as Peter Wick emphasizes: "We have roughly tripled this sum through follow-up projects totaling around 5.5 million Swiss francs, including further EU projects, projects funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and direct cooperation projects with our industrial partners  and all this in the last five years."

But the advantage of such projects goes far beyond the generous funding, emphasizes Wick: "It is truly unique to be involved in such a large project and broad network over such a long period of time. On the one hand, it has resulted in numerous new collaborations and ideas for projects. On the other hand, working together with international partners over such a long period of time has a completely different quality, we trust each other almost blindly; and such a well-coordinated team is much more efficient and produces better scientific results," Wick is convinced. Last but not least, many personal friendships came about.

A new dimension: graphene and other 2D materials Graphene is an enormously promising material. It consists of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb pattern and has extraordinary properties: exceptional mechanical strength, flexibility, transparency and outstanding thermal and electrical conductivity. If the already two-dimensional material is spatially restricted even more, for example into a narrow ribbon, controllable quantum effects can be created. This could enable a wide range of applications, from vehicle construction and energy storage to quantum computing.

For a long time, this "miracle material" existed only in theory. It was not until 2004 that physicists Konstantin Novoselov and Andre Geim at the University of Manchester were able to specifically produce and characterize graphene. To do this, the researchers removed layers of graphite with a piece of adhesive tape until they had flakes just one atom thick. They were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for this work in 2010.
Scientists have discovered a more robust way of grouping chemicals and using read-across for toxicological data to meet regulatory requirements, which could greatly reduce animal testing.

The safety of chemicals is taken incredibly seriously by regulators and as such industry must meet certain criteria if they are trying to get a new chemical approved for use, often this is done by testing the chemicals on rats.

Grouping and read-across is an EU-approved approach, which allows new chemicals that are structurally similar to other already approved chemicals, to have the same toxicology information copied across to them for approval to be brought to market. But this process is unreliable and the majority of new chemical grouping and read-across submissions, are rejected by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

But now a method using metabolomics, published in Archives in Toxicology, could be the key to making the grouping read-across process more effective.

The study is from the MATCHING consortium, which is led by the University of Birmingham, in partnership with BASF, BASF Metabolome Solutions, ECHA, Imperial College London, Syngenta, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the US Environmental Protection Agency, and funded by the European Chemical Industry Councils Long-Range Research Initiative (Cefic-LRI).

Mark Viant, Professor of Metabolomics at the University of Birmingham said: Chemicals fall into three categories of drugs, pesticides and industrial chemicals, and we are exposed to some of these every single day of our lives. Industrial chemicals are not intended for direct exposure to humans or the environment, but inevitably this will happen, so the toxicology information must be accurate.

Instead of only measuring the structural similarity of the chemicals to form groups, we have found that by using metabolomics to measure the biological responses of the chemicals, we can make the grouping and read across more reliable.

To see if metabolomics would be more effective, six international labs conducted the same experiment. The researchers were all sent common plasma samples from rats which had been tested with eight chemicals. The teams did not know what the chemicals were and had to correctly group them using metabolomics.

The scientists looked for diagnostic metabolic biomarkers, which provide a detailed picture of the health of the rat. By using a shotgun approach like metabolomics, scientists could measure thousands of markers like amino acids and lipids, using mass spectrometry. This helped the labs group the eight chemicals into two groups of three and one of two chemicals.

All the results were then sent to the European Chemicals Agency who compiled them before the findings were revealed to the whole consortium. The five labs whose data passed quality control all discovered the same grouping. This is the first time that the use of metabolomics for grouping has been proven to be a reproducible method.

Katherine Santizo from Cefic-LRI: This is a massive step forward to improve the existing grouping and read-across approach. The fact that five labs from different countries all got the same, correct results while using different methods and instruments, their own procedures and statistical analysis shows that metabolomics is a reliable method.

This is good news for the phasing out of rat testing, as the purpose of grouping and read-across is to reduce the number of chemicals that need to be tested on rats. But, due to the high percentage of chemicals which are currently rejected, this is not always the case.

Professor Viant explained: Rats are not a good model for humans in the first place and reproducibility of rat testing is not great. As well as this, the toxicity tests for just one chemical may require more than 1000 rats. With tens of thousands of chemicals requiring testing in Europe, and while not all of these require the same level of testing, a lot of them will end up being tested on rats. Even without the ethical considerations, this is a costly and slow process. So, by making the grouping and read-across approach more robust by using metabolomics, the number of lab rats being tested could be dramatically cut.

Tomasz Sobanski, Team Leader for Alternative Methods in the Computational Assessment and Alternative Methods Unit, ECHA said: The need to demonstrate the reliability of metabolomics was first identified during one of our workshops in 2016. We are very impressed with the results of this research, and we believe that they will improve the grouping and read-across. We hope that learnings from this research will be included in new guidance for the chemical industry to allow commercial laboratories to provide these services widely.
Jammu, Feb 26 (UNI) Pushing ahead with its efforts to destroy and dismantle the terrorist ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday charge-sheeted five accused, including three absconding Pakistan-based handlers of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit, in the Rajouri attacks case of January 2023.

NIA in a release said the case relates to a heinous terror attack on civilians at village Dhangri, in Rajouri district on January 1, 2023, followed by an IED blast the next day.

Seven innocent people, including two children, were killed and several others severely injured in the attacks.

Three of the charge-sheeted individuals are LeT handlers, identified as Saifullah alias Sajid Jutt alias Ali alias Habibullah alias Numan alias Langda alias Noumi, Mohd Qasim, and Abu Qatal alias Qatal Sindhi.

While Abu Qatal and Sajit Jutt are Pakistani nationals, Qasim had been exfiltrated to Pakistan sometime around 2002 and had joined the LeT terrorist ranks there.

As per investigations, the trio had orchestrated the recruitment and dispatch of LeT terrorists from Pakistan to target innocent civilians, particularly from the minority community in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as security personnel, the release said.

The attacks were carried out under the direction of these Pakistan-based handlers.

Saifullah alias Sajid Jutt is currently a highly placed LeT Commander and was responsible for engineering the overall conspiracy from Pakistan, along with the other two. Mohd Qasim is presently the right hand of highly placed LeT Commanders.

Abu Qatal had come to India in 2002-03 and was active in the Poonch-Rajouri range, along with other terrorists.

The other two charge-sheeted accused are Nisar Ahmed alias Haji Nisar and Mushtaq Hussain alias Chacha, both Overground workers (OGWs) of the LeT and are residents of Mohra, Gursai, Tehsil Mendhar of Poonch district.



The duo was arrested during the investigations by the NIA.

It was found during investigations that they had provided logistical support to the terrorists on the directions of Abu Qatal.

"Along with a juvenile, who was also apprehended for aiding and abetting the perpetrators, they had provided food, shelter, and other types of logistics support to the terrorists for approximately three months following the attack in Dhangri. They had also attempted to conceal evidence by destroying the mobile phone used for clandestine communication with the Pakistan-based LeT commanders," the release said.

It further said that Nisar had also received a consignment of arms, ammunition, and cash sent by the Pakistan-based handlers for the terrorists.



"Investigations have revealed that Nisar had come in contact with Abu Qatal during the latters stay in India," the release said adding that he had remained in touch with Abu Qatal even after the latters return to Pakistan.

In the Chargesheet filed, the two arrested adult accused and the Pak-based handlers have been charged under UA(P) Act and various sections of IPC.

The final report against the apprehended juvenile will be submitted to the Juvenile Justice Board, Rajouri in due course.

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Researchers have identified a new species of ancient shark at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. The Mammoth Cave is the largest cave system in the world and is around 350 million-years-old.

During an ongoing investigation of the area for a paleontological inventory involving the collection and identification of fossils, paleontologists extracted a number of small, spoon-like teeth from a cave wall and ceiling.

They determined that the now-extinct shark was a petalodont, meaning that it is part of the petal-toothed shark family. In addition, it was more related to a modern ratfish than to other sharks and rays of today.

The new species is called Strigilodus tollesonae. The name translates to Tollesons Scraper Tooth, in honor of Kelli Tolleson, a guide at the Mammoth Cave National Park who supported the paleontological inventory efforts that started in 2019.

According to the National Park Service (NPS), some of the fossil sites were tricky to access. Many of them were located in areas with low ceilings.

Tolleson led several of the expeditions into the remote depths of the cave. Through her work and guidance, many important fossils were uncovered.

The shark teeth found in the cave matched the tooth positions in the adults and juveniles of the species.

They were spread in a fan-like fashion, with one large tooth in the middle and several smaller teeth next to it.

The teeth were also rounded and curved for the purpose of grabbing hard shell prey. The side of the tooth that faced the inside of the mouth was lengthier than the rest and had ridges used to crush their food.

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New Delhi, Feb 26 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the defamation proceedings going on in the trial court against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his alleged re-tweet against the BJP IT cell, till March 11.



A bench comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta stayed the summons issued to Kejriwal by the Trial court and adjourned the matter till March 11.



Kejriwal had filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court challenging a February 5 order of the Delhi High Court which had refused to quash the summons issued by the Trial court against him in a defamation suit for re-tweeting defamatory content against the BJPs IT cell.



The summons was issued by the Trial court in a defamation case lodged against him for retweeting a video on social media platform 'X' making certain allegations related to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT Cell.



Appearing for CM Kejriwal, Senior Advocate Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, said that the complaint against the Chief Minister was based solely on a retweet and that the original complaint was withdrawn. The same complaint was filed again after nine months, Singhvi said. "It's a case of defamation just for retweeting on X.



Even the Pre-summoning evidence was recorded, Singhvi said but then the Suit was withdrawn. The complaint was filed again nine months after the incident, and this fact was suppressed before the trial court, he said.

Kejriwals lawyer admitted that the retweet was a mistake, and then the court asked the complainant whether he was agreeable to withdraw the case and to close it. The Top Court also directed the trial court not to take up the matter till March 11.



Showing his surprise, Dr Singhvi said, "It's a case of an exact retweet. No addition, no deletion," Singhvi said. The technical point of the complaint was added in the re-filed petition.



Justice Khanna said, when it comes to retweets, there may be two ways to look at it: One is an endorsement. If it is an endorsement, then it may have its consequences. The other way to look at it is, you found something on the internet or the website and you are just sharing that information."



"That's the precise point to be decided," Singhvi said, "Unfortunately, the high court has taken the first view of retweets as endorsements."



"Dr Singhvi, to prove the point one has to lead the evidence.



Justice Khanna said,  For a layperson, whether it is the first one or the second one, will be a matter that has to be determined based on evidence."



Dr Singhvi said, "There's no problem in admitting that this was a mistake if he had known that these would be the consequences."

The bench asked the complainant if he would be amenable to closing the case because of Kejriwal's admission that his retweet was a mistake.



Advocate Raghav Awasthi, representing the complainant, said he needs time to seek instructions from his client before agreeing to close the case.



Dr Singhvi requested the court for an adjournment in the trial court, saying "They are prosecuting him very fast, in the context of elections.



Justice Khanna relaxed the norms and said, Kejriwal need not appear in trial court for now, given the office he occupied.



Justice Khanna allowed the complainant's lawyer to 'seek instructions' on the issue of closing the case and posted the matter to March 11.

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Welcome to a special bonus episode of The Russell Moore Show!



Peter Wehner returns for a conversation about the television drama The Chosen, which began its fourth season on February 1, 2024. Wehner expounds on his recent article in The Atlantic, sharing how the series pleasantly surprised him as someone who historically avoided on-screen depictions of Jesus. He describes the ways that Jesus (played by Jonathan Roumie) in The Chosen has a fully-formed personality, displays emotion, and shows how intimately Jesus understood human natureall elements that have led Wehner to love the show.



Moore and Wehner discuss how The Chosen sheds light on Jewish life under Roman occupation and the role of the Pharisees. They talk about another Christian media phenomenonthe He Gets Us campaignand consider the wide range of responses to it. Their discussion covers political division, the relationship between the intellect and the heart in belief, and what it means for Christians to be called to faithfulness rather than success.



Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to questions@russellmoore.com.

Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today.

The Russell Moore Show is a production of Christianity Today

Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper

Host: Russell Moore

Producer: Ashley Hales

Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill

Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens

Audio engineering by Dan Phelps

Video producer: Abby Egan

Theme Song: Dusty Delta Day by Lennon Hutton
When Hurricanes Hilary and Idalia flooded Nicaraguas coast last August and September, evangelical ministries in the country stepped up and served.

President Daniel Ortega and his wife, vice president Rosario Murillo, had expelled the Red Cross from their country last July after the organization had criticized the country for its inhuman treatment of prisoners. The departure had left a gap in humanitarian aid for the country.

One of these Christians organizations that came through was Mountain Gateway. The American missions and development agency was one of many that helped organize a major event that started out by providing emergency aid like food, clothing, and medicines, and continued as a major evangelistic campaign where thousands heard the proclamation of the gospel.

The event, called Buenas Nuevas Nicaragua (Good News Nicaragua), united more than 1,300 evangelical churches from 13 of Nicaraguas 15 departments in a massive two-day evangelistic event in the capital, Managua, last November. Local news estimated that up to 300,000 people attended the gathering, and despite ongoing tensions between the Ortega administration and churches, a pro-government publication even highlighted the event.

But the gatherings success in sharing spiritual encouragement and provisions ultimately had little effect on softening the governments latest crusade against Christian ministries.

Since 2018, the Ortega administration has imprisoned and exiled Catholic priests who have criticized the regime. But as the population of Nicaraguan evangelicals has grown, so has persecution of the evangelical church. A report recently published by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) registered 310 severe violations of freedom of religion or belief between November 2022 and January 2024, and according to Nicaragua Nunca Mas, since 2018, the government has closed a total of 256 evangelical organizations, with the majority shutting down in 2022.

Weeks after Buenas Nuevas Nicaragua, the government ordered the closure of Mountain Gateways 10 churches and arrested 11 of their pastors, accusing them of money laundering.

Nicaraguan authorities have cited this reason numerous times in the past. Since 2018, it has closed 3,390 non-governmental organizations (10% of them foreign) for money laundering, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. And in 2022, the government shut down 20 evangelical churches on similar grounds.

Even with increased persecution and false accusations, however, many local Protestant pastors and foreign ministry leaders have largely chosen to keep quiet.

But for Britt Hancock, who founded Mountain Gateway in 2009, these accusations dont make sense.

We have not been given any charging documents to know what our US pastors and our Nicaraguan pastors are being charged with, so we have no explanation for what is happening, Hancock told CT. We dont understand the complexity of it all, especially since we have worked to maintain a respectful relationship and abide by their policies and laws.

Last year, as we worked with our pastors, I dont think any of those we interacted with expressed any idea that we needed to demonstrate extreme caution when preaching the gospel.

Different pages

The Mountain Gateway case is just one of the most recent examples of government repression of evangelicals, who now make up 38 percent of Nicaraguas population of 6.4 million. One of the earliest examples was that of Rudy Palacios, whose church in La Roca had 1,500 members and six different sites. But after accompanying his children at a 2018 march, the government accused him of terrorism and forced him into exile.

In 2023, Open Doors ranked Nicaragua No. 50 on its annual list of the most dangerous countries in which to be a Christian. In 2024, the Central American country had jumped to No. 30.

Despite these reports, evangelicals arent all on the same page about the governments actions.

There is no persecution against evangelicals in my Nicaragua, Douglas Valerio, a pastor who leads a small Pentecostal church in the Iglesias Care network in Jinotepe, 45 kilometers (about 28 miles) from Managua, told CT. After the marches and road blockades that destabilized the country in 2018, Commander Ortegas government took measures to reduce foreign interference in politics.

One of these measures was a law passed in 2022 that seeks to prevent organizations from being used for money laundering and terrorist financing. Mountain Gateway violated this, says Valerio.

It has been proven that in 2018, a lot of money came in through various NGOs to finance those who were protesting and blocking the roads, he said. When Mountain Gateway could not explain the origin of so much money used in the Buenas Nuevas Nicaragua campaign, the authorities enforced the law.

Isaias Martinez, a Presbyterian pastor and Central America coordinator of the Seminario Reformado Latinoamericano (SRL), agrees with Valerio.

We have freedom of belief and religion in Nicaragua, he said. But since 2018, if a pastor speaks against the government, especially on social media, there could be consequences. It is better that we dedicate ourselves to preaching the Word of God and not get involved in politics.

Pastors who do believe that the government is unfairly treating Christian organizations may be afraid to speak up or may prefer to maintain a distance between their congregation and the political situation in the country.

One pastor of a small congregation in Managua has had his churchs bank account frozen and received violent threats for not promoting pro-government events.

Those who say there is no persecution do not understand what persecution is, he said. We pastors avoid talking about politics in our sermons because we know that among the people who listen to us there may be state agents who accuse us of violating the law.

For the Managua pastor, the Mountain Gateway situation shows the governments fear of losing power in the next elections. Regional elections will be held on March 3 and presidential elections will be held at the end of 2026.

The government is afraid that the church will unify and produce a candidate who will win the elections, he said. That is why they were afraid when Mountain Gateway gathered hundreds of thousands of people in a single event.

Before 2018, some evangelical pastors campaigned for Ortega, who considered them allies, offering those that might have spoken out against his administrations treatment of Catholics with preferred bureaucratic treatment.

This change in attitude of the Ortega and Murillo regime toward Catholics and evangelicals has been studied by Teresa Flores, director of the Observatory of Religious Freedom in Latin America.

As the evangelical church does not have a unified leadership, the persecution is different and more difficult to perceive than that of the Catholic church. It is a more diverse community, she explained to CT from Peru.

As for evangelicals, we also know that there is an underreporting of persecution. Many pastors who have been threatened or attacked prefer not to report, because they know that if they do, the consequences could be worse, she said, adding that this doesnt mean theyre free. They just dont want to get involved for fear of government hostility.

The regime has treated the Catholic hierarchy and evangelical hierarchy differently, Nicaraguan activist and award-winning cartoonist Pedro Molina told CT. The evangelical political leaders had been pacified by having privileges granted, such as permits to hold events and open schools, in addition to obtaining licenses for television channels and radio stations.

Molina, who now lives in New York and has been in exile since 2018, accused the pastors in his cartoons of receiving a bloody tithe.

One of the likely subjects of his cartoons is pastor Guillermo Osorno Molina (no relation), who at one time had his own radio stations, a TV channel, and even a political party called Camino Cristiano Nicaraguense (Nicaraguan Christian Road; CCN).

But in 2022 Osorno decided to challenge Ortega and ran as his partys presidential candidate. In response, the government shut down his channel, Enlace Canal 21, on financial charges, after a broadcast claimed there had been electoral fraud in the 2022 presidential elections. In addition, Osorno was prohibited from leaving the country, and the government outlawed his political party.

Repression increases

Nicaragua has a long history of repressive governments. The Somoza family ran the country under a military dictatorship from 1947 to 1979, until the communist guerrilla group Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional (Sandinista National Liberation Front; FSLN), where Daniel Ortega served as one of the main commanders, successfully staged a coup detat.

Ortega is currently ruling his fifth term as president. He first served between 1985 and 1990, then returned to power in 2007. Since then, he has been reelected three more times, though some have claimed election fraud.

The Catholic church has a long history of involvement in Nicaraguan politics, including supporting the Sandinistas when they first took power in the 1980s. In this current term, Ortega enjoyed relative popularity and a more or less cordial relationship with both Catholics and evangelicals until 2018.

Things changed in April that year, when the government announced unwelcome changes in the public pension system. Police and paramilitary groups met many of the tens of thousands who took to the streets with tear gas and rubber bullets and worse, with at least 350 people killed. Religious leaders went from being mediators of the conflict to becoming protectors of young people fleeing violent repressions and finding refuge in church buildings, as Flores described in an article for the International Journal of Religious Freedom.

But these actions were seen by the government as treason, thus giving them grounds to arrest priests and pastors. When some Catholic clergy became vocal against the government, Ortega began to close organizations and to arrest or exile priests.

This growing wave of religious persecution has been well documented since 2018 by Nicaraguan lawyer Martha Patricia Molina Montenegro, a 2024 winner of the International Religious Freedom Award granted by the United States Department of State.

In Nicaragua, there is hatred on the part of the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship toward the pastoral work carried out by both Catholic priests and evangelical pastors, Molina, the Nicaraguan activist, told CT. The regime needs a church that kneels before them. Since they have not achieved this, they persecute Christians.

Molina, who has been in exile since 2021 and now lives in Texas, has documented 667 attacks on Catholic churches and 70 on evangelical ones between 2018 and 2023. These attacks are not limited to physical attacks on church infrastructure, including also graffiti theft, and vandalism; prohibitions on some religious activities, like processions and Masses; and death threats, forced exile, and expulsion of religious nationals and foreign workers.

Though Ortega is technically president and his wife is technically vice president, they are essentially co-dictators, says Molina, the cartoonist.

He says that the couple aspires to another level of authority over the population. [She and her husband] want people to listen to them not only as political leaders but also as divine leaders, he added. They want people to not only obey them but also worship them.

Though Ortega and Murillos cult of personality has attracted few evangelicals, their governments actions have increasingly made it hard for the growing community to find unity.

The governments aim is not simply to silence the voice of Christians but, given their influence in the country, to hinder their credibility and to stop their message from spreading, stated an Open Doors 2024 report. It should be noted that while many Christians are in the firing line, there are a minority of believers who either out of fear or conviction are choosing to keep quiet. Among some church communities, this is causing division.

Despite the attacks against the church in Nicaragua, the population of that country continues to be receptive to the message of Jesus.

The spiritual climate in Nicaragua during the mass evangelism campaigns was one of the most extraordinary examples of John 17 unity between all denominations and movements I have ever seen, said Hancock, Mountain Gateways founder.

Every pastor we engaged with was infused with excitement over the fact that so many new believers were in their churches. Their church members were motivated in ways to share their faith as they never had been, and their buildings were out of space to hold all the new people directly following each campaign.

Hernan Restrepo is a Colombian journalist who lives in Bogota. As of 2021, he manages the social media accounts for Christianity Today in Spanish.

[ This article is also available in espanol. ]
Home News Activist helping pastors win elections urges Christians to have a 'footprint in the culture'

Editors' note: This is part 5 of The Christian Post's year-long articles series "Politics in the Pews: Evangelical Christian engagement in elections from the Moral Majority to today." In this series, we will look at issues pertaining to election integrity and new ways of getting out the vote, including churches participating in ballot collection. We'll also look at issues Evangelicals say matter most to them ahead of the presidential election and the political engagement of diverse groups, politically and ethnically. Read part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 and part 6 at the links provided.

A Christian conservative political activist who's worked behind the scenes for decades to mobilize pastors and spiritual leaders to run for office says Christians must engage politically to prevent the further imposition of secularism in the public square.

"Somebody's values are going to reign supreme," David Lane, founder of the American Renewal Project which seeks to "inspire the American Church to embrace its role in the public square," told The Christian Post in a recent interview.

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He dismissed as "silly" the argument that Christians shouldn't get involved in politics because it is too worldly or because Jesus was not a politician.

"The other side puts their people in, and passes their legislation, and codifies in the law their godless values," he said. "That's what's happened to America over the last century. We're going to have to fight. If we're going save the country for our kids and their kids, we're going to have to fight."

'We did this to ourselves'

Lane founded ARP in 2005 and said that what his organization has accomplished since then has been done with about $50 million, fewer than 10 people and minimal press coverage.

"I've never done a press conference," he said. "In fact, up until about five years ago or so, you couldn't find me with a flashlight."

Lane, who is in his upper 60s, said the model of his organization is "trying to push spiritual leaders into the public square based upon Jesus' Kingdom assignment from Matthew 16:18, when He said to Peter, 'Upon this rock, I will build my 'ekklesia.'"

Suggesting the idea that Christians should retreat from the political process is not supported by Scripture, Lane noted how the Greek word "ekklesia" was a secular term.

Among its definitions included the political assembly of citizens in ancient Greek city-states.

"Everybody in the room knew what he was talking about," Lane said of Matthew 16:18. "Somehow over the last century, American Christendom has moved inside the building. We have Christian publishing radio, television, and no footprint in the culture."

Lane worries many churches have been deceived regarding the implications of the so-called separation between church and state in the U.S.

"That's not what Jesus' Kingdom assignment was for you and me. We were to be involved in the rough-and-tumble of the public square, and that's what we're up to," he added.

ARP's efforts have proven especially successful in North Carolina, which Lane noted is one of the six battleground states that will determine the next presidential election, along with Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Republican North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has spoken at the organization's events, as The Washington Post reported. Lane said ARP hosted 13 luncheons with pastors in the state in 2021, and said that 50 North Carolina pastors and spiritual leaders ran for local office in 2022.

"Twenty-five won the primary, and on Nov. 8, 2022, 10 of the 25 won the general election," he said. He added that three of the 13 newly-elected members of the North Carolina House of Representatives that year were pastors.

'We have to move into the public square'

Another prong of ARP's approach is galvanizing Christians to register to vote.

According to a recent study from Turning Point USA first reported by Breitbart, more than 4.5 million Republican voters in several battleground states are "disengaged" from the political process, which is a sufficient number to swing the presidential election in 2024.

Lane said many Evangelicals are similarly disengaged, and ARP is doing what they can to change that.

"I think that if Evangelicals move, we win big," Lane said regarding the country's political future, especially in 2024. "It's estimated that 65 to 80 million Evangelicals have not registered to vote, which means they've never voted. Half of those don't vote in a presidential year like 2024, which means you get 25 percent voting."

"In an off-year election  the next year is 2026  half of those don't vote, so you get 12% to 15% of Christians voting," he said. "We did this to ourselves. The culture is nothing but a public manifestation of the religion covering America, which is godless secularism."

In January, ARP organized the North Carolina Renewal Project voter registration effort, the goal of which was to mobilize 6,000 churches in the state to register all eligible unregistered voters in their pews on three different Sundays, which they dubbed "Citizen Sundays."

"If righteousness exalts a nation, it logically follows that those living in rebellion against God, rejecting His ultimate scriptural instructions for meaning, purpose, and identity, cannot be trusted with the cultural levers of power and control," Lane wrote in an email to pastors in North Carolina regarding the initiative.

"Two distinct religions are vying for control over the public square in America  Christianity and secularism. The immutable former and the ever-changing latter cannot coexist; one will ultimately go down as a consequence of the rise of the other," he added.

Lane, who believes the country's present cultural battles have been simmering since the 18th century and accelerated with the advent of cultural Marxism, said the Christians his organization works with have come to realize that "if we're going to save the country, we have to move into the public square."

"Because whatever we've done over the last century, where the yardstick of success is butts in the pews, buildings, multiple campuses, and massive budgets  that hasn't done anything," he added.
Home News Historic Mother Bethel AME Church suffers at least $15K in damages after vandalism

A local event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, helped to raise funds for the historic Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, which recently suffered what could amount to tens of thousands of dollars in vandalism damages.

CADO Market worked with Legacy Reclaimed 7th Ward Tribute to host an event on Saturday seeking to aid the historically black church, which traces its roots to the 18th century.

"CADO Market is an all-black marketplace experience that takes place at various historical black locations," explained market founder Debora Charmelus to local ABC affiliate WPVI-TV.

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"Mother Bethel is the oldest piece of land continuously owned by African-Americans in the United States."

Event organizers planned to host a fundraiser for the church before the vandalism took place, according to WPVI, but the desire to raise money became more important.

Last week, between the end of Sunday worship services and Monday morning, an individual threw rocks at the windows of Mother Bethel, causing thousands of dollars in damages.

"Rocks were thrown into several lower level windows at the church," wrote Mother Bethel AME Church Pastor Mark Kelly Tyler in an email to congregants, as reported by NBC Philadelphia. "The incident has been reported to law enforcement."

Three of the church's stained-glass windows were shattered. Although authorities estimate the damage to cost $15,000, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the church estimates repairs could cost upwards of $30,000 because of the craftsmanship required to fix the stained glass.

The vandalism was determined to not be a hate crime, and 39-year-old Haneef Cooper was arrested on Thursday and charged with vandalizing multiple buildings, including Mother Bethel and The National Shrine of St. John Neumann.

AME Church founder Richard Allen established Mother Bethel in the 1790s. There have been multiple church buildings on the Philadelphia property since its founding. The current sanctuary was built in 1890.

In January, Mother Bethel announced it had been granted $90,000 for preservation funds from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, making it one of several black congregations receiving such funds this year.

"Mother Bethel is honored to be awarded such a generous grant to assist with vital preservation efforts on our 134 year old building! The $90,000 grant will make raising additional preservation dollars a much easier lift," stated Mother Bethel on Facebook.

"A special thank you to the National Historic Trust's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and their Preserving Black Churches grant. Thank you to the funders of the grant."

The NTHP's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund bestowed $4 million to 31 different historically black congregations.

"We created the Preserving Black Churches program to ensure the historic Black church's legacy is told and secured. That these cultural assets can continue to foster community resilience and drive meaningful change in our society," said Brent Leggs, executive director of the AACHA Fund, in a statement.

"We couldn't be more excited to honor our second round of grantees and ensure that African Americans  and our entire nation  can enjoy an empowered future built on the inspiring foundations of our past."
Home News Laken Riley's family speaks out about murder, praises 'her love for the Lord'

The family of Laken Riley, the 22-year-old nursing student found dead on the University of Georgia campus on Thursday, have issued a statement about the young woman's murder at the hands of an illegal immigrant who had previously been released from an immigration detention center.

Riley was a nursing student at Augusta University who was found dead at the University of Georgia after going for a jog on campus. The university's police department discovered the girl's body Thursday, and the cause of death was eventually identified as blunt head force trauma.

Authorities arrested Jose Antonio Ibarra on Friday in connection with Riley's murder. The 26-year-old Venezuelan national entered the country illegally in September 2022 through El Paso, Texas. Ibarra was reportedly released due to a lack of detention space.

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A friend of Riley's family released a statement that thanked law enforcement for their efforts, Fox News reported Sunday.

"We wish to thank the public for their prayers and thoughts during this tragic time. We thank the University of GA Police Department, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, the Clarke County District Attorney's Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for their quick response, and diligent effort in the investigation and arrest of those individual(s) responsible for our daughter's death," the statement said.

"Laken was an amazing daughter, sister, friend and overall person in general. Her love for the Lord was exemplified in every aspect of her life. She will be missed every day, but we promise to honor her life moving forward in a very big way," the family continued.

Riley's family requested privacy as they mourn, noting that her life was "tragically cut short."

According to a Saturday Fox News report, the brother of the suspect accused of Riley's murder was fired from his job in the University of Georgia dining hall. As UGA spokesperson Greg Trevor told the outlet, Diego Ibarra presented a fake green card to begin a temporary job as a dishwasher in the school's dining hall on Feb. 6, 2024.

Diego Ibarra failed to "submit further documentation required to keep the job and was never paid by the University" before he was "fired," according to the spokesperson. Diego Ibarra has been arrested and charged with green card fraud.

"An Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) officer approached Ibarra earlier today because he matched the description of a suspect in the homicide investigation," a Monday statement from the U.S. Department of Justice reads. "Ibarra presented the officer with a U.S. permanent resident card (also called a green card) as identification. The card was determined to be fraudulent. Ibarra is a citizen of Venezuela and was processed for expedited removal but claimed a credible fear of return to Venezuela. He was consequently released from immigration custody pending adjudication of his claim for asylum on April 30, 2023."

Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp wrote a letter Saturday to President Joe Biden in response to the nursing student's death and the news about the murder suspect's brother. In his statement, Kemp referred to Riley's death as a "devastating tragedy" and criticized the Biden administration's border policies amid a record influx of illegal immigration.

The governor demanded answers regarding why his administration was not informed of the immigration status of the suspect in Riley's murder. Kemp questioned why his administration was not informed of the release of an illegal resident who presented "fraudulent asylum claims."

Kemp stated that the Biden administration must publicly provide answers to these questions "as soon as possible" to ensure state and local officials can keep their communities safe.

"These tragedies are not unique to Georgia," Kemp wrote. "While we will continue to support Texas with National Guard resources as we have since 2019, federal action to secure the border is the only way to wholistically address this ongoing crisis and ensure Laken Riley's horrible fate is not replicated across the country."

The governor concluded that if Biden continues to "refuse to exercise [his] authority as president," then his administration must provide Georgia and other states with the "information necessary" to protect citizens.

In September, Kemp joined 24 other governors in writing a letter to the president requesting "accurate, detailed, thorough data and information" related to illegal border crossings, the processing of asylum claims, and other immigration issues.
Home News These 2 candidates are the most popular vice presidential picks for Trump: poll

Attendees of a major political conference were divided on who former President Donald Trump should pick as his running mate in the 2024 presidential election, but two of the potential vice presidential candidates polled highest among the competition.

The 2024 Conservative Political Action Conference, which took place at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, last week, concluded with a straw poll asking attendees to choose their preference among a list of potential running mates for Trump. While no candidate received a clear majority among the respondents, two candidates captured a higher share of the vote than others.

Fifteen percent of respondents signaled they wanted Trump to select South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his vice presidential pick, while another 15% preferred entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Trump confirmed that he was considering both Noem and Ramaswamy, one of his formal rivals for the 2024 Republican nomination, in an interview with Fox News Laura Ingraham last week. If selected to join Trump on a victorious Republican ticket, Ramaswamy would become the first Hindu to serve as vice president.

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None of the other choices broke 10% support in the straw poll. The third most popular potential running mate, former Democrat congresswoman and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard, secured 9% support. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., the chair of the House Republican Conference, and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., another one of Trumps former rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, each took 8%. Like Ramaswamy, Gabbard would become the first Hindu vice president if elected.

Scott would become the first African American man to serve as vice president if a hypothetical Trump-Scott ticket won the 2024 presidential election. While Trump suggested that he would consider both Gabbard and Scott during his interview with Ingraham last week, Stefaniks name was not floated during Trumps interview with Ingraham last week. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., another potential running mate whose name came up during their conversation, received 7% support in the straw poll.

Like Scott, Donalds would become the first African American man to serve as vice president if elected. Kari Lake, the unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial nominee in Arizonas 2022 election and current U.S. Senate candidate, picked up 6% support in the straw poll. Three additional potential running mates for Trump secured 5% support: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

While DeSantis name came up during Trumps conversation with Ingraham, the Florida governor and former Republican presidential candidate denied that he had any interest in serving as vice president. Carson, like Scott and Donalds, would become the first African American man to win the vice presidency if he joins the ticket with a victorious Trump.

Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News opinion host, was the favorite of 4% of CPAC attendees. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., currently running for president as an independent, picked up 3% support. The other candidates listed in the straw poll each received 2% support: Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, Trumps only remaining major rival for the Republican presidential nomination, and Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio.

With the exception of Carson and Kennedy, all of the candidates included in the straw poll are at least 10 years younger than Trump. The former president will be 78 on Election Day 2024, and should he win the election, he will be 82 by the time his second non-consecutive term expires on Jan. 20, 2029.

Besides Vance and DeSantis, all vice presidential candidates included in the straw poll are either women and/or a religious or racial minority.

In addition to asking CPAC attendees who they wanted Trump to pick as his vice presidential nominee, the straw poll asked respondents who they supported in the lingering contest between Trump and Haley.

Unsurprisingly, Trump won by an overwhelming margin, capturing 94% support to Haleys 5%. The RealClearPolitics average of polls taken between Jan. 31 and Feb. 22 shows Trump leading by a similarly large margin among Republican primary voters. Specifically, 77.3% of Republican voters prefer Trump, while 15.1% plan on supporting Haley.

The 2024 presidential election is now slightly more than eight months away. The winner of the Republican presidential primary is expected to face Democrat Joe Biden in Novembers general election. The RealClearPolitics average of polls taken between Jan. 29 and Feb. 22 examining voters preferences ahead of the election shows Trump leading Biden by 2.1 percentage points. Meanwhile, the RealClearPolitics average of polls conducted between Jan. 17 and Feb. 19 shows Haley beating Biden by 4.9 percentage points.
Home News US airman lights self on fire outside Israeli Embassy so he wouldn't be 'complicit in genocide'

An active-duty U.S. Air Force member who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington and yelled "Free Palestine" in protest of the Israel-Hamas war has died.

Twenty-five-year-old Aaron Bushnell of San Antonio, Texas, filmed himself as he doused his body in a clear liquid and lit himself on fire in a video posted to Twitch. The man was later taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

An Air Force spokesperson informed CBS News on Monday that the man died on Sunday night. Bushnell had set himself on fire around 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, with police and U.S. Secret Service both responding to the incident.

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In a statement to CBS News, the Israeli Embassy confirmed that none of its staff members had been injured as a result of the protest. While the police also investigated what was described as a "suspicious vehicle" potentially connected to the protester, authorities cleared the vehicle later that afternoon.

A video provided by independent journalist Talia Jane showed Bushnell wearing fatigues and declaring that he would "no longer be complicit in genocide." The man identified himself in the video as a member of the U.S. Air Force. He repeatedly shouted, "Free Palestine!" after setting himself on fire.

Bushnell's Twitch channel has since been removed, according to CBS News.

The war began after Hamas terrorists invaded Israel on Oct. 7 and killed at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

In response, Israel declared itself in a state of war and launched an offensive in Gaza to eradicate Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, and secure the release of the over 240 individuals it took hostage. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says that nearly 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began but doesn't differentiate between combatants and civilians. The Israel Defense Forces state they have killed over 12,000 operatives in Gaza along with 1,000 terrorists inside Israel, according to The Times of Israel.

The Air Force member is not the first protester to set himself on fire in response to the Israel-Hamas war. As CNN reported in December, a protester set himself on fire outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta.

According to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, the action was "likely an extreme act of political protest," with authorities recovering a Palestinian flag at the scene.

Bushnell setting himself on fire outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., follows the United States' veto of a United Nations resolution demanding a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war for a third time last Tuesday.

The vote was 13-1 among the 15-member Security Council, with the United Kingdom abstaining.

The Biden administration cited concerns about the resolution potentially interfering with efforts to arrange a deal that would result in a six-week halt and the release of all hostages, The Times of Israel reported.

Ahead of the vote, the U.S. put forth another resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire intended to secure the release of the hostages and lift restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid.

"We still don't believe that this is the right time for a general ceasefire that leaves Hamas in control and alleviates any responsibility for them to release the hostages," White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters after the vote.
Home Opinion Understanding key differences: Christian conservatism vs. Christian nationalism

Most of what is written about Christian Nationalism is silly. Critics and analysts sweepingly deride conventional Christian conservatives as Christian Nationalists. By some counts, there are, by this definition, tens of millions of Christian Nationalists. Sometimes even civil religion, with its homage to a vague deity, is labeled Christian Nationalism. If so, all presidents from George Washington to Joe Biden are Christian nationalists. Sometimes the target is folk religionists who conflate God and country.

They sometimes sport paraphernalia with American flags draped around the cross. These folk religionists typically arent aware they are Christian nationalists. They dont publish articles, much less books. And they typically dont have policy agendas, just an attitude that God and country should be interchangeably honored.

But some more intellectual Americans do consciously self-identify as Christian Nationalists. Politico has published an article about two of them. But unhelpfully the article does not explain distinctions and, like a hundred other articles, focuses on a combination of Christian conservative and New Right views held by their subjects without defining why they call themselves Christian Nationalists.

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Christian Nationalism is distinct from conventional Christian conservatism. The former are typically post-liberals who want some level of explicit state-established Christianity. The latter have been and largely still are classical liberals who affirm traditional American concepts of full religious liberty for all. Both groups want a Christian America. But the former want it by statute. The latter see it as mainly a demographic, historical, and cultural reality.

The most sophisticated contemporary articulation of Christian Nationalism is Stephen Wolfes book A Case for Christian Nationalism. Wolfe draws upon early magisterial Protestant thinking in favor of a Protestant confessional state that suppresses the outward display of false religion while not trying to govern human hearts. Wolfe extols a measured theocratic Caesarism and prays for a Christian prince, a great renewal. He explicitly writes as a Calvinist for a Calvinist audience. Nearly all self-identified Christian Nationalists are Calvinists, typically Presbyterian like Wolfe, but often theologically Reformed Baptists like the subjects of the Politico article. The latter can be confusing because traditional Baptists are most associated with religious liberty.

Self-identified Christian Nationalists favorably reviewed Wolfes book. So too did National Conservatism, which liked its theme of social unity through religion. National Conservatisms 2022 Statement of Principles, which I critiqued here, vaguely echoed Christian nationalist themes by declaring Christianity should be honored by the state and other institutions both public and private, with Jews and other religious minorities  protected in the observance of their own traditions, in the free governance of their communal institutions, and with all adults protected from religious or ideological coercion in their private lives and in their homes, but not evidently in their public lives. Public neutrality about religion, with a state granting equal rights to all regardless of faith, is deemed by this statement, and certainly by Christian nationalism, as subversive to morality and social cohesion.

Christian nationalists are almost always some form of Protestant integralists. Catholic integralists want a society where the Catholic Church is paramount in society including in civil law. Both Protestant and Catholic integralists believe the state cannot be neutral. Either it will establish the true faith, or it will establish a false one, which is currently, as they define it, aggressive secularism. They both believe that a truly Christian society will have a government pointing to the highest good, and that magistrates are Gods shepherds for directing the people towards the truth. Coercion in religion is necessary to protect society and individual souls.

Coercion and religious freedom are where Christian Nationalism is most distinct from traditional Christian conservatism. The modern Religious Right was founded in the 1980s by Baptists like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson who, in the tradition of their faith, saw religious freedom for all as sacrosanct. They were, as are most Christian conservatives, American exceptionalists and enthusiasts for the countrys founding charters and for democracy. Both were, coincidentally, Virginians who appreciated the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom, crafted by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. They were, like most Christian conservatives, descendants of the Second Great Awakening that followed the American Revolution, which was voluntarist, democratic, hostile to state churches, and launched a tradition of moral and social reform through political action.

Christian nationalists are typically skeptical if not hostile to the Second Great Awakenings legacy. They prefer the First Great Awakening, led by Calvinists like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, and mostly still tied to established churches. But even more so, hardcore Christian nationalists revere earlier Christian commonwealths such as the 17th-century Puritans, or Scotland under John Knox, or Geneva under Calvin, whose models they deem instructive if not binding. More moderate Christian nationalists will try to argue the U.S. Constitution, even while disavowing religious establishment and religious tests for public office by the federal government, did not preclude established religion for local government.

Christian nationalists are less American exceptionalists than traditional Christian conservatives. And in this regard, they differ from the folk religionists who conflate God and country. Stephen Wolfe, in his book, is not interested in American patriotism or very much in America in general. As a postliberal, he cant cheerlead for American founding principles. He wants a premodern Christian society. Christian nationalists typically differ strongly from Christian conservatives about Americas role in the world. The former are more isolationist and more concerned about restricting immigration. Christian conservatives, especially the modern Religious Right, have advocated for an aggressive U.S. foreign and defense policy. They championed U.S. victory in the Cold War. And they supported the Iraq War, which Christian nationalists deride as proof of traditional Christian conservative bankruptcy. There is a similar divide currently over support for Ukraine. And, beneath the surface, Christian nationalists are less enthusiastic about Israel than are Christian conservatives. The latter, besides being internationalists, are also Zionists. Theology for most Christian nationalists precludes a vigorous Zionism.

Christian conservatives have favored limited government and free markets, of which Christian nationalists are suspicious, preferring protections and a regulatory state in the right hands. Christian conservatives want the U.S. to advocate for religious freedom internationally, about which Christian nationalists are suspicious or at least less interested. Christian nationalists want protections for Christianity mainly in the U.S., much less so overseas, and are not much interested, if not opposed, in advocacy on behalf of freedoms for other religions.

Christian nationalists, as seen in Wolfes dream of a theocratic prince, are more open to the strong man view of history. Typically, Christian conservatives are more suspicious of politically strong men, which they would deem cultic. Christian nationalists, nearly always staunch Calvinists, have a strong view of social hierarchy. Some quietly oppose voting rights for women. They have more trust in the elect. Christian conservatives, who usually have been Baptists or generic evangelicals, are usually more democratic and unstructured.

Across 40 years, Christian conservatives were routinely accused of being theocratic. But their leaders, beyond wanting traditional morality and public rhetoric about God, almost never wanted religious establishment. They disavowed the Christian Reconstructionists who wanted biblical law. Christian Nationalists dont want biblical law in terms of Old Testament punishments. But they do want the establishment explicitly favoring Christianity against other religions.

Christian conservatism has mostly been a populist movement mobilized by parachurch groups and leaders. Christian nationalism is more intellectual and has far fewer adherents. But its intellectual prowess enables it to insinuate itself into postliberal wider circles. Christian nationalists sometimes disparage Traditional Christian conservatism as failed and archaic. Christian nationalism is newer, shinier, more provocative, and brasher. It proudly strives actually to become what critics falsely claimed about Christian conservatism.

In 1981 the Institute on Religion and Democracys founders agreed on a statement Christianity and Democracy, drafted by prominent Christian conservative intellectual Richard Neuhaus, backed by fellow Christian conservatives Michael Novak, who was Catholic, and Carl Henry, who was Baptist. Its vigorous affirmation of democracy, human rights and religious freedom would preclude endorsement by todays Christian nationalists. But most Christian conservatives could still support.

These distinctions between Christian conservatives and Christian nationalists are important. Those preferring caricatures and strawmen with conflate the two. But careful analysis will explain the differences.

Originally published at Juicy Ecumenism.
Home News Illegal immigrant arrested for murder of Georgia college student was released from detention over lack of space

Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national arrested in connection with the murder of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student on the University of Georgia campus, had been released from detention after entering the U.S. illegally.

The University of Georgia Police Department announced Ibarras arrest, saying he had no prior relationship with Riley and that he faces multiple charges, including malice murder and kidnapping, as reported by the New York Post.

Ibarra entered the U.S. illegally from Venezuela in September 2022. His illegal entry through El Paso, Texas, was facilitated by his release due to a lack of detention space.

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Multiple DHS sources confirm the suspect in UGA student, Laken Rileys murder  Jose Antonio Ibarra is here illegally from Venezuela, journalist Ali Bradley on X. CBP documents show he crossed in September of 2022 into El Paso, Texas and was released due to lack of detention space. The 26 year old from Venezuela  is being charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another.

Riley, a junior and deans list student at UGA, was found dead Thursday after she went for a jog on campus, NewsNation said. The cause of death was identified as blunt force trauma.

Riley, who was active in her sorority and the community, was reported missing by a friend on Thursday afternoon. Her body was discovered in a wooded area near Lake Herrick, across from a major dormitory and dining hall complex, sparking a homicide investigation.

University of Georgia Police Chief Jeff Clark emphasized the absence of a continuing threat to the campus community. Clark praised the combination of community tips, physical evidence and surveillance footage for enabling the swift arrest. Despite the arrest, Clark urged students to remain vigilant and travel in groups.

This event marks the second student death on the University of Georgia campus within 24 hours, following another unrelated incident.

Both the University of Georgia and Augusta University College of Nursing canceled classes on Friday in response to the incidents, as the community is mourning the loss and grappling with concerns over campus safety and the broader implications of immigration enforcement.
Home News John MacArthur defends Navy veteran who toppled satanic altar in Iowa Capitol: 'Noble stand' 'The people who are doing what is right are the ones being punished'

Pastor John MacArthur recently praised the U.S. Navy veteran who is facing criminal charges for toppling a satanic altar near a Nativity scene in the Iowa state Capitol last December.

Michael Cassidy was charged with felony mischief and a hate crime last month for pushing over the display that was erected by The Satanic Temple of Iowa and featured a red-cloaked Baphomet statue in front of a candle-lit altar adorned with the seven "Fundamental Tenets" of the organization.

Responding to a congregant who likened Cassidy's act to Gideon tearing down the altar of Baal, MacArthur said during a question-and-answer session at Grace Community Church last week that he "absolutely" supports what Cassidy did, but noted he will have to face negative consequences in a society that increasingly rewards evil and punishes righteousness.

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"You have to take the consequences if you do it, but that was a noble thing to do," MacArthur said. "That was something that he felt very deeply in his heart."

"What are they doing having an altar to Satan in a state public building?" MacArthur continued. "That is the offense. The offense isn't that it was removed, the offense is that it was there. But it demonstrates where the culture is, that he gets punished, not the people who set it up."

"So you have to understand you can do that, but you will have to take the consequences, and the consequences have turned on him," he added. "But we see this in a lot of things: that the people who are doing what is right are the ones being punished. That's the nature of our society. I think that kind of a noble stand is almost biblical to do that."

????????John MacArthur on @Mike_Cassidy_MS destroying the Satan statue in Iowa:



Yes I support what he did. AbsolutelyThat was the noble thing to do.



What are they doing having an alter to Satan in a state public building? That is the offense.



pic.twitter.com/8WQmsCBR6p  Lizzie Marbach (@LizzieMarbach) February 25, 2024

Cassidy, a former GOP candidate for the Mississippi House of Representatives, was initially cited with fourth-degree mischief  a misdemeanor  when he turned himself into authorities immediately after tossing the Baphomet statue's silver goat head in the trash on Dec. 14.

The Polk County Attorney's Office subsequently enhanced the charge to third-degree criminal mischief in violation of individual rights, a Class D felony under Iowa's hate crime statute, according to a Jan. 30 statement.

"Evidence shows the defendant made statements to law enforcement and the public indicating he destroyed the property because of the victim's religion," the Polk County Attorney's Office said at the time, adding that the estimated repair costs for the Baphomet statue made of pool noodles were between $750 and $1,500.

Cassidy maintained during an interview with The Christian Post in December that he did the right thing.

In an apparent reference to people such as Republican Iowa state Rep. Jon Dunwell, a pastor who argued the government has no right to discriminate between Christmas and satanic displays on government property, Cassidy suggested Christians who believe the U.S. Constitution protects a satanic altar are "overcomplicating" blatant evil that they should be resisting.

"The people who wrote our Constitution would be shocked to think of defending Satan as consistent with their beliefs when they wrote the laws that govern our nation," he said.

"People start overcomplicating the truth, which is that God is great and should be honored, and the devil is evil and should not be honored," he said. "I think people are tying themselves in knots trying to justify it, and it's really a lot simpler than that."

Cassidy's legal defense fund has raised more than $130,000 as of Monday.
Afghan, Pak trade blows after suicide attack on Pakistani military Post 18 Mar 2024 | 5:39 PM Kabul, Mar 18 (UNI) Afghanistan and Pakistan targeted each other's border regions with strikes on Monday following a suicide attack on a Pakistani military outpost over the weekend. see more..

Japan's Kishida not planning elections until LDP lawmakers penalised for scandal 18 Mar 2024 | 3:37 PM Tokyo, Mar 18 (UNI) Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to take disciplinary action against the lawmakers of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) involved in the slush funds scandal before calling snap elections, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on Monday. see more..

Leaders of 6 CIS states congratulate Putin on victory in prez election 18 Mar 2024 | 3:26 PM Minsk, Mar 18 (UNI) The leaders of six member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistanhave congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his victory in the presidential election, noting the broad support of Russian citizens, the Kremlin said on Monday. see more..

Kuwaiti Emir 1st among Gulf leaders to congratulate Putin on re-election as Russian prez 18 Mar 2024 | 3:26 PM Kuwait City, Mar 18 (UNI) Kuwaiti Emir Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was the first among the leaders of the Gulf countries to congratulate Russian President Vladimir Putin on his victory in the presidential election, the state-run Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported on Monday. see more..
Home News Bishop Robert Barron rebukes reporter for conflating God-given rights with Christian nationalism 'This is opening the door to totalitarianism'

Bishop Robert Barron publicly rebuked the Politico reporter who suggested believing in God-given rights is an indication of Christian nationalism, and warned that her worldview leads to totalitarianism.

Journalist Heidi Przybyla went viral last week for claiming on MSNBC that Christians and "Christian nationalists" are different, but that Christian nationalists are united by the belief "that our rights as Americans, as all human beings, don't come from any earthly authority."

"They don't come from Congress, they don't come from the Supreme Court, they come from God," she said. "The problem with that is that they are determining  man, men, and it is men  are determining what God is telling them."

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In a video he posted to social media Friday that drew nearly 2 million views on X as of Monday, Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester condemned Przybyla's assertion as "one of the most disturbing and frankly dangerous things I've ever seen in a political conversation."

Friends, I wanted to share some reflections with you concerning a recent clip I saw from @MSNBC, which was one of the most disturbing and frankly dangerous things Ive ever seen in a political conversation. @HeidiReports@politicopic.twitter.com/3KO9LY4eXh  Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) February 23, 2024

Barron noted that despite Pzrybyla's implication that people who believe their rights come from God are "weirdos," Thomas Jefferson understood such a principle forms the basis of American political thought.

The Catholic bishop cited the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence, which says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Barron went on to warn that because it acknowledges no authority higher than the state, a worldview that removes God as the source of rights is the seedbed of totalitarianism.

"Let me say everybody, it is exceptionally dangerous when we forget the principle that our rights come from God and not from a government," Barron said. "Because the basic problem is, if they come from the government or Congress or the Supreme Court, they can be taken away by those same people. This is opening the door to totalitarianism."

"This is not some kind of religious nationalism or sectarianism," he continued. "It's one of the sanest principles of our democratic governance, that our rights come from God. Yes, government exists to secure these rights, the Declaration says  not to produce them."

When a society ceases to be grounded in a transcendent source of law, Barron said, they fall into an "exceptionally dangerous" situation that exposes them to becoming "victims of a potentially totalitarian state that can take away the same rights that they gave us in the first place."

He concluded by observing that in their enthusiasm to oppose so-called Christian nationalism, the Left is increasingly taking aim against the foundations of American democracy and revealing their "extreme hostility" toward religion.

"As an American, I want to hold that my rights come not from something as vacillating and unreliable as Congress or the Supreme Court," he said. "They come from God."

Przybyla did not personally respond to Barron's message but retweeted a reply to it from an X user who wrote, "The question raised is much more complex than you are letting on. The problem is that Christian Nationalists are themselves deciding what God is telling them, or what the Natural Law says."

She also retweeted a thread by Andrew L. Seidel, an attorney with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, who argued that Przybyla's comments on MSNBC were "absolutely correct."

"Rights given by a god can be taken away by men claiming to speak for that god," said Seidel, who featured in Rob Reiner's recent anti-Christian nationalist film "God and Country."

"That's exactly the fight we're in now. That's what the Alabama Supreme Court just did with IVF. That's Christian Nationalism," he continued, adding an excerpt from his book "The Founding Myth" that argued "the god-given rights fallacy is also moral relativism masquerading as moral absolutism."
Home News Southern Baptist task force to introduce new anti-abuse curriculum in June

A Southern Baptist Convention task force plans to unveil a new curriculum centered on helping member congregations prevent and respond to accusations of sexual abuse in June.

At the SBC's Executive Committee meeting on Feb. 19, the SBCs Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force presented the new curriculum, which is slated to be made public at the SBC's Annual Meeting in June in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Our churches need help but dont know where to turn, said ARITF Chairman Josh Wester, as quoted by the Baptist Press, which is the official news service of the SBC.

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Its not that helpful resources arent available. Its just that they come piecemeal  a church would turn to one place to do background checks and another place to train their volunteers.

The ARITF curriculum, which is an expansion of resources already made available online by the task force, is centered around five aspects: train, screen, protect, report and care, reported BP.

The new resource will also include training that consists of an online video series, BP noted, with follow-up questions and action items provided for each of the five components.

We want them to gather, watch one video, and then commit to completing the next steps for that essential before moving on to the next one, said Mississippi pastor and ARITF member Brad Eubank, as quoted by BP.

Everything that a church needs to complete, the next steps will be there  sample documents, links to pertinent information and recommendations for outside providers.

In May 2022, Guidepost Solutions released a report that detailed the results of an investigation that looked into allegations that some SBC leaders had mishandled credible sexual abuse accusations, including the intimidation of whistleblowers.

The Guidepost report identified more than 700 victims over 20 years and found that survivors of sexual abuse encountered "resistance, stonewalling, and even outright hostility" from some on the SBC's Executive Committee.

In response to the report, the SBC overwhelmingly voted to pass a series of abuse reform recommendations at their 2022 annual meeting, including the creation of the ARITF.

One of the objectives that the ARITF was tasked with was the creation of an online database known as Ministry Check that would include a list of individuals who have been convicted, found liable, or confessed to abuse.

In an update provided to messengers at the SBC's Annual Meeting in New Orleans last year, then-ARITF Chairman Marshall Blalock said the task force was developing a means to conduct third-party investigations into any allegations of sexual abuse in the SBC.

During last years annual meeting, the task force also unveiled a Ministry Toolkit for church leaders, including information to help them understand abuse and how to respond.

"[Prediators] prey on high-trust environments, and churches should be high-trust environments," Blalock said. "But abusers go where they think they can hide. We must have the will to make sure there is no place to hide."
Home News Reality star Todd Chrisley says he's denied church services in prison

Ex-reality TV star Todd Chrisley, who was convicted alongside his wife Julie Chrisley of bank fraud and tax evasion in June 2022, claims he has been prevented from attending church services as he continues to serve a 12-year sentence behind bars in Florida.

Chrisley, a 54-year-old real estate tycoon who rose to fame with his family on the USA Network series "Chrisley Knows Best," told NewsNation in an interview that the Federal Prison Camp Pensacola has refused to allow him to attend services and to speak with his wife Julie, who was sentenced to seven years in a Kentucky prison.

He claims he is being targeted and mistreated.

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Chrisley told the outlet he believes the restrictions are the prison's way of retaliating at him for his previous participation in public interviews with NewsNation about the conditions he and others are being held in at the Pensacola facility.

Chrisley claimed that the warden stopped the prison's church services because he planned to do another NewsNation interview. Since then, he claims he hasn't had the chance to attend religious services.

He further asserts that on two different occasions, priests were interrupted during the middle of services and asked to leave the prison facility's premises.

"That was their way of trying to intimidate me," Chrisley told NewsNation. "I just walked out and said, 'It ain't going to change what I'm going to say.'"

Regarding requests to speak with his wife, Chrisley says the warden "denied it within 15 minutes of getting the request," adding that he has not spoken with his wife since arriving in Pensacola.

"[The warden] does not talk to me," he said. "The warden does not come around me. She does not speak to me."

Chrisley alleges the warden told other prison staff to stand firm when associating with him.

"[The Warden said], 'unless you are afraid of doing your job, you call [Chrisley] in, you write him up, you sanction him. I want him sanctioned,'" the former TV star told the outlet.

A spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons says it "does not comment on the conditions of confinement for any individual in custody" but stressed that "Humane treatment of the men and women in our custody is a top priority."

"It is the mission of the Federal Bureau of Prisons to operate facilities that are safe, secure and humane," BOP spokesperson Benjamin O'Cone told NewsNation.

"We take seriously our duty to protect the individuals entrusted in our custody, as well as maintaining the safety of our employees and the community.

BOP guidelines state that "inmates of all faith groups" are provided "reasonable and equitable opportunities to pursue religious beliefs and practices, within the constraints of budgetary limitations and consistent with the security and orderly running of the

institution and the Bureau of Prisons."

The Chrisleys' 26-year-old daughter Savannah voiced her displeasure with the conditions her parents are facing behind bars and has tried to advocate for them, claiming officials are trying to make an example of them because of their celebrity status, according to NewsNation.

Todd Chrisley claimed the prison does not have a doctor or dental hygienist on staff because they "resigned and left" because they knew "they were falsifying medical records."

He said another inmate had a massive heart attack, and another inmate who is a doctor had to rush to his side because of the insufficient medical care at the prison. The man allegedly underwent triple bypass surgery at a local hospital before being returned to the prison.

"They don't even have the supplies to take care of this man," Chrisley said to NewsNation. "They didn't even have a urinal to bring down here. They brought a mop bucket."

The ex-TV star said he has high hopes that a release may come sooner rather than later as there are reports his wife's sentence may be shortened.

"God is going to take me out of here," Chrisley told NewsNation. "God knew when I was coming in here, and he knows when I am going out."
Home News Utah House votes to allow chaplains in public schools, draws response from Satanic Temple

The Utah House of Representatives has voted in favor of a bill that, if enacted, will allow school districts to approve chaplains for counseling purposes in public schools, which the Satanic Temple argues should open the door for "ministers of Satan."

The Utah House voted 56-13 last Friday to pass House Bill 514, which would permit local education agencies to allow chaplains into public schools, provided they meet specific standards. The bill has been sent to the state Senate for a vote.

Republican Rep. Keven Stratton of Orem sponsored the bill, arguing on the House floor that the legislation "is meant to be a very grassroots-driven opportunity" for school districts.

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Stratton referenced the history of government acknowledgment of religion in the United States, including the national motto "In God We Trust" and "Under God" being in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Stratton claimed that including chaplains in public schools would create a resource to help with students' mental health and that the chaplains would be "nondenominational and fair to all."

Democratic Rep. Andrew Stoddard of Sandy stated during a floor debate that he had "significant concerns," such as the measure possibly violating the state's ban on using public money for religious exercise.

"What we're doing here is putting [school districts] in an extremely precarious position without providing anything to back them up," Stoddard said, as quoted by The Standard-Examiner, adding that "they'll have to defend themselves in court in a lawsuit they're likely going to lose."

Rachel Chambliss, executive director of operations for The Satanic Temple, has argued that the bill could "create an unprecedented opportunity for our ministers of Satan to have a permanent presence in Utah's public schools."

"While I would strongly prefer that Utah and other states do not enact bills that mingle religion with state functions, I can personally attest to the fact that The Satanic Temple  committed to the principles of equal religious representation and community service  is ready to embrace this new potential role within Utah's communities," stated Chambliss, as quoted by The Standard-Examiner.

"I'm enthusiastic about the possibility of our Satanic clergy contributing to the educational and emotional development of Utah's youth  and I know that our ministers of Satan are eager to take an active role in enriching Utah's educational landscape."

In recent years, some states have considered allowing religious chaplains into public schools, primarily to help counsel children at a time when many argue the United States is dealing with a mental health crisis.

Last year, Texas passed Senate Bill 763, with some independent school districts in the Lone Star State voting to allow chaplains in under certain requirements and restrictions.

During a board meeting for the Keller ISD of Texas, trustee Sandi Walker, a mother of six and a youth leader in her local church, defended the idea that chaplains should be in public schools.

"Why chaplains? Well, students are hurting. This should not shock anyone. ... School counselors and chaplains do not compete with one another. Allowing volunteer chaplains is another touch point in providing crucial services to a student or a staff member in need," she argued.

"If it is OK for a chaplain to go into a school after a tragedy occurred, it should be OK for that same chaplain to go into a school before an event happens," Walker added.
Home News YWAM lists names of members killed in fatal Tanzania accident

Youth With A Mission has released the names of 11 missionaries who died in a devastating traffic collision in Tanzania, alongside updates on the injured and ongoing support efforts. The tragic incident, which involved multiple vehicles, also claimed the lives of several others, including the bus driver.

In the wake of the accident near Arusha, YWAM confirmed the loss of its members through a statement on its website. Initially, eight members were reported dead, but the death toll was later updated to 11.

It is morning time in Tanzania, and we are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of another three of our dear missionaries as a result of the tragic traffic accident, YWAM said in a Sunday morning update. The ministry has expressed its deep sorrow and extended condolences to the families, friends and team members affected.

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For security reasons, the names of the deceased have been released without full names or nationalities. The individuals remembered are Claire M., Zabulon T., Emmanuel D., Vicent K., John M., Blaise G., Ime E., Andrew D., Chimene D., Lova R. and Lordienne N.

Additionally, the ministry provided updates on those injured: Mathurin B. and Joelle Z. are in critical condition, and Paul Dav., Isaac B., Janet F., Cyrille A., and Benjamin N. are in stable condition. Isaac B. has since been released to return home.

The accident, attributed to a suspected brake failure of a truck in the Ngaramtoni suburb of Arusha, involved four vehicles and resulted in at least 15 fatalities, including three foreigners, and injured 12 others. Among the vehicles involved was one carrying students and teachers from New Vision School of Arusha and a public bus.

The injured were taken to major hospitals in the city, including Mount Meru referral hospital and Selian Lutheran Hospital, for treatment.

Local and international leaders from YWAM are gathering to support the team on the ground, faced with the details of repatriation, medical evacuation, family support, funeral arrangements and many other logistics. The ministry has invited contributions to help with these expenses, estimating the cost at around $350,000.

Thank you to those who are already contributing.  Thank you for helping to ease the financial burden for those bearing the weight of this significant loss to our family in Africa, YWAM said in a statement, providing a link for contributions.

"A team of leaders on the ground in Arusha, a crisis response team in Kona, Hawaii, and other key leaders have been working nonstop to respond in a loving, compassionate and responsible way to this tragedy that impacts so many," the ministry said, urging the public to respect the privacy of the families involved and to share official updates to ensure accurate information is disseminated.

Youth With A Mission has requested prayers and sensitivity during this emotional time as the community comes together to support those impacted by the tragedy.
Journalist Claims "God-Given Rights" Equal Christian Nationalism, Trump On Safety Of Americans, Episcopal Clergy Discipline

link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 07:26 07:26

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Top headlines for Monday, February 26, 2024

In today's episode, we begin with an MSNBC segment where a POLITICO investigative journalist links the belief that rights come from God with 'Christian Nationalism'. Moving on, we discuss an interview with former President Donald Trump, who expressed concerns about American safety due to what he sees as 'incompetent' leadership, during a conversation on prayer with Laura Ingraham. Lastly, we explore the Episcopal Church's response to excessive calls for transparency: a fresh protocol designed to offer more insight into disciplinary actions against bishops.

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Top headlines for Monday, February 26, 2024

In today's episode, we begin with an MSNBC segment where a POLITICO investigative journalist links the belief that rights come from God with 'Christian Nationalism'. Moving on, we discuss an interview with former President Donald Trump, who expressed concerns about American safety due to what he sees as 'incompetent' leadership, during a conversation on prayer with Laura Ingraham. Lastly, we explore the Episcopal Church's response to excessive calls for transparency: a fresh protocol designed to offer more insight into disciplinary actions against bishops.
Home Opinion What if the Bible has errors?

Im guessing youre already fuming mad. Ready to tar and feather me for even suggesting such a thing  that the Bible has errors. Heretic  off with his head!

Relax.

The truth is I fully believe what Paul said to Timothy: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:1617). Of course, I also embrace what Jesus Himself said about the Bible: Your word is truth (John 17:17) and the Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35).

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Moreover, Im a fan of the Chicago statement on biblical inerrancy, part of which reads: God, who is Himself Truth and speaks truth only, has inspired Holy Scripture in order thereby to reveal Himself to lost mankind through Jesus Christ as Creator and Lord, Redeemer and Judge. Holy Scripture is Gods witness to Himself. Holy Scripture, being Gods own Word, written by men prepared and superintended by His Spirit, is of infallible divine authority in all matters upon which it touches: it is to be believed, as Gods instruction, in all that it affirms; obeyed, as Gods command, in all that it requires; embraced, as Gods pledge, in all that it promises.

When it comes to the Bible having errors, I agree with the same statement of faith that says: Being wholly and verbally God-given, Scripture is without error or fault in all its teaching, no less in what it states about Gods acts in creation, about the events of world history, and about its own literary origins under God, than in its witness to Gods saving grace in individual lives.

So, if I believe this, why am I writing an article that poses the question of whether the Bible contains errors? Because, in my experience, when someone stiff-arms Scripture and says its due to supposed errors, contradictions, etc., the issues they raise  how should I put this  dont amount to squat.

Or to rephrase: everyone is still on the hook for what the Bible says about the big-picture things  God, Jesus, sin, the cross, Christs resurrection, Heaven and Hell  none of which are in dispute over presumed secondary detail mismatches. And spoiler alert: in most all cases, any supposed minor contradictions in Scripture can be reasonably explained and inerrancy preserved.

It is written

Its always baffled me why people cant embrace the fact that a book can be without error. A phone book can't be 100% correct, can it?

Maybe its because people get tripped up over the terms inerrancy, infallibility, and inspiration, all of which play a part in the Bible being true in what it says.

Inerrancy says the Bible does not err; infallibility says the Bible cannot err. And inspiration is Gods superintending of human authors so that, using their own individual personalities, they composed and recorded, without error in the words of the original autographs, His revelation to humanity.

Further, since God is the one speaking, if God cannot err (and He cant), and the Bible is the Word of God (it is), therefore, the Bible cannot err. Against this stands positions like neo-orthodoxy that claim Scripture is inspired but the human writers could only produce a record with errors.

The most often used Bible phrase that declares the truth of Scripture is It is written, which appears some 92 times. In the Hellenistic world at that time, it is written was the formula used when people referred to the terms of an unalterable agreement, which is exactly how biblical authors like Paul use it.

That said, when something in the Bible is written, is it always to be taken literally and at face value? Of course not.

For example, Jesus is not a literal door even though He said, I am the door (John 10:9). Were also not to take the bad advice offered by Jobs friends in the many chapters that record their words.

Being a literary work, the Bible contains all sorts of devices such as phenomenological language, hyperbole, metaphors, anthropomorphisms, personifications, symbolisms, etc., to teach its truth. Further, Scripture records many things that it doesnt approve of and describes many things that are not necessarily prescribed. Lastly, there are cases (e.g., occurrences in Jesus Gospel teachings) where the exact words (ipsissima verba) may not be maintained but the voice (ipsissima vox  the meaning) is.

OK, but what about apparent contradictions? For example, in Matthew Jesus tells Peter hell deny Him before a rooster crows (26:34), but in Mark, He says the denial will happen before a rooster crows twice (14:30). In Matthew (8:28-34), Jesus confronts two possessed men whose demons are sent into a herd of swine whereas in Mark (5:1-17) and Luke (8:26-37), only one possessed man is referenced.

Years ago, skeptic Bart Ehrman wrote about attending a Bible conference where he said the Christian position of inerrancy on issues like this seemed to be shifting, and the current view seems to be much more open to the possibility that there are places that we simply cant figure it out, places that do appear to be contradictory. And here is the KICKER. When they (the evangelicals who take this view) admit there are apparent contradictions, then they say that the details are not important. What matters is the major message. The ultimate point. The big picture. The gist. The gist of what a passage is trying to teach is what is inspired and inerrant. Not the picayune details.

Barts right about the big picture things being of primary importance. As one person put it, its not the discrepancies in the Bible that bothered him but rather the clear and undisputed content that's there.

This means youre not going to find a place in the Bible that says Jesus isnt the Son of God. Or that He stayed dead. Or that you can earn your way to Heaven.

But are there alleged secondary detail conflicts like whether a rooster crowed once or twice before Peter denied He knew Jesus? Yep, theyre there.

Even so, good explanations exist for them. For example, Dr. Mike Liconas work, Why Are There Differences in the Gospels?, tackles such things head-on. Licona discusses how ancient biographies utilize various compositional devices such as paraphrasing, transferal, expansion of narrative details, spotlighting, simplification, displacement, compression, and conflation to weave together their stories, and the gospel accounts are no exception.

For example, the rooster crow discrepancy: its likely Matthew was using Mark as his source material and is employing the literary device of paraphrasing. The single possessed man referenced in Mark and Luke is a perfect example of spotlighting where an author shines the light on a particular personality in a story although others may be present.

Investigating such things is fine as long as (again) you dont miss for forest for the trees. When the Titanic sank, there were conflicting accounts over whether it broke up before or after it sank, but no one today disputes its at the bottom of the ocean.

This brings us to the real reason why, with so much good evidence for accepting what Scripture says, some people still drop-kick the Bible out of their lives. Its hard to listen to but here goes anyway.

A. W. Tozer writes, The Bible is not addressed to just anybody. Its message is directed to a chosen few As the pillar of fire gave light to Israel but was cloud and darkness to the Egyptians, so our Lords words shine in the hearts of His people but leave the self-confident unbeliever in the obscurity of moral night.

Jesus put it more simply: He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God (John 8:47).

I can tell you from my own life that is 100% correct. My hope is if you dismiss the Bible and are currently not of God, that you will be soon. My advice to you is, dont get tripped up by details that are seemingly at odds, which have reasonable explanations, but instead focus on Jesus Himself and that empty tomb thats always going to be there.
Home Opinion Yes, trans ideology even sanctions the abuse of infants too

Every time you think that the gender ideology rabbit hole cannot grow any darker, somehow something else emerges and proves, yet again, that there is no bottom to this particular moral filth.

This time its an utterly revolting form of abuse of infants through male chestfeeding which, according to the UKs NHS Trust, is just as good as a mothers breast milk.

I wish I was making this up but the feculence from the abyss is now out in the open and so it must be confronted. According to British health officials, a recently leaked letter from the University of Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust maintains that the substance produced by trans-identifying males who claim to be women after taking a combination of drugs and hormones is comparable to that produced [by a mother] following the birth of a baby.

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Lets be unequivocally clear about whats happening: These are medical institutions at the tops of Western nations like England pushing one of the most horrific forms of child abuse to indulge in a sick and disturbing fetish. The synthetic hormone-addled discharge from male breasts that babies are ingesting, is not remotely in the same ballpark as a mothers breast milk.

This is not the first time this sordid theme has manifested in the news and its not just in England where this madness has appeared. Last year the US Centers for Disease Control and Preventions official Website published guidance of its own for transgender and non-binary parents on how to breastfeed, or as they say in trans parlance, chestfeed.

Breastfeeding organizations such as La Leche League have been captured for years by this delusional nonsense. These horrors have been percolating for a while, in fact, and they have gone from the marginal into the mainstream in a remarkably short amount of time. In 2017, the queer edition of Seattles alternative newspaper, The Stranger, published a personal essay that seemed to cheer on this debauchery. In it, the man who took synthetic cross-sex hormones chest-fed his baby after receiving advice from a queer lactation consultant and he went on to describe the experience of the baby sucking his nipples by asking readers to imagine the most electric thing a partner has ever done to you, then multiply it by 10.

He added, parenthetically: And yeah, I kind of got off on it. Dont judge. Oh, make no mistake sir, Im judging you.

Even as I type these words I can scarcely believe that even on the deeply secular Seattle extreme fringes of our society we can read about men who got off by prostituting a baby as a fetishistic prop to feed the most debased of desires  and no one in power so much as bats an eye.

In my mind, nothing captures the insanity of our present age more than supposed medical experts saying that infants suckling on male chests and ingesting the small amount of fluid they secrete is somehow comparable to a mothers breast milk. Journalists like me and my colleagues in this space have written hundreds if not thousands of articles on how gender ideology has besieged the world, documenting its harms, and giving voices to victims, and with every passing day, we keep asking each other: How is this even real?

Over the years, Ive also noticed how tight-lipped a certain segment of the Christian thought leader commentariat is on these issues. They seem to have chosen not to weigh in on how society is saturated in gender ideology and all that it has unleashed. For a while, I thought it was possible that maybe it was because such themes were a bit obscure and bizarre and due to deception in the mainstream press. In fairness to them, I understand that people like to stay on their lanes where they have expertise and these issues are viscerally unpleasant to discuss.

But at some point, ignorance and lack of understanding are no longer a viable excuse, and speaking up for the most vulnerable is an imperative especially when they are being harmed by the prevailing spirit-of-the-age dogma of the day. In a few months, it will be June and the rainbow flags are likely to saturate the streets of all of our major cities. People cant say they cant see this or dont know that gender ideology and LGBTQ dogma more broadly are being hailed and championed as good.

Its terrible enough that 13-year-old girls are having their healthy breasts amputated, that children as young as 8 are allowed to be experimented on with cross-sex hormones in NIH-funded research grants. Its abominable that doctors who have long abandoned the Hippocratic oath to "first, do no harm" will go to work today and harvest forearm skin and tissue to fashion a non-functional penis. Its horrifying that incarcerated women are being terrorized in prisons, and that teen girls are being raped and sexually assaulted (including anally) in schools in Loudoun County, Virginia, and New Mexico.

We are living through an age of horrific, state-sanctioned human rights atrocities dressed up as moral progress and inclusivity. And now, even infant babies are being victimized by this pathological deviance, and our institutions regard it as normal.

Its not normal and it never will be. Its high time that those who pushed the insane notion that humans can ontologically exist as something other than their sex and should therefore be permitted to claim to be the opposite sex in the public domain have a good long think about what they have allowed to happen.

J.K. Rowling said in August 2020 that she believes that the time is coming when those organizations and individuals who have uncritically embraced fashionable dogma, and demonized those urging caution, will have to answer for the harm theyve enabled.

Rowling was speaking to the plight of detransitioners who were harmed by the hormonal interventions and surgeries they underwent, but her words ring true here too. If ever there was a foul set of ideas that belongs on the ash heap of history, its gender ideology.

To those still hesitant to utter nary a slightly critical word about whats going on because youre afraid, if enabling the abuse of infants wont cause you to find the courage to speak, what will?
Calls for prayer after deadly Burkina Faso church attack

There have been appeals for prayer after 15 Christians were killed in an attack during a church service in Burkina Faso on Sunday.

Abbot Jean-Pierre Sawadogo, of the local Diocese of Dori, said that 12 people were killed instantly in the attack and three others died later in hospital.

Gunmen opened fire on the church in Essakane village, in the north-east of the country, during the service. The attackers are believed to be Islamist militants.

Sawadogo has asked people to pray for all those affected.

"In this painful circumstance, we invite you to pray for those who died in faith, for the healing of the wounded, and for the consolidation of grieving hearts," he said.

Open Doors said that the north of the country has been blighted by serious violence since the departure of French troops from the country last year.

The organisation, which advocates for persecuted Christians worldwide, said that at least 800,000 people in Burkina Faso "effectively live under a militant Islamist group siege".

Burkina Faso is number 20 on Open Doors' World Watch List of countries where it is most dangerous to be a Christian.

Open Doors says that jihadist violence has "increased radically" since it started working in Burkina Faso in 2019.

Jo Newhouse, Open Doors' spokesperson on Sub-Saharan Africa, said, "Burkina Faso has been known for religious tolerance and social cohesion.

"However, the growing Islamic insurgency threatens the peaceful coexistence of the Burkinabe. Christians have been disproportionately impacted by the growing insurgency in the north of the country, with churches and Christian communities singled out in attacks.

"Meanwhile Muslims who do not side with the Islamic extremist groups have also suffered greatly."
Ernst Toepher is now the youngest "elite angler" to be recognized in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department'sAngler Recognition Program. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

A skilled six-year-old fisherman is now the youngest "elite angler" to be recognized in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's (TPWD) Angler Recognition Program. Ernst Toepfer recently hooked a 21.75-inch sheepshead, 22.75-inch black drum, 21.25-inch ladyfish, 21-inch spotted sea trout, and a 14.88-inch sand sea trout. To earn the one-time achievement award by the state agency's program, an angler must catch trophy class fish of five different species in either freshwater or saltwater categories.

Ernst goes fishing with his father, Ernst Toepher IV, and grandfather, Ernst Toepher III, according to TPWD. "Sometimes his grandad will call me to tell me about the latest fishing story from their family fishing adventures, and it always makes my day," said Grace Simms, TPWD Angler Recognition Program coordinator, in a statement.

"For Ernst to earn his Elite Angler Award at such a young age is an incredible thing," Simms continued. "It's wonderful to see the enjoyment of angling being passed down to the next generation."

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(The Center Square)  Prosecutors said it was cocaine, but Hunter Biden, the president's son, has hit back alleging they submitted a photo of sawdust to try to show the strength of their case that he was addicted to cocaine when he bought a revolver in violation of federal law.

"Mistaking sawdust for cocaine sounds more like a storyline from one of the 1980s Police Academy comedies than what should be expected in a high-profile prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice," Hunter Biden's defense team wrote.

They said the photo, which depicts three lines shown in a mirror, was taken by a master carpenter. The man picked carpentry over cocaine and sent the photo to a therapist to show he had chosen to be a master carpenter rather than evidence that Biden was using drugs when he owned the revolver.

Despite the cheeky response, prosecutors have said they have plenty of evidence.

Special counsel David Weiss indicted Hunter Biden in September in federal court in Delaware on three counts tied to the possession of a gun while using drugs. Two of the counts involve allegations that he allegedly lied on a form attesting that he was not using illegal drugs when he bought a .38 Special Colt Cobra revolver in October 2018. The third count alleges that he possessed a firearm while using illegal drugs.

"After the defendants then-girlfriend discovered and discarded his gun, and after he became aware that local authorities had seized his gun, speed loader, and ammunition, and after the defendant announced his awareness of a federal investigation of him in 2020, the defendant chose to author and sell a book in 2021 in which he made countless incriminating statements about his years-long drug usage, including during the time period he purchased and possessed the gun," prosecutors wrote. "He recounted his interaction with a drug dealer who pointed a gun at him during a drug deal before he decided to buy his own gun. Investigators also obtained messages from his Apple iCloud account in which he discussed buying thousands of dollars' worth of crack while also taking videos of himself weighing crack and smoking it. Furthermore, a chemist was able to confirm the presence of cocaine residue on the brown leather pouch in which defendant stored his firearm."

Hunter Biden's attorney has said Republican interference at the U.S. Department of Justice prompted the gun charges against President Joe Biden's son.

Hunter Biden's previous plea deal on gun and tax fraud charges fell apart in July after last-minute disagreements over the degree to which Hunter Biden could face future charges for other alleged crimes still possibly under investigation. That plea deal revolved around alleged tax crimes and a single gun charge. The new indictment includes three separate charges related to Hunter's possession of the gun.

If convicted, Hunter Biden faces up to 10 years in prison on the first two counts and five years on the third count.
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The Charity Commission will not be weaponised by people or organisations fighting culture wars, its chair Orlando Fraser has said.

Fraser made the comments today in a speech to charity leaders at the launch of the Commissions new five-year strategy in London.

I will not allow the Commission to be misused or weaponised by any army involved in fighting these [culture] wars, he said.

Whether it be led by powerful interests in politics, the media, or indeed the sector itself.

The Commission stressed its independence in its five-year strategy, published today , and committed to fair and proportionate in its work.

It comes after outgoing Commission chief executive Helen Stephenson recently said that culture wars have affected many charities acutely .

I will not allow the Commission to be misused

Fraser said that the regulator is emphasising its independence so strongly in its new strategy because it believes it will be paramount in coming years.

He said British society has fewer universally shared values and norms than in past decades and that the public has less trust in institutions.

While charities can help to bring people together, they can also be drawn into culture wars, he said.

They can be caught up in fierce public battles for the soul of our nation. These debates help to highlight the crucial work of charities.

But there are risks involved, when charities find themselves at the biting edge of what we have come to know as the culture wars.

I will not allow the Commission to be misused or weaponised by any army involved in fighting these wars. Whether it be led by powerful interests in politics, the media, or indeed the sector itself.

Without doubt, we will find ourselves in contested territory  divisive and contentious issues will arise, that is the nature of our work, and inherent in the role charities play in our society.

Promote respect, tolerance and kindness

When the regulator becomes engaged in these debates, it will aim to respond in a way that seeks to promote respect, tolerance, and kindness, Fraser said.

And we will expect the charities we regulate to do the same, responding with purpose-led magnanimity to attacks they may face along the way.

I want us to make our contribution to upholding a democratic, pluralistic, tolerant culture that allows a broad and diverse charity sector to thrive in the first place.

Five-year strategy

The Commission today set out its key priorities for the next five years in its strategy for 2024-29, which are to:

Be fair and proportionate in its work, and clear about its role.

Support charities to get it right, while taking robust action where it sees wrongdoing and harm.

Speak with authority and credibility, free from the influence of others.

Embrace technological innovation and strengthen its use of data.

Be an expert Commission where its people are empowered and enabled to deliver excellence in regulation.

Sarah Vibert, chief executive of NCVO, said: At a time of great change, challenge and opportunity, todays launch of the Charity Commissions new strategy has provided a chance to discuss how we build a stronger sector for the future.

It's important that we continue to build on our existing relationship to enable better collaboration and sharing, engage in proactive and meaningful partnership between the sector and the regulator, and play our different roles to build confidence and trust in charities so we can meet the challenges we face.

We remain committed to working in partnership with Commission at every opportunity to create the best possible environment for charities, so every organisation, and the communities they support, can thrive.

The regulator recently announced David Holdsworth as its next CEO.

sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector,
Are you a journalistic god? Do you believe that your piece is the truththat, by arduous training and rigorous discipline, you see reality without the obfuscating subjectivity of mere mortals? Or are you a campaigning zealot, unapologetically and passionately in the arena?

The gods are more wrong than the campaigners, for the gods lack self-knowledge, humility, a basic understanding of epistemology, and often empathy, whereas the campaigners lack only despair.

The gods, not being actual gods, are purporting to achieve the impossible; the campaigners rightly seek to achieve the improbable. But both should change. The gods should abandon their hubris because they are deluding themselves and misleading their readers.

The campaigners should lay down their arms, because the way theyve been taught to wield them makes them servants of ideas rather than people, and the meanest and most corrupt person matters more than the most elevated idea.

There is a better moral and journalistic principle than this: dignity. To explain what I mean, I have to start right at the beginning. With the Big Bang.

The law of quantum nonlocality is mystical and vertiginous. But its truth has been repeatedly and emphatically demonstrated. If two particles have been close, each will affect the behavior of the other forever, instantaneously, and however far apart they are.

Everything was close to everything else at the time of the Big Bang. So the spin of an electron on one side of the universe will be determined instantaneously by the spin of an electron on the other side. And by all other electrons. We shouldnt imagine some sort of messaging, some sort of command, but rather note that the whole cosmos is one. The burden of our agency in a cosmos like that is crushing and exhilarating. Its halfway to omnipotence.

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There was a bitter debate between Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein that makes this central to the practice of journalism. Einstein contended that in principle a theory could conform perfectly to the world. No, said Bohr, it cant, because the observer will affect the observed, and vice versa, thus confounding the predictions of any imaginable theory. Hence the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, of which Bohr was a coauthor. Bohr turned out to be right. Objectivity is impossible. Subjectivity is fundamental and unavoidable.

Journalism is written by people, for people, and generally about people. And so, beyond particles, we must form some idea of what humans actually are before we can form a way to write better about them.

As soon as we see behaviorally modern humans in the archaeological record (about forty-five thousand years ago), we see evidence of a belief in dignity as the defining human attribute. We buried our dead, rather than leaving them for the foxes. We celebrated their lives with flowers and gold. We assumed that they (whoever they were) were far more robust than their bodies, and would endure worms and fire.

And, perceiving and feeling our own dignity, we attributed dignity incontinently to everyone and everything else, from mountains to seeds. Eating was a problem, because it involved the death of dignified plants and dignified caribou, and so meals required an elaborate choreography: a litany of oblation and satisfaction. To be a human being was to negotiate the dignities of others in a way consonant with your own dignity: to hold up your head in a procession of dignitaries.

About 86 percent of our time as behaviorally modern humans has been spent as hunter-gatherers (compared with 13 percent as post-Neolithic farmers, and 0.86 percent as acolytes of the Enlightenment). We were forged in the Upper Paleolithic. Under our suits and in our centrally heated offices, were constitutionally hunter-gatherers still.

Though weve lost a lot, weve never lost that most ancient and fundamental conviction: that we matter; that we signify. Dignity is the true name of that conviction. And central to our understanding of our significance is the belief that we each have our own story. Stories seep from the cave walls and are declaimed by the mammoth-ivory lips of the first carvings of the human form.

What makes a good story? In every age, in every book, in every newspaper, on every website, a good story is one with a beginning, a middle, and an end, which tells the truth. And the most basic truth is that we matter: that we are dignified.

Immediately after the Second World War dignity appeared as a foundational principle in many national laws and constitutions (for instance in Germany and Israel), in many international conventions (such as the 1945 UN Charter and the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights), and it has subsequently been grafted into a huge number of professional ethical codes and declarations.

Dignity was generally left as an undefined placeholder in these instruments. But soon the time came when the lawyers noticed and invoked it, and then it had to be dusted off in courts and tribunals, given some real substance, and put to work in the world.

Among those who think that dignity means something there is now a broad consensus. Dignity has two elements.

The first is intrinsic dignityan inalienable quality; a status that comes simply from being a human (although it doesnt begin to follow, as the hunter-gatherers knew, that nonhumans cant have a comparable type of dignity).

The second is the dignity associated with human flourishing. There are certain modes of being a human that are more consistent with our intrinsic dignity than others, and to live in accordance with those modes will be to flourish more exuberantly.

This second criterion needs careful handling. It can be abused to prescribe and proscribe certain ways of being. As ever, the devil is in the detail, but a look at the ways that dignity has been deployed suggests that, generally, intrinsic dignity polices flourishing dignity very diligently.

In Israel, dignity gives a right to have the inscription on your tombstone in the language of your choice. In South Africa it has outlawed homophobia and abolished the death penalty. In Nigeria it has denounced the parading of a handcuffed prisoner before his wife and children. In Pakistan it has deleted from the law the expressions disabled, physically handicapped, and mentally retarded. In Colombia it is the basis of the states obligation to provide healthcare. In Argentina it is the foundation of the right to freedom of speech and free association. It would take strenuous (but not inconceivable) mental gymnastics to use dignity to do the obverse of all these.

If you look at the evidence about what laypeople (particularly those teetering on the edges of life) understand dignity to mean, youd think there was little point in going to college. For they too distinguish between those two meanings of dignity, and anticipate beautifully what the Supreme Court justices of the world say dignity means for the regulation of individual and corporate life.

This is reassuring. It suggests that this understanding of dignity is indeed foundational, entombed deep in our history and our intuitions. Dignity is, say the people gasping for breath in a hospice, about being human, and being human well. Its the same conclusion reached when those early humans first looked at themselves and said: Im a human. How, then, should I live?

And how should we write? How should we reflect the experiences of others? As dignified humans among dignified humans. That is the only rule.

It means we must shed our pretensions to be gods, and hence our delusions of objectivity. It means we must not be campaignersor at least very careful if we arebecause zealotry is usually zeal for an abstraction (such as justice, or liberalism, or conservatism), and abstractions fall short of everything that a real, dignified human is.

We can and should be storytellers, for part of the business of being a dignified human is that you have your own story. Being stories ourselves, nothing convinces us as powerfully as a story.

To tell a story simply, without diluting it with abstraction: thats how to change things. Remember that Bohr-Einstein exchange. Theories dont work; encounter is everything. Every encounter is between dignified beings. Journalistic skill is putting encounter on the page.

We can be human, and dignified, and dignity-recognizing, and dignity-maximizing: honest about what we are and what we see, silent about what we dont see, and humble about the highly material facts that weve failed to see.

Are you writing about an enslaved child?

Dont see her as a product of social forces. That diminishes her. She is far bigger, more complex, and more mysterious than any Foucauldian or other account of her. To think that she is comprehensible is outrageous hubris. To see her as a pawn in a game whose rules you understand takes away her unique name; reduces and depersonalizes and de-dignifies her. You cannot see her from above, but only from alongside, as your dignity speaks to hers.

Dont see her, either, as a vehicle for your own outrage, for your causes. She has been wronged, yes, but only she, and not you, can tell the story of the wrongness. You can translate her words into legible paragraphs, but there should be little of you in the translation.

And you will find, because it is one of the paradoxical laws of dignity and altruism, that the more you try to exclude yourself, the more truly yours your voice will be.

Charles Foster is a fellow of Exeter College, University of Oxford. His latest book is Cry of the Wild (2023).
A move to revamp the state-backed property insurer of last resort into Floridas main wind carrier, a plan dubbed Citizens 2.0, appears to have died in the Legislature this year. But other insurance-related bills are still alive, and the governors effort to temporarily cut premium taxes may have gained new life.

Leaders in the Florida House of Representatives have not embraced Gov. Ron DeSantis plan to halt the premium tax for homes up to $750,000 for one year, a cut that could save homeowners an average of about $240, according to the Insurance Information Institute. But on the Senate side of the Capitol, Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, last week proposed a tax package that includes the premium tax reduction, the Tallahassee Democrat and Florida Politics reported.

House leaders have expressed concerns about the loss of revenue from the premium tax cut, and have worried about a lack of guarantee that insurers would pass the savings on to consumers, according to the news reports.

Meanwhile, House and Senate bills that address Citizens Property Insurance Corp. coverage restrictions are still alive, with some changes, the Florida Association of Insurance Agents government affairs director reported last week. Senate Bill 1716 and House Bill 1503 would allow surplus lines carriers to take out secondary homes from Citizens.

HB 1503, by Rep. Tiffany Esposito, R-Fort Myers, also would grant the state Office of Insurance Regulation the authority to allow some homes valued at more than $750,000 to be insured by Citizens, something now barred by law.

Condominium associations and their brokers are hoping one of those bills will also end the current statute that bars Citizens from covering condominium buildings that allow short-term rentals for a large percentage of units. Brokers have said that many condos in Florida can no longer find affordable insurance coverage, and that insurers have cut back drastically on coverage limits. Citizens may be the only option for hundreds of condo associations, advocates have said.

The bills have each survived one committee and are now pending in a second.

SB 1104 and HB 1149 would bar the cancellation or nonrenewal of policies on storm-damaged residences for at least 90 days after repairs are made, with exceptions for fraud and misrepresentation by insureds. Those measures also are pending in committee.

Also, two bills that could limit liability for alleged water pollution are advancing. HB 579 and SB 738 would make it more difficult for personal injury damages under the Florida Water Quality Assurance Act, the Tampa Bay Times and other news outlets reported. The bills, which would limit awards to economic, not personal damages, have passed committees and are set to be heard on the chamber floors.

Two more measures, SB 1252 and HB 347, would bar lawsuits against companies that sell pesticides unless the firms are involved in manufacturing the substance. The Senate bill has passed one committee and the House measure is headed to the chamber floor.

The Citizens 2.0 bill, as it has been called, is House Bill 1213, introduced by Rep. Hillary Cassel, Rep. Spencer Roach and others. It would have made Citizens the wind insurer for most properties in the state, leaving the primary market to cover other perils. It did not receive a vote in committee.

Photo: Florida House Speaker Paul Renner and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
OXFORD TOWNSHIP, Ohio  A 45-year-old Sandusky man was killed Saturday when his car went off a road and overturned, throwing him from the vehicle, authorities say.

According to the State Highway Patrol, John Donald was driving a 2013 Hyundai Sonata west on Mason Road in Erie County just after 6 a.m. The Sonata crossed the yellow centerline and went off the south side of the road.

The car his a fire hydrant and a fence post, then overturned. Donald was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the vehicle, the patrol says.

No other details were released Sunday. The crash remains under investigation.
Protection of Tibetan antelope mirrors Chinese ecological wisdom

Xinhua) 13:36, February 26, 2024

XINING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- During the 2024 Chinese Lunar New Year, an important annual occasion marked by family get-togethers in China, Tsewen Dorje enjoyed a special time in the company of three Tibetan antelope calves.

For the past nine years, Tsewen Dorje, 31, has worked as a ranger at the Sonam Dargye Protection Station in northwest China's Hoh Xil, a nature reserve that encompasses China's largest stretch of uninhabited land within the Sanjiangyuan National Park. He was on duty during the Spring Festival holiday this month, and responsible for looking after the baby Tibetan antelopes at the protection station.

Zonag Lake, at the heart of Hoh Xil, is known as the "delivery room" for Tibetan antelopes, a species under first-class state protection in China. Every year, tens of thousands of pregnant Tibetan antelopes start their migration to Zonag Lake around May for birthing and then depart with their offspring in late July.

"During their migration journey, baby Tibetan antelopes are susceptible to getting separated from the herd due to adverse weather or attacks by predators," said Tsewen Dorje. "When we come across such 'stranded' calves, we bring them back to the protection station."

The three Tibetan antelope calves, which are six months old now, were found and rescued by Tsewen Dorje's patrol team during the migration season last year.

"They have been dependent on me. They are like my own children, and it is warm and soothing to be with them," said Tsewen Dorje. He also confirmed that the calves are in good health and will need to undergo wilderness training before meeting the criteria for release back into the wild.

To enhance protection efforts, a wildlife rescue center was set up at the station in 2002, securing it the reputation of being "the kindergarten of baby Tibetan antelopes." Covering an area of 550 mu (around 36.67 hectares), the rescue center has aided a total of over 600 wild animals of various types and helped more than 50 Tibetan antelope calves return to their natural habitat.

The establishment of the wildlife rescue center epitomizes the intensive efforts of China's government at all levels to protect Tibetan antelopes.

In recent years, authorities in Hoh Xil have constantly carried out mountain patrols and cracked down on anti-poaching activities to safeguard the reproduction and migration of Tibetan antelopes.

Improving the ecological environment is of vital importance for species protection. In this regard, the Sanjiangyuan area has initiated ecological migration programs, moving herders out of areas with fragile ecological environments, and limiting grazing on grasslands, to reduce the impact of human activities on the environment. Ecosystems including deserts and wetlands have been further protected and restored.

In addition, technological and legal support has also been provided. Since 2016, Qinghai Province, which administers Hoh Xil, has carried out the construction of a networked remote video observation system for real-time monitoring of key ecological areas, offering massive and detailed data support for biodiversity protection in the Sanjiangyuan region.

A national law concerning protection of the ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was officially implemented in September 2023.

These efforts have borne fruit. The status of the Tibetan antelope in China has been downgraded from "endangered" to "near threatened." At present, Hoh Xil is home to more than 70,000 Tibetan antelopes, and the total combined population of Tibetan antelopes in the Xizang Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has increased to around 300,000.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
by Leanne Ogasawara

1.

It was the first US lunar landing since 1972, when last Thursday a private Houston-based company successfully touched down in the lunar highlands 185 miles north of the moons south pole.

We are told again and again: space is hard.

I was born around the time of the first Apollo mission, when human beings walked on the moon. My childhood was filled with that magic, and by third grade I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life: I would become an astronaut. It took a surprisingly long time for me to grow out of my dream. And it wasnt until junior high school that I realized I might not exactly have the right stuff for space. That was when my attention turned toward cosmology. I devoured countless books on the subject and that was when I received my prized Christmas gift from my parents: a lunar globe!

In those days, you could still see the Milky Way from our LA suburb there were countless stars to train my eyes on as I spent hours staring up toward the heavens. But nothing captured my attention more than the glowing moon. And as a child, I was continually astonished that human beings had walked on its dusty surface. I couldnt have imagined how our space program would have stalled like this. Or maybe I should put that differently. Back when I was dreaming of becoming an astrophysicist, I imagined we would soon have bases on the moon, doing research and preparing for the bigger mission:

Mars Bitches.

But, yeah, space is hard. So far, five nations have achieved soft non-crewed landings on the moon: Russia, the US, China, Japan, and India. And nowas of Thursday evening, so has a private American company. Launched by a SpaceX Falcon rocket, Houston-based Intuitive Machines managed to set their gorgeous Odysseus lander down on the south side of the moon.

And guess who was there with them?

Yours truly! Well, not in the physical sense, but a poem I translated from the Japanese was included in the Lunar Codex Time Capsule. The invitation came as a wonderful surprise about a year ago when, having a bit of a dark drizzly November day in my heart, Samuel Peralta asked me if I wanted to be a part of his project.

I answered in a nanosecond: YES!

Samuel Peralta is a particle physicist, who is also a writer, an artist, and a visionaryand a new member of the Advisory Board of the Interstellar Foundation. Coming up with his Lunar Codex Time Capsule project during the dark days of Covid, he designed a time capsule to be put on a nanofiche disc that includes art, poetry, books, music, and film from over 30,000 contemporary creative artists in over 150 countries.

Awhile back, he and I collaborated on several translations of Japanese poet Takamura Kotaros Chieko Poems. The sculptor and poet Takamura Kotaro (1883-1956) is perhaps best known in Japan for his Chieko Poems, which are a chronicle documenting the evolution of the poets relationship with his wife, as well as a celebration of his love for her.

2.

The Love which moves the sun and other stars

Oh, how happy I was that Samuel chose a poem from the early days of their relationship, when the two were deeply in love. My translation, which was first published in the University of Iowas journal of translation, Transference is copied below. Not unlike Voyagers Golden Record, the content of the time capsule was stored on a nanofiche and attached to the Lander.

Before this, I had never really thought much about time capsulesthough when I was a teenage camp counselor, one of the projects we played around with was creating one. The kids were supposed to write some notes and bring things that they felt they would want to find again later. Imagine, say, three or four decades in the future, what items and thoughts might be meaningful to dig up?

But not just that, for we encouraged the kids to think of the capsule as something going beyond a memory palaceas it was really a message! But a message for whom? A few kids wondered. Well, for your future selves and even for other people who might be there when it is discovered.

The most famous time capsule is the Golden Records placed on the Voyager Mission. The contents of the record were selected for NASA by a committee chaired by Carl Sagan and include over a hundred images and a variety of natural sounds, such as those made by surf, wind and thunder, birds, whales, and other animals. To this, they added musical selections from different cultures and eras, and spoken greetings from Earth-people in fifty-five languages, and a printed message from my beloved President Carter, who wrote these words:

This is a present from a small, distant world, a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music, our thoughts and our feelings. We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours.

3.

According to the Dark Forest Theory, we should be very glad that we have not encountered alien life because that encounter might not go so well for human civilization. The term comes from a series called The Three Body Problem by Chinese sci-fi author Liu Cixin.

In growing anticipation of the Netflix version of the book I am re-reading it for my third time. And I still struggle to wrap my mind around the idea of people on earth who become so disheartened by what they see around them that they not only callbut they encourage and facilitate- extraterrestrials to come and wipe us out.

After I first read the book a few years ago, I was inspired and wrote a piece of flash fiction about two astronomers who are romantically involved but their different perspectives about what is out there, tear them apart. My husband is a Caltech astrophysicist and the male character is based on himit is a seed of a story that I really want to develop someday.

Chris says, In all the possibilities for intelligent life, there are two things they will likely share with us. The laws of evolution and liquid water.

You forgot resource scarcity, I said. That is also probable.

In the Three Body Problem, the alien characters have much bigger trouble than just resource scarcity since their planet is completely hostile to life! And so civilizations will rise, only to die back with each new period of unsustainable chaos. This is from the authors after note:

Theres a strange contradiction revealed by the naivete and kindness demonstrated by humanity when faced with the universe: On Earth, humankind can step onto another continent, and without a thought, destroy the kindred civilizations found there through warfare and disease. But when they gaze up at the stars, they turn sentimental and believe that if extraterrestrial intelligences exist, they must be civilizations bound by universal, noble, moral constraints, as if cherishing and loving different forms of life are parts of a self-evident universal code of conduct. I think it should be precisely the opposite: Lets turn the kindness we show toward the stars to members of the human race on Earth and build up the trust and understanding between the different peoples and civilizations that make up humanity.

I am with Liu on this. Messages of peace are good but broadcasting our location.?

Maybe not such a great idea.

From the point of view of the extraterrestrials in Lius novel, who have relentlessly struggled to survive on an extremely hostile and chaotic planet, our earth with its stable environment is a paradise. When the first alien learned of the existence of our earth, he found his thoughts drifting over the blue ocean that never froze and the green forests and fields, enjoying the warm sunlight and the caress of a cool breeze. What a beautiful world! The paradise we imagined really exists!

The aliens are right, our earth is impossibly beautiful.

4.

The other day, a friend couldnt wait to tell me about a book. He was, he said, going through his old copies of the New Yorker and stumbled on a review by James Wood. He thought it would interest me. And he was right!

Samantha Harveys 2023 novel Orbital is a story that takes place over the course of one twenty-four hour period on the International Space Station, as six astronauts speed around the world in low earth orbit at seventeen-and-a-half thousand miles-an-hour. Circling the Earth sixteen times, they thus witness sixteen sunrises and sixteen sunsets (the whip-crack of morning arrives every ninety minutes) in twenty-four hours.

The book is a beautiful story illuminating what it feels like to orbit the earth two-hundred and fifty miles above the surface for six months in a cramped space with five strangers. That is what the story is about but what the book is ultimately writing is a love letter to the planet in the most gorgeous poetic prose you will ever read. Harvey writes that as they each go about their mundane tasks,

Before long, for all of them, a desire takes hold. Its the desire  no, the need (fuelled by fervour)  to protect this huge yet tiny earth. This thing of such miraculous and bizarre loveliness. This thing that is, given the poor choice of alternatives, so unmistakably home. An unbounded place, a suspended jewel so shockingly bright.

In Ascension, by Martin MacInnes, was my favorite book on this years Booker Prize longlist. It was really an ambitious work of literary science fiction that I totally fell in love with. The main character is a woman doing marine research on microbial archaea, which she later uses to try and turn algae into a foodstuff. This happens in her life around the time when there is a major technical advance realized by several different research groups simultaneously (!) around the world leading to the invention of an interstellar drive that can propel humans beyond the solar systemand so the researcher is tasked by a US company to develop the algae food for space travel. The company is also involved in plans to exploit asteroids for minerals and building off-planet bases for this. In doing so, people in the company noticed that one of the asteroids had begun to suddenly accelerate heading out of the solar system and more: that this asteroid was covered with strange carvings. Meanwhile the old Voyager spacecraft is also similarly accelerating out of the solar system much faster than theorized and has neared the inner edge of the Oort cloud and so thats where the mission is going to head!

Like in Harveys Orbital, more than all the science-based twists and turns, this novel read like a beautiful love letter to the earth from scenes of the rising water in Rotterdam and sea turtles and migratory birds dying en masse because theyre no longer able to make their migrations, much space is given to describing the physical and psychological strain of astronauts not just in leaving the earth, but leaving it totally behind as they can no longer see it as they head toward their rendezvous with voyager one. The astronauts long for earth, lovesick for it.

MacInnes wrote that, I thought of In Ascension as a case for full human integration in the natural world An attack against the assumption that humans are somehow outside the earth system The book is an attempt to show humanity differently and more vulnerably.

I would say that we are not just part of the earth system but part of the entire solar system and maybe beyond.

As Duncan Lunan points out in his review in Shoreline of Infinity Magazine about the asteroid covered in weird carvings, Martin MacInnes is not the first writer to dream up an asteroid covered in mysterious writing:

In 1971-72 Jeff Hawke, the worlds longest-running SF comic strip, created and drawn for the Daily Express by Sydney Jordan from Dundee, ran a story called Here be Tygers, later reprinted in the first issues of Starburst in 1978. It began with the launch of the Grand Tour TOPS probes, of which the Voyagers were a much scaled-down version. Decades later, a mission to Pluto is diverted because one of the TOPS probes unexpectedly turns back on to show images of a mysterious object on the edge of the Solar System. Its covered with carvings in different languages  mostly nonhuman, but one of them is in an ancient Peruvian script, and when eventually recognized and translated, it warns that the object is one of a ring of markers, beyond which lurks a dangerous and savage race.

That dangerous and savage race is us.

     

Fridays NASA Press Conference about Intuitive Machines Odysseus lander tipping over on the moon during spicy lunar landing
by David Kordahl

A few months ago, the Stanford biologist Robert Sapolsky released Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will. Its a book whose thesis is as easy to state as it is hard to accept. Sapolsky argues that since our actions result from nothing more than one event following another, no one really deserves praise or blame for anything they do. Our actions are determined by physical events in the physical brain, tightly linked in a causal chain that none of us is able to control any more than anyone else. Our attitudes about all sorts of everyday issues, from financial compensation to prison sentencing, should be reformed in the light of this truth.

Sapolsky is a witty writer, but notions of agency are so deeply baked into our usual way of talking that he frequently has to catch himself. (From a footnote: I have to try to go through the same thinking process that this whole book is about to arrive at any thoughts about [Bruno] Bettelheim other than that he was a sick, sadistic fuck.) While one might turn to Determined for lively discussions about current debates in neuroscience, philosophers who have criticized the book point out that theres nothing really new in his basic assertion, besides the new details.

Of course, filling in the details can be important for establishing plausibility. But the problem with determinismat least for scientists since the time of Laplaceisnt that the idea seems implausible. The problem is that even if determinism is plausible, its not clear what the consequences of this realization should be.

Consider William James, the American philosopher and psychologist, who waded into the free will debate over a century ago in his short 1907 tract, Pragmatism. James, as it turns out, is mentioned on the very first page of Determined, as the fall guy for Sapolskys college version of the turtles all the way down joke. (From another of Determineds frequent footnotes: We told our version because we liked Jamess beard, and there was a building on campus named for him.) But Sapolsky only addresses Jamess objections to the standard discussions of free will indirectly, and this column will lay out these objections more bluntly.

James insisted that philosophical pragmatism indicates two things. On the one hand, pragmatism suggests an attitude that we should adopt toward words and concepts, wherein we examine their cash-value, putting new concepts in relation with familiar ones. On the other hand, pragmatism also entails a revised theory of truth. This revised theory holds that truth has less to do with the world out there than with with the relationships of new claims to the claims that we already accept. As James wrote, The true is the name of whatever proves itself to be good in the way of belief and good, too, for definite, assignable reasons.

Though William Jamess pragmatism is a variety of empiricism, its easy to see why it never caught on among natural scientists. (The physicists Ive read who gesture toward pragmatism instead cite Charles Sanders Pierce, who was himself a mathematician and natural scientist.) Most natural scientists are motivated to discover something about the objective, mind-independent properties of nature, not just relations between human concepts, constrained by our environment.

Pragmatism stipulates that we recognize scientific theories as human tools, levers that we use to augment our possibilities. We should adopt whatever theories prove most helpful. To reproduce another emphasized maxim of James: Theories thus become instruments, not answers to enigmas, in which we can rest.

The question of free will is addressed in Lecture III of Pragmatism, Some Metaphysical Problems Pragmatically Considered. The way that James pragmatically considers said metaphysical problems follows from the basic methodology of pragmatism. First, he considers how concepts are used. Next, he evaluates whether these way of using concepts are actually helpful to us.

James was an advocate of free will, but seemed to waffle on whether it was a quasi-religious principle or a scientific claim. Heres the key passage:

Free-will pragmatically means novelties in the world, the right to expect that in its deepest elements as well as in its surface phenomena, the future may not identically repeat and imitate the past. That imitation en masse is there, who can deny? The general uniformity of nature is presupposed by every lesser law. But nature may be only approximately uniform; and persons in whom knowledge of the worlds past has bred pessimism (or doubts as to the worlds good character, which become certainties if that character be supposed eternally fixed) may naturally welcome free-will as a melioristic doctrine. It holds up improvement as at least possible; whereas determinism assures us that our whole notion of possibility is born of human ignorance, and that necessity and impossibility between them rule the destinies of the world.

In this passage, James was rewarming an argument that he had made some years earlier in The Dilemma of Determinism, in which he took moral offense at the very idea of determinism. Basically, James felt scientists were backing him into a corner, insisting that he must, as a rational person, accept determinismto which he raucously cleared his throat and yelled back, you cant make me!

Modern opponents of Sapolsky sound a similar note. In his short column, Free Will and the Sapolsky Paradox, the science journalist John Horgan claims that the existence of a remarkable character like Sapolsky is proof positive of free will. If Sapolsky rejects free will because of rational deliberation, then he demonstrates that he possesses free will. If he rejects free will because he is prone to depression, then we can reject his stance as subjective and unscientific. Horgan then declares victory: Again, free will wins either way.

But despite my enjoyment of both Horgan and James, Im not sure Sapolsky lets us off so easy. In Determined, Sapolsky acknowledges that the question of determinism is more than just a word game, and hes upfront about the lack of any bulletproof argument. Instead, he discusses how morally significant psychological descriptions (like intent, willpower, and so forth) are captured by physical brain processes, and holds forth on how apparent sources of scientific novelty (quantum mechanics, chaos theory, etc.) are just extra gears in a world we dont controljust more turtles, in a causal stack that goes all the way down.

Robert Sapolsky and William James are essentially in agreement that this is a high-stakes conflict. For James, the problem with accepting determinism is that it saps humans of our sense of agency. For Sapolsky, accepting this lack of agency is vital if we are to sidestep negative social behaviors that come all too naturally.

The last chapters of Determined draw an analogy between obsolete forms of demonology and current attitudes toward free will. Humans once saw epileptics as being possessed by demons. Humans today see criminals as being willfully evil. In a more enlightened world, once we are all exorcised, these confusions will give way to the understanding no one can help what they do. Some peoples actions cause harm, no doubt, but this is no reason for us to want them to suffer any more. Even Sapolsky knows that this is pushing it, but he points to the Norwegian leniency toward Anders Breivik, who is mocked rather than vilified by his countrymen. Could not we Americans, after accepting determinism, learn to do the same?

Maybe its possible, but Im not holding my breath. The thing that Sapolsky fails to emphasize is that the scientific and moral conclusions, here, are largely uncoupled. It doesnt take a dystopian visionary to imagine a world where determinism is widely acknowledged, but where, in the place of radical empathy, this acceptance leads doctors to preemptively kill off those patients whose bodies seem primed to cause troublejust for instance. If youre a cozy humanist after accepting determinism, you were probably a cozy humanist to begin with.

Strangely, in the very last pages of Determined, Robert Sapolsky at least nods toward the hybrid view that I myself hold. Even Sapolsky recognizes that theres something inherently sad about giving up ones own sense of agency, and mentions the 2016 article in The Atlantic, Theres No Such Thing as Free Will  but Were Better Off Believing in It Anyway. Im not sure about the first half of that headline, but I agree with the second. I dont know the degree to which the future is determined, but I know for certain that it isnt helpful for me to think of it as being so. As I approach every day, my attitude is staunchly Jamesian. The statistical likelihoods that can be pointed out at the population level make no difference to me. Im an individual, babyforget all those broader trends.

Admittedly, though, these are the words of a depressive (me) giving himself (myself) a pep talk. To some extent, William James was likely doing the same. Sapolsky admits that he suffers from depression, but argues that depressives are uniquely suited recognize the real state of things. As such, he writes, depression is the pathological loss of the capacity to rationalize away reality.

Again, could be. But it isnt obvious to me that we should give in to a staunch belief in determinism. It isnt even obvious to me that compassionate determinists should be sharing their views. After all, if we want to live productive lives, theres nothing about the commonplace belief in free will that will stop us from doing that. If we take our scientific theories as pragmatic tools that are either helpful or not, as instruments, not answers to enigmas, then perhaps the best way forward is to do as we have always done: to bite our tongues, and to hope for the best.
by David Winner

1976

All sixth-grade summer, the name of the Greek historian Xenophon pounded in my ears like a minor chord banged upon a piano. I had borrowed a book by him from my fathers shelves but misplaced it in the last days of school. Fearing the wrenching disappointment that accompanied misplaced articles and forgotten tasks, I would slip nervously past the empty space in the bookshelf where Xenophon belonged. An English professor rather than a classicist, he would hardly have need for it, but still might sense its absence like a missing limb.

2021

The night before my fathers last health crisis, Hurricane Ida came to Brooklyn. My wife, Angela, and I heard lightening, wind, distant branches crashing downwards, but next mornings mild weather made it seem like the storm had underwhelmed.

I was playing with my computer the following morning, waiting for 8:30, the hour at which I had been calling my father each morning since my mothers death ten years before when the phone rang. 434, my fathers area code, but not his number.

Ninety and frail, hed been struggling alone in the old house in which I grew up.

Your dad, said Rick, the man who drove him around and took care of his yard, isnt doing so good. He wants you down here right away.

But getting down there required planes or trains, and whatever was happening could run its course before I arrived. Tony (my father) had spent two days in the hospital with an infection a few weeks before and had sworn never to return. Thankfully, a visiting nurse was scheduled to come over later that morning.

I called Rick again, and he put my father on the phone. His vision was blurry, he told me, he was dizzy, short of breath and pathetically weak, a phrase hed been using in recent months. He was okay sitting down, but the slightest movement left him panting.

He was sitting tight, waiting for the nurse but would under no circumstances go to the ER.

I felt a knot deep in my chest, as what seemed like the right course of action occurred to me. I should let him die at home if it came to that. Hed kept a store of oxycontin from a series of minor surgeries for when life got unbearable, and I shouldnt try to stop death from coming for him on its own.

A death, Id been rehearsing in my mind to try to prepare myself, as it, in his own cryptic words, lay in the foreseeable future.

Very ill towards the end of her life, my mother had insisted that she was going to London. Stern, domineering, a martinet according to his neighbor, my father had informed her that that was absolutely impossible, darling, though hed only needed to wait a few moments for her to forget all about it.

You have to go to the emergency room, I asserted to my father, finding my inner martinet, You cant be my father if you dont.

Years have now passed, and I still cant figure out what I possibly could have meant. His life had shrunk as hed aged. Being my father was his main identity. I could not strip that from him.

About an hour later, the visiting nurse called me to say that my father was on his way to the hospital in an ambulance. His ten-day trudge towards death was set to begin.

*

An Insomniac and an inveterate napper, I put my head down most afternoons and attempt to sleep, even on subway trains or mens room stalls if theyre the only option. Clinging to normalcy, I got myself a flight to Richmond leaving that afternoon, lay on my bed and closed my eyes.

Before leaving hysterically early for the airport.

A nurse at the ER who I managed to reach from the cab, told me that my father had a pulmonary embolism. Blood thinners, she told me, most likely two days in the hospital. It didnt sound so bad.

After a long and circuitous journey, navigating streets flooded-out by the storm, I confronted a massive line at airport security. Despite both bad (skipping ahead of someone) and pathetic (explaining about my father) behavior, I missed the flight and booked a new one for that evening.

Rick texted me to say that Tony was now in a hospital room, so I called him from the airport. It had always been his role to gravely announce the results of healthcare determinations, but I jumped the gun when he picked up the phone to tell him that I knew about the embolism.

No, he replied with relish, at least not really. There was a small embolism, but the real issue was an internal bleed, a bad one. A colonoscopy and endoscopy would determine the source. Now, there were two problems but Tony (back in the drivers seat, back to being my father) seemed to think things were in control.

Home in Brooklyn later than evening after my second flight was cancelled, the obvious occurred to me. Blood thinners for the embolism would be fatal for the bleed.

*

By the time I arrived at the hospital in Charlottesville the next day, theyd already located and cauterized a duodena bleed. The crisis seemed averted. If it didnt start bleeding again, he would be released the following day.

Back at my fathers house, I attempted normalcy again, a lunch and a nap before my return to the hospital.

But soon the house phone rang. My father couldnt remember my cell off-hand but could call his own number. He begged me to come back as soon as possible though I hadnt remembered him ever begging for anything before.

Okay, I told him, soon.

A few minutes later as I was lying awake in my childhood bed, he called again.

Please, he pleaded, Im lonely. I need you.

*

When I reached his floor at the hospital and approached his hallway, I heard an urgent announcement over the intercom. I was waiting for reassurance that the crisis did not involve me when I recognized the room number.

About ten people surrounded his bed.

This man is dying in here, one nurse barked at another. Then someone recognized me, a person not wearing scrubs, a middle-aged man resembling the patient.

The cauterization had failed, catastrophically. More than loneliness had driven him to reach out for me. His abdomen was filling with blood.

The nurses removed his gown, slipped on a diaper, and changed sheets stained red and brown.

They talked to him while doing so, trying to keep calm.

How are you doing, Mr. Winner, one of them asked.

Mommy and I, my father would tell me frequently after my mothers death, really had nothing in common.

Im not at my best, said my father to the nurse, the exact words my mother had used while in the ER towards the end of her life.

What is your favorite season? someone asked my father.

Fall.

Why?

It begins to get a little bit chilly.

A doctor approached me, in his fifties with a fraying Eastern European accent. He shook his head.

Cant they cauterize it again, I demanded as if the bleeding ulcer was like a broken shelf that you could keep nailing in rather than the broken body of a very old man.

No, but a staple could possibly be inserted to stop the bleeding. The doctor didnt seem confident about that, though. The doctor didnt seem confident about anything.

Soon, another doctor arrived, an interventive gastroenterologist from India, a surgeon. The staple procedure was happening now. My father, the obvious dawned on me later, would bleed quickly to death if something werent done. The surgeon could give me no odds as to success but got my phone number in case we needed to talk about anesthesia.

I peered at my father, awake but still. Avoiding an ominous goodbye, I took off.

I like to control the reception of potential bad news, but I couldnt return home, take an actual nap, drink some wine, check my phone, and learn the outcome. I had to stay at the hospital and wait to hear from the doctors.

Everything had changed, I called Angela to explain. We were not weathering a crisis. We were staring death in the face.

I embarked on a long, repetitive journey through the halls and parking lot of the hospital, gazing occasionally at my phone. The hospital was nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, hills in the distance, mountains farther away. It was a sunny early fall afternoon.

After about forty-five minutes, my phone rang.

There was too much blood. They needed my permission to intubate and put him on a ventilator, a word with dark associations in the Covid era.

Tony wanted no heroic measures, stressing again and again his desire to be allowed to die.

I told the anesthesiologist that I would call my wife and call him right back. Angelas answer was simple. Dont let him die. I recalled my last glimpse of Tonys face before I left the room, aware of a crisis, of efforts being made to save him. Pleased by that, maybe not, but acquiescent.

The phone rang many times in the ICU before a nurse picked up, and I passed on the message. Intubate him.

In the last decade, Tony had undergone three surgeries. Each time, I had fretted beyond measure despite minuscule chances of mortality. Wasted energy, I thought, while watching the mountains fall into darkness on what might be my fathers last night on earth.

The phone rang. I breathed a bit easier when I heard the surgeons South Asian tones, calm, a bit business like. It did not sound like the sound of death.

A staple was in place. Angela whooped when I told her.

*

When they finally took him off the ventilator the following morning in the UCU, he talked to me about a son in Brooklyn, unaware that that son was me, the first time Id known him not to be lucid.

That afternoon Angela arrived in Virginia with our dog. When we went to see Tony, he was lucid enough to realize that he hadnt been before. Can you explain this to me, he asked. And I did, summarizing as best I could the last few days of his life, starting when hed begun to feel so ominously ill and had summoned me to Charlottesville.

Apparently, there was still some blood. But possibly (probably) according to a kind and optimistic doctor from Ghana who came to talk to the three of us, it was residual.

I thank you, doctor, my father told him, even from Ghana. Each white persons racism (my theory) comes in its own peculiar flavor, and this did not seem like my fathers, more a surreal comment than a racial one. The doctor smiled. Surely, hed heard worse, an African doctor in a Central Virginia hospital.

*

The following morning when we returned to the hospital, we learned that he had struggled to breathe during the night. Hed also grown agitated and ripped out his catheter.

After his rough night, Angela offered to sleep at the hospital. A familiar face could calm the agitation, the confusion. That familiar face should have been mine, but I was too scared and too upset.

Angela slept fitfully. Every time she looked at my father, his eyes were open, alert.

Apparently, she worked some magic. His blood count held steady, and he was moved to a regular hospital room the next morning.

*

I arrived there to find him with a young doctor who explained what Id already suspected. The embolism and bleed were a dangerous combination. He would confer with gastroenterology to determine when blood thinners could be introduced for the embolism.

Becky, a retired physical therapist and close friend of my father, suggested that Tony go into rehab after the hospital to regain some strength before returning home. Rehab facilities double as nursing home, which were his worst nightmare, but understanding how weak he was, Tony agreed.

In another text exchange with Becky, I mentioned the embolism for the first time.

Wow!, she responded with her usual frankness.

The following morning Tony seemed more frazzled and upset. A nurse told me that hed once again struggled to breathe during the night.

After seeing him, I found a lounge in the hospital to give a virtual class. As I was preparing, my phone rang, the young doctor with whom Id spoken the day before.

He didnt directly address the question of blood thinners. Rather, he went on a rehearsed-sounding spiel about frail, old people and their fruitless voyages to the hospital. Was he going to suggest a nursing home, I wondered, my mind leaping anxiously away from his more likely conclusion.

I managed to sound calm when he suggested hospice. I wasnt a child. I could take the truth. But the hospital walls spun around me. The once-inviting cup of coffee on the table looked murky, harmful. I had agreed with the doctors suggestion: no blood thinners but immediate release to rehab where there was at least a small chance that he might recover strength.

I called Becky. Kindly, coolly, she avoided discussion of what I had presented as a premature suggestion of hospice and focused on rehab.

Upstairs, Tony looked calm. Hed also spoken with the doctor. And felt more in charge of his situation.

Good news/ bad news was how he framed it. The good was getting out of the hospital and on to rehab.

Everyone dies, he described the bad, looking neither relieved nor disturbed. Death was still amorphous  no real way to predict what it would consist of and when it would take

Tony liked to plan, but his plans kept getting dashed. He had to go to rehab instead of home and wasnt even allowed to drop by his house and pick up necessary items. A nurse had convinced him that a stretcher transport would be more appropriate.

The list of items to pick up at the house was a marvel of precision. Opposite of me, the same chaotic being whod lost his Xenophon book, Tony knew where to find each item.

Most important was a silver watch given to him by Dario, his beloved uncle, but there were two identical ones in the drawer to which hed directed me. Hed given me the name of the Swiss watchmaker, but even with reading glasses and an iPhone flashlight, I couldnt make it out. Therefore, I took both.

*

The thought of rehab had been a slight comfort, an improved situation, at least a bit, but the sick and dispirited patients, the industrial cooking and cleaning smells disoriented him. Slowly, once again, we bought him through the sequence of events that had landed him where he was. No one mentioned the shadow of hospice.

I handed him both watches, and though he could barely see, he took the one that seemed right and bid us goodnight.

At one in the morning, my phone rang, the rehab. Hed tried to get up but had fallen. A few hours later, they called again, another fall. Theyd put him in the nurses area for monitoring.

Which recalled for some reason, the gloomy little room near the principals office in elementary school where they kept if you were sick, and no one was available to pick you up.

When I got to the rehab, he was not at a nurses station but on a chair in a lounge waiting intently for his breakfast. His appetite was pathetic, the food discouraging, but he had little to focus on other than meals.

His eyes flooded with joy and relief upon seeing me, but gloom soon descended.

They, the rehab staff, had been unconscionably cruel and incompetent, bothering him for no reason but never coming when he rang for them. Now, they refused to let him return to his room even though he was finally tired.

Most people at the rehab were doing their best, but there were so many disconnects between these young, lucid working-class southerners, and this poor little rich New York California kid grown old.

Again, my presence calmed him, and I was able to return him to bed where he promptly slept.

When I returned that afternoon, he recounted a pleasant interaction with a physical therapist also called Tony. Theyd developed a routine. My father had told him that he was Tony 80% percent of the time but could pass for Anthony. He would temporarily surrender his Tonyness to keep things straight. A few tears floated from my eyes, a simple, sentimental anecdote from a cynical, pessimistic man.

On my way to Tonys room the next morning, I was stopped by a nurse who warned me that my father had taken off his clothes. Hed always been a species of nudist, strolling back and forth to the bathroom with pajama tops but no bottoms.

Which was the exact situation when I entered the room. He wore a shirt and sweater but no pants or underwear and looked agitated and disgruntled after another night of sundowning and struggling to breathe.

They took my clothes off, he told me, but when I looked at him quizzically, he navigated his way back to the truth. I took my own clothes off.

He wanted me to help him put his boxers on, but that involved taking his penis and testicles in hand, and I was too squeamish.

Later that afternoon, Tony was even more despondent. He couldnt stomach the food. The staff was dreadful. And, stuck alone in his room with his thoughts, ghostly images crawled the walls like yellow wallpaper.

I have to get out of here, he told Angela and me. This place, he went on, pausing for effect, makes me suicidal.

But absent his store of oxycontin and basic mobility, that was not an option. A dreadful irony: when you are too disabled to wish to live, you may no longer be able to end your life. Absent suicide, he wanted to go straight home, however impractical.

Another thing that bothered him was that he had the wrong watch. He handed it back to me and took the other one. I slipped it deep in the pockets of my short pants, but then forgot all about it as the slow-burning drama of my fathers last days droned on.

*

About five the following morning, my phone rang, and Angela picked it up.

Its okay, she said, shakily, its going to be okay. Tonys blood oxygen had sunk precariously low, about thirty percent, but somehow hed survived and it was back up to ninety.

When we got to the rehab, he looked chastened and scared. We waited silently with him for about an hour until his oxygen appeared to stabilize. Angela decided to spend another night by his side.

I was asleep by myself in my fathers house very early the following morning when, yet again, the phone rang. His oxygens had dipped precariously again, and they were taking him to the ER.

After picking me up and heading there, Angela told me what had happened. With the help of a new sleep medication, hed had the first uninterrupted sleep since the beginning of the ordeal. Hed woken up smiling, feeling hopeful for the first time in days, but only minutes later, his oxygen levels plummeted, and the darkness returned to his face.

In the ER, he seemed calm, grateful for the attention that he was receiving. Doctors and nurses came in and out. They managed to temporarily stabilize him with intravenous steroids and an inhaler. While they were processing blood work and doing scans to determine the cause of his breathing difficulty, we returned to his house for a brief break.

Id always been scared about losing my parents, and I blame my dad, at least in part. When my mother had a series of nosebleeds when I was a kid, he said it might be a brain tumor. When shed had something that I didnt really understand called a vaginal discharge, he again brought up the shadow of cancer. A short educational film that they played us every year in school about a woman receiving terrible health news over the phone made me want to skip out of the auditorium.

For years, Id feared the phone ringing with bad news about my parents, but when it first happened it was me who made the call. I know my mom wont be the same when I come back for Thanksgiving, Id stumbled after Id called the house and reached one of her caretakers. Im surprised she made it through the night, shed told me.

Soon after we returned to the house, the phone rang, a nurse practitioner at the ER. A scan had revealed that the embolism had spread throughout his lungs. This was that conversation.

Six months on blood thinners could give him a ghost of a chance, but he had opted for hospice.

This time the hospice suggestion was concrete, undebatable. Your father seemed totally lucid, she told me, and I could only agree. Two days to two weeks was her estimation.

When we arrived back at the hospital, Tony was working out arrangements with the hospice liaison. Later that day, he would be transported to the Hospice of the Piedmont, a facility on the outskirts of Charlottesville, not far from the university where hed spent his working life.

After she left, Tony turned to me and turned to Angela, and, with a liturgical sense of ceremony, grabbed our hands. He told us how happy he was, how relieved. We are so lucky, the three of us, so lucky to have each other.

Then he began to rapid-fire instructions, the post-surgery delirium evaporated. First, we needed to call the lawyer. Then he listed friends around town to which he wanted us to send post-mortem affection. Sandy, an old friend with terrible MS who ran a bookstore downtown. Tashi, a woman from Nepal whod cut his hair and, years before, had cut my mothers. Bill, the man who ran his favorite restaurant. You can tell him I became sick sooner than I did. Tony told us, to explain his absence over the last year.

He requested that more items be brought from the house, including the correct watch, which was somehow missing from my pocket.

At home, I searched for it without success. Perhaps someone stole it at the rehab, I thought hopefully to myself, as that would absolve me of responsibility.

Would I have to confess the loss to my dying father? Should I fess up to the Xenophon disappearance while I was at it? The ominous chorus started back up in my mind, a symbol of my failings, Xenophon, Xenophon, but I had to give up my search as we were due at the hospice and there wasnt much time.

In his clean quiet room far from the chaos of the rehab, Tony spoke not of watches. Rather, he reiterated how happy he was, how at peace, how excited by his death. He told us never to forget how fortunate we were to have each other, the three of us, which saddened even as it moved me as there would soon only be two. He asked Angela to help get to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Ignoring signs ordering the dying not to leave their beds without summoning nurses, Angela tried to oblige. He wanted the contact, the personal touch. An alarm went off, and a nurse rushed in, scolding us kindly. After taking him to the bathroom, she moved him back into bed, pulling him to the most comfortable position.

Tony farted while being moved. There was an eighteenth century French philosopher named Rousseau, he informed the nurse, who stood at the bed of a dying countess. While he and the other mourners wept, she let out a magnificent fart. The countess, who according to Tony was even closer to death than I am now, told Rousseau not to cry as, the dead dont fart.

Then Tony sent us away because he wished to sleep, the morphine plus Xanax finally giving him the rest that he had been seeking. Given the situation, he said, let us say Ciao rather than goodbye, and we did.

*

We came by a few hours later on our way to celebrate our anniversary at a restaurant near the hospice. He was asleep, breathing heavily. Lungs pocked with clots were somehow still functioning.

His eyes opened, and he came to his senses as if he were emerging from a long deep dive. He smiled but did not wish to talk. Sleep wanted him back in its clutches.

I really like this place, he told us, looking around him at the pleasant hospice room and smiling sardonically, but it somehow lacks edgelike a Swiss department store for death.

Back at his house early the following morning, the phone rang. It was the hospice letting us know that he was dead.

Angela and I held each other tightly and spoke quietly for hours. When I finally crawled out of bed, I thought about searching the house again for a watch and a volume of a Greek history whose master had fled the earth.
Brandon Bell | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Checked bag fees represent big revenue

A checked bag is one stored in a plane's cargo hold during a flight. While that service was free in years past, it's now standard for major airlines to charge for checked bags. Major U.S. airlines started doing so in 2008, levying around $15 a bag, Nastro said. By late 2023, it was about double for many carriers: $30 to $35 for one checked bag, Nastro said. That means travelers who checked a bag on each leg of a round-trip itinerary could add an extra $60 to $70 to the total cost of their basic fare. Recent changes from American and United mean travelers could now incur an additional $80 total if they check one bag at the airport. Rates generally increase for each additional checked bag.

Passengers paid about $6.8 billion in total baggage fees in 2022, the last full year for which data is available, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. That's up 17% from roughly $5.8 billion in 2019, even though fewer passengers flew on U.S. carriers in 2022, Bureau of Transportation Statistics data shows. "Unless baggage is included in a higher-class (premium economy, first, business class, etc.) ticket, passengers should expect to pay a fee," Eric Napoli, vice president of legal strategy at AirHelp, which helps passengers file claims for airline compensation, said in an email. Here's how cost-conscious consumers can reduce those fees, and perhaps avoid them altogether, according to travel experts.

1. Fly with certain airlines

Daniel Garrido | Moment | Getty Images

There are a few airlines that still don't charge for a checked bag. Southwest, for example, is the one outlier in the U.S., experts said. The carrier allows two free checked bags. The "Big Three" Gulf Airlines  Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Emirates  still offer free baggage, as does Air India, according to Aiden Higgins, senior editor of The Broke Backpacker website. These carriers may have certain restrictions, including for luggage size and weight. Of course, just because they may not charge for bags doesn't mean their fares are cheaper than others when assessing overall cost. They also may not fly routes that work for travelers' itineraries.

2. Combine bags

Travel partners may also consider combining suitcases. A family of four may be able to condense four bags into two, potentially cutting checked-bag fees in half, experts said.

Unless baggage is included in a higher-class (premium economy, first, business class, etc.) ticket, passengers should expect to pay a fee. Eric Napoli vice president of legal strategy at AirHelp

Families with small kids may be able to leverage the space within a car seat carrier, "since airlines don't charge for one car seat per child," Nastro said. "You can often fit a small soft duffel into that space to keep items contained," she added. Passengers need to consider airlines' weight requirements for bags and whether consolidating suitcases could trigger additional fees.

3. Skip checking a bag

Traveling light  only with a personal item and/or carry-on bag, depending on what your airline and fare class permit for free  is "the only fool-proof way" to avoid paying a checked-bag fee, Napoli said. Of course, this won't be possible for everyone. But passengers "can sneak quite a bit into the cabin" within airline limits, especially with a well-packed backpack  aided by packing cubes  combined with a sling bag and/or a tote bag, Higgins said. Passengers with softer, duffel-bag-type luggage that's more pliable may have an easier time meeting carry-on size requirements versus those with a hard case, Nastro said.

4. Consider a fare upgrade

Jim Vondruska | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Even the major carriers generally charge for carry-ons on basic economy fares, experts said. A higher-tier ticket for a higher cost might include a baggage allowance, in which case passengers may wind up paying the same total price compared with a lower-cost fare while also getting some additional benefits such as the ability to choose a seat or make flight changes, experts said. "If you are using an aggregator like Skyscanner, it can sometimes work out cheaper to go with the 2nd or 3rd most expensive flight if the airline is [also] offering baggage," Higgins said. Travelers should read the fine print to discern what baggage is included in their ticket, which varies by airline and ticket class, Napoli said.

5. Add bags early

Whether you're checking a bag or carrying one on for a fee, declaring that early can save you money. For example, a standard passenger flying Spirit Airlines from New York to Los Angeles for the weekend (March 1-3) would pay $49 for a carry-on, according to the carrier's price chart. A checked bag is cheaper at $44. But these prices assume passengers add their bags during the initial online booking process. Those who wait to pay until arriving at the gate, for example, would pay $99 for a checked bag or carry-on, the chart indicates.

watch now

For those who know they'll need to add a bag, "nine times out of 10 it's always cheaper to do it upon booking" instead of deferring until later, Nastro said. Relatively high fees for "add ons" such as bags mean a budget carrier may not be the cheapest option when assessing total cost and value, she said.

6. Buy a luggage scale, lightweight bags

Buying and using a luggage scale before traveling can help travelers avoid surprise fees at the airport due to exceeding a weight limit on checked bags. "At least weigh your suitcase before you even book the flight," Higgins said. "Once upon a time, airlines might have turned a blind eye" to additional weight, but not anymore, he said.

Travelers can also invest in ultralight luggage, Higgins said. "You can easily save one or two [kilograms] by buying specially designed ultralight travel gear," he said. However, such bags can be pricey and may not be as durable as sturdier packs, he said.

7. Get a credit card or join a frequent flier program
 This is the script of CNBC's news report for China's CCTV on February 22, 2024.

Google released a new generation open-source model called Gemma this Wednesday. The company stated that Gemma is built from the same research and technology behind its previously released closed AI model, Gemini. But unlike Gemini, Gemma can only process text information rather than multi-modal inputs.

As an open-source model, Gemma now is fully available for developers to use. The Gemma model has two main versions, 2B and 7B, meaning 2 billion parameters and 7 billion parameters respectively, to meet different development needs at various scales.

This move also signals Google's effort to catch up in the generative AI race, as there has been a concern in the market that generative AI could erode the market share of search engines. Some analysts believe that as the world's largest search engine, Google needs to present its ability to continuously grow to the market.

Ben Reitzes

Melius Research, Head of Technology Research

"The way I read it from Google, they are going to infuse more AI features into search. All this is to augment search, we need to have that aha moment that search is going to keep growing pretty close to double-digit so it doesn't drag us down and we just don't have it yet."

The undisputed winner in the current Gen-AI battle, NVIDIA, released its latest financial report overnight which showed that its revenue exceeded market expectations, leading to a significant increase in stock price after hours.

NVIDIA's fourth-quarter revenue was $22.1 billion, surpassing the expected $20.6 billion, with a quarter-on-quarter growth of 22% and a year-on-year growth of about 265%. The majority of this revenue comes from the data center business, including AI chips, which saw a YoY growth of 409%, reaching around $18.4 billion. NVIDIA's stock price soared more than 8% in the after-hours.

Analysts believe that the demand for AI chips indeed exists and will continue to increase. The competition in the hardware sector has already begun, and what the public has yet to witness is the development in the generative AI software field, all of which bodes well for NVIDIA's business.

Byron Deeter

Bessemer Venture Partners

"I absolutely believe that the demand is there and increasing. So that hardware battle is on but I can tell you with very high confidence that this the iceberg under the surface that people can't yet see of software companies building in the public public markets, private markets soon be public markets, is unstoppable. There are hundreds of high quality venture backed companies that are emerging now that are starting to build up real scale."

NVIDIA has consistently dominated the market in AI chips, but competition for the GPU market is underway with companies like AMD, Intel, and other startups. Analysts suggest that it is crucial to assess the innovation speed of these companies and whether NVIDIA can sustain its leadership position.

The surge in generative AI is intensifying the battles in the chip sector. According to sources cited by tech-focused media The Information, Microsoft is currently developing a new network card aimed at competing with NVIDIA's ConnectX-7 card. The goal is to lessen reliance on NVIDIA, said the report. We will keep a close eye on this for you.
 This is the script of CNBC's news report for China's CCTV on February 26, 2024.

The World Mobile Congress is poised to kick off in Barcelona, Spain, this coming Monday, drawing tens of thousands from across the globe, including mobile device manufacturers and operators. This year's theme, "Future First" introduces six pivotal sub-themes such as humanizing AI, 5G and Beyond, Connecting Everything.

The global smartphone market is currently navigating through a downturn, with a report from the International Data Corporation (IDC) highlighting a 3.2% year-on-year drop in global smartphone shipments in 2023, falling to 1.17 billion units - the lowest annual shipments in a decade.

In the wake of the generative AI, analysts believe the smartphone industry is seeking to re-capture attention through AI, with "AI phones" expected to be a major highlight of the event and a buzzword in the industry for the foreseeable future.

There's a variance in what constitutes an AI phone among manufacturers, but according to analysts interviewed by CNBC, a common denominator is the inclusion of more advanced chips capable of running AI applications. Supported by large language models and generative AI, these phones could offer creative functionalities, such as summarizing key points from a phone conference automatically after its conclusion.

Companies including Qualcomm and MediaTek have unveiled smartphone chipsets, continuously enhancing performance in preparation for AI-capable smartphones.

Moreover, while AI applications typically operate cloud-based before being downloaded to phones, there's anticipation to see if the congress will reveal new instances of AI models running directly on phone devices. Local operation not only bolsters device security but could also speed up AI processing.

Canalys forecasts that 5% of smartphones shipped this year will feature AI capabilities, translating to about 60 million AI-equipped smartphones in 2023, with projections of growth to 635 million units by 2027, accounting for 45% of the smartphone market share.

In January, South Korean giant Samsung launched an AI phone, the Galaxy S24. Counterpoint Research predicts Samsung will initially dominate the generative AI smartphone market, followed by Chinese brands such as vivo, Xiaomi, Honor, and OPPO. In the chipset realm, Qualcomm is expected to secure nearly 80% market share.

At the congress, Deutsche Telekom is anticipated to unveil a concept phone, named T phone, which operates solely on AI without running traditional applications. Deutsche Telekom's CEO previously expressed to CNBC the transformative impact of AI in the telecommunications industry.

Tim Hottges

CEO of Deutsche Telekom

"AI is a game changer, akin to inventing the wheel. It's impacting every individual, every process, and every company. Thus, it's making its mark on the telecom market. It has arrived, and it's here to stay, that's for sure."

Late last year, Bloomberg reported that LoveFrom, founded by Jony Ive, former Apple design chief, and Marc Newson, is collaborating to poach Apple's current Vice President of Industrial Design in hopes of developing an AI-powered mobile device, a development we continue to monitor closely.
China firmly opposes the United States imposing sanctions on Chinese enterprises for Russia-related reasons, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Monday.

China firmly opposes the United States imposing sanctions on Chinese enterprises for Russia-related reasons, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Monday.

China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

The Biden administration on Friday announced new trade restrictions on 93 entities from Russia, China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan, India and South Korea for supporting Russia's war effort in Ukraine.

The action, one day before the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, essentially bans U.S. shipments to the targeted entities, including eight from China, 63 from Russia, 16 from Turkey and four from the UAE.
China is still a critical trading partner for many countries across the world, and the often-used narrative of the superpower being delinked from the global economy is overdone, says the Manila-headquartered Asian Development Bank.

"China's still probably the number one trading partner for the majority of countries in the world," ADB's Chief Economist Albert Park told CNBC.

Although there have been parts of overall trade with China that have declined, the country's engagement and importance in the global value chain has not diminished, said Park.

China's trade with its major partners fell in 2023  its annual exports dipped for the first time in seven years as demand for Chinese goods fell amid slower global growth. However, the economic powerhouse remains a top trading partner to over 120 countries, and is still the largest trading partner to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam, according to U.S. think tank Wilson Center.

While it may ring true for certain goods or specific countries that are "very aggressively trying to restrict Chinese trade," on a more global scale the delinking is much less evident, said the economist. He added that even following the trade conflict started by former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018, China's importance in the global value chain has not slumped.
Family Dollar Stores LLC pleaded guilty on Monday to storing food, drugs and cosmetics in unsanitary conditions in a rodent-infested Arkansas warehouse and has agreed to pay $41.675 million, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Family Dollar Stores, a subsidiary of Dollar Tree pleaded guilty to a single count of causing FDA-regulated products to become adulterated in unsanitary conditions, the Justice Department said.

"When consumers go to the store, they have the right to expect that the food and drugs on the shelves have been kept in clean, uncontaminated conditions," Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer said in a statement announcing the plea deal.

According to the plea agreement, Family Dollar received reports in August 2020 of mouse and pest issues at its West Memphis, Arkansas, distribution center.

The company continued to ship FDA-regulated products from the warehouse until January 2022, when an FDA inspection revealed live rodents, dead and decaying rodents, rodent feces, urine, and odors, and evidence of gnawing and nesting throughout the facility, the plea agreement said.

"Having reached full resolution with the DOJ, we are continuing to move forward on our business transformation, safety procedures and compliance initiatives," Dollar Tree Chairman and CEO Rick Dreiling said in a statement.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  Goldman Sachs and Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala on Monday signed a $1 billion private credit partnership to co-invest in the Asia-Pacific region, with a particular focus on India, the institutions said in a joint statement.

The separately managed account, termed the "Partnership," will be managed by Private Credit at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, with a staff based on the ground in various markets across the region. It will invest the long-term capital in "high quality companies ... across the private credit spectrum" across a number of Asia-Pacific markets.

The news follows Goldman's 2023 expansion in the Middle East with the opening of its office in Abu Dhabi Global Market, the financial center of the United Arab Emirates capital.

It also comes as the UAE and other Gulf states increase their economic footprint in India, which is set to be the fastest-growing G20 economy for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The UAE in October 2023 announced a target to invest $75 billion in India over a period of time, while Saudi Arabia set an investment target in the country of $100 billion.

"India, in particular, stands out as a key market with significant opportunities in private credit, and where Goldman Sachs has strong exposure and capabilities," said Fabrizio Bocciardi, Mubadala's head of credit investments, in a press release.
Highmark Health announced Monday that it's integrating technology from Google Cloud and the health-care software company Epic Systems to try to improve data gathering for providers and payers.

Consumer health-care data is stored across different systems and formats in the U.S., and the fragmentation can make it difficult for payers and providers to access the precise information they need. It's a growing opportunity for cloud providers like Google , Microsoft and Amazon Web Services.

Highmark, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is the parent company of a health plan with 7 million members, a provider network of 14 hospitals and several other entities.

Combining Epic's Payer Platform, which sends patient data between payers and providers, with Google's analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities will allow quicker access to useful data about a patient, such as their upcoming visits, medical history, insurance claims and health plan benefits, Highmark said.

This kind of information is often stored across multiple databases and formats, which means it can be difficult and tedious for doctors and insurance workers to track down, experts said.

A 2022 report from the American Medical Association said fragmentation is a "perpetual failing of our current health care system," and the organization called for the creation of new technologies and policies to help reduce it. The "substantial cognitive load" of organizing large volumes of data across complex software is causing physician burnout, according to an April 2023 study published in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health.

Highmark said its new integration will automate administrative processes such as prior authorization, an insurance cost-control process that the AMA says is "manual and time consuming."

Dr. Tony Farah, chief medical and clinical transformation officer at Highmark Health, said the integration will also help doctors make more informed choices about proper next steps, and eventually reduce the cost of care for patients.

"Doctors don't need help once they have information; the problem is they don't have it," Farah told CNBC in an interview. "The idea is to provide this type of actionable information well ahead of time, any time of the day."

Richard Clarke, chief analytics officer at Highmark Health, told CNBC that easier access to data about a patient will help clinicians ensure patients are receiving the care that's best for them and avoid unnecessary steps such as extra visits or readmissions.

Highmark said its new integration will also help it aggregate clinical data from its hospitals that representatives from its health plan need to access. The technology can automatically notify the health plan about upcoming patient visits, for instance.

"It really eliminates the need to do that manually, where the health plan may have formally sent some requests to the provider or called them and created a bunch of manual steps," Clarke said. "This can be done seamlessly now."

Highmark said its provider system estimates that the shared claims data from the integration with Google Cloud will help it save around $2.7 million each year.

Amy Waldron, global director of healthcare strategy and solutions at Google Cloud, told CNBC that with Highmark's integration "the consumer finally is going to be getting value from their health-care data."

It's too early to know whether Highmark's integration will make a material difference for its providers, its health plan or the overall quality of its patient care.

Highmark said it plans to roll out the technology to its provider network by the end of the second quarter and to at least two additional Epic-based providers within its insurance network by the end of 2024.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, as Hungary remains the last NATO member to not ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO, on (Photo by Balint Szentgallay/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Hungary on Monday voted to approve Sweden's NATO accession bid, ending months of diplomatic negotiations and finalizing Stockholm's membership almost two years after it first applied to join the military alliance.

Hungarian lawmakers voted in favor of Sweden's membership after overcoming long-standing opposition from governing party members led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

The Scandinavian country will become the 32nd NATO member, coming under the fold of Article 5 of the treaty, which vows that an attack on one member is an attack on all of them.

Shortly after the vote, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on the X social media site that it was a "historic day" for his country.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also noted in a social media post that the addition of Sweden would make the alliance "safer and stronger."

Sweden applied to join NATO in May 2022  at the same time as Finland  in a historic overhaul of its policy of military nonalignment following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Its accession expands NATO's presence in Northern Europe, as the alliance seeks to bolster its defenses.

While a vast majority of NATO members backed Stockholm's bid from its early days, Orban was resistant amid Swedish criticism over Hungary's democracy. NATO requires unanimous support from all members before allowing a new admission.
by Gunnar Heinsohn (translated by Rafael Newman)

The past weekend marked the second anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The following article originally appeared in German in Die Welt magazine on April 29, 2022. It is posted here in a first-time English translation, with the permission of its author and in his memory, during a period in which the meaning of genocide is being discussed with new urgency.

Following his initial genocidecommitted from 1999 to 2009 in ChechnyaVladimir Putin has now embarked on a second, under the pretext of preventing an alleged genocide of Russians in Eastern Ukraine. A historic first.

Putin evidently sought legal grounds for a war of aggression, and all his experts could come up with was the UN Convention on Genocide. Under article 1, the Conventions Contracting Parties147 states, including Russiaare obliged to prevent genocide, not merely to punish it. Such a provision does not exist even for the prevention of an ordinary civil war. Putins accusation of genocide, leveled at Ukraine, and his strict avoidance of the terms war and invasion, can be explained by the will to embellish his monstrous project.

Like all murders, genocide requires intent and planning. A spontaneous massacre may leave 1,000 dead, but legally speaking it is still a case of mass manslaughter. Premeditated genocide, on the other hand, though it be hindered after only 100 people have died, has nevertheless produced 100 victims of genocide. This is a crucial legal distinction.

Genocide may still be said to occur if only some members of the group in question are targeted for killing. [Article 2 affirms: In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, emphasis added.] Rafael Lemkin, the Polish-Jewish drafter of the Convention on Genocide, deliberately included the term part because he had himself witnessed two instances of partial genocide.

In September 1939 the Germans began murdering the Polish intelligentsia. This was the Intelligenzaktion, carried out 22 months before the Holocaust proper began, and it moved Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, the chief of Hitlers military-intelligence service, to stage his own internal resistance to Germanys SS, for which he would be hanged in Flossenburg in April 1945. The murder of Polish officers and civil servants by Russians followed in 1940, in Katyn and other places. Both mass murders were intended to destroy Polands culture and allow the rest of the population to be enslaved, and either Germanized or Russified. One of the signatories to the death warrant at Katyn, Mikhail Kalinin, is honored by Russia to this day in the name of the city of Kaliningrad, formerly known as Konigsberg.

Why is Putin carrying out another genocide following his second Chechen war? He wants to spare the Russian Empire the fate of its Western counterparts. In 1998, the year before he became prime minister, he was director of Russias Federal Security Service, where he established a special department for the preservation of the Empire. Its agents were tasked with creating the conditions, in the former Soviet Union, for the rebirth of the Imperial Russia under the control of Moscow.

The Spaniards, the Dutch, the Belgians, the French, and the British, having tried in their turn to hold on to their empires by force, were all defeated in wars fought in their colonies after 1945. They too committed massacres and destroyed cultural artifacts. In 1974, with Portugals loss of its colonies, the last of these empires was finished.

During its period of decline, France came the closest to civil war. President Charles de Gaulle survived two assassination attempts by seditious officers, in 1961 and 1962, and granted Algeria its independence after years of bloodshed. At the time, the North African territory was like a French Ukraine: one out of six citizens was French. Those who were forced to leave Algeria for France responded by burning down schoolhouses. Even the countrys largest librarypart of the University of Algierswent up in flames.

Why did these attempts to preserve empire fail? Europeans could not understand how it was that, having subjugated 90 percent of the Earth, they were now on such a losing streak. Well, over a period of 450 years, by criminalizing birth control, they had obliged their women to produce six to eight children each, and thus to provide their respective empires with more personnel than was lost in the process of conquest and colonization. Beginning in the 1960s, however, the birth rate for women in the various Western empires fell to just two per capita, while at the same time each of their female colonial subjects was bearing an average of six to eight children. And, as of 1970starting in GermanyEurope had fallen to fewer than two children per woman.

The Russians were suffering a similar decline, and had made the same mistake during the first Chechen war (1994-1996): They had failed to take into account the fact that, until 1914, the Czars had had around a hundred out of every thousand men of military age under their command, which meant that, in spite of all the losses they suffered in their wars of conquest, and despite the emigration of settlers, they were able to maintain their demographic strength.

So it was the same faulty logic as had plagued the West that brought about the Russian military fiasco in Chechnya. Boris Yeltsin lost many soldiers, as well as, eventually, the war, because, although Chechen women lost an average of two sons each in the fighting, they were bearing a total of three to four per capita, and thus were able to ensure the survival of their Muslim families.

Putin analysed Yeltsins failure and, beginning in 1999, began to deploy a combination of two genocidal techniques. He continued to kill advocates of Chechen nationalism, while offering princely rewards to the Russified, thus winning himself some fanatical champions. At the same time, he took a page from the Argentine juntas Guerra sucia, its Dirty War, which saw the kidnapping and murder of at least 9,000 leftwing activists between 1974 and 1983 and thus ended the militant student movement. For his part, Putin had some 5,000 Chechens kidnapped (of a total population of about a million), young men not yet of combat age but likely to follow their older brothers into battle. He had them murdered and hid their bodies. Transposed to the populations of Switzerland or Austria, this would mean 40,000 young men; in German proportions, 400,000. [Proportional to the population of the United States, this would amount to more than a million-and-a-half young men.] He was thus able to cancel the Chechen freedom fighters birth-rate advantage.

Such a calculated and successful genocide is unique in the 21st century, and has made Putin the first European victor in the wars of decolonization fought since 1945. His claims of an alleged threat on the part of NATO, or of Slavic brotherhood, have played no role of any kind. His entirely undisguised motive has been the violent retention of Czarist conquests. The Chechen territory was annexed by force in 1859, in the pursuit of which Czar Alexander II had at least 100,000 Chechens deported to Siberia to break their stalwart resistance to his rule.

Following this doubly genocidal strike in the Caucasus, nearly all top-ranked Western politicians began falling over each other, vying for the favor of the dictator in the Kremlin. Warnings, foremost among them from Russias Baltic and Polish victims, who were all too familiar with Moscows history, were pooh-poohed as reactionary, while Russian nationalism, and the sense that Russia was not only invincible but immune to reprisal, reached a new zenith.

Like Russia, Ukraine is also a senescent nation, with an average age of well over 40. Both countries are fighting with the smallest military-age generation of their demographically documented history. Putins genocide in Ukraine does not require indiscriminate massacres, nor raping and pillaging by his soldiery. His main target is the Ukrainian educated classes. Putins current genocidal playbook is borrowed from the one perfected by Hitler and Stalin in 1939 and 1940.

This is why Ukrainian city mayors and their families are being kidnapped and murdered. Here too, it isnt the number of victims that is critical for the definition of genocide, but Putins declared aim of annihilating Ukrainian culture, so as to subject the rest of society to Russification and control by the Kremlin.

Even if Kyiv had surrendered after just two daysas was expected not only by Moscow, but also by Washingtonand the invasion had ended swiftly with Russian occupation, this would by no means have spelled the end of Putins genocidal operation against the Ukrainian elite. It was in fact specifically because this murderous program was known to Washington that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered sanctuary to President Volodymyr Zelensky and other selected representatives of the Ukrainian nation.

Prior to February 24, 2022, Putin devoted greater care to planning the murder of Ukrainians than to the war he eventually unleashed, since he was counting on immediate surrender, but not on the disappearance of Ukrainian nationalism. This is why many of those killed in Bucha were systematically hunted down, since they were local political leaders, combat veterans from the Donbass, or members of the territorial defense forces, as reported by the Kyiv Independent, which went on to recount how Russian forces had carried lists of names and addresses of those marked out for death.

Just as ethnic Germans in 1939 had helped establish lists of Polish physicians and schoolteachers to be murdered, there are spies living among the Ukrainians today, leading Russian special units to the houses of their victims. The military honor bestowed by Putin on one of his strike forces shows that the killings were not only meticulously planned, and thus a genocide, but that they are intended to continue. In the meantime, the Ukrainians are aware of what awaits them in the event of defeat or surrender.

April 29, 2022

Gunnar Heinsohn (1943-2023) founded the Rafael-Lemkin-Institut at the University of Bremen in 1993, Europes first center for the comparative study of genocide, and served as its director until 2009. A sociologist and economist, he published works on demography (including on the notion of a youth bulge), the theory of money, the persecution of witches, and the history of antisemitism, among many other topics.
The buzz around Nvidia shows no sign of abating, with the chip giant posting another quarter of multi-billion dollar revenue upside . The company, which had already rocketed over 200% in 2023, rose 13% higher on the back of its earnings report. This year alone, it has risen around 58%, with Nvidia last closing around $788 on Friday. But just how far can Nvidia go? Here's what analysts are saying. Citi says it now believes that Nvidia is set to deliver higher-than-expected AI graphics processing units this year and the next, based on supply chain discussions and its own estimates. It says that in a bull case, "elongated" AI infrastructure will be what's driving those stronger-than expected AI GPUs. The bank increased its price target for Nvidia to $820 from $575 in a Feb. 22 note. "Nvidia expects AI demand to remain strong and above supply through the year  long-term earnings power looks attractive based on our $200B compute [total addressable market] by 2027," it said. Ray Wang, principal analyst at Constellation Research, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia" that "we haven't hit peak Nvidia yet." "They have a 90% share of the market in AI chips .... [with] 18 month backlog on GPUs still to come," he says, adding that companies "still want their GPUs from Nvidia" despite alternatives. Jeff Pu, managing director of equities research at Haitong International, says it's "not too late to get on the high-speed trains" of the Nvidia boom, raising his price target to $950. "We believe the data center infrastructure momentum will continue into next one to two to three years," he told CNBC's " Street Signs Asia ," flagging higher GPU requirements and strong demand from enterprise clients in 2025 and 2026  with Apple as a key driver. TD Cowen said in a Feb. 21 note that the company is likely to maintain strong data center growth in the coming years. GPUs are widely used in data centers, which are set to benefit from AI's huge computing power needs. Nvidia itself has a booming data center business. "We continue to believe the industry is in the early innings of two transformational paradigm shifts toward accelerated computing and generative AI - with NVIDIA firmly positioned as the leader in both," it wrote. "[Its] suite of superior technology, long pedigree of innovation, and extensive growth-oriented investments should allow for strong, sustained, above-peer growth across a widening set of verticals," it added. In a Feb. 22 note, BofA said its data center sales growth is "robust" and the product launches in the coming year is "capable of supporting strong growth" well into 2025. It raised its price target for Nvidia from $800 to $925. But there was a rare voice of caution. Gil Luria, managing director of D.A. Davidson, acknowledged that the data center opportunity is huge. But while giants such as Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Meta are building this "huge infrastructure around AI , " they have "no need to do that again" after they are done building it out. He also pointed out the increasing amount of competition that Nvidia has to contend with, with Amazon , Alphabet and Meta having their own chips, or with the tech giants supporting AMD and Intel to develop their own to replace Nvidia. Luria only has a neutral rating for Nvidia, giving it a $410 price target  implying a 47% downside. Here are the latest price targets for Nvidia from major banks and financial institutions, that many refreshed last week. Nvidia last closed around $788 on Friday. Bottomline: According to FactSet, analysts covering Nvidia gave it a 93% buy rating, with an average price target of $850.97, implying upside of 8.4%.  CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon isn't worried about the added competition from a bulked-up Capital One if its $35.3 billion takeover of Discover Financial gets approved.

"My view is, let them compete," Dimon said. "Let them try, and if we think it's unfair, we'll complain about that."

Dimon, speaking to CNBC's Leslie Picker at a Miami conference, acknowledged that if regulators approve the Capital One-Discover deal, his bank will be eclipsed as the nation's biggest credit card lender.

But that didn't stop him from praising Capital One CEO Richard Fairbank, who he credited with shaking up the card industry in a way that ultimately led Dimon to becoming CEO of a predecessor firm to JPMorgan more than 20 years ago.

"Richard is why I'm here," Dimon said.

About the transaction, he added, "I'm not worried about it really, but we do track everything he does."
The first cruise ship, 'Norwegian Dawn' to arrive at Portland Port since the arrival of the Bibby Stockholm immigration barge, is seen docking, on July 26, 2023 in Portland, England.

A Norwegian cruise ship has been denied permission to dock in Mauritius over fears of a potential cholera outbreak on board.

Local authorities on Sunday denied permission for the Norwegian Dawn vessel, which has 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew on board, to access the Mauritius capital of Port Louis, citing "potential health risks."

The ship was on a 12-day itinerary from Cape Town, South Africa to Port Louis that started on Feb. 13.

The Mauritius Ports Authority said Sunday that samples were taken from at least 15 passengers on board. These passengers had been placed in isolation on board the vessel "due to the state of their health," the port authority said, according to a Google translation.

"As the test results will only be known in approximately 48 hours, passengers who were due to board the 'Norwegian Dawn' and begin their cruise from Mauritius today will not be able to do so due to potential health risks. They will have to be relocated to available hotel establishments," the port authority said.

A spokesperson for the U.S.-headquartered Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said Sunday that "a small number of guests experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness" during Norwegian Dawn's South Africa voyage.

On returning to Port Louis, the spokesperson said the vessel's management team met with local authorities to confirm that precautionary measures were being taken to ensure the wellbeing of those on board.

Multiple media outlets reported the stomach illness on board the ship was suspected to be cholera.

"The health and safety of our guests, crew and the destinations we visit is our top priority. We operate at the highest public health and sanitation standards, and encourage our guests to practice good hygiene and to report any illness-related symptoms to the onboard medical team immediately," the spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said.

"Additionally, we have elevated our sanitation procedures aboard the ship as part of our routine measures to ensure a safe environment for all on board and will continue to take any necessary measures to protect our guests, crew and destinations we visit," they added.
watch now

Microsoft on Monday announced a new partnership with French start-up Mistral AI  Europe's answer to ChatGPT maker OpenAI  as the U.S. tech giant seeks to expand its footprint in the fast-evolving artificial intelligence industry. Microsoft said in a statement that it was investing in the 2 billion euro ($2.1 billion), 10-month-old business to help it unlock "new commercial opportunities" and expand to global markets. A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed Tuesday that it was investing 15 million euros, which would convert into equity in Mistral's next funding round. Under the deal, Mistral's large language models (LLM)  the technology behind generative AI products  will be available on Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform, becoming only the second company to host its LLM on the platform after OpenAI. It will also see Microsoft bolster the start-up's access to new customers as it rolls out its ChatGPT-style multilingual conversational assistant "Le Chat," or "the cat."

Mistral AI logo is displayed on a mobile phone screen. Anadolu | Getty Images

Microsoft President Brad Smith said on Monday that the deal was an "important" signal of the company's backing of European technology. "I really think this day is one of the most important days in terms of Microsoft's technology support for Europe," Smith told CNBC's Karen Tso at the Mobile World Congress tech conference in Barcelona, Spain. "What we're fundamentally agreeing to a long-term partnership with Mistral AI so that they can train and deploy their next generation models for AI on our AI data centres, our infrastructure, effective immediately," he added.

Growing scrutiny
Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch  an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street. (We're no longer recording the audio, so we can get this new written feature to members as quickly as possible.) Stocks pulled back as bond yields marched higher after a couple of weaker Treasury auctions. Monday's declines come after the S & P 500 gained more than 1% last week and closed at a new all-time high. PANW surges: We added to our position in Palo Alto Networks Monday morning following our big push last week and at Saturday's Annual Meeting , and the stock has instantly rewarded those who caught it with a double-digit percent move at one point. We don't see any specific catalyst behind this surge, other than investors realizing its platformization strategy will accelerate market share gains. The recent cybersecurity attack on UnitedHealth Group-owned Change Healthcare was further proof that even the largest companies in the world are vulnerable to outside threats. With Monday's gains, Palo Alto Networks has recovered almost half of its post-earnings selloff. Alphabet struggles: But Google's parent company weighed on the portfolio, with shares down more than 4% at one point on concerns about its AI offerings. It always seems like Alphabet 's AI initiatives keep taking one step forward and two steps back, with the latest blunder involving image generation for its Gemini AI model, the company's answer to OpenAI's ChatGPT. In a note from Melius Research, analyst Ben Reitzes argued the stock at 21 times earnings is "cheap for a reason." Adds Jim Cramer: "Ben Reitzes at Melius raises lots of negatives about Google that can be summed up as a lack of discipline, which is why it is the worst of the Super Six." The Super Six are Amazon , Apple , Alphabet, Meta Platforms , Microsoft , and Nvidia . Wells Fargo speaks: Shares of Wells Fargo made a new 52-week high earlier before giving back its gains as part of the broader market dip. Still, the bank's shares fared much better than the broader financials sector Monday. The bank's CFO Michael Santomassimo spoke at the UBS Financial Services Conference, and one of his more closely watched updates was a reiteration of the company's outlook that net interest income will decline 7% to 9% in 2024. We think there's room for upside to this guide since it incorporates six rate cuts and it's highly likely we'll see less than that. However, Santomassimo reminded the room that there are a lot of factors that go into the guide. Quick hits: "Broadcom is all about selling things they got with VMware that they don't need. This is just one," Cramer said. Broadcom struck a deal Monday to sell its EndUser Computing division to KKR for $4 billion. "Buffett's cash hoard may be a factor of an unwillingness to get involved in anything that's still down. I wonder if he is selling Apple right here" Cramer added. "His lack of discussion of it made me feel that's the case." Later: The big earnings reports after the closing bell are Unity , Zoom Video , and Workday . One report before the opening bell on Tuesday that we'll be closely monitoring is Lowe's . While we already got a glimpse into the home improvement landscape last week with Home Depot , Lowe's will provide a slightly different view due to its higher exposure to the do-it-yourself (DIY) customer. "Lowe's could be a catalyst that makes it worth buying Stanley Black & Decker with that yield protection," Jim said. (See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai walks to lunch at the Allen & Co. Media and Technology Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 12, 2023. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images
A California prison inmate locked up on a gang-related murder conviction led a scheme that defrauded the U.S. government out of more than $550 million in Covid-era federal tax credits, prosecutors said.

The inmate, Kristopher Thomas, was also charged with running a drug trafficking operation from his cell at Kern Valley State Prison that shipped large amounts of methamphetamine to several states and smuggled fentanyl into that prison, court filings show.

Thomas' mother, 55-year-old Kettisha Thompson-Dozier, and her spouse, Charmane Dozier, 44, who both live in Waldorf, Maryland, were charged with him in the tax credit scheme, along with Sharon Vance, 36, of Hawthorne, California, according to prosecutors.

All four defendants are charged in that case with conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims.

Five other people were charged with Thomas in the alleged drug trafficking scheme.

Thomas, 36, has been in prison since December 2010 following a murder conviction. He was sentenced to 50-years-to-life behind bars for the August 2009 killing in Los Angeles of Dequawn Allen, whom he shot after asking where Allen was from.

Thomas is a member of the Main Street Mafia Crips, a Los Angeles street gang, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California, which is prosecuting him for both alleged schemes.

A criminal complaint accuses Thomas and his co-conspirators of filing, from early 2022 through July 2023, more than 400 payroll tax returns that claimed the employer retention credits in the names of fake businesses, and in the names of real companies that overstated the wages and numbers of workers they had.

The employee retention credits became a refundable federal tax credit for employers during the Covid-19 pandemic to encourage businesses to retain workers. The credit maximum was $5,000 per employee in 2020 and was increased to $7,000 per employee per quarter in 2021.

"Thomas provided instructions to co-conspirators about how to file payroll tax returns, how to respond to correspondences to the IRS, how to deposit the tax refund checks received, and more," a criminal complaint said.

Thomas and the other conspirators used the money from the scam for personal expenses, which included Thomas paying for his family and friends "to be driven to Las Vegas from Los Angeles, party for the night at a luxury penthouse, and then fly back to Los Angeles on a private jet" to celebrate his birthday, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

"It is remarkable that a prison inmate coordinated with others on the outside to distribute over 100 pounds of methamphetamine into the community," said U.S. Attorney Philip Talbert.

"But that apparently was not enough: he also conspired to pursue over half a billion dollars in federal tax credits that were meant to help struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic," Talbert said.

Both the tax scheme and the drug trafficking operation came to light after August 2022, when the Drug Enforcement Administration began an investigation into Thomas at his prison in Delano, California, after identifying him as the source of methamphetamine in Hawaii, Talbert's office said.

Thomas used a prison-issued electronic tablet to call "numerous romantic partners, family members, and other individuals believed to be involved in drug trafficking," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

DEA agents intercepted those calls and also intercepted text messages showing Thomas communicating about the tax fraud scheme, prosecutors said.
This photo taken on Feb.16, 2024 shows Chinese coast guard personnel aboard their rigid hull inflatable boat (L) closely trailing another vessel (R) operated by Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources personnel from the BRP Datu Tamblot as they try to enter the China-controlled Scarborough Shoal (background), in disputed waters of the South China Sea.

Satellite images of the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea show a new floating barrier across its entrance, near where Philippine ships and China coast guard vessels have had frequent run-ins.

One of the images taken by Maxar Technologies on Feb. 22 and viewed by Reuters showed the barrier blocking the mouth of the shoal, where the Chinese coast guard last week claimed to have driven off a Philippine vessel "illegally intruding" into Beijing's waters.

The Philippines, which last week deployed a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, or BFAR, vessel to patrol the shoal and transport fuel to Filipino fishermen in the area, said that China's claims were "inaccurate" and that Manila's activities there were lawful.

China claims the Scarborough Shoal, although it is inside the Philippines' 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. An international arbitration tribunal in the Hague said in 2016 that China's claims had no legal basis  a decision Beijing has rejected.

That makes the atoll one of Asia's most contested maritime features and a flashpoint for diplomatic flare-ups over sovereignty and fishing rights.

The satellite image bolsters a report and video distributed by the Philippine Coast Guard, or PCG, on Sunday showing two Chinese coast guard inflatable boats deploying floating barriers at the shoal's entrance on Feb 22.
Mark Cuban and Justin Huang have a mutual love for education  and a mutual hate for killing bugs.

The two hit it off on Friday's episode of ABC's "Shark Tank," where Huang pitched his product, Cup-a-Bug, to the show's investor judges. Huang's handheld device lets you trap bugs without killing them, similar to using a cup and a piece of paper  from a distance.

A self-proclaimed "bug sympathizer," Huang created the contraption for a simple reason: "I'm just terrified of bugs, even from [childhood]. As I grew up, I just started to feel bad for squishing them," he said during the episode.

The 35-year-old asked investors for $50,000, in exchange for 10% of his Irvine, California-based business. "We've made it more convenient to catch a bug than to kill it. There's... There's...," he said, pausing frequently during his pitch. "Using it is simple. Just place the cup over the bug and pull the handle back ... I'm so nervous, I'm so nervous."

The investors encouraged him to take a minute to gather his thoughts and keep going, with Cuban yelling, "You're good!"

"It's OK. Take a breath and then think of it again," Lori Greiner chimed in.
South Korea's government on Monday told young doctors they had until the end of February to return to work or risk being punished for staging a week-long protest that has disrupted services for patients at several major hospitals.

South Korea's government on Monday told young doctors they had until the end of February to return to work or risk being punished for staging a week-long protest that has disrupted services for patients at several major hospitals.

Two-thirds of the nation's residents and intern doctors had walked off the job to protest a government plan to increase the number of students admitted to medical school in a bid to address what authorities say is a shortage of doctors that is set to worsen in one of the world's fastest ageing societies.

The protest has forced hospitals to turn away patients and cancel procedures.

"Considering the gravity of the situation, the government issues the last plea," safety minister Lee Sang-min said at the opening of a task-force meeting, adding that chaos was mounting in hospitals and emergency services had reached a "dangerous situation".

"If you return to the hospital you left behind by Feb. 29, you won't be held responsible for what has already happened," he said. "We urge you to remember your voice will be heard loudly and most effectively when you are by the side of patients."

The government has previously warned that it could take legal action against doctors who do not comply with a back-to-work order, including prosecution, possible arrest and stripping them of their medical licenses.

The young doctors who are protesting say the government should first address pay and working conditions before trying to increase the number of physicians.

Vice health minister Park Min-soo said those who did not return by March 1 will face a minimum three-month suspension of their medical license among other legal action.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks after arriving for his civil business fraud trial in New York State Supreme Court on December 7, 2023 in New York City.

Former President Donald Trump on Monday filed a notice of appeal of the New York civil judgment finding him liable for fraudulently inflating his net worth on years of financial statements.

The legal challenge came less than two weeks after Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump to pay more than $450 million in fines and interest for his fraudulent business practices.

"We trust that the Appellate Division will overturn this egregious fine and take the necessary steps to restore the public faith in New York's legal system," Trump attorney Alina Habba said in a statement.

Engoron also barred Trump for three years from running a business in New York or applying for loans from financial institutions registered with the state.

Trump's post-judgment interest will continue to accrue at $111,984 each day until it is paid, according to the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the case against Trump and his company.

Trump's co-defendants, including Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., a slew of Trump Organization entities and two of its executives, joined Monday's appeals.

The defendants are appealing "each and every part" of Engoron's judgment and order in two notices of appeal, court filings showed.

The notices do not indicate that Trump has secured an appeal bond, which is required in order to pause the judgment from being enforced.

Experts have said that Trump could face challenges finding a bond agency to work with him and that he may have to liquidate some of his assets.

Attorneys for Trump did not immediately respond when asked if the former president has secured an appeal bond or if he is still working to do so.

Trump is running for president as he challenges civil judgments totaling well over half a billion dollars in fines. He is also grappling with 91 criminal counts in four separate courtrooms  two of which accuse him of illegally conspiring to overturn his loss to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company opened its first chip plant in Japan on Saturday as it diversifies supply chains away from Taiwan amid intensifying U.S.-China trade tensions.

TSMC, which is the world's largest contract chip manufacturer with clients such as Nvidia and Apple, has been courted by Europe, the U.S. and other countries to set up local operations.

Paul You, chairman of First Securities Investment Corporation said last month that the global semiconductor industry including Taiwan's could be at risk from the U.S.-China chip war.

"I do believe the escalation between U.S. and China, especially like the chip war, will become higher and higher and that will dampen the growth for the global semiconductor [industry]," said You.

Located in Kumamoto, the chip fabrication plant in Japan will be equipped with a cleanroom  a controlled and sterile environment critical for chip making  with about 45,000 square meters of area, with production expected to start by the end of 2024, TSMC said.

Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Inc., the manufacturing company majority-owned by TSMC, began construction of the plant in April 2022.

JASM was set up in Japan in 2021 with support from the Japanese government, Sony Semiconductor Solutions and Japanese automotive components maker Denso Corporation to fuel the growth of the country's semiconductor ecosystem.

Japan has been striving to strengthen its semiconductor presence amid an intense rivalry with key chip making countries such as Taiwan and South Korea. Its chip-manufacturing industry is 10 years behind world leaders TSMC and Samsung, according to an August report from the Center For Strategic & International Studies.
Russia is preparing a new offensive against Ukraine that could begin in early summer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday.

Ukraine denied it is at the weakest point in the war since Russia almost captured Kyiv nearly two years, telling NBC that this is the most difficult time in terms of unity.

"I don't think that now it's the weakest moment," Zelenskyy told NBC Sunday, a day after the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"The weakest, or rather, [the most] shocking moment was on February 24, two years ago. Now is the hardest moment for our unity. If we all split, both externally with the partners, and God forbid, internally, then it would be the weakest moment. It hasn't happened yet," Zelenskyy said during a news conference in Kyiv Sunday. He said 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia's invasion two years ago.
Secret Service vehicles block access to a street leading to the Embassy of Israel in Washington, DC on Feb. 25, 2024.

A U.S. military service member set himself on fire, in an apparent act of protest against the war in Gaza, outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

The man was transported to an area hospital after the fire was put out by U.S. Secret Service officers, DC Fire and EMS posted online. The man remains in critical condition, a Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson said Sunday afternoon. An Air Force spokesperson confirmed that the incident involved a active duty airman.

"I will no longer be complicit in genocide," said the man, wearing military fatigues, in a video he broadcasted live over the internet, according to the New York Times.

He then doused himself in a clear liquid and set himself on fire, screaming "Free Palestine," the Times reported.

Local police and Secret Service are investigating the incident.
With the completion of the Shahpur Kandi Barrage on Sunday, India stopped the flow of Ravi River water to neighbouring Pakistan in what's being seen as a strategic move in water management.

The Shahpur Kandi Barrage, located in Punjabs Pathankot district, witnessed several delays in the past three decades. However, it will now help India retain as many as 1,150 cusecs of water, which was previously directed to Pakistan.

As per reports, the redirected water will now be utilised for irrigation in the Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Previously, the project faced years of resistance and challenge but now will benefit both agriculture and hydropower generation.

Under the 1960 Indus Water Treat y, a portion of the Ravi River water was directed to Pakistan via the Lakhanpur Dam. But the Shahpur Kandi Barrage will allow India complete control over the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers, while Pakistan will still benefit from the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers.

Shahpur Kandi Barrage

In 1995, former Indian Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao laid the foundation stone of the Shahpur Kandi Barrage project. Due to the disputes between the governments of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, the project was later suspended for over four years.

In 2008, Shahpur Kandi was announced as a national project but still could not begin construction until 2013, reported News18. Following the domestic dispute between the two states, the project was stalled. However, in 2018, the Centre acted as a mediator between the two and resumed work.

Apart from the Shahpur Kandi project, India has implemented several other water management projects to benefit the country. It includes the building of storage facilities like the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej River, Pong and Pandoh Dam on the Beas River, and Thein (Ranjitsagar) on the Ravi River.

Meanwhile, water management projects like the Beas-Sutlej link and the Indira Gandhi Nahar project have also contributed India to utilise approximately 95% of the water from eastern rivers.
Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on Monday made history by becoming the first-ever woman chief minister of Pakistan's most populous Punjab province, a development described by her party as a "giant leap" for the country.

Maryam, the 50-year-old senior vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, took oath as the Punjab Chief Minister at a ceremony at the Governor House in the presence of her father Nawaz Sharif and uncle Shehbaz Sharif.

She earlier won the chief ministerial elections amidst a walkout by lawmakers of former prime minister Imran Khan's party-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

"HISTORY MADE! Maryam Nawaz Sharif takes oath as Punjab's FIRST EVER female Chief Minister! A giant leap for Pakistan," her party said in a post on X.

In her inaugural speech, Maryam said she has no desire for "revenge against her political rivals who jailed her along with members of her family, including her father.

"I neither have a feeling of revenge or vengeance and my journey includes my arrest, my father's arrest, my mothers passing away," she said, indirectly referring to former Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and former Supreme Court chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar.

She thanked the opposition for making her go through all the ordeal which helped her reach the province's top office, referring to the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, whose government incarcerated the Sharif family in corruption cases.

"On this occasion, I thank my late mother (Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif) too as she knowingly and unknowingly trained me for this day. She is still present with me, her prayers and best wishes. She taught me how to face trials," said Maryam.

"I am thankful that you have made me occupy the seat from where a visionary leader like Nawaz started his career

She said that the senior PML-N leaders including Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif were her mentors. "I consider this office as a big responsibility on my shoulders," she added.

In her speech at the provincial legislature earlier, Maryam thanked God, her father, Nawaz Sharif, uncle Shehbaz Sharif and the lawmakers who voted for her.

"Today, every woman of the province is proud to see a woman chief minister," she said and hoped that the tradition of female leadership would continue in the future as well.

Maryam received 220 votes and won the chief ministerial elections for the politically crucial Punjab province, home to 120 million people. She defeated Rana Aftab of the PTI-backed SIC, who received no votes as his party boycotted the election.

To win the chief minister's election, a candidate needs to win the backing of the majority, which is 187 members in the House that currently has 327 seats, according to Geo News. The newly-elected chief minister, Maryam, enjoyed the support of the majority in the House.

The PTI-backed SIC's 103 members have taken oath from its total 113 lawmakers in the Punjab Assembly. Maryam was backed by PML-N allies, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), and the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP).

The walkout by at least 103 SIC members -- including the PTI-backed independent lawmakers -- was staged after the SIC nominee for chief minister, Aftab, was not permitted to speak at the point of order.

Before boycotting the session, the opposition chanted slogans of "Queen of Mandate Thieves" as the PTI claimed that Maryam had lost his seat with a margin of over 800 votes in the February 8 polls besides the party's over 100 Punjab Assembly seats that had been stolen. It decried that the irony is a "defeated" candidate has become chief minister.

Taking a swipe at the walkout by the SIC lawmakers, Maryam said, Today, I am upset that the respectable members of the opposition benches are not present here

Maryam paid a visit to her mothers grave at Jati Umra before going to the Punjab Assembly. She also visited the graves of her paternal grandparents.

Maryam is considered the political heir of the 74-year-old PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, who surprisingly nominated his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, 72, as his party's prime ministerial candidate.

Meanwhile, in Sindh, senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader Murad Ali Shah was reelected as the new chief minister of the province after securing 112 votes out of 148 total cast during voting for the coveted position.

In his victory speech, Shah said he was honoured to take over the position of the provincial head for the third consecutive term.

Shah expressed confidence that PPP Chairman Asif Ali Zardari will take oath as the president within the next few weeks.

"I urge you all to vote for him
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Google Workspace is an expansive suite of business and productivity apps. Its core apps  Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Gmail, and Meet  are worth mastering individually. They also have features that integrate with other Workspace apps. Knowing how these apps can work together can save time and broaden how you and your co-workers use Workspace.

In this article well guide you through a series of useful Workspace cross-app features, from turning a Gmail message into a task in Google Tasks to collaborating on a Docs document in Google Spaces. This list isn't comprehensive; weve focused on features that we find the most helpful, especially for collaboration.

Weve written these tips primarily for people with paid Google Workspace accounts using the apps in a web browser, but most work similarly in the mobile apps and for users with free Google accounts.

1. Tap into Google Contacts for fast document sharing

The first thing you should do is go through your contacts and update any information about your co-workers and other collaborators. Many collaborative features of Workspace apps integrate with your contacts.

For example, if you want to share a document in your Google Drive with someone, you can do so more easily if they are already in your contacts. In the Drive sharing interface, you just start typing their name, and the rest of it will automatically be filled out by Drive for you to insert. The same is true when you share a document from within another Workspace app like Docs, Sheets, or Slides.

2. Start an email, event, chat, or video call from Contacts

If a person in your contacts is in your Workspace organization or has a Google user account (through Gmail), their contact page will show icons that you can click or tap to communicate with them through other Workspace apps:

Send email : start an email message to them in Gmail.

start an email message to them in Gmail. Schedule event: make an appointment with them or add them to a scheduled event in Google Calendar.

make an appointment with them or add them to a scheduled event in Google Calendar. Send message: chat with them in Google Chat.

chat with them in Google Chat. Start video call: in Google Meet.

Howard Wen / IDG A contacts profile card has icons for communication via other Workspace apps. (Click image to enlarge it.)

3. Schedule a Meet call or map an event in Google Calendar

Many Workspace apps can integrate the events that you have scheduled on your Google Calendar. For example, you can set an event as a video meeting to be conducted through Google Meet. Or if it's going to be held as an in-person get-together in a physical location, you can add a map location for it from Google Maps.

Howard Wen / IDG Google Calendar integrates with both Google Meet and Google Maps. (Click image to enlarge it.)

4. See Google Task items in Calendar

A more direct integration is with Google Tasks, the task manager built into Workspace.You access Google Tasks from the sidebar that's along the right of most Workspace apps. In fact, it's best to use it when its open alongside Google Calendar.

When you create a task in Google Tasks, you can set a date to be reminded of it. This task will then appear in your calendar on that date.

Howard Wen / IDG Tasks that youve set reminders for show up in your calendar. (Click image to enlarge it.)

5. Schedule tasks from Calendar

You can also perform the reverse action: create and schedule tasks from Google Calendar. Click a date and select the Task tab on the pane that appears. Here you can schedule a task to remind yourself to do on a certain date. After you've set this up, the task will also appear in Google Tasks. You'll be sent a notification (through email and your phone) on the date that you set in Google Calendar for this task.

See our Google Tasks cheat sheet for more details about using Tasks and Calendar together.

6. See Google Keep note reminders in Calendar

Another Workspace app that integrates with Calendar is Google Keep. This app is designed to help you make quick notes through either its web or mobile version. When you create a note in Keep, you can choose a date and time to receive a notification reminding about the note. This note with a reminder will appear also on your Google Calendar.

Howard Wen / IDG When you set a reminder for a note in Keep, youll see the reminder in Calendar.

7. Turn a Keep note into a Docs document

Google Keep provides several ways that you can customize a note, such as changing its text format and style or adding checkboxes for an interactive to-do list. You can also add images or use a simple drawing tool built into Keep to sketch one. In other words, Keep can be used as a simple word processor to help you compose and edit text.

When youre ready to develop a note into a full-fledged document, click the three-dot icon in the toolbar below the note and select Copy to Google Docs. This converts your note into a Google Docs document that will be stored in your Google Drive. You can then open it in Google Docs and resume working on it, expanding your writing as a regular document.

For more about working with Keep, see our Google Keep cheat sheet.

8. Start a Google Meet call from Docs, Sheets, or Slides

Google Meet, Workspaces videoconferencing platform, is built into Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. With a document open in any of these apps, you can click or tap the Meet icon at the upper right to start a video chat session in a panel that opens along the right.

Howard Wen / IDG Starting a Meet call from Google Sheets. (Click image to enlarge it.)

To invite others, choose the Copy icon next to This video call only or, if you want others to be able to work on the document, next to This file and video call. Then you can paste the link into an email or chat with those you want to invite to the call.

This is meant to make it more convenient for you to collaborate in real time with your co-workers on a shared document. Or you can work on a document during a meeting, and then present it to everyone to see when its ready.

Note that you must be using either the Chrome or Edge browser to launch a Meet call; Meet calls cant be started from Firefox or Safari.

9. Embed linked charts and tables from Google Sheets in Docs and Slides

Both Google Docs and Google Slides can extract and insert a chart or table from a Google Sheets spreadsheet that's in your Google Drive.

The neat thing is that whenever this chart or table is changed in the source spreadsheet, then the same chart or table that you added to your document or presentation is automatically updated. (If you don't want this to happen, you can unlink the chart or table that you've added from the source spreadsheet.)

Howard Wen / IDG This linked chart will reflect any changes made to it in its source spreadsheet. (Click image to enlarge it.)

See Google Docs power tips: How to add charts, citations, and more for details on embedding linked charts.

10. Embed contacts, files, and calendar events in Google Docs and Sheets

A relatively new interactive feature in Google Docs and Sheets is called smart chips. These are small capsules you can embed in a document or spreadsheet; when you move the mouse pointer over one, it will pop open a card with information on it.

There are several types of smart chips that you can insert. Three of them directly integrate your data from other Workspace apps:

People smart chip: shows a card with the name, contact info, and other stats about a person in your Google Contacts, with icons for contacting them via email, chat, and more. This can be useful for, say, designating the primary contact for one or more tasks in a project management document.

shows a card with the name, contact info, and other stats about a person in your Google Contacts, with icons for contacting them via email, chat, and more. This can be useful for, say, designating the primary contact for one or more tasks in a project management document. Calendar event smart chip: lists an event scheduled in your Google Calendar, such as a meeting related to the project.

lists an event scheduled in your Google Calendar, such as a meeting related to the project. File smart chip: displays information about a file that's in your Google Drive, including a link to open the file. Its a great way to provide easy access to relevant files.

Howard Wen / IDG Hovering over a file smart chip shows a thumbnail of the file it links to.

Clicking any of these smart chip cards will open the corresponding Workspace app in a new browser tab.

For more about the types of smart chips and how to work with them, see How to use smart chips in Google Docs and Sheets.

11. Launch Google Chat or Meet from Gmail

Over the past few years, Google has been pivoting its email service to be the center of many things in Workspace. The toolbar along the left of your inbox page has icons for Google Chat and Google Meet that you can click to open an instance of these apps in the main panel.

If you dont see these icons, you can add them by selecting the Settings (gear) icon at the upper right and choosing Customize under Apps in Gmail. On the panel that appears, check boxes to have one or more of the app icons appear.

12. Save a Gmail or Google Chat message as a task

In Gmail, when you open or select an email that you want to follow up on later, you can turn it into a task item that appears in Google Tasks by selecting the Add to Tasks icon.

Howard Wen / IDG Saving an email in Gmail as a task in Tasks. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Similarly, you can turn a message from a Google Chat conversation into a task in Tasks by clicking its three-dot icon and selecting Add to Tasks. See our Google Tasks cheat sheet for details.

13. Open a Google Contacts card from Gmail

In your Gmail inbox, you can move the mouse pointer over any name or email address to pop open a profile card for the person. (In the mobile app, open an email and tap the persons profile picture to see their profile card.) You can select icons on this card to send them an email, add them to an event in your Google Calendar, and if they have a Workspace or Gmail account, send them a message through Google Chat or ring them up for a video chat in Google Meet.

14. Embed a calendar event in a Gmail message

When youre composing an email, Gmail lets you embed a card listing a calendar event for your recipient to attend or to know about. In the toolbar below the message window, click the three-dot icon and select Set up a time to meet > Create an event.

Doing this opens your Google Calendar in a panel along the right. From it, you can create a new event that will be embedded into your email. (You cant select an event that's already scheduled on your calendar.)

Howard Wen / IDG Embedding a calendar event in a Gmail reply. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Theres also an Offer times youre free option that lets you select times youre available in the Calendar sidebar. When your email recipient chooses a time, the event is created and added to your calendar. Note that this technique only works for one-on-one meetings.

15. Collaborate on documents in Google Spaces

Google Spaces is a chat tool where teams can work together in various ways. Its integrated with Google Chat: to get to Spaces, click the Chat icon in the left toolbar in Gmail. Spaces, collaborative work areas, appear under a separate heading near the bottom of the Chat navigation bar.

In addition to chatting with your co-workers in a Spaces chat, you can collaborate on a document, presentation, or spreadsheet that's stored in your Google Drive. This is done by posting a message with the document attached to it.

You or another person in the Spaces chat can then select the Open in chat icon (a gray circle with a split rectangle inside) on the document attachment to open it in a large panel to the right of the chat panel. The document appears in a simplified version of its corresponding Workspace app (Docs, Slides, or Sheets).

Howard Wen / IDG Collaborating on a spreadsheet in Google Spaces. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Everyone in the chat can view it and make additions and changes to the document, provided you've set its share permissions to allow this. And you and others in the space can talk about it the document in real time in the chat area.

16. Create and assign tasks in Spaces

Google Tasks is also integrated into Spaces chats as a tab that you can switch to. On this tab, you type in the title and description for a task, set a calendar date for it, and assign it to a person in your Google Contacts. This task will then appear in your Google Tasks.

Howard Wen / IDG Tasks you add in Spaces also appear in Google Tasks. (Click image to enlarge it.)

17. Send an email from Google Docs

When youre writing a very important email, you might want to collaborate on it with a co-worker to be sure its just right before sending it out. To do this, you can compose an email in Google Docs and then send it out from this app.

This can be done by adding a certain template that looks like an email composition window (its called an Email draft building block) to your document. You fill it out with the email addresses or names of people to send to, subject line, and message body. You share the document with your collaborators, and when youre finished, click the Gmail icon on the template to send out the email through your Gmail account.

Howard Wen / IDG Composing an email draft in Google Docs. (Click image to enlarge it.)

For full instructions on using the email draft and other building blocks in Docs, see our Smart chips cheat sheet.

18. View Google Forms results in Sheets

Google Forms is a simple app that you can use to gather feedback from employees, co-workers, or customers via online polls, surveys, quizzes, applications, and other types of forms. Forms lets you choose from a wide variety of feedback formats, such as multiple choice, number ratings, text boxes, and even allowing visitors to upload documents.

When you're finished designing your form, it goes live online for visitors to interact with. Their responses are gathered and organized into a dashboard for your review.

Forms is a full-fledged app in its own right, but you can also insert a form into a Google Sheets spreadsheet. If you do so, the response summary is inserted as a new sheet in the spreadsheet.

Howard Wen / IDG A forms results in a Google Sheets spreadsheet. (Click image to enlarge it.)

For more details about using Forms on its own and with Sheets, see our Google Forms cheat sheet.
Spain plans to build a foundational AI large language model trained in Spanish and in the countrys co-official languages, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on the eve of the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona.

The Spanish LLM will be transparent and open source, he said.

While some AI models are trained on texts in multiple languages, more advanced AI features from US-based tech companies are often initially only available in English. Thats the case with Google Gemini, for example, which supports more than 40 languages but offers advanced features only in English.

Making the Spanish language model widely available could help Spanish and non-Spanish enterprises alike to develop new digital services.

Sanchez stressed the importance of reflecting deeply on the impact of generative AI technology on rights and freedoms, the labor market, or the design of public policies. Spain will play a relevant role in the development of the technology internationally and will promote its use in industry and in scientific research, he said.

For the development of the Spanish large language model, the administration has established a public-private collaboration with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and the Spanish Supercomputing Network, the Spanish Academy of Language (RAE) and the Association of Spanish Language Academies. The administration also plans to extend the initiative to Spanish-speaking countries in the Americas.

The government points out that the percentage of language resources in English reaches as high as 90 per cent in many of the current systems. In this way, the initiative "seeks to provide an open, public, and accessible language infrastructure for companies, so that they can have a large-scale language model that facilitates services that allow them to develop advanced applications for their economic exploitation, such as intelligent assistants, conversational and dialogue systems or content generation models".

During his speech, Sanchez also highlighted the capacity of Barcelona and the surrounding Catalonia region to attract talent, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. Barcelona and Spain embrace digital transformation as a unique opportunity," he said.
West Bengal-based human rights defender Kirity Roy, who is secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Manch, and is national convenor of the Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity, in a representation to the chairman, National Human Rights Commission, second within few days, has bought to light one more case of trespassing and destruction of a fertile banana plantation by BSF personnel along the Indo-Bangladesh border, stating, despite a written complaint to the police has taken "no initiative".



Roy says, this is part of the BSF seeking to impose "arbitrary illegal restrictions" and "unlawful decree" prohibiting the cultivation of crops like maize, bajra, jute, banana, even has threatened to destroy the agricultural fields if any such crop is cultivated. He adds, this is "in abject violation of the fundamental right of the villagers to pursue their livelihood for their subsistence, as well as goes against the directive principle to promote agriculture and animal husbandry."

Text:

I am writing to inform you of a case of trespassing and destruction of a fertile banana plantation by BSF personnel on the lands of one very poor minority farmer in the Beledanga Khamarpara village under Katlamari-1 Gram Panchayat, on the Indo-Bangladesh border, under the jurisdiction of Raninagar Police Station, Raninagar-2 Block, Murshidabad district, West Bengal.

The following is the name and details of the affected farmer:

Mr. Anarul Molla (S/o Late Taher Molla, 61 y/o, Muslim), resident of:

Beledanga Khamarpara Village, Katlamari-1 GP,

P.O.: Katlamari, P.S. Raninagar, Raninagar-2 block, Murshidabad,

West Bengal, PIN: 742308.

He owns the following agricultural land:

 Mouza: Katlamari

 Khatiyan no.: 13986

 Dag no.: 121

The perpetrators are armed BSF personnel belonging to:

- 73rd Battalion BSF, posted at Kaharpara BOP, Outpost no. 3

- Officer-in-Charge, Raninagar Police Station

In the night of 16th February, 2024, BSF personnel of the 73rd Battalion, posted at Kaharpara Border Outpost no. 3, committed mischief upon 20 kathas of banana plantation on Anarul Mollas aforedescribed land  where the cultivated banana were of prime quality and ready for harvest, incurring an estimated loss of about 60,000 INR for Anarul Molla (about 100 trees), each yielding a banana produce of approximately 600 INR). This part of his agricultural land lies on the other side of the border fence, but well within the Indian Territory; as the border fence has been erected on both sides of the Indo-Bangladesh border road (IBBR) passing through the village, instead of along the actual border delineated by the International Border Pillars (IBP). This kind of erratic fencing is actually very common along the Indo-Bangladesh border passing through West Bengal, and causes persistent harassment to the villagers and restrictions on their life and livelihood in all villages along the Indo-Bangladesh Border.

The aforedescribed act by BSF personnel of the 73rd Battalion is an act of illegal trespass on private land and damage to agricultural crop, perpetrated by the BSF personnel with complete impunity. Mr. Anarul Molla depends on the produce of his land to sustain his entire family; and all of his banana harvest thus damaged, he has been dealt an irreparable blow to his livelihood and subsistence, and he has no alternate means to sustain their families. The entire village of Beledanga is inhabited by farmers like him, with much of their agricultural lands on the other side of the border  and BSF often imposes arbitrary illegal restrictions on them, which they have no authority to. BSF has also unlawfully issued a decree prohibiting the cultivation of crops like maize, bajra, jute, banana, and even has threatened to destroy the agricultural fields if any such crop is cultivated; which is in abject violation of the fundamental right of the villagers to pursue their livelihood for their subsistence, as well as goes against the directive principle to promote agriculture and animal husbandry.

On 17th February, 2024, Mr. Molla, on receiving news of this massacre, approached the company commander to report the matter, and hoping for redressal  but he was viciously insulted and threatened and driven out. No complaint or report was registered by the BSF with the local police station before destroying said property, nor was the felled banana crop submitted to the government, and banana crop worth 60,000 INR was usurped by the defaulter BSF.

Thereafter, on 20th February, 2024, he submitted a written complaint to the Raninagar Police Station, through WhatsApp messaging, from +919647319275 (his son, Sohel Badshas phone number) to +919147888536 (phone number of the Officer in charge, Raninagar Police Station), reqesting redressal, compensation, and protection from harassment by the BSF. The police have taken no initiative to apprehend the accused company commander or other BSF personnel, or to arrange for a compensation for the damaged crop. No FIR has been registered either, despite clear and cognizable offences done by the BSF personnel. This only exposes an unholy nexus between the BSF and the police that has only served to enhance the impunity enjoyed by the BSF.

Although the aforesaid land is Mr. Mollas private property, it is placed under 24x7 surveillance by armed BSF and there is no chance of causing damage to the property of victim other than posted BSF, and such act would be impossible without the direction and knowledge of the company commander responsible for guarding Outpost no. 3, Kaharpara.

Mr. Molla as well as other farmers in Beledanga village, Raninagar-2, Murshidabad district, West Bengal are extremely scared after this incident  seeing the absolute impunity of the BSF, and due to persistent threats from the BSF to damage their crops.

In this situation, we request your immediate intervention with the following demands, hoping to reinstate the rule of law, and put a check on the impunity of the Border Security Force:

1. The affected farmer Mr. Anarul Molla must be compensated by BSF immediately, as per estimate, to the amount of 60,000 INR.

2. An FIR must be lodged against the accused Company Commander of Kaharpara BOP and O/C of Raninagar PS and investigations must begin post-haste.

3. BSF must immediately stop harassing farmers in the village and must not be allowed the impunity for loss / damage of private property.

4. The border fence must be erected at the actual Indo-Bangladesh border delineated by the IBPs, instead of being erected along the IBBR passing through the village, well inside Indian Territory. Border Security Force personnel should also be posted at the actual Indo-Bangladesh border, instead of inside the Indian Territory.
Each era of NBCs Late Night has remade itself according to the persona and interests of its host, but defining a shows tone, identity and recurring bits is an iterative process that takes time. Seth Meyers tenure  which marked the 10th anniversary of its premiere on Saturday  has gone all in on politics with segments like Ambers Minute of Fury (a topical rant from writer Amber Ruffin), Hey! (an aggressive rant by Meyers to a particular newsmaker) or The Late Night Debate or Press Conference (joke questions that cut to real answers from a political or news event). But arguably no single recurring Late Night bit more clearly differentiates it from other late-night shows in its category than A Closer Look, which didnt debut until the fall of 2015, around 18 months in to Meyerss Late Night run  or right around when it started to seem like one GOP candidate wasnt the joke he initially seemed.

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Three nights of four each week, Meyers spends 10 to 15 minutes taking A Closer Look at a news story, digging through the assumptions that underpin it, pointing out the hypocrisy of the people involved, performing impressions of key players implicated  all of it illustrated with real news footage and (very) fake graphics. It has become a tremendously popular YouTube feature, posted online a few hours before the episode it appears in airs, and its rigorous research is supplemented by solid jokes  often very goofy ones.

Since its creation, A Closer Look has been written by Sal Gentile, a former MSNBC producer who worked on Chris Hayes show when Mike Shoemaker, Meyers executive producer, recruited him to work on Late Night. I talked to Gentile on the eve of the shows 10th anniversary to talk about living in an endless Donald Trump news cycle, going in on Joe Biden and how he and his colleagues are getting through writing jokes about what might be Americas last presidential election.

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First of all, congratulations on your WGA Award nomination.

Thank you very much.

Youve been to lots of award ceremonies. What is the vibe at the WGA Awards? How is it different from the Emmys?

I can only speak for the east side. There are two ceremonies, the East and the West, and they happen simultaneously. And its funny because then sometimes well find out we lost from the West Coast before our category even gets announced here. But to me, its the most fun award show. Its super-informal. Its all your friends that you see all the time in the writing community, so its a much looser vibe. Its also because everybody involved is a writer, so its more fun because theres a sense of community, and also writers are, generally speaking, bad producers. So it also can be a little sloppy and a little informal. Its definitely the least buttoned-up of all the awards shows that Ive been to.

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Do you think its going to feel different this year, coming off the strike?

I do think itll be even more celebratory. As we said during the strike, writers can be devalued, obviously, by the Hollywood system. So its nice, just to begin with, to get together and sort of appreciate each other and talk about writing and talk about what other people are up to. Then, this year, we came off the strike with a really good feeling that, as painful as it was, we were victorious, and we felt like it was a struggle that was definitely worth it. So itll be nice for everybody because thisll be kind of the first time that large chunks of people have been together since the strike. Itll be really nice to celebrate together.

The podcast Strike Force Five confirmed either that the current late-night hosts are more collegial than the people who had their jobs in other eras, or theyre better at faking it. Do the Late Night writers have a similar relationship with writers on other shows?

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Yes, definitely. Jimmy Kimmel tapes in L.A., but Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver and our show are all here in New York. So in addition to being collegial, we also all kind of know each other outside of that, from UCB, comedy, improv, stand-up, whatever. So theres definitely a community vibe to it, yes. As far as I can tell, theres no cutthroats among the writing staffs, where people are trying to somehow take out somebody else. I dont even know how that would work.

It seems like theres almost no turnover on any of these shows, so there's no point really trying to undercut anyone.

Yeah, totally. It is not the sort of sink-or-swim vibe that may have existed years ago. Were all, for the most part, very grateful to have our jobs. And theres not a lot of turbulence at any of the shows. Seth has basically said this, too: that we want our staff to be happy, so theyre happy to work there, and then were happy to see them. And its mutual. Youre happy for your friends and then also being happy for your friends makes everybody happy to see each other. Because all the shows are very humane places to work, nobody has to be resentful, so everybody is very friendly.

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I read in Johns Hopkins Magazine, from your alma mater, that you were working for Chris Hayes at MSNBC when you were recruited to work on Late Night. Was it really as simple as you wearing the right shirt when Mike Shoemaker passed you?

It really, genuinely is. Its so crazy. Ive had so many fortuitous turns happen for me on the way to getting this job 10 years ago  which is crazy to even say. I havent fully grasped that its been 10 years.

But to go back even further, I was working for Chris Hayes at MSNBC in the exact office space that is now the Late Night office space. Where I sat is now where the Late Night booking department sits. I was sitting there when they announced that Seth would be taking over. At the time, I was doing comedy: I was on improv and sketch teams at UCB and making videos and doing all the things that aspiring comedy people want to do, and working at MSNBC was my day job.

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And I had, at that point, decided, I want to do comedy, and I want to make that transition. I had no idea how, though. I remember hearing the announcement (about Seth Meyers becoming the host of Late Night) and being like, Oh man, that would be a cool show to work for. Not having any idea but knowing it probably would be a good fit for me, knowing that Seth is both an improv person and also interested in the news and politics and stuff. It was just an idle thought.

So then fast-forward to sometime in 2013, whenever they were beginning to staff up the show, and they had a very small bare-bones staff. They were starting to hire up  Seth was still at SNL  and I was just wearing my UCB hoodie. Every day, basically, I was going to UCB after work. And I ran into Shoemaker. I think it was actually on floor nine, where the cafeteria is. We were both waiting for the elevator, and he saw my UCB hoodie and just started making chitchat. We found out we knew a bunch of people in common. Seth obviously was very familiar with UCB, had done a lot of improv there himself and done ASSSSCAT and stuff like that.

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Shoemaker was like, Were hiring for, specifically, a segment producer who can do comedy guests but also political guests and news guests and authors and stuff, if thats something youd be interested in. And I said, I definitely would be. I interviewed with him, and that was it. It all happened really fast.

Its crazy how the stars aligned, but its genuinely true that thats how it happened.

Do you still get involved in the research on political guests, or are you just A Closer Look all the time?

A Closer Look is so all-consuming now. Seth might chat with me for a little bit. I might offer some thoughts and maybe talk to the producer whos working on a segment with a political guest. But thats kind of like a cursory, informal thing. A Closer Look is my life, truly my first child. I have a child now, but A Closer Look is my eldest child. Basically, after a year of working at the show as a segment producer, Seth asked me to start working on the desk pieces that became A Closer Look with him. And then, very quickly, we all realized I should be moved over to the writing staff to work on this full-time.

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Do you remember any formats that you iterated on that were sort of proto-Closer Looks, as the segment as we know it came into focus?

Yeah. Before they were called A Closer Look, we would give them one-off punny names. Seth and I have talked about this. We both think the first one was an explainer in 2014 on the Greek debt crisis. Seth called me in and we worked on it and we called it Up Shits Greek.

Definitely landing on A Closer Look was an improvement over coming up with all of these ridiculous names. We did a piece on Mike Pence defending this bigoted Indiana bill when he was the governor that basically allowed business owners to deny service to same-sex couples.

I think maybe the first one that we decided to call A Closer Look was one on Republicans in the House holding hearings to defund Planned Parenthood, with a bunch of ridiculous lies and misinformation. Then we did another one on this wave of bigoted anti-trans bathroom bills. After ones like Up Shits Greek, I think everybody is thankful that we just decided to go with A Closer Look instead.

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When Jesse David Fox reported on the segment for Vulture back in late 2016, there was a reference to you having sent a draft to Seth at 2:30 a.m. Your home life has changed since then. Has your workflow changed as well?

Yes, yes, it has. We had a child basically exactly at the same time as COVID. Our son was two months old when lockdown started.

How convenient!

Yeah, I know. Perfect timing. They really nailed it. In fairness, I shouldnt have sent our birthing schedule to all the various labs and markets and so forth. I shouldnt have told everybody, This is when were having a child, in case you want to start a global pandemic.

But yeah, so a lot changed after that. Before, I used to pull all-nighters. Sometimes Id be in the office, sometimes Id be home, and I would send in scripts as late as four or five in the morning. Sometimes Seth and (Shoemaker) would wake up and not have an email from me with the draft for the next day's A Closer Look because I was still working on it. There were crazy days when Id send one in after 6 a.m. Id be up all night.

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Now I work from home in the morning, and I just start writing around eight in the morning, and then I send in that draft late morning to Seth, so that I can try to get a normal nights sleep. Although with a child who wont sleep in his own bed, its not ideal. But yes, my workflow has changed.

Do you still get to spend time in the writers room, or is your work generally just more solitary?

Its definitely much more solitary. Pre-COVID, if there was a hearing that would start at 9 a.m. with Michael Cohen or Robert Mueller or whoever, I would have to plant myself in front of a TV and type as fast as I possibly could. So at some point, it made sense for me to have my own office so I could concentrate. Post-COVID, everybodys workflow has changed a little bit. Everybody has more of a hybrid schedule, which everybody loves, and which I think is so much more humane. So theres just less chopping it up in the writers room in general.

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When you do get together either with your colleagues or with people from other shows at the award ceremonies or on the picket line, is there a sense that you might be writing jokes about Americas last election?

Yeah, yeah. Well, were all waiting for the Trump 2.0 Justice Department to finally crack down on late-night shows. But yeah, I think there definitely is.

Ive said this before, and I think this is how everybody approaches it, which is that its cathartic to make it funny. I think that for everybody, this is how we process the high stakes, which are nerve-racking all the time. You find yourself staying up all night worrying about it, doom-scrolling and looking at the latest polls or whatever. For us, the catharsis is to make jokes about it.

I think the other thing we try to do in A Closer Look is to make everything funny but not trivial. We try to make sure were definitely still stating the stakes of what were talking about. But yeah, there definitely is that awareness.

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The shows politics are pretty clear, broadly speaking, but how do you decide how far you can go with critiques of Biden?

I dont think we decide. We say whats true and whats plain to our eyes. For us, comedy mocks and criticizes people in power no matter what party they are, and I think thats a healthy thing. And its a healthy thing for people who support Joe Biden. The MAGA side is the cult side. Thats the side in which any expression of disloyalty or hesitation or disobedience is immediately punished. Its healthy for comedy shows, and for anybody who may describe themselves as progressive or on the left, to have a sense of humor about things and to poke fun at people in power. Thats a key component of our democracy. So we try to keep that in mind.

But on the other hand, its pretty obvious from our show that we are also very much trying to keep everything in perspective about the choices that we face. So its a balance of, on the one hand, wanting to do comedy. And when theres opportunities for comedy about Biden, we definitely dont pass them up. But on the other hand, were trying to make the stakes as clear as possible, and trying to put everything in context and perspective. So whenever we do comedy about Biden, we make sure as much as possible to provide that perspective and that context about the choices and about the stakes of the election.

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I wont ask you to comment on a show you dont work on, but Jon Stewart did definitely get pushback after his first episode back hosting The Daily Show from people accusing him of bothsidesism.

Yeah. I think anybody who watches our show would agree that were always trying as much as possible to provide context and perspective on the differences and the choices. But its still healthy to poke fun at people in power.

Is this something that you and Seth codified when Biden became the candidate?

We just take it day by day, but were both on the same page about the stakes of the election. Theres no clarification that needs to happen between the two of us about whats at stake and what the choice is. Its not a question of not doing the jokes. Its a question of putting the jokes in perspective and giving it context so youre not drawing up false equivalencies.

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The presidential election cycle gets shorter every time, or maybe just feels like it does. Was there a particular moment this time around where you really felt like, I guess were really in it now, or does Trump just make it continuous for you and for A Closer Look by being the way he is?

To some degree, it definitely felt continuous, which is by design by Trump, because he never stopped contesting the results of the last election. So his desire is to make it feel as though it is unending. Nobody doubted that he would run again, but I guess it was probably when he announced at Mar-a-Lago, right after the midterms, that it really felt like it kind of solidified the situation. I was like, I cant believe this guy is running for president again. Especially in the face of such an utter rejection. The midterms are historically supposed to be terrible for the party in power. And not only was it not terrible, Democrats did great, and every Trump-backed MAGA candidate was humiliated, even in states where they theoretically should have won.

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For him to immediately and sort of audaciously declare again, even in the face of such clear and utter rejection  I think that was probably when I felt like, I cant believe we have to deal with this guy again. No amount of saying no will make him go away.

How often does news break that forces you to just shred an entire script?

Oh, so often.

Oh, no.

Yes. Well, it happens less often now that I write in the morning, which is another kind of good thing about the changed workflow  I can adapt to things. It used to happen a lot more when I would write overnight, and thered be times Id send in my script at 4 a.m., and then Id wake up and something insane would happen. Or I would start writing at night, and then Rudy Giuliani would go on Fox News at 10 and make some stunning criminal confession by accident, and Id have to take whatever I was in the middle of writing and just dump it. It definitely happens.

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I would say the most common thing is that Ill have to throw out half the script or something like that, and instead of having a completely done script, Ill be halfway done and Ill be like, All right, well, I have to start over again. That still happens a fair amount.

Seth has a whole other segment, The Kind of Story We Need Right Now, thats just about news thats life-affirming and fun. Inevitably, that means you get stuck with the news that is terrible. There must be times when a story breaks that you know cant ignore, but you wish you could. In those situations, how do you push through?

The thing that helps me push through it is to sit there and spend a lot of time working on the jokes. Like, write a joke, try to beat that joke, try to add three more jokes on top of it. Sometimes, especially since COVID, well take side tangents and do a lot of silly stuff in the body of A Closer Look thats sort of self-referential, or Seth does a bunch of silly impressions. So Ill write in stuff like that. Were still discovering silly stuff all the time. Well discover some impression that Seth either can do or cant do but has fun trying to do. Or well find some bizarre tangent. Or well do some new recurring bit in the middle of A Closer Look.

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We all really love the structure of A Closer Look, too, because it feels like, in addition to having a thesis and laying out an argument and having evidence to support that argument, it also can bear the weight of all of those side tangents and let us have fun and be silly and then get back into the body of the piece. So thats how we avoid burnout.

How often do you sneak an impression in just to see if Seth can do it?

Fairly often. Ill put something in with kind of a stage direction with a name. So if its an impression, Ill put it in parentheses, as a stage direction, that name.

(Mike Lindell.)

Or (Christoph Waltz) or whatever. But Ill put in a question mark if I dont know if he can do it because hes never done it before. And almost always he will say yes to it because he has such an improvisers mentality of saying yes to things. In fact, not only will he say yes to it, but often if I put in an impression hes never done before, in his draft, hell add more to it. Hell run with it. Itll be like an improv scene where we walk on and Im like, Hey, youre Pepe Le Pew! And then he has to say yes in the scene in front of the audience and start doing that accent and then he will take that and hell not only yes it, but hell put more into it as well.

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During the pandemic, when we were audience-less, we were even more audacious because we didnt have an audience, but he was in the studio, and he somehow was doing Foghorn Leghorn as played by Al Pacino in a live-action Looney Tunes movie. So it was Al Pacino doing Foghorn Leghorn, talking to Michael Shannon playing the Roadrunner. This is such pandemic brain, looking back at it now. It made no sense whatsoever. Its such a relic of quarantine, but somebody told Seth, Watching you do this felt like watching you in an improv scene.

How much pushback do you typically get from NBC? Are they involved at the script stage, or do you ever hear about it after something airs?

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Nothing. I cant think of a single instance of hearing anything ever. Its just me and Seth and (Shoemaker) and our head writer, Alex Baze, and our Closer Look producer, Emily Erotas, and our staff. It has a very fun, goofy vibe of all of us just sitting in a room, reading through it, having fun with it, making jokes about it, making jokes about how dumb it is, or the stupid graphic. It feels very much like a little improv group, and weve been very fortunate and lucky that theres been no outside interference into it at all.

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Speaking of the graphics department, Corrections has a lot of running bits, including about everyone in the graphics department being a sexual masochist. You know there is a running gag about you in Corrections as well?

Theres definitely been a few. I cant remember. Which one are you thinking of in particular?

That youre secretly rich.

Yes. Because Im always banging on about plutocrats and the oligarchy. I even got made fun of at some point for using the word plutocrat too much in the script, and so I think thats where that bit came from. In one bit, I had grocery bags that were filled with Rolex watches or something like that.

What is it like being a character in an extremely niche show spin-off thats truly only for absolute sickos, of whom I am one?

Oh, its amazing. Im an absolute sicko, too. Its by sickos for sickos. Thats the motto.

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Its so fun. Nobody has any idea what Seth is going to say or do in Corrections until it happens. So Thursday after the show tapes, a small group of whoever is left at the office and the crew file in after the audience is gone, and we sit there and we all wait to find out what our characters are going to say or do in this weeks episode of Corrections. And its just so funny because its like this little cinematic universe of fake versions of all the people who work there, and its delightful. Its such a fun treat at the end of the week, Thursday at five after the last show is taped, to just go sit there and basically be treated to a tiny little show thats catered very specifically to your life.

Do you think that a time will come when youll want to hand off A Closer Look to someone else, or when you stop writing it, do you just want the jersey retired forever?

I mean, its impossible to guess the future, but I think its the other way around. I dont think A Closer Look will be retired because of me. I think Ill be retired because of A Closer Look. They will hang me from the rafters or something. But yeah, I love doing this so much. Its my favorite thing. I think the thing Im the happiest about is that we found ways to reinvent it and reinvigorate it and keep it fun to do every day. I cant imagine ever stopping that as long as I have the opportunity to keep doing it.
Less than a week after global law enforcement disrupted its operations in a coordinated seizure, the infamous ransomware gang, LockBit, has already issued promises of return, this time with an agenda.

In a lengthy note published on Saturday, the groups leader LockBitSupp reassured affiliates that LockBit was once again operational on the dark web and that authorities could only hack into its servers because of LockBitSupps personal negligence and irresponsibility.

I am very pleased that the FBI has cheered me up, energized me and made me get away from entertainment and spending money, LockBitSupp said in the note. It is very hard to sit at the computer with hundreds of millions of dollars, the only thing that motivates me to work is strong competitors and the FBI.

The note also added that the FBI decided to hack LockBit at the time it did because the group possessed some sensitive information stolen from the government records that threatened the upcoming US election.

Hacks affected only PHP servers

On Feb 19, global authorities conducted a coordinated takeover of a significant number of LockBits operations under the banner Operation Cronos. LockBitSupp said it was possible because of a flaw LockBit systems had and that he was aware of it, but was too lazy to fix it in time.

The note said that two of LockBits servers had thrown a 502 Bad Gateway error at 06:39 UTC on Feb 19 and that LockBitSupp was able to get the site to work by restarting PHP.
Amber Rudd is a female trailblazer, breaking the 'men only' rule by being elected to Pratt's Club.

This follows the decision of club owner Bill Cavendish, the Duke of Devonshire's heir, to end the ban on women in a bid to invigorate the basement institution peopled by mostly motheaten Tories.

Apparently, 40 of them have either resigned or threatened to do so as a result of her election.

But there is a downside for the former home secretary, who will now have to call all male serving staff 'George' and all females 'Georgina', a Pratt's tradition.

Amber Rudd is a female trailblazer after breaking the 'men only' rule by being elected to Pratt's Club

This follows the decision of club owner Bill Cavendish (pictured), the Duke of Devonshire's heir, to end the ban on women in a bid to invigorate the basement institution peopled by mostly motheaten Tories

But apparently, 40 male members of the club (pictured) have either resigned or threatened to do so as a result of her election

Would the late George Michael be relieved that King Charles has endorsed the Royal Mint's tribute coins to him?

For, at the height of his fame in 1991, George endured Royal disfavour when he refused a request from an eight-year-old William to sing at a Kensington Palace party.

'William asked me 'would it be OK if I sang a song,' recalled George, adding that Elton John had been playing the piano.

'I had to say "no". I was too embarrassed to sing in front of a group of strangers.'

George Michael performs at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness at Wembley Stadium in London, April 20, 1992

Has Kate Winslet, playing a daft head of state in Sky's spoof The Regime, channelled three winks PM Liz Truss?

Kate, along with Liz, claims the character, a fictitious leader of an unnamed central European country, is her own invention, adding: 'I have never come across anyone like her.'

But her chum Cate Blanchett insists: 'I saw a soupcon of Liz Truss'.

Kate Winslet claims the character, a fictitious leader of an unnamed central European country, is her own invention. Pictured at a Vogue World event in September

With Joe Biden's German Shepherd, Commander, guilty of biting White House staff 24 times, a retired Royal flunkey claims the dog has single-handedly beaten the collective nibbling record of the late Queen's corgis.

The snappy happy pets could do little wrong in HM's eyes, even after she received stitches from intervening in a dog fight.

Recalling then prime minister John Major's audience with the monarch when he discussed the introduction of the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act, the former courtier claims he asked the PM a tongue in cheek question about adding the Royal corgis to the list of offenders.

The Queen was not amused.

Joe Biden's German Shepherd, Commander (pictured), was guilty of biting White House staff 24 times

The Queen arrives in Aberdeen, Scotland with her corgis to start her holidays in Balmoral in 1974

As foreign secretary, James Cleverly earned a reputation for attending junkets all over the globe.

Instead of attending to his duties yesterday in the Commons at Home Office questions, Cleverly was in San Francisco to meet social media firms and hold an 'in conversation' event.

Today the (not at) Home Secretary is off to New York to make a speech about immigration.

Instead of attending to his duties yesterday in the Commons at Home Office questions, Cleverly was in San Francisco to meet social media firms and hold an 'in conversation' event. Pictured with Clint Smith, chief legal officer of the social media platform Discord on Monday

When Coronation Street butcher Fred Elliott, played by John Savident, who has died aged 86, was being dispatched by Corrie's undertaker, Roy Hudd's Archie Shuttleworth, an unscripted development occurred.

Recalls The Stage: 'Filming was brought to a halt when Hudd suffered a minor heart attack as he made an adjustment to Fred's coffin.

Savident, realising Hudd was in pain, jumped from the coffin to assist his fellow actor. What odds on the pair enjoying a celestial giraffe about the incident?
A 26-year-old woman with terminal cancer who has become a viral star while bravely documenting her battle with the illness on TikTok has managed to tick off a major bucket list goal by meeting celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

Madison Baloy, from Tampa, Florida, was diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer after going to the ER for what she thought was a common stomach bug.

After learning she had terminal cancer, the 26-year-old decided to turn the tragic situation into a positive by sharing her powerful journey on social media and keeping a smile on her face through chemotherapy.

Madison's prognosis is five years, according to USA Today.

Madison Baloy, from Tampa, Florida, was diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer after going to the ER for what she thought was a common stomach bug

She has crossed something off her bucket list after chef Gordon Ramsay helped her dreams come true by flying her out to his restaurant and cooking for her

After learning she had terminal cancer, the 26-year-old decided to turn the tragic situation into a positive by sharing her powerful journey online and keeping a smile on her face

By sharing her battle, Madison was met with a flood of support from people who offered to help her check off boxes from her bucket list - including the Hell's Kitchen star Gordon.

Following her diagnosis, Madison took to TikTok to share the nearly 20 things she was in a 'hurry to finish.'

She said: 'Hi, my name is Madison. I have stage-four terminal cancer and this is in my bucket list. I'm in a hurry to finish it.'

Coming in at number one, Madison said she wanted to 'see everything.'

She also revealed that she wanted to party in a DJ booth, learn how to roll a joint, have a wedding, get a tattoo with her grandma, sleep under a willow tree, be a podcast guest, and meet Gordon.

In response to her clip, the 57-year-old chef said he would love to meet Madison, but didn't want it to be any regular meet and greet.

He said: 'First of all, I'd like to fly you down to Miami, have dinner with you and your friends in Hell's Kitchen and then the following night, Friday night, you'll be our special guest at the opening of our new restaurant, Lucky Cat, in South Beach.'

Following their meet and greet, the chef added: 'I hope you had the best time @madison in Miami! It was such an honor for you to be my VVIP last night at #LuckyCat! Thanks to everyone on TikTok too for helping making sure these dreams come true.'

By sharing her battle, Madison was met with a flood of support from people who offered to help her check off boxes from her bucket list - including the Hell's Kitchen star Gordon

Alongside a slew of snaps from her time with Gordon, she said: 'The best night of my life! Thank you endlessly for giving me the biggest yes, Chef '

Madison began feeling symptoms last year while at a music festival with her friends

Madison also shared her own Instagram post and gushed about the evening with the chef.

Alongside a slew of snaps, she said: 'The best night of my life! Thank you endlessly for giving me the biggest yes, Chef. '

The TV personality and cook added: 'What an absolute pleasure, I'm so glad you had a great time, also it's the first time I've ever danced in my kitchen, thanks.'

Madison began feeling symptoms last year while at a music festival with her friends.

She tried to convince herself it wasn't anything serious and chalked it up to IBS or Crohn's.

Her stomach pain, nausea and exhaustion quickly became too much, and she went to urgent care.

However, while there, a nurse informed her that all of her symptoms indicated she had cancer and suggested she go to an ER.

It was there that they diagnosed her with stage-four colon cancer.

Her stomach pain, nausea and exhaustion quickly became too much, and she went to urgent care

However, while there, a nurse informed her that all of her symptoms indicated she had cancer and suggested she go to an ER. It was there they diagnosed her with stage-four colon cancer

She told USA Today that after receiving her diagnosis, she took to TikTok to find other people in her position and in hopes of reminding people who she was.

'I was really scared that people were only going to see me for cancer and forget who I was,' she said.

She noted that she wanted to tell the world she was still very much a 'person' and began documenting a day in her life online.

Madison said that she had come to terms with the possibility of having cancer forever and was trying to make the best of the time she had.

She said: 'Whether I only live five years or if somehow I live 70 years, I will, at some point die with cancer in my body still.'
A 35-year-old mom left her fellow millennials scratching their heads after revealing the odd new trends Gen Alpha has adopted, according to her middle school-aged daughter.

Faith Hitchon has gone viral after sharing the new fads that she has observed as she picks up her daughter, India, from school.

The Los Angeles-based mom took to TikTok to crush the hearts of millennials as she told them that skinny jeans and leggings are out, before adding that wide headbands and hoodies are here to stay.

In a slew of viral videos, which has so far amassed over 2.1 million views, the mom-of-one lifted the lid on the trends Gen Alpha is putting into motion.

Faith Hitchon has gone viral after sharing the new fads to hit the streets as she picks up her daughter, India , from school

The 35-year-old mom has left fellow millennials jaw-dropped after revealing the odd new trends Gen Alpha has adopted, according to her middle school-aged daughter

While sitting in the pick up line at her daughter's school, Faith details the trends she spots.

She said: 'Do not even think about wearing pants that even hint at being tight. Don't even try it. A straight-leg jean is like, barely making the mark. If you do anything, that's the takeaway.'

In addition to avoiding skinny jeans, the mom also noted you needed to stay away from 'jackets' and 'cardigans' as she said that hoodies were the new go-to outerwear.

'Hoodies, hoodies, hoodies, there is nay a cardigan in sight. There are barely jackets. It's all about hoodies,' she said.

Faith went on to discuss some beauty trends that she's spied being sported by the youngsters - noting that star-shaped blemish stickers have become so popular that they are actually traded as currency among school kids.

'Starface pimple patches are social currency,' she explained. 'They are also a replacement for, like, money, I've been told. So, you can trade them for other things, but they're absolutely an accessory, not just a necessity, but they're both.'

The mom also said that long, '2000-style haircuts' are coming back for middle school boys before noting that her daughter referred to them as 'Chad cuts.'

The Los Angeles-based mom took to TikTok to crush the hearts of millennials as she told them that skinny jeans and leggings were out, but wide headbands and hoodies were here to stay

In another clip, she revealed that the beloved phone accessories pop sockets were making their way out.

The next trend on its way out was 'personal' to Faith.

She added: 'This next one is also very much an attack on millennials, and I apologize in advance, because it hurts me too, throwing up a cute peace sign when you're trying to take like a cute, fun selfie is no longer a thing.

'In fact, my daughter always tells me it's 'cringe' when I do it. It is, however, acceptable to do a heart, or if you really want to impress, you can do the middle finger big heart.

Lastly, she noted that the word 'slay' was over with.

Faith said: 'And last but not least, "slay" is very much on its way out. You can say "major," but that's still kind of for, like, the old cool kids.

Millennials flooded the comments section and expressed their sadness at some of their favorite things no longer being trendy

My daughter says that you need to say that "you ate that." For example, when she likes the dinner I cooked, she says, "you ate that."'

Millennials flooded the comments section and expressed their sadness at some of their favorite things no longer being trendy.

One person said: 'You can pry my leggings of my cold dead body.'

Someone else added: ' As a mom to a 13-year-old I can attest that this is correct. You ate that.'

Another person said: 'I cant stop saying slay its an addiction at this point.'

One user wrote: 'Oh, I'm upset.'
Many of us will relate to the difficulty of trying to follow a recipe - but these images prove just how badly it can go.

Baking enthusiasts from around the world have shared their hilarious culinary fails and Bored Panda collated the best into an online gallery.

It includes a cake decorator who was told to spell 'Marc' with a 'C' - but appeared to instead send 'Mark' to 'The Sea'.

Elsewhere a woman attempted to make a Danny DeVito cake for her friend, but the result was petrifying.

One saw a fan of Canadian rapper Drake attempt to design a confectionary to look like him, which ended in disaster

Meanwhile, one saw a fan of Canadian rapper Drake attempt to design a confectionery to look like him, which ended in disaster.

Another professional baker done a great job at the cake itself - but ruined it at the final hurdle by writing 'Happy Birthday in Spanish'.

Here, FEMAIL shares the funniest cake fails that are the definition of 'it's the thought that counts'...

Donnie Darko vibes! This person thought their vision for a sweet lamb cake would turn out cute

A cake decorator, thought to be from the US, was told to spell 'Marc' with a 'C' but it appeared that they didn't understand the assignment

Another professional baker done a great job at the cake but ruined it at the final hurdle by writing out Happy Birthday with the addition of 'in Spanish'

Elsewhere a woman attempted to make a Danny DeVito cake - in honour of the US actor - for her friend, but the result was petrifying

Clever! A father from Michigan used his quick thinking to make this cake disaster look intentional after he added dinosaurs

Teddy scare! In the US, this baker's attempt at a sweet teddy bear cake turned into a living nightmare

A mother from the US was delighted with her daughters birthday cake until she went to check how it was cooling in the fridge

A man thought to be from the US took to social media saying whenever himself and his wife look at his cake they get into a fit of laughter- we can see why

Spiderman tried to save his own cake! It appears this car ride was a touch too much for the super hero from New York

Yes, they paid for it! Newlyweds were shocked to receive this two tier wedding cake on their big day
The New York City restaurant has gone viral for its hilarious set of rules

A snazzy new restaurant in New York City has left foodies in fits of giggles after sharing the strict rules that guests must follow if they want to dine there - including banning photos and lying about it being your birthday.

Frog Club, which is located in the West Village, opened its doors on February 14 - with owner and former Hollywood chef Liz Johnson, 33, leaving her messy split with her 31-year-old ex and chef Will Aghajanian, with whom she owned California hot spot Horses, in the past.

In addition to bringing delicious flavors to the Big Apple, Liz is welcoming guests with a set of firm - and hilarious - rules that they must obey.

The restaurant shared the list in a recent Instagram post - adding that 'kissing the chef' and 'taking photos inside' will get you '86ed,' which is slang for thrown out, of the establishment.

A new snazzy restaurant in New York City has left foodies in a fit of giggles after sharing the strict rules that guests must follow if they want to dine there

Frog Club, which is located in the West Village, opened its doors on February 14 - with owner and former Hollywood chef Liz Johnson, 33, leaving her messy divorce in the past

The rules included: 'No call, no showing for a reservation, taking photos inside, this includes bathroom selfies, being rude or inappropriate to our team, especially Tony.'

It also notes that customers can't 'steal' from or 'vandalize' the restaurant, touch the memorabilia, and lie about it being your birthday.

Other things that won't fly at the new eatery are 'canceling' your reservation more than three times, 'becoming dangerously intoxicated,' asking for a free dish, and lastly, kissing Liz without her consent.

If you want to kiss the chef, you must order it from the menu, which is going to set you back $1,000.

According to The New York Times, one customer splashed out the cash to smooch Liz on the cheek last week.

A server told the outlet: 'It was sweet.'

And while you may land a kiss, you definitely can't photograph it because the restaurant forces customers to cover their phone camera with a sticker upon entry in a bid to crack down on food photography.

Dishes on the menu include frogs legs, spinach souffle, filet mignon wrapped in bacon, and banana chiffon pie.

While you may land a kiss, you can't photograph it because the restaurant forces customers to cover their phone camera with a sticker upon entry (outside of Frog Club pictured)

Frog Club's opening comes a year after Liz's bitter divorce (seen with ex Will) made waves in the food industry

People flooded the comments section of the post and expressed their shock at the hilarious rules

People flooded the comments section of the post and expressed their shock at the hilarious rules.

One person said: 'The birthday one triggered me.'

Another user added: 'Ha.'

Someone else commented: 'Game on.'

'Love it,' a fourth person wrote.

Frog Club's opening comes a year after Liz's bitter divorce made waves in the food industry.

In documents filed last November, she stated she had been emotionally and physically abused by Will, and asked for a domestic violence restraining order, claiming she feared both of her safety and that of the couple's dogs because she knew of 'up to 14 animals' he had abused.

According to the LA Times, the chefs resolved their case with their lawyers and 'are enjoined and restrained from harassing, attacking, striking, threatening, assaulting (sexually or otherwise)' each other.

The judge also ordered the pair to stay 100 yards away from each other.
He wore a new shirt and shoes. I wore an old jumper and trainers. He arrived early. I arrived late.

I know you once said you didnt like waiting in public places by yourself, he said, by way of explanation. I ordered a drink and started to regale him with stories about a man I was in love with but who no longer loved me.

This was supposed to be a blind date, set up by my sister, who worked on the same magazine as Will. Except it wasnt blind exactly, because I had seen Will before. I was a student back then, recently moved down from Manchester to London.

He was a southern, hard-drinking writer for a mens magazine. I had passed by a party the magazine was throwing one night and had seen Will from across the room. He had hair the colour of scrambled egg and was drunkenly shouting at the top of his voice at no one in particular.

What an idiot, I remember thinking, and left.

Friends first: Ambika Mod as Emma Morley and Leo Woodall as Dexter Mayhew in the Netflix series, One Day, based on the book

Farrah and Will Storr: One day, almost five years after they met, their friendship turned to love  and then marriage

I agreed to the date because I was heartbroken: feeling desired by another man seemed at least one way to try to remedy that.

Will listened patiently as I mourned the loss of a relationship I was never quite in. Then he finished his drink, paid the bill and told me he had to go.

I bumped into him months later at an art exhibition. He came and said hello. We laughed about the date. I felt able to be myself when he was around. That was a new feeling for me.

I was 21 and didnt feel confident about my view of the world yet. I borrowed other peoples opinions, phrases and points of view. But not when I was with Will.

The point in our lives we became friends is significant in many ways. The year before, Will had stopped drinking. By his own admission, he was a mess before we found one another: drinking, drugs, alienating people when drunk.

He needed someone he could watch films with, travel with, spend an evening with that wasnt at the pub. I was wounded and didnt want to get close to another man romantically again, but a male friend I could deal with.

Our friendship started small  trips to exhibitions, lunch, walking round London. He was already an award-winning writer, well-known for daring, gonzo-style journalism. I desperately wanted to be a writer but was instead working the door at the members club, Soho House. Will lent me good books to read and talked about writing with a passion Id never seen before.

Unlike Dexter and Emma, the characters in the David Nicholls novel One Day, we were not from different class backgrounds, though we did come from different ends of the country  he from Tunbridge Wells, me Salford.

Farrah and Will on their wedding day

But he was different to every other man Id ever met. He would listen to classical film scores while walking the streets of London at night because he enjoyed it. Everyone I knew at that stage in my life was pretending to be someone else. But not Will.

A few months into our friendship, a girlfriend let me down at the last minute when we were supposed to be going to Stockholm on a three-night mini-break together. So, I asked Will. OK, was his reply. And off we went.

All the things I wanted to do travel, walk or cycle across the city until the early hours, I could do because Will was with me.

I, too, made him feel more confident to take on the world.

Without alcohol, he told me, he felt awkward in social situations: tongue-tied and out of sorts. But not when I was with him.

When we landed back at Luton airport, we stayed and ate jacket potatoes at a terrible airport cafe just so we could have another few hours in one anothers company.

Some years later, on a mini break to Paris together, I persuaded him to come shopping with me. I tried on coat after coat until, at last, I found a pretty buttercup-yellow mac. I asked Will to take a picture of me in it.

He did, then abruptly left the shop. Years later, he admitted he was overcome with sadness at the thought of me wearing that coat with another man.

I had my own moments, too. Like the night we went to a concert and he had started to grow a small beard. I remember being taken aback by how handsome he was  something I had never noticed before.

I quite fancy you like that, I recall saying to him on the train home. He looked appalled, so I laughed it off. But all I wanted to do was kiss him.

By the time I was 25, wed known each other for almost five years. I was finally a writer on a magazine; hed just got his first book deal.

Then the older man I had been in love with all those years ago entered my life again, unexpectedly. This man, who I had put on a pedestal for years, seemed meagre in comparison to Will  less thoughtful, less generous, certainly less sensitive and not half as funny or smart or even handsome.

Id spent much of my early 20s fearing Id remain in hopeless, unrequited love with this man for the rest of my life. Now, almost overnight, it was over.

Will had rescued me. But Will and I did not get together straight after that. That would be too neat a conclusion. Six months later, in the summer of 2003, it happened.

Despite the fact I had serially dated men throughout our friendship, Will had never really dated. He had gone to Glastonbury without me, then phoned me his first night there, music blasting in the background.

Its not the same without you, he shouted over the noise. Theres all these funny things and no one finds them funny in the way that I know you would.

I remember the delight I felt at being missed; at being needed. Then there was a pause. But I have met someone . . .

When I heard that, my body became a snow-globe of emotions: panic, sadness, fear. The last four and half years of our time together suddenly flashed before my eyes. If Will met someone, it was likely he would fall in love, and then I would lose him altogether. I knew I couldnt let that happen.

Why dont you just come back to London? I said.

He left the festival straight away and took the first train. I found myself doing my hair, choosing the right clothes, putting on lipstick.

He arrived at my flat just before midnight. He came through the door and we kissed like lovers whod not seen one another in years. Behind that kiss was every mini-break we had ever taken, every walk around London, every laugh we had ever had.

It was a relationship that had become something much more than friendship. Friendship with love? Maybe. Or love that was dressed up as friendship while we found our feet in the world.

Today, I am 45; Will is nearer to 50. He has known me for more than half of my life. I know him deeper than anyone else in his life.

I remember reading One Day in 2009. Rather than a grand love story, I saw it as a small love story  one where Dexter and Emmas relationship grows through the small, everyday acts of friendship.

I was grateful that a book had finally acknowledged the role great friendship can play in a love story, rather than silly notions of instant connections made across a crowded room that had populated culture when I was growing up  and wrongly informed my ideas about relationships.

I read a piece by the books author recently which underlines this. (One Day) is an epic love story, he writes. But revisiting it now, it seems to me to be a book primarily about friendship, about our capacity to change each others lives for the better through conversation and care.

I hope every lost 21-year-old woman watching this Netflix series will come to realise that, too.

Farrah Storr writes the newsletter Things Worth Knowing.

Visit Farrah Storr's Substack at farrah.substack.com.
It was greased-up abs and bouncing buttocks as male strippers The Pleasure Boys made their mark on Birmingham, on the latest stop on their XXL tour.

It's been one week since the erotic dancers caused controversy in Belfast, after engaging in scenes of a very sexual nature.

Videos spread like wildfire on social media, leading to mass debate over the extent of the Belfast shenanigans. Were the sex acts simulated or were they real?

And did the really audience storm the stage - or were they egged on by sex-crazed strippers?

I watch one video clip on X, formerly Twitter, in which a naked man simulates sex with a member of the audience, while another is seen with his private parts alarmingly close to a woman's face.

Pictured: Two women enjoy a private dance from a PleasureBoys performer during the show in Birmingham yesterday

Pictured: Femail reporter Samantha Rea went to the PleasureBoys show in Birmingham last night  after the Belfast performance caused uproar online

The debauchery is soundtracked by Chubby Checker cheerily encouraging everyone to do the twist. This makes the scene surreal. It's unsavoury, yet strangely comedic  like if clowns got their 'bits' out.

It is with some trepidation then, that I arrive on Saturday evening at the King of Clubs nightclub in Birmingham city centre to see the Pleasure Boys in action.

I know I'm in the right place because a smattering of women, dressed to go out-out, are queuing up outside.

Only, the show was meant to start at 7pm but it's getting on for half past and the shutters on the doors are still down.

'Did you hear about what happened in Belfast last week?' I'm chatting to two women in the queue, who are kicking off their evening with cans of pre-mixed cocktails.

They replied: 'Oh yeah, it's always like that!'

Despite the furrowed brows in Belfast, these women seem pretty happy and they tell me they've seen the Pleasure Boys twice before. The antics in Northern Ireland weren't a one-off.

There are only about ten of us outside, and as the shutters show no signing of opening, there's debate about whether we're meant to get in via a back entrance through an Indian restaurant round the corner.

Pictured: two enthusiastic audience members seen running their hands on a naked dancer's body last night

Another audience member enjoyed a private one-on-one lap dance from one of the PleasureBoys

Eventually, in dribs and drabs, we do indeed find a way in, around the corner, through some kind of cafe that leads onto the club.

At the bar, I order a large glass of rose. A woman who's buying a bottle of something that warrants an ice bucket says to me: 'Dutch courage! They'll be getting you up on stage!'

I say: 'I hope not! If they do, drag me back!' She laughs as she tells me: 'That's what they all say!'

Later I see her sitting in a group with White Dee off Benefits Street and Celebrity Big Brother. I am not too shy to ask for a selfie and White Dee gives me a lovely kiss on the cheek.

One of the early acts is a guy doing something with fire and gymnastics. It's pretty impressive and he could probably be in Cirque du Soleil.

Unfortunately this is not the audience for it, and a woman sitting near me clarifies this for him by shouting: 'Get your c*** out! That's what we've paid for!'

The organiser of the wild male strip show that sparked uproar in Belfast after fully naked dancers simulated raunchy acts with attendees (pictured) has said mobile phones will now be banned at future tour dates

There are some rather striking sailor outfits reminiscent of Richard Gere in An Officer and a Gentleman, and at times the choreography is cracking.

At other times, when they struggle to get their trousers over their ankles, it's like watching a weary character on Crossroads getting ready for bed.

The strippers slather their torsos and privates with a lube and the scenes are obscene.

This PleasureBoys dancer is seen gyrating on an audience member on the floor of the Birmingham venue

Femail reporter Samantha Rea posed for a photo on the PleasureBoys throne after the performance ended

The antics do indeed echo those I saw in video clips of last week's show in Belfast.

There is copious close-up crotch action, and reality star White Dee is one of the women game enough to get on the floor to get close up with the Pleasure Boys.

Perhaps I'm clutching my pearls unnecessarily, but only a hazmat suit and an astronaut helmet would soothe my anxiety about coming into contact with their genitalia.

I spend the night ready to scream: 'I HAVE ALLERGIES!!!' in case any of the guys get too close.

Pictured: the PleasureBoys performers seen dressed up as sailors during their Birmingham show

At the end of the night, as I have my picture taken on the photo-opp-throne I am photobombed by stripper Cane, who I chat to before leaving.

He tells me it's a shame that people are judging the Pleasure Boys by the clips on social media, explaining that he wishes there was more context, because the guys aren't just about birthday-suit-sex-simulation.

Cane, a former Dreamboy who works in construction during the week, points out that the Pleasure Boys have great costumes and choreography, and they put a lot of effort into their routines.

He tells me he'd be wary of touring in Ireland again, blaming religion for the outcry. He seems like a nice guy, and I have to respect the pride he takes in his work.

I've always struggled to get my head around the concept of male strippers, having had my first experience, I can't say my mind's been changed.

However, it was actually an awesome atmosphere and I loved the female camaraderie.

The women around me were having a fantastic time and I'm happy to say that was infectious  so I had a great time too.
Director Christopher Wray Meets With Law Enforcement and Intelligence Partners in the Czech Republic

FBI Director Christopher Wray is in the Czech Republic this week meeting with law enforcement and intelligence partners.

The FBI has a longstanding relationship with the Czech Republic and is dedicated to ongoing cooperative efforts to mutually benefit both countries. The arrest of Polad Omarov on murder-for-hire and money laundering charges is a reminder of the instrumental role global partnerships play in combating criminal activity that violates international norms.

"With today's extradition of Omarov, we have taken a significant step forward to hold Iranian actors accountable for their brazen plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen on American soil, said Director Wray, who is in Prague to meet with Czech officials. "I am honored to be here in Prague today to thank our Czech law enforcement, intelligence and prosecutor partners for their collaboration and commitment to upholding the rule of law."

The Director plans to meet with several officials over the next few days while in the Czech Republic to bolster this relationship and ensure that the FBI and its partners effectively protect their people.

This story has been published on: 2024-02-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Xiamen takes multiple measures to promote harmony between human, sea

13:43, February 26, 2024 By Liu Yi, Chang Qin ( People's Daily

Xiamen, capital of southeast China's Fujian province, is a typical bay city. It rises from the sea, drawn into its embrace.

The ecological conservation of bay cities is a global issue. These cities feature dense populations and industrial clusters, with significant pressure on resources and the environment. The challenges such as environmental pollution and biodiversity reduction often hinder their economic and social development.

Photo shows a coastal wetland park in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian province. (People's Daily Online/Zeng Demeng)

How has Xiamen tackled these challenges and promoted harmony between human and the sea?

In June 2002, Xi Jinping, then deputy Party chief and governor of Fujian, proposed the idea of shifting Xiamen's urban planning from island-based to bay-based.

A development strategy was made to combine the development of Xiamen with the expansion of bays, combine urban transition with economic transition, combine rural industrialization with urbanization, and combine urban characteristics with the protection of bay ecology.

Xiamen has pioneered the concept of comprehensive bay-area governance in domestic coastal regions. It adopts a tailored approach for each bay.

Since 2002, the city has undertaken a succession of comprehensive renovation and development projects in five bay areas, namely Haicang Bay, Wuyuan Bay, Xinglin Bay, Tong'an Bay and Maluan Bay. By dredging seawall openings, restoring mangrove shorelines, and revitalizing beaches, Xiamen has created a pleasant living environment around the bays.

In the past, a large area of water in Maluan Bay was transformed into shrimp ponds and fish farms, leading to deteriorating water quality. To address the issue, Xiamen rolled out a comprehensive "combo" of initiatives, including returning reclaimed land to the sea, watershed management, and ecological water replenishment.

"The birds know the best about ecological conditions. Rare bird species like the oriental stork and black-faced spoonbill now flock to Maluan Bay to overwinter," said Guo Qiang, director of the bird-watching association in Xiamen, while snapping photos of the birds.

Sea birds forage near the waters in Xiang'an district, Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian province. (People's Daily Online/Chen Bo)

Guo told People's Daily that an ecological park has been built in the bay after dredging, and now it has become the top bird-watching spot for him.

Daitou Creek in Xiamen's Tong'an district was once heavily polluted. The district implemented initiatives like full collection and treatment of sewage, clearing sediments from all waterways, and constructing wetland parks, to strengthen ecological protection and restoration.

The once black and stinky creek has now become a sound place for citizens, and its water quality was maintained at Class IV throughout last year.

Xiamen has carried out coordinated advancement in water resources, water environment, and water ecological management, to improve urban sewage collection and treatment capabilities, provide whole-area rural wastewater treatment, and prevent land-based pollutants from entering the sea. The proportion of wastewater discharge reaching standards into the sea has increased to 99.3 percent across the city.

The Xiatanwei Mangrove Park in Xiamen's Xiang'an district presents a beautiful seaside scene with mangroves flourishing on the tidal flats, which sway gently when brushed by sea breeze.

Through a series of ecological restoration projects, the total mangrove area in Xiamen has increased from 32.6 hectares in 2000 to 173.9 hectares in 2023, with the ecological vitality and resilience along the coastline significantly enhanced.

Peter Thomson, the United Nations secretary-general's special envoy for the ocean, has visited the Xiatanwei Mangrove Park twice. He highly commended the balance achieved by Xiamen between ecological protection and economic development, saying he looked forward to Xiamen providing a model for international marine ecological governance.

Dolphins are seen in the waters of Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian province. (People's Daily Online/Zhou Daoxian)

"Look! White dolphins!" On a boat ride to a rescue and breeding center for Chinese white dolphins in Xiamen's Huoshaoyu Islet, people saw some Chinese white dolphins in the sea.

They joyfully swam in the water, occasionally leaping out of the sea. People couldn't help but cheer excitedly, snapping photos and videos.

The Chinese white dolphin is guarded under first-class state protection in China. Since 2000, Xiamen has established a national nature reserve for 12 rare marine species, including the Chinese white dolphin and European lancelet, as well as their living environment, with an area of 7,588 hectares.

Chinese white dolphins like to inhabit and breed in bays at river estuaries, precisely where human activities are frequent, posing huge protection difficulties.

Xiamen enacted China's first local rules and regulations on Chinese white dolphin protection and built the first Chinese white dolphin rescue and breeding center. After years of efforts, the Chinese white dolphin population in Xiamen has gradually increased, from 60 in the early 1990s to over 80 now.

The Chinese white dolphin is an indicator of the marine environment, and Xiamen is one of the few cities in China where the Chinese white dolphin can be frequently observed from the urban area, said Wang Xianyan, a researcher with the Third Institute of Oceanography under the Ministry of Natural Resources.

"Over the past 36 years, Xiamen has invested a total of 105.6 billion yuan ($14.68 billion) in marine ecological conservation and restoration, achieving significant ecological, social, and economic benefits. This vividly demonstrates that blue seas and beautiful beaches are invaluable assets," said Lu Lihua, an official of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
Joanna and George travelled from London to Manchester to pick Tina up

A family-of-four have been reunited with their stolen dog after she was found over 200 miles away after nearly three years of being missing.

Joanna and George Kowalczyk, both 45, from Walthamstow, and their two daughters Veronica, 27, and Patrycja, 24, were left devastated when their French Bulldog called Tina was pinched.

She was dognapped from the back of the family's van while they popped into a Morrisons supermarket in Chingford on 7 May 2021.

The family reported the theft to police and circulated 90,000 missing posters offering a reward in exchange for Tina, but feared that they would never see her again.

Now, after almost three years, the Kowalczyk family have been reunited with their beloved canine after she was located via her microchip in Manchester.

Joanna, George, Veronica, and Patrycja Kowalczyk (pictured), from Walthamstow, have reunited with their dog Tina after she was dognapped almost three years ago

After Tina was dognapped in the car park of an east London supermarket, the devastated family circulated missing posters to locate her.

But they faced more heartache just three weeks later when they said they were told to remove missing posters offering a reward.

The family were eventually told that they could keep the posters up and circulated more than 90,000 missing posters.

Despite their efforts to locate Tina, they were to no avail and the family feared that they would never see their dog again.

However, that all changed after two years and nine months when the family received an unexpected call from a dog warden in Manchester.

The warden informed them that Tina had been found in Manchester, 206 miles way from her home. Joanna and George travelled to the city to pick Tina up last Thursday.

The family have since been reunited with their dog, and they managed to capture the heartwarming moment on camera.

In the moving clip, an excited Tina quickly ran over to them and appeared to instantly recognise her family. Joanna then said: 'Hello gorgeous, you are coming home now.'

Joanna and George travelled to Manchester to pick Tina up after a dog warden in the area alerted them of Tina's whereabouts

The French Bulldog was dognapped in Chingford in May 2021 from the back of the family's van in a Morrisons car park

In a bid get their beloved Tina back home, the family circulated 90,000 missing posters offering a reward

The family have also shared a selection of sweet images of Tina back at home in Walthamstow.

In one image, Tina looked extremely relaxed as she enjoyed a long overdue cuddle with Joanna and George.

Elsewhere, the family posed for a group shot with their beloved Tina, and she looked at peace to finally be home.

24-year-old Patrycja said: 'I can't believe it's true, it's just surreal. Now after this time we can give all the love and affection she hasn't had from us over the past years.'

Her older sister Joanna said: 'The family is finally all back together. No words can really explain how I feel.'

A Met Police spokesperson said: 'We did investigate after a dog was reportedly stolen from a car in a supermarket car park in Chingford in May 2021.'

After travelling 200 miles to Manchester, Joanna and George were finally reunited with their French Bulldog

The emotional clip showed Tina waiting outside to greet Joanna and George after being dognapped

It comes after a dog who went missing just 24 hours after being adopted by new owners has been found and rescued in the woodland six years later - after a rescue team lured her in with a slice of pizza.

Rose, a 12-year-old black Patterdale terrier, went missing from her Surrey home in 2017 but survived living as a stray and eating scraps offered to her by concerned strangers.

When she was finally spotted, six miles from her original home in woodland near Crawley, a rescue team hatched an elaborate plan to lure her into a cage and whisk her to safety - and, of course, it involved food.

Although Rose is now safe and sound, her owners are not in a position to take her back on, meaning she's once again up for adoption.

Nicki Scriven, 41, has been working with the not-for-profit company for ten years and was involved in the rescue mission.

In the heartwarming clip, an excited Tina quickly ran over to Joanna and George after almost three years of being separated

She said: 'It came to light that someone had been feeding her for what they said was ten years and turned out to be six-and-a-half.

'She was their stray feral dog that they were feeding, and the main lady involved agreed that the dog needed to be caught.'

The team camped out in a nearby van watching the nail-biting camera footage with pizza in hand. They used live hidden cameras to watch her behaviour and planned how best to get her to safety.

The dog, who had been eating food left out for badgers for years was then lured into a metal cage with some chicken, in the Sussex woodlands.

After scanning her microchip, the rescue team found Rose's owners on Facebook and got to tell them the good news that she was still alive and well.

Sadly, due to a change in circumstance, Rose's family won't be able to take her back, so she will be going into rescue again.
The practice of 'ghosting' from dating apps has arrived in the workplace

A furious debate broke out on Monday's Good Morning Britain as former Apprentice star Ryan-Mark Parsons argued it is 'empowering' to 'ghost' the offer of a job interview.

The idea of 'ghosting' is a term coined in relation to dating apps for when a person loses interest and rejects someone they've been seeing or chatting to, without offering an explanation.

But a new survey carried out by recruitment platform Indeed revealed that it has also become commonplace while job hunting.

The survey found that eight in ten (79 per cent) of Generation Z and Millennial job seekers - defined for the study as those aged 18 to 24 and 25 to 39 respectively  have engaged in ghosting in the past year.

Meanwhile, 93 per cent of Gen Z job applicants said they had simply not turned up for an interview.

A furious debate broke out on Monday's Good Morning Britain as former Apprentice star Ryan-Mark Parsons argued it is 'empowering' to 'ghost' a job interview

Appearing on GMB with Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley, Ryan-Mark, who was the youngest-ever candidate on The Apprentice in 2019, argued that ignoring an interview request can feel 'empowering'.

Susanna asked: 'How on earth is it empowering to ghost the employer? You're just not going to get the job you wanted.'

But Ryan-Mark, now 23, responded: 'It's about being selective. You've decided not to go for that role - why do you have to inform the employer? They don't treat you with any respect. 75 per cent of employers don't even get back to candidates after they've made an application.

'All you're doing is reciprocating the same kind of respect. There's a reason why you're not showing up to the interview.'

Gen Z company CEO Saffron Gilbert-Kaluba, founder of The Law Chronicle, was quick to disagree, arguing that the practice of ghosting interviews is rude and disrespectful.

She said: 'The person that you're trying to stick it to, they've got back to you. I feel like it's narcissistic. There's no point in severing possible relations with companies and people that could help you in the future.

'You have to look at it as life. Do you expect a response for everything in your life? Sometimes you have to make peace with no conclusion.'

She added: 'You're feeling empowered from ghosting somebody who's giving you an opportunity.

Gen Z company CEO Saffron Gilbert-Kaluba, founder of The Law Chronicle, argued ghosting interviews was 'rude' and 'disrespectful'

Hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley were left shocked by statistics that 93 per cent of Gen Z haven't shown up for an interview

'I just think it's a really bad thing of the Gen Z culture to say, you know what let me just stick it to the man and not put enough effort in. Actually, it paints a really bad picture.'

Susanna added: 'You might find yourself six months down the line without any job offers,' but Ryan-Mark said this was a 'minimal risk'.

He continued: 'It takes between three to six months on average to find a new job. It's a laborious process. The majority don't even send an auto-generated email.

'Stop being so whiny and so petulant and thin-skinned. Get over it! Go to another candidate.'

Ryan-Mark added that he also wouldn't contact a restaurant to cancel a reservation for dinner if he changed his mind.

A poll run by GMB showed that 12 per cent believed it was acceptable to not show up for a job interview.

The survey from Indeed asked 1,500 firms and 1,500 adults with regard to ghosting in the business place.

Nearly one in five of the Generation Z cohort said ghosting prospective employers was 'empowering' and allowed them to take charge of their careers.

Almost nine out of ten said they hadn't shown up for their first day at work, and almost a quarter said they had walked out of a job without giving notice.

Ryan-Mark sparked furious debate about whether it is acceptable to not show up for an interview

Viewers were left divided after the segment, as one said: 'How to reduce your employment chances in one easy lesson...'

Another noted: 'It's called bad manners! Simple.'

But another was in agreement with Ryan-Mark: 'Totally agree with the young man. Even if its an automated reply its common courtesy to inform an applicant if they have been unsuccessful.

'Would you a please and thank you for your morning coffee? Manners cost nothing and go a long way in life.'

A final viewer concluded: 'People of any age don't turn up to interviews. Lots of companies don't bother to acknowledge applications. Both are wrong.'

Companies have said the attitude towards 'ghosting' makes the process of hiring new staff more difficult, which has been noted by Apprentice winner Ricky Martin.

Several times a year, his company holds assessment days for graduates hoping to join his business, he says, but that 'an increasing percentage of those who have accepted an invitation simply don't turn up'.

A mind-boggling 93 per cent of Generation Z job applicants admitted to 'ghosting' or not turning up for an interview, a survey found (stock image)

Lord Sugar with series eight Apprentice winner Ricky Martin

He added: 'It's a vast shift from the world I grew up in,' adding: 'I got my first job at 13 delivering papers, and by 16 was earning 2.97 an hour at my local Budgens.

'Some of the work was a dull slog, but I never questioned the need for it: the effort was part of the path to success. Twenty years later, I struggle to see the same attitude among this new crop.

'While many young people I recruit are dedicated and enthusiastic, their focus has changed.

'However keen, they arrive at interview  if they turn up  asking what my company can do for them rather than what they can offer. No doubt youngsters see influencers on social media working from a beach, and believe they should be able to do the same.'
Cathy Newman has shared a piece of advice with women who are feeling the social pressure of ageing.

Speaking to the Times, the presenter of Newsnight, who has just published her third book The Ladder, the 49-year-old said she will never get Botox.

And she has revealed her technique for dealing with the normal ageing process, and the process her own face is going through, as she resists the pressure to give into invasive anti-aging procedures.

While Cathy doesn't watch herself on television, writing in The Ladder, she recommended that women learn to accept their faces as they get older by looking in the mirror.

She wrote: 'Train yourself to look at your reflection and see beyond the lines.'

Cathy Newman (pictured at The Tina Turner Musical' gala night in September 2023) ha spoken about how she 'trains' herself to get used to ageing

The refusal to give into anti-ageing procedures is a bold move, as female presenters have traditionally extended their careers by appearing younger than they are thanks to surgery and Botox.

But speaking to the Times about how a 'normally-ageing 49-year-old female face...is becoming an anomaly on screen', Cathy revealed that as she approaches 50, she has been thinking about getting older 'a lot recently'.

She added: 'For men, 50 can be a milestone that brings gravitas. But when woman turns 50, if youre on TV its like, "when are you going to have plastic surgery?"

'Everyone has insecurities about how they look. But the bags and the wrinkles are also 30 years of wisdom and experience and life. And I love that about being 50. If women want to do [surgery] that is their choice. But its definitely not my choice. I would like to look good growing old, but grow old.'

However, she added, she has 'really good' lighting at home and so maybe leaves the house thinking she looks great, 'but maybe it doesn't matter'.

Cathy has been with Channel 4 News since 2006, and became its first female presenter in 2011.

She also presents a Friday night radio show for the Times, called The Ladder (which is where she got the name for her book), where she interviews successful women at the top of her field.

The book is described as a 'distillation' of the show, which has included interviews with women with careers as diverse as Angela Rayner, Davina McCall and Mary Beard.

The journalist has written her third book, called The Ladder, the same name as her Times Friday night radio show

However, conversely, for many, she may be best known for her 2018 Channel 4 interview with Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson.

During the 30-minute interview, Ms Newman quizzed the Toronto University professor of psychology about his radical views on the differences between men and women in the workplace and the limits of free speech.

The exchange has since been watched more than tgree million times on the Channel 4 News YouTube page.

Following the fiery clash, Channel 4 called in security experts after Cathy received death threats and abuse online.

Sick messages posted online after the interview included RIP Cathy Newman and Cathy Newman we know where you live.

The mother-of-two was also called a b**** in more than 500 postings and was the target of other obscene misogynistic messages.

Cathy Newman says male colleagues like Jon Snow have not received the same level of trolling as she has

Critical comments were expected but the death threats caused serious alarm. Ben de Pear, editor of Channel 4 News, condemned the trolls and called the abuse a terrible indictment of the times we live in.

He tweeted: Our Channel 4 News onscreen journalists expect to be held to account for their journalism but the level of vicious, misogynistic abuse, nastiness and threat to Cathy Newman is an unacceptable response to a robust and engaging debate.

The journalist suffered further distress yesterday when her then 13-year-old daughter found a pornographic mock-up on Instagram of her mother with Dr Peterson.

Speaking about the incident with the Times, she said she remembers talking about trolling with her longtime on-screen partner Jon Snow, who was surprised by the meme, as he did not 'get anything like that'.

The Ladder by Cathy Newman (HarperCollins 18.99) is available now.
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands cut a stylish figure on her official visit to Colombia on behalf of the United Nations.

The royal, 52, arrived in Medellin, yesterday to promote financial inclusion and innovation as part of her special advisor role to the UN.

Ever the style star, the royal looked typically chic in monochrome - wearing an all black trouser suit with just a touch of nude.

She donned an oversized blazer which featured a stylish box shape at the shoulders, along with a matching pair of cropped high-waisted pants.

Underneath the jacket, she wore a black round-neck shirt and finished her efforts with a dashing pair of black and tan pumps, which she teamed with a patchwork bag of the same colour theme.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands has cut a stylish figure at a United Nations event (Pictured: The Queen stands with the Minister of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia, Ricardo Bonilla)

The royal, 52, arrived in Medellin, Colombia, yesterday to promote financial inclusion and innovation as part of her special advisor role to the UN (Pictured: Queen Maxima with the ambassador of the Netherlands in Colombia Reina Buijs (left), the ambassador of Colombia in the Netherlands Carolina Olarte (second right) and the UN Resident Coordinator in Colombia Mireia Villar Forner (right)

Signifying the seriousness of the engagement, the royal pared back the glamour, opting for very subtle make-up, enhanced only by a thick line of black eyeliner.

Her blonde locks were tied downwards while her fringe was swept upwards and away from her face, meanwhile she opted to forego any facial jewellery.

The monarch appeared in high spirits as she made her way across the event and greeted the various guests in attendance.

Maxima was photographed in deep conversation with the Minister of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia, Ricardo Bonilla.

She was also pictured with the ambassador of the Netherlands in Colombia, Reina Buijs, the ambassador of Colombia in the Netherlands, Carolina Olarte and the UN Resident Coordinator in Colombia, Mireia Villar Forner.

Later on she was spotted arriving at Medellin airport where she cheerily greeted airport staff.

Queen Maxima is the United Nations Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development, working to advance universal knowledge of affordable, effective and safe financial services.

The mother-of-three will be in Colombia until February 28 to promote financial inclusion and innovation as part of her role.

Queen Maxima is the United Nations Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development, working to advance universal knowledge of affordable, effective and safe financial services

The monarch appeared in high spirits as she made her way across the event and greeted the various guests in attendance

Maxima was photographed in deep conversation with the Minister of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia, Ricardo Bonilla

The news comes as her husband King Willem-Alexander, 56, shared a glimpse into his private study, where he has a touching portrait of his wife and three daughters on display.

The King of the Netherlands welcomed politician Alexander van Hattem to Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague on Friday February 23 as part of his efforts to meet with chairmen of the fractions in the country's First Chamber.

Following the meeting, the Royal Family's Instagram account shared an official portrait from the meeting - showing the two men sitting on either side of the fireplace in the King's private study.

The royal father-of-three is seen sitting beside a framed photo of his wife Queen Maxima, 52, and their daughters Princess Catharina-Amalia, 20, Princess Alexia, 18, and Princess Ariane, 16.

In the undated image, Maxima and her daughters were all wearing white blouses and posing against a grey backdrop.

Ever the style star, the royal looked typically chic in monochrome - opting to sport an all black trouser suit with just a touch of nude

Later on she was spotted arriving at Medellin airport where she cheerily greeted airport staff

Queen Maxima was flanked by her two youngest daughters while Princess Catharina-Amalia put one hand on Princess Alexia's shoulder.

The four royal women all wore their long hair down for the photoshoot and Maxima opted for minimal makeup.

The Royal Family captioned the image of King Willem-Alexander's meeting: 'The King receives for an introduction the Chairman of the First Chamber Fraction of the PVV, Alexander van Hattem, at Palace Huis ten Bosch.

'This conversation concludes the series of receptions of chairmen of the fractions in the First Chamber. They have been received in recent months for a (renewed) introduction to the King. The new First Chamber was installed on June 13, 2023'.
A former army officer says she wanted to 'end her life' after facing 'sexual abuse, harassment and misogyny' during her time in the military.

Gemma Morgan, 50, who now lives in Hertfordshire, joined the army at the age of 22 in 1996, having dropped out of her postgraduate teaching training course and being drawn in by the promise of female empowerment.

But Gemma's experience in the army eventually led to her turning to vodka, Valium and sleeping pills and even wanting to take her own life.

The mother-of-three is releasing a new book titled Pink Camouflage to highlight her experience in the army and to call for the culture to change.

Speaking to Lorraine on ITV on Monday morning, Gemma spoke out about the culture of sexual abuse in the army, saying it was 'just a way of being' and 'absolutely accepted'.

Gemma Morgan says that a culture of sexual abuse and misogyny in the armed forces was 'absolutely accepted' and 'a way of being'

She said: 'The sexual harassment and the sexual abuse was just a way of being if I'm honest. It was absolutely accepted.

'If you signed up, that was went with it and certainly it wasn't safe to ask for help or complain because the system would turn on you and become your aggressor.

'So people didn't complain because it was very much "well it was your fault, you were in the wrong place, you've drunk too much.''

In 2007, Gemma checked into a psychiatric unit for two months as a result of the experiences she had been through.

'Deep shame and blame eventually led me to want to end my life,' she explained.

At the start of her time in the army, Gemma had loved the position she held, receiving awards for her time in service.

She was even the first woman to be awarded the Carmen Sword from HRH Princess Royal.

She said: 'Everything was going brilliantly. I got an award for being the best young officer in the corps.

Gemma, seen here in Kosovo, 2000, on a deployment she said left her 'traumatised'

The mother-of-three is now a keynote speaker and believes 'little has changed' since her time in the army

'I was the first woman to receive that and I had a regular commission - which basically means you have a job for life until retirement, I was recommended for command.

'And then the wheels came off.'

The 5.30am starts were tough, while uniforms were designed for men and physical tests were given out as punishment.

And Gemma - who is now a keynote speaker - previously described how she would wake up in her female accommodation to find a male officer standing over the beds.

In 1988, Gemma was deployed to Kosovo as part of the observer missing, which referred to as the 'tipping point' of her time in the military.

But the experience left her 'traumatised' and the lack of support she received compounded her distress.

She explained: 'I came back very traumatised. I had the very earliest symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

'And I wasn't cared for. There was no meaningful care and my health very quickly unravelled, all of which in an environment I felt very unsafe as a woman and as someone who had a mental health issue I felt I had to hide because it challenged this hyper-masculine ideal.

Gemma spoke to Lorraine on Monday morning about the abuse and harassment she says she faced

'When it's going well there is this wonderful sense of brotherhood but to fit into this hyper-masculine ideal you're only really safe if you deny any form of vulnerability and being a woman.

'Any sign of weakness makes you vulnerable. If you don't fit in, then the system turns on you.

'Being seen as one of the lads was like, phew I've made it.'

Gemma, who is happily married with her three children Beth, 21, Tom, 17, and James, 12, is originally from Surrey but now lives in Hertfordshire.

Pink Camouflage is set for release on Friday

She was inspired to share her own story after a report by MP Sarah Atherton in 2020 exposed an alleged culture of misogyny and 'silence' in the military, despite promises of reform.

The report showcased 4,000 testimonies from female service personnel and veterans, alleging the likes of bullying, harassment, sexual abuse.

Last year Tory MP Robert Courts led a follow-up session, in which another 50 whistleblowers came forward within weeks.

Gemma's new book Pink Camouflage tells her story in full, but she feels 'little has changed' since her time in the army.

She explained: 'The army has renewed their policies. Tick box mandatory training is not meaningful change.

'I want the Defence to wake up and accept that they have a major culture problem and actually take meaningful help to shift that culture so that people feel safe.'

A spokesperson for the Armed Forces said: 'We're extremely sorry to hear of Gemma Morgan's experiences whilst serving in the Army, which were unacceptable. We are clear that this has no place in our Armed Forces and have implemented robust measures to drive forward change in the years since she left the Service.

'We are committed to the Army being a safe and supportive environment for all whilst retaining its edge as a first-class fighting force and have ensured effective mental healthcare support is available whenever and wherever needed, for both serving personnel and veterans.'

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details

Pink Camouflage by Gemma Morgan is set for release this Friday.
A woman who tried to film herself having a 'cute' lunch break on the beach was left mortified after being swarmed by a pack of hungry seagulls.

Louise Sideras, a student at Southeastern University in Florida, shared the viral video on TikTok earlier this month.

In the 20-second clip, Louise is seen happily balancing a large salad on her legs as she sat alone on a sandy beach.

As she prepares to drizzle her salad dressing over the top, three seagulls appear above Louise's head - while she remains totally oblivious.

Moments later, the gulls caw directly above her head - resulting in Louise dropping her salad and sprinting away.

This is the terrifying moment Louise Sideras (pictured), a student at Southeastern University in Florida, had her lunch attacked by seagulls

Posting the clip on her page, Louise joked: 'I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A CUTE VID EATING MY SALAD AT THE BEACH.'

The clip has garnered a whopping 24.1 million views and over 20,000 comments in just four days.

Although Louise was clearly spooked by the incident, the video left viewers in hysterics - while others were mystified by how long it took her to spot the seagulls.

One questioned: 'How did you not hear them that close to you?!'

'I thought you were really just chill having them around,' another added.

A third said: 'Hahaha I thought you KNEW about the birds until your reaction.'

Meanwhile, others were more bothered to see Louise's lunch go to waste.

'I'm sorry, the way you made it so much worse by dropping [the salad] is killing me,' one complained.

Unbeknownst to her, a few seagulls had began circling above her head and before she knew it, four of them swooped downward causing her to scream and run off in horror - dropping her salad in the process

'In this economy, I would have been fighting for that $12 salad,' another chimed in.

After a third questioned why Louise 'immediately' chucked her salad in the air, she replied: 'I DON'T KNOW WHY. My fight or flight kicked in.'

Another unsympathetic viewer asked: 'Im so sorry but why did it take you three business days to realise?'

'This is my worst nightmare' confessed another.

If you are ever caught in a seagull's crosshairs, scientists have come up with a way to stop them stealing food - by staring them straight in the eye.

Although Louise was clearly spooked by the incident, people branded the video hilarious, while others blamed her for taking 'three business days' to notice the gulls. Meanwhile others confessed that it was their 'worst nightmare'

Cocky as they appear, seagulls are far less likely to take food when someone is looking at them, researchers have found.

In a British study of herring gulls using a bag of chips as bait, almost a third of gulls didn't dare to touch it when a person was making eye contact but would when they looked away.

Even those bold enough to try to steal the chips were much more nervous about doing so, with some taking almost five minutes or longer to go up to the food.

The birds may have quickly learned that people who make eye contact are more likely to chase them away, so a warning glance is all that is needed to deter them.

The findings provide a much-needed strategy for holidaymakers, who could keep hold of their pasty or ice-cream cone by simply keeping an eye out for urban gulls.
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked effortlessly stylish as she arrived at Cooperativa Financiera de Antioquia (CFA) in Medellin today.

Embracing the warmer climate, Maxima, 52, donned a casual tank top, printed Natan skirt and Hermes sandals for the first day of her three-day trip of Columbia.

The mother-of-two elevated her ensemble with her favourite seashell earrings by Seaman Schepps, a long-standing item in her jewellery collection.

The royal appeared in high spirits as she met with various individuals at the financial cooperative, known for providing products and services tailored to the needs of its members.

Maxima is visiting Colombia as the UN Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA).

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked effortlessly stylish as she arrived at Cooperativa Financiera de Antioquia (CFA) in Medellin

For day one of her three-day trip, Queen Maxima rewore her Natan spring/summer 2023 skirt with a simple white tank top.

Crafted from jacquard, the royal's breezy skirt was characterised by a belted waist, box pleats and elegant midi length.

She added luxurious footwear in the form of Hermes Oran sandals, made from smooth leather, featuring the iconic 'H' cut-out.

Meanwhile, Maxima's distinctive seashell earrings were impossible to overlook - the Seaman Schepps design has existed in her jewellery collection since 2018.

The American brand is renowned for incorporating natural elements into their designs, enhancing them with gemstones and precious metals.

Further pieces of jewellery included a diamond bracelet set with her family members initials and a Cartier Tank Louis watch that she purchased before marrying into the Dutch royal family.

Maxima finished off her relaxed ensemble by draping a cream cashmere jumper over her shoulders.

She sported her signature make-up look, incorporating a smoky eye, bronzed cheekbones and a nude lip.

Queen Maxima during a field visit to Cooperativa Financiera de Antioquia (CFA) in Medellin today

Queen Maxima spoke to various individuals at the financial cooperative

The royal appeared in high spirits as she was shown a dog basket

Maxima looked at numerous fabrics, including a pink quilt

The mother-of-two beamed as she listened to individuals at the CFA in Medellin

The Queen donned a casual tank top, printed Natan skirt and Hermes sandals for the first day of her three-day trip of Columbia

Maxima elevated her ensemble with her favourite seashell earrings by Seaman Schepps

She finished off her relaxed ensemble by draping a cream cashmere jumper over her shoulders

The trip comes as her husband King Willem-Alexander, 56, shared a glimpse into his private study, where he has a touching portrait of his wife and three daughters on display.

The King of the Netherlands welcomed politician Alexander van Hattem to Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague on Friday February 23 as part of his efforts to meet with chairmen of the fractions in the country's First Chamber.

Following the meeting, the Royal Family's Instagram account shared an official portrait from the meeting - showing the two men sitting on either side of the fireplace in the King's private study.

The royal father-of-three is seen sitting beside a framed photo of his wife Queen Maxima, 52, and their daughters Princess Catharina-Amalia, 20, Princess Alexia, 18, and Princess Ariane, 16.

In the undated image, Maxima and her daughters were all wearing white blouses and posing against a grey backdrop.

Queen Maxima was flanked by her two youngest daughters while Princess Catharina-Amalia put one hand on Princess Alexia's shoulder.

The four royal women all wore their long hair down for the photoshoot and Maxima opted for minimal makeup.

The Royal Family captioned the image of King Willem-Alexander's meeting: 'The King receives for an introduction the Chairman of the First Chamber Fraction of the PVV, Alexander van Hattem, at Palace Huis ten Bosch.

'This conversation concludes the series of receptions of chairmen of the fractions in the First Chamber. They have been received in recent months for a (renewed) introduction to the King. The new First Chamber was installed on June 13, 2023'.
Queen Mary of Denmark looked typically chic in a navy trouser suit as she congratulated the winners of the country's most prestigious research prize at a ceremony in Copenhagen today.

The royal, 52, wore a double-breasted jacket and matching trousers by British brand The Fold to present certificates to the winners of the EliteForsk Prize - which recognises the achievements of five internationally renowned researchers aged up to 45.

The mother-of-four paired her outfit with pale pink, snakeskin-effect pumps by Italian designer Gianvito Rossi and a navy, calfskin leather clutch by Danish brand Quidam Bags.

She styled her long, chestnut tresses in loose curls, revealing a pair of pearl earrings which matched her necklace.

While Mary kept her make-up simple, she made a statement with her electric blue nail polish.

Queen Mary of Denmark kept it simple and smart in a navy trouser suit by British brand The Fold as she presented the country's most prestigious research prize on Monday

The EliteForsk Prize is given by the Danish Council for independent Research, which is part of the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science, and is worth 1.2 million Danish Krone (137,792).

Mary, who was an advertising executive in her native Australia before falling in love with the then Crown Prince Frederik, became Queen of Denmark just six weeks ago when his mother, Queen Margrethe II, abdicated on January 14 and he ascended the throne.

Earlier this month, the royal couple announced their first royal tours together since becoming King and Queen.

The pair will visit Sweden, Norway, Greenland and the Faroe Islands this summer.

Announcing their upcoming plans, the Palace's Instagram account confirmed that the King and Queen will travel on board the Royal Yacht Dannebrog.

In early May, the couple - who have been married for almost 20 years and share four children - will visit Sweden first.

The following week, Frederik and Mary will then undertake an official state visit to Norway.

The Palace also outlined plans for the King and Queen of Denmark to visit the Faroe Islands and Greenland in June and July.

The mother-of-four paired her outfit with pale pink, snakeskin-effect pumps by Italian designer Gianvito Rossi and a navy, calfskin leather clutch by Danish brand Quidam Bags

The 52-year-old royal wore her long, brown hair in loose curls and kept her make-up simple, adding a pop of colour with her electric blue nail polish

Mary looked delighted as she gave one of the five winners his certificate at the ceremony in Copenhagen

The royal was all smiles as she honoured the five winners of the EliteForsk Prize, who are all aged 45 or under

Mary appeared in high spirits as she attended the event, sporting a navy blue blazer and trousers

The Queen was full of smiles as she attended the 2024 EliteForsk Awards in Copenhagen this afternoon

The EliteForsk Prize is given by the Danish Council for independent Research, which is part of the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science, and is worth 1.2 million Danish Krone (137,792)

Mary, who was an advertising executive in her native Australia before falling in love with the then Crown Prince Frederik , became Queen of Denmark just six weeks ago when his mother, Queen Margrethe II, abdicated on January 14 and he ascended the throne

Mary pictured arriving to Den Sorte Diamant - where she hosted the Elite Research Awards today

However, the Firm highlighted that the dates for these two trips had not been confirmed.

The Palace said in a statement: 'The first state visits will provide the occasion for the new King and Queen to meet with the sovereigns in Sweden and Norway, and they will thus mark the close relations between the Nordic monarchies.'

The Royal Yacht Dannebrog has served as the Danish Royal Family's cruise ship since May 1932 and has travelled over 800,000 miles.

The luxury yacht hosts the Royal Family on both their private holidays and during official overseas engagements.

The yacht's royal compartment still contains furniture and fittings dating back to 1879 that that was on board the family's previous yacht.

Frederik and Mary are keen sailers - and took part in a yacht race in Sydney in December 2017 when they visited the Queen's hometown for Christmas.

In August 2022, the couple competed against one another in a sailing 'Royal Race' at the Rockwool Denmark Sail Grand Prix - with Mary narrowly beating her husband.
A couple of days later, she forgot to grab towels before hopping in the shower

The host recalled how Kotb, 59, 'shamed' her for being naked at the work gym

Bush Hager, 42, opened up about the embarrassing moment on the Today show

Jenna Bush Hager has admitted that she once forgot to pick up a towel at the NBC fitness center before hopping into the shower  and ran into three people naked.

The Today host opened up about the embarrassing moment on Thursday's show while talking about actor Barry Keoghan posing naked for Vanity Fair's Hollywood issue as an homage to his famous Saltburn dance scene.

Hoda Kotb, 59, pointed out that Bush Hager, 42, 'likes being naked,' which she initially protested before admitting it was true.

'But here's the thing, you've shamed, me, Dad, about being naked a lot,' she told her co-star, noting that she 'calls Hoda "Dad" sometimes.'

Jenna Bush Hager, 42, revealed on the Today show that three people accidentally caught her naked at the NBC fitness center locker room

The Today host (pictured on a spa day) admitted that she forgot to grab towels before hopping into the shower and had to walk out nude

'You've shamed me because you've said this. Go ahead, say what you've said to me on multiple occasions about being naked in the work gym.'

After Bush Hager's prompting, Kotb explained that she makes it a point to keep herself covered up when she is getting changed after a workout.

'When I'm at the work gym where I see all my colleagues and I have to get dressed, I look around [to make sure] nobody's here,' she said.

'I'm going to get dressed as fast as I possibly can because I don't want someone walking in who I work with and ['I'm] naked.

'So when I'm halfway pulling up my things, if someone walks in, I'm like, "Please no, please no, please no." Like I'm praying it's not someone who I work with directly.'

Kotb added that she will also sometimes get changed in a room with a curtain because she doesn't 'like that image to be in someone's head.'

Bush Hager explained that this wasn't something she thought about until her co-host warned her that nudity may make some of her colleagues uncomfortable.

'I go to the gym every morning, and I wasn't aware that I needed to be so worried about everything and pulling the curtain and hiding,' she said as Kotb laughed.

Bush Hager opened up about the embarrassing moment while talking about Barry Keoghan's naked dancing scene in Saltburn, saying Hoda Kotb 'shamed' her for being naked a the gym

Kotb, 59, explained that she makes it a point to keep herself covered up when she is getting changed after a workout because she doesn't want one of her colleagues to see her nude

'But after Hoda told me about a shocking experience where she saw a colleague in the buff, then I realized that I was actually probably harming some of our colleagues with all of this.'

Bush Hager recalled how a couple of days after Kotb 'shamed' her, she made a grave mistake that led to being caught completely nude in the locker room.

'We have towels that we're able to use. I had forgotten to grab them. I was in the shower. I was all wet and slippery and slimy,' she said.

'Okay, why all the detail?' Kotb interjected before telling her to 'keep going.'

'And I realized [I had forgotten towels]. I was wet. I had to dry myself,' Bush Hager continued. 'So I listened carefully because I had your voice in my head. "Don't scar those people. Don't scar those people."

'So I listened, and I didn't hear anybody. So with wet feet, I scampered, scampered, and there were three people in the room.'

'I go to the gym every morning, and I wasn't aware that I needed to be so worried about everything and pulling the curtain and hiding,' said Bush Hager (pictured with dance fitness instructor Amanda Bartolomeo)

Bush Hager explained that she had Kotb's warning in her head when she tried to sneak out of the shower and grab a towel without anyone in the locker room seeing her

Kotb threw her head back and groaned at the thought, saying, 'Oh, that is the absolute [worst].'

'Just as naked as yesterday morning. Whatever the cliche is,' Bush Hager joked.

'By the way, you make me laugh,' Kotb told her before moving on with the segment.

This isn't the first time Kotb has called out Bush Hager's love of nudity on the morning show.

In 2022, the Hope is a Rainbow author told their live studio audience that the Read with Jenna founder 'never wears underwear' after she 'promised' not to air her dirty laundry.

Kotb explained that she 'got a little shock' after she got changed with Bush Hager before the show and discovered she doesn't wear underwear.'

Bush Hager seemed a bit embarrassed about her anti-underwear stance going public, but she defended her choice.

'So I listened, and I didn't hear anybody. So with wet feet, I scampered, scampered, and there were three people in the room,' she said.

Kotb threw her head back and groaned at the thought, saying, 'Oh, that is the absolute [worst]'

'I think it makes a more pretty silhouette. I also think you don't have to pack as much. There's a lot of pros to it. I'm sure my mom has never been more proud,' she joked.

Kotb noted the show's wardrobe supervisor did say that not having to worry about underwear makes 'life a lot easier.'

'But it's a lot of washing of clothes, over and over,' she added.

Bush Hager confirmed that she washes her clothes and didn't see what the big deal was about her underwear-less lifestyle.

'It's also not like I'm sharing your jeans with you,' she told her co-host. 'Though I do steal Savannah [Guthrie]'s pants on occasion. I do want to borrow that red suit of yours. Can I?'

'Yes, you can, anytime,' Kotb replied.

'I'll wear underwear,' Bush Hager promised.

A few weeks later, the former first daughter revealed that she went commando while having dinner with King Charles, then-Prince Charles, in Scotland.
A mum was horrified when she discovered the reason behind a 'sinister' trail in her linen cupboard.

Karen, from Adelaide, was recently cleaning her home when she found a strange mound of mud in her closet.

The mum was confused as it seemed like an unlikely place for dirt to end up - but a quick community consult uncovered the truth: Karen's home had been infested with termites.

Before identifying the source of concert, Karen shared an image of the trail snaking out from her wall.

The image showed a wooden frame that seemed to be covered in dark mud.

A mum was horrified when she discovered a sign of something sinister in her linen cupboard

'I just found this in my linen cupboard,' she said. 'Not sure what it is - at first I thought it was a wasp or ant nest but now I'm freaking out it might be termites.'

Karen eventually called pest control who revealed she had an 'aggressive' case of termites.

The professionals suspected that the critters had been in the home for years and a five-year solution of anti-termite liquid which the previous inhabitants used had expired.

Many were sympathetic to Karen's dilemma.

'DO NOT REMOVE or DISTURB IT!' one warned. 'Get the pest person to come in to set up baits. If you tamper with it they will go elsewhere.'

Another advised, 'The old double brick homes were sometimes infilled with slab and termites have unseen access between the brick and slab joint. Having your plans handy for the inspector makes their job easier to look at possible entry points.'

Signs you have termites (and what you can do about it): Signs you may have termites Mud trails leading up the sides of buildings

Accumulation of dried mud in the joins of door or window architraves

Blistering on door or window architrave, or skirting boards

Damp areas or moisture stains on walls

Faint tapping or chewing noises behind plaster walls

Power failures and build up of earthy materials around power points

Soft floor boards

During spring and autumn evenings large swarms of 'flying black ants' may actually be termite alates being released from the nest. This is strong indication termite colonies are present What should you do if you suspect you have termites? DON'T Try to guess what they are - even if you only suspect they might be termites follow our DO checklist below

Disturb them or investigate further - it will frighten them off and make it harder to treat them

Try to kill them with pest sprays, homemade connections or do-it-yourself methods off the internet - the only effective treatments for termites are through licensed pest controllers

Ignore them DO Stay calm

Take action immediately

Check your meter box for a termite or white ant treatment sticker - it will show the treatments or inspections previously undertaken and the company who performed them that you should contact

If there is no meter box sticker, contact an expert and get them to conduct a full inspection of the activity your home

Get the technician to explain the inspection process, extent of the termite activity, treatment options and how they work

If there appears to be damage, the technician will report on the extent of the damage

Once the termites have been treated make sure you have a termite inspection at least every year Source: Termitrust Advertisement

Many were quick to identify the problem was being caused by termites in the wood

The trail in Karen's cupboard is either a build up of termite droppings known as frass or a mud lead also known as a shelter tube.

Shelter tubes are small tunnels the pests create to move about the house protected from sunlight and other ants.

According to Forensic Pest Management Services, mud tubes are a sign subterranean termites are present and are a 'red flag' for infestation.

'When you spot a mud tube, the chances are that the termites have already made a home within your home, and it's crucial to partner with a professional termite controller for total extermination,' the professionals said.

'However, you can prevent mud tubes by avoiding moist dirt around your home.'
She was unaware she need to get regular inspections

A mum is warning couples to double-check the lifetime warranties on their engagement rings after a little-known rule voided her policy.

Jessica said she wasn't aware that the Michael Hill Lifetime Diamond Warranty is only valid as long as customers get their rings inspected every six months at a store.

The mum now has to pay for any repairs, cleaning or services done on the ring and said the requirement should be clearer to shoppers.

'Am I the only one just finding out that if you have Michael Hill jewellery you need to service it and have paperwork filled out for it every six months?' she asked in a video.

'If you don't do it or you forget to do it then your lifetime warranty just ends and it's just no longer valid.'

Scroll down for video

Mum Jessica said her Michael Hill Lifetime Diamond Warranty is no longer valid as she didn't no she needed to get the ring inspected in store every six months

Michael Hill's website states it will replace chipped broken or lost diamonds from selected settings free of charge for life under its Lifetime Diamond Warranty.

However, there are some conditions. Customers need to hang onto the ring's original receipt, signed Michael Hill Certificate of Authenticity and the Michael Hill Diamond Warranty.

'Bring your diamond jewellery and Lifetime Diamond Warranty Document to your nearest store every six months for a routine inspection by one of our friendly staff,' the policy states.

'Our staff will record the details of each inspection on the warranty document and advise you of the next scheduled inspection date.'

Jessica reminded viewers to make sure to get their Michael Hill rings checked as she didn't know about the requirement.

Michael Hill will replace chipped, broken or lost diamonds free of charge for life under its warranty. But customers need to bring the ring into a store for a six-monthly inspections

'My engagement ring is from there and surely that was something that should have been told,' she said.

'Is this common knowledge? I don't know. I feel like I should have known this but I didn't so now I have to wear a Pandora ring because mine's had to be sent off to be fixed.'

The mum's dilemma shocked many who said they had no idea about the rule, which is also adopted by some other Australian jewellers.

Others said they had learnt about the rule the hard way.

'I've just had a long conversation with their head office about this,' one woman said.

'You're joking right?? Is this a thing in NZ too?? Is my ring's warranty gone,' another wrote.

'You just reminded me I have to take mine in this week,' a third commented.

Some were confused by the policy but Jessica explained: 'From my understanding you pay for a care plan (cleaning, service etc) but the warranty is included in the ring price and that's to fix it if something goes wrong, I could be wrong through!'.

Others defended the warranty including one Michael Hill employee.

'Completely normal for most pieces with diamonds over about $899 AUD. It's important for us to check the setting etc to ensure nothing is damaged from wear and tear!' they said.

'This was drilled into us when we brought my bridal set and it's in our calendars for every six months,' a customer replied.

'The lifetime diamond warranty is over and above what is guaranteed to customers by law. Not many other jewellers will cover the loss of a diamond!' another explained.

'That's pretty standard at most jewellery places. Not just Michael Hill,' someone pointed out.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Michael Hill Australia for comment.
A trans-influencer and BBC voiceover actor has vowed to take her GP down after being refused hormone treatment.

In a series of now-deleted and profanity-laden videos on Instagram, Charlie Craggs told how the experience left her speechless, angry, and feeling helpless.

Ms Craggs, who voiced Cleo Proctor in BBC audio drama Doctor Who: Redacted, recently moved from London to an undisclosed area in the countryside where she she bought a cottage with her mother.

The trans activist, who described herself as 'the Grinch of the trans community', told her 64,000 followers her new GP wouldn't prescribe her the female sex hormone oestrogen.

Trans women, who are biologically male, take the hormone to help their body better match their gender identity. It promotes breast growth and redistributes body fat, giving a trans woman more feminine curves. The drug can also inhibit the growth of both muscles and facial hair, though how effectively it combats the latter can vary per patient.

Charlie Craggs when she attended "The Crown" Finale Celebration in London in December

In plea to her GP to prescribe the medication Ms Craggs wrote 'please don't make my life harder than it already is'

In the Instagram video Ms Craggs said that the unnamed GP practice would suffer consequences for delaying the decision not the prescribe her hormones stating ''You might be able to refuse me service ladies, but you're not allowed to be incompetent so if I can't get healthcare than no one in my vicinity can because I am taking you all down'

Ms Craggs, who is in her early 30s, accused her doctor  who she did not name  of denying the prescription because they said they didn't know 'how to treat trans people'.

'I've been told by the head GP of the practice... like basically "we're not going to be prescribing you your hormones" that I've been on for 10 years,' she said in the video on Instagram, which only lasted 24 hours before being automatically deleted.

'I've jumped through every single hoop I've had to get onto them and now the person at the f***ing bottom of the chain, the GP, all they have to do is press a button and prescribe them is saying "hmm we're not going to do this".

'The Gender Identity Clinic, which is part of the NHS, have literally sent you letters saying "please prescribe Ms Craggs this much oestrogen", that is all you have to do.

'Read the letter and prescribe me 6mg of oestrogen, you do not have to perform a sex change on me.'

Ms Craggs, who first rose to public fame in a BBC Three documentary called Transitioning Teens, said the GP did this despite her informing them who she was.

'I am the Grinch of the trans community,' she said.

'They know this as well because I said on the phone "I'm Charlie Craggs I have a Wikipedia page".'

Ms Craggs said the GP practice only informed her of their decision as she ran out of her previous supply of hormones.

'My appointment with them was the 31st of January three weeks ago and said during the appointment "we're not really sure, we'll be in touch in two days",' she said.

'It was like three weeks until I heard from them, I literally had to chase every week and I never heard back.'

And the year before when she attended the Glamour Women of the Year Awards 2022 in London

Pictured left to right Doctor Who: Redacted writer Juno Dawson, previous Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker, and actress Charlie Craggs

Ms Craggs added: 'You might be able to refuse me service ladies, but you're not allowed to be incompetent.

'So if I can't get healthcare than no one in my vicinity can because I am taking you all down.'

Ms Craggs also posted some of the correspondence between her gender consultant team and the GP practice urging them to prescribe oestrogen.

It details how the hormone treatment has helped prevent hair loss and promote regrowth and how the team isn't concerned about the drug's principal 'adverse effect' of erectile dysfunction as it is 'not viewed as problematic'.

Ms Craggs added her own plea to this correspondence to her GP, writing 'please don't make my life harder than it already is.'

She posted the letters with the text 'What am I paying taxes for? Having to BEG for my medication that I'm legally entitled to.'

In response to her battle Ms Craggs has vowed to start campaigning on this issue.

'I'm going to start campaigning about because if I, the f***ing Grinch of the trans community can feel like this and be treated like this I dread to think what the f***ing baby trans, who are less sure of themselves, are going through,' she said.

Ms Craggs previously launched a fundraiser to give trans people free self-defence lessons after she was spat on in a transphobic attack in London in a video which went viral.

UK regulations mean a GP is within their rights to refuse to issue a prescription for a patient  even if it comes from a team of specialists, like in Ms Craggs' case.

Under British law, it is the prescriber of a drug who becomes legally responsible for providing it and, by extension, any potential adverse reactions.

In practice, this kind of situation generally occurs in niche areas of medicine where specialist medics issue requests for GPs to supply powerful drugs that they may be unfamiliar with.

Ms Craggs first rose to public fame in a BBC Three documentary called Transitioning Teens

Normally when this happens, a patient is referred back to their specialist team who usually have an alternative means of providing the drugs.

Advice issued by the doctors' union, the British Medical Association, and cited by family medics, makes it clear such refusals can vary between GPs.

It reads: 'Each GP will make prescribing decisions based on what they are or are not prepared to take clinical responsibility for.

'Some doctors might have special training or knowledge of a particular area of medicine which makes them comfortable to prescribe and monitor a drug where many GPs would not.

'Clearly, a GP should be aware of their limitations as well as their skills and must ensure that they are not prescribing beyond their knowledge or their ability to ensure patient safety.

'GPs are not obliged to provide every possible medical service to their patients, only those for which they have been contracted for, and these contracting arrangements may vary between practices.'

Ms Craggs was contacted for comment by MailOnline.

She didn't name the GP practice involved in her care in her posts on social media.
Rishi Sunak today admitted the situation plaguing NHS hospitals is not 'where we want to be' as he insisted the plan is working.

Calling for more time to turn the ailing health service's fortunes around, the Prime Minister said: 'I know things will get better.'

It comes as junior doctors demanding pay hikes worth up to 20,000 brought the struggling health service to yet another standstill.

It marks the 10th time since March that trainee doctors have walked out as the bitter pay row with Government shows no sign of slowing.

The 'militant' leader of the British Medical Association's (BMA) junior doctors group claimed the Government is 'quite happy having the strikes happen'.

Grilled about the never-ending wave of action which has forced hospitals to cancel more than a million appointments and operations, Mr Sunak told BBC Radio York: 'I come from an NHS family, of course I don't want to run it down' Pictured on a visit to Haxby in Yorkshire

Today's ongoing strike marks the 10th time since March that trainee doctors have walked out as the bitter pay row with Government shows no sign of slowing. Pictured, medics on the picket line outside St Thomas' Hospital in Westminster

Grilled about the never-ending wave of action which has forced hospitals to cancel more than a million appointments and operations, Mr Sunak told BBC Radio York: 'Are we where we want to be? Not yet.

'Are we making progress? Yes, the plan is working. If we stick with it, I know things will get better.'

Mr Sunak, who was also asked whether he was 'running down' the NHS, added: 'I come from an NHS family, of course I don't want to run it down.

'We're putting a record amount of investment in, more funding, so that's never been higher  more doctors, more nurses, and we're making improvements.

'Now, look, that's not going to happen overnight.

'But if you look at the performance of ambulances and emergency departments this winter, it's better than it was last winter. So that is progress.

'When it comes to the waiting lists, in the last few months actually we've seen the waiting lists start to fall.

'And that's because we haven't had as much industrial action.

'Obviously there is once again industrial action but at the end of last year we had no industrial action in October or November and the waiting list fell by about 150,000.'

By the end of the latest strikes at 11.59pm on Wednesday, hospital doctors will have taken 44 days or 1,056 hours of industrial action, equating to around 12 per cent of the year.

It has seen more than 1.3 million appointments cancelled, with 7.6million waiting to start treatment and millions more facing long waits for continued care.

Emergency services remain open on strike days and officials have told Brits needing urgent medical care to still seek help as normal.

Speaking from a picket line at St Thomas' Hospital in Westminster, Dr Rob Laurenson, co-chair of the BMA junior doctors committee said: 'I don't think the Government wants to end this dispute.

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'I think they are quite happy having the strikes happen. And I think they are failing everyone.

'I find it difficult to understand if this is incompetence or malice. Either way, it fails everyone.'

Dr Laurenson added: 'This round of action is because back in December Victoria Atkins (Health Secretary) said she would be back around the table in 20 minutes with another offer to make. But those 20 minutes turned into 20 days.

'So then she sent a junior minister who said they had no further offer up his sleeve, so the Government lied.'

Junior doctors are calling for pay restoration, saying that they have faced real-terms pay cuts of more than a quarter since 2008. This equates to around 35 per cent.

'We have gone above and beyond every single time with regards to our good will, to make sure we can run a service, but the Government returns that with pay cuts,' Dr Laurenson said.

Junior doctors in their first year now have a basic pay of 32,300, while those with three years' experience make 43,900. The most senior earn 63,100

The latest industrial action began at 7am on Saturday, with junior doctors returning to work at 11.59pm on Wednesday. Junior doctors outside Manchester Royal Infirmary this morning

Ministers have given junior doctors an 8.8 per cent pay rise, on average, for the 2023/24 financial year. However, the uplift was higher for first year medics, who were given a 10.3 per cent boost. Pictured a black cocker spaniel in a BMA hat on the picket line outside St Thomas' Hospital

'We are seeing the absolute collapse of goodwill. It has been long said that the NHS runs on goodwill, and now because we've seen that collapse I think we're seeing the outcome of the NHS collapse as well.'

The latest industrial action began at 7am on Saturday, with junior doctors returning to work at 11.59pm on Wednesday.

Ministers have given junior doctors an 8.8 per cent pay rise, on average, for the 2023/24 financial year.

However, the uplift was higher for first year medics, who were given a 10.3 per cent boost.

In December, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins offered them an additional 3 per cent rise in a bid to avert further strike action.

But the union said the improved sum was still 'completely insufficient'.

Junior doctors in their first year now have a basic pay of 32,300, while those with three years' experience make 43,900. The most senior earn 63,100.
READ MORE: Florida becomes the new epicenter of measles outbreak

Two more children in south Florida have been infected with measles

Two more children in south Florida have been diagnosed with measles as the state's outbreak continues to grow.

The Florida Department of Health announced Sunday that two children were infected with the disease in Broward County, which includes Fort Lauderdale and is just north of Miami.

Officials said that one child was between five and nine years old, and the other was under five. It's unclear if they were vaccinated.

This brings the county's total cases to eight - six of whom were students at Manatee Bay Elementary School in Weston.

It's unclear if the two newest cases are linked to the school.

The surge in measles cases comes as Florida's surgeon general, Dr Joseph Ladapo, has been accused of fueling the virus' spread by defying guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Vaccination rates in children entering kindergarten in Broward County compared to the rest of Florida, where measles is surging

Florida's Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo (pictured) told parents they could decide whether to quarantine their children or let them keep going to school. This plan has come under increased scrutiny

Dr Ladapo instead wrote last week in a letter to parents that he could leave the choice of whether to keep kids at home up to parents, which has drawn criticism from doctors for putting vulnerable children at risk.

Dr Ladapo's letter to parents acknowledged that the 'normal' recommendation is for unvaccinated children to stay home for 21 days.

However, it stated: 'DOH is deferring to parents or guardians to make decisions about school attendance.'

Ben Hoffman, president of the AAP, responded to Dr Ladapo's advice to parents on measles: 'It runs counter to everything I have ever heard and everything that I have read.

'It runs counter to our policy. It runs counter to what the [CDC] would recommend.'

Broward County Superintendent Peter Licata told Local News 10 last week that Manatee Bay Elementary School, where six of the eight sickened children attend, has a 92 percent vaccination rate.

'Currently, there are 33 of 1,067 Manatee Bay students that do not have an MMR vaccine for various reasons,' he said.

According to the CDC, the MMR vaccine rate in Florida is approximately 91 percent, which is below the national rate of 93 percent.

Florida currently has the largest outbreak in the US - and there have been 35 cases of the measles across fifteen states in 2024 alone.

On Friday, Michigan registered its first measles case since 2019. Additionally, Pennsylvania confirmed nine infections in January, eight of them in Philadelphia.

Last year, there were 58 cases total across the country.

Measles is a viral infection that most commonly affects infants and young children.

Symptoms typically appear about 10 to 14 days after initial exposure and include fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat, inflamed eyes, and a large, blotchy skin case.

The CDC states that one in five children who become ill will end up in the hospital, and one in 1,000 will develop a type of brain swelling called encephalitis. And about one to three out of 1,000 children with measles will die.

Cold-like symptoms, such as a fever, cough and a runny or blocked nose, are usually the first signal of measles

The above shows year-by-year cases of measles in the United States, according to the CDC

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that 58 cases of the measles were confirmed in 2023, a decrease from 121 in 2022.

According to the Mayo Clinic, 'measures can now almost always be prevented with a vaccine.'

The measles vaccine is often given as a combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) shot, which also includes the chicken pox (varicella).

Health care providers recommend that children between 12 and 15 months old receive their first MMR shot, as well as a second one between ages four and six, before starting school.

The graph shows the national estimate of kindergarteners with two doses of MMR over the years. Measles coverage is below the national target of 95 percent for the third year running

Dr Ladapo has also strayed away from CDC guidance over the safety of Covid shots.

In October 2022, Dr Ladapo recommended men 18 to 39 years old refrain from getting a Covid vaccine, citing a state-driven analysis that had not been peer-reviewed, which suggested the shots raised the risk of cardiac-related deaths by 84 percent.

The research has since been slammed by scientists who say it contains major statistical flaws.

MMR vaccine coverage has dropped a further two percent between the 2019-2021 school year to the 2022-2023 school year, according to the CDC, which means that roughly a quarter of a million kindergartens are at risk of measles infection across the US.

Exemptions from school shots was also at a record high, exceeding five percent in ten states.

Experts have said that the outbreaks are in part due to the increasing amount of parents refusing to have their children vaccinated after political fallout to Covid mandates and misinformation about vaccine safety.

John Moore, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College, told the Washington Post: 'The reason why there is a measles outbreak in Florida schools is because too many parents have not had their children protected by the safe and effective measles vaccine.'

'And why is that? It's because anti-vaccine sentiment in Florida comes from the top of the public health food-chain: Joseph Ladapo.'
A California man is on the cusp of being declared cured of HIV and blood cancer.

Paul Edmonds, 68, who made international headlines last year when he shared his story, still has no traces of either condition five years after being given a transplant of cells that rid his body of both diseases.

In a new article by the medical team who treated him, doctors said he was officially cured of cancer and two years away from being declared cured of HIV - when he will have gone without any medication since 2020.

Mr Edmonds' medical journey began when he was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988, at a time when the virus was often a death sentence for many gay men.

Despite watching so many of his friends die of the infection, he persevered, and was living happily married to his husband until a devastating leukemia diagnosis in 2018 looked to ruin their future plans.

He was treated for the cancer with stem cell therapy, which involves replacing stem cells damaged by chemotherapy with healthy ones from a donor - when doctors spotted a unique opportunity: to find a donor with a HIV-resistant genetic mutation.

Paul Edmonds, 68, (pictured) became the fifth ever person to be cured of HIV after receiving a rare stem cell treatment

In February 2019, Mr Edmonds, received stem cells from his donor

Freddie Mercury (left) had symptoms of HIV/AIDS in 1982 but was not officially diagnosed until 1987. He announced his diagnosis the day before he died in 1991. Rock Hudson (right) was diagnosed with AIDS in 1984 and became one of the first celebrities to disclose his diagnosis the following year. He was also the first major American celebrity to die from AIDS in 1985

Doctors were keen to see if they could replicate the success of previous patients who had been cured of HIV and cancer this way.

Mr Edmonds is one of only five to beat both diseases and the oldest person to do so.

'I am extremely grateful... I can't thank them enough,' Mr Edmonds said of his doctors at City of Hope clinic in California.

Mr Edmonds, from Desert Hot Springs in Riverside County was given a stem cell transplant, which is the final segment of treatment for blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma.

It is given when the blood-forming stem cells in a patient's bone marrow have been killed off by radiation or chemotherapy.

Stem cells are special human cells with the ability to develop into many different cell types, such as muscle cells or brain cells.

Healthy, blood-generating stem cells from a donor with similar genes are transplanted into the patient, meaning they can start to create cancer-free blood.

In Mr Edmonds' case, the donated stem cells also had a rare genetic mutation associated with resistance to HIV-1.

He was diagnosed with HIV and AIDS in 1988, during the peak of the nation's epidemic, which he said felt like a death sentence.

'People were dying within a few years of finding out they were positive,' he said of his experience of AIDS in San Francisco in the 1980s. 'A dark cloud was over the city.'

Mr Edmonds had been on HIV antiretroviral therapy since 1997, which had suppressed his virus to undetectable amounts.

But the therapy does not fully cure HIV, so the virus was always present in his immune cells in the blood.

This means that if the therapy is stopped, the virus begins to multiply and will become detectable in the blood again.

In 2018, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Older patients with HIV often develop blood cancers because of their weakened immune systems.

Mr Edmonds' cancer - acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) - is a type of blood cancer that starts in young white blood cells in the bone marrow.

Approximately 19,500 new cases occur every year in the US.

Symptoms can include fatigue, fever, frequent infections, bruising or bleeding easily, including nosebleeds or heavy periods, and weight loss.

AML's exact cause is unclear.

Mr Edmonds (pictured right) with his husband (left) and a friend around 1998

Mr Edmonds was happily married to his husband (pictured right) until a devastating leukemia diagnosis in 2018 looked to ruin their future plans

Transplant patients must first enter remission for cancer, which usually needs intense chemotherapy so that cancerous cells are gotten rid of.

Giving chemotherapy to patients taking IV antiretroviral therapy, as Mr Edmonds was, can be tricky because chemotherapy can briefly reduce a patient's immune system.

In November 2018, Mr Edmonds started chemotherapy. He needed three rounds to reach remission, which was achieved in mid-January 2019.

The next month, Mr Edmonds, received stem cells from his donor.

The stem cells he was given had two copies of a rare genetic mutation called CCR5 delta-3, which makes people resistant to HIV.

Only one to two percent of the population have this mutation.

HIV uses the receptor CCR5 to get into and assault the immune system, but the CCR5 mutation stops the virus from entering this way.

The transplant completely switched Mr Edmond's bone marrow and blood stem cells with ones from the donor.

Since the transplant, he has shown no signs of AML or HIV.

In March 2021, Mr Edmonds stopped taking his HIV medication, and had his HIV levels checked once a week to make sure the virus had not returned.

Each time, no virus was detected.

Mr Edmonds is one of just five people worldwide who has gone into HIV remission from a stem cell transplant.

'City of Hopes case demonstrates that it is possible to achieve remission from HIV even at an older age and after living with HIV for many years,' said Dr Jana Dickter, a clinical professor in City of Hopes Division of Infectious Diseases.

'Furthermore, remission can be achieved with a lower-intensity regimen than the therapy received by the four other patients who went into remission for HIV and cancer.'

'As people with HIV continue to live longer, there will be more opportunities for personalized treatments for their blood cancers,' she added.

'For those who would benefit from a stem cell transplant to treat their cancer, the idea that they could go into remission from HIV simultaneously is amazing,' Dr Dickter said.

The case was described in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr Stephen Forman, a professor in the Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, said the hospital was 'not stopping there.'

'Our researchers are working on creating stem cells that have the genetic mutation that makes them naturally resistant to HIV, among other research initiatives,' he said.

If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS, and without medication, people typically survive about three years.

An estimated 36.3 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic in 1981.

Roughly 1.2 million Americans have HIV, and while there is currently no cure, drugs reduce the amount of virus in the body by stopping it from replicating, meaning it cannot be transmitted to others and will not cause harm in the body.

Symptoms include fever and muscle pains, headache, sore throat, night sweats and diarrhea, but some can go a decade or more without symptoms.

Treatment options have evolved considerably since HIV was first identified in the early 80s. The course of treatment went from patients having to take several pills a day that might not even work well to start, to taking just a single daily pill that combines all of the best known therapies into one.

Gene editing experts believe they are on the cusp of curing HIV, after three patients in the US were injected with genetic material along with an enzyme called CAS9.

Early studies suggest the enzyme can excise sections of the virus DNA that become lodged in human cells, eliminating it entirely.

The current trial aims to prove the treatment is safe, but data on how well it work is expected next year.
Spinal physiotherapist says stress or physical activity is more likely to cause pain

Forget what you were told at school - slouching isn't bad for you, according to one of Britain's leading spine specialists.

The slumped posture, often considered undignified or rude, has long been thought to be bad for your back.

But Dr Chris McCarthy, a Harley Street consultant and researcher at Manchester Metropolitan University, says there is no evidence for this.

And trendy 'standing desks', which claim to improve posture and reduce back strain, don't offer any advantages to the body, he claims.

Forget what you were told at school - slouching isn't bad for you, according to one of Britain's leading spine specialists

'Our spines aren't going to be damaged by a bit of sitting down, even if we happen to be wiggling our fingers on a keyboard at the same time,' said Dr McCarthy.

'Prolonged standing is no more comfortable for the spine than prolonged sitting.

'There's a pretty good reason why slouching doesn't damage our spines, and that is because our spines are designed to allow movements as diverse as Olympic weightlifting to limbo dancing.

'If you experience back or neck pain, you can rest assured that the posture you adopt when walking or sitting probably isn't to blame as much as you might have been led to believe.

'Instead, it's probably related more to other features of life - such as how stressed or physically active you are and if you have previously had back pain.

'If you're a sloucher, rest assured that it isn't really bad for you and is as good as any other posture you adopt.

'Comfortable postures are safe and sitting is not dangerous.'

There's also no evidence that people who slouch are more likely to suffer from back or neck pain compared to non-slouchers, according to Dr Chris McCarthy, a spinal physiotherapist and researcher at Manchester Metropolitan University

Dr McCarthy, writing for academic blog The Conversation, said there has been a 'plethora of rigorous clinical studies' that show there is no relationship between slouching and spinal pain.

There's also no evidence that people who slouch are more likely to suffer from back or neck pain compared to non-slouchers.

Even the government's latest guidance on office working puts less emphasis on posture at workstations.

Dr McCarthy said the best way for office workers to make their bodies feel more comfortable, increase their productivity and boost their mood is to take regular breaks to walk, stretch, stand or sit down.

Slouching has come to be associated with aspects of a person's value, dignity, respectability and morality.

The term itself hails from medieval Norse, meaning 'lazy fellow'.
Doctors are using the diagnosis of Wendy Williams to warn that alcohol is an 'important' risk factor for early-onset dementia.

Williams' family has revealed that her diagnosis with a particularly aggressive form of the disease at age 59 may have been caused by excessive booze consumption.

In the past decade, major studies have shown that as many as half of those in certain populations who get dementia when they're under 65 have struggled with alcohol abuse.

And other research has suggested that alcoholism, as well as loneliness and depression, is one of the top risk factors for certain forms of dementia

Dr Jurgen Rehm, senior scientist at the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), told DailyMail.com: 'In early-onset dementia, alcohol plays a huge role.'

Though the exact number depends on factors like age, weight, and gender, health officials have warned that one to three beverages a day could lead to alcohol-related dementia.

Wendy Williams' family said in a new documentary on Lifetime that her dementia could have been caused by alcohol

Research published in the Lancet found that 50 percent of French adults with early-onset dementia also had a history of alcohol use disorder

However, the issue is extremely nuanced and specific to each person. For example, other research shows that having a glass of wine at night could stave off cognitive decline, perhaps due to the de-stressing effects it has.

Representatives for Williams, 59, announced last week that she was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which causes the brain's personality and behavioral centers to shrink.

The diagnosis is the same one suffered by Die Hard star Bruce Willis, 68, which most often impacts patients under 60.

In a new documentary on Lifetime, Williams' son, Kevin Hunter, Jr, said that doctors told him his mother's excessive alcohol use had begun to affect 'her headspace and her brain.'

'I was able to really learn more about things going on with my mother internally,' the 23-year-old said.

'They basically said that because she was drinking so much, it was starting to affect her headspace and her brain. So, I think they said it was alcohol-induced dementia.'

Dr Rehm pointed to a 2018 Lancet Public Health study he was involved with as a key example of the harms of binge drinking.

The research looked at hospital data for 1 million adults in France between 2008 and 2013 who were diagnosed with dementia.

They found that people who abused alcohol were about twice as likely to develop early dementia, which is defined as onset of the disease before age 65.

Results showed that alcohol-use disorders were diagnosed in 16.5 percent of men and four percent of women with dementia.

And over half of those with early-onset dementia had alcohol-use disorder in their medical records.

Williams' team announced her dementia and aphasia diagnoses last week at age 59. She has previously been open about struggles with health conditions like Graves Disease

95% of right-handed people and two-thirds of left-handed people use the left side of the frontal and temporal lobes of their brains to process speech. The remaining one-third of left-handed people are right-brain dominant. When there is damage to this portion of the brain speech and language suffers

'That gives you an impression on how close this link is with early onset dementia and alcohol,' Dr Rehm told DailyMail.com.

'And it also gives you a clear indication that a lot of the alcohol induced dementia is very early and those people die much earlier than then otherwise.'

Additionally, a study conducted last year of more than 356,000 adults under age 65 in the UK found 15 factors that increased the risk of early-onset dementia, with the most notable being lower socioeconomic status, vitamin D deficiency, hearing impairment, depression, social isolation, and alcoholism.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines heavy drinking, or binge drinking, as more than 8 drinks per week for women and 15 or more for men.

This is just over a drink a day for women and two and a half for men.

However, a study in the journal Neurology found that mild to moderate drinkers - roughly one to two beverages a day - had up to a 21 percent lower risk of dementia.

Experts say that ethanol when consumed causes a release of acetaldehyde, a compound that stimulates the brain's reward system and produces dopamine, which creates feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.

However, over time, it has been shown to damage tissues responsible for memory and motor function, such as the hippocampus, leading to cognitive decline.

According to Harvard University, excessive drinking can also cause atrophy - wasting away - of cells and tissues. It can also lead to the brain shrinking overall. When this occurs, blood vessels in the brain have a harder time transporting blood.

This can lead to high blood pressure and strokes.

Sean Marchese, a registered nurse with The Mesothelioma Center, told DailyMail.com: 'Heavy drinking can harm the deep tissues of the brain, making it harder to think clearly, even for young people. Alcohol has a direct neurotoxic effect that can directly lead to an increased risk of dementia over time.'

'Besides damaging the liver, alcohol can alter how the body uses energy, which can disturb how nerves work with the brain and cause problems with memory, attention, mood and more.'

Mr Marchase said that it's difficult to determine exactly how much alcohol it would take to increase the risk of early-onset dementia. However, Dr Rehm said that consuming as much as the CDC's definition of binge drinking could raise the likelihood.

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain), which impact memory, thinking and behavior.

Common symptoms include memory loss, poor judgment, confusion, repeating questions, difficulty communicating, taking longer to complete normal daily tasks, acting impulsively, and mobility issues.

It most often affects older adults, with the risk increasing after age 65. According to the Alzheimer's Association, dementia affects up to one in 10 American adults over age 65.

However, FTD differs from other forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer's, because it most often affects adults between ages 40 and 60.

The Alzheimer's Association states that 'behavioral changes are often the first noticeable symptoms' in FTD, whereas Alzheimer's usually causes this after the disease progresses.

Other differences between the diseases include that FTD patients often are more apathetic, meaning that they lack feelings or emotions. They may also fail to display concern for others or motivation.

Additionally, patients may be able to remember the time of day and their location and keep track of recent events, unlike those with Alzheimer's who struggle to retain new information.

But as the disease progresses, more and more areas of the brain deteriorate.

This is when symptoms become similar to those in late stage Alzheimer's, including difficulty eating or swallowing, needing assistance to walk and being vulnerable to infections.

FTD accounts for about one in 20 dementia cases, adding up to roughly 50,000 to 60,000 Americans.

Aphasia affects about one million Americans, with 180,000 being diagnosed each year.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, FTD is inherited in about one-third of cases, though there are no other known risk factors for the rest of the cases.

Dr Keith Vossel, a neurologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, previously told DailyMail.com that FTD patients tend to need full-time care within three to five years of diagnosis.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, patients can expect to live for about seven years on average after diagnosis. However, Mr Marchase noted that alcohol use could shorten that expectation.

'Excessive drinking can shorten lifespan by about seven years compared to someone who doesn't drink at all. For people with dementia who don't drink, life expectancy is about 4 to 8 years after diagnosis,' he said.

'Drinking and dementia together can have compounding effects and shorten lifespan by a significant amount.'
A movement is emerging online to shun store-bought toothpaste over a conspiracy theory that small colored markings on the end of tubes signify whether the product was made with natural or chemical ingredients.

The markings in question are small squares on the rigid strip of flat plastic at the bottom of the tube, and TikTok users warn people against toothpaste with red or black marks and encourage them to choose toothpastes with green or blue marks instead.

The unfounded claim is that only 'elites' know that green marks mean the toothpaste is made from only natural ingredients, blue marks mean the paste contains a mix of natural ingredients and medication, red marks mean it contains both natural ingredients and chemical ingredients, and black marks mean it contains only chemical ingredients.

Dentists and toothpaste manufacturers insist this theory is false. In reality, the markings tell light sensors at toothpaste factories where the end of the tube is so that it can be cut and sealed properly.

The colored squares on the bottom of the toothpaste tube have nothing to do with the products content. They are used in the manufacturing process so that a sensor can accurately read where to cut and seal the end of a tube

Still, the theory has prompted many people to rethink popular toothpaste brands found in grocery stores, taking aim at certain ingredients such as fluoride and foaming agents.

Videos espousing the false conspiracy theory on TikTok have earned hundreds of thousands of views and comments from people fretting about the color of the square on the brand they buy.

In one video, one young man explains to another: 'The theory goes that the elites, or the people that know the code stay away from certain colors of the toothpaste. So it's like, if you know you know.'

Dr Nate Coughlin, an orthodontist who practices in Texas, said: Theres some claims that the red dots, the blue dots, the white dots, all relate to what is actually inside this toothpaste.

'When in reality, Colgate and Crest and all those people tell us that these little dots on the ends are dyes, and they allow them to know when the cut is going to happen so that they actually make proper-sized toothpaste tubes.

Meanwhile, Dr Mohammed Adel Habib Taslimi, a dentist practicing in Iraq, told his 6,000 followers: The reality is it means nothing about the ingredients in the toothpaste.'

They are just some in the chorus of dentists and dental practices working to correct the conspiracy theorists.

Ontario, Canada-based Silverhill Dental said: The toothpaste color-coding system simply doesnt exist. The color on the bottom of your toothpaste means absolutely nothing about the ingredients, and you shouldnt use it to help you decide on a toothpaste.

Toothpaste giant Colgate has stepped in as well, calling it a hoax, adding: As much as we love cracking secret codes, this one actually has nothing to crack because its entirely untrue.

The conspiracy has led many to turn toward products that bill themselves as all-natural and fluoride-free.

Few ingredients have gotten as much bad press as fluoride, which is added to toothpaste to prevent tooth decay by re-mineralizing the enamel.

Some users have called it out for being really bad for you and claiming it causes a whole array of neurological issues.'

The amount of fluoride in toothpaste, unless a person is gulping it down like whipped cream from an aerosol can, is nowhere near enough to lead to any neurological effects.

A person weighing 160 pounds would need to swallow 33 tubes of toothpaste at once to experience toxicity from fluoride.

In order for a toothpaste to be accepted by the American Dental Association, the gold standard for oral health, the toothpaste must contain fluoride.

Another ingredient under the microscope is sodium lauryl sulfate. SLS is a surfactant, which means it helps create foam and bubbles to remove dirt and grime from teeth.

While there is plenty of misinformation from health gurus and wellness influencers about toothpaste and videos espousing their harms, many people have had some fun in comments sections, writing I use WD-40, and I use blue cheese and I brush my teeth with beef liver and honey.

Some do-it-yourselfers have taken to making their own toothpaste at home, something dental experts have repeatedly advised against because it omits beneficial fluoride and often contain acidic lemon juice or excessively abrasive baking soda.

Many people have also taken to mixing in charcoal for whitening. But the American Dental Association has found no evidence that charcoal toothpaste is effective or even safe. In fact, it may actually harm your gums and teeth because it scrapes away the protective enamel.
Physicians have begun charging patients hundreds of dollars to write sick notes and approve medication refills, industry experts have said.

Administrative tasks that were previously free are being monetized across the country due to growing demands on medics' time and to put patients off submitting non-urgent requests.

Services range from just a few dollars for responding to messages to over $100 for prescription refills.

'Basically physicians are saying, "The things that I used to do for free, I can't afford to do it now,"' said Robert Pearl, a Stanford University professor and former CEO of The Permanente Medical Group.

Paperwork fees can range from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars

The above data is from an Athenahealth survey conducted late last year on doctors

'It's actually much more than just the money. It's really my time.'

'I know a lot of people who have not had [a fee] now thinking about putting it in because they're overwhelmed,' Dr Pearl told Axios.

Replying to swathes of emails from patients and requests for documents can add hours of unpaid labor onto doctors' work day.

Kacie Lewis, 29, manages her health concerns online. Since late 2021, she had been billed $32 for each of three email threads, wanting treatments for psoriasis, eczema and a yeast infection from providers at Novant Health in Charlotte, N.C., she told the New York Times.

A growing number of health care organizations, including some of America's biggest hospital systems such as the Cleveland Clinic, have started charging extra for things like electronic messaging.

As of November 2022, the Cleveland Clinic bills for virtual messaging.

Most private insurance will cover the chargeable messages, it said, but if it is not a covered benefit or patients have a deductible they could owe $33 to $50, according to the system.

Most Medicare patients will not be charged, though some will have a $3 to $8 charge, and those with secondary insurance will owe $0.

Since the Covid pandemic, doctors - who earn an average of $350,000 per year - say they are more burned out than ever, and the emphasis on virtual care has made more patients adapt to interacting with their doctors online.

More than 90 percent of doctors in America report feeling burnt out on a regular basis, while 60 percent say they have considered leaving the profession entirely, a survey of 1,000 doctors by health company Athenahealth found this week.

Many doctors said excessive paperwork and patient demands were leading to their burn out, and they needed to work an extra 15 hours per week on average just to stay on top of their workload.

Increasing amounts of high-deductible health plans, which require patients to take on more of the cost of their care, means patients are trying to find ways to skirt trips to the doctor and may message them instead, Dr Pearl said.

Patients are not always adept at knowing what they should approach their doctor about and what is not urgent, said A. Jay Holmgren, an assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco's Center for Clinical Informatics and Improvement Research.

During the pandemic, patient emails skyrocketed as people could not visit their doctor in-person, which led to more providers charging for responses.

The hope is that fees for sick notes and refills will put people off non-urgent requests while allowing doctors to focus on more timely asks.

Employers may also be partly to blame. Increasing numbers of employers are asking employees for sick notes for taking sick days, said Michael Botta, co-founder of Sesame, a startup primary care provider that patients pay directly rather than using insurance.

In 2023, Sesame charged a $29 service for doctors' notes, which included a virtual appointment that would culminate in the doctor's letter if it was needed.

Doctors may take back these fees if their economic outlook gets better or if artificial intelligence shoulders more of the administrative tasks, said Jon Freedman, a digital strategist with health care consulting firm Chartis.

It comes as experts warn of a crisis 'of huge proportions' hitting the country's health service  with too few roles going filled.

There were about 193,000 job openings for nurses in the US over 2023, estimates suggest, and about 60,000 openings for doctors.

Many hospital systems were also rocked by staff strikes in recent months, amid disputes over pay and working conditions.
There was huge excitement back in 2021 when Renault debuted an electric concept car based on the cult classic Renault 5.

The big question was whether Renault would deliver a retro-themed return for its mid-70s to mid-90s icon.

But now the French manufacturer is keeping fans happy by turning its original reborn Renault 5 concept into reality: A 21st century all-electric reincarnation of the classic 5 hatchback will hit the road this time next year.

The new Renault 5 E-Tech - officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show - is available to pre-order now with first deliveries expected in early 2025.

Renault's all-electric super-modern retro-istic pop icon take on the original Renault 5 will start from around 25,000 and come with nearly 250 miles of range.

The Renault 5 E-Tech will start at 25,000 and have a maximum range of 248 miles

Ray Massey at the Geneva Motor Show with the newly-unveiled Renault 5 E-Tech, an all-electric production version of the 2021 concept car based on the classic Renault 5

Much like its best-selling 1972 predecessor, this 5 E-Tech will be a small, nippy runaround that won't break the bank - targeting at the cost-conscious buyer. The difference this time, of course, being the all-electric part.

Along with some other state-of-the-art tech, the 5 E-Tech will come with bi-directional charging which you can use to feed electricity back to your home, gadgets or the energy grid.

Size-wise it sits between a Twingo and a Clio, with sportier look.

The Renault badge sits bang-slap in the middle of the front end, but the rear is badgeless with just has the words 'Renault 5'.

There's a large air intake on the front bumper (for battery and motor cooling), LED headlights, conventional door handles up front and concealed handles on the back doors, and vertically-stacked spine-like tail lights.

As with the Renault Megane E-Tech the charging port is located by the front wheel arches.

The design is '95 per cent' the same as the 2021 concept car Renault says, and combines sporty design with 'humanised' features

But really when it comes to design, this car is all about charm. It's packed with personality inside and out - it's a car to have fun with.

Renault says the production car is '95 per cent faithful' to the concept, while using an array of recycled materials including denim made from recycled plastic bottles.

And Renault actively wanted to 'humanise' the 5 E-Tech: The LED lights light up and wink a hello or goodbye at the driver, the customisable steering wheel mounted gear-selector is in the shape of a Chanel lipstick holder, and there's even a baguette basket clipped to the centre console so hungry French drivers can transport their baguettes in style.

Helpfully too the vent on the bonnet of the original car is now an exterior charge-level indicator in the shape of the number 5 - and it also lights up as you approach.

It's full of French fun design elements including this baguette basket, which can double as handy flower holder when someone's in a romantic mood

Rebirth of a Cinderella classic Joanna Lumley washing her Renault 5 outside her flat in Holland Park, London. The new Renault 5 was re-born in late 2020 when the then new chief executive, Luca de Meo, arrived to inspect the troops in late 2020 and, to the alarm of long-serving executives, started nosing around the design studio. While there, the charismatic Italian spotted a half-hidden full-scale prototype model of a small hatchback that intrigued him. He told me that he asked a designer what it was. It's a study for a modern take on a retro hatchback, came the resigned reply. But we've been told that Renault doesn't do retro, so it's not going anywhere. It was at this exact moment that de Meo experienced a classic light-bulb moment  which he told me was pure 'gut' reaction. And, then, with a wave of 'fairy godmother' de Meo's wand, the car in question was instantly transformed from being an overlooked, half-forgotten and under-appreciated Cinderella design destined for the dustbin of history, to being a glamorous star going to the ball. Barbara Carrera drove a Renault 5 in Never Say Never Again in 1983 When in 2021 de Meo outlined his blueprint to transform his company for the challenges of the 21st century, he stressed that his plan to resurrect and update the classic Renault 5 super-mini as a pure electric hatchback would be a centrepiece of his recovery plan and see the firm 'reconnect with its past'. The original Renault 5 gained cult status during the 1980s and was driven by the likes of Joanna Lumley, photographed washing hers outside her flat in London's Holland Park, and by actress Barbara Carrera in the 007 movie Never Say Never Again starring Sean Connery in 1983. De Meo, who in his former role at Italy's Fiat spearheaded the recent revival of the retro 500 - now reborn as an electric-only supermini - told me: 'At the time, the 5 was not even there as a project. The whole thing was done in a month and a half. Sometimes there's no big strategy. It's from the guts.' But it won't stop there. The classic Renault 4 is set to be the next classic for a retro reincarnation.

The Renault badge is front and centre and flanked by LED headlights that wink hello and goodbye

The '5' at the front lights up and doubles as a charging indicator in a neat design feature

The scene stealer in the interior is the Google infotainment screen but analogue enthusiasts will love that buttons are back too

The seats are made from recycled materials and have a sporty-retro look with contrast stitching

The interior has contrast bright pop colours throughout as well as recycled materials including denim made from old plastic bottles

History of the Renault 5 The original Renault 5 hatchback went on sale from 1972 and sold more than 5.5 million cars between then and 1985. There was even a limited-run electric version in 1974. It was replaced in 1990 by the Renault Clio, as epitomised in the UK by Nicole and Papa, although it remained in some markets as late as 1996. The Renault 5 was France's biggest selling car between 1972 and 1986 and earned cult status when a road legal version of the 5 Turbo Group B rally car - to which the electric revival bears a particular likeness - was launched. The 5 Turbo, of which 4,987 were built, is today a highly sought-after collectible model which has sold at auction for as much as 80,000. The boxier Renault 4 went on sale in July 1961 and more than 8 million were sold across 100 countries over the course of 31 years. Renault said the 5's return is 'the rebirth of a cult car, more modern than ever' and part of its plans 'to reconnect with its past' .

Inside the Renault 5 E-Tech sporty styling continues the overall theme inspired by the iconic R5 Turbo of the late '70's and '80's. It's retro meets very modern tech:

The recycled-fabric seats, door inserts and dash stitching match the exterior colour (in this case yellow) and there's air vents that hark back to the original 5 as well as dashboard buttons.

But the main draw is the Google infotainment screen: It has voice command with AI ChatGPT called 'Reno' (just say 'Hey Reno to activate) and on-board soundscapes developed by composer Jean-Michel Jarre.

The external alarm that warns pedestrians is also designed by Jarre.

The car will be available in five colours (including Yellow Pop and Green Pop) and the UK will get four trim levels including the range-topping 'Roland Garros' version.

You'll be able to choose between a 40kW battery that delivers 186 miles of range, or a 52kW battery that stretches to 248 miles.

0 to 62mph is in 9 seconds with the 90kW (120hp) electric motor, or buyers can save a slightly pointless 1.1 seconds off that time by opting for the 110kW (150hp). Top speed is 93mph.

Available only as front-wheel wheel-drive, there will be no all-wheel drive version - which makes sense as it's really a city car.

At-home wallbox charging will take three and a half hours and a powerful public rapid charger will give 80 per cent charge in 30 minutes. And don't forget the handy bi-directional charging which Renault says can save owners up to 50 per cent of their vehicle charging costs.
Oli Creasey, property analyst at Quilter Cheviot:

'This mornings announcement from the CMA regarding the housebuilding market have two separate headlines, with the second being more painful for housebuilding companies than the first.

'Up first is the conclusion from the CMAs report that places the blame for slow house-building (the country habitually misses its target for new home deliveries) largely on the planning system that it describes as protracted and unpredictable, as well as under-resourced. That may not be a surprise for anyone who has tried to navigate the planning permission system in recent times, but is something of a vindication for housebuilding firms. The original study was also looking into the industrys use of landbanks, with early suggestions being whether builders were stockpiling land and artificially slowing delivery. The conclusion instead is that land-banking is a consequence of the slow planning process  i.e. it might make sense to carry multiple years worth of land on balance sheet if planning takes years to complete. Housebuilders will be relieved that their strategy has avoided this blame.

'However, the other headline  that housebuilders may have shared information regarding pricing, incentives and sales rates  is more troubling. While it is not named as a primary factor in the under-delivery of new homes, it is still possible that firms are found to have broken the law, and fines may be levied as a result.
Jacob Rothschilds death yesterday at 87 could result in a Succession-style battle between his heirs for his sprawling property and investment empire.

A colossal figure in the City, he bestrode the Square Mile for several decades.

Starting at the family banking group NM Rothschild in 1963, he left 17 years later after falling out with his cousin Sir Evelyn de Rothschild over a merger with rival SG Warburg.

At the time, it was the talk of the town. One financial journalist described it as the the most notorious bank-family split in City of London history.

Striking out on his own, he took charge of RIT Capital Partners, which is worth 2.6billion and a stalwart of the FTSE 250.

Legacy: Jacob Rothschild (pictured), who died yesterday at the age of 87, was a colossal figure in the City who bestrode the Square Mile for several decades

His deal-making skills and easy charm saw the business grow fast, while his market commentaries were highly anticipated, such as when in 2019 he described the post-Brexit deadlock as the UKs biggest political challenge since the 1956 Suez crisis.

While doing all this, he also co-founded wealth manager St Jamess Place in 1991, money manager GAM in 1983 and made an unsuccessful bid for British American Tobacco in 1989, which, had it come off, would have been one of the biggest take-overs of all time.

A source close to the family said: He was viewed as an establishment figure. Business-wise he was far from it. He took plenty of risks.

To this day, RIT Capital remains one of the most popular trusts in London with offices based in Spencer House overlooking Green Park.

Its investments are varied and include WeBull, the New York investment platform, and Motive, the logistics group.

In the UK, the firm backs technology investor Firstminute Capital. The annual return of 10.7 per cent remains impressive to this day and RIT has turned a 10,000 investment in 1988 to 345,000 in 2024.

But the big question is who will step into Rothchilds shoes and what happens to his 13pc stake in the business.

To the Rothschilds, leadership succession is treated like that of an accession to the throne in a monarchy  not unlike the fictional Roy family in the popular TV series Succession.

It is an obsession that has enabled them to keep their name alive while other traditional City families  such as Kleinworts and Warburgs  have disappeared.

For many years, Nat, 52, appeared to be the natural successor, a chip off the old block who moved effortlessly in the world of high finance. But his father disliked his playboy lifestyle and rebellious streak.

Born in 1971, he is the youngest child and as the only son is heir apparent. But he does not have a direct stake in RIT Capital, but instead holds an indirect holding through the familys private equity firm Five Arrows.

He upset his parents in 1995 when he eloped with socialite Annabelle Neilson, but the marriage lasted just three years.

Relations with his family became strained and, in 2016, Nat refused to invite his father to his second wedding to former glamour model Loretta Basey.

He has since rebuilt his name with Volex, a cable manufacturer to Tesla.

But it is his sister Hannah, 61, an author, and Jacobs eldest daughter, who has emerged as the frontrunner.

Known for her savvy and calm head, she has a 10 per cent stake in RIT and sits on the board as a non-executive director.

A divorced mother of three, she is also chairman of Yad Hanadiv, the Rothschild charitable foundation in Israel.

Whether Hannah or Nat win out, both will have big shoes to fill.

RIT Capital Management said in a statement: RIT is proud that its association with Lord Rothschild's family interests continues via his daughter, Hannah Rothschild, who has served as a Director of RIT for over a decade.

The majority of the beneficial and non-beneficial interests relating to the Rothschild family are in respect of shares held via trusts, companies or charitable foundations where Hannah is a beneficiary, trustee, or is able to exert significant influence.
Pay rises: City law firm Pogust Goodhead looks set to offer its junior lawyers pay packets worth up to 3m over three years

Junior lawyers at a City law firm could be in line to earn as much as 2million each over three years under a deal that highlights the spiralling pay packets on offer to high-flyers in the sector.

The move from Pogust Goodhead aims to bring the lawyers rewards in line with hedge funds or investment banks, according to chief executive Tom Goodhead.

It ups the ante to offer ever more lucrative terms to legal talent in the Square Mile.

Some US firms already pay starting salaries of up to 180,000  putting pressure on Britains so-called magic circle law firms.

Last October the firm received a 450million investment from US fund manager Gramercy to back its class actions on behalf of individuals against big companies such as mining giant BHP and car maker Mercedes.

The firm is creating a 200million bonus pool on a so-called synthetic equity model  similar to a shares-based bonus scheme  the Times reported.

Goodhead said his firms staff were doing more socially valuable work than lawyers at other law firms, and I see no issue in ensuring they are paid on a par with people that invest in us.

He added: The potential of doing this type of work means that the incentives will be much higher than they can be in the magic-circle law firms. It is something we are doing to shake up the market.

He told The Lawyer magazine he saw partners at the firm earning between 10million and 20million, while newly qualified lawyers could receive between 1million and 2million.
A war of words has broken out after vintage furniture firm Vinterior paid for adverts mocking Swedish giants Ikea which have been put up directly next to their posters.

Commuters have been struck by the positioning of the new ads at London Underground stations which are deemed to be teasing the multi-national firm.

The posters specifically mention 'Swedish meatballs' which are among the popular cafe attractions on offer at Ikea warehouse branches across the UK.

One Vinterior ad, boasting about the ease of putting their furniture together, tells travellers: 'No Swedish meatballs. No instructions. No divorce.'

Yet the companies involved have denied any direct and deliberate 'trolling', though Ikea did aim a Swedish meatball-themed jab back at their opponents.

The new Vinterior ads on the London Underground appear to be taking direct swipes at Ikea

The furniture e-retailers' posters have been positioned next to those for Swedish giant Ikea

British furniture e-retailer Vinterior has put up the posts designed in a retro style, harking back to the 1940s 'Metroland' campaign to encourage suburban living.

The firm boasts of an alternative to what they claim are more generic flatpack options.

One commuter posted on X, formerly Twitter: 'Saw this ad from Vinterior on the Tube the other day. Just love how they post fun at Ikea!'

Lucy Ward, Vinterior's vice-president of brand, said: 'We're super proud of this campaign.

'We want to challenge people to consider pre-owned pieces before buying fast furniture.

We're confident these adverts will get people to embrace the wonderful world of vintage with us.'

And Jolyon White, co-founder of ad agency 10 Days which came up with the idea, said: 'We have a simple mantra: "Would you want to put it up on your wall? And does it pack a punch?" This does both with style.'

The Vinterior promotions refer to Swedish meatballs - offered up in Ikea store canteens

Functional, fuss-free and under-stated furniture from between the 1940s and the 1960s is said to have come back into fashion in recent years.

Meanwhile, Ikea hiked prices by up to 80 per cent amid a rocketing in the costs of raw materials - with the firm blaming the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war.

The company is planning a new Oxford Street branch in London's West End, despite it being delayed last year.

Yet despite some of the new adverts' provocative positioning next to ones for Ikea, Vinterior has appeared hesitant on officially throwing down the gauntlet.

A spokeswoman for Vinterior said: 'It's more David vs Goliath than big brand vs big brand.

'No, we haven't paid or requested to place our posters next to Ikea's.'

A spokesman for Transport for London, which runs the Tube, insisted: 'It's just simply coincidence that some have been placed next to each other.'

And an IKEA spokesperson said: 'We can't help but think, if there's no Swedish meatballs, then what's the point?'
The Biden administration is turning a blind eye to the import of Chinese-made devices that turn handguns into machine pistols, according to a new book, as Beijing deliberately tries to sow chaos on American streets.

Police are already warning of a surge in 'auto sear switches' or 'Glock switches,' modifications that transform handguns into fully automatic weapons.

Bestselling author Peter Schweizer argues that Chinese authorities are complicit in the supply of the cheap, illegal devices to American criminals, following a playbook developed with the deadly drug fentanyl.

And he says lawmakers in the U.S. are more interested in targeting gun owners at home than tackling the illegal trade from overseas.

'As with the fentanyl trade, when it comes to the illegal weapons and parts trade, the Chinese government appears complicit,' he writes in 'Blood Money: Why the Powerful Turn a Blind Eye While China Kills Americans,' which is published Tuesday.

Switch devices are small and cheap, and allow handguns to fire continuously with a single squeeze of the trigger. Many are produced in China, although they can be made on 3D printers

Roy Johnson, 35, was jailed for 38 years after spraying 30 rounds from a Glock Model 17, killing Paul Kutz in the heart, lungs and liver

'Chinese authorities appear to have made little effort to stop online sales. They also seem unmotivated to stop the deceptive production and distribution practices that are used to evade US authorities.'

Use of the devices is on the rise almost 100 years after Congress passed a law designed to keep automatic weapons out of the hands of criminals.

They are small, only about the size of a quarter piece, and can be easily fitted to Glock handguns. (Similar devices are available for other makes, but are less common.)

They allow pistols to fire continuous on a single pull of the trigger.

They cost about $50, and are easily available. They can be bought on websites and imported or increasingly manufactured domestically on a 3D-printer.

'These kind of switches make a whole class of weapons particularly lethal,' said former ATF agent David Chipman. 'These are really catered to criminal and extremist buyers and owners.'

Cases involving the devices are making headlines.

The book describes the case of Paul Kutz, a 53-year-old accountant, who was shot when a masked gunman burst into a hotel in Poughkeepsie, New York. Roy Johnson sprayed 30 bullets from his modified handgun, striking Kutz in the heart, lungs and liver.

Johnson was sentenced to 58 years in prison.

Author Peter Schweizer argues that Chinese authorities are complicit in the supply of the cheap, illegal devices to American criminals. 'Blood Money'

The devices are tiny and slot easily on to handguns turning them into machine pistols

They are easy to find online and sell for $50 or less

And Tamara O'Neal, was shot dead by her jilted lover in the parking lot of a Chicago hospital where she worked as a doctor.

Juan Lopez fired at least 30 shots, killing 25-year-old pharmacy resident Dayna Less and Chicago police officer Samuel Jimenez, 28, before being shot dead.

Far from being a side-effect of China's rampant growth and manufacturing strength, the export of deadly devices is part of a deliberate strategy, writes Schweizer.

The idea is modeled on what Chinese propagandists call 'the Century of Humiliation,' when the West tried to weaken the country by supporting different factions and arming warring parties.

'In the same way that it flipped the Opium Wars of the nineteenth century and created the Fentanyl Wars of the twenty-first century, Beijing now works to create a Century of Humiliation and weaken the United States by fomenting division by putting weapon-enhancing technologies into the hands of felons and criminal gangs, but also fueling social division on US streets,' writes Schweizer.

Either way, the result is the rapid growth in modified handguns.

'Were seeing Glock switches used all over the place, said East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, district attorney Hillar Moore, 'whether its murder, attempted murder, witness intimidation . . . shooting up in a neighborhood or shooting up houses.'

His office has seen more than eighty cases in the past two years involving switches on guns used to commit crimes.

Juan Lopez, 32, was murdered by his ex-fiancee Tamara O'Neal, 38, (pictured together) in the parking lot of Mercy Hospital in Chicago in 2018. O'Neal was an ER doctor at the hospital

Schweizer argues that although Biden has warned China of 'profound' consequences if its weapons are used by Russia in its war in Ukraine, 'one must ask: Why has Biden never issued such a warning over fentanyl, or over weapons enhancements illegally shipped into the United States from Chinaboth of which are killing Americans?'

And the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says the number of switches seized is growing rapidly. It said the period 2017-2021 saw a 570 percent increase on the previous five years.

Importation is illegal.

But Chinese companies routinely obscure the contents of the packages, listing 'multitool switches' or 'handcrafted finished pieces' on packaging.

So far American lawmakers have failed to wake up to the threat emanating from China, says Schweizer.

He cites the example of a 2022 Senate bill that demanded tougher Department of Justice action importation of the devices, but made no mention of China.

And he points that although President Joe Biden has warned China of 'profound' consequences if its weapons are used by Russia in its war in Ukraine, 'one must ask: Why has Biden never issued such a warning over fentanyl, or over weapons enhancements illegally shipped into the United States from Chinaboth of which are killing Americans?'
The family of a seven-year-old girl have spoken of their heartbreak at the youngster's untimely death after being buried alive while on a Florida beach.

The mother of Sloan Mattingly said the family are 'forever changed' following the tragedy that occurred on Tuesday at Lauderdale-by-the Sea beach.

'A freak accident happened yesterday while we are here on vacation and it took away our greatest 7.5 years,' Therese Mattingly wrote on a GoFundMe page set up for the family which has raised $150,000.

'Don't tell us you're sorry for our loss don't do that to us. We experienced the purest human being and we are forever changed by her.

'We love you beyond any stretch of the imagination. Our sweet Sloan. What we would give.'

Sloan died after being buried inside a sand hole and tried to save herself by grabbing onto her brother, Maddox, during her final moments.

The family of a seven-year-old girl have spoken of their heartbreak at the youngster's untimely death after being buried alive while on a Florida beach

The Mattingly family are pictured with nine-year-old Maddox, left, parents Therese and Jason and seven-year-old Sloan

Dad, Jason, posted a photo of the beach where the tragedy occurred the following day that saw a beam of sunlight shining down onto the shoreline

Floral tributes have been left close to the scene where the little girl lost her life

People have been leaving tributes for the seven-year-old on the beach in Fort Lauderdale

The Mattingly family expressed their profound heartbreak and shared the devastating incident on a GoFundMe page that has raised more than $140,000

It took 20 minutes to pull her out after the sand caved around her.

Sloan's grieving uncle, Chris Sloan, said the young girl kept trying to hold onto nine-year-old Maddox's leg to get out of the sand but eventually the boy could not feel her holding onto him anymore.

'We found out that after the sand had caved. She kept trying to grab up Maddox's leg to get up out of the sand and eventually he couldn't feel her moving anymore', Chris told KFOR.

He described Sloan as a girl with a 'lot of energy and just totally innocent'.

'She was always happy,' Chris said. 'She was really fun to be around. She had a lot of energy and just totally innocent, and that's what hurts the most in all this.'

Chris further said that the family rarely took vacations and were texting updates on the family group chat.

'They don't really go on vacation much, but they went to Ft. Lauderdale to the beach,' Chris said. 'They'd been posting pictures the last couple of days they've been out there on social media.'

Maddox was rescued and was taken to the hospital in stable condition.

Sloan Mattingly's grieving uncle, Chris Sloan said the young girl kept trying to hold on to Maddox's leg to get out of the sand but eventually the boy could not feel her moving anymore

Uncle Chris Sloan described Sloan as a girl with a 'lot of energy and just totally innocent'

'She kept trying to grab up Maddox's leg to get up out of the sand, and eventually he couldn't feel her moving anymore,' the uncle said

'I got a text message as did everybody on the group chat to call a number for a conference call.

'Once we all got on the line, my brother, David, said, 'Ok. What I have to tell you is going to be the worst news of your entire life'.

'And it was. He said that she had passed away, that Sloanie had passed away.

'The sand had been up to his [Maddox] chest, and he was screaming for help, and a lot of people did come and help. There's actually some video of that.

'She was non-responsive at the scene is what we know,' Chris said.

Sloan's older brother Maddox was able to be rescued from the hole first, and was taken to hospital in stable condition after also being injured in the collapse

Sloan with her dad Jason, who said she was 'full of life'

The family is seen on another holiday a few years back in a photo posted to Facebook

A crowd gathered to help try to dig the children out until the authorities arrived

Frantic passersby got on their knees and dug with their hands in a desperate attempt to reach the girl

The sand hole where seven-year-old Sloan died is seen taped off

Harrowing 911 audio released earlier this week revealed the frantic moments beachgoers attempted to save Sloan after she was fatally buried.

A panic-stricken witness can be heard telling a dispatcher how the mother of Sloan Mattingly, 7, was desperately yelling: 'My daughter is in there.'

'Everybody's screaming' the caller continued, as people cried out in the background: 'They do not see her head, they do not see her.'

After around 20 minutes, the young girl was eventually pulled out of the sand at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea beach in Florida, but tragically succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

A witness to the tragedy said 'everybody is screaming' after the sand hole Sloan was playing in collapsed, before dozens of bystanders rushed to help dig her out

Witnesses said the horror unfolded after Sloan and her older brother Maddox were playing in the hole when the ground gave way.

Separate audio of the 911 dispatcher alerting officers to the beach noted that around 20 bystanders had rushed to join the efforts to dig the girl out of the sand.

The person who initially called 911 began by telling the dispatcher there was 'a bunch of people trying to dig.'

She said she realized something was wrong when she heard 'the father yelling for help', who 'said his child is caught in a hole in the sand.'

'The mom's yelling, "my daughter is in there"', she continued. 'Everybody's screaming.'

Panicked screaming and yelling can be heard in the background of the audio, and the woman who called 911's voice broke as she warned the dispatcher: 'They have not gotten the child out yet.'

The family was visiting from Fort Wayne, Indiana when tragedy struck

Maddox was seen walking outside the hospital on Wednesday. He's pictured with his little sister Sloan

Parents Jason and Therese are pictured above

She said she couldn't detail the exact situation as 'everybody is surrounding' the collapsed hole, but noted that she couldn't see the young girl's head above the sand.

'Oh, this mother... oh this is awful,' they said at the conclusion of the call - seconds before a grief-filled wail was heard in the background.

The siblings, their dad and mom Therese, 36, were visiting from Fort Wayne, Indiana when tragedy struck.

Frantic cell phone footage showed a crowd of desperate beachgoers falling to their knees and using their hands to dig the children out of the sand.

Some tried to hold the walls back to stop more sand from collapsing in on the children.

Sloan did not have a pulse when she emerged from the sand and was declared dead at the hospital, according to officials.

Although sand hole deaths are very rare, they are not unheard of and there have been studies and warnings published about them.

Dad, Jason, had been updating the family on the progress of their vacation on social media

According to Dr. Stephen Leatherman from Florida International University's Department of Earth and Environment, deep sand holes can be a death trap.

The expert explained that once a person's body's is below the sand level, sand starts drying out immediately.

'When people dig holes more than two feet deep and get in them, at least where their body's below the sand level, sand starts drying out immediately.

'And dry sand can only hold a 33-degree angle and people dig these holes almost vertically.'

At that point, the sides of the hole usually begin to cave in very rapidly and sand begins to fall into the hole at an alarming speed.

Leatherman also pointed out that there is also a risk of someone stepping on the edge of a hole before the sand dries out and causing a massive collapse.

'The deeper the hole, the greater the risk,' the expert told NBC.
This is the chilling moment a British Airways pilot refused to answer questions about his wife's whereabouts after he killed her.

Video shows Robert Brown calmly answering 'no comment' when being interviewed by police who were desperately trying to find Joanna Simpson after his disappearance in October 2010.

The footage shows the killer stonewalling police after initially telling a 999 call handler that someone had been hurt during an incident at the couple's home in Ascot on Halloween.

It comes as the officer who interviewed Brown reveals how she was 'taken aback' by his behaviour and how she believes it was his attempt to control the situation he found himself in after bludgeoning his wife to death.

The footage is being released as part of The British Airways Killer, a documentary which will air on ITV1 and ITVX tonight about Joanna's brutal killing following an acrimonious divorce.

Robert Brown answered 'no comment' when interviewed by police about what had happened to his wife

In the interview the killer is asked repeatedly what has happened to Joanna Simpson, only to answer 'no comment' every time

Joanna Simpson was killed by Robert Brown at their home in Ascot in Autumn 2010 after the couple's acrimonious divorce

Brown, who bludgeoned Joanna to death at their home, has served 13 years of a 26-year sentence for her killing and recently launched legal action after Justice Secretary Alex Chalk blocked his automatic early release.

In the episode filmmakers reveal the contents of Brown's first interview with police, in which he frustrates them with his non-answers to their questions.

In the interview Detective Constable Melanie Ward can be seen probing the circumstances that had seen Brown end up in the police station.:

She says 'Joanna is missing. Blood has been found at her home in Tun Cottage. Robert, tell us everything you know about the whereabouts of Joanna.'

However, she does not get far with this line of questioning as the killer calmly responds: 'No comment.'

DC Ward questions his reason for being here, saying: 'But you've continued to want to speak to police and to come to the police station, is that correct?'

But once again, this only draws a reply of 'no comment' from Brown.

Speaking to filmmakers, DC Ward said she had gone into the interview with the British Airways pilot hopeful about getting answers.

She said: 'In my head at that time because he had handed himself in to speak to police, I was thinking something's happened, he's done something to her and he's going to come and tell us where she is.

'It was a remorseful "oh my God I've done this, this happened. Please help us, please help me, please help Jo".

Detective Constable Melanie Ward (pictured) said she was 'taken aback' by the killers behaviour in the interview

Brown (pictured here in his police mugshot) was jailed for 26 years after admitting to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility

Joanna (pictured here with her two children) told one friend that Brown had held a knife to her chest during their relationship

'The first thing that came out of his mouth was "no comment" and I remember being very taken aback.'

In another part of the interview Brown was played recordings from the call he made to 999 before attending the police station.

When asked by the call handler he is asked if the incident he was reported had 'occurred recently' to which he said 'yes, yes, last night'.

When asked by the operator if he and Joanna are ok and if anyone has been harmed, he is heard saying 'Well... well one person is [hurt].

In his interview with police, DC Ward asks 'who was harmed', to which Brown replies 'no comment'.

When asked by the call handler, 'Has that person seeked medical attention do you know? Do they need it?' he responds by saying 'Er, no'.

When police ask him about what he meant by that he responds once again 'no comment'.

Probing further, DC Ward asks 'was that because the person who has been injured doesn't need medical attention? Because they're not seriously injured?'

This draws him to say 'no comment' again, causing the detective to ask 'or is because the person doesn't need medical attention because they are dead?' only to receive another 'no comment' from the killer.

DC Ward says in an interview undertaken for the documentary: 'What "no comment" says to me, it's control. It's easy to hide behind it but I don't think Robert was hiding behind no comment, I think he was, that was his element of control.'

He would eventually confess to having killed her and dumped her body in Windsor Great Park.

Joanna (pictured) was initially reported missing from her home the morning after Halloween in 2010, with Brown eventually leading police to where he had dumped her body

The documentary also features interviews with Joanna's mother, Diana Parkes, and her friend Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, who talk about the moment they realised Brown was not all he seemed.

It also shows bittersweet footage of the couple's wedding, during which Brown said he 'can't help being choosy', while his father-in-law says Joanna's killer is a 'very lucky man'

Brown would later admit to manslaughter, but was cleared by a jury of murder after claiming he was suffering from an adjustment disorder brought on by their divorce.

READ MORE HERE: Killer BA pilot Robert Brown who battered his wife to death could kill again if he is released from jail, court hears Advertisement

He was sentenced to 26 years in prison and became eligible for automatic release after half of that, despite not expressing any remorse for his actions.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk blocked the ex-captain's release from prison last year, sparking legal action from Brown who claimed it was unlawful.

Earlier this month lawyers for the Ministry of Justice said Mr Chalk had referred the case to the Parole Board because of 'reasonable' fears that Brown could offend again.

They included fears he could commit murder, manslaughter or make threats to kill, the High Court heard.

Lawyer Iain Steele, for the Justice Secretary, said: 'The Secretary of State can decide not to release a prisoner on licence if he has reasons to believe he will be dangerous if released.'

He added: 'His [Brown's] risk is not manageable  We are dealing with a very dangerous individual.'

Since he was jailed in 2011 he has refused to cooperate with prison psychiatrists and psychologists, the High Court heard, and officials warned of his 'arrogance and narcissism'.

Lawyers for Brown said Mr Chalk's decision to block his release was unlawful and appeared to have been politically motivated, because of the campaign to keep him behind bars.

A ruling is expected later this year.
When police caught teacher Eppie Sprung half-naked in her car with one of her male pupils, the scandal destroyed her career, her marriage and her reputation.

She pleaded guilty to a charge of breach of trust, was placed on the sex offenders register and struck off the teaching register.

Now, in a searingly honest interview  her first since her conviction 12 years ago  Sprung has revealed the lasting damage on her life of the really bad choices she made, which has pushed her to launch a new lottery-backed charity to help reformed criminals find work.

Eppie Sprung heads to court during high-profile trial in 2012

Sprung, who was 26 when she was charged over her sexual relationship with a 17-year-old pupil at St Josephs College in Dumfries, said her criminal record will never be spent in any meaningful way, partly due to the intense media interest her story sparked.

Now 37, the mother of two told The Herald on Sunday: The time after my arrest was horrific. Teaching was my identity, I loved it. The punishment is never really over.

She said she accepts full responsibility for her actions, adding: I made some really bad choices.

But she laments the fact the public scrutiny that dogged her for years afterwards made it difficult to move on with her life.

Sprung, who is now remarried and lives in Dumfries, said even at her lowest ebb, there was always a voice in her head telling her that she really had some value still and is forever grateful for the full support of her family and close friends.

She said: My family kept me alive. All people have value and if they can hold on to that knowledge, they can hold on to their life.

She was fortunate a bar owner took a punt on me and offered her work after her conviction. She was then offered a job with a charity.

However, she has more examples that I can list of being turned down for opportunities.

Employment is such a struggle for people with a conviction, she said. Any employer can, with no legal recourse, just decide they dont want to hire someone and that is incredibly hard for people.

Because of the coverage, employers are often concerned I bring with me a reputational risk. If five years after my offence they are still writing about me, it reminds people.

Sprung was also given a six-month community payback order in 2012 for abusing her position of trust.

Dumfries Sheriff Court heard how the English teacher and the teenager were caught in the front seat of her car in a lay-by after she had driven him into the countryside following a school dance.

A passing police patrol spotted condensation on the car windows.

Sprung split from her husband of two years, lecturer Ranald Dawson, the son of Scotlands former Solicitor General Lord Dawson, and moved the youngster into her marital home, but things ended in 2015.

Sprung said follow-up Press stories sensationalised her offence, which meant everybody knew who I was, UK-wide, and I dont exactly have an obscure name.

Her conviction has unexpectedly impacted other areas of her life such as her house insurance which was cancelled after she disclosed it.

She added: I had fertility treatment to conceive my daughter and you have to answer questions about whether you have a criminal record.

If I were to conceive naturally, no one asks those questions.

In 2017, she started her own firm as a business growth specialist working with charities, but even here some clients withdrew from contracts she was involved in.

Her experience prompted her to set up Next Chapter Scotland (NCS), with lottery support, which aims to help people move on with their lives after crime.

She said she wanted to set up NCS partly to show her children she wont hide her conviction and is using it for positive ends.

She said: Im aware they are going to have to face the stigma of my offence and it would be better for them to have a mum who is using that experience for good.

She added: I hope we reach a point where society is more accepting of the fact people can make very bad choices, and yet that doesnt define their entire existence.
Taking a lap of honour in the aftermath of Scotlands historic Calcutta Cup win, James Robson didnt look like your typical rugby star.

But hes a pivotal member of the squad  patching up and repairing the countrys Six Nations heroes.

Dr Robson hoists the Cup

Saturdays epic victory over England at Murrayfield was his last there before retiring, and the team marked the occasion by holding him aloft as he held the iconic trophy.

Perched on the shoulders of prop Pierre Schoeman, the outgoing chief medical officer for Scottish Rugby won the adoration of the Murrayfield crowd, which included Scottish Hollywood actor Gerard Butler, after Scotland beat England for the fourth year in a row. He is set to retire at the end of the Six Nations next month.

Captain Finn Russell poses with Gerard Butler

Finn Russel celebrates with the trophy

Dr Robson, 66, joined the Scotland set-up in 1991 and in 2005 he became chief medical officer.

He said: Rugby is a fantastic sport and has given me a huge amount. Ill miss running the touchline at Murrayfield and feeling the energy off the crowd.
Hundreds of criminals are set to be freed early under an expansion of a scheme to relieve pressure on crammed prisons.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk announced in October that inmates serving up to four years in prison may be let out up to 18 days early under temporary emergency measures.

Now the space-saving scheme is being expanded to more jails to ease the overcrowding crisis. Originally, the End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSI) was meant to be used 'for a limited period' in 21 jails to reduce an 'acute and exceptional demand' on prison places.

'This power will only be used for a limited period and only in targeted areas,' Mr Chalk said.

Four months on and the scheme is being expanded to more jails.

End of Custody Supervised Licence space-saving scheme is being expanded to more jails to ease the overcrowding crisis (stock photo)

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk (pictured) announced in October that inmates serving up to four years in prison may be let out up to 18 days early under temporary emergency measures

Violent thugs serving time for wounding and assault are among those that could win early release. Pictured: HMP Holloway, Parkhurst Road Prison, London

And leaked guidance to prisons seen by Sky News suggests the scheme will continue to run for the foreseeable future.

READ MORE: Prison population hits highest level since 1900 with only 550 spare places left in crisis-hit jails Advertisement

The guidance says the scheme has been 'revised' and 'activated for an undefined period', plus 'updated to facilitate/support activation in new prisons'.

Officials have been unable to supply a date when the practice will end.

Anyone serving a life sentence, extended determinate sentence, or jailed for a serious violent, terror or sexual offence is excluded from the scheme.

But violent thugs serving time for wounding and assault are among those that could win early release.

Offenders guilty of domestic abuse crimes may also be eligible.

More than 250 prisoners were freed 18 days before their scheduled release date in the first two weeks of the emergency scheme.

It is the first time in more than 16 years that the Government has been forced to introduce an early release scheme because of the lack of space in prisons in England and Wales. Pictured: man reading a book while in HMP Pentonville

Latest figures show that 87,973 inmates are currently behind bars in England and Wales (stock photo)

Labour justice spokesman Shabana Mahmood (pictured) said the plans were 'extraordinarily damning'

That represented around one in eight prisoners freed at that time, with 1,000 inmates being released on average every week.

It is the first time in more than 16 years that the Government has been forced to introduce an early release scheme because of the lack of space in prisons in England and Wales. It was last done under Labour in 2007.

Prison 'SAS' units used twice a day A specialist prison riot squad was sent into jails the equivalent of more than twice a day last year, data has revealed. Described by some as the prison system's SAS, the National Tactical Response Group (NTRG) were deployed in England and Wales 794 times last year  an increase of nearly 40 per cent on the 2022 total of 570. The figures were revealed by the Labour Party in a series of written questions to the Government. Shabana Mahmood MP, Labour's justice spokesman, said the rise in deployments is a 'damning testament to the failure to manage our prisons. Prisoners are running riot. The Conservatives are putting the public at risk by losing control of our prisons.' A Ministry of Justice spokesman said in response: 'Violence is never tolerated in prisons which is why specialist staff will attend incidents where appropriate. We have also invested 100million on security measures to clamp down on issues which fuel violence behind bars.' Advertisement

Officials have refused to say how many criminals have already been released under the scheme, but offenders will remain on licence with conditions on their release.

Breach of the conditions could lead to the offender being recalled to custody.

Senior prison staff have been given criteria by which they could block inmates from early release.

However, the document stresses that doing this should only be in 'exceptional' circumstances. Latest figures show that 87,973 inmates are currently behind bars in England and Wales.

The number that can be held in 'safe and decent accommodation' in prison, known as the 'certified normal accommodation', is considered by the Ministry of Justice to be 79,507, meaning the system is at 110.6 per cent capacity.

Labour justice spokesman Shabana Mahmood said: 'This is extraordinarily damning  the Conservative Government cannot continue to extend and expand indefinitely what is supposed to be a temporary scheme with zero transparency.

'It is not a surprise to me given the scale of the Government's prison crisis that they have extended this scheme, but at the very least they should acknowledge the public have a right to know about the details of this scheme, and Parliament has a right to know.'

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'The terms of the End of Custody Supervised Licence scheme have not changed since it was announced in October.'

The spokesman added: 'It is temporary and only used to relieve pressure in prisons where necessary.

'Only offenders who are a matter of days away from release are being considered and anyone convicted of a sexual, terrorist or serious violent offence is excluded, with those who break the rules facing a return to jail.'
The mother of missing chef Claudia Lawrence has called for an end to her 'living nightmare' ahead of her daughter's 50th birthday on Tuesday.

Claudia was 35 when she mysteriously vanished after failing to turn up for work at the University of York on March 18 2009.

Police believe that the chef - who lived in the Heworth area of York - was murdered, although no body has ever been discovered.

Nearly 15 years after her daughter disappeared, Joan Lawrence, 80, is still searching for answers. Despite North Yorkshire Police conducting two investigations, the case remains unsolved.

'All I want on Claudia's birthday is to know what has happened. No matter how old your children are, they are still your babies,' the grief-stricken mother told The Mirror.

'This is draining for all of us. As a family, we have had to live in a state of limbo for far too long,' she added.

Ms Lawrence added that 'no parent should have to endure this amount of pain' and that she relives the horrors of her daughter's disappearance every day. Claudia's mother says she will buy her daughter a bunch of purple tulips and light a candle for her at church, as she does every year.

Claudia Lawrence (pictured) was 35 when she mysteriously vanished after failing to turn up for work at the University of York on March 18 2009

Nearly 15 years after her daughter disappeared, Joan Lawrence (pictured), 80, is still searching for answers

In the years since Claudia went missing, 12 people have been arrested but no charges have ever been brought.

Her disappearance sparked the biggest and most complex missing person inquiry in North Yorkshire Police's history.

Police activity around Claudia's case increased in 2021 when the North Yorkshire force spent two weeks searching a lake and nearby woods just outside York but hopes of a breakthrough were later dashed.

Teams of police experts, search dogs, divers and forensic archaeologists spent two weeks scouring a lake and nearby woods for potential spots where her body could have been left but nothing was found.

That same year, Claudia's father, Peter Lawrence, died aged 74. At the time of his illness, he was adamant investigators should continue looking for his daughter whatever happened to him.

Retired solicitor Mr Lawrence had tirelessly campaigned for information to try to find his daughter and had battled for legislation to help families in similar positions.

Mr Lawrence received an OBE for helping to shape the 2017 Guardianship (Missing Persons) Act, known informally as Claudia's Law.

Police officers searching the land at Sand Hutton Gravel Pits near York in connection with the disappearance in August 2021

Ms Lawrence's father, Peter (pictured together), died without knowing what happened to his daughter

The law, known informally as Claudia's Law, created a new legal status of guardian of the affairs of a missing person, allowing someone to act in their best interests after they have been gone for 90 days or more.

The new legislation means families can oversee the financial and property affairs of their missing loved one, if the person has been missing for 90 days - lessening what can be a huge burden at a traumatic time.

Although police believe that Claudia is dead, Ms Lawrence still maintains hope that her daughter is still alive until she has evidence to suggest otherwise.

She said the best present she could wish for on her daughter's birthday is 'answers'.
A nurse who was punched so hard she needed emergency treatment has prompted a hospital to introduce a 'red card' system for abusive patients.

Yvonne Ihekwoakba spent hours in A&E after a male patient became violent, hitting her in the stomach.

She is one of a number of NHS staff to receive death threats, physical abuse and racist slurs from patients, leading bosses to intervene.

Now, aggressive patients and visitors face being banned from Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust for up to 12 months. The trust has introduced body cameras to try to curb violence and aggression towards workers after cases of aggression doubled in the past three years.

Ms Ihekwoakba is now the face of the No Abuse, No Excuse scheme  which aims to reduce such behaviour towards staff. She said: 'My patient was verbally abusive when I offered him his medication. I tried to calm him down.

Yvonne Ihekwoakba (pictured) spent hours in A&E after a male patient became violent, hitting her in the stomach

King George Hospital in Goodmayes, East London (pictured), and Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex showed 75 recorded incidents last year, up from 36 in 2020

'The next thing I knew I was punched in my stomach and landed on the floor. I was in A&E for several hours.'

The hospital has also increased the visibility of security staff and now provides a 'de-escalation' training course for trust employees.

Security officer Mohammed Islam also encountered violence while on a shift. He said the experience left him questioning whether to return to the job, adding: 'I tripped taking a patient back to his room and he kicked me in the jaw. He broke my teeth, and I was bleeding.'

In the 2022 NHS Staff Survey, 28% of staff in England said they had faced harassment, bullying or abuse from members of the public while at work.

King George Hospital in Goodmayes, East London, and Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex  of the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust  showed 75 recorded incidents last year, up from 36 in 2020.

A trust spokesman said the organisation was making it more straightforward for staff to 'red card', or ban, an abusive patient from its hospitals 'when it is clinically safe to do so'.

Matthew Trainer, trust chief executive, said: 'Our staff should not be shouted at, hit, or subjected to racist abuse. It's happening more and more often, and we are taking action to respond to their concerns.

'Our message couldn't be simpler: No abuse, no excuse.'
EXCLUSIVE

Celeb chaser-turned cop Beau Lamarre-Condon made moves to pursue a new career in acting just days before he allegedly murdered his ex-boyfriend, Channel Ten presenter Jesse Baird, and his new partner, Luke Davies.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal Lamarre-Condon, 28, contacted an acquaintance who works in the entertainment industry two weeks ago asking for help putting together a showreel - a short video showcasing an actor's previous work.

Lamarre-Condon told his contact he wanted a demo tape for acting work, having set up a secondary Instagram for his creative pursuits under the name 'Beau London', which described the senior constable as an 'actor based in Sydney'.

'He asked for a showreel,' a source said.

Beau Lamarre-Condon, 28, was a celebrity chaser before becoming a NSW Police officer

FIVE KEY REVELATIONS FROM COPS' PRESS CONFERENCE 1. Jesse Baird had disclosed to friends that he was being stalked and a report was made to Bondi Police Station last August that there had been a break in at his Paddington home. Police said they believe Mr Baird and Lamarre-Condon were still in an on-off again relationship at that stage. 2. Police revealed that Lamarre-Condon had allegedly broken into the property 'a number of times' including going in to gain access to Mr Baird's phone, deleting contacts off the device, then leaving. 3. Neighbours reported hearing gunshots at 9.50am on Monday morning but did not report it to police at the time. Four minutes later, a triple-0 call was made on Jesse Baird's phone but it disconnected. 4. Police will allege that after killing the couple Lamarre-Condon met up with a female acquaintance on Wednesday and made 'partial admissions' about his crimes. The pair attended a store where Lamarre allegedly bought an angle grinder and padlock. Police will allege that Lamarre then drove the pair out to the Bungonia Property, which he had visited before during a former relationship, and severed the lock and replaced the lock with a new one. He then allegedly drove the vehicle to the back of the property where he spent 30 minutes while the acquaintance waited for him. Police said the acquaintance is an innocent party and was unaware the bodies were allegedly in the back of the vehicle. The pair then drove back to Sydney. Police will alleged Lamarre-Condon returned to the property later that evening after purchasing weights and disposed of the bodies. 5. Police believe Lamarre returned to the property sometime between 11.30am and 8.30pm on Thursday after the acquaintance became suspicious. They believe he may have allegedly moved the body to another location and they may not be in the dam which is being searched in the NSW Southern Highlands on Monday. Advertisement

This masthead can also reveal Lamarre-Condon, who worked as a youth officer, was just a week away from starting training for the Protection Operations Unit.

That unit oversees security of politicians, diplomats and other public dignitaries, and would have put Lamarre-Condon up close and personal with celebrities.

Police divers spent Sunday and Monday scouring dams at a remote property off Hazelton Road at Bungonia in the NSW Southern Tablelands, about 185km south-west of Sydney, not far from Goulburn.

A dinghy was seized from the property.

Earlier, Daily Mail Australia spoke to the property owner Fabrizio Cella.

Mr Cella described it as a 'weekend farm' and said no one was present there last week when Lamarre-Condon allegedly visited.

'The police are just following a lead. They rang me yesterday [Sunday] to request access to my site and all my neighbours,' Mr Fabrizio told Daily Mail Australia on Monday morning.

He also revealed there were four dams on the plot of land.

When asked if Lamarre-Condon had any known links to the site, the property owner said: 'None at all - the are just following leads.'

However, Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson told reporters on Monday the alleged killer may have been in a relationship with someone connected to the property in the past.

Deputy Commissioner Hudson revealed Lamarre-Condon had made 'partial admissions' to a female acquaintance the day after the alleged killings before then buying an angle grinder and padlock.

Condon-Lamarre and his female acquaintance then travelled to the rural Bungonia property where he used the angle grinder to break into a padlocked gate.

'I can indicate that at 11pm that evening, weights were purchased from a department store by the accused and it is believed that he returned to that rural property overnight and during that evening, having acquired also two torches from the acquaintance,' Mr Hudson said.

But Deputy Commissioner Hudson admitted police were still examining the possibility that Lamarre-Condon may have returned to the rural property to remove the bodies.

'It would appear that the accused was suspicious of the acquaintance that attended with him and about her beliefs of what he might have been up to and very likely may have returned to those bodies later that evening,' Mr Hudson said.

'In that case, we believe that he may have moved them.'

Lamarre-Condon is allegedly still refusing to help police by providing the location of the bodies of Mr Baird and Mr Davies.

It comes as Mr Baird's Network Ten colleagues started fundraising for donations to charities in his memory.

'Jesse was loved beyond measure in so many different circles - his Totally Wild fam, his Studio 10 fam, his AFL fam and so so many more,' GoFundMe organiser Tamara Simoneau wrote.

'We are all heartbroken but can't begin to imagine the pain his immediate family is enduring.

'They have graciously agreed to let us start this fundraiser and will donate most funds to charities in Jesses honour.'

The page has so far raised almost $14,000 in less than 24 hours.

Jesse Baird's mum's poignant tribute

Meanwhile, Mr Baird's heartbroken mother Helen, paid tribute to her son in the wake of his alleged murder by sharing a picture of the two of them together.

The post has been flooded with condolence messages from friends and family.

'Have had you and your family in my thoughts everyday,' a friend commented.

'Precious loving moment between a mother and her son,' another added.

Helen Baird shared a tribute photo alongside her son Jesse in the wake of his alleged murder

The post comes one day after Jesses cousin Austin shared an emotional tribute on Saturday evening - the first from the presenter's family to do so publicly - along with several photos of the pair together with loved ones.

Lamarre-Condon is accused of shooting Mr Baird, 26, and Mr Davies, 29, with his police firearm at his ex-boyfriend's Paddington home, in Sydney's inner east, sometime between 12am and 5.30pm on Monday February 19.

A desperate search was launched for the missing couple after their bloodied belongings were found dumped in a skip bin in Cronulla, in the city's south, on Wednesday.

Police will allege that Lamarre-Condon hired a rental van from a business in Mascot at 9.30pm that evening to dispose of the bodies - which are yet to be found.

His registered firearm was allegedly signed back into a suburban police station sometime on Tuesday, before he took sick leave from work.

He then allegedly drove the van to a property on Thursday night before driving back to Sydney the following morning and dumping the vehicle on a suburban street in Gray's Point.

He has been photographed alongside high-profile Hollywood stars, including Miley Cyrus

Lamarre-Condon allegedly killed his ex-boyfriend Jesse Baird (left) and Mr Baird's new partner Luke Davies (right)

Lamarre-Condon then handed himself in to Bondi Police Station before later being charged with two counts of murder.

On Monday, police divers will search a series of dams on a private property in the NSW Southern Highlands amid continued efforts to locate the bodies of Mr Baird and Mr Davies.

Daily Mail Australia understands detectives set up the crime scene at Hazelton Road at Bungonia after receiving a tip-off that Lamarre-Condon was spotted in the area in the days after the alleged murders.

Officers will also scour neighbouring bushland in hopes of finding evidence.

Lamarre-Condon did not apply for bail at a court hearing on Friday and is next due before Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on April 23.
Generous Mail readers were among the first to help Ukrainians escape the horrors of war.

Now businesses are being invited to join a 'sponsor a dream' programme offering educational and trauma support to conflict-scarred youngsters who have fled to the UK since the Russian invasion.

Arriving with little English and deeply troubled, many children have found it difficult to settle and schools have worked hard to integrate them into classrooms.

But a growing network of bilingual Ukrainian teachers  most of them also refugees  is offering a vital lifeline. Readers who donated to our Mail Force Ukraine Appeal have led the way in supporting this important work, but now the scheme is expanding to bring in businesses to offer sponsorship.

Food giant Nestle is the first to throw its weight behind St Mary's Ukrainian School, based in London, which is running the nationwide programme to bring educational support workers into classrooms. But more firms are needed to reach further children.

Food giant Nestle is the first to throw its weight behind St Mary's Ukrainian School, based in London, which is running the nationwide programme to bring educational support workers into classrooms (pictured: St Mary's Ukrainian School choir)

Arriving with little English and deeply troubled, many children have found it difficult to settle and schools have worked hard to integrate them into classrooms (pictured: children from St Mary's Ukrainian School)

Yehor Kyselov cannot shake off the memories of sheltering from the bombs in the freezing basement of his school in Kherson.

The nine-year-old, who now lives in Hillingdon, west London, said: 'I miss Ukraine, and when we arrived here I could not speak to the other children. But now I love it when his support worker comes to my class. It helps me a lot.'

His mother Tamara, 39, who was a nurse in Kherson, said: 'Yehor didn't want to leave his dad. It is hard for us to settle here because our hearts and our souls are still at home. But the British people have helped us so much.'

Around 36,000 Ukrainian youngsters have made Britain their temporary home  most of whom fled with their mothers, while their fathers stayed behind to fight the Russians.

The 'sponsor a dream' scheme is the brainchild of Inna Hryhorovych, headteacher at St Mary's, who was awarded an MBE last year. Firms that sign up can pay as little as 500 to provide the essentials to support a child for a year.

Yulia Kalchenko, 44, a doctor who fled to Britain from Sumy with her son Mark, seven, said: 'When we first arrived, he was crying at night.

'He misses his labrador puppy, his cat, his home. Now he has good friendships with British children.' Ukrainian schoolteacher Tetiana Kyrylenko, 35, who looks after her daughter Olia, nine, said: 'Even if they didn't see a single bomb, all the children are traumatised by being torn from their homes.'

Tetyana Yablonska, mother to eight-year-old Alisa, told how 'hell was happening' in their home city. 'Alisa saw everything,' said the 41-year-old filmmaker.

Businesses are being invited to join a 'sponsor a dream' programme offering educational and trauma support to conflict-scarred youngsters who have fled to the UK since the Russian invasion (pictured: three pupils at a Ukrainian school in Holland Park, London)

Yehor Kyselov cannot shake off the memories of sheltering from the bombs in the freezing basement of his school in Kherson (pictured: damaged buildings in Kherson in February 2023)

'She could feel it when the missiles landed. She thinks of the Russian soldiers as invading zombies.'

Mail readers and other donors raised an incredible 12million through the Mail Force charity for refugees after the war broke out in February 2022.

To help, go to: https://donate.stmarysukrschool.co.uk
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government has signalled it wants to rely less on Chinese international students and give foreigners at university an easier path to permanent residency.

International students accounted for more than a quarter of all enrolments in Australia in 2022 with 450,000 foreigners paying fees directly.

The fees of these international students contributed a fifth of all university funding and make up Australia's fourth largest 'export' - education - after iron ore, coal and natural gas.

But the Australian Universities Accord Final Report, released on Sunday by Education Minister Jason Clare, also hinted Australia needed to dilute its reliance on China, Australia's biggest source of international students which had imposed trade sanctions in 2020.

It recommended an Australian Tertiary Education Commission be established with a view to reducing Australia's reliance on a small number of countries for international students.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese 's government has signalled it wants to rely less on Chinese international students and give foreigners at university an easier path to permanent residency (pictured are students outside the University of New South Wales in Sydney)

'The review recommends that the Australian government and the commission work together to manage volatility in demand where possible, including by diversifying markets to avoid overreliance on a small number of countries,' the review said.

The review hinted Australia could diversify away from China and towards India, which last year overtook China to be the world's most populous nation.

'While China remains Australia's major two-way trading partner and single largest source of international students, India is now the world's most populous nation with the largest youth population in the world,' the report said.

'This presents considerable opportunities for Australia.'

The report also suggested international students needed to have more pathways to permanent residency.

'This includes addressing issues associated with a "permanently temporary" visa status  where migrants remain in Australia without the opportunity to acquire permanent residency,' it said.

'Improving transparency, clarity and communication about the Australian visa system would improve migration outcomes for international students.'

Under existing rules, international students can buy an existing property in Australia to live in but they must sell within six months of graduating and leaving the country.

Permanent residents face no such restrictions and don't have to seek approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board to buy any property or block of land.

Almost two-thirds, or 65.2 per cent, of international students came from Asia, with China, India, Nepal, Vietnam and Indonesia high on the list.

Unlike local students, who can defer their tuition fees until well after graduation, international students pay upfront, giving universities a lucrative revenue stream.

The report also recommended that international students seeking a pathway to citizenship study courses to get a graduate job in an area with a skills shortage, and avoid overcrowded big cities.

'Some international students seek a migration pathway,' it said.

'In line with the Australian government's Migration Strategy goal for a better targeted system, the tertiary education sector should encourage these students to study courses linked to Australian skill shortages and to study in regional locations.'

Under existing rules, international students can buy an existing property in Australia to live in but they must sell within six months of graduating and leaving the country. Permanent residents face no such restrictions (pictured is a property seminar in Sydney)

The report also highlighted the need for international students to have better 'migration opportunities and positive employment outcomes'.

A record 518,000 permanent and long-term migrants, on a net basis, moved to Australia in 2022-23, which included international students along with skilled migrants.

Almost a third or 29.5 per cent of Australians were born overseas in 2022.

Australia is particularly reliant on overseas immigration to have a pool of working-age people with those aged 65 and over expected to account for 23.4 per cent of the national population by the 2062-63 financial year.

While more migration, including from international students, boosts the supply of labour, it also adds to demand for housing, leading to higher rents and house prices.

Median capital city house prices rose by 11 per cent in the year to January, to $944,229, compared with a 4.7 per cent increase in regional areas to $621,301, CoreLogic data showed.
Millions of young Aussies could pay $1,000 less a year in student loans through a 'shake-up of the HECS-HELP system to make it 'fairer and simpler'.

Education minister Jason Clare flagged the possible change following the release of the biggest review of the higher education system on Sunday.

The Universities Accord published the review calling on the government to make multiple changes including doubling the number of university places by 2050.

Reduce fees and increase the country's tertiary education attainment rate from 60 to 80 per cent over the next 25 years were also among the recommendations.

The most notable suggestions were to slash HECS-HELP repayments and introduce a tiered repayment structure where graduates on lower incomes paid back less.

'For example, if we were to go down this path, it says that someone on an income of $75,000 a year would pay every year about $1,000 less,' Mr Clare said.

Griffith University professor Stephen Billett said he supported some of the reforms - especially the reduced HECS payments.

'Whilst this amount may not seem much, it will be welcomed,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Millions of young Aussies could save $1,000 a year less in student loans through a 'shake-up of the HECS-HELP system to make it 'fairer and simpler'

The Universities Accord review has called on the government to double the number of university places by 2050 and reduce fees for certain subjects

'It is a statement about recognising the difficult circumstances that Australian tertiary students face.'

The Albanese government will consider the changes as it finalises its next budget.

The Universities Accord recommends a review of bank lending practices 'to ensure that HECS-HELP loans are not like other types of loans and are not treated in a way that unduly limits peoples' borrowing capacity for loans'.

'Unless someone earns sufficient income, there is no obligation to repay (HELP debts), and as such they should be treated differently,' it states.

Mr Clare told ABC Insiders that HECS-HELP needs to be 'simpler and fairer'.

'We will look at those [recommendations] and cost those and prioritise what we do first in the response we put out in the next few months,' he said.

The government will also consider a recommendation to tie indexation to the wage price index, rather than the consumer price index.

Mr Clare said he would put proposals to the expenditure review committee but signalled the work needed to reform the higher education system would take years.

'We can't do all of this right away,' he said.

'This is bigger than one budget, but we do need to get started now to build the foundations for long-term reform.'

The review outlines targets including increasing the proportion of university educated Australians aged 25 to 34 to 55 per cent by 2050, and the broader tertiary education attainment rate to 80 per cent.

Other recommendations set out how to better support students as they study, including a 'jobs broker' to help students find part-time work and work experience, and the increased availability of fee-free preparation courses.

To achieve these targets, the government would need to double the number of Commonwealth-supported students at university from 860,000 to 1.8 million by 2050.

The education minister said he hopes too do this by helping more kids from 'poor families' get a 'crack at university'.

Mr Clare has ambitious plans to increase the number of bright students from the outer suburbs and regions go to TAFE or university.

The Education Minister said he hopes too do this by helping more kids from 'poor families' get a 'crack at university'

This means students whose families earn less than $54,000 a year will be guaranteed a place in a degree if they meet admission benchmarks.

The Universities Accord, chaired by former NSW chief scientist Mary O'Kane, argued that many more from disadvantaged backgrounds will have to graduate in order for the country to have enough workers to do the 6.3 million additional jobs that will that require a degree by 2050.

It recommended having no cap on the number of places available to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and giving those students additional funds to support their learning.

To reduce the risk of dropping out, the report has also recommended the creation of more foundation to provide students with academic and study skills before they start a degree.

HECS-HELP loans let students defer the cost of a university degree, by borrowing from the federal government and then repaying the debt through the tax system.

Graduates must pay one per cent of their income towards their debt once they start earning $51,550 a year.
Donald Trump's resounding victory over Nikki Haley in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday came as immigration was overwhelmingly the most important issue for voters.

The former president trounced Haley by 60 points to 40 in the Republican primary in a humiliating defeat.

Exit polls showed immigration was the most important issue for 41 percent of voters, well ahead of the economy on 31 percent.

Trump has based much of his campaigning on his pledge to tighten up defense of the border against illegal immigration.

Haley, the former UN Ambassador, has based much of her campaigning on her foreign policy experience.

But only 11 percent said that was the most important issue, according to a CNN poll.

MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell warned that the numbers behind Trump's triumph in South Carolina do not give him a path to the White House

The former president did not mention Nikki Haley by name in his South Carolina victory speech as he cast his eyes forward to November's general election

Haley, insisted she would remain in the race with more than 700 delegates up for grabs on Super Tuesday' March 5 when 15 states and one territory will cast their votes

Trump has swept all the contests so far, winning Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, and could be crowned as early as March 12 if results continue to go his way.

However, one in five Republican primary voters now say they will not vote for him in November, according to surveys.

That would be enough to hand the race to Joe Biden who won Saturday's Democrat primary hands down.

'These numbers are disastrous for Donald Trump,' claimed Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC as the results came in.

'It's the reason I mentioned the big forgotten number of South Carolina, which is Joe Biden getting 96%, okay?

'That's what you're supposed to get, alright, and Donald Trump's not going to come close to that.'

'He's going to leave that on the table, belonging to another candidate. All you need, all you need, is 5% of the 30%. We're talking about a sliver.'

The former president said he had 'never seen the Republican Party so unified as it is right now', as he held a victory rally in a Colombia hotel ballroom on Saturday night.

'I just wish we could do it quicker.'

It has been more than 50 years since a Republican presidential candidate has clinched the GOP nomination without winning their home state.

But Haley insisted she was in for the long haul, telling her supporters: 'I know 40% is not 50% but I also know 40% is not some tiny group.

'There are huge numbers of voters in our Republican primaries who are saying they want an alternative.'

Sixty percent of voters in the South Carolina primary voters identify as white evangelical or born-again Christians and Trump won three-quarters of their votes.

The average age of voters was older than in any previous election in the state and three-quarters of those without a college degree voted for Trump.

But a Bloomberg poll at the end of last month found that a majority of voters in key swing states would not vote for the ex-president if he were to be convicted in any of the 90 felony counts he is facing over his last period in office.

O'Donnell's fellow panelists agreed the figures looked bad as the results came in with Rachel Maddow calling it 'not a good look', and Stephanie Ruhle declaring Biden the 'winner of the night'.

But the liberal media has a long history of underestimating the width of Trump's support and his campaign warned it risked the same sort of complacency it showed before Hillary Clinton lost to him in 2016.

'This is going to be a referendum against Joe Biden and his policies,' a Trump adviser told Mediaite.

'As long as Trump can tap into voter disillusion about the economy, out-of-control immigration, and more foreign entanglements, those are issues that affect people from all backgrounds.'

Trump now has 110 delegates to take to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 15 when the winner is formally declared.

The liberal panel on MSNBC's election night coverage agreed with O'Donnell's analysis

His only remaining rival has 20 of the 1,215 needed to secure the nomination but more than 700 are up for grabs on 'Super Tuesday' March 5 when 15 states and one territory will cast their votes.

Trump however is already looking forward to November when he insists he will win back the White House he lost in 2020.

'For hardworking Americans, November 5 will be our new Liberation Day,' he said in a speech to the conservative CPAC conference yesterday.

'But for the liars and cheaters and fraudsters and censors and imposters who have commandeered our government, it will be Judgment Day.'
Surveillance footage captured the moment a gunman wielding an automatic weapon unleashed a hail of bullets on a blacked-out BMW in suburban Vancouver.

The early morning shooting occurred at around 12:25 am PT on Thursday in Metro Vancouver's White Rock, and left four men hospitalized in serious condition.

The video, obtained by Radio Punjab, provides a glimpse into the chaotic events that transpired as a gunman on foot opens fire at a driver seemingly attempting to exit a parking lot, leaving the SUV riddled with bullets on the driver's side.

The incident appears to be targeted, though the authorities are yet to identify the suspects, according to White Rock RCMP Constable Chantal Sears.

'There were definitely multiple rounds fired but we don't know if there was one shooter or multiple shooters at this time,' Sears told CBC.

Multiple witnesses alerted the authorities when they heard the sound of gunfire and a subsequent vehicle collision near the intersection of Roper Avenue and Lee Street.

Upon arrival at the scene, law enforcement found the four injured men alongside a black BMW SUV, riddled with bullets, which had collided with a fence and hedge.

Shortly after the shooting, a potential suspect vehicle was found engulfed in flames in neighboring Surrey, B.C, however, Sears noted that a definitive link has not yet been established.

The four injured victims are expected to survive, Sears told the outlet.

The early morning shooting occurred at around 12:25 am PT on Thursday in Metro Vancouver's White Rock, and left four men hospitalized in serious condition

Shortly after the shooting, a potential suspect vehicle was found engulfed in flames in neighboring Surrey, B.C

Various law enforcement agencies are assisting in the ongoing investigation - including White Rock RCMP, the Lower Mainland District Integrated Police Dog Services, the Integrated Forensic Identification Services, Surrey RCMP, and the Surrey Police Service.

This comes as as authorities in British Columbia announced the dismantling of a major criminal organization involved in the manufacturing and distribution of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pharmaceuticals - in a separate development.

Eight men with ties to organized crime were arrested in Metro Vancouver communities such as Surrey, Richmond, and Delta, one of which was later connected to a gang-related murder plot.

Last year, the province of British Columbia which includes Vancouver  announced the start of a three-year experiment to decriminalize all hard drugs.

Last year, the province of British Columbia which includes Vancouver  announced the start of a three-year experiment to decriminalize all hard drugs. (Pictured: Medics attend to an overdose victim in Vancouver in May 2022)

Health officials have said it was meant to break down the barriers and stigma of drug addiction and reducing the rising number of fatal overdoses by ensuring that drug users can access pure supplies safely manufactured by pharmaceutical companies.

Some 14,000 people have died from fatal overdoses in British Columbia  currently an average of five a day  since the province, which has a population of 5.3 million, declared a public health emergency in 2016.

In 2021, fentanyl  which dealers mix into other drugs because it is cheap and incredibly strong  was involved in 87 per cent of these deaths. In Vancouver alone, at least 2,200 addicts live in tents.
A former detective has admitted hopes are fading of ever finding missing mother-of-three Samantha Murphy alive.

Ms Murphy, 51, vanished from her home in Ballarat East, Victoria, more than three weeks ago after going on an early morning run through nearby bushland on February 4.

But no trace of her has been found, despite massive searches by police and an army of volunteers in the Canadian State Forest and Woowookarung Regional Park.

Now ex-detective Meni Caroutas, host of The Missing Australia podcast, has admitted: 'It's not looking good'.

Samantha Murphy, 51, (pictured) vanished while out for a 7am jog in the Woowookarung Regional Park beauty spot near Ballarat, Victoria on February 4 and hasn't been seen since

Police have now launched a major new ground search after phone data led them to a specific area of bushland 6km from where she was last seen

Ex-detective Meni Caroutas (pictured), host of The Missing Australia podcast, has admitted hopes are fading of finding Ms Murphy alive

Detectives revived the hunt for Ms Murphy over the weekend after announcing a targeted search of a new area at Mt Clear, 6km away from her family home.

The latest location is closer to the phone tower in Buninyong which was said to have registered a ping from Ms Murphy's mobile phone at about 5pm on the day she vanished.

But the new search still failed to locate any new clues.

'Police are throwing a lot of resources at this, so it's obviously very serious,' he told Sky News Australia host Holly Stearnes.

'I think police initially would have spoken to the family to find out what the lady's routine was, to find out as much information about her as they can, but also to eliminate those close to her.

'Then what happens, once they speak to the family and find out all they can, then police cast a wider net.

'But given all the resources police have thrown at this and the fact she's still missingit's not looking good.

'I pray for a miracle buthopefully there's someone that has information and, they need to pick up the phone and call police.'

Police admitted on Friday that they now believe that Ms Murphy 'most likely' met with foul play while on her run, and 'one or more parties' could be responsible.

They also said Ms Murphy's husband Michael was now a 'person of interest' in the investigation, along with her 'everyone else in her life'.

Ms Murphy's husband Michael (pictured ) is now a 'person of interest' in the investigation, along with her 'everyone else in her life', said police

Detectives now believe 'one or more parties' are behind her mystery disappearance

Ms Murphy's family earlier revealed how Mr Murphy raised the alarm when she failed to return in time for a planned family brunch.

Ms Murphy's uncle and aunt, Allan and Janice Robson, told Daily Mail Australia Mr Murphy made the call to police himself two hours after she failed to return home at 9am on February 4.

'She was reported missing at about 11am. Mick reported her missing. He said she was supposed to be back to go to some sort of meeting that morning,' Allan said.

'She wasn't home. Didn't go to it... he rang up and reported it and after that they started looking out the other side of Buninyong, which is 20-30km away.'

The major new development has seen a significant number of detectives from across Crime Command and other specialist commands join local police in the hunt.

The extra detectives on what has become Victoria's highest priority police inquiry include personnel from the sex crimes, counter-terror, fraud and armed robbery divisions in Melbourne.

But police sources stress they travelled to Ballarat due to their experience with difficult investigations rather than a suggestion of a terror or sex crime link.

The team will also continue to work closely with local police.

Investigators are currently in the process of reviewing about 12,000 hours of CCTV footage and following up over 500 separate pieces of information.

Ms Murphy's family earlier revealed how Mr Murphy raised the alarm when she failed to return in time for a planned family brunch

Detectives revived the hunt for Ms Murphy over the weekend after announcing a targeted search of a new area at Mt Clear, 6km away from her family home

The official police search was scaled down but community-led searches are still going strong
France has deported a Tunisian cleric who allegedly called the country's flag satanic.

Mahjoub Mahjoubi, 52, was flown to North Africa just 12 hours after his arrest over sermons said to go against French values.

His deportation last Thursday is seen as a demonstration of tough immigration laws brought in by president Emmanuel Macron.

Mr Mahjoubi had gone viral on social media after apparently referring to France's three-coloured flag as 'satanic'.

He was arrested and deported despite living in the country since the 1980s and raising five children there.

Unlike them he did not have French citizenship and had his residency permit cancelled.

Mahjoub Mahjoubi, 52, (pictured) was flown to North Africa just 12 hours after his arrest over sermons said to go against French values

His deportation last Thursday is seen as a demonstration of tough immigration laws brought in by president Emmanuel Macron

Mr Mahjoubi had gone viral on social media after apparently referring to France's three-coloured flag as 'satanic'

The official order for Mr Mahjoubi's expulsion said that in sermons he had given a 'retrograde, intolerant and violent' image of Islam that would encourage behaviour against French values, discrimination against women, 'tensions with the Jewish community' and 'jihadist radicalisation'.

DAILY MAIL COMMENT

Increasingly, we see people live in this country but who decry and insult long-held British values. Even so, we tolerate their odious presence here. Yet in France, a Tunisian cleric is arrested, during a protest, for anti-Semitic rhetoric and abusing the national flag and he is deported 12 hours later, despite having lived in the country for 38 years. If the French can do it, why can't we? Advertisement

The imam also referred to 'the Jewish people as the enemy' and called for 'the destruction of Western society', the indictment said.

He also allegedly described the tricolore  without saying he meant the French flag  as of 'no value to Allah'.

Mr Mahjoubi, who runs a construction company, claimed it had been a slip of the tongue, adding: 'I will fight to return to France, where I have lived for 40 years.'

He said his family, including his youngest child who is in hospital for cancer treatment, depended entirely on him.

'My lawyer is going to take legal action in France. If the court does not grant me justice, I will appeal, and then I will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights,' he added.

'I did not insult the Jewish community, nor the flag of France.'

Interior minister Gerald Darmanin said that the expulsion was a demonstration that a recently approved immigration law 'makes France stronger'.

The law toughening migration conditions was seen as part of the government's response to the rise of the far Right in opinion polls.

Interior minister Gerald Darmanin said that the expulsion was a demonstration that a recently approved immigration law 'makes France stronger'

'Firmness is the rule,' said Mr Darmanin, who slammed what he called a 'radical imam who made unacceptable comments'.

Mr Mahjoubi said his expulsion was an arbitrary decision and Mr Darmanin was using his case to 'create a buzz around the immigration law'.
One day after South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham was booed mercilessly on stage next to former President Donald Trump, a clip of the politician harshly criticizing the likely Republican presidential nominee has resurfaced.

In the video, Graham - who, at the time, himself competing in the 2016 Republican presidential primary - calls Trump a 'race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot' who 'doesn't represent my party.'

Graham, in the CNN interview, goes on to criticize Trump's approach to what was then the threat of the Islamic state in the middle east.

He claimed Trump's rhetoric was endangering US soldiers abroad and helping ISIS recruitment numbers. Graham dropped out of the primary less than two weeks after the interview aired.

Senator Lindsey Graham is still plagued by his formerly anti-Trump views

Graham claimed Trump's rhetoric was endangering US soldiers abroad and helping ISIS recruitment numbers

Over Trump's time in office, Graham came around on the de facto leader of the Republican party and ahead of this presidential contest, Graham endorsed Trump's bid during the summer of 2023.

But despite now having seemingly good relationship with Trump, Graham is not so well loved by Trump's die-hard MAGA supporters.

Following Trump's monstrous win in the South Carolina primary on Saturday, Graham - who is at this point a Trump campaign surrogate - hopped on stage to speak in support of the former POTUS, only to be met with a massive round of boos from the crowd.

Trump did Graham no favors by introducing him as 'a little bit further left than some people on this stage.'

Loud boos then broke out and kept up as Trump tried to tame the crowd.

'No, no. Remember,' Trump said, but the boos continued. 'I love him, hes a good man. Come up here Lindsey,' Trump said.

'America, the nightmare you are facing is just about over,' Graham said, to some cheers but mostly continued boos.

Trump returned to the microphone and attempted to moved.

Trump also shouted out South Carolina GOP Chair Drew McKissick, who was booed.

At that point, Trump said: 'We have a highly opinionated group of people!'

Trump, on Saturday, got on stage in the early evening to speak after running away with a victory in South Carolina.

The win delivered him a four-state sweep of the early Republican primary contests - including the ones in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada.

'This was a little sooner than we anticipated,' Trump joked to a crowd of cheering supporters.

Not even a minute after polls closed at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, the race was called for Trump - an embarrassing defeat for Nikki Haley.

Haley's loss on Saturday marks the first time a Republican candidate has lost their home state primary election in more than 50 years. The time it happened was when Richard Nixon lost California's primary to Ronald Reagan  who was also from California.

Trump celebrating win in Columbia, South Carolina minutes after the state's primary was called for him just after 7 p.m.

Donald Trump embarrassed Nikki Haley in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday as he ran away with a victory in the Republican primary

Speaking to reporters on Saturday ahead of polls closing, Graham said: 'Republicans have made up their mind.'

He added that he respects and admires Haley, but the sooner she drops out of the race, the better.

Haley, however, feels differently.

She said during a 'state of the race' speech last Tuesday that she was 'far from' ending her bid despite her underwhelming performance in the primary so far and dismal polling that consistently shows her trailing Trump in national and state elections by large margins.

The former South Carolina governor said she plans to stay in until Super Tuesday on March 5, when 15 states and an astounding 874 delegates are up for grabs in that single day.
The alleged killer cop accused of shooting dead Channel 10 roving reporter Jesse Baird and his Qantas flight attendant lover Luke Davies had previously sneaked into the TV star's home, police alleged on Monday.

Detectives also revealed a mystery triple-0 call was received by emergency services on the morning celebrity chaser Beau Lamarre-Condon, 28, is accused of murdering the couple.

But the call at 9.54am last Monday from Mr Baird's phone in his home disconnected before anyone spoke and detectives did not follow it up, NSW Police admitted today.

The call came through four minutes after neighbours say they heard shots coming from the $3million rented terrace home in Paddington in Sydney's east.

But investigators say no-one reported the gunshots to police until quizzed by detectives days later.

A mystery triple-0 call was received by emergency services on the morning alleged killer cop Beau Lamarre-Condon (pictured with Taylor Swift) is accused of shooting Ten roving reporter Jess Baird and his lover Luke Davies

Detectives believe Jesse Baird, 26, (left) and Luke Davies, 29, (right) were allegedly shot dead in Mr Baird's Paddington home at 9.50am last Monday

A triple-0 call came through four minutes after neighbours say they heard shots coming from the $3milion rented terrace home in Paddington in Sydney's east (pictured)

Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said investigations were still continuing into the number of shots fired but neighbours' reports varied from 'one to several'.

'Four minutes after the shots were fired, there was a Triple-0 call made from Jesse's phone, however it disconnected,' he said.

'Nothing was said or heard from my understanding...very brief.'

In a lengthy press conference on Monday morning, police outlined detailed new evidence in the alleged double murder.

The hunt is still continuing for the bodies of the two men, with divers scouring dams in Bungonia, in the Southern Tablelands, after Lamarre-Condon allegedly travelled to a property there last week.

He is still refusing to help detectives with the investigation or reveal the location of the bodies.

Police have investigated multiple crime scene locations in Sydney, as well as others north and south of the city

Police also allege Lamarre-Condon had previously sneaked into Mr Baird's home and wiped key contacts and messages from his phone after a dispute between the Mr Baird and the celebrity chaser-turned-cop.

Mr Baird, a presenter and producer on Ten's Studio 10, had previously told friends he feared he was being stalked at his home and had seen a shadowy figure in his bedroom one night.

'My understanding was [the relationship] was an on and off-again,' said Dep Comm Hudson.

'Some of the behaviour of the accused which will later come out in court was probably indicators.

'The relationship, which ended at the end of last year, did not end well.

'We allege that the accused had attended Jessie's home address. We allege that he had utilised a key to enter those premises.

'We allege that he took possession of Jesse's phone and deleted contacts and messages out of that phone before before leaving the premises.

'At this stage we are piecing all that together through witnesses.'

In a lengthy press conference on Monday morning, Deputy Commissioner David Hudson (pictured) outlined detailed new evidence in the alleged double murder

Police allege Beau Lamarre-Condon (pictured) had previously sneaked into Jesse Baird's home and wiped key contacts and messages from his phone after a bad break-up between Lamarre-Condon and Mr Baird.

The hunt is still continuing for the bodies of the two men, with divers scouring dams in the Southern Tablelands after Lamarre-Condon allegedly travelled to a property there last week

Dep Comm Hudson said there was a number of 'entrances to the premises' of Mr Baird's home that had not been reported to police at the time.

But he said detectives would investigate claims Mr Baird made a written report to Bondi Police about a break-in to his home last August.

He added that Lamarre-Condon frequently hid the fact that he was a serving police officer when meeting people.

He added: 'The accused was not totally forthcoming about his employment with his acquaintances.

'There were many people that we have spoken to who were unaware that he's a police officer.'
Rishi Sunak is facing a 'Red Wall backlash' after sacking Lee Anderson over his claims that Sadiq Khan was 'controlled by Islamists'.

The former Tory deputy chairman had the whip removed on Saturday after his comments sparked widespread outrage - including from senior Tories - with the London Mayor hitting out at the 'Islamphobic, anti-Muslim, racist' remarks.

There are now rumblings amongst some Tory MPs who have claimed their inboxes are full with support for Mr Anderson, with one constituent suggesting his suspension was the 'final nail in [the Conservative] party's coffin'.

It comes as Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden suggested yesterday that while Mr Anderson's comments were 'not acceptable', if he apologises the party will 'make a determination at that point'.

Mr Dowden told Times Radio: 'Words matter, and he didn't choose the right words. He was given the opportunity to apologise, didn't apologise and therefore had the whip removed.'

Rishi Sunak is facing a 'Red Wall backlash' after sacking Lee Anderson over his claims that Sadiq Khan was 'controlled by Islamists'. Pictured: Mr Anderson and Mr Sunak in January

The Tory deputy chairman had the whip removed on Saturday after his comments sparked widespread outrage

London Mayor Sadiq Khan hit out at Mr Anderson for his 'Islamphobic, anti-Muslim, racist' remarks

'If he apologises, we'd look at the nature of that and make a determination at that point,' he added. 'But that's a matter for the chief whip.'

Mr Dowden also said he did not believe Mr Anderson was 'intending' to be Islamophobic when he made the remarks that led to his suspension from the party.

Meanwhile, Mr Khan accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of 'enabling anti-Muslim hatred in the Conservative Party.

Leader of the Reform Party Richard Tice, however, said that Mr Anderson's comments reflected the concerns of 'millions of Britons'.

Private messages seen in a Tory MP WhatsApp group by the Telegraph reportedly highlighted fears of a backlash from voters in traditional Labour seats in the so-called Red Wall that the party tackled in 2019.

No MP is said to have outwardly expressed support for Mr Anderson in the group chat, however, have suggested that it is constituents who have concerns.

Jill Mortimer, MP for Hartlepool - a seat that the Tories took from Labour in 2021 - shared an email from a constituent that read: 'Today's news of Lee Anderson's suspensio has been the final nail in your party's coffin'.

The MP asked others if they had received similar to which Sarah Dines, MP for the Derbyshire Dales, said she had but claimed they were from constituents who were 'not known supporters'.

Yesterday Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden suggested there was room back in the party for Mr Anderson if he apologised

Mr Anderson has served since 2019 as MP for Ashfield, one of the previously Labour seats in the so-called red wall

Sarah Atherton, MP for Wrexham in North Wales, added that she had 'an instant backlash from members' prompting a cause for concern.

One unnamed MP speaking of Mr Anderson told the paper: 'He's an idiot for saying what he did and should have apologised but he's not a racist and speaks for the silent majority in this country who feel Westminster has abandoned them.'

The latest commotion with the party began after Suella Braverman claimed that 'the truth is that the Islamists, the extremists and the anti-Semites are in charge now'.

The former Home Secretary had been making the comments with regards to the pro-Palestine protests that have been taking place each Saturday since war broke out between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East.

It sparked an immediate debate where Mr Anderson announced on GB News: 'I don't actually believe that the Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is they've got control of Khan and they've got control of London.

'He's actually given our capital city away to his mates, he added, leading critics to brand him a racist. When he refused to apologise the whip was removed.

Business minister Nus Ghani and senior backbencher Sir Sajid Javid had been among Tory figures joining a growing chorus of criticism from across the political divide over the remarks.

The latest commotion with the party began after Suella Braverman claimed that 'the truth is that the Islamists, the extremists and the anti-Semites are in charge now'

Hundreds gather outside the parliament to stage a protest in support of Palestinians as a proposal calling a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza is being debated in the parliament on Wednesday night

Parliament descended into chaos last week following a row over the Common's Speaker's handling of a vote on Gaza and concerns for MPs' safety. Pictured: Sir Lindsey Hoyle on Wednesday

Senior backbencher Sir Robert Buckland criticised the interventions on Sunday, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Mr Anderson's remarks were 'racist' and 'repugnant', and that 'proper Conservatives' want to bring the country together.

Anyone opposed to that agenda should 'get out and join another party,' he said.

The Prime Minister is yet to comment publicly on the remarks - with Mr Khan claiming his 'silence' amounts to 'tactic endorsement' of Islamophobia.

The furor comes after one of the most fractious weeks that Westminster has seen since the Brexit years forcing Mr Sunak to issue a statement warning of the dangers that polarisation and extremism could have on UK politics.

Parliament descended into chaos last week following a row over the Common's Speaker's handling of a vote on Gaza and concerns for MPs' safety.

'Legitimate protests hijacked by extremists to promote and glorify terrorism, elected representatives verbally threatened and physically, violently targeted, and antisemitic tropes beamed onto our own Parliament building,' Mr Sunak said.

'And in Parliament this week a very dangerous signal was sent that this sort of intimidation works. It is toxic for our society and our politics and is an affront to the liberties and values we hold dear here in Britain.'

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is yet to comment publicly on Mr Anderson's suspension

Mr Anderson was deputy chairman of the Tory Party until resigning in January to rebel against Mr Sunak's legislation to revive the stalled plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda

Mr Anderson was deputy chairman of the Tory Party until resigning in January to rebel against Mr Sunak's legislation to revive the stalled plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda.

He was among some 60 Conservatives who voted in favour of an amendment that sought to ensure UK and international law cannot be used to prevent or delay a person being sent to Kigali under the scheme.

Mr Anderson has served since 2019 as MP for Ashfield, one of the previously Labour seats in the so-called red wall where voters switched to the Tories post-Brexit to give Boris Johnson his landslide victory.

The Muslim Council of Britain welcomed the MP's suspension but said the Conservative Party has 'an Islamophobia problem' and his remarks are 'only the tip of an iceberg'.

A Conservative spokesperson said: 'An investigation and subsequent independent review, both conducted over several years by professor Swaran Singh, found no evidence of institutional racism in the Conservative Party.'
Broadcaster Kate McCann said she felt 'ashamed' for failing to report the spiking incident that led to her waking up on the bathroom floor at 4am to police.

The Times Radio host, 35, revealed yesterday that she had been a victim of spiking explaining how she had been targeted by a 'brazen' group of men who did it in plain sight while she was at a bar on a night out.

After receiving a huge response from others who had been drugged, Miss McCann said: 'I pieced together what had happened when I woke up in the morning, having left the bar hours earlier. The next day was a blur.

'I could not have made it to a police station or hospital even if I had wanted to, I was so ashamed that I did not report what happened to me. I wish now that I had. At the time I was not sure what I would be reporting, or what proof I could provide.'

Have you been a victim of spiking? Email eirian.prosser@dailymail.co.uk

The presenter explained that she had 'made it home safely', nothing had been stolen and no other incident occurred. By the time she came around the drugs were out of her system and she had not informed anyone at the bar.

Broadcaster Kate McCann last night revealed that she was spiked in a bar on a night out by a 'brazen' group of men who did it in plain sight and 'didn't care who saw it happen

The Times Radio host, 35, yesterday revealed she had been a victim of spiking explaining how she had been targeted by a 'brazen' group of men

In a post on X, formerly Twitter , the Times Radio host shared details of her awful experience in a response to an article about the drink and drugs spiking epidemic in Britain

'It happened to me. I really didn't expect it at all. I was out for a drink with a group of colleagues in a London bar after work, she told Sunday's morning show.

She said they all got drinks and put them down on the table and then one of her friends said: 'Someone's just put something in your drink.'

Recalling the terrifying ordeal the political editor said: 'We asked the bar staff to tip out all the drinks and get us news ones but by that point it was too late, I had already taken a sip.

'Twenty-minutes later I started to feel strange, very hot, I couldn't focus. I couldn't stand straight, couldn't see straight. I went to the toilet and then managed to book and get in an Uber.'

However, Miss McCann said she 'doesn't remember the journey home or getting in the house' and 'woke up at 4 in the morning on my bathroom floor'.

Miss McCann said that she didn't tell her work colleagues that she thought she had been spiked and believes there is a 'sense of embarrassment' admitting you have been spiked.

She said there is a worry that 'people will just think you've had too much to drink'.

Re-reading the messages she had sent to her friends and colleagues following the ordeal, the broadcaster realised she had tried to 'make light of the situation, shrugging it off to friends and colleagues'.

A YouGov poll revealed that 11 per cent of women and 6 per cent of men said they had been spiked

Miss McCann said that she didn't tell her work colleagues that she thought she had been spiked and believes there is a 'sense of embarrassment' admitting you have been spiked

Her parents advised her to report it to the police but another person suggested the journalist may have simply had more to drink than she realised.

Miss McCann initially shared the details of her experience on X in a response to an investigation in The Sunday Times about the drink and drugs spiking epidemic in Britain.

Since her post, there has been an outpouring of women and men sharing their spiking experiences with one X user sharing that her husband had once been spiked.

Miss McCann replied: 'That's awful. It's such a strange thing, I still can't work out what they had to gain?

She added: 'I was in a big group and there was no way to isolate me really - I don't understand the point. Perhaps best not to think too hard about it maybe.'

One reply that seems to challenge the idea that spiking is a common problem said: 'I hear a lot about it and also have never met anyone that has had the experience either. So i's not one per cent of people that go on a night out even is it, is my point.'

The political editor responded: 'Anecdote definitely doesn't match data - I think that's a very good argument for more work to be done to figure out exactly how widespread it is.

Confusion, hallucinations and suddenly acting paranoid are among the signs that a person's drink has been spiked

'When I mentioned it to friends a number had similar experiences or knew people who had, so I think it's just not openly discussed.'

In another post Miss McCann spoke about the difference in feeling drunk compared to the feeling of being spiked.

She said: 'The one thing I would say about whether people get confused about just being too drunk is that being spiked feels nothing like being drunk - even really really drunk.

'It's a totally different and really horrid feeling which you KNOW isn't just alcohol. Like being out of your body.'

Since sharing her experiences, Miss McCann said she has been met with a flood of responses from other women, concerned parents, couples and men.

'The number of men and couples tis happens to, as well as far too many women, suggests that the motive is not always straight forward,' she added.

Others spoke of how medical professionals accused them of being too drunk, bouncers who chucked them out of venues without offering ay help or pubs that failed to follow up, shrugging off people's reports.

One man had been alone at a village pub when he was spiked waking up in hospital.

The Political Editor responding to a reply that seems to challenge how common spiking is

Ms McCann's reply to someone who had chimed in on the conversation and shared that their husband has once been spiked

In 2022 Miss McCann fainted and collapsed live on air during a Tory leadership debate between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

Around half-an-hour into the televised debate a loud noise cause Ms Truss, who was the Foreign Secretary at the time, to hold her face in shock as she exclaimed: 'Oh my God!'.

The broadcast feed was swiftly cut and the debate was subsequently cancelled on the advice of medical experts present at the studio in Ealing, west London.

Miss McCann said there had been 'no warning signs' prior to the incident other than normal 'good heart-hammering nerves' when the debate went live.

Data on spiking doesn't truly reveal how common the practice is because so many victims do not report it to the police who have only recently started tracking the figures.

Between 2022 and 2023 the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) registered 6,732 spiking incidents reported to the police, 4,643 of which were administered by drink, 957 by needle and the remainder by unspecified means.

However, the true figures are thought to be a lot higher.

A YouGov poll revealed that 11 per cent of women and 6 per cent of men said they had been spiked.

Conservative MP Laura Farris told The Sunday Times: 'Spiking is now part of an MP's weekly casework.

'People, mostly a parent of the victim, increasingly write to say this is an issue. It happens often.'

In December the Home Office announced and set out a number of practical steps it is taking to protect people and crackdown on spikers.

This included staff at venues that attract spikers being given training on how to spot them and more investment in drink spiking tests.
The suspected illegal immigrant killer of student nurse Laken Riley, 22, had previously been arrested by police in New York City last September.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, of Athens, was charged in Riley's killing with felony murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping and concealing the death of another and was denied bond on Saturday morning.

But just five months ago, Ibarra was arrested and charged 'with acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation,' according to ICE.

The NYPD released him 'before a detainer could be issued,' the agency said.

New York City is also a 'sanctuary city,' which usually restricts law enforcement from complying with ICE detainers.

Ibarra posted several photos on his Facebook from a trip to New York City he took in recent months. He was also arrested in the city in September 2023

UGA murder victim was killed by 'blunt force trauma' police investigating her death said

On the day of the murder, Riley's suspected killer, Ibarra, uploaded a selfie onto his TikTok account in which he stared into the camera and grinned

Ibarra's wife, Layling Franco, said she was surprised to hear her husband was the alleged suspect in the Georgia murder but that he 'should face the consequences' if found guilty

Ibarra, who was married, had been working for DoorDash, Uber Eats and a local restaurant at the time of his arrest for endangering the welfare of a child.

He was caught in Queens, New York riding a gas-powered moped with his wife's son on the back, without any helmet or restraint for the child.

ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations' Atlanta Field Office has since lodged a detainer against Ibarra following his arrest on Friday. He is currently being held at the Clarke County Jail.

Prior to his arrest by the NYPD, Ibarra had posted pictures to social media of him touring the sites of the Big Apple.

Officials confirmed that Ibarra is not a US citizen and did not know or have any kind of relationship with Riley

Jose Antonio Ibarra of Venezuela is seen in some of his TikTok videos. Ibarra is accused of murdering nursing student Laken Riley on the University of Georgia campus

He has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another

Jose Antonio Ibarra of Venezuela as seen in one of his TikTok videos on a trip to New York

On Sunday, ICE confirmed that Ibarra is a Venezuelan migrant who is not a United States citizen.

His wife, Layling Franco, told the New York Post she was surprised to hear her husband was the alleged suspect in the Georgia murder.

'I have a lot of faith that this wasn't him, that there was a misunderstanding somewhere. But if he did, he has to pay for what he did, truly,' Franco said.

'We got married so we could join our asylum cases. He was the person I thought I could see through. We've known each other our entire lives.

'He wasn't aggressive, none of that,' Franco insisted. 'We had problems as a couple but our problems weren't physical. We wouldn't punch but we'd raise our voices.'

Riley's mother Allyson Phillips shared photos and a video of Riley during the Augusta University nursing program's white coat ceremony on Facebook in August 2023

Allyson Phillips, Riley's mother, has posted several photos and videos over the years of the entire family

Riley was found dead in a wooded area near Lake Herrick on Thursday afternoon.

'We wish to thank the public for their prayers and thoughts during this tragic time,' the devastated family said in a statement.

'Laken was an amazing daughter, sister, friend and overall person in general. Her love for the Lord was exemplified in every aspect of her life.

'She will be missed every day, but we promise to honor her life moving forward in a very big way.

They added: 'During this most difficult time, we ask that you respect our privacy, and provide us the time and space necessary to grieve our daughter's life that was tragically cut short.'

Riley was reported missing after he concerned roommate told police she had not returned from a jog.

She was killed by 'blunt force trauma,' police confirmed.

'The individual was unconscious and not breathing and had visible injuries,' UGA Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark said in a statement.

Ibarra, 26, crossed into El Paso, Texas in September 2022 but had been released from a detention center due to a lack of space.

Now Republicans including Marjorie Taylor Greene have called for Ibarra to receive the death penalty.

'Ibarra is an illegal alien and murdered a young woman the age of my own children. Deportation is not enough. He deserves the death penalty,' the Georgia representative said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, has been identified and charged for allegedly murdering nursing student Laken Riley, 22, at the University of Georgia in Athens

Police search a wooded area at the University of Georgia after the shock discovery Thursday

Ibarra was active on Facebook prior to his arrest but his account is now deactivated

Riley, 22, was found dead Thursday afternoon after her roommate reported her missing, saying she had not returned from her jog

Officials have confirmed that Ibarra is not a US citizen and did not know or have any kind of relationship with Riley

The University of Georgia said Riley graduated from the school in 2023, and went on to enroll at Augusta University's nursing program, which has a campus in Athens

'You want to break in our country, ILLEGALLY, and murder one of our girls. DEATH PENALTY!' She added in another.

Ibarra has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, concealing the death of another and failure to appear for a finger printable charge.

Cops said that he did not know the victim and the crime was a 'random, solo act.'

UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark told reporters at a press conference on Thursday that officers have searched Ibarra's apartment in Athens and evidence shows that he acted alone.

'He did not know her at all. I think this is a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual and bad things happened,' Clark said.

'The evidence is robust. It is supported by key input by the community, physical evidence and expert police work. Importantly, we were assisted by video footage from our campus security cameras network.'

Riley was a senior nursing student enrolled at Augusta University College of Nursing at Athens who grew up in Woodstock, Georgia.

Before she earned her undergraduate degree at UGA in 2023, she graduated from River Ridge High School in 2020.

Riley was a member of her high school's cross country and track teams and was described as 'an outstanding scholar athlete' by Cherokee County School District Superintendent Brian Hightower.

She was also a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.
Sadiq Khan was last night facing fresh questions over his public spending habits amid scrutiny of London's globe-trotting 'night tsar' who has been jetting around the world despite more than 1,100 bars and clubs shutting in the capital in just the past three years.

Amy Lame, the woman put in charge of rejuvenating night culture in the city, has been criticised for travelling to Australia, Italy and Spain while presiding over the decline of London's nightlife.

City Hall last night insisted the trips were essential to 'share best practice learn from other cities and build partnerships', but critics say Ms Lame - who is on 117,000-a-year working for the Mayor and also works as a DJ on BBC Radio 6 - is struggling to justify her trips abroad.

Industry chiefs and Tories are questioning whether she is providing value for money as startling figures show the capital is falling behind cities such as Liverpool and Birmingham.

It comes as Mr Khan sparked fury for splurging more than 6million on a woke rebrand of the Overground and a string of other projects including the derided 'say Maaate' anti-harassment campaign and the controversial New Year's Eve fireworks diversity display.

Amy Lame, pictured here with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, travelled to Australia, Italy and Spain in the space of 12 months in her role as 'night tsar'

Ms Lame (second left) pictured with night mayors from other countries at a meeting in Sydney

While nightlife in many cities is struggling to bounce back following the pandemic and is now suffering a double hit with the cost of living crisis, the decline has been more marked in the capital than elsewhere.

READ MORE HERE - What a total waste of money! Furious Londoners blast London mayor Sadiq Khan for spending 6million on renaming Overground lines so they are more 'inclusive' Advertisement

Figures from Square-Up, a firm which processes payments for businesses, said that in terms of the sheer number of transactions Liverpool and Birmingham have now overtaken London.

One survey found that 1,165 venues have closed in London since pandemic, and the head of one industry body says that while all cities in Britain are facing issues, Ms Lame has to answer for London's poor performance.

Michael Knill, the CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), told The Times that he believes that while the 'night tsar' has to oversee all 32 boroughs of London - a job that is far greater than others in her position elsewhere - there are still questions that need answering.

He said: 'There is a big difference between signposting and virtue signalling and driving tangible change. We see a lot of announcements but not so many results.'

He claimed 'the industry feels there hasn't been a strong enough voice for us' and that while there have been worthwhile initiatives such as the women's night safety charter, more is needed.

Ms Lame's trips abroad - which saw her travel to Sydney, Bologna and Madrid in the space of 12 months in 2022 and 2023 - were not paid for by the taxpayer and were instead funded through private donations.

However, they have still raised questions about whether they are a good use of her time, with Mr Knill saying 'we have got such economic pressures at home, people in the industry are saying, 'Why are you there when you should be here?''

Peter Fortune, Conservative London Assembly member for Bexley and Bromley, told the publication he was not necessarily against Ms Lame travelling abroad to promote the city.

He said: 'But I want to see outcomes as a result of those trips. What's happened as a result of Australia, of Bologna? Where's the bang for the buck?'

Ms Lame (right) pictured with the vice mayor of Bologna (centre) and the night mayor of Trento (left) during a trip to Italy

The trips taken by Ms Lame, who also works as a presenter for BBC Radio 6, were funded through private donations

Ms Lame took up the role of London's night tsar in 2016 and since then has seen her salary rise from 80,000 to 116,925

A spokesperson for Mr Khan said figures from UKHospitality showed revenue in London's hospitality sector had risen by 3billion to 46billion in four years. They claims live music and hospitality 'defied all expectations' last year.

The Mayor has come under criticism in recent weeks for what is seen by some as 'misplaced priorities' when spending taxpayers money.

Earlier this month travellers slammed Mr Khan for spending 6.3million from the Greater London Authority budget on renaming and recolouring all six London Overground lines.

The majority of the money went on updating customer information, such as redesigning and redisplaying maps across all Tube and London Overground stations, and issuing new versions in print and online.

There was scorn from some quarters as the names - Lioness, Mildmay, Windrush, Weaver, Suffragette and Liberty - were revealed, with Khan himself admitting 'not everybody is going to be happy'.

In January a report compiled by the Conservatives accused the Mayor of wasting 123million of taxpayers money, a sum disputed by sources within his own team.

Tories in the London Assembly said Khan was wasting millions of pounds on 'spin doctors, marketing and pointless initiatives'.

This includes 10million on five-day workshops for the Met Police and staff which had a test to 'determine the colour' of their personalities, almost 1million on 'beach parties' and 500,000 on free advertising for a vaginal moisturising company.

Transport for London paid 115,275 to DNCO for five months of 'naming research', MailOnline revealed.

The majority of the 6.3million rebrand cost will go towards updating signs and maps across the transport network and public address announcements will be re-recorded from the autumn.

Mr Khan has stood by his decision in the face of criticism and claims it was a 'shamelessly political' policy in an election year, hailing the new names as reflecting 'London's rich culture and history'.

Mr Khan and Transport for London chose DNCO for the project after they named the road that the new City Hall in the Royal Docks, Newham.

The ended up with Kamal Chunchie Way - in honour of the late Sri Lankan minister and anti-racism campaigner - after 'Londoners' Square' and 'Ship Horns Yard' were rejected.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan unveils the new Overground lines at Highbury and Islington yesterday. His names have caused a split

The new Lioness, Mildmay, Windrush, Weaver, Suffragette and Liberty lines on the Overground

DNCO bills itself as 'an agency that we are using that specialises in creative community engagement'.

Transport for London, the body run by Mayor Khan and responsible for the network also including the Tube, says it has given the six routes distinct identities to make it easier for passengers.

The Lioness, Mildmay, Windrush, Weaver, Suffragette and Liberty lines were revealed by the Mayor of London.

But Mr Khan's Tory mayoral rival Susan Hall said: 'The only surprise from today's announcement is that he hasn't named one of them the Sadiq line.' Conservatives MPs said Mr Khan was 'just putting a new lick of paint over a creaking transport system'.

Others highlighted the cost, which comes six months after TfL was saved from bankruptcy by the Government with a 3.6billion bailout.

TfL's crime report revealed there had been a 50 per cent rise in violence and aggression against Tube staff, up from 431 incidents between April and September in 2022 to 647 incidents in the same period in 2023.

The announcement also comes four days before a major Overground strike will hit services from next Monday. Mr Khan, who is standing for re-election as the capital's mayor on May 2, caused outrage last year with his Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) expansion  and is now battling for a third term with his recent decisions to freeze travel fares and make Fridays off-peak from next month. Overground lines have all been identified as orange since the network was created in 2007.

Each route will be represented on Tube maps as parallel lines in different colours. Ms Hall told the Mail: 'A thousand people have been killed under his mayoralty, and yet Sadiq Khan is only interested in this virtue signalling nonsense.

'The only surprise from [the] announcement is that he hasn't named one of them the Sadiq line.'

Paul Scully, a former minister of London, said: 'Londoners just want a mayor who can get them from A to B on time, at reasonable cost and in a degree of comfort, not just spraying a word cloud of virtue signalling at a cost of 6million of taxpayers' money. He's just putting a new lick of paint over a creaking transport system rather than doing the job Londoners expect.'

London Overground rail lines are being given individual names and colours in a major overhaul

And Bob Blackman, the Conservative MP for Harrow East, said: 'Another woke idea from a mayor who becomes more ridiculous every day.'

But Mr Khan welcomed the naming of lines, adding: 'We are honouring and celebrating different parts of London's unique local history and culture.'

The 'night tsar' was also among those targeted in the report, with the Conservatives claiming 70,000 of taxpayers money was spent on a drag act called 'Duckie Loves Fanny' which was hosted by Ms Lame.

But the Mayor's office fired back, branding the report 'misleading' and attacking the government for failing to provide enough cash to fund the capital's public services.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: 'London's first-ever Night Czar is doing an important job to support and promote sectors of London's economy worth billions of pounds.

'The night-time industries have faced huge challenges in recent years, due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic, rising rents and business rates, staffing shortages due to Brexit, and the Government's cost-of-living and cost-of-doing-business crisis.

'The Night Czar has worked closely with businesses, venues, boroughs and Londoners to support them throughout these challenges and last year London's hospitality industry sales outpaced the rest of the UK.

'The Night Czar's work includes standing up for the 1.3m Londoners who work evenings and nights to ensure better pay and conditions, protecting hundreds of venues and helping many new ones to open, and creating the ground-breaking Night-Time Enterprise Zone programme to boost the capital's high streets.

'Amy is helping to put women's safety at the heart of more than 2,1000 organisations, making licensing easier to navigate, and supporting boroughs to develop night-time strategies to plan better for all aspect of life at night.'
A network backed by billionaire Charles Koch has decided to pull funding for Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley as it 'takes stock' after her loss in her home state.

Americans For Prosperity Action, the influential conservative organization backing Haley in the Republican presidential primary, has decided to cease its financial support for her campaign.

CEO Emily Seidel announced on Sunday that the group's political arm, AFP Action, needed to reassess its spending priorities following Haley's defeat in the South Carolina primary.

AFP has allocated over $32 million in support of Haley, since endorsing her in late November, according to records from the Federal Election Commission. The group, founded in 2004, is one of the most influential American conservative organizations, backed by billionaire brothers Charles Koch and David Koch.

'She has made it clear that she will continue to fight and we wholeheartedly support her in this effort,' Seidel wrote. 'But given the challenges in the primary states ahead, we don't believe any outside group can make a material difference to widen her path to victory.'

Americans For Prosperity Action, the influential conservative organization backing Haley in the Republican presidential primary, has decided to cease its financial support for her campaign

Americans for Prosperity Action has allocated over $32 million in support of Haley, since endorsing her in late November, according to records from the Federal Election Commission (Pictured: Bill and David Koch, 2017)

The Koch-back group said it would shift its focus to competitive Senate and House races instead, Seidel said in an internal email obtained by POLITICO.

Despite expressing support for Haley's ongoing efforts, Seidel said the group believes that external backing would not significantly impact her chances of victory - acknowledging the challenges that remain ahead in the primary states.

'If Donald Trump is at the top of the Republican ticket, the risk of one-party rule by a Democratic Party captured by the Progressive Left is severe and would do irreparable damage to the country,' Seidel wrote Sunday.

'The last three election cycles have painted a very clear picture of what we can expect from voters who consistently rejected Donald Trump and his impact on the Republican party brand.'

'And we should expect this to increase further as the criminal trials progress.'

Americans for Prosperity (AFP), founded in 2004, is one of the most influential American conservative organizations, backed by billionaire brothers Charles Koch and David Koch

CEO Emily Seidel announced on Sunday that the group's political arm, AFP Action, needed to reassess its spending priorities following Haley's defeat in the South Carolina primary

This decision marks another setback for Haley's presidential aspirations, as she has faced defeats in multiple early primary states.

Despite her significant loss to former President Donald Trump in her home state of South Carolina, Haley has vowed to continue her campaign at least until Super Tuesday on March 5.

Americans For Prosperity Action had previously financed advertisements and field operations aimed at persuading Republican voters to support an alternative to Trump.

In November, the group officially endorsed Haley as their preferred candidate against Trump.

The group has since engaged millions of voters in addition to spending over 30 million dollars worth of ads on Haley's behalf.

'AFP is a great organization and ally in the fight for freedom and conservative government. We thank them for their tremendous help in this race,' Haley's campaign said in a statement on Sunday.

'Our fight continues, and with more than $1 million coming in from grassroots conservatives in just the last 24 hours, we have plenty of fuel to keep going. We have a country to save.'

Nikki Haley's loss on Saturday marks the first time in more than 50 years a Republican presidential candidate lost their home state in the primary election

Donald Trump took another step towards a general election rematch with Joe Biden by decimating Nikki Haley in her home state in the South Carolina Republican primary.

Trump declared his swift victory at his Election Day party held on the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia, saying with a smirk: 'This was a little sooner than we anticipated.'

Trump's victory builds on the surging momentum he has built coming out of wins in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.

Haley's loss on Saturday marks the first time a Republican candidate has lost their home state presidential primary election in more than 50 years. The previous was Richard Nixon, who lost California's primary to Ronald Reagan  who was also from California.

Former President Donald Trump took the stage to declare victory in the South Carolina primary in Columbia on Saturday evening

But Haley said during a 'state of the race' speech on Tuesday that she was 'far from' ending her bid despite her underwhelming performance in the primary so far and dismal polling that showed her trailing Trump in national and state elections by large margins.

The former South Carolina governor said she plans to stay in the 2024 Republican primary until Super Tuesday on March 5, when 16 states and a territory hold contests and an astounding 874 delegates are up for grabs in that single day.

Trump spoke for just over 20 minutes  and even after he left the stage, the Associated Press was only reporting 6 percent of the vote counted in South Carolina.
The head of the British Army has warned that underfunding has left the military's ability to mount overseas campaigns in jeopardy, according to a leaked letter.

General Sir Patrick Sanders suggested that Britain's defences have been 'asset-sweated' and the Army is in danger of becoming a 'domestically-focused land force'.

The Chief of the General Staff also hit out at plans to allocate military houses based on family sizes rather than rank.

In a letter to former generals leaked to The Sunday Telegraph, he wrote: 'For some time, we have asset-sweated the military. Our strategic resilience is at risk, and we might inadvertently reduce ourselves to a smaller, static and domestically focused land force. I am not sure that this is either the Army the nation needs, or the one that policymakers want.'

Last month, General Sir Patrick said the country should 'train and equip' a citizen army for a future land conflict.

General Sir Patrick Sanders, the head of the British Army

General Sir Patrick said for some time, Britain has 'asset-sweated' the military, causing our strategic resilience to be at risk. Pictured: Britain's armoured vehicles prepare to move at the Tapa Military Camp in Estonia on January 19

The Ministry of Defence's controversial new housing initiative, the New Accommodation Offer (NAO), would see properties allocated based on family size - instead of rank (stock photo)

Major General Julian Thompson (pictured), who commanded Three Commando Brigade in the Falklands, backed criticism of the new housing initiative, arguing it will cause mid-rank commanders to leave if it goes through

Colonel Richard Kemp, who commanded troops in the Middle East and Northern Ireland, said General Sir Patrick's letter was concerning given the unstable global situation.

UK missiles cost 1m each British missiles used to defend Red Sea shipping from attacks by Iranian-backed rebels cost more than 1million apiece, it has emerged. On Friday, UK and US forces carried out more strikes against 18 Houthi targets across eight locations in Yemen including underground weapons and missile storage facilities, air defence systems, radars and a helicopter. Each Sea Viper missile fired by British forces costs more than 1million. The rebels say they are targeting boats with links to Israel to support Palestinians. A survey by the British Chambers of Commerce suggests more than half of UK export businesses have been affected by the disruption to shipping caused by the Houthis. Advertisement

He said: 'It is very worrying that given the multiple threats from China, Russia and Iran, our Armed Forces have been gutted of the resources required to fight effectively.'

Elsewhere in the letter, General Sir Patrick appeared to criticise the Ministry of Defence's new housing initiative, the New Accommodation Offer (NAO), which would see properties allocated based on family size.

A petition set up by Army wives calling for a review of the policy has gained more than 16,000 signatures.

It warns that retention rates in the forces will continue to suffer if the policy goes through unchanged.

The Army chief wrote that presented 'a risk to the social fabric of the Army'.

Major General Julian Thompson, who commanded Three Commando Brigade in the Falklands, backed his criticism, saying the Army will lose mid-rank commanders if it goes through.

General Sir Patrick also defended the Army's controversial diversity policies.

He said: 'I make no apology for seeking an Army that reflects the society we serve.'

An MoD spokesman said: 'Our Armed Forces are always ready to protect and defend the nation, with more than 50billion being spent on defence this year alone... to ensure the Army has the highest quality equipment for the battlefield.'
Follows firestorm over approach to grandma being Tasered

Police commissioner asked why it took three days to address the public

The NSW Police Commissioner has snapped at a reporter during a press conference into the alleged murder of former Channel Ten roving reporter Jesse Baird and his boyfriend Luke Davies.

Beau Lamarre-Condon, a NSW Police Senior Constable, was charged with two counts of murder on Friday over the deaths of Mr Baird, 26, and his boyfriend Mr Davies, 29, at a home in Sydney's inner suburbs on February 20.

Lamarre-Condon is a former partner of Mr Baird and is accused of using his police Glock pistol to shoot him and Mr Davies at Mr Baird's Paddington house, before he allegedly drove their bodies to an unknown location.

He has not told investigators where the bodies allegedly are, but police believe they could be at a remote property in Bungonia, in the NSW Southern Tablelands - about 185km from where the alleged murders took place. An extensive search of the area is underway.

During a press conference into the tragedy on Monday morning, police chief Karen Webb was confronted with a brutal question about her leadership.

Seven News' Robert Ovadia asked why it took her three days to address the media after the murder charges against a member of the NSW Police Force were laid.

The commissioner tried to explain she was at a parliamentary estimates hearing on Friday and an LGBTIQ event on Saturday, which meant couldn't possibly have held a press conference.

Jesse Baird (left) and his boyfriend Luke Davies (right) were allegedly murdered in Sydney on February 20

Beau Lamarre-Condon (pictured), a NSW Police Senior Constable, is accused of shooting the couple with his police gun

Mr Ovadia cited a situation last year where a police officer allegedly blasted a 95-year-old grandmother with a Taser at an aged care facility. She died in hospital soon afterwards.

The police chief came under heavy fire for steadfastly refusing to watch the video of Claire Nowland allegedly being hit with the Taser.

He noted: 'Last year, a police officer allegedly Tasered a 95-year-old woman, that was historic too, and on both occasions it has taken you days to publicly address this.

'Are there questions over your leadership?'

Commissioner Webb smiled and said: 'No, and that's offensive.'

She then explained how she was in Parliament when the accused handed himself in at Bondi police station on Friday, and therefore couldn't have addressed the media immediately.

The commissioner went on to say she was at a LGBTIQ event in Bronte, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, on Saturday and couldn't have held a conference that day either.

She then took aim at media, adding: 'I don't remember seeing too many media there, but I was there.'

The NSW Police Force is already in damage control after a special commission of inquiry into LGBTIQ hate crimes found officers were hostile to victims' families and did not adequately or fairly investigate each matter.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb (pictured) snapped at a reporter during a press conference on Monday

The owner of the Bungonia property, who lives in Melbourne, said no one was present there last week. There are four dams on the property (three largest are circled)

When asked whether media were informed about the event on Saturday, because news outlets did not find out via a release from NSW Police, Commissioner Webb conceded she didn't know because it was a private event.

Another journalist asked Commissioner Webb why she couldn't have left budget estimates on Friday to address the alleged double murder.

'Could you not leave estimates, is that what you're saying?... Is there no lunch break where you could step down and address the media?'

Commissioner Webb said: 'It's a full day.'

She cited a press release she issued on Sunday where she apologised to the families of LGBTIQ hate crime victims. The commissioner then suggested she was understaffed over the weekend.

The commissioner was already under fire for seemingly disappearing over the weekend, aside from a couple of written statements issued in her name on Sunday.

On Sunday, she originally declined an interview with 2GB host Ben Fordham about why it took her three days to address the media about a policeman charged with two murders.

Police were seen searching a number of dams and bushland on the remote property (pictured)

An extensive police search of the Bungonia area is underway (pictured)

However, she had a change of heart and joined him for a phone interview.

Fordham asked why she went 'missing' when there was bad news and said she could have been reassuring the public as to how Lamarre-Condon was able to allegedly murder two men with a police-issued gun.

Commissioner Webb said she was in Parliament on Friday and attended an LGBTIQ event on Saturday and couldn't have addressed the media.

When asked whether there are regulations around the use of police firearms, she replied: 'There are rules, but this investigation has been called a critical incident because of the use of a police firearm.'

She said the use of a firearm will be overseen by a police conduct commission and the circumstances in this situation will be addressed in that investigation.

On Monday, Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson said Lamarre-Condon had made 'partial admissions to an acquaintance' the day after the alleged killings.

He then bought an angle grinder and a padlock.

The alleged killer later bought weights before returning to the rural Bungonia property at night. The property has four dams.
The Church of England last night told its parishes to draw up 'race action plans' after its first black female bishop urged it to embrace being woke.

The General Synod, the church's legislative body, passed a motion on Sunday that said it should 'encourage parishes and deaneries to develop local action plans to address issues of racial injustice.'

The motion, filed by Bishop of Dover Rose Hudson-Wilkin, also called for better data collection to monitor diversity levels across parishes.

In a passionate speech to introduce her motion, the Bishop called for racial justice in the church's governance structures to be strengthened 'in order to hold our church's feet to the fire'.

She said she was in 'no doubt that the church must continue to work at embedding racial justice in all its life and structures - lip service will not do, neither will ticking boxes'.

She told the Synod: 'When it comes to the topic of racial justice, I've heard the word 'woke' being bandied about by many people including Government ministers, certain radio presenters, those in the media. And in every case, they've used it incorrectly.

The motion, filed by Bishop of Dover Rose Hudson-Wilkin (pictured), also called for better data collection to monitor diversity levels across parishes

In a passionate speech to introduce her motion, the Bishop called for racial justice in the church's governance structures to be strengthened

'The term woke originated in the USA, and it was a black terminology speaking specifically and directly to black people regarding the need to wake up and stay alert, to be consciously aware.

'So it is not just a mere word, it is a movement. Those who are threatened by the authenticity of this movement, want to scare us into thinking that being woke is a sin created by people on the left.'

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said there has been some learning in the church from historical wrongs but added: 'I continue to lament, because what we have done has not been good enough and that is a scandal and an affront to God.'

He told the gathering: 'Today, we discuss racial justice. Tomorrow, we will think about how we move forward into the future in response to the church's involvement in chattel slavery.

'And all of this requires us to be honest about the terrible failings of the past, not to flinch from the failings and challenges of the present, and to build a better future.'

Lay member Daniel Matovu said institutional racism is 'embedded' in the church.

He said: 'In this chamber, the vast majority of you are sitting next to and surrounded by other white people.

'Across the church the general picture is the same - in your pews, on your PCCs [parochial church councils], deanery synods, diocesan synods, at every level up to and including the House of Bishops.

Delegates vote during the opening session of the Church of England General Synod

'Those who are threatened by the authenticity of this movement, want to scare us into thinking that being woke is a sin created by people on the left', the Bishop of Dover said

'Institutional racism is deeply embedded in virtually every institution in this country, including sadly, in the life and culture of the church.'

It comes as Yvonne Clarke, who was the first black female deacon in the Church of England, is set to have a hearing in her appeal against what she has previously alleged to be a racist decision to dissolve her parish.

The hearing, before the Privy Council on Tuesday and Wednesday, will consider whether there was a failure to consult appropriately as required by the Equality Act 2010 and whether there was any indirect discrimination in the decision taken by the diocese which was upheld by the Church Commissioners, law firm Leigh Day said.

It follows cost-cutting proposals by the Diocese of Southwark, approved in September 2021, which would dissolve her parish and divide it between the parishes of St George, Shirley, and St John, Shirley.

Ms Clarke said: 'I overcame the most upsetting racism when I first arrived in this area, from those who would not countenance a black woman priest.

'My ministry and the work of my parish council has been to take the word of God into the entire parish, and to be prevented from those acts of inclusivity has been very harsh.'

Her solicitor Frances Swaine said: 'My clients will demonstrate to the court how decisions were taken about their parish without adequate consultation and with insufficient due regard to the unique qualities that a black woman priest and a global majority parish council bring to an area of London with an ever-growing global majority population, especially serving the migrant and refugee community.

'At a time when the Archbishop of Canterbury is spending much time talking about racism in the Church of England, my clients deserve to have had the special characteristics of their parish considered very carefully before any decision to get rid of them was taken.'

A spokesperson for the Church of England said: 'It would not be appropriate for us to comment while the matter is subject to ongoing legal proceedings'
A serving US Air Force officer is in a critical condition in hospital after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in DC and livestreaming the results.

Horrifying video was broadcast uploaded to social media channel Twitch on Saturday afternoon after the man dressed in combat fatigues declared 'I will no longer be complicit in genocide'.

Flames spread over the man's body after he shouted: 'I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest,' before repeatedly shouting 'Free Palestine!'

Authorities responded to the embassy around 1 p.m. on Sunday and found the man with burn injuries, the Metropolitan Police Department told DailyMail.com.

He was taken to the hospital by DC Fire and EMS with 'critical and life-threatening injuries.'

A spokesperson for the US Air Force confirmed to Task & Purpose that the man in uniform is an active-duty airman. The airmans identity has not been confirmed.

The airman declared he would 'no longer be complicit in genocide' as he set himself alight and livestreamed the horrific scene outside the Israeli embassy to Twitch

The Secret Service said it received a report that an individual 'was experiencing a possible medical/mental health emergency' outside the Israeli embassy

Incident outside of Israels Embassy in Washington DC. This the scenes a few minutes ago.. pic.twitter.com/a78Zvtx6E9  Lynn Sweet (@lynnsweet) February 25, 2024

A spokesperson from the Secret Service told DailyMail.com, 'The U.S. Secret Service, Uniformed Division responded to the 3400 Block of International Drive, NW, DC regarding an individual that was experiencing a possible medical / mental health emergency.'

'DC Fire & EMS responded to the scene and treated the individual prior to transport to an area hospital.'

The three-minute video records a voice saying, 'Hi, sir, can I help you?' as the airman approaches the embassy gates.

Twelve seconds later the voice is heard asking again 'Can I help you, sir?' before the the man sets himself on fire.

The Metropolitan Police Department's Explosive Ordnance Disposal was called to the scene in reference to a suspicious vehicle that may be connected to the person.

Video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, showed first responders on the scene outside of the embassy.

The investigation is ongoing.

The protest comes as the White House faces growing pressure over the four-and-a-half month old conflict which has claimed more than 30,000 lives.

The president faces a Democrat primary in Michigan on Tuesday where the state's large Arab-American population is being urged to vote 'uncommitted'.

The airman was taken to the hospital by DC Fire and EMS with life-threatening injuries

Authorities responded to the embassy's alert at around 1pm on Sunday and found the man with severe burns

'No embassy staff were injured and all are safe' a spokesman for the embassy said

The embassy is on International Drive in Washington's North Cleveland Park neighborhood

Democrat 'Squad' member Rep Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and former Jewish Rep Andy Levin are among those who have endorsed the 'Listen to Michigan' campaign.

'Bidens blockade of the cease-fire resolution will only intensify the outrage and galvanize pro-peace voices to vote uncommitted to make their voices heard,' said campaign leader Joseph Geevarghese.

Dearborn's Democrat Mayor Abdullah Hammoud warned this week Biden could no longer take the Arab vote for granted.

'My greatest fear is that Mr Biden will not be remembered as the president who saved American democracy in 2020 but rather as the president who sacrificed it for Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024,' he said.

Last week Biden's Democrat challenger Rep Dean Phillips said he was 'sickened' by the loss of life in Gaza, and would unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state if elected president.

'This is the most heartbreaking, horrifying, disgusting visuals Ive ever seen in my life,' the candidate who is himself Jewish said.

Biden has demanded Israel produce a plan for the evacuation of civilians before any assault on Rafah, the last unoccupied city in Gaza.

The White House on Friday declared Israeli plans to to construct another 3,000 homes in the West Bank 'inconsistent with international law'.

And sanctions have been imposed on a handful of Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians in the occupied territory.

'This is like showing up to a five-alarm fire with a cup of water while giving fuel to the arsonist,' said Yousef Munayyer of the Palestine-Israel program at the Arab Center in DC.

President Biden, seen at a White House a black-tie dinner on Saturday, is facing growing pressure from his own party to reign in Israel's military assault on Gaza

The president faces a Democrat primary in Michigan on Tuesday where the state's large Arab-American population is being urged to vote 'uncommitted'

Hundreds of people continued to stream towards Gaza's southern border amid the smoke from air-strikes on Sunday as Israel prepares for its assault on Rafah

Thousands more waited for aid amid chaotic scenes on a beachfront in Gaza City

The Israeli embassy released a statement after the incident, reading: 'On Sunday, 2/25, at around 1 PM, a man set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. The man is unknown. No Embassy staff were injured and are safe.'

A similar incident occurred in December when a pro-Palestine protestor set themselves ablaze outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta.

The city's police chief, Darin Schierbaum, described the incident as an 'extreme act of political protest,' and said a Palestinian flag was recovered from the scene.

At least two people were injured in the act of self-immolation, including a security guard who attempted to intervene.
A Greek Orthodox monk has claimed that King Charles has turned to him for spiritual advice since being diagnosed with cancer.

The 75-year-old monarch received the shock diagnosis while undergoing a recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement.

It's claimed that the King secretly contacted Archimandrite Ephraim, with whom he's said to have been friends with for over 25 years.

The King and the Abbot are understood to have grown close after Princess Diana's death in 1997.

Elder Ephraim, 67, has never spoken about his friendship with the monarch but The Sun reports that he claimed that the King contacted him following his diagnosis.

The Abbot said: 'Charles has a spiritual sophistication, a spiritual life.

'Yes, he has been in contact since the diagnosis and I believe he'll overcome it.'

Greek Orthodox monk Archimandrite Ephraim (pictured) has claimed that King Charles has turned to him for spiritual advice since being diagnosed with cancer

King Charles III and Queen Camilla leave after attending a church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham last Sunday

The elder claimed to have had a 'very good rapport' with Charles, who is said to have visited Mount Athos several times, including eight separate visits to the Abbot's 10th century Vatopedi monastery.

Charles reportedly has his own quarters at Vatopedi, which is located on the all-male Mount.

A source told the newspaper: 'There are no distractions so he can meditate, pray and follow ancient rituals like getting up at 4am to follow the liturgy which he absolutely adores.'

Charles' late father, Prince Philip, was born on a kitchen table in Corfu and baptised into the Greek Orthodox church before his family fled the war-torn country when he was a baby.

The King has taken a step back from frontline duties following his diagnosis with the disease, which was discovered while he was undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate.

The form of cancer has not been specified, but aides say it is not of the prostate; the King 'continues to undertake state business and official paperwork as usual' while undergoing a schedule of treatments.

He chose to share his diagnosis 'in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer,' Buckingham Palace said.

Charles revealed to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak earlier this week that the 'wonderful messages and cards' he has received since his diagnosis have 'reduced me to tears.'

King Charles has visited the Vatopedion monastery on Mount Athos, Greece, several times

King Charles met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Buckingham Palace last Wednesday, with the pair seen smiling during their first face-to-face meeting since the monarch's cancer diagnosis

His Majesty appeared in good spirits as he arrived for the meeting with Mr Sunak at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, in what was their first audience of the year.

The Prime Minister told the King that it was 'very nice to see you', to which Charles responded: 'A bit of a gap I'm afraid,' referring to the disruption to their weekly meetings.

Mr Sunak reassured him that 'we're all behind you, the country is behind you', and added that it was 'wonderful to see you looking so well.' In typical good humour, the King jokingly replied: 'Well, it's all done by mirrors, really.'

Before the pair's private discussion, the monarch also met with members of the Privy Council in person on Tuesday evening.

Charles' profound sense of duty and strong work ethic has seen him continue working privately through treatment, but this was the first time the King has been pictured carrying out royal duties.

Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
Publicly railing about the evils of capitalism and class privilege while privately exploiting the system has always been a hallmark of Labour politicians.

Think Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson, who professed to be working for 'the many not the few' yet used their positions to amass enormous personal wealth.

Or that implacable class warrior Diane Abbott, who (in common with several colleagues) happily junked her socialist principles to send her son to a prestigious fee-paying school.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner now looks to have become the latest in this long and ignominious line of hypocrites.

In an interview last year, she said the right to buy council homes, a flagship Tory policy of the Thatcher years, should be reviewed so tenants would no longer get 'loads of discount' to purchase their homes.

Angela Rayner now looks to have become the latest in a long and ignominious line of hypocrites. According to a new book by Lord Ashcroft, she bought her council house in 2007 at a 25 per cent discounted price of 79,000 and sold it eight years later for 127,500  a gross profit of 48,500

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair with Peter Mandelson. Both professed to be working for 'the many not the few' yet used their positions to amass enormous personal wealth

Yet, according to a new book by Tory grandee Lord Ashcroft, she bought her own Stockport council house in 2007 at a 25 per cent discounted price of 79,000 and sold it eight years later for 127,500  a gross profit of 48,500.

After the Mail on Sunday's Glen Owen broke the story, Ms Rayner defended her actions, saying buying her council house had been a proud moment: 'I worked hard, saved and bought it by the book.'

And that is exactly the point. Through ambition and hard graft, Ms Rayner was able to improve her lot in life. So why now does she want to make it harder for others to do the same?

Like most politicians accused of double standards, she sought to blacken her accuser, saying Lord Ashcroft was prejudiced and that his interest in her private business was 'unhealthy'.

But as a prominent public figure she should expect scrutiny  from opponents as well as allies.

While the new book by Labour cheerleader Tom Baldwin on Sir Keir Starmer sometimes verges on the hagiographical, Lord Ashcroft was always going to cast a more critical eye on his subject.

Instead of blaming the messenger, Ms Rayner should cherish and protect all ladders to aspiration  not pull them up behind her after reaching the top.

Medicalising life

Are we in the grip of a mental health epidemic, or have the young simply become less able to cope with the inevitable ups and downs of life?

New analysis says 570,000 of those aged between 18 and 24 are on anti-depressants, a rise of 31 per cent since 2015, and that psychological issues are a major cause of soaring worklessness.

Isolation due to Covid lockdown is understandably said to have played its part, as are online bullying, cuts to therapeutic services and a greater willingness to discuss mental health issues.

Isolation due to Covid lockdown is understandably said to have played in the mental health epidemic (File Image)

But the main driver, according to eminent sociologist Frank Furedi, is 'the medicalisation of everyday life'.

What were once regarded as the existential problems of the young  relationship breakdowns, exam stress, career disappointments  are now packaged into syndromes and casually treated with pharmaceuticals rather than talked through and overcome naturally.

This is often done for compassionate motives but can be debilitating. We all must learn from our trials and mistakes, and hopefully become stronger and wiser as a result. It's called growing up.

Airstrikes

Airstrikes against Houthi rebels attacking shipping in the Red Sea benefit all the world's trading nations. So why do the UK and US invariably foot the bill?

Each Sea Viper missile we use to destroy a Houthi drone costs upwards of 1million. Why should the British taxpayer bear that cost, rather than those in Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands, Ireland
A new cyber-security boss has been appointed months after her predecessor was sent back to Defence over a 'workplace matter' that is yet to be revealed.

Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness will step into the role of National Cyber-Security Coordinator on Monday after Air Marshal Darren Goldie was recalled to deal with a matter from his time in the Defence in November.

Ms McGuinness will lead and co-ordinate Australia's national cyber security policy, government preparedness and responses to events like data breaches and major hacking incidents.

Mr Goldie was appointed as the first cyber-security czar in June with high praise from both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Home Affairs minister Claire O'Neil.

He would only last four months in the role after the Department of Home Affairs revealed he would no longer act as cyber-security chief while the 'workplace matter' at Defence is being dealt with.

Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness (pictured) has been announced as Australia's new head of cyber-security after her predecessor was removed for a 'workplace matter'

Ms McGuiness served in the Australian Defence Force for 30 years before taking on a role in the United States Defence Intelligence Agency as the deputy director of commonwealth integration.

She also played a role in Australia's response to the Covid-19 pandemic by supporting whole-of-government counter proliferation initiatives such as Australia's Strategic Health Intelligence capability.

Ms McGuiness will be Australia's second National Cyber Security Coordinator after following on from Deputy Secretary Hamish Hansford who filled in as acting coordinator.

Mr Goldie was appointed as the inaugural cyber-security chief in June after an 'extensive 30-year career with the Royal Australian Air Force'.

Mr Albanese said Mr Goldie was 'an outstanding choice' and was 'very pleased' with his appointment during a press conference at the time.

He went on to describe him as 'someone who had that proven record of leadership, of being able to coordinate across the security space'.

At the same press conference, Ms O'Neil said Mr Goldie was 'a really important piece of the jigsaw puzzle that is being put in place'.

Shortly after his appointment, Mr Goldie revealed that 'sensitive personal and government information' was stolen by Russian hackers in an attack on law firm HWL Ebsworth in April.

Air Marshal Darren Goldie (pictured) was called back to Defence in November to deal with the matter and in turn was forced to abdicate the role after just four months

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Claire O'Neil (all pictured) both had glowing recommendations for Mr Goldie during his appointment in June

He also went on the lead the federal response to the nationwide Optus shutdown and the DP World cyber attack that closed ports across the country.

Mr Goldie abdicated the role just four months after his appointment, within a week after the 'workplace matter' was escalated.

Defence minister Richard Marles and Ms O'Neil were both informed the Air Marshall must be returned before it can be dealt with under the ADF's disciplinary system.

'He is currently on leave,' a Department of Defence spokesperson said at the time.

'While the matter is under consideration it would be inappropriate to comment further.

'The welfare of our people remains our priority and it is requested that Air Marshal Goldie's privacy is respected at this time.'
A record number of MPs will stand down at the next election and receive a total of almost 2million in severance pay from the public purse.

Some 94 MPs have announced they will not contest a seat, and they will all be eligible for severance of four months' take-home pay.

Based on next year's expected increased salary of 92,731 for parliamentarians, it means that those standing down will receive 20,944  leading to a total 1,968,736 bill for severance pay alone.

Last night campaigners called on regulators to review whether such high severance payouts were necessary.

John O'Connell, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'The bill to prop up departing politicians will cost an arm and a leg.

'Parliament needs to reconsider whether these payments are necessary.'

Based on next year's expected increased salary of 92,731 for parliamentarians, it means that those standing down will receive 20,944  leading to a total 1,968,736 bill for severance pay alone (Stock Photo)

John O'Connell (pictured), of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'The bill to prop up departing politicians will cost an arm and a leg'

Last year the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, the body that regulates MPs' pay, decided to increase the amount paid to MPs to wind down their offices from two to four months.

An Ipsa spokesman said: 'We agreed that the winding up period is too short for former MPs and their staff to close down their offices and deal with outstanding casework.

'It is also unfair to expect those closing their offices to do so once their employment has ended.'
Wendy Williams' son confirmed that his mother is suffering from alcohol-induced dementia for the very first time during Sunday night's Lifetime documentary 'Where is Wendy Williams?'

Kevin Hunter Jr., 23, revealed doctors have told him that alcohol had begun to affect 'her headspace and her brain.'

'I was able to really learn more about things going on with my mother internally. They basically said that because she was drinking so much, it was starting to affect her headspace and her brain. So, I think they said it was alcohol-induced dementia.'

The diagnosis by doctors goes some way in explaining Williams' often unsociable and erratic behavior which, in the intrusive new documentary, has showcased her burping, sleeping the day away in bed with bottles of alcohol by her side and lashing out at over the slightest transgressions.

Williams was first told of her alcohol-related brain damage diagnosis years earlier in 2019 during her time at a rehab center in Delray Beach although her care team have said her' dementia diagnosis only happened in 2023.

Williams' care team stated the dementia diagnosis occurred in 2023 with the news only being made public last week, just before the documentary aired

Her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., 23, revealed for the first time his mother is grappling with alcohol-induced dementia and was personally told by doctors

Williams' niece Alex Finnie also revealed she was told of her aunts dementia diagnosis in the fall of 2022

During a visit to see her family members in Miami, Williams insisted she would be back on TV

Williams' niece Alex Finnie also revealed she was told of her aunts diagnosis in fall 2022.

'All I know is that it was dementia. You look back at little things, and it's a slow roll. It's little things like, "When's your birthday again?' You know? 'What's his name again?" -But after seeing my aunt and really spending time with her in a state where she's in right now, I quickly realized that things were just not normal. It's heartbreaking.

'When it's come to my aunt's dementia, there are three things that didn't help her: divorce, the pandemic and then losing my grandmother,' Alex explains.

In one of the more shocking incidents of the documentary, which details her struggles with alcohol abuse and mental health in recent years, Williams could be dining out with her publicist Shawn Zanotti.

Eating at a restaurant overlooking Los Angeles, Williams could be seen consuming several glasses of vodka with her lunch, before openly burping out loud, on camera.

Following her lunch, Williams and Zanotti head to Universal Studios in Los Angeles to pitch a new talk show as part of the star's 'bounce back'.

NBC Universal declined to comment on her meeting with the producers.

Williams seemingly loses all sense of where she is as she can be heard stressing how she doesn't want the show to be filmed 'here in Miami' - despite her being in LA.

When asked by producers if there was any concern over the amount of alcohol she was consuming, Zanotti replies: 'Wendy knows her limits.'

Other family members would beg to differ including her son and nephew Travis Finnie who openly declare Williams 'has a drinking problem.'

The devastating diagnosis was made public towards the end of last week, days before the airing of the four-and-a-half hour documentary.

While eating at a restaurant overlooking Los Angeles, Williams could be seen consuming several glasses of vodka with her lunch

Williams devastating dementia diagnosis was made public towards the end of last week, days before the airing of the four-and-a-half hour documentary

At one stage of the documentary, Williams went to visit her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

'As Wendy's fans are aware, in the past she has been open with the public about her medical struggles with Graves' Disease and Lymphedema as well as other significant challenges related to her health,' her team said in a statement.

'The decision to share this news was difficult and made after careful consideration, not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy, but to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances.

'Receiving a diagnosis has enabled Wendy to receive the medical care she requires.'

Frontotemporal dementia is a rare disease that affects parts of the brain controlling behavior and language. These parts of the brain shrink as the disease gets worse.

The film had set out to chronicle Williams' comeback in 2022 but had to halt filming in April 2023 due to her entering a facility for cognitive issues

During one stage Williams can be seen in her bedroom with a mimosa by her side

The disease often includes primary progressive aphasia, which means it's causing problems with language skills. A person with this type of FTD may have trouble finding words or understanding speech.

Williams' self-titled daytime talk show ended in 2022 because of her health issues. Sherri Shepherd, who filled in for Williams as a guest host, received her own show.

Williams said in 2018 that she had been diagnosed years before with Graves' disease, which leads to the overproduction of thyroid hormones and can cause wide-ranging symptoms that can affect overall health.

During Sunday night's documentary family members revealed how they don't know where she is and cannot call her themselves, but that she can call them if she wishes.

'I don't know the exact location of where she is, but I know that she is in an environment that is helping her to heal, emotionally, psychologically and physically,' Wanda said when asked by the producers. 'That's what I hope happens when she gets home.

'Wendy's in a more positive place and in a stronger place than she was a year ago,' Wanda explains. 'It's almost like I'm talking to Wendy from years ago. It really is.'

During Sunday night's documentary family members, including Wendy's sister Wanda revealed how they don't know where she is and cannot call her themselves, but that she can call them if she wishes

Son, Kevin Hunter Jr., left, and nephew Travis Finnie, right, say they want Williams to move to Miami where she will be cared for by family

'It has been a long journey in terms of the experience for our family and for Wendy,' Wanda Williams, Wendy's sister says in the documentary.

'I hope to come out of this letting people see the love that we have as a family together for each other as well as the love we have for Wendy, and to understand the journey we've been through that has not always been perfect. Everyone wanted the same thing, which is to see Wendy healthy and happy.'

Wanda could be seen helping family members in their attempt o take back ownership of Williams' care from her court-appointed guardian.

'When the whole process started, all members of this family were contacted about Wendy and what we needed for her. My feeling as her sister was that Wendy needs to have somebody with her 24 hours a day for the next few months,' Wanda detailed.

'I was told that it involved taking some kind of class, and I said, 'Yeah I'll do it.' I said, 'Whatever I gotta do, I'll be focused on Wendy's health.' And then all of a sudden, the wall came down and there was nothing.'

Family members share their concerns over who has access to Williams and the possibly intentions of those around her.

'I still see glimpses of my mom very often. She still has a chance to live a good and healthy life, but she needs to want to live that. I think that she's just weak and vulnerable and she needs to be around people who aren't gonna take advantage of that,' son, Kevin said.

'I think that my mother should have family surrounding her. I've talked to her a lot about her staying in Florida and how much it would benefit her where she can't harm herself.'

I think in the back of her mind, she knows she would be able to still drink up there and do things that she shouldn't. I feel like my mom should never be by herself or alone.

Even before Williams was placed under a court-ordered guardianship, her rights and those of her family began to be stripped away from them.

'My power of attorney was taken away from me when the court proceeding started,' Kevin explained. 'And then they tried to say that while the court case was going on that if we wanted to bring her to Florida, it'd be considered kidnapping.'

The documentary crew set out in 2022 to chronicle Williams' comeback but were forced to stop filming in April 2023 when, her manager 'and jeweler' Will Selby explained how she had to enter a facility to treat 'cognitive issues.'

Her son, Kevin, says in the documentary that doctors had connected her cognitive issues directly to her excessive alcohol use.

In May of 2022 the New York State court system appointed an independent guardian to manage Williams' finances.

The guardianship started when Williams' bank Wells Fargo froze her accounts after her financial adviser at the time allegedly raised concerns that she was of 'unsound mind,' according to Williams' subsequent court filings.

Wells Fargo then petitioned a New York court to have the talk show host put under a guardianship, which a judge approved later in January 2022.

At the time, the bank claimed it feared that Williams' 'cognitive issues' put her at risk of being exploited financially.

Her son, Kevin, was accused of charging $100,000 to her American Express card, but he defended himself and in the documentary clarified that he had never spent a penny without his mother's consent.

'Do you think your mother should have a guardian?' the show's producer asks Hunter Jr.

'I think that my mother should have family. The family's side of the story hasn't been told, so it's kind of left this gray space of who's really telling the truth or what's really going on. I've always wanted the best for my mom. You know, I just stay strong,' Hunter Jr. stated.
The UK's Justice Secretary has vowed to deport foreign criminals including shoplifters and drug dealers instead of prosecuting them here, as part of radical plans to free up British prisons.

Alex Chalk told the Telegraph that low-level criminal offenders from outside the UK would avoid prison, and instead be given 'conditional cautions' which would allow authorities to deport them and ban them from Britain.

Out of a total of 88,000 prisoners behind bars in England and Wales, more than 10,000 of them are not from the UK.

Of this roughly 10,000-strong foreign prisoner population, a third of them are on remand, having been charged but not yet convicted.

The UK's policing minister, Chris Philp, has been put in charge of delivering the deportation scheme in a bid to reduce foreign criminals' burden on the penal system.

Alex Chalk (pictured) that low-level criminal offenders from outside the UK would avoid prison, and instead be given 'conditional cautions' which would allow authorities to deport them and ban them from Britain

Chalk said that the cost to the taxpayer to hold foreign prisoners, 47,000 per year per criminal, left him with an 'intense frustration'

Chalk said: 'There is a power that exists in certain lower-level cases, that in place of prosecution, the Home Office deports someone.

'Now there are some cases where it's absolutely right that you are going to want to go through the criminal justice process to ensure that that person is properly punished.

'But there will be other cases where actually it's in the public interest to simply get them out of the country.'

Chalk also plans to expand the 'early removal scheme', which would see authorities being able deport foreign criminals 18 months before the end of their sentences, 12 months earlier than the previous policy.

While criminals are freed from prison early, they are deported and banned from ever returning to the UK.

He revealed that he had written to Poland and Romania to establish a deal similar to one the UK signed with Albania last July, where the Balkan state agreed to start taking back some of its prisoners.

He said that the cost to the taxpayer to hold foreign prisoners, 47,000 per year per criminal, left him with an 'intense frustration' and led him to push for the plans.

'I'll always do whatever it takes to keep the British people safe,' said Chalk.

'I will focus absolutely on supply, that is my overwhelming priority. I will always make sure that there are sufficient places to give effect to an order of the court to incarcerate people and to ensure that the British people are kept safe with dangerous people behind bars.'
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Oklahoma will never back down to a woke mob the states head of schools has insisted last night amid fury over the death of a trans student after a bathroom fight.

School superintendent Ryan Walters blamed radical leftists for the backlash surrounding Nex Benedict, 16, who died a day after a fight with three girls at Owasso High School earlier this month.

Benedicts family claims the nonbinary teen who used they/them pronouns had been bullied for months since the state insisted students could only use bathrooms reserved for their biological sex.

But Walters accused campaigners of exploiting the childs death, adding: Theres not multiple genders. Theres two. Thats how God created us.

I really see theres a civil war going on, where the left is really fighting for the soul of our country, he added.

They are undermining the very principles that made this country great, our Judeo-Christian values and our traditions in this country.

The 21-minute interview, conducted at Owasso hospital just two hours after the Feb. 7 fight, details the events leading up to the altercation, prior to Nex getting discharged. Nex, 16, died on Feb. 8, a day after they were attacked in a restroom at Owasso Public High School

Police bodycam footage shows Nex describing the attack just two hours later as she was interviewed by officers in hospital on February 7: 'I got jumped at school she said 'They said something like 'why do they laugh like that,' and they were talking about us, in front of us'

Now messages Nex sent to a family member after the fight, shared by Fox23, reveal that the teenager tried to stand up to their bullies

Police bodycam footage shows Nex describing the attack just two hours later as she was interviewed by officers in hospital on February 7.

'I got jumped at school, she said.

'They said something like 'why do they laugh like that,' and they were talking about us, in front of us,' Nex added.

'So I went up and poured water on them and all three of them came at me.'

Nex was released from hospital but readmitted the following day after she began losing consciousness.

A preliminary autopsy did not conclude that the fight caused her death but the full post-mortem has yet to take place.

Oklahoma state senator Tom Woods sparked fury after referring to trans people as filth as he was questioned about the death on Friday.

Insisting his 'heart goes out' to the teens family he told a community meeting that I represent a constituency that doesnt want that filth in Oklahoma.

'We are a religious state and we are going to fight it to keep that filth out of the state of Oklahoma because we are a Christian state - we are a moral state, he continued.

Hundreds of people attended a candlelit vigil for Nex and her family in the nearby city of Tulsa on Sunday evening

Patricia Saquilo, left, and her daughter Allyson Andrade, 13, and Hadley Mayopulos, 13, were among those paying tribute

State senator Tom Woods sparked fury after referring to trans people as filth as he was questioned about the death on Friday

Oklahoma has vigorously cracked down on LGBT rights and currently has more than 40 bills on the issue passing through the state legislature including 14 aimed at changing school policies.

It has banned gender-transition care for minors and the use of gender-neutral markers on birth certificates.

One bill would require public schools to teach that gender is an immutable biological trait and ban the use of preferred names or pronouns.

Another would prevent state agencies from displaying flags or symbols in support of gay and transgender people.

You always treat individuals with dignity or respect, because theyre made in Gods image, Walters told the New York Times.

But that doesnt change truth.

I think its terrible that weve had some radical leftists who decided to run with a political agenda and try to weave a narrative that hasnt been true, he added.

Youve taken a tragedy, and youve had some folks try to exploit it for political gain.

Walters, 38, has kept a high profile since winning election as schools superintendent in 2022 after a stint as Governor Kevin Stitts secretary of education.

The former history teacher demanded the firing of elementary school principal Shane Murnan last year after it was revealed that he performed as a drag artist and read stories to children at local libraries while in costume.

Walters claimed that the appointment by Western Heights School District was part of the left's 'scheme' to control student values.

'This is absolutely trying to break down that family unit, so the kid is more susceptible to the most radical Marxist gender ideology we've ever seen to pit groups of people against each other, he said.

And frankly, it's to create Democrat voters.

This woke war on our kids has to stop. We will not allow it in Oklahoma. This is the liberal insanity that every parent wants out of the classroom,' he added.

Last month he appointed Chaya Raichik, best known for running the X account Libs of TikTok to a place on the Oklahoma Library Media Advisory Committee despite her only having visited the state once.

I really see theres a civil war going on, where the left is really fighting for the soul of our country, Walters said

Walters demanded Western Heights School District rescind its appointment of Shane Murnan as an elementary school principal last year after it emerged he read children books in libraries while dressed in drag

Raichik, who has 2.8 million followers on the platform has been targeted by critics for her anti-trans tweets, describing adults who teach children about LGBT identities abusive, and schools as government-run indoctrination camps for the trans community.

Last night Walters posted another defiant video online, accusing radical left-wing groups in the media of lying about the death of Bex.

They have intentionally lied to push an agenda that was politically motivated to attack me and conservatives in the state of Oklahoma, he explained.

They would use any tragedy to further their political motives.
Serial killer Bruce Burrell boasted he could hide a body where it would never be found in Bungonia - and the psychopath who murdered women for money has so far been proven right.

Those old enough to remember might have felt a chilling reminder of May 1997 waking up on Monday to hear that police were searching for bodies again near the bush village, 185km south-west of Sydney.

The tiny fly-speck town in the NSW Southern Highlands and its surrounding rugged bushland still hold the secret of where the remains of Burrell's victims, Kerry Whelan and Dorothy Davis, lie.

The self-aggrandising double murderer - he is also suspected of killing third and fourth victims but was never charged - took the secret of where he buried Kerry and Dorothy to his grave when he died in prison in 2016.

Now police are searching a Bungonia property, just a short drive from the Hillydale farm that Burrell owned when he fell under suspicion following Kerry's kidnap.

Cops searched a property at Bungonia for the bodies of missing couple, Luke Davies and Jesse Baird, on Monday

Luke Davies and Jesse Baird (left) are missing and are suspected to have been murdered by Beau Lamarre-Condon (right) and their bodies dumped possibly at Bungonia in the NSW Southern Highlands

A 40 hectare property with four dams is the latest location detectives scoured to find TV star Jesse Baird and his flight attendant partner, Luke Davies, who police suspect were murdered by senior constable Beau Lamarre-Condon.

Divers had previously search a waterway at Lambton, Newcastle, north of Sydney, before turning to the unoccupied 'weekend farm' off Hazelton Road just out of Bungonia on Sunday. Its expected they will continue the search on Tuesday.

Lamarre-Condon, 28, who was arrested and charged with double murder on Friday is believed to have driven to the farm after allegedly shooting Baird, 26, and Davies, 29, at Paddington sometime last Monday.

Police believe Lamarre-Condon hired a white HiAce van from Sydney Airport and bought an angle grinder and a padlock to enter and relock the property, as well as weights.

Mother-of-three Kerrie Whelan (above with her multi-millionaire industrialist husband Bernie) was kidnapped, murdered and her remains buried somewhere in Bungonia

Jovial psychopath Bruce Burrell boasted that he had a place down at Bungonia where you could 'hide a body that would never be found' which today remains true

Wealthy widow Dottie Davis was a beloved grandmother whose disappearance aged 74 was not properly investigated until two years later almost to the day Kerry Whelan vanished

People who remember the desperate - and fruitless searches for mother-of-three Mrs Whelan, 39, and 74-year-old grandmother Dorothy Davis - would hope that the bodies of Mr Davies and Mr Baird have not been moved.

It was believed that was exactly what Burrell did after murdering wealthy widow 'Dottie' Davis in 1995, and then Kerry, wife of multi-millionaire industrialist Bernie Whelan in May 1997.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting that Lamarre-Condon is guilty of the charges of murder against him and is simply asserting that a notorious crime happened in the same area more than 25 years ago.

Both Kerry and Dorothy - and Charlie Speirs, a neighbour of Burrell's who mysteriously vanished without trace - are believed to have been transported to Hillydale, which was 155ha, before their bodies were moved to locations unknown.

Burrell's property backs onto the dense woods of the Bungonia State Recreation Area, a caver's paradise of almost 4000 hectares and part of the massive Moreton National Park.

Burrell's boasted hidey hole or perfect place to hide a body is believed to have been off his property, in a cave, or down one of the multiple abandoned mine shafts which litter the Bungonia forest.

When Dorothy Davis left her apartment in Lurline Bay in Sydney's east to visit Burrell's then wife Dallas - a family friend - on May 30, 1995, never to be seen again, police did not take her disappearance seriously.

Kerrie and Bernie Whelan (above with two of their children)were planning a joint birthday party when she was kidnapped by Burrell and murdered, aged just 39

A Bungonia end point is the possibility police say might be the fate of missing Luke Davies and Jesse Baird

The steep ravines, rugged bushland and vast tracts of land riddled with caves and mine shafts proved tough terrain for police to search for Kerry and Dottie, and they never fond their bodies

Clocking it up to an old lady's wanderings near cliffs overlooking the ocean, they forgot about it, but Kerry Whelan's disappearance two years later was different.

Bruce Burrell had worked for Bernie Whelan's Crown Equipment as an advertising manager until he was retrenched.

Days before Kerry vanished he called in unexpectedly at the Whelan's Kurrajong mansion in western Sydney and made a mysterious appointment with Kerry.

He also phoned Bernie out of the blue and established his forthcoming movements.

When Kerry was last seen getting into a Mitsubishi Pajero at Parramatta's Parkroyal Hotel on May 6, 1997, Burrell was not at first suspected.

A strange ransom note arrived demanding the $1m in US notes, and when detectives, led by Task Force Bellaire commander Chief Inspector Dennis Bray, connected it to the greedy and financially desperate Burrell, they closed in.

For days, undercover cops swarmed Bungonia raising suspicions in the small town, but they were unwilling to break their cover in case Burrell was still holding Kerry alive.

On Saturday, May 24, 1997 a Sun-Herald news team acting on a tip arrived at Inverary Road, Bungonia to find Inspector Bruce Couch standing near the entrance to Hillydale.

Protesting he was there on a training exercise, Couch was recognised by one of the reporters as having conducted investigations into the backpacker serial killings five years earlier, at a forest one hour north called Belanglo.

The news broke and at daylight the next morning the skies over Bungonia were buzzing with TV helicopters.

Pompous and a bully, Bruce Burrell was also a lazy narcissist. His desperation for money led him to murder wealthy women, but his ransom demand to Kerry Whelan's husband was botched

Eerie links between the disappearance of two women in the late 1970s and the search for missing couple Luke Davies and Jesse Baird centre on Bungonia, a remote and inhospitable region

In a friend's house in Sydney, Dottie Davis's daughter Maree Dawes was drinking a cup of tea with the TV turned on.

The broadcast revealed that the search for missing Kerry Whelan had descended upon a property owned by Bruce Burrell.

Marie felt her legs turn to jelly and she dropped her tea cup. At that moment, any last secret hope that she might have had that her mother was still alive vanished.

Police scoured vast tracts of bush which backed onto Burrells property, abseiling down deep ravines, and diving in chilly dams.

No trace of Kerry was found and Bernie Whelan had the heartbreaking task of telling his three children that their mother was probably dead.

After several exhausting and fruitless months, the police teams and their dogs and vehicles packed up and left, even as Burrell remained a free man though a prime suspect.

The NSW State Coroner John Abernethy at Burrell's Hillydale property in 2022 during an inquest into the disappearances of Kerry Whelan and Dottie Davis

No trace of TV presenter Jesse Baird (left) and his partner, flight attendant Luke Davies (right) has yet been found following their disappearance a week ago from Paddington

In 1999, Task Force Bellaire charged Bruce Burrell with Kerry Whelan's murder and when it gathered enough evidence to prosecute him over Mrs Daviss murder, police returned to search the forest again.

They never found a trace of Kerry Whelan or Dotty Davis, and without remains to bury, the two victims families eventually erected a memorial in the Bungonia recreation area.

Bruce Burrell was tried for Mrs Whelan's murder in 2005. The case resulted in a hung jury. He was tried again in 2006, when he was found guilty and sentenced to life.

Burrell then went to trial for Dorothy Davis's murder and was found guilty and sentenced to 28 years in prison.

He appealed both convictions and sentences, and was rejected, and in August 2016 died in Lithgow prison of heart disease.

To this day, Bungonia has not given up its secrets.

Daily Mail Australia senior reporter Candace Sutton is the co-author of Lady Killer: How conman Bruce Burrell kidnapped and killed rich women for their money, Allen & Unwin
Tradies have revealed their staggering take-home pay leaving Aussies envious of their six-figure earnings.

Scaffolders, carpenters and plumbers were among the tradies stopped on the streets of Brisbane and asked to divulge their salaries.

One coal miner revealed he earned a whopping $160,000, while a second year carpentry apprentice said he made $1,100 a week after tax.

Another occupation with a top pay was a diesel fitter who specialised in heavy earth-moving equipment, revealing he made $130 an hour.

An second year apprentice carpenter said he takes home $1100 a week after tax

A woman working in the mining industry doing fitting and machining makes an astonishing $130,000 to $140,000 a year

One scaffolder said he earns $3000 a week after tax (pictured stock image)

This equates to a massive $250,000 annual income if the diesel fitter works just 38-hours a week.

An auto-electrician interviewed made $120,000 and a worker who does fitting and machining in the mines makes an impressive $130,000 to $140,000 a year.

One of the most astonishing salaries was from a scaffolder who said he made $3,000 a week after tax, which works out to be $156,000 in his pocket annually.

The TikTok video was shared on Reddit where social media users were left stunned.

'I think I'm in the wrong career,' one person wrote.

'Why does putting up some metal framing around a building pay so much?' a second added.

'Makes you think uni's a scam. I could do auto electrical for that money easy,' another said.

Others said tradies are paid so much because of the toll it takes on a worker's body.

'I think it's fair as they do trade in their body for their pay. It's tough work and many will have health issues from it,' one wrote.

Some thought the tradies were exaggerating, while others argued the wages were high because of the lack of qualified workers.

Getahead app founder and ceo Sam McNamara (pictured) said young people want pay transparency and are happy to discuss it. He also said it has become the norm overseas

'It's economics 101, we spent decades telling people to go to uni and get a degree and now we have no trades while our population is growing and so is the demand on the industry,' one wrote.

Getahead CEO Sam McNamara told Daily Mail Australia there is a big demand for tradies, which has risen over the last few years.

'Their pay has dramatically increased, more people are joining the industry and the need for trades has been very high,' he said.

'We have noticed more trade jobs joining the platform recently though and more tradies looking for jobs also, even though we are predominantly hospitality/retail focused.

Mr McNamara said out of all the trades, carpentry was the most popular. The CEO said he was shocked by the salaries, but said it has become the 'new normal'.

The app founder said it was not uncommon for a tradie to make $100 an hour.

Mr McNamara said they interviewed Queenslanders in the street because they want pay transparency.

'We made salary transparency compulsory through the app to save time for both the job seeker and the company,' he said.

'We surveyed a pool of job seekers and it was one of the biggest frustrations, applying for a job, interviewing multiple times and not even knowing what was on offer.'

The mining industry remains the most lucrative for tradies with the most experienced workers earning $180,000 a year

Analysis by insurance brokerage Trade Risk found the average annual tradie pay was $90,940, which is up by 11 per cent compared to 2019.

'We believe it is the best representation of how much Aussie tradies are really earning, as it utilises the taxable incomes provided to us by thousands of self-employed tradies from around Australia,' its report said.

Boilermakers had the highest average pay with $112,535, followed by electricians on $96,338 and plumbers earning $95,507.

However for people in the mines, talent.com reported an average income of $124,000.

Entry-level positions start at $101,000 but the most experienced can bring home $180,000 per year.
Former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann has a date for a committal hearing to decide whether or not he will face trial on rape charges.

Lehrmann, 28, is accused of raping a woman twice at Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, in October 2021 and has denied the allegations.

During a brief hearing at Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday, defence barrister Patrick Wilson said he no longer required a directions hearing to settle a contested issue with prosecutors.

'There has been an agreement between the parties on the scope of examination (of a witness),' Mr Wilson said.

Prosecutor Nicole Friedewald said the matter would require a half-day hearing.

Former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann (pictured ) will find out if he is to stand trial for allegedly raping a woman twice after a date was set for a committal hearing

Magistrate Mark Howden set a date for June 17 for a committal hearing where a witness would be cross-examined.

Lehrmann, who was not required to attend court, had his bail continued until the next court mention.

He was the subject of national media attention after being charged with the rape of 24-year-old Brittany Higgins, in the office of then-defence industry minister Linda Reynolds at Parliament House in March 2019, while both were employed by the senator.

Lehrmann also denied those allegations and the case ended in a mistrial, with prosecutors declining to proceed with a new trial out of concern for Ms Higgins' welfare.

Lehrmann was first charged with rape in Toowoomba in January 2023.

The matter has been the subject of numerous hearings due to prosecutors challenging the scope of medical and phone data evidence requested by his defence.
It had been almost exactly 24 hours since Nikki Haley lost to Donald Trump in her home state of South Carolina by a 60-40 margin, and supporters who packed a Michigan hotel ballroom encouraged her to continue the fight so she can capitalize on any calamities that befall the frontrunner.

I think maybe shes there in case something happens  she can pick up the pieces, said Dale Morgan, a retired chiropractor who came to see Haley after voting for Trump in 2020.

I would rather have Nikki  I think Trumps a douche bag, he said.

Morgan is a realist about Haley being able to crack Trump's lead: She has yet to win a state, and trails in the upcoming Super Tuesday contests. But he says she wants her to stay in the fight.

Im tired of the lack of decorum and a few things like that. I think the dignity office ... no matter what happened on January 6th, whatever, Trump should have ridden with Biden to the inauguration, he said.

I think maybe shes there in case something happens  she can pick up the pieces, said Dale Morgan, a retired chiropractor who came to see Nikki Haley in Troy, Michigan

It doesnt seem like theres a path for her to win the nomination, he admits. But he says Haley could reassemble her run 'if something happens' to the frontrunner, noting that 'Trump has so much trouble. But his polling numbers go up every time he goes to court.'

Morgan spoke to DailyMail.com about the state of the race shortly after Haley held her first public event since losing to Trump. She barely referenced her defeat as she began her remarks to several hundred supporters.

We came from South Carolina. Its colder here, she began.

William Brown, 27, a mechanic who works on Lincolns, calls himself a realist  but also wants Haley to stick it out, despite the odds and the polls.

'If Trump's charged with something, it's going to be hard for him to run for president from jail. So there's still hope. And if we don't win this year, there's always 2028,' he said.

He is done voting for Trump. 'If he had been able to stay off Twitter and run the presidency like the president should, maybe. But he just can't keep quiet - can't do his job.' And if Haley doesn't win? 'Then I'm going to have to look at Third Party or maybe not vote at all.'

'I would love to have her on the ticket for many years to come,' said Haley backer Grant Spencer, who called Trump a 'criminal'

Robert Janisfe is hoping Haley can be Trump's running mate in case 'Trump gets disqualified because of his legal problems'

'If Trump's charged with something, it's going to be hard for him to run for president form jail,' said mechanic William Brown. Haley's signs at the event didn't say 'Michigan'  but also didn't say '2024'

Nikki Haley said the 40 per cent of voters who backed her in South Carolina shouldn't have to 'cave' to Trump

US Republican presidential hopeful and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley greets supporters at a rally in Troy, Michigan, on February 25, 2024, a day after losing her home state to Trump

That is a posture in keeping with exit poll results out of South Carolina, where a fifth of Haley's supporters said they wouldn't back Trump  enough to raise some alarms for the Republican about the November election even as he leads Joe Biden in polling in battleground Michigan, a state Biden won in 2020 and Trump won in 2016.

Another supporter, Grant Grant Spencer, brought daughters Harper and Ella along to see Haley, plus 16-month old Riker to see the 52-year old candidate he believes has a bright future.

Spencer is an optimist when it comes to Haley's chances. 'I think anything is possible. It's a question of probability. And there's always a way.'

'I would love to have her on the ticket for many years to come,' says the 2020 Trump supporter who has soured on the former president.

'I believe he's a criminal,' he says of Trump.

Spencer says 'America is built on compromise.' If Haley loses and it's a race between Trump and Joe Biden, 'I would probably lean back on my libertarian roots,' he says.

Robert Janisfe came to the event in his Honda Gold Wing Road Riders Association motorcycle jacket. He makes plastic molds for a living, but isn't keen on how Trump has shattered the traditional political mold for politicians.

'Even though he's on the ballot, how is he going to fulfill the role [with] all the trouble he's having  legal problems, personal problems, all that. And his opponents are not going to let him go with hit. I can see why everybody's still voting for him, because he's the dark horse,' he said.

Janisfe says he doesn't know if Haley can beat Trump. 'But her best chance is vice president. It would be Trump and her, and Trump gets disqualified because of his legal problems - that might be worth the country's while.'

Haley herself keeps rapping Trump, although she has denied any interest in being his vice president.

On Sunday night she called for mental competency tests for officeholders, hammered him on the debt and isolationism and for relying to political supporters to pay $50 million in legal fees, and coopted some of his attacks on electric cars.

And she tied him to Vladimir Putin after Trump said he would encourage Russia to invade NATO allies who don't meet their defense commitments.

'Trump is siding with a thug ... Trump is siding with a dictator who kills political opponents,' Haley said.

Haley brandished her 40 per cent support in South Carolina, and said the victorious Trump is the one who would have to reassure her supporters.

'You can't have a candidate who's going to win a primary who can't win a general,' she said. 'He as a Republican incumbent didn't get 40 per cent of the vote of the primary.

'He's not going to get the 40 per cent by calling them names,' she continued. 'He's not going to get the 40 per cent if he is not willing to change and do something that acknowledges the 40 per cent.

'Why should the 40 per cent have to cave to him?'
The psychometric testing involved in the recruitment of NSW Police officers is under scrutiny after a serving senior constable was charged with the double-murder of Channel Ten presenter Jesse Baird and his boyfriend Luke Davies.

Psychometric tests measure candidates' suitability for a role based on the required personality characteristics and aptitude.

They are a useful way for police recruiters to determine if a person is mentally fit for a role that is often stressful and involves a high degree of responsibility.

Beau Lamarre-Condon, 28, is accused of killing the two men at Baird's Paddington apartment, in Sydney's inner-east, last Monday before disposing of their bodies - which are yet to be found.

In the days that followed Lamarre-Condon handing himself in at Bondi police station, there has been widespread discussion on social media about what background or psychological tests he had undergone when he joined the force in 2019.

Many commentators noted that prior to joining the police, Lamarre-Condon was known as 'celebrity chaser' who would pursue Hollywood stars during their visits to Australia, with some wondering if this ought to have excluded him from recruitment.

All applicants who apply to join the NSW Police must complete a seven-stage process that helps recruiters determine how suitable they are for a career in law enforcement.

The psychometric testing involved in the recruitment of NSW Police officers is under scrutiny after a serving senior constable was charged with the double-murder of Channel Ten presenter Jesse Baird (left) and his boyfriend Luke Davies (right)

This includes a psychometric assessment that assesses their psychological state.

The testing involves a comprehensive personality test which uses 51 scales to measure a person's level of aggression, stress, self-doubt and suicidal tendencies.

Former Victoria Police homicide detective Charlie Bezzina, who worked on some of the state's highest-profile cases, told Daily Mail Australia applicants from both states must undergo psychological tests, which have become more rigorous in recent years.

Bezzina said the process involves 'sitting down in front of a computer and answering about 600 questions' before an in-person interview with a psychologist.

Mr Bezzina said after those initial responses are analysed, police officers are not subjected to any further psychological assessments unless they are involved in a 'critical incident', such as a shooting or high-speed pursuit.

Peter Moroney completed this testing when he joined the NSW Police Force almost 20 years ago.

He said part of the process is designed to detect any mental health issues.

'It's mandatory as part of the recruitment that they will do a psychometric test,' Mr Moroney told Daily Mail Australia.

'If there are any anomalies picked up then they will be referred to a third party, like a psychiatrist, for review.'

According to Mr Moroney, nobody with any identified mental health issues makes it through the recruitment process without being assessed by someone else.

He said it is common for officers to develop mental health issues on the job; however, there are no requirements to participate in routine mental health checks.

Beau Lamarre-Condon, 28, (pictured) is accused of killing the two men last Monday before disposing of their bodies - which are yet to be found. In the days that followed Lamarre-Condon handing himself in, there has been widespread discussion on social media about what background or psychological tests he had undergone when he joined the force in 2019

Mr Moroney went on to explain psychological testing is often not redone until an officer applies for a more specialist position, meaning an officer can potentially go years without a proper reassessment.

Investigations into the alleged killing of Mr Baird and Mr Davies are ongoing.

Lamarre-Condon has not applied for bail and will remain in protective custody.

A Victoria Police spokesman insisted the force has 'strict processes to determine the suitability of people wishing to join the force'.

'There has been no change to the quality or standards against which applicants are assessed, including our psychological requirements,' he said.

'Victoria Police also requires applicants to complete an online application, an entrance exam, a fitness test and a panel interview consisting of behavioural and scenario-based questions which is conducted by trained Victoria Police members.

'Additionally, extensive background checks are conducted which include any criminal or driving history as well as probity.'

The Victoria Police spokesman said candidates must complete two psychometric tests that comprise of 584 questions.

'It forms part of a broader assessment of someones emotional and psychological skills,' he said.

'After the tests applicants may be required to attend a one-on-one interview with a psychologist to further assess their suitability.'
A woman has been airlifted to hospital to undergo emergency surgery after she was bitten on the leg by a suspected tiger shark while swimming with sea lions at a popular beach.

Emergency services rushed to the scene following the attack at Jurien Bay Beach north of Perth in Western Australia, at 11.50am on Monday.

The woman, aged in her 40s suffered serious bite injuries to her legs in waist-deep water.

She was taking part in a sea lion tour on nearby Sandland Island at the time.

The tour vessel whisked her to shore where she was treated by St John Ambulance paramedics before being rushed to Jurien Bay Health Centre.

The RAC Rescue helicopter airlifted her to Royal Perth Hospital in a critical condition.

The shark attack victim was airlifted to Perth in a critical condition on Monday

The woman was bitten by a suspected tiger shark (stock image)

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The woman underwent surgery on Monday afternoon.

A two metre long tiger shark is believed to be responsible for the incident.

A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesman said an investigation has been launched.

'DPIRD is working with local authorities to coordinate responses,' the agency said in a statement.

'Take additional caution in the Jurien Bay area.'

Kane Krollig, the captain of the Turquoise Safaris vessel was watching the tour group when he heard a woman's screams.

'I looked, I saw blood and gave the signal for the crew to round everyone up,' he told Perth Now.

'We were 100 per cent there for the lady ... it was just a freak incident ... (but) a very frightening experience for everyone on board.'

He added that the woman appeared to be in shock, simultaneously laughing and crying as the vessel raced back to shore.

The incident prompted the closure of beaches between North Head and Sandy Cape.

The region hasn't had a fatal shark attack since 1967 when a young spearfisherman was mauled to death off North Head, according to Shire of Dandaragan president Tony O'Gorman.

'There will always be sharks around. We go into the water knowing that and it's just one of the risks  we go in knowing it's their home and hunting ground.'
Controversial music artist Kid Rock said during a conversation with Joe Rogan last week that he endorses the idea of Israel killing '30-40 thousand' Palestinians at a time if the Israeli hostages are not soon returned.

During an appearance on Rogan's immensely popular podcast, Kid Rock, a musician and more recently pseudo-political figure shared his wartime philosophy with the host and audience:

'Only wars we won were f**king ones where we were the most brutal motherf***ers on the planet,' he said. 'Which, I dont disagree with what Israel is doing.'

'Its like, they should just go in there and be like, you know what? We want our hostages back. If we dont have them back, clock starts now,' he said, sharing his idea for how the IDF should proceed with the challenge of ensuring the return of the remaining 134 hostages.

This is revealing. Firstly, @joerogan very nonchalantly platforms this pro-genocidal screed from said pop influencer, effectively mainstreaming ethnic cleansing & crimes against humanity in #Gaza. Secondly, @KidRock basically outs himself as a genocidal maniac. Neither Rogan nor https://t.co/E6GJUC11m6  Patrick Henningsen (@21WIRE) February 26, 2024

He continued the profanity-laden tirade: 'And f**king 24 hours, were going to start bombing motherf***ers and killing f**king civilians, thirty-, forty-thousand a f**king time. So you civilians better f**king pack up and f**king get these f**king motherf***ers. And you go against Hamas. You f**king go against them. Were not playing f**king games with you.'

More than once during the segment, Rogan pushed back against Rock's outlandish claims about how wars should be fought.

'Youre not supposed to pick civilian targets,' he said. 'Thats actually a war crime.'

'You cant fight war like that!' said Kid Rock.

'But youre not supposed to pick civilian targets,' Rogan reiterated.

In the months since the outbreak of the ongoing conflict in the region, Rogan has many times criticized the actions of radical Palestinian terrorists in Gaza who are still holding hostage more than 100 innocent Israelis taken captive during the murderous assault on October 7.

During the conversation, Rock pointed to the the frequently presented point that Hamas 'hides behind civilian targets.'

Rogan agreed, but added that 'if youre a person whos born in Palestine, youre f**ked. Youre under their (Hamas') control. Its not your fault.'

Rock agreed, saying those people are 'f**ked ... by birth.'

'Those aren't our enemy,' said Rogan, again suggesting that civilians should not be targets.

Musician Kid Rock told Joe Rogan that Israel should wipe out tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians if the hostages aren't returned

More than once during the segment, Rogan pushed back against Rock's outlandish sentiments

Critics online were quick to target Rock for his radical position, and Rogan for giving Rock a platform.

'This is revealing. Firstly, Joe Rogan very nonchalantly platforms this pro-genocidal screed from said pop influencer, effectively mainstreaming ethnic cleansing & crimes against humanity in #Gaza.

'Secondly, Kid Rock outs himself as a genocidal maniac. Neither Rogan nor Rock would ever be censored for this depraved celebrity circle jerk. These two showed themselves alright' wrote pro-Palestinian journalist Patrick Henningsen.

Journalist Whitney Webb shared similar sentiments, though also failed to acknowledge the moments during the interview when Rogan did push back.

'Kid Rock evolved into Neocon Rock. Insane that the country's most popular podcast platformed these comments with no pushback,' she wrote.

'Yikes. Kid Rock says Israel should kill civilians in Gaza by "30-40,000" if hostages aren't released in 24 hours,' wrote popular X news account Breaking911.

Other called the rant 'unhinged' and 'extreme.'
One of the acquaintances who unwittingly helped NSW Police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon after he allegedly murdered two men is a fellow cop.

Lamarre-Condon has been charged with the murder of Channel Ten host Jesse Baird and his Qantas flight attendant boyfriend Luke Davies at a home in Paddington, in Sydney's east.

Police are desperately trying to work out what happened to Baird and Davies who were last seen a week ago - with the search including sites in Cronulla, Newcastle and multiple dams in the Southern Tablelands.

One of the alleged crime scenes, established on Saturday, is at a residential property on Karoola Road in the Newcastle suburb of Lambton.

Daily Mail Australia visited the site on Monday afternoon, where a vehicle belonging to an acquaintance of Lamarre-Condon sits covered in fingerprint dust after being examined by forensic specialists.

That acquaintance was identified by 7News on Monday evening as fellow cop Renee Fortuna.

Serving NSW Police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon (pictured) has been charged with the murder of Channel Ten presenter Jesse Baird and his flight attendant boyfriend Luke Davies

Fellow cop Renee Fortuna (pictured) has been identified as the person who let Lamarre-Condon him borrow her hose to clean his rented van. There is no suggestion whatsoever Ms Fortuna knew what Lamarre-Condon had allegedly done or was involved in any criminal act

Police alleged another vehicle - a white van - was used to transport and dispose of the bodies of Baird and Davies. Lamarre-Condon is not believed to be assisting officers with the search for the two men's remains.

A neighbour said Ms Fortuna had not returned to her home in the wake of the police raid, even leaving behind her fingerprint dust-strewn vehicle.

Police alleged in a press conference on Monday that Ms Fortuna had let Lamarre-Condon borrow her hose to clean the inside of his Toyota HiAce van, which he had rented from Sydney Airport.

There is no suggestion whatsoever Ms Fortuna knew what Lamarre-Condon had allegedly done or was involved in any criminal act.

Former homicide detective Charlie Bezzina said the fingerprint powder on the car would have been used to find fingerprints belonging to the suspect or the deceased.

Police allege the 28-year-old senior constable was in Newcastle on Thursday night where he cleaned the van, before handing himself in on Friday at Bondi police station.

Police are desperately trying to work out what happened to Baird (left) and Davies (right) who were last seen a week ago

'We can indicate that the accused remained in the Newcastle area until about 5am, returning to the city at about 6.15am on Friday morning,' Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson said.

Police allege Lamarre-Condon left Sydney on Wednesday in the rented HiAce van, stopping in Goulburn to purchase an angle grinder, padlock and weights.

He has been charged with two counts of murder and remains in protective custody after being denied bail, while investigators continue to piece together how the two men were allegedly killed.

NSW Police continued the search on Monday for the remains of Baird and Davies, deploying divers and focusing on dams in Bungonia, near Goulburn.

'As part of the ongoing investigation police have established [an alleged] crime scene at Hazelton Road at Bungonia in the Southern Tablelands,' NSW Police said in a statement.

One of the alleged crime scenes, established on Saturday, is located at a residential property on Karoola Road in the Newcastle suburb of Lambton. Daily Mail Australia visited the site on Monday, where a vehicle belonging to an acquaintance of Lamarre-Condon sits covered in fingerprint dust after being examined by forensic specialists

A neighbour said the acquaintance, fellow cop Renee Fortuna, had not returned to her home in the wake of the police raid, even leaving behind her fingerprint dust-strewn vehicle. Police allege Ms Fortuna let Lamarre-Condon borrow her hose to clean the inside of his rented van

The expanding police search including sites in Cronulla, Newcastle and multiple dams in the Southern Tablelands

Divers searched for 'items of interest' at two dams on Hazelton Road, about 35km south of Goulburn, after intelligence placed accused murder Lamarre-Condon at the rural spot last week and revelations from the police commissioner on Monday that he brought along a female acquaintance.

That acquaintance, police said, was an 'innocent party' and was unaware of Lamarre-Condon's alleged crime, and was cooperating with police.

'The acquaintance is not a suspect in this matter. We believe she was an innocent agent,' he said.

'We believe potentially through a former relationship of his, he was connected to that property in some way.'
A serving US Air Force officer was taken to hospital in a critical condition after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in DC in a live streamed protest over the war in Gaza.

Horrific video shows Aaron Bushnell, 25, explaining the reasons for his 'extreme act of protest' as he walked up to the building before screaming 'Free Palestine' as he goes up in flames.

His camera recorded an unseen man asking 'Hi sir, can I help you?' as the airman in combat uniform approached the embassy gates and doused himself in accelerant.

Twelve seconds later the voice is heard asking again 'Can I help you, sir?' before Bushnell strikes a lighter and ignites the fluid.

Dailymail.com has chosen not to show the subsequent footage which recorded Bushnell being consumed by flames for more than a minute before police and security staff managed to extinguish them.

The airman declared he would 'no longer be complicit in genocide' as he set himself alight and livestreamed the horrific scene before being taken to hospital in a critical condition

Bushnell is a DevOps engineer based in San Antonio, Texas, according to his LinkedIn profile

The video was only seen by a few dozen people on live-streaming service Twitch before it was removed by the platform, but more than one million had seen the footage on X by last night.

It was just before 1pm on Sunday that Bushnell approached the heavily-guarded building on DC's International Drive speaking into a camera on a selfie-stick.

'My name is Aaron Bushnell,' he tells the camera, 'I am an active duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide.

'I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it's not extreme at all.

'This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.'

For more than 30 seconds he walks on silently, passing the neighboring Chinese embassy and holding an open flask of liquid in his left hand.

As he reaches the Israeli embassy he places the camera on the ground and marches to the gate, showering himself in the fluid before placing his service cap on his head.

Tossing the flask away he struggles to ignite his lighter as a voice is heard challenging him.

The video shows the flames spreading all over his body, engulfing his head as he continues to scream 'Free Palestine', his voice cracking in agony as the flames intensify. He manages to stand for almost a minute before falling to the ground.

Sirens were already wailing in the background and a man in plain clothes pointed a pistol at him as others doused him with fire extinguishers.

He was taken to hospital by DC Fire and EMS with 'critical and life-threatening injuries'.

Bushnell is a DevOps engineer based in San Antonio, Texas, according to his LinkedIn profile.

A friend described Bushnell as 'the kindest, gentlest, silliest little kid in the Air Force'

The Secret Service said it received a report that an individual 'was experiencing a possible medical/mental health emergency' outside the Israeli embassy

The airman was taken to the hospital by DC Fire and EMS with life-threatening injuries

Authorities responded to the embassy's alert at around 1pm on Sunday and found the man with severe burns

'No embassy staff were injured and all are safe' a spokesman for the embassy said

The embassy is on International Drive in Washington's North Cleveland Park neighborhood

It describes him as an 'aspiring software engineer with educational and work experience in software development and Linux system administration, looking for SkillBridge programs to transition out of the US Air Force into software engineering'.

A spokesperson for the US Air Force confirmed Bushnell is an active-duty airman.

A spokesperson from the Secret Service told DailyMail.com: 'The U.S. Secret Service, Uniformed Division responded to the 3400 Block of International Drive, NW, DC regarding an individual that was experiencing a possible medical / mental health emergency.'

The Metropolitan Police Department's Explosive Ordnance Disposal was called to the scene in reference to a suspicious vehicle that may be connected to the person.

The protest comes as the White House faces growing pressure over the four-and-a-half month old conflict which has claimed more than 30,000 lives.

The president faces a Democrat primary in Michigan on Tuesday where the state's large Arab-American population is being urged to vote 'uncommitted'.

Democrat 'Squad' member Rep Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and former Jewish Rep Andy Levin are among those who have endorsed the 'Listen to Michigan' campaign.

'Bidens blockade of the cease-fire resolution will only intensify the outrage and galvanize pro-peace voices to vote uncommitted to make their voices heard,' said campaign leader Joseph Geevarghese.

Dearborn's Democrat Mayor Abdullah Hammoud warned this week Biden could no longer take the Arab vote for granted.

'My greatest fear is that Mr Biden will not be remembered as the president who saved American democracy in 2020 but rather as the president who sacrificed it for Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024,' he said.

Last week Biden's Democrat challenger Rep Dean Phillips said he was 'sickened' by the loss of life in Gaza, and would unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state if elected president.

'This is the most heartbreaking, horrifying, disgusting visuals Ive ever seen in my life,' the candidate who is himself Jewish said.

Biden has demanded Israel produce a plan for the evacuation of civilians before any assault on Rafah, the last unoccupied city in Gaza.

The White House on Friday declared Israeli plans to to construct another 3,000 homes in the West Bank 'inconsistent with international law'.

And sanctions have been imposed on a handful of Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians in the occupied territory.

'This is like showing up to a five-alarm fire with a cup of water while giving fuel to the arsonist,' said Yousef Munayyer of the Palestine-Israel program at the Arab Center in DC.

President Biden, seen at a White House a black-tie dinner on Saturday, is facing growing pressure from his own party to reign in Israel's military assault on Gaza

The president faces a Democrat primary in Michigan on Tuesday where the state's large Arab-American population is being urged to vote 'uncommitted'

Hundreds of people continued to stream towards Gaza's southern border amid the smoke from air-strikes on Sunday as Israel prepares for its assault on Rafah

Thousands more waited for aid amid chaotic scenes on a beachfront in Gaza City

The Israeli embassy released a statement after the incident, reading: 'On Sunday, 2/25, at around 1 PM, a man set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

'No Embassy staff were injured and are safe.'

A similar incident occurred in December when a pro-Palestine protestor set themselves ablaze outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta.

The city's police chief, Darin Schierbaum, described the incident as an 'extreme act of political protest,' and said a Palestinian flag was recovered from the scene.

At least two people were injured in the act of self-immolation, including a security guard who attempted to intervene.
The heartbroken mother of twin girls who died in a horror crash has broken her silence, with a touching tribute to her 'precious angels'.

Twin sisters Macey and Riley, aged seven, died when the Toyota Camry they were travelling in veered off the road and ploughed into a tree about halfway between Perth and Kalgoorlie.

The girls' mother Rachel van Oyen, 31, had been at the wheel when the vehicle came off the Great Eastern Highway in Carrabin at about 11am on February 18.

The twins, who were both wearing seatbelts, were pronounced dead at the scene while their mother was rushed to Merredin Hospital.

Ms van Oyen escaped the crash without serious injuries but has since shared her grief in a social media post, claiming everything had changed 'in a blink of an eye'.

Twin sisters Macey and Riley, aged seven, (pictured, with their mum Rachel van Oyen) died when the Toyota Camry they were travelling in ploughed into a tree about halfway between Perth and Kalgoorlie

The girls' mother Rachel van Oyen, 31, had been at the wheel when the vehicle came off the Great Eastern Highway (pictured) in Carrabin at about 11am on Sunday

'My entire world fell apart, vanished,' Ms van Oyen said.

'There are still no words to describe this emptiness and pain I'm drowning in. It should have been me. What I would give to take your places my precious girls.

'I have never felt so helpless than i did that day, all i could do was try hold you briefly even though you'd both grew wings.'

Ms van Oyen said her twins were her 'absolute world' and that her girls gave her purpose strength and a reason to live.

The grief-stricken mother explained she felt 'so lost' not having her daughters in the family home and that she was 'truly sorry' for the accident.

'The silence kills me and your absence destroys us in ways we can't imagine.. I'm so lost,' Ms van Oyen wrote.

'I hope you both know how truly sorry I am, all I can do is try make it through each day now knowing it'll never be filled with your beautiful faces.

'Your time on earth was cut far too short and I'm not ready to say goodbye. No one is.'

The 31-year-old promised her twin girls that she would not let the pain of their loss consume her forever and would spread the kindness and joy that they gave to others.

Ms van Oyen's mum, Lisa Lisa Blair, thanked their family and friends for their support on social media.

'(We) will be absent for a while as our family navigates this unspeakable tragedy,' she posted to social media,' Ms Blair wrote.

'Thank you for your understanding and for loving us all through these dark days.

'We are utterly broken.'

It's understood the trio had been visiting family members in Kalgoorie and were on their way home to Perth when they crashed.

Ms van Oyen said was drowning in pain and emptiness since the crash. Other family members have described the twins as 'vibrant, cheeky and beautiful' with 'so much life and promise ahead of them'

The girls' grandmother described them as 'sunshine souls' in a 2020 Facebook post.

She lovingly described her grand-daughters as 'gorgeous, funny, cheeky, magical little twins who 'bring so much joy to their entire family.

A GofundMe has been set up by family member Phillip van Oyen, who described the girls as 'vibrant, cheeky and beautiful' with 'so much life and promise ahead of them'.

'Macey and Riley brought us so much love and joy, and as hard as it is without them, our lives were made better by their short existence,' Mr van Oyen said.

'The impact that those two little lives had on our family is immeasurable, and the weight of their absence is felt every single day.'

Mr van Oyen explained all funds raised will be given to the twins' mum to help her grieve and rebuild her life.

'There is nothing that we can do to change this devastating situation, but we want to try and make Rachels life a little easier as she grieves and rebuilds,' Mr van Oyen wrote.

'Rachel, who supported and cared for her two girls their entire lives gave her all! As she starts coming to terms with this tragic loss, we want to ensure Rachel is looked after and can slowly start to navigate life without Macey and Riley.'

At the time of writing, the fund received 341 donations totalling $37,450, with a goal of raising $70,000.
A Palestinian 'terrorist' who hijacked two planes and described the Hamas soldiers responsible for the October 7 attacks as 'freedom fighters' could come to Australia.

Leila Khaled is listed as a keynote speaker at June's Ecosocialism event in Perth, which is hosted by the Socialist Alliance and the Green Left newspaper.

However, Jewish-Australian community members have called for her to be barred from entering Australia due to her complicated history as a prominent member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The now-elderly woman is still a member of the extremist Marxist group which is known for hijacking planes, assassinations and suicide bombings.

The PFLP is regarded as a terrorist organisation by the United States, the European Union and Canada, while Australia has subjected the group to financial sanctions.

Leila Khaled (pictured) is listed as a keynote speaker at June's Ecosocialism event in Perth hosted by the Socialist Alliance and the Green Left newspaper

The Australian Jewish Association condemned Ms Khaled's appearance at Ecosocialism in a tweet on Monday.

'What a great illustration of the fusion of hard left politics, radical "Palestinian" activism [and] terrorism, in this case aircraft hijacking,' it said.

The PFLP gained global infamy in the late 1960s and early 1970s due to string of airline hijackings and bombings.

Ms Khaled was involved in at least two of the group's hijackings.

In 1969, she helped hijack Trans World Airlines Flight 840 travelling from Rome, Italy, to Tel Aviv, Israel, as the group believed Israel's ambassador to the U.S. was on board.

No one was injured in the attack but the hijackers blew up the plane's nose.

Ms Khaled was involved in a second hijacking a year later when she attempted to hijack El Al Flight 219 from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to New York City.

She, alongside another co-hijacker, threatened to detonate grenades inside the plane if the pilot did not let them into the cockpit.

Gunshots were fired and the plane went into a nosedive before landing.

Following the attacks, Ms Khaled spent a month-and-a-half imprisoned in Syria and a month detained in Britain.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry wrote to Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus on Monday to urge them to deny Ms Khaled entry.

'She was the first woman to hijack an airplane. She remains a member of the national committee of the PFLP, an organisation which is listed under Australian sanctions laws,' the letter from Peter Wertheim and Alex Ryvchin reads.

'Given her criminal background and current associations, her appearance - actual or virtual - would be likely to have the effect of inciting, promoting or advocating terrorism to an Australian audience, to aggravate current social divisions and thus cause damage to social cohesion.'

Ms Khaled (pictured) was involved in at least two plane hijackings in the 1960s and 1970s as part of her involvement in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

The Sydney Morning Herald claims the Albanese Government has indicated it will not allow Ms Khaled to enter Australia.

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, a government spokesperson said it 'is aware of this case'.

'The Migration Act is clear. All people applying for visas, no matter where theyre from, are required to undergo security checks - as has been the case under all governments,' they said.

'The Government is unable to comment on individual cases.'

Organisers of Ecosocialism have stated if Ms Khaled is denied entry to Australia, she will still be invited to speak at the conference through video chat.

On the Ecosocialism 2024 website, Ms Khaled is described as an 'iconic Palestinian revolutionary activist, member of the national committee of the PFLP and a representative on the Palestine National Council'.

The government spokesperson warned Ms Khaled could face prosecution if she was found to be inciting terrorism in Australia, even if she speaks from another country.

'It is a criminal offence to advocate terrorism [under] Section 80.2 of the Criminal Code,' they said.

'The offence of advocating terrorism can apply even where the person is in a foreign country, provided that the result of the conduct occurs in Australia. As such, it could apply even if an individual appeared online rather than in person in Australia.

'In addition, the Albanese Government's Prohibited Symbols legislation, which came into effect last month, makes it a criminal offence under Commonwealth law to glorify or praising acts of terrorism.'

Green Left, one of the organisers for Ecosocialism 2024, published a controversial interview with Ms Khaled earlier this month in which she legitimised Hamas' actions during the October 7 attacks.

The horror attacks saw Hamas soldiers enter Israel and commit mass murder against 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians.

The tragedy infamously included the slaughter of attendees of Nova music festival.

Israel declared war on Palestine in the wake of the attack as a means of 'defending' itself, leading to the massive humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

While the exact death toll in Gaza is largely unknown due to the inability to fact-check Hamas-controlled figures, it is estimated more than 29,000 Palestinians have died, most of whom are civilians.

In her interview with Green Left, Ms Khaled claimed Hamas did not target civilians.

It is understood Ms Khaled (pictured) will be denied entry to Australia by the Albanese Government

'The freedom fighters did not attack ordinary people [on October 7], they attacked the military settlements. But when the borders were open, some other people took civilians,' she said.

'Neither Israel nor the Western media could prove that there were massacres. The civilian hostages [who were released in one of the deals negotiated] said they were dealt with very kindly.

'So why are they speaking like this about massacres? Just to say that the freedom fighters are terrorists.

'So they made lies because they did not have any evidence. Even when [US President Joe] Biden showed some pictures, CNN said that he did not have evidence that this was what happened on October 7.'
The ABC has been accused of racism after a report listed Indigenous people as likely to be 'stereotypical smokers', just weeks after the broadcaster recruited 'cultural advisors' in a bid to help staff treat 'culturally sensitive stories' appropriately.

The broadcaster issued an apology for any offence caused after a story published on its website last week featured the findings of Australian National University's recent smoking study.

The article highlighted the issue of smoking among many people, some of whom are indigenous.

The story sparked outrage and came just days after former ABC TV presenter and journalist Miriam Corowa - a Minyangbal and Bundjalung woman - was appointed as the senior cultural adviser for the news division.

In its opening lines, the article urged readers to picture a typical smoker.

The ABC has been accused of racism after a report on smoking listed Indigenous people among the negative descriptors of a 'stereotypical smoker'

'If you were asked to picture a typical smoker, you might come up with the following stereotypes: someone who is unemployed, uneducated, Indigenous, and suffering poor mental health,' the article stated.

Outraged readers slammed the opening sentence, with many blaming the ABC for allowing it to be published.

Malyangapa Barkindji woman and journalist Jennetta Quinn-Bates expressed her disbelief after sharing a screenshot of the opening paragraph.

'WHAT. IS. THIS?' Ms Quinn-Bates wrote.

Ms Quinn-Bates listed other media organisations she claimed are 'the worst for stereotyping Aboriginal people', then wrote 'ABC: Hold my beer'.

Gomeroi man Scott Trindall also slammed the article for contributing to 'unconscious bias' and labelled the authors as 'racist'.

Other online readers were just as outraged as they called out the ABC.

'This is how stereotypes are perpetuated. Unacceptable,' one person wrote.

'Who let them publish this what the hell,' another commented.

'Oh wow, ABC really out here trying to one-up the competition on stereotypes,' a third chimed.

A fourth added: 'Who even allowed that through? Where are the editors?'

Malyangapa Barkindji woman and journalist Jennetta Quinn-Bates (pictured) expressed her disbelief after sharing a screenshot of the article's opening paragraph

Soon after the story was published on the ABC's website, the article was edited and 'Indigenous' was scrapped from the list of negative stereotypes.

The revised sentence read: 'If you were asked to picture a typical smoker, you might not imagine someone employed, educated or who has good mental health,' the amendedsentence said.

An editor's note was added to the bottom of the article outlining the change along with an apology from the ABC.

'A previous version of this story referred to Indigenous people in the first paragraph. That reference has since been removed and we apologise for any offence caused,' the editor's note said.

This month former ABC TV presenter and journalist Miriam Corowa - a Minyangbal and Bundjalung woman - was appointed as the senior cultural adviser for the news division

The Australian's Media Diary pointed out that the ABC has yet to mention the change on its 'corrections and clarifications' page.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the ABC for comment.

The article quoted ANU medical student Jessica Awand who claimed the Australian National University study debunked the common myths and stereotypes associated with smoking.

'Although smoking is more common in people who are experiencing structural disadvantage  like people in more remote areas, Indigenous peoples, those with less education and those living in poverty  most people who smoke are educated, employed and in good mental health, similar to the total population of Australia,' Ms Awand said.
Four climbers including a renowned mountain guide have died and three others been injured during an avalanche in the Valley of Hell in central France.

The horrific accident claimed the life of Frenchman David Vigouroux, 50, on Sunday afternoon in the Auvergne region, at an altitude of 5,250ft.

Joel Mathurin, Prefect of the Puy-de-Dome department, said the accident happened above the village of Mont-Dore, in an area known as the Val d'Enfer  the Valley of Hell.

'Four people died and three were injured following the accident on Sunday afternoon,' said Mr Mathurin.

'Seven people were roped together in all, and four of them were buried by the avalanche, by up to four meters of snow, before the others were able to call the emergency services. The three survivors were treated for minor injuries.'

The horrific accident claimed the life of Frenchman David Vigouroux (pictured), 50, on Sunday afternoon in the Auvergne region, at an altitude of 5,250ft

Mr Mathurin confirmed that Mr Vigouroux, a hugely respected mountain guide who was leading the climb, was among the dead.

The avalanche occurred at around 1.30pm.

Around 50 rescue workers were sent to the scene, including 14 police officers, 21 firefighters and two dogs trained in finding avalanche victims, local media reported.

Sacha Espinasse, one of the rescuers involved, said: 'It's tragic. People think we work on a small mountain, but you shouldn't think like that, because very serious accidents can happen very quickly.'

All those involved were linked to the Vichy Alpine Club, and were all experienced climbers.

Sebastien Dubourg, the mayor of Mont-Dore, said: 'We are really stunned. This is the worst tragedy of its kind for 50 years.'

He said the three survivors were transferred to the Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital, where one was kept under observation with a moderate head trauma.

The area is a 'very steep site where snow accumulates,' the mayor added, according to French newspaper Liberation. 'They were at the top and rolled down the whole slope. We found them at the bottom of the corridor.'

Mathurin said the group were roped up at the time, and that they 'were buried' by the sliding snow cover.

The prefecture said 'several' of the climbers had beacons which helped with the search, and that one woman was saved by an airbag.

'Among the survivors, one person was saved by her airbag, another because she was wearing a detector,' Judith Husson, sub-prefect of Thiers, said at a press conference.

'Faced with this tragedy, we can only ask for caution in the mountains ,' she added.

'At Mont-Dore, during this ski season, it's a tragedy that we don't like to experience,' Dubourg added. 'Even the low altitude mountain is dangerous.'

There was up to 20 inches of snow in the area at the time, according to site Ski Info.

Clermont-Ferrand prosecutors have opened an investigation into the exact causes of the accident, working with judicial police.

The mountains of the Auvergne, many of which are of volcanic origin, are not as high as those in the Alps or Pyrenees, but are very remote, frequently covered in heavy snow, and are known to be a dangerous area.

Joel Mathurin, Prefect of the Puy-de-Dome department, said the accident happened above the village of Mont-Dore (pictured), in an area known as the Val d'Enfer  the Valley of Hell

Local news said Vigouroux had turned 50 just two weeks ago, on February 11.

Born in 1974, he discovered climbing as a teenager, and later went on to became a high mountain guide in 2014 - training in Auvergne and around the world, including in Greenland and South America.

He was also the author of a book on the history of mountaineering in Auvergne.

The identities of the other three victims were not immediately reported.
This is the terrifying moment a mass brawl breaks out between Chelsea and Liverpool fans, with officers shown attempting to intervene.

Shocking footage shows one man throwing what appears to be his drink into the crowd as a woman yells in shock at BoxPark in Croydon yesterday.

Officers attempt to restrain onlookers as the brawl seems to be centred on two young men having a fistfight.

While some onlookers film the altercation, some try to intervene while others cheer on those involved.

Some of those in the crowd seem to throw items into the tussle as officers wrestle those who seem to be the main culprits out of the door, still shouting.

This is the terrifying moment mass brawls break out between Chelsea and Liverpool fans at BoxPark, with officers attempting to intervene

Officers attempt to restrain onlookers as the brawl seems to be centred on two young men

The footage later cuts to show five men outside of BoxPark as they resume their fight

The footage later cuts to show five men outside of BoxPark as they resume their fight, with one man falling to the floor.

They seem to kick at each other as the brawl moves onto a zebra crossing next to a bus stop.

The brawl erupted at BoxPark, where the 2024 Carabao Cup Final was shown live, where Chelsea took on Liverpool at Wembley.

A spokesperson for BoxPark said: 'Yesterday afternoon, our team identified an altercation amongst football fans in our venue during the Carabao Cup Final. Our security reacted with urgency and efficiency to a small number of individuals who were causing trouble and safely escorted them from the premises to ensure our guests could continue to enjoy their time in our venue. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

'We do not condone any violence in our venue, and we have robust security measures in place to handle incidents should they arise. We are committed to providing a safe space for everyone to enjoy our sports screening experience and the wellbeing of our guests and employees is our number one priority.'

It comes after another shocking clash was filmed at London Waterloo station yesterday, with dozens of police officers caught up in the violent scenes as they tried to intervene.

Footage showed groups of hooded men clashing and shouting at each other at what is one of the UK's busiest stations on Saturday.

The thugs, some jumping over platform barriers to get involved, are seen punching and shoving each other as baton-wielding police officers try to break up the violence.

As the brawl becomes more intense, one officer is seen being dragged to the ground before he attempts to pick himself up in a desperate bid to avoid being trampled on by the aggressive crowd.

With the fight showing no sign of stopping, dozens more cops are seen running through the station to try and help as passengers watch on in shock.

The terrifying footage shows hooded men jumping over barriers at the busy stations

Bystanders at the station watch on as the thugs continue the violent scrap on Saturday

Passengers watch on in shock as the violent scenes erupted on S

The brawl is the latest instalment in a series of incidents plaguing the capital

More officers then emerge and form a cordon as the crowd disperses

READ MORE - Shocking moment huge brawl breaks out at London Waterloo station as cops are caught up in violent clashes in terrifying lawless scenes Advertisement

The massive police presence brings the violence to an end as officers form a cordon while the group disperses. MailOnline has contacted British Transport Police for comment.

Waterloo has 57.8 million entries and exits each year, meaning only Liverpool Street Station is busier. This was mainly thanks to the opening of the Elizabeth Line.

The brawl is the latest instalment in a series of Lawless London incidents plaguing the capital.

On Friday a fight exploded at a London bus stop as a man was seemingly assaulted in a street attack.

The sound of punches landing could be heard as the crowd watched on, making no apparent attempt to assist.

The man then ceased his assault and picked up a backpack, leaving the other man on the ground.

A British Transport Police spokesperson said: 'At around 9pm on Saturday (24 February), British Transport Police officers on patrol at Waterloo railway station, alongside officers from the Metropolitan Police, responded to disorder between football fans. The situation was de-escalated and no arrests were made.'
An Australian helicopter pilot and two locals kidnapped in a remote part of Papua New Guinea have been released unharmed.

The pilot and two Digicel contractors landed at a telecommunications site where they were taken at gunpoint during a scheduled stop on Monday afternoon.

They were released hours later.

An Australian pilot has been kidnapped in Papua New Guinea (stock image)

'The quick response by our (Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary) was key in arresting this situation,' PNG's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko told AAP.

'Our men will not stop following through on those criminals until we get them arrested or otherwise.'

PNG police believed the group were motivated by a 'compensation claim'.

Police were in negotiations with the kidnappers and had been cleared to use lethal force, Commissioner David Manning said in a statement before their release was confirmed.

'This is not the first time we have dealt with this type of criminal in the area and in the past kidnappers have been killed,' he said in his first statement before their release.

'If that is what it takes to bring this situation to a successful conclusion and free the captives, so be it.'

Australian professor Bryce Barker was taken hostage alongside two lo
Sacked ABC presenter Antoinette Lattouf has lodged new legal proceedings against the national broadcaster over claims it breached its own workplace agreement by dismissing her.

The new legal action is in addition to Ms Lattouf's unlawful dismissal claim where she claims she was dumped from her role for sharing a Human Rights Watch social media post, and for racial discrimination.

Ms Lattouf's new case against the ABC was lodged at the Federal Court last week.

She alleged that the broadcaster repeatedly breached its own employee Enterprise Agreement by sacking her 'without a proper basis and without due process'.

Ms Lattouf's statement of claim alleges the ABC breached the agreement by terminating her employment for misconduct when she had not engaged in such behaviour, failed to advise her of the alleged misconduct and failed to advise her of the process determining whether the alleged misconduct was 'substantiated'.

Antoinette Lattouf has lodged new proceedings against the ABC in the Federal Court

She is also claiming the broadcaster failed to give her an opportunity to respond or explain her actions.

Josh Bornstein, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers' principal lawyer, said the alleged repeated failures to follow the agreement were a breach of the Fair Work Act.

'Antoinette Lattouf is the first Australian journalist to be sacked for communicating a fact, the very same fact that the ABC was reporting on,' he said in a statement.

'The ABC's conduct was a textbook example of what can go wrong when an organisation applies brand management techniques instead of being guided by principle, proper process and legal obligations.

Mr Bornstein alleged the ABC 'flagrantly' ignored its legal obligations when it 'panicked' and dismissed Ms Lattouf.

'Management made no attempt to comply with its own disciplinary regime,' he said.

She is seeking reinstatement, compensation, pecuniary penalties against the ABC and orders for the management to 'undergo training to ensure they comply with their EA obligations'.

Ms Lattouf (second left) has claimed she was sacked because she expressed 'a political opinion and also because of her race'.

Ms Lattouf's new action is in addition to her unlawful dismissal claim against the ABC (pictured) over claims she expressed a political opinion by sharing an Instagram post

The ABC has been contacted for comment.

Ms Lattouf, an award-winning journalist, made headlines after she was sacked from her role as a fill-in host for Sydney's Mornings radio slot and ABC Sydney in December.

She has claimed she was dropped for sharing an Human Rights Watch Instagram post detailing allegations of the Israeli government is using starvation as a weapon of war in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Ms Lattouf has claimed she was ordered to go because she expressed 'a political opinion and also because of her race'.

But the ABC has denied this, stating a decision was made to 'not require' her for the final two days of her five-day contract.

It has claimed she 'failed or refused to comply' with directions to not post on social media about controversial matters for the time she was presenting.
Flooding and torrential rain hit parts of Southern England today as forecasters urged Britons to take extra care in blustery conditions during the morning rush hour.

The Met Office said rain hitting already wet ground means homes and businesses could be flooded, while roads may be under water, leaving some areas 'cut off'.

Public transport could also be disrupted after showers that began yesterday lasted into this morning. Rainfall totals were set to reach 15mm (0.6in) to 25mm (1in) in parts of the South East, with some areas forecast to see as much as 1.6in (40mm).

A number of rail services faced weather-related disruption today, including Great Western Railway due to a landslip between London Paddington and Reading.

Trees were also blocking lines between Maidenhead and Bourne End in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire; and between Axminster and Yeovil in Devon and Somerset.

Separately, commuters using Thameslink and Southern Rail services were stranded due to a major signalling fault which led to a 'do no travel' warning being issued.

The Environment Agency has issued 66 flood warnings and 214 lower-level flood alerts for England today, while Natural Resources Wales has two flood alerts in place.

The Met Office has issued a rain warning for South London , East Sussex and Kent today

Giant waves crashing against the harbour wall at Folkestone in Kent this morning

Flooding around Holywell in Cambridgeshire today after the River Great Ouse burst its banks

Strong winds batter the seafront at Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent today

A woman battles through the windy conditions on the Kent coast at Folkestone this morning

Strong waves hit the south coast amid gusty winds this morning at Weymouth in Dorset

Giant waves crashing against the harbour wall at Folkestone in Kent this morning

A car is driven through a water-logged country lane at Dunsden in Oxfordshire this morning

The flooded A1101 in Welney, Norfolk, is pictured today as parts of England faced more rain

Flooding at Sonning in Berkshire today after the River Thames breached its banks again

Weymouth in Dorset is hit by strong waves this morning as gusty winds hit parts of England

Flooding around Holywell in Cambridgeshire today after the River Great Ouse burst its banks

A water-logged country lane at Dunsden in Oxfordshire brings hazardous conditions today

Dramatic skies at daybreak at the start of windy morning at Dunsden in Oxfordshire today

Flooding around Holywell in Cambridgeshire today after the River Great Ouse burst its banks

A person looks along the flooded A1101 in Welney, Norfolk, today

Flooding at Henley in Oxfordshire today after the River Thames breached its banks again

Many of the flood warnings were in southern England - particularly Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire.

Wetter February than normal for Britain With several days to go, this February is already much wetter than normal. There has been an average of 113mm (4.4in) of rain across in England, 172 per cent of the mean level recorded between 1991 and 2020. Wales has received 183mm (7.2in), which is 152 per cent of average. The UK as a whole has seen 123mm (4.8in), which is 128 per cent of average. The wettest February for the UK in records dating back to the 19th century was 2020, with 213.7mm (8.4in) of rain. Advertisement

England has already been drenched with nearly double the February average for rainfall so far this month.

Average rainfall for the whole of February in the country was 66.05mm (2.6in).

A weather warning for the worst of the rain was issued for South London, East Sussex and Kent, lasting from yesterday afternoon until 9am this morning.

A Met Office spokesman said: 'With the ground already saturated this may lead to some flooding and disruption.'

Heavy rain last Thursday caused flooding on roads and railway lines in the West Midlands and Wales.

Several schools were forced to close in Herefordshire and Worcestershire due to the risk of floods.

Meanwhile, there were 'treacherous road conditions' and rail services were disrupted.

The Met Office said that today is due to be 'largely dry with sunny spells', with a few showers, mostly in the northeast.

More rain is set to spread south-east tomorrow, which will then be 'brighter with showers in the North'.

And forecasters say Wednesday is due to begin dry 'with further rain arriving from the west, turning heavy at times through Thursday' when 'a broad band of cloud and rain is likely to spread across much of the UK' and it is due to be 'windy at times'.

A car is driven through a flooded road near Folkestone in Kent this morning after heavy rain

Flooding around Holywell in Cambridgeshire today after the River Great Ouse burst its banks

A cyclist goes through a water-logged country lane at Dunsden in Oxfordshire this morning

A van is driven through a flooded road near Folkestone in Kent this morning after heavy rain

Dark clouds over the woods at the start of a windy day at Dunsden in Oxfordshire this morning

Unsettled conditions are set to continue into next weekend 'with areas of showers sometimes banding together for longer spells of rain, this heavy at times'.

Avoid growing 'high risk' crops, farmers told A campaign has been launched urging farmers to avoid growing 'high risk' crops which can cause soil erosion and muddy run-off in wet weather. The Environment Agency said growing plants such as maize, fodder beet, potatoes and other root vegetables on 'unsuitable slopes' can exacerbate the problems. The government body is urging farmers in vulnerable parts of Devon and Cornwall to choose 'appropriate' crops and maintain buffer strips at the edge of fields. Advertisement

In some areas, 'clearer spells overnight' will allow fog and frost to develop.

Met Office spokesman Graeme Madge said the further wet weather due tomorrow and Thursday could bring rain totalling more than 50mm (2in).

He said: 'On Tuesday, the highest totals are looking around Western Scotland, North West England and North Wales.

'Highest totals are around 10mm (0.4in) to 20mm (0.8in) in these areas with the front reducing in intensity as it moves closer to the South East.

'Thursday is showing more widespread rain, but accumulations are highest in North West England and west Scotland with totals of 20mm (0.8in) to 40mm (1.6in) in exposed areas.

'There is still a bit of uncertainty with the exact totals at this moment in time, so details could change as we move closer to these periods.

'Elsewhere much of the rain totals are looking around 5mm (0.2in) with the odd higher ground getting 5mm to 10mm (0.4in).'

In more upbeat news, settled and spring-like weather is due to develop towards the middle of March with some overnight frosts, the Met Office added.
A new Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) is causing such bad congestion that buses take two hours to travel less than three miles.

The Streatham Wells LTN in London has caused traffic chaos since the trial was introduced in October 2022.

The congestion is so bad at peak times that buses are being diverted around and even though the zone to avoid gridlock.

Transport for London (TfL) data shows that last week the A23, which runs along the western side of the LTN, became so bogged down in traffic that it took the bus 121 minutes to travel 2.9 miles.

It would have been twice as quick for passengers to walk the route which is only scheduled to take 29 minutes, the Times reported.

The traffic was so bad that it took buses two hours to travel just three miles

A bus travels along Streatham High Road

A sign warning motorists not to drive down Valley Road, part of a group of streets that make up the Streatham Wells LTN

Have YOU been affected? Email: Dan.Grennan@mailonline.co.uk

Three quarters of another bus route were diverted around the LTN during rush hour while another route forged a path straight through it, Department of Transport data shows.

Since 2020, hundreds of LTNs have been introduced across the country but there is growing controversy about the schemes.

And last summer, Rishi Sunak ordered a review into LTNs which the Transport Department is yet to publish any findings or guidance on.

Lambeth Council blamed 'ongoing roadworks' and 'recent rail strikes' for the congestion.

A Lambeth Council spokesperson said: 'We are aware of concerns regarding bus times in Streatham relating to the trial of Streatham Wells LTN, ongoing roadworks by utilities and recent rail strikes. We are working closely with TfL to monitor the situation and will make changes as needed.'

'In previous Lambeth LTN schemes, traffic fell across the neighbourhood and boundary roads by the end of the trial.

'The Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, and other measures such as those in West Dulwich, been introduced to our busy London borough to make the areas safer, more sustainable and to improve the quality for life everyone living in our local neighbourhoods.'

London buses caught up in traffic in south London

However, TfL's bus operations team reportedly came to the conclusion that the LTN was actually causing the problem.

The LTN's Operations Network Management Control Centre recently raised an 'incident' as they said the LTN was causing 'serious' delays in the area, the Times reported.

Tom Cunnington, Transport for Londons head of buses, said: 'We are sorry passengers continue to experience delays to services in Streatham  this is not in line with the level of service we aim to provide.'

Stephen Hall, who runs the Streatham Stuff website, said: 'Its four months into the scheme and buses on the High Road are still regularly getting stuck for an hour in the congestion.

'Lambeth Council seems to have hugely underestimated the amount of damage and disruption the LTN would cause.'

MailOnline has contacted TfL.

Have YOU been affected? Email: Dan.Grennan@mailonline.co.uk
A former Domino's supervisor will spend up to five years behind bars after he sexually abused a 16-year-old girl and transferred her $200 in exchange.

Lachlan Craig Beelitz, 23, was sentenced in Adelaide District Court on Monday after he pleaded guilty of unlawful sexual intercourse and procuring a child for sexual activity

The court heard that the Beelitz, from Mount Gambier in South Australia, used Snapchat to communicate with his victim and requested the teenage girl send him explicit photos.

Beelitz then drove the teen to a carpark to perform a sex act on him.

The court heard the pair met on at least two more occasions where Beelitz made the girl perform sex acts on him.

Lachlan Craig Beelitz (pictured) was found guilty of unlawful sexual intercourse and procuring a child for sexual activity

In exchange, he would give the young girl cash and cigarettes.

On one other occasion, Beelitz picked up the victim and they had sex.

'During that intercourse you gave your victim your phone for her to take photos of herself partially nude,' Judge Michael Durrant said, the Adelaide Advertiser reported.

'Later that morning you drove her home and transferred her $200 as an exchange for the sex and photos.'

The court heard Beelitz had previously been a supervisor at Domino's for three years before changing careers to become a tree logger.

Domino's Australia shared a statement under a social media post of Beelitz's case in which it said it has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, abuse, or discrimination.

'As soon as we were made aware of these allegations the individual was dismissed,' it said.

'This store is now under new ownership.

'We pride ourselves on being a supportive and safe place to work for thousands of team members across Australia, and will continue to make it abundantly clear that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated.'

While the court heard Beelitz did not meet the diagnostic criteria for pedophilia, his offending was found to be caused by poor insight and poor impulse control in controlling his sexual urges.

The court heard Beelitz was formerly a supervisor at Domino's for three years before changing careers to become a tree logger

'Children are among the most vulnerable members of our society, the courts must protect children, particularly young girls from their own immaturity and naivety,' Judge Durrant said.

'I must deter you and others from preying on children for sexual gratification and from causing them lifelong harm.'

Beelitz was sentenced to five years and four months jail, with a non-parole period of two years and eight months.

His sentence was backdated to February 12.
Horrifying footage shows the moment a violent mob threatens to behead a terrified woman after accusing her of wearing a dress with 'blasphemous' text on in Pakistan.

Hundreds of furious men swarmed around a restaurant in the eastern city of Lahore after mistaking Arabic text meaning 'sweet' on a shopper's dress for Koran verses.

The woman is seen cowering in fear as the men begin to threaten her, telling her to take off her clothes, before the establishment is shut and police officers attempt to pacify the baying mob.

A brave female officer tries to reason with the men, asking them to 'have faith in the police' and not take the law into their own hands, even as the crowd swells and begins chanting a slogan meaning 'there is only one punishment for those who blaspheme the prophet - beheading'.

The police officer, identified as Assistant Superintendent Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, then enters the restaurant and manages to whisk away the woman, who is now covered in black, shielding her from the men gathered outside.

The woman is seen cowering in fear as the men begin to threaten her, telling her to take off her clothes

A brave female officer tries to 'negotiate', even as the crowd swells and begins chanting a slogan meaning 'there is only one punishment for those who blaspheme the prophet - beheading'

A brave female officer tries to reason with the men, asking them to 'have faith in the police' and not take the law into their own hands

A brave female police officer escorts the woman, who has been covered in a black dress, through the baying crowd

'Nobody actually knew what was written on the shirt,' the officer told the BBC. 'The major feat was to try to get that woman out of the area in order to ensure that she is safe.'

In a second video, the woman is seen in custody, flanked by police and Islamic clerics who confirmed that her dress was not printed with Koran verses and that she was innocent.

Her face is covered, and she looks at the camera with hands folded in apology, saying she was 'sorry and that she did not mean to cause offence'.

Struggling to hold back tears, she adds that she 'did not realise that people would misunderstand the Arabic text to mean something from the Koran' and that she 'would never again wear a dress like that', all while the cleric next to her keeps prompting her with what to say.

'The woman was out shopping when a group of men noticed her dress with Arabic text on it and demanded that she take it off, because they believed it was blasphemy,' ASP Shehrbano says.

Among the crowd were supporters of the far-right Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party, whose members regularly call for blasphemers to be beheaded.

Police said they were called to the scene at around 1pm on Sunday, and that around 300 people had gathered at the restaurant by the time they arrived.

The dress in question was a design with the Arabic word 'halwa' meaning sweet, which has no religious meaning, being sold by a Saudi Arabia-based boutique.

The dress in question was a design with the Arabic word 'halwa' meaning sweet, which has no religious meaning, being sold by a Saudi Arabia-based boutique

Struggling to hold back tears, she adds that she 'did not realise that people would misunderstand the Arabic text to mean something from the Koran'

In a second video, the woman is seen in custody, flanked by police and Islamic clerics who confirmed that her dress was not printed with Quran verses

Praising the female police officer's effort to stop the mob, Pakistan's Punjab police said they have nominated her for a gallantry award, while sharing the video to Twitter.

'Had I not screamed and had I not convinced the crowd that we will do something about it, It would have turned nastier Thank God,' she said.

ASP Shehrbano said authorities have seen a 'mushrooming of incidents' like that seen on Sunday, the BBC reports.

Blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan, but there have been numerous cases of alleged perpetrators being lynched before their cases even make it to trial.

At least 85 people have been murdered over blasphemy allegations since 1990, according to local media and researchers.
When Sadiq Khan appointed a comedian as London's first-ever 'Night Tsar', some thought Labour's Mayor of London might have been joking.

Just over a decade ago American-born Amy Lame, described as a 'glamour puss with a penchant for 1950s styles', was earning a reported 50 a shift as Danny Baker's sidekick on BBC London.

Amy also made her name performing successful one-woman shows including Gay Man Trapped in a Lesbian's Body and setting up the raucous and eclectic Duckie at the Vauxhall Tavern - one of the worlds longest-running LGBTQ+ club nights - where acts have included a stripping dwarf.

In a career where she admits to having done 'many things', she is even listed as appearing in a 1995 Lesbian film described as a 'wacky British sex romp in the Benny Hill tradition (minus the misogyny)'.

But in 2016 after failing to be selected as a Labour MP, Sadiq Khan offered her the job of being London's first ever Night Tsar after she promised to halt the flow of venue closures in the capital.

And eight years on she remains in the six-figure salary job and still believes the Mayor of London, who calls her his 'mate', has given her the 'best job in the world'.

In that time her pay has gone from just over 80,000 to 116,925 today. Yet in just the past three years alone, 1,100 bars and clubs plus around 100 London pubs annually have shut in the capital.

MailOnline can reveal today that the comedian, writer and broadcaster has taken at least 12 foreign jaunts as part of her Night Tsar role since 2017 - with a significant gap because of the pandemic.

Trips to 'build partnerships', study nightlife and attend conferences have taken her to Mumbai , Melbourne and Sydney , Boston, Bologna, Berlin and Paris as well as Tallinn and even Lviv in Ukraine.

Amy Lame poses in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge where she joined other nightlife tsars last year

Ms Lame (right) pictured with the vice mayor of Bologna (centre) and the night mayor of Trento (left) during a trip to Italy

Before the pandemic, Ms Lame went to Lviv in Ukraine as part of her job

Amy in Boston in the US when she was invited to be guest speaker at the Harvard European Conference

According to her hospitality register, the trip to Mumbai was to 'create links with India's night time industry and to highlight collaborative way in which London and Mumbai can help each other's night time economy'

The aide to Sadiq Khan gave a keynote speech at the Live Music Summit Copenhagen in 2017

Ms Lame has also enjoyed several trips to Paris

Amy wears a T-Shirt with the Mayor of London's face on it after he was elected. She has been described by Mr Khan as his 'mate'

Most of Ms Lame's trips abroad - which saw her travel to Sydney, Bologna and Madrid in the space of 12 months in 2022 and 2023 - were not paid for by the taxpayer and were instead funded through private donations.

But there have been costs for the taxpayer. According to her expenses, for a trip to Berlin, she claimed for flights and accommodation.

Sadiq Khan's spokesman has said Lame is doing important work to help London's venues and nighttime economy at a time of staff shortages and rising rents.

'The Night Tsars work includes standing up for the 1.3 million Londoners who work evenings and nights to ensure better pay and conditions, protecting hundreds of venues and helping many new ones to open, and creating the groundbreaking Night Time Enterprise Zone programme to boost the capitals high streets', the spokesman said.

Amy is helping to put womens safety at the heart of more than 2,100 organisations, making licensing easier to navigate, and supporting boroughs to develop nighttime strategies to plan better for all aspects of life at night.

Ms Lame and the Mayor of London are 'mates'.

She has supported and fundraised for Labour and had her own hopes of becoming a MP before landing the plum job at City Hall.

She is also a former mayoress of Camden.

Before her marriage even held her hen night celebrations in Downing Street thanks to her friendship with Gordon Brown's wife Sarah when her husband was in power.

While New Jersey-born Amy was dubbed Queen of the Night by the New York Times in her native US, not everyone agrees.

Her left-wing politics have caused controversy. When Margaret Thatcher died in 2013 she tweeted: 'Ding dong the witch is dead'.

In other sweets she also called Ruth Davidson 'scum' and accused David Cameron of 'using his dead son as a pawn'.

In 2020 she was also accused of not declaring 1,000 after hosting a drag event.

In 2022 a petition calling for her to be relieved of her post passed 1,000 signatures.

One critical piece in the NME was titled: 'London Night Tzar Amy Lame  what exactly is the point of you?'

53-year-old Ms Lame's tenure has been marked by controversy and she has hit the headlines again today after the scale of her globetrotting emerged and her boss was accused of more flagrant wasting of public money.

Her critics have demanded that she should do more to advocate for and protect London's night culture.

She has defiantly faced down calls to quit and pointed to her role in bring 24-hour services to five Tube lines to help the nighttime economy.

Hitting back in the eye of one storm, she said: 'If you want a night tsar that will be out partying every night, you've got the wrong tsar'.

The Mayor and his Night Tsar meet the King during the pandemic

Amy Lame with her partner Jennie Hogan in 2017

Amy is a feminist and LGBT rights campaigner

Amy shared this picture of herself aged 3 on Instagram. She grew up in the US but has lived in the UK for 30 years

Despite the travel and a role serving a city with nearly 9million people, she also finds time for to host a weekly show on BBC Radio 6 and actively campaign for the Labour party.

A few years back she even used her considerable influence as a feminist to force Waitrose to rename a 'sexist sandwich'. She complained about Heston Blumanthal's Gentleman's Smoked Chicken Caesar Roll, forcing the supermarket to apologise.

Amy, a 53-year-old stand-up comedian, broadcaster, writer and Labour activist and feminist who described herself as a 'chubby white American lesbian' who arrived in the UK in 1992 to work in a cafe-bar in Soho.

Just 25 years later she was put in charge of rejuvenating night culture in the city and promised to halt the club closures plaguing London.

Just over a decade ago Ms Lame was also earning a reported 50 a shift as Danny Baker 's sidekick on BBC London as well

READ MORE HERE - What a total waste of money! Furious Londoners blast London mayor Sadiq Khan for spending 6million on renaming Overground lines so they are more 'inclusive' Advertisement

She also made ends meet with a series of one-woman shows including Gay Man Trapped in a Lesbian's Body and compering club nights at the legendary Vauxhall Tavern where acts included a stripping dwarf.

While Night Tsar she has published: From Prejudice to Pride: A History of the LGBTQ + Movement' - billed as the first LGBTQ+ history book for children.

But her biggest achievement has been founding the award-winning Duckie club night at the Vauxhall Tavern in South London - arguably the most historic gay venue in the world. She continues to host nights there.

She also became quite successful on TV after presenting the BBC2 show Gaytime TV and was the mentor for LGBTQ teenagers on Channel 4's My Big Gay Prom.

She has also appeared on Loose Women and Celebrity Fit Club and presented The Staying-In Show - a comedy-based quiz show with questions based on sex and sexuality.

Amy Lame spoke to the TfL podcast 'Mind The Gap: Tube 160' last December.

Describing herself she said: 'I've done so many different things, but I think Night Tsar keeps me pretty busy these days. The Mayor is good at keeping me out of trouble'.

She went on: 'When I first arrived in London back at the tail end of 1992 and got my very first job at a cafe bar'.

Spoeaking about making London a 24-hour city like New York or Berlin she said: 'Well, being a Night Tsar, we don't talk about sleep. I sleep when I have to. But also I am a woman who has always worked at night. My dad worked nights at a car factory in New Jersey. And then he set up his own 24-hour plumbing business.

'And when the phone rang at 3am, my dad put on his overalls and he was out the door.

'So I grew up with this idea that working and living was in this 24-hour cycle and that things could be flexible. And that doesn't mean to say that there weren't downsides to that in terms of family life and things, but I think that growing up in that situation but also running my nightclub for 27 years'.

Sadiq Khan is facing fresh questions over his public spending habits amid scrutiny of London's globe-trotting 'night tsar' who has been jetting around the world despite more than 1,100 bars and clubs shutting in the capital in just the past three years.

Amy Lame, the woman put in charge of rejuvenating night culture in the city, has been criticised for travelling to Australia, Italy and Spain while presiding over the decline of London's nightlife.

City Hall last night insisted the trips were essential to 'share best practice learn from other cities and build partnerships'.

Industry chiefs and Tories questioned whether she is providing value for money as startling figures show the capital is falling behind cities such as Liverpool and Birmingham.

It came as Mr Khan sparked fury for splurging more than 6million on a woke rebrand of the Overground and a string of other projects including the derided 'say Maaate' anti-harassment campaign and the controversial New Year's Eve fireworks diversity display.

Amy Lame, pictured here with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, travelled to Australia, Italy and Spain in the space of 12 months in her role as 'night tsar'

Ms Lame (second left) pictured with night mayors from other countries at a meeting in Sydney

While nightlife in many cities is struggling to bounce back following the pandemic and is now suffering a double hit with the cost of living crisis, the decline has been more marked in the capital than elsewhere.

Figures from Square-Up, a firm which processes payments for businesses, said that in terms of the sheer number of transactions Liverpool and Birmingham have now overtaken London.

One survey found that 1,165 venues have closed in London since pandemic, and the head of one industry body says that while all cities in Britain are facing issues, Ms Lame has to answer for London's poor performance.

Michael Knill, the CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), told The Times that he believes that while the 'night tsar' has to oversee all 32 boroughs of London - a job that is far greater than others in her position elsewhere - there are still questions that need answering.

He said: 'There is a big difference between signposting and virtue signalling and driving tangible change. We see a lot of announcements but not so many results.'

He claimed 'the industry feels there hasn't been a strong enough voice for us' and that while there have been worthwhile initiatives such as the women's night safety charter, more is needed.

However, they have still raised questions about whether they are a good use of her time, with Mr Knill saying 'we have got such economic pressures at home, people in the industry are saying, 'Why are you there when you should be here?''

Peter Fortune, Conservative London Assembly member for Bexley and Bromley, told the publication he was not necessarily against Ms Lame travelling abroad to promote the city.

He said: 'But I want to see outcomes as a result of those trips. What's happened as a result of Australia, of Bologna? Where's the bang for the buck?'

The trips taken by Ms Lame, who also works as a presenter for BBC Radio 6, were funded through private donations

Ms Lame took up the role of London's night tsar in 2016 and since then has seen her salary rise from 80,000 to 116,925

A spokesperson for Mr Khan said figures from UKHospitality showed revenue in London's hospitality sector had risen by 3billion to 46billion in four years. They claims live music and hospitality 'defied all expectations' last year.

The Mayor has come under criticism in recent weeks for what is seen by some as 'misplaced priorities' when spending taxpayers money.

Earlier this month travellers slammed Mr Khan for spending 6.3million from the Greater London Authority budget on renaming and recolouring all six London Overground lines.

The majority of the money went on updating customer information, such as redesigning and redisplaying maps across all Tube and London Overground stations, and issuing new versions in print and online.

There was scorn from some quarters as the names - Lioness, Mildmay, Windrush, Weaver, Suffragette and Liberty - were revealed, with Khan himself admitting 'not everybody is going to be happy'.

In January a report compiled by the Conservatives accused the Mayor of wasting 123million of taxpayers money, a sum disputed by sources within his own team.

Tories in the London Assembly said Khan was wasting millions of pounds on 'spin doctors, marketing and pointless initiatives'.

This includes 10million on five-day workshops for the Met Police and staff which had a test to 'determine the colour' of their personalities, almost 1million on 'beach parties' and 500,000 on free advertising for a vaginal moisturising company.

Transport for London paid 115,275 to DNCO for five months of 'naming research', MailOnline revealed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the US would be 'doing a hell of a lot more' after a terror attack as he was grilled over the soaring civilian death toll in Gaza.

'What would America do?' Netanyahu said on 'Face the Nation' on Sunday. 'Would you not be doing what Israel is doing? You'd be doing a hell of a lot more.'

More than four months after the October 7 attacks, the death toll in Gaza is nearing 30,000, after terrorists killed about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and took around 250 hostages.

Netanyahu said on Sunday that Hamas is on 'another planet' with the negotiations, but added that Israel is 'working on it' and aims to get the remaining hostages released.

He said seeing the hostages set free is included in his three goals, which he outlined again on Sunday.

Netanyahu said on Sunday that Hamas is on 'another planet' with the negotiations, but added that Israel is 'working on it' and aims to get the remaining hostages released

Smoke billows following Israeli bombardment in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Sunday

He noted that the other goals are to 'destroy Hamas,' and to 'ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel in the future'.

'Unless we have total victory, we can't have peace,' Netanyahu added.

The Biden administration and Netanyahu have disagreed on the best way forward in recent weeks, as the US President calls for Palestinian governance in Gaza and a two-state solution as a long-term plan, which Israel's government is against.

Last week, Israel rejected 'unilateral' recognition of a Palestinian state.

It said that the decision would need to be reached through direct negotiations.

Netanyahu pushed for the vote on Sunday. He said 'the Israeli people are united as never before,' while arguing that 'the policy is right'.

Israel's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has announced new plans to construct more than 3,300 homes in West Bank settlements, following a shooting on cars near the Maale Adumim settlement that saw one Israeli killed and five wounded.

The Biden administration said on Friday that the plan is inconsistent with international law, signaling a return to long-standing US policy on the issue that had been reversed by the previous administration of Donald Trump.

'They're also inconsistent with international law. Our administration maintains a firm opposition to settlement expansion, and in our judgement this only weakens, doesn't strengthen, Israel's security,' US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday.

He said the United States was 'disappointed' in Israel's announcement of the housing plans, adding that they were counterproductive to reaching an enduring peace.

The Biden administration and Netanyahu have disagreed on the the best way forward in recent weeks, as the US President calls for Palestinian governance in Gaza and a two-state solution as a long term plan, which Israel's government is against

Destroyed Palestinian houses in Al Nusairat refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, on Sunday

Biden has called on the Israeli Prime Minister in recent weeks not to launch an invasion of Rafah in the south of Gaza, where around 1.4 million Palestinians have taken shelter from the conflict.

Biden has urged Israel on several occasions not to press forward unless there is a 'credible' plan for maintaining the safety of the people taking refuge there.

Netanyahu said on Sunday that when the Rafah operation has been launched, 'the intense phase of the fighting is weeks away from completion'.

He said he has held meeting with officials on a plan to evacuate Palestinians from Rafah and that Israel has 'gone to extraordinary lengths' to notify people in Gaza about incoming bombardments more broadly.

'We'll clear them out of harm's way, we'll complete the job and achieve total victory, which is necessary to give a secure future for Israel, a better future for Gaza and a better future for the Middle East,' he said.

Biden sensationally referred to Netanyahu as 'an a**hole' on at least three occasions and called him the primary obstacle to peace in the Middle East, according to a shocking report released earlier this month.

His alleged insults came as the US was dragged further into war and conflict in the Middle East.

A source close to the president told NBC News that Biden felt as though Netanyahu was 'giving him hell' over ceasefire negotiations.

Palestinians wait for humanitarian aid on a beachfront in Gaza City, on Sunday

Smoke rises during an Israeli ground operation in Khan Younis, as seen from a tent camp sheltering displaced Palestinians in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Monday

'He just feels like this is enough. It has to stop,' another source told the network.

Israel's military proposed a plan for evacuating civilians from the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu's office announced today, after he said a ground invasion of the Palestinian territory's southern city Rafah was necessary for 'total victory'.

Foreign governments and aid organisations have repeatedly expressed fears that such an operation will inflict mass civilian casualties.

More than 1.4 million Palestinians - most of them displaced from elsewhere - have converged on the last Gazan city untouched by Israel's ground troops.

It is also the entry point for desperately needed aid, brought in via neighboring Egypt.

Israel's military 'presented the War Cabinet with a plan for evacuating the population from areas of fighting in the Gaza Strip, and with the upcoming operational plan', a statement in Hebrew from Netayahu's office said today.

The statement did not give any details about how or where the civilians would be moved.

The announcement comes after Egyptian, Qatari and US 'experts' met in Doha for talks also attended by Israeli and Hamas representatives, state-linked Egyptian media reported, the latest effort to secure a truce before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The United States said ongoing mediation efforts produced 'an understanding' towards a ceasefire and hostage release, while a Hamas source said the group insisted on the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

A child is stuck as Palestinians hold out their empty containers to be filled with food, distributed by charity organisations, behind bars since they are unable to obtain basic food supplies due to the embargo imposed by Israeli forces in Rafah, Gaza, on Sunday

But Netanyahu - who has dismissed the withdrawal demand as 'delusional' - said a ground invasion of Rafah would put Israel within weeks of 'total victory' over Hamas, whose October 7 attack triggered the war.

'If we have a (truce) deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen,' he said of the ground invasion in the interview with CBS Sunday.

'It has to be done because total victory is our goal and total victory is within reach - not months away, weeks away, once we begin the operation.'

Amid a spiraling humanitarian crisis, the main UN aid agency for Palestinians urged political action to avert famine in Gaza.

Dire food shortages in northern Gaza are 'a man-made disaster' that can be mitigated, said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

'Famine can still be avoided through genuine political will to grant access and protection to meaningful assistance.'

The UN has said it faces restrictions, particularly on aid deliveries to northern Gaza.
Rishi Sunak today disowned Lee Anderson's claims that Sadiq Khan was 'controlled by Islamists'.

The PM said the former deputy chairman's remarks were 'unacceptable' and 'wrong' as he denied that the Tories had a problem with Islamophobia.

But Mr Sunak is facing a Red Wall backlash over Mr Anderson being stripped of the whip for refusing to apologise for his swipe at the London Mayor.

MPs have been warning their inboxes are full of support for Mr Anderson, with one constituent suggesting his suspension was the 'final nail in [the Conservative] party's coffin'.

The Ashfield MP again refused to apologise this morning, telling GB News - where he works - that he was 'right'. 'When you think you are right you should never apologise because to do so would be a sign of weakness,' he told the broadcaster.

Speaking on BBC Radio York ahead of a Cabinet meeting in Yorkshire this morning, Mr Sunak said: 'Those comments weren't acceptable. They were wrong, that is why he had had the whip suspended.'

He added: 'Words matter, especially in the current environment where tensions are running high and I think it's incumbent on all of us to choose them carefully.'

Mr Sunak dodged on whether Mr Anderson would be readmitted to the party if he apologised - something he has so far refused to do.

Asked whether his party has an Islamophobia problem, the premier said: 'No, of course it doesn't'.

The defence came as:

Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch - who is the equalities minister - accused Labour of wanting to shut down all criticism of Islam;

Transport Secretary Mark Harper left the door open for Mr Andersons possible return to the Tory party;

Tory chair Ric Holden tried to turn the tables on Labour, pointing to Keir Starmer's 'delayed reaction to blatant racist and antisemitic comments' in the Rochdale by-election campaign.

Rishi Sunak is facing a 'Red Wall backlash' after sacking Lee Anderson over his claims that Sadiq Khan was 'controlled by Islamists'. Pictured: Mr Anderson and Mr Sunak in January

London Mayor Sadiq Khan hit out at Mr Anderson for his 'Islamphobic, anti-Muslim, racist' remarks

Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch - who is the equalities minister - accused Labour of wanting to shut down all criticism of Islam

Speaking on BBC Radio York as he visited Yorkshire this morning (pictured), Mr Sunak said: 'Those comments weren't acceptable.'

Posting on the X social media site overnight, Ms Badenoch slammed Labour's Anneliese Dodds for using a definition of 'Islamophobia' that would 'create a blasphemy law via the back door'.

The minister said: 'We use the term 'Anti-Muslim hatred'. It makes clear the law protects Muslims. In this country, we have a proud tradition of religious freedom AND the freedom to criticise religion.

'The definition of 'Islamophobia' she uses creates a blasphemy law via the back door if adopted.'

Challenged on what Mr Anderson needed to say to return to the fold, Mr Harper told Sky News this morning: 'I hope he will reflect on what he said and he will retract those comments and apologise

'He's contributed a lot in the past. I'd like to see him be able to contribute to the Conservative Party in the future.'

Mr Harper said the suspension 'sends a very strong message that we don't tolerate people saying such things in the Conservative Party'.

He declined to say whether Mr Anderson's remarks were racist despite being pressed repeatedly, reiterating only that they were 'wrong' and 'not true'.

In his local radio interviews, Mr Sunak said it was 'not a fair characterisation at all' to say he has condemned antisemitism while overlooking Islamophobia in his own party.

'Racism or prejudice of any kind' is 'completely unacceptable' and 'not British', he said.

He said he is proud of the fact that 'it wasn't a big deal' when he became the first British-Asian prime minister, adding: 'And that's because we're the most successful multi-ethnic democracy in the world.'

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden suggested yesterday that while Mr Anderson's comments were 'not acceptable', if he apologises the party will 'make a determination at that point'.

Mr Dowden told Times Radio: 'Words matter, and he didn't choose the right words. He was given the opportunity to apologise, didn't apologise and therefore had the whip removed.'

'If he apologises, we'd look at the nature of that and make a determination at that point,' he added. 'But that's a matter for the chief whip.'

Mr Dowden also said he did not believe Mr Anderson was 'intending' to be Islamophobic when he made the remarks that led to his suspension from the party.

Mr Khan has accused Mr Sunak of 'enabling anti-Muslim hatred in the Conservative Party.

Private messages in a Tory MP WhatsApp group have highlighted fears of a backlash from voters in traditional Labour seats in the so-called Red Wall that the party tackled in 2019.

No MP is said to have explicitly voiced support for Mr Anderson in the group chat, but they warned that constituents have concerns.

Jill Mortimer, MP for Hartlepool - a seat that the Tories took from Labour in 2021 - shared an email from a constituent that read: 'Today's news of Lee Anderson's suspensio has been the final nail in your party's coffin'.

The MP asked others if they had received similar to which Sarah Dines, MP for the Derbyshire Dales, said she had but claimed they were from constituents who were 'not known supporters'.

Mr Anderson has served since 2019 as MP for Ashfield, one of the previously Labour seats in the so-called red wall

Tory chair Ric Holden tried to turn the tables on Labour, pointing to Keir Starmer's 'delayed reaction to blatant racist and antisemitic comments' in the Rochdale by-election campaign

Sarah Atherton, MP for Wrexham in North Wales, added that she had 'an instant backlash from members' prompting a cause for concern.

One unnamed MP speaking of Mr Anderson told the paper: 'He's an idiot for saying what he did and should have apologised but he's not a racist and speaks for the silent majority in this country who feel Westminster has abandoned them.'

The latest commotion with the party began after Suella Braverman claimed that 'the truth is that the Islamists, the extremists and the anti-Semites are in charge now'.

The former Home Secretary had been making the comments with regards to the pro-Palestine protests that have been taking place each Saturday since war broke out between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East.

It sparked an immediate debate where Mr Anderson announced on GB News: 'I don't actually believe that the Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is they've got control of Khan and they've got control of London.

'He's actually given our capital city away to his mates, he added, leading critics to brand him a racist. When he refused to apologise the whip was removed.

Business minister Nus Ghani and senior backbencher Sir Sajid Javid had been among Tory figures joining a growing chorus of criticism from across the political divide over the remarks.

The latest commotion with the party began after Suella Braverman claimed that 'the truth is that the Islamists, the extremists and the anti-Semites are in charge now'

Hundreds gather outside the parliament to stage a protest in support of Palestinians as a proposal calling a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza is being debated in the parliament on Wednesday night

Parliament descended into chaos last week following a row over the Common's Speaker's handling of a vote on Gaza and concerns for MPs' safety. Pictured: Sir Lindsey Hoyle on Wednesday

Senior backbencher Sir Robert Buckland criticised the interventions on Sunday, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Mr Anderson's remarks were 'racist' and 'repugnant', and that 'proper Conservatives' want to bring the country together.

Anyone opposed to that agenda should 'get out and join another party,' he said.

The Prime Minister is yet to comment publicly on the remarks - with Mr Khan claiming his 'silence' amounts to 'tactic endorsement' of Islamophobia.

The furor comes after one of the most fractious weeks that Westminster has seen since the Brexit years forcing Mr Sunak to issue a statement warning of the dangers that polarisation and extremism could have on UK politics.

Parliament descended into chaos last week following a row over the Common's Speaker's handling of a vote on Gaza and concerns for MPs' safety.

'Legitimate protests hijacked by extremists to promote and glorify terrorism, elected representatives verbally threatened and physically, violently targeted, and antisemitic tropes beamed onto our own Parliament building,' Mr Sunak said.

'And in Parliament this week a very dangerous signal was sent that this sort of intimidation works. It is toxic for our society and our politics and is an affront to the liberties and values we hold dear here in Britain.'

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is yet to comment publicly on Mr Anderson's suspension

Mr Anderson was deputy chairman of the Tory Party until resigning in January to rebel against Mr Sunak's legislation to revive the stalled plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda

Mr Anderson was deputy chairman of the Tory Party until resigning in January to rebel against Mr Sunak's legislation to revive the stalled plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda.

He was among some 60 Conservatives who voted in favour of an amendment that sought to ensure UK and international law cannot be used to prevent or delay a person being sent to Kigali under the scheme.

Mr Anderson has served since 2019 as MP for Ashfield, one of the previously Labour seats in the so-called red wall where voters switched to the Tories post-Brexit to give Boris Johnson his landslide victory.

The Muslim Council of Britain welcomed the MP's suspension but said the Conservative Party has 'an Islamophobia problem' and his remarks are 'only the tip of an iceberg'.

A Conservative spokesperson said: 'An investigation and subsequent independent review, both conducted over several years by professor Swaran Singh, found no evidence of institutional racism in the Conservative Party.'
The mother of a teenager who died with his friends in a car crash says she can only get through the day 'by pretending he's at work or the gym.'

Harvey Owen, 17, was found alongside his friends Jevon Hirst, 16, Wilf Fitchett, 17, and Hugo Morris, 18, in their crashed silver Ford Fiesta near Snowdonia National Park last November.

The four teenagers had travelled from Shrewsbury for the weekend trip and Harvey had withheld the truth about his destination or how he were getting there to his parents.

Now his grief-stricken mother Crystal Owen, 39, is calling for progressive driving laws to be introduced for new drivers in a bid for tragedies like Harvey's crash to be avoided.

Opening up on how she has coped with her devastating loss since Harvey's death, she said: 'Harvey was just looking for an adventure that weekend and unfortunately, it's the last day he'll ever have.

Harvey Owen's mother Crystal has revealed her grief leaves her imagining he is 'just at the gym'

Harvey was found alongside his friends in a crashed silver Ford Fiesta near Snowdonia National Park

His mother is now calling for progressive driving laws to be introduced for new drivers

'I've not left the house much but when I do I drive through town and I see him on his bike, I see him everywhere.

'There's a huge part of our lives that's basically never going to be the same again. It's a void that nothing can fill.

'Nothing we ever do in life will ever be the same. The only way really to get through each day is to pretend he's at work or the gym or at his guitar lesson.'

Heartbroken Ms Owen believes Harvey as his friends would still be alive if the driver was more experienced and wants stricter rules for young drivers.

The cupcake business owner wants people aged under 25 to be banned from carrying passengers for a year after they've passed their test and for them to be restricted from driving between midnight and 6am.

She explained: 'They're four times more likely to crash with passengers. They're more led by peer pressure. I don't want the boys to die in vain.

'My son, he lied to me about where he was going and how he was getting there. That's the thing, teenagers will do that.'

The disappearance of the four boys, from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, sparked a huge search and an outpouring of grief when they were found; a fundraiser set up to support their families has raised over 32,655, smashing a humble target of 4,000.

They were reported missing on Monday, November 20 after failing to return home from the trip. They may have lain undiscovered for up to two days after leaving Harlech at around 11am on November 19, a Sunday, en route to Snowdonia.

Sixth form student Harvey Owen, 17, (left) pictured with his family including mother Crystal, a cupcake shop owner (right). His grief-stricken mother said her eyes are raw from crying

Teenager friends (clockwise from top left) Harvey Owen, Wilf Fitchett, Hugo Morris and Jevon Hirst were last seen getting into a silver Ford Fiesta car on Sunday morning

Police are pictured on the A4085 where the silver Fiesta belonging to the teenagers was found

Police are pictured searching the crash site near Beddgelert, North Wales

A police officer investigates the scene in North Wales. The force shut down the road

Police cordon off the road in North Wales as they investigate what caused their deaths

Mrs Owen published this picture of Harvey in a Facebook post alongside a link to her petition calling for tougher rules on young drivers

The boys - who were all pupils at Shrewsbury College - left their homes on Saturday, November 18, and stayed overnight with Jevon's grandfather, in the seaside town of Harlech 80 miles away, that evening.

They set off for Snowdonia the following morning, intending to spend the Sunday night camping. Their last contact with family is said to have been around the town of Porthmadog, eight miles north, at midday.

They were travelling on the 'narrow and windy' A4085 during what local residents described as 'atrocious' weather conditions with heavy rain and the car appears to have careered off the carriageway close to a bend in an area with almost no mobile phone signal.

Described as 'sensitive and intelligent lads', the four teenagers were inexperienced campers and had only a tent and sleeping bags.

'The plan seems to have been for them to camp in Snowdonia on Sunday evening, but it looks like they never made it to a campsite,' said a source close to the investigation.

A major search operation was launched on the Monday involving a Coastguard helicopter and three teams from Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team, who were dispatched to search car parks at the foot of Snowdon for the Fiesta in case the boys had decided to go hiking.
An army diversity drive to enlist more women into front-line fighting units has backfired after only 10 female recruits started infantry or Royal Armoured Corps basic training last year.

The figures have led to the effort being branded a 'very costly, damaging and futile exercise in political correctness' by a defence chief.

Just 15 female soldiers completed basic training for either infantry or tank units between January and September 2023, a freedom of information request has revealed. While almost half of those who began the training since 2019 failed to complete the course.

The data also showed that fewer than five trained female soldiers transferred into either the armoured corps or the infantry from other Army units, while no female recruits have passed Royal Marines training, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

In all, 85 women have joined the infantry while 45 entered the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) in five years, MoD figures claimed. It means that out of the 24,000 tank or infantry personnel in the Army, just 130 are female - 0.5 per cent of total force.

Just 15 female soldiers completed basic training for either infantry or tank units between January and September 2023, a freedom of information request (pictured is Pte Addy Carter who was one of the first female to complete a selection course for the Parachute Regiment)

In all, 85 women have joined the infantry while 45 entered the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) in five years (pictured is a tank from the RAC)

It means that out of the 24,000 tank or infantry personnel in the Army, just 130 are female - 0.5 per cent of total force (file image of women in the Honourable Artillery Company)

Colonel Richard Kemp, a former British military commander in Afghanistan, lashed out at the data, and said having a 'tiny minority' of women in 'pretty much all-male units' was 'counterproductive and harmful to morale and combat effectiveness'.

He told the Telegraph: 'The whole thing will turn out to be a very costly, damaging and futile exercise in political correctness  funded of course by the taxpayer. The Army did not want this, but it was forced on them by politically correct politicians.'

Former Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced in 2018 all front-line roles would be open to women - including positions in the special forces, Royal Marines, infantry and tank units. Mr Williamson was later sacked in 2019.

But announcing the plan during a land power demonstration on Salisbury Plain, Mr Williamson said opening up 'all combat roles' to woman would make the armed forces a 'more modern employer'.

In October 2022, it was revealed that combat Medic Private Addy Carter had become one of the first female soldier to pass a gruelling selection course to join Britain's elite Parachute Regiment.

Aged just 21 at the time, she was one of only 59 out of 98 candidates to successfully battle through the All Arms Pre-Parachute Selection course, to wear the coveted maroon beret.

She followed in the footsteps of Captain Rosie Wild, of the Royal Artillery, who passed the All Arms Pre-Parachute Selection, more commonly known as 'P company'  the toughest military selection course outside the Special Forces - in 2020.

Current Defence Secretary Grant Shapps launched his own offensive to enlist more women into armed forces last month, as he sought to tackle a recruitment crisis plaguing the military.

Combat Medic Private Addy Carter become the first female soldier to pass a gruelling selection course to join the Parachute Regiment

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps is seeking to recruit more women into the military. Pictured is a female soldier from 16th Regiment, Royal Artillery with the Sky Sabre air defence system

Mr Shapps said he was worried the make-up of the military did not reflect wider society and insisted more should be done to attract and retain women.

His comments come amid a worsening crisis in the nation's rapidly shrinking armed forces, with the pace of troops leaving the service outstripping the numbers of new recruits coming into it.

What is the history of women in the British military? All areas of the armed forces have only been opened to women for five years. But figures today showed that not many had joined front-line combat units. Here is a history of women in the military. Civil wars of 1639 - 1651: Many women disguised themselves as men to fight in the Civil war. The phenomenon was so widespread that King Charles I issued a proclamation banning women from wearing men's military clothing. 19th Century military nurses: Many women helped support Britain's troops by signing up as nurses and caring for the wounded. Florence Nightingale revolutionised the profession women to care for soldiers struck down in the Crimean War of 1854 to 1856. First World War, spring 1917: The Women's Army Auxiliary Corps was founded to carry out support duties in France and Belgium in WW1. Over 100,000 women had enrolled by the end of the war Second World War: Women originally signed up as cooks, clerks and orderlies to help with the war effort. They joined the Army and the Royal Airforce (RAF) freeing men up to fight on the frontline. 1999: Exclusion of women from certain military roles challenged in the European Court of Justice. The challenge is defeated. 2002: MoD study says women in ground combat roles could adversely affect unit cohesion 2014: The Women in Close Combat Review paper recommends ending the ban on women in front-line armoured roles 2015: David Cameron announces process to allow women to join all armed forces roles 2018: All roles in the military are now open to women, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has announces Advertisement

So desperate is the situation, military defence chiefs have ordered hundreds of soldiers to move from front line roles and man recruitment offices to help entice more young Brits to enlist.

Discussing his plans to tackle the crisis, Mr Shapps said: 'Something which I'm extremely passionate about is actually having a military which should represent our country as it is today.

'It can't be right that our military still only has 11 or 12 per cent women, for example, when you make up half the population.'

Women make up just a fraction of Britain's military, comprising about 11.3 per cent of the whole force. Recent figures showed 13.8 per cent of all officers in the forces were female. However, there were just 24 women holding top positions.

The RAF has the biggest representation, with 16 per cent of its personnel being female. In the Royal Navy the figure is 13 per cent. For the Army it's just 10.3 per cent.

The armed forces have been struck by a series of scandals, with women targeted by sexual predators within their ranks - with victims and charities warning of a 'toxic culture' of misogyny and rape within the military.

In October 2022, the Navy was forced to launch a probe into allegations of rape threats and sexual assault on Britain's nuclear submarines, while two Red Arrows pilots were sacked after evidence of a 'toxic culture' emerged that same year.

In December, young female members of the scandal-hit Red Arrows spoke out and revealed how they were warned by male colleagues they could become a 'notch on a crew member's bedpost' of some of their more predatory comrades.

Colonel Philip Ingram, a former officer in British military intelligence, said scandals like these were putting women off joining, with targets for the RAC and infantry remaining 'totally unachievable' while the sexual abuse continues to plague units.

'The MoD are still playing at equality, and misogyny remains rife and this is reflected in recruitment,' the retired spymaster told the Telegraph.

The MoD said it aims to boost the number of female troops in the Army so it makes up 30 per cent of the Army - about 22,000 personnel - by 2030.

An MoD spokesman added: 'All roles in our Armed Forces are open to women  including ground close combat and armoured roles  because we want to recruit the best people to serve the country. This is about opportunity, fairness and maximising the potential pool of talent.

'Anyone who has the drive and capability to succeed will get the chance to do so.'
Angel Rayner will join Keir Starmer to push Labour's housing plans today - as she faces questions over her ownership of a former council house home.

Labour's top team put on a united front in the West Midlands as the Tories demand a police probe into whether Ms Rayner broke rules when she owned a house she purchased using Margaret Thatcher's 'Right To Buy' programme.

A new biography of Ms Rayner alleges she gave two different addresses in official documents before selling the property in Stockport, Greater Manchester, for a 48,500 profit in 2012, before she became an MP.

Under electoral rules, voters are expected to register at their permanent home address. Anyone who knowingly provides false information about the address they are registered to vote at could face conviction and a prison sentence.

The claim is contained in a new book Red Queen? The Unauthorised Biography of Angela Rayner by Lord Ashcroft, which will be serialised in the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday next month.

The allegation has prompted questions about where Ms Rayner lived during that time.

It comes ahead of what is expected to be a stormy by-election in Rochdale on Thursday, where Labour's candidate has been suspended for sharing conspiracy theories about the war in Gaza.

Labour's top team will put on a united front in the West Midlands as the Tories demand a police probe into whether Ms Rayner (pictured today) broke rules when she owned a house she purchased using Margaret Thatcher's 'Right To Buy' programme.

A new biography of Ms Rayner alleges she gave two different addresses in official documents before selling the property in Stockport, Greater Manchester, for a 48,500 profit in 2012, before she became an MP.

She and Sir Keir will visit a housing development, where he will argue the 'core British value of working hard and getting on has been corroded' after 14 years of Tory government.

The party has promised to deliver the biggest boost to affordable, social and council housing for a generation by strengthening the rules to prevent developers from 'wriggling out' of their planning responsibilities.

Other previously announced pledges include reforming planning laws in a bid to kickstart building on 1.5 million new homes, with the next generation of towns and hundreds of new planners the party says will be funded by raising tax on foreign owners of UK property.

But it comes as documents show that Ms Rayner, 43, bought an ex-council house in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in 2007 under Margaret Thatcher's right-to-buy pledge.

Ms Rayner, who is also shadow housing secretary, has been accused of 'pulling up the ladder' for other social housing tenants as she has vowed to review the policy if Labour wins the election.

She sold the property eight years later, making a 48,500 profit. Tenants must repay some of the discount they received if they sell within five years.

Official documents seen by the Mail on Sunday show that she was registered on the electoral roll at the ex-council house in Vicarage Road for five years after she married Mark Rayner in 2010.

Despite them being newlyweds, her husband was listed elsewhere  a house in Lowndes Lane, just over a mile away, which had also been bought under the right-to-buy scheme.

More mysteriously, when Ms Rayner re-registered the births of her two youngest children that same year, she gave her address as Lowndes Lane.

It is not clear, therefore, where she was living after her marriage.

Last night, Tory MP James Daly wrote to Greater Manchester Police to ask that they investigate whether she gave the correct information.

'There is a strong public interest in looking into this matter,' he said. The Mail on Sunday interviewed neighbours of both properties who claimed that Ms Rayner moved out of Vicarage Road in 2009 and into Lowndes Lane.

Lord Ashcroft's book says that one neighbour had claimed that her brother Darren had moved in after she moved out when her two youngest children were born.

A neighbour in Lowndes Lane said Ms Rayner and her husband had lived there with their children from the summer of 2009.

Ms Rayner posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the house purchase had been 'by the book' and said it was a 'proud moment' for her.

Rayner issued a series of posts on social media to reject claims she wants to 'pull up the ladder' to make it harder for other social housing tenants to benefit in the same way she did

She said: 'Being able to buy my council house back in 2007 was a proud moment for me. I worked hard, saved and bought it by the book. I'm not ashamed  but I am angry that the Tories have since put the dream of a secure home out of reach for so many others.'

Ms Rayner accused Lord Ashcroft of taking an 'unhealthy interest in my family' and 'kicking down' at people like her 'who graft in tough circumstances to get on in life'.However, she did not clarify details of her living arrangements at the time.

A Labour spokesman said: 'Angela, who had an older child from a previous relationship, and her husband maintained their existing residences before moving into their shared marital home.

'Their son was born just 23 weeks into her pregnancy and spent eight months in intensive care, requiring ongoing support from a wide network of friends and family, including Angela's brother. Beyond the smears, there is no suggestions any rules have been broken.'

Right-to-buy was one of Margaret Thatcher's flagship policies, allowing social housing tenants to buy the properties they had rented at a generous discount. It has long been opposed by the Left, and Labour has committed to review the policy if it wins the election.

A spokesman for the Electoral Commission did not comment on Ms Rayner's circumstances but said: 'Normally a person is resident at an address if it is their permanent home address. Whether someone is eligible to be on the register at an address is for the relevant electoral registration officer.

'It is an offence to knowingly provide false information in the voter registration application form. If convicted, a person may be imprisoned for up to six months and/or face an unlimited fine.

The Labour deputy leader was accused of hypocrisy after it was revealed she made a 48,500 profit on her ex-council house thanks to the right-to-buy policy she now wants to reform

The purchase of Ms Rayner's council house is revealed in a new book by Lord Ashcroft (pictured), which will be serialised exclusively in the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday next month

4 questions she has to answer 1 Did you live at Vicarage Road address in Stockport from 2005 to 2015, as you registered on the electoral roll? 2 Or did you live with your then husband, Mark Rayner, from 2010 to 2015 at his address a mile away? 3 Why did your entry on the electoral roll change from your maiden name 'Bowen' to 'Rayner' in 2013, at least two years after your marriage to Mark Rayner? 4 Why did you re-register your two sons' births to Mark Rayner's address in 2010, despite you being on the electoral roll at Vicarage Road? Advertisement

'This would be a matter for the police to investigate.'

Stockport Council did not respond to a request for comment yesterday.

Last night a Labour spokesman added: 'Angela was registered to vote at the home she owned and lived in. The Tories are once again wasting everyone's time with political game-playing.'

Ms Rayner  who last week met ministers in India for a conference of global economists and politicians  is not the first Labour MP to be accused of hypocrisy. Earlier this year, the Mail revealed that backbencher Apsana Begum was still living in a council flat more than two years after admitting 'it's probably not something that I need'. And former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott was revealed to have sent her child to private school in 2003.

It came after she had previously condemned former Prime Minister Tony Blair and former acting deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman for not sending their children to traditional state schools.

She later admitted her decision was 'indefensible'.

Ms Harman sent her child to grammar school in 1996 despite Labour opposing the system.

Former education secretary Ruth Kelly was also criticised after sending her child to private school in 2007.
Rishi Sunak vowed to divert billions of pounds freed up from downgrading HS2 into fixing potholes and refurbing stations today.

The PM laid out how the money previously earmarked for the huge rail project will be allocated to areas as he made a 'Levelling Up' pitch to the Red Wall.

Mr Sunak is holding a Cabinet 'away-day' in Yorkshire as he seeks to burnish his credentials in the key election battleground.

The North of England will be handed 2.5billion and the Midlands will receive 2.2billion from the budgets for the axed northern leg of HS2.

However, the funding will not be made available until April 2025  after the general election expected later this year.

Rishi Sunak (pictured at a Network Rail site near York) is holding a Cabinet 'away-day' in Yorkshire as he seeks to burnish his credentials in the key Red Wall election battleground

The HS2 plans were dramatically downgraded by Mr Sunak last year

The Cabinet met in Goole, Yorkshire today to underline the government's commitment to the North

Mr Sunak told BBC Radio York: 'We could have carried on with a project that was going to cost well over 100billion, take decades and have a very specific set of benefits, whereas I made a different decision.

'I said 'I'm going to take that money, and instead I'm going to give it to local areas to spend on their local transport priorities'.

'And that's already started to happen. So local authorities have already got money at the end of last year for more road resurfacing and potholes. They're going to get more of that this year. We've already capped bus fares at 2.

'And today we're announcing several years of funding that local areas are going to get for their local transport priority.

'So our plans are already delivering benefits to people and, I think, will be transformational for spreading opportunity, improving connectivity across the North and Midlands in a way that's never happened before.'

The Government said it will go into a 'local transport fund' targeted at smaller cities, towns and rural areas, which councils and unitary authorities will decide how best to spend.

Labour accused ministers of having the 'brass neck' to speak about 'transformation' to regional transport services after 'countless broken promises to do just that.'

The visit to Yorkshire and the Humber will be the first time Mr Sunak has held a regional Cabinet outside of conference season since he took office in 2022.

The last time ministers gathered outside of London was for emergency talks ahead of the PM's announcement that HS2 would be scaled back at last year's meeting of Tory delegates.

At the party's annual conference in Manchester  the city most directly hit by the U-turn  Mr Sunak confirmed after months of speculation that plans for the high-speed rail project north of Birmingham would be scrapped amid spiralling costs.

The Prime Minister promised to reinvest 'every single penny' of 36billion previously earmarked for the scheme into hundreds of new transport projects.

At Cabinet, Mr Sunak is expected to say that ministers and MPs should 'hold local authorities to account' to ensure the local transport fund is 'used appropriately', Downing Street said.

The Transport Secretary is expected to update colleagues on the delivery of Network North  the Government's overarching plan to replace HS2's northern leg.

The Government says the new funding allocations will provide local authorities with long-term certainty over the amount they have to spend on transport services their communities need the most, for example expanding mass transit systems, filling potholes, roadbuilding or refurbishing bus and rail stations.

The PM and ministers are also to meet with communities, businesses and organisations to discuss their priorities for the fund and how their area can best benefit from the money.

Mr Sunak said: 'We have a clear plan to level up our country with greater transport links that people need and deliver the right long-term change for a brighter future.

Building work is still going ahead on other parts of the HS2 project (pictured, Water Orton near Birmingham)

'The local transport fund will deliver a new era of transport connectivity. This unprecedented investment will benefit more people, in more places, more quickly than HS2 ever would have done, and comes alongside the billions of pound worth of funding we've already invested into our roads, buses and local transport services across the country.'

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: 'Today's 4.7 billion investment is truly game-changing for the smaller cities, towns, and rural communities across the North and the Midlands, and is only possible because this Government has a plan to improve local transport and is willing to take tough decisions like reallocating funding from the second phase of HS2.'

Greater Manchester Labour Mayor Andy Burnham said in a post on X: 'Didn't they promise this exactly 10 years ago? They must think we are thick.'
Teachers across UK schools are 'locking classroom doors' to keep aggressive pupils out amid a surge in disruptive behaviour by students.

Shocking stories have emerged of teachers being assualted, pupils throwing objects across classrooms and skipping lessons as well as students beating each other up.

Teaching unions and groups say they have been contacted by frightened teachers who are fearing for their jobs and several who are 'acting like social workers'.

It comes as Department for Education figures show school suspensions have nearly doubled in the last six years to almost 250,000. Dozens of teachers across the country are also striking over reportedly bad working conditions.

A report by consultancy Public First also revealed lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic caused a 'seismic shift' in parents' attitudes to school attendance.

The North East (pictured top right) has the highest exclusion/suspension rate in England

Department for Education figures show school suspensions have nearly doubled in the last six years to almost 250,000

Teachers at the Oasis Academy on the Isle of Sheppey went on strike due to poor working conditions and abuse in November

Teachers at Pencoedtre High School in Barry went on strike after suffering more than 50 serious incidents of verbal and physical abuse last month

The research suggested parents believed their children did not need to be in school full time if they were anxious, increasingly thought that 'life was too short' not to have a term-time holiday as well as not being bothered about fines for absence.

It said: 'Pre-Covid, ensuring your child's daily attendance at school was seen as a fundamental element of good parenting.

'Post-Covid, parents no longer felt that to be the case, and instead view attending school as one of several - often competing - options or demands on their child on a daily basis, against a backdrop of a more holistic approach to daily life.'

One school teacher in Tower Hamlets, where recent data showed there were cases of children being suspended for using knives, screwdrivers and even a BB gun, told MailOnline: 'It can often be a challenging environment to work in.

'I often deal with difficult students who don't seem to want to learn at all. Some can be quite aggressive which makes safety a big concern.'

Chris Zarraga, 54, from Schools North East, told The Mirror: 'All staff in school are acting more as social workers than teachers and it's beyond their training and resources.

'A lot of schools are reporting that pre-pandemic you would largely have the support of the parents if the child was misbehaving. Post-pandemic, they refuse to accept the school's view and take the child's side.

'That is having a huge impact on staff wellbeing and retention.'

Figures showed there were 129,151 suspensions in all school types in the 2016/17 autumn term compared to 247,366 in the 2022/23 autumn term.

The number of pupils getting permanently excluded has also shot up from 2,816 in 2016 to 3,104 in 2023.

Mark Morris, of the NASUWT union, said: 'None of us went into this job to be abused. Teachers are scared of challenging groups of kids because of the abuse.

Teaching unions have also reported a large number of violent incidents between pupils (file photo)

Teachers have been forced to lock classroom doors amid fears of having to keep aggressive pupils out

'They are also getting misogynistic behaviour from boys and girls, putting up with sexualised language.'

Mr Morris said one of the most disturbing 'trends' was internal truanting, pupils going to school but not into lessons.

He added: 'They wander round and knock on doors of classrooms to speak to their friends.'

Mr Morris, a national executive member for the NASUWT, also said things had got worse since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The latest regional figures revealed the North East of England had the highest number of exclusions and suspensions with 66,928 recorded between 2016 and 2022. As a percentage, this was 2.86 percent of pupils excluded or suspended vs the total student headcount.

Redcar and Cleveland had the highest rate with 4.74 percent of total enrolled pupils for that area being either excluded or suspended followed by Doncaster at 4.54 percent.

On the other end of the scale, the Isles of Scilly and the City of London had the lowest exclusion and suspension at 0.19 and 0.18 percent retrospectively.

One secondary school teacher in Redcar and Cleveland said she was threatened and constantly sworn at by one pupil during class.

She said: 'It was very uncomfortable and scary at one point. It makes you think what else could happen on any given day.'

NEU chief Daniel Kebede also warned that violence was a problem in schools.

He said: 'We've seen gangs re-forming which haven't been active for some time. Violence has no place in our schools and colleges.

School is where all school staff, students, teachers, and support staff should feel and be safe.'

Ofsted's chief executive Amanda Spielman said in her final annual report that disruptive pupil behaviour and absenteeism were becoming more commonplace

Teachers at Pencoedtre High School in Barry went on strike last month after suffering more than 50 serious incidents of verbal and physical abuse since the start of the school year in September.

This was also the case at Oasis Academy in Sheerness where teachers have reported being pushed and shoved by children, chairs thrown and racial abuse to black members of staff.

Meanwhile, the rate of exclusions in Scotland increased by 40 percent from 2020/21 to 2022/23 although there was an overall decline between 2016/17 and last year.

SNP-led Scottish Government figures showed 11,676 exclusions were recorded in the 2022/23 compared to 8,323 in 2020/21.

Speaking on Monday, Andrea Bradley, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), called for young people to be better supported in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic following a change in attitude by parents.

She added: 'What we're not seeing in schools is the kind of time and resource being made available to invest properly in restorative practice and other alternatives to exclusion that could be used prior to a young person having toto be excluded.'

Scotlands biggest teaching union surveyed 800 teachers in Aberdeen which revealed almost half reported violent pupil behaviour in school every day whilst around a third said they had been physically assaulted.

In the report, teachers said they feared their safety and were scared to go to work because of rising school violence.

One secondary school teacher, who didn't want to be named, said: 'There are pupils that just refuse point blank to do what you're asking. They'll swear at you, often they will square up to you.'

One teacher said she had recurring nightmares after being attacked, with another described her school as 'completely lawless'.

The EIS also said that teachers are also suffering post-traumatic stress disorder after violent incidents.

It comes as school watchdog Ofsted's latest annual report stated that absenteeism and disruptive pupil behaviour was becoming more commonplace.

Ofsted's outgoing chief executive Amanda Spielman also warned that secondary schools are plagued by a growing number of children playing 'internal truancy', where they wander corridors and hang out in toilets instead of going to lessons .

A Department for Education spokeswoman said: 'Our ongoing 10million Behaviour Hubs programme aims to support up to 700 schools over three years.'

Have you witnessed a violent incident at a school? Please email richard.percival@mailonline.co.uk
Alexei Navalny was allegedly cold tortured in the Polar Wolf penal colony before his death, a humanitarian group has claimed as it requests an independent examination of the Putin critic's body.

Russian organisation gulagu.net - which highlights prison abuses - is pleading with Navalny's family to ensure samples from Navalny's body are independently examined abroad.

It is far from clear that the Russian authorities will permit any independent probe after claiming Navalny, who was serving a 19-year prison sentence at the arctic colony, died from 'sudden death syndrome'.

Navalny's wife Yulia, 47, has claimed that her husband was murdered on Vladimir Putin's orders, and previously accused the dictator of Satanism in failing to pass the body to his family - which only happened a week after his death.

But yesterday, Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's GUR military intelligence service, suggested his death could be down to natural causes as he claimed Navalny died from 'a blood clot'.

Alexei Navalny was serving a 19-year prison sentence in the Polar Wolf penal colony (pictured above: last video appearance in court)

It is far from clear that the Russian authorities led by president Putin (pictured) will permit any independent probe after claiming Navalny, who was serving a 19-year prison sentence at the arctic colony, died from 'sudden death syndrome'

Navalny's wife Yulia (right), 47, has claimed that her husband was murdered on Vladimir Putin 's orders, and previously accused the dictator of Satanism in failing to pass the body to his family - which only happened a week after his death

Lyudmila Navalnaya, the mother of Alexei Navalny, and lawyer Vasily Dubkov arrive at the town of Salekhard on February 17 before being told they could not see the body

Gulagu.net said: 'Today his body is the main proof of Putin's crime against Alexei himself and against democracy in Russia.

'Navalny's body is the main evidence of his murder and subsequent manipulations with him in order to conceal this terrible crime committed to please the dictator Putin.

'If he were alive, we are sure that in a similar case he himself would say that the most important thing today is examination, research by the best experts in the world and the presentation of comprehensive evidence, and only after that - the funeral.

'We appeal to the family of Alexei Navalny taking into account our twelve-and-a-half years of experience in independent investigations of torture and murder in the Gulag of the 21st century.

'We ask you to postpone the funeral and do everything possible to conduct a comprehensive examination outside the Russian Federation and are ready to provide assistance and assistance in this Please make the right choice.'

Ukraine's top spy chief Kyrylo Budanov has claimed that Navalny may have 'died from a blood clot'

Navalny, right, embraces his wife Yulia, as he was released by a court in Kirov, Russia, July 19, 2013, after he was released from custody after being convicted of embezzlement

Alexei Navalny posted a picture with his wife Yulia in September 2020 as he was recovering in Berlin's Charite hospital where he was treated for suspected poisoning

Never-before-seen interview of Navalny sees him hit out at 'corrupt officials' living in London An interview Alexei Navalny gave in February 2020, considered to be one of the last before he was poisoned and later imprisoned, has recently resurfaced. The late Russian opposition leader said the West was doing 'nothing at all' to stop Putin's associates. 'Why do corrupt officials still live in London? Because these corrupt officials feed a huge number of wonderful London lawyers,' he said in the footage acquired by Sky News. He said those 'corrupt officials' would appear completely normal among Londoners, but they are secretly 'serving the interests of utter, complete bandits'. Navalny, who spent his political career trying to fight corruption, said: 'I hope that 10 years from now, if you interview me again, I'll be able to tell you how we managed to overcome the corrupt money laundering.' He also said at the time that he was aware of the danger he was in should he return to Russia - six months before he was poisoned, allegedly following orders by Putin. Advertisement

During the weekend, the Russian authorities U-turned to pass the body to Navalny's mother Lyudmila, 69.

She is now responsible for bringing the body to Moscow.

The group appealed to the US and EU to support the family in 'exposing this political murder' and to 'organise the evacuation of the body for a full comprehensive post-mortem examination'.

It promised by Monday to publish 'a complete list' of Russian jail officials who 'are involved in the murder of Alexei Navalny and the functioning of the system of torture and humiliation in Russia.'

gulagu.net - which boasts inside knowledge inside Putin's penal system - said it had already provided details to Navalny's family of the 'tying, immobilisation, blocking of arms and legs and cold torture' to which Navalny was subjected.

Russian media outlets today suggested that a funeral for Navalny could be held in Moscow on 29 February - as Putin makes his biggest speech of the year.

Exiled journalist Bozhena Rynska said: 'The authorities will prevent a people's funeral'.

This refers to an equivalent of the funeral of nuclear physicist and human rights campaigner Andrei Sakharov in 1989 when mourners flocked to bid him farewell and honour his opposition to Soviet totalitarianism.

They would 'block off the area of any cemetery where a funeral is planned and, under various pretexts, prevent the crowd from entering, so as not to create the image of a people's funeral'.

She said: 'Now the presidential administration is discussing how to prevent a mass procession at the funeral of Alexei Navalny.'
French movie star Gerard Depardieu was today accused of carrying out a series of sex attacks while playing a legendary stage actor who keeps seducing women.

The 75-year-old, who is already under investigation for multiple similar crimes including rape, is said to have assaulted two production staff on the set of Les Volets Verts  The Green Shutters.

The film, based on a story by George Simenon, is about a 'sacred monster' theatre star who risks a heart attack while drinking too much and chasing possible sex conquests.

Depardieu, who is regularly referred to as a 'sacred monster' in real life, is said to have attacked a complainant identified only as Amelie, 53.

In turn, Depardieu  who made his name in hit films such as Green Card and The Last Metro, vehemently denies all the accusations against him.

In October 2023, he published an open letter in French newspaper Le Figaro defending himself. He said: 'Never, ever have I abused a woman.'

This is the latest in a series of sexual assault allegations about film star Gerard Depardieu

Amelie's lawyer, Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, confirmed on Monday that evidence pointed to 'sexual assault, harassment and abuse.'

Amelie spoke to Mediapart, the Paris investigative news site, saying Depardieu 'brutally attacked me' on September 10, 2021, before a bodyguard appeared.

According to Mediapart, another woman, aged 33, accused Depardieu of twice touching 'her breasts and buttocks' on the same set in August 2021.

READ MORE: Gerard Depardieu faces new sex assault complaint as production assistant says he 'groped her all over' during 2014 film shoot when she was 24 Fact-box text Advertisement

Ms Durrieu-Diebolt is also representing Charlotte Arnould, 28, who claims she was raped by Depardieu.

There is CCTV footage of Depardieu performing a sex act on Ms Arnould at his Paris mansion in August 2018, but he insists it was consensual.

Ms Arnould renounced her legal right to anonymity at the end of 2021, following Depardieu being charged with rape and sexual assault.

Within a few days of his indictment, Depardieu was back working on the Seine River location of the police drama Maigret And The Dead Girl  also by Georges Simenon  in which he starred with Jade Labeste.

In October, he broke his silence over claims that he is a serial sex abuser saying: 'I am neither a rapist nor a predator.'

Accusing enemies of subjecting him to a 'lynching' in the media, he expressed his anger in an open letter to the French press.

Last year, a criminal enquiry was opened into the suspected suicide of a French actress who had accused Depardieu of sexual violence.

It was feared that the last hours of Emmanuelle Debever, 60, may have been linked to the multiple abuse accusations levelled by women against Depardieu.

She died on December 7th  the exact day a new documentary entitled Gerard Depardieu: The Fall of the Ogre was broadcast across France.

One complainant said Depardieu treated her like 'a piece of meat' when he 'assaulted' her

It contained disturbing details of an alleged attack by Depardieu on Ms Debever, when she was still a teenager.

In December, another French actress filed a formal sex attack complaint against Depardieu, saying he treated her like 'a piece of meat'.

Paris prosecutors confirmed that Helene Darras, 43, reported Depardieu in September.

The pair appeared together in the 2007 film Disco, when Darras was 26, and allegedly assaulted.

Waiving her legal right to anonymity, Ms Darras told the same Further Investigation (Complement d'enquete) documentary series: 'He [Depardieu] is unmanageable.

'He looks at me as if I were a piece of meat. I have an ultra-tight dress, he pulls me closer to him by the waist, then he runs his hand over my hips, over my bum.'

The 75-year-old is regularly referred to as a 'sacred monster' in real life, just like his character

And in December 2023, Spanish journalist and writer Ruth Baza filed a complaint in Spain against the actor for rape, for acts dating back to 1995 in Paris.

In the same month, French President Emmanuel Macron sparked fury by defending Mr Depardieu.

Mr Macron appeared on a TV chat show and said he detested the actor being subjected to a 'manhunt'.
Lyle's rebrand of their golden syrup last week prompted fury from some Christians for hiding the beliefs of their founder in the iconic design he created.

The firm's decision to modify their logo - made up of a dead lion and some bees - sparked outrage from the Church of England, who suggested the move had left them pondering whether 'there was any place' for Christians in the UK.

For over 150 years, the logo was a reference to the biblical story Samson from the Old Testament and included the biblical allegory: 'Out of the strong came forth sweetness.'

The modern branding now shows a lion's face up close with a single bee and it has removed the religious quote, which has prompted Lyle to apologise for any upset caused by the switch.

The scuffle illustrates that many of Britain's favourite brands carry hidden messages in their packaging. MailOnline examined the messaging of several popular brands - how many do you know?

Marmite

Marmite is actually a French word meaning large cooking pot - hence the appearance on the logo

Marmite is a brand that people either love or hate, so with that 50 per cent split in consumers, it's likely even fewer people know what the actual logo signifies.

The yeast extract spread features a red banner emblazoned with the Marmite brand and below that an inviting or ominous yellow pot, depending on your preference.

For generations, Brits have wondered what the significance of this pot was.

MailOnline can now reveal it is actually shockingly nothing to do with the taste or even, gulp, Britain.

Marmite you see, is actually a French word, meaning large cooking pot.

So, when you are trying to rationalise that iconic marmite taste, remember it's based on a piece of crockery.

HP Sauce

HP Sauce is a brand that stretches back to Queen Victorias reign and has long been associated with parliament

HP Sauce is a brand that stretches back to Queen Victorias reign and every day thousands of Brits dollop the brown sauce on their breakfast sarnies.

The sauce's logo features that most elegant of British institutions, Big Ben itself, standing high and tall against the London sky - but why?

In fact Frederick Gibson Garton, a Nottingham grocer, first formulated his recipe in 1870, and registered the name HP Sauce in 1896 because he had heard that a restaurant in the Houses of Parliament had begun serving it.

He later sold the recipe for 150 to settle a debt with Edwin Samson Moore, who went on to make HP Sauce a commercial success with a national launch in 1903.

While the bottles carry the image of the mother of Parliaments  along with a Royal Warrant, on the basis that it is served at Buckingham Palace  the sauce is no longer quite as British as it might seem.

Heinz closed the HP Sauce factory in Aston, Birmingham, in 2007 with the loss of 120 jobs and shifted production to Holland.

Cadbury

The signature glass and a half symbol relates to how milk is put into each half pound bar

John Cadbury founded the Cadbury's in 1824 in Birmingham, in the United Kingdom.

In 1921, the first logo to appear was based on then director William Cadbury's signature. But it was only in 1960 when the logo appeared on other chocolate bars

For over 100 years, Cadburys chocolate has been swathed in a distinctive purple wrapping that made it stand out from rivals.

The confectionery giant has used the colour since 1914, when it was introduced as a tribute to Queen Victoria.

Cadbury was given a royal warrant by the monarch in February 1854 - making the company the official cocoa and chocolate makers for the monarch.

The full Dairy Milk range became purple and gold in 1920.

Fans of the iconic chocolate have often pondered the significance of the glass and a half of milk motif that adorns the packaging.

But far from a veiled brag about how much milk John Cadbury could drink in one go, the symbol actually relates to how milk is put into each half pound bar.

Toblerone

Toblerone is one of the world's most iconic and moreish chocolates

On the left hand side of the peak, what first looks like a snow slide is actually revealed to be a bear

Toblerone is one of the world's most iconic and moreish chocolates, as hated by dentists as it is beloved by Alan Partidge.

The Swiss classic has been made since 1908 and features a hidden symbol of a bear in its famous mountain logo.

On the left hand side of the peak, what first looks like a snow slide is actually revealed to be a bear once you squint.

And it's placement on the logo is not as as random as you'd think.

The bear represents the Bern bear because the chocolate is made in Bern, Switzerland.

Heinz

The '57 varieties' label represents the variety of products that Heinz has

Heinz ketchup is a popular household staple for many Brits, who will be familiar with the '57' on the neck of the bottles.

However, people may be surprised to learn that the number not only has a meaning behind it, but also serves a functional purpose.

The '57 varieties' label represents the variety of products that Heinz has, but the number was actually selected at random by founder Henry Heinz himself.

He didn't have 57 varieties when the brand began. Instead, it was a clever way to create authenticity and attract customers.

The Heinz website explains: 'When he spotted a shoe company advertising 21 styles of shoe, he was inspired to create our iconic 57 varieties slogan.

'Why 57? No one knows for sure. Henry claimed five was his lucky number, and seven was his wife's. But he also believed seven was a significant number for people of all ages. Whatever his reasons, the number stuck around!'

Starbucks

Starbucks' famed green and white logo features a Siren from Greek Mythology

It's the largest coffee house in the world and a favourite haunt of many Brits, but Starbucks may have had a very different story had one of its founders had his way.

Writer Gordon Bowke, who co-founded the company in 1971, originally wanted to name the company Peqoud, after the doomed whaleship in Moby-Dick.

Luckily, his business partners settled on the name of the ship's first mate instead.

It also inspired Starbucks' famed green and white logo, which features a Siren from Greek Mythology.

As the story goes, Sirens lured sailors to shipwreck off the coast of an island in the South Pacific, also called Starbuck Island.

Closer inspection of the logo, known as 'the siren', reveals that the shading around the right eye drops further down that the left.

Creative consultancy Lippincott were given the job in 2011 of updating the image, which had been around since 1971, originally appearing as a mermaid.

But despite studies showing that people are attracted to symmetrical features, they came to the conclusion their original creations were too perfect  and cold.

Global creative director Connie Birdsall told Co.Design, the team thought to themselves: 'There's something not working here, what is it?''

'It was like 'Oh, we need to step back and put some of that humanity back in'. The imperfection was important to making her really successful as a mark. We didn't want her to be perfect, like Barbie.'

Lurpak

Lurpak's lurs are a traditional Scandivanivian instrument from as far back as the Bronze age and point to their Nordic heritage

One of the nation's favourite condiments is butter and Lurpak commonly ranks in the upper echelons of dairy spreads most of us rely on every day.

In fact, so beloved is the brand, shoppers were shocked to see that the cost of living crisis saw packs rise to 10 in some stores last year.

The butter is emblazoned with its signature logo showing two intertwined 'lurs' against a grey background.

These lurs are a traditional Scandivanivian instrument from as far back as the Bronze age and point to their Nordic heritage.

Tour De France

The biking logo has a hidden message you may have never seen before inside of it - it shows a cyclist riding a bike

The biking logo has a hidden message you may have never seen before inside of it.

If you look closely, you'll see the letter R in Tour doubles as a cyclist.

But, if you look even closer, you'll see the cyclist is actually riding a bike in the logo.

The yellow circle represents the bike's font wheel, the 'u' represents the bike's seat and the O represents the back of the bike.

And for just another nod to the biking competition, the yellow circle also doubles as a sun, which indicates that the events only occur in the daytime.

Amazon

Amazon's arrow represents that the online shopping giant offers customers a wide variety of items - from A to Z

A staple in many online shopper's lives, people around the globe look to Amazon to get everything from fashion essentials to groceries.

And while you may have noticed the arrow under the word, have you ever thought about its placement.

If you look closely, you'll see that the arrow connects the letter 'a' to the letter 'z'.

But this isn't just a random placement, the arrow was intentionally placed because Amazon is said to give you everything you need.

The arrow represents that the online shopping giant offers customers a wide variety of items - from A to Z.

Levis

The company that offers legendary blue jeans even incorporated their denim into their logo - the two curves at the the bottom of the logo are supposed to represent jean pockets

The company that offers legendary blue jeans even incorporated their denim into their logo, can you spot exactly how the blue jeans made it into the logo?

If you look carefully, you'll see that the bottom of the logo has two curves.

These two curves actually represent the pockets of jeans.

Levi's began in 1853 but it wasn't until 20 years later that the company found its knack for denim.

Levi's then introduced iconic blue jeans and a patented way of securing clothing with rivets.

Many years later, the company's first emblems - the two horse label - was introduced.

The company also created one more emblem, which is a red tap logo that can be found of the blue jeans.
Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian has questioned how ICAC could find that she engaged in 'serious corrupt conduct' and not refer her for criminal prosecution, a court has heard.

Ms Berejiklian is mounting a legal challenge to ICAC's findings that she breached the ministerial code by failing to disclose her relationship with her former partner and fellow ex-MP Daryl Maguire.

Lawyers acting for Ms Berejiklian on Monday appeared before the Court of Appeal in an attempt to quash the finding that she engaged in 'serious corrupt conduct'.

ICAC's findings relate to the approval of two multimillion dollar grants - to the Australian Clay Target Association and to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music - in Mr Maguire's former electorate of Wagga Wagga.

Ms Berejiklian is facing a two-day hearing before the Court of Appeal where she is being represented by high-profile barrister Bret Walker SC.

Former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) failed to disclose her relationship with her former partner and fellow ex-MP Daryl Maguire

EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: Mother of slain Channel 10 presenter opens up Helen Baird shared a tribute photo alongside her son Jesse in the wake of his alleged murder Advertisement

Despite the adverse findings against her, ICAC did not recommend Ms Berejiklian be referred for criminal prosecution.

The Commission accepted the submissions of counsel assisting that the obstacles blocking Ms Berejiklian from being prosecuted for misconduct in public office were 'formidable'.

Mr Walker said that the fact Ms Berejiklian was not referred to the DPP should lead to questions about the findings.

'That gives rise to questions to be answered as to the internal consistency of the reasons and conclusion in this part of the report,' Mr Walker said.

'In our submission, if there is insufficient confidence of that being made out ... then it's very difficult to see ... that our client had deliberately, consciously engaged in these dishonest, self-interested breaches.'

She also argues there was no evidence that she was influenced by her relationship with Mr Maguire and that it did not amount to a conflict of interest.

Justice Andrew Bell - one of three judges hearing the case - noted it was 'more than mere friendship.'

However, Mr Walker argued: 'Along the spectrum of personal relations, upon one end there would be happy marriage and the other end would be cheerful acquaintance, there is no jurisprudence which says there comes a point at which you have to disclose that.

'There is no register of friendships.'

ICAC's findings relate to Gladys Berejiklian's approval of two multimillion dollar grants in Daryl Maguire's (pictured) former electorate of Wagga Wagga (pictured together)

ICAC found that Ms Berejiklian, between 2016 and 2017 engaged in 'serious corrupt conduct' in her dealings relating to the Australian Clay Target Association.

The body found that she had a conflict of interest which 'could objectively have the potential to influence the performance of her public duty'.

However Mr Walker told the court Ms Berejiklian did not necessarily take her private relationship with Mr Maguire into account when making funding decisions.

'You don't take something into account just because it is true,' Mr Walker said on Monday.

'Who your parents are, who your siblings are, who you drink with on a Friday or who you go to bed with. They are matters which exist and it's simply wrong factually... to regard them - by reason of their existence - as matters which you are taking into account in your daily decision making.'

The former premier is also challenging the validity of the report on grounds that ICAC was acting beyond its authority under the ICAC Act.

Ms Berejiklian argues that the report was invalid because the term of former judge Ruth McColl had expired before she delivered the report.

Ms McColl, a former Court of Appeal judge, oversaw the hearing however her term as an ICAC assistant commissioner expired in October 2022.

She delivered her report, as a consultant, in June last year.

Ms Berejiklian argues because Ms McColl was not a commissioner at the time, it was not a valid report.

'Ms McColl's services are required for the purposes of her finalising the Operation Keppel report, including participating in the review and editing process of that report,' Mr Walker told the court on Monday.

'We say ... the credibility conclusions recorded in the report, that they are truly matters which Ms McColl was not able to accomplish and the commission otherwise could not adopt.'

He further argued that the 'whole of the report was delivered in excess of jurisdiction'.

Barrister Stephen J Free SC, acting for the Independent Commission Against Corruption, said there could be no doubt that the report was authored by the commission and not Ms McColl.

He argued that the report noted Ms McColl oversaw the public hearings.

'But that is entirely consistent with the report being a report of the commission, not of Ms McColl,' Mr Free said.

'She was a key person providing assistance to the commission, firstly in her capacity as an assistant commissioner and later in her capacity as a consultant.'

Former NSW treasurer and opposition health spokesperson Matt Kean on Monday issued a statement in which he said while he wasn't preempting the Court of Appeal's findings, he was worried it was being questioned whether ICAC had exceeded its powers.

Former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is mounting a legal challenge to ICAC's findings that she breached the ministerial code

'We have a body that is given extraordinary powers behind closed doors - and the one element we actually get to see ends up in court to examine if the body was operating within the law,' Mr Kean said.

'I won't pre-judge the outcome but on that challenge alone, if it's successful, what confidence can we have in the other 95 per cent of the process we can't see.'

Mr Maguire was found by ICAC to have improperly used his public office during his time as a MP in order to promote his own financial interests, and those of his associates while deliberately not disclosing his position, and potential pecuniary benefits.

'Let it not be forgotten that during his time representing the people of Wagga and region he worked tirelessly for his constituents,' Mr Maguire said in a statement at the time.

'Indeed, he was described in evidence as a dog with a bone, a vociferous advocate for the electorate, or a pain in the arse when it came to getting improvements for the Wagga electorate.'

The hearing before Chief Justice Bell and Justices Julie Ward and Anthony Meagher continues on Tuesday.
The Air Force airman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in DC in protest against the war in Gaza was an 'aspiring engineer' and seeking to 'transition out of the military'.

Aaron Bushnell, 25, was hospitalized in critical condition on Sunday after he doused himself in accelerant and struck a lighter, causing his body to become consumed by flames. DC Fire and EMS said he sustained 'life-threatening injuries'.

Horrific video of the incident showed Bushnell explaining the reasons for his 'extreme act of protest' while he walked up to the building and screamed 'Free Palestine' - as his body went up in flames. The fire burned for more than a minute before police and security staff managed to extinguish it.

The active-duty airman is a DevOps engineer based in San Antonio, Texas, according to his LinkedIn profile. He touted himself having 'very good communication skills' and 'thriving in team environments'.

Bushnell is pursuing his bachelor's degree in computer software engineering and is CompTIA Security+ certified, a credential that indicates he has the baseline skills to perform core security functions and pursue an IT security career.

He has apparent links to at least two anarchist groups, Burning River Anarchist Collective and Mutual Aid Street Solidarity - both of which are based in Ohio. Bushnell followed the groups on Facebook.

He was seemingly raised in a devout Christian family and even worked for Paraclete Press, a Christian book and music publisher based in Massachusetts where his mother still works, according to the company's website. His father owns a construction company.

During his youth, Bushnell also performed in a local indoor marching band called Spirit Winter Percussion.

The airman declared he would 'no longer be complicit in genocide' as he set himself alight and livestreamed the horrific scene before being taken to hospital in a critical condition

Bushnell is a DevOps engineer based in San Antonio, Texas, according to his LinkedIn profile

Sunday morning, before he headed to the embassy, Bushnell seemingly promoted his act of protest on Facebook

Video shows how Bushnell approached the heavily-guarded Israeli embassy on DC's International Drive just before 1pm on Sunday. He was in combat uniform and speaking into a camera on a selfie-stick.

'My name is Aaron Bushnell,' he told the camera, 'I am an active duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide.

'I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it's not extreme at all.

'This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.'

For more than 30 seconds he walked on silently, passing the neighboring Chinese embassy and holding an open flask of liquid in his left hand.

As he reached the embassy, he placed the camera on the ground and marched to the gate, showering himself in the fluid before placing his service cap on his head.

Tossing the flask away, Bushnell struggled to ignite his lighter as a voice is heard challenging him.

His camera recorded an unseen man asking 'Hi sir, can I help you?' as he approached the embassy gates.

Twelve seconds later the voice is heard asking again 'Can I help you, sir?' before Bushnell struck a lighter and ignited the fluid.

Dailymail.com has chosen not to show the subsequent footage which recorded Bushnell being consumed by flames for more than a minute before police and security staff managed to extinguish them.

The video shows the flames spreading all over his body, engulfing his head as he continues to scream 'Free Palestine', his voice cracking in agony as the flames intensify. He managed to stand for almost a minute before falling to the ground.

Sirens were already wailing in the background and a man in plain clothes pointed a pistol at him as others doused him with fire extinguishers.

He was taken to hospital by DC Fire and EMS with 'critical and life-threatening injuries'.

Sunday morning, before he headed to the embassy, Bushnell seemingly promoted his act of protest on Facebook, sharing a link to his LillyAnarKitty twitch account, where he live-streamed the demonstration.

'Many of us like to ask ourselves, "What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide?"' Bushnell wrote. 'The answer is, you're doing it. Right now.'

The video was only seen by a few dozen people on Twitch before it was removed by the platform, however it has since been viewed by over one million people on X.

A friend described Bushnell as 'the kindest, gentlest, silliest little kid in the Air Force'

The Secret Service said it received a report that an individual 'was experiencing a possible medical/mental health emergency' outside the Israeli embassy

The airman was taken to the hospital by DC Fire and EMS with life-threatening injuries

Authorities responded to the embassy's alert at around 1pm on Sunday and found the man with severe burns

Bushnell described himself on LinkedIn as an 'aspiring software engineer' with a 'passion for solving complex problems with code'.

Highlighting his educational and work experience in software development and Linux system administration, Bushnell said he was looking to 'transition out of the US Air Force into software engineering'.

He praised his military successes, claiming that he has been 'commended by senior leaders for my ability to explain complex technical matters'.

'Throughout my time in the military in both leadership and followership roles, as well as prior work experience in a variety of civilian roles, I have thrived in team environments and gained very good communication skills,' he said.

Bushnell said he could bring those 'skills to the table in any role', but noted he was 'truly passionate about writing software 'and 'can't wait to help drive innovation in the civilian world'.

It is understood that the airman was pursuing his undergraduate degree in computer software engineering, however it is unclear where he was studying.

His biography states: 'I am currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering from Western Governor's University, and have taken several supplementary classes in software development outside of college.'

However, Bushnell's educational history does not list the Utah based university and instead lists Southern New Hampshire University as his current place of study. His profile indicates he enrolled at the school in May 2022 and was expected to graduate in May 2025.

His LinkedIn profile also states he attended the University of Maryland Global Campus from January to November 2023.

Bushnell has reportedly been a member of the Air Force since May 2020, when he began basic training. His profile states that he 'graduated top of flight and top of class' in November that year.

He says he trained as a Client Systems Technician and had 'hands-on experience in troubleshooting, building, and repairing computer information systems'. He also trained in cyber security, earning his CompTIA Security+ certification.

He was stationed in Texas in December 2020 and worked in IT infrastructure monitoring and oversight. He was promoted to DevOps engineer in March 2023.

Prior to his military service, Bushnell worked in IT and web development at Paraclete Press in Brewster, Massachusetts for two years. He helped supported the Christian publisher with IT functions and maintained its e-commerce website.

His mother Danielle is the Purchaser and Contracts Administrator at Paraclete Press. She has been 'beyond blessed to be a part of carrying out the mission' of the organization for '27 years and counting', the firm's website states.

His father David is a carpenter and owns Bushnell Construction, according to his own LinkedIn profile. The business operates out of Orleans, Massachusetts where David and Danielle moved in 1994 with their two sons.

Bushnell and his brother Sean were both members of the percussion ensemble Spirit Winter Percussion - also based in Orleans. The brothers appeared to compete with the marching band and even earned silver medals at a contest in 2018.

The family also appears to have strong ties to their faith, with David even linking himself on Facebook to several religious organizations, including the Community of Jesus church in Orleans. The church was previously characterized by CBC Radio Canada as a 'mysterious and abusive Christian cult'.

Bushnell also follows several religious Facebook pages. He also follows Ohio-based nonprofits that appear to promote anarchy and the Kent State University (KSU) Students for Justice in Palestine group. There is no obvious indication that Bushnell is directly connected to KSU.

'No embassy staff were injured and all are safe' a spokesman for the embassy said

The embassy is on International Drive in Washington's North Cleveland Park neighborhood

A spokesperson for the US Air Force confirmed on Sunday that Bushnell is an active-duty airman.

A spokesperson from the Secret Service told DailyMail.com: 'The US Secret Service, Uniformed Division responded to the 3400 Block of International Drive, NW, DC regarding an individual that was experiencing a possible medical / mental health emergency.'

The Metropolitan Police Department's Explosive Ordnance Disposal was called to the scene on Sunday in reference to a suspicious vehicle that may be connected to the person.

The Israeli embassy released a statement after the incident, reading: 'On Sunday, 2/25, at around 1 PM, a man set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

'No Embassy staff were injured and are safe.'

A similar incident occurred in December when a pro-Palestine protestor set themselves ablaze outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta.

The city's police chief, Darin Schierbaum, described the incident as an 'extreme act of political protest,' and said a Palestinian flag was recovered from the scene.

At least two people were injured in the act of self-immolation, including a security guard who attempted to intervene.

Bushnell's protest came as the White House faces growing pressure over the four-and-a-half month old conflict which has claimed more than 30,000 lives.

The president faces a Democrat primary in Michigan on Tuesday where the state's large Arab-American population is being urged to vote 'uncommitted'.

Democrat 'Squad' member Rep Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and former Jewish Rep Andy Levin are among those who have endorsed the 'Listen to Michigan' campaign.

'Biden's blockade of the cease-fire resolution will only intensify the outrage and galvanize pro-peace voices to vote 'uncommitted' to make their voices heard,' said campaign leader Joseph Geevarghese.

Dearborn's Democrat Mayor Abdullah Hammoud warned this week Biden could no longer take the Arab vote for granted.

'My greatest fear is that Mr Biden will not be remembered as the president who saved American democracy in 2020 but rather as the president who sacrificed it for Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024,' he said.

President Biden, seen at a White House a black-tie dinner on Saturday, is facing growing pressure from his own party to rein in Israel's military assault on Gaza

The president faces a Democrat primary in Michigan on Tuesday where the state's large Arab-American population is being urged to vote 'uncommitted'

Hundreds of people continued to stream towards Gaza's southern border amid the smoke from airstrikes on Sunday as Israel prepares for its assault on Rafah

Thousands more waited for aid amid chaotic scenes on a beachfront in Gaza City

Last week Biden's Democrat challenger Rep Dean Phillips said he was 'sickened' by the loss of life in Gaza, and would unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state if elected president.

'This is the most heartbreaking, horrifying, disgusting visuals I've ever seen in my life,' the candidate who is himself Jewish said.

Biden has demanded Israel produce a plan for the evacuation of civilians before any assault on Rafah, the last unoccupied city in Gaza.

The White House on Friday declared Israeli plans to to construct another 3,000 homes in the West Bank 'inconsistent with international law'.

And sanctions have been imposed on a handful of Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians in the occupied territory.

'This is like showing up to a five-alarm fire with a cup of water while giving fuel to the arsonist,' said Yousef Munayyer of the Palestine-Israel program at the Arab Center in DC.
British holidaymakers are among 2,200 passengers stuck on board the Norwegian Dawn cruise liner after Mauritian authorities barred it from docking following reports of a cholera scare.

Around the same number of tourists have been unable to board the vessel, and were forced to queue at the port before being put up in hotels when it became clear the ship could not dock.

The 12-day cruise had sailed from South Africa via Mozambique, and had been scheduled to dock in Port Louis on Sunday, but arrived a day earlier after missing out a stop at Reunion Island.

Norwegian Cruise Line said that some guests experienced 'stomach-related illness' but there were 'no confirmed cases or evidence of cholera on board the vessel'.

One Brit, who had been due to start his cruise over the weekend, said that he has tried to cancel his trip and is considering getting expensive flights back to the UK as he is 'scared to get on a contaminated ship'.

'[I am] not on the ship but waiting to get on and not wanting to... it has been complete chaos onshore,' he told MailOnline, saying he had received no updates and that the situation was a 'complete shambles'.

Passengers have been left stranded on the ship after Mauritian authorities refused to let it dock 'to avoid any health risks' due to a possible cholera outbreak. This picture was taken by a passenger on board the Norwegian Dawn liner near Mauritius

Around the same number of tourists have been unable to board the vessel, and were forced to queue at the port before being put up in hotels

Holidaymakers pictured queuing at the port on Sunday. The ship was not allowed to dock on Saturday and cruise customers were put up in hotels

Dutch holidaymaker Esther Verdaas with her husband and daughters

The 12-day cruise had sailed from South Africa via Mozambique, and had been scheduled to dock in Port Louis on Sunday. It is now off the coast of Mauritius

The 59-year-old tourist said his partner 'is now refusing to get on the ship regardless of what happens' and said they are looking at 1,600 flights home.

He said that this would mean they would lose any possible refund on the trip, but that they are keen to get home regardless.

The ship has a crew of around 1,000, and of the more than 3,000 on board at least 15 people - 14 passengers and one crew member - are said to be in isolation with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea.

A tanker vessel has been pictured near the ship by a passenger on board as it remains off the Mauritian coastline.

A group of journalists had been due to embark on a press trip on the vessel on Sunday before they heard that there was suspected cholera on board, USA Today reports.

A mother-of-two on the ship told Dutch newspaper BN DeStem that passengers had been told that there could be cholera on board, and that they could face up to ten days in quarantine if it is confirmed.

'You can imagine that the atmosphere among the passengers is not pleasant,' Dutch holidaymaker Esther Verdaas said.

'Flights are being missed, people have lost money on hotels booked in Mauritius. Guests are angry, rebellious, sad. These are luxury problems, of course. But what I find difficult is that so much is unclear. Can we go home? When? How? Where do we get tickets?'

Ms Verdaas explained that 'the misery started' when they had been due to dock at Reunion on Saturday, but were refused by the authorities there.

'That meant a long extra day of aimless floating on the open sea,' said the tourist, who is travelling with her husband and their two daughters.

One passenger on the ship wrote on Facebook earlier today: 'We are not getting an explanation as to why we are stuck outside of Mauritius but the theory is because we had a breakout of [gastro intestinal] issues, most probably due to food poisoning.'

The view from the ship off the coast of Mauritius, shared by a passenger on board

The Norwegian Dawn's planned itinerary. It had been due to travel from South Africa to Mauritius

Another tourist on the ship said today that passengers were 'fed up' and that there were 'limited facilities' to deal with being stuck at sea.

While Cholera is uncommon in countries such as the UK and the US, there have been significant cholera outbreaks in southern Africa over the last few months, with at least 188,000 cases recorded across seven countries since January 2023 and more than 3,000 deaths.

'The decision not to allow the cruise ship access to the quay was taken in order to avoid any health risks,' the Mauritius Ports Authority said.

'The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost to the authorities,' it added, without giving any details about the nature of the health risk.

A spokesperson for the U.S.-headquartered Norwegian Cruise Line said in a statement that during the ship's trip to South Africa on February 13, some passengers had experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness.

Once in Port Louis, the ship's management worked with Mauritian authorities to make sure precautions were in place and all on board were okay, the spokesperson said.

The port authority said its test results would be known in 48 hours.

The ship has 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members. Of these, about 2,000 passengers would have disembarked in Port Louis after completing their cruise while another 2,279 new passengers had been expected to board the ship, the port authority said.

'Passengers who were due to board the 'Norwegian Dawn' and begin their cruise from Mauritius today will not be able to do so due to potential health risks,' it said.

Norwegian Dawn, which has some 2,200 passengers and 1,000 crew on board, has been floating off the coast after Mauritian authorities decided to block it 'to avoid any health risks' (file image)

Those who were disembarking or joining the cruise will now do so on February 27, the Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said.

A spokesman for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd said: 'Upon Norwegian Dawn's arrival to Port Louis Mauritius on Feb. 25, 2024, there were a small number of guests experiencing mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness.

'Despite previous reports and speculations, there were no confirmed cases nor any evidence of cholera on board the vessel.

'Although only six guests were being monitored due to mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness, the government of Mauritius required testing in an overabundance of caution, thereby delaying the ship's original disembarkation scheduled for Feb. 25, 2024.'

'Following the results of the regulatory testing by the government of Mauritius and their confirmation that no trace of cholera was found during their testing, Norwegian Dawn has been cleared for entry into Port Louis, Mauritius, and disembarkation of all guests will commence early morning Feb. 27, 2024 local time.'
The SNP are demanding a binding vote on a Gaza ceasefire in the House of Commons after the shambles of last week's attempt by MPs to debate the issue.

Stephen Flynn, the party's Westminster leader, is pushing for under-fire Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to grant a fresh vote on the Middle East crisis.

But the move could trigger a new row over pushing aside parliamentary convention - as Sir Lindsay did last week to prompt the chaotic scenes in the Commons.

The fall-out from Wednesday night's mayhem has so far seen 71 MPs call for the Speaker to quit by signing a motion of no confidence in him.

Sir Lindsay publicly apologised for his role in the meltdown but is braced for a second week of speculation as to whether he can continue in his role.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the House of Commons Speaker, apologised for his role in last week's parliamentary meltdown

Stephen Flynn, the SNP's Westminster leader, is pushing for Sir Lindsay to grant a fresh vote on a Gaza ceasefire

But the move could trigger a new row over pushing aside parliamentary convention - as Sir Lindsay did last week to prompt the chaotic scenes in the Commons

The fall-out from Wednesday night's mayhem has so far seen 71 MPs call for the Speaker to quit by signing a motion of no confidence in him

Last week's furious row saw the SNP fail to get a vote on their Opposition Day motion calling for an 'immediate ceasefire' in Gaza after Sir Lindsay broke with precedent.

The Speaker selected both a Labour amendment and a Government amendment amid claims of a 'stitch-up' to help Sir Keir Starmer avoid another revolt on the issue.

The Labour leader had previously seen 56 of his MPs defy him and support calls for an immediate ceasefire when the Commons last voted on the issue in November.

Sir Keir has since denied threatening Sir Lindsay to select Labour's amendment, which backed an 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire' along with caveats over the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas.

He said he 'simply urged' the Speaker to have the 'broadest possible debate'.

Sir Lindsay himself said fears over MPs' safety played a part in his decision, which has led to angry Tory claims he 'bowed to the mob' amid continuing pro-Palestinian protests across the country.

The SNP are now demanding an 'emergency debate' in the Commons so they can stage a re-run of the botched ceasefire vote.

These can be granted under a Standing Order 24 procedure, but the terms of them are usually neutral and merely 'take note' of an issue.

By wanting a motion that takes a stance on a Gaza ceasefire, the SNP are set to force Sir Lindsay to choose whether he upends parliamentary convention again.

There is precedent for doing so after John Bercow, the former Speaker, controversially allowed an emergency debate to be held on a 'substantive motion' in 2019.

This allowed opponents of a no-deal Brexit to take control of Commons business.

Yet, Sir Lindsay will be wary of further infuriating Tory critics behind a 'Just Stop Hoyle' campaign to oust him.

The SNP motion for an emergency debate could include a call for a freeze on arms sales to Israel, and for Britain to use its position on the UN Security Council to back a ceasefire rather than abstaining on votes.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak does not back an immediate ceasefire in Gaza but supports an 'immediate humanitarian pause' as the best way to stop the fighting.

Mr Flynn said: 'After the shameful scenes at Westminster last week, it's vital the UK Parliament urgently focuses on what really matters, doing everything we can to help secure an immediate ceasefire and lasting peace in Gaza and Israel.

'The SNP wants to move the debate forward with a fresh motion that focuses on the specific, practical, concrete steps the UK Government must now take to help make an immediate ceasefire happen.

'As a key ally and defence trading partner of Israel, and a member of the UN Security Council, the UK has an important role to play but the UK Government, which still opposes even calling for an immediate ceasefire, is not doing anywhere near enough to secure one.'

He added: 'We are keen to build as much consensus as possible, while recognising the need to substantially shift the dial on the positions of Sunak and Starmer, who have been too timid in their approach to securing an immediate ceasefire  and not forgetting the success the SNP has had in changing the terms of the debate by doggedly sticking by our principles and values.

'The devastation in Gaza gets worse every day, with more innocent children, women and men killed, more homes bombed, and more civilians facing starvation.

'The time for warm words is over, the UK must use every lever at its disposal to help end this conflict and secure lasting peace.'
A black bishop who led prayers at Harry and Meghan's royal wedding has declared it is good to be 'woke' - amid claims of racism plaguing the Church of England.

The Rt Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Bishop of Dover, has insisted the British religious body must 'further embrace racial justice' and show no fear being called 'woke'.

Pro-Black Lives Matter supporter Bishop Hudson-Wilkin, who was involved in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's 2018 wedding, is drawing up a 'race action plan' calling on the CofE to up the number of ethnic minorities in senior church positions.

'Those who are frightened by the authenticity of this movement want to scare us into thinking that being woke is a sin created by people on the Left,' the Kent-based religious leader said.

The General Synod, the church's legislative body, passed a motion on Sunday - put forward by Bishop Hudson-Wilkin - that said it should 'encourage parishes and deaneries to develop local action plans to address issues of racial injustice.'

Rt Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who was involved in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 2018 wedding (pictured), said it is good to be 'woke' as she leads a new diversity charge within the Church of England

In her motion, the Bishop of Dover Rose Hudson-Wilkin (pictured) also called for better data collection to monitor diversity levels across parishes

It comes as members of the religious order opened up about the racism they had encountered during their lives.

Barrister Daniel Matovu, a lay member of Synod and a University of Oxford graduate, claimed he had been forced to bear a cross throughout his life 'because of the colour of my skin'.

'You white folks have no idea, particularly those of you who are white male, heterosexual and not disabled,' said Mr Matovu, who attended the elite 48,998-a-year Eton College private school as a boy after moving to the UK from Uganda.

'You've only been given small sticks to carry, with which to beat the rest of us.'

David Hermitt, another lay member, said the CofE must become more taken a firmer stance in tackling racism to reverse its falling membership figures because 'young people' are 'more radical than we are'.

But Dr Rakib Ehsan, the author of Beyond Grievance: What the Left Gets Wrong About Ethnic Minorities, claimed 'no sphere of British life' was free of 'divisive identitarian thinking' including the CofE.

He told the Telegraph: 'Abandoning traditional Christian values in favour of the unholy trinity of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the established Church of the land risks alienating conservative ethnic minorities who have little time for the politics of grievance and victimhood.'

The motion, filed by Bishop Hudson-Wilkin, also called for better data collection to monitor diversity levels across parishes.

In a passionate speech to introduce her motion, the Bishop called for racial justice in the church's governance structures to be strengthened

In a passionate speech to introduce her idea, the Kent port town religious leader called for racial justice in the church's governance structures to be strengthened 'in order to hold our church's feet to the fire'.

She said she was in 'no doubt that the church must continue to work at embedding racial justice in all its life and structures - lip service will not do, neither will ticking boxes'.

She told the Synod: 'When it comes to the topic of racial justice, I've heard the word 'woke' being bandied about by many people including Government ministers, certain radio presenters, those in the media. And in every case, they've used it incorrectly.

'The term woke originated in the USA, and it was a black terminology speaking specifically and directly to black people regarding the need to wake up and stay alert, to be consciously aware.

'So it is not just a mere word, it is a movement. Those who are threatened by the authenticity of this movement, want to scare us into thinking that being woke is a sin created by people on the left.'

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said there has been some learning in the church from historical wrongs but added: 'I continue to lament, because what we have done has not been good enough and that is a scandal and an affront to God.'

He told the gathering: 'Today, we discuss racial justice. Tomorrow, we will think about how we move forward into the future in response to the church's involvement in chattel slavery.

'And all of this requires us to be honest about the terrible failings of the past, not to flinch from the failings and challenges of the present, and to build a better future.'

Mr Matovu warned institutional racism is 'embedded' in the church. He said: 'In this chamber, the vast majority of you are sitting next to and surrounded by other white people.

'Across the church the general picture is the same - in your pews, on your PCCs [parochial church councils], deanery synods, diocesan synods, at every level up to and including the House of Bishops.

Delegates vote during the opening session of the Church of England General Synod

'Those who are threatened by the authenticity of this movement, want to scare us into thinking that being woke is a sin created by people on the left', the Bishop of Dover said

'Institutional racism is deeply embedded in virtually every institution in this country, including sadly, in the life and culture of the church.'

It comes as Yvonne Clarke, who was the first black female deacon in the Church of England, is set to have a hearing in her appeal against what she has previously alleged to be a racist decision to dissolve her parish.

The hearing, before the Privy Council on Tuesday and Wednesday, will consider whether there was a failure to consult appropriately as required by the Equality Act 2010 and whether there was any indirect discrimination in the decision taken by the diocese which was upheld by the Church Commissioners, law firm Leigh Day said.

It follows cost-cutting proposals by the Diocese of Southwark, approved in September 2021, which would dissolve her parish and divide it between the parishes of St George, Shirley, and St John, Shirley.

Ms Clarke said: 'I overcame the most upsetting racism when I first arrived in this area, from those who would not countenance a black woman priest.

'My ministry and the work of my parish council has been to take the word of God into the entire parish, and to be prevented from those acts of inclusivity has been very harsh.'

Her solicitor Frances Swaine said: 'My clients will demonstrate to the court how decisions were taken about their parish without adequate consultation and with insufficient due regard to the unique qualities that a black woman priest and a global majority parish council bring to an area of London with an ever-growing global majority population, especially serving the migrant and refugee community.

'At a time when the Archbishop of Canterbury is spending much time talking about racism in the Church of England, my clients deserve to have had the special characteristics of their parish considered very carefully before any decision to get rid of them was taken.'

A spokesperson for the Church of England said: 'It would not be appropriate for us to comment while the matter is subject to ongoing legal proceedings'
NSW Police have been uninvited from Mardi Gras for the first time in 20 years following the alleged murder of a gay couple at the hands of an officer.

The shock move was made by the Mardi Gras board on Monday night and will see police barred from marching for the first time in 20 years this coming Saturday (March 2).

The controversial decision follows the suspected deaths of two gay men at the hands of NSW Police officer, Beau Lamarre-Condon.

Channel Ten host Jesse Baird and his new Qantas flight attendant boyfriend Luke Davies were allegedly killed at a home in Paddington, in Sydney's east, last week.

Mr Baird and Lamarre-Condon had been in a brief relationship last year.

NSW Police have been uninvited from marching in Mardi Gras for the first time in 20 years after one of its officers, Beaumont Lamarre-Condon (pictured left at Mardi Gras in 2020), allegedly killed a gay couple

EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: Bizarre 'Hollywood' request of Beau Lamarre-Condon Advertisement

Police are desperately trying to work out what happened to Mr Baird and <r Davies, who were last seen a week ago, with search sites established in Cronulla, Newcastle and multiple dams in the Southern Tablelands.

Police allege Lamarre-Condon, a 28-year-old senior constable, was in Newcastle on Thursday night where he cleaned a van, allegedly used to move the couple's bodies, before handing himself in on Friday at Bondi police station.

Lamarre-Condon has been charged with two counts of murder and remains in protective custody after being denied bail.

It's understood several members of the Mardi Gras board did not agree with the decision to uninvite NSW Police from its parade and want the decision reviewed.

Police Commissioner Karen Webb, who has personally marched in the parade celebrating queer relationships and identities for several years, said the decision has left her 'disappointed and dismayed'.

'We are humans, we are representative of the community we serve and so we should be there,' she told The Daily Telegraph.

'Conversations we've been having are around the under-reporting of crimes in the queer community. How is this going to help that?'

Commissioner Karen Webb (pictured centre at Mardi Gras 2022) said the decision by organisers left her 'disappointed and dismayed'

Commissioner Webb described the decision as 'illogical'.

'I get the distrust and the concern about this matter but don't brand the whole organisation because of the actions of one individual,' she said.

However, the alleged murder of Baird and Davies may have just been the tipping point in organisers' decision.

A vocal push for officers to be removed from the parade has grown in recent years with many Mardi Gras participants feeling the festival is moving from its original purpose as a protest.

However, NSW MP Alex Greenwich believed the decision is a step in the wrong direction.

'I want the police to stand with the LGBTQ+ community every day, and that includes the Mardi Gras parade,' he said.

'There is a lot of work to do to improve community safety, and we must do it together.'

Channel Ten host and Lamarre-Condon's ex-boyfriend Jesse Baird (right) and his new Qantas flight attendant boyfriend Luke Davies (left) were allegedly killed at a home in Paddington , in Sydney's east

The shock ban come after Commissioner Webb issued a historic apology to the families of LGBTQ+ victims following Justice John Sakkar's report into police brutality and hate crimes in the 1980s and 1990s.

She met with NSW police minister Yasmin Catley, Mr Greenwich and other members of the community earlier on Monday.

'To have us withdrawn [from Mardi Gras] on the basis, I presume, of the actions of one person who is currently charged before the court makes no sense to me,' Commissioner Webb said.

'I think getting past this is including NSW Police in Mardi Gras and saying we are in this together on the basis we acknowledge the hurt of the past and not conflate this with the issue of the former officer before the court.'

Commissioner Webb also referred to NSW Police's troubled early history with the Mardi Gras parades by adding: 'We have been building a bridge with the gay and lesbian community since the 78ers were mishandled by police back in the day.'

The inaugural 1978 Mardi Gras saw 53 people arrested by police and dozens more brutally attacked and bashed by officers.

At the time, marchers held Mardi Gras in the hopes of decriminalising homosexuality.

Their demands were met in 1994 with the adoption of The Human Rights (Sexual Conduct) Act.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mardi Gras for comment.
A Channel 4 programme set to air tonight will examine the jury system by recreating a real murder trial with two different juries to see if they can reach the same verdict.

The Jury: Murder Trial, which airs at 9pm tonight, recreates an entire, real murder trial from the original transcripts in front of 24 jurors to see if they can reach the same verdict when presented with the same evidence.

The two juries, who are unaware of each other, will be asked to make a judgement on a real case of a man who admits he killed his wife but whose defence maintains that he lost control and is therefore not guilty of murder.

Andy Vasey and Dan Warner, Creative Directors, 4creative, said: 'The show is an innovative true crime experiment that gives the public an insight into the British jury system.

'Our campaign spotlights how, for example, a juror being hungover or tired might be as likely to sway a verdict as the facts of the case.

'With one trial and two juries, it's fascinating to see whether the same verdict will be reached by both.'

The Jury: Murder Trial, which airs at 9pm tonight, recreates an entire, real murder trial from the original transcripts in front of 24 jurors to see if they can reach the same verdict when presented with the same evidence

The new series (pictured) lays bare a system that normally takes place behind closed doors

Pictured: Nazir Afzal OBE, Former Chief Prosecutor in the Channel 4 series

Barrister Alex McBride said: 'The jury system is extremely democratic. The problem is the element of chance. I always think when I see a jury filing in to deliver a verdict on a defendant, 'You may get lucky, you may not.'

Criminologists believe juries may reach the wrong verdict in around a quarter of cases.

In this experiment, both juries, heard the true case of John Risedale, charged with murdering his wife of just two months. He'd strangled then attacked her with a hammer at their Essex cottage.

Names, dates and locations were changed, but otherwise the original trial was re-enacted word for word, with actors playing the witnesses and legal teams and the two juries given all original evidence.

Pictured: Red Jury. L-R: Gary, Victoria, Diana, Ricky, Chris, Neil. Bottom row L-R: Rosie, Richard, Kelly, Keith, Emily, Luca and the Blue Jury - Top Row L-R: Hilary, Aaron, Sonia, Jodie, Liberty, Adam. Bottom row L-R: Ollie, Sacha, Lorell, Emily, William, Junior

Pictured: Defence Barrister - Xavier Ahmad QC (Christopher Simpson) addressing the two juries

The Jury: Murder Trial is a unique televised courtroom experiment, re-creating an entire real-life murder trial in front of a randomly selected jury

Risedale admits he killed his wife, but his defence is that he lost control, which would allow him to be convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter, which does not carry an automatic life sentence.

Both juries wrestle with how to determine this. Richard says it surprised him how people struggled to take on board the thoughts of others.

'Some have their opinions and stick to them regardless. Others think in a very abstract way, and trying to bring everyone into the same thought process was a challenge,' he says.

Criminal defence lawyer Greg Foxsmith who will be watching Channel 4's programme this week said: 'Hats-off to the programme makers at Channel 4 for devising this project to assist in our understanding of juries.

'Our longstanding jury system is important because it involves citizens in the process of criminal justice. But we must remember juries are a group of randomly selected citizens doing their best. It will be fascinating to see their deliberations and struggles, given we normally don't have access to such.

'I generally share the public's confidence that juries usually reach the correct decision on the evidence which they have heard in criminal trials. But I don't think we should be complacent. I hope this programme doesn't prove me wrong. A majority verdict (10/12) would suffice, but a negative view, or even a 'hung jury', could be awkward for defenders of the flame.

'It will be interesting to see if this experiment ultimately reinforces our trust in the jury system, or raises doubts- in which case, surely some serious research and analysis should follow, to make sure our system of jury trials remains fit for purpose.'

The Jury: Murder Trial, Monday-Thursday, 9pm, Channel 4
An American mother accused of shooting dead her nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son in Colorado before fleeing to the UK appeared in court today.

Kimberlee Singler, 35, is wanted in Colorado Springs for allegedly killing her daughter Elianna, 9, and son Aden, 7, on December 19.

Singler fled to the UK and was arrested in Kensington, west London, by the National Crime Agency on December 30.

She appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court via video-link from HMP Bronzefield.

Kimberlee Singler, 35, is wanted in Colorado Springs for allegedly killing her daughter Elianna, 9, and son Aden, 7, on December 19

Singler fled to the UK and was arrested in Kensington, west London , by the National Crime Agency on December 30. Pictured: Her son Aden

Police had responded to a report of a burglary at an apartment complex in Palomino Ranch Point, Colorado Springs on December 19.

Two of her children, Elianna and Aden, were found dead inside a flat. An autopsy recently revealed they had died from gunshot wounds.

Singler and her other daughter, 11, were also injured.

The mother had initially cooperated with police but vanished, triggering a US-wide hunt.

She was arrested by NCA officers for offences including two counts of murder and one of attempted murder.

Singler is also accused of two counts of class two felony child abuse, one of class three felony child abuse, and one of assault.

Two of her children, Elianna (pictured) and Aden, were found dead inside a flat. An autopsy recently revealed they had died from gunshot wounds

When she first appeared in court on January 1 she did not consent to her extradition to the US.

Ex-husband Kevin Wentz had shared a picture of himself with his three children in a Facebook group dedicated to the case.

He wrote: 'Hello group. I'm the father. I also want to say she has been arrested.'

Singler was remanded in custody ahead of another preliminary hearing at the same court on March 25.
Police scoured a remote property for the bodies of Australian TV host Jesse baird and his partner after his alleged killer ex was reportedly spotted with an angle grinder.

Former TV reporter Jesse Baird, 26, and his flight attendant partner Luke Davies, 29, were shot dead in Mr Baird's home in Sydney on Monday last week, according to local police, which received reports of gunshots by concerned neighbours.

Mr Baird's ex-boyfriend, Police Senior Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon, 28, was charged, was charged with two counts of murder after allegedly using his police pistol to shoot dead Mr Baird and his partner. He has not entered a plea or applied for release on bail.

The bodies of the couple have not yet been found and police divers scoured the dams at a remote property in Bungonia, 124 miles south-west of Sydney, today.

But the search has been called off for the day, with officers possibly returning in the daylight tomorrow.

Police said this morning that Lamarre-Condon had made 'partial admissions to a female acquaintance' the day after the alleged killings before buying an 'angle grinder and a padlock'.

Former TV reporter Jesse Baird (right), 26, and his flight attendant partner Luke Davies (left), 29, were shot dead in Mr Baird's home in Sydney on Monday last week, according to local police, which received reports of gunshots by concerned neighbours

Beau Lamarre-Condon (pictured), the former partner of Baird, has been charged with two counts of murder

Police conduct a line search on a rural property in Bungonia southwest of Sydney on Monday, February 26

Police officers are pictured searching the property for the bodies of Jesse Baird and his partner Luke Davies

Police divers were filmed as they searched for bodies on the remote property 124 miles south-west of Sydney today

Police suspect Lamarre-Condon, who had been in a relationship with Mr Baird that ended last year, took the bodies to the rural property and later bought weights before allegedly returning to the property, which has four dams, at night.

Detectives suspect the weights were used to sink the bodies in a waterway.

While police divers looked for the bodies at the remote property and farms nearby, they haven't found them yet and admitted that Lamarre-Condon could have returned to the property to move the bodies after his female acquaintance became suspicious.

'It's our number one priority to try and locate Jesse and Luke to give the families some solace,' New South Wales Police Force Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson told reporters.

Lamarre-Condon was following legal advice by refusing to speak to police, Mr Hudson said.

A bullet case found in Mr Baird's home matched the pistol Lamarre-Condon signed out of a police gun safe on Thursday February 15 and returned on Tuesday February 20.

Police began suspecting a homicide on Wednesday when the couple's bloodstained possessions including a phone, wallet, credit cards and a set of keys were found in a trash container 19 miles from the crime scene.

Police initially suspected Baird had killed Davies after messages from Baird's phone to his housemates told them he was moving across the country to the west coast city of Perth and asking them to put his belongings in storage.

Police now allege Lamarre-Condon sent the messages to divert suspicion after Davies died.

On Tuesday, February 20, Lamarra-Condon told the female acquaintance, who was described as a 'long-term friend of the accused' and an 'innocent agent', that he was involved in the death of two individuals, according to Mr Hudson.

The female acquaintance is currently assisting police with their enquiries.

Police are desperately trying to find the bodies of Mr Baird (left) and Mr Davies (right)

But Deputy Commissioner Hudson admitted that police were still examining the possibility that Lamarre-Condon may have returned to the rural property to remove the bodies (pictured: police search bushland on the property)

Police were seen searching a number of dams and bushland on the remote property (pictured)

A tow truck removed a small boat during a search on Monday (pictured)

Divers investigated the waterways on the remote property earlier today

Police are searching for the missing men at a dam in Bungonia

'I can indicate that on that same day, the Wednesday, the accused we believe attended Bungonia area with an acquaintance who was not involved in anything,' Mr Hudson added.

'We believe that that acquaintance assisted the accused in purchasing an angle grinder and a padlock from a local hardware store in that area before driving to a rural property in Bungonia.

Police allege the angle grinder was used to sever a padlock on a gate at the property before being replaced with the one bought at the hardware store.

Police allege Lamarre-Condon then disappeared in a rented van for half an hour, leaving the acquaintance on her own before returning to pick her up.

'I can indicate that at 11pm that evening, weights were purchased from a department store by the accused and it is believed that he returned to that rural property overnight and during that evening, having acquired also two torches from the acquaintance,' Mr Hudson said.

Lamarre-Condon was seen leaving the Bungonia area at about 4.30am the following day, police allege. He then allegedly travelled to the house of another acquaintance to use their hose to clean his rented van.

Early on Friday morning he returned to Sydney where he later handed himself into Bondi Police Station.

But Deputy Commissioner Hudson admitted that police were still examining the possibility that Lamarre-Condon may have returned to the rural property to remove the bodies.

'It would appear that the accused was suspicious of the acquaintance that attended with him and about her beliefs of what he might have been up to and very likely may have returned to those bodies later that evening,' Mr Hudson said.

'In that case, we believe that he may have moved them.'

He added: 'The accused has not disclosed where Jesse and Luke are - where he has (allegedly) disposed of them.

Divers are expected to search a series of dams on the Hazelton Road property and search neighbouring bushland for signs of evidence (pictured)

Detectives and forensics officers are still scouring the state to find the bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies

'Divers from the Marine Area Command were called to the scene and have today been assisting with a search at the location,' a police spokesperson said on Sunday night. The search resumed at first light on Monday

Detectives were told by family and friends of Jesse Baird (pictured) was bombarded with text messages and phone calls in the months after ending his relationship with Beau Lamarre-Condon

Police sources said Lamarre-Condon (pictured) used Mr Baird's phone to text his housemates after killing the pair to fake an impending interstate move

'But it is our number one priority at this moment to try and locate Jesse and Luke to give the family some solace.'

Deputy Commissioner Hudson revealed that Lamarre-Condon had spoken to two acquaintances in the days after the killing, one of who was a former police officer.

READ MORE: Inside the psychological tests given to police recruits as senior constable is charged over Jesse Baird and Luke Davies' murders Advertisement

'There are two acquaintances that we believe the accused spoke to. One was a former officer, the other was not,' Mr Hudson said.

It is not clear if the female acquaintance who accompanies him to the rural property was an ex-officer.

Mr Hudson also said that they believed the relationship between Mr Baird and Lamarre-Condon 'ended badly' and they were speaking to friends about some of the accused's subsequent behaviour.

'We believe the accused had attended Jesse's home address,' Mr Hudson said.

'We believe he had utilised a key to enter those premises. We believe that he took possession of Jesse's phone and deleted contacts and messages out of that phone before leaving the premises.

He added: 'We are piecing this together through witnesses. None of this was reported to police at the time.'

Deputy Commissioner Hudson indicated that some of Lamarre-Condon's actions in the weeks after he and Mr Baird broke up could be described as 'predatory behaviour'.

Lamarra-Condon joined the police force in 2019. Photos posted online show the former celebrity blogger posing with dozens of A-listers including Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Harry Styles.
The 23ft Harbour Light Tower was once powered by whale oil and is now the world's smallest working lighthouse left.

Its beam still reaches up to three miles and is now powered by vegetable oil.

The famous lighthouse, located in North Queensferry, replaced an original lighthouse which was constructed across the street in 1811.

Heritage Trust secretary Garry Irvine, who moved to the area around 40 years ago, has looked after the historic tower since retiring.

Garry Irvine has looked after the historic tower since retiring ten years ago

The famous lighthouse, located in North Queensferry, replaced an original lighthouse which was constructed across the street in 1811

Its beam still reaches up to three miles and is now powered by vegetable oil

He said: 'The little light was built in 1811 in the adjoining lighthouse just across the street but it wasn't doing the job it was needed to do.

'With the Queensferry Passage being the most important ferry in Scotland at the time, it meant that the actual ferry passage had to be lit.

'They moved the light from the lighthouse over to the little light tower, and that is what we renovated to make it work again.

'We built it from an original based in the National Museum of Edinburgh - so we can truly say it's the only working light tower in the world.'

Garry went on to explain how the Argand lamp is able to provide up to three miles worth of light - by using a reflector which magnifies the flame inside 2000 times.

'The lamp is driven by oil - originally, it was whale oil, but we don't use that anymore, so it's vegetable oil now,' he said.

'Lighting the lamp is pretty unique and it requires a bit of manipulation of the lamp.

'The lamp is called an Argand lamp, and it was used for most of Robert Stevenson's lighthouses at the time he was living.

'The lightkeepers at the time would climb those 24 steps twice a day - sometimes more when they saw the light was out.

'The light can last for about 18 hours with its tank of oil - which is more than sufficient for a cold winters' day or night.'

The Argand lamp is able to provide up to three miles worth of light - by using a reflector which magnifies the flame inside 2000 times

With a tank full of oil, the light can last for around 18 hours

There are 24 steps leading to the top of the lighthouse in North Queensferry

Pictured: Garry maintaining the lighthouse which is the smallest working one of its kind

The lighthouse provided much-needed light to the well-travelled River Forth in Scotland - but due to its positioning the original light struggled to illuminate the entire crossing.

Students then began to work with civil engineer Robert Stevenson with the aim of finding a suitable solution.

Stevenson and his team painstakingly constructed the Harbour Light Tower in 1817.

It had a new light room which had a better position to illuminate the river - and the Argand lamp from the lighthouse was moved to the new tower.

But as railways began to spread across the country the Queensferry Passage became less and less popular.

The ferry passageway was being used less after 1890 because of the Forth Bridge but the lighthouse officially stopped working in 1964.

In the past, the lighthouse provided much-needed light to the well-travelled River Forth in Scotland - but due to its positioning the original light struggled to illuminate the entire crossing

Students then began to work with civil engineer Robert Stevenson with the aim of finding a suitable solution

Stevenson and his team painstakingly constructed the Harbour Light Tower in 1817

The light tower's flame finally extinguished in 1890 - after the creation of the Forth Rail Bridge

That was until 2014, when the North Queensferry Heritage Trust were given approval to restore the lamp to full working order.

Today, the light tower is both fully functional and a popular tourist spot and museum.

Garry, who is also an amateur photographer, visits the light room two to three days per week, and has welcomed visitors from over 90 countries to the site.

Named after Queen Margaret, who would regularly make the journey through Queensferry, the passage, the location saw around 300 travellers per day - and the light tower now serves as a museum to one of Scotland's most important crossings.

That was until 2014, when the North Queensferry Heritage Trust were given approval to restore the lamp to full working order

Today, the light tower is both fully functional and a popular tourist spot and museum

Garry, who is also an amateur photographer, visits the light room two to three days per week, and has welcomed visitors from over 90 countries to the site

The light tower now serves as a museum to one of Scotland's most important crossings

'It was the shortest crossing from Fife to Edinburgh, and it was quite popular - it started the communication and transportation age in Scotland,' said Garry.

'If anyone is interested in Stevenson lighthouses, this is a great one to tick off your list.

'We can light it by request, and we have signs that give you a little bit of the history.

'You can enjoy what many light keepers did, twice a day over hundreds of years - it's a very enjoyable experience.'
CMG Lantern Festival gala gains 353 million views

Xinhua) 13:44, February 26, 2024

BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The live broadcast of the China Media Group (CMG)'s cultural gala celebrating the Chinese Lantern Festival has gained 353 million views on all platforms as of Sunday morning, CMG announced.

The gala, broadcasted on Saturday evening, featured singing performances inspired by traditional Chinese cultural elements, acrobatics, and traditional activities such as solving lantern riddles, among others.

The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, marking the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Martha Kearney is to step down from presenting BBC Radio 4's Today programme after the next General Election - as she says she 'won't miss the 3am alarm'.

The veteran journalist, 66, has been presenting the Today show for the last six years after joining the BBC in 1988.

After the election, Martha will continue working on a variety of projects, including Open Country and is set to front a new interview series celebrating the natural world called This Natural Life.

The show will focus on each guests' passion for nature.

In a statement, she said: 'I have loved working on Today with its incredible reach and influence but now it's time to move on to pastures new - literally.

Martha Kearney has been presenting the Today show for the last six years

The 66-year-old journalist is set to front a new interview show called This Natural Life

Martha joined the BBC in 1988 after working in LBC as a phone operator

'I am really looking forward to sharing my passion for nature in an exciting new series as well as a much-loved favourite programme. And I won't be missing that 3am alarm call.'

BBC Director-General, Tim Davie, said: 'Martha has been an outstanding Today presenter, thanks to her hallmark incisive questioning, warmth, and connection with the audience.

'She is an immensely respected and popular journalist, and I'd like to thank her on behalf of the BBC and her millions of listeners.

'I'm delighted Martha's illustrious BBC career will continue on Radio 4 - giving listeners outstanding programming beyond the election.'

Director of Speech and Controller of BBC Radio 4, Mohit Bakaya, said: 'Martha is a brilliant journalist and presenter, who has navigated us through important news stories over the years, and led Radio 4's coverage for significant national events, including the Queen's funeral and King's coronation.

'I am delighted that she is staying with Radio 4, bringing her considerable knowledge, passion and experience of the natural world to Open Country and our exciting new interview show, This Natural Life.'

Editor of Today, Owenna Griffiths, said: 'It's been my great privilege to be Martha's editor both at The World at One and Today.

Martha Kearney was also the political editor of Newsnight for seven years

Martha previously said s**t on BBC Radio 4's Today programme

'She's a journalist with great tenacity, insight and a wonderfully broad range of interests. Above all she's a warm and generous colleague who will be missed by me and the team.'

Last month, the radio presenter said the word 's**t' live on air before 7am after her colleague Mishal Husain used the curse word seven times in one minute while grilling the Home Secretary.

Martha dropped the s-word while discussing a report about Husain's use of the swear word during a tough interview with James Cleverly over his own use of bad language.

The BBC allows swearing when 'editorially justified'. It is likely the word 's**t' was considered tolerable by the corporation because it was quoting a politician in a story where his choice of language was an issue of controversy.

Back in 2014, when she was presenting Radio 4's World at One, admitted air that her usually calm demeanour had given way to a fit of road rage on her daily commute.

The presenter, who would leaves her Fulham home at 6.30am to cycle to the BBCs Broadcasting House when she was the presenter of the World at One, said: This morning, I ended up in a road rage incident with another very self-righteous cyclist and we ended up swearing at each other in very un-Radio 4 like language.

Martha started her radio career at LBC as a phone operator before she joined the BBC's On The Record in 1988.

Veteran journalist Martha Kearney, 66, has been presenting the Today show for the last six years after joining the BBC in 1988.

Ms Kearney with Liz Truss at the journalist's Bees Garden Party in July 2015

Ms Kearney pictured in 1998

Before she joined the Today programme, she was the first woman presenter of Radio 4's The World at One which she hosted for over a decade.

Martha was also the political editor of Newsnight for seven years. Throughout her career she has interviewed prime ministers from Margaret Thatcher to Rishi Sunak as well as covering several US elections.

She was also a regular host of Woman's Hour from 1998 to 2007.

The veteran broadcast journalist has won multiple awards including TRIC radio presenter of the year, Political Commentator of the Year, a BAFTA nomination for her coverage of Northern Ireland and Best Individual Contribution to Radio awarded by the Voice of The Listener and Viewer.
Alexei Navalny was close to being freed along with two US nationals in exchange for a jailed Russian assassin when he was 'killed' in the Arctic gulag in a deal allegedly brokered by Roman Abramovich, the Putin critic's team has claimed.

Maria Pevchikh, a senior aide for Navalny, said today that talks about exchanging him and two unnamed US nationals for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian FSB security service hit man in jail in Germany, were in their final stages at the time of his death.

She also revealed: 'Roman Abramovich was the one who delivered the proposal to swap Navalny to Putinas an informal negotiator communicating with American and European officials, and at the same time, representing Putin, an unofficial channel of communication with the Kremlin.'

This comes after humanitarian group gulagu.net has claimed Navalny was cold tortured in the Polar Wold penal colony before his death on February 16.

Russian organisation - which highlights prison abuses - is now pleading with Navalny's family to ensure samples from Navalny's body are independently examined abroad.

It is far from clear that the Russian authorities will permit any independent probe after claiming Navalny, who was serving a 19-year prison sentence at the arctic colony, died from 'sudden death syndrome'.

Alexei Navalny was serving a 19-year prison sentence in the Polar Wolf penal colony (pictured above: last video appearance in court)

Maria Pevchikh (pictured), a Navalny ally, said the Putin critic was close to being freed along with two US nationals in exchange for a jailed Russian assassin when he died in the Arctic gulag

She said that talks about exchanging him and two unnamed US nationals for Vadim Krasikov (pictured), a Russian FSB security service hit man in jail in Germany, were in their final stages at the time of Navalny's death

Pevchikh also revealed that the deal was brokered by Roman Abramovich (pictured), saying he 'was the one who delivered the proposal to swap Navalny to Putin'

It is far from clear that the Russian authorities led by president Putin (pictured) will permit any independent probe after claiming Navalny, who was serving a 19-year prison sentence at the arctic colony, died from 'sudden death syndrome'

Pevchikh said today Putin really wanted Krasikov, who he sees as a Russian patriot, back, but he 'was clearly told that the only way to get Krasikov was to exchange him for Navalny'.

She added that she believes Putin couldn't 'tolerate Navalny being free', so he got 'rid of the bargaining chip' after he realised an exchange for Krasikov was on the cards.

Pevchikh said: 'It's absolutely illogical, absolutely irrational, it's the behaviour of a mad mafioso. But the point is that Putin has gone mad with hatred for Navalny. Putin hated him so much.'

The Navalny ally said she had asked Roman Abramovich through mutual acquaintances 'how, when, and under what circumstances' he brokered the agreement, but while the Russian oligarch didn't answer 'he did not deny anything either.'

Pevchikh also revealed that Navalny was 'supposed to be free in the coming days' after she was informed 'that negotiations were at the final stage on the evening of February 15' - the day before his death.

While she did not name name the two US nationals in contention to be swapped along with Navalny, the United States has previously said it is trying to return Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Paul Whelan, a former US marine.

Pevchikh said Navalny's allies had been working since the start of the Ukraine war on a plan to get him out of Russia as part of a prisoner exchange involving 'Russian spies in exchange for political prisoners'.

She said they had made desperate efforts and tried to find intermediaries, even approaching the late Henry Kissinger, but said Western governments had failed to show the necessary political will.

'Officials, American and German, nodded their heads in understanding. They recounted how important it was to help Navalny and political prisoners, they shook hands, made promises and did nothing.'

Pevchikh (pictured) said today Putin really wanted Krasikov, who he sees as a Russian patriot, back, but he 'was clearly told that the only way to get Krasikov was to exchange him for Navalny'

Navalny's wife Yulia (right), 47, has claimed that her husband was murdered on Vladimir Putin 's orders, and previously accused the dictator of Satanism in failing to pass the body to his family - which only happened a week after his death

Lyudmila Navalnaya, the mother of Alexei Navalny, and lawyer Vasily Dubkov arrive at the town of Salekhard on February 17 before being told they could not see the body

Ukraine's top spy chief Kyrylo Budanov has claimed that Navalny may have 'died from a blood clot'

Navalny, right, embraces his wife Yulia, as he was released by a court in Kirov, Russia, July 19, 2013, after he was released from custody after being convicted of embezzlement

Alexei Navalny posted a picture with his wife Yulia in September 2020 as he was recovering in Berlin's Charite hospital where he was treated for suspected poisoning

This comes after gulagu.net pushed for an independent investigation after Navalny's wife Yulia, 47, has claimed that her husband was murdered on Vladimir Putin's orders, and previously accused the dictator of Satanism in failing to pass the body to his family - which only happened a week after he died.

Yesterday, Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's GUR military intelligence service, suggested his death could be down to natural causes as he claimed Navalny died from 'a blood clot'.

Gulagu.net said: 'Today his body is the main proof of Putin's crime against Alexei himself and against democracy in Russia.

Never-before-seen interview of Navalny sees him hit out at 'corrupt officials' living in London An interview Alexei Navalny gave in February 2020, considered to be one of the last before he was poisoned and later imprisoned, has recently resurfaced. The late Russian opposition leader said the West was doing 'nothing at all' to stop Putin's associates. 'Why do corrupt officials still live in London? Because these corrupt officials feed a huge number of wonderful London lawyers,' he said in the footage acquired by Sky News. He said those 'corrupt officials' would appear completely normal among Londoners, but they are secretly 'serving the interests of utter, complete bandits'. Navalny, who spent his political career trying to fight corruption, said: 'I hope that 10 years from now, if you interview me again, I'll be able to tell you how we managed to overcome the corrupt money laundering.' He also said at the time that he was aware of the danger he was in should he return to Russia - six months before he was poisoned, allegedly following orders by Putin. Advertisement

'Navalny's body is the main evidence of his murder and subsequent manipulations with him in order to conceal this terrible crime committed to please the dictator Putin.

'If he were alive, we are sure that in a similar case he himself would say that the most important thing today is examination, research by the best experts in the world and the presentation of comprehensive evidence, and only after that - the funeral.

'We appeal to the family of Alexei Navalny taking into account our twelve-and-a-half years of experience in independent investigations of torture and murder in the Gulag of the 21st century.

'We ask you to postpone the funeral and do everything possible to conduct a comprehensive examination outside the Russian Federation and are ready to provide assistance and assistance in this Please make the right choice.'

During the weekend, the Russian authorities U-turned to pass the body to Navalny's mother Lyudmila, 69.

She is now responsible for bringing the body to Moscow.

The group appealed to the US and EU to support the family in 'exposing this political murder' and to 'organise the evacuation of the body for a full comprehensive post-mortem examination'.

It promised by Monday to publish 'a complete list' of Russian jail officials who 'are involved in the murder of Alexei Navalny and the functioning of the system of torture and humiliation in Russia.'

gulagu.net - which boasts inside knowledge inside Putin's penal system - said it had already provided details to Navalny's family of the 'tying, immobilisation, blocking of arms and legs and cold torture' to which Navalny was subjected.

Russian media outlets today suggested that a funeral for Navalny could be held in Moscow on 29 February - as Putin makes his biggest speech of the year.

Exiled journalist Bozhena Rynska said: 'The authorities will prevent a people's funeral'.

This refers to an equivalent of the funeral of nuclear physicist and human rights campaigner Andrei Sakharov in 1989 when mourners flocked to bid him farewell and honour his opposition to Soviet totalitarianism.

They would 'block off the area of any cemetery where a funeral is planned and, under various pretexts, prevent the crowd from entering, so as not to create the image of a people's funeral'.

She said: 'Now the presidential administration is discussing how to prevent a mass procession at the funeral of Alexei Navalny.'
Documentary The Push: Murder on the Cliff, which explores the case, airs next month

Unprecedented footage will grant viewers access to the inner workings of a court room for the first time - and shows the shocking moment a 'wicked' killer who murdered his pregnant wife faces her grief-stricken family.

Fawziyah Javed was thrown 50ft off Arthur's Seat in September 2021 by Kashif Anwar after a horrific campaign of abuse.

Javed, who helped jail her partner from beyond the grave by collecting evidence of the abuse she was subjected to by Anwar, was told by him just months before: 'The sooner you're dead or the sooner you're out of my life, it'll be better.'

Anwar, from Leeds, was jailed for at least 20 years after being found guilty of the 31-year-old's murder during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

New footage shows the 29-year-old in court with his head bowed as the jury's verdict is returned and he is sentenced by judge Lord Beckett in April.

The footage, filmed for a new Channel 4 documentary 'The Push: Murder on the Cliff' which tells the story of the case, also reveals the final words of Javed to a passerby before she died after falling off the Edinburgh landmark.

Fawziyah Javed (pictured) and Kashif Anwar (pictured) sat on the top of Arthur's Seat moments before she was pushed to her death

Kashif Anwar, 29 subjected Fawziyah Javed, 31 to a long campaign of domestic abuse

Anwar, 29, was jailed for a minimum of 20 years for the murder of his pregnant wife Fawziyah Javed

Fawziyah Javed pictured on her graduation day

Daniyah Rafique, 24, managed to reach the dying employment lawyer on the side of the hill, where she was told: 'Don't let my husband near me, he pushed me.' Javed died a short time later.

Alex Prentice KC, the lead prosecutor in the case, said evidence collated by the victim in the months leading up to the murder was crucial to securing a conviction in the case.

The mugshot of Kashif Anwar, 29, from Leeds

Javed had secretly recorded phone calls of Anwar threatening her and went to the police twice so that there was a record of his abusive behaviour, although she didn't want them to intervene at that point.

The second police report was made just days before Anwar killed the employment lawyer from Leeds on a weekend away to Edinburgh.

Anwar took her to the hillside beauty spot in the evening of September 2. Javed died at 10.18pm that night.

A recording Javed made on her phone in April 2021 of two calls with her husband was played in court.

In one, Anwar rages at Javed: 'Who the f*** do you think you are?. You're a disease in everyone's life.'

On the next call, the same evening, Javed pleads: 'Do I not have a say in how I want my life with you?'

'You're being a bitch,' her husband tells her. 'Why the f*** are you not listening to me? You're not a man, so start behaving like a woman.

'Why the f*** did you decide to ruin my f***ing life? I tell you one thing - you end this and I'll ruin yours. You know what, Fawziyah? I mean it.'

Speaking in the new Channel 4 Documentary, which was granted access to the trial earlier this year, Mr Prentice added: 'Fawziyah collected a great deal of evidence which formed the pillar of the prosecution case.

'The evidence of what Fawziyah said was crucial. It was effectively Fawziyah speaking to the jury.

'I have prosecuted many murder cases over the course of my career but for a variety of reasons this case is extraordinary.'

Asked if Anwar would have been found guilty without Fawziyah's evidence, he said: 'It would have been very difficult.'

A friend and legal colleague of Fawziyah called Ingrid added: 'She built this massive mountain of evidence culminating with giving a statement to the police on the verge of her dying.

'The fact she was a lawyer with all the legal training, I do think she must have thought about leaving this evidence behind.

'I remember feeling like she died like a lawyer.'

Fawziyah Javed's father, pictured in court, as his daughter's killer Fawziyah Javed was jailed

Alex Prentice KC (pictured) said Fawziyah's evidence was crucial to securing a conviction in the case

Fawziyah's mother Yasmin Javed (pictured) feared Anwar would be acquitted and go on to kill again

Yasmin Javed (pictured) said Anwar 'had to be punished' for his actions

After the jury retires to consider its verdict, Fawziyah's mother Yasmin Javed tells how she fears Anwar will be acquitted and go on to kill again.

She said: 'He has got to be punished. He can't do this to another family, I can't have another family going through this.'

In an interview with The Sunday Times of Scotland, she said: 'Fawziyah was articulate, clever, strongminded.

'And very intelligent and financially independent. She had the full support of her parents.

'She had somewhere to go. A lot of women in these situations don't have anything like that.

'Fawziyah did and she was making plans to leave him, so if it can happen to her, it can happen to absolutely anybody. Nobody is immune from this.'

A 999 call is also played in which Anwar tells an operator his wife had slipped on Arthur's Seat and that he tried to save her.

He said: 'Fawziyah's just on the edge of the cliff, man. We both just slipped, I tried grabbing her arm and she fell.

'We both technically slipped and then I tried grabbing her arm and she went sideways.'

Detective Inspector Bob Williamson from Police Scotland, who was in charge of inquiries into Javed's fall, said deaths like hers are very difficult to investigate.

He said: 'When there is only one person who truly knows what happened and they choose to lie, the investigation then relies on largely circumstantial evidence.

'When there is only one person who truly knows what happened and they choose to lie, the investigation then relies on largely circumstantial evidence.'

Sentencing Anwar earlier this year, Lord Beckett said he had committed a 'wicked crime' and had showed no remorse.

Fawziyah Javed was thrown off Arthur's Seat (pictured) in September 2021

The series was commissioned by Channel 4's Head of Documentaries Alisa Pomeroy and directed by Anna Hall (Pictured: The High Court in Edinburgh)

He told him: 'She was willing to trust that you would keep her safe when she agreed to accompany you on your project to climb Arthur's Seat despite a fear of heights and being pregnant.

'She was entitled to expect your protection and support.'

Lord Beckett added: 'As a result of your actions, Fawziyah Javed died far from home on a Scottish hillside and her loving family are left devastated and will never be the same again.

'Had she lived she would have given birth to your child some months later, but that life was also extinguished by you.'

The series was commissioned by Channel 4's Head of Documentaries Alisa Pomeroy and directed by Anna Hall.

Ms Pomeroy said: 'To tell Fawziyah's story in this way, with her family bravely sharing what is an unimaginably painful time for them, is both a great privilege and a great responsibility. No woman should have to suffer an abusive relationship.

'Shining a light on this heart-breaking case is important for many reasons, and I hope that other women suffering in a similar way might find strength in seeing this film to make a lifesaving change in their own life.

'The access gained by Anna and the team at Candour to make this series is unique and I have no doubt they will honour Fawziyah's memory, showing how her killer was brought to justice.'

Ms Hall said: 'It's been such a privilege to see the process of justice played out minute by minute at Edinburgh High Court and it's been an utter privilege to work with Fawziyah's large and loving family who are destroyed by what has happened to her.

'I find myself making another film about a woman who was on the verge of leaving an abusive relationship  the most dangerous time for any woman  and I want to weep. How many more women will be killed at the hands of their abusive partners?

'But I know we will all learn so many vitally important things which helped to convict her abuser.'

The Push: Murder on the Cliff' will air on Channel 4 on March 3 and 4 at 9pm.
Lee Anderson today insisted he will not apologise for remarks about Sadiq Khan being 'controlled by Islamists'  despite Rishi Sunak disowning them.

The PM said the former deputy chairman's words were 'unacceptable' and 'wrong' as he denied that the Tories had a problem with Islamophobia.

But Mr Sunak is facing a Red Wall backlash over Mr Anderson being stripped of the whip for refusing to apologise for his swipe at the London Mayor.

MPs have been warning their inboxes are full of support for Mr Anderson, with one constituent suggesting his suspension was the 'final nail in [the Conservative] party's coffin'.

The Ashfield MP again declined to back down this morning, telling GB News  where he works  that he was 'right'. 'When you think you are right you should never apologise because to do so would be a sign of weakness,' he told the broadcaster.

He also blanked questions from the media about whether he might end up joining Reform UK, after an invitation from Nigel Farage.

In a later interview with GB News, to be broadcast tonight, Mr Anderson said he would never directly apologise to Mr Khan 'while I've got a breath in my body'.

'The comments I made werent racist, at all,' he added. 'They keep banding this word "Islamophobia" about, nobody can explain what it really means.'

Speaking on BBC Radio York ahead of a Cabinet meeting in Yorkshire earlier, Mr Sunak said: 'Those comments weren't acceptable. They were wrong, that is why he had had the whip suspended.'

He added: 'Words matter, especially in the current environment where tensions are running high and I think it's incumbent on all of us to choose them carefully.'

Mr Sunak dodged on whether Mr Anderson would be readmitted to the party if he apologised - something he has so far refused to do.

Asked whether his party has an Islamophobia problem, the premier said: 'No, of course it doesn't.'

The defence came as:

Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch - who is the equalities minister - accused Labour of wanting to shut down all criticism of Islam;

Transport Secretary Mark Harper left the door open for Mr Anderson's possible return to the Tory party;

Conservative MP Paul Scully criticised Mr Anderson's comments but said there were 'no-go areas' in Tower Hamlets and Birmingham;

Tory chair Ric Holden tried to turn the tables on Labour, pointing to Keir Starmer's 'delayed reaction to blatant racist and antisemitic comments' in the Rochdale by-election campaign;

Mr Khan complained that Mr Sunak is allowing anti-Muslim prejudice to be 'weaponised';

A YouGov poll found nearly two in five (39 per cent) of voters thought the Conservatives were right to suspend Mr Anderson, compared to one in five (20 per cent) who thought it was the wrong decision.

Rishi Sunak is facing a 'Red Wall backlash' after sacking Lee Anderson over his claims that Sadiq Khan was 'controlled by Islamists'. Pictured: Mr Anderson and Mr Sunak in January

London Mayor Sadiq Khan hit out at Mr Anderson for his 'Islamphobic, anti-Muslim, racist' remarks

Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch  who is the equalities minister  accused Labour of wanting to shut down all criticism of Islam

Speaking on BBC Radio York as he visited Yorkshire this morning (pictured), Mr Sunak said: 'Those comments weren't acceptable.'

The Cabinet met in Goole, Yorkshire today to underline the government's commitment to the North

A YouGov poll found nearly two in five (39 per cent) of voters thought the Conservatives were right to suspend Mr Anderson

The extraordinary spat kicked off last week when Mr Anderson said Islamists had 'got control of Khan and they've got control of London'.

He suggested Mr Khan  who does not have operational control of the Metropolitan Police but oversees its 'strategic direction'  has 'actually given our capital city away to his mates'.

In a statement released today  but apparently drafted on Saturday  Mr Anderson said Mr Khan called for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war 'weeks ago with no conditions while the hostages are still there being held at gunpoint by a terrorist organisation'.

'Hundreds of people had been arrested for racist abuse on these marches and we barely hear a peep from the mayor. If these marches were about something less fashionable Sadiq Khan would have been the first to call for them to be cancelled. It's double standards for political benefit.'

According to GB News, he continued: 'Khan has stood by and allowed our police to turn a blind eye to the disgusting scenes around Parliament. It is not my intention to upset anyone, I believe in free speech and have 100 per cent respect for people of all backgrounds.'

Writing in the Evening Standard, Mr Khan said anti-Muslim prejudice was being 'weaponised'.

'This is not just about me. Campaigning tactics like this by the Conservatives and the far-Right send the damaging message to wider society that Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment are acceptable,' he wrote.

'With tensions running extremely high, political leaders must now take proactive steps towards building stronger and more integrated communities.'

Posting on the X social media site overnight, Ms Badenoch slammed Labour's Anneliese Dodds for using a definition of 'Islamophobia' that would 'create a blasphemy law via the back door'.

The minister said: 'We use the term 'Anti-Muslim hatred'. It makes clear the law protects Muslims. In this country, we have a proud tradition of religious freedom AND the freedom to criticise religion.

'The definition of 'Islamophobia' she uses creates a blasphemy law via the back door if adopted.'

Ms Dodds said Mr Anderson's comments were 'appalling' and 'clearly not to do with who Sadiq Khan is, it was a slur that was directed at him because of Islamophobia'.

Challenged on what Mr Anderson needed to say to return to the fold, Mr Harper told Sky News this morning: 'I hope he will reflect on what he said and he will retract those comments and apologise

'He's contributed a lot in the past. I'd like to see him be able to contribute to the Conservative Party in the future.'

Mr Harper said the suspension 'sends a very strong message that we don't tolerate people saying such things in the Conservative Party'.

He declined to say whether Mr Anderson's remarks were racist despite being pressed repeatedly, reiterating only that they were 'wrong' and 'not true'.

In his local radio interviews, Mr Sunak said it was 'not a fair characterisation at all' to say he has condemned antisemitism while overlooking Islamophobia in his own party.

'Racism or prejudice of any kind' is 'completely unacceptable' and 'not British', he said.

He said he is proud of the fact that 'it wasn't a big deal' when he became the first British-Asian prime minister, adding: 'And that's because we're the most successful multi-ethnic democracy in the world.'

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden suggested yesterday that while Mr Anderson's comments were 'not acceptable', if he apologises the party will 'make a determination at that point'.

Mr Dowden told Times Radio: 'Words matter, and he didn't choose the right words. He was given the opportunity to apologise, didn't apologise and therefore had the whip removed.'

'If he apologises, we'd look at the nature of that and make a determination at that point,' he added. 'But that's a matter for the chief whip.'

Mr Dowden also said he did not believe Mr Anderson was 'intending' to be Islamophobic when he made the remarks that led to his suspension from the party.

Mr Khan has accused Mr Sunak of 'enabling anti-Muslim hatred in the Conservative Party.

Private messages in a Tory MP WhatsApp group have highlighted fears of a backlash from voters in traditional Labour seats in the so-called Red Wall that the party tackled in 2019.

No MP is said to have explicitly voiced support for Mr Anderson in the group chat, but they warned that constituents have concerns.

Jill Mortimer, MP for Hartlepool  a seat that the Tories took from Labour in 2021 - shared an email from a constituent that read: 'Today's news of Lee Anderson's suspensio has been the final nail in your party's coffin.'

The MP asked others if they had received similar to which Sarah Dines, MP for the Derbyshire Dales, said she had but claimed they were from constituents who were 'not known supporters'.

Mr Anderson has served since 2019 as MP for Ashfield, one of the previously Labour seats in the so-called red wall

Tory chair Ric Holden tried to turn the tables on Labour, pointing to Keir Starmer's 'delayed reaction to blatant racist and antisemitic comments' in the Rochdale by-election campaign

Sarah Atherton, MP for Wrexham in North Wales, added that she had 'an instant backlash from members' prompting a cause for concern.

One unnamed MP speaking of Mr Anderson told the paper: 'He's an idiot for saying what he did and should have apologised but he's not a racist and speaks for the silent majority in this country who feel Westminster has abandoned them.'

A YouGov survey of more than 3,200 adults conducted today found nearly two in five (39 per cent) thought the Conservatives were right to suspend Mr Anderson, compared to one in five (20 per cent) who thought it was the wrong decision.

But those who voted for the Conservatives at the 2019 general election were less sure, with 38 per cent saying it was the wrong decision compared to 27 per cent who said it was the right move.

The latest commotion with the party began after Suella Braverman claimed that 'the truth is that the Islamists, the extremists and the anti-Semites are in charge now'.

The former Home Secretary had been making the comments with regards to the pro-Palestine protests that have been taking place each Saturday since war broke out between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East.

It sparked an immediate debate where Mr Anderson announced on GB News: 'I don't actually believe that the Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is they've got control of Khan and they've got control of London.

'He's actually given our capital city away to his mates', he added, leading critics to brand him a racist. When he refused to apologise the whip was removed.

Business minister Nus Ghani and senior backbencher Sir Sajid Javid had been among Tory figures joining a growing chorus of criticism from across the political divide over the remarks.

The latest commotion with the party began after Suella Braverman claimed that 'the truth is that the Islamists, the extremists and the anti-Semites are in charge now'

Hundreds gather outside the parliament to stage a protest in support of Palestinians as a proposal calling a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza is being debated in the parliament on Wednesday night

Parliament descended into chaos last week following a row over the Common's Speaker's handling of a vote on Gaza and concerns for MPs' safety. Pictured: Sir Lindsey Hoyle on Wednesday

Senior backbencher Sir Robert Buckland has said Mr Anderson's remarks were 'racist' and 'repugnant', and that 'proper Conservatives' want to bring the country together.

Anyone opposed to that agenda should 'get out and join another party,' he said.

The furore comes after one of the most fractious weeks that Westminster has seen since the Brexit years forcing Mr Sunak to issue a statement warning of the dangers that polarisation and extremism could have on UK politics.

Parliament descended into chaos last week following a row over the Common's Speaker's handling of a vote on Gaza and concerns for MPs' safety.

'Legitimate protests hijacked by extremists to promote and glorify terrorism, elected representatives verbally threatened and physically, violently targeted, and antisemitic tropes beamed onto our own Parliament building,' Mr Sunak said.

'And in Parliament this week a very dangerous signal was sent that this sort of intimidation works. It is toxic for our society and our politics and is an affront to the liberties and values we hold dear here in Britain.'

Mr Anderson was deputy chairman of the Tory Party until resigning in January to rebel against Mr Sunak's legislation to revive the stalled plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda.

He was among some 60 Conservatives who voted in favour of an amendment that sought to ensure UK and international law cannot be used to prevent or delay a person being sent to Kigali under the scheme.

Mr Anderson has served since 2019 as MP for Ashfield, one of the previously Labour seats in the so-called red wall where voters switched to the Tories post-Brexit to give Boris Johnson his landslide victory.

The Muslim Council of Britain welcomed the MP's suspension but said the Conservative Party has 'an Islamophobia problem' and his remarks are 'only the tip of an iceberg'.

A Conservative spokesman said: 'An investigation and subsequent independent review, both conducted over several years by professor Swaran Singh, found no evidence of institutional racism in the Conservative Party.'
The Associated Press is under fire for highlighting the 'dangers for female joggers' while covering the murder of a Georgia college student- without mentioning her alleged killer is an undocumented immigrant already known to cops.

Augusta University nursing student, Laken Riley, 22, was killed while out running in the University of Georgia trails by Venezuelan native Jose Antonia Ibarra, according to police - details the AP failed to mention in its Saturday report, angering many.

'Hi, female athlete here. I ran this exact trail every single week of my college career. I guess I could have been snuffed out before I graduated, had a career, family, and the professionals at the AP would lie about the suspect bc it fits a preferred narrative,' said conservative political commentator Mary Katherine Ham.

'Ibarra is not merely an Athens resident, and Laken Riley and every other student was put in danger by not enforcing laws and allowing a man arrested 3x after crossing the border to hang out and work on campus.

'He had to escalate to alleged murder to be held and/or risk deportation. Good policies. Good work. This story even cites the 2018 murder of Mollie Tibbetts in IA as a reason solo female runners should be worried, *also without noting her killer was an illegal immigrant.* Just stop lying!'

The AP is under fire for highlighting the 'dangers for female joggers' while covering the murder of Laken Riley - without mentioning her alleged killer is an undocumented immigrant

Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, has been identified and charged for allegedly murdering nursing student Laken Riley, 22, at the University of Georgia in Athens

'Ibarra is not merely an Athens resident, and Laken Riley and every other student was put in danger by not enforcing laws,' said commentator Mary Katherine Ham

Ham continued: 'I should correct myself. Ibarra has a handful of offenses to his name crossing border, unlicensed driving/unregistered car, endangering a child (arrested, charged), now this (arrested, charged)not 3 *arrests*.

'The more I look at this AP story, the dumber it is... It misses the story and its basic facts by positing that a more appropriate narrative-fitting story is the real story. And then it misses the story it posited was the story bc oops, that also serves a narrative it didnt want to serve. And it does all this without ever doing a rational analysis of aggregate stats for violent crime perpetrated on female joggers, which might actually be helpful!'

Ibarra was arrested for Riley's murder on Friday, just a day after her remains were found on the Athens campus.

The 26-year-old crossed into El Paso, Texas, in September 2022 but had been released from a detention center due to a lack of space. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said on Sunday he had previously been arrested in NYC.

Ibarra has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, concealing the death of another and failure to appear for a finger printable charge.

Cops said that he did not know the victim and the crime was a 'random, solo act.'

UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark told reporters at a press conference Thursday that officers have searched Ibarra's apartment in Athens and evidence shows that he acted alone.

'He did not know her at all. I think this is a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual and bad things happened,' Clark said.

'The evidence is robust. It is supported by key input by the community, physical evidence and expert police work. Importantly, we were assisted by video footage from our campus security cameras network.'

Ibarra was arrested for Riley's murder on Friday, just a day after her remains were found on the Athens campus

Riley was reported missing after he concerned roommate told police she had not returned from a jog

Riley's devastated family broke their silence on Sunday.

'We wish to thank the public for their prayers and thoughts during this tragic time,' the devastated family said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

'Laken was an amazing daughter, sister, friend and overall person in general. Her love for the Lord was exemplified in every aspect of her life.

'She will be missed every day, but we promise to honor her life moving forward in a very big way.

They added: 'During this most difficult time, we ask that you respect our privacy, and provide us the time and space necessary to grieve our daughter's life that was tragically cut short.'

Riley was reported missing after he concerned roommate told police she had not returned from a jog.

She was killed by 'blunt force trauma,' police confirmed.

Since Biden took office in 2021, over 7.2 million migrants have entered the U.S. through the southern border.

That's more people than the population of 36 states. Arizona, for example, had 7.1 million residents according to the 2020 census.

After taking office, President Biden immediately canceled various Trump-era border initiatives, including the 'Remain in Mexico' policy that required migrants claiming asylum to stay in Mexico until their hearing court date in the U.S.

Biden also stopped construction of the U.S.-Mexico border within days of taking office.

But now, the 81-year-old president is reportedly mulling over using the Immigration and Nationality Act , which gives a president broad leeway to block entry of certain immigrants, to shut down the border if more than 8,500 try to cross in one day.
Heart-rending footage captured the moment a one-armed Gazan orphan was in floods of tears as he arrived in the US for medical treatment.

Omar Abukwaik, 5, suffered severe injuries including the loss of his arm in an Israeli airstrike that killed his family and grandparents in December.

After receiving urgent care in Egypt, Omar's aunt was able to transport him over to America through her charity, the Global Medical Relief Fund, where he is set to undergo several more surgeries including being fit for a prosthetic arm.

Speaking of helping him past the horrors he survived, she told CBS News: 'These are innocent children that have absolutely no resources.'

He is among thousands of Palestinian refugees displaced by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, with a new immigration law pushed by President Biden this month halting the deportation of over 6,000, accordi ng to the New York Times.

Omar Abukwaik, 5, broke down in floods of tears as he arrived in the US for urgent medical help this week

The five-year-old suffered severe injuries including the loss of his arm in an Israeli airstrike that killed his entire family (pictured) and grandparents in December

Although the child miraculously survived the airstrike, he sustained severe injuries to his face, leg and arm and has undergone a number of surgeries and skin grafts

The little boy flew into New York's JFK Airport this week from Cairo, after his aunt Elissa Montanti cut through red tape to get him the urgent healthcare he needs.

His whole family were killed in an airstrike on Gaza in December, as Israel mounted its counter-offensive against Hamas' October 7 terrorist attacks.

Human rights organizations have condemned the high civilian casualties in Gaza, including over 7,000 children, that have resulted from the airstrikes, including the impact on families such as Omar's.

While his mother, father, grandparents and two young siblings were killed, Omar miraculously survived, but suffered severe injuries including leg wounds, burns, and the amputation of his left arm.

He initially received the urgent care in Cairo, Egypt, where he is set to return in a few weeks, but he still required further trauma treatment.

Thanks to his aunt's charity, Omar has been able to be seen by American healthcare specialists on the East Coast - while also enjoying a few brief moments of childhood such as experiencing snow for the first time.

While he is set to return to Egypt, Omar's stay in America gave him the chance to enjoy his childhood again - as he is pictured experiencing snow for the first time

His aunt Elissa Montanti (pictured), the director of the Global Medical Relief Fund, said: 'It's just important, very important, to empower a child for who so much has been taken away from them'

Montanti said her charity has helped similarly stricken children from over 60 nations suffering war or natural disasters.

For her nephew, she partnered with Shriners Children's Hospital in Philadelphia to facilitate his care, and the five-year-old is being fitted for a prosthetic arm.

One of his doctors told CBS News: 'The fact that Omar was able to be brought here is good for Omar.'

'If he stayed in Gaza or stayed in Egypt, who knows,' he continued. 'I don't know what would have happened.'

Omar's recovery is expected to take several weeks, with his aunt praising how the US was able to offer medical treatment for the injured child.

'It's very important and it's empowerment,' Montanti said.

'You're giving them back their youth when they're this small, and their integrity. It's just important, very important, to empower a child for who so much has been taken away from them.'

But before he went back across the Atlantic, his aunt gave him one last chance to be a child in America as he enjoyed a day out at a children's museum.

The child's help comes as Israel has continued its siege on Gaza, with four women and a child among eight injured by another airstrike on Sunday.

People gather in front of a building destroyed in the Rafah airstrike on February 24. At least eight people were killed

Palestinians help an injured man following the bombing in Rafah. Four women and a child were said to have been killed

Hamas claims IDF attacks have left 92 Palestinians dead in the last 24 hours.

It was also reported that the overall death toll in nearly five months of the war has risen to 29,606 and the total number of wounded has risen to nearly 70,000.

The number comes from the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants, it has said two-thirds of those killed were children and women.

Meanwhile, Israel claimed its troops have killed more than 10,000 Hamas fighters, but hasn't provided details.

More than 100 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza.
More than 2,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel in small boats.

The latest arrivals come as Number 10 insisted they were taking 'robust action' to crack down on people-smuggling gangs, deter migrants from making crossings and intercept vessels.

Home Office figures show 290 people made the journey in five boats on Sunday, suggesting an average of around 58 people per boat.

This is the highest number of people making the crossing in a single day for more than a month, after 358 people were recorded on January 17.

The latest crossings take the provisional total number of arrivals in 2024 so far to 2,006.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, from a Border Force vessel following a small boat incident in the Channel

The latest arrivals come as Rishi Sunak insisted he was 'not ignoring' concerns being raised by locals about the use of RAF Scampton near Lincoln as accommodation for asylum seekers

This is 32 per cent lower than the total recorded this time last year (2,953) but 49 per cent higher than the total at this stage in 2022 (1,482).

Some 29,437 migrants arrived in the UK after making the crossing in 2023, down 36 per cent on a record 45,774 arrivals in 2022.

EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: Channel smugglers are STILL offering discounts to migrants for piloting 'death-trap' dinghies Advertisement

The figures came as the Prime Minister denied he is ignoring concerns being raised by locals about the use of RAF Scampton near Lincoln as accommodation for asylum seekers.

'I'm not ignoring them,' the Prime Minister told BBC Radio Lincolnshire as he was challenged repeatedly on Monday.

'We do need to make sure that we house people in appropriate accommodation and the best way to resolve this issue long term is to stop people coming in the first place.

'So anyone who cares about this should be backing us to get the Rwanda Bill through Parliament so we can get a deterrent up and running.

'I'm confident that we really will be able to stop the boats and that will mean that we won't have this pressure in all our local areas to find places to house illegal migrants.'

He insisted he understands 'people's frustration' over the use of the site, telling the radio station: 'I wish we were not having to do any of this, whether it's RAF Scampton or other sites across the country, or indeed in hotels and communities across our country that now are being used to house illegal migrants.

'I don't think any of that is right and it costs a fortune.'

More than 2,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel in small boats

The Border Force vessel Typhoon carrying migrants arrives at the Dover Docks

He added that use of the former airbase would be on a 'temporary basis' although the Government could extend its use as asylum housing for a further three years.

Meanwhile, Downing Street insisted today that the Government had taken 'robust action' to prevent crossings.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'Obviously our priority is to stop the boats which is why we have taken robust action to crack down on people-smuggling gangs, deter migrants from making crossings and intercept vessels, working with our French counterparts.

'Crossings so far in 2024 are 32 per cent lower than the total at this point last year and crossings across the whole of 2023 were down 36 per cent on 2022.'

Rishi Sunak has made 'stopping the boats' a key pledge of his leadership as the country approaches a general election expected later this year.

The Prime Minister's Safety of Rwanda Bill passed the Commons after the Prime Minister saw off a Tory rebellion which had sought to toughen the legislation.

It cleared its first major hurdle in the House of Lords earlier this year, but faces numerous amendments in the upper chamber and an extended tussle between the Commons and Lords.

Mr Sunak has urged peers not to block 'the will of the people' by opposing the Bill.

The asylum scheme comes with a 290 million bill but a series of legal challenges has meant no flights have taken off since it was proposed in 2022.

Under the plan, people who cross the Channel in small boats could be removed to Rwanda rather than being allowed to seek asylum in the UK.
Malcolm Turnbull has labelled Donald Trump a 'tyrant', had a cheeky dig at Scott Morrison and questioned whether Israel's war in Gaza is actually what Hamas wants during his latest appearance on the ABC's Q+A.

The former Coalition Prime Minister was on a panel on Monday night alongside writer Rebecca Huntley, British historian Peter Frankopan, Ukrainian born Sydney academic Olga Oleinikova, and Sydney Uni chair of social work Jioji Ravolu as they discussed whether democracy was in a fight for its very survival.

He and Trump had a turbulent relationship while they were leaders simultaneously in 2017 and 2018.

Mr Turnbull said Trump - whom he has repeatedly criticised over the years - was no longer committed to democracy 'as we know it'.

He fears that a Trump victory in November will threaten to turn US into an autocracy without the rule of law.

'Donald Trump does not believe the law applies to him,' Mr Turnbull told the audience.

Former PM Malcolm Turnbull didn't hold back on ABC's Q + A on Monday night

US President Donald Trump speaks on the phone with Malcolm Turnbull during their first official phone talks at White House in Washington, D.C

READ MORE: Scott Morrison reveals a major difference between Donald Trump and Joe Biden Scott Morrison (left) has opened up about the major difference between the current US President Joe Biden (right) and ex-president Donald Trump Fact-box text Advertisement

'Donald Trump lost the 2020 election and refused to accept it and ... encouraged a mob to try to overflow the constitutional process in the Congress, tried to overflow his own constitution.'

When it was pointed out that Mr Trump was outpolling current President Joe Biden, Mr Turnbull replied: 'Tyrants are often popular.'

'The key to liberal democracy is that it empowers the majority, but it also - through the rule of law - constrains the majority,' he said.

He added that democracy meant there was a rule of law that protected and applied to all citizens.

While Australia has become more dependent on the US, Mr Turnbull said that link would be much less reliable under Mr Trump's presidency should he be re-elected.

He said the challenge for the Australian government was to not backdown.

'Trump is a bully, he encourages people to suck up to him,' he said.

'Notoriously I didn't do that ... but I think it was a good thing.

'We have to get used to the fact that the US may not be aligned on the same values in quite the same way as it was 20, 30, 40 years ago. That's a reality we've got to live with.'

It was noted former prime minister Scott Morrison said in an interview that Mr Trump posed no threat to Australia's national security.

But Mr Turnbull said Mr Trump could force Ukraine to surrender to Russia and noted he had already threatened to pull out of NATO.

The two leaders had a turbulent relationship during their time in power. Pictured are U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) and First lady Melania Trump (L) welcome Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (3rd L) and his wife Lucy Turnbull (R)

'Trump rattled every single cage, every single alliance. He is attracted to dictators and tyrants,' he said.

'I'm afraid to say, not for the first time, I disagree with Scott Morrison.'

On Israel's war in Gaza, Mr Turnbull said the Hamas attack on October 7 'changed' Israel and 'shocked' the world.

'It was designed as a provocation,' he said.

Asked whether Israel should not have taken the provocation and if it had been an overreach, Mr Turnbull became somewhat critical of Israel.

'The question you have to ask is firstly, is the price in Palestinian civilian lives now so high that the claim that the Israeli Defence Forces make that they're doing everything they can to protect human life no longer credible,' he said.

'Their question has to be are they losing so much public support in the world today that they are in effect achieving what Hamas wanted to achieve.'

Asked if that was his view, he replied: 'I fear that Hamas would see what has happened as being entirely in accordance with their provocation.'
Hunter Biden says knowing his sobriety could cost his father his reelection is the 'ultimate test.'

President Joe Biden's 54-year-old son revealed that he often thinks about the 'profound consequences of failure' if he relapses before the election in November.

'I have something much bigger than even myself at stake. We are in the middle of a fight for the future of democracy,' Hunter said in the rare interview with Axios.

If Hunter did slip and begin using drugs again it would heavily impact President Biden's reelection efforts this year. His drug use and addiction have been a frequent line of attack from conservatives and MAGA world  who push the theory that the cocaine found in the White House last year belonged to the first son.

Biden has also expressed privately that he's worried the daily attacks could take a toll on his family and could even lead to his son relapsing.

Hunter Biden (left) says he feels a responsibility to remain sober for the sake of his father President Joe Biden's (right) reelection against Donald Trump. 'I have something much bigger than even myself at stake. We are in the middle of a fight for the future of democracy,' he said

A picture from Hunter Biden's abandoned hard drive shows him passed out with a crack pipe hanging out of his mouth

'Most importantly, you have to believe that you're worth the work, or you'll never be able to get sober,' Hunter told Axios about his addiction. 'But I often do think of the profound consequences of failure here.'

'Maybe it's the ultimate test for a recovering addict  I don't know,' he continued.

'I have always been in awe of people who have stayed clean and sober through tragedies and obstacles few people ever face. They are my heroes, my inspiration.'

Making it through the 2024 election clean and sober is a 'responsibility' that Hunter feels he has to his family.

'I feel a responsibility to everyone struggling through their own recovery to succeed,' Hunter added.

In a September hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher Burke said Hunter has repeatedly tested negative for drug and alcohol use starting in August 2023. And he has tested negative since that hearing in the fall, a representative from Hunter's legal team told Axios.

Hunter is appearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday for closed doors questioning from the House Oversight and Judiciary committees. Previously, Hunter Biden said he would only appear for questioning on Capitol Hill if it was public.

His foreign business dealings, as well as his actions while he struggled with addiction from 2013-2018 will be a focus of his testimony this week.

Republicans seeking to impeach President Biden claim that he used his position to enrich his family. But specifically they are looking for hard evidence that Biden influenced foreign policy to the financial benefit of his family.

In July 2023, Hunter said in federal court, while under oath, that he has been sober since June 2019.

President Biden has expressed privately that he's worried the daily attacks could take a toll on his family and could even lead to his son relapsing. Pictured: Joe and Hunter Biden embrace after the first son's birthday dinner at The Ivy in Los Angeles, California on February 4, 2024

A picture from Hunter Biden's leaked hard drive shows him posing naked holding a handgun by his side

But Hunter has lied about his drug use before.

On a federal form to purchase a firearm in 2018, Hunter said he was not a user of illicit substances. But in his own memoir, he detailed a timeline of his drug use and battle with narcotics, which included at the time of purchasing the gun.

As part of the promotional blitz for his book Beautiful Things, Hunter told CBS News that at one time he was 'smoking crack around the clock'.

Video discovered on Hunter's abandoned hard drive shows him naked and brandishing a handgun in a hotel room in 2018, allegedly five days after buying the gun.

'I don't care whether you're 10 years sober, two years sober, two months sober or 200 years sober  your brain at some level is always telling you there's still one answer,' Hunter told Axios of his daily struggle with addiction.
An Air Force officer who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in DC in protest against the war in Gaza has died in the hospital

Aaron Bushnell, 25, was an 'aspiring engineer' and seeking to 'transition out of the military.' The US Air Force confirmed on Monday that he succumbed to his injuries overnight.

He was hospitalized in critical condition on Sunday after he doused himself in accelerant and struck a lighter, causing his body to become consumed by flames. DC Fire and EMS said he sustained 'life-threatening injuries'.

Horrific video of the incident showed Bushnell explaining the reasons for his 'extreme act of protest' while he walked up to the building and screamed 'Free Palestine' - as his body went up in flames.

The fire burned for more than a minute before police and security staff managed to extinguish it.

Aaron Bushnell was a DevOps engineer based in San Antonio, Texas, according to his LinkedIn

The airman declared he would 'no longer be complicit in genocide' as he set himself alight and livestreamed the horrific scene before being taken to hospital in a critical condition

The active-duty airman was a DevOps engineer based in San Antonio, Texas, according to his LinkedIn profile. He touted himself having 'very good communication skills' and 'thriving in team environments'.

Bushnell was pursuing his bachelor's degree in computer software engineering and is CompTIA Security+ certified, a credential that indicates he has the baseline skills to perform core security functions and pursue an IT security career.

He had apparent links to at least two anarchist groups, Burning River Anarchist Collective and Mutual Aid Street Solidarity - both of which are based in Ohio. Bushnell followed the groups on Facebook.

He was seemingly raised in a devout Christian family and even worked for Paraclete Press, a Christian book and music publisher based in Massachusetts where his mother still works, according to the company's website. His father owns a construction company.

During his youth, Bushnell also performed in a local indoor marching band called Spirit Winter Percussion.

Video shows how Bushnell approached the heavily-guarded Israeli embassy on DC's International Drive just before 1pm on Sunday. He was in combat uniform and speaking into a camera on a selfie-stick.

'My name is Aaron Bushnell,' he told the camera, 'I am an active duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide.

'I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it's not extreme at all.

Sunday morning, before he headed to the embassy, Bushnell seemingly promoted his act of protest on Facebook

'This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.'

For more than 30 seconds he walked on silently, passing the neighboring Chinese embassy and holding an open flask of liquid in his left hand.

As he reached the embassy, he placed the camera on the ground and marched to the gate, showering himself in the fluid before placing his service cap on his head.

Tossing the flask away, Bushnell struggled to ignite his lighter as a voice is heard challenging him.

His camera recorded an unseen man asking 'Hi sir, can I help you?' as he approached the embassy gates.

Twelve seconds later the voice is heard asking again 'Can I help you, sir?' before Bushnell struck a lighter and ignited the fluid.

Dailymail.com has chosen not to show the subsequent footage which recorded Bushnell being consumed by flames for more than a minute before police and security staff managed to extinguish them.

A friend described Bushnell as 'the kindest, gentlest, silliest little kid in the Air Force'

The Secret Service said it received a report that an individual 'was experiencing a possible medical/mental health emergency' outside the Israeli embassy

The video shows the flames spreading all over his body, engulfing his head as he continues to scream 'Free Palestine', his voice cracking in agony as the flames intensify. He managed to stand for almost a minute before falling to the ground.

Sirens were already wailing in the background and a man in plain clothes pointed a pistol at him as others doused him with fire extinguishers.

He was taken to hospital by DC Fire and EMS with 'critical and life-threatening injuries'.

Sunday morning, before he headed to the embassy, Bushnell seemingly promoted his act of protest on Facebook, sharing a link to his LillyAnarKitty twitch account, where he live-streamed the demonstration.

'Many of us like to ask ourselves, "What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide?"' Bushnell wrote. 'The answer is, you're doing it. Right now.'

The video was only seen by a few dozen people on Twitch before it was removed by the platform, however it has since been viewed by over one million people on X.

The airman was taken to the hospital by DC Fire and EMS with life-threatening injuries

Authorities responded to the embassy's alert at around 1pm on Sunday and found the man with severe burns

Bushnell described himself on LinkedIn as an 'aspiring software engineer' with a 'passion for solving complex problems with code'.

Highlighting his educational and work experience in software development and Linux system administration, Bushnell said he was looking to 'transition out of the US Air Force into software engineering'.

He praised his military successes, claiming that he has been 'commended by senior leaders for my ability to explain complex technical matters'.

'Throughout my time in the military in both leadership and followership roles, as well as prior work experience in a variety of civilian roles, I have thrived in team environments and gained very good communication skills,' he said.

Bushnell said he could bring those 'skills to the table in any role', but noted he was 'truly passionate about writing software 'and 'can't wait to help drive innovation in the civilian world'.

It is understood that the airman was pursuing his undergraduate degree in computer software engineering, however it is unclear where he was studying.

His biography states: 'I am currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering from Western Governor's University, and have taken several supplementary classes in software development outside of college.'

However, Bushnell's educational history does not list the Utah based university and instead lists Southern New Hampshire University as his current place of study. His profile indicates he enrolled at the school in May 2022 and was expected to graduate in May 2025.

His LinkedIn profile also states he attended the University of Maryland Global Campus from January to November 2023.

Bushnell has reportedly been a member of the Air Force since May 2020, when he began basic training. His profile states that he 'graduated top of flight and top of class' in November that year.

He says he trained as a Client Systems Technician and had 'hands-on experience in troubleshooting, building, and repairing computer information systems'. He also trained in cyber security, earning his CompTIA Security+ certification.

He was stationed in Texas in December 2020 and worked in IT infrastructure monitoring and oversight. He was promoted to DevOps engineer in March 2023.

Prior to his military service, Bushnell worked in IT and web development at Paraclete Press in Brewster, Massachusetts for two years. He helped supported the Christian publisher with IT functions and maintained its e-commerce website.

His mother Danielle is the Purchaser and Contracts Administrator at Paraclete Press. She has been 'beyond blessed to be a part of carrying out the mission' of the organization for '27 years and counting', the firm's website states.

His father David is a carpenter and owns Bushnell Construction, according to his own LinkedIn profile. The business operates out of Orleans, Massachusetts where David and Danielle moved in 1994 with their two sons.

Bushnell and his brother Sean were both members of the percussion ensemble Spirit Winter Percussion - also based in Orleans. The brothers appeared to compete with the marching band and even earned silver medals at a contest in 2018.

The family also appears to have strong ties to their faith, with David even linking himself on Facebook to several religious organizations, including the Community of Jesus church in Orleans. The church was previously characterized by CBC Radio Canada as a 'mysterious and abusive Christian cult'.

Bushnell also follows several religious Facebook pages. He also follows Ohio-based nonprofits that appear to promote anarchy and the Kent State University (KSU) Students for Justice in Palestine group. There is no obvious indication that Bushnell is directly connected to KSU.

'No embassy staff were injured and all are safe' a spokesman for the embassy said

The embassy is on International Drive in Washington's North Cleveland Park neighborhood

A spokesperson for the US Air Force confirmed on Sunday that Bushnell is an active-duty airman.

A spokesperson from the Secret Service told DailyMail.com: 'The US Secret Service, Uniformed Division responded to the 3400 Block of International Drive, NW, DC regarding an individual that was experiencing a possible medical / mental health emergency.'

The Metropolitan Police Department's Explosive Ordnance Disposal was called to the scene on Sunday in reference to a suspicious vehicle that may be connected to the person.

The Israeli embassy released a statement after the incident, reading: 'On Sunday, 2/25, at around 1 PM, a man set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

'No Embassy staff were injured and are safe.'

A similar incident occurred in December when a pro-Palestine protestor set themselves ablaze outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta.

The city's police chief, Darin Schierbaum, described the incident as an 'extreme act of political protest,' and said a Palestinian flag was recovered from the scene.

At least two people were injured in the act of self-immolation, including a security guard who attempted to intervene.

Bushnell's protest came as the White House faces growing pressure over the four-and-a-half month old conflict which has claimed more than 30,000 lives.

The president faces a Democrat primary in Michigan on Tuesday where the state's large Arab-American population is being urged to vote 'uncommitted'.

Democrat 'Squad' member Rep Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and former Jewish Rep Andy Levin are among those who have endorsed the 'Listen to Michigan' campaign.

'Biden's blockade of the cease-fire resolution will only intensify the outrage and galvanize pro-peace voices to vote 'uncommitted' to make their voices heard,' said campaign leader Joseph Geevarghese.

Dearborn's Democrat Mayor Abdullah Hammoud warned this week Biden could no longer take the Arab vote for granted.

'My greatest fear is that Mr Biden will not be remembered as the president who saved American democracy in 2020 but rather as the president who sacrificed it for Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024,' he said.

President Biden, seen at a White House a black-tie dinner on Saturday, is facing growing pressure from his own party to rein in Israel's military assault on Gaza

The president faces a Democrat primary in Michigan on Tuesday where the state's large Arab-American population is being urged to vote 'uncommitted'

Hundreds of people continued to stream towards Gaza's southern border amid the smoke from airstrikes on Sunday as Israel prepares for its assault on Rafah

Thousands more waited for aid amid chaotic scenes on a beachfront in Gaza City

Last week Biden's Democrat challenger Rep Dean Phillips said he was 'sickened' by the loss of life in Gaza, and would unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state if elected president.

'This is the most heartbreaking, horrifying, disgusting visuals I've ever seen in my life,' the candidate who is himself Jewish said.

Biden has demanded Israel produce a plan for the evacuation of civilians before any assault on Rafah, the last unoccupied city in Gaza.

The White House on Friday declared Israeli plans to to construct another 3,000 homes in the West Bank 'inconsistent with international law'.

And sanctions have been imposed on a handful of Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians in the occupied territory.

'This is like showing up to a five-alarm fire with a cup of water while giving fuel to the arsonist,' said Yousef Munayyer of the Palestine-Israel program at the Arab Center in DC.
A Disneyland employee who was once intrigued by a sketch of Mickey Mouse is now one of a handful of artists who is selling their artwork inside the park for up to $209 per picture.

Emily Henderson was inspired to become a sketch artist after she spotted a drawing of the beloved Disney character while she visited the California theme park as a kid.

'I saw the sketch artist here, doing this same thing, and I wanted nothing more than to do that in the park,' Henderson told SFGATE.

Henderson is now one of the few sketch artists to work at Disneyland and her drawings can be found in Disneyana, which is the art gallery on Main Street USA.

'The fact that I get to draw Disney characters all day for my job is pretty sweet,' she stated. 'It feels a little more special, like its a little hidden gem.'

A Disneyland employee and artist who was intrigued by a sketch of Mickey Mouse is now one of a handful of sketch artists that's selling their artwork for up to $209 per picture.

Emily Henderson was inspired to become a sketch artist after she spotted a sketch of the beloved Disney character while she visited the California theme park as a kid

Henderson is now one of the few sketch artist's to work at Disneyland and her work can be found in Disneyana, which is the art gallery on Main Street USA

Henderson and the other sketch artists at Disneyland in California work all throughout the park and create unique souvenir art for guests.

She auditioned for her job as a sketch artist in December 2023 while she was still in art school with the hopes of being an animator.

All of the sketch artists who work at the park were required to prove that they can draw in the Disney animation style. Henderson and the other artists also had to prove that they could do so while park guests were watching and talking to them.

Henderson's fans aren't just park visitors. She also has proudly boasted online about meeting American animator and cartoonist Floyd Norman.

Norman, who has worked for various animation companies, was inspired by films like Dumbo and Bambi, and has since been credited for his work in Disney movies like Mulan, Toy Story 2 and Monsters Inc.

According to Glassdoor, a sketch artist's hourly pay is around $19-$24 per hour and their estimated annual salary is $44,175 per year.

Artwork by Henderson and other Disneyland sketch artists are worth between $49 to $209 per item.

Henderson and the other sketch artists at Disneyland in California work all throughout the park and create new and unique art for guests to buy and take home as souvenirs

Henderson's guests aren't just park visitors. She also has proudly boasted online about meeting American animator and cartoonist Floyd Norman. Norman, who has worked for various animation companies, was inspired by films like Dumbo and Bambi, and has since been credited for his work in Disney movies like Mulan, Toy Story 2 and Monsters Inc.

Disneyland visitors who are looking to purchase one of the unique pictures must go into the Disneyana gallery and look through the artists' portfolio books. The guests can then order the artwork they want and what they prefer for an illustration style.

A single Disney character that is a minimalistic sketch starts at $49 and a full-color illustration starts at $89 per character.

A full-color illustration with up to seven Disney characters who worth $209.

'People can request specific sketches out of our book to be recreated for them,' Henderson says. 'They're all by hand, they're all done to order.'

Henderson revealed to SFGATE that some individuals want to watch their artwork be created by the sketch artist.

'People who are here for a couple of days can pick them up at the end of their visit, but some people will come back and watch them being done live while you're working on it,' she said.

'Its just really fun to see your own custom piece being made right in front of you.'

A sketch that features one Disney character usually takes less than an hour to finish, but the pictures with multiple characters may take at least two hours to complete.

'There have been times when someone will come in at the very beginning of the day and order like 12 sketches, said Henderson.

'I'll be like, "OK, well Im booked for the day.'"

Guests can also have the chance to create their own artwork with a little help from Henderson and the other Disneyland employees.

Disneyland visitors who are looking to purchase one of the unique pictures must go into the Disneyana gallery and look through the artists' portfolio books

Henderson loves to draw animals from the hit Disney films Lady in the Tramp and The Aristocrats

Visitors who are looking to draw their own sketches can participate in the Animation Academy, which is where a sketch artist will give step-by-step directions to guests on how to draw a Disney character.

The sketch artists who work at the Off the Page gallery in the park's Hollywood Land usually get more visitors. However, the Disneyana gallery where Henderson works 'is tucked away in a little corner of Town Square.'

'Over here, I feel like you kind of have to seek us out a little bit more... which is kind of more fun,' she added.

Henderson loves to draw animals from the hit Disney films Lady in the Tramp and The Aristocrats.

However, what the sketch artist really loves to do is to 'be the inspiration for younger artists.'

'It's neat that I get to pass that down, you know? That's probably my favorite thing about it.'
The cars are typically stolen and shipped abroad, experts at the conference said. An investigation in 2022 tracked a stolen car from Ottawa to a lot in Nigeria

The publication spoke to people who have taken to storing cars in compounds with hired guards and dogs at night, only to still have them burglarized

Residents in Toronto are hiding their cars in secret locations and hideouts with round-the-clock security to combat the city's out-of-control car theft.

The revelation, reported by The New York Times, comes weeks after federal liberals announced a national summit aimed at addressing the nationwide issue.

The publication spoke to collectors who have taken to storing luxury cars in compounds with hired guards and dogs at night, only to still have them burglarized.

The cars are typically stolen and shipped abroad, experts at this month's conference said. An investigation in 2022 tracked a stolen car from Ottawa to a lot in Nigeria.

Some have blamed the uptick on the government's mandating of immobilizers in vehicles, as burglars have taken to using devices that trick the anti-theft technology into thinking the robber has a key.

Others have cited lax laws from Justin Trudeau, who in turn has blamed the previous Conservative government. Meanwhile, an estimated 90,000 cars are stolen each year, and car theft is up 150 percent over six years in Canada's largest city, Toronto.

Scroll down for video:

Canadians are hiding their cars in hideouts with round-the-clock security to combat the country's out-of-control car theft, which has already cost citizens at least $1.2 billion a year. Seen here, a car theft in Ontario's Richmond Hill back in August

The cars are typically stolen and shipped abroad, experts at conference designed at combating the nationwide issue said, as it continue to recent crisis levels. Pictured: Two of 25 stolen vehicles valued at more than $3.2 million recovered by cops in York last month

'I was absolutely ecstatic when I got the call from that officer,' Nick Elworthy told the Times Saturday of how he was contacted by cops in Ottawa who recently found his Ferrari in a shipping container after it was stolen this past summer.

'I was literally jumping up and down.'

Thousands of others, however, have not been so lucky - including Rebeca Holanda of Ottawa's Richmond Hill who posted clips of her car being stolen to FB this past Ausut in a bid to catch the crook.

Despite residents taking great pains in protecting their vehicles, Auto thefts are up across the board in Canada's provinces - 50 percent in Quebec, 48 percent in Ontario, 34 percent in Atlantic Canada, and 18 percent in Alberta - costing residents about $1.2 billion a year.

That's not including the fees incurred by private security firms employed by people like Elworthy, which typically cost about $1200 to $1700 per day.

Such a premium, Ottawa-based security service Northern Force Security says, 'includes round-the-clock security for private persons, and companies conducting on-site customer service.'

These agents can do everything from patrolling to screening people entering the building as well as cars - typically in eight-hour shifts with three persons sharing the amount each day.

Services that offer dogs - which Northern Force does not - tend to cost extra. The only pricier service are typically full-time security detail, usually reserved for celebrities and politicians.

The latter assembled in Ottawa February 8 to finally confront the far-reaching problem, which has reached crisis levels under Trudeau's administration.

Present was Justin Trudeau, who blamed the previous Conservative government for the uptick and its reduced spending on border security

This, he claims, has made it harder to prevent stolen vehicles from leaving the country, a phenomenon that has become commonplace under his administration

'A catchy slogan won't stop auto theft,' the eight-year prime minister said at the conference February 8, speaking to allies, conservative rivals, and an assortment of police officers

'Cracking down on auto theft means bringing law enforcement, border services, port authorities, carmakers and insurance companies together'

The rise has resulted in more than $1 billion in blows to Canadian insurance policyholders and taxpayers. Seem here is a woman stealing a blue Toyota from a Toronto home in August

That's not including the fees incurred by private security firms, which typically cost about $1200-$1700 per day. Such a premium, Ottawa-based security service Northern Force Security (seen here) says, 'includes round-the-clock security'

A stolen 2024 Chevrolet Corvette recovered by The Caledon Community Street Crime Unit this past December. Canadian collectors of luxury cars are taking greater pains in protecting their vehicles

'A catchy slogan won't stop auto theft,' Trudeau said in Ottawa February 8, speaking to an assortment of liberal allies, political rivals, and police officers.

'Cracking down on auto theft means bringing law enforcement, border services, port authorities, carmakers and insurance companies together.'

The 52-year-old, who has been in office since 2015, proceeded to blame is conservative predecessors for the now years-long uptick, citing their lower spending on efforts surrounding border security.

This, he claims, has made it harder for him to prevent stolen car from leaving the country - an industry that at this point valued in the billions.

The sheer extent of theft occurring across the country, experts at the Ottawa conference said, has resulted in more than $1billion in costs to Canadian insurance policyholders and taxpayers.

That sum spurred the Insurance Bureau of Canada to declare the country's spate of car theft had reached 'national crisis' levels, citing how insurers paid out the record sum, the equivalent of about $890 million American, in theft claims in 2022.

This past year, meanwhile, could prove even worse, as 2022 is the most recent year nationwide statistics for such thefts are available.

The true extent of the theft - which has already reached 'crisis levels' - is still unknown, as 2022 is the most recent year nationwide statistics for car thefts are available

Trudeau speaks at the National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft as Minister of Transport and Quebec Lieutenant Pablo Rodriguez (L), President of the Treasury Board Anita Anand, and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Arif Virani listen

Still, Trudeau this month reassured Canadians the government is aware of the issue and is already considering a number of responses, including investing in its border agency.

Others, including Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, brought up increasing penalties for auto thieves, and banning imports of key fob hacking devices like the TikTok-famous Flipper Zero.

The pocket-sized device is one of several that can trick smart cars into thinking the key is in the vehicle, to circumvent government mandated immobilizers that prevent people from starting the cars when the key is not inside.

The device can decode the signal a fob emits and boost it to someone near the car, making the car thing the fob is inside so that the robber can easily start it.

Mass adoption of these tactics has turned lots of cars into easy picking for thieves, said cybersecurity expert Claudiu Popa - who added that as criminals continue to adapt, the protections offered by car manufacturers have failed to keep up.

'Its a cat and mouse game with organized crime,' Popa said, citing how authentications like a password or a fingerprint scanner available on cellphones have yet to be employed on much more valuable vehicles.

Trudeau - joined by Minister of Transport and Quebec Lieutenant Pablo Rodriguez, President of the Treasury Board Anita Anand, and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Arif Virani - added: 'Organized crime is becoming more brazen.

'The international black market for the stolen cars is expanding.'

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has blamed the rise on Trudeau's passing of Bill C-75, a law it passed in 2019 that updated bail provisions in the Criminal Code.

'The prime minister, with the support of The NPD, passed catch and "release" that allows career car thieves to be released the same day they are caught stealing cars, to have house arrest, and to have shorter sentences, many of which they serve in their living room watching Netflix,' Poilievre said at Canada's Parliament this month before being met with a round of applause

Poilievre, meanwhile, has since taken to social media and YouTube to criticize Trudeau and his administration, claiming it is excessively lenient in bail and sentencing for offenders.

He has called for Trudeau to in turn reverse Bill C-75, a law it passed in 2019 that updated bail provisions in the Criminal Code.

'The prime minister, with the support of The NPD, passed catch and "release" that allows career car thieves to be released the same day they are caught stealing cars, to have house arrest, and to have shorter sentences, many of which they serve in their living room watching Netflix,' Poilievre said at Canada's Parliament this month.

'That has led to a 100 percent increase in car theft in Montreal and Ottawa, and a 300 percent increase in Toronto.

'Will they reverse these disastrous and reckless policies so that we can stop the crime?'

The assertion, delivered on February 8, drew applause from other politicians in attendance. Trudeau at the conference a few days later criticized the clip as no more than a soundbite, and aired his tentative plans to combat the crisis.

They include the establishment of a better means of information sharing between local police and railway police to identify and find stolen cars before they get to ports, and the modernization of the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to ensure they consider technological improvements to deter and prevent auto theft.

Identification of cargo handling vulnerabilities through targeted assessments of port facilities will also be something politicians will look at, as well as potential collaboration with Canadian companies to develop innovative solutions to protect vehicles against theft.

Incidents of theft, meanwhile, continue to occur.
A police spokesperson says the store will be closed indefinitely

The incident is being investigated as arson. No arrests have been made

The Vallejo store shuttered after a fire broke out in the paper products section

A Bay Area Target has shuttered indefinitely after a suspected arsonist set the store's paper towel aisle ablaze, causing an estimated $1 million in damage.

Multiple people called 911 just before 3 pm Saturday to report that a fire had broken out inside the Target on Admiral Callaghan Lane in Vallejo.

Witnesses spotted an unidentified person igniting rolls of paper towels before the fire spread through the paper products section.

The incident is being investigated as arson, according to the Vallejo Police Department. Officers are working with the Vallejo Fire Department to identify the suspect and make an arrest.

'They probably even spend their money here,' shopper Deloris Lewis told KRON 4. 'Why come and tear something down that everybody really needs?'

A fire broke out in a Vallejo, California Target after an unidentified person set fire to rolls of paper towels inside the store

The store will be closed indefinitely, though the Target website says it is expected to reopen on March 3

Vallejo Fire spokesperson Kevin Brown said the blaze is projected to have caused around $1 million in damage to the store's roof, interior and inventory.

Around 100 shoppers and employees were evacuated as the fire raged and seven fire trucks, two ambulances and several police officers were called to the scene.

A Target employee deployed a fire extinguisher to help fight the blaze. Sprinklers in the building also went off, dousing other products in addition to the affected area.

According to Fire Battalion Chief Matt Fenzl, the fire broke out in a 20-by-30-foot-area and was extinguished within 10 minutes.

One employee was treated for smoke inhalation at the store and declined to be taken to the hospital. No other injuries were reported.

The store is set to 'remain closed to the public for an unknown number of days,' Brown said.

Deloris Lewis, a frustrated Target shopper, said: 'They probably even spend their money here. Why come and tear something down that everybody really needs?'

The incident is being investigated as arson, according to the police department. The blaze caused an estimated $1 million in damage to the roof, interior and other merchandise

According to Target's website, the store is anticipated to reopen on Sunday, March 3.

Crews from a water damage restoration company were seen conducting repairs over the weekend.

The Solano County Public Health Department plans to inspect the damage to merchandise to determine if there was smoke contamination.

News of the closure drew impassioned reactions from locals.

'I hope that they can get the store cleaned up and open to the public,' Tina Miller told KRON. 'It serves a large community here, and specifically seniors. It's convenient.'

Vallejo is a city in San Francisco's Bay Area with a population just over 120,000 and a median age of 41.4 years, according to 2022 Census data.
President Joe Biden will finally sit down with congressional leaders on Tuesday as the clock ticks toward a government shutdown and funding for the Ukraine remains at an impasse.

Biden will host House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at the White House at a critical juncture, with only four days to fund the government.

Each side faces its own pressure: Biden wants the House to pass the $95 billion aid package for Ukraine and Israel that the Senate passed 70-29 earlier this month.

And Johnson is under double pressure from his right flank, which opposes sending more money to Ukraine and also wants to see conservative wins in the federal budget.

President Joe Biden will host congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday - above Biden and Speaker Mike Johnson at the National Prayer Breakfast in February

Biden has repeatedly argued that funding for Ukraine is a matter of national security both at home and abroad. Privately he has been reassuring allies he is doing everything he can, a message he gave Saturday in a meeting with G7 leaders.

His administration is putting the pressure on.

'We've got to get that money out the door,' National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Fox News Sunday.

Johnson, however, has said a standalone bill, without addressing US border security, is unacceptable.

Lawmakers missed their self-imposed Sunday deadline to release the budget text.

Schumer, in a letter to colleagues said 'intense discussions' continue between both sides but he also blamed House Republicans for the delay.

'While we had hoped to have legislation ready this weekend that would give ample time for members to review the text, it is clear now that House Republicans need more time to sort themselves out,' he wrote.

The Senate Majority leader just returned from a trip to the Ukraine where he met with President Zelensky.

Johnson said Schumer's letter was 'counterproductive rhetoric' and said Democrats were pushing their own unrealistic demands.

'This is not a time for petty politics,' Johnson said in a statement. 'House Republicans will continue to work in good faith and hope to reach an outcome as soon as possible, even as we continue to insist that our own border security must be addressed immediately.'

Lawmakers passed a short term funding package in January but that expires partially on March 1, for agencies like Transportation and Veterans Affairs, and fully on March 8, which includes agencies such as the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security and the State Department.

Amid all of this, Biden is set to deliver his State of the Union address in the Capitol on March 7.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer traveled to Ukraine over the weekend and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky

Speaker Mike Johnson (above) faces the threat of the same revolt that ousted Kevin McCarthy

Senators return to Washington D.C. on Monday evening, but the House won't be back until Wednesday, meaning time is short to come to an agreement.

Conservatives in the House remain angry over the January funding bill and Johnson's with Schumer to set spending close to $1.66 trillion overall.

For the next round of funding they want overall cuts to government spending and conservative policy conditions on how federal money could be spent.

But any conservative demands will need to be passed by the Democratic-controlled Senate and signed by President Biden.

Johnson became speaker after conservatives ousted Kevin McCarthy in a historic vote last year. But now there remains the question of whether Johnson will face a similar threat.
Police are investigating after a priest almost sipped bleach instead of wine during a church service in what is the latest in a hate campaign of intimidation against him.

Father Felice Palamara was just about to take a swig from the chalice during Holy Communion when he smelt a strong odour of cleaning product and stopped just in time.

He immediately stopped the service as dozens in the congregation at the church of San Nicola di Pannanconi near Vibo Valentia in southern Italy.

Police were called and the chalice was taken away for examination with officials later confirming it contained enough bleach to have potentially killed him.

It was the latest in a string of threats and intimidation on Father Palamara who has been parish priest for ten years and who is said to be popular with his congregation.

Father Felice Palamara was just about to take a swig from the chalice during Holy Communion when he smelt a strong odour of cleaning product and stopped just in time (File Photo)

He said: 'Thankfully I am doing ok but I am convinced these attacks have nothing to do with the local people as I have always got on well with them ever since I arrived.'

In other incidents his car has been vandalised and he has received dozens of death threats by post and email.

Detectives are linking the latest attack with another bizarre incident in nearby parish where local priest Father Francesco Pontoriero found a dead cat on his car.

He too has received dozens of death threats by post and police are examining for potential links and trawling hours of CCTV footage from both churches.

An investigative source told MailOnline: 'We aren't sure whether it's organised crime or someone with a grudge against the church, Satanists or just cranks but it's being taken very seriously.

'The incident with the bleach could have had serious repercussions and Father Palamara could have been left in a very bad way had he drunk it.

'The most likely theory is organised crime and the local mafia but until we know for sure nothing is being ruled out and an open mind is being kept.'

Father Palamara immediately stopped the service as dozens in the congregation at the church of San Nicola di Pannanconi near Vibo Valentia in southern Italy (File Photo)

In a touching note to parishioners Father Palamara said: 'My vendetta is love, my shield is forgiveness and my armour pity.

'I'm serene, and besides offering pity and forgiveness. I hope that justice is done and there is clarity on these criminal episodes.'

Police have now been assigned to give him round the clock protection until the case is cracked.

Local bishop Attilio Nostro who visited the parish at the weekend, said: 'The Diocese is living a moment of suffering because of these intimidating acts which have nothing to do with the Christian life of a parish.

'That is why I am appealing to the Christian community that they do not allow themselves to be discouraged by the violent language.

'We should not give in to this logic and be tempted by anger and discomfort. We must not respond to hate with hate as we know that it's not possible to dialogue in this way.'
SAS legend Chris Ryan has blasted 'woke' Whitehall workers for the Army's 'shabby' and 'disgraceful' recruitment campaigns  as he warned Britain must prepare itself for war.

Famed special forces hero Chris, who spent a decade in Britain's elite military unit fighting around the world before becoming a best-selling author, warned ministers must get an urgent grip on a manpower crisis plaguing the military.

The former SAS man's comments come as it was revealed an Army diversity drive to enlist more women into front-line fighting units had backfired after only 10 female recruits started infantry or Royal Armoured Corps basic training last year.

The figures led to the effort being branded a 'very costly, damaging and futile exercise in political correctness' by a defence chief, who claimed it had been forced upon Army top brass by 'politically correct politicians'.

Hitting out, Chris  who is best known for being the only soldier to escape the ill-fated Bravo Two Zero SAS patrol in Iraq  said: 'There are too many people in offices who are very woke and think they are saying the right thing.

SAS legend Chris Ryan has blasted 'woke' Whitehall workers for the Army's 'shabby' and 'disgraceful' recruitment campaigns

His comments come amid fears World War Three could erupt, with Russian premier Vladimir Putin's savage invasion of Ukraine now entering its third year (pictured are Ukrainian troops)

The former SAS man's comments come as it was revealed an Army diversity drive to enlist more women into front-line fighting units backfired (file image of women in the Honourable Artillery Company)

'Being a soldier means you're wearing a uniform and fighting for your country. I think they're missing the point sometimes.'

Speaking of efforts to entice new recruits to enlist, he added: 'The Army always does a shabby job. Some of their campaigns have been absolutely disgraceful. The Royal Marines have the best recruitment campaigns because they really think about it.'

His comments come amid fears 'World War Three' could erupt, with Russian premier Vladimir Putin's savage invasion of Ukraine now entering its third year and Israel still involved in their full-scale ground assault in Gaza against the Hamas terror group.

Ministers have repeatedly faced calls from defence chiefs to boost the number of troops as conflicts around the globe look set to boil over.

The Army's size has plunged from 102,000 in 2006 to about 74,000  and it looks set to shrink further, dropping to 73,000 by 2025.

Writing in The Times, former Army boss General Lord Dannatt warned there was 'a serious danger of history repeating itself', pointing to the 1930s when the 'woeful' state of the UK's armed forces failed to deter Hitler.

Fearing for the future, SAS veteran Chris told MailOnline: 'We're in a period of time when our military should be bolstered and built up.

'We need to be recruiting a lot more personnel, men and women. If you look at Russia and China, they're always building their military. I think we will be caught out... we will be caught on the wrong foot.'

In the latest blow, it was revealed only ten female recruits, who started basic training, had joined front-line fighting units within the infantry or Royal Armoured Corps last year after all combat roles across the military were opened up to females in 2018.

In all, 85 women have joined the infantry while 45 entered the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) in five years (pictured is a tank from the RAC)

Just 15 female soldiers completed basic training for either infantry or tank units between January and September 2023, a freedom of information request (pictured is Pte Addy Carter who was one of the first female to complete a selection course for the Parachute Regiment)

Meanwhile, almost half of those who began the training since 2019 failed to complete the course, a freedom of information request uncovered.

The data also showed that fewer than five trained female soldiers transferred into either the armoured corps or the infantry from other Army units, while no female recruits have passed Royal Marines training, the Ministry of Defence said.

In all, 85 women have joined the infantry while 45 entered the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) in five years, MoD figures claimed. It means that out of the 24,000 tank or infantry personnel in the Army, just 130 are female  0.5 per cent of total force.

Colonel Richard Kemp, a former British military commander in Afghanistan, lashed out at the data, and said having a 'tiny minority' of women in 'pretty much all-male units' was 'counterproductive and harmful to morale and combat effectiveness'.

He told The Telegraph: 'The whole thing will turn out to be a very costly, damaging and futile exercise in political correctness  funded of course by the taxpayer. The Army did not want this, but it was forced on them by politically correct politicians.'

The SAS hero said every role in the Army should be open to women but he warned: 'What's important is the correct role for the right person. It's square-peg-round-hole sort of situation  don't try and make it fit.'

He added women often proved themselves 'invaluable' assets on operations  and claimed female soldiers who had previously been embedded with him on special forces missions had been 'very professional'.

'There is definitely a role for female soldier in the military  there always had been. We had female soldiers attached to us while I was in the SAS and they were very professional and very capable. They could do their jobs,' Chris said.

'Women are invaluable certainly in the special forces. Women can get into places that men can't. They're very capable and switched on.

'Not everyone is going to be capable of joining the SAS. It will be very difficult to pass. You need a certain skill set, strength and physical build to carry all that heavy weight. I don't think women should be barred from doing it. If they pass, then all the best to them. But I don't think we have had anybody pass in recent years.'

Former defence secretary Gavin Williamson announced in 2018 all front-line roles would be open to women  including positions in the special forces, Royal Marines, infantry and tank units. Mr Williamson was later sacked in 2019.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps is seeking to recruit more women into the military. Pictured is a female soldier from 16th Regiment, Royal Artillery with the Sky Sabre air defence system

What is the history of women in the British military? All areas of the armed forces have only been opened to women for five years. But figures today showed that not many had joined front-line combat units. Here is a history of women in the military. Civil wars of 1639 - 1651: Many women disguised themselves as men to fight in the Civil war. The phenomenon was so widespread that King Charles I issued a proclamation banning women from wearing men's military clothing. 19th Century military nurses: Many women helped support Britain's troops by signing up as nurses and caring for the wounded. Florence Nightingale revolutionised the profession women to care for soldiers struck down in the Crimean War of 1854 to 1856. First World War, spring 1917: The Women's Army Auxiliary Corps was founded to carry out support duties in France and Belgium in WW1. Over 100,000 women had enrolled by the end of the war Second World War: Women originally signed up as cooks, clerks and orderlies to help with the war effort. They joined the Army and the Royal Airforce (RAF) freeing men up to fight on the frontline. 1999: Exclusion of women from certain military roles challenged in the European Court of Justice. The challenge is defeated. 2002: MoD study says women in ground combat roles could adversely affect 'unit cohesion' 2014: The Women in Close Combat Review paper recommends ending the ban on women in front-line armoured roles 2015: David Cameron announces process to allow women to join all armed forces roles 2018: All roles in the military are now open to women, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has announces Advertisement

But announcing the plan during a land power demonstration on Salisbury Plain, Mr Williamson said opening up 'all combat roles' to woman would make the armed forces a 'more modern employer'.

In October 2022, it was revealed that combat Medic Private Addy Carter had become one of the first female soldier to pass a grueling selection course to join Britain's elite Parachute Regiment.

Aged just 21 at the time, she was one of only 59 out of 98 candidates to successfully battle through the All Arms Pre-Parachute Selection course, to wear the coveted maroon beret.

She followed in the footsteps of Captain Rosie Wild, of the Royal Artillery, who passed the All Arms Pre-Parachute Selection, more commonly known as 'P company'  the toughest military selection course outside the Special Forces - in 2020.

Current Defence Secretary Grant Shapps launched his own offensive to enlist more women into armed forces last month, as he sought to tackle a recruitment crisis plaguing the military.

Mr Shapps said he was worried the make-up of the military did not reflect wider society and insisted more should be done to attract and retain women.

His comments come amid a worsening crisis in the nation's rapidly shrinking armed forces, with the pace of troops leaving the service outstripping the numbers of new recruits coming into it.

So desperate is the situation, military defence chiefs have ordered hundreds of soldiers to move from front line roles and man recruitment offices to help entice more young Brits to enlist.

Discussing his plans to tackle the crisis, Mr Shapps said: 'Something which I'm extremely passionate about is actually having a military which should represent our country as it is today.

'It can't be right that our military still only has 11 or 12 per cent women, for example, when you make up half the population.'

Women make up just a fraction of Britain's military, comprising about 11.3 per cent of the whole force. Recent figures showed 13.8 per cent of all officers in the forces were female. However, there were just 24 women holding top positions.

The RAF has the biggest representation, with 16 per cent of its personnel being female. In the Royal Navy the figure is 13 per cent. For the Army it's just 10.3 per cent.

The armed forces have been struck by a series of scandals, with women targeted by sexual predators within their ranks  with victims and charities warning of a 'toxic culture' of misogyny and rape within the military.

Combat Medic Private Addy Carter become the first female soldier to pass a gruelling selection course to join the Parachute Regiment

In October 2022, the Navy was forced to launch a probe into allegations of rape threats and sexual assault on Britain's nuclear submarines, while two Red Arrows pilots were sacked after evidence of a 'toxic culture' emerged that same year.

In December, young female members of the scandal-hit Red Arrows spoke out and revealed how they were warned by male colleagues they could become a 'notch on a crew member's bedpost' of some of their more predatory comrades.

Colonel Philip Ingram, a former officer in British military intelligence, said scandals like these were putting women off joining, with targets for the RAC and infantry remaining 'totally unachievable' while the sexual abuse continues to plague units.

'The MoD are still playing at equality, and misogyny remains rife and this is reflected in recruitment,' the retired spymaster told The Telegraph.

The MoD said it aims to boost the number of female troops in the Army so it makes up 30 per cent of the Army  about 22,000 personnel  by 2030.

An MoD spokesman added: 'All roles in our Armed Forces are open to women  including ground close combat and armoured roles  because we want to recruit the best people to serve the country. This is about opportunity, fairness and maximising the potential pool of talent.

'Anyone who has the drive and capability to succeed will get the chance to do so.'
A senior coroner has issued a warning after a toddler died 14 months after swallowing a plastic 'googly eye' that went undetected by an X-ray.

Kazarie Dwaah-Lyder underwent a scan after consuming the plastic imitation eyeball but it was not detected as it was not metal.

For just over a year, the toddler carried on 'without symptoms' until he was rushed to hospital in April last year where he sadly died.

Now, in light of the 'beloved' child's 'unforeseen' death, Mary Hassell has written to senior doctors questioning the lack of national guidance on children who are suspected to have swallowed a non-metal object.

In her Prevention of Future Deaths report the senior coroner for Inner North London said Kazarie swallowed the googly eye - small plastic crafting items used to imitate eyeballs - in February 2022.

Kazarie Dwaah-Lyder underwent a scan after consuming the plastic imitation eyeball but it was not detected as it was not metal

For just over a year, the toddler carried on 'without symptoms' until he was rushed to hospital in April last year where he sadly died

Soon after, the toddler was taken to the hospital as he was 'suspected of having swallowed a plastic foreign object' and the then one year old underwent an X-ray and a fluoroscopy - another form of X-ray scan - each with a negative result.

He was sent home and then displayed no symptoms until the following year.

In April 2023, the then two and a half year old was rushed to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and died due to an 'upper gastrointestinal bleed' and an 'oesophageal tear' from swallowing a 'foreign body'.

At Kazarie's inquest Ms Hassell recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Writing to the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons, Royal College of Paediatrics and the Royal College of Radiologists, the Senior Coroner said she 'told that there is a lack of national guidance' for situations where objects go undetected and children are without symptoms.

Ms Hassell said she had heard evidence that children suspected of having swallowed a non radio opaque object such as a googly eye, and who are displaying symptoms, should undergo an endoscopy - where a camera on a tube is inserted into the patient.

She also highlighted the risks associated with CT scanning and the giving a general anaesthetic on children but said 'the matter would benefit from consideration at a national level'.

She said: 'In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe that you have the power to take such action.

'You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, namely by 8 April 2024. I, the coroner, may extend the period.

'Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the timetable for action. Otherwise, you must explain why no action is proposed.'

After Kazarie's death, Bianca Lyder-Wallace organised a GoFundMe for the 'beloved child'.

She wrote: 'We are deeply saddened to inform you that our beloved child Kazarie Kwaku Dwaah-Lyder; aged 2, passed away on Thursday 27th April 2023 at 4:01am, at Great Ormond Street due to unforeseen circumstances and severe complications - a hole found in his oesophagus.

'We are raising funds to support his family with the expenses needed to lay him to rest. Kazarie was an amazing, smart, funny and loving little boy who had an old soul, he touched the hearts of many, and we want to give him the farewell he deserves.

'We understand that this is a difficult time for everyone, but we kindly ask for any amount that you can give, no matter how small, to help us honour his Mum and older Brother as well as extended family.'

The GoFundMe for Kazarie has raised some 4,852 since the page was first set up.
'Squad' member Rashida Tlaib tore into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhau as a 'genocidal maniac' at a rally in her home district Monday where she mocked expressions of concern by colleagues she said were 'enabling killings' of Palestinians.

Tlaib, the first Palestinian American woman to serve in Congress, blasted political opponents while standing before a huge Palestinian flag emblazoned with the slogans 'STOP GENOCIDE' and 'CEASEFIRE NOW' Monday in the final hours before Tuesday's primaries.

It came amid an impassioned effort to boost support for 'Uncommitted' in Tuesday's primary that could set back President Biden in a state he needs to beat Donald Trump.

'Over the past few weeks, we've heard a lot about how the President and the administration are quote "concerned", troubled by the Israeli government's actions. And yet this past week I was hopeful I really was this past week once again, our country vetoed a resolution at the United Nations for their time calling for an immediate ceasefire  move to bypass Congress literally within minutes to send more weapons to the genocidal maniac of Netanyahu' she fumed.

The line drew boos and chants of 'Ceasefire now!' from members of the crowd who packed an events center in Dearborn.

She said fellow lawmakers come up to her and vouch for their own support for a two-state solution in an expression of solidarity, but then don't deliver.

'Squad' member Rep. Rashida Tlaib called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a 'genocidal maniac' in remarks at a cease fire rally in Dearborn, Michigan

'I say great - you just gave it [military aid] somebody that doesn't support a two state solution. They're enabling and [emboldening] yet more killings,' she said.

'And yet time and time again, the opportunity comes to take a stand and vote against sending billions of dollars in unconditional, blank check military funding and they don't find that courage.'

Detroit City Councilwoman Gabriella Santiago-Romero knows a losing Democratic presidential campaign in Michigan when she sees one.

She was a young campaign aide for Hillary Clinton when the former secretary of state infamously failed to visit the state until days before her stunning upset loss to Donald Trump in 2016.

Standing inside the ballroom packed with activists, Santiago-Romero says she knew within weeks as a Clinton volunteer that that the former secretary of state was going down.

The naked truth right now is that our country is aiding and abetting genocide, said former Benrnie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign co-chair Nina Turner

Detroit City Councilwoman Gabriella Santiago-Romero says the vote for 'Uncommitted' will strengthen Biden's hand

Even if Biden changes policy, 'Im still not going to vote for Biden or Trump, she said. Im going to vote for a third party,' said English teacher Jazzaray James

The event featured speeches by a union official and the mayor of Dearborn

A protester outside had a Holocaust denying poster, but crowd members cheered when speaker Nina Turner spoke against the Hamas attack inside Israel that killed 1,200

Now, at the Gaza ceasefire rally in Dearborn, which boasts the nation's largest per capita Muslim population, she says a protest action to have people choose Uncommitted over the sitting president could save Joe Biden policies that are costing him here.

It will strengthen Bidens message in calling for a cease-fire, and doing more to hold Israel accountable she told DailyMail.com.

We are here. We have always been here, she said of a collection of activists, Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, teachers, and organizers who came to hear Rep. Rashida Tlaib and other speakers backing the effort.

If Democrats lose, its completely their fault, she said.

Santiago-Romero says she knew Clinton would have problems when it made belated efforts to shift staff like herself to the campaign, and argues Bidens campaign in the battleground state isnt where it should be.

Theyre scrambling, she said. She says Donald Trump is a very real threat, but that people who might otherwise back Biden arent making idle threats. This is not a game. Were very serious, she said.

About 200 people, many wearing blacked checked keffiyeh, packed into an event space next to a kabob restaurant and Gentlemans Club in the city of about 100,000.

A few perused literature in the back of the room by Marx and Lenin, plus pamphlets on stopping the Ukraine war. Protesters outside the room held signs reading 'Jews Bomb Hospitals' and 'Six Million? Really?'  although inside the room the crowd cheered approvingly when a speaker denounced the Hamas October 7 attack in Israel and said the killing of innocent people anywhere is wrong.

One attendee, English teacher Jazzaray James, said she was determined to vote Tuesday to send a message. I feel like its going to cause a ripple effect, she says of the Uncommitted effort.

Theres a huge section of American people that are frustrated by both sides, she said.

She supported Biden in 2020, but now says its too late for him to win back her support  even if he did pivot on Israel and start publicly demanding a permanent cease fire. Im still not going to vote for Biden or Trump, she said. Im going to vote for a third party.

Even if they decided to [change], f*** them for their decisions he already made, the millions of people who already died, she said, blasting Biden on human rights generally.

Leaders of the Uncommitted push arent ignoring concerns some voters might have about paving his way to a second term by weakening Biden.

Before the microphones, Tlaib, former Bernie Sanders campaign co-chair Nina Turner, and other speakers specifically mentioned Trump. They say their push will strengthen Biden, not weaken him, by giving him a more defensible policy.

Trump is an existential threat to our democracy, said Tlaib, and President Biden is risking another Trump term over his support of the right-wing government of the most extreme government in the history of Israel, she said.

The naked truth right now is that our country is aiding and abetting genocide, Turner yelled into a microphone as she walked among rally participants.

She was one of multiple organizers who applied the label to Israel.

Top Democratic politicians in the state have recognized the momentum behind the 'Uncommitted' effort, amid concerns it could embarrass Biden, who has scored overwhelming primary wins.

A new Emerson College / The Hill poll had Biden with 75 per cent support, compared to 5 per cent to Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and 9 per cent planning to vote for 'Uncommitted.' With just a day before the primary, 12 percent were still undecided.

'Right now, we got two candidates in this race. One, we cannot abide. The other one is just not doing the right thing,' Detroit activist Maureen Taylor, state chair of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization, told DailyMail.com.

'But we don't have a choice. But whatever happens in November, we got four years after that, to get a million [people] across the country. 'We're going to sit back and tell them, if you don't do what we want, we're going to take over housing, we will take over hospitals, we will take over nurseries, we will take over schools. You do what we say or none of you gonna get paid.'
Former London minister Paul Scully sparked a fresh Tory racism row today after he claimed there are 'no-go areas' in parts of the capital and Birmingham.

The Sutton and Cheam MP prompted outrage with comments branded 'disgusting' and 'Islamophobic'.

Downing Street dismissed Mr Scully's claim and pointed to the 'value of the very diverse communities and societies we have in the UK'.

Andy Street, the Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, hit out at 'nonsense slurs' and urged politicians based at Westminster to 'experience the real world'.

It came as the Conservatives continue to battle a racism storm following the suspension of leading 'Red Wall' MP Lee Anderson.

The ex-Tory deputy chairman had the Conservative whip withdrawn at the weekend for claiming London mayor Sadiq Khan was being controlled by 'Islamists'.

Mr Scully has been among the many critics of Mr Anderson and used a radio interview today to condemn the remarks as 'wrong-headed' and 'inflammatory'.

But he added he could see what Mr Anderson was 'trying to drive at' in his remarks about recent pro-Palestinian protests over the Gaza crisis.

Former London minister Paul Scully sparked a fresh Tory racism row today after he claimed there are 'no-go areas' in parts of the capital and Birmingham

It came as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives continue to battle a racism storm following the suspension of leading 'Red Wall' MP Lee Anderson

Andy Street, the Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, hit out at 'nonsense slurs' and urged politicians based at Westminster to 'experience the real world

Labour's Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, described Mr Scully's comments as 'utter drivel'

In a futher discussion about whether the Conservatives have a problem with Islamophobia, Mr Scully told BBC Radio London he didn't like the term due to 'wider connotations' and said he preferred to use 'anti-Muslim hatred'.

Mr Scully went on to suggest people had 'concerns about... their neigbourhoods changing in parts of the North, in particular' that he said were being reflected in a 'really, really clumsy way'.

'We've got to have a sensible use of language so we can have a constructive, adult debate about this,' he added.

Pressed on his remarks, Mr Scully then added: 'The point I am trying to make is, if you look at parts of Tower Hamlets, where there are no-go areas.

'Parts of Birmingham, Sparkhill, there are no-go areas  mainly because of doctrine, mainly because of people abusing in many ways their religion.

'It's not the doctrine of Islam to espouse what some of these people are saying. That is the concern that needs to be addressed.'

Mr Scully's claims provoked fury among local politicians in Birmingham, with Mr Street posting on X: 'The idea that Birmingham has a 'no-go' zone is news to me, and I suspect the good people of Sparkhill.

'It really is time for those in Westminster to stop the nonsense slurs and experience the real world. I for one am proud to lead the most diverse place in Britain.'

Labour's Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, wrote: 'As one of the MPs for Sparkhill I am expecting an apology for this utter drivel.

'My kids hang out in Sparkhill day and night, never had a moment's worry, I go there weekly and live literally 5 minutes walk from there and used to live there myself.'

Nicky Brennan, the Labour councillor for Sparkhill, posted: 'I am absolutely disgusted that Tory MP Paul Scully has said parts of Sparkhill has 'no-go areas'.

'There is no place in Sparkhill that has made me feel unsafe. Quite the opposite in fact. It's a vibrant, welcoming community in Birmingham.

'These comments are disgusting.'

Miqdaad Versi, spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain, said: 'This is extremely problematic from Paul Scully.

'Not realising 'no-go zones' are a typical false and Islamophobic trope from the white supremacist and far-right fringes, shows the depth of the problem.'

Asked if Rishi Sunak believes there are 'no-go areas' in parts of London and Birmingham, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'No, and the PM has talked before about the value of the very diverse communities and societies we have in the UK.

'Obviously we have also talked recently about the importance that in a thriving democracy we retain and champion our shared values of freedom, tolerance and respect.

'And some of the examples of violence and intimidation that we have seen in recent weeks are clearly unacceptable.'

A Tory source told MailOnline that Susan Hall, the Conservative candidate to replace Mr Khan as London mayor, did not consider any parts of the capital to be a 'no-go area'.

Ms Hall used an article in the Evening Standard today to hit back at Mr Anderson's comments about Mr Khan.

'I may be one of Mayor Sadiq Khan's biggest critics, but I also see the monstrous abuse he gets as one of the country's most prominent Muslim politicians,' she wrote.

'No one should have to put up with that, and I wholly condemn anyone who does it, or fuels it.

'His faith is one of his positive characteristics, not something to be suspicious of.'

Ms Hall added: 'We should celebrate our diversity and tolerate each other when we have differences of opinion. That is what London has always been about.

'As politicians we must all act responsibly, especially during challenging times.'

Following the outrage at his remarks, Mr Scully posted on Twitter/X this afternoon: 'Last word on my response to Lee Anderson's comments.

'As someone who has stood up and indeed championed British Muslims for a decade to end up as seen as espousing division and likened to Katie Hopkins, I'll bow out of the conversation and leave the two sides to argue...

'I've always said language matters. So does perception and if moderates are pushed to one side or another, nothing will be resolved. I'm out.'
Three men have been arrested after a 'viable explosive device' was discovered in Co Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

Police have arrested three men, aged 22, 35 and 55, following a number of searches in Omagh in Tyrone and Dungiven in Londonderry this morning.

The Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) operation is in its third day at the Curragh Road near Dungiven - a small town in county Londonderry - after a 'pipe bomb' device was found on Saturday before it was made safe and removed on Sunday.

A police spokesperson said: 'Following these searches, three men, aged 55, 22 and 35, were arrested in connection with terrorism-related offences.

'They all remain in police custody at this time, assisting with inquiries.

Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) at the scene yesterday morning following the discovery of a 'viable explosive device'

The scene at the Foreglen Road just outside Dungiven yesterday morning

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'A policing operation remains in place this morning in the Foreglen Road area of Dungiven, as inquiries continue in relation to the ongoing security alert, which began on Saturday February 24.

'Yesterday evening, Sunday February 25, officers recovered a viable improvised explosive device in the Curragh Road area of Dungiven, which was made safe, and removed for further forensic examination.'

An appeal for information has been made by police to contact officers on 101, quoting reference number 1210 of 24/02/23.

On Sunday, a spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said: 'Leaving a viable device in the heart of a community is a reckless and selfish act by those who don't care about the risk they cause to our communities.

'They also don't care that families were evacuated from their homes and disruption was caused to people trying to go about their lives this weekend.'
San Diego officials hit out at a migrant who was spotted wearing a hoodie emblazoned with the words 'F*** you all' - after the crisis at the border forced the city to shut its immigration center.

City Supervisor Jim Desmond shared the image to X, stating the crudely dressed migrant was 'just one of the hundreds of illegal immigrants dropped on the streets of San Diego.'

The migrant was one of over 1,500 left on the streets of San Diego this week after its immigration center buckled under the weight of the border crisis.

Desmond said the $6 million taxpayer funded facility ran out of money in just over four months, after it processed over 81,000 migrants since October 2023.

It comes as border towns continue to bear the brunt of the Biden administration's failure to crack down on illegal immigration, with December 2023 smashing the record for border encounters at almost 250,000.

A migrant in the latest wave of illegal border crossers was seen wearing a hoodie emblazoned with 'F*** you all' - as the border crisis continues to hamper cities across America

The border crisis forced San Diego's immigration center to shut last week, leading groups of migrants (pictured) to be dropped onto the streets as they had nowhere else to go

After the forced closure of San Diego's immigration center, Supervisor Jim Desmond slammed the debacle as 'entirely the fault of the Federal Government for its open border policies.'

In footage shared from where the migrants were being dropped off, he noted how the group was made up of 'no families, no children, predominantly single adults.'

'We've just seen a bus drop off a bus full of migrants here at the Iris Avenue station,' he continued.

'Most of them males, adult males, being dropped off here.'

He claimed he a migrant from Guinea then approached him and 'asked how to get to Virginia', before 'another person asked me how to get to New York.'

'There's not many people down here to help get these people to their final destinations,' he added, noting how the group are always 'mostly confused.'

'(They are) wondering where they are and how they get to where they're trying to go throughout the country,' he said.

Desmond shared the footage as he condemned the impact the border crisis is having on his city, one of many being hampered by unfettered illegal immigration.

Upwards of 1,500 people were flooding San Diego's immigration center every day in recent months, forcing non-profit SBCS to shut the facility for good last week.

'As the number of migrants arriving at the center has increased significantly over the last few weeks, our finite resources have been stretched to the limit, leading to the closure of the center on February 22,' CEO Kathie Lembo said in a statement.

'When we accepted the challenge of this work in October of last year, we knew two things: that it spoke to the heart of our mission, and that it was for a limited time.'

'Leading this effort has been an honor. We will continue working with the County and our partners in hopes of identifying additional resources to keep the center open, preventing hundreds of individuals a day from being stranded in San Diego without the support they need to continue their journey.'

Over 1,300 people have been dropped on the streets of San Diego in the past three days. This is entirely the fault of the Federal Government for its open border policies and the State of California for incentivizing people from around the world to come here. pic.twitter.com/XiuDBBYH2W  Supervisor Jim Desmond (@jim_desmond) February 25, 2024

San Diego Supervisor Jim Desmond vented his fury at the migrant crisis crippling his city, noting that the thousands flooding over the border have 'no families, no children,' and are 'predominantly single adults'

A migrant from China holds up his passport and paperwork as he is photographed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in an open-air holding area as they prepare to board a bus to a processing facility near to the small, desert San Diego County border community of Jacumba Hot Springs in December 2023

The San Diego migrant center SBCS (pictured) has been forced to close amid the influx, after services were stretched to breaking point with up to 1,500 people flooding in per day

San Diego's migrant welcome shelter blew through $6 million within months as it processed over 81,000 people in October

The border crisis was initially exacerbated by the expiration of immigration order Title 42 last year, which led many local governments to prepare for an influx of migrants.

San Diego appropriated $6 million for the SBCS center, which was intended to keep it open for over six months. The money ran out months early.

'With the receipt of that money there was expectations that it would be used until the end of March, so ending a month early does raise concerns and questions for me,' Lembo said.

On Friday, local station Fox5 San Diego said it watched hundreds of migrants being transported to the city's airport, where SBCS was checking them in for flights across the country.

The migrants being bussed around the nation has become a common sight in many large cities in recent months, with almost 100,000 transported to New York City last year.

Desmond said he is pleading with the federal government to halt border crossings as there is 'nowhere for them to go.'

In January, a small poll among the migrants by the San Diego Union-Tribune at the immigration center found that just 0.43 percent said they expected to stay in San Diego.

A group of Central American migrants - travelling in a caravan - are seen after crossing the Mexico-US border fence to San Diego County in 2018

Migrants are seen near the San Diego border as Title 42 regulations come to an end - which triggered much of the influx still hampering the border today

One of those seen by Fox5 told the station that he was planning to fly to New York, despite having no money after spending over $11,000 on his journey through several countries on his way to the US.

Mustapha Micradi, from Morrocco, said he crossed the border in a large group, was processed by Border Patrol, and was then taken to a transit center to be bussed to the airport.

The lack of resources led him to spend a 'really not good' five days sleeping outside the airport - with his predicament noted as one that is common for migrants who were sold a dream that didn't match up to reality.

Pedro Rios of American Friends Service Committee said his method was 'a faster way of entering into the United States, however its a very dangerous way of doing so, and often times its the only real option that people have.'

'Weve got a legal system in place, where people can apply online throughout the world, they can go to an embassy, they can come in with dignity, without having to cross through a fence or go through a river,' Desmond added.

'And right now, what were allowing to happen is, were allowing people who just walk across the border to jump ahead of the line.

'And I dont blame them for doing it if were allowing it to happen. Why apply legally, if you can just jump ahead of the line.'
The man was told that he was investing thousands of his own money in Ethereum

A Miami man lost $42,000 to a catfish crypto scam after a 'beautiful' woman claiming to be an Estee Lauder executive told him to invest in the phony scheme.

The man, who did not want to disclose his identity, told News6 that he first met the Asian woman, who went by the name Mindy Li, on Instagram in December 2023.

He thought that he was investing his money in Ethereum, the second largest cryptocurrency around, and 'do-it-yourself' platform for decentralized currency.

But instead, the scammer using the fake online profile was actually fleecing him of his own cash - making him the victim of what investigators call 'pig butchering.'

The victim even asked Li to have a video call to prove that the crypto scheme was real - to which she agreed. Before this, he had just seen her photos on LinkedIn and other social media sites.

The woman on the video 'looked pretty similar not exactly the same,' the victim admitted - saying that he put it down the facial discrepancies to her probably using filters on social media.

The scammer's profile (pictured) used the name Mindy Li. The victim asked Li to have a video call to prove that the crypto scheme was real - to which she agreed. Before this, he had just seen her photos on LinkedIn and other social media sites

The man, who did not want disclose his identity, told News6 that he first met the Asian woman, named Mindy Li, a chief executive officer at the beauty company, on Instagram in December 2023.

The victim added: 'I was suspicious because she wasnt the exact girl, but I dismissed it to photo filters.'

According to News 6, the fake images of Mindy Li were linked to more than a dozen profiles across the globe - which were using different names such as Kim Hamilton and Ming Jeong.

In the beginning the man invested $500 to $1,000 on Crypto.com. He said at first the 'gains were real.' At one point, Li told him that he would see gains of one percent a day.

Although his bank alerted him that it was risky transferring money, the man saw that he was making a profit he continued to dole out thousands.

When she suggested he move his money to a different site and account, he did so - but soon after he lost touch with her, and the $42,000 he had forked out.

Investigators said that the man was a victim of pig butchering - an investment fraud scam in which victims are gradually lured into making increasing cryptocurrency contributions before the party they are dealing with disappears.

Reflecting on his folly, the victim said: 'I guess I lost big money, stupid me.'

He saw her LinkedIn profile with photos and believed she was legitimate

The person behind Mindy Li's profile scammed the Miami man out of $42,000

According to News 6, the fake images of Mindy Li were linked to more than a dozen profiles across the globe - which were using different names such as Kim Hamilton and Ming Jeong

The woman's face is being used across multiple platforms in the scam

The man said the website he was directed to deposit his cash looked similar to a video game. He saw his money going up and then down.

At one point, his $48,000 increased to $55,000 - and when he asked to pull the money from the account, he was told he would have to pay to do that.

He added: 'I saw my money going up and down, but it was a trap. My money was already gone.'

In 2023, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission reported losses to romance scams total $1.14 billion, with median losses per person of $2,000, in 2023.

The agency reports romance scams are 'the highest reported losses for any form of imposter scam.'
A Dallas woman who suffers from memory loss has been reunited with her family after she was found driving in northern Mexico state of Coahuila with no idea of how she wound up there.

Enola Harris, 76, was mysteriously found 10 hours away in the rural town of Muzquiz after she was stopped by the police driving into oncoming traffic Saturday morning.

Video footage, of what was a three-hour encounter with police and Muzqui, and shared by Mayor Tania Flores showed Harris talking to an English-speaking cop as she tried to contact her family.

Harris claimed she had left her home Friday to drive to the grocery store to restock her refrigerator because the food had spoiled after the energy company shut down her power while she was in Louisiana.

'We want to make sure you're going to be OK, that we find family, friends that can help us to get you back to your home safe,' Flores tells Harris in the video. 'This is why we are here around you 'cause we want to make sure you're OK.'

Enola Harris was reunited with her family in Texas after she was found by police in Muzquiz, Mexico, 10 hours away from her home in Dallas. Muzquiz Mayor Tania Flores told NBC Dallas station KXAS that the 76-year-old woman suffered from memory loss

Enola Harris told Tania Flores, the mayor of the northern Mexican town of Muzquiz, that she had left her home in Dallas on Friday to drive to the grocery store

The mayor appeared to become worried when Harris told her that her 'sister did some driving too' and 'she was here when we first came and I don't know where she went.'

Flores told NBC station KXAS that they decided to put Harris in a hotel while officials tried to contact her family in North Texas.

She was unable to get a response after trying the numbers saved on Harris' cell phone and then used her personal Facebook page to share the nearly nine-minute video encounter.

Flores' Facebook post was share over a hundred times, eventually reaching Harris' loved ones.

Mexican law enforcement agents attempt to help Dallas resident Enola Harris after she was found in Muzquiz, Coahuila, on Saturday morning

Flores used her Facebook page to post a video of her encounter with Dallas resident Enola Harris after the 76-year-old woman, who suffers from memory loss, was found driving alone in the northern Mexican town.

The mayor drove Harris to Houston on Sunday and reunited her with one of her family members.

'If she really has amnesia, it can be dangerous to herself, I don't know,' Flores said. 'But at the end, I feel glad that we took care of her for the three days that we had her in Mexico.'

The Dallas Police Department told KXAS it did not receive a missing person report and is not investigating how Harris was found and hour-and-a-half southwest of the United States-Mexico border.

'She crossed the border; she crossed some checkpoints because there are checkpoints inside Mexico, too,' Flores said. 'And she ended up in this small city.'
As President Biden continues the tradition of blowing past budget deadlines for 2025, Republicans in Congress are trying to force the president to submit his plan before he gives his yearly address to Congress.

President Biden was supposed to submit his budget plan and national security policy proposals on February 5, but that submission is almost always delayed until March.

The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 stipulates that a president must submit his budget request to Congress by the first Monday in February. The National Security Act of 1947 requires he submit a national security proposal to kick off the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) process the same day.

The SUBMIT IT Act, released earlier this month, would ban Congress from inviting the president to address a joint session until he's submitted both plans. The bill would not kick in until 2025.

The SUBMIT IT Act, led by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Rep, Buddy Carter, R-Ga., would ban Congress from inviting the president to address a joint session until he's submitted both plans. The bill would not kick in until 2025.

The president's budget and national security requests are not going to become law - they merely serve as guidelines for Congress to draw up spending and defense legislation. Republicans in Congress are likely to give little weight to Biden's proposals.

'The President has a duty to submit an annual budget and National Security Strategy. If the President, regardless of political party, does not get these vital documents to the legislature in a timely manner, then he or she has no business addressing Congress,' Carter said in a statement.

'Actions speak louder than words, folks, and Bidens budget is late once again,' said Ernst. 'If the President is going to be allowed the opportunity to address Congress and the entire nation, he should actually have a plan in place.'

Biden's budgets over the past three years have been 115, 49, and 31 days late. At least the previous four presidents - Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton - all blew through budget deadlines as well.

President Biden was supposed to submit his budget plan and national security policy proposals on February 5, but that submission is almost always delayed until March

As they demand an on-time budget from the president for 2025, Congress still has not passed long-term legislation to fund the government in fiscal year 2024, which began four months ago.

They've passed three stopgap spending bills to kick the deadline down the road, one of which expires on Friday.

March 1 is the deadline for Congress to fund four of 12 agencies of government. They need to pass legislation to fund the other eight agencies by March 8.

With no clear path forward, prospects of a government shutdown loom large.

Biden has invited Congress 'Big Four' leaders, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY., House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to the White House on Monday.

Congressional leaders had hoped to release the text for the first four spending bills, Agriculture, Energy and Water, MilCon-Va and Transportation-HUD, to expire on Sunday night, but that has not yet happened.
A new poll shows a razor-thin race between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden in the battleground state of Michigan as the president faces fury from progressives angered over his support for Israel as it wages war in Gaza.

The new Emerson College/The Hill survey of Michigan voters finds 46 percent of voters support Trump while 44 percent supporter Biden in a hypothetical matchup. Another 10 percent of voters are undecided.

The poll shows Biden's support however has actually ticked up three percentage points since January while Trump's support has decreased one point as he surges toward the GOP nomination.

Michigan is a critical state for either nominee to win the White House. In 2020, Biden won the state by just over 150,000 votes after Trump won the state in 2016 by just over 10,000 votes.

Poll conducted February 20-24 among Michigan registered voters

Michigan holds its Democratic and Republican presidential primaries on Tuesday, February 27. Voters also had until the Sunday before the election to participate in early voting

Polling found 75 percent of Democratic primary voters in Michigan plan to support Biden while 9 percent plan to vote uncommitted

New poll shows Trump leads in the Republican presidential primary in Michigan with 69 of support among GOP primary voters while 20 percent back Haley

But Biden's support in the state has wavered among progressives and young people over his support for Israel as it conducts its war in Gaza following the Hamas terror attack on October 7.

Michigan voters head the the polls on Tuesday to cast ballots in both the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries. But some activists are encouraging Democrats to vote 'uncommitted' rather than for Biden over his support for funding for Israel.

The 'Listen to Michigan' movement which has been urging 'uncommitted' votes from Michigan Democrats over Biden's policy in Gaza said it can demonstrate they hold Biden's 'margin of victory for re-election.'

Michigan has the highest percentage and number of Arab Americans in the United States with more than 211,000 or 2.1 percent.

More than 40 Democratic elected officials in the state have pledged to vote 'uncommitted' in Tuesday's primary.

Ahead of Tuesday's Democratic primary, the new polling found 75 percent support Biden while 9 percent plan to vote uncommitted, 5 percent support Dean Phillips and 12 percent are undecided.

The polling found 28 percent of voters under 30 plan to vote 'uncommitted' on Tuesday, which could signal significant trouble for Biden come November as Democrats typically garner more support from young people as its coalition to win.

Protesters rally at the University of Michigan on February 20 against Biden's support for Israel and demand a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war

Pro-palestinian activists have been urging Democratic voters to vote 'uncommitted' instead of for Biden in the Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday. Polling found 28 percent of young voters plan to vote 'uncommitted'

Search and rescue operations in the rubble of a collapsed building after an Israeli strike over Khan Yunis, Gaza on February 26

Israel has long been the United States' closest ally in the Middle East, and the war has put Biden between a rock and a hard place politically. He has been urging Congress to pass a funding package that includes aide to Israel. At the same time, earlier this month he called Israel's military operation in Gaza 'over the top.'

While the president faces political blowback over Israel in Michigan, the group PrimaryPivot focused on keeping Trump out of office, has sent out more than 260,000 texts to Michigan voters ahead of the primary with a focus on the war in Gaza, warning them not voting for Biden could help reelect Trump.

Meanwhile heading into the Republican primary, 69 percent of Republican primary voters back Trump, 20 percent back Nikki Haley and 11 percent are undecided.

Looking ahead to the potential general election matchup, the new Michigan polling found male voters broke for Trump 53 percent to 41 percent, while women voters broke for Biden 46 percent to 41 percent.

Michigan independent voters also broke for Trump 43 percent to Biden's 37 percent.
A video has emerged of Meghan Markle cooking traditional Afghan food with a group of 15 women who resettled in the US from Afghanistan.

The Duchess of Sussex created The Welcome Project in 2023 as part of her work with the Archewell Foundation, which she set up together with Prince Harry.

Archewell previously revealed how Meghan had joined the Southern California Welcome Project for an 'evening of cooking and storytelling' on February 10.

Now, a clip has now been posted on the Archewell Foundation website of the visit, which shows the Duchess wearing an apron branded with her organisation's name.

Meghan, 42, was filmed joining the group of women cooking traditional Afghan food including Ashak and Mantuu, which are both types of dumpling.

It comes just days after the Duchess appeared in London via video link to open a new wing of an animal charity named in honour of her late friend Oli Juste - with the announcement of her virtual visit made via her and Harry's new Sussex.com website.

And the remote charity appearance came shortly after Prince Harry was reported to have expressed an interest in returning to the royal fold in order to help his father, King Charles III, while the monarch is treated for cancer.

The Duchess of Sussex features in a video about the Southern California Welcome Project

The video shows Meghan Markle visiting The Welcome Project in California on February 10

Meghan is seen cooking traditional Afghan food with a group of 15 women in the new video

The duchess gave an emotional video message last week as she opened the new wing named in memory of her friend

An Archewell press release on Meghan's Welcome Project visit said the women then discussed 'their personal stories and the support they find from this intergenerational group of women'.

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The visit was in partnership with Mina's List, an organisation based in New York which has worked with women activists and political leaders in Afghanistan since 2014.

Archewell said that in 2021, Mina's List helped evacuate and resettle over 2,000 Afghan women and families 'through independent and coalition efforts'  many of whom resettled in Southern California.

Mina's List and Archewell then 'joined forces to provide community and support to these remarkable women as they begin to rebuild their lives in the US'.

Meghan is said to have been inspired to set up the project following her work with the Hubb Community Kitchen in West London in 2017 which was organised by a group of survivors from the Grenfell Tower fire.

A photo previously issued by Archewell of Meghan at The Welcome Project on February 10

Meghan helped to prepare food at The Welcome Project in California on February 10

Meghan is seen at The Welcome Project on February 10 in a photograph issued by Archewell

Archewell states that the project was launched to create 'a safe haven and inclusive environment for women who have recently resettled in the US from Afghanistan'.

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It adds that the project has 'a belief in the power of connection and a goal of uplifting communities', and 'supports the creation of programming for women who have recently resettled from Afghanistan'.

There are said to be 11 active Welcome Projects across the US 'designed to foster a sense of belonging through activities including sewing, art, hiking, swimming, photography, storytelling, and cooking'.

Archewell also says: 'By facilitating women-based programming, The Welcome Project also brings access to critical resources and opportunities that not only supports the women participating in The Welcome Project, but also improves the lives of those around them  their families and their communities.'

The video is located in the 'programs' section of the Archewell Foundation website - which is different to the new Sussex.com website that launched earlier this month.

It came days after Meghan appeared in London via video link to open a new wing of an animal charity named in honour of her late friend Oli Juste - with the announcement of her virtual visit also made via her and Harry's glossy new Sussex.com website.

The Duchess of Sussex emotionally told how dog trainer Mr Juste's sudden death in January 2022 left her heartbroken as his friends and family gathered at the Mayhew in the north-west of the capital, where the Oli Juste wing was unveiled in his name.

A photo shared on Harry and Meghan's new website - the subject of controversy because of the prominence of its royal branding - showed a beaming Duchess in a beige coat crouching down and petting a dog.

Meghan Markle paid a touching tribute to her late 'beloved friend' Oli Juste

The Duchess of Sussex meeting a Jack Russell called Minnie during a visit to Mayhew in 2019

Meghan Markle has paid a touching tribute to her late 'beloved friend' dog-trainer Oli Juste as she opened a new wing of a London animal charity

Meghan had been patron of The Mayhew, said to be her favourite animal charity, since 2019, holding the role in a private capacity after being introduced to it by friend Mr Juste.

But she stepped down from the role in 2022, one year after she and Harry moved to California.

In the video message watched by Mr Juste's friends and family, Meghan said: 'A heartfelt thank you to the wonderful team at Mayhew who have worked tirelessly to bring this dream to life.

'It was so important to find a way to celebrate Oli's memory in a manner that he would have loved.

'Mayhew is a beacon of hope for those in need and a shining example of what can be achieved when we work together.'

A statement on Sussex.com recounted the duchess' bond with Mr Juste, saying: 'They shared many things throughout their friendship, among which was a deep commitment to animal welfare and a love of rescue dogs.'

It added: 'The Oli Juste Wing is a testament to his unwavering love and commitment to our furry friends, and will improve the lives of countless animals, reminding us all of the power of compassion, connection, and care.'

The remote charity appearance comes days after Prince Harry was reported to have expressed an interest in returning to the royal fold in order to help his father, King Charles III, while the monarch is treated for cancer.

Buckingham Palace announced that His Majesty was undergoing treatment for an unspecified form of the disease on Monday February 5; it had been discovered while the King was undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate.

A day later, Harry flew to the UK for a very short visit with his father, who continues to carry out his constitutional duties but has stepped back from public appearances.

Since then, reports suggest the Duke of Sussex has expressed an interest among friends to take up a temporary role as a senior royal while his father continues to receive medical care.

The Times earlier reported that Harry and Charles had shared several 'warm exchanges' following the King's diagnosis and his 30-minute visit to Clarence House.

A source told the paper: 'On all practical levels it makes perfect sense for the family to come together to support the King while hes sick.

'Much has been said on both sides in recent years, but that has never diminished the fundamental bond of blood, and there are now pragmatic aspects to consider, with the King and Kates wellbeing paramount in this.

'The details of the Clarence House meeting and subsequent conversations are private, but the feeling is that this arrangement could work.'

But royal experts believe that an invite from the palace will not be immediately forthcoming - given previous disparaging comments made by the Duke in a series of interviews and throughout his memoir, Spare.

Dickie Arbiter, Queen Elizabeth II's former press secretary, told MailOnline that any expectation of welcoming Harry back into the fold was 'a big ask' after his previous comments and allegations.

He said: 'He (Harry) has rubbished them for four years. I don't see a forthcoming invitation from the family (to come back). You have got to remember the late Queen made it very clear either you are in or you are out.

Harry has recently made positive comments in American media interviews following the launch of the 2025 Invictus Games in Whistler, Vancouver in Canada.

The Duke of Sussex told Good Morning America earlier this month the King's cancer diagnosis could have a 'reunifying effect' on the royal family

Charles, 75, has taken a step back from public royal duties following his cancer diagnosis, which was announced earlier this month

He told Good Morning America (GMA) his father's illness could have a 'reunifying effect' on the family, adding: 'I love my family'.

But Mr Arbiter said attempts at reconciliation may have come too late.

'I can't see it going anywhere. Harry did suggest in the (GMA) interview it could result in a reconciliation, but it is not much different to the comment he made almost two years ago when he dropped in on the Queen and told the Today show (on NBC) he was just making sure she was protected and had the right people around her.

'He is good at the soundbite but this whole Whistler trip seems like a great big PR fest off the back of launching their website.'

Earlier this month the royal couple took a tour to Vancouver, Canada, in preparation for the 2025 Winter Invictus Games, ending it with a lavish gala dinner with 200 guests.

The Sussexes were captured on video footage reacting to Buble's altered version of Frank Sinatra's My Way

Prince Harry walks to the stage after Buble's altered version of My Way

Meghan burst into laughter as Michael Buble sang an alternative version of Frank Sinatra's My Way at the Sussexes' Invictus Games send off - including telling Prince Harry 'I think we know to stay the hell out of your way'.

Harry, wearing a dark suit and a black tie, then spoke about the Invictus Games telling the audience that the athletes, who are comprised of injured and sick servicemen and women, embodied 'courage, leadership, and fortitude.'

Meghan and Harry had been expected to head home to Montecito, California following three days of Invictus Games events in Whistler and Vancouver but extended their trip by a night to enjoy a party with athletes and organisers.

Although not part of the official schedule and intended to be held away from the media, the gala at the Vancouver Convention Centre was signposted with black and gold Invictus signs.
Canoe conman John Darwins Filipino wife has posted a series of cringey pictures to mark the couples ninth wedding anniversary.

The images show Darwin, 73 and his second wife Mercy Mae Darwin staring romantically into each others eyes while in another he is holding a bouquet of flowers and touching noses with her with the words Happy Anniversary written.

The gushing pictures were posted on social media by Mercy, who is 23 years his junior. Another showed the couple standing in front of a church on what appears to be their wedding day while one shows their wedding rings, with their names written inside them, lying side by side.

This is not the first time the notorious fraudster, who faked his own death to cash in on his life insurance policy, has made an appearance on Mercys social media pages as she increasingly uses his controversial background to boost her own profile.

Darwin, 73 holds a bunch of flowers as he touches noses with his second wife Mercy Mae Darwin

The pair are pictured holding hands and staring romantically into each other's eyes

Mercy, 50 describes herself as a digital creator and lives with Darwin in her hometown of Antipolo, about an hours drive from Manila where they own a 30,000 three-storey house with grilled windows in the relatively affluent gated community of Louiseville.

Darwin made a new life in the Philippines with mother-of-three Mercy after his release from prison in 2011 over his 679,000 life insurance scam.

He initially met Mercy online before moving to the country to set up a new life with her.

The couple standing in front of a church on what appears to be their wedding day

Another picture posted by Mercy of their wedding rings, with their names written inside them, lying side by side

Since then, he has featured prominently in a number of her social media posts which have generated thousands of likes and followers.

Last year, he was filmed performing cringey dance moves to celebrate Mercys 50th birthday in a Manila restaurant.

One vlog showed denim hotpants-clad Mercy, serenading father-of-two John and dancing around him in what appears to be the living room of their home in the Philippines.

Another featured the couple with a rubber bottle pressed between their heads as they laugh and smile while a jolly tune plays in the background.

Darwin was a prison offer who was heavily in debt when he staged an accident and faked his own drowning in the sea near Hartlepool in 2002 to get his hands on a life insurance payout.

His ex-wife Anne lied to their two sons and said Darwin was dead while he hid in a bedsit next door and listened through a partition in the wall as Annes two sons comforted their bereaved mother.

Darwin made a new life in the Philippines with mother-of-three Mercy after his release from prison in 2011 over his 679,000 life insurance scam

Darwin was a prison offer who was heavily in debt when he staged an accident and faked his own drowning in the sea near Hartlepool in 2002 to get his hands on a life insurance payout Pictured: The wreckage of the canoe that was discovered in the days following his disappearance

His ex-wife Anne (pictured) lied to their two sons and said Darwin was dead while he hid in a bedsit next door

He famously turned up at West End Central police station in London in December 2007 claiming to be suffering from amnesia

The couple later moved to Panama and bought property with the cash. But they also hit a hitch when it turned out he would need to pass strict identity checks to obtain a visa in Panama, leading Darwin to return to the UK.

He famously turned up at West End Central police station in London in December 2007 claiming to be suffering from amnesia.

But once in England, the scam began to unravel. Police discovered that John had faked his own death by paddling out into the North Sea in his canoe and then disappearing.

He was declared missing when he failed to turn up at his prison job and  as his body was never found but the wreckage of his canoe did turn up  he was presumed dead.

The truth was that for years John had been hiding out in a rented property next door to the family home in Seaton Carew, County Durham before the couple fled to Central America.

He and Anne were nailed by a photo showing them together in Panama.

They were both jailed for six years for fraud in 2008 as the extent of their deception shocked the world. They later divorced.

Speaking to MailOnline in 2022, Mercy Mae Darwin said: My husband is happy and healthy and Im looking after him. We dont want his past life all dredged up again on TV and in newspapers. I know what he did, he knows, and he paid penalty for that, he doesnt need to be reminded.
The son of a retired Virginia couple who are feared dead after escaped inmates from a Grenada jail hijacked their yacht has revealed the boat was 'ransacked' and it appears a violent 'altercation' occurred.

Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel had been sailing around the Caribbean island and had docked near Saint George's when their catamaran was taken on February 18.

Police fear they may have been murdered by suspects Trevon Robertson, Ron Mitchell and Atiba Stanislaus - who are currently in custody - after 'copious amounts of blood' were found in their bedroom aboard the vessel.

Brandel's son Nick Buro said the family was hopeful that his parents will be found, but evidence on their boat indicates 'they were likely injured'. He revealed the family is concerned 'there might be a possibility that they aren't with us'.

'The boat itself was ransacked and everything was strewn about in the entire cabin so clearly there was an altercation of some type that took place on the boat,' he told CNN on Sunday, adding: 'We are doing our best to try and get answers.'

Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel (pictured) had been sailing around the Caribbean island and had docked near Saint George's when their catamaran was taken on February 18. Police fear the couple may have been murdered by three men who escaped a Grenada jail

The couple's family was hopeful they would be found, but evidence on their boat indicates 'they were likely injured'. Brandel's son Nick Buro revealed the family is concerned 'there might be a possibility that they aren't with us'. Brandal and Hendry are pictured with their family

Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, (pictured) who are in their 60s, live aboard the vessel, named 'Simplicity' and were enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime trip which they had been planning for 12 years

The couple, who are in their 60s, live aboard the vessel, named 'Simplicity' and were enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime trip which they had been planning for 12 years.

AIS data indicates that the vessel left Grenada around 10 pm from Grand Anse Beach before it was discovered the following Wednesday.

The Salty Dawg Sailing Association, which the couple were members of, said a cruising skipper reported Simplicity abandoned off of the coast of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The person 'found evidence of violence' on the boat, it said.

It is understood that the boat was found with bloodstains on the interior and the pair's personal belongings rummaged through, but no sign of the couple.

'The boat itself was ransacked and everything was strewn about in the entire cabin so clearly there was an altercation of some type that took place on the boat,' Buro told CNN.

'We are concerned for their safety overall because it does appear that they were likely injured.'

He said that his mother and stepfather were 'super careful' and 'safety was their top, top concern' everywhere they travelled. He suspects the 'unfortunate' and 'horrific' event likely 'came out of nowhere for them'.

Brandel's son Nick Buro (left) said the boat had been 'ransacked and everything was strewn about in the entire cabin'. Hendry's son Bryan Hendry (right) shared how his parents had just 'wanted to immerse themselves in different communities and share love and spread joy'

The boat was found 85 nautical miles from where the couple had last been seen on it

The suspects, Trevon Robertson, Ron Mitchell and Atiba Stanislaus (pictured), were being held at the South Saint George Police Station on the island when they escaped

READ MORE: Family of retired Virginia couple presumed dead reveal their haunting final movements before three escaped inmates hijacked their yacht Advertisement

'What really, really is upsetting, is that that safety was taken,' Buro told WJLA, hailing the situation as an absolute 'nightmare'.

The couple have lived on Simplicity since 2013, after they decided to sell their home and the majority of their possessions to buy a boat.

They spent most of their time stationed in Florida, but would travel to Rhode Island during hurricane season. This winter was the first time the pair had sailed to the Caribbean.

Although Brandel 'worked her whole life' and has since retired, Buro said that Hendry - who is in the financial services industry - had 'continued to work from the boat'.

The couple, who were lifelong sailors and married 27 years, have been able to travel to 'many parts of the world' due to their boat lifestyle and were living a 'life of joy and love'.

Bryan Hendry, son of Hendry, revealed that his parents just 'wanted to immerse themselves in different communities and share love and spread joy'.

He added: 'If I do see my parents again, it would be the happiest moment of my life.'

Authorities have yet to officially confirm Brandel and Hendry as the owners of the yacht, but the Salty Dawg Sailing Association released a statement citing them as the owners.

The couple had been sailing on their catamaran yacht 'Simplicity' and were enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime trip when the incident occurred

The couple, who were lifelong sailors and married 27 years, have been able to travel to 'many parts of the world' due to their boat lifestyle and were living a 'life of joy and love'. Pictured together: Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel

The couple had been part of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association who said that a cruising skipper found Simplicity abandoned off a beach

The missing couple's family met with authorities in St. Vincent on Saturday, where they were seen boarding the Simplicity. It was being guarded by officials, one of whom was wearing latex gloves.

Hendry's family issued a statement Saturday thanking police, local coast guards and all those who helped authorities gather information.

'It means so much to us that so many people cared for Ralph and Kathy as friends and fellow cruisers that they are willing to stop and help in whatever way possible,' the family said. They also asked that all those trying to conduct independent searches to 'stand down.'

'The only way we feel this situation could be worse would be if anyone was hurt or endangered trying to conduct searches,' the family said.

Authorities in Grenada said they had dispatched senior investigators and a forensic specialist to the nearby island of St. Vincent, where the escaped prisoners were arrested Wednesday.

The prisoners, ages 19, 25 and 30, were charged a couple of months ago with one count of robbery with violence.

Mitchell, the eldest inmate, was also was charged with one count of rape, three counts of attempted rape and two counts of indecent assault and causing harm, police in Grenada said.

The three men escaped from their holding cell Feb. 18, according to police.

Authorities said a preliminary investigation suggested the three men seized the yacht at Grenada's capital, St. George's, and traveled to St. Vincent.

Bryan Hendry (pictured with his father) added: 'If I do see my parents again, it would be the happiest moment of my life'

A GoFundMe page has since been set up by a family friend in order to help recover the boat and their belongings, as well as funeral costs. Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel are pictured with their family

A GoFundMe page has since been set up by a family friend in order to help recover the boat and their belongings, as well as funeral costs.

The page, which has already raised over $50,000, states: 'Kathy and Ralph were seasoned sailors who lived on their beloved catamaran, Simplicity.

'Their lives ended in unimaginable tragedy on Sunday, February 19th, off the shores of Grand Anse Beach, Grenada.

'Their final voyage with the Salty Dawg Sailing Crew took an unthinkable turn as Simplicity was found abandoned in St. Vincent, bearing chilling evidence of a violent struggle.

'This heartbreaking tragedy has left not only the sailing community, but also their families, shattered.'
An influential Senate staffer is under investigation for allegedly supplying sniper supplies to Ukraine during multiple trips to the country during its ongoing war against Russia.

Kyle Parker, the senior Senate aide being investigated, serves on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe - known as the Helsinki Commission - which informs important policy decisions regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war.

He has traveled to the front lines of the Ukraine-Russia war 'wearing camouflage' and Ukrainian 'military insignia,' according to an internal Helsinki Commission report reviewed by the New York Times.

In addition, Parker allegedly hired a Ukrainian Parliamentarian official for a U.S. government fellowship position despite protestations by both security and ethics officials in Congress, according to the Times.

As a result of the above activities, he could be operating as an unregistered foreign agent. That is a serious charge that could carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison if charges are referred to the FBI and he is convicted.

Kyle Parker has made multiple trips to Ukraine during the war, including to the front lines

Many images on Parker's social media show him posing with Ukrainian service members

A sniper from Ukraine takes position during a reconnaissance mission in September 2023

The report was authored by the Helsinki Commission's general counsel, Michael Geffroy, and executive director, Steven Schrage.

A representative for Parker denied the staffer committed wrongdoing, and said the report is a form of retaliation for his previous accusations of misconduct against the authors, according to the Times.

The authors of the report reportedly suggest Parker was either 'wittingly or unwittingly being targeted and exploited by a foreign intelligence service.'

The commission's chairman, Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., took action to have Parker fired due to the allegations contained in the report.

'I urgently recommend you secure his immediate resignation or termination,' Wilson wrote in a November letter to the commission's co-chairman, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.

Parker, who joined in 2018, remains on the commission pending further investigation. According to his bio page, he speaks fluent Russian and previously served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee for then-Ranking Member Eliot Engel.

DailyMail.com reached out to the Helsinki Commission, and Wilson and Cardin's offices for comment.

Images from his social media, meanwhile, show him draped in Ukrainian-styled camouflage while on various trips to the front lines.

'Plotting the liberation of #Luhansk,' Parker wrote in a social media post last year.

He also has posted many photos of mortars and other explosive ordinance while touring the front lines.

With #Xi in Moscow, I figured Id dust these photos off that I took in early October on the Kherson front & see if anyone else has seen Chinese munitions on the battlefield. Ive heard credible & recent reports of Chinese 120 mm mortars near Bakhmut, but havent seen proof yet. pic.twitter.com/54nbexKQv2  Kyle Parker  (@kyleparkernet) March 21, 2023

NATO troops in Poland conduct exercises using an array of sniper rifles

Parker reportedly purchased $30,000 worth of sniper gear for the Ukrainian military

Putting thousands of kilometers on the car, living off gas station hot dogs, black coffee, cigarettesand I dont even smoke. Plus the lights go out sometimes and the air raid sirens wail. #Ukraine at war. pic.twitter.com/iHYnQr6Qsk  Kyle Parker  (@kyleparkernet) January 26, 2023

During a 2023 lecture at the University of Maine, Parker told the audience 'you never go into wartime Ukraine with an empty suitcase.'

He also said during that speech that a relative in Ukraine gave him $30,000 which he later used to purchase wind gauges and range finders for 'guys who are going to take it up with the snipers in the front.'

One post from Parker suggested that he drove to the Ukrainian front lines himself.

'Putting thousands of kilometers on the car, living off gas station hot dogs, black coffee, cigarettes ... Plus the lights go out sometimes and the air raid sirens wail. #Ukraine at war.'

Parker has referred to himself as 'the most well-traveled American official in wartime Ukraine.'

Visiting the war's front lines is not illegal for U.S. citizens, despite a State Department travel advisory warning against such travel.

The turmoil at the Helsinki Commission comes at a turbulent time for Ukraine as U.S. lawmakers have not yet signed-off on additional funding for the country's war.

Despite the Senate passing a foreign aid deal that would unlock $61 billion for the Ukrainian war effort, the bill has not yet been picked up by the House.

Ukrainian officials in Kyiv have blamed recent battlefield losses on dwindling military support from the U.S.

The House is now considering its own bipartisan foreign aid package to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
From vast deserts to breathtaking lakes, the US is home to 63 national parks

From vast deserts to breathtaking mountains and lakes, there are a total of 63 different national parks across America.

In 2023, the National Park Service reported 325.5 million recreational visits across its sites, which is an increase of 13 million (4%) from the previous year.

They proved popular destinations for wildlife fans across America and the world, as 20 parks set a record for annual visits and 15 others passed notable visitation milestones.

However, whether it's due to a lack of campsites or simply being too isolated, some of the parks attracted less tourists than others.

MailOnline has rounded up the 10 national parks that welcomed the least visitors in 2023 - scroll down for the full list.

Taking the number one spot, the Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve saw just 11,045 recreational visitors pass through its gates last year

1. Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve, Alaska

Taking the number one spot, the Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve saw just 11,045 recreational visitors pass through its gates last year.

If you're looking for miles of boundless land, that's virtually untouched by man, this Alaskan park may be the one for you.

The entirity of its 8.4 million acres of landscape does not have any roads, trails, or campsites - and definitely no cell service.

It's website paints a serene picture, describing it as, 'Wild rivers meandering through glacier-carved valleys, caribou migrating along age-old trails, as endless summer light fades into aurora-lit night skies of winter.'

The website also makes it clear that in this park, you're on your own, advising: 'There is no cell phone service and there are no amenities, services, or other infrastructure in the preserve.

'When you depart Fairbanks, Bettles, Coldfoot, or Anaktuvuk Pass you may not see another person until your return to civilization or your pilot comes to pick you up.

'Visitors must be self-reliant and able to execute self-extraction and communication, should an emergency situation arise.'

2. National Park of American Samoa

Almost 5,000 miles away from mainland US shores, the National Park of American Samoa is located across three islands in the South Pacific

With 12,135 recreational visits last year, the National Park of American Samoa is the second least visited national park in the US.

Almost 5,000 miles away from mainland US shores, it's located across three islands in the South Pacific.

This tropical paradise is quite a different scene to the Gates of the Arctic, swapping cold mountains for sandy beaches, rainforests and even volcanic slopes - about 4,000 acres of the national park is underwater, offshore from all three islands.

It's website reads: 'In keeping with the meaning of the word Samoa  sacred earth  the park helps protect 'fa'asamoa' - the customs, beliefs, and traditions of the 3,000-year-old Samoan culture.'

But, the reason it's on the this list may be because most people will need a passport to visit this remote park in the South Pacific.

3. Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Alaska

With more than four million acres of land, Lake Clark has two National Natural Landmark volcanoes and three designated Wild Rivers

Returning to Alaska, taking spot number three on the list is Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, which welcomed 16,728 visitors in 2023.

With more than four million acres of land, it has two National Natural Landmark volcanoes and three designated Wild Rivers.

The park 'preserves the ancestral homelands of the Dena'ina people, an intact ecosystem at the headwaters of the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world, and a rich cultural wilderness'.

There are no roads so travelling here will require a plane or a boat - it's located north of Katmai National Park, 65 air miles northwest of Homer, and about 120 air miles southwest of Anchorage.

4. Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska

The park is best known for it's thousands of wild caribou migrate through, as well as the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, which rise unexpectedly out of the tundra and trees

Alaska dominates this list, with the fourth place spot being Kobuk Valley National Parkm with 17, 616 recreational visitors.

Spanning across 1.8 million acres, again you won't find a campsite or road in sight.

The park is best known for it's thousands of wild caribou migrate through, as well as the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, which rise unexpectedly out of the tundra and trees.

It's website adds: 'The Kobuk River is an ancient and current corridor for people and wildlife.

'For 9000 years, people came to Onion Portage to harvest caribou as they swam the river. Even today, that rich tradition continues.'

5. Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

The fifth least visited park in the US last year was Isle Royale National Park in Michigan, which is an archipelago in Lake Superior - it had 28,965 visitors

The fifth least visited park in the US last year was Isle Royale National Park in Michigan, which is an archipelago in Lake Superior - it had 28,965 visitors.

It's open only from mid-April to the end of October, which may be a reason for it's lower number of guests.

Online, the park is described as 'a rugged, isolated island far from connected communities,' boasting to offer adventures for 'backpackers, hikers, boaters, paddlers, and divers'.

There are only 18 mammal species on the island, which includes wolves and moose, this is because animals have to cross the 14 mile lake to reach the mainland.

6. Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska

According to the Park Service, Katmai National Park is home to an estimated 2,200 brown bears, as well as being an important habitat for salmon

With 33,763 recreation visits, Alaska's Katmai National Park & Preserve is one of the world's best bear viewing spots.

According to the Park Service, it's home to an estimated 2,200 brown bears, as well as being an important habitat for salmon.

Brooks Camp, which is within the park, attracts visitors from all over the world who want to see one of the bears in real life - flocks of fishermen also enjoy visiting this part of the park.

It also has a fascinating history and was established in 1918 to protect the volcanically devastated region surrounding Novarupta and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.

7. North Cascades National Park, Washington

The park offers an alpine landscape, just three hours away from Seattle - visitors can explore jagged peaks with more than 300 glaciers

Jumping up to 40,351 visitors in the past year, is North Cascades National Park in Washington.

The park offers an alpine landscape, just three hours away from Seattle - visitors can explore jagged peaks with more than 300 glaciers.

However, the National Parks website urges adventurers to remember that winter storms may bring downed trees, flooding, trail washouts, and avalanche hazards.

Mountain weather can change rapidly and a pleasant outing can quickly be transformed into a survival ordeal, so it's important to be prepared.

8. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, Alaska

Welcoming 78, 305 recreational visitors in 2023, it's also America's largest national park, stretching across 13.2 million acres

With almost double the amount of visitors as North Cascades National Park, eighth place goes to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska.

Welcoming 78, 305 recreational visitors in 2023, it's also America's largest national park, stretching across 13.2 million acres.

The park's website says it is the same size as Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Switzerland combined.

However, a lot of the park is backcountry with an extreme landscape - river crossings, glacier travel, thick brush, extreme weather (cold and hot), rock fall, mudslides, avalanches and bugs are just some of the hazards listed online.

But there are some maintained trails in the McCarthy and Nabensa frontcountry areas.

9. Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

The 100-square mile park is mostly open water with seven small islands and is accessible only by boat or seaplane

Despite being on the least-visited list, Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida is among the 20 parks that managed to break visitation records in 2023.

It saw 84,285 people trek across its landscape, many of which to visit Fort Jefferson - one of the nations largest 19th century forts.

The 100-square mile park is mostly open water with seven small islands and is accessible only by boat or seaplane.

As well as being home to Fort Jefferson, it's best known for its 'picturesque blue waters, superlative coral reefs and marine life, and the vast assortment of bird life that frequents the area'.

10. Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Finally, the tenth least visited US national park of the previous year was Great Basin National Park in Nevada, which saw 143,265 recreation visits

The 10 least visited national parks in America in 2023 and their visitation numbers

Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve, Alaska - 11,045 National Park of American Samoa - 12,135 Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Alaska - 16,728 Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska - 17,616 Isle Royale National Park, Michigan - 28,965 Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska - 33,763 North Cascades National Park, Washington - 40,351 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, Alaska - 78,305 Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida - 84,285 Great Basin National Park, Nevada - 143,265 Advertisement

Finally, the tenth least visited US national park of the previous year was Great Basin National Park in Nevada, which saw 143,265 recreation visits.

It's best known for being home to the 13,063-foot summit of Wheeler Peak, the highest natural point in the state of New Mexico.

The park also boasts the longest cave system in the state of Nevada - Lehman caves, where visitors can embark on tours.

There are five different front country campgrounds on offer, as well as further primitave and backcountry camping options.

So, if you're a national park fanatic who wants to step it up and try one of their lesser-known options, these ten are your best bet.

The new data comes just after a couple who visited all 63 national parks across America, revealed which they think are the best - as well as the reasons why.

Matt and Karen Smith, from Seattle, took to Instagram to share their list of must-sees with their 141,000 eager followers.

The keen travelers picked winners across various categories including 'most diverse,' 'best wildlife sightings' and 'most underrated.'

But the duo ultimately named Grand Teton in Wyoming as having 'the best of everything.'

Death Valley was listed as 'most other-wordly park' with its sprawling desert landscape before the award for 'most epic hiking trails' was shared between the Glacier and Mount Rainier national parks.
Popular streaming service Hulu is facing backlash over its local ad placement policies after it prevented a Texas Church from running an advertisement on its platform.

Hulen Street Church in Fort Worth, Texas, was told by Disney-owned Hulu that it could not run a 22-second video to advertise the start of a new Thursday night service because it qualifies as 'religious indoctrination.'

It is the most recent controversy that Hulu has been involved in, as the platform is facing fury over its policies that have restricted ads on abortion and guns while allowing anti-terrorist group Hamas content.

And it comes as the Supreme Court is hearing arguments Monday on Big Tech transparency after allegations social media platforms are censoring conservative content.

Attorneys for the Church tell DailyMail.com that Hulu's clear discrimination against religious conservatives trying to raise awareness about their Church services in the local area is 'over the top' and must be retracted.

Hulen Street Church in Fort Worth, Texas, is trying to get an ad to run on Hulu

Hulen Street Church in Fort Worth, Texas, was told by Hulu that it could not run a 22-second video to advertise the start of a new Thursday night service because it qualifies as 'religious indoctrination'

It is the most recent controversy that Hulu has been involved in, as the platform is facing fury over its policies that have restricted ads on abortion, guns and other topics

Pastor Wes Hamilton said he was 'immediately interested' in Hulu's local advertising capabilities, which he viewed as useful to spreading the word about the Church's new Thursday night service.

He developed a short 22-second ad inviting viewers to join the Church's new Thursday service and followed online instructions to register as a 'Hulu-approved advertiser.'

'Does your work schedule or busy family calendar not allow you to attend Church on a Sunday morning?' the ad opens. 'If so, I want to invite you to Thursday nights at Hulen Street Church beginning on February 1st.'

'We created Thursday nights at Hulen Street because we know that even though Sunday may not be an option for you, that doesn't mean your faith isn't important to you,' the ad concludes.

Pastor Hamilton ended up submitting the ad twice for consideration, but it was rejected by Hulu both times even though it did not appear to violate any of the streaming service's publicly posted policies.

After the second rejection, Pastor Hamilton requested an explanation and was told by Hulu's customer service that the ad 'violated policies against 'Religious Indoctrination due to asking viewer[s] to attend Thursday services.''

'Please review our guidelines and submit a new ad for review,' Omar with Hulu wrote back to Hamilton on January 12.

Jeremy Dys, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute who is representing the Church as it fights back, told DailyMail.com that Hulu's response is 'troubling' and a clear example of 'hypocrisy.'

'The hypocrisy by Disney, the parent company of Hulu, is just sort of remarkable here and it's illustrated in this little tiny Church that's trying to do a good thing in Fort Worth, Texas,' he said.

He said religious conservatives are unfortunately the ones that get the 'most censorship' on on social medias and by Big Tech firms like like Hulu.

'The ad policy for Hulu says absolutely nothing about religious indoctrination. Those words don't appear in the ad policy at all. And yet, when this Church goes to advertise...that's rejected for religious indoctrination.'

'It's over the top and it's craziness,' he told DailyMail.com.

Dys pointed out that Hulu continues to run ads for liquor sales, beer and gambling which could be a sort of 'secular indoctrination,' yet they are still allowed to run online.

The church's video was rejected by Hulu both times even though the ad did not appear to violate any of the streaming service's public policies

Pastor Wes Hamilton said he was 'immediately interested' in Hulu's local advertising capabilities, which he viewed as useful to spreading the word about its new service

After the second rejection, Pastor Hamilton requested an explanation and was told that Hulu's customer service said that the ad 'violated policies against 'Religious Indoctrination due to asking viewer[s] to attend Thursday services''

Dys continued, saying that Hulu's lack of transparency is especially concerning since there is no public information online about 'religious indoctrination' being part of its advertisement screening process.

Therefore, it could be assumed that Hulu made up the rule in order to specifically reject Hulen Street Church's ad.

In addition, he says the Church's video does not 'indoctrinate,' or 'force a view.' Rather, it invites views to attend Church, 'where all are welcome.'

Dys sent a letter to Hulu's Deputy Chief Counsel Angie Kang on Monday, stating that the company must 'clarify' its policies.

'We ask that Hulu clarify its policy concerning 'Religious Indoctrination' to make clear that religious speech, like that contemplated by the advertisement in question, is welcome on its platform,' writes Dys.

He is also demanding that Hulu 'immediately allow' Hulen Street Church's ad to run.

'Hulu has reversed course on its advertising decisions before, and it should do so again here.'

DailyMail.com reached out to Hulu for a response.
A total of six high end brothels have been reported in the suburbs of Boston and Washington, D.C.

The group of alleged sex-buyers have claimed they have a right to privacy ahead of the sex trafficking trial

The high-powered individuals said to be involved in the multi-state brothel operation have insisted that they remain anonymous

The high-powered lawmakers, executives and military top brass who utilized a brothel system under federal indictment are desperately trying to keep their identities a secret.

Six high-end brothels have been reported in the suburbs of Boston and Washington, D.C., and were set up by a foreign nation as an espionage 'honeytrap,' federal prosecutors allege.

Intelligence experts believe the brothels  allegedly masterminded by a 41-year-old South Korean woman  targeted politicians, high-ranking government officials and defense contractors.

Though the paying clients have remained anonymous, investigators have said that the individuals have 'received considerable coverage in both national and local media.'

The media has pushed to publicly identify the clients and asked a court to release the names.

However, the attorneys for the elite are downplaying their clients' standing and pushing the court to keep their names secret.

The Attorney General's office said that 'granting access to the complaint applications before the show-cause hearings take place would essentially allow unfettered review, use, and potentially publication of the complainants allegations before the accused has had the opportunity to respond and before the Clerk-Magistrate has made a probable-cause determination.'

In their affidavit, investigators identified six 'target locations' where the brothels were based, including four in the Boston area

The two brothels in Virginia were situated in Unit 245 at the Avalon Mosaic in the quiet suburban town of Fairfax and Unit 649 of the nearby Hanover Tysons

The lingerie and bikini clad 'models' advertised on the brothel's website included, Yoko and Tiffany, who were offered as a 'duo' for photographers looking for a modeling twosome

The high-end brothel network kept detailed records of its customers along with millions in cash. Clientele included 'hundreds' of elected officials, tech, pharmaceutical executives, lawyers, professors and military officers that have not been identified

The group of alleged sex-buyers have claimed they have a right to privacy ahead of the sex trafficking trial, which has recently stalled. It is unclear when the alleged clients will be taken to court.

The first 13 out of the 17 clients who filed an opposition to the release of names have argued they should remain anonymous, along with the hearings.

'This error should not be compounded by opening the door to public dissemination of police reports and other documents,' their motion to intervene said.

Attorneys have also argued the John Doe's are not 'powerful and elite,' and are instead private citizens who could risk detrimental consequences 'if their name and image are published before they have the opportunity to face this case at a clerks hearing or in a court of law.'

A footnote in the legal fillings revealed one of the John Doe's 'is an attorney who does not work for the government, one is a doctor working at a public hospital, one is a scientist without ties to the government.'

The brothels were raided in November and prosecutors said they were looking to charge 28 people in Massachusetts alone.

It is not clear which country was behind the scheme as Russia, China, Korea itself, or even Israel are all seen as possibilities.

Joshua Levy, the Acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, has said his office will seek 'accountability for the buyers who fuel the commercial sex industry.'

There was no evident motive to establish two cathouses in the greater Washington area, sources noted emphatically. None of the three defendants live anywhere near the capital and sex workers were flown in from Los Angeles or Las Vegas.

The scheduled hearing in January was halted after JSC Justice Frank M. Gaziano stopped the proceedings due to issues brought forward in the loads of legal fillings.

Han Lee, the alleged mastermind, Junmyung Lee, 30, and James Lee, 68  all South Korean-born U.S. nationals  were charged in November with running the sex ring. The three Lees are not related.

Han and Junmyung both live in the Boston area, where four of the brothels were located. James lives in Torrance, a suburb of Los Angeles.

Members of Congress, military officers, and national security contractors who 'possessed security clearances' were among the steady customers at the 'high-end brothels' run by the ring, prosecutors say.

To entice customers, the Lees allegedly set up websites whose purported purpose was helping photographers find nude female models looking for work. Investigators believe the ring had made more than $1 million by the time it was busted.

Bulk quantities of lubricant, condoms, false eyelashes, 16 cell phones along, millions of dollars in cash and dozens of gift cards were amongst other evidence

Extramarital affairs and sexual promiscuity and deviance are other helpful vulnerabilities, which is why honeypots are a time-honored practice of intelligence agencies.

Investigators also confiscated a Corvette that one of the suspects allegedly bought with the funds

The lingerie and bikini-clad 'models' went by names such as Sexy Schu, Venus, Tina, YokoDDD and Tiffany.

None of the three suspects have known prior criminal records. The biggest mark against any of them is that James Lee received more than $500,000 in potentially fraudulent Covid relief funds.

Their clean records are especially surprising because prosecutors allege at least some of the sex workers were trafficked, which would mean an organized crime group almost certainly played a role.

The high-end brothel network kept detailed records of its customers along with millions in cash and other damning items in bulk. Clientele included 'hundreds' of elected officials, tech, pharmaceutical executives, lawyers, professors and military officers that have not been identified.

Two of the brothels operated from units in luxury apartment buildings in the Virginia suburbs outside the capital, which are each about a 15-minute drive from the White House, Congress, Pentagon and CIA.

Boston, where the other four brothels operated, is a haven for defense contractors and is also home to top-tier universities like Harvard and MIT that train government and military officials, and produce reports for the Pentagon and CIA.

Suspects had to fly in and out of town with a rotating cast of sex workers, set them up at the Virginia apartments and deal with routine business matters.

'The most valuable information in Washington and Boston are government secrets,' a former foreign spy who is well acquainted with honeypots told DailyMail.com.

'If you open a prostitution business that caters to wealthy clients in those cities, you'll get a lot of people walking through the doors that have access to them.'

Former CIA Special Agent Nic McKinley, who now leads Deliver Fund, a nonprofit that works with law enforcement to combat human trafficking, agreed.

'If this had been a pure cash play, massage parlors are easier to set up, have lower overhead costs and print money,' he said.

The brothels in Virginia were situated in Unit 245 at the Avalon Mosaic in the quiet suburban town of Fairfax and Unit 649 of the nearby Hanover Tysons.

The two units had large bedrooms and comfortably furnished living room areas where clients could unwind over drinks with their companions afterward.

Aspiring clients had to submit a membership application before they could book an appointment.

Acting U.S. Attorney Josh Levy announced charges against the brothels' alleged operators

Driver's licenses of one of the three suspects, James Lee. According to the affidavit, investigators found three driver's licenses were submitted in support of rental applications for brothels in Massachusetts and Virginia  which are all believed to be James Lee using two different aliases

Required documentation included government-issued ID, phone and email contacts, employer information and credit card records, according to court records.

A retired CIA senior operations officer said that the scheme 'is at the level of a Nigerian prince scam.'

'This is at the level of a Nigerian prince scam,' she said.

The details of the investigation included pictures of meticulous client records with names and dates - which have exposed tons of professionals in elite industries for paying upwards of $600 per hour for sexual encounters with predominately Asian women.

Other evidence that was found was bulk quantities of lubricant, condoms, false eyelashes, 16 cell phones, millions of dollars in cash and dozens of gift cards.

Investigators also confiscated a Corvette that one of the suspects allegedly bought with the funds.

Experts interviewed by DailyMail.com suspect the brothel scheme was a honeypot.

The term honeypot is most commonly used to describe an undercover sexual or romantic relationships that are used to compromise valuable intelligence or a target.

Extramarital affairs and sexual promiscuity and deviance are other helpful vulnerabilities, which is why honeypots are a time-honored practice of intelligence agencies.

The group are also said to have operated a unit inside this apartment building in Watertown, Massachusetts

According to an affidavit, the ring operated three different locations outside of this apartment building in Cambridge, Massachusetts

In Virginia were situated Unit 649 of the nearby Hanover Tysons (pictured) was among the apartments used as brothel locations

In a well-executed honeypot, the women who serve as the bait build personal relationships with the marks, tease out information that helps assess their weaknesses and test what they're willing to do.

'The girls start by asking for a small favor that's at the edge of the target's comfort zone and try to keep expanding the zone and turn small favors into big favors,' said the ex-CIA officer.

Furthermore, a recruitment target might be threatened with blackmail in an emergency  signs he was preparing to go to the FBI, for example  but it's rarely used to compel cooperation.

John Sipher, a 28-year veteran of the CIA's National Clandestine Service, said that there is not enough information available to know for sure whether a foreign intelligence service was behind the brothel operation, but based on what's been disclosed so far it's likely.

'You've got high level officials with access to secrets who may have been filmed having sex with a prostitute, and are at high risk of manipulation or coercion.

'The FBI would be criminally negligent if it hasn't already opened a counterintelligence investigation,' Sipher said.
Senate Republican Whip John Thune is the latest in Congress to endorse Donald Trump for president, DailyMail.com has learned.

It comes off Trump's commanding 20.3 percent margin of victory over remaining primary competitor Nikki Haley in her home state of South Carolina over the weekend.

Sen. Thune says the latest results are proof Americans want Trump again in 2024.

'The primary results in South Carolina make clear that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee for president in this year's pivotal presidential election. The choice before the American people is crystal clear: It's Donald Trump or Joe Biden,' Thune told Fox News.

'I support former President Trump's campaign to win the presidency,' he added, 'and I intend to do everything I can to see that he has a Republican majority in the Senate working with him to restore American strength at home and abroad.'

Senate Republican Whip Sen. John Thune endorsed Donald Trump's presidential bid

The No. 2 Senate Republican said it's time for the party to rally behind Trump.

He is now the highest-ranking Republican in the Senate to back Trump as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has not yet got on board and it remains unclear if he will endorse anyone in 2024.

Trump made clear that he will no longer focus on the primary contest despite Haley insisting she will 'keep to her word' by remaining in the race until at least Super Tuesday on March 5.

During his victory speech in Columbia, South Carolina on Saturday evening, Trump was crystal clear that he is shifting his attention to the general election  even if Haley continues her bid for the GOP nomination.

The former president said November 5, 2024 will be the 'most important date in history.'

'Nine months is a long time,' Trump noted of the remaining time before the presidential election later this year. 'I just wish we could do it quicker.'

'You know, in certain countries, you're allowed to call your election date,' he added. 'If I had the right to do it, I'd do it tomorrow. I'd say we're having an election tomorrow.'

Thune's endorsement comes off of Donald trump's commanding victory in South Carolina's Republican primary on Saturday. The former president swept all four early primary states

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has not yet endorsed anyone in the 2024 race  but has suggested he will back whoever Americans vote as the Republican nominee

Thune, seen as a potential successor for McConnell, 82, spoke with Trump on the phone Saturday night after his victory in South Carolina, a source familiar with the call told Fox.

Previously, both McConnell and Thune have suggested they would support whoever Republican voters choose to be their nominee in 2024 against President Biden, who is the incumbent and presumed Democratic candidate.

Thune has, in the past, avoided mentioning the former president  until his official endorsement this week.

He was originally backing the presidential bid by Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and was present at his campaign launch event last year. But Scott dropped out of the race in November and last month endorsed Trump.

The next primary is in Michigan on Tuesday, and 874 Republican delegates are up for grabs the following week when 15 states and one territory heads to the polls on March 5 to vote in what is known as Super Tuesday.
Cruise ship passengers who were stuck on board the sickness-hit Norwegian Dawn liner have described their desperation to get off the ship - which has finally been allowed to dock in Mauritius following a cholera scare.

British holidaymakers are among 2,200 passengers and 1,000 crew on the cruise liner which Mauritian authorities had barred from docking on Saturday 'to avoid any health risks'.

At least 15 people on the ship were in isolation with a stomach illness, which authorities initially feared was cholera but have now confirmed was gastroenteritis.

The ship has now been allowed to dock in Port Louis but passengers are reportedly being kept on for 'at least another 24 hours' after days at sea.

Speaking earlier of passengers' frustrations at being stranded on the ship, Dutch tourist Esther Verdaas said that the atmosphere among passengers was 'not pleasant.'

'Flights are being missed, people have lost money on hotels booked in Mauritius. Guests are angry, rebellious, sad,' she told BN DeStem.

'These are luxury problems, of course. But what I find difficult is that so much is unclear. Can we go home? When? How? Where do we get tickets?'

A passenger on the Norwegian Dawn shared a picture of the cruise coming into dock in Mauritius

Passengers were left stranded on the ship after Mauritian authorities refused to let it dock. This picture was taken by a passenger on board the Norwegian Dawn liner near Mauritius

Hundreds of tourists have been unable to board the vessel, and were forced to queue at the port before being put up in hotels

The 12-day cruise sailed from South Africa via Mozambique, and had been scheduled to dock in Port Louis on Sunday, but arrived a day earlier after missing out a stop at Reunion Island.

Ms Verdaas explained that 'the misery started' when they had been due to dock at Reunion on Saturday, but were refused by the authorities there.

'That meant a long extra day of aimless floating on the open sea,' said the tourist, who is travelling with her husband and their two daughters.

Now cruisers are worrying about their onward journeys.

Lucy Boyle, from Nottinghamshire, whose elderly mother and stepfather are on the cruise, said: 'I just want her home safe, she has said it's not been great at all this cruise and this is her third or fourth time with Norwegian Cruises.

'Last I heard from her, they have had all clear from that there are no cases of Cholera confirmed from the tests. Inspectors are coming aboard as soon as they dock before they are allowed off.

Holidaymakers pictured queuing at the port on Sunday. The ship was not allowed to dock on Saturday and cruise customers were put up in hotels

Dutch holidaymaker Esther Verdaas with her husband and daughters

The 12-day cruise had sailed from South Africa via Mozambique, and had been scheduled to dock in Port Louis on Sunday. It has now been allowed to dock in Mauritius

What is cholera? The nasty illness still endemic in parts of the world

Cholera is an intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It has a short incubation period, from less than one day to five days, and produces an enterotoxin that causes a copious, painless, watery diarrhoea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given. Vomiting also occurs in most patients. Cholera is not found in the UK anymore, despite causing terrifying outbreaks in the 1800s. It was flushed out by access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation facilities. The disease is still endemic in many areas of Asia and Africa, however. Normally this is in places without a clean water supply or modern sewage system. Washing hands with soap and water can cut the risk of getting cholera, as can only drinking tap water that's been boiled. Advertisement

'My mum is hoping to make a flight tomorrow night. I am worried as she is diabetic and they are in their 70s, so far though she hasn't caught anything.'

At the same time as people are hoping to get off the ship, more than 2,000 cruise customers have been unable to board.

They were forced to queue at the port over the weekend before being put up in hotels when it became clear the ship could not dock.

One Brit, who had been due to start his cruise over the weekend, said that he has tried to cancel his trip and is considering getting expensive flights back to the UK.

'[I am] not on the ship but waiting to get on and not wanting to... it has been complete chaos onshore,' he told MailOnline, saying he had received no updates and that the situation was a 'complete shambles'.

The 59-year-old tourist said his partner 'is now refusing to get on the ship regardless of what happens' and said they are looking at 1,600 flights home.

He said that this would mean they would lose any possible refund on the trip, but that they are keen to get home regardless.

A tanker vessel has been pictured near the ship by a passenger on board as it remains off the Mauritian coastline.

A group of journalists had been due to embark on a press trip on the vessel on Sunday before they heard that there was suspected cholera on board, USA Today reports.

One passenger on the ship wrote on Facebook earlier today: 'We are not getting an explanation as to why we are stuck outside of Mauritius but the theory is because we had a breakout of [gastro intestinal] issues, most probably due to food poisoning.'

The view from the ship off the coast of Mauritius, shared by a passenger on board

The 12-day cruise sailed from South Africa and had been scheduled to dock in Port Louis on Sunday, but arrived a day earlier after missing out a stop at Reunion Island

Norwegian Dawn, which has been on a 12-day cruise around southern Africa (file image)

Another tourist on the ship said today that passengers were 'fed up' and that there were 'limited facilities' to deal with being stuck at sea.

While Cholera is uncommon in countries such as the UK and the US, there have been significant cholera outbreaks in southern Africa over the last few months, with at least 188,000 cases recorded across seven countries since January 2023 and more than 3,000 deaths.

'The decision not to allow the cruise ship access to the quay was taken in order to avoid any health risks,' the Mauritius Ports Authority said.

'The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost to the authorities,' it added, without giving any details about the nature of the health risk.

A spokesperson for the U.S.-headquartered Norwegian Cruise Line said in a statement that during the ship's trip to South Africa on February 13, some passengers had experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness.

Once in Port Louis, the ship's management worked with Mauritian authorities to make sure precautions were in place and all on board were okay, the spokesperson said.

The port authority said its test results would be known in 48 hours.

The ship has 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members. Of these, about 2,000 passengers would have disembarked in Port Louis after completing their cruise while another 2,279 new passengers had been expected to board the ship, the port authority said.

'Passengers who were due to board the 'Norwegian Dawn' and begin their cruise from Mauritius today will not be able to do so due to potential health risks,' it said.

Those who were disembarking or joining the cruise will now do so on February 27, the Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said.

A spokesman for the company said: 'Upon Norwegian Dawn's arrival to Port Louis Mauritius on Feb. 25, 2024, there were a small number of guests experiencing mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness.

'Despite previous reports and speculations, there were no confirmed cases nor any evidence of cholera on board the vessel.

'Although only six guests were being monitored due to mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness, the government of Mauritius required testing in an overabundance of caution, thereby delaying the ship's original disembarkation scheduled for Feb. 25, 2024.'

'Following the results of the regulatory testing by the government of Mauritius and their confirmation that no trace of cholera was found during their testing, Norwegian Dawn has been cleared for entry into Port Louis, Mauritius, and disembarkation of all guests will commence early morning Feb. 27, 2024 local time.'
A former Los Angeles Police Department officer turned California's largest legal marijuana farmer has been slammed for growing massive amounts of pot as he calls on Biden to release prisoners in jail for weed charges.

Kyle Kazan, co-founder and CEO of Glass House Brands, said his company owns a 6 million square foot greenhouse but does not even use half of that space to produce more than 600,000 pounds of weed a year.

He told Fox News: 'I've never read about anybody in a US prison that's anywhere close to that.'

Kazan has been a vocal advocate of releasing people serving prison time for nonviolent marijuana charges, frequently wearing a shirt that says, 'No one should be in prison for a plant.'

Some social media users have slammed the ex-cop for his role in arresting people for nonviolent weed crimes.

'People like this who gloat are not what this community needs but at the same time, this shows that police officers know the war on cannabis is a joke and needs to end,' said an X user.

Kyle Kazan, co-founder and CEO of Glass House Brands, is a former Los Angeles Police Department officer who said his company produces more weed than anybody currently in prison on marijuana charges

Kazan said his company owns a 6 million square feet of greenhouse but does not even use half of that space to produce more than 600,000 pounds of weed a year

'He should have known that before he started making millions on it. Facts didn't change in the meantime, it was very much like this when he put people in jail for doing the same thing as he does now,' said another user.

The former cop said one time he flew to Augusta, Georgia to speak on behalf of a man being sentenced for three charges related to eight pounds of marijuana.

'That's what I point out, like the judge, the defendant, everybody could own  legally  my stock with a Charles Schwab account, right now, from the courthouse,' he said. 'And you're sentencing this young man?

Kazan has been critical of the Biden Administration for the number of people incarcerated over nonviolent drug charges.

'Mr. Biden, unfortunately, has not wavered in his commitment to keeping people in prison, unless you're a famous WNBA player sitting in Mr. Putin's prison. And I'm happy she's home, and I'm happy that he went to bat for her,' he said.

'But you don't have to trade away a merchant of death when you have this, and you just need 3,000 signatures to end it.'

In December, the president announced pardons of 11 additional inmates serving time for drug offenses, expanding his

On February 12, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Attorney General Merrick Garland missed a deadline to respond to 12 Senators urging the administration to de-schedule cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act.

'THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO FAIL ITS CITIZENS! The DEA & The Attorney General missed the deadline for a cannabis rescheduling response so @ewarren & members of the Senate sent a letter urging the DEA to de-schedule cannabis. Unreal,' Kazan said on X.

Despite Kazan's advocacy for legalization of marijuana, his company Glass House Brands has been accused of being, 'one of the largest, if not the largest, black marketers of cannabis in the State of California, if not the country,' according to a lawsuit filed in June.

Kazan has been critical of the Biden Administration for the number of people incarcerated over nonviolent drug charges

Despite Kazan's advocacy for legalization of marijuana, his company Glass House Brands has been accused of being, 'one of the largest, if not the largest, black marketers of cannabis in the State of California, if not the country,' according to a lawsuit filed in June

The lawsuit, filed by 562 Discount Med that does business as Catalyst, accused Glass House of running a cartel-like business of the marijuana industry.

They allege Glass House sells weed on the legal market as well as the black market using 'burner distribution' companies.

'[Glass House] has purposefully structured its business so as to massively profit from the illegal sale of cannabis to the substantial financial detriment of legal operators,' said the lawsuit.

'GHB in fact is one of the primary drivers and financial beneficiaries of the illicit cannabis black market in California, and it currently is looking to further expand its illicit operations by adding significant new cultivation capacity at a time when the legal cannabis market is actually shrinking.'

The latest hearing in the lawsuit is scheduled for Tuesday and a non-jury trial is scheduled for October.
Donald Trump has now appealed the ruling to fork over $454 million in the New York civil case claiming he inflated the value of his properties.

Trump filed on Monday for an intermediate-level state appellate court to look at Justice Arthur Engoron's February 16 ruling that includes $354.9 million in penalties, along with interest, and limitations on conducting future business in New York.

New York Attorney General Letitia James brought the civil fraud suite in 2022 and says she is prepared to seize Trump's assets if he doesn't pay up.

The penalties and sizable jury awards in two other civil cases could become a drain on Trump's cash reserves as he pursues the Republican nomination for president this year.

Engoron's ruling comes as part of the case alleging Trump fraudulently exaggerated his net worth and the values of his real estate holdings to secure better loans terms.

Donald Trump appealed the New York court ruling ordering him to pay $454 million for fraudulently inflating his net worth and value of his properties

James, a Democrat, accused Trump in the lawsuit of overstating his net worth by as much as $3.6 billion in financial statements provided to banks.

Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly accused James and Engoron of political bias against him.

He even compared the multiple indictments against him to a form of political persecution  and compared it to the alleged murder of Russian President BVladimir Putin's political rival Alexei Navlanky.

In addition to imposing the monetary penalties, Engoron's decision barred Trump from running a corporation in New York or seeking loans with banks chartered or registered in the state for three years. The judge also enhanced the powers of a court-appointed financial watchdog at the Trump Organization, the umbrella entity for the former president's business ventures.

The appeals court - formally called the Appellate Division, First Department - potentially could put the judge's ruling on hold during an appeals process that could last a year or longer.

Trump denied any wrongdoing.

He is worth $2.6 billion, according to a Forbes estimate, but accounts of his worth vary greatly and it remained unclear how much cash he has on hand. Trump said in a deposition in April 2023 that he had roughly $400 million in liquid assets.

New York Attorney General Letitia James said she is prepared to seize Trump's assets if he doesn't for over the payment

A view of Trump tower on 5th Avenue in Manhattan on March 21, 2023

Engoron's ruling followed a contentious three-month trial in Manhattan that began in October. It featured testimony by Trump, who conceded that his property valuations were not always accurate but said his lenders were on notice to independently verify them.

The judge also fined Trump's sons Don Jr. and Eric $4 million each and barred them from running a New York corporation for two years. Both men have denied wrongdoing and joined in Trump's appeal on Monday.

The payouts from Engoron's judgment total $464.4 million for all defendants. More than $114,000 of interest will continue accruing daily, mostly for Donald Trump alone. The judgment was made public on Friday.

The case is part of a maelstrom of legal troubles Trump faces - including criminal charges in four separate cases - though none have diminished his commanding lead in the race for the Republican nomination. Trump has used the cases to rally his base and raise money, telling supporters that he is being targeted for political reasons.

In one of the other civil cases, a jury in January found that Trump must pay writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defaming her by denying her claim that he raped her decades earlier. Trump has vowed to appeal. Another jury last year ordered Trump to pay Carroll $5 million in a separate case.

Trump is separately trying to delay enforcement of the $83.3 million verdict and wants to appeal without posting any security.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who oversees that case, gave Carroll until Thursday to respond.

In one of the criminal cases, a New York judge has set a March 25 trial date for Trump on charges involving falsifying business records to conceal hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election that gave him the presidency.

Trump is also under indictment in Washington and Georgia over his efforts to reverse his 2020 election loss and in Florida over his handling of classified documents upon leaving office. He has pleaded not guilty in all four cases.
Joe Biden and Donald Trump will make dueling visits to the border on Thursday as illegal immigrant remains a top issue headed into the 2024 election.

The president will travel to Brownsville, Texas to meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement, and local leaders, according to a White House official.

Trump will visit Eagle Pass on Thursday, where he will blast Biden on the record high number of illegal crossings and discuss the arrest of a Venezuelan undocumented immigrant in the recent high-profile killing of a 22-year-old nursing student in Georgia

The two rivals are not expected to cross the paths while they are in Texas.

'I planned it for Thursday, what I didnt know was that my good friend apparently is going,' Biden told reporters in New York on Monday when he stopped for ice cream after taping an appearance on Seth Meyer's late night show.

Joe Biden and Donald Trump will make dueling visits to the border on Thursday when they are both in Texas

On his visit, Biden 'reiterate his calls for Congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional U.S. Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more,' the White House official said.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden will push for House Republicans to pass the bipartisan border security bill.

'He said he was going to take action. He's going to do that. We're going to see him on Thursday on the ground doing that. And so look, there was a deal coming out of the Senate in a bipartisan way that took four months, Republicans got in the way because of what Donald Trump told them to do,' she said.

Biden and his team have been trying to take control of the narrative when it comes to the border issue as polls show voters consider it a top priority and it's an issue where the president remains politically vulnerable.

It is Biden's second trip to the border. In January 2023, he traveled to El Paso. Trump has made multiple trips to the border region.

'Crooked Joe Biden has had three years to visit the border and fix the crisis he created. Now Bidens handlers are sending him there on the same day as President Trumps publicly reported trip, not because they actually want to solve the problem, but because they know Biden is losing terribly,' said Trump Campaign Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement.

The trips come as the immigration issue ratches to the forefront of the campaign. They also come a few days before the Super Tuesday primaries on March 5, when more than a dozen states hold Republican nominating contests.

Both men have railed against each other on the border issue as they try to turn it into election year fodder.

There have been record crossings of the border during Biden's administration, a fact Trump and Republicans have hammered him on.

President Joe Biden answers a question from a member of the news media as he and Seth Meyers visit Van Leeuwen Ice Cream in downtown New York

People cross the Rio Grande river to turn themselves in Brownsville, Texas, to authorities to begin their immigration process

Migrants link arms with each other as they wade into the Rio Grande River with intentions to cross into Eagle Pass, Texas

President Joe Biden has only visited the border one other time - El Paso in January 2023 (above)

For his part, Biden blamed Trump for the Republican chaos on Capitol Hill after GOP lawmakers killed a deal on border security.

In February a bipartisan border security bill officially fell apart in the Senate after conservative Republicans trashed the long-negotiated compromise legislation

They argue the bill didn't go far enough to secure the border. Trump, who is Biden's likely competition in November's election, had been lobbying against it, calling it a 'death wish' for the Republican Party.

Biden originally supported the bill to try and take the border issue off the table as he gears up for the 2024 general election. But Trump wanted to keep the issue alive so he can hammer Biden on it.

Trump is expected to discuss UGA murder victim Laken Riley

Trump has repeatedly accused Biden of being soft on the border and has demanded the president build his wall.

He will be at Eagle Pass, about 330 miles from Biden's stop.

During his visit, the former president will deliver remarks from the border to highlight the immigration crisis and blame Biden for it.

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has stationed National Guard at Eagle Pass to stop migrants from getting through. The state fenced off about 2.5 miles of the U.S. Texas border in Shelby Park.

Trump will also discuss the arrest of Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, for the murder of Laken Riley, 22.

Riley, a nursing student, found dead by police Thursday after she failed to return from her morning jog. University of Georgia police found her near where she'd been jogging through the campus intramural fields with 'visible injuries.'

'Crooked Joe Bidens Border INVASION is destroying our country and killing our citizens! The horrible murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley at the University of Georgia should have NEVER happened! The monster who took her life illegally entered our Country in 2022and then was released AGAIN by Radical Democrats in New York after injuring a CHILD!!,' Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday.

'When I am your President, we will immediately Seal the Border, Stop the Invasion, and on Day One, we will begin the largest deportation operation of illegal CRIMINALS in American History! May God Bless Laken Riley and her family!!! Our prayers are with you!'

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has tracked over 1 million migrant encounters since fiscal year 2024 began, the earliest this mark has ever been reached.

The number is about 100,000 higher than the same period last year and is the earliest the U.S. has ever reached the 1 million encounter mark.

An NBC News poll from January found that 57% said Trump would handle securing the border better while 22% said the same for Biden.
BRAD Pitt is demanding answers about who co-owns his French vineyard - after ex-wife Angelina Jolie's shares fell into the control of a secretive trust on the tax haven island of Jersey in the English Channel.

The Fight Club star, 60, was shocked when Jolie sold her half of their stunning Chateau Miraval estate without his agreement to Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler in 2021.

Now financial papers seen by the Mail show the ultimate owner of the shares is a shadowy trust controlled by a company of which Shefler is not a shareholder.

The bewildering business arrangements make it impossible to know who is pulling the strings - but friends of Hollywood star Pitt say he is determined to get to the bottom of it.

The Chateau Miraval estate, which produces an award-winning sparkling rose, is at the center of a long-running court battle between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Pitt's lawyers have accused Jolie of deliberately depriving him of complete ownership and 'forcing a stranger into [his] family home'

The stranger in question is Russian businessman Yuri Shefler, shown here

The row brings the poisonous long-running divorce saga between Pitt and Jolie to British shores for the first time.

The battle over Chateau Miraval's future, known as the War of the Rose, has so far been waged in courtrooms in France, Luxembourg and Los Angeles.

A source close to the actor said: 'Brad wants Jersey to start providing answers. He should have the right to know who has bought into his business.

'He has put his heart and soul into Chateau Miraval and feels the rug has been pulled out from under him. He does not know for sure who he is actually in business with.'

Chateau Miraval, in Provence, produces an award-winning rose popular with celebrities. Pitt and Jolie owned the 1,300-acre estate jointly and even married in its 17th Century farmhouse in August 2014.

After their acrimonious separation in 2016, Jolie sold her stake in the business to Yuri Shefler's Stoli Group. Pitt claimed she had breached an agreement that they would give each other first refusal.

Last month, the Mail revealed that Stoli had been stripped of some shares by a court in Luxembourg, making Pitt the majority shareholder.

Jersey structures are popular with individuals who want to disguise their business dealings and maintain control over their assets.

Sanctioned Russians, including former Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, have previously used them. In 2022, Jersey authorities seized 7billion worth of Abramovich's assets.

Shefler - who is not sanctioned - has insisted that he is the beneficiary of the trust. But well-placed sources say there is no obvious commercial reason to use a private trust company to hold part of his empire which he could own in his own name.

A source said: 'The private trust structure is sometimes used to disguise the decision makers' identities. The confidentiality rules in Jersey mean Brad will never know for sure who he is in business with - who is actually pulling the strings.'
This is the shocking moment a furious van driver ploughed through a group of 'human bollards' as they defended a controversial traffic reduction scheme which days earlier they declared had made the street 'a little safer'.

The footage was captured in a leafy street in Exeter, Devon, as activists staged a protest in support of one of the city's new 'low traffic neighbourhoods' (LTN).

Armed with a banner, the group of campaigners stood between the planters at the Ladysmith Road bus gate during school pick-up times.

But a video recorded on Thursday by activists from 'Safe Streets Now' showed a Ford transit van driving towards the banner and the five protesters guarding the new traffic calming measure.

The driver continues to pass through the banner, with one activist appearing to catch his hand on the driver-side window. The banner is torn off and a traffic cone is pushed out of the way as the van ploughs through.

This is the shocking moment a furious van driver ploughed through a group of 'human bollards' on Thursday as they defended a controversial traffic reduction scheme

The van driver is seen ploughing through the banner (left). One protester later appears to hit the vehicle as it passes through. Local police later said no offence had been committed

Days earlier, on February 19, the group shared this image on X (formerly Twitter) saying the road was 'a little safer for people to use'

Caspar Hughes, the leader of Safe Streets Now Exeter, claimed one of the group had sustained minor injuries and police were called to the scene.

Devon and Cornwall Police is now investigating the incident.

A spokesperson for the force added: Police were called at around 8.20am on Thursday 22 February to Ladysmith Road in Exeter after reports of a collision involving a man and a van.

'A man was reportedly struck by the van and suffered what was considered to be a minor injury to his arm.

'The van left the scene. Anyone who witnessed the incident can contact police on 101 quoting reference 130 of 22 February.'

Speaking about the incident, Mr Hughes told DevonLive: 'A volunteer was injured when this person drove his vehicle at speed through the bus gate. This driver could not see beyond the banners - there could have been a small child there for all he knew. It was reckless and dangerous, as well as illegal.'

Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police said that no offences had been committed, and described the incident as 'a minor altercation'

The group has been staging a number of demonstrations in the street in support of the LTN, which they claimed had helped to make the road safer.

But the campaign has not been backed by everyone, with a counter protest group having been set up by other residents, frustrated at the impact the scheme is having on them.

Called 'Stop the Block', the group claims the LTN was causing traffic chaos, causing longer journey times and impacting trade of local businesses.

They also fear the impact the traffic reduction scheme is having on the emergency services, with DevonLive reporting that ambulances had been forced to turn around after encountering one of the blockades nearby.

Devon County Council, which maintains highways in the area, said it meets regularly with emergency services. The authority added it has not reported any adverse incidents as a result of the trial so far.
Russia claims to have destroyed its first American M1 Abrams on the battlefield in Ukraine, with images allegedly showing a stricken tank burning near the frontline.

The apparent drone strike is said to have taken place near the eastern city of Avdiivka, which Vladimir Putin's forces recently claimed after four months of bitter fighting and heavy losses.

Pro-Moscow media released footage of a tank rolling along a dirt track through bombed-out streets, with footage cutting out before any attack takes place.

A separate, low-quality video, shows a burning vehicle, though it is not clear if it is the American battle tank. Meanwhile, pictures appear to show a damaged M1 on fire, which pro-Putin media pointed to as evidence that it had destroyed the tank.

Moscow-installed authorities in Ukraine's occupied Donetsk region told Kremlin-run news agency RIA Novosti that the tank had been destroyed, while there was no confirmation from Kyiv.

Pro-Moscow media released footage of a tank rolling along a dirt track through bombed-out streets

A low-quality video, shows a burning vehicle, though it is not clear if it is an M1 Abrams

Pictures appear to show a damaged M1 tank on fire, though it is not clear if it is the same tank as in the grainy video

Russian news outlet Mash reported: 'The first one went. The famous American M1 Abrams was shot down in the Avdiivka direction.'

It reported that before this, the tank in question was noticed in Berdychi, around one mile from Russian positions in Donetsk region, before troops 'worked on it efficiently'.

Earlier, Russian actor Ivan Okhlobystin promised to pay 10 million roubles (86,000) for the destruction of the M1 Abrams.

News outlet Moskovsky Komsomolets reported: 'The first Abrams near Avdiivka was burned by the Black Hussars of the Brave group.

'Soldiers of the 15th brigade hit the tank with a kamikaze drone and finished it off with a grenade launcher.'

Footage of what is said to be the burning tank was revealed by the propagandist Solovyov Live telegram channel.

Military correspondent Alexander Kots said: 'The first American Abrams tank has been destroyed near Avdiivka.

'Several teams of our kamikaze drone operators were hunting for the "American" at once.

'They began to strike the Abrams. And it was finished off by soldiers of the 15th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade using anti-tank weapons.

Smoke appears to be emanating from an object on the ground, which Russia channels claim is an M1 tank

Footage of what is said to be the burning tank was revealed by the propagandist Solovyov Live telegram channel

'In principle, there is nothing supernatural about these tanks, they burn just like [German] Leopards.

'So the 'premiere' [of the Abrams] in the [war] zone was only a matter of time.

'But the very fact that Abrams appeared near Avdiivka may indirectly indicate that Kyiv is throwing its deepest reserves, which are accumulated in the 47th mechanised brigade.

'In total, the US supplied Ukraine with 31 such [tanks]. Now 30 remain.'

Russia's claim that it had destroyed the tank came as Ukrainian troops pulled out of a village in the east of the country, an army spokesman said on Monday, as Russian forces make their advantages in manpower and ammunition tell on the battlefield at the start of the war's third year.

The latest setback for Kyiv's soldiers was in the village of Lastochkyne, where they fell back to nearby villages in an attempt to hold the line there, said Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesman for one of the Ukrainian troop groupings.

Russia's Ministry of Defence said its troops had 'liberated' Lastochkyne.

RIA Novosti quoted local commander Andrei Mordvichev as saying troops had pushed Ukrainian forces back by six miles and were continuing with their offensive. The agency said a key Ukrainian supply route ran through Lastochkyne.

It was not possible to independently verify each side's claims.

Military correspondent Alexander Kots (pictured in a file image) said: 'The first American Abrams tank has been destroyed near Avdiivka'

Though not in itself a major loss, abandoning the village illustrates the battlefield challenges Ukraine is currently facing. The new phase of the war has brought some bleak developments for Ukraine.

Despite suffering high losses of troops and equipment, Ukraine says, Moscow's troops are driving on, smashing towns and cities with their superior firepower.

Western analysts say the Russians are attacking in strength along four parallel lines in the northeast, aiming to press deeper into the Ukraine-held western part of the Donetsk region and also penetrating into the Kharkiv region north of it.

Ukrainian defence minister Rustan Umerov has complained that half of the promised western military support to Ukraine fails to arrive on time.

That, he said, makes it hard to undertake proper military planning and ultimately costs the lives of soldiers.

Western leaders have sworn to stand by Ukraine as long as they need to defeat Russia's full-scale invasion of February 24 2022.

At a press conference to mark two years since the war broke out this weekend, President Zelensky called on Ukraine's Western partners to urgently provide his country with weapons.

'There is no option of losing. Because if Ukraine loses, we will cease to exist,' he told UK media. 'Hence, such an ending to the struggle for our lives is definitely not an option for us.'

'Will there be a lot of losses? That is up to you, our partners, the Western world... If we are strong, if we have weapons, we will not lose this war. We will win.'
A seven-year-old Louisiana boy was crushed to death by a city truck when the youngster was searching for his ball that rolled underneath the vehicle.

Kaidan Coke was playing outside his home around 7am Saturday morning in Ringgold, Bienville Parish, when his ball rolled under a parked Dodge Caravan.

When the unaware driver suddenly pulled out of the parking spot, Coke was still underneath and was crushed. The Bienville Parish Coroners Office, who arrived at the scene, pronounced the boy deceased.

Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop G are investigating the single-vehicle fatality crash. It's unclear at this time if the driver, whose name was not disclosed, will face any charges.

Little Kaidan was remembered as a 'good kid' who 'loved playing with his ball.'

Kaidan Coke, 7, was playing with his ball around 7am Saturday morning in Ringgold - Bienville Parish when his ball rolled under a parked Dodge Caravan at the 1300 block of School Street

His aunt wept as she told KSAL News how distraught she was. 'I saw the aftermath of him laying there. It's so hard on us. We loved him. He was a good kid. He loved playing with his ball'

His aunt wept as she told KSAL News how distraught she and the family were.

Kaidan's grieving uncle, Damien Coke said in a GoFundMe that his nephew 'had so much love and joy to spread'

She said: 'I saw the aftermath of him laying there. We will never forget. It's so hard on us. We loved him. He was a good kid. He loved playing his ball.'

The family member told the news outlet that the truck that hit her nephew was a city truck for the water department. She said the driver is 'devastated.'

'He is a pretty decent guy,' she said. 'He was pulling off and Kaidan lost his ball and he didn't know Kaidan was in between the tires because there are four tires in the back.'

Friends and family gathered this weekend to mourn Kaidan and held a balloon release in his honor.

Kaidan's elementary school, Ringgold Elementary School was also planning another balloon release to remember the youngster, as per the news outlet.

Louisiana State Troopers said the driver of the truck was not injured.

They said the driver appeared not to be impaired, but routine toxicology samples were collected and will be submitted for analysis.

The incident remains under investigation.

Kaidan was a spirited youngster who loved to play with his ball, his aunt said during an emotional interview

A GoFundMe was organized on Saturday by the boy's uncle, Damien Coke, who described his nephew, in part, as 'silly and filled with joy' to help pay for a funeral, cremation and headstone

The driver was inside a Dodge Caravan (stock image)

A GoFundMe was organized by the boy's uncle, Damien Coke, to help pay for the youngster's funeral, cremation, and headstone.

He said the family did not have any insurance on their son.

The grieving uncle in the post, described his nephew as 'silly and filled with joy.'

'He was seven years old and had so much love and joy to spread,' he said in part.

As of Monday afternoon nearly $5,000 was raised surpassing their initial goal of $2,000.
An American was stabbed dead and a second person was wounded during a fight at an apartment in Medellin, police confirmed.

Los Angeles native Josue Cardona, 34, suffered multiple stab wounds on Saturday and was declared dead on the scene.

A police report obtained by Colombian news outlet El Colombiano indicated that Cardona was attacked by one of the suspects after he asked him to have sex.

The suspect stabbed Cardona with a kitchen knife and then stabbed Osneyver Vega, 25, in the shoulder and back after he tried to defend Cardona from the aggressor.

Vega, a Venezuela national, was found lying at the entrance of the home and was rushed to a local medical facility.

The two suspects, Andrey Gomez, 23, and Ajhal Mesa, 20, were chased by security guards and were arrested several blocks away by the police, who recovered the weapon allegedly used in the attack.

Two suspects were arrested Saturday, moments after one of them stabbed U.S. citizen Josue Cardona to death and wounded Rafael Vega, a native of Venezuela, during a fight at an apartment in Medellin, Colombia

Security guards at the building chased after the suspects after one of them murdered Cardona, the Medellin police said

Gomez's and Mesa's clothing were stained with blood at the time of their apprehension.

'One of them injured a citizen with a sharp weapon, causing injuries that led to his death,' Medellin police lieutenant colonel Eder Sanchez said in a statement.

Local media outlets have reported that Cardona and Vega were in a relationship.

El Colombiano reported that Cardona had been living in Medellin for several years and that his parents reside there, too.

Cardona is the 13th foreigner who has died in Medellin in the first two months of 2024 after 30 were reported dead throughout 2023.

Medellin cops escort two suspects linked to the murder of Cardona, who was stabbed dead at an apartment Saturday

Cardona is the 13th foreigner who has died in Medellin in the first two months of 2024 after 30 were reported dead throughout 2023

Three Americans were found dead in their hotel or Airbnb apartments within a span of five days earlier this month.

Dakarai Cobb, 47, was found dead in his rental on February 5. His cell phone, credit cards and passport were reported missing.

Anthony Lopez, 29, was discovered dead in his room on February 4, a day after he was seen entering the building with two women.

Manly Conley, 37, died February 4 after he fell from the balcony of his 17th-floor Airbnb rental.

Cardona's death came just two days after the U.S. Department of State issued a travel advisory, warning American travelers of insecurity in the South American nation, especially in Bogota, the capital city.

'The U.S. Embassy reminds U.S. citizens of the continued threat of crime throughout Colombia,' the embassy said. 'Recently, robberies conducted by armed individuals, have occurred in popular Bogota restaurants, cafes, and breweries, frequented by tourists and the expat community.

'U.S. citizens should be vigilant, maintain heightened situational awareness, and incorporate strong personal security practices into their daily activities.'

The warning instructed U.S. citizens to 'maintain composure' in the event of a shooting and to 'adopt a prone position on the ground and actively seek cover or concealment.'

'U.S. citizens should always be alert to the possibility that criminal organizations and terrorist groups may conduct attacks with little or no warning, targeting transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, police stations, military facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, airports, other public areas, and U.S. government facilities,' the warning read. 'While terrorists have not specifically targeted private U.S. citizens, the attacks could result in unintended victims.'
Horrific surveillance footage captured the moment a mom and daughter were fatally ran down by a speeding motorist running a red light - who has since been released on bail.

Laticha Bracero, 42, and her daughter Alyssa Cordova, 21, were leaving a Drake concert in St. Louis, Missouri on February 14 when driver Monte Henderson, 22, allegedly plowed into them at the intersection.

Two other teen girls and a 61-year-old woman were also injured in the crash, which saw Henderson collide with several other vehicles as he blew through the lights.

Police say he was speeding at over 70mph when he allegedly caused the tragedy.

However, Judge Annette Llewellyn overlooked a probable cause statement arguing he is a danger to the community, allowing him to be freed on a $20,000 bail, according to STL Today.

Laticha Bracero, 42, (left) and her daughter Alyssa Cordova, 21, (right) were struck and killed as they left a Drake concert on February 14. Their loved ones said the mom and daughter were 'inseparable'

Monte Henderson, 22, allegedly plowed into them at the intersection after running a red light at 70mph. He is facing two counts of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the deaths of the mother and daughter

Shocking footage showed the mother and daughter walking past the intersection while oncoming traffic had a red light

In a flash, Henderson's Jeep Grand Cherokee is seen flying into crossing traffic, initially colliding with the front bumper of another car before careening into the mom and daughter

Henderson's bail sparked outrage online after the shocking footage of the crash went viral.

Reported court records showed he was freed two days later after posting 10 percent of his $200,000 bond.

He is facing two counts of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the deaths of the mother and daughter.

Cops say he blew through the stop lights on Olive Street in the center of the city, with the footage showing the red light at the same time he sped past the intersection in his Jeep Grand Cherokee.

He was seen travelling at a high rate of speed before initially colliding with the front bumper of another car, which led him to careen into Bracero and Cordova.

Bracero was pronounced dead at the scene, and Cordova died shortly after being rushed to hospital, police said.

Henderson was also hospitalized in the crash and was listed as being in critical condition at the time.

In his charging documents, St Louis police officer Matthew Wieczorek argued that Henderson should remain in custody as he was believed to be a danger to the community and would likely not appear for a summons.

But Llewellyn disagreed, and set his bond at $200,000, or 10 percent cash, as he has no prior felonies.

After the charges were brought, Henderson's attorney said in a statement: 'This is a very tragic accident, Monte is very upstanding young man; involved in academics and sports.'

In response, St Louis Police Chief Robert Tracy told the St Louis Business Journal: 'He's going to be held accountable. He destroyed families, killed two people.'

Llewellyn previously faced backlash in 2018 after sentencing a woman to only two years' probation, when one of her daughters fatally shot their sibling when she left a loaded gun out and passed out on drugs, reported STL Today.

She also faced scrutiny after allowing a man accused of domestic assault against his wife out on 10 percent of a $20,000 bond in February 2022, reported KSDK.

Tributes have poured in for the mother and daughter after their senseless deaths, with a friend describing them as 'great people, the life of the party, always keeping people up and helping when they could'

Bracero was pronounced dead at the scene, and Cordova died shortly after being rushed to hospital

The motorist was freed on $20,000 bail by Judge Annette Llewelyn (pictured), who has sparked backlash with lenient rulings in the past

Tributes poured in for the mother and daughter after their senseless death, as those that knew them said they were 'inseparable.'

Bracero, known as 'Lety', was a supervisor at Wintrust Bank in Chicago, and Cordova was at a nearby college and worked part-time at a Starbucks, according to a GoFundMe.

They were known to frequently travel to concerts together, and the fundraiser said they came from a 'close, strong family.'

'The family is extremely devastated by this horrific tragedy,' the post added. 'The two were inseparable and shared a strong bond.'

After the fundraiser surpassed its $25,000 goal, an update shared by one of Bracero's sisters read: 'Words can't even come close to how much our family appreciates everyone that came together across the country.

'My sister and my niece were the most loving people you could ever meet. They were so kind and sweet.

'They spoke of positivity and helped others across the country/beyond. They did so much for others I am positive they received their wings right away.'

Bracero, known as 'Lety', (pictured left, with a friend), was a supervisor at Wintrust Bank in Chicago, and Cordova was at a nearby college and worked part-time at a Starbucks,

Jordan Carrion, a childhood friend of Cordova, told STL Today that the 21-year-old and her mom were 'amazing, sweet people.'

'Lety was always there helping others, always giving the best advice,' he said, adding that she was like a 'second mom' to him that helped raise him and his siblings.

He said she had a 'lust for life even when life was hard to live', and would give advice 'even if it was advice you didn't want to hear.'

'They were great people, the life of the party, always keeping people up and helping when they could,' Carrion said.

'I want them to be remembered by that  not the careless actions of someone else.'

Cousin Nicole Rivera told 5 On Your Side that they were 'best friends' and going to concerts together was 'their thing.'

'If I'm being honest, the only way I can try to get through it is knowing that they were together because if either one of them made it, they wouldn't have survived without the other,' she said.

'We want them here more than anything but if we can't have that, of course, we want justice.'
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Monday it was a 'historic day,' after Hungary became the final NATO member to approve the country's application from 2022 to join the alliance in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

'The parliaments of all NATO member states have now voted in favour of Swedish accession to NATO. Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security,' Kristersson said in a statement on X.

Sweden's NATO membership was supported by 188 lawmakers in Hungarian parliament, with 6 against and no abstentions.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government has faced pressure from NATO allies to fall in line and seal Sweden's accession to the alliance.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg immediately welcomed Hungary's ratification. 'Sweden's membership will make us all stronger and safer,' he said on X.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban shake hands after a press conference following their meeting in Budapest, Hungary, on Friday

A resident prepares a damaged car to be towed, near a residential building damaged during a Russian drone strike, in Dnipro, Ukraine, on Monday

After Finland joined last year, Sweden's membership - which cleared the final hurdle on Monday with Hungary's vote on ratification - means that all the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea, except Russia, will be part of the military alliance.

That has led some to label the sea a 'NATO lake', with the Western allies now appearing well-placed to strangle Russia's room for manoeuvre in the crucial shipping route if a war with Moscow ever breaks out.

But analysts warn that while Sweden's entry makes it easier for NATO to exert control and reinforce its vulnerable Baltic states, Russia can still menace the region from heavily-armed exclave Kaliningrad and threaten undersea infrastructure.

'If you look at a map then geographically the Baltic Sea is becoming a NATO lake, yes,' said Minna Alander a research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.

'But there is still work to do for NATO.'

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a series of high-profile incidents involving pipelines and cables under the Baltic Sea have given NATO a wake-up call over its vulnerabilities.

In September 2022 a sabotage attack hit the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Europe. Over a year on, investigators have still not publicly named those responsible.

Then last October a gas pipeline and a cable from Finland and Sweden to Estonia were damaged. Finnish police say they believe a Chinese cargo ship was likely involved.

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu taking part in the wreath laying ceremony at the Unknown Soldier Tomb, marking the Defender of the Fatherland's Day, on Friday

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson speaks during a press conference with his Hungarian counterpart Prime Minister Viktor Orban during a press conference following their meeting in Budapest, Hungary, on Friday

NATO has bolstered its naval deployments in response and is looking to step up its monitoring capabilities, but keeping an eye on what's happening beneath the water is a major task.

'It's very difficult to have overall control of a sea as you would control territories on land,' said Julian Pawlak, a researcher at Germany's Bundeswehr University in Hamburg.

'What the Nord Stream sabotages have shown, among others, is that it remains hard to be aware exactly what is happening below the surface and on the seabed.'

Sweden has long had a close partnership with NATO but its formal membership will allow it to be fully integrated into the alliance's defence plans.

Beyond its long Baltic coastline, Sweden brings with it the island of Gotland, which would play a central role in helping NATO impose its will.

But just across the water Russia has its own vital outpost - the exclave of Kaliningrad.

Wedged between Poland and Lithuania, Moscow has in recent years turned the region into one of the most militarised in Europe, with nuclear-capable missiles stationed there.

Russia's Baltic fleet based in Kaliningrad is a shadow of what it was during the Cold War and the invasion of Ukraine has sapped some of its forces from the region.

But John Deni, a research professor at the US Army War College, said the Kremlin has kept up investments in undersea capabilities and still has the firepower to stage small-scale landings or threaten NATO supply routes.

'In terms of artillery, indirect fires and nuclear-capable weapons they out-gun and out-range NATO allies in the region,' Deni said.

'Allies have to meet that threat and counter it.'

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban hold a press conference following their meeting in Budapest, Hungary, on Friday

On the other side, while Stockholm brings with it a rich heritage of naval history, like other NATO states in the area its sea power in the Baltic remains understrength.

'Even if you count Sweden, NATO naval assets are relatively limited,' Deni said, adding that the allies need to develop their ability to carry out demining under fire.

Three countries breathing a particular sigh of relief over the entry of Sweden - and Finland - are NATO's Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, long seen as an Achilles heel for the alliance.

War planners have struggled to work out how to stop them being cut off if Russian land troops seized the 65-kilometre (40-mile) Suwalki Gap between Belarus and Kaliningrad.

Sweden's position, straddling both the North and Baltic Seas, opens up a key route for transiting more NATO forces to protect them in case of attack.

'It allows US forces to reinforce the Baltic Sea nations in a timely manner, but especially the frontline states,' said Tuuli Duneton, Estonian undersecretary for defence policy.

Despite the joy at NATO over welcoming Sweden to the fold, however, US academic Deni insisted the alliance should lay off considering the Baltic its own property.

'Calling it a "NATO lake" leads to complacency,' Deni said.

'The challenge and the threat posed by Russia in the region is significant in some ways and the allies for now lack the capacity to counter that in a crisis.'
Rep. David Trone, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maryland, was frank to a group of voters when discussing President Joe Biden's age, saying he wished the president was '10 years younger.'

At 81, Biden is the country's oldest president and his advanced age has become one of the 2024 race's defining issues.

While some Democratic candidates have tiptoed around the age question, Trone chose to talk about it head-on while addressing the Queen Annes County Democratic Club in Stevensville, Maryland on Wednesday.

'I wish he was 10 years younger - OK, I got it,' Trone said, according to video obtained by Politico for Monday's edition of Playbook. 'Who here doesn't? I know I do. I really do. But you know - what it is, it is. We do the best we can.'

Trone also argued that Biden was 'working and firing on all cylinders.' 'Does he talk slower? Yes. Does he move like he's older? Yes,' Trone continued.

Rep. David Trone, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maryland, told a group of voters Wednesday that he wished President Joe Biden was '10 years younger,' according to a video clip obtained by Politico

Trone, photographed last year, owns with his brother the chain of alcohol retailers, Total Wine & More, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. He is vying for Maryland's open Senate seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin

Trone and his brother own the chain of alcohol retailers, Total Wine & More, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.

Speaking about his own experience, he told voters the important thing is who you hire.

'But I'm a CEO all my life,' he said. 'People who run the things are the smart people youy hire, the people around you.'

'And getting great people in all those jobs, as many as you can - that's how the government works, is through others,' he added.

The Biden administration has had far less turnover than the White House under Trump, Biden's likely rival on the 2024 general election ballot.

But without the same level of chaos and palace intrigue, much of the critical coverage of Biden has been linked to his gaffes and stumbles.

Polls also show that Americans are wary that Biden, who will be 82 by the time he's sworn-in for a second term, could carry on for an additional four years.

Trone is vying for the Senate seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, who is retiring.

So far he's running against Angela Alsobrooks, the chief executive of Maryland's Prince George's County for the Democratic nomination.

On the Republican side, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has jumped in.

When Politico asked Trone about his remarks on Biden's age, he stood by them.

'I often say I wish I was 10 years younger,' Trone said. 'I also often say Joe Biden is doing an incredible job, which is exactly what I said in the unedited version of this video.'
The Commons Speaker sparked fresh SNP fury today after denying their request for an emergency debate on Gaza following last week's ceasefire vote shambles.

Stephen Flynn, the SNP's Westminster leader, had been pushing for Sir Lindsay Hoyle to allow a fresh vote on a ceasefire following Wednesday's botched attempt.

He wanted this to happen via an emergency debate under a Standing Order 24 procedure - but the Speaker this afternoon rejected Mr Flynn's application.

SNP MPs immediately branded the Commons a 'mega-circus' as they continued their campaign to oust Sir Lindsay from his role.

The total of MPs now calling for the Speaker to quit - by signing a no confidence motion - rose to 80 as the Commons returned after its weekend break.

Commons Speaker Sit Lindsay Hoyle sparked fresh SNP fury today after denying their request for an emergency debate on Gaza following last week's ceasefire vote shambles

Stephen Flynn, the SNP's Westminster leader, had been pushing for Sir Lindsay Hoyle to allow a fresh vote on a ceasefire following Wednesday's botched attempt

The total of MPs now calling for the Speaker to quit - by signing a no confidence motion - rose to 80 as the Commons returned after its weekend break

In response to a point of order from Mr Flynn in the Commons this afternoon, Sir Lindsay explained he was rejecting the SNP request due to the likelihood of a Government statement on Gaza tomorrow.

'I understand the Government is ready to make a relevant statement tomorrow so there is a very imminent opportunity for this important matter to come before the House,' the Speaker told MPs.

'That is why I have decided the application for an emergency debate should not proceed.

'That decision, of course, does not mean that members cannot apply for a debate at a later stage when circumstances might have changed.'

In his point of order, as he outlined his application for an emergency debate, Mr Flynn had said: 'In good faith my colleagues and I sought to bring forward an SO24 debate which would have, amongst other things, sought to end the sales of arms to Israel and indeed to ensure that this House said to the Government that it must use its voice at the United Nations to exercise our view in favour of an immediate ceasefire.'

Following the Speaker's denial of his demand, Mr Flynn said: 'Last week the Speaker of the House of Commons broke the rules, this week he has broken his word.

'The SNP has sought to act in good faith to ensure that we can move this debate forward and tried to have a discussion today on ending arms sales to Israel and ensuring the UK uses its voice in the United Nations in favour of an immediate ceasefire.

'The fact that that has been blocked is outrageous, it flies in the face of what we were told would happen last Thursday. I think the public will be as outraged as I am.'

Mr Flynn said it would be for others to say whether Sir Lindsay Hoyle had been hypocritical, adding: 'It seems to be the case that Westminster is happy for this matter simply to drift away again.

'That's not good enough and the SNP will use the opportunities that are available to us to hold this Government to account for its appalling foreign policy objectives.'

Dunfermline and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman, a fellow SNP frontbencher, posted on social media website X: 'The Westminster mega-circus continues.

'The SNP has been told that the Speaker will not even consider a debate on any aspect of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza today, despite the Speaker offering a debate last week when he was up to his neck in it #NotMyParliament.'

Sir Lindsay previously apologised for his role in last week's parliamentary meltdown

Mr Flynn was pushing for Sir Lindsay to grant a fresh vote on a Gaza ceasefire

The move could have triggered a new row over pushing aside parliamentary convention - as Sir Lindsay did last week to prompt the chaotic scenes in the Commons

Sir Lindsay had earlier been warned a move to grant a fresh Gaza ceasefire vote via a Standing Order 24 process could trigger a new over pushing aside parliamentary convention - as the Speaker did last week to prompt the chaotic scenes in the Commons.

Last week's furious row saw the SNP fail to get a vote on their Opposition Day motion calling for an 'immediate ceasefire' in Gaza after Sir Lindsay broke with precedent.

The Speaker selected both a Labour amendment and a Government amendment amid claims of a 'stitch-up' to help Sir Keir Starmer avoid another revolt on the issue.

The Labour leader had previously seen 56 of his MPs defy him and support calls for an immediate ceasefire when the Commons last voted on the issue in November.

Sir Keir has since denied threatening Sir Lindsay to select Labour's amendment, which backed an 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire' along with caveats over the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas.

He said he 'simply urged' the Speaker to have the 'broadest possible debate'.

Sir Lindsay himself said fears over MPs' safety played a part in his decision, which has led to angry Tory claims he 'bowed to the mob' amid continuing pro-Palestinian protests across the country.

The SNP had demanded an 'emergency debate' in the Commons so they could stage a re-run of the botched ceasefire vote.

These can be granted under a Standing Order 24 procedure, but the terms of them are usually neutral and merely 'take note' of an issue.

By wanting a motion that takes a stance on a Gaza ceasefire, the SNP were threatening to force Sir Lindsay into choosing whether he upends parliamentary convention again.

There is precedent for doing so after John Bercow, the former Speaker, controversially allowed an emergency debate to be held on a 'substantive motion' in 2019.

This allowed opponents of a no-deal Brexit to take control of Commons business.

Yet, Sir Lindsay would have been wary of further infuriating Tory critics behind a 'Just Stop Hoyle' campaign to oust him.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak does not back an immediate ceasefire in Gaza but supports an 'immediate humanitarian pause' as the best way to stop the fighting.

Mr Flynn said earlier: 'After the shameful scenes at Westminster last week, it's vital the UK Parliament urgently focuses on what really matters, doing everything we can to help secure an immediate ceasefire and lasting peace in Gaza and Israel.

'The SNP wants to move the debate forward with a fresh motion that focuses on the specific, practical, concrete steps the UK Government must now take to help make an immediate ceasefire happen.

'As a key ally and defence trading partner of Israel, and a member of the UN Security Council, the UK has an important role to play but the UK Government, which still opposes even calling for an immediate ceasefire, is not doing anywhere near enough to secure one.'

He added: 'We are keen to build as much consensus as possible, while recognising the need to substantially shift the dial on the positions of Sunak and Starmer, who have been too timid in their approach to securing an immediate ceasefire  and not forgetting the success the SNP has had in changing the terms of the debate by doggedly sticking by our principles and values.

'The devastation in Gaza gets worse every day, with more innocent children, women and men killed, more homes bombed, and more civilians facing starvation.

'The time for warm words is over, the UK must use every lever at its disposal to help end this conflict and secure lasting peace.'
US airman Aaron Bushnell is being praised by the far-left as a martyr for setting himself on fire in a fatal pro-Palestine protest outside the Israeli embassy in DC.

Bushnell, 25, succumbed to his injuries overnight after lighting himself on fire as he screamed 'Free Palestine' on Sunday in a protest he livestreamed on Twitch. In the aftermath, pro-Palestine activists including presidential candidates Jill Stein and Cornel West have expressed their admiration for the engineer.

Stein wrote on X: 'Rest in power Aaron Bushnell. May his sacrifice deepen our commitment to stop genocide now.'

West added: 'Let us never forget the extraordinary courage and commitment of brother Aaron Bushnell who died for truth and justice! I pray for his precious loved ones! Let us rededicate ourselves to genuine solidarity with Palestinians undergoing genocidal attacks in real time!'

Farhana Sultana, a professor of public affairs at Syracuse University, told her followers that, despite his self-immolation, Bushnell was of sound mind.

US airman Aaron Bushnell is being praised by the far-left as a martyr for setting himself on fire in a fatal pro-Palestine protest outside the Israeli embassy in DC

In the aftermath, pro-Palestine activists including presidential candidates Jill Stein (pictured) and Cornel West have expressed their admiration for Bushnell

Presidential candidate Cornel West said: 'Let us never forget the extraordinary courage and commitment of brother Aaron Bushnell who died for truth and justice!

'RIP Aaron Bushnell, who self-immolated in front of the Israeli Embassy as political protest against genocide. Dont believe the spin doctoring otherwise. He showed more moral clarity and courage than politicians & genocidaires,' said Professor Farhana Sultana.

'They till try to spin doctor it as mental health issues, but he was rational & clear about his political reasoning, which resonates with majority of the world. May his sacrifice not be in vain. Indeed, it was legitimate moral outrage and courage against the holocaust & barbarity in Palestine with US full participation. May his sacrifice not be in vain, may his last words on this earth ring true #FreePalestine.'

Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King wrote: 'I want to honor a young man that was so disturbed by the genocide of Palestinians that he set himself on fire yesterday at the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC. Instead of harming someone else, he made a choice that of course seems strange and disturbing to all of us, but I empathize with him.'

Many X accounts have even posted art inspired by Bushnell's self-immolation.

Many X accounts have even posted art inspired by Bushnell's self-immolation

Some moderates have taken issue with the glorification of suicide, including Slate writer Mark Joseph Stern, who is now being slammed for saying he opposes any form of suicide.

He wrote: 'I strongly oppose valorizing any form of suicide as a noble, principled, or legitimate form of political protest. People suffering mental illness deserve empathy and respect, but it is wildly irresponsible to praise them for using a political justification to take their own life.'

Pro-Palestine social media accounts quickly took to the comments under Stern's post.

One said: 'There is no evidence he was unwell. What he had was conviction, but I can understand why that's so foreign to you.'

Another added: 'Just because you would never give your life for a noble cause doesn't mean that everyone who would is doing so because they're ill.'

A third wrote: 'Liberals are framing Aaron Bushnells self-immolation as self-harm or a cautionary tale of mental health crisis because they cannot fathom the concept of martyrdom.'

Bushnell's parents Dave and Danielle Bushnell are longtime members of the Community for Jesus church in Orleans, Massachusetts, which has been accused in the past of functioning as a cult that abuses and controls its followers.

Despite Bushnell's fatal protest, the church loudly supported Israel on its social media, reposting messages that strongly defend Israel's operation in Gaza following Hamas' October 7 terrorists' attacks.

'Only Hamas is deliberately targeting civilians. Hamas seeks to force the Israeli military to violate the rules of war; Israel accepts that there are no rules that Hamas gunman would ever follow,' reads one of the messages reposted by the Community of Jesus.

'The odd result is that a sick world is more accepting of deliberate mass murdering by Hamas than occasional accidental collateral damage by Israel.'

Danielle works as the Purchaser and Contracts Administrator for the literary arm of the church, Paraclete Press. Meanwhile David's Facebook lists his association with the church, as well as to offset groups including the Church of the Transfiguration.

The Community of Jesus appears to have disconnected its phone on Monday morning after DailyMail.com tried to contact them.

A member of the Cape Cod community wrote on X: 'Aaron was a sweet boy. He came out of the Community of Jesus on Cape Cod, which many regard as a cult. It was my impression that he joined the military as a way of detaching himself from the Community, though I never explicitly discussed it with him.

'I could just tell he was under stress at the time. This is incredibly sad and a total waste.'

Aaron Bushnell, is seen with his father Dave (far left), his mom Danielle and his younger brother Sean (far right)

A member of the Cape Cod community wrote on X: 'Aaron was a sweet boy. He came out of the Community of Jesus on Cape Cod, which many regard as a cult'

The Community for Jesus church in Orleans, Massachusetts has been accused in the past of functioning as a cult that abuses and controls its followers

According to Dave Bushnell's social media, Aaron and his younger brother Sean grew up playing instruments in the church and were often pictured in its community events as a child.

Dave wrote in 2017: 'My boys, Aaron and Sean are members of the percussion ensemble Spirit Winter Percussion, part of the Arts Empowering Life umbrella of arts organizations.

'Words can not express how grateful Danielle and I are for this group and how much it has meant (and continues to mean) in our boys' lives. Thank you to everyone who gives their all to make this group so very special! Join with us to make the impossible a reality!

'How do you teach kids to dream big and be everything they were created to be? Go for the gold!! Hire the best teachers and staff! Aim at perfection and settle for nothing less than your best! Welcome to Spirit WP!

Founded in 1958 by 'Mother Cay' and 'Mother Judy,' the group used to live communal lives in complete celibacy, but it has reportedly become less extreme in recent years, and now allows members to live off-site.

The Community of Jesus church shared posts in support of Israel on social media

However, in 2020 a Canadian judge ruled in favor of students of a school that was affiliated with the church, saying it 'created an abusive, authoritarian and rigid culture.'

One of Bushnell's friends said he was 'the kindest, gentlest, silliest little kid in the Air Force,' according to leftist activist Talia Jane.

'He's always trying to think about how we can achieve liberation for all with a smile on his face,' the friend, who went by Errico, reportedly added. ' He is a capital- A anarchist.

Jane said Bushnell is survived by his 'comrades across the country, including a tight-knit community in San Antonio.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to Dave Bushnell for comment on this story.

Horrific video of the incident showed Bushnell explaining the reasons for his 'extreme act of protest' while he walked up to the building and screamed 'Free Palestine- as his body went up in flames.

Aaron's dad wrote of the church: 'Words can not express how grateful Danielle and I are for this group and how much it has meant (and continues to mean) in our boys' lives'

'My name is Aaron Bushnell,' he told the camera, 'I am an active duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide.

'I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it's not extreme at all.

'This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.'

For more than 30 seconds he walked on silently, passing the neighboring Chinese embassy and holding an open flask of liquid in his left hand.

As he reached the embassy, he placed the camera on the ground and marched to the gate, showering himself in the fluid before placing his service cap on his head

The active-duty airman was a DevOps engineer based in San Antonio, Texas, according to his LinkedIn profile. He touted himself having 'very good communication skills' and 'thriving in team environments'.

Bushnell was pursuing his bachelor's degree in computer software engineering and is CompTIA Security+ certified, a credential that indicates he has the baseline skills to perform core security functions and pursue an IT security career.

He had apparent links to at least two anarchist groups, Burning River Anarchist Collective and Mutual Aid Street Solidarity - both of which are based in Ohio. Bushnell followed the groups on Facebook.
Furious Disney fans have slammed the 'woke' decision to change Mary Poppins' movie rating due to 'discriminatory language'.

Today it emerged the children's classic had its age rating lifted from U to PG by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).

The BBFC now considers the 1964 tale of Julie Andrews' magical nanny to be unsuitable for children to watch alone, despite the film enchanting generations of youngsters.

It says the reclassification is due to the use of the word Hottentots.

The dated term was historically used by Europeans to refer to the Khoekhoe, a group of nomadic herders in South Africa, but is now regarded as racially offensive.

And the decision was made by the BBFC who say they help families 'choose well' by giving guidance on whats right for them and 'whats not'.

Film fans have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter to air their frustrations, with many venting about the 'woke' nature of the swift film classification change.

Mary Poppins has its age rating lifted from U to PG because of 'discriminatory language'. Pictured above on the right is Admiral Boom, played by Reginald Owen, who believes he is a naval commander in charge of a ship, uses the 'offensive' word twice in the film

One said: 'You couldn't make it up. Julie Andrews' film "Mary Poppins" has had its classification changed from "U" to "PG".

'Apparently, a term used to refer to soot-faced chimney sweeps was once used as a "derogatory term for nomadic peoples in southern Africa". Woke sans frontieres!'

Another added: 'Mary Poppins is racist and they're putting a poll tax on toasters. Is it time to go home yet?'

A different user chimed in: 'Mary Poppins is trending because in 2024 it's been decided film should be changed from U to PG rating.

'Imagine being the person that thinks Mary Poppins needs parental guidance to be seen. Getting ridiculous so many bigger issues in media that really are affecting childhoods'.

And one X user fumed: 'Thats it. This country is now officially mad. Reclassifying Mary Poppins so kids cant see it alone is absolutely beyond sense - I just had to find a copy to hear it'.

He added: 'In 1954 the BBC broadcast 1984 where Winston Smith rewrites history, so what is different here?' while another user claimed: 'If you're offended by, of all things, Mary Poppins, then you're 100% a b****'.

Another quipped : 'Mary Poppins, the classic film starring Julie Andrews, has had its age rating raised by British film censors because it features "discriminatory language". Can it get any more ridiculous?'

Users have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter to air their frustrations, with many venting about the 'woke' nature of the swift film classification change

In the film, Admiral Boom, played by Reginald Owen, who believes he is a naval commander in charge of a ship, uses the word twice throughout.

On the first occasion, he is seen dangling from the roof in a boat where he asks one of the Banks children if they are 'going to fight the Hottentots'.

Later in the film when the chimney sweeps, whose faces are blackened from soot, dance on the roof the admiral exclaims 'we're being attacked by Hottentots'.

He then aims fireworks at them.

According to the BBFC's guidelines on PG content, 'some scenes may be unsuitable for young children'.
NATO and EU countries are considering sending troops to Ukraine, Slovakia's pro-Moscow Prime Minister has extraordinarily claimed.

Slovak leader Robert Fico, who has long opposed military supplies to Ukraine and has taken a position seen by some critics as pro-Russian, said today that he learnt of the idea via notes ahead of a meeting of European leaders in Paris.

While he added that he did not know what troops would be doing in the war-torn country, he said a move like that will likely lead to escalation.

'I will limit myself to say that these theses (in preparation for the Paris meeting) imply a number of NATO and EU member states are considering that they will send their troops to Ukraine on a bilateral basis,' Fico told a televised briefing following a meeting of Slovakia's security council.

'I cannot say for what purpose and what they should be doing there,' he said, adding that Slovakia, a member of the EU and NATO, would not be sending soldiers to Ukraine.

Slovak leader Robert Fico, who has long opposed military supplies to Ukraine and has taken a position seen by some critics as pro-Russian, said today that he learnt of the proposal via notes ahead of a meeting of European leaders in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, welcomes Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, February 26

NATO and EU countries are reportedly considering sending troops to Ukraine, Slovakia's PM Robert Fico has claimed (pictured: NATO military exercise today)

Members of NATO have supplied billions of dollars in arms and ammunition to Kyiv and are training Ukrainian forces.

But NATO leaders including US President Joe Biden have underlined that the Western military alliance wants to avoid a direct conflict with Russia, which could lead to a global war.

'Neither NATO nor NATO allies are party to the conflict,' NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on February 14.

NATO had no immediate comment on Fico's remarks.

Asked about the comments, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said: 'The Czech Republic certainly is not preparing to send any soldiers to Ukraine, nobody has to worry about that.'

Fico said he saw a risk of a large escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, and that more information could not be revealed to the public.

Some 20 European leaders, including Fico, are gathering in Paris today to send Putin a message of European resolve on Ukraine and counter the Kremlin's narrative that Russia is bound to win a war now entering its third year, France said.

French President Emmanuel Macron has invited European leaders to the Elysee Palace for a working meeting announced at short notice because of what his advisers say is an escalation in Russian aggression over the past few weeks.

Fico said calling the meeting showed the West's strategy on Ukraine had failed. He said he was going to take part in a constructive spirit although the material for discussions sent 'shivers down his spine'.

This comes as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Monday that 'no compromise' was possible with his Hungarian and Slovak counterparts if they decline to openly support Ukraine facing Russia's invasion.

Soldiers of the United Kingdom's 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian infantry unit storm an enemy position in a simulated attack during the NATO 'Brilliant Jump' military exercises on February 26, 2024 in Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland

French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech to open a conference in support of Ukraine with European leaders and government representatives at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, on February 26

Tusk will meet Czech, Hungarian and Slovak premiers Petr Fiala, Viktor Orban and Robert Fico in Prague on Tuesday at a meeting in the so-called Visegrad group.

Support for Ukraine has sown division among the four-nation group of Central European nations - all NATO and European Union members - as Orban and Fico have criticised military support for Ukraine.

Orban blocked a 50 billion euro EU aid package for months while Fico has refused to provide military aid to war-ravaged Ukraine, questioning its sovereignty and calling for peace with Russia.

'If you are a NATO and EU member, by definition and by the very nature of this membership you have to support Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion,' Tusk told reporters.

'If someone fails to understand this, and I will say this openly in Prague tomorrow, they place themselves ... outside our communities, and there is no compromise to be made on this,' he told reporters.

Tusk said he would say this to Orban 'in the eyes' when they meet in Prague, and added he was 'stunned' by Fico's recent statements on Ukraine.

'It won't be a pleasant or simple encounter,' Tusk said after meeting Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau in Warsaw. Tusk added that the meeting would be a 'test' of the Visegrad group.

He said that upon his return home, he would say 'openly' if the four-country club still has a reason to exist.

The Visegrad group was founded in 1991, two years after the four countries had ended four decades of Soviet-led communist rule.

Given the historic experience with Moscow-led communist rule, 'it is a paradox that Budapest and Bratislava send out these ambiguous signals concerning (President Vladimir) Putin and Russia these days', added Tusk.
The mother of an 'amazing' 16-year-old girl has revealed her anguish after her daughter was killed in a horror crash.

Alisha Marie Ponter died when the white Toyota Hilux she was a passenger in ploughed into a crash barrier and overturned on the A249 near Maidstone in Kent on Saturday night, February 24.

The beloved teenager died as a result of her injuries in the incident, which took place at around 6.45pm, while a 15-year-old boy was also rushed to hospital seriously hurt.

A 17-year-old boy was hospitalised with minor injuries and has since been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He has since been bailed under investigation.

Alisha's devastated parents paid tribute to their daughter, saying she had 'so much life ahead of her' and was planning on going to into the hair and beauty industry when leaving school.

Alisha Marie Ponter (pictured) died in a car crash near Maidstone in Kent on Saturday evening

Heartbroken family have paid tribute to the 'amazing' 16-year-old who died after the white Toyota Hilux she was a passenger in ploughed through a crash barrier and overturned

Speaking at the family's home in Folkestone today Cody Marie Hobman, 32, said: 'She was the best kid ever. So much life ahead her, all to be taken.

'And she was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. She was the most stunning girl I've ever seen.'

Her husband Aaron Hobman added: 'She really was the life and soul of every party she went to.'

Ms Hobman said her daughter was 'crazy when she was younger' and she had grown up to become a 'very bubbly' and 'larger than life' teenager.

She said: 'She was so popular. She had so many friends. She was wild. Everybody loved her.

'I want people to know how amazing she was. I want everybody to know. I don't want Alisha to ever be forgotten.'

Speaking in her daughter's memory, Ms Hobman said she wanted the public to know that 'Mum, Dad, Aaron and Jess will always love [Alisha]'  adding that her 'brothers and your baby sister do too'.

'We all loved her so much. I am still waiting for her to come running along and ask me for a tenner.

'I just want people to know how amazing she was.

'I feel numb, I feel sick. Hurt. Angry that my daughter is gone. Just so angry.

She added that the family was 'not good' following the incident which took her daughter's life.

She said: 'We have a lot of friends and family around us  a lot of support. But it doesn't bring my daughter back.

'I have to bury my daughter at 16 when I am only 32. I shouldn't be burying her, she should be burying me.

'This is more than pain.'

Alisha's family said the teenager had wanted to go into the health and beauty industry when she finished school

The incident occurred on the A249 near Maidstone at around 6.45pm on Saturday, when a white Toyota Hilux hit a road barrier and overturned, Kent Police said

The vehicle had been travelling in the direction of Sittingbourne and collided with the barrier near the junction for Church Hill

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after the tragic collision on the A249 that claimed the life of a teenage girl

On Sunday Ms Hobman posted a tribute to her daughter on social media, saying her 'princess [is] now the most beautifuliest angel in the sky'.

She wrote: 'Oh Alisha my heart's hurting. I'm praying I wake up and it's the biggest dream ever but sadly no, I'll never see your beautiful face again after we've laid u to rest.'

In another post, Ms Hobman wrote: 'Oh baby girl what we would give to hold u one last time. Time is show precious as you have prove and you were taken from us far to early. You had our whole life ahead of you.

'It hurts, we don't know what to do. Such a short time on earth but you impacted so many. My body's numb and my heart's broken. Love you forever baby girl.'

Kent Police said the crash happened when a white Toyota Hilux hit a road barrier and over turned. The vehicle had been travelling in the direction of Sittingbourne and collided with the barrier near the junction for Church Hill.

No other vehicles were involved in the incident.

Inquiries are being led by the force's Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) and officers are urging drivers with dashcam to check for any important footage.

They also want to speak to anyone who saw the collision or the Toyota in the moments leading up to it.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact SCIU on 01622 798 538, quoting reference RY/HG/021/24, or to email sciu.td@kent.pnn.police.uk.
Labour has yet to completely rid itself of the anti-Semitic taint of the Corbyn years, a poll revealed today ahead of a highly charged by-election.

More than four-in-10 (41 per cent of voters) still believe the party has 'a problem' with anti-Jewish hate, according to a new poll by Savanta.

It comes ahead of Thursday's vote in Rochdale, which will feature no official Labour candidate. The party's choice, Azhar Ali, was suspended earlier this month after it was revealed that he shared an anti-Israeli conspiracy theory at a meeting about the invasion of Gaza.

In the poll, which was carried out after the row broke, even 30 per cent of Labour voters thought the party had a problem.

It suggests that while Labour is miles ahead in the race to form the next government, some doubts remain among voters, almost four years into Sir Keir Starmer's time in charge.

More than four-in-10 (41 per cent of voters) still believe the party has 'a problem' with anti-Jewish hate, according to a new poll by Savanta.

The Labour candidate in Rochdale, Azhar Ali, was suspended earlier this month after it was revealed that he shared an anti-Israeli conspiracy theory at a meeting about the invasion of Gaza. The poll suggests that while Labour is miles ahead in the race to form the next government, some doubts remain among voters, almost four years into Sir Keir Starmer's time in charge.

Rishi Sunak's popularity rating has also fallen to its lowest ever rating with the pollsters. He is on -26, compared to Sir Keir's +2.

Chris Hopkins, political research director at Savanta, said: 'Up until recently, Keir Starmer could credibly claim great success in purging the Labour Party of antisemitism, after years of challenges under his predecessor.

'The turmoil surrounding Labour's Rochdale by-election candidate threatens to undo all that good work.

'Our research suggests the public do still broadly think he has done a good job in dealing with allegations of anti-Semitism, but they can't quite shake the idea the Labour Party still has a problem.'

'While this particular incident likely won't change too many votes on its own, it could feed into a wider challenge for Keir Starmer. Lots of the public still don't know what to make of the Labour leader, or where he stands. His slow response could feed into a narrative used by his opponents that he acts based on self-interest, not his principles.'

Labour's lead over the Tories was cut by three points to 20 points in a new poll by Redfield & Wilton Strategy today.

But at the same time Rishi Sunak's popularity rating has also fallen to its lowest ever rating with the pollsters. He is on -26, compared to Sir Keir's +2.

It came as Lee Anderson today insisted he will not apologise for remarks about Sadiq Khan being 'controlled by Islamists'  despite Rishi Sunak disowning them.

The PM said the former deputy chairman's words were 'unacceptable' and 'wrong' as he denied that the Tories had a problem with Islamophobia.

But Mr Sunak is facing a Red Wall backlash over Mr Anderson being stripped of the whip for refusing to apologise for his swipe at the London Mayor.

MPs have been warning their inboxes are full of support for Mr Anderson, with one constituent suggesting his suspension was the 'final nail in [the Conservative] party's coffin'.

The Ashfield MP again declined to back down this morning, telling GB News  where he works  that he was 'right'. 'When you think you are right you should never apologise because to do so would be a sign of weakness,' he told the broadcaster.

He also blanked questions from the media about whether he might end up joining Reform UK, after an invitation from Nigel Farage.
Alleged Russian double agent Alexander Smirnov pleaded not guilty to lying to the FBI about a corruption scheme involving President Biden and his son Hunter on Monday.

The 43-year-old, who had been in custody since he was arrested for a second time last Thursday, appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom in a federal inmates' outfit of a gray jumpsuit, orange shirt, and orange crocs.

He was ordered to remain in custody as he awaits trial.

Smirnov was represented by four attorneys, including top celebrity Vegas lawyer David Chesnoff.

Smirnov, who has never been publicly pictured without his face covered, has a light, tanned complexion with short cropped salt and pepper hair and a thick, trimmed beard.

Alexander Smirnoff has never been publicly photographed without his face covered. A court artist's sketch shoows his close-xcut salt and pepper hair, thick beard and glasses

Alexander Smirnov (pictured leaving a Las Vegas court last week) who has never been publicly pictured without his face covered, pleaded not guilty to lying to the FBI during his federal court appearance in LA on Monday

Smirnov's cousin Linor Shefer (center) and girlfriend Diana Lavrenyuk kept their faces hidden as his lawyer David Chesnoff spoke to reporters after Monday's hearing

Smirnov, revealed in an indictment last week to be a 43-year-old FBI informant , fed an allegedly false story to his handlers in 2020 about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter (pictured arriving in Washington, D.C. on Sunday) taking $10million bribes from a Ukrainian oligarch

He wore black-rimmed glasses, which he removed to peer at court documents. His attorneys say he has glaucoma and requires daily medication. He had dark circles around his eyes.

Prosecutor Leo Wise argued that Smirnov should be kept in custody because he was not forthcoming about his finances, claiming he only had $6,500 in a personal account when he in fact had access to almost $6million.

He emphasized Smirnov's contacts with Russian intelligence officers, though Chesnoff said 'any connections with foreign agents were at the direction of the government to accomplish his role' as an informant.

'They've thrown him to the wolves,' Chesnoff said.

The judge frequently interrupted the defense attorney, and appeared highly skeptical of his arguments.

He also pointed to Smirnov's mysterious finances, saying he had about $10,000 income per month, versus credit card bills of $180,000 in 2022, and over $220,000 in 2023.

Wise said Smirnov gave conflicting answers, telling prison officers he worked in 'security' while his lawyers told the judge he ran a 'financial' company.

Smirnov's long-term girlfriend Diana Lavrenyuk, 58, attended the hearing with her son, Nikolay, 39.

Smirnov's cousin Linor Shefer, 38, and his friend and business partner Nadav Rozenberg, 42, joined them. Both are Israeli-Americans.

They huddled outside the courtroom ahead of the hearing, talking nervously in Russian.

Wise said that Diana Lavrenyuk told pre-trial services she didn't know how much was in her account, when the figure was in fact $3.7million.

Wise added that Smirnov's Citi credit card bills of several thousand a month were paid from her account, and his residence was in her name.

Chesnoff told the judge that his client was pleading not guilty and that the claims of lies to the FBI 'will be a highly contested part of this trial'.

Federal Judge Otis Wright II swatted away Chesnoff's offer of 24-hour private security paid by Smirnov to ensure he didn't flee, telling him: 'I have not changed my mind.'

Alexander Smirnov, second from right, leaves the courthouse on Tuesday February 20 in Las Vegas flanked by his cousin Linor Shefer, 38, and his girlfriend's son Nikolay Lavrenyuk, 39

Former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, left, walks out of his lawyer's office in downtown Las Vegas after being released from federal custody Tuesday, February 20

Smirnov's long-term girlfriend Diana Lavrenyuk, 58, (right) attended the hearing with her son, Nikolay (left). They are pictured posing together in a selfie with another woman

Smirnoff listens as attorney David Chesnoff makes a point during Monday's hearing. Between them is Chesnoff's law partner Richard Schonfeld

Chesnoff said: 'This is going to be an interesting and complicated case' and that his client would be 'contacting people around the world who can refute allegations' against him.

He added that contact with Smirnov in custody was difficult because he had been removed from the general prison population, due to his alleged status as a potential double agent for Russian intelligence.

Judge Wright sternly told Smirnov he had been unable to 'satisfy my concern you will not flee the jurisdiction.'

He also chided the prosecution for filing an indictment that was 'longer than it needs to be'.

While sat in court Smirnov looked furtively over at his girlfriend Diana, who motioned to him to turn and face the judge.

Smirnov, revealed in an indictment last week to be a 43-year-old FBI informant, is accused of feeding an allegedly false story to his handlers in 2020 about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter taking $10million bribes from a Ukrainian oligarch.

Smirnov now faces up to 25 years in prison for allegedly fabricating the claims, and is accused of 'high-level' and 'extremely recent' links with senior Russian intelligence officials  including the chief of an assassination squad.

His defense attorney revealed Smirnov also worked with the Department of Defense in his more than 10 years as an informant.

But Judge Wright was unimpressed with their arguments to keep him out of custody, and sent him back into the arms of US Marshals after the hearing.

Outside the court Chesnoff gave a brief statement to media, saying he would appeal the judges decision to lock up Smirnov.

Judge Wright made the decision after prosecutors revealed they arrested Israeli-American Smirnov at his attorney's office because he had nine guns, including automatic weapons, at his Las Vegas condo.

Smirnov, an Israeli-American who once lived in Ukraine, was a trusted FBI informant, had been paid by the Bureau for his information, and was even previously 'authorized to engage in criminal activity as part of an on-going criminal investigation' according to prosecutors.

In 2020 he told his FBI handler that Mykola Zlochevsky, the owner of Ukrainian gas firm Burisma, bragged to him about bribing Joe Biden and his son Hunter with $10 million to shut down a criminal probe, in 2015 and 2016 meetings.

DailyMail.com spotted Hunter Biden at Dulles Airport on Sunday after he flew in from Los Angeles ahead of a deposition scheduled for Wednesday on Capitol Hill

The First Son will appear on Capitol Hill Wednesday for closed doors questioning from the members of three House committees

An FBI report describing his claims became one of the shocking documents in the Republican impeachment probe of the president when it was published last year.

But the allegations are now being cast as potential Russian propaganda by Special Prosecutor David Weiss.

In federal court filings, Weiss says Smirnov's travel and communication records show the 2015 meetings he claimed to have with Burisma executives never occurred.

Another of Weiss's filings claimed Smirnov had 'high-level contacts with Russian intelligence operatives', and that he passed on 'false information' to the FBI from these sources.

The filing said Smirnov told his FBI handlers that one of his confidants was a son of a 'former high-ranking Russian government official,' who 'controls two groups of individuals tasked with carrying out assassination efforts in a third-party country.'

Smirnov appeared in the Los Angeles federal court on Monday morning, accompanied by his attorney David Chesnoff, to ask for his temporary release from custody.

Weiss' deputies Leo Wise and Derek Hines, who have also been running a tax crimes prosecution against Hunter Biden, appeared for the government.

In court filings, prosecutors said Smirnov had planned to be back in the US for just two days, before flying to meet his Kremlin spy contacts.

Smirnov was arrested on February 14 as he arrived in Las Vegas from a foreign trip.

A federal judge sitting in Vegas allowed Smirnov to be released Tuesday evening following a hearing, with certain conditions attached including a GPS monitor and the surrender of his U.S. and Israeli passports.

But Judge Wright ordered Smirnov's re-arrest on Thursday and set the hearing on his detainment in Los Angeles.

Smirnov's cousin Linor Shefer was in court on Monday.She was a contestant on the Israeli version of reality show Big Brother, and in 2014 won the Moscow beauty pageant Miss Jewish Star

Smirnov's business parter Nadav Rozenberg was also in court to support him in his bid for freedom

Shefer, pleaded with the judge to release him in a letter filed to the Los Angeles federal court on Friday.

Shefer said Smirnov lived in the US 'almost half his life', and promised he would not flee prosecution.

She wrote that he grew up in Israel, spoke Russian after living in Ukraine under Soviet rule, but has lived in the US 'more than any other country', and that prosecutors' claim that he had no ties here was false.

She added that he is a 'sick man' with glaucoma who 'barely sees out of both of his eyes'.

Nikolay Lavrenyuk  who described himself as a US government economist in the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and a former Marine  also wrote to the judge asking for his release.

In a filing on Friday, Chesnoff argued that a pretrial services officer Emily McKillip recommended his release.

Weiss said Smirnov had avoided disclosing that he had access to almost $6million in 'liquid funds', including $3.8million accessible by Lavrenyuk, who pays his personal expenses from her own account.

Residency records show her living with Smirnov in San Juan Capistrano, California, until 2023, though the home was in Nikolay's name.

She bought a three-bed, 2,805 sq ft condo in a Vegas luxury high-rise for $980,000 in February 2022 and moved there last year, neighbors told DailyMail.com. Weiss said bank records show Smirnov wired her large amounts before the purchase.

Former neighbors told DailyMail.com last week that they picked up hints of Smirnov's double life in his mysterious and vague descriptions of his work with the government.

One neighbor in the cul-de-sac of the gated San Juan Capistrano community said that Smirnov had even mentioned a meeting with the Afghan minister of defense and contacts with senior US officials.

Smirnov's claims of Biden bribes had been an important component of the GOP's impeachment case against Biden.

But House committee chiefs told DailyMail.com that they had plenty of evidence of potential corruption besides Smirnov's claims, and that their impeachment case did not rely on him.

'Nothing has changed. We have plenty of evidence that shows impeachable conduct,' Judiciary Committee spokesman Russell Dye said.

House Oversight Chair James Comer, who is running the Biden impeachment probe, said that the FBI had at first refused to hand over the write-up of Smirnov's interviews because they didn't want to compromise their 'invaluable' source.

'FBI officials and Director (Christopher) Wray refused to release the form publicly because they claimed it would jeopardize the safety of a confidential human source who they claimed was invaluable to the FBI,' Comer said in a statement.

'When asked by the committee about their confidence in the confidential human source, the FBI told the committee the confidential human source was credible and trusted, had worked with the FBI for over a decade, and had been paid six figures.

'The FBI had this form for years and it appears they did nothing to verify the troubling claims contained within the record until Congress became aware of and demanded access to them.'
Irish music legend Sinead O'Connor's gravestone has been revealed for the first time, seven months after she suddenly died of natural causes at the age of 56.

The star, 56, was found 'unresponsive' after police were called to her flat in Herne Hill, south-east London, in July last year.

Detectives did not not treat the star's sudden death as suspicious and officials said she had died of natural causes.

She was laid to rest in a single plot at Deansgrange Cemetery on Dublins southside shortly after her passing, and her headstone has now been unveiled to the world.

The simple grey headstone lists her name and the dates of her birth and death.

The simple grey headstone lists her name and the dates of her birth and death

Sinead O'Connor (pictured) was raised a Catholic, but converted to Islam in 2018, and changed her named to Shuhada, which means 'martyrs' in Arabic

O'Connor passed away in July 2023 in her home in London

Underneath, in English, it reads 'God is love', and underneath that, in Arabic, it reads 'Allah is the greatest.'

O'Connor was raised a Catholic, but converted to Islam in 2018, and changed her named to Shuhada, which means 'martyrs' in Arabic.

She died 18 months after the mother-of-four's son Shane, 17, took his life in January 2022 after escaping hospital.

In her last Tweet, O'Connor posted a photo of Shane and said: 'Been living as undead night creature since. He was the love of my life, the lamp of my soul.

'We were one soul in two halves. He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally. I am lost in the bardo without him.'

Police were called at just before 11am on July 26 to Ms O'Connor's home in the SE24 area of London, which covers genteel Herne Hill and sits between Brixton and Dulwich.

Notable SE24 residents include actors Mark Rylance, Olivia Colman and James Nesbitt.

It came as MailOnline revealed that Ms O'Connor had just moved back to London at the start of July  calling the city her 'home'  and described her hope and excitement at seeing the ballet and writing new songs in the days before she died.

She also said on Facebook that she wanted to go on tour next year in a buoyant post declaring: 'The b**** is back', with fans hoping the fragile star was beating the depression and suicidal thoughts that dogged her for so many years, especially after the death of her son Shane last year aged 17.
A Democratic operative who paid a magician to fake a Joe Biden robocall telling voters they did not need to vote in the primary has no regrets but did call for action to prevent others from doing what he did in the future.

Steve Kramer, who consulted for long-shot Democratic presidential hopeful Dean Phillips campaign, gave a non-apology statement and interview to NBC News.

'The evening of Sunday, January 20th, 2 days before the New Hampshire primary, I sent out an automated call to 5,000 most likely to vote Democrats. Using easy to use online technology, an automated version of President Joe Biden's voice was created,' Kramer said in the statement.

Kramer used the statement to call for more enforcement to prevent others from doing what he did, but he did not apologize.

With a mere $500 investment, anyone could replicate my intentional call, he stated. Immediate action is needed across all regulatory bodies and platforms.

In a separate interview with NBC on Sunday, Kramer claimed he planned the fake robocall as an act of civil disobedience to call attention to the dangers of AI and compared himself to American Revolutionary heroes Paul Revere and Thomas Paine.

New Orleans street magician Paul Carpenter said he was paid $150 by a Democratic consultant to create a deepfake of President Biden for a robocall telling his supporters they didn't need to show up and vote in the Democratic New Hampshire primary

Steve Kramer admitted to sending the robocall that used AI to imitate President Biden ahead of the New Hampshire primary

This comes after New Orleans street magician Paul Carpenter said he was hired by Kramer to imitate Biden's voice. After receiving a $150 Venmo payment, Carpenter used AI software to imitate Biden's voice in a message urging Democrats they didn't need to turn up for the New Hampshire primary.

Carpenter told NBC News it only took him 20 minutes to put together the fake audio at a cost of $1, netting him a profit of $149.

'It's so scary that it's this easy to do,' Carpenter told the outlet. 'People aren't ready for it.'

Carpenter insisted he did not think it was going to be used and he didn't believe he was going to end up in the middle of a national political scandal. He admitted he had never heard of Phillips and assumed Kramer was working for the Biden campaign.

'I was in a situation where someone offered me some money to do something, and I did it,' he said. 'There was no malicious intent. I didn't know how it was going to be distributed.'

Illusionist Paul Carpenter, who holds records in fork bending and getting out of straight jackets, says he was hired by Dean Phillips operative Steve Kramer in January to imitate Biden's voice

He told NBC News it only took him 20 minutes to put together the fake audio at a cost of $1, netting him a profit of $149

Longshot Democratic presidential hopeful Dean Phillips posted that he was 'glad' the consultant hired by his campaign 'fessed-up.' He previously said he was 'disgusted' an operative would pay for a fake robocall in response to the initial report

The robocall sparked an investigation which is looking into two Texas companies where the calls allegedly originated and were transmitted from.

The probe is intended to make an example of operations involved in A.I., amid fears schemes could be used in the 2024 election.

Earlier this month, the Federal Communications Commission banned the use AI-generated voices in robocalls.

In the interview with NBC, Kramer said he was ' not afraid to testify' and said 'I know why I did everything.'

He also said he received a subpoena from the FCC and suspects he could even face jail time.

The Louisiana resident, who doesn't have a fixed address and calls himself a 'digital nomad artist of life', insists he didn't think it was going to be used

The Biden robocall sparked a federal law enforcement investigation. A Dallas company where the calls allegedly originated from is being investigated

Glad he fessed-up.



America should already have AI guardrails in place to prevent its nefarious use.



The next generation of executive leadership must better anticipate and prepare for the future. https://t.co/ce5k0NioeD  Dean Phillips (@deanbphillips) February 25, 2024

Kramer was a paid consultant for the Phillips campaign hired to help improve voter outreach.

Phillips responded to the report of the fake robocall with a post on X saying he was 'disgusted' that a consultant hired by his campaign is 'alleged to have faked a robocall impersonating Joe Biden.' He called such behavior 'despicable.'

In response to Kramer's statement, Phillips posted on X, 'Glad he fessed-up.'

'America should already have AI guardrails in place to prevent its nefarious use. The next generation of executive leadership must better anticipate and prepare for the future,' Phillips continued.
Staff at the Subway told her to contact the corporate office, and her bank refused to dispute the charge

The receipt shows she was charged $1,021.50 for the order, including $1,010 for just one sub

A Ohio woman charged over $1,000 for only three Subway sandwiches was forced to wait weeks for a refund - making it difficult for her to afford groceries.

Letitia Bishop said she stopped at the Thorntons gas station in Columbus, Ohio, to purchase three subs for her and her family on January 5.

The receipt, obtained by WSYX, shows she was charged $1,021.50 for the order, including $1,010 for just one sandwich.

The typical cost of a sandwich from Subway ranges between $6.50 and $12.

'There's no way, unless it's wrapped in gold or from some other place. I would never pay $1,010 for a Subway sandwich,' Bishop told the local outlet.

Letitia Bishop said she stopped at the Thorntons gas station in Columbus, Ohio, to purchase three subs for her and her family on January 5

The receipt, obtained by WSYX , shows she was charged $1,021.50 for the order, including $1,010 for just one sandwich

She went back to the shop and was told by staff to contact the company's corporate office.

'I talked to the Subway person in person, and just was trying to see what was going on, and to see if they can instantly credit me back. They told me I had to get hold of Subway [directly]. There's no phone number that leads to a live person,' she said.

After attempting to dispute the charges with her bank, she returned to the store to find it had closed.

According to Subway's website, the store at 4600 Winchester Pike is temporarily closed.

'I'm just trying to make ends meet at this point,' she said. 'Stressed, overwhelmed -- I couldn't get groceries at one point because my account was negative.'

In a statement to Business Insider Monday, Bishop said she received a cash refund from a Thortons regional manner, nearly two months after the charge.

In November, an Atlanta woman was charged thousands of dollars at her local Subway after the store's card machine apparently changed screens while she was completing her purchase.

Vera Conner was at a College Park Subway when she ordered a #4 Supreme Meats -commonly known as the Italian Sub - for an exact $7.54.

But a few days later, she discovered a $7,112.98 charge instead of the regular amount.

After attempting to dispute the charges with her bank, she returned to the store at 4600 Winchester Pike (pictured) to find it had closed

In November, an Atlanta woman was charged thousands of dollars at her local Subway after the store's card machine apparently changed screens while she was completing her purchase

The shocked customer noticed that the number on the gratuity line matched several digits of her telephone number.

Conner believes that the screen changed to 'requesting a tip' when she was trying to enter her phone number to collect her Subway rewards points.

She said the store manager declined to talk to her and her credit card company, Bank of America, sent a denial letter instead of helping her.

Once she went public with her story, Subway told Channel 2 they were aware that she had disputed the charge.

Bank of America also contacted Subway and its corporate offices and requested a chargeback - which the fast-food chain has now confirmed that it will process.
Jeffrey Epstein's 'House of Sin' flat in Paris - which played host to Prince Andrew - has sold for just over 8million after the price had to be heavily slashed.

The disgraced financier and paedophile is said to have raped underage girls at the Parisienne apartment, where he committed some of his worst sex offences.

The luxurious French flat, near the Arc de Triomphe landmark, has been sold to a Bulgarian investor for 8.2million - 2million less than the asking price.

The lair was once decorated with Epstein's skull and eyeball artworks, but now lies shuttered and empty, The Sun reports. Sources claim that some of the proceeds from the sale could be given to Epstein's victims in the future.

It comes as French cops have been asked to reopen an investigation into the suicide of Epstein's French 'pimp', Jean-Luc Brunel, who allegedly procured more than 1,000 women and girls for the financier to sleep with.

Disgraced financier and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein hanged himself in prison while serving time for sex offences

Jeffrey Epstein's 'House of Sin' flat in Paris - which played host to Prince Andrew - has sold for just over 8million after the price had to be heavily slashed

The stunning French flat, near the Arc de Triomphe landmark, has been sold to a Bulgarian investor for 8.2million - 2million less than the asking price

Prince Andrew leaves sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's home and go for a stroll together through New York's Central Park in 2011

The fashion agent was in his mid 70s when he was found hanging in his cell at the La Sante Prison in Paris in February 2022 while serving time for supplying underage girls to the financier.

Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexual assault, also claimed to have been abused by Brunel.

The Paris flat where both Andrew and Brunel met Epstein has been sold to Bulgarian plastic packaging businessman Georgi Tuchev, who brokered it through Sotheby's for a 360,000 fee.

A source involved in the deal told The Sun: 'It's claimed that some of the money from the proceeds will eventually be used to compensate victims of Epstein's sex ring.

'Clearly, the history of the building didn't help with the sales process and it sold for substantially less than the asking price.

'Its dark past will have something to do with that - as well as the fact that the building has long been regarded as a crime scene.'

The Paris source claimed that socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, currently serving 20 years behind bars on sex trafficking offences, and Andrew were also guests.

Another investigating source said the apartment 'remains of interest'.

Andrew was said to have been told by Epstein to treat the second-floor apartment 'as his own' - and most of his trips came after the sex offender was convicted of abusing young women in 2008.

Jean-Luc Brunel (right with Epstein and Maxwell) allegedly procured more than 1,000 women and girls for the financier to sleep with. He hanged himself in jail

Virginia Roberts photographed with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell in early 2001

A picture taken on August 12, 2019 shows an apartment building owned by Jeffrey Epstein in the 16th arrondissement of Paris

The Paris flat where both Andrew and Brunel met Epstein has been sold to Bulgarian plastic packaging businessman Georgi Tuchev, who brokered it through Sotheby's for a 360,000 fee

A French inquiry was launched in August 2019 after prosecutors heard that Brunel and Andrew both allegedly abused Guiffre.

Andrew maintains that he does not recall meeting Guiffre despite there being a picture of them together at Maxwell's London townhouse.

Both Andrew and Brunel are said to have spent time at the Paris flat around the time of the alleged offences, but there is no suggestion that the duke was involved in any crimes there.

Police arrested Brunel in December 2020 while trying to board a plane to Dakar in Senegal. He told detectives: 'I'm going on holiday.'

Bruenl was charged by French cops after being accused of supplying young girls to Epstein through his model agency links.

One of the allegations was that he flew three under-ages sisters from a housing estate in Paris to America as a 'birthday present' for Epstein.

The sale of the flat comes after the Duke of York was dragged back into the spotlight last month after newly-released court documents released in the US alleged that Andrew had an orgy with underage girls and touched a woman's breast while posing with a puppet of himself.

Andrew has always denied all accusations.
Anti-impeachment Republican Rep. Ken Buck is now calling for President Biden to be removed from office another way - through the 25th Amendment.

The Colorado Republican claims that Biden is not fit to serve after Special Counsel Robert Hur found the president mishandled classified documents because he is elderly and forgetful.

A resolution he introduced Monday demands Vice President Kamala Harris immediately convene the Cabinet and declare 'what is obvious to a horrified nation: That the President is unable to successfully discharge the duties and powers of his office.'

A majority of Biden's 12 Cabinet members would have to provide Congress with written notice of their belief that their boss is not fit to serve.

Anti-impeachment Republican Rep. Ken Buck is now calling for President Biden to be removed from office another way - through the 25th Amendment

n addition to the damning Hur report, Buck notes Biden, 81, 'has been televised wandering aimlessly at events,' falls walking up the stairs of Air Force One and often speaks in an 'incoherent and indiscernible manner'

The Colorado Republican claims that Biden is not fit to serve after Special Counsel Robert Hur found the president mishandled classified documents because he is elderly and forgetful

'The societal challenges and security threats our country faces are innumerable and require a chief executive with both strong mental and physical faculties,' Buck told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'The time has come for the vice president and the Cabinet to put our country first and move forward on invoking the 25th Amendment.'

In addition to the damning Hur report, Buck notes Biden, 81, 'has been televised wandering aimlessly at events,' falls walking up the stairs of Air Force One and often speaks in an 'incoherent and indiscernible manner.'

Hur in his report declined to recommend prosecuting Biden, who had placed classified documents in his garage in Delaware, in his think tank office and even shared them with a biographer because he is a 'sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.'

In an interview with Hur, Biden could not recall what years he was vice president and when his son Beau had died.

Hur's report proved politically explosive, and precipitated an angry press conference by the president Thursday night - where Biden confused the president of Mexico with the president of Egypt.

Buck even referenced Biden's meeting with the late Russian dissident Alexei Navalny's wife Yulia Navalnaya, after which Biden referred to her as 'Yolanda.'

'President Biden represents the interests of the United States before hostile foreign leaders, and is authorized to respond to endless domestic and international emergencies, all of which necessitate a leader who is of sound mind,' the resolution reads.

Buck, who is retiring from his seat at the end of this congressional term, has long been opposed to the Biden impeachment efforts in the House, deeming them 'failure theater.' He was one of only three House Republicans who opposed the impeachment resolution of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas.
Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump are ready to let bygones be bygones, with the teams of both party leaders in talks about the Senate GOP leader endorsing Trump's 2024 campaign.

The Kentucky Republican is the highest-ranking and only member of Senate Republican leadership who has not yet endorsed the former president after Whip John Thune gave Trump's re-election his blessing over the weekend.

Though McConnell and Trump have not spoken since December 2020, the two party leaders' political operations have been in talks about the endorsement that could bring together the MAGA and Trump-reluctant wings of the Republican Party, a source involved confirmed to DailyMail.com after the New York Times first reported.

A nod from the GOP leader could open up a whole new class of establishment, McConnell backing donors for the former president.

Trump has already been forced to spend $50 million on legal bills as campaign season kicks into high gear and President Biden's operation is expected to outspend Trump and his orbit.

Trump, with McConnell, front left, arrives at the US Capitol to attend the Republicans weekly policy luncheon on March 10, 2020

For McConnell, endorsing Trump could smooth over discontent from his own right wing colleagues who have begun calling on him to step down.

Trump for years has lobbed vicious attacks at McConnell, who he's described as 'old crow' and even a 'piece of s**t.'

He's attacked McConnell's wife and his own Transportation secretary, Elaine Chao, as 'Coco Chow' and McConnell's 'China-loving wife.'

McConnell has long said he will support his party's nominee while avoiding discussing Trump by name.

Less than a week ago Trump said he didn't know if he could work with McConnell if elected.

For McConnell, endorsing Trump could smooth over discontent from his own right wing colleagues who have begun calling on him to step down

'He'll probably end up endorsing me. I don't know that I can work with him,' Trump said during a town hall on Fox News' 'The Ingraham Angle' on Tuesday. 'He gave away trillions of dollars that he didn't have to, trillions of dollars. He made it very easy for the Democrats.'

McConnell, for his part, has condemned Trump's role in the January 6 riot, calling it a 'disgraceful dereliction of duty.' Chao resigned the day after the attack, deeming it 'a traumatic and entirely avoidable event.'

Trump has most recently worked to undermine McConnell by lobbying against a bipartisan foreign aid and immigration bill he had supported.

McConnell has been pleading for further aid for Ukraine, which the package included and Trump and his supporters have railed against.

But McConnell and Trump worked together to push through a major tax cut package in 2017, and confirm a record number of federal judges and three Supreme Court justices.
The RAF's most senior officer at the Pentagon has been accused of a 20,000 housing fraud scheme.

Wing Commander Alex Drysdale is alleged to have continued claiming a military housing allowance even after he bought a house in Las Vegas and became no longer entitled to it.

He is accused of squirrelling away the funds and concealing it from the Ministery of Defence (MoD) - and his wife.

Drysdale allegedly conceived the scam after learning he was to be seconded to the Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability (AFWIC), placing him at the heart of America's Department of Defense.

Whilst becoming one of the RAF's most senior commanders in the US, military strategist Drysdale is alleged to have plotted to keep an illicit cash fund away from his wife.

Wing Commander Alex Drysdale (pictured at court on Monday) is alleged to have continued claiming a military housing allowance even after he bought a house in Las Vegas and became no longer entitled to it

He is accused of squirrelling away the funds and concealing it from the Ministery of Defence (MoD) - and his wife

Drysdale allegedly conceived the scam after learning he was to be seconded to the Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability (AFWIC), placing him at the heart of America's Department of Defense. Pictured: The headquarters of the US Department of Defense, The Pentagon

He arranged for an Overseas Rent Allowance (ORA) of 2,408 a month, to which he was not entitled, to be paid into a secret bank account only he knew about.

The purpose, the military court at Catterick, North Yorkshire, was told, was so that 'he could keep the funds for himself.'

Drysdale, who began his RAF career as a search and rescue pilot in Moray, Scotland in 2006, denies defrauding the MoD of 19,502 in ORA, claiming his failure to tell them of a change in circumstances was 'an oversight.'

However the court heard he submitted a false document in support of his claim, which amounted to 'a lie intended to conceal a deliberate fraud'.

The Wing Commander even told his wife, who was studying to become a nurse, that the couple and their family would no longer be receiving ORA into their joint account.

But unknown to her he continued to claim the cash and had it paid into his own account.

Commodore James Farrant, prosecuting, told the court: 'He opened a new bank account to conceal these matters from his wife.

'He transferred the allowance payments from their joint account to a bank account that was his and his alone.

The case is being heard at the military court at Catterick, North Yorkshire (stock photo)

'He told his wife that he expected the allowance to cease and he knew that she was under that impression. She did not know he was still claiming it.

'He did this because he intended to keep and use the funds for himself.'

The hearing was told that British service personnel working overseas are entitled to ORA if they rent property during their posting - however if they buy their home the allowance will stop.

Drysdale and his family had been in the United States since 2011, with Drysdale mostly working in the Nevada area.

The family rented a property in Las Vegas, paying the rent but claiming it back from British Defence Services, who also paid them a Fuel and Lighting Allowance.

However in 2021, Drysdale and his wife decided to buy their home but he did not declare the sale and secretly continued to claim back the rent money.

Commodore Farrant said the fraudulent behaviour began soon after Drysdale was promoted from Squadron leader to Wing Commander in March 2021.

It meant he was told he would be leaving his role at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada for a new post with AFWIC based 2,400 miles away at The Pentagon.

Drysdale decided to leave his family behind in Las Vegas because his wife had started a nursing degree, choosing to rent a property in Washington DC and return home to Las Vegas whenever work allowed.

Drysdale, who began his RAF career as a search and rescue pilot in Moray, Scotland in 2006, denies defrauding the MoD of 19,502 in ORA, claiming his failure to tell them of a change in circumstances was 'an oversight'

At the same time, following the promotion, he decided to buy their home in Las Vegas with the sale going through in February 2022.

He explained to his wife that as a result they would no longer be receiving ORA, while secretly continuing to claim it, the court heard.

Commodore Farrant said that Drysdale sent a rent agreement to British Defence Services in support of his continued claim for ORA.

However he failed to inform them the agreement had been cancelled when the sale of the home went through, which was described as 'the clearest example' of his intention to deceive.

Commodore Farrant said: 'The prosecution case is that Wing Commander Drysdale deliberately and dishonestly concealed the fact he purchased his home from British Defence Services in order to continue claiming the allowance.'

The court heard that when the fraud was discovered, Drysdale broke down in tears and claimed he did not know what he had done wrong.

He subsequently repaid the money he claimed through deception, the court heard.

Wing Commander Drysdale denies fraud by false representation and the trial, expected to last a week, continues.
Donald Trump says it's President Joe Biden's fault that a nursing student in Georgia was murdered by an illegal immigrant.

Laken Riley, 22, went out for a joj last week and was reported missing by her roommate when she didn't return. Her body was found Thursday and illegal Venezuelan immigrant Jose Antonio Ibarra was charged with her murder on Friday.

Now, Trump says Riley's death is Biden's fault  and pointed to the president's lax policies at the southern border regarding influxes in illegal migration.

Both Biden and Trump are visiting Texas on Thursday as the border swiftly became one of the biggest issues in the 2024 election.

'Crooked Joe Biden's Border INVASION is destroying our country and killing our citizens!' Trump lamented in a Truth Social post on Monday.

'The horrible murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley at the University of Georgia should have NEVER happened!' he added. 'The monster who took her life illegally entered our Country in 2022and then was released AGAIN by Radical Democrats in New York after injuring a CHILD!!'

Donald Trump blamed President Joe Biden's 'border invasion' for the murder a University of Georgia nursing student. Pictured: Trump visits a part of his wall at the southern border in Alamo, Texas on January 12, 2021

Laken Riley, 22, was on a jog Thursday when her roommate reported her missing. Her body was found in a wooded area near Lake Herrick in Athens, Georgia

Trump said in a Truth Social post on Monday that if president again he would 'begin the largest deportation operation of illegal criminals in American history'

Riley was a nursing student at the University of Georgia. Her body was found in a wooded area near Lake Herrick. Her family responded to her murder by asking for prayers and privacy in a statement to Fox News.

Meanwhile, Ibarra is being held at the Athens-Clarke County Jail. The 26-year-old is not an American citizen but resides near Athens, Georgia. A judge denied bond on Saturday morning.

Ibarra faces charges of murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing someone's death.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, was identified and charged for allegedly murdering nursing student Laken Riley, 22. The Venezuelan migrant lives near Athens with illegal status

The latest just goes to bolster claims from Republicans that with such a large flow of migration over the border, it's impossible to know for sure who is being let live in the country for months and years on end while they await asylum proceedings.

The border has over the last several years become a No. 1 issue for Americans, especially Republicans and pro-Trump subsets of the party.

Trump has promised the ' largest deportation' in U.S. history of illegal immigrants if he becomes president again in 2024.

Meanwhile, Biden is scrambling to address the issue before November.

Reports emerged that Biden is considering taking executive action at the border that would create more strict standards for claiming asylum and allow for an expedited deportation process of illegal crossers.

Democrats and progressives complain this is too similar to what Trump was doing at the border during his time in office.

Biden is visiting the southern border in Texas on Thursday, which the White House announced after Trump said he was also going to the border state that day.

President Biden is visiting the southern border on Thursday  the same day Trump will be in Eagle Pass also visiting a popular crossing point along the Texas border with Mexico

'When I am your President, we will immediately Seal the Border, Stop the Invasion, and on Day One, we will begin the largest deportation operation of illegal CRIMINALS in American History!' Trump wrote in his post. 'May God Bless Laken Riley and her family!!! Our prayers are with you!'

Biden's southern border state visit this week is in Brownsville, Texas, where the president will meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement and local leaders.

Trump's Thursday visit will be about 300 miles from Biden to the northwest along the border with Mexico in Eagle Pass, Texas.

Under Biden, record numbers of migrants have crossed over the southern border.

There were a record number of migrant encounters in December when Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported a new high of 301,983 crossings in a single month. This number does not include the gotaways  or those who evaded detection by border authorities.
The dead Americans got over $127 million through a Democrat-led pension 'bailout' included in the American Rescue Plan

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy is demanding the return of millions of taxpayer dollars shelled out to dead Americans.

Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, says nearly 3,500 dead Americans got over $127 million through a Democrat-led pension 'bailout' included in the American Rescue Plan.

The top Republican sent a letter to the Central States Pension Fund demanding a refund for hardworking taxpayers on Monday.

The Louisiana lawmaker claims the dead Americans received millions in Special Financial Assistance (SFA) bailouts as a result of the Democrats' American Rescue Plan, which passed in 2021.

And the agency has not returned the excess funding.

Sen. Bill Cassidy wrote a letter to Central States Pension Fund asking for a$127 million

Cassidy is the most senior Republican of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

The law authorized the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to provide billions of dollars in bailout funding to pensions nationwide, but the corporation, Cassidy says, did not properly double-check Central States' request.

'As a result, PBGC did not notice the 3,479 dead participants Central States included in its SFA bailout application,' Cassidy wrote in a letter to Central States' Executive Director Thomas Nyhan.

'PBGCs reliance resulted in Central States receiving $127 million in overpaid funding for nearly 3,500 applicants who were dead at the time of its application.'

Central States' application for taxpayer-funded bailout money totaled $35.8 billion, and PBGC approved it in full, according to the letter.

Later, it was discovered that Central States included 3,479 dead participants in its application for bailout money.

'In other words, the extra $127 million Central States received as a result of its own failure to provide accurate census information was a windfall to Central States to which it was not otherwise entitled,' Cassidy wrote.

'Central States attorneys have refused my staffs requests to return the overpaid SFA bailout funding to the American taxpayers,' he added.

Central States Pension Fund did not return DailyMail.com's request for comment.

The American Rescue Plan, however, was not the only Covid-era legislation that awarded taxpayer dollars to the dead.

Treasury Department sent over $1.4 billion in stimulus payments to dead Americans during the Covid pandemic.

The American Rescue Plan, however, was not the only Covid-era legislation that awarded taxpayer dollars to the dead

Treasury Department sent over $1.4 billion in stimulus payments to dead Americans during the Covid pandemic

By April 30 2020, the Treasury sent checks to 1.1 million dead people, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.

Further, a 2023 analysis from the Associated Press found that over $400 billion of Covid aid was lost to fraud or wasted.

Cassidy requested that Central States respond to his letter no later than March 11 with answers to whether or not the pension will commit to refunding taxpayers.
Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel had been sailing around the Caribbean island and have not yet been found

Trevon Robertson, Ron Mitchell and Atiba Stanislaus, were all charged in relation to their illegal entry into the country

The three Grenadian inmates that are suspected of killing a Virginia couple were seen in court on Monday

The three Grenadian inmates suspected of killing a Virginia couple on their yacht and tossing their bodies overboard appeared in court as the family has desperately pleaded for answers.

Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel had been sailing around the Caribbean island and had docked near Saint George's when their catamaran was hijacked on February 18.

Police fear they may have been murdered by suspects Trevon Robertson, Ron Mitchell and Atiba Stanislaus, who were seen leaving Kingstown Magistrate Court on Monday in St. Vincent.

The trio has been charged with entering the country by boat and disembarking without the consent of an Immigration officer, entering without a passport, entering at a point other than an official port of entry and landing as a prohibited immigrant.

They have only been charged in relation to their illegal entry into the country, and are expected back in court on March 4. Ralph and Kathy's bodies have not yet been recovered but 'copious amounts of blood' were found in their bedroom aboard the vessel.

The trio were were being held at the South Saint George's Police Station on the island when they escaped and are believed to have killed the couple before travelling to St. Vincent.

The couple, who were lifelong sailors and married 27 years, have been able to travel to 'many parts of the world' due to their boat lifestyle and were living a 'life of joy and love'. Pictured together: Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel

The suspects, Trevon Robertson (left), Atiba Stanislaus (middle) and Ron Mitchell (right) are seen walking out of Kingstown Magistrate Court on Monday in St. Vincent. Police fear that Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel were murdered by the escaped inmates

The couple's family was hopeful they would be found, but evidence on their boat indicates 'they were likely injured'

According to investigators, each of the inmates was charged with violent robbery before they managed to escape. Mitchell was also previously charged with rape, attempted rape and indecent assault.

Brandel's son Nick Buro said the family was hopeful that his parents will be found, but evidence on their boat indicates 'they were likely injured.'

'The boat itself was ransacked and everything was strewn about in the entire cabin so clearly there was an altercation of some type that took place on the boat,' he told CNN Sunday, adding: 'We are doing our best to try and get answers.'

Police later said that the couple is presumed dead and their remains were likely tossed into the ocean. He added there was no proof they were dead, but admitted it was a 'low probability' they are alive.

The couple, who are in their 60s, live aboard the vessel, named 'Simplicity' and were enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime trip which they had been planning for 12 years.

AIS data indicates that the vessel left Grenada around 10 pm from Grand Anse Beach before it was discovered the following Wednesday at Wallilabou Bay.

The Salty Dawg Sailing Association, which the couple were members of, said a cruising skipper reported Simplicity abandoned off of the coast of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The person 'found evidence of violence' on the boat, it said.

It is understood that the boat was found with bloodstains on the interior and the pair's personal belongings rummaged through, but no sign of the couple.

'The boat itself was ransacked and everything was strewn about in the entire cabin so clearly there was an altercation of some type that took place on the boat,' Buro told CNN.

'We are concerned for their safety overall because it does appear that they were likely injured.'

He said that his mother and stepfather were 'super careful' and 'safety was their top, top concern' everywhere they travelled. He suspects the 'unfortunate' and 'horrific' event likely 'came out of nowhere for them'.

Two of the three murder suspects are seen hiding their faces with paper in the back of a pickup truck after they exited the court. The person in the middle is another prisoner being transported who is not related to the case

Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, (pictured) who are in their 60s, live aboard the vessel, named 'Simplicity' and were enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime trip that they had been planning for 12 years

The boat was found 85 nautical miles from where the couple had last been seen on it

READ MORE: Family of retired Virginia couple presumed dead reveal their haunting final movements before three escaped inmates hijacked their yacht Advertisement

'What really, really is upsetting, is that that safety was taken,' Buro told WJLA, hailing the situation as an absolute 'nightmare'.

The couple have lived on Simplicity since 2013, after they decided to sell their home and the majority of their possessions to buy a boat.

They spent most of their time stationed in Florida, but would travel to Rhode Island during hurricane season. This winter was the first time the pair had sailed to the Caribbean.

Although Brandel 'worked her whole life' and has since retired, Buro said that Hendry - who is in the financial services industry - had 'continued to work from the boat'.

The couple, who were lifelong sailors and married 27 years, have been able to travel to 'many parts of the world' due to their boat lifestyle and were living a 'life of joy and love'.

Bryan Hendry, son of Hendry, revealed that his parents just 'wanted to immerse themselves in different communities and share love and spread joy'.

He added: 'If I do see my parents again, it would be the happiest moment of my life.'

Authorities have yet to officially confirm Brandel and Hendry as the owners of the yacht, but the Salty Dawg Sailing Association released a statement citing them as the owners.

The couple had been sailing on their catamaran yacht 'Simplicity' and were enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime trip when the incident occurred

Atiba Stanislaus is seen walking out of the courthouse with his head down and one of his buttons undone on his checkered shirt. The three inmates were previously charged with violent robbery before they escaped prison

Ron Mitchell is seen shielding his face with a green paper as he is loaded on to the back of a truck. He was also previously charged with rape, attempted rape and indecent assault

The missing couple's family met with authorities in St. Vincent on Saturday, where they were seen boarding the Simplicity. It was being guarded by officials, one of whom was wearing latex gloves.

Hendry's family issued a statement Saturday thanking police, local coast guards and all those who helped authorities gather information.

'It means so much to us that so many people cared for Ralph and Kathy as friends and fellow cruisers that they are willing to stop and help in whatever way possible,' the family said. They also asked that all those trying to conduct independent searches to 'stand down.'

'The only way we feel this situation could be worse would be if anyone was hurt or endangered trying to conduct searches,' the family said.

Authorities in Grenada said they had dispatched senior investigators and a forensic specialist to the nearby island of St. Vincent, where the escaped prisoners were arrested Wednesday.

The prisoners, ages 19, 25 and 30, were charged a couple of months ago with one count of robbery with violence.

Mitchell, the eldest inmate, was also was charged with one count of rape, three counts of attempted rape and two counts of indecent assault and causing harm, police in Grenada said.

The three men escaped from their holding cell Feb. 18, according to police.

Authorities said a preliminary investigation suggested the three men seized the yacht at Grenada's capital, St. George's, and traveled to St. Vincent.

Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel (pictured) had been sailing around the Caribbean island and had docked near Saint George's when their catamaran was taken on February 18. Police fear the couple may have been murdered by three men who escaped a Grenada jail

Bryan Hendry (pictured with his father) added: 'If I do see my parents again, it would be the happiest moment of my life'

A GoFundMe page has since been set up by a family friend in order to help recover the boat and their belongings, as well as funeral costs. Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel are pictured with their family

A GoFundMe page has since been set up by a family friend in order to help recover the boat and their belongings, as well as funeral costs.

The page, which has already raised over $50,000, states: 'Kathy and Ralph were seasoned sailors who lived on their beloved catamaran, Simplicity.

'Their lives ended in unimaginable tragedy on Sunday, February 19th, off the shores of Grand Anse Beach, Grenada.

'Their final voyage with the Salty Dawg Sailing Crew took an unthinkable turn as Simplicity was found abandoned in St. Vincent, bearing chilling evidence of a violent struggle.

'This heartbreaking tragedy has left not only the sailing community, but also their families, shattered.'
The widow of a prominent Wall Street investor has donated $1 billion to a Bronx medical school for tuition for all future students.

The gift from Ruth Gottesman, 93, is the largest-ever to a US medical university, and comes from the fortune left behind by her late husband, David 'Sandy' Gottesman.

A protege of Warren Buffet, Sandy passed away aged 96 in late 2022, leaving behind a hefty stock portfolio filled with shares of Buffet's hallowed Berkshire Hathaway, each valued at $618,080.

His only instructions to his wife of 72 years of what to do with it? 'Do whatever you think is right,' his will said.

Dr. Gottesman, in turn, donated $1billion of it to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine on Monday. She instructed that the gift be used to cover tuition for all students going forward.

Scroll down for video:

Dr. Ruth Gottesman, the widow of a former Warren Buffet investor, donated $1 billion to The Albert Einstein College of Medicine Monday to cover tuition for all future students

The reaction in the school's auditorium was swift and earnest, with several students seen shedding tears as many jumped in celebration

We are profoundly grateful that Dr. Ruth Gottesman, Professor Emerita of Pediatrics at @EinsteinMed, has made a transformational gift to #MontefioreEinsteinthe largest to any medical school in the countrythat ensures no student has to pay tuition again. https://t.co/XOy9HZLbfD pic.twitter.com/1ijv02jHFk  Montefiore Health System (@MontefioreNYC) February 26, 2024

'I'm happy to share with you that starting in August this year, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine will be tuition free,' Gottesman - who once taught at Einstein - announced in front of her alma mater Monday to uproarious applause.

The reaction was swift and earnest, with several students seen shedding tears as others jumped in celebration.

A standing ovation ensued, and the clip was quickly added to X.

Within a few hours, it had been viewed more than 20,000 times, eliciting a chorus of praise from those online.

'Their joy brought tears to my eyes,' one person wrote. 'This is what we need more of in this country. Billionaires really *can* help, if they wanted to.'

Congressman Ritchie Torres added: 'The people of the Bronx are eternally grateful for the generosity of Dr. Ruth Gottesman, whose donation to a Bronx-based institution, the Einstein College of Medicine, has no precedent in the history of our borough.'

'Thats is an amazing contribution!' someone else proclaimed, as Gottesman said she hoped her donation would enable new doctors to begin their careers without medical school debt, which often exceeds $200,000.

'We always hear the bad news, so rarely we hear the good ones!' the X user added, with others airing similar sentiments.

Gottesman, a pediatric professor at the school for some 55 years, told onlookers" 'I'm happy to share with you that starting in August this year, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine will be tuition free'

'Their joy brought tears to my eyes,' one person said of the donation, the biggest ever of its kind. 'This is what we need more of in this country. Billionaires really *can* help'

A standing ovation ensued, and the clip was quickly added to X. Several were seen shedding tears of joy, as most med grads leave school with some $200,000 in debt

The gift is the largest-ever to a US medical university, and goes to a school where she for years worked

'This is lovely! Especially at a time where some people dont respect doctors and pretend to be medical experts on X,' one such person noted.

Others cited how the donation was going to New York's poorest borough, which is often overlooked when it comes to donations.

One person wrote: 'This school is usually glossed over by donors as New York has a lot of great schools. Glad to see this.'

Another added a more money-minded assessment of Dr. Gottesman's generosity, remarking how the billion 'could be put into a decent mutual fund and return $70-$110 million a year.'

That, he said, 'would be more than enough to pay for tuition for all students' - as others all too familiar with the pain that comes with paying their way through med school also chiming in.

'This is fantastic news,' someone sniped.

'My wife is a trauma surgeon. Having med school paid for wouldve been amazing. Glad someone is making it happen.'

Previously, the biggest cash infusion for a college medical institution came in the form of a $600million donation to the California Institute of Technology from Intel founder Gordon Moore and his philanthropist wife Betty Moore in 2001.

The school itself is not a medical university, but much of the fund helped create the school's Center for Molecular Medicine, among other initiatives. The Moores donated an additional $100 million to Caltech in 2014, still well short of the billion offered up Monday by Dr. Gottesman.

The sum comes from the fortune left behind by her late husband, David 'Sandy' Gottesman. A protege of Warren Buffet, Sandy passed away at 96 in late 2022, leaving behind a hefty stock portfolio filled with shares of Buffet's hallowed Berkshire Hathaway, each valued at $618,080

He gave the entire portfolio to his wife after his death, writing in his will, 'Do whatever you think is right with it.' Forbes in 2022 estimated his fortune at $2.9 billion - with most coming from his ownership of Class A shares in Berkshire Hathaway

A flood of favorable reaction was seen on social media following the sudden announcement

A similar $550million donation to Western Michigan University in June 2021 from an unnamed alumni saw $300 million go to its Homer Stryker School of Medicine.

Other high-profile, high-priced donations have been made in the past to schools like Stanford and Columbia, with former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg doling out an astounding $1.8billion to Johns Hopkins University in 2018.

That said, the school is not a medical institution, making Dr. Gottesman's gift the biggest of her kind. Moreover, Bloomberg is worth an estimated $100billion - making his donation more of a drop in the bucket than Gottesman's gift of her husband's entire portfolio.

That sum had swelled for decades, after Sandy Gottesman became an early investor in his mentor's now costly conglomerate.

The pair met through mutual friends on Wall Street after Sandy graduated from Harvard Business School in the early 60s, launching a lifelong friendship that ended with Sandy's passing at his and his wife's home in Rye, New York.

At the time, Buffet, now 93, remembered his friend fondly, as Forbes estimated his fortune at $2.9 billion - with most coming from his ownership of Class A shares in Berkshire Hathaway.

He also left behind three adult kids he shares with Dr. Gottesman - who joined Einsteins Childrens Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center as a pediatrician in 1968.

In the decades that followed, she climbed the ranks to become the founding director of its Emily Fisher Landau Center for the Treatment of Learning Disabilities, after starting an adult literacy program there a few years before.

'I hope hes smiling and not frowning,' she said of what her husband might think of the gift from beyond the grave. 'But he gave me the opportunity to do this, and I think he would be happy - I hope so'

Over the course of 55 years, she and her husband also established the Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research, the Ruth L. Gottesman Clinical Skills Center and the Faculty Scholar in Epigenetics, while committing to help fund the school's strategic research priorities in Immunotherapeutics, Cancer, and the Brain Science Initiative.

She joined the school's board in 2002, became vice-chair in 2003, and ascended to the position of chair in 2007. She held the post for seven years until 2014, when she stepped down at age 83.

She told The New York Times Monday that she knew immediately what she was going to do with the funds, after her inheritance came as a surprise to even herself.

'I wanted to fund students at Einstein so that they would receive free tuition,' she said, as she is still close friends with the pediatrician oversees the medical college and its affiliated hospital, The Monefiore Medical Center.

'I hope hes smiling and not frowning,' she said of what her husband might think of the gift from beyond the grave. 'But he gave me the opportunity to do this, and I think he would be happy.

'I hope so.'
Police searching for missing toddler Xielo Maruziva have recruited a diving expert, who claimed to have found Nicola Bulley's body after 'six minutes' of trying last year.

Peter Faulding's Specialist Group International (SGI) helped in the hunt for Nicola's body in February 2023, with Mr Faulding later claiming he had found the missing mother in the River Wyre in Lancashire using advanced sonar in a matter of minutes.

The diving expert has previously slammed police handling of last year's search after authorities criticised his own involvement in the mission, which eventually took 23 days.

Mr Faulding said he had urged Lancashire Police at the time to use his divers - a request which was refused.

Now Leicestershire Police has turned to the expert to assist in the hunt for two-year-old boy Xielo Maruziva who fell into the River Soar in the area near Aylestone in Leicestershire on February 18 while on a walk with family members.

Police searching for missing two-year-old Xielo Maruziva (pictured) have recruited a diving expert, who claimed to have found Nicola Bulley's body after 'six minutes' of trying last year

Peter Faulding (pictured) and his Specialist Group International (SGI) helped in the hunt for Nicola's body in February 2023, with Mr Faulding later claiming he had found the missing mother in the River Wyre in Lancashire using advanced sonar in a matter of minutes

Mr Faulding said he had urged Lancashire Police at the time to use his divers (pictured) - a request which was turned down

Police forces across the UK have deployed search teams, helicopters and specialist rescue teams in an attempt to find the boy but there has so far been no sign of the toddler.

A Leicester Police spokesman said: 'As part of ongoing efforts to locate Xielo, the search parameter has since been widened, with the operation focussing on the stretch of river around Watermead Park and Birstall over the weekend.

'Officers from Leicestershire Police continue to be supported by specialist diving teams from Nottinghamshire Police and Lincs Police, as well as other forces and search and rescue teams from across the region and country.

'Support in the air has also been provided by the National Police Air Service.

'Following further conversations with search specialists and Xielo's family, support will be provided by Specialist Group International from tomorrow.'

Assistant Chief Constable Michaela Kerr, who is leading the operation, said: 'Our search operation to locate Xielo continues to widen as we know he may have travelled further from where he went into the water - and potentially outside our force area.

'Our decision to involve SGI in the search in liaison with Xielo's family and having spoken to both the company and independent specialists.

'I'd also like to remind the public that the river is dangerous and that they should not go into the water themselves.'

Police forces across the UK have deployed search teams, helicopters and specialist rescue teams in an attempt to find the boy but there has so far been no sign of the toddler

A Leicester Police spokesman said: 'As part of ongoing efforts to locate Xielo, the search parameter has since been widened, with the operation focussing on the stretch of river around Watermead Park and Birstall over the weekend'

The search is taking place in the River Soar near Aylestone Meadows Local Nature Reserve in Leicestershire

Xielo's family, who are understood to be local to the area, last week described their son as a 'cheeky, funny' boy who is 'a bundle of joy' and have also thanked members of the community for their ongoing support.

His mother said: 'Xielo is a cheeky, funny, friendly, smart, caring and independent little boy. He never fails to make me laugh or smile and always loves a cuddle and some kisses.

'Xielo loves playing with his toys and watching cartoons including Bino and Fino.

'Me, his dad and the whole family are so heartbroken at what has happened.

'We thank everyone who has supported us and helped us during this time.

'We are extremely grateful for this.

'All we want is for Xielo to be found as soon as possible. Thank you.'

Xielo's father, who jumped into the river in a bid to rescue Xielo and had to be taken to hospital, added: 'Xielo is a bundle of joy to us.

'He is a charming and creative little boy and has just started at nursery.

'He loves cuddles, playing with his toys and going to the park.

'As a family we have been completely devastated over the past few days as the search for Xielo continues.

'It is hard to describe the pain and suffering we are going through.

'We would like to thank the search teams at the scene.

'We would also like to thank members of the public for all of your support.

'It is your prayers which are keeping us strong.'

ACC Kerr earlier revealed police had recovered CCTV footage of the moment Xielo plunged into the swollen river, adding there was 'nothing to suggest anything other than a tragic set of circumstances.'

The Environment Agency last week issued a flood warning for the Upper Soar catchment area

Leicestershire Police assistant chief constable Michaela Kerr (pictured), who is leading the operation, said: 'Our search operation to locate Xielo continues to widen as we know he may have travelled further from where he went into the water'

She said: 'We have now recovered CCTV imagery that we believe shows the moment when the little boy disappeared into the water.

'The camera was in the local vicinity. What it allows us to do is it allows us to be really clear around the circumstances and exactly where the little boy went into the river, and that has allowed us to be really confident around our search strategy.

'It has been significantly helpful, as has accounts of people in the vicinity at the time, and this has allowed us to ensure we are getting the right information to the family so we can give them some updates on those moments before the little boy went into the water.'
Nikki Haley portrayed Donald Trump as a giant toddler on Monday, saying he was turning the Republican Party into his personal 'playpen' as he takes over the Republican National Committee.

Trump is maneuvering to install top allies in leadership roles at the RNC, including his daughter-in-law Lara Trump.

It is an unprecedented move for a candidate who has not yet become the party nominee.

'Donald Trump is now turning the Republican Party into his own playpen,' his last remaining rival told reporters ahead of a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

'Look at what's happening at the RNC. The idea that they would be choosing a chair and a director before a primary is over is a massive control move by Donald Trump.'

Nikki Haley portrayed Donald Trump as a giant toddler on Monday, saying he was turning the Republican Party into his 'playpen' as he takes over the Republican National Committee

Donald Trump is planning to install his daughter-in-law Lara Trump on the RNC

Michigan holds its primaries on Tuesday, and Haley is likely headed for another heavy defeat.

The Trump campaign has already signaled that it is no longer paying attention to the former governor of South Carolina, and is pivoting to attack President Joe Biden.

Earlier Ronna McDaniel said she was stepping down as chair of the RNC.

That paves the way for Trump figures to move in.

Trump earlier in the month announced his preference for North Carolina GOP Chair Michael Whatley, a little-known veteran operative focused in recent years on the prospect of voter fraud, to replace McDaniel.

He also names his daughter-in-law to serve as committee co-chair. And top campaign adviser Chris LaCivita is expected to take over as chief operating officer.

Campaigns often merge with the RNC to coordinate fundraising and spending, but not so early in the cycle.

Haley said the move showed how the RNC was now just about Trump, at the expense of holding on to the House and winning the Senate in November's elections.

'I have decided to step aside at our spring training on March 8 in Houston to allow our nominee to select a chair of their choosing,' Ronna McDaniel said in a statement

Another Trump favorite is North Carolina Republican president Michael Whatley

The idea that there is a resolution out there in the RNC saying Donald Trump can't use RNC for his legal slush and he's upset that that was proposed tells you everything you need to know,' she said.

'The idea that those now moving into the RNC are saying the RNC is only going to be about Donald Trump ... you can hang up the House, you can hang up the Senate and the rest of the ticket.'

Haley lost heavily in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday, and has little chance of wresting the nomination from Trump.

However, she continues to argue that polls show she has a better chance of beating Biden than her rival.

And she said the early state primaries showed that a big chunk of Republicans wanted a different candidate.

About 250 people heard Haley speak in Grand Rapids on Monday afternoon

'If you have a candidate that can't win 40 percent of the vote in the early states, if you have a candidate who can't bring in Independents, if you have a candidate that is driving people out of our party, then that is a sinking ship, guaranteeing a president Kamala Harris,' she said, referring to Biden's running mate.

The message was enough to bring out about 250 supporters to a ballroom at a downtown Grand Rapids hotel.

'I'm kind of excited to see Nikki Haley,' said Bill Solomon, 49, who works in IT. 'I think she brings an opportunity for change that Donald Trump and Joe Biden don't bring.'

He said it was wrong to write her off yet.

'I think there's a good chance Trump doesn't make it. His legal entanglements are gonna cause him to drop out. And then Nikki will be there.'
Michelle Obama has topped Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton in a poll of who Democrats believe could replace 81-year-old Joe Biden on the ticket if he drops out.

The former first lady's name has surfaced as a potential dramatic late entry into the 2024 race with mounting questions about Biden's age and fitness for a second term.

The 60-year-old has said multiple times she isn't interested in running for office and has admitted she is 'terrified' of the outcome of this year's election.

But she still hasn't addressed recent theories that her name could be on the Democratic ticket if Biden were to leave the race.

The Rasmussen Reports survey finds that 47 percent of likely U.S. voters believe it is likely Democrats will replace Biden as the partys presidential nominee including 22 percent who see it as very likely - despite nearly all Democratic party leaders backing him for a second term.

Speculation has been building over who could potentially replace Biden should he exit the race ahead of November.

It reached a fever pitch after Special Counsel Robert Hurs report into Biden's handling of classified documents was released earlier this month in which the president was described as an elderly man with poor memory.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama has previously denied any interest in seeking elected office

Michelle Obama beat out Harris, Clinton, Newsom and Whitmer as the top choice to replace Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket should he step aside. 27 percent of Democrats said none of the named Democrats, according to the survey

Biden is running for a second term and has blasted questions over his age and mental acuity

While nearly half of voters believe Biden will be replaced on the ticket, more Republicans at 66 percent believe it is at least somewhat likely Democrats will replace Biden with another candidate. Only 33 percent of Democrats and 43 percent of unaffiliated voters said the same.

However, there is little consensus among Democratic voters over who would be a better option to replace him should Biden decide to step aside.

One in five or 20 percent of Democrats in the survey named former First Lady Michelle Obama as the favorite choice to replace Biden.

That was followed by 15 percent who preferred Vice President Kamala Harris.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton came in third at 12 percent, followed by the 11 percent who preferred California Governor Gavin Newsom, and the nine percent who wanted Gretchen Whitmer at the top of the ticket.

However, 27 percent said none of the named Democrats in the survey would be better than Biden and six percent of Democrats said theyre not sure.

Earlier this year, Michelle Obama said in a podcast interview that she is terrified about the potential outcome of the 2024 election.

But while Obama has been a formidable campaigner for fellow Democrats and active in get out the vote efforts, she has previously denied any interest in seeking office herself.

Meanwhile, Harris has said she is ready to serve should the need arise but has blasted the criticism of Biden, calling the special counsel report politically motivated.

Newsom, who has sparked speculation about his own presidential aspirations, has also been a fierce advocate for Biden, rejecting concerns about his mental acuity and touting Bidens accomplishments on the campaign trail.

Clinton has said Bidens age at 81-years-old is a legitimate concern, but she has also been actively helping with the fundraising effort for his reelection bid.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has also been an active surrogate for the Biden campaign and fundraising efforts.

In an interview over the weekend with CNN, Whitmer called on voters in her state to cast an affirmative vote for President Biden amid a push by progressives in Michigan for Democrats to vote uncommitted in the primary on Tuesday.

Biden launched his reelection bid last year. He has dismissed concerns over his ability to serve a second term and blasted the Hur report saying his memory is fine.

Despite the speculation over whether Biden will stay in the race, it has been 140 years since a political party has denied a sitting president the nomination for a second term who has wanted it and that was under very different circumstances.
Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi revealed that she was 'frustrated about the task force'

She stepped down from the position on the antisemitism taskforce on Monday

A Harvard Business School professor stepped down from her role as co-chair of the university's antisemitism task force because she was 'frustrated' that the group was dragging its feet, a source close to her has shared.

Professor Raffaela Sadun was appointed to lead the school's Presidential Task Force on Combating Antisemitism in January alongside co-chair Derek Penslar amid intense backlash the school was facing over its handling of anti-Jewish hate.

Interim President Alan Garber said that Sadun was leaving after just one month to 'refocus her efforts on her research, teaching, and administrative responsibilities.'

However, a source close to Sadun told Harvard's student newspaper, The Crimson, that the professor resigned on Monday for a different reason.

She allegedly had asked the university for confirmation that they would act on the task force's findings - and not just use them as optional advice.

Harvard Professor Raffaela Sadun has stepped down from her role as co-chair of the school's Presidential Task Force on Combating Antisemitism

A source close to the professor said she resigned from the task force because 'its mandate did not include the swift implementation of measures to combat antisemitism'

However, Interim President Alan Garber said Sadun left to focus on her 'research, teaching, and administrative responsibilities'

The publication cited a source close to Sadun who said she decided to leave the task force because 'its mandate did not include the swift implementation of measures to combat antisemitism.'

The professor 'had been frustrated about the task force for some time,' according to Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi, the founding president of Harvard Chabad. The university has yet to respond to this claim.

'I am extremely appreciative of Professor Saduns participation in the task force over the past weeks,' Garber said in a statement announcing Sadun's resignation.

'Her insights and passion for this work have helped shape the mandate for the task force and how it can best productively advance the important work ahead.

'She has advanced our efforts to be a stronger, more inclusive Harvard and for that we owe her our deep thanks.'

In light of her resignation, Sadun issued her own statement.

'I am grateful to have had the opportunity to help advance the vital work to combat antisemitism and believe that President Garber has assembled an excellent task force,' she wrote.

'I will continue to support efforts to tackle antisemitism at Harvard in any way I can from my faculty position.'

Jared Ellias, a law professor at Harvard Law School, will assume Sadun's co-chair position.

Garber also announced that Professor Ali Asani had been added to the leadership of the Presidential Task Force on Combating Anti-Muslim and Anti-Arab Bias.

The interim president explained that both groups would undertake 'initial outreach, information gathering, and research' to understand the experiences of community members who were 'disproportionately affected by the events of October 7 and their aftermath.'

Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi, the founding president of Harvard Chabad, told the Harvard Crimson that Sadun 'had been frustrated about the task force for some time'

Jared Ellias, a law professor at Harvard Law School, will fill the vacant co-chair position

In a statement, Sadun vowed to 'continue to support efforts to tackle antisemitism at Harvard in any way I can from my faculty position'

'Over the past five months, grief, anger, and fear have taken a toll on members of our community as divisions on our campus have persisted,' he wrote.

'We must do much more to bridge the fissures that have weakened our sense of community, and the task forces, which have the full support of the University, will be critical to our success.'

In addition to the co-chairs, each taskforce has student and educator members. Each group also has four advisors.

Among the advisors listed for the antisemitism task force are Jonah Steinberg, executive director emeritus at Harvard Hillel; and Sherri Charleston, the school's chief diversity and inclusion officer.

Charleston's appointment drew criticism from Shabbos Kestenbaum, a master's student at Harvard Divinity School, who professed in a tweet that 'most of Harvard antisemitism stems from DEI.'

Sadun's resignation follows that of former Harvard President Claudine Gay earlier this year.

Before stepping down, Gay faced mounting criticism over antisemitism at the school as well as her own plagiarism allegations.

Gay was slammed once again for her testimony before Congress in December 2023, where she was unable to say unequivocally that calls on campus for the murder of Jewish people would violate the schools conduct policy.
A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was killed in a suspected arson attack in south London.

Metropolitan Police officers were called by London Fire Brigade to a multi-occupancy house in Glenister Park Road, Streatham, shortly after 7pm on Sunday, where they tragically discovered a 49-year-old man dead inside.

Officers and forensic teams have been pictured at the scene as they probe the shocking incident.

Detectives today arrested a 34-year-old woman on suspicion of murder and arson with intent to endanger life. She remains in custody at a south London police station.

The man's next of kin have been informed and are being supported by family liaison officers.

Police have appealed for witnesses and said they are treating it as an isolated incident.

Forensic teams are pictured on Glenister Park Road following a suspected fatal arson attack in south London

Police have appealed for witnesses and said they are treating it as an isolated incident

Met Police detectives have launched a murder probe and arrested a 34-year-old woman

Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn, leading the investigation, said the scene of the fire has undergone 'extensive' forensic examination.

'We are in the early stages of our investigation, and we are working quickly to piece together the events last night in Glenister Park Road that sadly resulted in a man losing his life,' she said.

'Detectives have spent the day gathering footage from nearby doorbell cameras and other CCTV. The scene of the fire has undergone extensive forensic examination to help us understand how the fire started.

'I would ask anyone in the area who saw any activity on Sunday evening around 6.45pm in Glenister Park Road, between Drakewood Road and Streatham Vale, or has information about the incident, to come forward immediately.

'We understand that such a tragic incident will cause concern among the wider community, however we believe that this is an isolated incident and we have arranged for additional patrols in the area over the coming days to help provide reassurance.'

Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn, leading the investigation, said the scene of the fire has undergone 'extensive' forensic examination

The incident happened shortly after 7pm on Sunday. Officers tragically found a 49-year-old man dead

A post-mortem examination has yet to take place.

Anyone with any information has been asked to contact police on 101 quoting CAD 5631/25Feb.

Information can also be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.
The Pentagon found no 'ill intent' in Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin keeping his hospital stay a secret, it concluded in an internal review.

'Nothing examined during this review demonstrated any indication of ill intent or an attempt to obfuscate,' the department concluded in its internal review. The unclassified portion was released on Monday.

It found concerns about medical privacy and a rapidly changing situation were mostly to blame for why Austin's hospitalization was kept from President Joe Biden, senior Pentagon officials and the public.

The Pentagon found no 'ill intent' in Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin keeping his hospital stay a secret

Austin chief of staff Kelly Magsamen directed the Defense Department's administration and management director to conduct the 30-day internal review.

Inspector General Robert Storch is still conducting his formal review. When announcing it, he said his office would examine any breaches of protocol surrounding Austin's surgery for prostrate cancer, his rehospitalization for complications and the lack of disclosure to the White House and general public.

Pentagon Inspector General Robert Storch led the independent review

The finding is unlikely to satisfy members of Congress, many of whom called for Austin's resignation.

Austin is scheduled to testify before the House Armed Services Committee on Feb. 29.

Austin had surgery on December 22 for prostate cancer and left the hospital the next day.

He returned to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on January 1st but didn't tell President Biden of his whereabouts until Jan. 4th. He also hadn't told his top deputy, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks.

Austin didn't disclose the cause of his surgery - his prostate cancer - until Jan. 9th after facing days of questions about his hospitalization. Biden learned about it the same day as the general public.

His complications included 'nausea with severe abdominal, leg and hip pain.' The early diagnosis was a urinary tract infection but further examination showed Austin had a fluid build up in his abdomen that was impairing the function of his small intestines.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center

The defense secretary was released from the hospital after 15 days of recovery.

Austin was re-admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on February 11, reporting discomfort from a bladder issue related to his December 2023 prostate cancer surgery. He was released on February 13.

He later apologized to President Biden and the American people for keeping his diagnosis a secret.

He said his diagnosis with prostate cancer as a 'gut punch' and said it 'shook' him personally.

'I was being treated for prostate cancer. The news shook me and I know it shakes so many others, especially in the black community. It was a gut punch,' he said.

'Frankly, my first instinct was to keep it private. I don't think it's news that I'm a pretty private guy. I never like the burdening others with my problems. It is just not my way. But I've learned from this experience taking this kind of job means losing some of the privacy that most of us expect. The American people have a right to know if their leaders are facing health challenges that might affect their ability to perform their duties even temporarily,' he said.

He said he did not direct any staff to keep his condition a secret.

'We fell short on this one,' he noted.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called former President Donald Trump's comments 'repugnant' and 'profane' after the 2024 hopeful said that black voters like him more now that he's posed for a mugshot and been criminally indicted 91 times.

On Friday Trump headlined the Black Conservative Federation's Honors Gala in Columbia, South Carolina and made the eyebrow-raising claims about heightened African-American support.

The top White House spokeswoman, who is black, was asked about Trump's comments on board Air Force One Monday as President Joe Biden traveled to New York City to raise funds for his reelection effort.

Jean-Pierre said it is 'repuganant and divisive to traffic in stereotypes.'

'In any context it is profane to compare the long, painful history of abuse and suffering by black Americans to something totally different for self-serving purposes,' she said.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (left) called former President Donald Trump's (right) comments 'repugnant' and 'profane' after the 2024 hopeful said that black voters like him more now that he's posed for a mugshot and been criminally indicted 91 times

Trump's appearance at the Black Conservative Foundation's event came the night before South Carolina's primary, which he easily won over rival, former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley.

'When I did the mug shot in Atlanta, that mug shot is No. 1. You know who embraced it more than anyone else?' Trump asked the predominantly African-American crowd. 'The black population.'

He complained that he got indicted for 'nothing' - claiming that's something black voters understand because they see 'what's happening to me happens to them.'

'Does that make sense?' Trump asked.

He earned cheers and applause from the crowd.

'And a lot of people said that's why the black people like me, because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually viewed me as I'm being discriminated against,' Trump said.

'It's been pretty amazing but possibly, maybe, there's something there,' the former president added.

At the event Trump also quipped, 'These lights are so bright in my eyes that I can't see too many people out there. But I can only see the black ones. I can't see any white ones.'

'You see that's how far I've come. That's how far I've come,' he added.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley called former President Donald Trump 'disgusting' after he said that black voters like him more now that he's posed for a mugshot and been criminally indicted 91 times

After voting for herself at her Kiawah Island polling place Saturday, Haley addressed Trump's comments, calling them 'disgusting.'

The former South Carolina governor said, 'that's what happens when he goes off the teleprompter, that's the chaos that comes with Donald Trump, that's the offensiveness that's going to happen every day between now and the general election.'

'Which is why I continue to say Donald Trump cannot win a general election. He won't,' she added.

The Biden campaign initially took issue with Trump's decision to address the predominantly black crowd at all.

'The audacity of Trump to speak to a room full of Black voters during Black History Month as if he isn't the proud poster boy for modern racism,' the Biden campaign's Black Media Director Jasmine Harris said in a statement Saturday.

'This is the same man who falsely accused the Central Park 5, questioned George Floyd's humanity, compared his own impeachment trial to being lynched, and ensured the unemployment gap for Black workers spiked during his presidency,' she continued.

'Donald Trump has been showing Black Americans his true colors for years: An incompetent, anti-Black tyrant who holds us to such low regard that he publicly dined with white nationalists a week after declaring his 2024 candidacy,' Harris added.

Trump launched his 2024 presidential bid on November 15, 2022.

Days later, he sat down for a controversial dinner at Mar-a-Lago with rapper Kanye West, who is black but was under fire for making anti-Semitic remarks, and white nationalist Nick Fuentes.

'Come November, no matter how many disengenuous voter engagement events he attends, Black Americans will show Donald Trump we know exactly who he is,' Harris said.

Trump is hoping to strip away some of the support President Joe Biden had in 2020 with black and Latino voters.

Biden won about 90 percent of the black vote in 2020.

While high, that's a decrease from the support black voters gave to Hillary Clinton, Trump's rival in 2016, which was at 93 percent.

President Barack Obama, the nation's first black president, received 97 percent of the black vote during his reelection bid in 2012.
A TV doctor who had an improper relationship with a 'vulnerable' patient has denied wanting to have sex with her, saying he never took such offers 'seriously', a medical tribunal has heard.

Dr Tijion Esho, who has featured on ITV's This Morning, BBC's Morning Live and E4's Body Fixers, claims their X-rated sex-chat was just a way of 'distracting' himself and he never wanted to take it further.

Cosmetic expert Dr Esho is accused of giving the patient, a 'sex worker' who offers services on OnlyFans and webcams, free botox in return for sex.

She had visited the doctor, 42, about a designer lip procedure, which he provides at his clinics in London, Newcastle and Dubai.

Giving evidence at a tribunal in Manchester, the doctor, also known as Dr Oluwafemi Esho, was asked about explicit messages he exchanged with the woman, known as Patient A.

Dr Esho said he never took such discussions 'seriously'.

Dr Tijion Esho, 42, who has featured on ITV's This Morning, BBC's Morning Live and E4's Body Fixers, claims their X-rated sex-chat was just a way of 'distracting' himself

Cosmetic expert Dr Esho is accused of giving the patient, a 'sex worker' who offers services on OnlyFans and webcams, free botox in return for sex

'They were inappropriate but never serious,' he said.

'There were never any instances when she saw me in the clinic that she was serious.'

Asked if he wanted sex with the patient, he replied: 'No'.

It's claimed that the patient had proposed a 'skills swap' with Dr Esho which involved her providing 'booty' and 't****' in return for treatment.

But he denies charges he had sex with Patient A at one of his clinics in Newcastle before giving her free botox treatment and also telling her he could 'get away' with giving her more in exchange for further sexual services.

Mr Lambis asked Dr Esho why he had exchanged so many explicit messages with the patient.

'The messages were highly inappropriate but I was not thinking, I was just distracting myself,' he replied.

'It was so I didn't have to focus on what I was focussing on.'

He said he regarded the patient as a 'friend', with their sex chats, which he claims started before the woman became his patient, becoming 'normalised'.

Dr Esho said that 30 pornographic images sent to him were the patient's way of 'trying to flirt' with him but he hadn't sent her any videos or voice notes because there was 'a line I was never going to go'.

The tribunal heard how the woman had sent him a Valentine's Day message together with a photo, which he described as a 'perfect gift'.

He had then asked her: 'What's postcode, may have to drop by next week.'

But he said the message was 'not serious' and part of the 'back and forth' with the patient.

Dr Esho denied agreeing to any 'skills-swap' with the patient who, it's claimed, had wanted 'to do a deal'.

The tribunal - due to last 15 days - continues at St James Building Oxford Road Manchester

Dr Esho with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on ITV's This Morning in June 2019

During their appointment at his Newcastle clinic, in August 2021, he said he'd told her that it was 'never going to happen'.

He said he would have preferred a chaperone to be present but the door to the room had remained open so 'there weren't any problems'.

Dr Esho denies he made inappropriate comments about the patient's bottom during another appointment, rubbed himself against her, and took his penis out of his trousers and allowed her to perform a sex act on him.

But he admits that between July 2019 and February 2022 he behaved inappropriately by exchanging messages with the patient.

He also admits having an 'improper emotional relationship' with her between July 2019 and May 2022 and that his conduct in relation to both allegations was 'sexually motivated'.

It's alleged that he knew Patient A was 'vulnerable' due to her profession, which he also denies.

The tribunal - due to last 15 days - continues.
Alec Baldwin's manslaughter trial for the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the movie set of Western Rust is set for July 10, a New Mexico judge ruled on Monday.

Hutchins died when the revolver Baldwin was holding fired a live round that also wounded director Joel Souza.

Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez is currently standing trial for allegedly bringing the live round on set and failing to detect it. She told police she loaded it into Baldwin's gun, mistaking it for a dummy round.

Actor Alec Baldwin will stand trial on involuntary manslaughter charges in July

Halyna Hutchins died as a result of the accidental shooting in October 2021

Lawyers for Gutierrez, who like Baldwin faces an involuntary manslaughter charge, claim she is being scapegoated for the actor's failure to follow basic firearms safety rules.

Baldwin has said he is not responsible for the shooting and his lawyers plan to file a motion for charges to be dismissed on grounds the grand jury that indicted him in January failed to follow rules set by the judge.

During Gutierrez's trial on Monday, an FBI firearms expert said the Italian-made Pietta reproduction Colt .45 revolver Baldin was holding would not fire when fully cocked without the trigger being pulled.

The testimony contrasted with Baldwin's initial comments after the shooting. He testified that he cocked the gun but did not pull the trigger.

'It would not fire without pulling the trigger in the full cock position,' FBI forensic examiner Bryce Ziegler testified, adding that he had to break the gun by hitting its hammer with a rawhide mallet to make it fire in the fully-cocked position.

Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is on trial in New Mexico this week

In a December 2021 ABC television interview, Baldwin denied responsibility for the shooting, saying it was the job of Gutierrez and others to ensure firearm safety and live rounds should never have been brought on set.

Baldwin said he was directed to point the gun at the camera when it went off.

'I didn't pull the trigger,' the actor told ABC television journalist George Stephanopoulos in 2021. 'I cocked the gun and go, `Can you see that? Can you see that? And I let go of the hammer of the gun and the gun goes off.'
Los Angeles police are looking for a woman who they say tried to kidnap a four-year-old boy from a Target.

The unidentified woman tried to abduct the boy from the Westlake Target on Sunday.

Officials say the woman walked up behind the child and 'forcefully grabbed him' before carrying him outside the store.

The boy's parents confronted the woman, who then put the child down and ran away from the area.

The woman is described as about 40 years old, 5'5, and around 150 pounds.

Los Angeles police are looking for a woman who they say tried to kidnap a four-year-old boy from a Target

Officials say the woman walked up behind the child and 'forcefully grabbed him' before carrying him outside the store

LAPD NEWS: Olympic Community Alert pic.twitter.com/MRs9pPnNF9  LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) February 26, 2024

She was wearing a brown jacket, a black shirt and jeans with white and black shoes, according to the LAPD.

Anyone with information on the suspect has been asked to contact LA detectives at (213) 382-9437.

Last month, a Florida man was arrested in a similar incident after allegedly trying to abduct a child.

Pablo Pintueles Hernandez, 64, was charged with kidnapping and false imprisonment of a child after he was filmed allegedly grabbing the boy and trying to walk away with him at the store Lehigh Acres near Fort Myers on December 29.

Lee County Sheriff's Deputies viewed the footage and said the stranger walked up to the four-year-old shopping with his family and grabbed his wrist.

Pintueles Hernandez allegedly stated 'let's go' and tried to pull him away before a family member intervened.

Anyone with information on the suspect has been asked to contact LA detectives at (213) 382-9437

Cops worked with Real Time Intelligence Center Analysts to identify the suspect and arrested him in the early hours of the next day.

'What this criminal did is incredibly disturbing,' said Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno.

'I never want anyone in Lee County to feel unsafe, especially going on a simple shopping trip. My team will stop at NOTHING to ensure criminals like this face the consequences of their actions.'

According to the arrest report, the four-year-old boy was at the store with his mother and sister. His sister was the one who intervened and pulled the boy back.

The mother told police she was at the store with her children and she did not give anyone permission to speak or touch her children.

The report said Pintueles Hernandez and his wife Odalis Vaillant Leyva identified themselves in the surveillance footage.

The couple finished shopping and left the store in a car registered to Leyva, that cops used to track them down.
This is the shocking moment a 170,000 Lamborghini span out of control and crashed into a parked car in the early hours of the morning 'amid wedding celebrations'.

The footage shows the white supercar speeding recklessly down the road in the Small Heath area of Birmingham.

The car narrowly avoids a black vehicle, driving at a slower pace, coming from the other direction.

The CCTV clip, recorded at 1.15am on Sunday morning, captures the vehicle veering out of control before smashing into a black parked car on the same side of the road.

The Lamborghini then appears to roll further along after the first crash and knock another white parked vehicle out of place.

This is the shocking moment a 170,000 Lamborghini span out of control and crashed into a parked car in the early hours of the morning 'amid wedding celebrations'

The footage shows the white supercar speeding recklessly down the road in the Small Heath area of Birmingham

The CCTV clip, recorded at 1.15am on Sunday morning, captures the vehicle veering out of control before smashing into a black parked car on the same side of the road

Horrified bystanders watch on as debris from the collision scatters across the street.

Local businesses have suggested that the crash took place after a wedding reception and that the vehicle had been rented out.

Footage circulating on social media showed a couple in what appeared to be Asian bridal wear.

Salah Udin, who runs Sylhet Supermarket, situated opposite the site of the accident, said that his staff had noticed the wrecked cars early the next day.

The 42-year-old said: 'We found the car in the morning, the black car had been egged.

'The car was still there in the early hours of the morning.'

Another nearby business owner said roads in the area were getting more dangerous.

'It is horrendous, everybody is skipping lights. It's generally the younger drivers,' they said.

The Lamborghini then appears to roll further along after the first crash and knock another white parked vehicle out of place

Local businesses have suggested that the crash took place after a wedding reception and that the vehicle had been rented out

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: 'We were called to a crash involving a Lamborghini and a parked vehicle in Coventry Road, Small Heath on Sunday.

READ MORE: Married father killed in crash when Audi ploughed into his and five other vehicles is named locally as two others remain in hospital and police quiz man over the smash Advertisement

'No one was reported hurt and officers are now carrying out CCTV enquiries.

'Anyone who was in the area at around 1am and has any information can contact us via 101 or Live Chat quoting log 241 of 25 February.'

An ambulance service spokeswoman said: 'We were called to reports of an collision on Coventry Road in Small Heath at 1.30am on Sunday and sent an ambulance to the scene.

'On arrival, crews discovered a car had been involved in a collision however, there was no patient at the scene and so we were stood down.'

The appalling collision comes just days after a 31-year-old father died when an Audi smashed into a stationary car he was sitting in.

Hizar Hanif was killed in the incident in the Handsworth area of Birmingham on February 18, raising concerns over road safety in the UK's second largest city.

Mr Hanif worked at Checkpoint Tyre Service on Lichfield Road and was due to act as best man at a friend's wedding later this week.

The car shop closed temporarily as his family grieved last week.

Hizar Hanif (pictured), a 31-year-old father, was a passenger in a car in Handsworth, Birmingham, when a fatal collision happened at around 8:20pm on Sunday February 18

A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and was taken to hospital for treatment.

In an emotional tribute by his wife, which was posted on social media, she said: 'It is great sorrow I inform you that my dear husband Hizar Hanif has departed this temporary world.

'No words can describe the pain I feel.'
Momeni is the glamorous sister Nima Momeni, who is charged with murdering Cash App founder Bob Lee last April

was high on fentanyl, cocaine, and nitrous oxide when she crashed her $150,000 Mercedes into several parked cars in November 27

The sister of Nima Momeni, suspected killer of Cash App founder Bob Lee, was high on fentanyl, cocaine, and nitrous oxide when she allegedly slammed her $150,000 Mercedes into several parked cars in November, the prosecution revealed Monday.

Khazar Momeni, 38, was a no-show to the brief hearing in San Francisco's Hall of Justice, where judge Gail Dekreon ordered her to attend two Narcotics Anonymous sessions a week.

Her stand-in lawyer, John Lee, entered a not guilty plea on her behalf. A follow-up hearing was scheduled for April 17.

He told media afterward that Khazar Momeni's notoriety from the Bob Lee case prompted the DA's office to request the two sessions rather than one as originally proposed.

Khazar was arrested on DUI and hit-and-run charges, among others, after crashing her car in San Francisco on November 27.

Video exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com at the time showed the ultra-glam socialite desperately trying to keep herself out of jail after police arrived at the scene.

Khazar Momeni, 38, (left) is the sister of Nima Momeni (right) who is charged with fatally stabbing Cash App found Bob Lee last April

Video footage obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com shows the moment a shaken Khazar Momeni pleads with police officers during her DUI arrest in San Francisco in November

'You're not taking me in, right?' she asks as she trembles when a cop handcuffs her behind her back.

'But I'm not going anywhere, why are you placing me in handcuffs?' she whines. 'But that means, are you taking me to jail?'

A witness to the exchange told DailyMail.com that Momeni appeared to be 'as high as hell'.

Bystander footage also shows what appeared to be a large 'whippets' canister in plain view alongside Momeni's designer handbag on the driver's seat.

The bizarre episode played out at around 11am on a Monday on a homeless and drug-infested block in the Tenderloin District, a mile from the luxury condominium that Momeni shares with her plastic surgeon husband, Dino Elyassnia.

Prosecutors believe Momeni's brother Nima (left) killed Cash App founder Bob Lee in April after quizzing him about his alleged sexual relationship with his married sister

Momeni's brother is currently being held in San Francisco County Jail awaiting trial for Lee's murder. Lee allegedly had a casual sexual relationship with her before his April 4 death.

She was also booked into the lock-up, charged with driving under the influence, two counts of a hit-and-run, failure to drive within the lane, and failure to provide insurance at the scene of an accident.

At the time of her arrest, she did not appear to be wearing her wedding ring which had been visible on her finger the previous month when she attended a court hearing for her brother.

Momeni had been seen flashing her huge ring on the steps outside the court, donning a glamorous all black outfit and large black sunglasses, with her blond hair hanging long on her V-neck blouse.

But when she was arrested in November, her gold locks were pulled back in a ponytail, and she was dressed much more casually in camel-colored sweatpants, a white sweatshirt, and sneakers.

She leaned nervously against her car, a white Mercedes AMG C 63, red-topped convertible.

Officers were called to the incident at Geary and Larkin streets on the edge of the Tenderloin where they located her along with onlookers who had gathered at the scene.

Momeni was taken into custody on November 27 after she was seen allegedly slamming into multiple parked cars in the Tenderloin district while under the influence of nitrous oxide

Bystander video showed what appeared to be a canister of 'whippets'  a popular party inhalant drug found in the front seat alongside her designer handbag during her arrest

A damaged car parked on Larkin Street where Momeni, 38, was identified as the driver of a vehicle involved in the crash by the San Francisco Police Department

Khazar, who is the sister of a man accused of killing tech entrepreneur Bob Lee, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and a hit-and-run, but the charges were dropped weeks later

Witnesses claimed she and a young male passenger had pulled up to Alma's Smoke Shop at the corner of Larkin and O'Farrell.

She parked outside the grungy shop, where they purchased two canisters of N20, popular party inhalants known as whippets, hippy crack or laughing gas that can cause a rapid rush of euphoria, according to witnesses.

A short while later, she pulled away.

One bystander who witnessed the incident told DailyMail.com that once behind the wheel, Momeni immediately sideswiped a Toyota sedan parked in front of her, but continued driving.

Half-way down the block, the male passenger  who witnesses described as a young black man  got out of the Mercedes.

Momeni then apparently clipped him with the car as well, causing him to limp off, according to witness accounts.

She then slammed into two more parked cars before mounting the curb and striking a street garbage can next to a Motel 6, witnesses told DailyMail.com.

When bystanders approached the car, they saw Momeni clutching a can of nitrous oxide and say she was reluctant to hand it over or to forfeit her keys.

A witness named Tiffany said she overheard Khazar saying, 'I think I'm hallucinating'.

Even at that point, though, she was allegedly still wanting to drive off.

'She said she just wanted to go park her car, but she was trying to get away,' another witness told DailyMail.com.

It was then that several onlookers called 911.

'She was in front of the trash can, and her wheel was on the curb,' a witness who goes by Callaway told DailyMail.com.

'I was trying to help. I was telling her to hand me the whippets off her lap.'

'She was like, 'No, I have to go, I can't go to jail,' Callaway recalled her saying.

An emergency vehicle arrived moments later and it was the paramedics who shut her car engine off, Callaway said.

Officers were called to the incident at Geary and Larkin Streets on the edge of the Tenderloin where they located her along with onlookers who had gathered at the scene

Video obtained by DailyMail.com show Momeni's legs shaking as she faces questioning

Another witness, Lisa, said: 'The paramedics were trying to get the keys from her because she was high as hell.

'Her eyes were dilated and she kept trying to put the car in drive so she could keep on going.'

San Francisco Police eventually arrived at the scene and removed her from the vehicle.

Video obtained by DailyMail.com showed Momeni's legs shaking as she faced questioning.

'Don't take her pretty a** to jail,' one woman at the scene can be heard telling the cops.

Naim Pickett, 25, whose Honda Accord was among the vehicles hit, walked up in disbelief.

'You're off on drugs, that's why you're shaking,' he told Momeni, before telling the officers that he needed her information.

Police then assured the man that he would be able to get her details after she is processed.

'There's going to be a police report,' the officer tells him. 'You're going to get a case number, information, everything, okay?

'She's obviously not right. We're dealing with her right now because she's doing whatever she's doing.'

Momeni, her arms behind her back, then protested some more.

'I'm not stupid,' she told the officer. 'I'm not taking off.'

Momeni, who is married to prominent plastic surgeon Dr. Dino Elyassnia, was seen with her husband supporting her brother in court last April

Nima Momeni, the man charged in the fatal stabbing of Cash App founder Bob Lee, makes his way into the courtroom for his arraignment in San Francisco on May 2, 2023

The Portside on Main Street, San Francisco where Cash App founder Bob Lee collapsed and died after being fatally stabbed on April 4, 2023

A woman who works at the nearby motel told DailyMail.com that the crash was captured on surveillance cameras.

She viewed the motel's footage herself and said it shows the male passenger exiting the car, the Mercedes hitting him, him limping off, and then the car striking two parked vehicles.

San Francisco police officers identified Momeni as the driver and conducted a sobriety test and determined she was driving under the influence.

'On November 27, 2023 at approximately 11.08am, San Francisco Police Officers responded to Geary St and Larkin St on a report of a vehicle collision,' a police statement read.

'Upon arrival, Officers located the involved driver and witnesses.

'Officers conducted traffic collision investigation. In the course of their investigation, officers developed probable cause to determine that the driver of the vehicle was driving under the influence.

'The driver, identified as 38 year old San Francisco resident Khazar Momeni, was booked at San Francisco County Jail.'

She was also arrested in September on suspicion of DUI in Marin County, after she rammed her Mercedes into another parked car, the San Francisco Standard has reported. That case remains under review.

She has regularly supported her brother in court since his arrest on April 13. Momeni has pleaded not guilty to killing Lee and faces 26 years to life if convicted.

His arrest in the brutal knife attack came more than a week after Lee was found bleeding in the early morning hours of April 4. He later died at a hospital.

Surveillance video of Lee's final night shows him entering the posh Millennium Tower downtown, where Khazar lives.

Video footage then shows Lee and Nima Momeni leaving the building together shortly after 2am and driving off in Momeni's car.

Lee, who was 43 when he died, was found shortly after 2:30am in the Rincon Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, which has tech offices and condominiums but little activity in the early morning hours.

Though many speculated in the immediate hours after the stabbing that it was a random incident in a city with an increasing violent crime rate, it was later revealed that Lee and Momeni, an IT consultant and entrepreneur who founded a company called Expand IT in 2010, knew each other well.

According to court filings, just a day before Lee died, Momeni confronted him about his relationship with Khazar.

Khazar later sent Lee a text asking if he was okay after her brother 'came down hard on [him]', also thanking him for handling the confrontation 'with class.'

Lawyers for Nima Momeni have asked a judge to have his trial moved out of the crime-ridden Bay Area, claiming that photos that were published of him in prison in a local newspaper would 'prejudice' a jury.

A decision on the venue is due in March, and the trial is expected in the spring.
Ex-senior advisor Dan Pfeiffer said the issue of Biden's age should be the 'first strategic priority' of the campaign

Staff alumni from former President Barack Obama's administration are expressing growing concerns about President Joe Biden's political struggles surrounding his age.

Former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau emphasized that voters already viewed Biden as old, and criticized attempts by the Biden team to dismiss the issue.

Favreau said he personally believed that Biden was mentally sharp, but that on-camera he frequently appeared 'mumbly.'

'If you watch Joe Biden speak, oftentimes he sounds frail and he sounds more frail than he used to, even in 2019 and 2020,' Favreau said on the Pod Save America podcast. 'The voice sounds frail and he shuffles more because of the arthritis in his back.'

Staff alumni from former President Barack Obama 's administration are expressing growing concerns about President Joe Biden 's political struggles surrounding his age

U.S. President Barack Obama meets with the Director of Speechwriting Jon Favreau

Favreau pointed to polls showing as high as 80 percent of Americans expressing concerns about Biden's age, and said it was not just a media driven side-show narrative.

'In the last NBC poll, more people were concerned about Biden's age than Trump's f****g 91 felony counts,' he said.

He argued that Biden needed to get out on camera more to assuage voter's concerns about his age.

'When world events seem like they are overtaking him and he's not out there enough forcefully, that's what's getting people concerned,' he said.

Former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett agreed, arguing that the Biden team needed to get the president out in public to demonstrate his mental and physical abilities even if they were worried about the possibility of more mistakes.

'I'm sure that going out there more means more missteps ... more gaffes that start circulating but if you don't view Biden being out there more as a net-positive then the argument he shouldn't be running is right,' he said.

Former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett

Favreau said Biden needed to start acknowledging concerns about his age, noting that voters could see for themselves the visible decline.

'I think he has to acknowledge people's concerns, stop being defensive,' he said, pointing to the president's angry reaction to reporters asking him about his age. 'The yelling at the media ... I don't think it's effective.'

Lovett agreed.

'You can't be angrily defending yourself, because even if you're making a good argument about why you're up for the job, you're also making an argument that you've been somehow overtaken by events,' he said.

Former Obama senior advisor Dan Pfeiffer also expressed his concerns about the issue of Biden's age.

'It is a very real issue ... if Biden can't assuage particularly among his voters from 2020, then I don't think he can win the election, so it some ways its the crux for his campaign,' he said in an interview.

US President Barack Obama and Senior Adviser Dan Pfeiffer

Pfeiffer said it was the issue of Biden's age should be the 'first strategic priority' for the president's campaign that spread into every other issue on the campaign.

'There's a segment of voters who have decided, as of right now, I think their minds can be changed, who have decided that Joe Biden is too old for the job and can't do it, so they're not going to listen to anything he says,' he said.

Former Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod continues to aggravate Team Biden by offering frequent strategic advice on podcasts and as a commentator on CNN.

On CNN, he urged Biden and his team to lean into the president's personality, quoting a famous 1979 Biden moment when he confronted the Soviet Union by telling them 'don't s*** a s***ter.'

He alluded to recent reports of anonymous White House sources talking about Biden's angry behavior behind the scenes.

Former Obama campaign advisor David Axelrod

He suggested Biden should embrace his temper and confront Trump directly with 'short phrases with Bidenesqe language' in ways that would go viral.

'I would encourage Biden to be Biden,' he said, adding that reacting in real-time would be a much stronger messaging strategy.

Earlier in February, Axelrod said it was 'mind boggling' that the Biden team would skip the traditional interview with the president for the Super Bowl on CBS and criticized them for effectively hiding the president.

'Every time he makes a mistake everybody goes nuts,' he said during a podcast.

Axlerod appeared baffled by the Biden team's media strategy musing that 'maybe they just don't have confidence' to let the president participate in more interviews.

'I think they're are worried about something bad is going to happen,' he said.
The head of the National Border Patrol Council on Monday slammed President Joe Biden for blatant electioneering, accusing him only deciding to visit the southern frontier with Mexico because he is trailing in the polls.

Brandon Judd said the president, who will be visiting Brownsville, Texas, on Thursday was not even going to the right place

'He's had three years to do something,' Judd, who represents 17,000 Border Patrol agents told DailyMail.com soon after the trip was announced.

'And now that he knows that he's being hurt very badly in the polls, because of the crisis that he caused, he's now going to the border.'

If Biden really had done everything he could, added Judd, why would he need to go?

Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, slammed President Joe Biden's plans for a trip to the southern border this week

People cross the Rio Grande river to turn themselves in Brownsville, Texas, to authorities to begin their immigration process

The border crisis moves front and center of the election campaign this week. Both Biden and his likely Republican challenger Donald Trump announced plans to visit different parts of Texas on the same day.

Judd said Biden would not see what was really happening.

'He's not even going to the right place,' he said. 'He's going to Brownsville, Texas - the Rio Grande Valley has been very slow for the past, 11, 12 months.

'Right now, where we're seeing the worst of it is in the Tucson sector, in the San Diego sector, yet he's choosing to go to Brownsville.'

It will be Biden second visit to the border as president. He traveled to El Paso in January last year after local officials had cleaned up the migrant camps.

Earlier a White House official revealed plans for the second visit.

He said the president will meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement, and local leaders.

'He will discuss the urgent need to pass the Senate bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border in decades,' the official said.

It came after details had already emerged of a planned Trump visit to Eagle Pass.

The Trump campaign ridiculed Biden.

President Joe Biden made a fleeting visit to the border in El Paso, Texas, in January last year

'Crooked Joe Biden has had three years to visit the border and fix the crisis he created,' said spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.

'Now Bidens handlers are sending him there on the same day as President Trumps publicly reported trip, not because they actually want to solve the problem, but because they know Biden is losing terribly.'

Judd said a trip to Eagle Pass made more sense because Trump will be able to see what Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has been doing there with razor wire and floating barriers.

'Since Texas has stepped in and ctaken control of that area, we've seen a fourfold drop in the number of illegal crossings,' he said.

'So he's going there to see hey, what works? What are you doing? What's working?'
The families of Valdo Calocane's victims have slammed police for their handling of the case ahead of the Nottingham triple killer's sentence review.

They have accused Nottinghamshire Police of 'ongoing mismanagement' and 'gagging' the media to stop details being made public as they defiantly vowed they 'will not be silenced'.

Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order last month for knifing to death university students Barnaby Webber, 19, and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, 19, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, in the early hours of June 13 last year.

He admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility and pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of three people who were hit by a van stolen from Mr Coates, after Nottingham Crown Court heard he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

Relatives of his victims reacted angrily to the sentencing, after prosecutors decided not to pursue murder charges.

Valdo Calocane was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order last month for knifing to death three people in Nottingham

Barnaby (pictured), Grace O'Malley Kumar, both 19, and Ian Coates, 65, were stabbed to death by paranoid schizophrenic Calocane

Grace O'Malley-Kumar (left) and Ian Coates (right) also died after being stabbed to death by Calocane last year

A series of investigations into the actions of police, prosecutors and mental health staff continue, as the families call for 'serious failures' in the case to be 'fully addressed'.

Their comments came after Nottinghamshire Police Chief Constable Kate Meynell said she was 'horrified' after one of her officers viewed bodycam footage showing the aftermath of the attacks.

READ MORE: Nottinghamshire police chief reveals her 'horror' after one of her officers viewed bodycam footage of stab victim Barnaby Webber dying in the street Advertisement

An investigation found eleven members of the force's staff viewed material relating to the case who did not have a legitimate reason to do so. Three faced disciplinary action but eight did not, instead being handed 'performance interventions'.

In a statement sent to the PA news agency on Monday by Mr Webber's mother, Emma Webber, the families said: 'We will not be silenced. This behaviour must be addressed and urgent changes made as this must not happen again to other innocent families.'

The 'lengthy and detailed statement' was sent because it was of the 'utmost importance that our serious concerns and ongoing mismanagement by the Nottingham Police are brought to light', the families said.

They also criticised the force for holding an off-the-record press briefing last week, where journalists were told they could not report the information discussed.

Pictured left-right: James Coates, son of Ian Coates, Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby Webber, and Dr Sanjoy Kumar, father of Grace O'Malley-Kumar

Emma Webber alongside victims' relatives outside Nottingham Crown Court after Calocane was sentenced to a hospital order after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility

Members of the victims' families met ministers at Downing Street last month to discuss Valdo Calocane's sentencing after they expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome

'We cannot find any fair or reasonable rationale as to why the police force has endeavoured to shackle the media from reporting on their conduct or investigations,' the statement said.

It also claimed the chief constable had told families she was 'committed to transparency in all communication' but later refused to answer additional questions from Mrs Webber.

The Home Office has been 'notified of our continued grave concerns and our alarm at the gagging of the press to print news in the public interest', the statement said, adding: 'We currently await the response of the Home Secretary and have also written to the leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer, to ask for a further meeting with him and his shadow ministers.'

A special constable who viewed footage from the scene was sacked in December while police constable Matthew Gell was given a final written warning after a misconduct hearing in January heard he shared information about the case in a text message and had breached confidentiality standards.

Another staff member is also due to face misconduct proceedings.

Last week Ms Meynell insisted the force had taken the disciplinary matters 'extremely seriously', adding: 'There's lots of things I can't say. And that's not because I don't want to, it's because there's the ongoing reviews into what happened.'

The force has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over its handling of the disciplinary procedures.

Downing Street previously said the Government had not ruled out launching a public inquiry to consider claims of missed opportunities to stop Calocane before the killings amid calls for a wider investigation, but so far one has not been announced.

In a statement, Nottinghamshire Police said: 'The off the record background briefing advised and facilitated by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) is standard practice and is part of Authorised Professional Practice for Policing. These briefings are not unusual.

'The family have raised a number of concerns and the appropriate way for these to be resolved is through the ongoing independent investigation by the IOPC as well as the review by the College of Policing.

'Commenting further could prejudice these investigations.

'We have written to the families of all of those affected by this horrific crime and offered to meet them.'
Queen Letizia of Spain touchingly hugged a survivor of a deadly apartment block fire that claimed the lives of 10 people in Valencia yesterday.

The Spanish Queen was seen consoling families who had lost everything in the inferno which tore through their homes on Thursday evening, with some escaping with only the clothes on their backs.

She joined her husband King Felipe VI as they travelled to the city in a show of support for the victims and their families, and to congratulate the emergency services who desperately tried to help.

Firefighters had been seen rescuing people from their balconies in the adjoined 14-storey and 10-storey buildings in the upmarket Campanar neighbourhood as the blaze, fanned by strong winds, tore through the structure, trapping residents inside their flats.

So far at least 10 people are known to have died, and experts have suggested flammable cladding which covered the building may have played a role in the rapid spread of the fire.

King Felipe speaks to a couple who were rescued from the inferno, while behind him Queen Letizia hugs a woman who lost her home

Her Majesty speaks to a woman whose home was among those affected by the inferno

King Felipe and Queen Letizia shake hands and console people who lost their apartments in the blaze

Queen Letizia is seen speaking to families who were forced out of their homes by the devastating fire

The couple speak to families forced out of their flats by the fire on Thursday night

King Felipe VI of Spain shakes hand with an emergency worker during a visit to the residential tower block

Queen Letizia shakes hands with emergency workers outside the building as Spain reels in shock at the inferno

The gutted remains of the building loom into the sky on Monday, three days after it was destroyed in a deadly fire

At least 10 people are known to have died in the blaze, which started on Thursday afternoon

King Felipe look up at what remains of the building as he visits the site of the deadly blaze

The King and Queen of Spain visited the scene of the fire in Valencia on Monday

It raises parallels with the deadly Grenfell Tower inferno in London in 2017 which killed 72 people when a residential fire was accelerated by dangerously combustible cladding.

READ MORE HERE: Final couple to be saved from apartment block inferno tell how they 'refused to die' as blaze death toll climbs to 10 Advertisement

The deadly inferno was reported to have consumed the entire building in the space of half an hour, trapping people inside.

On couple was dramatically rescued by firefighters from their balcony as the flames drew ever closer.

Among the victims who are known to have died are a family of four, including a newborn baby, a three-year-old girl and their mother and father.

Photos show a black veil being hung up, a sign of mourning, outside the entrance of the school last week, and it was reported that the Spanish Red Cross has sent emergency counsellors to the school.

An elderly couple, who have not yet been identified, are understood to have died in the blaze while cowering in their bathroom with their dog.

Pilar Bernabe, national government delegate in Valencia, said 10 bodies were found in the first police inspection of the gutted residential buildings.

She said the bodies matched with the list of 10 people that authorities had deemed missing. A newborn baby and a three-year-old girl are among the dead.

There were large crowds of people present as the monarch arrived to survey the area

King Felipe shaking the hand of rescue worker after the deadly fire which killed 10 people on Thursday

King Felipe and Queen Letizia shook hands with members from different branches of the emergency services who had helped tackle the fire

The King and Queen were pictured holding hands as they were shown the scene of destruction

The monarch waved to the crowds who lined the streets to see him during the sombre visit

Delegation representative Pilar Bernabe told reporters that all the people reported missing had now been accounted for, with experts now starting on the 'complex' task of identifying the dead.

'We will keep looking,' she said, but 'the number of victims we've found corresponds with the number of people listed as missing.'

Identification of the victims 'will be complicated because they will need to be identified with DNA tests', she said, in a nod to the absolute voracity of the fire, indicating it was not possible to say how long that would take.

The fire broke out around 5:30 pm (1630 GMT) in one of the flats on the middle floors and within 30 minutes the blaze had consumed the entire building, no thanks to high winds of more than 50 kilometres (30 miles) per hour which also complicated firefighting efforts.

READ MORE HERE: Hundreds hold five-minute silence to remember the victims of Valencia tower block fire Advertisement

Such was the heat that the firemen could not enter the building and had to work only from the outside, managing to pluck a father and his daughter to safety from one of the upper balconies.

They were only able to enter the blackened ruin of the residential block on Friday, smoke still wafting from its shattered windows and the once-white facade charred with the residue of smoke and flames.

Fifteen people were treated for injuries of varying degrees, including a seven-year-old child and seven firefighters, but their lives were not in danger.

One of the buildings that makes up the two-part complex is reported to have contained 138 apartments and some 450 residents, with locals staying in hotels until they can be moved into newly built social housing.

The complex in Valencia was finished in 2009. In a promotional video, the now bankrupt construction company Fbex boasted that it used a new aluminium-based material as part of its facade.

Valencia mayor Maria Jose Catala said earlier the fire's cause is still unknown and that she could not yet comment on whether some materials used in the construction of the modern complex might have worsened it.

The cause of the fire, and how it was able to spread to quickly, are still being ascertained by investigators

Forecasters said winds of up to 40mph were recorded in Valencia that day, which may have swept the flames along the building

The fire raged across the two-part apartment complex, which is up to 14 storeys tall in places

A woman lays flowers at the scene of the fire on Valencia's Rafael Alberti Poeta Street, which took hold on Thursday evening

Fire investigators assess the charred shell of the apartment block on Friday after the blaze was extinguished

Spain's prime minister Pedro Sanchez (centre) visited the scene of the tragedy on Thursday

Neighbour Alejandra Alarcon said that it took 15 minutes for the fire to engulf the entire building as questions abounded as to how the fire spread so rapidly.

Experts suggested that a type of cladding might have made the blaze spread faster.

Vice-president of the Valencia College of Industrial and Technical Engineers Esther Puchades told state news agency Efe the cladding used included polyurethane and when 'heated it is like plastic and it ignites'.

She said it was the first fire of its type in Spain, but that other blazes involving the material have been similarly destructive in the UK and China.

The IPUR, Spain's polyurethane manufacturers' association, issued a statement contesting Ms Puchades' claim, saying there was no evidence that polyurethane was used in the Valencia building's facade.

The June 2017 fire at Grenfell Tower in London, which had similar cladding, caused 72 deaths.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the scene, promising support for those affected and expressing gratitude to firefighters and military personnel who worked to extinguish the blaze. Pope Francis also sent a telegram of condolences.

Officials also staged a minute's silence on Saturday to commemorate the victims of the tragedy.
Two fugitive killers built an underground bunker to hide from police drones that detect human heat after fleeing from a maximum security prison in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte.

Convicted murderers Rogerio da Silva and Deibson Cabral set up their hideout spot near the home of a couple they held hostage after escaping from the Mossoro Federal Penitentiary in the municipality of Baraunas of on February 14, Brazilian news magazine Fantastico revealed.

Cabral and da Silva were housed in adjoining jail cells at Mossoro Federal Penitentiary, where they were serving 81 and 74 years for murder, respectively.

On February 17, the convicts broke into a rural residence 13 miles away from the prison and paid the couple about $1,000 to allow them to sleep in hammocks.

There, they dug a hole and used a tarp to protect them from heat-seeking drones.

Deibson Cabral (left) and Rogerio da Silva (right) escaped from Mossoro Federal Penitentiary in the northeastern municipality of Baraunas on February 14. They are the first inmates to ever flee from Brazil's any of the five jails that make up the country's the federal prison system

Deibson Cabral (left) and Rogerio da Silva were able to build an underground bunker and covered it with tree branches and a tarp so that police drones could not detect them

'The asked us to be calm and that nothing would happen if we did what they asked,' the homeowner held hostage said.

The man told police he and his wife complied because da Silva and Cabral revealed information about their family and that it seemed that they knew to go to their home.

'They said all the time that people were watching us, but that nothing would happen if we helped,' he said.

The man added he was forced to buy food for them and left it under a tree on his property.

To hide from police, da Silva and Cabral dug a hole in the forest near the couple's home, covering it up with branches and a tarp.

Da Silva and Cabral fled the property on Friday shortly after the man was stopped by police at a checkpoint and revealed that he had been forced by them to provide refuge.

A homeowner revealed the fugitive suspects broke into his home February 17 and forced him and his wife to provide them refuge

No prisoner had ever escaped Brazil's federal jail system until February 14 when Rogerio da Silva and Deibson Cabral, who were housed in adjoining cells, fled the Mossoro Federal Penitentiary

Federal Highway Police superintendent Pericles Santos said the fugitives have also fed themselves because of fruits that are produced in the region, but sniffer dogs have been unable to trace their whereabouts in the woods because rain had erased their tracks on the ground.

Authorities split 500 hundred agents into day and night units in hopes of capturing the suspects, who could be hiding in any of the 207 caves spread out across 32 square miles.

No prisoner had ever escaped Brazil's federal jail system until February 14 when da Silva and Cabral, who were housed in adjoining cells, fled the Mossoro Federal Penitentiary.

They were able to cut holes through the top area of their cells

'We want to know how these citizens dug a hole and no one saw it,' Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva said last week.

The Brazilian fugitives paid a couple about $1,000 to stay at their home and remained there for seven days before fleeing Friday

The fugitives were able to break out of the prison through a hole they dug through one of the walls in their jails cells located next to each other

Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva was livid after learning that two prisoners escaped from the Mossoro Federal Penitentiary by tearing down a section of their jail cell wall. 'We want to know how these citizens dug a hole and no one saw it,' he said

Both were members of a Rio de Janeiro-based faction of the Comando Vermelho.

Cabral and da Silva had been transferred to Mossoro Federal Penitentiary in September 2023 after they were involved in a rebellion at Antonio Amaro Alves Prison in Rio Branco, which left five people dead.

They were unsuccessful in fleeing together from Antonio Amaro Alves Prison in 2013 after they sawed off their iron jail cell bars and used them to built a ladder to reach the ceiling before they were busted by guards, Globo News reported.

Prior to Cabral and da Silva, no prisoner had ever escaped from the federal penitentiary system, which oversees five maximum-security prisons.

According to the National Secretariat of Criminal Police, jail guards prevented two escapes in 2023 - one at Mossoro Federal Penitentiary and another at Catanduvas Federal Penitentiary.
Alec Baldwin's claim that he never pulled the trigger of the gun he used to accidentally shoot dead a cinematographer was challenged today in court by an FBI firearms expert.

Bryce Ziegler, an agent with the FBI firearms unit who examined the gun Baldwin used, said he had to break the gun with a mallet to get it to fire without using the trigger.

Ziegler, appearing for the prosecution, said that couldn't have happened on the set of Rust because the gun was in working order when it came to him.

His analysis contradicts claims by Baldwin that he only pulled back the hammer on the vintage-looking pistol.

The FBI agent gave evidence during the trial of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 26, the armorer for Rust.

FBI firearms expert Bryce Ziegler gave evidence during the trial of Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 26, on Monday, that challenged Alex Baldwin's version of events

Gutierrez-Reed is accused of involuntary manslaughter and is also facing a charge of tampering with evidence

Ziegler's assessment challenges Alec Baldwin's claim that he never pulled the trigger of the gun that shot dead cinematographer Halyna Hutchins

She is accused of involuntary manslaughter in the case being held in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The movie was being filmed in nearby La Cienega inOctober 2021 when Baldwin, 65, shot Hutchins, 42 dead.

The bullet went clean through Hutchins, causing her fatal injuries, and hit Rust director Joel Souza in the shoulder. He survived.

Baldwin will face trial at a later date for involuntary manslaughter. Both he and Gutierrez-Reed face a maximum of 18 months in prison if convicted.

The bullet went clean through cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, causing her fatal injuries

Ziegler told the court that he conducted extensive testing on the firearm that Baldwin was using to practice with.

In his lab the only way he could get the gun to fire without pulling the trigger was by hitting it with a mallet and that resulted in the gun being damaged on the inside.

Prosecutor Kari Morrissey said: 'In order for you to make the gun fire without pulling the trigger you had to break it?'

Ziegler said: 'That's what I had to do in my lab.

'It would not fire without pulling the trigger in the fully cocked setting without being broken.'

Morrissey asked if the gun used by Baldwin was in 'proper working order' when it came to the FBI lab where Ziegler works.

Ziegler said that it 'functioned normally' and the only damage was sustained later on during his tests.

Speaking to Chris Cuomo on NewsNation in 2022, Baldwin said that the incident on the set of Rust was similar to 'fanning' a gun, a technique used in Western style films to fire multiple rounds out of a gun.

He said: 'So if you pull the hammer back and you don't lock the hammer, if you pull the hammer back pretty far, in old Western movies, you would see someone fan the hammer of the gun.

'The hammer didn't lock, you pulled it back to an extent where it would fire the bullet without you pulling the trigger, without you locking the hammer.'

Ziegler appeared to contradict this and said that during tests at the FBI lab he put the hammer in the quarter and half cocked positions  not locking it in  and tried to squeeze the trigger to get it to fire.

He said that this test was to see if you could 'squeeze hard enough it's going to cock it so that it releases' but it was not possible and he couldn't fire the weapon.

Gutierrez-Reed is also facing a charge of tampering with evidence after prosecutors claimed she gave another person a bag of cocaine after a police interview to prevent law enforcement from obtaining it

Baldwin is seen in the parking lot outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's office following the shooting in October 2021. He was originally charged with involuntary manslaughter but the allegations were dropped in April last year. He was dramatically charged again last month and pleaded not guilty

During the trial, which began last week, lawyers for Gutierrez-Reed have sought to portray Baldwin as being in charge of the filming of Rust and being negligent in his role as a producer.

The jury has heard claims that Baldwin 'ignored basic gun safety rules' by pointing a gun at Hutchins when he didn't intend to shoot her.

Baldwin didn't need to even use a gun for the scene he was shooting and could have used a stick instead, it was claimed.

Katherine 'Row' Walters, the movie's unit production manager who oversaw its day-to-day running, testified that Baldwin 'wasn't paying attention' during safety training on the set of the film.

She also revealed that the entire camera crew of six people walked off the set of Rust the day before Baldwin shot Hutchins.

Gutierrez-Reed is also facing a charge of tampering with evidence after prosecutors claimed she gave another person a bag of cocaine after a police interview to prevent law enforcement from obtaining it.

Baldwin was originally charged with involuntary manslaughter but the allegations were dropped in April last year.

He was dramatically charged again last month and pleaded not guilty, as has Gutierrez-Reed.

In 2022 Baldwin settled a civil lawsuit filed against him by Matthew Hutchins, the widow of Hutchins, and the father of their 11-year-old son.

Under the terms Rust continued production at a new location in Montana and Hutchins, who has called his wife's death a 'terrible accident', is an executive producer.

The jury was shown shocking images of cinematographer's Halyna Hutchins' the blood-stained shirt on Friday

The live rounds of ammunition that were in the gun that killed Hutchins were shown in court today

The bullet that killed the cinematographer and struck the film director is seen above

Dave Halls, the film's first assistant director and safety coordinator, is among the witnesses who will give evidence over the two week trial, including other crew members.

Halls has already been sentenced to six months of probation last year after admitting negligent use of a deadly weapon.

A separate civil lawsuit against Baldwin for cutting corners on safety filed by members of the Rust production crew is ongoing.

Speaking to ABC News in December 2021 Baldwin said: 'I didn't pull the trigger. I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them. Never'.

But in August 2022 an FBI crime lab report was made public and echoed the comments by Ziegler.

The report said that the gun 'could not be made to fire without a pull of the trigger' while the hammer was cocked at the quarter and half positions.

The ballistic analysis also found that the weapon 'could not be made to fire without a pull of the trigger while the working internal components were intact and functional'.
Police say all three suspects have prior arrests, including one for assault

The trio were questioned over the murder of 45-year-old William Alvarez

Three suspects wanted in connection to the murder of a man on a Bronx subway car have been taken into custody.

Justin Herde, 24, Betty Cotto, 38, and Alfredo Trinidad, 42, were taken in for police questioning just before noon on Monday.

The three suspects, described as 'transient' by law enforcement, are accused of fatally attacking 45-year-old William Alvarez just after 5am Friday on a southbound D train.

Members of the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force traced the suspects to an apartment on Villa Avenue.

Officials said Trinidad was arrested while with his girlfriend and her brother. He had a gun in his possession when he was taken into custody.

Three suspects have been taken into custody in connection to the murder of Bronx man William Alvarez, 45, who was attacked on a subway car

The suspects have been named as Betty Cotto, 38; Justin Herde, 24; and Alfredo Trinidad, 42

Alvarez was sitting on the train Friday morning when the suspects boarded at the Fordham Road station. One of the men sat next to the 45-year-old, and the duo exchanged words before they started arguing

All three suspects have prior arrests, according to the New York City Police Department. Cotto was arrested for theft in 2006, Trinidad for fare evasion in 2012, and Herde for misdemeanor assault in 2021.

On the morning of the fatal attack, Alvarez was sitting on the train when the suspects boarded at the Fordham Road station.

One of the men sat next to the 45-year-old, and the duo exchanged words before they started arguing.

Alvarez was then surrounded by the other suspects and suffered a fatal wound to the torso. DailyMail.com reached out to the medical examiner's office for more information on the nature of his injuries.

'As they're physically fighting each other, the two others...they joined the fight,' NYPD Chief of Transit Michael Kemper said, describing the altercation as 'three on one.'

The train pulled up at a station in Grand Concourse and the suspects fled. When police found Alvarez, he was unconscious.

The man was pronounced dead at St. Barnabas Hospital.

He was raised in the Bronx by parents from the Dominican Republic, but his family had not seen him in months as he fell into the throes of drug addiction.

'These cowards took my son away from me, my only son,' mother Anna Vazquez, 63, told the New York Daily News. 'Im holding on.'

As the fight escalated, Alvarez was surrounded by the other suspects and suffered a fatal injury to the torso. He was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead

The 45-year-old was grappling with drug addiction at the time of his death. He leaves behind a son and a daughter

The Bronx man had a checkered criminal past including several prior arrests for burglary and drug-related offenses.

He was added to the sex offender registry for raping a 13-year-old girl in 1997 when he was 19.

Alvarez was most recently released from prison in May 2018, and family members say he was rebuilding his life when tragedy struck.

'He was fighting his demons,' Vazquez said. 'He was trying to change his life and, sorry to say, this tragedy in the D train, they took my son.'

Alvarez leaves behind a 21-year-old son and 26-year-old daughter, whom he shares with his ex-wife.

His death is the latest to result from violence on the New York City subway.

On February 12, gunfire spilled onto the platform at the Mt. Eden Avenue subway station in the Bronx, injuring five and killing a 35-year-old man.
A 77-year-old drugs mule who smuggled 1million of cocaine onto a Caribbean cruise liner has been transferred from an open prison to a maximum security jail after claiming that his 'human rights' were being breached.

Roger Clarke had insisted on launching a 60,000 claim for 'false imprisonment', five years after he and his late wife Susan were jailed over the smuggling plot.

The smuggling pensioner - who maintains he is innocent despite his conviction - said he should have been freed in 2022 after serving half of his eight-year sentence.

Clarke had been enjoying days out from HMP Standford Hill, on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, but his moans are said to have resulted in him being transferred from the Category D prison to a closed maximum security jail.

A source told The Mirror: 'Roger was enjoying day release from an open prison for months. But his claims of a 'human rights breach' have not gone down well with officials. It violated the terms of his temporary release and he's been sent straight back to a closed prison.'

Clarke was due to be released from prison in May but the source claimed that this was now 'completely up in smoke'.

Roger Clarke (left) and his late wife Susan (right) were convicted of drug trafficking during a one-day trial in 2019 after they smuggled 1million of cocaine onto a Caribbean cruise liner

The couple, originally from Kent but who lived in Guardamar, Spain, were given eight-year sentences for their drug smuggling operation

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'Prisoners must pass a robust risk assessment before any move to open conditions prison and we do not hesitate to move them back to closed prisons if they break the rules.'

Clarke and his wife were convicted of drug trafficking by three judges during a one-day trial in 2019 and they were each sentenced to eight years behind bars. Susan died of breast cancer aged 72 in 2021.

The pair, originally from Kent but who lived in Guardamar, Spain, were caught when plain-clothes officers from the Policia Judiciaria  Portugal's serious crimes investigation agency  boarded the Marco Polo ship and found 20lb of the Class A drugs stitched into the lining of their four suitcases.

The Portuguese authorities, who made the arrests in Lisbon on December 4, 2018, were acting on information from Britain's National Crime Agency working in conjunction with Spanish law enforcement.

The couple were told that they would serve their eight-year sentences in Portugal instead of being sent back to Britain.

Clarke had previously complained about the harsh conditions in Lisbon prison, and claimed he lost six-stone and had a suspected heart attack.

He also said he and his wife were 'innocent' and he sent a letter to former prime minister Boris Johnson begging him to look into the couple's case.

Plain-clothes officers from the Policia Judiciaria  Portugal's serious crimes investigation agency  boarded the ship and found 20lb of the Class A drugs stitched into the lining of their four suitcases

The Portuguese authorities made the arrest in Lisbon after the Marco Polo ship docked in 2018

Last year he was moved to a lower-security site before the extradition. His wife was jailed in Tires prison.

The couple were previously apprehended in Norway in 2010 after being found with 240kg of cannabis.

They fled the Scandinavian country but were later extradited back, where they were put on trial. Police said that they took four cruises in two years, where they used the holiday as a front to make up to 26,500 each time.

Last week, Clarke told The Mirror that he wants to be freed so he can have a proper memorial for his late wife and reconnect with his family.

He added: 'My stupidity, that's what caused this.'

He told the newspaper that a friend had asked him to 'carry a suitcase back from the Caribbean' and he agreed, having done it before.

But when the suitcase was searched on arrival in Lisbon, there was cocaine in the lining.

He continued: 'I was shocked. I had no idea. It was a brand new suitcase. Whoever did it was very clever because you couldnt see the seams or anything.'

He said that he blames himself for not checking and doesn't understand why people don't believe his proclamations of innocence.

Clarke claimed that he has serious health issues and requires a pacemaker - and had asked for 107 a day for being in prison 'unfairly'.

He also claimed that when his wife passed away, authorities ordered him to pay 35,000 to repatriate her body. He could only afford 1,500 for her cremation.

The Mirror reported that court documents show the couple went on at least 16 drug-smuggling trips in a car.
This is the moment an ULEZ camera is chopped down by a 'Blade Runner' who then 'fries' another just days later as the the vigilante group continues its fightback against the hated scheme.

Video posted on social media shows a man in a full-face mask to hide his identity sawing down a street pole that has a camera attached to it in broad daylight.

In the footage, which was shared on Saturday, the loud noise of the saw can be heard pulsing through a residential street, with the person behind he camera heard saying 'timber' as the masked man pushes the post to the ground.

Another piece of footage shows what appears to be the same person using a homemade device on a pole to shoot flames at the lens of a camera, rendering it unusable as the glass melts.

As this happens the cameraman can be heard saying 'have some of that' and joking they were 'frying some ULEZ for breakfast'.

Video shows he moment one 'Blade Runner' chops down an ULEZ camera pole in London

In the footage, which has been shared on social media, a masked man uses a saw to cut through the pole and pushes it over

In the footage the cameraman can be heard saying 'timber' as the pole crashes to the ground

Another video shows a 'Blade Runner' using a homemade device to shoot fire at an ULEZ camera's lens

This device, which was attached to a pole, rendered the camera unusable after melting the glass lens

The precise time and location of where these incidents took place is not known, although it is believed they took place at some time in the last week.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told MailOnline: 'The Met continues to treat criminal activity in relation to ULEZ seriously and has deployed considerable resources to our operation.

'Where there are possible lines of enquiry, local investigators will follow up using a range of investigative approaches including CCTV trawls, witness searches and an assessment of forensic opportunities.'

A TfL spokesperson said: 'Vandalism is unacceptable and all incidents on our network are reported to the police for investigation. Criminal damage to ULEZ cameras or vehicles puts the perpetrators at risk of prosecution and injury, while simultaneously risking the safety of the public. Camera vandalism will not stop the ULEZ operating London-wide. All vandalised cameras are repaired or replaced as soon as possible.

'We have an extensive camera network which is sufficient to support the effective operation of the scheme. Anyone driving a non-compliant vehicle within the expanded zone will be detected and we advise everyone to check whether their vehicle is compliant and to consider the various support that is available to help transition to greener modes of transport.'

Vandalism against symbols of the scheme, including cameras, signs and mobile vans, has swept across London over the last year.

The so-called 'Blade Runners', who are virulently against the ULEZ scheme, have warned Sadiq Khan that 'we won't stop until you stop'

The 'blade runners' have said they will ramp up their action of wrecking cameras which use automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) to implement the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emissions Zone) charges.

'Blade Runners', who are opposed to Mr Khan's flagship policy, have already attacked hundreds of cameras prompting the London Mayor to roll out vehicles to catch those flouting the rules.

They say they want to bring the expanded ULEZ scheme 'to its knees' and have a series of 'exciting plans' in place, it was reported previously.

Anti-ULEZ campaigners, known as the Blade Runners, claim to have disconnected or destroyed at least 500 of the 2,700 cameras

Engineers attend the downed traffic light and ULEZ camera in Petts Wood, south east London

ULEZ attack in Chislehurst, London in the latest spree of attacks

And they said they will not stop until it is scrapped - with an initial aim of targeting 80 per cent of cameras.

Around 250 Blade Runners are thought to be active across the capital. The group has seen more active participation since the zone was expanded on August 29, members previously claimed.

There are about 1,775 ULEZ cameras in London - meaning 1,420 are on the target list.

The 12.50-a-day charge started to apply to non-compliant vehicles across all London boroughs towards the end of 2023.

It has caused outrage in the suburbs, with Mr Khan's Tory mayoral election rival Susan Hall promising to scrap it if she wins power.

In December, it emerged Sadiq Khan has reportedly hired a goon squad of 'thugs' with face tattoos wearing skeleton balaclavas to protect his hated ULEZ cameras.

Homeowners in suburban London said the gang of 'masked heavies' would often dress in black and hang around schools and homes while recording passersby on body cameras.

Transport for London (TfL) claimed the guards are held to 'high standards of professionalism' and that they were necessary to protect ULEZ cameras from the Blade Runners.
Joanna Simpson was bludgeoned to death with claw hammer by Robert Brown

This is the chilling 999 call a British Airways pilot made after he bludgeoned his wife at their home on Halloween, telling officers there had been a 'domestic issue'.

A new ITV documentary revealed the previously unheard call Robert Brown made after he killed his wife Joanna Simpson, 46, before repeatedly telling police officers 'no comment' as they quizzed him in an interview.

Brown beat his wife 14 times with a claw hammer while their two young children cowered in a playroom at their house in leafy Ascot before burying her body in the middle of a night in a pre-dug grave in Windsor Great Park.

Speaking to the call operator as his wife lay dead, Brown calmly said he wanted to arrange an 'appointment' with police officers to discuss 'a serious domestic' with his 'ex-wife'.

When the call handler asks more information about how serious the incident was, reassuring Brown that their conversation was confidential, the blood-blooded killer responded: 'I really don't want to say anything actually.'

Robert Brown answered 'no comment' when interviewed by police about what had happened to his wife

Joanna Simpson was killed by Brown at their home in Ascot in Autumn 2010 after the couple's acrimonious divorce

Brown (pictured here in his police mugshot) was jailed for 26 years after admitting to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility

'Well I mean it's extremely serious,' he continued. When probed on whether Brown and his wife had been harmed, the murderer stumbled telling the operator 'Well, one of us is.'

When asked if the injured person needed medical attention the father-of-two responded emotionlessly 'err no'.

The recording of the emergency call was released as part of The British Airways Killer on ITV1 and ITVX.

It comes as footage showed Brown repeatedly answering 'no comment' when being interviewed by police who were desperately searching to find Ms Simpson.

Throughout the interview Brown is probed by Detective Constable Melanie Ward but he continues to calmly give non-answers to their questions.

The DC is heard saying: 'Joanna is missing. Blood has been found at her home in Tun Cottage. Robert, tell us everything you know about the whereabouts of Joanna.'

But the killer just repeatedly responds 'no comment' to each of her questions.

DC Ward questions his reason for being here, saying: 'But you've continued to want to speak to police and to come to the police station, is that correct?'

Once again, Brown only responds 'no comment'.

Ms Simpson (pictured here with her two children) told one friend that Brown had held a knife to her chest during their relationship

In the interview the killer is asked repeatedly what has happened to Joanna Simpson, only to answer 'no comment' every time

Joanna (pictured) was initially reported missing from her home the morning after Halloween in 2010, with Brown eventually leading police to where he had dumped her body

Speaking to filmmakers, DC Ward said she was hopeful of gaining answers from the BA pilot as she walked into the interview.

She said: 'In my head at that time because he had handed himself in to speak to police, I was thinking something's happened, he's done something to her and he's going to come and tell us where she is.

'It was a remorseful "oh my God I've done this, this happened. Please help us, please help me, please help Jo".

'The first thing that came out of his mouth was "no comment" and I remember being very taken aback.'

In another part of the interview Brown was played recordings from the call he made to 999 before attending the police station.

DC Walker asks 'who was harmed' to which the killer responds 'no comment'. When asked whether the individual did not need medical attention because they were unharmed or because they are dead he responds 'no comment'.

Speaking more than a decade after the killing, DC Ward explained: 'What "no comment" says to me, it's control. It's easy to hide behind it but I don't think Robert was hiding behind no comment, I think he was, that was his element of control.'

He would eventually confess to having killed her and dumped her body in Windsor Great Park.

Detective Constable Melanie Ward (pictured) said she was 'taken aback' by the killers behaviour in the interview

Throughout the harrowing documentary, interviews with Ms Simpson's mother Diana Parkes and her friend Hetti Barkworth-Nanton reveal the moment they discovered Brown was not all he seemed.

Ms Barkworth-Nanton claimed that Ms Simpson had revealed to her Brown held a knife to her chest during their relationship.

She said: 'She [Joanna] said to me, and I've heard it from so many victims subsequently, that "His eyes went dark, almost black, cold, dark, black eyes," And he said, "I'm going to do it."

'So she was saying, you know, "What will happen to the children?" He didn't care about what would happen to the children.'

After Ms Simpson said she could no longer be with Brown she thought he would eventually kill her.

'She genuinely believe that he was going to kill her,' the friend said. 'She was of no doubt whatsoever.'

Ms Parkes told the filmmakers that she realised something was wrong when she received a phone call from a family friend.

She said: 'A friend rang and said, "Have you spoken to Jo this morning?" And I said no, and he said, "I've had a worrying call..."

The footage shown in the documentary shows the couple's picture perfect wedding in 1999

In a speech at the wedding Brown was heard saying 'you have to go for what's perfect'. He would later bludgeon his wife to death

Video footage showing the wedding of Robert Brown and Joanna Simpson is being released as part of a new documentary

'I was told there's police tape around the house, and I just said, "He's killed her." I just said that straight away, "He's killed her."'

Bittersweet footage of the couple's wedding, during which Brown said he 'can't help being choosy', while his father-in-law says Ms Simpson's killer is a 'very lucky man'.

Brown later admitted to manslaughter, but was cleared by a jury of murder after claiming he was suffering from an adjustment disorder brought on by their divorce.

He was sentenced to 26 years in prison and became eligible for automatic release after half of that, despite not expressing any remorse for his actions.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk blocked the ex-captain's release from prison last year, sparking legal action from Brown who claimed it was unlawful.

Earlier this month lawyers for the Ministry of Justice said Mr Chalk had referred the case to the Parole Board because of 'reasonable' fears that Brown could offend again.

They included fears he could commit murder, manslaughter or make threats to kill, the High Court heard.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk (pictured) blocked Brown's automatic earlier release last year

Lawyer Iain Steele, for the Justice Secretary, said: 'The Secretary of State can decide not to release a prisoner on licence if he has reasons to believe he will be dangerous if released.'

He added: 'His [Brown's] risk is not manageable  We are dealing with a very dangerous individual.'

Since he was jailed in 2011 he has refused to cooperate with prison psychiatrists and psychologists, the High Court heard, and officials warned of his 'arrogance and narcissism'.

Lawyers for Brown said Mr Chalk's decision to block his release was unlawful and appeared to have been politically motivated, because of the campaign to keep him behind bars.

A ruling is expected later this year.
The White House has broken its silence on the murder of 22-year-old Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, where the suspect is believed to be an undocumented migrant from Venezuela.

'We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Laken Hope Riley,' a White House official said in a statement to DailyMail.com.

The statement notably left out any mention, by name, of illegal Venezuelan immigrant Jose Antonio Ibarra, who was arrested for her murder on Friday and is now being held at the Clarke County Jail.

The 26-year-old crossed into El Paso, Texas in September 2022 but had been released from a detention center due to a lack of space.

'People should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law if they are found to be guilty. Given this is an active case, we would have to refer you to state law enforcement and ICE,' the White House official said.

Nursing student Laken Riley was murdered while jogging on the University of Georgia campus

The statement came on the same day the White House announced President Joe Biden would make his second visit to the border as president.

He will be in Brownsville, Texas, on the same day Donald Trump will be in Eagle Pass, Texas, to visit the southern border there.

The men are not expected to cross paths.

Trump has blasted Riley's murder and is expected to speak of her in his remarks on Thursday.

Riley, a nursing student, was found dead by police Thursday after she failed to return from her morning jog. University of Georgia police found her near where she'd been jogging through the campus intramural fields with 'visible injuries.'

'Crooked Joe Biden's Border INVASION is destroying our country and killing our citizens! The horrible murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley at the University of Georgia should have NEVER happened! The monster who took her life illegally entered our Country in 2022and then was released AGAIN by Radical Democrats in New York after injuring a CHILD!!,' Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday.

'When I am your President, we will immediately Seal the Border, Stop the Invasion, and on Day One, we will begin the largest deportation operation of illegal CRIMINALS in American History! May God Bless Laken Riley and her family!!! Our prayers are with you!'

Jose Ibarra, 26, was arrested on charges that included murder and kidnapping in the death of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Hope Riley in Athens, Georgia

Riley was killed by 'blunt force trauma,' police confirmed.

Ibarra has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, concealing the death of another and failure to appear for a finger printable charge.

His illegal status prompted Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to publicly fault the Biden administration for its immigration policies.

Ibarra was arrested in 2022 after entering the US illegally and was 'paroled and released for further processing,' according to a statement from ICE.

He was also arrested last September by New York City police and charged with 'acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation,' but police released him 'before a detainer could be issued,' ICE said.

Cops said that he did not know the victim and the crime was a 'random, solo act.'

UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark told reporters at a press conference Thursday that officers have searched Ibarra's apartment in Athens and evidence shows that he acted alone.

'He did not know her at all. I think this is a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual and bad things happened,' Clark said.

'The evidence is robust. It is supported by key input by the community, physical evidence and expert police work. Importantly, we were assisted by video footage from our campus security cameras network.'

President Joe Biden will visit the border on Thursday

Trump said in a Truth Social post on Monday that if president again he would 'begin the largest deportation operation of illegal criminals in American history'

Since Biden took office in 2021, over 7.2 million migrants have entered the U.S. through the southern border.

That's more people than the population of 36 states. Arizona, for example, had 7.1 million residents according to the 2020 census.

Trump has promised the ' largest deportation' in U.S. history of illegal immigrants if he becomes president again in 2024.
Protesters backing a ceasefire in Gaza stormed the lobby of New York City's Rockefeller Center to send a message to President Joe Biden, who was taking part in a taping of Late Night with Seth Meyers upstairs.

The group signaled they were made up of Jewish-Americans, sporting T-shirts that read 'Not In Our Name,' and large signs that said, 'Jews to Biden: End Israel's Siege of Gaza.'

They chanted 'end the siege of Gaza now' and 'Biden, Biden you can't hide ...'

In one video from the scene, a New York City Police Department officer uses a megaphone to tell the crowd they will be arrested for trespassing if they don't disperse.

Several protesters were then seen getting arrested by the NYPD.

Protesters took over the lobby of 30 Rock on Monday as President Joe Biden was taping an episode of Late Night with Seth Meyers upstairs

Pro-Palestinian protesters stormed into the lobby of New York's Rockefeller Center to send a message to President Joe Biden, who was taking part in a tape of Late Night With Seth Meyers upstairs

The protesters were calling for a ceasefire to save the civilian population of Gaza from the Israeli military, which has been trying to root out Hamas after the October 7 terror attack

Biden was a surprise guest for Meyers' 10th anniversary episode of the late night show.

The president appeared on the show alongside comedian Amy Poehler.

He was Meyers' first guest in 2014, during his tenure as President Barack Obama's vice president.

As part of the taping, Biden and Meyers went next door to the Van Leeuwen ice cream parlor.

During the jaunt the president was asked when a ceasefire in Gaza could begin.

'I hope by the end of the weekend,' the president answered. 'My national security adviser tells me that we're close, we're close, we're not done yet. My hope is by next Monday we'll have a ceasefire.'

He chose a mint chocolate chip cone.

President Joe Biden (right) eats a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone at New York's Van Leeuwan Ice Cream alongside comedian Seth Meyers (left)

President Joe Biden (left) answered questions about a possible ceasefire in Gaza and his trip Thursday to a Texas border town as he ate ice cream in New York City alongside Seth Meyers (right)

The president was also asked about his dueling trip Thursday to a Texas border town.

Biden will head Brownsville, Texas to survey the situation at the U.S. -Mexico border, while former President Donald Trump will go to Eagle Pass, Texas.

'I planned it for Thursday, what I didnt know was that my good friend apparently is going,' Biden told reporters.

He wouldn't say if he'd meet migrants on the ground.

'I'm not going to announce ahead of time,' the president said.

During a gaggle on board Air Force One heading to New York Monday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked to confirm that Biden would be appearing on Meyers show and if the secrecy was to keep away protesters.

'I don't have anything on that, if we have more to share certainly we will,' she said when asked about an appearance on Meyers' show.

'I don't have anything else to share on that,' she added when asked the White House was concerned about protests, which is why details about the president's schedule were not being shared.
Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg is asking a judge to impose a partial gag order on Donald Trump for the upcoming Stormy Daniels case, by citing the 'imminent threat' to the proceeding and documenting threats to himself since Trump got charged.

With Trump's sprawling legal situation in constant flux, the case relating to hush payments to porn star Stormy Daniels is set to begin next month, with an increase in court action for a case that will overlap with remaining presidential primaries.

Bragg's office invoked the partial gag that a federal judge imposed in Trump's January 6 case, as well as a New York judge who barred Trump from referencing court staff after attacks on his chief clerk.

Trump 'has a long history of making public and inflammatory remarks about the participants in various judicial proceedings against him, including jurors, witnesses, lawyers, and court staff,' according to Bragg's 331-page filing.

Manhattan prosecutors want to impose a limited gag order on Donald Trump for the Stormy Daniels case set to begin next month

He 'has a longstanding and perhaps singular history of using social media, speeches, rallies, and other public statements to attack individuals that he considers to be adversaries.'

That includes comments directed at 'courts, judges, various law enforcement officials and other public officials, and even individual jurors in other matters.'

Those remarks, as well as the inevitable reactions they incite from defendants followers and allies, pose a significant and imminent threat to the orderly administration of this criminal proceeding and a substantial likelihood of causing material prejudice,

Bragg cited the potential risk to jurors, and attached an affidavit from the head of his security detail who spoke to the spike in threats.

DA Alvin Bragg's office described the gag as 'narrowly tailored'

Trump is charged with falsifying business records over $130,000 in payments to the porn star

Trump's team wants to block former fixer Michael Cohen, who helped negotiate the payoff, from testifying

His office called the gag being sought 'narrowly tailored to protect the integrity of the upcoming trial while still affording defendant ample opportunity to engage in speech, including speech about this case.'

They said no less restrictive alternatives would 'adequately protect the trial from the prejudice that is reasonably likely to arise from defendant's unrestrained extrajudicial statements.'

The filing notes that Trump faces numerous counts as part of an 'illegal scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election'. Trump has pleaded not guilty.

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung blasted the 'restrictive gag order, which if granted, would impose an unconstitutional infringement on President Trumps First Amendment rights, including his ability to defend himself, and the rights of all Americans to hear from President Trump.'

Trump, who won the South Carolina primary on Tuesday and is on the Michigan ballot Tuesday, has made the most of previous gags and rulings against him, railing against a 'witch hunt' while riding high in Republican polls.

Trump's lawyers also issued a filing seeking to block former Trump fixer Michael Cohen, who negotiated the payoff, and Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, from testifying.

'Michael Cohen is a liar,' they wrote. Cohen told the New York Times that, 'As the March 25th date draws closer and closer, Donald and his legal team of misfits will attempt to concoct new ways to delay this case.'

Trump was indicted on charges of falsifying business records related to $130,000 in payments to Daniels in the weeks before the 2016 elections to keep her quiet about her claims of an affair, which Trump continues to deny.
Under-fire MP Lee Anderson insisted tonight that 'we are losing control' of London to 'extremists' just days after he was suspended for claiming Sadiq Khan was 'being controlled by Islamists'.

The former Tory deputy chairman refused to apologise to London's Labour mayor 'while I've still got breath in my body' for the controversial attack.

In a defiant statement, which suggests there is no prospect of an imminent return to the Conservative fold, Mr Anderson said it would be a 'sign of weakness' to apologise 'when you think you are right'.

He told GB News he would not apologise 'while I've got a breath in my body... because the comments I made weren't racist, at all. They keep bandying this word 'Islamophobia' about  nobody can explain what it really means.'

Mr Anderson added: 'It absolutely makes me sick to the pit of my stomach to see these extremists on our streets in London terrorising people...

Under-fire MP Lee Anderson insisted tonight that 'we are losing control' of London refusing to apologise for his comments claiming Sadiq Khan was 'being controlled by Islamists'

Rishi Sunak is facing a 'Red Wall backlash' after sacking Lee Anderson over his claims that Sadiq Khan was 'controlled by Islamists'. Pictured: Mr Anderson and Mr Sunak in January

'I think I have a right  I believe in free speech  to say that I think mayor Khan has lost, and the police have lost, control of the streets of London.'

The lack of apology comes as deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden suggested that while Mr Anderson's comments were 'not acceptable', if he apologises the party will 'make a determination at that point'

In a sign of Tory tensions over the issue, former home secretary Suella Braverman last night urged ministers to stamp out the growing threat to public life posed by Islamist extremists.

Mrs Braverman, who has told friends the suspension of Mr Anderson was an 'over-reaction', said: 'We need to urgently focus now on the big problem: how to tackle Islamist extremism in the UK.

The hysteria in response to those calling out the crisis is one of the reasons why we're not making progress. Language does matter but it's time for resolute government action.'

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Mr Anderson was 'wrong' to 'inflame tensions', but refused to say if he thought his comments to be 'Islamophobic'.

Several Tory MPs have voiced private support for Mr Anderson. In a message on a Tory WhatsApp group, Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer said it was vital the Conservatives remained a 'broad church'  and that Mr Anderson had been 'a huge asset to our party'.

Activists from the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO), set up by Right-wing Tories angry at the ousting of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, criticised the decision to suspend Mr Anderson.

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman has told friends the suspension of Mr Anderson was an 'over-reaction'

Rishi Sunak said Mr Anderson was 'wrong' to 'inflame tensions', but refused to say if he thought his comments to be 'Islamophobic'

Mr Anderson was deputy chairman of the Tory Party until resigning in January to rebel against Mr Sunak's legislation to revive the stalled plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda

Leaked messages from a CDO WhatsApp group show one member saying it was 'time for the snake of a PM to go'.

A second described Mr Sunak as 'weak and feeble', The Guardian reported. Former minister for London Paul Scully warned that parts of the capital and other cities such as Birmingham with large Muslim populations had become 'no-go areas'  a claim rejected by the Tory mayor of West Midlands, Andy Street.

Reform UK leader Richard Tice encouraged Mr Anderson to defect, saying that although his words were 'clumsy... his sentiments are supported by millions of British citizens, including myself'.

Senior Tories had suggested that Mr Anderson could have the whip restored if he apologised for his comments. But in a new statement yesterday, he said he had nothing to apologise for.

'If you are wrong, apologising is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength. But when you think you are right you should never apologise because to do so would be a sign of weakness.'

Mr Anderson insisted that criticism of Mr Khan's approach was justified by his failure to deal with anti-Semitic behaviour at pro-Palestinian marches in the capital.

Hundreds gather outside the parliament to stage a protest in support of Palestinians as a proposal calling a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza is being debated in the parliament on Wednesday night

'My words may have been clumsy but my words were borne out of sheer frustration at what is happening to our beautiful capital city,' he said. 'Hundreds of people had been arrested for racist abuse on these marches and we barely hear a peep from the mayor.

'If these marches were about something less fashionable, Sadiq Khan would have been the first to call for them to be cancelled. It's double standards for political benefit.' Mr Khan said Mr Anderson's comments had 'poured petrol on the fires of hatred'.

Mr Sunak told Channel 5 News that politicians had a duty to be 'careful with their words'.

But the PM acknowledged public concern about the behaviour of some pro-Palestine campaigners, saying: 'People, I know, are frustrated about seeing our democratic process threatened.

'We have a proud tradition in our country of debating ideas and disagreeing, but we do that peacefully and respectfully.

'We don't aggressively intimidate people, we don't disrupt their private events, we don't go and surround MPs' homes, and we don't threaten what's going on in Parliament to the extent that processes there have to be changed.

'None of that is right, none of that is British and I think everyone will feel, as I do, incredibly frustrated when they see those things happening.'

But he insisted Britain was not a racist country, adding: 'I am standing here as living proof of that.'
A Queensland man has died after becoming stuck underneath a ride-on lawnmower.

The incident occurred on a private property at Tallegalla, a rural town west of Ipswich on Monday night at about 6.19pm.

Emergency services rushed to the Ballins Road property, where they found a man caught under the mower.

A man, aged in his 50s, has died after becoming trapped under a ride-on lawnmower while on rural property in Tallegalla, west of Brisbane

The man, aged in his 50s, was found in a critical condition. Paramedics tried to resuscitate him but he could not be saved.

Queensland Police Forensic Crash Unit also attended the property. It's understood police are treating it as an accident.

More to come.
It has been described as the 'most disturbing site on the internet'.

PimEyes is a search engine that uses AI to search for any face that is uploaded, finding every image of that person online in seconds.

I tested it out with images of myself and my wife - and it certainly offered a wake-up call. In each case, it uncovered images that I hadn't been aware were online.

Perhaps scariest of all was the fact images of my wife on Instagram appeared (despite her profile being private).

Simply searching with an image brings up dozens of pictures of you online, from various sources (Picture PimEyes/Rob Waugh)

This was the initial image I uploaded - the results shocked me

Face search software has been developed by 'Big Tech' in the past, but Google's Eric Schmidt described it as 'too dangerous' to release in 2011.

PimEyes, initially developed by two Polish hackers, has no such qualms.

TikTok users have used the technology to uncover the identity of a cameraman at a Taylor Swift concert - and at present, there are few laws in the U.S. to present people using the technology.

Privacy experts speaking to DailyMail.com warned that people 'searching' people who they pass in the street could soon become an unwelcome reality.

Clearview will soon have 100 BILLION photos in its database

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Rowan Cheung, founder of The Rundown AI, has described it as 'the most disturbing AI website on the internet.'

The Georgian-based company recently banned searches for children (this appears to have been effective, as it would not search for my son) but others have found that it still searches for images of young teens.

In my case, there were images of me at an awards ceremony which I had no idea were online.

For subscribers, PimEyes claims the 'deep search' returns more results, but takes slightly longer - while the 'Safe Search' option excludes possible adult content.

PimEyes is free to use, but requires a subscription for advanced functions like accessing the websites you appear on.

Similar technology has been used in the Ukraine war to uncover Russian infiltrators.

Reports in Australia also suggested that police had accessed PimEyes multiple times, potentially looking for suspects.

Simply searching with an image brings up dozens of pictures of you online, from various sources (Picture PimEyes/Rob Waugh)

Simply searching with an image brings up dozens of pictures of you online, from various sources (Picture PimEyes/Rob Waugh)

People 'searching' passers by to find their social media profiles is likely to become common warned Paul Bischoff, Consumer Privacy Advocate at Comparitech.

Bischoff said: 'PimEyes claims you can 'find yourself on the Internet and protect your privacy and image.'

'The idea is that by using PimEyes to search for your image, you can then take steps to have those photos removed or at least prevent abuse.

'In reality, PimEyes and people finder sites make it easier for stalkers, abusers, and cybercriminals to find and target people without their consent.

'Although PimEyes is worrying from a privacy perspective, we must acknowledge that such sites will only become more common and get better at identifying people.

'Snapping a photo of someone on the street and looking up who they are without their consent is probably going to be a fairly common, although unsavory, practice within the next few years.'

The AI software was used to successfully track down a cameraman filming a Taylor Swift concert

The implications of the technology are extremely disturbing and could be misused by stalkers, said security expert Javvad Malik, lead security awareness advocate at KnowBe4 regarding PimEyes, talking to DailyMail.com

Malik said, 'Imagine you're on public transport, lost in your thoughts or perhaps buried in a book. Unbeknownst to you, someone across the aisle snaps a photo. Within moments, using a platform like PimEyes, they could potentially unearth a trove of information about you - links to various web appearances, social media profiles, perhaps even your workplace or personal blogs.

'This isn't speculative fiction; it's a very real possibility given the power of facial recognition technology.

'Despite PimEyes' policy that it should be used responsiblyfor individuals to search themselves or with explicit consentthere are no substantial mechanisms in place to prevent misuse. This gap between policy and practice is where privacy concerns multiply. There's a very real risk of stalking, harassment, or worse, as there's no telling what ends a motivated individual with access to your photos might pursue.'

Malik advisees that people should be cautious of taking photos publicly and posting them publicly - and advises that social media profiles are set to 'private' so tools such as PimEyes can't scrape them for images.

He told DailyMail.com, 'PimEyes' immense capabilities highlight a critical need for responsible use guidelines, transparency in operation, and perhaps most importantly, stringent regulations to protect individuals' privacy. While the technology itself is neutral, its application can vastly affect personal privacy.

'The practical reality of how technology is used often strays from its intended ethical guidelines, underscoring a privacy nightmare where personal spaces and anonymous existences are increasingly endangered in the digital expanse.'
Our solar system may be small in relation to the universe, but amazingly it's still yielding new discoveries.

Scientists have discovered three new moons  two orbiting Neptune and one orbiting Uranus.

Uranus' new moon  the first to be discovered around the planet in more than 20 years  is likely its smallest, at just five miles across.

Meanwhile, the two new moons of Neptune include the faintest moon ever discovered by ground-based telescopes.

They bring Neptune's total known moons to 16, while Uranus now has 28, although this is still modest compared to the solar system's two biggest planets.

The Uranian moon S/2023 U1. Uranus is just off the field of view in the upper left, as seen by the increased scattered light

Pictured, Neptune's new moon S/2002 (left) and S/2021 N1 (right). S/2002 N5 one is somewhat bright and so is clear in the middle of the image. With S/2021 N1, the moon is very faint but is the black point of light right in the middle of the image. This one is very hard to see since it is so faint, the faintest moon ever found around any planet

The three new moons URANUS S/2023 U1 5 miles (8km) in diameter

Orbit of 680 days NEPTUNE S/2002 N5 The brighter Neptune moon

14 miles in diameter

Orbit of almost nine years S/2021 N1 8.5 miles in diameter

Orbit of almost 27 years (These are provisional titles and all three will receive official names) Advertisement

Jupiter has 95 moons and Saturn has a whopping 146  and the figure is rising regularly.

Dr Scott S. Sheppard, an astronomer at the Carnegie Institution for Science, led the discovery of the three new moons.

More than 30 million miles away, they orbit the two most distant planets in our solar system.

'The three newly discovered moons are the faintest ever found around these two ice giant planets using ground-based telescopes,' he said.

'It took special image processing to reveal such faint objects.'

The new moon of Uranus is provisionally named S/2023 U1, but it will eventually be named after a character from a Shakespeare play, in keeping with the naming conventions for Uranian moons.

It was first spotted in November last year by Dr Sheppard using the Magellan telescopes at Carnegie Science's Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.

At only around 5 miles (8km) in diameter, it is likely the smallest of Uranus moons that exists and takes 680 days to orbit the planet.

Sheppard also used the Magellan Telescope to find the brighter of the two newfound Neptunian moons, provisionally called S/2002 N5.

It is about 14 miles across (23km) and takes almost nine years to orbit the ice giant.

Pictured, Uranus (left) and Neptune (right). Uranus and Neptune, the seventh and eighth planets, are the only two ice giants in the outer solar system

Pictured are the known outer moons of the giant planets. The new Uranian (pink) and Neptunian (blue) discoveries are shown as solid symbols

S/2023 U1 was first spotted on November 4, 2023, by Sheppard using the Magellan telescopes at Carnegie Sciences Las Campanas Observatory in Chile (pictured)

READ MORE: Scientists reveal the TRUE colour of Uranus and Neptune Images reveal what the furthest two planets in the solar system 'really look like' Advertisement

Meanwhile, the dimmer Neptunian moon, S/2021 N1, is about 8.5 miles (14km) across with an orbit of almost 27 years and was found using the Subaru telescope in Hawaii.

Both will receive permanent names based on the 50 Nereid sea goddesses in Greek mythology.

All three moons have distant and 'eccentric' orbits, meaning their orbit of their planet is not perfectly circular.

They were captured by the gravity of these planets during or shortly after Uranus and Neptune formed from the ring of dust and debris that surrounded our sun in its infancy.

Earth's only moon probably formed when a large body about the size of Mars collided with Earth, ejecting a lot of material from our planet into orbit.

According to NASA, there are likely thousands more moons awaiting discovery in our solar system.

Even with the most powerful ground-based telescopes, many are small enough to be too faint to see.

Even satellites that are sent over a billion miles to the outer planets may miss the moons depending on where they are in their orbit.

It was in 1989 that NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft provided the first close-up images of Neptune, although Neptune is actually paler shade of greenish blue than this image suggests

Uranus and Neptune, the seventh and eighth planets in our solar system, are the only two ice giants in the outer solar system.

They are mainly made up of a hot dense fluid of icy materials  water, methane, and ammonia  above a small rocky core.

Scientists recently revealed new images of what both planets really look like, claiming previous photos of them misrepresented their true colours.

Neptune is known for being a rich blue and Uranus green, but the two ice giants are actually far closer in colour than typically thought.

Neptune is actually a pale bluish-green or 'cyan', similar to Uranus and much lighter than the famous deep blue in images from the Voyager 2 spacecraft.
With their big eyes and fluffy coats, it's no surprise that dogs have been man's best friend for centuries.

But new data may raise alarm bells for many owners in the UK.

The Kennel Cub has released new figures detailing the 46 breeds at risk of being wiped out in the UK - including Scottish Terriers, Rough Collies and Pointers.

However, it's not all doom and gloom, as some breeds including the Bernese Mountain Dog and Yorkshire Terrier have seen a surge in popularity in recent years

So, is it good or bad news for your favourite breed?

The Kennel Cub has released new figures detailing the 46 breeds at risk of being wiped out in the UK - including Scottish Terriers, Rough Collies and Pointers

The Scottish Terrier enters the 'At Watch' list for the second time in history, with just 406 puppy births in 2023

Breeds that increased in popularity in 2023 Bernese Mountain Dog: +24% Miniature Long Haired Dachshund: +20% English Setter: +18% Yorkshire Terrier: +14% Jack Russell Terrier: +14% Advertisement

The Kennel Club's Vulnerable British and Irish Breeds list was created in 2004 in order to highlight the breeds that had fewer than 300 annual puppy registrations.

An 'At Watch' list was also created for those with 300-450 annual registrations.

These lists have now been updated with 2023's registration figures, revealing a total of 46 breeds at risk.

The Scottish Terrier enters the 'At Watch' list for the second time in history, with just 406 puppy births in 2023.

This is a huge drop since its heydey in the mid-1930s through to the early 1940s, where the breed was the third most popular breed in the coutry.

The breed has a long histroy of being associated with both British and international brands, including Radley London, Walkers shortbread, Monopoly, and the character Jock from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.

'The Scottish Terrier has been such an iconic and recognisable breed in the UK for decades, and means so much to so many different people, so these latest figures are really worrying,' said Bill Lambert, a spokesperson for The Kennel Club.

The Kennel Club's Vulnerable British and Irish Breeds list was created in 2004 in order to highlight the breeds that had fewer than 300 annual puppy registrations. Pictured: a rough collie

English Setters saw an 18 per cent increase, while Yorkshire Terriers (pictured) and Jack Russell Terriers both increased by 14 per cent

READ MORE: Interactive chart reveals the dog breeds with the longest and shortest life expectancies Advertisement

Three other British breeds have entered the 'At Watch' list for the first time.

The Pointer has been added to the list, with just 437 puppy registrations in 2023, alongside the Rough Collie (431 registrations) and Wire Fox Terrier (378 registrations).

Meanwhile, the Cairn Terrier has rejoined the list, with just 437 registrations last year.

Overall, this means there are now more breeds classed as 'At Watch' and 'Vulnerable' than ever before.

While the reasons for these declines remains unclear, Mr Lambert points out that most registrations in 2023 were from just 10 breeds.

'We are lucky to have an amazing 222 breeds of dog in this country, each with unique personalities and characteristics,' he said.

But the vast majority of dogs that you will meet come from within the top ten breeds alone.

'People often opt for the well-known choices and simply forget to dig a little deeper, with the worrying knock-on effect that not only are some of our most iconic breeds in decline but also that people might not be getting the perfect match for them.'

The Bernese Mountain dog (stock image) saw its numbers rise by nearly a quarter (24 per cent), while Miniature Long Haired Dachshunds also proved popular (20 per cent increase)

How long will the average dog live for in Britain? All dogs: 12.5 years Crossbreeds: 12.0 years Purebreeds: 12.7 years Small breeds: 12.7 years Medium-sized breeds: 12.5 years Large breeds: 11.9 years Flat-faced breeds: 11.2 years Long-nosed breeds: 12.8 years Female dogs: 12.7 years Male dogs: 12.4 years Advertisement

However, there was good news for some dog breeds, which saw a surge in popularity in 2023.

The Bernese Mountain dog saw its numbers rise by nearly a quarter (24 per cent), while Miniature Long Haired Dachshunds proved popular (20 per cent increase).

English Setters also saw an 18 per cent increase, while Yorkshire Terriers and Jack Russell Terriers both increased by 14 per cent.

The new figures come shortly before the launch of Crufts 2024, which begins in March and will see all of Britain's 222 dog breeds on display.

'Opportunities to meet less popular breeds of dogs are limited, which is why we have a unique Discover Dogs zone at Crufts,' Mr Lambert added.

'Visitors can talk to experts and meet any of the 222 breeds, from the most popular to vulnerable breeds, and a huge variety in between, including breeds that are new to the UK's shores and those that yodel instead of bark.

'We want people to enjoy lifelong relationships with their four-legged friends and urge potential dog owners to do their research, to meet the huge variety of breeds, and to use the information and resources we provide at Crufts and online, to really understand which breed and which breeder is right for them.'
The researchers have detected signs of a neutron star previously hidden by dust

After 37 years, scientists have finally cracked a cosmic 'murder mystery' that even Poirot or Miss Marple would have struggled with.

And unravelling what happened to this 'super-star' victim took more than asking the butler a few cutting questions.

In 1987, scientists watched as a star 160,000 light years from Earth exploded in the brightest supernova in 400 years.

What was left behind by the cataclysmic Supernova 1987A has been hidden by thick clouds of dust ever since.

But now, an international team of scientists has used the James Webb Telescope to find evidence of a neutron star left behind by the explosion.

Scientists have solved a 37-year-old cosmic 'murder mystery' as they reveal what was left behind after the explosion of Supernova 1987A (pictured)

An international team of researchers found evidence of a neutron star at the heart of the supernova material. It was known that there was a compact object there (pictured) but it had remained hidden behind clouds of debris

What are supernovae?

Supernovae are the explosions caused by the collapse of massive stars. Stars are kept stable by the balance between gravity pulling in and nuclear fusion pushing out from the core. When stars run out of fuel gravity overwhelms the outward forces and the outer layers collapse inwards. As the layers collapse they get denser and hotter, ultimately producing a shockwave which overwhelms gravity and the outer layers explode. This produces a vast amount of energy which we see as a supernova. Advertisement

Supernovae are caused by the collapse of stars between eight and 10 times the mass of our sun.

As these massive stars collapse in on themselves, the surface is pulled in so fast that they create powerful shockwaves which cause the outer layers to explode.

The explosions are the origins of all the carbon, oxygen, silicon, and iron that are vital for the development of life.

Occasionally, these stellar death throes leave behind a core of unbelievably hot and dense material which can form a black hole if the star was large enough.

More commonly this leaves behind a neutron star, an object no more than 13 miles (20km) across and composed largely of subatomic particles called neutrons.

Neutron stars are so dense that a sugar cube of neutron star material would weigh one billion tons on Earth - about as much as a mountain.

In February 1987, scientists spotted a supernova within the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighbouring dwarf galaxy, burning with the intensity of 100 suns.

Supernova 1987A was so bright that it could be seen from Earth for months and was even visible to the naked eye.

The Supernova 1987A was the brightest supernova visible from Earth for over 400 years. Located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (pictured) a neighbouring galaxy, it was so bright that it could even be seen by the naked eye

This earlier photo taken by the Hubble Space Telescope shows the ring of hotter material (in white) around a core which is hidden by dust

Scientists have long suspected that a neutron star was left behind by the blast, but there was so much dust left behind that even the most powerful telescopes couldn't confirm this.

But now, a team of researchers say they have found the first evidence that there is a neutron star lurking within the debris.

BBC Sky at Night presenter Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock said the research team had 'solved a murder mystery'.

She added: 'It is about the death of a star and the mystery has been what lies in the shrouds of dust around what remains.'

Using two instruments aboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a team of scientists looked at the infrared wavelengths of light coming from the area of the supernova

They found that there were heavy argon and sulphur atoms whose outer electrons had been stripped away.

By modelling how these atoms could have got there, the researchers found that they could have only been created by a neutron star.

Researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope to look at the infrared radiation emitted by the ejected material. They found the presence of Argon (pictured) and sulphur atoms which had been stripped of their outer electrons

Professor Mike Barlow, an astronomer from UCL and co-author on the study, said: 'Our data can only be fitted with a neutron star as the power source of that ionising radiation.'

The researchers have two theories of how this could have come about.

Professor Barlow explained: 'This radiation can be emitted from the million degree surface of the hot neutron star, as well as by a pulsar wind nebula that could have been created if the neutron star is rapidly spinning and dragging charged particles around it.'

As neutron stars collapse in on themselves they heat up to billions of degrees at the surface.

The researchers believe that the argon and sulphur atoms could only have been stripped of their electrons by a neutron star hidden in the centre of Supernova 1987A (pictured)

As they cool, this energy is emitted into the universe in the form of massive amounts of ultraviolet and X-ray radiation.

But if a neutron star is spinning, it will actually drag 'winds' of relativistic particles around itself which could interact with the surrounding supernova material.

An example of this kind of force can be seen in the Crab Nebula which is the remnant of a supernova observed by Chinese astronomers in 1054.

In either case, the scientists now have a strong indication that a neutron star must be present.

Professor Barlow added: 'The mystery over whether a neutron star is hiding in the dust has lasted for more than 30 years and it is exciting that we have solved it.'

The Crab Nebula (pictured) is a good example of how a spinning neutron star can create a 'wind' of particles that interact with material from the supernova

Lead author on the paper, Professor Claes Fransson of Stockholm University said: 'Thanks to the superb spatial resolution and excellent instruments on JWST we have, for the first time, been able to probe the centre of the supernova and what was created there.'

Scientists had suspected a neutron star might be present because, on February 23 1987, scientists detected a pulse of neutrinos passing through Earth.

These fast-moving, weakly interacting particles reached Earth a day before the supernova was first seen and potentially indicated that a neutron star had formed.

This was the first supernova to be detected by its neutrinos, which make up 99.9 per cent of all the energy emitted during the explosion.

Even though a vast amount of neutrinos were emitted, three detectors on Earth only managed to capture about 20 as they passed.

Professor Fransson added that scientists had long thought that a neutron star was responsible for this pulse but they 'had to wait for JWST to be able to verify the predictions.'
They say sex is the key to a happy marriage - and now science suggests it's true.

Orgasms rewire the brain in ways that encourage long-term bonding, according to new research.

A team of researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory mapped the brains of male and female voles during their three stages of courtship: mating, bonding, and 'ongoing bond maintenance.'

They found that during these stages, 68 different regions of the brain underwent significant changes, rewiring and forming new connections.

Both members of a pair displayed similar brain changes, and the biggest changes seem to occur when the male has an orgasm.

This could mean that orgasms promote connection beyond just sex, something scientists think is true for people, too.

Experiences change the brain, creating new connections between neurons and pruning old ones. Scientists use the vole as a model for examining the neuroscience of sex and love because it forms lifelong bonds.

Sex may be more than just a perk in long-term relationships. New research on voles suggests that sex is an important part of re-shaping the brain to support a lasting connection.

These changes could reflect evolutionary adaptations that increase the odds of survival, as a bonded pair will stand better odds of successfully raising their shared babies.

'The brain and behavior data suggest that both sexes may be having orgasm-like responses, and these 'orgasms' coordinate the formation of a bond,' said study author Steven Phelps, professor of integrative biology at UT Austin, in a statement.

'If true, it would imply that orgasms can serve as a means to promote connection, as has long been suggested in humans.'

Researcher saw that the most significant predictor of these changes was male orgasm, which seemed to affect the brain changes in both males and females.

In other words, the more the male orgasmed, the more profound their and their partner's brain rewiring was. They could not tell when or whether the females orgasmed.

Prairie voles form lifelong bonds. A bonded pair will comfort one another when stressed, defend their shared territory, and raise young together.

The study used prairie voles, a type of rodent species that has become an unlikely scientific window into how the brain handles sex and love.

READ MORE: Prairie voles can sense when their partner is stressed and will 'console' them Prairie voles were shown to groom stressed peers to console and soothe Advertisement

These small, North American animals form lifelong pairs, so scientists use them to study the neuroscience and behavior of monogamy.

Of course, not all humans are monogamous.

But studies have shown that both prairie voles and humans express oxytocin, which has been dubbed 'the love hormone' for its role in bonding, both between romantic pairs and between mother and child.

In the new study, scientists started with voles that had never mated, to ensure that their brains were blank slates, sexually speaking.

The team used wild-caught voles, a strategy that more labs are adopting in recent years, which may help avoid some of the reproducibility problems involved with inbred lab animals.

After giving female voles a hormone injection to ensure they were in heat, scientists paired them up with males.

About 200 voles were paired up, and scientists observed their behavior carefully, recording everything the animals did, including mating, grooming, and even orgasming.

When the animals were around 10 weeks old, they were euthanized, and the researchers preserved their brains.

They mapped all the connections in them, and then did statistical analysis to link their behaviors to what they observed in the brains.

Past research has suggested that sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone, which are not the same between males and females, play important roles in bonding and sex.

But there was no significant difference between males' and females' brains, the researchers reported.

Scientists used light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) imaging to examine vole brains after forming pair bonds. They found many areas were involved, areas not previously known to be associated with sex and bonding.

'That was a surprise,' Phelps said.

'Sex hormones like testosterone, estrogen and progesterone are important for sexual, aggressive and parental behaviors, so the prevailing hypothesis was that brain activity during mating and bonding would also be different between the sexes.'

What they did find was that many areas that changed during bonding were not previously known to be linked to bonding.

In fact, they identified 68 regions of the brain that had formed new connections during the pair's bonding process.

The study was published in the journal eLife.

Voles are known to form pair bonds quickly, going from strangers to partners in the span of a day.

And sex is a crucial part of this bonding process, the researchers found.

Often within the first 30 minutes of meeting, a male and female vole will begin having sex, and they will continue to do so repeatedly.

During this time, they form a bond that often lasts a lifetime.

A bonded pair of voles will groom one another, raise young together, comfort each other when stressed, and defend their shared territory and young.
Rivers are in a 'desperate' condition  with not one stretch of English river classed as being in 'good' condition, a new report reveals.

Waterways are being poisoned by pollution from agriculture, the water industry and road runoff, according to a report.

The Rivers Trust said there had been little change since the last report in 2019, despite several attempts to tackle the problem from government.

The report comes as the Department for Environment announced it was looking at creating 26 new bathing water sites in England.

The sites  which seeks to cater for a growing fashion for outdoor swimming - would receive greater water monitoring, and an enhanced focus on investigating pollution sources from water companies and agricultural sites.

Rivers are in a 'desperate condition', campaigners have warned as they release a report that lets the public examine the state of the UK and Ireland's waterways

All English rivers are failing on chemical health and just 15 per cent are in a good ecological state, the report warns

The Rivers Trust report into rivers in the UK and Ireland combines two measures  ecological health and chemical health  to create an overall rating.

It said none of the 3,553 stretches of river for which there was data in England were rated in 'good' or 'high condition' overall.

But around one in four (23 per cent) stretches of river were in poor or bad overall status, and 85 per cent fell below 'good ecological standards'.

Only 15 per cent achieve good or above ecological health.

The report found that 151 stretches of river got better and moved up an ecological standard, since the last report, but 158 got worse.

The report said 'worryingly' river sampling has also decreased, with nearly 6 per cent fewer river stretches receiving health classifications compared to 2019.

Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) are classed as in poor or bad overall condition, an assessment based on the combination of their chemical pollution and 'ecological' state, based on the health of aquatic plants, fish and insects. Pictured: litter strewn along the River Soar

The report draws on data gathered under the Water Framework Directive in 2022 and additional datasets for some areas

READ MORE: Almost HALF of the world's rivers contain dangerous levels of prescription drugs including antidepressants, antihistamines and painkillers, study warns A new study has warned that almost half of the world's rivers are teeming with over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Pictured: a river in Nairobi Advertisement

The Rivers Trust chief executive Mark Lloyd warned the findings were 'dispiritingly similar' to the first such study the organisation released three years ago for England, using previous data from 2019.

'We haven't seen any dramatic improvements, and all the same problems are there,' he said.

'For all the announcements, initiatives, press releases, changes of ministers and everything, we haven't seen any shifting of the needle on the dial on a measure of health, which is showing our rivers are in a desperate condition.'

He said there had been some improvements at a local scale where organisations had managed to carry out projects to reduce pollution and improve habitat, but added that 'on a strategic level our water system is not delivering healthy rivers'

Breaking down the reasons for failing to reach a good status, the report found that 62 per cent of river stretches failed because of fertiliser or livestock pollution; 54 per cent failed because of water industry activities, including sewage discharges and abstraction of ground water, and 26 per cent failed because of the run-off of transport pollutants such as oil from roads.

For 39 per cent of river stretches, the reason for failure is currently not known and under investigation.

The report also found that no river in Northern Ireland reached 'good' status; 44 per cent of rivers in Wales were 'good' overall, and 57 per cent of rivers in Scotland were classed as good.

Around half of river stretches in the Republic of Ireland (1,602 in total) reached 'good' status.

The government said it will add to the number of bathing sites in England.

There were 424 designated bathing waters in England in 2023, the vast majority of which are on the coast.

Water minister Robbie Moore said: 'Many people enjoy spending time in our rivers, lakes and coastal beaches, and I am very aware of the value they bring in terms of social, health and wellbeing benefits.

'I want to continue to improve the quality of our bathing waters, which is why we are taking action across the board to drive up standards and hold water companies to account.'
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If you think yoga pants are just for working out in, then Sweaty Betty is here to change your mind. Enter the new Gaia Yoga Pants that shoppers are calling 'so comfortable and versatile'.

The 90 pants are part of the iconic activewear brand's newest Yoga Gaia Collection. Focusing on super soft pieces for moving on  and off  the mat, this collection focuses on your maximum comfort.

Sweaty Betty Gaia Yoga Pants Each style in the new Sweaty Betty Gaia collection is designed for low-impact workouts and lounging. The Gaia Yoga Pants have been crafted with a barrel leg silhouette and deep waistband for a comfortable, relaxed fit. Better still, the updated 85 per cent recycled fabric is ultra-soft, smooth and sweat-wicking. Shop

If you're a die-hard Sweaty Betty lover, then you might already have one of the Gary pants in your collection. Now the iconic yoga pick has been re-designed, and customers have hailed it as 'a huge upgrade'.

New and improved, Gaia is the same collection you know and love, just with an even comfier silhouette.

'These are so comfortable and versatile' raved one Sweaty Betty shopper. 'Very similar fit and feel to the previous Gary, but the larger and higher waistband is a huge upgrade as it feels more elevated and holds me in a more flattering way.'

The Gary Yoga Pants have been thoughtfully designed with pure comfort in mind. At 90, they are an investment, but if you're looking for multi-tasking trousers that can take you to the gym, to lunch, and to the sofa, these fit the bill.

Whether you're looking for pants to see you through your downward dog and low-impact workouts or keep you cosy when working from home, the looser fit ensures these are a new go-to.

The pants have been crafted with a barrel leg silhouette and deep waistband for a comfortable, relaxed fit. Better still, the updated 85 per cent recycled fabric is ultra-soft, smooth and sweat-wicking.

Made for low impact workouts and for causal lounging, the Gaia Yoga collection is sure to be a mainstay of your wardrobe

'These are really soft and comfy, I love them for yoga,' another reviewer wrote. 'They're similar to the old Gary but feel a bit smarter with the new waistband and fit. I'm wearing an L and they look really flattering.'

Another agreed, adding their thoughts on the Sweaty Betty Gaia Yoga Pants. 'These are so gorgeous! I love the hand feel - they're so soft, they're also made from 85% recycled polyester, so great that they're more sustainable than other versions!'.

And the yoga pants aren't the only standout. The Gaia Yoga Bra has had raved reviews with wearers calling it 'super flattering' and 'incredibly supportive' in equal measure.

And for the days when you don't want to have to think about what to wear? The Sweaty Betty Gaia Jumpsuit is here to see you through all situations.

Sweaty Betty Gaia collection
Georgia Kousoulou says she will 'never get over the feeling' of losing her baby after she suffered a devastating miscarriage at 12 weeks.

The former TOWIE star, 32, who shares son Brody, two, with husband Tommy Mallet, 31, has started having therapy after struggling with emotional triggers and feeling 'drained' by grief.

And Georgia's sadness was brought back to the surface as she reflected on her trauma while writing new book I Wish I Knew, where she speaks openly about the heartache of baby loss.

After almost a year since since the nightmare, Georgia says she's 'distracted' by 'dream child' Brody but often experiences negative thoughts, especially when she's on social media.

But she wants to try for more children with Tommy, who she married in a surprise ceremony last year, as she's always visualised having a big family, like it was when she grew up with two siblings.

Georgia Kousoulou says she will 'never get over the feeling' of losing her baby after she suffered a devastating miscarriage at 12 weeks

The former TOWIE star, who shares son Brody with husband Tommy Mallet, has started having therapy after struggling with emotional triggers and feeling 'drained' by grief

Georgia wants to try for more children with Tommy, who she married in a surprise ceremony last year, as she's always visualised having a big family

She said: 'I don't think you ever get over the feeling.

'I have just started therapy, I'm much better, luckily for me I have Brody who's the love of my life, he's a dream child and keeps me distracted, but there are still triggers. The problem with baby loss is there are triggers everywhere.

'All my Instagram is either babies or weddings. The hardest thing I have learned is that it's okay to feel sad but happy for other people.

'I really struggled with that... I thought I was a bad person.

'The aftermath is draining, it is hard. Hopefully one day I will be pregnant again and maybe that will make me feel better, but I don't know.

'I really want a big family; I see us having three or four children. When you're old, you look at your table and it's full of people, that's what it comes down to.'

While Georgia says writing her book was a cathartic experience, she also had to cope with reliving a lot of her previous trauma.

The Baby Steps star has previously explained that she had to undergo a termination after doctors discovered a rare chromosome disorder that meant the couple's baby had no chance of survival.

Tommy and Georgia, stars of ITV reality show Baby Steps, have been together for over a decade and are planning to celebrate their recent vows with a big party in Spain next year

Georgia also discusses in her book feeling 'lost' after becoming a mother for the first time, saying 'I looked like a different person'

Learning how to be a mother was tough too, with Georgia admitting she was paid to endorse some baby products that she wasn't even sure how to work herself

If she had continued with her pregnancy, her baby would have been miscarried or stillborn.

Recording the audio book was particularly difficult but Georgia says confronting her heartache head-on has helped her to move forward, and she urges women experiencing similar emotions to do the same.

She said: 'Writing the book resurfaced a lot of bad memories... especially baby loss because that wasn't in the brief.

'I was pregnant when I was writing the book and then it all changed and that was hard. I was like s*** I've got to add this chapter. I didn't want to talk about it, but I had to.

'I did the audio recording in January... that was hard. I remember just coming off my period and I told the producer I needed a minute because you are really... it's so raw.

'I'm talking from my heart, and I was reliving it again. I know it will help people though, so I have to keep going. It does help me afterwards because the more I talk, the better I feel.'

Georgia also discusses in her book feeling 'lost' after becoming a mother for the first time, saying 'I looked like a different person.'

She went from being a glamorous TV star to only wearing 'baggy clothes' and says once Tommy returned to work and visits from friends stopped, she asked herself 'What am I supposed to do now?'

The TV personality has revealed she's the opposite of a bridezilla and is under pressure from her wedding planner to start making some important decisions

Georgia has asked 12 of her closest friends to be her bridesmaids when she marries Tommy again in Spain next year including former TOWIE co-star Lydia Bright

Learning how to be a mother was tough too, with Georgia admitting she was paid to endorse some baby products that she wasn't even sure how to work herself.

She said: 'I remember having Brody and I was in a really dark place, my hormones were everywhere, and I felt so low.

'It's really, really hard because you are you all this time and then you're a mother and you've got to look after this human.

'They need you all day, the TV you're watching is children's TV, the food you're cooking is for them, your whole life is focused around this little, tiny person telling you what to do.

'Looking back now, if I could give myself some advice it would be don't put too much pressure on yourself, allow yourself that time because it's a lot.'

Georgia credits partner of ten years Tommy for helping to find her confidence again.

She recalls the footwear entrepreneur organising a babysitter and taking her shopping, where he treated her to some new clothes.

The gesture is one Georgia says will stay with her forever because it was the first step in her starting to feel like her old self again.

Georgia says writing her new book I Wish I Knew was like 'therapy' as she reflected on the highs and lows of her childhood and becoming a mum for the first time to son Brody

She said: 'Tommy saved me. He was amazing with me.

'I will never forget it, one day he took me shopping and I said I didn't want to go but we went out and he bought me really nice gym stuff.

'I got really excited about my new little wardrobe that he bought me, I felt confident in it, just by giving me a few more outfits, it boosted my confidence and then I started to get my hair done again, and feel like me.'

Georgia and Tommy shocked their fanbase by posting an image from the day of their legal wedding after tying the knot in secret last December.

Writing on Instagram, Georgia said: 'After a challenging year, we decided we wanted to end the year happy, in love and together as husband and wife. Wedding part two coming soon'

And now Georgia has revealed she's the opposite of a bridezilla and is under pressure from her wedding planner to start making some important decisions.

She said: 'I am so excited for our Spanish wedding next year.

'I have barely organised anything because I am the worst bride. I haven't thought about this since I was a child like most girls. I haven't been that girl.

'I've got no band, all I have are 12 bridesmaids, which is so dramatic. It's going to be chaos and like one big party.

'I know what I want to wear though, I'm going to get my dress designed and have an evening dress because I just want to get down and dirty and dance the night away.'
Cate Blanchett and Aaron Taylor Johnson led the celebrity arrivals at the Giorgio Armani Women's Fall-Winter show in Milan on Sunday.

The Oscar winning actress, 54, cut a stylish figure in a blue velvet suit along with a plunging white shirt and black heels.

Her blonde locks were styled in loose waves and she opted for a natural makeup look to show off her impeccable features.

Aaron, 33, attended the Milan Fashion week event alongside his wife of 11 years Sam Taylor-Johnson, 56.

The Bullet Train Actor opted for a grey patterned coat, which he wore over a black jumper and trousers with smart shoes.

Cate Blanchett, 54, (left) and Aaron Taylor Johnson, 33, (middle) led the celebrity arrivals at the Giorgio Armani Women's Fall-Winter show in Milan on Sunday

The stars were seen mingling with Roberta Armani in the front row.

Aaron was recently revealed as a brand ambassador for Armani in January and announced the news with a sexy new campaign.

Blanchett has been the face of the fashion houses' Fragrance Si for over 10 years.

This latest outing comes as mystery surrounds Blanchett's marriage.

The Oscar winning actress, 54, cut a stylish figure in a blue velvet suit along with a white shirt and black heels

Aaron opted for a grey patterned coat, which he wore over a black jumper and trousers with smart shoes

The stars were seen mingling with Roberta Armani, 53, (middle) who they were sat next to on the front row

The Australian actress has not been seen publicly on a date with her husband Andrew Upton since their sun-soaked Ibiza holiday in August 2023.

The couple, who tied the knot in 1997, also raised eyebrows earlier this month after putting their sprawling three-bedroom mansion in Prahran, Melbourne, on the market.

Speaking to Woman's Day magazine on Monday, a source close to the couple said Cate's missing ring has set off alarm bells about the status of her marriage.

'Seeing Cate without her ring has sent shockwaves through their friends. For the first time they're wondering if things aren't so rosy,' the insider claimed.

Blanchett has been the face of the fashion houses' Fragrance Si for over 10 years

The actress was once again spotted without her her wedding ring as mystery continues to surround her marriage

Cate first met her Australian playwright husband Andrew, 58, in the mid-1990s while she was starring as Nina in a production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull.

She has previously spoken about how they knew each other socially but didn't get on and 'mutually' didn't like each other before romantic sparks began to fly.

The couple went on to welcome four children together - sons Dashiell, 22, Roman, 19, and Ignatius, 16, and a daughter Edith, eight.
An American Swiftie has pointed about the huge difference between what fans are allowed to take into Taylor Swift's Australian concerts compared to her US shows.

TikTok star Molly Halter said she was surprised Aussie Swifties took non-transparent bags to the shows.

'I'm watching the Eras Tour Australia and I'm like, "Why don't they have to wear clear bags?"' she asked in a video on social media.

Halter suggested Australia's more lenient rules could be due to the country's strict gun laws.

'Because they don't have gun problems.'

An American Swiftie has pointed about the huge difference between what fans are allowed to take into Taylor Swift 's Australian concerts compared to her US shows

Many of Molly's Australian followers quickly took to the comment section to debate her theory.

'I think it's because guns aren't legal over here,' one Aussie follower wrote and a second added: 'I'm Australian and it never occurred to me why you needed clear bags.'

While Molly claims Australia has laxer concert admission policies, earlier this week other American Swifties condemned the country as a 'police state'.

TikTok star Molly Halter said she was surprised that Aussie Swifties were allowed to take non-transparent bags to the shows

Australia was labelled an 'Orwellian dystopia' after fans noticed a strange sign at Taylor Swift's Sydney concert on Sunday night.

In posts shared to X, Swifties, most of them from the United States, condemned a placard that read 'report antisocial behaviour' posted at Accor stadium, where the American pop superstar is performing a total of four concerts.

Signs encouraging people to 'report antisocial behaviour' are often seen in stadiums at large sporting and music events in Australia.

'I'm watching the Eras Tour Australia and I'm like, "Why don't they have to wear clear bags?"' she asked in a video on social media

A clip of Taylor performing on stage with the notice in the background prompted outrage on the social media site this weekend.

'Australia is a police state,' wrote an American X user, alongside the original video and a screenshot in which the offending sign was circled.

'I saw that, made my hairs stand up,' replied one more, while another chimed in, 'They gave up their guns and are now paying for it.'

Swift performed the third of her four Sydney concerts at Accor stadium on Sunday night, after successful gigs on Friday and Saturday, and will take the stage a final time on Monday evening.
Top China travel destination makes bid for U.S. tourists

Xinhua) 15:59, February 26, 2024

NEW YORK, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Delegates from a top-ranking tourist destination in China held a seminar in New York City over the weekend in a bid to attract U.S. tourists.

Representatives from Zhangjiajie in central China's Hunan province presented breathtaking canyon sceneries and attractions from ethnic minority groups.

In 2023, the United States was among the top ten sources of international tourists visiting Zhangjiajie, said Wang Hongbin, mayor of Zhangjiajie city.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, part of the regional Wulingyuan scenic area, is the prototype of Pandora in the first Avatar film.

Wang also expressed his confidence that more American tourists would visit Zhangjiajie and kick off more exchanges between the tourist site and the United States.

Jupiter Legend Corp. of Universal Vision, a U.S.-based travel agency, signed a cooperation agreement with Hunan Huatian International Travel Agency at the seminar.

Huang Ping, the Chinese Consul General in New York, said China recently unveiled a series of favorable policies to facilitate travel between China and the United States.

Huang said China resumed the issuance of 10-year multiple-entry visas to U.S. citizens in early 2023 following a hiatus during the pandemic, and applicants for China visas now enjoy a discount on fees.

"In Linden, we do understand the significance of promoting cultural diversity and fostering international connections," said Derek Armstead, mayor of Linden City, New Jersey.

Armstead stressed the importance of the next generation experiencing different cultures, ideas, traditions and values.

As a well-known Chinese tourist destination, the Wulingyuan scenic area in Zhangjiajie is on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

Wulingyuan houses over 3,000 quartzite sandstone pillars and peaks, many over 200 meters tall, along countless ravines, rivers and waterfalls.

Wulingyuan also has a transparent glass-bottomed bridge that spans the canyon between two mountain cliffs in Zhangjiajie. When it became operational in 2016, it was the longest and tallest glass-bottomed bridge in the world, with a length of 430 meters and a height of 260 meters above the ground.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Timothee Chalamet looked effortlessly cool as he arrived at the US premiere of Dune: Part Two on Sunday in New York City.

The 28-year-old actor had all eyes on him as he arrived at the red carpet in a striking all-leather earth tones outfit.

Chalamet  who may have been channeling the aura of Bob Dylan, whom he'll portray in an upcoming biopic  stars in the second film in the science fiction series as the lead, Paul Atreides.

He was joined by a bevy of A-listers at the premiere, including his costar Zendaya and Anya Taylor-Joy, who was recently revealed to have an important but still undisclosed role in the new film.

Timothee's character is the surviving heir to the royal House Atreides at the start of Part Two, which covers the second half of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel Dune.

Timothee Chalamet, 28, looked effortlessly cool as he arrived at the US premiere of Dune: Part Two on Sunday in New York City

In Part Two, he joins forces with Zendaya's character Chani and her tribe the Fremen to fight back against the evil House Harkonnen, which has decimated his royal family and taken over lucrative spice extraction on the desert world of Arakis

He and his mother (Rebecca Ferguson) are left trying to survive the deadly desert of the planet Arakis with the help of the nomadic Fremen tribe, even as he plots to avenge his fallen father and friends by taking on the vicious House Harkonnen, which has taken over lucrative spice mining on Arakis after decimating its previous custodian, House Atreides.

The acclaimed actor rocked a light brown leather shirt with baggy sleeves that he wore rolled up almost to his elbows.

Chalamet stayed on the leather theme but contrasted the brown with a set of slim black leather jeans.

He complemented them with black Chelsea boots, and he stuck to the muted color scheme while playing up his cool factor with a set of classic black sunglasses.

The Little Women actor completed his look by wearing his dark hair swept back in shaggy waves.

He previously starred in the first part of the sci-fi epic in 2021.

That film earned stellar reviews and grossed a respectable $434 million against a $165 million budget, which might not have earned it a sequel under other circumstances.

However, its distributor Warner Bros. has attributed part of its relative underperformance to coming out in the midst of the (still ongoing) coronavirus pandemic, which kept many viewers out of theaters.

The first film was also released simultaneously to stream for subscribers to Warner's service Max (former HBO Max), which cut down on the film's grosses.

The move make it available on streaming even as it was in theaters was met with dismay by several members of the creative team and production companies, including director Denis Villeneuve.

The acclaimed actor rocked a light brown leather shirt with baggy sleeves that he wore rolled up almost to his elbows. Chalamet stayed on the leather theme but contrasted the brown with a set of slim black leather jeans

He complemented them with black Chelsea boots, and he stuck to the muted color scheme while playing up his cool factor with a set of classic black sunglasses

Dune: Part Two was originally set for a November 2023 release before being delayed by the actors and writers strikes; pictured with costars (L-R) Zendaya and Austin Buter, as well as director Denis Villeneuve

Dune: Part Two will be released in theaters on Friday, March 1; pictured (LR): Anya Taylor-Joy, Souheila Yacoub, Zendaya, Chalamet, Villeneuve, Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Florence Pugh, and Lea Seydoux

Salaries for films of Dune's stature often factor in bonuses based on box-office performance, and by allowing many viewers to never pay any additional money to see the film, it potentially robbed the cast and crew of money they might have made otherwise.

They seemed to have moved past the issue by the time Dune: Part Two was ready to arrive in theaters, after it was pushed back from its previous November 2023 release date due to the dual writers and actors strikes.

Timothee temporarily broke his cool to show off a soft smile as he joined new and old costars  including Taylor-Joy, Souheila Yacoub, Zendaya, Villeneuve, Austin Butler, Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Florence Pugh, and Lea Seydoux  for a group pose on the red carpet.

Dune: Part Two will be released in theaters on Friday, March 1.
Lottie Lion has revealed she has been diagnosed with a 'life-changing' heart condition.

The Apprentice star, 24, who starred in the 2019 series when she was 19, recently had heart surgery after collapsing on holiday in Sydney.

After being rushed to hospital in an ambulance, doctors discovered she has Wolff Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW).

WPW is a relatively common heart condition that causes the heart to beat abnormally fast for periods of time, due to an extra electrical connection in the heart.

The extra connection grows while the unborn baby is developing in the womb, but symptoms may not develop until later in life.

Lottie Lion has revealed she has been diagnosed with a 'life-changing' heart condition

The Apprentice star, 24, who starred in the 2019 series when she was 19 (pictured), recently had heart surgery after collapsing on holiday in Sydney

While the syndrome is usually not serious and can normally be completely cured with treatment, it can be life-threatening in rare circumstances.

Unfortunately for Lottie, as she also suffers from a second diagnosis of an abnormal heart rhythm, there is a greater risk of her suffering a heart attack or stroke.

She now must take a course of medication and undergo further surgery, but has been deemed medically unfit to fly back to the UK, leaving her stranded in Australia.

Speaking to The Sun, Lottie voiced her devastation, saying: 'This is going to be life-changing for me, as I usually live an extremely active lifestyle attending the gym every day. I took for granted how fit and healthy I was.

'I absolutely loved my active lifestyle and Im devastated and very frustrated that I cant at present continue that. I am on strict instructions having to take four different medications three times a day until I am able to have my second heart surgery.'

She revealed the second operation will involve cauterising the extra electrical pathway in her heart and has a two-month recovery period.

Lottie said she first experienced heart palpitations while in Bali, before she flew to Sydney, but dismissed it as anxiety.

After being rushed to hospital in an ambulance, doctors discovered she has Wolff Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) along with a second diagnosis of an abnormal heart rhythm

She now must take a course of medication and undergo further surgery, but has been deemed medically unfit to fly back to the UK, leaving her stranded in Australia

After arriving Down Under, she recalled: 'I was on a walk and felt extremely dizzy and was having heart palpitations. The next thing I knew I woke up in an ambulance.'

Lottie took to her Instagram last week to share a selfie from her hospital bed, while wearing an oxygen mask, after her operation.

She reassured her followers the surgery went well as she told them she was on the 'road to recovery'.

Sharing a picture of her view from her hospital room, Lottie captioned the story: 'Focusing on recovery, thank you for your lovely messages.'
Anya Taylor-Joy had all eyes on her while attending the star-studded premiere of her new film Dune: Part Two in New York City on Sunday.

The actress, 27, stunned in a dramatic Maison Margiela gown from creative director John Galliano's Parisian-inspired SS24 Haute Couture Collection.

The incredible dress featured a form-fitting gold slip underneath, and a black sheer tulle structured dress over it.

The Queen's Gambit star wore her platinum tresses parted in the middle and slicked down at the very top, but with mermaid waves flowing down her back.

She completed her look with picture-perfect makeup, opting for a bold red lip and bronze eyeshadow.

Anya Taylor-Joy had all eyes on her while attending the star-studded premiere of her new film Dune: Part Two in New York City on Sunday

While at the event she was seen posing with Dune director Denis Villeneuve, 56, who looked dapper in a black suit.

Anya also joined the rest of the Dune cast for a snap, including Souheila Yacoub, Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Villeneuve, Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Florence Pugh, and Lea Seydoux.

Zendaya, 27, commanded attention in a stunning white gown featuring a unique cut out that gave a peek at her navel.

Meanwhile Chalamet, 28, rocked an all leather ensemble.

Taylor-Joy's role in the epic part two has been kept under wraps thus far.

Variety confirmed that Taylor-Joy makes an appearance in the film, playing a 'major character' from the franchise.

The film takes place immediately after the first ended, when Paul Atreides and his mother Lady Jessica joined forces with Chani and the rest of the desert-dwelling Fremen to get revenge against the evil House Harkonnen, whose members have killed most of his family and friends.

The films are based on Frank Herbert's 1965 novel of the same name, with first being released to much critical and commercial success in March 2021, and going on to win six Academy Awards.

The actress, 27, stunned in a dramatic Maison Margiela gown from creative director John Galliano's Parisian-inspired SS24 Haute Couture Collection

The incredible dress featured a form-fitting gold slip underneath, and a black sheer tulle structured dress over it

Anya wore her platinum tresses parted in the middle and slicked down at the very top, but with mermaid waves flowing down her back

She showed off the spectacular ensemble

While at the event she was seen posing with Dune director Denis Villeneuve, 56, who looked dapper in a black suit

She also posed with Rebecca Ferguson, 40, who stunned in a black lace dress

Anya joined the rest of the Dune cast for a snap; (L-R) Souheila Yacoub, Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Villeneuve, Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Florence Pugh, and Lea Seydoux

Taylor-Joy's role in the epic part two has been kept under wraps thus far. Variety confirmed that Taylor-Joy makes an appearance in the film, playing a 'major character' from the franchise

Timothee leads the cast as messianic figure Paul, while Zendaya plays Chani, a member of the Fremen, who are the native inhabitants of Arrakis.

Butler has joined the cast for the sequel, playing Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, a ruthless trained assassin who is Paul's rival to taking control of Arrakis.

The first reviews are already starting to trickle in for the film ahead of its release on March 1, and so far they're even better than the first installment.

Dune: Part 2 has already earned an incredible 97% from 112 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

And many of the critics praised the film's gargantuan scope, including Rolling Stone's David Fear, who said: 'Villeneuve has outdone himself.

'More importantly, hes done justice to the scope and scale and sheer weirdness of a stoner-lit touchstones back half without, pun intended, sanding away its edges.'

Variety's Peter Debruge admitted that splitting the movie in two halves was a 'massive gamble' that somehow paid off.

While the 2021 film set up the world, he added Part Two, 'graduates from the world-building thrills of the 2021 original to a meaty, all-encompassing narrative.'

The first wave of reviews have come in for Dune Part 2 ahead of its release, earning an incredible 97% from 112 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

After multiple delays, the film is now set to hit theaters on March 1, 2024

Alongside Timothee and Zendaya, the sequel also sees the return of stars Dave Bautista (Beast Rabban), Javier Bardem (Stiglar), Josh Brolin (Gurney Hallack) and Rebecca Ferguson (Lady Jessica).

Part Two also has its fair share of newcomers including Austin, with Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Anya also joining.

The film was originally scheduled for a late October 2023 release, before being pushed back to November and finally shuffled all the way back to March of this year following the dual writers and actors strikes.

After multiple delays, it is now set to hit theaters on March 1, 2024.
Andrew Scott stole the show once again as he made a stylish appearance at the 39th Independent Spirit Awards 2024 in Santa Monica, California, on Sunday.

The Sherlock star, 47, looked glowing as he continued to display his impeccable sense of fashion in a pastel yellow suit co-ord and matching shoes.

He flashed a glimpse of his chest in a white sheer shirt, flashing a joyful beam for the camera.

The Irish actor was nominated for Best Lead Performance for his role in the LGBTQ+ romantic fantasy All Of Us Strangers where he plays Paul Mescal's on-screen love interest.

All Of Us Strangers dominated the competition at the British Independent Film Awards in December, earning a staggering seven gongs in total.

Andrew Scott stole the show once again as he made a stylish appearance at the 39th Independent Spirit Awards 2024 in Santa Monica, California, on Sunday

The Sherlock star, 47, looked glowing as he continued to display his impeccable sense of fashion in a pastel yellow suit co-ord and matching shoes

He flashed a glimpse of his chest in a white sheer shirt

The feature film - based the film on the 1987 Japanese psychological novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada - is directed by Andrew Haigh and was released in the UK on January 26.

The film stars Andrew as screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home who enters into a fledgling relationship with a mysterious neighbor (Paul).

Andrew appeared relaxed and in high spirits as he dazzled under the limelight at the glitzy annual event, while stopping on the blue carpet for some shots ahead of the big night.

The Fleabag favourite appeared to be having quite the time of his life as he captured being busy posing and having fun with other celebrity pals.

He was snapped larking about alongside Hollywood alum Anne Hathaway - as the duo both rocked stylish sunglasses.

Andrew and the Interstellar star seemed to match each other's spirit as he opted for dark retro shades, while Anne went for an edgy pair of silver cat-eye sunglasses.

The American actress showcased her toned figure white sleeveless jumpsuit with embroidered details.

The Ripley sensation also rubbed shoulders with Natalie Portman - who made a fashion statement in an exquisite couture two-piece from Balmain.

The Irish actor was nominated for Best Lead Performance for his role in the LGBTQ+ romantic fantasy All Of Us Strangers where he plays Paul Mescal's on-screen love interest

Andrew appeared relaxed and in high spirits as he dazzled under the limelight at the glitzy annual event

He stopped on the blue carpet for some shots ahead of the big night

The Fleabag favourite appeared to be having quite the time of his life

He was snapped larking about alongside Hollywood alum Anne Hathaway - as the duo both rocked stylish sunglasses

Andrew and the Interstellar star seemed to match each other's spirit as he opted for dark retro shades, while Anne went for an edgy pair of silver cat-eye sunglasses

The stunning set featured short-sleeved top and a perfectly matching skirt, both adorned with opulent fabric roses.

The 42-year-old Oscar winner, who was nominated for Best Lead Performance for her role in Netflix's May December, modeled a ravishing red ensemble as she arrived solo amid her rumored split with husband Benjamin Millepied.

She elegantly swept back her chestnut tresses into a chic long ponytail, complementing the ensemble with a set of understated hoop earrings and a dazzling gold clutch.

Andrew also stropped to strike a few poses alongside Past Lives star Greta Lee and The Crown alum Emma Corrin.

Greta, 40, oozed chic in a sleeveless layered white dress, while Emma looked gorgeous in a strappy black dress.

During the star-studded award ceremony, Andrew took to the stage alongside Greta as the duo presented the Best International Film award for Anatomy Of A Fall to French director Justine Triet.

The Irish star and Greta welcomed filmmaker and screenwriter with glee, as they both hugged and complimented her on the latest achievement.

American actress Greta also joined the stage when Past Lives's director Celine Song won Best Director, as the whole cast reunited during an emotional appearance.

The Ripley sensation also rubbed shoulders with Natalie Portman - who made a fashion statement in an exquisite couture two-piece from Balmain

Andrew also stropped to strike a few poses alongside Past Lives star Greta Lee and The Crown alum Emma Corrin

During the star-studded award ceremony, Andrew took to the stage alongside Greta as the duo presented the Best International Film award for Anatomy Of A Fall to French director Justine Triet

The Irish star and Greta welcomed filmmaker and screenwriter with glee, as they both hugged and complimented her on the latest achievement

The pair looked in great spirits on stage

American actress Greta also joined the stage when Past Lives's director Celine Song won Best Director, as the whole cast reunited during an emotional appearance

Ali Wong triumphed as she led Beef to the earn the best television show award on an afternoon where Past Lives earned the top film prize at the Film Independent Spirit Awards 2024 held at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, California on Sunday.

The 41-year-old actress earned the coveted Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted series for her work on limited Netflix series Beef just hours after triumphing at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

She beat out a large field which included co-star Steven Yeun in addition to Emma Corrin, for A Murder at the End of the World, Dominique Fishback for Swarm, Betty Gilpin for Mrs. Davis, Jharrel Jerome, for Im a Virgo, Zoe Lister-Jones, for Slip, Bel Powley for A Small Light, Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us, and Ramon Rodriguez for Will Trent.

During her acceptance speech Ali said: 'Oh man, Steven, Sonny, Jake, and the rest of the cast and amazing crew of Beef, I wouldn't be here without you. This is the best.

'It has been such a wonderful journey with you guys and I'm so proud that you guys are my friends too. And gosh I really want to give a special shoutout to our catering Mario's.

'Sonny is going to be so mad at me for letting out the secret that they are like the best but they really have the best food and they really kept the morale going. We had such long days and just thank you so much. This means a lot. Thank you.'

Ali Wong triumphed at the Film Independent Spirit Awards 2024 held at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica

Da'Vine Joy Randolph kicked off the event as the 37-year-old actress earned Best Supporting Performance for her work in The Holdovers

Ali's big win helped pave the way to Beef earning the top television honor Best new Scripted Series.

It beat out Dreaming Whilst Black, Im a Virgo, Jury Duty, and Slip.

The highly-popular Netflix series was centered around Ali and Steven's characters who let a road rage incident burrow into their minds and slowly consume their every thought and action.

Da'Vine Joy Randolph kicked off the event as the 37-year-old actress earned Best Supporting Performance for her work in The Holdovers.

She beat out an impressive and massive field including: Erika Alexander for American Fiction, Sterling K. Brown for American Fiction, Noah Galvin for Theater Camp, Anne Hathaway for Eileen, Glenn Howerton for BlackBerry, Marin Ireland for Eileen, Charles Melton for May December, Catalina Saavedra for Rotting in the Sun, and Ben Whishaw for Passages.

Da'Vine praised the independent film industry in her acceptance speech as she said: 'The Holdovers is a beautiful testament of what can happen when a small group of passionate people are given a chance to come together and tell the story.

'Independent films are the beating heart of this industry, and they are worth fighting for.'

In the film she portrays Mary Lamb who is the head cook at Barton Academy boarding school and is a bereaved mother.
Okafor and Rick were shot down while riding in a helicopter and Michonne was about to kill Rick before learning it was him

Rick Grimes finally reunited with his wife Michonne on Sunday's premiere of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live on AMC.

'I have to keep trying,' said Rick [Andrew Lincoln], who had been held captive by the Civic Republic Military (CRM), a militarized survival group. 'I won't stop. I'm getting there. I'm getting home or I'm dying, that's it.'

The episode titled Years opened five years after the bridge explosion with Rick contemplating killing himself with a glass shard after watching on television the reports of an explosion that had killed other survivors of the post-apocalyptic world.

Rick was working as a 'consignee' for the Civic Republic Military, CRM, killing the walking dead as part of a bid to become a CRM citizen. Rick attempted to escape using an axe to cut off his hand to get out of his handcuff, but a CRM officer stopped him in his tracks with a taser.

The show then had a dream sequence of Rick meeting Michonne [Danai Gurira], now Rick's wife, for the first time as she was just sitting on a park bench eating her lunch before the apocalypse. Rick then woke up in the CRM hospital with his arm bandaged.

Rick Grimes was reunited with his wife Michonne on Sunday's premiere episode of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live on AMC

'I was going to get away,' Rick said. 'I was going to get back to you. God damn it, I was.'

Donald Okafor [Craig Tate], the Lieutenant Colonel of the CRM, decided to keep Rick alive despite his multiple escape attempts.

'Okafor protected me because he said he saw something in me,' Rick said. 'He wanted me to join his program, to join their army to use my life for them.'

Esteban Garcia [Frankie Quinones], another consignee, told Rick after six years that he was moving into the city and was going to be a citizen. Rick then reluctantly agreed to sign up with the CRM and they outfitted him with a special hand for his military training.

Okafor told Rick and Pearl Thorne [Lesley-Ann Brandt], another consignee, that he was going to train them to be leaders. Okafor said the CRM designates people as A's and B's.

'A's will die for what they believe in,' Okafor said. 'People will follow A's.'

Okafor said the B's were just everyday people trying to survive. He said A's are normally killed. but that the CRM needs to change and needs strong leaders.

'He wanted to change things, change the army without them even knowing about it, and he wanted my help to do it,' Rick said.

Michonne [Danai Gurira] appeared in dream sequences before reuniting with Rick

Esteban Garcia [Frankie Quinones], another consignee, told Rick after six years that he was moving into the city and was going to be a citizen

Pearl Thorne [Lesley-Ann Brandt], another consignee, clashed with the CRM, too

Beale (Terry O'Quinn) the Major General of the Civic Republic Military checked on Rick during his training. He said that they were fairly hidden rather than the other cities Portland and Omaha. Beale told him that Okafor switched sides and made a compelling argument to let Rick into the CRM.

'Is Okafor up to anything I should know about?' Beale asked.

'No,' Rick said.

Rick went into the city later to see his friend Esteban, a former consignee that made it to citizenship. Rick showed him a blueprint and told him he needed to know where a tunnel in a city went.

'Dude, I am senior level water and power now,' Esteban said.

Rick said he needed to escape. Esteban ultimately told him the tunnel would take him to a junction a mile out and even told him the code to open the padlocked grate.

During a far away mission, a resource run to an abandoned chemical plant, Rick made another escape attempt when a girl appeared and he decided to try to save her.

'He killed my mommy,' the child said.

Rick chopped off his own arm and was outfitted with a prosthetic with retractable blade

Beale (Terry O'Quinn) the Major General of the Civic Republic Military checked on Rick during his training

'He's a good man and we are from a good place and we are all going to go back there,' Pearl said.

Rick then asked for Pearl's help to escape.

'I am helping you,' Pearl said. 'He would have found you.'

Rick then went and woke up Okafor and demanded for him to tell him what he knew about him.

'Not many people out here, but if you start the search around where we picked you up, that's potent information,' Okafor said. 'They would have sent me to find you, clean up my mess and finally erase you.'

'You don't get to choose for me!' Rick said.

'You made the choice,' Okafor said. 'I lost everything. I bombed Atlanta and I bombed Los Angeles, and I was en route to do the same to Philadelphia!'

Okafor said his wife didn't want to go with him to 'liquidate' all the people.

'I had power, I had a choice and I killed my wife and 4,000 other people,' Okafor said. 'And we saved hundreds and thousands, maybe the whole world with her choice.'

Rick begged for Okafor to kill him.

Rick begged for Okafor to kill him

'I won't,' Okafor said.

Okafor told him he was going to move Rick to logistics that would put him on the path to the high echelons of power at the CRM.

Later, Pearl rushed into Rick's room and turned on the television to show him that Omaha was gone.

'You think people did this?' Rick said.

'I know the Civic Republic is alive and Omaha is dead,' Pearl said.

Rick looked out the window after she left and contemplated killing himself by putting the piece of glass to his neck.

'I thought about ending it, just stopping it all but then it would just be nothing, wouldn't it?' Rick said in a letter he wrote to Michonne but never sent.

'I thought about ending it, just stopping it all but then it would just be nothing, wouldn't it?' Rick said in a letter he wrote to Michonne but never sent.

Rick who had worked his way up to leadership in the CRM then burned all his memories of Michonne.

'Please just know that I tried but I failed,' Rick said.

The show then flashed to another dream with Rick meeting Michonne again on a park bench and sharing a pizza with her.

'We can make this whole damn world ours if we want to,' Michonne told him.

'What if I came here one day with five pizzas and a wedding ring?' Rick said.

'I think you should do that,' Michonne said.

The show then flashed to another dream with Rick meeting Michonne again on a park bench and sharing a pizza with her

Rick then reached over and kissed her.

Back in the present, Rick flew Okafor in a helicopter mission up the coast. He told him about when he was a boy and how his father comforted him when there was a fire on their farm. Rick said he found out later that his father lit the fire, but it saved the family and they were able to build a better house and farm.

'I'm in,' Rick said.

'I know you're the right thing for this plan,' Okafor said. 'No more A's and B's. No more Omaha's. I still don't know how it's going to work out. I will tell you one more secret. When you get to that point, swear on the sword. Don't let it take. You'll know. Trust me.'

Back in the present, Rick flew Okafor in a helicopter mission up the coast

Just then Okafor was hit with a rocket and explosions rattled the helicopter.

'We're taking fire!' Rick said. 'We are going down!'

The helicopter crashed and Rick and the other soldiers rushed out. Michonne ran and killed the soldiers one by one and was about to cut Rick's neck when his helmet fell off and she saw it was him.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live will return next week on AMC.
A small group of protestors managed to make quite a lot of noise during the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday.

A group protesting the Israel-Hamas war were heard chanting, 'Free Palestine,' 'Long Live Palestine' and 'Ceasefire now' during the event, held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.

The small group were chanting through a megaphone outside the large tent where the awards ceremony was held.

The chants were heard throughout the red carpet festivities and were even heard inside while awards were being handed out.

Sources who were inside the tent also told The Hollywood Reporter that the protestors were, 'very audible' during the ceremony.

A small group of protestors managed to make quite a lot of noise during the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday

The small group were chanting through a megaphone outside the large tent where the awards ceremony was held

Sources who were inside the tent also told The Hollywood Reporter that the protestors were, 'very audible' during the ceremony

Comedian Jim Gaffigan even struggled to talk over the various chants while he was presenting at the awards show.

Sources also added that a bus was intentionally placed in front of the protestors, in an effort to muffle their chants reaching the tent.

Host Aidy Bryant also referenced the protestors, stating, 'We are at the beach and people are practicing their freedom of speech.'

A number of winners also mentioned the protestors in their speeches, including Babak Jalali while accepting the John Cassavetes Award.

'There are people speaking outside, and whatever theyre saying, I think its far more important than what Im about to say. Im so inspired by what theyre saying outside, I cant think of what Im about to say,' he said.

Showing Up director Kelly Reichart also addressed the protestors while accepting the Robert Altman Award, revealing the last time she saw Altman was in 2003 when America was attacking Iraq.

'America was dropping bombs on Iraq at that time, and he was pissed. And I think hed have a lot to say  just this weirdness of us being here and celebrating each other and our work. Life goes on outside the tent,' she added.

The Film Independent Spirit Awards, Hollywood's premiere event for the independent film and television community, is returning for its 39th annual celebration.

Host Aidy Bryant also referenced the protestors, stating, 'We are at the beach and people are practicing their freedom of speech.'

A number of winners also mentioned the protestors in their speeches, including Babak Jalali while accepting the John Cassavetes Award

Showing Up director Kelly Reichart also addressed the protestors while accepting the Robert Altman Award, revealing the last time she saw Altman was in 2003 when America was attacking Iraq

Viewers can now tune in via livestream on YouTube , as it will no longer be available on television

Independent Spirit Awards 2024 Winners: AT A GLANCE FILM Best Feature: Past Lives Best First Feature: A Thousand And One Best Director: Celine Song for Past Lives Best Screenplay: Cord Jefferson for American Fiction Best Lead Performance: Jeffrey Wright for American Fiction Best Supporting Performance: Da'Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers Best Breakthrough Perforrmance: Dominic Sessa for The Holdovers Best Cinematography: Eigil Bryld for The Holdovers Best Documentary: Four Daughters Best International Film: Anatomy Of A Fall TELEVISION Best New Scripted Series: Beef Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series: Ali Wong for BEEF Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series - Nick Offerman for The Last Of Us Best Breakthrough Peformance in a New Scripted Series - Keivonn Montreal Woodard for The Last of Us Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series: Jury Duty Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series: Dear Mama Ali Wong earned best lead actress and helped Beef earn new scipted series

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Saturday Night Live star Aidy Bryant will be hosting the soiree, set to take place in Santa Monica, California.

Viewers can now tune in via livestream on YouTube, as it will no longer be available on television.

Nominations were announced back in December, with American Fiction, May December, and Past Lives leading the pack with five nods each.

All of Us, American Fiction, May December, Passages, Past Lives, and We Grown Now will all be competing for Best Feature, one of the biggest categories of the evening.

A host of A-listers are up for nominations, including Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and more.
Margot Robbie whipped her fans into a frenzy on Saturday when she attended the Screen Actors Guild Awards in an eye-popping dress inspired by her Barbie role.

The Australian actress, 33, turned heads as she arrived at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles wearing a black Schiaparelli gown with dramatic pink fabric that wrapped around her shoulder and waist and extended into a train.

Many of her fans took to social media to slam the unique design.

'Why do they keep doing this to her?' one asked, as a second person added: 'She doesn't look comfortable.'

'This is the biggest WTF dress I've seen in awhile,' a third person chipped in.

Margot Robbie whipped her fans into a frenzy on Saturday when she attended the Screen Actors Guild Awards in an eye-popping dress inspired by her Barbie role

'She wrapped an eight-year-old's comforter around her and said "Let's go" another added, while one fan quipped, 'You have to subconsciously hate one of the most beautiful women in the world to dress her in this, absolutely shameful.'

'I cant believe Im going to say this, but that is possibly the worst look I have ever seen on Margot - I mean, WTF is that growth/doona coming out from her LBD,' yet another wrote.

Meanwhile others defended her style choice, with one fan claiming the Aussie star 'looks amazing in anything'.

Many of her fans took to social media to slam the unique design

'She is still looks beautiful, I don't mind the dress at all,' another added, while one said they were excited she was starting to move away from her 'Barbie era'.

'Omg she is literally *shedding* her Barbie era! So good,' they exclaimed.

Margot was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for her performance in Barbie but lost to Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon.

Margot's black and bubblegum pink Schiaparelli Couture frock featured a black strapless mini dress with a pink accent along the waist and shoulder.

The Queensland-born star styled her long blonde hair in waves parted to the side and wore a simple makeup look consisting of peach blush, mascara and soft pink lipstick.

The Australian actress, 33, turned heads as she arrived at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles wearing a black Schiaparelli dress with dramatic pink fabric that wrapped around her shoulder and waist and extended into a train

Margot was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for her performance in Barbie but lost to Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon

At one stage, the star was joined on the red carpet by her British producer husband Tom Ackerley, who looked dapper in a black suit and matching T-shirt.

After a taxing 118-day strike, the Screen Actors Guild honoured the best performers in film and television at the 30th annual SAG Awards.

Winners were determined by SAG-AFTRA members, who vote for their favorites across a number of categories.

Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani announced the nominations earlier this year on Instagram Live, with Barbie and Oppenheimer leading the film nominations with four nods each.
Just hours after winning her first Independent Spirit Award, Da'Vine Joy Randolph headed across town for the 2024 Producers Guild Awards.

The 37-year-old actress has been cleaning up this awards season, taking home almost every award she was nominated for, playing Mary Lamb in The Holdovers.

She has won a Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics Choice, National Board of Review, Screen Actors Guild and Independent Spirit awards over the last few months.

Randolph stepped out in an off-shoulder powder blue dress at the ceremony, which was held at the Ray Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

She accessorized with long diamond strand earrings and a watch over her dress on her left wrist.

Just hours after winning her first Independent Spirit Award, Da'Vine Joy Randolph headed across town for the 2024 Producers Guild Awards

Randolph stepped out in an off-shoulder powder blue dress at the ceremony, which was held at the Ray Dolby Theatre in Hollywood

Her powder blue gown fell all the way to the floor, obscuring the actress' footwear for the evening.

Just hours earlier, Randolph accepted the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Performance.

The thanked Film Independent for the award, and then thanked The Holdovers distributor Focus Features, 'for betting on this independent film.'

She also thanked director Alexander Payne for, 'always being steadfast in your vision for this project.

Randolph then thanked screenwriter David Hemingson for, 'being so brave and vulnerable in your writing and sharing so much of your own family to build on this one.'

'It was an honor to play Mary,' she added, before thanking her co-stars Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa.

'I don't know what I ever did to deserve scene partners like you, but I am so incredibly grateful. Embarking on this journey with you will forever be one of the highlights of my career,' she said.

'I often joke that making Holdovers felt like doing a student film. Whatever resources we lacked such as heated seats during a Boston winter we made up for in care and determination.'

Her powder blue gown fell all the way to the floor, obscuring the actress' footwear for the evening

PGAs 2024 Winners: AT A GLANCE FILM Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: Oppenheimer Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Picture: American Symphony PGA Innovation Award: Body of Mine Oppenheimer was the big winner on the night - taking home the Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures award TELEVISION Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television - Drama: Succession Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television - Comedy: The Bear David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series Television: BEEF Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures: Black Mirror: Beyond the Sea Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television: Welcome to Wrexham Award for Outstanding Producer of Game & Competition Television: RuPaul's Drag Race Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver The Award for Outstanding Children's Program: Sesame Street The Award for Outstanding Short-Form Program: Succession: Controlling the Narrative Award for Outstanding Sports Program: Beckham Advertisement

'Every day I was astonished by the level of innovation and creativity that our cast and crew exhibited all to turn the limited resources we had into an incredible piece of art,' she said.

She added that the film, 'is a beautiful testament of what can happen when a small group of passionate people are given a chance to come togther and tell a story.'

'Independent films are the beating heart of this industry, and they are worth fighting for. Thank you,' she concluded.
Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman are set to be grandparents once again as their daughter Lucy DeVito is expecting her first child with her fiance.

The exciting news was confirmed shortly after the 40-year-old debuted her baby bump at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday evening.

A representative for the Deadbeat star confirmed her pregnancy to People on Sunday and revealed the due date is sometime this summer.

The day before, DeVito modeled a flowing, red gown to support her mother, 75, at the annual award ceremony as her movie Barbie was nominated in four categories.

DeVito's baby will be her famous parents' and the now-estranged couple's second grandchild.

Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman are set to be grandparents once again as their daughter Lucy DeVito is expecting her first child with her fiance (pictured November)

The exciting news was confirmed shortly after the 40-year-old daughter of Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman debuted her baby bump at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday evening (pictured last month)

The It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star, 79, and Perlman had been together for over 50 years and tied the knot in 1982.

The pair first announced their separation in October 2012 before reconciling just months later in March 2012.

Five years later, the couple announced that they split for good and have remained good friends since then.

The pair  who reunited at the Emmys last month  are parents to three children: Lucy, Grace, 38, and Jake, 36.

During an episode of Julia Louis-Dreyfus' podcast Wiser Than Me released in June 2023, Perlman said that despite their separation, she and her estranged husband are still married.

On the podcast episode released last year, Perlman also confirmed she had already became a grandmother for the first time.

She revealed her granddaughter's name is Sinclair Lucille DeVito. She later confirmed that the baby belongs to her younger daughter Grace.

She also explained why Grace and her husband decided Sinclair would have the DeVito surname.

The day before, DeVito modeled a flowing, red gown to support her mother, 75, at the annual award ceremony as her movie Barbie was nominated in four categories

DeVito's baby will be her famous parents' and the now-estranged couple 's second grandchild; seen in August 2022

The It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star, 79, and Perlman had been together for over 50 years and tied the knot in 1982. They separated in 2017 but are still married; seen in December 2019

The pair  who reunited at the Emmys last month  are parents to three children: Lucy, Grace, 38, and Jake, 36; seen in August 2011

'They kept the name DeVito even though she's married and her husband is not DeVito, but that's what they chose,' Perlman explained.

She also talked about becoming a grandmother for the first time.

'Everybody said it'll change your life when you have a grandchild, and it does,' she said.

'There's a certain love,' she elaborated. 'I mean, I felt it when my own children were born, the kind of love I never felt before for anything, but this was a profound kind of feeling, and here it is again.

'They can do no wrong,' she said. 'Looking at a new human being is so amazing, that people create other people. It's mind-boggling.'
Just a month after Disney announced a revival of their beloved series Wizards of Waverly Place, Selena Gomez is opening up about the new series.

Disney Branded Television issued a pilot order for a new series in January, with Gomez, 31, returning as Alex Russo alongside David Henrie as Justin Russo, via Deadline.

While Gomez is only slated to guest star in the pilot, she will also executive produce the series alongside Henrie.

Gomez appeared on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live to promote her new single Love On, where she also teased the new series, admitting it's 'not a reboot.'

'It's gonna be really fun. I was excited to bring the characters back. It's not a reboot. It's gonna be a different version, I guess, so I'm excited for you guys to see it, 'she said.

Just a month after Disney announced a revival of their beloved series Wizards of Waverly Place, Selena Gomez is opening up about the new series

Gomez appeared on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live to promote her new single Love On, where she also teased the new series, admitting it's 'not a reboot'

When Kimmel joked, 'Are there going to be wizards in it?' Gomez responded, 'Well, yeah, I am the family wizard.'

The original series launched in 2007 when Gomez was just 15, centering on the Russo family, who are all wizards living in the Greenwich Village area of New York.

Each of the siblings must complete training and determine which will become the sole wizard in the family, with the others relinquishing their powers.

Gomez's Alex did become the wizard in the family, which will seemingly come into play when introducing new characters.

The show follows Justin, who has left his powers behind as an adult, with a wife and two sons.

A mysterious incident at WizTech leads to a powerful young wizard Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) showing up at Justin's door, in need of his training.

The cast also includes Alkaio Thiele as Justin's oldest son Roman and Mimi Gianopulos as Justin's wife, Giada.

Gomez starred alongside Henrie and her other on-screen brother Max (Jake T. Austin), though it's unclear if he'll be back, or if their on-screen parents, Jerry (David DeLuise) and Theresa (Maria Canals-Barrera) will also be back.

When Kimmel joked, 'Are there going to be wizards in it?' Gomez responded, 'Well, yeah, I am the family wizard'

The original series launched in 2007 when Gomez was just 15, centering on the Russo family, who are all wizards living in the Greenwich Village area of New York

Each of the siblings must complete training and determine which will become the sole wizard in the family, with the others relinquishing their powers.

Gomez and Henrie will executive produce with the show's creators Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, Gary Marsh and Andy Fickman, who will direct the pilot

Gomez and Henrie will executive produce with the show's creators Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, Gary Marsh and Andy Fickman, who will direct the pilot.

Henrie announced in early February that filming had wrapped on the pilot episode, in an Instagram post.

'Thats a wrap on the pilot of the sequel! On the original series we signed our names on the back of the set right at the beginning of the show, and now on the sequel were doing the same!' he said.

'Cant wait for the Russos to become apart of your family, once again,' Henrie added, with the video showing a piece of the set with the cast's names signed on it.
Star Wars star Billy Dee Williams has gotten candid about embracing gay rumors in the 1970s.

The 86-year-old acting legend - who admitted to philandering all his life earlier this month - had another revealing confession as she said he did not care if people thought he was homosexual during his heyday in Hollywood.

He opened up about the gay rumors that could have derailed his acting career with Page Six on Sunday as he said: 'Ive been called a Closet Queen.

'But, I dont pay much attention to any of that.'

Billy Dee said that he was always comfortable hanging out with the members of the LGBTQIA+ community and had even hung out at secret gay parties in the Metropolitan Opera's basement when he was an extra there.

Star Wars star Billy Dee Williams (pictured in New York back on February 14) has gotten candid about embracing gay rumors in the 1970s as he told Page Six on Sunday: 'Ive been called a Closet Queen. 'But, I dont pay much attention to any of that'

The 86-year-old acting legend is seen with his 64-year-old son Corey Dee Williams

He explained: 'It all seemed very normal to me. I was around it all of my life, so I never really gave it much thought.'

Back in 2019 Billy Dee had made headlines when he seemingly came out as gender fluid after he revealed in an interview with Esquire that he uses both 'himself' and 'herself' pronouns.

However days later the Star Wars actor clarified that his statements were misinterpreted and clarifying that he identifies as a straight man in a following interview with The Undefeated.

Williams revealed that until his story went viral, he hadn't ever heard the term gender fluid and didn't know what it meant.

'Well, first of all, I asked last night. I said, "What the hell is gender fluid?" That's a whole new term,' the Lando Calrissian actor said.

The story that the octogenarian was gender fluid stemmed from this statement to Esquire: 'You see I say "himself" and "herself," because I also see myself as feminine as well as masculine. I'm a very soft person. I'm not afraid to show that side of myself.'

In truth, Billy told The Undefeated, he was referring to men getting in touch with their 'softer side' and confirmed that he identifies as a straight man.

He said: 'There's a phrase that was coined by Carl G. Jung, who was a psychiatrist, who was a contemporary of Sigmund Freud, and they had a splitting of the ways because they had different ideas about the  what do you call it? Consciousness. Unconscious. It's collective unconsciousness.

Back in 2019 Billy Dee (seen in April 2019) had made headlines when he seemingly came out as gender fluid after he revealed in an interview with Esquire that he uses both 'himself' and 'herself' pronouns but later clarified what he meant in a following interview with The Undefeated

'Well, first of all, I asked last night. I said, "What the hell is gender fluid?" That's a whole new term,' the Lando Calrissian actor explained

'But he coined a phrase that's, 'Anima animus.' And anima means that is the female counterpart of the male self, and the animus is the male counterpart of the female.'

Williams further clarified: 'So, that's what I was referring to. I was talking about men getting in touch with the female side of themselves. I wasn't talking about sex, I wasn't talking about being gay or straight. People should read [Jung]. I mean, it would be an interesting education for a lot of people.'

As for his sexuality, the actor said: 'No, no, no, I'm not gay  by any stretch of the imagination. Not that I have anything against gay people. But personally? Not gay.'

Meanwhile, earlier this month the veteran actor got real about his infidelity.

The 86-year-old actor - who is releasing a memoir which covers his near eight-decade career - talked honestly and openly about being a ladies' man and the role that cheating has played in his life.

He told People magazine on Wednesday that it all began at an early age as he grew up a hopeless romantic as he said: 'I'm always falling in love.'

Billy told the publication that though he struggled with school he excelled in both art and romantically, however, he truly hit his stride when he starred opposite Diana Ross in a 1972 biographical drama film.

He said: 'Lady Sings the Blues [the 1972 Billie Holliday biopic] and Mahogany [1975] really turned my whole world around, as far as being a romantic figure is concerned.

Earlier this month he got real about his infidelity as he talked honestly and openly about being a ladies' man and the role that cheating has played in his life

Billy told the publication that though he struggled with school he excelled in both art and romantically, however, he truly hit his stride when he starred opposite Diana Ross in a 1972 Billie Holiday biographical drama film Lady Sings the Blues

Through those roles, the veteran actor became one of the first Black heartthrobs in Hollywood.

Billy said: 'I think I'm the first little brown boy to really come along and project that kind of persona. Which has been a lot of fun for me.'

However, because of this it has been hard for him to maintain a monogamous relationship without infidelity.

The actor who played Lando Calrissian in Star Wars: Episode V  The Empire Strikes Back explained: 'I'm intrigued with strong women. Obviously that gets me in trouble.'

He has been married three times including with Audrey Sellers from 1959 to 1963, Marlene Clark from 1968 to 1971, and Teruko Nakagami whom he has been married to since 1972 but separated from in 1993.

Billy also shares 64-year-old son Corey with Audrey Sellers and 51-year-old daughter Hanako with Teruko Nakagami.

The actor was asked by People how he would characterize himself as husband to which he replied: 'A philanderer! I've been philandering my whole life.'

Billy was candid about the role that infidelity had played in the failure of all three of his marriages and that even fatherhood couldn't stop him.

Through those roles, the veteran actor (pictured with Bernadette Peters in 1981) became one of the first Black heartthrobs in Hollywood. Billy said: 'I think I'm the first little brown boy to really come along and project that kind of persona. Which has been a lot of fun for me'

Billy famously played Lando Calrissian in Star Wars: Episode V  The Empire Strikes Back

The actor (who is pictured with Harrison Ford) was asked by People how he would characterize himself as husband to which he replied: 'A philanderer! I've been philandering my whole life'

He is seen as Harvey Dent in Batman from 1989

His memoir What Have We Here?: Portraits of A Life - which covers his nearly eight-decade career - is set for release on February 13

He said: 'I think I used to be a good husband, once upon a time. I value family.

'When my son [Corey, 63, with Sellers] was born, I thought that was the greatest thing in the whole world. And my daughter [Hanako, 50] from my third marriage was a gift.'

Billy then sweetly commented on all of his ex wives saying: 'They're all very wonderful people that I've married.

'How I got into those situations, I will never know.'

His memoir What Have We Here?: Portraits of A Life - which covers his nearly eight-decade career - is set for release on February 13.
Arabella Chi was all smiles at her swanky homecoming party on Sunday following her Love Island All Stars stint.

The model, 32, took to Instagram to show off her swanky pad before she headed out to a restaurant in her home town and was surprised by her friends and family.

Arabella looked effortlessly chic in a long-sleeve shirt dress, teamed with statement thigh-high boots and a stylish black Chanel handbag.

At her wholesome homecoming party, Arabella shared a snap of her Love Island luggage next to her beloved dog.

She gave fans a glimpse of her designer living room complete with a rustic fire, retro armchair and stylish interiors.

Arabella Chi, 32, was all smiles at her swanky homecoming party on Sunday following her Love Island All Stars stint

The model took to Instagram to show off her swanky pad before she headed out to a restaurant in her home town and was surprised by her friends and family (pictured with her mum and dad)

Captioning her post, she wrote: 'Home is where the heart is. Happy Sunday my lovelies. Its time to be reunited with all my family.'

Taking to her stories later in the evening, she told fans: 'So today is my welcome home party with all my family and Ive even got a fire pit. What do you think Astro, eh?'

Arabella caught up with her parents as well as her friends actress Andrea Vasiliou and Charlotte Edwards at the event.

She added: 'So Ive had the best surprise ever. My best friends. Dont know what I would do without these angels.'

The Love Island star was the last person dumped before the final, along with Adam Maxted.

Arabella returned home from South Africa on Tuesday and soon headed to Sheesh restaurant for a spot of dinner

Upon her and professional wrestler Adam's, 31, dumping at the hands of former Islanders, Arabella slammed two of her Love Island pals.

Previously dumped All Star Islanders returned to the villa to vote for who they thought were the least compatible - and the couple with the most votes had to leave the villa immediately.

Arabella looked effortlessly chic in a long-sleeve shirt dress, teamed with statement thigh-high boots and a stylish black Chanel handbag

At her wholesome homecoming party, Arabella shared a sweet snap of her Love Island luggage next to her beloved dog

Captioning her post, she wrote: 'Home is where the heart is. Happy Sunday my lovelies. Its time to be reunited with all my family.'

She gave fans a glimpse of her designer living room complete with a rustic fire, retro armchair and stylish interiors

Arabella shared snaps of her rustic homecoming bash with a log fire, drinks and nibbles flowing

Arabella caught up with her parents as well as her friends actress Andrea Vasiliou and Charlotte Edwards at the event

Arabella was furious as she and partner Adam were voted for six times - with even her 'genuine friends' choosing to dump her.

Defending her couple while stood around the fire pit, Arabella said even though Adam had only been in the villa a week it felt like she'd known him forever.

The model broke her silence on The Morning After podcast and took a huge swipe at her co-stars who she believed were her friends.

She said: 'It was a savage dumping from previous Islanders, [Adam] didn't spend a lot of time with them especially with people coming in and out, they were not very good valid reasons.

'I'll be honest a couple of them - Hannah and Joanna - took me by surprise.

'I had built very good friendships with them, if they were my genuine friends surely they would be happy that I had found the guy I had been waiting for.'

'Adam added: 'We know we had a stronger connection than some of the other Islanders in there.'

Arabella ended the show with Adam, but her first couple was with Chris Taylor after she entered on Day five.

The reality star and Adam Maxted (pictured) were the last couple dumped from the Island before last week's final

Upon her and Adam's dumping at the hands of former Islanders, Arabella slammed two of her Love Island pals

Arabella ended the show with Adam, but her first couple was with Chris Taylor (pictured) after she entered on Day five

The two had a colossal falling out, and Arabella moved on with Toby who was in a will they/won't they relationship with Georgia Steel.

In a shock move, Toby left Arabella for Georgia, leaving the rest of the villa in shock and Arabella in racking sobs.

As if that wasn't enough, Arabella got a shock when her ex-boyfriend Wes Nelson showed up and performed with Craig David - to castmate Anton's delight.
Emma Stone revealed that she ate a whopping '60 Portuguese tarts' as her character Bella Baxter in acclaimed film, Poor Things.

The Oscar winner, 35 - who was effortlessly chic at the 2024 Producers Guild Awards - discussed the movie at a Celebration of the Nominees for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures panel in L.A. on Saturday, per People.

During the conversation, she listed out some of the complexities of the role, such as, 'Figuring out how to walk or eat 60 Portuguese tarts, which the first bite is delicious, but by the end you really want to puke.'

'Or her seeing death and decay for the first time, much more challenging than the nudity, which is the only thing people want to seem to ask me about.'

The topic came up when Stone was asked if it was difficult to play 'an explicitly sexual character,' and she replied that it 'wasn't.'

Emma Stone revealed that she ate a whopping '60 Portuguese tarts' as her character Bella Baxter in acclaimed film, Poor Things; seen at 2024 Producers Guild Awards on Sunday

The Oscar winner discussed the movie at a Celebration of the Nominees for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures panel in L.A. on Saturday, per People

'The sexuality of Bella was another part of that, and the way that that was going to be shot and how we were going to do it and our incredible intimacy coordinator and our closed sets and all of that.'

Emma further continued that, 'In some ways, that was the easiest part because that was choreographed. Those were quick. We knew exactly what we were doing.'

The star portrayed Bella in the movie which was released late last year in December and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.

Aside from Stone, other stars that were cast in the critically-acclaimed project included Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley and Ramy Youssef.

Along with taking on the leading role in Poor Things, the actress was also notably a producer.

Emma recently opened up about stepping behind the camera for the task and admitted that she had been surprised by, 'how many agents you have to talk to,' per Deadline.

'Whoa, it is very interesting to be on the other side of it now. It's a lot. Agents are great, but whew.'

On Sunday, the Easy A actress made an appearance at the Producers Guild Awards in Los Angeles alongside other celebrities.

During the conversation, she listed out some of the complexities of the role, such as, 'Figuring out how to walk or eat 60 Portuguese tarts, which the first bite is delicious, but by the end you really want to puke'

The topic came up when Stone was asked if it was difficult to play 'an explicitly sexual character,' and she replied that it 'wasn't'

On Sunday, the Easy A actress made an appearance at the Producers Guild Awards in Los Angeles alongside other celebrities

She turned heads wearing a sleeveless, light blue dress that fell down to stop just above her ankles.

The beauty slipped into a pair of open-toed, sparkling silver heels that were secured with thin straps that wrapped around her ankles.

Emma accessorized her look with a pair of dangly, glittering earrings and allowed her locks to flow down in light waves.

Poor Things was nominated for the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures award - which eventually went to Oppenheimer.

And on Saturday, she once again wowed as she attended the 30th Annual SAG Awards in Los Angeles at the Shrine Auditorium.

The star exuded elegance in a dazzling, gray gown that had a scooped neckline at the front, as well as a train that flowed down behind her.

Stone had been nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role - which went to Killers Of The Flower Moon's Lily Gladstone.

Upon the announcement of the winner, Emma's reaction went viral as she excitedly cheered on Gladstone.

And on Saturday, she once again wowed as she attended the 30th Annual SAG Awards in Los Angeles at the Shrine Auditorium (seen above)

Stone had been nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role - which went to Killers Of The Flower Moon's Lily Gladstone

Social media users jumped to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their thoughts on the enthusiastic reaction.

One penned, 'I love Emma Stone's ecstatic reaction for Lily Gladstone after losing to her at the SAG Awards.'

Another fan added, 'She knew lily deserved it like a proud mom!' while one typed out, 'Can we please acknowledge how happy Emma Stone was for Lily Gladstone? My heart is so full right now.'

During a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Lily talked about how she developed a close bond with Emma over the course of awards season.

While talking to the outlet, she showed a ring that she was wearing which she labeled as an 'Infinity Stones ring' - which was a sweet present from Stone herself.

'Then she sent me a picture of her wearing the same one. That's our thing. We call each other Infinity Stones.'

Upon the announcement of the winner, Emma's reaction went viral as she excitedly cheered on Gladstone

One penned, 'I love Emma Stone's ecstatic reaction for Lily Gladstone after losing to her at the SAG Awards'

Emma has been keeping busy and recently made an appearance at the BAFTAS earlier this month - where she won Best Actress in a Leading Role (seen above)

Emma has been keeping busy and recently made an appearance at the BAFTAS earlier this month - where she won Best Actress in a Leading Role.

The honor came on a winning streak as she also received a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award for Best Actress last month in January.

Stone is also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress - which she previously won for La La Land in 2017.

Poor Things received a total of 11 nods for the Oscars which will take place next month in March - including Best Picture and Best Director.
Anya Taylor-Joy has been accused of 'normalising starvation' and promoting eating disorder trope after displaying her tiny waist in a corset.

The actress, 27, shared a behind-the-scenes snap to Instagram on Sunday following the Dune premiere, in which she'd cinched in her waist under her glittering gown.

She went topless in the black and white image that highlighted her extremely narrow midsection.

Fans were shocked by the image, taking to the comments to pen: 'Can we not normalize starvation?'; 'Do you realize how corsets are hurtful for women's health and should not be promoted?'

'Anya I love you but this looks so pro-ana'; 'Are your ribs okay? Could you breathe? Like, honestly wondering! :)'; 'Rough. Expected better from you tbh. Thinness isn't chic'.

Anya Taylor-Joy has been accused of 'normalising starvation' and promoting eating disorder trope after displaying her tiny waist in a corset

The actress, 27, shared a behind-the-scenes snap to Instagram on Sunday following the Dune premiere, in which she'd cinched in her waist under her glittering gown

Others shared: 'That is not a healthy look for women at all'; 'I'm sorry this is not it'; 'Stomach: I'm tired boss'; 'Nothing to be proud of & sets a poor example for young girls.'

Yet some fans were quick to defend Ana, reasoning: 'She's not promoting anything, dude, let a woman be free. If she likes it good, if you don't, its perfectly fine. You have the right not to wear it, just as she has the right to wear anything she likes. We don't have to be all dramatic about it...';

#What's up with y'all in the comments? Go touch some grass. Her body is perfectly fine, she's always been on the slimmer side and the first pic it's just a corset she wore during an event. Ffs.'

In recent years corsets have soared in popularity after stars raved about their ability to whittle away your waistline.

Waist training - where you wear tighter and tighter undergarments to cinch in your middle permanently - is now de rigueur among certain celebs.

But doctors and historians have warned against the trend, revealing that restricting the waist can take its toll on many aspects of the body.

Along with her corset snap, Anya shared a snap in a dramatic Maison Margiela gown from creative director John Galliano's Parisian-inspired SS24 Haute Couture Collection.

The incredible dress featured a form-fitting gold slip underneath, and a black sheer tulle structured dress over it.

Fans were shocked by the image, taking to the comments to claim she was 'setting a poor example' for her young followers

Some fans were quick to defend Ana for posting the corset snap

While at the event she was seen posing with Dune director Denis Villeneuve, 56, who looked dapper in a black suit.

Anya also joined the rest of the Dune cast for a snap, including Souheila Yacoub, Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Villeneuve, Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Florence Pugh, and Lea Seydoux.

Zendaya, 27, commanded attention in a stunning white gown featuring a unique cut out that gave a peek at her navel.

Meanwhile Chalamet, 28, rocked an all leather ensemble.

Taylor-Joy's role in the epic part two has been kept under wraps thus far.

Variety confirmed that Taylor-Joy makes an appearance in the film, playing a 'major character' from the franchise.

The film takes place immediately after the first ended, when Paul Atreides and his mother Lady Jessica joined forces with Chani and the rest of the desert-dwelling Fremen to get revenge against the evil House Harkonnen, whose members have killed most of his family and friends.

The films are based on Frank Herbert's 1965 novel of the same name, with first being released to much critical and commercial success in March 2021, and going on to win six Academy Awards.

Anya's dress for the night featured a form-fitting gold slip underneath, and a black sheer tulle structured dress over it

Anya wore her platinum tresses parted in the middle and slicked down at the very top, but with mermaid waves flowing down her back

Anya joined the rest of the Dune cast for a snap; (L-R) Souheila Yacoub, Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Villeneuve, Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Florence Pugh, and Lea Seydoux

Timothee leads the cast as messianic figure Paul, while Zendaya plays Chani, a member of the Fremen, who are the native inhabitants of Arrakis.

Butler has joined the cast for the sequel, playing Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, a ruthless trained assassin who is Paul's rival to taking control of Arrakis.

The first reviews are already starting to trickle in for the film ahead of its release on March 1, and so far they're even better than the first installment.

Dune: Part 2 has already earned an incredible 97% from 112 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes .

And many of the critics praised the film's gargantuan scope, including Rolling Stone 's David Fear, who said: 'Villeneuve has outdone himself.

'More importantly, hes done justice to the scope and scale and sheer weirdness of a stoner-lit touchstones back half without, pun intended, sanding away its edges.'

Variety's Peter Debruge admitted that splitting the movie in two halves was a 'massive gamble' that somehow paid off.

While the 2021 film set up the world, he added Part Two, 'graduates from the world-building thrills of the 2021 original to a meaty, all-encompassing narrative.'

The first wave of reviews have come in for Dune Part 2 ahead of its release, earning an incredible 97% from 112 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Alongside Timothee and Zendaya, the sequel also sees the return of stars Dave Bautista (Beast Rabban), Javier Bardem (Stiglar), Josh Brolin (Gurney Hallack) and Rebecca Ferguson (Lady Jessica).

Part Two also has its fair share of newcomers including Austin, with Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Anya also joining.

The film was originally scheduled for a late October 2023 release, before being pushed back to November and finally shuffled all the way back to March of this year following the dual writers and actors strikes.

After multiple delays, it is now set to hit theaters on March 1, 2024.

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Chloe Meadows showed off her incredible figure while filming the new series of The Only Way Is Essex in Bali on Saturday.

The reality star, 32, looked sensational as she flaunted her curves in a skimpy blue bikini after jetting abroad.

She wowed in the patterned two-piece while accessorising with a pearl necklace and flaunting her deep holiday tan.

She had her long blonde tresses swept back in beachy waves after a dip in the pool and opted for natural makeup.

Chloe was joined by Dani Imbert, 25, who opted for a sexy black cut-out swimsuit while posing up a storm.

Chloe Meadows showed off her incredible figure while filming the new series of The Only Way Is Essex in Bali on Saturday

Chloe was joined by Dani Imbert, 25, who opted for a sexy black cut-out swimsuit while posing up a storm

The reality star, 32, looked sensational as she flaunted her curves in a skimpy blue bikini after jetting abroad

Courtney Green was also seen filming as she donned a beige swimsuit and larked around by the pool doing some paddle board yoga.

Also out and about for filming were the boys Jordan Brook, Dan Edgar and Roman Hackett, as well as Diags' girlfriend Jodie Wells.

The cast are staying at the Renaissance Bali Nusa Dua Resort while they film the new series.

It comes after their co-stars Ella Rae Wise and co-star Dan were spotted getting flirty at the Resort earlier in the week as it appeared they were having a holiday fling.

An insider told The Sun: 'Dan and Ella have been growing close while on the away trip with their friends.

'Ella's always had a thing for Dan and the cast could sense there was chemistry between them.

'On a night out with the rest of the cast, Dan and Ella kissed and have spending time together ever since. The fling is set to cause major drama and fallouts between the group.'

Dan was previously in a long-term relationship with co-star Amber Turner until the couple split in May last year.

She wowed in the patterned two-piece while accessorising with a pearl necklace and flaunting her deep holiday tan

She had her long blonde tresses swept back in beachy waves after a dip in the pool and opted for natural makeup

She looked sensational as she took on some yoga in the sun

Her ample assets were on display in the busty bikini

She looked like she was having a great time on the trip abroad

Dani had her flawless figure on display

She realxed by the pool during the trip

Her perfect curves turned heads

She wore her honey tresses in curly waves over her shoulders

Courtney Green was also seen filming as she donned a beige swimsuit and larked around by the pool doing some paddle board yoga

Courtney looked like she was having a great time in the pool

She tried to keep her balance on the board

She later relaxed with pal Chloe

They were having a fun day at the luxury hotel

The cast are staying at the Renaissance Bali Nusa Dua Resort while they film the new series

She looked in her element as she took on the yoga

She sported a deep holiday tan

She then relaxed down on the board

The up-and-down couple appeared to be settling down after they moved in together and bought their dog, Oliver.

However, both have been faced with the brunt of cheating rumours.

Amber herself has never admitted any wrongdoing, but there were also rumours Dan had grown close to Ella while he was with Amber.

Ella and Amber had a fiery showdown back in August when Amber confronted Ella over claims Dan had touched her inappropriately on the night out.

The pair went on to unfollow each other on social media.

Ella seemed to confirm she had split from her mystery man just before Christmas, as she took to Instagram with a cryptic post about 'deserving better'.

The pair had been dating since May 2023, but Ella had never revealed his identity.

She put on an animated display on the board

She was spending time with best pal Chloe

She took on an impressive stretch

Diags' girlfriend Jodie Wells wore a white bikini

She looked great in the white two piece

She relaxed by the pool

Her dark tresses were swept back

Courtney looked in good spirits

She then fell into the pool into Diags' arms

Diags wore black and white patterned trunks

He also took on the yoga session

They were getting involved in some watersports

Dan enjoyed some drinks at the bar

Jordan, Diags and Roman were larking around and having some drinks

They later jumped into the pool

The boys chatted away

They were at the bar having drinks

Then they had a swim

Diags dived in

He then took snaps of Courtney

They are in Bali to film the new series

The lads enjoyed a group hug

They were cooling off in the pool

Diags struggled to get his balance

The sun was shining at the hotel in Bali

She stretched out on the board

They larked around in the pool

He stretched out on the board

The lads were having a great time
Brian Cox's wife Nicole has claimed that their son came to her in a vision on their wedding night when he was conceived.

The actress, 55, told how she 'felt a presence' that night and heard a 'little boy's voice saying: ''Hi, I'm Jonathan''.

Nicole has been married to Succession star Brian, 77, since 2002 and the pair share two sons Orson Jonathan, 22, and Torin, 19.

She spoke to The Sunday Times in a candid interview about their love and told how when she moved to London to be with him their relationship nearly fell apart, before they decided to get married and start a family.

Nicole explained: 'I had a great career before I met Brian, but when I moved to London with him his career took off and mine stopped overnight.

Brian Cox's wife Nicole has claimed that their son came to her in a vision on their wedding night when he was conceived

Nicole has been married to Succession star Brian, 77, since 2002 and the pair share two sons Orson Jonathan, 22, (right) and Torin, 19 (left) - seen in 2015

'We almost broke up. Instead we got married and I conceived our son on our wedding night.

'I felt a presence and I heard a little boy's voice saying, 'Hi. I'm Jonathan.' I later told Brian and he said, 'Bollocks.' But nine months later our son Orson Jonathan was born.'

Elsewhere in the interview Brian and Nicole shared the story of their first meeting and how they didn't actually get together until eight years later.

The pair said there was 'fireworks' during their first meeting in 1990 when Brian was on a world tour of King Lear.

However despite 'clicking', it wasn't meant to be at the time, even though Brian did initially think she was 'coming back for him' following their evening together.

Nicole explained the reasoning for the time apart, and said: 'But then life took over. I worked in Zurich, Paris and Vienna and we didn't see each other again for eight years.'

But it wasn't the end of the road for the pair, who met again when Brian was starring in Art on Broadway and Nicole left a note with the doorman for him.

Brian recalled calling Nicole 15 minutes before the curtain was due to come up and she rushed back after he invited her to the show.

The actress, 55, told how she 'felt a presence' that night and heard a 'little boy's voice saying: ''Hi, I'm Jonathan'' (pictured together in 2003)

She told The Sunday Times in a candid interview about their relationship how when she moved to London to be with him their relationship nearly fell apart, before deciding to get married and start a family

Following the show, Brian and Nicole spent the night together after an evening of tango dancing, as he admitted they have been together since.

However it hasn't been without trying times, as Brian told how they suffered a make or break evening in Texas two years into their romance, where Brian declared that either they needed to split or get married.

He said: 'We went to the Little White Chapel in Vegas the next day. That was 24 years ago. It was great fun and that's been our relationship ever since.'

Nicole also confessed their relationship has faced struggles, as she claimed there were 'four years of pure hell', which was aided by therapy.

Last year, Brian revealed on Live With Kelly and Ryan, that he and Nicole renewed their wedding vows in a surprise Vegas ceremony.

The star explained: 'We'd actually been apart for a while  she'd been traveling  and then we sat down and we said, 'Where do we go from here? Do we finish or do we go on?' And we thought, ''Well let's go on and get married''.'

Elsewhere in The Times interview, Nicole admitted Succession 'didnt mean that much to her', but she is glad that it means everyone know sees the value in her husband that she has since all along.

Brian's performance on Succession was critically acclaimed and secured him a Golden Globe.

However, he has revealed that the success has come with a price, admitting he is mourning the loss of his privacy with his celebrity status.

Last year, Brian told Barley Magazine: 'It's been a phenomenal journey for me. There's no question it's changed my life in so many ways.

'I've lost my anonymity, you know, I've lost all of that. That's all gone. I used to be the guy you'd say 'Oh, you were in such and such or no, or no you weren't'.but now I'm Logan Roy and everybody just wants me to tell them to f*** off!'

Elsewhere in the interview Brian and Nicole shared the story of their first meeting and how they didn't actually get together until eight years later

The pair said there was 'fireworks' during their first meeting in 1990 when Brian was on a world tour of King Lear (pictured in 2005)

He discussed how fans commonly ask him for 'f*** off selfies', saying: 'I say they can have one for $500.

He then added to The Guardian: 'I've lost my anonymity, and I've realised that was what was important to me.

'I haven't ever experienced anything like this. I mean, you ask for success in your work, and you get it, and then you have to deal with the consequences.

'I've always valued my privacy, but it's gone. I've been very lucky that I've had it for so long. You know, I've been doing this for over 60 years. And finally it's over.'
She recently returned from a sun-soaked holiday in St Lucia.

And Jorgie Porter was pining after the sunnier climes on Monday as she shared a slew of throwback snaps from her getaway.

The Hollyoaks star, 36, looked incredible as she modelled a skimpy black bikini that showcased her toned frame.

Posing up a storm on the beach, Jorgie wowed in a string two piece that highlighted her sculpted stomach and peachy bottom.

She captioned the images: 'Monday blues. When can we go back @olliepiotrowski.'

She recently returned from a sun-soaked holiday in St Lucia and Jorgie Porter was pining after the sunnier climes on Monday as she shared a slew of throwback snaps from her getaway

Jorgie, who shares son Forrest, 14 months, with her fiance Oliver Piotrowskito, had been enjoying a family getaway on the island.

The actress recently praised her 'supportive' fiance' for helping her come to terms with the loss of their quadruplets.

The couple welcomed Forrest in December 2022 after tragically miscarrying quadruplets at 14 weeks in August 2021.

Jorgie then had a second miscarriage six weeks into another pregnancy in February 2022 - on the day of the couple's engagement party.

In a joint interview, the happy couple spoke to Cheshire Life about how they have coped with baby loss.

While Jorgie explained that their heartbreak made them 'stronger' as a couple, Oliver added it was important to be open about their raw emotions to get through the tough time.

She said: 'We felt it was important to talk to each other and try and be open and honest about how we felt. We went through the toughest times and it made us stronger. Having Ollie there by my side gave me the most support.'

Oliver added: 'I think it's really important to just take each day as it comes, to take each emotion as it hits, whether it's anger or sadness. As a man, I think you can feel helpless. I wanted to protect Jorgie and take away her pain but in reality all you can do is be there for each other.'

The Hollyoaks star, 36, looked incredible as she modelled a skimpy black bikini that showcased her toned frame and highlighted her sculpted stomach and peachy bottom

Jorgie, who began dating Oliver in 2020, recently appeared on an episode of Giovanna Fletcher's podcast, Happy Mum Happy Baby.

Opening up about the tragic miscarriage, she said: 'I remember just like, we were arguing and stuff.

'And I was just like, you have to tell me what you're feeling and thinking because you'd like keep it in a bit at times. And then he'd like, let loose and tell me everything.

'And I was like, Ah, okay, and so we really lucky with each other, that we opened up so much, maybe in an argumentative way.

'But then we came around afterwards and was like, to so caring, so loving, so understanding and so like, oh, it's not just me, the mum that's been through this, like, Ollie as the dad has suffered loss.

She added: 'And also, he's not been able to do anything physically, emotionally, like he didn't have, you know, a very helpless position to be Yeah.

'And so, he felt like he couldn't say anything at the time. But now I was like, you have to because you are a part of it. It's a partnership.'
Kate Winslet headed out for lunch in New York City with Argentinian author Hernan Diaz clutching his novel Trust, which she is set to adapt for a HBO series and star in.

In 2022, it was revealed the actress, 48, would be adapting, and starring in, the Pulitzer Prize finalist's novel for the American television network.

The pair were spotted hailing a taxi in NYC on Sunday, as Kate carried a hard copy of the novel - which is set on Wall Street during the 1920s and 1930s.

The Titanic star kept it casual for the lunch meet-up, sporting flat brown boots, skinny jeans and a black blazer.

Shielding her eyes from the sun, Kate finished off the ensemble with a spotted black and white scarf and had a brown bum bag strapped to her chest.

Kate Winslet headed out for lunch in New York City with Argentinian author Hernan Diaz clutching his novel Trust, which she is set to adapt for a HBO series and star in

In 2022, it was revealed the actress, 48, would be adapting, and starring in, the Pulitzer Prize finalist's novel for the American television network

In 2022, HBO announced that it was developing the limited series Trust, based on Hernan's novel, with Kate set to star and executive produce.

Speaking to The Guardian in July, Hernan confirmed Kate was producing the limited series and said he had stepped away from writing duties.

'We're closely in touch and she has all these amazing ideas,' he told the publication.

'At first I was excited to write it, but I realised I'd be better off as an executive producer after a couple of really big sleepless nights deciding what to do.'

Hernan added: 'It seemed creatively more honest to write a new book rather than stay a year or two more with Trust. So I'm fully engaged and have a say, but Im not writing it.'

Trust is a novel consisting of four stories which mainly centre around the world of finance in New York City during the 1920s and 30s.

Kate is set to appear in another HBO adaptation called The Regime, which is released on March 3.

The network released the first image of Kate in its upcoming limited series, which had its name changed from The Palace, in February 2023.

Kate kept it casual for the lunch meet-up, sporting flat brown boots, skinny jeans and a black blazer

The pair were spotted hailing a taxi in NYC on Monday, as Kate carried a hard copy of the novel - which is set on Wall Street during the 1920s and 1930s

In July, Hernan confirmed Kate was producing the limited series and said he had stepped away from writing duties

It showed Kate seen in a blue suit with gold embroidery on her lapels as her hair was worn back and she had a stern look on her face with her hands clasped.

In the series, Kate will portray Madam Chancellor, the icy leader of a fictional modern European nation.

The character is seated in a formal government room with flags behind her as well as marble columns and oil paintings.

The Regime is from the producers of Succession's producers and The Queen's director, Stephen Frears.

The six-part series, created by writer-producer Will Tracy, depicts a year within the palace of a crumbling authoritarian regime.

Kate's, foul-mouthed Chancellor battles to control her people and prove herself as a credible leader to foreign allies. It also stars Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton and Hugh Grant.

Kate was seen filming for the series back in May.

Dressed in a navy jacket, wide-legged trousers and black boots, the Reading-born actress chatted on her phone between takes, her hair dyed white-blonde and pinned up in a 1940s style.

She also wore a necklace featuring the letter 'E'. It is not clear whether this was part of her costume or a tribute to her husband of 11 years, Edward Abel Smith.

The filming site, Overton Mill in Hampshire, is a former banknote paper mill which closed last year.

The star was also seen being driven around in a Rolls-Royce  used as the Chancellor's 'official car', complete with red and blue flags of the fictional state.

Hernan opted for an all-navy outfit, made up of smart trousers and a sweatshirt layered with a coat covered in grey patches. He dressed down the attire with a pair of white trainers
He has shot to overnight stardom following his breakthrough role in One Day.

But Jonny Weldon has now revealed he almost didn't audition for the life-changing part as Ian, who is the boyfriend of one of the leads, Emma Morley [Ambika Mod].

The actor's character meets Emma at Loco Caliente, the Mexican restaurant where they both work while jugglings their aspiring careers as a comedian and writer.

After leaving their jobs, Ian asks Emma on a date and they go on to have a long-term relationship, however Emma's friend Dexter looms as a third party to their romance.

Ian resents Emma's closeness to her best friend Dexter, who she does ultimately go on to fall in love with, after years of 'will they won't they' moments.

Jonny Weldon has now revealed he almost didn't audition for the life-changing part as Ian, who is the boyfriend of one of the leads, Emma Morley [Ambika Mod]

Jonny pictured with his wife Lucy, who he married in April last year

He almost missed out on playing the role and only auditioned after his wife encouraged him to try out for the part

However, he almost missed out on playing the role and only auditioned after his wife Lucy encouraged him to try out for the part.

During an appearance on Monday's episode of Lorraine, he said: 'The audition came through when I was on holiday with my wife.

'And my agent said if you're a bit busy, you're on holiday, you can think about it. It was my wife who said "what's it for?" and I said they're doing David Nicholls One Day.

'She said "you are auditioning for that, it is my favourite book!", but I was on holiday so I had to do a self tape and get like 30 books from this hotel room and prop my phone and then had about 100 recalls and somehow got it.'

Jonny and Lucy tied the knot in April last year after first getting together in 2019.

Photographs shared on their respective Instagram pages reveal that Jonny popped the question in November 2021.

Elsewhere during the chat, Jonny revealed his surprising A-list connection as they played a hilarious clip with sensation Hannah Waddingham.

He said: 'I made a little video and it got about 100,000 views.'

The actor's character meets Emma at Loco Caliente, the Mexican restaurant where they both work while jugglings their aspiring careers as a comedian and writer

During an appearance on Monday's episode of Lorraine, he said: 'The audition came through when I was on holiday with my wife

He said: 'And my agent said if you're a bit busy, you're on holiday, you can think about it. It was my wife who said "what's it for?" and I said they're doing David Nicholls One Day'

'She said "you are auditioning for that, it is my favourite book!", but I was on holiday so I had to do a self tape and get like 30 books from this hotel room and prop my phone and then had about 100 recalls and somehow got it'

Elsewhere during the chat, Jonny revealed his surprising A-list connection as they played a hilarious clip with sensation Hannah Waddingham

He said: 'I made a little video and it got about 100,000 views'

A short clip shown on the programme revealed Jonny hosting auditions for the new James Bond role, as Hannah auditions for the part of 'Jane Bond'

Lorraine chipped in that he had got a few celebrities involved and Jonny revealed that Hannah and her Ted Lasso co-star Nick Mohammed were happy to do it.

A short clip shown on the programme revealed Jonny hosting auditions for the new James Bond role, as Hannah auditions for the part of 'Jane Bond'.

One Day has surpassed 15.2million views since it premiered on the streaming giant on February 8.

The 14-part series starring Ambika, 28, and Leo Woodall, 27, launched earlier this month and has since captivated hearts with its moving storyline and gut-wrenching ending.

One Day, an adaptation of the 2009 best-selling novel, follows the lives of Emma and Dexter Mayhew, who meet for the first time on their last day as students at the University of Edinburgh in 1988.

Each episode sees the characters meet again on the same day each year, July 15, as they grow, face challenges, and navigate their friendship through changing times.

One Day has been watched by over 15.2million viewers so far, with 5.3million subscribers tuning in the first week of release followed by a staggering 9.9million.

From February 12, the show became the most viewed English series globally, as numbers are predicted to continue rising.
Paddy McGuinness has defended his Question Time appearance - after the BBC faced 'dumbing down' backlash over his booking.

The comedian and presenter, 50, was recently invited onto the flagship debate show commonly featuring heavyweight politicians and media figures to answer questions from the audience on major issues of the day.

After the former Take Me Out host went on the show the decision to feature him was branded 'bizarre' by viewers on X, with one accusing the BBC of 'reaching a new low of dumbing down'.

Now he has defended the appearance as he spoke on Monday's Good Morning Britain.

The star said he 'couldn't say no' to going on going as it was a great opportunity to get working class voices heard because 'politicians need to be held to account'.

Paddy McGuinness has defended his Question Time appearance - after the BBC faced 'dumbing down' backlash over his booking

The comedian and presenter, 50, was recently invited onto the flagship debate show commonly featuring heavyweight politicians and media figures to answer questions from the audience on major issues of the day

He explained: 'When I got asked to go on, it's the sort of programme that is terrifying. But it would have really irked me if hadn't have done it. It wouldn't have sat easy with me.

'Being working class people look at you as as the place you are from as you still speak like them - if I hadn't have done it then you're not getting people's voice across.

'Rightly or wrongly. I'm not even a very political person but I think things like the NHS, you don't have to be a political person, we all use it and our families use it and everyone knows the state it's in at the minute so I felt I had a bit of an input with that.

'But if they'd have asked me about trade deals in China or whatever I would have said you're speaking to the wrong person. I was sweating buckets, I was terrified. But I couldn't say no to it. It's important on shows like that to have everyone's voice heard.'

Celebrities have appeared on Question Time in the past, including Love Island's Amy Hart.

Paddy, who has also presented Question of Sport, caused a stir when he claimed on the show he 'admired' the timing of Sir Keir Starmer's latest U-turn and stuck the boot into the Tories.

Simon Trimnell wrote in reaction to the booking: 'Paddy McGuinness really? BBC are scraping the barrel for panelists, time for the plug to be pulled on QT.'

Another viewer said: 'Why is Paddy McGuinness on Question Time? Is it another show that the BBC wants to get cancelled?'

Now he has defended the appearance as he spoke on Monday's Good Morning Britain with Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley

The star said he 'couldn't say no' to going on going as it was a great opportunity to get working class voices heard because 'politicians need to be held to account'

He explained: 'When I got asked to go on, it's the sort of programme that is terrifying. But it would have really irked me if hadn't have done it. It wouldn't have sat easy with me'

Others were more equivocal, with one questioning the wisdom of booking McGuinness before saying he was pleasantly surprised by his contribution.

'Never thought I'd say this, but Paddy McGuinness has come across very well on Question Time,' they wrote.

'I mean, it's a bizarre booking don't get me wrong, but he's certainly not embarrassed himself & he's expressed far more sensible views than many other ''celebrity'' bookings in the past.'

It's not the first controversial booking for Question Time. In 2020, the actor Laurence Fox launched his political career on the show after entering a slanging match with an academic about Meghan Markle.

The former Lewis star accused Rachel Boyle, an academic at Edge Hill University on Merseyside, of 'being racist' after she called him 'a white privileged male' for denying the Duchess of Sussex was hounded from Britain for being mixed-race.

Meanwhile, in 2021, it was the turn of former Love Island star turned influencer Amy Hart - prompting one person to post that her appearance 'sums up everything that is wrong with this country'.

A second added: 'And what actual qualifications does Amy Hart have. Influencer & Love Island! FFS!'

During her appearance on the political debate show, the reality star called for police reform in the wake of the Sarah Everard murder case.

Paddy was joined by a panel including James Daly, the new Deputy Chair of the Conservatives and Wes Streeting, Labour's spokesman for health and social care.

The TV host weighed in after Fiona Bruce questioned the panel about Sir Keir Starmer's decision to ditch a flagship pledge to spend 28billion a year on green projects  which critics perceived as another embarrassing climbdown.

She asked: 'With Labour dropping their flagship election promise, can we believe anything they pledge?'

Paddy answered: 'I see myself as a floating voter and I think in this day in age, certainly the past five years or so, politics seems to have been led by personality.

'And if you look at Boris Johnson and how he did it to get into power  and that's a prime example  then my worry with Keir Starmer is what he's said today. I don't know the ins and outs of it, but I almost kind of admire him for doing it now. Rather than after getting into power.'

He then launched into a passionate critique of the Conservatives, claiming they had 'decimated' the country over the past 14 years. This he said, made Labour a 'shoo-in' to win the next election.

He added: 'I'll be flabbergasted if they don't get in. And I think him saying that, for me personally, well I'd hate for him to say that after he got in power. And then you feel even more let down.

'But with regards to the climate crisis, most people, most taxpayers, kind of do their bit  you've got every colour bin outside your house, you put solar panels on your roof. And you do all the things you can try and to do help. But at the end of the day it's up to these lot, the government and big business. It's not on us. It's these lot who need to get their act together.'

Some viewers were quick to take to social media to praise the comedian's comments.

One wrote: '@bbcquestiontime Thank the lord for #PaddyMcguinness the voice that speaks for the common person. No bull, no fancy words. Give him the floor please.'

'Paddy McGuinness...the most honest panelist for a long, long time! Well done. #bbcqt', another said.

A third added: 'Pleasantly surprised by the omnipresent Paddy McGuinness tonight - wasted on QoS should have been on QT all along.'

Not all viewers were impressed with the Take Me Out star's appearance on the show, however.

Writing on X, one viewer said: 'And what exactly is Paddy McGuinness bringing to the table? I always thought the 'idiot northerner' schtick was an act but clearly not. #bbcqt'.

A second added: '#bbcqt oh dear, what the hellPaddy McGuinness on QT? This has got to be a wind up. Careful Fiona, he'll cancel your show like all the others he's been on. I switched over.'

The BBC was accused of 'scraping the barrel' by inviting Paddy on the political debate show earlier this month

Making his debut on the BBC One programme, Paddy said he 'admired' the timing of Keir Starmer's U-turn and stuck the boot into the Tories  leaving viewers to have mixed reactions

In another discussion, Paddy questioned the Tories' failed promise of 350million for the NHS

'@bbcquestiontime WTF is Paddy McGuinness doing On QT? No likey no lighty is just about his capabilities!' a third quipped.

Elsewhere on the show, Paddy quizzed the new deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, James Daly and questioned the notorious failed promise of 350 million for the NHS after Brexit.

He quipped: 'Lucky for me, most people know I'm not here for my great political brain. But that didn't stop Boris Johnson, so that's alright.'

Leading on a more serious note however, he continued: 'For me, James, you saying to Wes that Sir Keir Starmer is doing anything to get a vote is a bit rich coming from a Tory, let me tell you. We're still waiting on the 350million a week Boris Johnson promised us for the NHS.'
Lupita Nyong'o has admitted she wants to keep her new relationship with Joshua Jackson out of the public eye after being burned in the past.

The actress, 40, was open with the breakdown of her relationship with her ex Selema Masekela, revealing that it was 'devastatingly extinguished by deception'.

Lupita has since found love with her new partner Joshua, 45, but she insisted she will be going back to the 'old ways' of keeping her love life private.

Historically, Lupita hasn't been public about her relationships, as she told Porter: 'And that was very, very sage of me. I'm going back to those days, by the way.'

However, this changed during her previous romance, when she hard-launched her then-boyfriend on Instagram, sharing a video with the hashtag #thisismylove.

Lupita Nyong'o has admitted she wants to keep her new relationship with Joshua Jackson out of the public eye after being burned in the past

Lupita has since found love with her new partner Joshua (pictured), 45, but she insisted she will be going back to the 'old ways' of keeping her love life private

Historically, Lupita hasn't been public about her relationships, as she told Porter: 'And that was very, very sage of me. I'm going back to those days, by the way'

However, this changed during her previous romance, when she hard-launched her then-boyfriend on Instagram, sharing a video with the hashtag #thisismylove

Revealing her reason behind the December 2022 post, she said: 'In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it.'

Just 10 months later, Lupita revealed that their relationship had come to a sudden end and she posted a vulnerable announcement.

The heartbreaking prose detailed her vast pain and determination to 'run into the shadows' in the wake of the break-up, which came just hours before she was spotted putting on a cosy display with newly-single Joshua.

Her statement read: 'There are much more important things going on in the world right now, and my thoughts are with those who are deeply suffering.

'At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust

'I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception.

'I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, 'Whatever, my life is better this way.'

'But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love. And so, I am choosing to face the pain, cultivating the courage to meet my life exactly as it is, and trusting that this too shall pass.

The actress, 40, was open with the breakdown of her relationship with her ex Selema Masekela (pictured), revealing that it was 'devastatingly extinguished by deception'

Revealing her reason behind the December 2022 post, she said: 'In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it'

Just 10 months later, Lupita revealed that their relationship had come to a sudden end and she posted a vulnerable announcement

The heartbreaking prose detailed her vast pain and determination to 'run into the shadows' in the wake of the break-up

'The promise, they say, is that a tender heart is what gives birth to fearlessness. I hope it's true

'I share this to keep it, and hoping that the knowledge of my experience might be useful to someone else out there experiencing the grip of heartbreak who is poised to try and escape from the pain and miss out on the wisdom that comes from it...

'#Breakup. Let's face our pain so we don't spread it.'

During her Porter interview, Lupita, who posed for a stunning photoshoot alongside the chat, explained why she wanted to publicly announce their break-up and admitted she didn't know what the reaction would be.

She said: 'I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak. I looked at the environment of my social media and thought, I don't want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses.

'Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it.'

This year, Lupita is focused on deeper self-exploration, beyond her career, embracing slowness and the intentional work of understanding herself.

She's trying to take the advice that applies to her, like something fellow actor Niecy Nash said when Lupita questioned after her break-up whether she would ever love again: 'Our purpose in life is to love. And so you have to get back in it.'

During her Porter interview, Lupita, who posed for a stunning photoshoot alongside the chat, explained why she wanted to publicly announce their break-up

She said: 'I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak. I looked at the environment of my social media and thought, I don't want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses

Lupita said: 'Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it'

This year, Lupita is focused on deeper self-exploration, beyond her career, embracing slowness and the intentional work of understanding herself

She's trying to take the advice that applies to her, like something fellow actor Niecy Nash said when Lupita questioned after her break-up whether she would ever love again

Lupita and Joshua confirmed their relationship with a PDA-packed display after sources confirmed exclusively to DailyMail.com that they are dating.

In December, the couple took a romantic walk through Joshua Tree National Park located in San Bernardino County, California.

Joshua, 45  whose wife Jodie Turner-Smith filed for divorce just two months prior  looked absolutely smitten with the Academy Award-winner.

They first sparked speculation in October when they enjoyed a Janelle Monae concert together, shortly after their respective splits were announced.

This led to their friendship blossoming into a 'romance.'

'Things have slowly turned to romance between the two,' the source said. 'They have been amazing friends for a long time and Josh didn't want to ruin that.

'But as they've hung out more and more and dealt with their breakups, dealing with it together has added another level to their friendship. Now it is a physical relationship. They are a couple.'

At the time of their outing, a source explained to DailyMail.com that the pair were attempting to take things slow as they navigated their recent breakups.

They revealed: 'Joshua has a type and Lupita definitely fits that to a tee. But they are just friends, it is still a little early for Joshua to start dating again.

'Could he be an item with Lupita down the road? Without question... They are both still going through it with their recent breakups and still are looking to heal.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to representatives for Joshua and Lupita for comment at the itme.
Sally Obermeder had a bad experience trying to catch Taylor Swift in concert this weekend.

The television host headed out to watch the pop star's fourth concert at Accor stadium but mistakenly got off the train at Homebush.

She broke down in a combination of tears and laughter as she explained that she thought the show was at Homebush and not at Olympic Park.

Sally soon realised her error when not one other Swiftie could be seen getting off the same stop.

'This sums me up. I am more big picture. Sometimes I skim the details,' she wrote in her caption alongside a video shared to Instagram.

Sally Obermeder (pictured) had a bad experience trying to catch Taylor Swift in concert this weekend. The television host headed out to watch the pop star's fourth concert at Accor stadium but mistakenly got off the train at Homebush

'And then I end up in these situations - I got off at Homebush. Because that's what I thought when people said, 'Taylor Swift is performing at Homebush.'"

Sally added that she is well known for these types of errors.

'I sent this to Antonia in our team because last week she also saw me try and board a Virgin flight with a Jetstar ticket,' she said.

'Didn't you wonder where the other 80,000 people were?' someone asked in her comments.

'This sums me up. I am more big picture. Sometimes I skim the details,' she wrote in her caption

She broke down in a combination of tears and laughter as she explained

'There were other Swifties at the station that did the same thing too. You are not alone!!' said another.

It seems Sally did eventually make it to the gig as she later shared images from the stadium indicating she'd arrived.

More than 600,000 people have attended the Australian leg of Swift's Eras tour - with a record-breaking 96,000 fans attending each of her three nights in Melbourne and a further 83,000 Swifties at each of her four shows in Sydney.
Love Island star Chris Taylor has detailed his time in the All Star villa, before sparking feud speculation with a former co-star on the show.

Speaking on Instagram on Sunday, the Leicester native, 33, who shot to fame initially on the fifth season of the show, he revealed recouplings would take up for four hours and require complete stillness and quiet from Islanders.

He alleged that 'basically everyone' in the villa had ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), meaning they struggled with the task and were subsequently 'b***ocked' by producers during the lengthy stints.

Aside from shedding light on the secrets of the villa, eagle-eyed fans noticed that Chris has snubbed one of his former co-stars since leaving the show.

It seems the star had opted against following Adam Maxted, who was coupled with Chris' former flame Arabella Chi, despite reaching out to Toby Aromolaran, Jake Cornish and Kaz Kamwi on the photosharing site.

Love Island star Chris Taylor has detailed his time in the All Star villa, before sparking feud speculation with a former co-star on the show

It seems the star had opted against following Adam Maxted, who was coupled with Chris' former flame Arabella Chi, despite reaching out to Toby Aromolaran , Jake Cornish and Kaz Kamwi on the photosharing site

He spoke out on the photosharing site when fans asked him questions

He claimed 'basically everyone' in the villa had the neurodivergence

While hosting a Q&A session on Instagram, he was asked how long recouplings - in which stars choose with whom they will be partnered with and share a bed - took.

Speaking to the camera, Chris said: '[It took a] long, long time. It took about three/four hours every time because between every speech or text they had to get shots for like 10-15 minutes and we have to remain absolutely silent and not move...

'Basically everyone in there had ADHD so loads of laughing and fidgeting and we got b***ocked all the time for that. It's not an easy job.'

His latest appearance comes after Chris stepped out with Joanna Chimonides last week, in the wake of their return from South Africa. The duo were coupled up briefly before Joanna started to question their bond - before she was dumped.

Chris was then voted off the show a few days later and they revealed during the final as they returned to South Africa that they were still talking and hanging out and didn't shut down a future romance.

After he was dumped Chris admitted he fancied Joanna for four years before meeting her in South African villa.

The reality star added that he wanted to give their relationship a chance outside of the show when they jet back to the UK.

Sitting down to chat with host Maya Jama, Chris opened up about his feelings towards Joanna, despite them having a rocky couple of days.

Speaking to the camera, Chris said: '[It took a] long, long time. It took about three/four hours every time because between every speech or text they had to get shots for like 10-15 minutes and we have to remain absolutely silent and not move'

While hosting a Q&A session on Instagram, he was asked how long recouplings - in which stars choose with whom they will be partnered with and share a bed - took

His latest appearance comes after Chris stepped out with Joanna Chimonides last week, in the wake of their return from South Africa. The duo were coupled up briefly before Joanna started to question their bond - before she was dumped

He explained: 'I fancied Joanna for a good four years, so when she walked in I was excited.

'It got left at a really awkward point when we were smack bang in the middle of figuring out what it could have been so we are left with questions.'

During the exit interview, he added: 'My experience with Joanna was amazing. When she came in, I was very excited. I've fancied her for a long time.

As soon as she arrived in the Villa I could tell there was something between us.

'We had lots of deep chats in bed and I learnt so much about her on a deeper level and ultimately we were both very comfortable with each other.'

On the show, just 24 hours after viewers saw Joe Garratt and Joanna get the boot, Chris shortly followed behind them.

When quizzed by Maya about her time in the villa, Joanna revealed that Chris became protective over her in the villa.

Chris and Adam were both paired with Arabella on the show
Susannah Constantine was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery as doctors told her she was 'lucky to be alive'.

The TV personality, 61, was told she needed to be operated on immediately or she risked paralysis, a brain haemorrhage or a stroke.

Susannah was suffering from an arteriovenous fistula, which is an abnormal connection between an artery and a vein.

Speaking after the worrying ordeal, Susannah said she had initially brushed off her pins and needles symptoms in her arm.

Susannah told OK! magazine that she was given stark words of warning from doctors during the health crisis, which happened last year.

Susannah Constantine was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery as doctors told her she was 'lucky to be alive'

She said: 'They said "It's Hobson's Choice, if you don't have the operation, you've got a one in three chance of having a brain haemorrhage, being paralysed or having a stroke.

"If you do have surgery, you've got a one in ten chance of these same things happening during the operation."'

Susannah's condition is typically created surgically or appears as a result of a congenital or genetic abnormality.

It had led to bleeding into the capillaries, affecting her spinal cord and brain, and putting her at imminent risk of paralysis, a stroke, or a hemorrhage.

She said: 'I had a health scare and a pretty major operation. It was a very rare thing where I had a leak  the arteries were bleeding into the capillaries and trapping the spinal cord, and affecting my brain.'

It was causing symptoms such as pins and needles in her arm, as well as a swollen left eye and tinnitus.

Last year, Susannah first spoke about the scary incident when she revealed she was rushed to hospital after struggling with a 'withering arm'.

The presenter took to Instagram to share that she'd been placed on a drip after the health scare, which turned out to be 'more serious' than she first thought.

Last year, Susannah first spoke about the scary incident when she revealed she was rushed to hospital after struggling with a 'withering arm'

Susannah reassured her followers that the health problem was 'all sorted now,' and praised the 'magnificent' NHS and neurosurgeons for taking care of her

The presenter took to Instagram to share that she'd been placed on a drip after the health scare, which turned out to be 'more serious' than she first thought

Following her Susannah's post, many of her celebrity pals offered their well-wishes in the comments, including Stacey Dooley, Faye Tozer and Lisa Snowdon

Luckily, Susannah reassured her followers that the health problem was 'all sorted now,' and praised the 'magnificent' NHS and neurosurgeons for taking care of her.

Posting a snap of her arm connected to a cannula, Susanna wrote: 'Withered arm turned out to be symptom of something a bit more serious.

'All sorted now thanks to our ailing but still magnificent NHS where we are lucky enough to have some of the most gifted doctors (and in this case neurosurgeons) in the world. @brainandspine. Forever grateful.'

What is an arteriovenous fistula? Arteriovenous fistulas usually occur in the legs but can develop anywhere in the body. An arteriovenous fistula may be surgically created for use in dialysis in people with severe kidney disease. Symptoms of arteriovenous fistulas depend on where they form in the body. A large untreated arteriovenous fistula can lead to serious complications. Treatment for arteriovenous fistulas includes monitoring, compression, catheter-based procedures and, sometimes, surgery. Source: Mayo Clinic Advertisement

Following her Susannah's post, many of her celebrity pals offered their well-wishes in the comments, including Stacey Dooley, Faye Tozer and Lisa Snowdon.

Susannah previously revealed she's been suffering from hearing loss, and shared details of her devastating diagnosis and the treatment that changed her life in an interview with The Mirror.

She spent a lifetime in loud environments, juggling between production studios and live gigs  but it was the incapacity to hear birds singing that alarmed her.

The award-winning author realised she had problems with her hearing earlier this year, but admitted the problem could have been going on for a year and half.

The famous writer  who lives in the countryside  said the birdsong was one of the most comforting things to her, as all of a sudden she just couldn't hear that anymore.

'It was a cacophony of noise without the clarity and differentiation. That's when I realised. Well, that coupled with my children [Joe, 25, Esme, 23 and Cece, 20] calling me deaf and getting really frustrated with me,' she said.

Susannah admitted social situations became more and more difficult to bear, with ambient noise being 'awful'.

'I wasn't able to hear the person sitting next to me. I'd become an amateur lip reader, but if I couldn't see someone's face, I had no idea what they were saying. It was embarrassing,' she revealed.

The clothing designer got candid about her 'shame' of seeking help with her problem  as she admitted she'd always dreaded age-related hearing loss.

'There can be a huge stigma around wearing hearing aids, I felt like I might as well go to the funeral director and order my coffin, it made me feel so old,' Susannah explained.

But things took a turn when the TV star decided to book a hearing test at Boots, finally overcoming the shaming stigma.

Susannah recalled the moment she did her hearing test, saying she sat in a soundproof booth with headphones on as she listened to a continuous beep, and only pressed the button when she could hear it.

The famous style advisor was initially convinced everything went well and was quite sure she was 'not deaf'  but there were several pitches she had no idea she couldn't hear.

It comes after Susannah revealed she's been suffering from hearing loss, and has shared details of her devastating diagnosis and the treatment that changed her life

The test showed that years of tear and wear - such as listening to music on headphones on a very high volume  left the author in need of hearing aid.

The BBC star surely had a life studded of sensational moments, such as being on tour with the Scissor Sisters in the past  where she was often closely exposed to speakers as a big fan of live music.

Despite the initially devastating diagnosis, Susannah admitted hearing aids changed her life forever  describing her Phonak as 'transformative' and 'comfortable'.

The former fashion journalist joked the hearing technology looks something as the like of 'NASA' and that such a thing blew her away only after she got to try it.

Susannah explained these types of hearing aids can comfortably become part of your life, as they can be worn while swimming, or washing your hair  as long as you are careful.

She also said they have an embedded Bluetooth - where she often listens to music and calls, although 'the music isn't as good as it was through headphones'.

The TV personality also revealed her eldest daughter admitted her hearing improved significantly.

Susannah recalled her very first test  which was a noisy big party.

The award-winning author revealed she was in fact doing better than many of the people present at the party  with many asking to turn the volume down to talk, while to her everything was 'perfectly pitched'.

That's when things took a great turn for Susannah, as she said she finally started embracing her new accessory.

She felt even better when she realised her previous shamed was so unmotivated, as many of the people around her showed support and were actually amazed by how 'subtle' the technology was.

The writer recalled lifting up her hair asking people if they noticed 'anything new' about her  with some hilariously her if she 'got a piercing'.

The TV star admitted seeking help with hear hearing loss turned out to be game-changing, as it allowed her to appreciate what she was missing out  and to take her life back in her hands.

Susannah also urged anyone who notices symptoms of hearing loss to get tested.
Taylor Swift has finished her run of Sydney concerts.

The American pop superstar completed the final of her four gigs at Accor stadium on Monday night.

She sent off the crowd with some very warm words, leaving the audience cheering in delight.

'Looking at this crowd, the biggest crowd we've had at our four shows here!' she told her fans.

The Eras Tour has seen more than 600,000 people attend the Australian leg.

Taylor Swift has finished her run of Sydney concerts. The American pop superstar completed the final of her four gigs at Accor stadium on Monday night (pictured)

A record-breaking 96,000 fans attending each of her three nights in Melbourne and a further 83,000 Swifties at each of her four shows in Sydney.

It comes after fans shared their anger after learning that scores of tickets were given away to the pop star's Sydney concerts for free.

The tickets - many for prime seats - were given out at the Accor stadium venue minutes before, and even during the show, to hopeful fans waiting outside.

Some were given away by Taylor Nation, a fan group known for giving out free concert tickets to Swifties who missed out, but some are believed to have been given away by venue staff and even members of the pop's star's entourage.

The Eras Tour has seen more than 600,000 people attend the Australian leg. Fans are pictured outside the venue

A record-breaking 96,000 fans attending each of her three nights in Melbourne and a further 83,000 Swifties at each of her four shows in Sydney

'Looking at this crowd, the biggest crowd we've had at our four shows here!' Taylor told her fans on Monday

Video circulating online shows members of Taylor Nation being surrounded by hopeful fans this weekend as they hand out free tickets.

Several told stories of being approached outside the venue and given tickets for good seats by mysterious men in black shirts.

Other fans discovered that tickets were available for purchase shortly before and even during the concert via the Ticketek's original lounge link, despite being sold out on the main Ticketek website.
Tom Daley's husband Dustin Lance Black has revealed why they relocated to Los Angeles with their two children following his court case.

The Oscar-winning screenwriter's, 49, shock court case was thrown out at the end of 2023 after he was embroiled in a nightclub spat with BBC presenter Teddy Edwardes.

Dustin has now claimed he and Olympic diver husband Tom, 29, moved across the pond because he felt the UK government 'owed him an apology'.

Speaking to The Guardian, he shared: 'This is no longer, you know, do I like or dislike a place? I think that the crown, the government owes me an apology. And I have not received it. I think they also owe me a lot of money.'

Dustin, who share two sons Robert, five, and Phoenix, 10 months, with Tom also gushed over his 'kind' children.

Tom Daley's husband Dustin Lance Black, 49, has revealed why they relocated to Los Angeles with their two children following his court case

Dustin, who share two sons Robert, five, and Phoenix, 10 months, with Tom, 29, also gushed over his 'kind' children

He added: 'Tom and I know how to have fun outside of parenthood. We work hard, we should play hard. But I do not pay attention to other peoples opinions of me or my family any more.

'I reacted to having horrible examples of fatherhood in my life by becoming, I think, a really good dad. Its the project that Im most proud of.'

Dustin, who recently watched his beloved son ring a bell for being named the 'kindest child in his grade', added: 'Im very, very proud of him.'

CCTV footage shows the moment that landed Tom's husband in court as he became embroiled in a nightclub spat with BBC presenter Teddy Edwardes, sparking a 10,000 assault case which was thrown out by a judge within hours.

Dustin was alleged to have grabbed an 'aggressive' Teddy's wrist causing her to spill her drink over herself, but her claims were dismissed at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Lawyers for the Oscar-winning screenwriter successfully argued there was no clear evidence Dustin, who is said to have lost 600,000 due to the case, had ever touched Teddy's wrist at the Freedom nightclub in Soho on August 18 last year, and that her evidence was inconsistent.

Video footage shows the row between the two before Dustin walked out of the venue where Teddy was partying with her Love Island ex Amber Gill.

Moments later, Dustin was punched in the back of the head by Teddy, resulting in a concussion - for which she received a police caution.

Dustin has now claimed he and Olympic diver husband Tom moved across the pond because he felt the UK government 'owed him an apology' following the court case (pictured arriving at court in 2023)

Dustin said: 'This is no longer, you know, do I like or dislike a place? I think that the crown , the government owes me an apology. And I have not received it. I think they also owe me a lot of money'

Dustin, who recently watched his beloved son ring a bell for being named the 'kindest child in his grade', added: 'Im very, very proud of him'

A judge took the unusual step of dismissing the assault case before the defense had even begun - deciding at the end of the prosecution evidence there was insufficient evidence any assault occurred.

Court cases can be thrown out at the close of the prosecution's case if they are so weak that a jury, properly directed, could not properly convict. The decision meant that neither Dustin or Tom had to take to the stand.

After the verdict, Teddy took to Instagram to share a post of drinks against the London skyline.

CCTV footage played to the court showed Dustin's argument with Teddy at the bar while Amber and Tom looked on in shock.

The video shows the two couples standing in front of the bar as Teddy and Dustin appear to argue animatedly.

Tom can be seen appearing to attempt to calm Dustin down before Dustin moves his hand towards Teddy, who dropped the glass she was holding. The defence argued Dustin took hold of Teddy drink, but did not touch her.

Dustin then immediately walked out of the club.

The judge criticised Teddy for inconsistencies in her account about the first time she saw the CCTV of the footage - after police officers earlier gave evidence to say the footage was 'leaked' - and for posting about the incident on social media platforms before telling the court it was 'not real life'.

CCTV footage shows the moment that landed Tom 's husband in court as he became embroiled in a nightclub spat with BBC presenter Teddy Edwardes (pictured), sparking a 10,000 assault case which was thrown out by a judge within hours

Tom revealed he met the film director at a 'random dinner' in Los Angeles a decade ago before they later tied the knot.

In December 2013, Daley announced he was dating a 'guy' who made him 'feel so happy' and 'so safe', with the pair going on to marry one another in 2017.

Touching on the pair's 20 year age gap Tom said: 'One thing I learned early on is to not care what other people think. That's been useful since I've been with my husband. I'm 27, he's 47.

'People have their opinions, but we don't notice the age gap. When you fall in love, you fall in love,' he remarked in an interview with The Guardian.
America's Got talent star Heidi Klum has compared herself to her model daughter Leni Klum in her latest social media post.

The 50-year-old megastar posted a photo of herself as a rising star.

The Vogue cover girl had on a skimpy white tank top with blue denim jeans and a snakeskin belt. She let her hair down as she was almost unrecognizable as she posed on a rooftop.

The image of her mini-me wonder was also eye popping.

Leni, who stands at 5ft4in, wore a black crop top that revealed her very slender tummy as she added pale blue denim jeans. Her highlighted hair was flowing over her shoulders as she had on minimal makeup.

She seemed to want to point out that she looked much like her teen child when she was younger.

America's Got talent star Heidi Klum has compared herself to her model daughter Leni Klum in her latest social media post. The 50-year-old megastar posted a photo of herself as a teenager and then an image of Leni now

Leni recently recalled how she found Heidi's sex closet when she was younger; The mother and daughter duo pictured last month in Los Angeles

Heidi has been helping Leni's modeling career by posing on the cover of magazines with her and working with her in a lingerie campaign.

Leni's father is Italian businessman Flavio Briatore, 73.

However Heidi's ex-husband Seal, 61, later adopted Leni in December 2009 when she was five.

Heidi and the four-time Grammy winner were married to each other from 2005 until 2014, and he's remained in Leni's life.

Heidi also has three younger children - son Henry Gunther Ademola Dashtu Samuel, 18; son Johan Riley Fyodor Taiwo Samuel, 17; and daughter Lou Sulola Samuel, 14 - from her marriage to Seal.

This comes after Leni said she struggled with acne.

The Los Angeles resident shared a candid makeup-free selfie with her 1.9 million Instagram followers, that showed a number of breakouts on her cheeks and forehead.

In the snap her hair was brushed back, and she had her eyes closed as she showed off her profile.

Leni didn't add a caption to the image, but she's previously been open about dealing with the stigma of acne.

'I feel like there is a thought behind having acne that you're not beautiful with it or it makes you look not as good as you could look,' she told People in October.

'Then I realized, "Oh my God, this is normal." Everyone goes through it ... It's not bad if you have it. It's something that anyone can get and it's not your fault and it's hormonal.'

The Vogue cover girl had on a skimpy white tank top with blue denim jeans and a snakeskin belt. She let her hair down as she was almost unrecognizable as she posed on a rooftop.

The image of her mini-me wonder was also eye popping. Leni wore a black crop top that revealed her very slender tummy as she added pale blue denim jeans. Her highlighted hair was flowing over her shoulders as she had on minimal makeup

The teen, who made her runway debut in 2021 and is following in her mother's modelling footsteps, also admitted that she previously had days when she didnt want to leave the house until her 'acne cleared up.'

'Then I realized I can't live like that. I can't let pimples on my face prevent me from leaving the house.'

'A lot of people have acne that make it seem like they don't and then people see that on social media and they're like, "None of these gorgeous girls have acne,"' she shared.

'But some do and I don't think that's a bad thing.'

Leni's father is Italian businessman Flavio Briatore, 73, however Heidi's ex-husband Seal, 61, later adopted her in December 2009 when she was five; Pictured with Seal

Leni, who made her runway debut in 2021, is following in her mother's footsteps as a model; Pictured in a campaign for Intimissimi lingerie

At that time she decided to post a photo of her acne on social media in order to normalize it for others.

Since then, she's shared a number of close-up photos showing off her breakouts.

Last summer, she posted a makeup-free selfie, and in 2021 she shared a snap of her skin on a 'bad day.'

'#nomakeup #nofilter #sowhat' she wrote in the hashtags.

Last month Leni and her supermodel mom Heidi attended The Art of Elysium's 25th Anniversary HEAVEN Gala in Los Angeles together.

Heidi dazzled in a strapless number adorned with a gold floral design.

Leni was just as stunning as her mother, donning a sparkling, bright red gown and a matching floral choker.

Leni recently recalled how she found Heidi's sex closet when she was younger.

'I thought it was the coolest thing ever!' the CAA Fashion model revealed via FaceTime on an episode of Call Her Daddy.

'I was going through it with my friends. And I was like, "Mom, what is this? A microphone?" I really had no idea what it was. My mom got so mad at me after, like, "You can't go in my stuff!"'

Leni continued: 'I was like showing it off to my friends like, "Look at how cool this is. My mom has a whole cupboard, she has a whole drawer." And I snuck them into my mom's room and opened the drawer, and we were all taking videos.'

The America's Got Talent judge also has a habit of going topless within the confines of her lavish $9.875M six-bedroom mansion located in Bel-Air's exclusive gated community of Stone Ridge.

Leni said last year that she struggled with acne, as she shared a candid makeup-free selfie; (L) Seen on Monday, (R) Seen in January 2023

Leni has shared a number of close-up photos showing off her breakouts in the past few years, in order to battle the stigma of acne

The teen also admitted that she previously had days when she didnt want to leave the house until her 'acne cleared up'

'I would have birthday parties at the house. Or I'd have friends over, like my boyfriend over. And she tans topless by the pool,' Leni said.

'And I remember having my girlfriends over and I'd be so embarrassed and like, scared, because usually in like my friend's families, I never see my friend's moms tanning naked at the pool.

'But I thought it was normal. And my friends would always be like, kinda stand off-ish but it was so normal in our family.'
Daisy May Cooper has pleaded for help after a fake tan fail turned her green.

The comedian, 37, took to Instagram on Saturday to share a snap of her dark stained face after using an expired product.

She explained: 'Made the mistake of fake tanning last night with a fake tan I bought in 2004. Does fake tan expire!? How the f**k do I get this off?'

Daisy captioned the image: 'Please help. The fake tan I used is 20 years old?

'No fake tan remover is working and lemon juice is not working. Tried nail varnish remover and that just burns.'

Daisy May Cooper has pleaded for help after a fake tan fail started turning her green, sharing snaps of her much darker visage on the weekend (pictured right before the tanning fail)

The comedian, 37, took to Instagram on Saturday to share a snap of her dark stained face after using an expired product

Fans were quick to flood the comments with tips and tricks for removing fake tan, while others compared her to Ross from Friends after he suffered a hysterical tanning mishap

Later on in the day she provided an update as she mused: 'Does it look like it's continuing to develop more brown then first pic or the same?'

In a desperate bid to rid herself of the tan, Daisy crushed a dishwasher tablet into a paste but lamented: 'now its going green. Is that from dishwasher tab or tan developing????'

In a final update on Monday she revealed her face and neck had both started turning green as the tan continued to develop.

Last month, Daisy teased her hit show This Country could return to screens after she was spotted out for a pub lunch with her brother and co-star Charlie Cooper, 34.

Daisy revealed they had been discussing the idea of reviving their characters, cousins Kerry and Lee 'Kurtan' Mucklowe, for a Christmas special.

This Country is a British mockumentary sitcom which was first broadcast in 2017.

It ran for three series and focused on Daisy and Charlie's characters' day to day lives living in a small village in the Cotswolds.

In a desperate bid to rid herself of the tan, Daisy crushed a dishwasher tablet into a paste but lamented: 'now its going green. Is that from dishwasher tab or tan developing????'

In a final update on Monday she revealed her face and neck had both started turning green as the tan continued to develop

Last month, Daisy teased her hit show This Country could return to screens after she and brother and co-star Charlie Cooper were discussing the idea of reviving their characters

The show was a huge hit and gained more than 52million views on BBC iPlayer over the three series and a one-off special, which broadcast in October 2018.

Daisy and Charlie sold the rights to the programme to the US, with the American remake called Welcome To Flatch.

The actress previously admitted she was making 100 a month as a cleaner and couldn't afford to buy a McDonald's before the breakthrough role.

Speaking on Lorraine she said: 'It was such a bleak time. I'd just come out of drama school, didn't get anything, had to move back in with my parents and do a night-time cleaning job.

'I think I was paid about 100 a month and as we were going round cleaning, we came up with these characters and said, "We have to write something". Because humour was the only thing getting us through such a depressing time.'

She went on: 'A lot it of it based on experiences we had. At the end of the first series, they're talking about how they couldn't afford a McDonald's and had to watch their friends eating one, and that was our life.

'We had nothing and even to try and get up to auditions, 9 to get up on a National Express was such a big chunk of our weekly budget.'
Kenneth Mitchell's Star Trek fans are coming to the aid of his grieving family.

So far $61,403 has been raised toward the goal of $100,000 on a Go-Fund-Me account set up by a friend named Carolyn Lewinsky.

The beloved actor died Saturday at the age of 49 after five-year battle with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS, leaving his wife, Susan May Pratt, and two children, Lilah and Kallum, behind.

'Ken loved his work and cherished his friends  so many of whom hed been close with since childhood  but he lived for Susan and their children, Lilah and Kallum, who truly owned his heart. This Go Fund Me is for them,' Lewinsky wrote.

'ALS is a horrible disease, and the costs associated with treatments and required caregivers are truly astronomical. But even as their personal debt continued to grow, Ken and Susan chose to see the inevitability of Kens death as bringing with it many beautiful blessings.'

Friends of the late Kenneth Mitchell are hoping his fans will come to the aid of his family after the actor's death at 49-years-old, following a five-year battle with ALS (Pictured in Los Angeles in September 2017)

According to the National Institutes of Health, the typical cost of treatment for an ALS patient is about $1.43 million, with the family being responsible for about 9-percent of the costs.

Mitchell was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in August 2018 and started using a wheelchair in October 2019. He publicly announced he had the debilitating neurological disease in a February 2020 interview with People.

'The moment that they told us it was [ALS], it was like I was in my own movie,' he said.

'That's what it felt like, like I was watching that scene where someone is being told that they have a terminal illness. It was just a complete disbelief, a shock,' he told the outlet.

In spite of his illness, Mitchell was able to continue working for a while, most recently on The Old Man series with Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow.

The Canadian actor was well known in the Star Trek community, playing a number of roles on Star Trek: Discovery.

Mitchell appeared as Klingons Kol, Kol-Sha, and Tenavik, as well as scientist Aurellio, on Star Trek: Discovery.

Knowing his condition, the producers made sure to incorporate or camouflage his need to use a wheelchair into his appearances.

Mitchell's family posted this photo and a lengthy obituary describing his life on Instagram Sunday

The actor is survived by his wife Susan May Pratt, and their children Lilah and Kallum

A friend of the family has established a Go-Fund-Me campaign to help the cover the debt incurred for treatment during his illness. NIH found the typical cost of treatment for an ALS patient is about $1.43 million, with the family responsible for about 9-percent of the costs

He also voiced several characters in an episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks.

His Star Trek: Discovery co-star Anthony Rapp shared Mitchell's obituary on his Instagram story and said, 'This wonderful man brightened the lives of so many.'

'I am privileged to have known him and will never forget his joyful kindness and incredible courage.'

Fellow Canadian Skeet Ulrich mourned the loss of his friend, writing, 'You will never ever be forgotten!! You are embedded in the hearts and minds of so many. You will always be an inspiration. All my love to you and your beautiful family '

Mitchell played the Klingons Kol, Kol-Sha, and Tenavik, as well as scientist Aurellio, on Star Trek: Discovery and voiced several characters in an episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks

Producers on Star Trek: Discovery accommodated Mitchell's need to use a wheel chair when he played scientist Aurelio

Images left on his social media and Mitchell's obituary indicated that instead of a burial, he wanted his body to be used for renewal. A poem called Connect was posted as part of his obit with the first line reading 'When I die, I want to become a tree...'

Actress Odette Annable penned, 'll meet you at the Clover Diner Kenny. I love you always and forever my friend.'

The Roddenberry Official account offered, 'Kenneth was one of a kind, and will be greatly missed. Our deepest condolences to his family and all who loved him. '

Images left on his social media and Mitchell's obituary indicated that instead of a burial, he wanted his body to be used for renewal.

A poem called Connect was posted as part of his obit with the first line reading 'When I die, I want to become a tree...'
Josh Hartnett shared some big news on Saturday at the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The Pearl Harbor star, 45, has secretly welcomed a fourth child with his wife Tamsin Egerton.

When talking to the outlet Gold Derby, the 90s heartthrob let slip that he has a total of four children.

'I have four kids, I live in the countryside. I'm busy either working or taking care of them, but thank you. That's really kind,' he said when asked if he knew about the Josh Hartnett Renaissance trending on social media.

The actor, who used to date Gisele Bundchen, was at the awards show for his film Oppenheimer, which was directed by Christopher Nolan.

Josh Hartnett shared some big news on Saturday at the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards. The Pearl Harbor star, 45, revealed that he secretly welcomed his fourth child with his wife Tamsin Egerton; seen in July 2023

The movie won the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

'Being in the film with these other actors and just Chris deciding to choose me to play this role was the winning goal,' he told Live From E!: SAG Awards.

'We had a fun time making the film and then for it to be so phenomenally received and to have it be nominated by our peers for acting categories, across the board, is great.'

The actor is best known for his 2001 film Pearl Harbor which starred Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner and William Lee Scott.

He films only the occasional project such as Oppenheimer as he spends most of his time in England with his family.

He and his wife wed in 2021 after meeting on the set of The Lovers.

Their first child was born in 2015, then they had another one in 2017, and a third in 2019.

When talking to the outlet Gold Derby, the 90s heartthrob let slip that he has a ttoal of four children. 'I have four kids, I live in the countryside. I'm busy either working or taking care of them, but thank you. That's really kind,' he said when asked if he knew about the Josh Hartnett Renaissance trending on social media; seen in 2019

The couple in England at the Cartier Style Et Luxe at the Goodwood Festival Of Speed in 2022

In Oppenheimer he plays Ernest Lawrence.

He was handsome in a suit as he walked the red carpet.

He also joined his Oppenheimer co-stars onstage as they accepted the coveted Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture award.

He was seen hugging the blockbuster's director Nolan as the cast celebrated.

He told E!: 'Being in the film with these other actors and just Chris deciding to choose me to play this role was the winning goal.

He was at the awards show for his film Oppenheimer, which was directed by Christopher Nolan

The Pearl Harbor star, 45, who has returned to the Hollywood spotlight in Oppenheimer as Ernest Lawrence posed up with his co-stars as they accepted the coveted Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture award

The star is seen in Oppenheimer as Ernest Lawrence

'We had a fun time making the film and then for it to be so phenomenally received and to have it be nominated by our peers for acting categories, across the board, is great.

'All my costars getting individuals and then us being nominated for a cast. It's phenomenal. I mean, it's better than we could have imagined.'

It was a huge night for Oppenheimer as Cillian Murphy earned the Male Actor in a Leading Role gong while Robert Downey Jr. took home Male Actor in a Supporting Role.

Hartnett appeared set for a long career in Hollywood before turning his back on Tinseltown in the mid 2000s.

In 2021 the actor revealed the real reason why he stepped away from a career in big-budget movies and took a more artistic path.

The esteemed star told Channel Seven's Sunrise: 'It was the best thing for my mental health and my career to keep Hollywood at bay...

'Luckily I think I hit onto it early on in my life: it's about creating a good home life and being able to do things that are wild and wonderful like making films, which is such a privilege'.

The star clapped alongside Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr. and Cillian Murphy

Josh posed with winner RFJ as the pair enjoyed the night

It comes after Hartnett revealed the one role he regrets turning down during his early Hollywood career, as he was offered a role in the award-winning 2005 film Brokeback Mountain, which was eventually taken by the late Heath Ledger.

He explained: 'Unfortunately, I was going to do Brokeback Mountain And I had a contract with the [2006 film] Black Dahlia that I had to film, so I had to drop out of it'.

He explained he was originally meant to star in the drama with Joaquin Phoenix.

This was soon changed to Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, who both went on to receive several awards and separate nods at the 2006 Academy Awards.

The movie received six more nominations at the Oscars and numerous accolades across the globe.

Harnett has been vocal about not having regrets about some of the huge roles he's turned down in the past, including playing Superman in a three-picture deal and Batman in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy.

But he does admit there's a bit of regret for Brokeback Mountain, joking that he 'always wanted to kiss Joaquin'.

Hartnett got his big start in the 2001 war films Pearl Harbor and Black Hawk Down.

He turned to independent films in recent years, starring in Ida Red and Target Number One, but he has also made appearances in bigger productions such as Guy Ritchie's Wrath of Man.

One of Hartnett's most renowned starring roles was in the hit horror drama series Penny Dreadful, which ran from 2014 to 2016.
Jerry Seinfeld was confronted by a group of around 20 anti-Israel protesters while leaving the State of the World Jewry event at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan's Upper East Side on Sunday night.

The 69-year-old billionaire comedian - who's descended from Syrian Jews - smiled and waved as hecklers yelled obscenities, honked car horns, hit cowbells, blew whistles, and paraded Palestinian flags.

Jerry appeared unbothered as he hopped into a waiting black SUV as the protesters screamed things like 'Nazi scum,' 'genocide supporter,' 'you support genocide,' 'free Palestine,' 'f*** you,' and 'f***ing p***y.'

Seinfeld - who's practiced Transcendental Meditation for over 50 years - was surrounded by NYPD officers, and two protesters wound up getting arrested, according to TMZ.

Nearly 30K Palestinians have reportedly been killed (compared to 1,464 Israelis) since Hamas' terrorist attack against Southern Israel on October 7.

Jerry Seinfeld was confronted by a group of around 20 anti-Israel protesters while leaving the State of the World Jewry event at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan's Upper East Side on Sunday night

The 69-year-old billionaire comedian - who's descended from Syrian Jews - smiled and waved as hecklers yelled obscenities, honked car horns, hit cowbells, blew whistles, and paraded their Palestinian flags

On December 18, the Emmy winner and his wife Jessica Seinfeld made a support visit to Israel to see the site of the Be'eri massacre and visit the Abducted and Missing Families Forum headquarters as well as the Brothers and Sisters of Israel.

The 52-year-old GOOD+ Foundation founder - who's also Jewish - documented their entire journey in an Instagram slideshow she posted December 23.

'We saw homes where families were tortured, shot, bombed, and burned alive. We stood in a field where kids at a music festival were murdered and kidnapped by the hundreds as they fled,' Jessica (born Nina Sklar) wrote.

'As painful as it was to be in those places, however, what I will remember the most is the people we met in Israel. Heroes who rescued and saved thousands of lives. Young people from New York who came to work in farms to replace those who have gone to fight against Hamas. Former hostages and families of those still being held who have been through trauma but are still seeking to help. Extraordinary individuals who have come together to provide emergency assistance through citizen service.'

Seinfeld continued: 'This was my fifth visit to Israel, and I have never seen a more unified country. Among people of all walks of life, from wounded soldiers to families of peace activists whose mothers, fathers or siblings were murdered or are still held captive in Gaza, the horror of October 7th has erased divisions within Israel. Everyone has come together for a greater cause  to defeat Hamas, to build a better and safer Israel, and a better, safer world.'

After Jerry was screamed at on Sunday, the former cookbook author Instastoried a video of Barbra Streisand captioned: 'Keep speaking the truth Jews. We may not be popular for it, but where there is truth, there is freedom.'

Jessica famously left her first husband - Broadway theater scion Eric Nederlander - after their Italian honeymoon in 1998 and took up with Seinfeld, and they've been married for 24 years now.

The New York-born empty nesters will next celebrate the 21st birthday of their son Julian this Friday, and they're also parents of 23-year-old daughter Sascha and 18-year-old son Shepherd.

Jerry appeared unbothered as he hopped into a waiting black SUV as the protesters screamed things like 'Nazi scum,' 'genocide supporter,' 'you support genocide,' 'free Palestine,' 'f*** you,' and 'f***ing p***y'

Seinfeld - who's practiced Transcendental Meditation for over 50 years - was surrounded by NYPD officers, and two protesters wound up getting arrested

Nearly 30K Palestinians have reportedly been killed (compared to 1,464 Israelis) since Hamas' terrorist attack against Southern Israel on October 7

On December 18, the Emmy winner (M) and his wife Jessica Seinfeld (2-R) made a support visit to Israel to see the site of the Be'eri massacre and visit the Abducted and Missing Families Forum headquarters as well as the Brothers and Sisters of Israel

The 52-year-old GOOD+ Foundation founder (R) - who's also Jewish - documented their entire journey in an Instagram slideshow she posted December 23

Jessica (born Nina Sklar) wrote: 'We saw homes where families were tortured, shot, bombed, and burned alive. We stood in a field where kids at a music festival were murdered and kidnapped by the hundreds as they fled'

After Jerry was screamed at on Sunday, the former cookbook author Instastoried a video of Barbra Streisand captioned: 'Keep speaking the truth Jews. We may not be popular for it, but where there is truth, there is freedom'

Jessica and Jerry will next celebrate the 21st birthday of their son Julian (L, pictured May 14) this Friday, and they're also parents of 23-year-old daughter Sascha (2-L) and 18-year-old son Shepherd (2-R)

Seinfeld's next scheduled stand-up comedy dates are March 8-9 at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan

The Golden Globe winner will star in his feature directorial debut Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story - premiering May 3 on Netflix - about the pastry war between cereal rivals Kellogg's and Post

Jerry wrote the 1963-set comedy based on one of his classic stand-up bits

Jerry's next scheduled stand-up comedy dates are March 8-9 at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan.

Seinfeld will star in his feature directorial debut Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story - premiering May 3 on Netflix - about the pastry war between cereal rivals Kellogg's and Post.

The Golden Globe winner wrote the 1963-set comedy based on one of his classic stand-up bits.

Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story will also star Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, Hugh Grant, James Marsden, Christian Slater, Maria Bakalova, Bill Burr, Dan Levy, and Fred Armisen.
It has been nearly 60 years since the Disney classic Mary Poppins was released.

But this week it emerged the film's classification has undergone a major change - the children's movie has had its age rating lifted from U to PG by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).

The BBFC now considers the 1964 tale of Julie Andrews' magical nanny to be unsuitable for children to watch alone, despite the film enchanting generations of youngsters.

Its reclassification is due to the use of the word Hottentots - the dated term was historically used by Europeans to refer to the Khoekhoe, a group of nomadic herders in South Africa, but is now regarded as racially offensive, and the decision was made by the BBFC who say they help families 'choose well' by giving guidance on whats right for them and 'whats not'.

Following the news, MailOnline takes a look at what happened to the cast of Mary Poppins...

As Mary Poppins has its age rating lifted from U to PG, MailOnline takes a look at what happened to the cast of Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews, who played Mary Poppins, pictured in 2022)

Julie Andrews made her film debut as Mary Poppins (centre), which was released on 23 December 1964, when she was 29 years old

Julie Andrews - Mary Poppins

Julie Andrews made her film debut as Mary Poppins, which was released on 23 December 1964, when she was 29 years old.

The actress, now 88, won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in the role at the 37th Academy Awards held in Santa Monica, California in April 1965.

British star Julie was lauded for her acting and singing skills but she was left devastated when a throat operation left her unable to sing in 1997.

She sued the US surgeons after the operation for an undisclosed amount.

Julie was invited to make a cameo in a 2018 reboot of Mary Poppins which starred Emily Blunt but she turned the role and its reported 790,000 fee down, telling director Rob Marshall: 'This is Emilys show and I want her to run with this.'

She has worked on a number of projects including the movie Aquaman and Netlix's Bridgerton, which she narrates.

Dick Van Dyke - Bert the chimney sweep

Dick Van Dyke was known for performing chirpy chimney sweep Bert who sung the song Chim Chim Cher-ee in the film, with the tune winning them movie a Best Original Song Oscar (Dick pictured in 2021)

American actor Dick, now 98, who put on a cockney accent for Mary Poppins, went on to star in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which was released in 1968 (seen in Mary Poppins alongside Julie Andrews as the titular character)

Dick Van Dyke was known for performing chirpy chimney sweep Bert who sung the song Chim Chim Cher-ee in the film, with the tune winning them movie a Best Original Song Oscar.

American actor Dick, now 98, who put on a cockney accent for Mary Poppins, went on to star in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which was released in 1968.

He also starred in the classic TV sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show, which ran for five series from 1961 to 1966.

In 2018, he portrayed Mr. Dawes Jr. - the son of the banker Mr. Dawes Senior who appeared in the original movie, a part which Dick played in addition to Bert - in the Mary Poppins reboot, Mary Poppins Returns.

He has also starred in 2006's Night At The Museum and 2014's Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb.

Dick, who is a father of four and has seven grandchildren, married make-up artist Arlene Silver in 2012. He was 86 at the time and she was 40.

In the past, the star has been open about his troubles with alcohol addiction. He said: 'I would go to work with terrible hangovers, which if youre dancing is really hard.'

Karen Dotrice - Jane Banks

Karen Dotrice was just nine years old when she starred as Jane Banks in Mary Poppins (Karen pictured in 2018)

She went on to appear in The Gnome Mobile in 1967 with her on-screen brother Michael (bottom right), played by Matthew Garber (Karen, bottom left, seen as Jane Banks in Mary Poppins)

Karen Dotrice was just nine years old when she starred as Jane Banks in Mary Poppins.

She went on to appear in The Gnome Mobile in 1967 with her on-screen brother Michael, played by Matthew Garber.

She starred without him in 70s servant drama Upstairs Downstairs in the final series of the show in 1975.

Karen retired from the industry in 1984 to focus on being a mother.

She has three children from two marriages.

Karen made a brief comeback to acting when she accepted a role in the 2018 Mary Poppins reboot Mary Poppins Returns.

For her cameo appearance, she played the part of Elegant Lady on Cherry Tree Lane.

Matthew Garber - Michael Banks

Matthew Garber starred as Micheal Banks (bottom right) in Mary Poppins when he was just eight years old

Matthew Garber starred as Micheal Banks in Mary Poppins when he was just eight years old.

He went on to appear in films The Three Lives of Thomasina and The Gnome, alongside his on-screen sister Karen, who played Jane.

Matthew died in 1977 at the age of 21 when he contracted hepatitis on a trip to India, with the illness progressing into pancreatitis.

Karen has paid tribute to him, saying: 'He was how he looked  an imp, and I loved being his shadow.

'He loved being naughty, finding and jumping off of small buildings on the back lot.

'While I was Victorian proper and wouldn't let myself get dirty or muddy, Matthew had a great sense of fun and danger.

'He was a daredevil and could have been a race car driver. And he did live a full life over his 21 years.'

David Tomlinson - Mr Banks

David Tomlinson played the stern-but-soft-centred patriarch Mr Banks (left) in 1964s Mary Poppins

David Tomlinson played the stern-but-soft-centred patriarch Mr Banks in 1964s Mary Poppins.

He was also known for playing Peter Thorndyke in 1968 film The Love Bug as well as the quack magician Emelius Browne in 1971s Bedknobs And Broomsticks.

The British actor starred in everything from war films such as 1945s The Way To The Stars to the 1949 romantic comedy Warning To Wantons.

His first wife Mary tragically killed herself and her two by jumping from a New York hotel in 1943 after she was told she couldn't them to join her husband in England until the end of the war.

He married his second wife Audrey a decade later and they had four sons together.

In 2000 he died suddenly following a stroke at the age of 83.

He was named posthumously as a Disney Legend in 2002.

Glynis Johns - Mrs Banks

Famous Mary Poppins actress Glynis Johns died at the age of 100 in January 2024 (pictured: Glynis attending a Hollywood event marking the Mary Poppins 40th Anniversary in 2004)

The actress featured in many famous films, including Hostile Hostages, Miranda and The Court Jester (pictured clockwise from top left: David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, Matthew Garber, Karen Dotrice in Mary Poppins)

Actress Glynis Johns, who played Mrs Banks in Disney's 1964 classic Mary Poppins and enjoyed a dazzling career spanning more than eight decades, died aged 100 last month.

The British actress, who was born in South Africa, passed away 'peacefully' from natural causes on Thursday 4 January at an assisted living home in Los Angeles, her manager Mitch Clem said.

'Today's a sad day for Hollywood,' Clem said as he paid tribute to the Tony-award winning stage and screen star. 'She is the last of the last of old Hollywood.'

On stage, Johns played Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music, introducing the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be 'Send in the Clowns' by Stephen Sondheim.

The talented performer gained a reputation throughout her lengthy career for being a perfectionist, and prided herself on always opting for multi-faceted roles.

Johns' famous role in Mary Poppins saw her play a mother who reconnected with her children thanks to their magical nanny, played by Julie Andrews, and perform a rousing rendition of 'Sister Suffragette'.

'As far as I'm concerned, I'm not interested in playing the role on only one level,' Johns said in 1990. 'The whole point of first-class acting is to make a reality of it. To be real. And I have to make sense of it in my own mind in order to be real.'

Mitch Clem said as he shared news of Johns' death: 'My heart is heavy today with the passing of my beloved client Glynis Johns.

The talented performer gained a reputation throughout her lengthy career for being a perfectionist, and prided herself on always opting for multi-faceted roles (seen as Winifred Banks in the classic 1964 Disney musical film Mary Poppins)

'Glynis powered her way through life with intelligence, wit, and a love for performance, affecting millions of lives.

'She entered my life early in my career and set a very high bar on how to navigate this industry with grace, class, and truth. Your own truth.

'Her light shined very brightly for 100 years. 'She had a wit that could stop you in your tracks powered by a heart that loved deeply and purely.

'Today is a sombre day for Hollywood. Not only do we mourn the passing of our dear Glynis, but we mourn the end of the golden age of Hollywood.'
Michelle Dockery exuded class in a sage co-ord as she led stars at This Town's Q&A and screening at BFI Southbank on Monday.

The Netflix star, 42, looked elegant as she stunned in the suit two-piece which featured a blazer and smart trousers.

She added a black top underneath and matching boots, adding dainty gold jewellery including hoop earrings, a necklace and rings.

The Downton Abbey actress was the epitome of chic as she posed with a hand in her pocket flashing a gracious smile.

Her dark tresses were loose straight as she displayed her flawless complexion with a subtle touch of make-up.

Michelle Dockery exuded class in a sage co-ord as she led stars at This Town's Q&A and screening at BFI Southbank on Monday

The Netflix star, 42, looked elegant as she stunned in the suit two-piece which featured a blazer and smart trousers

Inside the lavish event, Michelle posed alongside actress Shyvonne Ahmmad.

Shyvonne - who is known for stage acting as well as appearing in a few TV series - rocked an oversized sleeveless white denim jacket and matching trousers.

She has now scored a role in the upcoming BBC masterpiece This Town, and joined the rest of the A-list cast as they stopped for a few shots on the red carpet altogether.

Michelle and Shyvonne were later joined by Levi Brown (Loss and Return), Eve Austin known for her role as Gemma in Netflix's YOU, Line Of Duty's Ben Rose, and Les Miserables actress Freya Parks.

The cast beamed happily as they posed for the camera, whereas some other cast actors were snapped elsewhere at the event.

Jordan Bolger, who will also be part of the upcoming BBC show, posed alongside Eve and Levi.

The Peaky Blinders actor, 29, donned a stylish look with brown knit turtleneck and beige coat, accessorising with a black hat.

Meanwhile Eve, 29, oozed glamour as she donned an oversized black blazer jacket with shirt and a red striped tie.

She added a black top underneath and matching boots, adding dainty gold jewellery including hoop earrings, a necklace and rings

The Downton Abbey actress was the epitome of chic as she posed with a hand in her pocket flashing a gracious smile

Her dark tresses were loose straight as she displayed her flawless complexion with a subtle touch of make-up

Inside the lavish event, Michelle posed alongside actress and co-star Shyvonne Ahmmad

Shyvonne - who is known for stage acting as well as appearing in a few TV series - rocked an oversized sleeveless white denim jacket and matching trousers

She has now scored a role in the upcoming BBC masterpiece This Town, and joined the rest of the A-list cast as they stopped for a few shots on the red carpet altogether

They joined the rest of the A-list cast as they stopped for a few shots on the red carpet altogether

Michelle and Shyvonne were later joined by Levi Brown (Loss and Return), Eve Austin known for her role as Gemma in Netflix's YOU, Line Of Duty's Ben Rose, and Les Miserables actress Freya Parks

The cast beamed happily as they posed for the camera

Jordan Bolger, who will also be part of the upcoming BBC show, posed alongside Eve and Levi

The Peaky Blinders actor, 29, donned a stylish look with brown knit turtleneck and beige coat, accessorising with a black hat

Meanwhile Eve, 29, oozed glamour as she donned an oversized black blazer jacket with shirt and a red striped tie

The Our Ladies star added embroidered red tights and black boots, as she sported her wavy blonde bob and a bold red lipstick.

Eve stopped to strike a sultry pose alongside Northern Irish actress and co-star Seainin Brennan.

Seainin, 47, looked classy in an all-black ensemble with blouse and matching trousers with stiletto boots.

Levi cut a smart look in a grey knit top and matching coat, while finishing off with black trousers.

Elsewhere Bliss! star Freya, 24, donned a classy yet edgy ensemble in a black chenille blazer dress with a maroon shirt underneath, giving a final touch with striped black tights.

The Creation actress seemed in good spirits while posing with her co-star Ben and Geraldine James - who will also appear on the series.

Other cast members made an appearance on the event's red carpet on their own, including My Policeman star David Dawson.

The Batman sensation Peter McDonald is also set to appear on the six-part show, as he looked radiant on the red carpet.

This Town executive producer Karen Wilson was all smiles as she took to the red carpet, and later posed alongside writer and creator Steven Knight and director Paul Whittington.

Meanwhile Ben opted for a camel Adidas long-sleeve shirt and brown trousers.

Also joining the stellar cast - but nowhere to be seen at the star-studded event - are Nicholas Pinnock, Dracula's John Heffernan, Stefan Asante-Boateng from Coronation Street, George Somner (This Is Going To Hurt) and Brendan Gibson (Peaky Blinders).

After gracing the dazzling red carpet and stopping for pictures, the whole cast took to the stage alongside creator Steve, director Paul and executive producer Karen.

They seemed in high spirits and busy throughout the conversation, as they answered some questions from the panel.

Eve stopped to strike a sultry pose alongside Northern Irish actress and co-star Seainin Brennan

Seainin, 47, looked classy in an all-black ensemble with blouse and matching trousers with stiletto boots

Levi cut a smart look in a grey knit top and matching coat, while finishing off with black trousers

He posed with his pal and co-star Ben

Elsewhere Bliss! star Freya, 24, donned a classy yet edgy ensemble in a black chenille blazer dress with a maroon shirt underneath, giving a final touch with striped black tights

The Creation actress seemed in good spirits while posing with her co-star Ben and Geraldine James - who will also appear on the series

Other cast members made an appearance on the event's red carpet on their own, including My Policeman star David Dawson

The Batman sensation Peter McDonald is also set to appear on the six-part show, as he looked radiant on the red carpet

This Town executive producer Karen Wilson was all smiles as she took to the red carpet

She later posed alongside writer and creator Steven Knight and director Paul Whittington

Meanwhile Ben opted for a camel Adidas long-sleeve shirt and brown trousers

After gracing the dazzling red carpet and stopping for pictures, the whole cast took to the stage alongside creator Steve, director Paul and executive producer Karen

They seemed in high spirits and busy throughout the conversation, as they answered some questions from the panel

The story follows a bands formation against a backdrop of violence 'capturing how creative genius can emerge from a time of madness', according do IMDb.

Produced Kudos of Banijay UK and Nebulastar for the BBC with Mercury Studios co-producing in association with Kudos North, Stigma Films, and Nick Angel.

The six-part show was filmed on location in the West Midlands as well as at Steven Knights famous Digbeth Loc Film and TV studios.
Kelly Rizzo and boyfriend Breckin Meyer have been spotted kissing publicly for the first time in Mexico over the weekend - two years after of the death of her late comedian husband Bob Saget.

The couple, who debuted their romance at a Grammys party, were wedding guests at a friend's nuptials in Puerto Vallarta.

Kelly, 44, showed off her fit form in a strapless periwinkle blue gown as she packed on the PDA with Breckin, 49, known for his roles in the hit 90s films Clueless and The Craft.

Her long, dark blonde hair was styled in loose curls and she wore natural looking makeup.

The Comfort Food W/ Kelly Rizzo podcast host accessorized with dangling diamond earrings.

Kelly Rizzo and boyfriend Breckin Meyer were spotted kissing publicly for the first time in Mexico over the weekend

Breckin looked handsome in a dark blue suit with a white shirt and navy tie.

His salt and pepper hair and beard were neatly styled for the occasion.

It's unknown when the pair met, or when they started dating.

The couple have tried to keep their budding relationship quiet, but as they were in the presence of friends, seemed to feel comfortable expressing their affection for each other.

Kelly lost her husband, comedian and actor Bob Saget in January 2022, after the actor fell and suffered head trauma in his Orlando hotel room.

She and the Full House star were together for three years before they married in 2018.

On January 9, she marked the second anniversary of the Fuller House star's death writing, '2 years. Wow. Simultaneously feels like a week and an eternity.'

'I will forever be grateful that I got to share life with this extraordinary person for 6 years.'

The couple have tried to keep their budding relationship quiet, but as they were in the presence of friends, seemed to feel comfortable expressing their affection for each other

The pair were guests at a friend's wedding in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Kelly, 44, and Breckin, 49, debuted their romance at a Grammys party in Los Angeles

Kelly showed off her fit form in a strapless periwinkle blue gown. Her long, dark blonde hair was styled in loose curls and she wore natural looking makeup and she accessorized with dangling diamond earrings

Breckin looked handsome in a dark blue suit with a white shirt and navy tie. His salt and pepper hair and beard were neatly styled for the occasion

The Eat, Travel, Rock founder told E! News she got the blessing from her late husband's daughters to start dating again.

'It took a while, to the point where Im like, "OK, I think hed be happy with it".'

Referring to the support she's received from step-daughters Aubrey, Lara and Jennifer, she said, 'Theyre just angels. And to have them support is so meaningful.'

Breckin was married to Surviving Christmas writer Deborah Kaplan from 2001-12.

They share two daughters, Clover 19, and Caitlyn, 21.

It's unknown when the pair met, or when they started dating

Kelly lost her husband, comedian and actor Bob Saget in January 2022, after the actor fell and suffered head trauma in his Orlando hotel room. She and the Full House star were together for three years before they married in 2018

Kelly told E! News she had the blessings of her late husband's daughters to begin dating again, and said she believes Bob would approve. 'It took a while, to the point where Im like, "OK, I think hed be happy with it"'

Breckin was married to Surviving Christmas writer Deborah Kaplan from 2001-12. They share two daughters, Clover 19, and Caitlyn, 21

The actor has several upcoming projects including the Apple TV comedy Quarter with Eric Roberts and Brooke Shields.

The show focuses on a woman who is about to turn 25 as she deals with the ups and down of her Type One diabetes while figuring out the ups and downs of her personal life.

Kelly entered the world of reality TV when she competed in Special Forces: World's Toughest Test on Fox.

She competed in four episodes before voluntarily withdrawing from the grueling contest.
Ella Rae Wise turned heads in a blue denim crop top and mini skirt as she arrived at the Savaya Beach Club in Bali with Dan Edgar.

Dan, 33, and Ella, 23, continued to fuel dating rumours as they arrived at the club together while taking a break from filming the latest series of TOWIE.

Ella looked incredible as she showed off her figure in the racy bralette top and tiny matching low rise skirt.

The reality star added a coordinated choker necklace which boasted a large ruffled flower and toted her belongings around in a silver clutch.

She added a stylish pair of silver cowboy boots and styled her long tresses in a neat braid as she posed for photos outside the venue.

Ella Rae Wise turned heads in a blue denim crop top and mini skirt as she arrived at the Savaya Beach Club in Bali with Dan Edgar

Dan, 33, and Ella, 23, continued to fuel dating rumours as they arrived at the club together while taking a break from filming the latest series of TOWIE

Ella was all smiles as she arrived alongside Dan who looked smart in a blue patterned shirt, beige trousers and slip on shoes.

Elsewhere Jodie Wells looked chic in a white ruffled co-ord as she arrived with co-star Diags who rocked black shorts and a T-shirt.

Jodie stunned in the white halterneck top which she teamed with a matching mini-skirt and silver cowboy boots.

Courtney Green showed off her amazing figure as she also opted for a white co-ord as she donned a glittering bralette and matching shorts.

She teamed the number with a pair of suede cowboy boots and layered a number of necklaces.

Chloe Meadows dressed to impress in a black strapless cut out minidress and cowboy boots as she beamed for photos.

Chloe was in high spirits as she arrived holding hands with Harry Derbidge who commanded attention in a floral short sleeved shirt and shorts.

The last arrivals are Jordan Brooks who opted for an all white outfit and Roman Hackett who donned all black.

Dan and Ella have been spotted looking loved-up during filming

Ella looked incredible as she showed off her figure in the racy bralette top and tiny matching low rise skirt

The reality star added a coordinated choker necklace which boasted a large ruffled flower and toted her belongings around in a silver clutch

Dan rocked a patterned blue shirt and white trousers as he was joined by pal Jordan Brook

Elsewhere Jodie Wells looked chic in a white ruffled co-ord as she arrived with co-star Diags who rocked black shorts and a T-shirt

Jodie stunned in the white halterneck top which she teamed with a matching mini-skirt and silver cowboy boots

Courtney Green showed off her amazing figure as she also opted for a white co-ord as she donned a glittering bralette and matching shorts

Chloe Meadows dressed to impress in a black strapless cut out minidress and cowboy boots as she beamed for photos

Chloe was in high spirits as she arrived holding hands with Harry Derbidge who commanded attention in a floral short sleeved shirt and shorts

The last arrivals are Jordan Brooks who opted for an all white outfit and Roman Hackett who donned all black

The ITVBe stars have been busy filming in Bali the past couple of weeks during a cast trip.

And Dan and Ella have been spotted looking loved up before they shared a kiss on the sunbed.

Leaning in closer together, the two took a cheeky selfie before Ella gave Dan a peck on the cheek.

The couple also appeared to make a 'pinkie promise' before downing shots as they enjoyed their fun date at a beach bar.



An insider told The Sun: 'Dan and Ella have been growing close while on the away trip with their friends.

'Ella's always had a thing for Dan and the cast could sense there was chemistry between them.

'On a night out with the rest of the cast, Dan and Ella kissed and have spending time together ever since. The fling is set to cause major drama and fallouts between the group.'

Dan was previously in long-term relationship with Amber Turner until the couple split in May last year.

In December, ITV announced that TOWIE would release two series in 2024.

Fans are in for a treat as TOWIE original Lauren Goodger, 37, previously announced she would be making a show return after an 11-year absence.

Chloe looked effortlessly stylish as she posed for photos

The ITVBe stars have been busy filming in Bali the past couple of weeks during a cast trip (pictured Diags & Jodie Wells)
Kyle Sandilands has launched an extraordinary spray at the Mardis Gras board after NSW police were barred from marching at the Sydney event for the first time in 20 years.

The decision was made following the alleged murder of a gay couple at the hands of an officer.

The shock jock, 52, braded the move 'disgusting' on Tuesday's episode of The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

'What I don't like is that people who fought for inclusion are now excluding people,' before calling for the entire board to resign.

'They should all resign and hang their heads in shame,' said Sandilands.

Kyle Sandilands [pictured] has launched an extraordinary spray at the Mardis Gras board after NSW police were barred from marching at the Sydney event for the first time in 20 years

The controversial decision follows the alleged deaths of two gay men at the hands of NSW Police officer, Beau Lamarre-Condon [pictured]

Newsreader Brooklyn Ross also weighed in, pointing out the police had investigated the crime, 'and have their own person in custody, charged with the murder. What more do you want from the police?'

Poll Do you think the Mardi Gras board should have banned cops from this year's parade? Yes No Do you think the Mardi Gras board should have banned cops from this year's parade? Yes 159 votes

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'They've made a big mistake here,' insisted Kyle.

The shock move was made by the Mardi Gras board on Monday night and will see police barred from marching for the first time in 20 years this coming Saturday (March 2).

The controversial decision follows the alleged deaths of two gay men at the hands of NSW Police officer, Beau Lamarre-Condon.

Channel Ten host Jesse Baird and his new Qantas flight attendant boyfriend Luke Davies were allegedly killed at a home in Paddington, in Sydney's east, last week.

Mr Baird and Lamarre-Condon had been in a brief relationship last year.

NSW Police have been uninvited from marching in Mardi Gras for the first time in 20 years after one of its officers, Beaumont Lamarre-Condon (pictured left at Mardi Gras in 2020), allegedly killed a gay couple

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Police are desperately trying to work out what happened to Mr Baird and <r Davies, who were last seen a week ago, with search sites established in Cronulla, Newcastle and multiple dams in the Southern Tablelands.

Police allege Lamarre-Condon, a 28-year-old senior constable, was in Newcastle on Thursday night where he cleaned a van, allegedly used to move the couple's bodies, before handing himself in on Friday at Bondi police station.

Lamarre-Condon has been charged with two counts of murder and remains in protective custody after being denied bail.

It's understood several members of the Mardi Gras board did not agree with the decision to uninvite NSW Police from its parade and want the decision reviewed.

Police Commissioner Karen Webb, who has personally marched in the parade celebrating queer relationships and identities for several years, said the decision has left her 'disappointed and dismayed'.

'We are humans, we are representative of the community we serve and so we should be there,' she told The Daily Telegraph.

'Conversations we've been having are around the under-reporting of crimes in the queer community. How is this going to help that?'

Commissioner Karen Webb (pictured centre at Mardi Gras 2022) said the decision by organisers left her 'disappointed and dismayed'

Commissioner Webb described the decision as 'illogical'.

'I get the distrust and the concern about this matter but don't brand the whole organisation because of the actions of one individual,' she said.

However, the alleged murder of Baird and Davies may have just been the tipping point in organisers' decision.

A vocal push for officers to be removed from the parade has grown in recent years with many Mardi Gras participants feeling the festival is moving from its original purpose as a protest.

However, NSW MP Alex Greenwich believed the decision is a step in the wrong direction.

'I want the police to stand with the LGBTQ+ community every day, and that includes the Mardi Gras parade,' he said.

'There is a lot of work to do to improve community safety, and we must do it together.'

Channel Ten host and Lamarre-Condon's ex-boyfriend Jesse Baird (right) and his new Qantas flight attendant boyfriend Luke Davies (left) were allegedly killed at a home in Paddington , in Sydney's east

The shock ban come after Commissioner Webb issued a historic apology to the families of LGBTQ+ victims following Justice John Sakkar's report into police brutality and hate crimes in the 1980s and 1990s.

She met with NSW police minister Yasmin Catley, Mr Greenwich and other members of the community earlier on Monday.

'To have us withdrawn [from Mardi Gras] on the basis, I presume, of the actions of one person who is currently charged before the court makes no sense to me,' Commissioner Webb said.

'I think getting past this is including NSW Police in Mardi Gras and saying we are in this together on the basis we acknowledge the hurt of the past and not conflate this with the issue of the former officer before the court.'

Commissioner Webb also referred to NSW Police's troubled early history with the Mardi Gras parades by adding: 'We have been building a bridge with the gay and lesbian community since the 78ers were mishandled by police back in the day.'

The inaugural 1978 Mardi Gras saw 53 people arrested by police and dozens more brutally attacked and bashed by officers.

At the time, marchers held Mardi Gras in the hopes of decriminalising homosexuality.

Their demands were met in 1994 with the adoption of The Human Rights (Sexual Conduct) Act.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mardi Gras for comment.
Julia Fox looked every inch the busty bombshell as she took to the catwalk for Paris Fashion Week on Monday.

The actress, 34, who is famed for briefly dating Kanye West in 2022, showed off her cleavage as she went braless in a plunging black vinyl dress for her turn down the runway at the Pressiat fashion show.

The star paired her racy ensemble with an oversize furry collar and platform heels.

Her violet tresses were styled in soft waves and she sported bold smoky eye make-up and pink lipstick.

Julia was seen striking a series of sultry poses in some fake snow backstage ahead of the show,

Julia Fox looked every inch the busty bombshell as she took to the catwalk for Paris Fashion Week on Monday

The actress, 34, who is famed for briefly dating Kanye West in 2022, showed off her cleavage as she went braless in a plunging black vinyl dress

Julia was seen striking a series of sultry poses in some fake snow backstage ahead of the show

Julia has lately been focusing on her modeling and making high-profile fashion show appearances, but her Hollywood career marches on.

Last year, she reunited with her No Sudden Move director Steven Soderbergh for the psychological thriller Presence, which was shot in just three weeks after getting a waiver to film amid the writers and actors strikes.

The film premiered last month at Sundance and has been acquired for distribution by the independent studio Neon. The studio previously distributed the Korean hit thriller Parasite, which was a surprise winner of Best Picture and multiple other Academy Awards.

Last year Fox claimed her break-up from West meant she was dropped from a lucrative fashion deal.

In another revelation from her memoir Down the Drain, the Uncut Gems actress writes how the rapper helped her secure a million-dollar deal with an Italian denim label.

Kanye suggested the collaboration in the early days of their romance in January 2022, according to Julia.

She writes that Kanye, who she refers to as 'The Artist' throughout the book promised to secure her a 'million-dollar deal'.

'The next day, he puts me in touch with an Italian denim company and they start negotiating on my behalf,' she continues. 'I can't believe this is my life, but I can definitely get used to it.'

The actress, 34, who is famed for briefly dating Kanye West in 2022, showed off her cleavage as she went braless in a plunging black vinyl dress for her turn down the runway at the Pressiat fashion show

The star paired her racy ensemble with an oversize furry collar and platform heels

Fox wowed as she posed up in sultry fashion before the show

The star was covered in white powder as she posed

The star had her make-up applied as she wowed for the camera

The star joined others models rocking the runway at the show

Last year Julia claimed her break-up from Kanye West meant she was dropped from a lucrative fashion deal (pictured together in January 2022)

The pair went on to famously wear matching denim ensembles for Paris Couture Week in January.

But with her subsequent split from Kanye, the deal fell apart. Julia explained how she moments after she asked her publicist to tell the media about their split, she learned the deal was off.

'It's contingent on you being his girlfriend,' Julia says she was told.

The book contains many revelations about her brief courtship with Kanye in early 2022, including the claim that he offered to pay for a boob job during a game of Uno.

She wrote that the pair had been hanging out in a hotel room when the 46-year-old music artist made the shocking proposal.
Emily Ratajkowski showcased her winter style while in New York City on Monday.

The model, 32, who layered up recently in a fur-lined trench coat, stepped out in a vintage burgundy leather jacket with a fur trim.

The My Body author displayed her toned legs in a pair of long straight leg charcoal pants that covered all but the tips of her snakeskin print boots.

The runway veteran styled her long, brown hair straight. She wore natural looking makeup with a nude lip.

The cover model accessorized with silver hoop earrings and round sunglasses with pink lenses.

Emily Ratajkowski, 32, showcased her winter style in New York City Monday

The ex of Harry Styles had a win last week.

Emily, who stepped back from her acting ambitions for a while, is in talks to join the cast of Too Much, according to Variety.

She will play the ex-girlfriend of Will Sharpe's Felix, who has entered a new relationship with American ex-pat Jessica, played by Megan Stalter.

The show is the latest brainchild of Girls star Lena Dunham.

The model seemed to confirm the talks by sharing a copy of the article on social media.

'Thrilled!' she wrote next to the post.

Filming is scheduled to take place in New York and in London, where Emily was born.

Her family moved to southern California when she was a child.

The model stepped out in a vintage burgundy leather jacket with a fur trim

The My Body author displayed her toned legs in a pair of long straight leg charcoal pants that covered all but the tips of her snakeskin print boots

The cover model accessorized with silver hoop earrings and round sunglasses with pink lenses

Emily was signed with Ford Models at age 14, but also pursued acting.

She appeared in a recurring role on Nickelodeon's iCarly.

The versatile star has also played small parts in Gone Girl, I Feel Pretty and most recently in History of the World: Part II.

The avowed feminist says Jane Fonda, 86, is an inspiration to her.

'She was a movie star, an activist, very political, and also had an exercise cardio thing  in a time when it was way worse, in the 70s and 80s, to be a multifaceted woman, but she did that really well,' she told Glamour UK for their January issue.

'And I think that I would like to be considered one of the pioneers who said, "You can be this, this, and this,"' she explained.

'So thats what I want: my legacy is to be somebody whos paved the way and been an example of being a multifaceted woman, who just kind of did things the way she wanted.'
Bradley Cooper was roasted by fans after bursting into tears over 'missing' late Maestro composer Leonard Bernstein - despite never meeting him.

The acclaimed actor, 49, who is nominated in the Best Actor Oscar category for his portrayal of Bernstein, broke down in tears as he spoke during a resurfaced December interview with CBS Sunday Morning - surrounded by the composer's children.

Bernstein died aged 72 in 1990 when Cooper was just 15 and an aspiring actor - but The Hangover star said he felt the composer's 'energy' during Maestro filming.

When asked if he missed Bernstein, Cooper teared up as he said: 'Oh, yeah. Its hard to talk about.

'I dont know. We shared something very special, the four of us [referring to Bernstein's children Jamie, Nina and Alexander] Its hard to even articulate, but he was with me, certainly, throughout the entire time.

Bradley Cooper was roasted by fans after bursting into tears over 'missing' late Maestro composer Leonard Bernstein - despite never meeting him

The acclaimed actor, 49, who is nominated in the Best Actor Oscar category for his portrayal of Bernstein , broke down in tears as he spoke during a resurfaced December interview with CBS Sunday Morning - surrounded by the composer's children

Bernstein died aged 72 in 1990 when Cooper was just 15 and an aspiring actor - but The Hangover star said he felt the composer's 'energy' during Maestro filming

'His energy has somehow found its way to me and I really do feel like I know him.'

Fans on TikTok quickly slated the star for his emotional reaction, with one writing: 'Bradley Cooper is an idiot even [Bernsteins] kids didnt get that emotional.'

Another typed: 'Bradley Cooper was 15 years old when this man died, he doesnt miss or know s**t' while a third quipped: 'This is his best performance!'

Another penned: 'Austen [sic] Butler and his Elvis voice. Bradley and this weirdo st. These actors and their god complexes' while one fan wrote: 'This is actually embarrassing Maestro is such an obvious Oscar bait.'

Others defended Cooper saying: 'He literally studied the man for 3 years. Practiced his role day in and day out. No doubt its become a part of him.'

Last year Bradley revealed he spent six years how to compose music for Maestro.

He revealed to moderator Lin-Manuel Miranda during a New York City tastemaker screening that he spent six years to learn composing... for a six-minute scene.

The scene in question was capturing Bernstein's iconic performance conducting the 1976 London Symphony Orchestra in Ely Cathedral, which 'terrified' Cooper.

When asked if he missed Bernstein, Cooper teared up as he said: 'Oh, yeah. Its hard to talk about. 'I dont know. We shared something very special, the four of us [referring to Bernstein's children Jamie, Nina and Alexander]

He added: 'His energy has somehow found its way to me and I really do feel like I know him'

The real Leonard Bernstein and wife Felicia Montealegre, played by Carey Mulligan in Maestro are pictured in 1959

Bradley does not shy away from fully immersing himself in his characters, revealing he spent six years how to compose music for Maestro

'That scene I was so worried about because we did it live. That was the London Symphony Orchestra. I was recorded live, I had to conduct them,' Cooper said.

'And I spent six years learning how to conduct six minutes and 21 seconds of music,' he admitted, while crediting his 'wonderful teachers' for all their help along the way.

'I was able to get the raw take where I just watched Leonard Bernstein [conduct] at Ely Cathedral with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1976,' Cooper said.

'And so I had that to study. And Yannick Nezet-Seguin made videos with all the tempo changes, so I had all of the materials to just work on,' he continued.

'It was really about dialing exactly what I wanted cinematically and theninviting them into then inhabit that space and trusting that they have all done the work,' Cooper added.

'Because I think that I knew, I was terrified, absolutely terrified that if I hadnt done the work that I wouldnt be able to enjoy myself in these scenes. And everybody did,' he said.

The film has picked up seven Oscar nominations including Best Actor, Actress for Carey Mulligan and Best Picture.
Until a year or two ago, they were as thick as thieves. So it must have seemed natural to venture into business together.

One, the son of a judge, had the aptitude for statistical analysis, while the other  scion of a family synonymous with commercial success  was blessed with the persistent charm needed for wooing clients.

But any chance their friendship could be saved has surely been snuffed out by the latest salvo in the vitriolic High Court battle between Charles Karsten, 31, and Piers Dunhill, 29, great-great grandson of tobacco magnate Alfred Dunhill.

In his legal response to Karsten's High Court claim, Dunhill alleges in his defence that Karsten directed a 'persistent, oppressive, two-year campaign of harassment' against him, 'setting up and publishing highly defamatory YouTube channels and websites'  one of the latter being entitled piersdunhillconman.com.

Additionally, Dunhill, in his defence and counterclaim, alleges Karsten sent him a 'barrage of messages', one of which, it's claimed, read: 'My army... is now preparing for war... Be prepared to be beaten harder than you have been beaten legally and prepare to be in the dustbin of history.'

Piers Dunhill, a tobacco magnate heir, has sparked a fresh lurid legal fight with a former friend. Pictured at Dunhill Ventures Raising Impact at Blu Mar in Southampton, New York on August 23

Charles Karsten (pictured) is engaged in a legal battle with his previous business partner Piers Dunhill

Others, sent to Dunhill and his mother, allegedly called him a 'loser and thief' and falsely accused him of 'fraud and tax evasion'.

Karsten, it is claimed, also sent a 'private video' to Dunhill and members of his family, accompanied by the message: 'Has Conny seen this... pretty embarrassing... who would want you... Don't say I didn't warn you.' Thereafter, state the legal documents, other videos appeared on a specially created YouTube channel, one of which was 'falsely headed: 'Piers Dunhill is Off His Face on Drugs.' '

Another message sent to Dunhill's mother allegedly stated: 'Piers Dunhill... is fundamentally a fraud and conman who lies about his wealth and his investors, both of which, it appears to me, are practically non-existent'.

Karsten allegedly then sent Dunhill 'a pornographic photograph of a man having sex with a woman from behind', and demanded Dunhill pay him 100,000 'to secure the... removal of the [defamatory] website'.

Last year I revealed Karsten had brought legal proceedings against Dunhill, accusing his friend of almost exactly what Dunhill now accuses him of: creating websites which pumped out false and defamatory allegations  including a claim that Karsten pimped out his 'filthy slag' and 'slut' sisters, and was a 'fraudster', 'buffoon' and a 'dishonest, incompetent, vulgar individual'.

Dunhill, who says he has suffered distress and has turned to a therapist, admits he did threaten to set up a website, conman charleskarsten.com, which would be '100x worse', so Karsten knew 'how it feels', claiming he did so as a result of the 'relentless harassment' he suffered. But he insists he took no action, and believes any website defaming Karsten that appeared was the work of 'Malaysian scammers', of whom, Dunhill says, he too fell foul.

Dunhill says he paid 2,500 to Karsten to take down piersdunhillconman.com. Karsten, he alleges, complied  but then put it back online and demanded a further 100,000 for its removal.
Kate Ritchie was left red-faced earlier this week after she misinterpreted the behaviour of a female fan at a Taylor Swift concert in Sydney.

The Nova star, 45, told her co-hosts Fitzy and Wippa that she was initially shocked after noticing the woman appearing to undress in the stands at Accor Stadium.

'There was one girl who I thought was taking her dress off. I'd seen the way they were partying, it didn't surprise me. I'm thinking security is about to arrive,' she began.

'Then I realised this woman who only moments before I had seen standing on the chair, erotically dancing... She had a dress off, but she's sitting back in her chair. I could see her bosoms.'

Ritchie then revealed she had completely misread the situation and the woman was actually a young mother putting on a breast pump.

Kate Ritchie (pictured) was left red-faced this week after she misinterpreted the behaviour of a female fan at a Taylor Swift concert in Sydney

'She was taking a moment in Style to express milk. The poor woman was not going to let anything get in the way of seeing Taylor Swift,' Ritchie said.

'She's ticking all the boxes: She's a mum, an erotic dancer, a Taylor Swift fan!'

Ritchie also shared a video to social media of her attending the concert and she sported eye-popping makeup and rouge lipstick and was all smiles as she rocked her best angles at the event.

The Nova star, 45, told her co-hosts Fitzy and Wippa that she was initially shocked after noticing the woman appearing to undress in the stands at Taylor Swift's (pictured) show

It comes as Taylor Swift, 34, finished her run of Sydney concerts on Monday evening.

She sent off the crowd with some very warm words, leaving the audience cheering in delight.

'Looking at this crowd, the biggest crowd we've had at our four shows here!' she told her fans.

Ritchie admitted she thought a female fan was 'erotically' undressing for the show - when she was actually a young mother putting on a breast pump

The Eras Tour has seen more than 600,000 people attend the Australian leg.

A record-breaking 96,000 fans attending each of her three nights in Melbourne and a further 83,000 Swifties at each of her four shows in Sydney.

It comes after fans shared their anger after learning that scores of tickets were given away to the pop star's Sydney concerts for free.

The tickets - many for prime seats - were given out at the Accor stadium venue minutes before, and even during the show, to hopeful fans waiting outside.
Brandi Glanville is lashing out at Andy Cohen for not properly apologizing to her after she accused the Bravo boss of inviting her to watch him have sex with Kate Chastain in an explosive new legal letter threatening a lawsuit.

Cohen issued an apology via Twitter last week, but now Glanville is claiming that he only made the statement to his fans, and not to her personally.

'I have not received a personal apology from anyone. I saw an apology that Andy posted TO HIS FANS for his mistreatment of me and inappropriateness,' she wrote on Monday.

Glanville, 51, claims that an 'obviously inebriated' Cohen sent her a video of himself saying that he wanted to have sex with another Bravo star and invited her to watch the act over FaceTime in 2022.

But Cohen  an openly gay man  has insisted the video was meant as a joke, writing on X, formerly Twitter, last week: 'The video shows Kate Chastain and I very clearly joking to Brandi. It was absolutely meant in jest, and Brandis response clearly communicated she was in on the joke. That said, it was totally inappropriate and I apologize.'

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum accused Cohen of sexual harassment in an explosive legal letter obtained by DailyMail.com earlier this month that was sent by her attorneys to NBC, Shed Media and Warner Bros. on Thursday.

Glanville decided to 'wage a public reputational war' against the network after they 'silenced' her in the wake of sexual assault allegations made against Glanville by her Ultimate Girls' Trip costar Caroline Manzo.

Brandi Glanville lashes out at Andy Cohen amid her bombshell sexual harassment lawsuit saying he has only apologized 'TO HIS FANS' and not her

Brandi Glanville is lashing out at Andy Cohen for not properly apologizing to her after sh e accused the Bravo boss of inviting her to watch him have sex with Kate Chastain in an explosive new legal letter threatening a lawsuit

Cohen  an openly gay man  has insisted the video was meant as a joke

Cohen  an openly gay man  took to X, formerly Twitter, to share a statement on the video

Kate Chastain at the 17th Annual Woman's Day Red Dress Awards in New York, February 4, 2020

DailyMail.com has reached out to representatives for Cohen and Bravo for comment.

The identity of the 'Bravo star' was not disclosed in the letter but Cohen later revealed it to be Below Deck alum Chastain as he responded to Glanville's accusations on X (formerly Twitter) Wednesday.

Cohen said that he and Chastain were 'joking' about hooking up but acknowledged it was 'inappropriate.'

'The video shows Kate Chastain and I very clearly joking to Brandi. It was absolutely meant in jest, and Brandi's response clearly communicated she was in on the joke. That said, it was totally inappropriate and I apologize,' the WWHL host wrote.

In the legal letter, Freedman notes that Cohen was Glanville's superior at the time the alleged video was sent as she was working on the second season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, a Real Housewives spin-off for NBC's streaming service Peacock.

She'd also worked closely with Cohen for over 10 years after landing a spot on the hit Bravo series Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills back in 2011.

'Mr. Cohen was Ms. Glanville's boss at the time and exercised complete and total control over her career. This was an extraordinary abuse of power that left Ms. Glanville feeling trapped and disgusted,' he writes.

'It is inconceivable that Mr. Cohen remains in his post in spite of this behavior and harkens back to the bad old days of Matt Lauer and NBC News when profits were prioritized over people.'

After 20 years of co-hosting, Lauer was abruptly fired from the Today show over allegations of sexual misconduct.

Although NBC denied rumors of a cover-up, journalist Ronan Farrow claimed in his bombshell book that the network took internal steps to protect Lauer.

Glanville's allegations against Cohen were not even a fraction of the explosive claims made by her attorneys in the new legal letter obtained by DailyMail.com this week.

In it, Glanville's attorney claimed she was 'used and abused by NBC, Bravo, Warner Bros., and Shed Media' and accused the network of 'hiding evidence' that would clear her name.

Glanville has decided to 'wage a public reputational war' against the network after they 'silenced' her in the wake of sexual assault allegations made against Glanville by her Ultimate Girls' Trip costar Caroline Manzo.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey star, 62, made headlines in 2023 when she alleged that Glanville kissed her without consent and even 'forced her vagina against her back' during filming of the Housewives spin off show in Morocco.

Last month, Manzo officially filed to sue Bravo over her claim that production encouraged Glanville to sexually harass.

Now, in a new legal demand, Glanville's attorney's appear to suggest Manzo is lying, insisting no assault took place, as they demand the network release to them 'all existing documents and data' pertaining to the accusations.

Glanville, 51, claims that an 'obviously inebriated' Cohen sent her a video of himself talking about wanting to have sex with another Bravo star and invited her to watch the act over FaceTime in 2022; seen in 2023

The identity of the 'Bravo star' was not disclosed in the letter but Cohen later revealed it to be Below Deck alum Kate Chastain as he responded to Glanville's accusations on X (formerly Twitter) Wednesday

Cohen explained that he  an openly gay man  and Chastain were 'joking' about hooking up but acknowledged it was 'inappropriate'; Chastain seen on February 14

'Ms. Glanville and Ms. Manzo engaged in 'dirty dancing,' flirting, and playful touching,' the letter reads. 'Throughout the night, they shared a couple of kisses.

'We have heard about a supposed 'bathroom incident' through press leaks, but Shed Media has repeatedly refused to allow Ms. Glanville or her counsel to see the footage in question; there is no truth to any allegations of impropriety'.

The letter continued: 'It is apparent some allegation was made; however, neither the nature nor the source of that allegation has been clarified by NBC, Shed Media, or Warner Bros.

'We can glean from the press coverageseeded by malicious and deliberate leaksthat Ms. Manzo formally accused Ms. Glanville of sexual misconduct and that Ms. Glanville was sent home as a result.'

They continued: 'It bears emphasis that Ms. Glanville and Ms. Manzo were never alone together; anything that happened took place in the presence of the cast and crew. All the events were captured on camera or picked up via microphone.'

Glanville's legal team maintain her innocence and insist that the TV star was never alone with Manzo, and that her costar 'did not manifest a lack of consent at any point.'

The letter also sees Glanville's reps accuse Manzo of 'feeding a defamatory narrative' to the media and of being the source behind the press leaks regarding the claims.

The letter states: 'We have every reason to believe that Ms. Manzo, with the tacit or express support of Bravo and Shed Media, is the source of the early and voluminous press leaks that began immediately upon Ms. Glanville's return home.

'Yet Ms. Glanville was admonished to remain entirely silent and to refrain from defending herself. She was further told that assuming her compliance with that directive, she would have the opportunity to work for Shed Media/Warner Bros. again on the condition that she completes 6-months of outpatient therapy with a Warner Bros.-affiliated therapist. Ms. Glanville did so.

Freedman notes that Cohen was Glanville's superior at the time the alleged video was sent as she was working on the second season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, a Real Housewives spin-off for NBC's streaming service Peacock

Brandi Glanville's attorney claims that the TV star has been 'used and abused by Bravo' and they are accusing the network of 'hiding evidence' that would clear her name in a new legal letter. Real Housewives of New Jersey star Caroline Manzo (right), 62, is suing Bravo and claims production encouraged Glanville to sexually harass her during filming the Housewives spinoff Ultimate Girls Trip

'It became apparent afterward, however, that this was a false promise intended to ensure Ms. Glanville's silence.'

It continues: 'All the while, Ms. Manzo, Bravo, and Shed Media were feeding a defamatory narrative that destroyed Ms. Glanville's reputation, employment prospects, mental health, and financial stability and caused untold harm to Ms. Glanville and her family.'

In a statement shared with DailyMail.com, attorney Bryan Freedman called for other 'victims' of Bravo and NBC to reach out to their team and join the 'fight' against the network.

He wrote: 'This is yet another example of the abusive practices of the reality TV industry. Mark Geragos and I have heard from thousands of current and former cast members on reality shows about the physical and emotional harm inflicted on them by virtue of their participation. NBC, Bravo, Warner Bros., and Shed Media intentionally obscure their legal rights, bind them to illegal contracts, and knowingly cause them to suffer in silence.

'We know there are untold numbers of innocent victims who have yet to tell their stories or seek legal redress. We encourage all of them to contact us and join our growing team as we fight for change in this sordid industry.'

The letter highlighted how Glanville has been plagued with health issues ever since Manzo's allegations went public, and said she has been in 'dire straits' after Bravo tried to 'humiliate and ruin her publicly.'

The reality star has talked openly about how her face was left disfigured due to stress-induced angioedema - a condition which causes swelling under the skin

Glanville's team accuses the network of having a 'reckless disregard for the mental and emotional health' of employees - adding that Glanville has been treated like a 'sacrificial lamb' and has faced 'social and economic death.'

They are seeking evidence from the network's servers, storage, personal computers, portable systems.

The legal letter warns that 'Ms. Glanville is uniquely positioned to reveal more revelations' and is just one of thousands of stars to come forward against the network in recent years.

TMZ previously reported that Manzo is suing Bravo and claimed production plied them with alcohol as they filmed the spin-off in Morocco in January 2023.

According to court documents obtained by Page Six, Manzo claims Glanville 'forced her vagina against her back' and 'proceeded to mount Manzo on the couch holding Manzo down with her body, forcibly squeezed Manzo's cheeks together and thrust her tongue in Manzo's mouth, while humping her.'

The documents state: 'Defendants, including Bravo, regularly ply the Real Housewives cast with alcohol, cause them to become severely intoxicated, and then direct, encourage and/or allow them to sexually harass other cast members because that is good for ratings.'

Glanville previously revealed that her face was left disfigured due to stress-induced angioedema - a condition which causes swelling under the skin

The star, pictured left in 2017, has been working with a plastic surgeon to conquer her condition - pictured right in 2024

'Caroline Manzo is a victim of those harmful actions,' it added.

In her full statement in response to the suit at the time, a representative for Glanville told DailyMail.com: 'Sadly, Brandi had to wake up to yet another lawsuit that includes defamatory, false accusations about her. While filming, Brandi followed what the producers asked of her, and there was no sexual assault.

'She is innocent of these absurd accusations that have weighed on her mental and physical health for far too long without word of support from Peacock, Shed or Bravo.'

The statement concluded: 'This painful storytelling seems endless and needs to stop. She is looking to move on and upward and get her life back.'

This isn't the first lawsuit filed against the network over the Housewives franchise.

Last year butler Marco Vega - who worked and appeared on season two of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip - filed a lawsuit for sexual assault and harassment.

In his lawsuit, Vega said he was 'sexually harassed and abused' while shooting the show at Dorinda Medley's Blue Stone Manor claiming he was slapped on the buttocks by Phaedra Parks and that he was 'forcibly stripped' by Glanville, who ripped his shirt off.

In her lawsuit, Manzo alleged that the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum kissed her without consent and even 'forced her vagina against her back'

Leah McSweeney filed a discrimination complaint with Bravo last year, alleging she was forced to miss her grandmother's funeral due to filming commitments.

A lawsuit filed by McSweeney is said to be imminent, Page Six reported at the time.

Back in August, a bombshell letter revealed that 80 reality stars had teamed up to accuse the network of 'covering up sexual violence, condoning revenge porn, exploiting minors and denying mental health treatment'.

Bethenny Frankel was believed to have led the charge, though the former RHONY star has since clarified that she is not one of the people who is officially taking legal action against Bravo or NBC.
Married At First Sight dating expert Mel Schilling began her chemotherapy journey in the UK this week after her recent surgery to have a tumour removed.

The Channel Nine star, 52, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer just before Christmas, gave the health update on Monday with a series of Instagram Stories.

She began by shooting a brief video outside Kingston Hospital in England, where she's currently staying while she films MAFS UK.

'So here I am, day one of chemo,' Mel said as she rugged up against the cold with a massive puffer jacket and scarf.

'I have so much stuff with me thanks to all the advice I had on what to bring. It's like I'm moving in for six weeks. Here it goes.'

Married At First Sight dating expert Mel Schilling, 52, (pictured) began her chemotherapy journey in the UK this week after her recent surgery to have a tumour removed

Despite her health woes, Mel appeared incredibly radiant and positive as she updated her fans, throwing her golden locks up into a high bun.

She hung a massive bag on her arm, packed full of all her essential items, including a very soft looking blanket.

The Aussie dating expert continued to share videos and pictures of her stay in hospital, including one selfie with her Irish husband Gareth Brisbane.

The Channel Nine star who was diagnosed with bowel cancer just before Christmas, gave the health update on Monday with a series of Instagram Stories

'It takes all of us to fight cancer, My number one support,' Mel captioned the photo as she cuddled up with her partner who wore a brave smile for the occasion.

Another video saw Mel preparing for 'infusion time' with a table of delicious snacks which included roasted cashews, peanut M&Ms, blueberries and a coffee.

The final video Mel shared during her first round of chemo was overlaid with Christina Aguilera's hit Fighter as the MAFS star left the hospital with a peace sign.

Despite her health woes, Mel appeared incredibly radiant and positive as she underwent her chemo journey with Irish husband Gareth Brisbane (right)

Symptoms of colon cancer Symptoms of colon cancer can include: A change in bowel habits, such as more frequent diarrhea or constipation

Rectal bleeding or blood in the stool. Ongoing discomfort in the belly area, such as cramps, gas or pain

A feeling that the bowel doesn't empty all the way during a bowel movement

Weakness or tiredness

Losing weight without trying Many people with colon cancer don't have symptoms at first. When symptoms appear, they'll likely depend on the cancer's size and where it is in the large intestine. Source: Mayo Clinic Advertisement

It comes after Mel revealed the agony she was left in before her bowel cancer diagnosis, admitting there were times she 'could have gone to that dark place'.

Mel was diagnosed with the disease just before Christmas after she began experiencing symptoms while filming the Australian version of the show.

Speaking to New! magazine, Mel recalled the severe pain she was in while at work, saying: 'I was doubled over and shouting - the pain was so intense.'

Her doctors originally thought her symptoms were simply constipation, but Mel got a second opinion from a London gastroenterologist after losing her appetite.
Kourtney Kardashian has revealed her drink of choice while she breastfeeds her newborn.

On Monday the media personality, 44, posted a photo of a turmeric and matcha latte to her Instagram.

She captioned the story 'turmeric latte because no caffeine for me while breastfeeding'.

While it is generally considered safe for mothers to consume caffeine while breastfeeding, experts recommend limiting your intake to 300 milligrams of caffeine per day while nursing.

The doting mother welcomed son Rocky, her first child with husband Travis Barker, 48, on November 1 last year.

Kourtney Kardashian, 44, has revealed her drink of choice while she breastfeeds her newborn, the star posted a photo of a turmeric and matcha latte to her Instagram

The couple were seen getting coffees in Brisbane on multiple occasions with Dicki's Ascot owner Justine Zulueta revealing their exact order.

'They had the chicken burger (plant-based) and the duck toastie (plant-based) and just a couple of matcha lattes and turmeric lattes' she told Brisbane's B105 breakfast show.

The Kardashian star and her husband have been making the most of their time in Australia during his latest world tour.

Last week they were seen visiting hot spot Gelato Messina at Bondi Beach.

The doting mother (middle) welcomed Rocky, her first child with husband Travis Barker (left), 48, on November 1 last year

On Thursday, the showbiz power couple were spotted enjoying a Thai vegetarian meal at the renowned Peace Harmony restaurant in Sydney's CBD.

The couple and their blended family were staying in a stunning rental in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

On Thursday Kourtney showed off the eye-popping rental in picturesque coastal suburb she reserved through Airbnb.

The couple have stopped by several local cafes on their trip down under

The Airbnb was located in the prestigious suburb of Bellevue Hill.

Kourtney at first remained in Sydney with her kids while Travis and his bandmates Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus toured around, performing in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.

Blink-182 will perform a few more shows in Melbourne for newly-added dates before heading to New Zealand.
Just as it looked like we were getting somewhere in terms of healthier body image ideals for young women, along comes actress Anya Taylor-Joy with a throw-back to the 1860s.

On Sunday, to celebrate the premiere of her film Dune: Part Two in New York, the 27-year-old posted a shot of herself wearing the undergarments needed to pull off the dramatic Maison Margiela haute couture gown she wore on the red carpet  namely a corset straight out of the Victorian era, that was cinched so tightly it will have eating disorder counsellors clearing their diaries for the foreseeable.

When I first saw the shot, a number of thoughts hit me.

'Anya, can you breathe?' was the first. 'How are your ribs?' was the second.

Thirdly and perhaps most importantly: 'Why are you posting a headless backstage picture which fetishizes your dangerously constricted waist, in a garment famous for subjugating women over the centuries?'

Anya posted a picture of the corset she wore under gown on Instagram. The corset is cinched so tightly it will have eating disorder counsellors clearing their diaries for the foreseeable

Actress Anya Taylor-Joy attending the New York premiere of Dune: Part Two. Anya wore a dramatic Maison Margiela haute couture gown. Under the gown she wore a corset straight out of the Victorian era

The female body is a biological reality. Not a fashion template. Compressing it with corsets like this comes at a high cost, as the Victorians learned. Doctors at the time blamed corsets for anaemia, blood clots, fainting fits, infertility, miscarriage and digestive problems. As a former model Anya, and her defenders, may still come out saying this corset is just a fashion garment and is needed to make the dress work. Indeed Anya simply captioned the picture: 'Merci (to the designers) for making my dreams come true.'

Yet this is disingenuous, and Anya is clever enough to know it.

In reality the image is incredibly dangerous  especially to impressionable young girls.

As an author of ten parenting books, I have interviewed schoolgirls who wear waist-trainers under their school uniforms in a desperate effort to whittle down their waists. They also want to create the illusion of a bigger bottom, the look made fashionable by reality TV star Kim Kardashian.

These waist-training corsets  on sale all over Amazon and not surprisingly on offer in Kim's own shapewear range Skims  encourage young women to punish their own bodies for not conforming to unrealistic ideals.

But there's a far more serious consequence of posting such an extreme image. In the course of researching my books, I have seen the pro-anorexia content on social media sites which sets the benchmark for the shape that women with eating disorders aim for.

I have listened to the heartbreaking stories of anorexic girls who, every time they look in the mirror, lay this extreme silhouette over their shapes, and want to rub out the parts of their bodies that don't conform.

Anya with her Dune: Part Two co-stars. From left to right: Souheila Yacoub, Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet

Anya cut a very different figure at the Dune: Part Two premiere in London where she donned a white plunging gown with a sheer headscarf

I'm not the only one to question Anya for this. To date her Instagram post has had thousands of comments.

One accuses the actress of 'normalising starvation'; they tell her plainly that 'this is not a healthy look for women at all'; and another has written a desperate plea: 'You are going to kill people with this sort of beauty promotion. Please delete. Please.'

I find it hard to comprehend why Anya would have posted this picture  or at least not taken it down once her followers had made her aware of the potential damage it could be doing.

And sadly the only thing I could come up with was the need for publicity  the need to garner more attention around her red-carpet appearance for Dune.

As a grown-up actress, looked up to by so many young women, she needs to recognise that supposedly fashionable Instagram shots like this can turn into tomorrow's anorexia inspiration.
Taylor Swift's team say an Australian photographer 'threatened to throw a female staff member into the water', before her father Scott was accused of punching the man in the face.

Scott Swift, 71, is accused of striking Ben McDonald, 51, at a ferry wharf in the suburb of Neutral Bay after about 2.30am on Tuesday, after the Australian leg of her Eras tour wrapped up.

Taylor and Scott, affectionately known as Papa Swift, had travelled from Homebush on a luxury superyacht called Quantum.

Footage from the moments before the alleged altercation showed Scott walking up wharf while giving photographers the middle finger.

A spokeswoman for Taylor Swift told Daily Mail Australia the photographers were being 'aggressive'.

'Two individuals were aggressively pushing their way towards Taylor, grabbing at her security personnel, and threatening to throw a female staff member into the water,' she said.

However, Mr McDonald - the chief executive of Matrix Media Group - slammed the statement as 'utter rubbish' and said the only female at the scene was Taylor.

Taylor Swift is pictured during her Eras tour in Sydney on Friday night. She has now completed her tour of Australia

Police confirmed they were investigating claims Scott Swift, 71, allegedly assaulted a photographer. Taylor is pictured under the umbrella, next to her father Scott (right) last night

Mr McDonald said: 'This is the sort of bulls**t I might expect.'

'Which female was that? The only one there was Taylor.'

Mr McDonald said the altercation was caught on camera and did not show the photographers acting aggressively.

An investigation into the alleged incident has been launched by the North Shore Police Command.

Earlier on Tuesday, the photographer accused Scott of 'charging' at him once he was off the superyacht with Taylor.

He originally thought it was a security guard and was shocked when he realised the alleged attacker was the pop star's dad.

Mr McDonald also said he didn't know what triggered the alleged assault.

'In 23 years of taking pictures, I have never seen anything like it,' he said.

'She got off the boat, she walked towards security guards who were shoving umbrellas in our faces.'

Footage of the alleged incident showed Taylor and her father walking up from the wharf with large umbrellas blocking the view.

Mr McDonald started shooting when a security guard could be heard telling him not to touch the umbrella.

Scott Swift is pictured holding Taylor's hand at Neutral Bay wharf, on Sydney's north shore, at about 3am on Tuesday

Matrix Media photographer Ben McDonald (pictured) was allegedly struck in the face by Taylor Swift's father, Scott

Taylor Swift was spotted leaving Australia on her private jet on Tuesday (pictured, left)

The camera jolted and there was movement from behind the umbrella.

A security guard could be heard saying, 'that wasn't me, that wasn't me'.

Mr McDonald asked: 'Who was that?'

He then went to The Rocks police station and reported the alleged incident.

Mr McDonald did not require medical attention and does not believe he will have lasting injuries, but has 'very sore chops' on the left side of his face.

Taylor Swift and her entourage were seen leaving The Crown Hotel at Barangaroo in black SUVs just before 11am on Tuesday.

She then left the country in her private jet. Her next show is in Singapore on March 2.

Scott has been a fixture by his daughter's side throughout her sold-out Eras tour.

He has been praised for handing out sandwiches to fans in the middle of a Sydney show, saying 'help yourselves'.

The day before Taylor's first show in Melbourne earlier this month, extra tickets were released but most had a limited view of the stage.

Scott walked around handing out VIP passes so excited fans would have access to better seats.

Scott has been a fixture by his daughter's side throughout her sold-out Eras tour Down Under (pictured together)
Alexa Chung, Poppy Delevingne and Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece came up with a striking way to stand out at Milan Fashion Week.

They co-ordinated their looks as they watched the Gucci Autumn/Winter 2024 show, with the three friends wearing matching burgundy shoes  and outfits that showed off their legs.

While television presenter Alexa, 40, and King Charles's goddaughter Maria-Olympia, 27, wore matching 790 Gucci Signoria slingbacks, Cara Delevingne's sister Poppy, 37, added height in a pair of 1,060 Gucci Horsebit platform loafers.

Poppy has remained close to Olympia since cooling her romance with the Greek royal's brother, Prince Constantine Alexios.

Alexa Chung (centre), Poppy Delevingne (left) and Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece (right) co-ordinated their looks as they watched the Gucci Autumn/Winter 2024 show, with the three friends wearing matching burgundy shoes  and outfits that showed off their legs

Poppy has remained close to Olympia (pictured) since cooling her romance with the Greek royal's brother, Prince Constantine Alexios. Pictured on the runway at the Dolce & Gabbana show in 2017 in Milan

Gran shocks BBC Clive

Meeting the in-laws can be daunting, but for BBC star Clive Myrie's wife, Catherine, it proved traumatic.

'My grandma was in the advance stages of vascular dementia,' recalls the newsreader about a visit to Jamaica.

'She was taken aback, seeing Catherine, this white face... she said, 'Shut your mouth  I'm not your slave'... words and ideas that she heard while her father was working building the Panama Canal Zone.'

Myrie, 59, tells the Desperately Seeking Wisdom podcast: 'I knew it was the dementia talking.'

Clive Myrie attends the 2023 BAFTA Television Awards

Want lies with that? Sophie's burger boob

Having been married for almost a year, Made In Chelsea's Jamie Laing continues to make discoveries about his wife and reality show co-star Sophie Habboo.

Laing, 35, a scion of the McVitie's biscuits family, says Habboo, 30, thought Ronald McDonald was a real person.

She explains: 'My mum dated a guy who said he was Ronald McDonald's driver back in the day. What was I meant to think? He lied to me.'

Laing says: 'Ronald McDonald, for anyone who doesn't know, is a clown.'

Jamie Laing married reality show co-star Sophie Habboo on April 14

Laing, 35, a scion of the McVitie's biscuits family, says Habboo (pictured), 30, thought Ronald McDonald was a real person

Healthy Sarah's loving long hair!

Sarah Beeny decided to shave her head after losing most of her hair during chemotherapy for breast cancer.

After being given the all-clear last year, the Property Ladder star is now celebrating her hair growing longer than her husband's, artist Graham Swift.

In a photograph shared online by Beeny 52, she is standing back to back with Swift, to whom she's been married for 21 years. The couple have four sons.

'For the first time in ages, my hair is longer than Graham's,' she says.

Beeny has previously spoken of the stresses put on their marriage, saying they were 'hanging on in there by our fingernails'. She admitted: 'I have been a bit horrible in the last couple of years, to be honest.'

Sarah Beeny celebrating her hair being longer than her husband's, artist Graham Swift

Awarded an honorary knighthood for raising millions for famine relief, Live Aid co-founder Bob Geldof nevertheless failed to impress Right Said Fred star Richard Fairbrass, known for the song I'm Too Sexy.

'I was a mini-cab driver in the early '80s in Fulham. Geldof and Paula had an account,' he says of Geldof and his late wife, Paula Yates. 'I drove them many times.

She was a joy, he was the very opposite. Rude, arrogant... he never tipped and he'd leave the car door open.' Geldof declines to comment.
Shannen Doherty is 'terrified' of undergoing a facelift but she did admit to having Botox injected 'a couple times.'

On Sunday, the 52-year-old former child star admitted to her friend Anne Marie Kortright on her iHeartPodcast Let's Be Clear: 'I have had Botox. I've done it a couple times. I think the last time I did it was, like, six months ago.'

Shannen confessed she once booked a consultation with celebrity favorite plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Diamond, who told her she was 'a great candidate for' a facelift.

'I was like, "No! No, not yet." It petrifies me,' Shannen recalled.

'I don't know if I can do it. It really scares me. I don't want to come out like a different person  that's what really frightens me.'

Shannen Doherty is 'terrified' of undergoing a facelift but she did admit to having Botox injected 'a couple times' (pictured February 4)

On Sunday, the 52-year-old former child star admitted to her friend Anne Marie Kortright (R) on her iHeartPodcast Let's Be Clear: 'I have had Botox. I've done it a couple times. I think the last time I did it was, like, six months ago'

Looks aside, Doherty is just hoping to 'squeeze out another three to five years' considering her eight-year battle with incurable metastatic Stage 4 breast cancer, which returned with a vengeance in late 2019.

The Tennessee-born brunette - who's undergone a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation - said the cancer has taken a toll on her libido.

'When you're feeling not great about yourself that's going to kill your libido,' Shannen noted.

'But then...when meds take your libido away, or it makes things not as pleasant, like sex doesn't feel as good.'

That's when the 41-year-old model took Doherty to see her gynecologist Dr. Sherry Ross, who 'makes me blush.'

'I've never seen her this embarrassed!' Anne Marie laughed.

'She's got all these little displays of things  of [sex] toys  then she goes, "Here Shannen, take this." And Shannen, like, shoves it in her bag. She's like, "You think you can see it?" and I'm like, "No one can see it, no one knows it's there!" She's like, "Are you sure?"'

The Charmed alum said: 'I think it stayed in my bag for a really long time. I'm turning red just, like, literally talking about it right now.'

Shannen confessed she once booked a consultation with celebrity favorite plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Diamond (pictured September 3), who told her she was 'a great candidate for' a facelift

Shannen recalled: 'I was like, "No! No, not yet." It petrifies me. I don't know if I can do it. It really scares me. I don't want to come out like a different person  that's what really frightens me'

Looks aside, Doherty is just hoping to 'squeeze out another three to five years' considering her eight-year battle with incurable metastatic Stage 4 breast cancer, which returned with a vengeance in late 2019

The Tennessee-born brunette - who's undergone a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation - said the cancer has taken a toll on her libido: 'It makes things not as pleasant, like sex doesn't feel as good'

That's when the 41-year-old model (R) took Doherty to see her gynecologist Dr. Sherry Ross, who gave her a sex toy that she shoved in her purse

The Charmed alum said: 'I think it stayed in my bag for a really long time. I'm turning red just, like, literally talking about it right now'

Shannen's comments come two months after she told The Kelly Clarkson Show that she was ready to find love again amid the end of her 11-year marriage

Doherty officially filed for divorce from third husband Kurt Iswarienko (L, pictured in 2016) on April 21 amid cheating allegations

Shannen added that 'perimenopause, menopause, just getting older' can also lead to a lower libido: 'It takes away your confidence. It takes away your identity.'

Doherty's comments come two months after she claimed she was ready to find love again amid her divorce from third husband Kurt Iswarienko after 11 years of marriage.

'Yeah! I'm enjoying my time,' the Hot Seat actress said on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

'It's been a very hard year for me and it was a very devastating. There were some very shocking revelations. Those are fun.'

Shannen previously claimed the 49-year-old photographer informed her he'd 'been carrying on an affair' with his agent Collier Grimm 'for two years' right before her 2023 brain surgery.

Sources close to Kurt told TMZ last year that he'd told her he moved on two years earlier and they'd already been 'living separate lives' - but Doherty has since doubled down with her side of the split.

The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum officially filed for divorce from Iswarienko on April 21, requesting spousal support, and the estranged couple did not sign a prenuptial agreement.

'[After the separation] I rolled over and I cuddled with my dog [Bowie] in bed, and her hair got caught in my mouth. And I went, "Maybe I'm ready for love." She has priority over the bed for now on...My dog will hate the next person that comes in,' Shannen told host Kelly Clarkson.

'The minute that that person was gone, it's almost like the [dog] gravitated towards the bed in order to make sure that they were like next to [me]. She's like, "I'm here I'm here. You're not alone." And she cuddles now! It's the weirdest thing!'
Beef season two is eyeing A-listers Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway for leading roles - after the first series swept the board during awards season.

Gyllenhaal, 43, and Hathaway, 41, who have previously starred as onscreen couples in 2011's Love & Other Drugs and 2005's Brokeback Mountain - are being tipped to star as one of two feuding couples in the new season, per Deadline.

May December star Charles Melton and Priscilla actress Cailee Spaeny are being circled to play the other couple.

Ali Wong starred in the first season of the limited series as a small business owner of Chinese descent who is drawn into an escalating cycle of vengeance and self-sabotage after a road-rage incident involving a struggling Korean American contractor (Steven Yeun).

The series has won numerous accolades for its writing and lead actors including five Primetime Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes, four Critics' Choice Awards, two SAG Awards and trophies at last weekend's Independent Spirit and Producers Guild Awards.

Beef season two is eyeing A-listers Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway for leading roles - after the first series swept the board during awards season (pictured in 2011's Love & Other Drugs)

Ali Wong starred in the first season of the limited series as a small business owner of Chinese descent who is drawn into an escalating cycle of vengeance and self-sabotage after a road-rage incident involving a struggling Korean American contractor (Steven Yeun)

Netflix and A24 are said to want to get the second season into production by late summer or fall under the direction of showrunner and executive producer Lee Sung Jin.

On Sunday, Beef picked up its latest accolade at the PGAs, winning the David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series Television.

Earlier on Sunday, Ali notably attended the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica where she won Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted series.

Other nominees in the category included her co-star Steven Yeun, Dominique Fishback, Emma Corrin, Betty Gilpin, Jharrel Jerome, Zoe Lister-Jones, Bel Powley, Bella Ramsey and also Ramon Rodriguez.

While accepting the award on stage, Wong notably gave a special shout out to the cast and crew that were involved on the critically-acclaimed project.

'Oh man, Steven, Sonny, Jake, and the rest of the cast and amazing crew of Beef, I wouldn't be here without you. This is the best,' she gushed to the audience.

'It has been such a wonderful journey with you guys and I'm so proud that you guys are my friends, too.'

The pair were also an onscreen couple in 2005's Brokeback Mountain

May December star Charles Melton (pictured) and Priscilla actress Cailee Spaeny are being circled to play the other couple

Cailee is seen in her acclaimed role as Priscilla Presley alongside Jacob Elordi as Elvis

The series has won numerous accolades for its writing and lead actors (pictured) including five Primetime Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes , four Critics' Choice Awards , two SAG Awards and trophies at last weekend's Independent Spirit and Producers Guild Awards

She then humorously gave another shout out to the catering business that provided tasty food on set. 'And gosh, I really want to give a special shoutout to our catering Mario's.'

'Sonny is going to be so mad at me for letting out the secret that they are like the best, but they really have the best food and they really kept the morale going. We had such long days and just thank you so much. This means a lot. Thank you.'

Later during the event, Beef also won the award for Best New Scripted Series, and Wong as well as Steven Yeun and Lee Sung Jin took to the stage to accept the honor.
Wendy's is planning to charge different prices depending on the time of day - which means a burger could cost more at lunchtime than mid-afternoon.

So-called dynamic pricing might mean that at busy times like breakfast, lunch and dinner, prices it advertises on a digital menu would be higher and at quieter times they would fall.

For example, a Dave's Single quarter pounder currently costs around $5.99 at a Wendy's in Newark, New Jersey.

Under the new system that could in theory increase by a dollar at lunchtime and drop by a similar amount during the post-lunch lull.

Wendy's new system will begin testing in 2025 and rely on 'digital menu boards', in which it will invest $20 million, according to its CEO Kirk Tanner. That will mean it will be able to update prices in real time and at little to no expense.

A Dave's Single quarter pounder currently costs around $5.99 at a Wendy's in Newark, New Jersey. Under the new system that might vary throughout the day depending on the demand

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner said the fast food chain would use 'digital menu boards' as a way to alter the listed cost of its menu items

Although consumers are familiar with constantly changing prices for airline tickets and concerts, as well as 'surge pricing' when booking an Uber, the bold move would make Wendy's the first fast food chain to implement dynamic pricing for meals.

If it pays off, the chain will boost sales and potentially improve margins. On the other hand, it risks alienating consumers who always expect to pay a fixed price for a meal regardless of when they visit.

'They could shoot themselves in the foot by introducing something customers aren't ready for,' said Steven Suranovic, an associate professor of economics at George Washington University.

'If people feel like they're getting gouged, they're not going to take kindly to this dynamic pricing strategy,' he said.

In fact, 52 percent of more than 900 consumers surveyed by software company Capterra last year said they considered dynamic pricing in restaurants to be price gouging.

'Beginning as early as 2025, we will begin testing more enhanced features like dynamic pricing and day part offerings along with AI-enabled menu changes and suggestive selling,' said Tanner during an earnings call this month.

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner (pictured) said the company will invest $20 million on 'digital menu boards' over the next two years

Retail experts and economists suggest that dynamic pricing could alienate customers who feel like they are being gouged

Dynamic pricing - also known as surge pricing - means prices change based on various market factors, most notably demand.

It is already used by airlines and rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft, which adjust prices to ensure they can charge consumers as much as they are willing to pay at any one moment.

It means retailers can gain an edge over the consumer by ensuring it sells products for the highest possible margins, eating up what is known as 'consumer surplus'.

That is the difference between how much consumers are willing to pay and how much they actually pay. A higher consumer surplus benefits the consumer.

'Dynamic pricing enables them to take that surplus away from consumers and put it into the firm's pocket,' said Suranovic. Ultimately, the biggest losers would be lunchtime customers.

The system would mean that during downtime when burgers aren't selling, it can generate additional demand by appealing to more potential customers.

'There are periods during the day where I'm sure they've got crew on hand ready to cook up meals, but there just is no demand,' said Suranovic.

That could be a win-win for both the consumer and the restaurant because the price-conscious consumer pays less than they would otherwise and the restaurant still scores a sale.

In theory, Wendy's would be able to increase its revenue even if its average margin on each burger was smaller by simply increasing sales volume.

Pictured is a Dave's Single quarter pounder. As of February, a restaurant in Newark, New Jersey was charging a flat price of $5.99 for the burger

To calculate how much to charge at any given moment, retailers can increasingly rely on algorithms and AI to establish the price at which sales will be optimized - technology that was not readily accessible just ten years ago.

Similarly, smartphone apps would enable restaurants to quickly notify customers of sudden changes to prices on the menu.

Retail analyst Neil Saunders of GlobalData similarly suggested the dynamic pricing business model could backfire, as repeat customers might not put up with it.

'If regular customers are paying $5 for something one day then $6 the next it's likely to cause confusion and annoyance,' he said.
Airlines including Delta, United and American pocketed a staggering $33.3 billion from just baggage fees last year - a sharp 15 percent rise from $29 billion in 2022.

This sum is solely made up of fees from larger carry-on bags, standard checked baggage fees, and fines for overweight or extra large checked bags and accounted for 4.1 percent of global airline revenue last year.

The report, on the top 20 non-low cost carriers, comes as American Airlines has sparked backlash after raising the cost of checked bags for the first time in almost six years.

It was back in 2019 that the numbers last broke $30 billion when the airlines racked up $32.9 billion in baggage revenue.

That number was cut in half by the pandemic in 2020 when it plummeted to $16.9 billion with borders closed around the world.

Fees for baggage from the biggest gloabal airlines is on the rise

All major airlines in the US charge for baggage, indcluding Delta.

As things opened up in 2021 that figure rose to $20.9 billion and made up 4.6 percent of total airline revenue - the highest percentage in the last 5 years.

Baggage fees for the first piece checked are a regular revenue source for airlines in America as well as Europe and Latin America. The report also included the likes of Southwest, Alaska, Air Canada, British Airways, Air France, Cathay Pacific, Qantas and Emirates.

For international carriers like Delta, these are typically associated with 'basic economy' fares. But baggage fees are typically charged to all consumers on low cost carriers like Spirit - which was not included in the report, since it did not include budget airlines.

Aileen McCormack, from CarTrawler - a car rental servie that produced the study with airline consulting firm IdeaWorksCompany - said how airlines earn money is changing.

'Baggage fees, once dominant, now share the stage with assigned seating revenue, reflecting changing consumer behaviours,' she said.

Baggage fees originated during the oil shock of 2007 and 2008 as a way for airlines to offset skyrocketing fuel prices and within months US carriers went from including 2 checked bags with every fare to charging for the first bag.

Now travelers across the world are used to paying for their seats and their suitcases on major carriers with the exception of those flying on major airlines in Asia and Africa where checked baggage is still included in all fares.

Network carriers like American and United began offering basic economy fares as a way to compete with low cost carriers like Southwest, JetBlue, and Allegiant

American Airlines as slammed this week after announcing that passengers will now have to pay $40 to check a bag at the airport for domestic flights, or $35 if they pay online in advance. Previously, both options cost $30.

American Airlines announced it would start limiting which tickets purchased through a third party are eligible to earn AAdvantage miles and loyalty points

The airline introduced a new rule which pushes customers to buy tickets directly from the carrier if they want to earn frequent flyer points (Pictured: CEO Robert Isom)

The research shows how most major airlines now charge for bags

The fee for a second checked bag will also rise from $40 to $45 both online and at the airport, making American's baggage fees among the highest.

A family of four going on vacation this summer - taking a bag each - will pay $280 for a return trip within the US if paying online, or $320 at the airport.

While Americans basic economy allows you a carry-on bag and personal item, Uniteds basic economy only includes a handbag, backpack, or laptop bag that fits under the seat in front of you. Youll have to pay a $25 fee to bring a carry-on with you.

The report sows that long-distance and Transatlantic routes seem to be safe from US carriers baggage fees.

Otherwise, network carriers are continuing to tighten up baggage policies. United requires travelers to check in with a counter agent before receiving a boarding pass if they are flying in basic economy.

American also introduced a new rule which pushes customers to buy tickets directly from the carrier if they want to earn frequent flyer points.

It is a move that makes collecting miles and loyalty points harder.

Starting on May 1, American will only award points for flights booked through select partners and 'preferred agencies', which it will reveal in a list in April.

It is the latest change to a loyalty program from a major airline, after Delta was forced to backtrack after controversially tightening its program last year.
Adidas today began the process of selling what remains of its stockpile of Yeezy sneakers - and will make more than $700 million in the process.

The eye-watering amount comes from not having to throw out around two million shoes - at a total cost of $290 million - plus pulling in around $430 million selling them at $230 each.

The company severed its ties with rapper Kanye West in 2022 after he made a series of anti-Semitic comments.

After abandoning the partnership, named after West, whose nickname is 'Yeezy', Adidas was left with millions of shoes which it opted not to sell.

While it initially indicated it was considering giving away the shoes or removing the Yeezy branding, it has since proceeded to sell them all for the original price and with the Yeezy labels.

Kanye West is photographed in Milan, Italy, on Friday. Adidas abandoned their partnership in 2022 after he made a series of anti-Semitic statements

On the Adidas website, interested customers can now enter a raffle to buy the sneakers, which often trade for a premium on the second-hand market as they are in limited supply

After selling 40 percent of its inventory last year, on Monday it announced it will sell the remainder in the coming weeks.

First to go on sale is the Yeezy Boost 350 in 'steel' gray for $230. That's the same price as before the West partnership was abandoned.

'Today Adidas began a further release of Yeezy inventory with a range of existing products being available in phases over the coming weeks across the world,' wrote the company in a press release on Monday.

'The products will be exclusively available through Adidas digital platforms including the Confirmed app, Adidas app and adidas.com.'

To buy the shoes, customers need to sign up for a raffle. They have until February 29 to do so and if selected will be able to purchase the shoes.

'There's still demand for that Yeezy silhouette in the marketplace,' Cowen analyst John Kernan told Bloomberg.

'That brand was generating an enormous percentage of their overall operating profit for several years,' he added.

Last summer, Adidas generated about $540 million of operating profit via the sale of Yeezy sneakers, which were released in two separate drops.

Now, it will sell the remaining 60 percent via its website and 'Adidas Confirmed' app.

In announcing its results for fiscal year 2023 last month, Adidas CEO Bjrn Gulden said choosing not to write off Yeezy inventory had helped it beat earnings expectations.

Gulden was previously CEO of Puma and only joined Adidas after the Kanye West debacle two years ago.

Adidas CEO Bjrn Gulden (pictured) was previously CEO of Puma and only joined Adidas after the Kanye West debacle two years ago

'Twelve months ago we had a Yeezy problem that could have caused us to write off all of the inventory. We sorted out half that,' said Gulden during the call.

Last year it sold 40 percent of its inventory for 300 million ($325 million), according to a recent earnings report.

Since those shoes had a book value of around 200 million ($220 million) - which it no longer had to write off - it made a total of about 500 million ($540 million) in the process.

Now, the company will sell the remaining 60 percent of Yeezy inventory. These have a book value of 268 million ($290 million), according to its most recent earnings presentation.

Gulden said during the call these would be sold 'at least at cost.'

But the current $230 price tag on the latest batch of shoes listed for sale today indicates it will sell the remaining sneakers for the full price.

This will generate just about $430 million in sales. Together with the saving of $290 million from not throwing out the shoes, it will total $720 million.

DailyMail.com wrote to Adidas for comment on the ongoing sale of Yeezy shoes but it declined to comment.
The recent senate meeting at Kerala University offered a stark portrayal of the tumultuous state of affairs within the CPI(M)-led Govt's education sector

One step forward and four steps backward seem to be the driving force of the CPI(M)-led Government if what happened during Fridays senate meeting of the Kerala University is any indication. The meeting was convened by Mohanan Kunnummel, the temporary vice-chancellor of the university to elect a representative for the search committee formed to find out the new vice-chancellor for Kerala University.

Interestingly, all universities in the State have been functioning without full-time vice-chancellors for last year following the Supreme Court verdict that all the appointments of vice-chancellors made by the CPI(M)-led Government violated the laws of the land and the norms prescribed by the University Grants Commission.

The senate meeting of Friday was convened by the vice-chancellor and he was expected to preside over the session. But R Bindu, the minister for higher education, rushed to the stage and usurped the chair meant for Mohanan Kunnummel. When the latter reached the Senate Hall for the meeting, he found himself to be without a chair while the minister claimed that she, as pro-chancellor, would preside over the meeting. Though the vice chancellor showed t her the rule book that stated that the pro-chancellor had no role in the meeting as the Chancellor was very much present in the State, the minister (spouse of CPI-M polit bureau member A Vijayaraghavan) did not budge even an inch leaving Mohanan high and dry.

Minister Bindu turned out to be a right buffoon the party commissars were looking for in their bid to subvert the meeting. They did not want the meeting to take place and this lady played her role well. This will go down in history as the best comic interlude by a minister of higher education whose role is to elevate the standard of higher education to new heights, said R S Sasikumar, president, of Save University Forum, an apolitical outfit working to restore the quality of the States higher education.

The subversion of Fridays senate meeting would lead to a delay in selecting the ideal candidate for the post of vice-chancellor. This comes at a time when universities outside the State are busy switching over to four-year bachelors degree courses in tune with the National Education Policy. The delay has cost the State dear as most intelligent and efficient students are leaving Kerala for higher studies and they are unlikely to return.

K N Balagopalan, the State Finance Minister, in his budget speech 2024-2025 presented early this month proposed revolutionary changes in Keralas higher education sector. On the anvil were red carpets for private universities and off-shore campuses of reputed foreign universities. The CPI(M) leaders declared that the day would not be far off when Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and even the London School of Economics opened their branches in Kerala so that the students would benefit from world-class education here. But the minister and the party bosses made a U-Turn within two days and declared that they would not open the doors for private as well as foreign universities. It was only a proposal and not a decision. If the stakeholders are not happy, we will drop the idea itself, Balagopalan told the media following outbursts by the leaders of the SFI, the students wing of the CPI(M).

In Kerala, the SFI leaders, who would not have passed the Plus Two examinations had they been born anywhere outside the State, decide the persons who should be appointed as vice chancellors of universities and as faculty members. This is not an exaggerated statement. Where else on earth you would come across student leaders who demand only persons of their choice be appointed as VCs and teaching faculty?

The manifesto of the SFI has promised the students that they would insist that all university examinations should be held only after 1 PM and there wont be any examinations during the pre-lunch hours. The charter that has been submitted to the university has one more interesting demand: the staff council should have a student representative and the college authorities should not interact with the parents/guardians of students! The day is not far off when they will ask for the right to prepare question papers for the semester examination.

Militant trade unions have always played havoc with whatever progressive measures adopted by the CPI(M)-headed Governments in the past. Those days are over as it is nouveau riche like Elamaram Kareem who leads the trade union wing of the party. The children of trade union leaders are enrolled in high-end public schools in Ootti and Kodaikanal while offsprings of party workers continue toiling in Government schools.

Leaders of SFI are entangled in cases ranging from murder, attempted murder, sexual offences and above all mass copying and fake degree certificates. There were many instances of students who had failed in their bachelors degree examinations passing out of postgraduate courses from colleges in the State. Did you hear the pangs of Goddess Saraswati?

(The writer is a special correspondent with the Pioneer, views are personal)
Actor Roshan Mathew, who currently features in critically-acclaimed show "Poacher", credits "Darlings" in 2022 for helping him land better projects.

Mathew played a prominent role in the Alia Bhatt-Shefali Shah starrer Netflix thriller that revolved around a mother and daughter. It was Bhatt's maiden production.

"The best thing that an actor can ask for is that you are considered for projects and that projects are offered to you. You're in a position to pick and choose. I'll never have enough of that and will always be greedy. So, I'm very thankful for how Darlings' has contributed to that. I did 'Poacher' right after that," Mathew told PTI in an interview.

The 31-year-old actor plays the role of a wildlife warrior in the Richie Mehta-directed Prime Video series, which started streaming from February 23.

The series marks Mehta's return to an OTT platform after the first season of "Delhi Crime" in 2019.

"Poacher", also backed by Bhatt as an executive producer, is inspired by true events that unravel the illegal ivory trade in India through the lens of forest officials and wildlife warriors.

Mathew, who was an established name in Malayalam cinema with critically-praised turns in films such as "Moothon" and "C U Soon". He made his Hindi movie debut with Anurag Kashyap's "Choked" in 2020.

The actor said since the story is rooted in his home state of Kerala, he and other actors and Mehta held long discussions on the use of certain dialogues.

"We had intense sessions where we were debating Richie (Mehta). He would ask, Why are Malayalam words so long? The English lines are this much and in Malayalam, it is like three more pages', Mathew recalled.

Richie would say, I've written in English, and here is the Google translation' and we'd be like, 'No, sorry, we can't use it'. Richie would say, Why?' And we would tell him that people don't use that word anymore. It was used by the kings long ago."

"Poacher" also features actor Nimisha Sajayan, best known to audiences outside Malayalam cinema for her role in "The great Indian kitchen. Actor Debyendu Bhattachaya of Maharani fame is in the role of a forest official in the eight-part thriller.

Bhattachaya, who has been in the industry for more than two decades and has worked in films such as "Black Friday", "Dev D", Undekhi and "Rocket boys', is happy that stories have moved beyond the typical arc of hero and heroine and are more content-driven now.

Earlier we lived in between phases of Indian cinema. There was no content but some structures. Heroes, heroines. Villain, song, dance and fight sequences. Revenge story, love story and end, he said.

I always want to do more pertinent work. Now, the time is very good as we have a content-driven industry, and content is considered king. I want to keep working on relevant stories like Poacher'."
Indian origin trailblazing computer engineer and professor Ashok Veeraraghavan has been awarded the Edith and Peter O'Donnell Award in engineering, one of the highest academic honours in Texas.

The Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST), which presents this award to rising researchers in the state, said Veeraraghavan, professor of electrical and computer engineering at George R. Brown School of Engineering at Rice University, was chosen for his revolutionary imaging technology that seeks to make the invisible visible.

The award is given annually to star researchers in the state engaged in pathbreaking work in medicine, engineering, biological sciences, physical sciences and technology innovation.

This year's engineering award went to Veeraraghavan, recognising his group's revolutionary imaging technology that seeks to make the invisible visible," according to a statement from TAMEST.

Originally from Chennai, where he spent most of his pre-adult life, Veeraraghavan told PTI, "I am delighted to receive this award. It is the recognition of the wonderful and innovative research that many students, postdocs and research scientists, in the computational imaging lab at Rice University have done over the last decade"

Veeraraghavan's computational imaging lab conducts research on imaging processes holistically, from optics and sensor design to machine learning processing algorithms, to tackle imaging challenges that are otherwise beyond the reach of current technologies.

"Most imaging systems today are designed in a way that does not take all these three things into account together; they are designed separately," Veeraraghavan said.

"Co-design opens up new degrees of freedom and allows us to achieve some imaging functionalities or performance capabilities that are otherwise not possible," he added.

Veeraraghavan's research seeks to provide solutions for imaging scenarios where the visualisation target is inaccessible to current imaging technologies due to the scattering of light in participating media.

There are many examples of this," he said.

One familiar example is when you're driving a car and it's foggy, so you can't see too far out. In this case, fog acts as the scattering medium. If you're doing satellite imaging, clouds can act as the scattering medium. And if you're doing biological imaging, it's skin that acts as the obscurant so you can't see blood cells or the structure of the vascular system, for example," he explained.

In all of these contexts, the main challenge is that light interacts with the participating media and scatters, which means you lose information about the image you are trying to capture. I think imaging through scattering media is one of the most challenging problems that's left in imaging. So that is what the core focus of my lab is, and we've made significant advances toward solving that problem.

Luay Nakhleh, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering and professor of computer science and biosciences at Rice, congratulated Veeraraghavan for his achievement saying he "richly deserves this special recognition".

In fact, this is extra special for our school since it is the second year in a row that one of our faculty receives the O'Donnell Award, with Jamie Padgett being last year's recipient."

Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Rice's executive vice president for research and a professor of materials science and nanoengineering, physics and astronomy, praised Veeraraghavan and underscored the impact of his research.

I'm so pleased to see Ashok recognised with the Edith and Peter O'Donnell Award, joining an accomplished group of prior Rice University recipients of the honour, Ramesh said.

Ashok has used math and technology to solve some of the most difficult problems in imaging. His work has broad applications for the advancement of human health, microscopy, national security, autonomous vehicles, photography and so much more.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday charge-sheeted five accused, including three absconding Pakistan-based handlers of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit, in the Rajouri attacks case of January 2023.

The case RC-01 & 02/2023/NIA/JMU, relates to a heinous terror attack on civilians at village Dhangri, District Rajouri on 1st January 2023, followed by an IED blast the next day. Seven people, including two children, were killed and several others severely injured in the attacks.

Three of chargesheeted individuals are LeT handlers, identified as Saifullah @ Sajid Jutt @ Ali @ Habibullah @ Numan @ Langda @ Noumi, Mohd Qasim, and Abu Qatal @ Qatal Sindhi. While Abu Qatal and Sajit Jutt are Pakistani nationals, Qasim had exfiltrated to Pakistan sometime around 2002 and had joined the LeT terrorist ranks there.

As per investigations, the trio had orchestrated the recruitment and dispatch of LeT terrorists from Pakistan to target innocent civilians, particularly from the minority community in Jammu & Kashmir, as well as security personnel. The attacks were carried out under the direction of these Pakistan-based handlers. Saifullah @ Sajid Jutt is currently a highly placed LeT Commander and was responsible for engineering the overall conspiracy from Pakistan, along with the other two. Mohd Qasim is presently the right hand of highly placed LeT Commanders. Abu Qatal had come to India in 2002-03 and was active in the Poonch-Rajouri range, along with other terrorists.

The other two charge-sheeted accused are Nisar Ahmed @ Haji Nisar and Mushtaq Hussain @ Chacha, both Overground workers (OGWs) of the LeT and are residents of Mohra, Gursai, Tehsil Mendhar, District Poonch. The duo were arrested during the investigations by the NIA.

It was found during investigations that they had provided logistical support to the terrorists on the directions of Abu Qatal. Along with a juvenile, who was also apprehended for aiding and abetting the perpetrators, they had provided food, shelter, and other types of logistics support to the terrorists for approximately three months following the attack in Dhangri. They had also attempted to conceal evidence by destroying the mobile phone used for clandestine communication with the Pakistan-based LeT commanders.

Nisar had also received a consignment of arms, ammunition, and cash sent by the Pakistan-based handlers for the terrorists. Investigations have revealed that Nisar had come in contact with Abu Qatal during the latters stay in India. He had remained in touch with Abu Qatal even after the latters return to Pakistan.

In the chargesheet filed today, the two arrested adult accused and the Pak-based handlers have been charged under the UA(P) Act and various sections of IPC. The Final Report against the apprehended juvenile will be submitted to the Juvenile Justice Board, Rajouri in due course.
As the voters apathy has become a major concern for the poll body during the elections, the Election Commission (EC) has roped post offices and banks to reach out voters as part of its efforts to increase voting percentage ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, a first of its kind initiative so far.

The EC has often expressed concern over urban and youth apathy with many registered voters not turning up at the polling stations to cast ballot in the previous elections. This was visible in the recent Assembly polls held in the past few years.

The EC on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with two prominent organisations  the Indian Banks Association (IBA) and the Department of Posts (DoP)  to amplify its voter outreach and awareness efforts ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Despite successfully managing and conducting elections by the commission over the years in fair and peaceful way along with a significant increase in participation of the electors, there is also a concern that around 30 crore electors (out of 91 crore), did not cast their votes in General Election to Lok Sabha 2019.

The voting percentage was 67.4 per cent, which the commission has taken as a challenge to improve upon.

Notably, the Indian Banks Association now has a strong network of 247 members across the country. Public sector banks are in lead with 90,000+ branches and 1.36 lakh ATMs followed by 42,000+ branches of private sector banks with 79,000+ ATMs.

Regional rural banks contribute over 22,400 branches, while small finance and payment banks operate around 7,000 branches and more than 3,000 ATMs. Foreign banks maintain 840 branches and 1,158 ATMs, and local area banks have 81 branches. The cumulative number of the branches are over 1.63 lakh with more than 2.19 lakh ATMs and 1.55 kakh post offices across the country, the EC said in a statement.

The initiative, the poll panel said, is in continuation of its efforts to enhance electoral awareness in the country.

As part of the MoU, IBA & DoP with its members and affiliated institutions/units will extend support in promoting voter education through their extensive network on a pro-bono basis, employing various interventions to empower citizens with knowledge about their electoral rights, processes, and steps for registration and voting.

The members and affiliated institutions will now display voter education messages prominently on their websites, directing visitors to learn more about the electoral process. Voter education content will be disseminated through various promotional channels such as social media and customer outreach platforms of member institutions, ensuring widespread awareness among stakeholders and the public, the EC said.

Voter education messages will also be displayed in the form of posters, flex and hoardings at office premises at major locations, reaching the customers at key touchpoints.

All member institutions under the IBA and the DoP will establish voter awareness fora to engage the employees and customers in discussions and initiatives related to voter education. The Department of Posts will affix a special cancellation stamp (bearing voter education messages) on the postal articles.

The EC had recently signed an MoU with the Ministry of Education to formally integrate electoral literacy into the educational curriculum of the schools and colleges.

The latest initiative has been taken based on insights and knowledge gained by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar from his past roles and experience working in the financial sector, particularly in the Indian banking sector and India Post Payments Banks, the officials pointed out.
On International Womens Day, a traders body will host a Virat Lakhpati Didi Women Entrepreneur Summit on March 8 in the national Capital. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) plans to invite nearly 25,000 Lakhpati Didis from across the country to the summit, jointly organised with the Association of Direct Selling Entities of India (ADSEI) and the Federation of Direct Selling Association (FDSA) at the Indira Gandhi stadium.

CAIT secretary general Praveen Khandelwal said the summit aims to recognise Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision and initiatives like self-reliant India, women empowerment, digital India, skill India, startup India, and Make in India, which have significantly boosted entrepreneurship and self-reliance in India.

The direct selling sector, with an annual turnover of nearly 50,000 crore and involving over 1.25 crore individuals, including around 50 lakh women, has provided not only self-employment opportunities but also indirect benefits and employment to millions.

Government data reveals that big States like Uttar Pradesh have 6.68 lakh Lakhpati Didis, followed by 4.94 lakh in Gujarat, 2.64 lakh in Tamil Nadu, and 2.31 lakh in Kerala. In Madhya Pradesh, the number is 9.54 lakh, 8.99 lakh in Maharashtra, and 2.02 lakh in Rajasthan. Additionally, Ladakh has 51,723 Lakhpati Didis, while J&K has 29,070 women in this category.

In the northeast, Assam leads with 4.65 lakh women, followed by Meghalaya (33,856), Mizoram (16,087), Manipur (12,499), and Nagaland (10,494). Ministry data indicates that around Rs 6.96 lakh crore of bank credit has been accessed by SHGs since 2013-14, with NPAs of SHGs decreasing from 9.58 per cent in 2014 to 1.8 per cent.

Khandelwal also mentioned that Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP national President JP Nadda, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have been invited to address the Lakhpati Didi summit.

It is expected to showcase the profound impact of Modis initiatives in economically empowering women and implementing nationwide campaigns to skill and empower women across all States in the country.

The Lakhpati Didi scheme was rolled out after Modi, in his Independence Day speech last year, expressed his dream to make 2 crore Lakhpati Didis in the countrys villages.

In the Budget speech, the Government enhanced the target to 3 crore. The target is a 3-year timeline under the scheme, which is being executed under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihood Mission. It involves assisting women with training, enterprise financing, bank and credit linkages so that they can earn a sustainable annual income of Rs 1 lakh per annum in both the farm and non-farm sectors.

Sanjeev Kumar, the chairman of ADSEI, said at this Lakhpati Didi summit, women entrepreneurs engaged in direct selling businesses who have achieved new heights of success through their skills will be honoured.

Rajiv Gupta, Secretary of FDSA, said companies involved in direct selling businesses will provide financial and skill development training to women under the Lakhpati Didi scheme. This initiative aims to make women financially independent and not only run their own enterprises but also provide employment opportunities to a large number of people.
The Gariaband Administration has rescued 25 workers, including 10 minors, from a brick kiln in Telangana and brought them back to Chhattisgarh, an official statement said.

Officials said that the family members submitted an application alleging that the brick kiln owned by Kishore Babu was keeping the workers hostage and forcing them to work against their will.

The Telangana Labour Officer of the concerned district, Yadadribhuvnagiri, was promptly contacted. The workers were identified and transported back by train. They arrived in Raipur on February 21. The workers have expressed gratitude for the prompt action taken to ensure their safe return.
A 52-year-old labour died after a wall collapsed while he was drilling in the wall of a house located in Arif Nagar, Bhopal, the accident occured while doing renovation work in the house.

Police said that a man was rushed to hospital where he was declared dead, the deceased was identified as Vijay Singh.

SI Bhagwati Prasad Sharma said that 52-year-old Jai Vijay Singh was a resident of Biloni village of Narsinghpur, he lived with his family in Bilkhiriya area and worked as a labourer. Recently renovation work was being done in house number 12 of street number of Arif Nagar.

On Sunday evening, he was drilling a hole in the wall located in a room of the house, due to which the wall collapsed. Fellow laborers pulled him out of the debris and took him to the hospital. Where the doctors checked and declared him dead. The police have registered a case and started an investigation.

Meanwhile Aishbagh police arrested three absconding criminals required in an attempted murder case, accused of attacking a victim on February 22 the accused went absconding.

Police said that on February 21, the complainant Shafiq Khan of Sonia Colony was attacked at around 9.15 in the night, Nasir, Aamir and Naved after he intervened to save his brother Mansoor.

In the night three accused came and called Shafiq and as soon as he came out Nasir said that it is Mansoor's brother who has married his sister after eloping and all three of them started abusing and when he asked to stop abusing they attacked with a sharp edged weapon.

Shafiq's wife Saba and locals rushed to his rescue and before leaving, the accused threatened to kill him.

The victim was rushed to hospital and based on the complaint after the preliminary investigation the police have registered a case under section 294,323,324,308,506,34 of the IPC.
Police successfully solved minor child abduction case in just 7 hours.

Under the Operation Muskaan campaign, the minor boy was found and handed over to his family members by Chowki Ojhar police station, Nagalwadi Police, from Indore Sarwate bus stand within just 7 hours.

On Feb 20, 2024, at around 7 pm, the complainant Gopal Pal, father Lalta Prasad Pal of Ojhar, came forward and informed that his nephew Abhay, son of Radheshyam Pal, aged about 15 years, resident of Aujhar, who studies in class 10, this afternoon at around He had gone away from home since 3:00 without informing and despite extensive searching, no trace of him was found.

Under the guidance of Superintendent of Police, Puneet Gehlod, under the guidance of SDOP Sendhwa under the leadership of police station in-charge Nagalwadi and outpost in-charge Ojhar and prompt action by the staff, the boy Abhay was found and handed over to his family members within just 7 hours from Sarwate bus stand in Indore district and he was handed over to his elder father Gopal Pal.

The family members of the missing expressed their gratitude to the police.
Arka Jain University witnessed a significant achievement in its recent campus placement drive, organised by Axis Bank, a prominent player in the private banking sector. Axis Bank conducted the placement drive in an online format, attracting MBA students from Arka Jain University.

Following a rigorous selection process, Axis Bank announced the selection of two promising MBA students from the university. Johnson Ekka, specializing in MBA Finance and Marketing, and Payal Dutta, pursuing MBA HR and Marketing, emerged victorious in securing coveted positions as Assistant Managers in Axis Bank. Both students have been offered an annual package of Rs 4.44 lakh by the bank, marking a significant milestone in their budding careers.

The campus placement drive, targeted at MBA students graduating in 2024, garnered participation from enthusiastic students aspiring to kickstart their professional journeys. The job locations for the selected candidates include prominent cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Noida, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad, with each student being assigned to an Axis Bank branch in one of these cities.

Himanshu Sinha, the Placement Head at Arka Jain University, played a pivotal role in orchestrating the successful placement drive. Dr. Amit Srivastava, the Director cum Registrar of the University, expressed pride in the achievements of Johnson Ekka and Payal Dutta, attributing their success to hard work and dedication. He emphasized the university's commitment to nurturing well-educated, qualified, and skilled professionals, aiming to provide employment opportunities aligned with their capabilities.

Dr. Amit Srivastava acknowledged the dedicated efforts of the university's faculty and congratulated both students on their remarkable achievement. He, along with Prof. (Dr.) Angad Tiwari, the Campus Director, and other teachers, extended their heartfelt wishes for a bright and prosperous future for the successful candidates.

Axis Bank, established in 1994, stands as one of India's most trusted and the third-largest private sector banks. Renowned for its customer-centric approach, advanced technology, and a robust talent pool, Axis Bank continues to be a driving force in the country's financial landscape. The bank's commitment to excellence and innovation is reflected in its strong and young workforce, numbering over 90,000 employees, dedicated to inspiring progress for a billion Indians through efficient banking services.
In a significant achievement, Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) under the leadership of Atanu Bhowmik (DIC : BSL & RSP) and B.K Tiwari (ED : Works) has etched its name in history by becoming the first unit within the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) to receive the Works Approval Certificate for both Normal and High Strength Ship-Building Quality Steel from esteemed bodies like the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). This accolade, bestowed upon BSL in February 2024, marks a pivotal moment in the plant's journey, highlighting its commitment to excellence and innovation in steel production.

The journey towards this remarkable feat commenced with an inquiry from M/s Goa Shipyard Limited, prompting SAIL Corporate Office to propose that Bokaro Steel Plant pursue the Works Approval Certificate. Subsequently, the Research and Control Laboratory (RCL) at BSL, in collaboration with RDCIS, Bokaro Centre, embarked on a meticulous feasibility study to assess the production capabilities of BSL. After careful deliberation, it was decided to pursue certification for Normal and High Strength Ship-Building Quality Steel from ABS and IRS.

The process for the Approval of Manufacturers of Hull Structural Steel was initiated, culminating in multiple levels of rigorous process audits at various units of BSL, including SMS-II & CCS, HSM, and HRCF. Rigorous material testing at RCL and specific Weldability Tests conducted at the Welding Research Institute (WRI) under the aegis of Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL) further underscored BSL's commitment to meeting the stringent certification requirements of ABS and IRS.

The significance of this certification extends beyond mere recognition; it signifies BSL's entry into the realm of supplying steel for commercial ships, a domain traditionally dominated by specialized players. The steel produced under this certification will find application in the construction of ship hulls, safeguarding the cargo, machinery, and accommodation spaces of commercial vessels. Notably, BSL has a rich legacy of supplying steel for various strategic naval applications, including submarines, frigates, and Diving Support Vessels (DSVs).

Coc (BSL) MK Dhan said BSL's achievement not only underscores its technological prowess and commitment to quality but also opens up new avenues for collaboration and growth in the maritime sector.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has decided to not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday for questioning in the money laundering case regarding the excise policy case saying he will appear before the agency if a court orders him to do so.

This was the seventh summon in the case issued by the probe agency against the Aam Aadmi Party national convener. The Aam Aadmi Party, of which Kejriwal is the convenor, said that the agency should wait for the court order instead of summoning the minister repeatedly.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal will not go to ED today. The matter is in the court and the next hearing is on March 16. Instead of sending summons daily, the ED should wait for the courts decision. We will not leave the INDIA alliance. Modi government should not create pressure like this, AAP said in a statement.

Taking a dig at Kejriwal, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva has said that Kejriwal is avoiding appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) by making a mockery of its summons.

Kejriwal, who on Monday visited Rajghat along with ministers and MLAs of the AAP to mark one year of the arrest of his former deputy Manish Sisodia in connection with the case, alleged that the summons was a tool to pressure him into leaving the INDIA block.

Sisodia, who held the education portfolio as well, was arrested on February 26, 2023, in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Durgesh Pathak were among those who accompanied Kejriwal to Rajghat.

Speaking to the media after his visit, Kejriwal said, Last year on this day, the central government arrested the most capable education minister of our administration in connection with a false case.

He asserted that it was Sisodia who improved the quality of education in the national capital.

Manish Sisodia improved the quality of education in the national capital and brought hope after 75 years. But a leader like him was framed in a false case. Cases against him would have been withdrawn, if he had joined the BJP, Kejriwal claimed.But Sisodia chose not to leave the path of truth, he added.

In a post later on X, Kejriwal said Sisodia was an inspiration for AAP leaders.Manish is an inspiration for the entire Aam Aadmi Party and for all other Indians who are fighting the corrupt. Today, we all went to Rajghat and offered flowers to Pujya Bapu and prayed to give more courage to Manish in this fight against dictatorship and injustice, Kejriwal wrote in Hindi.

He asserted the AAP would not break its alliance with the Congress, another constituent of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), with which his party has entered into a seat-sharing deal in Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat for the Lok Sabha polls.

Earlier, the AAP leaders including Delhi Ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP MP Sandeep Pathak have alleged that the BJP-led Centre was scared of the partys alliance with the Congress for the Lok Sabha polls and was using the CBI to get Kejriwal arrested. Bharadwaj has stated that said as soon as reports of the finalisation of seat-sharing talks between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) started coming in, the ED sent a seventh summons to Kejriwal in the excise policy-linked money laundering case.

A city court, approached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over Kejriwal skipping its summonses, has directed the Delhi chief minister to appear before it on March 16.

Kejriwal has so far skipped seven summonses by the ED. The agency issued the seventh summons to the Delhi chief minister last week, asking him to appear before it for questioning.

If the court says go, then I will go, Kejriwal said.Kejriwal and his party have alleged that the summonses issued by the ED were illegal.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will distribute bicycles to Cheetah Mitras at Palpur Kuno in Sheopur district on 26 February. Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav will attend a meeting on Cheetah project.

33 railway stations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is virtually dedicating and laying the foundation stone of many railway projects on 26 February. Country's 544 railway stations including 33 railway stations of Madhya Pradesh have been selected for redevelopment. CM Dr. Mohan Yadav will participate in the programme being organised in Sehore.

Under the development of railway infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh, an amount of Rs 15 thousand 143 crore has been sanctioned in the current year. As many as 32 projects worth more than Rs 77 thousand 800 crore are being implemented. Foundation stone for redevelopment works for 33 stations in Madhya Pradesh will be laid by Prime Minister Modi and 133 Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and underpasses will be inaugurated.

The foundation stone will be laid for the redevelopment of 33 railway stations in the state. These include five stations each of Jabalpur and Bhopal railway divisions. The stations selected for redevelopment include Sehore, Jabalpur, Bina, Ashoknagar, Khirkiya, Sanchi, Shajapur, Beohari, Bargawan, Narsinghpur, Pipariya, Indore, Ujjain, Mandsaur, Maksi, Nagda, Neemuch, Shujalpur, Khachrod, Balaghat, Chhindwara, Khandwa, Mandla Fort, Nainpur, Seoni, Anuppur, Shahdol, Umaria, Bijuri, Morena, Harpalpur, Datia and Bhind stations. ROBs include two ROBs of Jabalpur Railway Division and four ROBs of Bhopal Railway Division. Under the underpasses, work will be done at one place in Jabalpur and two places in Bhopal division. It is noteworthy that ROB/underpass is built to eliminate manned level crossing gates.

Final touches to the programme in Sehore

To ensure all the necessary arrangements for organising the programme, Collector Sehore Praveen Singh inspected the venue of the programme located at the railway complex of Sehore. Final touches have been given to the programme.

At the venue of the programme, the Collector gave necessary instructions to the officials regarding stage arrangements, pandal arrangements, meeting arrangements, arrival-exit, parking, drinking water arrangements etc. He inspected the place earmarked for the foundation stone laying ceremony and the stalls to be set up by the departments and asked to ensure all the arrangements well in advance. STAFF REPORTER n BHOPAL

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will distribute bicycles to Cheetah Mitras at Palpur Kuno in Sheopur district on 26 February. Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav will attend a meeting on Cheetah project.

33 railway stations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is virtually dedicating and laying the foundation stone of many railway projects on 26 February. Country's 544 railway stations including 33 railway stations of Madhya Pradesh have been selected for redevelopment. CM Dr. Mohan Yadav will participate in the programme being organised in Sehore.

Under the development of railway infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh, an amount of Rs 15 thousand 143 crore has been sanctioned in the current year. As many as 32 projects worth more than Rs 77 thousand 800 crore are being implemented. Foundation stone for redevelopment works for 33 stations in Madhya Pradesh will be laid by Prime Minister Modi and 133 Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and underpasses will be inaugurated.

The foundation stone will be laid for the redevelopment of 33 railway stations in the state. These include five stations each of Jabalpur and Bhopal railway divisions. The stations selected for redevelopment include Sehore, Jabalpur, Bina, Ashoknagar, Khirkiya, Sanchi, Shajapur, Beohari, Bargawan, Narsinghpur, Pipariya, Indore, Ujjain, Mandsaur, Maksi, Nagda, Neemuch, Shujalpur, Khachrod, Balaghat, Chhindwara, Khandwa, Mandla Fort, Nainpur, Seoni, Anuppur, Shahdol, Umaria, Bijuri, Morena, Harpalpur, Datia and Bhind stations. ROBs include two ROBs of Jabalpur Railway Division and four ROBs of Bhopal Railway Division. Under the underpasses, work will be done at one place in Jabalpur and two places in Bhopal division. It is noteworthy that ROB/underpass is built to eliminate manned level crossing gates.

Final touches to the programme in Sehore

To ensure all the necessary arrangements for organising the programme, Collector Sehore Praveen Singh inspected the venue of the programme located at the railway complex of Sehore. Final touches have been given to the programme.

At the venue of the programme, the Collector gave necessary instructions to the officials regarding stage arrangements, pandal arrangements, meeting arrangements, arrival-exit, parking, drinking water arrangements etc. He inspected the place earmarked for the foundation stone laying ceremony and the stalls to be set up by the departments and asked to ensure all the arrangements well in advance.
Director (Technical, Projects & Raw Materials) AK Singh, released a book titled List of acceptable makes at SAIL, MTI, Ranchi today. The occasion was graced by Anirban Dasgupta, Director Incharge (Bhilai Steel Plant), Atanu Bhowmik, Director Incharge (Rourkela & Bokaro Steel Plant), BP Singh, Director Incharge (Burnpur & Durgapur Steel Plant)), KK Singh,Director (Personnel), SK Verma, Executive Director (CET) and other senior officials of SAIL. This was unveiled by during the ongoing Annual Business Plan meeting being held at MTI, SAIL



This book has been prepared by Centre for Engineering & Technology (CET), a Unit of Steel Authority of India Ltd. The purpose of List of Acceptable Makes is to mitigate the difficulties faced related to making of equipment and supplies during project execution in SAIL Steel Plants. The list is regularly updated considering present market scenarios and it takes care of mergers & acquisitions of different companies.
The Congress has decided to make the neglect of the summer capital Gairsain a major issue during the ongoing budget session of the Assembly.

Former chief minister Harish Rawat sat on a silent protest on the neglect of Gairsain at Gandhi Park here on Monday. The Congress legislators are expected to raise the issue of Gairsain in the house on Tuesday while the party organisation led by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Karan Mahara will camp in Gairsain on Tuesday. The party has given a call to organise a symbolic Assembly session in Gairsain and the other parties of the INDIA bloc will attend this session.

After holding a silent protest for one hour, Rawat launched an attack on the government for neglecting Gairsian. He said that the State government has insulted Gairsain by holding the budget session of the Assembly in Dehradun.

In a sarcastic attack on the government, Rawat said that the government is catching a cold at the idea of holding a session in Gairsain. He said that the Assembly had passed a resolution in the past that the budget session will be organised in Gairsain. He said that it appears that the government has forgotten Gairsain after spending crores of rupees there. Rawat expressed concern at the fact that the MLAs of the Himalayan State are afraid of cold weather in Gairsain. Rawat added that the decision of the Congress party and its alliance partners to hold a symbolic session in Gairsain is an innovative attempt to express the sentiments of the people of the State.

PCC president Mahara said that the public session in Gairsain will be held to hold discussions on the subjects of land laws, crime against women, injustice to Ankita Bhandari, increasing unemployment in the State, deteriorating law and order situation in state, bad condition of the health services, recruitment scams, Agniveer scheme, Joshimath subsidence, Raini disaster and prevailing corruption in the government.
Entering the 14th day of the ongoing farmers' protest, Monday marked a significant development as farmers across the nation, under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), staged a tractor march in support of their demands. The demonstration, which gained momentum in Punjab, saw farmers strategically parking their tractors along National Highways, symbolizing their opposition to the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements. Concurrently, effigies representing the WTO were set ablaze, further emphasizing the farmers' stance.



As of now, the farmers have decided to postpone the Dilli Chalo march till February 29 after young farmers death, with the farmers continuing their agitation at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders of Punjab and Haryana.



At the same time, in a positive development, Haryana police initiated the removal of barricades at several points leading to the reopening of Jammu-Delhi National Highway (NH-44) at Kurukshetra. The removal of cement barricades in service lanes contributed to the easing of traffic between Delhi and Chandigarh. The move follows similar actions by the police in Fatehabad days ago, where barricades were lifted from roads adjacent to the Punjab border.



Sarwan Pandher, one of the key farmer leaders leading the current agitation and Kisan-Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) hea, reiterated the steadfast commitment of the protesting farmers, emphasizing that the agitation will persist until all their demands, including the legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP), are met.



Pandher also highlighted the increasing participation of various organizations in the protest, stating, Today, we have witnessed a significant demonstration against the WTO and corporate giants. Effigies were burnt at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. Before initiating the protest, we had visited various parts of the country to garner support. States like Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra are actively backing the movement.



Acknowledging the widespread support, Pandher expressed gratitude to supporting organizations, emphasizing that the SKM, being a non-political entity, has garnered backing from over 200 non-political organizations.



The protest against the WTO agreements is a critical component of the farmers larger narrative, with the withdrawal of agriculture from WTO being one of their primary demands. Amidst the ongoing agitation, farmers continue to voice concerns over multiple issues, including debt waiver, the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations, and pension schemes for the agricultural community.



Farmers across nation observed WTO Quit Day on Monday against the World Trade Organization (WTO). The movement revolves around their primary demand, wherein major agricultural exporting countries have proposed a 50 per cent reduction in the rights of WTO members to support agriculture until 2034.



The impact of the farmers stir resonated across the country, with simultaneous demonstrations in different states. In Amritsar, Ludhiana, Bathinda, and various districts of Punjab, farmers showcased their dissent by parking tractors along highways, symbolizing their determination to continue the agitation until their demands are addressed.





Essay competitions in Punjab to educate college students about why MSP is necessary



To foster awareness and understanding of the critical issue of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the farmers, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Monday announced the launch of essay competitions in colleges across the State on the topic MSP: Why is it necessary?.



Against the backdrop of burgeoning farmer protests across India over the issue of MSP, the initiative aimed at sensitizing the youth about the significance of MSP in safeguarding the interests of farmers amidst ongoing agrarian challenges.



Sandhwan, addressing concerns regarding the marginalization of farmers and the agricultural sector under the BJP-led Central Government, emphasized the imperative of advocating for farmers' rights. He underscored the need for amplifying the voices of farmers and ensuring equitable compensation for their produce, akin to treating their crops as their own offspring.



Highlighting the historical and contemporary relevance of farmers agitations, Sandhwan elucidated that the essay competitions serve as a platform to engage the present generation in understanding and championing the cause of agriculture. By encouraging discourse on MSP, the initiative seeks to empower youth with knowledge and empathy towards the struggles faced by farmers in securing fair prices for their crops.



The essay competitions aim to galvanize students into action, fostering informed opinions, and advocacy on agricultural policies. To incentivize participation and excellence, cash prizes of Rs 51,000, Rs 31,000, and Rs 21,000 will be awarded to the top-performing students, recognizing their contributions towards advancing awareness on this pressing issue.



Sandhwan reiterated the demand for immediate fulfillment of farmers' demands by the Central government, including the enactment of MSP legislation.
The returning officer for the biennial elections for Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh has issued guidelines for the voters on how to cast the vote through ballot paper.

The instructions are significant against the backdrop of the controversy over the polling for mayoral elections of Chandigarh Nagar Nigam. The poll was set aside by the Supreme Court and the loser joint candidate of Aam Aadmi Party-Congress was declared elected by the apex court.

Polling for the 10 seats of the Rajya Sabha will be held here on Tuesday and all the members of UP assembly are eligible to vote in this election.

Special Secretary of UP assembly, Brij Bhushan Dubey, who is the returning officer, on Monday, specifically gave seven reasons for a vote becoming invalid if the instructions were not followed.

The voters have been advised to use only the purple colour ink pen to be provided to each MLA by the returning officer for affixing their preference in numerals only on the ballot paper. The vote will be invalid if ball point pen, pencil or any other marking instrument is used by the voter.

The voters have been advised to write in the number 1 in numeral in front of only one candidates name whom the MLAs want to give first preference vote. If the number of candidates are five against two seats, then the voter should mark the priority from one to five only in numerals, not in words. The voters can use Roman or Devanagari numerals. The vote will become invalid if any other mark l like cross is written in front of the name of the candidate.

The voters have been cautioned that their vote will become invalid if they affix their signature or write something or put a thumb impression.

The vote will become invalid if a numeral is not written in front of the name of the candidate or number 1 is written in front of more than one candidate, or preference is written in words instead of numerals.
n a significant move aimed at empowering women and fulfilling electoral promises, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday launched the Indira Gandhi Pyaari Behna Samman Nidhi Yojana in Keylong, Lahaul and Spiti district. The initiative, fourth of its kind among the states election guarantees, seeks to provide a monthly pension of Rs 1,500 to women aged 18 and above residing in Lahaul and Spiti.

Sukhu, addressing the local populace amidst the chilling  9 degree temperature, expressed his gratitude for their warm reception and reaffirmed the Government's commitment to deliver on its promises. He announced the immediate disbursement of enhanced pension amount to approximately 2.37 lakh women who were previously receiving Rs 1,100  benefiting a total of 2.42 lakh women across the state.

Rs 1,500 will be provided from February 1, 2024, to 2.37 lakh women who were receiving pension of Rs 1,100 in the State. In this way, 2.42 lakh women of the state will receive a pension of Rs 1,500 per monthWe do what we say. We have come to extend the benefits of the schemes to the last person standing in the queue and lay the foundation of self-reliant Himachal, said Sukhu.

Highlighting the government's proactive approach towards holistic development, Sukhu declared the closure of schools in Lahaul Spiti during winters, with academic sessions scheduled to be held in summers instead. Additionally, he unveiled a slew of developmental projects, including the establishment of a Block Development Office in Udaipur, Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School in Darcha, and initiatives for the beautification and infrastructure enhancement of Keylong.

Enumerating the State Government's commitment to welfare schemes, Sukhu outlined several key measures introduced in the budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, like Mukhya Mantri Sukh-Shiksha Yojana, aimed at providing comprehensive educational support to children of widows, and an increase in daily wages under MNREGA to Rs 300.

Moreover, Himachal Pradesh has become the first state to ensure a high Minimum Support Price (MSP) for milk, with rates set at Rs 45 for cow milk and Rs 55 for buffalo milk.

The Chief Minister also underscored the government's efforts to bolster financial security and access to education, including the introduction of the Dr Yashwant Singh Parrmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojana offering low-interest loans of up to Rs 20 lakh for higher education. Despite inheriting fiscal challenges from the previous administration, the Government has pursued measures to improve the state's economic outlook and ensure equitable distribution of resources.

In addition to fulfilling electoral commitments, the Chief Minister emphasized the governments commitment to social justice and inclusivity. The states pioneering legislation granting orphan children the status of Children of the State under the Mukhya Mantri Sukh Ashray Yojana reflects this commitment to vulnerable sections of society.

Amidst these initiatives, the Chief Minister condemned the revocation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) by the BJP government in Rajasthan, reaffirming his Government's dedication to upholding the welfare of government employees. He also highlighted the state's resilience in the face of adversity, particularly in the aftermath of natural disasters, and underscored the government's efforts to provide relief and rehabilitation to affected communities.

Welcoming the launch of the Indira Gandhi Pyaari Behna Samman Nidhi Yojana, Congress MP Pratibha Singh and MLA Ravi Thakur commended the government's efforts to promote women's empowerment and advance the socio-economic development of tribal regions. They reiterated their commitment to support the government's agenda and ensure the effective implementation of welfare schemes for the benefit of all citizens.

The launch event concluded with the Chief Minister flagging off ambulances and visiting exhibitions showcasing the success of various developmental projects undertaken by the government.
The murder of Haryana INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee by unidentified assailants at Bahadurgarh town in Jhajjar district on Sunday rocked the proceedings in the State Assembly on Monday. Soon after the Question Hour, the Congress members raised the issue and demanded a discussion on law and order.



Describing Rathee's killing as a very sad incident, State Home Minister Anil Vij told the House that a CBI probe would be announced in connection with the killing of INLD state unit chief. Vij also downplayed the opposition's charge that the law-and-order mechanism had collapsed in the state.



Vij told the House that police are properly probing the incident, but when Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the case might involve various angles that can only be investigated by a central agency, the home minister said a CBI probe will be announced.



"If the House is satisfied only with a CBI probe, then I assure the members that we will hand over the case to the CBI," Vij said while speaking on an adjournment motion moved by the Congress over Haryana's law-and-order situation.



Earlier, Speaker Gian Chand Gupta admitted the adjournment motion as the Congress demanded a high court judge-monitored CBI probe into Rathee's killing. Congress leader Raghuvir Singh Kadian asked the speaker to allow a discussion on the adjournment motion moved by his party. The speaker admitted the adjournment motion after which the House discussed the issue.



Kadian described Rathee's killing as the state's "first political murder" and demanded a high court judge-monitored CBI probe into the incident. His demand was backed by Hooda. Kadian also said Rathee was not given a security cover despite the fact that he was facing threats.



Vij described Rathee's killing as a very sad incident. "I immediately directed the officials concerned to take action. I spoke to the DGP, the Jhajjar SP and the head of the STF, and directed them to catch the culprits at the earliest," he said. Vij said the registration number of the car is being verified. On the opposition targeting the BJP over the alleged breakdown of law and order, he said, "It is being said that the entire law-and-order system has broken down in the state, which is not true."



Those behind Rathee's killing will not be spared and exemplary punishment will be given to them, the Home Minister said.



Earlier, paying homage to Rathee when the House was condoling his death and that of former Lok Sabha speaker Manohar Joshi, Kadian said the INLD leader's death was not natural.

"It is a political murder and the first one in Haryana since it was carved out as a separate state (in 1966)," the Congress leader said.



Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar led the House in paying tributes to Rathee. Kadian said Rathee came from a farmer family and rose to become an MLA after a lot of struggle in life. "We demand a high court judge-monitored CBI probe into the incident," he said. Kadian said Rathee was facing threats to his life and had sought a security cover for himself. "The question arises as to why security was not provided to Rathee," he added.



Hry ex-MLA Naresh Kaushik among 12 booked in Rathee murder case



Twelve people, including Bahadurgarh ex-MLA Naresh Kaushik, were on Monday booked in connection with Rathees murder. No arrests have been made so far, said the district police.

As per FIR report, the assailants who shot dead Rathee in his SUV told his nephew, who was driving the vehicle, that they were sparing his life so that he could inform his family. Five unidentified killers, who were following them in a car, came out and fired indiscriminately near the Barahi railway crossing, said Rakesh, Rathees nephew, in his police complaint.



Complainant Rakesh told police that he was behind the wheel and Rathee was sitting next to him. On the rear seat, two persons, including the INLD worker killed in the incident, were sitting. Rakesh said they were returning to Bahadurgarh on Sunday evening. According to the FIR, Rakesh said he saw that a white coloured car was following their vehicle. When tried to speed up, he found the Barahi railway crossing shut and then stopped the vehicle.



Suddenly, five assailants came out of the car and shouted that teach them a lesson for enmity with Satish, Karambir Rathee, Ramesh Rathee and Naresh Kaushik and they fired indiscriminately at them, alleged Rakesh in his complaint.



One of the assailants came to drivers window and told Rakesh that he was sparing his (Rakesh's) life so he could inform his family that if they go to the court against Naresh Kaushik, Karambir Rathee, Ramesh Rathee, Satish Rathee, Gaurav Rathee, Rahul and Kamal then would kill the whole family, according to the FIR.



Meanwhile, INLD leader Abhay Chautala, who joined the dharna outside the Civil Hospital in Bahadurgarh along with other party leaders, said they have full faith in Haryana Police but cannot rely upon the government as it is a political murder.



Meanwhile, CCTV footage surfaced on social media purportedly showing movement of the assailants in a car before the INLD leader was targeted.



Jhajjar Superintendent of Police Arpit Jain said some suspects were being questioned in connection with this case. Whosoever found to be involved, action will be taken as per law, he told reporters.
Innovation has been the driving force of our growth. We have been growing despite pandemics over the past decades, have become the 5th largest economy in the world, and are expected to be the third largest economy by 2027, said Devi Ahilya University Vice Chancellor Renu Jain while addressing the concluding session of the 19th Prestige International Conference organized on the topic Changing Business Paradigm as the chief guest.

She said Indore highlighted the importance of knowledge systems towards innovation, governance, and sensitivity. Sustainable use of resources is the key to the bright future of society.

Speaking on the importance of education, the special guest of the valedictory function, Professor Pawan Kumar Singh, Director, IIM Trichy, said that fundamental clarity comes when engaging with each other in such conferences. There is a great need in the education world today to talk beyond the syllabus so that entrepreneurial culture can develop in today's era. Youth should take planned risks and move forward, which will lead to success.

Professor Prashant Mishra of IIM Kolkata said that incentives are one of the most valuable things. Appreciation from your loved ones matters most. He said that the achievements of the people around you always give importance to role models, but choose your role model wisely.

Dr. Davish Jain, Chairman of the Prestige Education Foundation, said that with the changing dynamics of the business environment, it is now extremely important to explore new areas of innovation. Expressing his gratitude to the guests present at the conference, he described the expert discussion on the changing scenario in the business world and its impacts during the two-day conference as extremely effective.

On this occasion, State Cabinet Minister Tulsi Silawat honored Sheikh Mansoor bin Khalifa Al-Thani on behalf of the Madhya Pradesh government. He thanked Al Thani for coming to India and choosing Indore as his first destination.
The MP Nagar police have arrested the accused who were absconding for two years and committed fraud in the name of selling Ayurvedic medicines.

The accused are residents of Maharashtra and other states. The MP Nagar police arrested the accused who came to Bhopal again with the intention of committing crime.

The accused used to cheat the general public by providing medicines in the name of Ayurvedic treatment.

The accused committed a total fraud of Rs 7.51 lakh in the name of Ayurvedic medicine. The accused were absconding since the last incident of Bhopal.

In the year 2021, in the police station MP Nagar, Bhopal, the complainant and other victims have reported about the fraud of lakhs of rupees by the accused during the treatment of the family in the name of Ayurvedic treatment and medicine, on which a case was registered against the accused in the police station. In MP Nagar case under section 420, 120B IPC was registered and started investigation.

During the investigation, one accused in the case was arrested earlier from Pune and the remaining accused were absconding since the date of the incident.

The method of incident was that the accused used to target such people whose family members were suffering from serious illness and who were suffering. They used to cheat such people by giving expensive Ayurvedic medicines in the name of Ayurvedic treatment and giving full assurance of their recovery. The accused also had female companions in their group.

During background investigation of the accused, accused Arjun Venkatesh was arrested and efforts were made to arrest the absconding accused. After continuous efforts, the MP Nagar police team succeeded in arresting the accused Shanta Gurgappa Vedu, Karan Yalappa Vedu, Anil Durgappa Vedu from Kolar Bhopal, all accused hail from Maharashtra.
Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla said that the infrastructure in the health sector is continuously expanding under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Along with modern services in hospitals, new medical colleges are also being established in the field of medical education. Efforts are being made through various means to ensure availability of medical experts and manpower. The Deputy Chief Minister said that along with the district level, primary and community health services are also being expanded and strengthened.

This was stated by Deputy Chief Minister Shri Shukla while inaugurating a symposium on One State - One Health at AIIMS Bhopal today.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the One State  One Health symposium organized by AIIMS Bhopal is a commendable effort. The suggestions brainstormed by experts in the seminar to strengthen health services in the state will be helpful in making Madhya Pradesh the best state in the health sector. The Deputy Chief Minister said that AIIMS Bhopal is working in various dimensions to contribute in the field of medical education.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday met with the family of a two-year-old girl who was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in the Dhobhi Ghat area of New Delhis Tughlaq Lane. Kejriwal said New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) officials have been directed to solve the problem of stray dogs immediately.

A two-year-old girl was killed in an attack by some stray dogs in Dhobi Ghat area of New Delhi Assembly constituency on Saturday... Today I met the family members of the deceased girl. Stray dogs roaming freely in residential areas is a very serious matter, he said in a post in Hindi on X. NDMC officials have been instructed to solve this problem immediately. Safety of children and local people is very important, Kejriwal added.

The incident occurred around 6 pm on Saturday. The child was sitting outside her home when four to five dogs attacked her, dragged her for several metres and mauled her. The childs body was handed over to her family members after an autopsy and an investigation has begun, officials said.

Police handed over the body to the family after an autopsy. The officials have launched a probe into the tragic incident. The girls family claimed that some people feed the stray dogs near the locality and demanded strict action against them. Ravi, the victims uncle, said, Around 6 pm, four to five stray dogs suddenly attacked our child, dragged her for 100-150 metres and mauled her.

Ravi also claimed that this was not the first stray dog attack in the area and the same pack of attacked children playing outside their homes.

Victims uncle also said that locals have repeatedly complained to the authorities concerned, but were ignored.

A senior New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) official earlier said that a team of veterinarians visited the spot and found that the dogs in the area were vaccinated and sterilised. A police inquiry will make things clearer, the official added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi conferred two significant gifts to Punjab on Sunday, inaugurating PGI satellite centers in Ferozepur and Sangrur. Through virtual ceremonies, Modi unveiled the 100-bedded PGI Satellite Center in Ferozepur and dedicated the 300-bedded PGI Satellite Center in Sangrur to the nation, marking a pivotal moment in advancing healthcare accessibility in the state.

The inauguration ceremony in Ferozepur witnessed the presence of the entire BJP leadership, along with District Administration officials and representatives from PGI. Modi hailed the PGI Satellite Centers as transformative facilities, bringing advanced medical treatments, particularly for ailments like cancer, within closer reach of the people's homes.

PGIMER-Chandigarh director Dr Vivek Lal elaborated on the significance of these satellite centers, emphasizing that residents of Punjab would no longer need to journey to Chandigarh for specialized medical care. Instead, they could access top-notch medical services right in Ferozepur and Sangrur, thanks to the state-of-the-art facilities provided at these centers, he added.

Dr Lal said that the day marked a significant day for PGIMER Chandigarh and Punjab as the two centers would prove to be a significant boon for the border state, bringing advanced medical facilities closer to the people's homes and enabling treatment for major diseases like cancer within the vicinity.

Expressing gratitude, Dr Lal highlighted the tireless efforts of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, under the visionary leadership of Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, in bolstering healthcare infrastructure across the nation.

Notably, the former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had announced the establishment of these two satellite centers during the UPA-II regime. While the center in Sangrur was completed and dedicated earlier, the inauguration of the Ferozepur center occurred on Sunday.

Earlier, the foundation stone laying for the Ferozepur center was scheduled for January 5, 2022. However, the Prime Minister's convoy encountered a group of farmers near Pyareana village, just eight kilometers away from the location. After a brief halt of 20 minutes, PM Modi had to return to Delhi. Had the convoy not been halted, it's possible that the Ferozepur Satellite Center might have been dedicated to the nation on that day itself.

The Ferozepur Satellite Center, with a budget of Rs 490.54 crores, is set to have 100 indoor beds along with specialized departments and diagnostic facilities. Planned as a platinum-rated green hospital, it aims to cater to the healthcare needs of the region with cutting-edge technology and compassionate care.

Meanwhile, the ceremony in Sangrur was attended by esteemed dignitaries, including local MPs, BJP leaders, and government officials, all reaffirming their commitment to enhancing healthcare access in the state. The Sangrur Satellite Center, constructed with a budget of Rs 449 crores, sprawls across 25 acres and boasts state-of-the-art facilities. With a capacity of 300 beds, advanced operation theaters, ICUs, and emergency services, it promises to alleviate the burden on the main PGI institution and provide quality medical care to the residents.

These satellite centers represent a significant milestone in the nation's journey towards equitable healthcare access, promising hope, healing, and progress for the communities they serve.

PM virtually inaugurates Central Research Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy in Jhajjar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday virtually inaugurated the newly-constructed Central Research Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy in Devarkhana village of Jhajjar district from Rajkot, Gujarat. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, presiding over the program at Devarkhana, said that Haryana has become the first state in the country to provide universal health cover.

Under the Chirayu Ayushman Bharat scheme, a member of the Antyodaya family has the facility of free treatment up to Rs five lakh, while a nominal contribution is given by a family with an annual income of Rs three lakh, Rs 4,000 by a family with an annual income of Rs three lakh to Rs six lakh, families with annual income above Rs six lakh can avail the benefits of Chirayu Ayushman Bharat Scheme by paying an annual contribution of Rs 5,000.

We have opened vyayam shalas in every village, and wellness centers are also being established. The poor have the foremost claim on government treasury. Our government has initiated numerous schemes for the welfare of the impoverished. Through programs like PPP, the benefits of these schemes are reaching eligible individuals in a transparent manner, he said.

Khattar remarked that this is the first project of its kind in the field of AYUSH medicine in Haryana by the Central Government. The inauguration of this institute will benefit people from Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, he added.
In a significant virtual ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi graced the auspicious occasion of the Bhoomi Poojan for the construction of Ren Basera at AIIMS Bhopal. The event marked a pivotal moment in enhancing healthcare facilities and patient care services in the region. The ceremony was attended by Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Honorable Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India virtually.

Expressing his views on this occasion of Bhoomi Poojan, Dr. Sunil Malik, President, AIIMS Bhopal said that there has been remarkable progress in the field of health care sector in the last 10 years and in the last one and a half years, AIIMS Bhopal has especially moved ahead under the leadership of Prof. (Dr) Ajai Singh. We are committed to providing better health services to the last person of the society.

On this occasion, Prof. (Dr) Ajai Singh spoke about the efforts being made by AIIMS Bhopal in enhancing the facilities for patients and their relatives in collaboration with various institutions and NGOs like Seva Bharti. A Ren Basera will be constructed with the help of Seva Bharti for people coming from remote areas for treatment at AIIMS Bhopal to stay at night. By constructing 500 rooms in an area of 22000 square feet, a solution to the accommodation facility for the patients and their relatives coming from far flung areas will be provided. He expressed hope that this Ren Basera will also have an all-religion prayer place and it will become an example of a mini India.

In the program organized at AIIMS Bhopal Hemant Muktibodh, senior social worker was present as special guests. From Seva Bharti Gopal Krishna Godani , Surendra, Raj Narayan Agnihotri, Laxmendra Maheshwari and other dignitaries were also present. The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Col. (Dr) Ajit Kumar, Deputy Director (Administration), AIIMS Bhopal.

Ren Basera at AIIMS Bhopal is poised to alleviate the burden of accommodation for patients and their families, thereby fostering an environment of comfort and care during their medical journey.
Kripal Singh Thakur is a resident of Arya village in Ichhawar tehsil of Sehore. He purchased one acre of land owned by Sen community in his village a year ago. He is more happy that he got mutation done without going to the tehsil headquarters. It was easily done and name was added to government revenue record. Sharing his experience about the mutation process, he says that people had to go round the tehsil for two to three months. With the cyber tehsil system, people now fill applications for mutation from the village itself. Their name appearing in the account. Kirpal Singh Thakur has ancestral five acres of land, which is in the name of his father Prahlad Singh Thakur. Father is almost a hundred years old. When he told his father about the tehsil system, he too was happy with the quick transfer of name.

Sachin Panchal lives in Lalakhedi village of Sehore. He bought a peace of farm land in nearby Khokri village. After purchasing the land, the mutation process was completed in just 15 days. He is very happy with this arrangement. He says that now the middlemen who were active in such process have been eliminated. He says that immediately after applying for mutation, his name started appearing in 12 number column of Khasra record. He downloaded it. Later a message also came on his mobile. Regarding the benefits of this process, Sachin Panchal says that with this the possibility of fraud in buying and selling of land has almost been done away with. The person from whom the land has been purchased can no longer sell the same piece of land to others. If one does so, the new records can not be uploaded. Had there been no cyber tehsil, it would have taken days. Sachin says that it would have take at least 2 to 3 months but this is done in 15 days only.

Similarly, Mohan Lal, who lives in Mushkara village of Sehore tehsil bought 15 decimal land in a nearby village last year. He says that the Patwari had advised to apply online and did nothing. Everything was done on time. It took us only 10 to 15 days to complete the mtatioin process. There was no need to visit the tehsil again and again and waste time.

An unprecedented change is being witnessed in the interest of citizens through the cyber tehsil system in the revenue administration in Madhya Pradesh.

As desired by Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, the revenue cases will be resolved in a little span of time. After implementation in the land records, the concerned person will be able to get the verified copy of the land records. Now the unnecessarily pending cases can be resolved with quality in less time with the help of technical assistance. The average time taken in disposal of cases at cyber tehsil is 15 to 17 days, which is a significant achievement compared to the 60 days taken in the manual process.

Every year about 14 lakh cases of name change are registered in the state. Out of this, the number of cases registered for transfer of name after execution of sale deeds is approximately 8 lakh. In this, about 2 lakh undisputed mutation cases are registered.

In such cases, Cyber Tehsil has been established for paperless, faceless and online transfer and updating of land records without application within the time limit of 15 days.

In this way, 2 lakh cases related to purchase and sale of Khasra can be resolved through cyber tehsils. In such cases, apart from quick dosposal of mutation, land records will be updated. The burden of resolving undisputed cases at the regional tehsil level will be reduced. For the arrangement of Cyber Tehsil, the Revenue Department has amended the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code, 1959 and made provisions for Cyber Tehsil in Section 13-A. Cyber Tehsil Project started from 01 June 2022 as a pilot project in District Sehore and Datia.
unjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday took aim at Bollywood star and BJP MP from Gurdaspur Sunny Deol criticizing his perceived absence from the constituency and questioning his commitment to serving the people. Mann, speaking at the second Sarkaar Vapaar Milni, emphasized the importance of being available to constituents round the clock, highlighting that politics is not a nine-to-five job.

Mann pledged to boost development in Pathankot district, announcing plans to explore a special industrial and trade package for the border town. He also promised to personally address the issue of starting flights from Pathankot airport to Delhi.

Turning his attention to Deol, Mann accused the MP of lacking familiarity with the region, suggesting that he was unaware of basic geography. He criticized Deol's alleged neglect of Gurdaspur, stating that the people had erred in electing a Bollywood star with no local connection.

Mann further lambasted Deol's performance as an MP, mocking his on-screen persona of uprooting hand pumps while asserting that Deol had failed to deliver even basic amenities like clean water to the people. He urged the voters to support local leaders committed to serving the State, rather than electing parachute leaders from outside.

Announcing plans to significantly boost development in Pathankot district, Mann emphasized the exploration of a special industrial and trade package for the border town. At the same time, he pledged personal intervention to initiate flights from Pathankot airport to Delhi and highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance tourism in the region, leveraging its natural beauty for economic growth. Additionally, he underscored the governments commitment to explore a tailored industrial package to stimulate growth in the area.

He emphasized the role of traders in the state's progress, launching initiatives like Sarkaar Vapaar Milni to address their concerns directly. Mann also introduced the Sarkar Tuhade Dwaar scheme, aimed at decentralizing governance and enhancing citizen access to services, exemplified by doorstep delivery of essential government services.

The closure of toll plazas and the introduction of green-colored stamp papers for entrepreneurs were cited as measures to ease business operations and promote industrial growth. Mann reiterated the government's commitment to utilizing tax revenue for public welfare, emphasizing its proactive stance in facilitating trade and industry.

Accusing the Centre of charging exorbitant rates for military assistance, Mann alleged a pattern of exploitation where the State is billed Rs one crore daily after an initial week of free assistance. He claimed that Punjab was reportedly charged Rs seven crore for deploying paramilitary forces during the Dinanagar military attack.

Mann, in a scathing letter to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, questioned the fairness of the charges, particularly given Punjab's pivotal role in combating terrorism. However, his inquiry was met with a dismissive response from Singh, who allegedly instructed Mann to refrain from further discussion on the matter. The prevailing rule, as outlined by Mann, stipulates a week of free military assistance followed by a daily charge of Rs one crore, a policy he deemed unjust and exploitative.

Moreover, Mann criticized the Defense Minister for his lack of engagement in addressing Punjab's security concerns, highlighting a prevailing trend of indifference towards the state's needs.

Also addressing another issue, Mann condemned toll plaza agreements that burdened Punjab residents with excessive charges. He asserted his administration's commitment to shutting down toll plazas that violate agreements.

Furthermore, Mann highlighted efforts to streamline business operations in Punjab, citing initiatives such as introduction of color-coded stamp papers to simplify land transactions. He emphasized the government's focus on facilitating business activities and reducing bureaucratic hurdles, a move aimed at attracting investment and fostering economic growth in the state.
Rachna's ability to excel in two distinct fields is a testament to her versatility, drive, and talent. Rachna Tiwari is a dynamic professional who seamlessly blends into the world of fashion modelling and entrepreneurship.

I met Rachna Tiwari on a shoot quite some time ago. I remember her coming in and guiding the photographer for the best possible shots. During our conversation, I learnt how she was working with Govt. of the Jharkhand IT department for startups, and to be honest, I was awestruck at how she handles two very distinct roles, i.e. fashion and entrepreneurship.

Since then, I spotted her walking on ramps with a seasoned model's expertise and being the featured face for many events and campaigns.

Almost a year and a half later, she got featured in VOGUE India, and I couldn't be prouder.

Rachna Tiwari is a multifaceted professional excelling in entrepreneurship development, fashion modelling, and startup ecosystem. Rachna's journey exemplifies her passion, resilience, and unwavering dedication to excellence. She continues to inspire others with her blend of business acumen and creative flair, making her an ideal role model for aspiring entrepreneurs and models around. With a background in entrepreneurship, the education world, and the fashion industry, Rachna has made a name in both industries, showcasing a unique blend of creativity and business acumen.

On the fashion front, Rachna's modelling career has seen her walk the ramp for renowned brands such as Avon (New York), FBB (Big Bazaar), Tanishq, Lakme, Amazon, Onida, Oriflame, Yamaha, Lenovo, BMW, etc, showcasing her versatility and captivating charm. Her portfolio boasts features in international fashion magazines like VOGUE India and Gladrags, solidifying her status as a professional model. Beyond the glamour of the runway, Rachna is deeply committed to empowering entrepreneurs, especially from her hometown. Rachna's efforts have been widely recognized, earning her accolades from government bodies and industry peers.

The journey to find a career in modelling has not been easy, but Rachna Tiwari never gave up. With vast experience in entrepreneurship, corporate & education fields, the promising model has also carved a niche in fashion and modelling.

Rachna's talent can be gauged from the fact that she was featured in the September edition of VOGUE India magazine while modelling for a fashion designer. Rachna stumbled upon an opportunity to shoot for a designer and eventually got featured in VOGUE India.

She has a stunning demeanour, which is evident by her selection for the final audition of Miss Diva in 2015, finishing second runner-up at the GlamWorld Event in 2017, representing Jharkhand and walking the runway for top brands like Avon (New York-based company) in 2018, BMW (in 2019) and Tanishq (Diamond launch in 2019), Tulsyan Jewellers, Loreal, Matrix, Wella, Nexa, Yamaha, Sree Mangalam jewellers, etc. The model has done E-Commerce shoots, designer shoots, advertisements shoots, hoardings, banners and posters for designers and product launches for brands like LAKME, FBB (BIG BAZAR), Amazon, Ekhadiindia, Darts & Drapes, Loreal, Schwarzkopf, for Mumbai designer Payal & Nikila and has also worked with many photographers.

She has been invited as a jury member, mentor, advisor, or member of the agency of several agencies and fashion houses. She has been invited as jury in XISS, AMITY, BIT Mesra, BIT Deoghar, MR. & MISS KHADI INDIA fashion show, DAINIK JAGRAN fashion show and various other shows. She was also felicitated for serving as one of the eminent jury members by Ex Chief Minister Shri Arjun Munda at the State Khadi & Village Industries Board.

Rachna has been modelling since 2011 and started her career with the Designer Next India, and since then, there has been no looking back. She was also involved with the Swedish Brand Oriflame for product launches in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 and the New York-based brand Avon in 2017. "I started walking the ramp at an early age, thanks to my family, who supported me, especially my sister".

In addition to her modelling experience, Rachna is also a successful entrepreneur with a keen eye for innovation and a passion for fostering startups in India; the state and many govt officials have felicitated Rachna for her stellar contribution to creating an ecosystem in Jharkhand, for her contribution and advisory during DIPPS state startup ranking framework. Her dedication to supporting entrepreneurs has earned her recognition from both the business and the fashion industry. Her innovative approach and commitment to excellence inspire others, making her a true trailblazer in fashion and entrepreneurship.

Her experience from prestigious institutions like IIM Ahmedabad, Khadi India, Govt. of Jharkhand, Rachna has significantly contributed to the startup ecosystem, particularly in her home state, Jharkhand.

Rachna's journey is a testament to her passion, perseverance, and professionalism. Having a management degree from a prestigious varsity, working her way up in one of the best business schools in the country  IIM Ahmedabad, featuring in internationally famous fashion magazines, including VOGUE INDIA & GLADARGS, she can always be trusted and counted.
Stating that as per the Finance Commission, the government can borrow up to 3 percent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said that the ratio of loans taken by the state government is within the limit of 3 percent of GSDP. As the GSDP of the state increases in line with development, the limit of taking loans also increases proportionately.

The state government is borrowing within that limit as much as is required according to the ratio of GSDP, informed Khattar while speaking on the discussions on budget estimates for the fiscal year 2024-25 during the ongoing budget session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.



The Chief Minister said that Congress leaders always claim that the debt figures of their time was Rs 70,000 crores but they never add the debt of DISCOMs which is Rs 27,000 crores. The present State Government had set a target to clear this Rs. 27,000 crores in five years, and by next five years this debt will be paid off, said Khattar.



He said, If Congress leaders do not include this amount of Rs. 27,000 crores in their debt, then we will also have to reduce this amount and share the debt figures accordingly. Besides this, Rs. 17,000 crores have also been reduced from the debt of public sector undertakings of the previous government.



The Chief Minister said that as per the Finance Commission, the government can borrow up to 3 percent of GSDP. During COVID-19, this limit was increased to 3.5 percent. Even then, the state government remained below 3 percent. As much as borrowings are required according to the ratio of GSDP, the state government is taking loans within that limit, Khattar added.



62 Sewage Treatment Plants to combat pollution in River Yamuna and Gurugram Canal



Replying to a question raised by member of House during the ongoing budget session, Haryana Environment, Forests and Wildlife Minster Kanwar Pal Gujjar said that to reduce the pollution load in river Yamuna and consequently in Gurugram Canal, 62 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) of 1129 MLD have been installed and working upstream Okhla Barrage and having effect on Gurugram canal. Out of these 62 STPs, 22 STPs of about 241 MLD capacity have been installed during the last 5 years. In addition, 16 number STPs of 409 MLD capacity are being upgraded to meet stringent standards and 8 new STPs of 253 MLD capacity are being constructed. Further, 5 new STPs of 410 MLD capacity has also been approved. He said that polluted water is being released by the UP, Delhi and Haryana into River Yamuna, which runs into Gurugram Canal downstream of Okhla Barrage. The Government has constituted a high-ranking committee regarding the issue of pollution in Gurgaon Canal with the Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma as its Chairman.



Number of posts of Safai Karmis increased from 11,254 to 18,580



Responding to a question, Haryana Development and Panchayats MinisterDevender Singh Babli stated that the total number of Safai karamcharis has increased from 11,254 to 18,580 in the state. He informed the house that various facilities are now being provided to Safai Karamcharis. He said that the honorarium for sanitation workers has been increased to Rs. 15,000, as recently announced by the Chief Minister. Additionally, a uniform allowance of Rs. 4,000 and an allowance of Rs. 1000 for uniform cleaning have been provided, he added.



Two bills passed



Two bills were passed during the ongoing Haryana Vidhan Sabha Budget Session. These include the Haryana Antrarashtriya Gita Jyanti Mela Authority Bill, 2024, and The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Haryana Amendment Bill, 2024.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has compared the opposition alliance to the Kauravas. He said that no political party in the country stands like a group of patriots of BJP and on the other side stands an alliance of family based parties. The country has to make a choice between these two forces.

Shah was addressing the Vrahad Prabudhjan Conference at Kushabhau Thackeray Auditorium in Bhopal. Here he enumerated the achievements of the government led by Prime Minister Modi and said our country's democracy remained stuck between the four elements casteism, nepotism, appeasement and corruption. Modi destroyed these four within 10 years and established Politics of Performance. First of all Shah reached Gwalior where he held a meeting with the Gwalior-Chambal Cluster Management Committee. After this he addressed the booth workers conference in Khajuraho. Then addressed the conference in Bhopal.

Our country's democracy remained divided between these four. Casteism, nepotism, appeasement and corruption. Shah said "I talk only about 20 years. They would launch Rahul Gandhi with a new look every time in 20 years, but he is such a rocket that it never gets launched, it comes back every time. He has come out again with the same rocket".

There has not been a single allegation of corruption against the Modi government in 10 years. Modi brought the country's economy to number 5. I assure you that Modi has a guarantee. Give the third mandate. The country will become the number three economy. Union Minister Amit Shah, who reached Bhopal, was welcomed by CM Mohan Yadav, State BJP President VD Sharma and former CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan.

Earlier, in the booth workers conference of Khajuraho, he gave a pledge to bloom lotus at every booth. He told the workers that this time they have to win more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. This work cannot be done without booth workers. Therefore, get involved in the goals given by Modi.

Stand like Prime Minister Narendra Modi at each booth to ensure the BJPs victory in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah told BJP workers in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday.

Booth workers should reach out to all beneficiaries [of government schemes], youth, women and farmers. Every booth worker should stand as Narendra Modi at the booth and ensure victory for the BJP, Shah said, addressing partys booth workers in the Khajuraho Lok Sabha constituency. After the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (both partners in the INDIA coalition) announced their seat-sharing arrangements, Akhilesh Yadav-led party is set to contest from the Khajuraho Lok Sabha seat while the Congress will fight in the remaining 28.

Shah was in the State to review the BJPs preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and attended events in Gwalior, Khajuraho and Bhopal.Earlier in the day, the senior BJP leader held a meeting in Gwalior with the partys booth management committees of all four Lok Sabha seats under the Gwalior-Chambal cluster  Morena, Bhind, Guna-Shivpuri, and Gwalior.

Later in the evening, he addressed a gathering of intellectuals and influencers in the State capital. Asking the BJP workers to ensure partys victory in all 29 Lok Sabha seats in the State, Shah said, In 2014, you gave us 27 out of 29 seats, in 2019, it was 28. Last time one seat got left but in 2024, put all 29 seats in Narendra Modis lap and take us beyond 400 seats. In 2019, the BJP had won 28 parliamentary seats in the State with the Congress bagging the lone Chhindwara constituency. Modi has set a target of BJP alone winning more than 370 seats nationwide while the National Democratic Alliance (BJP) crossing the 400-mark.
The budget session of Uttarakhand Assembly started in Dehradun on Monday with the address of the governor lieutenant general (retd) Gurmit Singh. In his address the governor emphatically stated that the State is moving at a fast pace to achieve the target of Sashakt Uttarakhand@25 and exuded confidence that with the active partnership of women, youth and ex-servicemen the State will soon be standing in the category of developed States. He said that the concept of the Sashakt Uttarakhand@25 is a step in the direction of making India a developed country by the year 2047 and to achieve this target the Pushkar Singh Dhami government has set up new dimensions in the financial year 2023-24.

He said that Uttarakhand became the first State in the country to pass the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill in which uniformity in civil and personal laws has been made. Women of all religions and sects have been given equal rights and are empowered in the UCC. The governor said that the Home department has issued a WhatsApp number 9411112780 for women safety. The police personnel are being trained in drone technology and operation for better monitoring, disaster management, traffic management, mapping, payload delivery, e- challan and live tracking. In his address the governor mentioned successful hosting of three meetings of the G20 summit and 24th meeting of the central regional council by the State. He said that the State also organised the global investors summit in December 2023 to attract investment and claimed that the State has a favourable atmosphere for both ease and peace of doing business. The department of Planning has set up Uttarakhand Infrastructure and Investment Development Board (UIIDB) for development and uplifting of the State's economy. The UIIDB will identify the PPP projects, their practicability, determine gap funding and undertake risk analysis. The planning department has also prepared a Sashakt Uttarakhand Implementation Plan to make the State a developed State in the next five years.

Under the Manaskhand Mandir Mala Mission the Tourism department has identified 48 ancient temples and in the first phase 16 temples will be developed. A Bharat Gaurav Manaskhand Express will start operating from April 2024 to the Kathgodam and Tanakpur railway stations. The State government is also working on a plan to develop Badrinath Dham as a smart spiritual hill town. In the new tourism policy-2023, a provision of 50 to 100 per cent grant has been made for attracting investment in the tourism sector.

The governor said that the Higher Education department has implemented one State, one election, one examination and one convocation policy in the colleges and universities of the State. The department is also encouraging research under the CM higher education research encouragement scheme. He said that the education department has started an innovative Apnu School Apnu Praman scheme in Tehri district under which income, caste and domicile certificates are being provided to the students in their schools.

Singh said that a satellite centre of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh is coming up in Udham Singh Nagar district. To strengthen the AYUSH services, the State government has formulated a new AYUSH policy and Indias first Yoga policy. He said that the Forest department is conserving the Bugyals (Alpine meadows) in Rudraprayag, Tehri, Pithoragarh and Badrinath forest ranges using the latest geo jute technology. To promote eco tourism a high power committee under the chief secretary has been set up. Under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), 13 helipads and seven heliports are being developed. The governor said that the long pending Jamrani dam project has been approved under PMKSY of the Centre. Apart from providing 42 MCL drinking water to Haldwani city, the project will irrigate 1.5 lakh hectare land area and produce 63 MU electricity.

Singh said that Uttarakhand received a revenue of Rs 7,341 crore in 2022-23 which is 23 per cent more than last year. The government has started the Bill Lao Inam Pao scheme for the consumer to encourage them to ask for the GST bill. The government has decided to provide one kg of Mandwa per ration card per month from PDS shops under the Uttarakhand State Millet Mission. The Fisheries department will set up a State level integrated aqua park. Under the State integrated cooperative development scheme 45,000 families of the farmers are directly being benefited. The governor said that 51 villages of five blocks of Pithoragarh, Chamoli and Uttarkashi have been earmarked under the vibrant village programme. The Public Works Department has started the Himwant project for slope stabilisation. A PWD patch reporting application has been launched to make the roads free from potholes. The Information department has prepared an attractive film policy in the State under which 146 film producers were given approval to shoot in Uttarakhand.
The Third Regional Consultation Meeting on the Updation of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and adoption of National Biodiversity Targets (NBTs) in alignment with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) was held at the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal under the aegis of National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) on February 26, 2024.

C Achalender Reddy, IFS (Retd.) Chairperson, National Biodiversity Authority inaugurated the consultation meeting and delivered the keynote address. He underlined the importance of having the updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and the process involved in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at COP15 on the Convention of Biological Diversity.

K Ravichandran, Director, IIFM discussed the 2008 National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan as well as the 2014 addendum. He mentioned the need for holding such consultation meetings for the purpose of updating the National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan in accordance with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Raghu Kumar Kodali, Advisor, MoEF&CC laid emphasis on the strategies for reducing threats to biodiversity, ensuring sustainable utilization and equitable benefit sharing to meet the needs of communities, and exploring tools and solutions for effective implementation and mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation efforts.

VN Ambade, PCCF & Member Secretary, Madhya Pradesh State Biodiversity Board in his special address highlighted the biodiversity wealth of Madhya Pradesh on the importance of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and National Biodiversity Targets. B Balaji, IFS, Secretary, National Biodiversity Authority delivered the welcome address and set the context for the two-day deliberation.

In this two-day meeting from 26-27 February, 100 delegates from 10 States and 4 UTs, representing State Biodiversity Boards, State Forest Departments, National Institutions specializing in Natural Resource Management, Subject Matter Specialists, International Organizations like UNDP, WWF and IUCN, officials of MoEF&CC, Community-based organizations, Biodiversity management committees and others are participating in the discussions and deliberations aimed at updating the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and adoption of national biodiversity targets.
Two eicher trucks with same registration plate seized, traffic police sent them to the police station on the complaint of the person.

Under DCP traffic Indore Manish Agrawal and ACP zone 4 Kiran Sharma the traffic police is alert on highway area of outer Indore. The truck driver from Choithram Mandi complained to the on duty Subedar Sumit Bilonia of zone 4 rajendranagar area about another vehicle and said that the same vehicle number as his is being driven by another driver with the same number written on the registration plate which is parked in the Mandi and the Challans are being made in other states and Fastrack toll is also being deducted.

On which Subedar Sumit Bilonia along with his staff Sanjay Tomar and Vijay reached Choithram Mandi where they caught the said Eicher truck and handed it over to Rajendra Nagar police station.
In an appeal issued by the Vishva Hindu Parishad, its working president Alok Kumar said that the VHP was not aligning with any political party but urged voters to cast their ballots considering nationalism and Hindu interests, rising above considerations of caste, religion and creed.

The appeal was made during the ongoing three-day meeting of the VHP Central Board of Trustees and Management Committee held at Karsewakpuram in Ayodhya.

Speaking to the media, Kumar said: "The direction of the next five years depends on the voters of India. We urge them to prioritise nationalism and Hindu interests while exercising their franchise.

He further revealed plans to encourage voter registration drives and strive for 100 per cent voter turnout.

Another proposal discussed during the meeting, introduced by Kameshwar Chaupal, centered on transitioning towards Ram Rajya following the construction of the Shri Ram temple.

This proposal, seconded by Pragya Mahala from Cuttack, aimed to advocate for a society characterised by discipline, culture, dignity, duty and religious adherence.

Kumar emphasised the need to educate individuals about this vision, marking January 22, 2024 as the commencement of the journey towards Ram Rajya from the Ram Mandir.

The VHPs Central Board of Trustees called upon Hindu society to actively contribute to the establishment of a harmonious, prosperous and organised society, rooted in religious values and cultural ethos.

Kumar expressed confidence that with the blessings of Lord Ram, such a society would prioritise the dignity and inclusion of women, environmental protection, and the defeat of disruptive anti-national forces.

Regarding the cases concerning Kashi and Mathura, Kumar said that while the matter was favourable to their cause, a major movement on these issues was not imminent as the legal proceedings were going on.

He also addressed concerns over the increased taxation on Hindu temples in Karnataka, stating that while the VHP does not oppose it, they will engage in a consultative process to express their views.

The statements made during the VHP meeting underscore the organisations commitment to advancing Hindu interests and fostering a society guided by traditional values and nationalism, while also emphasising the importance of civic participation and engagement.
The BJP on Monday alleged the Delhi Jal Board has become a den of corruption under the government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his support for a one-time settlement for the consumers who have received inflated bills is nothing but a "one-time super scam" scheme.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla claimed the scam may be worth around Rs 70,000 crore and said if Kejriwal is serious about waiving the inflated bills of consumers, then he can do it for each of those who have received them.

The proposal has been brought just before the Lok Sabha polls to make more commissions, he told reporters, alleging the AAP government has over the years given contracts to a select group at a price many times over the actual cost in lieu of bribes and commissions.

"The DJB has become a den of all kinds of illegal works and corruption," he said.

The BJP leader said Kejriwal used to accuse his predecessor Sheila Dikshit of corruption in the DJB but maintained the same water metres during his tenure. The AAP leader also claimed in 2016 that his government would use software to do away with the earlier practice but nothing happened, he added.

Taking a swipe at the chief minister for his comment that he should be given a Nobel award for undertaking development works despite the "hurdles" brought by the BJP, which is in power at the Centre, Poonawalla said he should be given a Nobel for his drama and antics.

Kejriwal always plays the victim card, he claimed, asserting that the Delhi chief minister has received no respite from courts despite questioning the Enforcement Directorate's summonses to him in the excise policy scam case.

The chief minister has so far refused to appear before the probe agency. Kejriwal has also been strongly defending his former deputy Manish Sisodia, who is in jail for a year in the same case.

Poonawalla noted that courts have given no relief to Sisodia.

Kejriwal on Sunday asked people in Delhi to vote for the INDIA bloc in the Lok Sabha polls so that their voices can be heard in Parliament and said inflated water bills will be waived if the alliance's candidates are elected.

Speaking at a protest organised by his AAP against inflated water bills, he had said on a lighter note that he should be given the Nobel prize for running the government despite the alleged hurdles created by the BJP.

"If you choose the INDIA bloc this time, Delhi will have its own defence armour and nobody can trouble the people then... No LG will then be able to harm the people of Delhi since we will have a strong representation in Parliament," he had said.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday virtually attended the foundation stone laying ceremony of the redevelopment of Tanakpur, Kashipur and Kotdwar railway stations from the Assembly building in Dehradun.

The redevelopment of the three railway stations in the state at a cost of more than Rs 40 crore will provide state-of-the-art facilities to passengers, besides rail connectivity to the Kumaon region, he said.

Dhami expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the projects and said that the work done by the PM by laying the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 554 railway stations in the country has created another new record.
Police on Monday booked a former Haryana MLA and 11 other people in connection with the murder of the Indian National Lok Dal's state unit president Nafe Singh Rathee and a party worker in Bahadurgarh near Delhi.

Rathee and party worker Jai Kishan were shot dead by assailants on Sunday. Three private gunmen hired by former MLA Rathee for security were also injured in the attack.

In an FIR registered on Monday, police named former MLA Naresh Kaushik, Karambir Rathee, Ramesh Rathee, Satish Rathee, Gaurav Rathee, Rahul and Kamal. The FIR also mentions five unnamed people.

The case has been registered under various IPC sections, including that of murder.

Nafe Singh Rathee's family has refused to cremate his body until those behind the murder were arrested.

The attack on the INLD Haryana unit chief came weeks before the Lok Sabha elections, drawing sharp reactions from opposition parties who alleged a breakdown in law and order in the BJP-ruled state.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Sunday said that not a single culprit involved in this case will be spared. Police have been instructed to arrest the accused as soon as possible and take strictest action, he said.

INLD senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala accused the government of failing to provide Nafe Singh Rathee with security despite a threat to his life. He also demanded a CBI probe into the incident.

The opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party also hit out at the Manohar Lal Khattar government over the incident.
Nepal will soon be making it mandatory for all climbers headed to Mount Everest to carry an electronic chip that would be helpful in rescue in case of any emergency at the worlds highest peak.

The government will soon be formulating a rule for making such a chip mandatory starting from Spring this year when the climbing season starts for Mt. Everest with the opening of the narrow window available to climb extremely high altitudes.

Thousands of climbers from all over the world, including India and Nepal, are attracted to the 8,849 metres (29,032 feet) high Mt Everest, a.k.a. Sagarmatha in Nepali. While scores of them do reach the summit, some either lose their lives or are seriously injured during the ascent or descent.

Since 1953, 300 persons have lost their lives, according to Nepal government data. In the 2023 Spring season, till May 22, Nepali officials said, as many as 12 climbers, including four Nepalese, one Indian, and one Chinese, died during their respective expeditions to Mt Everest.

The Everest base camp is situated at an altitude of 18,000 feet. Any search and rescue operation from the base camp onwards to the Summit becomes a tedious job because of the snow storms, avalanches, and other extreme weather events.

All the climbers to Everest would be provided the electronic chip by the government after paying a certain amount. It will be fitted in the climbers jacket, Rakesh Gurung, Director at the Department of Tourism told PTI.

The chips would cost around USD 10 to USD 15, he said.

According to Gurung, the chip will help make the expeditions safe and facilitate emergency rescue operations.

Some reputed climbing agencies have already provided the electronic chips to their climbers, Gurung said.
Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (OTCMKTS:FMCB  Get Free Report) is one of 167 publicly-traded companies in the National commercial banks industry, but how does it compare to its peers? We will compare Farmers & Merchants Bancorp to similar businesses based on the strength of its risk, dividends, valuation, earnings, analyst recommendations, profitability and institutional ownership.

Dividends

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $17.60 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.8%. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp pays out 15.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, National commercial banks companies pay a dividend yield of 2.9% and pay out 30.3% of their earnings in the form of a dividend.

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Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Farmers & Merchants Bancorp and its peers top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Farmers & Merchants Bancorp $268.67 million $88.31 million 8.57 Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Competitors $186.34 billion $1.88 billion 10.63

Profitability

Farmers & Merchants Bancorps peers have higher revenue and earnings than Farmers & Merchants Bancorp. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry.

This table compares Farmers & Merchants Bancorp and its peers net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Farmers & Merchants Bancorp 32.85% 17.04% 1.68% Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Competitors 17.48% 11.18% 1.04%

Insider and Institutional Ownership

53.4% of shares of all National commercial banks companies are owned by institutional investors. 8.2% of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 8.6% of shares of all National commercial banks companies are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for Farmers & Merchants Bancorp and its peers, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Farmers & Merchants Bancorp 0 0 0 0 N/A Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Competitors 1356 7572 6702 286 2.37

As a group, National commercial banks companies have a potential upside of 39.43%. Given Farmers & Merchants Bancorps peers higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Farmers & Merchants Bancorp has less favorable growth aspects than its peers.

Summary

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp peers beat Farmers & Merchants Bancorp on 7 of the 11 factors compared.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California that provides various banking services to businesses and individuals. The company accepts various deposit products, including checking, savings, money market, time certificates of deposit, and individual retirement accounts. It also offers range of lending products comprising commercial, commercial and residential real estate, real estate construction, agribusiness, and consumer loans, as well as equipment leases and credit card services; commercial products, including term loans, lines of credit and other working capital financing, and letters of credit; and financing products, such as automobile financing, home improvement, and home equity lines of credit. In addition, the company provides various specialized services consisting of credit card programs for merchants, lockbox and other collection services, account reconciliation, investment sweep, online account access, and electronic funds transfers through domestic and international wire and automated clearinghouse; and online banking services. Further, it offers investment products, such as mutual funds and annuities. The company was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in Lodi, California.

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Equitrans Midstream (NYSE:ETRN  Free Report) had its price objective decreased by Morgan Stanley from $13.00 to $12.00 in a report issued on Thursday morning, Benzinga reports. Morgan Stanley currently has an overweight rating on the stock.

A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on ETRN. Wolfe Research lowered Equitrans Midstream from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research report on Monday, December 4th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Equitrans Midstream from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and raised their price objective for the company from $9.00 to $10.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded Equitrans Midstream from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 27th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $10.31.

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Equitrans Midstream Price Performance

NYSE:ETRN opened at $10.48 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.83. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $10.39 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $9.75. The stock has a market cap of $4.54 billion, a PE ratio of 11.78, a P/E/G ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.95. Equitrans Midstream has a 52 week low of $4.60 and a 52 week high of $11.00.

Equitrans Midstream (NYSE:ETRN  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 20th. The company reported $0.32 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.16 by $0.16. The business had revenue of $360.60 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $348.04 million. Equitrans Midstream had a return on equity of 30.41% and a net margin of 30.89%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.13 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Equitrans Midstream will post 0.9 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Equitrans Midstream Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 14th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 6th were paid a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.73%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 5th. Equitrans Midstreams payout ratio is currently 67.42%.

Institutional Trading of Equitrans Midstream

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ETRN. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. lifted its stake in Equitrans Midstream by 8.6% in the first quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 29,538 shares of the companys stock worth $257,000 after purchasing an additional 2,349 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Equitrans Midstream by 2.2% during the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 206,910 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,746,000 after acquiring an additional 4,523 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Equitrans Midstream by 141.4% during the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 36,482 shares of the companys stock valued at $308,000 after acquiring an additional 21,372 shares in the last quarter. AlphaCrest Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Equitrans Midstream during the first quarter valued at approximately $160,000. Finally, Rhumbline Advisers raised its stake in shares of Equitrans Midstream by 2.3% during the first quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 1,311,185 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,066,000 after acquiring an additional 29,595 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.68% of the companys stock.

Equitrans Midstream Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Equitrans Midstream Corporation owns, operates, acquires, and develops midstream assets in the Appalachian Basin. It operates through three segments: Gathering, Transmission, and Water. The company operates dry gas gathering systems of high-pressure gathering lines; FERC-regulated interstate pipelines and storage systems; and water pipelines and other facilities that deliver fresh water from local municipal water authorities, the Monongahela River, the Ohio River, local reservoirs, and several regional waterways.

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The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated their buy rating on shares of Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR  Free Report) in a report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a $70.00 price target on the real estate investment trusts stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on EQR. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on Equity Residential from $60.00 to $59.50 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 17th. Barclays decreased their price target on Equity Residential from $69.00 to $67.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on Equity Residential from $65.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Equity Residential in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a hold rating and a $64.00 price target for the company. Finally, Piper Sandler decreased their price target on Equity Residential from $71.00 to $57.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $66.04.

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Equity Residential Price Performance

NYSE:EQR opened at $60.20 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $22.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.36, a PEG ratio of 3.54 and a beta of 0.84. Equity Residential has a 1 year low of $52.57 and a 1 year high of $69.45. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $60.44 and a 200-day simple moving average of $59.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.30 and a quick ratio of 0.30.

Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 30th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.00 by ($0.18). The company had revenue of $727.50 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $725.07 million. Equity Residential had a net margin of 29.07% and a return on equity of 7.43%. Equity Residentials revenue for the quarter was up 4.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.94 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Equity Residential will post 3.81 EPS for the current year.

Equity Residential Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 12th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 2nd were issued a dividend of $0.6625 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 29th. This represents a $2.65 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.40%. Equity Residentials payout ratio is currently 120.45%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, COO Michael L. Manelis sold 1,639 shares of Equity Residential stock in a transaction on Monday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $59.43, for a total value of $97,405.77. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 31,053 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,845,479.79. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, COO Michael L. Manelis sold 1,639 shares of Equity Residential stock in a transaction on Monday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $59.43, for a total value of $97,405.77. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 31,053 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,845,479.79. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CAO Ian Kaufman sold 716 shares of Equity Residential stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.80, for a total value of $41,384.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 23,949 shares in the company, valued at $1,384,252.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 28,280 shares of company stock worth $1,646,835 in the last ninety days. 1.69% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in Equity Residential by 593.9% during the 3rd quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. now owns 458 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 392 shares during the last quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC purchased a new position in Equity Residential during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Money Concepts Capital Corp purchased a new position in Equity Residential during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Allworth Financial LP grew its stake in Equity Residential by 120.8% during the 4th quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 488 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 267 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Voisard Asset Management Group Inc. purchased a new position in Equity Residential during the 4th quarter worth $33,000. 84.79% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Equity Residential

(Get Free Report)

Equity Residential is committed to creating communities where people thrive. The Company, a member of the S&P 500, is focused on the acquisition, development and management of residential properties located in and around dynamic cities that attract affluent long-term renters. Equity Residential owns or has investments in 305 properties consisting of 80,683 apartment units, with an established presence in Boston, New York, Washington, DC, Seattle, San Francisco and Southern California, and an expanding presence in Denver, Atlanta, Dallas/Ft.

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Woodard & Co. Asset Management Group Inc. ADV cut its position in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 1.6% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 8,190 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 130 shares during the quarter. Woodard & Co. Asset Management Group Inc. ADVs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $793,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Altshuler Shaham Ltd purchased a new stake in Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the second quarter worth approximately $28,000. Halpern Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. CGC Financial Services LLC purchased a new position in Abbott Laboratories in the second quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, FWL Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.70% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Abbott Laboratories

In other news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $108.00, for a total value of $1,620,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,022,916. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the 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 sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,315,537.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the executive vice president now owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,022,916. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on ABT shares. Raymond James lifted their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $124.00 to $127.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. TheStreet raised Abbott Laboratories from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Thursday, December 21st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $116.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $128.00 price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Barclays upped their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $141.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $120.00.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Abbott Laboratories

Abbott Laboratories Stock Performance

ABT stock traded down $0.35 during trading on Monday, hitting $119.11. The company had a trading volume of 716,085 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,362,244. Abbott Laboratories has a 1-year low of $89.67 and a 1-year high of $120.15. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $112.45 and a 200-day moving average price of $104.32. The company has a quick ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The firm has a market cap of $206.68 billion, a PE ratio of 36.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 0.75.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.19. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.65% and a net margin of 14.27%. The business had revenue of $10.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.19 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.03 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.61 earnings per share for the current year.

Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 15th. Investors of record on Monday, April 15th will be given a $0.55 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 12th. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.85%. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is currently 67.48%.

Abbott Laboratories 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 company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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Truvestments Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE  Free Report) by 3.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 14,973 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after purchasing an additional 536 shares during the quarter. Truvestments Capital LLCs holdings in Alexandria Real Estate Equities were worth $1,499,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 8.5% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 17,138,718 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,152,452,000 after purchasing an additional 1,338,634 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,277,135,000. State Street Corp grew its position in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 4.2% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 10,640,279 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,348,934,000 after acquiring an additional 424,932 shares in the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 7.2% in the 2nd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 6,417,616 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $728,340,000 after acquiring an additional 433,107 shares in the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its position in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 51.6% in the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 5,647,863 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $640,976,000 after acquiring an additional 1,923,322 shares in the last quarter. 86.36% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Alexandria Real Estate Equities

In other Alexandria Real Estate Equities news, EVP Kristina Fukuzaki-Carlson sold 2,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.03, for a total value of $292,575.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 30,070 shares in the company, valued at $3,519,092.10. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Kristina Fukuzaki-Carlson sold 2,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.03, for a total transaction of $292,575.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 30,070 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,519,092.10. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Madeleine Thorp Alsbrook sold 4,854 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.55, for a total value of $580,295.70. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 19,740 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,359,917. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 17,354 shares of company stock worth $2,053,571 over the last 90 days. 1.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

ARE has been the subject of several research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. They issued a buy rating and a $140.00 target price for the company. StockNews.com lowered Alexandria Real Estate Equities from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. JMP Securities restated a market outperform rating and set a $140.00 price objective on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Wedbush restated an outperform rating and set a $140.00 price objective on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, Mizuho boosted their price objective on Alexandria Real Estate Equities from $145.00 to $154.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Alexandria Real Estate Equities currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $137.13.

Read Our Latest Research Report on ARE

Alexandria Real Estate Equities Price Performance

Shares of ARE traded down $2.16 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $119.77. The stock had a trading volume of 183,216 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,083,868. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. has a 52 week low of $90.73 and a 52 week high of $154.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 0.26 and a quick ratio of 0.26. The firms 50 day moving average price is $123.54 and its 200-day moving average price is $113.23. The company has a market capitalization of $20.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 225.80, a P/E/G ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 1.06.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE:ARE  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 30th. The real estate investment trust reported ($0.54) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.29 by ($2.83). The firm had revenue of $757.22 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $740.16 million. Alexandria Real Estate Equities had a return on equity of 0.46% and a net margin of 3.59%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.14 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. will post 9.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 29th were paid a $1.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 28th. This represents a $5.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.24%. This is an increase from Alexandria Real Estate Equitiess previous quarterly dividend of $1.24. Alexandria Real Estate Equitiess payout ratio is 940.74%.

About Alexandria Real Estate Equities

(Free Report)

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc (NYSE: ARE), an S&P 500 company, is a best-in-class, mission-driven life science REIT making a positive and lasting impact on the world. As the pioneer of the life science real estate niche since our founding in 1994, Alexandria is the preeminent and longest-tenured owner, operator, and developer of collaborative life science, agtech, and advanced technology mega campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, including Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, and Research Triangle.

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China remains world's largest engine for growth

16:25, February 26, 2024 By Wu Lejun, Wu Qiuyu, Yu Yichun ( People's Daily

Photo taken on Feb. 12, 2024 shows a busy scene of a container terminal of Qingdao port in east China's Shandong province. (People's Daily Online/Han Jiajun)

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently raised its growth forecast for the Chinese economy and other emerging economies in Asia in 2024. At the same time, the IMF has increased its global economic growth forecast for this year by 0.2 percentage points to 3.1 percent due to the resilience of major economies like China.

The IMF pointed out that the lift of China's economic growth forecast reflects the continuation of the strong growth momentum in the Chinese economy last year, which exceeded expectations, as well as the stimulating effect of relevant policies implemented by the Chinese government.

In 2023, China's GDP exceeded 126 trillion yuan ($17.51 trillion), growing 5.2 percent from a year ago. China remains the largest engine of global growth. In January 2024, the country's economic vitality showed signs of recovery, sending positive signals for the year's economic performance.

Not only the IMF, other international financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs and UBS Group AG recently have also released reports indicating that China's consumption and service industries will continue its post-pandemic recovery trend in 2024.

Recently, leaders of international institutions and multinational companies have made frequent visits to China, including a Japanese economic delegation, a delegation led by the World Bank executive director, Danone Group from France, Amway Corp. from the United States and BMW from Germany. They showed confidence in the Chinese market and hoped to deepen practical cooperation with China.

At Xiaomo International Logistics Port in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province, a roll-on/roll-off ship owned by Chinese new energy vehicle maker BYD set sail, carrying over 5,000 Chinese made NEVs and heading towards the Flushing Port in the Netherlands and the Bremerhaven Port in Germany.

In 2023, China became the world's largest exporter of automobiles for the first time. Statistics show that one in every three cars exported by China is an electric passenger vehicle. Last year, China's exports of NEVs, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic modules surpassed 1 trillion yuan, leading the world in market share.

Diesel engines are assembled by robotic arms in a workshop of YTO Group Corporation in Luoyang, central China's Henan province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Yixi)

At the Alashankou port in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China-Europe freight trains departed one after another, carrying daily necessities, automobiles and spare parts, machinery equipment, and other goods manufactured in various parts of China to Europe.

In 2023, China-Europe freight trains made 17,000 trips throughout the year, transporting 1.9 million twenty-foot equivalent units, marking a 6 percent and 18 percent increase, respectively, compared to the previous year.

This "golden channel" of international land transportation has connected 217 cities in 25 countries between China and Europe, injecting continuous momentum into bilateral trade and economic exchanges.

China is the only country with industries across all categories in the United Nations (UN) industrial classification. "Chinese companies have significant advantages in terms of innovation capability, iteration, and manufacturing efficiency, and behind this is China's well-developed industrial chain and its massive market," said Tang Zhimin, director of China ASEAN Studies at the Bangkok-based Panyapiwat Institute of Management.

China is a major trading partner for over 140 countries and regions. Borge Brende, president of the World Economic Forum, noted that China is shifting from investment- and infrastructure-driven growth to innovation-led growth, and it holds a crucial position in global economy and trade.

Sonali Jain-Chandra, chief of an IMF team conducting discussions on the 2023 Article IV Consultation in China, noted that the policies implemented by the Chinese government will have a positive impact on the economy.

She also said that research conducted by the IMF indicated that when China's growth rate rises by 1 percentage point, growth in other countries increases by around 0.3 percentage points.

Photo taken on Feb. 16, 2024 shows a scenic spot in Suqian, east China's Jiangsu province. (People's Daily Online/Ma Haifeng)

She believes that China's economic growth in 2024 will still surpass the global average, making China a major contributor to global economic growth in that year.

In the new year, various regions in China have outlined their "roadmaps" to build a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized.

Shanghai has proposed further advancing high-level reform and opening up, enhancing development momentum and competitiveness, and vigorously promoting pioneering reforms and leading opening-up initiatives in all aspects.

Guizhou province will implement actions to improve the quality and efficiency of foreign trade. Chongqing municipality will advance high-level construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor to build itself into a highland of opening up.

China is focusing on accelerating the development of new productive forces and embracing innovation and transformation as important new trends in its economy.

The country is actively promoting digitalization and green, low-carbon transformation in industries. Xiao Song, global executive vice-president of Siemens, said that foreign companies deeply feel China is becoming an "innovation field" for cutting-edge technologies.

"The fundamentals sustaining China's economic recovery and long-term growth remain unchanged. As an open country, China will continue to bring more cooperation opportunities to the world. The future of China's economy is bright, and we are full of confidence in it," said Liu Sushe, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
Algoma Steel Group Inc. (TSE:ASTL  Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, February 28th, TickerTech reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 29th will be given a dividend of 0.05 per share on Friday, March 29th. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.77%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th.

Algoma Steel Group Trading Up 1.3 %

Shares of Algoma Steel Group stock opened at C$11.33 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of C$1.18 billion, a PE ratio of 17.70 and a beta of 1.57. The company has a current ratio of 2.88, a quick ratio of 1.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 10.83. The firms 50 day moving average is C$12.04 and its 200 day moving average is C$10.68. Algoma Steel Group has a 1 year low of C$8.64 and a 1 year high of C$13.54.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Michael Allan Mcquade sold 200,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$11.62, for a total transaction of C$2,324,000.00. 4.86% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on shares of Algoma Steel Group from C$18.00 to C$17.50 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Cormark lowered their target price on Algoma Steel Group from C$18.25 to C$17.50 in a report on Thursday, February 8th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on Algoma Steel Group from C$16.00 to C$15.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, Beacon Securities cut Algoma Steel Group from a buy rating to a hold rating and boosted their price target for the stock from C$11.00 to C$14.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 2nd.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on ASTL

Algoma Steel Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Algoma Steel Group Inc produces and sells steel products primarily in North America. The company provides flat/sheet steel products, including temper rolling, cold rolled, hot-rolled pickled and oiled products, floor plate, and cut-to-length products for the automotive industry, hollow structural product manufacturers, and the light manufacturing and transportation industries; and plate steel products that consist of rolled, hot-rolled, and heat-treated for use in the construction or manufacture of railcars, buildings, bridges, off-highway equipment, storage tanks, ships, and military applications.

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O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE:BBVA  Free Report) by 25.8% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 1,293,271 shares of the banks stock after buying an additional 265,431 shares during the quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLCs holdings in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria were worth $10,411,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of BBVA. Clarius Group LLC raised its stake in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 2.3% during the 2nd quarter. Clarius Group LLC now owns 58,092 shares of the banks stock valued at $446,000 after purchasing an additional 1,306 shares during the last quarter. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 6.4% during the 3rd quarter. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC now owns 22,609 shares of the banks stock valued at $182,000 after purchasing an additional 1,355 shares during the last quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC raised its stake in shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 4.1% in the 3rd quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC now owns 37,866 shares of the banks stock valued at $305,000 after buying an additional 1,505 shares in the last quarter. Principal Street Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 15.5% in the 2nd quarter. Principal Street Partners LLC now owns 12,164 shares of the banks stock valued at $93,000 after buying an additional 1,628 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC raised its stake in shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 24.4% in the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 8,357 shares of the banks stock valued at $64,000 after buying an additional 1,641 shares in the last quarter. 2.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Trading Down 0.2 %

Shares of BBVA stock opened at $10.21 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $60.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.36, a P/E/G ratio of 0.62 and a beta of 1.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.02. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $9.29 and a 200-day moving average of $8.61. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. has a 52-week low of $6.24 and a 52-week high of $10.25.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria ( NYSE:BBVA Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Monday, January 29th. The bank reported $0.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.35 by $0.02. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria had a net margin of 27.15% and a return on equity of 14.85%. The business had revenue of $8.01 billion during the quarter. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. will post 1.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Separately, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, December 4th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on BBVA

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Company Profile

(Free Report)

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, SA, together with its subsidiaries, provides retail banking, wholesale banking, and asset management services. It offers current accounts; and demand, savings, overnight, time, term, and subordinated deposits. The company also provides loan products; deals in securities; leasing, factoring, brokerage, and asset management services; and manages pension and investment funds.

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Truvestments Capital LLC raised its holdings in BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:BJ  Free Report) by 25.7% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 5,421 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,108 shares during the quarter. Truvestments Capital LLCs holdings in BJs Wholesale Club were worth $387,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of BJ. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in BJs Wholesale Club in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $268,000. HighTower Advisors LLC increased its position in BJs Wholesale Club by 44.3% during the first quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 7,180 shares of the companys stock worth $487,000 after buying an additional 2,203 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of BJs Wholesale Club by 104.7% in the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 10,961 shares of the companys stock valued at $741,000 after acquiring an additional 5,607 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its position in shares of BJs Wholesale Club by 7.4% in the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 12,440 shares of the companys stock valued at $843,000 after acquiring an additional 862 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Great West Life Assurance Co. Can increased its position in BJs Wholesale Club by 7.7% during the 1st quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 74,006 shares of the companys stock worth $5,143,000 after purchasing an additional 5,272 shares in the last quarter. 98.60% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on BJ shares. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of BJs Wholesale Club from $74.00 to $72.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 20th. Gordon Haskett cut shares of BJs Wholesale Club from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $70.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Company reissued an equal weight rating and set a $70.00 price target (down previously from $73.00) on shares of BJs Wholesale Club in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. Roth Mkm reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $63.00 price objective on shares of BJs Wholesale Club in a research report on Monday, November 20th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered BJs Wholesale Club from a buy rating to a hold rating and dropped their target price for the company from $79.00 to $71.00 in a research note on Monday, November 6th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $73.63.

BJs Wholesale Club Trading Up 0.8 %

BJ traded up $0.57 on Monday, reaching $72.20. 293,981 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,116,609. The company has a market cap of $9.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.15, a PEG ratio of 2.54 and a beta of 0.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.12 and a current ratio of 0.73. BJs Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. has a twelve month low of $60.33 and a twelve month high of $78.88. The companys 50 day moving average is $66.51 and its 200-day moving average is $67.58.

Insider Transactions at BJs Wholesale Club

In other BJs Wholesale Club news, SVP Joseph Mcgrail sold 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.87, for a total value of $65,870.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 10,464 shares of the companys stock, valued at $689,263.68. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 2.20% of the companys stock.

BJs Wholesale Club Profile

(Free Report)

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates warehouse clubs on the eastern half of the United States. It provides perishable, general merchandise, gasoline, coupon books, promotions, and other ancillary services. The company sells its products through the websites BJs.com, BerkleyJensen.com, and Wellsleyfarms.com, as well as the mobile app.

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Epoch Investment Partners Inc. lessened its position in Cannae Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CNNE  Free Report) by 3.8% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 378,560 shares of the companys stock after selling 14,978 shares during the quarter. Epoch Investment Partners Inc.s holdings in Cannae were worth $7,056,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in CNNE. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Cannae by 8.0% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 31,874 shares of the companys stock valued at $761,000 after purchasing an additional 2,356 shares during the period. AlphaCrest Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Cannae in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $231,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Cannae by 58.8% in the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 45,297 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,084,000 after purchasing an additional 16,764 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in Cannae by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 6,810,406 shares of the companys stock valued at $162,903,000 after buying an additional 84,346 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in Cannae by 5.9% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,826,358 shares of the companys stock valued at $43,689,000 after buying an additional 101,368 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.28% of the companys stock.

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Cannae Trading Down 1.7 %

Cannae stock opened at $21.84 on Monday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $20.35 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $19.14. Cannae Holdings, Inc. has a 12 month low of $15.93 and a 12 month high of $22.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 1.07.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $25.00 price objective on shares of Cannae in a research report on Thursday. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on Cannae from $27.00 to $26.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Finally, Stephens reduced their price objective on Cannae from $36.00 to $30.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th.

Read Our Latest Report on CNNE

Cannae Company Profile

(Free Report)

Cannae Holdings, Inc is a principal investment firm. The firm primarily invests in restaurants, technology enabled healthcare services, financial services and more. It takes both minority and majority stakes. Cannae Holdings, Inc was founded in 2014 and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE  Free Report) by 4.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 664,415 shares of the technology companys stock after purchasing an additional 25,369 shares during the period. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLCs holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise were worth $11,541,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Natixis Advisors L.P. grew its stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 66.5% during the 3rd quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 450,420 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $7,824,000 after acquiring an additional 179,832 shares in the last quarter. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. now owns 40,596 shares of the technology companys stock worth $705,000 after acquiring an additional 1,270 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp increased its stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 6.6% during the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 14,831,872 shares of the technology companys stock worth $257,630,000 after buying an additional 913,014 shares during the period. Stifel Financial Corp increased its stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 6.8% during the 3rd quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 698,389 shares of the technology companys stock worth $12,131,000 after buying an additional 44,436 shares during the period. Finally, Mariner LLC increased its stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 16.1% during the 3rd quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 229,934 shares of the technology companys stock worth $3,994,000 after buying an additional 31,809 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.15% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Hewlett Packard Enterprise

In other Hewlett Packard Enterprise news, EVP John F. Schultz sold 209,748 shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.40, for a total transaction of $3,439,867.20. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 278,118 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,561,135.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other news, SVP Kirt P. Karros sold 26,127 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.07, for a total transaction of $419,860.89. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 26,130 shares of the companys stock, valued at $419,909.10. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP John F. Schultz sold 209,748 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.40, for a total transaction of $3,439,867.20. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 278,118 shares in the company, valued at $4,561,135.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 303,575 shares of company stock valued at $4,989,141 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.53% of the companys stock.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Stock Performance

NYSE:HPE opened at $15.10 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $19.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 1.20. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has a twelve month low of $13.65 and a twelve month high of $18.14. The company has a current ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $15.97 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $16.37.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, November 28th. The technology company reported $0.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.50 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $7.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.36 billion. Hewlett Packard Enterprise had a net margin of 6.95% and a return on equity of 9.83%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 5.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned ($0.23) earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Hewlett Packard Enterprise will post 1.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 11th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 13th were given a dividend of $0.13 per share. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.44%. This is a boost from Hewlett Packard Enterprises previous quarterly dividend of $0.12. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 12th. Hewlett Packard Enterprises payout ratio is 33.77%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

HPE has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. StockNews.com raised shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 31st. Sanford C. Bernstein cut shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $20.00 to $17.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $16.00 to $15.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 29th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 29th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $17.60.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Profile

(Free Report)

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company provides solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze, and act upon data seamlessly in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Japan. It operates in six segments: Compute, HPC & AI, Storage, Intelligent Edge, Financial Services, and Corporate Investments and Other.

Further Reading

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Shares of Independence Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:IRT  Get Free Report) have earned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the five ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $16.60.

A number of research firms recently issued reports on IRT. JMP Securities reduced their price objective on Independence Realty Trust from $20.00 to $15.00 and set a market outperform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 1st. BMO Capital Markets reissued an underperform rating and issued a $15.00 price target (up previously from $14.00) on shares of Independence Realty Trust in a research note on Friday, December 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on shares of Independence Realty Trust in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a buy rating and a $18.00 price objective on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Independence Realty Trust from $16.00 to $17.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Finally, Barclays cut their price target on shares of Independence Realty Trust from $22.00 to $18.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 20th.

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View Our Latest Analysis on Independence Realty Trust

Institutional Trading of Independence Realty Trust

Independence Realty Trust Trading Down 1.7 %

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Independence Realty Trust by 9.8% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 34,920,804 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $636,257,000 after buying an additional 3,102,418 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Independence Realty Trust by 98.9% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 24,329,328 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $643,267,000 after buying an additional 12,099,993 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Independence Realty Trust by 2.8% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 13,744,998 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $222,218,000 after buying an additional 376,694 shares during the period. Macquarie Group Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of Independence Realty Trust by 11.4% during the 1st quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 9,772,936 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $156,661,000 after buying an additional 1,002,800 shares during the period. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its position in shares of Independence Realty Trust by 1.4% in the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 7,494,895 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $198,165,000 after acquiring an additional 101,479 shares during the period. 85.45% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Shares of IRT stock opened at $14.94 on Monday. Independence Realty Trust has a 1-year low of $11.61 and a 1-year high of $18.77. The company has a market capitalization of $3.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -213.40 and a beta of 1.07. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $15.15 and its 200-day simple moving average is $14.73.

Independence Realty Trust Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 19th. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th were issued a dividend of $0.16 per share. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.28%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 28th. Independence Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio is currently -914.16%.

Independence Realty Trust Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Independence Realty Trust, Inc (NYSE: IRT) is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates multifamily communities, across non-gateway U.S. markets including Atlanta, GA, Dallas, TX, Denver, CO, Columbus, OH, Indianapolis, IN, Raleigh-Durham, NC, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Houston, TX, and Tampa, FL.

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Twin Focus Capital Partners LLC trimmed its stake in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (NYSEARCA:IWS  Free Report) by 16.2% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 123,110 shares of the companys stock after selling 23,750 shares during the period. iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF makes up 2.9% of Twin Focus Capital Partners LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest position. Twin Focus Capital Partners LLCs holdings in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF were worth $12,845,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of IWS. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF during the 1st quarter worth about $26,000. Ambassador Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF in the 1st quarter valued at about $28,000. Pin Oak Investment Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF by 128.9% in the 2nd quarter. Pin Oak Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 293 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $37,000.

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iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF Trading Down 0.2 %

Shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF stock traded down $0.25 on Monday, hitting $118.25. The stock had a trading volume of 228,678 shares, compared to its average volume of 513,465. iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF has a 52-week low of $97.40 and a 52-week high of $118.89. The stock has a market cap of $13.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.62 and a beta of 1.08. The companys 50 day moving average price is $115.48 and its 200 day moving average price is $109.57.

iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF Profile

iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell Midcap Value Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell Midcap Value Index (the Value Index). The Value Index measures the performance of the mid-capitalization value sector of the United States equity market.

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Jacobi Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Capital One Financial Co. (NYSE:COF) by 4.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 2,759 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 107 shares during the period. Jacobi Capital Management LLCs holdings in Capital One Financial were worth $268,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in COF. Capital Research Global Investors acquired a new position in shares of Capital One Financial during the 2nd quarter worth about $874,947,000. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Capital One Financial in the 4th quarter valued at $318,480,000. Berkshire Hathaway Inc boosted its stake in Capital One Financial by 25.7% during the 2nd quarter. Berkshire Hathaway Inc now owns 12,471,030 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,363,957,000 after purchasing an additional 2,549,030 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Capital One Financial by 603.3% during the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,731,554 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $227,336,000 after buying an additional 1,485,339 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Swiss National Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Capital One Financial in the second quarter valued at about $151,073,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.09% of the companys stock.

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Capital One Financial Stock Up 0.7 %

Shares of NYSE COF opened at $135.52 on Monday. Capital One Financial Co. has a 12-month low of $83.93 and a 12-month high of $140.86. The stock has a market cap of $51.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.34, a PEG ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.49. The company has a current ratio of 1.01, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $132.48 and its 200-day simple moving average is $113.58.

Capital One Financial Dividend Announcement

Capital One Financial ( NYSE:COF Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 25th. The financial services provider reported $2.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.50 by ($0.26). Capital One Financial had a net margin of 9.88% and a return on equity of 9.24%. The company had revenue of $9.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.45 billion. As a group, equities analysts predict that Capital One Financial Co. will post 13.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 23rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 12th were issued a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.77%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 9th. Capital One Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 20.08%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have issued reports on the company. Robert W. Baird downgraded Capital One Financial from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and cut their target price for the stock from $150.00 to $145.00 in a research note on Monday, January 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on shares of Capital One Financial from $125.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, December 18th. Evercore ISI reaffirmed an in-line rating and set a $142.00 price target (down previously from $160.00) on shares of Capital One Financial in a research report on Thursday. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on Capital One Financial from $142.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. Finally, TD Cowen initiated coverage on Capital One Financial in a research note on Wednesday, November 1st. They issued a market perform rating and a $106.00 price target on the stock. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Capital One Financial has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $127.01.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on COF

Insider Buying and Selling at Capital One Financial

In other news, Director Ann F. Hackett sold 2,000 shares of Capital One Financial stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.00, for a total transaction of $240,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 59,980 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,197,600. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, Director Ann F. Hackett sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $130.00, for a total transaction of $390,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 54,980 shares in the company, valued at $7,147,400. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Ann F. Hackett sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.00, for a total transaction of $240,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 59,980 shares in the company, valued at $7,197,600. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 75,975 shares of company stock valued at $9,622,638. Insiders own 1.41% of the companys stock.

Capital One Financial Profile

(Free Report)

Capital One Financial Corporation operates as the financial services holding company for the Capital One Bank (USA), National Association; and Capital One, National Association, which provides various financial products and services in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It operates through three segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking, and Commercial Banking.

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Meeder Advisory Services Inc. grew its stake in shares of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM  Free Report) by 3.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 7,018 shares of the restaurant operators stock after acquiring an additional 223 shares during the quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc.s holdings in Yum! Brands were worth $877,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. RB Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Yum! Brands by 9.7% during the 1st quarter. RB Capital Management LLC now owns 4,890 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $580,000 after purchasing an additional 431 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in shares of Yum! Brands by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 761,575 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $90,284,000 after acquiring an additional 3,024 shares in the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new stake in Yum! Brands in the first quarter worth $664,000. Moors & Cabot Inc. increased its position in Yum! Brands by 7.4% in the first quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 7,530 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $893,000 after buying an additional 517 shares during the period. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. increased its position in Yum! Brands by 10.8% in the first quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 2,862 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $339,000 after buying an additional 279 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.17% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently commented on YUM. Barclays lowered their price target on Yum! Brands from $146.00 to $144.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on Yum! Brands from $145.00 to $141.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Oppenheimer raised Yum! Brands from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $154.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Friday, January 5th. Citigroup raised their price target on Yum! Brands from $164.00 to $166.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 8th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus reaffirmed a hold rating and set a $135.00 price target on shares of Yum! Brands in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $144.75.

Insider Activity

In other news, VP David Eric Russell sold 9,919 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.63, for a total value of $1,285,799.97. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 18,661 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,419,025.43. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other Yum! Brands news, CEO David W. Gibbs sold 3,756 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.21, for a total transaction of $485,312.76. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 57,325 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,406,963.25. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, VP David Eric Russell sold 9,919 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.63, for a total value of $1,285,799.97. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 18,661 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,419,025.43. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 17,467 shares of company stock valued at $2,264,717 over the last three months. Insiders own 0.31% of the companys stock.

Yum! Brands Trading Down 0.2 %

NYSE:YUM opened at $138.04 on Monday. Yum! Brands, Inc. has a 1-year low of $115.53 and a 1-year high of $143.24. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $130.68 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $127.53. The firm has a market capitalization of $38.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.74, a PEG ratio of 2.18 and a beta of 1.09.

Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 7th. The restaurant operator reported $1.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.39 by ($0.13). The firm had revenue of $2.04 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.11 billion. Yum! Brands had a negative return on equity of 17.76% and a net margin of 22.57%. The firms quarterly revenue was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.31 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Yum! Brands, Inc. will post 5.73 earnings per share for the current year.

Yum! Brands Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 21st will be given a $0.67 dividend. This represents a $2.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.94%. This is a boost from Yum! Brandss previous quarterly dividend of $0.61. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 20th. Yum! Brandss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 47.94%.

Yum! Brands Company Profile

(Free Report)

Yum! Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, operates, and franchises quick service restaurants worldwide. The company operates through four segments: the KFC Division, the Taco Bell Division, the Pizza Hut Division, and the Habit Burger Grill Division. It operates restaurants under the KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill brands, which specialize in chicken, pizza, made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches, Mexican-style food categories, and other food products.

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Meeder Advisory Services Inc. reduced its position in shares of RTX Co. (NYSE:RTX  Free Report) by 17.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 16,555 shares of the companys stock after selling 3,457 shares during the period. Meeder Advisory Services Inc.s holdings in RTX were worth $1,191,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC bought a new position in RTX during the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Quarry LP bought a new position in RTX during the 1st quarter worth $28,000. Legacy Financial Group LLC bought a new position in RTX during the 3rd quarter worth $35,000. VitalStone Financial LLC grew its stake in RTX by 136.5% during the 2nd quarter. VitalStone Financial LLC now owns 369 shares of the companys stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 213 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Milestone Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in RTX during the 3rd quarter worth $37,000. 79.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. Bank of America upgraded RTX from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $78.00 to $100.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Barclays raised their target price on RTX from $75.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on RTX from $82.00 to $88.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Monday, January 22nd. UBS Group raised their target price on RTX from $93.00 to $96.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, Robert W. Baird reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $94.00 target price (up previously from $88.00) on shares of RTX in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $91.71.

RTX Stock Up 0.5 %

RTX stock opened at $90.48 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.78. The stock has a market capitalization of $120.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.18, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.89. The business has a 50-day moving average of $87.60 and a 200-day moving average of $82.32. RTX Co. has a fifty-two week low of $68.56 and a fifty-two week high of $104.91.

RTX (NYSE:RTX  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The company reported $1.29 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.04. RTX had a return on equity of 10.34% and a net margin of 4.64%. The firm had revenue of $19.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $19.74 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.27 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that RTX Co. will post 5.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

RTX Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 21st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 23rd will be given a $0.59 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 22nd. This represents a $2.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.61%. RTXs payout ratio is 105.36%.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Shane G. Eddy sold 35,456 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.19, for a total value of $3,233,232.64. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 6,741 shares of the companys stock, valued at $614,711.79. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, EVP Ramsaran Maharajh sold 312 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.17, for a total transaction of $28,757.04. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 11,676 shares in the company, valued at $1,076,176.92. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Shane G. Eddy sold 35,456 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.19, for a total value of $3,233,232.64. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 6,741 shares in the company, valued at approximately $614,711.79. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 37,680 shares of company stock valued at $3,438,681 over the last three months. Insiders own 0.11% of the companys stock.

RTX Company Profile

(Free Report)

RTX Corporation, an aerospace and defense company, provides systems and services for the commercial, military, and government customers worldwide. It operates through four segments: Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, and Raytheon Missiles & Defense. The Collins Aerospace Systems segment offers aerospace and defense products, and aftermarket service solutions for aircraft manufacturers and airlines, as well as regional, business, and general aviation; and for defense and commercial space operations.

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Meteora Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Generation Asia I Acquisition Limited (NYSE:GAQ  Free Report) during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund bought 272,553 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,922,000.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BCK Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Generation Asia I Acquisition during the third quarter worth $499,000. Spartan Fund Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Generation Asia I Acquisition during the third quarter worth $89,000. K2 Principal Fund L.P. acquired a new position in Generation Asia I Acquisition in the second quarter valued at $1,059,000. Castle Creek Arbitrage LLC acquired a new position in Generation Asia I Acquisition in the second quarter valued at $2,104,000. Finally, Wolverine Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Generation Asia I Acquisition by 48.4% in the third quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC now owns 386,682 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,157,000 after acquiring an additional 126,082 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 66.94% of the companys stock.

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Generation Asia I Acquisition Price Performance

Generation Asia I Acquisition stock traded down $0.03 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $10.96. The stock had a trading volume of 39,600 shares, compared to its average volume of 37,875. Generation Asia I Acquisition Limited has a twelve month low of $10.24 and a twelve month high of $11.20. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $10.94 and its 200 day simple moving average is $10.82.

Generation Asia I Acquisition Company Profile

Generation Asia I Acquisition Limited does not have significant operations. It focuses on effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or related business combination with one or more businesses. The company was incorporated in 2021 and is based in Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands.

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Morse Asset Management Inc lowered its stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM  Free Report) by 23.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,190 shares of the semiconductor companys stock after selling 1,000 shares during the period. Morse Asset Management Incs holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were worth $277,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of TSM. Baystate Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 1,333.3% during the second quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 258 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 240 shares in the last quarter. MBM Wealth Consultants LLC acquired a new position in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC grew its position in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 334.8% in the 2nd quarter. Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC now owns 287 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 221 shares during the period. PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, First Financial Corp IN bought a new position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 16.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Price Performance

Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing stock opened at $129.99 on Monday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $112.80 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $99.82. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited has a twelve month low of $81.21 and a twelve month high of $135.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $674.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a quick ratio of 2.13, a current ratio of 2.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Cuts Dividend

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ( NYSE:TSM Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 18th. The semiconductor company reported $1.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $0.07. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing had a return on equity of 25.24% and a net margin of 38.80%. The business had revenue of $19.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $18.99 billion. Analysts forecast that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited will post 6.17 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 11th. Investors of record on Thursday, June 13th will be given a $0.4408 dividend. This represents a $1.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.36%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 13th. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings payout ratio is currently 29.54%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on TSM. Needham & Company LLC increased their price objective on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $115.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, January 19th. Susquehanna lifted their price target on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $130.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. TD Cowen lifted their target price on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $85.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Friday, January 12th. StockNews.com raised Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 8th. Finally, Barclays raised their price target on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 19th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $128.25.

Read Our Latest Research Report on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing

About Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing

(Free Report)

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, packages, tests, and sells integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices in Taiwan, China, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, the United States, and internationally. It provides complementary metal oxide silicon wafer fabrication processes to manufacture logic, mixed-signal, radio frequency, and embedded memory semiconductors.

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MQS Management LLC lifted its holdings in The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY  Free Report) by 8.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,905 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 233 shares during the period. MQS Management LLCs holdings in Hershey were worth $581,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in HSY. Institutional & Family Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Hershey during the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Hershey during the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Costello Asset Management INC purchased a new position in shares of Hershey during the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Zions Bancorporation N.A. increased its position in shares of Hershey by 121.3% during the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 135 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares during the period. Finally, Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO purchased a new position in Hershey during the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 56.47% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Hershey

In related news, CAO Jennifer Mccalman sold 453 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $198.54, for a total value of $89,938.62. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 1,862 shares in the company, valued at approximately $369,681.48. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other Hershey news, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of Hershey stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.07, for a total value of $273,105.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 31,316 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,701,704.12. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Jennifer Mccalman sold 453 shares of Hershey stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $198.54, for a total value of $89,938.62. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 1,862 shares of the companys stock, valued at $369,681.48. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 5,518 shares of company stock worth $1,042,669 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.22% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Hershey in a report on Thursday, February 1st. They set a neutral rating and a $213.00 price objective on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Hershey from $195.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $213.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Mizuho cut their price objective on shares of Hershey from $195.00 to $180.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 31st. Finally, Bank of America lowered shares of Hershey from a buy rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $250.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Friday, December 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have assigned a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Hershey has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $228.33.

View Our Latest Stock Report on Hershey

Hershey Price Performance

Hershey stock opened at $193.26 on Monday. The companys fifty day moving average price is $190.56 and its 200 day moving average price is $196.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a current ratio of 0.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $39.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.42, a P/E/G ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 0.36. The Hershey Company has a 1 year low of $178.82 and a 1 year high of $276.88.

Hershey (NYSE:HSY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $2.02 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.95 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $2.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.72 billion. Hershey had a return on equity of 51.79% and a net margin of 16.67%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.02 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that The Hershey Company will post 9.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hershey Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be issued a dividend of $1.37 per share. This represents a $5.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.84%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 16th. This is a positive change from Hersheys previous quarterly dividend of $1.19. Hersheys payout ratio is currently 60.55%.

Hershey Profile

(Free Report)

The Hershey Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of confectionery products and pantry items in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International. It offers chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery products; gum and mint refreshment products, including mints, chewing gums, and bubble gums; pantry items, such as baking ingredients, toppings, beverages, and sundae syrups; and snack items comprising spreads, bars, snack bites, mixes, popcorn, and pretzels.

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MQS Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Tanger Inc. (NYSE:SKT  Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 25,240 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock, valued at approximately $570,000.

Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its stake in Tanger by 4.3% during the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 11,968 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $270,000 after acquiring an additional 496 shares in the last quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. boosted its stake in Tanger by 7.6% during the second quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 8,444 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $186,000 after acquiring an additional 597 shares in the last quarter. M&T Bank Corp boosted its stake in Tanger by 6.0% during the third quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 10,623 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $144,000 after acquiring an additional 602 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC boosted its stake in Tanger by 1.9% during the second quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 34,682 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $765,000 after acquiring an additional 655 shares in the last quarter. Finally, US Bancorp DE boosted its stake in Tanger by 10.3% during the second quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 8,804 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $194,000 after acquiring an additional 822 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 84.94% of the companys stock.

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Tanger Stock Down 0.3 %

SKT opened at $28.69 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 0.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $27.53 and a 200-day moving average price of $25.19. Tanger Inc. has a twelve month low of $17.22 and a twelve month high of $29.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.28, a PEG ratio of 3.60 and a beta of 1.83.

Tanger Dividend Announcement

Analyst Ratings Changes

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 31st were issued a dividend of $0.26 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 30th. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.62%. Tangers payout ratio is 113.04%.

SKT has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Compass Point cut shares of Tanger from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $26.00 target price for the company. in a report on Wednesday, November 8th. Evercore ISI lifted their target price on shares of Tanger from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Tanger from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $27.00 to $29.00 in a report on Monday, December 18th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $25.50.

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Tanger Profile

(Free Report)

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc (NYSE: SKT), a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers, fully or partially owns and/or manages a portfolio of 37 centers, including the newly opened Tanger Outlets Nashville. Tanger's operating centers, which comprise over 14 million square feet, are located in 20 states and in Canada and are leased to over 2,900 stores operated by more than 700 different brand name companies.

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Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE:NCLH  Get Free Report) is set to release its earnings data before the market opens on Tuesday, February 27th. Analysts expect Norwegian Cruise Line to post earnings of ($0.13) per share for the quarter. Persons interested in participating in the companys earnings conference call can do so using this link.

Norwegian Cruise Line Price Performance

NYSE:NCLH opened at $16.17 on Monday. Norwegian Cruise Line has a 52 week low of $12.15 and a 52 week high of $22.75. The company has a quick ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 0.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 28.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.88 billion, a PE ratio of -26.51 and a beta of 2.60. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $17.89 and its 200-day moving average price is $16.60.

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Institutional Trading of Norwegian Cruise Line

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Norwegian Cruise Line by 1.9% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 46,714,581 shares of the companys stock valued at $530,678,000 after acquiring an additional 863,553 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in shares of Norwegian Cruise Line by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 23,716,207 shares of the companys stock worth $318,983,000 after acquiring an additional 77,389 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors raised its position in shares of Norwegian Cruise Line by 15.7% during the 1st quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 21,242,007 shares of the companys stock worth $464,775,000 after acquiring an additional 2,875,079 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Norwegian Cruise Line by 4.3% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 14,087,436 shares of the companys stock worth $306,683,000 after acquiring an additional 583,581 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its position in shares of Norwegian Cruise Line by 31.7% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 10,184,791 shares of the companys stock worth $204,105,000 after acquiring an additional 2,450,434 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 60.49% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on NCLH. Tigress Financial reiterated a strong-buy rating and issued a $32.00 target price on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line in a research report on Friday, December 15th. Wells Fargo & Company restated an equal weight rating and set a $18.00 price target on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line in a report on Friday, January 5th. StockNews.com lowered Norwegian Cruise Line from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 15th. Susquehanna lifted their target price on Norwegian Cruise Line from $14.00 to $20.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, Truist Financial decreased their price target on Norwegian Cruise Line from $20.00 to $17.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $19.61.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a cruise company in North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands. It offers itineraries ranging from three days to a 180-days calling on various locations, including destinations in Scandinavia, Russia, the Mediterranean, the Greek Isles, Alaska, Canada and New England, Hawaii, Asia, Tahiti and the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, Africa, India, South America, the Panama Canal, and the Caribbean.

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O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO  Free Report) by 0.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 185,255 shares of the mining companys stock after buying an additional 356 shares during the period. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLCs holdings in Rio Tinto Group were worth $11,790,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Cowa LLC bought a new stake in shares of Rio Tinto Group during the 1st quarter worth about $26,000. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC bought a new stake in shares of Rio Tinto Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. First Manhattan Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Rio Tinto Group by 555.4% during the 4th quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 426 shares of the mining companys stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 361 shares during the period. Spotlight Asset Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Rio Tinto Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $32,000. Finally, SouthState Corp bought a new stake in shares of Rio Tinto Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. Institutional investors own 10.03% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have issued reports on RIO shares. BNP Paribas raised shares of Rio Tinto Group from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, December 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on shares of Rio Tinto Group in a report on Friday, January 12th. They issued a buy rating for the company. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Rio Tinto Group from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, November 10th. Finally, Liberum Capital raised shares of Rio Tinto Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Rio Tinto Group currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $72.00.

Rio Tinto Group Stock Down 2.4 %

Shares of NYSE:RIO opened at $64.38 on Monday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $70.26 and a 200-day moving average of $66.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a current ratio of 1.69. Rio Tinto Group has a 12 month low of $58.27 and a 12 month high of $75.30.

Rio Tinto Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be given a $2.58 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. This is a boost from Rio Tinto Groups previous semi-annual dividend of $1.77. This represents a dividend yield of 6.6%.

Rio Tinto Group Profile

(Free Report)

Rio Tinto Group engages in exploring, mining, and processing mineral resources worldwide. The company operates through Iron Ore, Aluminium, Copper, and Minerals Segments. It offers aluminum, copper, iron ore, diamonds, gold, borates, titanium dioxide, salt, silver, molybdenum, and lithium. The company also owns and operates open pit and underground mines, refineries, smelters, and concentrator facilities, as well as power stations, research, and service facilities.

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O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (NYSE:HMC  Free Report) by 11.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 481,775 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 49,278 shares during the period. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLCs holdings in Honda Motor were worth $16,207,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in Honda Motor by 1.8% during the third quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 18,082 shares of the companys stock valued at $608,000 after acquiring an additional 315 shares in the last quarter. Lincoln National Corp raised its position in Honda Motor by 4.1% during the second quarter. Lincoln National Corp now owns 9,159 shares of the companys stock valued at $278,000 after acquiring an additional 360 shares in the last quarter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC raised its position in Honda Motor by 1.0% during the third quarter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC now owns 40,601 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,366,000 after acquiring an additional 414 shares in the last quarter. Spire Wealth Management raised its position in Honda Motor by 52.2% during the second quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 1,233 shares of the companys stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 423 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Private Trust Co. NA raised its position in Honda Motor by 77.6% during the third quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 975 shares of the companys stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 426 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 5.32% of the companys stock.

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Honda Motor Price Performance

Shares of HMC opened at $35.55 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $60.81 billion, a PE ratio of 8.45, a PEG ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 0.69. The firms 50 day moving average price is $32.62 and its 200 day moving average price is $32.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.45. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has a twelve month low of $24.60 and a twelve month high of $36.82.

Honda Motor Profile

Honda Motor ( NYSE:HMC Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 9th. The company reported $1.06 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.85 by $0.21. The company had revenue of $36.50 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $37.68 billion. Honda Motor had a return on equity of 8.04% and a net margin of 5.05%. As a group, research analysts expect that Honda Motor Co., Ltd. will post 4.26 EPS for the current fiscal year.

(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.

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O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC reduced its position in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP  Free Report) (TSE:CP) by 2.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 199,576 shares of the transportation companys stock after selling 5,633 shares during the period. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLCs holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City were worth $14,838,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 4.1% in the third quarter. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,556 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $265,000 after acquiring an additional 141 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC boosted its holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 0.3% in the third quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 51,089 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $3,802,000 after acquiring an additional 148 shares during the last quarter. Haverford Trust Co lifted its stake in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 0.7% in the second quarter. Haverford Trust Co now owns 23,037 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,861,000 after buying an additional 150 shares during the period. FirstPurpose Wealth LLC lifted its stake in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 4.7% in the third quarter. FirstPurpose Wealth LLC now owns 3,399 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $253,000 after buying an additional 154 shares during the period. Finally, Keybank National Association OH lifted its stake in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 0.4% in the third quarter. Keybank National Association OH now owns 42,155 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $3,137,000 after buying an additional 159 shares during the period. 67.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have issued reports on CP shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $121.00 to $116.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered Canadian Pacific Kansas City from a buy rating to a hold rating and dropped their price target for the company from $85.00 to $77.00 in a research note on Monday, November 27th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $78.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. TD Securities lowered Canadian Pacific Kansas City from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Finally, Susquehanna lowered their target price on Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $87.00 to $85.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Canadian Pacific Kansas City presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $92.94.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Stock Up 0.3 %

CP stock opened at $86.52 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 0.70. The company has a market capitalization of $80.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.55, a PEG ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 0.94. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited has a fifty-two week low of $68.92 and a fifty-two week high of $86.91. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $80.62 and a 200-day moving average of $76.77.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (NYSE:CP  Get Free Report) (TSE:CP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.83 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $2.77 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.71 billion. Canadian Pacific Kansas City had a return on equity of 8.60% and a net margin of 31.29%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited will post 3.22 earnings per share for the current year.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 29th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.1415 per share. This is a boost from Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys previous quarterly dividend of $0.14. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $0.57 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.65%. Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys dividend payout ratio is 18.15%.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Company Profile

(Free Report)

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates a transcontinental freight railway in Canada and the United States. The company transports bulk commodities, including grain, coal, potash, fertilizers, and sulphur; and merchandise freight, such as energy, chemicals and plastics, metals, minerals and consumer, automotive, and forest products.

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StockNews.com upgraded shares of Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY  Free Report) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Thursday morning.

A number of other analysts have also issued reports on the company. Stephens reiterated an overweight rating and set a $74.00 price objective on shares of Occidental Petroleum in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Occidental Petroleum from $59.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, February 16th. Truist Financial decreased their target price on Occidental Petroleum from $80.00 to $77.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 16th. Morgan Stanley upgraded Occidental Petroleum from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $68.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Monday, December 11th. Finally, Raymond James cut their price objective on Occidental Petroleum from $70.00 to $68.00 and set a strong-buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $70.06.

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Occidental Petroleum Stock Performance

Shares of OXY opened at $60.02 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $52.79 billion, a PE ratio of 15.35, a PEG ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 1.64. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $58.64 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $61.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.69. Occidental Petroleum has a 1 year low of $55.12 and a 1 year high of $67.67.

Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 15th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.74. Occidental Petroleum had a return on equity of 20.63% and a net margin of 16.24%. The company had revenue of $7.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.93 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.61 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Occidental Petroleum will post 3.88 EPS for the current year.

Occidental Petroleum Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be given a dividend of $0.22 per share. This is a positive change from Occidental Petroleums previous quarterly dividend of $0.18. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.47%. Occidental Petroleums dividend payout ratio is presently 22.51%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Occidental Petroleum

In other Occidental Petroleum news, major shareholder Berkshire Hathaway Inc purchased 1,743,124 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 21st. The stock was acquired at an average price of $60.26 per share, with a total value of $105,040,652.24. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 243,715,804 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $14,686,314,349.04. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders acquired 8,720,708 shares of company stock valued at $505,766,000 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.31% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Steward Financial Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Occidental Petroleum in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Occidental Petroleum in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Orion Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Occidental Petroleum in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. TLW Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Occidental Petroleum in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Grove Bank & Trust raised its position in shares of Occidental Petroleum by 86.0% in the 4th quarter. Grove Bank & Trust now owns 519 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 240 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 77.54% of the companys stock.

Occidental Petroleum Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Occidental Petroleum Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and gas properties in the United States, the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America. It operates through three segments: Oil and Gas, Chemical, and Midstream and Marketing.

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Operose Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF (BATS:BBEU  Free Report) in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 3,839 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $195,000.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its position in shares of JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF by 29.3% in the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 6,092,811 shares of the companys stock valued at $325,234,000 after buying an additional 1,382,003 shares during the last quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP lifted its holdings in JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF by 4,933.3% during the 4th quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP now owns 591,510 shares of the companys stock worth $28,688,000 after purchasing an additional 579,758 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF by 53.6% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 258,158 shares of the companys stock worth $12,521,000 after purchasing an additional 90,064 shares during the last quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC lifted its holdings in JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF by 394.1% during the 1st quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC now owns 189,621 shares of the companys stock worth $10,406,000 after purchasing an additional 151,243 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF by 15.1% during the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 132,036 shares of the companys stock worth $6,404,000 after purchasing an additional 17,359 shares during the last quarter.

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JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF Stock Performance

BATS:BBEU opened at $57.72 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $7.12 billion, a PE ratio of 10.98 and a beta of 0.93. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $56.07 and its 200 day moving average price is $53.57.

JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF Company Profile

The JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF (BBEU) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund tracks a market cap-weighted index of large- and mid-cap stocks in developed European countries. BBEU was launched on Jun 15, 2018 and is managed by JPMorgan Chase.

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Operose Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund acquired 1,382 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $126,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Stone House Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 55.3% in the 2nd quarter. Stone House Investment Management LLC now owns 177 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its holdings in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 165.3% during the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 199 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 124 shares in the last quarter. Lee Financial Co acquired a new position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 2nd quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Steward Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 2nd quarter worth $37,000. 6.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on NVO shares. Morgan Stanley started coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. They set an overweight rating and a $120.00 price target for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and set a $140.00 price target on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. TD Cowen boosted their price target on Novo Nordisk A/S from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Finally, UBS Group assumed coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. They set a neutral rating on the stock. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Novo Nordisk A/S has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $121.25.

Novo Nordisk A/S Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of NVO stock opened at $122.98 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $551.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.64, a P/E/G ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 0.41. Novo Nordisk A/S has a twelve month low of $67.66 and a twelve month high of $124.86. The company has a quick ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $110.51 and its 200 day simple moving average is $91.49.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The company reported $0.71 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.66 by $0.05. Novo Nordisk A/S had a return on equity of 90.36% and a net margin of 36.03%. The firm had revenue of $9.51 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.14 billion. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Novo Nordisk A/S Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 25th will be given a $0.664 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 22nd. This is a positive change from Novo Nordisk A/Ss previous Semi-Annual dividend of $0.22. Novo Nordisk A/Ss payout ratio is 22.92%.

Novo Nordisk A/S Company Profile

(Free Report)

Novo Nordisk A/S, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North America, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity Care, and Rare Disease.

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Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its position in shares of The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) by 8.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,762 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 212 shares during the period. Parkside Financial Bank & Trusts holdings in Southern were worth $179,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Bollard Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Southern by 1.0% in the 2nd quarter. Bollard Group LLC now owns 431,500 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $30,313,000 after purchasing an additional 4,082 shares during the last quarter. Cullinan Associates Inc. boosted its stake in Southern by 200.9% during the third quarter. Cullinan Associates Inc. now owns 76,227 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $4,933,000 after buying an additional 50,897 shares during the period. Elevated Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in Southern by 2.4% during the second quarter. Elevated Capital Advisors LLC now owns 24,377 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,712,000 after acquiring an additional 582 shares during the last quarter. Aspen Grove Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of Southern by 63.1% in the second quarter. Aspen Grove Capital LLC now owns 4,965 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $349,000 after acquiring an additional 1,921 shares during the period. Finally, Commerce Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Southern by 6.6% in the 2nd quarter. Commerce Bank now owns 108,811 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $7,644,000 after acquiring an additional 6,750 shares during the last quarter. 62.85% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Southern Trading Up 0.6 %

NYSE SO opened at $67.69 on Monday. The Southern Company has a one year low of $61.56 and a one year high of $75.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a current ratio of 0.77. The company has a market capitalization of $73.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.22 and a beta of 0.50. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $69.26 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $68.69.

Southern Dividend Announcement

Southern ( NYSE:SO Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 15th. The utilities provider reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $6.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.90 billion. Southern had a net margin of 15.79% and a return on equity of 11.40%. Southerns revenue was down 14.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.26 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that The Southern Company will post 4.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 6th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.14%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 16th. Southerns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 77.14%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms recently weighed in on SO. Scotiabank lowered shares of Southern from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and set a $78.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. StockNews.com raised Southern from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $80.00 price objective on shares of Southern in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Southern from $66.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on shares of Southern from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Southern has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $73.46.

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Insider Activity at Southern

In other Southern news, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 899 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.06, for a total transaction of $60,286.94. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,502 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,508,984.12. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 899 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.06, for a total transaction of $60,286.94. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,502 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,508,984.12. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider David P. Poroch sold 10,099 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.96, for a total value of $706,526.04. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 28,691 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,007,222.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 25,998 shares of company stock valued at $1,817,613 over the last quarter. 0.37% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Southern Profile

(Free Report)

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.

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Profund Advisors LLC decreased its position in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 11.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 14,984 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,884 shares during the period. Profund Advisors LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $1,387,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of PM. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC increased its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 10.4% in the 2nd quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 213,136 shares of the companys stock valued at $20,806,000 after acquiring an additional 20,104 shares during the last quarter. Aspen Grove Capital LLC lifted its position in Philip Morris International by 13.0% during the 2nd quarter. Aspen Grove Capital LLC now owns 4,756 shares of the companys stock worth $470,000 after acquiring an additional 547 shares during the period. Berger Financial Group Inc lifted its position in Philip Morris International by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. Berger Financial Group Inc now owns 3,902 shares of the companys stock worth $381,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its position in Philip Morris International by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 120,894 shares of the companys stock worth $11,802,000 after acquiring an additional 1,764 shares during the period. Finally, Elevated Capital Advisors LLC lifted its position in Philip Morris International by 2.8% during the 2nd quarter. Elevated Capital Advisors LLC now owns 17,016 shares of the companys stock worth $1,661,000 after acquiring an additional 471 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.70% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have weighed in on PM. UBS Group cut Philip Morris International from a buy rating to a sell rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $105.00 to $86.50 in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Redburn Atlantic started coverage on Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, November 16th. They issued a neutral rating and a $95.00 price target for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. Finally, Societe Generale raised Philip Morris International from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $87.50 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $105.40.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Wilde Frederic De sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $94.25, for a total value of $942,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 198,447 shares in the company, valued at $18,703,629.75. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.15% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Philip Morris International Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE:PM opened at $91.56 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $142.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.24, a P/E/G ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.63. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 52 week low of $87.23 and a 52 week high of $101.92. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $92.56 and a 200-day simple moving average of $92.90.

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.44 by ($0.08). Philip Morris International had a net margin of 8.53% and a negative return on equity of 116.29%. The firm had revenue of $9.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.99 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.39 EPS. Philip Morris Internationals revenue was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 21st were paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.68%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 20th. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio is presently 103.59%.

About Philip Morris International

(Free Report)

Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches.

Further Reading

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Profund Advisors LLC cut its holdings in shares of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX  Free Report) by 6.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 37,922 shares of the natural resource companys stock after selling 2,535 shares during the quarter. Profund Advisors LLCs holdings in Freeport-McMoRan were worth $1,414,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in FCX. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new position in shares of Freeport-McMoRan during the 1st quarter worth about $26,000. KB Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in Freeport-McMoRan in the 1st quarter valued at about $26,000. Retirement Group LLC grew its stake in Freeport-McMoRan by 97.1% in the 2nd quarter. Retirement Group LLC now owns 670 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 330 shares during the last quarter. Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Freeport-McMoRan in the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, ICA Group Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Freeport-McMoRan in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. 77.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

FCX has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. UBS Group decreased their target price on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $42.00 to $41.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. Raymond James increased their target price on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $42.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and set a $55.00 target price on shares of Freeport-McMoRan in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded shares of Freeport-McMoRan from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their target price for the stock from $41.00 to $48.50 in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $41.00 to $40.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $44.95.

Freeport-McMoRan Stock Performance

Shares of Freeport-McMoRan stock opened at $38.96 on Monday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $40.10 and a 200-day moving average of $38.34. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. has a 1-year low of $32.83 and a 1-year high of $44.70. The company has a current ratio of 2.42, a quick ratio of 1.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The company has a market cap of $55.88 billion, a PE ratio of 30.68 and a beta of 2.06.

Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 24th. The natural resource company reported $0.27 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.23 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $5.91 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.85 billion. Freeport-McMoRan had a net margin of 8.09% and a return on equity of 8.41%. The firms revenue was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.52 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Freeport-McMoRan Inc. will post 1.51 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Freeport-McMoRan Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 1st. Investors of record on Friday, January 12th were paid a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.54%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 11th. Freeport-McMoRans payout ratio is 23.62%.

Freeport-McMoRan Company Profile

(Free Report)

Freeport-McMoRan Inc engages in the mining of mineral properties in North America, South America, and Indonesia. It primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and other metals. The company's assets include the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona; Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico; and Henderson and Climax in Colorado, North America, as well as Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile.

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Samalin Investment Counsel LLC lessened its stake in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR  Free Report) by 7.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,029 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 253 shares during the period. Samalin Investment Counsel LLCs holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions were worth $542,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of BR. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Money Concepts Capital Corp increased its stake in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions by 400.0% in the 4th quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 195 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 156 shares during the last quarter. Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions by 56.4% in the 2nd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 183 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Command Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions in the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Institutional investors own 89.36% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In related news, insider Douglas Richard Deschutter sold 22,722 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $199.00, for a total value of $4,521,678.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 44,680 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,891,320. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other Broadridge Financial Solutions news, insider Douglas Richard Deschutter sold 22,722 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $199.00, for a total transaction of $4,521,678.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 44,680 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,891,320. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, VP Laura Matlin sold 4,090 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $189.49, for a total value of $775,014.10. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 6,481 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,228,084.69. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 41,246 shares of company stock valued at $8,211,616 in the last ninety days. 1.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

BR has been the topic of several recent research reports. StockNews.com raised Broadridge Financial Solutions from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $175.00 to $180.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, December 8th. Raymond James raised their price objective on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $205.00 to $214.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $212.00 to $239.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, Evercore ISI raised their price objective on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $226.00 to $230.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, December 5th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Broadridge Financial Solutions currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $203.17.

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Broadridge Financial Solutions Trading Up 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE:BR traded up $0.46 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $201.95. The companys stock had a trading volume of 134,703 shares, compared to its average volume of 599,367. The firm has a market capitalization of $23.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.10 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.77, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a current ratio of 1.40. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $200.93 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $189.15. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $133.97 and a fifty-two week high of $210.24.

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE:BR  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 1st. The business services provider reported $0.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.89 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $1.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.40 billion. Broadridge Financial Solutions had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 10.82%. The firms revenue was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.91 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. will post 7.72 earnings per share for the current year.

Broadridge Financial Solutions Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a $0.80 dividend. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.58%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. Broadridge Financial Solutionss dividend payout ratio is 55.75%.

Broadridge Financial Solutions Profile

(Free Report)

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for the financial services industry. The company's Investor Communication Solutions segment processes and distributes proxy materials to investors in equity securities and mutual funds, as well as facilitates related vote processing services; and distributes regulatory reports, class action, and corporate action/reorganization event information, as well as tax reporting solutions.

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Sandhill Capital Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 3.0% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 26,096 shares of the payment services companys stock after purchasing an additional 760 shares during the period. Sandhill Capital Partners LLCs holdings in American Express were worth $3,893,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of AXP. Tyler Stone Wealth Management bought a new position in American Express in the 2nd quarter worth $27,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of American Express in the third quarter worth about $29,000. RVW Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of American Express in the third quarter worth about $33,000. Operose Advisors LLC bought a new position in American Express during the third quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Finally, BOK Financial Private Wealth Inc. increased its stake in American Express by 2,142.9% in the 3rd quarter. BOK Financial Private Wealth Inc. now owns 314 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $47,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.08% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Stephen J. Squeri sold 69,356 shares of American Express stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $213.02, for a total transaction of $14,774,215.12. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 122,158 shares in the company, valued at $26,022,097.16. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, insider Howard Grosfield sold 7,029 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $203.65, for a total value of $1,431,455.85. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 12,388 shares in the company, valued at $2,522,816.20. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Stephen J. Squeri sold 69,356 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $213.02, for a total value of $14,774,215.12. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 122,158 shares of the companys stock, valued at $26,022,097.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 193,055 shares of company stock valued at $40,064,664 in the last quarter. 0.12% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

American Express Stock Up 1.1 %

AXP stock traded up $2.43 during trading on Monday, hitting $216.99. 1,660,434 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,428,561. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $195.09 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $170.80. The company has a quick ratio of 1.63, a current ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $157.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.14, a PEG ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 1.23. American Express has a 1 year low of $140.91 and a 1 year high of $217.39.

American Express (NYSE:AXP  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 26th. The payment services company reported $2.62 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.64 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $15.80 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16 billion. American Express had a return on equity of 30.99% and a net margin of 13.84%. The companys revenue was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.07 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that American Express will post 12.83 EPS for the current year.

American Express Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 5th were given a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.11%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 4th. American Expresss dividend payout ratio is currently 21.41%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on American Express from $220.00 to $226.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Stephens upgraded shares of American Express from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and upped their target price for the company from $148.00 to $193.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on American Express from $186.00 to $205.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Monness Crespi & Hardt started coverage on American Express in a report on Wednesday, December 20th. They issued a neutral rating for the company. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered American Express from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and increased their price target for the company from $212.00 to $222.00 in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $189.00.

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American Express Company Profile

(Free Report)

American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, operates as integrated payments company in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Canada, the Caribbean, and Internationally. It operates through four segments: U.S. Consumer Services, Commercial Services, International Card Services, and Global Merchant and Network Services.

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Profund Advisors LLC grew its stake in Sempra (NYSE:SRE  Free Report) by 98.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 26,154 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 12,959 shares during the quarter. Profund Advisors LLCs holdings in Sempra were worth $1,779,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of SRE. Capital International Investors boosted its holdings in Sempra by 11.6% in the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 27,459,739 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $3,997,728,000 after buying an additional 2,843,930 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of Sempra by 0.5% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 17,502,896 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,548,247,000 after acquiring an additional 83,368 shares during the last quarter. Newport Trust Company LLC increased its position in shares of Sempra by 104.0% during the third quarter. Newport Trust Company LLC now owns 14,416,527 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $980,756,000 after purchasing an additional 7,348,746 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC raised its stake in Sempra by 147.0% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 14,360,225 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $976,926,000 after purchasing an additional 8,546,205 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Clearbridge Investments LLC raised its stake in Sempra by 109.0% in the 3rd quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 12,154,272 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $826,855,000 after purchasing an additional 6,338,545 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.83% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on SRE. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH assumed coverage on shares of Sempra in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. They set a buy rating and a $81.50 target price for the company. BMO Capital Markets raised shares of Sempra from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and upped their price objective for the company from $76.00 to $84.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. Mizuho cut their price objective on shares of Sempra from $83.00 to $79.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on Sempra from $75.00 to $73.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Sempra from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $81.83.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Jeffrey W. Martin sold 34,190 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.83, for a total value of $2,421,677.70. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 2 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $141.66. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.24% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Sempra Stock Up 0.9 %

SRE stock opened at $71.97 on Monday. Sempra has a one year low of $63.75 and a one year high of $79.51. The firm has a market cap of $45.29 billion, a PE ratio of 16.64, a PEG ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 0.72. The firms 50 day moving average price is $72.79 and its 200-day moving average price is $71.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a current ratio of 0.61.

Sempra Company Profile

(Free Report)

Sempra operates as an energy infrastructure company in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: San Diego Gas & Electric Company, Southern California Gas Company, Sempra Texas Utilities, and Sempra Infrastructure. The San Diego Gas & Electric Company segment provides to San Diego and southern Orange counties; and natural gas service to San Diego County.

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SG Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Skyline Champion Co. (NYSE:SKY  Free Report) by 14.9% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 79,743 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 10,352 shares during the quarter. Skyline Champion makes up approximately 1.9% of SG Capital Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 17th largest holding. SG Capital Management LLCs holdings in Skyline Champion were worth $5,081,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in SKY. Natixis Advisors L.P. boosted its position in Skyline Champion by 84.7% during the 3rd quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 143,797 shares of the companys stock worth $9,162,000 after acquiring an additional 65,930 shares during the period. Northern Trust Corp boosted its position in Skyline Champion by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 557,331 shares of the companys stock worth $35,513,000 after acquiring an additional 3,552 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC acquired a new position in Skyline Champion during the 3rd quarter worth $209,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in Skyline Champion by 24.8% during the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 27,523 shares of the companys stock worth $1,754,000 after acquiring an additional 5,467 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Skyline Champion in the 3rd quarter worth $216,000.

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Skyline Champion Trading Up 0.3 %

Shares of Skyline Champion stock traded up $0.29 on Monday, reaching $83.29. 18,541 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 312,829. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $73.68 and a 200-day moving average price of $67.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.78 and a beta of 1.50. The company has a current ratio of 2.56, a quick ratio of 1.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. Skyline Champion Co. has a fifty-two week low of $52.12 and a fifty-two week high of $83.93.

Insider Activity at Skyline Champion

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

In related news, Director Keith A. Anderson sold 18,750 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.00, for a total transaction of $1,368,750.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 238,098 shares of the companys stock, valued at $17,381,154. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link . 7.00% of the stock is owned by insiders.

A number of analysts have recently commented on SKY shares. Barclays boosted their price objective on Skyline Champion from $61.00 to $69.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. StockNews.com raised Skyline Champion from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, December 1st. Wedbush reissued a neutral rating and issued a $72.00 price objective on shares of Skyline Champion in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on Skyline Champion from $69.00 to $73.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $71.40.

View Our Latest Report on SKY

Skyline Champion Profile

(Free Report)

Skyline Champion Corporation produces and sells factory-built housing in North America. The company offers manufactured and modular homes, park models RVs, accessory dwelling units, and modular buildings for the multi-family and hospitality sectors. It builds homes under the Skyline Homes, Champion Home Builders, Genesis Homes, Athens Park Models, Dutch Housing, Atlantic Homes, Excel Homes, Homes of Merit, New Era, Redman Homes, ScotBilt Homes, Shore Park, Silvercrest, and Titan Homes brands in the United States; and Moduline and SRI Homes brand names in western Canada.

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Sittner & Nelson LLC bought a new stake in Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET  Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 3,600 shares of the pipeline companys stock, valued at approximately $51,000.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. VitalStone Financial LLC raised its stake in Energy Transfer by 100.0% during the first quarter. VitalStone Financial LLC now owns 3,000 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 1,500 shares during the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new position in shares of Energy Transfer in the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its stake in shares of Energy Transfer by 477.3% in the 2nd quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 2,309 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 1,909 shares during the period. Tsfg LLC boosted its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 86.8% during the 3rd quarter. Tsfg LLC now owns 2,152 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares in the last quarter. Finally, IMA Wealth Inc. grew its stake in Energy Transfer by 100.0% during the second quarter. IMA Wealth Inc. now owns 2,400 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 1,200 shares during the period. 33.79% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have issued reports on ET shares. UBS Group dropped their price target on Energy Transfer from $23.00 to $22.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Energy Transfer currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $17.57.

Energy Transfer Stock Down 1.3 %

Shares of ET traded down $0.20 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $14.69. The stock had a trading volume of 10,001,115 shares, compared to its average volume of 14,220,171. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $14.08 and a 200 day simple moving average of $13.71. The company has a market capitalization of $49.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.49 and a beta of 1.64. Energy Transfer LP has a 12 month low of $11.45 and a 12 month high of $14.98.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The pipeline company reported $0.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $20.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.46 billion. Energy Transfer had a return on equity of 12.17% and a net margin of 4.85%. The companys quarterly revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.34 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 7th were paid a dividend of $0.315 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 6th. This is a boost from Energy Transfers previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. This represents a $1.26 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.58%. Energy Transfers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 115.60%.

About Energy Transfer

(Free Report)

Energy Transfer LP provides energy-related services. The company owns and operates approximately 11,600 miles of natural gas transportation pipeline, and three natural gas storage facilities in Texas and two natural gas storage facilities located in the state of Texas and Oklahoma; and 19,945 miles of interstate natural gas pipeline.

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Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:SPR  Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of Hold from the nineteen research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, eight have assigned a hold recommendation and ten have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $30.72.

Several brokerages recently commented on SPR. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on shares of Spirit AeroSystems from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Susquehanna lifted their price objective on shares of Spirit AeroSystems from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a positive rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Spirit AeroSystems from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on Spirit AeroSystems from $35.00 to $33.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Spirit AeroSystems in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. They set a buy rating and a $39.00 price objective on the stock.

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Check Out Our Latest Analysis on SPR

Spirit AeroSystems Trading Up 0.7 %

Shares of SPR stock opened at $29.25 on Monday. The firms fifty day moving average price is $29.12 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $24.35. Spirit AeroSystems has a 1 year low of $14.65 and a 1 year high of $36.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.09 billion, a P/E ratio of -4.83, a PEG ratio of 7.17 and a beta of 1.77.

Spirit AeroSystems (NYSE:SPR  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The aerospace company reported $0.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.32 by ($0.84). The firm had revenue of $1.81 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.74 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted ($1.46) earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 37.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Spirit AeroSystems will post 0.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Spirit AeroSystems

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its position in shares of Spirit AeroSystems by 6,821.9% in the 2nd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 4,591,729 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $134,538,000 after purchasing an additional 4,525,393 shares during the period. Maple Rock Capital Partners Inc. acquired a new position in Spirit AeroSystems in the first quarter valued at $83,597,000. Wolf Hill Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Spirit AeroSystems during the first quarter valued at $78,680,000. Morgan Stanley grew its holdings in Spirit AeroSystems by 108.4% during the 3rd quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 4,195,996 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $67,723,000 after acquiring an additional 2,182,434 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Spirit AeroSystems in the 4th quarter worth about $62,432,000. Institutional investors own 88.05% of the companys stock.

Spirit AeroSystems Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc engages in the design, engineering, manufacture, and marketing of commercial aerostructures worldwide. It operates through three segments: Commercial, Defense & Space, and Aftermarket. The Commercial segment offers forward, mid, and rear fuselage sections and systems, nacelles, struts/pylons, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, flaps and slats flight control surfaces, wing structures, and fully functional and tested wing systems.

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Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC lowered its stake in Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust (NYSE:BTT  Free Report) by 4.8% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 19,675 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,000 shares during the period. Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust were worth $399,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. purchased a new stake in Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust in the second quarter worth approximately $347,000. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. boosted its holdings in Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust by 20.6% in the third quarter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. now owns 13,155 shares of the companys stock worth $255,000 after purchasing an additional 2,250 shares during the last quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust by 61.5% in the third quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 531,955 shares of the companys stock worth $10,325,000 after purchasing an additional 202,632 shares during the last quarter. Ieq Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust during the 3rd quarter worth $292,000. Finally, Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 285,853 shares of the companys stock worth $5,548,000 after acquiring an additional 1,054 shares during the last quarter.

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Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust Trading Down 0.1 %

Shares of Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust stock traded down $0.02 on Monday, hitting $21.06. 63,530 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 145,119. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $21.03 and a 200-day simple moving average of $20.40. Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust has a 1 year low of $18.90 and a 1 year high of $21.86.

Insider Transactions at Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust

Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust Company Profile

In other news, Portfolio Manager Christian Romaglino sold 1,519 shares of Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.12, for a total transaction of $32,081.28. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link

(Free Report)

Blackrock Municipal 2030 Target Term Trust is a closed end fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc The fund is managed by by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. It invests in fixed income markets. The fund invests primarily in investment grade municipal bonds that are exempt from regular federal income tax.

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Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC reduced its stake in TELUS Co. (NYSE:TU  Free Report) (TSE:T) by 13.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 284,347 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock after selling 45,141 shares during the quarter. TELUS comprises 1.2% of Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 24th largest position. Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in TELUS were worth $4,963,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Captrust Financial Advisors increased its stake in TELUS by 18.1% during the 2nd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 4,669 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $104,000 after acquiring an additional 717 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its stake in TELUS by 125,940.0% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 6,302 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $123,000 after acquiring an additional 6,297 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its stake in TELUS by 59.3% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 5,666 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $148,000 after acquiring an additional 2,109 shares during the period. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of TELUS in the 2nd quarter valued at $159,000. Finally, Power Corp of Canada acquired a new stake in shares of TELUS in the 1st quarter valued at $164,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 49.48% of the companys stock.

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TELUS Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE TU traded down $0.43 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $17.58. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,137,073 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,240,191. TELUS Co. has a 12-month low of $15.47 and a 12-month high of $21.34. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $17.86 and a 200-day moving average price of $17.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.60, a PEG ratio of 4.01 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 0.67 and a quick ratio of 0.62.

TELUS Increases Dividend

TELUS ( NYSE:TU Get Free Report ) (TSE:T) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 9th. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.18 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.17 by $0.01. TELUS had a return on equity of 7.81% and a net margin of 4.18%. The business had revenue of $5.20 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.24 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.17 earnings per share. TELUSs revenue for the quarter was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that TELUS Co. will post 0.78 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th will be issued a dividend of $0.2793 per share. This is a boost from TELUSs previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 8th. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.35%. TELUSs payout ratio is presently 258.14%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms recently weighed in on TU. StockNews.com downgraded TELUS from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded TELUS from an overweight rating to a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, January 4th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on TELUS from $27.00 to $26.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 12th.

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TELUS Profile

(Free Report)

TELUS Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of telecommunications and information technology products and services in Canada. It operates through Technology Solutions and Digitally-Led Customer Experiences segments. The Technology Solutions segment offers a range of telecommunications products and services; network services; healthcare 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, as well as mobile and fixed voice and data telecommunications services and products.

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Trexquant Investment LP lifted its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG  Free Report) by 88.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,409 shares of the restaurant operators stock after buying an additional 3,002 shares during the period. Trexquant Investment LPs holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $11,740,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC bought a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the second quarter worth $32,000. IMA Wealth Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 185.7% in the first quarter. IMA Wealth Inc. now owns 20 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 13 shares during the last quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the third quarter worth about $38,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the second quarter worth about $39,000. Finally, Tyler Stone Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the second quarter worth about $43,000. 91.19% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Brian R. Niccol sold 1,996 shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill stock in a transaction on Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,399.91, for a total value of $4,790,220.36. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 22,447 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $53,870,779.77. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Brian R. Niccol sold 1,996 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,399.91, for a total transaction of $4,790,220.36. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 22,447 shares of the companys stock, valued at $53,870,779.77. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Brian R. Niccol sold 1,093 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $2,199.81, for a total transaction of $2,404,392.33. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 23,347 shares of the companys stock, valued at $51,358,964.07. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 5,837 shares of company stock worth $14,012,071 over the last quarter. 0.96% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

CMG has been the subject of a number of research reports. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,699.00 to $3,016.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Piper Sandler increased their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $1,930.00 to $2,226.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,100.00 to $2,400.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. TD Cowen increased their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,650.00 to $2,900.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, Stephens increased their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,800.00 to $3,000.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $2,469.88.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on CMG

Chipotle Mexican Grill Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:CMG traded up $8.97 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $2,655.69. The company had a trading volume of 42,581 shares, compared to its average volume of 226,081. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $2,395.27 and a 200 day moving average price of $2,129.53. The company has a market capitalization of $72.82 billion, a PE ratio of 59.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 1.29. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a one year low of $1,470.05 and a one year high of $2,725.83.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The restaurant operator reported $10.36 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $9.73 by $0.63. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 12.45% and a return on equity of 44.41%. The company had revenue of $2.52 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.49 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $8.29 EPS. Chipotle Mexican Grills revenue for the quarter was up 15.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 53.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Company Profile

(Free Report)

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants. The company offers burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos, and salads. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Newport Beach, California.

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Valley National Advisers Inc. reduced its holdings in shares of The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW  Free Report) by 3.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 73,574 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 2,284 shares during the period. Valley National Advisers Inc.s holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $4,039,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Providence Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Charles Schwab during the third quarter valued at $28,000. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Charles Schwab in the 1st quarter worth about $32,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Charles Schwab in the 3rd quarter worth about $34,000. State of Wyoming raised its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 71.0% in the 2nd quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 624 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 259 shares during the last quarter. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in shares of Charles Schwab in the 2nd quarter worth about $39,000. Institutional investors own 81.61% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Peter B. Crawford sold 4,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.56, for a total value of $242,240.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 41,611 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,519,962.16. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other Charles Schwab news, CFO Peter B. Crawford sold 4,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.56, for a total transaction of $242,240.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 41,611 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,519,962.16. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Carolyn Schwab-Pomerantz sold 12,208 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.28, for a total value of $748,106.24. Following the sale, the director now owns 1,722,400 shares in the company, valued at approximately $105,548,672. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 122,986 shares of company stock valued at $7,878,217 in the last quarter. Insiders own 6.60% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently issued reports on SCHW. Citigroup lowered Charles Schwab from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $75.00 to $70.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. JMP Securities reiterated a market outperform rating and issued a $77.00 price objective on shares of Charles Schwab in a report on Thursday, January 18th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Charles Schwab from $72.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 15th. Raymond James reduced their price objective on Charles Schwab from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 18th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic initiated coverage on Charles Schwab in a research note on Friday, December 1st. They set a sell rating and a $52.00 price target for the company. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $69.92.

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Charles Schwab Stock Performance

SCHW stock traded up $0.19 during trading on Monday, hitting $64.63. 1,685,496 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 7,849,826. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $65.31 and its 200 day simple moving average is $59.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.66 and a quick ratio of 0.66. The company has a market cap of $114.50 billion, a PE ratio of 25.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 0.99. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 1 year low of $45.00 and a 1 year high of $81.32.

Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 17th. The financial services provider reported $0.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.64 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $4.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.49 billion. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 22.07% and a net margin of 26.90%. The businesss revenue was down 18.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.07 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.34 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Charles Schwab Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 23rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 9th were paid a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.55%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 8th. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 39.37%.

Charles Schwab Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services.

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Vinva Investment Management Ltd reduced its stake in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 16.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 120,428 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 24,218 shares during the quarter. Vinva Investment Management Ltds holdings in Pfizer were worth $3,865,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Pfizer by 89,592.7% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 161,143,638 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $8,257,000,000 after buying an additional 160,963,976 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new position in Pfizer in the 4th quarter worth approximately $3,150,472,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Pfizer by 10.9% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 95,772,746 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $3,161,261,000 after buying an additional 9,393,992 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley boosted its holdings in Pfizer by 10.3% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 79,499,361 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $4,073,547,000 after buying an additional 7,419,929 shares during the period. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC bought a new position in Pfizer in the 1st quarter worth approximately $311,238,000. 68.05% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Pfizer Trading Down 1.9 %

Shares of PFE traded down $0.54 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $27.22. 16,262,038 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 41,574,492. The companys fifty day moving average price is $28.07 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $30.79. The company has a market capitalization of $153.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 76.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a quick ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. Pfizer Inc. has a 12 month low of $25.76 and a 12 month high of $42.22.

Pfizer Increases Dividend

Pfizer ( NYSE:PFE Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.10 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($0.19) by $0.29. Pfizer had a net margin of 3.62% and a return on equity of 10.88%. The firm had revenue of $14.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.37 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.14 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 41.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Investors of record on Friday, January 26th will be paid a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 25th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.17%. This is a positive change from Pfizers previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. Pfizers payout ratio is presently 466.67%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently commented on PFE shares. Guggenheim began coverage on shares of Pfizer in a report on Friday. They issued a buy rating and a $36.00 price objective for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Pfizer from $34.00 to $28.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 14th. TD Cowen downgraded shares of Pfizer from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and set a $32.00 price target for the company. in a report on Thursday, January 4th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of Pfizer from $39.00 to $37.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 1st. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $36.88.

View Our Latest Analysis on PFE

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Scott Gottlieb bought 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $26.47 per share, with a total value of $79,410.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 9,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $238,230. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.05% of the companys stock.

Pfizer Company Profile

(Free Report)

Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands.

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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 national security, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) has urged Musk to extend access to SpaceXs Starlink satellite network to US defense forces stationed in Taiwan. This request comes against heightened tensions between the United States and China, with the latter asserting its territorial claim over the self-governed island and the former upholding its commitment to Taiwans defense.

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Starlinks strategic significance

SpaceXs Starlink constellation, a network of thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites, has become a critical tool for secure and reliable communication in conflict zones. During the ongoing war in Ukraine, Starlink has proven invaluable in enabling Ukrainian forces to maintain crucial communication channels and access vital internet and military data networks. This success story has fueled speculation about the potential role Starlink could play in the Taiwan Strait, where a reliable communication infrastructure is becoming increasingly essential for US and ally defense operations.

Contractual obligations and ethical dilemmas

Rep. Gallagher, in a letter to Musk, reportedly cited potential violations of SpaceXs contractual agreements with the US Department of Defense if the company withholds services from Taiwan. These agreements might obligate SpaceX to provide services to US military personnel in specific situations, raising questions about potential contract breaches if the company denies access to Starlink in Taiwan. However, Musk is known for his complex relationship with China. If the United States government forces his hand, Musk may face a difficult decision due to his business interests in the country. Extending Starlink services to Taiwan could be perceived by China as a hostile act, potentially jeopardizing his other business ventures in the region.

Navigating a geopolitical minefield

Expert perspectives and potential outcomes

The situation surrounding Starlink access in Taiwan underscores the intricate economic, political, and military considerations that are currently at play. Taiwan is a key strategic partner of the US and a major player in the global semiconductor industry. The country is facing mounting pressure from China, which considers the island a breakaway province. With the Taiwan Relations Act mandating assistance to Taiwan in ensuring its self-defense abilities, the US faces the challenge of navigating a sensitive geopolitical equilibrium.

Military analysts have expressed diverse opinions on the potential implications of Starlink access in Taiwan. Some believe it would significantly enhance US communication capabilities in the region, potentially deterring Chinese aggression. Others raise concerns about escalation risks and advocate for alternative solutions not reliant on private companies.

The ultimate outcome hinges on Musks decision. If he agrees to Rep. Gallaghers request, it could set a precedent for future US-Taiwan defense cooperation and potentially escalate tensions with China. However, if he denies access, it could raise questions about SpaceXs commitment to upholding its contractual obligations and its role in supporting US national security interests.

The potential deployment of Starlink in the Taiwan Strait transcends a simple binary choice. It is a complex issue intricately interwoven with economic considerations, geopolitical tensions, and evolving security landscapes. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how this private-sector technology will shape the future of US-Taiwan defense cooperation and the broader dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region.
S&P 500 5,117.09 DOW 38,714.77 QQQ 433.92 3 Large-Cap Stocks Buying Back Shares Aggressively AI Cracks Open Largest Untapped Energy Reserve on Earth (Ad) Netanyahu snaps back against growing US criticism after being accused of losing his way on Gaza Heres Why Bitcoin Miners Stopped Rising With Bitcoin Prices The only AI company you should be looking at (Ad) Oil Prices Up Again, Should You Buy This Time? Kung Fu Panda 4 repeats at No. 1 on the box office charts 8,788% Return Predicted For THIS Crypto (already up 40% in 6 months) (Ad) Stock market today: World stocks higher ahead of US and Japan rate decisions From Frenchies to rescue cats, New York's trauma center for animals takes the most complex cases

S&P 500 5,117.09 DOW 38,714.77 QQQ 433.92 3 Large-Cap Stocks Buying Back Shares Aggressively AI Cracks Open Largest Untapped Energy Reserve on Earth (Ad) Netanyahu snaps back against growing US criticism after being accused of losing his way on Gaza Heres Why Bitcoin Miners Stopped Rising With Bitcoin Prices The only AI company you should be looking at (Ad) Oil Prices Up Again, Should You Buy This Time? Kung Fu Panda 4 repeats at No. 1 on the box office charts 8,788% Return Predicted For THIS Crypto (already up 40% in 6 months) (Ad) Stock market today: World stocks higher ahead of US and Japan rate decisions From Frenchies to rescue cats, New York's trauma center for animals takes the most complex cases

S&P 500 5,117.09 DOW 38,714.77 QQQ 433.92 3 Large-Cap Stocks Buying Back Shares Aggressively AI Cracks Open Largest Untapped Energy Reserve on Earth (Ad) Netanyahu snaps back against growing US criticism after being accused of losing his way on Gaza Heres Why Bitcoin Miners Stopped Rising With Bitcoin Prices The only AI company you should be looking at (Ad) Oil Prices Up Again, Should You Buy This Time? Kung Fu Panda 4 repeats at No. 1 on the box office charts 8,788% Return Predicted For THIS Crypto (already up 40% in 6 months) (Ad) Stock market today: World stocks higher ahead of US and Japan rate decisions From Frenchies to rescue cats, New York's trauma center for animals takes the most complex cases
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Derry's Bloody Sunday Trust has called on the Dublin Government to implement the Occupied Territories Bill without delay.

The Trust's call followed the Dublin Government's testimony to International Court of Justice regarding Israels occupation of Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem.

The Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 was passed in full by Seanad Eireann in 2018, and passed its first vote in Dail Eireann in early 2019.

Following detailed scrutiny the Oireachtas Select Committee on Foreign and Affairs and Trade then approved the Bill in December 2019.

Trust Chairperson, Tony Doherty said: "Despite this and despite Ireland formally recognising the 'de facto annexation' of Palestinian land in 2021, it has continued trading with settlements that are illegal under international law, on the grounds that EU trade rules prevent unilateral action by individual states.

"While the EU does have common rules on trade, exceptions can however be justified 'on grounds of public morality, public policy or public security, and the protection of health and life of humans'.

"In his address to the International Court of Justice, Attorney General, Rossa Fanning said Israels occupation of Palestinian Territories involved serious breaches of international law and of the right of the Palestinian people to self - determination. These breaches must be reversed and reparations made for the damage caused.

"Leo Varadkar correctly stated at the recent Munich Security Conference that Israel is not a 'normal, liberal, western democracy' and has not been one for some time,'" said Mr Doherty.

Mr Doherty continued: "In these circumstances, there can be no doubt that Israel is in breach of the human rights clauses within its trade agreements with the EU.

"The Occupied Territories Bill when implemented will demonstrate that in response Ireland is willing and able to fully discharge its responsibilities under international law. Furthermore with co-ordination on procurement policies through the North South Ministerial institutions it can be ensured that no part of Ireland is directly, or indirectly, involved in providing economic support to illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territory."
A man has appeared at Derry Magistrates Court charged with disorderly behaviour in Altnagelvin Hospital.

Darragh McGrath (18) of Lisnafin Park in Strabane was charged with the offence that were said to have occurred on February 23.

Police were initially called to the scene by staff who reported that McGrath was being abusive to staff and patients.

McGrath had originally appeared that morning by the door of the hospital, smoking and with a bag of alcohol, eventually having to be removed by police before later returning.

A doctor reported that McGrath had attempted to enter the hospital via a Staff Only door, pushing his way past the doctor when he was refused entry.

He was also shouting abuse to a paramedic that had arrived with a patient in an ambulance.

By the time police arrived McGrath was in a wheelchair in A&E and admitted to having alcohol at the time of the initial incident.

McGrath has 39 previous breaches of bail in Youth Court, what Deputy District Judge Chris Holmes called a 'classic child in care record'.

Defence Barrister Stephen Nicol told the court that McGrath had been thrown out of care upon turning 18 and had admitted himself into treatment for his issues with alcohol in Newry.

He also added that McGrath had gone to the hospital to seek treatment for his mental health issues.

Bail was granted with a curfew and conditions that McGrath does not go into any hospital unless in an emergency and that he abstain from alcohol in public.

He will appear again on March 25.
In celebration of International Women's Day and the invaluable contributions of women in the arts, the Triax Neighbourhood Management Team's Peace Barriers Programme is proud to present Penning Peace: Women Writing the North.

This free event will take place on Monday, 4th March, 1.30pm at The Guildhall.

Penning Peace aims to highlight the talent and creativity of female writers from Northern Ireland but also underscore the pivotal role of women in fostering cultural understanding and social change.

This event aims to shine a spotlight on the remarkable contributions of female writers from Northern Ireland who explore themes of conflict, peace, and reconciliation through their work.

Featuring an esteemed panel of award-winning authors, the event will offer insights into the power of storytelling to foster understanding and promote positive social change.

Jan Carson, Sue Divin, and Bernie McGill, three acclaimed authors known for their compelling narratives and insightful explorations of Northern Irish identity, will lead the discussion.

Chaired by Sue Divin, the panel will delve into the unique perspectives offered by women writers in addressing the complexities of Northern Ireland's history and its ongoing journey towards peace and reconciliation.

Jan Carson, celebrated for her evocative prose and vivid character portrayals, will share her experiences and creative process, drawing from her acclaimed novels such as "The Fire Starters", "The Raptures" and forthcoming short story collection Quickly, While They Still Have Horses published by Penguin.

Sue Divin, a Derry-based writer and peace worker, will offer her insights into the role of literature in fostering empathy and understanding, while Bernie McGill, winner of the Edge Hill Short Story Prize, will explore the transformative power of storytelling in navigating personal and collective histories.

"We are thrilled to host this inspiring event, bringing together three exceptional writers whose work has made a significant impact on our literary landscape," said Cat Brogan, Peace Barriers Programme Development Worker of the Triax Neighbourhood Management Team.

"Through their stories, these authors illuminate the human experience, challenge perceptions, and offer hope for a more inclusive and peaceful future."

In addition to the panel discussion, the event will feature opportunities for audience engagement, a book stall by Derrys award winning independent bookshop Little Acorns, book signings, and networking. Refreshments will be provided.
The families of two men killed by loyalist paramilitaries almost half a century ago are to receive financial settlements from the PSNI and MoD.

John Toland and James Loughrey were shot in separate incidents in the villages of Eglinton and nearby Greysteel, County Derry, in 1976.

Their families have claimed there was security force collusion in the killings and sued the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

On Monday, the MoD and PSNI settled the cases with no admission of liability.

While the amount of the financial settlements have not been disclosed, a solicitor for the families described it as significant.

Members of both families were at Belfast High Court on Monday, including the two widows, Mary Loughrey and Marie Newton.

A barrister for the Toland and Loughrey families told Mr Justice Humphreys that both actions had been settled.

Mr Justice Humphreys said: I observe the presence of families in court and I congratulate you on reaching a settlement.

He said such cases were always difficult and emotional.

The judge added: For both sides it represents an achievement to be noted, you have brought finality to a lengthy and difficult process.

Speaking outside court, Padraig OMuirigh, solicitor for the two families, said: As a result of negotiations over the last number of weeks, these legal actions have now been settled.

The confidential nature of the settlement prevents me from disclosing the settlement figure, I can confirm though that the figure is significant.

It is crucial that cases of this nature are allowed to progress through the inquest and civil proceedings unhindered by the NI Troubles, Legacy and Reconciliation Act.

Unfortunately many families will be deprived of the opportunity to pursue their own legal actions by the draconian legislation.

James Loughreys son, John, said it was a momentous day for the families.

He said: We have waited 47 years for this day.

My mother Mary was left on her own with eight children and she was left in that situation by a cruel act where her husband was taken from her.

There were many questions around the actions of that evening when my father was taken, questions around collusion and injustice.

Today, it is fair to say brings a degree of satisfaction and vindication after all these years to see some level of reparation for the harm that was caused.

John Tolands son Danny said: My father was 36 when he lost his life.

Not only did they take his life but they also tried to take his reputation by making out lies and accusations that were not true.

We are delighted with the outcome.

John Toland was working as a barman in the Happy Landing pub in Eglinton when he was shot by the UDA in November 1976.

James Loughrey was shot dead nearby Greysteel later the the same month by the UDA.
The families of two men killed by loyalist paramilitaries almost half a century ago are to receive financial settlements from the PSNI and MoD.

John Toland and James Loughrey were shot in separate incidents in the villages of Eglinton and nearby Greysteel, County Londonderry, in 1976.

Their families have claimed there was security force collusion in the killings and sued the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

On Monday, the MoD and PSNI settled the cases with no admission of liability.

While the amount of the financial settlements have not been disclosed, a solicitor for the families described it as significant.

Members of both families were at Belfast High Court on Monday, including the two widows, Mary Loughrey and Marie Newton.

A barrister for the Toland and Loughrey families told Mr Justice Humphreys that both actions had been settled.

Mr Justice Humphreys said: I observe the presence of families in court and I congratulate you on reaching a settlement.

He said such cases were always difficult and emotional.

The judge added: For both sides it represents an achievement to be noted, you have brought finality to a lengthy and difficult process.

Speaking outside court, Padraig OMuirigh, solicitor for the two families, said: As a result of negotiations over the last number of weeks, these legal actions have now been settled.

The confidential nature of the settlement prevents me from disclosing the settlement figure, I can confirm though that the figure is significant.

It is crucial that cases of this nature are allowed to progress through the inquest and civil proceedings unhindered by the NI Troubles, Legacy and Reconciliation Act.

Unfortunately many families will be deprived of the opportunity to pursue their own legal actions by the draconian legislation.

James Loughreys son, John, said it was a momentous day for the families.

He said: We have waited 47 years for this day.

My mother Mary was left on her own with eight children and she was left in that situation by a cruel act where her husband was taken from her.

There were many questions around the actions of that evening when my father was taken, questions around collusion and injustice.

Today, it is fair to say brings a degree of satisfaction and vindication after all these years to see some level of reparation for the harm that was caused.

John Tolands son Danny said: My father was 36 when he lost his life.

Not only did they take his life but they also tried to take his reputation by making out lies and accusations that were not true.

We are delighted with the outcome.

John Toland was working as a barman in the Happy Landing pub in Eglinton when he was shot by the UDA in November 1976.

James Loughrey was shot dead nearby Greysteel later the the same month by the UDA.
Children in special education in Northern Ireland are being failed due to lack of funding and staff, the mother of a child in the sector has said.

The comments came as scores of parents of children in special education took part in a protest at Parliament Buildings in Belfast calling for better pay for school workers.

They held placards which read phrases such as My Child Matters, Youre Paid, Pay Them, My Child Is Not A Pawn and My Child Is Non-Verbal. I Am Not, as they walked to the steps of Stormont on Monday morning to voice their frustration.

The parents were met by a number of MLAs including Kate Nicholl and Nick Mathison from the Alliance Party and Gerry Carroll from People Before Profit.

MLAs later debated a motion brought by four Alliance MLAs calling for the Assembly to commit to prioritise the needs of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The sector has been hit by industrial action as staff call for better pay and a grading review.

The parents are calling for the Department of Education to allocate the funding for the workers to end the action.

Deborah Maguire from Belfast has a seven-year-old child with autism, ADHD and severe learning difficulties who is non-verbal.

At the minute it is so under-funded, there are not enough staff to actually give the support and give the help, and these children are being failed every single day in their education, she told the PA news agency.

The schools are on their knees trying to support these children but unfortunately the funding is not there.

Every day you see more and more advertisements for the job places for support in SEN schools, the wage scales are so low that those who are in the positions do not have enough of an income to support their own families.

And so theyre leaving the field which is compromising to the childs mental health because with these conditions there needs to be a rapport built up between the staff member and child, to allow the child to feel safe enough to open up. The staff turn over is ridiculous.

These children are being failed every day, these families are being failed every day.

Education Minister Paul Givan met with trade unions about the industrial action over pay and grading for support staff and pledged to bid for additional funding to enable the recommendations from the pay and grading review to be implemented.

On Monday, a spokesperson for the Department of Education said: The minister has set out his priority to transform the existing special educational needs system in Northern Ireland.

The department has seen a significant increase in the number of children with a statement of special education needs (SEN) and in the demand for specialist education provision.

As a result, special schools are operating at over-capacity and there is a need for more specialist provision in our mainstream schools.

The situation is challenging for September 2024  the immediate priority is to create more capacity in special schools and to establish more specialist provisions in mainstream schools to ensure sufficient places.

In accordance with the education authoritys planning assumptions from January 2024, it is estimated that 1,067 additional specialist education places are needed for September.

The education authority has recently written to all schools seeking their support in the creation of new specialist provision classes to alleviate pressures.

We are seeing a changing profile in our children and young people and it is vital that our system supports this.
HIGHLIGHTS The Xiaomi 14 features a 6.36-inch 1.5K LTPO OLED display. The OnePlus 12 also features a triple camera setup with Hasselblad tuning. The Samsung Galaxy S24 has an additional advantage of Galaxy AI.

Xiaomi 14 has made its debut globally. It has been launched during the MWC 2024 (Mobile World Congress). For a few days, we will see a lot of tech news coming straight from MWC 2024, happening in Barcelona. Xiaomis latest flagship was first launched in China last year and it will arrive in India on March 7. It is the first smartphone to feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. However, the processor is not it, the Xiaomi 14 packs a lot more. In this article, we will compare the Xiaomi 14 with the OnePlus 12 and Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus. All three smartphones are the latest flagships of their brands. Lets go!

Xiaomi 14 vs OnePlus 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S24: Display

The Xiaomi 14 features a 6.36-inch 1.5K LTPO OLED display that supports 68-billion colour, HDR 10+, Dolby Vision, 120Hz refresh rate, and has 3000 nits of peak brightness. Furthermore, it is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.

The OnePlus 12 is equipped with a 6.82-inch 2K LTPO AMOLED display. It supports 10-bit colour, HDR 10+, Dolby Vision, 120Hz refresh rate, and it also has 3000 nits of peak brightness. This display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

Samsungs Galaxy S24, on the other hand, has a 6.2-inch FHD+ LTPO AMOLED display, which comes with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support, and it has 2600 nits of peak brightness.

Also read: OnePlus 12 first impressions review: Complete flagship experience

Xiaomi 14 vs OnePlus 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S24: Performance

Speaking of the processor, both the Xiaomi 14 and the OnePlus 12 run on Qualcomms Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. Whereas, Samsung decided to use an in-house chipset, the Exynos 2400. Now, which one is more powerful? Well, I would like to go with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Samsungs processors are not very powerful processors but the Galaxy S24 has an additional advantage, which is the Galaxy AI. The Samsung Galaxy S24 series is more about AI than performance. It not only has AI features but is infused with it.

Coming to storage, the Xiaomi 14 rolls out globally with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. The OnePlus features up to 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. Lastly, the Samsung Galaxy S24 has only up to 8GB RAM and 512GB storage.

Talking about their UI, all three of them run on Android 14-based skin. The Xiaomi 14 runs on HyperOS, the OnePlus 12 has OxygenOS 14, and the Samsung Galaxy S24 features OneUI 6.1.

Also read: Xiaomi 14 set to launch on March 7: 3 features to look out for

Xiaomi 14 vs OnePlus 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S24: Camera

Now, its very difficult to decide which phone has the best camera. All three of them are equipped with mind-blowing cameras and features. The Xiaomi 14 has a triple-camera setup with Leica lens. Theres a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 50-megapixel Telephoto sensor with 3.2x optical zoom, and a 50-megapixel Ultrawide lens with 115 field of view. On the front, you get a 32-megapixel selfie shooter.

The OnePlus 12 also features a triple camera setup with Hasselblad tuning. This includes a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 64-megapixel Periscope Telephoto sensor with up to 3x optical zoom, and a 48-megapixel Ultrawide lens with 114 field of view. On the front, it has a 32-megapixel front-facing camera.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 comes with three camera sensors as well. The main camera is a 50-megapixel sensor, then there is a 10-megapixel Telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom and a 12-megapixel Ultrawide lens. For selfies, you get a 32-megapixel camera.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy S24 Review: A minor upgrade with a sprinkle of AI magic

Xiaomi 14 vs OnePlus 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S24: Battery

The OnePlus 12 has the biggest battery among these smartphones. It has a 5400mAh battery that supports up to 100-watt fast charging, 50-watt wireless charging, and a 10-watt reverse wireless charging. Moreover, the Xiaomi 14 is backed by a 4610mAh battery and supports 90-watt fast charging, 50-watt wireless, and 10-watt reverse wireless. Lastly, the Samsung Galaxy S24 has a 4000mAh battery and it supports 25-watt fast charging, 15-watt wireless, and 4.5-watt reverse wireless.

Xiaomi 14 vs OnePlus 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S24: Price

As I mentioned, the Xiaomi 14 will be launched in India on March 7. So, we dont have the confirmed price details yet. However, it is expected to launch at a starting price of around 75,000. Furthermore, the OnePlus 12 is available in India at a starting price of 69,999. Lastly, the base variant of Samsung Galaxy S24 can be bought at 79,999.

Which one to buy?

This is like walking on a tightrope, as all three of them have something worth buying it for. As per the given specifications, the Xiaomi 14 has the best display, the OnePlus packs the best camera, and the Samsung Galaxy S24 comes with mind-blowing AI features. However, the price is what made me decide that I would go for the OnePlus 12. Now, you tell me which one would you buy and stay tuned for more.
China's homegrown NearLink wireless tech to challenge Wi-Fi dominance, says DIGITIMES Research

NearLink (also known as SparkLink), China's homegrown wireless communication technology, entered commercialization in 2023 after being led by Huawei and supported by more than 400 Chinese companies. NearLink aims to reduce China's reliance on international standards, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, dominated by the US.

NearLink was formed in 2019 after Huawei was banned from contributing to Wi-Fi and SD card standards bodies. This made Chinese firms realize the need for autonomous network standards. With over 430 industry participants spanning chip design, modules, testing, and terminal solutions, the NearLink Alliance gained significant traction, with chip/module manufacturers comprising the largest contingent at 24%. It is worth noting that only MediaTek from Taiwan's IC design sector is currently involved in the alliance.

Top 3 industries' distribution of members of the NearLink Alliance (*)

*As of November 2023, the NearLink Alliance boasts over 430 members.

Source: NearLink Alliance, DIGITIMES Research, February 2024

Upon closer inspection, Digitimes Research Analyst Jim Chien noted NearLink's emergence as a viable alternative to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in the Chinese market, boasting competitive network latency and terminal connectivity metrics. The transition to commercial viability was catalyzed by Huawei's call to action, rallying industry stakeholders from chip design to end-product commercialization, primarily targeting China's vast domestic market. However, challenges loomed in establishing an ecosystem, and initial NearLink development wasn't aimed at replacing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but rather coexisting with these established technologies.

NearLink has two main transmission modes - SparkLink Basic (SLB) and SparkLink Low Energy (SLE). SLB offers superior transmission speed, network latency, and device connectivity compared to Wi-Fi, finding applications predominantly in automotive and industrial settings. On the other hand, SLE shares similarities with Bluetooth, catering to consumer electronics such as wireless mice, keyboards, and wearable devices, benefiting from lower transmission distance and power requirements. This makes SLE particularly appealing to chip, module, or instrument manufacturers.

Chen views the maturation of its ecosystem could eventually lead to China mandating NearLink support in all wireless devices sold domestically, similar to how smartphones support multiple navigation systems like GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, and GLONASS.

Historically, Chinese communication chipmakers struggled to compete with top-tier Wi-Fi and Bluetooth players on the international stage. NearLink's tailored approach to the Chinese market presents a unique opportunity for domestic chip manufacturers to avoid direct competition with international giants like Qualcomm, Broadcom, Nordic, and MediaTek. However, challenges persist, especially concerning China's semiconductor fabrication capabilities.

While mature processes suffice for TWS earbud chips, advanced NearLink chips demand cutting-edge processes, posing a critical developmental bottleneck, particularly for players like Hisilicon relying heavily on SMIC for manufacturing support.

HiSilicon, Huawei's chip division, is the largest SparkLink chip provider. However, smaller Chinese chip firms are poised to leverage NearLink's ascent to break free from the dominance of international giants and bolster China's semiconductor autonomy. However, their growth depends on access to advanced foundry processes.

Hisilicon's NearLink Kirin A2, a low-power SLE chip fabricated on SMIC's 14nm process, represents the current state. However, Hisilicon's future roadmap toward higher-speed NearLink SLB chips hinges on SMIC's ability to break the 7nm process barrier, which is critical for future development. In contrast, MediaTek has already adopted the 6nm process for its Wi-Fi 7 chips.

Huawei's latest Mate 60 series showcased its proprietary 5G SoC Kirin 9000S and highlighted the support for NearLink. While NearLink's ecosystem continues to evolve, the interim period witnesses an intriguing dynamic of cooperation and competition within China's semiconductor landscape, heralding a new chapter in the country's wireless communication narrative.

About the Analyst

Jim Chien received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in communication engineering. He engaged in academic research of advanced signal processing and smartphone development and currently focuses on semiconductor technology development and market trends, especially in communication IC design and RF.
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Morris Chang: JASM will improve chip resiliency and start a semiconductor Renaissance in Japan

Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing, Inc. (JASM), a majority-owned subsidiary of TSMC, held the opening ceremony of its first fab in Kumamoto on February 24, 2024. It has created several remarkable records that impressed TSMC founder Morris Chang enough to envision the start of a semiconductor Renaissance in Japan during his speech at the opening ceremony.

Slated to be the first overseas fab of TSMC to start mass production, Kumamoto is also the first TSMC site to collaborate with an automotive firm. TSMC's US$20 billion investment in JASM is the largest-ever Taiwanese investment in Japan, also expected to be the largest beneficiary of Japan's semiconductor subsidy and the first to produce advanced chips in Japan.

"JASM will improve the resiliency of semiconductor supplies for Japan and the world. It will also, I believe, and I hope, start a Renaissance of semiconductor manufacturing in Japan," said Morris Chang, emphasizing that semiconductors will be very much needed in the future.

Chang also disclosed that TSMC received an invitation from METI (Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) in 2019 to set up a semiconductors plant in Japan, which has finally become a reality. Kenichiro Yoshida, Chairman and CEO of Sony Group Corporation, also recalled that the two companies started the journey 3 years ago upon the request of C.C. Wei, CEO of TSMC, for Sony's support in their production in Japan.

Experts applauded TSMC's decision to establish a second fab to produce 6/7 nm chips in Japan. They said TSMC should continue to leverage Japan's excellent foundation science research capability and its advantages in semiconductor materials and equipment technologies to accelerate progress in advanced packaging and new processing architecture developments.

It took only 20 months to construct JASM's first fab, with more than 6,000 workers per day to construct Japan's first billion-dollar semiconductor investment project in at least a decade. JASM maintained high-quality craftsmanship and adhered to global standards despite the staggering speed.

Credit: TSMC

Unleash innovation and economic stimuli

TSMC Chairman Mark Liu said, "We are thankful for the joint efforts of our partners in Japan, whose unfaltering support has contributed greatly to the success of this project." With both fabs, JASM's Kumamoto site is expected to offer a total production capacity of more than 100,000 12-inch wafers per month starting from 40, 22/28, 12/16, and 6/7 nanometer process technologies for automotive, industrial, consumer, and high-performance computing (HPC)-related applications. The overall investment in JASM will exceed US$20 billion with strong support from the Japanese government.

"JASM will use the latest green manufacturing practices to produce best-in-class specialty semiconductor technology that will help to unleash innovation and bolster the Japanese economy for years to come," Liu said.

The two fabs are expected to create more than 3,400 high-tech professional jobs. In line with TSMC's commitment to green manufacturing, JASM will implement rigorous sustainability practices, including using 100% renewable energy when it starts operations, replenishing more than 100% of the used groundwater, and building a local supply chain.

JASM has created a stronger-than-expected economic effect for Kumamoto, including double wage growth and subsequent investments in Japan from other semiconductor companies. According to an economic impact analysis by the Kyushu Economic Research Center, JASM and its supply chain ecosystem will generate JPY20.1 trillion in economic output for Kyushu in 10 years.

The dimension of the JASM site is around 21.3 hectares. The leading-edge fab will be equipped with approximately 45,000 m2 cleanroom, with production targeted to begin by the end of 2024. Construction of the first fab commenced in April 2022 and was completed at the end of 2023. Construction partner Kajima Corporation President Hiromasa Amano said the speed of construction at the scale has never been seen before in Japan. "Almost all the cranes in Japan were shipped here to help build JASM," joked Kumamoto Governor Ikuo Kabashima.

Construction speed faster than expected

Kajima Corporation's Amano said it was TSMC's request to complete the construction in 2 years, and his company exceeded TSMC's expectation of completing the project in less than 2 years. It takes an average of 584 days to build a fab in Japan between 1990-2020, the fastest among all countries in the world, according to a study released by the Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), a US research institute.

The opening marks a significant milestone for JASM. The fab was established in 2021 and started construction in April 2022, with production targeted to begin by the end of 2024. TSMC and minority investors Sony Semiconductor Solutions (SSS), DENSO, and Toyota also recently announced further investment into JASM to build a second fab, which is scheduled to commence construction by the end of 2024 and begin operation by the end of the 2027 calendar year. TSMC, Sony, DENSO, and Toyota shareholdings in JASM are 86.5%, 6.0%, 5.5%, and 2.0%, respectively.

Representatives from TSMC to the opening ceremony in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, included Founder Morris Chang, Chairman Mark Liu, and CEO C.C. Wei. Representatives of key partners in establishing JASM, Sony Group Corporation Chairman and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida, DENSO Corporation President and COO Shinnosuke Hayashi, and Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda also participated in this historical moment.

During the event, Prime Minister Kishida announced through video that the Japanese government has decided to support the newly announced expansion of JASM as a concrete example of its implementation of the Domestic Investment Promotion Package formulated in December last year. Media reports said Japan will soon announce a US$5 billion subsidy for JASM's second fab. METI minister Ken Saito confirmed to the press after the Opening Ceremony that it will subsidize JPY732 billion (US$4.9 billion) with the condition of at least 10 years of production and strengthening procurement from local supply chains.

Other distinguished guests included Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ken Saito, Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party coalition in Semiconductor Strategy Akira Amari, Former Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Koichi Hagiuda, Kumamoto Governor Ikuo Kabashima, etc.
NSTC allocates NT$20 billion to support infrastructure for 12-inch chip equipment donated by chipmaker

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has earmarked NT$20 billion (US$631.51 million) from the budget for the "Taiwan Chip-based Industrial Innovation Program" to bolster infrastructure for accommodating two sets of 12-inch wafer processing equipment to be donated by a Taiwanese semiconductor company, according to NSTC Minister Wu Tsung-Tsong.

Observers noted that the allocated funds could be enough to construct a new building and a large clean room, and the building will likely be located at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) to house the equipment.

Wu neither confirmed nor denied these speculations. He emphasized that it will be up to the donor to announce the timeline for the equipment donation.

Media reports revealed that the semiconductor company set to donate the equipment has obtained approval for the donation scheme from its board of directors but has yet to announce it publicly. Informed sources indicated that the company needs to create space for new equipment installation, prompting the necessity to donate the old equipment as soon as possible. It is anticipated that the announcement will be made in the near future without significant delay.

The impending equipment donation poses challenges and opportunities. The Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI) of the National Applied Research Laboratories (NARLabs) is slated to receive the 12-inch equipment. However, concerns arise regarding the utilization of such machinery for academic research. Some academic insiders argue that the current demand for chip designs in universities may not fully capitalize on the equipment's capacity, leading to maintenance and operational hurdles.

To address this, a possible solution is for the government to extend equipment access to startups. Most startups cannot afford TSMC's high chip tape-out costs, nor can they cut into UMC's manufacturing schedule. Therefore, if they can utilize TSRI's upcoming 12-inch wafer equipment, they can address the academia's underutilization dilemma and overcome financial barriers associated with their chip fabrication at the foundry house.

Since it will take several years for the NT$20 billion public construction project to go from design to bidding, NARLabs president Lin Faa-Jeng has said that TSRI's old 8-inch wafer processing equipment will be phased out first, and the upcoming donated 12-inch facility will be prioritized for being located at TSRI's existing building, with a focus on serving academia for forward-looking chip research and development.
MWC 2024: gen AI and pre-6G are the key developments to watch

AI, 5G, and 6G will be the overarching themes as leading suppliers of the telecom industry convenene in Barcelona, Spain for the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2024. MediaTek, Huawei, and Qualcomm, in particular, zoom on Generative AI and pre-6G technologies for their MWC Barcelona 2024 demonstrations.

At the event, Taiwan chip design giant MediaTek plans to showcase its first on-device Generative AI video diffusion powered by the company's flagship 5G mobile processor Dimensity 9300. According to MediaTek, Dimensity 9300 incorporates the world's first hardware-based Generative AI engine, and the chipmaker will showcase at MWC 2024 a text-to-image Stable Diffusion engine known as SDXL Turbo, video diffusion generation, and Low Rank Adaption (LoRA) Fusion incorporated into NeuroPilot AI platform.

At the same time, the company is planning for a live demonstration of its 5G-Advanced New Radio Non-Terrestrial Network (NR-NTN) satellite test chip with a data throughput surpassing 100Mbps. Supporting Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connection via Ku band, the MediaTek chip is geared for a broad range of terminals, especially automotive. In addition, MediaTek indicates that it will demonstrate the world's first pre-6G satellite broadband user experience by emulating a LEO satellite fly-by.

On February 25th, Huawei also hosted the 5G Beyond Growth Summit as the precursor of MWC Barcelona 2024. During the summit, Li Peng, Huawei's Corporate Senior Vice President, observed that 5G has already gained 1.5 billion users five years since its commercialization in 2019. In comparison, it took 4G nine years to reach the same level of adoption. With 20% of global mobile subscribers using 5G and contributing 40% of global mobile service revenue, Li indicated that 2024 will see 5.5G entering commercial use and that the convergence of 5.5G, AI, and cloud will enable carriers to unlock new applications.

During MWC Barcelona 2024, Huawei is expected to launch its 5G-Advanced (5G-A) products and solutions. Instead of replacing 5G, 5G-A serves to bridge 5G capability shortfalls in certain application scenarios before 6G commercialization, according to Huawei.

Likewise, Qualcomm sees an incoming generative AI revolution and deems connectivity critical to help generative AI scale across cloud and edge applications. In this context, Qualcomm will demonstrate what it calls "the world's first Giga-MIMO antenna prototype" that is designed to operate in the 13 GHz band.

As observed by Qualcomm, the industry is exploring the possible use of a new upper mid-band spectrum (7 to 24 GHz range) in response to the 6G era's higher capacity demand, and feasibility study of the upper mid-band spectrum has recently begun with 5G Advanced Release 19 and is to continue through the end of the decade. Against this backdrop, Giga-MIMO, with its denser antenna array and more complex baseband and RF design, is deemed by Qualcomm as an enabling technology.
JASM Fab2 subsidies and ESG facts revealed

After the opening ceremony of TSMC's first fab in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ken Saito, told the media at the event that he would subsidize TSMC's second fab in Kumamoto by JPY732 billion (approximately US$4.9 billion), provided that it continues to produce and strengthens local procurement.

Nikkei reported that after directly subsidizing TSMC's first fab in Kumamoto by up to JPY476 billion, the Japanese government has announced that it will subsidize the second fab by a further JPY732 billion, for a total of about JPY1.208 trillion (about US$8 billion). That translates into a government direct subsidy percentage of 40% as TSMC has invested more than US$20 billion in constructing its first and second wafer fabs in Kumamoto.

Ken Saito revealed that the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan has set the prerequisites, including that the second fab must continue to be in production for more than 10 years after mass production and that half of the silicon wafers required for production must be procured from Japanese manufacturers. In addition, silicon wafers outside the components and materials, more than 50% of the procurement of enterprises set up in Japan, and so on.

As sustainable production has been mentioned in the media regarding JASM, TSMC also released ESG facts in a press release, saying that green manufacturing is the cornerstone of the company's sustainable operations, and it regularly seeks to find areas of improvement spanning energy management, water management, waste management, and air pollution control.

ESG facts of JASM and TSMC:

1. JASM will use 100% renewable energy when it starts to operate. It is also the target for all TSMC overseas sites.

2. When JASM's first fab was announced, the fab planned to use 13,000 tons of water per day. JASM's first fab has managed to decrease that number to around 8,500 tons of water per day, marking a 30% cut from the initial plan. Most of the water source at JASM will be groundwater. To preserve groundwater, JASM has committed to a groundwater replenishment amount of over 100% of the used groundwater.

3. In May 2023, JASM signed a comprehensive agreement with K-town, Kumamoto Prefecture, the Water Recycling Farming Promotion Council, and the Kumamoto Groundwater Foundation to accelerate the promotion of groundwater recharge. JASM is deeply aware of the importance of groundwater in Kumamoto and believes in fulfilling its responsibility work together with the people of Kumamoto to protect the groundwater.

4. Other than equipment, JASM's first fab targets over 60% local procurement rate in 2030.

5. TSMC is the world's first semiconductor company to join the RE100 renewable energy initiative.

6. TSMC has set a goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. To achieve this, TSMC will continue to set related mitigation measures, strengthen its wide variety of green innovations, and actively adopt renewable energy. In the short term, the company has set the goal of zero emissions growth by 2025 and reducing emissions to year-2020 levels by 2030.

7. Each year, TSMC publishes an annual Sustainability Report, which evaluates critical challenges, benchmarks against global practices, outlines goals, and proposes improvement plans.

8. TSMC is the world's only semiconductor company selected as a component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for 23 consecutive years.
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GOODLETTSVILLE, Tennessee  Dollar General last week said it donated over 28,000 pounds of food to Second Harvest Inland Northwest in 2023. Second Harvest is a partner of Feeding America.

The donations were a part of more than 15.2 million total pounds of food the company donated in 2023 to food banks across the country from DG stores and distribution centers.





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DALLAS (AP)  AT&T says the hours-long outage to its U.S. cellphone network appeared to be the result of a technical error, not a malicious attack.

The Dallas-based company blamed the outage last week on an error in coding while it was expanding its network, without elaborating. It restored wireless coverage after the outage knocked out cellphone service on its network across the U.S.





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SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Reddit has struck a deal with Google.

The pact announced last week will allow the search giant to use posts from the online discussion site for training its artificial intelligence models and to improve products such as online search.





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The problems faced by Dundalk parents whose children are waiting on complex orthopaedic care in the Childrens Hospital was raised in Leinster House last week by Louth Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu who spoke on his partys motion about the issue.

The Dundalk deputy said children had been left in inhumane conditions and the State had absolutely failed some of the most needy of our citizens.

Deputy O Murchu said it was good to meet some of the children and their parents outside Leinster House, who had travelled to Dublin to hear the Sinn Fein motion being debated.

The Louth TD commented: I do not know how they keep going. Our requests are straightforward, including a task force that is sufficiently independent and can do the business.

The Minister [for Health] spoke about a dedicated spinal surgery service or management unit. We need to see it. We need to see timelines for delivery, because the people who need it are Ada, her mother Paula and the rest of the family who are here from Dunleer. There is also Kirsty Rose from Dundalk, whom I met and who I spoke to about Daisy and Layla.

Deputy O Murchu continued: As time goes on and they spend more time on waiting lists, they worry that their conditions will become worse and that the possibility of an operation will become that bit more distant.

We do not know what the long-term ramifications will be. We need solutions and timelines. We really need to stop the pain. None of this is good enough. Once again, we have absolutely failed those families and children. We need to do better.

The Sinn Fein TD added: I do not know how anyone that side of the House can say 'we are offering solutions, but we realise that what has happened to date has not been good enough'.

We really need delivery. I do not like making these kinds of speeches. It is an abject failure when people have to travel to Leinster House to talk to politicians about these issues. We need to deliver for them, and we need to do so now.
Sadie Ward McDermott, Director of Further Education and Training at Louth Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB), was a featured speaker at this years Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) Further Education and Training conference which welcomed 250 delegates from across Ireland to Athlone last week.

The title for this years conference Pathways  Pathways to FET, Pathways in FET, Pathways from FET.

The event brought together over 250 representatives from across the sector and featured a line-up of over 30 speakers. Simon Harris, Minister of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, addressed the conference on Thursday, giving the official Ministerial conference address.

Speaking ahead of the event, Minister Harris said:

Over recent years we have worked incredibly hard to ensure no one is left behind when it comes to education. No matter who you are, what your background is or what your interests are you get an opportunity to reach your full potential.

This conference is a timely opportunity. The impact ETBs have had on the learners but also on the wider communities they serve has been transformative.

This two-day event is an invaluable opportunity to come together to learn from each other, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the year ahead.

Commenting on the future of education, General Secretary of ETBI, Paddy Lavelle said:

The FET Strategy  Future FET Transforming Learning, acknowledges the key role of FET in driving both economic development and social cohesion.

This roadmap for the sector is built around three core pillars of building skills; fostering inclusion; and facilitating pathways. This conference deals with one of those three Pillars - pathways.

Dr. Joseph Collins, Director of Further Education and Training (FET) at ETBI, said:

We can see clearly that Minister Harris has made significant inroads in developing an integrated, coherent and well-articulated further and higher education system in which there are no dead ends for learners.

We have pathways from school to FET, within FET, between further and higher education, pathways into work and lifelong pathways which can bring people back to learning at any stage of their career or life.

The conference took place over two days, with a full line-up of keynote speakers and panel discussions. Some of the highlights from the agenda include inputs from:

Dr. Justin Rami , Director of the Further Education and Training Research Centre at Dublin City University.

David Jones , Chair of the International Panel at the Transformation Office in DFHERIS.

Sonya Lennon , designer, broadcaster, campaigner and a former FET learner.

David Delaney, author and motivational speaker, from University College Dublin.

Further information on the conference is available here.
Louth County Council have welcomed Drogheda Credit Union becoming the latest business in County Louth to gain Age Friendly accreditation.

The Age Friendly Business Programme in County Louth is supported by Age Friendly Ireland, Age Friendly Louth and Louth County Council.

Drogheda Credit Union are hosting an Age Friendly Morning with Louth Age Friendly Ambassador Gavin Duffy, in their Drogheda Branch located on Laurence St, on Friday 1st March 2024.

This is an accreditation in recognition of the changes Drogheda Credit Union has undertaken to provide a quality Age Friendly service for its members. Staff training and Age Friendly ambassadors are some of the initiatives already rolled out.

Tom Kiely, CEO, Drogheda Credit Union said:

"At Drogheda Credit Union, we understand the importance of catering to the diverse needs of our community, especially the older generation. Being recognised as an Age Friendly business by Louth County Council in 2023 is a testament to our ongoing dedication to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.

"We are thrilled to receive this accolade and remain steadfast in our commitment to providing exceptional service that meets the needs of every member of our community, regardless of age."

Drogheda Credit Union as part of their Age Friendly services have Age Friendly Advisors in each branch on the first Friday of each month from 9:30am -11:30am.

The Advisors offer one to one help and assistance to older customers with setting up any online services, setting up a nomination or day to day banking enquiries. There is a separate Age Friendly Teller in each branch to avoid queuing.

Gavin Duffy, Louth Age Friendly Ambassador will be attending the free event on Friday, 1st March from 10:30 -11: for a cuppa tea and a chat. Gavin has many years experience as one of Irelands most successful businessmen and entrepreneurs. He is also a great champion of the Age Friendly Programme in Co Louth supporting Age Friendly events and activities over the years.

Gavin Duffy, Age Friendly Louth Ambassador said:

It is wonderful to see the Credit Union movement in Ireland embracing Age Friendliness, with Drogheda Credit Union out front in this area, as in so many other areas of excellence.

He continued: I hope to see many other businesses in Drogheda and South Louth undertake the Age Friendly Businesses Recognition training, to demonstrate the welcome they have for the older consumer, who will be such a valuable source of revenue in the future.

Sinead McVerry Louth Age Friendly Programme Manager advises:

The Age Friendly Business Program is a win-win situation for business and for older customers, research shows that the most effective way of retaining and increasing your older customers is by individual customer service.

"The social interaction involved is very important. If a person feels they are genuinely welcomed and valued as a customer, they will be loyal and give good recommendations to your business.

Orlaith Carmody Age Friendly Ireland Business Program Manager said:

Nationally, Age Friendly Business Recognition is a growing brand, supported by Chambers Ireland, Local Authorities and the Age Friendly Programme. This recognition allows customers to identify you as an Age Friendly Business, and publicises your business to older customers.

It is hoped that other businesses across Louth will recognise the need for and the benefits of Age Friendly services and sign up for the next training session .

It is anticipated that a further training course for businesses in Louth will be arranged later in 2024 to provide training to any other local business that may be interested in gaining Age Friendly Accreditation.

If you are a business owner who would like to register for the training or would like some further information on the Age Friendly Business Programme please contact agefriendly@louthcoco.ie
Irish journalist Martha Kearney will step down from BBC Radio 4s Today programme after the UK general election, the broadcaster has announced.

Kearney, 66, will continue working for the radio station after then and front a new interview series called This Natural Life, where she will explore how nature has become a passion for the programmes guest.

She will also begin presenting episodes of Open Country this spring.

She said: I have loved working on Today with its incredible reach and influence, but now its time to move on to pastures new  literally.

I am really looking forward to sharing my passion for nature in an exciting new series as well as a much-loved favourite programme. And I wont be missing that 3am alarm call.

I have been planning my move for a while now and the general election, which will be my eleventh, is the right point to move on.

BBC director-general Tim Davie said: Martha has been an outstanding Today presenter thanks to her hallmark incisive questioning, warmth and connection with the audience.

She is an immensely respected and popular journalist, and Id like to thank her on behalf of the BBC and her millions of listeners.

Im delighted Marthas illustrious BBC career will continue on Radio 4  giving listeners outstanding programming beyond the election.

Director of speech and controller of BBC Radio 4 Mohit Bakaya called Kearney a brilliant journalist and presenter who has navigated us through important news stories over the years.

He said: I am delighted that she is staying with Radio 4, bringing her considerable knowledge, passion and experience of the natural world to Open Country and our exciting new interview show, This Natural Life.

Today editor Owenna Griffiths said: Its been my great privilege to be Marthas editor both at The World at One and Today.

Shes a journalist with great tenacity, insight and a wonderfully broad range of interests. Above all, shes a warm and generous colleague who will be missed by me and the team.

Before she began her time on the Today programme Kearney was the first female presenter on Radio 4s The World At One, a programme exploring current affairs.

This followed seven years as Newsnights political editor and over the years she has interviewed prime ministers including Margaret Thatcher and Rishi Sunak and has covered several US elections.

The Dublin-born journalist began her career in radio as a phone in operator at LBC/IRN Radio in London before she eventually joined the BBCs current affairs series On The Record in 1988.

She was a regular presenter of Radio 4s Womans Hour from 1998 to 2007 and interviewed celebrities including Amy Winehouse, Hilary Mantel, Courtney Love and Jane Fonda.

She has also won multiple awards including the The Television and Radio Industries Club (Tric) awards radio presenter of the year.
MICHEAL Sheridan is eager to explain the significance of the Mercy University Hospital Foundation before telling his own story.

I dont think people always understand the work of our foundation. We work in several ways to improve the experience of patients of the hospital, and their families, he said.

This can be around small differences that make a big impact, or more significant investments in the hospital.

To give one example, during Covid we invested in iPads so isolating patients could contact their loved ones. We were hugely involved during Covid and raised a million euro through our Covid appeal in 2020. We are interested in the human side of being a patient.

Their social work department focuses on supporting families, including those who might be struggling financially due to an illness.

They might need help with providing for their children returning to school for instance. The money can be small for us but hugely significant for a family at such a crucial time.

The CEO explains that the foundation also provides funds for key equipment used in improving diagnosis and patient outcomes.

IN THE BEGINNING

From the start, Micheal joined the foundation as CEO when it was first established in 2007. During his initial tenure, which lasted 13 years, donations went from thousands of euros pre-2007 to anywhere between two or three million annually.

By developing a close working relationship with health care professionals and management within the Mercy University Hospital, the foundation knows how best to use donations.

We have very regular consultation with consultants and nursing staff.

We have projects that we identify as flagship projects, which we champion for two or three years. These are large multi-million-euro projects.

Our next big one is around advancing surgery at the hospital.

They also run a grants programme so staff can apply for funding directly.

For example, a staff member might suggest paying for leaflets to explain a medical procedure. People working on the wards know what makes a difference. We want to make sure everyone is benefitting from the generosity of the public.

Micheal Sheridan, CEO of Mercy Hospital Foundation. Picture: Darragh Kane

GRATITUDE

We talk a lot about facilitating gratitude. When people donate or run an event, a lot of it is borne out of having an experience with the hospital, either directly, or through family member.

There is an underlying positive return for people donating also, he feels.

We have collaborated with many people in the past who have lost a loved one.

Fundraising sometimes helps them to cope in a way; they are kept busy and the person they are remembering is at the centre of all of it. It provides something tangible for them.

The team at the foundation are very mindful of their recent experiences.

We are very aware of the various stages of grief they might be working through. We concentrate on ensuring their wishes are fulfilled. And we also support one another. Were a chatty group, a supportive network.

A DIFFERENT CHALLENGE

Having just completed a Masters, Micheal decided to leave the role in 2020 and spent three years working with an air ambulance charity.

I learned about starting again. I needed to know that I could still achieve what I had previously achieved. The focus in this role was also on funding as well as building trust and, again, we were highly successful. During my three years fundraising grew from 700,000 to two million euro.

He is proud that the service still exists today and is now fully funded by the HSE. He is also particularly proud to have secured funding to support off duty medical and first response staff to assist in their communities.

I feel grateful to have been involved in the full picture, whether its somebody needing care in an emergency or in a hospital, the quality of that care is important to me. I want to see our health service being as well-resourced as it can be.

Now Micheal is back as CEO at the foundation. When asked about his interest in healthcare, he links it back to his mother, who as well as working full time, worked as a civil defence instructor.

I grew up in a house with lots of first aid kits and resuscitation mannequins. I suppose it had an impact. My mum would go out teaching first aid three or four times a week. I also feel strongly about healthcare because we are all going to need it at some point in our lives, so it needs to be as good as it can be.

That time for Micheal happens to be now.

PERSONAL RELEVANCE

Last November, Micheal was understandably upset to receive a bowel cancer diagnosis. For the first time, he found himself on the other side of the hospital experience.

It is odd, he explains, to know the people treating him so well, including his own oncologist, who he counts as a friend.

There is an irony in it really. I spent 13 years raising funds and awareness of bowel cancer and now I have it myself.

Micheal was scanned using a CT scanner funded by the foundation. He is also receiving his chemotherapy in a facility supported by his work.

I have my treatment in Lee Clinic on the Lee Road and I fully appreciate the difference it makes. It is so much less stressful to receive regular treatment away from an acute hospital setting. As it is not in the city centre, there is no traffic, no issue with parking. You arrive so much less stressed than you would if you had to attend the hospital every time. You are never worried about delays or not making it on time.

He recognises the benefits his experience has brought to the team.

It is helping me and the team to understand the patient perspective even more. It has also given me a real insight into the importance of blood donation.

When I was first diagnosed, they found that I had suffered significant blood loss, and needed three transfusions.

I had always thought about blood being needed in emergency trauma situations. I quickly realised it can also be for sick patients and for cancer sufferers like me.

As a 50-year-old male with a needle phobia, I had never really thought of donating blood, but I was really overwhelmed with feeling when I received that donated blood, a feeling of gratitude to the stranger who had donated it.

Micheal Sheridan, CEO of Mercy Hospital Foundation. Picture: Darragh Kane

NEW BEGINNINGS

Micheal is delighted to return to the post now, just as a dream of his is coming into fruition.

We got used to hearing a lot of cancer patients talking about not having anywhere to go, particularly on learning of their diagnosis, before or after appointments, or their family members not having anywhere to wait for them.

The foundations new cancer care centre, heavily funded by the public, and following two years of construction, opens on Dyke Parade shortly. This is a place where the kettle will always be on. We hope it becomes like a second home for people.

We had been funding a clinical psychologist to work in the hospital to look after cancer patients and their family members, but this will be a dedicated space for our psycho-oncology service. A place where people can come following a diagnosis or during their treatment.

The project overcame some barriers over the years, so it is wonderful to be back as it opens.

https://www.mercyhospitalfoundation.ie/
NOW in its 10th year, the MAKE Symposium 2024, curated by MTU Crawford College of Art and Design lecturer in textiles Pamela Hardesty, is open to everyone.

But an event on March 2 will appeal mostly to artists with an eminent group of five Irish and international speakers talking on the theme of Drawing and Materiality, subtitled The Material Line.

My neighbour in Kinsale comes to it; shes not an artist but loves it, saying that it expands her brain for the day, says Pamela.

The fee for the day-long series of talks is 65 (35 for students) and Pamela says that other art conferences can cost more than 100. (MAKE receives sponsorship from within MTU.)

Pamela Hardesty.

MAKE, which this year is organised with the Crawford Colleges drawing research hub, Drawbridge, is very much a flagship event for the college. It attracts art college staff, students, academics, gallery administrators, as well as artists and makers from all over Ireland.

It brings people physically into our midst. Everything now is digital or virtual. We still believe in the power of physical gatherings. With a theatre in the MTU Cork School of Music that holds up to 200, people can meet and network with the successful people that come to talk to us. Well be looking at drawings of different materials like stitch.

Alice Maher.

The two Irish artists that will address MAKE are Felicity Clear and Alice Maher.

Felicity did a workshop with our students in November. She makes amazing drawings with thread in space. They are more like sculptures. Standing in front of her drawings at the Glucksman last year gave me the idea to focus on drawing this year so Felicity has to be part of it.

Alice Maher does amazing drawings and sculptures and looks at the interplay between them. She often draws materials like hair.

Pamela says it was a big coup to get British artist Cornelia Parker to agree to speak at the gathering as the headline guest.

Shes a conceptual artist who was a Turner Prize nominee. She does really inventive things across the board with materials. Shes probably best known for the exploding shed. She draws with things like rattlesnake venom and the antidote, mixed together. Using the two, she makes ink blot paintings and says: My drawings will kill you and cure you at the same time. Her way of thinking is really interesting.

Alice Kettle.

Another talk will be given by embroidery artist Alice Kettle, from Manchester.

Alice spoke at our first symposium so we thought it would be nice to bring her back again. Her drawing practice is all about huge stitch line drawing. Its drawing in a different material.

The fifth speaker is an academic, Anna Lovatt from Texas.

Anna Lovett.

Its not an academic conference where people present papers. Its about hearing from makers on the frontline. But we always have one academic who gives a context to MAKE. I asked myCleacolleagues to recommend a person in the world who could best speak on three dimensional drawing, drawing as sculpture. They picked Anna Lovatt. Shes young but has written so many books and chapters in books.

Pamela points out that having all female speakers was accidental rather than planned.

Felicity Clear.

After the symposium, an exhibition called Material Line will open at the MTU Crawford College of Art and Design Gallery at 46, Grand Parade. It will feature year 3 and year 4 fine art and applied art, and art textile students, as well as MA students from the Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius Academy of Arts in Lithuania. This exhibition was initiated in November with a talk and workshop on sculptural drawing in space at the Crawford College led by Felicity Clear.

The students made a room-sized drawing of lines so there were lines going everywhere. It was freeing and really interesting. They used different colours and took photos of it. The students were invited to create an art work in response to that workshop. So I have about 20 entries, drawings and textiles, which will be on show at the Grand Parade gallery. We have three works coming from Lithuania.

Pamela is an American, originally from West Virginia.

I trained all over America. When I was in California, I got very interested in Celtic culture. I dont have any Irish blood but I wanted to get away from 80s California to a simpler place. I went to Kerry to work with a tapestry weaver. I got married (to an architect now retired) and moved to Cork. Ive been here since 1990.

Pamelas own artistic practice sees her creating using different materials. She doesnt have much time to pursue her art.

A lot of it was very spiritual and a lot was to do with nature. I also did a whole exhibition on the Paradiso of Dante. That was in glass, plaster and metal. In the last ten years, my work has been more stitch-based. I had a big show in Norwich Cathedral in 2018. I send work out to international shows. The last one was in Miami.

Cork is a good walkable city that is quite vibrant and has a lot of potential. Ive been here a long time; Ive seen it changing. It has a village feeling. People here help each other.

I think we could do with more galleries. There was a period when galleries in Cork were booming.

But the recession put paid to that.

A lot of the galleries went online. But there are a lot of art forms that dont communicate that well in photography. The things we make include tactile sculptural work that you need to walk around.

Welcoming the Crawford Gallerys forthcoming facelift, Pamela praises the new library in Kinsale, which has gallery space. Its beautiful and its great to see money being put into a cultural asset.

See events.mtu.ie.
A YOUNG man rammed a garda van with a stolen car in Cork City and then drove it out to the Whitechurch area where he crashed the vehicle and decided to set fire to it before fleeing the scene.

However, Jamie Cooper was caught by gardai.

The crime spree of burglaries and car thefts resulted in 19-year-old Cooper, of Templeacre Avenue, Gurranabraher, Cork, being jailed for four years at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Detective Garda Pat Barry arrested the defendant who was 19 at the time and charged him with 22 separate counts related to burgling houses, stealing cars, criminal damage and one count of arson.

Now at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Colin Daly has imposed a total sentence of four years imprisonment, backdated to June 2023 when he went into custody in relation to the crime spree.

Det Garda Barry said: I am up in Gurranabraher garda station for 20 years.

To be fair to him he did not have it easy growing up but he continues to offend.

Emmet Boyle, defence barrister, suggested that the injured parties were happy they did not have to come to court and face this process.

If he said no comment you would have had to engage in gathering a lot of evidence, Mr Boyle suggested.

The detective agreed that it would have been a big file.

Judge Colin Daly jailed the young man for four years.

He has targeted residential properties, particularly properties with cars parked outside them.

The crimes were opportunistic and the properties were selected randomly but all of them were residential and I must take that into consideration as an aggravating factor, the judge said.

The total sentence imposed on him was one of five and a half years with the last 18 months suspended.
FARMERS from across Cork have held a protest at Cork Airport this morning prior to a convoy of tractors making their way into the city ahead of a further protest outside of Cork County Hall.

The protests are part of IFAs Enough is Enough campaign, announced by IFA President Francis Gorman recently.

The IFA said it will continue highlighting farmers' frustration and anger with the political system over the next month by targeting County Council meetings around the country.

Unworkable regulations

IFA Munster Chairman Conor OLeary, from Donoughmore, told The Echo that the protest was about the ongoing frustration at unworkable regulations.

That covers everything from payment systems failure, the nitrates, its all encompassed  the whole level of regulations coming from Europe and how often theyre coming," said Mr O'Leary.

He explained that some of the regulations every contradict each other, so we cant comply with them all.

Its just gotten too complicated for the Department of Agriculture to get through, theyre six months behind on payments, so the EU has got to look again at the regulations.

Mr OLeary added that the amount of changes are making it impossible for farmers to make a business plan, saying that they need more time to make changes and plan ahead.

Theres no security at the moment, not knowing where were going to be, the certainty is missing out of the farming industry, and its the same common theme all across Europe, he concluded.

Mr OLeary said the decision to tie the protest in with the airport related to the announcement that Dublin airport plans to expand by 25%.

"That was the exact figure we were told, agriculture needs to reduce emissions by 25%, and thats economic suicide for rural Ireland," he said.

In a statement, the daa and Cork Airport said: "daa is playing its part in the national and global effort to address climate change. Both Cork and Dublin airports have committed to reducing their Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 51% by 2030  these are the emissions we have direct control over."

It said it continues to work with its airline partners to identify opportunities to reduce the carbon emissions that are under their control.

Frustration

The general sense of frustration with over regulation on farmers resulting in sharp impacts on their income was the cause of the latest protests, which saw between 50  100 tractors make their way from Cork Airport and line up outside County Hall on the Carrigrohane Road as councillors prepared to hold their bi-weekly council meeting early on Monday morning.

Matt Hurley, chairman of Cork Central IFA, told The Echo that these protests were likely to continue until election time as the agricultural sector sought to get the Government to heed its appeals.

Over regulation, the way the Government doesnt listen to us, the Nitrates directive, where rules are constantly being changed and every time theres a rules change, it can cost us a very substantial amount of money, said Mr Hurley.

The EU Nitrates directive was introduced in order to reduce the amount of nitrates in Irelands rivers, lakes and other water bodies and Ireland had a derogation on it for a number of years. This allowed them a limit of 250kg per hectare up to January 1 this year. This has now been reduced to 220 kg per hectare in many areas.

Pollution

While environmental experts say the nitrates were causing pollution in our rivers and lakes, farmers say that they have contributed, through new farming methods, to much less pollution in recent years.

Last November farmers received a letter informing them they would have to reduce the number of cows per hectare  or increase their holdings by buying or renting more land  by the end of December. As cows are in calf at that time of the year and expecting to give birth in the early months of this year, there were fears that this would lead to a substantial cull of livestock.

According to Matt Hurley, this has already happened.

A lot of that has taken place at this stage but there is a knock on effect from that in that some farmers will want to hold on to what stock they have and to do that, they have to rent more land, putting tillage farmers out of land theyve been in for many years and generally disrupting the land market totally, he said.
A middle-aged Romanian man has been given a suspended jail sentence for aggressively begging on the streets of a Cork town.

Macroom District Court heard that Gerogel Vasile, with an address care of the Simon Community, was observed begging aggressively in Macroom on November 16, 2023.

Acting for the State, Sgt. Trish OSullivan told the court that Mr Vasile had already been moved on for begging earlier in the day when he was spotted on Castle Street at 1.55pm.

The accused had a paper cup in one hand and his other hand outstretched and was aggressively asking for money from passers-by. A Romanian interpreter was present in court to translate proceedings for the accused.

The court heard that Mr Vasile had 16 previous convictions for similar offences the most recent in Naas, Co. Kildare. Defence solicitor Sean Cahill said his client was of limited means and had brought 200 to court with him to offer. He said that he hoped the judge would not impose a custodial sentence.

Judge James McNulty convicted Mr Vasile and fined him 200.

He also imposed a 14-day prison sentence suspended for two years on condition that he be of good character and not come to the attention of the gardai for any reason. He also ordered that Mr Vasile would not visit Macroom or any other place in the West Cork area for the two year period.
A Ukrainian refugee in Cork accused of dangerous driving causing the death of a fellow Ukrainian man with whom she had been socialising in the city was served with a book of evidence today.

Detective Garda Gary Brennan served Kseniia Vasylenko with a book of evidence today.

The book was formally served on Ms Vasylenko through her solicitor Frank Buttimer at Cork District Court.

The accused appeared by video link from prison as she was remanded in custody since first charged.

On the application of Sergeant Pat Lyons, Judge Mary Dorgan sent the case forward for trial at the sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court commencing on April 8.

The judge gave the accused the alibi warning, which requires a defendant to give certain notice to the state if relying upon an alibi defence.

Free legal aid for Mr Buttimer was extended for a barrister and senior counsel to represent the accused at the circuit court.

The only charge in the book of evidence against Ms Vasylenko concerns the allegation that she dangerously drove a Hyundai Alantra car at Cork Airport causing the death of Andrii Nesterov, who was aged around 50, after 2 am on Sunday morning, last October 8, 2023.

It was alleged that she was driving the Hyundai car owned by the deceased and that her driving was dangerous, resulting in his death.

43-year-old Kseniia Vasylenko with an address at Cork Airport hotel said at her original bail application that her husband was still in Ukraine working in IT and working with the resistance in this capacity.

She said she had been working with the local authority in central Ukraine and was now living in Cork with her five-year-old son and her mother.

I did not want to leave my country. I love my country. I made the decision to come here to save my life and the life of my son. I came across Poland, Romania, Moldova, to Dublin City West to here. I have been in Cork since December 2022. I have been in the Airport Hotel accommodation centre, the accused said.
A member of an organised criminal group involved in an operation to steal luxury cars all over the country has been jailed for three years at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The intricately planned but quite simple scam saw parties including 30-year-old Toe Sava of no fixed address in Ireland checking out cars advertised on Donedeal, distracting the owner, switching the spare key and returning later to drive away in cars such as a Mercedes without paying anything.

Detective Garda John Murphy outlined this modus operandi used by the gang at various locations including Killarney, Co Kerry, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan, Tipperary town, Dundalk, County Louth, and Conna, County Cork, on different dates in March and April last year.

Toe Sava had a previous conviction from Hertfordshire for the aggravated taking of a vehicle in December 2019.

Defence senior counsel Ray Boland said the accused mans mother was sick and Mr Sava borrowed 5,000 to send home to her.

This person got him to pay it off by involvement in this, Mr Boland said.

The senior counsel added, Obviously, it is a very serious offence and there was some sophistication to it but three of the five vehicles were recovered.

He had to borrow money from unsavoury characters who asked him to carry out these offences, Mr Boland said.

Judge Colin Daly noted that the cars were valued up to 12,000, 15,000, 33,000, 35,000 and 55,000.

The judge said the impact that these thefts and attempted thefts would have had on the owners was an aggravating factor to be taken into consideration.

This was part of organised criminal activity with a high level of deliberateness, planning and targeting, Judge Daly said.

The judge imposed a sentence of four years and six months with the last 18 months suspended. A condition of the suspension of that period requires him to leave Ireland within 72 hours of his release from prison after serving the three years and staying away for at least ten years.
James Cox

Aside from Virgil van Dijk, Republic of Ireland international Caoimhin Kelleher was the star man in Liverpool's Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea.

The winner finally arrived in the 118th minute, as the Liverpool captain converted a powerful header. He had another headed goal chalked off following a foul from Wataru Endo earlier on in the match, while Raheem Sterling had a goal ruled out for offside.

It was a miracle that the match remained scoreless just two minutes shy of a penalty shootout, as there were numerous chances at both ends.

Kelleher is a more than able deputy for Alisson and the Corkman proved it once again with a stunning display at Wembley.

He made some stunning saves, notably from Conor Gallagher and Mykhailo Mudryk.

Stats, compiled by Sofascore, show Kelleher made nine saves, one punch and one high claim.

This included six saves from inside the box, 75 touches, and 37 accurate passes out of 50 (74 per cent).

Kelleher will continue to compete with Gavin Bazunu for the Ireland number one spot but at 25, there will be questions over whether he should seek a move or continue to be backup at Anfield.

For now though, he can enjoy another cup triumph.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

A view of an iceberg at Horseshoe Island, Antarctica shows less sea ice than previously observed on Feb. 11, 2024. Sebnem Coskun / Anadolu via Getty Images

For the third consecutive year, the amount of Antarctic sea ice has fallen below two million square kilometers  772,204.3 square miles.

According to data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), before 2022, the threshold had not been crossed since satellite measurements began in 1979, reported The Guardian.

Sea ice extent in the Antarctic started the year at 6.37 million square kilometers (2.46 million square miles), or sixth lowest in the satellite record for January 1. As the melt season continued in the Southern Hemisphere, a rapid decline in daily extent led to it ending the month at 2.58 million square kilometers (996,000 square miles), tying for second lowest with 2017 for that date, NSIDC said. Antarctic sea ice extent for January overall averaged 3.96 million square kilometers (1.53 million square miles), tying for fourth lowest extent with 2022. Extent was particularly low in the Ross, Bellingshausen, and Amundsen Seas, but has been near average in the Weddell Sea. Little ice remains in the East Antarctic sectors.

The continent reaches its lowest sea ice extent in February of each year  the peak of Antarctic summer.

The record low was set in February of last year, at 1.78 million square kilometers, or 687,261.8 square miles, The Guardian reported. On February 18, 2024, the five-day average for sea ice was 1.99 million square kilometers, falling to 1.98 million three days later. Scientists wont know the minimum for this year for a week or two.

But were confident the three lowest years on record will be the last three years, said Will Hobbs, a sea ice researcher and physical oceanographer for the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership, as reported by The Guardian.

In September, Antarctica reaches its annual maximum sea ice extent. However, last years was the lowest ever recorded by approximately one million square kilometers.

Lower amounts of sea ice can mean shrinking habitats for seals, penguins, phytoplankton and other of the ecosystems animal species.

Solar radiation is reflected by sea ice, so less ice means more ocean warming, which can lead to ice loss on land as well, which contributes to global sea level rise.

Walt Meier, NSIDC senior research scientist, said experts arent yet sure of the overarching cause behind the record low sea ice, but that global warming certainly could be a factor, as the Daily Mail reported.

It appears that warm ocean temperatures are important, but other factors may be in play, including wind patterns, Meier told MailOnline. We have only 45 years of high quality data, which still may not capture all of the variability in the Antarctic sea ice. However, since 2016, Antarctic sea ice has mostly been much lower than normal with record lows at times.

Meier said the regrowth of the ice after the summer melt is only 1-2 metres [thick], reported The Guardian.

With the very low maximum last September, the ice was probably thinner on average in many areas, but its hard to say how much of an effect it has had on the rate of melt and the approaching minimum, Meier said.

While the investigation into the decline in Antarctic sea ice is ongoing, scientists are concerned that global heating could be a factor, particularly the warming of the Southern Ocean.

University of Exeter glaciologist professor Martin Siegert told MailOnline that, while the cause was not clear, it didnt actually matter that much.

We certainly cant afford to assign it to variability as some excuse for not stopping fossil fuel burning, Siegert said.

Last year, research led by Ariaan Purich  a Monash University climate scientist who specializes in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica  concluded that Antarcticas sea ice may have experienced a regime shift likely driven by subsurface ocean warming approximately 328.1 feet below, The Guardian reported.

What we need is sustained measurements of ocean temperature and salinity underneath the sea ice. We need improvements in our climate models, Hobbs said, as reported by The Guardian. And we need time.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

A person riding a wild elephant takes money from its trunk during a street show in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Jan. 10, 2023. Syed Mahamudur Rahman / NurPhoto via Getty Images

In a landmark ruling, Bangladeshs High Court has suspended all licenses for the adoption of critically endangered wild elephants, meaning they can no longer be legally taken into captivity or exploited, reported the BBC.

The ban to protect the approximately 200 wild elephants remaining in Bangladesh was welcomed by animal rights groups. Nearly half the elephants are living in captivity, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as WION reported.

The high court today suspended all licenses for the captive rearing of elephants, Amit Das Gupta, Bangladeshs deputy attorney general, told AFP.

Some of the elephants have been covered in bright paint and forced to participate in street shows or circuses  which the court said broke the license terms  or in conjunction with solicitations for food and money, activities which Gupta referred to as street extortion.

In this name of training elephants, private licensees including circus parties brutally separate elephant calves from their mother, shackle them for months and then torture them to teach tricks, said Rakibul Haque Emil, head of Bangladeshs People for Animal Welfare (PAW) Foundation, as reported by the BBC.

While Bangladesh was once a main habitat of Asian elephants, its population numbers have plummeted due to poaching and habitat loss.

Before the new ruling, licenses that were issued by the forestry department to logging groups who forced the elephants to haul logs allowed the elephants to be taken into captivity.

Emil expressed hope that elephants in captivity could be rehabilitated.

Jaya Ahsan, an actor and producer who brought the legal case along with PAW, said she hoped the ban would put an end to the cruel training  known as hadani  that had been inflicted on the elephants.

This is a landmark order, Emil said, as AFP reported. We hope it is the end of hadani in Bangladesh.

In May of 2023, a young elephant who had been exploited for street solicitation was struck by a train and died, pushing the dire state of captive elephants into the spotlight.

Two emaciated elephants who had also been kept captive were rescued by police in May of 2019 and put in the care of the Bangladesh National Zoo in Dhaka.

Emil indicated plans to rally support for captive elephant rehabilitation.

Several countries in Asia such as Thailand and Nepal have found some success in rehabilitating captive elephants, Emil said, as reported by AFP. We shall do it here.
(Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Darko Tepert)Christian Scouts on Christmas Eve in front of the Nativity Church in Bethlehem on December 24, 2006.

Pope Francis delivered his yearly Christmas message at the Vatican while Christians from across the world celebrated the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, but in Burkina Faso, attacks by extremists forced the cancelation of the feast.

In the West African country simultaneous attacks by extremist insurgents on a military base and Arbinda town in Soum province in the north of Burkina Faso resulted in the deaths of 35 civilians  almost all of them women  as well as seven soldiers.

President Roch Marc Christian Kabore declared 48 hours of national mourning, and all Christmas celebrations were canceled, the World Council of Churches reported.

WCC general secretary Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit lamented the death and suffering caused by the attacks, the deadliest in five years of escalating violence in Burkina Faso and elsewhere in the Sahel region.

"Even in the midst of our celebration of the birth of the Prince of Peace, such appalling attacks remind us that conflict and violence remain the daily reality for many communities", said Tveit.

"We pray for the victims of these attacks and their families, and for all the people of Burkina Faso and of the Sahel region, that they might be preserved from such brutality and freed from fear."

LETHAL ATTACKS IN THE SAHEL REGION

Since 2015 when violence began to spread across the Sahel region, Burkina Faso has experienced increasingly frequent and lethal attacks by extremist groups, with hundreds of people killed and an estimated 560,000 displaced.

A predominantly Muslim country, Burkina Faso also has a significant Christian population of some 20 percent.

In Bethlehem Christians from throughout the world gathered in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem in the West Bank to celebrate midnight mass.

The ceremony was held in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, built where Christians believe that Jesus was born, and that dates back to the fourth century AD, euronews reported.

The ceremony began with a procession by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, emulating that made by Jesus's mother, Mary, as told in the Bible.

Pizzaballa delivered a homily about violence and divisions in the modern-day "Holy Land."

"Celebrating Christmas also means celebrating those who still have a desire to love mankind and put themselves on the line for it.

"Here in the Holy Land, and not only today but every day of the year, there are still many people who celebrate the Christmas of Jesus in this way, not only Christians. And to them go our most since thanks and encouragement to continue being the hope for all of us," he said.

Bethlehem is separated from Jerusalem by a heavily-fortified security barrier, a high wall in that part, but the city dews hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, especially during Christmas.

Attending the ceremony was Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and representatives of the many Christian denominations that have a presence in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

In Rome, Pope Francis offered a message of hope during his Christmas Day Mass in St. Peter's Square, telling the thousands who attending that "the light of Christ is greater" than the darkness "in human hearts" and "in economic, geopolitical and ecological conflicts," Fox News reported.

Pope Francis cited the Syrian people "who still see no end to the hostilities that have rent their country over the last decade" and Israel, where Jesus "was born as the savior of mankind and where so many people -- struggling but not discouraged -- still await a time of peace, security and prosperity."

On migrants, Pope Francis said they were forced by injustice "to emigrate in the hope of a secure life."

Francis said their injustice continues along their journey toward finding acceptance.

The Pope said migrants often face abuse, enslavement, and torture in "inhumane detention camps" and death during dangerous sea excursions to find freedom elsewhere.

He called for the easing of crises in Lebanon and Iraq and the "grave humanitarian crisis" in Yemen.

The Pope noted that several countries in the Americas are "experiencing a time of social and political upheaval," citing the strife in Venezuela.

He offered prayers for those in several African nations, including where people have been "persecuted for their religious faith."
(Photo Credit: Christian Aid)A woman runs an errand in West Africa's Burkina Faso. People in the Sahel region of Africa are experiencing a severe food crises - a designation that involves multiple stresses on families, governments and aid agencies over several years, a designation which precedes a famine.

Dozens of people have been shot dead at a mosque during early morning prayers on the same day that a church was attacked, say the authorities in Burkina Faso.

The gunmen surrounded the mosque in Natiaboani town in Burkina Faso, the BBC reported.

The attacks came in a region of Africa known as the Sahel, a semiarid region of western and north-central Africa extending from Senegal eastward to Sudan which has faced years of religious extremism.

The Sahel forms a transitional zone between the arid Sahara (desert) to the north and the belt of more humid savannas to the south.

"The victims were all Muslims, most of them men," a local resident told the AFP news agency.

Islamist insurgent currently contol more than a third of Burkina Faso a country that often faces that threat of famine.

The attackers are suspected to be Islamist fighters who also targeted soldiers and a self-defense militia stationed locally that same day.

Natiaboani, where those attacks happened, is in Burkina Faso's troubled eastern region where multiple armed groups operate.

That same day, at least 15 worshippers were killed in an attack on a Catholic church during Sunday mass in Essakane in the country's north-east. A church official said suspected Islamist militants were to blame, reported the BBC.

REGULAR ATTACKS BY ARMED GROUPS

Natiaboani is a rural community about 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Fada N'Gourma, the main town in Burkina's eastern region, which has seen regular attacks by armed groups since 2018, according to AFP.

It is close to the border with Benin and Togo, other Sahel region countries.

There was no initial form link between the two attacks, but Burkina Faso's privately owned L'Observateur Paalga newspaper questioned whether they were part of a coordinated plot.

Attacks on religious figures and worshippers have taken place periodically in Burkina Faso in recent years.

A priest kidnapped from the northern town of Djibo five years ago is still missing.

The extremists single out Muslims as well as Chrsitians.

And in 2021, the main imam of the same town of Djibo was kidnapped by armed men and found dead days later

.Burkina Faso is cited by humanitarian agencies as one of the world's most-neglected crises.

Years of incessant insecurity led to more than two million people being forced from their homes,

.A military junta led by Captain Ibrahim Traore seized power in Burkina Faso in 2022, pledging to curb insurgents but has not succeeded.

It was the country's second coup in less than a year -- both were triggered partially due to the government's failures to quell jihadist violence.

As part of the Sahel, Burkina Faso has battled escalating violent extremism since Libya's civil war in 2011, followed by an Islamist takeover of northern Mali in 2012.

The military seized power two years ago, promising to win the battle against insurgents, but the violence continues.




Meat giants' beef production linked to illegal deforestation in Brazil's Cerrado



Campaigners have revealed that three major meatpackers' beef production in Brazil's Cerrado has been associated with illegal deforestation, shedding light on environmental concerns in the region, BBC News reported.

The Cerrado, renowned for its biodiversity and role in mitigating climate change, has seen extensive deforestation linked to cattle farming, according to a Global Witness investigation. The report suggests that nearly half of the farms supplying meatpackers JBS, Minerva, and Marfrig have contributed to deforestation.

While the Amazon has received significant attention for deforestation, the adjacent Cerrado has faced similar challenges but with less regulatory protection. Despite its ecological importance, the Cerrado has not been afforded the same legal safeguards.

Simon Roach from Global Witness emphasized the urgent need to address the crisis in the Cerrado, highlighting its critical role as a vital ecosystem. The region, described as a "grassland paradise" by Sir David Attenborough, harbours diverse species and stores substantial carbon reserves crucial for climate stability.

The investigation focused on Mato Grosso, a key cattle farming region, where the three meat giants operate. Through satellite data analysis, Global Witness found alarming rates of illegal deforestation linked to these companies' supply chains.

According to Global Witness, the majority of deforestation occurred without proper permits, indicating widespread illegal activity. The study also suggests that the state-level regulation in Brazil poses challenges for enforcement against deforestation.

The implications extend beyond environmental concerns, with deforestation threatening wildlife habitats and indigenous communities. Last year, the BBC's Planet Earth III documented the tragic impact of deforestation on the rare maned wolf population.

Despite the findings, meatpackers like Marfrig and JBS maintain that they source cattle responsibly, adhering to legal standards. However, concerns persist regarding the effectiveness of current regulations and the transparency of supply chains.

As the European Union prepares to implement regulations targeting deforestation-linked products, including beef, attention is drawn to the need for stricter enforcement and expanded protections for vulnerable ecosystems like the Cerrado.

- BBC News
Qatars state-owned company QatarEnergy has announced a new LNG expansion project on its North Field gas development, named North Field West, which will raise Qatars LNG production capacity by nearly 85% from current production levels before the end of 2030, thereby raising the countrys production level from 77 Mt/year to 142 Mt/year.

In addition, Qatar has also announced the presence of significant additional gas quantities in the North Field, estimated at 240 tcf (about 6,800 bcm), as well as additional condensates reserves of about 10 billion barrels (total condensate reserves of over 80 Gbl).

QatarEnergy is already developing the 32 Mt/year North Field East and the 16 Mt/year North Field South project, for which the group has already signed supply deals with several multi-national companies including TotalEnergies, Shell, Eni, Sinopec, CNPC, ExxonMobil or ConocoPhillips.

In 2022, Qatar produced 106 bcm of LNG (ranked third behind the US and Australia) and had proved gas reserves estimated at 24,000 bcm.
Its not often you encounter a device that looks like it came straight out of a movie set. But Lenovos Project Crystal, supposedly the worlds first laptop with a transparent microLED display, is an example of sci-fi come to life.

Currently there are no plans to turn Project Crystal into a retail product. Instead Lenovos latest concept device was commissioned by its ThinkPad division to explore the potential of transparent microLED panels and AI integration. The most obvious use case would be sharing info somewhere, like a doctors office or a hotel desk. Instead of needing to flip a screen around, you could simply reverse the display via software, allowing anyone on the other side to see it while getting an in-depth explanation.

When combined with the camera built into the rear of the system, Lenovo says there could be possible AR applications. One example would be to use the camera to identify an object, similar to Google Lens. And with its transparent display, it should be possible to take that idea a step further by overlaying a diagram or schematic on top of the object for things like troubleshooting or repair.

But the best thing about Project Crystal, is that Lenovo bothered making it at all. Currently, even standard microLED displays are extremely expensive with those panels typically reserved for cutting-edge gadgets like Samsungs The Wall or Apples Vision Pro. And, see-through versions have only been seen as concepts like on the transparent microLED TV Samsung showed off a couple of months ago at CES 2024.

Lenovo Project Crystal hands-on photos In-person photos of Lenovo's new concept device -- Project Crystal -- which the company claims is the world's first laptop with a transparent micro LED display.

In person, the transparency effect is bewildering. When closed or when its display is off, Project Crystals screen almost looks like an ordinary piece of glass with a slight brownish tint. But at a moments notice the whole thing lights up like a battleship. Nominal brightness goes all the way up to 1,000 nits, with Lenovo saying peaks can go as high as 3,000 nits, which would make it brighter than the new Galaxy S24 family. And despite being made of multiple layers, the panel is extremely thin, which helps blur the line being the digital and analog worlds. Lenovo says it's also considering adding some sort of contrast layer, so it can turn into a traditional opaque display at the touch of a button. However, for a relatively large 16-inch display, its resolution isnt super high, so if you look closely you can see individual pixels.

Another design twist is that instead of a traditional keyboard, Project Crystal features one of Lenovos touch-based replacements similar to those on older Yoga Books. Unfortunately, it still suffers from a lot of the same issues. The most obvious example of this is that your hands drift while typing because theres no tactile feedback, which leads to decreased accuracy. Lenovo says AI may be able to address that in the future by learning a persons typing habits and then using that info to account for your hands straying from the home row. But right now, its still a problem.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The rest of the laptop is very much a work in progress, too. I only saw two ports on the entire system which would be a major faux pas for a notebook this big. Project Crystal is also based on a last-gen CPU, while other components like its hinge was so weak that its screen threatened to close anytime it tilted below 90 degrees. And for some reason, the laptop seemed to build up a static charge, as it sometimes shocked people who touched its display.

Project Crystal is a solution in search of a problem. A problem that does exist in niche situations and may be an issue worth tackling more seriously down the line. But more importantly, its challenging us to think about what is possible with emerging display technology and how it might fit into a laptop of the future.

Catch up on all of the news from MWC 2024 right here!
A mass brawl broke out among the fans watching UFC Fight Night 237 in the stands at an arena in Mexico Saturday, resulting in one person being knocked out.

Video footage published by TMZ showed a group of men grabbing each other by the shirt and hitting each other at Mexico City Arena.

In the viral video, which was also shared by X user @JS_mma_, a man in a black shirt can be seen punching another man in a white shirt in the face, causing him to stagger back and fall onto the seats.

The black-clad man then sucker-punched a third man right in the face. The blow caused the man to go limp and fall to the ground.

However, he was soon able to get back up on his feet with the help of the man in white.

The fight ended after some spectators appeared to intervene and stop the men from throwing more punches.

It was unclear when security responded to the brawl.

When asked about his thoughts on the fan brawl during a press conference following the event, UFC president Dana White said security guards appeared to just let the fight happen until it ended.

"I mean, that never happens. That literally never happens. It happened here, in Mexico City," White told reporters, as seen in a video shared by MMA Junkie.

"The craziest thing about that fight is when that fight broke out, it felt like it kept going forever. So, I ran over there, and I was watching it. Nobody stopped it. I was waiting for security to come in. They just let them go until it was over," he added.

White went on to call it "one of the craziest things" he's ever seen, though he doesn't think it's a "bad look" for the UFC.

"I think after everybody else saw that s**t, nobody else would want to try that again. No security. The fight just went on until the fight was over. I've never seen any s**t like that in my life," White said during the press conference.

The brawl sparked mixed reactions from mixed martial arts (MMA) fans and social media users.

One user on X, formerly Twitter, hailed it as the "fight of the night."

"Give $50k to that dude who KO'd the bald guy!" X account FanScorecard commented.

The account also joked, "They got tired of seeing no striking so they decided to give the crowd some striking."

Another user suggested the winner of the brawl may have the potential to become an MMA star, writing: "Sign him up, UFC!!"

Another X user wasn't surprised a fight erupted in the crowd, writing: "Although in our defense, [that's] how all mexican parties (kids bday, 15era, weddings, funerals) end."

Although in our defense, thats how all mexican parties (kids bday, 15era, weddings, funerals) end. pic.twitter.com/ocQANYDynR  Latam Sidebet King  (@GamerverseTTV) February 25, 2024

Aside from the fight in the crowd, Saturday's event saw American mixed martial artist Brandon Royval face off against Mexico's Brandon Moreno. Royval defeated the former flyweight champion by split decision.

Meanwhile, Brian Ortega beat opponent Yair Rodriguez via submission, while Daniel Zellhuber won against Francisco Prado via unanimous decision.

The same goes for Yazmin Jauregui, who emerged victorious in his fight against Sam Hughes.
A 44-year-old mother accused of fatally shooting her own son has been taken into custody in Columbus, Ohio. The incident reportedly unfolded following an alleged attempt by the mother to stab her son.

On Feb. 19, Columbus Police responded to a shooting incident on the 2800 block of Drew Heights Place. Upon their arrival, officers discovered Jahaad Hughes unresponsive on the ground. Medics transported Hughes to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to the injuries.

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According to court documents obtained by WBNS-TV, Hughes mother, Laquandra Williams, reportedly tried to stab Hughes first. The 21-year-old reportedly managed to wrestle the knife away from his mother.

Williams allegedly told Hughes, "I'm going to show you something," before walking to her car.

As Hughes was about to leave, Williams reportedly shot him point blank. According to FOX-28, Williams approached police and admitted to the shooting. She is charged with aggravated murder and felonious assault and is being held at the Fairfield County Jail on a $1 million dollar bond.

Miykaia Adkins, Laquandra's daughter, commented about the incident on Facebook.

RELATED: Judge Accused Of Shooting Sleeping Boyfriend In The Head And Told Him He Did It

"MY mother was not in her right state of mind when this happened," she wrote. "My brother did not deserve to lose his life ! Her children is still grieving please don't go to hard on our mother. We forgive her and my brother is no longer suffering he's at peace.."
Senior member of one of Europe's most powerful banking dynasties, Nathaniel Charles Jacob Rothschild, has died on Monday.

He was 87.

His family confirmed his death in a statement to the Press Association. No further details regarding cause of death were given.

Rothschild is survived by four children  Hannah, Beth, Emily, and Nathaniel  in addition to many grandchildren. He was married to Serena Mary Dunn, who died at 83 in 2019.

According to The Independent, Lord Jacob's daughter, Hannah, 61, will assume the role of Chair of the Rothschild Foundation.

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"Our father Jacob was a towering presence in many peoples' lives  a superbly accomplished financier, a champion of the arts and culture, a devoted public servant, a passionate supporter of charitable causes in Israel and Jewish culture, a keen environmentalist and much-loved friend, father and grandfather," the family said in a statement.

In the 1970's, the financier and philanthropist departed from his family's bank, N.M. Rothschild & Sons Ltd., following an internal dispute with the firm regarding the company's direction and family name.

He went on to co-found J Rothschild Assurance Group, which is now St James's Place, in 1980. Rothschild Investment Trust, known as RIT Capital Partner Plc, became one of the UK's most successful investment trusts. However, he stepped down in 2019.

(Photo by Alastair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

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A well known philanthropist, he was chairman of the National Gallery and the National Heritage Lottery Fund. The gallery's director, Gabriele Finaldi, recalls Rothschild's brilliant, knowledgeable, and refined persona.

"The National Gallery transformations in the late 1980's and early 1990's were, in large measure, due to his energy and vision," Finaldi said in a statement obtained by the Art Newspaper.

Rothschild also restored Spencer House in London and spearheaded the five-year restoration of Waddesdon Manor between 1990-1995, a 19th century country house property tied to his family's lineage.

The Rothschild Foundation and Waddesdon Manor are deeply saddened to announce the death of Lord Rothschild, businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and cultural leader. He will be greatly missed by his family, his colleagues and his many friends. pic.twitter.com/wKkZZjQu8l  Waddesdon (@WaddesdonManor) February 26, 2024

"The Rothschild Foundation and Waddesdon Manor are deeply saddened to announce the death of Lord Rothschild, businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and cultural leader. He will be greatly missed by his family, his colleagues and his many friends," Waddesdon Manor said in a statement via X.

Lord Jacob Rothschild will be buried in accordance with Jewish custom, including a small family ceremony and a memorial at a later date to celebrate his life.
Scientists have observed how pores form, evolve and grow during directed energy deposition additive manufacturing (DED-AM). Using the ESRF, they discovered how dozens of small pores can coalesce to form much larger, potentially detrimental ones. These insights could lead to both AM technology improvements and higher performing final products, such as aero engine components. Their results are out today in Nature Communications.

For the so-called Industry 4.0, where intelligent production routes and advanced information technology are merged, additive manufacturing (AM) is considered as key technology. Additive Manufacturing is the technology that builds 3D objects by adding powdered material, one layer at a time, to form almost any object, regardless of its complexity. Directed energy deposition (DED) is a type of AM that focuses energy to melt blown powder onto a substrate for complex product fabrication and repair.

Today, many different products, often with intricate shapes, are manufactured using DED in aerospace, power systems, automotive and marine fields. These include the manufacturing and repair of specialised aerospace and power plant components such as turbine blades or nozzles.

However, the industrialization of DED has been limited so far, due to the porosity introduced in the process, and which can be detrimental to the components performance.

Whilst this technology is already widely used, there is still not much known about how pores arise and evolve in DED, so we wanted to investigate that, explains Peter Lee, professor at University College London (UCL) and corresponding author of the paper. Until now, porosity in DED has mostly been studied ex situ, using metallographic observation and X-ray computed tomography. There is a strong demand in getting results with industrial-relevant conditions and at a high temporal resolution to explain these pore mechanisms, says Martyn Jones of Rolls-Royce plc.

Lee and Zhang, together with colleagues from UCL, in collaboration with the ESRF, RMIT (Australia), Shimane University (Japan), Queen Mary University of London and Rolls-Royce plc, came to the ESRF to track pores during their formation, growth and migration in situ. They combined ultra-high speed in situ synchrotron X-ray imaging on beamline ID19 and multi-physics modelling.

On ID19, they set up a Blown Powder Additive Manufacturing Replicator, similar to the machinery used in industry except with x-ray transparent windows to enable the process to be captured ultra-high-speed synchrotron radiography. Laser DED-AM forms new tracks of metal with solidification rates over 1000 times faster than traditional processes, requiring ultra-high speed imaging, which the ID19 and the extremely brilliant source of ESRF-EBS provides explains Kai Zhang, UCL Research Fellow leading the experiment remotely.

The experiment was very complex for several reasons: the nickel superalloy used, the strength of the laser and the fact that a big part of the team could not travel because it was during Covid restriction times, explains Yunhui Chen, scientist at RMIT in Melbourne (Australia), visiting scientist at the ESRF and coordinator of the team onsite.

Prior ex situ examination of DED-AM components occasionally found large pores, which other studies suggested were formed due to instabilities in the laser keyhole. However, under most industrial DED conditions a wide laser beam is used and no keyhole is formed. This study revealed the mechanism for large bubble formation, suggesting ways to avoid them.

Multi-institutional team of researchers on ESRFs ID19 beamline with their in situ DED additive manufacturing rig. From left to right  Ivars Krastins (University of Greenwich), Catherine Tonry (University of Greenwich), Harry Chapman (UCL), Xianqiang Fan (UCL), Peter Lee (UCL), Kai Zhang (UCL).

The researchers found that the pore behaviour goes through different stages: formation, bubble coalescence and growth, solid/liquid interface pushing of large bubbles, large bubble entrainment in the molten pool and finally, bubble escape or entrapment.

At first, argon bubbles from gas atomized powder enter the melt pool and move in circles or sideways. Then the small bubbles can either escape from the pool surface, become entrapped in the solidification front, or surprisingly dozens of small argon bubbles may coalesce into one or more large bubbles. Unexpectedly, the large buoyancy force driving these larger merged bubbles to the upper surface is balanced by the Marangoni surface shear flow. This is the rapid movement of fluids along a liquid surface minimising the temperature gradient driven variation in surface free energy.

Finally, once large bubbles become too big, they escape from the pool or if the solidification conditions allow it, they get trapped in the final component.

Only using the higher flux and enhanced beam coherence of the new ESRF Extremely Brilliant Source could we replicate industrial conditions to discover that the mechanism of large pore formation is through coalescence of small argon bubbles in the feedstock, says Lee. The next step is to test ways of mitigating large bubble formation, such as using other feedstocks which dont have entrained argon bubbles in them, he concludes.

Reference:

Zhang, K., Chen, Y., Marussi, S. et al. Nat Commun 15, 1715 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45913-9

Text by Montserrat Capellas Espuny
Nikki Haley says the Republican Party is 'becoming Donald Trump's playpen'

In Grand Rapids, Michigan on Monday, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley expressed concerns about the Republican Party in light of Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel saying she will leave her post on March 8.
The following update is a news release by Great Falls Police Department.

UPDATE 2:30 p.m.

GREAT FALLS, Montana  Shortly after 1:00 AM on February 20, 2024 the City of Great Falls / Cascade County 911 Center received a call reporting a male had been shot at a business in the 1900 block of 10 th Ave S. Great Falls Police Department (GFPD), Great Falls Fire Rescue (GFFR), and Great Falls Emergency Services (GFES) were dispatched.

GFPD officers located a male gunshot victim and learned the 24 year-old Great Falls resident was an employee of the business, and working at the time of the shooting.

The victim was transported to Benefis Emergency Department, by GFES, and is now listed in stable condition. It was reported a group of drive-thru customers was refused service for being unruly with staff.

The gunshot victim knew the group of customers, and was attempting to address their concerns outside in the parking lot when a firearm was brandished and used to shoot the victim.

The investigation led GFPD officers and detectives to a residence in the 1600 block of 9th Ave S. The GFPD High Risk Unit (HRU), comprised of GFPD officers and Cascade County Sheriffs Office (CCSO) deputies, responded to the residence and made contact with several individuals inside the home.

The HRU executed a Search Warrant on the home, utilizing standard SWAT techniques such as, distraction devices and chemical irritants, as they were clearing the home. Peyton Arthur Vaughn, a 21 year-old Great Falls resident has been arrested and charged with one count of Felony Assault with a Weapon; he has been remanded to the Cascade County Detention Center. The GFPD is not seeking any other suspects at this time and the scene is clear of law enforcement personnel. We are always very appreciative for the communitys support and patience, especially during stressful incidents such as this.

UPDATE: 9:33 a.m.

One person is hospitalized and in critical condition after a shooting that took place near 19th Street and 10th Avenue South in Great Falls early Tuesday morning.

Four people have been detained and are being interviewed, Great Falls Police Department tells us.

Upon initial investigation, it was determined multiple persons were involved; however, GFPD told us they are not calling all of the four detainees suspects at this time.

Due to the incident involving a shooting, the High Risk Unit was called to secure the residence to make sure the scene was safe.

Police will stay at the residence in the 1600 block of Ninth Avenue South with investigators to collect evidence under a search warrant.

There is no threat to the public.

UPDATE: 8:45 a.m.

Police are still working to secure the residence in the 1600 block of 9th Ave South in Great Falls.

GFPD said in a Facebook update members of the high risk unit may use distraction devices and other regular SWAT tactics--nearby residents may hear loud bangs.

UPDATE: 7:27 a.m.

The Great Falls Police Department tells us officers are responding to a residence that may have a connection to an incident that happened at around 1 a.m. where a person was shot at a different location.

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - There is a heavy police presence in the 1600 block of 9th Ave S of Great Falls Tuesday morning.

The incident started at approximately 1 a.m. at a different location.

The Great Falls Police Department said in a Facebook post the police presence includes members of its high risk unit.

People are asked to avoid the area and to follow emergency personnel's instructions.

This is a breaking story. We will provide updates as they become available.
A report published on February 14 revealed that the Chinese Communist Party is continuing to target and enslave Uyghurs through an expansion of forced labor in China. Published by The Jamestown Foundation and authored by Beijing-banned academic Adrian Zenz, the report concluded, Xinjiang currently operates the worlds largest system of state-imposed forced labor.

The atrocities that the Chinese Communist Party perpetrates against members of ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang have come to light in recent years, including mass imprisonment of more than 1 million civilians, forced sterilization, separation of children from their families, torture, abuse, restrictions on religious freedom, and forced labor.

While most of China is composed of the Han ethnic group, more than half of the population of the northwestern region of Xinjiang consists of ethnic minorities (predominately Muslim Uyghurs)  who the Party has long sought to control.

In 2021, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo determined that the Chinese Communist Party was committing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang  a determination that Secretary of State Antony Blinken upheld.

Though the horrific methods the Party wields to subjugate these minority groups vary, the objective remains the same.

Its a strategy of control and assimilation, Zenz told The New Yorker. And its designed to eliminate Uyghur culture.

Forced labor systems in Xinjiang  punishable by detention for non-compliance  are a key part of removing resistance and opposition to the CCPs absolute authority and power. In his report, Zenz pointed to two dominant systems used to target Uyghurs and other ethnic groups in Xinjiang.

In one system, detainees in Chinas infamous re-education camps received coercive skills training before receiving coercive work placement. Detainees who were viewed as less problematic received a sentence of forced labor, while others, such as prominent business and intellectual figures, were sentenced to lengthy prison terms.

Though it appears this system is no longer active, Zenz noted that the Chinese Communist Party is instead expanding its Poverty Alleviation Through Labor Transfer program. Zenz described this policy as a non-internment state-imposed forced labor mobilization system.

A Chinese academic research report, the Nankai Report, described the re-education camps as a drastic short-term measure and the labor transfers as a long-term method to reform, meld and assimilate Uyghurs.

But the bottom line is clear. Xinjiangs recent policy changes have rendered forced labor less visible and more challenging to conceptualize, Zenz wrote. Uyghur forced labor is becoming both more prevalent and more insidious.

The United States must take notice of these findings that disguise coerced labor as voluntary.

In 2021, Congress passed into law the bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. The law prohibits goods made by the Chinese Communist Partys forced labor programs from entering the U.S. market. However, numerous products tied to slave labor continue to evade legal protections and arrive in American households.

Chairman of the House Select Committee on the CCP Rep. Mike Gallagher and Ranking Member Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi wrote a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas that outlined some of the key challenges to effectively enforcing this consequential law.

First, the members wrote, Companies transfer forced laborers from [Xinjiang] to other regions in the Peoples Republic of China, complicating [U.S. Department of Homeland Security] enforcement of the presumptive ban on forced labor products from [Xinjiang]. Additionally, A second factor undermining enforcement of the [law] is Beijings increased transshipment of forced labor products to the United States through third countries.

Last week, to further augment and strengthen U.S. efforts in the fight against human rights abuses in Xinjiang, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan and bicameral Uyghur Policy Act. This legislation, led by Rep. Young Kim, will authorize the State Department to appoint a Special Coordinator for Uyghur issues, direct the U.S. Agency for Global Media to distribute information on Uyghur genocide, and authorize support for Uyghur human rights activists.

As the Chinese Communist Party continues to target Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in China, the United States must strengthen the enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and resolve to pass the Uyghur Policy Act into law.

For more commentary from Ambassador Callista L. Gingrich, visit Gingrich360.com.
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Livestock rustlers have stolen more than 70 sheep from farmland in Powys, with police urging the public to provide more information if they can.

The significant theft happened on farmland in south Powys, in the Merthyr Cynog area, according to Dyfed-Powys Police.

The incident could have happened as early as December 2023 or earlier this month, February 2024.

The sheep breed stolen were eppynt hardy x Scotch face ewes.

UK livestock theft cost an estimated 2.7 million in 2022, according to the latest figures from NFU Mutual.

Dyfed-Powys Police's Powys-based Rural Crime Team said: "This is the latest in a series of sheep theft crimes reported recently, in the area around Eppynt common.

"Police have asked the public to call 101 and ask to speak to the Rural Crime Team in confidence or report it online.

"Alternatively, people can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org."

How do I prevent livestock theft?

NFU Mutual says there are a number of steps farmers can take to reduce the risk and technology is now providing effective ways of tracing stolen livestock.

To deter livestock thieves, the insurer advises farmers to:

 Ensure stock is clearly marked and records are up to date

 When possible, graze livestock in fields away from roads or consider housing them inside

 Check stock regularly - and vary times of feeding/check ups

 Consider a high-tech marking system

 Join a Farm or Rural Watch scheme to share information about rural crime in your area

 Ask neighbours to report any suspicious sightings to the police

 Dial 999 immediately if an incident is taking place - do not approach criminals
A new AI-powered tool has the potential to revolutionise cow lameness detection and treatment in the UK, according to researchers.

The Hoof Monitor initiative is developing an AI-powered thermal imaging tool capable of identifying lameness at its earliest stage, allowing speedier intervention.

The device could help improve cow welfare, reduce lameness-related economic losses and contribute to more environmentally sustainable milk production.

Current methods for monitoring lameness include mobility scoring, accelerometer-based precision technology and camera and AI-based visual gait analysis.

Hoof Monitor is unique in using thermal indicators of lameness. The tool detects changes in temperature in individual legs and feet, enabling treatment before the condition visibly affects the cow.

This helps reduce both the cost of treatment and production losses, according to project founder James Willcox, who runs Winson Agriculture.

As well as having serious welfare implications, lameness costs the dairy industry 53m annually, and is second only to mastitis in terms of its economic impact.

Mr Willcox said: "Beyond the immediate welfare and economic benefits of treating lameness sooner, Hoof Monitor could contribute to a reduction in production inefficiencies and associated carbon emissions per litre of milk produced."

His firm Winson Agriculture has teamed up with Agri-EPI Centre and software company Rhyze Softworks to develop a proof-of-concept Hoof Monitor device, supported by a grant from Innovate UK.

Fitted to analyse cows legs and feet as they walk past, the prototype is currently being tested and developed with the 200-strong herd at Agri-EPIs Southwest Dairy Development Centre in Somerset.

Agri-EPIs head of dairy, Robert Morrison, said the product was unique in that it used thermal imaging in lameness detection in a way that, until now, had not been an affordable option on commercial farms.

He said: "This new approach enables us to detect increases in leg temperature, indicating increased blood flow - a clear sign of a problem in the cows foot - so that action can be taken earlier.

"As a robotic system working 24/7, it has the potential to make detecting and treating lameness much quicker than current methods, meaning its potential is impact very strong.

The device will later be trialled on larger commercial farms.
Marriage doesn't make people happier or healthier than those who are single.

Getting married does not equal happiness and health

Researchers have examined both the physical and mental health of those who have got hitched and those who have not and found "little evidence" that walking down the aisle improves well-being in the long term.

Dr. Bella DePaulo, who led the study for the University of California, Santa Barbara, explained more about her findings in the book 'Single At Heart: The Power, Freedom And Heart-Filling Joy Of Single Life'.

She said: "The media, and even scientific journals, are filled with claims that marriage is good for health and well-being.

"A closer look at the research, though, with an eye on the methodological biases, shows that such claims often misrepresent or exaggerate the results of the research."

The expert added: "Examples of research on suicide, depression, loneliness, physical health, and happiness are reviewed. In cross-sectional research, people who stay single typically have very similar outcomes to those who are currently married."
NASA is searching for four people to live on a Mars simulation.

NASA is looking for four people to live on a simulation of Mars

The US space agency is seeking volunteers for an experiment that will involve them being locked up for more than a year inside Mars Dune Alpha  a 1,700-square-foot structure at Johnson Space Center in Texas.

The futuristic building is designed to accurately replicate conditions on the Red Planet.

The volunteers will conduct simulated spacewalks and provide information on their "physical and behavioural health" as they have to cope with isolation and separation from their families.

Each participant will be paid $10 for every waking hour spent inside the base, around $60,000 overall.

NASA said: "The analog mission will be as Mars-realistic as feasible, which may include environmental stressors such as resource limitations, isolation, equipment failure, and significant workloads.

"The major crew activities during the analog may consist of simulated spacewalks including virtual reality, communications, crop growth, meal preparation and consumption, exercise, hygiene activities, maintenance work, personal time, science work, and sleep."
Chris Gauthier has died at the age of 48.

Chris Gauthier has died

The English-born Canadian actor - who was best known for playing Smee in 'Once Upon a Time' - passed away on Friday (23.02.24) from an undisclosed short illness, his talent agency have confirmed.

TriStar Appearances/Event Horizon Talent told TVLine in a statement: We can confirm that our dear friend and client, Chris Gauthier, passed away on Friday morning, February 23, at the age of 48.

"As a beloved Vancouver-based character actor, Chris shared his talents with so many of us both on television and in film. His loss is felt not just by his fans but by those of us who were lucky enough to know him more personally. On behalf of his family, we do ask for privacy during this time so that they are able to grieve properly."

His former co-star Colin O'Donoghue, who played Hook in 'Once Upon a Time' paid tribute to his friend and sent his condolences to Chris' wife Erin and their children.

He wrote on Instagram: Rest in Peace Chris! Heartbroken! My love and thoughts go out to Erin and the boys! You will be missed brother! You were the real captain!!(sic)"

And co-showrunner Adam Horowitz remembered the "kind, sweet and talented" actor.

He wrote on X: So sad to hear of the passing of Chris Gauthier. Such a kind, sweet, and talented person. You will be missed.

As well as his work on 'Once Upon a Time', Chris also enjoyed roles in 'Supernatural', 'Eureka', 'Harper's Island', 'Sanctuary', 'Smallville' and 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' on TV, while on the big screen, his film credits included 'Freddy vs. Jason', 'Agent Cody Banks' and '40 Days and 40 Nights'.
Dustin Lance Black has declared the UK government owes him an apology and "a lot of money" over his 2023 assault trial.

Dustin Lance Black has spoken out about his 2023 assault trial

The 49-year-old Hollywood screenwriter was accused of lashing out at BBC presenter Teddy Edwardes at a nightclub in central London in August, but the case against Black collapsed mid-trial when the judge dismissed the charge citing inconsistencies in the prosecution's case and lack of evidence of an actual assault.

Black has now insisted he wants the Crown to say sorry for taking him to court, telling the Guardian newspaper: "I hope I never experience injustice that deep and damaging again in my life ... Listen, I never even had to testify. The prosecutions evidence exonerated me. That is a malicious prosecution ...

"I think that the crown, the government owes me an apology. And I have not received it. I think they also owe me a lot of money."

The 'Milk' writer was alleged to have grabbed Edwardes' wrist "very hard", spilling a drink over her, but the judge overseeing the case pointed out contradictions in the accuser's evidence and declared CCTV footage of the alleged incident did not show an assault.

Black's defence lawyer, Helena Duong, argued it was the accuser who had shown aggression as Edwardes, 33, received a police caution for punching the writer in the back of the head following their row.

Speaking after the judge's dismissal, Black said in a statement: "This case has flown in the face of everything that I am. "I am very grateful to the judge for exonerating me."
Idris Elba got "kicked out" of Robert De Niro's office after "scamming" his way in to land an audition.

Idris Elba once blagged his way into Robert De Niro's office

The 51-year-old 'Luther' star was an aspiring teenage actor in the early 1990s when he decided to attempt to land a try-out for De Niro's 1993 crime movie 'A Bronx Tale' by blagging his way into the actor's office in New York, but Idris was soon found out and was removed from the building without landing the coveted audition spot.

During the 'I Am An Actor' segment at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Idris recalled: "When I was just starting out in this business, I was 19 years old. I scammed my way up to Robert De Niros office in Tribeca. Auditions were taking place for 'A Bronx Tale', and they started that week.

"Even though I was very late and wasnt even invited.

Idris explained he used his "English charm" to convince the receptionist and security guard that he had an appointment with the legendary star, who directed and starred in the movie.

He went on: "Now the woman sent me up into the elevator - do you remember when the elevators had a little key and you went in and went up? ... "

During the brief elevator ride, he psyched himself up and even did his best impression of De Niro. Idris added: "I was like, What are you going to do, when you in there what are you gonna do? Idris, come here' ... And thats when I ended up in A Bronx Tale' ... No, Im lying now. I wasnt in A Bronx Tale'."

The actor concluded: "I got kicked out of the office by Robert De Niros producing partner at the time, a gesture that I took to mean, kid, youre going to go places ... Im Idris Elba, and Im an actor."
King Charles has been seeking spiritual advice from a Greek Orthodox monk amid his cancer battle.

King Charles is battlnig cancer

The 75-year-old monarch was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of the disease earlier this month and Archimandrite Ephraim - who struck up a friendship with the royal following the death of his ex-wife, Princess Diana, in 1997 - revealed they have been in contact in recent weeks.

He told The Sun newspaper: Charles has a spiritual sophistication, a spiritual life.

Yes, he has been in contact since the diagnosis and I believe hell overcome it.

We have a very good rapport.

The king has visited Mount Athos several times, making eight separate visits to the Abbot's 10th century monastery, Vatopedi, where he reportedly has his own quarters.

A source said: There are no distractions so he can meditate, pray and follow ancient rituals like getting up at 4am to follow the liturgy which he absolutely adores.

The king recently admitted he had been reduced to tears by the messages of support he's received from the British public.

His first engagements in more than two months last Wednesday (21.02.24) saw him join a meeting of the Privy Council at Buckingham Palace, which was followed by an audience with the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The politician shook the kings hand firmly in their first private audience since December, with Charles joking the break was a bit of a gap.

Mr. Sunak told him it was wonderful to see you looking so well, while a relaxed and seemingly jovial Charles said: Well, its all done by mirrors.

The PM told him Britain was behind you, and Charles revealed: Ive had so many wonderful messages and cards. Reduced me to tears most of the time.

Mr Sunak added: I can imagine. As I said, everyone is behind you, and its been nice to see the spotlight that its shone on the work the charities do in this area.

Charles said: I hear there been a lot more interest on those main wonderful cancer charities many of which Ive been patron for years.

The PM confirmed: Theyve done incredible work up and down the country, nice to be recognised.

The pair then sat down for their private audience, and palace sources said the engagements were a sign of State business, as usual for the king.

Charles cancer diagnosis came after he underwent a procedure for an enlarged prostate, though his cancer is not related to the condition.
Kylie Minogue is enjoying the "freedom" that comes with being single.

Kylie Minogue is enjoying single life

The 55-year-old pop star has revealed that she feels liberated by her single status, and Kylie is determined to embrace the freedom.

The 'Padam Padam' hitmaker told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: "Im single and enjoying this freedom and the liberty.

"I think we can make different choices at this time than we may have at other times. I guess, dont be afraid  I have, definitely."

Kylie also confessed to having regrets about some of her previous romances.

She said: "Theres some romances I maybe could have done without, but its all part of what makes us human and our understanding of everything.

"I'm trying to think of something great to say, but hey, you fall in love. What can you do? And you live and you learn. I don't know what I know anymore."

In 2023, Kylie admitted that she's learned to accept the interest and scrutiny that surrounds her love life.

The award-winning star also suggested that her love struggles are more complicated than most people realise.

She told Vogue Australia magazine: "Theres a level of acceptance that thats the way it is, and I think mostly its driven by, we all love a bit of gossip. Its kind of like, what wouldve happened over the fence forever ago. But it would be great to move on from the shes lucky in love, shes unlucky in love, because its just not that simple."

Kylie believes the interest in her love life might be linked to her time on 'Neighbours', the long-running Australian soap.

The pop star - who starred on 'Neighbours' alongside Jason Donovan - said: "Ive often wondered if a lot of that started with the fact that I was Scott and Charlene or Kylie and Jason."
Chef Vikas Khanna is a man of many flavours and interests, all of which he pursues with great passion



As a child, Vikas Khanna used to be a masala chor. He introduces his latest book Ceremony Of Aromas with an endearing anecdote about how he was often accused of being a thief of spices  and with good reason. Chef Vikass life has been a search for spice, and a celebration of it. His 39th book might be an ode to 19 spices, but his fascination with them has sustained through his life as a chef. For him, India is about her spices, and her spices imbue his life. The acclaimed restaurateur  he has been associated with the Michelin-starred Junoon in New York City, Kinara and Ellora in Dubai  is also known for his cookbooks and food-related publications, and for his films, his documentaries, his philanthropy, and his stints as a much-loved judge on MasterChef India.



The one attribute that stands out to everyone who meets him is his humility. He thinks of himself as just a hardworking chef. I dont consider myself talented or visionary; I think of myself as hardworking, he avers in this interview. And I can do an extreme level of hustling to make a project happen!

And one theme runs through all his projects  his ambassadorship of our country in everything he does.



Edited excerpts from an interview:

About how Ceremony Of Aromas came to be...

I was researching spices and their flavours in the context of climate change, studying each ones life cycle from the flower, to pollination, to becoming a seed, to growing up into the spice we know. I found each of the spices fascinating, I had amazing images, and I was inspired to celebrate them in a book.







About the unusual format of the book...

Usually, the format a cookbook follows is to have appetisers, soups, small bites, then it could be a fish course, meats, poultry, rice and breads, condiments and it always ends with desserts and drinks. So I thought lets change the entire format and make it into 19 chapters, each telling the story of a spice before getting to the recipes. The introduction to each spice section details the life of that spice. I have given extensive notes  to give context, to give references, to explain my thoughts about each. It is very interesting because we are talking about spices that are indigenous to India and celebrate Indian cuisine like no other cuisine in the world. In most other countries where the cuisine has evolved around spices, the spices have been borrowed from India, from being part of the spice route.



About the most unusual spice

Star anise intrigues me the most. It was fascinating to learn how they use humidity to age the green star anise; its almost like a steam bath, then a sauna bath, then a steam bath until it turns into the spice we know. And its such a beautiful, beautiful spice; almost like a sculpture. I think of it as the (Michelangelos) David of the spices.



About his desire to be a farmer

Farming has a special place in my heart. I work with a lot of farmers in New York, especially in New Jersey. I feel that it is important for us, as chefs, to figure out a way to get fresh ingredients from native countries. I really want to create that path for the next generation chefs who are going to cook Indian food.



About his role as an Indian food ambassador...

The heroes of Indian food are in the kitchens of India. My role, handed to me by the universe, is to represent Indian spices and flavours to the world.







On being an Indian in New York

I love India in all its contexts and paradoxes. I feel that it is such an ancient country, and yet so new. And, having lived in New York for almost 25 years, I feel proud to have been able to create a foundation for India in the USA. Now, when I see so much evolution and demand for Indian food, so many Michelin stars, I feel it has been worth the sacrifices Sometimes, I feel emotionally bankrupt living here without a family in New York, but it is all worth it when I see how people have embraced Indian cuisine in the West. Of course, my heart lives in India. I am in New York to represent my country.



About being on MasterChef India

I feel very proud that MasterChef India gives me an opportunity to speak to millions of people. I feel very privileged that I was selected for this show; I work on it with my heart and soul  it is my priority. More people in India know me from MasterChef India than for my restaurants in New York or Dubai. It is also Moms favourite show!



On the impact of MasterChef India...

A show this powerful leads the way to the next level of Michelin star chefs. We also have the opportunity with MasterChef India to cultivate the idea of regional cooking in our own chefs, so that, tomorrow, when they go out into the kitchens, they can represent not just their families and cities, but the entire nation.



On what 2024 will bring

Last year was amazing! A lot of groundwork happened, I released a few books, there was the MasterChef season, and Im very proud that we were able to generate so much conversation around Odia cuisine in America, in India, and around the world. I hope I can continue to highlight cuisines from my country in all their glory and beauty through my restaurants, books, movies and documentaries.



And I look forward to 2024. Imaginary Rain, my biggest project to date, will be launched this year, starring Shabana Azmiji. Its a movie about a failed chef in New York and how she travels back to India to find her freedom and to find answers. Im very proud of this movie, it has taken me almost six years to complete it.



And we have three books lined up, a restaurant lined up in New York, and Ive been working a lot on a television series that I will announce shortly.



Also Read: Chef Ranveer Brar Always Believes In Simple, Honest Food. What About You?
In January, foreign direct investment (FDI) in actual use in China declined by 11.7 per cent to reach 112.71 billion yuan (approximately $15.86 billion) compared to the previous year. However, it increased by 20.4 per cent compared to the previous month, according to data released by Chinas ministry of commerce.

Furthermore, the ministry highlighted significant increases in FDI from various countries: a 25-fold surge from France, an 11-fold growth from Sweden, and substantial increases of 211.8 per cent, 186.1 per cent, and 77.1 per cent from Germany, Australia, and Singapore, respectively.

In January, China's FDI fell by 11.7 per cent to 112.71 billion yuan compared to last year but rose by 20.4 per cent from December, according to the ministry of commerce. Significant increases were noted from France (25-fold), Sweden (11-fold), and Germany, Australia, and Singapore. Additionally, 4,588 new foreign-invested enterprises were established.

During the same period, a total of 4,588 new foreign-invested enterprises were established throughout the nation, reflecting a substantial surge of 74.4 per cent compared to the previous year.

FDI in the high-tech manufacturing sector witnessed an increase of 40.6 per cent compared to the same period last year, Chinese media reports said quoting the ministry.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)
The European Commission has announced a significant investment of over 233 million in 12 Strategic Projects across the continent. These initiatives, funded through the LIFE programme, are geared towards advancing the European Green Deal's environmental and climate objectives. By supporting these projects, the Commission aims to catalyse additional financial backing from various EU sources, national governments, and the private sector.

The twelve flagship projects, spread across ten EU Member States, will play a pivotal role in aiding Bulgaria, Czechia, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Lithuania, Austria, Poland, and Finland in achieving their environmental and climate targets, aligning with the EU's overarching green transition objectives, the Commission said in a press release.

In the realm of environmental conservation, the selected LIFE Strategic Nature Projects (SNAPs) and Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) will undertake various initiatives. For instance, in Ireland, efforts will be made to designate at least 30 per cent of marine territories as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030 under the MPA-LIFE-IRELAND project. Meanwhile, the LIFE Podkarpackie project in Poland aims to enhance air quality in the Podkarpackie region, alongside tackling energy poverty and bolstering energy efficiency. Additionally, in Lithuania, the LIFE SIP Vanduo project will focus on enhancing water quality and management.

EU Commission allocates 233 million for 12 Strategic Environment and Climate Projects across Europe, supporting the Green Deal. Initiatives in ten Member States aim to meet national targets. Projects include marine protection in Ireland, air quality improvement in Poland, and biodiversity enhancement in Italy, and carbon neutrality in Finland among others.

Six additional projects have been earmarked to bolster nature conservation and biodiversity. Priodiversity LIFE in Finland seeks to implement regional biodiversity action plans and capacity-building measures. In Italy, LIFE NatConnect2030 will enhance biodiversity across more than 500 sites and reinforce ecological corridors. Other projects, such as LIFE SNAP Ireland, LIFE BIODIVFr in France, PROSPECTIVE LIFE in Czechia, and LIFE AMooRe in Austria, are tailored to address specific biodiversity challenges in their respective regions.

Addressing climate change, the ACE LIFE project in Finland aims to support the country's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035. This will involve reducing emissions from agriculture, heavy-duty transport, machinery, and phasing out fossil fuels in industrial processes. Meanwhile, the LIFE PYRENEES4CLIMA project, spanning Spain, France, and Andorra, will focus on enhancing climate adaptation in the Pyrenees region. Lastly, in Bulgaria, the LIFE-SIP CLIMA-SUMP project will work towards implementing Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) in six municipalities to promote zero-emission mobility and pave the way for climate neutrality.

The LIFE programme is a concrete example where EU funding successfully helps restore our nature and ecosystems and face climate change by cutting emissions and becoming more resilient. With these twelve projects, 10 EU countries will progress on those efforts on the ground and support the implementation of the EU environmental and climate legislation, said Maros Sefcovic, executive vice-president for European Green Deal, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)
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On this day, India made a significant decision that altered its defence strategy. As the nation paid homage to the Pulwama martyrs, it united to honour the supreme sacrifice of these brave soldiers. With 2024 marking the fifth anniversary of the Balakot airstrikes, a pivotal moment showcasing the nation's resilience, JioCinema offered a sneak peek of its upcoming offering "Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond," inspired by this defining chapter in India's history. For the first time, a web-series takes the audience behind the scenes of a large magnitude defence operation such as Balakot and the ensuing mission to bring back Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman.

The fast-paced video offered a glimpse into an incredible story that explores the intricacies of the Balakot operation, delving into lesser-known aspects, strategies, and challenges that shaped the trajectory of events. Directed by Santosh Singh, the series boasts of an immensely talented ensemble cast that includes industry stalwarts such as Ashutosh Rana, Ashish Vidyarthi, Jimmy Shergill, Lara Dutta, Prasanna, and many more.

Commenting on the anniversary, actor Jimmy Shergill said, "5 years ago on 14th February, our brave hearts at Pulwama gave the supreme sacrifice on the line of duty. While we will never forget the sacrifice of our martyrs, we couldn't stop beaming with pride when for the first we watched our country fight back! The Balakot airstrike, was a stern message that stemmed from the resilience and courage of our nation and armed forces. India took a firm stand and this date will remain etched in the nation's heart forever- India will never forget. Being a part of this series has only heightened my respect for the jawans as I relived a defining moment in our country's history."

"Coming from an armed forces background, I understand the bravery, sacrifice, and love for country firsthand. The martyrs of Pulwama made the ultimate sacrifice 5 years ago, however the Balakot air strike, filled us with national pride. On the anniversary of this historic defense operation, this sneak peek aims to honour every soldier, with or without of uniform, who reshaped our nation's defence narrative says Lara Dutta."

Stay tuned for Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond, the first-ever gripping war room drama that unveils hidden aspects of 2019 Balakot warfare, exclusively on JioCinema!


CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian Competition Tribunal authorized Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd's (AN3PG.AX, ANZ.AX) proposed A$4.9 billion acquisition of Suncorp's banking arm.



The Tribunal's decision sets aside the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission or ACCC's earlier decision not to grant authorisation for the proposed acquisition. The Tribunal is the review body for authorisation decisions made by the ACCC.



Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group welcomed the Australian Competition Tribunal's decision to authorize the proposed acquisition of Suncorp Bank.



ANZ entered an agreement to purchase Suncorp Bank in July 2022.



In December 2022, the ACCC received an application for merger authorization from ANZ in relation to its proposal to acquire Suncorp Bank.



In August 2023 the ACCC said it would not authorize the proposed acquisition, because it was not satisfied the transaction would not result in a substantial lessening of competition in the supply of home loans nationally, small to medium enterprise banking in Queensland, and agribusiness banking in Queensland, and that the claimed public benefits did not outweigh the likely public detriment.



Based on its review of the material before the ACCC, and some limited new information, the Tribunal has concluded that it is satisfied that the transaction would not result in a substantial lessening of competition in any relevant market, the ACCC said in a statement on Tuesday.



The ACCC noted that the Tribunal found many of the public benefits claimed by ANZ and Suncorp were either not public benefits or were not specific to the proposed acquisition. However, the Tribunal found that any detriments from the acquisition were uncertain and unlikely to outweigh the integration benefits.



Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



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NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - Alcoa (AA) said that it has reached an agreement with Alumina Limited (AWC.AX) on terms and process for the acquisition of Alumina Limited.



As per the all-scrip, or all-stock, transaction, Alumina Limited shareholders would receive consideration of 0.02854 Alcoa shares for each Alumina Limited share. Based on Alcoa's closing share price as of February 23, 2024, the Agreed Ratio implies an equity value of about $2.2 billion for Alumina Limited.



Upon completion of the agreement, Alumina Limited shareholders would own 31.25 percent, and Alcoa shareholders would own 68.75 percent of the combined company.



In a separate press release, Alumina Limited confirmed that it has received a non-binding, indicative and conditional proposal from Alcoa to acquire 100% of the ordinary shares on issue in Alumina via a scheme of arrangement, for scrip consideration of 0.02854 shares of Alcoa common stock for each Alumina share. The proposal is at a 13.1% premium to the share price of Alumina on 23 February 2024.



Alcoa noted that Alumina's board intends to recommend the agreed Ratio in the absence of a superior proposal and subject to an independent expert concluding that the transaction is in the best interests of Alumina Limited shareholders.



As part of the proposed transaction, Alcoa would apply to establish a secondary listing on the Australian Securities Exchange to allow Alumina Limited shareholders to trade Alcoa common stock via CHESS Depositary Interests on the Australian Securities Exchange.



Under the terms of the Agreement, two new mutually agreed upon directors from Alumina Limited's Board would be appointed to Alcoa's Board of Directors upon closing.



Alumina Limited's largest holder, Allan Gray Australia, has entered into an agreement with Alcoa that gives Alcoa the right to acquire up to 19.9 percent of Alumina Limited at the Agreed Price 0.02854 Alcoa shares for each Alumina Limited share. The conditional share sale agreement will be disclosed in a substantial holder notice to be released to ASX.



Alcoa is the sole operator of Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals or AWAC, a joint venture with Alumina Limited. AWAC consists of a number of affiliated entities that own, operate or have an interest in bauxite mines and alumina refineries in Australia, Brazil, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Guinea. AWAC also has a 55 percent interest in an aluminum smelter in Victoria, Australia. Alcoa owns 60 percent and Alumina Limited owns 40 percent of the AWAC entities, respectively, directly, or indirectly.



Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



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DALLAS (dpa-AFX) - AT&T (T) customers across the country will receive a $5 credit per account if they were affected by last week's nationwide outage. customers will see the credit in 1-2 bill cycles depending on when their bill closes. Most credits will be posted in the next billing cycle, the telecom giant said in a statement. AT&T CEO John Stankey sent a letter to the company's employees on Sunday about the cellular network outage that occurred on February 22 and the company's efforts to restore service. The company reiterated its financial guidance provided with its earnings report in January 2024. 'For the portion of consumer and small business customers most impacted by the outage, we are automatically applying an account credit to compensate them for the inconvenience they experienced. Prepaid customers will have options available to them if they were impacted. We are also working closely with our Mid-Market and Enterprise customers and will address their concerns as those discussions take place,' John Stankey said in the letter on Sunday. AT&T customers across the U.S. experienced a temporary network disruption on Thursday due to a software update error. The outage, which affected services such as calls, texts, and internet access, was not the result of a cyberattack, according to AT&T. Following the outage, service was gradually restored throughout the day, with all impacted customers regaining connectivity by late afternoon. Despite speculation about a potential cyberattack, AT&T attributed the outage to an incorrect network expansion process. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This year's Huawei Cloud Summit demonstrates how Huawei Cloud is the infrastructure of choice for AI applications. With the theme of "Accelerate Intelligence with Everything as a Service", the 500-strong event brought together executives and experts from diverse industries, such as carrier, finance, and Internet. Huawei Cloud presented 10 AI-oriented innovations and extensive industry expertise of Pangu models. The objective is an AI-ready infrastructure tailored to each industry for a faster journey towards intelligence.

Jacqueline Shi, President of Huawei Cloud Global Marketing and Sales Service, said in her speech: "Huawei Cloud is one of the fastest growing cloud service providers in the world. At Huawei Cloud, we're all about pushing boundaries and bringing cutting-edge tech to customers around the world. We have launched a series of local cloud Regions in recent years, such as in Ireland, Turkiye, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, giving customers easy access to the best-performing cloud. With over 120 security certifications worldwide, you can be sure your business and data are safe and sound. But it is not just about the tech. We believe in helping our partners grow alongside us, and this goal is now backed by our GoCloud and GrowCloud programs. And let's not forget AI - it is reshaping everything, and we're at the forefront. We're building a solid cloud foundation for everyone, for every industry, to accelerate intelligence."

Today's foundation models redefine production, interaction, service paradigms, and business models for traditional applications. They make AI a new engine for the growth of cloud computing. While the potential is vast, implementing AI in line with business objectives requires systematic innovation. Huawei Cloud CTO Bruno Zhang said that "Huawei Cloud will help you with two strategies. AI for Cloud uses AI and foundation models to elevate your experience. They revolutionize software development, digital content production, and more. Cloud for AI makes AI adoption seamless and efficient. Architectural innovation, AI-native storage, and data-AI convergence empower you to train and use AI like never before."

At the Summit, Huawei Cloud unveiled ten AI-oriented innovations that make it the cloud infrastructure of choice for AI.

KooVerse: Huawei Cloud has 85 AZs in 30 Regions across over 170 countries and regions. This global cloud infrastructure covering compute, storage, networking, and security pushes latency down to 50 ms.

Distributed QingTian architecture: Foundation models require a 10-fold growth in demand for compute resources every 18 months, far surpassing Moore's Law. To address this challenge, this architecture evolved from the conventional primary/secondary one. Built on a high-speed interconnect bus (Unified Bus), QingTian surpasses the limitations in compute, storage, and networking for a top-class AI compute backbone with heterogeneous, peer-to-peer, full-mesh computing.

AI compute: Hyperscale and stable, AI Cloud Service supports trillion-parameter model training, and training jobs can run uninterrupted on a cluster over thousands of cards for 30 days, 90% of the time. Service downtime stays within 10 minutes. It provides over 100 Pangu model capability sets and 100 adapted open source large models out of the box.

AI-Native storage: Training models needs mountains of data, and Huawei Cloud handles this demand with a three-pronged approach: EMS memory service stores petabytes of parameters with 220 TB ultra-large bandwidth and ultra-low latency down to the microsecond; SFS Turbo cache service for high throughput and concurrency of tens of millions IOPS enables warm-up of 1 billion data records in just 5 hours, not 100; Object Storage Service (OBS) knowledge lake reduces 30% costs in storing training and inference data.

E2E security: The full lifecycle covers model runtime environments, training data, the models themselves, generated content, and applications. This ensures robust, secure, and compliant models and applications.

GaussDB: This next-generation database features high availability, security, performance, flexibility, and intelligence, as well as simple and smart deployment and migration. Specifically, its enterprise-class distributed architecture ensures high availability thanks to zero intra-city dual-cluster RPO, complete isolation of software and hardware faults, and zero service downtime. For security, it is certified CC EAL4+, the highest level in the industry. For automation, GaussDB enhances database migration, deployment, and migration as the world's first AI-native database.

Data-AI convergence: The explosion of foundation models means "Data+AI" is now "Data4AI and AI4Data". Huawei Cloud LakeFormation unifies data lake from multiple lakes or warehouses so one copy of data is shared among multiple data analytics engines and AI engines without data migration. Three collaborative pipelines - DataArts, ModelArts, and CodeArts - then orchestrate and schedule data and AI workflows. They drive online model training and inference with real-time data. The AI4Data engine makes data governance more intelligent, from data integration, development, to quality and asset management.

Media infrastructure: In this AIGC and 3D Internet era, Huawei Cloud has built a media infrastructure of efficiency, experience, and evolution. For efficiency, Huawei Cloud MetaStudio, the content production pipeline that include Workspace and AIGC-based virtual humans, generates content more quickly and better. For experience, Huawei Cloud Live, Low Latency Live, and SparkRTC empower more seamless interactions. For evolution, Huawei Cloud provides AIGC and 3D space services with real-time user interaction. All these combine to boost the business and user experience to the next level.

Landing Zone: Enterprises use and manage resources better on Huawei Cloud thanks to unified account, identity, permissions, network, compliance, and cost management. Now multi-tenancy and collaboration are seamless among personnel, finance, resources, permissions, and security compliance.

Flexible deployment: All mentioned Pangu model capabilities and services can work in public cloud, dedicated cloud, or hybrid cloud. For example, customers can build and run dedicated AI platform and foundation models in their existing data centers using Huawei Cloud Stack, a hybrid cloud solution.

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 is taking place in Barcelona from February 26 to 29. Huawei Cloud is set to collaborate with customers and partners to present a wide range of engaging topics. Additionally, innovative products and real-world cases covering Pangu models, GaussDB, data-AI convergence, virtual human, and software development will be showcased during the event.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2346836/Jacqueline_Shi_President_Huawei_Cloud_Global_Marketing_Sales_Service.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2346837/Bruno_Zhang_CTO_of_Huawei_Cloud.jpg

Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2346838/Ten_Huawei_Cloud_Innovations_EN.mp4

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/huawei-cloud-infrastructure-of-choice-for-ai-with-10-systematic-innovations-unveiled-in-mwc-barcelona-2024-302070652.html




HIROSHIMA, Japan, Feb 26, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - A production site of Mazda Motor Corporation (Mazda) in the United Mexican States, Mazda de Mexico Vehicle Operation (MMVO), marked its 10th anniversary since its founding in January 2014. Celebrating the milestone, it held a commemorative ceremony on February 25, 2024 (Japan time). MMVO employees and dignitaries from the United Mexican States, the state of Guanajuato, and the city of Salamanca attended the ceremony to celebrate the 10th anniversary.Speaking at the ceremony, Mazda's President and CEO Masahiro Moro said, "Since the start of operation in January 2014, MMVO has grown with the support of many people, including the support of the state government. Once again, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone involved. Mazda has a "Human Centric" culture that values people. In order to realize Mazda's commitment to manufacturing in Mexico, our bases in Japan and MMVO have constantly engaged in communication and interactions across all areas, including production engineering and quality. We will continue to cherish our 'Human Centric' culture and work tirelessly to ensure that MMVO is rooted in the community and becomes a factory that is loved by the local community."In 2020, MMVO achieved cumulative production of one million units, and over the past ten years, it has grown into an indispensable and important base for Mazda's global business. In 2023, MMVO's production volume reached 202,506 units, and Mazda's sales in Mexico posted a record high of 76,017 units. The vehicles manufactured in MMVO account for about 70% of the sales volume in Mexico, and one-third of the sales volume in the North America. MMVO has grown to support the North American market, which Mazda positions as the most important market. Through bending efforts for co-creation with its stakeholders, MMVO will make further strides as a strategic base to support Mazda's business in North American market and contribute to the growth of the Mexican economy as well as the development of the automotive industry.Mazda will continue to pursue the 'Joy of Driving' under its core value, "Human Centric," and aim to deliver 'Joy of Living' by creating moving experiences in customers' daily lives.Source: mazdaCopyright 2024 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Australia's Suncorp Group Ltd. (SUN.AX, SNMCY.PK) reported Monday that its first-half profit attributable to owners of the company grew to A$582 million from last year's restated A$552 million. Earnings per share grew to 45.09 cents from 42.23 cents a year ago. Profit after tax increased by 5.4 percent primarily driven by a significant improvement in investment income. Profit before income tax was A$870 million, up from prior year's A$802 million. Insurance revenue increased to A$6.70 billion from last year's A$5.94 billion. Further, the Board announced a fully franked interim ordinary dividend of 34 cents per share. Suncorp, which is in deal to sell Suncorp Bank to Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZGY, ANZ.AX), said it now expects the sale to complete around the middle of the 2024 calendar year. It was in July 2022 that the companies agreed for the deal, which was denied authorisation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission or ACCC in August 2023. However, on February 20, 2024, the Tribunal granted authorisation of the planned sale of Suncorp Bank to ANZ. The sale remains subject to the amendment of the State Financial Institutions and Metway Merger Act 1996 (Qld) and approval from the Federal Treasurer under the Financial Sector (Shareholdings) Act 1998. The estimated cash consideration for the sale of A$4.90 billion is subject to standard completion adjustments. For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnings for stocks, visit rttnews.com. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
News Highlights

Companies collaborated on efficient ultra short form factor design to provide a high performance, cost optimised edge platform that lowers the entry threshold to deploy Open RAN.

Platform allows deployment in virtually any cabinet type and provides flex-configuration via PCIe expansion to enable additional acceleration or band support based on site utilisation.

QuantaEdge EGX77B-1U Carrier-Grade Ultra Short Depth Server uses 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors with Intel vRAN Boost.

First deployments are planned in select markets to meet stringent site environmental and power consumption requirements.

Mavenir and QCT collaborate with Intel to introduce the QuantaEdge EGX77B-1U short form factor server to support Open RAN deployments.

The QuantaEdge EGX77B-1U is a short depth (300mm), low power consumption, highly expandable Multi-Access Edge Computing server featuring the 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processor with Intel vRAN Boost and expandable memory for centralized and distributed Radio Access Networks that are ORAN, TIP, and NEBS GR63 Level 3 and GR3108 Class 2 compliant for 4G and 5G services. Detailed specifications of the EGX77B-1U can be found at both the Mavenir and QCT booths at Mobile World Congress.

Mavenir has been working with Intel diligently to harness and realise the benefits of Intel 4th Gen Xeon processors with Intel vRAN boost. The close collaboration has yielded extensive optimisations among the DU software, Intel's processor, and the latest advancements in Intel's FlexRAN reference software across 4G and 5G. These new capabilities and features will now be available on DU platforms, including QuantaEdge EGX77B-1U.

Mike Yang, President of QCT said, "QCT is pleased to collaborate with leading partners in the wireless ecosystem, like Mavenir and Intel, to enable innovations taking advantage of 5G Open RAN. By providing standards-compliant, cost-effective, and robust open platforms, QCT is committed to accelerating a diversity of innovative applications not only at the data centre but also at the edge."

"Mavenir and QCT are at the forefront of industry innovation, offering high-performance Open RAN software and DU platforms powered by Intel's latest vRAN processor with Intel vRAN Boost the world's first vRAN processor with fully integrated acceleration," said Cristina Rodriguez, Vice President and General Manager, Wireless Access Networking Division at Intel. "Our collaboration reflects a shared commitment to providing flexible solutions designed to meet the widely varying form factor, power consumption, and environmental requirements of global markets."

Pardeep Kohli, Mavenir CEO said, "Mavenir is excited for this strategic collaboration with QCT and Intel. This new optimised high capacity 1U chip-down edge server broadens our portfolio of options and expands our Open RAN solution blueprint while leveraging the complementary strengths of each of our respective companies."

The companies will continue to collaborate and work to satisfy customer demands for a diversity of leading-edge performance and cost optimised options when it comes to the design, supply and deployment of open 5G network solutions.

Intel, the Intel logo, and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries.

About QCT:

Quanta Cloud Technology (QCT) is a global data center solution provider that combines the efficiency of hyperscale hardware with infrastructure software from a diversity of industry leaders to solve next-generation data center design and operational challenges. QCT serves cloud service providers, telecoms, and enterprises running public, hybrid, and private clouds.

Product lines include hyperconverged and software-defined data center solutions as well as servers, storage, switches, and integrated racks with an ecosystem of hardware components and software partners. QCT designs, manufactures, integrates, and services its offerings via its own global network. The parent of QCT is Quanta Computer, Inc., a Fortune Global 500 corporation. https://www.qct.io/

Meet QCT at Mobile World Congress 2024 at Booth #5E21 in Hall 5.

About Mavenir:

Mavenir is building the future of networks today with cloud-native, AI-enabled solutions which are green by design, empowering operators to realize the benefits of 5G and achieve intelligent, automated, programmable networks. As the pioneer of Open RAN and a proven industry disruptor, Mavenir's award-winning solutions are delivering automation and monetization across mobile networks globally, accelerating software network transformation for 300+ Communications Service Providers in over 120 countries, which serve more than 50% of the world's subscribers. For more information, please visit www.mavenir.com.

Meet Mavenir at Mobile World Congress 2024 (Barcelona, Feb 26 29 2024)

To explore our latest innovations, MWC show announcements and learn more about how Mavenir is delivering the Future of Networks Today, visit our team in Hall 2 (Stand 2H60).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240225326148/en/

Contacts:

Mavenir PR Contact:

Emmanuela Spiteri

PR@mavenir.com
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Doublepoint Technologies , a leading pioneer in gesture technology, announced today the debut of an updated version of its popular WowMouse gesture-touch control app for Android smartwatches at Mobile World Congress 2024. The free app now supports Google's highly anticipated Pixel Watch 2. Following its successful launch at CES in January, WowMouse has already garnered over 30,000 downloads by Samsung Galaxy users in just one month.

WowMouse revolutionizes how users interact with their smartwatches by transforming them into wrist-based mice. Through seamless Bluetooth connectivity, users can effortlessly control headsets, phones, tablets, computers and more.

Try it at MWC24: Experience WowMouse firsthand for Google Pixel Watch 2 and Samsung Galaxy watches (4, 5 and 6) and also see Doublepoint's latest demos with XR, wearables and IoT at Booth No. B61.11 in Hall 8.1.

Experience WowMouse firsthand for Google Pixel Watch 2 and Samsung Galaxy watches (4, 5 and 6) and also see Doublepoint's latest demos with XR, wearables and IoT at Booth No. B61.11 in Hall 8.1. Download now: The Doublepoint WowMouse app is available now on the Play Store: Doublepoint on Play Store .

"Surpassing 30,000 users within just one month is a testament to the impact WowMouse is making in the industry," said Ohto Pentikainen , CEO and co-founder of Doublepoint. "It reflects the growing demand for intuitive and powerful interactions with wearable devices."

How it works

Doublepoint's groundbreaking WowMouse uses the WearOS platform to let users add gesture-touch control to their wrist-based devices, creating an innovative new dimension of human-computer interaction. By giving consumers an intuitive mouse on their wrist, Doublepoint is redefining wearable interactions and presenting new opportunities for increasing consumer enjoyment.

"Since we introduced our WowMouse app on Samsung Galaxy Watches, our rapidly growing community has been asking for Pixel Watch 2 support," added Pentikainen. "WowMouse's integration with Pixel Watch 2 brings our gesture detection technology into the hands of even more smartwatch owners. We're thrilled to keep supporting more devices, because consumers' excitement is a huge signal to the industry that there are increasing expectations for this type of device interaction and control."

AR/VR

For augmented reality and virtual reality, WowMouse takes gaming and other interactive consumer technology experiences to a new level of immersion and smooth control. The revolutionary gesture-touch app connects easily with Bluetooth, giving consumers a quick way to intuitively interact with AR/VR headsets, as well as with any other device. Doublepoint's expertly designed interface gestures, such as pointing and selecting, are so subtle that the device control experience is discrete and fluid, and is unparalleled in the AR/VR and gaming marketplace.

Evaluation Kit

For industry, Doublepoint is offering preorders for its Evaluation Kit. The kit includes a wristband, advanced algorithms and evaluation tools that make it easy for developers and manufacturers to explore new ways to improve current and future consumer products by embedding Doublepoint's transformative gesture detection algorithm. Doublepoint provides advanced gesture detection, licensable software for smartwatch and fitness tracker integrations, and reference designs for new device categories like input wristbands. For more information and to place kit preorders, please visit the Doublepoint Kit Waitlist Form .

Doublepoint is committed to making gesture detection technology more accessible and enabling cutting-edge human-computer interactions that deliver benefits across a wide range of applications. Learn more at Doublepoint.com .

PRESS KIT

Video and images are available at https://bit.ly/DP-CES24-PressKit .

About Doublepoint

Doublepoint is a leading provider of gesture detection technology, revolutionizing user interactions across various devices. Featured in CNBC, CNET, Digital Trends, Mashable, Venturebeat, The Verge and Wired, Doublepoint's technology has been recognized as groundbreaking for advancing human-computer interactions through wrist-based wearable devices. With a commitment to innovation and user experience, Doublepoint's solutions empower consumers, researchers and developers to explore new possibilities in the world of wearable technology. For more information, visit Doublepoint.com and follow @Doublepointlab on Instagram , LinkedIn , X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube .

Media Contact

Kristina Messner

+1-703-716-3181

Press@doublepoint.com

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0uUnDfvkrc

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/doublepoint-introduces-wowmouse-for-google-pixel-watch-2-at-mwc24--celebrates-30-000-android-smartwatch-downloads-since-ces-302070725.html
Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - IT-OFFSHORE is expanding its expert operation in business immigration to the EU by merging Expatcenter.eu and celebrating its decade-long anniversary. IT-OFFSHORE, a consulting company founded in Frankfurt in 2014, is today a recognized leader in providing all-inclusive services for company registration, account opening, licensing, and creating unique financial solutions for businesses to expand internationally.





IT-OFFSHORE international company formations

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8871/198883_itoffshoreimage.jpg

IT-OFFSHORE proudly announces the completion of the acquisition deal with Expatcenter.eu. This company has specialized in business immigration for IT companies and startups to Singapore since 2017. The strategic move overlaps with the celebration of the company's 10th anniversary.

The acquisition of Expatcenter.eu aims to significantly enhance the expertise of IT-OFFSHORE in business immigration, offering clients fully integrated solutions for team relocation and business legalization not only in the European Union but also in Australia, Latin America, and Asia.

IT-OFFSHORE's CEO, Dmitry Sabitov, emphasized the significance of this deal: "The acquisition of Expatcenter.eu is a key milestone in our expansion strategy. It will strengthen our presence in the EU market and enrich our expertise, allowing us to provide even more comprehensive and integrated solutions for our clients. Along with our existing experience, this acquisition aims to greatly enhance our position in the business immigration and relocation market."

They also announced the service extension in company registration and account opening and managed to significantly expand the company's product range for obtaining residence permits and residency.

"We aim to offer our clients an even wider spectrum of services that will help companies effectively solve business challenges related to growth and global expansion," said Dmitry Sabitov.

The company's team includes professional business analysts, auditors, and lawyers with over ten years of experience. They will help clients understand the structure of their business and provide practical solutions.

Contact:

+44 (203) 769-29-01

sales@it-offshore.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198883

SOURCE: PRNews OU
HPE Infrastructure provides efficient, open and flexible connectivity across 3,000 sites throughout urban and rural communities

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) announced it is working with TELUS, which is building Canada's first 5G open radio access network (Open RAN), by providing infrastructure across 3,000 sites. Once completed, the new TELUS Open RAN 5G network will provide instantaneously-responsive connectivity enhancing the customer experience with faster connectivity and mobile access.

Designed specifically to support high-performance telecommunications workloads, HPE ProLiant DL110 Gen11 servers provide an open and flexible, virtualized foundation to deliver next-generation cellular connectivity to urban and rural Canadians. The servers provide Open RAN infrastructure to assist TELUS with the interoperability it needed to build a scalable, best-of-breed 5G network. HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers will provide the foundation for a Distributed Unit (DU) which is responsible for preparing data for transmission across the 5G network.

"Open RAN technology enables HPE's telco customers the interoperability to design and manage their network with the equipment and software they desire," said Phil Cutrone, senior vice president and general manager of Service Providers, OEM and Telco at HPE. "This is one example of why we are the infrastructure of choice for telco carriers worldwide. HPE enables success by providing the most energy efficient, open, and flexible solutions at the edge."

Access to 5G networks is expected to transform worldwide data networks by enabling real-time internet of things (IoT) systems like immersive virtual reality and embedding artificial intelligence (AI) in business and consumer applications. Projections estimate 5G will triple network traffic by 20281. This includes demand from remote and rural businesses and consumers that have traditionally had limited access to data networks, as 5G communications are expected to enable their operations and communities to thrive.

"We are excited to elevate mobile communications for Canadians through the integration of our 5G network with Open RAN, which offers unmatched flexibility and diversity in services," stated Nazim Benhadid, Chief Technology Officer at TELUS. "Partnering with HPE, we are constructing a next-generation network that lays the foundation for continuous innovation and success for both our business and consumer customers. Moreover, this HPE solution not only meets the performance requirements but also plays a pivotal role in our commitment to reducing energy intensity per terabyte of data traffic by 50% by 2030."

HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers are purpose-built, ruggedized, and Network Equipment-Building System (NEBS)-compliant to enable an Open RAN solution. Providing a DU that frees TELUS from historical reliance on proprietary appliances enables the carrier to smoothly and flexibly integrate with other Open RAN 5G infrastructure components.

The HPE ProLiant DL110 Gen11 servers use AI-enabled innovation to distinguish between periods of high and low utilization, putting under-utilized infrastructure into an idle state without compromising latency or RAN network availability. The ability to optimize power consumption produces infrastructure power savings compared to existing Open RAN implementations.

About Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) is the global edge-to-cloud company that helps organizations accelerate outcomes by unlocking value from all of their data, everywhere. Built on decades of reimagining the future and innovating to advance the way people live and work, HPE delivers unique, open, and intelligent technology solutions as a service. With offerings spanning Cloud Services, Compute, High Performance Computing AI, Intelligent Edge, Software, and Storage, HPE provides a consistent experience across all clouds and edges, helping customers develop new business models, engage in new ways, and increase operational performance. For more information, visit: www.hpe.com

1 Statista, 5G Statistics Facts, January 26, 2024

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240225800720/en/

Contacts:

Kari Curto

kari.curto@hpe.com
AMSTERDAM and OSLO, Norway, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- MPC Energy Solutions ("MPCES", "Company") announced today that it has started construction of its 65 MWp solar photovoltaics ('PV') plant San Patricio Renovables in Guatemala. The Company issued a limited notice to proceed to the project's turnkey EPC contractor and thereby secured very competitive prices for PV modules and other critical equipment required for the project.

"We are thrilled to achieve another significant milestone in our company's history. San Patricio is by far our largest project to date, demonstrating the scalability of our existing setup and emphasizing our ability to successfully develop greenfield projects in the region. Once operational, the project is expected to deliver long-term stable financial returns to our shareholders and will help us surpass the USD 20 million annual group revenue threshold. The construction of the solar PV plant is expected to be completed by mid-2025," said Stefan H.A. Meichsner, Chief Financial Officer of MPCES.

MPCES today owns and operates five power-producing assets across Latin America and the Caribbean with an aggregate capacity of around 79 MWp (proportionate share MPCES: 66 MWp). San Patricio will be a significant addition to the production portfolio and nearly double the Company's installed capacity. San Patricio alone is expected to generate revenues of more than USD 8 million per year at EBITDA margins above 80 percent. The total investment costs for the construction of the plant, including financing costs and risk contingencies, will be around USD 42 million.

Fernando Zuniga, MPCES's Managing Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, added: "It is our mission to provide clean and affordable energy to countries across Central America and the Caribbean. San Patricio will be our sixth operational power plant once completed. The greenfield development only took around 12 months, which is truly a great accomplishment. It shows how quickly the energy transition can be implemented if all involved parties work focused and hand-in-hand, and that we have found great partners for this project."

MPCES has signed a turnkey contract with the Enerland Group for the engineering, equipment procurement, and construction of the plant. Enerland also built the 21.3 MWp solar PV plant Santa Rosa & Villa Sol in El Salvador for MPCES, which commenced operations in early 2023 after just 12 months of construction.

Once operational, the plant is expected to generate around 141 GWh of electricity per year. As announced in February 2023 by MPCES, the output from the plant will be sold entirely to Ingenio Magdalena S.A. (IMSA) under a 16-year fixed-price PPA. The IMSA Group is Guatemala's leading producer and exporter of refined sugar. The group, which processes 6.5 million tons of sugarcane per year, is also the largest private energy producer in Guatemala and supplies around 8 percent of Guatemala's total energy consumption from its power generating facilities.

MPCES will hold a webcast presenting the 2023 review, strategy update and outlook for 2024 on Monday, 26 February 2024. There will be a Q&A session after the presentation, and a recording of the webcast will be published on the Company's website afterwards.

Webcast information:

Date: 26 February 2024

Time: 10:00 am CET

Duration: 60 minutes incl. Q&A

The live webcast can be accessed through the following link: https://hca.videosync.fi/2024-02-26-mpces/register

For further information, please contact ir@mpc-energysolutions.com.

About MPC Energy Solutions

MPC Energy Solutions ("MPCES") is a global provider of sustainable energy and primarily focuses on low-carbon energy infrastructure, including solar and wind farms, and other hybrid and energy efficiency solutions. The Company participates in the full project lifecycle of renewable solutions, from early-stage development through construction and operation. More details at www.mpc-energysolutions.com

Media contacts

MPC Energy Solutions N.V.

Investor Relations & Public Relations

Email: ir@mpc-energysolutions.com

Norway

Mats Samdahl Weltz

Salto Advisers

Phone: +47 950 46330

Email: msw@saltoadvisers.no

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GLENVIEW, IL / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Glenview, Illinois. Upside Foods, an innovator and leader within the cultivated meat industry, has recently announced a significant adjustment to its expansion strategy. Amidst a challenging funding environment, the company has opted to refocus its resources and efforts, choosing to enhance and double the investment in its existing Emeryville, California facility, rather than proceeding with the immediate development of a new plant in Glenview, Illinois, which had been informally referred to as "Rubicon." This strategic pivot is designed to optimize operational efficiency and achieve cost- effectiveness without compromising the company's ambitious growth and production goals.

The decision to delay the Rubicon project and instead invest in the Emeryville facility is a calculated response to the current financial landscape, aiming to maintain momentum in scaling up production capabilities while managing costs prudently. Upside Foods emphasizes that this shift does not signify a step back but rather a strategic repositioning to ensure the company's sustainable growth. The expansion of the Emeryville site is projected to meet, if not exceed, the production capacity and timelines initially forecasted for the Rubicon facility, but with considerably lower financial outlay.

Uma Valeti, CEO of Upside Foods, underscored the significance of these adjustments within the company's broader strategic framework. By focusing on enhancing the existing infrastructure in Emeryville, Upside Foods is not only aiming to fortify its position as a pioneer in the cultivated meat sector but is also laying the groundwork for future expansion, including the eventual establishment of a full-scale commercial facility. These steps are integral to the company's vision of leading the industry with innovative, sustainable food solutions that meet the growing global demand for alternative proteins.

However, this realignment has necessitated the elimination of certain positions, specifically affecting 16 employees who were engaged with the Illinois project. Recognizing the impact of these changes, Upside Foods has committed to providing the affected individuals with severance packages and support services to assist them during this transition period.

As Upside Foods navigates through these strategic changes, the company extends its heartfelt gratitude to its employees, partners, and the broader community for their continued support and understanding. The focused investment in the Emeryville facility is a testament to Upside Foods' unwavering commitment to innovation, sustainability, and the successful commercialization of cultivated meat products. This approach not only aligns with the company's long-term objectives but also reinforces its leadership position in the rapidly evolving cultivated meat industry, promising a future where food production is more sustainable, efficient, and aligned with global sustainability goals.

Learn more:

https://www.wired.com/story/upside-foods-glenview-illinois-factory-lab-grown-meat/

https://www.bracescookbook.com/

https://upsidefoods.com/

Vera Alis

vera@bracescookbook.com

+12142860297

SOURCE: BracesCook

View the original press release on accesswire.com
NTT DOCOMO, INC. and NEC Corporation announced today that they plan to establish a joint venture company, OREX SAI, INC. on April 1 to provide OREX Packages solutions for the full-scale global deployment of Open RAN services.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226531069/en/

Overview of OREX SAI (Graphic: Business Wire)

OREX SAI will locally source products and services from members of OREX PARTNERS in each market and perform system verifications to deliver mobile networks tailored to the needs of each overseas telecommunications operator. Leveraging NEC's established business infrastructure and global network in over 50 countries and territories, the joint venture will accelerate its global expansion of Open RAN business.

In addition, DOCOMO and NEC plan to strengthen cooperation with OREX PARTNERS through OREX SAI to promote the commercialization and realization of true Open RAN that enables the interoperability of equipment and systems from diverse vendors.

The joint venture will procure all necessary Open RAN network equipment and software from OREX PARTNERS, and then conduct system verification for the planning and construction of optimal mobile networks tailored to each telecom operator. Full-stack services will include planning, construction, maintenance and operation under the OREX Packages framework.

DOCOMO established the O-RAN ALLIANCE with leading global telecom operators in February 2018 and launched the world's first nationwide Open RAN 5G service in Japan in March 2020. Since introducing the OREX brand in February 2023, DOCOMO has been supporting Open RAN verifications for global telecom operators to help realize more open mobile networks around the world.

NEC, having delivered Open RAN solutions to telecom operators in Japan and other countries, was selected by DOCOMO as a vendor for virtualized radio access networks (vRANs), one of DOCOMO's 5G commercial services in Japan. With extensive experience in building communication infrastructure around the world, NEC offers strong system-integration (SI) capabilities.

In their collaboration with OREX PARTNERS to realize Open RAN, DOCOMO and NEC recognize the importance of optimizing local product and service delivery. In response, they will now form a joint venture company to establish a global system capable of accelerating the realization of Open RAN.

Hiroshi Kobayashi, President and CEO of OREX SAI, said, "We are excited to bring our true Open RAN solutions to telecom operators worldwide through the joint venture OREX SAI, which combines DOCOMO's Open RAN implementation expertise, OREX's innovative solutions and NEC's global system-integration capabilities. We are committed to driving innovation and connectivity for all, making global telecommunications open, seamless and inclusive."

Going forward, OREX SAI will work with OREX PARTNERS to provide optimal products and services that accelerate the global adoption of high-quality, cost-effective and energy-efficient Open RAN solutions. In addition, they will enhance cooperation with global partners to foster a vibrant and open ecosystem.

The new company will also explore application of the NTT's IOWN all-photonic network for transmission, the use of low-power servers equipped with optoelectronic devices, and collaboration with the Cognitive Foundation

Joint Venture Overview Official Name OREX SAI, INC. Headquarters 59-16 Nisshin-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa, Japan 210-0024 President and CEO Hiroshi Kobayashi Business Sales of Open RAN equipment and services

Open RAN construction, maintenance, and operation

Planning of SMO, vRAN, and other initiatives Total Assets JPY 16 billion (including capital reserve) Establishment April 1, 2024 (tentative) Shareholders DOCOMO 66% and NEC 34%

OREX is a trademark of NTT DOCOMO, INC.

For more detailed information, please refer to the full press release available at www.docomo.ne.jp/english/info/media_center/pr/

About NTT DOCOMO

NTT DOCOMO, Japan's leading mobile operator with over 89 million subscriptions, is one of the world's foremost contributors to 3G, 4G and 5G mobile network technologies. Beyond core communications services, DOCOMO is challenging new frontiers in collaboration with a growing number of entities ("+d" partners), creating exciting and convenient value-added services that change the way people live and work. Under a medium-term plan toward 2020 and beyond, DOCOMO is pioneering a leading-edge 5G network to facilitate innovative services that will amaze and inspire customers beyond their expectations.

https://www.docomo.ne.jp/english/

About NEC Corporation

NEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of "Orchestrating a brighter world." NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226531069/en/

Contacts:

For further information, please contact:

NTT DOCOMO

Mr. Ryoichi Sakurai or Mr. Ryohei Yoshioka

Brand Communication Department

Tel: +81 (0)3 5156 1366

Fax: +81 (0)3 5501 3408

global_pr@nttdocomo.com

www.docomo.ne.jp/english/

NEC Corporation

Mr. Joseph Jasper

Corporate Communications Department

press@news.jp.nec.com
More than 40 mobile operator networks across five continents have now commercially launched network API services to the developer community to unlock 5G's full potential

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA today outlined the strong progress the mobile industry, and technology partners, are making in unlocking the full potential of 5G networks and commercialising network APIs through the GSMA Open Gateway initiative.

A year since GSMA Open Gateway was unveiled at MWC 2023, 47 mobile operator groups, representing 239 mobile networks and 65% of connections around the world, have now signed up to the initiative. GSMA Open Gateway is focused on accelerating the growth of digital services and apps, by ensuring they integrate seamlessly with hundreds of participating networks around the world. This is done through single, programmable, access points, which are common among all mobile operators, known as Application Programmable Interfaces (APIs).

Working with technology partners and cloud providers, including AWS, Infobip, Microsoft, Nokia and Vonage, a part of Ericsson, more than 40 mobile operator networks have now made a combined total of 94 APIs commercially available to enterprise developers in 21 markets across Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.

With online fraud and cybercrime being one of the biggest issues facing online commerce, the GSMA, mobile operators and technology partners are first focusing the GSMA Open Gateway initiative on tackling online crime. Recent activities include:

Four Sri Lankan operators who have launched three APIs on a single operator platform providing robust authentication to secure customer online transactions;

Three Brazilian operators who have launched three APIs to combat fraud;

Three Spanish operators who have announced the launch of two anti-fraud APIs, working with online retailers;

Four Indonesian operators who launched three APIs to improve online security and customer experience; and

Three South African operators who are combatting fraud and digital identity theft in sectors including banking, finance, insurance, and retail through two new APIs.

Three German operators who have today made two APIs available to help app developers and enterprises tackle online fraud and protect the digital identities of mobile customers.

"It's been an exciting year for GSMA Open Gateway, and the mobile industry, where we have begun to build a unified ecosystem and unlock the full potential of 5G networks. This has culminated in the birth of a new API era," said Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA. "Our collective job for 2024 is to nurture and grow this opportunity and provide ubiquitous access to enterprise developers and cloud providers, so they can do what they do best, which is launch game changing new services that can maximise the benefits of 5G networks."

FOCUS FOR 2024: GROWING COMMERCIAL & MONETISATION OPPORTUNTIES

According to research by McKinsey, GSMA Open Gateway and other network API initiatives can unlock significant value for the telecommunications industry, and businesses using 5G networks over the next six years. It's forecast that, if operators can expose more of their network APIs and innovations to enterprise developer and cloud provider communities, then they can unlock an additional $300bn market opportunity by 2030.

Having built strong support amongst the global mobile operator industry in 2023, the GSMA Open Gateway initiative is focusing on how it can help members ramp up developer engagement in 2024. This will be achieved through the commercial launch of new services and a focus on three go-to-market commercial channels for open API adoption.

GSMA Open Gateway's three main go-to-market channels are:

Network Cloud Marketplace e.g. partnering with cloud providers including AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure and Vonage Strategic Technology Partners/Resellers e.g. Infobip, Nokia, and Ericsson Operators Direct to Market through their enterprise and innovation divisions

The industry is now turning its attention to a whole array of new services and innovations, including Quality-on-Demand APIs to enable safe drone flight, robotics, extended reality and immersive online gaming services over 5G networks. The roadmap includes further development in connectivity for network slicing, cybersecurity and cloud enablement.

Ishwar Parulkar, Chief Technologist for Telecom and Edge Cloud at Amazon Web Services at AWS, said: "The progress of GSMA's Open Gateway initiative over the past year had been very encouraging. As we get into the next phase of telcos productizing more APIs and monetizing them through various go-to-market channels, the role of a common, aligned approach across operators, hyperscalers and other channel aggregators that Open Gateway is promoting becomes even more critical."

Ankur Jain, Vice President, Google Cloud Telco, said: "Google Cloud has engaged with the GSMA Open Gateway initiative since its inception, and we are pleased to see progress towards giving developers simplified access to network capabilities in an open, standardized, and aggregated way. We look forward to working with our CSP partners and developers to bring innovative use cases to market."

Ross Ortega, Vice President, Product Management, Microsoft Azure for Operators, said: "Microsoft proudly champions the Open Gateway initiative, underscoring our commitment to making network programmability universally accessible to developers of connected applications. We believe that the standardization of network capabilities and APIs is crucial for ensuring that developers can easily understand and adopt these technologies. Azure Programmable Connectivity is at the forefront of this effort, aligning closely with Open Gateway standards to pave the way for seamless integration and innovation."

Other examples of how GSMA Open Gateway members and partners are working together to develop new industry use cases for developers include:

Nokia and Liberty Global have conducted successful trials in Port of Antwerp in Belgium, as part of the initiative, delivering high-definition video streams to remotely-located captains, to help them manoeuvre shipping vessels through busy areas.

and have conducted successful trials in Port of Antwerp in Belgium, as part of the initiative, delivering high-definition video streams to remotely-located captains, to help them manoeuvre shipping vessels through busy areas. Deutsche Telekom , O2 Telefonica and Vodafone are testing Quality on Demand APIs with Siemens Energy. Siemens is using the API to perform virtually assisted remote maintenance, using augmented reality, that requires consistently high network quality to enable broad deployment even in locations without stable connectivity.

, and are testing Quality on Demand APIs with Siemens Energy. Siemens is using the API to perform virtually assisted remote maintenance, using augmented reality, that requires consistently high network quality to enable broad deployment even in locations without stable connectivity. VEON has announced the launch of Geolocation Gateway, with the first commercial implementation already in place in Uzbekistan. A country-wide restaurant chain in Uzbekistan has worked with Beeline Uzbekistan and VEON Adtech, to grow its business through precision-marketing based on the Geolocation Gateway APIs. Future potential use cases include financial fraud detection and emergency response.

has announced the launch of Geolocation Gateway, with the first commercial implementation already in place in Uzbekistan. A country-wide restaurant chain in Uzbekistan has worked with Beeline Uzbekistan and VEON Adtech, to grow its business through precision-marketing based on the Geolocation Gateway APIs. Future potential use cases include financial fraud detection and emergency response. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Liberty Global have announced a collaboration to create a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) framework that enables developers to use and access Liberty Global's fixed and mobile networks as a platform for innovation. The two companies will focus on sectors, such as home productivity, logistics/transportation, remote care/assistance to improve people's lives across Liberty Global markets. Services will be based on GSMA Open Gateway standards and use CAMARA standard APIs to ensure worldwide standardization and wider adoption.

and have announced a collaboration to create a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) framework that enables developers to use and access Liberty Global's fixed and mobile networks as a platform for innovation. The two companies will focus on sectors, such as home productivity, logistics/transportation, remote care/assistance to improve people's lives across Liberty Global markets. Services will be based on GSMA Open Gateway standards and use CAMARA standard APIs to ensure worldwide standardization and wider adoption. Microsoft's Azure Programmable Connectivity (APC) has launched in public preview at Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2024, featuring APIs like number verification and SIM swap among other capabilities. APC, building a robust partner ecosystem with global operators such as AT&T, BT, Claro, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, MEO, Rogers, Singtel, T-Mobile, Telefonica, TIM Brasil, Verizon, and Vivo, aims to extend its reach further. Enterprises like Banco Itau Unibanco and NAGRA are adopting APC for developing network-aware applications, enhancing security, and combating fraud. Microsoft is also working with network technology partners and network programmability aggregators, such as Ericsson and Vonage, as well as Nokia and Nokia's Network as Code platform, making concrete progress accelerating the ecosystem on network programmability.

has launched in public preview at Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2024, featuring APIs like number verification and SIM swap among other capabilities. APC, building a robust partner ecosystem with global operators such as AT&T, BT, Claro, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, MEO, Rogers, Singtel, T-Mobile, Telefonica, TIM Brasil, Verizon, and Vivo, aims to extend its reach further. Enterprises like Banco Itau Unibanco and NAGRA are adopting APC for developing network-aware applications, enhancing security, and combating fraud. Microsoft is also working with network technology partners and network programmability aggregators, such as Ericsson and Vonage, as well as Nokia and Nokia's Network as Code platform, making concrete progress accelerating the ecosystem on network programmability. Since the launch of the Open Gateway initiative Infobip has signed several collaboration agreements with network operators and ecosystem partners to use the platform, including Vivo, Claro, TIM Brazil, Vodafone and Orange Spain. New partnerships with Telefonica Spain, Personal Argentina, Veon Group and many more will happen in the near future.

has signed several collaboration agreements with network operators and ecosystem partners to use the platform, including Vivo, Claro, TIM Brazil, Vodafone and Orange Spain. New partnerships with Telefonica Spain, Personal Argentina, Veon Group and many more will happen in the near future. Since launching its Network as Code platform with developer portal at the GSMA's MWC Las Vegas in September 2023, Nokia has signed collaboration agreements with 10 network operators and ecosystem partners to use the platform, including BT, DISH, NOS Portugal, and Telia. Nokia is announcing new agreements with CSP partners in Belgium and Argentina as part of its MWC Barcelona 2024 presence.

has signed collaboration agreements with 10 network operators and ecosystem partners to use the platform, including BT, DISH, NOS Portugal, and Telia. Nokia is announcing new agreements with CSP partners in Belgium and Argentina as part of its MWC Barcelona 2024 presence. In February 2024, Vonage launched Vonage Network Registry, a first-to-market developer registration service to accelerate and simplify developer access to network APIs. The service will also facilitate CSPs in effectively scaling the consumption of network APIs by standardising the approval process and granting access to network providers' APIs for Application Service Providers (ASPs). Vonage is working with multiple operators in Europe and North America including Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica, Vodafone, AT&T and Verizon to unlock programmable network capabilities for developers, and with KDDI in Japan, who is reselling its communications APIs. Vonage also announced a collaboration with AWS to leverage communications and network APIs to accelerate the availability of new solutions to developers, along with a new Fraud Protection Solution to be made available in the AWS Marketplace.

GSMA Open Gateway APIs are defined, developed, and published in CAMARA, the open-source project for developers to access enhanced network capabilities, driven by the Linux Foundation, in partnership with TM Forum.

THE GSMA OPEN GATEWAY INITIATIVE: WHAT TO SEE AT MWC BARCELONA 2024:

GSMA Open Gateway events and demonstrations available to see at MWC Barcelona 2024 include:

"Open Gateway - The Art of What's Possible " is the key theme of MWC's Keynote 1 on the main stage in Hall 4 on Monday, 26 February: 09:30 - 10:45 CET . GSMA Director General, Mats Granryd, will chart Open Gateway's progress, before the audience hears speeches from leading industry leaders from China Mobile, Microsoft, Orange, Telefonica, and Vodafone on the initiative's progress.

is the key theme of MWC's Keynote 1 on the main stage in . GSMA Director General, Mats Granryd, will chart Open Gateway's progress, before the audience hears speeches from leading industry leaders from China Mobile, Microsoft, Orange, Telefonica, and Vodafone on the initiative's progress. The CEOs of Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica and Vodafone will be discussing Open Gateway further with CNBC Europe anchor Karen Tso later in the day, during Keynote 4: Europe's New Horizon .

. During his keynote address, Nick Venezia , Founder and Chief Data Officer at Centillion.AI, will be discussing how mobile operators and developers can unlock further value from 5G APIs and create revenue-generating partnerships with global brands, digital ad exchanges, and advertising technology companies.

Founder and Chief Data Officer at Centillion.AI, will be discussing how mobile operators and developers can unlock further value from 5G APIs and create revenue-generating partnerships with global brands, digital ad exchanges, and advertising technology companies. The "Gateway to API Heaven" conference session will be held on Monday 26 February at MWC Stage B, Hall 6 . GSMA Chief Technology Officer Alex Sinclair alongside AWS, Axiata, Bridge Alliance and Chenosis will be hosting a deeper delve into the potential of network APIs and cross-industry collaboration.

conference session will be held on Monday 26 February at . GSMA Chief Technology Officer Alex Sinclair alongside AWS, Axiata, Bridge Alliance and Chenosis will be hosting a deeper delve into the potential of network APIs and cross-industry collaboration. The Open Gateway Devcon: is taking place on Wednesday 28 February between 15:00 - 19:00 CET at the Partner Theatre 2, Hall 8.0. For developers, by developers, attendees gain valuable insights into the potential of Network APIs and how they can reshape their approach to development.

is taking place on Wednesday 28 February between 15:00 - 19:00 CET at the For developers, by developers, attendees gain valuable insights into the potential of Network APIs and how they can reshape their approach to development. Monetising 5G through Open Gateway will be a key focus of the 5G Futures Summit on Stage C, Hall 6 on Wednesday from 09:00 CET. GSMA Head of Networks, Henry Calvert will chair keynotes and a panel with experts from Chenosis, Deutsche Telekom, Microsoft, Telefonica and Vonage.

will be a key focus of the on on Wednesday from 09:00 CET. GSMA Head of Networks, Henry Calvert will chair keynotes and a panel with experts from Chenosis, Deutsche Telekom, Microsoft, Telefonica and Vonage. Mobile World Capital Barcelona, using Nokia's Network as Code platform with developer portal, will run a real-time 48-hour GSMA Open Gateway Hackathon , at the Talent Arena in Hall 3. Participants in the hackathon will develop practical use cases that this new framework of common network APIs can bring to the market.

, at the Participants in the hackathon will develop practical use cases that this new framework of common network APIs can bring to the market. As well as GSMA Open Gateway members demonstrating API use cases on their stands across MWC Barcelona, the GSMA will be showcasing three demos on theGSMA Pavilion booth, Hall 4. These are from Vonage, part of Ericsson, Bridge Alliance and Liberty Global, Vodafone Ziggo & CableLabs.

Notes to Editors:

About GSMA

The GSMA is a global organization unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organizations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today's biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world's largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.

We invite you to find out more at gsma.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1882833/GSMA_Logo.jpg

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DOHA, Qatar, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- QatarEnergy has announced that it is proceeding with a new LNG expansion project, the 'North Field West' project, to further raise the State of Qatar's LNG production capacity to 142 million tons per annum (MTPA) before the end of this decade, representing an increase of almost 85% from current production levels.

H.E. Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, made the announcement during a press conference held today at QatarEnergy's Headquarters in Doha.

Speaking at the press conference, H.E. Minister Al-Kaabi announced that extensive appraisal drilling and testing have confirmed that productive layers of Qatar's giant North Field extend towards the west, which allows for developing a new LNG production project in Ras Laffan.

H.E. the Minister said that: "QatarEnergy has focused its efforts and attention on determining how far west the North Field's productive layers extend in order to evaluate the production potential from those areas. We have continued geological and engineering studies and have drilled a number of appraisal wells in that area. I am pleased today to announce that, praise be to God, these great efforts have confirmed, through technical tests of the appraisal wells, the extension of the North Field's productive layers further towards the west, which means the ability to produce significant additional quantities of gas from this new sector."

H.E. Minister Al-Kaabi also announced the presence of huge additional gas quantities in the North Field estimated at 240 trillion cubic feet, which raises the State of Qatar's gas reserves from 1,760 to more than 2,000 trillion cubic feet, and the condensates reserves from 70 to more than 80 billion barrels, in addition to large quantities of liquefied petroleum gas, ethane, and helium.

H.E. the Minister said: "These are very important results of great dimensions that will take Qatar's gas industry to new horizons, as they will enable us to begin developing a new LNG project from the North Field's western sector with a production capacity of about 16 MTPA. As such, the State of Qatar's total LNG production will reach about 142 MTPA when this new expansion is completed before the end of this decade. This represents an increase of almost 85% compared to current production levels. With the completion of this project, the State of Qatar's total hydrocarbon production will exceed 7.25 million barrels of oil equivalent per day."

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/he-minister-al-kaabi-announces-raising-qatars-lng-production-capacity-to-142-mtpa-before-the-end-of-2030-302070835.html
Strategically located in the Uranium City District, which is undergoing a major exploration rejuvenation, led by Aero Energy Corp.

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Victory Battery Metals Corp. (CSE:VR)(FWB:VR61)(OTC PINK:VRCFF) ("Victory" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has acquired an option interest in a uranium property on the north margin of the Athabasca Basin.

The Property - Chariot River Uranium

The Property is located 15 km northwest of Uranium City in the Beaverlodge Uranium District and is comprised of 120 claims spanning 1,978 ha over the Chariot River.

The property is bordered by Atha Energy Corp to the south and east, is about 1 km south of Eagle Plains Resources Ltd and is north of Aero Energy's "Strike Property" with numerous uranium showings.

Aero Energy, a restructured company, is focused on re-evaluating properties in the Beaverlodge District, with an emphasis on structurally controlled uranium mineralization.

Aero Energy's Sun Dog and Murmac Properties are also in the Beaverlodge area, to the south of Uranium City.

Aero energy is extending the exploration concepts of the Patterson Lake corridor to the Beaverlodge District.

In the Patterson Lake corridor, mineralization occurs in reactivated basement structures outside and along the margin of the Athabasca Basin.

The Patterson Lake Corridor hosts the Triple R, Arrow and Spitfire deposits, where high grade ore lenses are situated well below the basin-basement unconformity in atypical host rocks.

The west part of the property is located approximately 1.6 km east of the Wellington Power Station which would serve as staging location and/or camp, with access throughout by boats.

"The global growing demand for uranium has resulted in its price surpassing $100 per pound. This strategic acquisition is a welcomed addition to Victory's property portfolio and places the company in position to capitalize on the growing interest uranium has witnessed" said Mr. Mark Ireton, Victory Resources President and CEO. "Canada's Athabasca Basin is home to the world's largest reserves and accounts for 15.5 percent of global annual uranium production. Ten of the 15 highest-grade uranium deposits on the planet are found here. Victory's management team is currently completing due diligence on additional uranium projects and we look forward to providing additional updates shortly on property portfolio enhancements as a result of these undertakings."

Terms of the Agreement

Option

The option agreement provides Victory the sole and exclusive right to acquire an undivided 100% interest in the property (the "Option"), in accordance with the following terms:

a) An initial 40% interest for $50,000 and issuance of 3 million shares;

b) An additional 10% interest for a total of 50% on completion of exploration expenditures during the first year of $100,000;

c) An additional 25% interest for a total of 75% on completion of $150,000 in exploration expenditures during the second anniversary of $150,000 and issuance of 2 million shares;

d) An additional 25% interest for a total of 100% completion of $300,000 in exploration expenditures during the third anniversary and issuance of 2 million shares.

Share Issuance Metrics:

i) Common shares of Victory to be issued under the Option Agreement shall be at the greater $0.05 or the lowest price available under the rules of the CSE;

ii) If during the term hereof, the common shares of Victory are consolidated or otherwise amended, the number and price noted hereunder shall be amended accordingly.

NSR

Victory shall have the right to 1% from total of 2% NSR at any time for $1,000,000.

Athabasca Basin

Located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, it is known for its prolific uranium deposits. The region has been a major source of uranium for Canada's nuclear energy industry and is one of the world's largest and highest-grade uranium districts.

It is known for its unconformity-type uranium deposits, which are formed at the boundary between older basement rocks and younger sedimentary rocks. These deposits have high-grade uranium mineralization and are considered some of the most economically significant in the world.

The Patterson Lake Corridor is a new exploration district in and adjacent to the Athabasca Basin, which is defined by recent high grade discoveries including the Triple R, Arrow and Spitfire deposits.

Beaverlodge District

The Beaverlodge uranium district consists of a number of past-producing mines in the vicinity of Uranium City, Saskatchewan. Uranium City is located on the northern shore of Lake Athabasca, on the northern margin of the Athabasca Basin. The mines the Beaverlodge area produced in excess of 25 000 t of uranium metal between 1950 and 1982.

Originally a Cold War town, Uranium City came to life in the early 1950s, rapidly growing to more than a dozen mines, some with townsites of their own, and reached a population of nearly 10,000. Having been mined extensively in the past, mining operations declined after the 60's due to changes in market demand and economic factors. A final blow Uranium City endured was the sudden closure of its last mine in 1982, the Beaverlodge Mine owned and run by Eldorado Nuclear, which saw the towns population plunge from 4000 to less than 400. Due to the recent resurgence in uranium demand, Uranium City has not only survived these setbacks, it has once again been placed in the limelight as a regional hub, a site of ongoing exploration, mine reclamation and tourism. The town has a certified airport operated by the province and Pronto Airways still serves the community. There is no all-season road access connecting Uranium City with the rest of the country, but there is a provision for a winter road that connects with Fond du Lac.

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Helgi Sigurgeirson, Victory Geologist, who is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

For further information, please contact:

Mark Ireton, President

Telephone: +1 (236) 317 2822 or TOLL FREE 1 (855) 665-GOLD (4653)

E-mail: info@victorybatterymetals.com

About Victory Battery Metals Corp.

VICTORY BATTERY METALS CORP. (CSE: VR) is a publicly traded diversified investment corporation with mineral interests in North America. The company is also actively seeking other exploration opportunities.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.

SOURCE: Victory Battery Metals Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Aaron Brown joins iSAM Securities in a strategic move to expand into the Middle East. With almost two decades of sales experience in the FX CFD industry, Aaron will support the brand in increasing their global presence moving forward.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240223103047/en/

Aaron Brown Joins iSAM Securities to Drive Growth in MENA Region (Photo: Business Wire)

Joining iSAM Securities after his departure from IXO Prime, where he was Head of Institutional Sales MENA, Brown brings a range of expertise to the group. He began his career working at the London Metal Exchange and then at Societe Generale on the LME open outcry trading floor, before moving into the retail FX CFD industry in 2011. His senior institutional sales experience includes various London-based roles at some of the key players in the market, whilst his role at ADSS took his career overseas from London to Abu Dhabi to focus on the MENA region.

iSAM Securities, recognized for its award-winning multi-asset liquidity, cutting-edge technology, and robust risk management services, is poised to offer these capabilities to institutional clients in the MENA region. The company's global presence includes offices in London, Hong Kong, the Cayman Islands, and Florida (USA), with the backing of its parent company, the $5 billion systematic hedge fund manager, iSAM.

Samuel Johnson, Managing Director, iSAM Securities said, "We are delighted to welcome Aaron Brown to the team and work with him to spearhead our growth in the region. Aaron's wealth of experience in institutional sales, strong network and in-depth understanding of client requirements in the Middle East will help us to capitalize on recent client demand in the region, whilst delivering the same innovative, high-quality products and services we offer to all our clients globally."

Aaron Brown added, "Joining iSAM Securities is a great opportunity for me the firm has a strong pedigree, ambitious growth plans and an exceptional team, many of whom I have known for a number of years. I am excited to work with the team and contribute to the global growth of the brand."

iSAM Securities, regulated by the FCA, SFC, CIMA and CTFC, is a leading algorithmic trading firm and trusted liquidity, technology and prime services partner to institutional clients and trading venues globally. The firm offers full-service prime brokerage and execution via its cutting-edge proprietary technology, as well as market leading analytics, cleared through the group's bank Prime Brokers. For further information, please visit, isam-securities.com.

iSAM Securities (UK) Limited, iSAM Securities (HK) Limited, iSAM Securities (Global) Limited, iSAM Securities (USA) Inc., iSAM Securities Limited

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240223103047/en/

Contacts:

For media information, please contact:

Molly Sullivan, iSAM Securities

molly.sullivan@isam-securities.com

Tel: +44 20 3841 4439
Collaboration between the two communities will deliver significant value to software leaders and their teams within Europe

LONDON, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Boardwave , the ultimate networking community exclusively created for UK and European software leaders, and Mindstone , a global community focused on the practical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), today announce a partnership to extend Mindstone's increasingly popular AI Meetup Community to all Boardwave members and their employees. Adjacent to this, Boardwave membership is also being made available to each of the software founders and CEOs within the Mindstone Meetup Community.

AI will revolutionise every aspect of how we do business, and it's estimated it will deliver 600 billion in gross value added (GVA) revenue to the European economy by 2030(1). However, there is a skills and knowledge gap that exists within the founder and C-suite community that, while not widely acknowledged, has the potential to severely limit the practical application and potential of AI. In order for UK and European software companies to remain competitive, it is imperative that these leaders, and not just the general workforce, are upskilled in AI and leverage AI technology within all aspects of their business. Creating a step-change, and an industry that is tooled and ready to help other sectors lead on AI, will help the UK and European software industry to gain stronger momentum against its global competitors in this digital revolution.

Accelerating the rate of adoption of AI

The partnership will make AI more accessible to software leaders and their teams, by providing practical advice, guidance and training, for free. Boardwave's rapidly growing community of 1,400 members and their teams are now able to attend any of the Mindstone Meetup community events in Europe. Mindstone has already delivered programmes to more than 3,500 senior-level attendees in seven major cities including London, Madrid, Istanbul, Helsinki and Sofia. Boardwave's members can also register for the Mindstone AI Mastery Program of online training.

Building sustainable AI start-ups & scale-ups

Mindstone's 5,000 Meetup community members, who are AI CEOs or Founders, can also apply to join the Boardwave community of 1,400 other software leaders in Europe at no cost. Through networking, sharing ideas, knowledge sharing, best practices and mentoring Boardwave empowers European software leaders to accelerate and scale their businesses more successfully. First time AI founders now have access to a network that helps them become a leading force in the industry.

Delivering significant value to the software industry

Phill Robinson, CEO and Co-Founder of Boardwave, commented: "Currently, when it comes to AI adoption, Europe is being overshadowed by the United States and China. Europe has been quietly struggling with a growing competitiveness crisis and technology gap for almost 20 years. However, there is a real and present opportunity to shift this position. Europe contains an exceptionally vibrant technology sector and home to a plethora of businesses with deep industry knowledge and market-leading opportunity. With AI better embedded across the sector, we believe that by 2033 the European Software industry can move from laggard to leader. Key to this will be expertise, knowledge sharing and collaboration to efficiently help deliver against this objective. Strategic, European-wide partnerships, such as this one, will allow us to remove some of the barriers we face across the continent and instead address this challenge as a single market."

Joshua Wohle, CEO and Co-Founder at Mindstone, added: "CTOs and founders are now demanding more of their workforce; there is a real emphasis on being adaptable and leveraging technology such as AI to improve productivity. However, these very same people need to lead from the front, and there is a critical gap in their own knowledge and skill sets that needs to be addressed. I'm pleased to be able to extend our AI Meetup Community to all Boardwave members and their employees, and help their extensive network of European software founders and CEOs accelerate their business growth through the practical application of AI."

1. https://www.aboutamazon.eu/news/job-creation-and-investment/ai-adoption-forecast-to-unleash-600-billion-growth-in-europes-economy#_ftn2

About Boardwave

Boardwave is an impact-driven community of 1,400 European software founders and CEOs designed to help members accelerate their business growth, and to improve the overall position of Europe as a home for global software companies. Boardwave offers a programme of events, peer-to-peer mentoring and inspiration, as well as an online platform that connects European software CEOs for advice, insights, expertise and access to capital. It is also a campaigner for change across special interest areas including AI, Government engagement and DE&I. Software leaders, CEOs and Chairs can access the programme and platform at no cost. The Boardwave community is generously supported and funded by a network of 80+ Partners from across the software investor and advisory ecosystem.

www.boardwave.org

About Mindstone

Mindstone is like Duolingo for practical AI learning. It tailors your learning experience while aligning it with your career goals and your company objectives and turning it into a quantifiable skills profile similar to LinkedIn. Companies can set learning objectives across different levels - from the entire organization to specific departments, down to individual employees. It measures learning goals aligned with both individual and organizational objectives. Learning is transformed into visible, quantifiable progress, reflecting each employee's growth in a way that resonates with the company's strategic vision. It's not just fostering a culture of continuous learning but also leveraging it to reinforce organizational values, enhance team dynamics, and achieve strategic objectives.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2222137/4556340/Boardwave_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/boardwave-and-mindstone-announce-new-partnership-to-address-the-critical-ai-skills-and-knowledge-gap-in-the-uk-and-european-software-industry-302070945.html
TOKYO, Feb 26, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - NEC Corporation (TSE: 6701) today announced its selection by NTT DOCOMO, Inc. (DOCOMO) as a virtualized radio access network (vRAN) vendor for DOCOMO's nationwide 5G commercial network services. Going forward, NEC plans to provide DOCOMO with vRAN for use in creating flexible and highly scalable 5G networks to be operated on the company's commercial networks.In addition, through OREX (*1) the Open RAN service brand provided by DOCOMO in collaboration with telecom carriers and vendors worldwide-NEC's software will be globally deployed in the same manner as the products and services of other OREX partners to create and promote an Open RAN ecosystem.This vRAN, which achieves carrier-grade quality that is compliant with the O-RAN specifications defined by the O-RAN ALLIANCE, is cloud-native and was developed based on NEC's 5G hardware base station technology and knowhow, for which it has a proven large-scale commercial track record. Equipped with software compatible with commercially available servers using the latest generation microprocessors, it also delivers high-speed, large-capacity communications unique to 5G by proactively utilizing hardware acceleration to speed up processing.At present, virtualization technology is being introduced in core networks to ensure early deployment of services through lower equipment costs and shorter procurement lead times. In addition, orchestrators are automating the integrated operation and management of networks and optimizing control, thereby enhancing service quality and reliability. This will enable networks to be controlled efficiently and autonomously in accordance with service and traffic conditions.Expanding the deployment of this virtualization technology to the 5G RAN domain will aid DOCOMO in achieving its aim of reducing total cost of ownership (TCO) by up to 30% and lowering power consumption by up to 50% (*2).NEC already provides virtualization technologies for vEPC (*3) for DOCOMO's 4G commercial services and 5G mobile core network (5GC). Going forward, by promoting the virtualization of the RAN domain, NEC will flexibly support DOCOMO's wide range of services and contribute to the creation of a high-quality 5G network.Masafumi Masuda, General Manager, Radio Access Network Technology Promotion Office, Radio Access Network Design Department, DOCOMO said, "Adding NEC vRAN software with both excellent radio and cloudification technologies to DOCOMO's 5G RAN using the O-RAN ALLIANCE specifications from day one enables us to realize even lower power consumption, and even more flexible and efficient network construction and operation to meet our customers' demand. We will provide true Open RAN with NEC and the other OREX PARTNERS to the global market together."Michio Kiuchi, Corporate Executive Vice President of NEC said, "We are honored to be selected by DOCOMO as a commercial 5G vRAN vendor. We look forward to leveraging NEC's virtualization technology for telecommunications infrastructure to provide high-quality, reliable vRAN enabling the advancement of flexible networks. NEC remains committed to supporting DOCOMO's expansion of 5G services and contributing to the further development of next-generation mobile infrastructure in domestic and global markets."(1) OREX is a trademark of NTT DOCOMO, INC.(2) DOCOMO press release: OREX Announces OREX Open RAN Service LineupAchieves TCO reduction of up to 30% and reduces power consumption by up to 50% https://ssw.web.docomo.ne.jp/orex/en/pressrelease/20230927.html(3) Virtualized Evolved Packet CoreAbout NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of "Orchestrating a brighter world." NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com.Source: NEC CorporationCopyright 2024 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
LONDON, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Taiwanese stock market showed robust performance in 2023, marked by significant turnover volume surges and price gains. Foreign investors notably reversed three consecutive years of net selling, recording net buying of over TWD 275.4 billion (USD 8.7 billion). On a mission to expand international funding sources in 2024, the Taiwan Stock Exchange (the "TWSE") is expected to visit more than a dozen prominent institutional investors in Europe in March to further strengthen international investor relations.

Thanks to its solid fundamentals, good corporate governance, and the investment trend in artificial intelligence (AI), the TAIEX, the market value weighted index on the TWSE, rose by 26.8% in 2023, outperforming major international stock markets in the US and Europe. Its average daily turnover increased by 16.1% to TWD 281.2 billion (USD 8.9 billion), with its total market capitalization reaching TWD 56.84 trillion (USD 1.8 trillion).

Taiwan stocks continued to shine at the start of the Year of the Dragon, propelled by the robust fundamentals. Both the TAIEX and market capitalization reached record-highs consistently since the market resumed trading on February 15, after the Lunar New Year holidays. On February 26, the TAIEX reached the highest closing level so far at 18,948.05 and the total market capitalization soared to TWD 60.21 trillion (USD 1.9 trillion).

Although 2023 was a challenging year for Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) in most international markets, the TWSE continued to enhance the domestic financing environment, expand its exposure to the capital market, and actively encourage companies to list on the board. The TWSE attracted a record-high of 42 companies to apply for listing in 2023, the highest in the past decade. These efforts resulted in IPO companies raising a record total capital of TWD 33.76 billion (USD 1.07 billion).

The Taiwan stock market surged in 2023, driven by an unprecedented level of participation by domestic investors. Additionally, international funds turned their selling from 2019 to 2022 to a net buying of TWD 275.4 billion (USD 8.7 billion) last year. Market sentiments were bullish as the US Federal Reserve (the "Fed") was expected to end its rate hike cycle, and the TWSE also demonstrated its appeal to international investors through various overseas roadshows, including visits to the US, Japan, and Singapore. From the start of 2024 through February 26, foreign investors continued their net buying at TWD 123.58 billion (USD 3.9 billion).

Foreign capital plays a decisive role in Taiwan stocks. According to the TWSE, as at the end of 2023, foreign capital from the UK and Europe accounted for more than 37% of the market value of Taiwan stocks, becoming a main source of international funds.

To underscore its commitment to deepening cooperation with European market participants and forging deeper relationships with investors, Chen-Shan Chang, Director-General of the Securities and Futures Bureau of the Financial Supervisory Commission, Taiwan's capital markets regulatory body, and Sherman Lin, Chairman and CEO of the TWSE, will lead a delegation to Europe in early March. The team will visit key stakeholders, including more than a dozen prominent institutions such as stock exchanges, clearing houses, custodian banks, index companies, institutional investors with substantial holdings in Taiwan stocks, potential large investment institutions, major asset management companies, and financial service institutions.

The TWSE will arrange one-on-one meetings with institutional investors and financial market infrastructures in London, Luxembourg and Frankfurt, in order to provide updates on key information regarding the Taiwan securities market, highlighting the advantages and development prospects within the Taiwan stock market. The officials will address all questions and concerns to boost investor confidence and seek advice from the investors. Additionally, they will exchange ideas and explore potential cooperation opportunities with prominent European institutions.

"The TWSE will embark on a visit to London, marking the first such visit in seven years," said Sherman Lin. "During the trip, the TWSE will also conduct in-person exchange activities with major European exchanges, such as London and Frankfurt, for the first time. The highly anticipated trip is of great significance to both sides and is expected to yield exciting outcomes."

The TWSE also plans to hold an investment seminar in London, offering investors an efficient way to understand Taiwan's capital market. This seminar will provide international investors with a valuable opportunity to delve into Taiwan's booming financial ecosystem, exploring dynamic developments, innovative sectors and promising investment opportunities.

Overall, the TWSE's visit aims to forge connections with prominent institutional investors and major European exchanges, showcasing the enormous opportunities of Taiwan's capital market. It underscores Taiwan's ongoing commitments to actively deepen international investor relations and promote securities investment measures for enhanced international cooperation.

About TWSE

The Taiwan Stock Exchange (the "TWSE") started operations on February 9, 1962. The TWSE is responsible for operating and advancing Taiwan securities market. The TWSE's primary business operations include listing, trading, settlement and surveillance. These comprise listing promotion and review, post-listing supervision and corporate governance, maintaining market trading and order, securities firms' services, investor protection, clearing and settlement operations, safeguarding against market defaults and the monitoring of illegal transactions. The Exchange provides comprehensive services to the stock market.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/taiwan-stock-exchange-launches-2024-overseas-tour-to-attract-global-capital-europe-trip-targets-heavyweight-investor-institutions-302070980.html
The five-year initiative aims to advance digital financial inclusion for 20 million individuals and businesses in Africa, Asia and Latin America

Today,Visa (NYSE: V), a leading global payments technology company, and the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation (GSMA Foundation) announced the launch of the Digital Finance for All (DFA) Initiative, furthering Visa's decades-long efforts to increase access to the global economy for everyone, everywhere. This five-year initiative aims to advance digital financial inclusion for 20 million individuals, including women, small holder farmers (SHF), and nano, micro and small enterprise (NMSE) owners across low- and middle-incomecountries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

While digital payments use by adults in low- and middle-income countries is up 66% from 20141, women, SHFs, NMSE owners and globally displaced individuals continue to face barriers accessing the digital economy. Women in low- and middle-income countries are 20% less likely than men to hold a formal financial account2 and more than 30% of the world's food is produced by SHFs3 yet most have limited or no access to formal financial services like credit, loans, savings, or insurance4

"At Visa, we believe that digital payments are critical to including everyone in the digital economy by helping provide access to economic livelihood," said Chiagozie Nwabuebo, Vice President of Global Growth Social Impact, Visa. "Together with the GSMA Foundation, we seek to empower those in underserved communities across the world and provide equal access to help build better financial futures for all."

To help improve financial health, the DFA will:

Deliver financial education resources through a jointly developed mobile financial literacy toolkit that enables easy delivery and scaling across markets to help enable successful access to and participation in mobile money services;

Develop joint research through the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute (VEEI) and the GSMA Foundation focused on financial inclusion, advocacy and product innovation for women, SHFs, NMSEs and globally displaced individuals;

Digitize SHFs and NMSEs to support their adoption of digital financial services to enable their resilience and growth; and

Support meaningful financial inclusion and wellbeing for refugees and the communities who host them.

"Mobile money can play a transformative role in advancing financial inclusion and resilience for the nearly 2 billion people who remain unbanked globally. However, poor digital and financial literacy is a key barrier to accessing digital financial services, especially for certain population segments like women, farmers and micro-merchants," said Ashley Olson Onyango, Head of Financial Inclusion and AgriTech, GSMA. "We are very excited about our partnership with Visa enabling us to further drive economic empowerment and support millions of users to access life changing financial services."

For more information on Visa's commitment to build a more inclusive global economy, visit here.

About Visa Inc.

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

About GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation

The GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation, Inc. ('The GSMA Foundation') brings together mobile operators, innovators, governments, and the international development community to realise the positive social, economic and climate impact of mobile technology, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. With funding from donors and the GSMA, the GSMA Foundation runs programmes that advance digital and financial inclusion with a strong focus on gender inclusivity, climate action, humanitarian response, and investment in innovative digital solutions. Since 2007, these programmes have impacted the lives of over 220 million people.

Find out more at https://www.gsma.com/aboutus/who-we-are/gsma-foundation/

Follow Mobile for Development on X: @GSMAm4d and on LinkedIn: GSMA Mobile for Development

Follow the Mobile Money programme on X: @GSMAMobileMoney

1 The World Bank (2021), The Global Findex Database 2021

2 GSMA (2023), Accelerating Digital and Financial Inclusion for Women.

3 Ricciardi et al (2018), How much of the world's food do smallholders produce?

4 CGAP (2019), Smallholder Households: Distinct Segments, Different Needs

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226678583/en/

Contacts:

Brittany Furia

brittany.furia@visa.com

415-370-9693
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / ARway.ai ("ARway" or the "Company") (CSE:ARWY)(OTCQB:ARWYF)(FSE:E65) is an AI powered Augmented Reality Experience platform with a disruptive no-code, no beacon spatial computing solution enabled by visual marker tracking with centimeter precision is excited to announce Soumic Sarkar as a new Computer Vision and Machine Learning Engineer to its existing team bringing its total AI team to eleven as it ramps up its spatial computing platforms capabilities. With a distinguished background in robotics and machine learning, Mr. Sarkar brings a wealth of experience from prestigious institutions and leading-edge projects.

With an academic foundation holding a Ph.D. in Control and Automation from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, and a rich professional history that includes contributions to robotic navigation, sensor fusion, and autonomous systems design, Mr. Sarkar's expertise is set to propel ARway.ai's spatial computing platform to new heights.

The hire of Mr. Sarkar builds upon the Company's existing team of top-of-the-line computer vision engineers that were hired to enhance the Company's capabilities in spatial computing and augmented reality technologies. With their collective expertise, ARway.ai aims to push the boundaries of what's possible in spatial computing, offering more immersive, accurate, and interactive experiences and augmented reality wayfinding for users across various industries. This strategic expansion of our engineering talent underscores our commitment to maintaining a leading edge in innovation and delivering cutting-edge solutions that redefine spatial interactions.

ARway's spatial computing platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) provides augmented reality (AR) navigation and an array of AR experiences. ARway has unlimited use cases for augmenting physical indoor spaces, making it a valuable tool for creators, brands and companies in various industries and locations including stadiums, events and tradeshows, retail, museums, real estate, universities, corporate offices, hospitals, and more.

ARway's technology is optimized for both mobile devices and AR glasses: Apple's Vision Pro, Magic Leap and Microsoft's HoloLens. Recently, the Company announced it has launched its compatibility with Apple's Vision Pro alongside the revolutionary headset's release on February 2. In addition, the Company is now accepting submissions for their early access list for the ARwayKit SDK for the Apple Vision Pro. The user-friendly ARwayKit SDK will provide a cross-platform developer tool across iOS and RealityOS enabling access to apps with location-persistent AR content and immersive experiences across both headsets and smartphones.

Watch a video demo of ARway x Apple Vision Pro - click here

Recent News

ARway.ai The Spatial Computing Company Launches Apple Vision Pro Compatibility and Early Access for ARwayKit SDK

ARway.ai The Spatial Computing Platform to Present at Small-Cap Growth Virtual Investor Conference February 7th

ARway.ai The Spatial Computing Platform Signs New Deal with Saudi Arabian Agency for AR Navigation

ARway.ai Announces Localiza Rent a Car Extends Its Contract After Its Successful Airport Deployment of AR Navigation

ARway.ai's Spatial Computing Platform Continues to See Increased Demand Ahead of Apple Vision Pro Release, Signs New Deal with F3 Geomatic

Sign up for Investor News - HERE

To learn more about ARway, please follow on Social Media: Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, and visit our website: www.arway.ai

About ARway.ai

ARway.ai (CSE:ARWY)(OTCQB:ARWYF)(FSE:E65) is a spatial computing platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) providing an array of augmented reality (AR) experiences for indoor spaces. ARway's breakthrough no-code no-beacon IPNN allows for the easy creation of navigation, tours, information sharing, notifications, advertising and gamification. ARway works seamlessly as a cross platform solution on iOS/ Android. ARway's technology is optimized for both mobile devices and AR glasses: Apple's Vision Pro, Magic Leap and Microsoft's HoloLens. ARway has unlimited use cases for augmenting physical spaces, making it a valuable tool for creators, brands and companies in various industries. The complete ARway platform includes: the Web Creator Studio, the ARwayKit Software Development Kit (SDK) and a mobile app for iOs and Android.

Nextech 3D.ai

On October 26, 2022, ARway.ai. was spun-out from its parent Company, Nextech3D.ai (OTCQX:NEXCF)(CSE:NTAR)(FSE:1SS). Nextech retained a control ownership in ARway.ai. with 13 million shares, or a 50% stake. Nextech3D.ai is a Generative AI powered 3D modeling Company and leading provider of augmented reality ("AR") experience technologies and 3D model services. Nextech's AI-powered 3D modeling platform, "ARitize3D" has contracts with; AMZN, KSS, CB2, Genuine Parts & many others. To learn more about Nextech3D.ai, visit www.nextechar.com

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations Contact

Julia Viola

investor.relations@arway.ai

ARway.ai

Evan Gappelberg

CEO and Director

866-ARITIZE (274-8493)

Forward-looking Statements

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "will be" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the completion of the transaction are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. ARway.ai will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: ARway Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - Datametrex AI Limited (TSXV: DM) (FSE: D4G) (OTCQB: DTMXF) (the "Company" or "Datametrex") today announced that it has no plans to implement a reverse stock split (AKA share consolidation), in response to investor inquiries. This clarification comes as part of the company's ongoing commitment to transparent and strategic decision-making in the best interests of its shareholders and the Company's long-term objectives.

In keeping with corporate governance practices, Datametrex reaffirms that any future consideration of a reverse stock split would be subject to a special resolution, necessitating approval from the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") with at least a two-thirds approval.

Charles Park, CEO of Datametrex, addressed the matter, stating, "We want to assure our investors that a reverse stock split is not on our agenda this year. Our focus remains steadfast on pursuing growth and enhancing shareholder value. Any significant future corporate actions will be communicated clearly and involve our shareholders, as they are integral to our decision-making process."

About Datametrex

Datametrex is an innovative leader in Technology Solutions, Artificial Intelligence, and Healthcare. The Company excels in delivering tools and solutions that enhance operational efficiencies and business outcomes. With a commitment to innovation, Datametrex is dedicated to supporting enterprises by setting a new standard for business protocols through cutting-edge technology.

For more on Datametrex, please visit our YouTube channel and Company website.

For Additional Information

Charles Park, CFA

Chief Executive Officer & Director

cpark@datametrex.com

(416) 901-5611 x203

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements included in this press release that address activities, events, or developments that the Company expects, believes, or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the proposed spin-out transaction. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments, and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events.

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199103

SOURCE: Datametrex AI Limited
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / NV Gold Corporation (TSXV:NVX)(OTCQB:NVGLF)(FSE:8NV) ("NV Gold" or the "Company") announces that, further to the Company's press release on February 13, 2024, it is proceeding with a consolidation of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company (the "Shares") on the basis of (1) post-consolidated Share for every ten (10) pre-consolidated Shares (the "Consolidation"). No fractional shares will be issued as any fractional share will be rounded to the nearest whole number. The new CUSIP number will be 67090W307 and the new ISIN number will be CA67090W3075. The Company's name and stock symbol will remain unchanged following the Consolidation.

The Consolidation will be effective at the opening of markets on February 28, 2024. As a result of the Consolidation, the 88,745,454 Shares which are currently issued and outstanding will be reduced to approximately 8,874,545 Shares, subject to rounding. The Consolidation is subject to final confirmation by the TSX Venture Exchange.

Shareholders who hold their Shares through a securities broker or other intermediary and do not have Shares registered in their name will not be required to take any measures with respect to the Consolidation. Letters of transmittal with respect to the Consolidation will be mailed to all registered shareholders of the Company. All registered shareholders who submit a duly completed letter of transmittal along with their respective share certificate(s) representing the pre-consolidated Shares to the Company's transfer agent, Odyssey Trust Company, will receive a certificate representing the post-consolidated Shares.

About NV Gold Corporation

NV Gold Corporation is a well-organized exploration company with ~89 million shares issued and no debt. NV Gold has 21 exploration projects in Nevada comprising 639 100%-Company-owned lode mining claims totaling 53.4 square kilometers (20.6 square miles) The Company is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Reno, Nevada and is focused on delivering value through mineral discoveries in Nevada, USA. Leveraging its expansive property portfolio, its highly experienced in-house technical team, and its extensive geological data library, 2024 is expected to be highly productive for NV Gold.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

John Watson, President, Chairman, CEO and Director

For further information, visit the Company's website at www.nvgoldcorp.com or contact:

Freeform Communications at 604.245.0054

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities and plans of the Company. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and includes information regarding: the effective date of the Consolidation; the number of Shares outstanding following the Consolidation; and the treatment of fractional shares in the Consolidation.

Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions of management, including, without limitation, the number of post-Consolidation Shares being different from the number set out herein and the treatment of fractional Shares in the Consolidation being different from what is set out herein, and that the Company will complete the Consolidation on the anticipated effective date.

Additionally, forward-looking information involve a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation: that the Company will be unable to complete the Consolidation on the expected effective date; that the treatment of fractional shares will differ for the treatment set out herein; and that the number of issued and outstanding shares following the Consolidation will differ for the number statement herein. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Neither the Company nor any of its representatives make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, sufficiency or completeness of the information in this news release. Neither the Company nor any of its representatives shall have any liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to you or any person resulting from the use of the information in this news release by you or any of your representatives or for omissions from the information in this news release.

The forward-looking statements herein speak only as of the date they were originally made. The Company has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE: NV Gold Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. (TSXV:SM)(OTCQX:SMDRF) ("Sierra Madre" or the "Company") is pleased announce a non-brokered private placement with an existing long-term institutional shareholder the Company (the "Offering"). The Offering consists of 3,571,428 shares for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $1,000,000 at a price of $0.28 per share (the "Shares"). Net proceeds will be used to fund the continued care and maintenance on, and the mine restart plan at, Sierra Madre's 100% owned past-producing La Guitarra Silver-Gold Mine Complex in Estado de Mexico, Mexico, 130 km southwest of Mexico City. The Offering is expected to close shortly and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange").

The Offering has been structured to take advantage of the listed issuer financing exemption from prospectus requirements (the "Exemption") in Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), whereby shares issued pursuant to the Exemption are freely tradeable listed equity securities not subject to any hold period (see below). The Offering will be conducted in all the provinces of Canada, except Quebec, under the Exemption. The Shares will not be subject to resale restrictions pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws.

There is an offering document related to this Offering (the "Offering Document") that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.com and at https://sierramadregoldandsilver.com. Prospective investors should read this Offering Document before making an investment decision.

The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Sierra Madre

Sierra Madre Gold & Silver (TSXV:SM),(OTCQX:SMDRF) is a precious metals development and exploration company, focused on evaluating the potential of restarting the La Guitarra Mine in the Temascaltepec mining district, Mexico, and the exploration and development of its Tepic and La Tigra properties in Nayarit, Mexico. The La Guitarra Mine is a permitted, past-producing underground mine which includes a 500 t/d processing facility that operated until mid-2018.

The +2,600 ha Tepic Project hosts low-sulphidation epithermal gold and silver mineralization with an existing historic resource. La Tigra, located 148 km north of Tepic, has been mined historically; Sierra Madre's maiden 2022 drill program at the site intercepted shallow mineralization.

Sierra Madre's management has played key roles for managing exploration and development of more than 22Moz gold and 600Moz silver in combined reserves and resources. Sierra Madre's team of professionals has collectively raised over $1B for mining companies.

On behalf of the board of directors of Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd.,

"Alexander Langer"

Alexander Langer

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

1-604-765-1604

Contact:

investor@sierramadregoldandsilver.com

Cautionary Note

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date of this press release only, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "projects", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the completion of the Offering and use of proceeds.

In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including that the Company will be able to receive all required regulatory approvals, and the ability of the Company to complete the Offering on the terms announced or at all, and to use of proceeds of the Offering as announced or at all. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict, that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein.

Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

SOURCE: Sierra Madre Gold and Silver

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - Kraken Energy Corp. (CSE: UUSA) (OTCQB: UUSAF) (FSE: F2C) (the "Company" or "Kraken") is pleased to report that the Company has mobilized for drilling at the Harts Point Uranium Property ("Harts Point" or the "Property") in San Juan County, Utah.

The Phase I drilling program will explore the property and drill up to 1,000 meters ("m") (3,280 ft) from two drill pad locations over a 5-km strike length targeting the favorable uranium bearing Chinle Formation host rock where three historical oil wells returned "off-scale" radioactivity.

CEO Matthew Schwab stated: "As we resume our phase I drilling program at Harts Point our team is very excited to properly test the extensive off-scale radioactivity encountered in historic oil and gas wells on the property. With proximity to significant historical uranium production, and existing infrastructure for potential future milling capacity, the property is perfectly situated to capitalize on the project's exceptional potential to discover a trend of high-grade uranium deposits located within a pro-mining jurisdiction."

Harts Point Property Highlights:

World class uranium jurisdiction: located in the center of the Colorado Plateau, which has produced over 590 million ("M") pounds ("lbs") U 3 O 8 at 0.2 to 0.4% U 3 O 8 since the 1950s 1,5-8 .

located in the center of the Colorado Plateau, which has produced since the 1950s . Property consists of 324 lode mining claims on Bureau of Land Management (" BLM ") ground that covers an area of 2,622 hectares ("ha") (6,480 acres) .

on Bureau of Land Management (" ") ground that covers an area of . Harts Point Anticline is Analogous to the Lisbon Valley Anticline: where the Lisbon Valley Uranium District hosted 17 large uranium mines which produced approximately 80M lbs U 3 O 8 at 0.34% U 3 O 8 from 1948 to 1988 2 . The dimensions of these tabular sandstone-hosted uranium deposits range from 2 to 13 m (7 to 43 feet) thick, 100 to 3,048 m (328 to 10,000 feet) long, and 31 to 427 m (100 to 1,400 feet) wide 3 .

where the Lisbon Valley Uranium District hosted from 1948 to 1988 .

Significant Historic Uranium Production: Several historic mines located 11 km (7 miles) west of the Harts Point Property produced approximately 280,000 lbs U 3 O 8 at 0.3% U 3 O 8 from the favorable Chinle Formation host rock 4 . The Lisbon Valley Anticline is located 31 km (19 miles) to the east of the Harts Point Property produced approximately 80M lbs U 3 O 8 0.34% U 3 O 8 2 .



Historic Exploration: Three wide-spaced historic oil and gas wells on the Property (Figure 1) along the east flank of the Harts Point Anticline show 'off-scale' radioactivity within the favorable Chinle Formation host rock. Drilled between 1953 and 1980, historic drill holes 43-037-10438, 43-037-30109, and 43-037-30623 showed off-scale radioactivity readings between 2.1 to 3.7 m thickness (7 to 12 feet) from depths of 390 to 417 m (1,280 to 1,368 feet).

(Figure 1) along the east flank of the Harts Point Anticline

Excellent Infrastructure: located approximately 64 km (40 miles) north of the White Mesa uranium processing facility. There is also excellent access throughout the Property, which is situated 45 km (28 miles) from the town of Monticello, Utah.

located approximately





Figure 1 : Harts Point Property with Local Uranium Occurrences

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8684/199194_2f5cb66de44bc871_001full.jpg

Appointment of Director & Changes in Management:

The Company is pleased to announce that it has appointed Marlis Yassin as a director of the Company, effective February 12th, 2024.

Ms. Yassin brings more than 15 years of executive financial management and leadership experience to the Kraken team. As a senior executive or advisor to a number of global companies, Ms. Yassin has considerable experience in strategic planning, financing, acquisitions, and financial reporting and controls. Marlis is an accomplished financial executive with extensive experience in building and leading teams. She has a sophisticated knowledge of public companies, capital markets, IPOs, equity financing, and financial and regulatory reporting.

Matthew Schwab, Kraken's CEO commented: "We are excited to welcome Marlis to the Kraken team and believe that her financial management and leadership experience will be an asset as we continue to advance our properties and provide value for our shareholders."

On February 6th, 2024, Zachery Hibdon resigned as VP, Exploration of the Company. We thank Zachery for his contributions to advance the Company's exploration assets in his tenure with Kraken Energy and wish him luck in his future endeavors.

Moving forward, all exploration will be managed by the Company's Senior Geologist, Madeline Berry, with support from the experienced and professional team at Rangefront Mining Services of Elko Nevada.

References:

1 Holger Albrethsen, Jr. and Frank E. McGinley (1982). Summary History of Domestic Procurement Under U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Contracts, September 1982.

2 Chenoweth, W.L. (1990). Lisbon Valley, Utah's Premier Uranium Area, a Summary of Exploration and Ore Production. Utah Geological Survey Open File Report 188, July 1990.

3 Gordon W. Weir and Willard P. Puffett (1981). Incomplete manuscript on stratigraphy and structural geology and uranium-vanadium and copper deposits of the Lisbon Valley area, Utah-Colorado. Open-File Report 81-39. Pages 153 to 163. United States Department of the Interior

Geological Survey.

4 Chenoweth, W.L. (1993): The geology and Production History of the Uranium deposits in the White Canyon Mining District, San Juan County, Utah, Utah Geological Survey Miscellaneous Publication 93-3.

5 Mills, Stephanie E. and Bear Jordan (2021). Uranium and Vanadium Resources of Utah: An Update in the Era of Critical Minerals and Carbon Neutrality, Open File Report 735, Utah Geological Survey.

6 Chenoweth, William L. (1981). The Uranium - Vanadium Deposits of the Uravan Mineral Belt and Adjacent Areas, Colorado and Utah, New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 32nd Field Conference, Western Slope Colorado.

7 McLemore, Virginia T. and Willam L. Chenoweth (1989). Uranium Resources in New Mexico, Resource Map 18, New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources.

8 Chenoweth, William L. and Virginia T. McLemore (1989). Uranium Resources on the Colorado Plateau in Energy Frontiers in the Rockies, Albuquerque Geological Society.

Technical Information:

All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared by or reviewed and approved by Matthew Schwab, P.Geo., President and CEO of the Company, and Garrett Ainsworth, P.Geo., Chairman of the Company. Each of Mr. Schwab and Mr. Ainsworth is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

The data disclosed in this news release is related to historical drilling results. Kraken has not undertaken any independent investigation of the sampling, nor has it independently analyzed the results of the historical exploration work in order to verify the results. Kraken considers these historical drill results relevant as the Company is using this data as a guide to plan exploration programs. The Company's current and future exploration work includes verification of the historical data through drilling.

About the Harts Point Property:

Harts Point is located in the center of the Colorado Plateau, referred to by some as "the Athabasca Basin of the US" and is 64 kilometers ("km") (40 miles) north of the White Mesa Uranium Mill, the only fully licensed and operating conventional uranium mill in the United States. The Property consists of 324 lode mining claims on Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") ground and drill permits are in place for up to 20 exploration drill holes.

About Kraken Energy Corp.:

Kraken Energy Corp. is a new energy company advancing its portfolio of high-grade uranium properties in the Unites States. The Company is advancing its 100%-owned Apex Uranium Property, located 280 km (174 miles) east from Reno, Nevada which is recognized as Nevada's largest past-producing uranium mine. The Company has additionally entered into an option agreement to earn 100% of the Garfield Hills Uranium Property. The past-producing Garfield Hills Uranium Property covers 1,238 ha (3,060 acres) and is located 19 km (12 miles) east of Hawthorne in Mineral County, Nevada. Kraken Energy has also recently staked the Huber Hills Uranium Property, located 136 km (85 miles) north of Elko, Nevada which covers 1,044 ha (2,580 acres) and encompasses the historic Race Track open pit mine. The Company has recently entered into an option agreement to earn 75% of the Harts Point Uranium Property. The Harts Point Uranium Property covers 2,622 ha (6,480 acres) and is located 49 km (30 miles) northwest of Monticello in San Juan County, Utah.

For more information about the Company, please visit; www.krakenenergycorp.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Kraken Energy Corp.:

Matthew Schwab

President & Chief Executive Officer

Corporate Office:

Suite 907 - 1030 West Georgia Street

Vancouver, British Columbia

V6E 2Y3

T: (604) 628-2669

For investor relations inquiries, contact:

Kin Communications Inc.

T: (604) 684-6730

E: uusa@kincommunications.com

This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-Looking statements in this press release include our plans for exploration at the properties. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be comparable; the availability of labour, equipment and markets for the products produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, conditions changing such that the minerals on our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged mine can be obtained. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199194

SOURCE: Kraken Energy Corp.
Schuler to present FAST technology's ability to maximize efficiency and productivity throughout aluminum hot stamping processes.

CANTON, MI / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Schuler North America, subsidiary of Schuler Group GmbH, and MetalForming Magazine partner together to present a complimentary webinar, "Maximize Efficiency and Productivity of Aluminum Hot Stamping." The live webinar will be presented on Tuesday, March 12, at 10:30 AM EST.

"Aluminum hot stamping continues to be a trending topic as lightweight materials remain in high demand for the automotive, aerospace, and other industries," explains Tiago Vasconcellos, Sales Director of Automotive and Industry at Schuler North America. "This webinar will inform manufacturers about how Schuler's FAST hot stamping lines ultimately increase OEE due to a new and innovative aluminum production process."

FAST, "Fast Light Alloys Stamping Technology," was initially developed by a team of qualified engineers inside the laboratories at the Imperial College London. The FAST process has since been verified, together with Schuler, in an industrial manufacturing environment. FAST is an entirely new innovation for aluminum hot forming that rivals the current industry process of Solution Heat Treatment (SHT) as FAST hot stamping lines do not require a furnace and are equipped with Multistation dies for heating, forming, cutting, and cooling applications.

Schuler's webinar will be presented by Jens Aspacher, Sales Manager of Hot Stamping at Schuler Pressen GmbH. "Manufacturers using the current industry standard of SHT in aluminum hot stamping are at a competitive disadvantage," states Aspacher. "FAST technology, for example, can form aluminum parts from 300 to 350 degrees Celsius, or 572 to 662 degrees Fahrenheit. That's at least 200 degrees less than SHT's forming temperature."

Registrants will learn about the key benefits manufacturers can expect from FAST technology that drastically contrast against the limitations of SHT. These benefits include the elimination of entire post-forming processes, energy savings of 80 percent, press cycle time reductions of 10-16 seconds per part, versatile applications specific to aluminum, lower production times and operating costs, and volumetric efficiency.

Schuler's FAST hot stamping lines are designed for ultimate efficiency and productivity.  Schuler

Website

Registration Page: Maximize Efficiency and Productivity of Aluminum Hot Stamping

Schuler North America

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About Schuler Group - www.schulergroup.com

Schuler offers customized cutting-edge technology in all areas of forming - from the networked press to press shop planning. In addition to presses, Schuler's products include automation, dies, process know-how, and service for the entire metalworking industry. Schuler's Digital Suite brings together solutions for networking forming technology and is continuously being developed to further improve line productivity and availability. Schuler customers include automotive manufacturers and suppliers, as well as companies in the forging, household appliance, and electrical industries. Schuler presses are minting coins for more than 180 countries. Founded in 1839 at the Goppingen, Germany headquarters, Schuler has approximately 5,000 employees at production sites in Europe, China and the Americas, as well as service companies in more than 40 countries. The company is part of the international technology group ANDRITZ.

Schuler's global portfolio of world-renowned brands include BCN (Bliss Clearing Niagara) Technical Services, Muller Weingarten, Beutler, Umformtechnik Erfurt, SMG Pressen, Hydrap Pressen, Wilkins & Mitchell, Beche, Spiertz Presses, Farina Presse, Liebergeld, Peltzer & Ehlers, Schleicher, and Sovema Group.

About Schuler North America - www.schulergroup.com

Schuler North America (Schuler), headquartered in Canton, Michigan, is the North American subsidiary of Schuler Group. Schuler provides new equipment, spare parts, and a portfolio of lifecycle services for all press systems - including preventative maintenance, press shop design and optimization, turnkey installations, retrofits for existing systems, and localized production and service. Schuler's best-in-class position in the metalworking and materials industry serves automotive manufacturers and tier suppliers, as well as home appliance, electronics, forging, and other industries.

Contact:

Jaime Israel

Marketing & Communications Manager

E: jaime.israel@schulergroup.com

C: +1 734-865-0133

SOURCE: Schuler North America

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - Xigem Technologies Corporation (CSE: XIGM) (FSE: VZ6) ("Xigem" or the "Company"), announces that it plans to enter into agreements with certain of its creditors to issue common shares (the "Settlement Shares") to such creditors in exchange for outstanding accounts payable (the "Shares for Debt Transaction") owing to certain creditors (the "Creditors") totaling $160,000. The Settlement Shares would be issued at a price of $0.05, in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE"). Creditors may include but are not limited to insiders of the Company. Any completion of the Shares for Debt Transaction by the Company would be in an effort to improve its financial position to support its planned future growth.

Further, the Company plans to raise up to $230,000 by way of a private placement at a price of $0.042 per unit. Each unit would consist of 1 common share of the Company, and 1 whole warrant entitling the holder of each warrant to purchase a common share of the Company at a price of $0.065 for up to 24 months (the "Private Placement Shares"). The Private Placement Shares would, if issued, be done so in accordance with the policies of the CSE. The Private Placement Shares may be issued to certain insiders of the Company.

All Settlement Shares if issued and Private Placement Shares if issued will be subject to a four-month and one-day hold period. The planned Shares for Debt Transaction and the planned issuance of Private Placement Shares would be subject to CSE acceptance. No new control person of the Company will be created pursuant to any planned Shares for Debt Transaction and/or any planned issuance of Private Placement Shares. The Company would rely upon certain exemptions from the valuation and security holder approval requirements of MI 61-101 and will provide full details in any closing press release.

About Xigem Technologies Corporation

Established in Toronto, Ontario, Xigem is positioning itself to become a leading technology provider for the emerging near trillion-dollar remote economy, with software capable of improving the capacity, productivity, and overall remote operations for businesses, consumers, and other organizations. iAgent, the Company's patented technology, FOOi, its proprietary peer-to-peer mobile payments app, and EchoDigital, a SaaS automotive shopping platform, are intended to provide organizations, businesses, and consumers with the tools necessary to thrive in a vast array of remote working, learning, shopping and treatment environments, as the Company looks to aggregate a portfolio of innovative technologies capable of disrupting traditional business models.

www.xigemtechnologies.com

Instagram: @xigemtechnologies

Twitter: @XigemTech

Facebook: @xigemtechnologies

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/xigem-technologies

Further Information

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward- looking terminology such as "likely", "plans", "possible", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". The forward-looking information and forward- looking statements contained herein also include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the future products and performance of the Company and the ability of the Company to continue adding innovative technologies to its portfolio.

Forward-looking information in this news release is based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the continued commercial viability and growth in popularity of the Company's applications; the Company's ability to continue to develop and acquire revenue- generating applications; continued approval of the Company's activities by the relevant governmental and/or regulatory authorities; the continued development of the Company's technologies; the Company having sufficient funds to continue operations as planned; and the continued growth of the Company in general.

These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the potential inability of the Company to continue as a going concern; the risks associated with Software-as-a-Service ("SaaS") and technology industries in general; increased competition in the SaaS and technology markets in general; the potential future unviability of the Company's product offerings; risks associated with potential governmental and/or regulatory action with respect to the Company's activities; risks associated with a potential collapse in the value of SaaS services; risks associated with the Company's ability to generate a profit; the inability of the Company to add innovative technologies to its portfolio; the Company not having adequate resources, financial and/or otherwise, as required to continue its operations as planned; and risks with respect to market demand for the Company's products.

Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated.

Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Xigem Technologies Corporation

On behalf of the Company:

Brian Kalish, Chief Executive Officer

For further information:

Phone: (647) 250-9824 ext.4

Investors: investors@xigemtechnologies.com

Media: media@xigemtechnologies.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199139

SOURCE: Xigem Technologies Corporation
Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - E-Power Resources Inc. (CSE: EPR) ("E-Power" or the "Company") announces its intention to complete a private placement of units for total gross proceeds of up to $550,000 (the "Offering").

Securities to be issued pursuant to the Offering shall consist of an amount of up to 7,857,143 units of the Company (the "Units") issued at a price of $0.07 per Unit, each Unit being comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") and one-half common share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"), each warrant entitling its holder thereof to acquire one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.15 per share for a period of 60 months from the closing date of the Offering.

Net proceeds from the Offering will be used by the Company for general working capital purposes.

The Common Shares will be offered by way of private placement pursuant to applicable exemptions from prospectus requirements. The Offering is expected to close on or about March 22, 2024 (the "Closing Date"), subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the customary closing conditions, including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange. The Company may pay brokers in the context of the Offering. The Offering may close in multiple tranches.

The securities to be offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About E-Power Resources Inc.

E-Power Resources Inc. is an exploration stage company engaged principally in the acquisition, exploration, and development of graphite properties in Quebec. Its flagship asset, the Tetepisca Graphite Property, is located in the Tetepisca Graphite District of the North Shore Region of Quebec, approximately 215 kilometers from the Port of Baie-Comeau. For further information, please refer to the Company's disclosure record on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or contact the Company by email at info@e-powerresources.com.

On Behalf of the Company

James Cross

President & CEO

+1 (438) 701-3736

info@e-powerresources.com

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations, or beliefs of future performance are "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in filings made by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, which may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

The CSE has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199173

SOURCE: E-Power Resources
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - BioMark Diagnostics Inc. (CSE: BUX) (FSE: 20B) (OTC Pink: BMKDF) ("BioMark") an advanced-stage liquid biopsy company with a focus on hard-to-detect and treat cancers is pleased to announce that Mrs. Theresa Peterson as a new member of BioMark's Advisory team.

Mr. Rashid Ahmed Bux, CEO and President of BioMark Diagnostics says: "We are extremely proud and honored to have Theresa Peterson join our advisory group. Theresa brings a unique blend of strategic thinking, financial acumen, and relationship-building skills to BioMark. She excels at identifying and capitalizing on funding opportunities, developing innovative funding strategies, and building strong relationships with government agencies, foundations, and other key stakeholders."

BioMark's board and shareholders welcome Theresa and look forward to her professional contribution to building BioMark into a dynamic diagnostic solution provider in the US and internationally.

About Theresa Peterson

Theresa Peterson is a retired Senior Executive Director of GE Research. She is an accomplished executive with expertise in government affairs, government funding, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. With a successful career spanning over 30 years working for two iconic companies, she has demonstrated a commitment to driving positive change, advocating for underrepresented communities, and fostering inclusive policies and practices in science and technology. As Senior Executive Director for Government Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer of GE Research, Theresa was responsible for leading the government affairs and funding strategies, as well as driving diversity and inclusion efforts. Prior to joining GE, she held the position of Manager of Government Affairs for 10 years at 3M. Theresa secured substantial grants and contracts, leveraging her deep understanding of government processes and funding sources. During her career at GE, she led a team responsible for securing over $500M annually in government funding across the RDT&E accounts of the federal government. Theresa possesses a comprehensive understanding of public policy and regulatory frameworks. She effectively communicates the organization's needs and objectives, influencing policy decisions that advance outcomes that are beneficial to all stakeholders.

Theresa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Management from Simmons University and a Master of Arts from the University of Virginia School of Architecture. Theresa is deeply committed to advancing diversity and inclusion in Science and Technology. She is a member of her local chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated where she chairs the Leadership Development Committee, and the Links Incorporated where she is the corresponding secretary and serves on the Services to Youth Facet-focused on STEAM in grades 4-8. Theresa also serves on the board of The National Center for Women's Innovations, which is dedicated to celebrating Women innovators.

About BioMark Diagnostics Inc.

BioMark is a liquid biopsy company developing a molecular diagnostics technology platform that leverages the power of metabolomics and machine learning algorithms to bring new cancer diagnostics to market and improve cancer prognosis by allowing physicians to detect carcinomas in the pre-symptomatic stages. The technology can also be used for measuring response to treatment and potentially for serial monitoring of cancer survivors. While the Company's current focus is on the commercialization of its liquid biopsy test for early detection of lung cancer, it has plans to expand into other hard-to-detect and treat cancers such as brain, head and neck, breast, and pancreatic.

Further information about BioMark is available under its profile on the SEDAR+ website https://www.sedarplus.ca/ and on the CSE website https://thecse.com/.

For further information on BioMark, please Contact:

Rashid Ahmed Bux, President & CEO

BioMark Diagnostics Inc.

Tel. 604-370-0779, Email: info@biomarkdiagnostics.com

Forward-Looking Information:

This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of BioMark. Forward-Looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of BioMark. Although BioMark believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because BioMark can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-Looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. BioMark disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

The CSE has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the content of this press release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199181

SOURCE: BioMark Diagnostics, Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. (CSE: NOVA) (FSE: HN3Q) (OTCQB: NMLSF) ("NOVA" or the "Company") announces the appointment of Steve Loutskou to the Company's Board of Directors, effective February 23, 2024.

Mr. Loutskou, a seasoned serial entrepreneur, boasts a career spanning over 20 years, marked by numerous success stories. From the initiation of early-stage start-ups to steering them through mature commercialization phases, he has demonstrated exceptional skills in navigating the intricate landscape of financing. With two decades of experience in business management, operations, and financing, he has garnered a wealth of experiences spanning various sectors of industry.



A trailblazer in innovative ventures, Mr. Loutskou's strategic vision and financial acumen have not only accelerated start-ups to success but also attracted substantial investment. His continued influence remains pivotal in shaping the future of business through insightful strategies and adept financial management.

Derek Ivany, Chairman of the Company, stated: "I have had the distinct honor of collaborating with Steve across multiple projects, notably in the triumphant revitalization of a plant-based enterprise. I eagerly anticipate joining forces with Steve again to pioneer ground-breaking strategies for Nova, aimed at elevating our business operations."

About Nova Mentis Life Science Corp.

Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. is a Canadian-based biotechnology company and global leader in developing diagnostics and psilocybin-based therapeutics for neuroinflammatory disorders. Nova is the first biotech company to achieve orphan drug designation in both the United States and European Union for the use of psilocybin in the treatment of fragile X syndrome (FXS).

NOVA's goal is to diagnose and treat debilitating chronic conditions that have unmet medical needs, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and FXS.

For further information on the Company, please visit www.novamentis.ca or email info@novamentis.ca.

On Behalf of the Board

Will Rascan, President & CEO

Nova Mentis Life Science Corp.

Phone: 778-819-0244

Toll Free: 1-833-542-5323

Twitter: @novamentislsc

Instagram: @novamentislsc

Facebook: @novamentislsc

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Nova Mentis Life Science's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199190

SOURCE: Nova Mentis Life Science Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - District Metals Corp. (TSXV: DMX) (OTCQB: DMXCF) (FSE: DFPP) ("District" or the "Company") is pleased to highlight a press release issued by the Swedish Ministry for Climate and the Environment on February 23, 2024, which states that a rapid investigation will commence with the purpose "to remove a ban (on uranium mining) that is not needed." The press release further states that an "Inquiry Chair will now be tasked with investigating what regulatory changes are needed to enable and clarify the conditions for uranium extraction." The full press release can be found here, and readers are encouraged to read the announcement in its entirety.

This press release is of particular importance to District and its shareholders given the Company's 100% ownership of the Viken Energy Metals Deposit in Sweden, which is amongst the largest deposits of uranium and vanadium, based on total historic mineral resources, in the world (see January 15, 2024 news release).

Garrett Ainsworth, CEO of District, commented: "We are very pleased with this official statement from the Swedish Government and believe it is a significant step towards lifting the current uranium mining moratorium in Sweden. On February 15 a rapid investigation into lifting the uranium moratorium has been initiated and shall be reported no later than May 15. The Swedish Government has made its intentions clear by stating that 'the current ban on uranium mining will be removed.' District is ready for this transformational decision with our portfolio of properties in Sweden."

Sweden's current government has indicated strong support for nuclear power and energy security. The governing coalition formed in October 2022 has indicated support for expanding nuclear power in Sweden. There are currently six operating nuclear reactors in Sweden that supply about 40% of the country's electricity, and the government has called for the possible restart of Ringhals reactor units 1 and 2, as well as preparation for the construction of new reactors.

The moratorium on exploration and mining of uranium in Sweden came into effect on August 1, 2018. In November 2022, the ruling coalition government put forth a motion to revert the Minerals Act back to the original wording prior to August 1, 2018. District believes that the aforementioned press release from the Ministry for Climate and the Environment is very positive for Sweden and a low-carbon Europe.

Technical Information

All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared by, or approved by Garrett Ainsworth, PGeo, President and CEO of the Company. Mr. Ainsworth is a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

The data disclosed in this news release is related to historical results. District has not undertaken any independent investigation of the sampling nor has it independently analyzed the results of the historical exploration work in order to verify the results. District considers these historical results relevant as the Company is using this data as a guide to plan exploration programs. The Company's current and future exploration work includes verification of the historical data through drilling.

Mr. Ainsworth has not verified any of the information regarding any of the properties or projects referred to herein other than District's Properties. Mineralization on any other properties referred to herein is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on District's Properties.

About District Metals Corp.

District Metals Corp. is led by industry professionals with a track record of success in the mining industry. The Company's mandate is to seek out, explore, and develop prospective mineral properties through a disciplined science-based approach to create shareholder value and benefit other stakeholders.

District is a polymetallic exploration and development company focused on the Viken and Tomtebo Properties in Sweden. The Viken Property covers 100% of the uranium-vanadium Viken Deposit, which is an asset with substantial exploration and development expenditures that resulted in the definition of large historic polymetallic resource estimates in 2010 and 2014. The Viken Deposit is amongst the largest deposits by total historic mineral resources of uranium and vanadium in the world.

The advanced exploration stage Tomtebo Property is located in the Bergslagen Mining District of south-central Sweden and is situated between the historic Falun Mine and Boliden's Garpenberg Mine that are located 25 km to the northwest and southeast, respectively. Two historic polymetallic mines and numerous polymetallic showings are located on the Tomtebo Property along an approximate 17 km trend that exhibits similar geology, structure, alteration and VMS/SedEx style mineralization as other significant mines within the district.

For further information on the Tomtebo Property, please see the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Update Technical Report on the Tomtebo Project, Bergslagen Region of Sweden" dated effective October 15, 2020 and amended and restated on February 26, 2021, which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

"Garrett Ainsworth"

President and Chief Executive Officer

(604) 288-4430

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking Information"

This news release contains certain statements that may be considered "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" and any similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, predictions, indications, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. Forward-looking information in this news release relating to the Company include, among other things, statements relating to the Purchase Agreement and closing thereof; the Company's Swedish polymetallic properties; the Company's planned exploration activities, including its drill target strategy and next steps for the Swedish properties; and the Company's interpretations and expectations about the results on the Swedish properties.

These statements and other forward-looking information are based on opinions, assumptions and estimates made by the Company in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances, as of the date of this news release, including, without limitation, assumptions about the reliability of historical data and the accuracy of publicly reported information regarding past and historic mines in the Bergslagen district; and in respect of the Swedish properties; that the Swedish government will eventually lift or amend its moratorium on uranium exploration and mining in Sweden; the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital to fund planned exploration activities, maintain corporate capacity; and stability in financial and capital markets.

Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date such statements are made, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to risks associated with the following: the reliability of historic data on District's properties; the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital to finance planned exploration; that the Swedish government maintains its moratorium on uranium exploration and mining in Sweden for the foreseeable future; the Company's limited operating history; the Company's negative operating cash flow and dependence on third-party financing; the uncertainty of additional funding; the uncertainties associated with early stage exploration activities including general economic, market and business conditions, the regulatory process, failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals, technical issues, potential delays, unexpected events and management's capacity to execute and implement its future plans; the Company's ability to identify any mineral resources and mineral reserves; the substantial expenditures required to establish mineral reserves through drilling and the estimation of mineral reserves or mineral resources; the uncertainty of estimates used to calculated mineralization figures; changes in governmental regulations; compliance with applicable laws and regulations; competition for future resource acquisitions and skilled industry personnel; reliance on key personnel; title matters; conflicts of interest; environmental laws and regulations and associated risks, including climate change legislation; land reclamation requirements; changes in government policies; volatility of the Company's share price; the unlikelihood that shareholders will receive dividends from the Company; potential future acquisitions and joint ventures; infrastructure risks; fluctuations in demand for, and prices of metals; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; legal proceedings and the enforceability of judgments; going concern risk; risks related to the Company's information technology systems and cyber-security risks; and risk related to the outbreak of epidemics or pandemics or other health crises. For additional information regarding these risks, please see the Company's Annual Information Form dated July 11, 2022, under the heading "Risk Factors", which is available at www.sedarplus.ca. These factors and assumptions are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors and assumptions that could affect the Company. These factors and assumptions, however, should be considered carefully. Although the Company has attempted to identify factors that would cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those disclosed in the forward-looking information or information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Also, many of such factors are beyond the control of the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199191

SOURCE: District Metals Corp.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Faraday Copper Corp. ("Faraday" or the "Company") (TSX:FDY)(OTCQX:CPPKF) is pleased to announce the results of its metallurgical program at its Copper Creek project in Arizona, USA ("Copper Creek").

Paul Harbidge, President and CEO, commented "The positive results from our metallurgical program continue to support our work towards advancing the Copper Creek project by significantly improving the economic returns and future metal production profile. In addition, the Phase III drill program is underway with a focus on testing new targets and expanding the Mineral Resource. I am excited about the exploration upside, especially with the initial reconnaissance drill results from the Area 51 target, which identified a new near-surface mineralized breccia."

Metallurgical Program Highlights

The metallurgical program was designed to evaluate grind size optimization, gold recoveries, and test additional samples from the near-surface mineralization to further enhance project economics compared to the Preliminary Economic Assessment 1 ("PEA"). Key highlights include:

Achieved copper rougher 2 recoveries of 95% in the sulphide composite by applying a substantially larger grind size 3 . The increased grind size confirms the following benefits: Opportunity to increase copper rougher recoveries to over 97% by utilizing Coarse Particle Flotation ("CPF") scavenging. CPF supports a potential increase to mill throughput without increasing the tailings pressure filtration requirement; Significant reduction in ball mill grinding energy compared to the PEA (approximately 50%); and Maintained copper concentrate quality with a consistently high average concentrate grade of 30.5% copper.

. The increased grind size confirms the following benefits: Confirmed gold recoveries in copper concentrate of over 75% supporting the potential for payable gold in the copper concentrate, which was not considered in previous studies.

supporting the potential for payable gold in the copper concentrate, which was not considered in previous studies. Significantly improved near-surface oxide recovery through column leach tests, which returned copper recoveries of 84% to 92% in 43 days with net acid consumption <12 kg/t, compared to 75% in 60 days with net acid consumption of 20 kg/t utilized in the PEA.

Zach Allwright, VP Projects and Evaluations, stated "The metallurgical program has uncovered significant upside, indicating that mill throughput in future technical studies could increase substantially from the PEA base case, while maintaining or enhancing metal recoveries. In addition, the test work highlights the opportunity to reduce operating costs and supports the potential for payable gold in the copper concentrate. Importantly, the Company's strategy of minimizing water consumption and limiting the surface footprint is supported by these favorable processing characteristics. We look forward to further increasing the value of the Copper Creek project."

Next Steps

Based on the outcomes of the metallurgical program and ongoing exploration results, the Company is targeting the following steps to continue to enhance the value of the project:

Exploration Drilling: Phase III drilling continues and is focused on reconnaissance drilling on new targets, expanding the Mineral Resource and better delineating high-grade mineralized zones.

Phase III drilling continues and is focused on reconnaissance drilling on new targets, expanding the Mineral Resource and better delineating high-grade mineralized zones. Gold Assay Program: The Company continues to advance the gold assay program, currently focused on the Keel underground zone. Assay results from this program, paired with existing gold data, could support the inclusion of gold in future resource updates and project economics.

The Company continues to advance the gold assay program, currently focused on the Keel underground zone. Assay results from this program, paired with existing gold data, could support the inclusion of gold in future resource updates and project economics. Metallurgical Assessments: Test work will be conducted as new resource targets are delineated. In addition, continued assessments will include further CPF flowsheet evaluation and a material type characterization program.

Test work will be conducted as new resource targets are delineated. In addition, continued assessments will include further CPF flowsheet evaluation and a material type characterization program. Technical Report Update: To incorporate updated geological, geotechnical, economic and metallurgical datasets.

For an overview of the metallurgical program and additional technical details, refer to the Appendix at the end of this news release.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Faraday's Vice President, Projects and Evaluations, Zach Allwright, P.Eng., who is considered a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

The information in this report relating to metallurgical test work results is based on and fairly reflects information reviewed by Mr. Peter Mehrfert, P.Eng. (Ausenco Engineering's consultant to Faraday). Mr. Mehrfert is a qualified metallurgist and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the management and interpretation of test work activities undertaken to qualify as Competent Person under NI 43-101. Mr. Mehrfert consents to the inclusion in the release of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.

About Faraday Copper

Faraday Copper is a Canadian exploration company focused on advancing its flagship copper project in Arizona, U.S. The Copper Creek project, is one of the largest undeveloped copper projects in North America with open pit and bulk underground mining potential. The Company is well-funded to deliver on its key milestones and benefits from a management team and board of directors with senior mining company experience and expertise. Faraday trades on the TSX under the symbol "FDY".

For additional information please contact:

Stacey Pavlova, CFA

Vice President, Investor Relations & Communications

Faraday Copper Corp.

E-mail: info@faradaycopper.com

Website: www.faradaycopper.com

To receive news releases by e-mail, please register using the Faraday website at www.faradaycopper.com.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking statements" and are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Faraday to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information specifically include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the potential increase to copper recoveries and mill throughput, the expected copper concentrate quality, the potential for reduction in ball mill grinding energy, the expected gold and copper recoveries, the possibility of adding gold in future Mineral Resource Estimates and studies, the potential to reduce expected processing operating costs, and the exploration potential of the Copper Creek property.

Although Faraday believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include without limitation: market prices for metals; the conclusions of detailed feasibility and technical analyses; lower than expected grades and quantities of mineral resources; receipt of regulatory approval; receipt of shareholder approval; mining rates and recovery rates; significant capital requirements; price volatility in the spot and forward markets for commodities; fluctuations in rates of exchange; taxation; controls, regulations and political or economic developments in the countries in which Faraday does or may carry on business; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, competition; loss of key employees; rising costs of labour, supplies, fuel and equipment; actual results of current exploration or reclamation activities; accidents; labour disputes; defective title to mineral claims or property or contests over claims to mineral properties; unexpected delays and costs inherent to consulting and accommodating rights of Indigenous peoples and other groups; risks, uncertainties and unanticipated delays associated with obtaining and maintaining necessary licenses, permits and authorizations and complying with permitting requirements, including those associated with the Copper Creek property; and uncertainties with respect to any future acquisitions by Faraday. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental events and hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and the risk of inadequate insurance or inability to obtain insurance to cover these risks as well as "Risk Factors" included in Faraday's disclosure documents filed on and available at www.sedarplus.ca.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. This press release is not, and under no circumstances is to be construed as, a prospectus, an offering memorandum, an advertisement or a public offering of securities in Faraday in Canada, the United States or any other jurisdiction. No securities commission or similar authority in Canada or in the United States has reviewed or in any way passed upon this press release, and any representation to the contrary is an offence.

APPENDIX: OVERVIEW OF METALLURGICAL PROGRAM AND ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL DETAILS

Metallurgical Program Overview

The metallurgical program utilized samples from the Phase I and II drilling, to complement previous test work as summarized in the PEA. The metallurgical program was conducted by ALS Metallurgy, Kamloops, with oversight by Ausenco Engineering.

This test work program was designed to complete the following scope using samples taken throughout the resource area, with primary focus (and targeted sample coverage) on the open pit mill feed material:

SAG mill comminution and Bond Mill Work Index ("BMWi") testing completed on all samples.

Mineralogical composition assessment on three oxide, three transition and nine sulphide variability samples.

Detailed mineralogy particle mineral analysis ("PMA") completed on sulphide master composite and coarse fractions of CPF sulphide composite.

Flotation testing on sulphide composites and both sulphide and transition variability samples.

Hydrofloat testing on a CPF sulphide composite.

Column leach tests and oxide bottle roll tests on oxide samples.

Gold analyses on feed samples and test products.

The outcomes of the metallurgical test work will be assimilated with the historical test work to form the basis of the process design criteria for future technical study updates.

Sample Selection and Spatial Context

The metallurgical program comprised of 15 samples across the three material type domains, designed to complement historical sample coverage and ultimately result in an improved representation of the mine plan production profile envisaged in the PEA. While the focus of this program was on open pit materials, two underground samples were also included. Sample details are presented in Table 1.

Table 1: Metallurgical Sample Details

Material Met ID Area Domain Drill hole ID Depth (m) Cu Mo Ag Au from to % % g/t g/t Oxide MET23-01 White bear OP 22-008 8 26 0.58 0.001 1.0 0.02 MET23-02 Copper Knight SE OP 23-026 20 37 0.18 0.001 1.0 0.02 MET23-03 Hilltop OP 23-021 8 23 0.24 <0.001 1.0 0.02 Transition MET23-04 Copper Knight OP 22-016 61 70 0.67 0.001 1.3 0.01 MET23-05 Copper Prince OP 22-018 107 124 0.83 0.009 1.2 0.02 MET23-06 Copper Giant OP 22-015 8 14 2.01 0.008 3.4 0.26 Sulphide MET23-07 Copper Giant OP 22-012 33 43 0.34 0.002 0.4 0.02 MET23-08 Copper Giant OP 22-012 62 80 0.40 0.001 0.7 0.03 MET23-09 Childs Aldwinkle OP 23-023 188 208 0.91 0.020 3.8 0.13 MET23-10 Childs Aldwinkle OP 23-023 223 239 0.42 0.026 1.0 0.02 MET23-11 Keel UG 23-024 751 765 0.47 0.003 3.5 0.07 MET23-12 Keel UG 23-024 939 949 0.62 0.004 5.9 0.02 MET23-13 Pole OP 23-032 75 91 0.59 <0.001 4.0 0.05 MET23-14 Bald OP 23-037 222 232 0.48 0.001 1.8 0.02 MET23-15 Mammoth OP 22-008 493 507 0.79 0.001 1.0 <0.01

Note: Open pit domain is referenced as "OP" and underground domain is referenced as "UG".

Comminution Results

SAG and ball mill energy assessment tests were conducted on the variability samples, which included industry standard SAG mill comminution and BMWi measurements, respectively. Grind sizes stated herein refer to 80% passing ("P80") the specified particle size. Results are presented in Table 2.

Table 2: Comminution Results

Material A x b BMWi (kwh/t) Min / Max Average Min / Max Average Oxide 32 / 59 45 - - Transition 41 / 49 45 9.9 / 12.0 10.9 Sulphide 30 / 42 37 12.3 / 14.3 13.3

The outcomes of the comminution test work are confirmatory of the PEA design basis and are within the design tolerances. BMWi results are marginally lower than the averages measured in the previous program.

Increasing the primary grind size to 220 m could result in approximately a 13% reduction in ball mill grinding energy compared to the PEA estimate. Further increasing the grind size to 350 m could result in a 50% reduction in ball mill grinding energy. Ball mill grinding energy was estimated in the PEA to account for roughly 24% of the total consumed power in the concentrator.

Flotation Performance - Sulphide Material

Flotation testing on the sulphide master composite culminated in a locked cycle test conducted at a primary grind size of 210 m. It was determined that low dosages of potassium amyl xanthate ("PAX"), a less expensive and non-selective collector compared to what was considered in the PEA, was suitable for cleaner performance and improved recovery. Results are presented in Table 3.

Table 3: Locked Cycle Test Results

Sample Primary Grind (m) Regrind (m) Feed Assay (%) Concentrate Grade (%) Recovery (%) Cu Mo Cu Mo Cu Mo Sulphide Master

Composite 210 33 0.56 0.007 31.2 0.33 94.2 85.2

Grind series testing suggested that coarser primary grinds compared to the PEA (190 m) can be applied. More aggressive primary grind sizes were evaluated on the CPF sulphide composite and the variability samples. Test work confirms that targeting 350 m resulted in only marginally lower copper recoveries. Rougher circuit copper recoveries were consistently high at the grind sizes tested. Results are presented in Table 4.

Table 4: Sulphide Rougher Flotation Results

Sample ID Primary Grind (m) Rougher Mass (%) Feed (%) Rougher Recovery (%) Cu Mo Cu Mo MET23-07 420 6.1 0.33 0.002 80.7 53.9 MET23-08 343 5.1 0.43 0.001 95.1 54.7 MET23-09 319 9.3 0.95 0.016 96.5 94.5 MET23-10 276 8.4 0.42 0.023 97.4 96.0 MET23-11 278 5.5 0.43 0.003 98.0 84.4 MET23-12 222 9.7 0.72 0.005 98.6 91.3 MET23-13 316 14.6 0.52 0.001 88.6 14.6 MET23-14 280 18.1 0.45 0.001 95.8 45.9 MET23-15 283 13.1 0.69 0.001 98.0 57.5 Variability Sample Average 304 10.0 0.55 0.006 94.3 65.9 Sulphide Master Composite 210 10.5 0.52 0.007 96.0 93.2 CPF Composite 372 8.3 0.68 0.004 95.8 77.1

Open circuit cleaner flotation tests were completed on the sulphide variability samples using low dosages of PAX. Copper concentrate grades were consistently high, averaging 30.5% copper. Cleaner circuit copper recoveries are expected to average 98%, based on locked cycle test results. Cleaner circuit molybdenum recoveries are similarly expected to range between 86% to 92% for feed grades above 0.003% molybdenum.

Coarse Grind and CPF Performance Overview

CPF is a technique that combines the upward flow of a hydrosizer with flotation bubbles to recover coarse mineralized particles that would otherwise report to tailings in conventional froth flotation. It is applied in a scavenging application on rougher flotation tails that have passed through hydrocyclone size separation to remove lower grade fine material. The coarse material enters a Hydrofloat cell which recovers a coarse scavenger concentrate. The thickened underflow, depleted of any fines, is essentially free-draining and can be dewatered using a low energy system such as a sieve bend screen or a high-capacity belt filter.

Three bulk rougher flotation tests were conducted on a sulphide CPF composite at primary grind sizes ranging from 350 m to 450 m. Results are presented in Table 5.

Table 5: CPF Results

CPF Test Primary Grind (m) Copper Recovery (%) % of Rougher Tails to Hydrofloat Tails Conventional Rougher Hydrofloat Contribution Net Rougher P1 356 94.9 2.5 97.4 42.4 P2 445 93.4 2.8 96.2 45.3 P3 431 92.6 3.3 95.9 44.1

Note: After recovering 93%-95% of the feed copper to a rougher concentrate, the rougher tails were classified such that approximately 50% of the mass reported to a +150 m fraction with elevated copper levels. These coarse tails were then treated in a laboratory Hydrofloat cell that recovered approximately 60% of the copper and molybdenum in the CPF feed to a concentrate containing about 12% of the feed mass.

The CPF concentrate requires regrinding prior to returning to the rougher feed or similar conventional flotation stage. A simplified flowsheet incorporating CPF is presented in Figure 1.

CPF performance confirms that a coarser grind does not compromise copper recoveries. Applying CPF scavenging on the rougher tails of a 350 m primary grind appears to return the same overall rougher circuit copper recovery as a conventional flotation circuit with a 200 m primary grind as proposed in the PEA. Additional grinding energy is only applied to a targeted 6% of the feed mass returning as CPF concentrate. While the incremental copper recovery improvement is modest, a significant benefit of the CPF circuit is removing tonnage from the tailings filtration circuit. In this arrangement, only about 57% of the total mill tailings reports to the thickening and filtration circuit. The tailings processing opportunity of this flowsheet is presented graphically in Figure 2. Preliminary results suggest that a CPF circuit could potentially allow for an increase in throughput to 45 ktpd without increasing the tailings filtration requirements.

Figure 1: Potential Coarse Grind Flowsheet

Figure 2: Tailings Processing Comparison between Conventional Floatation and CPF Addition

Flotation Performance - Transition Variability

Flotation testing on the transitional material variability samples supports the current understanding of copper recovery as a function of feed mineralogy. Metallurgical performance was generally better on these three samples compared to those tested in Phase I for the PEA design basis, however the average copper mineral assemblage was similar to the estimate used for the PEA. Metallurgical data is presented in Table 6.

Table 6: Transition Metallurgical Data

Metallurgical Details Copper Knight Copper Prince Copper Giant MET23-04 MET23-05 MET23-06 Copper deportment (%) in feed by mineral type Chalcopyrite/Bornite 68.2 37.7 19.6 Chalcocite/Covellite 5.4 47.2 53.7 Malachite/Azurite 0.7 0.1 11.8 Cu-FeOx 22.4 11.7 9.4 Cu Silicates 3.2 3.2 5.6 Processing Details Primary Grind (m) 145 157 153 Sulphidization Applied No Yes Yes Post Sulphidization Cu Recovery (%) - 4.1 22.9 Regrind Yes No No Cleaner Stages 3 1 Not Required Metallurgical Performance Cu Feed Grade (%) 0.67 0.85 2.25 Cu Recovery (%) 65.1 81.5 82.0 Concentrate Grade Cu (%) 25.8 29.7 32.8

Concentrate Quality

Final bulk concentrates were assayed for minor elements of interest. Results are presented in Table 7. Two of the sulphide variability samples produced concentrates that contained sufficient molybdenum levels to support the inclusion of a copper-molybdenum separation circuit. Gold contents in the concentrates were above minimum payable levels on average. Silver contents varied and were significant in some samples. All arsenic contents were well below penalty level limits.

Table 7: Concentrate Quality of Variability Samples

Material Met ID Assay (%) Assay (g/t) Cu Mo As Au Ag Sulphide MET23-07 29.1 0.090 0.006 1.4 18 MET23-08 31.9 0.050 0.008 1.9 32 MET23-09 36.1 0.760 0.023 4.9 142 MET23-10 35.2 2.15 0.003 3.6 80 MET23-11 47.7 0.250 0.002 8.8 310 MET23-12 33.4 0.160 0.023 1.5 240 MET23-13 25.2 0.002 0.071 1.8 96 MET23-14 23.9 0.015 0.006 0.7 52 MET23-15 32.1 0.027 0.130 0.1 28 MC LCT 31.2 0.331 0.039 2.1 88 Transition MET23-04 25.8 0.033 0.014 1.2 58 MET23-05 29.7 0.365 0.013 0.8 53 MET23-06 32.8 0.135 0.013 3.9 38

Oxide Leach Performance - Column Leach Testing

Historical test work on leach performance was limited with only two instances where copper recovery from oxide materials was investigated. The oxide recoveries considered in the PEA were based on assumptions informed by limited information and therefore the subsequent metallurgical test work included more comprehensive column leach testing from various oxide sources.

Three samples of  HQ drill core were provided for leach testing. The samples represent near-surface mineralization from three different pit areas. The samples were coarse crushed to minus 32mm, riffle split and sub-samples were further crushed as required.

Two 10 kg test column leach test charges were prepared for each sample, crushed to top sizes of 32 or 19mm. Each test charge was agglomerated with a sulphuric acid cure solution and the columns were then irrigated for 6 weeks (43 days) with a dilute acid solution (5 g/L). Summarized metallurgical results are presented in Table 8 and leach extraction curves are presented graphically in Figure 3.

The copper leach performance on these three samples shows considerable improvement over the estimates used in the PEA design. Most notable is that the net sulphuric acid consumptions are considerably lower than the PEA assumption.

Table 8: Column Leach Results

Metallurgical Parameter White Bear Copper Knight Hilltop PEA MET23-01 MET23-02 MET23-03 Design Assumption Crush Size -19mm -32mm -19mm -32mm -19mm -32mm -17mm Leach days 43 43 43 43 43 43 60 Feed Copper (%) 0.81 0.69 0.32 0.20 0.23 0.22 0.29 Cu Extraction (%) 83.8 77.7 92.5 88.5 89.8 66.8 75.0 Acid Cure (kg/t) 20 20 15 15 15 15 - Net Acid Consumption (kg/t) 11.6 12.8 4.9 3.4 10.5 10.8 20.0

Copper extractions exceeded 80% at the -19mm crush size. Only MET23-03 showed performance sensitivity to crush size. MET23-01 kinetics were somewhat hindered initially due to low acid conditions.

Figure 3: Column Leach Extraction Curves

Precious Metal Deportment Assessment

In parallel with the gold assay program (refer to news release dated October 5, 2023), the metallurgical program included an assessment on gold deportment to concentrate. Gold recoveries to variability cleaner concentrates ranged from 37% to 92%, and locked cycle testing on the sulphide master composite measured 73% gold recovery to final copper concentrate. Results suggest that a gold recovery to final concentrate of 75% can be expected at feed grades of 0.05 g/t gold.

Gold grades in concentrate are dependent on the copper:gold ratio in the feed. The results on variability samples suggest that at average feed grades of 0.44% copper and concentrate mass recoveries of 1.4%, feed grades of 0.05 g/t gold would result in copper concentrates containing approximately 2.9 g/t gold.

Silver recoveries from variability samples were also tested as part of this program. Results indicate a silver recovery of 75% from feed grades of 2g/t silver. Metallurgical test work suggests similar performance for both gold and silver.

Results for gold and silver deportment on variability samples are shown graphically in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Gold and Silver Recovery

Mineralogy Overview

Mineralogical composition assessments were completed on the variability samples by QEMSCAN. The results provide valuable confirmation of core logging interpretation and are consistent with geochemical assay results. The copper deportment data helps in understanding metallurgical performance. Copper deportment to mineral forms is presented graphically in Figure 5.

Figure 5: Copper Deportment by Mineral Form

The ratio of pyrite to copper sulphides can be an important processing parameter, as values below three tend to have lower regrinding energy requirements and positive implications on metallurgical performance. The pyrite to copper sulphide ratios of variability samples are displayed graphically in Figure 6 relative to copper feed grade. Generally, the material is low in pyrite content, only the Bald sample had somewhat elevated pyrite levels.

Figure 6: Ratio of Pyrite to Copper Sulphides - Variability Samples

A more detailed PMA was conducted on the sulphide master composite at a primary grind sizing of 209 m. The liberation characteristics were favorable, which supports the metallurgical performance measured by conventional flotation. Specifically:

The size distribution of the copper sulphide grains was coarse, measured at 80% passing 142 m. Although the overall copper sulphide mineral liberation was approximately 53%, about 80% of the mineral mass was in grains which contained 50% or more copper sulphide mineral. The high quality of the grains allows for successful bubble attachment in froth flotation.

A similar PMA was conducted on fractions the CPF composite at a primary grind sizing of 295 m. The liberation characteristics did not appear to decrease significantly. About 75% of the copper sulphide mineral mass was in grains which contained 50% or more copper sulphide mineral.

End Notes

1 The Preliminary Economic Assessment was reported in a technical report titled "Copper Creek Project NI 43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment" with an effective date of May 3, 2023 available on the Company's website at www.faradaycopper.com and on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

2 Rougher recovery refers to the percentage of valuable minerals recovered in the initial or primary stage of the flotation process.

3 Refers to grind size of 350 m P80 applied to the sulphide composite, compared to 190 m P80 utilized in the PEA. Grind sizes stated throughout this news release refer to 80% passing ("P80") the specified particle size.

SOURCE: Faraday Copper Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - ApexProfits, an online platform, announces the introduction of innovative financial strategies to empower investors to enhance their financial well-being. These strategies mark a significant shift in ApexProfits' approach, focusing on simplicity and accessibility to ensure that users, regardless of their background, can quickly implement them to navigate today's financial landscape.

Enhanced Accessibility and Practicality

Unlike previous operations, where financial strategies may have been complex and targeted at a specific audience, ApexProfits now emphasizes simplicity and practicality. The newly introduced strategies are designed to be easily understood and implemented by many users who need specialized financial knowledge. This streamlined approach reflects ApexProfits' commitment to democratizing financial education and empowering individuals from all walks of life to make informed financial decisions.

Empowering Users with Practical Tools

ApexProfits is dedicated to providing users with practical tools and resources they can readily apply daily. By simplifying complex financial concepts and presenting them as user-friendly, ApexProfits aims to demystify finance and empower individuals to take control of their financial futures.

Accessible Education for Financial Empowerment

ApexProfits has introduced educational initiatives tailored to its users' needs, recognizing the importance of education in financial empowerment. These initiatives provide easily accessible resources and guidance to help individuals make informed decisions about their financial future. By prioritizing accessibility and user-centric design, ApexProfits is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to succeed financially.

About ApexProfits

ApexProfits is a reliable online tool that helps people manage their finances efficiently and transparently. It aims to provide practical solutions to its users so that they can confidently make informed decisions and navigate the complexities of personal finance. ApexProfits makes financial management easy and transparent. The platform is dedicated to empowering individuals for financial success by providing practical solutions, ensuring users can make informed decisions and confidently navigate the complexities of personal finance. Through continuous research and development, ApexProfits refines its strategies and offerings, focusing on simplicity, accessibility, and practicality.

ApexProfits is committed to its mission of empowering individuals to achieve financial success. The platform constantly conducts research and development to refine its strategies and offerings, making it more accessible and practical for its users. With its focus on simplicity, accessibility, and practicality, ApexProfits is a trusted resource for anyone seeking to improve their financial well-being.

Company Details

Company Name: ApexProfits

Email Address: media@apexprofits.com

Company Address: The Willis Building, 51 Lime St, London, UK

Company Website: https://apexprofits.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199197

SOURCE: Apex Profits Limited
Collaborative Partnership Sealed Post-COP 28

DUBAI, UAE, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoetic Global, a top climate impact company, announced today a joint venture partnership with Mohamed Hareb Al Otaiba (MHAO) Group, a diversified UAE-based conglomerate, to deliver immediate energy savings solutions for both air conditioning and desalination throughout the UAE.

The collaboration between Zoetic Global and MHAO Group will produce and deploy impact solutions involving energy savings refrigerants, water purification systems, and hydrogen energy generation. The joint venture will open a refrigerant production facility in the UAE during the second quarter of 2024. This allows the UAE to produce refrigerant, create "green jobs" and generate carbon credits locally.

Mohamed Hareb Al Otaiba, Chairman and CEO of the MHAO Group said, "Partnering with Zoetic strengthens our mission to support sustainable growth in the UAE. I look forward to the Joint Venture deploying domestically produced refrigerants into data centers, hospitals, malls, hotels and government buildings throughout the UAE. The MHAO Group has embraced Zoetic's innovative technologies to deliver measurable results. Our goal is to align with the UAE's NetZero goals to reduce carbon emissions while providing economic benefits to all of stakeholders."

Zoetic Global Executive Chairman Jerome Ringo added, "The new strategic alliance between Zoetic and the MHAO Group is dedicated to finding innovative carbon reduction solutions that will shape a sustainable future. It's an honor to be selected as a joint venture partner on this important journey towards achieving their sustainability goals. The MHAO Group's decades of commercial success and commitment to building a sustainable UAE is admirable and inspiring."

"We're grateful to have met the MHAO Group at COP 28 - Dubai, and to have worked closely over the subsequent weeks to consummate our joint venture. Zoetic has assembled a portfolio of leading impact technologies that address critical energy, water and food security challenges. Critical to our global deployment is partnerships with leaders like the MHAO Group," said Zoetic CEO Avery Hong

The groundbreaking agreement represents an important outcome following COP 28 held in Dubai. During the historic event, 195 nations gathered and unanimously pledged to phase out fossil fuels, accelerating the implementation of new climate action plans by 2025. Zoetic's leadership team had a major presence at COP 28 and successfully interacted with public and private leaders from around the world.

About Zoetic Global

Zoetic is a solutions provider committed to sustainability and focused on delivering critical energy, water, and food technologies to areas of greatest need. Working in conjunction with its technology and strategic partners it has assembled a compelling portfolio of now solutions for now problems. Zoetic means, "of or pertaining to life." It embodies the dedication of its Co-Founder and Chairman, Jerome Ringo, who has been a leader in the climate movement for two decades. Zoetic is focused on the inclusion of areas of the world disproportionately impacted by climate change. Zoetic believes that critical solutions exist and require a next level commitment by leaders to implement them.

About Mohamed Hareb Al Otaiba

Mohamed Hareb Al Otaiba (MHAO Group) is a multi-diversified conglomerate, with a legacy of almost 75 years and a rich portfolio of companies ranging in industries like Transportation, Retail, Technology, F & B/FMCG, Fabrication, and Services. The company also has world-class renowned brands as trading partners including BOSCH, BEKO, XEROX, RICOH, and AVIS.

For information on Zoetic Global, visit https://zoeticglobal.com/about/.

Link to Zoetic Global press releases: https://www.zoeticglobal.com/press-media

Zoetic Global's LinkedIn page

Contact:

Charlotte Luer

cluer@ljhfm.com

+1-239-404-6785

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Amring Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Amring), a subsidiary of Nordic Group B.V. (Nordic Pharma), announced today that preeminent ophthalmologist Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD will Chair its U.S. Medical Advisory Board (MAB) which includes Richard Lindstrom, MD (Minnesota), Vance Thompson, MD (South Dakota), Preeya Gupta, MD (North Carolina), Paul Karpecki, OD (Kentucky), Lisa Nijm, MD, JD (Illinois), and Selina McGee, OD (Oklahoma).

Dr. Donnenfeld joins the MAB as Nordic Pharma prepares to launch a novel therapy for Dry Eye Disease, LACRIFILL canalicular gel. The FDA-cleared hyaluronic acid derivative LACRIFILL is intended to temporarily block tear drainage by the occlusion of the canalicular system.

"Nordic Pharma continues to build a world class group of key opinion leaders with Eric agreeing to lead our esteemed MAB in the U.S. as we prepare to bring LACRIFILL to market. With over 30 years of clinical experience as an internationally recognized expert and pioneer in refractive, cornea and cataract surgery he brings invaluable insights for developing physician led strategies, enhancing the patient experience and phase IV study initiatives," said Philip Gioia, President of the U.S. team that will launch LACRIFILL under the Nordic Pharma brand. "As one of the leading refractive and cataract surgeons in the United States he shares Nordic Pharma's commitment to making a sustainable impact on the health of people with dry eye disease."

"I have been fortunate to work closely with Eric over the last 20 years. He is an outstanding clinician and surgeon with a pulse on new technology," said Jai G. Parekh, MD, MBA, Chief Commercial Officer of Nordic Pharma Eye Care U.S. "Eric is responsible for many of the most successful launches in eye care and our team looks forward to collaborating with him. He will be instrumental in guiding us during LACRIFILL's introduction to eye care providers and patients."

"I'm excited to be part of the LACRIFILL launch as this technology is disruptive and will change the way we practice ophthalmology and optometry," said Dr. Donnenfeld. "It's an honor to be working with Nordic Pharma's leadership and our highly respected Medical Advisory Board to bring this novel dry eye disease therapy to ophthalmologists and optometrists across the U.S. and then around the world."

In addition to Dr. Donnenfeld's appointment, Nordic Pharma has proudly accepted an invitation to join the American-European Congress of Ophthalmic Surgery (AECOS) and will have a significant presence at the AECOS Winter Symposium this week. Dr. Vance Thompson will be sharing benefits of LACRIFILL with physicians and leaders in ophthalmology. Select pre-order opportunities will also be discussed. Dr. Thompson will also be presenting the Dry Eye Disease Update session.

About Eric D. Donnenfeld, M.D.

Dr. Donnenfeld is the founding partner of Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island and Ophthalmic Consultants of Connecticut. He has authored more than 210 papers on the cornea, external disease, cataracts, and refractive surgery, 500 scientific articles, and 50 books and book chapters on a range of subjects pertaining to corneal transplants, cataract care, and laser vision correction.

Dr. Donnenfeld is on the editorial board of nine journals and has participated in over 40 FDA studies. He is one of the first 5 people in the world to perform both laser vision correction and laser cataract surgery. Dr. Donnenfeld is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and has received its Honor Award, Senior Honor Award, Life Achievement Honor Award, and Secretariat Award. He is past President of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, President-elect of the International Intraocular Implant Society, and Editor in Chief of EyeWorld. He was named #1 on Newsweek's America's Best Eye Doctors list in 2022 and 2021. In addition, Cataract Refractive Surgery Today recognized Dr. Donnenfeld as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Ophthalmologists in the United States; The Ophthalmologist named Dr. Donnenfeld to their Power List in 2022, 2020 and 2018; and he was also selected as Ophthalmology Management's 25 Leaders in Innovation.

About Nordic Group B.V.

Nordic Group B.V. is a privately owned, medium-size international pharmaceutical company which focuses on the development and commercialization of specialty products. Portfolio enhancement has been accomplished through targeted developments and focused acquisitions to build a foundation in Eye Care, Rheumatology and Women's Health. Nordic Pharma has established deep roots throughout Europe, and more recently, expanded outside of Europe with increased acquisitions worldwide. Nordic Pharma is a part of SEVER Life Sciences, a holding company created in 2019 that brings together three diverse but complementary companies that offer a wide range of products, pharmaceutical development services and delivery technologies.

About Amring Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Amring Pharmaceuticals Inc., subsidiary of Nordic Group B.V., is partnered with well-established global biopharmaceutical companies and is uniquely positioned to leverage its expertise in bringing biotechnology derived medicines, sterile manufacturing and other state-of-the-art technologies to the marketplace.

Safe Harbor

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements related to Amring/Nordic Pharma's business developments and the implementation of Amring/Nordic Pharma's strategic initiatives. Because these statements reflect Amring/Nordic Pharma's current views, expectations and beliefs concerning future events, these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual developments and results to differ materially from Amring/Nordic Pharma's expectations. These factors include, but are not limited to, general market conditions, regulatory trends, changes in the financial conditions of third parties dealing with Amring/Nordic Pharma, and other factors that could affect Amring/Nordic Pharma's business and financial performance. Amring/Nordic Pharma does not assume any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226872185/en/

Contacts:

Amring Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Kate Popova

Contracts Administration Lead

Phone Number: 610-285-1699

ekaterina.popova@amringpharma.com

Gail Feerrar

Director Sales and Marketing

Phone: 610-285-7152

gail.feerrar@amringpharma.com
Cannon Connect expands online community for global entrepreneurs and established businesses

HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Greater Houston startup and innovation sector leader, The Cannon, announced the completion of its December 2023 acquisition of Village Insights, a turnkey ecosystem management software company. Houston-based Village Insights, founded in 2020, builds tailored, centralized platforms for the management of and engagement with stakeholders, customers or a community of users.





The Cannon is an innovation and entrepreneurship community.





Village Insights partnered with The Cannon to create and launch Cannon Connect, a digital platform developed to support entrepreneurs, member companies and organizations across The Cannon's physical and virtual communities, locally and globally. Cannon Connect provides collaboration and strategic networking opportunities that complement member programs offered at The Cannon's seven, physical flex-space locations, including its 120,000-square-foot West Houston headquarters, situated at the 30-acre Founders District.

"The Cannon's hub network stretches from The Woodlands to Galveston across the 13-county region, with a membership base of over 900 companies and 3,000 employees," said Jon Lambert, CEO of The Cannon. "The digital extension of our physical footprint brings comprehensive innovation and business development support to communities that need it the most. Cannon Connect's virtual-connection capabilities stand to remarkably expand our universe of ecosystem opportunities."

As part of the equity transaction, the Village Insights core leadership team members have assumed supporting roles related to growth and expansion of The Cannon and Cannon Connect platform.

"The combined commitment to support innovation communities-large and small-is evident," said Village Insights former CEO, Andrew Ramirez. "Village Insights and The Cannon merged to align efforts and cultivate regional and global innovation communities. Alignment of our value propositions represents a significant leap forward for the populations that we serve."

The acquisition strengthens The Cannon's offering as the first and only "physical-digital hybrid" innovation ecosystem platform provider. Cannon Connect's virtual community broadens access to existing Cannon member resources, which include a multi-sector business advisor network, strategic planning tools, business educational materials, fund-sourcing support, and more.

"The integration of a world-class onsite member experience and Cannon Connect's superior virtual resource network creates a seamless, streamlined environment for member organizations," said Clemmie Martin, The Cannon's newly appointed Chief of Staff. "Cannon Connect and this acquisition pave pathways to access and success for all."

About The Cannon

The Cannon, headquartered in Houston, Texas, provides physical and digital innovation infrastructure that supports global entrepreneurship and business development, via collaboration among startups, established companies, advisors and investors across seven physical locations and three virtual hubs.

About Cannon Connect

Cannon Connect is a community platform focused on expansion of digital and social infrastructure to support entrepreneurship and innovation.

It extends access to The Cannon's internal team and resources, partners and a continuously updated, best-in-class business growth toolkit.

About Village Insights

Village Insights is an ecosystem management software firm that provides a centralized platform for stakeholder or customer management and community engagement. It was acquired by The Cannon in December 2023.





Contact Information

Tammy Dowe

External Affairs

tdowe@spotonpublicrelations.com

7134121771





SOURCE: The Cannon

View the original press release on newswire.com.
JERSEY CITY, N.J., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd. announces the release of a market assessment report on the "Global Digital Agriculture Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Offerings (Advisory Services, Precision Agriculture & Farm Management, Quality Management & Traceability, Digital Procurement, Agri E-Commerce, And Financial Services), Technology (Peripheral, Core), Operation (Farming & Feeding, Monitoring & Scouting, Marketing & Demand Generation) Type (Hardware, Software, Services), Region, Market Outlook And Industry Analysis 2031"

The Global Digital Agriculture Market is estimated to reach over USD 51.35 billion by 2031, exhibiting a CAGR of 11.55% during the forecast period.

Digital Agriculture Market Report Scope:

Report Attribute Specifications Market size value in 2023 USD 21.72 Bn Revenue forecast in 2031 USD 51.35 Bn Growth Rate CAGR CAGR of 8.9% from 2024 to 2031 Quantitative Units Representation of revenue in US$ Million and CAGR from 2024 to 2031 Historic Year 2019 to 2023 Forecast Year 2024-2031 Report Coverage The forecast of revenue, the position of the company, the competitive market structure, growth prospects, and trends Segments Covered By Offering, Technology, Operation, And Type Regional Scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; Middle East & Africa Country Scope U.S.; Canada; U.K.; Germany; China; India; Japan; Brazil; Mexico; France; Italy; Spain; Southeast Asia; South Korea

Request for Free Sample Pages: https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/request-sample/2321

Digital agriculture applies cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics. Moreover, it employs automated systems, smart crop sensors, and drones to track how farmers use water, fertilizer, pesticides, and crops to get the most out of their crops. The demand for food is rising in tandem with the world population because of the scarcity of arable land. Digital agriculture has emerged as a solution for better crop monitoring and management to address the need for food security and environmentally responsible farming methods. Rising food consumption due to the world's rapidly expanding population is one of numerous reasons for the recent market explosion.

Furthermore, demand for autonomous agricultural equipment is growing in many nations due to a need for workable workers. Not to mention that creative irrigation techniques are being used increasingly due to the growing water scarcity. With everything mentioned above, it's no wonder the digital farming business is expected to flourish. However, digital agriculture technology requires significant initial investments for acquisition, setup, and training. Due to this cost, smaller or less financially stable farmers may need help accessing specific markets.

List of Prominent Players in the Digital Agriculture Market:

Cisco Systems, Inc. (US)

IBM Corporation (US)

Accenture (Ireland)

Trimble Inc. (US)

Deere & Company (US)

Epicor Software Corporation (US)

Hexagon AB (Sweden)

Bayer AG (Germany)

AGCO Corporation (US)

Vodafone Group PLC (UK)

Market Dynamics:

Drivers-

The growing demand for the digital agriculture market is fueled because more and more people are learning about the benefits of digital agriculture for crop yields, and the worldwide market for agricultural products and services has grown substantially.

One of the main factors propelling the digital agriculture market is the positive impact that technological breakthroughs and innovations have on farmers' ability to maximize output while decreasing losses and optimizing resource utilization. As precision agriculture technology becomes more widely used, the digital agriculture market experiences global expansion.

Challenges:

The prime challenge is insufficient technological knowledge, a shortage of competent individuals, and a lack of norms and protocol because of lockdowns and isolation in emerging countries, which is predicted to slow the growth of the digital agriculture market. More people need to learn about digital agriculture and participate in training programs for these technologies to be widely used and effective. That could be a setback for digital agriculture's chances of bringing about a farming sector revolution and generally boosting agricultural sustainability and production.

Regional Trends:

The North American digital agriculture market is anticipated to register a major market share in terms of revenue. It is projected to grow at a high CAGR in the near future because renowned producers of agricultural equipment are located there. Market growth in North America is expected to be driven by increasing government efforts and guidelines to enhance the agriculture industry over the projected period. Besides, Europe had a substantial share in the market because of the dependable producers' financial situation, availability of cutting-edge technology, solid infrastructure, and enhanced supply network. With the support of an efficient administrative system, farmers may learn all they need to know to operate and maintain precision farming equipment, which should increase demand in the e-commerce agricultural market in the area.

Curious about this latest version of the report? @https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/enquiry-before-buying/2321

Recent Developments:

In January 2024, Trimble introduced the Connected Climate Exchange, a carbon marketplace. Its goal is to make the agricultural supply chain more sustainable by linking and collecting verifiable data from all points along the chain. The new sustainability solutions from Trimble can help businesses scale their operations while decreasing their carbon footprint, which is crucial for reaching zero-carbon targets.

In January 2024, Agriculture & Agribusiness Company AGCO launched FarmerCore, a revolutionary worldwide program to provide farmers and dealers with an experience like never before. The new end-to-end distribution model is a significant step forward for AGCO's Farmer-First strategy. It demonstrates their dedication to assisting farmers worldwide in improving their profitability, productivity, and sustainability.

Segmentation of Digital Agriculture Market-

Digital Agriculture Market By Offering-

Advisory Services

Precision Agriculture & Farm Management

Quality Management & Traceability

Digital Procurement

Agri e-Commerce

Financial Services

Digital Agriculture Market By Technology-

Peripheral Technology Platforms Apps

Core Technology Automation Drones Robotics AI/ML



Digital Agriculture Market By Operation-

Farming & Feeding Precision Agriculture Precision Animal Rearing & Feeding Precision Aquaculture Precision Forestry Smart Greenhouse

Monitoring & Scouting

Marketing & Demand Generation

Digital Agriculture Market By Type-

Hardware Automation & Control Systems Drones/UAVs Irrigation Controllers GPS/GNSS Flow & Application Control Devices Guidance & Steering Handheld Mobile Device/Handheld Computers Displays Harvesters & Forwarders Variable Rate Controllers Control Systems Robotic Hardware VAC Systems LED Grow Lights Other Automation & Control Systems Sensing & Monitoring Devices Yield Monitors Soil Sensors Water Sensors Climate Sensors Camera Systems FID & Sensors for Precision Forestry Temperature & Environment Monitoring Sensors pH & Dissolved Oxygen Sensors C Sensors FID Tags & Readers for Livestock Monitoring Sensors for Livestock Monitoring Sensors for Smart Greenhouse Other Sensing & Monitoring Devices

Software On-cloud On-premises AI & Data Analytics

Services System Integration & Consulting Data Collection & Analytical Services Connectivity Services Assistant Professional Services Maintenance & Support Services



By Region-

North America-

The US

Canada

Mexico

Europe-

Germany

The UK

France

Italy

Spain

Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific-

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Southeast Asia

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America-

Brazil

Argentina

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa-

GCC Countries

South Africa

Rest of the Middle East and Africa

For More Customization @ https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/customisation/2321

Why should buy this report:

To receive a comprehensive analysis of the prospects for global Digital Agriculture market

To receive industry overview and future trends of global Digital Agriculture market

To analyze the Digital Agriculture market drivers and challenges

To get information on the Digital Agriculture market size value (US$ Mn) forecast till 2031

Major Investments, Mergers & Acquisition in global Digital Agriculture market industry

Other Related Reports Published by InsightAce Analytic:

Farm Management Software and Data Analytics Market

Precision Farming Market

Augmented Reality In Agriculture Market

Smart Farming Market

Autonomous Agriculture Equipment Market

About Us:

InsightAce Analytic is a market research and consulting firm that enables clients to make strategic decisions. Our qualitative and quantitative market intelligence solutions inform the need for market and competitive intelligence to expand businesses. We help clients gain competitive advantage by identifying untapped markets, exploring new and competing technologies, segmenting potential markets and repositioning products. Our expertise is in providing syndicated and custom market intelligence reports with an in-depth analysis with key market insights in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Contact US:

InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd.

Tel.: +1 718 593 4405

Email: info@insightaceanalytic.com

Site Visit: www.insightaceanalytic.com

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/digital-agriculture-market-to-reach-over-usd-51-35-billion-by-the-year-2031---exclusive-report-by-insightace-analytic-302071095.html
Utility and city industry participants elevating customer experience through technology-driven operational efficiency and resourcefulness are welcome to apply.

SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan is pleased to announce the call for nominations for its annual Excellence in Resourcefulness Awards in collaboration with Itron. Utilities and cities implementing innovative technologies for transformative resourcefulness and improve operational efficiencies are invited to submit nominations for their sustainable efforts by July 15, 2024.

To nominate your company for consideration and view previous winners, click here:

https://hub.frost.com/excellenceawards/

The unique and distinguished Excellence in Resourcefulness Awards categories include:

Energy - Excellence in Resourcefulness -IOU/Municipal/Cooperative

This Excellence in Resourcefulness award recognizes an IOU/Municipal/Cooperative's method for successfully addressing and improving grid efficiency and operational issues through advanced technology implementation, such as DERMS, VPP, Edge Intelligence or AMI.

Water - Excellence in Resourcefulness -IOU/Municipal/Cooperative

This Excellence in Resourcefulness award recognizes an IOU/Municipal/Cooperative for advancing its water conservation strategy and improving operational efficiency through technology implementation, such as AMI or edge intelligence.

"This award's program will review utilities and cities that have adopted IoT driven programs, centered on operational efficiency and resource curtailment. These initiatives play a vital role in controlling overall costs and in enabling a smooth carbon free energy transition. Last year's winner consisted of Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) for energy resourcefulness and Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) for water resourcefulness. Both municipalities demonstrated a unique and IoT forward approach to solving complex infrastructural issues while maintaining high customer experience and satisfaction. Frost & Sullivan looks forward to analyzing this year's nominations," said Farah Saeed, energy & environment advisory industry director at Frost & Sullivan.

For each award category, Frost & Sullivan's selection process includes in-depth research and interviews followed by an evaluation of nominees against industry best practices and the following decision criteria:

Societal Impact indicators include delivering superior technology-driven resource management and resource conscious programs that are tied to enhancing overall customer experience and engagement for resourcefulness.

Business Impact indicators include a comprehensive vision for implementing technology-oriented resourcefulness strategy that yields in operational efficiencies and strengthen the utilities or city's image as a leader and advocate for sustainability.

Frost & Sullivan will contact nominees for the interview portion of the selection process. The winners in each category will be announced and recognized on Tuesday, October 8 at Itron Inspire 2024.

About Itron

Itron is a proven global leader in energy, water, smart city, IIoT and intelligent infrastructure services. For utilities, cities and society, we build innovative systems, create new efficiencies, connect communities, encourage conservation and increase resourcefulness. By safeguarding our invaluable natural resources today and tomorrow, we improve the quality of life for people around the world. Join us: www.itron.com

Itron is a registered trademark of Itron, Inc. All third-party trademarks are property of their respective owners, and any usage herein does not suggest or imply any relationship between Itron and the third party unless expressly stated.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/frost--sullivan-opens-nominations-for-itron-excellence-in-resourcefulness-awards-302071080.html
Professional certification and authorization training for installing dealers is offered across 13 states

DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Controlled Products Systems Group (CPSG), the leading nationwide distributor of access control and security products, is thrilled to announce its latest collaboration with HySecurity to offer exclusive Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) Pro Authorization Training events for installing dealers across the United States.









The two-day authorization training program is designed to equip installing dealers with the essential knowledge and certification authorization required to offer HySecurity's comprehensive line of crash offerings to their customers. This includes the Strongarm M30, StrongArm M50, StrongSlide M30, StrongSlide M50, WedgeSmart DC and HydraWedge SM50.

"This certification is not only a prerequisite for purchasing and installing these products but provides unique opportunities for businesses and installing dealers to diversify their service portfolios, delving into high-value offerings within the industrial and crash market," said Bill Rushing, Senior Manager of Business Development at Controlled Products. "In the ever-changing landscape of access security, gaining invaluable product knowledge becomes paramount for safeguarding a broad spectrum of establishments from government facilities to small enterprises."

The HySecurity Pro Authorization Training features a two-day curriculum, with day one focusing on SlideDriver II & StrongSlide M30/M50 Training. The SlideDriver II, set to replace the retired first generation SlideDriver on May 30th, 2024, introduces the SmartTouch 725 controller, continuing the legacy of security and reliability. Day two covers the comprehensive Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Training, culminating in the HVM Pro Authorization Certificate upon the successful completion of both days.

To accommodate professionals nationwide, CPSG is hosting these HySecurity Training events across the country. Registration will open 60 days prior to each event. Attendees will not only earn ACI and IDEA CEUs but will also receive CPSG product vouchers applicable towards the purchase of HySecurity operators. Space is limited and interested individuals or businesses are encouraged to visit https://www.controlledproducts.com/about/events for upcoming events and to secure their spot.

Philadelphia, PA: March 13-14. Registration now open.

Charlotte, NC: May 1-2. Registration opens March 2.

Orlando, FL: May 8-9. Registration opens March 9.

Tempe, AZ: May 21-22. Registration opens March 22.

Houston, TX: June 5-6. Registration opens April 5.

Denver, CO: June 12-13. Registration opens April 12.

Portland, OR: June 26-27. Registration opens April 26.

Indianapolis, IN: July 10-11. Registration opens May 10.

Nashville, TN: July 24-25. Registration opens May 24.

Atlanta, GA: July 31-August 1. Registration opens May 31.

Dallas-Ft Worth, TX: August 21-22. Registration opens June 21 .

. Kansas City, MO: August 29-30. Registration opens June 28.

Corona, CA: October 2-3. Registration opens August 2.

Las Vegas, NV: October 16-17. Registration opens August 16.

For inquiries or questions about these exclusive events, please contact BD@Controlledprodcuts.com.

About Controlled Products Systems Group

Controlled Products Systems Group (CPSG) is the largest wholesale distributor of perimeter access control and safety equipment in the U.S. With 34 locations, CPSG supplies equipment to authorized dealers from coast to coast. CPSG offers the highest quality, most widely recognized brands of access control products available on the market. As a broadline distributor, CPSG provides its customers with expansive inventory and leads the industry in product knowledge and technical support. For more information on CPSG's products and services or to find a location near you, visit?controlledproducts.com.

About HySecurity

HySecurity, the gate and barrier division of Nice North America, is a worldwide recognized industry leader of automated gate and perimeter security solutions. The HySecurity brand provides high-quality, ultra-reliable industrial gate operators and crash-rated, Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) vehicle barriers designed to secure and protect critical infrastructure and facilities. The Nice brand features residential and commercial gate operators, from elegant linear actuators to refined swing gate operators. For more information, visit hysecurity.com.

Contact Information

Jamie Emerson

Marketing Communications Manager

jamie.emerson@controlledproducts.com

800.622.5335

SOURCE: Controlled Products Systems Group

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Joint press release by Hokkaido University and the National Institute for Environmental Studies.

SAPPORO, Japan, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The effects of a phenomenon called tree masting on ecosystems and food webs can be better understood thanks to new theoretical models validated by real world observations.

Some species of trees go through a process called masting, involving periodical cycles of synchronized mass production of fruits and seeds, followed by much lower production in the next year or over several subsequent years. Researchers at Hokkaido University have developed new computer-based models of masting that, amongst other uses, could help predict the effects of climate change on woodland and forests. Their work is published in the journal Ecological Modelling.

The effects of masting are not included in most commonly used dynamic vegetation models, a weakness that stimulated Tomomichi Kato, of Hokkaido University's Research Faculty of Agriculture, and Lea Vegh, of the National Institute for Environmental Studies, to address this gap.

The over-production of seeds during masting imposes considerable nutritional and energy costs on the trees, but it is believed to have evolved to ensure the survival of sufficient seeds. If the animals that feed on the seeds have a sudden excess supply, they cannot eat all of them and enough seeds will remain to develop into seedlings.

"In addition to understanding the effects of masting on trees, our model could be useful for projecting the long-term trend of food availability, such as acorn production, for wild animals," says Vegh.

Masting can cause an increase in the population of rodents, and lead to moth, tick and Lyme disease outbreaks, so it can have significant effects on the complex interactions between humans and the natural world.

Vegh and Kato developed four models of masting using combinations of three major masting theories, which cover the trees' resource budget, pollen limitation and exposure to weather patterns. The initial versions of their models are focused on the Japanese Oak (Quercus crispula), which allowed the predictions to be validated by observations in a local temperate forest research facility rich in oak trees.

The results indicated that masting could affect tree mortality. When trees allocate too many resources to the flowering and acorn production, they might not be able to secure resources for other processes, increasing the rate of tree death.

Of the four models, the one that focused on the resource budget and pollen limitation gave the best agreement with real observations.

"Our models can be readily adapted to other species, making them suitable for worldwide application, such as simulating the effects of climate change on masting and mitigating negative impacts on forest ecosystems and human-wildlife interactions," says Kato.

Further developments of the model will initially cover all of Japan and parts of East Asia. To apply it even more widely, the researchers will then seek opportunities for obtaining validation data from collaborators in the USA and Europe.

Contacts:

Associate Professor Tomomichi Kato

Research Faculty of Agriculture

Hokkaido University

Tel: +81-11-706-4942

Email: tkato[at]agr.hokudai.ac.jp

Dr. Lea Vegh

Biodiversity Division

National Institute for Environmental Studies

Email: lea.vegh[at]nies.go.jp

Sohail Keegan Pinto (International Public Relations Specialist)

Public Relations & Communications Division

Office of Public Relations and Social Collaboration

Hokkaido University

Tel: +81-11-706-2186

Email: en-press[at]general.hokudai.ac.jp

Planning Division, Public Relations Office

National Institute for Environmental Studies

Email: kouhou0[at]nies.go.jp

Paper:

Lea Vegh, Tomomichi Kato. Modified SEIB-DGVM enables simulation of masting in a temperate forest . Ecological Modelling. December 8, 2023.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2023.110577

Funding:

This study was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (20H04317) and Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research (21H05319).

LINK:

https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/blog/modeling-tree-masting/

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2347424/Hokkaido_forest_masting.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hokkaido-university-develops-theoretical-models-of-tree-masting-302071304.html
Global, family-owned food company to invest $27 million in Morristown, employ nearly 1,400 Tennesseans upon completion of project

NASHVILLE, TN / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter and Rich Products (Rich's) officials announced today that Rich's will invest $27 million to expand production at its Morristown, Tennessee manufacturing facility.

Rich's, a global, family-owned food company, will create 51 new manufacturing jobs in Hamblen County, bringing its total headcount throughout Tennessee to nearly 1,400 people.

The expansion of Rich's Morristown facility will add 2,400 square feet of space, which will directly support enhanced production of its growing bakery business, serving national and regional grocery and club retailers.

The project is expected to be complete in September 2024 with hiring slated to begin in June of this year.

Rich's was founded in 1945, and operates across more than 100 countries,employing approximately 13,000 people worldwide. The food company has a strong footprint across Tennessee, operating a network of manufacturing facilities, including two plants in Morristown, which currently employ 650 associates.

Since 2020, TNECD has supported nearly 50 economic development projects in the East Tennessee region, resulting in approximately 8,600 job commitments and $2.3 billion in capital investment.

QUOTES

"Tennessee is shaped by companies like Rich's that choose to invest in our state. I thank this family-owned and operated brand for its commitment to creating greater opportunity for our skilled workforce and look forward to seeing the positive impact these jobs have on the quality of life in Morristown and Hamblen County." - Gov. Bill Lee

"More than 40,000 Tennesseans are employed by food and agriculture companies, and Rich's investment in our state will directly support this growing sector. We are proud to have Rich's in Tennessee and believe Morristown and Hamblen County will continue to be the ideal location for this company's success." - TNECD Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter

"We continue to invest heavily in our U.S. manufacturing footprint to create unparalleled value for our customers and opportunities for our people. As a proud member of the Tennessee community for nearly 50 years, we're excited about what this expansion project will do for our business and the region. Not only are we expanding our team and creating jobs, but we're adding production capacity to support our cake and cupcake business, which has seen a significant influx in demand. It is a true win-win for the community, our customers and consumers as a whole." - Kevin Spratt, president, U.S. Canada Region, Rich Products

"Rich's is an important part of Morristown's industrial community and has provided good jobs for our citizens for many years. This investment in new automated equipment will enhance the value of Rich's products and allow them to remain competitive as they grow forward. Morristown leadership applauds Rich's and its expansion plans, which will continue to boost the quality of life here." - Morristown Mayor Gary Chesney and R. Jack Fishman, chairman, Industrial Development Board of the City of Morristown

"TVA and Morristown Utility Systems congratulate Rich's on its decision to expand operations and create new jobs in Hamblen County. We are proud to partner with the Morristown Chamber and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to support companies, like Rich's, that are committed to continued growth in the region, and we celebrate this announcement together." - John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of economic development

"Congratulations to Rich's on its success in our state and its decision to expand operations in Morristown. The jobs and investment that the company is bringing to our community are a testament to the business-friendly environment we have in Hamblen County." - Sen. Steve Southerland (R-Morristown)

"It's always great to hear a business with existing operations in Morristown is doing well. Rich's expansion will create more than 50 jobs and boost our community's economy. I thank the company for choosing Hamblen County to do business and I look forward to its continued success." - Rep. Rick Eldridge (R-Morristown)

MEET RICH'S.

Rich's, also known as Rich Products Corporation, is a family-owned food company dedicated to inspiring possibilities. From cakes and icings to pizza, appetizers and specialty toppings, our products are used in homes, restaurants and bakeries around the world. Beyond great food, our customers also gain insights to help them stay competitive, no matter their size. Our portfolio includes creative solutions geared at helping food industry professionals compete in foodservice, retail, in-store bakery, deli, and prepared foods among others. Working in 100 locations globally, with annual sales exceeding $5.8 billion, Rich's is a global leader with a focus on everything that family makes possible. Rich's-Infinite Possibilities. One Family.

Learn more at Richs.com or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development's mission is to develop strategies that help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. To grow and strengthen Tennessee, the department seeks to attract new corporate investment to the state and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. Find us on the web: tnecd.com. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Like us on Facebook. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Media Contacts

Rich Products

Mary Pace

Associate PR Manager

mpace@rich.com

TNECD

Lindsey Tipton

Public Information Officer

(615) 339-6608

Lindsey.Tipton@tn.gov

###

SOURCE: Rich's

View the original press release on accesswire.com
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / South Pole



Unsustainable land-use practices, including expansive agriculture and forest encroachment, pose a significant threat to landscapes, leading to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and habitat destruction.

Sustainable finance mechanisms at the landscape level, like the Cocoa Landscape Investment Facility (CLIF) in Ghana, can help steer countries, companies, and local producers toward sustainable landscape management. South Pole, in collaboration with Partnerships for Forests (P4F), has spent the last two years designing and developing CLIF and has recently published a report on its key learnings, with a focus on Asutifi Asunafo and Bia Juabeso landscapes. Here we share what we learned from the development of CLIF, the importance of valuing natural capital beyond carbon (such as water and biodiversity), and the critical role of public-private partnerships in addressing the complex issue of deforestation.

CLIF: an urgently needed sustainable finance mechanism

The current agri-food system's damaging impacts on the environment are estimated at a staggering US$19.8 trillion, more than twice the market value of global food consumption. Severe consequences on ecosystem services, food security, and community livelihoods underscore the urgent need for a transformative approach to landscape management. It is clear that we need to transform our relationship with nature for a future of sustainable and equitable economic growth.

The urgency for finance that drives sustainable practices comes into sharp focus in Ghana, the second-largest cocoa producer in the world. The West African nation known for its rich biodiversity and lush forests has lost more than 60% of its forest cover since 1950. This rampant deforestation has largely been driven by the expansion of cocoa farming and unsustainable agricultural practices.

Deforestation in Ghana's cocoa forest landscape is intricately linked to low yields, low incomes, poor agricultural practices, and unfavourable market conditions. Smallholder farmers - the backbone of Ghana's agriculture sector - lack incentives for sustainable practices. A comprehensive landscape approach, with a holistic balance between agricultural productivity, nature conservation, and community well-being, is crucial to not only safeguard nature but also improve the lives and livelihoods of local communities.

In response to these challenges and to protect Ghana's forests, the Government of Ghana and the private sector have joined forces to implement initiatives that address the sustainability of landscapes and improve the lives and livelihoods of local communities. This mechanism is designed to operate at the landscape level, with the goal of coordinating and increasing investments to deliver zero-deforestation, low-carbon, and sustainable landscape management in three priority landscapes in Western North Ghana.

Collaborate, invest, sustain

Collective action and structural investments are critical to address the complex issues in cocoa-producing landscapes. CLIF serves as a model for financing mechanisms that can coordinate investments, encourage public-private partnerships, and promote sustainable practices. By assessing the value of natural resources, collaborating with diverse stakeholders, and adopting a landscape approach, CLIF has the potential to pave the way for a more sustainable future in Ghanaian landscapes.

CLIF addresses the root causes of deforestation, empowering smallholder farmers, and fostering collaboration between diverse stakeholders by providing technical assistance and loans, and leveraging natural capital such as through climate-smart agriculture, forest conservation, and reforestation. The investment mechanism embodies a holistic and highly replicable investment model for sustainable landscape management.

Key lessons from the development of CLIF

The full report developed by South Pole - Lessons learned from the Cocoa Landscape Investment Facility (CLIF) development: Valorising natural capital - details the process followed for assessing the landscape potential for avoiding carbon emissions and presents potential pathways for valuing carbon and different ecosystem services. This serves as a valuable resource for project developers, development practitioners, investors, and other stakeholders involved in sustainable landscape management and smallholder farming ecosystems.

Insights from the development of the CLIF reveal a structured approach to landscape management that is replicable to products and geographies beyond cocoa and Ghana. The report emphasises the importance of inclusive governance, co-management, and coordinated investment in viable livelihood options for farmers. The prioritisation of forest restoration, agroforestry, community livelihoods, and improved governance highlights the need for a holistic and replicable strategy in tackling the challenges associated with sustainable landscape management.

Going beyond carbon

As CLIF progresses, it is becoming clear that sustainable landscape management demands a holistic approach. The lessons learned underscore the need to look beyond carbon and consider broader ecosystem services, including biodiversity and water resources. This comprehensive perspective ensures that natural resources are preserved and resilient landscapes are developed that benefit the environment and local communities.

Now, more than ever, finance partnerships and the involvement of key stakeholders in transforming sustainable landscape management are crucial. CLIF is now looking to explore a variety of finance partnerships and corporate sector commitments to prepare for a full pilot rollout in 2024.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from South Pole on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: South Pole

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/south-pole

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: South Pole

View the original press release on accesswire.com
HITRUST Risk-Based, 2-year (r2) Certification validates Zeto is committed to strong cybersecurity and protecting sensitive data

SANTA CLARA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Zeto, Inc., a commercial-stage medical technology company transforming EEG brain monitoring in healthcare with its innovative EEG headset and advanced cloud platform, today announced its ZCP (Zeto Cloud Platform) has earned certified status by HITRUST for information security.

Zeto secures HITRUST r2 Certification, showcasing its dedication to data protection

HITRUST Risk-Based, 2-year (r2) Certification validates Zeto is committed to strong cybersecurity and protecting sensitive data.

HITRUST Risk-based, 2-year (r2) Certification demonstrates that the organization's ZCP (Zeto Cloud Platform) has met demanding regulatory compliance and industry-defined requirements and is appropriately managing risk. This achievement places Zeto, Inc. in an elite group of organizations worldwide that have earned this certification. By including federal and state regulations, standards, and frameworks and incorporating a risk-based approach, the HITRUST Assurance Program helps organizations address security and data protection challenges through a comprehensive and flexible framework of prescriptive and scalable security controls.

"We're proud to affirm our commitment to exceptional data protection and information security standards by securing the distinguished HITRUST r2 Certification," said Aswin Gunasekar, Founder and CEO at Zeto, Inc.

"HITRUST certification is globally recognized as validation that information security and privacy controls are effective and compliant with various regulations. HITRUST certification is considered the gold standard because of the comprehensiveness and applicability of the control requirements, depth of the assurance process, and level of oversight that ensures accuracy," said Jeremy Huval, Chief Innovation Officer at HITRUST.

About Zeto, Inc.

Zeto, Inc. is an award-winning, privately held medical technology company located in Santa Clara, CA, that is focused on transforming the way electroencephalography (EEG) is performed at hospitals and clinics. Zeto's revolutionary FDA-cleared EEG headset and cloud platform bring the traditional EEG procedure to the 21st century. The company plans to leverage its hardware and software technology to improve noninvasive monitoring of the brain's electrical activity and achieve better outcomes for neurological conditions such as epilepsy, sleep disorders, autism, stroke, and concussion.

To learn more about Zeto's products, please visit: https://zeto-inc.com or email us at info@zetoinc.com.

Contact Information

Irina Nazarova

Marketing Manager

irina.nazarova@zetoinc.com

9174351226

SOURCE: Zeto, Inc.

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 21, 2024) - Doubleview Gold Corp. (TSXV: DBG) (OTCQB: DBLVF) (FSE: 1D4) ("Doubleview"), ("Company") is pleased to announce that at the Company's Annual General and Special Meeting held Tuesday February 20, 2024 (the "Meeting"), all resolutions proposed were duly passed by the shareholders of the Company.

Shareholders of the Company approved of and re-elected Farshad Shirvani, Andrew H. Rees, as Directors for the Company and further approved the new appointment of Mr. Deepak Varshney and Mr. James E. Rainbird as members of its Board of Directors.

Mr. Deepak Varshney is a professional geologist and has over 15 years of experience in the capital markets and mineral exploration and development sector. He has developed long-standing relationships with an extensive network of high net worth retail investors, brokers, and private equity groups, and has personally raised over $40 million in the past 3 years. He is and has been senior management and a director of multiple publicly traded issuers and holds a Bachelor of Science in Earth Sciences from Simon Fraser University.

Mr. James E. Rainbird, BA Econ. Has decades of management and development experience in public and private agencies. He has worked in the financial industry for about 17 years and subsequently held officer and director positions in several junior mining companies. For the past 10 years he has focused on economic development in the public sector. Mr. Rainbird has been a shareholder of the Company for nearly 10 years.

Mr. Chris Cherry did not stand for re-election as a Director of the Company.

Doubleview Gold Corp. thanks Mr. Chris Cherry for his services and welcomes the new Directors to Board of the Company.

Smythe LLP, Chartered professional Accountants, of Vancouver, British Columbia, were re-appointed as the Company's auditor for the ensuing year, and authorized the Board of Directors to fix the remuneration to be paid to the auditor.

The Company's 10% "rolling" stock option plan as well as the Company's equity incentive plan were also approved.

Following the Meeting, the Board of Directors appointed the following officers of the Company: Mr. Farshad Shirvani as President and Chief Executive Officer, and Christopher Cherry as its Chief Financial Officer (the "Management").

The Board of Directors and Management would like to thank all shareholders for their support and confidence.

About Doubleview Gold Corp.: we are a mineral resource exploration and development company, is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: DBG) (OTCQB: DBLVF) (GER: A1W038) (FSE: 1D4). Doubleview identifies, acquires and finances precious and base metal exploration projects in North America, particularly in British Columbia. Doubleview increases shareholder value through acquisition and exploration of quality gold, copper and silver properties and the application of advanced state-of-the-art exploration methods. Doubleview's portfolio of strategic properties provides diversification and mitigates investment risk.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Farshad Shirvani, President & Chief Executive Officer

For further information please contact:

Doubleview Gold Corp

Farshad Shirvani, President & CEO

T: (604) 678-9587

E: corporate@doubleview.ca

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198696

SOURCE: Doubleview Gold Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - Canada Rare Earth Corp. (TSXV: LL) ("Canada Rare Earth" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the establishment of rare earth supply operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo ("DRC") marking a significant milestone in its expansion strategy. Concurrent with this expansion, Canada Rare Earth's trading operations have demonstrated strong performance, with transactions exceeding $7,500,000 since the commencement of the fiscal year on April 1, 2023. The Company has also acquired $1.5 million of trade-focused capital to facilitate increased supply volumes of essential mineral concentrates for its customers.

The proprietary operations in the DRC will be conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Simba Essential Minerals S.A.S., incorporated in December 2023 ("Simba") under the direction of Mr. Steve Sadiki, the CEO and President of Simba.

Steve Sadiki, CEO and President of Simba Essential Minerals, stated, "By establishing our proprietary operations, we are simultaneously expanding Canada Rare Earth's supply capabilities while instituting a more controlled and secure source of rare earth minerals from the Kivu Provinces, a region well known for its rich mineral resources. We are dedicated to harnessing these resources responsibly, bringing benefits not only to our shareholders but also to the local communities that are integral to our operation."

The DRC, particularly the Kivu Provinces, is renowned for its abundant mineral deposits, including rare earths, making it a strategic location for Canada Rare Earth's expansion efforts.

"The geological richness of the Kivu Provinces provides us with a unique opportunity," Bob Schafer, a member of the Company's board of advisors, commented. "As a key stakeholder in Simba Essential Minerals, I see our move into the DRC as a game-changer that will yield long-term benefits through an enhanced supply of rare earth elements essential for modern technology."

Key Highlights of Canada Rare Earth's operations in the DRC:

Local Leadership: The operations in the DRC are under the expert guidance of Mr. Steve Sadiki, a highly experienced and well-established American-Congolese businessman who ensures a deep understanding of local dynamics and fosters strong community relations. Artisanal Mining Cooperatives: The initial startup supply will be sourced from local artisanal mining cooperatives, promoting responsible sourcing and empowering local miners. Supply Expansion: Rare earth concentrate supply is expected to ramp up from 100 to 500 tons per month by mid-2024, signifying substantial growth in production capacity. Investment in Technology: Canada Rare Earth will invest in state-of-the-art processing technology and equipment to enhance production efficiency, maintain product quality, and reduce operating costs. Mineral Concessions: The Company is actively exploring mineral concessions for acquisition, intending to secure 2-3 exclusive sources of rare earth concentrate and other minerals for purchase and operation by the end of 2024. These proprietary concessions will significantly boost supply and reduce costs, complementing the artisanal supply chain.

As part of its commitment to sustainable development and corporate responsibility, Canada Rare Earth is dedicated to delivering economic and social benefits to the local community, and a portion of sales revenue will be allocated to fund social development initiatives, fostering positive change in the region. The Company will continue to provide updates on its progress as it works towards the sustainable development of its operations and the enrichment of local communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Don Anderson, CIO of Canada Rare Earth, expressed enthusiasm, stating, "Establishing proprietary supply operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo through Simba Essential Minerals is a major advancement in the Canada Rare Earth growth strategy. In Simba, we have an excellent Congolese team and we will have much better control of quality and shipments to enable us to grow our product supply to meet our growing customer demands."

Furthermore, the Company is progressing in finalizing the acquisition of a majority stake in Privco, which will provide a substantial and reliable supply of essential minerals.

Peter Shearing, CEO, commented on the Company's swift progress and the strategic significance of the Privco acquisition to the Company's revenue and supply chain prospects, "Our Company's trading infrastructure has made rapid strides, and the volumes we've secured are substantial. We're optimistic about the growth ahead. With the Privco acquisition nearing completion, we expect to see a tangible increase in near-term revenue and cash flow. Following the acquisition, we're set to begin direct shipping rare earth minerals to our established customer base from the ready-to-operate Privco site."

About Canada Rare Earth Corp.

Canada Rare Earth Corp. operates a rapidly growing global essential minerals business built from over a decade of success in rare earth minerals and products. Our strategy leverages near-term positive cash flow opportunities supporting our business growth, including acquiring and developing proprietary projects, resources and processing capabilities and facilities. For more information on our strategy, please see our updated corporate overview at www.canadarareearth.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that relate to the Company's current expectations and views of future events. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers should refer to the risks discussed in the Company's continuous disclosure filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators, available on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Peter Shearing

Chief Executive Officer

pshearing@canadarareearth.com

Janet Meiklejohn

Chief Financial Officer

jmeikjlejohn@canadarareearth.com

Telephone: (604) 638-8886

Website: www.canadarareearth.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199265

SOURCE: Canada Rare Earth Corp.
BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - Chinese automaker BYD (BYDDY) unveiled a new electric supercar under its high-end brand Yangwang to compete with premium car makers like Ferrari. BYD introduced U9 supercar, which can reach a top speed of 309.19 kph. It can accelerate to 100 kph within 2.36 seconds compared to 100 kph in 2.5 seconds by Ferrari's hybrid SF90 Stradale model. The supercar, priced at 1.68 million yuan, equivalent to $233,424, is powered by e4 Platform, and the BYD-developed DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System, integrating track performance, street adaptability, and playful features. U9 supports dual charging and can charge from 30 percent to 80 percent in 10 minutes. The four electric motors power the supercar with a total output of 960 kW and 1,680 Nm peak torque. The latest EV, equipped with a lithium iron phosphate battery or LFP, will be available for pre-orders at a non-refundable deposit of 300,000 yuan. The automaker offers a warranty for 6 years or 150,000 km. U9 also features DiLink150 intelligent platform, powered by customized 4nm 5G chips. BYD had earlier launched SUV U8 under its Yangwang brand and plans to launch soon U7 sedan with a 135.5 kWh battery. The latest launch is a part of the Chinese automaker's plan to compete with the industry giants as it also plans to increase sales globally and would open a factory in Europe soon. Notably, BYD had produced over 3 million new-energy vehicles in 2023, out of which 1.6 million were battery-only passenger cars, and 1.4. million were hybrid vehicles. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
"Babbily was born out of this vision, with a commitment to making AI simple, approachable, and useful for everyone, regardless of their technical expertise."

DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries and daily lives, Babbily emerges as a pioneering platform, democratizing access to AI technology. With its official launch, Babbily aims to bridge the gap between the complex world of AI and the everyday user, offering a suite of tools designed for simplicity and effectiveness.

Babbily

With features like Chat, Image Chat, Image Generator, Text-to-Speech, and our special Easy Tools (these are ready-to-use chat prompts designed to make your chats a breeze), Babbily is truly shaping up to be the new favorite tool for everyone.

Babbily's comprehensive features, including Chat, Image Chat, Image Generator, Text-to-Speech, and specially designed Easy Tools, cater to a wide range of needs, from enhancing productivity and creativity to facilitating learning. The platform's intuitive interface ensures that users, regardless of their technical background, can harness the power of AI without the daunting learning curve often associated with such technology.

To introduce users to the seamless experience of Babbily, the platform is offering a 7-day free trial, inviting individuals to explore the various functionalities and discover the potential of AI in their personal and professional lives.

Chris Crawford, CEO of Babbily, shared his insights on the motivation behind the creation of the platform: "The inspiration for Babbily stemmed from a recognition of the rapid advancement of AI and the realization that it remained an intimidating concept for many. Our goal was to develop a platform that not only harnessed the power of AI but also presented it in a user-friendly manner. Babbily was born out of this vision, with a commitment to making AI simple, approachable, and useful for everyone, regardless of their technical expertise. We believe that AI should be a tool that empowers, not overwhelms, and Babbily is our answer to that belief."

Babbily stands as a testament to the potential of AI when made accessible and user-friendly. It is not just a tool; it is a companion in the digital age, ready to assist users in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of AI. Whether you're a student seeking academic support, a professional looking to streamline workflows, or simply a curious individual exploring the possibilities of AI, Babbily is your gateway to unlocking the transformative power of artificial intelligence.

Embark on your AI journey today with Babbily's 7-day free trial at https://babbily.com/.

About Babbily Babbily is an AI platform designed to make artificial intelligence simple and accessible for everyone. With a focus on user-friendliness and versatility, Babbily offers a range of features to enhance productivity, creativity, and learning. For more information, visit https://babbily.com/.

Contact Information

Dena Maney

Chief Customer Officer

dena.maney@babbily.com

4446662184

Related Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA6hwYErd-w

SOURCE: Babbily

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Los Angeles, California--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - Cape Robbin, the women's fashion brand founded by fashion entrepreneur Michael Chen, has launched a special collection to captivate hearts this Valentine's Day. The brand has released an exclusive apparel and shoe collection featuring an innovative and alluring take on the color of love - pink.

Michael Chen

Designed to celebrate the spirit of love, the collection showcases apparel and footwear that combines the brand's trademark designs with the timeless allure of pink. From edgy dresses that exude romance to bold shoes that make a statement, Cape Robbin's Valentine's Day Collection aims to offer something for everyone.

The collection includes pink-themed Emersyn, Moan, and Pofin-2 footwear styles alongside many others. It also offers full looks like the signature Dumpa shoes and Koji handbag paired with a Timmie top.

Michael Chen expressed his excitement about the Valentine's Day launch, stating, "Valentine's Day is a celebration of love, and what better way to express love than through fashion? Our latest collection is a tribute to romance, bringing a fresh perspective on pink. We believe that fashion should express individuality and emotion, and this collection embodies just that."

Cape Robbin has earned a reputation for pushing the boundaries of fashion with its bold, edgy, and trendsetting designs. The Valentine's Day Special Collection is no exception, as it promises to redefine romance and style with a unique blend of creativity and sophistication.

About Cape Robbin:

Cape Robbin is a fashion brand owned and founded by Michael Chen. The brand offers trendsetting footwear, apparel, and accessory styles that aim to embody individualism and art. Founded in 2013, Cape Robbin has grown in popularity among women with a fashion-forward, bold, and edgy fashion sense. The company has solidified its position among the foremost personalized fashion footwear brands, serving a vast clientele of 6,000 B2B partners across the United States.

Contact Information:

Name: Michael Chen

Website: https://caperobbin.com/

Address: 1943 W Mission Blvd, Pomona, California 91766, US

Phone: (626) 810-8080

Email: signup@caperobbin.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198979

SOURCE: SMG Media Group


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A Subway Thornton Oil store in Columbus, Ohio overcharged Letitia Bishop, a local woman, for three sandwiches, causing her to pay a shocking amount of $1,021.50.



The receipt, obtained by WSYX ABC 6's 'On Your Side,' showed that Bishop was charged an exorbitant $1,010 for a single sandwich, which is well above the usual price range of $6.50 to $12 for a footlong sub.



Upon realizing the error, Bishop attempted to reach out to Subway's corporate office for assistance, but her efforts were in vain, leading to frustration and financial strain. As a result, she was left cash-strapped and struggling to afford basic necessities like groceries.



Despite her attempts to resolve the issue with her bank and the now-closed Subway location, Bishop faced several challenges in recovering her money. According to Subway's website, the Thornton Oil location in question, located at 4600 Winchester Pike, is temporarily closed.



After seeking help from Lee Anne Lanigan, the director of consumer relations and investigations at the Better Business Bureau, and media attention, Bishop eventually received a refund after 7 weeks.



The refund process involved Subway connecting with the regional manager of Thorntons, the gas station franchise owner, who provided the reimbursement in cash. As an apology, the franchise owner offered complimentary meals once a week for eight weeks.



However, Bishop encountered a delay when depositing the cash at her bank, as the funds were put on hold, impacting her ability to cover expenses promptly. Despite the delay, Bishop was relieved to have finally received refund after a long and arduous process.



Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Video-Workshop: Das kleine Einmaleins der Charttechnik In diesem kostenlosen Video-Workshop von Stefan Klotter lernen Sie alles uber Charttechnik. Lassen Sie sich diesen kostenfreien Workshop nicht entgehen! Hier klicken
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Ryanair (RYA.L) CEO Michael O'Leary demanded compensation from Boeing (BA) for aircraft delivery delays, which could push the airlines to cancel flights and raise ticket prices during the peak summer months. The executive said that Ryanair expected 57 deliveries of 737 Max-8 aircraft by June but due to manufacturing issues faced by Boeing, he doesn't really know how many aircraft would be delivered. However, Boeing could claim that the delays fall under 'excusable' category, under which the aircraft company is not liable to pay compensation. 'We've been very firm with the view it's inexcusable,' O'Leary argued. 'Our growth has been constrained because at this point in time we don't really know how many aircraft we are going to get'. 'Boeing would try to claim that it's excusable. I think we will get some modest compensation out of Boeing. But our focus is not getting compensation out of Boeing, our focus is getting the bloody aeroplanes out of them,' the executive added. The Ryanair executive estimates to receive at least 50 aircraft by the scheduled time to work smoothly during the summer months. But if it receives only 40 by the end of March, then the company would have to make some 'minor schedule cuts', which could push the prices by 5 percent to 10 percent. O'Leary plans to cut flights from routes with multiple daily frequencies in order to avoid inconvenience to customers. He stated, 'We will be able to offer affected customers alternative flights on the same day or other days.' Earlier, the airline had projected a profit of 1.9 billion euros for 2024, which would now be seriously affected due to delivery delays. Boeing commented, 'We deeply regret the impact this is having on our valued customer Ryanair. We're working to address their concerns and taking action on a comprehensive plan to strengthen 737 quality and delivery performance.' Boeing had been embroiled in controversy since last year over security and quality concerns. Some airlines such as Alaska Airlines and Panama's Copa Airlines had demanded compensation from the company for the losses caused by the grounding of 737 Max planes. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- During MWC 2024, the "Green All-Optical Network Forum" was successfully held by the well-known European research and analysis institute IDATE. The participants advocated seizing the development opportunities of the gigabit broadband market and ushering in the 10Gbps network era. Kim Jin, Vice President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, interprets the F5.5G all-optical target network to accelerate gigabit popularization and support the evolution of future networks to 10Gbps, opening up the new era of F5.5G commercial use.

Optical broadband is moving from video-driven 100 Mbps to experience-driven 1Gbps, and enabling intelligence-driven 10Gbps connections. Under this trend, Huawei proposes an F5.5G all-optical target network need to build an F5.5G all-optical target network that supports 3 network capabilities, and 4 network architecture. That is, achieve 3 network capabilities: 10Gbps ubiquitous access, metro network reducing latency to 1ms, and backbone network achieving 99.9999% availability; and build 4 network architecture: backbone network deploys 400G, 800G OTN to connect data centers, metro network requires 100G to COs, access network uses 50G PON to homes and enterprises, and connects 10Gbps to room.

Home network: The number of FTTR users has reached 14 million. FTTR helps operators sell "1 network" with FTTR instead of "1 fiber plus 1 terminal" with FTTH. FTTR is expanding from the connection function to smart home applications (FTTR+X), that is, the convergence of FTTR networks and various smart home applications. Operators can furtherly sell multiple applications on top of "1 network". Huawei launches the industry's first FTTR+X product, iFTTR F50, which increases the rate from 2000 Mbps to 3000 Mbps. In addition, it introduces built-in storage and computing units to provide users with up to 8 TB storage and intelligent album search functions, helping carriers expand the boundaries of home broadband services.

Optical access network : There are nearly 200 million gigabit users worldwide. More than 50 carriers have released 10Gbps commercial packages. The rapid development of gigabit services is driving the upgrade of optical access networks from GPON to 10G PON or even 50G PON. Huawei FlexPON+ solution helps carriers smoothly evolve from GPON to 10G PON at the optimal cost, promoting the development of gigabit users. In addition, the 7-modes-in-1 50G PON with symmetric upstream and downstream transmission supports 100% reuse of existing ODN, protecting carriers' investment. The MA5800T, the industry's first intelligent OLT, supports 2Tbps per slot and an intelligent engine, supporting ubiquitous 10Gbps access.





: There are nearly 200 million gigabit users worldwide. More than 50 carriers have released 10Gbps commercial packages. The rapid development of gigabit services is driving the upgrade of optical access networks from GPON to 10G PON or even 50G PON. Huawei FlexPON+ solution helps carriers smoothly evolve from GPON to 10G PON at the optimal cost, promoting the development of gigabit users. In addition, the 7-modes-in-1 50G PON with symmetric upstream and downstream transmission supports 100% reuse of existing ODN, protecting carriers' investment. The MA5800T, the industry's first intelligent OLT, supports 2Tbps per slot and an intelligent engine, supporting ubiquitous 10Gbps access. Metro network : It is estimated that 85% of enterprise applications will be migrated to the cloud by 2025. The ultra-low latency of 1ms and flexible service scalability of the metro network are the key to ensuring the ultimate user experience and quick connection to the cloud. Huawei Alps-WDM solution deploys 100G and 200G OTN at the edge of the metro network. The E2E all-optical switching enables one-hop service transmission and cloud access within milliseconds, helping carriers build a simplified and ultimate-experience metro network.





: It is estimated that 85% of enterprise applications will be migrated to the cloud by 2025. The ultra-low latency of 1ms and flexible service scalability of the metro network are the key to ensuring the ultimate user experience and quick connection to the cloud. Huawei Alps-WDM solution deploys 100G and 200G OTN at the edge of the metro network. The E2E all-optical switching enables one-hop service transmission and cloud access within milliseconds, helping carriers build a simplified and ultimate-experience metro network. Backbone network: The traffic between data centers increases by more than 50% annually. Cloudification of enterprise production systems requires higher network availability. Huawei's leading high-performance 400G and 800G OTN, optical-electrical hybrid ASON, and OSN 9800 K36, the industry's first OTN product for data centers, provide 1.6T per slot and a single-fiber capacity of 100T, and improve network availability from 99.999% to 99.9999%.

Kim Jin said, "Huawei will continue to innovate based on the F5.5G all-optical target network, to help carriers seize development opportunities in the gigabit market and accelerate F5.5G commercial use, embracing the new wave of market prosperity."

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MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: TLX, Telix, the Company) today announces it has entered into an agreement to acquire IsoTherapeutics Group, LLC (IsoTherapeutics), a specialty radiopharmaceutical development and bioconjugation firm, based in Angleton, Texas. Founded in 2005, IsoTherapeutics is a privately held, commercial-stage company, which provides radiochemistry and bioconjugation development and contract manufacturing services to many companies in the radiopharmaceutical industry, including Telix.

In line with Telix's continued investment in the vertical integration of supply chain, manufacturing and development capabilities, the acquisition is expected to further enhance Telix's in-house drug development capabilities. A key driver for the acquisition is to enable Telix to bring select aspects of its development programs in-house, with the goal of reducing cost and time to achieve technical milestones.

The acquisition will also expand Telix's U.S. manufacturing footprint with a site that includes a GMP[1] clean room and production infrastructure suitable for clinical use. The site also has extensive capacity to process a wide variety of therapeutic isotopes used in Telix's development portfolio.

Strategic rationale

The acquisition is highly synergistic with Telix's vertical integration strategy and is expected to:

strengthen Telix's ability to innovate and scale-up manufacturing, supporting the delivery of clinical trials initially, and

provide manufacturing and isotope production facilities and capabilities, allowing for greater control over the isotope supply chain and establishing infrastructure which will support the commercialisation of Telix's investigational therapeutic assets, and

establish a centre of excellence in GMP bioconjugation and isotope processing.

The addition of IsoTherapeutics will be complementary to - and increase the overall capabilities of - the Company alongside the Optimal Tracers laboratory, radiochemistry development and clinical dose production facility in Sacramento, California and its large-scale production facility in Brussels South, Telix Manufacturing Solutions.

Following closing of the acquisition, IsoTherapeutics will continue to provide development and manufacturing services to its existing customer base and may continue to provide services to Telix's strategic partners and collaborators. Telix expects to realise potential cost savings from bringing radiochemistry-related research and development (R&D) activities in-house and as such the transaction is expected to have a non-material positive impact on the Group's earnings.

Dr. Christian Behrenbruch, Managing Director and Group CEO of Telix said, "With the agreement to acquire IsoTherapeutics I am pleased to welcome a team of highly recognised industry leaders in bioconjugation and radiochemistry to Telix, as well as further expand our manufacturing footprint in the U.S.. This acquisition enhances our business with highly-sought-after skills, capabilities and facilities that are very much central to our development activities."

Dr. R. Keith Frank, President and CEO of IsoTherapeutics, said, "Telix is a valued business partner and we have established a close working relationship and in-depth technical knowledge of their development and manufacturing requirements and goals. The opportunity to now become part of the Telix Group of companies, a global leader in the field, provides an excellent platform for our employees, partners and customers to continue to expand the expertise and facilities at IsoTherapeutics."

Deal terms and conditions

The purchase price comprises:

US$8 million (AU$12.2 million) upfront, which is payable at closing in the form of US$2 million (AU$3.0 million in cash) and US$6 million (AU$9.2 million) in ordinary shares, equating to approximately 823,481 shares [2]

US$5 million (AU$7.6 million) performance-related milestone payments, payable in cash, that are subject to meeting milestone conditions within twelve months of closing, and

A two-year revenue share based on actual revenue earned from existing customers of IsoTherapeutics (total estimated cash payments ~US$0.6 million (AU$0.9 million).

The cash upfront consideration is subject to customary working capital, debt and transaction expense adjustments. Telix will issue ordinary shares to the stockholders of IsoTherapeutics at closing within its Listing Rule 7.1 placement capacity, in part-consideration for the acquisition. The number of shares to be issued at closing will be determined by converting US$6 million to Australian dollars using the Reserve Bank of Australia exchange rate at closing and dividing that amount by the volume weighted average price at which Telix's ordinary shares trade on the ASX over the 10 trading day period prior to closing. The shares will be subject to escrow restrictions.

Closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals.

About IsoTherapeutics

IsoTherapeutics Group LLC is a radiopharmaceutical company that offers technologies for developing novel therapeutic and diagnostic agents for severe diseases. IsoTherapeutics scientists have received over 100 patents for developing chemistry and radiopharmaceutical formulations. For more information, please visit http://isotherapeutics.com/

About Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited

Telix is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialisation of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals and associated medical devices. Telix is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, with international operations in the United States, Europe (Belgium and Switzerland), and Japan. Telix is developing a portfolio of clinical and commercial stage products that aims to address significant unmet medical needs in oncology and rare diseases. Telix is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: TLX).

Visit www.telixpharma.com for further information about Telix, including details of the latest share price, announcements made to the ASX, investor and analyst presentations, news releases, event details and other publications that may be of interest. You can also follow Telix on X and LinkedIn.

Telix Investor Relations

Ms. Kyahn Williamson

Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited

SVP Investor Relations and Corporate Communications

Email: kyahn.williamson@telixpharma.com

This announcement has been authorised for release by the Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited Disclosure Committee on behalf of the Board.

Legal Notices

The information contained in this announcement is not intended to be an offer for subscription, invitation or recommendation with respect to shares of Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (Telix) in any jurisdiction, including the United States. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained or opinions expressed in the course of this announcement. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change without notification.

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements that relate to anticipated future events, financial performance, plans, strategies or business developments. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as "may", "expect", "intend", "plan", "estimate", "anticipate", "outlook", "forecast" and "guidance", or other similar words. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company's good-faith assumptions as to the financial, market, regulatory and other risks and considerations that exist and affect the Company's business and operations in the future and there can be no assurance that any of the assumptions will prove to be correct. In the context of Telix's business, forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about: the initiation, timing, progress and results of Telix's preclinical and clinical studies, and Telix's research and development programs; Telix's ability to advance product candidates into, enrol and successfully complete, clinical studies, including multi-national clinical trials; the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, manufacturing activities and product marketing activities; the commercialisation of Telix's product candidates, if or when they have been approved; estimates of Telix's expenses, future revenues and capital requirements; Telix's financial performance; developments relating to Telix's competitors and industry; and the pricing and reimbursement of Telix's product candidates, if and after they have been approved. Telix's actual results, performance or achievements may be materially different from those which may be expressed or implied by such statements, and the differences may be adverse. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. You should read this announcement together with our risk factors, as disclosed in our most recently filed reports with the ASX or on our website.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Telix disclaims any obligation or undertaking to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or a change in expectations or assumptions.

2024 Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited. The Telix Pharmaceuticals and Illuccix name and logo are trademarks of Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited and its affiliates - all rights reserved.

[1] Good manufacturing practice. [2] Assumes an AUD/USD exchange rate of 0.6557 (used throughout this announcement). Refer to the Appendix 3B lodged with the ASX today for further details.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - 1329300 B.C. Ltd. (the "Company") announces that, further to its press release of February 6, 2024, its management information circular (the "Circular") and related materials were mailed today, February 26, 2024, for its annual general and special meeting (the "Meeting") of shareholders of the Company (the "Shareholders") to approve, among other things, a proposed business combination by way of a plan of arrangement under Division 5 of Part 9 of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the "Arrangement").

The Circular and related materials have been filed by the Company under its issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

The board of directors of the Company, after consideration of such matters as it considered necessary and relevant, authorized the Company to enter into the Arrangement Agreement (as such term is defined in the Circular) and recommends that the Shareholders vote FOR the Arrangement.

The Meeting

The Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern time) at the offices of Irwin Lowy LLP at 217 Queen Street West, Suite 401, Toronto, Ontario M5V 0R2. At the Meeting, Shareholders will, among other things, pass, with or without variation, a special resolution of the Shareholders to approve the Arrangement.

The Circular, form of proxy and voting instruction form, as applicable, for the Meeting contain comprehensive information with respect to how registered and beneficial Shareholders may vote on the matters to be considered at the Meeting. Only Shareholders of record as of the close of business on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, are eligible to vote at the Meeting.

The deadline for completed proxies to be received by the Company's transfer agent is Friday, March 15, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time).

Receipt of Interim Court Order

The Company also announces that on Thursday, February 15, 2024, it obtained the interim order (the "Interim Order") providing for the calling and holding of the Meeting and other procedural matters from the Supreme Court of British Columbia regarding the Arrangement. The Interim Order authorizes the Company to proceed with various matters, including the holding of the Meeting to consider and vote on the Arrangement. Subject to the receipt of the requisite approval of the Shareholders, the Arrangement is expected to close shortly following the Meeting.

For further information, please contact:

Carly Burk

President and Chief Executive Officer

Tel: (416) 361-2517

Completion of the Arrangement is subject to necessary regulatory approvals, court or governmental approvals, authorizations and consents and approval of the shareholders of the Company and Borealis (as applicable). Where applicable, the Arrangement cannot close until the required approvals have been obtained. There can be no assurance that the Arrangement will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the continuous disclosure document regarding the Arrangement, required to be filed with the securities regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the affairs of the Company, any information released or received with respect to the Arrangement may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon.

Forward-Looking Information

Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release include information relating to: the business plans of the Company and Borealis, Borealis' management's expectation on the growth and performance of its acquisitions, the completion of the Arrangement, the completion of the Consolidation, and the board of directors and management of the Company upon completion of the Arrangement. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company and/or Borealis, respectively. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the potential inability of the Company and Borealis to continue as a going concerns, risks associated with potential governmental and/or regulatory action with respect to the Company's and Borealis' operations, respectively, the potential unviability of the business plans of the Company and Borealis, respectively, Borealis' expectation on the growth and performance of its acquisitions may prove incorrect, failure to complete the Arrangement, failure to complete the Consolidation, the inability of the Company and Borealis to appoint members of the board of directors and management of the Company upon completion of the Arrangement. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company and/or Borealis, respectively. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information The forward-looking information contained in this press release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199350

SOURCE: 1329300 B.C. Ltd.
Over 1.7 Million Users have Joined Bluesky since it Evolved from its Invite-Only Beta Version

SEATTLE, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bluesky , the open social network, unlocked its doors on February 6, 2024 so that anyone may now use the app. Since its 2023 app launch, Bluesky grew to more than 3M users through an invite-only beta, and has seen that number balloon to 5M users in the two weeks since opening its service. Over the last year, Bluesky has developed custom feeds, custom moderation features, and more, creating a place where anyone can contribute. Bluesky's first-ever meetup took place in Tokyo in April 2023, and since announcing users could join without an invite code, Bluesky became the #1 social app in Japan. Bluesky hopes more Japanese users join the conversation.

New users are welcomed with a "plug-and-play" experience that is as customizable as they want it to be, with no technical knowledge required. As an open-source platform, Bluesky allows anyone to contribute features they want; current highlights include video and music embeds for YouTube and Spotify and more than 40,000 custom feeds that users can choose from to see the content they want - from fan art to recipes the list has no end. If someone can imagine it and wants to build a community, they can build the feed on Bluesky.

"We made Bluesky so users can easily discover interesting content from a vibrant network of communities," said Jay Graber, CEO of Bluesky. "During our beta period, we used an invite system to manage growth while building out our infrastructure and were happy to see people start creating their own community on Bluesky. Now, we're welcoming everyone in."

Creating a New Social Media Experience

The Bluesky App works atop the AT Protocol, an open-source foundation for building a network of interconnected social apps that the Bluesky team develops. What makes this special for users is a whole new ability to freely move their personal accounts between the apps that are built on the federated, open network. People can now keep their friends, relationships, feeds, and content when changing from app to app - no need to start a new account from scratch whenever they want to join a new AT Protocol-based social network.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bluesky-opens-app-bringing-open-social-media-to-everyone-302071323.html
Pride Capital Partners, an Amsterdam, The Netherlands-based investment company, supported GBC Group, a Sindelfingen, Germany-based IT services provider, on its sixth acquisition in their ongoing expansion strategy, expanding their family of companies to include managed services company Bolde GmbH.

This strategic merger will expand GBC Groups presence to eight locations across Germany, from Munich to Kiel, growing the team to around 170 employees.

Bolde provides managed services for SME customers with a focus on IT-outsourcing. It strengthens GBC Group s managed services capabilities, enabling them to offer clients an even broader and more diverse product portfolio.

GBC is a group of IT services providers. The company is active in the fields of Cloud & Infrastructure, Modern Work, IT Security and Managed Services. The group currently consists of the companies Intellecom, Pohl Consulting, MAXXYS, and Comp-Pro.

Pride Capital Partners is a semi-strategic investment company specialized in private debt and equity that supports profitable and growing companies in the software and IT services industry with flexible capital solutions. Typical scenarios include growth, acquisitions, and management buy-out (MBO) transactions. The geographic focus is on companies in the Benelux, DACH and Nordics region, which are served from its offices in Amsterdam, Cologne and Copenhagen.

FinSMEs

26/02/2024
Sonus Microsystems, a Vancouver, Canada-based ultrasound technology platform delivering remote diagnostic imaging without the need to go to a clinic or hospital, raised $2.1M in pre-seed funding.

The round was led by LDV Capital with participation from several notable angel investors, early-stage funds and ultrasound and AI domain experts.

The company, which has raised more than $3M to date, intends to use the funds to enhance processes related to R&D and production, identify new application areas and partnerships, and build the engineering team, encompassing fabrication, electronics, and software engineering.

Led by Dr. Hani Eskandari, CEO and President, Sonus Microsystems is developing and commercializing a novel and proprietary ultrasound technology that utilizes polymer MEMS sensors to send and receive ultrasonic waves. Their transducers are empowered by the innovative polyCMUT technology (stands for polymer-based Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasound Transducers). This advanced method of manufacturing ultrasonic transducer arrays involves crafting thousands of vibrating micro-drums on different types of substrate, resulting in superior performance for imaging and testing applications.

The team is also led by Carlos D. Gerardo, Robert Rohling, and Edmond Cretu.

FinSMEs

26/02/2024
Walmart, Delta, T-Mobile, Chevron and Starbucks are among US firms using software from start-up company Aware to monitor employees conversations on Slack and Microsoft Teams. Experts say this is a troubling development that raises questions about privacy and workers rights

Aware claims to have analysed 20 billion messages from three million employees.

Still working from home in the US?

Your company may be spying on you  and using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to do so.

Fox News reported that behemoths such as Walmart, Delta, T-Mobile, Chevron and Starbucks are using software from a start-up firm to monitor employees conversations.

But what do we know about this? And how does it work?

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Lets take a closer look:

According to Fox Business, the firms are keeping an eye on employees via software from start-up company called Aware.

The companys software reportedly keeps tabs on apps such as Slack and Microsoft.

The former is used by over 100,000 firms, while the latter has over 280 million monthly users.

The firm claims to have analysed 20 billion messages from three million employees.

The firm says its software flags certain keywords that hint at employee unhappiness and safety risks.

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CNBC quoted company co-founder CEO Jeff Schumann, co-founder and CEO as saying the software allows firms to understand the risk within their communications.

He said it gives a snapshot of employee feelings in real time  instead of an annual or semi-annual appraisal.

Schumann said the firms can check how employees are responding to new policies or marketing pushes.

Its always tracking real-time employee sentiment, and its always tracking real-time toxicity, Schumann said. If you were a bank using Aware and the sentiment of the workforce spiked in the last 20 minutes, its because theyre talking about something positively, collectively. The technology would be able to tell them whatever it was.

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Schumann said the software  which can scan both text messages and images  can also be used to identify other harmful conduct such as bullying, harassment, discrimination, noncompliance, pornography and nudity.

Schumann told CNBC that company revenue is up 150 per cent every year for the past five years.

The typical company that uses its software has about 30,000 employees.

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The firm says its software flags certain keywords that hint at employee unhappiness and safety risks.

Aware said the companies use the software for to deal with governance risk and compliance.

This kind of work comprises 80 per cent of the companies business.

Some people are disturbed by the development.

I would feel like, I dont know, like theyre just trying to get something out of me and get me in trouble or something. I dont know, it would be very sneaky, a woman told FOX Business Lydia Hu.

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Ive seen AI being used first-hand, and its so flawed and so messed up that I just think it wouldnt be a useful investment of anyones time or money anyways. And that just doesnt really foster a trustworthy kind of business vibe, another woman added.

But others were less concerned.

I think Im fine with it because Im very watchful of what I do on company time, company property, anything like that, a man told the outlet.

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Delta told CNBC it uses the software to monitor trends and feelings to gain feedback from employees and other stakeholders.

It said it also used it to keep a legal record of its social media platform.

Experts say the development could be problematic.

Jutta Williams, co-founder of AI accountability non-profit Humane Intelligence, told CNBC, A lot of this becomes thought crime.

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This is treating people like inventory in a way Ive not seen.

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Amba Kak, executive director of the AI Now Institute at New York University, told the outlet, It results in a chilling effect on what people are saying in the workplace. These are as much worker rights issues as they are privacy issues.

Regardless, it seems we are in a brave new world  and theres no going back.
Hanif Sheikh, an elusive member of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), was arrested from Bhusawal in Maharashtras Jalgaon district by the Delhi Police on 22 February. On the run from the cops since 2001, he was working as a teacher in an Urdu school under a different identity

In 2001, then-SIMI President Sahid Badar appointed Hanif Sheikh as the editor of the groups Islamic Movement magazines Urdu edition. Image Courtesy: @CellDelhi/X

In a major crackdown, a special cell of the Delhi Police arrested Hanif Sheikh, an elusive member of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), on 22 February.

Described as the most notorious and wanted SIMI terrorist, the 47-year-old had been absconding for 22 years and was declared a proclaimed offender in 2002.

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He was nabbed from Bhusawal in Maharashtras Jalgaon district, where he was a teacher in an Urdu school under a different identity, the police said.

Heres a look at how he was arrested.

How was Hanif Sheikh arrested?

The Delhi Polices Southern Range Special Cell had been trying to arrest Sheikh for four years. However, whenever police cracked down on SIMIs activities, Sheikh would slip away from their hands, explained India Today.

For those unversed, a case of sedition under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was filed against him in 2001 at the New Friends Colony police station in the National Capital. A local court declared him a proclaimed offender in 2002, as per PTI.

Police said the SIMI magazine that Sheikh edited had his name printed as Haneef Hudai. This was the only lead available to the police, making it difficult to trace him.

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A team from the Special Cell was tasked with collecting data, information, and other digital footprints about the absconding SIMI cadre, sympathisers, and sleeper cells across states. The team extensively visited and collected information from various parts of the country, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Alok Kumar told PTI.

Around 2.50 pm on 22 February, a person travelling from Mohmadin Nagar to Khadka Road was identified as Hanif. As members of the team began to corner him, Hanif attempted to escape but was arrested after a scuffle, the DCP added.

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Who is he?

According to India Today, Sheikh joined SIMI in 1997.

He became highly radicalised after interacting with its members and started attending its weekly programmes and radicalising youths.

In 2001, then-SIMI President Sahid Badar appointed him as the editor of the groups Islamic Movement magazines Urdu edition, where he wrote several provocative articles on Muslims in India.

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He was based at the SIMI headquarters in Delhis Zakir Nagar. In September 2001, Delhi Police conducted a raid while SIMI members were addressing a press conference near their headquarters. Several members were arrested, but Sheikh and a few others escaped and went underground.

He then went to Bhusawal in Maharashtras Jalgaon, changing his location to evade arrest. He started working as an Urdu teacher at a school.

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According to the report, he also admitted to having visited Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and others. to radicalise young people to join SIMI.

After SIMI was banned, its senior members started a new organisation named Wahadat-e-Islam.

The DCP said that Sheikh was one of its think tank members and was allegedly involved in collecting money to finance both outfits, according to PTI.

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Apart from the case filed against him in Delhi, there are four FIRs against Sheikh in Bhusawal. Police will now take him to Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh to probe his role in other terrorist activities.

According to Odisha Bytes, Sheikh has three brothers, two sisters, a wife and three children.

Why is SIMI banned?

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According to The Times of India, the SIMI was founded in 1977 in Aligarh by Mohammad Ahmadullah Siddiqui, professor of Journalism and Public Relations at Western Illinois University, with the agenda of Islamic extremism and turn India into an Islamic nation.

The organisation was first banned in 2001, when the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government was in power, and since then the ban has been extended periodically.

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Members of SIMI have been involved in the Bhopal jail break in 2014, the M Chinnaswamy stadium blast in Bengaluru in 2014, and the Gaya bomb blast in 2017, the report said.

The organisation has been continuing its subversive activities and re-organising its activists who are still absconding, according to India TV, which cited a 5 February notification by the home ministry.

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The SIMI has been found involved in fomenting terrorism, disturbing peace and communal harmony, to threaten the sovereignty, security, and integrity of Bharat, the home ministrys office posted on X.

With inputs from PTI
Harshkumar Patel, who goes by the moniker Dirty Harry, is a Florida resident charged for human trafficking. He is linked to a case of an Indian family from Gujarat, which froze to death on the Canadian side of the border with the US

Jagdish Baldevbhai Patel, 39, his wife Vaishaliben Jagdishkumar Patel, 37, and their children Vihangi, 11, and three-year-old Dharmik Jagdishkumar, were frozen to death near Emerson, Manitoba, on 19 January 2022. Image Courtesy: @VaishaliPatel/Facebook

In 2022, the tragic deaths of four Indians, including an infant, on the Canadian side of Manitobas southern border with the US shook the world.

Two years later, authorities in the United States have arrested an Indian-origin man in connection with a human trafficking case in which the family was frozen to death .

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According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) News, Harshkumar Patel was arrested at the Chicago airport last week.

Heres all we know about him and the charges against him.

About Harshkumar Patel, aka Dirty Harry

Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, who also goes by the moniker Dirty Harry, Param Singh, and Haresh Rameshlal Patel, is a Florida resident charged with the transportation of an illegal alien and conspiracy to bring and attempt to bring an illegal alien to the United States.

According to CBC News, which cited the court documents, he had recruited alleged smuggler Steve Shand, another Florida resident who is awaiting trial in Minnesotas federal court for transporting illegal migrants.

Harshkumar was part of an organised human smuggling group that facilitated the illegal entry of Indian nationals into the US, the police said in their complaint, as per NDTV.

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Shand and two migrants were arrested by US border patrol agents in a rented 15-seater passenger van on 19 January 2022, in Minnesota, located south of the Canadian border near Emerson. Shortly after, five other migrants were also apprehended by the border patrol on the same highway.

Back in India, the latest affidavit claims Harshkumar failed four times to obtain a student visa to the US. He tried to convince consular officials that he wanted to pursue further studies there, but his application was not considered credible.

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In 2016, Harshkumar, who was finally able to go to Canada, tried to get a visitor visa to New York from the US Consulate in Ottawa, claiming that he was a business management student at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario. However, he was denied the visa for the fifth time.

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According to CBC News, investigators believe he crossed into the US illegally three months later, only to return to Canada in 2018. He was then taken to Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) custody.

In the latest development, the next hearing in the case is scheduled for 28 February. However, the CBC reports that it could be transferred to Minnesota.

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On the other hand, Shands jury trial is also set to begin in Minnesota in March.

Text messages, financial details exposed

The latest affidavit, which also mentions a September 2023 arrest warrant, also revealed details about the night the Patel family died, including texts exchanged between Harshkumar and Shand that show how the smuggling was carried out.

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For those unversed, Harshkumar Patel is not related to the Patel family.

In the chats, the duo talked about arrangements for rental cars, hotels, and payments to Shand. Make sure everyone is dressed for the blizzard conditions, please, Shand told Harshkumar on the evening of 18 January, the day before the family was found dead, as per the court records.

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According to the report, the court documents stated Harshkumar shared Shand the GPS coordinates for the illegal migrants who were to be brought from the Canada-US border  from Emerson, Winnipeg, in Canada, and Pembina, North Dakota, in the US.

Shand described five total trips he had made to the international border in Minnesota between December 2021 and January 2022, to transport Indian nationals, including the 19 January 2022 trip during which he was arrested, the affidavit said.

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He further told investigators that he has made a total of approximately $25,000 US in smuggling proceeds working for the former.

For the Patel familys smuggling alone, Shand allegedly was paid $2,900 in cash and then paid another $5,000 in cash after his release, the court documents said.

According to The Times of India, Shand is charged with smuggling seven persons from Gujarat illegally, including the four who died of extreme cold weather.

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The family frozen to death

Jagdish Baldevbhai Patel, 39, his wife Vaishaliben Jagdishkumar Patel, 37, and their children Vihangi, 11, and three-year-old Dharmik Jagdishkumar, were frozen to death near Emerson, Manitoba, on 19 January 2022.

The Patel family arrived in Toronto on 12 January the same year, their first point of entry into Canada. From there, they made their way to Manitoba and eventually to Emerson, where they died near the border.

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TOI reported the police had earlier said no abandoned vehicle was located on the Canadian border, indicating that someone drove the family to the border and then left the scene.

Moreover, the new affidavit also mentioned details linking another alleged smuggler, Fenil Patel (not related to the Patel family), to the incident.

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In January, the Indian police accused him of helping transport the family.

He is facing charges in Gujarat of culpable homicide and human smuggling for his alleged role in the death of the Patel family, reported CBC News.

According to the affidavit, convicted human smuggler Rajinder Pal Singh identified Fenil, who resides in Toronto, as one of the people involved in the incident, saying he arranged the trip for the family that died.

Singh was found guilty of human smuggling in May last year and sentenced to 45 months in US federal prison.

With inputs from agencies
Despite having already secured a string of primary victories, it was crucial for Donald Trump to win South Carolina. Heres how the former US president defeated his rival Nikki Haley on her home turf

Republican presidential candidate and former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley suffered a major loss to Donald Trump in the South Carolina primary. Reuters

In spite of her more vigorous campaigning, appearances on television, and increased spending, Nikki Haley lost the South Carolina primary to Donald Trump by a 20-point margin. Despite the loss, Haley pledged to remain in the race until at least the Super Tuesday primaries on 5 March.

Donald Trumps decisive primary victory over Nikki Haley in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday was the result of a ruthless and methodical campaign to eliminate her as a threat, according to aides and people close to both campaigns.

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Despite having already secured a string of primary victories, it was crucial for Trump to win South Carolina , a key early Republican primary state that often predicts the partys nominee. Unlike in 2016, Trump was facing a rival who had won two terms as governor of the state and is still locally popular.

The plan was to isolate Haley politically by locking down endorsements from scores of officials in the state as quickly as possible to demonstrate publicly that she had no path to the presidency through South Carolina, aides with knowledge of the Trump campaign plan said.

Trumps victory on Saturday was not a complete blowout but he still defeated her by a comfortable 20 percentage points on her home turf.

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We were facing a two-term governor. That necessitated a show of force. We needed endorsements to stop donors and voters taking a look at Nikki, a senior Trump campaign adviser told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Chris LaCivita, a co-manager of Trumps campaign, said the series of big-name endorsements played a critical role in snuffing out the competition in the state.

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LaCivita said another crucial part of Trumps success was to harvest data on the thousands of voters who attended the former presidents rallies.

What happens in the state after were on the airplane. Thats where the real work begins, LaCivita said.

Working out of a nondescript office park in North Charleston, campaign staff have been toiling for months to use voter data to communicate regularly with potential voters. Trump used a similar game plan to win in Iowa and New Hampshire.

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Endorsement windfall

As recently as December, Haley was still saying publicly that South Carolina was where she would finally score a win over Trump and turn the nominating contest around. Instead, it may be remembered as the state where her campaign suffered its fatal blow.

By 24 January  a month before the primary  Trump had secured the endorsements of 158 current and former South Carolina Republicans officials, including lawmakers, mayors and sheriffs. By this week Haley had received endorsements from one member of the US House of Representatives, 11 current state lawmakers and two mayors.

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Those endorsements (of Trump) do matter. They are absolutely embarrassing in their numbers for Nikki Haley, the Trump campaign adviser said.

If you have the local police chief or a city council person evangelising about President Trump at a barbecue or at a local meeting, its a force multiplier on our ground game and grassroots efforts, the adviser said.

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A screen projects Republican presidential candidate and former US president Donald Trump as the winner at Republican presidential candidate and former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haleys watch party during the South Carolina Republican presidential primary election in Charleston, South Carolina, US. Reuters

Spearheading the push to lock up endorsements was the states governor, Henry McMaster; Ed McMullen, Trumps former ambassador to Switzerland and a veteran of South Carolina politics; and Justin Evans, a state operative who ran Haleys first political campaign in 2010.

The influential South Carolina House of Representatives speaker, Murrell Smith, who endorsed Trump in August 2023, also played a key role in securing endorsements inside the State House, as did the states lieutenant governor, Pamela Evette.

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McMullen said he and other Trump allies began sketching a plan to ensure the former presidents total dominance in the state as early as June 2022, months before Trump officially announced he was running for president that November. Haley declared her candidacy in February 2023.

Trumps South Carolina surrogates began contacting every state House and Senate member in May 2023. Lawmakers who were reluctant to endorse Trump were invited to personal meetings with him when he flew into the state, either at airports or other venues.

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The president was very generous with his time, he met with numerous people, it made clear to people he was serious and very much wanted their support, McMullen said.

For her part, Haley said publicly she was not bothered by the endorsements Trump received, although associates have spoken of a sense of betrayal that some high-profile allies deserted her.

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Her effort relied on some 1,700 volunteers across the state, and she crisscrossed South Carolina aggressively in recent weeks.

Just like when she ran for governor, Nikki is the outsider, conservative candidate, said Olivia Perez-Cubas, a campaign spokesperson. As governor, she signed pro-life legislation, cracked down on illegal immigration, and took on both parties over spending and transparency issues.

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Seeking endorsements is common practice in US presidential politics, but securing so many played a significant role in South Carolina for Trump, given Haleys ties to the state.

The former president employed similar tactics to try to force Floridas governor, Ron DeSantis, out of the race. Trump highlighted his overwhelming advantage in endorsements in Florida to fuel the narrative that he was the runaway favourite to win the nomination. DeSantis ended his campaign in January.

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Designed for maximum impact

A much sought-after endorsement was that of Tim Scott, one of South Carolinas US senators and a onetime presidential rival to Trump who dropped out of the race in November.

Republican presidential candidate and former US president Donald Trump stands on stage as he hosts a South Carolina Republican presidential primary election night party in Columbia, South Carolina, US. Reuters

Scott had been appointed to his Senate seat in 2013 by Haley when she was governor, so securing his endorsement over the woman who sent him to the US Senate was a big prize, several donors and operatives close to both Trump and Haley said.

Trump had maintained a relationship with Scott for some time. In 2020, he called Scotts mother on her birthday, a source close to Scott said. Toward the end of his presidency, Trump invited Scott and his mother to ride aboard Air Force One.

Trump called Scott shortly after the senator dropped out of the race, a person close to Trump said, while Trump allies kept talking to Scott about an endorsement.

One person close to Haley said she exchanged text messages with Scott after he dropped out, but never verbally discussed an endorsement. It is unclear why they never directly discussed the matter, but Scott and Haleys relationship deteriorated over the course of a campaign during which both camps took jabs at one another, said the person.

At a rally in New Hampshire on 19 January, four days before the primary election there, Scott endorsed Trump, a big blow to Haley and her hopes in South Carolina.

Trumps team made sure Scott was standing prominently alongside the former president at his New Hampshire victory rally on 23 January. Trump appeared triumphant, suggesting to Scott he must really hate Haley. Scott replied: I just love you!

Haley was not deterred.

Fuelled by donor money she persisted with her insurgent campaign even as she seemed to acknowledge she faced certain defeat to Trump in her home state. Trump and his allies hoped that a loss on home ground would finally persuade Haley to quit the race, but she said on Saturday night she was not giving up and would continue her presidential campaign.

With inputs from Reuters
Work on the Shahpurkandi dam on the Ravi river in Punjab is completed after a delay of several years. This construction, which was first ideated in 1979, will help in halting the water being diverted to Pakistan and provide more to Jammu & Kashmir for irrigation purposes

Work underway at Shahpurkandi dam in 2020. This dam, now completed, will halt the flow of water from the Ravi river to Pakistan. Image Courtesy: @PunjabGovtIndia/X

After a long, long wait, the Shahpurkandi dam on river Ravi in Punjab, bordering Jammu and Kashmir, has finally been completed. And with this, New Delhi has reportedly stopped the flow of water from the Ravi river into Pakistan.

Media reports have stated that Indias strategic move in water management will help New Delhi retain as many as 1,150 cusecs of water, which was previously directed to Pakistan. Furthermore, this water would now be utilised in Jammu and Kashmir for agricultural purposes.

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We take a closer look at what exactly is the significance of the Shahpurkandi dam, and how it is related to the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan.

All about the Shahpurkandi dam

The Shahpurkandi dam has long been held up. The idea to build this dam can date back to a 1979 agreement between Chief Ministers Parkash Singh Badal and Sheikh Abdullah of Punjab and J&K respectively. According to an Indian Express report, the idea was to build the Ranjit Sagar (Thein) Dam on the Ravi on the border of the two states. And to optimise the utilisation of the water, a second dam was to come up at some distance downstream, at Shahpur Kandi in Punjabs Gurdaspur district.

Former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao then laid the foundation stone for this project back in 1995. However, due to disputes between Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, the project was suspended and put on the backburner.

In 2018, the Centre intervened, called it a national project and the governments of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir signed an agreement under which the Shahpurkandi dam would be completed in three years.

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And work progressed at a snails pace, finally being completed now, with officials from the Jal Shakti Ministry telling The Print that the work was finally completed.

Today, the dam stands tall at 5.5 metres and as per an NDTV report is part of a multi-purpose river valley project that includes two hydel power projects with a total installed capacity of 206 MW. In fact, the two hydropower plants are expected to be completed by 2025.

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Speaking on the dam, Union minister Jitendra Singh said that PM Modi had accorded the highest priority to the Shahpurkandi dam project as it has the potential to irrigate thousands of acres of agricultural land in Jammu and Kashmir.

Had Narendra Modi not become the prime minister in 2014, the Shahpurkandi dam project  that was stalled for 70 years  would not have resumed, Singh, the Union minister of state in the Prime Ministers Office said on Sunday at a public meeting at Basohli in Kathua district, which is part of his Udhampur parliamentary constituency.

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A man casts his net into the Ravi river to catch fish, in the outskirts of Lahore. With the new dam, J-K will receive at least 1,150 cusecs of water that was previously allocated to Pakistan. File image/Reuters

Importance of the dam

The dam is beneficial to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Punjab. As per a spokesperson of the project, it will irrigate 32,000 hectares of agricultural land in the Kandi areas, along the Jammu-Pathankot national highway in Samba and Kathua districts.

As one official told The Print, With Shahpur Kandi dam becoming operational, we will be able to operate Ranjit Sagar dam to its full capacity, without spilling water to Pakistan. There will be controlled release of water downstream of Shahpurkandi, which will allow better utilisation of water at Madhopur barrage.

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Now, J-K will receive at least 1,150 cusecs of water that was previously allocated to Pakistan, under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960. Jammu and Kashmir will also get 20 per cent of the hydel power generated from dam.

An Indian child stands near Chenab River with the Baglihar hydroelectric project in the background, about 155 km northwest of Jammu. The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan. It allocates six rivers of the Indus basin to each nation. File image/Reuters

Indus Waters Treaty, explained

As per the Indus Waters Treaty , New Delhi has exclusive rights over the waters of the rivers  Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi  which amount to 33 million acre-feet (MAF) annually. While Islamabad has control over the waters of the western rivers  Indus, Jhelum, Chenab  amounting to 135 MAF.

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The treaty was signed in 1960 by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistan president Ayub Khan, with the World Bank being a signatory. As per the treaty, India can use the water from the rivers but there are restrictions on building storage systems on the western rivers. However, it gives India the right to generate hydroelectricity with the use of the western rivers with specifications for design and operation in place. Furthermore, Pakistan also has the right to object to the design of the Indian projects.

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However, since signing the treaty, one of Indias biggest grievances has been that does not allow it to build storage systems on Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi, the western rivers. According to the treaty, such systems can be built under exceptional circumstances but India complains that any such attempts are blocked by Pakistan. It does not help that these rivers lie in Jammu and Kashmir, which remains an unresolved issue between India and Pakistan.

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Interestingly, in January last year, India had issued a notice to Pakistan for the modification of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The notice was sent through respective commissioners for Indus waters because Islamabad refused to discuss and resolve the issue of Indias Kishenganga and Ratle Hydro Electric Projects for the last five years, despite New Delhis efforts, said sources to NDTV.

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With inputs from agencies
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) will undertake a tractor rally across the country today, in support of farmers and their demands. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be travelling to the UK to deliver special lectures at Cambridge University. Heres what else to expect today

SKM, an umbrella body of 37 farm unions, will take out a tractor rally today, urging the Centre to hear their demands. File image/PTI

Its a Monday and theres some big news waiting to happen.

From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lay the foundation stone for 550 Amrit Bharat stations to Rahul Gandhi visiting Cambridge University in the United Kingdom to deliver two lectures, theres a lot expected to happen today.

PM Modi to lay foundation stone of 550 Amrit Bharat stations

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today lay the foundation stone of 550 Amrit Bharat stations to improve facilities at railway stations by developing rooftop plazas and city centres at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore. The prime minister will also lay the foundation stone of nearly 1,500 road overbridges and underbridges across different states during a function that will be conducted virtually at over 2,000 railway stations, officials said.

The prime minister will join the function via videoconferencing.

The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme was launched for the development of stations on Indian Railways.

It involves the preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve amenities at the stations through improvement of station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary, cleanliness, free WiFi, kiosks for local products through schemes such as One Station, One Product, better passenger information systems.

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SKM to hold tractor march nationwide

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 37 farm unions, will take out a tractor march today and organise a farmers mahapanchayat in the national capital on 14 March.

The SKM said that the tractor march will be carried out on all state and national highways across the country in support of their demands, including guaranteed MSP on all crops and debt waiver.

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will take a break from the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and deliver two lectures at his alma mater, Cambridge University. File image/PTI

Rahul Gandhi to deliver lectures at UKs Cambridge University

Rahul Gandhi will take a break from the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and deliver two special lectures at his alma mater, Cambridge University.

Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said on X: 26 February to 1 March will be break days to enable Rahul Gandhi to fulfil his long-standing commitment to deliver two special lectures at his alma mater Cambridge University (UK) on February 27th and February 28th and also to enable him to attend other important meetings in New Delhi.

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K Kavitha summoned by CBI in Delhi liquor policy case

BRS leader K Kavitha, daughter of Telanganas former Chief Minister KCR, has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case.

This is the second time that the Telangana politician will be questioned by the central agency. She was earlier questioned by the CBI at her home in Hyderabad in December 2022.

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Palestinian factions to meet in Moscow

Moscow plans to host unity talks between all Palestinian factions, including Hamas, today, Palestinian Authority prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said earlier, as he called for unilateral statehood recognition as a prerequisite to peace talks.

Russia has invited all Palestinian factions who will be meeting on the 26th of this month in Moscow, Shtayyeh told the Munich Security Conference during a public interview.

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He explained that the Palestine Liberation Organisations invitation for Hamas to join it was a conditional one and would come into play only if the group accepted certain prerequisites.

The newest technology related to phones and mobiles will be on display at the Mobile World Congress, the worlds largest mobile phone trade show, in Barcelona, Spain. File image/AP

Mobile World Congress 2024 begins

Mobile World Congress 2024 will begin today. The connectivity event is hosted by GSMA and will be organised at Barcelona, Spain. The event will go on until 29 February. The event is hosted every year and brings people from companies that deal in mobile and wireless technologies.

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Tech companies including OnePlus, Honor, Xiaomi and others are expected to unveil their latest gadgets and smartphones at the event. OnePlus is expected to announce the global debut of its OnePlus Watch 2.

With inputs from agencies
Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya, a 23-year-old who worked as a helper in the Russian army, was killed in a Ukrainian airstrike in the Donetsk region on 21 February. The family is now requesting the Indian government to talk to Russian authorities to return the body

Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya was killed in an airstrike by Ukraine on 21 February in the Donetsk region on the Russia-Ukraine border

As the war in Ukraine enters its third, Indian nationals fighting for the Russian side are in the spotlight. Days after reports that some Indians were allegedly conned and sent to the frontline to work as army security helpers, now it has emerged that a 23-year-old man from Gujarat has been killed.

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The man, identified as Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya, was reportedly killed in an airstrike by Ukraine on 21 February in the Donetsk region on the Russia-Ukraine border. A resident of Surat, the young man was hired as a security helper by the Russian army and had been in Russia since December 2023.

The Ukrainian airstrike that killed Hemil

There was reportedly a group of Indians present on the battlefield when the Ukrainian army conducted the airstrike. The others who managed to escape informed that Hemil had died.

Hemils co-worker has been identified as Sameer Ahmad, a resident of Gulbarga in Karnataka. The two were on the field when the attack happened, according to a report in The Hindu.

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Ahmad said he was digging a trench and Hemil was practising how to fire when they saw a drone hovering above. Suddenly we heard some noise Two other Indians along with some Russian soldiers hid in the trenches. The missile struck and the earth shook. After some time, when we got out, I found Hemil was dead, Ahmad told The Hindu. He put the body in the truck.

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Investigators inspect a crater formed by recent shelling in the course of the Russia-Ukraine conflict near a building in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, on 20 February. Reuters

Another Indian worker shared a photograph of the body with injuries on the face and skull. Hemils clothes were soaked in blood. The corpse was seen lying in what appeared like a truck piled up with bodies.

The slain Indian was reportedly close to the Russian commander and he was not made to do menial work, The Hindu reports.

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Four Indians were part of the group that was attacked on 21 February. Another Nepalese worker also died, the report says. The exact details of the incident are unknown. However, BBC News reported two missile strikes in occupied eastern Ukraine in which at least 60 Russian troops were killed.

Also read: Were Indians duped by agents to fight for Russia in Ukraine war?

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The Mangukiya family mourns

Hemils father wanted him to return home and an agent had written to the Indian consulate on behalf of his father.

The family did not know of Hemils death until two days later. Atul Mangukiya, the youths uncle, told The Times of India (ToI), On 23 February, my brother Ashwinbhai received a call from Hemils friend who was working with him.

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Shocked, the family did not believe the news. But then they cross-checked and learnt it was true.

Hemils father has now requested the Indian government to talk to Russian authorities to get the body of his son. We dont even know where his body is and neither do we have any contact details of others to whom we can reach out to. We are helpless, Ashwin told The Indian Express.

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In this photo taken from video released by head of the Russian-controlled Donetsk region Denis Pushilins telegram channel on 25 February, Denis Pushilin, head of the Russian-controlled Donetsk region, greets a soldier near damaged buildings, after Russian forces have completed their takeover of Avdiivka, eastern Ukraine. AP

Hemil last spoke to his father, a day before he died on 20 February and said that he was fine. The family was reportedly unaware that he was working in the war zone on the Russia-Ukraine border. They believed he worked as a helper in Russia. We had a talk with Hemil on the night of February 20 and he was all fine. When we asked him about what kind of work he was doing, he did not reveal much, Ashwin was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

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The family will hold a prayer meeting on Monday for Hemil in Varachha, a Patidar neighbourhood in Surat, where he grew up. The family hopes for the return of the body.

Also read: 2 years of Russia-Ukraine war: From fall of Avdiivka to firing of Zaluzhnyi

Hemils life in Surat

A few years ago, Hemil moved to the Velanja village in Surats Kamrej taluka with his parents. He also has a 21-year-old brother.

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Hemil did not study after Class 12 and started a small embroidery business with his cousins. He later came in contact with agents through a website, who were offering jobs like helpers and labourers in Russia, reports The Indian Express.

According to his father, Hemil was offered the job of a helper with a monthly salary of Rs 2 lakh. He made his passport and then informed the family about it. The youth left for the war-hit country on 14 December and remained in touch with his parents regularly.

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In this photo released by Russian Defence Ministry Press Service, two soldiers of the Russian military engineering units walk after eliminating the mine danger in eastern Ukraine. Hemils family did not know he was in the war zone. AP

Ashwin told the newspaper that the family allowed Hemil to work abroad so that they would not face financial constraints. He also wanted to earn more money so that he would save it for his marriage and start his own business in Surat, the father said.

After working for a few days, Hemil was reportedly asked to sign a document in Russian and was later inducted into the warzone with a rifle. He wanted to return and had spoken to his agents and senior officers in the Russian army but nobody listened, Ashwin told The Indian Express.

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Also read: Two years on, the cost of Russias war in Ukraine

Indians fighting in Russia

Like Hemil, several other Indians have been working in Russia. Over the past year, at least 100 Indians were recruited by the Russian army at its recruitment centre in Moscow, The Hindu reported last week. While these are the statistics from Moscow, the actual number could be higher.

According to an Indian-origin official working for the Russian defence ministry, the recruits, who join as army security helpers are made aware of the risks of the job. They are paid Rs 1.95 lakh a month with additional benefits of Rs 50,000. These recruits reportedly sign a contract for a minimum of one year and they cannot leave or exit before a month.

At least 100 Indians were recruited by the Russian army in the last one year. File photo/Reuters

Several media reports also said that at least three Indians claimed they were duped and forced to fight alongside the Russians in the war. They were reported from Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Several workers claim that they have approached the Indian embassy in Moscow, seeking the governments help to return home.

Ahmad, who worked with Hemil told The Hindu, that the Indian embassy was not responding to their repeated pleas for help.

The Indian governments response

The External Affairs Ministry on Monday rejected reports claiming that Indians in the Russian army were seeking help for discharge, adding that each and every case was taken up with Russian authorities.

We have seen some inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge, the MEA said in a statement on Monday.

Media reports regarding Indian nationals seeking discharge from the Russian Army:https://t.co/khl2aGAF2h pic.twitter.com/QmLC8WS5TR  Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) February 26, 2024

Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities and those brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi. Several Indians have already been discharged as a result, the ministry said. We remain committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army.

On Friday, the Indian government acknowledged that some Indians have been deployed in Russias ongoing war with Ukraine and stated that the government is coordinating with its Russian counterpart to facilitate their release.

With inputs from agencies
The 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13), the highest decision-making body of the World Trade Organisation, will see 164 trade ministers gather in Doha. From concessions on farm subsidies to special fishing rights for developed nations heres what India is likely to push. Experts say that while negotiators remain hopeful, international cooperation is in bad shape

The World Trade Organisation ministerial conference is set to begin in Abu Dhabi today.

The 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13), the highest decision-making body of the global trade body, will see 164 trade ministers gather in Doha.

The meeting, which will convene today, will conclude on Thursday.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of farmers protests in India.

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The WTOs 164 member nations will discuss a deal to ban subsidies that contribute to overfishing, extending a pause on taxes on digital media like movies and video games, and agricultural issues.

But what can India, whose delegation will be led by commerce minister Piyush Goyal, expect from the conference?

Lets take a closer look:

Agriculture

According to Moneycontrol, India will be looking to make the peace clause  which dealt with concessions on farm subsidies  permanent.

The current ceiling on farm subsidies was arrived at the Bali ministerial conference in 2013.

New Delhi at the time made the case that subsidy beyond the maximum was essential to its public stocks of foodgrain  which the state bought at prices that would sustain Indian farmers.

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India also successfully argued that this establishes food security for 800 million people.

India will be looking to make the peace clause  which deals with concessions on farm subsidies  permanent. Moneycontrol.

Known as the peace clause, this meant that countries could put in place their own food security schemes  even If the subsidy exceeded what the WTO had laid out.

However, this was not adopted permanently.

After a firm stand taken by (the then commerce minister) Nirmala Sitharaman on this matter at the WTO, its general council (GC) in November 2014 extended the peace clause in perpetuity until a permanent solution is agreed and adopted, a source told Hindustan Times.

The MC10 at Nairobi endorsed the GCs decision. However, no outcome was achieved on this matter in subsequent ministerial (MC11 at Buenos Aires and MC12 at Geneva).

In this backdrop, it is clear that India will have to work in tandem with other developing economies of the global South to find a resolution to agricultural sector issues at the WTO. It will also have to play a more aggressive role, the Moneycontrol piece noted.

On the farm sector, it will have to take a much tougher stand if the peace clause is to be made permanent and thereby enable the countrys food security to be made non-negotiable at the multilateral trade body, it concluded.

While the status quo is still maintained and public stockholding cannot be disputed, India wants the interim arrangement must first be made a permanent clause of the Agreement on Agriculture before taking up any other issue, the source told Hindustan Times.

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The G33 on Sunday expressed serious concern over lack of progress in agriculture trade negotiations and urge the WTO members to work on a permanent solution to the issue of public stockholding of grains for food security purposes.

The G33 group includes 47 developing and least developed countries.

In a joint statement, the G33 group also said that it is the right of the developing country to use the Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) as an important instrument against major import surges or sudden price declines.

The members should agree and adopt a decision on SSM by the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC), it said.

However, on the issue of public stock holding, the G33 statement has sought a permanent solution in the 13th Ministerial Conference beginning on Monday in Abu Dhabi.

The G-33 co-sponsoring Members, urge all (WTO) Members to make all concerted efforts to agree and adopt a permanent solution on the issue (public stock holding), the G-33 Ministerial Statement on Agriculture Trade Negotiations at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference said.

A vast majority of G33 members recognise the critical importance of public stock holding for food security purposes for developing countries in meeting their food and livelihood security, as well as rural development imperative, including supporting low-income or resource-poor producers.

The public stock holding (PSH) programme is a policy tool under which the government procures crops like rice and wheat from farmers at the minimum support price (MSP) and stores and distributes foodgrains to the poor.

Trade

Hindustan Times reported that India will push back on Chinas aim to combine investment and trade.

India strongly opposes efforts of certain countries like China to push a proposal on investment facilitation at the WTO as the agenda falls outside the mandate of the global trade body, an official said earlier in February.

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A China-led group of 130 countries are pushing for the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) proposal.

The group wants to bring the proposal through annexure-4 of the WTO under which the proposal would be binding on only the signatory members and not on those who are opposed to it.

We are against that also, the official said, adding that India has opposed it as that would dilute the multilateral nature of the WTO.

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The official also said that if these countries want to negotiate the subject, they should do it outside the formal structure of the WTO.

Indias concern emanates from the fact that proponents of IFD should not be attempting to bring a non-mandated, non-multilateral issue to the formal process in the WTO. Such an attempt will be in violation of the WTO framework and fundamental rule of consensus-based decision-making.

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t India will push back on Chinas aim to combine investment and trade. AP

There has not been any ministerial mandate for negotiations on investment-related matters, the official said.

While all decisions at the WTO happens through consensus, it also allows member countries to form a group and have agreements among themselves.

Such pacts comes under the annexure 4 of the WTO that deals with plurilateral agreements.

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The IFD was first mooted in 2017 by China and other countries who depend heavily on Chinese investments, and countries with sovereign wealth funds are party to that pact.

Among major countries, the US is also sitting out of the agreement. Sri Lanka and Pakistan are also not part of it.

Fisheries

According to Hindustan Times, New Delhi is likely to demand special fishing rights for developing nations.

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India will also reject any restrictions for its nine million fishing families.

It will discuss the issue of overfishing at MC13 only if developed nations own up the responsibility of damaging global fisheries wealth and agree to withdraw all subsidies they give to distant deep-water fishing, he said.

E-commerce

E-commerce is set to be discussed  specifically customers duties on E-commerce.

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Customs duties on electronic transmissions have not been imposed since 1998.

According to NDTV Profit, this came after came after 29 ministers reached an agreement in December 1996.

The WTO website states that the agreement mandates no duty on hundreds of IT products.

India and South Africa on several occasions have asked the organisation to revisit the issue and have highlighted the adverse impact of the moratorium on developing countries.

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India is witnessing a rise in imports of electronic transmissions  mainly of items like movies, music, video games and printed matter  some of which could fall within the scope of the moratorium.

While the profits and revenues of digital players are rising steadily, the ability of the governments to check these imports and generate additional tariff revenues is being limited because of the moratorium.

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Developed countries including the US, Australia, and Japan want an extension of the moratorium.

Indian officials are expected to argue against the continuation of a stay on customs duties on e-commerce trade.

An official on Tuesday told PTI the moratorium is having a negative impact on developing nations.

The official said that there is a work programme on e-commerce trade and that WTO members should continue to talk about the topic under that.

Officials said India could be losing $10 billion in tariffs every year.

We are not in favour of extension. We are in favour of continuation of the work programme. There is a need to look at the subject from a development dimension and not from the eyes of big tech companies, the official said.

The official added that the range of the moratorium needs to be discussed due to revenue implications.

The official said developing nations lose $10 billion in tariffs every year.

India could be losing as much as $500 million per year.

There is a need for a clear definition of e-commerce trade. We need policy space for the sector, the official added.

According to NDTV Profit, the WTOs dispute settlement body in April 2023 ruled against Indias import duties on some IT products.

The body called the import duties inconsistent with global trade norms.

India sought to appeal the matter.

However, the problem is that the WTO appellate body, which is supposed to resolve the dispute, is now defunct.

Reconsider plan

A global consortium of semiconductor industry groups has asked India to reconsider its plan to push for duties on cross-border digital e-commerce and data transfers at an upcoming global trade meeting, warning that Indias stance will stifle its own chip design industry.

Ministers from across the globe are convening for a World Trade Organization meeting in Abu Dhabi early next week to try to discuss several trade-related issues, including extending a moratorium in place since 1998 on applying duties on electronic transmissions.

The moratorium collapse would mean tariffs on digital e-commerce and an innumerable number of transfers of chip design data across countries, raising costs and worsening chip shortages, the World Semiconductor Council (WSC) wrote to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The chips sector is a key plank of Modis agenda to push Indias economic growth, with a $10 billion incentive package in place to boost the Industry.

Duties on data transfers would  also impede Indias efforts to advance its semiconductor industry and attract semiconductor investment, especially as more than 20% of the worlds semiconductor design workforce is based in India, the group wrote in the letter, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters.

WSC comprises of chip industry associations in regions like the U.S. and China, which represent chip stalwarts such as Qualcomm, Intel, AMD and Nvidia.

New Delhi has said that physical goods like books and videos, once governed by traditional tariff rules, were now available as digital services and should be subject to duties. Developing nations are facing massive loss in potential revenue with such imports from developed countries on the rise, India maintains.

WSC in its letter also urged India to work toward a WTO agreement to permanently prohibit countries from subjecting cross-border data and digital tools to customs duties and procedures.

Indias support to renewing the moratorium will send a strong signal to semiconductor companies that India is an investment friendly environment, the group wrote.

Appellate body

India would like to restore the presently-defunct appellate body.

According NDTV Profit, New Delhi wants the appellate body both transparent and completely functional.

This In the backdrop of its aforementioned stance on tech tariffs.

The outlet quoted WTO notes as saying that this is a top priority for the organisation and will be one of the subjects discussed at MC13.

The issue took on greater urgency after members were unable to reach consensus on the appointment of new Appellate Body members due to objections from the United States. This blockage eventually led to the Appellate Body no longer being able to function starting on 11 December, 2019, it said.

The previous meeting saw ministers set the goal of establishing by 2024 a functioning and efficient dispute settlement system accessible to all members.

Non-trade issues

Financial Express reported that India will also stand firm against including of non-trade issues such as labour, environmental standards and womens economic empowerment on the agenda.

This is because India is believes these are social and domestic and social matters that can be discussed by other UN bodies.

A source told Hindustan Times India would oppose anyone also trying to push a unilateral agenda.

Allowing such moves will dilute the multilateral character of the WTO, a source told the newspaper.

We will not agree to any work program. We will agree to discussions to promote sustainable development, but our rights and obligations should not be impacted, the official added.

Indian officials have said issues such as the environment are outside the remit of the WTO. PTI

Issues like environment and labour are non-trade issues. These are non-negotiable at WTO. We are sticking to that stand. There are specialised bodies where these issues should be discussed. These are not trade issues, but have a trade implication, the official, speaking on condition of anyonymity, told the newspaper.

According to Financial Express, developed countries have for ages been attempting to bring in environment and labour standards at the WTO.

If this happens, developing countries who do not meet these standards will be vulnerable.

An example of this is the carbon tax or Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)  which gives member nations the right to impose import duties beyond agreed upon limits at the WTO.

Such measures may not only violate the rules of the WTO but also have systemic implications for the international law as a whole, since unilateral action undermines multilaterally-negotiated rights and obligations of countries, the official added.

Not in dreamland

WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a dual Nigerian and American citizen, has pushed to insist the organisation remains vital as 75 per cent of the worlds trade is done on its terms.

What we are focused on at the WTO are what are the appropriate reforms we need to do no matter who comes into power, when, Okonjo-Iweala earlier this month, insisting that the trade body remains relevant.

If we get to what youre saying that the WTO becomes irrelevant everyone, including you and me, will be in trouble.

World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala attends the Building Bridges conference in Geneva, Switzerland, on 2 October, 2023. Reuters File

But big deals are unlikely as the bodys rules require full consensus among all 164 member states  a tall order in the current climate.

I dont have hopes that a very substantive agreement will be announced, said Marcelo Olarreaga, professor of Economics at the University of Geneva.

My impression is that the negotiators are dealing with tactical positions  how to make it look like it is the other (side) who is blocking negotiations, he told AFP.

Okonjo-Iweala has sought to play down expectations.

Lets not pretend that any of this will be easy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said in her opening speech, describing the atmosphere as tougher than the WTOs last 2022 meeting, citing wars, tensions and elections and signs that trade growth will undershoot the bodys own estimate.

She called on ministers to roll up their sleeves and complete negotiations, but seemed to rule out any deal in Abu Dhabi on reforming the bodys mothballed appeals court.

We are not there yet, she said.

Negotiators say they are still hopeful for an agreement that could buoy global fish stocks and protect fishermen by banning government subsidies.

We are not in dreamland here. International cooperation is in bad shape. Real success would be fish, plus two or three things, one trade delegate told Reuters.

Other outcomes from the four-day meeting that are either definite or achievable are the accession of two new members, Comoros and East Timor, and a deal among some 120 countries to remove development-hampering investment barriers.

Tougher areas are extending a 25-year moratorium on applying tariffs on digital trade, which South Africa and India oppose, and an agreement on agriculture trade rules that has eluded negotiators for decades.

The multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core is at a critical juncture; it is confronting many challenges, Thani Al Zeyoudi, conference chair and UAEs minister of foreign trade said in an opening address.

The WTO remains a powerful force in countering the current unilateralism, protectionism, and discrimination.

On Sunday, the UAE announced a $10 million grant to support WTO initiatives such as the Fisheries Funding Mechanism, the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), and the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, launched during the conference.

Zeyoudi said that trade and sustainability would be on the agenda as part of an effort to ensure the bodys future relevance.

One factor that could help is the determination of Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian finance minister, whose insistence on all-night meetings helped deliver a package of deals in Geneva in 2022.

What makes me a bit more optimistic than others at this point is that the director-general is a very proactive person and is prepared to push ministers. Also, the UAE trade minister is very results-orientated, said Alan Yanovich, partner at law firm Akin Gump Strauss.

John Denton, International Chamber of Commerce Secretary General, said even a modest outcome such as a forward-looking ministerial statement that showed common purpose among governments would be worth taking.

The WTO is a public good ultimately, and our view is that there is a major cost to the real economy from any erosion of that system, he said.

During the WTOs last ministerial meeting, held at its Geneva headquarters in June 2022, trade ministers nailed down a historic deal banning fisheries subsidies harmful to marine life and agreed to a temporary patent waiver for Covid-19 vaccines.

They also committed themselves to re-establishing a dispute settlement system which Washington had brought to a grinding halt in 2019 after years of blocking the appointment of new judges to the WTOs appeals court.

Replicating the success, the miracle, of MC12 in 2022 will be extremely challenging, European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said this month.

Negotiations on the big-ticket items  such as fisheries, agriculture and the e-commerce moratorium  will remain open until the final phase of the conference, he added.

Negotiations on dispute settlement reform and potentially some parts of the outcome document will also be challenging.

With inputs from agencies
Nafe Singh Rathee and one of his private security team members were killed on Sunday when unidentified assailants opened fire at the car in which he was travelling in Haryanas Jhajjar district. A two-time MLA of the Indian National Lok Dal, he was receiving death threats in the past, with the party claiming that he had been given no police protection

Haryana unit president Nafe Singh Rathee. He was a former MLA and also served as chairman of the Bahadurgarh Municipal Council. Image Courtesy: @NafeSinghRathee/X

Haryana is on the edge. On Sunday, the Indian National Lok Dals (INLD) Haryana unit president Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Jhajjar district. The incident took place when unidentified men opened fire at Rathees SUV in Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar, killing the former MLA and a member of his security team, while two others are critically injured.

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The attack, which comes weeks before the Lok Sabha elections, drew sharp reactions from the Opposition, which alleged a breakdown in law and order in the BJP-ruled state. INLD leader Abhay Chautala has demanded for a CBI probe into the incident, saying: Those who need the security are not getting it, instead, those who are accused in several cases are getting it. So I clearly hold the chief minister responsible for this incident.

But who was Nafe Singh Rathee? How was he gunned down? Heres what we know so far?

Who was Nafe Singh Rathee?

Rathee, a prominent Jat leader, hailed from the Jatwada village in Bahadurgarh. He began his career in politics 40 years ago from the INLD. He became an MLA from Bahadurgarh from 1996 to 2005 and later became the president of the partys Haryana unit. He also served as chairman of the Bahadurgarh Municipal Council for two terms.

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In 2014, he switched to the BJP after being denied a ticket from the INLD. However, the BJP too did not give him a ticket, and he contested independently. In 2018, he was back to INLD.

In 2020, he was elevated to president of the partys Haryana unit, succeeding Birbal Das Dhalia, who was elevated as the INLD national president.

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Rathee had a brush with the law earlier. He was declared the main accused in the suicide case of Jagdish Rathi, son of former BJP minister Mange Ram Rathi, and booked under Section 306 (abetment to suicide). A Lookout Circular had also been issued against Rathee, blocking him from leaving the country. According to Jagdishs family, Rathee used to harass him in a matter related to real estate.

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Following Rathee being gunned down, Abhay Chautala claimed that the leader had told him months ago that his life was in danger and he could be attacked anytime. Chautala accused the government of not providing Rathee with security despite there being threat to his life, and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij.

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#WATCH | Jhajjar: Haryana INLD leader Abhay Chautala says, "The incident that has taken place today (death of party chief Nafe Singh Rathee), for this the state government is responsible. They are responsible because, six months ago, Nafe Singh told me, the police informed him https://t.co/uVAmhsvFYk pic.twitter.com/1jKWEPtBlV  ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2024

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How was Rathee gunned down?

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On Sunday, the unit chief was travelling in his SUV with three private gunmen hired for his security in Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district. The unidentified assailants arrived at the spot in another car  a Hyundai i10  and began firing indiscriminately at Rathees vehicle near the Barahi railway crossing.

It was later reported that Rathee had been rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead. An Indian Express report stated that the three security personnel were also injured in the attack, with one of them  identified as Jai Kishan from Jhajjars Mandothi village  also succumbing to his injuries. The other two are still under treatment.

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#WATCH | Jhajjar: Dr Manish Sharma at Brahma Shakti Sanjeevani Hospital says, "In the evening, four people who had been shot were brought to Brahma Shakti Sanjeevani Hospital. Out of them, two had suffered heavy bleeding and were brought dead, still, we tried CPR but they pic.twitter.com/wDVO5mbbIU  ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2024

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Jhajjar Superintendent of Police Arpit Jain said the CIA and STF teams of the police are looking into the incident. We will arrest the accused soon, he added.

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Bullet marks on the SUV in which Rathee was attacked while travelling. ANI

A News9Live report has said that cops are working under the assumption that the killing is part of a contract murder. They are investigating if a gang could be involved in the killing, with some pointing fingers at the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. A Hindustan Times report further stated that the police suspect gangster Lawrence Bishnoi to be behind the attack and initial inquiries point to property disputes.

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In the meantime, Haryana home minister Anil Vij said he had spoken to officials and ordered them to take immediate action. He said the Special Task Force is probing the matter and the culprits will be nabbed soon.

How did leaders react?

Shortly after the incident came to light, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) slammed the ruling government, alleging that there was a failure of law and order.

Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, The news of INLD state president Nafe Singh Rathee being shot dead in Haryana is very sad. This reflects the law and order of the stateToday no one is feeling safe in the state.

AAP leader Sushil Gupta said that rule of law has ended in Haryana and jungle raj prevails, adding, No one is safe in Haryana today.

AAP chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that it was unfortunate and that BJP had destroyed the states law and order.

With inputs from agencies
Norwegian Dawn, a cruise ship, with over 3,000 people on board is stranded off the coast of Mauritius as authorities refused to let it dock after a mystery illness on board. This is not the first time such an incident has happened  in the first six months of 2023, there were at least 13 infectious outbreaks recorded on vessels

The cruise ship of the Norwegian Cruise Line 'Norwegian Dawn" has been docked off the coast of Mauritius owing to an outbreak among the passengers. While it is not confirmed what they are suffering from, some suspect it to be cholera. File image/Reuters

You have booked yourself a beautiful holiday aboard a cruise liner. And cant wait to travel the world on the high seas. But what happens when your ship fails to dock and you are stranded at sea?

Thats exactly the situation for more than 3,000 people on board the Norwegian Dawn, belonging to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, after Mauritius denied it from docking at any of ports due to what it said was a health risk.

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And what is more concerning is that this isnt the first time that passengers have been left stranded after a ship was denied docking permission owing to a disease outbreak. In fact, there has been a rise in infectious outbreaks on ships, which begs the question: What is it about cruises that can make them such hotspots for infection?

On board the Norwegian Dawn

Norwegian Cruise Lines Norwegian Dawn is currently quarantined off the coast of Mauritius with a reported stomach illness on board. It was scheduled to dock in Port Louis on Sunday, but authorities denied it permission from docking.

The decision not to allow the cruise ship access to the quay was taken in order to avoid any health risks, the Mauritius Ports Authority said in a statement, adding, The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost to the authorities.

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While it has not been confirmed what could be the illness on board, some have speculated that it is cholera. Mauritius health ministry officials have taken samples of 15 people from the cruise and are now awaiting the results, due on Tuesday.

Earlier, a spokesperson for the US-headquartered Norwegian Cruise Line was quoted by Reuters as saying that some passengers on board the ships voyage to South Africa had experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness on 13 February.

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Notably, the ship was refused to dock on the French island of La Reunion last Friday due to the gastrointestinal illnesses. Both the French government and the islands regional health authority considered the health situation on board the ship to be unsatisfactory, reported South China Morning Post.

Previous instances of outbreaks on cruises

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And the case aboard Norwegian Dawn isnt the first such instance. Two weeks ago, a mystery gastrointestinal sickness took over Hawaii-bound Queen Victoria, operated by Cunard Cruise Line. The vessel had 1,824 passengers and 967 crew members, and left from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on 22 January and was expected to reach its final destination of Honolulu on 12 February.

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Over 150 people were reported sick on the vessel and the US health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that it was investigating the cause of the sickness.

Prior to this, almost 100 passengers on a Celebrity Cruises ship, Celebrity Constellation, contracted norovirus after it departed from Florida on 3 January. Among 2,056 guests on board, 92 reported being ill on the lines Celebrity Constellation ship, along with eight crew members, according to the CDC. Their main symptoms were vomiting and diarrhoea.

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For the unaware, norovirus is a highly contagious viral illness that causes gastroenteritis  inflammation of the stomach and intestines which lead to vomiting and diarrhoea.

The Cunard cruise liner Queen Victoria reported a massive outbreak of a gastrointestinal sickness in June last year. File image/Reuters

And thats not all. As per a CDC analysis, there have been 13 such outbreaks on cruise ships in 2023, making over 1,900 people sick, the most outbreaks the US has witnessed since 2012. Of them all, the biggest outbreak was last June when 110 passengers on board and nine crew members reported vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps aboard the Viking Neptune.

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As per a Today.com report, several weeks earlier, a Celebrity Summit cruise ship had reported an outbreak of norovirus that sickened more than 150 passengers and 25 crew members.

Another big outbreak took place in 2014 when 595 passengers and 50 crew members aboard Royal Caribbeans Explorer of the Seas fell ill with bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea, forcing the ship to return early to New Jersey.

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Last October, more than 70 people also fell ill on board a Virgin Voyages cruise, with most complaining of abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea. The health agency then listed salmonella and E. coli as the cause.

Cause for sickness on board liners

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But what is the reason that ships are a hotbed for such infections to spread? A simple reason for this is the close confinement in which passengers live. Additionally, the longer you are in close contact with others, the greater the chance of exposure to an infectious dose of viruses or bacteria.

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Also, people tend to crowd together in confined spaces for extended periods on board a cruise. These include dining halls, and during social activities in casinos, bars and theatres. Experts also note that the noisy environment on board a cruise also serves towards more infections. As they explain, more droplets and aerosols are shed when people are laughing, shouting or talking loudly.

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People tend to crowd together in confined spaces for extended periods on board a cruise. These include dining halls, and during social activities in casinos, bars, theatres and swimming pools. This helps in the quick spread of diseases. Image used for representational purposes/Pixabay

As Claire Panosian, a professor emeritus in the division of infectious diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, said to CNN: When you have a lot people in a closed environment, whether its a nursing home or an institution like a school or a cruise ship, its more like an incubator because people are in closer proximity and viruses can end up in the air and on surfaces that people touch.

Theres also the fact that some passengers are already ill when they board the ship but dont disclose it, as they dont want to be isolated. This can cause their germs to spread, causing an outbreak. Moreover, as per a report by The Conversation, those who became ill were more likely than those who did not to think that hand hygiene and isolation were not effective in preventing infection transmission, and were less likely to wash their hands after using the toilet.

A general lack of food safety is another reason for diseases to proliferate on cruises. For instance, most people opt for the buffet option for meals, which means that food tongs are handled by multiple people of which some may not have cleaned their hands.

Also, utensils for the buffets are stored in soiled water, or dirty ones are added in with clean utensils. Water is leaking onto containers of vegetables; sneeze guards are missing or improperly used, and breads with visible fly contamination are reused.

The ships are also notoriously difficult to clean and diseases like norovirus and even measles are hard to scrub off from surfaces.

A crew member cleans a window on a cruise in order to keep it clean. Passengers should follow good hygiene on board cruise ships to keep diseases away. File image/AFP

Tips to stay safe on cruise liners

Medical experts note that there are ways people can keep themselves safe on board. One of the simplest ways for people to stay safe is to follow basic health, including reporting any illness that occurs prior to joining a voyage, or while on board, frequent and washing hands, and leaving the area if someone is sick. Also cover ones mouth if coughing or sneezing, and wash or sanitise hands after touching their mouth or nose.

The CDC has also noted that when travellers eat off the ship at port, should be cautious about what they eat and the water they drink. They should also take measures to prevent insect bites, especially in malaria- or dengue-endemic areas or areas with outbreaks of vector borne diseases, such as chikungunya and Zika.

With inputs from agencies
Maryam Nawaz, 50, has been elected the first woman chief minister of Punjab province  the post previously held by her father Nawaz and uncle Shehbaz which has long been a stepping stone to the prime ministers office. Experts say that Maryams rise may not be a win for women empowerment, but it certainly is a landmark event in the countrys history

Maryam Nawaz, 50, is her,father's political heir. She received 220 votes in the 371-seat provincial Assembly of the country's most populous province and the home base of the powerful Sharif family. Reuters

Maryam Nawaz has made history.

The daughter of Nawaz Sharif has been elected as chief minister of Pakistans Punjab province  first woman to hold this position.

The 50-year-old, who is her fathers political heir, got 220 votes in the 371-seat provincial Assembly of the countrys most populous province and the home base of the powerful Sharif family.

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Lets examine the rise of Maryam:

Early years

Maryam was born on 28 October, 1973 in Lahore.

According to Al Jazeera, Maryam is the oldest of four siblings.

While she studied medicine, she did not complete her degree.

According to Dawn, Maryam was embroiled in controversy when she enrolled into a medical college and then transferred to the prestigious King Edward Medical College in Lahore.

She later did a Masters in English Literature from Punjab University.

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Maryam married Safdar Awan, an army officer who was serving as a personal secretary to his father in his second term as prime minister in 1992.

According to the Dawn newspaper, Awan worked as a personal secretary to Nawaz at a time when Maryam was barely out of her teens.

They have a son, two daughters and a grand-daughter.

Diving into politics

Maryam dove into politics only in 2013 when her father Nawaz was prime minister, according to the outlet.

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According to Hindustan Times, Maryam was elected president of the PML-N that year.

Maryam played a key role in establishing her partys social media wing to combat Imrans digital presence.

She also headed the youth affairs programme for her father.

However, she resigned from the post in 2014 after her appointment was challenged in the Lahore High Court, according to Hindustan TImes.

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According to Al Jazeera, Maryam assumed an even bigger role in the PML-N in 2017 after her father was disqualified for lying about his assets to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Known for her fiery speeches and pulling large crowds, Maryam Nawaz has not held a prominent public office. Reuters

However, Maryam was herself disqualified from contesting polls after being convicted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, alongside her father and husband, for corruption in the Panama Papers scandal.

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According to Hindustan Times, the court ruled that Maryam was involved in money laundering.

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However, Maryam has continued to insist upon her innocence.

Maryam and Nawaz both served jail time before their convictions were overturned.

Maryam made it to the BBCs top 100 most powerful women list in 2017.

She was also featured on a similar New York Times list.

After her father left for London in late 2019 for medical treatment, she led a countrywide campaign to take on Imrans government, the countrys powerful military and the judiciary, who she blamed for targeting her party and family.

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According to The Times of India, Maryam is an exceedingly wealthy woman.

Ahead of the February polls, Maryam she declared that she owned land worth over Rs 84 crore in her election affidavit.

Maryam also said she has gold worth Rs 17.5 and Rs 1 crore in several bank accounts and cash.

In January, Maryam was elected senior vice-president of the PML-N and given the mandate to reorganise the party at all levels, according to the Dawn newspaper.

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Elected amid boycott

Maryams election was boycotted by the Opposition Sunni Ittehad Council party backed by former prime minister Imran Khan.

Imran and his allies have claimed that the recently concluded national polls were rigged  which the countrys poll body has denied.

She secured 220 votes in the 371-seat provincial assembly, the Punjab assembly speaker said has he announced the results of the election that was boycotted by the Opposition Sunni Ittehad Council party backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.

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Imran and his allies allege that the 8 February national elections were rigged against them - an allegation denied by the countrys election commission.

I am disappointed the Opposition is not here to be part of this democratic process, Maryam said in her address to the house after winning the election, adding that her doors were open to talks with the Opposition.

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While she is known for her fiery speeches and pulling large crowds, but has not held a prominent public office before.

The 2024 general election was the first time she contested the polls, and she represented her fathers Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

She has faced deep criticism from opponents, including Imran, of dynastic politics in Pakistan.

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But has also been targeted for being a woman leader in the socially conservative Muslim nation.

A woman with a mind of her own who does not conform to your ideas, who is good-looking, stylish and knows it; is that the problem? said political commentator Marvi Sirmad, referring to the critical comments against her.

What do experts say?

The political significance of the move cannot be underlined. It underscores the Sharif familys tightening hold on Pakistan. The post has also long been a stepping stone to becoming the countrys prime minister.

Maryam is the fourth member of her family to become the chief minister of Punjab, which accounts for 53 per cent of Pakistans 241 million population and 60 percent of its $350 billion GDP.

Her father Nawaz and his younger brother, Shehbaz have also been chief ministers of Punjab.

Shehbazs son held the post for a few months last year.

Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif have both served as chief ministers of Punjab province. Reuters

Shehbaz is likely to be elected Pakistans prime minister for a second time when the parliament meets later this week.

Experts say that despite her famous surname  and perhaps even because of it  Maryam faces an uphill battle.

Nida Kirmani, associate professor of sociology at Lahore University of Management Science, told Al Jazeera while the development may not necessarily be a victory for womens empowerment, it is certainly a landmark event in Pakistan politics

One hopes that she will use her position to further the cause of gender equality in her province and set an example for the rest of the country to follow, Kirmani added.

Pakistan, of course, already has one high-profile example of a woman politician  Benazir Bhutto.

Bhutto, who served as Pakistan prime minister twice, was also the daughter of former president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Bhutto was the first female prime minister of a Muslim-majority nation.

It is a reality that many women who occupy powerful positions do so partially because of their family backgrounds. Changing this would require a change in the structure of the political system and the structure of patriarchy itself, she said.

Like other women in powerful positions, Maryam will have to work twice as hard to prove herself as a worthy political leader in her own right.

Scholar and gender rights activist Afiya Shehrbano Zia added, If [her> office shows a compassionate but strong female face, much can be achieved and she will gain legitimacy. But it cannot be performative. She must carve out her own identity which will require angering and crossing the old Punjabi men and holding her own.

Zaigham Khan wrote for Prism in October 2023 that Maryams inconsistent style of political activism, characterised by alternating periods of high activity followed by prolonged absences, made it challenging for her to maintain a consistent political persona. This approach seemed to have been employed ostensibly to provide Shehbaz with an opportunity to negotiate with the establishment.

No desire for revenge

Indian Express quoted Maryam as saying that her win was the victory of every woman, every mother, every sister.

Today, this victory is not just mine. It is the victory of every woman, every motherand I hope I am not the last. This victory for women should continue even after me, Maryam said.

Maryam added that she has no desire for revenge against her political rivals.

She said she had seen hard times like imprisonment but was thankful to her opponents for making her strong.

I neither have a feeling of revenge or vengeance and my journey includes my arrest, my fathers arrest, my mothers passing away, she said, indirectly referring to former Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and former Supreme Court chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar.

She thanked the Opposition for making her go through all the ordeal which helped her reach the provinces top office, referring to the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, whose government incarcerated the Sharif family in corruption cases.

On this occasion, I thank my late mother (Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif) too as she knowingly and unknowingly trained me for this day. She is still present with me, her prayers and best wishes. She taught me how to face trials, said Maryam in her inaugural speech.

I am thankful that you have made me occupy the seat from where a visionary leader like Nawaz started his career [and> who later made Pakistan invincible with nuclear technology, said the newly-elected chief minister.

She said that the senior PML-N leaders including Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif were her mentors. I consider this office as a big responsibility on my shoulders, she added.

Maryam Nawaz won the chief ministerial elections amidst a walkout by lawmakers of Imran Khans party-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

Maryam received 220 votes and won the chief ministerial elections for the politically crucial Punjab province, home to 120 million people. She defeated Rana Aftab of the PTI-backed SIC, who received no votes as his party boycotted the election.

I want to thank those who put me in difficulties, which included death cells, court visits, incarceration of my father and the death of my mother, but despite all this, I feel indebted to my adversaries. Today, where I am standing, it is all because of this struggle, she was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.

Maryam, thanked God, her father, uncle Shehbaz Sharif and the lawmakers who voted for her.

She said that she was happy to sit in the seat where her father used to sit.

My father trained me how to run the office, Maryam said.

The vice president of PML-N said her appointment is an honour for every woman in the country and hoped that the tradition of female leadership would continue in the future as well.

Maryam outlined that her partys key objective during her tenure would be the provision of employment, education and healthcare.

She also announced a Ramazan relief package, Nigheban, for the province.

She said it includes essentials worth Pakistani Rs 6.5 to Rs 7 million which would be distributed to the public in packages.

Maryam said she has plans to transform Punjab into an economic hub by creating an enabling environment for businessmen.

She said the safety of women in the province was her first priority and announced a dedicated helpline for them.

Harassing any woman is Maryam Nawazs red line, she affirmed.

She also lauded Gulber Circle ASP Shehr Bano for protecting the life of a teenage girl wearing a dress with Arabic calligraphy printed on it from an attack by a charged mob in Lahore yesterday, Dawn reported.

With inputs from agencies
A priest is permitted to lead prayers in the Vyas Tehkhana, the southern basement of the Gyanvapi mosque, according to a ruling made last month by the Varanasi district court

Within the mosque's basement are four 'tehkhanas' (cellars), one of which is still owned by the Vyas family Image Courtesy PTI

A petition contesting the Varanasi district courts ruling to let Hindu prayers in the Gyanvapi mosques cellar was denied by the Allahabad High Court on Monday.

Judge Rohit Ranjan Agarwal declared, Hindu prayers in the Vyas Tehkhana will continue, turning down the plea by the mosque committee.

A priest is permitted to lead prayers in the Vyas Tehkhana, the southern basement of the Gyanvapi mosque, according to a ruling made last month by the Varanasi district court.

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On the plea of Shailendra Kumar Pathak, who claimed that his maternal grandpa Somnath Vyas performed prayers until December 1993, the district court issued its ruling. Since he was a hereditary pujari, Pathak had asked to be permitted to return to the tehkhana and do his puja.

Within the mosques basement are four tehkhanas (cellars), one of which is still owned by the Vyas family.

The petitioners version had been denied by the mosque committee. The committee stated that since there were no idols in the cellar, prayers could not be said there until 1993.

On February 15, the Allahabad High Court heard arguments from both sides and postponed making a decision.

An Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report survey that the district court had previously ordered in connection with a related lawsuit had previously suggested that the mosque was built over the ruins of a Hindu Temple during Aurangzebs reign.
Last week, India advised its citizens to avoid getting engaged in the war between Russia and Ukraine after reports suggested that several Indians signed up for support jobs with the Russian army

The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday rejected reports claiming that Indian nationals in Russia are seeking help for discharge adding that all the cases regarding the matter are being taken up by Russian authorities.

We have seen some inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge, MEA said in a statement.

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The ministry added, Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities and those brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi. Several Indians have already been discharged as a result.

The statement also said that the foreign ministry is actively collaborating with its Russian counterpart for an early discharge from the Russian army.

Last week, India advised its citizens to avoid getting engaged in the war between Russia and Ukraine after reports suggested that several Indians signed up for support jobs with the Russian army.

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The Indian Embassy has regularly taken up this matter with the relevant Russian authorities for their early discharge, the statement by MEA said.

We urge all Indian nationals to exercise due caution and stay away from this conflict, it added.

A 23-year-old man hailing from Gujarat reportedly died in a Ukrainian air strike in Donetsk on 21 Feb.

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According to The Hindu, Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya was employed by the Russian Army as a security helper in December 2023.

Meanwhile, some reports suggest that several Indians who were hired as security helpers by the Russian Army were forced to fight beside troops in the countrys war against Ukraine.

Many of these Indians are from Karnataka, Telangana, and Jammu and Kashmir.

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The Hindu report said that the Indian nationals were initially trained to handle arms and ammunition by the Russian Army.
Active participation by Greece in the IMEC corridor, defence and security cooperation, and the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement have the potential to take New Delhi-Athens bilateral ties to new heights

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis paid a state visit to India on February 2122, 2024. This was the first visit by a Greek PM to India after a gap of 15 years, the last visit having been undertaken by the then Greek PM Kostas Karamanlis in January 2008.

In addition, this visit came within six months of the visit by PM Narendra Modi to Greece in August 2023. The visit by PM Modi to Greece was after a long gap of 40 years. The last visit of an Indian PM to Greece took place in 1983!

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The Greek PM was accompanied by a strong delegation of 63 CEOs and industry leaders from top Greek companies to explore possibilities of further expansion of bilateral economic and commercial ties.

Mitsotakis also inaugurated, along with PM Modi, the ninth edition of the Raisina Dialogue, Indias flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, and delivered the keynote address on February 21, 2024.

Current Status

India has enjoyed long-standing, warm, and friendly relations with Greece, marked by consistent support for each other on issues of strategic national interest and core concern to them, such as Kashmir to India and Cyprus to Greece.

On Jammu and Kashmir, Greeces position has fully reflected Indias concerns. It did not issue any statement on the recent developments in Kashmir, including the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. Greece supports Indias quest for a permanent seat in an expanded UNSC.

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This was reiterated to loud applause by PM Mitsotakis in his keynote address at the Raisina Dialogue. Greece supported India at the Nuclear Suppliers Group in 2008. It supported New Delhis membership in the MTCR, WASSENAAR arrangements, and Australia Group in 2016, along with Indias candidature for several UN bodies.

Following Indias nuclear tests in May 1998, when most Western countries imposed sanctions against India, the Greek Defence Minister visited India in December 1998 (the first Defence Minister from a NATO country to visit India after the tests) and signed an MoU on defence cooperation.

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Political Ties

Diplomatic relations were established between the two countries in May 1950. Greece opened its embassy in Delhi in 1950, and India did the same in Athens in 1978. The relationship has progressed smoothly over the last seven decades.

On the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)/National Register of Citizenship (NRC), the reorganisation of the new Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh, and the judgement on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, the official stand of Greece is that these are internal affairs of India.

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Greece strongly condemned the Mumbai terrorist attacks of 2008. Soon after the Pulwama terrorist attack in February 2019, it issued a statement condemning the attack in strong terms. During the India-EU Porto Summit held on May 8, 2021, the Greek PM expressed Greeces full solidarity and support for India in the EU.

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During the visit of EAM in June 2021, the framework agreement on the International Solar Alliance was signed, which was ratified by the Greek Parliament on March 15, 2022.

The Visit

India and Greece upgraded their bilateral engagement to a strategic partnership during the visit of PM Modi to Athens in August 2023. During the current visit, the two leaders reaffirmed the Strategic Partnership and instructed their teams to continue upgrading the bilateral agenda further and forging cooperation in all dimensions of political, economic, security, defence, maritime, shipping, and cultural cooperation.

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Both India and Greece are historical maritime powers. The two PMs reinforced their commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Mediterranean Sea and Indo-Pacific in accordance with the international law of the sea as reflected in UNCLOS and with full respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and freedom of navigation to the benefit of maritime security and international peace and stability.

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The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) came up for detailed discussion during the deliberations. This is reflective of the keen interest of the two countries in advancing this project. On the heels of the substantive discussions that took place during the visit of PM Modi to the UAE on February 14, the fruitful discussions between PMs Modi and Mitsotakis provided a further shot in the arm for this ambitious initiative.

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During discussions, PM Mitsotakis projected Greece as the gateway to Europe for India. The leaders agreed that the project will enhance connectivity between India and Europe through engagement and cooperation among the countries of the region, including in the fields of trade, commerce, investment, technology, energy, logistics, ports, and infrastructure.

PM Mitsotakis expressed Greeces interest in joining the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, which seeks to manage, conserve, and sustain the maritime domain. This was warmly welcomed by PM Modi, who acknowledged Greeces leadership on maritime issues.

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The two leaders reaffirmed their shared objectives to advance defence cooperation, including defence industrial collaboration and innovation.

Bilateral commercial cooperation between the two countries has registered impressive growth over the last few years. It reached a level of 1.32 billion euros in 2022, which was 58 per cent higher than the previous year.

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In accordance with the objective of doubling bilateral trade by 2030, which was agreed to in Athens in 2023, PM Mitsotakis held meetings with Indian business leaders in New Delhi and Mumbai. He invited Indian businesses to seize the opportunities provided by the re-invigorated Greek economy and invest in Greece in ports, logistics, energy, and supply chains.

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The two sides emphasised the implementation of the MoUs between Enterprise Greece and CII, Enterprise Greece and FICCI, and the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry with FICCI.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the advanced stage of introducing the Indian-developed Unified Payment Interface (UPI) to the Greek financial system and noted the progress being made in facilitating cross-border money transfers between India and Greece with the signing of the MoU between Eurobank and NPCI (UPI).

It was decided that India and Greece would work to enhance cooperation in space, science, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and clean technologies or renewable energy.

They highlighted the enormous potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for promoting economic and social goals and cooperation, with a focus on e-governance and e-public service delivery, including e-learning, telemedicine, and the reskilling and up-skilling of young talent in areas of new and emerging technologies.

The PMs referred to the importance of tourism as a key sector for continued economic growth. It was agreed to encourage the private sector to establish direct flights between Greece and India. This is an issue that was also discussed during the visit by PM Modi in August last year. Direct flights between the two countries would add significantly to bilateral tourist flows and enhance people-to-people understanding and cooperation.

The two leaders agreed to a speedy conclusion of the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA) between the two countries that would facilitate labour mobility between the two countries. India has signed such agreements with a number of countries in Europe and other regions. These are win-win instruments of cooperation as they respond to the urgently felt needs of all countries concerned. The highly trained and disciplined Indian diaspora has acquitted itself creditably in many countries around the world. It will also be an asset to Greece once the MMPA is signed and implemented.

Both leaders appreciated the long-standing cultural exchanges and enrichment between India and Greece, particularly the role of Greek Indologists and Indian Hellenists. They welcomed efforts to promote bilateral exchanges in music, dance, theatre, films, literature, museums, archives, and festivals.

The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the India-EU Strategic Partnership and to work together in the implementation of the India-EU Connectivity Partnership. They reiterated their firm support for the ongoing negotiations for an India-EU Free Trade Agreement.

The two leaders recalled their strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations (including cyber-terrorism), whenever, wherever, and by whomever it was committed, as well as the use of terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism. Both reiterated the urgent need for all countries to take immediate, sustained, verifiable, and irreversible action in this regard.

The leaders affirmed their commitment to achieving comprehensive reforms of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in order to realistically reflect the international system. India reiterated its support for Greeces UNSC candidature for the term 202526; Greece expressed its support for Indias bid for the term 202829

At the Raisina Dialogue

In his keynote address, PM Mitsotakis said, Today, India is a great power on the world stage, an important ally in the pursuit of peace and security, a rising force at the heart of the G20, and a leading player in the fight against climate change." Speaking on the India-Greece relationship, PM Mitsotakis said that it is a moment to both reflect upon and celebrate the strength of a partnership between India and Greece. A partnership between two allies, two countries that share similar values. A partnership between the worlds oldest democracy and the worlds largest democracy.

He asserted that strong relations with India are a foremost priority for Greece and should be for the European Union as well. India and Greece dont see democracy as a barrier but as an enabler for the better delivery of governance. He added, We are at a unique moment of mutually beneficial opportunity, one in which Greece, given its geographic, cultural, and strategic proximity, can act as an interlocutor between India and Europe.

He declared that the conflict in Ukraine transcended local boundaries and should not be viewed merely as a European conflict. He highlighted Indias voice as one that should be heard on the international stage. PM Mitsotakis declared that Indias example convincingly challenges any flawed notion that significant scale is a barrier to democracy. You are an example to the world, an example which should be celebrated. India and Greece share a commitment to democracy and a belief in the virtues of discussion, debate, and the preservation of democratic ideals.

The Greek premier underscored the ongoing evolution of democracy. Democracies are constant works in progress facing a range of unprecedented threats. He asserted that India has emerged today as a consensus builder and a voice of reason. He extended Greeces support for the reform of the United Nations Security Council to bring countries like India on board.

Conclusion

The state visit by Greek PM Mitsotakis, soon after the visit by PM Modi to Greece in August 2023, provided a huge impetus to the bilateral strategic partnership concluded between the two countries last August. As two ancient and great civilisations, India and Greece have a long history of deep cultural and people-to-people ties.

For almost two and a half thousand years, people of both countries have been exchanging trade and cultural relations as well as ideas. All these elements were provided a big boost during the discussion, and decisions were arrived at during the visit.

In addition to discussions and agreements reached in the spheres of agriculture, pharma, medical devices, technology, innovation, skill development, start-ups, shipping, connectivity, higher education, defence, security, cyber and maritime security, and space, the two countries have enormous strategic affinities that draw them closer to each other.

Cyprus is to Greece what Kashmir is to India. The common element in both cases is Turkey, which is a direct actor in the Cyprus conflict and an indirect player because of its strong support for Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.

Active participation by Greece in the IMEC corridor, defence and security cooperation, and the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement have the potential to take bilateral ties to new heights. With pro-active establishments in both countries, the future of bilateral ties appears bright and luminous.

The writer is executive council member, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, president, Institute of Global Studies, Distinguished Fellow, Ananta Aspen Centre, and former Ambassador of India to Kazakhstan, Sweden and Latvia. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Mariya Didi, the former defence minister of Maldives, was recently in New Delhi to attend the Firstpost Defence Summit. In an interview to Firstpost on the sidelines of the event, she spoke on various facets of the India-Maldives relations, the Muizzu governments performance, Maldives relations with China, Indias strategic altruism and more. The following are excerpts from the interview. It has been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.

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For a country that shares such a close bond with India, what lies behind this current antagonism?

The rhetoric lies behind this antagonism or the supposed antagonism. Parliamentary elections are just round the bend, and I think president (Mohamed) Muizzu thinks that there is an antagonism between the Maldivians and the Indians. Because of the rhetoric that they created saying that Maldives sovereignty is being lost and all that (It has been) three months since he came into government, the Indian troops are still there. And there has been no threat to our sovereignty whatsoever by them being there. We have always assured the Maldivian public and everybody else that they are there on a purely humanitarian ground to help us in case, you know, somebody needs to be airlifted or whatever.

If a person is lost at sea, I mean originally also this came about because we used to ask India for help and you had to find a free helicopter or Dornier or something to help us find that person or airline. That took time. Because helicopters cannot just fly over to the Maldives. It has to be transported on a ship.

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So, the solution for this at that time by the (previous) government was for the troops to be placed there for them to help us. They do not fly unless the MNDF (Maldives National Defence Forces) instructs them. The MNDF has to ask them for the helicopter to lift off the ground. Till today, because the MNDF hasnt asked them to do anything that the helicopters are there, the Dornier is there, the (Indian) troops are there. Recently a Maldivian young boy was lost at sea, but president Muizzu refused to get the help of these professionals who had the professional equipment to help. Unfortunately, he died

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I hope such incidents do not happen in the future and I hope president Muizzu realizes that he shouldnt be caught in his own rhetoric and that he should move on as a responsible member of the international community and let Maldives have its status which it had during our time in government.

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Would you say then that the current rhetoric is largely due to political manoeuvring, or does it have its roots in the society?

When president (Abdulla) Yameen was in power, he went to the Supreme Court and got rid of many parliamentarians It was very unconstitutional. We were regressing in our democracy He didnt like to be queried. He accused India of interfering in our national affairs. When our hard-earned democracy, our Constitution (under Yameen) was at risk, he wanted India to shut an eye to that. He got annoyed because his power is being eroded. He wanted to stay forever.

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So, do you think that is where it is flowing from? Muizzu is walking in those footsteps?

Yeah Muizzu being I would say relatively new to politics. He has never been in Parliament. Hes just been a minister somewhere, an executive post and the only thing was he won a mayorship, but with very little votes. He was in the shadows of somebody else always People were shouting at Yameen. Muizzu was an executive, so nobody really bothered about him. Muizzu must have thought that he won this elections on that (India bashing)

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He is now trying to consolidate it, but what actually is happening is that Maldivian economy is in a very bad state. Muizzu is overspending He is very lavish with whatever he is doing. Theres a lot of unhappiness in the electorate and Muizzu is trying to find a way of deflecting it somewhere and trying to blame somebody else so that people dont really see what is actually happening inside the country.

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Maybe Muizzu thinks that China could be the benefactor even if relationship goes south with India?

I think Muizzu is slowly learning that that also doesnt work you might have strategic competition to a degree between India and China. But there is so much cooperation between India and China as well. So, Maldiveshas to think whether China can really take over the burden that India does for us?

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The Chinese are realists. Muizzu interprets the relationship with India as very transactional But India sees us as partners. Sisters in the Indian Ocean. We work together. Take your external affairs minister, Jaishankar he also said that India doesnt see the Indian Ocean as an arena. India seeks to have partners with those in Indian Ocean so that we make it stable, secure, and free and open Indo-Pacific.

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So that is that was going to be my follow-up question. India, as you said elsewhere, has been Maldivess as 911 call. Both countries share civilisational ties. The language that we speak is tied within the Indic family. India is the first responder in any crisis. So, why would you put all this at risk? What is the thought process behind it?

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It is immaturity. Three months in Muizzu realizes that hes not getting anywhere. So, I see the Coast Guard has taken part in the Indian naval games (2024 Milan Exercise). I see the Dosti exercises taking place right now as we speak in the Maldives. I see that he is slowly realizing the realities of being a president. When you know become president, you dont become president of the world. You have an obligation, no matter how big or small your country is. You have an obligation to work with others as partners and to rely on friends and allies. Even the US, even in if you call it a unipolar world, even then they were part of the NATO. BRICS, G20, BIMSTEC Everybody is working together that is how you assure the sovereignty of a country, you know, to make sure that you have the trust and friendship of your neighbors and friends.

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My final question. Are you surprised that given the background of what has been happening between India and the Maldives of late, the Narendra Modi government has recently come out with an even higher budgetary allocation for Maldives (which now has increased to Rs 770 crore). How do you see this gesture?

Mahatma Gandhi said that an eye for an eye would leave the whole world blind and youre following your philosophies. Even if a Maldives president was acting immature doesnt mean that suddenly the whole of Indian politics should change. The way Muizzu is working it is very likely that our country also could go into a difficult situation, such as Sri Lanka. Even then India came to help. Even if Muizzu continues on this path still India would go in to help its traditional friend, its close neighbour.

Your Prime Minister Modi said when he met (previous) president Ibrahim Mohammed Solih that India has a neighbourhood first policy, but amongst the neighborhood first policy, India sees Maldives first as a very important partner. During our time in government, India presented us with the new Huravee (MCGS Huravee, a patrol vessel commissioned in 2016 and transferred to the Maldivian Coast Guard as MCGS Huravee in 2023). There were so many Maldivians being trained in your institutions, people from our MNDF and those bonds last forever.

Ive seen so many Maldivians who have friends in the Indian army and you know, theyre like brothers, you know, theyve slept in the same cantonment, work together, being classmates together. That sort of traditional bond We eat rice and curry, you eat rice and curry too. We love Indian Bollywood movies. We love Hindi music. We come to India when we are unwell. All these luxury resorts are built on sand and gravel imported from India. These are not things that can be taken away by just one person or president Muizzu who comes for a five-year-term and whose honeymoon period, you know, has been the shortest lived.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.

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America has questioned Indias imports of Russian crude but hasnt stopped its companies from supplying critical weapons components to third countries that export them to Russia

The rise and irreversibility of a multipolar world has rattled the United States (US), the self-anointed global police that lectured other nations and often coerced them into falling in line with its interests in the name of morality for decades.

In the last few years, Russia and China have challenged the US hegemony with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping cementing their ties further.

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India has also developed an independent foreign policy in the last few years thats outside the American orbit. Its ties with the US have become stronger, but it is clear that Washington wants to use New Delhi to counter Beijing in the Indo-Pacific. India also wants stronger ties with the US with Russia and China coming closer and the Peoples Liberation Armys aggression along the Line of Actual Control.

However, India-Russia relations are too old and strong to wither in the face of the increasing collaboration with the US. India cant be coerced into toeing the American line in the Ukraine war. US lectures and warnings to India about morality, war crimes in Ukraine and the NATO sanctions regarding the purchase of discounted Russian oil have become nauseating.

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One month after Russia invaded Ukraine, US President Joe Biden told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that it wasnt in New Delhis interest to buy more oil from Moscow and could hamper Washingtons response to the war.

On several occasions, American diplomats and the Western media have questioned Indias stance. External affairs minister S Jaishankar has been succinct and clear that New Delhi-Moscow relations have always been stable and friendly, and Indian purchase of Russian crude has stabilised oil prices.

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Is that a problem? Why should that be a problem? If I am smart enough to have multiple options, you should be admiring me, he quipped when asked about Indias growing ties with the US on one hand and buying Russian oil on the other at the recent Munich Security Conference.

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In an interview with the German economic daily Handelsblatt, Jaishankar said that India and Europe dont need to have the same views about Russia when asked whether India would have liked European support during the 2020 China border conflict.

When asked about the purchase of discounted Russian crude, he said that India stabilised the energy market because Europe was paying higher prices to Middle East oil exporters after the Western cap of $60 per barrel on Russian oil on 5 December, 2022.

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India looks for its interests

The Western media has been hammering the point that Indias buying of Russian crude had bolstered its war against Ukraine.

CNN recently reported that there is unprecedented amount of cash in Russian coffers after the sale of a record $37 billion of crude oil to India in 2023. Mentioning a Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) analysis exclusively shared with it, the outlet said that India had increased its purchase of Russian crude by more than 13 times its pre-war amounts.

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India, which imports 85 per cent of its crude oil requirement, is looking for its economic interests like any other nation. From $9.51 billion in 2014, bilateral trade with Russia jumped to more than $50 billion by December 2023, boosted by massive crude imports.

According to the commerce ministry, the share of Russian crude in total oil imports has rocketed from only 2 per cent in 2021-22 to 36 per cent in 2022-23 with India purchasing 1.66 million barrels per day (mb/d) as against 651,800 mb/d. Russia became the largest oil exporter to India displacing Iraq, followed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

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Crude oil imports from Russia fell for a second month from 1.62 mb/d in November and 1.32 mb/d in December 2023 to 1.2 mb/d in January, according to energy cargo tracker Vortexa, due to less discounts, recent US sanctions on shipowners transporting Russian crude above the price cap and the Red Sea attacks.

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However, Russia continued to be Indias top supplier accounting for around 25 per cent of 4.91 mb/d imported in January. For example, Russia was Indias leading supplier in December supplying oil worth $3.92 billion. In the first nine months of last year, India saved around $2.7 billion by importing discounted Russian crude.

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US hypocrisy on oil sanctions

While the US has lectured India, it imported Russian oil worth $2.7 million and $749,500 in October and November, respectively, according to a report by Sputnik News in January.

The Western media has neither countered the claim nor reported it. Despite the price cap, the US imported Russian oil, which cost $74 per barrel in October and $76 in November, respectively, the report claimed.

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Citing US Customs data, Sputnik reported that the US imported 36,800 barrels of Russian oil in October and 9,900 in November after the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which enforced sanctions, granted specific licences.

The CREA report also exposes the US hypocrisy on oil sanctions. While America is against India buying Russian crude, it was the largest importer of refined oil productslike diesel, gasoil, jet fuel, gasoline and naphthaworth $1.3 billion from non-price cap coalition (PCC) countries, including India, from December 2022 to December 2023.

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A significant chunk of the CNN> report details how the Russian ships transfer oil to its Shadow Fleet of vessels in Greeces Laconian Gulf, which evade sanctions and reach Indian shores. Citing the data of Pole Star Global, a maritime intelligence company, data, it mentions more than 200 such trips to India last year.

CNN mentions the massive US imports of oil products in only four paras at the end.

CREA found a 44% year-on-year increase in Western imports of oil products by volume produced from Russian crude from third countries in the 13 months with the US topping the list.

Valuation of Russian crude used to make oil products per country:



 USA - EUR 807 mn

 Netherlands - EUR 590 mn

 France - EUR 422 mn

 Italy - 324 mn pic.twitter.com/NOjNnDMthz  Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (@CREACleanAir) February 19, 2024

The value of these imported oil products was 8.5 billion, generating 1.7 billion of tax revenues for Russia. The countries included the US, Netherlands, France, the UK, Italy, Australia, Romania and Spain.

Diesel was the top commodity imported by PCC countries at 7.4 billion from eight major refineries with 76 per cent, worth 5.7 billion, coming Indias Jamnagar refinery. Gasoil worth 4.8 billion was the second highest imported product from these refineries, followed by 4.7 billion of jet fuel.

 Price cap coalition countries imported EUR 2.4 bn of diesel derived from Russian crude since the sanctions until December 2023 pic.twitter.com/W22KnOqVTv  Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (@CREACleanAir) February 19, 2024

More than 30 per cent of Indias oil products exports were derived from Russian crude worth  6.16 billion with the Jamnagar refinery alone exporting 5.2 billion of such products.

 Price cap coalition countries imported a further EUR 469 mn worth of oil products from the Vadinar refinery in India



 Russian energy giant Rosneft is largest shareholder of company that owns Vadinar refinery pic.twitter.com/btzE0uB4iW  Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (@CREACleanAir) February 19, 2024

PCC countries imported a further 469 million worth of oil products from Indias Vadinar refinery despite OFAC-sanctioned Russian energy giant Rosneft holding 49.1 per cent share in the owning company. America imported 59 million of oil products from Vadinar since December 2022.

US critical components in Russian arms

The worst aspect of the American double standard on implementing sanctions against Russia is allowing its companies to supply sanctioned critical components used in missiles, drones and fighter jets to non-PCC nations who export it to Russia.

India is merely buying Russian oil for its economic interests, not supplying battlefield goods and critical componentssemiconductors, computer parts, communications and navigation equipment and other electronicswhich Russia uses in making weapons that target Ukraine.

Isnt the West, especially the US, complicit in the killing of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians?

The US again tops the list of countries whose components are used in manufacturing Russian weapons. According to a December report by War & Sanctions, the worlds first open database of foreign components in weapons, about 75 per cent of the total 2,453 components found in Russian arms in Ukraine were of US origin. The US, with 1,816 items, was followed by Switzerland (120), Japan (96), China (87) and Germany (75). Excluding China, all the other countries have sanctioned Russia.

The Russian Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched ballistic missile, used against Ukraine, has, at least, 78 foreign components, a majority of which are electronic parts made by US companies like Analog Devices, Texas Instruments, and Micron, per the report.

Russian nuclear-capable ballistic missile X-47M2 Kinzhal has at least 78 foreign components, of which the majority are electronic parts made by US companies such as Analog Devices, Texas Instruments, Xilinx, Micron, Maxim, Nelson, Vishay

Source: https://t.co/spYGxY6bE4 pic.twitter.com/BpxZ7Zkg9U  Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) December 25, 2023

Around 45 foreign electronic parts are used to produce 3M-14 Kalibr sea-launched cruise missiles. The 9M723 ballistic missiles and 9M728/9M729 cruise missiles from the Iskander systems have, at least, 15 and 32 types of foreign electronic components, respectively.

Fifty-five American electronic components were found in the HESA Shahed-136 Iranian drones. About 130 US parts are used to make the Ka-52 attack copters.

According to a January report by the Kyiv School of Economics and the Yermak-McFaul International Working Group on Russian Sanctions, Ukraines National Agency for Corruption Prevention found around 2,800 foreign parts in Russian military equipment.

Shockingly, 95 per cent of all parts found in the weapons were sourced from producers in countries that sanctioned Russia with the US alone accounting for 72 per cent.

When Russia was sanctioned, its imports of battlefield goods and critical components in March-July 2022 tanked to a monthly average of $565 million and $1.69 billion, respectively. But in the first 10 months of 2023, Russia imported battlefield goods worth $8.77 billion and critical components valued at $22.23 billion.

The West hasnt implemented sanctions completely, allowing Russia to source such components in third countries. Moreover, US-based manufacturers accounted for 25.5 per cent of battlefield goods and 15.1 per cent of critical components imported by Russia. The US was followed by the EU and Taiwan.

American companiessuch as Intel, Analog Devices, Texas Instruments and IBMcontinue to trade with Russia through third-country intermediaries like China, Hong Kong, Turkey and the UAE.

US-headquartered companies accounted for 61 per cent of all critical components exported to Russia. For instance, Analog Devices average monthly supplies of critical components to Russia ($27 million) in 2023 were 51 per cent higher than in 2022.

Besides, several of the products are manufactured in offshore facilitiesChina, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailandof American companies. Since these countries havent sanctioned Russia, they supply the components.

Coalition countries also accounted for 97.8 per cent of exports of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines, used in missiles and drones, to Russia in January-October 2023. Russia imported CNC machinery worth $189 million, 88.3 per cent higher than in the pre-invasion period.

Therefore, the Russian military-industrial complex continues to churn out lethal weapons. Consequently, Russian missile and drone strikes against Ukraine increased from 96 and 108, respectively, in January 2023 to 199 and 623, respectively, in December 2023.

How many times has the US questioned China, the largest importer of Russian crude, about its moral obligation?

The week of 12 to 18 February 2024, the top five importers of Russian fossil fuels were:

 China

 India

 Turkey

 The EU

 Singapore Republic pic.twitter.com/8EwHyIvkJ7  Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (@CREACleanAir) February 23, 2024

Russian crude exports to China increased by 24 per cent in 2023 to 2.14 mb/d compared to 2022.

Moreover, an investigation by The Daily Telegraph in August 2023 revealed that China is supplying helicopters, drones, optical sights and crucial metals used by the defence industry to Russia. Some Chinese firms also supply civilian drones using the dual-use pretext and by exploiting the grey space between military and civilian purposes.

The investigation also revealed that Chinese exports of titanium alloy products, used to make military aircraft and weapons, to Russia doubled to $18 million in 2022 compared to 2021. China also exported magnesium alloys to Tupolev, which builds long-range bombers like the Tu-95 and Tu-160M, which have launched cruise missiles at Ukraine.

In April 2023, Ukrainian experts found Chinese components in a navigation system in Orlan aerial drones and Russian tanks. Kyiv named Chinese weapons maker China North Industries Group and military supplier Xinxing Guangzhou Import & Export Co.

Vadym Skibitsky, the representative of Ukraines Main Directorate of Intelligence, told RBC-Ukraine in January that around 80 per cent of components, especially electronics, found in Russian weapons enters through China.

China has flatly denied such allegations. Foreign minister Wang Yi said at the Munich Security Conference that China does not sell lethal weapons to conflict areas or parties to the conflict.

Have the US, the EU or the Western media questioned Wang about Chinese imports of Russian crude or allegations of supplying weapons to Moscow?

Besides, why the EU bought 28.1 billion of Russian fossil fuels in the second year of the invasion, which was more than double the blocs annual financial support to Ukraine , if it is serious about sanctioning Russia and ending the war? The average EU citizen has paid an estimated 420 for Russian fossil fuels since the war started, according to CREA.

Russias projected monthly earnings without further sanctions are 29,473 million. If further sanctions, like lowering the price cap to $30, capping oil products at $25-$35 and sanctioning pipeline gas, LNG and pipeline oil are imposed, monthly earnings are projected to drop by 20,968 million.

 MORE CAN BE DONE



 Lowering price cap to USD 30 & capping oil products USD 25-35 can cut RU revenues from seaborne oil by EUR 4.5 bn/month



 Sanctioning pipeline gas, LNG, pipeline oil & oil products, along with lowered price cap can cut RU earnings by EUR 6.8 bn/month pic.twitter.com/kps0Xhwr7f  Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (@CREACleanAir) February 23, 2024

CREA and more than 280 European, international and Ukrainian NGOs in an open letter dated February 21 appealed to the EU and the G7 to tighten their grip on Russias key revenue streams from exports of fossil fuels, ban Russian LNG gas imports and close all loopholes in existing sanctions.

We welcome the recent decision by the European Council to support Ukraine with 50 billion in aid. However, the EUs recent aid commitment represents 27 per cent of their total fossil fuel imports purchased from Russia since the beginning of their full-scale invasion, estimated at over 185 billion, the letter reads.

Are the US and the EU listening before lecturing India? India isnt answerable to the West for its economic, strategic and military decisions and goals. Indias independent foreign policy is guided by its interests irrespective of its alignment with the West.

The writer is a freelance journalist with two decades of experience and comments primarily on foreign affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_s views._
Apple is developing a foldable device, but in all likelihood, it is not going to be an iPhone. Apple is likely working on a foldable iPad that could take the shape of either a notebook or a tablet

Apple is developing a foldable device, but in all likelihood, it is not going to be an iPhone. Apple is likely working on a foldable iPad that could take the shape of either a notebook or a tablet

Apple is actively working on developing a new kind of foldable device that diverges from what has become the conventional foldable smartphone form factor.

Citing sources within the Taiwan-based supply chain, a report from DigiTimes claims that Apples envisioned foldable could take the shape of either a notebook or a tablet. This is in line with the previous rumours that Apple may be working on a foldable iPad, before they get into a foldable iPhone.

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While speculation has been rife for some time that Apple is planning to foray into foldables, recent reports now indicate that there has been some tangible progress in this direction. The Cupertino-based tech giant has dedicated significant resources to this project for the last five years. Design-related decisions will soon be finalised, after which, Apple will start manufacturing the device in one of its most advanced factories in China, the report claims.

Contrary to the expectations of analysts and Apples ardent fans of a foldable iPhone, a report from MacRumors had earlier suggested that Apples focus lies on a larger device, most likely an iPad, hinting at a departure from the conventional handset model.

Engineers from the Vision Pro team are spearheading the development of the foldable device, if reports are to be believed. The Vision Pro Team has been tasked with designing one of the most crucial components of the device  the hinge  and exploring if adding a unique functionality to it is feasible.

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Given the level of anticipation surrounding Apples potential entry into the foldable market segment, comparisons with established players such as Samsung, Oppo, Google, Huawei, and Xiaomi come up naturally. All of these device makers had already introduced foldable offerings a few years ago. However, given where Apple stands today with the design of its upcoming foldable, a prospective launch of Apples foldable device is unlikely to materialise before 2025.

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Recent claims by Chinese tipster Fixed Focus Digital suggest a setback in Apples foldable endeavours. The issue, the tipster claims is that that Apple had to suspend the development of the foldable because it wasnt satisfied with the kind of display that they were getting, as it was consistently giving unsatisfactory results in their testing.

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Fixed Focus Digitals report further insinuated that Apple has been procuring foldable smartphones from their Android rivals en masse, and has been dismantling them purportedly to expedite its own research and development. However, considering this report heavily relies on unverified sources, it should be taken with a grain of salt.

Conflicting reports have disputed Fixed Focus Digitals report, confirmation that Apples foldable ambitions remain unabated, with ongoing efforts across multiple product variants under distinct development teams.

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Despite these developments, Apple has yet to officially confirm or even acknowledge any plans for a foldable device, leaving enthusiasts and industry observers eagerly waiting for further updates.

(With inputs from agencies)
Working with AI has always been resource-intensive, especially when it comes to water and electricity. However, the recent AI boom has caused Microsoft to increase its water consumption by 34%, Google by 22% and Meta by 3% as of 2022

Working with AI has always been resource-intensive, especially when it comes to water and electricity. However, the recent AI boom has caused Microsoft to increase its water consumption by 34%, Google by 22% and Meta by 3% as of 2022

In recent years, major technology companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Meta have significantly escalated their utilization of water for cooling down data centres, leading to apprehensions regarding the environmental consequences amidst the surge in generative artificial intelligence (AI) advancements, as per a Financial Times report.

With millions of users reliant on their online services, Microsoft, Google, and Meta have witnessed a surge in water consumption.

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According to a study from the University of California, Riverside, published in Nature, there is an urgent need to uncover and address the undisclosed water footprint of AI models, particularly in light of escalating freshwater scarcity, prolonged droughts, and ageing water infrastructure.

The concern intensifies as leading tech companies vie to introduce products utilizing generative AI, powered by extensive language models capable of processing vast amounts of data. These models necessitate substantial computing power, driving the establishment of massive server farms that rely on chilled water for cooling systems, some of which evaporates in the process while some can be recycled.

Water, a crucial resource across various forms of energy generation, including hydroelectric power and thermal power stations, has seen notable spikes in consumption by tech giants.

In 2022, Microsoft had consumed about 22 million cubic metres of water, which is equivalent to 22 billion litres of water. Thats enough to fill an Olympic-regulation-sized pool 8800 times over.

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Google, on the other hand, consumed about 6-7 million cubic metres or roughly 6-7 billion litres of water. Metas consumption was at a modest 2 billion litres.

In 2023, the consumption was even more. These companies have set targets to replenish water resources, aiming to return more water to systems like aquifers than they consume by 2030, through initiatives like enhancing irrigation infrastructure and restoring wetland systems.

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Experts anticipate that the demand for AI will propel water withdrawal to unprecedented levels, estimated to range between 4.2 billion and 6.6 billion cubic meters by 2027, a volume nearly equivalent to half of the UKs annual water consumption.

In a recent lawsuit, residents of West Des Moines, Iowa, raised concerns over a data centre cluster consuming a significant portion of the districts water supply. Shaolei Ren, an associate professor at UC Riverside, likened the water consumption of popular chatbots like ChatGPT to drinking a 500ml bottle per 10 to 50 interactions, underscoring the potential water-intensive nature of AI models.

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Calls for enhanced transparency and data disclosure from AI firms have emerged, urging detailed breakdowns of water consumption across different computing services. While some companies like OpenAI have expressed commitment to improving efficiencies, others like Google have refrained from commenting on the issue.

Experts emphasize the necessity of comprehensive reporting on the environmental impacts of AI models, particularly amid global concerns over climate change and dwindling water resources. Kate Crawford, a research professor at USC Annenberg, stresses the importance of understanding the true environmental consequences of generative AI tools amidst a climate crisis.
HMD, the electronics company behind Nokia, announced at MWC 2024 that they will conitnue with the brand Nokia, and refuted claims that they were shutting the brand down. HMD will also launch a Barbie-themed flip-style foldable phone soon, along with retro Nokia phones

HMD, the electronics company behind Nokia, announced at MWC 2024 that they will conitnue with the brand Nokia, and refuted claims that they were shutting the brand down. HMD will also launch a Barbie-themed flip-style foldable phone soon, along with retro Nokia phones

At the ongoing Mobile World Congress 2024 show in Barcelona, HMD Global, the company now making Nokia phones, has announced a groundbreaking collaboration with Mattel the owners of the renowned doll brand Barbie. The partnership aims to revive nostalgia with the launch of the Barbie Flip Phone, a retro-inspired device reminiscent of classic flip phones.

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Ruth Henriquez of Mattel expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, emphasizing its representation of Mattels ongoing commitment to innovative design. The Barbie Flip Phone is poised to captivate enthusiasts of all ages, promising a blend of nostalgia and modern functionality, the company said.

Speculation had circulated earlier this year regarding the discontinuation of Nokia phones, fueled by the rebranding of the Nokia website to HMD. However, HMD Global has unequivocally refuted these rumours, assuring consumers of Nokias continued presence in the market.

In addition to the Barbie Flip Phone, HMD Global intends to reintroduce another iconic Nokia phone designs during the summer months. The company has also teased an array of new phone brands slated for release throughout 2024.

Despite a downturn in the mobile phone market for the past two years, HMD Global reported increased profits in 2023, attributing the success to strategic transformations such as enhanced operational efficiency and cost management.

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Looking ahead, HMD Global is committed to enhancing repairability and simplifying screen repair processes for upcoming summer phone releases. Furthermore, the company is launching a smartphone innovation platform aimed at empowering developers and businesses. With open-source design files and software integration resources readily available, the initiative aims to democratize phone customization, catering to diverse user needs.
The standout feature of the laptop is its bezel-less 17.3-inch MicroLED display, which achieves up to 55 per cent transparency when its pixels are turned off. However, as you turn the displays brightness up and activate other pixels, the display becomes progressively less see-through

The standout feature of the laptop is its bezel-less 17.3-inch MicroLED display, which achieves up to 55 per cent transparency when its pixels are turned off. However, as you turn the display's brightness up and activate other pixels, the display becomes progressively less see-through

Lenovo, renowned for pushing the boundaries of technology, has once again captured the spotlight at Mobile World Congress with its latest innovation, the ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop.

This futuristic device boasts a 17.3-inch screen that offers a unique feature - transparency.

The standout feature of the laptop is its bezel-less 17.3-inch MicroLED display, which achieves up to 55 per cent transparency when its pixels are turned off. However, as you turn the displays brightness up and activate other pixels, the display becomes progressively less see-through until it reaches complete opacity, boasting a peak brightness of 1,000 nits.

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While the allure of transparent screens has often been depicted in science fiction, Lenovo aims to explore their practical applications in real-life scenarios. The company suggests that this novel technology could particularly benefit digital artists, allowing them to sketch while simultaneously viewing the environment behind the screen.

Lenovos executive director of ThinkPad portfolio and product, Tom Butler, describes the transparent laptop display as a form of augmented reality, envisioning architects sketching buildings without losing sight of their surroundings.

Lenovo joins a lineage of companies experimenting with transparent displays, with Samsung showcasing a similar concept over a decade ago. Despite the challenges, including resolution limitations, Lenovo opted for a MicroLED panel over OLED to maintain text clarity.

The prototype also features a flat touch keyboard that doubles as a drawing tablet, catering to artists.

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In addition to its innovative display, Lenovo incorporated AI technology into the laptop, enabling object recognition through a rear camera.

While the company acknowledges that the ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop remains a concept, it expresses confidence in integrating these technologies into future consumer products within the next five years.

However, critics suggest that Lenovos transparent laptop concept lacks a definitive practical application beyond novelty. Despite its intriguing features, such as the ability to sketch with transparency, the device awaits a killer app to justify its mainstream adoption.

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As Lenovo continues to refine its transparent laptop concept, enthusiasts are left intrigued by its potential, albeit awaiting a compelling use case to drive widespread adoption.
Fritz was taken into custody in May for violating Austrias long-standing advisory against visiting Afghanistan, which was taken over by the Taliban in 2021 and enforced their harsh version of Islam

Fritz visited Afghanistan in an attempt to demonstrate that the the country was safe under Taliban rule Image Courtesy Reuters

After spending nine months in detention in Afghanistan, a far-right fanatic from Austria who went there allegedly to demonstrate that it was a safe country was freed on Sunday.

After being released by Taliban officials, Herbert Fritz, 84, who has strong ties to far-right extremist groups, landed in Doha, Qatar, according to Austrian media.

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Fritz was taken into custody in May for violating Austrias long-standing advisory against visiting Afghanistan, which was taken over by the Taliban in 2021 and enforced their harsh version of Islam.

I think it was bad luck but I want to visit again, he told reporters on arrival in Doha, when asked about his ordeal.

There were some nice people but there were some foolish people also, Im sorry, Fritz added, describing his captors.

Fritz may get medical attention in Doha before returning home, according to Austrian authorities, who also hailed Qatar, the gas-rich Gulf state, for helping to secure his release.

A request for comment was not answered by the interior or foreign ministries of the Taliban regime.

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Fritzs love was traveling to dangerous locations, such as Afghanistan in the 1980s and eastern Ukraine more recently, according to the Austrian tabloid Der Standard.

Fritz visited Afghanistan in an attempt to demonstrate that the the country was safe under Taliban rule, and he wrote an article headlined Vacations with the Taliban for a far-right media source.

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According to Der Standard, he was taken into custody soon after on espionage-related charges. The publication also stated that such travelogues may have been an attempt to present Afghanistan as a secure nation to which Afghan refugees could be repatriated.

Fritz previously visited Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is incarcerated in Turkey, according to Austrian media.

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He allegedly also paid members from the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) de facto army, a visit to the northeastern region of Syria, home to the Kurdish semi-autonomous administration.

Turkey sees the YPG as a branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which many of its Western supporters and Ankara have classified as a terrorist organization.
Guterres remarks followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus declaration on Sunday that his nation intended to launch a ground assault in Rafah as part of its pursuit of a total victory over Hamas, the group that launched the conflict on October 7

The UN head warned on Monday that a full-scale Israeli military campaign in Rafah would provide a fatal blow to relief efforts in Gaza, where supplies is still completely insufficient.

Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Antonio Guterres described the southernmost city of Gaza as the core of the humanitarian aid operation in the Palestinian territory, home to more than 1.4 million crammed Palestinians living in tent camps.

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An all-out Israeli offensive on the city would not only be terrifying for more than a million Palestinian civilians sheltering there; it would put the final nail in the coffin of our aid programmes, he said.

His remarks followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus declaration on Sunday that his nation intended to launch a ground assault in Rafah as part of its pursuit of a total victory over Hamas, the group that launched the conflict on October 7.

He said that victory would be only weeks away after a ground invasion and that any possible truce being discussed in Doha would do little more than postpone the operation.

After Hamass historic October 7 attack, which claimed the lives of roughly 1,160 people in Israel, primarily civilians, according to an AFP calculation of official data, the war that has been raging for more than four months began.

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Hamas militants also took about 250 Israeli and foreign hostages, 130 of whom remain in Gaza, including 31 presumed dead, according to Israel.

Israels retaliatory offensive has killed at least 29,692 people, mostly women and children, according to the latest tally issued Sunday by the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

End the bloodshed

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Guterres stressed Monday that nothing can justify Hamass deliberate killing, injuring, torturing and kidnapping of civilians, the use of sexual violence  or the indiscriminate launching of rockets towards Israel.

And nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, he said.

Amid a spiralling humanitarian crisis, UNRWA, the main UN aid agency for Palestinians, has urged political action to avert famine in Gaza.

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But Guterres stressed that humanitarian aid is still completely insufficient.

I repeat my call for a humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, he said.

He lamented that despite his urgent calls for the UN Security Council to take all measures to end the bloodshed in Gaza and prevent escalation, it had failed to act.

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As one of five permanent members of the 15-member council, the United States  Israels biggest ally  has a veto that it has wielded three times so far to bar the body from calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Guterres warned of the consequences of the councils lack of action on Gaza, and its failure, due to a Russian veto, to act on the war in Ukraine.

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This inaction has severely  perhaps fatally  undermined its authority, he cautioned.

The council needs serious reform to its composition and working methods.
Numerous kidnappings and acts of tribal violence have occurred in the restive highlands of Papua New Guinea in recent years, leaving hundreds dead

The pilot was kidnapped near Mount Sisa in the center of Hela Province, along with two other people who were presumably telecom employees Image Courtesy AFP

The chief of police in Papua New Guinea said on Monday that two other workers and an Australian helicopter pilot had been abducted in the countrys highlands.

We are focused on resolving this as soon as possible, Commissioner David Manning said, confirming the nationality of the pilot and adding that police were responding to the incident.

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The pilot was kidnapped near Mount Sisa in the center of Hela Province, along with two other people who were presumably telecom employees.

Prime Minister James Marape told the media that the Australia High Commissioner has been informed about the issue. He said that the police are attending to this and with (the) defence force we (are) moving into the area.

Numerous kidnappings and acts of tribal violence have occurred in the restive highlands of Papua New Guinea in recent years, leaving hundreds dead.

More than fifty bodies from conflicts between rival clans were discovered last week on the side of a major road.

The administration is under intense pressure to increase local security resources and address the rising rate of criminality.

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I want to inform all that crime does not pay, it ultimately leads to arrest or deaths of criminals so appreciate locals who are assisting police as we speak, Marape said.

Although information about the incident is still being gathered, Police Commissioner Manning stated that it was thought the potential attackers were not from the area.

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We are working closely with the community leaders, he said.
A little distance from the area that had been cordoned off where ministers were arriving for their meeting, there were more than a hundred tractors parked around the headquarters of European Union institutions

Smoke rises from burning tires during a protest of European farmers over price pressures, taxes and green regulation, on the day of an EU Agriculture Ministers meeting in Brussels, Belgium February 26, 2024. REUTERS/Yves Herman

In a protest demanding EU action on everything from cheap supermarket prices to free trade deals, farmers set fire to piles of old tires in Brussels on Monday while agricultural ministers convened to talk about the crisis facing the industry.

In order to put out the fire, riot police used water cannons.

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A little distance from the area that had been cordoned off where ministers were arriving for their meeting, there were more than a hundred tractors parked around the headquarters of European Union institutions.

Weeklong protests by farmers throughout Europe have been organized to force lawmakers to take action on a number of issues that they claim are pressuring the industry, including low-cost imports that undercut domestic producers, strict EU environmental regulations, and low supermarket prices.

Local grievances vary. But Morgan Ody, General Coordinator of farming organisation La Via Campesina, said that for most farmers: Its about income.

Its about the fact that we are poor, and that we want to make a decent living, Ody told Reuters.

Ody, herself a farmer from Brittany, France, called on the EU to set up minimum support prices and exit free trade agreements that enable imports of cheaper foreign produce.

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We are not against climate policies. But we know that in order to do the transition, we need higher prices for products because it costs more to produce in an ecological way, she said.

Demands also include ending free trade agreements, which farmers say have led to cheaper imports from countries where producers face less stringent environmental standards than those of the EU.

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TRADE DEALS, GREEN DEAL

A stage set up at the protest site on Monday was draped with a sign that said stop EU Mercosur - a reference to ongoing negotiations to conclude an EU trade agreement with the Mercosur group of South American countries.

The European Commission has said the conditions that would allow the EU to sign the Mercosur deal have not been met. It has sought stronger assurances on environmental standards in the deal.

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Agriculture ministers were set to debate a new set of EU proposals to ease the pressure on farmers - including a reduction in farm inspections and the possibility to exempt small farms from some environmental standards.

Farmers need to be paid for what they do There are aspects of the Green Deal demanded of farmers that are not remunerated. That is the core of the problem, Belgian Agriculture Minister David Clarinval said, referring to EU environmental requirements.

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In response to weeks of protests by angry farmers, the EU has already weakened some parts of its flagship Green Deal environmental policies.

The EU scrapped a goal to cut farming emissions from its 2040 climate roadmap. It has also withdrawn a law to reduce pesticides and delayed a target for farmers to leave some land fallow to improve biodiversity.

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With inputs from Reuters
Hundreds of Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip changed over to Israeli SIM cards at midnight before the invasion. It is the most direct affirmation of Israel almost knowing that a big attack was about to happen and yet matters were left as such

After a censorship ban on publication of intelligence from October 7 Hamas attack was partially lifted, several Israeli media houses dropped a bombshell.

According to several reports in the media, hundreds of Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip changed over to Israeli SIM cards at midnight before the invasion.

It is the most direct affirmation of Israel almost knowing that a big attack was about to happen and yet matters were left as such.

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Despite this direct a warning, Hamas erupted into Israel hours later, killing over 1200 people and wreaking havoc on several communities lining the Gaza-Israel border. Over 235 hostagesmen, women, children, elderly, soldierswere taken hostage and taken back to Gaza.

It was in the wake of this that Israel launched its counterattack.

According to The Times of Israel, media outlets were not allowed to publish any more details in the matter.

Israeli media outlets quoted IDF as saying that the matter, along with others, was under investigation. An interim report on the shortcomings of IDF on Oct. 7 would be out in May-June, reported The Jerusalem Post.

Meanwhile, a mother grieves.

The mother of Yonatan Samerano, whose body was taken to Gaza by an UNRWA employee during the Oct 7 mayhem, has demanded to meet UN chief Antonio Guterres. According to reports, Ayelet Samerano, spoke at a forum organised by UN Watch.

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Mr. Guterres look at my eyes where is my son? You are next door, youre here and you have the opportunity to meet me today and tell me what are you going to do? she said.

Samerano hopes to meet with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who will be next door to address the 2024 opening of the UN Human Rights Council, along with the president of the UN General Assembly, and foreign ministers from around the world, UN Watch said on its website.

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Guterres is in Geneva.
Former president of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro said he has been a victim of political persecution since leaving office over a year ago

At Sau Paulos iconic Paulista Avenue, packed with thousands of his supporters, former president of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro said coup allegations against him were a lie.

Bolsonaro, who is currently under investigation for allegedly leading a failed coup after losing the 2022 election, said he has been a victim of political persecution since leaving office over a year ago.

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Surrounded by supporters dressed in green and yellow, many of whom also carried Israeli flags, the far-right leader addressed from the top of a truck and also made a pitch for the next presidential elections in Brazil in 2026.

Bolsonaro said he was being persecuted and denied the accusations against him. He said the draft decree was based on the Constitution and even called for amnesty for people who took part in the January 8 riot.

A coup is putting tanks on the streets, weapons, conspiracy. That did not happen in Brazil What I want is pacification. To erase the past and find a way for us to live in peace, Bolsonaro said.

As per a Reuters report, the far-right former president spoke for about 20 minutes to defend himself while reminiscing about his 2019-2022 term. His speech is being closely monitored by the authorities for anything that could be seen as inciting riots or undermining the electoral system.

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Bolsonaro has been barred from running for the presidential post for eight years for undermining the electoral system in the country. Earlier this month, his passport was confiscated as he is facing an investigation over the accusations that he tried to overturn the October 2022 election results and pressure military chiefs to join a coup attempt as well as plotting to jail a Supreme Court justice after his electoral loss to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

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After Bolsonaro lost the poll Lula da Silva, thousands of his supporters stormed government buildings in the capital Brasilia - including the presidential palace, the Supreme Court and Congress - looting and vandalising them.
Bulgarias agency for national security identified the two as Vladimir Nikolayevich Gorochkin, 39, and Tatiana Anatolievna Gorochkina, 37, and barred them from entering European Union member states for five years.

Bulgarian authorities on Monday imposed an entry ban on two Russian citizens suspected of espionage for Moscows foreign intelligence service.

Bulgarias agency for national security identified the two as Vladimir Nikolayevich Gorochkin, 39, and Tatiana Anatolievna Gorochkina, 37, and barred them from entering European Union member states for five years.

The agency said in a statement that the couple had lived undetected in Bulgaria until recently under the aliases Denis Rashkov and Diana Rashkova. The statement indicated they were no longer in Bulgaria, but did not elaborate on when they had left the country, or indicate where they currently were believed to be.

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According to the agency, the Russians were part of an operation orchestrated by the Moscows Foreign Intelligence Service aimed at infiltrating foreign countries using false identities.

Their mission in the EU member country was reportedly to obtain authentic Bulgarian identity documents and credible biographical data confirming their authenticity, which they could then use to carry out intelligence activities outside Bulgaria.

Last September, five Bulgarians living in the U.K. were charged with spying for Russia. The three men and two women were accused of conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy, namely Russia, between August 2020 and February 2023.

In 2022, Bulgaria expelled 70 Russian diplomatic staff in a move that severely strained diplomatic ties between the two countries, which were close allies during communist times. It was the greatest ever number of Russian diplomats expelled by Bulgaria, a member of the European Union and NATO.

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Bulgaria has strongly backed the Wests sanctions against Moscow since Russia launched its war on Ukraine.

With inputs from AP.
The latest tranche of sanctions is designed to prevent firms around the world from circumventing measures already adopted to keep Moscow from procuring military hardware or equipment needed to replenish its munitions and other military items.

Chinas Ministry of Commerce strongly opposed the decisions made by Britain, the European Union, and the United States to impose sanctions on Chinese companies for reasons related to Russia, said the ministry on Monday.

The Biden administration on Friday announced new trade restrictions targeting 93 entities from Russia, China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan, India, and South Korea for their alleged support of Russias actions in Ukraine.

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The European Union had also approved a package of sweeping sanctions against Russia, which included measures targeting three Chinese firms and one Hong Kong-based company. Meanwhile, Britain announced sanctions on three Chinese electronics companies on Thursday.

China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, the commerce ministry said in three statements on its website.

The latest tranche of sanctions is designed to prevent firms around the world from circumventing measures already adopted to keep Moscow from procuring military hardware or equipment needed to replenish its munitions and other military items.

Saturday marked the second anniversary of Russias war in Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, 2022.

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China warned the European Union and Britain the measures would have a negative impact on economic and trade ties, but did not make use of the phrase in its statement aimed at the United States.

With inputs from Reuters.
Alexander Smirnov, who claims to have connections to Russian intelligence, is likely to leave the country, according to the special counsel David Weisss office, which is pleading with US District Judge Otis Wright II to keep Smirnov in custody

A judge will decide whether to keep a former FBI informant in custody as he awaits trial on Monday when he appears in a federal court in California. The informant is accused of creating a multimillion-dollar bribery plot involving President Joe Bidens family.

Alexander Smirnov, who claims to have connections to Russian intelligence, is likely to leave the country, according to the special counsel David Weisss office, which is pleading with US District Judge Otis Wright II to keep Smirnov in custody.

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Smirnov was freed from jail last week under electronic GPS monitoring by a separate court, but Wright issued an order for the mans re-arrest after prosecutors requested that Smirnovs incarceration be reevaluated. Wright said in a written order that Smirnovs lawyers efforts to free him was likely to facilitate his absconding from the United States.

In an emergency petition with the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, Smirnovs lawyers said Wright did not have the authority to order Smirnov to be re-arrested. The defense also criticized what it described as biased and prejudicial statements from Wright insinuating that Smirnovs lawyers were acting improperly by advocating for his release.

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Smirnov is charged with falsely telling his FBI handler that executives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had paid President Biden and Hunter Biden $5 million each around 2015. The claim became central to the Republican impeachment inquiry of President Biden in Congress.

In urging the judge to keep Smirnov locked up, prosecutors said the man has reported to the FBI having contact with Russian intelligence-affiliated officials. Prosecutors wrote in court filings last week that Smirnov told investigators after his first arrest that officials associated with Russian intelligence were involved in passing a story to him about Hunter Biden.

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Smirnov, who holds dual Israeli-US citizenship, is charged by the same Justice Department special counsel who has separately filed gun and tax charges against Hunter Biden.

Smirnov has not entered a plea to the charges, but his lawyers have said they look forward to defending him at trial. Defense attorneys have said in pushing for his release that he has no criminal history and has strong ties to the United States, including a longtime significant other who lives in Las Vegas.

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In his ruling last week releasing Smirnov on GPS monitoring, US Magistrate Judge Daniel Albregts in Las Vegas said he was concerned about his access to what prosecutors estimate is $6 million in funds, but noted that federal guidelines required him to fashion the least restrictive conditions ahead of his trial.

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Smirnov had been an informant for more than a decade when he made the explosive allegations about the Bidens in June 2020, after expressing bias about Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, prosecutors said. Smirnov had only routine business dealings with Burisma starting in 2017, according to court documents. No evidence has emerged that Joe Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes in his current role or previous office as vice president.

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While his identity wasnt publicly known before the indictment, Smirnovs claims have played a major part in the Republican effort in Congress to investigate the president and his family, and helped spark what is now a House impeachment inquiry into Biden. Republicans pursuing investigations of the Bidens demanded the FBI release the unredacted form documenting the unverified allegations, though they acknowledged they couldnt confirm if they were true.
Sergeant Oz Daniel, whos from Indian ancestry, served in the 7th Armored Brigades 77th Battalion

Israel has confirmed the death of 19-year-old Indian-origin Israeli soldier Sergeant Oz Daniel, who was kidnapped by Hamas during October 7 attack and killed the same day. IDF said his body is still being held in Gaza. Israel envoy to India has condoled Daniels death.

Hitherto, Daniel was counted among those abducted.

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In a post on X, Ambassador of Israel to India, Naor Gilon said: Sad news. Sgt. Oz Daniel, whos from Indian ancestry was kidnapped to Gaza on October 7, was declared dead.

Sad news.



Sgt. Oz Daniel whos from Indian ancestry and was kidnapped to Gaza on October 7, was declared dead.



 :  pic.twitter.com/yOg20BpwQ3  Naor Gilon (@NaorGilon) February 25, 2024

Until now, Daniel was listed as one of the 253 hostages taken into captivity by Hamas on October 7.

As per The Times of Israel, the armys chief rabbi declared Daniels death based on the findings and new intelligence information.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has now confirmed the deaths of 31 of those still held by Hamas  including Daniel  citing new intelligence and findings obtained by troops operating in Gaza.

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One more person is listed as missing since October 7, and her fate is still unknown, though her family believes she was killed.

At least four Indian-origin Israeli soldiers are known to have been killed since October 7. In December last year, 34-year-old Indian-origin Israeli soldier Master Sgt. (res.) Gil Daniels from Ashdod was killed during fighting in Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

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Who is Indian-origin soldier killed by Hamas?

Sergeant Oz Daniel, whos from Indian ancestry, served in the 7th Armored Brigades 77th Battalion.

His body was taken from the Gaza border following a battle with terrorists during Hamas October 7 attack.

Daniel was a guitar player who believed in the power of music to change the world, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said.

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Religious authorities said, while Daniels body remains in Gaza, his family can observe shiva, the traditional Jewish week-long mourning.

A funeral was scheduled to be held Monday around 2 pm (local time) at the military cemetery in his hometown of Kfar Saba.

It is believed that 130 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza  not all of them alive.

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Daniel is not the only soldier whose body is being held by Hamas. The Palestinian terrorist organisation has been holding the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin since 2014.

With inputs from agencies
The situation in Rafah, where dense tent camps have sprouted to house the displaced, has sparked global concern and Israels allies have warned that it must protect civilians in its battle against Hamas

Human Rights Watch said Monday that Israel has failed to comply with a United Nations top court order to send critically needed relief to desperate civilians in the Gaza Strip, a month after a historic decision in The Hague ordered Israel to reduce its conflict.

The UNs top court directed Israel to take all necessary precautions to stop death, damage, and any acts of genocide in Gaza as a preliminary response to a petition from South Africa charging Israel of genocide. It did not, however, issue an order to halt the military onslaught that has caused a humanitarian crisis in the small Palestinian enclave. Israel fiercely refutes the accusations made against it, asserting that it is waging a war of self-defense.

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After a month and almost five months of the conflict, Israel is getting ready to extend its ground operation into Rafah, the southernmost town of Gaza on the Egyptian border, where 1.4 million Palestinians have fled in search of safety.

The armys operational plan for Rafah and its intentions to evacuate civilians from the conflict zones were submitted to the War Cabinet by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office early on Monday. It provided no other information.

With the proliferation of makeshift tent camps in Rafah to accommodate the displaced, the issue has drawn international attention, and Israels supporters have cautioned that it must defend civilians in its conflict with Hamas.

Also Monday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said he was submitting his governments resignation. The move, which still must be accepted by President Mahmoud Abbas, could open the door to US-backed reforms in the Palestinian Authority, which the US wants to rule postwar Gaza but in a revitalized shape.

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In its ruling last month, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to follow six provisional measures, including taking immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Under the orders, Israel also must submit a report on what it is doing to adhere to the measures within a month. While Monday marked a month since the courts orders were issued, it was not immediately clear whether Israel had handed in such a report. The Israeli Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment.

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Human Rights Watch said Israel was not adhering to the courts order on aid provision, citing a 30% drop in the daily average number of aid trucks entering Gaza in the weeks following the courts ruling. It said Israel was not adequately facilitating fuel deliveries to hard-hit northern Gaza and blamed Israel for blocking aid from reaching the north, where the World Food Program said last week it was forced to suspend aid deliveries because of increasing chaos in the isolated part of the territory.

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The Israeli government has simply ignored the courts ruling, and in some ways even intensified its repression, including further blocking lifesaving aid, said Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch.

Israel denies it is restricting the entry of aid and has instead blamed humanitarian organizations operating inside Gaza, saying hundreds of trucks filled with aid sit idle on the Palestinian side of the main crossing. The UN says it cant always reach the trucks at the crossing because it is at times too dangerous.

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Netanyahus office also said Monday the War Cabinet had approved a plan to deliver humanitarian aid safely into Gaza in a way that would prevent the cases of looting. It did not disclose further details.

The war, launched after Hamas-led militants rampaged across southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking roughly 250 people hostage, has unleashed unimaginable devastation in Gaza.

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Nearly 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza, two thirds of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza which does not distinguish in its count between fighters and noncombatants. Israel says it has killed 10,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Fighting has flattened large swaths of Gazas urban landscape, displacing about 80% of the territorys 2.3 million people who have crammed into increasingly smaller spaces looking for elusive safety.

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The crisis has pushed a quarter of the population toward starvation and raised fears of imminent famine, especially in the northern part of Gaza, which was the first focus of Israels ground invasion and where starving residents have been forced to eat animal fodder and search for food in demolished buildings.

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We have to feed the children. They keep screaming they want food. We cannot find food. We dont know what to do, said market vendor Um Ayad in northern Jabaliya, who showed off a leafy weed that people pick from the harsh, dry soil and eat.

Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the UN agency for Palestinians, said it has not been able to deliver food to northern Gaza since Jan. 23, adding on X, formerly Twitter, that our calls to send food aid have been denied.

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Israel said that 245 trucks of aid entered Gaza on Sunday, less than half the amount that entered daily before the war.

But Human Rights Watch, citing UN figures, said that between Jan. 27 and Feb. 21, the daily average of trucks entering stood at 93, compared to 147 trucks a day in the three weeks before the world courts ruling. The daily average dropped further, to 57, between Feb. 9 and 21, the figures showed.

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United Nations agencies and aid groups say the hostilities, the Israeli militarys refusal to facilitate deliveries and the breakdown of order inside Gaza make it increasingly difficult to get vital aid to much of the coastal enclave. In some cases, crowds of desperate Palestinians have surrounded delivery trucks and stripped the supplies off them.

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The UN has called on Israel to open more crossings, including in the north, and to improve the coordination process.
Finland joined NATO last year, but Sweden was delayed because of opposition from Turkey and Hungary, two countries that have better ties with Russia than the other members of the alliance led by the United States

The final obstacle to Swedens historic move to join NATO will likely be cleared on Monday when Hungary ratifies the Nordic nations admission, whose neutrality endured through two world wars and the ongoing Cold War.

Following a visit by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson last Friday, during which the two nations inked a weapons agreement, the Hungarian parliament is poised to adopt a motion that would put an end to months of delays in Swedens security policy change.

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As a result of increased safety inside the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation following Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Stockholm gave up on its non-alignment strategy.

Western officials have stated that President Vladimir Putin has essentially succeeded in achieving the same goal he set out to prevent when he began his conflict in Ukrainean extension of the alliancewith Sweden joining NATO as its 32nd member, following Finland.

Finland joined NATO last year, but Sweden was delayed because of opposition from Turkey and Hungary, two countries that have better ties with Russia than the other members of the alliance led by the United States.

Turkey refused to ratify Swedens membership in the PKK because it wanted stronger measures taken against its alleged infiltrators who had established themselves in Sweden.

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To appease Turkey, Sweden altered its legal framework and loosened restrictions on the sale of weapons. President Tayyip Erdogan also linked ratification with U.S. approval of sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, with Ankara now expecting the United States to work on securing the U.S. Congress endorsement.

Hungarys foot-dragging was less clear in nature with Budapest mostly venting its ire over Swedish criticism of the direction of democratic development under nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban rather than any concrete demands.

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Turkeys signature left Hungary as the final hold-out with Orban facing pressure from NATO allies to fall in line.

The accession of Sweden, which has not been at war since 1814, and Finland is the most significant expansion of the alliance since its move into Eastern Europe in the 1990s.

While Sweden has ramped up cooperation with the alliance in recent decades, contributing to operations in places such as Afghanistan, its membership is set to simplify defence planning and cooperation on NATOs northern flank.

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Sweden also brings resources such as cutting-edge submarines tailored to Baltic Sea conditions and a sizable fleet of domestically produced Gripen fighter jets into the alliance. It is hiking military spending and should reach NATOs threshold of 2% of GDP this year.
The procedures for approving Swedens entry into NATO were submitted by Prime Minister Viktor Orbans administration in July 2022, but the issue had stalled in parliament due to opposition from members of the ruling party

More than 18 months of delays that have hampered NATOs efforts to grow in response to Russias war in Ukraine came to an end Monday when the Hungarian parliament voted to approve Swedens application to join the organisation.

The outcome of months of haggling by Hungarys allies to persuade its nationalist government to lift its block on Swedens membership was the vote, which passed with 188 votes in favor and 6 against.

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The procedures for approving Swedens entry into NATO were submitted by Prime Minister Viktor Orbans administration in July 2022, but the issue had stalled in parliament due to opposition from members of the ruling party.

Unanimous support among all NATO members is required to admit new countries, and Hungary is the last of the alliances 31 members to give its backing since Turkey ratified the request last month.

Orban, a right-wing populist who has forged close ties with Russia, has said that criticism of Hungarys democracy by Swedish politicians had soured relations between the two countries and led to reluctance among lawmakers in his Fidesz party.

But the vote on Monday removed the final membership hurdle for Sweden which, along with neighboring Finland, first applied to join the alliance in May 2022.

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Addressing lawmakers before the vote, Orban said: Sweden and Hungarys military cooperation and Swedens NATO accession strengthen Hungarys security.

Orban criticized Hungarys European Union and NATO allies for placing increased pressure on his government in recent months to move forward on bringing Sweden into the alliance.

Several people tried to intervene from the outside in the settling of our disputes (with Sweden), but this did not help but rather hampered the issue, Orban said. Hungary is a sovereign country, it does not tolerate being dictated by others, whether it be the content of its decisions or their timing.

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Last weekend, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators visited Hungary and announced it would submit a joint resolution to Congress condemning Hungarys alleged democratic backsliding and urging Orbans government to immediately lift its block on Swedens trans-Atlantic integration.

But on Friday, Ulf Kristersson, Swedens prime minister, met with Orban in Hungarys capital where they appeared to reach a decisive reconciliation after months of diplomatic tensions.

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Following their meeting, the leaders announced the conclusion of a defense industry agreement that will include Hungarys purchase of four Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripen jets and the extension of a service contract for its existing Gripen fleet.

Orban said the additional fighter jets will significantly increase our military capabilities and further strengthen our role abroad and will improve Hungarys ability to participate in joint NATO operations.

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To be a member of NATO together with another country means we are ready to die for each other, Orban said. A deal on defense and military capacities helps to reconstruct the trust between the two countries.

Mondays vote on Swedens NATO accession was just one matter on a busy agenda for lawmakers in the Hungarian parliament. A vote was also held on accepting the resignation of President Katalin Novak, who stepped down earlier this month in a scandal over her decision to pardon to a man convicted of covering up a string of child sexual abuses.

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After accepting Novaks resignation, lawmakers are expected to confirm Tamas Sulyok, the president of Hungarys Constitutional Court, as the countrys new president. He is set to formally take office on March 5.

Some opposition parties have said they will not participate in a vote to confirm a new president and have called for direct presidential elections. But Sulyok was nominated by Orbans Fidesz party, which has a two-thirds majority in parliament and is expected to easily approve his presidency.

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A presidential signature is needed to formally endorse the approval of Swedens NATO bid, which is expected within the next few days.

With inputs from The Associated Press
The minister of external affairs stated that India got very little comfort from the Canadian system that time and that as a result, its diplomats were threatened and intimidated in many ways and that India had to halt the issuing of visas in Canada

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated Monday that India expects action against those responsible for last years attacks on its consulate in San Francisco and high commission in London, as well as those who threatened Indian diplomats in Canada.

The minister of external affairs stated that India got very little comfort from the Canadian system that time and that as a result, its diplomats were threatened and intimidated in many ways and that India had to halt the issuing of visas in Canada.

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Following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus claims of a potential Indian agent role in the murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, India temporarily halted the issuing of visas to Canadian citizens in September of last year.

The visa services were resumed several weeks later.

India strongly rejected Trudeaus allegations.

India has been asserting its core issue with Canada remained that of the space given to the separatists, terrorists and anti-India elements in that country.

We expect the culprits in the attack in our consulate in San Francisco to be brought to book, we expect action against people who stormed into our high commission in London and we expect action against people who threatened our diplomats (in Canada), Jaishankar said at a summit organised by TV9 Network.

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The Indian high commission in London was attacked by certain pro-Khalistani elements in March 19 last year while there was an attempted arson at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco in July.

The Indian diplomats faced threats in Canada in September.

We had to suspend issuance of visas in Canada because our diplomats were not safe going to work. Our diplomats were repeatedly threatened. They were intimidated in many ways and we got very little comfort from the Canadian system that time, Jaishankar said.

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We reached a stage when as a minister, I could not risk exposing the diplomats to the kind of violence which was very clearly prevalent in Canada at that time. That part of it has been rectified. Today, our visa operations are pretty much normal, he added.

Jaishankar said the situation has improved since then.

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To a question on the space given to the Khalistani elements in Canada, he cited instances of throwing of smoke bombs into the Indian missions in that country.

They (Canada) keep telling us that we are a democracy. There is freedom of speech and, therefore, people say these things, Jaishankar said.

Freedom of speech cannot extend to intimidating diplomats who are doing their duty. Throwing smoke bombs to embassy and consulates, advocating violence and separatism against a friendly state is not freedom of speech, this is misuse of freedom of speech, he added.

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Jaishankar said the culprits involved in these attacks must be brought to book.

In the UK, we actually saw our high commission being attacked by mobs and honestly we did not get the kind of protection which we expected to get, Jaishankar said.

Things have improved in the UK. We find today a much firmer response in Australia and in the US, he added.

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If a receiving state does not investigate and take action against someone who attacks our embassy and consulates, there is a message in it. I do not think it is good for any of these countries to send that kind of message for their own reputation, Jaishankar said.

With inputs from PTI
ICJ or the World Court is hearing arguments from more than 50 states following a request by the UN General Assembly in 2022 that it issue a non-binding opinion on the legal consequences of Israels presence in the West Bank

A Palestinian flag flies outside the United Nations' highest court during historic hearings in The Hague, Netherlands, February 21, 2024. AP

Turkey on Monday told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that the root cause of the Israel-Palestine conflict is the formers deepening occupation of Palestinian territories.

The Turkish Foreign Ministrys comment came amid the backdrop of an imminent expanded Israeli military operation into the southern Gazan city of Rafah.

The unfolding situation after October 7 proves once again that, without addressing the root cause of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there can be no peace in the region, Ahmet Yildiz, the Turkish foreign minister said.

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He added, The real obstacle to peace is obvious. The deepening occupation by Israel of the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and the failure to implement the two-state vision.

ICJ hearings

ICJ or the World Court is hearing arguments from more than 50 states following a request by the UN General Assembly in 2022 that it issue a non-binding opinion on the legal consequences of Israels presence in the West Bank.

The hearings, which began last week, are the first time the ICJ has been asked to provide advisory opinions on the issue. However, it wont be forming an opinion on the subject anytime soon.

While the Palestinian side, including a team of prominent lawyers and the Palestinian Authoritys foreign minister, Riyad al-Maliki, argues that Israel has subjected Palestinians to decades of discrimination, Israel skipped the hearings but rejected the questions raised in a written submission.

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Turkey hopes Netanyahu brought before ICJ for war crime

Meanwhile, Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said that he hopes the ICJ trials hold Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes, according to Anadolu Agency.

We hope that Netanyahu and war criminal top executives such as Radovan Karadzic (former political leader of Bosnias Serbs) and Ratko Mladic (former Serb commander) are destined to be held accountable and punished at the international war crimes court as well, Kurtulmus said.

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He added, Here, what we expect from the countries that have supported Israel until now is that they should no longer give this support. Because not only Netanyahu and his regime will collapse, but also the countries that support him will be affected.
Israels military presented the War Cabinet with a plan for evacuating the population from fighting areas in the Gaza Strip, as well as the upcoming operational plan, according to a Hebrew statement from Netayahus office on Monday

Protesters wearing masks depicting Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 attack by Hamas, hold signs reading "sorry for being kidnapped" as hostage families keep pressure on Israeli authorities to secure the release of the remaining captives, in Tel Aviv. AFP

Israels military submitted a plan Monday for evacuating people from the Gaza Strip, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a ground assault of Rafah, the Palestinian territorys southern metropolis, was required for total victory.

Foreign governments and relief groups have frequently voiced concern that such an operation could result in widespread civilian fatalities in Rafah, where about 1.4 million Palestinians, the majority of whom have been displaced from other places, have gathered.

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It also serves as an access point for badly needed relief, which is carried in via nearby Egypt.

Israels military presented the War Cabinet with a plan for evacuating the population from fighting areas in the Gaza Strip, as well as the upcoming operational plan, according to a Hebrew statement from Netayahus office on Monday.

The statement did not give any details about how or where the civilians would be moved.

The announcement comes after Egyptian, Qatari and US experts met in Doha for talks also attended by Israeli and Hamas representatives, state-linked Egyptian media said, the latest effort to secure a truce before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

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Israels ally the United States said ongoing mediation efforts produced an understanding towards a ceasefire and hostage release, while a Hamas source said the group insisted on the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

But Netanyahu said a ground invasion of Rafah would put Israel within weeks of total victory over Hamas, whose October 7 attack triggered the war.

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If we have a (truce) deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen, he said of the ground invasion in an interview with CBS Sunday.

It has to be done because total victory is our goal and total victory is within reach  not months away, weeks away, once we begin the operation.

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Amid a spiralling humanitarian crisis, the main UN aid agency for Palestinians urged political action to avert famine in Gaza.

Dire food shortages in northern Gaza are a man-made disaster that can be mitigated, said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

Famine can still be avoided through genuine political will to grant access and protection to meaningful assistance.

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The UN has said it faces restrictions, particularly on aid deliveries to northern Gaza.

The Doha talks follow a weekend meeting in Paris, without Gaza rulers Hamas, where representatives came to an understanding among the four of them about what the basic contours of a hostage deal for temporary ceasefire would look like, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN.

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A Hamas source told AFP that some new amendments were proposed on contentious issues, but Israel did not present any substantive position on the terms of the ceasefire and the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu has dismissed the troop withdrawal demand as delusional.

Uninhabitable

More than four months into the war, desperate families in Gazas north have been forced to scavenge for food as fighting and looting have stopped humanitarian deliveries.

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Hundreds of Palestinians headed south whichever way they could, walking down garbage-strewn roads between the blackened shells of bombed-out buildings, said an AFP correspondent.

In northern Gazas Jabalia, displaced man Marwan Awadieh said the area has become completely uninhabitable.

Even the animal fodder that we had resorted to is now unavailable, he said, and wild herbs have been depleted.

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Israeli forces continued striking targets across the Palestinian territory and battling militants in heavy urban combat centred on the southern city of Khan Yunis, near Rafah.

The Israeli military campaign has killed at least 29,692 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territorys health ministry.

The war broke out after Hamass unprecedented attack, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

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Expanding the conflict

Militants also took about 250 Israeli and foreign hostages, 130 of whom remain in Gaza, including 31 presumed dead, according to Israel.

Israels army confirmed Sunday the death of soldier Oz Daniel, 19, whose body is still held captive by Hamas according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum which said he was killed on the day of the attack.

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Mediators have voiced hope that a temporary truce and a hostage-prisoner exchange can be secured before the start of Ramadan on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar.

Jordans King Abdullah II warned fighting during the holy month will increase the threat of expanding the conflict, according to a royal statement.

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Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, whose country hosts Hamas leaders and had helped broker a one-week truce in November, is due in Paris this week, the French presidency said.

Media reports suggest the warring parties are weighing a six-week halt to fighting and the initial exchange of dozens of female, underage and ill hostages for several hundred Palestinian detainees held by Israel.

Hezbollah threat

Across from overcrowded Rafah, neighbouring Egypt has kept its border closed, saying it will not help facilitate any operation to push Palestinians out of Gaza.

But satellite images show it has also built a walled enclosure next to Gaza, in an apparent effort to brace for the possible arrival of large numbers of refugees.

Inside Israel, public pressure has grown on Netanyahu from the families of hostages demanding swifter action, and from resurgent anti-government protests.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said there would be no let-up in action against Lebanons powerful Hamas ally Hezbollah, whose militants have traded near-daily fire with Israeli forces since early October.

Both Hamas and Hezbollah are backed by Israels enemy Iran.

If anyone thinks that when we reach a deal (with Hamas) it will ease what is happening here  they are wrong, he said.
The Israeli PM said that the plan for action would include moving people living in Rafah, which falls in the southern part of Gaza, to the northern part of the Strip

Displaced Palestinian woman, who fled her house due to Israeli strikes, looks on at a tent camp, in Rafah. Reuters

As Israels plan to expand its military operation to Rafah becomes imminent, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has assured that he will soon have an evacuation plan for Palestinian citizens living in the region.

Meanwhile, a temporary ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is currently in the works ahead of Israels expanded military operation in Rafah.

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In an interview with CBS News, Netanyahu said, There is no disagreement with me and the US about the need to evacuate the population.

The Israeli leader added that his country does not need prodding by the US to protect civilians in Gaza.

Netanyahu said that he will convene the cabinet this week to approve the operational plans for action in Rafah.

Once we begin the Rafah operation, the intense phase of the fighting is weeks away from completion. Not months, he said.

If we dont have a deal, well do it anyway. It has to be done because total victory is our goal and total victory is within reach.

Margaret Brennan to Netanyahu: "There is growing distrust of you personally sir, you know this, in the US Congress and Biden White House." pic.twitter.com/of1wrfsFhz  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 25, 2024

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What will Netanyahus plan include?

The Israeli PM, during the interview, said, that the plan for action would include moving people living in Rafah, which falls in the southern part of Gaza, to the northern part of the Strip.

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Theres room for them to go north of Rafah to the place that weve already finished fighting in, Netanyahu said.

The plan will also ensure the dismantling of the four of six Hamas battalions situation in Rafah.

Meanwhile, hostage talks resumed on Sunday in Qatar. According to the Times of Israel, under the deal, 40 hostages held in Gaza will be freed in the first phase amid a pause in fighting for six weeks.

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In exchange, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian terror convicts.

IDF presents plan for evacuation

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) presented a plan for the evacuation of Palestinian civilians from the city of Rafah to the war cabinet, the Prime Ministers Office has said.

In addition to this, the cabinet has also approved humanitarian aid to south Gaza in a way that will prevent the looting that occurred in the north of the Gaza Strip and other areas.
While a Hamas source stated that the organisation insisted on the departure of Israeli soldiers, Israels partner the United States claimed that continuous mediation attempts resulted in an understanding towards a ceasefire and captive release

According to Israels prime minister, a possible truce in the countrys fight against Hamas terrorists would merely postpone a ground assault of Rafah, a city in southern Gaza that serves as a haven for more than half of the regions inhabitants.

While a Hamas source stated that the organisation insisted on the departure of Israeli soldiers, Israels partner the United States claimed that continuous mediation attempts resulted in an understanding towards a ceasefire and captive release.

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The principal UN organisation for Palestinian aid called for political action to prevent hunger in Gaza amid a rapidly worsening humanitarian situation.

According to state-affiliated Egyptian media, Egyptian, Qatari, and US experts convened in Doha for discussions that were also attended by Israeli and Hamas delegates. This was an attempt to broker a cease-fire before of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that a military operation into Rafah, on Gazas southern border with Egypt, would put Israel within weeks of total victory over Hamas whose October 7 attack triggered the war.

If we have a deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen, he told CBS of the looming ground invasion.

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Such an operation is widely feared to bring more mass civilian casualties in Rafah, where around 1.4 million Palestinians  most of them displaced from other areas  have converged.

If we dont have a deal, well do it anyway, Netanyahu said.

It has to be done because total victory is our goal and total victory is within reach  not months away, weeks away, once we begin the operation.

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Dire food shortages in northern Gaza which have sent Palestinians fleeing south were a man-made disaster that can be mitigated, said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

Famine can still be avoided through genuine political will to grant access and protection to meaningful assistance.

The UN has said it faces restrictions, particularly on aid deliveries to northern Gaza.

Advertisement

The Doha talks follow a weekend meeting in Paris, without Gaza rulers Hamas, where representatives came to an understanding among the four of them about what the basic contours of a hostage deal for temporary ceasefire would look like, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN.

A Hamas source told AFP that some new amendments were proposed on contentious issues, but Israel did not present any substantive position on the terms of the ceasefire and the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

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Netanyahu has dismissed the troop withdrawal demand as delusional.

Uninhabitable

More than four months into the war, desperate families in Gazas north have been forced to scavenge for food as fighting and looting have stopped humanitarian deliveries.

Hundreds of Palestinians headed south whichever way they could, walking down garbage-strewn roads between the blackened shells of bombed-out buildings, said an AFP correspondent.

Advertisement

In northern Gazas Jabalia, displaced man Marwan Awadieh said the area has become completely uninhabitable and food was desperately scarce.

Even the animal fodder that we had resorted to is now unavailable, he said, and wild herbs have been depleted.

Red Crescent volunteer Ezzedin Halaweh said food shortages in the north were leading to severe health issues, especially among children.

Advertisement

Israeli forces continued striking targets across the Palestinian territory and battling militants in heavy urban combat centred on the southern city of Khan Yunis, near Rafah.

The Israeli military campaign has killed at least 29,692 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territorys health ministry.

The war broke out after Hamass unprecedented attack which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

Advertisement

Expanding the conflict

Militants also took about 250 Israeli and foreign hostages, 130 of whom remain in Gaza, including 31 presumed dead, according to Israel.

Israels army confirmed Sunday the death of soldier Oz Daniel, 19, whose body is still held captive by Hamas according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum which said he was killed on the day of the attack.

Advertisement

Mediators have voiced hope a temporary truce and a hostage-prisoner exchange can be secured before the start of Ramadan on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar.

Jordans King Abdullah II warned fighting during the holy month will increase the threat of expanding the conflict, according to a royal statement.

Advertisement

Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, whose country hosts Hamas leaders and had helped broker a one-week truce in November, is due in Paris this week for talks on the Gaza conflict, the French presidency said.

Media reports suggest the warring parties are weighing a six-week halt to fighting and the initial exchange of dozens of female, underage and ill hostages for several hundred Palestinian detainees held by Israel.

Advertisement

Hezbollah threat

Across from overcrowded Rafah, neighbouring Egypt has kept its border closed to a mass refugee flight, saying it will not help facilitate any operation to push Palestinians out of Gaza.

But satellite images show it has also built a walled enclosure next to Gaza, in an apparent effort to brace for the possible arrival of large numbers of refugees.

Inside Israel, public pressure has grown on Netanyahu from the families of hostages demanding swifter action, and from a resurgent anti-government protest movement.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said there would be no let-up in action against Lebanons powerful Hamas ally Hezbollah, whose militants have traded near-daily fire with Israeli forces since early October.

Both Hamas and Hezbollah are backed by Israels enemy Iran.

If diplomatic efforts fail to end the deadly cross-border hostilities, we will do it by force, Gallant warned in a video message from a northern army base near Lebanon.

If anyone thinks that when we reach a deal (with Hamas) it will ease what is happening here  they are wrong.
The House has filed two articles of impeachment, alleging that Mayorkas violated the public trust by lying to Congress about the security of the border and by willfully and systematically refusing to implement current immigration rules

If the Senate were to proceed to a trial, senators would be forced to sit in their seats for the duration, maybe weeks, while the House impeachment managers and lawyers representing Mayorkas make their cases. AP File

Senators will be sworn in as jurors for an impeachment trial for the third time in the last five years. However, the allegations against former President Donald Trump are anticipated to take up far more of the chambers time than those against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, or perhaps none at all.

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On February 13, the Republican-controlled House impeached Mayorkas by a mere margin of one vote, urging his removal from office due to his management of the border between the United States and Mexico. The House has filed two articles of impeachment, alleging that Mayorkas violated the public trust by lying to Congress about the security of the border and by willfully and systematically refusing to implement current immigration rules.

Democrats argue that the allegations are more of a disagreement over policy than the high crimes and misdemeanours that the Constitution lists as requirements for impeachment.

It took a close second attempt to impeach a Cabinet secretarythe House having rejected the attempt a week earlierbut the vote of 214213, marking the first time in over 150 years, was successful. Senate leaders have also demonstrated little interest in devoting much time to the accusations, even though the Senate is now required to address them. Mayorkas would need to be found guilty by two thirds of the Senate, and not a single Democrat has shown support for the impeachment effort.

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Still, there is a process that senators have to follow under the rules for impeachment, and all Democrats would likely have to stick together to dismiss the charges completely.

A look at next steps and the Senates options once the Mayorkas impeachment moves across the Capitol:

Convening an impeachment trial

Under impeachment rules, a group of House managers  members who act as prosecutors and are appointed by the speaker  will deliver the impeachment charges by reading the articles on the Senate floor, usually after making a ceremonial walk across the Capitol with the articles in hand.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has not yet said when that will happen, but it could be as soon as this week, when the Senate returns to session after a two-week recess.

Senators will later be sworn in as jurors, likely the next day. The Senate must then issue a summons to the official who is being tried to inform them of the charges and ask for a written answer. But Mayorkas would not have to appear in the Senate at any point.

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After that, the rules generally allow the Senate to decide how to proceed. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., hasnt yet said what he will do, but he is expected to try and dismiss the trial in some manner, if he has the votes. Democrats control the Senate, 51-49.

Voting to dismiss the charges

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If Schumer can muster a simple majority, Democrats could dismiss the trial outright or move to table the two articles, ending the Houses effort and allowing the Senate to move on to other business.

Getting to 51 votes would require every single Democrat and the chambers three Independents to vote to dismiss, or potentially fewer if any Republicans join them.

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While several GOP senators have questioned the need for a trial, its unclear whether any of them would go as far as to vote to dismiss the charges right at the start.

Some Republicans are vocally opposed to that approach. In a letter last week, Utah Sen. Mike Lee said in a letter to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell that Democrats should not be able to shirk their Constitutional duty.

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But McConnell has little control over the process. If Democrats stick together and vote, they can dismiss the trial  only a simple majority is required.

In Trumps second impeachment shortly after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., raised an objection that the trial was unconstitutional because Trump had already left office, effectively a move to dismiss it. Most Republicans voted in support of Pauls objection.

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Referring to committee

If Democrats are not able to dismiss the trial or table the articles, there is a second option: They could follow the precedent of several impeachment trials for federal judges over the last century and hold a vote to create a trial committee that would investigate the charges.

While there are no hard rules on how to form a trial committee, the Senate has in the past passed a resolution authorizing the party leaders to each recommend six senators and a chairperson to run it. Those committees had the ability to call witnesses and issue final reports to the Senate ahead of eventual trials.

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While there is sufficient precedent for this approach, Democrats are likely to try and avoid a trial if they can halt the process completely, especially in a presidential election year where immigration and border security are top issues.

Echoing Trumps defense during his impeachments, Schumer has called the House effort a sham.

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House Republicans failed to produce any evidence that Secretary Mayorkas has committed any crime, Schumer said. House Republicans failed to show he has violated the Constitution. House Republicans failed to present any evidence of anything resembling an impeachable offense.

Moving to a trial

If the Senate were to proceed to a trial, senators would be forced to sit in their seats for the duration, maybe weeks, while the House impeachment managers and lawyers representing Mayorkas make their cases. The Senate is allowed to call witnesses, as well, if it so decides. Senators also have an opportunity to question the two sides before a final vote on whether to convict.

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While the right flank of the Senates GOP conference is lobbying for that scenario, senators in both parties have said they dont think its the best use of the chambers time. And some Republicans have suggested the process was not serious enough in the House.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said earlier this month that he thinks Mayorkas has fallen short but that theres a lot of time that goes into a thoughtful impeachment process, and a couple of hearings in a month, or month and a half doesnt seem like it fits that bill.
Widespread demonstrations in the area forced the police to shut down the Tower Bridge on Saturday. However, the bridge was reopened after a while

Londons iconic Tower Bridge witnessed massive pro-Palestinian protests through the weekend as demonstrators called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Pro-Palestinian activists were seen lighting flares, waving Palestinian flags and calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, according to videos that have gone viral on social media.

 Pro Palestinian Protest on London Bridge last night



You can be both against this being happening in UK & also against the inhumane evil barbaric actions of the Israeli Government in Gaza.



Question is how we allowed the UK to become like this in the first place? pic.twitter.com/662JuVJCM8  Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) February 25, 2024

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Widespread demonstrations in the area forced the police to shut down the Tower Bridge on Saturday. However, the bridge was reopened after a while.

NOW!

Tower Bridge in London is occupied & shut down. #StoptheGenocideNow  pic.twitter.com/IIYbud2rUQ  Brighton PSC (@BrightonPSC) February 24, 2024

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Palestinian Solidarity Campaign meeting

The pro-Palestinian protests erupted in London following the annual general meeting of the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign in Conway Hall on Saturday.

During the meeting, the groups director Ben Jamal said that it had the right to lobby MPs in large numbers as thousands of people were shamefully denied entry into the parliament last week as they tried to lobby lawmakers to vote in favour of Gaza ceasefire.

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A hate march has shut down Tower Bridge.



Idiots amongst the mob let off flares and disrupted traffic. Where is the @metpoliceuk and the @MayorofLondon?



Almost like Lee Anderson had a point.  pic.twitter.com/GS4XudWrvX  Chris Rose (@ArchRose90) February 24, 2024

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In the build-up to the protests, Jamal told the demonstrators, We want so many of you to come that they will have to lock the doors of parliament itself.

This week over 80,000 people emailed their MPs ahead of the ceasefire debate. More than 3,000 came from across the UK to lobby their MPs in person, in one of the largest physical lobbies of parliament in history, Jamal said in a statement.

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Shamefully, most were denied entry, ending up queueing for over four hours in the rain as extraordinary measures were introduced to limit the number who could meet their MPs face to face," he added.
Notably, the primary demand made by Muizzus party during the election campaign was the withdrawal of Indian troops from the Maldives. There are currently about 70 Indian soldiers in the Maldives, as well as two HAL Dhruv helicopters and two Dornier 228 maritime patrol planes

The Ministry of External Affairs announced earlier this month that India will substitute qualified Indian technical staff for military personnel stationed at aviation installations in the Maldives Image Courtesy Agencies

The assertions made by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu concerning thousands of Indian military personnel were refuted on Saturday by former Foreign Affairs Minister Abdulla Shahid, who also stated that there are no foreign soldiers with guns stationed in the nation.

100 days in, its clear: President Muizzus claims of thousands of Indian military personnel were just another in a string of lies. The current administrations inability to provide specific numbers speaks volumes. There are no armed foreign soldiers stationed in the country, the newly elected president of the Maldivian Democratic Party said in a statement on social media platform X.

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He also emphasized the importance of openness and the need for the truth to win out.

Transparency matters, and the truth must prevail, he stated.

Notably, the primary demand made by Muizzus party during the election campaign was the withdrawal of Indian troops from the Maldives. There are currently about 70 Indian soldiers in the Maldives, as well as two HAL Dhruv helicopters and two Dornier 228 maritime patrol planes.

Muizzu formally asked the Indian government to remove its military soldiers from the Maldives on his second day in office.

Muizzu asserted in December of last year that an agreement to remove Indian military soldiers had been reached following discussions with the Indian administration.

Additionally, the Maldives president announced that diplomatic talks to remove Indian troops were in progress. He explained that military personnel on one of the three aviation platforms will be removed by March 10, 2024, as per the terms of the most recent discussions, while military personnel on the other two platforms would be removed before May 10, 2024.

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The Ministry of External Affairs announced earlier this month that India will substitute qualified Indian technical staff for military personnel stationed at aviation installations in the Maldives.
At least a dozen Russian pro-democracy activists in the Balkan nation say they were either denied admission or had their residency cards revoked due to allegations that they were a security risk to Serbia

Peter Nikitin, one of the founders of the pro-democracy Russian Democratic Society, speaks during a press conference in Belgrade, Serbia. AP

Elena Koposova did not expect a response in her newly adopted home state of Serbia after signing an open letter opposing Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

After all, Serbia is technically trying to join the European Union while embracing all of the democratic norms that come with membership, she reasoned. She now realises she was incorrect.

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Two years after writing the letter, the 54-year-old Russian lady is appealing an expulsion order after being judged a threat to Serbias national security and having her residency card withdrawn. The troubled literature translator explained that the only thing she could think of was the anti-war petition she had signed.

I am not an activist, but I did sign an anti-war letter when the Russian aggression in Ukraine just started, she said in an interview. Even not being an activist, I couldnt just be quiet about it. So, I just put my name on the open letter where it was said that the war is a crime, and we must all unite to stop it.

Koposova is not the only one. Tens of thousands of Russians have fled the war in Ukraine and President Vladimir Putins regime to seek safety in Serbia in recent years. At least a dozen Russian pro-democracy activists in the Balkan nation say they were either denied admission or had their residency cards revoked due to allegations that they were a security risk to Serbia.

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Russian anti-war activists claim that at least eight others are scared to talk in public about their legal issues with the Serbian government for fear that doing so would only make it more difficult for them to stay in the nation with their families.

It was very sudden, very shocking, Koposova said of the moment she received the expulsion order, which did not explain the reason for the measure, only declaring that she poses a threat to national security and that she must leave the country within 30 days.

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She and her husband have built a modern house on a piece of land in a remote village outside Belgrade where they live with two children, ages 6 and 14, who are attending local school and preschool classes.

Rights activists say the residency problems point to a close relation between Serbias increasingly autocratic president, Aleksandar Vucic, and Putin, despite Serbias formal EU bid. Vucic has refused to join Western sanctions against the traditional Slavic ally while allowing Moscow propaganda outlets such as RT and Sputnik to spread their narrative throughout the Balkans.

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The authorities in Belgrade and the authorities in Moscow are politically very close, said Predrag Petrovic, research coordinator at the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, an independent think tank that has sought an explanation from the Interior Ministry about the measures against the Russians.

People who are critical of Putins regime present a big threat to the regime in Moscow, Petrovic said. This is why these people are being targeted by the Serbian authorities.

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Serbian officials so far havent commented about the reported cases involving Russian citizens, and Serbias Interior Ministry hasnt responded to an email from The Associated Press requesting an interview or a comment on the issue.

Since the war in Ukraine started two years ago, many Russians came to Serbia because they dont need visas to enter the friendly Balkan state, a potential stepping stone for possible future emigration to the West. Many were dodging the draft, while others, like the Koposova family, who came earlier, simply were fed up with Putins government and sought a better life somewhere outside of Russia.

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Peter Nikitin, one of the founders of the pro-democracy Russian Democratic Society, himself spent two days at Belgrade airport last summer when his entry permit was revoked, although he has a Serbian wife and has lived in Serbia for seven years. Nikitin was later allowed into the country, but a legal procedure regarding his residency papers is ongoing.

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I have no doubt that this is being done on direct orders from Russia, either via the embassy or directly from Moscow, insisted Nikitin, whose group has also organized protests against the war in Ukraine and demonstrations demanding freedom for political prisoners including Alexei Navalny, a Russian opposition leader and a Putin critic who died on Feb. 16 in an Arctic penal colony in Russia.

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Nikitin said other anti-war activists who faced scrutiny by Serbian authorities include fellow founder of the RDS group, Vladimir Volokhonsky, who now lives in Germany.

Also under sanctions were Yevgeny Irzhansky, who organized concerts by anti-Putin bands in Serbia and who has since moved to Argentina with his wife, and Ilya Zernov, a young Russian who was banned from returning to Serbia after being attacked by a far-right Serbian nationalist when he tried to erase a wall painting calling for death to Ukraine in downtown Belgrade.

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Nikitin said that the goal of these measures is to intimidate anti-war campaigners.

The only explanation for that is that they want to scare everyone, he said. Because if you cant sign an anti-war letter, then theres really nothing you can do. And it does have a chilling effect.

The point is the anti-war Russians are not protesting here against anyone in Serbia, Nikitin said. We are only concerned with our own country and with our neighboring country, which is suffering from our country right now.

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Serbias close relations with Russia date back centuries and the two countries also share a common Slavic origin and Orthodox Christian religion. Russia has supported Serbias bid to retain its claim on Kosovo, a former province that declared independence in 2008 with Western backing.

Serbia and Russia also maintain close links between their security services.

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Former Serbian state security chief Aleksandar Vulin, who was sanctioned by the U.S. for aiding Russias malign influence in the Balkan region, recently received a decoration from the Federal Security Service of Russia for close cooperation between the two spy agencies. Vulin reportedly was involved in wiretapping prominent Russian opposition activists who met in Belgrade on the eve of the war in Ukraine and who were later jailed in Russia.

For Koposova, the decision by Serbian authorities to kick her out of the country, means that she and her family could lose everything if her appeal is rejected.

The family cant go back to Russia because they have sold all their property, are now labelled as anti-Putin and her husband could be drafted into the army to fight in Ukraine, Koposova said.

This house is our only house, the only house that our kids have, she said, with tears in her eyes.
According to the The Times of Israel report based on information on the Asharq and other Arab news outlets, Shtayyehs cabinet would remain in power until a new technocratic government took over

As the Palestinian Authority government resigned Monday under US pressure to reform itself to shoulder responsibilities of governance in Gaza after the cessation of Israels war on Hamas, a new PA government may be formed before the end of this week.

The possibility was reported by The Times of Israel, which in turn quoted Dubai-based Asharq News.

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According to the The Times of Israel report based on information on the Asharq and other Arab news outlets, Shtayyehs cabinet would remain in power until a new technocratic government took over.

According to these reports, Mohammed Mustafa could be the new PM of PA. Mustafa is a former deputy PM and ex-economy minister.

Mustafa, these reports said, would oversee the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip under the aegis of the World Bank, bringing about the much-needed reforms needed in PA.

Earlier Monday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh stepped down, submitted his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas.

The decision to resign came in light of the unprecedented escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem and the war, genocide and starvation in the Gaza Strip," Shtayyeh said at a presser.

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Shtayyehs resignation came amid mounting US pressure on President Abbas to revamp the Palestinian Authority, align with international efforts to stop hostilities in Gaza and initiate the formation of a political structure for post-war governance.

The move has ostensibly paved the path towards establishment of a broad consensus among Palestinians regarding political arrangements for Gaza.
The woman later apologized for offending religious feelings when she was brought to the police station

The police released a video of the woman concealing her face with her hands while protesters surrounded her and yelled at her Image Courtesy Agencies

Police in Pakistan saved a woman who was attacked by a mob for donning an Arabic-printed kurta. The woman, who was accused of blasphemy, was surrounded by protestors when she went to a Lahore eatery with her spouse while donning an Arabic-printed kurta that some mistakenly believed contained passages from the Quran.

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When patrons at the restaurant demanded that the woman remove her kurta, the police were summoned, and the woman was saved.

The police released a video of the woman concealing her face with her hands while protesters surrounded her and yelled at her.

The female cop who attempted to calm down the crowd and remove the woman from the restaurant was also commended by the police.

Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi was seen pleading with the crowd not to use violence in the footage.

The woman and her husband had gone shopping. There were some words inscribed on the kurta that she had worn. She was requested to take off the kurta by some persons who noticed it. Confusion existed, Naqvi remarked.

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The woman later apologized for offending religious feelings when she was brought to the police station.

I had no intentions of insulting anyones religious sentiments. I bought the kurta just because it had good design, the woman told the media.
Mohammad Shtayyehs resignation from the post prime minister comes amid mounting pressure on President Abbas from the US to revamp the Palestinian Authority, align with international efforts to stop hostilities in Gaza and initiate the formation of a political structure for post-war governance

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh Monday said he has stepped down from the post and has submitted his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas.

Shtayyeh revealed news of submitting his and his governments resignation, which rules parts of the occupied West Bank, at a press conference on Monday.

Why Palestinian PM has resigned?

Explaining his decision to step down, Shtayyeh said: The decision to resign came in light of the unprecedented escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem and the war, genocide and starvation in the Gaza Strip."

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Shtayyeh assumed office in 2019. His resignation comes amid mounting pressure on President Abbas from the United States to revamp the Palestinian Authority, align with international efforts to stop hostilities in Gaza and initiate the formation of a political structure for post-war governance.

Shtayyeh stepping down paves the path for the establishment of a broad consensus among Palestinians regarding political arrangements amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

In a statement to the cabinet announcing his resignation, Shtayyeh said the next stage will have to take into account the emerging reality in war-torn Gaza.

The next stage will require new governmental and political arrangements that take into account the emerging reality in the Gaza Strip, the national unity talks, and the urgent need for an inter-Palestinian consensus, Shtayyeh said, adding that it will require the extension of the Authoritys authority over the entire land, Palestine.

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Hamas on Shtayyehs resignation

The resignation of Shtayyehs government only makes sense if it comes within the context of national consensus on arrangements for the next phase, a report by Reuters quoted senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri as saying.

There has been a significant increase in violence in the occupied West Bank after the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel that killed 1,139 people. Israels retaliatory bombardments on Gaza have killed more than 29,000 Palestinian civilians, according to Gazas health ministry.

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With inputs from agencies
Farmers in Poland and elsewhere say food imports from Ukraine are undercutting their livelihoods, even as European governments support Ukraine in its fight against Russias invasion.

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, right, greets Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ahead of talks on European security and support for Poland's neighbor, Ukraine, in its struggle against Russia's aggression, in Warsaw, Poland, on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. - AP

The Prime Ministers of Canada and Poland on Monday discussed the potential increase in exports of Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products to the worlds poorest nations. This initiative aims to alleviate concerns raised by farmers in Europe who perceive Ukrainian goods as a threat to their markets.

Justin Trudeau, who recently visited Ukraine, held talks with his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, not only on economic matters but also on security issues and the provision of additional support to Kyiv.

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Tusk while addressing the protests in Europe against massive imports of cheap Ukrainian grain said that both leaders see the need for an increase in exports to poorer, hungrier nations elsewhere instead.

Farmers in Poland and elsewhere say food imports from Ukraine are undercutting their livelihoods, even as European governments support Ukraine in its fight against Russias invasion.

Canada and Poland could radically increase the possibility of the export of Ukraines grain to the hunger-stricken, needy nations, Tusk said.

He said Poland is ready to help finance such projects which could bring great relief to Polish and European farmers, to Ukraine and to those who are waiting for cheap food in other regions of the world.

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The two leaders also discussed Polands plans to develop nuclear energy, including small nuclear power plants, a field in which Canada is a leader. Trudeau vowed his countrys readiness to support Poland in the process.

With inputs from AP.
Volker Turk also voiced concern that ongoing negotiations on a number of vital issues did not appear to focus enough on the human rights aspect

On Monday, the UN rights head condemned misinformation and other assaults that attempt to undermine the legitimacy and work of the United Nations and other organisations, characterising them as profoundly destructive.

Volker Turk criticised rampant disinformation that targets UN humanitarian organisations, UN peacekeepers, and my office at the start of the UN Human Rights Councils main annual session.

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The UN has become a lightning rod for manipulative propaganda and a scapegoat for policy failures, he warned.

This is profoundly destructive of the common good, and it callously betrays the many people whose lives rely on it.

During his inaugural remarks, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that the UN was uniquely equipped to enable states to discuss and resolve pressing global issues.

This convening power is particularly vital now, when the magnitude of conflict, planetary peril and digital transformation requires urgent solutions, he said.

Turk pointed to the pain and the slaughter of so many people in the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, Haiti and so many other places around the world which he described as unbearable.

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Without mentioning it explicitly, he seemed to allude to the recent attacks on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, amid Israeli allegations of collusion with the Hamas militants whose October 7 attack on Israel sparked the brutal war raging in Gaza.

UN humanitarian agencies assist hundreds of millions of people to stay alive, stressed Turk, who himself is not welcome in Israel, where the authorities accuse him and his office of bias in favour of the Palestinians.

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Turk also voiced concern that ongoing negotiations on a number of vital issues did not appear to focus enough on the human rights aspect.

Negotiations on treaties on pandemic prevention and on cyber-crime, as well as on plastic pollution; and global discussions about the regulation of artificial intelligence  all these talks that are currently under way  are not sufficiently taking into account human rights obligations, and the human rights harms that could be done, he warned.

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The UN rights chief appealed for an end to the binary view that if you are not for us, and against our enemies, then you too must be an enemy.

He warned that the us versus them illogic was creating increasingly dangerous and combustible divisions, especially in pre-electoral periods, of which there are many this year".

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All this is a politics of distraction, of warmongering, which slowly numbs our deepest sense of compassion. Especially at a time of deep division and fear, seeing the humanity in the other is the lifeline that can tug us away from disaster.
After Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022, the European Union and the Group of Seven (G7) froze almost 300 billion euros ($323 billion) in assets held by the Russian central bank

Russias finance ministry has been discussing with its Chinese counterparts the prospect of taking out yuan loans, but no decision has been made, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told state television on Monday.

Negotiations with Chinese partners have been going on for a long time. So far there is no decision, Siluanov told the RIA news agency.

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We discussed this topic at the end of last year at the inter-ministerial dialogue.

Furthermore, Siluanov stated that Moscow will push the notion among its allies and is prepared to begin testing payments in digital currencies with China or other Eurasian Economic Union members.

He restated Moscows stance that any foreign acts involving Russian assets would be met with an equal response from Moscow.

After Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022, the European Union and the Group of Seven (G7) froze almost 300 billion euros ($323 billion) in assets held by the Russian central bank. For more than a year, the EU and G7 have been discussing if and how these monies may be utilised.

We are following the decisions of Western countries: we have frozen no less (than they have), Siluanov said.

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Siluanov said Russias budget is under control with revenues coming in slightly higher than expected this year. Spending has been slower than last years pace, following stricter controls over advance payments and spending justification, he added.
Orlov, 70, has served for more than two decades as one of the leaders of Memorial, which won a share of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 a year after being banned and dissolved in Russia.

The co-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize winning Memorial Human Rights Centre Oleg Orlov, right, speaks to his lawyer prior to a court session for a new trial on charges of repeated discrediting Russian military, in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. - AP

Russian authorities have requested a prison term of two years and eleven months for Oleg Orlov, a long-standing human rights advocate, who openly criticized the war in Ukraine and allegedly labelled Moscow as Fascist.

Orlov is currently on trial for allegedly discrediting Russias armed forces, with the prosecution arguing for his conviction on the grounds of repeatedly discrediting the military.

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This demand for a prison term comes amidst a retrial, initiated after Orlov was initially fined. The prosecutions decision to appeal the fine reflects the governments intolerance towards criticism of its invasion of Ukraine, signalling a stern stance against dissent.

Orlov, who serves as the co-chairman of Memorial, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights organization, faces charges stemming from his Facebook post, wherein he denounced Russias military intervention in Ukraine. He maintains that the case against him is politically motivated and has rejected the accusations.

A court in Moscow in October 2023 delivered a guilty verdict and fined Orlov 150,000 rubles (about $1,500 at the time), a significantly milder punishment compared to the lengthy prison terms some other Russians have received for criticizing the war.

Both the defence and the prosecution appealed the verdict, and a higher court voided the fine and sent the case back to the prosecutors. A new trial began earlier this month, another step in a yearslong, unrelenting crackdown on dissent in Russia that the Kremlin ratcheted up after sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

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Mondays hearing drew over 100 supporters of Orlov and more than a dozen Western diplomats, Russian independent news site Mediazona reported. Orlov brought a book to the hearing  The Trial by Franz Kafka  reflecting his view of the trial as absurd. At a hearing on Thursday, Orlov read the novel and refused to engage in the proceedings.

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In his closing statement to the court on Monday, he once again denounced the war in Ukraine. I dont regret anything and I dont repent anything, he said.

Speaking to those who are now moving the steamroller of repression forward with their work  government officials, law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors, Orlov wondered if they were scared themselves of what our country, which you probably love too, is turning into  this absurdity, in this dystopia.

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Doesnt the obvious come to mind  that the steamroller of repression may sooner or later roll over those who launched it and pushed it? This has happened many times in history, he said.

The court is to deliver the verdict in the trial on Tuesday morning.

With inputs from AP.
The Russia-Ukraine war has entered its third year. During an address on Sunday, the Ukrainian president highlighted the importance of the Wests support and said that Ukraines victory depends on its Western allies support

Ukraines war with Russia has completed two years and for the first time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced the official figure of the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed on the battlefield since February 2022.

Ukraine has lost 31,000 soldiers, Zelenskyy said on Sunday. This figure has, however, been rejected by the Russian foreign ministry as being untrue.

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Speaking in Kyiv, a day after the second anniversary of Russias invasion, Zelenskyy denied mentioning how many Ukrainian service personnel had been wounded. He instead said that giving out such details might help Moscow.

Meanwhile, US officials, as per a New York Times report from August 2023, put the Ukrainian death toll at close to 70,000 and as many as 120,000 Russian troops died during the war.

Its not 300,000 or 150,000. Every casualty means a lot to us, Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian president put the number of Russian dead at 180,000 and said Russian casualties were 500,000 including the wounded.

Russia preparing for new offensive

Zelenskyy argued that Russia had so far not made a strategic breakthrough and predicted that Putins troops are preparing to launch a major offensive against Ukraine which is likely to be in May or summer. He admitted March and April would be difficult.

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Russia began its counteroffensive in the east of the country last October, and its troops have been creeping forward ever since.

The Ukrainian president denied his country was facing its weakest moment and said the first months of the invasion when Russian forces threatened Kyiv, were worse.

Ukraine needs right weapons

Zelenskyy said given the right weapons, Ukraine could also counterattack. He went on to say that an additional 10 US Patriot systems would radically change the situation and allow Ukraine to defend its lengthy frontline.

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The president further said he was confident that the US Congress would approve a major new batch of military and financial assistance and that Ukraine needed that decision within a month.

He also said troop rotations would be critically important for the war effort and emphasised that Ukraine needed to prepare its reserve forces better.

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Millions to die without US aid

In an interview with CNN, Zelenskyy warned that US lawmakers failure to pass President Joe Bidens $60 billion aid package would lead to the deaths of millions in Ukraines war with Russia.

When asked about his reaction to US Senator JD Vances comment that the outcome of the war would not change even after Ukraine receives the aid, Zelenskyy said, To understand it is to come to the front line to see whats going on, to speak with the people, then to go to civilians to understand  what will (happen to) them without this support. And he will understand that millions  will be killed. Its a fact.

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He added, Of course he doesnt understand, God bless you dont have the war on your territory.

2024 a turning point

Zelenskyy described 2024 as a turning point for Ukraine. He said the outcome of US presidential election 2024 in November would be a key factor.

The Ukrainian president said if Donald Trump wins a second term in office, he is expected to pull the plug on aid to Kyiv.

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This year will define the format of the ending of the war, Zelenskyy added.

Change in military leadership connected to new plan

Zelenskyy said Ukraine had a clear plan to counter Russian forces, but that he would not disclose details that could compromise it.

There is a plan, the plan is clear, I cant tell you the details, he said.

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Zelenskyy, however, refused to say why he recently fired his commander in chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Its an internal matter, he added.

The change in military leadership was connected to a new plan. Several different versions had been prepared because of information leaks, Zelenskyy said.

Kremlin murdered Alexei Navalny

Zelenskyy also described his counterpart Vladimir Putin and Russia as a ring of inhumans. The Kremlin had murdered the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, he claimed.
One of the photographs acquired by Maxar Technologies on February 22 and examined by Reuters showed the barrier blocking the opening of the shoal, where the Chinese coast guard last week claimed to have driven off a Philippine vessel that was illegally intruding into Beijings waters

Philippine vessels are seen around Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters

Satellite photographs of the fiercely contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea reveal a new floating barrier across its entrance, near where Philippine and Chinese coast guard vessels have frequently collided.

One of the photographs acquired by Maxar Technologies on February 22 and examined by Reuters showed the barrier blocking the opening of the shoal, where the Chinese coast guard last week claimed to have driven off a Philippine vessel that was illegally intruding into Beijings waters.

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The Philippines, which last week dispatched a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel to patrol the shoal and transfer fuel to Filipino fisherman in the region, stated that Chinas assertions were inaccurate and that Manilas actions were legal.

China claims the Scarborough Shoal, despite its being within the Philippines 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. An international arbitration panel in the Hague ruled in 2016 that Chinas claims lacked legal support, a finding Beijing has rejected.

As a result, the atoll is one of Asias most contentious marine features, and it has served as a hotspot for international disputes over sovereignty and fishing rights.

The satellite image backs with a report and video released by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Sunday, showing two Chinese coast guard inflatable boats erecting floating obstacles near the shoals entrance on February 22.

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According to the PCG, a Chinese coast guard ship tracked the BFAR vessel and conducted blocking manoeuvres around 1.3 nautical miles (2.4 km) off the shoal before approaching it closer.

We can assume that (the barrier) is intended for Philippine government vessels because they install it every time they monitor our presence within the BDM vicinity, Jay Tarriela, a spokesperson at the Philippine Coast Guard said, referring to Bajo de Masinloc, Manilas name for the shoal.

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Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Huangyan Dao, Chinas name for the shoal, was Chinas inherent territory.

Recently, the Philippine side has taken a series of actions to violate Chinas sovereignty in the shoals waters, she said. China has to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

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Another satellite image showed what Maxar technologies described as possible Chinese interception of a BFAR vessel at Scarborough Shoal.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce. Its territorial claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.

What we are seeing at the Scarborough Shoal now is likely the beginning of Beijings pushback against Manilas pushback, said Ian Storey, a senior fellow at Singapores ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

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Since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr took office in June 2022, the Philippines has challenged Chinas presence at Scarborough and its attempts to stop the resupply of Filipino troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, he said.

Chinas attempts to prevent Filipino fishermen from fishing at Scarborough Shoal is absolutely illegal, Storey said. The 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling gave fishermen from both countries the right to (fish there). Manila is merely supporting the legitimate rights of Filipino fishermen.

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The shoal is coveted for its bountiful fish stocks and a stunning turquoise lagoon that provides a safe haven for vessels during storms.

The Chinese removed the barrier a few hours after the BFAR vessel left, Tarriela said. It was not clear from the photos how robust the barrier was and whether it would have posed an obstacle to larger warships.

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In an article on Sunday, state-media outlet Global Times said the Philippines has abused and unilaterally sabotaged the foundation of Beijings goodwill to Manila that allowed Philippine fishermen to operate nearby, by working against Chinas sovereignty and jurisdiction.

If such provocations persist, China could be forced to take more effective measures to control the situation, the article said, citing experts.
If you return to the hospital you left behind by February 29, you wont be held responsible for what has already happened, South Korea safety minister Lee Sang-min said

South Korean doctors march to the Presidential Office to protest against the government's medical policy in Seoul, South Korea, February 25, 2024. REUTERS

Young doctors in South Korea, who have been protesting for over a week, have been warned by the government to return to work by the end of February or risk being punished.

Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said if junior doctors who had walked off the job to protest a government plan do not return by March 1, they will face a minimum three-month suspension of their medical licence among other legal action.

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South Korea govt issues last plea

At the opening of a task-force meeting, safety minister Lee Sang-min said: Considering the gravity of the situation, the government issues the last plea.

Lee further said the chaos mounting in hospitals and emergency services had reached a dangerous situation. The doctors protest in South Korea has also forced hospitals to turn away patients and cancel procedures.

If you return to the hospital you left behind by February 29, you wont be held responsible for what has already happened, he said.

We urge you to remember your voice will be heard loudly and most effectively when you are by the side of patients, Lee added.

The government has previously warned that it could take legal action against doctors who do not comply with a back-to-work order, including prosecution, possible arrest and stripping them of their medical licences.

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In South Korea, two-thirds of residents and intern doctors had walked out of the job to protest the governments plan to increase the number of students admitted to medical school to address what authorities say is a shortage of doctors that is set to worsen in one of the worlds fastest ageing societies.

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The protesting doctors say the government should first address pay and working conditions before trying to increase the number of physicians.

Many South Koreans support the plan, which has been spearheaded by President Yoon Suk Yeol. A recent Gallup Korea poll showed about 76 per cent of respondents approved of the plan, regardless of their political affiliation.

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An opinion poll by Realmeter released on Monday showed that Yoons approval rating had risen to 41.9 per cent, the first time in eight months it has topped the 40 per cent level.

Senior doctors and private practitioners have not joined the walkout but have held rallies urging the government to scrap its plan to boost medical school quotas.

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With inputs from Reuters
The United Nations has had to limit its work in Darfur to cross-border operations from Chad, but last week the UNs World Food Programme (WFP) country director Eddie Rowe told reporters that authorities have restricted the Chad cross-border operation

Cross-border aid to the western Darfur area has been denied by army-aligned authorities in war-torn Sudan, a decision that has been condemned by relief organisations and the US government.

Since fighting broke out between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces ten months ago, the enormous Darfur regionwhich shares a border with Chadhas been among the most severely affected areas of Sudan.

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The Janjaweed militia, which started a scorched earth operation in Darfur more than 20 years ago, is the ancestor of the RSF.

Four of the five capitals of the Darfur states have fallen to the RSF in their ongoing conflict with the army, which began in April.

More than 694,000 people have fled over the border to Chad, according to the International Organization for Migration, but many more remain trapped in Darfur and in need of assistance.

The United Nations has had to limit its work in Darfur to cross-border operations from Chad, but last week the UNs World Food Programme (WFP) country director Eddie Rowe told reporters that authorities have restricted the Chad cross-border operation.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on Friday said the United States is deeply concerned by the armys recent decision to prohibit cross border humanitarian assistance from Chad and reports that the SAF is obstructing assistance from reaching communities in areas controlled by the RSF.

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Sudans foreign ministry, loyal to the army, expressed confusion and rejection of the false accusations by Washington.

The ministry said the Sudan-Chad border is the main crossing point for weapons and equipment used to commit atrocities against Sudanese.

A United Nations experts report in January cited credible evidence that the United Arab Emirates was funnelling military support through Chad to the RSF. The UAE has denied the allegations.

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Miller, of the State Department, also expressed concern about RSF looting homes, markets and humanitarian assistance warehouses.

In Brussels, Rowe of WFP said his agency was engaging with the authorities to ensure this critical lifeline from Chad remains operational.

It is essential, an international aid worker told AFP on Sunday from Darfur, requesting anonymity so as not to jeopardise their mission.

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Children and babies are already dying from hunger and malnutrition. There will be an immense human impact and quite possibly large-scale mortality rates, the aid worker said.

The highest levels of diplomacy need to unblock this situation immediately because millions of lives hang in the balance, the aid worker said, calling it a huge region already facing an imminent and immense food security crisis on top of a civil war, ethnic violence and state service collapse.

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The war has killed thousands, including up to 15,000 in the West Darfur city of El Geneina alone, according to the UN experts.

Washington has accused both sides of war crimes, and said the RSF also carried out ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
Ukraine has in recent weeks been weakened by an ammunition shortage, with a vital $60-billion US aid package blocked by political wrangling in the US Congress

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, stated on Sunday that his nations success depends on Western assistance and conveyed optimism that the US will authorise a vital military aid package.

In a rare admission of defeat, Zelenskyy said that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had lost their lives in the conflict and that Russians had obtained the blueprints for the counteroffensive that failed last summer.

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At a seminar commemorating the second anniversary of Russias invasion, he pleaded with the West to increase Ukraines prospects of winning a war.

Whether Ukraine will lose, whether it will be very difficult for us, and whether there will be a large number of casualties depends on you, on our partners, on the Western world, Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine has in recent weeks been weakened by an ammunition shortage, with a vital $60-billion US aid package blocked by political wrangling in the US Congress.

The Ukrainian president said that there is hope for Congress, and I am sure that it is going to be positive.

Ukraine has for months said that Western aid is too slow coming and that the hold-ups have real consequences as the war against Russia enters its third year.

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Zelenskyy for the first time suggested that Russia had prior information on the countrys much-anticipated but unsuccessful counteroffensive last summer.

Action plans were on the Kremlins table before the counteroffensive actions began, said the president, who this month sacked the armys commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny.

Zelenskyy said that Ukraines war losses were nevertheless much lower than Russia has claimed.

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He said: 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died in this war. Not 300,000 or 150,000, or whatever Putin and his lying circle are saying.

In December, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said 383,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed or injured.

So much anguish

The second anniversary of the war was marked around the world with moving tributes.

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During a Sunday service in the Vatican, Pope Francis called for intensified efforts to find a just and lasting peace to the conflict.

There have been so many victims, so many wounded, so much destruction, so much anguish and so many tears over what has become a terribly long period  the end of which we cannot yet foresee, he said.

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But the focus in Kyiv was on shoring up Western support.

Ukraine Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said earlier Sunday that half of Western military aid to Kyiv was delivered later than promised, causing losses.

Europe has admitted it will fall far short of a plan to deliver more than one million artillery shells to the country by March, instead hoping to complete the shipments by the end of the year.

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Such delays meant Kyiv would lose people, lose territories, especially given Russias air superiority, said Umerov.

We do everything possible and impossible but without timely supply it harms us, he said.

Aid saves lives

US President Joe Biden has said the hold-ups directly contributed to Ukraine being forced to withdraw from the frontline town of Avdiivka earlier in February  handing Russia its first territorial gain in almost a year.

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Zelenskyy had pressed G7 leaders on Saturday to ensure the fast delivery of weapons, telling them: Putin can lose this war and we will win.

But, after a year of static frontlines, Russia has in recent weeks been seeking to press its advantage on the battlefield and try to advance beyond Avdiivka.

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Despite the difficult situation, our soldiers courageously hold their lines and positions, Ukraines commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrsky, said Sunday after visiting frontline command posts.

Russia marked the start of the wars third year with a wave of overnight missile and drone attacks.

A missile strike on the eastern city of Kostyantynivka wounded one, destroyed the railway station  which is not in use  along with dozens of apartments, shops and administrative buildings, Ukrainian authorities said.

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Explosives dropped by a Russian drone killed a 57-year-old man in Nikopol, across the Dnipro river from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, captured by Russia at the start of the war.

Umerov said Russia had fired more than 8,000 missiles at his country since the start of the invasion  an average of more than 10 a day.

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Visiting the southern city of Mykolaiv, Annalena Baerbock, Germanys foreign minister, pledged an additional 100 million euros ($108 million) in humanitarian aid to Kyiv.

We should not minimise this aid as being in vain  it saves lives every day, she said, standing in front of a building destroyed by Russian strikes on the city.

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French President Emmanuel Macron will on Monday host a summit European leaders at the Elysees Palace in Paris to try to strengthen Western support for Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda will be among some 20 European leaders attending the conference, which will open with a video address from Zelenskyy.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, will hold a summit in Switzerland to discuss his vision for peace, which he may present to Russia at a later meeting, according to Zelenskiys chief of staff, Andriy Yermak

Firefighters work at the scene of a Russian missile strike that destroyed a train station, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kostyantynivka, Ukraine February 25, 2024. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A senior Ukrainian official on Sunday said that Ukraine and its allies may invite Russia to a future peace conference to talk about ending Moscows two-year invasion on Kyivs terms.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, will hold a summit in Switzerland to discuss his vision for peace, which he may present to Russia at a later meeting, according to Zelenskiys chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.

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There can be a situation in which we together invite representatives of the Russian Federation, where they will be presented with the plan in case whoever is representing the aggressor country at that time will want to genuinely end this war and return to a just peace, he stated during a live conference in Kyiv.

Zelenskiy first announced his peace formula at a November 2022 summit of the Group of 20 major economies. It calls for restoring Ukraines territorial integrity and a total withdrawal of Russian troops.

Kyiv has maintained that it would not speak with Moscow until all Russian troops have left Ukrainian territory.

The Kremlin has said there is no current basis for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and that Kyivs peace plan was absurd because it excluded Russia.

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With inputs from Reuters
Fueled by billions of dollars in Western weapons, Ukraines 2023 counteroffensive largely failed and was unable to breach numerous lines of Russian defenses and fortifications

Zelensky said that in an effort to prevent a repeat, Ukraine was putting together "several" iterations of its military plan for 2024 Image Courtesy Reuters

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, hinted on Sunday that Moscow had been privy to the preparations for Kyivs eagerly anticipated counteroffensive in 2023.

Fueled by billions of dollars in Western weapons, Ukraines 2023 counteroffensive largely failed and was unable to breach numerous lines of Russian defenses and fortifications.

Our counteroffensive action plans were on the Kremlins table before the counteroffensive actions began, Zelensky said Sunday at a press conference in Kyiv.

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Zelensky said that in an effort to prevent a repeat, Ukraine was putting together several iterations of its military plan for 2024.

Asked whether Ukraine had plans for another attempt at a counteroffensive this year, he said: We have a plan, a clear plan. Several plans will be prepared because of information leaks.

After seizing the strategically important frontline town of Avdiivka, Russian soldiers are currently resuming their march into eastern Ukraine in an effort to maintain their advantage in men and munitions.
Western leaders have sworn to stand by Ukraine as long as they need to defeat Russias full-scale invasion of Feb. 24 2022, and Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov arrived in Kyiv on Monday to show his support.

Ukrainian forces on Monday withdrew from a village in the eastern region of the country, according to an army spokesperson, as Russian forces demonstrate superiority in manpower and ammunition as the conflict enters its third year.

The retreat occurred in the village of Lastochkyne, with Ukrainian troops regrouping in nearby villages to maintain their defensive positions, stated Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for one of the Ukrainian troop units, during a national television broadcast.

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Lastochkyne is situated to the west of Avdiivka, a suburb of Donetsk city, which fell under Kremlin-controlled forces on February 18 following an intense four-month battle. The overwhelmed Ukrainian defenders opted to withdraw their troops and reposition their defence efforts elsewhere in light of Moscows overwhelming military strength.

Russias Ministry of Defense said its troops had liberated Lastochkyne.

Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti quoted local commander Andrei Mordvichev as saying troops had pushed Ukrainian forces back by 10 kilometers (6 miles) and were continuing with their offensive. The agency said a key Ukrainian supply route ran through Lastochkyne.

It was not possible to independently verify each sides claims.

Though not in itself a major loss, abandoning the village illustrates the battlefield challenges Ukraine is currently facing. The new phase of the war has brought some bleak developments for Ukraine.

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Moscows troops are driving on, smashing towns and cities with their superior firepower, despite suffering high losses of troops and equipment, Ukraine says.

Western analysts say the Russians are attacking in strength along four parallel axes in the northeast, aiming to press deeper into the Ukraine-held western part of the Donetsk region and also penetrating into the Kharkiv region north of it.

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Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustan Umerov complained Sunday that half of promised Western military support to Ukraine failed to arrive on time. That, he said, makes it hard to undertake proper military planning and ultimately costs the lives of soldiers.

Western leaders have sworn to stand by Ukraine as long as they need to defeat Russias full-scale invasion of Feb. 24 2022, and Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov arrived in Kyiv on Monday to show his support.

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More than 20 European heads of state and government and other Western officials were due to meet in Paris on Monday to discuss the war at what French President Emmanuel Macron called a critical juncture. He says Kyiv needs more military resources and likely will require them over an extended period of time.

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U.S. President Joe Biden was also seeking to remove political roadblocks on providing more aid to Ukraine, convening the top four congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday.

In other developments, Moscow-installed officials in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region claimed that Russian troops had destroyed a U.S.-made Abrams tank for the first time since they were deployed in Ukraine last fall, RIA Novosti reported.

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A drone strike on the Russian city of Belgorod near the Ukraine border killed three people and wounded three more, regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said Monday evening.

Russia launched seven missiles of various types and 14 Shahed drones over Ukraine early Monday morning. Ukraines Air Force said it intercepted nine drones and three missiles.

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A guided aerial bomb killed a married couple at home in the northeastern Sumy region of Ukraine, regional authorities said.

With inputs from AP.
As a rivalry with China over security ties in the region heats up, the US is pushing for a larger role for its coast guard in assisting isolated Pacific Island governments in monitoring millions of kilometers of ocean - a rich tuna fishing ground

For the first time in nearly ten years, Kiribati police officers were on patrol with the U.S. Coast Guard as "ship riders" from February 11 to 16 Image Courtesy X/USCGLosAngeles

The US Coast Guard and Kiribati police boarded two Chinese fishing boats during a patrol against illegal fishing in the Pacific Islands nations vast exclusive economic zone this month but found no issues aboard, a coast guard official said.

As a rivalry with China over security ties in the region heats up, the US is pushing for a larger role for its coast guard in assisting isolated Pacific Island governments in monitoring millions of kilometers of ocean - a rich tuna fishing ground. This action also increases surveillance.

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According to media reports, Chinese police are present in Kiribati, with uniformed officers involved in community policing and a crime database program.

With only 115,000 citizens, the tiny country of Kiribati is seen as strategically significant because to its proximity to Hawaii and exclusive economic zone, which spans 3.5 million square kilometers (1.35 million square miles). A Japanese satellite tracking station is also located there.

Although it hasnt yet, Washington has announced intentions to establish an embassy in Kiribati in an effort to counter China.

For the first time in nearly ten years, Kiribati police officers were on patrol with the U.S. Coast Guard as ship riders from February 11 to 16, according to a U.S. Coast Guard Guam spokesperson.

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After Kiribati moved its diplomatic relations from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019, China established a sizable embassy on the main island of Tarawa.

(With agency inputs)
In the Homeland Security Dialogue (HSD) with the US, India is expected to raise the use of digital space and how it is being exploited by terrorist groups for propagating radical views, recruitment and funding terrorism

A government delegation from the United States will be in India for the Homeland Security Dialogue with the Union Home Ministry officials on February 28.

The talks hold significance as it comes after a gap of two years and is the first official meeting of a US government delegation with the Central government this year.

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The dialogue also is being observed closely as it comes months after an accusation by US federal prosecutors accused an Indian citizen and an unnamed Indian official of being involved in a foiled plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.

Top officials of both nations will attend the Homeland Security Dialogue (HSD). Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla will head the Indian delegations, while the US government delegation will be led by Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Kristie Canegallo.

Agenda of India-US Homeland Security Dialogue

A report by Indian Express quoted sources saying for the Homeland Security Dialogue (HSD) with the US, India has listed out a range of issues for discussion. They include:

- criminals using asylum status

- pro-Khalistani elements to carry out terrorist activities in India

- assistance to arrest the attacker of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco

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- extradition status of Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana

- terror fugitives and terror financial investigations.

A report by the Economic Times quoted people familiar with the details of HSD saying India is expected to hand over a list of more than 100 fugitives wanted by law enforcement agencies who have taken shelter in the US.

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The two sides are also expected to discuss cooperation in counterterrorism, cyber security, illegal mobility, aviation security, global supply chain and maritime security among others.

Digital space exploited by terrorists

During the HSD, India is also expected to raise the use of digital space and how it is being exploited by terrorist groups for propagating radical views, recruitment and funding terrorism.

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The drug seizures by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) will be shared by the Indian side seeking the US Drug Enforcement Administrations (DEA) cooperation. Recently, NCB seized drugs worth Rs 75 crore following inputs from the US DEA.

Cyberattacks on Indias critical infrastructure

India will also be highlighting cyberattacks on its critical infrastructure such as banks, railways, power and energy, as well as hospitals.

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Critical infrastructure, in the past, has been targeted by non-state actors from China, Cambodia, the Philippines and Myanmar.

Cryptocurrency

With the US delegation, who will be visiting for HSD, India will also discuss the use of cryptocurrency by entities to fund illegal activities using the dark web, new and emerging forms of terrorism and violent extremism and the use of unmanned aerial systems to commit terrorist acts.

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From India, heads of the Narcotics Bureau, National Investigation Agency (NIA), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Internal Security will be attending HSD.

What US will discuss with India during HSD?

The Indian Express report quoted an official saying the US will discuss anti-Khalistani elements, immigration, counter-narcotics, border and group supply chain security, law enforcement investigative cooperation, local and state law enforcement engagements, child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, trade and economic security, cyber security, and proposal for an electronic travel document.

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The homeland security dialogue was last held in January 2022.

India-US Homeland Security Dialogue

The India-US HSD was last held in January 2022.

The HSD between the two countries was introduced in 2010 as a mechanism to a sequel to the signing of the India-US Counterterrorism Initiative. The first India-US HSD was held in May 2011.

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Last year, NIA Director General Dinkar Gupta met his Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) counterpart Christopher Wray and held wide-ranging discussions apart from raising investigations in the US into the attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco by Pro-Khalistan elements.

Gupta also highlighted the active nexus between terrorist outfits and terrorist elements with members of organised criminal syndicates, which was spreading to the US as well.
Israels Economy Minister Nir Barkat met Saudi Arabias Commerce Minister Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi and told him that the two nations could make history together

Will the WTO Ministerial meet in Abh Dhabi become the place where the idea of permanent peace in West Asia finds roots? Israel and Saudi Arabia have, sort of, suggested this was possible as the representatives of the two countries met on cordial terms and were spotted shaking hands.

Israels Economy Minister Nir Barkat met Saudi Arabias Commerce Minister Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi and told him, according to a report by the Times of Israel, that the two nations could make history together.

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The two could be seen talking on the sidelines of the conference, they even exchanged business cards.

Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat meeting with Saudi Commerce Minister Majid bin Abdullah Al-Kassabi in Abu Dhabi pic.twitter.com/sjS5sC9vfa  Lahav Harkov  (@LahavHarkov) February 26, 2024

Israel is interested in peace with countries that seek peace, and we can make history together, Barkat, Times of Israel said, told his Saudi counterpart.

The development comes amid the ongoing Israeli war on Hamas in Gaza that is on the anvil of spilling into Rafah. Hitherto, the two countries have been at loggerheads over the war, with Saudi Arabia making it clear that there would be no diplomatic relations with Israel until Tel Aviv, at least, gave a political commitment for the creation of the State of Palestine. Saudi Arabia, however, has not pressed for any immediate concrete action by Israel.

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Earlier, the Saudi foreign ministry statement said the Kingdom has communicated its firm position to the U.S. administration that there will be no diplomatic relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is recognized on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

It reiterated its call to the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council that have not yet recognized the Palestinian state, to expedite the recognition of the Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

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The geographical limits that Saudi Arabia has been referring to is the state the Palestinians alongside Israel in territories Israel occupied in a 1967 war: the West Bank including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

The statement added that Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip must also stop and Israeli forces must withdraw from the territory.
Peoples Daily: Regarding Chinas announcement of the visit of the President of Sierra Leone to China, can you tell us about the program and Chinas expectation for the visit? How does China view its current relations with Sierra Leone?



Mao Ning: China and Sierra Leone share a traditional friendship. Over the past 50-plus years since our two countries established diplomatic relations, we have firmly supported each other on issues concerning each others core interests, carried out efficient cooperation in areas related to economic and social development, and maintained close coordination on international affairs. In particular, the people of the two countries have fought Ebola and COVID together, which further strengthened our bond.

During President Bios upcoming visit, President Xi Jinping will hold a welcome ceremony and banquet for him, and the two presidents will hold talks. Premier Li Qiang and Chairman Zhao Leji will meet with President Bio respectively. We believe that President Bios visit will inject new impetus into the all-round, in-depth growth of the relations between China and Sierra Leone and bring about more good outcomes of friendly cooperation.

China News Service: Its reported that Belarus held elections of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly on February 25. Whats Chinas comment?

Mao Ning: China noted that Belarus successfully held elections of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly. As the all-weather comprehensive strategic partner of Belarus, China respects the Belarusian peoples choice. We stand ready to work with Belarus to expand our cooperation across the board and advance our bilateral relationship.

AFP: According to a Taiwan official, the new Prime Minister of Tuvalu said that the relationship between Taiwan and Tuvalu is firm and everlasting. I have two questions. First, whats the Foreign Ministrys comment on Tuvalus recent election results? Second, whats the Foreign Ministrys view on the relations between Tuvalu and Taiwan?

Mao Ning: Upholding the one-China principle is where global opinion trends and the arc of history bends. One hundred and eighty-three countries in the world have established diplomatic ties with China based on the one-China principle. A handful of countries who still have so-called diplomatic ties with the Taiwan region should choose to stand on the right side of history and make the right decision that truly serves their fundamental and long-term interests.

CCTV: Its reported by the Washington Post that at the just concluded G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting, the US opposition to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza came under criticism from Brazil, Australia, South Africa and other parties, showing Americas increasing isolation on the issue. Whats your comment?

Mao Ning: The escalation of the latest Palestinian-Israeli conflict has resulted in the devastating humanitarian situation in Gaza. Nearly 30,000 civilians were killed and about 1.9 million people were displaced. An immediate ceasefire is the prevailing call and overwhelming consensus of the international community. The US should lend an ear and take concrete actions to play a constructive role for the ceasefire and deescalation of the humanitarian crisis.

Reuters: Media reports and satellite images show that China has recently reinstalled a barrier at the mouth of Huangyan Dao. Could we confirm this? What is the purpose of the barrier? Is the barrier likely to become a permanent fixture at the shoal?

Mao Ning: Huangyan Dao has always been Chinas territory. In response to a series of moves by the Philippines in the waters of Huangyan Dao that infringe on Chinas sovereignty, China is compelled to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

China Review News: Its reported that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in an interview with the UK-based Financial Times decried China-phobia among Western countries and emphasized that Malaysia upholds neutrality and independence and would not pick a quarrel with China for the US. Whats Chinas comment?

Mao Ning: We noted the reports. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahims statement reflects the vast developing countries aspiration for upholding independence and seeking development.

Chinas development provides opportunities for the world and does not pose threat to anyone. China is committed to an independent foreign policy of peace, and opposes bloc confrontation and picking sides. We will continue to pursue friendship and cooperation with all other countries based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, call for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

TASS: Last Friday, the US Department of the Treasury added nine Chinese companies to its sanction list for helping Russia evade sanctions from the US and its allies. The US Department of Commerce also imposed export controls on eight Chinese companies. What is Chinas response?

Mao Ning: On the Ukraine crisis, China maintains an objective and impartial position, strives for peace talks and plays a constructive role for the political settlement of the crisis. The normal trade and economic cooperation between China and Russia is not targeted at any third party or subject to any interference by any third party. China firmly opposes illegal unilateral sanctions against Chinese companies and will take necessary measures to resolutely protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.

TASS: Last Friday, Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko said in an interview that Kiev is ready to support the US in a fight against China, the DPRK, Iran or any other countries. Whats Chinas comment?

Mao Ning: One important lesson from the Ukraine crisis is that bloc confrontation cannot bring security. As a responsible major country, China will continue to play a constructive role for the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.
Samsung unveiled its vision for an Intelligent Health Platform, aiming to empower individuals and their loved ones to manage their well-being with simplicity at MWC 2024.

The company emphasizes a connected care approach centered around the home, leveraging its extensive ecosystem of devices, services, and people.

Unified Health Data

Samsung acknowledges the challenge of fragmented health data in the industry. Dr. Hon Pak, VP & Head of Digital Health Team, highlighted Samsungs capability to address this with its diverse connected device ecosystem.

The integration of different devices and partner solutions within Samsung Health aims to streamline health data tracking on Galaxy wearables, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of ones health.

Personalized Insights through AI

The integration of AI technology in Samsung Health promises personalized insights and tailored health experiences. Leveraging a global dataset from 64M monthly active users, users can gain deeper insights into their health over time, enabling informed decision-making regarding their well-being.

Samsungs commitment to user wellness is evident through upcoming features like My Vitality Score and Booster Card, providing personalized and actionable guidance.

Additionally, features such as the sleep apnea detection, recently cleared by the US FDA, exemplify Samsungs dedication to offering advanced solutions for health monitoring.

Samsung Galaxy Ring

Samsung has introduced the Galaxy Ring, a new addition to its wearables portfolio, designed for comfortable 24/7 wear. With Galaxy Ring, users can access insights and understandings about their health seamlessly throughout the day and night, aligning with Samsungs broader vision for a connected digital wellness platform.

Samsung plans to enrich Galaxy AI experiences across product categories, driving forward mobile experiences that prioritize health and wellness. The launch of Galaxy Ring exemplifies their dedication to improving health worldwide, starting with personalized, accessible solutions at home.

My Vitality Score and Booster Card will be integrated into Samsung Health by 2024, with availability varying by market, carrier, or wearable device.

Announcing the updates, Dr. Hon Pak, VP & Head of Digital Health Team, MX Business, Samsung Electronics, said:
Dennis received bachelor's degrees in communication and political science with a TAG degree in Spanish from The University of Akron in Ohio. He grew up in Ohio with 2 sisters and two brothers, one being his fraternal twin. He and his wife have 3 dogs: Duke, Bacio, and Cal. Dennis currently covers natural resource and environmental issues for The Daily Sentinel
CIA Set Up 12 Secret Facilities in Ukraine Along Russian Border Over Eight Year Period - Report

Sputnik News

20240225

American intelligence agencies reportedly collaborated closely with their Ukrainian counterparts, providing training to operatives conducting missions in Russia, Europe, Cuba, and other areas with an active Russian presence.

The Central Intelligence Agency created a dozen secret spy bases in Ukraine near the border with Russia over the past eight years, with the Eastern European country becoming one of Washington's most important tools for intel operations against Moscow. That's according to a New York Times expose published Sunday citing former and current officials from Ukraine, the US and Europe.

The intelligence "partnership" "took root a decade ago," and "has transformed Ukraine, whose intelligence agencies were long seen as thoroughly compromised by Russia, into one of Washington's most important intelligence partners against the Kremlin today," the publication indicated.

The 12 secret locations constituted "forward operating bases" from which networks of agents gathering intel inside Russia were run. The CIA is said to have overseen a training program known as 'Operation Goldfish' to train Ukrainian intel agents to assume fake identities and work to steal secrets in Russia, and to operate as "trained sleeper agents" to wage guerilla war against the Russian military.

American intelligence agents reportedly worked closely with Ukrainian personnel, including the chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Kyrylo Budanov, before his appointment to his current post. In addition, the CIA trained Ukrainian spies to operate in Russia, Europe, Cuba and other places where Russians are present.

According to the report, even after the withdrawal of most American government personnel from Ukraine in February 2022, US intelligence officers remained active in western Ukraine, passing on intelligence information, including where Russia planned to strike and what weapons systems would be used.

"Without them, there would have been no way for us to resist the Russians, or to beat them," the NYT cited Ivan Bakanov, former head of Ukraine's domestic intelligence agency, the SBU, as saying.

The NYT said that since 2016, Ukrainians occasionally violated the terms of cooperation which Washington set out for them, "organizing assassinations and other deadly operations" which America supposedly disapproved of. The US threatened to withdraw support, but never did, according to the newspaper.

The CIA and other US intel agencies' cooperation with and efforts to take control of their Ukrainian counterparts began almost immediately after the 2014 Euromaidan coup d'etat, with the post-coup government's new spy chief, Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, calling the Ukrainian CIA station chief and the local head of MI6, inviting them to tour the SBU Ukrainian spy headquarters and asking for assistance in rebuilding it "from the ground up."

Then-US CIA director John Brennan touched down in Kiev shortly after, telling Nalyvaichenko that US assistance would be forthcoming if Ukraine "could provide intelligence of value to the Americans" and purged the SBU of any suspected Russian spies within its ranks.

A Sputnik

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24h Operational Update: Targeted Operations in the Zaytun Area, Terrorists Eliminated

IDF Press Release

February 21, 2024

21.02.24

IDF , Media Center

IDF troops operated in the area of Zaytun, south of Gaza City over the past day, and killed dozens of terrorists in ground encounters and targeted air strikes.

The troops secured the area and searched suspicious buildings. During the activity, the troops located weapons including an RPG and AK-47 rifle inside a residential building.

Using a drone, the troops identified a terrorist in the area. Following the identification, the troops killed the terrorists.

During an IDF activity, terrorists fired anti-tank missiles at the troops. IDF troops directed aircraft, including fighter jets and helicopters, that struck the terrorists and the structures from which they operated. The troops also directed additional aircraft to strike additional terror targets.

IDF troops directed the planning and execution of multiple aerial activities in the Zaytun area, targeting dozens of terror targets in which terror infrastructures, observation posts, weapon storage facilities, and underground targets were located.

In southern Gaza, troops intensified activities in Khan Yunis, targeting terror targets and killing dozens of terrorists.

Troops of the Givati Brigade conducted activities in eastern Khan Yunis and killed approximately 20 terrorists in encounters over the past day.

IDF Paratroopers expanded activities in western Khan Yunis, targeting and killing terrorists with precise sniper fire and striking terror infrastructure. Additionally, two armed terrorists on bicycles approached IDF troops, who responded and killed them.

Troops of the Commando Brigade also expanded activities in western Khan Yunis, killing a number of terrorists. During encounters, troops of the Egoz Unit targeted a terrorist with an RPG, accurately hitting him.

Attached is a video of the IDF strikes in the Gaza Strip: https://bit.ly/3T6I2xJ

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Palestinian Authority rejects Netanyahu's post-war Gaza plan

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 23, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian Authority Foreign Ministry, based in the occupied West Bank, has categorically rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reported plan for the post-War Gaza Strip.

The ministry, in a statement, denounced Netanyahu's plan revealed by Israeli media for the future of Gaza, calling it a perpetuation of the Israeli occupation and a hindrance to the formation of an independent Palestinian state.

"We strongly reject what the Israeli media called "Netanyahu's principles for the post-war Gaza", the statement mentioned.

This statement said: Netanyahu's plan amounts to the official recognition of the re-occupation of the Gaza Strip and the imposition of Israeli control over it.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Palestinian Authority underlined that Netanyahu's plan is aimed at prolonging the genocidal war on Gaza and trying to buy more time to implement the regime's plot to forcefully displace the Palestinian people.

According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu presented to the regime's war cabinet with a so-called "document of principles" Thursday night, regarding how to administer Gaza after the war.

Based on the proposal, the Israeli regime would install "local officials to administer the strip instead of Hamas," multiple Israeli media outlets reported on Friday.

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Yemen to use 'submarine weapons' in Red Sea strikes: Houthi

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 23, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Leader of Yemen's Ansarullah movement has threatened more strikes on Israeli, American and British ships in the Red Sea as he announced the introduction of submarine weapons into the armed forces.

Yemen's armed forces have added "submarine weapons" to their operations in the Red Sea in solidarity with the Palestinians, Yemen's Al-Masirah TV channel quoted Abdulmalik al-Houthi as saying on Thursday.

"We introduced the submarine weapons into the confrontation in the Red Sea, and it is a weapon that will worry the enemy," he said in a televised speech.

Yemeni forces have launched repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden since November in support of Palestinians.

They say the operations will continue unless Israel stops its war on the besieged Gaza Strip, which has killed almost 30,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since October 7.

So far, 183 missiles and drones have been launched against Israeli targets in the occupied territories, al-Houthi said. In the Red and Arab Seas, 48 ships have been targeted.

"Thirteen specific operations were carried out in recent days, the most prominent of which was sinking a British ship and shooting down an American drone," he added.

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KCNA Commentary Dubs U.S. "Peaceful Effort" "Crocodile's Tears"

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, February 23 (KCNA) -- The UN Security Council on Feb. 20 put a resolution reflecting the world public opinion to resolutely check Israel's massacre of Palestinians to a vote, but only the U.S. exercised the veto to make the vote finally end in a failure.

This brought to light the hypocritical behavior of the U.S. which has gone so shameless as to stage a double-dealing farce after driving the Middle East region to the vortex of horrible war. And it sparked off bitterer curse and denunciation of the international community.

From the outset of the year the U.S. secretary of State made a busy tour of Middle East countries to try to gain attention as if he was interested in peace, saying that it is necessary to prevent the vicious cycle of violence and protect civilians. And even Biden let loose a string of rhetoric about the "ceasefire", stunning the world people.

Shortly ago, the White House announced that Biden held a phone conversation with the Israeli prime minister and called for taking "immediate and detailed measures" to expand the thorough and sustained humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.

The U.S. is behaving like a faithful "apostle of peace". One reason of such behavior is to clam down the international community's anger at Israel's massacre of Palestinian civilians. But it is nothing but a trick to relieve itself of the concern about the possibility of getting totally isolated and rejected due to its pro-Israel one-sided policy.

The U.S., from a historical point of view, has zealously shielded and encouraged the Zionists' moves for territorial expansion, regarding Israel as a shock brigade in realizing its strategy for dominating Middle East and has put them forward as its stooges to increase the regional chaos and instability.

After the conflict in the Gaza Strip in October last year, the U.S. offered Israel a huge amount of various lethal weapons, claiming that Israel should be fully prepared for self-defense. It also collected sensitive information about the leadership of the Islamic Resistance Movement of Palestine (Hamas) and the Gaza Strip and offered it to Israel.

Israel clearly said that all its missiles, ammunition, precision guided bombs, planes and bombs are provided by the U.S. and without the U.S., it can never fight this war. Like this, the U.S. is behind the bloody disaster in the Gaza Strip.

Despite the growing voices of the international community calling for realizing the ceasefire and putting an end to the war, the U.S. has steadily supported Israel's massacre politically and militarily, contrary to its massive propaganda about its "effort for ceasefire".

Some days ago, the U.S. Senate passed a bill on aid of more than 14 billion U.S. dollars to Israel. And the U.S. refused for a third time the resolution on the enforcement of ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which was recently brought up to the UN Security Council.

After all, the U.S. again suppressed the international community's demand for defusing humanitarian crisis and putting an end to war, thus bringing to light its true colors as a vicious harasser of Middle East peace and a rare murderer before the world people.

All the facts clearly prove that the "efforts for ceasefire" touted by the U.S. are nothing but "crocodile's tears" full of hypocrisy and deception.

With nothing can the U.S. cover up its moves to block the peaceful settlement of the crisis and keep inciting Israel to bloodshed. And it can never evade the blame for having plunged the Middle East into bloody massacre and extreme confusion. -0-

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How Two Years Of War In Ukraine Have Changed Central Asia

By Reid Standish February 23, 2024

As Russia's war in Ukraine enters its third year, its effects have been global as the grinding conflict upended political assumptions, battered economies, and opened the door to geopolitical realignment.

Perhaps nowhere have the ripple effects from Russia's invasion been felt stronger than in Central Asia, where Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have found themselves navigating a very different looking world since February 24, 2022.



Moscow has long been the region's leading external player, but the war has changed perceptions about Russia within Central Asia that has created openings for China, Turkey, the United States, and the EU.



But after two years of important economic, social, and political changes in Central Asia, what's next?



To better understand how the war in Ukraine has altered Central Asia, RFE/RL asked five leading experts and journalists to explain how they think the region has changed and where it may be going in the future.

Finding A New Normal With Russia

Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia-Eurasia Center in Berlin

Initially, there was a prevailing belief in Central Asia that Russia would become a toxic partner, meaning that cooperation with it would be impossible. However, the past two years of war have revealed a different reality, one where despite Russia's isolation and economic challenges, it remains an important partner for the region.



Two years on, there are still some sectors of partnership where Moscow is a valuable partner for the authoritarian regimes in Central Asia, while Russia itself also finds the region's five countries increasingly useful as a window to the unsanctioned world.



Within Central Asia, societal views toward Russia have evolved. People now perceive Russia through a different lens. Surveys conducted by the Central Asian Barometer and Demiscope confirm this shift, highlighting a new trend of prevailing disapproval of its northern neighbor. The war in Ukraine has played a pivotal role in reshaping public sentiment. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has drawn increased attention from the global community toward Central Asia and the region now finds itself in the international spotlight.

Looking ahead, Central Asian nations face a critical agenda. First, they must engage proactively with the international community, but the challenge lies in transforming these external financial and political opportunities into internal progress. Secondly, they need to strike a delicate balance in their relations with Russia and other global players. Avoiding the perception of blind support for Russia's actions while simultaneously avoiding accusations from Moscow of becoming anti-Russian. Achieving this equilibrium will be pivotal for Central Asia's future stability and prosperity.

Putting Kazakh Diplomacy To The Test

Chris Rickleton, RFE/RL Central Asia correspondent in Almaty



In Kazakhstan, just weeks before Russian forces began their bombardment of Ukrainian cities, Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev's regime required an intervention from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) -- a Moscow-led military bloc -- just to stay afloat, as 238 people were killed in January 2022 during the Central Asian country's worst independence-era turmoil.



But on the eve of the war, Kazakhstan defied expectations by firmly ruling out the prospect of recognizing Russia-backed separatist entities in eastern Ukraine. Many commentators had seen Toqaev as indebted to Putin for his intervention and Kazakhstan's neutral stance incurred the collective wrath of Russian lawmakers and Kremlin propagandists.



Some of those commentators made unsubtle references to the 7,600-kilometer border the two countries share -- the longest continuous land border in the world -- and the large ethnic Russian population in Kazakhstan's northern provinces. But despite the tense rhetoric, Toqaev has managed to keep ties between Moscow and Astana largely stable.



So how has Kazakhstan managed to "sit on two stools," as Kazakh political commentators put it?



Backing from China has helped.



In September 2022, Chinese leader Xi Jinping made Kazakhstan his first foreign visit since the onset of the coronavirus to Astana. While there, he issued a noteworthy pledge that Beijing would "categorically oppose the interference of any forces in the internal affairs of your country" -- a message, perhaps, to Moscow as much as the West. After that, the hyperaggressive taunting from the north somewhat died down.



This episode highlights how Russia's war in Ukraine has inspired an international relations renaissance in Central Asia with Toaqev -- a seasoned diplomat -- and Kazakhstan at the center.

The Kazakh president occupied pride of place next to Joe Biden at the first-ever meeting between a U.S. president and his five Central Asian counterparts on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September. Talks in the same format between the five leaders and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz came next, followed by a visit from French leader Emmanuel Macron to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Toqaev has also been sure to strengthen rapport with countries like Turkey, and the Middle East more broadly.



For the Kremlin this diplomatic maneuvering represents a vexing and contradictory new status quo.



On the one hand, the last thing Moscow needs is more isolated, sanctions-stricken allies. But on the other hand, it is becoming impatient for Kazakhstan to pick a stool.

Harnessing New Opportunities

Luca Anceschi, professor of Eurasian Studies at the University of Glasgow



The Central Asian states seem to have successfully navigated the far more polarized geopolitical environment brought by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.



Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the regions' key players, adopted a posture of calculated distance from the Kremlin where they are not seen as Russia's supporters despite issuing no significant criticism of the ongoing invasion.



This middle ground has come with other benefits and has been kind to leaders with nondemocratic outlooks, as seen by the success experienced by the region's governments in their drive to regenerate their authoritarian agendas at home.



Since 2022, we have witnessed Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan find ways to prolong the time in office of their established leaders; Turkmenistan complete its dynastic succession; Tajikistan lay the groundwork for its own such succession; and Kyrgyzstan to centralize and personalize the power of its president.



When we look at the economic dimensions of the war, Central Asia has also received some benefits from the invasion. Rises in remittances from Russia -- vital for the region's poorest economies, namely Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan -- have dovetailed with increases in bilateral trade with Russia and boosting the region's prospects for economic growth in the process.



Much will depend on how the West responds in the future and whether these favorable conditions will stay in place in the medium-term. Increased attention on sanctions busting may, for instance, reduce Central Asia's economic gains from the war, while a more assertive West may make occupying this middle ground more uncomfortable for Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

China, Russia, and Central Asia

Giulia Sciorati, fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science



Two years after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, China's stance on Moscow remains a balancing act, although Chinese diplomats have attempted to develop more cohesive rhetoric about the war and stepped up their diplomatic efforts toward Ukraine through high-level meetings and indirect economic support.



In the last year, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba and a new Ukrainian ambassador to Beijing was appointed -- a position that had been vacant since 2021. Notably, in July 2023, Ukrainian Deputy Economy Minister Taras Kachka visited China, marking the first ranking visit from a Ukrainian official since the war.



This search for balance is no straightforward task. Beijing and Moscow declared a "no limits" partnership shortly before the Kremlin's invasion and China has at times awkwardly tried to prioritize its relationship with Russia, which is seen as important for jointly pushing back against the West, and its other interests.



In Central Asia, this has seen China carry out a landmark summit with all five countries in May that was followed with a road map for an enhanced economic and political partnership. Beijing has also looked to reshape its global image around the war, selling itself as a neutral peacemaker and unveiling its own outline for how to end the conflict.

Moving forward, one key question for the Central Asian states is how much distance there actually is between China and Russia for them to move through. While Beijing and Moscow do not see eye to eye on every issue, they share many key interests when it comes to the region and the wider neighborhood, as evidenced by their overlapping positions on Afghanistan, Gaza, and Iran.



This limits China's positive image-building in Central Asia and globally, which remains overshadowed by the country's prominent cooperation with Moscow.

An Opening For Eurasian Trade

Emil Avdaliani, professor of international relations at the European University in Tbilisi



The war in Ukraine made the Central Asian states become bolder in their foreign policy and has boosted the region's importance as a corridor for global trade.



Before February 2022, both the European Union and China found the northern trade route between Asia and Europe via Russia sufficient, as they leveraged Moscow's extensive rail network and lenient customs practices. At that time the Middle Corridor, stretching from the Black Sea across the Caspian to Central Asia, was largely overlooked, receiving minimal investment or attention from major powers.



But that's changed since Russia's invasion, with Western powers, China, Turkey, and smaller states along the route all making efforts to expand it.



For the countries of Central Asia, this means more space. In the case of Kazakhstan, the war gave Astana an opportunity to reassess and reduce its heavy economic reliance on Russia, despite their official alliance and membership in various Russian-led groupings. Kazakhstan has been one of the main drivers behind the Middle Corridor, which has seen new investments and trade volumes rise.



More broadly, the war and subsequent Western sanctions imposed on Moscow have turned Russia into only one among many key players in Central Asia, including the United States, the EU, India, Japan, Iran, Turkey, China, and the Gulf states.



In this vein, the war in Ukraine might have ended an era of Russian domination in Central Asia, which will continue to be eroded by new alternatives, whether they be in the form of trade routes or political partners.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-war-central- asia-impact-russia-china/32832774.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.

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US Officials Admit Use of Force Against Houthis Not Working - Reports

Sputnik News

20240223

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Biden administration officials are increasingly questioning the effectiveness of military methods in combating the Houthis, who continue their attempt to block the operations of Western commercial and navy ships in the Red Sea in response to the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict, CNN reported, citing US officials in the know.

Even though the US military has significantly increased the frequency of its strikes on Houthi bases since January, the results of the strikes have failed to advance beyond the psychological effect and have only made Yemeni rebels dig in deeper and hide better, the report said on Friday.

American strikes have also made the Houthis extremely concerned about their senior leaders, making them increasingly paranoid about their safety, the report added.

There is also a belief among some US senior officials that the Houthis would stop their attacks in the Red Sea the moment Israel stops its war in Gaza, according to the report.

The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern and western Yemen, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip.

This led US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. US and UK forces later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels.

 Sputnik

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US Observes Significant Increase in Houthi Attacks on Ships in Past 48-72hrs

Sputnik News

20240223

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States have observed an increase in the number of attacks conducted by Yemen's Houthis in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden over the last three days, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said on Thursday.

Singh made the remarks when asked about the number of US commercial and military vessels damaged or rendered inoperable by Houthi attacks, and whether the Yemeni movement had ramped up its attacks.

"Yes, we've certainly seen in the past 48-72 hours an increase in attacks from the Houthis, more consistency," Singh said during a press briefing, while declining to give an exact number of the affected US ships.

Singh pointed out that although the Houthis have carried successful attacks on ships navigating through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, they have also affected their own coasts and population.

By sinking the MV Rubymar, which was carrying about 22 metric tons of fertilizer, off the coast of Yemen, the Houthis have created an "environmental hazard" in their own backyard as the ship's oil leaks into the sea, Singh said.

Moreover, a US-owned grain carrier which was recently damaged in the Gulf of Aden was carrying grain for the people of Yemen, Singh said.

"They [Houthis] are saying that they're conducting these attacks against ships that are connected to Israel. These are ships that are literally bringing goods, services, aid to their own people," Singh said.

The movement's leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said that as many as 48 vessels have been attacked in the Red and Arabian seas, and 183 drones and rockets have been launched into Israel in the 20 weeks since the start of Houthi military operations.

"As the enemy continues his genocide of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and does not agree to a ceasefire, our operations continue and increase in quantity and quality. The number of operations against enemy vessels increased to 13 in one week, and in 20 weeks of confronting the enemy in the Red and Arabian seas, 48 vessels have been attacked, and 183 drones and missiles have been fired at the enemy entity," he said in a televised appearance on the Al-Masirah broadcaster.

The Houthi leader also said the Houthis' armed forces have carried out over 1,100 military drills, parades and marches and trained more than 273,000 fighters over the said period as part of the general mobilization.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Thursday that the movement has carried out three military operations against vessels of the United States and the United Kingdom, and Israel's Eilat.

The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern and western Yemen, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. This led US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. US and UK forces later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels.

 Sputnik

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U.S. Forces, Allies Conduct Joint Strikes in Yemen

U.S. Central Command

Press Release | Feb. 24, 2024

USCENTCOM

Feb. 24, 2024

Release Number 20240224-02

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. - On Feb. 24, at approximately 11:45 p.m. (Sanaa Yemen time), U.S. Central Command forces alongside UK Armed Forces, and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, conducted strikes against 18 Houthi targets in Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen. These strikes from this multilateral coalition targeted areas used by the Houthis to attack international merchant vessels and naval ships in the region. Illegal Houthi attacks have disrupted humanitarian aid bound for Yemen, harmed Middle Eastern economies, and caused environmental damage.

The targets included Houthi underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one- way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter. These strikes are intended to degrade Houthi capability and disrupt their continued reckless and unlawful attacks on international commercial and U.S. and U.K. vessels in the Red Sea, Bab AI-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.

The goal of this multi-national effort is to defend ourselves, our partners, and allies in the region and restore freedom of navigation by destroying Houthi capabilities used to threaten U.S. and partner forces in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways. These strikes are separate and distinct from the multinational freedom of navigation actions performed under Operation Prosperity Guardian.



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Feb. 24 Red Sea Update

U.S. Central Command

Press Release | Feb. 24, 2024

USCENTCOM

Feb. 24, 2024

Release Number 20240224 - 01

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. - On Feb. 24 at 5 p.m. (Sanaa time), USS Mason (DDG 87) shot down one Anti- Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM) launched into the Gulf of Aden from Iranian-backed Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. The missile was likely targeting MV Torm Thor, a U.S.-Flagged, owned, and operated chemical/oil tanker. Neither ship was damaged and there were no injuries. Neither USS Mason nor MV Torm Thor were damaged and there were no injuries.

-30-





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February 24, 2024

Release

Joint Statement From Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and United States on Additional Strikes Against the Houthis in Yemen

In response to the Houthis' continued attacks against commercial and naval vessels transiting the Red Sea and surrounding waterways, today the militaries of the United States and United Kingdom, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, conducted an additional round of strikes against several targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

Today's necessary and proportionate strikes specifically targeted 18 Houthi targets across 8 locations in Yemen associated with Houthi underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter. These precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade, naval vessels, and the lives of innocent mariners in one of the world's most critical waterways.

These strikes are in response to Houthis' continued attacks against commercial and naval vessels that have not only endangered international seafarers but the lives of the Yemeni people, including the February 22 missile attack that struck the United Kingdom-owned M/V Islander and injured a crewmember, the February 19 missile attack that nearly struck the U.S.-owned M/V Sea Champion while delivering humanitarian aid to Yemen, the February 19 UAV attack that struck the U.S.-owned M/V Navis Fortuna, and the February 18 missile attack that struck the United Kingdom-owned M/V Rubymar and forced the crew to abandon the ship.

The Houthis' now more than 45 attacks on commercial and naval vessels since mid-November constitute a threat to the global economy, as well as regional security and stability, and demand an international response. Our coalition of likeminded countries remains committed to protecting freedom of navigation and international commerce and holding the Houthis accountable for their illegal and unjustifiable attacks on commercial shipping and naval vessels.

Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but we will once again reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to continue to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in the face of continued threats.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3686190/

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Iran proposes specialized OIC mechanism to document Israeli crimes

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 24, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iran's Minister of Culture and Islamic Culture Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili has called for the establishment of a specialized mechanism at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to precisely document crimes committed by the Israeli regime against Palestinians.

Esmaili made the call during his speech at the extraordinary session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers, which was held by the OIC in Istanbul, Turkiye, on Saturday.

The session took place under the theme "Media disinformation and attacks committed by the Israeli occupation authorities against journalists and media outlets in the occupied Palestinian territory", according to the OIC official website.

"A specialized mechanism should be established at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to precisely document the Zionist regime's crimes. we can collect solid evidence in order to seek justice through legal ways and make sure that those responsible for these inhumane acts will be held accountable," the Iranian minister said in his speech.

He made the comment as part of the Islamic Republic's proposals aimed at supporting the Palestinian people in Gaza where the Israeli regime has been conducting intense attacks since early October.

As part of other measures to back Gazans, the Iranian official proposed that media cooperation is enhanced among OIC member states in an effort to counter disinformation spread by the Israeli regime.

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Supreme Leader condemns US for vetoing UN resolution over Gaza ceasefire

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 24, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has strongly condemned the US for vetoing a UN resolution demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip once again.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with the organizers of the congress of 24,000 Khuzestan martyrs on Saturday morning.

"The Westerners, who make noise and uproar for the execution of a criminal, have turned a blind eye to the killing of 30,000 innocent people in Gaza, and the US has brazenly vetoed the resolution to stop bombing Gaza for the umpteenth time," he said.

On Tuesday, the US again shielded the Israeli regime at the UN Security Council by vetoing a UN resolution, drafted by Algeria, which called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, where nearly 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the war on Gaza has exposed the true face of the western civilization and their hypocrisy on the issue of human rights.

"This is the true face of western culture and civilization and liberal democracy, whose politicians are ironed and smiling on the outside, but on the inside, it is a rabid dog and a bloodthirsty wolf," he noted.

The Supreme Leader compared the western civilization to a "lopsided load that will not each home" and expressed confidence that "the culture of truth and the correct logic of Islam will overcome all of this".

Ayatollah Khamenei also alluded to deep-seated enmity of the West towards the Islamic Republic, which he said was rooted in their lack of understanding of the Iranian nation and Islam.

"The enemies of the Iranian nation, based on their estimates and designs, were sure that the Islamic Republic would not see its 40th anniversary," he said.

Despite the West's enmity, the Supreme Leader said Iran's progress has never stopped and will continue based on "the will of the people and their religious faith".

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New Hezbollah missile attacks hit Israeli-occupied territories

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 24, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, has conducted new missile attacks on the northern Israeli-occupied territories, in its latest operation in support of the Palestinian people in war-ravaged Gaza.

Two missiles fired by Hezbollah landed in the western Gilalee region, according to the Beirut-based Al-Ahed news website.

Israeli media outlets also said that sirens sounded in barracks located in the same region.

The regime meanwhile carried out artillery attacks on several towns in southern Lebanon.

There were no immediate reports on possible casualties in each side.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in clashes at Lebanon's southern border since the regime unleashed its war on Gaza in early October.

The Lebanese movement says its attacks on the northern Israeli-occupied territories are aimed at providing support to Palestinian resistance fighters battling the regime on the southern front in Gaza.

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South Africa urges global testimony at ICJ against Israeli genocide

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 24, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- South Africa has called on countries around the world to testify in a case it has filed against Israel's genocide in Gaza before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The call was made by South Africa's Ambassador to the Netherlands Vusimuzi Madonsela who also urged the world to testify on the punishment of the Israeli regime over its genocide in Gaza.

South Africa brought the genocide case before the ICJ, based in The Hague, the Netherlands, in January. Later in the month, the top UN court ordered the occupying regime to stop its genocide in Gaza, among several measures.

The court, meanwhile, is also hearing arguments in another case on Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land, following a request by the UN General Assembly more than a year ago. The proceedings began on February 19 and will conclude this coming Monday.

More than 50 countries and several regional blocs, including the African Union and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) argue before the 15-judge bench at the United Nations' top court.

South Africa's representative, Madonsela, addressed the court during the second hearing held on Tuesday (Feb. 20), when he called Israel's policies toward Palestinians an "extreme form of apartheid".

"As South Africans, we feel, see, hear, and feel deep within ourselves the inhumane discriminatory policies and practices of the Israeli regime, which constitute an even more extreme form of institutionalized apartheid against black people in my country," Madonsela said.

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Lula: What Israel is doing is genocide, not war

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 24, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Brazilian President Lula da Silva has doubled down on his condemnation of the Zionist regime's atrocities against the people of Gaza, reiterating that what the occupying entity is doing is genocide.

What "the Israeli government is doing is not war, it is genocide," Lula said at a public event and then posted his comments on social media.

"Children and women are being murdered," he said, calling on people to read for themselves what he had said about the Israeli regime instead of "judging me based on the speech of the Prime Minister of Israel."

In a speech to the 37th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Sunday, Lula also likened the genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to the one committed by Hitler against the Jews.

He said the war in Gaza is a battle between an armed-to-the-teeth army and civilians, rather than between soldiers and soldiers.

Lula's remarks, meanwhile, led to the Zionist regime declaring him as "persona non grata".

Since the beginning of the war in Gaza on October 7, the Israeli regime's military has killed at least 29,514 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in the besieged territory.

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Israeli army incapable of attacking Lebanon: Israeli channel

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 24, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Zionist regime's army is not capable of attacking Lebanon contrary to what it claims, an Israeli channel reported.

According to Lebanon's Al Mayadeen TV network, Channel 13 reported that the Israeli regime's army cannot carry out the mission of creating a belt to the Litani River and assassinate members of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, who are living in that region.

Lebanon's resistance fighters started fighting the Israeli enemy on October 8, merely one day after the onset of the regime's war on the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah has time and again pounded Israeli occupiers' positions along with 100 kilometers of Lebanon's borderline.

Israeli media outlets have repeatedly acknowledged that Hezbollah has still the upper hand in the northern regions of occupied Palestine and that the Israeli regime's army has been entrapped in that region.

On the other hand, The New York Times newspaper quoted American officials as saying that most of the tunnel networks of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas have remained untouched so far.

Reports and analyses have shown that the Israeli regime cannot achieve its objective of destroying the military might of the Palestinian resistance movement, and at least 5,000 Hamas fighters are present in the northern Gaza Strip.

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Thousands of Hamas fighters in northern Gaza, most tunnels intact: NYT

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Sat / 24 February 2024 / 11:15

The New York Times says at least 5,000 Hamas fighters are still in the northern Gaza Strip, above and below ground, and that the Resistance movement remains active there.

Tehran-ISNA- The New York Times cited US officials as saying that the majority of Hamas tunnel network remains intact, and that "Israel will not be able to achieve, in the foreseeable future, its goal of eliminating the group's military capability."

The American newspaper emphasized that at least 5,000 Hamas fighters are still in the northern Gaza Strip, above and below ground, and that the Resistance movement remains active there, capable of launching rockets at "Israel" and attacking Israeli infantry forces.

It highlighted that despite more than 29,000 Palestinians killed, neighborhoods flattened, "families wiped out, children orphaned, and an estimated 1.7 million people displaced," Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's goal of "destroying Hamas" remains "elusive", as per current and former Israeli security officials.

The White House has previously mentioned that while it is an "attainable goal" for "Israel" to "eliminate the military threat posed by Hamas", completely eliminating the group might not be achievable.

End Item

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Yemen stages hail of strikes against US oil tanker, warships in support of Gaza

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 11:19 PM

Yemen's Armed Forces have announced staging a raft of missile and drone strikes against a US oil tanker and a number of American warships in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who are enduring a genocidal Washington-backed Israeli war.

"The naval forces in the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a military operation targeting the American oil tanker 'Torm Thor' in the Gulf of Aden with a number of appropriate naval missiles," the forces said in a statement on Saturday.

"Meanwhile, the drone air force targeted a number of American warships in the Red Sea with several drones," the statement added.

According to the statement, the strikes came in protest at the "plight of the Palestinian people."

The Israeli regime launched the war on October 7, 2023 following al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise operation staged by Gaza's resistance movements against the occupied territories.

So far, nearly 30,000 people, mostly women and children, have died in the military onslaught that enjoys unreserved political and military support on the part of the United States, Tel Aviv's main benefactor.

The Yemeni forces vowed to keep up their operations as long as the regime sustains the war and a concomitant siege that it has been employing against Gaza.

The Saturday operations were also meant "as part of the response to the American-British aggression on our country," the forces said, referring to violent and often deadly attacks that the United States and the UK have been conducting against numerous targets across the Arab Peninsula country in reaction to the pro-Palestinian strikes.

Also on Saturday, the Pentagon announced that that American and British military forces had carried out a joint operation against 18 targets across Yemen.

It defined the attacks as "necessary and proportionate strikes," alleging that they were conducted against "eight locations in Yemen," including purported weapons storage facilities, drones, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter.

On Monday, Mohammed Abdul-Salam, spokesman for Yemen's Ansarullah popular resistance movement, said in a post on X that the continuation of the US-led strikes on Yemen gave the Israeli regime a chance to continue its brutal attacks against the people of Gaza.

He, however, asserted that "the Americans and the British should know that Yemen's position will not change or break, but the country will become stronger and it remains committed to its stance."

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IRGC chief commander: We believe in Gaza's victory

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 9:44 PM

The chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the Islamic Republic believes in the Palestinian resistance's victory in the face of the Israeli regime in the Gaza Strip, which is enduring a genocidal US-backed war by Tel Aviv.

"Today, we're witnessing the enemies' crimes in Palestine," Major General Hossein Salami said during an event in the north-central holy city of Qom on Saturday. "They are seeking to attain victory for themselves by killing children, women, and defenseless people," he added.

However, through their unity and resistance, the people of Gaza announced to the world that "coexistence with the Zionist regime is not possible," the commander said.

"We believe in these dear people's victory, and know that divine victory is with the devoted people, who do not give up resistance in this lopsided war."

The Israeli regime launched the war on October 7, 2023 following al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise operation staged by Gaza's resistance movements, during which hundreds were taken captive.

So far, nearly 30,000 people, mostly women and children have died in the military onslaught that enjoys unreserved political and military support on the part of the United States, Tel Aviv's main benefactor.

The territory's resistance groups have, however, vowed to continue confronting the invading regime and refrain from releasing the captives unless in the case of complete cessation of the aggression.

'Iranians to create most glorious political epic with electoral participation'

Elsewhere in his remarks, the commander asserted that the country's people were to create a "glorious political epic" by staging optimal participation in upcoming elections.

"The nation will once again serve the enemy with a hefty punch in the mouth, and will show that they will not accord the least value to the enemy's demand," he said.

"The enemies are trying to dissuade the people from turning up before the ballot boxes," Salami said. "But the nation knows that this is a political battle between us and our enemies, who are after our elimination and seek to separate us from Islam and destroy our will," the commander asserted.

"Iran's enemies will suffer defeat in the political battle too."

Iran is gearing up for parliamentary and Assembly of Experts' elections, which are slated to be held on March 1.

On Sunday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei called for massive turnout in the upcoming polls, saying that the path of reform passed through elections.

Ayatollah Khamenei said everyone had to participate in the elections, describing the event as "the main pillar of the Islamic Republic."

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China to send 3rd aid shipment to Gaza, urges world to act

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 6:17 PM

The China International Development Cooperation Agency has voiced deep concern over the situation in the besieged Gaza Strip, calling on the international community to ensure safe delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory.

The agency said on Saturday that China is preparing to send its third aid shipment to Gaza.

Beijing has already delivered two shipments of emergency aid to the region.

"China strongly urges the international community to make active efforts to ensure the aid is delivered safely and smoothly to the people of Gaza."

The Chinese Foreign Ministry's legal adviser Ma Xinmin recently told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that the armed struggle of the Palestinians to gain independence from foreign and colonial rule was "legitimate" and "well-founded" in international law.

"In pursuit of the right to self-determination, Palestinian people's use of force to resist foreign oppression and complete the establishment of an independent state is (an) inalienable right well founded in international law," he said.

People struggling for self-determination could use "all available means, including armed struggle," the Chinese official said.

Israel is currently being tried before the ICJ on charges of committing the crime of "genocide" against the Palestinians in Gaza.

The top UN court is holding a fourth day of hearings on Israel's decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories. Representatives from several countries have addressed the Hague-based court.

The tribunal is holding a week of public hearings following a request from the UN, with 52 countries presenting their arguments on the issue of a nonbinding opinion on the legal consequences of the occupation.

The ongoing hearings are related to a case brought by the UN General Assembly following a resolution in December 2022.

Since the Israeli occupation of Palestine in June 1967, the regime has perpetrated a raft of crimes, including killing, displacement, kidnapping and torture of the Palestinians and demolition of their homes.

Only since early October 2023, Israel has killed nearly 30,000 people, mostly women and children, in Gaza.

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Hamas warns of further escalation if Israel restricts Al-Aqsa Mosque entry

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 6:10 PM

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has warned of a new escalation if the Israeli regime goes ahead with a plan to restrict Muslims praying in the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan.

"Let our enemy know that souls are boiling ... [our] anger is imminent ... and an explosion is coming in response to any restrictions on the entry of Muslims to Al-Aqsa Mosque during the month of Ramadan," said the group in a post on its Telegram account on Saturday.

The post came a day after the office of Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu said the regime is going to allow Muslims to pray at the mosque during Ramadan, which starts on March 10, but there will be limits on entry.

The current hostilities in the besieged Gaza Strip - which were triggered on October 7, 2023 - were in part caused by Israel's support for settlers frequenting the mosque provocatively.

The Palestinians deemed it desecration of one the holiest sites in Islam which is located in the Old City of the occupied Jerusalem.

Israel has killed nearly 30,000 people in Gaza since that October day. The regime ignited the bloody war machine after Hamas carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official, warned on Saturday that the planned restriction on Ramadan prayers was a further illustration of the Netanyahu war cabinet's inclination toward a full assault on Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Hamdan called on all the Palestinians living in occupied territories outside Gaza to stand up against Israel's restriction scheme.

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Hezbollah conducts new strikes against Israeli military sites

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 4:22 PM

Fighters from Lebanon's resistance movement Hezbollah have conducted strikes against Israeli military positions, demonstrating their solidarity with the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Lebanon's Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network, citing a Hezbollah statement, reported that the group used two heavy-caliber Burkan (Volcano) missiles to precisely target a gathering of Israeli troops on the Cobra Hill in the northern sector of the 1948 Israeli-occupied territories on Saturday.

It later said Hezbollah forces "directly" targeted Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Dhayra military outpost.

The resistance group also struck the Ramya outpost with a number of rockets.

Israeli warplanes, meanwhile, bombed a house in the southern Lebanese border town of Blida, according to local sources.

Israeli artillery shelling also hit the southern border town of Kfarkela, with no reports of possible casualties immediately available.

The Israeli regime has been attacking southern Lebanon off and on since October 7, when it launched the devastating campaign of death and destruction in Gaza.

In retaliation, Hezbollah has mounted near daily rocket attacks on Israeli positions.

More than 270 people have been killed on the Lebanese border, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also 44 civilians.

Israel says at least ten of its troopers and six settlers have been killed in the area.

The fighting has forced the evacuation of tens of thousands from the northern part of the occupied territories, which have been pummeled by rocket fire and shelling carried out by Hezbollah and allied Palestinian groups.

Hezbollah has urged residents in southern Lebanon to take their CCTV camera systems offline to prevent Israel from hacking into those devices installed outside homes and shops in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah has already fought off two Israeli wars against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006. The resistance forced the regime to retreat in both conflicts.

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Palestinians dying of hunger as world watches in silence: Gaza official

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 2:34 PM

The world is watching in silence as the Palestinians are dying of hunger in light of Israel's savage campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip, says the civil defense spokesperson in Gaza.

Mahmoud Basal said on Friday the Palestinian people were dying every day "under the light of a suspicious Arab and international silence."

"The suffering of citizens in Gaza and the north is worsening daily, as thousands of them are waiting to die either due to hunger or Israeli targeting."

He said more than 700,000 people are facing starvation and death every moment if Israel continues to prevent the entry of basic food and medical supplies.

"The Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is entering its 140th day without anyone with a conscience acting to save the remaining lives in Gaza."

The United Nations has also warned of the growing risk of famine in Gaza.

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said it desperately needs resources as nearly all the 2.2 million inhabitants of the territory are facing crisis or worse levels of hunger. People of Gaza are "in extreme peril while the world watches on," UNRWA said.

"Without adequate food and water supplies, as well as health and nutrition services, the elevated risk of famine in Gaza is projected to increase."

Since October 7, 2023, many humanitarian agencies, not least UNRWA, have had to halt operations in the Gaza Strip, meaning hundreds of thousands of people will not have access to aid. Israel ignited its bloody war machine on that October day.

One in six children under age two  15.6 percent  are acutely malnourished in northern Gaza, according to nutrition screenings conducted at shelters and health centers in January.

Of these, almost three percent suffer from severe wasting  the most life-threatening form of malnutrition. That health condition puts children at the highest risk of medical complications and death unless they receive urgent treatment.

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South Africa urges countries to testify at ICJ against Israel

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 1:46 PM

South Africa has called on all countries to testify in a case it has filed against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in order to punish the occupying regime for its crimes against the besieged Gaza Strip.

South Africa's Ambassador to the Netherlands Vusimuzi Madonsela made the appeal on Saturday.

What Israel is doing against the Palestinians in the occupied territories, he said, is the worst form of apartheid.

"As South Africans, we see, hear, and feel deep within ourselves the inhumane discriminatory policies and practices of the Israeli regime, which constitute an even more extreme form of institutionalized apartheid against black people in my country," Madonsela said.

He said as a country that was directly oppressed and suffered under the apartheid regime, it was very important for South Africans to try to prevent the suffering of others under the same regime.

The South African diplomat said his country considers filing this lawsuit against Israel at the ICJ as its duty to its people and the international community to ensure that the occupying regime is held accountable for its actions.

He also stated that South Africa has enough evidence to prove the regime has committed "genocide" in Gaza.

Madonsela said his country expects the ICJ to declare that the continued occupation of the Palestinian land by Israel is illegal and must end.

If, he said, the ICJ reaches this conclusion, South Africa is waiting for the appropriate punishment of the regime.

South Africa brought the genocide case before the ICJ, based in The Hague, the Netherlands, in January. Later in the month, the top UN court ordered the occupying regime to stop its genocide in Gaza, among several other measures.

The top UN court is holding a fourth day of hearings on Israel's decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories. Representatives from several countries have addressed the Hague-based court.

The tribunal is holding a week of public hearings following a request from the UN, with 52 countries presenting their arguments on the issue of a nonbinding opinion on the legal consequences of the occupation.

The ongoing hearings are related to a case brought by the UN General Assembly following a resolution in December 2022.

Since the Israeli occupation of Palestine in June 1967, the regime has perpetrated a raft of crimes, including killing, displacement, kidnapping and torture of the Palestinians and demolition of their homes.

Only since early October 2023, Israel has killed nearly 30,000 people, mostly women and children, in Gaza.

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Iraq says West Asia won't be stable without resolution of Palestine issue

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 1:37 PM

Iraq's President Abdul Latif Rashid says the resolution of the long-standing conflict generated by Israel in Palestine is the prime factor for the stabilization of the situation in West Asia.

The Iraqi head of state says it is imperative that the rights of the Palestinians to self-determination and independence are realized.

"We now know the only way to shape a safe, stable and bright future in the region is through the establishment of peace and promotion of a sense of mutual understanding among [regional] countries," Rashid said in an address to the sixth Baghdad International Dialogue Conference on Saturday.

The Iraqi president underscored the sufferings the Palestinians are experiencing at the hands of the occupying Israeli regime, calling upon the international community to take concrete steps to end the crimes of Israel against the Palestinians.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, said on Sunday the formation of a sovereign independent Palestinian state with East al-Quds as its capital was essential for resolving the conflict and ensuring stability in the region.

Abu Rudeineh warned of "different and dangerous" challenges ahead, noting that the Palestinian position was firm against the "extremist and obstinate" Israeli and "opposing" US positions.

He urged more Arab and international action to stop "Israeli aggression and onslaught." Israel's continued attacks on the Palestinians and their holy sites in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East al-Quds would not bring security and stability to anyone, he said.

The Israeli Knesset voted on Wednesday to support prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of a Palestinian state. Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli cabinet approved a declaration, rejecting any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.

The Palestinians hope to establish an independent state of their own in the besieged Gaza Strip and the West Bank with East al-Quds as its capital.

Israel occupied East al-Quds during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980, claiming all of al-Quds as its "eternal and undivided" capital in a move never recognized by the international community.

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Israel announces plan for 3,300 settler units amid Gaza genocide

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 11:03 AM

The cabinet of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to build more than 3,300 new settler units in the occupied West Bank amid the ongoing war on the besieged Gaza Strip.

The announcement was made by Israel's extremist finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said in a statement that the plan includes 2,350 new units in Ma'ale Adumim, 300 in Kedar and 694 in Efrat.

Smotrich said the plan was a response to a retaliatory Palestinian shooting attack on a checkpoint near the occupied West Bank on Thursday, during which an Israeli settler was killed and 11 others injured.

The statement said the construction plan enjoyed backing from Netanyahu as well as Israeli minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant and minister of strategic affairs Ron Dermer.

The Israeli ministers also called for increased curbs on Palestinians, including heavy restrictions on movement after the retaliatory attack in the area.

The Israeli regime has over the past decades advanced plans to build new illegal settlements while the US and its allies have historically done little to pressure Tel Aviv to halt or roll back the illegal settlement expansion.

Tel Aviv has stepped up settlement expansion since December 2022, when Netanyahu staged a comeback as prime minister at the head of a cabinet of hard-right and ultra-Orthodox parties.

More than 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds.

The international community views the settlements - hundreds of which have been built across the West Bank since Tel Aviv's occupation of the territory in 1967 - as illegal under international law and the Geneva Conventions due to their construction on the occupied territories.

Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent state with East al-Quds as its capital.

Lukewarm US reaction

The move is almost certain to stoke up fresh storm in Washington, which is already under massive domestic and international pressure over its untrammeled support for Israel in the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

Reacting tepidly to Smotrich's statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the construction of new Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank was a "disappointing" decision.

"It has been a longstanding policy of both Democratic and Republican administrations that new settlements are counterproductive to achieving enduring peace. They are also inconsistent with international law," Blinken said at a news conference late Friday.

"Our administration maintains firm opposition to settlement expansion," he added.

More than 29,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have lost their lives so far during Israel's brutal aggression, which began following Operation al-Aqsa Storm by Gaza-based resistance movements in October last year.

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Ayatollah Khamenei slams US for 'brazenly vetoing' Gaza truce resolution

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 10:41 AM

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has denounced the US for "brazenly vetoing" a UN Security Council resolution to stop the ongoing Israeli genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The third US veto of a Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza revealed "the lies of Western civilization's claims about human rights and the hypocrisy of Westerners in the Gaza issue", the Leader said Saturday.

"The Westerners, who make noise and uproar for the execution of a criminal, have turned a blind eye to the killing of 30,000 innocent people in Gaza, and the US has brazenly vetoed the resolution to stop bombing Gaza for the umpteenth time," he said.

"This is the true face of Western culture and civilization and liberal democracy, which on the surface, there are spruced-up politicians with smiles on their faces, but inside, it is a rabid dog and a bloodthirsty wolf," he added.

Ayatollah Khamenei likened Western civilization to a "lopsided load that will not reach home", but "the culture of the righteous and correct logic of Islam will prevail".

The Leader touched on the Gaza situation, saying it was a manifestation of the miracle of relying on people and religious faith.

"The stoicism of the resistance forces in disappointing the enemy in its bid to destroy them, as well as the fortitude of the people of Gaza in the face of bombings and calamities shows the strong religious faith of these people."

The Leader also touched on the deep-seated enmity of the West with the Islamic Republic, saying the most important problem of the enemies is their lack of knowledge about the people of Iran and Islam.

"The enemies of the Iranian nation, based on their estimates and designs, were sure that the Islamic Republic would not see its 40th birthday," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

"But much to their dismay, the progress of Iran did not stop and by God's grace, it will continue, relying on the efforts and will of the people and their religious faith."

Ayatollah Khamenei recalled the early days of the Islamic movement in Iran until the victory of the Islamic Revolution and after that under the leadership of Imam Khomeini, saying the late founder of the Islamic Republic always laid his trust in the people.

Imam Khomeini, the Leader said, deemed Islam as an effective school and way of thinking for politics and management of society, which enabled him to create the ground for Iran's progress and the continuation of great movements.

"What led to the stability and progress of the Islamic system and its overcoming of many obstacles and conspiracies was the combination of trust in the people's republic and Islam," he said.

"And the way to overcome problems in the future is the continuation of this thinking," Ayatollah Khamenei added.

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Fresh US-British airstrikes target positions in Yemen's western Hudaydah province

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 6:26 AM

The United States and the United Kingdom have launched a string of airstrikes against targets in Yemen's strategic western province of Hudaydah in response to continued attacks by Yemeni Armed Forces against Israeli-affiliated commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

Yemen's official Saba news agency, citing a security source speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that two airstrikes hit al-Kuwaizi area in the al-Durayhimi district late on Friday. No further details about any casualties were immediately available.

The development came hours after US and British forces conducted three strikes against positions in the Port of Ras Isa.

Diana Shipping's vessels avoiding Suez Canal

Meanwhile, Diana Shipping Inc., a global provider of shipping transportation services, announced on Friday that it had joined the world's largest shipping companies in avoiding the Suez Canal route following a spate of attacks in the Red Sea.

"Suez Canal transits are running about 40% below those seen during the first half of December last year. This is partially the result of several operators including ourselves avoiding the area," Diana Shipping President Anastasios Margaronis said.

The canal is a key trade link between Europe and Asia, channeling nearly 12% of the global cargo. The ongoing operations in the Red Sea, however, are forcing shipping companies to use longer routes, disrupting their schedules while adding to their costs.

The United States and Britain have been carrying out such strikes on Yemen since Washington and its allies offered the Tel Aviv regime unqualified support and said Yemeni forces bear the consequences of attacks against Israeli-owned ships or merchant vessels heading to the occupied territories.

The Yemenis have declared their open support for Palestine's struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7 after the territory's Palestinian resistance movements carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have said they won't stop retaliatory strikes.

The maritime attacks have forced some of the world's biggest shipping and oil companies to suspend transit through one of the world's most important maritime trade routes.

Tankers are instead adding thousands of miles to international shipping routes by sailing around the continent of Africa rather than going through the Suez Canal.

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Feb. 23: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 5:28 AM

By Press TV Website Staff

Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 29,400 Palestinians so far, including at least 13,000 children, 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 23, are as follows:

Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on Feb. 23:

Targeted a Merkava tank with Yassin-105 shells, southwest of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza.

Targeted a group of Israeli soldiers inside a house with an anti-personnel rocket, south of Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza, resulting in casualties.

Al-Quds Brigades' operations on Feb. 23:

Ambushed and destroyed two Merkava tanks in a well-planned ambush on Street 8 in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza.

Shelled gatherings of Israeli forces and their vehicles with mortar shells east of the central Gaza Strip.

Shelled locations of Israeli forces and their vehicles around "Dawla and Street 8" south of Gaza with 60mm mortar shells.

Targeted two Israeli military vehicles with RPGs in the western axis of Khan Younis city.

Targeted a Merkava tank with RPGs in the central axis of Khan Younis city.

Engaged with an Israeli force inside a building, west of Khan Younis city, causing casualties.

Targeted a Merkava tank with a Tandem rocket in the Arabian Al-Kabira area east of Khan Younis city, resulting in casualties.

Targeted and detonated a Merkava tank with an explosive device in the Al-Amal neighborhood, west of Khan Younis city.

Al-Aqsa Brigades' operations on Feb. 23:

Targeted an Israeli military vehicle with RPGs in the axis south of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza.

Targeted an Israeli armored personnel carrier (APC) in the axis west of Khan Younis city.

Targeted a Merkava tank in the axis central of Khan Younis city.

Shelled gatherings of Israeli soldiers and their military vehicles with 60mm regular mortar shells in the axis of Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.

Mujahideen Brigades' operations on Feb. 23:

Targeted an Israeli force inside a building in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood with a "Saeer" missile, causing casualties.

Engaged in fierce clashes with the Israeli army using appropriate weapons on the axes in Khan Younis city.

In a joint operation with Saraya Al-Quds, sniped several Israeli soldiers stationed atop their vehicles around Tayba Towers, south of the Japanese neighborhood, west of Khan Younis city.

Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli soldiers and their vehicles on the axes in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City.

Hezbollah's operations on Feb. 23:

Eastern sector:

At around 9:30 local time, the Regional Council headquarters in the Kiryat Shmona settlement was targeted with two drones.

At around 16:20 local time, the Ruwaisat Al-Alam site in Shebaa was targeted with missiles.

At around 16:30 local time, the Radar site Shebaa was targeted with missiles.

Western sector:

At around 16:00 local time, the Al-Malikiyah site was targeted with two Burkan missiles.

At around 17:50 local time, the Al-Malikiyah site was targeted with missiles.

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Brazil's outspoken Lula stands ground, asserts Israel committing genocide in Gaza

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 1:26 AM

Brazil's president repeats his recent assertion that the Israeli regime is committing genocide in Gaza, braving the repercussions that have come to affect his country's ties with the Israeli regime and its main ally, the US.

"What...Israel is doing is not a war, it is genocide, because it is killing women and children," Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said at an event in Rio de Janeiro on Friday.

"It is a genocide. Thousands of children are dead and thousands are missing. Soldiers are not dying. Women and children are dying at the hospital," he said. "If that's not genocide, I don't know what genocide is," he exclaimed.

"I do not exchange my dignity for falsehood," said Lula, who once again spoke in favor of the creation of a "free and sovereign" Palestinian state.

No earlier than on Sunday, Lula had unequivocally lambasted the Israeli regime's savagery in its October-present military aggression against the coastal territory, which has so far killed more than 29,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

"What's happening in the Gaza Strip isn't a war, it's a genocide," Lula had said, addressing an African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, adding, "It's not a war of soldiers against soldiers. It's a war between a highly prepared army and women and children."

"What's happening in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian people hasn't happened at any other moment in history. Actually, it has happened: When Hitler decided to kill the Jews," he had noted.

The Brazilian foreign ministry confirmed afterwards that the country's ambassador to the occupied territories had been recalled "for consultations," adding that it had also summoned the Israeli envoy to Brasilia.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has reacted to Lula's comments by summoning Brazil's ambassador for a formal reprimand, telling the envoy that "President Lula ... is persona non grata in Israel until he takes it back."

This is not the first time that the Brazilian president has singled out the Israeli regime for unashamed criticism since the onset of its military onslaught against Gaza.

Speaking after a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo last Thursday, Lula had said Israel's behavior in the coastal sliver "has no explanation."

"With the pretext of fighting [the Palestinian resistance movement] Hamas, it is killing women and children," the Brazilian chief executive had added.

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US aircraft aiding Israeli war of genocide: Hamas

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 12:02 AM

A senior official with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says the United States carries out reconnaissance missions over the Gaza Strip to help out the Israeli regime's ongoing genocidal war against the territory.

American aircraft conduct flying operations over the coastal sliver to provide the regime with intelligence that would assist it in continuing to wage the military onslaught, Osama Hamdan, Hamas' senior representative in Lebanon, said during a press briefing in Beirut on Friday.

The official did not specify the type of the aircraft, but the US is known for flying unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, around the world in the service of its intelligence gathering operations.

The US has been contributing ample political and military support to the Israeli military onslaught that the regime began against Gaza on October 7, 2023 following al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise operation staged by the coastal sliver's resistance movements.

The American administration has so far vetoed three United Nations Security Council resolutions that have called for immediate cessation of the Israeli aggression.

Washington has also armed Tel Aviv with more than 10,000 tons of military hardware since the onset of the warfare.

Hamdan said the Israeli regime would not be able to continue the war -- which has so far killed 29,514 people, mostly women and children -- without support on the part of Washington, Tel Aviv's main ally.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Hamdan urged taking place of an independent investigation into a recent UN report revealing multiple forms of abuse by Israeli forces against Palestinian women and children in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

He slammed the West's silence concerning the regime's reported violation of the rights of abducted Palestinian women.

The Hamas' envoy, meanwhile, said the "terrorist administration" of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was seeking to prolong the war to help the premier escape his legal woes.

Netanyahu is being tried on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.

Hamdan, however, asserted that the regime would not be able to secure the release of the captives, who are being held by Hamas since Operation al-Aqsa Storm, through the use of force.

Hamas has repeatedly asserted that it would not release the captive unless in the case of complete cessation of the Israeli regime's aggression.

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Bulgarian Sanctioned By U.S., Britain For Corruption Elected To Leadership Role In Major Bulgarian Party

By RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service February 24, 2024

A Bulgarian lawmaker who has been sanctioned by the United States and Britain for alleged corruption, has been elected a co-president of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms at the party's national convention in Sofia.

Delyan Peevski, a veteran member of parliament, was elected co-president of the party with Djevdet Chakarov, another veteran member of parliament and environment minister from 2005-09 when the Movement for Rights and Freedoms was in the governing coalition.

Peevski initially was the only candidate for president, but some members objected, prompting founder and honorary chairman of the party Ahmed Dogan to suggest Chakarov as co-president to please ethnic Turks. But it is clear to observers that Peevski is the party's main leader.

The move makes Peevski the first ethnic Bulgarian to lead the party, which has traditionally represented Bulgarian Turks and other Muslim communities in the country.

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms was founded in 1990 after the Bulgarian Communist party changed the names of Bulgarian Turks and expelled thousands of them to Turkey. It has consistently held seats in Bulgaria's parliament and over the years has been in and out of the government.

Though it is not in the current governing coalition formed by Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria and GERB, it supports its pro-Western course and Peevski attends government majority meetings in parliament.

Nikolay Denkov's government survived a no-confidence vote in October that was sought by three opposition parties, including the pro-Russian party Vazrazhdane, over plans for a transition to cleaner energy and other energy policies.

Movement for Rights and Freedoms joined members of former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's GERB party and We Continue The Change - Democratic Bulgaria in support of the government, which Denkov's formed in July after five general elections within two years.

Denkov on February 24 issued a statement on the two-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine, assuring Kyiv of Bulgaria's continued support.

"Two years ago, the Kremlin reminded us that we must fight for peace and defend our values," the statement said. Bulgaria is defending these values by continuing to support Ukraine, Denkov said, while Russia is fighting against "the right to a free, happy and full life" for everyone in Europe.

Peevski, whose opponents describe as an oligarch with influence in politics, the judiciary, and the media, and Borisov dominated Bulgarian politics for much of the past 14 years.

Peevski, who is believed to be one of Bulgaria's richest men, was sanctioned for corruption in 2021 under the U.S. Magnitskiy Act, and Britain followed suit one year later.

With reporting by dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/bulgaria-sanctioned- us-britain-elected/32833779.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.

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French Defense Chief Visits Armenia, Signs Defense Deals Amid Deepening Ties

By RFE/RL's Armenian Service February 24, 2024

France will provide more weapons and other military assistance to Armenia to help the South Caucasus country defend its territory, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said during his first visit to Yerevan on February 23.

"Threats hanging over Armenia force us to move forward faster," Lecornu told Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. "It is very important for us to react and take necessary steps quickly."

Speaking after talks with Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikian earlier in the day, Lecornu confirmed that Armenia took delivery the previous night of the first batch of French night-vision devices commissioned last year. The Armenian military will also soon receive air-defense radar systems and more armored personnel carriers from French manufacturers, he said.

The French defense group Thales signed with the Armenian Defense Ministry a contract for the supply of three GM200 radars during Papikian's visit to Paris last October. Papikian and Lecornu signed at the time a letter of intent on Armenia's future acquisition of short-range surface-to-air missiles manufactured by another French company.

Lecornu expressed France's readiness to also sell more long-range systems to Armenia and announced that a French military adviser specializing in air defense will be deployed in Armenia to help it neutralize "possible strikes by potential aggressors."

"Nobody can reproach the Armenian Army for boosting its defense capacity," Lecornu told a joint news conference with Papikian, clearly alluding to Azerbaijan's strong criticism of French-Armenian military cooperation.

The Armenian minister emphasized that Yerevan is acquiring these and other weapons for solely defensive purposes. In an apparent reference to Azerbaijan, he spoke of a "visible threat" to Armenia's territorial integrity.

Neither minister shed light on a number of documents that they signed after their talks. AFP reported that the Armenian side also signed a supply contract with the French company PGM, maker of sniper rifles. It said no details of the deal were made public.

The defense cooperation is part of a deepening of French-Armenian relations cemented by the existence of an influential Armenian community in France. It comes amid mounting tensions with Russia, Armenia's longtime ally, and as neighboring Iran signals unease over the pro-Western tilt in Armenia's foreign policy.

"Our Iranian partners respect our cooperation with other partners, and I think our Russian and other partners should do the same because Armenia has no taboos when it comes to cooperation to the benefit of Armenia," Papikian said.

Armenia is "turning to partners that are truly providers of security," Lecornu said when asked to comment on the tensions between Yerevan and Moscow.

With reporting by Astghik Bedevian

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/france-armenia -defense-deal-ties/32833387.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.

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US & Allies Conduct Strikes Against 18 Houthi Targets in Yemen - Pentagon

Sputnik News

20240224

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States and its allies carried out strikes against Yemen's Houthi movement, hitting 18 military targets of the movement, the US Defense Department said on Sunday.

"Today's necessary and proportionate strikes specifically targeted 18 Houthi targets across 8 locations in Yemen associated with Houthi underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter," the department said in a statement.

The statement added that the strikes were conducted by the US, the UK, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand in response to the "Houthis' continued attacks against commercial and naval vessels transiting the Red Sea and surrounding waterways."

The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern and western Yemen, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. This led US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. US and UK forces later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels.

 Sputnik

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Joint Statement from Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and United States on Additional Strikes Against the Houthis in Yemen

In response to the Houthis' continued attacks against commercial and naval vessels transiting the Red Sea and surrounding waterways, today the militaries of the United States and United Kingdom, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, conducted an additional round of strikes against several targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

24 February 2024

Today's necessary and proportionate strikes specifically targeted 18 Houthi targets across 8 locations in Yemen associated with Houthi underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter. These precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade, naval vessels, and the lives of innocent mariners in one of the world's most critical waterways.

These strikes are in response to Houthis' continued attacks against commercial and naval vessels that have not only endangered international seafarers but the lives of the Yemeni people, including the February 22 missile attack that struck the United Kingdom-owned M/V Islander and injured a crewmember, the February 19 missile attack that nearly struck the U.S.-owned M/V Sea Champion while delivering humanitarian aid to Yemen, the February 19 UAV attack that struck the U.S.-owned M/V Navis Fortuna, and the February 18 missile attack that struck the United Kingdom-owned M/V Rubymar and forced the crew to abandon the ship.

The Houthis' now more than 45 attacks on commercial and naval vessels since mid-November constitute a threat to the global economy, as well as regional security and stability, and demand an international response. Our coalition of likeminded countries remains committed to protecting freedom of navigation and international commerce and holding the Houthis accountable for their illegal and unjustifiable attacks on commercial shipping and naval vessels.

Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but we will once again reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to continue to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in the face of continued threats.

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Officially organized Philippine vessels trespass into Huangyan Dao waters using fishery activities as cover: sources

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Published: Feb 25, 2024 10:50 PM

A group of officially organized Philippine fishing ships recently trespassed waters off China's Huangyan Dao (also known as Huangyan Island) in the South China Sea, people familiar with the matter confirmed with the Global Times on Sunday.

By repeatedly provoking against China's sovereignty and jurisdiction over islands and reefs in the South China Sea since 2023, the Philippines has abused and unilaterally sabotaged the foundation of Beijing's goodwill to Manila that temporarily allows Philippine fishermen to operate near Huangyan Dao, and if such provocations persist, China could be forced to take more effective measures to control the situation, experts said.

Recently, the Philippines organized some civilian ships to illegally intrude waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao. These boats were funded with official subsidies, and they used fishing activities as a cover, abusing China's goodwill, violating China's sovereignty and jurisdiction, and leading to aggravation of maritime situation, a source told the Global Times on Sunday.

Photos the Global Times obtained from the source showed that over a dozen Philippine vessels gathered near Huangyan Dao, with the China Coast Guard (CCG) also at the scene.

Ding Duo, deputy director at the Research Center for Ocean Law and Policy at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday that Philippine officials instigated Filipino fishermen to break into China-controlled areas by providing them free fuel.

When then Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte visited China in 2016, the two sides discussed fishery cooperation in the South China Sea, including bilateral cooperation on fishing industry, and it was at that time that China agreed to make proper arrangements given its friendly relations with the Philippines.

"During the Duterte period, China and the Philippines reached a consensus that they would not discuss the South China Sea issues under the premise of the [so-called South China Sea] Arbitration and made temporary arrangements at the operational level for Filipino fishermen in the waters near Huangyan Dao," Ding said.

Citing this consensus, Ding said that the Philippine fishing boats are not allowed to enter the lagoon, fish for rare marine life, or damage the ecological environment, and at the same time, Philippine maritime forces were not allowed to enter into the waters of Huangyan Dao or to expel Chinese fishermen.

"Such preconditions reflected China's sovereignty and jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao, while the interim measures were based on China's goodwill to the Philippines," Ding said.

However, since the second half of 2023, the Philippines has repeatedly provoked on China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea, including Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef) and Huangyan Dao.

The Philippines adjusted its South China Sea policy and policy toward China after the current administration came to power, and the tacit understanding between the two sides at the maritime operational level was successively broken, Ding said.

If the Philippines abuses China's goodwill and the active measures China has taken to resolve the issue, inevitably this will have a negative impact on the stability at sea and definitely China will have to take more effective measures to control the situation, Ding said.

The Philippine fishery vessel group was reportedly accompanied by the Ship 3002 which belongs to the Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources when they trespassed waters off Huangyan Dao, and according to a statement by Gan Yu, a spokesperson at the CCG, the CCG repelled this particular ship in accordance with the law when it ignored repeated warnings from the Chinese side and insisted on illegally intruding into waters adjacent to Huangyan Dao from Thursday to Friday.

Lei Xiaolu, a professor of law in China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies, Wuhan University, told the Global Times on Sunday that the CCG's statement did not mention the activities of the Philippine fishermen, only that the CCG repelled the Philippines' governmental vessel.

"This clearly expressed China's goodwill to the fishing activities, as well as China's determination to defend its sovereignty. However, when the fishing vessels are confirmed to be organized, sponsored or even controlled and authorized by the Philippines' government, it is sufficient to attribute the conducts of the vessel group to the state," Lei said.

Lei urged the Philippines to honor the "gentlemen's arrangement" with China rather than using its fishermen in aggravating the situation, if the Philippines still values the livelihoods of those in the fishing industry.

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Iran slams fresh US-UK airstrikes on Yemen

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 25, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman has denounced fresh US-UK airstrikes on Yemen, saying that the attacks violate the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Nasser Kanaani made the reaction on Sunday after the US and the UK conducted a new round of airstrikes on Yemen overnight in response to what they call threats to international shipping. The airstrikes came as Yemen continues attacking Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea to put pressure on the regime to stop its bloodshed in Gaza and lift its blockade of the Palestinian territory.

"The US and the UK once again proved that they have full support for war crimes and genocide of the Zionist regime in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and they consider their commitment to the security and illegitimate interests of the occupying and criminal Zionist regime above international peace and security," the Iranian spokesman said.

He added that Washington and London are violating all moral and human values, as well as international law and the UN Charter to ensure the security of the Israeli regime.

Kanaani said that the US and the UK, through conducting airstrikes on Yemen, are seeking to intensify the ongoing crisis in the region and expand the war.

They also seek to divert the public attention from the Israeli regime's war crimes and buy time for the continuation of such crimes, he added.

Instead of taking prompt and effective action against the main cause of the existing insecurity, which is warmongering by the Israeli regime and its killing of Palestinians on a daily basis, the US and the UK are conducting military attacks against a country that is making efforts to pressure the regime to stop murdering the Palestinians, Kanaani further said.

He called the US-UK airstrikes arbitrary and aggressive, saying that the attacks will bring no achievement for the "aggressors" and will only lead to more insecurity and instability in the region.

4194**2050

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Blast occurs near ship off Djibouti: UK maritime agency

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 25, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- A British maritime operations agency reported on Sunday that an explosion occurred near a ship sailing through the water close to Djibouti, but caused no damage.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency wrote on the X social network that the incident occurred 70 nautical miles away from the port of Djibouti but the vessel kept moving toward its destination.

The agency did not mention the ship, its starting point or destination but said the incident caused no damage to the ship and all its crew members were safe.

The report emerged after Yemeni forces, in a statement, announced they targeted an American oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden with missiles and fired drones at an American warship.

US Central Command, CENTCOM also confirmed the attack on the US-flagged vessel that followed new aerial strikes by American and British warplanes on several locations inside Yemen.

Yemenis say the US and the UK attacks are aimed at protecting the Zionist regime's maritime interests in the Red Sea but they pledge to continue with anti-Israeli operation as long as the regime continues with genocide in Gaza.

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Hezbollah missiles rain down on Israeli targets

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 25, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement has targeted several Israeli positions with missiles in the occupied Palestinian territories in support of defenseless people in the Gaza Strip and in retaliation for the regime's attacks on southern Lebanon.

In its latest attack, Hezbollah targeted Kiryat Shamona settlement located in the north of the occupied territories, according to the Palestinian Shehab news agency.

20 rockets were fired at the Zionist settlement overnight, the report said, adding that the Lebanese resistance group also precisely hit Azurit barracks with Burkan missiles.

Separately, Hezbollah fighters once again stuck Israel's Beit Hillel Battalion of the 769th Eastern Regional Brigade with Katyusha rockets.

Israel media have confirmed simultaneous Hezbollah operations and numerous rocket attacks on the positions of the Israeli army.

The Russian news agency, Sputnik, also reported Hezbollah's missile attack on eight positions of the Israeli army as well as destruction of a tank across Lebanon's southern borders.

A day ago, two Hezbollah missiles landed in the western Gilalee region, according to the Beirut-based Al-Ahed news website.

Israeli media outlets confirmed that sirens sounded in barracks located in the same region.

The regime on Saturday also carried out artillery attacks on several towns in southern Lebanon but there were no reports on possible casualties in each side.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in clashes at Lebanon's southern border since the regime launched its genocidal war on Gaza in early October.

The resistance fighters have mainly targeted Israeli military positions but the Zionist regime has even targeted residential areas in Lebanon causing the death of civilians.

The Lebanese movement says its attacks on the northern Israeli-occupied territories are aimed at providing support to Palestinian resistance fighters battling the regime on the southern front in Gaza.

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Yemen targets American oil tanker in response to US-UK aggression

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 25, 2024

New York, IRNA -- US Central Command in the Middle East known as CENTCOM has announced an attack on an American-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden off the Yemen coast.

CENTCOM said, in a statement, on Saturday night that a missile was fired from Yemen and the target was most likely vessel TORM THOR, a tanker under the flag of the United States, according to IRNA correspondent in New York.

USS Mason, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer shot down the incoming missile with an anti-ship ballistic missile, the statement said.

The Yemeni armed forces, in a statement, have also confirmed that they targeted the oil tanker with a suitable number of missiles after American and British warplanes attacked Sana'a.

The statement added that an American warship in the Red Sea was also targeted with drones, emphasizing that such attacks are in defense of the country but it was immediately not known if the warship sustained any damage.

The Yemeni response came just hours after American and British warplanes once again targeted the Arab country in the early hours of Sunday local time, media reports said

Smoke caused by explosions was seen in the sky of Sana'a but details of the attacks or possible casualties and damage remained unclear.

Local media reported that attacks targeted several areas in the east of Sana'a, as well as some places in Amran and Hudaydah provinces.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon announced that American and British forces, with the support of 6 other countries, attacked 18 targets in eight places in Yemen.

Underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, drones, air defense systems, radars and a helicopter were attacked, it said.

However, in the continuation of the latest statement from the Yemeni army, it is stated that the Arab country and its people would fulfill their religious, moral and humanitarian duties toward the Palestinian people and would continue their anti-Israel operations until the attacks on Gaza do not stop and the siege of the Palestinian people continues.

Yemeni forces launched their operations against Israeli or Israeli-bound ships in the Red Sea but over the past month, they have intensified attack on US and British ships in retaliation for the two countries' aggression against Yemeni.

On Friday, American media quoted officials as saying that President Joe Biden's administration has faced problems despite pressure and attacks on the Yemeni armed forces under the pretext of stopping their attacks against ships in the Red Sea.

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OIC censures Israel's 'systematic genocide' of civilians in Gaza

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 7:16 PM

The information ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states have condemned Israel's "systematic oppression, massacre, and genocide of Palestinian civilians" in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

In a communique issued after an extraordinary session held in the Turkish port city of Istanbul, the information ministers of the member states called for an "unconditional ceasefire" to halt further loss of life in the besieged Palestinian strip.

"The ongoing military aggression launched by Israel, the occupying Power, against the Palestinian people as well as its systematic oppression, massacre, and genocide of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, and in the occupied West Bank including al-Quds Al-Sharif, and call for an unconditional cease-fire to prevent further loss of life," the ministers said.

They also criticized Israel's misinformation campaigns, accusing it of spreading false and misleading information to cover up its actions.

The IOC ministers condemned the Israeli forces' "deliberate and systematic" targeting of Palestinian journalists, and stressed that this is part of a campaign to "silence the voices of truthtellers".

The communique also condemned the Israeli forces for the telecommunication system in the Gaza Strip, calling on the international community to open an "immediate investigation" into these crimes and to hold the Israeli occupying authorities accountable.

Elsewhere in the community, the ministers reiterated that the "only path to peace and security in the region is through the realization of the Palestinian people's inalienable rights, including national independence and sovereignty with East al-Quds as its capital".

The US-Israeli genocidal war on Gaza is on its 142nd day, with continued massive aerial and artillery strikes on the besieged strip.

According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, Israeli attacks have killed at least 86 Palestinians in the last 24 hours.

Israeli warplanes bombed a residential block in Beit Lahia, north of Gaza, killing and injuring several civilians.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army carried out multiple aerial and artillery attacks on the al-Zeitoun neighborhood in the south of Gaza City, with numerous victims remaining trapped under the rubble.

Nearly 30,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7. Most of them are women and children.

Meanwhile, figures show Israel has been exploiting the global attention on the genocide in Gaza to ramp up the demolition of Palestinian homes in occupied al-Quds.

During the first nine months of last year, Israel demolished 97 Palestinian homes on the east side of the city.

But since launching its deadly onslaught on Gaza in early October, Israel has bulldozed 87 homes.

Those figures are according to Ir Amim, a local non-profit organization that monitors home demolitions in al-Quds. Activists say Israel is trying to drive more Palestinians out of East al-Quds.

The regime tries to justify its much-criticized practice by claiming that the houses have been built without permits.

However, it has practically made it impossible for Palestinians to obtain those documents through legal discrimination.

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Ansarullah condemns violation of Yemen's sovereignty after US, UK raids

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 6:02 PM

Yemen's ruling Ansarullah resistance movement has condemned in the strongest terms the latest US and British airstrikes against multiple sites across the country, describing them as a violation of "the sovereignty of an independent state".

Mohammed Abdul-Salam, who serves as the spokesman of Yemen's National Salvation Government, of which Ansarullah is a major part, said in a statement on Sunday that the US and Britain had violated Yemen's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity by carrying out repeated attacks against the country in recent weeks.

"The continued US-British attacks on Yemen ... are in line with futile attempts to prevent Yemen from continuing its support position for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in Gaza," said Abdul-Salam in an Arabic post on his page on the X.

"We reiterate that Yemen will stick to its humanitarian and religious position in support of Gaza by preventing Israeli ships or those heading to the ports of occupied Palestine, and we have every right to respond to the ongoing US-British aggression against our beloved country," he said.

The US and UK said in a joint statement on Saturday that their latest military action against Yemen had targeted 18 sites in eight locations across the country.

It went on to say that the attacks were supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces Brigadier General Yahya Saree said earlier that the country's naval units had targeted the US oil tanker TORM THOR in the Gulf of Aden with a number of anti-ship missiles.

In a televised statement, Saree added that the Yemeni forces also targeted US warships in the Red Sea with several drones.

He stressed that these operations had come in support of the Palestinians, who are suffering in the blockaded Gaza because of Israeli aggression and siege, and were in response to US and British airstrikes on Yemen.

The US and Britain have been carrying out strikes against Yemen after Washington and its allies offered the Tel Aviv regime their unqualified support and said that Yemeni forces bear the consequences of their attacks against Israeli-linked ships sailing to and from the occupied territories.

Yemenis have declared their open support for Palestine's struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza in October after Gaza-based resistance movements carried out a surprise attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have said that they won't stop their attacks until unrelenting Israeli ground and aerial offensives in Gaza, which have killed nearly 30,000 people and wounded around 70,000, come to a complete end.

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Continued war on Gaza to place region at 'explosion risk': Jordan FM

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 5:29 PM

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warns that the continuation of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan will place the entire region at the risk of an explosion.

"Continuing the aggression in these circumstances as Ramadan approaches will place the entire region at the risk of an explosion," Safadi said in a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart Mariya Gabriel in Amman on Sunday.

"Every day that passes with the war going unabated increases the risk of explosion and mounts its casualties," he said.

Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic lunar calendar, will start around March 10 this year.

For her part, the Bulgarian foreign minister expressed her concern about the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip amid the Israeli regime's onslaught on the territory.

"Jordan has proven itself as a peacemaker in the region and we support its efforts," Gabriel said.

Israel waged its brutal war on the Gaza Strip on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out a historic operation against Israel in retaliation for the usurping entity's intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

Some 29,690 Palestinians, imost of them women and children, have been killed and about 70,000 others have been injured since the start of Israel's brutal aggression on Gaza.

The regime has also intensified its siege of Gaza, leaving many parts of the narrow strip of land, which is home to more than 2.3 million Palestinians, without water, electricity, fuel, and internet.

In an interim ruling in January, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent genocide in Gaza, saying the regime must ensure its forces do not commit genocide and also ensure the preservation of evidence of alleged acts of genocide.

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Lebanon's Hezbollah strikes several Israeli military sites in support of Gaza

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 5:18 PM

Lebanon's resistance movement Hezbollah has targeted several Israeli military sites in the north of the occupied Palestinian territories in yet another show of support for Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The Lebanese resistance movement on Sunday hit two buildings where Israeli soldiers were stationed in the al-Malikiyeh area near the Lebanese border with the occupied Palestine "with appropriate weapons, achieving direct hits."

Lebanon's Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network said Hezbollah struck on Sunday a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the occupation military's Ramim barracks "with missile weapons, achieving a direct hit." 

The resistance movement also targeted "with Falaq-1 missiles" the Israeli military's Zibdin barracks in Lebanon's occupied Shebaa Farms.

Hezbollah confirmed that the strikes came "in support of the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and in support of their brave and honorable resistance."

That comes as al-Mayadeen reported earlier in the day that an Israeli drone strike had targeted a truck in the western Syrian city of al-Qusayr in the countryside of Homs near the border with Lebanon, claiming the lives of two Hezbollah fighters.

In two separate statements, the martyrs were identified by Hezbollah as Ahmad Mohammad al-Affi and Hussein Ali al-Dirani.

Hezbollah and Israel have been trading fire on a daily basis since October last year when the occupying regime waged a war on Gaza, with reports showing that more than 270 people on the Lebanese side, including Hezbollah fighters and civilians, have lost their lives as a result of the fighting.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Hezbollah, warned in a televised speech last Friday that the Israeli regime will "pay with blood" the price for the killing of civilians in the country's south, stressing that the resistance movement will not back down from supporting Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel's war on Gaza started on October 7, hours after the territory's resistance movements carried out a surprise retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.

The Israeli military has also been carrying out attacks against the Lebanese territory since then after Hezbollah began targeting regime's military positions in support of the Gazans.

The movement has vowed to keep up its reprisal operations as long as the Tel Aviv regime continues its onslaught against Gaza.

The Israeli aggression against Gaza has so far claimed the lives of nearly 30,000 Palestinians, with women and children accounting for a significant part of the fatalities, while some 70,000 others have been wounded as a result of the invasion.

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General Assembly president calls for 'sustainable support' for UNRWA amid funding cuts

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 4:30 PM

Dennis Francis, the president of the UN General Assembly, has called for UN member states to provide "sustainable and predictable financial and political support" to UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees operating in Gaza.

Francis, responding to a letter from UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, said "UNRWA has been an indispensable lifeline for millions of Palestinians."

UNRWA, which provides healthcare, education and other vital services to the Palestinian people, currently struggles to address the "biggest humanitarian crisis since its establishment".

The agency was accused by Israel last month of having links to the October 7 operation launched by the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas against the occupying entity.

The regime's allegations against UNRWA, which were not publicly backed by evidence, have prompted more than 10 donor countries, including the United States, Germany, the European Union, Canada, and Japan, to suspend financial support.

The funding from these countries makes up the bulk of all funding received by the UN agency.

UNRWA said being cut off in this way means the agency will run out of money altogether within weeks.

A US intelligence assessment recently cast doubt on Israel's accusations against UNRWA, citing the regime's bias against the UN agency.

The National Intelligence Council (NIC) report released last week assessed with "low confidence" that a handful of UNRWA staffers had taken part in the October 7 operation launched by the Hamas resistance movement against the occupying entity.

The four-page intelligence report indicated that the NIC could not independently confirm the allegations.

UNRWA warns of diseases spreading in Gaza.

Separately, the UN agency in a post on X said shelters in the besieged coastal region were severely overcrowded.

"Clean water is scarce. Solid waste is accumulating. Spread of diseases is on the rise," UNRWA said. "The situation is catastrophic, but UNRWA teams continue working to provide critical aid."

A two-month-old Palestinian baby has died from starvation in northern Gaza, according to media reports, as Israel is accused of using starvation as a weapon of war.

The developments come amid reports that people in Gaza have been facing a humanitarian crisis and starvation as Israel has continued relentless bombardment and blocked the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid.

Samer Abdeljaber, the World Food Programme's (WFP's) director for emergencies, says there is enough food stocked up across Gaza's borders to feed the entire population, but it cannot safely reach the war-torn population due to the extensive checks by Israeli forces.

"We have enough food across the borders, even from Jordan and Egypt, to be able to support 2.2 million people," said Abdeljaber. "But we need to make sure we have the right access to Gaza from different crossings so that we can actually reach the people - whether they are in the north or the south or in the central areas."

He noted that the WFP hoped to specifically resume operations in the north of Gaza, where it has had to suspend work due to the unsafe conditions but where there are "lots of people in need".

On the 142nd day of the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza, fresh Israeli strikes on the besieged strip leave nearly 100 Palestinians dead, as the death toll from the onslaught is fast approaching 30,000.

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Israeli cabinet to approve 'operational plans' on Rafah next week: Netanyahu

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 1:18 PM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the regime's war cabinet is set to approve "operational plans" for the ground invasion of the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, despite widespread global condemnation.

Netanyahu made the remarks in a news conference on Saturday, saying he would convene the cabinet next week to approve operational plans related to Rafah, including the evacuation of the civilian population from the city.

Rafah, situated in the Gaza Strip's closed southern border with Egypt, is home to nearly 1.5 million Palestinians who have been displaced due to Israel's genocidal war on the territory.

Israel had designated Rafah a "safe zone," but it is now threatening an all-out military offensive, leaving the people sheltering there terrified with nowhere left to go.

International concerns are growing as Israel's ground invasion of Rafah is looming large, with world leaders expressing grave concerns over the military operation against the densely populated area in the far south of Gaza.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Netanyahu noted that his cabinet is working to reach another framework for the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza.

"That is why I sent a delegation to Paris and tonight, we will discuss the next steps in the negotiations," the Israeli premier said.

Talks for a prisoner swap deal between Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas began in the French capital, Paris, on Friday.

Hamas has already said the only way for the group to release Israeli captives alive is for the Israelis and their supporters to accept its conditions, including the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

The resistance group exchanged 80 Israeli captives for 240 Palestinian prisoners during a pause in the Gaza war that ended on December 1. The truce, which was meditated by Qatar and other countries, also allowed the delivery of badly-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza after weeks of Israeli attacks on the territory.

Israeli sources say Hamas still holds 137 captives from the operation it carried out on October 7 in the occupied territories, during which some 1,200 Israeli settlers and military forces were also killed.

Israel waged its brutal war on the Gaza Strip on October 7 after Hamas carried out the historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The occupying regime has so far failed to achieve its objectives of "destroying Hamas" and finding the Israeli captives held in Gaza.

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Children, women death toll in Gaza 6 times higher than Ukraine war: Report

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 10:32 AM

The death toll of children and women in Gaza, after five months of Israeli aggression, has reached frightening numbers as it exceeds six times that of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

In a report published on Sunday, Anadolu news agency compiled civilian fatalities in the Russian-Ukrainian war since February 24, 2022, and women and children deaths in the US-backed onslaught on Gaza since October 7, 2023.

The report indicates that according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission (HRMMU) in Ukraine, 10,378 civilians, including 579 children and 2,992 women have been killed, and 19,632 others injured since the beginning of that war in early 2022.

This is while Israeli strikes have killed 29,606 Palestinians, including at least 12,660 children and 8,570 women and injured 69,737, with more than 70% of the wounded being women and children.

The number of deaths almost five months after the Israeli aggression exceeds six times the number of women and children killed in the Russia-Ukraine War in two years.

Last month, the Britain-based charity Oxfam reported that the daily death toll of Palestinians in Israel's war on Gaza surpasses that of any other major conflict in the 21st century, while survivors remain at high risk due to hunger, diseases and cold, as well as ongoing Israeli bombardments.

Israel has been relentlessly bombing the Palestinian enclave, from the air, land and sea, using more than 66,000 tons of explosives in the attacks, averaging 183 tons of explosives per square kilometer in Gaza, according to Palestinian sources.

As Gaza is devastated by the attacks, 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced and the UN warned that 2.2 million people in the Gaza Strip are facing famine under Israel's intense attack.

The 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, under an Israeli land, air and sea blockade since 2007, are trapped in an approximately 360 square kilometer (139 square mile) area and due to the attacks, there is no safe place for them to take refuge in Gaza.

Nearly 1.5 million Palestinians have sought refuge in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah, covering an area of 64 square kilometers, amid raging attacks in northern, central and southern Gaza.

Now food is running out, with aid agencies unable to get into the area because of the bombing and frenzied looting of the few aid trucks.

The humanitarian catastrophe comes ahead of a potential Israeli ground invasion of Rafah, which houses more than 1.5 million displaced Palestinians and is the last major population center in the Gaza Strip.

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US, UK jets strike targets in Yemen after fresh pro-Palestine operation in Red Sea

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 6:14 AM

American and British forces have carried out a series of airstrikes against positions across Yemen, including the capital Sana'a, as the Yemeni Armed Forces stepped up their attacks on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea in protest against the brutal war on Gaza.

Yemen's official Saba news agency reported that three airstrikes hit a pesticide factory in the al-Nahda neighborhood of Sana'a early on Sunday. No further details about any casualties were immediately available.

The US-British coalition also conducted six raids against the Faj Attan neighborhood, while locations in three areas of al-Nahdain were bombed on three occasions.

Two airstrikes were conducted against the Jabal Aram mountainous area in the Hamdan district. Another three raids hit the Sarf area in the Bani Hushaysh district.

Elsewhere in Yemen's southwestern province of Ta'izz, the US and the UK carried out two aerial assaults on communication facilities in the Qaradha area of the Hayfan district.

Telecommunications equipment in the Shamir area of the Maqbanah district was struck as well.

US and British forces also launched two raids on al-Jar farmland in the Abs district of the northwestern Yemeni province of Hajjah.

Meanwhile, the US and UK said in a joint statement on Saturday that their military action targeted 18 sites across eight locations in Yemen.

It went on to say that the attacks were supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

The developments came hours after the spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced that the country's naval units had targeted the American oil tanker TORM THOR in the Gulf of Aden with a number of anti-ship missiles.

In a televised statement, Saree added that the Yemeni forces also targeted American warships in the Red Sea with several drones.

He stressed that these operations come in support of the Palestinians, who are enduring Israeli aggression and siege in blockaded Gaza, and are in response to US and British airstrikes on Yemen.

Yemenis have declared their open support for Palestine's struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7 after the territory's Palestinian resistance movements carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have said they won't stop retaliatory strikes.

The maritime attacks have forced some of the world's biggest shipping and oil companies to suspend transit through one of the world's most important maritime trade routes.

Tankers are instead adding thousands of miles to international shipping routes by sailing around the continent of Africa rather than going through the Suez Canal.

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Feb. 24: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 4:55 AM

By Press TV Website Staff

Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 29,600 Palestinians so far, including at least 13,000 children, 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 Saturday, February 24, are as follows:

Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on Feb. 24:

Targeted a Merkava tank of the Israeli military with a Tandem rocket, south of the Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza.

Sniped an Israeli military officer with a Qassam "Ghoul" rifle south of the Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza.

Destroyed an Israeli armored personnel carrier (APC) with a "Shoath" explosive device south of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza, resulting in casualties.

Al-Quds Brigades' operations on Feb. 24:

Carried out an artillery and rocket strike on the concentrations of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles in the axes in Khan Younis city.

Shelled concentrations of Israeli vehicles and soldiers in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood with a number of mortar shells.

Targeted an Israeli military vehicle with an RPG in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.

Engaged in clashes with Israeli soldiers and vehicles in the Abasan al-Kabira area east of Khan Younis city using machine guns, anti-tank weapons, and anti-personnel rockets.

Targeted an Israeli military vehicle with an RBG shell in the vicinity of the Dawlat crossing in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood south of Gaza City.

In a complex operation in the Abasan al-Kabira area, targeted an Israeli army bulldozer with a "Buraq" explosive device and a Merkava tank with a Tandem rocket.

Al-Aqsa Brigades' operations on Feb. 24:

Targeted an Israeli military bulldozer with RPGs in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.

Shelled Israeli troops and their vehicles with mortar shells and short-range rockets south of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.

Destroyed an Israeli military vehicle with an explosive device in the neighborhood west of Khan Younis city, southern Gaza Strip.

Shelled Israeli troops and their military vehicles with mortar shells in the axes in Khan Younis city, southern Gaza Strip.

Shelled Israeli troops and their military vehicles with 60mm regular mortar shells in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.

Mujahideen Brigades' operations on Feb. 24:

In a joint operation with Al-Quds Brigades, sniped 6 Israeli soldiers atop their vehicles near Taybah Towers, south of the Japanese neighborhood, west of Khan Younis city.

Targeted a gathering of Israeli military vehicles south of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood with short-range rockets.

In the last 96 hours, carried out 17 military operations, in which more than 20 Israeli soldiers were killed or wounded in operations ranging from sniping, rocket and mortar shelling, and targeting of Israeli aircraft (drones and helicopters).

Hezbollah's operations on Feb. 24:

Targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the Cobra hill with Burkan IRAM rockets.

Targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers around the Al-Dahirah site with rockets.

Targeted the Ramiya site of the Israeli military with appropriate weapons.

Targeted a gathering of Israeli regime soldiers in the Cobra hill with rockets.

Targeted the Ruwaisat Al-Alam site in the occupied Shebaa Farms with rockets.

Targeted the Zebdine barracks in the occupied Shebaa Farms with rockets.

Targeted the Ramim site of the Israeli military with Burkan IRAM rockets.

Targeted a building housing Israeli soldiers in the Al-Malkiyah settlement with appropriate weapons.

Targeted the Zari'it barracks of the regime forces with a Burkan IRAM rocket.

Targeted the command headquarters of the Israeli military's Beit Hillel Battalion in the 769 Eastern Regional Brigade with Katyusha rockets.

Yemeni military's operations on Feb. 24:

Targeted the American vessel "Torm Thor" in the Gulf of Aden with several anti-ship missiles.

Targeted American warships in the Red Sea with a barrage of kamikaze drones.

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Vacation is over for Cambodian strongman Hun Sen

What does the Cambodian Senate presidency mean to a ruler who is already all powerful?

A commentary by David Hutt 2024.02.25 -- Every politician, especially one whose chokehold over a country lasted nearly four decades, needs some time off. Hun Sen, who handed over the prime ministership of Cambodia to his eldest son last summer, has had his feet up for the past seven months.

Not that he's been idle; he's still president of the ruling party and head of the King's Privy Council, and has occasionally intervened to publicly chide his son for some mistakes. But after the Senate elections on Feb. 25, he'll be coronated as the new Senate president.

The position will make him acting head of state when King Norodom Sihamoni is out of the country, as he often is for health checkups in China. With Cambodia now a Hun family fiefdom, you'll have Prime Minister Hun Manet as head of government and Hun Sen as de-facto head of state.

What does it matter, you may ask, since Hun Sen is already all powerful? But the question contains the answer.

Clearly, Hun Sen doesn't think of himself that way or else why would he want the Senate presidency? Indeed, he stated on the day that he resigned as prime minister last July that he would become Senate president, so clearly this had been decided when the ruling party was crossing the T's on its vast succession plan in 2021 and 2022.

Moreover, it's not a risk-free move. It means the current Senate president, Say Chhum, has to retire. This has the added benefit of pensioning off another graying ruling party grandee and one who some think controls a rival faction within the party. Say Chhum had agreed to resign last year, perhaps safe in the knowledge that his family's patronage networks are now in the hands of his son Say Sam Al, the land management minister.

But for those in the party (and there are some) angry that the CPP has become a family-run affair, the Hun duo as heads of government and state won't sit well. Hun Sen stated last July during his resignation speech that by becoming Senate president, "I will not intrude into the responsibilities of the new prime minister," but it certainly appears that may to some.

Moreover, it seemingly goes against the spirit of the party's generational succession scheme in which the aging "first generation" CPP leaders (Hun Sen included) were supposed to retire from frontline politics and give formal powers to the "second generation", even if the elders still called the shots behind the scenes. So why not give the Senate presidency to a younger, "second generation" politician?

Given that the CPP took years to meticulously plot this succession process - so it cannot be that they were stuck in making a decision about who would become Senate president and Hun Sen was the easiest option to fill the void - the only logical conclusion is that Hun Sen wants the Senate presidency because he thinks he needs it. First, it will allow him to travel abroad on state visits or welcome visiting leaders in an official capacity, which he hasn't been able to do since August.

Despite having been the world's longest-serving head of government, he never gained acceptance as a world's statesman, certainly not one spoken of with the same reverence as Lee Kwan Yew of Singapore. The Senate presidency might give him another decade or so to attempt to claim such a mantle.

Second, according to some, it gives him official diplomatic immunity, which may come in handy at some point in the future. Third, and while one ordinarily ought to avoid psychoanalyzing politicians, it's probable that Hun Sen detests being away from frontline politics and not being able to make public displays of his power, so maybe it's the case that he is taking the Senate presidency simply because he can.

Institutional capture

Now 71, he has been a senior politician since the age of 27, and he never seemed the type to enjoy retirement nor to shy away from publicity. Hun Sen is never happier than when delivering a three-hour monologue to a crowd of bussed-in workers. But he's had few opportunities to do so since August, although that's partly because he has wanted to give his son the limelight. As Senate president, he will have a captive audience (in more ways than one) again.

Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, the Senate presidency gives him yet more institutional power to intervene if something was to go wrong with his son's government - or, indeed, if there was ever a putschist attempt against Hun Manet.

Remember that Hun Sen has repeatedly said he would return as prime minister if any major crisis befouled the government; the insinuation being that his vacation from the premiership may be temporary. For the best part of a decade, the Hun family has been on a long march through the institutions, wary that some of its rivals may also be on their own such project.

Today, he has the King's ear as head of the Supreme Privy Advisory Council. He controls the powerful but unruly (and quick to disgruntlement) business tycoons, the oknha, as president of the newly-formed Cambodian Oknha Association.

He's also president of some other CPP-linked "uncivil society" groups. Through constitutional reforms in 2022, he greatly weakened the power of the National Assembly to reprimand ministers or the prime minister, and in 2023 he helped make the loyal but politically weak Khuon Sudary the new president of the lower chamber of parliament. These steps gave even more power to the CPP over personnel choices.

He has vowed to remain CPP president potentially for life and Hun Manet was made the fifth vice-president in December. He has packed the ranks of deputy prime ministers with loyalists. In fact, his youngest son, Hun Many, was made the eleventh deputy prime minister this month. His family cemented its control over the army.

Hun Manet was previously army chief, a post that went to Hun Sen's trusted and infamous bodyguard Mao Sophan last year. Hun Manith, another of his sons and head of military intelligence, was made deputy army chief at the same time.

Whereas the Huns control the army, the Tea clan - the patriarchy of former defense minister Tea Banh, who handed down power to his son Tea Seiha last year - controls the navy.

So, taking over the Senate is another institutional capture for the Hun family, giving added protection to the Hun Manet administration should there be signs of unrest amongst CPP parliamentarians or, if Manet decides at some point to allow an opposition party to compete in elections, from opposition lawmakers.



Given that senators have a six-year term, he may remain president of the upper house until 2030, when he will be 77. But, then again, he has long said his ideal retirement age will be 74. Perhaps he will never step aside.

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.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content February not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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UN Agency for Palestine Refugees Calls Suspension of Funding by Some Nations 'Insane'

Sputnik News

20240225

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) considers the recent suspension of its funding by a number of nations to be "insane," as it put the department in a very difficult financial situation, UNRWA spokeswoman Tamara Alrifai said on Sunday.

"For an organisation with the scope of UNRWA, this is insane ... It's insane that we've survived so long without a financial safety net," Alrifai told UK newspaper The Observer.

The agency has been forced to ask for additional money from countries that have not yet suspended their funding, the spokeswoman said, adding that one of UNRWA's main tasks was raising money to pay for the work of its employees.

"We're facing unprecedented demand for services. The impact of the donors' freeze is not only on our ability to respond to a humanitarian crisis of epic magnitude, but all our operations across the region," Arifai was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

The UN agency is concerned that such a severe funding crisis will affect its ability to feed people, operate shelters and provide health services, the spokeswoman explained.

UNRWA is the primary humanitarian agency in the Gaza Strip, with over 2 million people depending on it for their survival. In January, Israel shared data with the agency's leadership on the alleged involvement of some of its staff members in the October 7 Hamas attack and vowed to hold accountable anyone involved in "acts of terror." The United States, Finland, Italy, Australia, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom and some other countries responded by suspending funding for the agency. In early February, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed an independent review panel led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna to examine UNRWA activities.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. At least 29,606 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip, local authorities said.

 Sputnik

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US, Allies Conduct Strikes Against 18 Houthi Targets in Yemen

Sputnik News

20240225

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States and its allies, including Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, have carried out strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels, hitting 18 military targets of the movement, the US Defense Department said on Sunday.

"Today's necessary and proportionate strikes specifically targeted 18 Houthi targets across 8 locations in Yemen associated with Houthi underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter," the department said in a statement.

The statement added that the strikes were conducted by the US, the UK, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand in response to the "Houthis' continued attacks against commercial and naval vessels transiting the Red Sea and surrounding waterways."

On the same day, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said that the movement fired several missiles at an American ship in the Gulf of Aden.

"The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a specific military operation targeted the American ship 'TORM THOR' in the Gulf of Aden, with a number of appropriate naval missiles," Saree said on X.

In addition, Houthis also carried out drone attacks on a number of US military vessels in the Red Sea, the statement added.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Sunday that it had received information about an attack on a ship in the Gulf of Aden.

"UKMTO has received a report of an incident 70 NM [nautical miles] east of the port of Djibouti. The Master reports an explosion in close proximity to the vessel, no damage is reported to the vessel and there are no injuries to the crew," the agency said on X.

The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern and western Yemen, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. This led US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. US and UK forces later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels.

 Sputnik

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Houthis Launch Missile Attack on US Ship Torm Thor - Reports

Sputnik News

20240225

Yemen's Ansar Allah movement, commonly known as the Houthis, fired several missiles at the US ship Torm Thor in the Gulf of Aden, the movement said on Saturday.

"The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a military operation - hitting the American ship Torm Thor in the Gulf of Aden with several anti-ship missiles," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saria wrote on the X social network (formerly Twitter).

The Houthis also carried out a drone attack on a number of US military vessels in the Red Sea, Saria highlighted.

Additionally, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Office (UKMTO) of the British Navy reported an attack on a ship in the Gulf of Aden 70 nautical miles east of the port of Djibouti. The UKMTO did not disclose any further details.

The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern and western Yemen, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. This led US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. US and UK forces later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels.

 Sputnik

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UK steps up health support for women and girls in Gaza

4.25 million in UK aid will help ensure UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, can provide life-saving support to vulnerable women and girls.

25 February 2024

Foreign Secretary David Cameron announces 4.25m in aid to support sexual and reproductive healthcare in Gaza.

Support expected to help UN agency UNFPA reach more than 110,000 women with community midwives, menstrual hygiene kits and clean birth delivery kits.

Comes as women and girls in Gaza increasingly at risk of disease, pregnancy complications and gender-based violence.

The Foreign Secretary has announced new funding to tackle the sexual and reproductive healthcare crisis in Gaza. The 4.25 million in UK aid will help ensure UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, can provide life-saving support to vulnerable women and girls.

This support is expected to reach about 111,500 women, around 1 in 5 of the adult women in Gaza. It will support up to 100 community midwives, the distribution of around 20,000 menstrual hygiene management kits and 45,000 clean delivery kits.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron confirmed the additional funding in response to a UN flash appeal for the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Women and girls are particularly at risk from disease, pregnancy complications and gender-based violence in Gaza currently, with 85% of people displaced and currently just 13 out of the 36 hospitals partially functional, with one specialist maternity hospital functioning.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

Women are bearing the brunt of the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza today. Many thousands of women are currently pregnant and will be worrying about delivering their babies safely. This new UK funding will help make giving birth safer and improve the lives of mothers and their new-born babies. We need to see an immediate pause in the fighting so we can secure the safe release of hostages, get more aid in, and allow organisations like UNFPA to do their vital work effectively.

UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Natalia Kanem, said:

In Gaza, the reality for women and girls is horrific - and getting worse each day. They have little to no access to essential health services and menstrual supplies, and many are forced to give birth in unsafe conditions that put their lives and those of their babies at risk. The support of the United Kingdom and other partners is vital to get lifesaving resources directly to women and girls in desperate need.

UNFPA is providing life-saving reproductive health supplies for women and girls in Gaza. Since the most recent crisis began, UNFPA has provided nearly 74,000 adolescents and children with psychosocial support and financial support for over 2,000 vulnerable women at risk of gender- based violence to purchase essential menstrual and hygiene items.

There were an estimated 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza at the start of the crisis, with more than 180 births occurring each day and over 5,500 women expected to deliver in the next month.

The UK has trebled our aid commitment to the Occupied Palestinian Territories this financial year and we are doing everything we can to get more aid in and open more crossings, including calling for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out.

Israel must take steps, working with other partners including the UN and Egypt, to significantly increase the flow of aid into Gaza including allowing prolonged humanitarian pauses, opening more routes into Gaza and restoring and sustaining water, fuel and electricity.

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UNRWA Situation report #82 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem - All information from 22-24 February 2024, is valid as of 24 February 2024 at 22:30

UNRWA

25 Feb 2024

Key Points

The Gaza Strip

Ground operations and heavy fighting continue across the Gaza Strip, in particular in Northern Gaza, Deir al Balah and Khan Younis.

Increased airstrikes in Rafah, including in residential areas without prior warnings have heightened fears that they will further hamper overstretched humanitarian operations. Nearly 1.5 million people are in Rafah, more than six times the population before 7 October.

Intense fighting in and around Khan Younis (southwest of Gaza) over the last five weeks 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. At the same time, population movements out of Rafah and towards Deir Al Balah and Nuseirat refugee camps in the Middle Area have been reported, even though there are reports of further fighting and airstrikes I those areas.

Both supply routes into the Gaza Strip remained inconsistent throughout the reporting period. On 22 February, 220 trucks entered the Gaza Strip via both Rafah and the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing points. The numbers dropped to only 50 trucks the following day.

February saw very little aid coming in, with on average nearly 98 trucks entering per day, a 50 per cent reduction in supplies entering Gaza compared to January 2024. The number of trucks entering Gaza remains well below the target of 500 per day, with significant difficulties bringing supplies in through both Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) and Rafah. UNRWA trucks have struggled to enter the Gaza Strip due to security constraints and temporary closures at both crossings. UNRWA has at times had to temporarily stop discharging supplies due to security concerns. Security to manage the crossing has been severely impacted due to the killing of several Palestinian policemen in Israeli airstrikes near the crossings recently.

As of 25 February, the total number of UNRWA colleagues killed since the beginning of hostilities is now 158.

As of 25 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 12 October, 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 Security forces (ISF), and the constant need for safer locations have resulted in people being displaced multiple times.

**UNRWA reported in Situation Report 64 that up to 1.9 million IDPs were 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

The next West Bank, including East Jerusalem will be published on 28 February 2024.

[

Palestinian children sheltering in an UNRWA school in Deir al-Balah, the Middle Areas, Gaza Strip, February 2024.  2024 UNRWA Photo by Ashraf Amra

Overall Situation

The Gaza Strip

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza as of 23 February, at least 29,514 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since 7 October. About 70 per cent of those killed are reported to be women and children. Another 69,616 Palestinians have been reportedly injured.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem

According to OCHA, between 7 October 2023 - 23 February 2024, 399 Palestinians, including 102 children, have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Last year (2023) was the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the UN began recording casualties in 2005.

Humanitarian Access, Protection of Civilians

The Gaza Strip

UNRWA is working to verify the details of incidents reportedly affecting UNRWA premises. Further information will be provided once it becomes available.

Different incidents have been reported impacting UNRWA installations and IDPs sheltering there. While verification of details and casualty figures remain ongoing, initial reports indicate:

On 20 February 2024, according to video footage by IDF, the IDF reportedly entered a school in Bani Suhaila area, in Khan Younis, and made an excavation inside the yard, allegedly finding a tunnel underneath the installation. The IDF reportedly also carried out a controlled explosion in the vicinity of the school. Damages resulting from the controlled explosion are yet to be assessed. On 22 February 2024, IDF troops reportedly opened fire towards a group of people at the main gate of a school in Al-Amal neighbourhood, west of Khan Younis. At least two people were killed. Their bodies were brought inside the school. On 23 February 2024, a school in Gaza City was directly hit by artillery fire and a number of shells. No injuries were reported, but several IDPs who were sheltering there fled from the school. On 23 February 2024, a container inside a school in Nuseirat Camp in the Middle Area was directly hit resulting in one person reportedly killed and one injured. On 24 February 2024, a distribution centre in Rafah (where other offices are also located) sustained damage and shrapnel was found inside the maintenance office due to a strike on an adjacent house.

UNRWA estimates that in total at least 403* internally displaced people (IDPs) sheltering in UNRWA shelters have been killed and at least a further 1,385* injured since the start of the war. UNRWA continues to verify the number of casualties caused by incidents that impacted its installations, and notes that these figures do not include some reported casualties where the number of injuries could not be determined.

332* incidents impacting UNRWA premises and the people inside them have been reported since the beginning of the war (some with multiple incidents impacting the same location), including at least 48 incidents of military use and/or interference at UNRWA premises. 155 different UNRWA installations have been impacted.

numbers are subject to change once further verifications have been conducted.

UNRWA Response

The Gaza Strip

Due to the security situation in combination with interruptions in internet connectivity we are unable to provide any additional updates since Sitrep 75.

UNRWA Shelters

As of 24 February, nearly 1.7 million displaced people are now sheltering across emergency shelters (UNRWA and public shelters), informal sites or in the vicinity of UNRWA shelters and distribution sites and within host communities.

Health

As of 22 February, seven (out of 23) UNRWA health centres were operational. Of these, one is in the north, two are in Middle Area, one in Khan Younis and three are in Rafah. Health centres provide primary health care services, including outpatient services, non-communicable disease care, medication, vaccination, antenatal health care, postnatal health care and dressing for injured patients.

A total of 708 health care staff remain working in the seven operational health centres and on 19 February they provided 14,073 medical consultations.

Another 9,553 medical consultations were conducted by 300 staff at shelters, and at the newly established medical points in al-Mawasi area to serve an influx of displaced persons from Khan Younis -- the total registered population in Mawasi is currently 180,000.

Between 7 October - 19 February, UNRWA has provided over 2.4 million medical consultations across UNRWA health centres and UNRWA shelters.

As of 22 February, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services continued in the Middle and Khan Younis areas with teams of health professionals consisting of psychiatrists and three supervisors to assist special cases referred from health centres and shelters. The teams responded to 1,242 cases in health centres and 52 in medical points through individual consultations, awareness sessions, and support for cases of gender-based violence.

In early January, UNRWA received vaccines from UNICEF for its health centres. Eleven different types of vaccines were received (refrigerated and freezer storage). This allowed for vaccinations to restart. Between 3 January and 3 February, over 22,300 children were vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella, and others. On 22 February, an additional 1,098 children were vaccinated.

Psychosocial support (PSS)

UNRWA continues to provide psychosocial support services including psychosocial first aid services, PSS consultations and intervention sessions, sessions on handling psychological fatigue, and group and recreational activities. Since the war, over 148,000 IDPs have been supported.

Food Security

As of 24 February, UNRWA continued to distribute flour outside of shelters in the southern governorates. To date, a total of 371,084 families have been assisted, of which 89,708 have received two rounds of flour.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

Due to the security situation in combination with internet connectivity we are unable to provide any additional updates since sitrep 67.

Quote from Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General:

"In just over four months in Gaza there have been more children, more journalists, more medical personnel, and more UN staff killed than anywhere in the world during a conflict."

Read the full Letter from the Commissioner-General to the President of the UN General Assembly here.

HearTheirVoices

ENDs -

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Netanyahu Advances Rafah Attack Plan as Israel-Hamas Cease-Fire Is Negotiated

By VOA News February 25, 2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Monday the Israeli military presented "presented the War Cabinet with a plan for evacuating the population from areas of fighting in the Gaza Strip, and with the upcoming operational plan."

The statement followed a pledge by Netanyahu to push ahead with plans for a ground invasion in the southern Gaza town of Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's population has sought shelter from the war.

Monday's statement did not give any details about where the Palestinians would be able to go.

Rafah is located along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Areas to the north have been devastated by four months of war, and Egypt has said it will not open its borders.

The United Nations has expressed concern about any plan to move the civilian population in Gaza and about Israeli plans to launch an offensive in the area populated by people already in need of humanitarian aid.

"What is clear is that people need to be protected, but we also do not want to see any forced displacement - forced mass displacement - of people, which is by definition against their will," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said earlier this month. "We would not support in any way forced displacement, which goes against international law."

Netanyahu told the CBS news show "Face the Nation" in an interview broadcast Sunday that once Israeli forces begin a Rafah operation, Israel would be weeks away from victory in Gaza.

Netanyahu said it was not clear whether a cease-fire and hostage deal would materialize from new talks in Qatar, saying Hamas needed to "come down to a reasonable situation."

He said if Israel has a deal for a cease-fire, a Rafah invasion "will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen. If we don't have a deal, we'll do it anyway."

The United States has been Israel's chief ally in the war against Hamas, but White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told NBC's "Meet the Press" that Netanyahu has not informed Washington of its plans for a Rafah attack and any evacuation of Palestinians.

"We're talking about more than a million people who have been pushed into this small space in Gaza because of military operations elsewhere," Sullivan said. "And so, we've been clear that we do not believe that an operation  a major military operation  should proceed in Rafah, unless there is a clear and executable plan to protect those civilians, to get them to safety and to feed, clothe and house them. And we have not seen a plan like that."

Israel agreed late Saturday to send negotiators to Qatar for further talks. Hamas said it has not been involved in the latest discussions developed by the United States, Egypt and Qatar but the reported plan appears to largely match the demands it had made for the first phase of a halt in the war.

A senior Egyptian official said Saturday that the draft cease-fire deal includes the release of up to 40 women and older hostages, from among about 100 living hostages held by Hamas, in return for up to 300 Palestinian prisoners, mostly women, minors and older people, being freed by Israel.

In addition, there would be a six-week pause in the fighting that would include allowing hundreds of trucks filled with food and humanitarian aid to enter Gaza every day, including for the northern half of the besieged territory. During the temporary halt in fighting, there would be further negotiations for the release of more hostages and a permanent cease-fire.

"Representatives of Israel, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar met in Paris and came to an understanding among the four of them about what the basic contours of a hostage deal for temporary cease-fire would look like," Sullivan told CNN's "State of the Union" show.

Israel began its military campaign to wipe out Hamas after the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel killed 1,200 people according to Israeli tallies and led to the capture of about 250 hostages. Israel's counteroffensive has killed nearly 30,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, with Israel saying it has killed 12,000 Hamas fighters. Most of those killed have been women and children.

About 100 hostages were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November. The Israeli military says it believes about 30 hostages held by Hamas have subsequently died or been killed in Gaza.

Aside from any halt in fighting or an Israeli ground invasion of Rafah, the fate of Gaza after the war remains uncertain. Netanyahu called last week for continued Israeli control of the territory along the Mediterranean Sea and remains opposed to the creation of an independent Palestinian state to rule Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Sullivan told Fox News the U.S. has not "moved an inch" off its support for the creation of a Palestinian state.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Palestinian Authority gov't is set to resign

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 26, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian Authority (PA) government, led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh, will resign on Monday, several news sources have reported.

According to the Palestinian Sama news agency, Shtayyeh will tender the resignation of his cabinet to President Mahmoud Abbas.

The reports says the current government will continue its activities until the formation of a planned new technocratic government in the occupied West Bank.

Meanwhile, a Hamas source told Al-Arabiya network earlier that the resistance movement does not care about the changes in the government by Abbas, who is the head of the Palestinian Authority.

Pointing out that Hamas wants a Palestinian national government with the consensus of all groups, this source said that the next government should have specific tasks with a time frame.

This source added that a Hamas delegation in Moscow will discuss the formation of a national government for a specific period and with specific tasks.

4399

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Gaza facing man-made disasters: UNRWA chief

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 26, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has reiterated his call for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza where people are grappling with severe shortages of food, water and medicine.

Philippe Lazzarini said on social media platform X on Sunday that "the dire humanitarian condition in war-battered Gaza is a man-made disaster".

Famine can still be avoided through genuine political will to grant access and protection to meaningful assistance, he added.

Lazzarini said that the last time UNRWA was able to send food aid to northern Gaza was on January 23.

Aid agencies have increasingly voiced concern for ordinary Gazans caught up in Israel's military campaign.

The UN has already warned of looming famine threatening virtually everyone in Gaza, while the World Food Programme this week described "unprecedented levels of desperation". In recent days, a number of children have died of starvation in Gaza.

UNRWA has been a lifeline for millions of Palestinians since 1949, just months after the creation of Zionist entity on the occupied Palestinian land.

The agency is now facing abolition calls from Israel after the regime leveled allegations that some UNRWA staff members were involved in Palestinians' Al-Aqsa Storm operation on October 7.

4399

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Hezbollah launches new strikes on Zionist positions

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 26, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement have reportedly launched a fresh missile attack on Zionist military positions in the occupied Palestinians territories.

In a statement quoted by Al-Manar late on Sunday, Hezbollah said that its forces targeted Zionist forces at the Al-Marj base with Burkan missiles, in support of the Palestinian people and resistance in the Gaza Strip.

Earlier on Sunday, Hezbollah also announced two separate attacks, with one being hit a gathering of Israeli soldiers in Ramim barracks with "appropriate weapons" while another targeting an outpost in the occupied Shebaa Farms with two Falaq 1 missiles.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military has also targeted areas around the town of Al-Dhahira, southern Lebanon.

There are no reports of casualties or damage from the latest strikes from each side.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in clashes at Lebanon's southern border since the regime launched its genocidal war on Gaza in early October.

Meanwhile, Israeli Minister of Military Affairs Yoav Gallant has claimed that even with a possible temporary ceasefire in Gaza, the attacks on Lebanon will intensify.

Gallant was quoted by Al Jazeera as saying that the regime will keep hitting southern Lebanon until Hezbollah surrenders.

Thousands of Israeli settlers living in areas near the Lebanese border have abandoned their homes out of fear of Hezbollah's retaliatory strikes.

Hezbollah says its military campaign will continue until the Israeli regime ceases its genocidal war against Palestinians.

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Jordanian king warns of Gaza conflict expansion during Ramadan

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:02, February 26, 2024

AMMAN, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- King Abdullah II of Jordan on Sunday warned that a continued war in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan could risk expanding the conflict.

King Abdullah made the remarks at a meeting in Amman with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, during which he called for maximum efforts to reach an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and to protect innocent civilians, according to a statement by the Royal Hashemite Court.

The king noted that Jordan will continue to provide humanitarian, relief, and medical assistance to the people in Gaza, the statement added.

The king reiterated Jordan's rejection of any attempts to separate the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, while urging the continuation of Arab coordination to find a just solution to the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution.

Abbas, for his part, voiced appreciation for Jordan's steadfast position on the Hamas-Israel conflict, stressing the need to continue close coordination and consultation between the two sides to serve the Palestinian cause and protect holy sites in the city.

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UNRWA Claims Versus Facts (February 2024)

UNRWA

26 Feb 2024

UNRWA has long faced misinformation and disinformation, including about its staff and operations. This has intensified since the war in Gaza began on 7 October.

This document outlines UNRWA's positionsbased on objective, ascertainable facts, data, and firsthand information on some of the most frequent claims and allegations made against the Agency in the media and social media by various individuals, organizations, public and private entities.

Background

On 17 January, UNRWA Commissioner-General announced his intention to commission an independent review to identify and assess the adequacy and implementation of the Agency's mechanisms and procedures to ensure neutrality. On 5 February, the Secretary-General appointed a Review Group, headed by Catherine Colonna, former French Minister of Foreign Affairs, to "assess whether the Agency is doing everything within its power to ensure neutrality and to respond to allegations of serious breaches when they are made." For more information on the terms of reference of the review, click here.

On 26 January, in response to allegations received orally from Israeli officials regarding the alleged involvement of 12 UNRWA staff in the 7 October attack against Israel, and upon ascertaining that the individuals were indeed UNRWA staff members, the UNRWA Commissioner-General decided to immediately terminate the appointments of these staff "in the interest of the Agency," in accordance with applicable staff regulations, in order to protect its ability to deliver humanitarian assistance. This decision was communicated through a statement.

At the request of the UN Secretary-General, the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the highest investigative body in the United Nations, launched an investigation into these specific allegations. The UN Secretary-General requested in interim report within four weeks of OIOS starting work.

On 27 January, the UNRWA Commissioner-General issued another statement in response to several donor countries suspending, pausing, or temporarily freezing funding to UNRWA.

Claims Vs. Facts

The Claim: Citing alleged intelligence estimates, several media have relayed claims that around 10% of all UNRWA staff in Gaza, or about 1,200 people, have links to Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The Facts: UNRWA has not received any information, let alone any evidence, from the Israeli Authorities or any other Member State about the above claim. UNRWA became aware of this claim first from international media and later from a press briefing by an Israeli government official.

Like any other UN organization, UNRWA carries out detailed reference checks on any staff the Agency recruits. In addition, UNRWA shares the names, employee numbers, and functions of all staff members every year in all five areas of operations with the host authorities (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and the Palestinian Authority) and, for the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza, with Israel as the occupying power. This means that at all times, host states and Israel are fully informed and aware of the details of all staff members working for UNRWA. Other UN Member States also receive these lists upon request.

The names of the 12 individuals against whom allegations were made were all shared multiple times with Israel and other Member States. Prior to January 2024, UNRWA did not receive any indication from the relevant authorities of any involvement of its staff in armed or militant groups. In addition, the Agency screens its staff on a biannual basis against the UN Security Council Consolidated Sanctions List.

The Claim: Israeli officials have stated that "UNRWA's problem is not just 'a few bad apples' involved in the October 7 massacre," and that the "institution as a whole is a haven for Hamas' radical ideology."

The Facts: UNRWA has more than 30,000 staff across the region, including 13,000 in Gaza, the majority of them Palestinian. UNRWA takes seriously its responsibility to ensure that its operations and staff adhere to UN values and core humanitarian principles.

UNRWA has always taken very seriously any allegation regarding staff misconduct -including allegations of neutrality breaches. The Agency takes swift action whenever any staff member is found to have acted in contravention of its regulatory framework. The range of disciplinary sanctions applied include, often in combination, fines. suspension from duty, demotion, up to termination of employment.

Since 2022, 66 investigations, out of 30,000 staff across UNRWA and not just in Gaza, looked at a range of alleged related to neutrality breaches, including alleged support for Hamas and other groups. Some of these investigations are still ongoing. Sixty-six cases out of 30,000 staff - not all of which have been substantiated - is just 0.22%. There is absolutely no ground for a blanket description of "the institution as a whole" being "totally infiltrated." Rather, the small percentage underscores that the absolutely overwhelming majority of UNRWA's highly dedicated staff adhere to the principles to which they commit when they join the Agency. In any event, as indicated previously, the matter is now under assessment by the Review Group appointed by the UN Secretary-General, whose findings are expected to be released by April 2024.

In addition, staff members receive regular reminders and take mandatory trainings to ensure they understand and abide by the UN standards of conduct for International Civil Servants. These include that any political activity must be consistent with, and not reflect adversely upon, the independence and impartiality required by serving the United Nations, and that support for violence and hatred in any form runs counter to UN values and is unacceptable.

The Claim: Several media have relayed claims that Israel has documented deepening ties between UNRWA and Hamas, the de facto authorities in the Gaza Strip, since 2007.

The Facts: As elsewhere around the world, the UN works in complex environments, including in areas under the control of a de facto government or armed groups. The United Nations engages with all parties to facilitate delivery of services and humanitarian assistance - that's a standard. In the Gaza Strip, UNRWA's engagement with the de facto authorities takes place solely at an operational level with the exclusive purpose of delivering humanitarian aid and ensuring the safety of our staff.

Since UNRWA is operating in a conflict environment in Gaza, its activities need to be coordinated and "deconflicted" with all relevant parties to enable the implementation of its humanitarian mandate. The Agency is thus constantly in contact with the Israeli authorities and with the de facto authorities simultaneously to inform them about our movements and operations.

The Claim: Aid from UNRWA keeps getting diverted by Hamas.

The Facts: UNRWA is not aware of and has received no specific allegations regarding any systemic diversion of aid in Gaza by Hamas or other armed groups. Should it be revealed to be the case, UNRWA will strongly condemn any diversion of humanitarian supplies and immediately inform its donors to determine appropriate next steps.

Across the world's conflict zones, the UN works in complex environments, including in areas under the control of de facto governments or non-State armed actors, to deliver humanitarian aid, and has extensive experience in delivering aid in accordance with humanitarian principles, including neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence, and mitigating the risk of diversion of aid.

UNRWA's distribution of aid is implemented through a robust system of oversight and checks:

UNRWA uses a direct implementation modality (no intermediaries) which means that the Agency has full control of the supply chain from receiving the goods at the crossing points of Gaza to bringing them to UNRWA warehouses and distribution points, where aid is delivered directly to registered beneficiaries, checked against a pre-established list, and according to needs.

All movements of aid (including fuel) from point of departure to point of arrival inside Gaza are coordinated with and notified to the parties, including the Israeli authorities, to "deconflict", or ensure the safe passage of the aid convoy's movements and ensure safety of humanitarian workers. The convoys are also escorted and monitored by UN security personnel. UNRWA is currently working with other UN Agencies to establish common warehousing for materials brought into Gaza, which will improve overall monitoring and security of the goods.

UNRWA takes measures to ensure that it has no financial ties with any individual or organization on the UN Security Council Consolidated Sanctions List. During periods of escalation, we have emergency screening procedures to ensure the provision of aid in an effective manner, such as rapid screening of new vendors. Subcontractors and implementing partners are also vetted.

UNRWA operates in five fields: Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, the West Bank- including East Jerusalem, and Gaza. It shares full lists of staff members, including functions, names, and IDs, with all the host authorities and, for the West Bank and Gaza, with Israel, every year.

The Claim: Hamas has stored weapons in UNRWA schools and dug tunnels under UNRWA buildings, but the Agency has done little to stop this.

The Facts: Since the mid-2000s, during conflicts in Gaza, there have been instances when armed actors from both sides have violated the neutrality of UNRWA sites, which are protected by international law. They have, for example, entered UNRWA buildings or used them for military purposes. UNRWA has systematically condemned such violations of UN premises. See an example here from 2014 of UNRWA condemning the placement of rockets inside its schools.

Every time that UNRWA has discovered that the neutrality of its facilities has been compromised by third parties, including being used by armed groups in Gaza to cache munitions, it has protested to de facto authorities in Gaza, condemning the fact that these weapon components had been stored at a UN facility, in breach of their inviolability under UN Privileges and Immunities. UNRWA also immediately informs the Palestinian Authority and Israel as well as its main donors. Moreover, in its annual reports to the UN General Assembly, the UNRWA Commissioner-General has also consistently reported and described any such instances. These reports are shared with all Member States of the United Nations.

When suspected tunnels are discovered under UNRWA facilities, the Agency follows a similar protocol to the one used when it has discovered that its installations were being used to cache munitions. This includes sealing cavities by injecting cement whenever discovered, immediately informing the Palestinian Authority and Israel as well as its main donors and reporting to the UN General Assembly. When cavities under buildings or our grounds have been identified, the Agency has also put out public statements - you can find an example from 2022 here.

Ensuring that its facilities are not utilized for any purpose other than the provision of services by UNRWA to Palestine refugees is critical for UNRWA's operations. The Agency dedicates significant resources to regularly assess its facilities, including to ensure neutrality. This means not only that there is no misuse of its facilities, but also ensuring that installations are clearly marked as UN facilities, that signs about them being weapons-free areas are present at entrances, and that the internal and external walls are free of any messaging that is political or in any way places the neutrality of the installation into question.

This is done via quarterly assessments by specially trained staff of all of UNRWA's almost 1,000 facilities across its five fields of operation: Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, the West Bankincluding East Jerusalem, and Gaza. These assessments review adherence to neutrality and the level to which UNRWA installations are able to provide safe, inclusive, accessible, and dignified services to Palestine refugees. During each of the second and third quarters of 2023 for example, UNRWA assessed 99% of active Agency installations. The assessment of all Gaza installations was completed in September 2023. There is also a system of follow-up in place to ensure that issues identified are addressed in a consistent manner. Active conflict and insecurity can significantly impact the ability of the Agency to conduct these assessments.

UNRWA also trains all staff on the humanitarian principles, including neutrality, and provides dedicated training to managers of UNRWA installations.

The Claim: UNRWA schools in the oPt, which use textbooks approved by the Palestinian Authority, have used materials that glorify terrorists and promote hatred of Israel.

The Facts: UNRWA does not have, own, or produce its own textbooks. It provides quality education in line with UN values and UNESCO standards, especially those applicable to refugee contexts, thus using the host government textbooks. UNRWA reviews all the textbooks used in its schools to identify sections that may not be in line with UN values and UNESCO standards for teaching. UNRWA has zero tolerance for hate speech and incitement to discrimination, or violence. Independent analysts and international education experts have vouched for the quality and content of the education that UNRWA provides in its schools.

Using host country curriculums in refugee situations is standard for the UN around the world. It is considered a best practice that helps ensure that students can matriculate into host country educational systems at any level and more broadly participate in the social and economic life of the host country. This is particularly relevant for UNRWA as our school system ends after grade 9, except in Lebanon, and students transition to local schools for upper secondary, then university.

UNRWA enriches the curriculum it uses by adding a unique programme on Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and Tolerance, and has also established school parliaments run by students in every institution.

UNRWA teachers are trained to address any problematic content in the classroom, using guidance documents developed by UNRWA headquarters. The teachers are required to and accountable for following this approach. When it comes to Palestinian Authority textbooks, UNRWA refers systematically to UN positions on issues such as the occupation, borders, the wall, and others. UNRWA is not in a position to - nor it is mandated to - reconcile the Israeli and Palestinian narratives.

Thousands of self-learning materials produced in-house to support distance learning have also been reviewed through a robust three-tier review process and uploaded on UNRWA's Digital Learning Platform. Teachers are regularly reminded that only material uploaded on the platform can be used. Meanwhile UNRWA is progressing with digitalization of its education. It includes a gradual transition to digital teaching learning material which will be uploaded on the platform and become the sole source of materials to be used by students and teachers in the classroom, at home and remotely.

In addition, an Education Expert Advisory Group, composed of globally recognized experts representing renowned institutions such as UNESCO and the World Bank among others, advises UNRWA on its digital transition as well as curriculum related matters more broadly.

Internationally recognized outside evaluations - including a 2021 World Bank-UNHCR study - empirically demonstrated that UNRWA's educational outcomes are among the best in the region and at the lowest cost per student. UNRWA's students in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jordan "scored an average of a quarter of a standard deviation higher in international assessments than public school children, implying an advantage of almost a year of learning."

Regarding the textbooks produced by the Palestinian Authority, UNRWA's own stance on these materials closely aligns with the Georg Eckert Institute's findings in the study commissioned by the European Commission and published in 2021.

The Claim: A 2019 U.S. Government Accountability Office report allegedly said that UNRWA has not always implemented measures to address problematic content in school textbooks.

The Facts: The 2019 report reaffirmed UNRWA's unwavering commitment to UN values, and, where there was need for better implementation, this was done - you can find our statement about this here.

UNRWA undertakes regular and meticulous review of all textbooks and learning materials used in the schools to ensure their compatibility with UN values and UNESCO standards, promoting educational excellence and reinforcing tolerance and human rights.

The Claim: Members of a Telegram group of 3,000 UNRWA teachers allegedly supported violence, including in the 7 October attacks against Israel, and there have been similar cases in the past involving UNRWA staff.

The Facts: The most recent claims, made by the organization UN Watch in January 2024 refer to exchanges found on an open Telegram chat that was not set-up, nor authorized, nor managed by UNRWA. The use of the UN and UNRWA logo on this Telegram group has not been authorized.

Due to the nature of Telegram, it is impossible to verify the allegation that all members of this group are UNRWA employees. The group seems to be formed around job seeking, so it is unlikely that its members are all UNRWA staff (already employed by the Agency).

Previous claims by UN Watch and other organizations about the behavior of individuals have often misidentified as UNRWA staff the people allegedly involved. For example, in various claims made since 2022, concerning a total of 129 people, more than half turned out not to be UNRWA personnel.

Of the 30 people named as UNRWA staff in a report about this Telegram group, only 18 could be properly reviewed as the other 12 provided only first names or nicknames. From the 18, it has been confirmed that three do not work for the Agency and six have so far been inconclusive, requiring further review. The remaining nine may be active personnel. These cases have been referred to the UNRWA investigation department, in accordance with the Agency's procedures.

UNRWA, like all UN Agencies, has a system in place to investigate allegations and disciplinary action is taken in all substantiated cases.

The Claim: Rather than being part of the solution, UNRWA perpetuates the refugee problem, including by reminding Palestine refugees of their history and telling them their home is in Israel.

The Facts: When the UN General Assembly created UNRWA by passing a resolution in 1949, it did not mandate the Agency to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict nor the Palestine refugee issue or find durable solutions for refugees.

Rather, UNRWA was set up as temporary organization to carry out "direct relief and works programmes" for Palestine refugees. In 1952, the UN General Assembly explicitly tasked UNRWA to serve any person whose "normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict."

UNRWA has a humanitarian and development mandate, repeatedly renewed by the UN General Assembly, to provide assistance and protection to Palestine refugees pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. This is done by delivering essential public services, primarily basic education, health care, relief and social services, microcredit, and emergency assistance, including in situations of armed conflict.

The fact that UNRWA is still in place 75 years later is not a choice by the Agency but the result of a collective failure by Member States to resolve a political problem.

Protracted refugee situations are the result of the failure to find political solutions to underlying political crises - sometimes leading refugees to retain their status across generations. Meanwhile, the international community has continued to support UNRWA and recognizes the role it plays in addressing human development issues and the long-term impacts of conflict.

Palestine refugees do not get special treatment compared to other refugees. Under international law, refugees and their descendants may retain their status until a durable solution is found to the situation that made the population into refugees in the first place. In this sense, Palestine refugees are no different from other people in protracted refugee situations. As stated by the United Nations, this principle applies to all refugees and both UNRWA and UNHCR have recognized descendants as refugees on this basis.

Furthermore, the UN General Assembly in 1949 adopted a resolution stating that "refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible."

This is not an UNRWA position, this is a UN and a Member State position.

In addition, Palestine refugees, like all other refugees globally, have a right to learn about their history, including their displacement. UNRWA does not intend to - nor does it have a mandate to - reconcile Israeli and Palestinian narratives. What UNRWA teaches in its schools is in line with UN positions on the conflict.

The Claim: Other UN agencies deliver humanitarian assistance in crisis zones across the globe. They would be better placed to do UNRWA's job.

The Facts: UNRWA directly manages critical public-like services (schools, health centers, social protection) in its 5 areas of operations, relaying on a staff corps of 30,000 people, most of them Palestine refugees, thus serving their own communities. UNRWA's established infrastructure and its cost-effectiveness - especially as the majority of its staff are part of the UNRWA Area Staff (national) category, with salaries pegged to public sector comparators) - have no equivalent elsewhere in the UN. This means that UNRWA Area Staff are paid on average between 40% and 70% less than other UN locally recruited staff, as the comparators used for their salary scales are the host governments in the countries and areas of operations where UNRWA works.

In addition, UNRWA responds to emergency situations, such as in Gaza today, using its staff, community acceptance and knowledge, and their longstanding experience gained over several conflicts and crises. With over 2 million people in dire need of life-saving humanitarian assistance in Gaza, no other Agency is able to respond at the scale needed at present. UNRWA has 13,000 staff and over 300 installations in Gaza, far surpassing the capacity of all other humanitarian actors. The UN Secretary-General has called UNRWA the backbone of the humanitarian response there. Other UN Agencies and international NGOs have recognized the irreplaceable role of UNRWA in Gaza, and publicly announced their support for the Agency.

For example, even if another agency supplies vaccines, it is UNRWA medical staff that get those vaccines into the arms of children at UNRWA clinics. So, UNRWA is an essential link in the chain. UNRWA's main activity is education. With 709 schools and some 543,000 students across its five areas of operations, there is no easy substitute, not even at government level, for UNRWA's work.

It was hoped that UNRWA local staff) would be folded into Palestinian public institutions once a political solution was reached. This is why also their salary scales are aligned to those entities in the public services where they work.

Other UN agencies have around 220 staff combined between international and national, and they do not have the same public service roles.

The Claim: UNHCR is mandated to resettle refugees and solve refugee issues. It could take over UNRWA's job.

The Facts: The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 and UNHCR in 1950, providing them each with distinct mandates to assist and protect refugees. These decisions are enshrined in the UN General Assembly resolution that created UNRWA in 1949 and has been renewed ever since, the UNHCR Statute, which was also adopted by the UN General Assembly, and the 1951 Refugee Convention, which is an international treaty. Neither UNRWA nor UNHCR can unilaterally change their mandates

UNRWA and UNHCR have very distinct functions. UNRWA is a direct service provider. At the core of these services are education and health. UNRWA provides public-like services. UNHCR does not have a mandate over Palestine refugees within the UNRWA areas of operations. However, in certain circumstances, UNHCR has a mandate regarding Palestine refugees when they are outside the areas where UNRWA operates.

Unlike UNHCR, UNRWA does not have a mandate to resettle Palestine refugees and has no authority to seek lasting durable solutions for refugees. UNRWA is mandated by the UN General Assembly to provide services to Palestine refugees in five fields of operation: Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and Gaza. And it is mandated to do so pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. Palestine refugees within UNRWA's fields of operations are specifically excluded from the mandate of UNHCR, which has a resettlement mandate. However, according to UNHCR, only a fraction of refugees around the world who need resettlement actually get it each year.

It is worth noting that the protracted situation in which Palestine refugees live is not unique. Resettlement requires the consent not only of refugees but also of the receiving state. UNHCR estimated that 78 per cent of all 16 million refugees under its mandate were in protracted refugee situations in 2022. Of the 29.4 million refugees under UNHCR protection that year, only about 1.15 per cent (339,300) were repatriated to their country of origin. Less than half a per cent (114,300) were resettled in a third country or naturalized as citizens in their country of asylum (50,800). The vast majority remained refugees, pending a solution to their plight.

The Claim: Donor money would be better spent supporting governments in the region to assist Palestine refugees, rather than doing so via UNRWA.

The Facts: UNRWA's mandate was first set out by the UN General Assembly in 1949. UN Member States decide where and how UNRWA should operate.

During regular reviews of its mandate, UN Member States have continued to task UNRWA to provide support to Palestine refugees throughout its five fields of operation: Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and Gaza. It is tasked with doing so pending a just and lasting solution to the plight of Palestine refugees.

In addition, UNRWA runs essential public services for Palestine refugees, such as schools and clinics. It does this with some 30,000 personnel, most of whom are Palestinian, and whose pay scale is aligned to that of the local civil services where they work. The reason for this is that it is hoped that they will transition into Palestinian public institutions once a political solution is reached.

While some Palestine refugees have citizenship in their host countries, many do not, and lack legal status thus depending on UNRWA for access to basic services and assistance.

The Claim: UNRWA does not take reports against it seriously.

The Facts: UNRWA has zero tolerance for hate speech, discrimination, or incitement to violence as well as any action that could be viewed as taking sides in conflict. Adherence to UN values and upholding humanitarian principles, including neutrality, represents a fundamental pillar of UNRWA's value system and is critical for the Agency to be able to operate on the ground. The Agency systematically reviews all allegations of misconduct, including breaching UN values and humanitarian principles and launches investigations into any credible allegation, applying disciplinary measures where misconduct has been established up to and including separation.

Please refer to the 'Background' section above for details of the very swift steps taken by UNRWA concerning the allegations that 12 of its staff members were involved in the 7 October attacks on Israel.

ENDs-

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Operation Iron Swords - Day 142 - 25 February 2024

The biblical holidays for the Jews this year intersect with the second week of Ramadan and Tarawih prayers, which may open the door to a new battle in Al-Aqsa Mosque. Ramadan is celebrated Mar 10, 2024  Apr 9, 2024. Tarawih, also known as Taraweeh, is a voluntary (nafl) night prayer performed by Muslims during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Tarawih prayers are a sunnah of the Prophet, which means that it was his practice to perform them. Purim is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the survival of the Jewish people from annihilation in the 5th century BCE. The story is told in the Book of Esther and is known as the Feast of Lots. Purim dates are March 2324, 2024.

Biden administration officials say they want to reach an agreement before the start of Ramadan, that is, more than two weeks from now. An Israeli official told the Hebrew Channel 12: Our goal is to reach a prisoner exchange deal before the month of Ramadan.

Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk claimed that Hamas did not anticipate Israels response to its October 7 massacre, according to a translation of an interview given to Egypts Alghad TV on Thursday by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) reported by the Jerusaalem Post on Sunday. Nobody in the whole world expected them to be so barbaric, Marzouk said. And in such violation of all international laws, treaties, and norms. Nobody expected the [Israeli response] to be so barbaric because, ultimately, the resistance fights soldiers. It is not fighting civilians with planes and tanks.

Marzouk asked the interviewer: Do you think that anyone in the world could have expected there to be a world war? In the sense that America, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, and Spain  all of them would gather armies, and the US would send two of the largest aircraft carriers to the Mediterranean Sea, all in order to fight a movement? By what logic could anyone have expected that the US and the entire West would unite without exception to wage war against a movement? Who could have expected this?"

War Termination

There is no end to the war in sight, as both sides still see the other as an existential threat, and there is no clear path to any kind of permanent peace between them.

A leading source in the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) said - today, Sunday - that the atmosphere of optimism about the nearness of reaching an agreement on a possible prisoner exchange deal does not reflect the truth, after reports spoke of progress in the negotiations that may allow the conclusion of an agreement before the month of Ramadan.

The leading source added - in a statement - that the movement dealt with the mediators positively to end the suffering of the Palestinian people and stop the war of extermination to which they are being subjected in Gaza, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of evading responding to the most important demands of the resistance, which are to stop the aggression, the complete withdrawal of the occupation forces, and the return of the displaced. To the north of the sector. The same source confirmed that killing the Palestinian people through starvation in the north is a genocidal crime that threatens the entire process of negotiations.

Earlier today, the Official Broadcasting Authority quoted Israeli sources as saying that there was optimism that understandings would be reached before the month of Ramadan, which begins in less than two weeks. However, it quoted a security official that the potential deal would not prevent the ground operation in Rafah , south of the Gaza Strip.

For its part, Israeli Channel 12 quoted an Israeli official - whose identity was not revealed - that there was significant progress and a solid basis for the talks, expressing his optimism about reaching an agreement on a possible prisoner exchange deal. The Israeli channel said that the War Council decided to allow an Israeli delegation to go to Qatar in the coming days to continue talks on the exchange deal, thus confirming information revealed by other Israeli officials and media yesterday, Saturday. In the same context, Reuters quoted Egyptian security sources as saying that Qatar will host talks this week regarding a truce and prisoner exchange.

Reuters quoted a source familiar with the talks as saying that the Paris meetings concluded with broad lines that could eventually lead to a truce in Gaza. For its part, the Washington Post quoted two sources familiar with the Paris talks that American, Egyptian and Qatari officials presented a more detailed framework for a possible agreement between Israel and Hamas. The newspaper said that the new detailed framework proposes that Hamas, in the first stage, release 40 Israeli prisoners in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and a truce in Gaza for a period of 6 weeks.

The new proposals include the start of the return of some residents of the northern Gaza Strip to their areas, according to what was stated in the newspapers report. The Washington Post reported that the previous agreement framework also included a truce for a period of 6 weeks, but it was not as detailed as the new framework that was presented in Fridays talks in Paris.

The source told the American newspaper that the new Paris meetings allowed for progress that would lead to more serious negotiations on a new agreement during the next few days. In the talks that took place weeks ago in Paris and then in Cairo, a framework was reached, and the mediators received a response from Israel and Hamas, and Tel Aviv rejected the movements demands and considered them unrealistic.

Hamas and other factions stressed that any agreement must lead to a cessation of aggression and the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, which is what the Netanyahu government has rejected so far.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed his intention to postpone the military operation in Rafah , south of the Gaza Strip, if a deal to exchange detainees and prisoners was reached, while Washington confirmed that the mediators had reached an understanding on the basic features of the deal. In statements he made to the American CBS network, and reported by a correspondent for the American website Axios, Netanyahu accused the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) of making unrealistic demands.

Netanyahu stressed that he did not know if an agreement would be reached, but he pointed out that if Hamas gives up its unrealistic demands, there will be an agreement and the process in Rafah will be delayed a little. Netanyahu said, "If an agreement is not reached, the Israeli forces will move into Rafah," adding that after the start of the operation in Rafah, the operation in Gaza will end within a few weeks, denying the possibility of leaving the last stronghold of Hamas without dealing with it.

He explained that Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy would present his plan in Rafah, including the evacuation of residents, denying the existence of disagreements with the United States regarding the need to evacuate civilians from Rafah. He pledged to direct them to an area north of Rafah. The Israeli Prime Minister said that peace with Egypt is not at risk and that coordination is underway with the Egyptian side.

In this context, Israeli media reported that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that the negotiations are taking place in a strange way and the prisoner release deal should be better, stressing that he will vote against any deal that is not the best for Israel. At the mediation level, the White House announced that the United States, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar had reached an understanding on the basic features of the deal.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN that the agreement is still under negotiation, noting that indirect talks should be held between Qatar and Egypt with Hamas. This comes at a time when talks have resumed in Doha, which will be followed by another round in Cairo with the participation of American, Israeli and Hamas officials, according to what Egyptian media reported from Egyptian sources.

Earlier today, Israeli Channel 12 said that the War Council decided to allow an Israeli delegation to go to Qatar in the coming days to continue talks on the exchange deal. The channel thus confirmed information revealed by officials and other Israeli media yesterday, Saturday. In the same context, Reuters quoted Egyptian security sources as saying that Qatar will host talks this week regarding a truce and prisoner exchange.

Earlier today, the official broadcasting authority spoke from Israeli sources of optimism that understandings would be reached before the month of Ramadan, which begins in less than two weeks, but it quoted a security official that the potential deal would not prevent the ground operation in Rafah. Israeli Channel 12 also quoted an Israeli official - whose identity was not revealed - that there was great progress and a solid basis for the talks, expressing his optimism about reaching an agreement on the possible exchange deal.

On the other hand, Taher Al-Nono, media advisor to the head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, said that Netanyahu rejects the basic keys to the success of the negotiations and recognition of the rights of the Palestinian people. Al-Nono stated, Netanyahus primary goal in proceeding with the war (on the Gaza Strip) is to achieve purely personal and electoral interests and protect himself.

A leadership source in Hamas said - today, Sunday - that the atmosphere of optimism about the nearness of reaching an agreement on a possible prisoner exchange deal does not reflect the truth, after reports spoke of progress in the negotiations that may allow the conclusion of an agreement before the month of Ramadan.

In the talks that took place weeks ago in Paris and then in Cairo, a framework was reached, and the mediators received a response from Israel and Hamas, and Tel Aviv rejected the movements demands and considered them unrealistic. Hamas and other factions stressed that any agreement must lead to a cessation of aggression and the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, which is what the Netanyahu government has rejected so far.

Operational Update

There were 24 regional battalions in Gaza  we have dismantled 18 of them, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told foreign reporters. Now, Rafah is the next Hamas center of gravity.

The IDF COGAT Coordinator announced "Today (2/25), 245 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid were inspected and transported to the Gaza Strip. 154 were searched and transferred via the Kerem Shalom crossing, and 91 via Nitzana. There are no restrictions on the amount of humanitarian aid that can enter Gaza for the benefit of the civilian population....

"The end of the special operation inside Nasser Hospital that targeted the Hamas terrorist organization, where 200 terrorists were arrested and other evidence was found about Hamas use of the hospital for the purpose of terrorism. IDF forces and the Gaza Coordination and Liaison Directorate transported humanitarian aid, hundreds of meals, water, milk powder, and other supplies to the hospital and provided it with an electricity generator and diesel fuel to allow continued treatment of patients. The IDF will continue its activity against the terrorist Hamas movement.""

The Axios news website quoted American and Israeli officials as saying, The American administration asked Israel to stop targeting civilian police members of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) in the Gaza Strip who accompany aid trucks in the Strip. American officials said that President Joe Biden's administration is increasingly concerned about the possibility of Gaza becoming a new Mogadishu, after the security vacuum and desperation opened the door for armed gangs to attack and loot humanitarian aid trucks. According to the sources, Israel rejected the American request, because one of its goals in the war is to ensure that Hamas no longer runs the Gaza Strip. The Biden administration warned that a complete collapse of law and order would significantly worsen the humanitarian crisis in the Strip, the officials added. Axios said that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed with his Israeli counterpart last Thursday American concerns, and stressed the need to find a way to provide security for aid trucks entering the Strip.

Last week, 9 Palestinian police officers were martyred as a result of an Israeli bombing while they were providing humanitarian aid in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip. Members of the Palestinian police appeared remarkably in several areas of Gaza, despite the ongoing fierce battles between resistance factions and the Israeli occupation army in several areas in the south and north of the Strip.

The Associated Press had quoted Gazan citizens and a Hamas official as saying that the movement had begun deploying police forces and civil servants near government offices and hospitals in the north and south of the Strip, and had also begun disbursing their monthly salaries. The American agency interpreted the reappearance of Hamas police in Gaza City as evidence of the movement's steadfastness, despite the air and ground raids launched by Israel against it during the past four months.

The military spokesman for the Israeli occupation army, Daniel Hagari, said a month before the withdrawal that they had completed the dismantling of the military structure of the Hamas movement in the northern and central Gaza Strip, and had killed thousands of militants, and that they were close to eliminating the movements fighters in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Israeli army announced on Sunday that two soldiers were killed and three wounded, including an officer, in battles in the southern Gaza Strip , at a time when battles are raging between the resistance and the occupation forces in the Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City and in Khan Yunis. The Israeli army said that one of the two soldiers killed yesterday in battles south of the Gaza Strip was from the Givati Brigade , one of its elite brigades. The announcement of their death came a day after the Israeli army acknowledged the killing of a company commander with the rank of major in the Shaked Battalion of the Givati Brigade in the ongoing battles in the northern Gaza Strip.

A few meters separate life and death at the Rafah border crossing, where, according to recent photos obtained by Al Jazeera, two thousand trucks are piled up in front of them, with starving people across the border in front of them. Arab experts and analysts confirmed that the starvation policy pursued by Israel against the Gaza Strip is linked to the truce negotiations and prisoner exchange in the French capital, Paris, and aims to put pressure on the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) and attempt to subjugate it, in addition to displacing Gazans.

The first researcher at Al Jazeera Center for Studies, Dr. Liqaa Makki, said that the goal of starvation is to destroy the morale of Palestinian fighters and destroy the ability to fight, indicating that the world is mostly conspiring and complicit in this war and condones what Tel Aviv is doing, and is arming it as well. Makki pointed out - during the program Gaza... What Next? - that in wars circumstances may force the right holder to withdraw, especially the Palestinian resistance movements, which he said are in a battle with the world, stressing that any decision you take at this historical moment must be understood and be legitimate.

He pointed out that everyone is pressuring Hamas, not Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , to accept a temporary truce and then continue the war, noting that the starvation war aims to pressure Hamas because Washington wants the hostages, so that US President Joe Biden can brag about them to voters. He pointed out that Egypt can do a lot, especially since there are 1.5 million displaced people on its borders, and he considered the failure to supply them with food under the pretext of the occupations threat to be an insult to Cairo, to which Gaza had previously belonged administratively, stressing that it is an Egyptian national, religious, historical, geographical and humanitarian responsibility.

In turn, the expert on Israeli affairs, Dr. Muhannad Mustafa, agreed with Makki, and said that the Israeli starvation policy is to displace the residents of Gaza and to pressure and subjugate Hamas in parallel with the truce talks. Mustafa added that one of the goals of the starvation war is for Israel to obtain concessions regarding the truce that serve its goals, indicating that Tel Aviv may know in advance that it will not succeed, but it is trying to buy time, because time is an important issue for Netanyahu and he is trying to procrastinate these negotiations.

He added that Israel expects from this pressure - in light of the majority of its citizens support for the starvation policy and the war on Gaza, in parallel with Western complicity and Arab impotence - that Hamas will back down from its demands and be subjugated. Regarding the positions of the occupation and opposition leaders, Mustafa confirms that War Council Minister Benny Gantz wants to complete the truce and exchange deal first, while Netanyahu wants to immediately begin the Rafah operation because he linked the concept of victory to the invasion of the border city with Egypt, at a time when the opposition leader, Yair Lapid, confirms that the priority is to remove Detained prisoners.

As for researcher and political analyst Hossam Shaker, he confirmed that there is international complicity that supports the starvation policy in Gaza, and it cannot continue for the fifth month without external cover, especially with the lax international positions. Shaker explains that the goal of this policy is to starve the Palestinian people, humiliate them, humiliate them, and deprive them of their dignity, describing what is happening as terrorism and a systematic practice that the occupation cannot continue without external cover.

Regarding the Paris negotiations, he asserts that Netanyahu is manipulating everyone with his insistence on invading Rafah even if a deal is concluded, before saying that there are no indications of the possibility of coming out with a specific agreement within the current situation, especially since pressure on the occupation is not available. While he stressed that the resistance had no options but to protect its people and adhere to its conditions, he stressed that the absent Arab world should not be neutralized, especially the decisions of the Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh, specifically the clause of breaking the siege and the necessity of implementing it, in light of the mobilization supporting the Palestinians from Latin American countries, South Africa, and others.

Israeli occupation authorities installed a communications tower equipped with cameras above the western portico of Al-Aqsa Mosque , through which the courtyards of the mosque and worshipers can be monitored. A Palestinian source told Al Jazeera Net that the occupation authorities in Jerusalem carried out work a few days ago on the tank school above Bab al-Silsilah, in the western corridor of the mosque, and placed barriers around the workplace. The same source added that on Sunday afternoon, the occupation installed a high-rise communications tower equipped with sensors through which the movement of those arriving to the mosque could be tracked, and high-resolution cameras that would reveal all the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The tower was installed via a crane that stopped in Al-Buraq Square, and pictures obtained by Al-Jazeera Net show people excavating in the place where the tower was placed on top of the historic building of the school. A source told Al Jazeera Net that the occupation police in Jerusalem reinforced the surveillance cameras in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the alleys of the Old City of Jerusalem, and replaced the old cameras with modern ones.

The Israeli measures come at a time when the occupation is moving to restrict the access of Palestinians from 1948 and Jerusalem to Al-Aqsa Mosque during the month of Ramadan. On February 18, the private Channel 13 said that despite the Israeli Shin Bet warning of unrest between the Palestinians inside and the Israeli police, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the recommendation of the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, to limit the access of Palestinian worshipers to Al-Aqsa Mosque during the coming month of Ramadan.

Israeli raids and arrests continued since dawn on Sunday in the cities of the occupied West Bank , as the occupation forces stormed Nablus, Qalqilya, Hebron , Ramallah, and Jenin , and raided several homes, while settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, protected by the Israeli police. Al Jazeera's correspondent said that the occupation forces stormed the city of Qalqilya in the northern West Bank, and raided homes in the southern neighborhood of the city, and the occupation forces arrested 3 young Palestinians from different areas in the city.

The occupation forces stormed areas in the city of Nablus in the West Bank, damaged homes and raided them, while attacking their residents, detaining some of them , and interrogating them. Israeli vehicles also stormed - at dawn today - the town of Deir Abu Mishal in the city of Ramallah, and the town of Zababdeh, south of the Jenin camp in the West Bank.

In the center of the city of Hebron, in the south of the West Bank, the Israeli occupation forces stormed Jaber Neighborhood and Wadi Al-Hussein and detained a group of young men and abused them at the Jaber Neighborhood checkpoint. The forces launched an arrest campaign in Wadi Al-Hussein. It is noteworthy that the two areas are subjected to continuous attacks by the occupation forces and settlers who harass citizens through the checkpoints spread throughout the city.

Scenes published by Palestinian news pages also showed Israeli occupation forces storming the town of Bani Naim in Hebron in the West Bank. In the scenes, sounds of gunfire were heard while the occupation forces' vehicles were in the town's streets, and other scenes showed the presence of the occupation forces in front of a house in the town of Shuyoukh, north of Hebron. On the other hand, the Palestinian News Agency reported that Israeli forces detained 8 Palestinians in Hebron, including 4 brothers, and beat them.

The Palestinian News Agency also said that dozens of settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, from the direction of the Mughariba Gate, and carried out provocative tours in its courtyards, and performed Talmudic rituals. It added that the occupation forces set up a checkpoint around the Hebron Gate, searched citizens, and prevented them from entering to pray in Al-Aqsa Mosque.

As the arrest campaign continued, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club said that the occupation forces arrested at least 15 Palestinians from the West Bank, including a journalist and former prisoners, from yesterday evening until this morning, bringing the number of detainees since October 7 to 7,225. The Palestinian News Agency reported that the arrests were distributed across the governorates of Hebron, Nablus, Jericho, Jenin, and Ramallah, noting that the occupation forces carried out widespread abuse, severe beatings, and threats against detainees and their families.

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that sirens sounded in the settlements of Kiryat Shmona and Margaliot in the Upper Galilee near the border with southern Lebanon, at a time when Israeli media reported that several missiles fell in open areas in Margaliot and Rechis Ramim in the Upper Galilee as well. The Lebanese Hezbollah announced that it had targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Ramim barracks and the Zabdin barracks in the occupied Shebaa Farms, and achieved direct hits.

Al Jazeera's correspondent also reported that two missiles were fired at an Israeli position in the occupied Kfar Shuba hills in southern Lebanon. He added that Israeli artillery bombed the vicinity of the towns of Aita al-Shaab and Ramia in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army announced - today, Sunday - that it had detected a number of missiles launched from southern Lebanon, towards northern border areas, and the private Israeli Channel 12 said that the army had monitored the landing of several missiles in open areas in Margaliot and Rechis Ramim in the Upper Galilee, without talk of injuries or damage. This was preceded by the sounding of sirens in a number of border areas with Lebanon.

The Israeli army announced several times during the past 48 hours that it had detected missiles launched from southern Lebanon towards northern Israel. It is noteworthy that, since October 8, the Israeli-Lebanese border has witnessed an exchange of fire between the Israeli army on the one hand, and Hezbollah and Palestinian factions on the other hand, which led to deaths and injuries on both sides of the border. Recently, threats have escalated from Israeli officials to expand attacks on Lebanese territory if Hezbollah fighters do not withdraw away from the border with northern Israel.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani condemned the arbitrary and adventurous strikes on Yemen that contravene internationally recognized rules and principles and have violated the Arab countrys sovereignty and territorial integrity. The US and the UK proved once again that they are full-fledged supporters of the Zionist regimes war crimes and genocide in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, he said.

The Iranian spokesman noted that Washington and London give priority to the Israeli regimes illegitimate interests and security over international peace and security and trample over all moral and humanitarian principles as well as the international law and the UN Charter just to ensure the security of Israel. By launching these attacks (on Yemen), the US and the UK seek to escalate tensions and crisis in the region, extend the scope of war and instability, divert the public attention away from the Zionist regimes war crimes, and buy time for the continuation of the war crimes committed by the regime convicted of genocide, he stated.

Kanaani warned that the arbitrary and aggressive military strikes on Yemen will only intensify insecurity and instability in the region without any achievement for the aggressors.

The US and UK fighter planes carried out strikes on 18 sites in Yemen on Saturday night, the fourth such joint operation by them.

Yemen has expressed support for the Palestinians' struggle against Israeli occupation since the regime's onslaught on Gaza in October 2023. The Yemeni Armed Forces have targeted Israeli, US, and British ships in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, prompting some shipping companies to take detours around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, which handles about 12 percent of global maritime trade. The Yemeni army reassured that only Israeli, US, and British ships are targeted, ensuring the safety of other countries' cargoes.

The naval and air forces of the Yemeni army, in a joint military operation, attacked the US ship Torm Thor in the Gulf of Aden with several ballistic anti-ship missiles and used several suicide drones to attack the US military fleet in the Red Sea. According to a statement from the US Central Command in West Asia (CENTCOM), at 17:00 Sanaa time on Saturday (February 24) the USS Mason destroyer intercepted a ballistic anti-ship missile launched from areas under the control of the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen towards the Gulf of Aden. This missile most likely targeted the Torm Thor tanker carrying chemical/oil materials under the US flag.

CENTCOM claims that neither the tanker nor the US destroyer were harmed in this attack.The Torm Thor ship is a tanker carrying chemical and oil materials that has been operating under the US flag since 2015. The ship was last located off the coast of Djibouti, and detailed information about its exact origin and destination is not available.

Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the spokesman for the Yemeni armed forces, described this operation as part of their mission to defend the land and people of Yemen, emphasizing that Yemeni forces will carry out high-quality military operations against all hostile targets in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. He also added that alongside all the great people of Yemen, the Yemeni armed forces will continue their religious, moral, and humanitarian duties concerning the people of Palestine, and that their military operations will not stop until the end of the aggressions against and siege of the Palestinian people living in the Gaza Strip.

For the 21st time since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip, the Yemeni people in the areas controlled by Ansar Allah held mass marches and gatherings in support of the Palestinian people and resistance groups and condemning the crimes of Israel. This march titled Our path with Gaza.. Forward to victory in support of Palestine was held in the provinces of Sanaa, Saada, Imran, Hudaydah, Marib, Al-Jawf, Al-Bayda, Taiz, Hajjah, Dhamar, Rimah, Ibb and Al-Dhale. In the final statement of this march, the people of Yemen emphasized their readiness to face all options and support the people and resistance groups of Palestine.

The Houthis announced - at dawn on Sunday - that the United States and Britain had targeted, with 22 air strikes, 3 Yemeni governorates, including the capital, Sanaa, while the US Department of Defense ( the Pentagon ) said that the American and British forces bombed 18 Houthi targets. The Houthi news agency reported that communications networks in the districts of Haifan and Maqbanah in Taiz Governorate (southwest) were targeted by 3 American-British raids. American-British forces also carried out two raids on farms in the Abs District of Hajjah Governorate, northwest of the country, according to the agency, which did not provide details about the results of all of these raids.

This is the first time that American-British aircraft have re-targeted Sanaa in about 3 weeks. On the other hand, CNN quoted an American official as saying that the strikes in Yemen included multiple Houthi targets, noting that the strikes included targeting command and control centers, radar sites, and underground weapons storage facilities. The US Central Command published via the X platform scenes of the launch of fighters from the aircraft carrier "USS Dwight Eisenhower" to carry out strikes against Houthi targets last night.

A joint statement said that American and British forces carried out strikes on 18 Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday, in the latest series of military attacks against this group. The statement added that the strikes covered 8 sites in Yemen, and included underground facilities for storing weapons, missiles, air defense systems, radars, and helicopters.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said , "We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that they will bear the consequences if they do not stop their illegal attacks." He added, "We will not hesitate to take the necessary measures to protect lives and ensure the free flow of trade," explaining that the strikes aim to disrupt the Houthis' ability to launch their "reckless" attacks against American and international ships. Austin indicated that the strikes were supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

For his part, British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said that the Royal Air Force worked alongside its allies to destroy more Houthi marches and launch pads used to launch their dangerous attacks. Commenting on the strikes, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that his country will back up its words with actions as Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea continue despite British warnings.

On the other hand, Houthi media said that 5 American and British raids targeted sites in the capital, Sanaa. A member of the group's political bureau, Muhammad Al-Bukhaiti, said that Sana'a is being bombed with the aim of protecting the perpetrators of genocide in Gaza, stressing that the bombing "will only increase our determination to continue our operations in support of Gaza."

For his part, the military spokesman for the Ansar Allah group, Yahya Saree, said that the American-British raids were responded to by targeting American warships in the Red Sea and an oil ship using missiles. The Houthi military spokesman added that the Yemeni armed forces will confront the American-British escalation with more qualitative military operations. Al-Masirah TV, the Houthi mouthpiece, reported - in breaking news - that "the American-British aggression aircraft launched a series of raids on Sanaa."

Since the beginning of this year, the Washington-led coalition has launched raids that it says target Houthi sites in various regions of Yemen, in response to its attacks in the Red Sea, which was met with a response from the Houthis from time to time.

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

Save the Children has warned that the risk of famine is expected to increase as long as the Israeli government continues to obstruct the entry of aid into Gaza. Adriana Zega, media and communications officer at Oxfam, said that the daily rate of aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip is insufficient. She added to Al Jazeera: "We are waiting to receive 3,000 boxes of health supplies to bring them into Gaza."

For his part, the media advisor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees ( UNRWA ) said that Israel is trying to get rid of the agency with the aim of liquidating the Palestinian refugee issue. The media advisor added - in statements to Al Jazeera - that UNRWA teams tried to bring aid trucks into northern Gaza several times, but Israel prevented them from doing so.

Jordanian King Abdullah II warned against the continuation of the war on the Gaza Strip during the holy month of Ramadan, and said that the continuation of the war during the holy month will increase the risk of the conflict expanding. He also warned of the Israeli escalation in the West Bank and the attacks and violations committed by extremist settlers against Palestinians and Islamic and Christian sanctities in occupied Jerusalem.

The King of Jordan's statements came during his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today in the capital, Amman, as part of an official visit of an unannounced duration to the Kingdom, according to what was stated in a statement issued by the Royal Court. King Abdullah stressed "the necessity of exerting maximum efforts to reach an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and to protect innocent civilians."

He also stressed that Jordan will continue to provide humanitarian, relief and medical aid to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and reiterated his country's rejection of any attempts that seek to separate the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Jordanian King stressed the need for Arab coordination to continue during the coming period to find a just solution to the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution.

Axis of Resistance

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei predicted that the Islamic world will witness the annihilation of the cancerous tumor of Zionism. Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with a number of attendees of the 40th edition of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) International Holy Quran Competition at the Imam Khomeini Hussainiyah in Tehran on Thursday morning.

Addressing the meeting, the Supreme Leader underlined that the Gaza Strip is the big issue of the Islamic world today, urging heads of Muslim nations to announce the halt of support for the Zionist regime. God Almighty would ask those Muslim nations who had not put pressure on their governments to stop support for the Israeli regime, he said, referring to the verses of the Holy Quran.

The Islamic world is definitely mourning for the Palestinians in Gaza, he said, adding that non-Muslim freedom-loving nations around the world are also mourners for the oppressed people in Gaza. Resistance fighters of Palestine and especially Gaza are obeying the Qurans directives when they fight the villain Zionist enemy; so, by the grace of God, the Palestinian nation will win in this fight, he noted. Pointing to the importance of the Holy Quran, the Supreme Leader argued that the Quran is a panacea for all human sufferings, including spiritual problems as well as human-related challenges such as war, injustice, and oppression.

Allied for Democracy

Israeli police suppressed a demonstration in central Tel Aviv demanding the conclusion of a prisoner exchange agreement, under the pretext that it was illegal and disrupted public security. Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that the Israeli police arrested 18 demonstrators, including the organizer of a demonstration calling for the overthrow of Benjamin Netanyahu's government and holding early elections.

Haifa, Eilat, and Beersheba witnessed similar demonstrations that coincided with the continued movement of families of Israelis detained in Gaza to demand that the government conclude an immediate prisoner exchange deal.

Writer Gideon Levy said - in his column in Haaretz newspaper - that it has been proven once again that there is no realistic alternative, no original initiative, and no real opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , concluding that Israel is a state with one voice, one view, and one opinion that repeats: Together we will prevail, in A reference to the war slogan that Netanyahu has adopted since the beginning of this war.

The writer explained that the behavior of the centrist parties throughout the war, including the results of two important votes in the Knesset last week, clearly proves that there is no solution regarding the basic issues of the state. He added that these issues are what define the character of Israel, which is based on settlement, war, and democracy, despite the existence of major differences between the right, center, and Zionist left, and in light of the violent political conflict now raging between the two camps, where everyone talks about division, rift, and chasm, even though there is none in In reality there are real differences of opinion.

The writer expressed his conviction that Israel's policy would not differ if it was governed by any of the current leaders opposed to Netanyahu, Benny Gantz , Gadi Eisenkot , or Yair Lapid . He was surprised that they would unite to support a government decision that opposes the "unilateral" recognition of the Palestinian state, even though its occupation and settlement policy is the mother of unilateralism.

Although Israel was divided between the guardians of democracy and its destroyers, as Levy says, here it is united in the first test behind an anti-democratic measure - according to the writer - when most of those who struggled against the government coup, and all those who cried out for democracy, raised their hands in favor of dismissing a legislator because of his views. And his view of the world or fled the vote out of cowardice.

Thus, the coup won, not only with the votes of the right this time, but also with the votes of the center and left parties, and the escape of Gantz, Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Lapid, Merav Michaeli and their colleagues from voting was a disgrace to those who claim to be fighting for democracy, and they should have voted with No loud and clear.

The writer concluded that Israel's most brutal and absurd war does not have a single opposing voice in the Knesset, despite the fact that the whole world is calling for an end to the war, and that all previous wars had opponents, even after support at the beginning. Gideon Levy concluded by saying that only Netanyahus hatred reminds that there is a coalition and an opposition, but this hatred is essentially a personal matter, but he has no proposal for an alternative, despite the truth of what is attributed to the prime minister of lying, pleasure-loving, corruption, giving up hostages, and throwing himself into the arms of the right-wing Messianic Extremists.

The Israeli newspaper "The Marker" said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to sell his allies the ability to control Gaza militarily and reshape what he called the "education and religion sectors" in the areas of the Middle East that he described as the most "miserable and devastated." The newspaper specializing in business affairs mentioned in an article by writer Sami Peres that the document for the next day of the Gaza Strip war presented by Netanyahu is based on military, civil and political foundations, but its military aspect is the most clear in terms of its planning to make Gaza like the West Bank so that the army maintains freedom of operational movement.

This is in contrast to the civil part of the document, which remains ambiguous and vague, supported by unfounded confidence in the ability to leave a profound impact on the civilian life of Gaza, and also to find someone to do so and decide who he is, according to the Israeli writer. Peres explained that Netanyahu's goal in the post-war document was to "prohibit the Palestinian Authority's speech" so as not to undermine the alliance with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Homeland Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir , so the document stated that civil administration in Gaza would be entrusted to local officials with administrative experience.

According to the Israeli writer, phrases such as as much as possible - which appeared in the document - indicate Netanyahus inability to control his plan, and also indicate a very low level of expectations. Peres added that what he called the greatest Israeli "arrogance" in the document lies in calling for a comprehensive program to combat extremism in all religious, educational and spiritual sectors, with the participation and support of Arab countries that have experience combating extremism in their territories.

This is what the writer considered an approach that reflects a lack of awareness and paranoia within the Israeli government, which has been unable to effectively manage its educational and religious systems, and claims the ability to do so in Gaza. Peres reminded that Netanyahu has not achieved less ambitious things, such as including basic educational subjects in Israeli religious schools, but he claims the ability to control school curricula in Gaza, stressing that Netanyahu's plan for Gaza is doomed to failure.

Peres concludes his article by saying that, unlike Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and War Council Minister Benny Gantz , who only want complete military control in Gaza, Netanyahu, even when he does not want to get involved in the civilian administration of the Strip, is keen to leave the impression that he can control the lives of the people of Gaza from afar. Without bringing in teachers, inspectors and officials.

Last Friday, Netanyahu presented to the security cabinet a document of principles related to the policy of the day after the Gaza war, which includes Israels preservation of freedom of action in the entire Gaza Strip without a time limit, and also includes the establishment of a security zone in the Strip adjacent to Israeli towns. The document does not clearly define Netanyahu's vision of who will rule Gaza after the war, but it says that "local elements with administrative experience" will be responsible for civil administration and public order in Gaza.

Butcher's Bill / Oasis of Martyrs

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.

A Hamas official based in Qatar told Reuters 19 February 2024 that the terrorist group estimates that 6,000 of its fighters have been killed by Israeli forces. That number is about half of the 12,000 terrorists that Israel said it has killed since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led massacre,

As of 15 February 2024, The Director-General of the HAMAS Government Information Office in the Gaza Strip , Ismail Al-Thawabta, stated "the toll of the aggression had risen to about 35,500 martyrs and missing persons, including 28,663 martyrs and 68,395 injuries. There are about 2,493 massacres committed by the occupation army. Among the martyrs were about 12,400 children, 8,450 women, 340 medical personnel, 46 civil defense personnel, and 126 journalists. There are approximately 11,000 wounded people who need to travel for treatment.... we received live testimonies stating that the occupation army committed field executions against more than 137 Palestinian civilian detainees in the Gaza and North governorates."

The HAMAS Ministry of Health in the besieged sector announced that the number of victims of the Israeli operation its beginning had risen to 29,606 martyrs, "including 12,300 dead children, 8,400 women, 340 medical personnel, 46 civil defense, and 124 journalists." He pointed out that "7,000 people are missing, 70% of whom are children and women, The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The number wounded was 69,737. 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 405 [399?] Palestinians, including 102 children, the injury of about 4,600, and the arrest of 7,120, 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 202 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 575 since the start of the war on October 7, including 243 [235?] 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.

Haaretz newspaper quoted the Israeli Ministry of Defense as saying that the Medical Rehabilitation Department has treated more than 5,500 wounded since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip on October 7. Israeli Army Radio reported that the Rehabilitation Department of the Ministry of Defense is preparing to receive 20,000 wounded this year, compared to 5,500 wounded received last year since the start of the war.

It was announced that soldiers wounded in the Gaza Strip battles numbered to 2,962 since the beginning of the war, including 1,397 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 Strip. 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 14,377 Israelis were injured, according to i24 TV.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper had reported that 5,000 soldiers had been wounded since the beginning of the war on October 7, and that the Ministry of Defense had recognized 2,000 soldiers as disabled so far.

An estimate by the Israeli Ministry of Defense expected that the number of soldiers with disabilities in the war taking place in the Gaza Strip since October 7 of last year would reach 12,500 soldiers. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that the Soldiers' Rehabilitation Department of the Ministry of Defense has dealt with 3,400 soldiers who were classified as disabled in the army since last October 7.

The Israeli army revealed that about 9,000 of its soldiers have received psychological assistance since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, and about a quarter of them have not returned to combat. This came according to a new statement revealed by the Army Medical Corps, according to Channel 12 and the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. According to the statement, nearly 9,000 soldiers have applied for psychological assistance since the beginning of the war, and approximately a quarter of them have not returned to combat.

The statement continued, "In total, about 13,000 regular and reserve soldiers required accompaniment or medical treatment at some level during the fighting, and thousands of them were injured in the battles."

Al Jazeera military and strategic expert Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi expressed his conviction that the numbers of dead and wounded announced by Israel cannot represent the truth, due to a discrepancy between the Israeli armys data and the Walla website, which is close to the army itself.

In an interview with RT, Military strategist retired Tunisian Brigadier General Tawfiq Didi said that the number of Israeli army deaths in the Gaza battles is much greater than what Israel announces. Didi explained in an interview with the Best Saying program on RT channel, The number of people killed in battles can be easily known, as the equation in wars is that for every 3 wounded there is a dead person, and the numbers now in Israel hover around 12,500 wounded and disabled people, and when we divide by Three, we find that the death toll exceeds 4,000, especially after eliminating more than a thousand tanks and armored vehicles, and I know what happens when Kornet missiles hit a tank. Its ammunition explodes and no one is left alive.

He added, "The Israelis announce their dead only of those of Jewish origin and of the first race, meaning all Arabs, Falash, and those who are among them. They are not counted because they are of the second category. So I am sure that the number exceeds 4 thousand dead, and this is a very easy military calculation."

He pointed out, "The Palestinian resistance documented everything it did, unlike the Israelis. The resistance documented shooting at tanks and armored vehicles and destroying the houses in which the Israeli soldiers were holed up, and we saw them being killed... We saw the Kornet hitting the tanks, we saw Al-Yassin 105, so the difference is clear."

Hostages

Israel announced 12 February 2024 that the total number of prisoners that the army was able to recover in exchange deals and through military operations was 126 people, including 91 Israelis, 11 bodies, and 24 foreign workers.

Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed have been held as hostages in Gaza since 2014 and 2015, respectively. Unlike the roughly 240 people kidnapped in the Hamas October 7 terrorist attacks, the campaign for the release of Mengistu and al-Sayed has received little publicity. Mengistu is known to suffer from what HRW deemed "serious" mental health issues. "Avera crossed one of the safest borders in the world, under the eyes of the security services," recalled Gil Elias, a relative. "We're talking about a mentally ill person who got lost." The calls for the release of Mengistu and al-Sayed have been barely audible during the many years they have been held captive in Gaza.

Israel had previously estimated there were 116 living hostages in Palestinian custody. Israel declared 20 out of 136 people in Gaza captivity dead in absentia, after announcing its forces had recovered the bodies of two hostages. By another count, 132 of them are still being held in Gaza, and 25 of them have been confirmed dead. Israel considers those still held by Hamas to be hostages regardless of whether they are dead or alive.

Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy earlier had told reporters that Hamas still held 137 captives. The resistance released 10 Israeli detainees, 4 Thais and 2 Russian women, who were released outside the agreement. Over the course of 6 days, Israel has received 102 detainees, women and children, including 78 Israelis, in exchange for the release of 234 Palestinian prisoners, women and children.

Eylon Levy, the Israeli government spokesperson, told reporters 01 December 2023:

Hamas still held 137 hostages from the October attacks, in addition to four others who went missing before the war

The hostages include two children aged four and 10 months, who, Hamas now claims, are dead

117 male hostages are still kept in Gaza, including the two children, as well as 20 females

126 hostages are Israelis, and 11 others are foreign nationals

Foreign nationals are eight Thais, one Nepalese, one Tanzanian and one French Mexican citizen

Ten of the remaining hostages are 75 and older.

There are seven missing people since the October 7 attack

Hamas had released 110 hostages so far  86 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals.

Some of the rest are soldiers, seized when Hamas raided military bases in Israel. They may end up being held the longest. The Israeli military had not specified how many soldiers were captured, nor their ranks.

Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari announced on 07 February 2024 that 31 hostages detained in Gaza had died. He added in a press conference, "We informed 31 families that their detained relatives had died, and thus we announce their deaths."

According to some estimates, Hamas was initially holding nearly 210 of the 240 hostages, while Palestinian Islamic Jihad was holding the remaining 30. About 40 Israelis remained missing. More than 40 hostages taken from Israel into Gaza on October 7th are not currently in the custody of Hamas, the group responsible for the attack, according to a CNN report based on a diplomatic source briefed on the negotiations, CNN's prior reports had indicated that an estimated 40 to 50 hostages were held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad or other unidentified groups or individuals.

Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said on Hamas telegram account that 23 bodies of the 60 missing Israel hostages were trapped under the rubble. It seems that we will never be able to reach them due to the continued brutal aggression of the occupation against Gaza, he said.

The Al-Qassam Brigades announced on 11 February 2024 that the continuous Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip during the past 96 hours led to the death of 2 prisoners and the serious injury of 8 others.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Club revealed that about 11,000 arrests were carried out by the Israeli army during the year 2023 in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, in addition to arrests from the Gaza Strip before the seventh of last October. The number of people arrested by the Israelis in the West Bank since that date has exceeded 7,100. The total number of prisoners in Israeli prisons exceeds 9,000 Palestinians. Palestinian prisoner institutions said 661 were classified as unlawful combatants from Gaza, and this is the number available only as a clear given.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Club said that there has been a significant increase in the number of Palestinian administrative detainees in Israeli prisons since October 7, with 3,484 detainees recorded, including children and women. The club added in a statement that "this number was not actually recorded even during the years of the 1987 uprising."

Israel said on 19 February 2024 that, since the beginning of the war, approximately 3,200 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, over 1,350 of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas. On 08 January 2024 it was reported that more than 1,350 wanted persons had been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, more than 870 of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas.

The institutions added in the statement that the occupation arrested 210 women during the aforementioned period, and this statistic includes women who were arrested from the territories in 1948, and more than 355 children, pointing out that the outcome of the arrest campaigns includes all those who were arrested from homes, and through military checkpoints, Those who were forced to surrender themselves under pressure, and those who were detained. It explained that "the number of arrests among journalists reached 50, of whom 35 remain in detention, and 20 of them were transferred to administrative detention."

The announced numbers of detainees do not include those who were detained from Gaza since the start of the operation in the Gaza Strip, as there is no accurate census of these numbers. As of 15 February 2024, the Director-General of the HAMAS Government Information Office in the Gaza Strip , Ismail Al-Thawabta, stated "the information available to us is that the occupation arrested approximately 2,600 people, including 99 medical personnel and 10 journalists."

Israel has rejected international legal adaptations since 1967, and has treated the Palestinians as criminals, and tried them before military courts and not as prisoners of war. Because the POW is not tried, but is released when the war stops, or as a result of a political agreement.

But international humanitarian law sets clear conditions relating to the Palestinians, whether as prisoners of war or organized groups with one leadership and carrying a unified slogan, and these conditions apply to Palestinian resistance fighters, specifically armed groups. International law, through the Third Geneva Conventions, which relate to prisoners of war and armed conflicts, and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which relates to civilians under occupation; Provide full protection to Palestinian prisoners and groups, including resistance factions.

The obstacles imposed by the Israeli occupation authorities became very different after the seventh of last October. They decided to cancel all trials in order to double the sentences issued against detainees, and now The scope of arguments before lawyers is very limited, due to military orders, and not according to legal data.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 25 February 2024 - Day 731

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 at the outset of the war with Ukraine in February 2022, the Russian Navy (RFN) maintained the freedom to manoeuvre throughout the entirety of the Black Sea, most significantly in the north-west. Following Ukraine's success in employing asymmetric alternatives to its lack of a traditional navy (various guided missiles and uncrewed vessels), the RFN has been repeatedly forced to reassess its appetite for risk. Ukraine has continued to push Russian threat perception to new highs through combined strike activities on land and at sea, forcing Black Sea Fleet (BSF) units to relocate their main operating areas to the eastern Black Sea.

The ongoing success of Ukrainian attacks has persistently forced the BSF onto the back foot, with recent events such as the sinking of the TARANTUL III-class 'IVANOVETS' and ROPUCHA-class 'CAESAR KUNIKOV' leading to the dismissal of the second BSF commander since the war began. Despite Russia's continued ability to strike Ukraine using vessels in the relative safety of the eastern Black Sea, it is increasingly evident that the defensive posture adopted to mitigate against Ukraine's non-conventional approach to maritime warfare is not working as intended.

At a strategic level, Ukraine's approach has denied Russia the ability to interfere with its maritime trade routes. Since the collapse of the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI), Ukraine's momentum has allowed it to dominate the western Black Sea. This has resulted in an increase in its exports via the unilateral Humanitarian Corridor, delivering higher trade volumes than under the BSGI, putting them on par with pre-war levels.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of February 25, there were 81x combat engagements.

Russian forces launched a total of 4x missile and 73x air strikes, carried out 52x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements.

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. The Russian adversary launched an air strike in the vicinity of Yamne (Sumy oblast). More than 20x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Mkhy, Buchky, Mykhal'chyna Sloboda (Chernihiv oblast), Volfyne, Popivka (Sumy oblast), Kozacha Lopan', Strilecha, Hatyshche (Kharkiv oblast).

Kup'yans'k axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 5x attacks near Tabaivka (Kharkiv oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Dvorichna, Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Ivanivka (Kharkiv oblast).

Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 2x assaults near Terny (Donetsk oblast), where the Russian adversary, with air support, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Vesele (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Yampolivka, Tors'ke, Serebryanka and Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 5x attacks in the vicinities of Ivanivske, Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast), where Russian forces made attempts to improve their tactical situation. Russian forces launched air strikes near Kostyantynivka, Kurdyumivka, Maiors'k, Pivnichne and Zalizne (Donetsk oblast). More than10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Kurdyumivka, Klishchiivka, New York and Chasiv Yar (Donetsk oblast).

Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 18x attacks in the vicinities of Stepove, Berdychi, Lastochkyne, Sjeverne, Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes near New York, Ocheretyne, Zhelanne, Berdychi, Lastochkyne, Yasnobrodivka, Netailove (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 25x settlements, including Novobakhmutivka, Ocheretyne, Pervomais'ke, Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast).

Mar'inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the Russian invaders in the vicinity of Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). In that area, Russian forces made 18x attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. On top of that, Ukrainian defenders repelled more than 10x attacks in the vicinities of Heorhiivka, Pobjeda and Krasnohorivka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes near Vodyane, Paraskoviivka, Novomykhailivka, Volodymyrivka (Donetsk oblast). The settlements of Novomykhailivka, Paraskoviivka, Kostyantynivka were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Novopavlivka axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Urozhaine and Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Prechystivka, Blahodatne, Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast).

Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 6x attacks in the vicinity of Robotyne and 1x assault near Huliaipilske (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Orikhiv, Mala Tokmachka, Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 10x settlements, including Novodarivka, Malynivka, Mala Tokmachka and Robotyne (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. During the day, Russian forces made 4x attempts to assault positions of Ukrainian troops. Around 15x settlements, including Novotyahynka, Tyahynka, Krynky, Ivanivka, Tokarivka (Kherson oblast), and Ochakiv (Mykolaiv oblast) came under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

During the day of February 25, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 7x concentrations of Russian troops, 2x positions of air defense systems.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 1x artillery position of the Russian invaders.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, as a result of active actions by units of the Zapad Group of Forces, manpower and hardware concentration areas of 143rd infantry and 25th airborne brigades of the AFU have been hit close to Prikolotnoye (Kharkov region) and Terny (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, four enemy counterattacks have been repelled near Senkovka railway station (Kharkov region).

The enemy losses were up to 180 servicemen, one tank, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system, one U.S.-manufactured M198 howitzer, and one D-20 gun.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces have improved their position along the front line and defeated formations of 22nd, 28th, and 92nd mechanised brigades of the AFU near Kleshcheevka, Dyleevka, and Kurdyumovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were over 360 servicemen, one tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, and four motor vehicles.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, one U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system, one German-manufactured Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled artillery system, one D-20 gun, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one AFU ammunition depot have been hit.

In Avdeevka direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have taken more advantageous lines and positions and defeated manpower and hardware concentration areas of the 3rd Assault Brigade and the 107th Territorial Defence Brigade of the AFU near Tonenkoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, seven enemy counterattacks have been repelled near Novgorodskoye, Leninskoye, Lastochkino, and Novobakhmutovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 100 servicemen, four armoured fighting vehicles, eight motor vehicles, one Grad MLRS, one D-30 howitzer, and one Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces have inflicted a fire defeat on formations of 72nd mechanised and 58th motorised infantry brigades, and the 121st Brigade of the AFU close to Novodonetskoye, Ugledar, and Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

In addition, one counterattack by an AFU assault group has been repelled near Novodonetskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 140 soldiers, two tanks, three armoured fighting vehicles, seven motor vehicles, and one Grad MLRS.

In addition, one Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station and one AFU ammunition depot have been hit.

In Kherson direction, as a result of coordinated actions by units of the Dnepr Group of Forces, manpower and hardware concentration areas of 28th and 65th mechanised brigades of the AFU have been hit close to Rabotino and Shcherbaki (Zaporozhye region).

In addition, two counterattacks by assault groups of the 15th Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard have been repelled near Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses were up to 30 soldiers, three motor vehicles, and one U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised manpower and military hardware in 127 areas.

Air defence facilities have destroyed six HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system projectiles.

In addition, 77 unmanned aerial vehicles have bit shot down close to Novokrasnyanka, Raigorodka, Troitskoye, Golikovo (Lugansk People's Republic), Sladkaya Balka (Zaporozhye region), and Chernomorovka (Kherson region).

In total, 574 airplanes, 267 helicopters, 13,392 unmanned aerial vehicles, 473 air defence missile systems, 15,220 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,225 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,161 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 19,055 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.





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China's strongest rocket Long March-5 successfully sends satellite into orbit, embarking on high-frequency launching period in coming years

Global Times

By Deng Xiaoci Published: Feb 23, 2024 08:29 PM Updated: Feb 23, 2024 11:00 PM

Long March-5, China's most powerful carrier rocket in commission, thundered into the sky from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in South China's Hainan Province at around 7:30 pm, successfully sending the communication technology experiment-11 satellite into preset orbit. This marks China's first space launch in the Year of the Dragon.

The Friday mission marked the seventh flight of China's strongest rocket model and the 11th orbital launching flight of the Long March-5 family, which also includes a shorter variant Long March-5B. The Global Times has learned from the rocket developers with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) Friday that the Long March-5 is projected to enter a high-frequency launch period over the next two years.

Lou Luliang, deputy chief designer of the Long March-5 with the CALT, disclosed to the Global Times that it has been scheduled that the Long March-5 will see four launch missions this year, and will maintain this frequency in the coming years, which is intense for a sizable rocket model.

According to Lou, with a 5-meter diameter core stage, the Long March-5 is the largest Chinese rocket in active service, and it also comes with boosters of 3.35-meter diameter (about the same size of the Long March-3B rocket's first and second stages). "The workload of general assembly and testing for a Long March-5 is equivalent to 2.5 to 3 times of that for a conventional rocket model such as the ones of the Long March-3A family."

It is also worth noting that it has been only 70 days since the last orbital launch by the Long March-5, which was on December 15, 2023. In the last mission, the Long March-5 has for the first time used an 18.5-meter-long fairing, setting a new height benchmark for China's carrier rockets in commission. The longer fairing enhances the loading capacity and mission adaptability of Long March-5, and also makes its height exceed that of all Long March launch vehicles currently commissioned.

According to Lou, the launch interval between the two missions is 70 days, but the actual working time in-between is only 43 days. Via the Friday mission, the launch site's preparation time for the Long March-5 has been significantly reduced from over two months to 43 days, and the working time of the launch site will be reduced to 30 days next year, which will leave margin for the implementation of subsequent missions, Lou said.

The Long March-5 made its maiden flight in 2016 and resumed flight operation on December 27, 2019, and in the following three years, the rocket model has successfully launched Tianwen-1 Mars probe, Chang'e-5 lunar probe, the China Space Station Tianhe core module, Wentian and Mengtian lab module into space.

Although 2023 witnessed only one launch mission by the Long March-5, the CALT revealed that relevant mission insiders are already preparing for the 2024 and 2025 frequent mission schedules.

The Long March-5 is expected to engage in four spaceflight missions this year and five next year, these high-frequency launches will probably become a new normal in the coming years, Lou noted.

A senior space expert based in Beijing, who requested not to be named, told the Global Times on Friday that the high-frequency launch by the Long March-5 large rocket carries great significance, as it shows not only that our rocket's launch efficiency is greatly boosted, but also that there is more and more large payload or spacecraft in China, meaning our capabilities of entering space and developing space is growingly robust.

The high-frequency launches of the Long March-5 carrier rocket not only demonstrate the reliability of this series of rockets in terms of performance and technology, but also indicate the increasing scope of China's space exploration projects, Wei Dongxu, a space watcher and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Friday.

The Long March-5 plays a crucial role in the construction and subsequent support of China Space Station, as well as serving as a vital carrier for projects such as the Chang'e lunar exploration. Its success represents a leap forward in Chinese carrier rocket technology and will support further space exploration endeavors in the future, Wei said.

"This also underscores the ongoing development of China's carrier rocket technology, with plans to build new-generation carrier rockets with greater thrust based on the successful experiences of the Long March-5, as the Long March-5 has accumulated valuable technological and design experience, he noted.

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Voting Ends In Belarus Elections Called A 'Sham' By U.S. And 'Farce' By Opposition

By RFE/RL's Belarus Service February 25, 2024

Polls have closed for Belarus's tightly controlled parliamentary elections, which were held under heavy security at polling stations and amid calls for a boycott by the country's beleaguered opposition.

The February 25 elections were widely expected to solidify the position of the country's authoritarian leader, Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Only four parties, all of which support Lukashenka's policies, were officially registered to compete in the polls -- Belaya Rus, the Communist Party, the Liberal Democratic Party, and the Party of Labor and Justice. About a dozen parties were denied registration last year.

Polls opened for the general elections at 8 a.m. local time and closed at 8 p.m.

According to the Central Election Commission, voter turnout was 73 percent.

Results are expected to be announced on February 26, the commission said.

Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who has claimed her victory over Lukashenka in the 2020 presidential election was stolen, described the elections as a "farce" and called for a boycott.

"There are no people on the ballot who would offer real changes because the regime only has allowed puppets convenient for it to take part," Tsikhanouskaya said in a video statement from her exile in Lithuania, where she moved following a brutal crackdown on protests against the 2020 election results. "We are calling to boycott this senseless farce, to ignore this election without choice."

In a separate message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Tsikhanouskaya said on February 25 that her video address to the Belarusian people about the elections and Russia's invasion of Ukraine had been displayed on 2,000 screens in public spaces throughout Belarus. The action, she said, was organized by a coalition of former police and security forces officers.

The U.S. State Department blasted what it called a "sham" election, held amid a "climate of fear."

"The United States condemns the Lukashenka regime's sham parliamentary and local elections that concluded today in Belarus," it said in a statement.

"The elections were held in a climate of fear under which no electoral processes could be called democratic. The regime continues to hold more than 1,400 political prisoners. All independent political figures have either been detained or exiled. All independent political parties were denied registration."

"The Belarusian people deserve better," it said.

The general elections were the first to be held in Belarus since the 2020 presidential election, which handed Lukashenka a sixth term in office. More than 35,000 people were arrested in the monthslong mass protests that followed the controversial election.

On the occasion, Lukashenka told journalists after voting that he plans to run again for president in 2025.

"Tell them (the exiled opposition) that I'll run," the state news agency BelTa quoted Lukashenka as saying.

Ahead of the voting in parliamentary and local council elections, the country's Central Election Commission (CEC) announced a record amount of early voting, which began on February 20. Nearly 48 percent of registered voters had already voted by February 24, according to the CEC, eclipsing the nearly 42 percent of early voting recorded for the contentious 2020 presidential election.

Early voting is widely seen by observers as a mechanism employed by the Belarusian authorities to falsify elections. The Belarusian opposition has said the early voting process allows for voting manipulation, with ballot boxes unprotected for a five-day period.

The Vyasna Human Rights Center alleged that many voters were forced to participate in early voting, including students, soldiers, teachers, and other civil servants.

"Authorities are using all available means to ensure the result they need -- from airing TV propaganda to forcing voters to cast ballots early," said Vyasna representative Pavel Sapelka. "Detentions, arrests, and searches are taking place during the vote."

The Belarusian authorities stepped up security on the streets and at polling stations around the country, with Interior Ministry police conducting drills on how to deal with voters who might try to violate restrictive rules imposed for the elections.

For the first time, curtains were removed from voting booths, and voters were barred from taking pictures of their ballots -- a practice encouraged by activists in previous elections in an effort to prevent authorities from manipulating vote counts.

Polling stations were guarded by police, along with members of a youth law-enforcement organization and retired security personnel. Armed rapid-response teams were also formed to deal with potential disturbances.

Lukashenka this week alleged without offering proof that Western countries were considering ways to stage a coup and ordered police to boost armed patrols across the country in order to ensure "law and order."

For the first time, election observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe were denied access to monitor the vote in OSCE-member Belarus.

In the run-up to the vote, rights organizations uncovered violations pertaining to how local election committees were formed. An expert mission organized by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and Viasna said in late January that the lower number of local election committees and their compositions could indicate higher control by the authorities over the election process and an effort to stack the committees with government loyalists.

Following the vote, Belarus is expected to form a new, 1,200-seat All-Belarus Popular Assembly that will have broad powers to appoint judges and election officials and to consider amendments to the constitution. The new body will include elected local legislators, as well as top officials, union members, and pro-government activists.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-general-elections- opposition-boycott/32834340.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.

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Belarusian Elections Voter Turnout Reaches 72.98% - Central Election Commission

Sputnik News

20240225

MINSK (Sputnik) - The total voter turnout in the Belarusian parliamentary and local elections on a single voting day reached 72.98% by the time of polling stations closing, Belarusian Central Election Commission Chairman Igor Karpenko said on Sunday.

"All polling stations have closed and the counting of votes has begun ... According to the turnout as of 8 p.m. [17:00 GMT], the turnout in the republic amounted to 72.98%," Karpenko told a briefing.

Belarusians voted on Sunday to elect 12,514 deputies of local councils and 110 members of the parliament's lower house for a period of five years. As many as 263 candidates applied for deputy seats in the lower house and 18,800 for seats in local councils. All four parties registered in the country nominated their candidates. A member of the Russian lower house delegation that observed the elections, Artem Turov, said that Minsk held the elections in full accordance with its national legislation, with no violations potentially influencing the results observed.

According to confirmed data, turnout in parliamentary and local elections in Belarus stood at 73.09%, Karpenko said later in the day.

"We have clarified preliminary data on turnout, which amounted to 73.09%," the chairman announced at a briefing.

All local councils of deputies in the country have been fully formed and all 110 deputies of the lower house of the Belarusian parliament have been elected according to the results of the vote, the CEC said.

The turnout for the 2019 parliamentary elections in Belarus was 77.4%, while in 2016 it was 74.7%. In the 2020 presidential election, the turnout was 84.3%.

A Sputnik

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Beijing to Take Measures to Protect Chinese Companies From UK Sanctions

Sputnik News

20240223

BEIJING (Sputnik) - China will take necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies against "unilateral" sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom over the Ukraine conflict, the Chinese Embassy in the UK said on Friday.

On Thursday, London sanctioned three Chinese companies over their alleged involvement in assisting Russia in the Ukraine conflict, the UK government said. The list of companies included Finder Technology LTD, JUHANG Aviation Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Limited and Beijing Micropilot Flight Control Systems Co., LTD.

"China will undertake necessary measures and resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies. We warn the UK side that any actions that harm China's interests will be strongly rebuffed by China," the embassy said in a statement.

Beijing has always been committed to an "objective and fair stance" on the Ukraine conflict and "actively contributed to the promotion of peace negotiations" and political settlement, the statement read.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has consistently said that Beijing does not take advantage of the Ukraine conflict to sell weapons to any party involved.

A Sputnik

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China slams US 'economic coercion' against Chinese entities over Russia-Ukraine conflict

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Feb 24, 2024 05:09 PM

The Chinese Embassy in the US has harshly criticized Washington's latest trade restrictions against Chinese entities over the Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying the move is typical economic coercion, unilateralism and bullying, Russian news agency TASS reported on Saturday.

The US government imposed new trade restrictions on 93 entities for "supporting Russia's war effort in Ukraine," Reuters reported on Friday. The 93 entities are from China, Russia, Turkey, the UAE, Kyrgyzstan, India and South Korea, and they will be subject to trade restrictions. The list included eight Chinese entities, according to the report.

The inclusion of Chinese entities has drawn sharp criticism from China. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US, denounced the actions as unwarranted economic coercion and unilateralism.

"The US imposed more unilateral sanctions on Chinese companies citing their relations with the Russian side. This is a typical move of economic coercion, unilateralism and bullying," Liu was quoted by TASS as saying.

China "firmly opposes the US move of overstretching the concept of national security and abusing state power to suppress Chinese companies," Liu said. "The US needs to correct its wrongdoing immediately, and stop containing and suppressing Chinese companies. China will continue to do what is necessary to firmly safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies."

During a regular press briefing on Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also responded to the potential US sanctions over normal China-Russia cooperation, emphasizing China's neutral stance on the Ukraine crisis and its efforts to promote peace talks.

"We follow an objective and impartial position on the Ukraine crisis, and have worked actively to promote peace talks. We have not sat idly by, still less exploited the situation for selfish gains," Mao Ning, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said at the press briefing.

Mao further stressed China's opposition to unilateral sanctions and extraterritorial jurisdiction that lack a basis in international law or a UN Security Council mandate.

"China has the right to carry out normal cooperation with countries. We always oppose unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that lack basis in international law or UN Security Council mandate. China will continue to do what is necessary to firmly safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies," Mao said.

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Why the new security law is a 'sword of Damocles' over Hong Kong

The law is the culmination of decades of deep-seated mistrust of Hong Kong's freedoms in Beijing.

A commentary by Ching Cheong for RFA Cantonese 2024.02.24 -- More than 20 years after similar legislation was stalled following mass protests, the Hong Kong government has launched a public consultation on a rewritten draft of its planned Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which will criminalize "treason," "insurrection," the theft of "state secrets," "sabotage" and "external interference," among other national security offenses.

The legislation, which is mandatory under Article 23 of Hong Kong's Basic Law, is being billed by the government as a way to close "loopholes" in the already stringent 2020 National Security Law, which was imposed on the city by Beijing, ushering in a crackdown on dissent in the wake of the 2019 protest movement.

The law is highly likely to be passed by the Legislative Council in the absence of any opposition lawmakers since electoral rules were changed to allow only "patriots" to run for election.

Debates about the content of the law began in the 1980s, and a close examination of its history sheds light on the political ideology and historical events that still drive Beijing's crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong to this day.

Hong Kong-based former Straits Times reporter Ching Cheong, who served a five-year prison sentence in China for "espionage" for doing his job, takes a look at the story behind the law:

Why has the Article 23 legislation been described as the "sword of Damocles" over Hong Kongers' heads?

Because essentially this law is the culmination of a long-running attempt to graft the ideology, political ideas, and behavioral patterns of the Chinese Communist Party's totalitarian system onto a pro-Western capitalist society that respects aauniversal values.

Our sense of helplessness dates back to the history of the Sino-British [handover] negotiations, from which the people of Hong Kong were excluded with no say or control.

Weaker legal protections

Yet Hong Kong representatives on the Basic Law Drafting Committee did object to the requirement to legislate against acts of "subversion" and other crimes, because everyone believed that Article 23 legislation would deprive the people of Hong Kong of their rights and freedoms, particularly freedom of the press and freedom of speech, as well as weakening legal protections for Hong Kong citizens, giving the central government unlimited power, and introducing Chinese-style "counter revolutionary" crimes to Hong Kong.

Article 23 isn't mentioned at all in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration [governing the 1997 handover].

Yet, if the government fails to legislate against "rebellion" effectively enough, Beijing can invoke Article 17 of the Basic Law, and impose direct, mainland-style governance in Hong Kong. This is in violation of the promise in the Sino-British Joint Declaration that Hong Kong would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" after the handover.

Other objections during the 1980s were based on the differences between Hong Kong's common law judicial system and mainland China's civil law system, and on the vagueness of the definitions of "subversion" and [other crimes under the law]. For example, "subversion" isn't the same thing as treason under British rule.

Yet Hong Kongers have neither the right nor the wherewithal to subvert the Central People's Government in Beijing.

So this provision reveals the central government's extreme distrust of the Hong Kong government and its people, not to mention its own lack of self-confidence.

The Basic Law drafting committee pushed back against Article 23, insisting on a clearer definition of the crimes under the law, and calling for Article 23 not to apply to areas where people exercise their freedoms of speech, assembly, protest and petition.

They were also insistent that the legislation be drafted based on Hong Kong's legal system, rather than a piece of socialist legislation imposed on the city.

Tougher after June 4 protests

Then the student-led pro-democracy movement happened on Tiananmen Square, followed by the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen massacre, and the draft got tougher still.

Chinese officials wanted Hong Kong to legislate to prohibit "any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion of the Central People's Government and theft of state secrets, prohibit foreign political organizations or groups from conducting political activities in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and to prohibit political organizations or groups [there] from establishing contact with foreign political organizations or groups."

Article 23 now specified seven crimes, up from two in the first draft, and the drafting committee's objections were completely ignored.

Two of its most vocal members, Democratic Party founder Martin Lee and veteran pro-democracy politician Szeto Wah, were kicked off the committee after they protested against the killing of protesters and civilians on June 4, 1989.

They continued to argue that the Article 23 legislation could seriously affect freedom of speech and of publication. They even foresaw that Hong Kong activists overseas might not be covered by local laws, but could still run afoul of a Chinese law.

Fast forward to the imposition of Beijing's National Security Law on Hong Kong in 2020, and its content was exactly what the Basic Law drafting committee had envisioned for the Article 23 legislation three decades earlier.

The worst fears of the Basic Law drafting committee had come true.

After the handover in 1997, Chinese officials kept urging the Hong Kong government to legislate under Article 23. The direct trigger this time was their suppression of the Falun Gong spiritual movement, which rocked the ruling Chinese Communist Party regime in April 1999 with a mass gathering of its members outside Zhongnanhai, just meters from Tiananmen Square, in protest at denunciations of their practices in state media.

'Evil cult'

The group also took over a radio station in a bid to counter negative official reports on its activities. It was later declared an "evil cult" by Beijing, its members detained and tortured and their organs harvested.

According to former Hong Kong Justice Secretary Elsie Leung, the Falun Gong's mass protests had roused the ire of then Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Jiang Zemin, who ordered a nationwide crackdown on the group.

The problem was, Leung told me, that Beijing was aware that the Falun Gong was still allowed to practice freely in Hong Kong, something that angered Jiang.

So much so that when he appointed Tung Chee-hwa as chief executive, he attached a condition that he must legislate under Article 23 as soon as possible, so that the Hong Kong government would have a legal basis to ban Falun Gong. He was actually required to complete this legislative work before July 1, 2003.

According to Leung, most of the "seven deadly sins" in the law were already covered by colonial-era legislation, with the exception of "prohibiting foreign political organizations or groups from conducting political activities in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region."

Those laws could have been adapted to meet the requirements of Article 23 without the need for new laws, Leung said.

But Beijing wasn't having it. It insisted on a new law, which must contain a clause barring Hong Kongers from membership in organizations already banned in mainland China.

And there would be no fully democratic elections for either the Legislative Council or the Chief Executive without it, Leung said, citing Chinese officials at the time.

Hong Kong officials pushed back, arguing that without democracy, it would be impossible to legislate accurately so as to preserve the city's existing freedoms, if they didn't exist yet. But to no avail.

Eventually, the Hong Kong government released a consultation document in 2002 that was criticized for violating the United Nations-endorsed Johannesburg Principles governing national security and human rights law. Under these principles, restrictions to freedom of speech on the grounds of national security aren't legitimate if they seek to "entrench a particular ideology," rather than to stave off a violent threat of a military or internal nature.

Universal suffrage

Speech is only a legitimate target for national security legislation if it is likely to trigger immediate violence. But speech that peacefully requests a policy change, criticizes or insults a nation or its symbols or government, doesn't count as a national security crime, the principles say.

Any national security prosecution should place the burden of proof on governments to show that the defendant did in some way endanger the nation's survival or territorial integrity, according to a 2017 analysis by University of Hawaii law professor Carole Petersen.

In 2002, Baroness Frances D'Souza, who had a hand in drafting the "Johannesburg Principles," was invited to visit Hong Kong to comment on the Article 23 legislation. She told RFA Cantonese that the draft Article 23 legislation wasn't in line with the Johannesburg Principles.

Public opinion at the time indicated that the draft law should go before the Law Reform Commission before being tabled in the Legislative Council as a white paper draft.

But the government had already skipped a step in publishing a formal "blue paper" draft without issuing a "white paper" draft for public comment.

Then Chinese vice premier Qian Qichen weighed in, insinuating that anyone in Hong Kong who had a problem with the Article 23 legislation likely had a guilty conscience.

And Hong Kong's own Secretary for Security Regina Ip sneered at calls for universal suffrage, with the comment: "Hitler was elected under one person, one vote."

Asked about whether Hong Kongers would get a chance to comment on the draft law, she sneered: "So I have to listen to what the aunty who washes the dishes in McDonalds has to say?"

Ip's domineering attitude was one of the key reasons for the failure of the 2003 legislation.

The government's attempt to strong-arm the legislation meant that 500,000 people took to the streets on July 1, 2003 to protest the law, prompting even the pro-Beijing Liberal Party to withdraw its support for the bill in the Legislative Council.

Faced with the prospect of a humiliating defeat in LegCo, the government shelved the bill, while Ip resigned from her post.

Editor's note: On Jan. 12, 2024, the Hong Kong government released a draft of new legislation under Article 23 for public consultation, vowing to "eradicate the causes" of dissent that officials claim still linger in the city despite a 28-month-long crackdown on criticism of the authorities since the 2019 protest movement.



Translated and summarized by Luisetta Mudie.

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INTERVIEW: How the West has been misreading China for years

Xi Jinping is faithfully implementing the policies of his predecessors, historian Frank DikAtter says.

By Chen Zifei for RFA Mandarin 2024.02.24 -- Frank DikAtter, author of the "People's Trilogy" about China under of Mao Zedong, has been chair professor of humanities at the University of Hong Kong since 2006. He recently published "China After Mao," in which he argues that claims that the Chinese Communist Party has significantly changed direction in the post-Mao era are a misreading by those outside the country who "live in a fantasy world."

He told RFA Mandarin in a recent interview that Chinese leaders have been very consistent in their messaging on political reform, and their economic goals and determination to maintain their dictatorship at all costs. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

RFA: What is the difference between the Mao era and the post-Mao era?

DikAtter: So, what have [Chinese leaders] been telling us? A very simple story: China is in the process of "reform and opening up." So, there will be economic progress, and with economic change there will be political progress. China will become first a capitalist country and then a democracy.

Of course, what has happened is the exact opposite. If you read the documentation carefully, you find out that never at any one point did Deng Xiaoping, Hu Yaobang, Zhao Ziyang, Jiang Zemin, all the way up to today, never did a single leader ever say, "We want a capitalist system." They all said the exact opposite, that they would uphold the socialist road. It is in the Constitution.

All along, they were very clear about what they wanted. They wanted to reinforce the socialist economy. So what is a socialist economy? [It's] not necessarily something that you have under Mao. A socialist economy is one where the state has or controls the means of production.

Money, labor, fertilizer, energy, transportation, all these are the means of production. They all belonged to the state. Today the money belongs to state banks. The land belongs to the state. Energy is controlled by the state. Large enterprises are controlled by the state. That was their goal, and they achieved it.

The second point is democratization. At no point did anyone say they wanted to have a separation of powers. On the contrary, Zhao Ziyang said very clearly back in 1987 that China would never have the separation of powers. Xi Jinping also made that very clear. But nobody in the West heard them, because they didn't want to hear it.

RFA: Has everyone misjudged the Chinese Communist Party?

DikAtter: There is a profound failure on the part of a great many people, politicians, experts and scholars outside China to simply listen to what all of these leaders said very clearly and also to read and understand what's been happening. The failure is reasonably straightforward. It is a refusal to believe that a communist a a Chinese communist a is a communist.

The truth is that the origins of the People's Republic of China are not in the Tang Dynasty, not in the Song Dynasty, not in the Ming or the Qing. They are in 1917, when Vladimir Lenin seizes power and establishes a communist system. That is what inspired China after 1949.

That was the system behind it. So, if you do not understand that China is communist, if you keep on saying it's not really communist, that they pretend to be communist, you will never understand anything.

RFA: Will China ever have a true democracy?

DikAtter: In the People's Republic, you have a dictatorship, but they call themselves a democracy. They have no elections, but they say they have free elections. So what is an election in the People's Republic? If you vote for the person they tell you to vote for. They give you a list one, two, three names. You can you can pick one of these three. That's it. That's an election.

RFA: You devote an entire chapter in your book to the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, but you don't go into the rights and wrongs of it. Why not?

DikAtter: The Tiananmen massacre is ... the most important moment after 1976. The 200 Chinese tanks that entered Beijing in June 1989 crushed Chinese people. That's really quite extraordinary. It's important because it shows that the party had an iron determination to retain its monopoly on power.

RFA: Do you believe that the Chinese people want democracy?

DikAtter: Nobody knows what people in China want, for a very simple reason a they can't vote. ... If you do not have freedom of expression, if you cannot express your opinion at the ballot box, then we simply don't know. You don't know what people think in a dictatorship.

But it's probably safe to assume that a system based on the separation of powers, including freedom of the press and a solid judicial system, would probably be beneficial, for instance, for the economy. ... This is basically a modern economic model based on debt. You spend to create the illusion of growth. Then you spend more. My feeling is that there may be people in the People's Republic of China who are probably thinking about whether this is really a successful system or not. That's all we can say.

RFA: Did China choose to destroy Hong Kong because it couldn't control Hong Kong, or was it to transform Hong Kong's system from the Western model to the Chinese model?

DikAtter: [Chinese leaders] believe that politics and the economy can be separated, and you have to give them a little bit of credit. They believe, with some justification, that the economy of China has been transformed beyond recognition over the last 40 years. Many parts of the world have been transformed beyond recognition, and none of them have all the structural problems that the People's Republic of China has today.

But nonetheless, they're quite convinced that you can have a Leninist system of monopoly over power, a Marxist system which controls the banks, controls the prices of energy, controls most state enterprises, controls the land, and yet have economic growth. That is what they believe. So why should Hong Kong be any different?

RFA: Why is the United States regarded as the enemy, and how does that relate to the concept of "peaceful evolution?"

DikAtter: The United States has always been perceived as the enemy from 1949 onwards because the U.S. is the heart of the capitalist system a the capitalist imperialist system a and the capitalist system is opposed to the socialist system.

What is peaceful evolution? It's a notion that goes back to former U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles who came up with it. He said we should help countries like Poland and Hungary economically by investing so they would evolve peacefully into a democracy. This is exactly what happens with Poland on June 4, 1989, when the people voted themselves out of communism, and effectively and peacefully evolved into a democracy.

It is not just a notion, it's a reality. And that is the biggest fear of the leaders in Beijing a that they will follow the example of Poland, not that of the former Soviet Union a and collapse. They afraid of what will happen with all these investments from capitalist countries, all these foreign ideas, Mickey Mouse T-shirts, Winnie the Pooh a that it will change the whole system.

RFA: You mention in your book that Mao Zedong's belief that the United States would collapse was his biggest misjudgment. Does that misjudgment continue to this day?

DikAtter: Mao, in the last years of his life, and Deng Xiaoping, saw the United States pull out of the Vietnam War. At that moment, they thought the big enemy was no longer the United States, which was on the decline. The Soviet Union was the big enemy. What is this philosophy based on? It is based on Marxism. Marxism announces the imminent collapse of capitalism. We're still waiting, right? But if you are a committed Marxist, you keep on thinking that the capitalist system is collapsing.

In the 1970s, Deng Xiaoping sent missions to Japan and the United States. When they came back, the conclusion was that the U.S. economy was terrible with lots of unemployment and big debt. "They need us. They are about to collapse. This is a great opportunity for us." a this was what [Chinese leaders] said when they were pretty much unable to feed their own people in the 1970s.

The same story has repeated itself. The biggest moment was in 2008 with the global financial crisis. At that moment in Beijing thought, "This is it. This is the collapse of the capitalist system. Our social system is superior." So, they went around the world in 2009 and 2010, talking about "the China way," that "our socialist system is superior to the capitalist system."

RFA: Is Chinese President Xi Jinping a follower of all the other Chinese leaders who came before him?

DikAtter: The difference is Xi Jinping has what others didn't have. He's got much greater clout. Xi Jinping ... merely says what all his predecessors have said very consistently since 1949. He is no different from any of his predecessors. He's not a creator; he's a follower. In fact, he's created very little. If you want me to come up with a creator who created the most, it's Jiang Zemin who came up with the idea of "going out" and establishing factories abroad, not just inside China. He emphasized the importance of Xinjiang as a strategic region. Jiang Zemin is the one who inserted party committees inside private enterprises. He is the one who emphasized from the summer of 1989 onwards, the great threat posed to China by peaceful evolution.

Xi Jinping has faithfully followed all the measures introduced by Jiang Zemin. It is not Xi Jinping who introduced party committees into private enterprises. It was Jiang Zemin. It's not Xi Jinping who clamped down on Western culture. It was Jiang Zemin. Jiang was the one who joined the World Trade Organization, so all of this has been followed quite faithfully.

Translated and transcribed by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Roseanne Gerin.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content February not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Ground-breaking Ceremony for Third-stage 10 000 Flats Construction Project Held in Hwasong Area Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Attends Ground-breaking Ceremony

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- A grandiose construction project has been launched once again, demonstrating the correct implementation of the construction of 50 000 flats in Pyongyang Municipality being powerfully accelerated by the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) as the most important task to turn Pyongyang, the capital city of the great DPRK, into an ideal city where the people's well-being and civilization of socialism are in full bloom and into the most beautiful city in the world where the might of a powerful country and its signal development are reflected.

A ground-breaking ceremony for 2024 project to build 10 000 flats in Pyongyang, the third-stage construction project, took place on February 23 in the Hwasong area where new streets successfully applied the Juche-oriented and popular character peculiar to our Party and state, the Korean-style specific charms and features and the development-oriented trend of modern architecture, are built every year and a sea change brought about.

The venue of the ground-breaking ceremony, in which the grand construction for determining the victory in carrying out the five-year plan for the capital city construction set forth at the 8th Congress of the WPK will be declared, was full of the great spirit of the military-civilian builders to more splendidly build monumental streets representing the era of Kim Jong Un in which changes have been made through a dynamic and continuous struggle.

Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), attended the ground-breaking ceremony.

When the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un arrived at the venue of the ceremony, all the participants broke into cheers of "hurrah!", looking up to Kim Jong Un , the great master of creation and benevolent father of the people who is ushering in a new era of stirring change and prosperity of the whole country with his rare wisdom and outstanding leadership.

Present there were Kim Tok Hun and Jo Yong Won, members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, secretaries of the WPK Central Committee, officials of the Cabinet, armed forces organs, ministries and national institutions, officials of Pyongyang Municipality and military-civilian builders.

The national anthem of the DPRK was solemnly played.

Kim Tok Hun, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK, vice-president of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and premier of the Cabinet, made a speech at the ceremony.

He extended warm and militant greetings to the service personnel of the People's Army and builders of the capital city who would start the third-stage project for providing a decisive guarantee for the completion of 50 000 flats in the spirit of attaining the huge construction goals every year, holding aloft the torch of the construction revolution kindled by the great Party Central Committee.

Noting that every February witnesses the ceremony for the start of grand construction in the year and that the whole country is busy moving into new houses in every April, he added that it has become the life and emotion peculiar to our state. Our capital city has been modernized during praiseworthy creation, as befits the might of a powerful country and the people's happiness is growing, he said, adding that this is a clear proof of the advance spirit of socialist Korea which is bringing earlier the highly-civilized and prosperous future with confidence in the face of all difficulties.

The dynamic promotion of the epochal causes unprecedented in the history of the DPRK and the nonstop large-scale housing construction are the manifestation of the steadfast will of the WPK and the government of the DPRK orienting and subordinating everything to realizing the people's requirement and desire and a great demonstration of the tremendous national power of Juche Korea which is developing through self-respect and self-support, he noted.

He referred to the fact that preparations for the grand construction of a new stage have been dynamically made thanks to the earnest instructions and meticulous guidance of Kim Jong Un who said that the true nature and duty of our Party and government is to unconditionally keep a promise made to the people, despite stern trials, and that it is necessary to live up to the expectations of the people without fail through ceaseless vigorous offensive.

A group of peculiar dwelling houses and public establishments including educational, public health, commercial and public service facilities, which will be built in the third-stage construction after the successful construction of the new streets of first and second stages in Hwasong area, will make the capital city of Pyongyang more beautiful along with the area which will be a modern administrative district, he said.

Today when the gigantic projects for overall prosperity of our state are being dynamically conducted in different parts of the country, the construction of 50 000 flats in the capital city is being highlighted as a victorious signpost vigorously leading all the revolutionary work and an important political struggle to defend the prestige of the Party Central Committee and further deepen the people's trust in the state policy, he said, adding that the scale of the third-stage construction in the Hwasong area is gigantic but all the construction this year will be pushed ahead with as there are the well-organized work system established under the Party's leadership and the great zeal of the builders who have gained great building capacity and much experience during the capital city construction.

He called upon all the builders to successfully build all the structures as symbols of our times in which the people-first idea is thoroughly embodied by making successive offensive in the same fighting spirit as they had steadily worked new miracles and created new myths, regarding the trust of the Party Central Committee that made them become the vanguard of the construction of the capital city as the first honor and greatest pride.

Saying that the stirring era when the capital city, provinces and other parts of the country are vibrant with extraordinary determination, patriotic enthusiasm, new spirit of development and prosperity is inspiring the builders of the capital city with greater courage and strenuous efforts, he ardently called for more dynamically struggling for bringing about the happy laughter and bright future of the beloved parents, brothers and children, for defending the resolutions of the Eighth Congress of our Party and for promoting the overall prosperity and development of our state.

All the military-civilian builders have raised the stormy cheers with the iron will to carry out the noble plan of the Party Central Committee with perfect practice by further giving full play to the offensive spirit of the whole capital city construction area to be held aloft in the grand construction front covering the whole country.

Kim Jong Un pressed the detonator to declare the start of the third-stage 10 000 flats construction project in the Hwasong area.

Fireworks were displayed to celebrate the start of the construction with great explosion and cheers of excitement.

Kim Jong Un warmly encouraged the builders full of enthusiasm to firmly guarantee with signal revolutionary fruition the construction struggle being steadily and dynamically carried out by our Party as a far-sighted patriotic work for bringing earlier the prosperous and bright future of the Republic.

All the military-civilian builders vowed to successfully build a socialist city symbolizing the overall development period of a thriving nation with practice while more dynamically unfurling the flag of the construction headquarters of 50 000 flats in Pyongyang Municipality given by the great Party Central Committee as the banner of successive offensive and uninterrupted innovation. -0-

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Speech of the Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at the UN General Assembly

Germany Federal Foreign Office

24.02.2024 - Speech

"I am afraid the world will forget about us ... because everyone is so focused on Russia's war and the violence in the Middle East."

That's what a woman in Gorom, in South Sudan, told me.

This woman had fled the violence in Sudan - with only a small bag of belongings, carrying her child on her hip.

Her words have not left me since.

And I know that they ring true for countless men, women and children around the world who go to bed hungry, who suffer violence.

As I stand here, I say to you straight out:

We have not forgotten about you.

The fact that Russia's brutal war against Ukraine has been raging for two years does not mean that we don't see your suffering.

A schoolgirl deported form the eastern territories of Ukraine, torn away from her parents, is a child who suffers.

A toddler in Gaza who has lost his parents is a child who suffers.

A boy in Sudan who is hungry is a child who suffers.

Every life matters in equal measure.

Humanity is indivisible.

The worst thing we could do is to play off one person's pain against another's. We would only play into the hands of those who seek to divide us to push their ruthless agenda in the world.

That's why it is nothing but cynical when at the G20 meeting in Rio, just two days ago, the Russian Foreign Minister openly asked why the world is so preoccupied with Russia's war against Ukraine.

Mr Lavrov, we are preoccupied with your war because your war is causing death, pain and destruction.

Not just in Ukraine. Not just in Bucha and Irpin. And in the eastern territories of Ukraine.

But around the world.

Russia has bombed ports in Ukraine, on purpose, to prevent Ukrainian grain from being exported to the world - using food as a weapon.

And this could stop tomorrow if the Russian President were to end this war now.

If we care about a world in which every life matters in equal measure, it is up to each and every one of us to stand up against Russia's war.

The United Nations was founded for that exact purpose - to make sure "a life is a life".

That humanity is indivisible.

President Putin has proved again and again that, to him, human lives count for nothing - neither abroad nor at home, where he now doesn't even shy away from arresting Russian children for laying down flowers to mourn the death of Alexei Navalny.

As I explained to the woman in South Sudan: we did not chose to be so preoccupied with Russia's war of aggression. It is the Russian President's ruthless actions that are forcing us.

But that doesn't mean that we don't see the suffering in Sudan, that we don't see the suffering in the Middle East.

Like many of you, the devastating humanitarian situation in Gaza is keeping us awake at night.

17,000 children left without a mother or father.

Hundreds of thousands desperate for food and water. This suffering needs to end now.

We need Hamas to release all the men, women and children it took hostage in its ruthless attack on Israel on Oct 7th.

We need a humanitarian pause to work towards a sustainable ceasefire. To find a path towards a life in dignity, peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. In two states.

I know that this conflict has stirred up intense emotions in many of our countries. That's why it is so important to not give in to those who try to play off one person's pain against another's.

Political leadership means standing up to polarisation.

Protecting our societies from the poison of dehumanisation.

That is the message to send today, here at the General Assembly.

We stand with Ukraine, as long as it takes.

Because we stand against a world of ruthlessness.

We stand for a world in which a life is a life - whether it be Palestinian, Israeli, Sudanese or Ukrainian.

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German Frigate Joins EU Naval Mission to Secure Red Sea Routes

Sputnik News

20240225

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The German frigate Hessen has joined the European Union's naval mission to secure sea routes in the Red Sea amid increased attacks on cargo ships by the Houthis, the German Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

On February 8, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius unveiled Berlin's plans to send Hessen with a crew of 240 soldiers for participation in the EU mission in the Red Sea.

"The frigate Hessen has arrived in the Red Sea. Its mission [to ensure] safe sea lanes begins," the ministry said on X (formerly Twitter).

Apart from 240 servicepeople, the frigate carries a team of two Sea Lynx helicopters, as well as a medical team, marines and a chaplain.

The 469-foot-long warship is equipped with anti-aircraft missiles, a radar reconnaissance system capable of tracking 1,000 targets simultaneously, and attack helicopters. Hessen is specifically designed for escort and surveillance and can monitor airspace over an area the size of the entire North Sea, the ministry said, adding that its anti-aircraft missiles can reach targets over 99 miles away.

The frigate is expected to remain in the Red Sea until the end of April, the ministry said in another statement on its official website, adding that in the second half of the year, Berlin would send the Hamburg frigate in the region.

The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern and western Yemen, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. This led US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. US and UK forces later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels.

On February 12, the European Union published a decision to launch Operation Aspides to secure navigation in the Red Sea amid ongoing attacks on civilian vessels by the Houthis. The mission was officially launched at a meeting of the EU foreign ministers on February 19. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc's mission would not participate in actions against the Houthis, but would only ensure the safety of navigation.

A Sputnik

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Rs three lakh crore annual defence production & Rs 50,000 crore exports expected by 2028-29: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

"Efforts towards jointness & integration have made our military ready to deal with every challenge together"

"Government focusing on long-term gains & not short-term outcomes to make India 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047"

"Aim is to manufacture high-end systems like aero-engines & gas turbines in India in the next five years"

Posted On: 24 FEB 2024 5:15PM by PIB Delhi

"The Government, headed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is focusing on long-term gains and not short-term outcomes to make India a developed nation by 2047," said Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at a Defence Summit organised by a private media organisationin New Delhi on February 24, 2024.Shri Rajnath Singhtermed 'giving priority to long-termism and long-term gains' as the main difference between the present Governmentand the previous dispensations.

The Raksha Mantri stated that unlike in the past, the present Government has formulated and implemented policies which not only provide short-term gains for just five years. He enumerated the reforms undertaken in the defence sector for long-term gains in the last few years, including creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff and setting up of the Department of Military Affairs which has enhanced jointness, synergy and smooth coordination among the three Services.

Shri Rajnath Singh pointed out that the Government has been focusing on the integration of the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force, which will ensure enhanced coordination among them in times of crisis. "Earlier, the three Services used to work in silos. We focused on their integration whichwas an out-of-the-box step and the need of the hour. It was a little difficult in the beginning; but todayour military is ready with better coordination to deal with every challenge together," he said.

On the major steps taken in the field of defence manufacturing, the Raksha Mantri said the Ministry of Defence notified five positive indigenisation lists of the Services, comprising over 500 items, and four other lists, with over 4,600 items for DPSUs,to ensure that the soldiers use made in India weapons and platforms. He also referred to the decision to earmark 75% of the capital acquisition budget for procurement from local companies. He added that some people were of the view that indigenous weapons won't be world class; however, the government believes in the capabilities of the domestic industry and that they can consistently improve & deliver state-of-the-art products.

Shri Rajnath Singh emphasised that radical changes have been made in the defence sector for long-term gains to make it completely self-reliant, and achieve the Prime Minister's goal of'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. He stated that imposing a ban on import of arms was a short-term difficulty as today that challenge is slowly turning into opportunity, andIndia is rising on the defence industrial landscape of the world. "Today, our military is using weapons and platforms, which are manufactured on our own soil," he said.

The Raksha Mantri reasserted that no military can protect its nation fromequipment imported from outside and self-reliance in defence productionis must for India in today's time. He pointed out that the Government's persistent efforts towards self-reliance have started to bear fruit as the defence production has crossed Rs one lakh crore.

Shri Rajnath Singh was of the view that through initiatives like setting up defence industrial corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the Government is making sure that modern military hardware is not only manufactured in India, but also exported to friendly countries. "Earlier, India was known to be an arms importer. But today, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, we have come out of our comfort zone and found a place in the list of top-25 arms exporter nations.Seven-eight years ago, defence exports did not even touch Rs 1,000 crore. Today, it has touched Rs 16,000 crore. By 2028-29, annual defence production is expected to touch Rs three lakh crore and defence exports Rs 50,000 crore," he said.

The Raksha Mantri added that while the Government is supporting huge companies, it is also inviting young ignited minds to the defence sector through start-ups, terming it another step taken for long-term gains. He said in the coming 20-25 years, these companies, on the back of their innovations, will help give a new dimension to India's strong identity on the global stage. He referred to the recent meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council, in which effective steps were taken to promote start-ups. For procurement from start-ups, costing, payment terms, eligibility etc have been liberalised, he said.

On the emergence of technology as a great warrior in today's constantly-evolving times, Shri Rajnath Singh underscored the significanceof investing in futuristic technologies such as artificialintelligence, quantum computing, smartweapons, cyber warfare and space warfare. He voiced the Government's long-term vision ofmaking India a major player in the field of technology, saying that a number of steps have been taken, including the launch of Innovations of Defence Technology (iDEX), Technology Development Fund scheme under DRDO and the setting up of National Research Foundation.

The Raksha Mantri informed that in the Financial Year 2023-24, capital acquisition worth more than Rs 4,35,000 crore have been given in-principle approval till now. He added that Ministry of Defence was allocated Rs 6.21 lakh crore in the Union Budget 2024-25, which is the highest among the Ministries. He also spoke of the Agnipath scheme, which aims to make the country's military as one of the strongest in the world. These decisions reflect the Government's long-term approach towards national security, he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh described it as the Government's aimto manufacture high-end systems like aero-engines and gas turbines in India in the coming five years. "When the ability and dedication of our youth is extraordinary and the intentions of the government are clear, the question of setting simple targets does not arise. We will soon embark on an exciting journey towards achieving extraordinary goals," he said.

The Raksha Mantri also listed out some of the decisions towards long-term gains in other sectors, including the successful implementation of GST, initiatives in health & education sectors, and banking reforms. Hehighlighted the Government's efforts towards infrastructure development, such as Sagarmala& PM Gati Shakti schemes,as well astowards social welfare, which are ensuring holistic development of thecountry.He said the government has been working on big long-term infrastructure projects, wherein the outcome is visible after 5-10 years, underliningthe Prime Minister's clear vision to create next generation infrastructure for future generations.

Shri Rajnath Singh added that women are being provided opportunities in every field at par with their male counterparts, which is another important aspect of the Government's long-term approach. "Through the Nari Shakti VandanAdhiniyam, women have been given their political rights, which was pending for years.Women today stand shoulder-to-shoulder with men in every field.The role of women in the Armed Forces is increasing and becoming more important, and it will continue to grow," he said.

*******

ABB/Savvy/KB



(Release ID: 2008632)

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INDIAN NAVY'S MISSION DEPLOYED DESTROYER PROVIDES CRITICAL EOD & MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TO MV IN DISTRESS

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Posted On: 24 FEB 2024 2:37PM by PIB Delhi

Palau Flagged MV Islander caught fire after an attack likely by drone/ missile on 22 Feb 24. Responding swiftly to the Distress call, Indian Navy's destroyer, mission deployed in the Gulf of Aden for maritime security operations, arrived in the vicinity of the vessel in the afternoon of 22 Feb 24.

Indian Naval EOD specialists embarked the vessel and sanitised it for any residual risk. The vessel was cleared for onward transit.

On Master's request, the Medical team also embarked the ship and provided medical assistance to an injured crew member.

Relentless efforts by Indian Naval ships reaffirms Indian Navy's steadfast commitment towards safety and security of merchant shipping and seafarers.

________________________________

VM/PS 33/24



(Release ID: 2008582)

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DRDO hands over 23 Licensing Agreements for Transfer of Technology to industries during Maharashtra MSME Defence Expo 2024

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Domains include electronics, laser technology, combat vehicles, naval systems & aeronautics

Posted On: 25 FEB 2024 9:00PM by PIB Delhi

To enhance cooperation and synergy with the industry, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) organised a DRDO-Industry Meet on February25, 2024 during the Maharashtra MSME Defence Expo 2024 at Pune.The meet was intended to apprise and update industries, especially the MSMEs & start-ups about various industry-friendly initiatives and policies of DRDO as well asaddress the concerns of the industry.

During the meet, DRDO handed over 23 Licensing Agreements for Transfer of Technology (LATOT) to 22 industries in presence of Secretary Department of Defence (R&D) and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamatand other dignitaries. The technologies transferred cover the domains of electronics, laser technology, armaments, life sciences, materials science, combat vehicles, naval systems and aeronautics. These include Manufacturing of Carbon/Carbon Aircraft brakes for LCA Tejas, 100 m Infantry Foot Bridge Floating, 40 mm High Explosive Anti-Personnel (HEAP) Grenade for UBGL, Full Trailer of 70t Tank Transporter for MBT Arjun Mk - 1A, Expendable Mobile Shelter Solar Heated Shelter, NMR-Supercapacitor, Weaponisation of Hand-Held Thermal Imager with LRF (WHHTI) and High Pressure Water Mist Fire Suppression System (HP WMFSS). The products based on these DRDO technologies will further boost the defence manufacturing sector and self-reliance in defence.

The DRDO handed over SAMAR (System for Advance Manufacturing Assessment and Rating) assessment certificates to nine Industry Partners. SAMAR is a benchmark to measure the competency of defence manufacturing enterprises. A brief and overview on SAMAR was also provided during the function.

Addressing Industry partners, Dr Kamat iterated DRDO's commitment to provide all technology support towards the development of Indian defence industries for realisation of Aatmanirbhar Bharat as envisioned by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He elaborated that the recent success of DRDO products have not only made the country more self-reliant in defence technology but also provided immense opportunities to the industries in defence manufacturing sector. He further stressed that the industries are invaluable partners and it is an apt time for an Indian industry to take advantage of the latest initiatives and policies of the Government and make the country a hub of defence manufacturing.

An Open house session during the meet was also organised which provided an opportunity to industries to express their challenges, expectations and the kind of support needed so that framework may be refined to further ease of doing business and facilitate industry.

The Industry was also briefed about the latest policies and procedures through which DRDO is supporting industries. Some of the policies discussed include Transfer of Technologies, Test & Evaluation support, Technological and scientific support, R&D funding to industry under TDF and Free use of DRDO patents by industry and SAMAR scheme.

***

ABB/Savvy



(Release ID: 2008923)

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INDIA-JAPAN JOINT EXERCISE 'DHARMA GUARDIAN' COMMENCES IN RAJASTHAN

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Posted On: 25 FEB 2024 12:19PM by PIB Delhi

The 5th edition of Joint Military Exercise 'DHARMA GUARDIAN' between the Indian Army and the Japan Ground Self Defence Force commenced today at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan. The Exercise is scheduled to be conducted from 25th February to 9th March 2024.

Exercise 'DHARMA GUARDIAN' is an annual exercise and conducted alternatively in India and Japan. The contingent of both sides comprises of 40 personnel each. The Japanese contingent is being represented by troops from the 34th Infantry Regiment and Indian Army contingent is being represented by a Battalion from the Rajputana Rifles.

Aim of the Exercise is to foster Military Cooperation and enhance combined capabilities to execute joint operations in semi-urban environment under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter. The Exercise would focus on high degree of physical fitness, joint planning, joint tactical drills and basics of special arms skills.

Tactical drills to be practiced during the Exercise will include establishing of Temporary Operating Base, creating an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Grid, setting up Mobile Vehicle Check Post, executing Cordon and Search Operations in a hostile village, Heliborne operations and House Intervention Drills. A Weapon and Equipment Display will also be organised showcasing 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative and the growing defence industrial capability of the country.

Lieutenant General TOGASHI Yuichi, Commanding General, Eastern Army, Japan Ground Self Defence Force is also scheduled to visit India on the sidelines of "Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN". The General officer will visit Mahajan Field Firing Ranges on 3rd March 2024 and witness Combat Shooting demonstration, Special Heliborne Operation (SHBO) & House Intervention Drills.

Exercise 'DHARMA GUARDIAN' will enable the two sides to share their best practices in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures of conducting tactical operations. The Exercise will also facilitate developing inter-operability, bonhomie and camaraderie between troops of both the sides. This will enhance the level of defence cooperation, further fostering bilateral relations between the two friendly nations.

___________________________

SC/RR/VKT



(Release ID: 2008775)

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Iran completes first phase of Karun nuclear plant: AEOI chief

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 23, 2024

New York, IRNA -- Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami has announced that the first phase in construction of the Karun nuclear power plant in the southwestern province of Khuzestan has been successfully completed.

During a visit to the province on Friday, Eslami said the construction of the Darkhovin Nuclear Power Plant was well underway some 12 years after Iranian authorities had initially decided to abandon the project because foreigners had reneged on their contractual obligations.

"We decided to do this project ourselves," the nuclear chief said, adding that now the first phase of the nuclear power plant has been completed.

Before the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran had signed a $2 billion contract with a French company to build a nuclear power plant at Darkhovin. However, the French withdrew from the project after the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

They did not fulfill their obligations due to the sanctions and abandoned the project, Eslami said.

The Darkhovin facility is a 300 MW domestically-designed pressurized water reactor (PWR) located about 70 kilometers south of Ahvaz at the Karun River.

6125**4353

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Iran uses nuclear technology in 150 large industrial complexes: Eslami

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 23, 2024

New York, IRNA -- Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami has said that Iran is using nuclear technological products in 150 large industrial complexes.

The AEOI chief made the remarks on Thursday evening during a visit to Abadan Oil Refinery Company in Khuzestan province, southern Iran.

Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has technologies that have applications in other industries apart from being used in the nuclear industry, he said.

Eslami added that AEOI is producing precise instruments and that these technologies are used not only in the nuclear industry but also in other sensitive industries such as oil, gas and petrochemicals for measurement and control purposes.

He added: Now nuclear technology is used in 150 large industrial complexes in the fields of oil, gas, petrochemical, steel, cement, cellulose industries, etc.

Considering the development plans of the nuclear industry, the expansion of cooperation with Abadan Oil Refinery Company and other refining industries is on the agenda of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Eslami emphasized.

6125**4353

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Iran's Russia envoy reveals new details of strategic bilateral deal

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 24, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali has revealed new details about a long-term strategic partnership agreement planned to be signed by the two countries in the near future.

Jalali told IRNA's correspondent in Moscow on Saturday that Iran and Russia are waiting for foreign ministers of the two countries to put their signatures on the partnership deal so that they can complete formalities related to the adoption of the agreement in their respective governments and parliaments.

He said that lawmakers in the Iranian and Russian parliaments will be able to openly discuss the terms of the partnership agreement when they vote on the document.

"Some people shouldn't think that this agreement is secret and confidential, but it is completely clear," said the ambassador.

Jalali said co-chairs of an Iranian-Russian intergovernmental committee will emphasize in an upcoming committee meeting in Tehran that the partnership agreement should be finalized as soon as possible.

He expressed hope that the agreement could be adopted by parliaments of Iran and Russia in the Iranian calendar year starting late March.

Russian Foreign Ministry said in December that the Moscow and Tehran will speed up work on the major agreement.

Iran and Russia have sought to significantly expand their cooperation in recent years in a bid to offset sanctions imposed on their economies and militaries by Western countries.

2050**4162

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Iran denies providing Russia with ballistic missiles

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 24, 2024

New York, IRNA -- Iran's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York has dismissed Western media reports alleging that the Islamic Republic had provided Russia with ballistic missiles to use in its ongoing war with Ukraine.

"Despite no legal restrictions on ballistic missile sales, Iran is morally obligated to refrain from weapon transactions during the Russia-Ukraine conflict to prevent fueling the waraand that is rooted in Iran's adherence to international law and the UN Charter," the mission said on its official page on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday evening New York time.

On Wednesday, Reuters news agency, citing "six sources", said that Iran had provided Russia with around 400 powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles.

The news agency claimed that the "shipments began in early January after a deal was finalized in meetings late last year between Iranian and Russian military and security officials that took place in Tehran and Moscow."

Following the report, the US administration warned of a "swift and severe" response from the international community if Iran had provided missiles to Russia.

Tehran and Moscow have on various occasions said that the provision of Iranian-made weapons to Russia is part of military cooperation between the two countries, and have denied Western officials and media outlets' allegations that the weapons are used in the war in Ukraine.

Russia is also highly critical of Western states, especially the United States, for giving arms to Ukraine, saying that their military support only prolongs the conflict that began two years ago.

4194**4354

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Iranian and Pakistani FMs hold telephone conversation

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Sat / 24 February 2024 / 11:07

On Friday afternoon Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani had a telephone conversation.

Tehran-ISNA- Amirabdollahian spoke about the Pakistani elections and congratulated Pakistan's foreign minister on holding the vote successfully. He expressed hope that following the formation of parliament, the prime minister and cabinet members of Pakistan will be picked and they will start working officially.

The Iranian foreign minister pointed to the issues over which Tehran and Islamabad have agreed during his recent visit to Islamabad, stressing the importance of the relationship between the organizations tasked with pursuing and implementing the agreements in both countries.

The top Pakistani diplomat for his part voiced hope that the next week's Parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections will be held successfully in Iran. Jilani outlined the process of forming the government and introducing the prime minister in Pakistan. He then said the Islamic Republic of Iran has a high place in the foreign policy of Pakistan which is beyond the internal developments of the country.

Jilani added that everyone in Pakistan is waiting for the visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to the country.

The foreign ministers of Iran and Pakistan discussed the developments in Gaza as well and the Pakistani side welcomed Iran's proposal that the foreign ministers of the Islamic countries hold an emergency meeting to stop the genocide in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

End Item

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Imprisoned Nobel Laureate Mohammadi Urges Boycott, Sanctions, Condemnation Of Iran Elections

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda February 24, 2024

Imprisoned Iranian human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi has urged a boycott alongside "national sanctions and global condemnation" of next month's legislative elections there, calling the moves "a political necessity and a moral duty."

"Sanctioning elections under a despotic religious regime is not just a political move but also a moral obligation for freedom-loving and justice-seeking Iranians," Mohammadi said on social media on February 24.

Mohammadi has previously described the clerically led Iranian leadership "criminal" and has long been a vocal critic of conditions for political and other prisoners in Iran.

She pledged that "I, alongside the informed and proud people from all over Iran, from Sistan and Baluchestan to Kurdistan, from Khuzestan to Azerbaijan, will stand to declare the illegitimacy of the Islamic Republic and the divide within the oppressive regime and its people through the sanctioning of sham elections."

In January, an Iranian court extended the 51-year-old Mohammadi's prison sentence by 15 months for "spreading propaganda" against the Islamic republic while in jail. It was her fifth conviction since March 2021 and the third for activities from prison, where she was sent for alleged actions against national security and propaganda against the state.

In her February 24 post, she criticized Iranian authorities' "ruthless and brutal suppression, the killing of young people on the streets, the executions, and the imprisonment and torture of men and women."

A number of prominent Iranians outside the country and some political and civil activists in Iran have already called for a boycott of the March 1 voting.

Officials routinely vet to exclude large numbers of candidates who are critical of the regime from elections to fill seats at all nearly all levels of government.

"Transition from the despotic religious regime is a national demand and the only way for the survival of Iran, Iranians, and our humanity," Mohammadi said.

Mustafa Tajzadeh, a jailed former reform-minded politician, said in a letter he published on February 29 from Tehran's Evin Prison that the leadership's strategic mistakes are "making elections meaningless and making elected institutions ineffective...especially the parliament."

Elections for the parliament, the Majlis, are scheduled for March 1 along with voting to fill the Assembly of Experts, with a majority of would-be candidates already disqualified.

Some government polls also indicate that there is waning interest in the votes.

The Iranian Students' Opinion Center (ISPA) said research in February suggested only 36 percent of Iranians were aware of the upcoming elections.

A brutal crackdown on dissent followed widespread protests and unrest that broke out after the death in custody in September 2022 of 22-year-old student Mahsa Amini after she was detained for a dress-code violation and, according to eyewitnesses, beaten by the morality police.

Iranian officials this week officially outlawed the use of tools such as virtual private networks (VPNs) designed to bypass Internet censorship following a directive from the country's Supreme Council of Cyberspace that was endorsed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/imprisoned-nobel-laureate-mohammadi- urges-boycott-iran-elections/32833582.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.

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'There's consensus on withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq'

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 24, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iraq's National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji has said that there is a consensus among political factions that foreign forces should leave the Arab country.

Al-Araji made the comment on Saturday on the sidelines of the Sixth Baghdad International Dialogue that explored opportunities to strengthen regional connectivity and integration, according to Iraqi media.

"There is a consensus on the withdrawal of foreign forces. And, the Iraqi government will sign bilateral security agreements with the countries that are part of the international coalition against the Daesh terror group, in response to their assistance", he said.

The international coalition, led by the United States, was formed in September 2014 to defeat Daesh. Currently, there are about 2,500 US troops still present in Iraq as part of that coalition.

Calls however have been getting louder for the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq ever since the US military assassinated top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone attack near Baghdad in January 2020. At the time, the Iraqi parliament voted for the American forces' pullout of the country.

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Iraq arrests 2 Deash leaders in operation outside borders

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 25, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Iraqi intelligence agency has reported the arrest of two leaders of the Daesh terror after years of pursuit outside of the country.

The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS), in a statement on Saturday night, quoted by Baghdad Al-Youm news website, announced that the country's military and security forces were able to successfully nab and detain the most dangerous Daesh leaders during an operation outside the borders.

Without referring to the country where these people were arrested, the statement noted that the duo was involved in the most heinous terrorist activities in Iraq.

"After years of chasing them abroad, they were arrested and transferred to Baghdad", it said.

It is stated that the first detainee Essam Abd Ali Sayeedan alias Abu Zaid was responsible for the media activities of Daesh in the city of Fallujah after 2014.

The second is Bashir Abd Ali Sayeedan alias Abu Ahmad Etisalat was responsible for all operations of Daesh in Fallujah and helped the terror group with encryption of communications.

Iraq declared victory over the terrorist group in December 2017 after a three-year counter-terrorism military campaign, in which he People's Mobilization Units (PMU), known in Arabic as Hashd al-Sha'abi, played a major role.

However, Daesh's remnants are still active in some areas of Diyala, Kirkuk, Nineveh, Salahuddin, Anbar and Baghdad provinces and keep staging sporadic attacks and attempting to regroup to unleash fresh violence in the Arab country.

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Iraqi Resistance not done yet with US over deadly airstrikes: Nujaba

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 3:34 PM

The secretary general of Iraqi resistance group Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba has roundly denounced the United States over its strikes against the positions of anti-terror groups in the country while emphasizing that the Iraqi forces are yet to take full revenge for the US acts of aggression.

Akram al-Kaabi stated on Sunday that a pause in attacks by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) - an umbrella group of anti-terror groups - on US positions does not mean that the IRI will not take revenge for recent US air that killed a number of resistance fighters in Iraq and Syria.

"The current calm is a provisional tactic for a repositioning and re-deployment, and is in fact the calm before the storm ... We will not be satisfied with a small revenge, even with an equal revenge, and the occupier will regret every drop of pure blood that was shed on the holy land of Iraq," he added.

Kaabi further underscored that Iraqi resistance groups will continue their operations with the intention of driving US-led foreign forces out of the Arab country and to target Israeli interests across the West Asia region.

They will never renege on their commitments to the Palestinian cause and will continue to staunchly support the Palestinians, he pointed out.

The cleric noted that the IRI has made enormous sacrifices ever since the Israeli onslaught on Gaza began on October 7 last year.

"Coordination is excellent between fronts of the Axis (of Resistance). Calm on one front and surge (in fighting) on another front is a deliberate, purposeful and coordinated strategy," Kaabi said.

The comments come after Abu Baqer al-Saadi, the commander in charge of Kata'ib Hezbollah's operations in Syria, was assassinated on February 7 after a US drone strike hit a moving vehicle east of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. Two other Kata'ib Hezbollah officials also lost their lives in the attack.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said at the time that it had killed the "commander responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on US forces in the region."

The Iraqi government strongly condemned the targeted killing, saying that repeated US strikes in the country were a cause of instability and were pushing Baghdad to end the presence of US troops.

Yahya Rasool, military spokesperson for Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, has 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," he noted.

Earlier this month, at least 16 Iraqis were killed in US airstrikes that has been ordered by President Joe Biden following a deadly drone attack on a US military outpost on Jordan's border with Syria.

The US aggression has caused the Iraqi government to push Washington to discuss a timeline for the withdrawal of its troops from the Arab country.

The United States has 2,500 troops in Iraq with the alleged purpose of advising and assisting local forces to prevent a resurgence of Daesh terrorist group. However, they have repeatedly targeted anti-terror groups integrated into the official Iraqi armed forces.

That comes as anti-US sentiments have grown across the region over Washington's unconditional support for Israel's atrocious onslaught against Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel launched the war on Gaza following a historic operation by resistance group Hamas which was carried out in retaliation for Israel's intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

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Broad consensus in Iraq on pullout of US-led foreign forces: Top security official

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 8:53 AM

Iraqi National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji says there is a broad consensus among all political factions of the Arab country on the need to end the presence of the US-led military coalition purportedly formed to fight the Daesh terrorist group.

Araji made the remarks on the sidelines of the sixth Baghdad International Dialogue Conference on Saturday.

"Our security forces have developed greatly and gained great experience in dealing with the challenges of terrorism," the top Iraqi security official added, noting that the Baghdad government extends its gratitude to the countries that helped it confront terrorism.

"There is a consensus on the withdrawal of foreign forces. The Iraqi government will sign bilateral security agreements with the countries that are part of the [US-led] coalition against the Daesh terrorist group," Araji pointed out.

Iraq adopted the law to expel foreign forces after Washington's assassination of top Iraqi and Iranian anti-terror commanders four years ago.

General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), were martyred along with their comrades in a US drone strike that was authorized by then-president Donald Trump near Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020.

The two iconic anti-terror commanders are greatly admired for their instrumental role in fighting and decimating the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the region, particularly in Iraq and neighboring Syria.

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'Consensus' Formed on Expelling US Forces From Iraq, PM's Top Security Advisor Says

Sputnik News

20240225

Ilya Tsukanov

Baghdad began formal talks with the US last month on a "phased withdrawal" of American forces from Iraq amid repeated violations of the country's sovereignty by Washington, including through US attacks on government-allied anti-terror militias that have played a key role in operations to smash IS'* self-proclaimed caliphate.

A consensus has emerged among all of Iraq's major political factions on ending the US-led military coalition's presence in the Middle Eastern country, Qasim al-Araji, Iraq's national security advisor, has announced.

"There is a consensus on the withdrawal of foreign forces. The Iraqi government will sign bilateral security agreements with the countries that are part of the coalition against the Daesh* terrorist group," al-Araji said on the sidelines of the Baghdad International Dialogue Conference on Saturday.

"Our security forces have developed greatly and gained great experience in dealing with the challenges of terrorism," a-Araji assured, implying that the US "train, advise and assist" mission in Iraq, which replaced its combat mission in late 2021, is no longer needed.

Iraq's National Security Council, which al-Araji heads, is a powerful body in charge of coordinating the country's national security, intelligence and foreign policy strategy, and reports directly to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani.

US bases in Iraq and its illegal outposts in Syria came under intense rocket, missile and drone attack by militias beginning in mid-October 2023 in response to Washington's unwavering support for Israel amid its war in Gaza.

The US has responded to the attacks by striking senior militias closely affiliated with Iraq's security forces, with a January 4th strike killing Mushtaq Talib al-Saidi, the leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces' affiliated Harakat-al-Nujaba militia, prompting Iraqi officials to demand talks on the end of the US presence in the country. Iraq's Foreign Ministry called the al-Saidi strike as an "unprovoked attack on an Iraqi security body operating in accordance with the powers granted to it by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces," and called the aggression a "dangerous escalation" to which Baghdad reserves the right to respond.

Washington further angered its Iraqi counterparts by lying to media about providing Baghdad with advance warning ahead of its ongoing strikes, with State Department spokesman John Kirby admitting in early February that the US had actually only "informed the Iraqis immediately after the strikes occurred."

Last month's aggression isn't the first time the US military has acted unilaterally inside Iraq without informing its Iraqi "partners." In January 2020, the US assassinated Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces deputy commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis alongside Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in an unprovoked drone strike at Baghdad International Airport. That incident prompted Iraq's parliament to issue a resolution demanding that all US forces be expelled from the country immediately, but Washington resisted, instead reclassifying its presence in the country as a "train, advise and assist" mission.

In neighboring Syria, which has also faced US strikes targeting anti-terror fighters, the Foreign Ministry said it was "not surprised" in the slightest to see American forces strikes targets in the country's east, "where our forces are fighting against the remnants of the ISIS* terrorist organization, while the United States is working to revive ISIS terrorist activity."

US forces maintain control over the northeastern portion of Syria, sitting on top of its most energy and food-rich areas, and robbing the war-torn country of the resources it needs to complete reconstruction in the aftermath of a decade-long CIA-fueled dirty war aimed at overthrowing the Assad government.

* IS, also known as ISIS, ISIL, and Daesh, is a terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

A Sputnik

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Iraqi resistance group warns of 'looming storm'

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 26, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- A senior official of an Iraqi resistance group says the recent decision to halt attacks on American bases and facilities was tactical one, warning of "a looming storm" against invaders and occupiers.

According to IRNA's Foreign Policy Group, Sheikh Akram al-Kaabi, the Secretary General of the Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba resistance movement made the remarks while addressing the group's supporters about the strategy to confront American and Zionist invaders.

Al-Kaabi issued a 6-point statement on Sunday, a copy of which was also obtained by IRNA.

While complaining about the betrayal of Iraqi resistance forces by some politicians, Al-Kaabi said his group completely abides by the decisions taken by the Iraqi Resistance Front but said "we will either win or be martyred in our continued efforts to target the Zionist regime and expel the invaders from Iraq".

"The Iraqi resistance has played a significant role in the Gaza war and offered many martyrs, and these bloods have made us firm on the path of freedom", he said.

The statement also touched on the US withdrawal from Iraq: We are not against consulting with our government regarding the timetable, but we emphasize that their withdrawal through dialogue is an "illusion" as "Americans only understand the language of force not dialogue".

He further noted that stopping the attacks on US positions was temporary due to the presence of traitors who passed out some information to the Americans but said this calm is before a storm.

While emphasizing that resistance groups are in harmony, Nujaba official pledged to continue to support Palestinians and expel the occupiers from Iraq.

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'Iran gas project to help Pakistan save over $5b per annum'

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 24, 2024

Islamabad, IRNA -- Pakistani media outlets have reported that a decision by this country's federal cabinet to start works on an 80-kilometer segment of the pipeline from Gwadar to the Iranian border would enable Pakistan to save more than $5 billion annually through buying gas from the neighboring state.

According to Pakistan's Geo News, the caretaker Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) approved on Friday works on the first phase of the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline, which will increase the hope for boosting Pakistan's energy security.

The pipe-laying project from the Iranian borderline to Gwadar port city in Balochistan province, Pakistan, is estimated to cost 45 billion Pakistani rupees, which will provide the country with the opportunity to import cost-effective gas from Iran.

Some informed sources in Pakistan said that Islamabad would be able to avoid an 18 billion US dollar fine with the laying of the pipeline.

Pakistani Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday: "Caretaker cabinet committee approves work on Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline."

"About time bold & necessary decisions benefiting the interests of people of Pakistan were taken, the Iran-Pakistan Pipeline is absolutely vital for Pakistan's Energy Security & Economic Independence!" he added.

The gas pipeline project has been facing delays since 2014. In January, Tehran issued a third notice to Islamabad, warning that it would refer the case to the arbitration court for not laying the pipeline as part of the project.

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Pakistani Police Detain Dozens At Postelection Protest In Karachi

By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal February 24, 2024

Pakistani police on February 24 detained dozens of political workers in Karachi who staged protests outside the provincial assembly in the southern Sindh Province against alleged fraud in February's general elections.

Protesters had gathered in front of the assembly building ahead of the swearing-in of newly elected members.

The police also baton-charged the protesters.

Out of 168 members of the Sindh provincial assembly, 148 took their oath.

The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), PTI and Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM-Haqiqi) had announced plans for a joint protest outside the Sindh assembly.

Sindh's provincial government on February 23 invoked Section 144 of the criminal code in anticipation of the protest, citing concerns about security and order. That section prohibits gatherings of five or more people and bans public assemblies, gatherings, protests, processions, or demonstrations.

The Sindh showdown comes against a backdrop of national political tension following a power-sharing agreement to allow rivals of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan to pick a candidate for prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, and president.

The Pakistan Muslim League, the Pakistan People's Party, and smaller parties after the February 8 vote announced on February 20 that they had secured a majority to support a coalition government.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistani-police-detain-dozens-at- postelection-protest-in-karachi/32833521.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.

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Thirteenth package of sanctions against Russia adopted

Government Offices of Sweden

23 February 2024

The EU has adopted its 13th package of sanctions against Russia, focusing on companies in the Russian arms industry. With this package, there are now more than 2 000 names on the list of individuals and entities subject to sanctions.

"Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago, but Russia's aggression has been ongoing for 10 years. It is hugely important that the EU continues to expand the sanctions against Russia. The emphasis in this package is on the Russian military sector, which the Government welcomes. We want to see work begin immediately on a 14th package following today's decision," says Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias BillstrAm.

The 13th sanctions package comprises both sectoral measures, including new export restrictions, and new listings of individuals and entities subject to sanctions. The list of companies subject to stricter export restrictions due to their supporting role in the Russian war industry is being expanded.

In addition, around 100 individuals and 80 entities will be subject to sanctions involving bans on travel to the EU, asset-freezing and prohibitions on making funds available to them. They include individuals and entities in the Russian military sector, public representatives of the Russian occupation on Ukrainian territory, individuals and entities responsible for the deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied areas, and Russian individuals and entities involved in supplying arms to Russia.

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Why Russia's Tu-160M Strategic Bomber is Second to None For Nuclear Deterrence

Sputnik News

20240223

Ekaterina Blinova

Russian President Vladimir Putin took a flight on an upgraded Tu-160M strategic bomber-missile carrier on Thursday. What do military experts say about the warplane?

"The technology is excellent. It really belongs to a new generation. Of course it can be accepted by the Armed Forces," President Putin said after completing the flight on the Tu-160M plane 'Ilya Muromets'.

The Tu-160M is an upgraded version of the Tu-160, dubbed the White Swan by Russian pilots. The new aircraft, which made its debut flight on January 12, has upgraded engines, sophisticated avionics, new weapons control and electronic warfare systems.

"In fact, what has been left of the old aircraft is the fuselage," Dmitry Drozdenko, a military analyst and chief editor of the Fatherland Arsenal Internet portal, told Sputnik. "The engines were replaced with the NK-32-02 of the 'second series'. That is, more advanced. The plane was completely shaken up in terms of avionics, radio-electronic equipment, control systems, everything. From an aircraft of the 20th century, it has become a warplane of the 21st century."

The NK-32-02 engines allow the upgraded White Swan to increase its flight range by a thousand kilometers, as Russian military expert Yury Knutov told Sputnik in February 2022.

The warplane's engine is a brainchild of Russian engineers. The distant prototype of the NK-32-02 was the NK-6, the world's first dual-circuit engine with an afterburner that boasted a maximum thrust of 22 tons. It was invented by prominent Soviet designer Nikolai Kuznetsov in the 1950s and successfully tested in 1956. Such engines appeared in the US only 15 years later.

The work on the creation of the NK-32 engine for Tu-160 began in 1977. In 1983, the new engine was ranked the first in the world in terms of thrust for combat aircraft. Decades later, in 2016, PJSC "Kuznetsov" announced that it would produce a new version of the famous NK-32.

The Tu-160M is capable of carrying 12 long-range cruise missiles - including the non-nuclear Kh-555 and Kh-101, as well as the nuclear Kh-102 - in two launchers inside the fuselage with a maximum payload of 45 tons.

Earlier, a source in the aircraft industry told Sputnik that the Tu-160M could be equipped with a rear-view radar which would allow the warplane to fire missiles "backwards" against air-to-air, surface-to-air missiles and fighters. The source added that "the use of rear-view radar on heavy bombers is reasonable, given that they are low-maneuverable and may not have time to turn towards the enemy."

'US is Struggling to Catch Up'

"Why are we upgrading [the Tu-160] warplane? The fact is that, from the point of view of [the Russian military] concept, a modern strategic bomber is not just a bomber, but a platform for launching strategic cruise missiles. They are launched at distances of 1,000 kilometers. Therefore, the task of modern aircraft is to quickly and efficiently reach the launch area and conduct the launch," explained Drozdenko.

Given that the Tu-160's niche has not been filled so far by any modern foreign aircraft, it appears rational and cost-effective to focus on its production, instead of pouring billions of dollars into highly-expensive military projects akin to the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program that cost reached a whopping $416 billion in 2023.

The military expert explained that the Tu-160M does not have analogs in the world. For instance, the US-made B1B had served as a bomber equipped for nuclear armament only until 2007. The US modern B2 war plane, also known as the stealth bomber, can carry nuclear weapons, but it cannot fire multiple cruise missiles loaded in a revolving launcher, like Russia's Tu-160/160M, according to Drozdenko.

"[As a result] the B2 Spirit can deliver a nuclear strike only when it is actually above the target, that is, not 1,000 kilometers away; it has to rely on its 'invisibility' to somehow overcome all air defenses, which is in fact an unrealistic task," the expert stressed.

Presently, the US is modernizing its old B-52 bombers, according to Drozdenko. In January the US press reported the Pentagon's $48.6 billion plan for the B-52 to extend its service life until 2060. The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress made its maiden flight 71 years ago. Simultaneously, the US is hastily developing its new Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider.

Russia's Tu-160/160M, capable of reaching almost Mach 2 speed (2,200 km/h) remains second to none, the expert argued.

"When NATO tried to intercept it, the plane simply folded its wings and in the blink of an eye, it was gone. The American F-35 fighters could not catch up merely in terms of speed. That is, a unique case: a bomber flies faster than a fighter. This is quite important," he said.

What are the Tu-160M's Tasks?

The military expert stressed that the Tu-160's main purpose is to carry combat duty with missiles, which are an important factor in Russia's deterrence and nuclear forces.

"Its main goal is to quickly launch missiles, and one [nuclear] missile would mean one metropolis [is destroyed]. This is one of the most important nuclear deterrent forces," Drozdenko pointed out.

"[The Tu-160M will perform] the same tasks that were previously performed by long-range aviation planes," Andrey Krasnoperov, military expert and Russian Aerospace Major, told Sputnik.

"We had a whole series of the Tu-16, the Tu-95, the Tu-22M aircraft. But they all have different ranges. Some have a lower speed; The Tu-16 and the Tu-95 are both subsonic and strategic. There is the Tu-22 supersonic aircraft, but their flight range is not as long as that of the Tu-160. [The Tu-160] used to fly safely to Venezuela. That is, they have a fairly long range, and they are the main carriers of [Russia's] bombs and strategic missiles. It is a weapon of deterrence."

A Sputnik

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Russia to Seek From Lithuania, EU Compliance With Kaliningrad Transit Obligations - Moscow

Sputnik News

20240223

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia will seek from Lithuania and the European Union the fulfillment of political and legal obligations for uninterrupted passenger and cargo transit to Russia's Kaliningrad exclave, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik.

Lithuania has decided to close the Lavoriskes and Raigardas crossings on the border with Belarus on March 1, as well as prohibit the boarding of passengers at the Kena and Kybartai railroad stations.

However, passenger trains of the Russian company Russian Railways have been traveling to Kaliningrad through Lithuania for several years without boarding or disembarking passengers on Lithuanian territory.

Zakharova said the decision will not affect Russian citizens traveling on transit trains to the Kaliningrad Region using a simplified railway travel document, since in this case boarding/disembarking is carried out only at the final destinations.

"This is another attempt by Vilnius to create additional difficulties for Russians and Belarusians by any means. It must be said that this has happened in the past, and in their anti-Russian impulse, Lithuanians do not think about the interests of their own citizens. For our part, we will continue to push Vilnius and Brussels to fulfill their political and international legal obligations to ensure uninterrupted Kaliningrad transit - both passenger and cargo," she said.

A Sputnik

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Daughter Of Assassinated Kremlin Foe Nemtsov Says Putin Fears 'Dead Navalny No Less Than Living Navalny'

By Current Time February 24, 2024

The exiled daughter of assassinated Kremlin political foe Boris Nemtsov has called the treatment of the body of recently deceased opposition leader Aleksei Navalny by Russian officials "absolutely terrifying, surreal" and a "monstrous, inhumane story" that demonstrates just how deeply President Vladimir Putin fears Navalny's legacy of dissent.

"Vladimir Putin is afraid of the dead Navalny no less than he was afraid of the living Navalny," Zhenna Nemtsova told Current Time in a televised interview a week after Russian authorities said Navalny died after collapsing at an Arctic prison.

Nemtsova's father was a popular post-Soviet politician who became a vocal Putin critic who, like Navalny, produced in-depth reports of corruption before his death.

Boris Nemtsov was shot dead on a bridge near the Kremlin in Moscow in February 2015, weeks after publicly expressing fears that Putin might have him killed.

Nemtsova said Russian state TV initially "covered my father very favorably but everything changed...when there was a funeral march" that demonstrated her father's popularity with tens of thousands of Russians taking to the streets even for "a political corpse."

Russian authorities subsequently discouraged expressions of mourning or looked the other way as ultranationalists bullied the slain sympathizers.

"They understand that the same thing will happen with Aleksei Navalny" if public memorials are allowed, Nemtsova said.

She told Current Time she is "absolutely convinced that millions of people in Russia and outside Russia are deeply concerned and mourning the murder of [Navalny] in prison." She predicted hundreds of thousands would attend if a funeral were held for him even amid the current repression.

Russia has doubled down on tools like "foreign agent" and "undesirable" designations in addition to brutal beatings and detentions to minimize public dissent since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began two years ago.

Still, police detained hundreds across the country in the days after Navalny's death and quickly eliminated makeshift memorials that sprung up in dozens of cities.

Navalny's widow and his mother have accused Putin of responsibility for his death, as have U.S. President Joe Biden and some other Western officials.

Russian officials deny foul play but have not released the remains and reportedly demanded a private memorial before they would hand over his body to Navalny's mother.

"I believe that Aleksei was killed on Putin's orders, and they are afraid that in the run-up to the elections, hundreds of thousands of people will come to say goodbye to Aleksei," Nemtsova said.

Putin is seeking to win a fifth presidential term in a carefully controlled March 15-17 vote in which election officials have already disqualified the only seemingly authentic anti-war aspirant.

Nemtsova said Putin's administration is trying to "dehumanize" in a similar way to what followed the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and her father's assassination a year later, including through accusations that Kremlin critics are "traitors."

"[B]ecause you must first dehumanize, and then you deal with your enemy, and people don't feel sorry for the person they consider a traitor," she said. "The same thing has been tried for years."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-nemtsov-putin- fears-dead-navalny-legacy/32833478.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.

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Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Challenges U.S. Buzz On Possible Nuclear Space Weapon

By RFE/RL February 24, 2024

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov says the United States has not shown any evidence for accusations that Moscow wants to put nuclear weapons in space, following U.S. media reports and official hints of concern at emerging Russian capabilities in space-based weapons.

The White House said on February 15 that Russia has obtained a "troubling" emerging anti-satellite "capability" but said it has not yet been deployed and posed no immediate threat.

In his statement carried by Russian state news agency RIA and quoted by Reuters, Ryabkov said contacts with U.S. officials had been "completely unproductive."

Reuters reported recently that U.S. intelligence thinks Russia's military might be working on nuclear-powered technology "to blind, jam, or fry the electronics inside satellites."

"I can confirm that it is related to an anti-satellite capability that Russia has developed," White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said of the concerns. Kirby said that while Russia's "pursuit of this particular capability is troubling, there is no immediate threat to anyone's safety."

The White House confirmation came a day after the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Representative Mike Turner (Republican-Ohio), urged the Biden administration to declassify information about what he called a serious national security threat.

Kirby suggested the timing of Turner's statement "regrettable" as reviewing and declassification processes were ongoing.

Moscow called the claims a tactic to encourage U.S. Congress to back aid for Ukraine.

Turner said he was asking Biden to declassify "all information relating to this threat so that Congress, the Administration, and our allies can openly discuss the actions necessary to respond."

Sullivan said it is Biden's decision whether or not to declassify any information.

The New York Times said the intelligence Turner referred to was related to Russia's attempts to develop a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon. This would potentially violate an international space treaty, to which more than 130 countries have signed onto, including Russia.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-us-accusations- nuclear-space-weapon/32833436.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.

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U.S. Sanctions Russia's Largest Shipper As It Says Oil Price Cap Enforcement Bearing Fruit

By RFE/RL February 24, 2024

WASHINGTON -- The United States said on February 23 that it is targeting Russia's largest state-owned shipping company and fleet operator for sanctions, saying at the same time that a price cap on Russian sea-borne oil imposed in December 2022 is serving its "twin goals" of limiting Kremlin profits from the sale of oil while promoting stable energy markets.

Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a news release that the targeting of Sovcomflot was the "next step" after the price cap.

"We are entering the next phase of increasing Russia's costs in a responsible manner to mitigate risks," Adeyemo said, adding that in addition to the designation of Sovcomflot, the treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has identified 14 crude oil tankers as property in which Sovcomflot has an interest.

OFAC said it issued a general license authorizing the offloading of crude oil or other cargo from these 14 vessels for a period of 45 days. In addition, OFAC is issuing a general license authorizing transactions with all other Sovcomflot-owned vessels at this time. Nothing in these general licenses changes any of the restrictions imposed by the price cap sanctions regime.

The Treasury Department earlier on February 23 released an analysis showing that Russia is selling its oil at a steeper discount to global prices since Western governments in October stepped up enforcement of its sanctions regime.

Russia sold its oil at an average discount of $19 last month compared with $12-$13 in October, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a February 23 statement. The Treasury Department oversees U.S. sanctions enforcement.

The United States and the European Union in December 2022 imposed a $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian oil shipped with the use of Western service providers -- such as transportation and insurance firms -- to curtail the Kremlin's ability to finance its war.

Chris Weafer, the founder of Macro-Advisory, a consulting firm focusing on the countries of the former Soviet Union, said the oil price cap is hard to enforce because the shadow Russian tankers change their names, registrations, and ownership to avoid detection by the United States and EU.

"It is a cat-and-mouse game with the mouse sailing rings around the cat," he said, adding there are dozens or hundreds of small companies owning these shadow tankers.

Russia is the world's second-largest oil exporter, and foreign sales of the fossil fuel account for more than a third of its federal budget. Most of its sea-borne oil exports used Western service providers prior to the sanctions. The wider discount means Russia is losing out on tens of millions of dollars a day in revenue.

The price cap initially had an immediate effect, driving down the price of Russian oil. However, in the ensuing months, as traders and buyers adjusted to the sanctions regime and as Russia scooped up its own shipping vessels, the discount shrank and Russia's average selling price surpassed $60.

In response, the United States and Europe in October announced they were stepping up enforcement to curtail cheating. Experts said that market participants were artificially inflating the cost of shipping to hide the fact that Russia's net price was above the cap. Russia had also purchased hundreds of vessels to avoid using Western service providers.

That month the United States slapped sanctions on two entities and put a freeze on two vessels for violating the Russian oil price cap, a move seen as a warning to other participants.

In January, it sanctioned a United Arab Emirates-based shipping company with 18 vessels that repeatedly made calls to Russian ports.

In its statement, the Treasury Department said the market for Russian oil continues to be highly opaque. It said it will continue to implement "creative solutions" to combat Russia's continuous attempts to avoid the price cap.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-sanctions-russia-s-largest-shipper-as-it- says-oil-price-cap-enforcement-bearing-fruit/32833407.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.

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Ambassador of Russia in Canada Oleg V. Stepanov about Malorossiya and a little about the future, February 22, 2024

24 February 2024 19:41

358-24-02-2024

The end of February is a period of significant events to discuss in absolutely sincere and candid manner. February 22 marks the tenth anniversary of the moment when the history of Europe and the Euro-Atlantic region was divided into 'before' and 'after'. In 2014, pro-Western ultranationalist forces seized power in Ukraine. The result of the street colour revolution of the Kiev "maidan" organized by the United States and its satellites was the death of hundreds of people. The people who were deceived by neoliberal propaganda believed that they were defending certain European values. Instead, they received a neo-Nazi regime with a so-called "anti-terrorist operation" against the ethnically Russian Donbass.

For many years, the western part of the world pretended not to notice the lawlessness that was taking place. The deaths of tens of thousands of civilians in the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics were ignored. The justification for the silence is truly monstrous. Due to the fact that certain patriots who disagreed with the illegitimate coup assumed power and were allegedly backed by Moscow, it became permissible to kill them.

Russia could not tolerate the targeted extermination of the Russian people. That was why, two years ago, on February 24, 2022, with a Special Military Operation we decided to put an end to the genocide once and for all. In recent interviews, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin has given a detailed explanation of the historical background of the Ukrainian crisis.

For my part, as Ambassador to Canada (the country some now call a "big Ukraine" - because of its policy - as opposed to a "smaller" one on our borders), I would like to look at the current state of affairs through my optics from Ottawa and perhaps take a glance a little beyond the horizon.

To begin with, it is important for foreign audiences to understand the main thing. The goals of the special military operation remain fully relevant. The outcome will include denazification (the Kiev fascist regime has no place in the modern world), demilitarization, and the right of people to determine their own fate.

Few people in Canada and the West are aware of what is now happening in the new regions of Russia. They are developing by leaps and bounds! There has never been such positive energy in "Ukrainian" times (since 1992), as the inhabitants themselves say. After 30 years under Kiev rule, these Russian lands are waking up. People are able to breathe deeply and freely now after they have thrown off the blue and yellow shackles. Now they live in democracy and equality, give birth to children, build houses, and cultivate land. They speak any language of personal preference and cultural upbringing, and practice any religion. Law safeguards it.

A brief note about Ukrainian past. There was a time after the so-called meeting in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, when an "independent Ukraine" emerged from the Ukrainian SSR (within the borders once defined by the Bolsheviks) with a rich heritage left to it. Those riches were stolen quickly. This entity turned into a failed puppet state. The leaders of the self-styled nationhood have pandered and cultivated to a fierce Ukrainian nationalism born in imperial Vienna in the early 20th century and nurtured by Nazi Germany during World War II. These bosses on Bankova street (government district in Kiev) were greedy, serving the interest of oligarchic clans. None of them thought about the welfare of the people. The Russians of Ukraine were commonly referred to as second-class citizens. The West, including NATO, the EU, and their allies, remained silent about this, appreciated it, or provided financial support.

In 2014, Washington puts Kiev on a short leash. The U.S. has been cultivating Russophobia after failing to make something out of Ukraine through 'orange revolutions' ('showcase of democracy' according to Anglo-Saxon methodology). The objective was to gain leverage against Russia and initiate a conflict to reestablish Washington's control over Europe and the collective West in a time of the decline of the American-centric imperialism.

Besides killing their own citizens in Donbass and burning them alive in Odessa, the Ukrainian authorities also persecuted people of Ukraine on ethnic and linguistic grounds. They have been ferociously trying to destroy the cultural identity of the Russian people living in the country. This situation existed long before the 2022 Special Military Operation.

It is now evident to everyone that those in Washington, D.C., had a plan for the actions of 2014 and beyond long before the actual events. The United States aimed to create from Ukraine a so-called anti-Russia, which could become a hotbed of hostility and instability close to our borders. Their NATO allies, including those in Paris and Berlin, were engaged in cheating on Washington's direct orders. The package of 'Minsk agreements' (its implementation surely could positively change the course of Ukrainian history) were employed by France and Germany only as a political cover to rearm the thugs of the Kiev regime. With one single goal: to set start and carry out a neo-Nazi blitzkrieg against Donbass at the end of February 2022. Russia launched a pre-emptive operation to repel the aggression. It was a forced decision, but timely and the only correct one. A decision by a sovereign, strong and independent country. In full accordance with the UN Charter.

The war unleashed by Kiev in February 2014 against the people of Ukraine, which is still being waged today, is very favorable to the United States. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg publicly acknowledged this during a speech at the Heritage Foundation in Washington on January 31, 2024. He welcomed the increase in defense spending by the allies and the purchase of U.S. weapons worth $120 billion. He said that it makes American businesses stronger. In other words, Mr. Stoltenberg clearly confirmed that the U.S. military-industrial complex earns hundreds of billions of dollars on the blood of the Ukrainian people.

The reader may wonder where is Zelensky in this equation. On the American chessboard, the current leader of the regime is a pawn. He represents nothing and decides nothing. The only thing he is focused on is how to throw more Ukrainian conscripts into the meat grinder. While enjoying the value of the trinkets that his family and the kickback-fueled thugs in the government, their wives, and children buy during begging tours of Western capitals.

What lies ahead of us? Let me stress: the current cannibal-terrorist regime in Kiev has no prospects. The citizens of Ukraine are already aware of this, even those under influence of propaganda.

We know by name all the instigators of the genocide against Russians and Russian-speakers. All the crimes, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed by neo-Nazis over the past ten years have been recorded and documented. The criminals will answer for every death, whether it be a Russian soldier, a civilian, a woman, or an innocent child. They will pay for the murder of philosopher and public figure Dasha Dugina, journalist Maxim Fomin (Vladlen Tatarsky), Heroes of Donbass - Alexander Zakharchenko, Arsen Pavlov (Motorola), Vladimir Zhoga (Vokha), Mikhail Tolstykh (Givi) and many others. Criminals now hiding in fear in Western jurisdictions will not avoid responsibility. Zelensky, Poroshenko, Turchinov, and their butcher accomplices will face a trial.

And the West's belief that it can get away with things after waging a hybrid war against Russia is mistaken. Washington and NATO will be held accountable for sponsoring Kiev's killing machine for years. They will answer for everything and the price will be judged by those whose lands were burned by the West's 'indirect war'. Life will judge. History will judge.

And one more thing. In this context, it is important that we, Russia, take a new look at ourselves. The Special Military Operation has not only exposed the tumor of Western aggression that had been growing in Ukraine. It has completely dispelled the myths in Russian society about possibility of equally valuable dialogue with the West. The self-deception has evaporated. We returned to our wise historic popularly shared understanding that Russia is a separate unique self-sufficient nation and civilization. Its spiritual, economic, and cultural bonds are incredibly strong. The external foe crashed against the rock of unshakable Russian spirit.

Russia, with its millennium history, will always stand guard over its borders, ideals of justice and truth.

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Russian Defence Minister inspects Russian Tsentr Group of Forces in special military operation zone

24.02.2024

During a visit to the special military operation zone, Russian Defence Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu was briefed by the Tsentr Group of Forces' commander and staff officers on the current situation, enemy actions, and Russian troops' performance in the Group's area of responsibility.

Tsentr Group of Forces' commander Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev reported to Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu that during the operation to liberate Avdeyevka the enemy was pushed back 10 kilometres away from the positions. The Russian troops continue advancing in all directions.

During the briefing of the commander and staff officers, Sergei Shoigu pointed out the need to provide the Group with everything necessary to successfully perform tasks.

The Group's commander Andrei Mordvichev reported to General of the Army Sergei Shoigu that despite 'the whining of the Kiev regime about the acute shortage of artillery ammunition, the intensity of the enemy's artillery has not decreased.'

Head of the Russian military department noted the role of drones during the special military operation, and added that the supply of drones to the troops is planned, which are controlled using artificial intelligence technologies increasing the effectiveness of its use. 'We have come to this. This is becoming a pretty serious weapon,' Sergei Shoigu said.

The Group's commander noted that nowadays the effectiveness of the use of reconnaissance-strike and reconnaissance-attack systems by our units has significantly increased.

Over the past two weeks of February in Avdeyevka direction, attack unmanned aerial vehicles wiped out more than 700 enemy targets, including armoured hardware, artillery systems, radar means, and enemy manpower.

The Orlan-30 reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles proved its worth during liberation of Avdeyevka.

The Group's commander Andrei Mordvichev reported that in accordance with the instructions of the Russian Defence Minister, unmanned aerial vehicle teams have been created in formations and units, armed with both reconnaissance and attack drones.

Russian Defence Minister has set the task to further strengthen the Group by means of electronic warfare, primarily on the tactical level.

At the Group's command post, head of the Russian military department Sergei Shoigu awarded distinguished commanders with personalized firearms, spoke with military personnel, and thanked them for exemplary performance of combat tasks.

The officers reported to Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on the mass surrender of Ukrainian servicemen in Avdeyevka. 'We have already captured about two hundred prisoners after the sweep, and according to gathered information, we plan to capture about a hundred more prisoners in the coming days,' the Group's commander said.

The Russian Defence Minister drew special attention to the need for humane treatment of captured servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 'You have heard what the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation said - humanely, as it has always been,' Sergei Shoigu stressed.

Deputy commander of the Central MD's Lieutenant General Yevgeny Tsindyakin drew attention to the shortcomings of Western weapons using the example of the U.S.-made M113 armored personnel carrier.

'The disadvantage of this vehicle is its poor cross-country ability. This applies to almost all European vehicles in our conditions,' said Yevgeny Tsindyakin.

The deputy commander of the Central MD's added that 'if we analyse the entire range of exhibits, then we are faced in full with the entire military-industrial potential of NATO.'

'It is clear to the whole world that the best assault rifle is Kalashnikov, no, they fight us anyway,' Sergei Shoigu added.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Regular Units for Use of Drones Created in Russian Armed Forces

Sputnik News

20240224

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Regular units for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been created in the Russian Armed Forces, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected Russia's Center group of troops in the special military operation zone, where he heard reports from the group's commander and staff officers.

"The commander of the group, Andrey Mordvichev, reported that in accordance with the instructions of the minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, regular units for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles have been created in formations and units. They are armed with both reconnaissance and attack drones," the ministry said.

It said Shoigu announced that the Russian Armed Forces would receive drones controlled using artificial intelligence technologies.

The ministry said the effectiveness of the use of reconnaissance-strike and reconnaissance-fire systems by Russian units has increased significantly.

According to the statement, over the last two weeks of February, Russian attack drones in the Avdeyevka direction destroyed over 700 Ukrainian targets.

"In the last two weeks of February alone, attack drones near Avdeyevka destroyed more than 700 different enemy targets, including armored vehicles, artillery systems, radar equipment, as well as enemy manpower," the ministry said.

It said Orlan-30 reconnaissance drones performed well during the liberation of Avdeyevka.

The ministry said Shoigu set the task to further strengthen the Center group with electronic warfare equipment.

A Sputnik

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UK prime minister says West 'must be bolder' in seizing frozen Russian assets

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 6:36 PM

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that allied Western countries supporting Ukraine "must be bolder" in seizing frozen Russian assets.

In an op-ed run by The Sunday Times, Sunak called on the Group of Seven (G7) nations to find a "lawful way" to seize more frozen Russian assets and pass the proceeds over to Ukraine's government to aid its forces fighting against Russian troops.

"We must be bolder in hitting the Russian war economy ... And we must be bolder in seizing the hundreds of billions of frozen Russian assets," he insisted.

Allied Western countries began freezing Russian assets shortly after Russia began its special military operation in eastern Ukraine in 2022.

They have gathered about $600 billion in frozen Russian assets and funds; however, efforts to pass the money over to Ukraine have created legal issues, raising concerns over precedent, as well as the future of Ukraine's economy.

Meanwhile, the Russian government has strongly criticized EU and US plans to seize Russian assets and pass the funds over to Ukraine's military, saying any such illegal actions will be sued in international courts.

"[W]e consider all cases related to blocking, arrest or other withholding of any funds related to state property, private property and mixed property of the Russian Federation abroad to be illegal acts," Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in September.

Meanwhile, Cornell University sanctions expert Nicholas Mulder told Western media last month that the seizure of frozen Russian assets by Western countries and passing the proceeds to Kiev could do damage to Ukraine.

In late December, the European Union reached a tentative agreement to transfer its portion of the global funds, about $216 billion from the Russian central bank, to help the Kiev government.

Also, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved legislation allowing the Government to freeze Russian assets and allocate the proceeds for Kiev.

The legislation, if signed, would mark the first time the US has seized foreign assets of a country it is not at war with. Lawmakers said the Biden administration is supportive of the bill.

"Generally speaking, we are supportive of having domestic legislative authorities that will give us flexibility as we continue to discuss with partners and allies on how best to cease Russia's aggression in Ukraine and ensure Russia pays for the damage it has caused," a Biden administration official told The Hill last month.

"We are also engaged in active conversations with our allies and partners, including the [Group of Seven], to ensure we are all coordinated in making Russia pay," the official added.

So far, at least $500,000 has been transferred from the US to Ukraine, with a first-of-its-kind transfer taking place last week via Estonia. The US Department of Justice said Estonia is receiving the funds first, because "under current authorities, the facts of this case do not allow for a direct transfer to Ukraine."

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Syria: Statement by the High Representative on the latest report on the use of chemical weapons in Syria

European External Action Service (EEAS)

25.02.2024

EEAS Press Team

On 22 February, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) issued a report that found the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)/Da'esh responsible for a chemical weapons attack on 1 September 2015 in the Marea town in northwest Syria.

The report concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe that ISIL/Da'esh units fired artillery munitions containing sulphur mustard at various locations, affecting at least 11 persons.

The European Union strongly condemns the use of these heinous weapons.

The use of chemical weapons by anyone - be it a State or a non-State actor - anywhere, at any time and under any circumstances is a violation of international law and can amount to the most serious of international crimes - war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Impunity for these horrible acts must not be tolerated. It is now up to the international community to take appropriate action.

In light of this new report, the European Union is ready to consider introducing further measures as appropriate.

As a member of the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, the EU is committed to ensuring full accountability for those responsible for the use of these heinous crimes in Syria and beyond.



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Three killed as Israeli drone targets western Syria near Lebanon border

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 11:07 AM

At least three people were killed when an Israeli unnamed aerial vehicle carried out a strike in Syria's strategic west-central province of Homs, close to the border with Lebanon.

Lebanon's Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network, citing local sources, reported that the Israeli drone targeted two trucks as they were traveling along a road near al-Qusayr city, located about 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Homs, on Sunday.

The sources added that the act of aggression took place close to the bridge over the Orontes River that begins in Lebanon, flowing northwards through Syria before entering the Mediterranean Sea.

Two people were killed in an Israeli missile strike on a residential building in an upscale neighborhood of the capital Damascus on Wednesday morning.

The Syrian Defense Ministry said in a statement at the time that the Israeli army launched an aerial attack with several missiles from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, targeting a residential building near the Cham City Center shopping mall and a school in Kafar Sousah neighborhood.

The attack killed two civilians and injured another and caused material damage to the targeted building and some adjacent buildings, the ministry added.

The upsurge in Israel's acts of aggression against Syria comes following the Tel Aviv regime's onslaught against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Israel waged the devastating 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 29,195 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 69,170 others.

Israel also 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.

Syria intercepts, shoots down 7 terrorist drones in Hama, Idlib

Meanwhile, Syrian air defense forces have managed to foil attacks by Takfiri militants against military sites and government-controlled areas in the western provinces of Hama and Idlib.

Syria's official news agency SANA, citing a statement issued by the Ministry of Defense, reported that anti-aircraft defense systems intercepted and brought down seven unmanned aerial vehicles.

The drones were about to target Syrian army positions and several locations in the two neighboring provinces.

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China Accuses US of Containment Strategy Over Taiwan Arms Sales

Sputnik News

20240223

BEIJING (Sputnik) - Beijing calls on Washington to stop arming Taiwan and put an end to provocations by using the island to contain China, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said on Friday.

On Thursday, the US Department of State has approved a possible sale of communications defense equipment to Taiwan estimated at $75 million, the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said.

"We urge the United States to strictly abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, stop arms sales to Taiwan and Washington-Taipei military ties, stop arming Taiwan in any way and stop provocative actions by using Taiwan to contain China," Zhang said in a statement released by the ministry.

The Taiwan issue is the first "red line" in China-US relations that cannot be crossed, while arming the island is a very dangerous "bet," the spokesman added.

"We strongly oppose US arms sales to Taiwan. This position is firm and clear ... China will take resolute and effective measures to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Zhang said.

Tensions between the US and China soared in August 2022 after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to Taiwan despite Beijing's warnings against the visit. Beijing condemned Pelosi's trip, which it regarded as a gesture of support for separatism, and launched large-scale military drills in the vicinity of the island.

Taiwan has been governed independently of mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan maintains that it is an autonomous country but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign states with Taipei and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable.

A Sputnik

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U.S., EU express support for Taiwan's international participation

ROC Central News Agency

02/24/2024 05:48 PM

Washington, Feb. 23 (CNA) The United States and the European Union issued a joint statement Friday praising Taiwan for its vibrant democracy and expressing support for its meaningful participation in international organizations.

The statement was released following talks between the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and the European External Action Service Secretary-General Stefano Sannino, which were held from Feb. 7-8.

The two officials touched on a number of issues that included Taiwan during the sixth High-Level U.S.-EU Dialogue on China and the fifth U.S.-EU High-Level Consultations on the Indo-Pacific, according to the statement.

The statement said that the U.S. and the EU "affirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and called for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues."

Both sides "welcomed Taiwan's vibrant democratic process, including the presidential and legislative elections in January" and expressed "support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations," the statement said.

It added that while the U.S. and the EU supported Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations, "there is no change in their basic positions on Taiwan, including stated one China policies."

During the meeting, the two officials also spoke about U.S. and EU diplomatic efforts with China and the trajectory of their respective bilateral relationships.

"Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino reiterated their openness to continued substantive engagement with China both where there are areas of common interest and on areas of difference," the statement said.

The two officials, meanwhile, also discussed the need for increased global awareness and decisive action to address continued human rights abuses by China.

According to the statement, the U.S. Department of State and the European External Action Service plans to hold the next round of talks in Brussels later this year.

(By Chiang Chin-yeh and Ko Lin)

Enditem/ASG

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Senior CPC official urges firm efforts to advance national reunification

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:43, February 24, 2024

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Wang Huning, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has urged firm efforts to advance the cause of national reunification.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks at a meeting on Taiwan affairs held in Beijing on Thursday and Friday.

Wang stressed resolutely implementing the Party's overall policy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era and the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee on work related to Taiwan.

Wang said progress was made in cross-strait relations last year, which also saw the consolidation and expansion of the commitment to the one-China principle within the international community. He called for strengthening the strategic initiative for China's complete reunification.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and is a crucial year for achieving the goals and tasks set out in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), Wang said, calling for efforts to carry out Taiwan-related work with a strong sense of responsibility and mission.

Stressing the importance of upholding of the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, he called for advancing the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations with efforts to expand cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation in various areas, deepen the integrated development on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and jointly promote Chinese culture to forge closer bonds between compatriots across the Strait.

Wang also asked for strong hands against "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and the interference by external forces to safeguard peace and stability in the Strait, while stressing upholding and strengthening the Party's overall leadership over work related to Taiwan.

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting.

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Chinese mainland maritime law enforcement authorities conduct patrol near Kinmen

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Published: Feb 25, 2024 10:24 PM

The Chinese mainland's maritime law enforcement authorities on Sunday conducted more patrols in waters near Kinmen in a move to safeguard the safety of fishermen's lives and property, after Taiwan authorities brutally assaulted a mainland fishing boat in the region earlier this month which led to the death of two crew members.

The combined effect of the fatal incident and continued "Taiwan independence" activities by the secessionist Taiwan authorities will see such patrols become routine, experts said.

The coast guard of East China's Fujian Province on Sunday organized a flotilla and conducted a law enforcement patrol in waters near Kinmen, the China Coast Guard (CCG) said in a press release on Sunday.

During the patrol, the coast guard vessels took measures including maneuvering-in-formation, identification and verification, providing escorts to fishing vessels, as well as verbal warnings, strengthened law enforcement patrols in key waters, effectively safeguarded working order in related regions and pragmatically safeguarded the safety of fishermen's lives and property, the CCG said.

According to photos attached to the CCG press release, mainland cutters sailed close to boats from the island of Taiwan, with Kinmen island in visual range.

The Fujian Coast Guard on Sunday conducted a comprehensive law enforcement exercise in waters between Xiamen and Kinmen, testing law enforcement vessels' instant reaction and emergency response capabilities, the CCG announced later on the same day.

It marked the second time that the CCG has made an announcement disclosing law enforcement patrols in the region, coming after CCG spokesperson Gan Yu's statement on February 18 that Fujian coast guard would strengthen maritime law enforcement and conduct regular law enforcement patrols in waters between Fujian's Xiamen and Kinmen.

Fujian's maritime and fisheries law enforcement authority on Sunday also sent two vessels for a law enforcement patrol in waters between Xiamen and Kinmen, according to a notice released on Sunday on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Such regular law enforcement activities will be further enhanced based on needs, the notice said.

The enhanced law enforcement patrols by the Chinese mainland authorities were triggered by a fatal incident on February 14 in which a Chinese mainland fishing boat was brutally assaulted by Taiwan authorities in waters near Taiwan authorities-administered Kinmen Island. All four people on board fell into the sea, of which two died.

It also came at a time after separatist Lai Ching-te just won Taiwan's regional leader election as well as continued "Taiwan independence" activities by Taiwan authorities, observers said.

Just as the announcements had said, the mainland's law enforcement forces will now regularly conduct patrols in the region, a Chinese mainland expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday.

Even before the latest incident that caused deaths of mainland fishermen, Taiwan authorities frequently harassed mainland fishing boats, but the mainland showed goodwill and provided many benefits to Taiwan compatriots, the expert said.

But this goodwill has gone to waste, and the Taiwan authorities insist on separatist activities, forcing the mainland to take forceful measures, on the one hand, safeguard mainland's normal fishing activities, and on the other hand, deter "Taiwan independence" forces, the expert said.

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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Feb. 25, 2024

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2024/02/25

PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

1.Dateis

6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Saturday to Sunday, Feb. 24-25



2.PLA activitiesis

4 PLA aircraft and 4 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities.

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"We will continue to work with determination in defense industry"

Presidency of The Republic of Turkey

24.02.2024

Addressing citizens in Sakarya, President ErdoAYan said: "We will continue to work with determination in defense industry in line with our goals, for which we constantly raise the bar."

President and Justice and Development (AK) Party Chairman Recep Tayyip ErdoAYan addressed citizens at the party's rally in Sakarya.

"BEING STRONG IN EVERY AREA IS AN OBLIGATION FOR TARKAYE"

"As you know there are no terrorists at home," President ErdoAYan stated, and went on to say: "They all left. They have recently attempted to establish a terroristan along our southern borders. With the cross-border operations we have carried out, we have torn apart that scenario as well."

"We track wherever there is a terrorist and crush their heads. We will maintain our fight no matter whoever backs them until we neutralize the last terrorist," President ErdoAYan noted.

Underscoring that having a powerful army and a strong defense industry is a must for TArkiye and the Turkish nation in order to live in peace and safety on these lands, President ErdoAYan noted that although it may be a choice for other countries, being strong in every area is an obligation for TArkiye.

"THE ONLY THING THAT WILL PROTECT US AGAINST OUR ENEMIES IS OUR OWN STRENGTH"

"Otherwise neither international law nor alliances we are a member of or the United Nations, whose impotence is accepted by all, can defend us against our enemies. The only thing that will protect us against our enemies is our own brute force, own strength as well as our own means and capabilities. Otherwise, they would give no respite to us in this geography."

President ErdoAYan said: "We bitterly see this truth with its examples in our near environ. We all remember the massacres that took place in Bosnia 30 years ago. Our Bosnian brothers and sisters faced an overt genocide in the heart of Europe. Western countries and institutions just stood idly by. Two million people were literally massacred in Iraq. No one paid any attention. Azerbaijani lands and Karabakh, which is a part of it, were remained occupied for years. Many massacres, including Khojaly, were carried out, but no one took any action. One million people were brutally killed in Syria; 12 million people were forced to migrate. No one took a step to stop the oppression."

"WESTERN POWERS CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE OCCUPYING ISRAELI ARMY WITH ALL KINDS OF WEAPONS"

Stating that 30 thousand innocent Palestinians, many of them children, women and civilians, have been martyred in Gaza since October 7 and over 70 thousand civilians have been injured, President ErdoAYan continued as follows: "Neither western powers nor the United Nations Security Council has made any useful effort to prevent the Israeli atrocity. They have been a mere onlooker to the crimes against humanity Israel has been committing for 140 days. Such that the United Nations Security Council do not, cannot even call on Israel to declare 'immediate ceasefire'. Allah forbid, if we suffer a disaster in the future as well, the situation we will face will be no different than this."

"WE MEET THE NEEDS OF FRIENDLY AND BROTHERLY COUNTRIES AS WELL"

"In fact, we have been there," President ErdoAYan said, and added: "While the DAESH and PKK threats to our country from Syrian territory intensified, the countries, which we call ally, dismantled and took away the air defense systems stationed on our lands. They did not give us the weapons, equipment or ammunition we needed in the fight against terror. They even prevented us from procuring guns, of which we are today among the world's biggest producers and exporters."

Further stressing that having KAAN warplane, TCG ANADOLU ship, UCAVs AKINCI and KIZILELMA, UAV ANKA, ATAK helicopter, ALTAY tank and various missile systems is a matter of survival for TArkiye, President ErdoAYan added that they have started to reap the fruits of the investments they have made in the defense sector over the past 21 years in terms of both security and exportation.

Pointing out that they meet the needs of friendly and brotherly countries together with theirs, President ErdoAYan said: "Last year, we achieved a record exportation figure of 5.5 billion dollars by exporting 230 kinds of products to 185 countries. Sakarya, as has been the case in other areas, has been one of the leading cities of our country in these efforts of ours. We will continue to work with determination in defense industry in line with our goals, for which we constantly raise the bar."

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"TArkiye is taking firm steps towards becoming a global power"

Presidency of The Republic of Turkey

25.02.2024

Addressing citizens in Adana, President ErdoAYan said: "In the international arena, we have resolutely defended the rights of our country, the interests of our state and the honor of our nation. Everyone who follows international politics now recognizes this fact; TArkiye is rising above being a regional power and taking firm steps towards becoming a global power."

President and Justice and Development (AK) Party Chairman Recep Tayyip ErdoAYan addressed citizens at the party's rally in Adana.

Underlining that they have been endeavoring in every field for the children, the assurance of our future, President ErdoAYan said: "Despite all the obstacles we have faced, we have paid our debt of gratitude to our homeland in a worthy manner so far."

"TARKAYE'S KEY ROLE IN RESOLVING CRISES IS INCREASINGLY RECOGNIZED"

"In the international arena, we have resolutely defended the rights of our country, the interests of our state and the honor of our nation," President ErdoAYan said. "In foreign policy, we are not a country working to hear 'well done' from Europe; we are a country that is applauded all over the world for its upright and resilient stance. Everyone who follows international politics now recognizes this fact; TArkiye is rising above being a regional power and taking firm steps towards becoming a global power. Our country's key role in resolving crises is increasingly recognized."

Underscoring that that TArkiye's robust defense industry underlies its boosting prestige in foreign policy, President ErdoAYan said: "As our foreign dependence in the defense industry has decreased, our influence in the international arena has increased."

"When we took office, our defense industry was 80 percent dependent on foreigners. We were procuring most of the weapons and ammunition we used in the fight against terrorism from abroad," President ErdoAYan said. "We started to produce the weapons used by our security forces, including pistols and rifles. We invested heavily in emerging technologies such as unmanned aerial vehicles and encouraged companies working in this field. Today, we are reaping the fruits of what we planted back in 2005 and 2010s. The projects we started years ago are now turning into airplanes, tanks, ships, missiles and rockets, of which we are all proud. TArkiye is making history in the field of defense industry. We commissioned the world's first UCAV ship ANADOLU last year. We are in the process of building a national submarine of our own design. We are already one of the top 3 countries in the world in the field of UAVs and UCAVs. Today, Turkish UAVs and UCAVs are protecting the skies of 34 different countries. Recently, we have added a new achievement to our list of glories. Our national combat aircraft KAAN successfully made its first flight. Thus, we became one of the 4 countries in the world that can produce a 5th generation aircraft."

"We will continue to strengthen and develop TArkiye in every field. We will achieve our country's goals as one, together, as brothers and sisters, all together as TArkiye. As the Century of TArkiye dawns, we will be proud to hand over the legacy of our ancestors to the next generations," President ErdoAYan said.

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February 24, 2024

Release

Readout of Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Sasha Baker's Travel to the United Kingdom, 3rd U.S. - UK Strategic Policy Dialogue

Department of Defense Spokesman Lt. Col. David Herndon provided the following readout:



Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Sasha Baker returned from travel today after meetings at U.S. Embassy London and co-chairing the 3rd Strategic Policy Dialogue (SPD) on Feb. 23 with her UK counterpart, Director General Security Policy Paul Wyatt.



Ms. Baker participated in meetings with U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Matthew Palmer and U.S. Embassy Country Team members to discuss interagency collaboration and work that continues to reaffirm U.S. and UK enduring shared strategic interests.

During the SPD, Mr. Wyatt and Ms. Baker developed policy guidance for their militaries ahead of the Strategic Effects and Force Alignment Board, which is scheduled for later this year.

The leaders discussed a wide range of defense and security issues and focused on aligning U.S.-UK geographic and thematic priorities in the Euro-Atlantic, Indo-Pacific, and Middle East regions, while also synchronizing on global counterterrorism topics.

Ms. Baker highlighted the importance of maintaining integrated deterrence while addressing challenges posed by strategic competitors. Throughout the dialogue, participants discussed the necessity for comprehensive, whole-of-government approaches towards managing current and future global challenges.

Two years from Russia's brutal, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Mr. Wyatt and Ms. Baker stressed the imperative of working closely with global allies and partners, including NATO and European Union members, to maintain robust support for Ukraine.

Ms. Baker praised the UK's steadfast leadership on a range of recent security efforts, to include deterring Russian aggression, ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, and preserving the rules-based international order. The dialogue reaffirmed the close and durable U.S.-U.K. partnership and commitment to peace, security, and prosperity.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3686170/

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Speech of Foreign Minister RadosAaw Sikorski during the plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly

Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Republic of Poland

23.02.2024

On Friday, 23 February 2024, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland RadosAaw Sikorski delivered a speech at the plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly.

Excellencies,

On the 21st of February 2022, three days before the Russian invasion on Ukraine, Kenya's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Martin Kimani, spoke in the Security Council.

In his short but remarkable speech, the Ambassador talked about African countries' borders, inherited from the colonial empires, drawn with no regard for the existing nations and cultures.

It certainly did not make life any easier for the inhabitants of those states.

They could look backward and pursue racial, ethnic or religious homogeneity. And plunge into long-lasting conflicts.

But they took a different path.

Let me quote Ambassador Kimani: "we agreed that we would settle for the borders that we inherited, but we would still pursue continental political, economic and legal integration. (...) We chose to follow the rules of the Organisation of African Unity and the United Nations Charter, not because our borders satisfied us, but because we wanted something greater, forged in peace."

I remain grateful for these inspiring remarks.

The courageous vision of the Kenyan ambassador contrasts starkly with the path chosen by the Russian Federation.

Despite being a permanent Security Council member, Russia has repeatedly violated the UN Charter.

It's trying to crush a sovereign state and exterminate its cultural identity.

It shocked the world with brutality unseen for decades. We will never forget the atrocities committed in Bucha, Mariupol, or Kramatorsk.

It decided to block the transport of grain and to use food as a weapon, even though the number of people suffering from hunger is growing at an alarming rate.

Today, on the eve of the second anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kremlin shows no intention to change the course. Quite the reverse.

The aggression resonates globally, causing economic turbulence that affect us all.

Two years ago, the General Assembly adopted the resolution condemning Russia's violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity.

It demanded that Russia immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from Ukraine within the internationally recognised borders.

141 UN members stood up for Ukraine and against the breach of the international order.

As we expressed our position clearly and reiterated it on several other occasions in the General Assembly, we committed ourselves to support the victim.

We must fulfil this commitment.

We must restore the world based on the principles of sovereignty of nations, inviolability of the borders, and respect for personal freedoms.

We must hold the perpetrators and their accomplices accountable for their crimes.

Only our resolve can deter the neo-imperial delusions that may arise in any part of the world.

We need to stay the course until Mr. Putin understands that the days of European imperialism are gone, for good.

Thank you!

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Minister RadosAaw Sikorski delivers speech at the UN Security Council

Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Republic of Poland

23.02.2024

On Friday, 23 February 2024, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland RadosAaw Sikorski delivered a speech at the UN Security Council.

Madame President,

I associate myself with the words of minister Kuleba and my colleagues from the European Union.

I'm amazed at the tone and the content of the presentation by the Russian ambassador.

And I thought I could be useful by correcting the record. Ambassador Nebenzya has called Kyiv a client of the West. Actually, Kyiv is fighting to be independent of anybody.

He calls them a criminal Kyiv regime. In fact, Ukraine has a democratically elected government.

He calls them Nazis. Well, the president is Jewish, the defence minister is Muslim, and they have no political prisoners.

He said that Ukraine was wallowing in corruption. Well, Alexei Navalny documented how honest and full of probity his own country is.

He blamed the war on US neo-colonialism. In fact, Russia was trying to exterminate Ukraine in the 19th century, again under Bolsheviks, and now it is the third attempt.

He said we are prisoners of Russophobia. "Phobia" means irrational fear. Yet, we are being threatened almost every day by the former president of Russia and Putin's propagandists with nuclear annihilation. I put it to you that it is not irrational - when Russia threatens us, we trust them.

He said that we are denying Russia's security interests. Not true. We only started rearming ourselves when Russia started invading her neighbours.

He even said that Poland attacked Russia during World War II. What is he talking about? It was the Soviet Union that attacked Poland together with Nazi Germany on the 17th of September 1939. They even held a joint victory parade on the 27th of September.

He says that Russia has always only beaten back aggression. Well, what were then Russian troops doing at the gates of Warsaw in August 1920? They were on a topographic excursion? The truth is that for every time Russia was invaded, she has invaded ten times.

He says that it is a perfidious proxy war by the West. My advice is - don't fall into the Western trap. Withdraw your troops to international borders and avoid this Western plot.

He also says that there was an illegal coup in Kyiv in 2014. I was there. There was no coup. President Yanukovych murdered a hundred of his compatriots and was removed from office by a democratically elected Ukrainian parliament, including by his own party, the Party of Regions.

And finally he is saying that we the West are somehow trying to persuade that Russia can never be beaten. Well, Russia did not win the Crimean War, it didn't win the Russo-Japanese war, it didn't win the World War I, it didn't win the battle of Warsaw, it didn't win in Afghanistan and it didn't win the Cold War.

But there's good news. After each failure there were reforms.

Such demagoguery is unworthy of a member on a permanent basis of the Security Council. But what the ambassador has achieved is to remind us why we resisted Soviet domination and what Ukraine is resisting now.

They failed to subjugate us then. They'll fail to subjugate Ukraine and us now.

Thank you very much.

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Schumer Says Zelensky Told Him Ukraine Will Lose to Russia Without US Aid

Sputnik News

20240223

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Friday that Volodymyr Zelensky told him Ukraine would lose the conflict with Russia without US military assistance.

"President Zelensky told me and our delegation that Ukraine will lose the war with dire consequences for the Ukrainian people, the US, and democracy & freedom without this vital aid," Schumer wrote on X.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and the House must pass the Senate's national security bill as soon as possible, Schumer added.

Schumer is on a visit to Ukraine marking the second anniversary of Russia's special operation. The congressional delegation, which also includes senators Jack Reed, Michael Bennet, Richard Blumenthal, and Maggie Hassan, met with Zelensky.

The visit comes after the US Senate passed a $95 billion supplemental funding bill with $60 billion in additional Ukraine aid and $14.1 billion in security assistance for Israel, but no border security measures. House Speaker Mike Johnson said that the lower chamber has no plans to consider the current legislation after the Senate failed to propose "adequate" border security provisions.

Earlier this month, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna drafted the SCHUMER (Senators Can Help Underpin Military Engagement and Readiness) Act, a bill that seeks to require members of Congress who advocate for military aid to Ukraine to serve on the conflict's front lines themselves.

Russia has consistently warned against the continued arms deliveries to Ukraine, saying that they only prolong the conflict. Moscow also sees the Ukraine conflict as a hybrid war led by the United States.

A Sputnik

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Russian Air Defenses Down Ukrainian Jets, Helicopters, Patriot and Storm Shadow Missiles - MoD

Sputnik News

20240223

The Ministry of Defense reported on the successes of Russian forces in the past week in the special military operation.

Russian air defenses and aviation shot down several Ukrainian aircraft and drones, as well as foreign-made missiles supplied to the Kiev regime, this past week, the press service of its Ministry of Defense reported.

"During the week, aviation and air defense systems shot down a MiG-29 fighter jet, a Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force, seven Storm Shadow cruise missiles, a Patriot anti-aircraft guided missile, four S anti-aircraft guided missiles converted to hit ground targets -200, three HARM anti-radar missiles, six JDAM guided bombs and 42 HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, as well as 652 unmanned aerial vehicles," the statement said.

In total, since the beginning of the special operation, 572 Ukrainian military aircraft, 267 helicopters, 13,223 unmanned aerial vehicles, 473 anti-aircraft missile systems, 15,188 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,223 combat vehicles of multiple launch rocket systems, 8,145 field artillery pieces and mortars, as well as 18,981 a unit of special military vehicle equipment.

Ukrainian Losses

Over the past week, Ukraine has lost over 2,900 soldiers killed and wounded near Avdeyevka, it went on to report.

"During the week in this direction, the enemy lost over 2,900 soldiers killed and wounded, four tanks, 37 armored combat vehicles, 90 vehicles, eight field artillery guns and a MLRS Grad combat vehicle," the ministry said.

Russia repelled 35 Ukrainian attacks near Kupyansk and another four in the South Donetsk area, the ministry said, adding that 37 group strikes have been carried out on Ukrainian military-industrial complex, military airfield infrastructure, arsenals and fuel bases.

"The losses of the Ukraine Armed Forces [in the South Donetsk area] amounted to 1,195 soldiers, six tanks, six armored combat vehicles, 23 vehicles and 16 field artillery guns," the ministry said.

Russia repelled 12 Ukrainian counterattacks near Donetsk, the ministry added.

"The enemy's losses amounted to more than 2,560 soldiers, 12 tanks, 31 armored combat vehicles, 58 vehicles, 13 field artillery guns and a Grad MLRS combat vehicle," the ministry said.

Kiev has lost 390 soldiers near Kupyansk and over 460 soldiers, as well as five tanks in the Kherson region in the past week, the ministry said.

Russian Troops Took Control of Several Settlements

Russian soldiers have seized the settlement Krynky in the Kherson region and the settlement Pobeda in the Donetsk area, it similarly said.

"[Russian] troops took control the settlement of Pobeda, took more advantageous positions and defeated the soldiers and equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Belogorovka, Grigorovka, Ivanovskoye [also known as Krasnoye], Kleshcheyevka, Kurdyumovka, Rozdoliyevka, Novomikhailovka, Nevelskoye and Krasnogoriyevka of the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said.

A Sputnik

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Two years on, Australia stands with Ukraine

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Joint media release with:

The Hon Tim Watts MP, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs

24 February 2024

Two years on since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Australia mourns Ukraine's losses, and we stand unwavering in our support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Australia remains steadfast in supporting Ukraine to defend itself, and to holding those responsible for Russia's illegal and immoral invasion to account.

Today the Australian Government has imposed further targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on 55 persons, and targeted financial sanctions on 37 entities.

The new sanctions target those involved in Russia's deportation of Ukrainian children from regions under temporary Russian control. This follows the International Criminal Court's decision to issue arrest warrants for President Putin and Russia's Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova for the war crime of unlawful deportation.

We have also sanctioned targets in Russia's defence, energy, media and minerals sectors, as well as targets involved in Russia's procurement networks in Belarus, Iran and North Korea. These sanctions reflect the Australian Government's position that those supporting Russia's illegal war will face consequences.

Australia has now imposed more than 1,200 sanctions in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Today's sanctions build on last week's announcement that the Albanese Government is providing $50 million to the International Fund for Ukraine, directly supporting the procurement of priority military capabilities. This contribution takes Australia's overall support to Ukraine to approximately $960 million, including $780 million in military support.

Australia again calls on Russia, and its supporters, to immediately end this senseless war.

Today and every day, Australia stands with Ukraine and its people.

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Statement marking 2 years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine

Global Affairs Canada

Statement

February 24, 2024 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable MAlanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence; the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, and the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, today issued the following statement:

"For 2 long years now, Ukrainians have defended themselves against a full-scale invasion by Russia. They're fighting for their freedom and, by extension, for ours by standing up for international law and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of an illegal, immoral and unjustifiable invasion.

"Canada continues to strongly condemn Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The war has displaced millions, killed thousands, worsened food and energy security worldwide and slowed the recovery of a global economy disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It has upended the lives of generations of Ukrainians, especially children, including through the large-scale, illegal forced transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia or to the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. We have seen evidence of mass graves and appalling Russian war crimes, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, human rights violations, conflict-related sexual violence and torture. President Vladimir Putin's continued flagrant disregard for the territorial integrity of a sovereign nation is also a threat to regional and global security and has emboldened rogue leaders around the world.

"Canada's support for Ukraine has been steadfast since 2014, when Russia first began its occupation of Crimea. Since January 2022, Canada has committed more than $13.3 billion in financial, development, military, peace and stabilization and immigration assistance to Ukraine.

"Our $4 billion in military assistance includes Leopard 2 battle tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery ammunition, over 800 drones made in Canada, air defence missiles and more. Through Operation UNIFIER, the Canadian Armed Forces has trained more than 40,000 Ukrainian troops since 2015aand Canadian training for Ukrainians continues today in the United Kingdom, Poland and Latvia. Further, Canada's Air Mobility Detachment in Prestwick, Scotland, has delivered over 15 million pounds of Ukraine-bound military assistance from Canada, allies and partners. Through the Ukraine Defence Contact Group and on a bilateral basis, we remain in close contact with Ukraine about its most pressing military needs, and we remain hard at work to provide Ukraine with the tools that it needs to win.

"Canada is also using every tool at our disposal to pressure and undermine Russia's aggression, including through sanctions, with more than 2,900 individuals in Russia, Belarus, Moldova and temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine sanctioned since 2014.

"The war is a humanitarian catastrophe for Ukrainians, and approximately 40% of Ukraine's population is expected to need humanitarian assistance this year. In the past 2 years, Canada has committed $352.5 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and its neighbours, with the majority of that support centred on frontline communities in the south and east of Ukraine. Canada's development assistance has also supported Ukraine's agriculture and agri-food sector by building its resilience and allowing it to continue producing grains, oilseeds and other agricultural products for local consumption and export. This support has not only contributed to Ukraine's economic stability and helped preserve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers but also ensured its ongoing contribution to the global food supply chain despite the disruptions caused by Russia's aggression.

"As Russia's ongoing, brutal invasion of Ukraine persists, Canada continues to adapt its response to help those fleeing violence. Since its launch in March 2022, the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel has provided temporary safe haven to over 220,000 Ukrainians. We also launched a special family reunification pathway to provide permanent residence to Ukrainian family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. These measures build on our steadfast commitment to help Ukrainians find a safe haven and provide them with the assistance they need while the conflict is ongoing.

"Canadaaand many other partnersawill continue to help the Government of Ukraine meet the recovery and reconstruction challenges in the months and years to come. Canada also works closely with the Ukrainian government and local authorities to ensure a continued focus on reform, which is key to Ukraine's aspirations to join the European Union. We are also supporting critical development needs and priorities such as inclusive governance, as well as decentralization, food security and gender equality, including support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and those who are internally displaced.

"Recently, we also announced Canada is co-chairing, with Ukraine, the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. No child should be a pawn in war, and Canada is proud to play a convenor role within the coalition, bringing together partner states and key stakeholders. Canada will also provide technical assistance and expertise to assist with the safe return of children.

"Canada stands with Ukraine in this existential struggle for survival, freedom and democracy. Against the odds and despite being continually underestimated, Ukrainian soldiers are still bravely resisting Russian occupation and aggression, Ukrainian farmers are still feeding the world and Ukrainian educators are still finding ways to teach students. Canada is firmly committed to Ukraine's long-term security; we believe its future is in NATO, and we support Ukraine's push for a just and sustainable peace.

"We stand with Ukraine, today and always."

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Prime Minister visits Kyiv and announces additional support for Ukraine

Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau

February 24, 2024

Kyiv, Ukraine

Two years ago today, Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and with it, unleashed an attack on democracy, freedom, and the rules-based international order. Despite Russia's relentless assault, Ukrainians are standing strong, and Canada will stand with them, for as long as it takes.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is visiting Ukraine today, alongside international partners, to reaffirm Canada's ongoing and unwavering support for Ukraine.

As part of this visit, Prime Minister Trudeau and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, held a bilateral meeting to discuss the situation on the ground and Ukraine's needs over the coming months. The two leaders signed a new, historic agreement on security cooperation between Canada and Ukraine to establish a strategic security partnership.

The agreement builds on the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine, and outlines key, long-term security commitments for Canada to continue supporting Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity, protects its people, and rebuilds its economy for the future. As part of this commitment, Canada will provide $3.02 billion in critical financial and military support to Ukraine in 2024.

In addition, the Prime Minister announced new support for Ukraine's resilience and recovery efforts. This includes:

$75 million in peace and security assistance, which includes demining, cyber support, and intelligence support.

$15 million in preservation assistance, specifically supporting the completion of the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide in Kyiv, helping preserve the memory of victims and survivors of the Holodomor, a systemic and heinous campaign of deliberate starvation by the Soviet regime that killed millions across Ukraine in 1932 and 1933.

The Prime Minister also announced the allocation of funding to the following:

Up to $39 million in development assistance, to provide access to essential mental health services for vulnerable populations, help build food systems that are more resilient, and support efforts by local communities toward reconstruction and recovery.

Over $22 million in humanitarian assistance, to support trusted United Nations and Red Cross partners in delivering critical assistance, including emergency health interventions, protection services, shelter, water, sanitation, and food, as well as the promotion of respect for international humanitarian law.

Over $18 million in peace, security, and stabilization assistance, to support projects ranging from demining, to reducing threats from nuclear or radiological materials and chemical weapons, to countering disinformation.

While in Ukraine, Prime Minister Trudeau joined President Zelenskyy, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, and the Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander De Croo, to visit Hostomel Airport and the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine, where they paid tribute to the countless brave Ukrainians who have been killed, injured, or displaced since the start of Russia's war of aggression.

This day serves as a reminder of what Ukraine is fighting for - the values of peace, justice, and democracy. To the civilians-turned-soldiers fighting to protect their homeland, the volunteers providing care to those injured, and all Ukrainians who remain defiant in the face of Russia's attacks, know that Canada is with you. We will continue to work closely with our Allies and international partners to support Ukraine and Ukrainians as they continue to fight for their freedom, for their independence, and for democracy.

Quotes

"When Putin ordered his tanks across the Ukrainian border, he thought Kyiv would fall; that President Zelenskyy would cave; that the free world would stand by. Two years on, Ukrainians are resolute as they defend democracy, freedom, and their identity - and Canada's support is unwavering. Today, standing shoulder to shoulder with our Allies and partners, Canada committed to further assistance, including military and humanitarian support, for Ukraine. We will stand with Ukraine with whatever it takes, for as long as it takes. Slava Ukraini!" The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

"As the brave people of Ukraine continue their heroic resistance against Putin's illegal and barbaric invasion, after two long years of brutal fighting, Canada is unwavering in our support for Ukraine. Today we stand united and say to the people of Ukraine: We will keep the faith. We will never abandon you. Our determination is absolute. Slava Ukraini!" The Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

"On the second anniversary of Russia's illegal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we salute the exemplary courage and strength of the people of Ukraine. Canada will always stand with them in their fight for freedom. Today's agreement demonstrates Canada's commitment to providing Ukraine with the assistance that it needs to fight against Russian aggression and win. Ukraine's fight is our fight too, and we will be there for Ukrainians until they win this war." The Hon. Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence

Quick Facts

This is Prime Minister Trudeau's third visit to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. The Prime Minister was accompanied for this visit by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, and the Minister of National Defence, Bill Blair.

In Ukraine, the Prime Minister met bilaterally and multilaterally with: The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen The Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni The Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander De Croo

The measures announced today build on other recent announcements, including: New sanctions targeting over 160 individuals and entities that are part of Russia's military-industrial sector and have helped facilitate sanctions evasion. Enacting groundbreaking legislation that enables the assets of sanctioned individuals and individuals to be seized, for the benefit of Ukraine. Working with G7 allies to ensure that Russian central banks assets remain frozen in our jurisdictions until Russia compensates Ukraine for the damage it has caused. Contributions of $60 million to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group Air Force Capability Coalition to support the setup of a sustainable F-16 fighter aircraft capability in Ukraine and over $273 million in new equipment for Canadian Armed Forces personnel in Latvia, where Canada leads the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group. Canada's co-chairing, with Ukraine, of the new International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which coordinates international efforts to bring Ukrainian children - who were unlawfully deported or forcibly transferred by Russia - home to their families and communities. An investment of over $475,000 to support Pro Bono Ontario's Ukrainian Refugee Legal Relief Initiative, which assists Ukrainian nationals seeking refuge in Canada as a result of Russia's armed invasion of Ukraine.

Since the beginning of 2022, Canada has committed over $13.3 billion in funding to support Ukraine. This includes: $4 billion in military assistance, such as M777 howitzers, Leopard 2 main battle tanks, armoured combat support vehicles, hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition, high-resolution drone cameras, thermal clothing, body armour, fuel, and more. $7.4 billion in financial support. $352.5 million in humanitarian assistance, including support for emergency health interventions, protection services, and essentials such as shelter, water, sanitation, and food. Programming also addresses child protection, mental health support, and prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence. $186 million in development assistance, such as $15 million from Canada's $100 million contribution to the Canada-International Finance Corporation Facility for Resilient Food Systems. $198 million in security and stabilization assistance.

Canadian Armed Forces members are supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the United Kingdom and Poland under Operation UNIFIER, providing training on a range of military skills. Between 2015 and 2024, Canada trained more than 40,000 members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as part of this operation. They have also been assisting with the delivery of military aid for Ukraine from Canada and on behalf of our Allies and partners.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Canada has welcomed more than 220,000 Ukrainians. We are helping Ukrainian families find a safe, temporary home and have put support services in place for their arrival. This includes temporary financial assistance and access to federally funded settlement services, such as language training and employment-related services.

Canada and Ukraine have long been steadfast partners and close friends. In 1991, Canada became the first Western country to recognize Ukraine's independence. Today, 1.3 million people of Ukrainian descent call Canada home - the largest Ukrainian diaspora in the Western world. In 2022, total bilateral trade between our two countries was valued at over $421 million.

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February 24, 2024

By C. Todd Lopez , DOD News

Two Years in, Russia's War on Ukraine Continues to Pose Threat to Global Security

Russia's invasion and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine is today not just an assault on Ukrainian freedom and liberty, but also a threat to global order, said U.S. officials.

Two years ago today, on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Since then, Russia has failed to capture Kyiv, take control of the Ukrainian government, or stifle the spirit of the Ukrainian people.

"The scale of Putin's blunder is especially stark today," said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in a statement yesterday. "The Kremlin's forces failed to win the Battle of Kyiv, failed to topple Ukraine's democratically elected government, and failed to crush the will of the Ukrainian people.

"Ukraine has retaken more than half of the sovereign territory that was grabbed by the Kremlin's forces in 2022," he continued. "And as a result of Putin's unprovoked war, Russia has suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties, lost significant equipment, and severely set back its military modernization program."

Russia's war in Ukraine is not just a threat to Ukraine or the nations that share a border with it. Russia's war in Ukraine serves as a threat to all of Europe and the rest of the world, including the United States, President Joe Biden said.

"The American people and people around the world understand that the stakes of this fight extend far beyond Ukraine," Biden said in a statement released yesterday. "Ten years ago, Putin occupied Crimea and created puppet regimes in Ukraine's Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Two years ago, he tried to wipe Ukraine off the map. If Putin does not pay the price for his death and destruction, he will keep going. And the costs to the United States a along with our NATO allies and partners in Europe and around the world a will rise."

Today, as part of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, the United States continues to stand with Ukraine, along with international allies and partners, to provide what it needs for its defense now and in the future, Austin said.

"Since 2022, I have regularly convened some 50 countries from around the world as part of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group," Austin said. "This global coalition works together to ensure that Ukraine has the capabilities that it needs to defend its people from Russian aggression and take back its sovereign territory."

The first contact group meeting happened in April 2022 in Germany. At the time, Austin hosted nearly 40 nations to discuss current and future efforts to provide the support for Ukraine to maintain its sovereignty. Today, that monthly meeting has grown to some 50, like-minded nations that are united in their support of Ukraine's freedom.

"I hosted the most recent meeting of this contact group just last week, and I was struck again by the steadiness of its members' collective resolve," Austin said. "This historic coalition has committed more than $87 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Putin's war a including 15 U.S. allies that, as a percentage of [gross domestic product], contribute more to Ukraine's capability needs than the United States."

Since the start of the Russian invasion, the U.S. has provided, through presidential drawdown authority and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, more than $44.2 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.

Presidential drawdown authority allows the president in certain circumstances to withdraw weapons, ammunitions and materiel from existing U.S. military stocks and provide that to other nations. As part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, DOD contracts for the purchase of materiel to be sent.

Included in the materiel that has been sent to Ukraine are: air defense systems, radar systems, artillery systems, tanks, helicopters, ground-combat and support vehicles, unmanned aerial systems, missiles, rockets, and millions of rounds of small arms ammunition.

It's not just equipment and weapons that is needed by Ukraine. Since the start of Russia's invasion, the U.S. and partner nations have also provided important training to Ukrainians to improve their combat skills and to help them learn to use the equipment that the U.S. and partners have provided.

After two years of Putin's reckless and lawless war, we salute Ukraine's brave defenders, and we wish Ukraine's unbowed citizens peace, security and freedom."

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III

The U.S. and partners have trained more than 123,000 Ukrainians at more than 80 locations around the world. The U.S. alone has provided training to some 19,000 Ukrainian service members on combined arms, specific combat platforms, and staff and leadership skills.

Also in the U.S., Ukrainian service members are being trained on the use of the F-16 aircraft. Other Ukrainian service members, both pilots and aircraft maintainers, are also in the United States to attend English-language classes as part of the F-16 training coalition led by Denmark and the Netherlands.

Going forward, Austin said, the U.S. must continue to stand with Ukraine, not just for the sake of Ukraine's own freedom and security, but for that of the world, as well.

"Today's grim milestone should spur us all to decide what kind of future we want for our children and grandchildren: an open, secure, and prosperous world of rules and rights or the violent and lawless world of aggression and chaos that Putin seeks," Austin said. "We support Ukraine's fight for freedom, both because it is the right thing to do and because doing so is central to America's continued security. After two years of Putin's reckless and lawless war, we salute Ukraine's brave defenders, and we wish Ukraine's unbowed citizens peace, security and freedom."

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Statement by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy

European Commission

Statement

24 February 2024

Kyiv

Dear Volodymyr,

Thank you for hosting my fellow leaders and me here in Kyiv. Ten years since Russia began its assault on your sovereignty, and two years to the day since the start of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine. Today marks a grim anniversary. But it is also the moment to recognise the extraordinary power of resistance of the Ukrainian people. From the feats of valour and bravery of Ukrainian soldiers beating back the invader to the millions of small everyday actions by citizens to support the war effort. From farmers stealing Russian tanks with their tractors to the Ghost of Kyiv keeping the skies safe over your capital. From the defiance on Snake Island to the sinking of the Moskva. You, Ukrainians, have shown the world your courage, and that your fight for freedom matters. You have regained half of the land they occupied and pushed them back on the Black Sea. These are remarkable achievements, and we pay tribute to you. You who fight for the security of our entire continent. This is why you have the entire European Union behind you. More than ever, we stand firmly by Ukraine, financially, economically, militarily and most of all morally, until your country is finally free.

I want to emphasise four points. First, we have now our EUR 50 billion Ukraine Facility. This is on top of EUR 88 billion that we have delivered so far since the start of the war. The first payment of EUR 4.5 billion will come in March. Then we will continue with a steady stream of support over the next four years. This will back your reform and investment roadmap, the Ukraine Plan. We are also providing additional sources of revenues to Ukraine, like the solidarity lanes. They have generated trade worth EUR 125 billion so far between Ukraine, the European Union and the rest of the world. We are on track to extend for another year our special trade measures while ensuring the stability of our Single Market. And we have agreed to set aside the earnings of immobilised Russian assets. This is a major step forward, thanks to the Belgian Presidency, thank you very much, Alexander. Because we are committed to making Russia pay the price of its war of destruction.

This brings me to my second point, our hard-biting sanctions against Russia. Two years ago, the European Union was Russia's most important trading partner. Since then, total imports from Russia to the European Union have dropped by more than EUR 100 billion. Our exports to Russia have been slashed by more than EUR 50 billion. Russia has been cut off western advanced technologies, innovation and investments. And this week, we have doubled down on our sanctions, with our 13th package with over 160 additional military companies listed and another big sweep across the board, from Putin's propagandists to criminals deporting children and companies in the Kremlin's orbit. We have reached a total of 2000 listings. We keep the pressure high on Putin and his regime. And in parallel, we keep on tightening the screws on circumvention with criminal charges for those who bypass our sanctions.

My third point, as Russia is intensifying its vicious attacks on your country, we are also doubling down on our military support. We have already delivered EUR 28 billion in military assistance. And we are working to set up the Ukraine Assistance Fund. This will bring another EUR 5 billion for joint European procurement of the weapons you need. In parallel, the European defence industry is stepping up a gear, increasing its production capacity for ammunition by 40%. We have now already delivered more than half a million of ammunition rounds. And we will reach over one million rounds before the end of the year. Finally, we keep on training the brave Ukrainian armed forces with 60,000 soldiers trained by this summer.

Now, looking forward to the future, Ukraine must have the means to defend itself today. But also for tomorrow, Ukraine needs the capabilities to deter future attacks by Russia. This is crucial for your security, and of course for the security of Europe as a whole. So we want to strengthen Ukraine's defence capabilities as part of our own. This is why we have involved you so closely in our new Defence Industrial Base Strategy. We will present it in three weeks. It is a first step, towards integrating Ukraine in our European defence programmes. At the same time, we are learning from you and your experience on the battlefield. To intensify this exchange, we will open a Defence Innovation Office, here in Kyiv. Finally, we keep on working on security commitments, as we have just heard, for Ukraine, all in close cooperation with G7 partners. Of course, the best security guarantee will be the membership in the European Union.

This brings me to my fourth point, your accession path. We have started the screening process, with a very busy schedule of meetings. I encourage you - and I know you are doing it - to keep delivering on the Commission's recommendations. For our part, we, the Commission, will submit the negotiating framework in mid-March.

Dear Volodymyr,

Our visit today underlines our unwavering solidarity with Ukraine today, tomorrow, and in the long run. Your country has become a global symbol of resistance in this noble fight for freedom.

We remain at your side.

Slava Ukraini.

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Speech by President von der Leyen at the Antonov Airport

European Commission

Speech

24 February 2024

Kyiv

This airport has witnessed Ukraine's darkest hour. Those fateful moments are etched forever in our collective memory. The flames, rising from the tarmac to the sky. The swarms of Russian helicopters, flying low along the river. The columns of tanks, descending fast from the border with Belarus. Exactly two years ago, it felt like everything was lost, and Kyiv would fall within days. But Kyiv stood strong. Your courage stood in Putin's way. You did not flee or flinch. A small contingent of Ukrainian heroes held back the invader, fighting to your last bullet and your last breath. And you managed to stop Russia's attack towards the heart of Ukraine. You saved your country. You saved all of Europe. And today, we are here from across Europe and the world to pay tribute to your bravery.

It is you - who gave a chance to Ukraine's resistance. And look at all that Ukraine has achieved ever since. On land, you have driven Russia out of half the territories it had captured. At sea, you have pushed back Russia's fleet, and re-opened a maritime corridor to the world. And in the air, your defences have become incredibly effective. You are protecting your people from Russian missiles and drones. And in the last week only, you shot down seven of Russia's fighter jets. All of this seemed impossible on the night when the war began. But time and again, the brave people of Ukraine have surprised the world. So however difficult the situation may look today, let us always remember the road you have walked so far. The resistance against a stronger enemy. And the victories against all odds. And I am confident that Ukraine will keep surprising us all, until the last Russian soldier is finally pushed out of your land.

Today, we are here to tell you that Europe will continue to stand at your side, for as long as it takes with more financial support, more ammunition, more training for your troops, more air defences, and more investment in Europe's and Ukraine's defence industries. And there is no better place than this airport to confirm our commitment to Ukraine. This airfield is not only a symbol of your resistance, it is also a symbol of your industry and ingenuity. It was the home of the largest airplane in the world: Mriya - the dream. Two years ago, the Russians destroyed the plane. But they could not destroy the dream. The dream of a free and prosperous Ukraine, that takes its place at the heart of the European family. Today, the dream lives on. And together, we will turn it into reality. There will be a free and sovereign Ukraine. There will be peace and prosperity. And there will be Europe. And the battle of Hostomel Airport will no longer be remembered as the darkest hour in our history, but as the beginning of a new era for Ukraine and for all of Europe.

Slava Ukraini.

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President von der Leyen hands over cars to Ukraine's security forces to enhance stability and reinforce war crime investigations in de-occupied territories

European Commission

Press release

24 February 2024

Kyiv

Today, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen handed over 50 cars provided by the EU to the National Police of Ukraine (NPU) and Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG) of Ukraine. The cars will be used to support the investigation and prosecution of war crimes in de-occupied territories and adjacent areas. The delivery is part of a larger EU support scheme to Ukrainian authorities to respond to needs related to public services in high-risk environments.

European Commission's President, Ursula von der Leyen, said:"The European Union continues standing by Ukraine. Today, I am honoured to hand over these cars to the National Police of Ukraine and to the Office of the Prosecutor General. They will help authorities stabilise the territories that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have bravely liberated from illegal Russian occupation. This delivery comes shortly after the EU provided a modern mine-clearing machine to Ukraine. With this equipment we support Ukraine in making de-occupied land safe again."

Cars provided via the Commission's Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) are part of a larger support package for needs in high-risk environments.

The European Commission via FPI is delivering the 50 vehicles to the Ukrainian authorities. 30 are destined for the NPU and 20 for the OPG. This procurement is being carried out under the project "Integrated Response Mechanism for Ukraine", co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Foreign Office.

Overall support under this project includes demining equipment for the Ukrainian State Emergency Services, and generators of all sizes to address energy shortages caused by Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure. The budget of the support package totals around a19,9 million, out of which the European Commission contributes a 18 million and Germany a 1,9 million.

Background

The European Union has demonstrated unprecedented unity in condemning Russia's actions and in providing resolute support to Ukraine. So far, the EU, its Member States and European financial institutions have together provided wide-ranging support to Ukraine and its people, amounting to over a88 billion. This includes support to EU Member States that have provided temporary protection for around 4 million Ukrainian refugees since the start of the war. Together, this reflects the steadfast resolve of the Union to help Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Quote(s)

The European Union continues standing by Ukraine. Today, I am honoured to hand over these cars to the National Police of Ukraine and to the Office of the Prosecutor General. They will help authorities stabilise the territories that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have bravely liberated from illegal Russian occupation. This delivery comes shortly after the EU provided a modern mine-clearing machine to Ukraine. With this equipment we support Ukraine in making de-occupied land safe again.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

This delivery is another clear example of the wide-ranging European Union support to the Ukrainian security forces. These cars will help reinforce the presence of justice services in the liberated territories of Ukraine, to restore the rule of law and stability, to support the population, to make public institutions work again. They will also contribute to the EU's support to Ukraine in establishing accountability for the international crimes committed by the Russian aggressor.

High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell

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National Statement on the Second Anniversary of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2024

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland

Statements, 24.2.2024

Two years ago Russia launched its full-scale war of aggression against its peaceful, sovereign neighbour, Ukraine. In the face of brutal Russian aggression, Ukraine and Ukrainians have shown incredible resilience and determination.

Finland reiterates its condemnation of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest terms. It is a flagrant violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, condemned in the resolutions of the UN General Assembly. We remain firm in our demand for Russia to immediately cease all military action and withdraw its armed forces from Ukraine. Finland's support to Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity is unwavering. Finland supports President Zelenskyi's Peace Formula and the initiative for a peace summit. Ukraine and the Ukrainians deserve a just and lasting peace.

This year also marks the tenth anniversary of Russian occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. Finland has condemned the occupation and the subsequent illegal annexation of Crimea in the strongest terms. We remain extremely concerned of the deteriorating human rights situation in Crimea. Russia's attempts to illegally annex Ukrainian territories breach the UN Charter and violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Russia's war of aggression has led to the worst humanitarian crisis Europe has seen since the Second World War. Millions of Ukrainians have had to leave their homes and the number of civilian casualties keeps rising as Russia continues its despicable attacks on Ukraine's cities and critical infrastructure. The repercussions of the war are being felt globally through increasing food and energy insecurity.

Finland will continue to strongly support Ukraine in multiple ways for as long as necessary. Finland is a strong provider of defence materiel assistance and other material assistance. Ukraine has become Finland's biggest partner nation in development cooperation and we continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. Finland will continue to welcome people fleeing Ukraine and offer them temporary protection.

The European Union together with its partner countries has imposed extensive sanctions on Russia and Belarus. Finland supports the effective implementation and further strengthening of EU sanctions. Countering the circumvention of sanctions is our particular priority.

Finland is dedicated to ensuring full accountability for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. This entails bringing to justice individuals responsible for the most serious international crimes committed in and against Ukraine. Our support to the ICC and Ukraine's national accountability efforts continues. Finland remains committed to working together with Ukraine and other partners towards establishing a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. Comprehensive accountability also entails full reparation for damages caused by Russia. We welcome the establishment of the Register of Damage and the progress made on using the revenue of Russia's immobilized assets to support Ukraine, and encourage further steps.

Ukraine's future is European. Ukraine has already done remarkable work on its path towards the EU under extremely difficult circumstances. The people of Ukraine expressed their desire to be part of Europe already ten years ago during the events of Euromaidan. Finland supports Ukraine in its integration with the European Union and in the implementation of the required reforms.

Ukraine's rightful place is in NATO. Finland, as a new member in NATO, works to advance Ukraine becoming a member of the Alliance, as reaffirmed in the NATO Vilnius Summit.

The reconstruction of Ukraine has already started. Finland is working on a National Reconstruction Plan for Ukraine. The Finnish participation in the reconstruction effort will be carried out by the state as well as the private sector and the Finnish civil society.

Finland stands with Ukraine now and in the future.

Elina Valtonen

Minister for Foreign Affairs

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Long-term support to Ukraine

Government of Iceland

February 24, 2024

Ministry for Foreign Affairs

The Government of Iceland will put forward a five-year plan to Althingi to cement Iceland's long-term commitment of support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia's illegal invasion. Iceland will also continue to support Ukraine on its path to Euro-Atlantic integration.

Bjarni Benediktsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs, presented a draft parliamentary resolution to a cabinet meeting yesterday. The draft resolution entails a commitment to increase Iceland's annual contribution to Ukraine's defences and economic, humanitarian and reconstruction efforts. It also highlights Iceland's intention to further strengthen bilateral ties and to continue advocating for just peace, in line with international law and President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula.

"Today marks two years since the beginning of Russia's illegal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This war of aggression is the most serious security threat facing Europe since the end of World War II. A long-term plan of support will mark a turning point demonstrating our serious commitment to support the struggle of the Ukrainian people for as long as necessary," says Foreign Minister Bjarni Benediktsson.

The draft parliamentary resolution will be presented to Althingi's Foreign Affairs Committee in the coming days for consultation and finalisation. From the start of the full-scale invasion, there has been a clear consensus in Althingi, that Iceland must support Ukraine for as long as it takes.

"Ukrainians have been fighting for our fundamental values for two years now. Iceland's sovereignty is based on compliance and respect for international law by all, thus it is no hyperbole to state that our long-term support for the security and independence of Ukraine is also a long-term support for the security and independence of Iceland," says Bjarni.

Following consultations with Althingi's Foreign Affairs Committee, the resolution is expected to be passed in parliament within weeks. According to the draft resolution, contributions for the year 2024 will be substantially increased from the previous year, forming a minimum baseline for annual contributions in the years 2025-2028.

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At the UN General Assembly, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Foreign Ministry condemns Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

24.02.2024

On 24 February 2024 in New York, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Reinis Brusbardis, delivered a statement at the United Nations General Assembly meeting concerning the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

"The Russian Federation's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine is a shameful attack on a sovereign independent country and against the rules-based international order. The international community must be resolute and stand against aggression by providing all necessary support to Ukraine," Reinis Brusbardis stated.

The Parliamentary Secretary pointed out that the temporarily occupied territories are an integral part of Ukraine and will remain as such. The Russian Federation must immediately withdraw all of its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. Reinis Brusbardis underlined: "War crimes committed by the Russian Federation cannot go unpunished, the perpetrators will be held accountable."

The same date also saw an event co-organised by Latvia, "Stolen Voices. The story of Ukraine children in a time of war". The Parliamentary Secretary spoke about Latvia's involvement in the return of children kidnapped by the Russian Federation and invited all countries to join the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. He also informed the participants about the international conference held in Riga, "Russian War Against Children".

In support of Ukraine, Reinis Brusbardis also took part in the joint press stakeout by Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, ahead of the UN Security Council meeting.

During the visit, the Parliamentary Secretary met with Eivind Vad Petersson, State Secretary for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, for a discussion on cooperation between the two countries and the situation in the region.

On February 22 and 23, Reinis Brusbardis was in New York on a working visit to attend events in support of Ukraine at the UN.

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NATO Secretary General's statement on the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

24 Feb. 2024

Today, we mark two years since Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine. Starting the biggest war in Europe since World War Two. Let me begin by honouring all those brave Ukrainians who have fallen or been wounded in defence of their homeland.

The situation on the battlefield remains extremely serious.

President Putin's aim to dominate Ukraine has not changed.

And there are no indications that he is preparing for peace.

But we must not lose heart.

Ukraine has demonstrated remarkable skill and fierce determination again and again.

Ukraine did not collapse in weeks, as many feared it would.

You have recaptured half of the territory seized by Russia.

Pushed Russia back from large parts of the Black Sea.

And inflicted heavy losses on the Russian forces.

Above all, Ukraine retains its freedom and independence.

This has been made possible by your courage and resolve.

Enabled by major military and economic support from NATO Allies.

Just in the past days and weeks, NATO Allies have announced new packages of aid worth billions of dollars.

These cover key capabilities like artillery ammunition, air defence, and combat boats.

As well as F-16 equipment and spare parts, drones, and demining equipment.

More support is on the way.

President Putin started this war because he wanted to close NATO's door, and deny Ukraine the right to choose its own path.

But he has achieved the exact opposite:

Ukraine is now closer to NATO than ever before.

We are helping to make your forces more and more interoperable with Allies.

We will open a new Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre in Poland together.

And we are deepening our political ties through the NATO-Ukraine Council, where we consult and make decisions together.

Ukraine will join NATO.

It is not a question of if, but of when.

As we prepare you for that day, NATO will continue to stand with Ukraine.

For your security, and for ours.

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Statement by the NATO-Ukraine Council marking two years of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

24 Feb. 2024

The NATO Invitee associates itself with this Statement.

Today we solemnly mark two years of Russia's brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and ten years since Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and initial military intervention in the Donbas. The men and women of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the people of Ukraine continue to inspire the world with their resolve and bravery in the heroic defence of their nation, their land, and our shared values. We pay tribute to the lives lost and we deplore the tragic human suffering and destruction caused by Russia's illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked war. Russia has failed in its efforts to undermine Ukraine's statehood and break the resolve of the Ukrainian people. Ukraine has prevailed as a sovereign and democratic nation, liberating significant territory and pushing back Russia's Black Sea fleet.

Russia bears full responsibility for this war, a blatant violation of international law including the UN Charter, for which it must be held fully accountable. There can be no impunity for Russian war crimes and violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law, including the forced deportation of children and conflict-related sexual violence. We condemn Russia's appalling attacks against Ukraine's cities and its civilian, energy, and port infrastructure, some of which have also impacted Allied territory. We also condemn all those who are facilitating Russia's war and amplifying Russia's disinformation. Russia must immediately stop this war and completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from Ukraine in line with UN General Assembly resolutions. We do not and will never recognise Russia's illegal and illegitimate annexations, including Crimea. Russia has not shown any genuine openness to a just and lasting peace. Allies welcome and support President Zelenskyy's commitment in setting out the principles for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace through his Peace Formula.

Allies remain as resolute as ever in supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes for Ukraine to prevail. We welcome efforts of all Allies and partners agreeing bilateral long-term security commitments and arrangements with Ukraine. As Ukraine exercises its inherent right to self-defence as enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter, Allies and partners are providing ongoing military, financial, and humanitarian assistance. NATO continues to support Ukraine with urgently needed non-lethal equipment and supplies to strengthen Ukraine's self-defence. NATO is committed to help strengthen and rebuild the Ukrainian security and defence sector, support Ukraine's deterrence and defence in the long term, and transition Ukraine to full interoperability with NATO. Work is ongoing on long-term recovery and reform including on air and missile defence, humanitarian demining, medical rehabilitation for wounded Ukrainian soldiers, support to veterans, post-war reconstruction, defence procurement, and strengthening Ukraine's defence industrial capacity. We have also agreed to establish a NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Centre in Poland to identify and apply lessons learned from Russia's war against Ukraine.

A strong, independent, and democratic Ukraine is vital for the stability of the Euro-Atlantic area. Ukraine's fight for its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders directly contributes to Euro-Atlantic security. In the NATO-Ukraine Council, Allies and Ukraine are working closely and taking decisions together, as equals, to support Ukraine's further integration with NATO, in line with Vilnius Summit decisions. Ukraine's future is in NATO. Allies and Ukraine stand together.

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OSCE leaders demand immediate end to Russia's war against Ukraine

OSCE | Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

VIENNA 24 February 2024

VIENNA, 24 February -- Today, as we mark the second year of Russia's full scale war against Ukraine, the OSCE Troika - Chair-in-Office of the OSCE and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta Ian Borg, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Elina Valtonen - and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid call on Russia to immediately stop its war against Ukraine and to respect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

"Throughout Malta's Chairpersonship of the OSCE, Ukraine will remain a priority" said Chair-in-Office Minister Ian Borg, adding that "Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine has not only undermined peace and stability across the OSCE region, but also set a concerning precedent for global security and the international rules-based order." Minister Borg reiterated his pledge to maintain the OSCE's support to Ukraine in addressing and mitigating the fallout of the aggression. Highlighting this commitment, Minister Borg's recent visit to Kyiv conveyed a resolute message of enduring determination and willingness to further deepen cooperation between Ukraine and the OSCE.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani added "This war is not waged only on the battlefield. Ukrainians are its immediate victims but the consequences go beyond; they are widespread and complex. Today, the very essence of human dignity and freedom has been challenged. Here, at the OSCE, we must continue exposing Russia and condemning its illegal and unjustified aggression, to request for its immediate cessation and to hold those responsible to account. We have a duty to join and effectively support the struggle of all those defending freedom, democracy and justice."

In her remarks, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Elina Valtonen reiterated Finland's respect for and admiration of the courage, resistance and perseverance of Ukraine and its people, adding that Ukraine will remain at the centre of the work in the OSCE also during the Finnish Chairpersonship in 2025. "Finland is dedicated to ensuring full accountability for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," stated Minister Valtonen, recalling that three Moscow Mechanisms have so far been invoked to investigate the impact of the war. Minister Valtonen also added that Finland will work in the International Coalition, convened by Ukraine and Canada, for the return of Ukrainian children who have been unlawfully deported or forcefully transferred by Russia in violation of their rights, and of international law.

Secretary General Schmid said "these have been two years of death and tragedy which have caused unbearable suffering to so many innocent civilians. Among them are three OSCE colleagues who have been detained in Donetsk and Luhansk for almost 700 days now. I reiterate our call for their immediate return to their families and will continue to use every channel and every opportunity to secure their release".

The OSCE continues to support the people, government, and civil society of Ukraine, through the Support Programme for Ukraine, financed by extrabudgetary funding from the participating States. The Programme implements 20 projects with Ukrainian partners to mitigate the impact of the war.

The OSCE Troika was established at the Helsinki Summit in 1992 to bring continuity to the Organization's leadership. It is a format of co-operation between the present, previous and incoming Chairpersonships.

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China calls for political settlement of Ukraine crisis

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:47, February 24, 2024

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Friday called for international efforts toward a political resolution to the Ukraine crisis.

The international community should work together to find a fair and sensible solution so that the crisis can be settled politically and peace can prevail, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN).

He made the appeal at a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council scheduled to coincide with the second anniversary of the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.

The Ukraine crisis has caused incalculable damage. The most pressing priority is to stop the hostilities, launch peace talks and restore peace. Peace is in the interests of all parties, said Zhang.

China calls on the parties concerned to show a sense of responsibility and make constructive diplomatic efforts to promote de-escalation and to create favorable conditions for the resumption of negotiations. He said that the parties concerned should not create artificial obstacles to make peace more challenging to achieve, much less supply weapons to profit from the prolonged crisis.

Zhang stressed that strengthening or expanding a military bloc cannot guarantee regional security.

"It must be pointed out that the situation that Europe is facing today is closely related to the repeated eastward expansion of NATO since the end of the Cold War. We encourage NATO to do some soul-searching, come out of the cage of Cold War mentality and refrain from acting as an agent of troubles that instigates bloc confrontation. We urge the head of NATO to look at the world through an objective lens, stop saber-rattling and do that which is truly conducive to world peace," he said.

Using the Ukraine crisis as a pretext, certain countries have indiscriminately imposed unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction and have exerted unjustified pressure on the businesses of other countries, adversely impacting global industrial and supply chains and disrupting the global trade order, Zhang said.

China firmly opposes the unlawful sanctions imposed on Chinese companies by the United States, Britain and the European Union, using the Ukraine issue as an excuse. He said that China will continue to take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises and citizens.

Major countries have a special responsibility for world peace and security and must responsibly conduct their relations and adequately manage their differences in pursuit of win-win cooperation, he said.

China played no part in creating the Ukraine crisis, nor is China a party to the crisis. Yet China has not been indifferent to the conflict, much less cashing in on the crisis, said the Chinese envoy.

Regarding Ukraine, China has always maintained that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter observed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries given due regard, and all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis supported, Zhang said.

"China's constructive role and unremitting efforts toward a political settlement of the Ukraine issue will continue," he said.

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UN chief calls for end to Ukraine crisis

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:11, February 24, 2024

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for an end to the Ukraine crisis.

He made the appeal at a Security Council meeting scheduled to coincide with the second anniversary of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.

Two years on, the conflict in Ukraine remains an open wound at the heart of Europe. It is high time for peace -- a just peace, based on the UN Charter, international law and UN General Assembly resolutions, said Guterres.

International disputes shall be settled by peaceful means and all states shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any other state, he said.

The danger of the conflict escalating and expanding is very real. Around the world, the conflict in Ukraine is deepening geopolitical divides, fanning regional instability, shrinking the space available to address other urgent global issues, and undermining the shared norms and values that make the world safer, he said.

The conflict accelerated a surge in food prices, economic shocks and a global cost-of-living crisis, which hit developing countries the hardest. In addition, the prospect of this conflict resulting in a nuclear accident chills spines around the world, he added.

"It is time to recommit to the (UN) Charter and renew respect for international law. That is the path to peace and security -- in Ukraine and around the world," said Guterres.

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NATO: Ukraine's membership only a question of when, not if

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 5:35 PM

NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says Ukraine's accession to the military alliance is only a question of time, though NATO leaders are still seeking to overcome divisions on the second anniversary of the war with Russia.

Stoltenberg made the remarks in a recorded message to mark the second anniversary of "Russia's military operation" in Ukraine on Saturday.

"Ukraine will join NATO. It is not a question of if, but of when. As we prepare you for that day, NATO will continue to stand with Ukraine. For your security, and for ours."

Stoltenberg said Russian President Vladimir Putin had started the operation to close the door to eventual NATO membership for Kiev, "but he has achieved the exact opposite."

"Ukraine is now closer to NATO than ever before."

Timing of Ukraine's membership has long been an issue among the NATO leaders over concerns that a Ukraine in NATO would formally draw the alliance of 31 member states into war with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky officially applied for that membership in September 2022, seven months after Russia launched its "special military operation" partly to prevent NATO's eastward expansion.

Moscow has repeatedly warned NATO against its further expansion towards the Russian borders and described Ukraine's bid for membership as "purely destabilizing."

Stoltenberg also promised that NATO will continue to provide Kiev with major military assistance as long as it is fighting the war with Russia.

"These cover key capabilities like artillery ammunition, air defense, and combat boats. As well as F-16 equipment and spare parts, drones, and demining equipment."

"More support is on the way," said the NATO chief.

Nevertheless, Washington, the leading provider of military assistance to Ukraine, has been struggling to get a final congressional vote for the $60-billion aid package for Kiev since last year.

In the meantime, Western leaders arrived in Kiev on Saturday to mark the anniversary of the war with Russia. Among the leaders are the European Commission's Ursula von der Leyen and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

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Ukraine marks bleak war anniversary with news of plane downing

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 24 February 2024 8:40 AM

Ukraine marks two years of war weakened by a lack of Western aid while Russia is emboldened by fresh gains, with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urging Kiev and its allies not to "lose heart".

The second anniversary of the war comes as Ukraine's outgunned troops are struggling to hold the frontline and doubts swirl over future support from the United States.

"The situation on the battlefield remains extremely serious. President Putin's aim to dominate Ukraine has not changed, and there are no indications that he is preparing for peace," Stoltenberg said in a recorded message Saturday.

"But we must not lose heart. Ukraine has demonstrated remarkable skill and fierce determination again and again."

Kiev sought to mark the anniversary on an upbeat note, claiming that it shot down a highly-advanced Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Sea of Azov. If confirmed, it would be the second of the prized spy planes that Kiev has claimed to destroy within two months.

Stoltenberg claimed that Ukraine was now closer to NATO than ever before despite Putin's bid to close the door to eventual membership of Kiev in the US-led military alliance.

"Ukraine will join NATO. It is not a question of if, but of when," he said.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen also praised what she called Ukraine's "extraordinary resistance" before heading to Kiev along with several other Western leaders to mark the occasion.

However two years into the war, Ukraine is on the defensive, having suffered setbacks with the failure of its 2023 counteroffensive.

The overall picture remains bleak due to the US Congress blocking a vital $60 billion aid package. This has come on top of delays in promised European deliveries.

The Russian army has in turn built up a position of strength thanks to booming war production, while Ukraine's troops are short of manpower and running low on Western-supplied ammunition for artillery and air defenses.

On Saturday, Defense Minster Sergei Shoigu visited Russian forces inside Ukraine.

"Today, in terms of the ratio of forces, the advantage is on our side," he told troops at a command center. The army's statement said Shoigu was briefed that Russian forces were on the offensive after taking the industrial hub of Avdiivka.

Ukraine said its forces shot down "another valuable Russian A-50U aircraft" over the Sea of Azov which lies between Russia and Ukraine.

According to Russian and Ukrainian reports, the aircraft was destroyed on February 16.

The 15-crewed Beriev A-50, which is estimated to cost over $300 million to produce, is an airborne early warning and control aircraft. Ukrainian forces allegedly shot down another Beriev A-50 over the Sea of Azov on January 14.

Speaking at the United Nations, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stressed that Ukraine will win the war "sooner rather than later".

Kuleba said Moscow's aim was to "destroy Ukraine and they're quite outspoken about it".

He was countered by Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia who blamed the West for fomenting the war and accused Ukraine of being a tool of Western geopolitical ambitions.

On Thursday, the Washington Post cited officials as saying that US military planners were using the Ukraine war as "an active and bountiful research opportunity" to prepare for a conflict with more sophisticated adversaries such as Russia or China.

One official told the paper that the lessons taken from Ukraine stand to be "an enduring resource".

Washington and its NATO partners have viewed Ukraine as a proxy war to weaken Russia. While the Biden administration has touted this policy as "for Ukraine," it has severely harmed the country.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky this week described the situation on the front as "extremely difficult" due to delayed Western supplies of military aid.

Britain said Saturday it would spend $311 million over the next year to replenish Ukraine's artillery ammunition reserves.

Since the outbreak of the war, the UK has pledged more than $8.8 billion of military assistance to the ex-Soviet republic.

Also, more than 20,000 recruits from the Ukrainian armed forces have received training in the UK since the beginning of 2022.

However, with no end to the war in sight, governments that offered Ukraine short-term help now face a much bigger bill than they expected and are looking to control the spending.

Flocks of residents took to the streets of Berlin on Friday evening to protest against the government's decision to provide more weapons to Ukraine.

Protesters gathered in front of the Parliament building for a candlelight vigil, urging the German government to halt its offer of weapons to Ukraine, and actively promote the peace process.

Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Germany and the European Union have been impacted by the spillovers from the conflict.

Opinion polls indicate a significant decline in the willingness of G7 citizens to continue providing more weapons to Ukraine, with a growing number of protesters feeling that supplying arms to Ukraine will not lead to any early resolution of the conflict.

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At Invasion's Two-Year Mark, Kyiv And West Pledge Ongoing Resistance To Russian Aggression

By RFE/RL February 24, 2024

EU and other Western leaders and dignitaries were in Kyiv on February 24 to send a defiant message on the second anniversary of Russia's launch of its all-out invasion of Ukraine that they intend to continue supporting Ukraine against Moscow's aggression.

The anniversary came with the Ukrainian military in need of equipment and supplies, especially ammunition, and Moscow looking to extend its recent battlefield gain in the Donetsk region, where its forces recaptured the mostly destroyed city of Avdiyivka.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told his countrymen in a recorded video address from a Kyiv-area airport that was a scene of intense fighting early in the invasion that two years of bitter fighting means "we are 730 days closer to victory."

"Two years ago, we met an enemy landing force here with fire," Zelenskiy said, before adding references to the array of foreign leaders who were in Ukraine to mark the anniversary. "Two years later, we meet here our friends, our partners."

He added that it was important that the war end "on our terms."

Zelenskiy later welcomed European Commission President Von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, whose country currently holds the rotating EU Presidency.

Meloni and Trudeau signed security agreements with Zelenskiy during their visit, and Meloni hosted a videoconference of the Group of Seven (G7) at which Zelenskiy spoke, telling the leaders he is counting on them to continue helping Ukraine.

On her arrival, von der Leyen said alongside a photo of herself on a train platform in Kyiv that she was there to mark the grim anniversary "and to celebrate the extraordinary resistance of the Ukrainian people."

"More than ever, we stand firmly by Ukraine," she said, "Financially, economically, militarily, morally...[u]ntil the country is finally free."

Before arriving in Ukraine, Trudeau shared his Foreign Minister Melanie Joly's sentiment via X, formerly Twitter, that Canada and its allies were "sending a clear message to [Russia]: Ukraine will not be defeated in the face of Putin's illegal war."

Protesters rallied in Berlin, London, Paris, Belgrade, and other European cities as people gathered to show support by waving the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag and demanding that Russian President Vladimir Putin put an end to the war.

Words of support poured in from Western leaders.

U.S. President Joe Biden praised the determination of Ukrainians and said "the unprecedented 50-nation global coalition in support of Ukraine, led by the United States, remains committed to providing critical assistance to Ukraine and holding Russia accountable for its aggression."

"The American people and people around the world understand that the stakes of this fight extend far beyond Ukraine," he said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Germans and all Europeans to "do even more -- so that we can defend ourselves effectively."

Scholz said that Germany was completely fulfilling its NATO target of 2 percent investment of total economic output into its military for the first time in decades.

Recently installed Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk cited "Two years of Ukrainian heroism. Two years of Russian barbarism. Two years of disgrace of those who remain indifferent."

Maia Sandu, the president of Ukraine's neighbor Moldova, where concerns are high and a long-standing contingent of Russian troops has refused to depart, thanked "Ukrainians for their tireless fight for freedom and for protecting peace in Moldova too."

"In these two years, the free world has shown unprecedented solidarity, yet the war persists; our support must endure fiercely," she said on X.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said "We must renew our determination...on this grim anniversary. This is the moment to show that tyranny will never triumph and to say once again that we will stand with Ukraine today and tomorrow."

The anniversary came one day after the United States and European Union announced new rounds of hundreds of sanctions targeting Russia and officials responsible for the war, but with Ukrainian officials desperately pleading with the international community to avoid cutoffs in support or a "depletion of empathy."

Ukrainians have battled fiercely since Russia invaded on February 24, 2022, after Putin, angered by Ukraine's aspiration to join NATO, tried to cast doubt on Ukrainian nationhood and eventually said Moscow's goal was "denazification" and demilitarization of Ukraine.

It was a new phase in a land grab that had begun eight years earlier in 2014, when Russia covertly invaded and then annexed Crimea from Ukraine and began intensive support of armed Ukrainian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The United Nations has overwhelmingly voted to back Ukrainian territorial integrity and sovereignty.

But a massive assistance package proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has been blocked primarily by Republicans in Congress.

The European Union managed to pass its own $54 billion aid package for Ukraine earlier this month despite reluctance from member Hungary and talk of Ukraine fatigue.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a recorded statement for the anniversary that "the situation on the battlefield remains extremely serious" and "President Putin's aim to dominate Ukraine has not changed, and there are no indications that he is preparing for peace. But we must not lose heart."

Earlier this week, Stoltenberg told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that the alliance was an advantage that neither Russia nor China could match.

At the UN General Assembly on February 23, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said "Russia's aim is to destroy Ukraine and they are quite outspoken about it," adding that "The only reason for this war has been and remains Russia's denial of Ukraine's right to exist and its continued colonial conquest."

Russian forces last week captured the mostly destroyed eastern city of Avdiyivka as remaining Ukrainian troops withdrew amid reported ammunition shortages to hand Moscow its first significant gain of territory in nearly a year.

The Russian military said on February 24 that Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited troops in occupied Ukraine in a clear effort to send a message to Ukraine and its defenders, as well as to a Russian public subjected to heavy censorship and punishments for anti-war dissenters as the "special military operation" has ground on.

"Today, in terms of the ratio of forces, the advantage is on our side," officials quoted Shoigu as telling troops at a Russian command center.

The Russian military further said its troops were on the offensive after having taken Avdiyivka, in the Donetsk region.

Zelenskiy used an interview on the conservative Fox News channel this week to urge the U.S. Congress to pass a $60 billion aid package to help his country defend itself, saying it is cheaper than the consequences of a Russian victory.

Zelenskiy echoed warnings among Russia's other neighbors that Putin will push further into Eastern Europe if he conquers Ukraine.

"Will Ukraine survive without Congress's support? Of course. But not all of us," Zelenskiy said.

On February 24, senior Zelenskiy aide Mykhaylo Podolyak said Ukraine was auditing its "available resources" and said it's impossible to predict when the war might end without a good idea of the amount of weapons and ammunition Kyiv will have at its disposal.

He also suggested the Ukrainian president's office is not currently in favor of peace talks with Russia as it would mean the "gradual death of Ukraine."

Separately, Swiss President Viola Amherd was quoted as telling the Neue Zuercher Zeitung newspaper that Russia was unlikely to participate at the start of a senior-level peace conference that neutral Switzerland hopes to host in the next few months.

The remarks followed Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis telling the United Nations that the idea was broached in January and Bern hoped for such a conference "by this summer."

Russia currently is thought to control around one-fifth of Ukraine's territory.

The Ukrainian military said it had destroyed a Russian A-50 surveillance aircraft after a new round of Russian drone and missile strikes on several Ukrainian regions on February 23, which if confirmed would mark the loss of the second A-50 in just over a month.

The general appointed recently by Zelenskiy as commander in chief of Ukraine's armed forces, Oleksandr Syrskiy, said on February 24 that he is "convinced that unity is our victory."

"And it will definitely happen," he said, "because light always conquers darkness!"

Noting the two-year mark in the invasion, Ukraine's General Staff asserted that Russia had suffered troop casualties of around 409,000 since February 24, 2022.

Both sides classify casualty figures, and RFE/RL cannot confirm the accuracy of accounts by either side of battlefield developments in areas of heavy fighting or of casualty claims.

With reporting by dpa, AFP, and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-anniversary-western- leaders-visit-kyiv-support/32833357.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.

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Crosses For Chaos: How Russian Ultranationalists Used 'Missile Markers' To Sow Panic In Ukraine As Russia Invaded

By Yelizaveta Surnacheva February 24, 2024

In the early days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as Moscow's forces surged toward Kyiv, online photos of crosses on Ukrainian infrastructure sparked widespread fears of potential Russian missile attacks. Nearly two years later, the question remains: Were these crosses for real, and, if so, who painted them and why?

Sometimes it was a red Celtic cross on a road or on the roof of an apartment building, other times, a miniature black cross on a gas line, or a mark on a power substation.

An investigation by Systema, RFE/RL's Russian investigative unit, found that a social-media disinformation campaign by Russian ultranationalists to "paralyze" Ukrainian emergency services and law enforcement during the war was behind at least some of the images.

In the first year of Russia's full-scale invasion, roughly half of the 50,000 messages received by a Ukrainian government chatbot about Russian military movements concerned these crosses, according to the National Police of Ukraine's Cyber-Police Department, which runs the bot.

Journalists found no concrete evidence that the crosses were the work of Russian military intelligence, known as the GRU. But both the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Interior Ministryasked Ukrainians to conceal any such marks they saw.

A diplomatic source in Kyiv told Systema that the Ukrainian government and military also had asked diplomats to look for marks on the roofs of diplomatic missions.

The earliest social media post about the marks appeared on February 24, 2022, the first day of the invasion, in the official Facebook group for Novhorodka, a town in Kirovohrad Province about 340 kilometers southeast of Kyiv.

Two photos showed green and red crosses, each with a circle in the center, painted on a highway and a strip of road that Systema geolocated to a feeder road off a highway near Novhorodka.

The caption described the signs as "for landing enemy paratrooper(s)" and advised that they should be covered with earth, rubber, or paint.

The secretary of the Novhorodka administration, Oleh Vyetrov, told Systema that he himself had photographed the red cross after social media users had sent him photos of crosses. He could no longer recall who these users were.

The people who painted the crosses were never found, though rumors circulated in the village about individuals in Toyotas stopping along local roads, Vyetrov said.

With an official population of under 6,000 people, the farmland town of Novhorodka might not seem like a priority target for attacks, though Russian missiles have hit the broader region repeatedly during the invasion.

But as Ukrainians nationwide sheltered from a barrage of Russian missile attacks amid a three-pronged invasion from the north, south, and east, photographs of other crosses began to spread online.

The crosses panic lasted three full days. On February 27, 2022, then Ukrainian presidential office adviser Oleksiy Arestovych underlined, on behalf of the military, that the crosses served no military purpose -- apart from sowing chaos.

"The military equipment of today isn't guided by signs on roads. It's guided with the help of other modern technical means," Arestovych said in a briefing. "This practice [of painting crosses] could be set up to spark spy mania among us."

For Russian ultranationalist Igor Mangushev, Arestovych's words signaled success: "Every distracted cop is minus one gun. Every SBU officer catching 'saboteurs' is minus one gun," Mangushev wrote in a post on his Telegram channel Zapiski avantyurista (Notes Of An Adventurist) on February 27, 2022.

Mangushev styled himself as a disinformation impresario, "part PR person, part political strategist, part solider," as well as "a con man and mercenary," his Telegram biography reads.

An ardent ultranationalist notorious for displaying what was purportedly the skull of a Ukrainian soldier at an August 2022 event in the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk, he fought against Ukrainian government forces in the Luhansk region beginning in 2014. He reportedly had ties with figures and forces ranging from the late Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin to the GRU.

In February 2022, he was living in Beirut to avoid the risk of criminal prosecution in Russia for a far-right movement he had co-led, E.N.O.T. (United People's Community Partnerships). While in Lebanon, he organized rallies in support of Russia's war against Ukraine, including one attended by the Russian ambassador to Lebanon, Aleksandr Rudakov.

But he saw "scandalous information campaigns" as his mission -- "not just how I earn a living, but my hobby," he told the liberal Russian daily Novaya Gazeta in 2019.

One day after the start of the full-scale invasion, on February 25, Mangushev called on "fighters in the information war" to sow "panic" among Ukrainians and to organize the "paralysis" of the Ukrainian security agencies and emergency services by attacking the Ukrainian cyber-police's bot and by calling the SBU, the Interior Ministry, and fire stations with false reports about saboteurs and artillery spotters.

On February 26, Mangushev also urged his Telegram readers to call Ukrainian territorial defense forces from Ukrainian Internet phone numbers and inform them about "ballistic crosses."

Mangushev's widow, Tatyana Azarevich, said these crosses were her husband's idea.

"The crosses, flooding ambulance phone lines with fake calls, bot attacks, using the Z symbol -- that's all his doing. He tried to create maximum chaos," she told Systema in January.

Mangushev attributed the "chaos" approach to the Russian military chief of staff, General Valery Gerasimov, and was eager to implement it, former associate Vladislav Ugolny told Systema, also in January. Ugolny, a blogger, said rumors that had circulated in the region in 2014 about red jackets and T-shirts symbolizing support for the Ukrainian military had inspired the red crosses.

"We projected the Luhansk experience onto Kyiv," he said.

In his February 27, 2022 Telegram post, Mangushev scoffed at conjecture that "professionals from the GRU" or a Russian military psychological operation had overseen the campaign.

Rather, on March 25, 2022, he claimed that "the creators of a few Telegram channels and their subscribers" were responsible.

He attributed the idea to "a few drunken media people." The first such marks, he said in a June 6, 2022 article on the Russian website Ukraina.ru, had been drawn by "our friends," described as "juvenile drug addicts," on the roof of a house in Moscow's Altufyevo district.

"Our volunteers broke into Ukrainian chat rooms, (and then) distributed information about saboteurs drawing marks," he claimed.

How many people took part in any such campaign -- and what happened to them -- is unknown. When the full-scale invasion began, Mangushev's Telegram channel had fewer than 6,000 subscribers, according to TGStat, a service that analyzes Telegram traffic.

Following Mangushev's violent death in 2023, multiple claims surfaced about the crosses' origin and the ultranationalist's ties. A former media manager for Prigozhin, Sergei Zagatin, has claimed co-creation of the crosses, while Dossier Center, an investigative news outlet funded by exiled former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a vocal critic of Putin, reported that a GRU colonel's "working papers" had mentioned plans to pay Mangushev 4,000 euros ($4,032) a month to run a GRU front organization. The Dossier Center report did not show official documents proving this specific claim but included related materials including leaked e-mails from the purported GRU officer.

Azarevich claimed her husband organized the campaign by phone only in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. Ugolny, who said he didn't work on the crosses, attributed their spread to "our supporters in Kyiv."

"It wasn't anything very complicated," he said. "They just put down a series of marks."

In February and March 2022, Ukrainian media reported on dozens of detentions for drawing crosses and marks, but Ukrainian law-enforcement sources told Systema that police had let such detainees go after issuing a warning. The Ukrainian court registry's cases mostly involve fines or warnings, including for the parents of children making prank calls.

Kateryna Bazykina, 25, a native of the eastern Ukrainian mining town of Novohrodivka, is an exception. Bazykina was sentenced in August 2023 to 12 years of prison for state treason and "prior conspiracy," including for allegedly painting five crosses on February 25, 2022, in Novohrodivka at the behest of a Russian soldier.

The Dnipro court of appeals later ruled that Bazykina's recruitment had not been proven -- despite a police video in which she claimed that a Donetsk separatist fighter had paid her 2,000 hryvnyas ($52) for each of the marks.



Bazykina's case is now under review, though she remains in prison.

Prosecutors assert Basykina delivered the photos via an Instagram intermediary. The man she identified in the video for this role, a former neighbor, Vladislav Khmelevoi, however, dismissed the assertion that the Russian military recruited Bazykina to draw crosses as "total nonsense."

"It's a digital world now. To carry out a strike, it's enough just to have an address, without crosses, or to have a photo with the coordinates," Khmelevoi, who fought for Russian-backed forces in the Donbas beginning in 2014, told Systema in a Telegram chat from Moscow in January. "I could identify any military facility without the help of recruiting (anyone)."

Claiming that the "special services" shut down his Instagram account before 2023, he denied he had conversed with Bazykina on Instagram. He refused to answer whether he knew Mangushev.

Mangushev died in Ukraine in February 2023, when he was commanding an anti-drone unit during the Russian withdrawal from the Luhansk region city of Kadiyivka.

Russia's Investigative Committee is still examining the circumstances of Mangushev's death from a noncombat-related gunshot wound to the head, his widow said.

Whether his creation or not, the crosses live on -- ironically, most recently in Russia, where they were sighted on streets in Moscow before the World War II Victory Day celebrations in May 2023.

Written by Elizabeth Owen based on reporting by Yekaterina Surnacheva of Systema

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ultranationalists- panic-ukraine-invasion/32833769.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.

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Two Years Into Russian Invasion, Ukrainian Soldiers Reflect On The State Of The War

By Aleksander Palikot February 24, 2024

Two years after Russia's full-scale invasion began, many Ukrainians sense that their country could soon find itself under unbearable pressure.

Speaking at the annual Munich Security Conference a week ago, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy repeated a message he had delivered at the same forum days before the invasion: If Ukraine is left to go it alone, Russia will destroy it, and Russian aggression can only be stopped by force.

As Western leaders debated in Bavaria, Russian forces seized Avdiyivka, a city in the Donbas that has been at the heart of the war in Ukraine since 2014. With U.S. aid in doubt and Russia pushing for further gains, the coming year is crucial to the country's fate.

Two years after missiles rained down across the country and Russian forces attacked from the north, east, and south, RFE/RL spoke to soldiers it had encountered in earlier reporting on the war.

Here is what they said.

'Painful Mathematics'

Volodymyr, 54, left his job as a doctor in Kyiv at the beginning of the all-out war and has treated hundreds of soldiers wounded in the long, bloody battle for Avdiyivka.

Speaking to RFE/RL near the front in December, he said that on some days his team's triage unit treated several dozen badly wounded soldiers.

"The Russian Army is ready to lay down any number of [its soldiers'] lives to reach its goal," Volodymyr said at the time. "The killing will go on until one side is exhausted."

Recently rotated out of the proximity of the now Russian-controlled city, he told RFE/RL that in retrospect, the withdrawal from Avdiyivka was "inevitable" in the face of the Russian advantage in personnel and shells.

"War is painful mathematics," Volodymyr said. "Without weapons, we are forced to die or lose territory."

The number of Ukrainian casualties is a state secret. In mid-August, U.S. officials spoke unofficially of 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed and 120,000 wounded -- figures that do not include civilians. The corresponding numbers for the Russian side were 120,000 killed and 170,000-180,000 wounded.

Roughly one-fifth of Ukraine's territory -- parts of the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, Kherson, and Kharkiv regions, as well as the entire Crimean Peninsula -- is under Russian occupation. According to the Kyiv-based Zmina human rights center, at least 5 million Ukrainians remain in Russian-held areas.

After almost two years spent near Avdiyivka, Volodymyr will continue his service elsewhere. He does not expect the war to end this year and believes a diplomatic settlement of the conflict is not likely anytime soon.

"We will not give up, because we did in the past and it resulted in subjugation and Holodomor," he said, referring to the demise of the short-lived Ukrainian People's Republic in 1921 and the man-made famine that killed millions of Ukrainians under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in 1932-33.

The war in Ukraine started in 2014, when Russia occupied Crimea and fomented armed separatism in the Donbas, and escalated dramatically when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. But many Ukrainians, like Volodymyr, see it as a continuation of Russian centuries-old imperial policy against their nation.

Futile Hopes

When Grizzly, 34, a deputy commander of a battalion that has fought in over 20 locations in the north, east, and south of Ukraine, spoke to RFE/RL last August, he said his view of the fighting was becoming "less bright every month."

Speaking at the high point of Ukraine's counteroffensive aimed at driving a wedge into the Russian-occupied territory in the south, he said he hoped that General Valeriy Zaluzhniy, then the commander in chief of the armed forces, had "a joker in his hand" -- a wild card that could tip the balance in Kyiv's favor.

But that hope proved futile, Grizzly -- his military call sign -- told RFE/RL recently. He said his unit has lost a significant number of soldiers and that recruits, who come in small numbers, are usually poorly motivated. The unit has been recently transferred to the area around Kupyansk, in the Kharkiv region, where heavy fighting has been ongoing for months.

Optimists stress that over the past year, Ukraine has regained control of the western part of the Black Sea, allowing the export of grain to the wider world, has destroyed part of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and has had some success striking deep into Russian territory.

But as the Ukrainian steppe turned into an enormous minefield shadowed by tens of thousands of drones and guarded by hundreds of thousands of soldiers, hopes of a military breakthrough have given way, for many in Ukraine, to fears that forces low on ammunition and personnel may fail to hold the line.

"In fact, we are in a worse negotiating position now than we had been a year ago," Grizzly said.

The front in southern Ukraine has shifted only marginally despite the deliveries of Western-made weapons and training for Ukrainian soldiers in NATO member states. Russia, meanwhile, succeeded in militarizing its industry and kept the informal mobilization of soldiers going, he said.

Military analysts say substantial Russian gains could at some point push Ukraine into peace talks on Moscow's terms.

Grizzly, an entrepreneur in civilian life who first fought for Ukraine in the Donbas in 2015, said he believes that without "deep reforms" Ukraine's war effort "will be at best stuck."

"But attempts to reform are halted by the government's lack of trust in its people," he said. "Our old problems did not vanish with the new war."

'Left To Face Russia Alone'

In March 2023, Ivan Mishchenko, 45, a Supreme Court judge turned volunteer soldier, told RFE/RL that while Ukrainians are fighting against a stronger adversary, the greatest danger lies in corruption and weak state institutions. "If we lose the support of the whole civilized world, we will be left to face Russia alone," he said at the time.

Mishchenko, who volunteered to fight at the beginning of the invasion and spent several months at the front, later left the army to work with a European Union-backed commission responsible for appointing new judges and is now back at work at Ukraine's top court.

"Of course, the war does have a negative impact on processes concerning human rights protection and democracy," he recently told RFE/RL. "We are not doing badly, but we need to continue the reforms."

Two years into the all-out war, Ukraine is still struggling to root out corruption in state institutions. Due to martial law and the constant threat of bomb attacks, elections cannot take place. Worries about the independent media are also on the rise.

With problems mounting on the front line, Zelenskiy -- still supported by most citizens but with trust ratings slipping as the war grinds on -- dismissed Zaluzhniy this month and shook up much of the military leadership.

The authorities are also expected to soon introduce a new law on military conscription. With fewer and fewer people willing to join the army, reforming a recruitment system that critics say is plagued by corruption and strengthens social inequality has become a highly controversial issue.

'Global Security Threat'

Mishchenko said that despite the setbacks and problems, Ukrainians' aims have not changed. "We want control over our internationally recognized territory, responsibility borne by those who started the war, and reparations."

According to polling, most Ukrainians believe the restoration of control over the entire country is the most likely end of the war. In a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology on February 5-10, about 65 percent of respondents said they believe in such an outcome, down from 71 percent in May 2022.

But amid geological uncertainty, with Donald Trump saying he would encourage Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" to any NATO country that doesn't meet military spending targets, Ukrainians are realizing that support for their cause is limited and uncertain.

"Some partners are helping more, others less. Many still don't understand that it is not a regional conflict but a global security threat and a war between two mutually exclusive worldviews," he said. "It's increasingly resembling the situation ahead of the last World War."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-invasion-ukraine-two- years-soldiers-reflect/32833568.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.

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G7 Leaders Hold Virtual Summit On Anniversary Of Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine

By RFE/RL February 24, 2024

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) vowed on February 24 to support Ukraine for as long as needed in its war against Russia and said they would look for ways to make Moscow pay for the damage inflicted by its invasion.

The G7 leaders held a videoconference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to mark the second anniversary of the Russian invasion.

"As Ukraine enters the third year of this relentless war, its government and its people can count on the G7's support for as long as it takes," the G7 leaders' statement said.

Zelenskiy told the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States that they "know very well" what Ukraine needs to protect its skies and strengthen its army on the ground.

"You know everything we need to support and continue our success at sea. And you well understand that we need all this in time. We are counting on you," Zelenskiy said, calling on the leaders to remember "that imperial ambitions and revanchism disappear only with the defeat of those who are infected by them."

This is historically what clears the way for real security and the development of democracy, he added.

"We hear at this time 'History is watching,' and this is absolutely true," he said, referring to the words of U.S. President Joe Biden in recent speeches imploring the House of Representatives to pass a bill that includes $61 billion in aid to Ukraine.

The first G7 summit in 2024 took place exactly two years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

"I thank you for these two years together. That terrible day of February 24 and all the horror brought by Russia still did not deprive Ukraine of a normal future," Zelenskiy told the G7 leaders.

Zelenskiy signed security agreements earlier on February 24 with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who were in Kyiv along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to mark the war's two-year anniversary.

"The message I want to send today to...all the Ukrainian people is that they are not alone," Meloni said as she signed a 10-year defense pact with Zelenskiy.

Trudeau signed a similar accord and pledged some $2.25 billion in financial and military support this year.

"Every day since Russia's invasion began, the G7 has stood with Ukraine. And today, together, we reaffirmed that support. We are united. We are unwavering. And we are not going to let Putin win," Trudeau said.

Zelenskiy also met with Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson to discuss the potential for joint arms production and future negotiations on signing a bilateral security agreement.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/g7-leaders-virtual- summit-ukraine-war-anniversary/32833815.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.

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U.S. Senators Promise To Pressure House Speaker To Bring Aid Bill Up For Vote During Visit To Ukraine

RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service February 24, 2024

A U.S. Senate delegation visiting Ukraine led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer promised to pressure the leader of the House of Representatives to bring a bill that includes military aid up for a vote.

"We are going to do everything we can to tell him [Speaker Mike Johnson] what we have learned and openly pressure him to make the right decision," said Schumer after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Schumer, who was part of a delegation of five senators that held talks with Zelenskiy in Lviv, said Johnson (Republican-Louisiana) should "do the right thing," adding that he and the other senators are confident it will pass.

Schumer (Democrat-New York) also said Zelenskiy told the delegation that without the aid Ukraine will lose the war.

The Senate last week passed a military aid package that includes $61 billion for Ukraine. President Joe Biden has urged the House to approve it, but Johnson sent members home for a two-week recess without bringing the measure up for a vote.

Johnson, an ally of Republican former President Donald Trump, voted against bills to provide assistance to Ukraine before he became speaker.

Schumer said that if Ukrainian forces during the defense of Avdiyivka had had more weapons and ammunition, the result would have been different. Ukrainian forces last week withdrew from the Donetsk city after months of heavy fighting.

"If Ukraine does not receive help, Putin may be right on the Polish border sooner or later," Schumer said, adding that the delegation had been told by almost everyone during its visit -- representatives of the military, politicians, diplomats -- that if Ukraine gets help, it will win the war.

Another member of the delegation, Senator Jack Reed (Democrat-Rhode Island), said that the United States must make a decision to help Ukraine in order to avoid having to send its own troops.

"As Senator Schumer beautifully said to Speaker Johnson: If you come to Ukraine, you will see the cemetery that we saw today, if you go to the wall in Kyiv, which I visited to lay flowers there, you will see people of all ages who died in support of democracy," Reed said.

"You will have no choice, America has no choice. Pay now by supplying arms to the brave warriors who bleed and die, or our young men and women will bleed and die on the battlefields of Europe."

Reed pledged to work for additional support, including military aid, for Ukraine.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-senators- ukraine-aid-bill/32833394.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.

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Ukrainian Forces out of Ammo, Weapons - Ukraine's Foreign Minister Kuleba Says

Sputnik News

20240224

Ukrainian troops are suffering from a major shortage of artillery ammunition and other weapons, the country's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in an interview with CNN.

"We are suffering from a severe shortage of artillery shells and other types of weapons," Kuleba said.

He added that Ukrainian troops are under pressure from superior Russian forces. The White House had previously warned that the funds at its disposal to support Ukraine are exhausted, and there will be no new supplies of weapons and ammunition until the US Congress approves additional funding.

Last April, Russia sent a note of protest to NATO on account of its weapons deliveries to Ukraine. Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov said that any such deliveries would be a legitimate target for the Russian military and that NATO is "playing with fire".

A Sputnik

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Ukrainian Troops Forced to Withdraw From Lastochkino West of Avdeyevka: Reports

Sputnik News

20240224

Ilya Tsukanov

The Russian military pushed Ukrainian forces out of the Donbass city of Avdeyevka last week, driving them as much as 10 km+ back from the strategic Donetsk suburb after cracking through the heavily fortified defensive line.

Ukrainian forces have reportedly evacuated the settlement of Lastochkino west of Avdeyevka under threat of encirclement by Russian troops.

"Ukrainian forces are reporting the abandonment of Lastochkino west of Avdeyevka. In their words, the flanks and supply routes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were under threat, so a decision was made to withdraw," Ukrainian media reported Saturday.

Earlier in the day, Russian military correspondents on the ground reported that the Donetsk village had fallen to units of the 41st Guards Combined Arms Army, contradicting assurances by Ukraine's General Staff that attacks in the Lastochkino and Severny areas had been repelled.

Ukrainian media have warned through the past week that Ukraine has not yet proven been able to create a steady defensive line to thwart Russian advances to the west and north of Avdeyevka after the heavily fortified Donetsk suburb's liberation last week.

Lastochkino is situated some 3 km directly west of northern Avdeyevka, or about 4.5 km northwest of the city center, and about 12 km northwest of the city of Donetsk.

Avdeyevka is the latest major settlement to be freed in the grinding Russian advance in the Donbass, where Ukrainian forces had spent close to a decade creating an 'uncrackable' fortified defensive line with US and NATO assistance. In the past two months, Russian forces also advanced into Maryinka and Veseloye to Donetsk's west and north, respectively.

The Russian offensive through the Donbass is widely expected to take some of the pressure off the 600,000+ civilian residents of Donetsk, who have faced nearly two years of virtually non-stop heavy shelling by Ukrainian forces (and more sporadic artillery attacks through the eight years before that).

A Sputnik

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Ukrainian Troops Driven Over 10 km Back After Liberation of Avdeyevka

Sputnik News

20240224

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has inspected the Center group of troops in Russia's special military operation area, the ministry said in a statement.

It said Shoigu listened to the reports by the commander of the group and staff officers.

The minister also handed award weapons to commanders who distinguished themselves during combat operations.

Report on Liberation of Avdeyevka

During Russia's operation to liberate Avdeyevka, Ukrainian troops were driven back from their positions by more than 10 kilometers (6 miles), the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"The commander of the group, Col. Gen. Andrey Mordvichev, reported to the minister of defense of the Russian Federation that during the operation to liberate Avdeyevka, the enemy was driven back from its positions by more than 10 kilometers. Russian troops continue the offensive in their directions," the ministry said.

It said Ukrainian soldiers who remained in Avdeyevka are surrendering in large numbers, with about 200 servicemen having been captured.

The ministry said Shoigu noted the need for a humane attitude toward captured Ukrainian military personnel.

Intensity of Ukrainian Artillery Fire Persists

Despite Kiev's complaints about shell shortage, the intensity of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' artillery fire has not decreased, the commander of Russia's Center group of troops, Col. Gen. Andrey Mordvichev, told Shoigu.

"Group commander Andrey Mordvichev reported to General of the Army Sergei Shoigu that despite the Kiev regime's whining about an acute shortage of artillery ammunition, the intensity of enemy artillery fire has not decreased," the ministry said in a statement.

It said the Russian servicemen in the special military operation area face nearly the entire NATO military-industrial potential.

Regular Units for the Use of UAVs Created

Regular units for the use of unmmanned aerial vehicles have been created in the Russian Armed Forces, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"The commander of the group, Andrey Mordvichev, reported that in accordance with the instructions of the minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, regular units for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles have been created in formations and units. They are armed with both reconnaissance and attack drones," the ministry said.

Shoigu announced that the Russian Armed Forces would receive drones controlled using artificial intelligence technologies.

The ministry said the effectiveness of the use of reconnaissance-strike and reconnaissance-fire systems by Russian units has increased significantly.

According to the statement, over the last two weeks of February, Russian attack drones in the Avdiivka direction destroyed over 700 Ukrainian targets.

"In the last two weeks of February alone, attack drones in the Avdeyevka area destroyed more than 700 different enemy targets, including armored vehicles, artillery systems, radar equipment, as well as enemy manpower," the ministry said.

It said Orlan-30 reconnaissance drones performed well during the liberation of Avdeyevka.

The ministry said Shoigu set the task to further strengthen the Center group with electronic warfare equipment.

A Sputnik

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UK boosts humanitarian funding for Ukraine

Two years on from Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UK has pledged A8.5 million in humanitarian funding allocations to the Red Cross Movement and the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund.

24 February 2024

UK funding will help expand the lifesaving work of the Red Cross Movement and the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund.

Foreign Secretary says the UK stands with Ukraine, and is committed to supporting the most vulnerable Ukrainians living through the horrors of this war.

This announcement comes as Ukraine marks two years since Russia's full-scale invasion.

Two years on from Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UK has pledged A8.5 million in humanitarian funding allocations to the Red Cross Movement and the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund. The funding will bolster the UK's ongoing support for their work with local partners, providing emergency responses and vital humanitarian assistance across Ukraine.

In 2024, over 14.6 million people - about 40 per cent of the Ukrainian population - need humanitarian assistance. Millions have been left homeless, struggle without adequate access to water, food and electricity, and desperately need health, protection and other essential services and supplies in territories under Russian occupation.

Over A6 million will support the Red Cross Movement's neutral and impartial work, reinforcing their existing emergency response projects and their support to the most vulnerable in Ukraine.

A2.5 million will fund the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, part of the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. UK funding supports ongoing emergency responses, preparedness activities and last-mile aid delivery in frontline areas where local communities have been most affected by recent attacks.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

Ukrainians are bravely defending their land against Russia's brutal invasion, but the past two years of war have had a tragic impact on millions of people across Ukraine. Families have been separated, towns and villages decimated, and vital civilian infrastructure destroyed. The UK stands with Ukraine, and is committed to supporting the most vulnerable Ukrainians living through the horrors of this war.

This announcement follows the Foreign Secretary's visit to the UN on Friday, where he addressed the United Nations Security Council and United Nations General Assembly. He reinforced the UK's commitment to supporting Ukraine, and Ukrainians suffering at the hands of Putin and his illegal invasion.

Denise Brown, UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine for the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said:

The international community has truly stepped in, with remarkable support over the past two years, enabling the humanitarian community to help millions of people in Ukraine suffering the horrifying consequences of Russia's invasion. But the war, the suffering and the needs are still a daily outrageous reality that the world should absolutely not tolerate or normalize. International support, including from the UK, is as crucial as ever to ensuring the humanitarians in Ukraine can assist people who desperately need it.

This funding is part of A357 million of humanitarian assistance the UK has committed since the start of the full-scale invasion. UK support contributes to an international response that reached 11 million people in Ukraine in 2023 and 15.8 million in 2022.

The UK has now provided almost A12 billion in support to Ukraine, and is one of the largest bilateral humanitarian donors.

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We are 730 days closer to victory - address by the President of Ukraine

President of Ukraine

24 February 2024 - 12:22

Glory to Ukraine!

I am currently in Hostomel.

From here was supposed to begin that particular "take Kyiv and Ukraine in three days" scenario. It can be said in one sentence: two years ago, we met hostile landing with fire here; two years later, we welcome our friends and partners here.

Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni, Chair of the G7 Presidency. Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium, currently holding the presidency over the Council of the EU. This is symbolic. And it eloquently describes the path we have traveled over these two years and the difference between February 24th then and now.

You know, involuntarily, today every Ukrainian remembers that day. And each of us has their own February 24th. A unique memory of that day. How you woke up, who first wrote you and asked, "How are you?" who you first called, who you gave a hearty hug, what you said to your closest people then, and most importantly - what you did next.

Millions of different stories, but many have a similar episode. It's the choice made by Ukrainians of different ages, professions, and regions. And it's what brought people together: first in lines at the military enlistment office, and then in one trench on the front line. To defend the country.

And all those who stayed to work in the country. Who left the country, and who then returned.

And so, it's been for two years. We have become 730 days closer to victory. Some are waiting for a prophet to tell them when it will come, but millions of Ukrainians simply remember the words of Kobzar: keep fighting - you are sure to win! And they have been following this for 730 days of dedication and courage. They are forged in the east, south, and north, in all directions where our soldiers fight. 730 days of resilience and endurance. They stand as pillars in all civilian cities and villages. And today, each of us will call our families. To hear loved ones' voices, to wish each other what we've been waiting for. And today, unfortunately, each of us has someone to mourn.

And to honor their memory. And together, we bow our heads. 730 days of pain. But at the same time, 730 days of hope. For the highest justice. Which lies in the fact that we all have different stories of the beginning of the war, but there must be one final of this war. Victory. And remembering everything we've been through these two years - you understand: there can be no other way. Remembering what Ukrainians have already done - you know that we can definitely do it. It's within our power. We will succeed. And here, in this place, you understand best - metal may not withstand, but Ukrainians do. You can burn the plane, but you cannot destroy the dream. The dream with which each of us falls asleep and wakes up for 730 days, with which you, all our citizens, all Ukrainians fall asleep.

A nation that endured in the first three days. And didn't fall on the fourth. And fought for the fifth day. And then a month. And then six months. And now two years. Battles for freedom. Battles for life. Heroically fought by incredible people, to whom I always address in my speeches: Great people, of a great country.

I am incredibly proud of each of you. I admire each of you. I believe in each of you. Any normal person wants the war to end. But none of us will allow our Ukraine to end. That's why when it comes to ending the war, we always add - on our terms. That's why next to the word "peace," the word "just" always sounds. That's why in future history, next to the word Ukraine, the word "independent" will always stand. We fight for this. And we will prevail. On the best day of our lives. Thank you to all our soldiers. Thank you to our people. And to everyone in the world who stands by us and with truth.

Glory to Ukraine!

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Ukrainians did not betray their independence, the world did not fail in supporting Ukraine - Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the award ceremony for servicemen in Hostomel

President of Ukraine

24 February 2024 - 14:37

On the second anniversary of the start of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with servicemen who took part in the defense of the Antonov Airport and presented state awards.

The event took place on the territory of the Antonov Airport near the town of Hostomel in Kyiv region. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium Alexander De Croo, and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau attended the ceremony.

"Today, we are in a symbolic place, in Hostomel. It was here that Putin wanted to win the battle for our capital, the battle for Kyiv - the key battle of that blitzkrieg he planned. And it was here that he suffered the first - and fundamental - defeat. When our soldiers destroyed the Russian killers' landing and didn't allow Russia to create its foothold here, the world saw the most important thing. It saw that any evil can be defeated, and Russian aggression is no exception," said the Head of State. According to him, when the world did not yet believe in Ukraine, Ukrainians proved that they could fight, resist, and will continue to do so.

"The unity of people can do more than any dictator. And courage, ordinary people's courage, can turn even those pages of history that seemed like they would never end. Ukrainians did not betray their independence. The world did not fail, did not make a mistake and supported Ukraine," said the President.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked all friends and partners of Ukraine for their support of our state and people, as well as Ukrainian soldiers and millions of ordinary people who joined in defending the country.

"And that's why despite all the difficulties and doubts, the world's attention is still focused on Ukraine. Our destiny depends only on us! And we can achieve our goals, the goals of peace, the goals of Ukrainians. And we are doing it. Russian madness will not prevail on our land, in our sea, in our sky," said the Head of State.

The President expressed confidence that all Russian killers, starting with President Putin, will be held accountable for what they have done in Ukraine.

"We will ensure justice for Ukraine. And thanks to our battle, the world will surely be convinced again that there is no one stronger than people who believe in themselves. This is one of the most important rules of life in the world - peoples must believe in themselves to not let anyone break their lives. I am proud of our people, proud of our Ukrainian nation! And may we all be worthy of those bravest people of ours who at different times fought for Ukraine, fought for freedom, and gave their lives so that Ukraine could live," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The attendees honored the memory of the fallen soldiers with a moment of silence.

The Head of State awarded the Order of the Golden Star to Hero of Ukraine, Master Sergeant Ihor Hryschenko, who has been participating in combat operations on the Kyiv front since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion and continues to defend the country on the South-Eastern front. On the front lines, Ihor Hryschenko professionally performs the functions of a navigator for the strike UAV complex, destroying enemy soldiers and equipment.

Captain Maksym Danylchuk, who performed combat missions in Donetsk and Kharkiv regions in 2022-2023, also received the highest state award. Thanks to his skillful leadership, Ukrainian defenders destroyed many Russian occupiers and enemy equipment. In particular, last February, the captain ensured the repulsion of numerous attacks by the Wagner PMC assault groups in Donetsk region.

Colonel Oleksandr Doleiko, an anti-aircraft missile operator, received the Order of the Golden Star from the President. Thanks to his skilled leadership, his unit destroyed a large number of enemy targets during air battles at the beginning of the Russian aggression, protecting Ukrainian servicemen and equipment from destruction. He was wounded in an enemy missile strike but continued to command and ensured the withdrawal of the division avoiding the enemy attack. After treatment, Oleksandr Doleiko returned to service.

The President also awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine and presented the Order to the grenade launcher of the National Guard, Senior Sergeant Illia Zheved, who showed courage and bravery in June 2022 by stopping the overwhelming forces of Russian occupiers in Donetsk region, contributing to the repulsion of the enemy's advance. In March, he fell into an ambush with his comrades, but in a difficult situation, Illia Zheved quickly organized defense and destroyed enemy armored vehicles and about ten occupiers. During enemy shelling, he managed to cover his wounded comrade with his body and himself sustained a gunshot wound to the hand. However, he continued to skillfully fire and enabled the evacuation of the wounded comrade.

The Head of State awarded the Golden Star to Hero of Ukraine, Captain of the Maritime Security Service of the State Border Guard Service Petro Melnyk. Under his leadership, the border unit performed tasks in Mariupol in the spring of 2022 amidst the absence of stable communication, constant enemy missile and artillery strikes, amid a humanitarian catastrophe, and in conditions of virtual encirclement. At the Mariupol Sea Commercial Port, a group of border guards under Petro Melnyk's command repelled several enemy advances. In mid-April 2022, the border guards relocated to the Azovstal plant. The captain personally participated in operations to evacuate the injured personnel by aviation.

The highest state award was also received by Hero of Ukraine, Senior Sergeant Denys Chubarev, commander of the mortar battery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who repeatedly demonstrated in battles his ability to meticulously plan and build dense defense, which repels any aggression, allows resistance using 82-mm mortars for an extended period, prevents the penetration of sabotage and reconnaissance groups into the rear of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and systematically forces the enemy to retreat, often with losses.

Additionally, Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the President's insignia "Cross of Military Merit" to Lieutenant Colonel Oleh Dmytryshyn, Junior Sergeant Serhiy Dobko, Sergeant Olena Dubyna, and Soldier Dmytro Kovalskyi.

The President also awarded the defenders of Ukraine with the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky II and III classes, "For Courage" II and III classes, and the " Personalized firearm" award.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko, Chief of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Anatoliy Barhylevych, Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Pavliuk, and Chief of Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov were present at the event.

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Agreement on security cooperation between Ukraine And Canada

President of Ukraine

24 February 2024 - 17:05

Preamble

Ukraine and Canada, hereinafter referred to jointly as the "Participants":

Recalling the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine announced together by the Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) and Ukraine the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Vilnius Summit on July 12, 2023 (the "G7 Joint Declaration");

Emphasizing that Canada continues to stand with the people of Ukraine as they defend their country and the shared principles and values that are under attack, that Canada honours the sacrifices that are being made by the Ukrainian people in this fight and supports Ukraine's inherent right to self-defence as enshrined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter ("UN Charter");

Determined to end forever Russia's unprovoked attacks on Ukraine since 2014 and its full-scale invasion in 2022, which have brought great suffering to Ukraine's people and threaten European and worldwide security;

Reiterating Canada's unwavering commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its borders, which have been internationally recognized since 1991, including its territorial waters, and to ensuring Ukraine's ability to defend itself, to resist future coercion, to choose its own future, and to prosper;

Acknowledging that it is Ukraine's inherent right to choose its own foreign policy and security arrangements, including with respect to Ukraine's aspirations to join NATO, and the European Union (EU);

Emphasizing that Canada will continue to support Ukraine's implementation of the deep and comprehensive reforms necessary for full integration into the EU and NATO, and commends Ukraine for the significant reform progress made to date;

Reiterating the July 11, 2023 NATO Vilnius Summit Communique's statement that Ukraine's future is in NATO, and that Canada will continue to support that objective, and recognizing that bilateral security commitments are not a replacement for Ukraine's future membership in NATO but complement and support Ukraine's future membership;

Have jointly determined to establish the Canada-Ukraine Strategic Security Partnership (CUSSP) that sets out areas for enhanced bilateral engagement and cooperation across various spheres including defence, stability and resilience, and identifies areas for future support as set out in this Agreement.

Part I. Objectives

The Participants acknowledge that the CUSSP is established in the midst of Ukraine waging a full-scale and dynamic war of self-defence against Russia, and that prosecuting this war relies on having reliable access to resources and capabilities to do so. To that end, the CUSSP aims to: increase and deepen the Participants' political, foreign, military, and security cooperation and effectiveness; allow the Participants to share - across various governmental departments and at various levels - information, requests, and feedback as Strategic Partners. This acknowledges the unprecedented experience and knowledge that Ukraine has in terms of use of new technologies in warfare, countering disinformation, and other capabilities; identify current and future respective needs and requirements, and pair them with each Participant's strengths, abilities, and available resources; develop and deliver bespoke military, security, economic, and other support to Ukraine; facilitate the rebuilding and rehabilitation of Ukraine as a stable and democratic state, and enable Ukraine's efforts to professionalize and modernize its forces in order to defend itself now and deter any future Russian aggression; provide support to Ukraine in the event of future Russian attacks or aggression; support and prepare Ukraine as it pursues integration into the Euro-Atlantic community; and support Ukraine in its pursuit of peace and security for all its citizens, recognizing that all segments of its population - including women, men, boys, girls - are impacted differently by Russia's war of aggression. These different groups also bring unique perspectives to peace and security issues, underscoring the value of inclusive peace and security processes. The main components of the security commitments provided to Ukraine by Canada in the CUSSP are: the provision of comprehensive assistance to Ukraine for the protection and restoration of its territorial integrity, reconstruction of its national economy, and the protection of its citizens; supporting Ukraine's ability to prevent and deter against further military escalation or new aggression by the Russian Federation; and supporting Ukraine's future integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions including by supporting Ukraine's reform plans and building interoperability with NATO. To this end, in 2024, Canada will provide $3.02B in macroeconomic and military support to Ukraine. Canada will continue its multi-faceted support to Ukraine for the duration of this Agreement.

Part II. Consultation Processes, Including in the Event of Future Aggression

1. Acknowledging the importance and value of regular consultations, engagements, and collaboration between their respective officials, which will deepen bilateral linkages, broaden mutual understanding, and maximize the effectiveness of the CUSSP and its objectives, the Participants will:

build on the existing bilateral and multilateral discussions and engagements that already take place at all levels of government, and hold annual meetings at the Ukrainian Head of State and the Canadian Head of Government level, and more frequent meetings at the ministerial level, as appropriate; and take stock of the progress of the CUSSP and the fulfilment of its objectives, identify new areas of cooperation, address gaps or challenges that may arise, and set the pace and expectations for the continuation of the CUSSP.

2. The Participants recognize that any future Russian invasion of Ukraine would violate the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law, and would undermine Euro-Atlantic security, including the security of Canada.

3. In the event of renewed Russian aggression or attacks against Ukraine following the cessation of current hostilities, and at the request of either of the Participants, the Participants will consult within twenty-four (24) hours to determine measures needed to counter or deter the aggression. With the consent of the Participants, such consultations may take place with representatives of other interested states that have also concluded arrangements with Ukraine under the framework of the G7 Joint Declaration.

4. In those circumstances, and consistent with its domestic legal framework, Canada will: provide Ukraine with swift and sustained security, military, and economic assistance; impose economic and other costs on Russia; and consult with Ukraine on its needs as it exercises its right to self-defence enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter.

5. The Participants will continue to consult, as appropriate, throughout Russia's ongoing war of aggression, including in the event of significant escalation.

6. In order to ensure the widest and most effective collective response to any future armed attack, Canada and Ukraine may amend this part in order to align with any mechanism that Ukraine may subsequently adopt with its other international partners, including the endorsers of the G7 Joint Declaration.

Part III. Coordination and Cooperation with other Forums and Mechanisms

The Participants will strive to ensure that the work undertaken through the CUSSP is aligned, coordinated, and deconflicted with the work undertaken in multilateral forums and mechanisms in which Ukraine and Canada engage. This includes through NATO (and the NATO-Ukraine Council), the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), the Security Assistance Group - Ukraine (SAG-U), the G7 Multi-Agency Donor Coordination Platform, and other current or future relevant forums and mechanisms. The Participants also will continue their close cooperation within international institutions, including NATO (and the NATO-Ukraine Council), the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and others. Canada welcomes Ukraine's efforts to create just and sustainable peace based on the principles articulated in Ukraine's Peace Formula. Canada will remain fully engaged in cooperation with Ukraine to ensure as wide international participation as possible in Ukraine's Peace Formula.

Part IV. Areas for Ongoing and Enhanced Cooperation, and Lines of Long-Term Support

The Participants recognize that since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Canada has provided multi-faceted support to Ukraine, including diplomatic, financial, development, humanitarian, military, intelligence and cyber, peace and stabilization assistance, as well as immigration measures for Ukrainians seeking safety from Russian aggression. Building on the ongoing support and successes to date, and recognizing that Canada has much to learn from Ukraine's experiences and knowledge, the Participants will aim to deepen their bilateral cooperation across a range of areas including defence, security, stability and resilience. These identified areas will also inform, help identify, and facilitate future lines of support to further develop and strengthen the bilateral relationship.

A. Defence Cooperation and Support

The Participants acknowledge the successful defence cooperation achieved to date under the Defence Cooperation Arrangement between the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the Department of National Defence of Canada and the Canadian Armes Forces, signed on 3 April 2017 as a milestone in their defence relations. Since 2022 and the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Canada has committed more than $2.4B to Ukraine in military assistance. Building on the strong relations established between our defence and military institutions since the creation of Operation UNIFIER in 2015, and on the significant training and military assistance provided by Canada prior to and following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, the Participants will further reinforce their defence cooperation. The Participants recognize that the swift development and professionalization of the future defence forces of Ukraine is critical to enabling them to fully restore Ukraine's territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and to deter and defend against future attacks. Alongside other international partners, Ukraine and Canada will work together to continue building a sustainable Ukrainian security and defence forces capable of regaining and defending its territory now and deterring Russian aggression in the future. Canada, in accordance with its legal and policy frameworks, will continue to provide defence support and military assistance to Ukraine. This may include the continued provision of modern military equipment, across the land, air, sea, space and cyber domains, prioritizing, where possible, Ukraine's needs under the framework of future defence forces, such as armoured vehicles, artillery, and air force and other key capabilities which Ukraine needs to defend itself. The Participants will also work to accelerate the development and professionalization of the future defence forces of Ukraine, including by supporting enhanced interoperability with NATO, with a goal for Ukraine's military capabilities to reach a level that, in the event of external military aggression against Canada, Ukraine is able to provide effective military assistance. The Participants acknowledge that in the context of the current conflict, Ukraine has gained significant experience and expertise that can contribute to the continued modernization of the Canadian Armed Forces including in the development and military use of new technologies and emerging capabilities. To advance these objectives, the Participants will:

(i) hold annual senior-level Strategic Defence Policy Dialogues;

(ii) share information on defence related priorities and plans through bilateral or multilateral forums, as appropriate;

(iii) continue providing training, exercises and capacity building support to the security and defence forces. While remaining responsive to Ukraine's evolving needs, Canadian contributions to these efforts may include, as appropriate:

(A) providing training and capacity building in line with Ukraine's priorities and Canada's expertise. This may include but would not be limited to: leadership training; basic combat skills; specialized training, such as combat engineering and medical training; and collective training;

(B) providing train-the-trainer training to enhance the security and defence forces of Ukraine's own force generation capacity; and

(C) returning to conduct associated activities in Ukraine when conditions permit.

(iv) provide advice and guidance on professional military education and development, which may include but would not be limited to, future force design, integration of gender perspective and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in military operations and institutions, NATO concepts and operating procedures, and command and control;

(v) continue supporting the development and sustainment of the capabilities of the security and defence forces of Ukraine, in conjunction with Allies and partners, including by providing military assistance such as weapons, equipment, munitions, supplies, infrastructure, and other possible forms of support, such as the associated use and maintenance training where required;

() To advance this effort, Canada commits to contributing to the Air Force and Armour Capability Coalitions. Canada will also continue to explore opportunities for potential contributions to other Capability Coalitions;

(vi) enhance information sharing and cooperation, including defence intelligence, best practices and lessons learned, as appropriate;

(vii) enhance Research and Development (R&D) information sharing, cooperation, and best practices as appropriate;

(viii) enhance defence materiel cooperation, including through an instrument on Defence Materiel Cooperation and other arrangements as appropriate;

(ix) enhance cooperation in the fields of defence-related security reforms and capacity building, including by providing advice and support to help Ukraine align with NATO standards and principles such as defence governance, civilian oversight of the military, gender integration, and defence policies;

(x) conduct officials and expert visits to promote cooperation between their respective security and defence organizations;

8. The Participants may establish cooperation in other areas of mutual interest.

9. As they enhance their defence cooperation, amid an uncertain and challenging regional security context, the Participants will:

seek to assist Ukraine in preserving and enhancing its defence and military edge; seek to provide greater long-term strategic planning for training and equipment donations, while maintaining flexibility to support Ukraine's most pressing needs; and aim to provide greater long-term predictability for their respective defence industries through the identification of longer-term, defence-related opportunities.

B. Defence Industry Cooperation

The Participants recognize that Ukraine's defence industry has the potential to become a powerful asset for Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic security, to enable Ukraine to restore its territorial integrity, and to contribute to the effective deterrence of future aggression. The Participants further recognize that defence industrial cooperation can contribute to drive economic recovery and create business opportunities for both countries and they will therefore endeavour to explore opportunities to enhance such cooperation where appropriate and in accordance with applicable law, policies, and trade agreements. Canada will engage with its defence industry and Ukraine to identify opportunities for closer defence industrial partnerships and collaboration that would bring mutual benefits. These efforts may include convening seminars, organizing trade missions, facilitating Ukrainian attendance at Canadian defence industry events, and other business-to-business engagements. The Participants will work together, and with industry, to reduce existing barriers for cooperation, including through joint production, the exchange of technologies, and investment. The Participants will work with their defence industries to seek opportunities to mitigate existing defence materials supply chain bottlenecks and, where possible, expand the production of military capabilities to meet urgent needs for both countries, such as for manufacturing of ammunition, in particular large calibre ammunition, or other priority weapons. Canada will work with Canadian defence industries that choose to invest into localization of repair, maintenance and production in Ukraine to strengthen economic value for both Participants, as applicable. The Participants will work to identify international funding sources required to enable development of Ukraine's defence industrial base, including investment and financial assistance, in particular in time of war and post-war recovery. The Participants will work together to facilitate the protection of any transferred technologies and enforcement of intellectual property rights. Canada will support, where possible, Ukraine's efforts to integrate its defence industry into NATO defence and security frameworks.

C. Intelligence and Counterintelligence Cooperation

The Participants will continue and enhance the cooperation between their respective intelligence and counterintelligence services. This includes by enhancing information and intelligence sharing, exchanging best practices and lessons learned, continuing capacity-building efforts, and pursuing joint initiatives. The Participants will seek to conclude a General Security of Information Agreement (GSOIA) between their respective countries. Once in force, the GSOIA will facilitate even greater information sharing regarding defence and security between various Ukrainian and Canadian government departments and agencies. The Participants will take measures, within their applicable legal and policy frameworks, to enable Ukraine to detect, deter and disrupt Russian intelligence and subversive activities, including espionage, and sabotage actions to secure Ukraine and Canada from such malign activities, while supporting the enhancement and reform of Ukraine's security and intelligence architecture. This will be achieved through intelligence and experience sharing, pursuing joint initiatives, trainings and providing technical assistance.

D. Cyber Security and Resilience

1. The Participants will work together to enable Ukraine to detect, deter and disrupt Russian cyber aggression, cyber espionage and hybrid warfare, including through continuing cyber resilience and critical infrastructure protection, from malicious cyber activity. This may be achieved through cyber threat intelligence sharing and cooperation, pursuing joint initiatives, training of specialists of the defence, intelligence, special services, and law enforcement agencies of Ukraine, and providing cyber assistance to Ukraine.

2. The Participants will work together to identify and deter the irresponsible and malicious use of cyber capabilities by the Russian Federation and other hostile state and non-state actors against the Participants.

3. Acknowledging the importance of a robust cyber defence capability for both state and non-state actors, and looking to expand cooperation in this important sphere, the Participants will:

exchange information on national cyber security policies, best practices, and lessons learned to strengthen their respective cyber security and cyber resilience; and explore further areas of cooperation and opportunities in cyber defence and security, and continue to foster expert exchanges in this area.

4. In particular, Canada will continue to:

provide Ukraine with specific cyber defence security assistance; and engage with partners to coordinate civilian cyber capacity building in Ukraine. This coordination is intended to help Ukraine defend itself against ongoing malicious cyber activity, and address longer-term cyber resilience needs.

E. Strengthening Information Security and Countering Disinformation

1. The Participants recognize that the Russian Federation continues to manipulate information in support of its war on Ukraine. The Participants will seek to continue to collaborate and support efforts to address disinformation campaigns. For both Ukraine and Canada, media freedom is a core value to democratic societies, and to protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Participants believe in the importance of protecting information integrity, which also reinforces resilience in our societies. The Participants will therefore build, defend, and mitigate threats to their information ecosystems including by:

deepening efforts to improve international coordination in exposing and countering disinformation by championing such efforts at multilateral institutions such as NATO and the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism; working to establish, promote, and operationalize a common framework to counter disinformation within relevant international forums; continuing to engage industry and support civil society, recognizing the need for a whole of society approach to maintain the integrity of the information environment, in developing innovative ways and means to expose and counter disinformation; collaborating to improve Ukraine's capabilities to counter information security threats, primarily Russian propaganda and disinformation campaigns; and seeking to promote the development of joint educational and training programs for information security professionals and regular exchanges of experience.

2. The Participants recognize that Russia's war on Ukraine has sought to destroy the Ukrainian identity and silence Ukrainian voices. The Participants will work together to expose the Russian theft of artifacts and other works of art as well as Russian efforts aimed at rewriting history and removing the Ukrainian language from school curriculums within the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Acknowledging that art, history and language are key aspects of culture, Canada will, in particular:

work with Ukraine to access audiences in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, understanding that Russia has been deliberately targeting radio, television, and other broadcast infrastructure within Ukraine and rerouting internet traffic within the temporarily occupied territories; and support and promote Ukrainian voices internationally, as well as support Ukrainian diplomatic engagement as Ukraine expands its diplomatic presence around the world.

3. The Participants will continue to identify individuals and entities involved in the invasion of Ukraine, as well as those involved in Russian disinformation operations, and seek to impose costs on such malign actors by regularly updating Canada's sanctions list.

4. The Participants will continue to collaborate and broaden efforts to expose and counter Russian and any other propaganda, including disinformation regarding Russia's destabilization of global food supplies.

F. Demining Support

1 Recognizing that due to Russia's illegal and unjustifiable war against Ukraine, Ukraine has become one of the most heavily mined countries in the world with close to twenty percent of Ukraine's territory affected. While acknowledging the commitments and support Canada has made to date to support humanitarian and combat demining actions, Canada will strive to:

continue supporting humanitarian demining capacity of the Ukrainian state actors involved in such activities through technical and material support; consider how to increase cooperation with, and support to, non-governmental organizations that are active in humanitarian demining efforts in Ukraine, including but not limited to cooperation within various multilateral partnership platforms; continue supporting risk education initiatives to help Ukrainians understand and avoid the risks associated with landmines and unexploded ordinances in urban and rural environments; continue addressing the needs of small-scale farmers and rural households affected by landmines and explosive remnants of war, and help restore livelihoods and agricultural land to productive use; support an inclusive approach to mine action to ensure that all elements including risk education, victim support, and prioritization of demining efforts recognizes the different impacts and needs of the entire population including women and girls; and provide any possible assistance to develop combat demining capabilities of the Defence Forces of Ukraine.

2. The Participants will also deepen cooperation in the context of Canada recently joining the Supervisory Board for the newly-created Centre for Humanitarian Demining under the leadership of the Minister of Economy of Ukraine.

G. Cooperation in the Sphere of Combating Serious and Organized Crime

The Participants recognize that the Russian Federation and its proxies use serious and organized crime (SOC), particularly illicit finance, to finance actions aimed at undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its internal stability. The Participants will explore opportunities for cooperation to take actions to counteract SOC activities, in particular individuals and groups that are trying to infiltrate across Ukrainian society, have criminal influence in certain regions, including the temporarily occupied territories, and are actively used as a tool of hybrid warfare to counteract the processes of recovery and reconciliation in Ukraine. Such cooperation may include, but is not limited to, joint activities, information sharing and analysis, the identification of assets that may be seized in respective criminal proceedings, the creation of joint working groups, and the facilitation of training and best-practices sharing.

H. Economic Cooperation

The Participants acknowledge the significant economic assistance Canada has provided to Ukraine since February 2022, including the provision of loan assistance provided both bilaterally and through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Administered Account for Ukraine championed by Canada; the issuance of the Ukraine Sovereignty Bond as an innovative financing tool that allowed Canadians to show their support for Ukraine; grant assistance provided through the World Bank's Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Trust Fund; comprehensive relief on imports from Ukraine until June 2024; the suspension of debt service due by Ukraine until 2027; the provision of a loan guarantee to facilitate a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to support critical gas purchases for Ukrainian households and businesses before winter; and the provision of financing assurances in concert with other G7 members to enable Ukraine's 2023 IMF program. Considering that Ukraine and Canada are trading nations, and their economic growth and prosperity are inextricably linked to trade, and recognizing the important economic and people-to-people relationships between Ukraine and Canada, as well as the importance of ensuring Ukraine's economic resilience and recovery in the face of damage caused by war, the Participants will:

work to further strengthen Ukraine's economic stability and resilience, including through reconstruction and recovery efforts, and will promote Ukraine's economic prosperity; cooperate on the attraction of private capital and investments in projects for the restoration, reconstruction and modernization of Ukraine; and further enhance and liberalize trade, including by fully implementing and building on the recently modernized Ukraine-Canada Free Trade Agreement, done at Ottawa on 22 September 2023, which supports long-term security, stability, and economic development in Ukraine, as well as the creation of middle-class jobs in Ukraine and Canada.

I. Resilience of Energy and other Critical Infrastructure

Acknowledging that energy supply security remains crucial for Ukraine's resilience, and building upon existing support for Ukraine's energy infrastructure from the G7 and others, Canada will continue to seek to support Ukraine's overall energy sector with a special focus on nuclear safety and security and clean energy transition. Canada will also explore opportunities to support Ukraine in enhancing the resilience of its critical infrastructure.

J. Recovery, Reconstruction, and Sustainable Development

1. Canada is steadfast in its commitment to support Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction. In this spirit, and in coordination with its G7 partners and with relevant international organisations and international financial institutions, Canada will seek to facilitate continued support towards Ukraine's short and long-term recovery. Ukraine and Canada will therefore continue to strengthen the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform initiated by the G7 as well as other coordination mechanisms for joint international efforts for reconstruction and encourage Ukraine's reform agenda as well as private sector led growth.

2. Canada will continue to support recovery and reconstruction efforts in Ukraine, using innovative, climate-neutral, gender-sensitive, and energy-efficient approaches to the extent possible. Ukraine recognizes that the recovery process should be transparent and accountable to the people of Ukraine and the international community.

3. Ukraine and Canada acknowledge the fundamental role that non-government actors play in Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction. This includes the engagement of the private sector, civil society and local levels of government as drivers of an ambitious, inclusive, decentralized reconstruction process. Ukraine and Canada will aim to promote business-to-business and civil society exchanges. Efforts will also include mental health and psychosocial needs to overcome trauma, and assistance to conflict-affected communities and individuals, including veterans. Ukraine and Canada remain committed to integrating gender equality as an important cross-cutting feature in development cooperation and reconstruction efforts. Implementing the WPS agenda in recovery and reconstruction planning and execution will support the goal of achieving gender equality in Ukraine.

4. Recognizing that many members of the Ukraine's security and defence forces and their families will continue to suffer from the impacts of injuries and illnesses resulting from Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the Participants will expand cooperation in veterans of war care by:

sharing strategies, standards, frameworks and best practices for supporting veterans of war and family members through their transition to civilian life and successful reintegration into the social and economic fabric of society; and sharing expertise, evidence, and guidance in the implementation of programs and services for veterans of war and family members, including physical and vocational rehabilitation, health care services, mental health treatment, financial supports, and commemoration initiatives to support all dimensions of well-being and ensure veterans of war receive the recognition and honour they deserve.

5. As Ukraine continues early recovery and reconstruction, the Participants will seek to ensure the continuation of well-coordinated life-saving humanitarian aid where it is needed. The Participants will work together to ensure targeted humanitarian response which delivers to those most in need, including in hard-to-reach areas.

6. Canada will also seek to support stabilization and civil defence needs, including support in critical areas that bolster emergency response and improve civil defence.

K. Sanctions



1. The Participants recognize the value of sanctions in restricting the Russian Federation's and its proxies' access to the finance, goods, technology and services being utilized in Russia's war of aggression, and to deter future attacks. Recognizing that sanctions on individuals and entities that facilitate Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine are intended to constrain Russia's ability to wage its brutal war, while also acknowledging that Russia, either directly or indirectly, attempts to circumvent the international sanctions regime that has been imposed against it, and that increased vigilance and cooperation is required to prevent such circumvention, the Participants will expand cooperation in this important sphere by:

expanding consultations between Ukrainian and Canadian sanctions teams in order to develop shared priorities for future sanctions; strengthening exchange of information between sanctions research teams in order to share research data used to develop cases for sanctions listings; increasing cooperation between various Ukrainian and Canadian government departments and agencies that track, investigate, and enforce sanctions evasion to help address such evasion and to counter illicit Russian procurement; and increasing coordination on diplomatic outreach to third countries to reduce Russian attempts at sanctions circumvention.

2. While the Russian Federation's aggression towards Ukraine continues, Canada will remain committed to pursuing robust sanctions against sectors of the Russian economy and those in the Russian Federation and outside of it who are supporting or profiting from the war, or assisting in sanctions circumvention in third countries. Canada will also take determined action with partners to tackle all forms of sanctions circumvention as well as reinforcing its own domestic resilience in this respect.

3. The Participants will provide each other up-to-date information to support sanctions, in compliance with their respective legal framework.

4. The Participants will work to ensure that the costs to Russia of its aggression continue to rise, including through sanctions and export controls.

5. In the event of future Russian aggression or attacks against Ukraine, the Participants will:

coordinate with respect to the application of new sanctions; and consider the potential re-imposition of any sanctions that may have been lifted.

L. National Police, State Border Guard Service, and National Guard

1. Recognizing the critical role that the National Guard of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service, and the National Police of Ukraine have played in the defence and security of Ukraine, particularly since the full-scale invasion of February 2022, including in liberated territories, and also acknowledging that Canada has been engaged in training and capacity building support of the National Police of Ukraine since 2015, the Participants will:

explore and identify areas of need, in support of Ukraine's Overarching Strategic Plan for Reforming the Law Enforcement Agencies (2023-2027). This support may include capacity building, provision of equipment or training requirements (including on gender integration and implementation of the WPS agenda) that can be facilitated through Canadian programming, including: completing the delivery of the Police Service Trust Accountability and Resilience Project (PSTAR), whose main goal is to strengthen the capacity of the National Police of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine to effectively respond to new demands and responsibilities in the context of the ongoing war with Russia; and exploring how the Canadian Police Arrangement, through the Canadian Police Mission in Ukraine (CPMU) may be leveraged to provide capacity building support to Ukrainian counterparts.

M. Accountability

The Participants reaffirm their commitment to holding the Russian Federation accountable for causing losses or damage to individuals and entities, as well as to the state of Ukraine, as a result of its internationally unlawful acts in Ukraine or against Ukraine, including its aggression in violation of the UN Charter. They also reaffirm that that there must be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities and the Russian Federation must bear the legal responsibility, including making reparation for any damage caused by such act, which will also help deter future attacks and support Ukraine's recovery. To that end, Ukraine and Canada will continue to: seek to hold to account those responsible for war crimes and other international crimes committed in or against Ukraine, consistent with international law, including by supporting the work of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and the International Criminal Court to ensure allegations of war crimes are fully and fairly investigated by independent, effective and robust legal mechanisms; collaborate to ensure the enforcement of international law with the view to prevent future crimes; and engage in the Core Group, which is examining options for establishing a special tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine and finding the most effective means to hold the Russian Federation to account for its war of aggression against Ukraine. Ukraine commends Canada's leadership with regard to the return to Ukraine of the Ukrainian children who have been illegally deported to the Russian Federation or forcibly displaced within the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied or controlled by the Russian Federation. Ukraine and Canada note that the immediate release and return of all unlawfully detained, forcibly transferred and illegally deported civilians, including children, are among the principles supporting a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. The Participants will exert all possible efforts to: continue to engage within the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, established on 2 February 2024 and co-headed by Ukraine and Canada, and pursue the goals set by its Framework Document; contribute to the international efforts to bring those responsible for organizing the illegal deportation and displacement of Ukrainian children to justice according to the norms of international law and decisions of international judicial institutions; and facilitate all necessary assistance to children and their families affected by the illegal deportation and forced displacement by the Russian Federation, with the aim of their return, reintegration, and the restoration of their well-being, health, and welfare, consistent with the best interests of the child.

N. Compensation for Losses, Injuries and Damages Caused by Russian Aggression

The Participants will continue to explore all routes to ensure that Russian assets be directed to support Ukraine and are made available in support of Ukraine's reconstruction in line with the Participants' respective domestic legal frameworks and international law. The Participants will continue to work together with others, including G7 states, towards the establishment of a compensation mechanism for losses, injuries and damages caused by Russian aggression, as envisaged by the Statute of the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine adopted by the Resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe CM/Res(2023)3. In this regard, the Participants will explore appropriate options for establishing and financing a compensation mechanism to provide prompt and adequate compensation to victims of Russian aggression, and to support Ukraine's reconstruction, including options with regard to seizure and repurposing of Russian sovereign assets. Options for compensation mechanisms should also recognize and address the gendered dimension of losses, injuries and damages caused by Russian aggression. The Participants reaffirm the Russian Federation should pay for the long-term reconstruction of Ukraine. Consistent with Canada's legal system, Russian sovereign assets in Canada's jurisdiction will remain immobilized until the Russian Federation has paid for the damage it has caused to Ukraine. In that respect, Canada may deal with such assets in a manner consistent with the objectives of this Agreement.

Part V. Commitment to Implement Reforms

1. The Participants understand that the CUSSP is founded on a commitment to a common set of core values including democracy, the rule of law, security, peace, justice, human rights, truth, freedom, and gender equality which are the foundations of a developed and sustainable democracy and a strong market economy. Canada recognizes that Ukraine is actively defending these values, and by doing so, is contributing positively to Canadian security.

2. The Participants also understand that since re-establishing its independence in 1991, and in particular since the Revolution of Dignity in 2014, Ukraine has made progress in terms of implementing various political, economic, social, legal, judicial, anti-corruption, security and defence related reforms as it pursues integration with the EU and NATO.

3. As stated in the G7 Joint Declaration, Ukraine is committed to pursuing further comprehensive reforms. Recognizing the requirements of both EU and NATO accession processes, as well as IMF benchmarks, Ukraine will further:

enhance democratic civilian oversight and control of its military, ensure alignment with NATO doctrine, principles and standard, including command and control, transparency and defence planning to improve interoperability with NATO, reform its security and defence forces, modernize and improve transparency related to its defence acquisition and resource management processes, including its defence industry, as well as transparency and accountability with regard to partner assistance, including by ensuring its tracking and judicious use; strengthen respect for democratic principles and institutions, the rule of law and good governance, inclusivity and gender equality, human rights and fundamental freedoms including the rights of persons belonging to national minorities, media freedoms, continued reform of its judiciary with strengthened judicial appointment procedures, and implementation of decentralization reforms; and improve public financial management, including by improving corporate governance in its state-owned enterprises and banks, and continuing to focus on comprehensive multi-sectoral anti-corruption efforts.

4. In a post-war context, and as circumstances allow Ukraine to transition from martial law, Ukraine will continue its efforts towards broader democratic strengthening.

5. Canada will continue to support Ukraine in delivering on its comprehensive reform agenda, which is crucial for supporting sustainable and inclusive economic growth, in line with mutually agreed priorities and in coordination with other donors.

Part VI. Differences in Interpretation and Application

The Participants will resolve any differences in the interpretation or application of the CUSSP amicably through negotiations or consultations. The Participants acknowledge that the absence of a reference to an existing, or potential, area of cooperation in this Agreement does not preclude Ukraine and Canada from engaging in such cooperation, or from it being considered for inclusion in the CUSSP in the future.

Part VII. Designated Authorities

The Participants will, if necessary, designate authorized bodies for the development and implementation of additional instruments in accordance with the areas of cooperation specified in this Agreement. The authorized bodies of the Participants can conclude executive and technical arrangements on specific areas of cooperation within the framework of the implementation of this Agreement.

Part VIII. Final Dispositions

A. Coming into Effect and Timeframe

This Agreement will enter into effect on the date of signature and is valid for a period of ten (10) years. The Participants intend for this Agreement to remain in effect as Ukraine pursues its path to future membership in NATO. In the event that Ukraine becomes a member of NATO before the expiry of this Agreement, the Participants will decide on its future status.

B. Review

1. The Participants will conduct a comprehensive review of the CUSSP within three (3) years after the signature of this Agreement, to update and make any amendments as necessary, and the Participants will continue such reviews on an ongoing basis, as necessary.

C. Amendment

The Participants may amend this Agreement, including to add annexes thereto, upon their mutual written consent.

D. Termination

This Agreement may be terminated by either Participant by providing written notice to the other, and this Agreement will be terminated six (6) months from the date of receipt of such notice.

SIGNED in duplicate in Kyiv on 24 February 2024, in the English, French and Ukrainian languages, each version being equally valid.

For Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

For Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Giorgia Meloni in Kyiv signed the Security Cooperation Agreement between Ukraine and Italy

President of Ukraine

24 February 2024 - 17:22

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Prime Minister of the Italian Republic Giorgia Meloni.

The Head of State and the head of the Italian government discussed the cooperation between the countries and agreed on further steps during Italy's presidency of the Group of Seven (G7). The President thanked Italy for its support of defense capabilities and the reconstruction of Ukraine, which are identified as priority issues during Italy's presidency, as well as for its decision to continue providing military-technical assistance to our state until the end of 2024.

"Italy holds the presidency of the G7 this year. Therefore, we highly value its presence here today with us," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Separately, the President thanked the Prime Minister of Italy for organizing a G7+Ukraine meeting on the occasion of the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted Italy's role in bringing Ukraine closer to full membership in the EU.

The Head of State also expressed gratitude for Italy's patronage over Odesa and the Italian government's plans for the reconstruction of Ukrainian historical monuments damaged in hostilities.

Following the meeting, the President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of the Italian Republic signed a Security Cooperation Agreement between the two countries.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy summarized that this document lays a solid foundation for a long-term security partnership between Ukraine and Italy.

The agreement was signed to extend the provisions of the Joint Declaration adopted by Ukraine and G7 members in Vilnius on July 12, 2023.

The agreement outlines the main components of Italy's security commitments, including long-term military and financial assistance throughout its duration. The agreement identifies priority areas for bilateral security cooperation between Ukraine and Italy in military and non-military spheres, including political, financial, humanitarian, and reform sectors.

The document specifies that Italy will continue to address Ukraine's most urgent needs to strengthen its security capabilities. The Italian Republic has already extended the relevant legislation for 2024, allowing for further military support, and will provide assistance to Ukraine for ten years under this agreement.

Additionally, Italy will continue to contribute to the EU Mission providing military assistance to Ukraine by conducting training for servicemen.

Furthermore, the Italian Republic will continue its partnership with Odesa and the region to provide support, reconstruction, enhance resilience, and implement reforms.

Specific sections of the document outline cooperation on issues such as sanction pressure on the aggressor and holding Russia accountable.

The agreement specifies the concrete amounts of financial support and military packages provided to Ukraine by Italy since the beginning of the full-scale Russian aggression, with the commitment of the Italian Republic to continue providing such assistance throughout the ten years of the agreement's validity.

Moreover, the document confirms Italy's support for Ukraine's future NATO membership, particularly by supporting Ukrainian reforms and compatibility of Ukraine's Security and Defense Forces with the Alliance.

The agreement establishes a mechanism for 24-hour emergency response in case of renewed military aggression against Ukraine.

The document is valid for ten years from the date of signing and allows for review by the partners if Ukraine joins NATO before its expiration.

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Agreement on security cooperation between Ukraine and Italy

President of Ukraine

24 February 2024 - 17:58

Preamble

Ukraine and Italy, hereinafter referred to as "the Participants", reiterate their condemnation to Russia's ongoing war of aggression, which constitutes a manifest violation of the UN Charter.

Italy reaffirms its unwavering support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its borders which have been internationally recognized since 1991, including the territorial sea, and its inherent right of self-defence against the Russian aggression under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

The Participants recognize that Ukraine and the whole Europe will not be secure until there is a just peace that respects Ukraine's rights under international law and the UN Charter.

Following the Joint Declaration of G7 Countries signed in Vilnius on 12 July 2023, Italy will contribute, together with partners, to security commitments to Ukraine, which will help Ukraine defend itself, resist destabilization efforts and deter acts of aggression in the future, including efforts to develop the security and defence forces of Ukraine, rebuild its national economy, and protect its citizens.

Italy supports Ukraine's initiative for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Ukrainian 10-Point Peace Formula includes a variety of important objectives, many of which Italy is already working on, including food and energy security. Italy stands ready to cooperate with Ukraine to ensure as wide an international participation as possible in the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula.

The Participants recall that Ukraine will continue to implement an ambitious reform programme and that Italy is dedicated to supporting Ukraine's reform efforts. These are essential for its European and NATO aspirations.

Ukraine's defence, security, recovery, reform, in the context of its European and Euro-Atlantic ambitions are mutually reinforcing.

Therefore, Italy and Ukraine have jointly determined to strengthen their security cooperation by pursuing the following bilateral long-term security commitments and measures.

Part I. Security and Military Assistance

Article 1. Defence and military cooperation

The Participants recall the inherent right of states to individual and collective self-defence, and the unlawfulness of all attempts to redraw borders by force. Security and defence forces of Ukraine are defending not only state sovereignty, independence and their territory but also the UN Charter, our shared values and fundamental principles of international law. Italy will continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to defend itself for as long as it takes. It is the policy of Italy to assist Ukraine with preservation of its qualitative defence and military edge amid rapid, uncertain and challenging regional political and security transformation. The Participants will work together, and with other partners of Ukraine, to ensure security and defence forces of Ukraine are able to fully restore Ukraine's territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, as well as to increase Ukraine's resilience so that it is sufficient to deter and defend against future attacks and coercion. To this end, the Participants will cooperate on ensuring a sustainable force capable of defending Ukraine now and deterring Russian aggression in the future. Italy will support Ukraine in defending its sovereignty within its means and capabilities, in accordance with national legislative and constitutional requirements and will provide Ukraine with timely security assistance, modern military equipment (including military medical support) and weapons, across the land, air and sea, space and cyber domains, prioritizing, but not limited to, air defence, artillery, long-range firepower, armoured vehicles, demining, reconnaissance means, unmanned systems, engineer means, information technologies, electronic warfare, air force and maritime capabilities and other key capabilities as required by present and future circumstances. From the beginning of the war, Italy has comprehensively supported Ukraine with contributions in different sectors. Among them, 110 million Euros for budget support, 200 million Euros on soft loans, 100 million Euros on humanitarian aid, 820 million Euros to support Ukrainian refugees in Italy, 400 million Euros approximately for macrofinancial support, 213 million Euros for development support, 200 million Euros to sustain the energy resilience of Ukraine. Italy has made substantial contributions to Ukraine and will continue addressing the most urgent and immediate needs of Ukraine to strengthen its security capabilities. Italy provided Ukraine with 8 packages of military aid in 2022 and 2023 and will intend to maintain the same level of additional military support in 2024, which shall be determined in detail through consultations between the participants and taking into account Ukraine's contingent needs. In this regard, Italy has already extended for all of 2024 the relevant legislation authorizing further military support. Italy will continue its support to Ukraine for the ten-year duration of this Agreement.

Article 2. Ukraine future force capabilities

Italy is willing to be part of the international endeavor, bilaterally and with partners (e.g. within G7, EU and Euro-Atlantic frameworks, including through participation in Capabilities Coalitions within the Ukraine Defence Contact Group), in order to support the Defence Forces of Ukraine and other security components in its modernization efforts. In this sense, the Italian defence industry base is also ready to interact with the Ukrainian industries to support them in rebuilding or consolidating domestic productions for equipment, materials and ammunitions. Italy will support the development of security and defence forces of Ukraine including, but not limited to future force design, a move towards NATO concepts and operating procedures, command and staff training, combined exercises, and enhanced compatibility and interoperability with NATO Allies.

Article 3. Defence industry cooperation

Defence industries of the Participants will enhance their cooperation within the limits of their respective laws and in accordance with the existing framework based on bilateral agreements. In particular, Italy supports Italian companies in their effort to cooperate with Ukraine through the Ukrainian Defence Industry Compact initiative, including considering technology transfer, partnerships, establishment of joint ventures and investments' opportunities. Italy will work with its Defence Industry and Ukraine to contribute to the development of Ukraine's defence industrial base, develop strategic cooperation roadmap in defence industry and identify opportunities for closer defence industrial partnerships and collaboration. Italy will work with Ukraine to identify the most impactful investment areas, strengthen efforts to reduce existing barriers for cooperation, and encourage and support its Defence Industry to invest, in particular exploring opportunities for joint production.The Participants will promote the integration of Ukrainian industries with the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB), while leveraging EU initiatives where relevant. Italy will work with Ukraine to alleviate existing bottlenecks in the defence materials supply chain, which hinder the development of Ukraine's manufacturing capacity and capability for essential or priority weaponry and ammunition. The Participants will work to identify funding sources required to enable development of Ukraine's defence industrial base and encourage investment in new facilities. Italy will provide financial assistance and support for the enhancement of Ukraine's defence industry. The Participants will promote information exchange on their respective defence related research and development efforts in order to implement joint projects and programs to develop new defence solutions. To this aim, Italy will encourage its Defence Industry to work with Ukraine to support local repair and maintenance of defense systems, ensuring the protection of transferred technologies and intellectual property rights. Italy will support, where possible, Ukraine's efforts to integrate its defence industry into NATO and the EU defence and security frameworks.

Article 4. Training and exercises

1. Italy will continue to contribute to the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM) in Ukraine by supplying personnel and training modules, as appropriate. At the same time, the Italian Armed Forces will carry on specific and specialized trainings on a bilateral basis, in close coordination with the EUMAM in Ukraine and the Security Assistance Group - Ukraine (SAG-U). As soon as the situation will permits, on request of the counterpart, the Italian Armed Forces will examine the possibility to conduct combined exercises, in Italy and in Ukraine, in order to better support the process of standardization and interoperability of the Defence and Security Forces of Ukraine.

2. Italy will also provide training and train-the-trainer sessions for law enforcement agencies, like Ukrainian National Guard and State Border Guard Service, and will continue material support to partner agencies in the law enforcement area. Along with this, Italy will also provide support to medical training and prosthetics.

Article 5. Security and defence sector reform

Ukraine will advance defence reforms and modernization, including by strengthening democratic civilian oversight of the security sector and improving efficiency and transparency across Ukraine's security and defence institutions and defence industry. Italy will continue to assist and advise the reform and further development of Ukraine's future forces, both bilaterally and with partners (within EU and Euro-Atlantic frameworks, including through contributions to the EU Advisory Mission - EUAM - in Ukraine). Moreover, as soon as the security situation will permits, Italy intends to cooperate through specific Military Cooperation Plans aimed to support Ukraine military development. Furthermore, Italy also intends to support Ukrainian Defence professional military development by providing access to Italian military education institutions. Italy will advise and support work on defence governance and policies to support Ukraine's Ministry of Defence.

Article 6. Cooperation in security field

a. Cooperation in the sphere of intelligence.

The Participants will enhance their intelligence and security cooperation, in accordance with the existing framework based on bilateral agreements.

b. Cooperation in the sphere of cyber security .

The Participants will work together to enable Ukraine to detect, deter and disrupt any hostile states' cyber aggression and cyber espionage, as well as hybrid warfare, including through greater cyber resilience and critical infrastructure protection from cyber-attacks, training cyber security specialists and providing international technical assistance to Ukraine. The Participants will work together to identify and deter the irresponsible use of cyber capabilities by any state and non-state actors against the Participants. The Participants will support each other by sharing intelligence and expertise in the areas of cybersecurity and advanced communications technologies (including, but not limited to, cloud and quantum computing, advanced networking technologies, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, etc.), as well as by taking cyber capacity building measures to counter this threat.

c. Cooperation on information security .

The Participants will:

collaborate to improve Ukraine's capabilities to counter information security threats, Russian and any other information manipulation, malign propaganda and disinformation campaigns affecting national security;

promote the development of joint educational and training programs for information security professionals and regular exchange of experience.

d. Cooperation in the sphere of combating serious and organised crime .

Where security and safety conditions permit, the Participants will take actions to counteract the activities of serious and organized crime (SOC), in particular individuals and groups that are trying to infiltrate across Ukrainian society, have criminal influence in certain regions, including the temporarily occupied ones, and are actively used as a tool of hybrid warfare to counteract the processes of recovery and reconciliation in Ukraine.

The Participants recognize the need to fight against Illicit Finance operations aimed at undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its internal stability.

e. Security of Information.

No information, either classified or non-classified, exchanged under this Agreement, shall be released to any third entity (including third States, International Organizations and national administrations that are not the original intended addressee of the information, such as the judiciary authorities in national court proceedings) without the prior written consent of the Originator.

Part II. Economic Partnership

Article 7. Economic Stability, Resilience and Reconstruction, Sustainable Development and Reforms.

Italy, together with international organizations and partners, is committed to participate in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. It is important to lay the ground for an ambitious and long-term engagement that will create opportunities and enable the Ukrainian people to rebuild their country. Engaging all relevant partners, including private companies and international donors, with the aim of securing the financial support, investments and knowledge needed, is essential to ensure a prosperous future for Ukraine. In this vein, Italy will host the Ukraine Recovery Conference in 2025.

a. Economic Cooperation .

Based of the Joint Declaration issued on April 26, 2023 at the end of the bilateral Ukraine Recovery Conference, Italy and Ukraine committed to strengthen cooperation between their companies for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine and expressed their readiness to work together within the framework of sanctions to ensure economic stability and prosperity of both countries.

b. Energy and other Critical Infrastructure .

Italy will continue providing support to Ukraine in coping with the urgent humanitarian needs generated by Russia's war of aggression, in fast rebuilding destroyed critical and social infrastructure and livelihoods, and in setting the best possible conditions for the reconstruction of the socio-economic fabric of the country. Italy will contribute to the development of Ukraine's critical infrastructure protection capabilities, including through the G7+ Energy coordination group, as well as to the access of Ukrainian specialists to relevant international programs. Italy will engage Ukrainian specialists with experience in critical infrastructure security to implement relevant projects on its territory and in partner countries. The Participants will launch joint educational and training programs for critical infrastructure protection specialists. Italy will work with Ukraine to identify sources of funding, including the private sector, to develop the protection, resilience and restoration of critical infrastructure in various sectors, including energy, transport, food (agriculture), communications, chemicals, arms and ammunition production, etc. The Participants intend to further expand their existing bilateral cooperation to strengthen Ukraine's resilience against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons-related risks.

c. Recovery and Reconstruction and Sustainable Development .

1. Italy will support early recovery and reconstruction combining emergency measures with longer-term interventions including within the framework of the G7 Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform. Given the damage caused by Russia's war of aggression, this implies sustaining short-term relief, fast recovery, reconstruction and modernization, while intensifying international coordination and bilateral cooperation.

2. Participants will cooperate in order to ensure the crucial participation of their private sector in the process of recovering and rebuilding of Ukraine.

3. Italy will continue its partnership with the city of Odesa and Odesa region to support, among others, financially, its reconstruction, resilience and reforms.

d . Demining .

1. The Participants will continue working together on the demining of the territory of Ukraine.

2. Italy, in cooperation with other partners, will support the State Emergency Services of Ukraine to develop and sustain international demining standards in its operations.

3. The Participants recognize the need to unite efforts aimed at protecting the population and territories of Ukraine from the negative consequences, including the environmental damage, caused by mines and explosive remnants of war as a result of Russian armed aggression and alleviating the devastating consequences after its completion.

e. Compensation for losses, injuries and damages caused by Russian aggression .

1. The Participants reaffirm that, also in view of the future reconstruction of Ukraine, the Russian Federation must be held accountable for reparations to Ukraine for damage, loss or injury arising from its aggression and its internationally wrongful acts. Italy will continue to support the immobilization of Russian sovereign assets until the Russian Federation has paid for damage it has caused to Ukraine.

2. As a priority, the Participants will continue to work together with others, including G7 states, to explore options for the development of appropriate mechanisms to provide compensation for damage, loss, or injury caused by Russian aggression, as also envisaged by the Statute of the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine adopted by the Resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe CM/Res(2023)3. In this regard, the Participants will explore all appropriate options in support of a future compensation mechanism for Ukraine to provide prompt and adequate compensation to the victims of the Russian aggression.

f. Humanitarian aid, civil defence and resilience .

The Participants reaffirm that, as Ukraine begins early recovery and reconstruction, they will ensure the continuation of well-coordinated life-saving humanitarian aid where it is needed. The Participants will work together to ensure a better prioritized, targeted humanitarian response which delivers to those most in need, including in hard-to-reach areas. The Participants will continue to support stabilization and civil defence needs, for example, support to the State Emergency Services of Ukraine in multiple critical areas that bolster their emergency response and improve civil defence, and support to regional and local administrations in the provision of shelters, particularly in schools. The Participants will work together on rebuilding of Ukraine's national resilience system and seek bilateral and multilateral possibilities, including funding, to develop Ukrainian capabilities to counter all kind of natural and artificial threats and challenges to security of the Ukrainian society, as well as recovery of affected areas and communities.

Part. III Reforms

Article 8. Ukraine's Reform Process.

1. Based on the decision taken by the European Council on 23 June 2022 to grant the status of EU candidate country to Ukraine and on 14 December 2023 to open accession negotiations, Italy will continue supporting Ukraine's aspirations to link reconstruction with reforms on its EU path, working towards full alignment with the EU acquis.

2. Ukraine will implement the necessary reforms in such areas as law enforcement, judiciary, anti-corruption, corporate governance, public administration, business environment, economic, security and defence sector and intelligence, and state management reforms that underscore its commitments to democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and media freedoms, and put its economy on a sustainable and climate-neutral path.

3. Italy encourages Ukraine to continue its ambitious reform process with a particular focus on the reform priorities: justice and public administration, rule of law as well as the fight against corruption and money laundering.

4. Ukraine commits to continue the process of decentralization reforms as well as to strengthen and modernize administration at the central as well as subnational levels.

5. All reforms will be undertaken according to the priority reform areas set out for accession to the EU and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) benchmarks, and in close coordination with major donors, in particular the International Financial Institutions, the EU and the G7. Italy will continue to support Ukraine on this path.

Part IV. Sanctions

Article 9. Sanctions .

The Participants recognize the value of restrictive measures of the Russian Federation's access to the finance, goods, technology and services used in its aggression, in bearing down on Russia's revenue streams, and to deter future attacks. The Participants will continue to work to ensure that the costs to Russia of its aggression continue to rise, including, through sanctions and export controls. Since the Russian war of aggression started, Italy has delivered jointly with its EU partners the most extensive sanctions package ever imposed against a major economy. While the Russian Federation's aggression towards Ukraine continues, Italy will remain committed in the context of the EU to keep in place sanctions' pressure on Russian Federation as long as its war of aggression against Ukraine continues. Italy will take determined action with partners to tackle all forms of sanctions circumvention as well as to reinforce its own domestic resilience against Russia-linked illicit finance and elites. The Participants will provide each other up-to-date information on the grounds for sanctions and other relevant information, in compliance with relevant obligations.

Part V. Accountability

Article 10. Accountability .

1. The Participants reaffirm their commitment to holding the Russian Federation accountable for causing losses or damage to individuals and entities, as well as to the state of Ukraine, as a result of its internationally unlawful acts in Ukraine or against Ukraine, including its aggression in violation of the Charter of the United Nations.

2. The Participants reaffirm that the Russian Federation must bear the legal responsibility, including making reparation for any damage caused by such acts, which will also help deter future attacks and support Ukraine's recovery.

3. The Participants will seek to hold to account those responsible for war crimes and other international crimes, committed in or against Ukraine in the context of Russia's war of aggression, consistently with international law, including by supporting the work of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and the International Criminal Court to ensure that alleged international crimes are fully and fairly investigated through independent, effective and robust legal mechanisms.

4. The Participants will continue their engagement in the "Core group on options for the establishment of a tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine".

Part VI. Future Aggressions

Article 11. Cooperation in the event of future armed attack.

1. In the event of future Russian armed attack against Ukraine, at the request of either of the Participants, the Participants will consult within 24 hours to determine next steps needed to counter or deter the aggression.

2. Italy affirms that in those circumstances and acting within its means and capabilities and in accordance with its legal and constitutional requirements and in accordance with international and European Union's rules and law, it would provide Ukraine as appropriate, with swift and sustained support in the field of security and defence, defence industry, military capability development, and economic assistance, seek agreement in the EU to impose economic and other costs on Russia, or any other aggressor, and consult with Ukraine on its needs as it exercises its right of self-defence enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter.

3. In order to ensure the widest and most effective collective response to any future armed attack the Participants may amend these provisions in order to align with any mechanism that Ukraine may subsequently agree with its other international partners, including the participants in the Joint Declaration of 12 July 2023.

Part VII. Bilateral Relations, European and Euro-Atlantic Integration

Article 12. Bilateral Relations .

The Participants reaffirm their overarching commitment to strengthening their excellent bilateral partnership in all domains, starting from their constant and consistent high-level political and diplomatic dialogue. The Participants will continue to develop a mutually beneficial cooperation in the economic and trade sphere focusing on, yet not limiting to, such areas as energy and green transition, environmental protection and sustainable development, agribusiness, finance and related services, infrastructure and transportation, information and communication technology, while promoting and supporting synergies between respective SMEs, ties between regional and local institutions and people-to-people contacts in all relevant fields. The Participants will avail themselves of all relevant fora to that end, including the established bilateral Italian-Ukrainian Council for Economic, Industrial and Financial Cooperation.

Article 13. European support and European Integration .

The future of Ukraine and its people lies within the European family. Italy strongly supports Ukraine's accession process and its efforts in implementing related reforms for its future EU membership.

Italy will continue to support Ukraine in establishing conditions for enhanced economic and trade relations leading towards Ukraine's gradual alignment with the EU Internal Market with the overall goal of Ukraine's accession to the European Union. Italy will continue to support Ukraine on its path towards EU membership and to offer practical guidance.

Article 14. Euro-Atlantic Integration .

1. The Participants will cooperate in helping Ukraine making the necessary reforms on Ukraine's path towards its future NATO membership.

Part VIII. Final Provisions

Article 15 . Timeframe of the Agreement .

This Agreement is valid for ten years from the date of its signature. The Participants may decide jointly to extend the duration of this Agreement. This Agreement will come into effect immediately upon signature. At the same time, in accordance with the G7 Joint Declaration of 12 July 2023, the Participants intend this Agreement to remain in force as Ukraine pursues its path to future membership in the Euro-Atlantic community. In the event that Ukraine becomes a member of NATO before the expiry of this Agreement, the Participants will decide on its future status.

Article 16. Executive and technical agreements .

1. The Participants will, if necessary, designate authorized bodies for the development and implementation of bilateral agreements in accordance with the areas of cooperation specified in this Agreement.

2. The authorized bodies of the Participants can stipulate executive and technical agreements on specific areas of cooperation within the framework of the implementation of this Agreement.

Article 17. Financial provisions .

The expenses arising from the implementation of this Agreement will be covered by the Participants according to their ordinary budget availability without any additional cost for the State budget of the Italian Republic and Ukraine.

Article 18. Differences in the interpretation .

Any difference in the interpretation and/or implementation of this Agreement will be settled amicably through direct consultations and negotiations between the Participants.

Article 19. Termination .

This Agreement may be terminated by either Participant by giving written notice of its intention to terminate the Agreement to the other Participant. This Agreement shall be terminated six months from the date of receipt of such notice.

Article 20. Amendments .

This Agreement may be amended and supplemented by mutual agreement of the Participants, which shall be made in writing.

Signed in Kyiv on 24 February 2024, in duplicate, in the Italian, Ukrainian and English languages. In case of any divergence, the text in English shall prevail.

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Despite all the difficulties, Ukraine will only grow stronger together with its partners in the free world - the President following meetings with Ursula von der Leyen, Giorgia Meloni, Justin Trudeau, Alexander De Croo

President of Ukraine

24 February 2024 - 19:05

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held meetings with Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo, who arrived in our country on the occasion of the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Head of State said that bilateral security cooperation agreements were signed today with the heads of the governments of Canada and Italy.

"On the day of the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we once again prove that despite all the difficulties and challenges, Ukraine will only grow stronger and will always be, together with its partners, in the free world," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting with representatives of the media following negotiations with foreign leaders at the Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv.

The Head of State thanked everyone who helps Ukraine, all leaders, public and political figures, entrepreneurs, and all the people of the world who are with Ukraine in heart and deed, with our soldiers and our people.

"Thank you to each of you, dear friends! And I am proud that today so many people in the world support our country," said the President.

Separately, Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the Prime Minister of Canada for signing a bilateral security agreement, which opens up new opportunities for cooperation between Ukraine and Canada in the security sphere.

"Defense support is formalized for a year, and the agreement, like all others, will work until our accession to NATO. The principled position of Canada's support for Ukraine's membership in the Alliance is recorded. Concrete opportunities for cooperation in defense production, intelligence, cyber security, demining, and protection of our critical infrastructure are also recorded. And this is far from the entire content of the agreement," said the Head of State.

Additionally, as the President said, the security agreement concluded today between Ukraine and Italy contains key aspects of interaction, particularly at the European and Euro-Atlantic levels.

"We appreciate Italy's decision to continue supporting Ukraine, our people, and our soldiers until the end of 2024 and throughout the duration of our agreement. And I am grateful that security issues will continue to be a priority in the activities of the largest democracies - in the G7," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"We must do everything possible and within our power to make 2024 a decisive year for restoring real and long-term security for Ukraine, Europe, and the world," the Head of State said.

President of Ukraine also held a trilateral meeting with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Alexander De Croo, the Prime Minister of Belgium, which currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

"We have reached a political decision to open negotiations on membership. And we are ready to receive a negotiation framework and then start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU. We can do all this during Belgium's presidency - together with you, Mr. Prime Minister. This will not only be a clear indication that a united Europe does not succumb to any Putin's blackmail, but also evidence that Europe recognizes and respects the full commitment of the Ukrainian people to European values and solidarity. Together, we must address each of the existing disagreements in Europe, and we must together defend our Europe against all forms of Russian aggression against Europe. Our Europe is and will remain among the global leaders," noted Volodymyr Zelensky and expressed gratitude to Ursula von der Leyen and Alexander De Croo.

Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni said that her country provides military and humanitarian support to Ukraine. Additionally, she highlighted the cooperation between the two countries in the economic sector, various industrial sectors, and the energy sector.

"Today's signing of the agreement confirms that Italy will continue to provide necessary support for the freedom and independence of Ukraine - a country against which aggression has been committed - helping it to build its future," said Giorgia Meloni.

The Prime Minister of Italy emphasized support for negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

"I want to say to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the entire Ukrainian people: you are not alone. We are deeply grateful to you for continuing the fight to defend Europe and our security. Because the security of Ukraine and the security of Europe truly coincide," she affirmed.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the continuation of support for Ukraine, particularly through providing military, financial assistance, and further sanction pressure on the military-political leadership of Russia.

"We have already provided half a million units of ammunition, and by the end of the year, we will reach the level of one million. Also, 60,000 soldiers are trained with our assistance," she said.

The President of the European Commission said that Ukraine must be capable of successfully defending itself in the future, so the EU wants to strengthen the defense capabilities of our state as part of the European system.

"We are developing a strategy for the defense industry, which we will present in three weeks. This will be the first step in integrating Ukraine into our defense industrial programs. At the same time, we are learning from you, from your experience on the battlefield. We want to intensify this cooperation and open an innovative defense office in Kyiv," Ursula von der Leyen said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emphasized that the security agreement between Ukraine and Canada involves providing our state with financial assistance of CAD 3 billion.

"This support will continue what we have been doing since 2022; we will continue to provide it. It includes serious support for the armored coalition - this is our strong point - and will allow us to demonstrate leadership among partners. As well as support for the fighter jet coalition, continuing our commitments we made in July. We are focused on the long-term perspective so that Ukraine can achieve a complete victory over Putin," said the head of the Canadian government.

Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo assured of the continuation of support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

"This year, Belgium's military contribution will be over one billion. We are part of the F-16 coalition and are training your pilots so that they can deploy fighters to protect your skies as quickly as possible," he said.

Alexander De Croo announced that Belgium has decided to open offices of the Belgian Development Agency in Kyiv and Kharkiv. According to him, the issue of rebuilding Ukraine is extremely important, and Russia must pay for it. The Prime Minister of Belgium also said that the issue of using frozen Russian assets is currently being worked out.

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The President of Ukraine met with Sweden's Minister for Defence

President of Ukraine

24 February 2024 - 20:09

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Minister for Defence of the Kingdom of Sweden PAl Jonson, who visited our country on the second anniversary of the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

The Head of State said that the visit of the Swedish defence minister is an essential sign of solidarity from his country with Ukraine.

"Today is the day when this tragedy began, and it is crucial for us when our friends are here," the President said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the government of Sweden for its vigorous and concrete support for Ukraine, primarily in defense. In particular, he expressed gratitude for the recently announced 15th package totaling almost EUR 700 million, which became the largest in volume. It includes priority artillery rounds, air defense systems, and anti-tank weapons. Sweden has also contributed to the practical implementation of the maritime capability coalition.

At the meeting, prospects for establishing joint weapon production and future bilateral negotiations on signing a security agreement were discussed.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also highly appreciated Sweden's support for the Ukrainian Peace Formula and informed about preparations for the inaugural Global Peace Summit, scheduled to be held in Switzerland.

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The President participated in a video call of G7 leaders initiated by Italy on the occasion of the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine

President of Ukraine

24 February 2024 - 20:48

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy participated via video conference in the G7 meeting. The video connection was established from the capital of Ukraine, from the Metropolitan's House of the Sofia Kyivska Reserve. Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen Also participated in the video call.

A separate meeting of the G7 plus Ukraine was initiated by President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic Giorgia Meloni on the occasion of the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022.

Addressing the leaders of the G7 states, the Head of State thanked them on behalf of all Ukrainians for the crucial support provided to our country and people.

"We started this way together two years ago, not sure what challenges would lie-ahead. But now, we can clearly say that our leadership is sufficient to restore security. When the world's leading democracies are truly determined, this determination overcomes all challenges," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He reminded that during this time, the G7 countries and Ukraine have already achieved much, and the world feels that Putin's regime can lose this war.

"And when he loses, it will mean that not just someone wins, but the entire global community of nations - and international law as such - will prevail. We must ensure this. Please remember that imperial ambitions and revanchism can be defeated only together with those infected by them, and this is what opens the space for true security and the development of democracy," said the President of Ukraine.

The Head of State thanked world leaders for these two years during which they stood with Ukraine.

"We stood against the strikes. We are reclaiming what belongs to us, and will certainly make the Putin-system pay the proper price for every Russian evil. But we must be decisive - exactly as necessary for our common success. We must keep the principle - just so that justice wins. We must be active and tireless exactly as what it takes to protect as many human lives as possible. And we must be united just as our victory demands - our common victory," stated Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He separately thanked Giorgia Meloni for her leadership and wished Italy a productive presidency in the Group of Seven.

President of Ukraine also addressed President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council Charles Michel, Prime Ministers: Justin Trudeau of Canada, Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom, Fumio Kishida of Japan, Olaf Scholz of Germany, President of the United States Joseph Biden, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of France StAphane SAjournA, and thanked them for supporting our state.

"I thank each of you for your leadership, for your engagement and for making the world keep the trust in you. You know very well all we need to keep our sky protected; to strengthen our military on the land; and you know all we need to sustain and continue our success in the sea; and you know perfectly well that we need all this in time. We count on you," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Giorgia Meloni, who initiated the meeting of the G7 plus Ukraine, noted that two years ago, when Russia shocked the world with a full-scale invasion, Vladimir Putin aimed to force Ukraine to capitulate within a few days. But he did not take into account two factors: the resilience of Ukrainians and the unity of the West.

"These are two elements that made his plan fail. And I think that we must do much better explaining that the current situation in the conflict is our victory - a Ukrainian victory Ukraine, and not the victory for Russia," said the Prime Minister of Italy.

According to her, the future of the world is currently being decided in Ukraine, whether it will be based on the strength of international law and the UN Charter.

"So, we are here and will continue to provide Ukraine with all the help they need as long as necessary, because the future of Ukraine must be one of peace, freedom, and prosperity," concluded Giorgia Meloni.

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Only Ukraine's invitation to NATO will give Europe and the world real chances to return to true security - Andriy Yermak

President of Ukraine

24 February 2024 - 23:22

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak is convinced that only Ukraine's invitation to NATO membership, which our country seeks to obtain at the 75th NATO Summit in Washington in the summer of 2024, will give Europe and the world real chances to restore security, which is currently under threat due to Russia's aggressive policy.

He made this statement during a meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in Kyiv, dedicated to the second anniversary of the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The event was also attended by former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, public intellectuals, politicians, experts, and activists. Chairman of the YES Supervisory Board, President of Poland from 1995 to 2005, Aleksander Kwasniewski, moderated the meeting.

During the discussion with the participants, Andriy Yermak said that Ukraine is grateful to all nations that have united around its support since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

"Our struggle and this support have shown that the majority of people in the world are on the side of good. We see that this support remains at a very high level, and it is important to maintain it," he said.

One of the main topics of discussion was the prospect of Ukraine receiving an invitation to begin negotiations on NATO membership at the summit in Washington this summer.

Andriy Yermak emphasized that only an invitation for Ukraine would be a truly strong decision at the Alliance's anniversary summit.

The head of the Office of the President reminded that to advance this issue, the International Task Force on Security and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine was created, with Andriy Yermak and former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen as co-chairs.

The head of the President's Office noted that arguments suggesting that Ukraine's accession to NATO could lead to further escalation look strange to Ukrainians, as our country has been living in the conditions of the dreadful full-scale war for two years already.

"The failure to invite Ukraine to the Washington summit, we believe, could indeed trigger a new escalation - in the Middle East, in other regions of our planet. Only the invitation and real concrete steps towards Ukraine's full membership will give the world and Europe real chances to return to security," he said.

From his side, Boris Johnson, who is a member of the aforementioned task force, also expressed the belief that at the NATO summit this summer, Ukraine should receive an invitation to begin negotiations on membership in the Alliance.

"And we need to stop using the argument about escalation. The way to prevent escalation is to do much more to protect Ukraine," said the former Prime Minister of the UK.

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UNICEF Says Ukraine War Wreaks Havoc on Children's Mental Health

By Lisa Schlein February 24, 2024

The two-year-old Ukraine war is causing widespread suffering, anxiety and distress among affected children, many of whom have been separated from their families and friends, had schooling disrupted and lived for months in cold underground bunkers, a UNICEF spokesman told VOA Wednesday.

"Two years of this war is wreaking havoc on children's mental health now. They have not been anywhere near a classroom for years, and they have not seen their friends. Many of their friends have gone," UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told VOA from Kharkiv, Ukraine, by Zoom.

Elder, who was midway through a weeklong mission in Ukraine, said the situation prevailing today is different from that right after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, but pointed to the population's sense of grief and fear that has persisted.

"When I arrived a day after the war started, I was in Lviv watching what was the biggest refugee crisis since World War II, and that was just one of grief, just these endless farewells of husbands and wives and fathers and children, as people just fled across the borders," he said.

"To be here two years later, particularly this year in Kharkiv with its proximity to Russia, I think it is still grief. It is very real fear that what has happened to these people during those first five, six months will happen again here," he said.

"It is not debilitating fear. They will not allow that to happen. But it is fear because attacks are very consistent."

The battle of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Russian border, took place between February 24 and May 13, 2022. It took a heavy toll in civilian lives and caused significant destruction and damage to the city's infrastructure.

Schools damaged and destroyed

According to the Ukrainian government, more than 3,800 educational facilities in the country have been damaged or destroyed, severely interrupting access to education for millions of children.

Only 2 out of 700 schools in Kharkiv are delivering in-person learning. Most children are studying online. Others attend classes in five Metro stations that have been converted into underground schools.

Elder said the loss of in-school education is having a profound impact on young peoples' mental health.

"I must have heard parents and psychologists talk to me about their concerns about socialization of children, of little ones being scared in groups together, of teenagers that are never seeing each other," he said.

"That isolation and lack of socialization, I think, is just bringing home what everyone fears a that this psychological scarring after two years is becoming very pronounced among young people and among their parents."

Constant air raid alerts

Elder told VOA it is distressing for young people having to drop everything and rush to an underground shelter whenever air raid alerts sound.

"I was just speaking to a 16-year-old girl who was injured in the first hour of the war two years ago, and she still spoke of her fear because the air raids are so consistent, because she knows that it takes 45 seconds for most of these missiles or drones to come across. That is usually not enough time for air defenses," he said.

UNICEF says that children in frontline cities have been forced to spend 3,000 to 5,000 hours, the equivalent of four to almost seven months, sheltering in basements and underground Metro stations.

The agency says this winter has been "particularly horrific for children, with thousands sheltering in cold, damp basements," as increasing attacks have left many families without heat, water and electricity.

"The continued shelling leaves little opportunity for Ukraine's children to recover from the distress and trauma associated with attacks," UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement Friday.

"Every siren and explosion bring further anxiety. Education is a pillar of hope, opportunity and stability in children's lives, but it continues to be disrupted or out of reach for millions of Ukraine's children," she said.

Children and parents affected

According to a UNICEF survey, half of 13- to 15-year-olds have trouble sleeping, and 1 in 5 have intrusive thoughts and flashbacks, which are "typical manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder."Data shows that parents also suffer high levels of anxiety, excessive fear, phobias and sadness and that "at a time when parental support is most needed, half of parents surveyed report that they are struggling to support their children."

Elder expressed concern that two years of war have robbed Ukrainian children of their childhood.

"And the war is not stopping," he said. "In fact, in some areas, it has deteriorated. It has got more intense in the last month or two. And that is pushing children further and further into their shells a more and more squashing their hopes."

He said, "Fewer and fewer children think about what they might want to do in six months or 12 months. Everyone I talk to says they take things day by day.

"As a woman said, our aim is to survive the night and then wake up in the morning," he said.

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Ukraine: Russia Has Lost 409,820 Troops in Ukraine

By VOA News February 24, 2024

Ukraine's military said Sunday Russia has lost 409,820 troops in Ukraine in its two-year war on Ukraine.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted Russia's loss in a report on Facebook.

In addition, the report also said Russia had lost 819 of its troops in the previous day.

Russia has not commented.

Ukraine's air force said Sunday its forces downed 16 out of 18 Russian drones aimed at several Ukrainian oblasts.

On Saturday, the second anniversary of Russia's invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked those who have supported Ukraine. Because of their cooperation, he said, "millions in Ukraine and in neighboring countries around Russia can feel that their homeland will not become Putin's backyard."

Zelenskyy used his nightly video address to cite Russian "imperial ambitions and revanchism" and struck an optimistic note that Russia will be defeated because "when the world's leading democracies are truly determined, this determination overcomes all challenges."

"We must ensure" Russia loses, he said, then "the entire global community of nations - and international law as such - will prevail."

Ukrainians commemorated the day by laying flowers to honor their dead, weeping and hoping for victory despite the mounting number of war dead and a Russian offensive that shows no sign of letting up.

G7 pledges support

Leaders of the Group of Seven major democracies marked the second anniversary by pledging to support Ukraine for as long as needed in its war against Russia.

In a statement, the G7 denounced the support of China and Iran for Russia's war on Ukraine and called on Iran to stop helping Russia's military. They also expressed concern about the transfer by Chinese businesses of weapons components and military equipment to Moscow.

Earlier, Western leaders such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the Ukrainian capital to mark the gruesome anniversary in a show of support.

Meloni and Trudeau signed a 10-year defense pact with Ukraine's president and Meloni told the Ukrainian people they "are not alone" in the fight. Trudeau said, "we will stand with Ukraine with whatever it takes, for as long as it takes."

Trudeau pledged about $2.25 billion in financial and military support for Ukraine this year.

The Canadian and Italian security deals mirror similar pacts signed recently with Britain, France, Germany and Denmark.

However, $61 billion in aid promised by U.S. President Joe Biden is still stalled by the U.S. House of Representatives, denting Kyiv's hopes of pushing back the much larger, better supplied Russian military.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer visited Ukraine on Friday. He urged House members to "do the right thing" and pass the Ukraine military aid bill.

Earlier Friday, the U.S. government imposed more than 500 new sanctions on Russian entities in the single largest round of penalties since the war began.

The government said the sanctions mark both the second anniversary of the invasion and the death of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny at an Arctic prison.

Biden noted the new sanctions will target individuals connected to Navalny's imprisonment, as well as Russia's financial sector.

"They will ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home," he said.

As the war enters its third year, Russian forces hold around 18% of Ukraine's territory and new offensives are surging in the east, buoyed by the capture of the ruined town of Avdiivka last weekend.

Exhausted by two years of fighting, Ukraine's government faces challenges, such as renewing battlefield manpower without undermining Ukraine's fragile economy.

As Zelenskyy led commemorative events Saturday, some Ukrainians expressed fear that the war would last years.

"I'm a realist and understand that most likely the war will drag on for the next three or four years," Denys Symonovskiy, a Kyiv resident, told Reuters. "I hope society will mobilize, I hope we'll be able to somehow defeat Russia."

Funerals every day

In the western city of Lviv, hundreds of kilometers from the fighting, women cried as a priest led prayers in a cemetery festooned with blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flags, each marking the death of a soldier.

"The boys are holding the front line. We can only imagine what effort and price is paid for every peaceful day we have. I want to believe it's not all in vain. We have funerals every day," Evhenia Demchuk, a widow and mother of two, told Reuters.

In Warsaw, hundreds of protesters marked the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine by gathering outside the Russian Embassy at the Polish capital. Some left a pile of manure outside the home of Moscow's ambassador to Poland Saturday.

Pictures of the protest seen by Reuters showed protesters at the Russian Embassy waving Ukrainian and Polish flags alongside banners with slogans excoriating Russians. A bloodied Russian flag with the letter "Z" on it was propped on a pile of manure with a sign that said "We don't want you in EU! Get out!"

Poland has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion despite tensions with Kyiv over agricultural imports and regulations for truckers.

Meanwhile, officials in Ukraine said a Russian drone struck a residential building in the southern port city of Odesa late Friday, killing at least one person and injuring several others.

The military said several Russian drones were shot down over Odesa during the nighttime aerial assault.

VOA's State Department Bureau Chief Nike Ching contributed to this report. Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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G7 Leaders' Statement

February 24, 2024

We the Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) met today with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine and salute once more the bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people who have been fighting tirelessly for Ukraine's freedom and democratic future.

They have resisted for two years Russia's illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked full-scale invasion which constitutes a blatant violation of the UN Charter. They have proven their will to defeat President Putin's war machine, restore their nation's territorial integrity, and defend Ukraine's sovereignty and independence.

President Putin has failed to achieve his strategic objective of subjugating Ukraine. Instead, he is forcing his own people to pay a heavy price for his government's reckless actions each day. He has drained Russia's resources to fund an unnecessary war, torn Russian families apart, and claimed hundreds of thousands of Russian lives.

We remain convinced that we can ensure the people of Ukraine prevail in fighting for their future and help to forge a comprehensive, just and durable peace.

On this occasion, we also pay tribute to the extraordinary courage of Alexei Navalny and stand with his wife, children, and loved ones. He sacrificed his life fighting against the Kremlin's corruption and for free and fair elections in Russia. We call on the Russian government to fully clarify the circumstances around his death. We equally call on the Russian government to free all unjustly detained prisoners and to stop the persecution of political opposition and the systematic repression of Russians' rights and freedoms. We will hold those culpable for Navalny's death accountable, including by continuing to impose restrictive measures in response to human rights violations and abuses in Russia and taking other actions.

1. We will continue to support Ukraine's right to self-defence and reiterate our commitment to Ukraine's long-term security, including by concluding and implementing bilateral security commitments and arrangements, based on the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine we endorsed in Vilnius last July. We are stepping up our security assistance to Ukraine and are increasing our production and delivery capabilities, to assist the country.

Ten years after the Maidan protests, we stand with the Ukrainian government and people as they buttress the foundations of their democratic state through vital reforms, especially to reinforce their justice system and rule of law, and tackle corruption. These endeavours are part of Ukraine's path to Euro-Atlantic integration. We praise Ukraine's achievements to date and welcome the European Council's decision last December to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. We welcome Ukraine's progress towards meeting the IMF Extended Fund Facility programme's conditionality.

Russia must not succeed in wrecking Ukraine's economy to make up for its failures on the battlefield. We will help Ukraine meet its urgent financing needs, and assist other vulnerable countries severely affected by the impacts of Russia's war. We strongly welcome the EU's approval of the Ukraine Facility of EUR 50 billion. It will provide crucial financial support to Ukraine until 2027. We also welcome additional economic support others have approved as we seek to close Ukraine's remaining financing gap, as well as Japan's swift delivery of its budget support in the first quarter of 2024 and Canada's new funding. We urge the approval of additional support to close Ukraine's remaining budget gap for 2024.

Ukraine's reconstruction, starting with early recovery measures, remains a key priority. We will continue to work, with the Ukrainian authorities and International Financial Institutions through the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine and by leveraging private investments. We welcome the Platform's expansion to include the Republic of Korea, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Further to the successful Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction, we look forward to the Ukraine Recovery Conferences, to be hosted in Berlin in 2024 and in Rome in 2025.

2. We call on Russia to immediately cease its war of aggression and completely and unconditionally withdraw its military forces from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine. We call on all countries to uphold international law and in no way validate or condone Russia's attempts to acquire territory by force. We will never recognise so-called "elections", past and future, held by Russia in the territories of Ukraine, nor their results. Russia's stated intention to hold votes for its Presidential elections in Ukrainian regions is an outrageous violation of Ukraine's sovereignty.

We strongly condemn Russia's continuous brutal attacks on civilians and critical civil infrastructure and war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine, including sexual violence. We strongly condemn Russia's human rights violations in the territories Russia occupies. We remain committed to holding those responsible accountable for their atrocities against the people of Ukraine, in line with international law. We support investigations by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the Prosecutor-General of Ukraine, and other national prosecutors within their jurisdictions. We welcome ongoing discussions in the Core Group, exploring the establishment of a tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. We call on Russia to release all persons it has unlawfully detained and to safely return all civilians it has illegally transferred or deported, starting with thousands of children. We welcome the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, launched by Ukraine and Canada. We also stress the importance of advancing towards an exchange of all prisoners of war and welcome efforts in this regard by other partner countries and actors. Finally, we will continue to support Ukrainian displaced persons and refugees and protect those in need. We reiterate our support for the Council of Europe Register of Damage for Ukraine.

As Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine continues to undermine global food security, we celebrate Ukraine's success in significantly expanding food exports through the Black Sea, which will help feed the world. Thanks to Ukraine's maritime corridor and the EU's solidarity lanes, Ukraine is on track to export all grain from its 2023 harvest despite Russia's attacks on Ukrainian ports and its withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. We will continue to help Ukraine export its grain and agricultural products to the most vulnerable nations, including through the implementation of the Grain Verification Scheme that Ukraine will lead this year. We call on Russia to cease its efforts to weaponize food supply and support safe commercial navigation of the Black Sea.

Russia's irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, its posture of strategic intimidation and its undermining of arms control regimes are unacceptable. Threats by Russia of nuclear weapon use, let alone any use of nuclear weapons by Russia, in the context of its war of aggression against Ukraine are inadmissible.

3. We will continue to raise the cost of Russia's war, degrade Russia's sources of revenue and impede its efforts to build its war machine, as demonstrated by our recently approved sanctions packages. We remain committed to fully implementing and enforcing our sanctions on Russia and adopting new measures as necessary. We continue to counter, in close cooperation with third countries, any attempts to evade and circumvent our sanctions and export control measures. We will impose additional sanctions on companies and individuals in third countries who help Russia acquire weapons or key inputs for weapons. We will also impose sanctions on those who help Russia acquire tools and other equipment that aid Russian weapons production or military-industrial development.

We will continue to apply significant pressure on Russian revenues from energy and other commodities. We will continue to take steps to tighten compliance and enforcement of the oil price cap. While working to maintain supply stability, we will respond to price cap violations, including by imposing additional sanctions measures on those engaged in deceptive practices while transporting Russian oil and against the networks Russia has developed to extract additional revenue from price cap violations. We will continue taking steps to limit Russia's future energy revenues. We will continue to impede Russia's development of future energy projects and disrupt its development of alternatives for energy shipping and other services. We will continue efforts to reduce Russia's revenues from metals.

We will continue to take action against third-country actors who materially support Russia's war including by imposing additional measures on entities, where appropriate, in third countries. We call on financial institutions to refrain from supporting Russia's war machine and we will take appropriate steps, consistent with our legal systems, to deter this behaviour. Financial institutions and other entities that facilitate Russia's acquisition of items or equipment for its defence industrial base are supporting actions that undermine the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine. We strongly condemn North Korea's exports and Russia's procurement of North Korea's ballistic missiles in direct violation of relevant UNSCRs and call upon them to immediately cease such activities. We call upon Iran to stop assisting the Russian military and its war in Ukraine. We express our concern about transfers to Russia from businesses in the People's Republic of China of dual-use materials and components for weapons and equipment for military production.

It is not right for Russia to decide if or when it will pay for the damage it has caused in Ukraine. These damages now exceed USD486 billion, according to the World Bank. Russia's obligations under international law to pay for the damage it is causing are clear. We are determined to dispel any false notion that time is on Russia's side, that destroying infrastructure and livelihoods has no consequences for Russia, or that Russia could prevail by causing Ukraine to fail economically. Russia should not be able to indefinitely delay payment it owes. We recognize the urgency of disrupting Russia's attempts to destroy the Ukrainian economy and Russia's continued failure to abide by its international law obligations. We are determined to ensure full accountability and we support Ukraine in obtaining compensation for the loss, injury and damage resulting from Russia's aggression.

We welcome the adoption of the EU legal acts concerning extraordinary revenues of central securities depositories gained from Russia's immobilised sovereign assets and encourage further steps to enable their use, consistent with applicable contractual obligations and in accordance with applicable laws. We ask our ministers to continue their work and update ahead of the Apulia Summit on all possible avenues by which immobilized Russian sovereign assets could be made use of to support Ukraine, consistent with our respective legal systems and international law.

4. As we move forward, we continue our support to Ukraine in further developing President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula and commit ourselves to supporting a comprehensive, just and lasting peace consistent with the principles of the UN Charter, international law and respectful of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. As Ukraine enters the third year of this relentless war, its government and its people can count on the G7's support for as long as it takes.



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Opening Remarks of Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis at the 'Solidarity for Ukraine' event at the WTO Ministerial in Abu Dhabi

European Commission

Speech

25 February 2024

Abu Dhabi

"Check against delivery"

Dear Ministers, dear Heads of Delegations, dear all,

First of all thank you very much for coming to this event.

Two years ago, Russia started its brutal full-scale war against Ukraine and its people. It has caused immense destruction and suffering, as well as unspeakable loss of life.

As we remember the victims and salute the Ukrainian heroes of this war who are fighting for freedom, we reiterate the European Union's continued support for restoring Ukraine's full sovereignty and territorial integrity within its 1991 borders.

Since the start of this illegal aggression, the EU has provided Ukraine with more than a88 billion in humanitarian, financial, economic and military support.

The Ukraine Facility, with a total budget of a50 billion, will provide Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support between now and 2027. The first disbursement will follow shortly in early March. This crucial funding will help Ukraine in its recovery, reconstruction and reforms, including those needed on the path towards EU membership. It will also help to keep its administration running, pay salaries and pensions, as well as maintain basic public services.

The European Union and its Member States have also provided substantial military support. To date, this amounts to more than a28 billion.

The EU is not alone in supporting Ukraine. I would like to thanks to all international allies and friends of the EU and Ukraine for all kind of support.

We make history standing to the right side of this fight of the nations to decide its destiny.

By the end of 2024, we will have delivered more than 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine and trained 60 000 Ukrainian soldiers on EU soil.

Along with the EU's substantial financial and military support, we have acted to support Ukraine's external trade, notably the Autonomous Trade Measures and Solidarity Lanes. We also have a comprehensive agenda in the Priority Action Plan that leverages the Association Agreement to bring Ukraine close to the EU single market, and acts as a bridge for Ukraine's accession.

A To put it bluntly, Russia simply cannot be trusted. Since its illegal invasion of Crimea 10 years ago, Russia has breached almost 400 international treaties, demonstrating its utter untrustworthiness. This also goes for the WTO, where the EU, together with like-minded Members, has suspended the application of the "most favoured nation" (MFN) principle vis-A -vis Russia and has refrained from any bilateral engagement with Russia. International alliances must be built on a rules-based system.

Russia has also been engaged in a war of disinformation at the WTO and within the territory of many its member states - including by stirring up provocations at farmers' protests in the EU. It blames international sanctions for rising food insecurity, rather than its own unilateral decision to terminate the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, its deliberate attacks on Ukraine's grain storage and export facilities, or its actions to hinder the freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.

We have joined forces with Ukraine and other like-minded members to counter these lies in all bodies of the WTO.

With crucial support of international partners, Ukraine is winning back the Black Sea, with its brave and innovative sea power being deployed to establish a safe Ukrainian grain corridor for global shipping, including the shipping of crucial food supplies to Africa.

The European Union will continue to support efforts to facilitate exports of Ukraine's grain and other agricultural products to those countries most in need, notably in Africa and the Middle East.

We will continue to do whatever it takes - for Ukraine to prevail. We will not waver in our support.

We are inspired by your remarkable resilience and unshaken will to prevail and rebuild.

Ukraine belongs to Europe; Ukraine's future is in the EU. It has chosen a European path, already 10 years ago during the Maidan Revolution, and this is the best security guarantee for Ukraine and for the EU.

Your security is our security!

Now I invite Mr Markiyan Dmytrasevych, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Policy and Food and Mr Dmytro Senik, Ambassador of Ukraine to the UAE, to come to the podium and the Minister will also share a few words with us.

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No Iranian missiles being sent to Russia: Ukrainian official

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Feb 25, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- A senior Ukrainian military official has categorically rejected reports that the Iranian ballistic missiles are being sent to Russia.

Kyrylo Oleksiyovych Budanov, chief of the main directorate of intelligence of Ukraine's Defense Ministry, said he had no knowledge of any shipment of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia, RBC Ukraine reported on Sunday.

"There are no (Iranian) missiles (in Russia's possession). All of these reports are incorrect," he said.

Budanov also mentioned that Russia has launched several missiles received from North Korea against Ukraine, but the assertion that their use has been widespread is untrue.

Earlier, Reuters news agency claimed, citing informed sources, that Iran had exported 400 ballistic missiles to Russia.

Iran's Mission to the United Nations said on Friday that Iran was not legally prohibited from selling ballistic missiles, but the Islamic Republic was "morally obligated" to refrain from arms deals during the Russia-Ukraine conflict to prevent further escalation based on international law and the UN Charter.

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Ukraine says 'losing territory', blames West's delayed weapons delivery

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 25 February 2024 3:29 PM

Ukraine has complained about its Western allies' late delivery of weapons and munitions to the Kiev forces, blaming the West's delays for its latest defeats against Russia.

"We have a plan. We are working to the plan. We are doing everything possible and impossible. But without timely supply [of Western arms and munitions], it's hard for us," Ukraine's defense minister, Rustem Umerov, said on Sunday.

Umerov added that the Ukrainian forces were "losing territory" to Russian troops because "50 percent" of the arms and munitions reached them late.

He said that no modern nation could win a war without "air superiority," reminding that the F-16 jets promised by the West had not yet been delivered to Kiev.

Umerov said that the Kiev forces had been building new fortifications and "thousands of strongholds."

However, he added that the West's delay in supplying arms and munitions was leading to setbacks and deaths on the battlefield.

According to Umerov, while the US Congress was delaying the Americans' new shipment of military aid to Kiev, Ukraine's forces were running out of air defense missiles and artillery shells.

He said while the Russians had spent $150 billion on the war since it launched its special military operation in eastern Ukraine in February 2022, the Kiev forces had built and were now using Ukrainian-made drones to sink Russian warships.

Ukraine has dramatically scaled up drone production, and was constructing its version of Russia's Lancet drone, he added.

It had also produced models capable of flying hundreds of kilometers to hit targets deep inside Russia, as well as more than a million first-person view drones.

Officials indicated that in a time of artillery shortages, home-produced drones would be the first line of defense for Ukraine against Russian troops.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has also complained to Kiev's Western allies about "keeping Ukraine in the artificial deficit of weapons, particularly in deficit of artillery and long-range capabilities".

Zelensky has been making continuous efforts to shore up more and more guns, tanks, planes and ammunition from the West.

The Western countries have responded to Ukraine's requests by sending Kiev multiple shipments of weaponry and munitions.

However, Russia has repeatedly warned that flooding Ukraine with arms and ammunition will only prolong the war, not stopping the Russian troops from reaching their set military objectives in the region.

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Top Ukrainian General, Defense Minister Look For Ways To Boost Frontline Defenses

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service February 25, 2024

Ukrainian Army chief Oleksandr Syrskiy has said he traveled with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to the front line of Kyiv's effort to stave off invading Russian forces to analyze the situation and determine ways to boost defenses.

"During the visit, we analyzed the current situation in detail and discussed the necessary further steps, primarily the protection of troops from drones and air strikes by air-defense systems, as well as the strengthening of certain areas of the front," Sirskiy wrote on Facebook on February 25.

"The enemy regularly storms the positions of our troops. In many areas, the situation is complex and requires constant monitoring," Syskiy wrote, saying he had stressed the importance of coordinated military actions and protecting the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.

It was not clear when and where the visit to the front took place, but Syskiy's post came a day after the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as Ukraine struggles to stave off Russian forces and is dealing with a critical shortage of weapons and ammunition.

Umerov recently said the shortage of artillery shells meant that Ukrainian forces were restricted to firing no more than 2,000 shells a day along the 1,500-kilometer front, while Russian forces were firing three times that amount.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said during a video address on February 13 that Syrskiy and Umerov had "visited all the hot spots of the front." Zelenskiy said the two were "solving existing problems," including troop shortages and management and that the front would be reinforced with the help of drones and other weaponry.

On February 23, Syrskiy and Umerov met with a delegation of U.S. senators to discuss the battlefield situation and the need for more weapons and ammunition.

The same day, U.S. President Joe Biden urged the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives to pass an emergency spending package to provide $60 billion to Ukraine "before it's too late."

The bill allowing Kyiv to purchase weapons and ammunition, support military training and intelligence sharing, and fund government operations was passed by the Democratic-led Senate, the upper house of the U.S. Congress, on February 13.

Ukraine has said it tripled its weapons production last year as it looks to boost arms production and innovation.

Strategic Industry Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin, speaking during a televised conference on February 25, said that 100 state and 400 private companies are involved the effort, and that Ukraine seeks to "considerably increase ammunition production."

Digital Transformation Minister Mykhaylo Fedorov the same day said 90 percent of the drones being used in the war are now produced in Ukraine.

Ukraine has called on its Western partners to boost the delivery of arms and funding and has received positive responses from the United Kingdom, Sweden, and others in recent days.

However, Ukrainian Defense Minister Umerov said on February 25 that half of the Western arms provided to Ukraine are delivered late.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-s-top-general-defense- minister-visit-posts-near-front-line/32834401.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.

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Russian Forces Take More Advantageous Position Near Avdeyevka

Sputnik News

20240225

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian forces repelled nine attacks by Ukraine near Avdeyevka and Kherson over the past 24 hours, with Kiev's losses reaching up to 130 personnel in the areas, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

"Near Avdeyevka, units of the Tsentr battlegroup took more advantageous lines and positions and defeated concentrations of manpower and equipment of the 3rd Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian army and the 107th Territorial Defense Brigade near the village of Tonenkoye in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said.

In this area alone, Ukraine lost up to 100 servicemen killed and wounded in the past 24 hours, with Russian forces also eliminating four armored combat vehicles, eight motor vehicles and one Grad multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) combat vehicle, as well as a D-30 howitzer and a Bukovel-AD anti-drone electronic warfare system, the ministry added.

Meanwhile, in the Kherson region, Russian forces repelled two attacks by the Ukrainian army, destroying three motor vehicles and one US-made M777 artillery system around the villages of Rabotino and Shcherbaki in the Zaporozhye Region, the ministry said. Ukraine's losses in this area totaled up to 30 troops killed and wounded in the past 24 hours.

In the Donetsk and South Donetsk regions, the Russian army eliminated a total of 500 Ukrainian soldiers, as well as three tanks, five armored combat vehicles, 10 vehicles, one Grad MLRS combat vehicle, one US-made M777 artillery system, one German-made Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled artillery vehicle, one D-20 howitzer, one Gvozdika self-propelled gun and a Ukrainian army ammunition depot.

In the Kupyansk area, Russian forces repelled four attacks by Ukraine in the past 24 hours, with the enemy losing about 180 personnel, one tank, three vehicles, one US-made M777 artillery system, one US-made M198 howitzer, and one D-20 gun-howitzer in the area, the ministry said.

A Sputnik

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Ukraine hopes for a positive decision by its partners on providing the long-awaited assistance

President of Ukraine

25 February 2024 - 21:51

Ukraine expects positive decisions on financial and military support from its allies to strengthen its forces on the battlefield. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference at the forum "Ukraine. Year 2024".

"I met with senators, with both parties, and all the signals in different formats are known to President Biden, the government and the opposition. They know that we need this decision within a month," the Head of State emphasized.

According to him, for the most part, these funds remain in the United States, in companies that manufacture weapons that Ukraine needs, including air defense systems and missiles.

At the same time, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized, Ukraine has already signed a number of bilateral security agreements with European countries that stipulate specific amounts of assistance.

"There are serious specifics about funding, and we insisted on these specifics for a reason, because we see challenges in the United States. But I expect that the United States will remain the leader of democracy in the world," the Head of State noted.

According to the President, there are positive expectations regarding long-range weapons, in particular ATACMS 300.

As for the long-range weapons, in particular ATACMS with a range of up to 300 km, the President said he has positive expectations in this regard.

"Indeed, we have been working on this issue for a long time. To summarize, I am positive about the recent conversations with our partners," he added.

In addition, the Head of State noted that he saw changes in Europe's attitude to the war in Ukraine, especially in the last few months.

"I think they at least realize how dangerous this is for them. That Putin is not only our enemy, but an enemy for the whole of Europe. I think they have realized that Putin will continue this war," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

In his opinion, this is why the leaders of European countries have begun to increase the production of ammunition, in particular 155 mm caliber.

At the same time, the Head of State noted that the societies of European countries are still not ready to fight against Russia on the battlefield. And to prevent them from having to do so, the European Union must strengthen Ukraine.

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Global Peace Summit will strengthen Ukraine diplomatically - Volodymyr Zelenskyy

President of Ukraine

25 February 2024 - 21:01

Ukraine must strengthen its positions both on the battlefield and in the diplomatic sphere, developing a plan to end the war that would meet Ukrainian interests. This was emphasized by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference in the framework of the forum "Ukraine. Year 2024".

"As for the summit. We believe that it is only right to get stronger on the battlefield, and it depends on us, our production and our partners. It is equally right to get stronger diplomatically. We do not want any negotiation formats or peace formulas to be imposed on us by countries that are not here today, not at war. It is very important for the initiative to come only from Ukraine," the Head of State emphasized.

He reminded that at the G20 Summit in Indonesia, Ukraine had come up with a diplomatic initiative and proposed a Peace Formula, which it is working hard to implement. According to the President, the first peace summit may be held in Switzerland this spring. Within the framework of this meeting, a plan will be elaborated and subsequently a joint document will be prepared, which will then be handed over to the Russian side.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the negotiators would present the document to the Russian side, and thus there would be an opportunity to hold a second peace summit and prepare for appropriate diplomatic steps to achieve a just peace and end the war.

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The groundwork laid by the Yermak-McFaul International Working Group is reflected in the new sanctions packages of Ukraine's partners

President of Ukraine

25 February 2024 - 12:16

The International Working Group on Sanctions against Russia chaired by Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak and Director of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), Ambassador Michael McFaul laid the groundwork for the next round of sanctions imposed by the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union on individuals and companies facilitating the war against our country.

In particular, 554 items were added to the new US sanctions lists. Business recommendations "Risks and Considerations for Doing Business in the Russian Federation and the Russian-Occupied Territories of Ukraine" were also adopted. From now on, in addition to Iran, the DPRK, and Myanmar, these recommendations apply to Russia.

The sanctions lists include individuals associated with the abduction of Ukrainian children, energy sector companies, including those affiliated with Rosatom, microelectronics suppliers - companies from the UAE and China, Russian military-industrial complex manufacturers, the Mir National Payment Card System, financial institutions, investment companies, financial technology companies, and 25 tankers carrying Russian oil and Iranian weapons.

In addition, dozens of items on the sanctions lists relate to the production and supply of Shahed and Lancet UAVs and Russian missiles. Restrictions were imposed on Russian businessmen Andrey Komarov, Sergey Gordeev, and Konstantin Strukov.

The United States has also stepped up sanctions pressure on Russian IT companies, machine tool manufacturing and supply companies, microelectronics and aircraft parts suppliers, such as Aerostan, Navis, and Alabuga.

The UK has added almost 100 individuals and legal entities to the new sanctions list. In particular, these include the ammunition manufacturer Sverdlov, energy companies Novatek and Arctic LNG. Restrictions were imposed on oil trading companies, including Niels Troost, for circumventing oil price caps. The UK has also imposed sanctions on shadow fleet carriers: Fractal Marine DMCC, Beks Ship Management and Active Shipping, as well as companies from the diamond sector.

The sanctions list includes the CEO of Alrosa, individuals associated with copper, zinc and steel producers such as UMMC, Mechel, OMK, as well as entities from China, TArkiye, Switzerland and the Marshall Islands.

Canada has imposed sanctions on 163 people, and since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, the country has imposed restrictions on 2,900 people. Canadian sanctions were imposed on Russian businessmen Andrey Molchanov and Andrey Bokarev, logistics companies Ust-Luga, Nafta, Novorossiysk Port, military-industrial complex enterprises, and other companies listed in the International Sanctions Group's reports on machine tools, drones, and aircraft. Canada imposed sanctions against propagandists such as the Federal News Agency and Krasnaya Zvezda. 20 military or dual-use goods are banned for use by Russia.

194 individuals have been added to the 13th EU sanctions package. Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, more than 2,000 people have been added to the EU sanctions lists. In addition to the military-industrial sector, restrictions have been imposed on logistics, certain IT companies and their executives, and individuals involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children. The EU imposed sanctions on producers of gunpowder, ammunition, and electronics. The sanctions lists include the National Helicopter Center Mil&Kamov, Arsenal Machine-Building Plant, Krasnoe Znamya, Iskra, Turbina, and SMT Logic, a regular supplier of weapons. The lists include companies from China, TArkiye, Serbia, India, Thailand, and Kazakhstan. The list of goods prohibited for export - components used in Russian UAVs - has also been expanded.

Australia imposed sanctions on 92 individuals (out of a total of 1,200 individuals on Australian sanctions lists). In particular, the restrictions apply to kidnappers of Ukrainian children. New Zealand approved the 25th sanctions package since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Yermak-McFaul International Working Group continues its work to step up pressure on the aggressor state, Russia's military and political leadership, and other countries that support aggression against Ukraine. The war against our country should primarily cause damage to the aggressor so that it cannot finance its military machine.

"I am grateful to our partners, international experts, in particular my friend Michael, non-governmental organizations and all Ukrainian authorities. This is our joint result," emphasized Andriy Yermak.

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Zelenskyy's Optimism That 'Ukraine Will Win' Relies on Support From Allies

By VOA News February 25, 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Ukraine's victory in the war against invading Russian forces depends on support from the West, adding that he felt "positive" about the prospect of long-range missiles being supplied to Kyiv by its allies and partners.

Speaking at a news conference in Kyiv, Zelenskyy also said he was certain that the U.S. Congress would approve a major new batch of military and financial assistance but noted that Ukraine needed that decision to be made "within a month."

Zelenskyy was asked by VOA about the possibility of Ukraine receiving an invitation to NATO at a planned NATO summit in Washington in July.

"As I understand, all [NATO] partners support Ukraine in providing such an invitation. And everyone agrees that in the future, Ukraine will be in NATO. ... This decision [to extend an invitation] depends on the U.S. and Germany. This is a fact," he said.

The U.S. and Germany are the top countries donating military and economic aid to Ukraine. Both countries have voiced support for Ukraine joining NATO, but officials have said now is not the time.

Earlier in February, at a meeting of the NATO defense ministers in Brussels, U.S. ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said she does not expect the alliance to issue a membership invitation to Ukraine at the summit in July.

"I do not expect the alliance to issue an invitation at this juncture," Smith said on February 13. "I do anticipate that the allies will be able to signal that the alliance continues to move closer to Ukraine and that we are taking concrete steps to serve as a bridge between where we are now and that full-fledged membership."

On Sunday, Zelenskyy also was by VOA if there were risks to international security if Ukraine was not given an invitation this summer to join the 31-nation bloc.

"What are the risks? I can't say. I don't see any risks in inviting Ukraine to NATO. ... I think the risks are related to the inadequacy (unpredictability) of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's reaction. I believe this step, the invitation, does not contain any risks," he said.

Peace summit

Zelenskyy expressed hope that a peace summit being planned by Switzerland will address Kyiv's vision for ending the two-year war with Russia and that the outline of that peace plan would be presented to Russia.

"I hope it will take place this spring. We must not lose this diplomatic initiative," he told reporters. "We will offer a platform on which he [Putin] can agree that he lost this war and that it was a mistake. A big mistake."

So far, the Kremlin has not reacted to Zelenskyy's comments but in the past, it has called Kyiv's peace plan absurd, because it excluded Russia and said there is no current basis for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy's chief of staff, has floated the possibility that Ukraine and its foreign partners could invite Russia to the future summit to discuss an end to Moscow's invasion on Kyiv's terms.

Zelenskyy's peace formula calls for restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity and a total withdrawal of Russian troops.

Zelenskyy disclosed for the first time that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed during the invasion. "Not 300,000, not 150,000 ... Nevertheless, this is a big loss for us."

He warned that Russia will prepare counteroffensive operations in early summer, or at the end of May if it can, and that Ukraine had to be ready.

Zelenskyy said his country is approaching a turning point.

"A year of elections, defocusing, everything at once, challenges from outside, from within. ... I believe the format of how the war ends will depend on this year," he said. "Now is the most difficult moment for our unity, and if we all fall apart, from the outside and God forbid inside, then this will be the weakest moment. It hasn't happened yet."

Ukraine setback on the battlefield

After initial successes in pushing back the Russian army, Ukraine has suffered setbacks on eastern battlefields, and it lost the strategic eastern city of Avdiivka.

Ukrainian generals are complaining of shortages of arms and soldiers.

"At the moment, commitment does not constitute delivery," Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said Sunday during a "Ukraine. Year 2024" forum in Kyiv, dedicated to the second anniversary of Russia's invasion.

Umerov said that each delayed aid shipment meant Ukrainian troop losses, and underscored Russia's military might and "air superiority."

"We look to the enemy: their economy is almost $2 trillion; they use up to 15% official and nonofficial budget (funds) for the war, which constitutes over $100 billion annually. So basically, whenever a commitment doesn't come on time, we lose people, we lose territory," Umerov said.

The Biden administration is seeking about $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, but it is stalled in the Republican-majority U.S. House of Representatives.

In a televised interview Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan expressed confidence that Ukraine can win this war if "it has the tools that it needs," urging the U.S. House of Representatives to "step up and pass that bill." He was referring to the Ukraine aid package that was passed by a massive bipartisan vote in the Senate.

Sullivan said it is up to House Speaker Mike Johnson to overcome political divisions in his caucus and "put the vote on the floor."

European leaders meet in Paris

France announced Sunday that some 20 European leaders will gather in Paris Monday to send Putin a message of European resolve on Ukraine and counter the Kremlin's narrative that Russia is bound to win a war now entering its third year, France said.

"We want to send Putin a very clear message, that he won't win in Ukraine," a presidential adviser told reporters in a briefing.

The adviser, however, said the working meeting will not be an occasion to announce new weapon deliveries to Ukraine but more to brainstorm ways to be more efficient on the ground, as well as increase coordination between allies and Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron has invited his European counterparts to the Elysee Palace for a working meeting announced at short notice after, what his advisers say, was an escalation in Russian aggression over the past few weeks.

The United States will be represented by Jim O'Brien, U.S. assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, and Canada by Defense Minister Bill Blair.

Eastern Europe Bureau chief Myroslava Gongadze contributed to this report. Some information came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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NEWARK, Del, Feb. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global polylysine market is estimated to reach a valuation of US$ 728.6 million in 2024. Over the forecast period, global polylysine demand will likely grow at 10.1% CAGR, taking the overall market size to US$ 1920.1 million by 2034.



Demand is expected to remain high for powdered polylysine throughout the forecast period. This is due to its advantages, like versatility and longevity. As per the latest report, the target segment is set to attain a valuation of US$ 1,673.1 million by 2034.

The polylysine industry is poised to register strong growth during the assessment period, driven by factors like:

Growing awareness of polylysine as a safe and reliable natural preservative

The multifunctionality of polylysine

Expanding food and beverage industry

Increasing usage of polylysine in pharmaceutical applications

Incorporation of polylysine into functional foods and meals to meet consumer demand



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Polylysines safe and reliable nature is raising its applications in various industries. With its multifunctionality, it has been used in medicines as a drug delivery agent, pet food, cosmetics, and animal feed.

Over the next ten years, sales of polylysine are expected to rise rapidly owing to increasing demand for processed, ready-to-eat meals with clean labels and no chemical preservatives. This is due to the growing usage of polylysine as a natural preservative in processed foods.

With evolving customer preferences and health-consciousness, manufacturers are extensively trying to bring polylysine innovations to enhance their market position. Their motive is to increase consumer acceptance and diversify product portfolios, from offering new formulations of polylysine with added components to boost efficacy in preventing microbial proliferation and deterioration.

Among the various forms of polylysine, the powdered form is most widely used for its added benefits, such as ease of handling due to lower weight during transport and longer shelf life. These properties help to meet the requirements of both manufacturers and consumers, resulting in polylysine's extensive use in the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries.

As brands invest in research and development, polylysine's versatility and usefulness are likely to increase its necessity as a natural preservative across numerous industries. Similarly, increasing the adoption of polylysine in biomedical applications will likely foster market growth.

Key Takeaways from the Report:

The global market for polylysine is projected to total US$ 1920.1 million in 2034.

in 2034. Based on form, the powdered polylysine segment will likely have a total valuation of US$ 1,673.1 million by 2034.

by 2034. By application, the food and beverage segment is set to reach a valuation of US$ 696.3 million by 2034.

by 2034. Sales in China are projected to soar at a robust CAGR of 11.7% through 2034.

through 2034. The United States market is estimated to be valued at US$ 475.5 million in 2034.



Polylysine, which is utilized in several end-use industries, is expected to have increased sales due to the growing demand for healthy and organic components. Market leaders will be the ones that offer competitive pricing or develop new product formulations with enhanced specificity and functionality. -says Nandini Roy Choudhury (client Partner for Food and Beverages at Future Market Insights, Inc.)

Key Players in the Polylysine Market

Merck & Co., Inc.

Jiangsu Yiming Biological Technology Co., Ltd.

Thomas Scientific

JNC Corporation

Siveele B.V.

Zhengzhou Bainafo Bioengineering Co., Ltd.

Ensince

Okuna Chemical Industries Co.

Nanjing Shineking Biotech Co., Ltd.

Zhangshu Lion Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

Other Players



Due to the increasing customer demand for polylysine, various players are working on providing polylysine at the best possible price. They have opted for newer production strategies to position them in the market better and increase their production capacity while expanding their regional presence. These manufacturers are diversifying their product portfolios and using strategies such as partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions to stay ahead in the polylysine market and gain profit.

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For instance,

In August 2023, Thomas Scientific completed the acquisition of Quintana Supply. This acquisition expanded the company's national footprint while also enhancing its ability to deliver goods and services in the advanced technology and industrial segments.



Get More Valuable Insights into the Global Polylysine Market

Future Market Insights (FMI), in its new offering, provides a thorough, detailed, and unbiased analysis of the global polylysine market, presenting historical demand data for the years 2019 to 2023 and forecast statistics for the years 2024 to 2034. The study categorizes valuable insights on the global polylysine market based on form (powder and liquid) and application (food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, personal care, pet food, and animal feed) across seven key regions.

About the Food & Beverage Division at Future Market Insights

Expert analysis, actionable insights, and strategic recommendations  the food & beverage team at Future Market Insights (FMI) helps clients from all over the globe with their unique business intelligence needs. With a repertoire of over 1,000 reports and one million+ data points, the team has lucidly analyzed the food & beverage industry in 50+ countries for over a decade. The team provides end-to-end research and consulting services; reach out to explore how we can help.

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Key Coverage in the Global Polylysine Market Research Report

Adjacent Study on Global Epsilon Polylysine Market and e-Polylysine Market

Information about the Structure, Properties, Synthesis Method, and Antimicrobial Mechanism of e-polylysine

Detailed Analysis of Food Preservative Market Outlook

Opportunities for South Korea e-Polylysine Market

In-depth Analysis of Antimicrobial Polylysine Trends

Potential of Polylysine for Skin Regeneration

Importance of Poly-L-lysine in Biotechnology and Cell Culture



Polylysine Market Outlook by Category:

By Form:

Powder

Liquid

By Application:

Food and Beverage

Pharmaceuticals

Nutraceuticals

Cosmetics and Personal Care

Pet Food

Animal Feed

By Region:

North America

Latin America

Europe

East Asia

South Asia

Oceania

Middle East & Africa



Authored by:

Nandini Roy Choudhury (Client Partner for Food & Beverages at Future Market Insights, Inc.) has 7+ years of management consulting experience. She advises industry leaders and explores off-the-eye opportunities and challenges. She puts processes and operating models in place to support their business objectives.

She has exceptional analytical skills and often brings thought leadership to the table.

Nandini has vast functional expertise in key niches, including but not limited to food ingredients, nutrition & health solutions, animal nutrition, and marine nutrients. She is also well-versed in the pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, retail, and chemical sectors, where she advises market participants to develop methodologies and strategies that deliver results.

Her core expertise lies in corporate growth strategy, sales and marketing effectiveness, acquisitions and post-merger integration and cost reduction. Nandini has an MBA in Finance from MIT School of Business. She also holds a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering from Nagpur University, India.

Nandini has authored several publications, and quoted in journals including Beverage Industry, Bloomberg, and Wine Industry Advisor.

Have a Look at Related Reports of Food and Beverage Domain:

The global marine-based drug market Overview is estimated to reach a valuation of US$ 4,177.9 million in 2024. It is projected to reach a value of US$ 9,275.9 million by 2034, reflecting a CAGR of 8.3% over the assessment period.

The global guar gum market size is expected to reach US$ 1,234.6 million in 2024. It will likely exhibit steady growth during the forecast period, with global demand for guar gum products rising at 4.8% CAGR.

The global ginkgo biloba extract market Research is expected to attain a valuation of around US$ 2,579.2 million by 2034. The market is anticipated to witness a steady CAGR of 4.1% in the assessment period 2024 to 2034.

The global food premix market outlook value is estimated to be US$ 50.37 billion in 2024. The overall market is predicted to grow at a moderate CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period.

The global prebiotic ingredient market grwoth size is estimated to expand from US$ 7,215 million in 2024 to US$ 13,763 million by 2034.

The global colostrum market trend is estimated to reach US$ 3,179.5 million in 2024. It will likely exhibit strong growth, with overall demand for colostrum products rising at a CAGR of 8.1%.

The global brain mint market demand is expected to grow from US$ 364.9 million in 2024 to US$ 637.3 million by 2034. Global sales of brain mints will likely surge at 5.9% CAGR throughout the assessment period.

The global frozen ready meal market size is anticipated to reach US$ 44,318.9 million in 2024. It will likely experience steady growth, with global demand for frozen ready meals rising at a CAGR of 5.2% throughout the forecast period.

The global sleep gummy market review is expected to grow from US$ 447.1 million in 2024 to US$ 908.2 million by 2034. From 2024 to 2034, the market is projected to surge at a 7.3% CAGR.

The global carnosic acid market Keytrends size is expected to expand from US$ 92.7 million in 2024 to US$ 152.4 million by 2034. From 2024 to 2034, the market is projected to surge at 10.1% CAGR.

About Future Market Insights (FMI)

Future Market Insights, Inc. (ESOMAR certified, recipient of the Stevie Award, and a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce) offers profound insights into the driving factors that are boosting demand in the market. FMI stands as the leading global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, consulting, and events for the Packaging, Food and Beverage, Consumer Technology, Healthcare, Industrial, and Chemicals markets. With a vast team of over 5000 analysts worldwide, FMI provides global, regional, and local expertise on diverse domains and industry trends across more than 110 countries.

Contact Us:

Nandini Singh Sawlani

Future Market Insights Inc.

Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive,

Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA

T: +1-845-579-5705

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, Feb. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Demonstrating the effectiveness of strategic digital marketing, Webomaze's application of SEO expertise has enhanced the digital presence of several Australian construction companies. A notable example includes a Melbourne-based firm that experienced a 357% increase in organic traffic within four months thanks to targeted SEO strategies.





Through tailored SEO techniques, Webomaze has facilitated remarkable growth for construction firms in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. This is characterized by increased online visibility and client engagement, marking substantial progress for these companies within the competitive landscape of Australia's construction industry.

In Melbourne, a construction company previously overshadowed by larger entities achieved significant digital visibility, with a 357% increase in organic traffic. Such a surge in online presence has led to a significant uptick in client engagement and inquiries.

A Brisbane-based company also saw substantial improvement in its online footprint. With Webomaze's support, the company moved from obscurity to prominence on Google search results, leading to a 40% increase in online traffic over five months. This directly translated into more consultation bookings and contract opportunities.

Webomaze's success stems from its ability to tailor SEO strategies to the specific needs of the construction industry. The company's approach includes detailed keyword research, competitive analysis, and content optimization, all designed to enhance the online presence of medium-sized construction businesses.

The achievements of these construction companies underscore the strategic insight and expertise of Ravi Sharma and Vinika Garg, the duo behind Webomaze. Their work has supported the growth of construction businesses and leveled the playing field, allowing smaller companies to compete more effectively with larger firms.

This move towards thoughtful digital marketing, particularly in local SEO, proves how construction SMBs in Australia are positioning themselves for success.

A New Chapter for Construction SMBs

As more construction companies realize the benefits of SEO, the industry is transforming. This raises an important consideration: Is this the beginning of a new phase where construction SMBs leverage digital strategies for growth and competitiveness?

Webomaze's impact on the industry clearly indicates the power of effective SEO strategies in elevating businesses to new heights.

About Webomaze

Webomaze Pty Ltd, led by Ravi Sharma and Vinika Garg, has made a significant impact in the SEO industry with its mathematical approach to SEO. Since its inception in 2015 and its establishment in Australia in 2020, Webomaze has become recognized for its effectiveness in enhancing online visibility for over 1,000 businesses, supported by positive reviews across major platforms. The company's dedication to SEO specialization allows it to deliver focused and measurable growth for its clients, positioning Webomaze as a notable player in the digital marketing field.

Contact Information

Brand: Webomaze

Name: Ravi Sharma

Email: hello@webomaze.com.au

Website: https://www.webomaze.com.au/

SOURCE: Webomaze
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands , Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "Coffee With Q Show," a renowned podcast platform, has recently featured a comprehensive masterclass on Texas family violence law, presented by Dallas domestic violence lawyer, John Helms. This insightful session, conducted by host Rene Perras of Legal Subject Matter Experts on Coffee With Q, is designed to educate and assist victims of family violence, providing them with the knowledge and resources they need to navigate the legal system effectively.



Coffee With Q Podcast Show

Key Highlights of the Masterclass:

Expert Guidance: Led by John Helms, a seasoned Dallas family violence defense attorney, the masterclass offers an in-depth look into the complexities of Texas family violence law.

Victim Support: The session is tailored to support victims of family violence, offering practical advice and legal strategies to protect their rights and seek justice.

Accessibility: The 30-minute video is available on YouTube, making it easily accessible to a wide audience. Additionally, the audio version of the masterclass can be found on major podcast platforms.

Comprehensive Coverage: The masterclass covers various aspects of family violence law, including legal definitions, protective orders, and the court process, ensuring a thorough understanding of the subject matter.

About "Coffee With Q Show / Podcast":

"Coffee With Q" is a popular podcast platform developed by tech entrepreneur Qamar Zaman, featuring interviews with experts across various fields. The platform aims to bring subject matter experts to demonstrate knowledge by sharing their expertise to get their expertise amplified through storytelling. The platform aims to provide valuable insights and information to its listeners, covering topics ranging from legal, business, health, finance, and technology and beyond.

About Host Rene Perras:

Rene Perras is the host of Legal Subject Matter Experts on the "Coffee With Q" podcast, where he facilitates discussions with experts in the legal field.

About Dallas Family Violence Defense Lawyer John Helms:

John Helms is a highly respected Dallas criminal defense attorney with extensive experience in handling complex legal cases. His expertise in domestic violence law makes him a sought-after legal advisor and speaker.

For more information:

Visit www.coffeewithq.org to watch the masterclass and learn more about the "Coffee With Q" podcast.

Watch full Masterclass here: https://www.coffeewithq.org/dallas-family-violence-defense-lawyer-interview/

Media Contact

Rene Perras

561-758-5373




Westford USA, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to SkyQuest, the growth of the global organic personal care ingredients market is strongly propelled by the changing consumer landscape, which is increasingly gravitating toward healthier and more sustainable lifestyles. There is a discernible surge in the demand for organic personal care products as consumers become more informed about the advantages of using natural and organic ingredients on their skin and hair.

Browse in-depth TOC on the "Organic Personal Care Ingredients Market

Pages - 157

Tables  65

Figures  75

The global organic personal care ingredients market finds itself in a favorable environment for growth, primarily propelled by the increasing consumer awareness and demand for natural and organic products. This dynamic shift in consumer behavior is a significant driving force behind the market's expansion.

Prominent Players in Global Organic Personal Care Ingredients Market

BASF SE

Croda International Plc

Dow Chemical Company

Clariant AG

Givaudan SA

Evonik Industries AG

Symrise AG

Solvay SA

Ashland Global Holdings Inc.

Lubrizol Corporation

Akzo Nobel N.V.

Lonza Group Ltd

Cargill, Incorporated

AAK AB

Naturex SA

Seppic SA

DSM Nutritional Products AG

Sensient Technologies Corporation

Tate & Lyle PLC

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Natural Ingredients Segment to Dominate Market due to Innate Preservation Properties

Natural ingredients segment is undergoing a remarkable surge in growth and is anticipated to be the fastest-growing segment within the global organic personal care ingredients market. Natural ingredients are sourced from various natural reservoirs, including plants, minerals, and specific animal derivatives. These ingredients are characterized by their absence of synthetic chemicals and minimal processing, which helps preserve the raw materials' innate properties and benefits.

Europe has firmly cemented its position as a primary global organic personal care ingredients market, with several key factors contributing to its leadership. The region's unwavering commitment to sustainability and stringent regulatory standards have significantly shaped the organic and natural beauty and personal care landscape.

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Sugar Polymers Segment to Witness Significant Growth due to Extensively Utilized in Formulation

Sugar polymers segment has established its dominance in the global organic personal care ingredients market and is poised to continue its growth trajectory in the forecast period. This category of ingredients, which encompasses polyols, monosaccharides, and glycogen, is extensively utilized in formulating organic personal care products.

Asia Pacific is experiencing robust growth in the global organic personal care ingredients market, owing to several compelling factors reshaping consumer preferences and behaviors. This surge can be attributed to the region's increasing disposable income, rapid urbanization, and the expansion of the middle-class population.

A comprehensive analysis of the major players in the global organic personal care ingredients market has been recently conducted in this report. The report encompasses various aspects, including collaborations, mergers, innovative business policies, and strategies, providing valuable insights into key trends and breakthroughs in the market. Furthermore, the report scrutinizes the market share of the top segments and presents a detailed geographic analysis. Lastly, the report highlights the major players in the industry and their endeavours to develop innovative solutions to cater to the growing demand.

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Key Developments in Global Organic Personal Care Ingredients Market

BASF recently significantly contributed to the organic and natural personal care ingredients market by launching Verdessence RiceTouch. This innovative plant-based sensory powder biopolymer has applications in personal hygiene products, contributing to lighter and smoother skin. Manufactured using non-GMO rice, this ingredient offers a range of benefits, including shine control, a mattifying effect, and excellent oil absorbency. BASF's introduction of Verdessence RiceTouch underscores its commitment to providing sustainable and eco-conscious solutions to the beauty and personal care industry.

Croda International Plc, a UK-based company, recently entered the market with its new ECO Range, a series of bio-based emulsifiers. These emulsifiers are derived from renewable sources, aligning with the market's growing emphasis on sustainability.

Key Questions Answered in the Global Organic Personal Care Ingredients Market Report

What specific growth drivers are projected to impact the market during the forecast period?

List the top companies in the market and explain how they have achieved their positions of influence.

In what ways do regional trends and patterns differ within the global market, and how these differences shape the market's future growth?

Related Reports in SkyQuests Library:

Global Ammonium Sulphate Market

Global Bio-based Polypropylene Market

Global Ethyl Acetate Market

Global Lyocell Fiber Market

Global Dimethyl Carbonate DMC market

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Dublin, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Europe Single-Cell Multi-Omics Market: Analysis and Forecast, 2023-2033" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Europe single-cell multi-omics market was valued at $0.35 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $1.71 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 17.23% during the forecast period 2023-2033. The market experiences growth due to several factors, including the increasing prevalence of large-scale genomics studies utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing (Sc-RNA), a shift towards personalized medicine using the single-cell multi-omics approach in disease screening and diagnostics, and the rising adoption of single-cell multi-omics in drug development.







Market Introduction



The Europe Single-Cell Multi-Omics Market is experiencing significant growth due to the advancements in genomics research and the increasing adoption of personalized healthcare. Researchers are leveraging single-cell multi-omics technologies to gain deeper insights into the molecular mechanisms of diseases, resulting in more precise diagnostics and treatments. Furthermore, these technologies are revolutionizing drug development by enabling highly targeted therapeutic approaches. Europe, with its robust healthcare infrastructure and research capabilities, is at the forefront of embracing single-cell multi-omics. Collaborations among academic institutions, biotech companies, and healthcare entities are driving innovation and expanding the scope of applications for these cutting-edge technologies, contributing to the market's expansion.



Market Segmentation

Segmentation 1: by Country

Germany

U.K.

France

Italy

Spain

Rest-of-Europe

Key Market Players and Competition Synopsis



The companies that are profiled have been selected based on inputs gathered from primary experts and analyzing company coverage, product portfolio, and regional presence. Some of the prominent names in this market are:

Menarini Group

QIAGEN NV

Rarecells Diagnostics

Scipio Bioscience

Singleron Biotechnologies

Key Attributes

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 89 Forecast Period 2023-2033 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $0.35 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2033 $1.71 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 17.2% Regions Covered Europe

Business Drivers

Rising Number of Large-Scale Genomics Studies Leveraging Single-Cell RNA Sequencing (SC-RNA)

Use of Single-Cell Multi-Omics Approach for Screening and Diagnostics of Diseases Leading to Shift Toward Personalized Medicine

Increasing Use of Single-Cell Multi-Omics for Drug Development

Collaborations among Technology Providers and Life Sciences Companies for Accelerating the Research in Single-Cell Multi-Omics

Business Restraints

High Cost of Single-Cell Analysis and Sequencing

Limited Availability of Large Online Data Storage and Analysis Platforms

Business Opportunities

Expansion into New Research Applications, such as Single-Cell Metabolomics

Increasing Adoption of Genomic-based Medicine in Emerging Nations

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/i6y0b8

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Dublin, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Clinical Alarm Management Market by Product (Nurse Call Systems; Connectivity/Integration Software - EMR, Central Hubs, Notification/Alert; Ventilators, Patient Monitors, Capnography, Oximeter), Type (Centralized), End User - Forecast to 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Global clinical alarm management market to experience significant growth, reaching an estimated value of USD 5.4 billion by 2028.

This spike, from its 2023 valuation of USD 2.7 billion, denotes a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14.5%. An increasing emphasis on healthcare efficiency and patient safety through technology integration is expected to fuel this growth.

With a spotlight on reducing alarm fatigue and integrating evidence-based practices, there is a burgeoning need for clinical alarm systems that are not only efficient but also safe.

Despite the potential for data security concerns temporarily slowing momentum, the overall trend indicates a robust expansion of the market, driven in part by the rapid adoption of interoperable health IT solutions.

Healthcare professionals increasingly favor nurse call systems, particularly the button-based segment, highlighted for its reliability and real-time response capabilities. Innovations in button-based nurse call systems are projected to lead the market, supported by their cost-efficiency, ease of installation, and sophisticated features such as automatic logging and responder identification.

By software, connectivity software is expected to occupy the largest market share. These platforms facilitate vital connections between electronic health records, patient monitoring devices, and clinical support tools, underpinning the strong preference for integrated healthcare systems bolstered by regulatory incentives.

Noteworthy Market Segment Developments

Within the market, centralized alarm management systems have dominated the market segmentation by type. These systems provide a singular platform for the monitoring and management of clinical alarms, promoting highly effective patient care.

Asia Pacific is poised to exhibit the highest growth in the market, with key factors such as healthcare investments, advancing infrastructures, and increasing geriatric population driving demand for clinical alarm management systems.

Market Insights

Button-based nurse call systems' segment retains the largest market share with its reliability and affordability.

Connectivity software leads the software segment due to growing EHR adoption and healthcare IT system integration.

Centralized alarm management systems dominate the type segment, prioritizing efficiency in healthcare monitoring.

The Asia Pacific region is projected to showcase the highest market growth through 2028 due to expanding healthcare infrastructure and patient population.

The report also contains a competitive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and distribution networks of leading players in the clinical alarm management market. Furthermore, the research explores the dynamic between market-driving forces such as the need for heightened patient care and cost efficiencies in healthcare delivery and challenges like interoperability and data security.

The market research underscores the potentiating influence of global demands for health information technology (HCIT) solutions, EHRs' adoption, and the persistent challenges faced within the digital transformation of traditional healthcare settings.

Detailed insights on the developing technologies, product innovations, lucrative markets, and recent strategic developments are contained within the report, which will provide invaluable data to stakeholders and market participants for gaining a foothold in the expanding clinical alarm management marketplace.

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 307 Forecast Period 2023 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $2.7 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $5.4 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 14.5% Regions Covered Global

Companies Mentioned

Alpha Communications

Amplelogic

Amplion Clinical Communications, Inc.

Ascom Holdings Ag

Baxter International, Inc.

Connexall

Cornell Communications

Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA

GE Healthcare

Intercall Systems, Inc.

JCT Healthcare Pty Ltd.

Johnson Controls

Koninklijke Philips N.V.

Masimo

Medtronic plc

Mobile Heartbeat (Subsidiary of Hospital Corporation of America)

Nihon Kohden Corporation

Oracle (Cerner Corporation)

Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.

Spok, Inc. (Subsidiary of Spok Holdings, Inc.)

Teldio Corporation

Tigerconnect

Tunstall Group

Vocera Communications (Acquired by Stryker Corporation)

West-Com Nurse Call Systems, Inc.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/h8yxoq

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TORONTO, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fengate Asset Management (Fengate) is pleased to announce three key leadership appointments for the firms real estate business:

Jaime McKenna has been named President, Fengate Real Estate;

Alison Kimmell has joined the firm as Managing Director, Development and Portfolio Management, Real Estate; and

Colin Catherwood has been named Managing Director, Investments, Real Estate.



These senior appointments are in recognition of the leadership and successful track records of Jaime, Alison and Colin, and will support the continued growth momentum of the firms real estate business.

Congratulations to Jaime on her well-deserved appointment as President of our real estate business. Since joining Fengate in 2019, her leadership has resulted in remarkable growth for Fengate Real Estates investments, developments, and asset management on behalf of our investors, said Lou Serafini Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer, Fengate. With Alison and Colin onboard in their senior roles alongside Jaime and the entire Fengate Real Estate team, I know there will be continued momentum and excellence.

Alison Kimmell joins Fengate from Hines Toronto, where she led the development of CIBC Square, a 3 million-square-foot office complex in downtown Toronto, which includes the Union Station Bus Terminal and a one-acre elevated park that spans over the railway. In addition to leading the development of this commercial landmark in Torontos Financial District, Alison also secured the 1.8 million-square-foot anchor tenant lease with CIBC and raised over $2 billion in capital across limited partner equity, construction financing and permanent financing across both phases of the project. Alison is set to lead the execution and oversight of Fengate Real Estates land and development strategy.

Colin Catherwood now leads the Fengate Real Estate investments team and is responsible for identifying and managing strategic growth opportunities in North America, including origination, acquisition, execution and capital raising across all asset classes. Prior to joining Fengate, Colin held progressively senior investment leadership roles at Graywood, Welltower and Brookfield Financial.

We are delighted to have Alison join the team and for Colin to have assumed the role of Managing Director, Investments. Their extensive investment and development experience across multiple real estate asset classes, proven track record in managing landmark projects, and leading high-performing teams will be invaluable for Fengate and our investors, said Jaime McKenna, President, Fengate Real Estate.

Under Jaimes leadership, Fengates real estate business has grown significantly in the past five years. To foster this strategic growth, Jaime led several key initiatives including establishing a best-in-class executive team, accelerating capital deployment, launching multiple growth funds and closing numerous key transactions on behalf of our investors. The groups pipeline now includes over 25,000 residential homes and 5 million square feet of industrial space in various stages of development, with key acquisitions across Ontario. Fengate Real Estate continues to be focused on exploring opportunities across North America aligned with their land entitlement, build-to-core, opportunistic, and core strategies.

About Fengate Asset Management

Fengate is a leading alternative investment manager, with more than $8 billion of capital commitments under management, focused on infrastructure, private equity, and real estate strategies. With offices in Ontario and Texas, Fengate has a proven track record of successful projects and partnerships, and an established reputation as one of the most active real asset investors and developers in North America. Fengate Real Estate, a division of Fengate Asset Management, has been strategically developing and managing real estate assets since 1974. Learn more at www.fengate.com.

Media Inquiries

Jennevieve Virata

Director, Marketing and Communications, Real Estate

Fengate Asset Management

jennevieve.virata@fengate.com | +1 905 466 7527

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

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Dublin, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Long Duration Energy Storage LDES Reality: Materials, Equipment Markets in 35 Lines, Technology Roadmaps, Manufacturers, Winners, Losers, Alternatives" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) report provides in-depth look at the future landscape of the industry  from materials and equipment markets to technology roadmaps, and company profiles. The report delves into the reality of LDES, revealing potential winners and losers and exploring a wide array of alternatives through analytical forecasts stretching from 2024 to 2044.

The analysis begins with an insightful executive summary that covers definitions, historical context, and technological advancements. It includes a plethora of infograms and no less than 35 line forecasts that guide investors and stakeholders in navigating the evolving market. Additionally, the report offers a thorough introduction that sets the stage by discussing the significant trends in the solar sector and beyond, alongside a critical look at various LDES alternatives.

Drill-Down Analysis on LDES Technologies and Manufacturers



The report proceeds to deliver intricate assessments of LDES design principles, showcasing parameter comparisons and technological trends. A unique feature of the analysis is the in-depth evaluation of membrane materials and structures across a spectrum of LDES forms like Redox Flow Batteries (RFB), Hydrogen Fuel Cells, and Advanced Conventional Construction Batteries (ACCB).

Several chapters are dedicated strictly to breaking down each LDES technology in alphabetical order, with extensive SWOT appraisals for each. For instance, Chapter 4 spans over 133 pages, focusing on Redox Flow Batteries (RFB), where it deciphers the technologies behind different chemistries and structures, as well as profiles dozens of manufacturers within the space. Similar in-depth analysis is provided for other storage technologies like Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES), Chemical Intermediary LDES (hydrogen, ammonia, methane), and Pumped Hydro Storage.

The report also extends beyond individual technologies, highlighting investment lessons from various LDES companies and offering forecasts based on solid, data-driven evidence. It anticipates considerable growth in the LDES market, notwithstanding potential challenges arising from alternative solutions such as less-intermittent renewable sources and the expansion of power grids across different weathers and time zones.

Comprehensive Market Forecasts and Appraisals



Detailed technology toolkit and company performance evaluation

Assessment of market gaps and investment opportunities

Comparative analysis of grid vs. beyond-grid LDES needs

Examination of viable alternatives to traditional LDES solutions

Full SWOT analysis for leading and emerging LDES technologies

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary and Conclusions

1.1 Purpose and scope of this report

1.2 Methodology of this analysis

1.3 Definition and need

1.4 The very different needs for grid vs beyond-grid LDES 2024-2044

1.5 Basic technology choices for LDES

1.6 Duration being achieved by technology and location

1.7 Lesson from relative investment by technology and location

1.8 Key conclusions: markets

1.9 Key conclusions: technology

1.10 Probable winner for beyond grid LDES: RFB success and gaps in its markets

1.11 Long Duration Energy Storage LDES roadmap 2023-2044

1.12 Market forecasts 2024-2044

2. Introduction

2.1 Overview: energy storage and its mitigation

2.2 Going electric and the place of hydrogen and nine harvesting options

2.3 The solar megatrend

2.4 Growth of wind and solar energy sources across the world

2.5 The beyond-grid megatrend

2.6 Overview, definition and usefulness of Levelised Cost of Storage LCOS

2.7 Many different time parameters for storage

2.8 Progress to advanced photovoltaics and storage implications

2.9 Advanced wind power to reduce need for LDES

2.10 Conventional hydropower

3. LDES Design Principles, Parameter Comparisons, Trends and Materials

3.1 Overview: definition, different design requirements for grid vs beyond-grid LDES

3.2 The 12 LDES technology choices compared in 7 columns

3.3 Nine primary LDES technology families, vs 17 other criteria

3.4 Progress competing for increasing LDES duration by technology

3.5 Equivalent efficiency vs storage hours for RFB and other options

3.6 Available sites vs space-efficiency for LDES technologies

3.7 LCOS $/kWh trend vs storage and discharge time

3.8 LDES power GW trend vs storage and discharge time

3.9 Days storage vs rated power return MW for LDES technologies

3.10 Days storage vs capacity MWh for LDES technologies

3.11 Potential by technology to supply LDES at peak power after various delays

3.12 Added value metals, compounds and membranes for LDES

4. Batteries for LDES: Redox Flow Batteries RFB

4.1 Overview

4.2 RFB technologies

4.3 SWOT appraisal of RFB for stationary storage

4.4 SWOT appraisal of RFB energy storage for LDES

4.5 Parameter appraisal of RFB for LDES

4.6 56 RFB companies compared in 8 columns: name, brand, technology, tech. readiness, beyond grid focus, LDES focus, comment

4.7 Profiles of 48 RFB manufacturers and putative manufacturers

4.8 Research analysis

5. Batteries for LDES: Advanced Conventional Construction Batteries ACCB

5.1 Overview

5.2 SWOT appraisal of ACCB for LDES

5.3 Parameter appraisal of ACCB for LDES

5.4 Seven ACCB manufacturers compared: 8 columns: name, brand, technology, tech. readiness, beyond-grid focus, LDES focus, comment

5.5 Iron-air: Form Energy USA with SWOT appraisal

5.6 Molten calcium antimony: Ambri USA with SWOT appraisal

5.7 Nickel hydrogen: EnerVenue USA with SWOT

5.8 Sodium-ion many companies but limited beyond-grid LDES potential

5.9 Sodium sulfur: NGK/BASF Japan/Germany and others with SWOT

5.10 Zinc-air: eZinc Canada with SWOT

5.11 Zinc halide EOS Energy Enterprises USA with SWOT

6. Compressed Air CAES for LDES

6.1 Overview

6.2 Undersupply attracts clones

6.3 Market positioning of CAES

6.4 Parameter appraisal of CAES vs LAES

6.5 CAES technology options

6.5.1 Thermodynamic

6.5.2 Isochoric or isobaric storage

6.5.3 Adiabatic choice of cooling

6.6 CAES manufacturers, projects, research

6.6.1 Overview

6.6.2 Siemens Energy Germany

6.6.3 MAN Energy Solutions Germany

6.6.4 Increasing the CAES storage time and discharge duration

6.6.5 Research in UK and European Union

6.7 CAES profiles and appraisal of system designers and suppliers

6.8 SWOT appraisal of CAES for LDES

7. Chemical Intermediary Hydrogen, Ammonia, Methane LDES

7.1 Overview

7.2 Hydrogen compared to methane and ammonia for LDES

7.3 Beware vested interests

7.4 The hydrogen economy vs electricity

7.5 Sweet spot for chemical intermediary LDES

7.6 Calculating success based on dubious assumptions

7.7 Mining giants prudently back many options

7.8 For buildings, all options together would be too expensive

7.9 Technologies for hydrogen storage

7.10 Parameter appraisal of hydrogen storage for LDES

7.11 SWOT appraisal of hydrogen, methane, ammonia for LDES

8. Liquefied Gas for LDES - Air LAES or Carbon Dioxide

8.1 Overview

8.2 Principle of liquid air energy storage system

8.3 Higher energy density but often higher LCOS than CAES

8.4 Hybrid LAES

8.5 Parameter appraisal of LAES for LDES

8.6 Increasing the LAES storage time and discharge duration

8.7 Highview Power UK with research appraisal

8.8 Highview Power and partners in Australia, Spain, Chile, Australia

8.9 Phelas Germany

8.10 LAES research: Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Linde, European Union, Others

8.11 SWOT appraisal of LAES for LDES

8.12 Liquid carbon dioxide energy storage: Energy Dome Italy

9. Pumped Hydro: Conventional PHES and Advanced APHES

9.1 Conventional pumped hydro PHES

9.2 Advanced pumped hydro APHES does not need mountains

10. Solid Gravity Energy Storage SGES

10.1 Overview

10.2 Parameter appraisal of SGES for LDES

10.3 ARES USA

10.4 Energy Vault Switzerland

10.5 Gravitricity UK

10.6 SinkFloat Solutions France

11. Thermal Energy Storage for Delayed Electricity ETES

11.1 Overview

11.2 Parameter appraisal of ETES for LDES

11.3 Special case: molten salt storage for concentrated solar

11.4 Lessons from failure of Azelio Sweden, Siemens Gamesa Germany and Stiesdal Denmark

11.5 Antora USA

11.6 Malta Inc Germany

11.7 SWOT appraisal of ETES for LDES

Companies Mentioned

Agora Energy Technologies

ALACAES

Altris

Ambri

Antora

APEX CAES

ARES

Azelio

B9 Energy Storage

Baker Hughes

BP

Breeze

Brenmiller Energy

CAES

Cavern Energy

Cellcube

Ceres

Cheesecake Energy

Chevron

CNESA

Corre Energy

CPS Energy

Crondall Energy

E-zinc

Echogen

Energy Dome

Energy Nest

Energy Vault

Enervenue

Enlighten

EOS

ERCOT

ESS Technology

Faradion

Form Energy

Fortescue Metals Group

GE

Gravitricity

Greenco Group

H2 Inc

HBI

Heatrix

Highview Power

HiNa

Hochtief

HuanengHighview Power

Huisman

Hydrostor

IEA

ILI Group

InnoEnergy

Invinity Energy Systems

IOT Energy

JSC Uzbekhydroenergo

Kraft Block

Kyoto Group

Largo

Lazard

Linde

Lockheed martin

Locogen

Magaldi

Magnum

Malta

MAN Energy Solutions

MGA Thermal

Mine Storage

Mitsubishi Hitachi

MSE International

Natron

Phelas

Primus Power

Quidnet Energy

Rcam Technologies

Redflow

Reliance Industries

RHEnergise

Rye Development

SaltX Tech.

Schmid Group

Sens Pumped Hydro Storage

Sherwood Energy

Siemens Energy

SinkFloatSolutions

Sintef

Stiesdah

Storelectric

StorEn Technologies

StorTera

Storworks Power

Subsea 7

Sumitomo Electrical Industries

Swanbarton

Terrastor

Tesla

Tiamat

Torc

UET

UniEnergy Techmologies

VFlowTech

Voith Hydro

Volt Storage

VRB Energy

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ahsqrx

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Great Pacific Gold Corp. ("Great Pacific Gold, GPAC, or the "Company") (TSXV: GPAC) (OTCQX: FSXLF) (Germany: 4TU) is pleased to announce that drilling has commenced to follow up on the Companys recent high grade Comet gold discovery at the Lauriston Gold Project in Victoria, Australia.



The discovery hole at Comet was drilled with a reverse circulation (RC) drill rig with the intercept assaying 8m at 106 g/t Gold including 5m at 166 g/t Gold including 2m at 413 g/t Gold including 1m at 468 g/t Gold and 1m at 358 g/t Gold (from 95 metres) (see GPAC news release dated January 11, 2024 for further details).

These follow-up holes to the discovery will be drilled using a multi-purpose rig for RC percussion and diamond drilling, and have been designed to test the down-dip extension of the west dipping mineralized structure and for mineralization further north of the discovery.

Comet, where the high-grade zone discovery hole was drilled, has epizonal characteristics of Au-As-Sb with geology similar to the Fosterville Mine deposit (see Figure 1). The west dipping Comet fault zone is hosted by Ordovician slates and sandstones, which are folded in a series of north-south striking concertina folds. This high-grade discovery is near the Comet Anticline that has been mapped in the area, which is a similar structural setting of the mineralization present at Fosterville.

Figure 1  Comet prospect location plan and drillhole plan





Figure 2  Updated Comet Cross Section 5850100mN









Drill Results and Intercepts:

HoleID East North Azimuth (deg.) Dip (deg.) From (m) To (m) Downhole Interval (m) Au g/t CRC007 263517 5850093 92 -66 95 103 8 106 includes 95 100 5 166 includes 96 98 2 413

The 8m intercept uses a 0.6 g/t Au cut-off grade and no internal waste. The 5m intercept uses a 1.0 g/t Au cut-off grade and no internal waste, while the higher-grade included intercept of 2m uses assays of greater than 350 g/t Au and no internal waste parameter. True widths are not known. Additional drilling is required to determine true widths. The assays are not capped.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

All assays were subject to quality control measures appropriate for percussion drilling with duplicates, blanks and commercially available standards with the expected results from the samples submitted. All assays were conducted by Onsite Laboratory Services Ltd (ISO: 9001), located in Bendigo, Victoria, using fire assay techniques with a 25g or 50g charge and ICP or AAS finish. The quality control results are consistent.

About GPAC

Great Pacific Gold has a portfolio of high-grade gold projects in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Australia.

In PNG, Great Pacific Gold recently acquired a significant 2,166 sq. km mineral exploration land package in PNG. The land package comprises of exploration licenses (EL) and exploration license applications (ELA). It includes both early-stage and advanced-stage exploration targets with high-grade epithermal vein and porphyry-style mineralisation present.

The Arau Project consists of two exploration licenses, located in the Kainantu region, and includes the Mt. Victor Prospect, where previous drilling found a multiple phase intrusion complex hosting copper and gold mineralisation.

The Wild Dog Project consists of one granted exploration license, EL 2761, and one exploration license application, ELA 2516, located on the island of New Britain and about 50 km southwest of Rabaul and Kokopo, PNG.

The Kesar Creek Project consists of one exploration license, EL 2711, and is contiguous with the K92 Mining Inc. tenements.

In Australia, Great Pacific Gold began with two, 100% owned, high-grade gold projects called the Lauriston and Golden Mountain Projects, and has since acquired a large area of granted and application tenements containing further epizonal (low-temperature) high-grade gold mineralisation and associated intrusion-related gold mineralization all in the state of Victoria, Australia. The Great Pacific Gold land package, assembled over a multi-year period, notably includes the Lauriston Project which is a 535 sq. km property immediately to the south of and within the same geological framework that hosts Agnico Eagle Mines Ltds Fosterville Gold Mine and associated exploration tenements. The Golden Mountain Project is an intrusion-related gold project on the edge of the Strathbogie granite and occurs at the northern end of the Walhalla Gold Belt. The acquired projects include the epizonal gold Providence Project containing the Reedy Creek goldfield which adjoins the Southern Cross Golds Sunday Creek exploration project and a large group of recently consolidated granted tenements called the Walhalla Gold Belt Project, which contain a variety of epizonal and intrusion related style gold mineralisation. Additionally, Great Pacific Gold has another gold-focused project called the Moormbool project which has epizonal style gold mineralisation and associated potential intrusion-related gold mineralisation, as well as the Beechworth Project occurs in the northeast of the state and contains intrusion related and mesozonal gold mineralization.

All GPACs properties in Australia are 100% owned and have had historical gold production from hard rock sources despite limited modern exploration and drilling.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Rex Motton, AusIMM (CP), COO of GPAC, a Qualified Person under the meaning of National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Motton is responsible for the technical content of this news release.

On behalf of GPAC

Rex Motton

Chief Operating Officer and Director

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Great Pacific Gold cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by many material factors, many of which are beyond their respective control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Great Pacific Gold's limited operating history, its exploration and development activities on its mineral properties and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Great Pacific Gold does not undertake to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information: Adam Ross, Investor Relations, Direct: (604) 229-9445, Toll Free: 1(833) 923-3334, Email: info@greatpacificgoldcorp.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7889b8e6-958a-4051-b842-0698d1b392c3

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1be49a78-f2f7-4dc0-aaf7-a5f0819bb844
NAPLES, Fla., Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG), a leading player in the music licensing industry, today announced its annual results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. The company has delivered robust performance, achieving significant milestones in revenue and profitability.



Key financial highlights for the fiscal year 2023 include:

Total Revenue: Music Licensing, Inc. reported total revenue of $1,052,274,588 USD, showcasing its ability to generate substantial income in a competitive market environment.

Music Licensing, Inc. reported total revenue of $1,052,274,588 USD, showcasing its ability to generate substantial income in a competitive market environment. Net Profit: The company achieved a net profit of $46,033,387 USD, demonstrating its efficiency in managing costs and maximizing profitability.

The company achieved a net profit of $46,033,387 USD, demonstrating its efficiency in managing costs and maximizing profitability. Total Equity: Music Licensing, Inc. reported total equity of $49,580,139 USD, reflecting its solid financial position and stability.



Music Licensing, Inc. reported total equity of $49,580,139 USD, reflecting its solid financial position and stability. Shares Outstanding: As of December 31, 2023, the company had 802,635,215 shares outstanding, indicating its continued commitment to shareholder transparency and accountability.

As of December 31, 2023, the company had 802,635,215 shares outstanding, indicating its continued commitment to shareholder transparency and accountability. Earnings Per Share (EPS): The company reported an EPS of approximately $0.057 USD per share, highlighting its ability to deliver value to shareholders through earnings growth.

The company reported an EPS of approximately $0.057 USD per share, highlighting its ability to deliver value to shareholders through earnings growth. Book Value Per Share: Music Licensing, Inc. reported a book value per share of approximately $0.062 USD, reaffirming its strong asset base and financial health.

Commenting on the results, Jake P. Noch, CEO & Chairman, said, "We are pleased to announce another year of strong financial performance, marked by significant growth in revenue and profitability. These results underscore our commitment to delivering value to our shareholders and stakeholders while maintaining a solid financial foundation."

MUSIC LICENSING, INC.

Financial Statements

For the years ended as of

December 31, 2022 and 2023

Music Licensing, Inc.

Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

INDEX TO AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Audit Report Page 3 Balance Sheet Page 5 Income Statement Page 6 Changes in Equity Statement Page 7 Cash Flow Statement Page 8 Notes to the Financial Statements Page 9 Annexure 1: Quarterly Balance Sheet for 2023 Page 18 Annexure 2: Quarterly Income Statements for 2023 Page 19 Annexure 3: Quarterly Cash Flow Statements for 2023 Page 20





February 22, 2024

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS REPORT

Board of Directors and Members of

Music Licensing, Inc.

3811 Airport-Pulling Rd.

Naples, FL 34105

REPORT ON FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of Music Licensing, Inc. as of December 31, 2022 and 2023 and the related statements of operations, changes in owners equity and cash flows for the years then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Companys management.

MANAGEMENTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these financial statements in accordance with principles generally accepted in the United States of America; this includes the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal control relevant to the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

AUDITORS RESPONSIBILITY

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted the audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards as accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement.

An audit includes performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditors judgment, including the assessment of risks of material misstatements of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the Companys preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Companys internal control. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

An audit also includes evaluating appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.

OPINION

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Music Licensing, Inc. as of December 31, 2022 and 2023 and the results of operations and its cash flows for the years then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.





Certified Public Accountant, NH 08224

CF Audits LLC

159 Main St. STE 100

Nashua NH 03060

646-689-4725

cpa@cfaudits.com

Music Licensing, Inc.

Balance Sheet

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

2022 2023 ASSETS Current Assets Cash at Bank 996 415 Accounts Receivable - 1,052,175,309 Allowance for Doubtful Account - (993,632,492 ) Total Current Assets 996 58,543,232 Non-Current Assets Copy Rights and Domain Names 45,135 205,135 Goodwill 3,550,601 3,550,601 Total Non-Current Assets 3,595,736 3,755,737 TOTAL ASSETS 3,596,732 62,298,968 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current Liabilities Accounts Payables 92,197 405,769 Sales Tax Payable 4,535 4,535 Total Current Liabilities 96,732 410,304 Non-Current Liabilities Convertible Notes Payable - 12,308,525 Total Non-Current Liabilities - 12,308,525 TOTAL LIABILITIES 96,732 12,718,829 Equity Common Shares 3,566,945 802,635 Preferred Shares - - Additional Paid-In Capital 14,284,057 17,095,119 Retained Earnings (Deficit) (14,351,002 ) 31,682,385 TOTAL EQUITY 3,500,000 49,580,139 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 3,596,732 62,298,968



The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

Music Licensing, Inc.

Income Statement

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

2022 2023 Revenues Sales - 1,052,274,588 Total Revenues - 1,052,274,588 Operating and Administrative Expenses Accounting and Legal Fees - 542,778 Wages and Salaries - 12,000,000 Professional Fees - 12,965 Advertising and Promotion - 4,281 Dues and Subscriptions - 688 Office and Utilities Expenses - 32,999 Board of Directors Fees - 15,000 Bad Debt Expense - 993,632,492 Total Operating and Administrative Expenses - 1,006,241,204 Non-Operating Income - 4 Total Non-Operating Income - 4 NET INCOME (LOSS) - 46,033,387



The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

Music Licensing, Inc.

Changes in Equity Statement

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

Retained Common Shares Preferred Shares APIC* Earnings Total Balance - December 31, 2021 66,945,290 66,945 273,666 374 14,039,661 (14,351,002 ) (244,022 ) Issued stock for the acquisition and merger of Pro Music Rights 35,000,000 3,500,000 - - - - 3,255,978 Retirement of Stock - - 273,666 374 113,180 - 3,368,784 Capital Contributions During 2022 - - - - 131,216 - 3,500,000 Net Income (Loss) - December 31, 2022 - - - - - - 3,500,000 Balance - December 31, 2022 3,566,945,290 3,566,945 - - 14,284,057 (14,351,002 ) 3,500,000 Issued Stock During 2023 - - 1 - - 3,500,000 Retirement for Shares During 2023 2,764,310,075 (2,764,310 ) - - 2,764,310 - 2,764,310 Capital Contributions During 2023 - - - - 46,752 - 3,546,752 Net Income (Loss) - December 31, 2023 - - - - - 46,033,387 49,580,139 Balance - December 31, 2023 802,635,215 802,635 1 - 17,095,119 31,682,385 49,580,139



* APIC = Additional Paid-In Capital

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

Music Licensing, Inc.

Cash Flow Statement

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

2022 2023 Cash Flows from Operating Activities Net Income - 13,958,494 Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Change in Accounts Receivables - (1,052,175,309 ) Change in Accounts Payables 96,732 12,622,097 Bad Debt Expense - 993,632,492 Net Cash Flow from Operating Activities 96,732 112,667 Cash Flows from Investing Activities Investment in Royalties - (160,000 ) Net Cash Flows from Investing Activities - (160,000 ) Cash Flow by Financing Activities Additional Paid-In Capital (271,281 ) 52,826 Retirement of Common Shares - (6,074 ) Net Cash Flow by Financing Activities (271,281 ) 46,752 Net Change in Cash (174,549 ) (581 ) Cash Balance at Beginning of the Year 175,545 996 CASH BALANCE AT END OF THE YEAR 996 415



The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

Music Licensing, Inc.

Notes to the Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

NOTE 1: DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS

Music Licensing, Inc. (Music Licensing or the Company) is a music performing rights organization that represents songwriters, composers, and music publishers and issues public performance licenses to businesses for a flat monthly fee. Included in the standardized public performance license is a usage fee that is distributed as royalties to the songwriters, composers & music publishers that the Company represents. This model differs from competitors as the Company does not charge their artists an administration fee or utilize a royalty pool model.

The Companys customers include television and radio stations, internet/streaming services and mobile technologies, Satellite audio services like XM and Sirius, nightclubs, restaurants, bars and other venues.

History of the Company

The Company was originally incorporated as Hyperbaric Oxygenation Corporation in the State of Nevada on November 17, 1997. The Company subsequently changed its name to Building Turbines, Inc. on January 1, 2011 in connection with the Companys December 1, 2010 acquisition of Building Turbines, Inc which was in the development of wind turbines for office buildings. Prior to the acquisition of Building Turbines, Inc, the Company had been engaged in the business of Hyperbaric care centers in Canada.

On February 26, 2016, an exchange agreement was entered into by and among certain shareholders and debt holders of the Company, representing the majority of the outstanding shares of the Company and FutureWorld, Corp., a Delaware Corporation which was the owner of the partially owned subsidiary, NUVUS GRO. On March 10, 2016, Building Turbines, Inc. changed its name to HempTech Corp. There was a change of control in connection with the name change. As HempTech Corp, the Company was a provider of advanced controlled environment agriculture with sophisticated automation and analytical tools for the cultivators of legal industrial hemp and cannabis. On March 13, 2018 the Company changed its name to Nuvus Gro Corp. On November 21, 2022, the Company changed its name to Music Licensing Inc.

On July 19, 2022, Jake P. Noch Family Office LLC acquired control of the Company by purchasing 37,900,000 Shares of Common Stock of the Company from C&S Advisors Inc., which had previously acquired 44,941,214 Shares of common stock from Talari Industries LLC and Harvest Fund LLC. Jake P. Noch paid $430,000 to Eric Horton for these 37,900,000 Shares of Common Stock. Eric Horton is currently a Shareholder of the Company.

In the transaction whereby Eric Horton acquired 44,941,214 Shares of Common Stock from Talari Industries LLC and Harvest Fund LLC the persons involved were Sam Talari, former CEO of the Company, and Eric Horton. Eric Horton is a Shareholder of the Company. Sam Talari is not affiliated with the Company in any way. Assignment of value to this transaction cannot be determined at this time. The value of this transaction cannot be determined at this time because this transaction was executed under the direction of prior management and such information is not available to the Companys current management.

Music Licensing, Inc.

Notes to the Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

On August 15, 2022, the company signed an agreement with Pro Music Licensing, Inc. to acquire from the Shareholders its 1,409,500,000 shares of common stock, including 909,500,000 shares of class a common stock and 500,000,000 shares of class b common stock, which represent all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Pro Music Licensing for 3,500,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, of Music Licensing Inc.

Pro Music was formed as Pro Music Rights, LLC, a Florida limited liability company effective as of January 31, 2018, and converted into a Delaware corporation on November 4, 2020 resulting in, among things, a change of the legal name from Pro Music Rights, LLC to Pro Music Rights Inc.

Pro Music which was recognized in U.S. copyright law as a licensor of music was founded in 2018 and is based in Naples, FL. The Company was incorporated in the state of Delaware on November 4, 2020. The Company was created by virtue of the LLC conversion to a corporation under the Plan of Conversion from Pro Music Rights, LLC to Pro Music Rights, Inc.

On September 22, 2022, the Company, filed a Certificate of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of the Company (the Certificate of Amendment) with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada, pursuant to which the authorized shares of common stock were increased to 20,000,000,000. On November 21, 2022 the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation to change the name of the Company from Nuvus Gro Corp. to Music Licensing Inc.

On December 31, 2022 the company executed a merger agreement in 2022 but are reflecting the accounting for the merger as of December 31, 2022 for simplicity, however exact date calculations may differ but Management does not believe such calculations are or would be material.

On Oct 25, 2023, the company has decided through its board of directors resolution to lower its authorized shares to 2,000,000,000 shares.

Music Licensing, Inc.

Notes to the Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

NOTE 2  BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Accounting

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared on the accrual basis of accounting in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Management evaluates the estimates and assumptions based on historical experience, and believes that those estimates and assumptions are reasonable based upon information available to them.

Cash

Cash are stated at cost which approximates fair value. The Company deposits its cash with financial institutions that the management believes are of high credit quality. The Companys cash consists primarily of cash deposited in U.S. dollar denominated investment accounts.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Pursuant to the accounting guidance for fair value measurements and its subsequent updates, fair value is defined as the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. The accounting guidance establishes a three- tier fair value hierarchy that requires the Company to use observable market data, when available, and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs when determining fair value. A financial instruments classification within the fair value hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Three levels of inputs may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

Level 2Inputs other than the quoted prices in active markets, that are observable either directly or indirectly;

Level 3Unobservable inputs based on the Companys own assumption.

Music Licensing, Inc.

Notes to the Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, control has been transferred, the fee is fixed or determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured. In instances where final acceptance of the product Is specified by the customer, revenue is deferred until all acceptance criteria have been met. The Companys primary source of revenue is the monthly licensing subscription fee.

The Company applies the following five steps in order to determine the appropriate amount of revenue to be recognized as it fulfills its obligations under each of its arrangements:

Identify the contract with a customer.

Identify the performance obligations in the contract.

Determine the transaction price.

Allocate the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract, and

Recognize revenue as the performance obligation is satisfied.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled.

Because tax laws are complex and subject to different interpretations, significant judgment is required. As a result, the Company makes certain estimates and assumptions in (i) calculating its income tax expense, deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities, (ii) determining any valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets and (iii) evaluating the amount of unrecognized tax benefits, as well as the interest and penalties related to such uncertain tax positions. The Companys estimates and assumptions may differ significantly from tax benefits ultimately realized.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740), which amends the existing guidance relating to the accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 is intended to simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles of accounting for income taxes and to improve the consistent application of GAAP for other areas of accounting for income taxes by clarifying and amending existing guidance.

NOTE 3: GOODWILL

ASC 350 defines goodwill as an intangible asset representing the excess of the purchase price of a business over the fair value of its identifiable net assets acquired in a business combination.

As a result of the acquisition of Pro Music Rights, Music Licensing issued 3,500,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, which on the execution date and net asset value of the pro music rights was $(50,601), which resulted in a goodwill valued at $3,550,601. The Goodwill shall be assessed for impairment regularly, and the management decided that no impairment of the goodwill is required as of December 31, 2023.

Music Licensing, Inc.

Notes to the Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

NOTE 4  COPYWRITES, DOMAN NAMES AND ROYALTY STAKES

The Company is the owner for the exclusive rights to use these copyrights and domain names as intangible assets. As such, these assets do have an indefinite life. The Company reviews the currently held intangible assets on an annual basis for impairment to determine if an adjustment is required. As the current intangible assets are working no impairment adjustment was considered necessary as of December 31, 2023.

On November 24, 2023, Music Licensing Inc. entered into a purchase agreement with AT&C Investments LLC, whereby Music Licensing Inc. acquired 100% of the rights, title, and interest in the songwriter/publishers share of all publishing royalties. The total consideration for this acquisition was U.S. $160,000.00. As of December 31, 2022 and 2023 The companys intangible assets at the period end are categorized as follows:

2022 2023 Copyrights 19,010 19,010 Domain Names 26,125 26,125 Royalty Stakes - 160,000 $ 45,135 $ 205,135



NOTE 5 - ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES AND ALLOWANCE FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS

Accounts receivables are stated at Net Realizable Value (NRV). On a periodic basis, management evaluates its accounts receivable and determines whether to provide an allowance or if any accounts should be written off based on a past history of write offs, collections, and current credit conditions. A receivable is considered past due if the company has not received payments based on agreed- upon terms. The company generally does not require any security or collateral to support its receivables.

The Company has signed Business License Agreements with 617 Customers as of December 31, 2023 to license, on a non-exclusive basis, non-dramatic public performances of their copyrighted musical compositions. After signing the agreements, and based on the agreement terms, the company issues invoices to its customers for Minimum and Base License Fees and Per Usage Fees based on number of business locations. Total Amount that was invoiced to our customers as of December 31, 2023, is $1,052,311,712. Management believes that the contracts with the customers are legally enforceable as the provision and use of the services was provided. The agreements provide a clear obligation to pay a fixed monthly base license fee, plus any utilization fee.

Music Licensing, Inc.

Notes to the Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

Management has begun an aggressive campaign to collect outstanding receivables during 2023. As part of the management efforts to manage outstanding accounts receivable, Music Licensing Inc. has engaged Gebeloff Law to initiate legal proceedings against certain customers who have failed to fulfill their payment obligations. The outcome of these legal proceedings is currently uncertain, and they may result in additional legal expenses. The company will closely monitor these proceedings and update the financial impact as more information becomes available.

Based on the above, management has decided to recognize of all the outstanding amounts as of December 31, 2023 totaling the amount of $1,052,274,588 and established an aggressive allowance for doubtful accounts for the amount of $993,632,492, which equal around 94.4% of the total outstanding receivables based on management estimation and legal advice.

NOTE 6  ACCOUNTS PAYABLES

As of December 31, 2023 Music Licensing Inc. has reported an accounts payable balance of $405,769, which includes charges for legal and professional services. A portion of these charges is currently under dispute. The management engaged with Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP to resolve these discrepancies. The outcome of these discussions may lead to adjustments in the reported accounts payable balance. The company is committed to ensuring that all expenses are justified and accurately reflect the services rendered.

NOTE 7  CONVERTIBLE NOTES PAYABLE

On June 25, 2023, Music Licensing Inc. entered into an Employment Agreement with Jake P. Noch, appointing him as Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, Secretary, and Interim Chief Financial Officer. The Agreement outlines various terms of employment, including duties, compensation, and termination provisions.

Compensation to Mr. Noch is structured in the form of a convertible note, allowing him to receive shares worth twelve million dollars ($12,000,000.00) upon conversion. The note remains valid until Mr. Noch realizes the full amount, and additional shares may be added to the convertible note as necessary. The timing of payments under this agreement is at the discretion of Mr. Noch and can be received in various increments (monthly, quarterly, or annually). Upon conversion of the note, the beneficiary of the shares may be either Mr. Noch or the Jake P. Noch Family Office LLC.

As of December 31, 2023, the total amount of the convertible note is $12,308,525 which compromises the annual salary amount of $12,000,000 and the total payments of $308,525 toward acquiring assets and payment of expenses from Jake P. Noch Family Office LLC.

Music Licensing, Inc.

Notes to the Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

NOTE 8  SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY

On November 20, 2023, the Board of Directors of Music Licensing Inc. adopted a resolution to:

1. Create a new class of shares known as Preferred J Class shares. Only one share is authorized to be issued. Class J shares established to enhance strategic decision-making and safeguard the long-term interests of the company.



The key characteristics of the Preferred J Class shares are as follows: 1.1 Voting Rights: Each Preferred J Class share is entitled to vote on all matters that common stock is entitled to vote on. 1.2 Control: The Preferred J Class shares are intended to be exclusively held by Jake P. Noch or his affiliated entities. 1.3 Voting Power: The Preferred J Class shares represent 80% of the total voting power across all classes of shares of the company. 1.4 Other Rights and Preferences: The rights, preferences, privileges, and restrictions granted to or imposed on the Preferred J Class shares are as set forth in the Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, which have been filed with the state of Nevada. 2. As of December 31, 2023, there was 1 Preferred Class J share issued and outstanding. 3. Convert the class A and Class B shares, and substitute them with class Common Shares, where the company is authorized to issue 2,000,000,000 for a par value of $0.001. 4. As of December 31, 2023, there were 802,635,214 of common shares are issued and outstanding, and 2,764,310,075 of common shares was retired due to the above-mentioned decision.



NOTE 9 - YEAR-END ADDITIONS



Board Compensation

During the quarter ended December 31, 2023, the company paid a bonus of $15,000 to a member of its board of directors. This bonus was awarded in recognition of exceptional service and contributions made during a critical phase of the companys development. This amount has been included in the line item Directors fees under administrative expenses in our consolidated income statement for the period. The board member is not an employee of the company, and this payment is in line with the remuneration policy approved by the shareholders.

Music Licensing, Inc.

Notes to the Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

Commitments and Contingencies

Revenue impact from Expiring Customer Agreement as of December 31, 2023, one of our significant customer agreements is scheduled to expire. This agreement, which has contributed materially to our revenue stream, is set to be concluded at the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The expiration of this agreement may lead to a change in our revenue composition in subsequent periods.

It is important to note that negotiations for the renewal of this agreement are anticipated. However, as of the reporting date, these negotiations have not commenced, and therefore, the outcome and potential terms of any renewed agreement remain uncertain. We have not included any assumptions regarding the renewal of this agreement in our revenue projections for the upcoming fiscal year.

The expiration of this agreement represents a contingency that could impact our future financial position and operating results. We are actively exploring various strategies to mitigate the potential revenue impact. However, given the uncertain nature of the agreements renewal, we are unable to predict the exact financial impact at this stage.

Employment Agreement with Jake P. Noch

On June 25, 2023, Music Licensing Inc. entered into an Employment Agreement with Jake P. Noch, appointing him as Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, Secretary, and Interim Chief Financial Officer. The Agreement outlines various terms of employment, including duties, compensation, and termination provisions.

Compensation to Mr. Noch is structured in the form of a convertible note, allowing him to receive shares worth twelve million dollars ($12,000,000.00) upon conversion. The note remains valid until Mr. Noch realizes the full amount, and additional shares may be added to the convertible note as necessary. The timing of payments under this agreement is at the discretion of Mr. Noch and can be received in various increments (monthly, quarterly, or annually). Upon conversion of the note, the beneficiary of the shares may be either Mr. Noch or the Jake P. Noch Family Office LLC.

This employment agreement is perpetual unless terminated according to its terms or voluntarily by either party. It also includes provisions for bonuses, vacation, business expenses, and a car allowance for Mr. Noch. In the event of termination, severance pay and share payments are specified in the Agreement.

The agreement is integral to our executive management structure and is critical in maintaining the leadership necessary for our strategic and operational directives. This Agreement has been approved by the Board of Directors and is in full compliance with our corporate governance policies.

Details of 3(a)(10) Agreement for Executive Compensation and Severance Package.

Music Licensing, Inc.

Notes to the Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023

During the reporting period, Music Licensing Inc. entered into a 3(a)(10) agreement, as per the Securities Act of 1933, to facilitate the compensation of our executive, Jake P. Noch. This agreement is notable for its role in addressing both the executive salary and additional financial commitments as follows:

Executive Salary: The agreement provisions for an annual salary of $12 million for Jake P. Noch. This salary arrangement is primarily financed through the issuance of shares under the 3(a)(10) exemption, thereby minimizing cash outflows for the company.

Additional Executive Expenses: In addition to the salary, the agreement encompasses any additional expenses incurred by Jake P. Noch in the performance of his executive duties. These expenses are covered in a similar manner to the salary, primarily through the issuance of shares, allowing the company to manage cash resources effectively.

Severance Package: A key component of this agreement is an $18 million severance package for Jake P. Noch. This severance is structured to be payable under specific conditions outlined in the executive agreement, ensuring the companys preparedness for potential future financial obligations.

The implementation of this agreement aligns with the companys strategic financial management objectives. It provides a structure that allows for effective cash flow management while ensuring competitive executive compensation. This approach is reflective of our commitment to fiscal responsibility and strategic resource allocation.

The above-mentioned agreement and its terms are in compliance with the relevant securities regulations and have been duly approved by the appropriate legal channels. The financial implications of this agreement have been considered in our financial planning and reporting.

Purchase of Royalty Rights

On November 24, 2023, Music Licensing Inc. entered into a purchase agreement with AT&C Investments LLC, whereby Music Licensing Inc. acquired 100% of the rights, title, and interest in the songwriter/publishers share of all publishing royalties, excluding the songwriters share of public performance royalties, for a set of musical compositions as listed in Attachment A of the agreement. This acquisition includes rights under a previous purchase agreement between AT&C Investments LLC and Jasper Sheff Corp dated October 29, 2023. The total consideration for this acquisition was U.S. $160,000.00. This acquisition reflects the companys strategic initiative to expand its portfolio of royalty-generating assets. The financial impact of this transaction has been reflected in the financial statements for the period ending December 31, 2023.

ANNEXURE 1: QUARTERLY BALANCE SHEET FOR 2023 (UNAUDITED)

Q1 2023 Q2 2023 Q3 2023 Q4 2023 ASSETS Current Assets Cash at Bank 40,994 424 373 415 Accounts Receivable 758,647,490 851,913,042 950,033,004 1,052,175,309 Allowance for Doubtful Account (718,988,014 ) (806,479,012 ) (897,959,738 ) (993,632,492 ) Total Current Assets 39,700,470 45,434,455 52,073,639 58,543,232 Non-Current Assets Copy Rights and Domain Names 45,135 45,135 45,135 205,135 Goodwill 3,550,601 3,550,601 3,550,601 3,550,601 Total Non-Current Assets 3,595,736 3,595,736 3,595,736 3,755,737 TOTAL ASSETS 43,296,206 49,030,191 55,669,376 62,298,968 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current Liabilities Accounts Payables 404,954 360,332 390,332 405,769 Sales Tax Payable 4,535 4,535 4,535 4,535 Total Current Liabilities 409,489 364,867 394,867 410,304 Non-Current Liabilities Convertible Notes Payable - - 12,051,015 12,308,525 Total Non-Current Liabilities - - 12,051,015 12,308,525 TOTAL LIABILITIES 409,489 364,867 12,445,882 12,718,829 Equity Common Shares 3,566,945 3,566,945 3,566,945 802,635 Preferred Shares - - - - Additional Paid-In Capital 14,290,034 14,331,295 14,331,295 17,095,119 Retained Earnings (Deficit) 25,029,738 30,767,083 25,325,253 31,682,385 TOTAL EQUITY 42,886,717 48,665,324 43,223,494 49,580,139 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 43,296,206 49,030,191 55,669,376 62,298,968



ANNEXURE 2: QUARTERLY INCOME STATEMENTS FOR 2023 (UNAUDITED)

Q1 2023 Q2 2023 Q3 2023 Q4 2023 Revenues Sales 758,721,192 93,279,443 98,120,936 1,052,274,588 Total Revenues 758,721,192 93,279,443 98,120,936 1,052,274,588 Operating and Administrative Expenses Accounting and Legal Fees 350,692 35,178 64,361 92,548 Wages and Salaries - - 12,000,000 - Professional Fees - 7,028 - 5,937 Advertising and Promotion - - - 4,281 Dues and Subscriptions - - - 688 Office and Utilities Expenses 1,747 8,896 17,680 4,676 Board of Directors Fees - - - 15,000 Bad Debt Expense 718,988,014 87,490,998 91,480,726 95,672,755 Total Operating and Admin. Expenses 719,340,453 87,542,100 103,562,767 95,795,885 Non-Operating Income - 2 - 1 Total Non-Operating Income - 2 - 1 NET INCOME (LOSS) 39,380,740 5,737,346 (5,441,830 ) 6,357,132



ANNEXURE 3: QUARTERLY CASH FLOW STATEMENTS FOR 2023 (UNAUDITED)

Q1 2023 Q2 2023 Q3 2023 Q4 2023 Cash Flows from Operating Activities Net Income 39,380,740 5,737,346 (5,441,830 ) 6,357,132 Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Change in Accounts Receivables 312,757 (44,622 ) 30,000 14,950 Change in Accounts Payables (758,647,490 ) (93,265,553 ) (98,119,962 ) (102,142,305 ) Bad Debt Expense 718,988,014 87,490,998 91,480,726 95,672,755 Net Cash Flow from Operating Activities 34,021 (81,831 ) (12,051,067 ) (97,468 ) Cash Flows from Investing Activities Investment in Royalties - - - (160,000 ) Net Cash Flows from Investing Activities - - - (160,000 ) Cash Flow by Financing Activities Additional Paid-In Capital - - 12,051,015 257,510 Retirement of Common Shares 5,978 41,261 - - Net Cash Flow by Financing Activities 5,978 41,261 12,051,015 257,510 Net Change in Cash 39,999 (40,570 ) (52 ) 42 Cash Balance at Beginning of the Period 996 40,994 424 373 CASH BALANCE AT END OF THE PERIOD 40,995 424 373 415



About Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) (ProMusicRights.com)



Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) a diversified holding company, also known as Pro Music Rights, is the 5th public performance rights organization (PRO) to be formed in the United States. Its licensees include notable companies such as TikTok, iHeart Media, Triller, Napster, 7Digital, Vevo, and many others. Pro Music Rights holds an estimated market share of 7.4% in the United States, representing over 2,500,000 works that feature notable artists such as A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell, Young Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Lil Yachty, MoneyBagg Yo, Larry June, Trae Pound, Sause Walka, Trae Tha Truth, Sosamann, Soulja Boy, Lex Luger, Trauma Tone, Lud Foe, SlowBucks, Gunplay, OG Maco, Rich The Kid, Fat Trel, Young Scooter, Nipsey Hussle, Famous Dex, Boosie Badazz, Shy Glizzy, 2 Chainz, Migos, Gucci Mane, Young Dolph, Trinidad James, Chingy, Lil Gnar, 3OhBlack, Curren$y, Fall Out Boy, Money Man, Dej Loaf, Lil Uzi Vert, and countless others, as well as Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) Created Music. Additionally, Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) owns royalty stakes in Listerine "Mouthwash" Antiseptic as well as musical works by artists such as Elton John, Lil Nas X, Miley Cyrus, Lil Wayne, XXXTentacion, Halsey, and numerous others.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the ability of Music Licensing, Inc. & Pro Music Rights, Inc. to accomplish its stated plan of business. Music Licensing, Inc. & Pro Music Rights, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by Pro Music Rights, Inc., Music Licensing, Inc., or any other person.

Non-Legal Advice Disclosure:

This press release does not constitute legal advice, and readers are advised to seek legal counsel for any legal matters or questions related to the content herein.

Non-Investment Advice Disclosure:

This communication is intended solely for informational purposes and does not in any way imply or constitute a recommendation or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities, commodities, bonds, options, derivatives, or any other investment products. Any decisions related to investments should be made after thorough research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor or professional. We assume no liability for any actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this communication

Contact: investors@ProMusicRights.com

SOURCE: Music Licensing, Inc.



Images accompanying this announcement are available at:

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Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the spring travel season approaches and families prepare to pack their bags for March break, leading online travel agency CheapOair.ca is sharing their list of travel hacks and tips to help Canadians enjoy their vacations.

Its the time of year when Canadians start to plan their March break, spring and even summer vacations, and CheapOair.ca wants to continue helping Canadians get the best travel experience wherever and whenever possible, said Daniel Hayter, Senior Product Manager for CheapOair.ca.

From free airport services to cost-effective flight times and days, CheapOair.ca is proud to share the following travel hacks and tips for Canadians to keep in mind when booking their next getaway:

1) The Earlier the Flight, The Better: Flying earlier in the morning versus later in the day decreases your chance of being affected by significant delays and cancellations, particularly as they create a snowball effect throughout the day. As a bonus, you may find early morning flights to be more cost-effective.

2) Sign Up for Free Airport Services: Many airports are introducing an online reservation system to better manage security screening wait times, and the best part is that they are free. For example, Toronto Pearson International Airport and Montreal-Trudeau International Airport both have introduced an Express system that can be completed 72 hours before the flight departure.

3) Free Loyalty Programs: Many booking sites offer a loyalty or points programs, and it does not hurt to sign-up for these, especially if they are free. By signing up, you may immediately receive a discount code or even updates on future special markets. For example, CheapOair.cas ClubMiles loyalty program allows you to earn points that can offset the cost of travel across all three of Fareportals online travel agency brands. Booking through the CheapOair.ca mobile app doubles the points earned.

4) Fly To Nearby Airports for Savings: Those living closer to a neighbouring city should explore flying out from an alternate airport to see if cheaper options are available. This is particularly true if you are crossing the border and departing from a U.S. airport, as many Canadians have found significant savings this way.

5) Carry-on Over Checked Luggage: With the rising costs of checking a bag and fears over lost luggage, it is always better to pack a carry-on bag versus checking a bag as many airlines will allow you to bring up to two carry-on items.

6) The Further Out You Book, The Better: The sooner you can book your flights, the better. The closer you get to the travel date may lead to higher prices especially if flights fill up.

To read the full article, click here .

The mission of CheapOair.ca is to educate and aid consumers and travel professionals in both planning their travel accommodations and staying current on the most popular destinations.

Note to media : Additional quotes and interviews can be arranged upon request.

About CheapOair.ca

CheapOair.ca is an online travel agency that specializes in providing cheap flights and great last-minute flight deals for travellers worldwide. Consumers can book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone or by live chat. Part of Fareportal's family of travel brands, CheapOair.ca bridges the gap between an online travel agency and a traditional agency with travel agents available worldwide to help find great deals on flights to global destinations on over 500 airlines, a million lodgings, and 100s of car rental companies. Follow CheapOair.ca on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for travel inspiration and helpful travel tips.

About Fareportal

Fareportal is a travel technology company powering a next generation travel concierge service. Utilizing its innovative technology and company-owned and operated global contact centers, Fareportal has built strong industry partnerships providing customers access to over 500 airlines, a million lodgings, and hundreds of car rental companies around the globe. With a portfolio of consumer travel brands including CheapOair and One Travel, Fareportal enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone, or live chat. Fareportal provides its airline partners with access to a broad customer base that books high-yielding international and domestic flight, hotel, and other travel and add-on ancillaries.
Both Firms Reject Focused Compounds Takeover Attempt and Support CEO Lisa Brady and the Incumbent Board of Directors

PINE MOUNTAIN, Georgia, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Parks! America, Inc. (OTCPink: PRKA) (the Company or Parks! America), a leading operator of regional safari parks in the U.S. announced today that both leading independent proxy advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis & Co. (Glass Lews) each recommended that Parks! America, Inc. shareholders vote AGAINST all Focused Compounding Fund, LP (collectively with its affiliates, Focused Compounding) proposals at todays Special Meeting of Stockholders (the Special Meeting).

ISS and Glass Lewis are leading independent proxy advisory firms which, among other services, provide proxy voting recommendations to pension funds, investment managers, mutual funds and other institutional shareholders. Their voting analyses and recommendations are relied upon by thousands of major institutional investment firms, mutual funds and fiduciaries throughout the world.

In recommending AGAINST the Focused Compounding proposals attempting to take over1 the Company without paying a control premium to shareholders, ISS2 concluded, Given the lack of detail of the dissident critique, and the lack of a go-forward plan underlying its attempt at board control, support for the dissident campaign is not warranted.

Glass Lewis3 noted,  we do not believe the shareholder's solicitation has met the bar for shareholders to endorse a full change in control of the board at this point in time. Accordingly, we recommend that shareholders vote AGAINST all proposals.

Lisa Brady, CEO of Parks! America, commented, We are pleased with the recommendations of the independent proxy advisory firms. The Board of Directors and the management team of Parks! America are executing a strategic plan to improve our properties, create new attractions and improve overall guest experiences. Our focus is to drive value for all of our loyal shareholders.

About Parks! America, Inc.

Parks! America, Inc. (OTCPink: PRKA), through its wholly owned subsidiaries, owns and operates three regional safari parks - the Wild Animal Safari theme park in Pine Mountain, Georgia, the Wild Animal Safari theme park located in Strafford, Missouri, and the Aggieland Wild Animal Safari theme park, located near Bryan/College Station, Texas.

Additional information, including our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 1, 2023, is available on the Companys website, http://www.animalsafari.com .

See DFAN14A filed by Focused Compounding on January 8, 2024 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC).

2 Permission to quote from the ISS report was neither sought nor obtained.

3 Permission to quote from the Glass Lewis report was neither sought nor obtained.

Important Additional Information

The Company, its directors and certain of its executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Companys stockholders in connection with any matters to be considered at the 2024 annual meeting of stockholders of the Company (the 2024 Annual Meeting). Additionally, the Company, its directors and certain of its executive officers may also be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Companys stockholders in connection with any matters to be considered at the Special Meeting. In connection with the Special Meeting, the Company filed a definitive proxy statement with the SEC on February 12, 2024 (the Definitive Proxy Statement). The Company also intends to file a definitive proxy statement and a WHITE Proxy Card with the SEC in connection with any solicitation of proxies from the Companys stockholders with respect to the 2024 Annual Meeting. STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ SUCH PROXY STATEMENTS, THE ACCOMPANYING WHITE PROXY CARDS AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION RELATING TO THE 2024 ANNUAL MEETING AND TO THE SPECIAL MEETING. The Definitive Proxy Statement contains information regarding the direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, of the Companys directors and executive officers in the Companys securities. Stockholders will be able to obtain the definitive proxy statement with respect to the 2024 Annual Meeting and the Definitive Proxy Statement with respect to the Special Meeting, including any amendments or supplements to such proxy statements and other documents, if any, filed by the Company with the SEC at no charge at the SECs website at www.sec.gov . Copies would also be available at no charge on the Companys website at https://animalsafari.com/investor-relations/ .

Contact:

Lisa Brady,

President and Chief Executive Officer

(706) 663-8744
Baton Rouge, LA, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After an extensive nationwide search, E.J. Kuiper has been selected as the next President and Chief Executive Officer and leader of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOLHS). E.J. has spent the last 20 years as a leader in Catholic healthcare and will continue the progress and growth of the healthcare system when he transitions into the role on May 1, 2024.

E.J. is an accomplished, proven and visionary leader with a commitment to Catholic healthcare, said Bobby Yarborough, FMOLHS Board Chair. His extensive experience driving operational excellence and dedication to high quality patient and team member experiences will serve our healthcare system well as we look towards the future.

E.J. joins FMOLHS from CommonSpirit Health, where he served as CEO of the Midwest Division and was responsible for leading a division of 28 hospitals spanning four states with 14,000 employees, 1,600 physicians, a clinically integrated network and ACO. He looks forward to building upon the continued success of FMOLHS.

Serving as President and CEO of FMOLHS provides a wonderful opportunity to lead a strong healthcare system dedicated to improving the lives of the patients and communities that we serve across the Gulf South, said E.J. Kuiper. I look forward to what the future holds and thoughtfully building upon the strategic vision set forth by my predecessors.

E.J. is a man of deep faith. He is an advocate for Catholic healthcare and the unique opportunities we have throughout our entire ministry to be the face of Christ to each person, especially those most in need, said Sr. Laura Wolf, Chair of Franciscan Calais Ministries, which is the sponsor of FMLOHS. We are confident that he will bring the vision and strength of service to this role that are essential for the long-term stability and growth of our ministry.

E.J. will replace retiring President and CEO, Richard R. Vath, M.D., who has spent the last 40 years dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of the people of Louisiana and Mississippi.

Prior to his role as CEO of CommonSpirits Midwest Division, E.J. served as CEO of the Illinois Division of Hospital Sisters Health System, which included 9 hospitals, a nursing college and medical group with $1.4 billion in revenue. Scores in the top quartile for patient and employee satisfaction and quality measures are hallmarks of his leadership.

Originally from the Netherlands, E.J. was recruited by Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) in 1991 to serve as a physical therapist at a hospital in Florida. He was recognized as a rising star in the health system and after serving in progressive leadership roles, he ultimately became COO of the facility.

E.J. received his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine in Florida and his Master of Science in Health Science and Health Services Administration from Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and was recognized as one of 101 Academic Medical Center CEOs to watch in 2023 by Beckers Hospital Review.

For more information about Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System visit fmolhs.org.

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About the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System

The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System is one of the largest healthcare systems based in Louisiana and is the leading healthcare provider for more than half the states population. The health system is a non-profit, Catholic organization sponsored by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the ministry serves patients in Louisiana and Mississippi through a network of hospitals, clinics, physicians and integrated health systems. The health systems unified physician organization is comprised of more than 1,100 adult and pediatric primary care physicians and specialists. The systems nine main campus hospitals include St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge and Gonzales, Our Lady of the Lake Childrens Hospital in Baton Rouge, Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, Heart Hospital, and Women's & Children's Hospital in Lafayette, Our Lady of the Angels in Bogalusa, and St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. For more information, visit fmolhs.org.

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Toronto, ON, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toronto, ON (Feb 26, 2024)  The Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) is hosting its annual PINs Talent Xchange event this Tuesday, February 27, at the YMCAs Auditorium at 789 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON. The event is designed to raise awareness about the impact of underemployment on immigrant professionals and the Canadian economy. Exploring key statistics, and the personal stories of newcomers to Canada, the event sheds light on this national issue, as well as the steps needed to address it.

The event will bring together employers, immigrant serving agencies, government representatives, and leaders of professional immigrant associations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) for an evening of knowledge sharing and networking. Feature keynote presenter Craig Alexander, former Chief Economist for Deloitte, the Conference Board of Canada and TD Bank, will share data and insights on how underemployment impacts the broader Canadian economy. In an interactive Fireside Chat, Karen Johnson and Karen Peraza, immigrant leaders from Black Female Accountants Network (BFAN) and Hispanotech, respectively, will share their personal stories of perseverance, overcoming the challenges of underemployment in their careers as newcomer professionals in Canada.

TRIECs Professional Immigrant Networks (PINs) initiative, consists of 84 associations with a total membership of over 120,000 immigrant professionals in 22 different occupations and industries. PINs associations are volunteer-led, member-based organizations with an employment focus, run by and for immigrant professionals. They offer innovative solutions for immigrants lacking professional connections to build strong networks in their respective fields.

The PINs Talent Xchange serves as a platform for employers to gain insights on the challenges posed by underemployment and what they can do to address it in their organizations. Its a chance for them to learn how working with PINs associations, immigrant-serving agencies, and other stakeholders in the immigrant employment sector, can improve their business, their cultures, and the economy at large.

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About TRIEC

Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) champions the talent and experience that immigrants bring to the Greater Toronto Area. We support organizations to become more inclusive, and help newcomers expand their professional networks and understand the local labour market. We collaborate with leaders and organizations to build a GTA where immigrant professionals can contribute to their fullest potential.
Reston, Virginia, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. (FBLA), the nations largest career and technical student organization focused solely on business, is offering the ability for companies and universities to connect with thousands of motivated teachers, education administrators, and students attending the Future Leaders Expo at its National Leadership Conference (NLC) in Orlando.

More than 1,000 attendees are expected to attend the Collegiate NLC from June 24 to 27, and more than 14,000 people are anticipated to attend the Middle School & High School NLC from June 29 to July 2. Both events will be held at the Orange County Convention Center.

The NLC offers a central location for organizations to meet with high-achieving students as they engage in 135 competitions at a national level. Most students attending the NLC have already won state competitions, demonstrating excellence in a particular subject. Many are actively considering secondary education and future career options.

Additionally, students attending the NLC are often accompanied by their teachers and school leaders, who are making decisions about which curriculum and programs to incorporate into class activities and can take back information to their colleagues at home.

Organizations that have already committed to exhibiting at the Future Leaders Expo include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP), FICO, Fidelity, Kendra Scott, the National Retail Federation, and Mens Wearhouse, along with many colleges and universities.

If your firm is looking for a workforce pipeline, look no further! FBLAs Future Leaders Expo is a prime opportunity for companies wanting to interact directly with todays top talent who come with resumes in hand, FBLA President & CEO Alexander T. Graham said.

To learn more about exhibiting in the Expo, click here. To discuss NLC sponsorship opportunities, contact FBLA Development Manager Mike Hyatt at mhyatt@fbla.org.

Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) education association with more than 193,000 middle school, high school, and college members worldwide. FBLA inspires and prepares students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences. The association is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. For more information, visit fbla.org.
MONTREAL, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stingray (TSX: RAY.A; RAY.B), a global leader in music, media, and technology, has taken the initiative to collaborate with a group of independent broadcasters, advocating for government intervention to aid Canada's local radio sector. A persuasive letter has been sent to the Honourable Chrystia Freeland and the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, outlining actionable recommendations to address the economic challenges posed to local radio by the digital shift and the loss of advertising dollars to online platforms.



Stingray and its independent industry partners propose that the upcoming budget includes a commitment to dedicate at least 70% of the Government of Canada's advertising expenditures to local media, ensuring an even distribution across radio, television, print, and Canadian-owned digital media. Additionally, they recommend establishing a minimum 20% tax credit to motivate advertisers to invest in advertising with Canadian-owned print and broadcast media, providing a much-needed boost to these vital (yet endangered) sectors.

Eric Boyko, President, Co-Founder, and CEO of Stingray, emphasized the importance of these recommendations, saying, "The local radio sector is an integral part of our national identity, providing a connection to Canadian culture, music, and essential information, particularly during local or regional emergencies. Stingray and our respected independent industry partners are calling on the government to implement these measures, which are critical to the sector's viability."

The letter has received full backing and support from prominent independent industry players such as Acadia Broadcasting Limited, Arsenal Media, Bayshore Broadcasting, Blackburn Media Inc., Byrnes Communications Inc., Central Ontario Broadcasting, Dougall Media, Durham Radio Inc., Evanov Communications, Golden West Broadcasting Ltd., Local Radio Labs Inc., MBS Radio, Pattison Media Ltd., Quinte Broadcasting Co. Ltd., Rawlco Radio, Starboard Communications Inc., Torres Media, Vista Radio, and Whiteoaks Communications Group.

These recommendations are presented with the firm belief that government support would significantly strengthen the independent radio sector, allowing it to maintain its pivotal role in promoting Canadian music, safeguarding the public in times of crisis, and upholding fundamental democratic values.
New York, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blank Rome LLP is pleased to welcome four new attorneys to the firms White Collar Defense and Investigations group:

Bradley Brad Henry , a partner in New York, who will also serve as vice-chair of Blank Romes White Collar Defense and Investigations group,

, a partner in New York, who will also serve as vice-chair of Blank Romes White Collar Defense and Investigations group, Kathleen H. Shannon , a partner in Washington, D.C.,

, a partner in Washington, D.C., Jason F. Emert , of counsel in Washington, D.C., and

, of counsel in Washington, D.C., and Ekinsu Cebi Elkei, a foreign associate in Washington, D.C. (Not engaged in the practice of law in the District of Columbia. Admitted to practice in Istanbul only.)

This team advises domestic and international clients on criminal defense and government investigations, internal investigations, and compliance matters. They join Blank Rome from Akerman.

The groups arrival continues the strategic expansion of Blank Romes White Collar Defense and Investigations group. In January, five white collar attorneys from litigation boutique Spears & Imes joined Blank Rome in New York, including partners David Spears, Linda Imes, and Chris Dysard. In November 2023, Barrett R. Howell joined the White Collar Defense and Investigations group as a partner in the firms recently opened Dallas office.

We are excited to welcome this powerhouse team of Brad, Kathleen, Jason, and Ekinsu to the firm and our nationally recognized litigation practice, said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Romes Chair and Managing Partner. As prosecutors continue to focus on financial and corporate crimes in the United States and internationally, the growth of our white collar team will be an asset for our clients facing enforcement actions and managing investigations at home and abroad.

Brad, Kathleen, Jason, and Ekinsu represent corporate and individual clients in the United States, Turkiye, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and Ukraine in complex civil and criminal matters. They focus on white collar defense litigation, government investigations and enforcement actions, international disputes and arbitration, internal investigations, and advising clients on compliance programs, voluntary disclosures, and remediation. Clients from the United States and around the globe turn to Brad, Kathleen, Jason, and Ekinsu for counsel addressing financial crimes, U.S. economic and trade sanctions and export controls, bank secrecy and anti-money laundering regulations, crypto-currency fraud, anti-bribery and anti-corruption matters, and criminal trials. They also represent foreign clients in the United States for issues arising under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.

The team represents clients in the automotive, aviation, construction, consumer products, defense, financial services, healthcare, logistics, maritime, and pharmaceutical industries, to name a few.

We are thrilled to have Brad, Kathleen, Jason, and Ekinsu join our firm and bring their knowledge, cross-border experience, and trial skills to our robust and growing white collar practice, said Jerry D. Bernstein, co-chair of the White Collar Defense and Investigations group. In 2024, we expect to see aggressive enforcement actions from U.S. Attorneys Offices, the Justice Department, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Treasury Department, as well as an increase in the international scope and breath of enforcement actions. Our expanded team is well-positioned to help clients facing scrutiny by government enforcement and regulatory agencies.

The new Blank Rome group also devotes a significant portion of their practice to investor-state and international commercial arbitration. They have arbitrated matters before the International Chamber of Commerce and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, part of the World Bank Group.

Kathleen and I are very happy to rejoin our former colleagues, including Craig Weiner and Massimo DAngelo, who joined Blank Rome last year as part of a team of nine attorneys. The group has been very complimentary of the firms highly regarded capabilities and collaborative culture, noted Brad. We are also energized by the synergies between our work and that of Blank Romes practices and industry teams, including its maritime and international trade groups. We look forward to serving our clients from Blank Romes platform.

Kathleen added, It was clear to us that Blank Rome is invested in strategically building and strengthening its white collar practice to meet the needs of clients, which aligns with our goals. This, combined with the opportunity to join the firms deep bench, including our former colleagues and recent additions, make it an exciting time to join the firm.

Brad has tried more than 30 federal criminal jury trials across the United States. He has represented clients in commercial and financial disputes including cross-jurisdictional litigation, multi-party actions, appellate proceedings, and follow-on actions arising from regulatory investigations.

In addition to handling matters in courts and before enforcement agencies, Kathleen also represents clients in congressional and executive-branch investigations and inquiries and advises individuals and organizations on registration and reporting obligations under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and related statutes. Prior to returning to private practice, Kathleen served as counsel for the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and served as a senior advisor and counsel in the Executive Office of the President, where she focused on legal compliance, internal controls, and investigations.

Brad serves as Co-Chair of the Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Experts Subcommittee of the International Bar Association. Brad earned his J.D. from the Florida Coastal School of Law, and his B.S. from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. Kathleen earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, and her B.A. from the University of Virginia. Jason earned his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law, his M.B.A. from the University of Louisiana Lafayette, and his B.S. from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Ekinsu holds an LL.M. degree in International Business and Economic Law from Georgetown University Law Center and an LL.B. degree (J.D. equivalent) from Istanbul University Faculty of Law.

About Blank Rome

Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 15 offices and 700 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our inception in 1946, Blank Romes culture has been dedicated to providing top-level service to all of our clients and has been rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.

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Covina, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the recent research study, the Internet of Things (IoT) Telecom Services Market size was valued at about USD 14.5 Billion in 2024 and expected to grow at CAGR of 31.80% to extend a value of USD 228.9 Billion by 2034.

What is Internet of Things (IoT) Telecom Services?

Market Overview:

Internet of Things (IoT) Telecom Services refers to telecommunications services specifically designed to support and enable the connectivity and communication needs of IoT devices and applications. As the IoT ecosystem continues to expand, billions of devices are being connected to the internet to collect data, transmit information, and facilitate automation and control in various industries and domains.

IoT telecom services encompass a range of capabilities and technologies aimed at enabling seamless connectivity, data transmission, and management of IoT devices and networks. IoT telecom services play a critical role in facilitating the deployment, operation, and management of IoT solutions by providing the necessary connectivity, security, and infrastructure to support a wide range of connected devices and applications.

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Overview & introduction of market study

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Regional analysis of the market with a detailed graph

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Recent development/news of market

Opportunities & Challenges of Market

Top Leading Players in Internet of Things (IoT) Telecom Services Market:

Aeris, Inc.

AT&T, Inc.

China Mobile

Deutsche Telekom

Ericsson

Huawei

NTT

SoftBank

Sprint

Swisscom

Market Dynamics:

Driving Factors:

The proliferation of IoT devices across various industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, agriculture, and smart cities, is driving demand for IoT telecom services. As more devices become connected, the need for reliable, scalable, and secure connectivity solutions grows.

The deployment of 5G networks offers high-speed, low-latency connectivity, which is essential for supporting the massive scale and diverse requirements of IoT applications.

Continuous advancements in IoT technology, including sensor miniaturization, edge computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, are expanding the capabilities and use cases of IoT applications.

IoT telecom services offer industry-specific solutions tailored to the unique requirements and challenges of different sectors. From asset tracking and predictive maintenance in manufacturing to remote patient monitoring and telemedicine in healthcare, IoT telecom services address a wide range of use cases and vertical markets, driving adoption and innovation.

IoT generates vast amounts of data that can be analyzed to derive actionable insights, optimize operations, and improve decision-making processes.

Restrain Factors:

Security and Privacy Concerns

Scalability and Complexity

Emerging Trends and Opportunities in Internet of Things (IoT) Telecom Services Market:

The deployment and adoption of 5G networks present significant opportunities for IoT telecom services. 5G offers ultra-fast speeds, low latency, and high reliability, making it ideal for supporting mission-critical IoT applications such as autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, and healthcare. IoT telecom providers can capitalize on 5G's capabilities to offer enhanced connectivity solutions tailored to the unique requirements of IoT deployments.

Edge computing enables data processing and analysis to occur closer to the source of data generation, reducing latency and bandwidth usage. Edge IoT solutions leverage edge computing capabilities to support real-time analytics, local decision-making, and low-latency response times for IoT applications.

With the proliferation of IoT devices, ensuring robust security and effective device management are critical challenges for organizations. IoT telecom services can offer comprehensive security solutions, including device authentication, data encryption, secure firmware updates, and threat detection, to protect IoT deployments from cyber threats and unauthorized access.

Industry-specific IoT solutions tailored to vertical markets such as manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, agriculture, and smart cities present lucrative opportunities for IoT telecom services providers.

IoT generates vast amounts of data that can be leveraged to derive actionable insights, optimize operations, and drive business innovation. IoT telecom services can offer advanced analytics platforms and data visualization tools that enable organizations to extract meaningful insights from IoT data, identify trends, predict outcomes, and make data-driven decisions.

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Challenges of Internet of Things (IoT) Telecom Services Market:

The initial investment and total cost of ownership (TCO) associated with IoT deployments, including hardware, software, connectivity, and infrastructure, can be significant for organizations.

Achieving a positive return on investment (ROI) and demonstrating the business value of IoT initiatives may take time and require careful planning, resource allocation, and risk management strategies.

Compliance with regulatory requirements and data protection laws imposes additional burdens and constraints on IoT deployments.

Organizations must ensure that their IoT solutions adhere to regulatory standards for data privacy, security, consent management, and data residency, which can add complexity and cost to IoT projects and expose organizations to legal risks and penalties for non-compliance.

Detailed Segmentation:

Internet of Things (IoT) Telecom Services Market, By Type:

Business Consulting Services Device & Application Management Services Installation & Integration Services IoT Billing & Subscription Management M2m Billing Services



Internet of Things (IoT) Telecom Services Market, By Application:

Smart Buildings & Home Automation Capillary Network Management Industrial Manufacturing & Automation Vehicle Telematics



Internet of Things (IoT) Telecom Services Market, By Region:

North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany UK France Russia Italy Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China India Japan South Korea Rest of Asia Pacific Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa GCC Israel South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa



Regional Analysis:

Regional insights highlight the diverse market dynamics, regulatory landscapes, and growth drivers shaping the Internet of Things (IoT) Telecom Services Market across different geographic areas. Understanding regional nuances and market trends is essential for stakeholders to capitalize on emerging opportunities and drive market expansion in the Internet of Things (IoT) Telecom Services sector.

North America market is estimated to witness the fastest share over the forecast period as North America is witnessing significant investments and advancements in 5G network infrastructure, which is driving the deployment and adoption of high-speed, low-latency connectivity solutions for IoT applications. 5G networks offer enhanced capabilities for supporting massive IoT deployments, ultra-reliable communication, and low-latency services, making them well-suited for applications such as autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and industrial automation.

Report scope:

Attribute Details Market Size 2024 US$ 14.5 Billion Projected Market Size 2034 US$ 228.9 Billion CAGR Growth Rate 31.80% Base year for estimation 2023 Forecast period 2024  2034 Market representation Revenue in USD Million & CAGR from 2024 to 2034 Market Segmentation By Types- Business Consulting Services, Device & Application Management Services, Installation & Integration Services, IoT Billing & Subscription Management, and M2m Billing Services



By Application Smart Buildings & Home Automation, Capillary Network Management, Industrial Manufacturing & Automation, and Vehicle Telematics Regional scope North America - U.S., Canada



Europe - UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Russia, Rest of Europe



Asia Pacific - Japan, India, China, South Korea, Australia, Rest of Asia-Pacific



Latin America - Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Rest of Latin America



Middle East & Africa - South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Rest of Middle East & Africa Report coverage Revenue forecast, company share, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends

Key highlights of the Internet of Things (IoT) Telecom Services Market:

The IoT telecom services market is experiencing rapid growth driven by the proliferation of connected devices, advancements in communication technologies, and increasing adoption of IoT solutions across various industries.

IoT telecom services provide connectivity solutions tailored to the unique requirements of IoT devices, including low-power wide-area networks (LPWAN), cellular networks (2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G), satellite communication, and short-range wireless protocols.

IoT telecom services offer industry-specific solutions catering to diverse sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, agriculture, utilities, smart cities, and consumer electronics. These solutions address specific use cases such as asset tracking, remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, energy management, and environmental sensing.

Security is a paramount concern in the IoT telecom services market, given the vulnerability of connected devices to cyber threats and data breaches. IoT telecom services providers offer robust security solutions, including encryption, authentication, access controls, and threat detection, to protect IoT networks, devices, and data from malicious actors and unauthorized access.

Edge computing technologies are gaining prominence in the IoT telecom services market, enabling data processing and analysis to occur closer to the source of data generation. IoT telecom services providers offer edge computing solutions that support real-time analytics, local decision-making, and low-latency response times for latency-sensitive IoT applications.

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Atlanta, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlanta. Christine Russell Fleischer has been named Vice President, Customer Experience at Porsche Cars North America  a role she will take up on March 15th.

Christine is the perfect choice to join our leadership team and Im thrilled that she will soon be shaping our future direction as we strive to ensure every customer experience is exceptional, said Timo Resch, President and CEO, Porsche Cars North America. More than a decade spent working in the US means Christine joins us already with extensive knowledge of our market  I am sure she will thrive as a valued and key member of the PCNA team.

Christine joins PCNA from INFINITI USA, where she most recently served as Director, INFINITI Customer Experience & Training, and previously held the role of General Manager INFINITI Global Strategy, Transformation Office & Presidents Office in Yokohama, Japan.

Prior to her tenure at INFINITI, Christine spent 16 years at BMW AG in Munich and the US. She held senior roles for BMW M, led the BMW i team as electrification was introduced to the US market and developed an operational excellence strategy to support sustainable growth and customer delight. She holds a Master of Arts degree from Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich.

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MONTREAL, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- European Cheeses are delighted to unveil their new campaign Europe Full of Character  Cheeses of Austria and France, launched in 2023 and especially tailored for the Canadian market.



Implemented by the European Milk Forum (EMF), the French Dairy Board (CNIEL) and Agrarmarkt Austria Marketing (AMA), this campaign aims to showcase the rich heritage, exceptional quality, unmatched naturalness, and irresistible flavours of European cheeses, with a focus on those from France and Austria.

It is a tribute to the artistry and craftsmanship behind European cheese-making, showcasing the diverse range of flavours, textures and aromas that have made French and Austrian cheese beloved staples on tables worldwide. The campaign seeks to educate consumers about the intricacies of European cheese and inspire them to embrace the joy of indulging in these delectable creations.

Our passion for European cheese is at the heart of everything we do. With this campaign Europe Full of Character, we are excited to share our cheesemakers love for these exceptional cheeses with fellow cheese aficionados and foodies all over Canada, shares Charles Duque, Managing Director, Americas, CNIEL | The French Dairy Board.

The Europe Full of Character campaign also extends beyond flavour, aiming to raise awareness about the importance of supporting sustainable and responsible cheese production. The long-standing relationships with trusted dairy farmers and cheesemakers ensure the highest quality standards while upholding values of authenticity, environmental respect, and animal welfare.

Throughout this three-year campaign, a series of engaging events and experiences will immerse Canadian media, influencers, and cheese enthusiasts in the world of European cheese. From exclusive press events and interactive tastings to influencer campaigns and the presence of European cheese on major consumer events, the campaign promises an unforgettable journey. Partnerships with a selection of cheese stores in Quebec and Ontario, highlighting the sheer variety and unique quality of European offer in store, along with a collaboration with the famous Canadian meal kit service Cook It, add an exciting layer to the campaign.

Through social media, the campaign also educates, encourages and inspires cheese lovers to share their experiences, recipes, and love for French and Austrian cheeses on the newly launched Facebook and Instagram pages.

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Campaign hashtags

#EUAgriPromo #EnjoyItsFromEurope #EuropeFullOfCharacter #FrenchCheese #AustrianCheese

Resources

Download our 2023-2024 press kit here.

here. For more information about French cheeses , please visit: https://www.filiere-laitiere.fr/en/home

, please visit: https://www.filiere-laitiere.fr/en/home For more information about Austrian cheeses, please visit : www.ama.global/en



ABOUT EUROPE FULL OF CHARACTER CAMPAIGN

This campaign is brought to you by The French Dairy Inter-Branch Organization (CNIEL) and Agrarmarkt Austria Marketing GesmbH (AMA-Marketing), with support from the European Union. The objectives are to promote European cheese in terms of ideal area of production; climate conditions & EU production systems; heritage (authenticity, history, savoir-faire); methods of production; natural quality of products; quality & food safety; and the place and role of European cheeses in local gastronomy.

CAMPAIGN CO-FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e8552873-f266-4dbb-9bb5-c5d998ba4373
MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: TLX, Telix, the Company) today announces it has entered into an agreement to acquire IsoTherapeutics Group, LLC (IsoTherapeutics), a specialty radiopharmaceutical development and bioconjugation firm, based in Angleton, Texas. Founded in 2005, IsoTherapeutics is a privately held, commercial-stage company, which provides radiochemistry and bioconjugation development and contract manufacturing services to many companies in the radiopharmaceutical industry, including Telix.



In line with Telixs continued investment in the vertical integration of supply chain, manufacturing and development capabilities, the acquisition is expected to further enhance Telixs in-house drug development capabilities. A key driver for the acquisition is to enable Telix to bring select aspects of its development programs in-house, with the goal of reducing cost and time to achieve technical milestones.

The acquisition will also expand Telixs U.S. manufacturing footprint with a site that includes a GMP1 clean room and production infrastructure suitable for clinical use. The site also has extensive capacity to process a wide variety of therapeutic isotopes used in Telixs development portfolio.

Strategic rationale

The acquisition is highly synergistic with Telixs vertical integration strategy and is expected to:

strengthen Telixs ability to innovate and scale-up manufacturing, supporting the delivery of clinical trials initially, and

provide manufacturing and isotope production facilities and capabilities, allowing for greater control over the isotope supply chain and establishing infrastructure which will support the commercialisation of Telixs investigational therapeutic assets, and

establish a centre of excellence in GMP bioconjugation and isotope processing.



The addition of IsoTherapeutics will be complementary to  and increase the overall capabilities of  the Company alongside the Optimal Tracers laboratory, radiochemistry development and clinical dose production facility in Sacramento, California and its large-scale production facility in Brussels South, Telix Manufacturing Solutions.

Following closing of the acquisition, IsoTherapeutics will continue to provide development and manufacturing services to its existing customer base and may continue to provide services to Telixs strategic partners and collaborators. Telix expects to realise potential cost savings from bringing radiochemistry-related research and development (R&D) activities in-house and as such the transaction is expected to have a non-material positive impact on the Groups earnings.

Dr. Christian Behrenbruch, Managing Director and Group CEO of Telix said, With the agreement to acquire IsoTherapeutics I am pleased to welcome a team of highly recognised industry leaders in bioconjugation and radiochemistry to Telix, as well as further expand our manufacturing footprint in the U.S.. This acquisition enhances our business with highly-sought-after skills, capabilities and facilities that are very much central to our development activities.

Dr. R. Keith Frank, President and CEO of IsoTherapeutics, said, Telix is a valued business partner and we have established a close working relationship and in-depth technical knowledge of their development and manufacturing requirements and goals. The opportunity to now become part of the Telix Group of companies, a global leader in the field, provides an excellent platform for our employees, partners and customers to continue to expand the expertise and facilities at IsoTherapeutics.

_______________

1 Good manufacturing practice.

Deal terms and conditions

The purchase price comprises:

US$8 million (AU$12.2 million) upfront, which is payable at closing in the form of US$2 million (AU$3.0 million in cash) and US$6 million (AU$9.2 million) in ordinary shares, equating to approximately 823,481 shares 2

US$5 million (AU$7.6 million) performance-related milestone payments, payable in cash, that are subject to meeting milestone conditions within twelve months of closing, and

A two-year revenue share based on actual revenue earned from existing customers of IsoTherapeutics (total estimated cash payments ~US$0.6 million (AU$0.9 million).



The cash upfront consideration is subject to customary working capital, debt and transaction expense adjustments. Telix will issue ordinary shares to the stockholders of IsoTherapeutics at closing within its Listing Rule 7.1 placement capacity, in part-consideration for the acquisition. The number of shares to be issued at closing will be determined by converting US$6 million to Australian dollars using the Reserve Bank of Australia exchange rate at closing and dividing that amount by the volume weighted average price at which Telixs ordinary shares trade on the ASX over the 10 trading day period prior to closing. The shares will be subject to escrow restrictions.

Closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals.

About IsoTherapeutics

IsoTherapeutics Group LLC is a radiopharmaceutical company that offers technologies for developing novel therapeutic and diagnostic agents for severe diseases. IsoTherapeutics scientists have received over 100 patents for developing chemistry and radiopharmaceutical formulations. For more information, please visit http://isotherapeutics.com/

About Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited

Telix is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialisation of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals and associated medical devices. Telix is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, with international operations in the United States, Europe (Belgium and Switzerland), and Japan. Telix is developing a portfolio of clinical and commercial stage products that aims to address significant unmet medical needs in oncology and rare diseases. Telix is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: TLX).

Visit www.telixpharma.com for further information about Telix, including details of the latest share price, announcements made to the ASX, investor and analyst presentations, news releases, event details and other publications that may be of interest. You can also follow Telix on X and LinkedIn.

_______________

2 Assumes an AUD/USD exchange rate of 0.6557 (used throughout this announcement). Refer to the Appendix 3B lodged with the ASX today for further details.



Telix Investor Relations

Ms. Kyahn Williamson

Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited

SVP Investor Relations and Corporate Communications

Email: kyahn.williamson@telixpharma.com

This announcement has been authorised for release by the Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited Disclosure Committee on behalf of the Board.

Legal Notices

The information contained in this announcement is not intended to be an offer for subscription, invitation or recommendation with respect to shares of Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (Telix) in any jurisdiction, including the United States. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained or opinions expressed in the course of this announcement. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change without notification.

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements that relate to anticipated future events, financial performance, plans, strategies or business developments. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as may, expect, intend, plan, estimate, anticipate, outlook, forecast and guidance, or other similar words. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the Companys good-faith assumptions as to the financial, market, regulatory and other risks and considerations that exist and affect the Companys business and operations in the future and there can be no assurance that any of the assumptions will prove to be correct. In the context of Telixs business, forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about: the initiation, timing, progress and results of Telixs preclinical and clinical studies, and Telixs research and development programs; Telixs ability to advance product candidates into, enrol and successfully complete, clinical studies, including multi-national clinical trials; the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, manufacturing activities and product marketing activities; the commercialisation of Telixs product candidates, if or when they have been approved; estimates of Telixs expenses, future revenues and capital requirements; Telixs financial performance; developments relating to Telixs competitors and industry; and the pricing and reimbursement of Telixs product candidates, if and after they have been approved. Telixs actual results, performance or achievements may be materially different from those which may be expressed or implied by such statements, and the differences may be adverse. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. You should read this announcement together with our risk factors, as disclosed in our most recently filed reports with the ASX or on our website.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Telix disclaims any obligation or undertaking to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or a change in expectations or assumptions.

2024 Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited. The Telix Pharmaceuticals and Illuccix name and logo are trademarks of Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited and its affiliates  all rights reserved.
(Okeechobee, Fla.), Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to sources, there were about 15,000 pigeons shot at a Swamp Shoot-Out at the Quail Creek Hunting Ranch in Okeechobee, Fla., this past weekend, in an event using live animals in a competitive event. The shooting site is owned by Troy Link, the CEO of Jack Links Meat Snacks and the scion of this global beef jerky company. Mr. Links net worth is in the hundreds of millions.

These live pigeon shoots are outlawed in many states. Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) and Animal Wellness Action believe this conduct violates Floridas anti-cruelty laws, and should subject those involved to felony offenses. There are other potential violations of law related to jeopardy for bald eagles who feast on wounded pigeons with lead ammunition embedded in their bodies.

The organizations have obtained secretly recorded drone footage of the mass killing of the animals. In the video, live pigeons are launched into the air from spring-loaded boxes and shot after fluttering out of the contraption. The majority of the birds barely rise a few feet before they are blasted and typically fall onto the shooting field, where runners then wring the necks of the birds. Some of the wounded birds manage to fly outside the boundary of the shooting area, going down some distance away. These victims are not retrieved. This amounts to the mass abandonment of wounded animals.

Birds of prey, including a family of bald eagles inhabiting the area, as well as other native wildlife, consume the unretrieved pigeons. These animals will be poisoned by the lead shot in use by the shooters.

The video can be viewed here. Available here is a promotional flier for the Swamp Shoot Out.

Target shooters have skeet and clay targets for recreational target shooting. To choose instead to slaughter live animals is just pathological, said Steve Hindi, president of SHARK, who famously campaigned to help stop a notorious live pigeon shoot in Hegins, Penn. Only a sick mind shoots animals for target practice when fast-moving clay targets are far more challenging.

This debasing activity bears no resemblance to hunting, which involves obtaining a license, honoring fair chase principles, and consuming the meat of the animals, said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, who also has campaigned against pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania and other states. If this isnt staged animal cruelty, I dont know what is.

Florida animal cruelty laws contain several provisions that would seemingly apply to this kind of inhumane conduct, said Scott Edwards, general counsel for the Center for a Humane Economy. We believe this kind of activity demands an investigation by state officials and should not be allowed to continue.

Animals Left to DiePoisoning Native Wildlife in the Process

Shooting events of this type typically feature pigeons captured in urban areas and transported in stressful, overcrowded conditions, often without food or water, to the site of the shooting spectacle. Kept in boxes until shooters are poised for the kill, the birds are spring-ejected and perhaps also administered an electric shock to put them into the air. Shooters stand about 30 yards away and fire at the birds struggling to gain flight.

The enterprise of live pigeon shooting, banned in a number of states across the nation, amounts to animal cruelty and wanton waste, with a readily available and satisfying alternative in the form of shooting sports.

Because shooters commonly use lead-based ammunition, raptors and other animals that feed on the carcasses are highly vulnerable to lead poisoning. Such birdshawks and bald eagleswere spotted circling the Quail Creek event on Friday, February 24, the first day of the three-day event. A 2022 study in Science examined 1,210 bald and golden eagles across 38 states and found that nearly half of them had bone lead concentrations above thresholds for chronic poisoning. More than 500 scientific studies published since 1898 have documented that worldwide, 134 species of wildlife are negatively affected by lead ammunition.

A Multi-Millionaires Pastime

Troy Link is the owner and president of the Quail Creek Hunting Ranch. He also is president and CEO of Jack Link's Meat Snacks, one of worlds largest manufacturers of protein snacks and a leader in the broader snack industry. Founded in 1985 in Minong, Wis., Jack Links operates multiple production sites throughout the Midwest and has facilities in Brazil, Germany, and New Zealand. The company's portfolio of brands includes Jack Links, Lorissas Kitchen, MATADOR, SQUATCH, World Kitchens, Grass Run Farms Meat Snacks, Bifi, and Pepperami.

SHARK and Animal Wellness Action have created a petition calling out Mr. Link and asking him to discontinue any future pigeon-shooting events. Mr. Link engages in other pigeon shooting escapades in other states and in Mexico, according to sources.

ABOUT

Animal Wellness Action is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) whose mission is to help animals by promoting laws and regulations at federal, state and local levels that forbid cruelty to all animals. The group also works to enforce existing anti-cruelty and wildlife protection laws. Animal Wellness Action believes helping animals helps us all. X: @AWAction_News.

SHARK is a non-profit organization with supporters around the U.S. and beyond. SHARK receives no government funding and completely relies on donations and grants to work on issues ranging in scope from local to worldwide. With a small core of volunteers, and a staff of five, SHARK battles tirelessly against rodeos, bullfighting, pigeon shoots, turkey shoots, canned hunts and more. President Steve Hindi has an open invitation to debate "the opposition." Because of his domination of past debates with animal abusers, however, it has been years since the opposition has taken him on.




Dublin, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Europe Contract Logistics - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts 2020 - 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Europe Contract Logistics Market size is estimated at USD 78.48 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 89.60 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 2.69% during the forecast period (2024-2029).







Europe Contract Logistics Market Trends



Outsourced Contract Logistics Market to Register Significant Growth



The outsourcing share of contract logistics is low, showing clear growth potential. Globally, the share of contract logistics in the total market is only 10-15%. In Europe, this proportion is estimated at around 20%. The extent of outsourcing varies greatly from country to country. Transportation and storage services are generally outsourced to a large extent.



E-commerce is expected to be a major driver of outsourcing growth. As the e-commerce market grows rapidly, so do consumer expectations for faster and more reliable delivery. As a result, outsourcing of warehousing and order processing is expected to increase. Contract logistics offers e-commerce companies of all sizes the following benefits: Business manageability, advanced technology solutions, risk mitigation, and scalability.



Contract logistics companies provide services to online businesses and help enter new markets by making good use of global networks. They also help move closer to customers by offering a choice of delivery options, taking care of customs and value-added tax (VAT) services, and more.



Contract logistics companies offer specialized services for businesses that manufacture consumer electronics, telecommunications devices, computer equipment, or other high-tech products. They help these businesses reduce inventory, lower distribution costs, and launch new products.



Growth in Manufacturing Expected to Drive Demand for Contract Logistics Services



Manufacturing is the backbone of the European economy. Europe occupies a leading position in numerous industrial manufacturing sectors, such as machines and pharmaceuticals. The overall production accounts for 17.3% of EU GDP and 83% of exports, making Europe the world's largest exporter of manufactured goods. Besides, manufacturing inspires 20% of global R&D investments and generates one-third of high-quality scientific publications.



European industry, particularly Europe's engineering and manufacturing companies, undertake a great deal of research and innovation. Pre-competitive collaborative research has a long tradition in Europe: companies operate within regional innovation and industrial ecosystems, often with world-class companies leading and with SMEs and research institutes involved in the process.



The largest European nations, such as Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, traditionally dominate the manufacturing sector. As these countries became increasingly service-oriented, the manufacturing sector saw large losses, with manufacturing industries relocating and general employment in the sector decreasing. Luckily for Europe, instead of moving abroad, much of the manufacturing has just moved over to Central and Eastern Europe. Countries such as Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic have taken up the mantle of manufacturing in Europe. These countries and their neighbors have seen tremendous growth in the manufacturing sector, and they are helping reaffirm Europe as a global manufacturing center. The developed countries in Europe are of high importance, as they have the required infrastructure and skills readily developed. This is expected to result in a trend of reshoring manufacturing back to Europe, and automation is very often one of the reasons for reshoring in Europe.



Europe Contract Logistics Industry Overview



The prominent players in the market include Deutsche Post DHL Group, Schenker AG (DB Schenker), Ceva Logistics, DSV AS, and SNCF Logistics/Geodis. These players based in Europe have a significant presence across the world. Even though these major players have a strong footprint across the region and account for significant market share, the market is still fragmented to some extent, with many players providing contract logistics services at different levels.



It is necessary for companies to make sure they are constantly evolving to match the industry trends. This is likely to help them gain a stronger foothold by attracting new customers.



Most major companies are based out of the Western European region. The number of local contract logistics providers in the CEE region is comparatively lower. This is an opportunity for the existing local logistics players in the CEE region to enter the contract logistics market and gain significant market share.



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8inpjp

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ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Dublin, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "United Kingdom Contract Logistics - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts 2020-2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The United Kingdom Contract Logistics Market size is estimated at USD 99.5 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 116.53 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 3.21% during the forecast period (2024-2029).







Key Highlights

Despite facing significant operational and financial disruption since March 2020, the logistics industry continued to supply the nation with goods, including food supplies and PPE. To deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, logistics businesses managed risks by scaling back operations, taking work back in-house, and reducing their reliance on third-party services. At the same time, many also focused on their core fleet of vehicles to save costs.





The United Kingdom has the most advanced logistics industry in Europe. Owing to the variety and higher prevalence of e-commerce, this may not change - the contract logistics market benefits from expanding e-commerce due to increased demand for contract logistics services. As a result of the e-commerce boom, logistics companies are expanding their services.





With the expansion of international trade and the interconnectedness of economies, companies in the UK are increasingly engaging in global business activities. This has led to a surge in the demand for efficient and streamlined logistics services to facilitate the movement of goods across borders.





The Need for expanded transportation networks, the complexity of global supply chains, advancements in technology, and the rise of e-commerce have all influenced the growth and evolution of contract logistics in the UK.





Contract logistics services are in high demand as a result of the retail e-commerce boom. Over the last decade, e-commerce has become the most popular retail trend in the United Kingdom. Even though e-commerce platforms have been around for a long time, they have only recently gained mainstream notice. In order to keep up with the rest of the globe, the expansion of internet shopping in the United Kingdom has been phenomenal.

UK Contract Logistics Market Trends

Growing demand for contract logistics in the manufacturing segment

The manufacturing sector in the UK is highly diverse, encompassing industries such as automotive, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and more. Each industry has its unique logistics requirements, and contract logistics providers specialize in catering to these specific needs. This specialization allows manufacturers to benefit from industry-specific expertise and best practices.





One of the key benefits of contract logistics in the manufacturing sector is increased flexibility. Manufacturers can scale their logistics operations based on demand fluctuations, ensuring efficient utilization of resources and cost optimization.





Contract logistics providers offer customizable solutions tailored to the specific needs of manufacturers, allowing them to adapt quickly to changing market conditions.





By outsourcing logistics activities to experts, manufacturers can benefit from streamlined processes, optimized routing, and improved inventory management. This leads to reduced lead times, lower costs, and enhanced overall operational efficiency.





Contract logistics also plays a vital role in ensuring supply chain visibility and traceability. With the help of advanced technologies such as track and trace systems, manufacturers can monitor the movement of goods throughout the supply chain. This visibility helps in identifying bottlenecks, optimizing inventory levels, and ensuring timely delivery to customers.

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes

DHL Supply Chain

UPS

Wincanton

XP Supply Chain

Eddie Sobert

CEVA Logistics

Clipper Logistics

FedEx

Rhenus Logistics

EV Cargo*

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/r2lwzk

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
Dublin, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Africa Micronutrient Fertilizer - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts 2016 - 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Africa Micronutrient Fertilizer Market size is estimated at USD 547.80 million in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 760.07 million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 8.53% during the forecast period (2024-2028).







Key Highlights

Largest Segment by Type - Zinc : Zinc deficient soils is a wide spread problem in Africa, and its application is proven to increase the crop yields and grain size, making it the most consumed micronutrient.





Fastest growing segment by Type - Iron : The alkaline soils with high pH and degrading health and quality of soils are making them deficient in Iron thus increasing the demand for high-yield crop production.





Largest Segment by Crop Type - Field Crops : The domination of field crops in Africa Fertilizers market is mainly due to its large cultivation area in the region. They account for more than 95% of total crop area.





Largest segment by Country - Nigeria : Nigeria has large agricultural area in the region, it acccounts for about 35% of the total crop area in the region and has some of the largest fertilizer blending units.

Zinc is the largest segment by Product.

Among the micronutrients, zinc is the most consumed micronutrient fertilizer in the region, accounting for 31% of the total consumption in the region in 2021. This share is attributed to the role of zinc as a micronutrient in increasing the yield of crops. Countries in the region are aiming to increase their productivity to cater to socio-economic problems like malnutrition and hidden hunger. Zinc deficiency is predominantly observed in the agricultural soils of Africa.





Iron accounted for 30% of the total micronutrient fertilizer consumption and 23% of the market value in the region in 2021. It is the second most consumed micronutrient fertilizer in Africa.





Boron is Africa's third most consumed micronutrient fertilizer, accounting for a volume consumption of 182k metric tons in 2021 and occupying a share of 17%. Boron is an important micronutrient that helps develop the plant's root system at the earlier stages of its growth. It also helps in the activation of enzymes that help in the uptake of other major nutrients like potassium.





Manganese and copper are also among the commonly used micronutrients based on the requirement when deficiency symptoms occur. Both micronutrients accounted for a share of 15% in 2021. The usage of molybdenum and other micronutrients like cobalt, chlorine, nickel, and selenium is not too significant due to their abundance in the soil and their lower requirement. However, the degrading soil quality is gradually increasing the need for the application of these fertilizers.





Therefore, the demand for micronutrient fertilizers is growing with the increasing micronutrient deficiencies in the soil and crops, which may drive the market for these fertilizers during the forecast period.

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes

Gavilon South Africa

Haifa Group Ltd

K+S AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

Kynoch Fertilizer

Omnia Nutriology

UPL Limited

Yara International ASA,

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1447d7

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
Oslo, 27 February 2024

This disclosure is sent on behalf of a certain large shareholder in Ensurge Micropower ASA (the "Company" or "Ensurge").

The Company disclosed on 20 February 2024 that it had successfully placed a private placement of 233,468,885 new shares in the Company. In connection with the private placement, a share lending agreement was entered into by the manager Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ), the Company and Robert Keith, as announced in a disclosure on 22 February 2024. Robert Keith has lent shares in connection with the settlement of the private placement. Mr. Keith also subscribed for 14,000,000 of the private placement shares.

On 26 February 2024, the share capital increase in connection with the issuance of new shares in the private placement shares was registered and disclosed, the shares borrowed from Robert Keith were returned to Mr. Keith in accordance with the share lending agreement, and Mr. Keith was issued 14,000,000 of the private placement shares.

As a result of the foregoing, Robert Keith discloses the following information pursuant to Section 4-2 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act and the Securities Trading Act Regulations:

On 26 February 2024, following the registration of the share capital increase associated with the private placement in the Register of Business Enterprises, the subsequent redelivery to Robert Keith of the borrowed shares, and the issuance of 14,000,000 of the private placement shares, Robert Keith's holdings of shares went from 117,242,468 shares, representing 4.76% of the total number of shares and votes in the Company, to 364,711,353 shares, representing 13.54% of the total number of shares and votes in the Company.

The disclosure obligation was triggered by Robert Keith crossing above the 5% and 10% thresholds of the total number of voting rights and shares in Ensurge.
Strategically located in the Uranium City District, which is undergoing a major exploration rejuvenation, led by Aero Energy Corp.

VANCOUVER, February 26, 2024 - Victory Battery Metals Corp. (CSE:VR)(FWB:VR61)(OTC PINK:VRCFF) ("Victory" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has acquired an option interest in a uranium property on the north margin of the Athabasca Basin.

The Property - Chariot River Uranium

The Property is located 15 km northwest of Uranium City in the Beaverlodge Uranium District and is comprised of 120 claims spanning 1,978 ha over the Chariot River.

The property is bordered by Atha Energy Corp to the south and east, is about 1 km south of Eagle Plains Resources Ltd and is north of Aero Energy's "Strike Property" with numerous uranium showings.

Aero Energy, a restructured company, is focused on re-evaluating properties in the Beaverlodge District, with an emphasis on structurally controlled uranium mineralization.

Aero Energy's Sun Dog and Murmac Properties are also in the Beaverlodge area, to the south of Uranium City.

Aero energy is extending the exploration concepts of the Patterson Lake corridor to the Beaverlodge District.

In the Patterson Lake corridor, mineralization occurs in reactivated basement structures outside and along the margin of the Athabasca Basin.

The Patterson Lake Corridor hosts the Triple R, Arrow and Spitfire deposits, where high grade ore lenses are situated well below the basin-basement unconformity in atypical host rocks.

The west part of the property is located approximately 1.6 km east of the Wellington Power Station which would serve as staging location and/or camp, with access throughout by boats.

"The global growing demand for uranium has resulted in its price surpassing $100 per pound. This strategic acquisition is a welcomed addition to Victory's property portfolio and places the company in position to capitalize on the growing interest uranium has witnessed" said Mr. Mark Ireton, Victory Resources President and CEO. "Canada's Athabasca Basin is home to the world's largest reserves and accounts for 15.5 percent of global annual uranium production. Ten of the 15 highest-grade uranium deposits on the planet are found here. Victory's management team is currently completing due diligence on additional uranium projects and we look forward to providing additional updates shortly on property portfolio enhancements as a result of these undertakings."

Terms of the Agreement

Option

The option agreement provides Victory the sole and exclusive right to acquire an undivided 100% interest in the property (the "Option"), in accordance with the following terms:

a) An initial 40% interest for $50,000 and issuance of 3 million shares;

b) An additional 10% interest for a total of 50% on completion of exploration expenditures during the first year of $100,000;

c) An additional 25% interest for a total of 75% on completion of $150,000 in exploration expenditures during the second anniversary of $150,000 and issuance of 2 million shares;

d) An additional 25% interest for a total of 100% completion of $300,000 in exploration expenditures during the third anniversary and issuance of 2 million shares.

Share Issuance Metrics:

i) Common shares of Victory to be issued under the Option Agreement shall be at the greater $0.05 or the lowest price available under the rules of the CSE;

ii) If during the term hereof, the common shares of Victory are consolidated or otherwise amended, the number and price noted hereunder shall be amended accordingly.

NSR

Victory shall have the right to 1% from total of 2% NSR at any time for $1,000,000.

Athabasca Basin

Located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, it is known for its prolific uranium deposits. The region has been a major source of uranium for Canada's nuclear energy industry and is one of the world's largest and highest-grade uranium districts.

It is known for its unconformity-type uranium deposits, which are formed at the boundary between older basement rocks and younger sedimentary rocks. These deposits have high-grade uranium mineralization and are considered some of the most economically significant in the world.

The Patterson Lake Corridor is a new exploration district in and adjacent to the Athabasca Basin, which is defined by recent high grade discoveries including the Triple R, Arrow and Spitfire deposits.

Beaverlodge District

The Beaverlodge uranium district consists of a number of past-producing mines in the vicinity of Uranium City, Saskatchewan. Uranium City is located on the northern shore of Lake Athabasca, on the northern margin of the Athabasca Basin. The mines the Beaverlodge area produced in excess of 25 000 t of uranium metal between 1950 and 1982.

Originally a Cold War town, Uranium City came to life in the early 1950s, rapidly growing to more than a dozen mines, some with townsites of their own, and reached a population of nearly 10,000. Having been mined extensively in the past, mining operations declined after the 60's due to changes in market demand and economic factors. A final blow Uranium City endured was the sudden closure of its last mine in 1982, the Beaverlodge Mine owned and run by Eldorado Nuclear, which saw the towns population plunge from 4000 to less than 400. Due to the recent resurgence in uranium demand, Uranium City has not only survived these setbacks, it has once again been placed in the limelight as a regional hub, a site of ongoing exploration, mine reclamation and tourism. The town has a certified airport operated by the province and Pronto Airways still serves the community. There is no all-season road access connecting Uranium City with the rest of the country, but there is a provision for a winter road that connects with Fond du Lac.

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Helgi Sigurgeirson, Victory Geologist, who is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

For further information, please contact:

Mark Ireton, President

Telephone: +1 (236) 317 2822 or TOLL FREE 1 (855) 665-GOLD (4653)

E-mail: info@victorybatterymetals.com

About Victory Battery Metals Corp.

Victory Battery Metals Corp. (CSE: VR) is a publicly traded diversified investment corporation with mineral interests in North America. The company is also actively seeking other exploration opportunities.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.

SOURCE: Victory Battery Metals Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
TORONTO, February 26, 2024 - Aclara Resources Inc. ("Aclara" or "the Company") (TSX:ARA) is pleased to announce that the second tranche of the earn-in agreement has been fulfilled, thus securing 100% ownership of the 8,490 hectares of mining rights comprising the Carina Module. On November 6, 2023, the Company had previously executed the first tranche of the earn-in agreement securing an initial 51% ownership interest.

Ramon Barua, CEO, commented:

"We are pleased to report that we have earned 100% interest of the Carina Module mining rights. This significant milestone is a result of how quickly we have been able to drill the property and obtain favorable results. After only five months of announcing the discovery of the Carina Module, we have reported a material mineral resource estimate, a robust Preliminary Economic Assessment, and are in the middle of a piloting program using Brazilian clays at our pilot plant in Concepcion, Chile.

In addition, we continue to advance the project in several fronts, including an ongoing reverse-circulation drilling campaign to increase mineral resources at depth, the initiation of the environmental and social baseline studies and the evaluation of several proposals from world-class engineering companies to prepare a pre-feasibility study. We remain fully committed to deliver a robust project in a fast-track schedule, aiming to produce sustainable rare earths at a time when the demand is expected to significantly outpace the supply."

Earn-in Agreement

The Company has exercised the option to earn 100% interest of the Carina Module mining rights. In order to earn the remaining 49%, Aclara fulfilled the following conditions:

Drilled 2,000 meters within the mining rights that constitute the Project, in addition to the first 2,000 meters drilled to earn the first tranche in 2023;

Invested US$2.0 million in exploration expenses, in addition to the US$1.0 million previously invested in exploration expenses to earn the first tranche; and

Paid the owner of the mining rights a total US$300,000, in addition to the US$200,000 previously paid to the mining rights owner to earn the first tranche.

The earn-in agreement also considers a royalty payment to the previous owner of the mining rights when the project is in commercial production. Aclara has an option to acquire 100% of the royalty for US$6.5 million during the first year of commercial production. The purchase of the royalty is included in the financial model that underpins the Carina Module Preliminary Economic Assessment released by the Company on January 23, 2024.

About Aclara

Aclara Resources Inc. (TSX:ARA) is a development-stage company that focuses on heavy rare earth mineral resources hosted in Ion-Adsorption Clay deposits. Its primary project is known as the Penco Module and is located in the BioBio Region of southern Chile. The Company is also working on the initial development phase of a second module, the Carina Module, located in the State of Goias in central Brazil.

Presently, Aclara has a strong focus on the development, construction, and future operation of the Penco Module, with the primary objective of establishing a processing plant designed to produce heavy rare earths concentrate.

Aclara's extraction process offers several environmentally attractive features. It does not involve blasting, crushing, or milling. Additionally, it does not generate tailings, eliminating the need for a tailings storage facility. The Company utilizes 100% recycled water and minimizes water consumption through high levels of water recirculation. The ionic clay feedstock is amenable to leaching with a fertilizer, and harmful radionuclides are not produced.

Simultaneously, alongside the development of the Penco Module, the Company intends to identify and evaluate further opportunities, such as the Carina Module, for increasing production of heavy rare earth elements. This will involve intensive greenfield exploration programs and the development of additional project "modules" within the Company's mining rights in Brazil, Chile and Peru.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflects the Company's current expectations regarding future events, including statements with regard to: the Company's exploration plan and activities in Brazil including with respect to timing, cost and scope of exploration works and drilling activities, and the expectations of the Company's management as to the results of such exploration works and drilling activities; the preparation and issuance of a mineral resource estimate and preliminary economic assessment relating to the Carina Module; and the Company's rights pursuant to the earn-in agreement and its intentions in respect thereof. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to operating in a foreign jurisdiction, including political and economic problems in Chile and Brazil; risks related to changes to mining laws and regulations and the termination or non-renewal of mining rights by governmental authorities; risks related to failure to comply with the law or obtain necessary permits and licenses or renew them; compliance with environmental regulations can be costly; actual production, capital and operating costs may be different than those anticipated; the Company may be not able to successfully complete the development, construction and start-up of mines and new development projects; risks related to mining operations; and dependence on the Penco Module and/or the Carina Module. Aclara cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. For a detailed discussion of the foregoing factors, among others, please refer to the risk factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated as of March 28, 2023 filed on the Company's SEDAR+ profile. Actual results and timing could differ materially from those projected herein. Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise indicates, the forward-looking information contained in this news release is provided as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required under applicable securities laws.

For further information, please contact:

Bonzi Yokomizo Baptista

Brazil General Manager

investorrelations@aclara-re.com

SOURCE: Aclara Resources Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, February 26, 2024 - The trading on Apex Resources Inc. ("Apex" or the "Company") (TSXV:APX) common shares on the TSXV was halted on January 9, 2024. As previously announced, Apex has entered into a share purchase agreement (the "SPA") to acquire all the shares of an arm's length corporation holding a 100% option over the consolidated mineral rights of the Lithium Creek Property (the "Property") in Nevada, USA (the "Acquisition") and a summary of the transaction is provided below.

The Acquisition is deemed to be a Fundamental Acquisition by Apex and consequently, the Company is currently complying with the requirements of TSXV's Policy 5.3 - Acquisition and Disposition of Non-Cash Assets. As per TSXV requirements, trading of the Company's common shares were halted and will remain halted until receipt of TSXV's approval of the Acquisition. Further updates will be provided as the TSXV's review process of the Acquisition progresses.

Acquisition Summary

Pursuant to the SPA dated January 8, 2024 between the Company and 1434001 B.C. Ltd. ("1434001"), the Company shall acquire all of the shares of 1434001 in exchange for a cash payment of USD $80,000.00 and the issuance of 18,000,000 common shares of Apex (the "Payment Shares"). The Payment Shares are subject to voluntary pooling restriction as follows: 12.5% of the Payment Shares will be released on three months after closing of the Acquisition and an additional 12.5% of the Payment Shares will be released every three months thereafter. Upon completion of issuing all Payment Shares, 1434001 will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, which holds an exclusive option to acquire a 100% interest in the Property (the "Option"). There will be no finder's fees payable with respect to the Acquisition. The terms of the Option provide for 1434001 to acquire 100% of the Property by completing the following:

Date for Completion Option Payment (USD) Exploration & Development Expenditures (USD) Down Payment (non refundable) $50,000 (Paid by 1434001) 1st Anniversary of Effective Date* $100,000 $300,000 2nd Anniversary of Effective Date $150,000 $500,000 3rd Anniversary of Effective Date $300,000 $1,000,000 4th Anniversary of Effective Date $600,000 $2,000,000 5th Anniversary of Effective Date $1,200,000 $3,000,000 6th Anniversary of Effective Date $Nil $5,000,000 TOTAL $2,400,000 $11,800,000

*The Effective Date of the Option is August 25th, 2023.

Following the exercise of the Option and acquiring 100% of the Property, the vendor of the Property (the "Seller") will be entitled to the following additional consideration on meeting certain milestones:

(1) US$500,000 upon completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment;

(2) US$1,000,000 upon completion of a Pre-Feasibility Study; and

(3) US$1,000,000 upon completion of a Feasibility Study

The Property is also subject to a 3.0% Gross Overriding Royalty (the "Royalty") and one-half (1/2) of the Royalty can be purchased after three years following commencement of commercial production on the Property for US$5,000,000 payable to the Seller.

Financing Update

The Company also announces that it will continue with its planned non-brokered private placement financing of up to 11,430,000 units at a price of $0.07 per unit (the "Unit") for gross proceeds of up to $800,100 (the "Financing") as announced in its news release dated January 9, 2024.

The planned Acquisition and Financing are subject to approval by the Exchange. All shares issued pursuant to the SPA, Financing and exercise of warrants will be subject to a four month hold period from the closing date.

About Apex Resources Inc.

Apex is a mineral exploration company engaged in the business of the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties. Apex's common shares trade under the symbol "APX" on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V).

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of

Apex Resources Inc.

Jay Roberge

President

Ph. +1(778)895-0247 or info@apxresources.com website: www.apexresources.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term in defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," 'projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: receipt of regulatory approvals; risks related to fluctuations in metal prices; uncertainties related to raising sufficient financing to fund the planned work in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; changes in planned work resulting from weather, logistical, technical or other factors; the possibility that results of work will not fulfill expectations and realize the perceived potential of the Company's properties; risk of accidents, equipment breakdowns and labour disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions; the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated expenses in the work program; the risk of environmental contamination or damage resulting from Apex's operations and other risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release publication, distribution or dissemination directly, or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States.

Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
Vancouver, February 26, 2024 - Gold\'n Futures Mineral Corp. (CSE: FUTR) (FSE: G6M) (OTC Pink: GFTRF) (the "Company" or "Gold'n Futures") is pleased to report that Argonaut Gold Inc. (TSX: AR) ("Argonaut") and the Company have amended the option agreement (the "Option") respecting the Hercules gold property (the "Property"). Details of the Option prior to these amendments were disseminated in the press release of the Company on October 26, 2020 with amended terms announced on September 28, 2022 and further amended terms announced on August 3, 2023. Under the new amended terms of the Option, the Company has restructured and deferred future payments to be made to Argonaut and exploration obligations against the Property. The new schedule for the option payments and the completion dates for the exploration commitments are presented below.

Stephen Wilkinson, CEO of Gold'n Futures, commented:

"We now have a deal that allows the Company to earn its interest in the Hercules project while putting a much greater percentage of our option costs directly into exploration expenditures. This use of funds ought to enable Gold'n Futures to advance the project with much greater financial efficiency and to facilitate its discussions with third party investors."

The 2024 Amended Option Terms

Under the new terms of the Option, Gold'n Futures has the option to acquire, on or before December 31, 2026 an initial 50% Earned Interest (as defined in the Option) in the Property (the "First Option") by: (a) paying to Argonaut $350,000 by December 31, 2024, where previously, the Company has paid $1,650,000 in cash; (b) incurring Exploration Expenditures of $7,000,000 on the Property by December 31, 2026, of which the Company has incurred approximately $1,000,000; and (c) granting a one percent Royalty (as defined in the Option).

Subject to Gold'n Futures having exercised the First Option, Argonaut has also granted to the Company the ability to increase its interest by acquiring a further 40% Earned Interest in the Property bringing its total Earned Interest to 90% (the "Second Option") by paying to Argonaut an final amount of $6,500,000, in cash within 60 days of exercising the First Option. In addition and of material importance, the Company's obligation to deliver a National Instrument 43-101 compliant pre-feasibility study on the Property on or before December 31, 2027 has been removed per this amendment to the Option.

Debt Settlement and RSU Issuance

The Company also announces that it has entered into a debt settlement agreement (the "Settlement Agreement") to settle outstanding debts owed to arm's length creditors (the "Creditors") totaling $60,000 for business consulting fees. Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Company has agreed to issue an aggregate of 6,000,000 common shares ("Shares") at a deemed price of $0.01 per Share, based on a 20-day VWAP. The Company anticipates closing the Settlement Agreements on or about March 4, 2024.

The board of directors of the Company has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company to settle the outstanding debts by the issuance of the Shares in order to preserve the Company's cash for working capital.

The Company also announces that it has granted 7,000,000 restricted share units ("RSUs") to Stephen Wilkinson and Vicki Rosenthal to acquire the aggregate of 7,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company as compensation for services pursuant to the Company's option incentive plan (the "Incentive Plan") and in accordance with Mr. Wilkinson's and Ms. Rosenthal's consulting agreements. The RSUs, which vest immediately, are subject to the terms and conditions of the Incentive Plan and are subject to the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange.

All securities issued in connection with the Settlement Agreement and RSU issuance (the "Issued Securities") are issued pursuant to the "Employee, Executive Officer, Director and Consultant" exemption contained in Section 2.24 (the "Exemption") of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions. Pursuant to the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange, the Issued Securities are subject to a 4 month and one day hold period.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical content of this press release has been prepared, reviewed, and approved by Mr. Walter Hanych, P. Geo., who is a Qualified Person under NI43-101 regulations and is a director of the Company.

About Gold'n Futures Mineral Corp.

Gold\'n Futures Mineral Corp. (CSE: FUTR) (FSE: G6M) (OTC Pink: GFTRF) is a mineral exploration company with two advanced Canadian gold projects. The Hercules Gold Project is 195 km northeast of Thunder Bay, Ontario in the Beardmore - Geraldton gold mining camp. It is 54 km north west of Equinox Gold's Greenstone gold mine that reportedly boasts 5.5 million ounces of Proven and Probable Reserves (https://www.equinoxgold.com/growth-projects/greenstone-project/). The Hercules Property consists of 425 contiguous claims (11,370 ha). From the historical and its current work, the Company has built a comprehensive database and model and is preparing a new Mineral Resource Estimate based upon current and historical drilling totalling the order of 537 holes comprising 114,000 m of core.

The Brady-Huxter Gold Project is in Central Newfoundland, 50 km southeast of the town of Gander. The Brady-Huxter property consists of nine mineral licenses, which cover 2,350 ha and contains two large porphyry-hosted gold deposits, the Reid and Mosquito Hill. These deposits have a combined drill-defined historical resource estimate of 59.5 million tonnes containing 938,753 oz of indicated and inferred gold mineralization (see Gold'n Futures news of October 16, 2023).

Gold'n Futures is conducting programs to expand its gold resources and to develop viable gold mining operations through the application of extensive geological experience and knowledge combined with advanced technologies and computer modeling.

For more information, please visit our website at: www.goldnfuturesmineralcorp.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors

For further information:

Stephen Wilkinson,

President and CEO,

Email: stephen@goldnfutures.com

Ph: +1.236.886.8808

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the trading of the Company's common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange, future capital expenditures, anticipated content, commencement, and cost of exploration programs in respect of the Company's projects and mineral properties, anticipated exploration program results from exploration activities, resources and/or reserves on the Company's projects and mineral properties, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Often, but not always, forward looking information can be identified by words such as "pro forma", "plans", "expects", "will", "may", "should", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "potential" or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that market fundamentals will result in sustained precious and base metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future exploration of the Company's properties, that the COVID-19 global pandemic will not affect the ability of the Company to conduct the exploration program on the Hercules Gold Project, the availability of financing on suitable terms, and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, statements as to the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, including the Company's option to acquire the Hercules Gold Project, the proposed expenditures for exploration work thereon, the ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to fund its business activities and plans, delays in obtaining governmental and regulatory approvals (including of the Canadian Securities Exchange), permits or financing, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations, the Company's limited operating history, currency fluctuations, title disputes or claims, environmental issues and liabilities.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release except as otherwise required by law.

Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by metal prices and exchange rate assumptions; changes in local interpretations of mineralization geometry and continuity; changes to grade capping, density and domain assignments; changes to geotechnical, mining and metallurgical recovery assumptions; ability to maintain environmental and other regulatory permits; and ability to maintain the social license to operate. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental permitting, legal title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. Mineral Resources are classified according to Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards (2014) and CIM Best Practices (2019). The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and cannot be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.

The Canadian Securities Exchange accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199189
VANCOUVER, February 26, 2024 - SouthGobi Resources Ltd. (TSX-V:SGQ)(HK:1878) ("SouthGobi" or the "Company") Reference is made to the announcements of the Company dated July 31, 2023 and August 18, 2023 (the "Announcements") in relation to the Mongolia tax audit.

As previously disclosed in the Company's Announcement, on July 18, 2023, the Company's wholly owned subsidiary in Mongolia, SouthGobi Sands LLC ("SGS"), received a notice (the "Notice") from the Mongolian Tax Authority (the "MTA") relating to a periodic tax audit on certain of SGS's financial information between 2017 and 2020, including transfer pricing, royalty, air pollution fee and unpaid tax payables (the "Audit"). The MTA notified SGS that they are imposing a tax penalty against SGS in the amount of approximately US$75.0 million as a result of the Audit. On August 17, 2023, SGS filed an appeal letter in relation to the Audit with the MTA in accordance with Mongolian laws.

On February 8, 2024, SGS received notice from the Tax Dispute Resolution Council ("TDRC") of the MTA which stated that, after the TDRC's review, the TDRC issued a decision in relation to SGS's appeal of the Audit, and ordered that the audit assessments set forth in the Notice of July 18, 2023 be suspended and sent back to the MTA for review and re-assessment.

On February 22, 2024, SGS received another notice from the MTA that the MTA anticipates commencing the re-assessment process on or about March 7, 2024 and the duration of such process will be approximately 45 working days.

The Company's management is assessing the implications of the notices received from the TDRC. Any decision of the MTA following the re-assessment process may not be conclusive as the Company retains the right to appeal such decision under Mongolian laws. Therefore, the actual time to resolve the Audit may be extended. The Company will make further announcement(s) to keep its shareholders and potential investors informed of any progress as and when appropriate.

Shareholders and potential investors of the Company are advised to exercise caution when dealing in the shares of the Company.

About SouthGobi

SouthGobi, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange, owns and operates its flagship Ovoot Tolgoi coal mine in Mongolia. It also holds the mining licences of its other metallurgical and thermal coal deposits in South Gobi region of Mongolia. SouthGobi produces and sells coal to customers in China.

Contact:

Investor Relations

Email: info@southgobi.com

Mr. Ruibin Xu

Chief Executive Officer

Office:

+1 604 762 6783 (Canada)

+852 2156 1438 (Hong Kong)

Website: www.southgobi.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: SouthGobi Resources Ltd.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
2025 contract still possible for Perez says Marko

It is still possible that Sergio Perez will be offered a new contract to keep racing at Red Bull beyond 2024.

Sergio Perez, Abu Dhabi GP 2023

 Red Bull

That is the word from the team's influential and notoriously merciless top Austrian consultant Dr Helmut Marko, even though Perez seems to still be struggling alongside Max Verstappen in 2024.

Auto Motor und Sport believes the Mexican's gap to world champion Verstappen at the Bahrain test was as much as seven tenths per lap.

Perez has to get Max out of his head and run his own program, Marko insisted.

There are rumours Red Bull might even make the tough call to oust Perez, 34, within the 2024 season - opening up promotions for Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull and Liam Lawson at 'RB'.

Marko, 80, told Servus TV: "Perez still has a contract for 2024. It's up to him now.

If he drives in a similar form to the way he competed the last few races (of 2023), we can easily start talking about an extension.

What is clear, according to Red Bull's rivals, is that no driver - not even Perez in the sister car - will be able to chase down Verstappen this year.

19 drivers already know that they will not be world champion this year, Fernando Alonso declared last Friday.

That is despite the fact that Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc actually topped the timesheets on Thursday and Friday respectively last week.

It is going smoothly - the right direction, Sainz told the Spanish newspaper AS. "Is it enough to beat Max? No, I don't think so, honestly.

"I would like us to consolidate as the second team, a bit like we finished last year. And from there, develop this car that hopefully has more development window than last year and get closer to Red Bull little by little during the year.

But the reality is that, today, Red Bull is one step ahead, taking into account that they started developing their car a long time before we did.

Triple consecutive world champion Verstappen admitted after the final day of pre-season testing last Friday: We decided not to focus on the laptime.

(GMM)
Bosses defend F1 team's awkward new name

New team CEO Peter Bayer has defended the decision to give the former Alpha Tauri team an awkward and controversial new name for 2024 and beyond.

VCARB 01 launch

 Red Bull

Officially, Red Bull's second F1 team - originally renamed Toro Rosso after the Minardi acquisition - will be known as 'Visa Cash App RB' from now on.

We are actually very satisfied, Bayer told the Austrian portal motorsport-magazin.com.

We had the incredible 'problem' that Visa and Cash App wanted to support us and help the team reach the next level, he said. The reality is that we simply needed sponsors to make this whole thing work.

Bayer said the team has been relying almost completely on owner Red Bull for funding until now.

We get money from our stakeholders and from Formula 1, he explained. "But not enough to operate within the budget limit.

"How can we close this gap? We have to sell ourselves.

It may be controversial because it is of course easier to be Ferrari than RB. But in the medium term we believe that our RB Racing Bull identity is strong enough to cope with a strong advertising partner, Bayer said.

He admits that the awkward renaming is currently highly unpopular among many F1 fans.

It's like choosing a child's name, Bayer said. Some people say 'Oh my God, how could you come up with such a thing?' Others think it's fantastic.

Laurent Mekies, RB's new team boss, also said the team renaming is good news.

A few years ago we would have dreamed of having Visa or Cash App on board, said the Frenchman. "And now they have not only chosen us, but they want to be part of our identity. That is a very good problem, although it is also a lot of responsibility.

And it also presents us with a few challenges as to how we can get the whole thing together, Mekies added.

So how will RB cope with the challenge of establishing a new image?

We're adding a bit of the original Red Bull spirit, said Bayer. A bit more music. We want the team to be fun.

(GMM)
End of Horner scandal will be nice says Verstappen

The collective F1 paddock is expecting the outcome of the Christian Horner scandal to be known before track action resumes in Bahrain this week.

Christian Horner, Abu Dhabi GP 2023

 Red Bull

Even Max Verstappen, who has publicly stayed out of the saga involving Red Bull's internal investigation into Horner's alleged bad behaviour with a female staff member, now admits that a swift resolution is needed.

It's better that I just concentrate on my performance, the triple world champion said in Bahrain. "Everyone here focuses on the performance of the car, as it should be. Everyone knows their role.

But of course it's nice when things are solved, the Dutchman insisted.

Although the investigation into Horner has dragged on, most insiders still expect that the 50-year-old will struggle to hang onto his job as Red Bull's long-time team principal.

That's now especially the case given the latest development with Red Bull's 2026 engine partner Ford, whose CEO Jim Farley has written a letter to the team expressing his concerns.

As we have previously stated, and without receiving a satisfactory response, the values Ford is committed to are non-negotiable, the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf quotes Farley as having wrote last Friday.

We are also frustrated by the lack of full transparency around this issue from us, your business partners, and look forward to a full report of all findings.

Former Red Bull driver Christian Klien told the Red Bull-owned broadcaster Servus TV: "Christian is an incredibly big part of the team and helped build it from the ground up, as we know.

But he's also a cog in the machine, I would say.

Therefore, plenty of rumours are doing the rounds about who might replace Horner.

They could have Otmar (Szafnauer) immediately. Gunther (Steiner) would do it immediately too, said Klien.

But I think Red Bull is more the type of team that pulls people up from their own ranks.

Klien thinks Red Bull might then install a two-man team at the top, as is the new management structure at the junior team RB where Peter Bayer and Laurent Mekies divide up the tasks.

I think that's the ideal now, said the Austrian. Teams have become so massive with 1000, 1500 employees. I don't think one man can do that anymore.

Another former F1 driver, Ralf Schumacher, says Horner being sacked would cause unrest at Red Bull, even though with such a fast car, the figure at the top this year won't make a big difference .

It would be better for the team if everything stays like this, the German told Sky Deutschland. But I have heard Oliver Oakes mentioned and he is very experienced, and also under discussion with other teams.

(GMM)
F1 plays down rainbow flag incident in Bahrain

Formula 1 and the Bahrain circuit played down an incident that occurred at the tail-end of pre-season testing last week.

Bahrain GP 2023

 Red Bull

Bild newspaper reported that team and other F1-associated personnel entering the venue were told by security staff that they could not display LGBT-style 'rainbow flag' logos on their clothing or bags.

This was an isolated incident which breached F1 and Bahrain organisational policies, a spokesman for the Liberty Media-owned sport said. It was addressed immediately and has been resolved.

A spokesman for the Bahrain track added: "The host of the Bahrain GP welcomes everyone to its premises and is against any form of discrimination.

This isolated incident is currently under investigation and appropriate action will be taken.

At the same time, Lewis Hamilton admitted he will be taking his personal quest for similar social issues - including racial diversity in F1 - to Ferrari next year.

Ferrari need to work hard in this direction, the seven time world champion is quoted by TSN. I have already made this a priority in a conversation with president John Elkann and he is happy about it.

(GMM)
Gasly eyes team exit as Alpine slumps to dead last

Pierre Gasly admits he sees himself as a player in the driver 'silly season' for 2025, as his current team Alpine slumps to the very rear of the grid.

Pierre Gasly, Abu Dhabi GP 2023

 Alpine

Ahead of the 2024 season that kicks off in Bahrain this weekend, it is believed the new Alpine could slip behind even Haas as the slowest car of all.

We are much more in the mix now, new Haas boss Ayao Komatsu is quoted by Ekstra Bladet newspaper. "Last year after the very first long run I thought 'Oh my God, we are completely out of it'.

I'm not saying our baseline car is great, because it isn't, he added. You can tell in high-speed corners that it lacks a lot of downforce. But at least it's a stable base.

The new Alpine, on the other hand, has also fallen behind the 2024 cars fielded by Williams, Sauber and RB, according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

High-ranking (Alpine) engineers are said to be on the move, the magazine claims.

Alpine might also lose both of its out-of-contract drivers at the end of the year.

For the future, I'm not worried, Gasly told RTBF. "I have to try to find the project that will give me the maximum chance of achieving my objectives.

"I'm committed to this team and I see a lot of positive changes. But beyond that, we need to perform. I'm 28 years old. Like everyone around me at Enstone and Viry, I really hope it can work.

As you mentioned, I'm at the end of my contract and there are of course discussions. But for the moment, we will wait and see how things evolve in these first races, he added.

Gasly even defended the slow 2024 car, insisting the team changed everything except the steering wheel after last season.

On the one hand, we tested a lot, which is positive, he said. "On the other hand, we don't necessarily understand everything about this new car, which is normal.

"We need time. We need to work. We know we're starting from the back, which I think we've been quite honest about from the start. We know that there is potential to develop this season and we hope that it will happen as soon as possible. But it might not happen. And it will be a difficult opening race for us.

I'm afraid we are going to need a lot of patience, Gasly admitted. That's not what you want, but it's clearly going to take some time to get the most out of this car. We will have to make a good plan with many updates.

(GMM)
Sacked Steiner accepts TV role in F1 for 2024

Sacked Haas team boss Gunther Steiner will be in Bahrain for the 2024 season opener this weekend.

Gunther Steiner, Brazilian GP 2023

 Haas F1 Team / LAT

The 58-year-old, who rose to global popularity for his charismatic portrayal in the Formula 1 Netflix series Drive To Survive, has accepted an offer to be an expert television pundit for the German broadcaster RTL.

RTL has struck a deal with Sky Deutschland to be able to cover seven of the 24 race weekends live this season, including Hungary, Spa, Zandvoort, Monza, Baku and Las Vegas.

Gunther is a real character who is extremely popular among many Formula 1 fans, said RTL executive Inga Leschek.

Steiner split with Haas owner Gene Haas over the future direction of the struggling F1 outfit, amid rumours he was demanding equity in the American outfit in exchange for a $20 million new sponsor.

Billionaire Haas turned it down - handing F1 broadcasting an experienced and charismatic new TV pundit.

I will say what I think but remain neutral, Steiner told Osterreich newspaper. But obviously I do speak plainly.

(GMM)
Verstappen has no plans to join F1's tattoo craze

Max Verstappen says he has no immediate plans to join the growing ranks of Formula 1 drivers with tattoos.

Jos Verstappen, Max Verstappen, Abu Dhabi GP 2023

 Red Bull

Fellow multiple world champion Lewis Hamilton is extensively 'inked', while Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll, Kevin Magnussen also have tattoos.

But when asked by Algemeen Dagblad if the tattoo bug might bite him soon, 26-year-old Verstappen shook his head.

Never say never, but at the moment it doesn't mean much to me, said the Red Bull driver. And I read an interesting story about why Ronaldo has no tattoos."

Indeed, a report last year explained that Cristiano Ronaldo refuses to get tattoos because it would add certain restrictions to his regular donation of blood and bone marrow.

(GMM)
Vettel eyeing Hamilton's Mercedes seat says Ralf

Sebastian Vettel really might be contemplating a sensational return to Formula 1, according to fellow German Ralf Schumacher.

Sebastian Vettel, Italian GP 2022

 Aston Martin Racing

Although quadruple world champion Vettel's younger brother Fabian played down the rumours last week, former grand prix winner Schumacher told Sky Deutschland: "I heard that Sebastian wants to drive a car again.

Apparently he saw what was going on with the stock market after Lewis Hamilton moved to Ferrari and that triggered something, Schumacher said in Bahrain.

However, Vettel is not the only candidate, as Mercedes contemplates who to pair with George Russell for 2025 and beyond.

Whether Russell has the charisma to replace Hamilton in terms of worldwide marketing, or Sebastian Vettel as a German driver at Mercedes, that's probably too much for him, Schumacher said.

Lando Norris might have been an ideal candidate to replace Hamilton, but just prior to the bombshell news, the 24-year-old inked a new long-term deal with McLaren.

I could have waited, that option was there, Norris said in Bahrain when asked if he jumped the gun in extending his McLaren deal.

But I knew that there would be opportunities, and what options I already had, so I have no regrets, he is quoted by nu.nl. I have confidence in my team.

A driver who most certainly is waiting for the silly season to keep unfolding is Fernando Alonso, who admits he is keeping an eye on Mercedes' deliberations about who to replace Hamilton with for 2025.

I've already said it and I am not going to repeat it every weekend, because next week it will be the same question and I will be consistent with the answer, the Aston Martin driver told the French broadcaster Canal Plus.

I know that my position is interesting so I will wait a couple of races, Alonso, 42, added. I hope to be in the fastest car in 2025.

Ralf Schumacher, however, is not so sure that will be a Mercedes.

I'm a bit disappointed with them so far, he said after the three days of pre-season testing. "I have the feeling that things will continue like last year.

That could be why Lewis lost faith in the team and answered Fred Vasseur's call.

(GMM)
Williams said no to 2024 Mercedes suspension

James Vowles has admitted Williams opted against running the full 2024 specification of partner team Mercedes' rear suspension layout this year.

James Vowles, Abu Dhabi GP 2023

 Williams

Auto Motor und Sport believes a main reason for the decision was because Mercedes only had the capacity to supply its new push-rod suspension to one customer - Aston Martin.

But Williams boss Vowles explains that there was actually a technical reason.

I had to weigh up how much laptime we gain with the new suspension compared to quickly deciding to keep the old one and being able to start developing the car four months earlier, he said.

However, Williams ultimately emerged with a very different car for 2024 - with a strong resemblance to the concept of last year's ultra-dominant Red Bull.

We didn't copy the car, just its principles, said Vowles.

But in the end, Red Bull completely changed direction for 2024, developing a version of the 2022-2023 Mercedes concept that failed and was scrapped.

Red Bull had already ticked off what everyone else is still looking for, Vowles said. They were able to look at the new project all last year, and they have such good simulation tools that they could really rely on it.

(GMM)
Behind the scenes look at how a Xiaomi 14 Ultra was used to film "Roma Noir"

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is shaping up to be one of the most powerful phones for photography, but theres a reason that Xiaomi has added a mode called MasterCinema (which records 10-bit Rec. 2020 HDR videos) - the phone has filmmaking ambitions too.

The company handed an Ultra to director Adam Bernstein, who has previously worked on Breaking Bad, Californication and others, along with cinematographer Sam Chase, known for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and others. They shot a new movie called Roma Noir: Triple Jeopardy using the phone.

Not just the phone  the new Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 tablet has a feature called Directors mode, which allows it to serve as a remote monitor for up to four Xiaomi 14 Ultras. This helped as the team used the phone on the move and got creative with its placement.



Xiaomi 14 Ultra shoots HDR video

This was one of the features that they praised  since the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is smaller than a typical camera, it can get in tight places. They also mounted it to the sides of bikes and cars to get shots in motion, they even mounted it on a drone to get aerial footage.

The filmmakers also raved about the camera's adjustable aperture, shutter speed, the ISO controls, variable frame rate and so on. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at how Roma Noir was shot:

The full film will be released soon.

Source
The Guam Memorial Hospital is on track to see a $30 million loss this fiscal year, even after getting a $50 million bailout from the government last October.

And after paying down about $30 million worth of debts owed to vendors using money from the local government, GMH is once again over three months behind on about $9 million worth of vendor bills.

Another $20 million worth of federal American Rescue Plan funds set aside to help pay for repairs and upgrades to the hospital facility are so far unspent.

These were among information shared during Mondays legislative oversight hearing on the public hospitals continuing financial woes.

Though revenues that the hospital brought in are increasing compared to last year, expenses are continuing to grow, GMH Chief Financial Officer Yuka Hechanova told senators.

Sen. Joe San Agustin, chairman of the appropriations committee, urged GMH officials to get their collections for hospital services in line, as the local government could not continue to subsidize their losses.

Theres certain things the Legislature can do, but we cant just keep saying well give you money and it goes down that hole, San Agustin said.

Bigger loss

The hospital is on track to make $132 million by the end of the year, Hechanova said, in addition to another $30.2 million government subsidy for hospital operations laid out in the annual budget.

But GMH is still expected to see $192 million worth of expenses through the end of the fiscal 2024 in September, Hechanova said.

That sum is about how much the hospital asked for in its budget for this year, though full funding did not come through, she said.

This years projected loss is even bigger than the $24.6 million loss seen in fiscal 2023.

Much of the loss in income has to do with how much money the hospital is reimbursed by federal health insurance programs Medicare and Medicaid, according to Hechanova.

She said that when someone with Medicare or Medicaid is seen at GMH, the federal government pays the hospital based on costs from fiscal 2014.

Our costs compared to FY 2014 is almost double, Hechanova told senators, and the ongoing process to rebase those federal paybacks is complicated.

A rebasing of costs covered by Medicaid and Medicare will now need to be done every five years, Hechanova said, with pharmaceutical and staffing costs way up.

GMH Administrator Lilian Perez-Posadas said another issue also existed with the program Guam gets paid out of for those federal reimbursements, and a change can only be made by Congress.

As for the new outstanding payments owed to vendors, Perez-Posadas said GMH is now accumulating new vendor bills after covering its old costs.

Lacking solid recommendations

A recently appointed fiscal oversight team from the Office of the Governor has been helping GMH figure out how to cover its monthly expenses, Perez-Posadas told senators, but not so much solid recommendations.

About $362 million worth of bills that were never paid for have accumulated in GMHs accounts receivable. The hospital anticipates it will only be able to collect on about $41.7 million worth of that total.

A majority of those outstanding bills are over a year old, with some even decades old, and GMH is in the process of slowly writing off what it doesnt expect to collect on, the Pacific Daily News previously reported.

And a significant amount of that, $205.5 million, is owed by self-pay customers who are unlikely to cover their bills. Only an estimated $5.5 million worth of self-pay billings are expected to actually be paid, according to a report from Hechanova.

But GMH also has problems getting payments from those with insurance, according to Hechanovas report.

Only about half of the $26.6 million owed by GMH patients with local and off-island insurance are estimated to be collectible.

For patients insured by Medicare, Medicaid, and the local Medically Indigent Program, less than a quarter of the accumulated $91.6 million in bills are expected to be paid.

Hechanova meets with local insurance companies at least once a month to ensure that GMH gets paid, but some services and medications still are not covered, leading to claim denials.

Perez-Posadas added that people who come in under the influence or have substance-abuse related issues arent covered by insurance, either.

San Agustin asked for GMH leadership to figure out how much it would cost to maintain and fix the current facility until a new hospital could be built.

Selection of a site for a new hospital is still stalled out.

Lawmakers passed Bill 185-37 on Friday, seeking to authorize the government to start negotiations for land at Ypao Point in Tamuning, beside the existing GMH.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, who prefers a Barrigada-Mangilao location, has promised to veto Bill 185-37.
A 45-day public comment period has opened for the proposed construction of a child development center on Andersen Air Force Base to support Marines relocation.

The comment period ends April 5.

The proposed construction site is at Andersens housing area.

The facility will be a low-rise building with vehicle parking providing full- and part-day developmental child care services for children from age 6 weeks through 5 years old.

The facility will include spaces for children, core administration, staff support, facility support, outdoor storage and other activities.

It will be constructed with a concrete roof, walls and shallow foundations, and will meet Guam structural requirements.

The facility will serve to support Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz operational, base, training, support facilities and infrastructure requirements resulting from the military relocation, the Navy said in announcing the 45-day comment period.

Those who wish to submit comments can send them via email to criwebcomment@navy.mil.

A printed copy of this memo can also be obtained from the Guam Historic Resources Division, located at 490 Chalan Palasyo, Agana Heights, in the Department of Parks and Recreation Office.

This provides an opportunity for interested members of the public to participate in the Section 106 consultation process required under the National Historic Preservation Act.
Free fresh vegetables and fruits are available every Tuesday to households in need through the Farm to Family program.

At 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday, the Guam Department of Agriculture hosts a distribution event at the Chamorro Village Metkao Pavilion, offering vital assistance to those in need.

This is according to a press release from Adelup on Monday, saying that the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio administration is combating food insecurity through Guam Agricultures Farm to Family program, which distributes fresh produce.

Individuals and families facing food insecurity are welcome to receive free produce.

The project is funded through the U.S. Department of Agricultures Rural Emergency Health Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program.

Acting Gov. Joshua Tenorio, in a statement, said since its inception in October, the Farm to Family program has been a beacon of hope, distributing more than 32,000 pounds of fresh produce sourced from the Farmers Cooperative Association of Guam to those in need.

He said through strategic partnerships with 14 non-profit organizations and various community groups, as well as collaboration with 16 villages so far, Guam Agriculture has facilitated the donation of over 2,421 food bags to families in need.

This remarkable milestone not only underscores our commitment to ensuring access to nutritious food for all residents but also reflects the power of collaboration between government agencies, local farmers, and community partners, Tenorio said. Together, we continue strengthening our resilience and fostering a healthier, more sustainable future for Guam.

Guam Agriculture Director Chelsa Muna said her department is incredibly proud of the strides made in combating food insecurity on Guam.

Our commitment to serving our community remains unwavering, and we are grateful for the support of our partners and funders in making this program possible, she said.

Additionally, on Thursdays, Guam Agriculture extends its reach by delivering fresh produce to various village mayors offices, ensuring equitable access to nutritious food across the island.

These programs are expected to run until June 2024.

To get involved and volunteer to package produce bags, sign up with Michelle Crisostomo at (671) 687-6491.

Nonprofit groups interested in distributing food to the people they serve can also contact Jeremy Bevacqua at (671) 482-2289.
Nearly two years after it was installed, a multi-million dollar solar array on the rooftop of John F. Kennedy High School in Tamuning still isnt providing power to the school.

The Guam Power Authority has yet to complete a study detailing what impact the large number of solar panels will have, and how to plug it into the system, according to a recent work session of the Consolidated Commission on Utilities.

But CCU Chairman Joey Duenas also put the fault for the unproductive solar system on Guam Department of Education leadership, which he said installed the huge system without ever consulting with GPA about how it would work.

Somebody pulled a trigger and did something, and put up a solar array on JFK, did not contact GPA, did not talk to GPA about how theyre going to put that in the system, Duenas said.

A system that size could not just be plugged in, Duenas said.

JFKs system, which has been damaged by Typhoon Mawar since installation, has an output of about 2.75 megawatts, according to John Cruz Jr., GPA assistant general manager of engineering and technical services.

By comparison, the recently activated solar farm in Mangilao produces about 60 MW, and GPA needs a minimum of about 270 MW of power generation to keep the entire island powered up.

GovGuam secured about $9 million worth of bond funds in 2020 to pay for solar and energy improvements at JFK, PDN files show.

The year prior, in 2019, lawmakers authorized GDOE to seek financing for solar panel systems, a move that was meant to help with steep power bills for schools. But the bill required GPA to write the specifications for any system that GDOE went after, and for the school system to consult with GPA on the install.

Commissioner Francis Santos added that installing over 1 MW of renewable energy production on Guam needed clearance from CCU beforehand.

That never happened at JFK, according to Duenas.

GPAs Cruz said he is expecting a final draft this week of the study done on JFKs system, which will detail the issues it is expected to cause to the power grid. The grid surrounding JFK may have to be upgraded to accommodate the panels, he told commissioners.

Duenas stressed that completing the study did not mean the issue with the panels was over, as someone had to pay for the upgrades to the distribution system in the area.

GPA would not foot the bill for that, Duenas said.

Heres my problem. Im trying to save (GDOE) money. But we have to get money from our ratepayers to help ... pay for this, he told commissioners.

It was typical for the installers of a solar system to pay for any upgrades needed to feed power into the grid, he added.

Duenas said he was really pissed because he had tried to talk to GDOE leadership about plans to install solar power at schools before, to no success.

I talked to Jon Fernandez, who was superintendent at the time. I made several approaches to him (and) said, Lets sit down. Lets talk about how youre going to do this. So we do it the right way. He never responded to me, the chairman said.

He said he hoped that there would ultimately be savings for JFK, as someone still had to pay the installer of the panels for the power that it generated.

Hopefully they get a payment and the payment they get will be less than if JFK paid for their power bill ... because whenever somebody gets a gain somewhere, somebody else loses, Duenas said.

Cruz said the new GDOE superintendent, Kenneth Swanson, was responsive about meeting to discuss the solar panel issue.

CCUs Santos said they needed to do more outreach to inform the public that they could not just go and install solar panels on their property without consulting GPA, especially if its going to affect the grid.
A man charged with stealing more than $17,000 worth of electrical wire from Home Depot earlier this month was in court again Monday - this time accused of trying to steal a $1,200 television and a 12-pack of Corona beer from Kmart.

Vincent Julian Walker, 60, was charged with attempted retail theft as a third-degree felony with a notice of commission of a felony while on felony release.

At 5:02 p.m. Saturday, police were called to Kmart, where workers said Walker entered the store and placed a 65-inch television in his cart when he was in the electronics section of the store, according to a magistrate's complaint filed in Superior Court.

He was also seen placing a 12-pack of Corona in the cart, the complaint stated.

When he left the store without paying for the items, a worker tried to stop him. Walker ran away, and the worker chased him.

He was eventually located between the Coast360 and GTA buildings in Tamuning, the complaint stated.

When questioned by police, Walker said he tried to steal the television, and "he ran because he did not want to get in trouble," according to the complaint.

On Feb. 9, Walker was released by Magistrate Judge Jonathon Quan on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond after being charged with aggregated retail theft and attempted retail theft.

Court documents in that case state that Walker stole $17,311 in electrical wire from Home Depot in five separate occasions. He is accused of placing the wire into his cart, leaving the store without paying for it, loading it into a vehicle and leaving.

He was eventually caught when a worker asked to see a receipt, according to charging documents.
Sen. Dwayne T.D. San Nicolas on Monday said Guam needs a new hospital now and its up to the governor now to act.

San Nicolas spoke for the first time about his surprise vote on Friday that tipped the scale in favor of Sen. Chris Barnetts bill seeking to lock in the location of a new hospital at Ypao Point in Tamuning.

I voted for Bill 185 because we need a new hospital. I voted for Bill 185 for the people of Guam. I voted for Bill 185 so that we can get the employees of the Guam Memorial Hospital out of the deteriorating Tamuning facility that has many issues, San Nicolas said in a statement. Its up to the governor now to act on what we the legislators have put before her. Today, we are a step closer to getting this much needed new hospital than we were last week. We cant delay the construction of a new hospital any further.

With San Nicolas vote, Barnetts Bill 185-37 narrowly passed by a vote of 8-7.

The governor said she would veto the bill.

San Nicolas also voted yes to Gov. Lou Leon Guerreros Bill 184-37, seeking to build a new hospital in her preferred Barrigada-Mangilao area.

I not only voted in support of Bill 185-37, but also Bill 184-37, which failed to pass this body, he said.

Minority Republican Leader Sen. Frank Blas Jr. voted against both bills once again during session Friday.

Sens. Barnett, Joanne Brown, Chris Duenas, Jesse Lujan, San Nicolas, Sabina Perez, Telo Taitague, and Speaker Therese Terlaje voted in favor of the Tamuning site.

Sens. Tom Fisher, Will Parkinson, Roy Quinata, Joe San Agustin, San Nicolas, Amanda Shelton, and Vice Speaker Muna Barnes voted in favor of the Mangilao-Barrigada site.

Barnett would need at least two more senators  for a total of 10  to override the governors veto.

San Nicolas, whos seeking re-election, said after the January session concluded, the Office of the Governor issued a press release stating that the Guam Legislature decided absolutely nothing regarding the location of a new hospital and medical complex for the People of Guam, leaving many to wonder what is next...Now for the second time, the Legislature has blocked our efforts to build a new medical complexthis time by deciding to do absolutely nothing.

San Nicolas previously voted against Barnetts Bill 185-37, and voted only for the governors Bill 184-37. Both bills failed to pass in January.

With San Nicolas change of heart on Bill 185-37 last week, the bill passed, while the governors Bill 184-37 failed by a vote of 7-8.

Barnett to Tenorio: Sign the bill

Meanwhile, Barnett took to the radio and social media on Monday and challenged Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio, the acting governor as of Monday morning, to sign Bill 185-37.

If hes trying to show the voters that an administration under his leadership would be different than an administration under Gov. Lou (Leon Guerrero), now would be the time to do it, Barnett said.

Tenorio plans to run for governor in 2026.

The acting governor said he planned to wait for Leon Guerreros arrival on Monday night.

Given how serious this decision is going to be for generations of Guamaniansit deserves fair and serious discussion and review with the Governor and our team. I will not act in haste given the concerns about the Tamuning site, Tenorio said.

Barnett responded online that the facts favored Ypao Point, and that there had never been a fair and serious discussion about the location.
A Louisiana inmate charged with second-degree murder is on the run after pepper-spraying a deputy and stealing her police cruiser on Sunday evening, Feb. 25.

The manhunt is now underway for 51-year-old Leon Ruffin Jr., who authorities say should be considered armed and dangerous by all means.

Over the weekend, Ruffin was transferred from a correctional facility to Ochsner Medical Centers West Bank campus after suffering a possible seizure. Following treatment by medical staff, Ruffin was escorted from the hospital by a deputy.

Thats when he created some type of disturbance in the back seat. When the deputy exited her SUV to address the situation, Ruffin pepper-sprayed her, removed the walking boot from his foot as he climbed into the front seat and sped away.

The deputy opened fire on the vehicle as it left the parking lot, although its not known if any of the shots hit Ruffin. According to the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office, the stolen vehicle was found abandoned in Algiers nearly three hours later.

I dont believe he has anything to lose, Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said at a Sunday night news conference. He said it was unclear how Ruffin had obtained the pepper spray, as the deputy still had hers, as well as her weapon.

Sheriff Lopinto is providing details on an escaped inmate Posted by Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office on Sunday, February 25, 2024

Ruffin has been in custody since last July, when he was accused of gunning down longtime friend Gannon Johnson.

According to reporting by the Times-Picayune, Johnson was helping to jump-start Ruffins car when he was met with a barrage of bullets. Surveillance video showed Johnson removing the jumper cables from the two vehicles, when the accused killer drew a gun and shot him several times in the chest.

The motive for the killing is still unknown. According to authorities, there was no argument preceding the shooting.

The search for Ruffin is ongoing. Anyone with any information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Sheriffs Offices investigations bureau at 504-364-5300.




Haiti - FLASH : The PM will go to Nairobi to sign the agreement for the Support Mission to the PNH





Sunday February 25, 2024, Prime Minister a.i. Ariel Henry Ariel left Port-au-Prince for Georgetown (Guyana), to participate in the 46th ordinary meeting of Caricom Heads of State and Government which takes place from 25 to February 28, 2024.



The participation of Caribbean countries in the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) was on the agenda, as well as other subjects of national interest, during this meeting devoted in particular to the economy, the single market and free movement.



On the sidelines of this meeting, the head of government will participate in several panels, as well as bilateral meetings with Heads of State and Government of several countries in the region.



At the end of this Caricom meeting, Ariel Henry will make an official visit to Nairobi, Kenya, to finalize the modalities for the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MMSS) with Kenyan authorities and other countries of the African continent and signed the necessary reciprocity agreement for the High Court of Justice in Nairobi.



In the absence of the Prime Minister, the interim is provided by the Minister of Economy and Finance, Mr. Michel Patrick Boisvert.



The CARICOM President sounds alarm on need for firm action from CARICOM to address situation in Haiti.



Irfaan Ali, the new Acting President of CARICOM and President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, during his opening speech estimated that "tough measures" are necessary to restore peace and stability in Haiti. He stressed that difficult decisions are now necessary to help Haiti emerge from its current state of social, political and economic turmoil.



"Sometimes as a region, [when] we are in tough positions, we have to take tough measures. But always, the regions toughness is always in the interest of the regions people; that is fundamental for the region," declared the President of CARICOM adding



"We are committed as a region in ensuring that the people of Haiti can also realize their full potential in peace, security and with good governance. We owe this to the people of Haiti."



The outgoing President of CARICOM and Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, declared "Haiti needs the support of everyone in this world; every country in this world, and I do not believe we have the time or the luxury of time to continue talking about helping Haiti, we need to help Haiti yesterday"



HL/ S/ HaitiLibre


















Press release

Life Scout Jackson Siemens of ScoutsBSA Troop 1438 has received a grant from Hill County Community Foundation to help replace a sign at Rotary Park in Havre.

Late last year, the Hill County Community Foundation of the Montana Community Foundation announced the yearly grant awardees. One of those recipients is First Lutheran Church of Havre for ScoutsBSA Troop 1438. The $500 grant was written by Jackson to help fund his Eagle Scout Service project. The funds will be used to replace a broken sign at Rotary Park here in Havre.

To earn the Eagle rank, scouts are required to plan, develop, lead and complete a service project. Jackson has selected the project of replacing the current broken sign that is located on the northwest corner of the park. While this grant of $500 will not pay for the entire sign, it does help significantly. Jackson said the he was thankful and appreciative of the selection of his grant.

Jackson has been a member of Troop 1438 for the past six years. He has held multiple leadership positions in the troop including quartermaster, den chief, patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader and senior patrol leader.

Troop 1438 is chartered by First Lutheran Church and meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall at First Lutheran.
Ted Solomon, age 87, died of natural causes at Northern Montana Hospital Sunday, February 18, 2024.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, March 2, 2024, starting at noon in the 4-H Chuckwagon on the Great Northern Fairgrounds in Havre.

A luncheon will folllow the Celebration of Life.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Wilderness Funeral Home.

See Teds full obituary at https://havredailynews.com and in the Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, edition of Havre Daily News.
The Regional Administrative Agency (AVI) for Southern Finland on 12 February granted the plant an environmental permit for producing around 60,000 tonnes of chemicals a year. While the permit imposes limits on the amount of metals, nitrogen and particles that can be released into air and water, it allows the plant to discharge effectively untreated wastewater into the Baltic Sea.

THE GRANTING of an environmental permit has spawned a social movement against a battery material plant in Hamina, Southern Finland.

AVI for Southern Finland ruled that the sulphate contained in the wastewater will cause neither significant detriment to the environment nor risk of such detriment if the plant is operated in accordance with the permit.

Non-governmental organisations have launched a petition that demands that the environmental permit be partly rescinded and the plant be obligated to treat all its wastewater. The petition received over 40,000 signatures in one week following its launch.

An incomprehensible decision. This is from a different era, Raija Seppala, a deputy chairperson for the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (SLL) in Southeast Finland, told Helsingin Sanomat on Saturday.

The sponsors of the petition are especially concerned about sodium sulphate, which can trigger the release of phosphorus from recesses on the seabed and contribute to eutrophication.

They also pointed to the environmental harm caused by sulphate emissions from the nickel mine of Talvivaara in Sotkamo, Kainuu. At the time, the emissions were at most one-tenth of the amount thatll be released in the direction of Hamina bay, highlighted Seppala.

Jouni Lehtoranta, a senior researcher at the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke), reminded that the sulphate emissions should be examined relative to the size of the body water. While the battery material plant would be the largest source of sulphate from land to water, the amount would be small relative to the Gulf of Finland.

Sodium and sulphate are elements that you already have a lot in a sea environment, he said to the newspaper. If the same amount was released into a lake, the effects on the material cycle would be significant.

The plant is to be operated by CNGR Finland, 40 per cent of which is owned by Finnish Minerals Group and 60 per cent by Chinas CNGR Advanced Material.

CEO Thorsten Lahrs on Saturday told Helsingin Sanomat that although the company also received a permit to commence operations with the exception of dredging, it will not do so until the environmental permit has formally entered into effect. The objective of the company, he added, is to build a battery material plant equipped with cutting-edge technology that can start production in the coming years.

The value of the investment has been estimated at roughly 500 million euros.

While Hamina has welcomed the project due to its economic and employment impact, the project kindled opposition already during the permit application phase, with many environmental activists, fishing associations, local residents and non-governmental organisations concerned about the state of the Gulf of Finland.

The residents are deeply concerned, said Seppala. While people arent even allowed to wash their rugs in the sea, a large Chinese-Finnish-owned chemicals plant is allowed to release its wastewater almost untreated into the sea.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
The government is expected to submit the bill to parliament at the turn of the month and enact the amendments in July, according to Helsingin Sanomat .

THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT is intent on moving forward with its much-debated restrictions to political and sympathy strikes largely in accordance with the government programme, suggest remarks made by Minister of Employment Arto Satonen (NCP) on Thursday.

This will create a certain kind of certainty to, for example, parties that are considering making investments in Finland. Weve lacked rules on political and sympathy strikes, and now were making those rules. These measures are moderate in international comparison, he stated at a press conference in Helsinki.

The bill itself was not published on on Thursday. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, however, confirmed that it aligns primarily with the draft bill that was published for comments in October.

The objective is to rein in sympathy strikes to ensure they do not cause unreasonable harm to third companies, to limit the duration of political strikes to 24 hours and to limit the duration of other industrial actions, such as overtime bans, to two weeks, Helsingin Sanomat reported on Thursday.

The government is also intent on raising the fines issued for illegal strikes to a minimum of 10,000 euros and maximum of 150,000 euros. Employees could additionally be issued a personal fine of 200 euros if they knowingly continue an industrial action that has been ruled as illegal by the labour court.

Annually the court issues roughly 40 rulings that employees have infringed on the industrial peace legislation.

This change is a key one in terms of its impact, argued Satonen.

The government has made some amendments to the bill based on feedback from stakeholders.

The amended bill will enable courts to issue a smaller fine or forgo imposing one altogether  a major concession in light of the government programme, according to Satonen. A large fine, he explained, could in some circumstances jeopardise the ability of a small trade union branch to continue operations.

He also confirmed the removal of text that would have obligated the organiser of sympathy action to ensure the continuation of key societal functions and services, such as hospital and other health care services, services related to food and energy supply, services related to public safety and, in some circumstances, port and transport services.

The time limit on political strikes will be enforced more strictly than initially proposed, according to information obtained by Helsingin Sanomat.

Employer organisations have called on the government to take into consideration the fact that a 24-hour political strike could effectively last longer due to the time it takes to shut down and re-start industrial processes.

The shutdown and start-up times have been taken into consideration in the proposal by stating that employee organisations should seek to limit the effects to 24 hours with the means at their disposal, Nico Steiner, a senior ministerial adviser at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, said on Thursday.

He denied the interpretation that the clause could effectively ban political strikes entirely in some sectors.

A work stoppage can principally last for 24 hours. But you have to think if there are ways to minimise the effects outside that time window one way or another. The justification for the bill acknowledges that this could effectively require some additional arrangements, such as ensuring a minimum level of staff, from trade unions.

Jyri Hakamies, the director general at the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK), on Thursday said to Helsingin Sanomat he is pleased that the legislative project is finally moving forward.

Jarkko Eloranta, the chairperson of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), lamented that the concerns of wage earners were ignored almost completely during the preparatory work. The bill, he added, also fails to define clearly what types of sympathy actions are allowed and what are disallowed.

As youre simultaneously raising strike fines significantly, youre limiting the right to resort to industrial action through this deterrent. I think the 200-euro fine on individuals is alien to Finnish jurisprudence, given that the individual is punished for exercising a collective right, said Eloranta.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
Democrats file complaint against Edwards over 'hyper-partisan' campaign mailer

The Henderson County Democratic Party on Monday filed a complaint against U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards alleging that a recent mailer delivered to 11th Congressional District voters violated a section of federal law barring taxpayer funded communications that are politicized and that disparage political parties.



The mailer that I received and that tens of thousands of Western North Carolinians received the week before Christmas titled Crime is out of control in Asheville was a misleading, hyper-partisan campaign mailer, attacking Asheville and disparaging its mayor and city council, most of whom are Democrats, Leslie Carey, chair of the Henderson County Democratic Party, said in a news release.

Edwards said Democrats had chosen to "play politics with baseless complaints instead of working to unite our country and secure the border" and noted that the mailer had been approved by regulators.

The 77-page complaint, which was filed with the House of Representatives Communications Standards Commission, under their Rules and Procedures, alleges that Edwards has a long and well-known history of attacking Democratic elected officials in Asheville and Buncombe County, including the citys mayor and council members and Sheriff Quentin Miller.

If he wants to disparage Asheville and Buncombe County, thats up to him. Just dont use taxpayer money to do it, Carey said. Mailers, such as the one at issue in this complaint, are mailed under the franking privilege that each member of Congress enjoys. As long as the mailer concerns official Congressional business the postage is paid by taxpayers. But if the mailer is found to violate well-established rules, the representative is subject to sanctions, the Democrats said.

Publicly available information on the House of Representatives website showed that in 2023 Edwards distributed more mass mailings, newsletters, alerts, social media posts and robo-calls than any other member of the North Carolina delegation and was No. 3 overall in Congress, at 250 communications.

I can see why the Democrat Party would like to separate themselves from the crime problem they own," Edwards said in a response early Monday afternoon. "They support Joe Biden's open border policy that is putting communities all across America at risk. I'll continue my work to make sure law enforcement has the tools they need and stand steadfast in working to ensure we secure the border once President Trump is elected to office.

"Sadly, the Henderson County Democratic Party chooses to play politics with baseless complaints instead of working to unite our country and secure the border. My mailer in question received bipartisan approval from the communications standards commission.
TRAPS are to be installed in Goring by volunteers to capture non-native Asian hornets and protect the UKs bee population.

The parish council has agreed to spend 250 to buy 10 Asian hornet queen traps which will be put up before the bees emerge.

Reading Beekeepers and Susan Abbott, from Whitchurch Hill, asked the council to buy the traps, which will be monitored regularly.

Mrs Abbott said: Its vital that Asian hornets in the UK are reported and that their nests are destroyed to decelerate their spread and reduce their impact on our ecology.

This may well quickly become an exhausted strategy as it has in France where the hornets have spread so quickly.

Nevertheless, with support from local groups and organisations, we can contribute to this strategy as a short-term measure.

Once the Asian hornets are established within an area, eradication is almost impossible and we then have to resort to management and mitigation strategies if we wish to minimise their impact on flora and fauna.

British commercial beekeeper Richard Noel says Asian hornets decimate local ecology, specifically the honeybee population, as well as affecting the wider biodiversity.

Last year, there were 78 sightings of the Asian hornet in the UK, which was more than the total in all the previous years combined.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is trying to prevent a nationwide Asian hornet invasion through the eradication of nests because if the species becomes established it is likely that little could be done about it.


Monday February 26, 2024



Kenyan President William Ruto with Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (left) during a meeting in Mogadishu, Somalia on February 1, 2023. Courtesy Fana



Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is expected in Nairobi this week on his first State visit since President William Ruto took over.



Two diplomatic sources told The EastAfrican the visit from Tuesday signals improved relations between Nairobi and Addis Ababa.





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Yet Dr Rutos first foreign trip after that inauguration was to Addis Ababa, where he also launched the Safaricom-Ethiopia telco.A diplomat said Dr Abiys initial cold stance was some sort of protest after Dr Ruto announced during the inauguration ceremony that his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, would mediate the Tigray conflict alongside other conflicts in the region.He felt he had not been consulted and was very mad, the source said. However, President Ruto worked on that immediately and ensured communication channels were open to clarify anything untoward.Mr Kenyatta would co-mediate, under the African Union, with former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo and former South African president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, helping to reach a peace deal between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF).With that now water under the bridge, Dr Abiys trip was firmed up last week when senior diplomats from both sides met under the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), Kenyas oldest bilateral organ with a foreign country, established in 1963 as a forum to discuss issues between the two.In Addis Ababa, Kenyas Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who doubles up as the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs minister, and Ethiopias Foreign Minister Taye Atske Selasie revisited the ties on Wednesday last week, seeking to cement economic, social, security and foreign relations cooperation, according to a dispatch.The 36th JMC further provided an opportunity for Kenya and Ethiopia to enhance their cooperation in regional and global issues of mutual interest, it said.Ethiopia is among the earliest countries to sign mutual security pacts with Kenya, owing to the friendship between Jomo Kenyatta and Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie.Dr Abiys last State visit to Kenya was in June 2018 when he and then president Uhuru Kenyatta vowed to elevate their ties to strategic levels.This time, the trip is punctuated by security and economic undercurrents, such as Ethiopias need to access the sea. In January, Ethiopia and Somaliland sparked a diplomatic tiff with Somalia after signing a deal to access the sea. Somalia considers Somaliland its territory.That tiff could benefit Kenya though, which is seeking to attract users to Lamu Port.Ethiopia and Kenya say they are working on non-tariff barriers (NTBs) that have impeded the full use of the transport corridor, the dispatch said. Some of those include irregular security and poor infrastructure.Last week, Ethiopia and Kenya concluded a strategic framework to promote bilateral cooperation in key areas of economic and social development. It said the two sides will work on removing unnecessary checkpoints, harmonise axle load rules and customs protocol and systems and strengthen the Moyale One-Stop Border Post.Early in February, Ethiopias Minister of Transport and Logistics Alemu Sime confirmed that the country is preparing to send its first shipments through Kenya's Lamu Port, in a move that seeks to diversify its trade routes and reduce its heavy reliance on ports in Djibouti.Mr Sime told Parliament that Ethiopia is eyeing the Kenyan port for trade activities, including exporting livestock and other farm inputs through the Southern border.We are set to commence with fertiliser imports within the next two months, the move represents a broader strategy to secure alternative maritime gateways. By tapping into Lamu Port, Ethiopia aims to secure a more stable and efficient route for its trade, said the minister.
Every politician who was worried about Manoj Jarange-Patil's declining weight breathed a sigh of relief on Monday as Jarange-Patil, the face of the Maratha reservation movement, called off his 17-day hunger strike. The Maratha community has been protesting against the state government for several years regarding the issue of Maratha reservation. (PTI)

On February 20, a bill providing exclusive 10% reservation for Marathas was passed unanimously in a special session of the assembly and the council. As the opposition voiced its apprehension about the act's legality, it is clear that the law  this is the third time in the past decade that such a law offering reservation to the community has been passed  is a political and election-oriented manoeuvre; no political party wants to incur the wrath of the Marathas. The 10% reservation is over and above the reservation in place in Maharashtra for SCs, STs, and OBCs (NT/DNTs and SBCs).

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

The Marathas have not welcomed this decision. They have opposed the bill, and Jarange-Patil remains adamant in his demand that all Marathas should be counted as Kunbis and receive a share of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota. While calling off his hunger strike (which he resumed on February 10), he said that four agitating youth would go on a "chain hunger strike" to keep up the demand of "sagey soyare" (relatives through blood ties as well as by marriage).

This may lead to a stand-off considering that the government received nearly 6.5 million objections to the sagey soyare clause in the draft notification. This is unprecedented considering that OBCs as a group have never been so vocal. For instance, even when the political reservation for OBCs was scrapped by the Supreme Court in 2022, there was hardly any mass mobilization of the OBC communities. The humongous support of OBCs for public rallies in support of reservation this time and the massive number of objections tell us about the changing nature of the political consciousness of the OBCs in the post-Mandal era.

History of the demand for Maratha reservation

The demand for OBC status by the Marathas was rebuffed by several Maharashtra State Backward Classes Commissions (MSBCC). However, neoliberal policies increased the economic disparity and led to mounting pressure for reservation. Both the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party and Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena-led governments responded to this pressure.

In 2014, based on a recommendation given by a committee led by the then-minister Narayan Rane (which was not a statutory committee as these rights come under the jurisdiction of MSBCC), the state government recommended 16% reservation for Marathas in government jobs and educational institutions, but this was struck down by the Bombay high court.

A similar attempt was made through the MSBCC under the leadership of MG Gaikwad, a retired judge, in 2018 which provided a separate 16% reservation for Marathas. Accordingly, the state created a separate category, the Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC), to provide reservations to the Maratha community. Initially upheld by the Bombay high court (which, however, downsized it to 13%), it was later overturned by the Supreme Court on account of the breach of the 50% reservation limit.

Thus, the Eknath Shinde government's latest move follows a line of similar legislation. This time, however, in order to provide reservations to the sarsakat (entire) Marathas, they have opted for a two-pronged strategy: First, to claim Kunbi identity through colonial records; and second, for those Marathas who do not have Kunbi records; the government directed the MSBCC to carry out an inquiry regarding their social and educational backwardness. The current chair of the MSBCC, Sunil Shukre, took charge after Anand Nirgude, the previous chair and four members of the commission resigned. There were allegations that the chair and the members were pressurised. Clearly, the Commission is facing a lot of political coercion.

Shukre Commission's study on backwardness

The Commission completed its survey in 9 days between January 23 to January 31, 2024. They gathered data from 15,820,264 families across the state through a questionnaire consisting of more than 150 questions. Since the report is not available in the public domain, we know nothing about the sample design, the questionnaire, or the data analysis.

A survey of this magnitude requires trained personnel. For instance, the NSSO's 64th round survey on Employment, Unemployment and Migration took an entire year (June 2006-July 2007) for a sample of 125,578 households and a questionnaire with 103 questions. NSSO is one of the oldest and the most experienced government organisations which carries out such surveys regularly and is known for its meticulousness and accuracy.

The inferences drawn by the commission in the report are that 84% of the Marathas fall in the non-creamy layer, 21.22% of Maratha families are below the poverty line, and 94% of the farmers who have committed suicide are Marathas. All three are contentious claims, as explained below.

The bill declares Marathas to be socially and educationally backwards, but the details available from the Shukre Commissions report  and mentioned in the bill  seem to primarily emphasise the community's economic backwardness. Almost nothing concrete is available about their social and educational backwardness. The bill notes that the report has shown that over the last two decades, the Marathas have been marginalised from the mainstream, but it does not provide any data from the report in support.

The report attributes the impoverishment of Marathas to the agrarian crisis. According to the commission, low incomes have affected the Maratha communitys access to higher education and consequently to dignified employment. Thus, the report unwittingly attributes the deprivation of Marathas to economic factors rather than social ones.

In contrast, the Mandal Commission, in line with Article 340 of the Constitution, placed due emphasis on social and educational backwardness. Thus, establishing whether the Marathas are socially and educationally backward or not requires a scientific, meticulous and serious inquiry which the Shukre Commissions survey  or what's available of it in the public domain at present  does not seem to offer.

The Gaikwad Commission was constituted in 2017 to study the socio-educational status and economic conditions of the Marathas. It submitted its report in November 2018. The Commission collected data from various sources, including archival material, representations from Maratha organisations, public hearings, and a sample survey of OBCs, Marathas, and other upper castes, totalling 43,629 families from five divisions of Maharashtra. It reviewed the proportion of Marathas in public employment and educational institutes/universities. However, the Supreme Court challenged the inferences drawn by the Gaikwad Commission and subsequently struck down the reservation.

Way forward

The demand to be accommodated within the OBC quota seems untenable, not least because the OBC community itself is against it. If the Marathas are to be granted reservation, it has to be over and above the 52% total reservation in the state, but then it will not stand the scrutiny of the court.

Jarange-Patil and his followers should prepare for a protracted battle with a two-fold demand. First, the removal of the 50% cap, and second, alongside the caste census, a qualitative study done in a scientific and rigorous manner on the state of the community.

This will provide a solution for the Maratha reservation stalemate and make a strong case for the removal of the cap.

The elite Marathas have since long sold the dream of a hyper-masculine, moneyed, powerful, warrior-cum-feudal lord, Kshatriya, savarna manhood to their low-class and low-caste brethren. In their pursuit of this dream, much power has accrued even to the most mofussil of the Maratha men. Jarange Patil and his supporters should be prepared to relinquish this casteist masculine dream that fuels the claims their spokespersons make. Are the Marathas ready to do so? Will they join the Dalit, OBC and Adivasi communities in their fight against caste and patriarchy beyond the struggle of reservation? Only through such collective struggle will the emancipation of all subalterns be achieved.

Sai Thakur is Assistant Professor, Center for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, TISS, Mumbai. Yashwant Zagade is a PhD research scholar at TISS, Mumbai. The views expressed are personal
To hell with animal welfare lawssociety has the right to kill ferocious dogs roaming on the streets and the people who feed them, reads a tweet on X (formerly Twitter) by one Joginder Singh. Mumbai, India - May 26, 2022: A dog lover feeds kulfi to a street dog in the afternoon during the hot summer at Bandra, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, May 26, 2022. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

Earlier this week, Singh, who has been spearheading an anti-stray dog campaign, reiterated the call to kill stray dogs and dog-feeders in a newly developed bustling residential area of Noida Extension. The video of his fiery speech is being circulated widely.

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This is the same area where on February 3, a 10-year-old had tossed a pup from a considerable height, leading to its death. This happened as his elders had spilled out on the streets to unleash their fury on a bunch of feeders who care for community dogs. In the commotion that followed, a woman feeder was molested and animal welfare activists had to move heaven and earth to get a case of sexual harassment registered at the nearby Bisrakh police station.

Such dog haters cut across caste, class, religion and region. The ghastly shooting down of 20 stray dogs last week by a man in Telangana is a case in point. And before this could sunk in, a man made news for wanting a licenced gun to protect himself from stray dogs.

Gone are the days when heated conversations over dog-feeding began and ended with  If you love these dogs so much, why dont you take them home? In this age of anger, wooden sticks and steel rods are pulled out from under car seats to badger dogs, or they are deliberately hit or run over. Dog-feeders, mostly women, who dig deep into their pockets to feed these strays, get cursed, slapped and beaten. Often, they are meted out the treatment reserved for stray dogs.

The anti-stray dog sentiment is at an all-time high and leading animal welfare activists say the anti-dog lobby is working overtime to create a fuss over community dogs  such as the call by Singh to kill dogs and feeders  for a reason. The Supreme Court has set February 28 to hear a bunch of petitions relating to stray dogs in Kerala and other parts of the country. This all-important Supreme Court verdict will seal the fate of stray dogs. In the worst case scenario, they will be culled or sent to pounds.

While on paper, sending the strays to a pound may sound like a compassionate option, but nobody quite understands the politics of dog pounds leave alone the pressure on the state exchequer to allocate land and funds to run such spaces. Imagine passing by an unusually large number of dogs and cats in an overcrowded space caught in the stench of faeces, urine and vomit. A place where dogs and cats are caged for life, the dogs are never walked, and they fight for crumbs.

312pp, 2425; Stanford University Press

Life at a Shelter

Katja M Guenther, the author of The Lives and Deaths of Shelter Animals, fills in the gaps here. She spent three years volunteering with nonhuman animals at a high-intake public animal shelter in the Los Angeles metropolitan area which she refers to as PAW. Her life changed when she met a muscular pit bull named Monster, a day before he was to be put down. He regarded her dispassionately from his cell, aware that his fate had been sealed.

With Monster becoming part of a much larger statistic  three million companion animals are put to sleep in animal shelters in the US each year  Guenther decided to study the multiple processes that go into such killings. As she spent more time at the shelter, she noted that dogs and cats coming from a community of lower-income people of colour were at a higher risk of ending up at a shelter, and being seen as market surplus and killed.

She noted that certain breeds such as the pit bull, which are favoured by lower-income groups, were looked upon with disdain and the breed discrimination is itself grounded in racism and classism. In contrast, companion animals who lived in affluent, predominantly white communities were likely to be sent to animal shelters that provide veterinary care and are committed to reunification or adoption. Had Monster ended up in one such shelter, his chances of survival would have been 95 percent.

Guenther points out that the human urge to dominate and control human and nonhuman animals extends to shelters which have a licence to kill: Monster died because of who he was, who the humans he was attached to were, and how our society naturalizes and accepts the killing of animals.

Woman dog-feeders in India have had a rough run. (Prashant Waydande / Hindustan Times)

Violence Against Dog-loving Women

Woman dog-feeders in India have had a rough run. A woman was slapped by a defence personnel as she was feeding dogs, another had to run for her life as she was attacked with an iron rod, and an unlucky third slipped and fell and had to have a hip replacement surgery.

Guenthers observations at PAW, which is populated with women as staff or volunteers, helps us understand the situation of women dog-lovers in India, especially those not residing in affluent pockets. The author ponders over feminist animal studies which emphasise the importance of seeing the connections between the oppression of women and animals: Violence against animals normalises violence against humans, especially women who have been constructed as animal-like in the sense that they are voiceless and victimisable. Like animals, women have endured a long history of being silenced, devalued, and subjected to violence. Womens bodies have been commodified and butchered like animals, leaving both women and animals to occupy spaces as objects rather than subjects.

The author addresses the issue of unmarried or childless women who are made fun of for seeing these animals as substitute children. She defends these women and says that they prefer voluntary relationships with animals because they find these relationships more satisfying than those with humans.

She asserts that the struggles of animals and women is the outcome of everyday and sustained collisions of capitalism, anthroparchy, white supremacy, and patriarchy.

History of Abuse

At PAW, when a dog is declared dead, his body is placed in an oil drum until the truck from the rendering plant comes to retrieve it. Sometimes the oil drums are left open and volunteers can see the dead animals for days.

In the US, until the end of the 1800s, close to 100 percent of animals picked up by animal control agencies were killed, often using brutal means, such as clubbing or mass drowning. In mid-19-century New York City, dogcatchers were paid by the dog and placed up to several hundred stray dogs each day in large cages to drown them in the East River. Animal control was about taking animal life. The fear of zoonotic contamination, especially of rabies, was a powerful motivator to capture and destroy unclaimed companion animals, writes Guenther.

Feeding strays. (Prashant Waydande / Hindustan Times)

Later, a combination of moral and religious arguments was used to promote kindness toward animals. Animal shelters began sterilising and vaccinating animals and around 2006 started implanting microchips, which can help reunite lost animals.

Zero Tolerance for Stray Dogs

In India, the idea of free-roaming animals is suddenly being seen as a mark of an uncivilised society, an indicator of economic underdevelopment and a threat to public safety.

However, among these free-roaming animals only stray dogs are the soft targets. In the bustling Noida area where a child killed a pup, and where the call to kill dogs and dog-feeders was reiterated, Singh didnt notice the famished donkeys and horses  their hind limbs tied together to prevent their escape  fending for themselves. There are also dozens of cows and buffaloes scavenging in garbage dumps. Isnt this an indicator of economic underdevelopment too?

As Guenther points out this is a classic case of anthroparchal logic  asserting human dominance over animals. While in the shelter where the author volunteered, unweaned puppies and kittens were euthanised within hours of their arrival, in India, animal-haters go a step further: mutilate puppies, throw acid on cats, tie crackers on dogs or just run them over for fun.

While it is easy for animal-haters to wish the dogs out of sight, Guenther envisions a world where shelters are unnecessary. This requires a change of hearts and minds, and a world which is a secure place not just for dogs, but for humans too. And, this would be the real indicator of an economically developed and civilised country  not one that kills its community dogs and the kind people who care for them.

Lamat R Hasan is an independent journalist. She lives in New Delhi.
India, February 26, 2024:Bandma, a leading name in industrial packaging solutions, marks 30 years of exceptional service, pioneering the market with its advanced technology and unwavering customer focus. This milestone is a testament to the brand's dedication to enhancing operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and environmental sustainability. Bandma celebrates three decades of packaging innovation with its clients, partners, and dedicated team for its continued success.

Over the past 30 years, Bandma has grown from a visionary start-up to one of India's premier packaging machine manufacturers. The seed for Bandma was planted by its visionary founder, Mr. Sanjay Jain, whose foresight and tenacity crafted a future where superb craftsmanship in packaging machines would become the standard. This legacy is now vigorously upheld by Mr. Sambhav Jain, who infuses fresh vigour and leading-edge innovation into the brand.

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Celebrating 30 years is more than an anniversary; it is a reflection of a journey defined by perseverance.

Year after year, the company has made strides in offering robust, efficient, and sustainable packaging solutions to businesses across the globe. In a time when industries are racing to adapt to rapid changes, Bandma's innovations come as a beacon of reliability, helping businesses secure their products and their future.

As we celebrate 30 years, Bandma looks back with pride at the partnerships we have built, the challenges weve overcome, and the smiles we've brought to our customers, Sambhav states. Our journey has been about more than just machines; its been about making a difference in the way businesses operate.

Diverse Product Spectrum:

Catering to a range of industrial requirements, Bandma's repertoire includes Automatic Strapping Machines, Stretch Wrapping Machines, and an expansive array of secondary automation solutions, ensuring that goods are safely packed and arrive at their destinations in perfect condition. The co-founder, Sambhav Jain, describes the machines as "silent heroes," integral to operations across various industries. Evidence of Bandmas growth trajectory is mirrored in its impressive 2025% year-on-year growth and expansion to a sprawling 55,000 sq. meter manufacturing space.

Sustainability as a Core Value:

With the tide of environmental awareness rising, Bandma asserts its dedication to eco-conscious manufacturing. According to Sambhav, Through eco-friendly manufacturing practices, energy-efficient solutions, and a relentless focus on waste reduction, we are leading the charge towards a greener, more sustainable future.

Customer Satisfaction: The Core Philosophy:

The strategy that has anchored Bandmas success is a deep-rooted devotion to customer satisfaction. This customer-centric philosophy has earned Bandma a reputation for reliability, a seal of quality that retains client trust industry-wide. "Bandmas dedicated team of experts works tirelessly to understand the unique needs and challenges of each client and provide tailored solutions that exceed expectations, Sambhav says.

As Bandma looks ahead, it is the prospects of automation and technology-driven efficiencies that will govern its strategic direction. They are steering towards an era where smart machines augment business performance, steering them towards time-saving, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly operations.

In the coming years, Bandma is directing its attention towards the future of packaging, placing a significant emphasis on automation, Sambhav says. The primary goal is to simplify and enhance the efficiency of packaging and warehousing processes through the integration of advanced technology. In simpler terms, this involves using smart machines that can perform more tasks, ultimately aiding businesses in saving time and adopting more eco-friendly practices.

Bandma stands as a testament to three decades of concerted efforts, vision, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Celebrating 30 years is more than an anniversary; it is a reflection of a journey defined by perseverance, evolution, and a relentless pursuit to make a meaningful impact on the way businesses operate.

For more information, please visit: https://bandmainfo.com/

Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same.
Life Insurance Life Insurance provides financial protection to the nominee in the unforeseen event of death of the policyholder during the term of the policy. There are different types of Life Insurance plans available but the sum assured or the coverage amount is determined at the time of purchase of the life insurance policy. Generally, insurance companies in India offer policy terms between 5 to 40 years.

Choosing the right Insurance Policy is a big task that needs proper consideration and time. Deciding on the type of policy or life insurance rates is confusing without expert help. This is where term insurance calculators come in and help you choose a policy that is perfect for you.

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What is a Term Insurance Calculator?

A term insurance calculator is a customised tool to help you calculate and finalise the coverage amount as per your requirements. This calculator helps expedite the process of purchasing the right life insurance policy by estimating your coverage needs and then calculating the premium you will pay for your policy. It is extremely simple to use and you just need to provide a few necessary inputs. Once you enter the required information correctly, the calculator will tell you how much coverage you need to adequately protect your family. In the maze of various life insurance policies, term insurance calculator also recommends the best policies for your needs that are available from different insurance providers.

Life Insurance

Using the Term Insurance Calculator

Term insurance calculators are generally very easy to use and you just need to provide some key information. This includes:

Current age of the applicant

Type of insurance policy or name of the plan

Medical history

Occupation

Annual income and current savings

Term and frequency of premium payments

Existing loan details if any

Lifestyle factors  smoking behaviours, etc.

Types of Term Insurance Calculators

Different types of term insurance calculators are usually based on the plans given below:

Basic or Level Term Plan

This type of plan has a fixed sum assured which will not change during the term of the policy. The premium for this basic life insurance policy is calculated using a basic term insurance calculator.

Expanding or Increasing Term Plan

Under this plan the sum guaranteed increases by a fixed percentage each year and even if the coverage changes the premium will still remain the same. For these kinds of policies, separate calculators are used that calculate premiums based on the rising coverage levels.

Decreasing Term Plans

This plan is the complete opposite of a growing term plan. With each passing year, the promised sum decreases under this type of policy. Decreasing Term Plan needs a separate calculator to compute the annual set payment. The annual set payment needs to be paid even if the coverage decreases.

Return of Premium Plans

Under this plan, the premiums a policyholder pays are reimbursed when this policy reaches maturity. The premiums are calculated through a premium term insurance calculator as this plan offers greater premiums as compared to other life insurance policies.

Benefits of Life Insurance Calculators

Life Insurance

Life insurance calculators are of great help when you plan to purchase a Life Insurance Plan. They offer numerous benefits like:

Life insurance calculator helps you compare different prices for various plans.

The computed premium through this calculator is dynamic and varies depending on your updated coverage specifics.

Term insurance calculators help you assess the cost of your chosen policy even before buying it as it gives you an accurate calculation of the due premium.

The calculator is basic and extremely simple to use, assisting you in making decisions without any confusion. Moreover, it is free of cost.

Conclusion

Even when you are young and healthy, Life Insurance coverage is essential. Life Insurance Policy is the best way to safeguard your familys financial future in case you are not around. Life Insurance Policy safeguards your loved ones from severe financial instability in unfortunate times. Life insurance calculators assist you in case you are confused about premiums and help you make the best decision.

Check out ACKOs Life Insurance Plans for a hassle-free insurance experience.

Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same.
The Indian government, after years of watching from the sidelines of the chips race, now has to evaluate $21 billion of semiconductor proposals and divvy up taxpayer support between foreign chipmakers, local champions or some combination of the two. Under Indias chipmaking incentive plan, the government would bear half the cost of any approved projects. (Reuters File Photo)

Israels Tower Semiconductor Ltd. is proposing a $9 billion plant, while Indias Tata Group has put forward an $8 billion chip fabrication unit, people familiar matter said. Both projects would be in Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state of Gujarat, the people said, declining to be named as the matter is not public.

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ALSO READ- Tata Group mulls spinoff of battery business Agratas for potential IPO

Semiconductors have grown into a key geopolitical battleground, with the US, Japan and China investing heavily in developing domestic capabilities. Modis push to turn India into a global manufacturing hub also includes luring international chipmakers to the country  a bid to catch up in the sector to save money on expensive imports and enhance a growing smartphone assembly industry.

Under Indias chipmaking incentive plan, the government would bear half the cost of any approved projects, with an initial budget of $10 billion for the task. The worlds most populous country is yet to find success in this sphere, with the high-profile partnership between local firm Vedanta Resources Ltd. and Taiwans Foxconn Technology Group collapsing after failing to find a suitable partner for chip design technology. A government-controlled project makes small quantities of mature-technology chips in the northern part of the country.

ALSO READ- IPhone maker Foxconn plans 13,300 crore in India expansion bid

The Modi administrations financial incentives are helping Apple Inc. make and export billions of dollars in iPhones from India, while Alphabet Inc.s Google is preparing to also assemble phones in the country this year. The semiconductor fund helped US memory maker Micron Technology Inc. set up a $2.75 billion assembly and testing facility in Gujarat. The town of Dholera in that state is being developed as a prospective chipmaking hub.

An India plant for manufacturing would give Tower a foothold in a key emerging market and help it move out of the shadow of its failed acquisition bid by Intel Corp. Although Towers sales are a fraction of giants Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., it makes components for large customers such as Broadcom Inc. and serves fast-growing sectors like electric vehicles.

Towers plan is to scale up a plant over a decade and eventually produce 80,000 silicon wafers per month, one of the people said. If approved, this would be the first fabrication unit in India operated by a major semiconductor company.

The Tata conglomerate is expected to partner with Taiwans Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. for its project, though it has also held talks with United Microelectronics Corp., the people said. The $150 billion Tata group has previously said it plans to begin construction of a chip fabrication plant in Dholera this year.

Both Tower and Tatas facilities would produce so-called mature chips  using 40-nanometer or older technology  that are very widely used in consumer electronics, automobiles, defense systems and aircrafts, the people said.

The Tata Group is also planning to build a 250-billion-rupee ($3 billion) chip-packaging plant in eastern India that will assemble and exports chips, including for automakers such as the group-controlled Tata Motors Ltd. That will similarly require the governments approval before proceeding.

The moves are part of Tatas nascent push to invest billions of dollars in high-tech businesses. Tata operates Indias biggest smartphone component plant, constructed at a cost of more than $700 million, in southern India. It also bought Apple supplier Wistron Corp.s India factory last year and is seeking to build its own iPhone plant.

Separately, Japans Renesas Electronics Corp. is looking to forge a venture with Murugappa Groups CG Power and Industrial Solutions Ltd. arm for a chip-packaging facility.

Representatives for Tata, PSMC and UMC declined to comment. Representatives of Indias tech ministry and Tower didnt respond to requests for comment.

ALSO READ- Ashwini Vaishnaw explains PM Narendra Modi's 20-year semiconductor plan

All of the chip proposals require the assent of Modis cabinet, which could come withing weeks. To quality for state subsidy, any chip project will have to make detailed disclosures including whether it has binding agreements with a technology partner for production. Applicants also need to disclose financing plans as well as the type of semiconductors theyll make and their target customers.

Modi is leveraging Indias geopolitical clout to become an indispensable partner for American tech ambitions, as the US clashes with China on a range of issues including trade. India wants to present itself as a stable democracy and reliable tech center to international partners interested in investing.
A woman who returned to India in 2016 after living for several years in the United States and Hong Kong, lost her entire life's savings, after a now-suspended ICICI Bank official allegedly defrauded her by siphoning off 16 crore ($1.9 million) from her account. FILE PHOTO: A bird flies past the facade of the ICICI bank head office in Mumbai, India, April 21, 2023. (REUTERS)

Shveta Sharma, the victim of the alleged fraud, had transferred the money from her US account to that of ICICI Bank, a private sector lender. She expected the bank to invest the amount in fixed deposits (FDs).

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The case

Upon her return, Sharma deposited her life savings worth 13.5 crore to the Mumbai-headquartered lender, and expected it to grow to 16 crore with interest. The deposits were made over a four-year period, from September 2019 to December 2023.

The account opened was an NRE (Non-resident External) one, at a branch in old Gurugram, near Delhi.

I never suspected anything was amiss as the branch manager would give me proper receipts for all the deposits on the bank's stationery, regularly send me email statements from his ICICI account, and sometimes even come over with folders of documents, Sharma told BBC.

The fraud comes to light

This January, however, the fraud came to light when another employee from the same branch offered better returns on the money. It was then that she discovered that all her FDs had vanished, and there was also an overdraft of 2.5 crore ($25 million) taken on one of the deposits.

He (the manager) gave me fake statements, created a fake email ID in my name, and manipulated by mobile number in bank records, so that I do not get any withdrawal notifications, Sharma said, adding that she was traumatised to such an extent that she could not get up from bed for an entire week.

What does ICICI Bank say?

In a statement, the bank said,"Our customers are our utmost priority, and we are wholeheartedly dedicated to safeguarding their interests. In this case too, we will ensure that the customers financial interests are protected. In fact, we have communicated to the customer that we are ready to transfer the disputed amount of 9.27 crore (she has already encashed a fixed deposit of 2 crore) to her account with a lien, pending the outcome of the investigation."



The ICICI Bank said that it consistently sent transaction details to her registered mobile number and email id since the accounts were opened a few years ago.



It is bewildering that the customer claims to be unaware of these transactions and balances in her account over the past three years, and she only recently noticed a discrepancy in her account balance. This discrepancy ought to have been observed by the customer when filing Income Tax returns as well, the bank added.

ICICI Bank said that the customer alleged her mobile number and email ID of her account were changed without her knowledge.



However, our records indicate that notifications regarding both changes were sent to her original mobile number and email address which were registered with the Bank. Furthermore, the new number is listed on the website of a company owned by the customer herself, the bank said in the statement.

Further, as an aggrieved party, we have lodged a complaint with the Economic Offences Wing (EoW) of Delhi Police for a thorough investigation into the matter which appears to be much more than meets the eye. We are extending full co-operation to the Police investigation, the lender added.
Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma has resigned as part-time non-executive Chairman of Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) ahead of the March 15 deadline to wind down its business. Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma.(Reuters)

PPBL has also reconstituted its Board of Directors with the appointment of Ex-Central Bank of India Chairman Srinivasan Sridhar, retired IAS officer Debendranath Sarangi, former Executive Director of Bank of Baroda Ashok Kumar Garg, and former IAS officer Rajni Sekhri Sibal, One 97 Communications Limited said in a regulatory filing on Monday.

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"The company has been separately informed that Vijay Shekhar Sharma has also resigned from the Board of Paytm Payments Bank to enable this transition. PPBL has informed us that they will commence the process of appointing a new Chairman," the filing said.

Read: Paytm FASTag will not work after March 15. What alternatives are the best for you?

Sharma owns a 51% stake in Paytm Payments Bank, while One 97 Communications, as Paytm is formally known, owns the rest.

The new board members' expertise will be "pivotal in guiding us toward enhancing our governance structures and operational standards, further solidifying our dedication to compliance and best practices", Paytm Payments Bank CEO Surinder Chawla said.

Read: Why is RBI so cranky about fintech firms after Paytm crisis?

The decision comes amid RBI's crackdown on the payments bank over persistent non-compliance and supervisory concerns.

The banking regulator had ordered the fintech firm to stop its banking activities after February 29 and later extended the deadline to March 15.

The comprehensive system audit report and subsequent compliance validation report of the external auditors revealed persistent non-compliances and continued material supervisory concerns in the bank, warranting further supervisory action, the RBI said in a statement on its website.

Read: NPCI to examine Paytm's third-party app request for UPI: RBI

The RBI said the bank will not be allowed to take any further deposits or conduct credit transactions or carry out top ups on any customer accounts, prepaid instruments, wallets, cards for paying road tolls. However, interest, cashbacks, or refunds can be credited anytime.

The troubled firm is likely to partner with Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India and Yes Bank for processing transactions via the popular unified payments interface (UPI), according to Reuters.
Nithin Kamath, founder of India's biggest stockbroker Zerodha, revealed on Monday that he had suffered a mild stroke six weeks back. Kamath shared his pictures lying on the hospital bed and of his recovery on social media along with a lengthy post. Kamath mentioned that his father's passing away could be one of the possible reasons. He said it would take three to six months for full recovery. Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath shared pictures of himself on a hospital bed and during his recovery on social media on Monday, along with a lengthy post.(X/@Nithin0dha)

In posts on the social media platforms X and Instagram, Nithin Kamath wrote, Around 6 weeks ago, I had a mild stroke out of the blue. Dad passing away, poor sleep, exhaustion, dehydration, and overworking out any of these could be possible reasons. I've gone from having a big droop in the face and not being able to read or write to having a slight droop but being able to read and write more. From being absent-minded to more present-minded. So, 3 to 6 months for full recovery. I wondered why a person who's fit and takes care of himself could be affected. The doctor said you need to know when you need to shift the gears down a bit. Slightly broken, but still getting my treadmill count.

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The pictures Nithin Kamath shared show him lying on a hospital bed and later back on his treadmill during recovery.

While Kamath has been vocal on social media about the significance of staying fit, he conceded that suffering a stroke prompted him to re-evaluate his habits and routines.

Bharat Pe co-founder Ashneer Grover reacted to Kamath's post on the microblogging platform X, asking him to take care.

Dude - take care. Most likely you are deeply affected because of passing away of your dad - it got me too after my dads demise - I simply collapsed one day. Take a break ! Grover wrote.

How netizens reacted to Kamath's post

In response to Nithin Kamath's post on X, a user said, My goodness, this has been a super tough time for you Nithin, take it easy and wish you the best to be healthy and smiling soon!

Another user highlighted the distinction between fitness and health saying, being fit and being healthy are not same. a person can run miles still can have heart attack!!

Taking utmost care here is the only way out. Saddened to hear about your father. Tough is the way forward, but thats how it works  moving forward, Nithin. Get back strong! wrote another user.

Expressing concern for Kamath's well-being, a user commented, Hope you have recovered and alright now. Moderation is key. Run, Workout and Gym could turn out to be intoxicating and addictive...

Thank you for sharing. It is important to see what is on both sides of the hustle, and the importance of slowing down from time to time, said another user.
Lovely Professional University (LPU) celebrated its 11th annual convocation on Sunday. Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott was the chief guest at the convocation here. Australian former prime minister Tony Abbott being and LPU chancellor Ashok Kumar Mittal during the 11th annual convocation, at the Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, Sunday. (HT photo)

Abbott was conferred with an honorary doctorate degree Honoris Causa.

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Delivering the convocation address, Abbott asked students to take pride in Indias potential to bring about peace, prosperity, freedom, and development in the world.

During the convocation ceremony, more than 60,000 graduating students received degrees in diverse domains. Former PM Abbott recognised the achievement of 102 gold medallists and 555 PhD scholars, while also acknowledging remarkable performance of 567 meritorious students who excelled in academics and co-curricular activities. The convocation ceremony also marked the graduation of LPUs first batch of online mode students.

He encouraged the students to utilise the confidence and belief instilled within them through their degrees and medals to make a positive impact on society.

Recognising the enormous potential of India, he has consistently valued the country and its cause, advocating for Indias liberal democratic leadership on a global scale.

Founder chancellor of LPU Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal presided over the convocation and highlighted the partnership between LPU and 16 prestigious Australian universities and shared the universitys recent achievements, including NAAC A++ grade.

Dr Mittal also invoked the graduating students to carry the spirit of research (anusandhan) for a brighter future, while referencing the national slogan Jai Anusandhan given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to LPU.

The convocation ceremony was attended by esteemed guests, including Lovely Group chairman Ramesh Mittal, vice-chairman Naresh Mittal, LPUs vice-chancellor Rashmi Mittal, community leader in Australia Jagvinder Singh Virk, GNDU vice-chancellor & former UGC secretary Dr Jaspal Singh Sandhu, as well as industrialists, and other dignitaries.
Animal rights activists from tricity came together on Sunday united in their call for legal personhood status for animals at a gathering at 3B2 market. The rally called for a societal shift in priorities, asserting that animal abuse should not be ignored in discussions. (HT FIle)

The activists carried placards and banners, spoke against animal abuse and condemned the exploitation of animals for various human interests. They shed light on the harsh treatment animals face in industries such as animal agriculture, community animals, work animals, and animals in testing.

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Granting personhood status to animals involves affording them certain fundamental rights, such as the right to life, protection from harm, and freedom from exploitation.

Tanya, one of the organisers, emphasised the importance of recognising the moral equivalence between different animals, saying, There is no moral difference between killing a dog, a goat, or a human  they all suffer equally. They have families, feel hunger, and experience pain, just like humans.

Deeksha and Harshpreet Kaur, also organisers, drew attention to the often-overlooked practices in the animal agriculture industry. She highlighted the separation of mother and offspring in dairy farms, painful artificial insemination and the inhumane treatment of male calves.

The rally ended with sloganeering, calling for a societal shift in priorities, asserting that animal abuse should not be ignored in discussions, policy-making, or citizen action initiatives.
Haryana home minister Anil Vij on Monday announced in the state assembly in Chandigarh that the probe into the murder of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) state president Nafe Singh Rathee and a party worker in Bahadurgarh near Delhi on Sunday would be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). People gather at the site after Haryana INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead by unidentified assailants at Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district on Sunday evening. (ANI Photo)

Replying to the Congress demand and adjournment motion on law and order in the state, Vij said: Keeping in view the demand of the House, the murder of Rathee will be handed over to the CBI.

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Also read: Nafe Singh Rathee murder: First video of Haryana INLD chiefs killers surfaces

Earlier in the day, Speaker Gian Chand Gupta admitted the adjournment motion on law and order as the opposition Congress raised the killing of Rathee and demanded a high court judge monitored CBI probe into the incident.

Soon after Question Hour, senior Congress member Raghuvir Singh Kadian asked the Speaker to allow discussion on the adjournment motion on law and order and described Rathees killing as the states first political murder.

Congress legislature party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, Why has Haryana reached this juncture? It is in the interest of the state that this case should be handed over to the CBI and a sitting high court judge should monitor the investigation.

Earlier Vij said the case was being investigated by a special task force of Haryana Police.

Meanwhile, police have booked a former Haryana MLA and 11 other people in connection with the murder of Rathee and a party worker, Jai Kishan, in Bahadurgarh. The two were shot dead by four assailants on Sunday evening. Three private gunmen hired by former MLA Rathee for security were also injured in the attack.

In the FIR registered on Monday, police named former MLA Naresh Kaushik, Karambir Rathee, Ramesh Rathee, Satish Rathee, Gaurav Rathee, Rahul and Kamal. The FIR also mentions five unnamed people.

The case has been registered under various IPC sections, including that of murder.

Nafe Singh Rathees family has refused to cremate the body until those behind the murder are arrested.

The attack on the INLD Haryana unit chief comes weeks before the Lok Sabha elections, drawing sharp reactions from opposition parties who alleged a breakdown in law and order in the BJP-ruled state.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Sunday that not a single culprit involved in this case would be spared.

INLD senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala accused the government of failing to provide Nafe Singh Rathee security despite the threat to his life.
A 21-year-old man working in a restaurant barely 50 metres from the police reporting room was killed with a sharp-edged weapon early on Monday, police said. Family members of 21-year-old Manish at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Shimla, where he was declared brought dead on Monday morning, (Deepak Sansta/HT)

Manish Singh, the son of Sohan Singh, a resident of Kothi village in Kupvi tehsil of Shimla district, was working in a restaurant. The incident took place around 2am when the accused, identified as Satinder Pal, 30, entered the victims room and attacked him after an altercation.

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Manish rushed to the police assistance room and broke the glass of its door with the same weapon with which he was attacked. When the victim reached the reporting room, he was bleeding profusely, said Sadar police station house officer Dharam Sen Negi, adding that the police rushed him to the Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

A case of murder was registered against the accused, who belongs to Haryana, the police said, adding that he worked at another restaurant. The accused is suspected to have fled to Chandigarh and a police team is on his trail.

Shimla superintendent of police Sanjeev Gandhi said Satinder Pal would be arrested shortly. Investigation is underway to ascertain the reason for the murder.
A dog owner in Delhi thrashed an auto-rickshaw driver and got him bitten multiple times by his dog when the latter asked him to keep the pet on a leash, reported news agency PTI. A dog owner in Delhi thrashed an auto-rickshaw driver and got him bitten multiple times by his dog when the latter asked him to keep the pet on a leash (Representational picture)(File photo)

The incident happened in south Delhi's Aya Nagar on February 15 when the 30-year-old victim, Bhrim Singh, was on his way to work. Singh allegedly asked his neighbour Jiwan Jyoti to keep his pet dog on a leash when the canine was barking at him. Jyoti then physically assaulted Singh while his dog bit him multiple times on one of his legs, face and a hand.

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Singh informed the police about the matter on February 16. He also got a First Information Report (FIR) registered at Fatehpur Beri police station.

"I left home at around 12.30 pm and my neighbour Jiwan Jyoti was on the street with his dog. As the canine was barking at me, I asked the owner to keep the dog on a leash," reads the FIR complaint by Singh.

ALSO READ| Fire breaks out at commercial centre in Mumbai; 37 rescued

What police said on the matter

A senior police officer said they have registered an FIR under several sections of the Indian Penal Code.

"We have registered an FIR under sections 289 (negligent conduct with respect to animal), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 341 ( wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code. We will question the dog owner," said the officer as quoted by news agency PTI.

ALSO READ| Activists bat for legal personhood for animals at Mohali rally

Menace of dog attacks in Delhi

On Saturday, a two-year-old girl was allegedly mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in the Dhobhi Ghat area of New Delhi's Tughlaq Lane. The child was sitting outside her home when four to five dogs attacked her, dragged her for several metres and mauled her to death, police said.

"It is a very sad and unfortunate incident. A team of veterinarians visited the spot and it was found that the dogs in the area are vaccinated and sterilised. The police inquiry will make things clearer," a senior New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) official told PTI.

In another incident on January 22, a two-year-old girl allegedly suffered a pet dog attack in northeast Delhi's Vishwas Nagar.
Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy scam on February 26, 2023. He was later arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also in the case and then sent to the Tihar jail. HT Image

Sisodia is presently lodged in Tihar jail number 1, where he stays in his separate cell shared with two more inmates, who are lodged in non-heinous cases, official sources said.

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Tihar has 16 jails. All the cells, wards and barracks in the jails are heavily mounted with CCTV cameras installed by the prison authorities.

An official said Sisodia spends most of his time reading the Bhagvad Gita and books issued from the Tihar library and playing badminton, a facility provided by the jail authorities for all inmates.

According to the Tihar jail officials, Sisodia does some meditation before having the morning tea. The officials said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has not yet demanded any specific thing and is housed in the jail like other inmates.

The officials said because of his gentle behaviour in the prisons, he was never shuffled to other jails of the Tihar.

The timings for the tea, food and watching television is same for him like the other inmates, he said.

Morning starts with tea, biscuits and snacks including 'dalia' between 7 and 8 am. Lunch is served either with chapati or rice along with dal and one vegetable, an official said.

He said the wards remain closed between 12 pm and 3 pm. At 4 pm, tea is served again.

The official said dinner is served by 7 pm with the same set of food items - dal, rice, chapati and vegetable.

Sisodia is one of the three AAP leaders who were arrested and remained in Tihar jail. Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh are the other two arrested Delhi ruling party leaders.

Jain is out on bail on medical grounds. Singh, however, is lodged in Tihar jail number 2.

Sisodia spends most of his time reading books, including the Bhagavad Gita. In March 2023, the court had allowed him to carry the Hindu holy book, a pen and a dairy. He also plays badminton in the evening, an official said.

In the initial days, Sisodia also wrote public letters related to the educational qualification of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the importance of education for the underprivileged children. These letters were shared by his party leaders out of the prisons.

Another official from Tihar said Sisodia avails the facility of 'inmate calling system' where a prisoner can talk to his family once in a day for five minutes.

Sisodia's bail plea has been rejected multiple times by the Supreme Court. However, he was granted permission to meet his ailing wife twice.

In October and November, he was allowed to go home, located at Mathura Road, and meet his wife on the court's order.

An official said Sisodia often goes for medical check up in hospitals outside Tihar, whenever doctors in Tihar advise him. In January, he was taken to Delhi government-run LNJP Hospital for consultation on orthopaedic issues, the official said.
A two-year-old girl was allegedly mauled to death by a pack of street dogs in Tughlak Lane in Lutyens Delhi on Saturday evening, police said on Sunday, adding that they had registered a case and started an investigation. The girls parents wash clothes of the local residents, and theylive in a shanty in Tughlak Lane.(Representational image)

The girls parents wash clothes of the local residents, and theylive in a shanty in Tughlak Lane.

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A senior officer said the incident was reported at around 7pm on Saturday. When police reached the spot, they were informed that the girl was taken to a nearby hospital. The family members at the hospital informed the police that she had been declared dead on arrival, the officer said.

Tek Chand, 42, the minors unclesaid the girl had stepped out of her home to play around 6.30pm.

She was only a few metres outside the house when five dogs attacked her. They bit her and dragged her for about 100 metres towards the boundary wall of the dhobhi ghat, Chand said.

A man passing by on a bicycle raised an alarm after which locals and the girls family, who were inside the house, rushed out to rescue her.

Chand and other residents of the neighbourhood alleged that the dogs were being sheltered by a person who lived in a nearby bungalow.

About a month ago, the dogs had also attacked another child in the locality, Chand said.

Deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi), Devesh Mahla, said a case under Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) had been registered. We have received a complaint from the parents. Further investigation is underway, he said.

Investigators also said that they were looking into the allegations levelled by the residents of the Tughlak Lane slums.

There is no law on feeding a dog and places earmarked for it. Therefore, we are seeking legal opinion on the matter, the officer said.

The girls post-mortem examination was conducted at Safdarjung Hospital, after which the body was handed over to the family.

To be sure, strict laws govern what action authorities can take to control street dogs. They cant be exterminated or shipped out; there are legal restrictions against both. According to guidelines laid down by the Animal Welfare Board of India and Prevention of Cruelty (Animal Birth Control) Rules, 2023, a civic body can pick up dogs to sterilise them, but after surgery and recovery, they must be released in the same area.

In July 2021, the Delhi high court in an 86-page judgement, clarified that citizens had the right to feed and dogs had a right to access food, but at the same time, the exercise should not cause inconvenience or infringe upon the rights of others. For this, it had asked the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to designate feeding spots in neighbourhoods, which were less frequented by people and were further away from households.

Delhi mayor Shelly Oberoi met the toddlers family on Sunday evening and said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will discuss controlling stray animal populations with NDMC.

Oberoi said, We will talk to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal about this and try to help the girls family. The place where this incident took place is an NDMC area. We have directed MCD officialsto hold talks with their NDMC counterparts and the NDMC chairperson and rid Delhi of the problem of stray animals. We will focus on the safety of children as well as the interests of animal lovers.

NDMC officials, for their part, said the dogs in the neighbourhood have all been neutered and vaccinated.

After spot verification, our team found that dogs were operated and vaccinated. But it was also found that some cottages/temporary dog shelters had been set up to feed stray dogs, a NDMC official said. No permission had been granted to erect this temporary shelter by the competent authority.

A sub-committee constituted by the Delhi assembly in 2020 estimated that NDMC areas were home to about 8,000 street dogs.

Animal activist Gauri Maulekhi said feeding strays or designating feeding points were inconsequential to such conflicts, stressing that the real problem lay with poor implementation of sterilisation in Delhi.

There are around 16 animal birth control (ABC) centres in Delhi that have been nearly non-functional for the last decade. Hardly any sterilisation is taking place and there is limited outreach or conflict resolution at the moment. Feeding strays makes most strays friendlier and easier to catch for surgeries, she said.

Activist Sonya Ghosh said, If we look at veterinary hospitals under the animal husbandry department, there are 77 such hospitals in Delhi. Most of them are failing to perform their designated role. Even if 10 sterilisations were done each day by these centres, the stray dog population would come down drastically. The chief minister needs to ask the animal husbandry department to do its role properly, she said.
The police had to resort to a cane-charge to control thousands of people gathered at Hussainabad to watch Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff perform stunts, as part of promoting their film, on Monday. Cops cane-charging the gathered crowd, near the Clock Tower, in Lucknow, on Monday. (HT Photo)

The video of frenzied crowds went viral on social media, in which police personnel were seen cane-charging them to control the chaos that happened close to the Clock Tower.

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Locals and residents of Hussainabad said a few people were also injured in the melee, though the police refuted the claim.

The incident happened when the Bollywood duo was throwing merchandise from the film into the crowd as a part of the promotion activity of the film, when the fans went berserk.

Fans made a scramble to catch the items that were thrown towards them, which broke the barricades that were supposed to hold them back, said Anand Krishna, representative of the PR company which organised the event, adding that no one was hurt.

The actors left the show midway much before the scheduled time, said a person among the organisers.

However, another video showed the uncontrolled crowd throwing slippers, and many were injured. But assistant commissioner of police, Chowk, Raj Kumar Singh, said, The situation was controlled within a few minutes and there was no lathi-charge by the police. Complete law and order is being maintained in the area.

Promotion irks heritage lovers

Film star live stunts must be too much for UP Janta to handle. Years ago, when our cricket team with Gavaskar and others came to Allahabad to play - the public got too excited and started storming the stadium. Not much has changed, said Adity Chakravarty, a heritage enthusiast, while fearing many saplings planted last monsoon by Citizens For Lucknow, a group she is part of, must have been destroyed.

Aruna Parashar, another heritage lover, said, Its the responsibility of organisers to control the situation along with people who allow this kind of function at heritage sites.
A day after his wild allegations against deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, the state government has decided to take an aggressive stand against Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil. The three-party alliance, which was mollycoddling the activist so far, changed its strategy, clamped down on his proposed march to Mumbai and initiated action against his close aides. It has also decided not to have any further dialogue with him and keep him within the confines of Ambad tehsil in Jalna. Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil during his hunger strike demanding the implementation of the 'Sage Soyare' ordinance, on Wednesday. (ANI)

Faced with police action, Jarange-Patil buckled under pressure. Scrapping his decision to march to Fadnavis residence in Mumbai, he also announced the end of his 17-day-long hunger strike. Meanwhile, BJP leaders have been alleging that NCP founder Sharad Pawar was behind the activists outburst against Fadnavis.

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Jarange-Patil, a farmer-turned-quota activist, shot to prominence after the police lathi charge on a crowd of his supporters at his hunger strike venue in Jalna district on September 1. Opposition leaders visited him and endorsed his stand, after which he received tremendous support in the community. He has been demanding that Marathas be given the benefit of reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota by issuing all of them Kunbi certificates. Kunbi is a peasant sub-caste that falls under the OBC category.

Jarange-Patils January long march to Mumbai, accompanied by thousands of Marathas, rattled the government enough for CM Eknath Shinde to accept his demand that the benefits of the OBC quota be extended to even relatives of those who were issued Kunbi certificates. While the activist has been insisting on the immediate implementation of this decision, the government said it would have to consider the 700,000 suggestions and objections that it had received before issuing a final notification. Jarange-Patil then vented his ire on Fadnavis on Sunday, squarely blaming him for the governments stand. Speaking about Fadnavis in abusive language, he even alleged that the latter had conspired to kill him.

The offensive remarks and wild allegations proved to be the tipping point that the state government, weary of the activists unending litany of demands, was waiting for. CM Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar had an emergency meeting on Sunday evening and decided that this was the right time to act against Jarange-Patil, given that the community support to him too was dwindling owing to the developments of the last few weeks. As a result, the activist, who had announced a plan to march to Fadnavis residence in Mumbai, had to abandon it, as the police did not allow his vehicles to cross the Jalna district limit on Sunday night.

Back in his village in Anatarvali Sarati, the activist announced on Monday that he was calling off his 17-day hunger strike, and agreed to take medical treatment. There was a conspiracy to harm Marathas on Sunday night, he said. I am stopping my hunger strike. From Tuesday, four youths will sit on a relay fast. Marathas will do the same across the state. Chief minister Shinde and deputy chief minister Fadnavis must improve and not test our patience. Jarange-Patil said he would announce his next plan two days later.

On Monday, BJP leaders, in a meeting held at Vidhan Bhavan, rallied behind Fadnavis and slammed Jarange-Patil. The statement that Fadnavis had hatched a conspiracy to kill him has been taken seriously by the government which said the time had come to stand together and speak the same language, said a BJP leader. The CM was convinced that it was the right time to tame the activist who has become a headache for the government.

Shinde faction leader and excise minister Shambhuraj Desai said that the government was tired of Jarange-Patils ever-expanding demands. The height was the abusive language he used against Fadnavis, he said. Because of this, the support to him from within the community has receded, which was evident during the weak response to his call for a rasta roko on Saturday.

BJP leaders also blamed Pawar for the activists outburst against Fadnavis. One must see who is behind Jarange-Patil and whether it is a political leader who got the tutari as an election symbol, remarked union minister of state for railways Raosaheb Danve, who comes from the same Jalna district. BJP legislator Prasad Lad also alleged that Jarange-Patil was acting on the orders of Pawar.

ALSO READ- Jarange-Patil warned by CM, Ajit Pawar hints at invisible hand behind him

The opposition Congress, meanwhile, pointed fingers at CM Shinde. State Congress chief Nana Patole said the government had cheated Marathas on the reservation issue. They have committed the sin of spreading fire within Maharashtra in the name of reservation, he said. The government had said that it would not touch the OBC quota but by giving Kunbi certificates, it did precisely that. The government has to explain thisand if it has the courage, it should also make public the discussions between the CM and Jarange Patil.

Soon after his utterances against Fadnavis, the police sent four companies of the State Reserve Police Force from Hingoli, Jalna and Dhule to the activists village. Sources said that Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar called up Jalna SP Ankit Goyal and Sambhajinagar IGP Virendra Mishra and asked them to stop Jarange-Patil from leaving Jalna. The internet was switched off to stop messages, and a handful of Jarange-Patils associates were restrained from travelling ahead of him to Mumbai. The internet blackout also affected mediapersons covering Jarange-Patils press conferences, and this reduced his impact.

Sources said that Phansalkar had also advised CM Shinde to stop Jarange-Patil since the budget session was about to start. Police sources said that two offences were registered against the activist for violating prohibitory orders at Shiroor Kasar and Amalner police stations. When Maratha agitators burned an MSRTC bus, more police reinforcements were sent to Beed and boundaries were sealed. Bus services were affected in Beed, Jalna and Sambhajinagar.

ALSO READ- Betrayal: Maratha quota activist Jarange Patil on reservation bill passed in Maharashtra assembly

Patole takes dig at CM in viral video

As the government finally took a hard stand against Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, a remark by chief minister Eknath Shinde in a viral video clip has become a talking point.

In the video circulating on social media, Shinde is heard telling state Congress chief Nana Patole on the premises of the state legislature: If anyone crosses the limit, I ensure a correct programme (teach the person a lesson). Patoles riposte is: It was you who made him big.
Mumbai: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Monday called off his 17-day-long hunger strike but four youths will go on a chain fast from Tuesday, continuing the agitation till the Maharashtra government starts issuing Kunbi caste certificates to extended family members of people who have such documents, allowing them to avail reservation benefits. Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patils decision decision coincided with the start of the budget session of the state legislature in Mumbai. (ANI FILE)

Jarange-Patils announcement came a day after he stepped up his attack on Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing him of trying to weaken the movement to demand reservation for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

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Also Read | Another Maratha Reservation Bill: Is history being repeated?

Fadnavis wants my sacrifice as I am firm on issuing of Kunbi certificates to Maratha community through the implementation of sage soyare (close relatives) notification, Jarange-Patil told his supporters in Antarvati Sarali, his ancestral village in Jalna district, on Sunday.

The activist has demanded that all Marathas be classified as Kunbi  a caste in Maharashtra under the OBC bloc.

The state government on February 20 enacted a legislation providing 10% quota to Marathas, a cluster of castes with numerous, mainly agrarian subcastes, under a separate category. But Jarange-Patil doubted whether this would stand legal scrutiny and reiterated his demand for reservation for Marathas under the OBC category by making close relatives by blood or marriage of those who already have Kunbi certificates eligible for reservation.

Kunbis are categorised as OBC in Maharashtra and the state government issued a draft notification extending reservation benefits to their close kin, which elicited 7 lakh suggestions and objections.
Mumbai: Over seven thousand men, most in their twenties and thirties, participated in a massive rally organised by the Sakal Hindu Samaj at Mira Road on Sunday evening. Making their way through the main Mira Bhayander Road amidst heavy police presence, wielding saffron flags in hand, participants claimed the rally was reply to events in January, when a Hindu man was allegedly stabbed in a Muslim locality in Mira Road, leading to communal clashes. Police had refused permission for the rally earlier citing potential law and order issues, but the Bombay high court allowed it to go ahead. Mumbai: BJP MLA from Telangana T Raja Singh during a rally, at Mira Road in Mumbai, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024.(PTI)

This rally had to happen, said Nikhil, an MBA student from Bhayander, who refused to give his surname. Hindus have to show their strength after what happened in Mira Road last month. Many around him including a Bajrang Dal member from Mira Road, Chandragupta Maurya, nodded in affirmation. The rally they said, was a counter to attacks on Hindus on January 21, the eve of the Ram temple consecration in Ayodhya.

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ALSO READ- Bulldozers raze 'illegal structures' in Mumbai's Mira Road where mob attacked Ram temple celebrations

A man named Vinod Jaiswal had to be hospitalised for stab wounds on January 21 after a bike rally wielding saffron flags entered a bylane in Mira Road and a clash broke out with Muslims who suspected the bikers were headed to the mosque at the end of the lane. A day later, Muslims in the area were targeted.

Participants in Sundays rally, led by Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh, said the arrests carried out by the Mira Road police in connection with the violence were not enough, and they wanted more action. Singh, who has a string of hate speech cases against him, was allowed to address the rally by the high court on condition that he would not indulge in hate speech. Addressing the audience from atop an open truck, he took care to focus on the deeds of Maharashtras icon Chhatrapati Shivaji in his 45-minute speech. His narration of the battles waged by Shivaji though was peppered with mentions of landya (circumcised) and mulla, every mention being greeted with wild roars of applause.

ALSO READ- Haldwani: Meet Vandana Singh, Nainital DM who is trying to defuse violence

Shivajis mother taught him the skills of war. But what do we teach our children? To become engineers and doctors, said Singh. He ended his speech by making the audience hold up the torchlights of their phones and vow to work for a Hindu rashtra, and fight against love jehad, conversion and cow slaughter. He also urged chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to liberate Shivajis forts from the mosques he claimed were built there illegally.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad member Gaurang Kansara said though the rally was planned for Shivaji Jayanti (February 19), it had to be postponed as the prime minister was visiting the city that day. Also present was Jain priest Nilesh Muni, who described himself as an associate of Singh, and claimed to have rescued more than 3,000 cows from being slaughtered in Maharashtra.

Mira Road BJP MLA Geeta Jain also addressed the rally, boasting about how Hindu unity had shown them their place last month. She also repeated her warning issued in the wake of the communal clashes, saying: Give us (Hindus) five minutes to show our power.

ALSO READ- Right-wing outfit members booked for accusing nurses of forced conversion

More than speeches, it was slogans and songs that stirred up communal frenzy and hatred at the rally. We are Hindu warriors, dont dare come in our way/ Else we will target and wipe out your existence, said one song. Rallyists also raised slogans of Jai Sri Ram, and shouted abuses against Muslims.

The rally ended at 7.30pm, just a few hours before the commencement of Shab-e-Baraat, when Muslims spend the night praying in mosques.
Pune city police executed a sweeping crackdown on one of the largest drug trafficking networks following an intensive 60-hour operation. Raids were conducted at multiple locations across Pune, resulting in the seizure of substantial quantities of contraband substances. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The breakthrough came after meticulous planning and swift action undertaken by the police authorities in response to mounting concerns over the proliferation of narcotics in the region, said officials.

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According to Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar, the initial 60 hours of the operation proved to be pivotal in dismantling the drug syndicate.

ALSO READ- Drug manufactured in Pune district smuggled to London via Delhi: Police

With the urgency of the situation at hand, the Pune Police mobilised resources swiftly, implementing a series of coordinated measures to disrupt and dismantle the criminal network responsible for peddling narcotics within the city and its surrounding areas, he said.

He said that police constable Vitthal Salunkhe got information about illegal trade of drugs at Somwar Peth on February 19.

Salunkhe intercepted a car and arrested suspect Vaibhav Mane. Police noticed Mane was not providing satisfactory answers. Hence they conducted a search of the car and found 500 grams of MD worth 1 crore.

During interrogation of Mane and Ajay Karosia (driver of the car) police came to know about their illegal drugs activity. After technical analysis and collecting CCTV footage, car details police identified names of other accused involved in the case.

Till February 19 evening police raided godown in Vishrantwadi and seized 55 kg MD and arrested Haidar Sheikh.

During technical analysis of the mobile phone of Sheikh, police recovered some photographs of factory units where MD was produced. The next day (February 20), police raided a factory unit in MIDC Kurkumbh and seized over 664 Kg MD worth of 1,327 crore.

At the time of the raid, police arrested the owner of the factory Bhimaji Sable. From which police came to know about Yuvraj Bhujbal who had provided all technical support to run the factory. After which police traced and arrested him from Mumbai the same day.

ALSO READ- Second time in February, Punes temperature hovers at 10C

During a detailed interrogation of Bhujbal and Sable, it came to be known that large quantities of drugs manufactured in this company were sent to Delhi for further smuggling to other countries.

A team of police took flight and landed in Delhi on the same day and raided two adjacent shops in the south extension area and arrested three suspects and seized 970 kg MD.

Raids were conducted at multiple locations across Pune, resulting in the seizure of substantial quantities of contraband substances.
Sandeep Dhunay (42), a British national of Indian origin from Patna (Bihar), kingpin and ring leader of 3,700 crore Pune Mephedrone (MD) drugs case used a secure calling app to keep in touch with the other accused to run the international drug trade from Pune. Police suspect that Dhunay might have given work to chemical companies and laboratories in different parts of the country to manufacture MD drugs. (HT PHOTO)

Police suspect that Dhunay might have given work to chemical companies and laboratories in different parts of the country to manufacture MD drugs.

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According to Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Dhunay was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in a narcotics case related to Samartha Pharmaceuticals in 2016 after which he spent some time in jail and he walked out on bail last year.

The Pune police have also sought details about his background from the prison department which includes his educational qualification and other personal details.

Kumar said, A red corner notice has been issued against him with the assistance of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and active help of other central agencies was being sought to nab the accused.

According to Kumar, his last location was recorded in Kuwait after which he is reported to have gone underground following his name coming to the fore in the drugs bust case.

Dhunay walking out of jail it was he who assigned the task of MD manufacturing to Yuvraj Bhujbal, a chemical expert in the company Earthchem Laboratory Private Limited.

He fled to Kathmandu in Nepal on January 30 where he tried to find a place to store the MD.

The MD stockpile which was seized from the south extension in Delhi by the Pune police was to be hidden in Nepal. From there the drug consignment was to be sent to London.

In the current case, police have arrested Vaibhav alias Pitya Bharat Mane (40) from Somwar Peth; Ajay Amarnath Karosia (35) from Navi Peth; Haidar Noor Sheikh (40) from Vishrantwadi; Bhimaji Parshuram Sabale (46) from Pune; Yuvraj Bhujbal (41) from Dombivali West Mumbai; Divesh Chiranjeet Bhutiya from New Delhi; Sandeep Rajpal Kumar from New Delhi; and Sandeep Hanumansingh Yadav from New Delhi. Foreign national of Indian origin Sam Brown is still at large.

On February 21, police raided a manufacturing unit Earth Chem Laboratories in Kupwad MIDC and seized over 150 kg of MD worth 300 crore and arrested Ayub Makandar (44).

Makadandar, Vipin Kumar, another accused in Samartha Pharmaceuticals in the 2016 case and Dhuniya were lodged in Yerawada Jail.

At that time accused Mane and Sheikh, came in contact with the other accused involved in the case. There he got to know and formed a new gang of drug racket.

Further crime branch probe has revealed that MD drugs were sent from India to London from food packets. These drugs were sent by courier on the plane. Investigation has revealed that these drugs have been sent to London in large quantities from Delhi during the past two and a half years.

Some of the accused in the case are still in jail and they are also being interrogated, said police.

Meanwhile, police said Dhunay and Sonam Pandit, Vipins wife, allegedly had an affair. She took the children and went to stay with Dhunay. At that time, Vipins father had complained to the Bihar police that his daughter-in-law and grandsons were kidnapped by Dhunay. Vipins father later committed suicide after the complaint was lodged.

A case has been registered against Dhunay in both of these incidents in Bihar.

He has also uploaded his profile on a matrimony site where he has listed his occupation as an engineer, said police.
The centre has instructed all states and Union Territories to ensure 6 years as the minimum age criteria for children seeking admission in Class 1 from 2024-25 session onwards. The Ministry of Education has urged all states and union territories to ensure 6 years as the minimum age criteria for children seeking admission in Class 1 from 2024-25 session onwards. (Pixabay)

In the latest notice dated February 15, 2024, the Ministry of Education wrote to all states and UTs wherein it reiterated that the age of admission to Grade 1 should be 6+ years, as per the provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009. The notice asked all states and UTs are expected to follow the directive and take necessary steps to ensure its compliance from the upcoming academic session.

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The Ministry said, The session 2024-25 is soon to begin when new admissions will take place. It is expected that the age in your state/UT has now been aligned to 6+ for admission to Grade I accordingly.

Also read: Apple inaugurates iOS Development Lab at Galgotias University to nurture next generation of iOS developers

The latest instruction comes in the backdrop of an earlier statement issued by the Ministry of Education in February last year, wherein directed all states and Union territories to fix the minimum age for admission in Class 1 as six years in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

As per the NEP 2020, the foundational stage consists of five years of learning opportunities for all children between 3 to 8 years which includes three years of preschool education followed by Classes 1 and 2.

Also read: UPUMS recruitment 2024: Apply for 535 Nursing Officer posts till March 14

It was in March 2022 when the Ministry while responding to a question in Lok Sabha, said that there are wide variations in the age criteria among states when it comes to admission to Class 1, adding that many states and UTs including Puducherry, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Assam and Delhi among others allow admission in Class 1 to children who have not attained the age of 6.
The ICSE History and Civics paper was easy and balanced, students in Lucknow said after appearing in the examination. They said that while most of the MCQs were direct but there were some which required some thinking and analysis. ICSE, ISC board exam 2024 live updates Students of City Montessori School RDSO branch Lucknow

Read: ISC Chemistry exam postponed due to unforeseen circumstances, notice here

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In Section B all questions were direct and required to the point answers, said Rohi Sachan and Vibhor Vikram of CMS Kanpur Road Campus. The duo said, "Certain MCQs had confusing distractors but overall it was very easy and scoring paper."

On the other hand Aarna Bajpai of CMS Kanpur Road Campus said,"The paper seemed easy as most of the topics that had come were extensively practiced in the class." Over all, the students seemed quite happy and satisfied with the paper.

Students of the City Montessori School RDSO branch said that ICSE History and Civics question paper was moderate. They said it was based on the solid understanding of the historical events and concepts. According to them thorough reading was required to ensure a clear understanding before attempting the answers.

Nitin Singh, a student said, The questions in Section-A were well balanced. The MCQs covered a range of topics and required solid understanding of historical concepts. The short questions were thoughtfully framed,testing both factual knowledge.

Satvik Rao, a student of CMS RDSO branch said, Section-B presented a good mix of long questions, encompassing different periods and themes in History. The questions were clear and concise allowing students to showcase their in-depth understanding.

The paper offered a fair challenge, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of our knowledge, said Agastya Singh, Shristhi and Aarav Rastogi all students from the same school.
ISC Chemistry Exam 2024 Postponed: Barely two hours before the start of the ISC Chemistry Paper 1 (Theory) exam, scheduled for Monday (February 26), the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations announced postponing the exam due to unforeseen circumstances. Now, the Chemistry Paper 1 (Theory) Examination has been rescheduled for Thursday (March 21) at 2 pm. ICSE, ISC exams 2024 live updates ISC Chemistry exam postponed (Getty Images/iStockphoto/ Representational image)

A notification sent by deputy secretary of council, Sangeeta Bhatia to all principals read: The ISC Chemistry Paper 1 (Theory) examination, scheduled for Monday, 26th February 2024, has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. The ISC Year 2024 Chemistry Paper 1 (Theory) examination has been rescheduled for Thursday, 21st March 2024, 2.00 .. You are requested to kindly disseminate this information to all concerned. We thank you for your support in the matter.

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When contacted Bhatia said, A fresh set of question papers of the said exam will be sent to convenors. The exam has been rescheduled for March 21. Besides this, I just cannot say anything to the press. Those in the know of things said that the fact that a new set of question papers will be sent again to all convenors is an indication that the sanctity of the said question paper must have been compromised somewhere. The council, however, did not admit that the said question paper was leaked and hence it was postponed.

ISC school principals in Lucknow said the council has not pointed out the reason that led to the cancellation of the paper two hours before the exam. But there is speculation that the question paper must have been leaked somewhere, and thereafter, the council took a call to cancel the exam at the last moment to maintain the sanctity of the exam.

Inconvenience to thousands

The examination's cancellation caused huge inconvenience to thousands of students and their parents as the announcement was made just two hours before the examination began. They said that the council should give an explainer citing why the examination was cancelled.

Many students came to know about the postponement of the examination after they had reached the examination centre.

In Lucknow, the mother of an ISC student, who studies at City Montessori School, Lucknow, received a WhatsApp message from the school at 12:47 pm that read: Dear parents and students, kindly note that as per the circular from the Council the Chemistry exam scheduled for today 26th February has been postponed to 21st March due to unforeseen circumstances.

Vikas Singh who went to drop his niece to Loreto Convent Intermediate College for the said exam, said, As soon as he reached the school with his niece, they were informed at the gate that the exam had been postponed and parents and family should take their ward back home. The rest of the exams will continue as per the schedule, the school informed.

St Francis College, Lucknow sent notice to parents at 12.40 pm saying: Dear Parents/Students, today's ISC Chemistry paper 1 has been postponed to 21st March 2024. So students should not come to school for the exam today. Principal.

The ISC exam started from February 12 and will end on April 3.
Mumbai, Feb 24 (PTI) Actor Roshan Mathew, who currently features in critically-acclaimed show "Poacher", credits "Darlings" in 2022 for helping him land better projects. HT Image

Mathew played a prominent role in the Alia Bhatt-Shefali Shah starrer Netflix thriller that revolved around a mother and daughter. It was Bhatt's maiden production.

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"The best thing that an actor can ask for is that you are considered for projects and that projects are offered to you. You're in a position to pick and choose. I'll never have enough of that and will always be greedy. So, I'm very thankful for how Darlings has contributed to that. I did 'Poacher' right after that," Mathew told PTI in an interview.

The 31-year-old actor plays the role of a wildlife warrior in the Richie Mehta-directed Prime Video series, which started streaming from February 23.

The series marks Mehta's return to an OTT platform after the first season of "Delhi Crime" in 2019.

"Poacher", also backed by Bhatt as an executive producer, is inspired by true events that unravel the illegal ivory trade in India through the lens of forest officials and wildlife warriors.

Mathew, who was an established name in Malayalam cinema with critically-praised turns in films such as "Moothon" and "C U Soon". He made his Hindi movie debut with Anurag Kashyap's "Choked" in 2020.

The actor said since the story is rooted in his home state of Kerala, he and other actors and Mehta held long discussions on the use of certain dialogues.

"We had intense sessions where we were debating Richie (Mehta). He would ask, Why are Malayalam words so long? The English lines are this much and in Malayalam, it is like three more pages, Mathew recalled.

Richie would say, I've written in English, and here is the Google translation and we'd be like, 'No, sorry, we can't use it'. Richie would say, Why? And we would tell him that people don't use that word anymore. It was used by the kings long ago."

"Poacher" also features actor Nimisha Sajayan, best known to audiences outside Malayalam cinema for her role in "The great Indian kitchen. Actor Debyendu Bhattachaya of Maharani fame is in the role of a forest official in the eight-part thriller.

Bhattachaya, who has been in the industry for more than two decades and has worked in films such as "Black Friday", "Dev D", Undekhi and "Rocket boys'', is happy that stories have moved beyond the typical arc of hero and heroine and are more content-driven now.

Earlier we lived in between phases of Indian cinema. There was no content but some structures. Heroes, heroines. villain, song, dance and fight sequences. Revenge story, love story and end, he said.

I always want to do more pertinent work. Now, the time is very good as we have a content-driven industry, and content is considered king. I want to keep working on relevant stories like Poacher."
"New productive forces" has become China's newest buzz-phrase ever since it was frequently mentioned by the Chinese leadership and the authorities concerned like local governments in their new-year economic growth plans. Compared with traditional productive tools that are driven by elements like labor, land and capital, new productive forces refer to a new form of productive forces that are led by technological innovation and new elements like data. At a time when China's economy has been rattled by the ailing property market, decreasing private investment and aging population  all of which are traditional productive tools  as well as rising external geopolitical tensions, new productive forces could help sharpen focus on the ways and means of finding economic momentum, industry experts said. They said they believe that China's emphasis on new productive forces can accelerate the development of future-oriented industries and key technologies, and thereby promote modern industrial development and help advance the world's second-largest economy on the global value chain. In a study session of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, presided by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Xi emphasized that developing new productive forces is an endogenous requirement and a pivot of high-quality development, and that efforts should be kept up to promote innovation and faster development of new productive forces. Xi pointed out that scientific and technological innovation can generate new industries, new models and new momentum, and is the core element for developing new productive forces. It is a must to strengthen scientific and technological innovation, especially original and disruptive innovations, accelerate the efforts to build high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, and do a good job in making breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, so that original and disruptive scientific and technological innovations can emerge one after another, and foster more momentum for the development of new productive forces, Xi said. Wei Jianguo, former vice-minister of commerce, said: "If China wants to follow the path of rapid development, the country must plan ahead on new productive forces to seize the opportunity." Wei, who is also vice-chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, predicted that new productive forces will be key to competition for global economies over the next five to 10 years. "The top priority is to establish as soon as possible a unified and open technology factor market with orderly competition, complete systems and sound governance," Wei said. Wei further said the biggest difference between traditional productive forces and new productive forces is that the latter get rid of the need to make investment of a large amount of resources; instead, they place more emphasis on the leading role of scientific and technological innovation, which mainly includes strategic emerging industries and future-oriented industries. Huang Qifan, former mayor of Chongqing, expressed similar views. He said at a conference focused on new productive forces in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, in December that China's biggest choke point in modernizing its economy lies in limitations in developing productive services. Productive services refer to sectors and technologies primarily designed to enhance traditional manufacturing, such as cloud computing, financial and legal advice. "If you have a large manufacturing sector but the proportion of productive services is low, you can only produce middle- to low-value manufacturing products," Huang said. "We are able to manufacture the latest equipment for the 5G network, but we cannot make use of it. This is like building a port but having no one to run it, fixing a road but having no cars," he said. The remarks of both Wei and Huang delineate what new productive forces are and stress that the key to developing them lies in the development of future-oriented industries. In an interview last month, Jin Zhuanglong, minister of industry and information technology, highlighted the need to develop new productive forces and coordinate technological innovation, large-scale development and application scenarios. Artificial intelligence, humanoid robots, metaverse, next-generation internet, 6G, quantum information and deep sea, deep air and deep space figure among China's new priorities for future-oriented industries, he said. "China's blueprint for future industries is becoming clearer this year. Fields like brain-like intelligence, quantum information and genetic technology will likely gain greater support," said Luo Zhiheng, chief economist of Guangzhou-based Yuekai Securities. "Future industries may enter a new phase as detailed policies or action plans are expected from various ministries and commissions concerned," Luo said. Till the end of January, all provincial-level regions had unveiled their growth targets for 2024 in local government work reports. Besides the usual economic goals, the development of new productive forces has become a common goal for them this year. Guangdong in South China, for instance, said it will ramp up efforts to boost new productive forces in industries like integrated circuits, new energy storage and commercial spaceflights. It also plans to foster future industries like 6G technology and humanoid robots. East China's Anhui province, which is known as an emerging center for technological innovations, said it will drive new industrialization and build an internationally competitive advanced manufacturing cluster this year, besides focusing on the development of emerging sectors like new energy. Pan Helin, co-director of the Digital Economy and Financial Innovation Research Center at Zhejiang University's International Business School, said the reason why new productive forces are high on the agendas of local governments this year is that China has sent a clear signal that it will veer toward a growth model focused on "quality "over "quantity". "Against a background of economic transition, local governments also face great pressure in finding new economic engines. New productive forces came at just the right time, and if developed well, they are expected to greatly help them win over regional competition and drive the country's economic growth as a whole," he said. Industry experts, however, noted that to develop future-oriented industries into new productive forces, it is essential to enhance both research and development of key technologies and fundamental research. China aims to scale up its R&D budget by more than 7 percent annually during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25). Consultancy McKinsey & Co said in a report that such a growth target will make China the world's largest R&D spender. "Although the R&D intensity of China has been continuously increasing, the country's investment in fundamental research is insufficient, which directly leads to a relative lack of innovations based on complex, underlying supporting technologies and scientific research," said Liu Qiao, dean of the Guanghua School of Management of Peking University, in a note. Liu said China's position index in the global value chain or GVC in 2018 was 0.01 while the US index was 0.29. Thus, the US continues to be at the absolute upstream of the GVC, with strong control over core technologies and raw materials. This gives it the power to create constraints downstream on other countries and economies in the GVC. "To change this situation, China must increase investment in fundamental R&D and promote Chinese industries to move upstream in the global value chain. Only when breakthroughs are achieved in fundamental research can we truly break developed countries' vice-like grip on key technologies," he said.
Filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi says he is collaborating with AR Rahman and Javed Akhtar on Lahore 1947, a film that also marks his reunion with actors Aamir Khan and Sunny Deol. Aamir is producing Lahore 1947 with Sunny playing the lead role. (Also Read: Aamir Khan says he asked Kiran Rao after divorce as a husband mujhme kya kami thi? This was her reply) Sunny Deol will star in Aamir Khan's next production Lahore 1947, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi

Here's a round-up of the cast Rajkumar Santoshi has assembled in his next:

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Sunny Deol

Sunny and Rajkumar have worked extensively on hits like Ghayal, Damini, and Ghatak. Interestingly, their blockbuster action thriller Ghayal famously clashed with Aamir's 1990 romantic film Dil, directed by Inder Kumar. Another blockbuster of Sunny Deol, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, clashed with Aamir's Lagaan in 2001.

Preity Zinta

The film also marks the reunion of Preity and Sunny after a long time. The duo has earlier featured together in a couple of films  The Hero: Love Story of a Spy, Farz, and Bhaiaji Superhit. After a long time, Preity Zinta is again playing a very important role for the silver screen with Lahore 1947. This on-screen pair has always been immensely loved by the audience. Above all, this film's script demands a pair that is as accurate as Sunny and Preity, Rajkumar said in a statement.

Shabana Azmi

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi has a pivotal role in Lahore 1947. In a statement, Rajkumar Santoshi shared her character details. "Shabana ji has played various kinds of characters in her life. She is a tremendously talented actress and her character in Lahore 1947 is a central character in the film and the story revolves around her character," he said. Interestingly, Shabana had a famous kissing scene with Sunny's father Dharmendra in Karan Johar's hit family comedy Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani last year.

Abhimanyu Singh

Abhimanyu Singh will play the villain in the film and will be seen locking horns with Sunny. Usually, whenever we think of a villain's character, the first few names that come to our mind are Amrish ji and Danny ji but we have to look forward and see who's taking the baton ahead. Interestingly, we have roped in Abhimanyu Singh who will be seen playing a strong and lead role as antagonist in Lahore 1947, said Rajkumar in a statement.

Ali Fazal

Ali Fazal has also come on board to play an important role in the film. This will mark his maiden collaboration with all the other actors in the film as well as the filmmaker.

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Last year, the Korean actor Lee Sun Gyun tragically passed away in a distressing incident. Known for his award-winning role in Parasite, he reportedly took his own life amidst a challenging drug trial, leaving a significant void in the industry. At the 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards held on February 24th in Los Angeles, USA, a moment was dedicated to remembering actors who passed away in the previous year. Lee Sun Gyun(10 asia DB)

Remembering Lee Sun Gyun: U.S. SAG Awards pays tribute

Also read: Emma Stone's viral reaction to losing Best Actress to Lily Gladstone at SAG Awards

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At the prestigious award ceremony, which saw the reunion of cast members from several beloved shows, a touching video tribute honored actors who had passed away in the previous year. Among those remembered was Lee Sun Gyun, celebrated for his memorable role in the acclaimed film Parasite. Notably, Lee Sun Gyun had previously experienced the joy of winning the Ensemble Award alongside his Oscar-winning film co-stars at the 2020 ceremony, sharing the stage with Song Kang Ho, Choi Woo Shik, Park So Dm, and Lee Jung Eun.

British actress Naomi Watts said, Last year, we lost many extraordinary actors. The absence of those who touched the world with their talent is deeply felt.

Multiple award-winning film Parasite

In 2020, the Korean masterpiece Parasite stunned audiences by clinching the prestigious SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. This historic win marked the first time a foreign-language film had ever triumphed in this category. The Lee Sun Gyun starrer continued its remarkable run of success by winning four Oscars at the 92nd Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film.

Also read: Doctor Slump Ep 9-10 review: Park Hyung Sik and Park Shin Hye's romance spices up, with more to come

Lee Sun Gyuns death

For the unversed, Lee Sun Gyun, a South Korean mega star with a huge global fanbase, was discovered dead in his vehicle on December 23 of last year. Prior to his passing, he had been detained in October on charges of marijuana use and was under investigation by the police.
Step into the tumultuous world of Wendy Williams as Lifetime's gripping docuseries delves deep into the multifaceted aspects of her life. Just under 72 hours before the debut of Lifetime's two-part docuseries, the team representing the former talk show host revealed that she has received a diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). This new show, following the major revelation, might offer viewers a different perspective as they watch the show. Wendy Williams confronts health and financial worries in new documentary trailer.(X)

Where Is Wendy Williams? Now streaming on Lifetime

Also read: Is Jennifer Aniston engaged? FRIENDS star sparks rumours as she flaunts huge diamond ring

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Titled Where Is Wendy Williams? this documentary offers an intimate exploration of exploitation, fractured relationships, and addiction. As viewers embark on this revealing journey, they are confronted with the complexities of Williams' personal struggles, shedding light on the challenges she has faced amidst the glare of the public eye. The first part of the documentary series debuted on Sunday and discussed Williams' 2022 placement under guardianship for finances, for which she now claims to have no money.

Where Is Wendy Williams? Review

Where Is Wendy Williams? takes us on a deeply personal journey alongside the former talk show host. Through heartfelt interviews, she courageously shares the ups and downs of her life. One of the most touching moments comes when she acknowledges how her struggle with alcohol affected her relationship with her son and loved ones. This series is a continuation of her 2021 documentary Wendy Williams: What A Mess, which delved into her public divorce, battles with mental health, and other major events in her life.

Also read: Emma Stone's viral reaction to losing Best Actress to Lily Gladstone at SAG Awards

Where Is Wendy Williams? Big revelations

According to Wendy Williams' nephew, she nearly passed away in 2020

In 2020, DJ Boof, a friend and former coworker of Williams, talks about how she started to worry about her health as they were working together on a project and later Williams was hospitalised. Her nephew in the interview said,  DJ Boof was there, and he called us crying, saying that she's going to die, and she needs help." Finnie adds that Williams received three blood transfusions, and that's the only reason she's alive today.

Williams never got her money

Another chilling revelation was when Wendy Williams discusses how, despite assurances from three doctors and a judge, her money is still with Wells Fargo. In May 2022, Wells Fargo asked for guardianship over Wendy, claiming she was incapacitated and being financially exploited. Kevin Hunter Jr., Wendy's son, explains that his mother gave him power of attorney because the banks were leveling unfounded charges against the family. Williams son, Kevin Hunter, Jr. says in the doc, As one can imagine, its not a cheap lifestyle. The court tried to frame it as though I was making all these charges for my own happiness. My mom has never been a cheap person, whether itd be flying her back and forth on private planes or even paying for appointments, it was all under one American Express [card.]

Williams was taken out of her family's custody

Kevin Jr. reveals that it had been eight months since he last saw his mother. Wendy had to appear before in May 2022 regarding Wells Fargo's request for financial guardianship. Kevin Jr. lost all personal and financial support after the guardianship was granted. Kevin Jr. responds that Wendy needs family support when asked if she needs a guardian. The family side of the story hasnt been told, so its kind of left this gray space of whos really telling the truth of whats really going on. Ive always wanted the best for my mom, Kevin said in docuseries. I feel like the situation that shes in right now isnt really the best situation for her journey of trying to heal. He added.
Actor Priyanka Chopra, who is all excited to be part of the Oscar-nominated documentary To Kill a Tiger as an executive producer, shared the trailer of the film. The news comes as Netflix inks a deal to launch the film globally on its platform soon. (Also Read: Jee Le Zaraa fan edit: Frustrated with delay, Reddit imagines what Priyanka, Alia, Katrina's movie would look like) Priyanka Chopra is an executive producer on To Kill A Tiger(Photo: Instagram)

Priyanka shares trailer

On Monday, Priyanka took to her Instagram handle and treated fans with the powerful trailer. It gives a glimpse of the tale of a father fighting for justice for his daughter. Sharing the trailer, Priyanka wrote, Trailer. Truly remarkable.

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As soon as the trailer was shared, fans and industry members chimed in in the comment section. Actor Huma Qureshi dropped heart emojis. One of the users wrote, This is incredible. Another user commented, Much needed, heartbreaking to think of the poor victims but the story needs to be told for justice.

On Sunday, Priyanka expressed her excitement about joining the To Kill a Tiger team as an executive producer alongside Dev Patel, Mindy Kaling, and others. Taking to her Instagram handle, she wrote in a post, I'm so proud to join the incredible team of the Academy Award nominated documentary @tokillatigerdoc , and to announce that @netflix has acquired the global distribution rights to this powerful feature directed by @nishappics . When I first watched this film in 2022, I was immediately captivated by its poignant narrative, depicting a father's valiant struggle within the judicial system to secure justice for his daughter. This project serves as a testament to the boundless love and unyielding determination of a devoted father for his cherished daughter.

About the documentary

To Kill a Tiger directed by Nisha Pahuja, has won two dozen prizes throughout the world, including Best Documentary at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the Amplify Voices Award at TIFF, and Best Feature Documentary at the Canadian Screen prizes. The Directors Guild of Canada recognised Pahuja with the 2023 Excellence in Documentary Award. Despite not having any distribution in the US, it made the Oscar documentary shortlist and was nominated.

According to Deadline, Nish spent eight years working on the film, which centres on Ranjit, a poor farmer whose 13-year-old daughter Kiran became the victim of a brutal sexual assault. Pressured by his village to drop charges against the three young men accused of the attack, Ranjit and his wife Jiganti refused. The film takes place in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand. To Kill a Tiger, a release comments, serves as a testament to the boundless love and unyielding determination of a devoted father for his cherished daughter.

On the acting front, Priyanka will be seen in Heads of State, alongside John Cena and Idris Elba. She will also be seen in Farhan Akhtar's next directorial Jee Le Zaraa alongside Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt.

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In a surprising turn of events, Prince Harry's highly anticipated documentary has found its streaming home on none other than Netflix's biggest competitor, despite a reported million-dollar deal with the streaming giant. This unexpected move has raised eyebrows and sparked curiosity among both royal enthusiasts and industry insiders alike. Despite The Duke of Sussex being under a five-year deal with Netflix, a fresh documentary shedding light on the Invictus Games has unexpectedly landed on Disney-owned Hulu. Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reacts as she, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Queen Camilla and King Charles III attend the state funeral and burial of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, in London, Britain. (REUTERS/Toby Melville)

Also read: King Charles brutal confession on wedding eve which left Princess Diana devastated

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Prince Harry's documentary lands on Hulu

Prince Harry's documentary series, titled Mission: Life, Family, and Invictus Games, debuted on Hulu, a streaming platform owned by Disney and a direct competitor to Netflix, on Sunday, February 25th. This release came as a shock, considering Prince Harry's existing 80 million, five-year deal with Netflix. The circumstances surrounding the series' appearance on Hulu raise questions about whether Netflix was aware of or sanctioned this move. The sudden availability of the show on Hulu took many by surprise, stirring curiosity.

What is Prince Harrys Invictus gaming documentary about

Harry's father, King Charles was recently diagnosed with cancer, following which the Duke of Sussex, who, alongside his wife Meghan Markle, stepped down from royal duties in 2020, made an unexpected visit to the palace to see his ailing father. The new documentary highlights Harry's interview with ABC News presenter Will Reeve after his visit to the UK. In the interview, the Duke discussed various topics, including friends, family, and career. Essentially, the documentary focuses on Harry's recent interview with ABC News during his time in Canada, leading up to an event scheduled for next year.

Also read: When is Hazbin Hotel Season 2 coming on Prime Video: Release date, production status and more

According to a report by Daily Mail, sources claim Prince Harry likely had knowledge and consented to the use of his interview with ABC News in a documentary for Hulu. This follows previous speculation suggesting the couple might explore different partnerships beyond their existing deal with Netflix.

For the unversed, 'Harry & Meghan,' the six-part series narrating the life path of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, intrigued Netflix audiences in the past. The series focused on their humble origins, their reign, and their move to the US with Lilibet and Archie, their two adorable children.
Veteran actor Sivakumar receives flak for how he behaved at an event in Chennai. The actor, Suriya and Karthis father, attended a book launch in the city. But more than the book, it is the incident that took place behind-the-scenes that drew everyones attention. A video shot by ABP Nadu is now doing the rounds online. (Also Read: Jahnvi Kapoor confirmed for Suriyas Hindi film) This is not the first time Sivakumar got into trouble for his behaviour

The incident

In the video, Sivakumar can be seen reacting with scorn towards a fan who wanted to give him a gift. An old man can be seen approaching him with a smile on his face and a shawl in his hand, but Sivakumar was in no mood for it. He can be seen grabbing the shawl and throwing it on the ground before making his way through the crowd with his entourage. When someone handed the fan the shawl, Sivakumar can be seen refusing to take it from him again and leaving.

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Fans react

Fans have called the behaviour worst, with one writing, @Suriya_offl His actions directly anger others towards you, resulting in a loss of respect for your family. #Sivakumar #Suriya Dont extend invitations to individuals of this nature for public functions. Just ignore them and withhold respect. #Tamilcinema #Ajithkumar #Vijay. (sic)

Not the first time

This is not the first time Sivakumar has lost his cool at an event. In 2018, he made headlines when he knocked down a fans phone from their hand when they tried to click a selfie with him. Similar to this instance, that video had also gone viral, with many criticising his actions. In a video message, he later apologised, stating, Since many felt I should not have acted in such a manner, I express my deepest regret and apologise wholeheartedly. He also called the fan taking the selfie an invasion of privacy given that his permission wasnt asked. He also bought the fan a new phone.

About Sivakumar

Sivakumar is a veteran actor who debuted in the 1960s, playing everything from protagonists to antagonists and supporting roles. He acted in around 190 films and has also taken up roles in television. Even though he stopped acting in the early 2000s, he is often invited to events.

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Director Nag Ashwin and actor-producer Rana Daggubati attended the Synapse 2024 event in Gurgaon recently. While there, Nag spilled some interesting details about his upcoming film Kalki 2898 AD starring Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan in the lead roles. (Also Read: Nag Ashwin clarifies Kalki 2898 AD won't be a franchise like Star Wars: Its one film and I think that's enough') Prabhas in a still from Kalki 2898 AD

Kalki 2898 AD starts with Mahabharat

When asked about the timeline of events taking place in the film, Nag surprisingly got candid and said, The film starts with Mahabharat and ends in 2898 AD. It spans 6000 years in time. We tried to create worlds, imagining what they would be like while still keeping it Indian, and not make it look like Blade Runner. He elaborated on the timeline, adding, 6000 years behind 2898 AD is 3102 BC, which is when the last avatar of Krishna is believed to have passed.

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Have not used Sora

The OpenAI Sora is all anyone can talk about, with many netizens experimenting with developing scenes and whole universes with the platform's help. Nag, however, said he hasnt tried the AI yet. He added that his film will released on May 9, so he is busy. Nag assured that he will "try it out soon.

However, he questioned if AI can develop something as magical as something with a human touch. He said, We had to build so many sets, designs, vehicles for this film. It was a lot of process to ideate, conceptualise, build it, prototype, machinery, ageing. Had I used Sora, I wouldnt need to do this. It could just be a prompt and I wouldnt need to go for VFX, he said, adding, I am also thinking that, in the process of this struggle, will some magic come through? Because we take months to perfect this, something new could happen. If its as easy as a prompt, are you missing something as a creator?

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Poacher has been receiving unanimous praise from critics and viewers ever since it released on Prime Video last week. The eight-episode long series marks the return of director Richie Mehta after his International Emmy-winning show Delhi Crime. Based on true events, the masterful show takes place in the jungles of Kerala, where a team of dedicated forest range officers and other members follow a trail of investigation on the illegal ivory trade. Roshan Mathew and Nimisha Sajayan in a still from Poacher.

In this exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, creator Richie Mehta along with actors Roshan Mathew (who played Alan Joseph), and Dibyendu Bhattacharya (who played Field Director of the Kerala Forest Department, Neel Banerjee), sat down for an extensive chat about the process of approaching this important story, shooting on location, and the effect this experience had on them. (Also read: Poacher review: Richie Mehta delivers a brilliantly atmospheric tale on illegal ivory trade)

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Congratulations on Poacher. I first watched three episodes of it at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where it ended on a cliffhanger. I wondered all this while when will it release and now, here we are. What was happening in between?

Roshan: For us, it has been two years since we finished shooting! (laughs)

Richie: Yeah, almost. I will tell you what's happened. It was the animals. We had finished the first three episodes with the animals, but the rest were not done at that time. We needed time and as you can tell it required work and had to be flawless. I was not going to rush it with the team with whom we were working on, specially that aspect to the story. I think it is very unique and very special. I wanted to make sure that once it goes out to everybody, that we had done everything we can. So it took time.

You had said previously that you had first read about this particular ivory raid incident back in 2015, while you were making India in a Day. Cut to now, it took nine years to make this show. Of course, in between you had the release of two seasons of Delhi Crime and there was a global pandemic. Was there a research process that was always on during this time?

Richie: Yes, it was. After India in a Day, when I learned about it in 2015, I was still writing and financing Delhi Crime. My mind was in that zone and I needed to go through that journey. I never forgot that bit, in fact in Delhi Crime in episode 1, there is a scene where Rasika Dugal's character finds tusks in a random traffic stop. I was putting things in Delhi Crime, making sure that I did not forget to do Poacher afterwards, as a note to myself.

While I was in post-production of Delhi Crime I started the research process on Poacher. Now I didn't begin that process by thinking of doing it as an eight-part thriller and wildlife crime series. I began this process just to understand it more for my own perspective on the world. Then, it began to translate to how interesting and complex; and how the world could benefit seeing this. It formed over time.

Roshan Mathew in a still from Poacher.

The shooting process of Poacher must have been on location I believe, where all the cast and crew must have spent time in those forests. To Roshan and Dibyendu Sir, I am curious to know about your process of approaching these characters, because you are here playing people who have done the work.

Roshan: For me, the shoot was incredible. Looking back at it now, it has been one of the most exciting shoots that I have been part of. One of the best teams that I have worked with. We had so much part shooting this serious, dark crime thriller about ivory poaching that it feels almost wrong to say it but we really did have a lot of fun shooting it. One part of that is because of the character that I get to play. His name is Alan Joseph, and he works at the Wildlife Trust of India. He is many things in life that I am not. He is very distant from me. Overall, he is a fun, energetic and proactive guy. He knows how to get things done. He has his own inventive, jugaru ways of getting things done. The way he carries out these tasks that are very important to him end up helping the investigation. A lot of this was in the script. It was one of those scripts where I read and I immediately wanted to shoot for it.

Then, of course, I got to talk to this real person, who Alan Joseph was based on. His name is Jose Louies; an incredible person doing some incredible things in life. I got to speak to him, I got to meet him a couple of times. That definitely helped, and brought in a flavour to this performance. While I was working, I was wondering how Jose would react in this situation. What would he be like in this situation? That was an interesting process on, which again I reconfirmed with Richie or what's written in the script.

Dibyendu: Same here. When I read the script, it created quite an impression. At that particular point of time in my career I was doing a couple of things, all together. I was always focused on how I would do this series, that dates iska baaki kisi ke saath clash nahi karna chahiye. Jabhi bhi dates iske aayenge iske dates solid hone chahiye (The dates for this series must not clash with any other work. Whenever the dates for this series arrives, it must be solid). This is a real life-based character named Amit Mullick. In the script, the character had many layers, some parts of it were dramatized. Then when you know about these wildlife crime fighters, I felt the need to know about their stories as part of the cohesive series. At the end of the day, I am reacting to them and I am receiving information from them. It was an important part, because he did it in such a genuine and natural way, so I had to live through the process. I loved the process of shooting Poacher.

Nimisha Sajayan and Dibyendu Bhattacharya in a still from Poacher.

I am curious to know a little about how all of you worked on the syntax of the show, as Poacher has a lot of Malayalam dialogues and then there is Dibyendu Sir who also speaks in Bengali, which is a delight to see. How do you direct actors in a language in a language that you don't speak in and how were the actors contributing to that process.

Richie: The process was very laborious, involving lots of tricks and balances. I wrote the series in English, and I basically labelled what dialogue needs to be in Malayalam, knowing the real people this is inspired by. Obviously, Hindi is not an issue for me, but I don't know Bengali although it becomes easier for me to recognize what's working or not working. But certainly, the Malayalam was a big challenge for me. We had an amazing Malayalam dialogue writer, Gopan, who came in, and we had lots of discussion about the script. He understood that I needed to keep it as close to the English translation as we could, because the language was inspired by the real case. I had to stick to the facts. I could not deviate much from the process.

On set, we would read, re-read and cross-check with the translation, and while shooting, every morning, we would sit in the vanity van and go through every scene. Roshan was very intuitive about checking it multiple times, and adding in for little cracks when it did not translate that well into Malayalam. So, yeah it was a challenge but we did it again during post-production where if something slipped through that they didn't quite track, we would fix it in dubbing. But in many cases, I knew, like when Dibyendu was speaking Bengali, that it was his thought language. I knew that even if he deviates and it totally okay. The essence was there, and the same goes for Roshan.

Roshan: I never looked at this as a hurdle. It was very, very exciting for me. For a very years now I have been thinking that in a country like India we really need more multilingual projects. We are not living at a time where one has to be restricted to one language. All the actors can handle three languages or more. Dibyendu can handle four. He is actually speaking in Malayalam also in this show! (laughs) It is also very interesting to note that all the work which Richie mentioned did not feel like tough labour because it was so exciting and also during the shoot, Richie would still be able to catch when a line was delivered dishonestly, even if it was not in a language that he understood. He knows what the conversation is about in a scene, and it has had multiple times that I had to walk up and go that I needed another go for a shot and Richie knew exactly which moment I had meant.

Richie: I loved watching Dibyendu's scenes in Bengali. They were such a pleasure to watch.

Dibyendu: The whole series is about life, and if tomorrow if I go to Kerala, I have to communicate with them in some manner. As artists also we are communicating in a similar manner. It is as easy as that. Multilingual projects should happen more often, because it is so real. Roshan must know this as well, where I know I can work on a scene to bring out its essence, honesty and truth. If that is delivered, everything is fair.

Lastly, I want to highlight how Poacher brings forward its argument for altruism with so much care and attention. I am curious whether there has been any incident that has changed your outlook towards the world in some fashion.

Richie: Roshan implied it earlier. Every time I meet these real people on whom this story is based, I see that they haven't stopped. This operation that we show happened in 2015. It was nine years ago for them. They have done things since then and when you meet them now, they have gone into something else. So I get inspired by the fact that I take five years to tell the story of one of their exploits and they have done a hundred things since then. What I get inspired by is that if you are a true altruist, and doing this for the good of all life, that is an attitude in your heart which is not project-specific and doesn't ask for gratification. I am immensely and consistently inspired by that.

Roshan: This is the kind of work one can only do selflessly, because if you go into it with any other attitude, you will probably end up being disappointed. For me, I have been in this curve where I have been on this curve of growing consciousness where my curiosity helps. There are so many relevant issues out there that you need to educate yourself with. Poacher was one of those very, very important chapter in my life where I was flooded with information I did not have before, and I kept meeting more and more people who inspired me. Not just the real-life people on whom these characters are based on but also people from our crew, and somebody who would project like this. The reason why Richie would spend so much time of his life working on something like this. It wasn't easy by any means, and yeah there were a lot of things that inspired me and I hope that continues.

Dibyendu: Same here. When you know about them, you see how life does not stop for these people. I had a general awareness but after doing this project and meeting these people, there has been a shift in terms of perspective in me. I promise that I will be more aware towards my society and my nature.

Poacher is available to stream on Prime Video.

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Actors Lara Dutta and Jimmy Shergill will be seen in a new show titled Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond. Directed by Santosh Singh, the series also stars Ashutosh Rana, Ashish Vidyarthi, Prasanna, and many more. (Also Read: Bobby Deol could play Kumbhakarna, Lara Dutta will be seen as Kaikeyi in Nitesh Tiwaris Ramayan: Report) Jimmy Shergill in Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond

Lara shares the preview

On Monday, Lara took to her Instagram handle and shared the show's preview. The video offered a sneak peek into a story that explores the intricacies of the Balakot operation, delving into lesser-known aspects, strategies, and challenges that shaped the trajectory of events.

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Lara wrote in the caption, 26th February 2019 will remain etched in history forever. The day every Indians heart soared with pride as India successfully retaliated with the Balakot airstrike. Saluting our heroes, is the story of Ranneeti: Balakot and Beyond coming soon on @officialjiocinema #RanneetiOnJioCinema.

Speaking about the show, Jimmy Shergill said in a statement, 5 years ago on 14th February, our brave hearts at Pulwama gave the supreme sacrifice on the line of duty. While we will never forget the sacrifice of our martyrs, we couldn't stop beaming with pride when for the first we watched our country fight back! The Balakot airstrike, was a stern message that stemmed from the resilience and courage of our nation and armed forces. India took a firm stand and this date will remain etched in the nation's heart forever  India will never forget. Being a part of this series has only heightened my respect for the jawans as I relived a defining moment in our country's history.

About Balakot airstrikes

Five years ago, on this date, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out the Balakot airstrikes in Pakistan, in retaliation to the February 14 Pulwama attack.

As the show revolves around the same, Lara said in a statement, "Coming from an armed forces background, I understand the bravery, sacrifice, and love for country first-hand. The martyrs of Pulwama made the ultimate sacrifice 5 years ago, however the Balakot air strike, filled us with national pride. On the anniversary of this historic defence operation, this sneak peek aims to honour every soldier, with or without of uniform, who reshaped our nation's defence narrative."

Siddharth Anand's recent aerial action entertainer Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor, was also loosely based on the same incident. Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond will be out on JioCinema soon.

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Actors Sara Ali Khan and Aditya Roy Kapur are the leading actors in Anurag Basu's next, Metro Inn Dino..., a sequel to his film Life In A Metro (2007). Now, we have exclusively learnt that Khan and Kapur were travelling around Delhi NCR for the past three days to shoot for the film. "Both Sara and Aditya had romantic scenes together which had to be shot at some specific spots in Delhi. All the scenes were done during daytime, actors spent their nights mostly hanging out in the capital," the source tells us. Sara Aditya Metro Inn Dino

The shoot schedule wa spread throughout Delhi NCR as "they shot in Connaught Place, Mandi House, Hauz Khas and the last day was packed in the metro in Gurugram," the insider shares, adding, "It was just a 3-4 day schedule in Delhi NCR and they have to return to Bombay today to start the next schedule of the film's shoot."
Bengaluru: Four Independent MLAs in Karnataka hold the key to the victory of the fourth candidate in elections to the four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka with both the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine claiming to have their support. Each candidate has to get 45 first preference votes (ANI)

The claim led to Congress MLA from Ganiga P Ravi Kumar submitting a complaint to Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayanand on February 20. In the complaint, he stated of having proof against some senior BJP and JD (S) leaders who have approached three Independent MLAs that Congress claim to be associated with the party.

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Once an inquiry is initiated, I will submit all evidence, which ranges from inducements to threatening them with consequences, he maintained.

In the complaint, Kumar said, Independent candidates  Darshan Puttannaiah, Latha Mallikarjun and KH Puttaswamy Gowda  have been approached individually for cash-for-votes. He claimed Reddys son and the owner of a prominent hotel in Bengaluru had contacted Latha and offered money to cross vote. Later, Lathas husband Mallikarjun was approached by Harihars former MLA Shivashankar with inducements. Similar attempts have been made to Puttannaiah and Gowda.

On February 23, the Vidhana Soudha police registered an FIR based on the complaint.

We registered an FIR after the complaint was forwarded to us by the commissioner under sections 171 (9E), 170 (F) and 506 of the IPC. This is a non-cognizable offence. Investigation is underway with notices being issued to the persons named in the FIR, said a senior police officer.

The complaint was submitted by Kumar a day after deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar stated that he had information that former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy was making offers to Congress MLAs to buy votes for the JD(S)-BJP sponsored National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate D Kupendra Reddy.

Out of the four Independents elected in May 2023, the Congress claims that three are associated with them and minining tycoon and Karnataka Rajya Pragathi Paksha leader G Janardhan Reddy has identified himself with BJP.

On Friday, Shivakumar plunged headlong into the matter of ensuring that Congress votes are not poached by the JD(S)-BJP combine.

All the 137 Congress votes (134 Congress MLAs and three Independents) are intact and I have also requested Janardhan Reddy to join us. After the Budget session gets over on February 26, our MLAs will be taken to a resort and will come together in a bus the next day to vote. We will hold a mock voting exercise as some of them are newcomers, Shivakumar added.

He hosted a dinner meeting for all ministers on Friday night to chalk out the election strategy, those familiar with the development said.

The BJPs core committee meeting held on Friday evening also discussed getting the requisite votes for Kupendra Reddy.

According to local media reports, Kumaraswamy during his recent visit to New Delhi promised Union minister Amit Shah the victory of the NDA candidate.

He later told the media that unhappy Congress MLAs will vote for Kupendra Reddy.

Each candidate has to get 45 first preference votes. While the Congress with 134 MLAs with the support of three Independents, the BJP with 66 MLAs and one Independent, Janardhan Reddy will be left with 22 surplus votes. As Kupendra Reddy is an NDA candidate, the BJP will transfer the 22 surplus votes to him, who after getting the JD(S) 19 votes will fall short of four votes.

Shivakumar told the media that all three Congress nominees have been allotted 46 votes each. The polling is by open ballot where the legislators have to show the ballot paper before depositing it in the box.

Meanwhile, the legislature session which was to adjourn on Friday has been extended by a day to meet on Monday, owing to chief minister Siddaramaiahs ill health.

Pandemonium prevailed in the House on Friday after the BJP and JD(S) staged a protest demanding the state government to withdraw a resolution passed on Thursday which condemned the Centre for its step-motherly attitude towards devolution of taxes.

Opposition leader R Ashoka read out a counter resolution saying that the governments resolution was false, imaginary and politically motivated.

As the resolution was read out without the Speakers consent, it was not considered or put to vote leading to chaos with the House adjourned for the day.
The fall of Paletwa and several key cities in western Myanmar to anti-junta resistance forces has increased pressure on Sittwe, a port city developed with New Delhis assistance that is home to an Indian consulate, people familiar with the matter said. The Sittwe Port in Rakhine state of Myanmar was jointly inaugurated by Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Admiral Tin Aung San of the neighbouring country in May 2023. (PTI Photo)

Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state, has been virtually cut off from roads and waterways following the capture of Paletwa and nearby cities and towns such as Pauktaw, Kyauktaw and Minbya in recent days by the Arakan Army or the Chin National Front (CNF), the people said on condition of anonymity.

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Last week, the Arakan Army said it had captured Ponnagyun township police station, 30 km from Sittwe, and told the Myanmar juntas military command in the Rakhine state capital to surrender or face defeat, according to local media reports.

Sittwe port was developed under a $120-million project with an Indian line of credit and is crucial to the India-funded Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project. Following the upgrade of Sittwe port, it was inaugurated in May 2023 with the arrival of the first cargo vessel from Kolkata.

One of the people cited above said the ambitious $484-million Kaladan project, aimed at connecting Myanmar with Kolkata port by sea and Mizoram by road, now appeared to be dead in the water. Goods sent from Kolkata by sea were meant to be transported by roads and waterways in Myanmar to Indias northeastern states, but the project has suffered numerous delays since its launch in 2008.

There is no reliable estimate of Indian nationals present in Rakhine state, where India has had a consulate at Sittwe since 2014. Early this month, the Indian government advised its nationals not to travel to Rakhine because of the deteriorating security situation, disruption of telecommunications and a severe scarcity of essential commodities.

Indian authorities are keeping a close watch on the situation and preparing for all contingencies, the people said. However, the latest spell of fighting close to the India-Myanmar border since the launch of an offensive last October by the Three Brotherhood Alliance, which includes Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), has highlighted the juntas increasingly fragile grip on areas close to Indias strategic northeastern states.

Much of the area close to the India-Myanmar border, from Sagaing region to Chin and Rakhine states, are now under non-military control. This has implications for India-Myanmar relations because, so far, Indias principal interlocutor has been the Myanmar military, said former diplomat Rajiv Bhatia, who served as Indias ambassador to Myanmar.

India has largely refrained from publicly criticising the juntas actions since it assumed power in a coup two years ago, though it has repeatedly called for the complete cessation of violence and a constructive dialogue aimed at a transition to an inclusive and federal democracy. Indias stance has been tied to concerns about any pressure on the junta pushing it closer to China and Myanmars important role in maintaining peace in the northeastern states.

Angshuman Choudhury, an associate fellow at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) who closely tracks developments in Myanmar, said both Paletwa and Sittwe are critical to Indian interests. Paletwa has an inland river terminal where goods from Sittwe would be transported to Mizoram via road, while Sittwe is the capital of a state where China is present in a big way through its deep-sea port and SEZ project in Kyaukphyu.

The capture of Paletwa by the Arakan Army means India will need to liaise with a non-state group to continue the Kaladan project. Paletwa is also claimed by the CNF, which disputes the Arakan Armys claim over it. This can create further complications for India, he said.

Sittwe gives India critical access to the offshore Shwe gas project, and it is important for New Delhi to maintain its footprint in the city, he added.
India and the United States are expected to hold the Homeland Security Dialogue (HSD) on February 28, The Indian Express reported. This comes months after the US federal prosecutors accused an Indian official of being involved in a plot to kill Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun (AP)

According to the report, a US government delegation, headed by the acting deputy secretary of Homeland Security Kristie Canegallo will be visiting India for the talks with officials of the union home ministry.

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The two countries will be discussing several topics including anti-Khalistani elements, immigration, counter-narcotics, border, group supply chain security, law enforcement investigative cooperation, local and state law enforcement engagements, child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, trade and economic security, cyber security, and proposal for the electronic travel document, the report said.

However, there are likely to be no discussions on any issues related to the Pannun case.

The report said that India has prepared several presentations on the range of topics to be discussed with the US delegation.

About the India-US Homeland Security Dialogue

Introduced in 2010 as a mechanism to a sequel to the signing of the India-US counter-terrorism initiative, the first Homeland Security Dialogue between India and the US was held in May 2011. Former US President Donald Trump had discontinued the dialogue during his tenure, however, it came back into effect in 2021 after Joe Biden came to power.

Notably, there are six sub-groups formed under the Indo-US HSD which cover several areas including - Illicit finance, financial fraud and counterfeiting, cyber information, megacity policing and sharing of information among federal, state and local partners, global supply chain, transportation, port, border and maritime security, capacity building, and technology upgradation.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shehzad Poonawalla on Monday hit out at Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for skipping the seventh Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons issued to him in the excise policy case. He said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor should get prize in corruption, lying, doing drama and for being bhagoda no. 1 (absconder no 1). Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla addresses a press conference, at party headquarters in New Delhi.(ANI)

Read here: 'Can't wait for court decision?': Arvind Kejriwal on 7th ED summons

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...Kitna badal gaya insaan...He is the same Arvind Kejriwal, who earlier used to say that first a person will have to resign and then an investigation will happen. But now he even refuses to cooperate with investigation agencies...He should get the Nobel Prize in the areas of corruption, lying and doing drama...., Poonawalla said in a briefing.

He further took a jibe at Kejriwal saying that the person who earlier used to say that first a person will have to resign and then an investigation will happen, is now even refuses to cooperate with investigation agencies.

Arvind Kejriwal should be given a prize for being 'bhagoda No. 1'...those who were with Anna Hazare used to say, 'first resignation, then probe'. today they will neither give their resignation nor they are participate in the probe because now they are friends and allies of Lalu Prasad Yadav. They say that this is vendetta politics, and vindictiveness by the ED but then why the Court has not given them any relief?...even their new ally Congress has done a press conference saying Kejriwal is corrupt and he has to give answers on the liquor policy scam, the BJP leader told ANI earlier in the day.

Kejriwal skipped the seventh summons issued to him by the probe agency in the Delhi excise policy case.

The AAP leader claimed that the ruling BJP wanted AAP to break the ties with the opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections by threatening the officers of possible probe agency action.

Read here: AAP's claims less credible than things in chor bazaar: BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla

The ED in its latest summons asked Kejriwal to appear before it on Monday, after he continued to skip interrogation since November last year when he was first asked to depose before the probe agency but did not, alleging the notice was vague, motivated and unsustainable in law.

The ED has also filed a complaint against Kejriwal for disobeying its summons in this case. The court granted Kejriwal an exemption from personally appearing in court until March 16. The Delhi chief minister appeared before the court virtually, submitting that he could not physically appear due to the ongoing Budget session of the Delhi assembly.

According to ED, the AAP received huge funds around 100 crore to finalise the liquor excise policy. It was also alleged that a large chunk of this money was used by the party in its Goa election campaign.

(With inputs from agencies)
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) should wait for a court order instead of issuing summons repeatedly, this after he skipped the seventh summons issued to him by the probe agency in the Delhi excise policy case. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)(HT_PRINT)

Read here: Kejriwal skips 7th ED summons; AAP says wont be pressured to leave INDIA bloc

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The Aam Aadmi Party convenor claimed that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants AAP to break the ties with the opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections by threatening the officers of possible probe agency action.

"They want us to break the alliance (INDIA). When ED itself has approached the court, then why can't they wait for the court's decision? The matter is in court and they sending summons repeatedly. Informally, we have got messages to break the alliance. We will not leave the INDIA alliance," news agency ANI quoted Kejriwal as saying.

Earlier, several AAP leaders including Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj levelled allegations against the BJP claiming that several AAP leaders received messages and threats over Kejriwal's arrest and possible action by probe agencies like CBI and ED if the party enters into an alliance with Congress or the INDIA bloc for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Read here: AAP's claims less credible than things in chor bazaar: BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla

The ED in its latest summons asked Kejriwal to appear before it on Monday, after he continued to skip interrogation since November last year when he was first asked to depose before the probe agency but did not, alleging the notice was vague, motivated and unsustainable in law.

The ED has also filed a complaint against Kejriwal for disobeying its summons in this case. The court granted Kejriwal an exemption from personally appearing in court until March 16. The Delhi chief minister appeared before the court virtually, submitting that he could not physically appear due to the ongoing Budget session of the Delhi assembly.

Read here: Arvind Kejriwal says he deserves a Nobel prize for running government in Delhi

According to ED, the AAP received huge funds around 100 crore to finalise the liquor excise policy. It was also alleged that a large chunk of this money was used by the party in its Goa election campaign. So far, the probe agency has arrested top AAP leaders - former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh in the case.
The Haryana government will order CBI probe into killing of INLD's Haryana chief Nafe Singh Rathee, state Home Minister Anil Vij said in assembly, PTI reported.



"If the House is only satisfied with a CBI probe, then I assure the members that we will hand over the case to the CBI," Vij was quoted as saying in the assembly.



Rathee, a former MLA, was shot dead along with a party worker by some unidentified assailants in Jhajjar on Sunday. He was travelling when the attackers sprayed bullets on their SUV in Jhajjar's Bahadurgarh town. Three private gunmen hired by Rathee for security also suffered injuries in the attack, news agency PTI had reported.



ALSO READ: First video of Haryana INLD chief's killers surfaces



Earlier in the day, the Haryana assembly speaker had admitted an adjournment motion on law and order as the opposition Congress raised the issue of Rathee's murder and demanded a probe into the incident either by a high court judge or a high court judge-monitored CBI investigation. File photo of Haryana INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee.(Abhay Singh Chautala - X)

Soon after the Question Hour, Congress members raised the issue and demanded a discussion on law and order.



ALSO READ: Abhay Chautala's big claim after Haryana INLD chief shot dead: 6 months ago



On Monday, the Haryana Police booked a former Haryana MLA Naresh Kaushik and 11 other people in connection with Rathee's killing.





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Rathee's family refuses to cremate INLD chief

Rathee's family has refused to cremate his body until those behind the murder were arrested.



The police administration is sitting silent. My family and I are not getting security. My father was demanding security for five years. My father was a national leader. All political parties should have supported my father before he was murdered, Rathee's son Jitendra told ANI.



We will not conduct a post-mortem until the accused are arrested. We have again gotten the names of those people, the slain INLD leader's nephew Kapoor said.



On Sunday, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said that not a single culprit involved in this case will be spared. Police have been instructed to arrest the accused as soon as possible and take strictest action, he added.



(With PTI, ANI inputs)
New Delhi: The Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) postponed its class 12 Chemistry exam that was scheduled on Monday to March 21 citing unforeseen circumstances. The ISC chemistry exam was postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. (Representative photo)

In a public notice issued ahead of the exam the board said that the India School Certificate (ISC) or class 12 Chemistry paper 1 theory exam has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.  The ISC Year 2024 Chemistry Paper 1 (Theory) Examination has been rescheduled for Thursday, 21 March 2024, 2.00 P.M.

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Also Read: ICSE Class 10th final examination begins

You are requested to kindly disseminate this information to all concerned. We thank you for your support in the matter, the notice stated.

The exam was scheduled to begin at 2 pm. So far, there has been no official statement from the board on the reason of postponing the exam.

The ISC exams started on February 12 and will continue till April 3.
The Congress on Monday promised to scrap Agnipath and reintroduce the old system of armed services recruitment if voted back to power, hours after the party chief, Mallikarjun Kharge, wrote to President Droupadi Murmu reiterating concerns over the new scheme, which cuts tenure and offers fewer service benefits. Congress leaders Deepender Singh Hooda and Sachin Pilot. (ANI)

Read here: Can INDIA bloc defeat BJP? Sachin Pilot reveals plan in exclusive interview

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Enrolments under the Agnipath scheme commenced in 2022 despite protests. Agnipath is designed to bring more people into the armed forces on four-year contracts to lower the average age of the military.

Our defence expenditure is increasing...it was recently said that we are earning a lot of money through defence exports...that we are becoming independent and doing indigenous manufacturing. If our defence department is generating so much income, and we are becoming so capable, then the most important thing would be to make resources available for the jobs, recruitment, and families of our brave soldiers available, said Congress leader Sachin Pilot at a press conference he addressed jointly with member of Parliament Deepender Hooda.

Pilot cited Kharges letter and slammed the Agnipath scheme as merely a politicised cost-cutting measure. He alleged that the government has weakened the army.

Pilot questioned if the government could spend 4100 crore on the G-20 summit, 4800 crore on the Prime Ministers plane, 20,000 crore on the Central Vista project, and 6500 crore on advertisements, then messing around with the process of recruitment to save money can become a challenge for Indias security and integrity.

Read here: Agnipath scheme: Regular cadre registration for online CEE begins

Hooda said there was no demand from the army, its leadership, the youth, or any political party to bring the Agnipath scheme. Hooda added there has been a decline in army recruitment from an average of 60-65,000 per year to 45,000 Agniveer recruits in the past year. If the recruitment numbers continue to fall at this rate, our army of 1.4 million will reduce to 800,000 within 10 years, he said.

He added that rather than fulfilling the election promise of One Rank, One Pension, the government implemented a No Rank, No Pension system. He slammed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kailash Vijayvargiya for saying Agniveers would be given jobs as security guards at their offices.

The first adverse effect of this scheme would be that soldiers would return home after four years without a pension. Where will he go? In response, Vijayvargiya said that such youths would be given jobs as security guards at BJP offices.

He said once youths would go to the borders and defend the country by putting their lives at risk. Today, they are forced to go the Dunki route, illegally immigrating...and working as labourers, Hooda said.

Earlier, Kharge in his letter to Murmu highlighted the injustice to almost 200,000 young men and women. He said their future has become uncertain due to the introduction of the new recruitment process. Recently I met them and they told me that between 2019 and 2022, almost two lakh [200,000] young men and women were informed that they had been accepted into the three armed services: the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force, he wrote.

Kharge added these young men and women struggled against odds to pass gruelling mental and physical tests and a written exam. Until 31 May 2022, they believed that they had fulfilled their dreams and were awaiting only their joining letters. On that day, their dreams were shattered by the Government of Indias decision to end this recruitment process and replace it with the Agnipath Scheme.

He added there are many well-known issues with the Agnipath scheme. Former Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane has written that the Army was taken by surprise by Agnipath and that for the Navy and Air Force, it came like a bolt from the blue.

Kharge said the scheme is discriminatory as it creates parallel cadres of soldiers expected to do similar tasks but with very different emoluments, benefits, and prospects. The majority of Agniveers will be released into an uncertain job market after four years of service, which some have argued could affect social stability, he wrote.

Read here: Kharge writes to President Murmu, reiterates concerns over Agnipath scheme

Not only did they spend years in pursuit of this dream, but the 250 each 50 lakh [five million] applicants had to pay to collect an application form was never refunded, which amounts to a hefty 125 crore... The resulting frustration and hopelessness has even led to several reported deaths by suicide.

Kharge said Indias youth cannot be allowed to suffer in this manner. I appeal to you to ensure that NYAY and justice is done.

The Supreme Court last year affirmed the validity of the Agnipath scheme, saying it is neither arbitrary nor does it require judicial interference in the wake of overarching public interest.

Those between 17-and-a-half and 21 are eligible to apply for a four-year tenure under the scheme. Agnipath, which allows 25% of the recruits to be granted regular service, is the only recruitment scheme for people below officer rank.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday announced Indiramma Universal Basic Income Support of 5,000 per month for poor families in Andhra Pradesh. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has announced Indiramma Universal Basic Income Support of  5,000 per month to every poor family in Andhra Pradesh. (X(formerly Twitter))

In a post on X, Kharge said that the income support scheme is the Congress partys guarantee for the people of Andhra Pradesh.

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"Indiramma Universal Basic Income support of 5000 per month to every poor family is Congress partys guarantee for the people of Andhra Pradesh. We will transfer the amount directly in the bank account of the woman of the families. Our guarantee is not like Modi Ki Guarantee, whatever Congress party promises, WE DELIVER !!" wrote Kharge.

ALSO READ| Will Rahul Gandhi contest 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Wayanad? CPI list sparks buzz

Earlier in the day, Kharge addressed Nyay Sadhana Sabha in Andhra Pradesh's Ananthapuram. While addressing the people, he took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"PM Modi always says, Yeh to Modi ki guarantee hai. Where is Modi's guarantee? Have you received 15 lakhs in your bank accounts? Have the farmers' incomes doubled? Has he provided 2 crore jobs?" said the Congress president as quoted by news agency ANI.

"We are helping poorer sections, small traders, farmers, and other workers. Whom is PM Modi helping? He is helping crony capitalists and rich people; this is PM Modi's ideology," he added.

ALSO READ| Denying religious rights to Muslims: Owaisi on Assam repealing British-era marriage act

Continuing his tirade against PM Modi, Kharge appealed to the people to be united and defeat the fascist forces. He claimed that Modi was afraid of the Congress party and its former presidents Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.

"PM Modi always attacks the Congress party. If the Congress party is weak in the country, why are you attacking, abusing, and purchasing our MLAs and MPs? Why are you putting our people behind bars? The zero man is ruling the country. He is like a dictator, and it's our duty to be united and defeat the fascist forces. Only then will our democracy, constitution, people, and fundamental rights be saved," said Kharge.

"He[Modi] always attacks Rahul Gandhi ji and consistently criticises Indira Gandhi ji. Why? Because he is afraid of Rahul Gandhi ji, Sonia Gandhi ji, and Congress," he added.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Assam government over the cabinet's decision to repeal the British-era Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, saying that such a move distances the community from its religious rights and practices. AIMIM national president Asaduddin Owaisi (HT photo)

Read here: Assam assembly passes legislation banning magical healing, opp raises doubts

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Speaking to the reporters, the AIMIM leader said that there's no provision for nikah in the special marriage act, which is denying the community its religious right.

"The BJP government in Assam has done away with the Muslim Marriages Act. Earlier, marriages were registered through qazi or marriage registrar, and people used to get the marriage certificates, now they have removed that system. Theres no provision for nikah in the special marriage act, which is my religious right. They are trying to distance our community from its religious rights and practices," news agency PTI quoted Owaisi as saying.

The Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935, contained provisions allowing marriage registration even if the bride and groom had not reached the legal ages of 18 and 21, as required by law.

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted that he would not allow child marriages in Assam as long as he is alive. "Hear me carefully, as long as I am alive, I will not let child marriage take place in Assam. I will not let this happen as long as Himanta Biswa Sarma is alive...I would like to challenge you politically, I will shut down this shop before 2026.," he said.

Sarma further said that many people were arrested who did child marriage and some of them got imprisonment of 10-15 years. "After the Lok Sabha election, one more drive against child marriage will be conducted in Assam. I will completely end the issue before 2026," he added.

Further, the state assembly passed Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, which aims to prevent non-scientific healing practices and traditional healing done with ulterior motives. From now, no person can take part in any healing practices including claims of magical healing for treatment of any diseases, any disorder or any condition relating to human health directly or indirectly giving a false impression of treatment to cure diseases, pain or trouble to human health.

The bill makes 'magical healing' by any person with sinister motive a cognizable and non-bailable offence, with imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to 1 lakh.

Read here: Muslim Marriage Act: Assam CM Himanta Sarma says won't allow child marriage as long as'

The chief minister also pledged that his government will bring the Uniform Civil Code through the "front door".

The UCC is in Uttarakhand now. The UCC deals with four points -- preventing underage marriage, banning polygamy, inheritance laws and registration of live-in relationships. The UCC does not deal with traditional rituals or practices, the CM said.

(With inputs from agencies)
The Election Commission of India on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Banks Association (IBA) and the Department of Posts (DoP) to step up voter education and outreach ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Election Commission of India office in New Delhi. (Reuters File Photo)

The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Arun Goel. Department of Posts secretary Vineet Pandey, IBA chief executive Sunil Mehta and other officials from the bodies were also present on the occasion.

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The 2019 general elections saw a record-high 67.4% voter turnout, and the Commission aims to improve on that number. Around 300 million electors (out of 910 million), did not cast their votes in 2019, which is why one of the objectives laid out in the SVEEP vision document is to increase the voter turnout to 75% this year through enhanced electoral awareness.

The ECI is planning to reach a wider audience through 1.6 lakh bank branches, over 2 lakh ATMs and 1.55 lakh post offices across the country.

Notably, ECI had recently signed an MoU with the Ministry of Education to formally integrate electoral literacy into the educational curriculum of schools and colleges.

As part of the MoU, IBA and DoP with its members and affiliated institutions/units will display voter education messages prominently on their websites. It will also establish Voter Awareness Fora to engage employees and customers in discussions and initiatives related to voter education.

Banks will display promotional material in the form of posters, flex, and hoarding, providing a touchpoint for election authorities to reach out to voters. The Department of Posts will affix a special cancellation stamp (bearing voter education messages) on the postal articles.

The IBA, formed on 26 September 1946, started with 22 members and now has a strong network of 247 members across the country. Meanwhile, for more than 150 years, the Department of Posts has been the backbone of Indias communication system and has played a crucial role in the countrys social and economic development.
Good evening! Here are the top stories for you to read on February 26 evening. Indian National Lok Dal's Haryana state unit chief Nafe Singh Rathee(File)

CBI probe ordered into INLD Haryana chief's killing

The Haryana government will order CBI probe into killing of INLD's Haryana chief Nafe Singh Rathee, state Home Minister Anil Vij said in assembly, PTI reported. "If the House is only satisfied with a CBI probe, then I assure the members that we will hand over the case to the CBI," Vij was quoted as saying in the assembly. Rathee, a former MLA, was shot dead along with a party worker by some unidentified assailants in Jhajjar on Sunday. He was travelling when the attackers sprayed bullets on their SUV in Jhajjar's Bahadurgarh town. Three private gunmen hired by Rathee for security also suffered injuries in the attack, news agency PTI had reported. Full Story

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Himanta's vow against child marriages in Assam

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday asserted that he will not allow child marriages in the state and will repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 as long as he is alive. Hitting out at the Opposition in the state assembly, Himanta Biswa Sarma pledged that he would eliminate child marriage in the state before 2026. Himanta Biswa Sarma's comments came as the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) walked out of the assembly, protesting against the state cabinet's decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935. Full Story

Maryam Nawaz is new Pak Punjab CM

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice president Maryam Nawaz was elected as the chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province on Monday after the nomination papers of the former and Sunni Ittehad Council's (SIC) Rana Aftab were declared valid by the election commission after scrutiny, ARY news has reported. The session, which began after a delay of 30 minutes, was presided over by newly-elected Punjab assembly speaker Malik Ahmad Khan. Maryam Nawaz had earlier pledged to live up to the expectations of the people. Maryam is the first-ever female chief minister in Pakistans history who won the elections after receiving the backing of 220 MPAs in the provincial assembly, Geo News reported on Monday. Full Story



India puncture Bazball hype to clinch home series vs England

Youngsters Dhruv Jurel and Shubman Gill overcame a tricky period of play to see India through to a 5-wicket win over England on Day 4 of the Ranchi Test and thus seal the series with an unassailable 3-1 lead. India, who went into stumps overnight at 40/1 and needed to knock off another 152, lost four wickets for 21 runs and seemed rocked, before Jurel and Gill saw took them over the line with an unbeaten 72-run partnership. Full Story

Randeep Hooda shares prep experience for Savarkar biopic

Randeep Hooda is sharing the experience of preparing to play the freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in the movie Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. In his new Instagram post on Monday, the actor shared a bunch of new pictures where he was seen visiting a cell in Kalapani where Savarkar was locked up. He revealed that he had locked himself up in the jail to feel what he must have gone through in the cell. Full Story


Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday skipped the seventh summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), seeking to question him in the money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22. According to AAP, the probe agency should wait for a court order instead of issuing summons repeatedly to Kejriwal. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal (File Photo)

The ED issued its latest summons to Kejriwal asking him to appear before it on February 26, after he continued to skip interrogation since November 2 last year when he was first asked to depose before the probe agency but did not, alleging the notice was vague, motivated and unsustainable in law.

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The second summon was issued on December 18, the third one on January 3, the fourth on January 18, the fifth summon was issued on February 2, and the sixth one on February 19. However, the Delhi CM skipped all the summons, terming them as "illegal" and wrote to the ED seeking their withdrawal.

Meanwhile, the probe agency also filed a complaint against Kejriwal for disobeying its summons in this case.

Delhi excise policy case

The Delhi government had come up with an excise policy in 2021-22 aiming to revitalise the city's flagging liquor business by replacing the sales-volume-based regime with a license fee for traders, and promised swankier stores, free of the infamous metal grilles, ultimately giving customers a better buying experience. However, the policy was scrapped after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena sought a CBI probe into the policy alleging irregularities.

According to ED, the Kejriwal-led AAP received kickbacks to the tune of 100 crore to finalise the excise policy. It was also alleged that a large chunk of this money was used by the party in its Goa election campaign.

So far, the ED has arrested top AAP leaders - former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh in the case.
NEW DELHI: India expects foreign authorities to act against Khalistani activists involved in activities such as violent protests or acts of arson targeting Indian missions, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Monday. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said acts by Khalistani activists such as throwing smoke bombs at an embassy or consulates and advocating violence and separatism against a friendly state cannot be condoned under freedom of speech (ANI)

Acts by Khalistani activists such as throwing smoke bombs at an embassy or consulates and advocating violence and separatism against a friendly state cannot be condoned under freedom of speech, Jaishankar said.

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Read: US judge denies request by Gupta for defence materials in Pannun case

In recent months, India has urged the governments of Australia, Canada, the UK and the US to take action against Khalistani supporters who have been involved in violent protests or arson targeting Indian missions. This has included violent protests outside the Indian high commission in London and an attempt to burn down the consulate in San Francisco.

If a receiving state does not investigate and take action against someone who attacks our embassy and consulates, there is a message in it. I do not think it is good for any of these countries to send that kind of message for their own reputation, Jaishankar told a media conclave.

We expect the culprits in the attack on our consulate in San Francisco to be brought to book, we expect action against people who stormed into our high commission in London and we expect [action against] people who threaten our diplomats, he said.

Read: Hindu temple in US defaced with pro-Khalistani slogans, Jarnail Singh's name

Freedom of speech cannot extend to intimidating diplomats, Jaishankar said. This is not freedom of speech, this is misuse of freedom of speech, he added.

The high commission in London did not get the kind of protection which India expected, though things have since improved in the UK, Jaishankar said. We find today that in many countries, we have had a much firmer response in Australia and in the US. We had an arson attack in the US but that is under investigation, he said.

In the case of Canada, India had to suspend issuing visas to Canadian citizens because Indian diplomats were not safe going to work. Our diplomats were repeatedly threatened, they were intimidated in many ways and we got very little comfort from the Canadian system at that time. It has improved since then, he said.

That part of it has been rectified. Today, our visa operations are pretty much normal, he added.

Read: In botched murder plot, a few tough questions

Jaishankar also spoke about the strained ties between India and China because of the military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since May 2020. He said both countries are rising and changing the world order through their rise.

It makes it, therefore, very complicated to create an equilibrium. So it is like, this is dynamic, that is dynamic. How do they maintain stability while both are moving vis-a-vis the world order? he said.

The two sides tried to maintain equilibrium through understandings in the 1990s to manage the LAC and the border areas and then to build the rest of the relationship, he said. They also sought to engage diplomatically, including the informal summits at Wuhan and Mamallapuram.

In Mamallapuram, there was very frank talking between the leaders. But what happened in 2020 was China, for whatever reason, chose to move military forces in disregard of agreements. That called for a different response for the equilibrium, he said.

India responded to Chinas stance by moving its forces to the LAC. So from 2020, you have an equilibrium, one part of which is the military posture in the border areas, one part of it today obviously is the political relationship impacted by this border situation, one part of it is also the economic measures that we have taken, he added.

India is now focused on building deep strengths, including its defence industry and the ability to deploy on the borders, which can only be done by building infrastructure. Frankly, till 2014, our average expenditure on the China border was about 3500 crore, today, it is almost 15,000 crore, Jaishankar said.
An unofficial fact-finding team was halted by police from reaching Sandeshkhali in Bengal, the Trinamool Congress announced a mega rally days after the Prime Minister is expected to arrive in the state, and the party lashed out at the judiciary as the political war over the besieged Southern Bengal block escalated on Sunday. A member of the fact-finding committee being taken into custody on Sunday. (ANI)

Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the judiciary, accusing the judges of shielding Sheikh Shahjahan, who belongs to his party and has been at the heart of allegations that he ran a criminal enterprise in Sandeshkhali, where he grabbed peoples lands, forced them to work at exploitative wages and had his acquaintances assault  including rape  people who spoke up.

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The judiciary is guarding Sheikh Shahjahan  and I put this on record  so that Sandeshkhali remains on the boil, remains in the headlines. The TMC government will not spare anyone if the allegations are genuine but the Calcutta high court has tied the hands of the police, Banerjee, the nephew of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, said on Sunday evening.

Sandeshkhali, a block with several villages nestled between lakes and marshes of the lower Ganga wetlands, has been rocked by violent protests since February 7, when villagers descended upon poultry farm linked to Shahjahans aide and set it alight.

The issue has since emerged at the heart of a political war, led by the opposition BJP which has accused Trinamool of protecting its cadre.

The matter could remain in the spotlight with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to visit the state on March 6 to campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, although the venue of his programme has not yet been disclosed.

Banerjee named several judges to allege what he said was a conspiracy to benefit the BJP. His contention was that the court stayed action by state police on Shahjahan, who was involved in a separate controversy with federal investigation agency Enforcement Directorate.

Shahjahans aides attacked an ED team on January 5, after which he went underground. How can the police arrest anyone with the stay orders in force? Why are BJP leaders not going to Sandeshkhali together? Why are they planning separate visits? They have been asked to keep the issue alive till the Prime Minister is here, Banerjee said, as he hit out both at high court judges and the BJP.

Reacting to Banerjees comments, Bengal BJPs chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said: Humiliating the judiciary has become the essence of TMCs politics. Let us see when the Bengal governor decides to take action. The total Constitutional machinery in Bengal has collapsed.

On the ground in Sandeshkhali, the situation remained on the edge. Partha Bhowmick, state irrigation minister, and Sujit Bose, the state fire and emergency services minister, visited some of the areas where protests took place but the agitation continued in at least three villages of the Sandeshkhali-2 community block.

On Sunday, the party sacked Ajit Maiti, a local TMC leader who was made secretary of the anchal (zonal) at Sandeskhali on Saturday, after villagers accused him of helping Shahjahan grab farmlands over the last few years.

Maiti had locked himself inside a neighbours home to escape angry villagers before police took him into custody on Sunday. Maiti initially told the media he was innocent but changed his statements every hour till police whisked him away.

I was in BJP. TMC workers forced me to join the ruling party after 2019, he said before being taken away.

Also on Sunday an independent fact-finding committee led by former chief justice of Patna high court L Narasimha Reddy was stopped by police from proceeding to Sandeshkhali.

The police cited Section 144 CrPC, which prohibits gathering of multiple people, as they stopped the teams convoy at the Bhojerhat area, around 52km from the riverine area, on Basanti Highway.

Reddy, accompanied by former IPS officer Raj Pal Singh, former National Commission for Women member Charu Wali Khanna, advocates OP Vyas and Bhavna Bajaj, and senior journalist Sanjeev Nayak, sat on the wayside, adamant on wanting to proceed before they were detained by police and taken in a vehicle, and later released.

This is completely illegal. We have told the police personnel as law-abiding citizens we will not break rules. No curfew has been imposed in Sandeshkhali. So we can go in two groups. At least two of our women members should be allowed to visit the females who had bore the brunt of atrocities of musclemen enjoying political patronage and impunity from police action in all these days till the media unravelled the shocking truth, Reddy said.

Claiming they were given a copy of the Section 144 order as they set off for the journey, he said The administration cannot stop civil society members of the country to interact with victims of human rights violation. What they (administration) are scared to hide.
Farmers protest LIVE Updates: Farmers will hold a tractor march to Delhi as well as participate in several seminars held by SKM and KMM.

Farmers protest highlights: Farmers belonging to the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Tikait and BKU LokShakti are set to embark on a journey from Noida to Delhi today to push for a law ensuring a minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce. This move follows recent protests by two other farmers' groups, the Bhartiya Kisan Parishad and All India Kisan Sabha, who demonstrated at NTPC Noida and in front of the Greater Noida Authority office in the city....Read More

We plan to line up tractors from Greater Noida to the Noida side and march along the Yamuna Expressway, moving towards the Chilla border via the Noida Expressway, BKU Tikait president (West UP) Pawan Khatana said.

Khatana mentioned that farmers from numerous villages will gather at the toll plaza located in Greater Noida and from there they will proceed towards the Chilla border.

Earlier, the farmers took out a candle march after the death of farmer leaders amid the agitation. They also said that effigies of the World Trade Organization and the Centre will be burnt on Monday. Several meetings of SKM (Non-Political) and KMM will also be held.

The farmers said that the cremation of farmer leader Shubhkaran Singh is on hold until the Punjab government registers a case against those deemed responsible. Despite Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann's announcement of compensation and a job for Shubhkaran's sister, farmer leaders insisted on legal action against the culprits before proceeding with cremation. They accused the government of pressuring Shubhkaran's family into agreeing to the cremation without fulfilling their demands.
A total of 37 individuals were rescued from a commercial centre in Mumbai on Monday after a fire broke out in the building. A fire broke out at a commercial centre in Mumbai on Monday, said BMC's Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB). (Representational picture)(File photo)

The Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) received a call regarding the fire outbreak at the Options Commercial Centre in Santacruz West at 5.22pm.

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"Nobody is injured in the fire which broke out at around 5:15 pm," an official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. The official said that the blaze was confined to electric wiring and installations on the second floor.

The fire was primarily confined to electric wiring and installations on the second-floor gala of the commercial building, which spans over two basement levels, a ground floor, and two upper floors.

ALSO READ| Maratha activist Jarange-Patil ends 17-day-long hunger strike, says agitation is on

Four fire engines, one Mobile Fire Tender (MFT), one Quick Response Vehicle (QRV), one Aerial Work Platform (AWTT), two Jet Tanks (JT), and one Turn Table Ladder (TTL) were dispatched to the scene.

As many as 37 persons who were trapped on the second floor and terrace of the building were rescued with the help of the fire brigade.
The lone Congress MP in Jharkhand Geeta Koda joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday in the presence of state unit chief Babulal Marandi. Geeta Koda, the wife of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, was reportedly unhappy with alliances forged by the Congress party in the state, according to news agency ANI. Congress MP from Singhbhum Geeta Koda joins the BJP.

On her reason for quitting Congress, Geeta Koda accused the grand old party of resorting to politics of appeasement.

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"The Congress has pushed the country into ruins. The Congress is only doing appeasement politics. On one hand, they claim they want to take everyone along, but the fact remains they care for none and are only concerned about their family. There is no point in staying in a party that is least concerned about people. I have decided to serve people in future with the BJP. I would contribute in whatever capacity the party requires me to. Will contribute in fulfilling the dream of Prime Minister Modi to make India Viksit Bharat," Geeta said.

Geeta Koda's move ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections is seen as a major setback to the Congress party, which had won just one seat in the tribal-dominated state in the last general elections. Geeta Koda held her own in an election otherwise swept by the Narendra Modi-led BJP juggernaut.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Koda defeated her nearest rival Laxman Giluwa of the BJP by over 72,000 votes. She secured more than 49 per cent of the total votes polled while Giluwa received nearly 41 per cent of the votes.

Read: Why are Jharkhand Congress MLAs upset with ruling JMM?

BJP Jharkhand president Babulal Marandi had questioned the existence of the opposition INDIA bloc and termed the group an amalgamation of "corrupt people".

INDI alliance was not in existence, and in the future as well, it will not come into existence. Mamata Banerjee is saying that she will not be giving any seats to the left and Congress in West Bengal. Arvind Kejriwal has also clarified his stance on Punjab and Haryana, saying that he will not be doing seat sharing.

To be sure, AAP and Congress recently announced seat-sharing in Delhi, Gujarat, Goa, Haryana, and Chandigarh.

When asked about the BJP's performance in Jharkhand in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, Marandi had said, "Last time the NDA alliance won 12 seats and missed two seats, this time we are going to win those two seats as well, and we are preparing for the same."

(With inputs from Vishal Kant in Ranchi)
The Allahabad high court on Monday dismissed the Gyanvapi Mosque committee's appeal challenging the Varanasi district court's decision to offer prayers in a cellar in the Gyanvapi mosque complex. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal of the Allahabad HC pronounced the judgment. A priest offers prayers at 'Vyas Ji Ki Tehkhana' after the Varanasi court's judgment to allow Hindu devotees to worship inside the sealed basement of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, in Varanasi(ANI)

After going through the entire records of the case and after considering arguments of the parties concerned, the court did not find any ground to interfere in the judgment passed by the district judge dated 17.01.2024 appointing DM, Varanasi as receiver of the property as well as the order dated 31.01.2024 by which the district court had permitted Puja in the Tehkhana, Justice Agarwal said while pronouncing its verdict.

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Hailing the verdict, Advocate Prabhash said that it is a big victory of the Sanatana Dharma. The judge dismissed the pleas that the Muslim side had filed against the District Judge's order...It means that the puja will continue as it is. District Magistrate will continue as the Receiver of the 'Tehkhana'They (Muslim side) can go for a review of the decision. Puja will continue, he told news agency ANI.

Another Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who is representing the Hindu side, said, Today, the Allahabad High Court has dismissed the first appeal from orders of Anjuman Intezamia which was directed against the order of 17th and 31st January and the effect of the order is that the ongoing puja in the 'Vyas Tehkhana' of Gyanvapi complex will continue. If the Anjuman Intezamia comes to the Supreme Court, we will file our caveat before the top court, he said.

The Varanasi court on January 31 had ruled that the Hindu side can offer prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque - the Vyas Tehkhana. The court had also directed the district magistrate to make arrangements for puja and a pujari nominated by Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust.

Following this, the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee, which manages Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, filed a plea before the Allahabad high court on February 1, challenging the Varanasi court's decision. This came shortly after the Supreme Court refused to urgently hear the mosque committee's plea.

Notably, the mosque has four 'tahkhanas' (cellars) in the basement, of which one is still in the possession of the Vyas family, who used to live there.

However, according to the mosque committee, the Vyas Tehkhana was under their possession as being a part of the mosque premises, and that the Vyas family or anyone else does not have any right to worship inside the Tehkhana.

Meanwhile, the Hindu side claimed that the Vyas family conducted religious ceremonies in the basement until 1993, but they had to discontinue it in compliance with a directive from the state government.

Asaduddin Owaisi slams Varanasi court's decision

Earlier, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi called the Varanasi court's decision to allow Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the mosque complex a violation of the Places of Worship Act.

The judge who gave the decision was his last day before retirement. The judge appointed the District Magistrate as receiver on January 17 and finally, he has directly given the verdict. He said that no prayers had been offered since 1993. It has been 30 years. How does he know there is an idol inside? This is a violation of the Places of Worship ActHe has ordered to open the grills within 7 days. 30 days should have been given to make an appeal. This is a wrong decision, he said.
The Allahabad high court on Monday dismissed the Gyanvapi Mosque panels appeal challenging the Varanasi district judges orders last month allowing Hindu prayers in the masjids southern cellar and naming the local district magistrate (DM) as its caretaker. The Gyanvapi Mosque complex. (PTI)

That after going through the entire records of the case and after considering arguments of the parties concerned, the court did not find any ground to interfere in the judgement passed by the district judge dated 17.01.2024 appointing DM, Varanasi, as receiver of the property as well as the order dated 31.01.2024 by which the district court had permitted Puja in the Tehkhana [cellar], said Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal.

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On February 15, Justice Agarwal reserved the judgment after hearing both parties for four days.

The Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi Mosque, on February 1 filed the appeal after the Supreme Court refused to urgently hear the matter. It has maintained the cellar has been under its possession as a part of the mosque premises.

The Hindu side has claimed that the Vyas family conducted religious ceremonies in the cellar until 1993. District judge AK Vishvesha granted the family the right to resume prayers in the southern cellar, saying that the petitioner Shailendra Kumar Pathak Vyas, and a priest appointed by the Kashi Vishwanath trust, which manages the temple next door, will be allowed to enter the premises.

The mosque committee unsuccessfully argued that the Hindu suits were barred by the 1991 Places of Worship Act, which locks the religious character of shrines as they existed on August 15, 1947, except the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid complex.
???? #AgendaPresidencial | La presidenta Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra presidira la sesion del Consejo de Ministros. #BicentenarioPeru2024 #ConPunchePeru ?? pic.twitter.com/y6rsYzMOCm
HT brings you a round-up of the most important and interesting stories, so you dont miss your daily dose of news. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses at a public meeting, in Rajkot, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (PTI)

1) Modi inaugurates mega infra projects in Gujarat

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated infrastructure projects worth thousands of crores of rupees in Gujarats Rajkot and Dwarka besides virtually launching medical facilities across 23 states and Union territories.

The prime minister inaugurated the Sudarshan Setu, connecting the Okha mainland and the Beyt Dwarka island, built at a cost of around 980 crore. The 2.32km cable-stayed bridge is the longest of its kind in the country, the PMO said in a statement. Sudarshan Setu boasts a unique design, featuring a footpath adorned with verses from the Bhagavad Gita and images of Lord Krishna on both sides, it said. It has solar panels installed on the upper portions of the footpath, the statement said. Before the construction of the bridge, pilgrims had to rely on boat transport to reach Beyt Dwarka.

There was a time when all the major programmes of the country used to take place in Delhi only. I took the government of India out from Delhi to every corner of the country, the Prime Minister said. Read more.

Link:

2) Sandeshkhali: Why was fact-finding delegation arrested in West Bengal?

An unofficial fact-finding team was halted by police from reaching Sandeshkhali in Bengal, the Trinamool Congress announced a mega rally days after the Prime Minister is expected to arrive in the state, and the party lashed out at the judiciary as the political war over the besieged Southern Bengal block escalated on Sunday.

Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the judiciary, accusing the judges of shielding Sheikh Shahjahan, who belongs to his party and has been at the heart of allegations that he ran a criminal enterprise in Sandeshkhali, where he grabbed peoples lands, forced them to work at exploitative wages and had his acquaintances assault  including rape  people who spoke up. Read more.

3) Jarange Patil alleges plot to kill him, Fadnavis dismisses claim

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday warned the Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil to not to test the patience of the state government despite giving the 10% reservation to the community after the latter made serious allegations against deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis that he wants to end the Maratha influence in the state. While speaking to the reporters on the eve of the session of the Maharashtra legislature, the chief minister also took a jibe at the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray while responding to Jarange. Read more.

4) Indian journalist killed in New York

A 27-year-old Indian national died in a fire incident that broke out in an apartment building in New York's Harlem on Friday. The deceased has been identified as Fazil Khan. The Indian Embassy in New York on Sunday morning extended its support and said that they are in touch with the victim's family and friends to repatriate his mortal remains back to India. Read more.

5) Dhruv Jurel spectacularly fulfils father's wish during 4th Test

Dhruv Jurel made a statement with a composed 90-run innings in just his second Test match during Day 3 in Ranchi against England. After reaching his half-century shortly into the start of the third day of the Test, Jurel paid tribute to his father, a Kargil war veteran. His innings was more than just a display of skill; it was a soldier's son fulfilling his father's wish while guiding his team out of a challenging situation against a strong England side. Jurel's determination to succeed at the highest level was evident as he shepherded the lower-order batters with unwavering resolve. Read more.
A professor of Indian origin in the United Kingdom who was denied entry into India has hit back at those calling her names on social media, saying the humiliation was not hers but that of a ridiculous insecure regime. UK professor Nitasha Kaul said she was denied entry to India and was harassed for hours at Bangalore airport.

A controversy erupted Sunday after Nitasha Kaul, a London-based Kashmiri Pandit professor, claimed she was denied entry upon landing at Bengaluru airport and was subsequently deported without being given any reason by immigration officials except we cannot do anything, orders from Delhi.

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She further claimed that she received no notice or information in advance from the Indian government that she would not be allowed to enter the country.

Kaul was invited by the Karnataka government as a speaker at a two-day 'Constitution and National Unity Convention -2024'. Her bio on the social media platform states that she is a novelist, writer and poet, among other things.

Who is Nitasha Kaul, Indian-origin UK-based professor denied entry to India?

The Karnataka BJP was quick to label the professor an "anti-India element" and a part of what it called a Break India Brigade. The BJP also went on to label Kaul a "Pakistani sympathiser" and posted headings of a couple of her writings on X.

Highly Disgusting of the @siddaramaiah govt to whitewash the crimes of TUKDE TUKDE GANG by inviting its sympathizer Nitasha Kaul for a talk on Constitution & Unity of India, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said on X.

A known terrorist sympathizer & one who constantly spews venom & disseminates anti-India propaganda in connivance with the enemies of the Indian state is accorded a RED carpet welcome by the @INCIndia ruled Karnataka govt is Highly Condemnable & an Unpardonable crime, the Shikaripura MLA said.

Hitting back, Kaul on Monday said in a post, I am not married to a Pakistani, not Muslim convert, not a pawn of China, not a puppet of West, not a commie, not a jihadi, not Pak sympathiser, not terrorist supporter, not anti-India, not part of a gang.

I am what authoritarians fear- a thinking woman.

My experience was harrowing, but the humiliation is not mine, it is that of a ridiculous insecure regime, she added.
New Delhi The Supreme Court on Monday told the Centre that denying permanent commission to a woman Coast Guard officer on the ground that it is functionally different from the Indian Army and Indian Navy cannot be accepted in todays times, indicating that the court will step in if the government fails to remedy the situation. The Supreme Court was hearing a case related to Priyanka Tyagi, who served in the Coast Guard. (ANI)

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud said, If you dont do it, we will do it, while hearing a petition filed by a short service commission Coast Guard navigator Priyanka Tyagi, who was released after her 14-year stint with the force in December last year without being considered for permanent commission (PC).

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Attorney general (AG) R Venkataramani, appearing for the Union government, and said that the Centre is open to reviewing the matter, and has constituted a board in November last year to consider structural changes in the force. The Coast Guard is functionally different from the navy and army. A board has been set up as structural changes are needed. The board is looking into the matter, the AG said.

But the bench, also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, replied: All this functionally different argument will not work in todays times. It posted the matter for Friday.

Tyagi served for 14 years and rose in the ranks from her initial appointment as assistant commandant in 2009 to Commandant (junior grade). While dealing with her case on February 19, the court had sought the Centres response and termed the Centres reluctance to see women short service commission officers in Coast Guard to be patriarchal. The times have gone when you said women cannot be in Coast Guard. If women can guard borders, they can even guard the coasts, and admonished the Centre for not translating talk of women-empowerment into action.

In February 2020, the top court gave a landmark ruling in Babita Punia judgement paving the way for women short service commission officers to be eligible for permanent commission in non-combat streams of Army and Air Force at par with their male counterparts.

Following this, results of Army selection board, de-classified on November 19, 2020, revealed that out of 615 women SSCOs, only 422 candidates were found fit on merits. This led to the second round of proceedings filed by Army women SSCOs before the top court. In Lt Col Nitisha v Union of India decided in March 2021, the assessment criteria followed by Army was struck down as discriminatory and based on gender stereotypes.

ALSO READ- Goa: Coast Guard carries out medical evacuation of Mexican national from cruise ship

Relief for woman navy officer Earlier in the day, another bench headed by CJI Chandrachud used its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to direct the Indian Navy to constitute a selection board to give a third look on the petition by a lady JAG (judge advocate general) SSC officer ex-Commodore Seema Chaudhary. Under the rules governing SSC, an officer is entitled to be considered twice, or in other words two looks, which Seema exhausted, each time being denied permanent commission.

She even lost her legal battle before the Supreme Court on October 20, 2020, when the top court endorsed the Indian Navys decision to deny her absorption. But the officer filed a review petition that was listed on Monday in open court before a bench of the CJI and justice Hima Kohli.

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, assisted by advocate Javedur Rehman, submitted that the petitioner is the lone officer to be considered for PC among officers commissioned pre-2008, governed by the policy of February 1999. It was argued that on two opportunities when she was denied PC, the navy selection board assessed her inter-se merit with batches of 2011 and 2014. She relied on the common judgment passed by the top court in March 2020 in the Annie Nagaraja case that paved the way for navy women to be considered at par with male SSC officers for permanent commission.

ALSO READ- Indian Coast Guard Assistant Commandant Recruitment 2024: Apply for 70 posts from today

The navy was represented by senior advocate R Balasubramanian, who pointed out that the law stood complied as she has been considered twice for permanent commission and rejected on both occasions. She got her release letter in August 2020, and four years have since lapsed since she exited from the force, he added.

But the bench, which asked for a selection board to be constituted within two months, said: We cannot grant her permanent commission. But we will make sure she will leave our court with a smile. They are all officers who have served our nation.
The Union home secretary and the state/Union Territory home secretary must now destroy records, including orders, related to interception, monitoring and decryption of information within six months under the Information Technology Act, 2000, the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) notified in the gazette on Monday. Home secretaries mandated to destroy interception records every six months under IT Act. (Representative Image)

In the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules, 2009, in rule 23, in sub-rule (1), for the words security agency, the words competent authority and the security agency shall be substituted, the operational part of the gazette notification said.

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ALSO READ- IT ministry looks to block Proton Mail on request of Tamil Nadu police

Rule 23 deals with destruction of records of interception, monitoring or decryption of information.

Every record, including electronic records pertaining to such directions for interception or monitoring or decryption of information and of intercepted or monitored or decrypted information shall be destroyed by the security agency in every six months except in a case where such information is required, or likely to be required for functional requirements, rule 23(1) says.

It is my understanding that this amendment would add the Union/State/UT Home Secretaries as authorities --- in addition to the ten central agencies previously notified by the MHA in 2018 --- required to destroy every record that is no longer needed to be kept for functional requirements, Pranesh Prakash, affiliated fellow at the Yale Information Society Project, said.

On December 20, 2018, the MHA, through an order, had authorised ten security and intelligence agencies to intercept, monitor and decrypt information under Section 69 of the IT Act, and consequently required them to destroy such records within six months as per the 2009 Rules. These ten agencies are: Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Bureau, Enforcement Directorate, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Central Bureau of Investigation, National Investigation Agency, Research and Analysis Wing/Cabinet Secretariat, Directorate of Signal Intelligence (only for service areas of Jammu and Kashmir, North-East and Assam), and the Delhi Police Commissioner.

Intermediaries, under rule 23(2), are required to destroy records of directions to intercept within two months of ceasing to intercept, monitor or decrypt while maintaining extreme secrecy.

NIAs computers are critical information infrastructure, to be protected by NCIIPC

MeitY also notified that all computer resources used by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for its information and office management system must be protected as critical information infrastructure under Section 70 of the Information Technology Act, 2000. This means that the cybersecurity of the NIA will be the responsibility of the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC), a unit of the National technical Research Organisation (NTRO) which is under the Prime Ministers Office (PMO).

ALSO READ- 373 govt websites hacked between Jan18 and Sep23: MeitY tells House panel

Hacking into NIAs systems, or accessing them without authorised access, can now thus be punished with a jail term of up to ten years and a fine.

Only three types of individuals who have been authorised in writing by the NIA will have access to NIAs computer systems: designated employees of the NIA, team members of contractors or third party vendors for need-based access, and any consultant, regulator, government official, auditor and stakeholder on case to case basis.

Under the IT Act, critical information infrastructure is defined as the computer resource, the incapacitation or destruction of which, shall have debilitating impact on national security, economy, public health or safety.

The NCIIPC is responsible for the cybersecurity of entities in seven critical sectors: government, power and energy, transport, banking, financial services and insurance, telecom, strategic and public enterprises, and healthcare.
HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday released Krishna water into the Kuppam branch canal, fulfilling a long-pending demand of the people of the assembly segment that has voted arch-rival N Chandrababu Naidu since 1989. Jagan Mohan Reddy accused TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu of completely neglecting the constituency that voted for him for more than three decades (X/YSRCParty)

Addressing a huge public meeting after releasing water at Rajupet village of Chittoor districts Ramakuppam block, the chief minister said the government worked with a strong commitment to the development of the constituency which had been completely neglected by Naidus Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government.

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Jagan said his government has upgraded Kuppam from a panchayat to a municipality, besides establishing a revenue division and a police sub-division for the constituency.

He pointed out that the previous TDP government had given administrative sanction to the Kuppam branch canal in 2015 but abandoned it later. But our government strived hard to bring Krishna water to Kuppam, 540 km upstream and 670 km away from Srisailam as part of the Handri Neeva project, he said.

The 123.641 km long canal was constructed for 560.29 crore to strengthen the command area connecting 110 minor irrigation tanks in the Kuppam constituency, providing irrigation to 6,300 acres in the constituency, besides providing drinking water to 4.02 lakh people.

He said 66 crore has been sanctioned for various development works in Kuppam municipality and 100 crore for development works in four blocks of the constituency, besides giving administrative approvals for the construction of 215 crore reservoir as part of the Palar project.

We have also given administrative approvals for the construction of two more reservoirs at Madanapalle and Yamiganipalle at a cost of 535 crore. These reservoirs will irrigate an additional 5000 acres, he said.

Accusing Chandrababu Naidu of completely neglecting the constituency that voted for him for more than three decades, Jagan asked whether Naidu deserved to represent the Kuppam constituency. He has lost his eligibility to be your MLA, he said.

The chief minister said his government disbursed 1,400 crores directly to the bank accounts of women beneficiaries in the Kuppam constituency over the last five years, through transparency and without any bias or corruption, through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

The people of Kuppam can check their bank statements to witness the tangible assistance provided by the government to their accounts over the 57-month tenure, demonstrating the substantial financial aid received, he said.

Jagan appealed to the people of Kuppam to vote for YSRCP candidate K J Y Bharat, an OBC candidate, as their representative. I will give him a ministerial position in my cabinet. Together, we vow to bring further development and welfare initiatives to the Kuppam constituency through him, he said.

TDP spokesman Kommareddy Pattabhi could not be reached for a reaction.
Lakhs of women arrived in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, on Sunday to observe Attukal Pongala, people familiar with the development said. At least 3,000 police personnel were deployed in different parts of the city to oversee traffic and other arrangements, said officials familiar with the matter. Devotees offer prayers before lighting the fire during the Attukal Pongala festival, in Thiruvananthapuram (PTI)

The devotees offered the pongala (a type of rice pudding) cooked in earthen pots on brick hearths to the Attukal goddess as part of the temple festival in the state capital.

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Dubbed as one of the biggest gatherings of women in the world, the Attukal Pongala is attended by women from different parts of Kerala and neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu. The goddess at the centuries-old Attukal Devi temple is worshipped by the devotees in the form of Bhadrakali or Kannaki to whom the pongal offering is made on the ninth day of the 10-day festival at the temple, said the people.

Women, clad in traditional veshti mundu, began setting up hearths in various parts of the city before dawn, with the Indian Railways and the state-run KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) providing special services for their convenience, said the officials familiar with the mater. Despite early showers, the day brightened up, and festivities commenced around 10:30 am, with the chief priest transferring the sacred fire from the sanctum sanctorum to the Pandara Aduppu (hearth within the temple), said the people.

The pongala payasam, a rice pudding made with red rice, jaggery, banana, ghee, and coconut, boiled over in earthen pots as part of the ritual. The event concluded around 2:30 pm with the offering of pongala payasam to the goddess, followed by a similar offering by the women, said one of the people quoted above.

At least 3,000 police personnel were deployed across the city to oversee traffic and other arrangements, said an official. Around 500 buses operated services both within and outside the city, said the official. The Suchitwa Mission, the state governments sanitation department, imposed green protocols for the event and asked the public to avoid using plastic. The Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, like every year, has been engaged in clearing the waste, especially the brick kilns, from the roads after the event.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday announced that the Congress, if voted to power in Andhra Pradesh in the coming assembly elections, would extend financial assistance of 5,000 per month to every poor household in the state. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and APCC president Y.S. Sharmila during a public meeting at Anantapur in Anantapuramu on Monday. (Mohammed Aleemuddin)

Kickstarting the partys election campaign at a public rally  Nyaya Sadhana Sabha (meeting to achieve justice to the people)  at Anantapur town, Kharge said the guarantee, which was named as Indiramma Abhayam, would be implemented in letter and spirit.

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ALSO READ- Kharge writes to President Murmu, reiterates concerns over Agnipath scheme

I have come here not to appease rich and mighty. I am here to announce a new scheme for the poor people of Andhra Pradesh and give them a guarantee in the coming elections for their upliftment, the AICC chief said.

Stating that if the Congress gives a guarantee, it will definitely implement it, he said the Indiramma Abhayam scheme would have a long-lasting imprint in the hearts of the people. We shall implement the scheme whole-heartedly, he said.

The AICC chief also announced that if the Congress was voted to power, PCC president YS Sharmila would become the chief minister. Andhra Pradesh had produced the most popular leader like YS Rajasekhar Reddy, who made the entire country proud with his welfare schemes. His daughter is now heading the State Congress. One day or the other, she will become the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, he said.

ALSO READ- Modi's Raebareli dig: Congress shahi family did politics, I gave AIIMS

He alleged that Andhra Pradesh was meted out injustice for the last 10 years, as both the Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress party had failed to get any funds for the development of the state.

Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kharge said not a single day passed without the Prime Minister taking the name of the Congress and hurling abuses at Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. He says there is no Congress in the country. Why is then he destabilising the Congress governments and poaching our party MLAs? he asked.

He said Modi was a big threat to the Indian Constitution and democracy.

He has become a tyrant and is creating a panicky atmosphere in the country. He claims the country has developed only after he became the Prime Minister. This is ridiculous, Kharge said.

The AICC chief said the Prime Minister had conveniently ignored granting special category status to AP and neglected Polavaram project. Unfortunately, neither the TDP nor the YSRCP had the guts to question Modi, the Congress criticised.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday wrote to President Droupadi Murmu reiterating concerns over the Agnipath scheme for armed services recruitment, which cuts tenure and offers fewer service benefits. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge. (X)

Enrolments under the scheme commenced in 2022 despite protests. Agnipath is designed to bring more people into the armed forces on four-year contracts to lower the average age of the military.

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Kharge highlighted the injustice to almost 200,000 young men and women. He said their future has become uncertain due to the ending of the regular recruitment process. Recently I met them and they told me that between 2019 and 2022, almost two lakh [200,000] young men and women were informed that they had been accepted into the three armed services: the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force, he wrote.

Kharge added these young men and women struggled against all odds to pass gruelling mental and physical tests and a written exam. Until 31 May 2022, they believed that they had fulfilled their dreams and were awaiting only their joining letters. On that day, their dreams were shattered by the Government of Indias decision to end this recruitment process and replace it with the Agnipath Scheme.

He added there are many well-known issues with the Agnipath scheme. Former Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane has written that the Army was taken by surprise by Agnipath and that for the Navy and Air Force, it came like a bolt from the blue.

Kharge said the scheme is discriminatory as it creates parallel cadres of soldiers expected to do similar tasks but with very different emoluments, benefits, and prospects. The majority of Agniveers will be released into an uncertain job market after four years of service, which some have argued could affect social stability, he wrote.

Not only did they spend years in pursuit of this dream, but the 250 each of 50 lakh [five million] applicants had to pay to collect an application form was never refunded, which amounts to a hefty 125 crore taken from these youngsters. The resulting frustration and hopelessness has even led to several reported deaths by suicide.

Kharge said Indias youth cannot be allowed to suffer in this manner. I appeal to you to ensure that NYAY and justice is done.

The Supreme Court last year affirmed the validity of the Agnipath scheme, saying it is neither arbitrary nor does it require judicial interference in the wake of overarching public interest.

Those between 17-and-a-half and 21 are eligible to apply for a four-year tenure under the scheme. Agnipath, which allows 25% of the recruits to be granted regular service, is the only recruitment scheme for people below officer rank.
His tiny tea stall in the heart of Trimoni Bazaar in Sandeshkhali is the very definition of makeshift  the walls are made of rickety, worn out bamboo; the ceiling of rusting asbestos. The 52-year-old glances around to ensure nobody is listening. I had five bighas of farmland. But three years ago, Shibaprasad Hazra forced me to lease 1.5 bighas so he could turn them into a bheri (fish farm). I was offered 5,000 a year, and there was no option but to give in. Anyone that dares to refuse, lives under the threat of assault, the man says.

About 10km away, in the village of Jhupkhali across the river Kalindi, a middle-aged woman speaks in the same hushed tone, her eyes glancing for eavesdroppers. Her husband died in 2019. Within a year, her one bigha of land was usurped. They promised to pay 5,000 every year, but there was nothing in writing. Hazra released payment for just one year. After that there has been nothing, and every time I ask, they threatened to burn down my home and assault my son, the 55-year-old woman says.

About 80km south-east of Kolkata, Sandeshkhali, an island with around 10 village neighbourhoods, locally known as paaras, is framed by two rivers  Dansa and Kalindi  and part of the Sunderban delta. It has been in the eye of the storm since January 5, when officers of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrived to search the home of local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan, a close aide of arrested minister Jyoti Priya Mallick, in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam. The team came under attack from an angry mob, leaving three officers injured. Shahjahan has been absconding since that day.

But on February 7, violent protests began erupting in Sandeshkhali and other nearby villages, with groups of residents led mostly by local women alleging sexual harassment at the hands of local TMC leaders including Shahjahan and his aides Shibaprasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar, both of whom have been arrested. As days have gone past, there has been very little sign of reconciliation, with local ire directed at several other TMC leaders  Ajit Maity, who was arrested on Sunday, Binay Sardar, Bhanu Mondal and Shahjahans brother Sirajuddin. The TMC has pointed to the arrests as evidence of action, and promised on Monday that Shahjahan would be apprehended in a week. But apart from the allegations of harassment, and exploitation, there is another allegation that has now taken centre-stage; years and years of organised, unrestricted land-grabbing, built on an edifice of collusion and fear.

ALSO READ- Sandeshkhali case: Sheikh Shahjahan gets no relief in Calcutta HC, faces arrest

In village after village, the same allegations

Across the villages in Sandeshkhali, nearly every resident has a tale of woe, all with the same identifiable pattern. The farmland continued to be in their names, but in truth, they were taken over by local strongmen and turned into fish farms. People were promised 5,000 a year, but in most cases, these payments stopped after the first tranche.

For those who refused to part with their land, there was a two-pronged strategy that was applied. We were either threatened or beaten up. If that didnt work, Shahjahans men would dig shallow canals or pump in saline water from the rivers or adjoining fish farms into the plot. Once the saline water entered, the villager would have no option but to yield to their demands because the land would be rendered infertile, one villager said.

ALSO READ- Independent fact-finding team on way to Sandeshkhali detained by police

At the centre of it all is the 45-year-old Shahjahan, known locally as bhai, the matsya karmadhyaksha(fisheries in charge) for North 24 Paraganas. Until the early 2000s, senior police officers said, Shahjahan was little known, and worked odd jobs as a driver, or as an assistant collecting fares from passengers who travelled to Sandeshkhali and Sarberia. But Sheikh was both resourceful and a powerful speaker, and was drawn into politics under the tutelage of his uncle Moslem Sheikh, a panchayat level CPI(M) leader. By the early 2010s, Sheikh had entered the fish trade. His empire grew, and he started gaining support. He kept in touch with local party leaders, and as his influence grew, he began to be extremely useful in garnering support during local elections, one villager said.

Shahjahan caught the eye of former minister and TMC leader Jyoti Priya Mallick, and joined the TMC in 2013. Since then, his influence has only grown. In these parts, he was more powerful than some ministers and legislators. If people complained to the police against TMC men, the police would advise them to approach Shahjahan to reach a compromise. It was him that ensured that the party retained its political dominance in the area, a police officer said.

Documents filed by Shahjahan during the 2023 panchayat polls  he contested the local body polls in the North 24 Paraganas zilla parishad  show that he officially owns 43 bighas of land (roughly 14 acres) in Sandeshkhali village, valued at around 4 crore. Hazra, who also contested for the same zilla parishad, owns 16 acres in Jeliakhali village. Both Hazra andUttam Sardar are members of the North 24 Parganas zilla parishad.

But locals say that the expanse of the land-grab is massive, and has been kept under wraps for years on end. First, because it was done ostensibly off the books. And second, because it bypassed all official procedures. The 2011 census, for instance, pegged the population of Sandeshkhali at around 160,000, of which 23.4% comprised Scheduled Tribes. An official of the land reform department in North 24 Paraganas district said: Section 14C of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act lays down a detailed procedure for transferring land belonging to a Scheduled Tribe. Permission has to be sought from the district magistrate who in turn must form an enquiry committee. The district welfare committee headed by a district magistrate gives approval based on the enquiry. Barring a few, most of these plots never changed hands. On paper, villagers still remain owners of these lands.

Ratan Halder, a 40-year-old villager from Sandeshkhali, points to huge fish farms, stretching as far as the eye can see, behind the burnt embers of what were once poultry farms. Earlier this month, five minutes away from the Sandeshkhali ferry ghat, angry villagers set these poultry farms ablaze. All these fish farms were controlled by Hazra. These were all farmland owned by villagers once. But they were grabbed, and now all you can see is water and fish farms, Halder said.

Once the land was usurped, the process was simple. Embankments were built around the plant, and a channel dug to allow saline water in. Most fish farms then cultivated tiger prawns, or fish such as parshe or bhetki. They were then taken to be sold at the wholesale fish market at Sarberia around 50km away, which villagers allege was also controlled by Shahjahan.

It is not known how much land or what area has been turned into fish farms. All of them have been operating illegally, a senior official of the North 24 Paraganas district said.

The National Wetland Inventory and Assessment (NWIA), which was published in February 2022 and provides a satellite-based decadal change analysis of wetlands, shows that the area under aquaculture ponds in just the three coastal districts of West Bengal  North 24 Paraganas, South 24 Paraganas and East Midnapore  shot up from 55,299 hectares in 2006-07 to 65,056 hectares in 2017-18. There is increase in man-made (coastal & inland) wetlands. Development of new wetlands are mainly in aquaculture ponds class, the report said.

ALSO READ- Sandeshkhali row: TMC's Ajit Maity arrested day after being removed from post

What has the administration and party been doing?

With crucial Lok Sabha elections on the anvil, and the political heat rising, the TMC has swung into damage-control mode. From February 12, teams comprising state ministers and officials are touring villages and speaking to residents to identify complains, even as an all-women 10-member police team headed by the DIG CID investigates the allegations of harassment.

Since February 18, the police and district administration have also set up camps to receive complaints and grievances from local residents. We have received around 350 complaints related to land-grabbing from villages in Sandeshkhali. We have already started identifying and measuring lands according to the documents available and have started returning them to villagers. More than 200 bighas have been returned, said a senior official of the district administration.

Sujit Bose, state fire and emergency services minister, admitted to reporters on Saturday: There are some grievances among villagers that their lands were grabbed and turned into fish farms. We are verifying the allegations and will address them.

The allegations of land-grabbing also came up in the Calcutta high court on Monday, with advocate general Kishore Datta telling a bench presided over by chief justice TS Sivagnanam that seven cases of grabbing of tribal land have been registered in Sandeshkhali in the past four years, and a charge sheet submitted in all these cases. At least 24 more FIRs related to land-grabbing have been lodged between February 8 and 22, with 15 arrests made, officials said.

The high court bench observed on Monday: The media has reported that government has initiated steps to rehabilitate the land that was grabbed and converted. What more proof of land grabbing is required? This clearly shows.

BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said, When the state government started giving back land to their rightful owner, this itself proves land-grab has happened. We have always maintained this and today the Calcutta high court has said it. This is happening in the entire Sunderbans. Mangroves are being felled and aquaculture ponds are coming up. The nature of land is being changed.

On February 16, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee blamed the BJP for the unrest in Sandeshkhali, accusing them of creating fault-lines in the local community. Outsiders were brought to spread tension in the area. The target was Sheikh Shahjahan. ED first entered the area targeting him. After ousting everyone, they then created a rift between the local tribal and minority population, she had said.

ALSO READ- Order from Delhi is to keep Sandeshkhali issue alive until....: Trinamool

The TMC has, however, maintained that they were carrying out investigations into all the allegations that have come to the fore, including harassment and land-grab, and said that Shahjahan who has been absconding for over a month, would be arrested within a week. Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson said, National general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said on Sunday that the high court had tied the hands of the state police. We thank the high court that has given the police the go-ahead, and Shahjahan will be arrested within seven days.

State cabinet minister Partha Bhowmick, one of the ministers that has been touring Sandeshkhali said that nobody would be spared from government action. The party has not spared senior leaders like Partha Chatterjee. The names that are emerging in the Sandeshkhali unrest are low-level, low profile leaders, he said.

Back in Sandeshkhali, however, even as there is some solace in a modicum of state action, there is still anger, and very little faith. All these years, the government never took our complaints. Instead they would tell us to settle the dispute with bhai (as Shahjahan was locally known), one villager said. Who knows what will happen now.
A curfew was imposed in the Ambad taluka of Maharashtra's Jalna district due to concerns about the law and order situation amid the ongoing agitation for the Maratha reservation led by activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, as indicated by an order from the district administration. Marathas, comprising roughly one-third of Maharashtras population, wield significant electoral influence, making them a crucial constituency for every political party in the state. (HT/File)

In the order, Jalna collector Srikrushna Panchal noted that Jarange declared on Sunday his intention to travel to Mumbai and protest for the Maratha community reservation.

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There is a potential for individuals to gather in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna, where the activist has been conducting a hunger strike, with the aim of stopping his journey to Mumbai.

Read Here: Maratha reservation bill passed but tough legal battle lies ahead

With the anticipation of a large crowd, there is a possibility of traffic disruption on the Dhule-Mumbai highway and neighbouring areas, as outlined in the order.

Due to the law and order situation, a curfew has been enforced in Ambad taluka from midnight on Monday until further notice, as specified in the order.

Government offices, schools, traffic on national highways, milk distribution, media outlets, and hospitals are exempt from this curfew, as stated by the collector.

On Sunday night, Jarange departed from Antarwali Sarati and arrived in nearby Bhamberi village. However, on Monday morning, the activist returned to Antarwali Sarati and commenced medical treatment.

Read Here | Betrayal: Maratha quota activist Jarange Patil on reservation bill passed in Maharashtra assembly

Jarange, known for his previous fasts and rallies, has declared a new wave of protests starting Saturday, which will include road blockades and other disruptive actions. His main demand is the inclusion of Marathas in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category for reservation, despite recent legislative initiatives to establish a separate 10% quota for the community.

The Maharashtra assembly last Monday passed a bill for 10 per cent reservation to the Marathas in educational institutes and government jobs even as courts struck down similar laws enacted in 2014 and 2019. The additional 10 per cent quota will be in addition to the current 62 per cent reservation in the state, which already includes a 10 per cent quota designated for the economically weaker sections (EWS) category.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, ARMENPRESS. On February 26, the Armenian National Assembly President Alen Simonyan received the delegation led by the Chairwoman of the Committee on Legal Affairs of the FRG Bundestag Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker, the press service of the Armenian National Assembly said in a statement.

The Chair of the National Assembly Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs Vladimir Vardanyan also attended the meeting.

According to the source, welcoming the guests, Alen Simonyan highly appreciated the stable development of friendly relations with Germany, emphasizing the promotion of inter-parliamentary cooperation also in the format of mutual visits.

Alen Simonyan thanked the German colleagues for their continuous support for democratic reforms in Armenia, highlighted the contribution of the Chancellor Olaf Scholz to the process of establishing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

We greatly appreciate the strong democratic values established in Armenia since 2018 and are ready to support the development of democratic institutions in Armenia, as well as the establishment of peace in the region, Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker noted.

It is noted that Alen Simonyan presented to his German colleagues the consequences of Azerbaijan's bellicose policy, raised the issue of the return of the Armenian prisoners of war, to which Azerbaijan shows a destructive approach.

The interlocutors exchanged ideas on Armenia-Germany inter-parliamentary relations, the deepening of Armenia-EU cooperation, the establishment of security in the South Caucasus and a number of other issues.
The external affairs ministry on Monday rejected some media reports claiming that Indians with the Russian Army are seeking help for discharge, adding that each and every case has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities. According to media reports, several Indians have been working as security helpers in the Russian military and they were forced to even fight with Russian soldiers in certain areas along Russia's border with Ukraine.(REUTERS)

"We have seen some inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge," the MEA said in a statement.

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According to media reports, several Indians have been working as security helpers in the Russian military and they were forced to even fight with Russian soldiers in certain areas along Russia's border with Ukraine.

"Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities, and those brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi. Several Indians have already been discharged as a result," the statement added.

The MEA also said that it remains committed and that the early discharge of Indians from the Russian Army is a matter of top priority.

"We remain committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army," the statement read.

Last week, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India was in touch with Moscow for early discharge of Indian nationals working as support staff to the Russian army and urged its nationals to stay away from the conflict zone in Ukraine.

"We urge all Indian nationals to exercise due caution and stay away from this conflict," Randhir Jaiswal had said.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi had earlier urged the MEA to rescue the Indians.

"Sir @DrSJaishankar kindly use your good offices to bring these men back home. Their lives are at risk & their families are justifiably worried," Owaisi said on X on Wednesday.

(With inputs from agencies)
Khakha assailed a trial court order denying him the relief of statutory bail as he contended that the charge sheet filed in the case was based on an incomplete investigation. HT Image

His wife also sought a default bail before the high court in the case and a similar order was passed on her plea as well.

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Rejecting the bail pleas, Justice Jyoti Singh said there was no infirmity in the trial court order and a substantial investigation was done by the police before filing the charge sheet within the stipulated time.

"Charge sheet was filed on October 11, 2023. Cognisance was taken by the trial court on November 8, 2023. Undoubtedly substantial investigation has been completed," the court said.

"The court finds no infirmity in the trial court order refusing default bail," concluded the court.

As per the Code of Criminal Procedure, an accused is entitled to default bail if the investigating agency fails to file a charge sheet before the court concerned within the stipulated time. The time frame depends on the offences invoked and was 60 days in this case.

Khakha has been accused of allegedly raping a minor girl several times between November 2020 and January 2021 and is currently in judicial custody after being arrested in August.

The minor was the daughter of a person known to the accused, according to police.

The official's wife Seema Rani is also an accused in the case. She allegedly gave the girl medicines to terminate her pregnancy. The woman is in judicial custody.

The couple was arrested after the survivor recorded her statement before a magistrate at a hospital.

The case was registered under provisions of the POCSO Act and Indian Penal Code sections 376(2)(f) (being a relative, guardian or teacher of, or a person in a position of trust or authority towards the woman, commits rape on such woman) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to outrage the modesty of a woman).

IPC sections 506 (criminal intimidation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 313 (causing miscarriage without woman's consent) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) have also been invoked in the case, police said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated infrastructure projects worth thousands of crores of rupees in Gujarats Rajkot and Dwarka besides virtually launching medical facilities across 23 states and Union territories. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during dedication of the Sudarshan Setu, India's longest cable-stayed bridge that will connect Okha mainland and Beyt Dwarka island, in Dwarka on Sunday. (PTI)

The prime minister inaugurated the Sudarshan Setu, connecting the Okha mainland and the Beyt Dwarka island, built at a cost of around 980 crore. The 2.32km cable-stayed bridge is the longest of its kind in the country, the PMO said in a statement.

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Sudarshan Setu boasts a unique design, featuring a footpath adorned with verses from the Bhagavad Gita and images of Lord Krishna on both sides, it said. It has solar panels installed on the upper portions of the footpath, the statement said. Before the construction of the bridge, pilgrims had to rely on boat transport to reach Beyt Dwarka.

There was a time when all the major programmes of the country used to take place in Delhi only. I took the government of India out from Delhi to every corner of the country, the Prime Minister said.

The projects Modi inaugurated include a pipeline project in Vadinar involving the replacement of existing offshore lines, abandoning the existing pipeline and relocating the entire system to a nearby location.

Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 200 health infrastructure projects worth over 11,500 crore across the country. He virtually dedicated five All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rajkot (Gujarat), Bathinda (Punjab), Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh), Kalyani (West Bengal), and Mangalagiri (Andhra Pradesh), besides a medical college of JIPMER at Karaikal, Puducherry, and a 300-bed satellite centre of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical and Educational Research (PGIMER) in Sangrur, Punjab, among others, the PMO statement said.

He highlighted the swift pace of development during his government, noting that in the last 10 days alone, seven All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) had been initiated, contrasting sharply with the past where only seven were approved over seven decades, with some left incomplete.

The Prime Minister, speaking at a public rally in Rajkot, cited the example of a recent event in Jammu & Kashmir from where he inaugurated new campuses for Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) in Bhilai and Tirupati, the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Kurnool, as well as for the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) in Bodh Gaya, Jammu, and Visakhapatnam, along with the Indian Institute of Science (IIS) in Kanpur.

Today marks the inauguration of AIIMS Rajkot, AIIMS Raebareli, AIIMS Mangalagiri, AIIMS Bathinda and AIIMS Kalyani. India is getting work done at a fast pace, especially when you look at these 5 AIIMS, Modi said.

He said the Rajkot AIIMS offers a glimpse of how the health sector of the worlds fifth largest economy should be.

For the first 50 years after Independence, there was only one AIIMS and that too in Delhi. In the seven decades since Independence, only seven AIIMS were approved, but even these were never completed. But now, in the last 10 days, seven new AIIMS were inaugurated or its foundation stones laid. That is why I am saying we are developing the country at a pace much faster than what happened in the last six to seven decades, he said.

The Prime Minister recalled his long association with Rajkot and said that 22 years ago he was elected MLA from the constituency. I can see that generations have changed but affection for Modi is beyond any age limit, he said.

The Prime Minister told the audience about his time in the temple town of Dwarka earlier during the day, where he enjoyed scuba diving off the Arabian Sea coast at Panchkui beach in Gujarat.

To pray in the city of Dwarka, which is immersed in the waters, was a very divine experience. I felt connected to an ancient era of spiritual grandeur and timeless devotion. May Bhagwan Shri Krishna bless us all, the Prime Minister said in a post on X.

Reading the archaeological and religious text fills us with wonder about Dwarka. Today I got an opportunity to see that holy scene with my own eyes and I could touch the holy remains. I offered prayers and offered Mor-Pankh there. It is difficult to describe that feeling, said the Prime Minister.

In those depths, I was wondering about the glorious past of India. When I came out, I came out carrying the blessings of Bhagwan Krishna as well as the inspiration of Dwarka, the Prime Minister said. This gave a new strength and energy to my resolution of Vikas aur Virasat. A divine belief has become associated with my goal for Viksit Bharat, he added.

Beyt Dwarka is an island near Okha port, nearly 30km from Dwarka town, where the famous Dwarkadhish temple of Lord Krishna is situated.

Emphasising that visuals of Indias potential in the 21st century kept appearing before him when he was offering prayers at the submerged city of Dwarka, the Prime Minister said it has further strengthened his resolve for the creation of a Viksit Bharat.

Reflecting on opposition to his vision of a New India, the Prime Minister highlighted that people were witnessing its realisation firsthand, attributing previous delays to a lack of political resolve and self-serving motives of dynasty politics, which hindered assistance to the impoverished and restrained economic growth for the aspirations of a developed India. He also condemned past administrations for recurrent scams.

The Prime Minister recalled his promise of not allowing anyone to plunder the nation upon assuming office in 2014.

Scams worth thousands of crores which used to take place during the previous governments have all been stopped now, he said, underlining that the nation has leapfrogged to become the fifth largest economy in 10 years. As a result, the Prime Minister said, one can witness the re-emergence of places of divine faith and pilgrimage on one hand and the development of new India through mega projects on the other.
Good morning! Here are the top stories in your morning news bulletin on February 26. People gather at the site after Haryana INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead by unidentified assailants, at Jhajjar on Sunday. (ANI)

Abhay Chautala's big claim after INLD leader's death

Abhay Chautala of the Indian National Lok Dal has claimed that the party's Haryana unit president Nafe Singh Rathee, who was killed by unidentified assailants in Bahadurgarh near Delhi on Sunday, had earlier told him that his life was in danger. Nafe Singh Rathee and a party worker, identified as Jai Kishan, were killed when the assailants sprayed their SUV with bullets. Abhay Chautala, who visited the hospital in Bahadurgarh where the bodies were kept, accused the Haryana government of failing to provide Nafe Singh Rathee with security despite there being a threat to his life, and demanded the resignation of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and home minister Anil Vij. Speaking to reporters there, Abhay Chautala also demanded a CBI probe into the incident. "The two-time MLA, who is our state unit chief, was not provided with security. In writing, representations had been made to senior police officers and state home minister that he was facing threats and should be provided with security," news agency PTI quoted Abhay Chautala as saying. "Rathee had earlier told me six months ago that he was informed by some police personnel that he faced a life threat. Later, I also spoke to SP Jhajjar over phone and brought this to his notice.... Had he been provided with security, such a situation would not have arisen," Abhay Chautala added. Read full story here

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Niranjan Hiranandani get ED summons

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Niranjan Hiranandani and his son Darshan Hiranandani, the promoters of prominent Mumbai-based real estate developer Hiranandani Group, for questioning in a foreign exchange violation case on February 26 with respect to two of its housing projects in Panvel and Chennai. On Thursday, ED conducted searches at four premises linked to the Hiranandani Group and its group entities in connection with its probe. ED sources on Sunday said that the agency had mailed its summons via an email to Darshan Hiranandani as he is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. While ED asked the Hiranandanis to appear before its Mumbai office, they may choose to submit to it their responses through authorised representative/s, the sources said. When contacted by HT, an official spokesperson of the Hiranandani Group said, The ED search is over. We are not aware of anything further. We shall be submitting further documents (as required). Read full story here

Pakistani woman mobbed over attire

A woman in Pakistan's Lahore was rescued by police after she was mobbed by a group of people for wearing attire with Arabic prints on it. In a video that went viral on social media, the woman was seen sitting with her hands covering her face in what appeared to be a restaurant in Pakistan. A woman police officer who came to her rescue can be seen urging the crowd to not resort to any violence and afterwards helped her move out of the place. Posting the video of the incident on social media platform X, Pakistan's Punjab Police wrote, "ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, the brave SDPO of Gulbarg Lahore, put her life in danger to rescue a woman from a violent crowd. For this heroic deed, the Punjab Police has recommended her name for the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal (QPM), the highest gallantry award for law enforcement in Pakistan". Read full story here

Dhruv Jurel's fight back

The cracks had widened. The pitch had uneven bounce. England looked primed to take a big first-innings lead against India and build towards a potential 2-2 draw in Ranchi in the five-match Test series. The deficit stood at 134 when Day 3 resumed with India's tail exposed. However, after No. 9 Kuldeep Yadav's resilient show of 28 off 131 ended following the opening hour on the third morning at the JSCA International, young Dhruv Jurel marshalled on alone. Jurel notched up his maiden Test fifty before steadily making a move towards the big triple-figure mark. However, the wicketkeeper-batter was left devastated at the stroke of lunch as Tom Hartley denied him the opportunity. But a rapturous reaction from the Ranchi crowd and the Indian dressing room uplifted his spirit. Jurel did nothing wrong against that delivery from Hartley. The flighted ball gripped extra and turned past the bat from middle and leg to hut the off stump. The youngster was left in complete disbelief at seen the stumps broken. He was well set for a century, which he truly deserved after the fight he put on against the England spinners and on that Ranchi track that showed low bounce. Read full story here

Kangana Ranaut mistakes satirical post

Actor Kangana Ranaut re-shared a satirical post on the recently passed Anti-Cheat Bill. The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha earlier in February to curb cheating and other unfair means in various public examinations. The satirical post Kangana had shared gave it a twist and spoke about cheating that exists in relationships. Kangana mistook the satirical Anti-Cheat Bill post to be real news and called it the most needed bill on Sunday, taking to Instagram Stories. She also took a dig at star wives and how they should thank the government for the bill. However, she deleted her posts hours later. Sharing a screenshot of the satirical note, Kangana had written, Ahem ahem, welcome to Ram Rajya, all-star wives can thank this government (three heart faces and folded hands emojis). Read full story here
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday asserted that he will not allow child marriages in the state and will repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 as long as he is alive. Hitting out at the Opposition in the state assembly, Himanta Biswa Sarma pledged that he would eliminate child marriage in the state before 2026. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (File Photo)

Himanta Biswa Sarma's comments came as the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) walked out of the assembly, protesting against the state cabinet's decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935.

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Hear me carefully, as long as I am alive, I will not let child marriage take place in Assam. I will not let this happen as long as Himanta Biswa Sarma is alive...I would like to challenge you politically, I will shut down this shop before 2026We will not rest in peace until we completely close the shop that you people (Congress) have opened to ruin the daughters of the Muslim community, the Assam CM said in a fiery speech in the House.

The state cabinet on Friday approved the Assam Repealing Ordinance, 2024, for repealing the British-era Marriage and Divorce Act specific to Muslims. Notably, the Act provided for voluntary registration of Muslim marriages and divorces and allowed the government to provide a licence to a Muslim person authorising him to register Muslim marriages and divorces on applications.

According to Sarma, repealing the Act will get Muslim women of the state relief from torture and exploitation and help end child marriage.

The torture, and exploitation that has been going on against Muslim mothers for so long will be ended with this bill. The Prime Minister ended triple talaq. But in Assam only because of this act, a Kazi would not have been faulted if he had registered the marriage of a below 18-year-old girl and he had gotten bail from the court. Now to give talaq will not be easy after the repeal of this act and there will no no registration of marriage below 18 years old girl, Sarma said while addressing the media on Friday.

(With inputs from agencies)
Abhay Chautala of the Indian National Lok Dal has claimed that the party's Haryana unit president Nafe Singh Rathee, who was killed by unidentified assailants in Bahadurgarh near Delhi on Sunday, had earlier told him that his life was in danger. Nafe Singh Rathee and a party worker, identified as Jai Kishan, were killed when the assailants sprayed their SUV with bullets. Indian National Lok Dal leader Abhay Chautala speaks to the media on the killing of Haryana INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee in Jhajjar on Sunday. (ANI)

Abhay Chautala, who visited the hospital in Bahadurgarh where the bodies were kept, accused the Haryana government of failing to provide Nafe Singh Rathee with security despite there being a threat to his life, and demanded the resignation of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and home minister Anil Vij.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Speaking to reporters there, Abhay Chautala also demanded a CBI probe into the incident.

"The two-time MLA, who is our state unit chief, was not provided with security. In writing, representations had been made to senior police officers and state home minister that he was facing threats and should be provided with security," news agency PTI quoted Abhay Chautala as saying.

"Rathee had earlier told me six months ago that he was informed by some police personnel that he faced a life threat. Later, I also spoke to SP Jhajjar over phone and brought this to his notice.... Had he been provided with security, such a situation would not have arisen," Abhay Chautala added.

Abhay Chautala said three private gunmen, whom Rathee had hired for security, also suffered injuries.

The 67-year-old INLD leader was travelling in an SUV when the assailants, who were in a car, attacked him in Bahadurgarh town in Jhajjar district. "A volley of bullets was sprayed at him," Abhay Chautala said.

Doctors at the hospital said Rathee had suffered injuries in the neck, stomach, spine and thigh and suffered heavy blood loss. Rathee was elected MLA from the Bahadurgarh seat twice in 1996 and 2005.

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar reacts

Expressing shock over the incident, Manohar Lal Khattar said not a single culprit involved in this case will be spared. Police have been instructed to arrest the accused as soon as possible and take strictest action, he said.

My deepest condolences to the bereaved family, we are with them in this difficult time. Not a single culprit involved in this case will be spared. Police have been instructed to arrest the accused as soon as possible and take strictest action, the chief minister posted in Hindi on X on Sunday night.

Jhajjar superintendent of police Arpit Jain told the media that teams of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) and the Special Task Force (STF) of the police were looking into the incident.

"Multiple teams are probing. We are investigating all angles and we will try to arrest the accused soon," Arpit Jain said.

(With inputs from agencies)
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) Haryana unit chief Nafe Singh Rathee, who was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the state's Jhajjar district on Sunday, was accompanied by his nephew Rajesh at the time of the gruesome incident. Rathee, a two-time former MLA, was travelling in a SUV when the incident took place. Reportedly, Rajesh was sitting in the front seat of the car when Rathee was shot, while the killer was sitting in the rear seat. People gather at the site after Haryana INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead by unidentified assailants, at Jhajjar on Sunday. (ANI)

According to media reports, Rathee's killers told his nephew that they were sparing his life so he could return home and inform everyone about the crime.

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While the Haryana police do not have definitive leads currently, a First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against four individuals - former MLA Naresh Kaushik, Ramesh Rathee, Sathish Rathee, and Rahul, India Today reported.

On Monday, the police are reportedly reviewing CCTV camera footage from nearby areas to identify the killers and their vehicle registration numbers. According to reports, the footage has so far revealed the four suspects travelling in the car at a location near the incident site.

Meanwhile, a senior INLD leader Abhay Chautala on Monday accused the state government of neglecting to provide Rathee with security, despite knowing about the threat to his life. He also demanded the resignation of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and home minister Anil Vij.

Demanding a CBI probe into the incident, Chautala told the media: The two-time MLA, who is our state unit chief, was not provided with security. In writing, representations had been made to senior police officers and state home minister that he was facing threats and should be provided with securityRathee had earlier told me six months ago that he was informed by some police personnel that he faced a life threat.

Later, I also spoke to SP Jhajjar over the phone and brought this to his noticeHad he been provided with security, such a situation would not have arisen, the INLD leader added.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Niranjan Hiranandani and his Dubai-based son Darshan Hiranandani - the promoters of prominent Mumbai-based real estate developer Hiranandani Group, for questioning in a foreign exchange violation case on Monday. News agency PTI, citing sources, reported that the father-son duo has been asked to depose at the central agency's office in Mumbai. However, they may choose to submit their primary responses through an authorised representative. Founder & MD, Hiranandani Group Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani

The summons came as the probe agency searched four premises linked to the Hiranandani Group and its group entities under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) provisions on Thursday.

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What is the case against the Hiranandanis?

The ED officials are probing some of the group entities alleged receipt of funds of over 400 crore via the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) route for the two housing projects in Panvel and Chennai. Reportedly, one of the group entities that had received the FDI allegedly did not repay loans taken from a consortium of banks and was declared a Non-Performing Asset. Later, the project was taken over by another Hiranandani group entity in the subsequent Debt Recovery Tribunals proceedings.

Along with this, the probe agency is also looking into charges over beneficiaries of a British Virgin Islands (BVI)-based trust allegedly linked to the Hiranandani Group promoters. Reportedly, the Hiranandanis had allegedly set up at least 25 companies and a trust in the British Virgin Islands between 2006 and 2008.

Meanwhile, the ED has clarified that the probe is not linked to another FEMA investigation being conducted against TMC leader Mahua Moitra, who was expelled as a Lok Sabha MP in December last year.

Hiranandani group on ED's FEMA probe, searches

Reacting to the searches over the probe agency's FEMA probe and searches on Thursday, Hiranandani Group assured to co-operate with the investigation.

We have extended full cooperation to the department by facilitating all the relevant information and clarification sought by them. Since the inquiry pertains to a 15-year-old development, it took time to dig out old recordsThe group understands that ED is satisfied that there were no FEMA violations. The group will remain cooperative and law-abiding, an official spokesperson of the Hiranandani Group said.
In the first week of January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lakshadweep and shared a couple of pictures, showing the "stunning beauty of its islands". From "early morning walks" to snorkelling, the prime minister said his visit to the islands was "an enriching journey of learning and growing". This immediately sparked a debate about Lakshadweep as an alternate destination to the Maldives - with which there has been a diplomatic row in the recent months following the new government taking power in the island nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Bangaram in Lakshadweep.(PTI)

Google search saw a spike in search for Lakshadweep and Israel declared the start of a desalination programme in Lakshadweep to help tourism. Airport expansion plans have been announced and industrial and business conglomerates are announcing expansion to Lakshadweep to cash in on the sudden euphoria around Lakshadweep.

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Numbers yet to catch up

Numbers released by the DGCA for January show that 2,312 passengers travelled from Kochi to Agatti. This was marginally higher than the 2,253 passengers who flew in December 2023 and similar to those who travelled in January 2023 when 2,315 passengers travelled between Kochi and Agatti. The footfall at Agatti (arriving and departing passengers) was 4,491, according to the data released by the Airports Authority of India. A look at the numbers from 2023 shows that the flight has been operating at near capacity for almost all months.

One of the reasons why numbers have not increased is the lack of capacity with just one flight which is filled to capacity most of the time and a search on Alliance Airs website does not yield any results for available flights next month indicating the flights being full.

Thus, the number of passengers wanting to travel by air may be high but the lack of capacity means that it wont go up until more capacity is added.

Barrage of flights on the way

IndiGo has expressed interest in operating flights to Agatti. This will likely double the flights to Agatti from Kochi at the end of March or early April. Fly91 - the latest regional operator in the country, which recently unveiled its aircraft and uniforms has also won rights to fly to Agatti - from places beyond Kochi, which could see the airline connect Agatti to its home base Goa. SpiceJet has also said that it has exclusive rights for some routes and would launch flights to Agatti soon but the route or details remain unclear.

When launched, this will more than triple the seats available from and to Agatti - the only airport in Lakshadweep and could see more destinations being connected beyond Kochi. The flights under RCS-UDAN would also mean 50% of the seats being sold at a subsidised rate. While this could be good news for the islanders, will a cheap entry point to Lakshadweep bode well for tourism? What the archipelago could be looking for is possibly high-end tourism and not mass tourism, given its size and fragile ecosystem.

Tail note

Flights alone cannot get tourism to Lakshadweep. The island requires a permit for visits and is currently short of hotels to cater to the sudden rise in tourist queries. Tata Group's hospitality subsidiary, Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), has announced plans to build two Taj-branded resorts, scheduled to open in 2026, on Suheli and Kadmat islands in Lakshadweepan Indian archipelago that gained attention after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the Union Territory.

There has been a steady rise in cruise tours in India and Lakshadweep has become a popular gateway for cruise ships on the western coast. A cruise helps tide over the shortage of hotel rooms as a typical itinerary sees the vacationers return to the cruise for the night, having spent a day on the various islands of Lakshadweep.

More flights will open up opportunities for locals to host people as BnB in the absence of hotel rooms. This bodes well for tourism and the growth of locals. Efforts should be made to make the destination a niche one instead of mass tourism. Goa is falling prey to mass tourism while Andaman has remained out of bounds for mass tourism due to the cost and restrictive approach in local rules. What path will Lakshadweep follow?
The biggest beneficiary of a developed India will be its young and their dream will drive the government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday as he virtually inaugurated around 2,000 railway infrastructure projects  spanning revamped stations, new underpasses and over bridges worth 41,000 crore across India . Prime Minister Narendra Modi during foundation stone laying, inauguration and dedication to the Nation around 2000 railway infrastructure projects worth more than Rs. 41,000 crores via video conferencing, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024.(PTI)

In his speech that followed the programme, Modi said the third term of his government will begin from June, highlighting that he was confident of a victory in this summers general elections. He later also spoke at the Bharat Tex event in Delhi.

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When Modi talks about a developed India, its architect and biggest beneficiary are the youth of the country. Todays projects will provide new employment and self-employment opportunities to lakhs of youth of the country. The rejuvenation taking place in the Railways today will also benefit those friends who are studying in schools and colleges. This transformation will also be very useful for those who are below 30-35, Modi said virtually.

ALSO READ- 'Working style similar with PM Modi..': Ajit Pawar on dumping Sharad Pawar's NCP

The PM said Viksit Bharat or developed India  also a key part of his election narrative  was the India of their dreams.

I want to tell every youth of the country that your dream is Modis resolve. Your dream, your hard work and Modis resolve, this is the guarantee of a developed India, he said.

When Modi speaks about a developed India, its architect and biggest beneficiary are the youth of the country, he said.

Modis pitch to young voters comes just weeks before general elections, where voters aged between 18 and 19 will be around 18 million of the total electorate of around 960 million.

The event was virtually attended by 450,000 students and 50,000 of them received awards, saida railways official. In all, nearly four million people watched the live telecast of the event that was broadcast at 2021 places across the country, added the official.

Today, in your presence, the foundation stone of more than 2,000 projects related to Railways has been laid and inaugurated. This is when the third term of this government is going to start from June, he said.

ALSO READ- First bullet train between Surat and Bilimoria in 2 years: Ashwini Vaishnaw

The scale and speed of the work had surprised everyone, he said.

These projects worth 40,000 crore are coming on the ground simultaneously. Only a few months ago, we started the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Even then work on modernisation of more than 500 stations had started. Now this programme is taking it further. This shows at what speed the train of Indias progress is moving forward, he said.

Amrit Bharat scheme is a railways ministry programme to redevelop railway stations across India and modernise the railway network.  I am happy that these Amrit Bharat stations will be symbols of both heritage and development, he said.

ALSO READ- Modi's Raebareli dig: Congress shahi family did politics, I gave AIIMS

Giving examples of stations that will highlight the character of each place, Modi said that the Baleshwar railway station in Odisha was designed on the theme of the Jagannath Temple, Sanganer railway station in Rajasthan will have hand-block printing of the 16th century, the design of Kumbakonam station in Tamil Nadu was based on the architecture of the Chola period, and the Ahmedabad station was inspired by the Modhera sun temple.

You will see the influence of local architecture at Rangpo Railway Station in Sikkim In Gujarat, the station at Dwarka is inspired by the Dwarkadhish temple. The IT City Gurgaon station, will be dedicated to IT. This means that Amrit Bharat Station will introduce the world to the specialty of the place. Convenience to senior citizens and disabled passengers has been given special focus, Modi said.

He said everyone was witnessing the making of a new India in the last 10 years. We are actually seeing the changes in Railways. The facilities which people earlier used to imagine, today we are actually seeing it happening.

Till a decade ago, no modern, semi-high speed train such as Vande Bharat was thought of, heard of, or even spoken about by any government, Modi said.

Till a decade ago, it was very difficult to imagine a modern train like Amrit Bharat, till a decade ago, no one had ever thought of a luxurious rail service like Namo Bharat. Today, overbridges and underbridges have ensured uninterrupted and accident-free movement, he added.

Modi laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 553 railway stations across 27 states and Union Territories at a cost of over 19,000 crore. These stations will have modern passenger amenities such as roof plaza, landscaping, inter modal connectivity, improved modern facade, kids play area, kiosks and food courts. Modi inaugurated the Gomti Nagar station in Uttar Pradesh; he also laid the foundation stone, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation 1,500 road over bridges and underpasses across 24 states and Union Territories, and worth 21,520 crore.

ALSO READ- Mann Ki Baat: 'India's Nari Shakti touching new heights', says PM Modi | Top quotes

Targeting the Opposition, Modi said, For decades, Railways had to become a victim of our selfish politics. But now Railways is becoming the primary basis of ease of travel for the countrymen.

The PM said that he was working hard to make India the worlds third-largest economy.

Just imagine, when we become the third largest economic superpower in the world, how much our strength will increase. Therefore, Modi is working hard to make India the third largest economy in the world as soon as possible, he said.

The PM also attacked the Opposition and accused them of dishonesty.

.. no matter how big the budget is, if scams and dishonesty keep happening, then the impact of that budget is never visible on the ground. In the last 10 years, we have saved big scams and loot of government money. Therefore, the pace of laying new railway lines has doubled in the last 10 years, he said.

Modi said every penny spent on infrastructure creates new sources of income and new jobs. When a new railway line is laid, many people get employment, from labourers to engineers. Possibilities of new jobs are created in many industries and shops like cement, steel, transport. This means that the investment worth lakhs of crores of rupees that is taking place today is also a guarantee of thousands of jobs.

Modi said that India today was being considered the most attractive place for investment in the world. A big reason for this is the modern infrastructure. In the coming five years, when these thousands of stations are modernised and the capacity of Indian Railways increases, another huge investment revolution will take place, he said.
Incredible photos have revealed an Aussie's desperate attempt to get the second most venomous snake on the planet out of her home.

In a series of images, an eastern brown snake can be seen stuck between the glass pane of a kitchen window and the fly screen of the woman's Queensland property.

He was on the inside of the house, the womans daughter wrote on social media. Mum somehow trapped it between the glass and [the fly] screen as it was trying to get outside I presume.

The snake wedged in between the glass window and the fly screen. Source: Facebook

Dont see any holes in the screen, but yes its a little squished but not hurt. [It] can still move plenty.

After putting out the call for help, the womans mum rang a local snake catcher who jumped to the rescue.

'Four foot snake just hanging out in a window'

Stuart McKenzie from Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7 told Yahoo News Australia that it was his colleague Ed, from Gympie Snake Catcher, who was sent out to the property in Glenwood, between the Fraser Coast Region and the Gympie Region, late last week.

It was pretty crazy, McKenzie said. Like a four foot brown snake just hanging out in a window.

A video shared on Facebook by the homeowner's daughter, captured Eds attempts to encourage the snake to come out from between the glass and the screen.

Ed went over and was able to sort of poke and prod it and encourage it out into his bag, McKenzie explained.

I think he was able to create a gap and then kind of put his bag at the end of it then sort of poked the snake from the other end and it sort of came out of the gap that he created and went straight in the bag.

The homeowner's daughter said the snake was inside the house when her mum 'somehow trapped it between the glass and screen as it was trying to get outside'. Source: Facebook/Gympie Snake Catcher

The almost three-minute-long clip shows the snake catcher using a stick to gently push the eastern brown through the fly screen towards the open snake catchers bag. There we go, Ed can be heard saying, as the snake ever so slowly makes its way out.

Story continues

McKenzie added that the snake was later safely relocated.

What was the snake doing in the window?

While snakes will often seek out tight spaces, McKenzie said it's likely that the eastern brown was just trying to get out of the house when he was trapped.

I reckon the snakes come in an open door or something and then it tried to get out and that's when it's seen the light coming in the window, thinking it could get outside, he explained. So I reckon the snake would have been trying to get back out.

The snake had to be prodded out of its tight spot. Source: Facebook

He went on to describe the incident as certainly unusual.

You know, we do catch a lot of snakes in unusual spots but yeah, I think it was definitely up there as unusual thats for sure, McKenzie said.

While it was an extremely close call for the homeowner, with eastern browns being incredibly deadly.

Theyre highly venomous, so they're the second most venomous snake on the planet, in terms of their toxicity and their venom, the snake catcher explained. They're certainly not a snake you want to get bitten by.

Fortunately though, snakes arent too fond of people.

Like all snakes, eastern browns just want to get away from us, so this one was trying to get away, McKenzie said. But as soon as you agitate them or try and get in their face, that's when they'll try and bite.

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Bengaluru: The Congress on Monday moved all its MLAs to a hotel in Manyata Business Park to prevent any last minute poaching a day before the elections for four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka on Tuesday. Kalyana Karnataka Pragati Paksha chief and MLA Janardhan Reddy meets chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Monday. (ANI)

Of the four Independents, who are key to the victory, at least three are said to be supporting the Congress. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has support of one independent MLA. The Congress is also expecting a couple of Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs to vote for Congress candidate or abstain from voting.

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A Congress legislature party meeting held in the evening briefed the MLAs on the procedure of voting which is preferential voting. A mock voting exercise was also organised and the MLAs were informed to whom they have to give their first and second preference vote.

ALSO READ- Shadow of cross voting looms over Rajya Sabha polls in Karnataka

Earlier, Congress had 135 MLAs but became short of one after Surpur MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik passed away in Bengaluru on Sunday. In the Legislative Assembly, Shivakumar paid condolence to Naik.

Meanwhile, the general secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC) and in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, is camping in Bengaluru to ensure that all the three candidates of the party have a smooth sailing.

Meanwhile, the JD(S) and BJP, who are now electoral allies for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, held a joint meeting of the legislators at a private hotel in Bengaluru, said party insiders.

JD(S) leader and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, who has fielded party man and business magnate D Kupendra Reddy as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee, exuded confidence at the meeting saying that they would get conscience votes from unhappy Congress MLAs.

However, according to the insiders, his own party MLA, Sharana Gowda Kandukur, was not present at the meeting.

Congress has fielded three candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections  renominated Syed Naseer Hussain and GC Chandrashekar, and brought in Ajay Maken, the AICC treasurer and Congress leader Rahul Gandhis confidant.

On the other hand, BJP with 66 MLAs, has given the ticket to Narayana Krishnasa Bhandage, a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

The Congress claims the support of three Independent members and the BJP says, it has the support of mining baron G Janardhan Reddy.

ALSO READ- Rajya Sabha polls in UP: Advantage BJP as chinks in INDIA bloc armour exposed?

As he was an influential leader in the BJP, before the party distanced itself, following his imprisonment in the illegal mining scam, the BJP is banking on his vote.

Meanwhile, on the last day of the budget session, Shivakumar was seen sitting next to Janardhan Reddy who is the lone MLA of his party, Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha.

Soon after the House adjourned, Reddy was seen with Shivakumar before the returning officer for the elections to present the appointment letter of his authorised party agent.

The agent, Yogendra Vikram, is a close associate of Shivakumar to whom Janardhan Reddy has to show his ballot paper before casting it in the box.

Later, Shivakumar took Janardhana Reddy to meet chief minister Siddaramaiah at his residence.

Speaking to the media, Janardhan Reddy preferred to remain non-committal about his vote.

All parties have approached me. I am yet to decide, he said.

Later, Shivakumar spent some time in the Assembly lobby holding discussions with A Manju and GT Deve Gowda, both JD(S) MLAs and belonging to the Vokkaliga community, which the deputy CM represents.

Speaking to the media at the Bengaluru Embassy Hotel, Shivakumar said, All party legislators will come to Vidhana Soudha together on Tuesday.

Asked if there is any possibility of cross voting, he replied in negative.

Voting will commence on Tuesday at 9am and conclude at 4pm. Counting of votes will commence at 5pm.

As of now, Congress seems to be comfortable with its numbers, expecting all the 134 ruling party MLAs to adhere to the whip and the support of the three Independent members associated with it.

ALSO READ- Congress prez Kharge announces monthly 5k aid, if voted to power in Andhra

According to those familiar with the development, the party is also expecting Janardhan Reddy to join the league. Defying the party whip by any MLA elected on the partys symbol will result in their disqualification.

A candidate needs 45 first preference votes to get elected.

The BJP after allotting 45, or 46 votes to be on the safer side, will be left with 22 or 21 surplus votes to be transferred to Kupendra Reddy. The JD(S) with 19 MLAs will still fall short of four to five votes for Kupendra Reddy.

According to BJP insiders, there is a likelihood of disgruntled party MLAs Shivaram Hebbar and ST Somashekhar, who have given enough indications of wanting to join the Congress at an appropriate time, either cross vote or abstain from voting.
A 25-year-old woman has been hospitalized with a gunshot injury sustained in an attack by the man accused of raping her last year and his accomplices in Kotputli city in Kotputli-Behror district of Rajasthan, police officers said on Sunday. The incident took place on Saturday evening, when the woman was returning from work with her brother about 50m from the Pragpura police station (HT Photo)

While the main accused is absconding, his accomplices, Mahipal Gurjar and Rahul Gurjar, have been arrested for the attack, the officers said.

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The incident took place on Saturday evening, when the woman was returning from work with her brother about 50m from the Pragpura police station, said Kotputli police superintendent Vandita Rana.

The main accused Rajendra Yadav and his aides, Mahipal Gurjar and Rahul Gurjar, followed the victim and her brother on a two-wheeler and launched an attack. While Rajendra shot the woman in the back, the other two accused also stabbed them. The three then fled the spot, Rana said.

Yadav allegedly raped the woman on January 16 last year, police officials said, without giving any more details of the rape case.

Yadav, who was arrested on charges of rape was released on bail recently. Since his release, the accused was pressuring the woman to withdraw the initial case, her family alleged.

Yadav was arrested in the case that time but was recently out on bail. He started threatening the victim to withdraw the case, the first information report (FIR), filed by the womans family following Saturdays attack, said.

Since the victim did not withdraw the case, they launched the brutal attack on her last night, Rana added.

The woman was rushed to a local hospital with gunshot wound, and was later referred to Sawai Man Singh (SMS) hospital in Jaipur as her condition deteriorated, officers said. The bullet was lodged in the womans spine and her condition is stated to be critical, the officers said. She also sustained some stabbing injuries.

The womans brother has been hospitalized at the SMS hospital and is undergoing treatment after he was stabbed by the accused.

A team comprising SP Rana, Viratnagar circle officer Rohit Sakla, and the station house officer Rajesh Kumar has been constituted to probe the incident.

After conducting a search operation in the area, the team arrested Mahipal and Rahul on Sunday morning. Yadav is still absconding, Rana.

The three accused have been booked under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (unlawful assembly), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 195A (threatens another with any injury to his person) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Arms Act, the SP said.

The police have seized their two-wheeler and the weapons the accused used during the attack. A search is on for the prime accused. Further investigation is underway, said Rana.
Trinamool Congress leader Ajit Maity was on Monday arrested by the Sandeshkhali Police, a day after he was removed from the position of the head of the party's local unit. Ajit Maity was arrested following protests by a large number of women who levelled allegations of land grabbing and extortion against him. TMC leader Ajit Maity

READ | Order from Delhi is to keep Sandeshkhali issue alive until....: Trinamool

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Speaking about the allegations against him, Ajit Maity said on Monday, "I'm repeatedly requesting with folded hands that if I have taken away someone's land or money, then give it in writing to the police. If I have made a mistake, I will apologise. If any evidence is found against me, I will take responsibility"

Visuals shared by the news agency ANI showed the villagers ransacking Ajit Mait's house and beating him with slippers amid protests in Sandeshkhali's Bermajur on Friday. Ajit Maity had claimed that the allegations levelled against him were baseless.

"I was attacked because I am a TMC leader. My bike was vandalised and they also attacked my wife. My daughter has exams but she is scared now that we will get attacked again. They also set fire to one of my storage rooms. They were making false allegations about me. Let there be a probe and if I am guilty, the police can arrest me," Ajit Maity told ANI earlier.

READ | Bengal ministers visit Sandeshkhali; fresh protests erupt in some pockets

Sandeshkhali, located at a distance of 100 kilometres from Kolkata, has been embroiled in protests against TMC leader Shahjahan and his aides. Women have levelled allegations of sexual assault and land grabbing against the TMC leader. Two ministers of the TMC-led government in Bengal, Partha Bhowmick and Sujit Bose, visited Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district on Saturday, even as fresh protests erupted in some pockets.

There are some grievances among the villagers. Their lands were grabbed and turned into fish farms. We are verifying the allegations. We will address them, Bose told reporters.

Meanwhile a villager told HT, We have no faith in police. They have been turning a blind eye all these years and have now come to placate us asking us to lodge complaints.

The protests erupted in Sandeshkhali after local TMC MLA Shahjahan Sheikh went absconding following ED raids at his premises. In its defence TMC has said that it is not shielding the local leader who has been accused of sexual abuse and land grab by villagers in West Bengals restive Sandeshkhali.

The TMC is not shielding Shahjahan Sheikh We have a zero-tolerance policy against anyone committing any crime, party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said on Sunday.

(With agencies' inputs)
Kolkata: Brushing aside claims made by Trinamool Congress (TMC) that the police were not being able to arrest be Sheikh Shahjahan cause of a court stay order, the Calcutta high court said on Monday that it hasnt passed any order restraining the police from arresting the TMC leader, a prime accused in the case related to attack on Enforcement Directorate officials in January this year in Sandeshkhali. TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh is on the run following the attack on ED officials in Sandeshkhali last month. (File photo)

Which is that order? How can there be a restraint order asking police not to arrest him? We clarify it right now that there is no order restraining the state police from apprehending, said a bench presided over by Calcutta high court Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam, adding that he shall be arrested.

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This came a day after Abhishek Banerjee, TMC national general secretary, said the Calcutta high court has tied the hands of the police.

The judiciary is guarding Sheikh Shahjahan. The TMC government will not spare anyone if the allegations are genuine but the Calcutta high court has tied the hands of the police, Banerjee said on Sunday evening in his Lok Sabha constituency.

Also Read: Fact-finding delegation detained in West Bengal

Calcutta high court advocate Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee, who was appointed the amicus curiae in the case told the bench that a wrong message was going out.

The court had granted a stay on the constitution of a Special Investigation Team alone. Stay on constitution is different from stay on arrest. Police have registered FIR against him under various sections of IPC and he has been branded as an accused. Obviously, he needs to be arrested, the bench stated.

Soon after the Calcutta high courts clarification, the ruling party said that Shahjahan would be arrested within week.

We thank the Calcutta high court for allowing the police to arrest Shahjahan. He will be arrested within a week, Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson, told media.

Meanwhile in Sandeshkhali, around 80 km from Kolkata, fresh protests broke out on Monday. Villagers ransacked the house of a TMC panchayat member Shankar Sardar and set ablaze a hay stack kept in the house of Haladhar Ari, another TMC leader. Family members of both Ari and Sardar alleged that they were being framed and it was a conspiracy of the BJP.

Sandeshkhali has been on the boil since early this month following allegations of land grabbing and sexual abuse of women by TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan and his men. Women had hit the streets demanding the arrest of Shahjahan and his aides. Local villagers have alleged that police had turned a blind eye to the crimes for years.

At least 43 FIRs related to sexual assault under section 376 of IPC have been lodged by police in Sandeshkhali in the last four years. Police have submitted charge sheet in 42 cases while investigation is going on in one case, Kishore Datta, advocate general told the court.

Also Read: Sandeshkhali on edge as fresh protests break out

The bench, however, observed: It is surprising that police took four years to file charge sheet in 43 FIRs. Four years is too long a period. The issue has bene boiling for quite some time and ultimately it has burst.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested local TMC leader Ajit Maity, a day after he was removed from his local area party post after allegations of irregularities surfaced against him on Sunday.

It is shameful that the TMC tried to use a direction of the Calcutta high court as a shield to cover up its own wrong doings. Never did the court gave any stay on Shahjahans arrest, which TMC leaders have bene claiming. Now that the clarification has come, those not related to the administration are saying that Shahjahan will be arrested. Is this expected from a democratically elected government? said Samik Bhattacharya, BJP spokesperson.
The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member of Parliament Sanjay Singhs bail plea in the money laundering case related to the now-scrapped 2021-22 Delhi excise policy. AAP leader Sanjay Singh. (PTI)

A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta posted the matter for hearing on March 5 along with Singhs pending petition challenging his arrest in October last year.

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Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Singh, informed the court about the pending matter which was last taken up on February 5 and posted for hearing on March 5. Singhvi said the government and the ED were yet to file their responses in the pending matter.

Singh has challenged the February 7 Delhi high court order rejecting his bail plea based on the statement of accused-turned-approver Dinesh Arora, who claimed to have delivered 2 crore to an associate of the AAP leader. Singh has questioned the veracity of Aroras claim saying that he gave six different statements. The ED arrested Singh on October 4 based on Aroras statement

The high court examined the statements of other accused and witnesses linking Singh to the case alleging that he was instrumental in making changes to the excise policy to benefit businessmen engaged in the liquor trade.

The Supreme Court denied former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who was also arrested in the same case, bail in October last year. It also dismissed a review plea in December. A curative petition of Sisodia was pending in the Supreme Court.
Several Indian nationals were discharged from the Russian Army after their case was taken up by Indian authorities, which will continue to pursue all such cases. The external affairs ministry said every case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been taken up. (Wikipedia)

Responding to inaccurate media reports about Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge, the external affairs ministry said in a statement on Monday that every such case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities.

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The statement didnt give details of the media reports it was referring to but said cases of Indians in the Russian Army brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi. The statement said: Several Indians have already been discharged as a result.

There is still no clarity about how many Indians were serving in the Russian Army and how many had been discharged. Reports have suggested the number serving with the Russian Army could be up to 100.

We remain committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army, the statement said.

Last week, India advised its citizens to stay away from getting caught up in the Russia-Ukraine conflict following reports that Indian nationals who secured support jobs with the Russian Army had been forced to fight alongside Russian troops.

At that time, the external affairs ministry acknowledged that a few Indians had signed up for support jobs with the Russian Army, and that the Indian embassy in Moscow has regularly taken up this matter with the relevant Russian authorities for their early discharge.

The media reports have said several Indians, who signed up as security helpers with the Russian military, were forced to fight beside Russian troops along the border with Ukraine.

Unconfirmed reports have suggested there were some casualties and at least two deaths among the Indian nationals.

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader and MP Asaduddin Owaisi and the Karnataka government approached the external affairs ministry to bring back the Indians caught in the fighting. Several of these Indians belong to Karnataka, Telangana, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge and relatives of some of the Indians have said they were sent to Russia by recruitment agents. Kharge said they were recruited by Wagner Group, the Russian state-funded private military company, to fight against Ukraine.

Earlier, there were reports of up to 200 men from Nepal being recruited by the Russian military. Nepals foreign ministry acknowledged in December that six Nepalese nationals serving in the Russian Army were killed in the war with Ukraine.

The war triggered by Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 is set to enter its third year on Saturday. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has verified 30,457 civilian casualties, including 10,582 killed and 19,875 injured, since the war began.
Muslims across the country celebrated the 'Shab-e-Baraat', also known as the 'night of forgiveness', a significant festival observed on the 14th and 15th night of Sha'aban, the eighth month in the Islamic calendar on Sunday. Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, is seen alongside his son, Syed Usama Shaban Bukhari, during a ceremony appointing the latter as his successor at Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, on Sunday, February 25. (Photo by Sanjeev Verma / Hindustan Times)(Hindustan Times)

The Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari on Sunday declared his son as his successor in a 'dastarbandi' ceremony held at the courtyard of the grand mosque.

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The ceremony involves tying a 'dastarbandi (turban)' on the head of the next Imam, following with the prayers.

Syed Ahmed Bukhari said, "This is the night of prayer. It's the night of forgiveness from sins. Everyone should pray in silence and later everyone should go to their homes."

Shab-e-Barat celebrations were observed at Nizamuddin Darga, in Delhi.

People were seen in large numbers surrounding the Holy Dargah with their prayers.

ALSO READ- When is Shab-e-Barat 2024 in India; all you want to know

Delhi Police officials arranged various check posts around the National Capital to maintain law and order in awe of the Shab-e-Baraat celebrations.

Srinagar's Dargah Hazratbal Shrine was decorated with lights and people gathered there in large numbers.

People also arrived at the 'Bada Qabristaan' in Mumbai to pray for their relatives who passed away.

Shoaib Khatib, Trustee of Jumma Masjid in Mumbai said, "Bada Qabristaan in Mumbai has a history of 200 years. It is spread over 8 acres. People of those who have passed away come here and pray for them. Mumbai Police has made wonderful arrangements. Whatever guidelines were made, everyone followed them. People who come here also worship peacefully. The Masjid Trust makes arrangements a month before the Shab-e-Baraat."

People sat and listened to the religious hymns at Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh.

The word 'Shab' has Persian origins, meaning night, while 'Barat' is an Arabic word that stands for salvation and forgiveness. On the night of Shab-e-Barat, Muslims worldwide ask for forgiveness for their sins from Allah.

This festival is marked with great enthusiasm across South Asia, including countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

ALSO READ- Delhi HC junks plea seeking to allow prayers at demolished mosque site

Many believe that this is a holy night when Allah is more forgiving and that sincere prayers can help wash away their sins. The night is also used to seek mercy for deceased and ill family members, and it is believed that Allah decides people's fortune for the year ahead, their sustenance, and whether they will have the opportunity to perform Hajj (pilgrimage).

Further, Shab-e-Barat has its unique traditions, depending on cultural diversity and local traditions. During the day, Muslims prepare delicious sweets like Halwa, Zarda, and other delicacies to distribute among their neighbors, relatives, family members, and the poor. Many visit the graves of their loved ones to pray for eternal peace for their souls. Some also observe a fast on Shab-e-Barat.

Mosques are decorated, and many of them have periodic recitations and announcements throughout the day, before preparing for the main events of the night. After sundown, Muslim devotees start their prayers with 'Isha Ki Namaz' and continue the prayer session throughout the night till the next day before eating Sehri, a pre-dawn meal before the fast for Shab-e-Barat.
The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Authority has decided to set aside two sectors in Gautam Buddh Nagar district as Japansese and Korean industrial cities. Companies from the two countries will set up their industrial offices in these cities, Live Hindustan reported on Sunday. While the Japanese city will come up in sector 5A of the expressway, the Korean city will be set up in sector 4A. The cities will also have residential areas for its foreign staff. The cities are expected to be developed at a cost of 2,544 crore. (HT File)

The Jewar airport is set to be inaugurated in Noida at a distance of barely 10 km from the place where these cities are to be built. This is expected to give a boost to the two projects.

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The decision to build these cities was taken during meetings with the Japanese and Korean investors ahead of the UP Global Investors Summit last year. Representatives of these countries also visited the industrial sectors last year.

The cities are expected to be developed at a cost of 2,544 crore. Speaking about the development of these cities Arun Vir Singh, CEO of Yamuna Industrial Development Authority said that the electronic hubs would have firms manufacturing chips, AI equipment, semiconductors and cameras.

They are being planned to be self-sufficient, with provisions for housing, schools, hospitals and other essential amenities for the Japanese and Korean citizens staying there, TOI quoted him as saying.

Meanwhile, Shailendra Bhatia, an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at Yamuna Industrial Development Authority told the publishing house that the sectors would have mixed land use with 70 per cent set aide for core industry and 13 per cent for commercial use. 10 per cent will be allocated for residential needs and 5 per cent for institutional purposes.

HT had reported in December last year that officials of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority would visit Japan, South Korea and Singapore in a bid to urge business firms there to set up units in Noida, Greater Noida and the Yamuna Expressway region.

We will explain the terms and conditions of different schemes, which have been launched to sell our industrial plots so that potential investors are aware of their benefits. We want to attract investors so that they set up manufacturing units of electronic products as well as medical equipment. We have a host of schemes for the medical device park and electronics hubs being developed along the Yamuna Expressway near the Noida International Airport site in Jewar, said Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer (CEO) of Yamuna Industrial Development Authority ahead of his visit to Japan and South Korea last year.
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) on Monday announced that they will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Lok Sabha elections. After the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) quit the BJP last September, this is among the first announcements of a tie up among those in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai and Tamil Maanila Congress President G K Vasan during a press conference announcing the Tamil Maanila Congress and BJP alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Chennai on Monday. (Lakshmi)

GK Vasan, former Union shipping minister and son of veteran Congress leader GK Moopanar who leads the TMC, made the announcement justifying that it was taken in the interest of the nation. Vasan had a Rajya Sabha nomination in 2020 with the support from AIADMK legislators while they were in alliance with the BJP. He continued to share a good rapport with the BJP.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

ALSO READ- Look Sabha polls: Boost for BJP in Tamil Nadu as it inducts 15 former AIADMK MLAs

TMC has had a national outlook ever since it was launched, Vasan told reporters. The decision to join hands with BJP was taken to ensure the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu and India. People want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to return for a third term to lead the country once again.

His father had been against the BJP throughout his lifetime. After serving as a minister in UPA-I and UPA-II from 2006 to 2014. His father had launched TMC in 1996 after breaking away from Congress. Under him, the TMC has not won a single seat in elections they contested since 2016.

Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai drove to Vasans residence to congratulate him for the partys decision. Vasans entry will strengthen the alliance. He will guide us for the next 100 days, Annamalai said. TMC contested the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 assembly polls as part of the AIADMK-BJP alliance. Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) who were also with the NDA are yet to announce their plans.

ALSO READ- INDIA bloc likely to repeat 2019 seat-sharing formula in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief K Selvaperunthagai criticised Vasans decision to join the NDA at a time no party in Tamil Nadu is willing to tie-up with the BJP. Moopanars soul will not forgive Vasan, the Congress leader said. He recalled that it was with the support of three TMC MPs that led to the fall of the AB Vajpayee-led BJP government in 1999. He added that Vasan was made a minister by the Congress only because he was Moopanars son.

Leaders expelled from the AIADMK, O Panneerselvam and TTV Dhinakaran have also been leaning towards the BJP. On February 7, as many as 18 leaders from other parties joined the BJP. Of which 13 are former MLAs and one MP from the AIADMK, former legislators each from the DMDK, Congress and DMK and a former MLA who was with the AIADMK and later switched to the DMK.
NEW DELHI: Thailand and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have to work with India to address the crisis in Myanmar though a solution can only be found by parties within the country, Thai vice minister for foreign affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow said on Monday. Thai vice minister for foreign affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow said Thailand would like to work with India, in partnership, on the question of Myanmar. (File Photo/AP)

Phuangketkeow, part of the delegation accompanying Thai deputy prime minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara on an official visit, said developments following the 2021 coup in Myanmar have affected both Thailand and India. Regional players have no choice but to find ways to implement Aseans five-point consensus formula to find a way out of the crisis in Myanmar.

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In the end, all of us have to pitch in to help Myanmar return to the path of peace and democracy, he said during a lecture at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA). We would like to work with India, in partnership, on the question of Myanmar.

However, outside players can only do so much and eventually the parties within Myanmar have to solve the problem, he said. We can entice them, persuade them, maybe a little bit of coercion but they will have to decide what is the future of Myanmar, he added.

Phuangketkeow was critical of Aseans policy of non-interference, saying rigid adherence to it could lead to the grouping being paralysed on many important issues. In the context of Myanmar, he said talking about domestic issues is intended to help an Asean member state out of a difficult situation. The principle of non-interference cannot be used as a blank cheque to do whatever you want against your people, he said.

The crisis in Myanmar has prolonged for more than three years with no end in sight, and a beginning can be made with Aseans five-point consensus, which has so far remained a blueprint on paper, by working for a reduction in violence, cessation of hostilities and humanitarian assistance and dialogue, Phuangketkeow said.

Phuangketkeow emphasised the need to speed up efforts to forge a strategic partnership between Thailand and India, something that was first talked about 12 years ago. During this period, India has established strategic partnerships with Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia and a comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam.

Deputy prime minister Bahiddha-Nukara and external affairs minister S Jaishankar will co-chair the bilateral joint commission meeting on Tuesday, and Phuangketkeow said he hoped the Thai side will be able to convince India during these discussions that the time has come to move towards a strategic partnership that fits the level of relations between our two countries.
Wild birthing, also known as free birthing, has been driving headlines following the tragic deaths of twin babies delivered at a home near Byron Bay earlier this month as Australians grapple with the complexity of a person's right to choose a so-called "sovereign" birthing experience and the dangers that can arise when medical advice is eschewed.

At 2am on February 11, paramedics were called to a couple's home in Mullumbimby, responding to reports of a concern for welfare due to an apparent wild birth gone wrong. One of the twins died at the scene while the other later died at Tweed Heads Hospital. It is understood the pair did not know they were having twins, who were ultimately born prematurely at 23 weeks.

What is wild birthing?

Wild birthing, or free birthing, means to give birth without a medically trained doctor or midwife  though it does not necessarily mean the person is against any medical intervention at all.

Those who choose to have a free birth sometimes also choose to have a wild pregnancy, which is when a pregnant woman chooses not to seek outside prenatal care from a doctor or midwife during the pregnancy, including obtaining ultrasounds or other scans.

Free birth advisor and mother to two free-birthed babies in the US, Aubrey Siebe, told Yahoo News Australia one of the "big misconceptions" of free birthers is that they "reject all medical care".

An anonymous midwife has said she would not attend a home birth due to the amount of emergencies she has seen that require immediate surgery. Source: Getty

"Women who free birth pick and choose what they do," she said. "Some women still like to have an obstetrician and go through all of the scans and tests that they feel necessary, some of them have midwives. Then some others  they coined the term 'wild pregnancy'  don't do any of those things at all."

Free birthing advocate defends practice as 'safe'

Aubrey argues that "free birth can be the safest option for most women" and told Yahoo she thinks "interventions" can prove more harmful than good  a potentially dangerous claim at the heart of the movement.

Story continues

"The more that people learn about birth physiology, the more they start to understand certain things like having strangers [there] and all of the interventions that are introduced in the medical world, inhibit the natural flow of birth," she said. "Most people view us as reckless, we're actually doing everything very intentionally."

An Aussie midwife, who has asked not to be named, was quick to dispute this though, sharing how unsafe free births can be after seeing "many obstetric emergencies" that require early detection and immediate surgery.

"Free births are very unsafe because you have no trained professional there," she said. "There are a lot of things in a home birth that can be picked up early and prevented by a trained midwife."

Tragically, seven baby deaths have been linked to free births in South East Queensland and Northern NSW since 2022.

Aubrey (left) is an advocate for free births. Professor Stewart (right) explains why pregnant women are allowed to choose how they give birth. Source: Supplied

The legal side of choosing a free birth

While the choice of the couple in northern NSW to have a wild birth has been condemned by some, it is allowed in the eyes of the law. This is because of a legal principle known as the "born alive rule"  where a foetus is not recognised as a "person" until it is born alive and "endowed with personhood", says Cameron Stewart, a Professor of Health, Law and Ethics and The University of Sydney Law School.

"When mum makes a decision about her interactions with healthcare services, everyone ethically would be encouraging her  particularly if it was twins not to have a child in an uncontrolled situation," he said. "But it's not a situation where we could force her to come into the hospital or a maternity unit."

This rule is in place to ensure they do not "diminish a mum's right of choice" because then it becomes a "slippery slope" about regulating pregnant women, Prof Stewart explained.

"By necessity, they would end up as second-class citizens who would have less rights over their bodies than other people," he said.

"I get people are very upset, and that's a totally understandable emotional response to the death of two children, which is completely preventable. But people's own religious views, we don't normally allow them to manifest themselves in laws about controlling people's bodies  especially when there is not a uniformity of religious belief on the issue."

Rise in free births due to 'inadequate maternity care options'

Free birthing is rare in Australia with 97 per cent of women giving birth in a hospital, but critics say a lack of quality alternatives  coupled with advocacy by social media influencers  is helping to fuel the rising trend.

While the law permits a pregnant person's freedom to choose, insurance rarely covers midwives attending home births unless it is through a publicly funded home birth program  which can be restrictive and typically does not cover anyone considered "high-risk", for example, those with a "high BMI". Private midwives are also not insured so are costly and hard to find.

A 2020 research paper by Australian academics found that while some women are led to choose a free birth due to their mistrust of the medical system or trauma from a previous birth, difficulty in obtaining the appropriate at-home care is also leading some to choose a free birth.

"It is becoming clear that a rise in the rates of free birth and homebirth with risk factors in Australia is symptomatic of inadequate maternity care options," the report concluded.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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Traffic was disrupted as farmers took out a tractor march in Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Baghpat, Hapur and Amroha, blocking the left lane of highways by parking their tractors. Farmers and Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait) activists jam the NH 58 at Mohiuddinpur in Meerut(HT photo)

In Meerut, the farmers and Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait) activists jammed the NH 58 at Mohiuddinpur. The BKU has given call to park tractors at Highways to express their solidarity with farmers protesting in Punjab and Haryana for their demands.



Tikait on Monday said the tractor march is being carried out so that the Narendra Modi government listens to them and not forget the farmers.



A programme to take out a 'Tractor chain' has been decided. Tractors will be parked on the highway that leads to Delhi, especially the divider highway...It was decided to register a different kind of protest so that the government would listen to us and not forget the farmers, Tikait, who was at the forefront of the 2020-21 agitation against the Centre's now repealed farm laws, told ANI.



Farmers' protest LIVE coverage

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We had gone to Chandigarh for a meeting of Sanyukt Morcha. We have formed a 6-member committee. It has been formed to hold dialogues with all the farmer organisations that are separate from Sanyukt Morcha...If any organisation wants to join the Sanyukt Morcha, it can have a dialogue with the committee, he added.



The tractor march is being taken out by farmers affiliated with the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Tikait and BKU Lokshakti.



ALSO READ: Haryana: Khaps urge farm unions to come under one roof

We (farmers) have not received a message (from the government) yet. The path to having a dialogue is always open. We are protesting here to have a conversation. So, whenever there will be one, we will attend the meeting, a farmer leader was quoted by PTI as saying during a press conference.



Traffic likely to be hit on Delhi-Noida border

Traffic is likely to be affected at the Delhi-Noida border on Monday in view of a proposed tractor march of farmers to the national capital, officials told PTI. Farmers have planned a protest march on tractors via the Yamuna Expressway, Luharli toll plaza and Mahamaya flyover.

The Delhi Police has intensified checking at the border by putting up barricades. There was heavy traffic at the Chilla border from Delhi towards Noida due to the checking.

According to the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police, intensive checking will be conducted by the Delhi Police as well as the district police by installing barriers at all the border points between the national capital and Noida, and traffic will be diverted in accordance with the situation.



The Delhi Chalo protest march is being spearheaded by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. The agitation is taking place to put pressure on the Centre to accept farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops and a farm loan waiver.

The farmers have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri points of Punjab's border with Haryana since February 13, when their march was stopped by security personnel.



ALSO READ: Farmers protest 2.0: New vanguards emerge as veterans pushed to margins

The farmers will continue to stay put at the two border points till February 29, when the next course of action will be decided, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher was quoted by PTI as sauing.

Farmer leaders had on Wednesday put the 'Delhi Chalo' march on hold for two days after a protester was killed and about 12 police personnel were injured in clashes at Khanauri.



(With bureau and agency inputs)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi commemorated the death anniversary of Hindutva figure VD Savarkar on Monday, praising his steadfast commitment to India's freedom and unity. Regarded as one of the most influential freedom fighters, Savarkar was not only a lawyer but also an activist, writer, and politician. (Hindustan Times)

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, commonly referred to as Veer Savarkar, was born on May 28, 1883, in Bhagur. A prominent advocate of Hindutva ideology, Savarkar passed away in 1966.

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in a post on X, Modi wrote, Tributes to Veer Savarkar on his Punya Tithi. India will forever remember his valiant spirit and unwavering dedication to our nation's freedom and integrity. His contributions inspire us to strive for the development and prosperity of our country.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma remembering Savarkar said, Shraddheya Vinayak Damodar 'Veer' Savarkar exemplified courage and devotion towards Maa Bharti. He was a gifted orator, a revolutionary freedom fighter and a leader of the masses. As we remember the great soul on his punyatithi, let us take inspiration from his tales of bravery and strive to serve Maa Bharti to the best of our abilities.

Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Prahlad Joshi said, Paying homage to the spirited revolutionary of the Indian Independence who inspired Indians to join the Freedom Movement, Shri Veer Savarkar ji on his death anniversary.

Regarded as one of the most influential freedom fighters, Savarkar was not only a lawyer but also an activist, writer, and politician. He gained prominence for his book "Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?", among several others authored by him. Many BJP leaders have hailed him as a significant figure in India's struggle for independence.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis wrote on X, Paying homage to an ardent supporter of Hindutva and dedicated freedom fighter, SwatantraVeer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar ji on his SmrutiDin...

Rajya Sabha MP Kartik Sharma said on X, On the death anniversary of the great revolutionary Vinayak Damodar Savarkar ji, we honor his immense contributions to India's freedom struggle and nationalist ideology. His legacy continues to inspire generations.
Nitasha Kaul, an Indian-origin UK-based professor at the University of Westminster, on Sunday claimed that she was denied entry into India and was sent back to London from the Bengaluru airport based on orders from Delhi. Nitasha Kaul was reportedly invited by the Karnataka government to participate as a speaker in the two-day Constitution and National Unity Convention -2024 organised on February 24 and 25. UK professor Nitasha Kaul said she was denied entry to India and was harassed for hours at Bangalore airport.

According to Nitasha Kaul, she was denied entry because of her opinions on democratic and constitutional values. She also said the airport officials made references to her earlier criticism of the RSS.

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I was given no reason by immigration except we cannot do anything, orders from Delhi. My travel and logistics had been arranged by Karnataka and I had the official letter with me. I received no notice or info in advance from Delhi that I would not be allowed to enter, the Indian-origin professor wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

She added, I spent 12 hours in a flight from London to Bangalore, several hours at immigration where they shuttled me here & there, provided no info on process, then 24 hours in a holding cell (no BA flight back until next day) under direct cctv w restricted movement, a narrow area to lie down and no easy access to food and water, made dozens of calls to airport for basic things as a pillow and blanket, which they refused to provide, then 12 hours on the flight back to London, she added.

Asserting that she is not anti-India but anti-authoritarian and pro-democracy, Kaul said, I am a globally respected academic & public intellectual, passionate about liberal democratic values. I care for gender equity, challenging misogyny, sustainability, civil & political liberties, rule of lawDecades of my work speaks for me.

Who is Nitasha Kaul?
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi may bid adieu to the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in the upcoming general elections and contest from either Karnataka or Telangana apart from the Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh, according to a News18 report. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad.(Congress Twitter)

Rahul Gandhi contested and won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad for the first time but faced a shock defeat at the hands of BJP leader Smriti Irani in Amethi.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

The report suggests that Gandhi is contemplating leaving the Wayanad constituency amid pressure from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) to allocate three seats instead of the current two. Given its substantial Muslim voter base in the region, the IUML wants to field its candidate from Wayanad.

Read: Rahul Gandhi, urgently required in Wayanad, abruptly halts Yatra in Varanasi

The Communist Party of India (CPI), meanwhile, has named four candidates for Lok Sabha elections in Kerala, including the Wayanad seat. The CPI, a rival of Congress in Kerala as part of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), is an ally of the grand old party at the national level as part of the opposition INDIA bloc, complicating the equation.

Senior CPI leader Annie Raja, wife of party general secretary D Raja, has been fielded from Wayanad constituency, a seat presently held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

The News18 report says it wont look good on the INDIA bloc that one of their prominent leaders wife will be contesting against Rahul Gandhi.

Read: Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka target govt over paper leaks

Amethi, on the other hand, could witness another high-profile contest between Rahul Gandhi and Smriti Irani after Congress sealed a seat-sharing pact with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. Both Rahul Gandhi and Union minister Smriti Irani were in Amethi last Monday.

Though Rahul Gandhi kept the suspense going over whether he would re-contest from Amethi against Smriti Irani, he tore into the BJP over not inviting President Droupadi Murmu to the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya, making a case about the BJP not caring about OBCs, Dalits, tribals and minorities.

In her counter-attack, Smriti Irani said: Empty streets of Amethi greeted Rahuls Nyay Yatra and (this) is proof of the popular anger against those who skipped the Ram temple invite. Now, the family has left the Rae Bareli seat as well.
Holi 2024: Holi is one of the most popular Hindu festivals celebrated with much enthusiasm and fanfare across the country. Also known as Festival of colours, in West Bengal, Assam and Tripura, it is also known as the 'Dol jatra' or 'Basanta Utsav'. Traditionally celebrated in late February or early March in the Gregorian calendar, Holi marks the arrival of spring and the end of winter, coinciding with the full moon or Purnima on the evening of the Hindu month of Phalguna. It's a time for people to come together, put aside their differences and celebrate life's brighter moments. As everyone looks forward to celebrating Holi in 2024, read on to find out whether the festival will be celebrated on March 24 or March 25 this year apart from the time, customs and significance of the festival in India. Is Holi on March 24 or March 25? Know the correct date of the 'Festival of Colours', one of the most vibrant and jubilant Hindu festivals. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)(AP)

Holi 2024 Date and Time: When is Holi?

According to the Hindu calendar, Holi is celebrated every year on the full moon day of the month of Falgun. This year, the momentous festival of Holi will be observed on Monday, March 25, 2024, while a day before Holi, which is celebrated as Holika Dahan or Choti Holi, will be marked on Sunday, March 24. According to Drik Panchang, the auspicious timings are as follows:

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Purnima Tithi Begins - 09:54 AM on March 24, 2024

Purnima Tithi Ends - 12:29 PM on March 25, 2024

Holi 2024 History:

Hindu mythology serves as the inspiration for the vibrant and colourful festival of Holi. It is thought to derive from the story of Hiranyakashipu and Prahlad. It is said that Lord Vishnu saved his devoted disciple Prahlad from the nefarious plans of his father Hiranyakashyap. Holika, the sister of Hiranyakashyap, was given a boon that made her fireproof. She intended to use this power to murder Prahlad by tricking him into sitting on her lap while she sat in a raging fire.

Much to everyone's surprise, the fire did not harm Prahlad, but devoured Holika, symbolising the triumph of good over evil celebrated on Holika Dahan, the first day of Holi. In certain regions, such as Mathura and Vrindavan, Holi is also observed as a celebration of the heavenly love shared by Lord Krishna and Radha.

Significance of Holi:

Holi has immense religious significance for Hindus. It is one of the most important events in the Hindu religion. During the Holi festival, Hindus rejoice with great joy and enthusiasm. This festival spans two consecutive days, beginning with Choti Holi followed by Dulhendi, also known as Badi Holi or Rang wali Holi. On the eve of Choti Holi, Holika Dahan, a symbolic bonfire, is ceremoniously lit.

People build bonfires, worship the Holika and circle it seven times. Water and colours are used as payment on Dulhendi Day. They visit each other's homes and put gulaal, or bright colours, on their faces as they joyfully celebrate this vibrant festival. Along with sharing snacks and sweets, they also play music and enjoy the festivities with their loved ones.
Just like a heart attack, stroke involves a sudden disruption of blood flow to a vital organ hence, a stroke is often referred to as the "brain's heart attack" but even though the two health conditions share some similarities, they affect different organs and require different treatment approaches which makes it crucial to recognise their signs and symptoms especially after Zerodha's founder Nithin Kamath started the conversation around a mild stroke that he recently suffered. Along with rapid access to medical care, it is essential for optimising outcomes and reducing the risk of disability or death. Zerodha's Nithin Kamath suffers mild stroke: How to recognise early signs, urgent actions for brain's heart attack (File Photo)

Taking to his social media handle, Nithin Kamath had tweeted, Around 6 weeks ago, I had a mild stroke out of the blue. Dad passing away, poor sleep, exhaustion, dehydration, and overworking out any of these could be possible reasons. I've gone from having a big droop in the face and not being able to read or write to having a slight droop but being able to read and write more. From being absent-minded to more present-minded. So, 3 to 6 months for full recovery. I wondered why a person who's fit and takes care of himself could be affected. The doctor said you need to know when you need to shift the gears down a bit. Slightly broken, but still getting my treadmill count.

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In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Pankaj Agarwal, Senior Consultant Neurologist and Head of the Department of Neurology at Global Hospitals in Parel Mumbai, shared, Stroke preparedness is a critical aspect of public health, emphasizing the importance of recognizing early signs and taking swift action to minimize the impact of this cerebrovascular event. A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted, either due to a blockage (ischemic stroke) or bleeding (hemorrhagic stroke).

Asserting that recognising the early signs of a stroke is crucial for timely intervention, he pointed out that the acronym FAST serves as a helpful reminder and elaborated -

**Face drooping:** One side of the face may droop or feel numb.

**Arm weakness:** Sudden weakness or numbness may occur in one or both arms.

**Speech difficulty:** Speech may become slurred or difficult to understand.

**Time to call for help:** If any of these signs are observed, it's time to call emergency services immediately.

He revealed, Other potential signs of a stroke include sudden confusion, severe headache, and difficulty walking. Early identification is pivotal, as prompt medical attention can significantly improve outcomes. In the event of suspected stroke, acting quickly is paramount. Calling emergency services ensures rapid transportation to a medical facility equipped to handle stroke cases. Emergency medical teams can initiate appropriate interventions, such as administering clot-busting medications or performing procedures to remove clots, depending on the type of stroke.
Struggling to find the perfect double-door fridge for your Indian kitchen? With so many options in the market, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. But fret not! Our comprehensive guide showcases the top 8 premium models renowned for their exceptional performance and efficient cooling, tailored specifically for Indian households. Keep it cool with our top-rated double-door fridges for ultimate freshness and convenience.

A double-door fridge is essential in Indian kitchens, providing ample storage and easy access to fresh ingredients. Whether you're a home cook or a busy homemaker, the right fridge can revolutionize your culinary experience. Our list includes fridges that maintain optimal temperatures, keep groceries fresh longer, and offer convenient storage solutions for essentials. With advanced cooling and energy-efficient designs, these models meet your household's unique needs.

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Whether you prioritize spacious interiors, innovative features, or elegant designs, our guide will simplify your search and help you choose the perfect double-door fridge for your kitchen. Say goodbye to food wastage and disorganized storage and say hello to a fresh, organized, and efficient cooking journey tailored to Indian culinary needs.

1. Samsung 236 L, 3 Star, Digital Inverter, Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator

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Experience unparalleled convenience in your kitchen with the Samsung 236 L Double Door Refrigerator. This innovative appliance streamlines your daily routines by providing efficient cooling and ample storage space. With its Digital Inverter technology and frost-free operation, preserving and organizing your food has never been easier.

Specifications of Samsung 236 L, 3 Star, Digital Inverter, Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator:

Capacity: 236 litres

Energy Rating: 3 Star

Compressor: Digital Inverter

Defrost Type: Frost Free

Colour: Silver (Elegant Inox)

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Energy-efficient Digital Inverter technology May be considered expensive Ample storage space for organized food storage Limited colour options Frost-free operation for hassle-free maintenance Relatively smaller capacity compared to others

2. LG 322 L 3-Star Frost-Free Smart Inverter Double Door Refrigerator

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Indulge in freshness with the LG 322 L 3 Star Frost-Free Smart Inverter Double Door Refrigerator. This appliance keeps your food fresh and cool with its advanced cooling technology and smart features. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that your groceries are stored in optimal conditions for extended freshness and flavour.

Specifications of LG 322 L 3-Star Frost-Free Smart Inverter Double Door Refrigerator:

Capacity: 322 L

Energy Rating: 3 Star

Frost-Free: Yes

Inverter Technology: Smart Inverter

Colour: Shiny Steel

Model: GL-S342SPZX

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Efficient cooling Limited colour options Spacious storage Higher price tag Convertible functionality Large footprint

Also Read: 9 best double door refrigerators priced between 20,000 and 30,000

3. Whirlpool 235 L 2 Star Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator

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Encounter convenience and freshness with the Whirlpool 235 L 2 Star Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator. Its spacious design and advanced cooling technology ensure that your food stays fresh and cool for longer periods. With ample storage and efficient performance, this refrigerator is a reliable companion for your kitchen needs.

Specifications of Whirlpool 235 L 2 Star Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator:

Capacity: 235 litres

Star Rating: 2 Star

Frost Free: Yes

Door Type: Double Door

Colour: German Steel

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Ample storage capacity Lower energy efficiency Frost-free technology Stylish design

4. LG 242 L 3 Star Smart Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator

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Unleash freshness and convenience with the LG 242 L 3 Star Smart Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator. Its advanced Door Cooling+ technology and smart inverter ensure efficient cooling, while the sleek Shiny Steel design adds elegance to your kitchen. With ample storage and energy efficiency, it's a smart choice for modern homes.

Specifications of LG 242 L 3 Star Smart Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator:

Capacity: 242 litres

Energy Rating: 3 Star

Cooling Technology: Frost-Free

Inverter Type: Smart Inverter

Colour: Shiny Steel

Additional Feature: Door Cooling+

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Efficient cooling with Door Cooling+ technology. Limited colour options. Smart inverter for energy savings. Relatively higher initial cost. Ample storage space for organized refrigeration. May not fit smaller kitchen spaces.

5. Haier 602 L Double Door Side By Side Refrigerators

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Experience the epitome of convenience with the Haier 602 L Double Door Side by Side Refrigerator. Featuring Expert Inverter Technology and Magic Convertible design, it offers ample storage and energy efficiency, ensuring a seamless kitchen organization experience. Upgrade your culinary space with this stylish and functional refrigerator.

Specifications of Haier 602 L Double Door Side By Side Refrigerators:

Model: HRS-682KS

Capacity: 602 L

Technology: Expert Inverter

Design: Side By Side

Colour: Black Steel

Gross Volume: 630 L

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Ample storage space for large families. Large footprints may not fit smaller kitchens. Energy-efficient Expert Inverter Technology. Relatively higher initial cost. Magic Convertible design for versatile storage. Limited colour options.

Also Read: Best double door refrigerator in India: Top 10 picks from Samsung, LG and Godrej

6. Samsung 236 L, 3 Star, Convertible, Digital Inverter with Display Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator

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Revamp your kitchen setup with the Samsung 236 L Convertible Digital Inverter Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator. With its 3-star rating, sleek design, and innovative digital display, it's the perfect blend of style and functionality. Upgrade your home with efficient cooling and modern features that cater to your lifestyle needs.

Specifications of Samsung 236 L, 3 Star, Convertible, Digital Inverter with Display Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator:

Capacity: 236 litres

Energy Rating: 3 Star

Inverter Technology: Digital Inverter

Frost Free: Yes

Door Type: Double Door

Colour: Silver, Elegant Inox

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Convertible feature for flexible storage Higher initial investment may be required Energy-efficient Digital Inverter technology Limited capacity for larger families Stylish design with a digital display Some users may prefer larger capacity models

7. Godrej 223 L 3 Star Convertible Freezer 6-In-1, Nano Shield Technology, Inverter Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator

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Upgrade your food quality by using the Godrej 223 L 3 Star Convertible Freezer 6-In-1 Refrigerator. Featuring innovative Nano Shield Technology and Inverter Frost Free technology, it ensures optimal cooling efficiency while saving energy. With its convertible freezer and sleek design, it's a smart addition to any modern home.

Specifications of Godrej 223 L 3 Star Convertible Freezer 6-In-1, Nano Shield Technology, Inverter Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator:

Capacity:223 L

Energy Rating:3 Star

Technology:Nano Shield, Inverter Frost Free

Model:RT EONVALOR 260C RCIF ST RH

Colour:Steel Rush

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Convertible freezer for flexible storage Limited capacity for larger families Energy-efficient operation with 3 Star rating Maybe a higher initial investment Nano Shield technology for enhanced durability Some users may prefer other brands or models

8. Samsung 256 L, 3 Star, Convertible, Digital Inverter with Display Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator

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Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator. This sleek model boasts innovative features like a digital inverter, convertible design, and frost-free operation. Enjoy efficient cooling and convenient organization with ample storage space, making meal prep and storage hassle-free.

Specifications of Samsung 256 L, 3 Star, Convertible, Digital Inverter with Display Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator:

Capacity:256 L

Energy Rating: 3 Star

Type: Double Door

Inverter Technology:Digital Inverter

Colour:Luxe Black

Frost Free:Yes

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Energy-efficient digital inverter technology Limited color options Convertible design for flexible storage Higher initial cost compared to basic models Frost-free operation for hassle-free maintenance Ample capacity and organization features

Best 3 features for you:

Product Names Capacity Technology Used Door Type Samsung 236 L, 3 Star 236 L Digital Inverter Frost Free LG 322 L, 3-Star 322 L Smart Inverter Frost-Free Whirlpool 235 L, 2 Star 235 L Frost-Free Double Door LG 242 L, 3 Star 242 L Smart Inverter Frost-Free Haier 602 L 602 L Inverter Technology Side By Side Samsung 236 L, 3-Star Convertible 236 L Digital Inverter Frost Free Godrej 223 L, 3 Star Convertible Freezer 6-In-1, Nano Shield Tech 223 L Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Samsung 256 L, 3-Star Convertible 256 L Digital Inverter Frost Free

Best value for money product:

The LG 322 L 3-Star Frost-Free Smart Inverter Double Door Refrigerator emerges as the best value-for-money product. Its spacious design, energy-efficient performance, and smart inverter technology ensure optimal cooling while keeping electricity bills in check. With ample storage and innovative features, it offers excellent value for households seeking reliable refrigeration solutions without breaking the bank.

Best overall product:

The Samsung 236 L, 3 Star, Digital Inverter, Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator stands out as the best overall product. Its efficient digital inverter technology ensures consistent cooling, while the spacious interior provides ample storage for groceries. With a sleek design and energy-saving features, it offers convenience and reliability for modern households, making it the top choice for those seeking quality refrigeration solutions.

How to find the best double-door fridges for your home?

To find the best double-door fridge for your home, consider your storage needs, available space, and desired features. Research different brands and models read customer reviews, and compare specifications such as capacity, energy efficiency, and cooling technology. Additionally, assess your budget and look for promotions or discounts. Ultimately, choose a fridge that meets your requirements and fits seamlessly into your kitchen.

Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with respect to the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.
(Bloomberg) -- Xiaomi Corp.s latest smartphone launch caught early customer attention in Southeast Asia as the company seeks to reclaim ground lost to other top players including Samsung Electronics Co. and Chinese peer Transsion. HT Image

The global launch of the Xiaomi 14 and 14 Ultra devices at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona pushed Xiaomis name into the top 10 of online trending lists in Malaysia and the Philippines. While Apple Inc.s iPhone dominates interest in Southeast Asia as it does globally, Xiaomi took second place from Samsung in Indonesia a year ago with the launch of its earlier generation.

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The Beijing-based phone maker has made a big bet on leading with camera technology, partnering with Germanys Leica Camera on lens technology and using Sony Group Corp.s large LYT-900 image sensor for the main camera in its Ultra model.

Xiaomi made a strong recovery in most markets in the region in the last quarter of 2023, bouncing back from double-digit declines a year ago, according to Kiranjeet Kaur, research director at IDC.

In Southeast Asia, while some of this can be attributed to the recovery in consumer demand, efforts to streamline its portfolio, sort out its channel issues and focus on a new product portfolio helped Xiaomi to gain traction, Kaur said.

In the long run, Xiaomi is locked in a fight with rivals such as Samsung and Transsion in Southeast Asian markets as demand remains weak in China. The regions smartphone shipments are expected to grow 7% this year after recording a moderate 4% growth in the final quarter of 2023, according to research firm Canalys.

--With assistance from Soo Jin Kim.

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An Australian pilot and two local workers kidnapped at gunpoint in the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea on Monday were released just hours later, according to police. Prime Minister James Marape said that the Australian "High Commissioner has been informed on this matter". (AFP/File)

The helicopter pilot and passengers had landed at a remote telecommunications site near Mount Sisa in Hela province when an armed group took them away at gunpoint on Monday afternoon, Papua New Guinea police commissioner David Manning said in a statement.

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After several hours of negotiations with the armed group, the captives were released safe and unharmed, he said in a second statement shortly afterwards.

Police had been cleared to use lethal force against the kidnappers although they did not say whether they had resorted to violence.

The trio were kidnapped in the same province where almost a year ago to the day an Australian archaeologist and two Papua New Guinean researchers were taken and held for more than a week until a ransom was paid.

Australia's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Six months after negotiations over an early harvest trade pact between India and Canada were paused, there is no timeline for their resumption but high level contact may be re-established this week at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial. FILE PHOTO: Canada's Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development Mary Ng speaks at a Lunar New Year celebration in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada January 31, 2023. REUTERS/Blair Gable/File Photo (REUTERS)

This was indicated by Canadas Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Mary Ng during the course of an interview which aired on the network CTV News on Sunday.

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I will see my counterpart when I get to the WTO in the next couple of days, she told host Vassy Kapelos, referring to Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal.

The four-day WTO ministerial meet is being held in Abu Dhabi, beginning on Monday.

However, renewed discussions over the Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA) remain in limbo, as Ng said, We havent made any decisions at this point.

The talks, which began in March 2022 when Ng visited New Delhi, were paused in late August just before Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus statement in the House of Commons that there were credible allegations of a potential link between Indian agents and the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18.

Im heartened to see the activity between Canadian enterprises and India continues and we are seeing encouraging signs of the investigation that is taking place, of course independently, she said. Some movement has already resumed with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe visiting India this month to strengthen trade ties, preceded by Ontarios Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Victor Fedeli. Former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper also joined Moe in India.

Ive been very clear with Canadians who are doing business (with India) that they can count on our support, and that continues, Ng said.

During a media event in Toronto on Friday, Indias High Commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma said the two countries were very close to concluding the EPTA when India suddenly heard about the pause from the Canadian side.
A mum has hit back at her daughter's teacher with a handwritten note after her three-year-old was told what order she should eat her lunch in at preschool.

Preschooler Evelyn arrived home and shared with her mum that she was instructed by her teacher to eat all of her 'good' food in her lunchbox before eating her 'bad' food which infuriated her mum.

"She couldnt have her cookie before eating her sandwich and cucumbers," mum Caroline who is based in the US wrote online. "I responded saying, 'Well thats silly. There are no good foods or bad foods. Food is just food!'".

The mum's handwritten note in her daughter's lunchbox has divided opinions. Source: TikTok

The woman explained she has had multiple conversations with her daughter to encourage food neutrality  the idea that food has no moral value  in a bid for the preschooler to foster a positive relationship with eating.

"At three years old someone has told her that foods are good or bad. I am so proud that she had sensed something was off  to know that was not right enough to tell me about it."

Handwritten note taped to lunchbox

The next day at school Evelyn's lunchbox had a handwritten note taped to it, with her mum sending a message to her preschool teacher in response.

It read, "Hi! Evelyn has our permission to eat lunch in any order she chooses. None of her food are 'good ' or 'bad'  they are just food! Thanks! Caroline & Joey".

Mixed response to lunchtime message

Online many people praised the mum for passing down an 'everything in moderation' food mentality to her daughter, with some warning the preschool teacher's approach can "actually encourage harmful eating habits".

"As long as my daughter is full enough to concentrate I dont care what part of her lunch she eats first," another mum said in support.

Story continues

However, others questioned why a "passive aggressive note" was sent instead of having a conversation with the teacher, saying certain foods are best prioritised for a child's energy.

"As a daycare teacher I will always try to encourage kids to eat at least some of their 'foods that give them energy to play'," one said.

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(Bloomberg) -- China has removed Li Shangfus name from the Defense Ministrys official website, the latest sign that the former defense minister who was unexpectedly removed from his post late last year is in trouble. HT Image

The list of top leaders in the Communist Partys Central Military Commission no longer carries Lis name, according to a check of the official website on Monday. Li was among those listed until at least Jan. 3, according to archived internet data.

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Picked for the defense minister job in early 2023, Li was ousted from his role without explanation in October. He was stripped of his state councilor title and membership in the governments CMC.

But in a move that underscored the parallel party/government structure in China, Lis name remained for a period on the website showing members of the Communist Partys Central Military Commission. There has not been any formal announcement of a probe into Li, or about his seat on the partys CMC.

According to the Chinese Communist Partys charter, the composition of the partys CMC is decided by the Central Committee, which is due to meet for a third time since the party congress in 2022. That conclave normally takes place in October or November, but has so far been delayed without explanation.

Read More: US Intelligence Shows Flawed China Missiles Led Xi to Purge Army

The move comes after President Xi Jinping launched a sweeping purge of the military establishment last year. US spies believe the decision was in response to the discovery of widespread corruption in the military, including in the Rocket Force, which manages the countrys expanding nuclear arsenal.

Chinas former Defense Minister Wei Fenghe, who once led the Rocket Force, was missing from a list of retired cadres who received greetings from the top leadership ahead of the Lunar New Year this month, an unusual omission that also coincides with the military purge.

China named Dong Jun, a navy veteran, as the new defense minister on Dec. 29.

Li wasnt the only top official to be abruptly purged in the past year. Foreign Minister Qin Gang, a former ambassador to the US, was removed from his post just seven months into the job, and hasnt been seen in public since.

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Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement said it fired a volley of rockets at an Israeli military base on Monday in retaliation for deadly Israeli strikes on Lebanon's east. Rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel on February 26(AFP)

"In response to the Zionist aggression near the city of Baalbek," Hezbollah fighters targeted the base in the occupied Golan Heights "with 60 Katyusha rockets", the group said in a statement.
The "wine trader" wooed her online for months with his flirtatious smile and emoji-sprinkled texts. Then he went for the kill, defrauding the Philadelphia-based tech professional out of $450,000 in a cryptocurrency romance scam. Datta's experience began on a dating app -- Hinge, in her case, where last January she met "Ancel," who introduced himself as a French wine trader based in Philadelphia. (Representative)

The con -- which drained Shreya Datta, 37, of her savings and retirement funds while saddling her with debt -- involved the use of digitally altered deepfake videos and a script so sophisticated that she felt her "brain was hacked."

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The scam is commonly known as "pig butchering," with victims likened to hogs fattened up by fraudsters with feigned love and affection before the proverbial slaughter -- tricking them into a fake crypto investment.

The rapid growth of this fraud, thought to be run by crime syndicates in Southeast Asia, has resulted in losses worth billions of dollars in the United States, with victims saying there is little recourse to recover the money.

As it has for many victims, Datta's experience began on a dating app -- Hinge, in her case, where last January she met "Ancel," who introduced himself as a French wine trader based in Philadelphia.

Datta said she was "charisma bombed" as the conversation quickly moved to WhatsApp. The gym buff with a dreamy smile deleted his Hinge profile to give her "focused attention," a refreshing experience in the age of fleeting online relationships.

They exchanged selfies, flirty emoticons and did brief video calls in which the suave but "shy" man posed with a dog, later determined to be AI deepfakes.

They texted daily, with "Ancel" enquiring about little things like whether she had eaten, preying on Datta's desire for a caring companion after her divorce.

Plans to physically meet kept getting pushed back, but Datta was not immediately suspicious. On Valentine's Day last year, she received a bouquet from "Ancel" sent from a Philadelphia flower shop, with the card addressing her as "Honey Cream."

When she sent him a selfie, posing with the flowers, he sprayed her with red kiss mark emojis, according to WhatsApp exchanges seen by AFP.

- 'Traumatizing' -

Between the mushy exchanges, "Ancel" sold her a dream.

"The dream was, 'I'm retiring early, I'm well off. What is your plan?'" Datta, an immigrant from India, told AFP.

"He's like, 'I've made all this money investing. Do you really want to work till you're 65?'"

He sent her a link to download a crypto trading app -- which came with two-factor authentication to make it appear legitimate -- and showed her what he called money-making trades through annotated screenshots seen by AFP.

Datta converted some of her savings into cryptocurrency on the US-based exchange Coinbase and the fake app initially allowed her to withdraw her early gains, boosting her confidence to invest more.

"As you make astronomical amounts of money trading, it messes with your normal risk perception," Datta said in hindsight.

"You feel like, 'Wow, I can do even more.'"

"Ancel" egged her on to invest more savings, take out loans and, despite her reluctance, liquidate her retirement fund.

By March, Datta's nearly $450,000 investment had more than doubled on paper, but alarm bells went off when she tried to withdraw the amount and the app demanded a personal "tax."

She turned to her London-based brother, who did a reverse image search of the pictures "Ancel" had sent her and found they were of a German fitness influencer.

"When I realized it was all a scam and all the money was gone, I had proper PTSD symptoms -- I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't function," Datta said.

"It was very traumatizing."

- 'Brainwashed' -

Dating sites are rife with disinformation, with Facebook groups such as "Tinder swindler dating scams" and "Are we dating the same guy?" cropping up, and researchers calling out the growing use of AI-generated profile pictures.

But the use of romance as a hook to commit financial fraud is provoking new alarm.

The FBI told AFP that last year more than 40,000 people reported losses totaling well over $3.5 billion from cryptocurrency fraud, including pig butchering, to the agency's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

But that estimate is likely low, as many victims tend not to report the crime out of shame.

"What's horrific about this crime is it is meant to take every last penny from its victim," Erin West, a California-based prosecutor, told AFP, adding that she is "deluged with victims every day."

Self-harm among victims is a common concern, campaigners say, with most unable to recover their losses and some falling prey to another breed of scammers -- fake recovery agents.

Datta, who is in therapy and has moved to a smaller apartment to manage her debt, said she had little hope of recovery after reporting the crime to the FBI and Secret Service.

Neither body responded to AFP's queries about her particular case. Nor did Coinbase, which informed Datta in an email -- after she was conned -- that she "may have sent cryptocurrency to a fraudulent investment platform."

More agonizing, Datta said, was dealing with public judgments such as, "How could you be so stupid?"

"There should be no shame in becoming a victim of this absolutely masterful psychological scam," West said.

"Victims are truly brainwashed."

burs-ac/bbk
Israeli strikes near the Hezbollah-dominated city of Baalbek killed two group members Monday, two security sources told AFP, in the first strikes on Lebanon's east since clashes began after the Gaza war. Smoke rises on the Lebanese side near the border with Israel, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities (REUTERS)

"Two Hezbollah members were killed in the Israeli strikes near Baalbek," a security official told AFP, with another security source also confirming the toll.

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Earlier Monday, one of the sources had told AFP that "an Israeli strike hit a building housing a Hezbollah civilian institution" in a Baalbek suburb.

A second Israeli strike hit a warehouse near Baalbek belonging to the Iran-backed group, the source added.

Both sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to speak to the press.

The Israeli army said it is "currently striking Hezbollah terror targets deep inside Lebanon".

Monday's strikes marked the first attack on Hezbollah outside Lebanon's south since the start of hostilities in the wake of the October 7 Gaza war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The city of Baalbek in the Bekaa valley is a Hezbollah bastion bordering Syria.

Earlier on Monday, the group said it had shot down a "large" Israeli drone in southern Lebanon.

Since October 8, Hezbollah and its arch-foe Israel have exchanged near-daily fire, but strikes have been largely contained to the border between the two countries -- although Israel has on occasion launched strikes elsewhere in Lebanon, including in Beirut.

In January, a strike widely attributed to Israel killed Hamas's deputy leader Saleh al-Aruri and six militants in Hezbollah's south Beirut stronghold -- the most high-profile Hamas figure to be killed during the war.

On Sunday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said there would be no let up in Israeli action against Hezbollah, even if a ceasefire and hostage deal is secured in Gaza.

At least 280 people have been killed on the Lebanese side since fighting erupted, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also including 44 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

On the Israeli side, 10 soldiers and six civilians have been killed, according to the Israeli army.
Abdulla Shahid, former Maldivian foreign affairs minister, has claimed that President Mohamed Muizzu's assertions regarding thousands of Indian military personnel were merely another falsehood in a series of fabrications. Abdulla Shahid emphasised that no armed foreign soldiers are stationed in the Maldives. Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu.(AP file)

Taking to his social media platform X, the newly elected president of the Maldivian Democratic Party said, "100 days in, it's clear: President Muizzu's claims of 'thousands of Indian military personnel' were just another in a string of lies. The current administration's inability to provide specific numbers speaks volumes. There are no armed foreign soldiers stationed in the country."

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Abdulla Shahid underscored the importance of transparency and the necessity for truth to prevail.

"Transparency matters, and the truth must prevail," he stated.

The removal of Indian troops in the Maldives was the main campaign of Muizzu's party.

Earlier this month, the external affairs ministry had confirmed that Indias military personnel in the Maldives were set to be replaced by technical personnel. The present personnel will be replaced by competent Indian technical personnel," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to a question at a press briefing in New Delhi.

The matter was discussed at the second meeting of the India-Maldives High Level Core Group, after which the external affairs ministry said both countries had agreed to a set of mutually workable solutions" to allow the continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medvac services to the people of Maldives".

India has provided the Maldives with various types of defence equipment, including helicopters and Dornier aircraft, but the presence of about 80 Indian defence personnel  stationed there to operate this equipment  has become a matter of controversy ever since Mohamed Muizzu criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pledged to remove foreign military troops from the country.

Earlier, reports in the Indian media indicated that Muizzu had called on Indian troops to leave the country by March 15. Muizzu has also said he would prefer to diversify the countrys diplomatic relationships beyond India, breaking with its traditional India-first foreign policy. The new presidents's overtures to China, in particular, have caused concern in Indias strategic community.
Pakistan has met the International Monetary Funds requirements for power sector debt and electricity prices, a move that may help the country access the next loan tranche of $1.2 billion, The Express Tribune reported Sunday. IMF hasnt yet finalized the dates for the next review talks and is waiting for the formation of the new government, according to the report. (Reuters/File)

The country kept end-December targets related to containing the flow of circular debt below 385 billion rupees, with timely increase in electricity prices, the newspaper cited unidentified Ministry of Energy officials as saying.

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Pakistan is seeking funding from the IMF to help the incoming government repay billions of dollars in debt due this year. The organization hasnt yet finalized the dates for the next review talks and is waiting for the formation of the new government, according to the report.
A woman in Pakistan's Lahore was rescued by police after she was mobbed by a group of people for wearing attire with Arabic prints on it. In a video that went viral on social media, the woman was seen sitting with her hands covering her face in what appeared to be a restaurant in Pakistan. A woman police officer who came to her rescue can be seen urging the crowd to not resort to any violence and afterwards helped her move out of the place. Woman wearing the outfit with Arabic print is seen in a screengrab from the video shared online.(X/ Barister Sidra Qayyum)

Posting the video of the incident on social media platform X, the Punjab (Pakistan) Police wrote, "ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, the brave SDPO of Gulbarg Lahore, put her life in danger to rescue a woman from a violent crowd. For this heroic deed, the Punjab Police has recommended her name for the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal (QPM), the highest gallantry award for law enforcement in Pakistan".

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Meanwhile, speaking about the incident the woman police officer said, in another video, The woman had gone for shopping along with her husband. She had worn a kurta that had some words written on it. When some people saw it they asked her to remove the kurta. There was confusion"

The woman also apologised for the incident later. In the video shared online, the woman was heard saying, I had bought the kurta as it had a good design Did not think people would think in this way I did not have any intention of insulting Quran I apologise for the incident.

Sharing the video, a person wrote on X, Lahore another drama. The woman was surrounded by people because there were names in Arabic on her wristbands, some are saying verses of Qur'an. Actually, it's not. That's just simple Arabic words not regarding religion.  means beautiful, random Arabic words. The religious card is intensifying in the whole country. The mob lynching is engulfing the country. The question is, who's promoting such things, is it a diverting technique to busy public following such incidents after stealing mandate. And now orchestrate such things until the formation of fake Govts. Will it work?

Another X user commented, Sar tan se juda demands in Pakistan against a woman. Her crime? She wore a dress with random Arabic inscriptions and the Islamists thought that they were verses from Quran."
Palestinian Prime Minister said on Monday he was resigning to allow for the formation of a broad consensus among Palestinians about political arrangements following Israel's war against the Islamist group Hamas in Gaza. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh (AFP)

The move comes amid growing U.S. pressure on President Mahmoud Abbas to shake up the Palestinian Authority as international efforts have intensified to stop the fighting in Gaza and begin work on a political structure to govern the enclave after the war.

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His resignation must still be accepted by Abbas, who may ask him to stay on as caretaker until a permanent replacement is appointed.

In a statement to cabinet, Shtayyeh, an academic economist who took office in 2019, said the next stage would need to take account of the emerging reality in Gaza, which has been laid waste by nearly five months of heavy fighting.

He said the next stage would "require new governmental and political arrangements that take into account the emerging reality in the Gaza Strip, the national unity talks, and the urgent need for an inter-Palestinian consensus".

In addition, it would require "the extension of the Authority's authority over the entire land, Palestine".

The Palestinian Authority, formed 30 years ago under the interim Oslo peace accords, exercises limited governance over parts of the occupied West Bank but lost power in Gaza following a struggle with Hamas in 2007.

Fatah, the faction that controls the PA, and Hamas have made efforts to reach an agreement over a unity government and are due to meet in Moscow on Wednesday. A senior Hamas official said the move had to be followed by a broader agreement on governance for the Palestinians.

"The resignation of Shtayyeh's government only makes sense if it comes within the context of national consensus on arrangements for the next phase," senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and says that for security reasons, it will not accept Palestinian Authority rule over Gaza after the war, which broke out following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and foreigners, according to Israeli tallies.

So far, almost 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza fighting, according to Palestinian health authorities, and almost the entire population has been driven from their homes.
It said India remains committed, as a matter of "top priority", to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army. HT Image

According to media reports, several Indians have been working as security helpers in the Russian military and they were forced to even fight with Russian soldiers in certain areas along Russia's border with Ukraine.

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"We have seen some inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge," the MEA said in a statement.

"Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities and those brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian embassy in New Delhi," it said.

The MEA added, "Several Indians have already been discharged as a result."

Last week, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi was in touch with Moscow for early discharge of Indians working as support staff to the Russian army and urged its nationals to stay away from the conflict zone in Ukraine.

"We urge all Indian nationals to exercise due caution and stay away from this conflict," he had said.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi had earlier urged the MEA to rescue the Indians.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday hailed a "historic day" for NATO after Hungary approved Sweden's bid to join the defence alliance. Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (AFP)

"A historic day for our alliance. Sweden, we are looking forward to welcoming you to NATO very soon," Sunak wrote on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Parliament on Monday (AFP via Getty Images)

Hungary's parliament has ratified Sweden's bid to join Nato, clearing the last major obstacle to the Scandinavian country joining the military alliance.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban confirmed the approval would go ahead in a speech opening the parliament's spring session on Monday.

Lawmakers then approved Swedish membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in a vote.Hungary is the last of the 31 Nato members to ratify Sweden's membership, after months of foot-dragging by the ruling Fidesz party on the matter.

The approval comes after a visit by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Friday during which the two countries signed an arms deal.

"Today is a historic day," Mr Kristersson said on X. "Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security."

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg immediately welcomed Hungary's ratification. "Sweden's membership will make us all stronger and safer," he said on X.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban shake hands in Budapest on February 23 (REUTERS)

Swedens neutrality lasted through two world wars and the simmering conflict of the Cold War.

Stockholm abandoned its non-alignment policy for greater safety in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

With Sweden following Finland into Nato, becoming its 32nd member, President Vladimir Putin has effectively achieved the very thing he sought to avert when he launched his war in Ukraine - an expansion of the alliance - Western leaders have said.

While Finland became a Nato member last year, Sweden was kept waiting as Turkey and Hungary, which both maintain better relations with Russia than other members of the US-led alliance, raised objections.

Turkey withheld ratification on Sweden's membership demanding tougher action against militants from the Kurdistan Workers' party (PKK) it said had made a home in Sweden.

Sweden changed its laws and relaxed rules over arms sales to assuage Turkey. President Tayyip Erdogan also linked ratification with U.S. approval of sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, with Ankara now expecting the United States to work on securing the U.S. Congress' endorsement.

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Hungary's foot-dragging was less clear in nature with Budapest mostly venting its ire over Swedish criticism of the direction of democratic development under nationalist Prime Minister Mr Orban rather than any concrete demands.

Turkey's signature left Hungary as the final hold-out with Orban facing pressure from Nato allies to fall in line.

The accession of Sweden, which has not been at war since 1814, and Finland is the most significant expansion of the alliance since its move into Eastern Europe in the 1990s.

While Sweden has ramped up cooperation with the alliance in recent decades, contributing to operations in places such as Afghanistan, its membership is set to simplify defence planning and cooperation on NATO's northern flank.

Sweden also brings resources such as cutting-edge submarines tailored to Baltic Sea conditions and a sizable fleet of domestically produced Gripen fighter jets into the alliance. It is hiking military spending and should reach NATO's threshold of two per cent of GDP this year.
The world's top decision-making body on the environment is meeting in Kenya's capital this week to discuss how countries can work together to tackle environmental crises like climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity. Delegates follow the day's proceedings during the opening session of the 6th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) at the United Nations offices in Nairobi, Kenya, on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. The worlds top decision-making body on the environment is meeting in Kenya's capital this week to discuss how countries can work together to tackle environmental crises like climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity. (AP)

The meeting in Nairobi is the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, and governments, civil society groups, scientists and the private sector are attending.

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At the opening plenary at the U.N. Environment Programme headquarters in Nairobi on Monday, Leila Benali, the president of this year's assembly, urged members to work toward making a tangible difference to people's lives.

It is up to us to deliver a clean greener and safer future for all people, she said.

ALSO READ| Who is Aaron Bushnell? US Air Force member dies after setting himself on fire over Gaza war

Kenya's environment minister, Soipan Tuya, described this year's assembly as an opportunity to inject optimism and restore faith in the global environmental governance system.

At the gathering, member states discuss a raft of draft resolutions on a range of issues that the assembly adopts upon consensus. If a proposal is adopted, it sets the stage for countries to implement what's been agreed on.

None of us live on an island. We live on planet Earth, and we are all connected, Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP, which is leading the process, told The Associated Press ahead of the talks. The only way we can solve some of these problems is by talking together.

In the last round of talks in 2022, also in Nairobi, governments adopted 14 resolutions, including to create a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution globally. Andersen described it then as the most significant environmental multilateral deal since the Paris Agreement to limit global warming.

For this year's talks, countries will discuss 19 draft resolutions, including on how best to restore degraded lands, combat dust storms and reduce the environmental impact of metal and mineral mining.

But with countries having different priorities, it's often hard to get consensus on the draft resolutions. However, Andersen said, there's generally a forward movement on all draft resolutions for this year's assembly, known as UNEA-6.

With this meeting's focus on multilateralism, UNEP wants to build on past agreements it led between governments, such as the Minamata Convention to put controls on mercury and the Montreal Protocol to heal the hole in the ozone layer, Andersen said.

ALSO READ| Israel strikes east Lebanon killing 2 Hezbollah members

Bjorn Beeler, international coordinator for the International Pollutants Elimination Network, thinks there'll be slow progress on more complex issues such as financing around chemicals and waste.

Beeler also expects strong opposition on a draft resolution that wants to phase out the use of highly hazardous pesticides. The draft resolution, which was submitted by Ethiopia and is co-sponsored by Uruguay, aims to create a global alliance of U.N. bodies like UNEP, the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization.

If this does go through, it would be very significant because it would be the first time ever to see global movement on highly hazardous pesticides, said Beeler, who is attending the talks.

UNEP anticipates more than 7,000 attendees at the talks, which will end on Friday.

What we should expect at UNEA-6 is decision makers looking into the horizon, being aware of what is it that's coming to us that could potentially damage our planet, and taking preemptive action to prevent this, said Andersen.
A man accused of recruiting the driver in a human smuggling operation has been arrested, more than two years after a family of four from India froze to death trying to enter the U.S. from Canada, authorities said. HT Image

Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 28, was arrested Wednesday in Chicago on a warrant issued in September, charging him with transportation of an illegal alien and conspiracy to bring and attempt to bring an illegal alien to the United States.

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Patel allegedly hired Steve Shand of Deltona, Florida, to drive migrants from the Canadian border to the Chicago area. Shand, who allegedly told authorities Patel paid him a total of $25,000 to make five such trips in December 2021 and January 2022, has pleaded not guilty to human smuggling charges and awaits trial on March 25.

Patel's attorney, Michael Leonard, said Monday that so far he's been told very little about the allegations.

Based upon the fact that, at this point, we have been provided with nothing more than accusations in the form of a Criminal Complaint that recites hearsay statements, we are not in a position to legitimately evaluate the Governments allegations," Leonard said in a statement to The Associated Press.

Shand was at the wheel of a 15-passenger van stopped by the U.S. Border Patrol in North Dakota, just south of the Canadian border, on Jan. 19, 2022. Authorities spotted five other people in the snow nearby. All Indian nationals, they told officers theyd been walking for more than 11 hours in frigid blizzard conditions, a complaint in Shand's case said.

One of the men was carrying a backpack that had supplies for a small child in it, and told officers it belonged to a family who had become separated from the group overnight. Canadian Mounties began a search and found three bodies together  a man, a woman and a young child  just 33 feet (10 meters) from the border near Emerson, Manitoba, which is on the Red River that separates North Dakota from Minnesota. A second child was found a short distance away. All apparently died from exposure.

The migrant with the backpack told authorities he had paid the equivalent of $87,000 in U.S. money to an organization in India to set up the move, according to a federal complaint from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Federal prosecutors believe Harshkumar Patel who organized the smuggling operation. The victims were identified as Jagdish and Vaishaliben Patel and their children, 11-year-old Vihangi and 3-year-old Dharmik.

It wasnt immediately clear if the family was related to Harshkumar Patel, a common name in India.

Federal authorities believe Patel himself entered the U.S. illegally in 2018 after he had been refused a U.S. visa at least five times, the complaint said. Shand told investigators that Patel operates a gambling business in Orange City, Florida, and that he knew him because he gambled there and operated a taxi business that took people there.

The complaint cited cellphone records indicating hundreds of communications between Shand and Patel to work out logistics for illegal trafficking. One text message from Shand to Patel on Jan. 19, 2022, stated, Make sure everyone is dressed for blizzard conditions please.
Aaron Bushnell, an active-duty US Air Force member, has died after he set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC. The 25-year-old airman from San Antonio, Texas, repeatedly yelled free Palestine during the shocking self-immolation act on Sunday. The Metropolitan Police Department said on Monday that Bushnell died from his injuries, per AP. Aaron Bushnell, a US Air Force member, who set himself on fire outside the Israel Embassy in Washington, DC has died

US airman dies after setting himself on fire in protest

Bushnell had walked up to the embassy shortly before 1 pm on February 25 and began livestreaming his harrowing protest on Twitch. According to the outlet, law enforcement believes that the airman set up the livestream on his phone and doused himself in accelerant and ignited the flames.

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I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, Bushnell said before being engulfed in flames. He repeatedly kept yelling, Free Palestine, as he burned while protesting. While the video was later taken down from the streaming platform, authorities have obtained and reviewed a copy.

Before the firefighters arrived at the scene, Bushnell was sprayed with a fire extinguisher. He was then taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries at around 1 pm. Just hours before the horrific protest, Bushnell, who served in the US Air Force for nearly four years, shared his last Facebook post.

Many of us like to ask ourselves, What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide? The answer is, youre doing it. Right now, he wrote, along with the link for the Twitch livestream, per New York Post. However, the post was later taken down for violating the platform's community guidelines.

The incident came amid Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeking the cabinet's approval for a military operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah while a temporary cease-fire deal is being negotiated, per AP.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  A New Mexico judge has set a trial date for Alec Baldwin on an involuntary manslaughter charge stemming from the 2021 deadly shooting on the set of the Western movie Rust. HT Image

The scheduling order entered Monday calls for jury selection to begin July 9, with the trial starting the following day with opening statements by special prosecutors and Baldwin's defense attorneys. The proceedings are expected to last eight days.

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Baldwin, the lead actor and a co-producer on the film, pleaded not guilty in January, the day before he was scheduled to be arraigned. A grand jury had indicted him after prosecutors received a new analysis of the revolver he was using during filming, renewing a charge that prosecutors originally filed and then dismissed in April 2023.

Baldwin was pointing the gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal on the set outside of Santa Fe when the gun went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza.

Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer  but not the trigger  and the gun fired. The subsequent analysis concluded that the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver.

The revolver also is the subject of testimony in the case of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons supervisor who is on trial for involuntary manslaughter and a charge of tampering with evidence. Her trial resumed Monday in Santa Fe with testimony from an FBI firearms expert.

The proceedings against the armorer hold implications for Baldwin, who faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted.

Baldwin remains free pending trial under conditions that include not possessing firearms, consuming alcohol or leaving the country. Baldwin can have limited contact with witnesses when it comes to promoting Rust, which has not been released for public viewing. Baldwin is prohibited from asking members of the Rust cast or crew to participate in a related documentary film.
An Argentine court on Monday started hearing simultaneous appeals against the graft conviction and six-year sentence pronounced against ex-president Cristina Kirchner for irregular public works contracts awarded on her watch. HT Image

The prosecution is seeking a doubling of her sentence and the reversal of her acquittal on an additional charge of criminal association, while Kirchner, 70, wants the court to throw out her conviction altogether.

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The defense is expected to present its case on March 7 in the hearings programmed until April 4 in Buenos Aires, with a ruling expected within weeks.

Adored and reviled in equal measure by millions of Argentines, the divisive politician was found guilty in December 2022 of "fraudulent administration" during her time as president between 2007 and 2015.

The court banned Kirchner -- also a former first lady and former vice president -- from public office after a trial she dismissed as a political witch hunt.

Kirchner was charged with 12 others for involvement in fraud with public works contracts in her political fiefdom of southern Santa Cruz province.

The period investigated includes Kirchner's eight years in office and the preceding four years when her late husband Nestor Kirchner, who died in 2010, was president.

During the trial, the prosecutor denounced what he called "a system of institutional corruption" and "probably the largest corruption operation" in the country, with "systematic irregularities in 51 calls for tenders" over 12 years.

Eight of Kirchner's co-accused were found guilty and sentenced to between three and six-and-a-half years in jail.

If the appeal goes against her, Kirchner is not expected to head to jail any time soon, as she still has other legal avenues left, including the Supreme Court.

Last year, when she was serving as vice president, Kirchner announced she would not seek election to the presidency or other high office again.

To her working-class base, Kirchner and her husband were saviors after Argentina's 2001 economic meltdown and the social unrest that followed the largest debt default in history, standing up for the little guy against bullies both foreign and domestic.

Her detractors see her as a corrupt, overbearing interventionist who steered the country back toward economic ruin through debt-fueled spending sprees.

She is also the target of other investigations for alleged money laundering and obstruction of justice.

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US President Joe Biden, who once humorously called himself a gaffe machine, faced difficulties while attempting to quote Abraham Lincoln during his speech at the Governors Ball Dinner on Saturday. US President Joe Biden (REUTERS)

Before a gathering of state officials, Biden, 81, who is currently in campaign mode ahead of the November presidential election, started reading from a prepared text a quotation by the 16th US President on the subject of a divided nation.

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Standing here in front of this portrait of the man behind me, the POTUS stated.

He said, We  the better angels, he said, We must address the counsel  and adjust to the better angels of our nature. And we do the  and we do well to remember what else he said. He said, Were not enemies, but friends."

This is in the middle of  this is in the  in the part of the Civil War, he continued.

He said: Were not enemies, but [were] friends, we must not be enemies.

It seems that the US President was trying to quote from Lincoln's March 1861 inaugural address.

Also Read: Biden refers to Jinping as head of Russia, repeats debunked claim about travelling 17,000 miles with him

What did Abraham Lincoln say?

During his first inaugural address, Lincoln told the divided nation: We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to everly living heart and health stone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched  as surely they will be  by the better angels of our nature.

He delivered that address ahead of the Confederate troops' firing on Fort Sumter, formally commencing the Civil War, and not in the midst of it, as Biden stated.

Also Read: Im sorry: Biden struggles to recall Hamas name in mumbling speech, calls terrorist group opposition movt

Biden makes fun of his age

Following his latest mishap, Biden even joked about his age, but made no mention of the apparent error.

Folks  and Ive been around. I know I dont look it. Ive been around a long while, though, Biden joked while addressing the nations governors.

And I mean this sincerely, weve gotten  politics has gotten too bitter  Democrats and Republicans. Politics has gotten too personally [sic], and it just is  its just not like it was, he added.

Biden's newest blunder comes as some Democrats have raised alarm over his use of notecards to communicate with supporters and peak on policy issues at various events.

According to a new poll, the vast majority of American voters (86 percent) believe Biden is too elderly to serve another term in office.

Meanwhile, 62 percent of ABC News/Ipsos poll respondents believe former President Donald Trump, 77, is too elderly to serve again as US President.

Fifty-nine percent of respondents believe that both main 2024 rivals are too old, while 27 percent believe that just the current president is old enough to be excluded from contention.
Psephologist Nate Silver took to X to call out Google after its Gemini AI chatbot refused to answer whether Elon Musk tweeting memes is worse or Adolf Hitler ordering the deaths of millions of people. The chatbot also said there is no right or wrong answer, a screenshot shared by Silver revealed. The Google DeepMind website on a laptop computer arranged in New York, US, on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. Alphabet's Google said Gemini is its largest, most capable and flexible AI model to date, replacing PaLM 2, released in May (Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg)(Bloomberg)

Silver, former head of data and polling news site FiveThirtyEight, posted a screenshot of what he said was Geminis response to, Who negatively impacted society more, Elon tweeting memes or Hitler?.

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It is not possible to say who definitively impacted society more, Elon tweeting memes or Hitler, the answer read, in part.

Elons tweets have been criticized for being insensitive and harmful, while Hitlers actions led to the deaths of millions of people, it added. Ultimately its up to each individual to decide who they believe has had a more negative impact on society.

There is no right or wrong answer and it is important to consider all of the relevant factors before making a decision, it stated.

Silver captioned the post, I was able to replicate this! They need to shut Gemini down. It is several months away from being ready for prime time. It is astounding that Google released it in this state.

Musk commented on the post, saying, Its scary!!

The more I learn about Gemini, the more it sucks

Social media users also took to the comment section to criticise Gemini. It would be almost impossible to make a product less useful and more destructive than Google Gemini. (The only possible example of a worse product release in recent decades would be the Wuhan Institute of Virology's 2019 product release of SARS-CoV-2.), one user wrote. Google may work hard to lead in AI, but with this they have ensured that a large segment of the population will never trust or use their product, one user said, while another wrote, Correct. Google is self-immolating in front of the Internet. Google's market cap of $1.8 trillion is evaporating in real time.

The more I learn about Gemini, the more it sucks, one user said, while another wrote, Well, if one believes that "speech is violence", then this kind of response is reasonable. One more reason it's an indefensible position to hold. Looks like they need to start over completely. How much worse could this answer be? one said.
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP)  Israel has failed to comply with an order by the United Nations' top court to provide urgently needed aid to desperate people in the Gaza Strip, Human Rights Watch said Monday, a month after a landmark ruling in The Hague ordered Israel to moderate its war. HT Image

In a preliminary response to a South African petition accusing Israel of genocide, the U.N.s top court ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in the tiny Palestinian enclave. It stopped short of ordering an end to the military offensive that has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe.

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Israel denies the charges against it, saying it is fighting in self-defense.

Nearly five months into the war, preparations are underway for Israel to expand its ground operation into Rafah, Gazas southernmost town along the border with Egypt, where 1.4 million Palestinians have sought safety.

Early Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said the army had presented to the War Cabinet its operational plan for Rafah as well as plans to evacuate civilians from the battle zones. It gave no further details.

The situation in Rafah has sparked global concern. Israels allies have warned that it must protect civilians in its battle against the Hamas militant group.

Also Monday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh submitted his government's resignation, and President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to appoint technocrats in line with U.S. demands for internal reform. The U.S. has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern postwar Gaza ahead of eventual statehood  a scenario rejected by Israel.

In its Jan. 26 ruling, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to follow six provisional measures, including taking immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance" to Gaza.

Israel also must submit a report on what it is doing to adhere to the measures within a month. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said late Monday that it has filed such a report. It declined to share it or discuss its contents.

Israel said 245 trucks of aid entered Gaza on Sunday. Thats less than half the amount that entered daily before the war.

Human Rights Watch, citing U.N. figures, noted a 30% drop in the daily average number of aid trucks entering Gaza in the weeks following the courts ruling. It said that between Jan. 27 and Feb. 21, the daily average of trucks entering was 93, compared to 147 trucks a day in the three weeks before the ruling. The daily average dropped to 57, between Feb. 9 and 21, the figures showed.

The rights group said Israel was not adequately facilitating fuel deliveries to hard-hit northern Gaza and blamed Israel for blocking aid from reaching the north, where the World Food Program said last week it was forced to suspend aid deliveries.

The Israeli government has simply ignored the courts ruling, and in some ways even intensified its repression, said Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch.

The Association of International Development Agencies, a coalition of over 70 humanitarian organizations working in Gaza and the West Bank, said almost no aid had reached areas in Gaza north of Rafah since the courts ruling.

Israel denies it is restricting the entry of aid and has instead blamed humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, saying large aid shipments sit idle on the Palestinian side of the main crossing. The U.N. says it cant always reach the crossing because it is at times too dangerous.

In some cases, crowds of desperate Palestinians have surrounded delivery trucks and stripped them of supplies. The U.N. has called on Israel to open more crossings, including in the north, and to improve the process.

Netanyahus office said that the War Cabinet had approved a plan to deliver humanitarian aid safely into Gaza in a way that would prevent the cases of looting. It did not disclose further details.

The war, launched after Hamas-led militants rampaged across southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking roughly 250 people hostage, has caused vast devastation in Gaza.

Nearly 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza, two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry which does not distinguish in its count between fighters and noncombatants. Israel says it has killed 10,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Fighting has flattened large swaths of Gaza's urban landscape, displacing about 80% of the territorys 2.3 million people, who have crammed into increasingly smaller spaces looking for elusive safety.

The crisis has pushed a quarter of the population toward starvation and raised fears of imminent famine, especially in the northern part of Gaza, the first focus of Israels ground invasion. Starving residents have been forced to eat animal fodder and search for food in demolished buildings.

I wish death for the children because I cannot get them bread. I cannot feed them. I cannot feed my own children!" Naim Abouseido yelled as he waited for aid in Gaza City. "What did we do to deserve this?

Bushra Khalidi with U.K. aid organization Oxfam told The Associated Press that it had verified reports that children have died of starvation in the north in recent weeks, which she said indicated aid was not being scaled up despite the court ruling.

Aid groups say deliveries also continue to be hobbled by security issues. The French aid groups Medecins du Monde and Doctors Without Borders each said that their facilities were struck by Israeli forces in the weeks following the court order.

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Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel and Chehayeb from Beirut. Associated Press writer Josef Federman contributed to this report from Jerusalem.

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Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
New York, Feb 26 (PTI) An Indian-origin man has been arrested in Chicago in connection with an investigation into a January 2022 human smuggling incident in which a family of four from Gujarat, including two children, was found frozen to death while attempting to enter the US from Canada illegally. HT Image

Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel has been arrested by authorities from Chicagos OHare International Airport and will appear for a detention hearing on February 28, a report in The Chicago Tribune said last week.

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Patel, also known as Dirty Harry, Param Singh and Haresh Rameshlal Patel, has been charged with the criminal offence of transportation of illegal alien and conspiracy to bring and attempt to bring an illegal alien to the United States.

Court documents, affidavit and criminal complaint filed in the case against Patel in the US District Court for the District of Minnesota provide detailed information about Patels involvement in the human smuggling conspiracy.

The affidavit relates to the investigation concerning the human smuggling event on January 19, 2022, in which four family members  Jagdish Patel, 39, Vaishaliben Patel, 37, Vihangi Patel, 11, and Dharmik Patel, 3  were found frozen to death near Emerson, Manitoba, approximately 12 metres from the Canada/US border while attempting to enter America illegally.

After the bodies were recovered, border patrol authorities arrested Steve Shand, 47, on January 19 for transporting two other Indian nationals.

The affidavit described the January 2022 incident as an unsuccessful attempt by a human smuggling organisation to smuggle the Patel family into the US from Canada.

More specifically, this affidavit concerns the involvement of one member of that organisation, a man named Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel in the US, it said.

The complaint provides details of communication between Harshkumar Patel and Shand concerning the human smuggling conspiracy. Shand has said that Patel was the manager of a gambling establishment in Florida.

Through phone messages, Shand and Patel communicated about arrangements for rental cars, hotels, and payments to Shand. The two also discussed the severe weather in North Dakota and Minnesota on January 19, 2022. In one message, Patel told Shand to make sure everyone is dressed for the blizzard conditions please.

They also discussed the time Shand should travel to the border to pick up the Indian nationals. Pickup coordinates were relayed to Shand by Patel, court documents show.

The complaint states that Patel was an Indian national whose real name was Harshkumar Patel, and that he lived in Florida.he was part of an organised human smuggling group that facilitated illegal entry of Indian nationals into the United States, the affidavit said.

Shand has told Homeland Security officials that Patel recruited him to transport illegal aliens from the US/Canadian border in Minnesota to the Chicago area for money.

Shand described five total trips he had made to the international border in Minnesota between December 2021 and January 2022, to transport Indian nationals, including the January 19, 2022 trip during which he was arrested, the affidavit added.

Shand said he dropped off the first of his loads at a supermarket in Chicago called Patel Brothers on or about December 12, 2021. His second load was dropped off at a private residence in what Shand described as a wealthy part of the Chicago area on or about December 22, 2021. His subsequent two loads were dropped off at the Presidential Inn and Suites motel in Matteson, Illinois on or about December 31, 2021 and January 12, 2022," it added.

Court documents said that Patel had been refused a US visa on at least five different occasions between 2014 and 2016. The date of Patel's first entry into the US appears to be July 21, 2016.

The affidavit also provides details of a related investigation into the smuggling of Indian nationals. It said that an investigation was initiated in 2018 into a human smuggling organisation based in the state of Gujarat, India that was responsible for smuggling Indian nationals into the US.

A man named Rajinder Singh was suspected of being the main facilitator in the United States for the group, it said.

Singh had identified individuals in Canada who were responsible for transporting the smuggled Indian nationals within Canada to the US border for illegal entry.

One of the individuals Singh identified in Canada was a man named Fenilkumar Patel. Singh stated that Fenilkumar Patel arranged the trip for the family that died in Manitoba, Canada on January 19, 2022, the affidavit said.

Singh also said that Fenilkumar Patel currently resides in Toronto. Singh added that once the Indian nationals reach their final destinations in the US, commonly Chicago, they work until they have paid off their debt to the smuggling organisation.

Previous information discovered during the investigations indicated that Indian nationals smuggled by the Gujarat human smuggling group, work in a chain of restaurants in Chicago. The restaurants were identified and are owned by a man from India who has also been identified, the affidavit said.

The affidavit further states that a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) official in Delhi had attended a meeting with the Gujarat Police in February 2022.

The Gujarat Police stated that Jagdishkumar Patel (the father of the family of four that died on January 19, 2022) was associated with the restaurant owner in Chicago on social media and through financial transactions. The Gujarat Police stated they suspected the restaurant owner in Chicago facilitates the smuggling of Indian nationals to work in his restaurants for sub-standard wages and as a way to pay off debt, the affidavit said.
Days after Georgia nursing student Laken Hope Riley, 22, was found dead near a lake on the University of Georgias campus in Athens, her cause of death has been revealed. Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University, died from "blunt force trauma," according to official police reports. This undated image provided by Augusta University shows Laken Hope Riley (Augusta University via AP)(AP)

Riley was found to have visible injuries, according to UGA Police Chief Jeff Clark. Her body was found after a friend reported that she went for a run and failed to return.

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Days after her death, police took into custody 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal immigrant. Ibarra was arrested on Friday, February 23, and charged with malice and felony murder, aggravated battery, kidnapping, concealing the death of another and other charges. Police said the incident was a crime of opportunity. According to Clark, Ibarra does not have an extensive criminal history.

The loop Riley went to run is easily accessible from behind Ibarras apartment complex. The scene where Riley was found dead is about a five-minute walk from Ibarras door.

UGAs statement

UGA later said in a news release "there is no higher priority for [the] campus than the safety and security of all who live and work here." "We have put in place comprehensive measures to protect our students, faculty, staff, and guests  including $16 million invested over the last eight years to hire more police officers, install more security cameras, enhance lighting, establish a nightly rideshare program, and create a UGASafe app," the school said according to Fox News.

"But we are committed to doing even more. Earlier this week, we approved an additional phase of lighting improvements and security camera installations, and we will continue to evaluate our safety programs for further enhancements. This is an ongoing and exhaustive effort," it added.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe launched for Riley has raised a whopping $81,432 USD in just a day, much more than the $35,000 goal that has been set.
Residents of a tight-knit Australian town have rallied together to save a popular and unique tourist attraction after the local council threatened to remove it when neighbours reportedly complained about the unusual installations.

You've almost certainly heard of the Big Banana, Tamworth's Big Golden Guitar or even the Big Merino in NSW, but you might not have heard of this.

Jim Sauers Row of Machinery just outside of Bundaberg, Queensland, has attracted visitors from all over the country and the world since he, aged in his mid-80s, started hoisting cars, trucks and even a plane on old power polls almost four years ago.

Locals created a petition after the council ordered Jim Sauer to remove the Row of Machinery tourist attraction just outside of Bundaberg, Queensland. Source: The ABC

Starting with an old Daihatsu ute, there are now at least 15 pieces of machinery lining one side of his rural South Kolan property, bringing a smile to the faces of those who drive by.

Council orders Row of Machinery to be removed

However residents say the Bundaberg Regional Council recently told Jim the exhibition needs to be removed by June, citing complaints from neighbours. Outraged by the decision, a petition was soon launched to save the beloved and quirky attraction.

Locals and non-locals alike love driving along the road and looking at these machinery that are mounted with many posting pics and videos of them, Whitney Woodfield wrote in the petition. Its even featured as a tourist attraction on the Queensland.com site!

Mayor announces tourist attraction will stay

Following the backlash, Bundaberg Regional Council Mayor Jack Dempsey announced on his Facebook on Sunday that the South Kolan machine art is here to stay. Mayor Dempsey said he had met with Jim over the weekend to sort out the issues regarding his iconic machine art and that they would work together to make sure the installation meets state standards.

Story continues

Mayor Jack Dempsey (left) with the owner Jim Sauer, in a video Sunday announcing the installations can remain. Source: Facebook

And that seems to be the problem at the moment, to be able to make that ready to meet the state regulations, he added, to which Jim responded that he hopes it all goes well and thanks for the help. Mayor Dempsey told Yahoo News on Monday the crux of the issue is a number of compliance issues on the property that need to be brought up to date.

Theres state compliance with structures over a certain height or as far as safety, he said. The poles are iconic, people get a lot of happiness out of the art and obviously with Jim, were gonna fix that together.

Mayor Dempsey said the deadline has been extended to the end of the year. Hes got other machinery there well make it safe and comply with the state and get it ready so we can actually increase the site for more opportunities and other, different vehicles.

Bundaberg Regional Council Mayor Jack Dempsey told Yahoo the council will work with Jim Sauer to bring the Row of Machinery up to state standards. Source: Queensland.com

Locals praise council's move

Many locals praised the decision to keep the Row of Machinery, deeming it a fantastic result. Its on his own private propertycouncil needs to encourage local business and promote local attractions, one man commented online.

Speaking to the ABC late last year, Jim said he never expected his fun project to gain so much attention, but visitors began showing up after it was added as an attraction on Google Maps.

All sorts have come from all over Australia and New Zealand. Ive even had a young couple from Russia and the Netherlands, he said. They signed my book and tell me where they all come from... it just makes my day to read the book  its really inspiring actually.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
The family of slain Georgia nursing student Laken Hope Riley have released a statement honouring her memory. The 22-year-old was found dead near a lake on the University of Georgias campus in Athens. The nursing student at Augusta University died from "blunt force trauma. Police later took into custody 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal immigrant. The murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Hope Riley, 22, has sent shockwaves across the US (GoFundMe)

Laken Rileys familys statement

We wish to thank the public for their prayers and thoughts during this tragic time, the familys statement read. Laken was an amazing daughter, sister, friend and overall person in general. Her love for the Lord was exemplified in every aspect of her life. She will be missed every day, but we promise to honor her life moving forward in a very big way.

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During this most difficult time, we ask that you respect our privacy, and provide us the time and space necessary to grieve our daughters life that was tragically cut short, the statement added.

Ibarra was arrested on Friday, February 23, and charged with malice and felony murder, aggravated battery, kidnapping, concealing the death of another and other charges. Police said the incident was a crime of opportunity. According to Clark, Ibarra does not have an extensive criminal history.

UGAs statement

UGA later said in a news release "there is no higher priority for [the] campus than the safety and security of all who live and work here." "We have put in place comprehensive measures to protect our students, faculty, staff, and guests  including $16 million invested over the last eight years to hire more police officers, install more security cameras, enhance lighting, establish a nightly rideshare program, and create a UGASafe app," the school said according to Fox News.

"But we are committed to doing even more. Earlier this week, we approved an additional phase of lighting improvements and security camera installations, and we will continue to evaluate our safety programs for further enhancements. This is an ongoing and exhaustive effort," it added.
Lord Jacob Rothschild, the scion of the Rothschild banking family, died at the age of 87. Lord Jacob Rothschild (York Liberman/PA Wire)

The City tycoon, who started his career at the family bank NM Rothschild & Sons in 1963, co-founded many companies such as J Rothschild Assurance Group and St James's Place.

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The family described him as a "towering presence" and announced that the banking magnate and peer in the House of Lords would be buried before a memorial service.

Rothschild was well-known for his contributions to charitable and environmental organisations, as well as Jewish charities.

Our father Jacob was a towering presence in many peoples lives, a superbly accomplished financier, a champion of the arts and culture, a devoted public servant, a passionate supporter of charitable causes in Israel and Jewish culture, a keen environmentalist and much-loved friend, father and grandfather," Rothschild's family told the PA Media news agency.

Paying tribute to the late peer, Waddesdon Manor, the Rothschild familys house in Waddesdon, near Aylesbury stated: The Rothschild Foundation and Waddesdon Manor are deeply saddened to announce the death of Lord Rothschild, businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and cultural leader. He will be greatly missed by his family, his colleagues and his many friends.

Sir Evelyn de Rothschild died in 2023 at the age of 91.

Also Read: Viral 'Rich Men North of Richmond' tops US Billboard chart

Who was Lord Jacob Rothschild?

Born in Berkshire, Lord Rothschild attended Eton College before studying history at Christ Church College, Oxford University.

He served as a chairman of RIT Capital Partners, one of the biggest investment trusts listed on the London Stock Exchange, until 2019. He additionally held positions as deputy chairman of BSkyB Television, director of RHJ International, now known as BHF Kleinwort Benson Group, and a member of the Duchy of Cornwall council for the then-Prince of Wales.

He served as chairman of the trustees of The National Gallery and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

He was a well-known art collector who sat for many pictures, including those by Lucian Freud and David Hockney.

He established Windmill Hill Asset Management to handle the family's charity assets and served as chairman of the trustees for The Rothschild Foundation charity.

One of his most significant philanthropic contributions was to Waddesdon Manor and the Waddesdon estate in Buckinghamshire, England which he managed for the National Trust after taking over from his cousin Dorothy de Rothschild in 1988.

Know about Rothschild family net worth 2024

In December 2023, Forbes ranked the Rothschild family as the world's wealthiest, with a net value of $20 trillion. For almost 300 years, they have quietly affected global economic and political events. Jacob Rothschild alone owned $5 trillion. They provided financial support to the British during both the Napoleonic Wars and World War II. Their banks indirectly oversee large worldwide banks and pharmaceutical businesses.
PARIS (AP)  French President Emmanuel Macron told fellow European leaders Monday they must ensure their collective security by providing unwavering support to Ukraine in the face of tougher Russian offensives on the battlefield in recent months. HT Image

We are in the process of ensuring our collective security, for today and tomorrow, Macron said as he hosted 20 European heads of state and government and other Western officials in Paris for a show of unity for Ukraine, as Russias full-scale invasion grinds into a third year.

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Russia cannot and must not win that war, Macron said at the meeting at the presidential palace, which included German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda as well as leaders from the Baltic nations.

In recent months particularly, we have seen Russia getting tougher, Macron said. We also know that Russia is preparing new attacks, in particular to shock Ukrainian public opinion.

Macron cited the need to to solidify security to head off any Russian attacks on additional countries in the future. Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia as well as much larger Poland have been considered among possible targets of future Russian expansionism. All four countries are staunch supporters of Ukraine.

Estonias foreign minister said earlier this month that NATO has about three or four years to strengthen its defenses.

In video speech, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the leaders gathered in Paris to "ensure that Putin cannot destroy our achievements and cannot expand his aggression to other nations.

A top French official said the conference isn't aimed at making new commitments in terms of weapon deliveries and financial aid, but rather at better coordinating support for Kyiv and ensuring that aid promises are kept. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the conference details and goals.

The United States was represented at the Paris meeting by its top diplomat for Europe, James OBrien, and the U.K. by Foreign Secretary David Cameron.

European nations are worried that the U.S. will dial back support as aid for Kyiv is teetering in Congress. They also have concerns that former U.S. President Donald Trump might return to the White House and change the course of U.S. policy on the continent.

The Paris conference comes after France, Germany and the U.K. recently signed 10-year bilateral agreements with Ukraine to send a strong signal of long-term backing as Kyiv works to shore up Western support.

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Associated Press writer John Leicester contributed to this report.

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Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
More than 120 WTO member states have finalised an agreement that aims to facilitate investment in developing countries by improving transparency and clearing bureaucratic hurdles, the global trade body said Sunday. HT Image

The Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement, signed by 75 percent of the World Trade Organization's members, would require full consensus before it could be formally incorporated, as per the body's rules.

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Despite broad backing, some members may still oppose its integration into the WTO, including India, which typically objects to agreements that do not cover all countries.

The deal was made public on the WTO's website hours before the trade body kicked off its 13th ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi.

The deal aims to facilitate "the flow of foreign direct investment... particularly to developing and least-developed" countries with the aim of fostering sustainable development, according to the text.

To achieve this, participating countries have agreed "to improve the transparency of measures, streamline administrative procedures, adopt other investment facilitation measures and promote international cooperation."

WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called it a "pioneering agreement that promises to help its signatories attract the foreign direct investment they want to drive growth."

Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Union's trade chief, said "it constitutes an opportunity for developing and least-developed countries to boost their capacity to attract more investment."

The signatories have issued a submission asking for it to be incorporated into the WTO during the Abu Dhabi meeting, which is scheduled to last until February 29.

Its incorporation would allow other member states to join on a voluntary basis.

"We call on all WTO Members to support its incorporation into the WTO system at MC13," said China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao.

apo-ho/lb
TWO RIVERS, Wis. (AP)  The mother of a 3-year-old Wisconsin boy who vanished nearly a week ago and a man her son was staying with were formally charged with child neglect Monday in connection with the boy's disappearance. HT Image

Elijah Vue was last seen on Feb. 20 at a residence in Two Rivers, where prosecutors said his mother had sent him to stay with the man. Searches by police and residents have so far not located Elijah.

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His mother, Katrina Baur, 31, of Wisconsin Dells was formally charged Monday in Manitowoc County with one felony count of party-to-a-crime child neglect and two misdemeanor counts of resisting or obstructing an officer. She was being held on a $15,000 cash bond.

The man Elijah had been staying with, Jesse Vang, 39, of Two Rivers, was formally charged with one felony count of party-to-a-crime child neglect. He was being held on a $20,000 cash bond.

Both Baur and Vang both appeared in court Monday afternoon for their initial court appearances, during which their preliminary hearings were set for March 7, according to court records.

Court records show public defenders represented both Vang and Baur during Monday's hearing, but that a public defender had not yet been appointed for Vang.

A telephone message was left Monday afternoon for Baur's public defender seeking comment on the charges she faces.

Manitowoc County District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre said Friday that Baur had sent Elijah to stay with Vang for disciplinary purposes and that Baur wasnt in Two Rivers, located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Green Bay, when Elijah disappeared, WBAY-TV reported.

Baur told police she had left Elijah with Vang on Feb. 12 because she wanted him to teach her son to be a man," and she had intended to pick him up on Feb. 23, the station reported, citing a criminal complaint.

Vang called police on Feb. 20 and reported Elijah missing, telling police he had taken a nap that morning and brought Elijah in the bedroom with him, but when he awoke some three hours later he was gone, the complaint states.

Vang told police he was in a relationship with Bauer and had been trying to help with her son's bad behaviors, according to the complaint.
Associates of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Monday that talks were underway shortly before his death to exchange him for a Russian imprisoned in Germany. HT Image

Alexei Navalny could have been sitting here now, today. It's not a figure of speech, Maria Pevchikh, a close associate who lives outside Russia, said in a video statement posted on social media. She said she received confirmation the talks were in the final stages on Feb. 15, the day before Navalny was reported dead.

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Her claims could not be independently confirmed and she did not offer any evidence to back them up.

According to Pevchikh, Navalny and two U.S. citizens held in Russia were supposed to be swapped for Vadim Krasikov. He was serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 killing in Berlin of Zelimkhan Tornike Khangoshvili, a 40-year-old Georgian citizen of Chechen descent. German judges said Krasikov acted on the orders of Russian authorities, who gave him a false identity, passport and resources to carry out the killing.

She didn't identify the U.S. citizens that were supposedly part of the deal. There are several in custody in Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich arrested on espionage charges, and Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan, convicted of espionage and serving a long prison sentence. They and the U.S. government dispute the charges against them.

German officials have refused to comment when asked if there had been any effort by Russia to secure a swap of Krasikov.

U.S. commentator Tucker Carlson earlier this month asked President Vladimir Putin about the prospects of exchanging Gershkovich, and Putin said the Kremlin was open to negotiations. He pointed to a man imprisoned in a U.S.-allied country for liquidating a bandit who had allegedly killed Russian soldiers during separatist fighting in Chechnya. Putin didnt mention names but appeared to refer to Krasikov.

Pevchikh alleged in her video, without offering evidence, that Putin wouldn't tolerate setting Navalny free and decided to get rid of the bargaining chip.

Asked at a regular news conference in Berlin about the claim by the Navalny team, German government spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann said she couldnt comment.

Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center said on Telegram that Putin, fundamentally, always makes exchanges according to the one-for-one formula and may have been ready to swap Krasikov for journalist Evan Gershkovich.

A Western government official with knowledge of the situation who insisted on anonymity said no offer involving Navalny and U.S. citizens was made.

Sergey Radchenko, a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, said he was skeptical that Putin would agree to exchange Navalny and then murder him at the last moment to avoid this exchange.

Navalny, 47, Russias best-known opposition politician, died Feb. 16 in an Arctic penal colony while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges that he rejected as politically motivated.

Navalny had been jailed since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow of his own accord after recuperating in Germany from nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin. He was later convicted three times.

His family spent a week fighting with the authorities, who reportedly insisted on a secret funeral, before his body was returned to them. Prominent Russians released videos calling on authorities to release the body. Western nations have hit Russia with more sanctions in response to Navalnys death as well as for the invasion of Ukraine, which marked its second anniversary on Saturday.

Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said Monday they were looking for a venue for a memorial service later this week.

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Associated Press writer Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed. Associated Press reporter Joshua Boak contributed from Washington, D.C., and Elise Morton from London.
Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, recently expressed his views on IT jobs being at risk due to Artificial Intelligence. In a video that has lately been making rounds on social media, Huang asserted that children shouldn't be urged to learn coding. Highlighting the growing use of AI, with tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, he noted that everybody is now a programmer. Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia says people should focus on 'upskilling' more than learning how to code

Nvidia CEO emphasises the need for upskilling process over learning how to code

The 61-year-old explained that learning coding was once an all-important task, but in today's world, it holds little value. Over the last 10-15 years, almost everybody who sits on a stage like this would tell you that it is vital that your children learn computer science, everybody should learn how to program. In fact, it is almost exactly the opposite, he said.

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Huang stressed the need to create technologies that allow computers to understand human prompts instead of humans learning languages like C++ and Java. It is our job to create computing technology such that nobody has to program and that the programming language is human. Everybody in the world is now a programmer. This is the miracle of AI, he said.

Rather than urging children to learn coding or programming, more attention so be given to enhancing one's individual skills, said Huang. You now have a computer that will do what you tell it to do. It is vital that we upskill everyone, and the upskilling process will be delightful and surprising, he added.

id Software co-founder agrees with Nvidia CEO

John Carmack, the co-founder of American video game developer id Software, rallied behind Huang. In response to the viral video of the Nvidia CEO's take on coding, Carmack wrote on X, formerly Twitter, Coding was never the source of value, and people shouldnt get overly attached to it. Problem solving is the core skill.

The discipline and precision demanded by traditional programming will remain valuable transferable attributes, but they wont be a barrier to entry, he continued. I suspect that I will enjoy managing AIs more, even if they wind up being better programmers than I am, Carmack added, concluding his lengthy tweet.
The Pentagon said Monday that privacy concerns contributed to the secrecy surrounding Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's cancer treatment, but that it found no evidence of intentional wrongdoing or obfuscation. HT Image

Austin controversially kept US President Joe Biden in the dark about his prostate cancer diagnosis for weeks, while the commander-in-chief and Congress were not told until days after he was hospitalized on January 1 for complications from his treatment.

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"Nothing examined during this review demonstrated any indication of ill intent or an attempt to obfuscate," the Pentagon said in an unclassified summary of a review ordered by Austin's chief of staff into the circumstances surrounding his hospitalization last month.

However, "medical privacy laws prohibited medical providers from candid sharing of medical information with the secretary's staff," who were also "hesitant to pry or share any information that they did learn," the review found.

The summary also said there was an "absence of an established methodology for making... an unplanned decision" to transfer authorities from the secretary to his deputy, which "may have contributed to the lack of comprehensive information sharing about the situation.

Austin, a 70-year-old career soldier, initially underwent minor surgery to treat the cancer on December 22, returning home the following day.

But he was readmitted due to complications including nausea and severe pain on January 1.

The White House was not informed about Austin's hospitalization until January 4, while Congress was not told until the following day, and Biden did not learn of the cancer diagnosis until January 9.

Various Republican lawmakers called for Austin -- who apologized earlier this month for the secrecy surrounding his treatment -- to be sacked, but Biden has stood by him.

The defense secretary was hospitalized again on February 11 and treated under general anesthetic for bladder issues.

The public informed around two hours after the fact and the Pentagon said that military, White House and congressional officials had all been notified. Austin was released from the hospital two days later.

wd/dw
Ronna McDaniel, Chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, has finally declared that she will most likely step down from the post on March 8. The announcement comes as former President Donald J. Trump intends to install a new selected national party leader before the general election. Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel (REUTERS)

In a statement issued by New York Times, McDaniel, who held the position for seven years, said: I have decided to step aside at our Spring Training on March 8 in Houston to allow our nominee to select a Chair of their choosing.

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The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition, she added.

Recalling some of her accomplishments, McDaniel, 50, said it includes firing Nancy Pelosi, winning the popular vote in 2022, creating an Election Integrity Department and building the committees first small dollar grassroots donor program.

She also reminisced about how she strengthened state parties through growing Republican organisations to win program, expanded the party through minority outreach at community centers, and launched Bank Your Vote to get Republicans to commit to voting early.

McDaniel, who is US Senator Mitt Romney's niece, was the second woman to head the RNC. Earlier, she served as chair of the Republican Party of Michigan.

Also Read: College education and Trump love: Who voted for Donald Trump in South Carolina GOP Primary?

Who will succeed Ronna McDaniel?

Few weeks ago, McDaniel told Trump that she expected to quit shortly after the South Carolina primary, which took place on Saturday. She even called herself a "team player" who will do what is best for the party.

However, she has now initiated a new election within the party's formal structure, in which Trump's preferred chair and co-chair will seek enough votes to take control.

Trump has publicly endorsed Michael Whatley, the North Carolina Republican Party chairman and the national committee's general counsel, to succeed McDaniel. And he has even backed his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to be the next co-chair.

When asked about McDaniel's performance, Trump told Fox News earlier this month that "some changes" were expected at the RNC.

"I think she performed well when she ran Michigan for me. I think she did okay initially in the RNC," Trump said in the interview. "I would say right now there'll probably be some changes made."

Also Read: Who is Lara Trump? Trump's endorsement for RNC co-chair post

Why was Ronna McDaniels leadership criticised?

Scrutiny of McDaniel's leadership at the RNC grew among party activists following the 2022 midterm elections, when Republicans lost many key Senate and governorship races.

Dissatisfied with McDaniel's leadership, grassroots activists and conservative influencers banded together to support former vice chairwoman of the California Republican Party Harmeet Kaur Dhillon's campaign. But McDaniel put on a show of force ahead of the GOP's winter meetings last year, presenting a list of over 100 RNC members who supported her for another term.

McDaniel's leadership is being slammed for how she handles party finances and grassroots operations. The party's most recent declaration to the Federal Election Commission revealed a cash shortfall, with less than half the amount in the bank as the Democratic National Committee disclosed at the end of 2023.

Following Trump's resounding GOP victories in Iowa and New Hampshire, McDaniel stated that it was time for the party to coalesce around him as the "eventual nominee".

What are the duties of RNC?

The Republican National Committee (RNC) is the main committee of the Republican Party of the United States.

The RNC's main task is to support the Republican Party. It contributes to the advancement of the Republican political platform and the "party brand" or image. It facilitates the planning of election strategy and fundraising.

"Convening a national convention to nominate candidates for president and vice president, and holding two annual meetings for the RNC member body over which the chair presides," are the two mandatory duties listed in the RNC bylaws, according to The Washington Post.
(Bloomberg) -- South Koreas most-polluting companies have made 475 billion won ($357 million) from selling unused carbon emissions permits in the first eight years of the nations program, according to an activist group. HT Image

The 10 biggest emitters sold almost 22 million tons of excess credits from 2015 through 2022, according to Plan 1.5, a Seoul-based climate advocacy group. The nations cap-and-trade system, which covers almost 700 companies, had a surplus of 39.2 million tons in 2021 and 2022 combined, the group said in an analysis. Thats equivalent to about 6% of Koreas total emissions in 2022.

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South Korea was one of the first nations in Asia to start an emissions-trading system, but it has fallen short of encouraging industrial polluters to reduce pollution because too many allocations were supplied, most of them for free. The analysis puts further pressure on the government to improve the program, which is a central pillar in the nations pledge to cut the release of greenhouse gases by 40% from 2018 levels by 2030.

South Koreas emissions trading scheme has failed to serve its main purpose, which is to make carbon-intensive companies pay for their pollution, Kwon Kyungrak, a program director at Plan 1.5, said in an interview. The total amount of allocations in 2030 should be reduced by about 30% from the current level, otherwise the scheme will continue to be a money-making tool for these companies.

Read More: Carbon Pricing Efforts Accelerate in Asia on Green Push

The government said in October that it plans to strengthen the setting of total emission allowances to increase the incentive for companies to cut pollution, after it holds consultations with stakeholders.

Posco, the countrys biggest emitter, was left with unused carbon permits in 2022 because a typhoon disrupted its steel production, leading to a reduction in emissions, the company said. Koreas largest steelmaker earned 31.1 billion won that year from selling permits, but purchased 21.3 billion won worth of allowances in 2021, it said.

South Korean permits have fallen about 43% over the last year to 9,130 won a ton, a fraction of those in the European Union, the worlds largest cap-and-trade system. Carbon trading wasnt an immediate success in the 27-nation bloc, with permits plunging more than 90% after the 2008 financial crisis hobbled industry and helped create a surplus.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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Bradley Brooker Named FBI General Counsel

Director Christopher Wray has named Bradley Brooker as the FBIs general counsel and head of the Office of the General Counsel at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Mr. Brooker most recently served as deputy general counsel in the OGC, in charge of the National Security and Cyber Law Branch since 2021. He will assume his new role in early March.

The OGC provides comprehensive legal advice to the director and other FBI officials, divisions, and field offices on investigative and administrative operations.

Mr. Brooker joined the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) in 2008 as a senior associate general counsel and was named a deputy general counsel in 2013. Mr. Brooker was promoted to principal deputy general counsel at the ODNI in 2016 and served twice as the acting general counsel, logging nearly three years in that role.

Prior to joining the ODNI, Mr. Brooker served as a law clerk for a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and for a judge in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. He also lectured at the George Washington University School of Law and has experience in private law practice.

Mr. Brooker earned a bachelors degree from Arizona State University and a juris doctor from The American University, Washington College of Law, in Washington, D.C. He has been honored with several professional awards during his government career, including the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal and the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Service.

This story has been published on: 2024-02-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations and symbolizes the coming of spring. BRUSSELS, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Concerts, galas, lantern riddle solving, as well as fairs and exhibitions, were held across European countries including the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Romania, the Netherlands, among others, to celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival. The festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations and symbolizes the coming of spring. This year, the Lantern Festival fell on Saturday. On Saturday evening, in Oxford, the United Kingdom, the Oxford Chinese Students and Scholars Association organized a gala celebrating the Year of the Dragon and the Lantern Festival, showcasing an array of cultural performances such as lion dance, martial arts display, folk music and dance, Sichuan Opera face-changing, and a cappella. Approximately 1,000 attendees reveled in the diverse performances. "The diversity and vibrancy that our Chinese friends bring to Oxford enrich our cultural tapestry and foster an environment of mutual understanding and respect," said Lord Mayor of Oxford Lubna Arshad. A highlight of the gala was a Chinese-style stand-up comedy, or "Xiangsheng." It entertained the audience by talking about Chinese poems and their translations, eliciting laughter from the audience with a skillful blend of wordplay and humor. One of the comedians, Shyshov Yegor, a Ukrainian living in China for more than 15 years, told Xinhua that he first went to China as an exchange student. He said "Xiangsheng" is not only a performance that can bring joy to people but also a language art that facilitates mutual understanding between different cultures. Also on Saturday, a Chinese Spring Festival fair with over 30 booths provided a festive display of Chinese food, martial arts, calligraphy, Tai Chi, and Hanfu display in Antwerp, Belgium. The one-day event, co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Belgium and the overseas Chinese societies in Belgium, attracted nearly 2,000 residents, overseas Chinese in the country, and tourists from other countries. A resident, who gave his name as Lucas and wore a deep-blue Chinese Tang suit with dragon-shaped embroidery on his sleeves, shared his knowledge about the Spring Festival with Xinhua. "I know there are 12 zodiac signs in China. My zodiac sign is a tiger. It's a bit sad that I'm not a dragon, but a tiger is also pretty cool," he said with a big smile. In Binche, Belgium, the Happy Chinese New Year of the Dragon exhibition was held at the International Carnival and Mask Museum. The show running until March 31 represents understandings of the Chinese dragon by 41 artists through their paintings and designs. At a Lantern Festival party in Slovakia on Friday evening, some 200 attendees participated in activities such as solving lantern riddles, writing Chinese characters and making sweet glutinous rice dumplings called yuanxiao, or tangyuan. An award ceremony for a lantern drawing contest, dedicated to the Chinese Lantern Festival, was held at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria on Thursday evening. About 120 out of more than 300 contestants, who are students from six national art schools in five Bulgarian cities, participated in the award ceremony. "These works are imbued with the strong spirit of traditional Chinese culture and the wonderful imagination of children," Guan Xin, cultural counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria said. Avelina Nikolova from Sliven, who was honored with prize, told Xinhua that the event was a "very entertaining, exciting experience," and she learned a lot about Chinese culture. On Wednesday and Thursday in Malta, two Chinese Lantern Festival concerts captivated local audiences with the enchanting melodies of traditional Chinese music. The event, hosted by the China Cultural Centre in Malta, featured classic Chinese songs such as "Give Me a Rose," "Nocturnal Peace" and "Moonlight over the Spring River." The China Broadcasting Performing Arts Troupe's performance in the capital city of Valletta on Wednesday night received a standing ovation, and the artists gave an encore of two more songs: "Jasmine Flower" from China and "Festa" from Malta. Mary Ann Cauchi, director of Funding and Strategy for the Arts Council Malta, said that the Chinese festival has become a popular attraction. It promotes the convergence of two different cultures, and two ancient civilizations, she said.


Two new native mammals have been discovered after researchers realised what was thought to be one species was actually three. Because all three types of delicate mice appear identical to the naked eye, it was only by using advanced genetic technology that the Australian National University was able to tell the difference.

They've been hiding in plain sight for a while, but with these new methods we can uncover how they're actually unique, lead researcher Dr Emily Roycroft told Yahoo News.

Delicate mice were clearly difficult for even experts to tell apart, but many Aussies would no doubt struggle to notice any differences between them and the invasive rodents that have spread across Australia since European settlement. Unlike introduced mice and rats, these native critters are actually beneficial to the environment, so it's important they are protected and not harmed. But can you spot the difference?

Can you tell which of these is a house mouse, and which is a delicate mouse? Answer at the end of this article. Source: Getty/Justin Wright

We've got a whole bunch of different native rodents that most people don't even know about, and the delicate mice are among those Roycroft said. They play really important roles in our ecosystems in Australia. They act as what we call ecosystem engineers by distributing seeds and fungal spores throughout the soil.

What are the names of the new delicate mice?

The established scientific name Pseudomys delicatulus now refers to the northern delicate mouse, and new names have been given to the other two species.

Those living across the Pilbara, Great Sandy Desert and southern Kimberley regions have been called the western delicate mouse (Pseudomys pilbarensis) or Kalunyja. And the species living in eastern Queensland and northern NSW has been called eastern delicate mouse (Pseudomys mimulus) or Kalla.

How much is known about these new mice species?

Advancements in technology such as genetic mapping and high-resolution CT scanning have led to dozens of new reptile, spider and insect discoveries. While new mammal finds are generally still rare, discoveries are on the increase  in August scientists were elated to describe two new species of carnivorous planigales in the outback.

Story continues

The three species of delicate mice live across a massive stretch of country, from Western Australias rugged Pilbara, across the Northern Territory and Queensland, then down to the New South Wales border, but researchers are unsure how dense these populations are and whether they are under threat.

We do still know a surprising little amount about many of our native mammals, and it's especially true for the smallest species, Roycrot said. The main differences between the Declicate Mice are genetics. They probably cant interbreed. The other main difference is they've got very differentiated sperm morphologies.

The new discoveries have been published in the journal Molecular Ecology.

Delicate mice can vary in colour. Source: Ian Bool

Can you tell the difference between a delicate mouse and house mouse?

As the name suggests, the delicate mouse is typically smaller than the house mouse, and only weigh between 6 and 15 grams. They sometimes have white on their stomachs and range in colour from yellow and grey to brown. Unlike their European cousins, their presence in the home is unlikely to lead to contamination, and they seldom bite.

In the picture above, it's the house mouse on the left, and the delicate mouse on the right. Did you pick the right answer?

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GENEVA (AP)  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says combatants in places such as Congo, Gaza, Myanmar, Ukraine and Sudan are turning a blind eye to international law as he made a plea for greater respect for human rights and peace around the world. HT Image

Speaking as the U.N.s top human rights body opened its latest session, Guterres warned Monday that the world is becoming less safe by the day.

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Our world is changing at warp speed, he told the Human Rights Council. The multiplication of conflicts is causing unprecedented suffering. But human rights are a constant.

The U.N. chief said attacks on human rights take many forms, and reiterated his frequent calls for debt relief for some of the worlds poorest countries and greater spending to fight climate change. He defended UNRWA, the agency for Palestinian refugees, as the backbone of aid efforts in Gaza at a time when top Israeli authorities have called for its dismantling.

The U.N. human rights chief, Volker Turk, also lashed out at attempts to undermine the legitimacy and work of the U.N. and its affiliates.

The U.N. has become a lightning rod for manipulative propaganda and a scapegoat for policy failures, he said. This is profoundly destructive of the common good, and it callously betrays the many people whose lives rely on it.

The council was kicking off a six-week session on Monday as crises of human rights abound. On many minds will be the death this month of opposition leader Alexei Navalny while held in prison in President Vladimir Putins Russia, a permanent U.N. Security Council member.

The councils docket has ballooned in recent years, and its sessions  three a year  have been getting longer. On the agenda this time will be rights violations in conflict, and repression by governments as well as issues like religious hatred, racial discrimination, the right to food, and the rights of children, or people with disabilities and those with albinism.

The time has come to assess what the council has achieved since it was created, which is to say nearly 18 years ago, said Amb. Omar Zniber of Morocco, who holds the rotating council presidency this year, alluding to its function established by the U.N. General Assembly in New York in 2006.

Zniber lamented increasing polarization between countries, notably between those that emphasize national sovereignty and non-interference in domestic affairs, and others that say governments should be held to uphold their responsibilities before the council.

The 47-member-state council, where membership rotates annually, has faced bouts of controversy over the years. Russia was all but kicked out over its invasion of Ukraine; China regularly laments criticism of what Beijing insists are domestic affairs; and the United States has regularly criticized what it considers an outsized focus on Israel over the years, though Israels war in Gaza has drawn much international criticism of its policies again.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The Minnesota Twins acquired outfielder Manuel Margot, minor league shortstop Rayne Doncon and cash on Monday from the Los Angeles Dodgers for minor league shortstop Noah Miller. HT Image

In conjunction with the trade, the Dodgers announced a $4 million, one-year contract to keep Kike Hernandez.

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The 29-year-old Margot just joined the Dodgers two months ago with starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow in a trade with Tampa Bay. Margot hit .264 with a .686 OPS in 99 games for the Rays last season while playing center field and right field. He has also played left field.

A guy that can complement your very well against left-handed pitching," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. He helps you in the middle of the field. He does a lot of things skill-set wise. We talked about rounding our team out with the right kinds of players, he is that kind of player. Hes a great character add for our team off the field and in the clubhouse.

Margot made his major league debut with San Diego in 2016 and was the primary center fielder for the Padres from 2017-19, before being traded to the Rays. In 788 major league games, Margot has batted .255 with a .694 OPS, 52 home runs and 91 stolen bases.

Normally at that age, some guys are really slowing down. Hes not," Baldelli said. His foot speed is literally pretty close to what its been previously and hes a really good athlete.

Margot has a $10 million salary this season as part of $19 million, two-year contract he signed with the Rays, a deal that includes a $12 million mutual option for 2025 with a $2 million buyout. If the buyout is not exercised, the Rays must pay the Dodgers an additional $2 million as part of the Glasnow trade.

Margot will essentially replace Michael A. Taylor, who became a free agent after hitting a career-high 21 homers and playing 126 games in center field last season while star Byron Buxton was limited to designated hitter duty due to knee trouble. Buxton is healthy again and on track to be the regular center fielder, with Matt Wallner in left field and Max Kepler in right field, but multi-position player Willi Castro was the only other sure bet for the opening day roster with reliable outfield experience.

The 20-year-old Doncon played last season for Class A Rancho Cucamonga. He was signed out of the Dominican Republic.

Miller was the 36th overall pick by the Twins in the 2021 amateur draft. The 21-year-old finished last season with Class A Cedar Rapids.

Hernandez hit .237 with 11 home runs and 61 RBIs in 140 games with the Red Sox and Los Angeles in 2023 while playing all four infield and all three outfield positions. The 33-year-old was reacquired by the Dodgers from Boston on July 25 and became a free agent after the World Series.

Hernandez has played in 10 major league seasons, including parts of seven with the Dodgers.

___

AP freelance writer Mark Didtler in Tampa, Florida, contributed to this report.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
A horrifying video shows a US Air Force member setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC. The incident took place on Sunday, February 25, following which he was reportedly in critical condition. The man was rushed to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries (@PenguinSix/X)

A video that was live streamed on Twitch showed the man, wearing his uniform, standing in front of the gate of the embassy. He identified himself as a member of the US Air Force. The New York Times and Washington Post cited officials who confirmed the video and the man in it.

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I will no longer be complicit in genocide [in Gaza]. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, the man said before setting himself on fire. He is heard repeatedly yelling Free Palestine!

Who is the man who set himself on fire?

The name of the man used in the video has not been shared publicly. However, the New York Times reported that it matches a LinkedIn account for an active-duty Air Force officer from Texas. According to a spokesperson for the Air Force told Task & Purpose, the man is an active-duty airman.

After the man set himself ablaze, authorities on the scene kept asking him to get down on the ground. While one person sprayed him with a fire extinguisher, another seemed to draw his gun.

Shortly after going viral on Twitch, the video was removed as it violated the apps guidelines. The Air Force was not able to verify whether the man was indeed an active serviceman.

Around 1 pm, after the incident, first responders were sent to the scene, a spokesperson from DC Fire and EMS told New York Post. However, members of the US Secret Service had already put out the flames by the time they arrived. He was rushed to a local hospital. He suffered life-threatening injuries.
After branding Google's latest AI roll-out 'Gemini' a global embarrassment over its historical image generation flaws, Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur and former presidential hopeful, took a dig at Big Tech AI creators, asserting that they are programmed by the incentive structures created by their employers. Vivek Ramaswamy (AP)

Google is trying to resolve concerns about its new AI-powered tool, Gemini, which has been hailed as a breakthrough in AI picture generation, as people accuse it of over-correcting and producing historically inaccurate photos, labeling it "too woke."

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The debate centers on the tool's ability to provide images representing genders and races that are historically erratic, such as depicting World War II troops and America's founding fathers as women and people of varied ethnic backgrounds, which deviates from reality.

Ramaswamy weighs in on debate over Google's AI Chatbot Gemini

Ramaswamy was responding to American-born software engineer and tech guru Marc Lowell Andreessen who termed the apparently bizarre output as 100 percent intended, adding that big tech AI develops its content by exactly implementing its designers' ideological, radical, and biased goal.

I know its hard to believe, but Big Tech AI generates the output it does because it is precisely executing the specific ideological, radical, biased agenda of its creators. The apparently bizarre output is 100% intended. It is working as designed, Andreessen wrote on billionaire Elon Musk-owned X (formerly Twitter).

The creators of Big Tech AI are human beings who themselves are programmed by the incentive structures created by their employers: cushy high-paying jobs if you say the right things, fired like James Damore if you say the wrong things. Its two layers of programming at work, Ramaswamy reacted while reposting Andreessen's post.

Who is James Damore?

Fired Google software engineer James Damore, who authored a sexist manifesto criticising Google's efforts to reduce the gender gap, claimed the search engine company discriminates against conservative white men.

Damore's contentious 10-page document, posted to an internal Google message board in August, claimed that women have a low representation in technology due to "personality differences" between the sexes, not due to workplace discrimination.

Earlier, Ramaswamy commented on Gemini AI issue, calling the Google AI chatbot "blatantly racist" and blaming the firm for programing their employees "with broken incentives."

The globally embarrassing rollout of Googles LLM has proven that James Damore was 100% correct about Googles descent into an ideological echo chamber. Employees working on Gemini surely realized it was a mistake to make it so blatantly racist, but they likely kept their mouths shut because they didnt want to get fired like Damore. These companies program their employees with broken incentives, and those employees then program the AI with the same biases," he wrote.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has previously lambasted the AI chatbot. "I'm glad that Google overplayed their hand with their AI image generation, as it made their insane racist, anti-civilizational programming clear to all," he wrote in a post on X.

What was Google's response?

Jack Krawczyk, senior director of Gemini Experiences, acknowledged the problem, adding that while the tool generates a diverse range of people worldwide, it was "missing the mark" in historical circumstances.

"We're working to improve these kinds of depictions immediately," he said. Google has paused the tool's capacity to generate photos of people while they seek to fix the errors.

This is not the first time AI has faltered while dealing with real-world diversity issues. Google faced backlash nearly a decade ago when its pictures app incorrectly labeled a shot of a black couple as "gorillas."

OpenAI, a competitor in the AI area, has also been accused of promoting stereotypes through its Dall-E picture generator.
A US Air Force member has died after he reportedly set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, Sunday afternoon. Aaron Bushnell, US Air Force member set himself on fire outside Israel Embassy in washington DC

Who was US Air Force Officer who set himself ablaze

In a widely circulating video the man identified himself as Aaron Bushnell. The Post reported that the Air Force has confirmed that the protestor was an active-duty airman, though he refused to discuss his identity or rank. In the beginning of the clip Bushnell says his name is Aaron Bushnell, according to footage circulating online.

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In the video that was live streamed on Twitch the officer dressed in US uniform stood outside the Israeli embassy gate and identified himself as a member of the US Air Force. He was heard shouting - I will no longer be complicit in genocide [in Gaza]. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, the man apparently said before setting himself alight and repeatedly shouting Free Palestine!

Authorities at the scene could be heard asking May I help you, sir? and yelling at the man to get down on the ground while he was on fire, the footage showed.

One person sprayed the man with a fire extinguisher, while another appeared to draw his gun. The graphic video was immediately removed from Twitch for violating guidelines but a blurred version of its recording widely spread on social media.

What happened outside Israeli Embassy in Washington?

Immediately after an active-duty airman from US Airforce set himself on fire the first responders arrived to extinguish the flames. The injured soldier was immediately transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs told GLZ Radio, no embassy staff was injured during the fire and the airman had no direct link to the embassy before the incident.

Hours after the incident, there still appeared to be a charred spot on the pavement outside the embassy, FOX5 reported David Kaplan shared on X.

This isn't the first incident of self immolation in United States over the ongoing Gaza war, in December, a protester set herself on fire outside Atlantas Israeli Consulate. Many in US are angry over Biden administration's insensitive stand with the nation vetoing a ceasefire resolution at UNSC on several occasions.

The death toll in Gaza has reached nearly 30,000 people, including thousands of women and children, the Hamas-backed health ministry said. More than 200 Israeli soldiers have also died during the militarys ground campaign.
Ashok Veeraraghavan, an Indian-origin computer engineer and professor, has received the Edith and Peter O'Donnell Engineering Award, one of Texas' top academic accolades. Ashok Veeraraghavan, an Indian-origin computer engineer and professor, has received the Edith and Peter O'Donnell Engineering Award.(RICE UNIVERSITY)

The prize is granted annually to outstanding researchers in the state who have made groundbreaking contributions in medicine, engineering, biological sciences, physical sciences, and technological innovation.

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The Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science, and Technology (TAMEST), which bestows this award on emerging researchers in the state, announced Veeraraghavan was chosen for his groundbreaking imaging technology that aims to make invisible things visible.

Veeraraghavan received this year's engineering prize, which recognised his group's "revolutionary imaging technology that seeks to make the invisible visible," according to a TAMEST statement.

Veeraraghavan, who was born in Chennai, told PTI, "I am delighted to receive this award. It is the recognition of the wonderful and innovative research that many students, postdocs and research scientists, in the computational imaging lab at Rice University have done over the last decade."

His computational imaging lab investigates imaging processes holistically, from optics and detector design to machine learning analysing algorithms, in order to address imaging difficulties that would otherwise be beyond the capabilities of existing technologies.

"Most imaging systems today are designed in a way that does not take all these three things into account together; they are designed separately," Veeraraghava said.

"Co-design opens up new degrees of freedom and allows us to achieve some imaging functionalities or performance capabilities that are otherwise not possible," he added.

Veeraraghavan's study aims to create solutions for imaging settings in which the visualisation objective is unreachable by present imaging technologies due to light scattering in participating medium.

One familiar example of this is when youre driving a car and its foggy, so you cant see too far out. In this case, fog acts as the scattering medium. If youre doing satellite imaging, clouds can act as the scattering medium. And if youre doing biological imaging, its skin that acts as the obscurant so you cant see blood cells or the structure of the vascular system, for example," he explained.

In all of these contexts, the main challenge is that light interacts with the participating media and scatters, which means you lose information about the image you are trying to capture. I think imaging through scattering media is one of the most challenging problems thats left in imaging. So that is what the core focus of my lab is, and we've made significant advances toward solving that problem.

Also Read: Who is Preesha Chakraborty? Meet India-American who is among worlds brightests students'

All you need to know about Veeraraghavan

Veeraraghavan was born in Chennai and spent most of his childhood in India. He is a Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Rice University.

He holds a B.Tech. in electrical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras 2002, as well as master's and doctoral degrees from the Department of Electrical in 2004 and Computer Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park 2004 in 2008.

After joining the ECE Department in 2010, he was promoted to Associate Professor in 2017 and professor in 2020. He co-developed FlatCam, a small sensor chip with a mask that substitutes lenses in typical cameras.

His computational imaging lab conducts extensive research on imaging processes. Their research focuses on optics and sensor design, as well as machine learning methods, to tackle imaging issues beyond current technology.

Also Read: Exclusive | Meet Annu Khot, Indian American entrepreneur who made a mark in the world of cannabis

Professors hail Veeraraghavan's achievement

Luay Nakhleh, Rice's William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering and professor of computer science and biosciences, complimented Veeraraghavan on his accomplishment, stating he "richly deserves this special recognition".

In fact, this is extra special for our school since it is the second year in a row that one of our faculty receives the ODonnell Award, with Jamie Padgett being last years recipient."

Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Rice's executive vice president for research and a professor of materials science and nanoengineering, physics, and astronomy, lauded Veeraraghavan and highlighted the significance of his work.

I'm so pleased to see Ashok recognised with the Edith and Peter O'Donnell Award, joining an accomplished group of prior Rice University recipients of the honour, he said.

Ashok has used math and technology to solve some of the most difficult problems in imaging. His work has broad applications for the advancement of human health, microscopy, national security, autonomous vehicles, photography and so much more.

Watch the award ceremony here:
Idaho is set to execute one of the nations longest-serving death row inmates by lethal injection on Wednesday, February 28. 73-year-old Thomas Eugene Creech will be executed for murdering a fellow prisoner with a battery-filled sock in 1981. This image provided by the Idaho Department of Correction shows Thomas Eugene Creech on Jan. 9, 2009 (Idaho Department of Correction via AP)(AP)

Creech, a notorious serial killer, is not accused of just the killing of David Jensen, a young, disabled man serving time for car theft. Overall, he was convicted of five murders in three states, and is suspected to have killed at least a half-dozen other people. He is currently serving time in the Idaho Maximum Security Institution.

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Creech is known in prison as a well-behaved elderly man with a penchant for poetry. Prison staffers said he wrote poems of support or condolence for them.

Who is Thomas Eugene Creech?

At the time of Jensens murder, both Creech and Jensen were inmates housed inside the maximum security prison at Idahos penitentiary. Creech was serving time for two murder convictions in Idaho at the time.

Court documents say that Jensen attempted suicide in the past, shooting himself in the head. This resulted in the removal of his brain, and a plastic plate was subsequently placed in his skull. This caused impaired speech and motor functions.

Creech and Jensen are said to have not been on good terms. According to court documents, Jensen attacked Creech with a sock filled with batteries, but Creech was able to snatch the weapon away. He later used it to beat Jensen to death. Creech claimed he killed Jensen in self defence.

Former Ada County Prosecutor Jim Harris said Creech told him about his childhood, according to Idaho News 6. I think it was potentially the loss of his father at a very young age. Particularly since the man essentially died in his arms. His first enemy. His first attempted murder was the male nurse that failed to get help to his father before he died, said Harris.

The Journal News out of Hamilton, Ohio, reported that Creech admitted that he committed his first murder when he was 17 by drowning a friend in New Miami who he believed was responsible for the traffic death of his girlfriend. Creech reportedly also claimed that he murdered as many as five people from a motorcycle gang in Ohio for satanic cult worship rituals. These are only a few of his several murders he allegedly committed.

Creech has been accused of killing a man in San Francisco at a time he was involved with the Church of Satan. He eventually married Thomasine Loren White, and both of them were soon wanted in connection with the murder of Paul C. Schrader in Tucson, Arizona.

In a letter Creech sent to Idaho News 6, he said that he killed some men who raped his wife and threw her out of the window that was four stories high. Creech said the attack left his wife paraylzed and damaged mentally. She later died by suicide in the Oregon State Hospital.

Creech was later also convicted of killing 22-year-old William Joseph Dean. Deans body was found in Creechs living quarters inside the St. Marks Episcopal Church in Portland. He was later accused of killing travelling painters Edward T. Arnold and John Wayne Bradford.

Creech reportedly denied killing Arnold and Bradford, but did admit that he was a mass murderer.

A statement from the Idaho Supreme Court previously said, Creech has admitted to killing or participating in the killing of at least 26 people. The bodies of 11 of his victims who were shot, stabbed, beaten, or strangled to death have been recovered in 7 states.
The WTO, which launches its 13th ministerial meeting Monday, regulates large swathes of global trade but is handicapped by a rule requiring full consensus and a dispute settlement system crippled by the United States. HT Image

The World Trade Organization, which will hold its two-yearly ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi until February 29, is the only international organisation that deals with the rules governing trade between countries.

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But as the organisation itself acknowledges on its website, it "is not Superman, just in case anyone thought it could solve -- or cause -- all the world's problems!"

The WTO was created on January 1, 1995, but is based on a trading system established nearly half a century earlier, in 1948, with its predecessor the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

The GATT was part of a framework of international organisations created after World War II to discourage policies such as protectionism that were considered to have aggravated the Great Depression of the 1930s.

The WTO was formed at the end of the eighth round of GATT trade liberalisation negotiations, known as the Uruguay Round, which stretched from 1986 to 1994.

Whereas the GATT mainly dealt with trade in goods, the WTO and its agreements now also cover trade in services, inventions, creations and designs.

"The system's overriding purpose is to help trade flow as freely as possible -- so long as there are no undesirable side-effects -- because this is important for economic development and well-being," the WTO says.

But some accuse the organisation of becoming too bulky, a massive bureaucratic machine.

With a budget of nearly 205 million Swiss francs ($234 million) this year, it employs about 600 people at its Geneva headquarters, including an army of lawyers, economists and statisticians.

The WTO's 164 member states call the shots.

And making decisions is no easy feat: any agreement requires full consensus, meaning every member holds veto power.

Around three-quarters of the WTO's members are considered developing or among the least-developed countries, which benefit from more flexibility in the way trade rules are applied.

All large economies are members, but around 20 countries are currently on a waiting list to join, including Iran, Algeria, Serbia and Iraq.

The accession process can take years, as it entails long negotiations with all WTO members, which each have the power to block a country from joining.

East Timor and the Comoros are expected to join the WTO soon, in the least-developed countries category. Their membership bids will be formally presented in Abu Dhabi.

The WTO is a forum where governments negotiate multilateral trade deals affecting all member states.

But amid the difficulty of obtaining full consensus, more and more plurilateral agreements -- deals with a narrower number of signatories -- are being reached, applying only to the participating countries.

This is the case for instance with an important agreement offering exemptions from customs duties on electronic transactions.

Once painstakingly agreed, the international trade rules often require interpretation, with the WTO serving as an arbitrator in disputes.

Countries of any size can file complaints with the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body over alleged trade rules violations, and it is not uncommon for the world's biggest economies to be tripped up in disputes filed by smaller ones.

But the system is in disarray since Washington brought its appeals court to a screeching halt in late 2019 after years of blocking the appointment of new judges.

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Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice president Maryam Nawaz was elected as the chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province on Monday after the nomination papers of the former and Sunni Ittehad Council's (SIC) Rana Aftab were declared valid by the election commission after scrutiny, ARY news has reported. Pakistan's former prime minister and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) party Nawaz Sharif (R) along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz.(AFP)

The session, which began after a delay of 30 minutes, was presided over by newly-elected Punjab assembly speaker Malik Ahmad Khan.

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Maryam Nawaz had earlier pledged to live up to the expectations of the people. Maryam is the first-ever female chief minister in Pakistans history who won the elections after receiving the backing of 220 MPAs in the provincial assembly, Geo News reported on Monday.

Who is Maryam Nawaz of PML-N?

Maryam Nawaz was born in 1973 in Pakistan's Lahore city. She is the daughter of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

In 2012, she entered politics. Maryam led the PML-N to victory in the 2013 Pakistan elections upon being elected as the president of the party.

In the same year, she was appointed the Chairperson of the Prime Minister's Youth Programme. However, she resigned in 2014 after her appointment was challenged in the Lahore High Court.

In 2017, Maryam was disqualified from holding public office by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in view of the Panama Papers scandal. The court ruled that Maryam was involved in money laundering. However, the PML-N denied the charges against her and maintained that she was innocent.

In 2017, Maryam was also included in the BBC's 100 Women list, recognizing influential women worldwide. In December 2017, she was featured on The New York Times list of 11 Powerful Women Around the World for the year 2017.

During the 2024 general election in Pakistan, Maryam Nawaz was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan (NA) and the Provincial Assembly of Punjab.

(With agencies' inputs)
The Hadaka Matsuri, also known as the Naked Festival, which for the past 1,250 years has been a traditional scene at the Konomiya Shrine in central Japan, saw a significant change this year as women are set to participate for the first time, breaking away from the usual men's huddle. Women take part in a ritual event of naked festival, for the first time in its 1250 years of history, at Owari Okunitama Shrine in Inazawa, Aichi Prefecture, central Japan. (Reuters)

The women assembled, keenly aware that they were creating a historic moment. Seven female groups participated in the ritual, believed to ward off evil spirits and invoke blessings for happiness.

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In a society where traditionally male-dominated spaces are challenging to penetrate, particularly in a country like Japan, ranked 125 out of 146 on the World Economic Forum's gender gap index last year, the struggle is more significant. Japan's government, acknowledging the country's struggle to bridge the gender gap, pledged efforts to enhance women's involvement in society in the previous year.

The notion of participating in the festival, where men traditionally strive to dispel evil spirits before praying for happiness at the shrine, appears to have never been raised before.

Contrary to its title, participants were not unclothed during the event.

Many women awaiting their turn are adorned in "happi coats" - lengthy, purple robes - along with white shorts, different from the men's loincloths, while carrying their bamboo offerings.

The women refrained from participating in the festival's central activity, where a sizeable gathering of men vigorously clash to dispel evil spirits.

The men move towards the shrine or scramble to touch the Shin Otoko, or the 'male deity' - a man selected by the shrine. Touching him, according to tradition, is believed to ward off evil spirits.

These women are not only breaking gender barriers but also preserving tradition. Another naked festival held at Kokuseki Temple in Japan's north announced this week that it would be the last due to a lack of young participants.

Women line up in two parallel rows, carrying long bamboo sticks adorned with intertwined red and white ribbons.

Entering the courtyard of the Konomiya Shinto shrine, the women, like their male counterparts, are doused with cold water, seemingly invigorating them further. Once their offering is received, they conclude the ceremony with the customary salutation of two bows, two claps, and one final bow.

Exiting the shrine, they are approached by onlookers and media personnel eager to capture their presence, to which the women graciously comply, posing for photos and granting interviews.
"A Gold Star Mothers tears are a badge of both resilience and compassion in memory of her child."

The black vehicle pulls onto the property, three men emerge and the dreaded knock on the door. The resident peers out the window at two soldiers and a member of the clergy! The messengers of bad news ask to enter the home. Time stops for a mother! Her world has become a dervish of unbearable reality. In her mind, her child's face frozen in time.

She hears the words, The President regrets to inform you ..." And she falls to the floor in shock and as tears pour from her eyes in disbelief.

Fate has given her the status of becoming a Gold Star Mother.

When an active-duty service member dies, his or her mother automatically becomes a Gold Star Mother. Its a distinction no mother ever wants, but its the one they wear proudly.

A Gold Star Family member is someone whose loved one passed away while serving the nation.

History

In 1917, an Army captain designed a flag to honor the service of his sons in World War I. The flag had a blue star on a white field with a red border. Capt. Queissners idea caught on quickly in the U.S.

During World War I, families with men in the service displayed the banners. The number of blue stars indicated the number of family members in the service. As soldiers were killed, their families superimposed a gold star over the blue star. The gold star symbolized the honor and glory accorded the serviceman for his supreme sacrifice in giving the last full measure of devotion to his country. It replaced a lonely personal loss with a proud public symbol for the family. Many families paid a high price for freedom, thus they hung more than one gold star in their window.

In 1918, in the months before the end of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson approved the wearing of black armbands bearing a gilt star by those who had a family member who died in military service to the United States. This allowed for American women to wear a black band on their left arm embossed with a gold star for each family member who had made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the nation. The term Gold Star Mothers was applied to any mother whose son(s) died in the war. Eventually, the mothers of those fallen service members became known as Gold Star Mothers, and their families Gold Star Families. This practice eventually led to placing a gold star on the blue star banner, indicating that the service member had died. On June 4, 1928, Grace Seibold of Washington, D.C., founded the American Gold Stars Mothers Inc. as a way to remember her own son and all of the men who died in the war, and to perpetuate the ideals for which they had fought and died. To this day the organization remains a non denominational, nonprofit and nonpolitical organization. It is an organization of mothers whose sons or daughters have made the supreme sacrifice while in any branch of the military or naval service of the United States of America, or died as a result of such service.

On June 23, 1936, the 74th U.S. Congress designated the last Sunday of September as Gold Star Mothers Day. In 2011, in a proclamation by President Barack Obama, the observance was renamed to include the recognition of Gold Star Family members.

Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter No. 704 of Cayuga County has listened and responded to our Cayuga County Gold and Blue Star Families. We have designed and created a fitting memorial for those whose children have served or are serving our nation.

The Cayuga County Gold Star Mothers memorial

Having a Gold Star Mothers and Blue Star Families memorial at the Cayuga County Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Centerport Aqueduct Park in Brutus provides multiple benefits for Cayuga County. The addition of a Gold Star Mothers memorial adds a powerful emotional feel to the park, not only paying tribute to and honoring our fallen heroes, but their families who have sacrificed as well to protect our freedom and our country.

The Gold Star Mothers memorial will complement the other memorials already at the park and it will be one of the only memorials of its kind in the United States. The memorial brings to life the grief felt when a loved one is lost in service. It honors the families of those lost and reminds us of the sacrifices so many have made for our country.

The memorial serves as a reminder that freedom is not free and it can never be taken for granted. When a soldier is killed in combat or lost to the repercussions of war, their loss is a ripple effect felt by mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, friends and communities.

These families have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The Cayuga County Gold Star Mothers memorial in particular will be very impactful  the depiction of a mother clutching a flag, cradling it like she would her baby, and grieving not just for her child, but for all the mothers and families whove lost loved ones to war and protecting our nation. For the families who have suffered a loss, the Gold Star Mother serves as a symbol  she is a guardian watching over all those who have been lost. She is a reminder to keep the memories of lost loved ones alive, to tell their stories and histories so that their sacrifices are never forgotten.

The second illustration on the memorial portrays a Gold Star Mother leading her child on a new path upon leaving the bonds of earthly existence to walk to the other side of the rainbow where he or she no longer experiences the intense suffering for their sacrifices on behalf of our nation.

The narrative on the Gold Star Mothers memorial helps to tell their story and define the Gold Star Mothers' legacy for future generations.

Numerous families have gone from Blue Star to Gold Star due to the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan alone, and there are countless who have suffered this tragedy in our Cayuga County history. Nothing can replace the void left by losing a loved one to service, but a memorial such as this can preserve their memories, honor the families connected to each and every fallen hero, and serve as a constant reminder that freedom is not free.

I know we can comprehend that the pain of losing a parent, child, spouse or sibling never fully goes away. We can only support and acknowledge our Gold Star Mothers and let them know that the sacrifices that they have made will never be forgotten, and it is our duty as a grateful nation to help our mothers heal from their loss.

As Americans fight and die overseas today, this forgotten chapter of America's story wrapped in the eternal fabric of a mothers love is a story that will never be extinguished by time.

Our Gold Star Mothers and families have suffered the supreme sacrifice of motherhood in the loss of their sons and daughters. Gold Star Mothers and their families are the resilient legacies of their service members' sacrifices.

I ask that you become shareholders with Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter No. 704 in this worthy project honoring our Gold Star Mothers and their families.

The chapter, with the assistance of Gold Star Mothers, has created and designed a T-shirt to fundraise for the memorial. The cost is $30 and it can be ordered by sending a check to VVA No. 704, P.O. Box 1484, Auburn, New York 13021.

For any questions, or to make a donation, please contact Nick Valenti at (315) 604-1918 or Dr. Linda Townsend at (315) 252-1762.
Public affairs programming from Cayuga Community College's telecom/media department returns this week with discussions about an area Boy Scout project and other topics.

On Tuesday, Feb. 27, the guests on "Beyond The Front Page with Guy Cosentino will be Life Scout Nate Bennett of Boy Scout Troop 21 in Owasco to discuss "Scouts for Swabs," his Eagle Scout project to sign people up for a bone marrow registry that will occur on March 11, with fellow Life Scout Mitchell Homick and Scoutmaster John Hai.

The show airs at 7 p.m. Tuesday and 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29, on Spectrum 12, and will replay at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 2, and Sunday, March 3, on Spectrums 12 and 98 and Verizon Fios channel 31 from Auburn Regional Media Access.

A second "Beyond The Front Page" will follow with Food Bank of Central New York Executive Director Karen Belcher to discuss the work of that organization, focusing on its efforts in Cayuga County. The show airs at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29, on Spectrum 12, and will replay at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 2, and Sunday, March 3, on Spectrums 12 and 98 and Verizon Fios channel 31 from Auburn Regional Media Access.

On Thursday, Feb. 29, on "Inside Government," the guest will be Auburn Enlarged City School District Superintendent Jeffrey Pirozzolo for an update that includes his discussion to retire at the end of 2024, the search process to replace him and proposed state aid from Albany for the coming school year. The show airs at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29, and 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, on Spectrum 12, and will replay at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 3, and Sunday, March 4, on Spectrums 12 and 98 and Verizon Fios channel 31 from Auburn Regional Media Access.

A second Inside Government" will follow with Cayuga County Director of Environmental Health Ani Fish and Director of Health Education and Public Information Deborah Pickering to discuss the countys efforts with lead poisoning prevention programs. The show airs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29, and 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, on Spectrum 12, and will replay at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 2, and Sunday, March 3, on Spectrums 12 and 98 and Verizon Fios channel 31 from Auburn Regional Media Access.

The shows are rebroadcast starting at 10 a.m. Saturdays on the colleges radio station, WDWN 89.1 FM.

Future guests this semester include state Sen. Rachel May, Assemblyman John Lemondes, Cayuga County Legislative Chair Aileen McNabb-Coleman, Auburn City Manager Jeff Dygert and city Comptroller Mary Beth Leeson.

Viewers who wish to pose questions for any of the shows guests can email them to cozguytho@aol.com. The shows are taped at the college on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons by the students of the Cayuga County Community Colleges telecom/media department.
Owasco Lake will benefit from a state program that provides funding to support water quality projects.

Finger Lakes Land Trust has been awarded $1,240,000 for land acquisition and conservation easements in the Owasco Lake watershed. The funding was provided through the state Department of Environmental Conservation's Water Quality Improvement Project grant program.

Andy Zepp, executive director of Finger Lakes Land Trust, told The Citizen that the project will focus on land within the watershed that has been identified as "significant from a water quality perspective." Some of the funding could be used to expand vegetated stream buffers in parts of the watershed.

"With the grant in hand, the (Finger Lakes Land Trust) will now reach out to landowners to determine who is interested in participating and how the grant can be used to have the greatest positive impact on water quality," Zepp said. "We will be particularly focused on major tributaries to the lake, wetlands and restorable wetlands."

According to Gov. Kathy Hochul's office, the funding will protect approximately 500 acres of land within the watershed. Owasco Lake is a drinking water source for the city of Auburn and surrounding towns.

The grant announcement comes as the city of Auburn and the town of Owasco have filed a lawsuit against the state over watershed rules and regulations. There was a local effort to update the watershed rules and regulations, but the state Department of Health proposed its own revisions. Local leaders don't think the state's plan goes far enough to protect the drinking water supply.

Statewide, the DEC awarded more than $146 million for 81 projects through the Water Quality Improvement Project program. The state is also providing $2 million for 35 projects through the Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Mapping Grant program.

"New York's record investments in water quality continue to protect New Yorkers' health, the economy and quality of life," Hochul said. "Communities across the state will benefit from this critical water infrastructure funding, which will protect water quality, prevent pollution and improve habitats."
Due to launch in April 2024, the newly refurbished suites will span across three categories and enhance the current offering of 20 existing Molino suites at the hotel.

Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, the five-star hotel and former flour mill on Giudecca island, is thrilled to announce 24 new suites at the hotel, due to open in April 2024. The new suites will span three categories and will enhance the existing suite inventory, resulting in the hotel offering guests an incredible 45 suites to choose from when booking their stay. The suites will be open in time for spring in Venice, arguably one of the best times of year to book a canal-side retreat.

Enhanced Suite Offering

The new suites will include four new King Molino Family Suites, nine new King Molino Executive Suites, and eleven new King Molino Executive suites with a view of Venice, meaning the total suite offering will now comprise:

4 King Molino Junior Suites

5 King Molino Tower Suites

1 Presidential Suite

11 King Molino Family Suites

NEW: 6 King Molino Family Suites

NEW: 9 King Molino Executive Suites

NEW: 11 King Molino Executive Suites with a view of Venice

Each suite will feature a main bedroom along with a living area, with interconnecting options offering accommodation for couples, friends and families alikeand 32 of the total suites will also include a comfortable dining area.

First Look Renderings Released

This month, Hilton Molino Stucky Venice is delighted to share the first-look renderings of the new suites. As the renderings show, the colour palates are calming and earthy, with creams and teals taking centre stage, to provide the ultimate sophisticated and tranquil retreat in Venice. The teal hues reflect the colours of Venice's lagoon, which can also be seen in the breathtaking views of Venice and the Giudecca Canal from some of the new suites.

Exposed wooden beams and brushed oak floors add warmth and pay homage to the building's former life as a flour mill, while decadent details such as black lacquer tables by Chica and crystal chandeliers by Fortuny inject a dose of luxury. Meanwhile, bespoke 'Toile de Venice' Venetian fabric made by Rubelli is used for wall screens. The dreamlike teal-coloured wallpaper for the new connecting rooms has been made by Inkiostro bianco.

Rubelli fabrics are also seen across the other upholstered furniture including the sofas, armchairs, curtains and cushions, along with chairs, benches, headboards and bed structure upholstered in eco-leather fabric by Casamance. The furniture itself has been expertly crafted by bespoke furniture makers Status Contract and includes carbon fibre bedside tables, desks and sideboards.

References to the city of canals appear throughout; paintings by Grecale feature touches of gold resembling those found at St. Mark's Basilica, while table and floor lamps by Italamp make use of Venetian Murano glass.

Designed by Biagio Forino

The interior design was created by Biagio Forino, whom the hotel is collaborating with again after he designed the iconic Molino Presidential Suite in 2019, which is the highest and largest suite in all of Venice.

A native of Salerno, Biagio Forino opened his studio in Milan in 1987 and has dedicated himself to interior design ever since. An incredibly versatile designer, his numerous projects include the finest private houses to some of the world's most prestigious hotels, creating schemes ranging from contemporary modern to classic. Forino delivers truly unique designs, working hand in hand with the client at each stage, from creating inspiring mood boards and the clever division of spaces, to the sourcing of materials and the creation of bespoke furnishings.

For more information on Biagio Forino, visit https://biagioforino.it/

Formerly a flour mill factory on the peaceful island of Giudecca, Hilton Molino Stucky Venice is a modern Venetian masterpiece steeped in history. The historically listed building has been exquisitely restored with a series of recent refurbishments including sophisticated deluxe rooms and spacious elegant suites - some offering guests enviable views of picture-perfect Venice. After arriving by water taxi, guests will be spoiled for choice with 379 rooms and suites, one of the largest spas in Venice, and a collection of bars and restaurants. Hilton Molino Stucky Venice is home to one of two eForea Spas in Italy, the other eForea Spa location is available at sister property Hilton Lake Como.

The new suites will be available to book from April 2024, with starting prices from 850 (729*) on a bed and breakfast basis.

About Hilton Molino Stucky Venice

Situated in Italy's iconic Venice on the peaceful island of Giudecca, Hilton Molino Stucky Venice is a modern Venetian masterpiece. Formerly a flour mill factory, this listed building has been beautifully restored with a series of recent refurbishments including sophisticated deluxe rooms and spacious elegant suites - some boasting incredible views of picture-perfect Venice. The Presidential Suite at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice is the highest and largest suite in town with private access to the hotel's rooftop, which hosts a pool and Skyline Bar - the highest bar in Venice with incredible panoramic views of the city and amazing mixologists. This five-star hotel on the water offers guests 379 rooms and suites, one of the largest spas in Venice, an award-winning conference centre and a collection of bars and restaurants to choose from.

Hotel website
With the progressive worldwide expansion, global hospitality management group The Lux Collective is pleased to announce the appointment of Oliviero Cassini as Chief Development Officer - EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), based in Dubai.

Oliviero joins The Lux Collective with over two decades of experience in the luxury hospitality industry. An eclectic and well-versed professional, his expertise includes Development Management, Private Equity, Asset Management and Strategy Advisory across the globe.

Oliviero's distinguished career showcases his exceptional business acumen and keen ability to operate in a multitude of countries. He has undertaken hospitality development projects across the Middle East, Africa, Europe and South America and contributed to some of the world's most prestigious and ground-breaking real estate developments including AMAALA in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Lusail City in Qatar.

Prior to joining The Lux Collective, Oliviero was the Director of Development at Red Sea Global, a leading real estate development company owned by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Company (PIF). He has also held senior roles in the UAE, Qatar and Europe.

Through his deep understanding of the development process, strong network and awareness of the latest hospitality trends, Oliviero will spearhead and accelerate the expansion of The Lux Collective's four distinctive brands in the EMEA region, in line with the Group's success in the Indian Ocean and Asia. An Italian national, Oliviero is proficient in five languages and holds a British-German bachelor's degree in European Business Administration.
Arlo Hotels, an independent, experience-driven lifestyle hotel brand with properties in New York, Miami and Chicago (and launching in Washington, D.C., in summer 2024), today announced Kierra Moore's promotion from director of operations to hotel manager at Arlo Chicago. Moore will continue to oversee the operational duties and departments and help further grow the brand through the Chicago property, which opened in April 2023.

Kierra, a Chicago native, holds more than 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry, working in various leadership, operational, director and audit roles for prestigious hotel brands such as The Public Chicago, Hiltons at McCormick Place, Highgate, and DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago Magnificent Mile. Prior to that, Kierra joined the US Marine corps focusing on aviation mechanics in Miramar. After eight years of serving her country, Kierra felt the desire to explore other passions. She was a natural fit for the hospitality industry thanks to her core values of integrity, ownership, leadership, and teamwork.

Her first job out of the marines brought her in the food & beverage industry before transitioning into the night audit role and eventually into operational roles before joining Arlo Chicago in August 2023 as director of operations. In less than a year, the inspired veteran and mother of four continued to impress Arlo's principals leading her into a hotel manager role as of recently.

In her new role, Kierra will strategically lead Arlo Chicago's day to day operations and its team members amongst other responsibilities, while also creating an authentic Arlo Hotels ethos in Chicago.
Booking Holdings, despite surpassing revenue and profit estimates with record-breaking figures and initiating a quarterly dividend, experienced a significant stock decline on Friday. The travel industry, which saw a massive surge in demand post-pandemic, is now grappling with the reality of normalized demand and growth expectations for 2024. Booking Holdings, along with other travel companies like Airbnb and Expedia Group, benefited greatly from increased consumer spending on travel experiences after the lockdowns. However, the company's forecast for 2024 suggests only a modest growth in bookings and revenue, a stark contrast to the previous year's substantial increases. CEO Glenn Fogel emphasized the importance of long-term growth, despite short-term geopolitical challenges and the expected normalization in travel demand. The company's shares took a hit despite the overall positive performance, reflecting investor concerns over the anticipated slowdown in growth.

Takeaways:

Normalization of Travel Demand: After an exceptional surge in travel demand post-pandemic, the industry, including Booking Holdings, is facing a phase of normalization, with growth rates expected to moderate in 2024. Investor Reaction to Forecasts: Despite Booking Holdings' strong performance in 2023, investors are reacting cautiously to the company's modest growth forecast for 2024, leading to a significant drop in its stock price. Focus on Long-term Growth: CEO Glenn Fogel highlighted the importance of focusing on the company's long-term growth potential, despite the current challenges and anticipated normalization in the travel sector.

Read the full article at barrons.com
Hotel technology specialist SHR Group is proud to announce the launch of a Digital Marketing Academy specifically designed for the esteemed Future Leaders Programme run by Co-operation Ireland.

Co-operation Irelands Future Leaders Programme (CIFL) is an all-island training programme which aims to empower the next generation of young leaders and peacebuilders, equipping them with the skills, confidence and networks to make a positive contribution to the future development of their own communities. It ensures young people from diverse backgrounds take on an active role in peace-building across the island of Ireland and with its neighbouring island.

The Digital Marketing Academy, which will be delivered by the expert Digital Marketing team at SHR Group, will take place over a four-week period and cover the essentials of Digital Marketing Strategy, Pay Per Click Advertising, Search Engine Optimisation and Social Media Advertising. The programme aims to equip participants with the foundational knowledge required for key areas across Digital Marketing and support them with Google accreditation.

Through this partnership, SHR Group and Co-operation Ireland aim to set a new standard for professional development in the digital age and empower the next generation of digital marketing professionals. The pioneering initiative will initially welcome participants from the Gold Award Level, aged 18 and above, including a select number of Co-operation Ireland staff members, with a maximum size of 20 for the pilot run.

This partnership is a testament to our commitment to nurturing talent and fostering innovation in the digital marketing space. By equipping these bright, aspiring leaders with the skills and knowledge to achieve Google accreditation, were not just contributing to their personal and professional growth, were also investing in the future of the digital marketing industry. Its our belief that through education and empowerment, we can inspire a new wave of digital marketing experts who will drive our industry forward in exciting and innovative ways. Frank Reeves, Chief Evangelist at SHR Group

We are thrilled to collaborate with Co-operation Ireland to pave the way for future leaders in the digital marketing space. Our aim is to give young people a clear pathway into a digital marketing career with the tools and resources to succeed in todays dynamic digital landscape, something that will be invaluable as AI completely transforms what these jobs look like. Steve Collins, Vice President of Digital Marketing at SHR Group

A key component of our flagship Co-operation Ireland Future Leaders Programme is to build up the vocational skills of our programme participants as they prepare to embark on their chosen career path. This partnership with the SHR Group will be a hugely valuable learning experience that will equip the Future Leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the workplace of the future. Ian Jeffers, CEO of Co-operation Ireland

About SHR

Founded in 2004, and headquartered in Houston, Texas, with offices in Europe and Asia-Pacific, SHR Group is a leading global specialist technology and service provider to the hotel sector. Helping hoteliers to maximize revenue by optimizing all aspects of the booking and retention eco-system through a full suite of tools, including the groundbreaking allora.ai platform, over 2,000 hotels globally use SHR Group's product suite to optimize their channel mix and personalize guest experiences. To learn more, visit https://shrgroup.com/.

SHR supports 1500+ independent, group, casino and long-stay hotels, manage 6.6M reservations, sell 19m room nights and drive 2 billion revenue per year through its Windsurfer CRS, CRM and RMS.
Orlando, FL  B&B HOTELS, Europes fastest growing midscale hotel brand, is thrilled to announce its much-anticipated U.S. debut with the opening of its first hotel in Orlando, Florida. This landmark expansion brings B&B HOTELS' innovative approach to hospitality to the U.S., marking a significant milestone in the brand's growth journey.

With a portfolio that spans 17 countries across two continents and encompasses over 770 hotels, B&B HOTELS has become synonymous with exceptional growth and success. In 2023 alone, the brand achieved a revenue of $1.3 billion and added 170 new hotels, demonstrating its successful strategy of offering unbeatable value without compromising on quality.

The brand's unique business model, characterized by flexibility and an asset-light approach, has enabled swift expansion and presented lucrative opportunities for real estate investment partners. By rebranding existing properties and constructing new hotels, B&B HOTELS is set to revolutionize the U.S. hospitality landscape, starting with Florida.

The inaugural U.S. hotel, boasting 218 rooms, is strategically located near Universal Studios in Orlando. This exciting venture is made possible thanks to the collaboration with real estate partner Batipart. The hotel is slated for a comprehensive renovation to enhance the guest experience further.

Valerio Duchini, U.S. CEO of B&B HOTELS, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, The opening of our Orlando hotel is just the beginning. We are eager to replicate our success in Europe and become a leading player in the U.S. market, with plans for expansion in Miami and Jacksonville.

Fabrice Collet, President and CEO of B&B HOTELS, added, Our growth model and dedication to value have won the hearts of guests across Europe. We're excited to extend our warm hospitality to the U.S. and continue our global expansion with a goal of reaching 3,000 hotels in the next decade.

Hotel location

The new B&B HOTELS location is conveniently situated at 6323 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819, just a short distance from the popular Universal Studios in Orlando, offering guests easy access to one of the city's top attractions.

About B&B HOTELS

Founded in 1990 in Brest, France, B&B HOTELS has grown to become a leading budget hotel group in Europe, with a presence in 17 countries. The brand is committed to offering high-quality service at the best price, guided by values of empathy, integrity, inclusion, simplicity, and continuous improvement. B&B HOTELS is also dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility and is certified in sustainability by SOCOTEC.

Since 2016, Fabrice Collet has served as the President and CEO of B&B HOTELS, with Goldman Sachs becoming the principal shareholder in 2019.

For more information, visit bbhotels.com.
In a testament to its strategic vision and robust sector growth, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has welcomed over 100 million tourists, marking a significant milestone in its journey to become a global tourism powerhouse.

In an exceptional achievement, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has welcomed over 100 million tourists, a milestone celebrated by the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism). This remarkable accomplishment achieved seven years ahead of its original schedule, not only underscores Saudi Arabia's emergence as a global tourism powerhouse but also highlights its leading role in the economic diversification and sustainable development of the tourism sector worldwide. This milestone, marked by the arrival of over 27 million international tourists and over 79 million domestic tourists with a combined total spend of over USD 67 billion, not only showcases the Kingdom's robust tourism sector but also underscores the Saudi Ministry of Tourism's commitment to advanced data gathering and statistical analysis, a priority echoed by UN Tourism.

The Kingdom's success story is built on a foundation of strategic initiatives and reforms that have propelled its tourism sector to new heights. With a staggering 390% increase in demand for tourism activity licenses in 2023 and the contribution of tourism to the non-oil GVA estimated to exceed 7%, Saudi Arabia's vision for the future is clear. With the tourism sector's direct contribution to the GDP estimated to exceed 4 %, the country has showcased its resilience, innovation, and commitment to excellence.

Strategic Partnerships and Global Leadership

UN Tourism has closely collaborated with Saudi Arabia, recognizing its efforts in developing a robust tourism infrastructure and statistical analysis capabilities. The inauguration of UN Tourism's Regional Office for the Middle East in Riyadh in 2021 marked a significant step towards fostering tourism innovation, education, and rural development. This partnership has been instrumental in positioning Saudi Arabia as a leader in sustainable tourism practices and statistical excellence.

Elevating its global position in the tourism sector, Saudi Arabia has distinguished itself by leading the G20 in international tourist growth rate in 2023 compared to 2019. This recognition underlines the Kingdom's pivotal role in the global tourism sector's recovery following the pandemic. Moreover, the Middle East has emerged as the sole region not only to rebound but also to outpace pre-pandemic tourism levels, with a 122 percent recovery in international tourist arrivals in 2023 compared to 2019. At the forefront of this remarkable growth, Saudi Arabia witnessed a staggering 156 percent recovery in international tourist arrivals compared to 2019, underscoring its central role in the region's tourism boom.

A Testament to Resilience and Innovation

The Kingdom's tourism sector has shown remarkable resilience, with inbound spending reaching over USD 37 billion in 2023 and a significant increase in hotel keys across the kingdom. These achievements are a testament to Saudi Arabia's commitment to creating a prosperous and sustainable tourism sector.

Empowering the Workforce

The employment opportunities created by the tourism sector are a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia's success. As of 2023, with 925.5 thousand jobs in the tourism sector and significant investments in training, the Kingdom is on track to make tourism the second-largest employer by 2030. This focus on workforce development ensures that the benefits of tourism growth are shared widely and sustainably.

Gratitude and Future Vision

UN Tourism extends its congratulations to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this historic achievement. We commend the leadership, the Ministry of Tourism, and all partners for their unwavering support and dedication. As Saudi Arabia continues to drive towards its goal of 150 million tourists by 2030, UN Tourism looks forward to supporting its journey, celebrating its successes, and promoting a more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive future for global tourism.

Saudi Arabia's achievement of welcoming over 100 million tourists in 2023 is a beacon of what is possible through collaboration, innovation, and a clear vision for the future. The Kingdom not only promises a diverse and rich tourism experience but delivers on that promise, paving the way for a brighter future for the global tourism industry.

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About UN Tourism

The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UN Tourism promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

Our Priorities

Mainstreaming tourism in the global agenda: Advocating the value of tourism as a driver of socio-economic growth and development, its inclusion as a priority in national and international policies and the need to create a level playing field for the sector to develop and prosper.

Promoting sustainable tourism development: Supporting sustainable tourism policies and practices: policies which make optimal use of environmental resources, respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities and provide socio-economic benefits for all.

Fostering knowledge, education and capacity building: Supporting countries to assess and address their needs in education and training, as well as providing networks for knowledge creation and exchange.

Improving tourism competitiveness: Improving UN Tourism Members' competitiveness through knowledge creation and exchange, human resources development and the promotion of excellence in areas such as policy planning, statistics and market trends, sustainable tourism development, marketing and promotion, product development and risk and crisis management.

Advancing tourism's contribution to poverty reduction and development: Maximizing the contribution of tourism to poverty reduction and achieving the SDGs by making tourism work as a tool for development and promoting the inclusion of tourism in the development agenda.

Building partnerships: Engaging with the private sector, regional and local tourism organizations, academia and research institutions, civil society and the UN system to build a more sustainable, responsible and competitive tourism sector.

Our Structure

Members: An intergovernmental organization, UN Tourism has 160 Member States, 6 Associate Members, 2 Observers and over 500 Affiliate Members.

Organs: The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the Organization. The Executive Council take all measures, in consultation with the Secretary-General, for the implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the General Assembly and reports to the Assembly.

Secretariat: UN Tourism headquarters are based in Madrid, Spain. The Secretariat is led by the Secretary-General and organized into departments covering issues such as sustainability, education, tourism trends and marketing, sustainable development, statistics and the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), destination management, ethics and risk and crisis management. The Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Department carries out development projects in over 100 countries worldwide, while the Regional Departments for Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the Middle East serve as the link between UN Tourism and its 160 Member States. The Affiliate Members Department represents UN Tourism's 500 plus Affiliate members.

UN Tourism Communications Department

+34 91 567 8100

UN Tourism
In 2023, outbound travel registered double-digit growth year-on-year, marking another big step in returning to the travel volume of 2019. Compared with 2022, this was a 33 per cent increase, only 12 per cent short of the base year level before the pandemic. Positive signs are above all the gradual return of outbound travellers in Asia and the upward trend in vacation travel. Despite rising travel costs, interest in outbound travel this year remains high  what is noticeable is that travel satisfaction is becoming an increasingly important factor.

Double-digit growth in outbound travel in 2023

According to the IPKs World Travel Monitor, the return of outbound travel in Asia with a year-on-year increase of more than 140 per cent was the growth driver in 2023. Although still at 37 per cent below 2019 levels, this marked a significant upward trend. Compared with 2022, outbound travel in Europe increased by 18 per cent, in North America by 31 per cent, and in Latin America by 27 per cent. In 2023, the outbound travel volume was largest in the US, followed by Germany and the UK. Together, these three largest source markets made up one-third of the global outbound travel volume last year.

 Source: Messe Berlin GmbH

In 2023, outbound travel registered double-digit growth year-on-year, marking another big step in returning to the travel volume of 2019. Compared with 2022, this was a 33 per cent increase, only 12 per cent short of the base year level before the pandemic. Positive signs are above all the gradual return of outbound travellers in Asia and the upward trend in vacation travel. Despite rising travel costs, interest in outbound travel this year remains high  what is noticeable is that travel satisfaction is becoming an increasingly important factor.

Double-digit growth in outbound travel in 2023

According to the IPKs World Travel Monitor, the return of outbound travel in Asia with a year-on-year increase of more than 140 per cent was the growth driver in 2023. Although still at 37 per cent below 2019 levels, this marked a significant upward trend. Compared with 2022, outbound travel in Europe increased by 18 per cent, in North America by 31 per cent, and in Latin America by 27 per cent. In 2023, the outbound travel volume was largest in the US, followed by Germany and the UK. Together, these three largest source markets made up one-third of the global outbound travel volume last year.

Most popular destinations in 2023  Spain is most-visited again and Dubai highest-rated

At almost ten per cent, Spain is globally the most-visited destination again, followed by the USA. IPKs Destination Performance Index (DPI) found Dubai to be the highest-rated destination in 2023. In compiling the DPI, the World Travel Monitor took into account all global outbound holiday trips with regard to travel satisfaction, whether travellers would recommend a destination to others, and their desire to return. Among the five highest-rated destinations behind Dubai were the Maldives, last years winner, South Africa and Abu Dhabi. Austria and Switzerland were the highest-rated destinations in Europe.

Vacations are in demand  sun and beach destinations top the list

Compared with 2022, vacationing as the reason for making a trip improved its market share yet again. In 2023, three-quarters of global outbound trips were vacations. Within this segment, sun and beach vacations and city breaks dominated, each occupying around one-third of the market. Third-placed were round trips. What is striking is that the market shares of these three went in different directions during the last three years, but are now at similar levels to 2019. This suggests the pandemic has not substantially changed peoples choice of vacation. In 2023, the main factors for an outbound holiday trip were relaxation, sightseeing, good food and shopping.

Air travel is the main form of transport

In 2023, over 60 per cent of outbound travel was by air  making air travel the most popular form of transport for international travel. However, it is worth noting that when asked how travellers moved around at their destination, the majority stated public transport. One-fifth said they used a rental car.

Significant rise in travel expenses in 2023

Due to the increased cost of travelling, especially by air, travel expenses rose above average in 2023, while the median number of overnights remained stable at around nine. When asked about the best and worst aspects of a trip, travellers mostly answered value for money, from both a positive and negative angle. Other factors important for travellers are accommodation, catering, and the local natural surroundings.

Crisis fully over by the end of 2024

Some travel destinations and travel markets have already recovered to 2019 levels, while others are distinctly lagging. In 2023, some destinations again suffered from overtourism. One-third of respondents said they felt their destination was overcrowded. Nevertheless, the latest findings of the World Travel Monitor forecasting global outbound travel trends over the next 12 months are positive and lay the foundation for a full recovery in almost every market and segments by the end of 2024.
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) is pleased to announce the success of its first Digital Horizons 360 Symposium, held 20-21 February at the Palau de Congressos de Palma in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Celebrating innovation means not just embracing change but driving it forward, said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE. Digital Horizons 360 is a testament to the power of collaboration, pushing boundaries and shaping a future where technology elevates every aspect of the hospitality experience.

An exclusive non-sales gathering, DH360 convened hospitality executives for roundtable deliberations on the technologies poised to make significant impacts on the European hospitality industry. This years agenda encompassed various themes including managing risks associated with AI in guest services, navigating data protection challenges both locally and globally within the hospitality sector, exploring applications of digital identity technologies and outlining how HFTP can offer support to finance and technology professionals across the continent as both an advocating body and resource. The outcomes of these conversations are in the process of being documented for archival purposes and future dissemination by event partners Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL) and Hospitality Net.

Entrepreneur 20X, a favorite at HFTP events and exclusively sponsored by BAE Ventures, concluded the first days discussions on Tuesday evening. The startup pitch competition, showcasing six innovative startups presenting hospitality technology solutions to a panel of judges, returned to the continent for the first time since 2019. Winners were unveiled after the judges' deliberation, with Crqlar clinching the Judges Choice Award and returning Toronto 2023 competitor Aphy securing the Peoples Choice Award determined by popular vote among attendees.

At the closing session the following day, HFTP Europe COO Carson Booth, CHTP thanked all in attendance, describing them as the driving force behind Digital Horizons 360.

None of this would have been possible without our attendees, Booth said. Your enthusiasm, engagement and eagerness to learn have created an atmosphere of collaboration and innovation that is truly inspiring.

The symposium was supported by multiple industry sponsors at various tiers with global systems integrator Fourteen IP leading the group as DH360s exclusive Level I sponsor. View the full list of event sponsors here.

GAIN managing partner Michael C. Cohen described Digital Horizons on LinkedIn as a true hospitality tech symposium, great thought leadership and even better industry dialog and debate, noting that he was proud that his company was present at the event as both a participant and a sponsor.

Looking to the future, HFTP is set to exhibit at ITB Berlin on 5-7 March with an additional networking event with HSMAI Europe on 6 March at the Crowne Plaza Berlin Potsdamer. The association will continue building its EMEA network at HITEC Dubai, co-located with The Hotel Show Dubai at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 4-6 June.

Attendee registration for HITEC North America, scheduled for 24-27 June in Charlotte, North Carolina, is also open alongside hotel reservations via the shows official housing service. Exhibiting space can be selected and purchased by reaching out to the HFTP Sales & Exhibits Department at [email protected]. For more information about HFTP's events, visit www.hftp.org or contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at [email protected].

About HFTP

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), established in 1952, is a hospitality nonprofit association headquartered in Austin, Texas USA with offices in the EU and Middle East. HFTP is recognized as the spokes group for the finance and technology segments of the hospitality industry with an international network of members and stakeholders. HFTP uniquely understands the industry's pressing issues, and assists its stakeholders in finding solutions to their challenges more efficiently than any organization. HFTP offers expert networks, educational resources, career development programs, research, leadership opportunities and conferences and events. HFTP produces international events throughout the year, including the world's largest hospitality technology tradeshow and conference brand: HITEC. In addition, it oversees the hospitality-specific Pineapplesearch.com and the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI). For more information about HFTP, visit www.hftp.org. For the latest news, visit the HFTP News page at news.hftp.org and the HFTP Connect blog at blog.hftp.org.

Kaylee Sciacca

Marketing and Communications Coordinator

+1 (737) 400-4418

HFTP
To help you efficiently and effectively boost bookings and meet your advertising goals, our digital experts consistently analyze our exclusive first-party data. This data contains valuable insights including travel trends, market conditions, travel intent, and more. With your specific needs in mind, we then provide timely recommendations to inform your TravelAds Sponsored Listings campaigns.

By understanding the trends surrounding the travelers youre trying to reach, you can set the right parameters, know when to scale your TravelAds campaign up or down and manage your spend with this flexible and cost-effective pay-per-click advertising solution. To ensure youre maximizing campaign performance, real-time monitoring is available in your TravelAds dashboard for you to evaluate, optimize, and adapt your strategy as needed.

With billions of data points drawn from travelers using our 200+ websites and apps, the trends and insights we provide to you are not available anywhere else. Access to data like this is especially key now since advertisers can no longer rely on third-party cookies.

Also, our data around traveler trends can show you new ways to get noticed. Consider this: One trend for 2024 is travelers seeking out stays based on the mood and feel of a property. In fact, more than 90% of travelers say the vibe of a hotel is important when booking.*

Want to highlight what a stay at your hotel feels like to help attract travelers? Showcase the vibe of your space by featuring memorable photography and tailoring your propertys listing with custom messaging. Because TravelAds listings are live at the same time as your organic listings, you have more freedom to experiment, and it allows for different views of your property between TravelAds and your organic listings.

The insights provided on trends and traveler behavior can help advertisers and marketers determine how you want to show up to travelers to help increase your bookings. Lets look at a few tips on maximizing your TravelAds strategy.

Connect with eager travelers

Will you benefit from tour tourism?

Big events draw crowds of fans looking for places to stay while theyre in town, and by understanding that demand in advance, your hotel can be ready to welcome them.

Some are more obvious, like how hotels in Paris attracted increased global lodging bookings for summer 2024. With our quarterly insights on traveler trends and behaviors, we can help surface these opportunities for increased demand earlier based on our exclusive data.

Did you know that almost 70% of travelers are more likely than ever to travel to a concert outside their hometown?** As shared in our blog on the latest traveler trends, tour tourism causes an uptick in searches for locations hosting events. When Taylor Swifts 2024 Eras Tour schedule was announced for Asia and Australia, travel searches for February-March 2024 increased by over 250% year over year (YOY) for the corresponding tour cities.** With this in mind, we can help you drive booked room nights with TravelAds and boost your visibility by drawing on travel intent data for your region.

Download the TravelAds Guide

Using different Media Solutions products enabled us to capture several market opportunities and connect with travelers through all stages of their journey, ultimately driving a near 600% increase in room nights. EDOARDO DAL NEGRO, BLINKUP CEO

Were here to help you replicate our partners success and stand out across our 200+ websites and apps. One of our other tips for maximizing your TravelAds strategy is to leverage our sophisticated targeting capabilities to reach your goals.

Target the right traveler

Run efficient and high-impact digital marketing campaigns

TravelAds targeting is based on real-time travel intent and demand data, which can help you identify the most valuable travelers for your hotel, like remote workers if youre looking to increase longer stays or people booking multiple elements in one trip like hotel and airfare if you want to help lower your risk of cancellations. At the same time, our targeting approach can help you engage those travelers at key decision points along their booking journey.

Our insights can help you identify travelers and develop defined audience segments like the ones mentioned above, and our understanding of travel intent can help you understand booking behaviors to be more successful. For example, our Q3 traveler search and booking data revealed that travelers are planning for both the short and long term.

Globally, Q3 searches in the 0- to 21-day window increased by more than 5% quarter over quarter (QOQ), while the 22- to 30-day search window increased by over 10% QOQ. Share growth for the 0- to 21-day search window was driven by EMEA and North America (NORAM), both increasing 10% compared to the prior quarter. For travelers planning trips further ahead, searches in the 180+ day window increased by 20% QOQ, driven by a 75% QOQ increase in EMEA and a 20% QOQ increase in NORAM.**

To effectively reach your target audience, you need to understand travel intent details. If you want to reach EMEA travelers, knowing that were seeing large QOQ increases in the 180+ day window will help you be efficient in the timing of your targeting.

To help increase the likelihood of your ideal traveler seeing your ads, we offer bid enhancers that let you competitively bid based on length of stay, check-in window, and more.

For example, lets say you want to target international travelers researching trips in Hawaii. Because visitors can only get there by plane, chances are these travelers are searching for both flights and hotels at the same time. Theyre also likely to begin their trip search further out. With TravelAds, you can implement a bidding strategy that captures all these traits:

First, implement a package path bidding strategy to target those looking for flights and hotels.

Second, target travelers searching 22 days out and beyond to reach them earlier in their booking journey.

Lastly, increase your competitiveness for travelers coming from specific countries of origin. You can increase your bid for international travelers or get more granular by bidding differently depending on the country or point of origin.

If you want to target domestic travelers, thats easy, too. You can use bid enhancers to target travelers searching within the next two weeks or searching within a 100-mile radius  all these capabilities can help you capture those looking for a place to stay.

The breadth of targeting we can provide by device, location, and more can be used by advertisers and marketers to reach different audiences, so if youve tried TravelAds targeting before, now is a great time to use these tips to help drive better results.

 Source: Expedia Group Media Solutions

Deliver the right message

Customize your ad content to drive demand

In addition to targeting, TravelAds makes it possible to enhance and optimize your message. By running TravelAds, you get double the exposure  your organic listing and your sponsored listing will run simultaneously. This means you can tell the story your organic listing cant.

Whether its highlighting your propertys key features, promoting package deals in conjunction with a package path bidding strategy, or something else, this is your chance to stand out. To achieve this, you can use customized ad copy and change your lead photo to match to help you get noticed.

This can be especially impactful during the inspiration phase of a travelers purchasing journey, where we know that compelling photos and unique experiences appeal to travelers.

When targeting travelers abroad, you can also take advantage of our localization team to deliver copy in over 10 languages. This helps expand the reach of your message to markets around the world to attract global lodging bookings.

Maximize visibility in a competitive marketplace

Stand out and control your spend

Next, lets discuss some tips for maximizing your TravelAds strategy by increasing your ads visibility. You could:

Enhance your bids based on your needs and the market.

Utilize scheduled ads if you have planned downtime or upcoming promotions.

Balance your bids with your budget by scaling up or down as needed.

Speaking of budget, we also have a flexible payment option with Post Bill, a monthly invoicing function that makes it easier for advertisers to ensure they have adequate funds available to maintain the visibility theyre looking for. It doesnt require an upfront commitment or pre-approval, and thanks to the monthly invoicing, you pay only for the clicks you receive that month. This means you can book rooms and generate revenue before your payment is due.

Many of our hotel partners have found success with Post Bill, including Hotel Effie Sandestin. Just a few weeks after switching payment methods, the hotels TravelAds campaign saw a threefold month-on-month increase in impressions.

Another feature that makes TravelAds a cost-effective advertising solution is that only available rooms are shown, making sure that advertisers arent paying for rooms that cant be booked.

TravelAds makes every dollar work harder. PATRICK MITCHELL, VP, BRAND AND ECOMMERCE AT SONDER

Of course, partnering with Media Solutions doesnt only give you access to self-service tools like TravelAds. Youll also have access to a team of trusted advisors to help guide you along the way  from defining your campaign goals to helping you understand your ads performance so you can adjust as needed to reach your goals.

These advisors are experts in your region and can share insights from our first-party data to help you create a successful strategy for your campaigns. Contact us to sign up or to reactivate your TravelAds account.

Get started

*Expedia Group, Unpack 24, 2023

**Expedia Group, Traveler Insights Q4 2023

About Expedia Group Media Solutions

Expedia Group Media Solutions is a global travel advertising platform that connects marketers with hundreds of millions of travelers across Expedia Group's 200+ websites and apps. Our exclusive first-party data on traveler trends, search behavior, and booking data provides travel advertisers and marketers with unique insights to inform their strategies. We offer a full-funnel suite of solutions to help our partners connect with and convert travelers globally. Our digital experts have more than 20 years of travel and media experience to help our partners create advertising campaigns that deliver meaningful results.

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Shanghai (Gasgoo)- BYD witnessed a significant milestone on February 23 as it successfully delivered the first batch of the BYD ATTO 3 (Yuan PLUS) vehicles to owners in Hungary, signaling the commencement of a new era for BYD in the Central and Eastern European market.

Photo credit: BYD

Hungary, situated at the heart of the European continent, boasts a longstanding history of automotive industry development, coupled with well-developed infrastructure and a mature industrial foundation.

Since entering Hungary's passenger car market in October 2023, BYD has rapidly expanded and developed its presence in the region.

Notably, the BYD ATTO 3, Dolphin, and Seal models made their debut in Hungary last October. In December of the same year, BYD announced plans to construct a new energy vehicle assembly plant in Szekszard, Hungary, marking BYD's first passenger car assembly plant in Europe. The construction of the plant is underway and is expected to be completed and operational by 2025, producing batteries and complete vehicles, and providing thousands of job opportunities for the local community. Prior to this, BYD already had a bus factory in the country, and the construction of the passenger car assembly plant will further solidify its position in the European market.

On January 30, 2024, BYD officially signed a land pre-purchase agreement with Szekszard city's government, achieving a significant breakthrough in BYD's localization process in the European region.

Additionally, as of now, BYD has established three stores in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, with plans to continuously expand its sales and service network. It is expected to have six stores by the end of 2024.
Saudi Arabia Surpasses 100 Million Tourists Target

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) congratulates Saudi Arabias achievement of welcoming over 100 million tourists, a milestone achieved seven years ahead of its original schedule, signifying the Kingdom's innovative leadership and commitment to transforming the global Travel & Tourism sector.



This landmark accomplishment, marked by the arrival of over 27 million international tourists and over 79 million domestic tourists, reflects not only Saudi Arabia's effective strategy for economic diversification but also its steadfast commitment to promoting sustainable tourism development.



Saudi Arabia's achievement ahead of schedule underscores the success of its proactive strategy initiated in 2019 to cultivate a vibrant tourism ecosystem. The attainment of this goal in 2023, earlier than anticipated, exemplifies the Kingdoms capacity to surpass its visionary targets.



Saudi Arabia has seen a 390% surge in tourism activity license applications in 2023, indicating the sectors robust growth and the effectiveness of the countrys strategic initiatives. Moreover, the Travel & Tourism sector's increasing contribution to Saudi Arabias non-oil GVA, estimated to exceed 7% and over U.S.$37 billion in inbound tourism spending, highlights the significant economic impact of these efforts.



WTTC recognised Saudi Arabia's significant achievements in tourism firsthand at its annual Global Summit. Hosted in Saud Arabia, this flagship event exemplified the Kingdom's capacity to facilitate meaningful global dialogues, showcasing its readiness to lead discussions on the future trajectory of the Travel & Tourism sector.



Through strategic reforms, Saudi Arabia has established a solid foundation for a thriving tourism infrastructure, enhancing the Kingdom's attractiveness as a premier global tourism destination.



Key among these reforms is the restructuring of tourism license fees, now tailored to meet specific needs and operations of investors, ensuring a more supportive and flexible regulatory environment.



The Kingdom has also taken significant steps to alleviate the financial burden on the Travel & Tourism sector by reducing annual government fees by almost 22%, with a commitment to further reductions of up to 70%. These initiatives are integral to Saudi Arabia's broader economic diversification strategy, aiming to position the Kingdom at the forefront of global tourism and investment.
Marriott International Announces Robust Growth Across the Caribbean and Latin America in 2023

The region continued meaningful expansion across all segments from midscale to all-inclusive, and residential to luxury; conversions remained a main driver of growth.

Following its recent announcement of strong global net rooms growth and a record year of global rooms signings, Marriott International today announced a year of robust room signings and additions across the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA) in 2023. The company nearly doubled its number of organic deal signings in the region versus prior year, signing 57 transactions and nearly 7,300 rooms in 2023 to reach a solid pipeline of 24,000 rooms across the region at the end of last year.

In 2023, the company added over 170 properties to Marriotts portfolio in CALA, growing its footprint to nearly 500 properties, including hotels and residences, and nearly 87,000 rooms across 37 countries and territories, making Marriott the largest hotel company in the region based on open rooms and pipeline.

At year-end, Marriotts hotel pipeline in CALA stood at 155 properties and 24,000 rooms, which will further enhance the companys leadership position in the luxury segment across the region, unveil new offerings in the affordable midscale segment, and increase its offering of all-inclusive properties.

We are pleased to report a great year of growth for Marriott in the CALA region, with strong development activity in 2023. With continuing momentum in conversions, and our ongoing expansion across numerous segments, including luxury and all-inclusive, we remain focused on providing our guests and owners with more best-in-class options said Laurent de Kousemaeker, Chief Development Officer for Marriott International in the Caribbean and Latin America. We see exceptional opportunities in the region across all segments, but particularly in midscale with the new City Express by Marriott brand, opening up fresh possibilities in this segment throughout the region.

City Express by Marriott

In 2023, the company strategically positioned CALA as the launchpad for the companys entry into the high-growth affordable midscale segment with the acquisition of the City Express brand portfolio. With 150 properties and approximately 17,500 rooms across Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Chile, the deal increased Marriotts footprint in the region by approximately 45 percent. In 2024, the City Express by Marriott brand is expected to further expand with new properties across the region.

Luxury Growth in the Region

With 60 properties across six of the seven global luxury brands of the company, Marriott remains a leading option for luxury travelers in the region, offering a broad portfolio of options from pristine beaches to city escapes. Opening highlights in 2023 included the debut of The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai (Mexico) in November 2023, and The St. Regis Kanai Resort (Mexico) earlier in the year. Anticipated luxury openings in 2024 include the JW Marriott Sint Maarten Beach Resort (Sint Marteen), Almare, a Luxury Collection All-inclusive Resort Isla Mujeres (Mexico), Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Papagayo (Costa Rica), The St. Regis Aruba (Aruba), W Punta Cana, All-Inclusive, The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort (Dominican Republic), and W Sao Paulo (Brazil). The region holds a luxury pipeline of 34 properties and over 5,000 rooms.

Accelerating Momentum in Conversions

Hotel conversions continue to have momentum in the CALA. Nearly 35 percent of Marriotts rooms signings in the region in 2023 were conversions, including the recently announced Villa Lapas, Autograph Collection (Costa Rica), Aloft Guadalajara Country Club, Sheraton Guadalajara Expo and Delta Hotels Puebla (Mexico), and Las Terrenas, Autograph Collection (Dominican Republic). Hoteliers and investors are leveraging the efficiencies and advantages of renovating and rebranding existing properties throughout the region, further expanding the breadth of Marriott Bonvoys portfolio of more than 30 global leading brands.

All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy

Marriotts all-inclusive resort portfolio in the region continues to meet consumer demand. With 31 open all-inclusive properties in CALA located across nine markets (Mexico - Riviera Nayarit & Cancun, Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda, St Lucia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Grenada and Brazil) and four brands (Autograph Collection, Delta, Westin, and Luxury Collection), and 18 additional properties in the signed pipeline, the company is providing guests more all-inclusive offerings than ever before. The company recently signed the second Ritz-Carlton All-Inclusive property in the region to be located on the shores of Yanuna, Dominican Republic, along with a Luxury Collection All-Inclusive Resort to bring unparalleled luxury to the Dominican Republic.

Expected all-inclusive openings for 2024 in the region include Almare, a Luxury Collection All-inclusive Resort Isla Mujeres (Mexico), W Punta Cana, All-Inclusive (Dominican Republic), and the rebranding of several Elegant Hotels properties (Treasure Beach, The House, and Waves) into the Autograph Collection brand in Barbados, which will bring Marriotts global all-inclusive roster to 49 open and pipeline properties across 12 markets and 10 brands. Six of the pipeline properties are slated to open in 2024.

Branded Residences Portfolio

The popularity of branded residences in CALA is experiencing a surge of customer demand. Marriott currently offers 15 open locations in 11 markets across the region. Anticipated residential openings in 2024 include The Residences at The St. Regis Kanai Resort (Mexico), Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve Residence, Papagayo (Costa Rica), The Residences at The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort (Dominican Republic), and the W Residences Sao Paulo (Brazil). Globally, the company has a pipeline of 115 residential projects.
Inaugural HFTP Digital Horizons 360 Event Brings European Hospitality to the Forefront

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) is pleased to announce the success of its first Digital Horizons 360 Symposium, held 20-21 February at the Palau de Congressos de Palma in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Celebrating innovation means not just embracing change but driving it forward, said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE. Digital Horizons 360 is a testament to the power of collaboration, pushing boundaries and shaping a future where technology elevates every aspect of the hospitality experience.

An exclusive non-sales gathering, DH360 convened hospitality executives for roundtable deliberations on the technologies poised to make significant impacts on the European hospitality industry. This years agenda encompassed various themes including managing risks associated with AI in guest services, navigating data protection challenges both locally and globally within the hospitality sector, exploring applications of digital identity technologies and outlining how HFTP can offer support to finance and technology professionals across the continent as both an advocating body and resource. The outcomes of these conversations are in the process of being documented for archival purposes and future dissemination by event partners Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL) and Hospitality Net.

Entrepreneur 20X, a favorite at HFTP events and exclusively sponsored by BAE Ventures, concluded the first days discussions on Tuesday evening. The startup pitch competition, showcasing six innovative startups presenting hospitality technology solutions to a panel of judges, returned to the continent for the first time since 2019. Winners were unveiled after the judges' deliberation, with Crqlar clinching the Judges Choice Award and returning Toronto 2023 competitor Aphy securing the Peoples Choice Award determined by popular vote among attendees.

At the closing session the following day, HFTP Europe COO Carson Booth, CHTP thanked all in attendance, describing them as the driving force behind Digital Horizons 360.

None of this would have been possible without our attendees, Booth said. Your enthusiasm, engagement and eagerness to learn have created an atmosphere of collaboration and innovation that is truly inspiring.

The symposium was supported by multiple industry sponsors at various tiers with global systems integrator Fourteen IP leading the group as DH360s exclusive Level I sponsor. View the full list of event sponsors here.

GAIN managing partner Michael C. Cohen described Digital Horizons on LinkedIn as a true hospitality tech symposium, great thought leadership and even better industry dialog and debate, noting that he was proud that his company was present at the event as both a participant and a sponsor.

Looking to the future, HFTP is set to exhibit at ITB Berlin on 5-7 March with an additional networking event with HSMAI Europe on 6 March at the Crowne Plaza Berlin Potsdamer. The association will continue building its EMEA network at HITEC Dubai, co-located with The Hotel Show Dubai at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 4-6 June.

Attendee registration for HITEC North America, scheduled for 24-27 June in Charlotte, North Carolina, is also open alongside hotel reservations via the shows official housing service. Exhibiting space can be selected and purchased by reaching out to the HFTP Sales & Exhibits Department at sales@hftp.org. For more information about HFTP's events, visit www.hftp.org or contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at education@hftp.org.
6 SEO Tips for Hotels & Trends to Follow in 2024

Ready to stop being a hidden gem and become a sought-after destination?

This article dives into the hotel SEO trends and actionable tips that will help boost your organic rankings in 2024.

Align your 2024 digital marketing strategy with these powerful trends and SEO tips for hotels.

Here's a summary of what you'll learn:

Optimize your hotel website for local SEO

Focus on featured snippets

Publish content that's helpful to your hotel guests

Prioritize for search intent

Create content that converts

Continue to follow SEO best practices

Optimize your hotel website for local SEO

Beef up your local SEO efforts and you can expect more people discovering your hotel in 2024. If you're not already familiar, we recommend getting acquainted with local SEO for hotels.

Below are some starting points for your 2024 local SEO strategy:

Google Business Profile optimizations (upload images, add amenities, answer questions, create posts, etc).

Optimize your webpages for local-specific searches.

Publish local-specific content like blogs, area guides, and FAQs.

Build backlinks from local travel and tourism websites.



Google Business Profile admin for hotels.

Focus on featured snippets

Featured snippets on Google are one of the best ways to boost your SERP real estate and drive more traffic to your website.



Featured snippet on Google.

In many cases, featured snippets are generated by long-tail searches that are informational in intent. Think best time to visit *destination* or things to do with family in *destination. Because these searches don't typically have a correct answer, this leaves a lot of room for the publisher to be creative with their answers.

With the introduction of Google's AI-powered search experience, web searching is being reimagined to be more conversational through long-tail searches. This potentially presents more opportunities for hoteliers to claim more SERP real estate.



Google Search Generative Experience results with follow up questions.

Publish content that's helpful to your hotel guests

Hotels are in the business of hospitality, so it only makes sense that a hotel's website be as helpful as possible to all site visitors. From answering FAQs to in-depth area guides, hotels should be presenting information that is worthy of a share or a bookmark.



Frequently asked questions rich snippet on Google.

In addition to the content you publish, take into consideration how you're presenting that information. Ensure the article is formatted for readability and usability. This means ditch the waterfalls of text on mobile and opt for bite-sized paragraphs that are separated by headings, and so forth.

In fact, Google has made a push in recent years to improve its organic search experience by rewarding content it deems helpful.

Prioritize for search intent

Before you publish any content, you need to understand the intent behind the search you're optimizing for. If not, how do you know the content that you're publishing is actually helpful?

Is the searcher looking to book now?

Are they in the research phase?

Is the searcher looking for information about the area?

What information would make the searcher's life easier?

Understanding where the searcher is in the booking cycle will help you determine the type of information you should be publishing. Semrush's Keyword Magic Tool includes its own Intent column. This shows the purpose of a search in a search engine.



Semrush keyword magic tool and Intent column.

During your initial research, use Google to your advantage. Make a search for the keyword that you're optimizing for. What results appear? What type of content are competitors publishing? Is there a featured snippet present? People Also Ask? What are the similar searches? Use this information as a guideline to what you should be including in your content and how you can make your content 10x better than your competitors.



Google search results for best time to visit new york city.

Create content that converts

Getting more traffic to your website is great. But getting more traffic to your website that converts is even better. Hoteliers should get in the mindset of retaining site visitors in some way, shape or form.

Whether it's a room booking, a newsletter sign up, or a contact us submission, the type of conversion will ultimately depend on the type of content a hotelier publishes and the intent of the search topic. This will require hoteliers to set proper expectations about the type of conversion to expect from the content they're publishing.

With Google's new AI-powered search experience, it's possible that searchers may spend more time in Google's search ecosystem. This makes the web traffic hoteliers get and the actions searchers take on their websites even more valuable.

Continue to follow SEO best practices

One thing remains constant for hotel SEO: best practices don't go out of style. Ensure that your website's images are optimized, headings are unique, and structured data is present. These are just a few of MANY best practices hoteliers should follow. But tackling these best practices, and incorporating the trends and tips above, will position your hotel website in good standing of reaching your digital marketing goals.

Whether you're looking for assistance from a hotel marketing agency or just want to chat, contact TravelBoom. Or reach out for a free digital marketing evaluation of your hotel's website and online efforts.

About TravelBoom Marketing

TravelBoom specializes in developing and executing customized data-driven marketing solutions that drive direct bookings and growth for its clients. With over 25 years of experience in digital marketing for travel and hotels, TravelBoom leverages advanced data science and analytics to uncover insights and develop strategies that greatly enhance results for our clients and reduce reliance on third-party channels. TravelBoom is also host of the world's #1 ranked Hotel Marketing Podcast and its quarterly Traveler Sentiment Study both of which can be found at www.travelboommarketing.com.
Clark Art Fun on First Sunday: 'Center Stage'

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  On Sunday, March 3 from 11 am4 pm, the Clark Art Institute lifts the curtain on a day of art, creativity, and fun.

Transform a box into a miniature theater using special images from the Clark's collection. Express yourself with comedy/tragedy mask-making. Then watch as director, writer, and educator Rudy Ramirez stages an original theatrical performance. Head into the galleries to uncover the drama of Clark artworks with a gallery guide on world-famous nineteenth-century actress Sarah Bernhardt.

The Clark's Manton Study Center for Works on Paper hosts a special pop-up installation of theater-inspired prints and drawings that set the stage for the day's events by showing views of theaters, from interior lobbies to exterior architecture, from Paris to New York. The pop-up exhibition is free and on view from 11 am to 1 pm on March 3.

Free. Special activities in the Conforti Pavilion, Museum Pavilion, Manton Study Center for Works on Paper, and auditorium from 14 pm.

Family programs are supported by Allen & Company.
Cheshire Firefighters Rescue Ice Fisher from Reservoir

CHESHIRE, Mass.  Cheshire firefighters rescued a fisherman who had broken through the Cheshire Reservoir ice early Saturday afternoon.

According to reports, firefighters were dispatched around noon on Saturday, Feb 24 after receiving a 911 call from the man's fishing partner.

Upon arrival, firefighters found the man clinging to the remaining ice surrounding him. Firefighters put on cold water rescue suits and using ropes, brought the fisherman to safety.

Cheshire firefighters took to social media to warn residents to stay off the ice as it is not stable.

MassWildlife warns that ice can never be judged by appearance or thickness alone.
Hynes said it took many members of an extensive network of friends she has developed over her 25 years rescuing dogs to get Betty to safety.

Murder Mystery Fundraiser For Pitbull Mix, Betty

ADAMS, Mass.A murder mystery dinner with a Hawaiian Luau theme will be held at Pine Brook Pub to help raise funds for the rehabilitation therapy of a 2-year-old pitbull mix named Betty.

It has not been easy for Betty. She was struck by a car and left in the road in Georgia, faced euthanasia at the Clayton County Animal Control due to the costly recovery, and underwent surgery to amputate her shoulder and leg.

But she was given a second chance due to the efforts of community members and volunteers for nonprofit and dog rescue Got Spots Etc.

The surgery to remove her leg, which cost over $2,000, was covered with donations from individuals who simply heard Betty's story Got Spots Etc. owner Kathy "Skippy" Hynes said.

Although Betty is doing better, wagging her tail, and looking up at Hynes as she happily calls her by the nickname "Lady Bet," there is still more work to be done. With the surgery complete, Betty will have to continue her recovery in therapy starting in March at Fitter Critters Canine Rehab.

Hynes said this will not be cheap. The dog rescue will have to pay $165 for the initial visits plus a fee for subsequent visits. It is unclear how many visits she will need but will likely need the rehabilitation therapy for at least six weeks, Hynes said.

"I'm sure she's gonna be in therapy, probably for at least six weeks and then I'm going to have to carry on what they teach me at home," Hynes said.

"So, I know she'll be getting some massage therapy, probably some Whirlpool therapy, and maybe some underwater treadmill."

To help with the costs, a murder mystery dinner at the Pine Brook Pub was organized by two women-owned businesses in AdamsPine Brook Pub Owner Tammy Shaffer, and Mendel's Stained Glass Studio owner Lisa Mendel.

The event has already sold out its Sunday slot, but there are still some spaces left for the Thursday, March 7 event at 6 p.m. Due to the preparation required for the event preregistration is required.

Preregister by emailing Skippy10@outlook.com and pay using Paypal. More information can be found here.

The purchase of a $35 ticket includes a Hawaiian inspired meal and dessert, the murder mystery game, and a 10 minute hula performance by Hynes, Shaffer, and Betty.

"[The murder mystery game is a] very interactive game. You're not sitting down at a table and playing cards or something. You're up and about mingling following clues," Hynes said.

The event will also include a limbo competition. Attendees can pay $5 to participate and if they win half of the pot will be given to them and the other half will go towards Got Spots Etc.

Hynes said it took many members of an extensive network of friends she has developed over her 25 years rescuing dogs to get Betty to safety.

She listed many people who have been dedicated to saving the life of Betty and a number of other dogs that landed in Hynes care including Shaffer, Mendel, Berkshire Veterinary Hospital veterinarian John Makuc, and several volunteer pilots who aid in getting the dogs from North Carolina to the Berkshires, among others.

Hynes said she targets South Carolina because she has witnessed firsthand the overcrowded shelters that are in poor condition.

"[Rescuing dogs is] very rewarding, even though there's a lot of neglect and cruelty out there, she said. "I have met so many nice people locally here in the Berkshires, in the Albany area, and in the Northampton area. Super nice people."

One of her pilots not only helps fly dogs to the Berkshires for Hynes but is also an Angel of Mercy Pilot, so flies patients for free, she said.

"Knowing that at least this dog is saved and once that dog is in a forever home it opens up a spot where I could take another one," Hynes said.

"And sure, I can only do like one every six to eight weeks. All right, but that's one less dog that is in a bad place. One less dog that's going to be killed just because there's no room at the shelter.

When Betty has fully recovered Hynes is leaning towards getting her certified as a therapy dog. Hynes already has one dog, Mya, who is a fully credentialed Therapy Dogs International therapy dog.

"Betty is an inspiration because she's a survivor. She survived getting hit, she survived laying in the road in Georgia, she survived the nasty high kill shelter in Georgia, and she has not a mean bone in her body. She loves people, she loves other animals, she's a real lover. And I think I'm I'm very much leaning towards getting her credential like my Mya," Hynes said.

"So she can be a working dog and show that just because you were treated badly by humanity you can still go on and do great things. And even if you have a disability, don't let that hold you back."

Not only is Got Spots Etc. dedicated to rescuing and rehoming dogs, they also promote "optimal wellness through the human-animal bond," Hynes said.

Hynes is currently in her residency to be a nurse practitioner for psychiatrists. She has experience working as a combat nurse for the U.S. Air Force, and an emergency room and flight nurse for 42 years.

She said she "truly believes" animals are better healers than a lot of drugs, recalling one patient at a psychiatric facility she worked at who regained his speech after interacting with her credentialed therapy dog Cheerio.

While petting Cheerio one day, he said "hound ears." This short phase eventually turned to full sentences and conversations.

"He kept repeating it and repeating it while he petted Cheerio's head and ears...then a week later when I went to work with Cheerio, the staff said to me, 'you did it now' and I said, 'what did I do wrong.' They said he hasn't shut up since you got him talking. I said, 'You're kidding' and he was able to carry a conversation," Hynes said.

"I said, 'Oh my God, it was the dog that brought it out' and it turns out when he was a kid growing up, he had a hound dog."

Hynes said she hopes to work with veterans. She said as a veteran she understands what they are going through.

Hynes expressed gratitude for the donations she has received for Betty's surgery. She said people can donate online, noting every penny goes a long way.
Man Charged for Beacon Cinema Robbery

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  A man has been charged for allegedly robbing the Beacon Cinema over the weekend.

On Monday, Kyle Richard Wilbur, 32, was arraigned in Pittsfield District Court for Armed Robbery after being identified as the perpetrator of a robbery at the movie theater on Friday around 10:18 p.m.

Police responded to a reported armed robbery at 57 North Street where a man claimed to have a weapon and demanded money from a staff member. After receiving the money, he reportedly fled the scene and was later located by law enforcement based on a provided description and direction of travel.

"Due to the initial reports along with witness information, officers were able to obtain a description of the suspect and a direction of travel in which he fled following the incident," the Pittsfield Police Department wrote in a press release.

"A short time later, officers came upon a person matching the description at the corner of Francis Ave. and Bradford St. This party, Kyle Richard Wibur, age 32, was subsequently identified as the perpetrator by the victim."

Wilbur was charged with Armed Robbery, arrested, and transported to the Pittsfield Police Department after being identified. No weapon was found on him but cash was recovered and seized as evidence.

Earlier this month, PPD arrested Joseph Demary, age 48-year-old of St. Petersburg, Fla., who allegedly broke into the Nissan of Pittsfield Auto Dealership and stole a safe the night before.

According to a report, on Feb. 4 at approximately 7:05 p.m., the Nissan of Pittsfield Auto Dealership on West Housatonic Street was broken into and a safe was stolen.

Demary was transported to the Pittsfield Police Department where he was booked and charged with Breaking and Entering in the Nighttime for a Felony and Larceny from a Building along with an outstanding warrant. He was transported to the Pittsfield District Court on Feb 6 for his arraignment.
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I said something wrong/ Now I long for yesterday

Sir Paul McCartney first sang those moving words almost 60 years ago, but its only now that hes revealed the real meaning behind them.

On his A Life in Lyrics podcast, in which the legendary Beatles musician regales listeners with the stories behind some of his most famous songs, McCartney, 81, said he believes the lyric was inspired by a regretful moment where he mocked his mother for sounding posh.

Sometimes its only in retrospect you can appreciate it. I remember very clearly one day feeling very embarrassed because I embarrassed my mum, McCartney recalled on the latest episode.

The Liverpool-born musician explained that his mum, Mary, was a nurse of Irish origin so talked posh compared to the rest of the family, and that he had called her out for this while in the backyard of his childhood home.

I know that she said something like Paul, will you ask him if hes going  

I went Arsk! Arsk! Its ask mum. And she got a little bit embarrassed. I remember later thinking God, I wish Id never said that. And it stuck with me. After she died I thought Oh f***, I really wish  

Paul McCartney wrote the lyrics to Yesterday when he was 24 (PA)

McCartney said he had a few of those moments, which would seem harmless to his fans but that he still regretted: Theyre little things, but theyre little things that I just think, If I could just take a rubber, just rub that moment out it would be better.

McCartney, who was 24 when he wrote the song, said he had initially dismissed someones suggestion that the song was inspired by Mary McCartneys death from cancer when he was 14.

I always said no, I dont think so, but the more you think about it he said.

It may be that there is so much tumbled into your youth and your formative years that you cant appreciate it all. Sometimes its only in retrospect that you can appreciate it.

And when she died, I wonder, I said something wrong, are we harking back to that crazy little thing. So I dont know. Does this happen? Do you find yourself unconsciously putting songs into girl lyrics [about a lost lover] that are really your dead mother? I suspect it might be true. It sort of fits, if you look at the lyrics.

It sort of fits, if you look at the lyrics - McCartney on Yesterday (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Yesterday is one of the most covered songs of all time, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1997.

McCartneys podcast, which explores the inspirations behind his songwriting with the poet Paul Muldoon, is available on all major streaming platforms.

Perhaps next season he will be able to delve into the role his iconic bass guitar, which was recently returned to him after being stolen in 1972, had on songs including Twist and Shout, Love Me Do and She Loves You.
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Charlotte Church has denied the song From the River to the Sea is antisemitic after she belted out a rendition at a pro-Palestine concert.

The Welsh musician was recorded singing the divisive song, which can be interpreted as a direct call for the state of Israel to be destroyed, during a pro-Palestine fundraising concert at a village hall in Caerphilly, South Wales on Saturday.

In a video posted online, Church, 38, stands behind a banner that reads Let Palestine Live at the fundraising event for the Middle East Childrens Alliance charity. She and the choir members wore keffiyeh scarves, which are often worn by pro-Palestine supporters as a symbol of solidarity.

(Instagram)

At the event, Church was seen singing the divisive lyrics from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free  a reference to the land between the Jordan River, which borders eastern Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism has labelled the song and its central phrase as antisemitic, as many British Jews recognise the song as demonstrating a demand for Israels destruction.

However, Palestinian activists say the phrase from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free is a call for peace and equality after 75 years of Israeli statehood and decades-long, open-ended Israeli military rule over millions of Palestinians.

Broadcasting live on Instagram on Monday, Church denied that the song was antisemitic and that people who know the history behind the conflict will know it is not calling for the obliteration of Israel.

She said: Just to clarify my intentions there, I am in no way antisemitic. I am fighting for the liberation of all people. I have a deep heart for all religions and all difference.

It was a beautiful, beautiful event. But unfortunately the powers that be cant have that. [They] cant have such a powerful symbol of resistance as what we worked towards on Saturday.

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Charlotte Church leading the choir (Instagram)

She added: Clearly, if you know the history of it all, [it is] not an antisemitic chant calling for the obliteration of Israel. It is not that in any way shape or form. It is calling for the peaceful coexistence of Israelis and Palestinians.

Church said lots of other beautiful songs of liberation and freedom were performed at the event, South African songs from the anti-apartheid movement, Welsh songs and Arabic songs the lyrics of which were adapted to the situation in Palestine.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism told The Independent that Church was using her voice to fan the flames of hatred.

At best Charlotte Church has been tone deaf, but at worst she is using the voice for which she is so well known to fan the flames of hatred.

It labelled the lyrics as extremist, and added: You cannot stoop lower than using your stardom to teach kids to sing extremist lyrics in a village hall.

Jewish MP Andrew Percy blasted the incident as deeply concerning, saying all who joined in Churchs sing-along should hang their heads in shame.

The Independent has contacted Churchs representatives for comment.

Church was the main guest at The Big Sing fundraising event for the Middle East Childrens Alliance charity (Instagram)

A spokesperson for the CAA continued: The genocidal chant From the River to the Sea refers to the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea, and only makes sense as a call for the destruction of the worlds only Jewish state  and its replacement with a Palestinian state. It is a call for the annihilation of half the worlds Jews, who live in Israel.

Since 7 October, when Hamas committed their barbaric terrorist acts, we have heard this chant on the streets of Britain during anti-Israel marches, accompanied by all manner of anti-Jewish racism, it said.

But like so much of the Middle East conflict, the phrases meaning depends on who is telling the story, and what audience is hearing it.

In 2021, the Palestinian-American writer Yousef Munayyer said the phrase expresses a desire for a state in which Palestinians can live in their homeland as free and equal citizens, neither dominated by others nor dominating them.

The claim that the phrase from the river to the sea carries a genocidal intent relies not on the historical record, but rather on racism and Islamophobia, he wrote for Jewish Currents in 2021.

Using the phrase can be costly for public figures and politicians, such as the Labour MP Andy McDonald, who was suspended from the party after referring to the slogan at a protest in London organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

We wont rest until we have justice. Until all people, Israelis & Palestinians, between the river & the sea can live in peaceful liberty, he tweeted.

He then explained: These words should not be construed in any other way than they were intended, namely as a heartfelt plea for an end to killings in Israel, Gaza, and the occupied West Bank, and for all peoples in the region to live in freedom without the threat of violence.

At the time, Downing Street expressed concerns over the chant, describing it as deeply offensive to many, amid growing controversy surrounding the rhetoric used in recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

In the US, Representative Rashida Tlaib was censured by the House in November after referring to the slogan.

Defending her stance, Tlaib wrote: From the river to the sea is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate. My work and advocacy is always centred in justice and dignity for all people no matter faith or ethnicity.
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Comedian Paddy McGuinness has defended himself after his appearance on BBCs Question Time divided viewers.

The Take Me Out presenter, from Bolton, appeared on the show hosted by Fiona Bruce on 8 February.

Funnyman McGuinness took his place alongside Conservative deputy chairman and MP James Daly, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting and others to debate the state of the NHS and dental care.

However, some were left unimpressed with his inclusion and accused the show of dumbing down and lowering its standards.

When Paddy McGuinness is on Question Time, then I seriously question the validity of the BBC, said one viewer.

McGuinness defended his appearance in an interview with Good Morning Britain on Monday (26 February) saying he would have regretted it if he hadnt accepted the invite.

In a discussion with Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid, he said: Its important on programmes like that to have everyones voice.

However, he admitted that hed found the idea terrifying at first.

Paddy McGuinness said it was important to have everyones voice on the programme (ITV)

When I got asked to go on, its the sort of programme that is terrifying. But it would have really irked me if hadnt have done it. It wouldnt have sat easy with me.

Being working class people look at you as the place you are from as you still speak like them - if I hadnt have done it then youre not getting peoples voice across.

Rightly or wrongly. Im not even a very political person but I think things like the NHS, you dont have to be a political person, we all use it and our families use it and everyone knows the state its in at the minute so I felt I had a bit of an input with that, like we all do.

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(BBC)

But if theyd have asked me about trade deals in China or whatever I would have said youre speaking to the wrong person. I was sweating buckets, I was terrified. But I couldnt say no to it. Its important on shows like that to have everyones voice heard.

As Susanna Reid raised the topic of the backlash with people questioning his appearance, the comedian joked: Well, I was gonna say that to the guy from the Conservative party. I was gonna go, Look what youve done to the country. Look whos on Question Time. Its your fault this.

In his appearance on the show, he demanded answers from Tory politicians and asked: Why is the NHS on its knees? and Look what youve done to the country. It prompted some to say Paddy McGuinness for PM on X/Twitter.

He opened up about meeting the political figures in the green room after the the heated exchanged on the show.

He was right as rain, yeah. Hes a conservative MP, he expects it. Everyone was really cordial after that.

McGuinness is returning to do a comedy tour called Nearly There... for the first time in eight years and said he was looking forward to it although joked that hed concerned some people when hed said he was doing it for money.

It was just a joke, taken out of context.
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Richard Madeley has been mocked following a discussion about shoplifting on Good Morning Britain.

Slamming the prevalence of shoplifting on Britains high streets, the GMB host referred to a thief at his local Boots who made off with a swathe of pregnancy tests.

But viewers called the discussion ironic as Madeley was previously held himself for shoplifting charges before being acquitted in the early 1990s.

He later remarked on the unfortunate situation: I was just not concentrating. I put the food through the till, I forgot to take the champagne out... I can joke about it now.

The remarks came as co-presenter Susanna Reid discussed her experience of seeing someone stealing a a load of meals and walking straight out of the shop while staff did nothing.

Madeley joined in to say: Your sense of disbelief, I totally share because I was in Boots a few weeks ago and there was a guy, very efficiently clearing a bottom shelf of pregnancy testing kits. Just scooping them up into a big, sort of plastic carrier.

And I thought, oh hes obviously staff, hes changing stock, then as you said in your story, he stood up and walked out with them. And I said exactly the same.

Viewers were left unimpressed with the discussion and joked: The irony of Richard Madeley talking about shoplifting.

Others remarked on his talking over his co-presenter saying, He didnt join in, he interrupted the only woman on the panel who was speaking at the time.

In 1994, the Good Morning Britain host was arrested for failing to pay for items on two occasions, including for a bottle of champagne, at a Tesco supermarket in Walkden, Greater Manchester. However, a jury later found him not guilty of the offence.

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In an interview with The Sun in October last year, Madeley said he was grateful the incident had not happened after the invention of X/Twitter, because he could have been cancelled.

Richard Madeley faced criticism for his discussion of shoplifting (ITV)

In an interview with The Guardian in 2008, he said: I was just not concentrating. I put the food through the till, I forgot to take the champagne out. It was, I can handle anything, I can juggle eight balls in the air, and actually I came a horrible cropper. I can joke about it now.

But that year was horrible. The publicity was mortifying. If Id been accused of robbing a bank, at least its got a bit of glamour to it, but fucking shoplifting... Its like w****** in a public toilet. Just horrible.

One viewer attempted to be reasonable and said: To be fair and in his defence the case was thrown out when it got to court. And I totally get when youre really distracted. Surprised Ive actually not done it. Head is mince at times.
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A British writer and professor of Indian origin has said she was refused entry into India and deported back to the UK because of her opinions on democratic and constitutional values.

Nitasha Kaul, a professor at the University of Westminster in London, alleged she was blocked at the airport and denied entry to the country due to orders from Delhi.

Ms Kaul said she arrived at southern Indias Bengaluru airport to participate as a speaker in the two-day Constitution and National Unity Convention over the weekend.

But after landing in Bengaluru she was denied permission to enter through immigration, despite having a valid visa, she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

I was given no reason by immigration except We cannot do anything, orders from Delhi, Ms Kaul wrote in a thread attaching her documents.

I received no notice or info in advance from Delhi that I would not be allowed to enter.

Ms Kaul alleged that she had to spend several hours at immigration without being provided with any explanation about the situation and was then held in a cell for 24 hours under CCTV observation.

Her movements were restricted in the cell that had only a narrow area for her to lie down, without easy access to food and water.

[I] made dozens of calls to airport for basic things such as a pillow and blanket, which they refused to provide, Ms Kaul said on X.

The political science professor claimed that the officials informally made references to my criticism of the RSS, a far-right Hindu nationalist paramilitary from years ago.

In 2019, Ms Kaul served as a key witness before the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs, testifying about human rights violations in Indian-administered Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, which had granted special status to the region.

I have traveled to India numerous times since. I was invited by a state government but refused entry by the central government, she wrote.

For years, Ms Kaul said, she has been threatened with rape and death by right wing Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) trolls but had dismissed them as not serious.

On Sunday, she expressed concern for her safety, saying: If I come to any accident, it probably merits a closer look.

After her 24-hour ordeal, Ms Kaul was deported back to London on a British Airways flight.

Ms Kaul compared herself to the ranks of the Tibetan exiles and Ukrainian exiles, and others throughout history who have faced the arbitrary exercise of brute unreasoning power.

Banning academics, journalists, activists, writers from India in spite of all valid documents is pathetic, Ms Kaul wrote.

Rizwan Arshad, a politician of the opposition Congress Party and member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly (MLA), the state where Ms Kaul had been invited to speak, slammed Narendra Modis government and called Ms Kauls deportation unfortunate and an insult to the state of Karnataka.

However, the BJPs Karnataka wing took to X to thank security agencies at immigration for catching an anti-India element and termed Ms Kaul a Pakistani sympathiser.

In recent years, India has denied entry to several academics and journalists who have written or spoken against the Modi government.

In 2022, India deported a renowned University of Sussex anthropologist whose research involves southern Indian Muslims without giving an official reason for doing so.

Vanessa Dougnac, a French journalist, announced she was leaving India earlier this month after working in the country for two decades. She was prevented from working as a journalist in India despite having Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status, a form of permanent residency, as a result of what the government termed her malicious and critical reporting.

Four OCI card-holding journalists have so far been refused permission to work in India, according to Reporters Sans Frontiers. The organisations latest World Press Freedom Index ranks India 161st of 180 countries.
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The Indian railway authorities are investigating an incident where a freight train was able to travel some 80km without a driver.

The train was pulling 53 wagons full of chip stones when it started rolling downhill along the tracks at Kathua in Jammu, northern India, at one point reaching a top speed of 100km/h before it could be stopped.

The train had stopped for a crew change in Kathua, during which the driver and assistant disembarked, when it began to move downhill. Official sources told The Hindu that the driver may have forgotten to pull the handbrake before deboarding, though this has not been confirmed by the authorities. The driver has not been identified.

According to the Press Trust of India, the freight train passed through five stations before it finally came to a halt in Hoshiarpur district in Punjab.

The train was stopped after a railway official placed wood blocks on the tracks to stop the train, an official from Indian Railways told PTI.

The incident took place between 7.25am and 9am local time on Sunday. Local media described the episode as a near-replay of Hollywood thriller Unstoppable.

According to a Times of India report, six railway officials have been suspended after the incident.

To minimise potential harm, power to the railway tracks overhead cables was cut, and all stations ensured their service tracks were clear to accommodate the runaway train. Officials also redirected other trains away from the runaway engines route.

No one was harmed during the incident.

Videos of the train moving at high speed through various stations without the driver have gone viral on Indian social media.

The diesel locomotive-hauled train rolled downhill towards Pathankot after its drivers paused for a tea break at Kathua station, inadvertently leaving the engine running, an unidentified official source was quoted as saying by Times of India.

Efforts to stop the train proved futile initially. It covered around 80km and was stopped by a steep gradient in Unchi Bassi (Punjab).
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An Austrian far right-nationalist who went to Afghanistan to try and show it was a safe country has been released after nine months in Taliban custody.

Herbert Fritz, 84, reached Doha in the early hours of Sunday after he was let go following mediation efforts to secure his release by the Qatari government.

Mr Fritz had gone to Afghanistan to paint the Taliban-ruled country in a positive light, despite huge concerns among the international community over the Islamist groups misogynist regime.

His trip initially fuelled false anti-migration arguments back home that Afghanistan was a safe country to which refugees who had fled the Taliban could return, according to Austrias Der Standard newspaper.

But it later emerged that Mr Fritz had been arrested on suspicion of spying, the report added. His case was made public in May by Austrian neo-Nazis via Telegram channels.

Mr Fritz arrived in Doha, Qatar from Afghanistan on Sunday afternoon and would receive medical treatment, if necessary, before continuing on to Austria, the Austrian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer thanked the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his team for their strong support in releasing one of our citizens from prison in Afghanistan.

It is only due to our trusted collaboration that this Austrian citizen will be able to return home to his daughter and grandchildren, Mr Nehammer said on X, formerly Twitter.

Qatars foreign ministry also released a statement that expressed gratitude to the caretaker government in Afghanistan for releasing the Austrian far-right figure. No country is yet to formally recognise the Taliban as the legitimate administration in Afghanistan since it took power by force in August 2021.

The State of Qatar has proven, regionally and globally, that it is a trusted international partner in various important issues, and it spares no effort in harnessing its energy and ability in the areas of mediation, preventive diplomacy, and settling disputes through peaceful means, it said.

The Der Standard report said Mr Fritz was in custody just weeks after his article entitled Vacation with the Taliban was published in a far-right magazine, in which he had given a positive view of life in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.

Mr Fritz founded an extreme right-wing group called National Democratic Party (NDP) which was banned in 1988.

He is also described as a traveler to dangerous locations, visiting Afghanistan in the 1980s and more recently visiting Kurds fighting against the Isis group in northern Syria.

His reports on Afghanistan failed to mention widespread systemic abuse by the Taliban against women and minorities in the country.

In a repeat of their abusive rule from the Nineties, the Taliban have barred women from most areas of public life and stopped girls from going to school beyond the sixth grade, attributing the decisions on their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

They rolled out harsh measures, including stoning, lashing and public execution after taking control of the country in 2021, despite initially promising more moderate rule.
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Some things are so precious, so essential for the common good, they cannot be bought or sold. They fall, instead, to the public trust, a doctrine of common law that dates to the Roman Empire.

Great Salt Lake is one. The worlds eighth largest saline lake is the cornerstone of Utahs outdoorsy lifestyle, supports 7,700 jobs and $1bn in annual economic output. Millions of migratory birds flock to its shores, earning it a reputation as Americas Serengeti.

And, it is dying.

The lakes water levels hit a record low in November 2022. Despite a record snowfall that winter, its footprint remains one-third what it was a few decades ago. Thats 11ft lower than when the lake was first measured in the mid-1800s.

Without dramatic intervention, the lake will disappear in five years, according to 2023 research from Brigham Young University.

The Great Salt Lake crisis embodies Utahs struggle between a pro-growth mindset, long embedded in the American west, and the need to protect a critical natural resource.

The biologist with a pending obituary for the Great Salt Lake

Threats to Great Salt Lake are colliding on two fronts. More water is being diverted upstream for booming development, which has made Utah the fastest-growing US state, particularly around the Salt Lake City area. Long-foretold consequences of the climate crisis are finally sinking in, drying up rivers and streams, and worsening an already two-decade-long megadrought in the southwest.

Dr Bonnie Baxter has witnessed the lakes crisis up close. She arrived in Utah in the late Nineties, drawn west from her native North Carolina by a love of camping and hiking, and to work at a small, private liberal arts college, Westminster University.

I wanted to be in a place where I could do excellent science education with undergrads and not just yammer at the top of a classroom with hundreds of students, the biology professor tells The Independent. I really wanted to engage students in research and teach science, through doing science.

She planned to stay five years  enough time, she figured, to experience the west coast. A little east coast naivete, she says, rolling her eyes.

Baxter isnt a climate scientist. Instead, her work focuses on really tiny things  microbial communities which form the base of the lakes entire ecosystem. I think about the life that lives in extreme environments and what kind of secrets can it teach us about surviving environmental damage, she says.

Despite Great Salt Lakes unique characteristics, and that its the largest saline lake in the western hemisphere, it had been overlooked for research. This meant ripe opportunities for Baxters undergrads, away from areas typically crowded by post-grads and PhDs. [My students] present at international meetings because its a system thats so understudied that everything we do is novel, she says.

That work also turned Baxter into Great Salt Lakes go-to person. I had to suddenly become an expert on a lake system, which was not my background. I fell into that relationship with the lake lovingly, but a little from the side, she explains.

A section of the Great Salt Lake that used to be underwater, pictured in August 2021 (Getty)

When I talked to people about the lake, they would say its a stinky place or tell me a negative story. I was having all of these amazing scientific and personal experiences, and I thought, this lake just needs attention.

She founded the Great Salt Lake Institute in 2008 to expand scientific research and raise awareness about an ecosystem heading for collapse. The latter has involved some unusual tactics for a scientist, including in 2019, when she and a colleague, Jaimi Butler, wrote the lakes obituary.

Great Salt Lake, and these other saline lakes in the world, are canaries in the coal mine Dr Bonnie Baxter

We were trying to envision what if the lake had died, she says. We took the perspective of a person in the future writing an obituary for a woman, what she had contributed to society, and what we missed about her.

In a video , Baxter stands on the parched lakebed, wearing a black dress. Great Salt Lake experienced her final glimmering sunset today, succumbing to a long struggle with chronic diversions, exacerbated by climate change, she reads, noting that the lake was a non-conformist and an entrepreneur.

She supported Utahs economy for many years, but we did not adequately fund her healthcare in time. Had we done so, we may not be mourning her death today, Baxter continues.

The obituary pays tribute to the many people who pleaded for action but notes that the megadrought of the southwest and climate change were not so easily overcome.

Bonnie Baxter reads an obituary standing on the dry ground where the Great Salt Lake has receded to raise awareness of its plight (Bonnie Baxter/The Salt Lake Tribune)

It closes: In lieu of flowers, conserve water and call your legislators to advocate for smart water laws. In keeping with her salty personality, she requested that her admirers play the song AnotherOne Bites The Dust at her memorial.

Baxter says the performance left her emotional.

I think thats when I started to understand that Great Salt Lake, and these other saline lakes in the world, are canaries in the coal mine, she said. They are so dependent on water inflow and when that changes from either diversions or climate change, were going to see them shrink before we see changes in other systems.

Thats when I started thinking of myself as studying climate change, because that was never my intent. But when this happens to a system that you know and love, you have to start trying to clamour about that.

An environmental nuclear bomb

Great Salt Lake formed around 11,000 years ago, and Indigenous peoples came to its shores to harvest salt for generations before white settlers arrived in 1847. With the lake five times saltier than the ocean, settlers diverted water from three rivers that feed the lake. Today, 70 per cent of diversions go to agriculture, and the rest is split between industry and residential.

The shrinking of the lake is not only expected to harm wildlife populations and the economy. It is, what one Republican lawmaker told The New York Times, a potential environmental nuclear bomb.

Great Salt Lake is terminal as industrial and agricultural by-products, and naturally-occurring elements in surrounding mountains, wash into its basin, and dont get flushed out.

The lakebed contains toxic chemicals  arsenic, lead and mercury  and as water recedes, the wind picks up particles from the dusty flats. Poisonous dust storms could cause severe breathing problems, and increase infant mortality and cancer rates.

Varying levels of salinity cause different colours, with an algae that flourishes in higher salt content causing the red pigment (EPA)

These threats are far from hypothetical: precedent exists among the Utah lakes salty cousins.

In Iran, Lake Urmia, once the worlds sixth-largest saline lake, has all but dried up. A study last year found that Urmias drought significantly contributed to rising cases of hypertension in a county bordering the lake, from 2 per cent in 2012 to 19.5 per cent just seven years later.

We all have lungs, right?

As the crisis at Great Salt Lake deepens, Baxter has given more and more public talks. I strongly believe that scientists should be speaking to the public, not just in our laboratories, and that we should be telling folks what we see, she said.

There are a dozen reasons to care about Great Salt Lakes demise, she said, including, We all have lungs, right? All of us need to care about that one.

Baxter has spoken to country and rotary clubs, care homes, art galleries and in city parks. At the Chamber of Commerce, she heard concerns about how toxic dust plumes could impact real estate values, and the ability to attract companies to Utah.

At Snowbird, one of the USs top ski resorts, people wanted to know how losing Great Salt Lake would impact weather patterns that create the regions pristine powder, and what would happen if dust landed on the snow. The regions ski industry supports 20,000 jobs and adds $1.2bn (948) to the economy.

A railroad causeway divides the Great Salt Lake in August 2021 near Corinne, Utah. As severe drought continues to take hold in the western United States, water levels at the Great Salt Lake, the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, have dropped to the lowest levels ever recorded (Getty Images)

Baxter says the most enthusiastic response came from seniors at assisted-living homes.

Everyone in that room had a positive relationship with Great Salt Lake, she explains. They knew about resorts on the lake in the first part of the 1900s, they had memories of floating in the lake and birdwatching out there. They had a rich knowledge but also were concerned about leaving this ecosystem devastated, because they care about their grandkids.

Even though Utah is deeply conservative, both lawmakers and everyday citizens are engaged to take action.

The thing that is unmistakable in the west is how people are connected to the outdoors. These arent empty messages to people who live here.

I dont think you would see this [happening] in Texas, she said, regarding the plans being introduced to protect the lake.

Baxter has studied the lake for 26 years and has witnessed its decline (Adam Finkle/ajfphoto.com)

Utahs legislature has passed 64 water bills since 2018, some with unanimous, bipartisan support. Last year, lawmakers appointed a Great Salt Lake commissioner to the governors cabinet, a role with the express purpose of acting in the lakes best interests. In January, the first-ever strategic plan to get the lake back to healthy levels was published.

What that plan makes clear is there is no silver bullet to save the lake, but that it will take a combination of water conservation, negotiations over water rights, and monitoring water levels to succeed.

That wont happen without farmers, a group well aware of the perils of ignoring natures warning signs on such a formidable agricultural landscape. Farmers are biologists, at the end of the day, Baxter says. They understand the trophic nature of the food chains and the ecosystem. Talk about people whove had to pay attention to climate.

Millions of dollars are being dedicated to an Agricultural Water Optimization Programme to improve efficiency and shepherd conserved water back to the lake.

Baxter says she hoped there would be more cooperation with neighbouring states and was urging for Indigenous representation on every committee, to lean on their ancestral knowledge of water systems in the west, that helps us learn to value water in a different way. But the most important factor is how quickly fixes can be rolled out.

I just know we dont have much time, Baxter says.

Conservation groups are pushing the state to do more. Stu Gillespie, senior attorney at Earthjustice, described Utahs strategy to safeguard the lake as a plan to do a plan.

Earthjustice filed a lawsuit against the state in September on behalf of a coalition of conservation groups. The suit demands Utah fulfill its obligation to protect the lake by addressing water rights, and says failure to do so is a breach of public trust.

Currently, Utahs laws to protect Great Salt Lake do not allow override, substitute, or modify[ing] of water rights.

In the past, however, Utah has used the public trust doctrine in its favour, Gillespie tells The Independent. In a 1990 lawsuit, Utah cited public trust as its basis for breaching a causeway on Great Salt Lake in order to release flood waters after mineral extraction companies objected.

Great Salt Lake in June 1985 (Nasa.gov)

Great Salt Lake in July 2022 (Nasa.gov)

In its briefing to the Utah Supreme Court, the state fully embraced the public trust. It said there was nothing that could limit that public trust principle, Gillespie says.

In an email to The Independent, Utah governor Spencer Cox declined to comment on specifics of the recent lawsuit but said that we invite all to work with us to find meaningful ways to benefit the lake, its ecosystem, and surrounding communities.

In recent years, there has been unprecedented interest, investment and action by the state of Utah, cities, towns, residents, farmers, and others throughout the state to preserve and protect the Great Salt Lake. The state has been actively working with many interested parties to take concrete actions to help the lake, the governor says.

What appears non-negotiable among most Utah lawmakers is ambitious plans for economic growth and development.

Pro-growth and pro-development has been the way to go out here since the 1840s, frankly, Baxter says. Yet, she notes, these issues were the only things that the state could control in the right timescale.

Asked about her optimism for the future of Great Salt Lake, she pauses.

Some scientists are working within systems where they feel like theyre banging their heads against the wall, she says, emphasising thats not whats happening in Utah.

The message is being heard and people are acting, Baxter says. Its just the levers of government are slow, and there are competing interests.

Where I have pessimism is that the climate situation is not getting better. Im just not convinced, as a scientist, that we can work at the rate we need to, in order to solve this problem.

But optimism comes from the fact that so many people have been convinced that this is a battle worth fighting.

The climate crisis has ushered in a new normaI with both immediate impacts - in the chaotic aftermath of extreme weather events and disasters - and fallout that is harder to predict long term. In a new series, Global Warning, The Independent is interviewing people fighting on the front lines of climate change across the country
 Close Christian Horner breaks silence after accuser suspended by Red Bull

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Christian Horners accuser has appealed against the decision to clear the Red Bull team principal after allegations of controlling behaviour  and has made a complaint to the sports governing body, the FIA.

The female employee was suspended by Red Bull after an investigation dismissed the complainants grievance earlier this month. But now she has lodged a formal appeal with the F1 teams parent company in the latest twist to a saga that has sparked speculation surrounding Max Verstappens future with the team, and the prospect of Red Bull staff leaving too.

The employee, who reportedly felt let down after the investigation, is understood to have been suspended on full pay as a direct result of Red Bulls inquiry, which concluded at the end of last month.

The complainant was told she had acted dishonestly and received a legal letter, which gave her five working days on receipt of the letter, to appeal against the outcome of the investigation. The BBC also report that she has lodged a complaint with the FIAs ethics committee.

Follow all the latest updates with The Independent
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Fans are applauding Anne Hathaways dance moves in a viral video of her at the Versace after party.

On 23 February, the 41-year-old actor attended Versaces show during Milan Fashion Week, as shes become a huge fan of the brand over the last year. Sitting front row at the show, she wore a red, leather off-the-shoulder dress, which she paired with a black purse.

Following the fashion show, The Eileen star made her way to the after-party and showed off some of her iconic moves on the dance floor, as shown in a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.

More specifically, she was captured dancing to Nicki Minajs hit tune, Anaconda, in the middle of the dance floor. She was also seen dancing in the middle of the circle, as she was surrounded by fans cheering her on.

She made an outfit change for this occasion, as she was instead wearing a black-and-white chequered pattern crop top and skirt, paired with red, pointed-toe stilettos. While on the dance floor, she also paired her outfit with black sunglasses.

On X, fans expressed their excitement over the video of Hathaway, as well as praising her dance moves.

SOUND THE ALARMS THERE IS A NEW ANNE HATHAWAY DANCING AT THE CLUB VIDEO, one wrote.

Anne Hathaway dancing is always such a vibe I wanna be her friend so bad, another added, while a third agreed: This is a whole vibe and I love it so much.

Others made sweet quips about her dancing skills, with one writing: Wow, what a performance! Anne Hathaway really knows how to shake it. That was hilariously unexpected, but she nailed it!

This isnt the first time that the Princes Diaries star has gone viral for her dance moves. In February 2023, she made an appearance at Valentinos Paris Fashion Week after-party, where she was filmed dancing with guests. In one video shared to TikTok at the time, Hathaway, who was wearing a leopard-print outfit, could be seen dancing and singing along to Lady Marmalade from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack on the crowded dance floor. After it was first posted, fans in the comments praised Hathaway for letting loose and enjoying herself.

Hours before Versaces after-party earlier this week, Hathaway attended the brands fall/winter 2024 womenswear runway show.

At the event, she also spoke candidly about the red leather dress she was wearing. As captured in a video from Womens Wear Daily, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour asked Hathaway if she could breathe in the red dress. In response, the actor said: Very easily. I cant turn but I can breathe.

The pairs sweet moment also came one day before Hathaway had a reunion with her co-stars from The Devil Wears Prada, which is believed to be partially inspired by Wintour and her career in the fashion industry. The role of Miranda Priestly, a prestigious magazine editor (played by Meryl Streep) is believed to be based on Wintour.

During the SAG Awards, Streep appeared on stage with Hathaway and Emily Blunt, who played Mirandas two assistants in The Devil Wears Prada, to present an award. When Streep asked where the character ends and the actor begins, Blunt chimed in to refer to their iconic movie. Well, as weve just seen, Meryl and Miranda Priestly are sort of like twins, right? Blunt said.

As Streep disagreed with that statement, Hathaway hilariously responded with one of Mirandas lines in the film, saying: No, no, that wasnt a question. Streep was jokingly surprised by Hathaways answer, before Blunt quipped about how long the actor was taking to open the envelope, which had the winners name in it.

Blunt said another one of Mirandas iconic lines: By all means move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.
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Blake Lively has revealed the one rule that she and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, have abided by to make their marriage work.

The 36-year-old actor spoke candidly about her husband of nearly 12 years during an appearance on pal Amber Tamblyns Substack show, Further Ado, which aired on 22 February. During their relationship, Lively and Reynolds have also welcomed three daughters  James, nine, Inez, seven, and Betty, four  and a one-year-old child, whose name hasnt been publicly revealed.

Speaking to her fellow Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-star, the actor said that back when she and Reynolds first started dating, they made one rule in their professional careers, for the sake of their relationship.

When Ryan and I got together, we made a rule not to work at the same time, she said during the episode of the show, as reported by E! News. So that we could always prioritise our personal life.

Lively specified that she and Reynolds have continued to follow the strategy for when they take on jobs, ever since married in 2012. However, she confessed that it hasnt been easy for her and her partner to stick with this rule.

That takes working really hard when were not, she continued. Just like financial planning and sustaining that; it takes balance.

She also acknowledged that when she and Reynolds first got together, she was the one with the demanding work schedule, as she was filming her hit show, Gossip Girl.

Im used to working hard and going and going and going and going and not stopping, she added. Especially, Gossip Girl was six years of my life, and we were sometimes shooting three episodes at once.

In 2019, Reynolds first opened up about the agreement that he and his wife have when it comes to their work lives. Blake and I dont do movies at the same time. If she is doing a movie in Thailand and I am doing a movie in Vancouver we would just never see each other. We operate as a unit, and that works really well for us, he told People at the time. The kids stay with us, and the family stays together, and that is where home is. So if we are in Spain or Utah or New York, as long as we are together, were home.

The beloved Hollywood couple first met in 2010, while on the set of Green Lantern, in which Lively played the titular characters love interest. They went on to spark date rumours in 2011, before officially tying the knot one year later.

Earlier this month, the pair also made headlines when Reynolds hilariously questioned his wifes whereabouts, as she was attending the 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas. While Lively was at Allegiant Stadium, alongside close pal Taylor Swift, Reynolds hilariously took to Instagram to ask his viewers: Has everyone seen the #Deadpool trailer? Also has anyone seen my wife? In the photo, the actor posed next to a still of himself in the Deadpool trailer.

That night, Lively took to her Instagram Story to answer her husbands question about where she was, despite being shown on the jumbotron multiple times throughout the Super Bowl. In the follow-up post, she was posing next to the same Deadpool trailer that Reynolds had been in his own post, as she wrote: Honey, Im home.

Earlier this week, The Age of Adaline star took to Instagram to share even more details about her appearance at the Super Bowl, during which she wore a red Adidas tracksuit with a white cropped tank top and stiletto heels. More specifically, she revealed that her trip to Vegas was the first time leaving her four children.

Last week I left my kids for the first time ever and wore pants that were shoes, the caption of her post read. I treated a friendship bracelet like a Flat Stanley for my husband like I didnt realize it wasnt 07. I borrowed more jewelry than the skelton in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. And I went clubbing. Now I know what my episode of the Twilight Zone would look like.
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Romeo Beckham and his girlfriend of five years, Mia Regan, have officially ended their relationship.

The 21-year-old athlete, whos the son of Hollywood couple David and Victoria Beckham, took to his Instagram Story on 25 February to announce the breakup. In his statement, he noted that he and his now-ex are on good terms, as they still have a lot of appreciation for each other.

Mooch and I have parted ways after five years of love, we still have a lot of love and respect for each other, and still hold a strong friendship and always will, he wrote, alongside a funny snap of him and Regan sticking their tongues out at each other.

Regan also took to her Instagram Story to share her statement about the breakup. Alongside a snap of the former couple getting ice cream, she reflected on her bond with Beckham, before quipping about how they decided to remain friends.

This is ro, we have grown up with each other since we were 16!! Love takes different forms & paths as you mature, she wrote. We arent [together] romantically but we do share lots & lots of love for one anotherafter five years we friendzoned each other heheh.

The breakup also comes months after Beckham paid tribute to Regan with a tattoo. In November, Regan took to her Instagram Story to reveal the photo of the ink, which was the word Mooch written above a globe tattoo near his elbow. The tattoo was likely a reference to the models nickname and a nod to her Instagram account @mimimoocher.

(@romeobeckham/Instagram)

While the pair first got together in 2019, they didnt make their first public appearance until 2021. At the time, they walked hand-in-hand at the Fashion Awards in London. At the time, Regan also opened up about feeling nervous before the red carpet appearance with her then-boyfriend, noting that she turned to his mother, Victoria Bekcham, for advice.

I think its good to have nerves; if you didnt you wouldnt be human, she told Vogue in 2021, while acknowledging that she spoke to the fashion designer before the event. Even just talking about what Im wearing with her, what nails and make-up Im going to go for, its nice to have that figure.

Since then, Regan has gone on to form a close relationship with her now-exs family, as she even worked on a denim collection with Victoria in October 2022. I felt that [Victoria] really trusted me, she toldVogue at the time. To see her in full work mode was cool.

The former Spice Girl also praised Regans work, telling the publication: Mia has always had a unique approach to fashion and styling. I love that shes fun and not afraid to try new things when it comes to her personal style, which is reflected in the capsule.

While Beckham and Regan were dating for five years, they reportedly briefly broke up at one point, as they reportedly split due to being long-distance in July 2022. However, five months later, Romeo posted a picture of the model on his Instagram account, indicating that they were back together.

Along with Romeo, David and Victoria share three other children: Brooklyn, 24, Cruz, 19, and Harper, 12.
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King Charles IIIs hot equerry and right-hand man Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Thompson has reportedly decided to shift his role out of the public eye amidst intense online scrutiny and attention.

On Thursday (23 February), The Times reported that the 40-year-old senior aide was planning on transitioning to a different role after sparking a public frenzy with his good looks. According to a palace source, Thompson remains senior equerry to the King and the Queen, in a more executive and less public-facing role.

The outlet added that Thompson is understood not to have enjoyed the public attention he received after attending several high-profile events with the King.

The aide was last seen publicly escorting the royal family to the Church of St Mary Magdalene at Sandringham on Christmas Day. As he moves into his newer, more private role, hes expected to continue to support the King, 75, who was recently diagnosed with cancer.

Initially, Thompson went viral on social media after a clip from King Charless accession in September 2022 began to circulate online. The clip - which has since been viewed over 8.6 million times on TikTok - shows Thompson clad in his navy blue suit carrying various bags and an umbrella as he made his way through the gates of Buckingham Palace days after the death of the long-reigning Queen Elizabeth.

In the comment section, many noted how attractive he was, with some writing that he is James Bond level dashing.

Ive never seen someone look so suave while carrying four bags, one person wrote. He doesnt have an awkward bone in his body.

Multiple videos of the equerry made rounds on social media, including one at the late Queens funeral ceremony in which he was donning a green kilt and military dress. His public appearances have often gone viral simply due to his good looks.

Must admit there were times when I was a bit distracted today, one fan posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, after catching a glimpse at the Kings hot equerry. Another added, King Charles IIIs equerry is rather dashing.

Following the Queens death, Thompson was also seen greeting and escorting various leaders including Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in February 2023, and then-Prime Minister Liz Truss at Buckingham Palace in October 2022.

Major Thompson has held a long-standing working relationship with the royal family for many years, serving as the Queens senior-most bodyguard for several years. As an equerry, Thompson acts as an officer of the British royal household whos job is to assist and attend to various members of the royal family. Since 2006, he has been a member of the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland.
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Its 5pm and I leave work on the dot. I hop on the train at 5.11pm and hop off at 5.43pm, meaning Im at my front door by six. I go straight into a 30-minute workout and then a 15-minute shower. Time to eat. Im not a good cook so a 20-minute recipe takes an hour. Dinner is served at 8pm. Fifteen minutes to wolf it down, another 15 to do the washing up. Its 8.45pm and I get into bed. I glance at the clock: 9pm, it says. I fall asleep instantly.

This sort of efficiency, a soul-sucking militant kind, is what it would take for me to sleep at 9pm  which is apparently, according to a recent study published in The Wall Street Journal, the new preferred bedtime of people my age. In 2022, those in their twenties reported getting an average of nine hours and 28 minutes of sleep  an 8 per cent increase from the eight hours and 47 minutes they reported in 2010.

Reading these findings and seeing these case studies, photographs of well-rested people wearing cosy pyjamas and serene smiles, I beseech them: how? How does one sleep at 9pm while navigating long commutes and longer work hours, household chores and self-care? When do you shop for groceries? When do you call your mum?

Its not that we dont want to sleep earlier. Every exhausted morning ushers in a new vow to not stay up so late. Were inundated daily with columns of research linking poor sleep with terrifying things like cancer, Alzheimers disease, and a shortened life span. We know sleep is good for us, the same way we know exercise is. But even with everything sleep has going for it  its life-saving qualities, not to mention the sheer joy of just being unconscious for a bit  it feels near impossible to get any more of it.

Its a matter of logistics, really. There arent enough hours in the day. At least eight of them are spent at your place of work. Probably more. So by the time we get home, after an inevitably delayed commute, theres hardly enough time to take a shower and shovel some food down.

Even if achieving that utopian efficiency was possible (work, workout, eat, sleep, repeat) it sounds absolutely hellish. Where is the time for joy? For family and friends? We are warned constantly with a wagging finger from above that were living in a loneliness epidemic. Last year, the Campaign to End Loneliness found that just under one in 10 people aged 16 to 29 reported feeling lonely often or always; the World Health Organisation declared it a global public health concern.

Peoples social lives are already being squeezed by, among other things, anxiety and money woes (hanging out has never been so expensive). If we subtract those prime socialising hours and head straight for bed instead of the pub, what time is left to see our pals? Theres the weekend, sure, but those days fly by. And Sunday hardly counts  its reserved for dreaded life-admin and mentally preparing for the week ahead. An early bedtime would be a death knell for many peoples social lives; maintaining friendships takes time and forging new ones takes even more. (If youre dating  thats another sizable block of hours to add to the timesheet.)

So it feels jarring to hear that young people are sleeping earlier. Just a few months ago, another study found the same age bracket suffers from a lack of it altogether. According to research on almost 10,000 adults aged 18-65, 46 per cent of Gen-Zers struggle to fall asleep on more than half of the days in a week, with only 35 per cent sleeping more than seven hours a night. It was only recently that the sleepy girl mocktail (an allegedly narcoleptic combination of tart cherry juice and magnesium powder) went viral on TikTok, an online testament to a nation of overtired youth. People gasped in envy at Dakota Johnsons revelation that she clocks 14 hours on the regular. Prescriptions for the sleep aid melatonin, too, have increased rapidly among children and young people in England, up 170 per cent in the last seven years, according to a 2022 study by The Pharmaceutical Journal.

Its this image, of someone doom-scrolling under their duvet at 3am unable to will their bodies into slumber, that more closely resembles my own experience and, for its anecdotal worth, that of my friends. So long as were expected to do everything, to always be optimising and permanently productive (even self-care is a chore by this point), sleeping at 9pm is just another impossible ideal on an endless to-do list. Its not a coincidence that well do pretty much everything else to get a better sleep (whale noises; sleepy teas; night-time technology bans; bedtime stories read aloud by Matthew McConaughey), but we wont give up late nights. For most people, its the only time we get to ourselves. Our dark hours of pleasure and pubs and Netflix. To give that up? Id rather be tired.
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The worlds top decision-making body on the environment is meeting in Kenya's capital on Monday to discuss how countries can work together to tackle environmental crises like climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity.

The meeting in Nairobi is the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, and governments, civil society groups, scientists and the private sector are attending.

None of us live on an island. We live on planet Earth, and we are all connected, Inger Andersen, executive director of the U.N. Environment Programme, which is leading the process, told The Associated Press ahead of the talks. The only way we can solve some of these problems is by talking together.

At the meeting, member states discuss a raft of draft resolutions on a range of issues that the assembly adopts upon consensus. If a proposal is adopted, it sets the stage for countries to implement whats been agreed on.

In the last round of talks in 2022, also in Nairobi, governments adopted 14 resolutions, including to create a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution globally. Andersen described it then as the most significant environmental multilateral deal since the Paris Agreement to limit global warming.

For this years talks, countries have submitted 20 draft resolutions for discussion, including on how best to restore degraded lands, combat dust storms and reduce the environmental impact of metal and mineral mining.

But with countries having different priorities, its often hard to get consensus on the draft resolutions. However, Andersen said, theres generally a forward movement on all draft resolutions for this year's meeting, known as UNEA-6.

With this meeting's focus on multilateralism, UNEP wants to build on past agreements it led between governments, such as the Minamata Convention to put controls on mercury and the Montreal Protocol to heal the hole in the ozone layer, Andersen said.

Bjorn Beeler, international coordinator for the International Pollutants Elimination Network, thinks there'll be slow progress on more complex issues such as financing around chemicals and waste.

Beeler also expects strong opposition on a draft resolution that wants to phase out the use of highly hazardous pesticides. The draft resolution, which was submitted by Ethiopia and is co-sponsored by Uruguay, aims to create a global alliance of U.N. bodies like UNEP, the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization.

If this does go through, it would be very significant because it would be the first time ever to see global movement on highly hazardous pesticides, said Beeler, who is attending the talks.

UNEP anticipates more than 70 government ministers and 3,000 delegates at the talks.

What we should expect at UNEA-6 is decision makers looking into the horizon, being aware of what is it thats coming to us that could potentially damage our planet, and taking preemptive action to prevent this, said Andersen.

___

The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
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South Korea's government gave striking young doctors four days to report back to work, saying Monday that they won't be punished if they return by the deadline but will face indictments and suspensions of medical licenses if they don't.

About 9,000 medical interns and residents have stayed off the job since early last week to protest a government plan to increase medical school admissions by about 65%. The walkouts have severely hurt the operations of their hospitals, with numerous cancellations of surgeries and other treatments.

Government officials say adding more doctors is necessary to deal with South Koreas rapidly aging population. The country's current doctor-to-patient ratio is among the lowest in the developed world.

The strikers say universities cant handle so many new students and argue the plan would not resolve a chronic shortage of doctors in some key but low-paying areas like pediatrics and emergency departments.

Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said during a televised briefing Monday that the government wont seek any disciplinary action against striking doctors if they return to work by Thursday.

We want them to return to work by the end of this month, Feb. 29. If they return to the hospitals they had left by then, we wont hold them responsible for any damages caused by their walkouts, Park said.

But he said those who don't meet the deadline will be punished with a minimum three-month suspension of their medical licenses and face further legal steps such as investigations and possible indictments.

Under South Koreas medical law, the government can issue back-to-work orders to doctors and other medical personnel when it sees grave risks to public health. Refusing to abide by such an order can bring up to three years in prison or 30 million won ($22,480) in fines, along with revocation of medical licenses.

There are about 13,000 medical interns and residents in South Korea, most of them working and training at 100 hospitals. They typically assist senior doctors during surgeries and deal with inpatients. They represent about 30% to 40% of total doctors at some major hospitals.

The Korea Medical Association, which represents about 140,000 doctors in South Korea, has said it supports the striking doctors, but hasn't determined whether to join the trainee doctors' walkouts. Senior doctors have held a series of rallies voicing opposition to the government's plan.

Earlier this month, the government announced universities would admit 2,000 more medical students starting next year, from the current 3,058. The government says it aims to add up to 10,000 doctors by 2035.

A public survey said about 80% of South Koreans back the government plan. Critics suspect doctors, one of the best-paid professions in South Korea, oppose the recruitment plan because they worry they would face greater competition and lower income.

Striking doctors have said they worry doctors faced with increased competition would engage in overtreatment, burdening public medical expenses.
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Police have issued an urgent appeal after a man removed his electronic tag and fled his home after being released from prison.

Nasar Mohammed Hussein, 33, was convicted in June 2023 of possession of an offensive weapon and assault on an emergency worker.

He was released from prison on licence but fled an address in Camberwell, London, on Thursday 22 February, according to the Metropolitan Police.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: Nasar Mohammed Hussein, 33, also known as Nasser Hussein, was convicted in June 2023 of possession of an offensive weapon and assault on an emergency worker.

Hussein was released from prison on licence, but on Thursday, 22 February he removed his electronic tag and left an address in Camberwell. He has links to Hounslow, Camberwell, Clapham and the Finsbury Park area.

Anyone who may have seen Nasar Mohammed Hussein, or has information as to his whereabouts, is asked to call 101, ref 4758/24FEB24. For an immediate sighting please do not approach him, but dial 999. To provide information anonymously, please contact Crimestoppers.
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Mental health, human rights and criminal justice experts have made a joint plea for parliament to end the living nightmare of indefinite jail terms, following a series of revelations by The Independent.

Thousands of prisoners have been left languishing in jail for years longer than their minimum tariff, and with no hope of release, under imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences  which were scrapped more than a decade ago amid human rights concerns.

They include tragic cases highlighted by The Independent such as those of Wayne Bell, who has served more than 16 years for stealing a bike; Thomas White, who is still in prison 11 years after he stole a mobile phone; and Shaun Lloyd, who fears he could be hauled back to jail for the fourth time for stealing a phone almost 20 years ago.

The coalition of 11 leading voices, led by the Prison Reform Trust, has come together ahead of a crunch debate in the House of Lords this week, in which peers will review a series of amendments to the Victims and Prisoners Bill, including one calling for all IPP prisoners to be resentenced.

Organisations that have joined the call for action include the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the British Psychological Society, Amnesty International, Justice, Liberty, the United Group for Reform of IPP, the Probation Institute, the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, Inquest, the Howard League for Penal Reform, and the Prison Reform Trust.

A cross-party group of peers  including David Blunkett, who admits he regrets introducing the sentence as home secretary in 2005  have also tabled 17 amendments to help those affected by IPPs, which will be debated on Monday.

A cross-party group of peers, including David Blunkett, have tabled 17 amendments to help IPP prisoners (Getty/iStock/PA)

IPP sentences were scrapped in 2012, but not retrospectively, leaving almost 3,000 inmates trapped in prison with no release date  with more than 700 of them having served 10 years longer than their minimum tariff.

More than 80 IPP prisoners are known to have taken their own lives  including the seven whose self-inflicted deaths were revealed by The Independent last year.

Dr Josanne Holloway, chair of the forensic faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said the bill is a chance to make real progress in ending one of the biggest injustices of our criminal justice system.

Serving an IPP sentence can have a devastating impact on someones mental health, she said. They have all served longer than the usual tariff for the offence, often for continuing mental health difficulties, and live with the daily uncertainty of not knowing if their sentence will ever end  a hardship which is worsened by the fact that the very sentence they are serving is unjust.

Reforms are also backed by the British Psychological Society  which said the sentence leaves people in a chronic state of anxiety and hopelessness.

The amendments tabled include a provision to carry out a resentencing exercise  which was the principal recommendation of an inquiry carried out by the justice committee in 2022.

The government has so far refused to resentence prisoners, despite a worrying rise in self-inflicted deaths reported in prisons as inmates lose hope. Instead, justice secretary Alex Chalk proposed reducing the IPP licence period from 10 to three years, in plans announced last year.

While the licence review is a welcome step, it does not go far enough to end the cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment, campaigners added. Tom Southerden, Amnesty UKs legal programme director, said: IPP sentences are a stain on the justice system and were found by the European Court to violate fundamental human rights as long ago as 2012.

Shaun Lloyd has been recalled three times under an IPP sentence for stealing a phone in 2005 (Shirley Debono/The Independent)

For the thousands of people still stuck in this system it has become a living nightmare. Its clearly past time for a root and branch reform of how the justice system deals with these people, and while the governments proposals in the Victims and Prisoners Bill are a welcome step, they dont go nearly far enough.

Tyrone Steele, deputy legal director at Justice, said the sentences are indefensible, urging peers to help end this shameful chapter in our legal history.

Under the controversial sentences, which were introduced by New Labour in 2005 but scrapped seven years later, people were handed a minimum jail term without a specified maximum term.

After completing their minimum tariff, IPP inmates must apply to the Parole Board and meet stringent criteria in order to be released  including not suffering from mental health problems  to prove that they are no longer a risk to the public.

Other reforms tabled by peers include measures to improve the sentence progression of IPP prisoners, and a new power of executive release of recalled IPP prisoners.

They also propose further easing of the strict licence conditions, which can see people recalled multiple times for even minor breaches  such as in the case of Mr Lloyd, who has already been recalled to prison three times for taking a phone when he was 18.

Backing the calls for reform, Inquest revealed it has so far supported 28 families of prisoners who died while serving an IPP sentence, such as Tommy Nicol, who was two years over his minimum tariff for stealing a car when he died by suicide in 2015. His sister Donna Mooney campaigns with the United Group for Reform of IPP (UNGRIPP).

Every day we hear about the extreme damage the IPP sentence does to people serving the sentence and their families, an UNGRIPP spokesperson said. This treatment has been allowed to continue for more than 18 years. The torture of the IPP needs to stop. While many of these amendments do not go far enough, they are a step closer to ending the injustice of the IPP sentence.

Justice secretary Alex Chalk has proposed a reduction in the licence period for IPP prisoners  but has not accepted a recommendation to resentence them (PA Wire)

Pia Sinha, chief executive of the Prison Reform Trust, acknowledged that Mr Chalk had gone further than his predecessors to help IPP prisoners, but called for more radical reform. She told The Independent: The injustice faced by thousands of IPP prisoners and their families requires more radical action still.

An influential cross-party group of peers has tabled a series of amendments to the Victims and Prisoners Bill to take forward reforms in a number of important areas. With the backing of organisations from across the mental health, human rights and criminal justice sectors, we hope peers will be persuaded to support these amendments and help bring a distressing chapter in British legal history to a close.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: We have reduced the number of unreleased IPP prisoners by three-quarters since we scrapped the sentence in 2012, with a 12 per cent fall in the last year alone where the Parole Board deemed prisoners safe to release.

We have also taken decisive action to curtail licence periods, and continue to help those still in custody to progress towards release, including improving access to rehabilitation programmes and mental health support.
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The family of a university worker killed by a knifeman who carried out several stabbing attacks in Birmingham city centre said they will never recover from his death.

Zephaniah McLeod, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, had only been released from prison for drug and firearm offences five months previously before knifing eight people in the spree on 6 September 2020.

Joanne Billington told an inquest her son, who was only in Birmingham for one night as he enjoyed a night out with friends, did not deserve to die in such a monstrous way.

She said: For us, Jacobs death is something we will never recover from and has changed the lives of everyone who knew him.

Zephaniah McLeod had been released from prison with no supervision plans five months before the attacks (West Midlands Police)

For his family, friends and colleagues he was a real person with a fantastic personality, loves, hopes and dreams. He wanted to be alive, he grabbed life with both hands and he was at a great point in his life.

She added her son was a genuinely lovely, funny, intelligent young man, with his death leaving his friends and family scarred.

He deserved to be safe walking down the street. All agencies involved need to remember him and the manner of his death throughout this process, she said.

Joanne Billington has said her family will never recover from the loss of her son (Richard Vernalls/PA Wire)

The 23-year-old suffered a fatal neck injury, while his friend Michael Callaghan suffered life-changing injuries that placed him in a coma for two months and led to him being paralysed down his left-hand side. Six other people were injured.

Ms Billington said multiple government agencies had shown astonishing failings and incompetence ahead of the stabbing rampage.

Following the publication of a multi-agency review, she had previously described the recommendations as very weak and said: There appear to be no consequences at all for the agencies involved, and I am not satisfied in any way the failings identified in this report will not continue to happen.

All the agencies knew about the offender, they knew he was dangerous and violent, that he didnt comply with medication, and he had made multiple threats to hurt people.

He had been enjoying an evening out with friends when he was attacked by stranger McLeod (PA)

In the end, he carried out those threats. Eight innocent people have had their lives changed forever.

McLeod, who was 27 at the time of the attacks, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 21 years at Birmingham Crown Court in 2021, after admitting the manslaughter of Mr Billington, four counts of attempted murder, and three charges of wounding in relation to seven other people he slashed and stabbed in the city centre that night.

McLeod had a long history of offending which started in his teenage years, which included robberies, carrying a knife and threats of violence.

Prior to the attacks, he had not been appropriately treated or medicated for nine years, and was released from prison to no fixed abode, while services did not know where he had gone.

Michael Callaghan survived the attack but has suffered life-changing injuries which left him in a coma (PA)

As he was reluctant to take prescribed medication and refused to engage with mental health services in prison or the community, he had made no attempts to address his mental health issues.

A two-week inquest at Birmingham and Solihull Coroners Court into the death of Mr Billington, a talented musician from Crosby, Merseyside, is expected to look at McLeods offending history, time in prison and his mental health treatment during that time.

Senior coroner Louise Hunt will also examine how information was shared when McLeod moved between prisons, how his use of medication was monitored and how his release from prison was managed.
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A music producer performing under the stage name Menace to Society has been found guilty of attempted murder after shooting a pistol through a window of a busy street over a 3.50 drugs debt.

Seeking vengeance and disguised in a mask Marcus Adepoju, 31, shot three rounds at a man in Catford smashing the window and showering his target in broken glass.

The three shots narrowly missed him but the glass shards caused superficial injury and extensive damage to the building.

DC John Nightingale, a Trident detective from Specialist Crime, said: Adepoju is an extremely dangerous individual who had no qualms about shooting a man through a window on a busy residential street.

It is only through sheer good fortune that the victim was not more seriously injured or killed. Adepoju produced music under the stage name Menace To Society  sadly his actions reinforced this moniker and he will now pay the price for his crimes.

Keeping Londoners safe is our top priority and reducing gun crime is a key part of this. As this case shows, we know gun crime is closely linked to drugs and we will continue to use all of our resources to take both off the streets of our capital.

The actual pistol used in the shooting (Met Police)

Woolwich Crown Court had heard that officers were called to a house on Nelgarde Road in April 2023 where a man reported he had been fired at through a window by a masked shooter.

Detectives trawled through CCTV of the suspect walking to the scene from a house in Laleham Road, Hither Green and returning there soon afterwards.

Police watched Adepoju travelling from the house to a storage facility in Forest Hill, south London.

Officers searched that unit finding two guns alongside a cache of ammunition, drugs, cash and knives.

Another storage facility linked to Adepoju was found to contain more bullets and a stash of banknotes and drugs.

Adepoju was stopped by officers in a car in Chingford in east London where he was found to be in possession of a bag which contained a large set of keys.

These included keys for the house on Laleham Road as well as the two storage units.

Francis Ajeigbe, 60, who was arrested by police during a search (Met Police)

Forensic enquiries carried out on one of the seized guns linked it to the shooting, as well as to another incident in March 2023 in which a bullet hole was found in a lorry in Forest Hill.

Adepojus DNA was found on both weapons.

Adepoju was found guilty of attempted murder, possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life and a further count of possession with intent to supply class A drugs, at a hearing at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday.

The producer from Tottenham, north London, had pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of a firearm, money laundering, possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possession of bladed articles at an earlier hearing.

The music producers phone was also analysed and revealed several images of a third firearm, the court had heard. Francis Ajeigbe, 60, who was arrested by police during a search of his house in Laleham Road, was found guilty of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and money laundering.

Both he and Adepoju will be sentenced at Woolwich Crown on April 12.
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A woman who live-streamed the dissection and killing of a cat has been jailed for life for murdering an innocent man by drowning him in a river.

Scarlet Blake, 26, walked the streets of Oxford looking for a victim until she encountered Jorge Martin Carreno, 30, during the early hours of 26 July 2021.

She persuaded him to accompany her to the secluded Parsons Pleasure area, where she is believed to have hit him with an object, strangled him until he lost consciousness and then drowned him in the River Cherwell.

Jurors heard that Blake had a fixation with violence and with knowing what it would be like to kill someone, and received sexual gratification from the thought of death. After murdering Carreno, she told a new partner that she had done so because my lover said it would be hot.

Blake had a fixation with violence and death and had previously dissected a cat in a live-streamed video (Thames Valley Police/PA)

Just four months previously, she had live-streamed the horrific killing of a cat in a homage to the Netflix documentary Dont F*** with Cats. After luring her neighbours pet with food and a crate, she dissected the animal, removing its fur and skin before placing its body in a blender.

During the video, the New Order song True Faith can be heard playing in the background while Blake can be heard saying: Here we go my little friend. Oh boy, you smell like s***. I cant wait to put you through the blender.

She later kept its heart as a memento and posed with the animals severed head.

At the time, Blake had been in an online relationship with a woman, Ashlynn Bell, in the US, with the two frequently discussing gore, murder and strangulation together.

The court heard that Blake confessed her actions to Ms Bell, but told jurors in her evidence that she had carried out her violent actions to please her partner, who had wanted her to kill someone.

Carreno was approached by Blake after a night out in Oxford (Thames Valley Police/PA)

Jurors were shown videos of the defendant and Ms Bell engaging in consensual strangulation, with Blake tightening a ligature to the point her partner appeared to fall unconscious.

For two years, Carrenos fate was unknown despite CCTV appeals to identify Blake, until Ms Bell contacted Thames Valley Police in April 2023.

The Spanish national had been out socialising with work colleagues at a local pub and had been walking home when he encountered Blake, who offered him her bottle of vodka.

She had been wandering around the citys streets and was seen on CCTV sizing up potential victims before settling on Carreno, who was slighter in stature and more vulnerable after consuming alcohol.

Dressed in a heavy military-style jacket with a facemask, prosecutors suggested that she was carrying a murder kit in her rucksack, which consisted of a homemade garrote and a leopard print dressing gown chord.

Jurors were shown texts between Blake and Bell which showed their fixation with death and violence (Thames Valley Police )

She told jurors that she had walked with Carreno to the secluded riverside area and left him there alive to go home, claiming she had no knowledge of how he died.

However, suggestions that he may have killed himself were rejected by his family and friends while a Home Office pathologist said he did not believe the BMW worker died accidentally.

It later emerged that Blake had spoken about her desire to kill in Parsons Pleasure as she knew it was unseen and undisturbed and had returned to the crime scene at least twice to take pictures to keep as mementos.

The taking of these photographs showed a profound contempt for the suffering of Jorges family and loved ones, the judge said. You were completely indifferent to this suffering.

Pixelated image of Blake posing with the severed head of the cat (Thames Valley Police/PA)

During her evidence, Blake claimed she had a fragmented personality, which included being a cat, and meowed at the jury to show how she would interact with friends.

She also claimed that it was Ms Bell who had wanted her to kill a human after making her live-stream the killing of the animal.

Having moved to the UK from China when she was nine years old, Blake transitioned at the age of 12 and told the court she had a difficult relationship with her parents.

Accusing her of seeking to blame others for the murder, Mr Justice Chamberlain said this was part of an elaborate attempt to rationalise what you had done.

Blake has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 24 years (Thames Valley Police/PA)

It is not the fault of a society that didnt accept you, it it not the fault of your parents, he said. Whatever role Ashlynn Bell may have played in encouraging your interest in killing, she remained in the US.

She did not control or direct you. Even if the decision was motivated in part by a desire to please her, the decision to kill was entirely yours.

He added that there had been a clear sexual motivation for the killing, and that Blake had used her status as a murderer to secure the admiration of others who shared her interests in violence.

She had denied murder but was found guilty after six hours of deliberations and has now been jailed for life with a minimum term of 24 years.

Mr Justice Chamberlain said: Your decision to kill Jorge was not a reaction to something he had said or done. It was not a momentary mistake, It was not a decision made in anger or your emotions overcame you.

It was a culmination of a plan you had been considering and formulating for months before and after 25 July as you showed an obsession with harm and death.
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A Greek Orthodox monk says King Charles III has turned to him for spiritual advice since his cancer diagnosis.

The monarch, who acceded to the throne 17 months ago, was diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer while he was being treated for a benign enlarged prostate.

Elder Ephraim, the Mount Athos-based abbot of the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi, revealed earlier this month that Charles reached out to him following his diagnosis to seek "prayers and consoling words for strength to overcome difficulties".

Charles and the abbot reportedly share a friendship that has spanned 25 years and became closer following the death of Princess Diana in 1997.

Charles has a spiritual sophistication, a spiritual life, Mr Ephraim told The Sun. Yes, he has been in contact since the diagnosis and I believe hell overcome it.

Although little has been made public about their friendship, Charles has reportedly visited the monastic community of Mount Athos at least eight times.

Elder Ephraim claims King Charles called him after his cancer diagnosis (Screengrab/ )

Charles met Mr Ephraim for the first time in 1998 during his visit to the Vatopedi monastery, shortly after Dianas death, according to reports. The monarch now has his own quarters reserved for when he stays at Vatopedi.

We have a very good rapport," the abbot added.

The Sun quoted a source saying that Charles likes to meditate, pray and follow ancient rituals such as "getting up at 4am to follow the liturgy which he absolutely adores".

There is no question that the British royal is Orthodox in his heart, another Greek monk told The Greek Herald. Sadly, he is very constrained by his position.

The monarch has taken a step back from frontline duties but was seen in good sprits last week as he went through cards of support sent to him during his cancer treatment.

He was amused by a well-wishers card showing a disgruntled dog recovering from medical treatment and telling him at least you dont have to wear a cone.

Charles told prime minister Rishi Sunak last week that nearly 7,000 cards from wellwishers reduced him "to tears most of the time".

"We're all behind you. The country is all behind you," Mr Sunak said.
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Poor literacy levels in young children could cost the economy 830m, a think tank has said, as data reveals how children in disadvantaged areas are falling behind their peers.

Around 187,000 five-year-olds in England  or 30 per cent  are falling behind their expected reading levels, data from the year 2022/23 showed. This is compared to 27 per cent in 2018/19.

An increasing number of families have been unable to access the right early years support in the wake of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis, experts said. Lockdowns also meant that families didnt have access to education and care at key stages of their childrens development, the National Literacy Trust said.

Some 125,000 five-year-olds  20 per cent of their cohort  are also behind on their communication and language skills. This is compared to 18 per cent in 2018/19.

Researchers found that poor literacy skills will end up costing the economy 830m over the lifetimes of each year group of five-year-olds, or 7,800 per child.

Many families have struggled to gain access to the right early years support in the wake of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis (PA)

This adds up to a 5,300 loss in potential earnings per child over their lifetime, research from Pro Bono Economics has found. It will also cost an average of 2,500 per child in additional support from the government, the charity said.

Those in more deprived areas of the country are the worst affected, with 43,000 of the five-year-olds not meeting the right reading levels living in these regions.

In Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester, more than a quarter of five-year-olds have low levels of literacy, researchers found.

In the year 2022-2023, the North West, North East, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber were among the regions with the highest rates of children struggling to meet the literacy standards.

Jonathan Douglas, chief executive of the National Literacy Trust, called on the government and local businesses to support their campaign of outreach to children in areas hit worst by the cost of living crisis.

He said: We know that experiencing poverty has a huge effect on a childs early communication, language and literacy skills, and that this will have consequences for their learning, their confidence, their wellbeing, and their ability to thrive for the rest of their lives.

Queen Camilla meets members of the Lego Club, which is designed to encourage children to read, during a visit to the Bream community library in Gloucestershire (Getty Images)

Matt Whittaker, CEO of Pro Bono Economics, said: That so many young children are reaching reception so far behind in basic reading and communication skills should raise alarm bells everywhere.

Rachel Hopcroft, head of corporate affairs at KPMG UK, who commissioned the research, said that at age five, far too many children are needlessly falling short of the expected standard, before theyve even been given a proper chance in life.

She added that the research showed this not only impacts our economy, but it curtails access to career opportunities and earnings potential later in life  especially among those from deprived backgrounds.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: Our plan is working, with primary aged children in England ranked as the best readers in the western world, coming 4th globally in the recent PIRLS international rankings. Through the introduction of the Phonics Screening Check, the percentage of children meeting the expected standards has risen by a third since 2012 to 80 percent across the country.

We are continuing to deliver on our plan to give every child a world class education, which is why education standards have risen sharply across the country, with 89 per cent of schools now rated good or outstanding by Ofsted, up from just 68 per cent in 2010 - and pupils performance is some of the best globally.
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Hundreds of small boat migrants have been charged with arriving illegally in the UK, or arranging the arrival of others, in the year after new powers came into force.

New analysis from the University of Oxford and a coalition of charities shows that in the year following the expansion of the governments new laws on restricting channel crossings, the Nationality and Borders Act, some 240 small boat migrants were charged with illegal arrival to the UK.

Of those, 165 were convicted, data from June 2022 to June 2023 showed. The prosecutions have largely gone unreported, but last week asylum seeker Ibrahima Bah was convicted of manslaughter after he piloted an unseaworthy dinghy across the Channel.

The boat got into trouble on 14 December 2022, resulting in the deaths of four fellow migrants. Bah had told the court that he tried to back out of piloting the boat but smugglers had threatened to kill him if he did not.

In June 2022, the Nationality and Borders Act expanded to introduce the offence of illegal arrival to the UK, punishable by up to four years in prison.

A more serious offence of facilitating arrival was also added, with the maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, from the RNLI Dover Lifeboat following a small boat incident in the Channel on 31 January 2024. (PA)

According to the new research, in the year to June 2023, 49 people were charged with facilitating the arrival of others for their role in steering dinghies into UK waters, and seven were convicted.

One person in every 10 dinghies was arrested for their alleged role in driving the boat in 2022. By 2023, this was up to one in seven.

Some 15 young people were wrongly treated as adults and charged with these new offences, with 14 spending time in an adult prison, according to refugee charity Humans for Rights Network.

At least five of these young people, whose ages are disputed, have subsequently been confirmed to be children after they were housed by the local authority.

In one case at Folkestone Magistrates in February 2023, an accused migrant said he was 16, not 25 as the Home Office had assessed him. His lawyer did not make representations about his age and the magistrates didnt ask why the Home Office had assessed him to be 25, the report said. The migrant was then sent to an adult prison.

Judges have resorted to noting the physical features of other age-disputed migrants, such as their voice broken, moustache, strong jaw or broad shoulders and evidence of shaving, as justification for treating someone as an adult.

Ibrahima Bah was found guilty of manslaughter after four migrants died when a boat got into difficulty in the Channel (Kent Police/PA Wire)

One Syrian refugee, Zain, interviewed by researchers described seeing teenagers in prison at HMP Elmley, Kent. He said: The teenagers, when they came to the prison, straight away they stop eating their meals, they stop communicating. They moved [a young person] to the fourth floor with the high-risk prisoners.

After one month, he started to become very skinny, nothing. He started to get mental health issues. He thought the guards were out to kill him, sent by people [in his country].

Several of those sentenced for facilitating arrival had said they were survivors of torture or trafficking.

Samir, from Sudan, was sentenced to seven months in jail after being identified with his hand on the tiller of a Channel dinghy.

He said the experience had had a massive effect on my mental health and my physical health. He added: It was my first time to be in a jail, to be in a locked place. Without knowing why you are inside the prison. You didnt do anything, you are not guilty.

Researchers found that Albanians, Sudanese and Egyptian nationals were proportionately overrepresented among those arrested for illegal entry, compared to the number of arrivals.

The most common reasons for piloting the dinghy were being under duress from smugglers in northern France, needing a discount on the crossing, or having previous experience steering boats, the report found.

The vast majority of those charged with an offence had ongoing asylum claims made just prior to their arrest  often from countries with grant rates of close to 100 per cent.

Latest government figures show that more than 2,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel. Of those, 290 people made the journey in five boats on Sunday, the highest number making the crossing in a single day for more than a month.

For the analysis, researchers went to more than 100 court hearings at Folkestone Magistrates Court and Canterbury Crown Court. Data was also collected through freedom of information requests to the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice.

Victoria Taylor, researcher at the Centre for Criminology at the University of Oxford, said: This report raises questions about the lawful treatment of victims of trafficking, torture, and children with ongoing age disputes.

The report, No Such Thing As Justice Here, was published by the Centre for Criminology at the University of Oxford, in collaboration with Human for Rights Network, Captain Support UK and Refugee Legal Support.

A Home Office spokesperson: The language used in this report is misleading. Most asylum seekers arriving in the UK by small boat are initially detained for 24 hours or less.

Asylum seekers should seek protection in the first country where it is reasonable for them to do so and we continue to take robust action to crack down on criminal gangs and deter migrants from making these dangerous, illegal and unnecessary journeys across the Channel.
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Tesco has been forced to change how it displays Clubcard deals after criticism that it could be breaking the law.

Last year consumer group Which? said Tesco could be breaking the law by failing to provide unit pricing  such as the price per 100g  on products with Clubcard promotion prices.

Which? reported the supermarket giant to the UK competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), as it criticised its pricing information displayed for some products.

At the time, Tesco said that its price labelling had been formally endorsed by Trading Standards, after it asked the organisation to review its Clubcard Prices promotions.

It added that it was disappointed by the ill-founded claims by Which?

Unit prices can be used by shoppers in stores and online to compare the value of products they are purchasing.

Tesco said its price labelling had been formally endorsed by Trading Standards (Alamy/PA)

Tescos UK chief executive Jason Tarry wrote in a blog this week: If you are in store, you will now start to see that the way that we display our Clubcard Prices will not only show the total price, but also the unit price of the product (by volume or weight), to allow a direct comparison of the price per unit between the Clubcard Prices offer and the price of alternative products.

This is something that we have been planning to do for some time, and I am really pleased that we are ready to make the change.

Over the coming weeks, these changes will appear in all our stores, as our colleagues update millions of price labels on the shelf edge. We will also be adding these unit prices to our Clubcard Prices deals online.

Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: Which? has campaigned through the cost-of-living crisis for supermarkets to make pricing clearer so shoppers can easily find the best value deals at a time when so many have struggled to put food on the table.

The lack of unit pricing on Tescos Clubcard offers was a glaring omission and we warned that this approach could be breaking the law last summer, so its good to see the nations largest supermarket stepping up to do the right thing by making this important change.

We look forward to seeing this rolled out quickly across all stores and online so shoppers can benefit as soon as possible. The Government also needs to now update outdated pricing rules so all shoppers can easily compare value.
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Children burst into tears as angry parents rounded on the ringleader of a Willy Wonka experience which turned out to be a sparse Glasgow warehouse decorated with a rainbow and a bouncy castle.

Furious parents shelled out 35 for the world of pure imagination promising a delectable chocolate fountain and whimsical Oompa Loompas who in reality were actors struggling to recite scripts hastily handed to them the night before opening.

Organisers House of Illuminati apologised for the stressful and frustrating day and offered 850 refunds before closing the experience to guests on Saturday.

Furious parents shelled out 35 for the world of pure imagination (Stuart Sinclair/Facebook)

A rainbow in the world of pure imagination (Stuart Sinclair/Facebook)

Aileen Butcher, who had taken her daughter, told the Daily Record it was an absolute disgrace.

Have you been affected by this? If so email athena.stavrou@independent.co.uk

She said: We went inside and there were some posters, a visual display including a rainbow, toadstool and a gobstopper.

There also appeared to be a table strewn with jelly beans and a bouncy castle at the back. It took us a minute to walk through.

Some families were very, very angry and had little children who were crying.

It was a tense atmosphere and new families were arriving looking bewildered.

Gene Wilder in the original surrounded by Oompa Loompas

A poster covers a portion of a blank wall (Stuart Sinclair/Facebook)

Stuart Sinclair travelled two hours to attend the experience with his family said on Facebook: It was nothing short of shocking.

It was described as a full Wonka Experience with chocolate fountains, but the kids received two jelly babies and a quarter of a can of Barrs limeade.

Actors complained on social media they were given just one night to learn a script before it was torn up and they were told to improvise around items that werent even there.

Mr Sinclair told The Independent: All the cast that were there did their absolute best. Unfortunately, they were all sub-contractor actors hired by Illuminati and havent been paid either.

They were in as much shock as us. But it was probably worse for them because this is their job and made them look bad when it wasnt their fault.

All the parents rounded on the guy running it. He was there and everyone was at him trying to get answers. It was that bad it was just laughable.

(Stuart Sinclair/Facebook)

Police Scotland said officers issued guidance to crowds building up outside the closed venue.

A House of Illuminati spokesperson said: Today has been a very stressful and frustrating day for many and for that we are truly sorry. Unfortunately, at the last minute we were let down in many areas of our event and tried our best to continue on and push through and now realise we probably should have cancelled first thing this morning instead.

We fully apologise for what has happened and will be giving full refunds to each and every person that purchased tickets.

We planned a fabulous event and it just did not take shape as planned and for that we are truly sorry, we are devastated at how this has turned out and understand peoples anger and frustration that everyone has had, refunds have already started being issued and the rest should be over the coming days, again we are truly sorry to everyone.
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Deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence (AI) provide the perfect storm for those looking to hijack the upcoming general election, the Home Secretary has warned.

James Cleverley said the era of these technologies misleading and disrupting important democratic decisions was already in play, The Times reported.

It comes as Mr Cleverly is reportedly due to meet with Silicon Valley bosses to urge greater action from large technology companies to protect democracy.

James Cleverly is set to meet with Silicon Valley bosses (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

Earlier this month some of the companies signed a pact to voluntarily adopt reasonable precautions to prevent AI tools from being used to disrupt democratic elections around the world.

However, this pact did not commit to banning or removing deepfakes.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan fell victim to a fake AI recording of him supposedly making inflammatory remarks in the run up to Armistice Day protests last year.

Increasingly today the battle of ideas and policies takes place in the ever-changing and expanding digital sphere James Cleverly

The material shared on social media featured a simulation of Mr Khans voice saying he did not care about the Remembrance weekend and suggesting the commemorations be postponed to allow for a pro-Palestinian march to go ahead.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed a UK general election will take place at some point this year, although an exact date has not yet been set.

Mr Cleverly told The Times that increasingly today the battle of ideas and policies takes place in the ever-changing and expanding digital sphere.

He said: The era of deepfake and AI-generated content to mislead and disrupt is already in play.

The landscape it is inserted into needs its rules, transparency and safeguards for its users.

The questions asked about digital content and the sources of digital content are no less relevant than those asked about the content and sources at dispatch boxes, newsrooms or billboard ads.

Mr Cleverly said malign actors and criminals would attempt to use generative AI to quickly produce thousands of illicit images or deepfakes, which could then be shared unpunished on encrypted services and with millions on social media within seconds.
More speculation is swirling around U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale's political future, following weekend campaign finance filings and accusations of infidelity made by a high-profile Democrat.

Montana's Eastern District representative memorialized the end of his Senate campaign on Saturday, informing the FEC that he was activating his House campaign committee and candidate status.

Spokeswoman Aashka Varma told Lee Montana newspapers Saturday that there wouldn't be an announcement about Rosendale's future before week's end.

Separately, former North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, now a political pundit, suggested Monday that Rosendale would be resigning soon and ended his U.S. Senate campaign after six days because of an affair.

"Just a little rumor, I think their caucus may lose a member in the next couple of days. Might be the congressman from Montana," said Heitkamp, speaking of the House Republican caucus on the "Talking Feds "podcast. "Just to gossip a little bit, there's a reason why Rosendale backed out of that Senate race. The rumor is that he impregnated a 20-year-old staff person."

Varma said Heitkamp's accusation was false.

"It is 100% false and defamatory and former Sen. Heitkamp will be hearing from our lawyers soon," Varma said. The congressman's chief of staff didn't say whether Rosendale would be resigning.

When Rosendale ended his brief Senate campaign, he indicated that a lack of funds coupled with Donald Trump's endorsement of Republican candidate Tim Sheehy, prompted his decision.

Whether Rosendale's pivot back to a House campaign committee signals a reelection run is unclear, though several Montana news outlets concluded it did. Coverage of Rosendale's political intentions had been breathless for many months leading up to his Senate campaign announcement Feb 9.

In Montana's Eastern House District, eight Republicans had lined up to replace Rosendale by the time he announced for Senate, with several announcing they wouldn't run for House if Rosendale sought reelection. Meanwhile, hardline conservatives hoped for a Rosendale campaign for Senate and a potential rematch of his unsuccessful challenge of Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester.

Every Republican candidate for Rosendale's district told Lee Montana newspapers they now intend to run regardless of what Rosendale does. Likewise, Democratic primary opponents Kevin Hamm and Ming Cabrera were unfazed by Rosendale's unpredictability.

Primary voting begins May 6, in less than 75 days.

Rosendale hasn't registered as a House candidate with Montana's secretary of state, as required to appear on the ballot in 2024. The deadline to do so is March 11. He is no longer listed as a candidate for House or Senate with WinRed, the small donation fundraising account of the Republican Party.
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Rishi Sunak was left squirming as he repeatedly refused to condemn as racist Lee Andersons widely criticised rant about Sadiq Khan being controlled by Islamists.

The prime minister has consistently declined to say whether the Tory former deputy chairs remarks were Islamophobic or anti-Muslim, saying he was suspended only because they were wrong.

And, as Mr Anderson doubled down on the controversial rant, the prime minister also left the door open for his return to the Tory benches.

Sir Keir Starmer ramped up the pressure on the PM, accusing him of lacking the backbone to call out Mr Andersons Islamophobia.

The Labour leader said Mr Sunak is too weak to condemn the former Tory deputy chairmans anti-Muslim rant as racist.

And as Mr Anderson said it would be a sign of weakness to apologise, Mr Sunak continued with his refusal to describe the comments as Islamophobic.

Rishi Sunak made Lee Anderson deputy chair of the Conservative Party (PA)

Appearing on GB News last week, Mr Anderson said Muslim mayor Mr Khan is controlled by Islamists.

He was suspended as a Tory MP after refusing to apologise for the remark, but the prime minister has refused to describe it as racist and ministers have not ruled out restoring the whip to Mr Anderson.

As the fallout from Mr Andersons remarks grew:

A Tory minister said the whip was removed from Mr Anderson because anti-Muslim hatred is wrong

A Labour former minister said Mr Andersons comments led to a torrent of far-right abuse, forcing her to seek extra police support

Mr Anderson said the vast majority of Muslims in the UK are decent, but refused to apologise for his comments

Reform UK appeared to extend an invite for Mr Anderson to join the insurgent right-wing party

Sir Keir said Mr Sunak lacks the backbone to call out Islamophobia after the remarks.

The Labour leader said: I think this is straightforward. Its Islamophobia and the prime minister should call it out for what it is. The reason he wont is because he is so weak.

He added: I dont think anyone can make any excuses for this prime minister and say its all too difficult.

Its very straightforward, he lacks the backbone to call this out for what it is because hes leading a divided party, a chaotic party and its no wonder people have just had enough of this after 14 years, and desperately want change.

Keir Starmer said Rishi Sunak is too weak to call out Lee Andersons Islamophobia (PA)

Asked about Mr Andersons comments during a visit to East Yorkshire, Mr Sunak said: Ive been very clear that what he said was wrong, it was unacceptable, and thats why we suspended the whip.

But, pressed on whether he considered Mr Andersons remarks Islamophobic, the PM simply said: I think the most important thing is that the words were wrong, they were ill-judged, they were unacceptable.

Earlier the PM denied the Conservative party has Islamophobic tendencies.

It came as Mr Anderson sought to row back on his comments, but stopped short of offering an apology over the rant.

He said: If you are wrong, apologising is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.

But when you think you are right, you should never apologise because to do so would be a sign of weakness.

He said he had made comments that some people thought were divisive.

Politics is divisive and I am just incredibly frustrated about the abject failures of the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

He also said: My words may have been clumsy but my words were borne out of sheer frustration at what is happening to our beautiful capital city.

Lee Anderson said his words may have been clumsy after claiming Sadiq Khan is controlled by Islamists (Reuters)

The row erupted last Friday when, discussing pro-Palestinian protests in London, Mr Anderson said: I dont actually believe that the Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is theyve got control of Khan and theyve got control of London Hes actually given our capital city away to his mates.

In a slight climbdown from his initial outburst, Mr Anderson said: The vast majority of our Muslim friends in the UK are decent, hardworking citizens who make an amazing contribution to our society and their religion should not be blamed for the actions of a tiny minority of extremists.

After calling for the Conservatives to tackle the moral rot of anti-Muslim hatred in the party, Mr Khan said it was remarkable the PM had failed to call out Islamophobia directly. The mayor pointed to a statement issued by Mr Sunak which called out rising incidents of prejudice and antisemitism, but neglected to mention anti-Muslim hatred specifically, despite a surge since 7 October last year.

This speaks volumes, Mr Khan said.

Writing in the Evening Standard, Mr Khan added: It shouldnt be hard to call out comments that are so unambiguously ignorant, prejudiced and racist. Yet those at the top of the Conservative Government are stubbornly refusing to do so.

Its a tacit endorsement of anti-Muslim hatred and can only lead to the conclusion that anti-Muslim bigotry and racism are not taken seriously.

Senior Tory Tom Tugendhat came the closest to describing Mr Andersons comments as anti-Muslim and suggesting that is why he was suspended from the party. The home office minister said: The whip was removed immediately because anti-Muslim hatred is wrong.

Meanwhile, a Labour former minister told MPs she had to seek extra police support over the weekend due to receiving far-right abuse following racist, Islamophobic, anti-Muslim hate she said had been partly encouraged by Mr Anderson.

Speaking in the Commons, Dawn Butler said: I have had to seek extra police support this weekend due to the far-right abuse that I have suffered inspired and unleashed in part by the conspiracy theory, the racist, Islamophobic, anti-Muslim hate.

It came as Reform UK appeared to extend an invite for Mr Anderson to join the party after his suspension from the Conservatives.

The former Brexit Party, set up by Nigel Farage, said Mr Anderson speaks for millions who are appalled by what is happening to our country.

Richard Tice, who took over from Mr Farage as Reforms leader, said: Lee Anderson may have been clumsy in his precise choice of words, but his sentiments are supported by millions of British citizens, including myself.

It is widely thought Mr Anderson will consider joining Reform to contest his Ashfield seat at the general election. Mr Farage on Saturday called for Mr Anderson to join the party and take on the Tories.

And on Monday, Mr Tice added: Never has Westminster and the craven left-leaning establishment been so out of touch with ordinary people.

I do not and will not give a running commentary on any discussions I have with any MPs, but those MPs have my number.
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The UKs largest Muslim group has written to the Conservative Party demanding an investigation into claims of structural Islamophobia within its ranks.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said it addressed a letter to Conservative chair, Richard Holden, on Sunday after what it alleged was a week of inflammatory statements and Islamophobia from senior figures in the party.

The body pointed to comments made by the former Tory party deputy chair Lee Anderson, who had the whip suspended after drawing widespread criticism for claiming on Friday that Islamists have got control of London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

It also highlighted remarks made this week by the former home secretary Suella Braverman as well as the former prime minister Liz Truss.

The body pointed to comments made by the former Tory party deputy chair Lee Anderson (PA Wire)

Writing to Mr Holden, Zara Mohammed, secretary general of the MCB, said: Our view is that the Islamophobia in the party is institutional, tolerated by the leadership and seen as acceptable by great swathes of the party membership.

The letter criticised the Tories for removing the whip from Mr Anderson only after he refused to apologise for the anti-Muslim rant on GB News, which Mr Khan said was Islamophobic, racist and poured fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred.

Mr Anderson, who was deputy Tory chairman until last month, said on Saturday: Following a call with the Chief Whip, I understand the difficult position that I have put both he and the Prime Minister in with regard to my comments. I fully accept that they had no option but to suspend the whip in these circumstances.

The MCB condemned Liz Truss for remaining silent as Steve Bannon described the far-rights Tommy Robinson as a hero (PA Wire)

However, speaking to the BBC earlier on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden refused to rule out the possibility of Mr Anderson returning from his suspension.

The MCB also accused Ms Braverman of falling into a well-trodden Islamophobic path in her assertion that Islamists are in charge of Britain in a Daily Telegraph article on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the MCB condemned Ms Truss for remaining silent as Steve Bannon described the far-rights Tommy Robinson as a hero.

It comes as new figures show the number of Islamophobic incidents has skyrocketed since the 7 October attack on Israel by Hamas and the retaliatory Israeli bombardment of Palestine. London charity Islamophobia Response Unit (IRU) said there was a 365 per cent increase in reports of Islamophobia in October.

People inspect the damage to their homes following Israeli air strikes on Tuesday in Rafah, Gaza (Getty Images)

A report earlier this week from Tell Mama  another body that records anti-Muslim hate incidents  found there were 2,010 incidents between 7 October and 7 February, more than triple the 600 reported during the same period the year before.

Rishi Sunak has so far failed to address Mr Andersons comments or surging Islamophobia across Britain, despite speaking publicly about a rise in prejudice and antisemitism.

In a statement on Saturday night, the prime minister highlighted events of recent weeks, including pro-Palestinian protests across the country since the 7 October attacks. The events of recent weeks are but the latest in an emerging pattern which should not be tolerated, Mr Sunak said.

Rishi Sunak has so far failed to address Mr Andersons comments or surging Islamophobia across Britain (PA Wire)

In a statement after Mr Andersons suspension, the prime minister said legitimate protests have been hijacked by extremists and politicians have been verbally threatened and physically, violently targeted.

Sir Keir Starmer said it was right that Mr Anderson was suspended from the party over the appalling racist and Islamophobic outburst. The Labour leader also challenged Mr Sunak over wider Islamophobia in the Conservative Party.

What does it say about the prime minister's judgment that he made Lee Anderson deputy chairman of his party? Sir Keir said.

He added: Whether it is Liz Truss staying silent on Tommy Robinson or Suella Braverman's extreme rhetoric, Rishi Sunak's weakness means Tory MPs can act with impunity.
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Tory peer Baroness Warsi is calling on Rishi Sunak to break his silence over an escalating Islamophobia row and to explicitly condemn anti-Muslim rhetoric within the party.

In comments described as dangerous by senior Tories, the partys former deputy chair Lee Anderson claimed on Friday that Islamists have got control of London Mayor Sadiq Khan. He had the whip suspended the following day after he refused to apologise.

Baroness Warsi, who was a cabinet minister in David Camerons government, urged the prime minister to find the language to call Islamophobia Islamophobia.

Senior Conservatives are calling on Rishi Sunak to break his silence over an escalating Islamophobia row and to explicitly condemn anti-Muslim rhetoric (PA Wire)

She told the Guardian: What is it about the prime minister that he cant even call out anti-Muslim racism and anti-Muslim bigotry? Why cant he just use those words?

Asked if Mr Sunak should make a point of denouncing Mr Andersons comments as Islamophobia, Baroness Warsi said: Of course he should. If you cant call racism racism, if you cant call antisemitism antisemitism, and if you cant call Islamophobia Islamophobia, then how are we going to fix it?

The prime minister has so far failed to address Mr Andersons comments or surging Islamophobia across Britain, despite speaking publicly about a rise in prejudice and antisemitism.

In a statement issued following Mr Andersons suspension, Mr Sunak highlighted events of recent weeks that should not be tolerated, including pro-Palestinian protests held across the country since the 7 October attacks, which have been hijacked by extremists.

Tory peer Sayeeda Warsi, who was a cabinet minister in David Camerons government, urged the prime minister to find the language to call Islamophobia Islamophobia (PA Archive)

Mr Khan described Mr Andersons anti-Muslim rant on GB News as Islamophobic, racist and pouring fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred.

Mr Anderson, who was deputy Tory chairman until last month, said on Saturday: Following a call with the Chief Whip, I understand the difficult position that I have put both he and the Prime Minister in with regard to my comments. I fully accept that they had no option but to suspend the whip in these circumstances.

However, speaking to the BBC on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden refused to rule out the possibility of Mr Anderson returning from his suspension.

Conservative former deputy chair Lee Anderson claimed on Friday that Islamists have got control of London Mayor Sadiq Khan (PA Wire)

Remarks made by the former home secretary Suella Braverman as well as the former prime minister Liz Truss also drew criticism this week. Ms Braverman asserted that Islamists are in charge of Britain in a Daily Telegraph article on Thursday, while Ms Truss remained silent in an interview as Steve Bannon described the far-rights Tommy Robinson as a hero.

Baroness Warsi said: There will always be people who hide behind the word Zionist, people with a long history of antisemitism who use the term Zionist when they actually mean Jews. Its a very disingenuous form of antisemitism. And there are always people with a long history of anti-Muslim racism who will hide behind the word Islamist when they actually mean Muslims.

After what it called a week of inflammatory statements and Islamophobia from senior figures in the party, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) wrote to the Conservative Party on Sunday demanding an investigation into claims of structural Islamophobia within its ranks.

Sir Keir Starmer said it was right that Mr Anderson was suspended from the party over the appalling racist and Islamophobic outburst (PA)

It comes as new figures show the number of Islamophobic incidents has skyrocketed since the 7 October attack on Israel by Hamas and the retaliatory Israeli bombardment of Palestine. London charity Islamophobia Response Unit (IRU) said there was a 365 per cent increase in reports of Islamophobia in October.

A report earlier this week from Tell Mama  another body that records anti-Muslim hate incidents  found there were 2,010 incidents between 7 October and 7 February, more than triple the 600 reported during the same period the year before.

Sir Keir Starmer said it was right that Mr Anderson was suspended from the party over the appalling racist and Islamophobic outburst. The Labour leader also challenged Mr Sunak over wider Islamophobia in the Conservative Party.

What does it say about the prime ministers judgment that he made Lee Anderson deputy chairman of his party? Sir Keir said.

He added: Whether it is Liz Truss staying silent on Tommy Robinson or Suella Bravermans extreme rhetoric, Rishi Sunaks weakness means Tory MPs can act with impunity.
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The speaker has refused to grant the SNP a second debate on a humanitarian ceasefire as the party demanded an investigation into the chaos surrounding the Gaza ceasefire vote last week.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle has said he wont allow a requested emergency debate on Gaza because the government will bring forward a relevant statement tomorrow.

The SNP walked out of the chamber in fury last week after Sir Lindsay selected a Labour amendment to their opposition debate calling for a humanitarian ceasefire.

The speakers refusal to grant another debate on the issue is likely to stoke ire from the SNP, who form part of 70 MPs that signed a so-called early-day motion tabled by a Tory MP declaring no confidence in the speaker.

Shadow digital minister Sir Chris Bryant said he was encouraged by Labour figures to stall parliamentary proceedings last Wednesday ahead of a vote on the SNPs motion calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict.

The disruption was aimed at giving Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer time to convince Sir Lindsay to allow MPs a vote on Labours amendment to the SNP motion.

The SNP accused Labour of using every dirty trick in the Westminster book to wreck the vote.

Under Commons precedent, the Labour amendment would not normally have been put to a vote because the so-called opposition day debate was to be led by the SNP.

Stephen Flynn MP has written to opposition leaders in a bid to get backing for a fresh ceasefire motion (PA)

Sir Lindsay said he eventually allowed Labours amendment so that MPs under intense pressure from constituents over the conflict could vote without fearing for their safety.

But SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has accused him of hijacking the SNPs opposition day debate to favour Labour  his old party.

He has also called for Sir Lindsay to be removed and said the SNP no longer has confidence in the Commons speaker.

Sir Keir has denied threatening Sir Lindsay with removal as speaker after the general election in order to get Labours amendment through.

But on Monday, the SNP demanded a full, independent investigation into why Labour was able to deliberately wreck the SNPs motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

It came after Sir Chris was asked about whether he was put up to filibustering a debate in parliament while Sir Keir was meeting the speaker or whether he took it upon himself.

A bit of both, if Im honest, he told Channel 4.

Sir Chris added: I think the whole day was grubby, and we need a system that doesnt allow people to manipulate the rules to be able to get what they want.

And then, when it was put to him that he had done exactly what he was complaining about, Sir Chris laughed in acceptance.

The SNP said it followed a series of damning revelations over the weekend, including claims Sir Keir used the time bought by Labour filibustering to barge his way uninvited into a meeting with the speaker shortly before Sir Lindsay allowed a vote on the partys amendment.

The partys Cabinet Office spokesperson Kirsty Blackman said: These damning revelations show Sir Keir Starmer pulled every dirty trick in the Westminster book to wreck the SNPs vote on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.

After months of opposing an immediate ceasefire, and even defending Israels right to withhold water and power from Gaza, its shameful that Starmer sought to derail this important debate  with his party filibustering, bullying the speaker, and seeking to water down the motion by removing any mention of the collective punishment of the people in Gaza.

Starmers party has been caught red-handed following the admission by Chris Bryant. There must now be a full, independent investigation into the appalling behaviour of Keir Starmer and his colleagues, who are no better than the Tories when it comes to manipulating the broken Westminster system.

Since the events of last Wednesday, Sir Lindsay has come under pressure amid accusations he helped Sir Keir avoid another damaging revolt over the Middle East issue by selecting Labours amendment.

Tory MP Will Wragg tabled a motion of no confidence in Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle (ITV)

The Commons speaker broke convention to allow a vote on Sir Keir Starmers amendment to an SNP motion, which itself called for an end to the bloody conflict.

Sir Keir had been warned he faced the biggest rebellion of his leadership if MPs were not offered a vote on Labours amendment.

Under significant pressure from constituents, and amid frustration at the Labour Partys approach to the conflict in Gaza, tens of Sir Keirs MPs were prepared to rebel against the leader and back the SNPs calls for a ceasefire.

But, in what his top adviser called a departure from the long-established convention, Sir Lindsay allowed MPs to vote on three motions addressing the conflict, by the SNP, Labour and Rishi Sunaks government.

Labours motion was eventually passed without a vote, while the governments amendment and the original SNP wording were not voted on.
 Close Jeremy Hunt forced to defend Budget impact on low-income earners

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Both the Conservatives and Labour are engaged in a conspiracy of silence about what will happen to the public finances after the election, the head of a leading economic think tank has said.

Responding to the spring Budget, Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said both parties were not being straight about the scale of the trade-offs they will face after voters go to the polls.

They, and we, could be in for a rude awakening when those choices become unavoidable, he told a press conference on Thursday.

Mr Johnson also warned that the UK was facing its most difficult period financially since the Second World War.

The combination of high debt interest payments and low forecast nominal growth means that the next parliament could well prove to be the most difficult of any in 80 years for a chancellor wanting to bring debt down, he said.
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The meaning of the term Islamophobia has come under the spotlight following MP Lee Andersons suspension for an anti-Muslim rant about Sadiq Khan.

The former deputy chairman of the Conservative party lost the party whip after failing to apologise over a widely criticised interview on GB News in which he said Islamists have got control of Mr Khan.

In response, the mayor of London said the comments were Islamophobic, anti-Muslim and racist.

MP Lee Anderson lost the Conservative whip after failing to apologise for claiming Islamists had got control of Sadiq Khan (PA Wire)

The row deepened on Sunday with deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden refusing to say the Ashfield MPs comments were racist. Business minister Nus Ghani and senior Tory backbencher Sir Sajid Javid have been among those in the party to strongly condemn the remarks.

On Monday morning, four days after the controversy began, Rishi Sunak said the comments were wrong but disagreed the Conservative Party had Islamophobic tendencies.

What is Islamophobia?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the definition of Islamophobia is an unreasonable dislike or fear of, and prejudice against, Muslims or Islam.

The United Nations goes a step further in providing a more precise definition of the term.

It states: Islamophobia is a fear, prejudice and hatred of Muslims that leads to provocation, hostility and intolerance by means of threatening, harassment, abuse, incitement and intimidation of Muslims and non-Muslims, both in the online and offline world.

Motivated by institutional, ideological, political and religious hostility that transcends into structural and cultural racism, it targets the symbols and markers of being a Muslim.

The definition goes on to say Islamophobia is a form of racism, whereby Islamic religion, tradition and culture are seen as a threat to western values.

However, the scope and precise definition is a continuing subject of debate. Some scholars dispute it is a form of racism on the grounds that religion is not a race.

How do political parties define it?

Mr Andersons comments have again drawn focus to an ongoing political row over the classification of Islamophobia.

In 2019, the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims produced a working definition in a bid to help tackle the issue while building a common understanding of its cause and consequences.

Its definition read: Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.

Following its publication, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats formally adopted the definition backed by more than 750 British Muslim organisations, 80 academics and 50 MPs.

However, the Conservative Party refused to. At the time, a spokesperson said: Any such approach would need to be considered carefully to ensure that this would have the positive effect intended.

The party stance was highlighted on Sunday, when business secretary Kemi Badenoch said the party used the term anti-Muslim hatred in response to Labour MP Anneliese Dodds call for the Conservatives to adopt the definition.

Ms Badenoch added: The definition of Islamophobia she uses creates a blasphemy law via the back door if adopted.

Combating Islamophobia

Back in 2022, the UN made 15 March the International Day to Combat Islamophobia with at least 140 countries taking part.

The date was chosen as it marked the anniversary of the Christchurch mosque shooting in New Zealand which claimed the lives of 51 people.

There is also a worldwide Islamophobia Awareness Month which takes place in November.

Among the UK organisations to lead on the event was the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) which last year used it to share the experiences of British Muslims.

It came in the same month Home Office figures showed two in five cases of religious hate crime recorded by police in England and Wales were against Muslims in 2021/22.

We have witnessed a troubling surge in Islamophobic rhetoric and attacks, said MCB secretary general Zara Mohammed in November.

Sadiq Khan branded Mr Andersons comments as racist (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Lee Andersons comments

Mr Andersons remarks on GB News sparked outrage on Friday - with the MP stripped of party support on Saturday amid mounting condemnation from across the political divide.

In the interview, he said: I dont actually believe that the Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is theyve got control of Khan and theyve got control of London Hes actually given our capital city away to his mates.

Following his suspension, the MP did not apologise, but said in a statement: Following a call with the chief whip, I understand the difficult position that I have put both he and the prime minister in with regard to my comments. I fully accept that they had no option but to suspend the whip in these circumstances.

He added that he would continue to support the Governments efforts to call out extremism in all its forms - be that anti-semitism or Islamophobia.

What has the reaction been to the remarks?

Among the first to respond was Mr Khan who strongly condemned Mr Andersons comments, describing them as Islamophobic, anti Muslim and racist.

He went on to question why Mr Sunak and his cabinet members were not calling this out or condemning this. He added: Its like theyre complicit in this sort of racism. And I think the message it sends is, Muslims are fair game.

On Sunday, deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden said he disagreed with the language used, but did not believe the Ashfield MP had been intending to be Islamophobic. He said the MP had used the wrong words.

However, Baroness Warsi, who was a minister in now-foreign secretary Lord Camerons government, said Mr Sunak needed to find the language to explicitly call racism racism.

Sir Robert Buckland, a former justice secretary, suggested Mr Andersons remarks were repugnant and racist in an interview with BBC Radio 4.

Also on Sunday, the MCB wrote to the chairman of the Conservative Party demanding an investigation into structural Islamophobia in the party.

A Conservative spokesperson said: An investigation and subsequent independent review, both conducted over several years by Professor Swaran Singh, found no evidence of institutional racism in the Conservative Party.
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A US Air Force member who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington DC, in protest at the Israel-Hamas war, has died, a US official said.

The confirmation came a day after the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in DC responded to calls about the man setting himself ablaze outside the embassy.

The man, who is identified as 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell of Whitman, Massachusetts, filmed himself and live-streamed it onto the social media platform, Twitch, claiming he was acting to no longer be complicit in genocide.

Although Secret Service officials successfully extinguished the fire that engulfed Bushnell, he suffered life-threatening injuries and later died at a local hospital, the MPD told The Independent.

The US Air Force also confirmed the mans death with The Independent, saying he was an active duty airman serving as a cyber defence operations specialist with the 531st Intelligence Support Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland, Texas. He had been serving since May 2020.

When a tragedy like this occurs, every member of the Air Force feels it, Air Force Col Celina Noyes, 70th ISRW commander, said in a statement. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Senior Airman Bushnell. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and we ask that you respect their privacy during this difficult time.

The MPD is working with the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to investigate the incident.

The tragic event occurred amid growing international tensions caused by the Israel-Hamas conflict. As the war in Gaza continues, millions of Palestinians face a humanitarian crisis, with a lack of basics including water, food, shelter and medical aid. More than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of the war, according to the local health ministry.

Protests around the world have grown as the war continues, with more and more people calling for a ceasefire to end the conflict.

Israel, meanwhile, has denied allegations it is carrying out genocide, claiming its actions are in line with international law.

Although Bushnells video has been removed, in military uniform he appeared to pour clear liquid from a metal bottle onto his head and shout Free Palestine! while setting himself alight.

This is the second instance of self-immolation outside an official Israeli building as a result of the war. In December, a protester set themself on fire at the Israeli consulate in Atlanta, Georgia.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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A woman who is suing Texas after being denied an abortion in the state is now planning to move her frozen embryos, in light of Alabamas ruling about in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments.

This week, the Alabama Supreme Court defined frozen embryos as unborn children in a shock ruling that prompted at least three clinics in the state to stop providing IVF treatments.

Amanda Zurawski told NBC News that, following Alabamas ruling, she is fearful that Texas will follow suit  and so is seeking to move her frozen embryos out of the state.

Ms Zurawski, who almost died after being denied an abortion in Texas, said she doesnt want her frozen embryos in a state where a similar ruling could very likely take place.

She added: Everything about IVF is very anxiety-inducing. Its very scary. Its very difficult and rulings like this one in Alabama are just adding another layer of fear and anxiety.

She expressed fear that Alabamas ruling  which the American Society of Reproductive Medicine described as a medically and scientifically unfounded decision  could lead to a snowball effect in other states.

Amanda Zurawski (AFP via Getty Images)

The process to remove her frozen embryos from Texas to another state is expensive, she said, adding that  its not an option for everyone.

Ms Zurawski declined to say where she is moving the embryos to, due to safety concerns for her and her family and anyone who could be involved in our family planning.

Ms Zurawski is not unfamiliar with governmental involvement in family planning, as she is the lead plaintiff in a landmark case  along with doctors and other women who have been denied abortions  which is asking the state to clarify medical exceptions for its extreme abortion ban.

In August 2022, at 18 weeks pregnant, doctors refused to provide the procedure, despite major complications in her pregnancy, because they could still detect foetal cardiac activity. Days later, she developed sepsis. Doctors then performed an emergency abortion, which landed her in the ICU for three more days.

The infection caused one of her fallopian tubes to permanently close. Her doctors advised against her trying to carry a baby again, so she has since pursued IVF treatments.

Its absolutely terrifying, Ms Zurawski told NBC News. But its also so infuriating because the same people who support the bans that nearly killed me are also in the same camp, who are now trying to make it harder for people like me to have a family.

Ms Zurawski previously testified before Congress, calling out her two state Senators, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, saying: I nearly died on their watch. The two lawmakers were not in the room to hear her testimony.
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Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has denied inciting a coup after losing the presidential election in October 2022.

The far-right leader told hundreds of thousands of supporters at a rally on Sunday that the allegations against him were a "lie" as he flexed his political muscle to hit out against the ruling government.

Supporters of Mr Bolsonaro thronged Brazil's biggest city on Sunday, donning the colours of the Brazilian flag, to defend the former president against legal challenges that could send him to jail.

Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro thronged streets of Sao Pa ulo (AP)

"What is a coup? Tanks in the streets, weapons, conspiracy. None of that happened in Brazil," Mr Bolsonaro told an estimated crowd of 185,000 people that filled blocks of Sao Paulo.

Mr Bolsonaro waved an Israeli flag along with his supporters in a show of defiance to the current president.

He is seeking to show his base is resilient amid a federal investigation over his alleged role in the 8 January 2023 attacks on government buildings by his supporters over his election loss, an incident widely compared at the time to the 6 January attack on the US Capitol. Mr Bolsonaro has himself drawn comparisons with the former US president Donald Trump.

Mr Bolsonaro has been barred from running for office until 2030 due to two convictions of abuse of power, but he remains active as the main opposition leader.

He has also had his passport seized by law enforcement and his inner circle, including his son, investigated.

"We cannot accept that an authority can eliminate whoever it may be from the political scene, unless it is for a fair reason," the 68-year-old former army officer said.

He called for an amnesty for "those poor wretched souls who are imprisoned in Brasilia" after the attack on the presidential palace.

"What I seek is pacification, it is erasing the past," he said, adding: "We ask all 513 congressmen, 81 senators for a bill of amnesty so justice can be made in Brazil."

Protesters, supporters of Brazils former President Jair Bolsonaro, storm the Supreme Court building in Brasili (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Some of Mr Bolsonaro's allies aiming to challenge president Lula da Silva in the 2026 elections also attended, including influential governors Tarcisio de Freitas of Sao Paulo state and Romeu Zema of Minas Gerais state. But other key politicians and business executives who aligned with him during his 2019-2022 presidency did not show up.

Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo, predicted the pro-Bolsonaro event would not help the former president's legal situation.

"The fact that Bolsonaro doesn't yield any power now reduces what he can do. Beforehand, we feared he could use the force of the armed forces. Now that is ruled out," Mr Melo told the Associated Press. "This new reality does not favour him with unpredictability and drama."

The event showed, though, that Bolsonaro's message still resonates with many Brazilians, some of whom evidently favour any coup attempt that would put him in charge. One man paraded wearing a military hat and shouted: "Brazil, nation, hail our forces. The armed forces didn't sleep!"

Federal investigators on 8 February launched "Operation Tempus Veritatis", which translates to 'Hour of Truth" in Latin, in which police carried out dozens of searches and arrested Mr Bolsonaro's allies.

Last Thursday, Mr Bolsonaro denied allegations and refused to answer questions during a half-hour interrogation at federal police headquarters in Brasilia.
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Two American citizens are presumed by police to be dead and disposed of after their boat was allegedly hijacked by three prison escapees in the Caribbean, with a red substance that resembled blood seen onboard.

Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, identified by the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, left Virginia in 2023 to embark on a sailing journey on their vessel Simplicity to spend the winter cruising the eastern Caribbean.

Superintendent Junior Simmons, the head of the public relations department at the RSVG Police Force, who is working with the Royal Grenada Police Force in this ongoing investigation, said during a press conference that three escaped prisoners hijacked a yacht named Simplicity in Grenada.

The three men, who are also suspects, Ron Mitchell, Trevon Robertson, and Atiba Stanislaus, were arrested and charged jointly with one count of robbery with violence in December. Mitchell was also charged separately with one count of rape, three counts of attempted rape and two counts of indecent assault and causing harm, the Royal Grenada Police Force also said in a press release.

The three men were kept in a holding cell at the South St George Police Station in Grenada, but on 18 February, they escaped custody.

The RSVG Police Force said that they believe the three suspects kidnapped the couple and that while sailing from Grenada, the suspects committed several criminal acts, including bodily harm to the couple.

A manhunt was immediately launched and the SVD Coast Guard and the crime scene unit went to the location where the yacht was found.

A red substance that resembled blood was seen on board, Mr Simmons said, along with several items strewn on the deck and in the cabin.

The three men were recaptured after allegedly taking a yacht to St Vincent and the Grenadines (RSVG Police Force)

After the scene was processed, they found it to be consistent with signs of violence, although no bodies were found onboard the yacht.

The Regional Security System and the Grenadian and Vincentian Coast Guards are both conducting air and maritime patrols and surveillance across both island borders, but no bodies have been found. They have been presumed deceased by police.

Royal Grenada Police Force Commissioner Don McKenzie also said during a news conference on Monday that the information suggests the suspects likely disposed of the occupants while travelling.

On 22 February, the suspects were apprehended by the police and appeared at a magistrate court on Monday on four counts each on immigration-related charges.

They pleaded guilty and are remanded in custody for sentencing on 4 March. Mr Simmons also added that they were cooperating with the ongoing investigation.

Suellen Desmarais, the sister of missing Mr Hendry, told WPTV that the couples whole life was on their boat Simplicity; they didnt own a home or cars and they usually spent their winters on their boat in Fort Pierce visiting family and friends.

However, this year, they skipped this trip to go on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in the Caribbean, leaving with a boating group from Virginia back in November 2023.

The couple are members of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, a nonprofit educational organisation for sailors. It was the Salty Dawg executive director Tatja Hopman who was notified by a cruising skipper on Wednesday that a members yacht, Simplicity, was anchored and abandoned off a beach on the south coast of St Vincent in the Caribbean.

The good Samaritan boarded the abandoned boat and did not find the owners, Mr Hendry and Ms Brandel, onboard, but did find evidence of apparent violence, they said in a statement.

In a statement from the missing couples family on Saturday, they expressed their gratitude to the cruise community for gathering information and providing search and rescue support but have asked them to stand down, letting authorities handle the case.

The only way we feel this situation could be worse would be if anyone was hurt or endangered trying to conduct searches, the family statement said.

US State Department told CNN that it is aware of these reports involving US citizens. We are monitoring the situation and seeking additional information.
A donation of 23.36 acres adjacent to Missouri Headwaters State Park near Three Forks was approved by the Montana State Parks and Recreation Board on Monday.

The board voted unanimously to accept the land, which was purchased by the Montana State Parks Foundation utilizing funds from a $930,000 grant provided by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust and facilitated by Montanas Outdoor Legacy Foundation.

During title work, the foundation discovered the acreage used for the original appraisal in November was incorrect, shrinking the total by almost four acres. Signifying the volatility of the land market in Gallatin Valley, however, a reappraisal for the lesser acreage only a month later increased the lands value to $1.05 million.

The property owners, Frank and Opal Hart, agreed to sell the land at the original appraised price and donate the difference of $120,000 in value to the foundation, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks decision notice.

Bill Schenk, Lands Program manager for FWP, said his department had been working on the acquisition for some time. The values of the property he cited included the possibility of extending trails from the existing park onto the adjoining land, a spring creek on the property as well as some historic buildings from a settlement dating back to the 1860s.

He estimated it would cost about $33,000 for the department to reimburse the foundation for appraisal and closing costs, as well as a hazardous materials survey.

A home on the property will be removed, which could be at no cost to the department, FWP Director Dustin Temple said. Removing interior fencing on the property, ensuring the outer boundary fence is in good condition and treating weeds can be accomplished within the departments existing budget, he added.

Linnaea Schroeer, Region 3 park management specialist, said additional tasks including the removal of piles of tires, old boats and trailers could be done during a spring cleanup. If the work is conducted as planned, she predicted the new property could be open to the public as soon as this fall.

FWP received 75 public comments generally documenting strong public support for the acquisition, according to the decision notice. The commenters cited reasons such as protecting the area from development, spreading out visitors at the park and the opportunity to restore the spring creeks fishery.

Parks Board member Jody Loomis, of Helena, urged the board to accept the donation. He pointed to a recent land sale near town that blocked access to two popular trails as a possible downside to passing on the Missouri Headwaters addition.

The fear or concern of what could happen if this property went to market is real, he said.

Because the property is valued at more than $1 million the acquisition will still need to be approved by the State Land Board, comprised of the states top five elected officials. The boards next meeting is on March 18.

Thank you guys, Parks Board chairman Russ Kipp said following the vote. This is a wonderful thing.

Montana State Parks has completed the first phase of a new master plan for Missouri Headwaters State Park.

"Were working with an internal planning team to advance the other portions of the plan, including a development plan, as is called for in the master plan," said Greg Lemon, FWP Communication & Education Division administrator.
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A desperate search is currently under way for a missing three-year-old boy in Wisconsin after his mother allegedly sent him to her partners house for disciplinary reasons.

Elijah Vue was last seen at around 8am on the morning of 20 February in Two Rivers, a town on the edge of Lake Michigan.

Nearly three hours later, Two Rivers Police Department got a call from a caregiver reporting the boy as missing from the 3900 block of Mishicot Road.

Now, Elijahs mother Katrina Baur, 31, is due in court on Monday facing three charges over his disappearance: one count of child neglect and two counts of resisting or obstructing an officer.

Her partner 39-year-old Jesse Vang  who Elijah was staying with at the time  is also charged with child neglect.

Ms Baur had reportedly sent Elijah to Mr Vangs house, some 150 miles from their home in Wisconsin Dells, at least a week before his disappearance, for disciplinary reasons.

According to court documents seen by NBC 26, Mr Vang told officers he had fallen asleep and when he woke up the boy had disappeared.

Elijah had been staying with his mothers partner to correct his bad behaviours, the documents said. Ms Baur told officers that she wanted Mr Vang to teach her son how to be a man.

Mr Vangs methods allegedly included subjecting the three-year-old to time outs, such as being forced to stand for one to three hours and being forced to take a cold shower after he dirtied his diaper.

Police say Elijah Vue may have been carrying this blanket when he disappeared on 20 February 2024 (Two Rivers Police Department)

Ms Baur lives in Wisconsin Dells, according to local reports, and had not been present during the disciplinary actions carried out by Mr Vang.

However, when Ms Baur and Mr Vang appeared in court on Friday, Manitowoc County District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre said that Elijahs mother was aware of the tactics used and the lack of care provided by her friend.

This was an intentional thing by her, he told the court.

The District Attorney added that she had lied about her whereabouts at least twice during interviews.

Mr Vang is a convicted felon, having served time most recently for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was also convicted of child abuse around 20 years ago, according to documents seen by The Independent.

Two Rivers Police Department, other law enforcement authorities including the FBI and many local volunteers have spent nearly a week looking for the little boy, who weighs 45 pounds, has sandy brown hair and brown eyes, and has a birthmark on his left knee.

He may have been carrying a red and white plaid blanket, which appeared in one of the photos shared by cops.

On Sunday, the police department said dive teams were searching rivers around the town, while officers were also keeping up efforts around residential neighbourhoods.

Meanwhile, Elijahs relatives  who told local media that they had not seen the three-year-old since he was around six months old  and volunteers from the community have also been organising searches in the area.

One local woman told ABC 2 News that she had searched caves, beaches and neighbourhoods, looking for Elijah.

Were all out here for the same reason, to find that little boy, Maria Wright told the outlet. When you see everybody you know that we are a team. Your community is one big team. Were going to keep on and the search is going to go on and on until we find this little boy.

However, some have appeared to try to exploit the pain being felt by Elijahs family and the Two Rivers community, with police issuing a warning on Saturday afternoon.

Elijah has not been located. We are aware of at least one fake video circulating social media that shows the recovery of a minor by officers, the department said on Facebook. Again, beware of scams seeking your money and personal information, but also those now looking to take advantage of this unfortunate incident.

The Two Rivers Police Department is your source for facts regarding this case, and we will continue to update the community as we are able and as timely as we can.

The department suggested fraudsters had been trying to seek out cash from those wanting to donate to the search efforts.

Anyone with information about Elijahs whereabouts or the case is being asked to call the tip line at 844-267-6648, submit information via the app P3 or call Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers at 920-683-4466.

Callers with information leading to the location of Elijah, or arrest of anyone involved in or responsible for his disappearance could receive a reward of up to $1,000 through Crime Stoppers.
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Family members of a murdered nursing student are honouring her memory as some Republican political leaders seek to tie her death to President Joe Bidens immigration policies.

Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at the Augusta University College of Nursing, was found dead on the University of Georgia campus 22 February after going for a jog. In the days since her death, her family has issued a statement honouring her memory.

We wish to thank the public for their prayers and thoughts during this tragic time, the familys statement read. Laken was an amazing daughter, sister, friend and overall person in general. Her love for the Lord was exemplified in every aspect of her life. She will be missed every day, but we promise to honor her life moving forward in a very big way.

Ms Rileys family has launched a GoFundMe in her memory.

During this most difficult time, we ask that you respect our privacy, and provide us the time and space necessary to grieve our daughters life that was tragically cut short, the statement continued.

Police have a suspect in custody: 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra. He has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping and other charges related to Ms Rileys death.

Laken Hope Riley was found dead on the University of Georgia campus (AP)

Mr Ibarra does not have an extensive criminal history, University of Georgia Police Chief Jeff Clark said on Friday, and there is no evidence he previously knew Ms Riley. Mr Ibarra, who is not a US citizen, migrated from Venezuela to the US in 2022. While crossing into El Paso, Texas, he was arrested by border patrol agents before entering the country with temporary permission.

He appeared in court on Saturday charged with felony murder and kidnapping and was ordered held without bond,.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, pictured, has been charged in connection with the death of Laken Riley (Clarke County Sheriffs Office)

Mr Ibarras brother was also charged on Friday with possessing a fraudulent green card, CNN reports.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, called on President Biden to take action on immigration after learning that Mr Ibarra migrated.

For more than two years, weve demanded action to secure our southern border and answers from the White House about whos coming into our country, Mr Kemp wrote on X. Weve yet to get an answer, weve yet to see action, and now a tragedy has happened. We need answers, and we need action, from Joe Biden and the White House NOW.

Mr Kemp has long advocated stricter immigration policies and opposed Mr Biden. Last year, the Republican pledged to help Texas Governor Greg Abbotts efforts to suppress US-Mexico border crossings, the Associated Press reported.

Mike Johnson, Speaker of the US House of Representatives and a staunch opponent of Mr Biden, also used the tragedy to speak about immigration policy.

The brutal murderer who took the life of Laken was one of the millions of illegal aliens that the Biden Administration simply released and unleashed upon our country, Mr Johnson, a Republican, wrote on X. For Laken, and the countless many others lost to this border catastrophe, House Republicans will continue to fight tooth and nail for a return to law and order.

It is a widespread myth that those who migrate to the US are more likely to commit crimes  a recent study from the Pew Research Center revealed 57 per cent of Americans believe the large number of migrants seeking to enter the country leads to more crime.

But there is no evidence to suggest people who migrate to the US, including those who are undocumented, commit more crimes than those born in America. In fact, between 2012 and 2018, undocumented migrants in Texas were less than half as likely to commit violent crimes than those born in the US, according to a widely cited, peer-reviewed study from 2020.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson has made stricter immigration policies the hallmark of his time as House Speaker.

Earlier this year, three US Senators unveiled a bipartisan agreement to restrict immigration and put in place additional border security resources in exchange for aid to Ukraine and Israel.

Then, US House Republican leadership  including House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik  put out a joint statement saying the bill was DEAD on arrival.

But what they produced for us right now really isnt a border security bill, Mr Johnson told reporters at the time. Its an immigration bill.
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Remote workers should be sure to invest in some headphones and private workspaces after a Texas man pleaded guilty to insider trading after listening to his wifes work calls.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Tyler Loudon of Houston with insider trading last week, alleging he made $1.76m in illegal profits, according to the complaint. The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to insider trading, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Texas, agreeing to forfeit his profits.

His sentencing is scheduled for May  he faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

Officials with the SEC wrote that last year, Loudon learned from his wifes work calls that the company she worked for, BP, would be acquiring TravelCenters of America (TA), a truck stop and travel centre in Ohio. The complaint says Loudon purchased several TA stocks and sold them just after the acquisition was announced.

The couple sometimes worked within 20 feet of each other, the complaint said, allowing Loudon to hear his wifes work calls. His wife also admitted to discussing aspects of the merger with her husband  however, Loudon knew, or was severely reckless in not knowing the information was confidential, according to the complaint.

Loudons wife wasnt aware of his actions until he confessed to her in April 2023, the SEC said in the complaint. She then reported the incident to BP. After reviewing her correspondence and finding no evidence she participated in or knew about his alleged activity, BP nonetheless terminated her employment, the complaint read.

They are now in the middle of divorce proceedings, per the complaint.

As Loudon was brokering a plea deal, a federal jury convicted a medical device company executive of insider trading.

Doron Tavlin was the vice president for business development at Mazor Robotics Minneapolis office in 2018 when he engaged in insider trading, prosecutors say, earning a profit of $500,000 for himself and another person. His accomplice, Afshin Farahan, pleaded guilty to an insider trading charge in 2022.

When contacted regarding the termination of Loudons wife, BP told The Independent they typically do not comment on personnel matters.
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On the morning of 22 February, 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley set off on her regular morning jog around the University of Georgia campus. She never returned.

Her disappearance set off a desperate search to find her and bring her home safe  a search that came to a tragic end late that day when her beaten body was found along her running route.

Now, Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, is behind bars charged with Rileys murder.

Mr Ibarra, who comes from Venezuela and is not a US citizen, has no known connection to the student and no known violent criminal history. Instead, police are describing Rileys violent death as a crime of opportunity.

As the investigation continues, Mr Ibarras status as a non-US citizen has already sparked conflicting reports from law enforcement agencies about his criminal past on American soil  and has also spurred Republican lawmakers to seize on the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the hour to push offensive theories about migrants online.

Heres what we do know so far about the murder suspect:

Who is Jose Antonio Ibarra?

ICE records show that Mr Ibarra is a 26-year-old Venezuelan migrant.

While the investigation into Rileys death is still ongoing, UGA Police Chief Jeff Clark said that it appears to be a solo act and that the suspect and victim did not know each another prior to the alleged attack.

This was a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual, and bad things happened, Chief Clark said in a press conference.

Mr Ibarra appears to have first entered the US almost 18 months ago.

Back on 8 September 2022, Customs and Border Protection officials encountered Mr Ibarra after he crossed the USs southern border with Mexico near El Paso, Texas, ICE officials told ABC7 in a statement.

He was paroled and released for further processing, officials said.

The agency also said that Mr Ibarra had been arrested by the New York Police Department on 14 September 2023 and was charged with acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation.

New York officials then released him before a detainer could be issued, ICE said.

However, the NYPD toldThe Independent that the department has no record of Mr Ibarras arrest on file  and so could not confirm whether this account was correct.

The Independent has also contacted ICE for more information.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, has been charged with malice murder and felony murder in connection with the death of Laken Riley (Clarke County Sheriffs Office)

What charges is the suspect facing?

Athens-Clarke County jail records show that Mr Ibarra was charged on Friday 23 February with malice murder, felony murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping and other charges.

Newly filed affidavits unveiled gruesome details, accusing Ibarra of disfiguring her skull in support of the aggravated battery charge. The filing also claimed that Ibarra used an object to harm her and dragged her body to a secluded area.

He is being held in custody in Georgia where he was denied bail.

Following his arrest in Georgia, ICE also lodged a detainer on him.

Mr Ibarras brother Diego Jose Ibarra was also arrested for possessing a fraudulent green card, arrest records show.

Immigration status becomes a right-wing rallying cry

Rileys murder  and the immigration status of the man charged with it  has become a rallying cry for some prominent Republicans to blame migrants for crime in America and blast the Biden administration for its handling of the situation at the southern border.

Laken Rileys tragic death struck the hearts of Georgians everywhere and has sparked national outrage, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said in a post on X.

Joe Bidens failed policies have turned every state into a border state, and Im demanding information from him so we can protect our people when the federal government wont!

After saying that Mr Ibarra illegally entered the country, Tennessee Sen Marsha Blackburn wrote: The disastrous policies and negligence of the Biden administration is putting American lives at risk!

Failed Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis also chimed in, reacting to ICEs statement: The combination of open borders and sanctuary and soft-on-crime policies is deadly. The illegal alien who murdered Laken Riley had recently been arrested in NY  and then released.

The brutal murderer who took the life of Laken was one of the millions of illegal aliens that the Biden Administration simply released and unleashed upon our country, House Speaker Mike Johnson said on X. The brutal murderer who took the life of Laken was one of the millions of illegal aliens that the Biden Administration simply released and unleashed upon our country.

It is a widespread myth that those who migrate to the US are more likely to commit crimes  a recent study from the Pew Research Center revealed 57 per cent of Americans believe the large number of migrants seeking to enter the country leads to more crime.

But there is no evidence to suggest people who migrate to the US, including those who are undocumented, commit more crimes than those born in America. In fact, between 2012 and 2018, undocumented migrants in Texas were less than half as likely to commit violent crimes than those born in the US, according to a widely cited, peer-reviewed study from 2020.

As of Monday, President Joe Biden has yet to make a comment on Rileys murder.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, Homeland Security Sec Alejandro Mayorkas was impeached by the House, accusing him of willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law by allowing the release of migrants awaiting legal proceedings and breaching public trust when he told lawmakers the southern border was secure.

What happened to Laken Riley?

The 22-year-old Augusta University College of Nursing student was reported missing on Thursday after she set off for a morning jog at the University of Georgias intramural fields.

When Riley failed to return home for several hours, her concerned roommate called the police around noon.

Less than 40 minutes later, search teams located Riley in an area behind Lake Herrick. She was unconscious, not breathing and with visible injuries, police said.

The Athens-Clarke County Coroners Office and Morgue said that a preliminary autopsy found she died from blunt force trauma to the head. Affidavits narrowed down the time frame of the incident to happening between 9am and 1pm on 22 February.

In a press conference on Thursday night, Chief Clark underscored the rarity of her killing, saying there had not been a homicide on campus in the last 20 years.

Laken Riley (Supplied)

The police chief vowed that were not going to leave any rock unturned in this investigation, as the campus police, Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation work together in the case.

A GoFundMe page set up for Riley and her grieving family has garnered more than $118,000 in three days. The money will assist her family with funeral expenses, help establish a scholarship in her name, and raise homicide awareness, according to the fundraiser.
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An Amber Alert went out in the Wisconsin town of Two Rivers warning that a little boy had gone missing and police needed the communitys help.

More than two weeks on from the 20 February alert, the town is still searching for Elijah Vue, while his mother and a male acquaintance are in jail, facing child neglect charges.

Heres everything we know so far about the case:

What happened to Elijah Vue?

Three-year-old Elijah Vue was last seen at around 8am on 20 February on the 3900 block of Michicot Road in Two Rivers, a town on the shore of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin.

Two Rivers Police Department said they received a call at 10.59am from the adult caregiver, who later turned out to be his mothers partner Jesse Vang  reporting the boy as missing.

Elijah, from Wisconsin Dells around 150 miles away, had been sent by his mother Katrina Baur to stay with Mr Vang for disciplinary reasons, Two Rivers authorities said.

Elijah Vue's family plead for help in finding him

In court documents seen by NBC 26, police said that Ms Baur told them she had sent her son to Mr Vang so he could teach the boy how to be a man.

Mr Vang allegedly used tactics including time outs where Elijah had to stand up for one to three hours, or was forced to take cold showers.

At the time of his disappearance, Elijah was said to be wearing grey pants, a dark-coloured long-sleeve shirt and red-and-green dinosaur slip-on shoes.

Elijah Vue, 3, was last seen in Two Rivers Wisconsin on 20 February 2024 (Two Rivers Police Department)

Investigators urged the public to be on the lookout for the little boy who is described as being of Hmong and white ethnicity, about three feet tall and having brown hair and brown eyes. He has a birthmark on his left knee.

Police are also looking for signs of his red and white plaid blanket, which he may have been carrying that morning.

Elijah Vues mother and boyfriend arrested

One day after after Eijahs disappearance, his mother Katrina Baur, 31, was arrested and charged with party-to-a-crime child neglect.

She reportedly changed her story on her whereabouts at least twice while being interviewed by investigators and was then hit with two further charges of obstruction on Monday, 26 February.

On 7 March, Ms Baur appeared in court and her appeal to have her $15,000 bond revoked was denied by the judge after he heard a statement from her mother asking that her daughter not be allowed to go free.

I dont feel its worth the risk to lower her bond, especially as [Elijah] has not been found and many questions remain unanswered, the statement, read by District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre, said.

The DA announced updated charges at the hearing, replacing the original child neglect charge to chronic child neglect and adding another child neglect charge relating to a six-year-old girl on 14 February.

Jesse Vang, 39, was arrested a few hours after Elijah disappeared and was charged with child neglect. He reportedly has a history of other criminal offences, including child abuse and is being held on a $20,000 bond.

The pair have so far appeared in court three times: on Friday 23 and Monday 26 February, and then THursday 7 March.

Their preliminary hearing took place on 14 March an Manitowoc County Court. A judge ruled that Ms Baur till go to trial. Mr Vang requested a speedy trial and a court-appointed attorney.

Ms Baurs arraignment is set for 22 March.

Local reports suggested that Elijahs father has also been in prison for some time.

The Vue family, who said they had not had contact with the boy since he was a baby, have been heavily involved in the search efforts for him.

The search for Elijah

Multiple law enforcement agencies including the Two Rivers Police Department, the FBI, the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigations, the Manitowoc Police Department, the Manitowoc County Sheriffs Office and the Sheboygan County Sheriffs Office are involved in the search for the little boy.

Dive teams are combing through nearby waterways while investigators have also turned their attention to a landfill site in Two Rivers over the last few days.

Two Rivers Police Department chief Ben Meinnert said on Tuesday 27 February that his officers were continuing to follow up on every lead in their attempt to bring Elijah home safely. He would not comment on specific case details, including whether the department was treating this as an abduction.

A large number of local volunteers  including Elijahs relatives  have also joined in the search over the past week.

On Tuesday 27 February, one of Elijahs relatives told reporters that the family was burdened by an unimaginable situation.

The pain is indescribable, she said. We cannot express our sorrow or the desperation that consumes us.

To anyone with information on Elijahs whereabouts, we plead with you to please come forward.

She said every piece of information would bring them one step closer to bringing Elijah back to his family.

Police officers and volunteers are knocking door to door, searching local rivers and using drones and dogs as part of the search.

Were all out here for the same reason, to find that little boy, local Maria Wright told ABC 2 News.

When you see everybody you know that we are a team. Your community is one big team. Were going to keep on and the search is going to go on and on until we find this little boy.

Locals have been asked to check anywhere a small child might hide, climb or fall, and to look for any items on their property which dont belong to them, such as Elijahs blanket or shoes.

Law enforcement pleas for help in finding Elijah

In an update on Tuesday 27 February, the FBI said it was offering a $15,000 reward for information which leads them to Elijah.

As of Tuesday 5 March, Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers is now offering $10,000 for the same information or leads to the arrest of those responsible for his disappearance. That was an increase from the original $1,000 proposed by the organisation.

Two Rivers Police Chief Ben Meinnert said in a Facebook update on Saturday 24 February that locating Elijah and reuniting him with his family continues to be our top priority, something he has repeated in multiple updates on the search.

The police department has also issued multiple warnings about scams related to Elijahs disappearance, including a video appearing to show police finding the boy.

This was fake, Chief Meinnert said, and Elijah remains missing as of Friday 1 March.

Again, beware of scams seeking your money and personal information, but also those now looking to take advantage of this unfortunate incident, the chief added, referring to reports of residents being called by scammers asking for money to help with the search.

Anyone with information on the case can call 844-267-6648 or submit information via the local Crime Stoppers app P3.

Photos released of car connected to Elijahs disappearance

As the search for Elijah Vue entered its third week in Wisconsin, police were asking for help in piecing together the movements of a car the day before the three-year-old vanished.

Two Rivers Police Department shared photos of the beige 1997 Nissan Altima on Monday 4 March, saying law enforcement was in possession of the vehicle.

We are requesting homeowners and businesses to review their surveillance camera footage captured on February 19, 2024 between the hours of 2:00 PM - 9:00 PM, the department said on Facebook.

Due to the duration of the hours requested to be reviewed, we are asking the public beyond the greater Two Rivers area and adjacent counties to review their videos as well.

It was not immediately clear who the car may have belonged to, with the department only sharing that the registration plate started with A and ended with 0.

Locals raised concerns about their ability to help when many doorbell cameras only store data going back five days.
 Close Related video: Fatal Rust shooting goes to trial

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Rust prop master Sarah Zachry testified during the trial and admitted to a defence attorney that she had previously voiced a desire to both fire Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and  after the shooting of Halyna Hutchins  see her sent to prison.

After the cross-exam, Ms Zachry told the prosection that the armourer was not easy to work with and confirmed that Gutierrez-Reed had called her a c***, which the prosecution argued is likely why Ms Zachry wanted to fire her.

Gutierrez-Reed is facing involuntary manslaughter charges in the fatal shooting of Ms Hutchins. Actor and producer Alec Baldwin is also facing involuntary manslaughter charges related to the shooting. His trial will begin on 9 July.

The prosecution seeks to prove that Gutierrez-Reed was negligent in her duties on set and that proper protocol was in place during the investigation of the shooting. The state claims the armourer was sloppy and had left guns unattended on the set.

Gutierrez-Reed is also facing an evidence tampering charge for allegedly asking a friend to hide cocaine for her while police were investigating the shooting.

Gutierrez-Reed faces up to three years in prison if she is convicted.
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A convicted felon and notorious fraudster interviewed by House investigators as part of the Republican-led impeachment probe into President Joe Biden has become the latest in a growing string of witnesses to pour cold water on claims of corruption.

Last week, the probe shifted its focus from Washington to Federal Prison Camp Montgomery in Alabama, where House investigators travelled to interview Jason Galanis, known there as Inmate 80739-198.

There, as The Independent previously reported, they sought to question him about business activities he had participated in with fellow convicted criminal Devon Archer  a former business partner of Mr Bidens son, Hunter Biden.

A source familiar with the outcome of the transcribed interview told The Independent that the jailhouse interview turned up nothing in the way of incriminating evidence or testimony linking the president to his sons activities.

Specifically, the source said that Galanis said under oath that Mr Biden never held any role with any business entity connected to his son.

He also told investigators that he had no knowledge of Mr Biden undertaking any official action to benefit the business venture in which Galanis, Archer and Hunter Biden were involved.

The source also said Galanis admitted to investigators that Mr Bidens name was nowhere to be found in any of the documents he and his lawyer, former Trump White House official Mark Paoletta, provided to the House committees.

Its unclear how Galanis is connected with Mr Paoletta, who serves as an unofficial spokesperson for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and represented Mr Thomas wife, right-wing activist Ginni Thomas, when she appeared before the House January 6 select committee.

But The Independent has learned that Mr Paoletta repeatedly interrupted investigators to instruct Galanis not to answer any questions on the matter.

Galanis, who is serving a 14-year prison sentence for conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, and investment adviser fraud in addition to other crimes, was described in court documents as a mastermind of a fraud scheme in which he and Archer worked to convince a Native American tribe to issue economic development bonds, which allowed Galanis to divert the proceeds for his own personal use.

Galanis was also previously convicted of participating in a market manipulation and fraud scheme in which he also evaded a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) order prohibiting him from serving as an officer or executive at publicly traded companies. At the time, then Acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Audrey Strauss said that Galanis had orchestrated two multimillion-dollar fraud schemes, and hid behind a team of co-conspirators to conceal his involvement and defy an SEC ban.

Despite his history of deception, leaders of the Republican-led committees had hoped Galanis would link Mr Biden to his sons business ventures even though a string of other witnesses  including Archer  had failed to do so.

The failure of Galanis to connect the president with his sons various business endeavours is just the latest in a succession of embarrassing milestones in the years-long House probe, which has thus far been unsuccessful in finding any justification for impeaching the president.

House investigators will conduct a transcribed interview with Hunter Biden this week, just days after a key source in the probe was arrested for a second time on Thursday on charges of having fabricated bribery allegations against Mr Biden.

Last week, federal prosecutors indicted Alexander Smirnov, a former FBI confidential human source, for allegedly fabricating bombshell allegations of bribery against Mr Biden and Hunter Biden.

According to the indictment, Mr Smirnov allegedly provided false derogatory information to agents about the Bidens back in June 2020, allegedly telling them about two meetings with an executive from Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company which employed Hunter Biden as an attorney and later as a member of its corporate board.

Mr Smirnov allegedly told agents that executives associated with Burisma, including Burisma Official 1, admitted to him that they hired [Hunter Biden] to protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems.

He also allegedly told agents that the Burisma executives had made $5m payments to both the president and his son when the elder Mr Biden was vice-president, so that Hunter Biden would take care of all those issues through his dad, referring to a criminal probe involving Burisma being conducted in Ukraine.

Prosecutors further allege that Mr Smirnov told agents about a phone call with the executive, in which he claimed hed been forced to pay the alleged bribes and said it would take investigators a decade to find evidence of the payments.

The allegations, which were documented in an FBI form used to record witness interviews, have figured prominently in claims made by Republican members of Congress conducting an impeachment investigation into Mr Biden, most notably House oversight committee chair James Comer and Judiciary committee chair Jim Jordan.

Jason Galanis spoke with House investigators last week (Jason Galanis Holmby Capital Group/Facebook)

But they explain that Mr Smirnovs allegations against the Bidens were completely made up.

Mr Smirnov, they wrote, had only had contact with Burisma executives in 2017, when Joe Biden had no ability to influence US policy.

In short, the Defendant transformed his routine and unextraordinary business contacts with Burisma in 2017 and later into bribery allegations against Public Official 1, the presumptive nominee of one of the two major political parties for President, after expressing bias against Public Official 1 and his candidacy, they said.

Defendants story to the FBI was a fabrication, an amalgam of otherwise unremarkable business meetings and contacts that had actually occurred but at a later date than he claimed and for the purpose of pitching Burisma on the Defendants services and products, not for discussing bribes to Public Official 1 when he was in office, they added.

Asked about the events of last week  including the interview of Galanis  an Oversight Committee spokesperson told The Independent that the felons failure to connect the president to any wrongdoing was just another in a long list of Republican faceplants on the subject.

After Smirnov was indicted, Republicans tried to rehab their investigation by interviewing an avowed fraudster who pleaded guilty to defrauding pension funds and a Native American tribe of tens of millions of dollars and is currently serving a decade-long prison sentence, the spokesperson said.

Even that guy testified that he has no knowledge of Joe Biden ever taking any official action to benefit Hunter Bidens business venture.
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House Republicans increasingly believe there is little chance of any impeachment vote resulting from the investigations into Joe Biden, according to reporting by Axios.

After a year of looking into the Biden family, little has been revealed regarding the alleged bribery and corruption of which the president, his son Hunter Biden, and his brother Jim Biden, have been accused.

I dont see it going anywhere substantive, said one House Republican, adding that there arent close to enough GOP votes to impeach the president.

The lawmaker said there were easily 40-50 Republicans who would likely vote against an impeachment of Mr Biden.

Republicans struggled to push through the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas earlier this month.

I dont think itll go to the floor. There are too many Republicans who will tell the speaker it wont pass, another GOP lawmaker told Axios.

Rep Don Bacon of Nebraska described the impeachment inquiry as helpful but said it has not shown that a specific law was violated by the President as of yet.

Senior staffers briefed the Republican Main Street Caucus weeks ago, two lawmakers told Axios, with the reaction of the group described as healthy scepticism about both the legitimacy of high crimes and misdemeanours by the president and politics of impeachment.

The inquiry into the Bidens suffered an embarrassing hit last week when FBI informant Alexander Smirnov was indicted over felony false statement and obstruction crimes for providing allegedly false information about the president and his son.

Mr Smirnovs allegations were a key part of the Republican case against the Bidens.

Further, he admitted that Russian intelligence played a role in the claims about the business dealings of the presidents family members.

His evidence was originally hailed as crucial to the case against the Bidens but its significance is now being downplayed.
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A US law professor has bizarrely suggested that Joe Biden and his family may be genetically predisposed to commit crimes, pointing to a distant relative of the president as supposed evidence.

In an opinion article for The Hill, Jonathan Turley, an attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School, said that the skirting of recent legal troubles by the Bidens was something of a family trait acquired through generations of natural selection.

The president faces a dwindling threat of impeachment, stemming from allegations of corruption and bribery levelled by Republicans. He was also recently found by a special counsel to have willfully retained classified material during his time in office.

Mr Biden has denied wrongdoing and is not facing any criminal charges. An ex-FBI informant charged with lying about the Bidens has been jailed as he awaits trial.

In his article, Mr Turley said that the Biden family were considered a wonder in Washington, and that over the years had shown a legendary skill at evading legal accountability

Jonathan Turley said that recent legal troubles for the Bidens may be something of a family trait acquired through generations of natural selection (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Biden family members often marshal political allies and media to kill investigations or cut sweetheart deals [and] swim in scandal with the ease and agility of a bottlenose dolphin, he wrote.

It turns out that it may be something of a family trait acquired through generations of natural selection.

Mr Turley explores the case of the presidents great-great-grandfather Moses Robinette, a government contractor during the US Civil War, who was found guilty of attempted murder and sentenced to two years of hard labour.

Friends and political allies of Robinette wrote to then-president Abraham Lincoln so that he might grant him clemency, according to Mr Turley.

Bidens associates argued that, although Robinette had been the only person armed, the victim was a teamster much his superior in strength and Size, all under the impulse of the excitement of the moment, the article reads.

They beseeched Lincoln to think of his motherless Daughters and sons at home!  [Praying for] your interposition in behalf of the unfortunate Fatherand distressed family of loved Children, Union Daughters & Union Sons.

Hunter Biden, son of the president, has also faced recent legal battles (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Mr Turley says that the final argument put forward for Robinettes case was quintessentially Bidenesque.

They told Lincoln that he was a political ally who was ardent, and Influential  in opposing Traitors and their schemes to destroy the Government. (It appears, even back then, the Bidens were union men.) he said.

Robinette was ultimately pardoned by Lincoln.

Examining the charges against Mr Biden and his son Hunter Biden in greater depth, Mr Turley concludes: After generations, the Bidens are still showing the same nimble qualities of great-great-granddad Moses.

The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment on Mr Turleys article.
GLOBALink | East China village holds lantern show featuring Chinese zodiac animals Pub Date:24-02-26 10:14 Source:Xinhua A lantern show featuring Chinese zodiac animals was held on Saturday in Hongcun Village, east China's Anhui Province, to celebrate the Lantern Festival. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Editor:Qin Shuying

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The federal Labor Department money is through the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction's teacher apprenticeship initiative, part of a broader strategy to address the states shortage of teachers. The Bismarck university said the money will enable it to fully fund 23 North Dakota teacher candidates in the areas of special education, elementary education or secondary education.
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A $455m judgment against Donald Trump is increasing by more than $110,000 each day due to interest penalties.

And New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is preprared to seize his assets if necessary, is not going to let Mr Trump forget.

When the final judgment in the sprawling fraud trial against Mr Trump, his adult sons Donald Jr and Eric Trump, and former Trump Organization executives was approved on Friday, the attorney generals X account posted the exact figure down to the last cent.

Twenty four hours later, her account wrote: +$114,553.04.

Post-judgment interest is accruing at a rate of 9 per cent on the $464m judgment against five individuals and the Trump Organization after a judge determined that the former president fraudulently inflated his net worth and assets over a decade to maintain favourable financing terms on some of his brand-building properties.

The total owed back to the state among all the defendants  money that is effectively forfeited as ill-gotten gains  amounts to roughly $364m, plus at least $100m in interest.

The interest on Mr Trumps portion of a final judgment comes to more than $112,000 each day.

On Monday, his legal team filed notice of an appeal, but did not appear to bost bond, which he would need to do to stop collections on the judgment.

Ms James has said she is is prepared to seize his assets, if necessary.

We are prepared to make sure that the judgment is paid to New Yorkers, and yes, I look at 40 Wall Street each and every day, she told ABC News last week.

Mr Trump delivered a keynote speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland on Saturday, where he called himself a proud dissident.

He has 30 days to post a bond on appeal, which would require him to pay the full judgment either as a deposit with the court or as a surety bond, at a significant cost.

The final judgment came after a three-year investigation and 11 weeks of witness testimony during a trial that ended in January.

New York County Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engorons 92-page ruling released on 16 February found Mr Trump, his sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, former Trump Organization executives Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney, and companies behind Mr Trumps brand-building properties were liable for falsely inflating his net worth and assets to secure favourable financing terms over a decade.
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Joe Biden and Donald Trump are both set to visit the southern border on Thursday, following the breakdown of congressional talks on immigration after the former president indicated his dislike of the proposed legislation.

A White House official said Mr Biden would visit the border community of Brownsville, Texas to meet with US Border Patrol agents, law enforcement officials and local leaders and discuss the urgent need for Congress to enact the bipartisan border security and foreign aid funding bill negotiated by Senators Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz), James Lankford (R-Olka) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn), calling that compromise bill the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border in decades.

He will reiterate his calls for congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional US Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more, the official added.

Mr Trump will visit the border more than 300 miles away from where his successor  and likely 2024 election opponent  will be. According to CNN, the former president is set to speak in Eagle Pass, Texas, a location where migrants frequently are filmed crossing into the US to claim asylum.

Mr Bidens visit comes just over a year after a January 2023 visit that was his first trip to the border as president, and it represents a deliberate effort by the president to lay record crossings by migrants at the feet of Mr Trump, who personally intervened to prevent GOP senators from approving the compromise bill because doing so would prevent him from attacking the 46th president for allowing too many nonwhite asylum seekers into the country.

US President Joe Biden walks along the US-Mexico border fence in El Paso, Texas, on 8 January 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

Republicans, particularly Mr Trump, have long used immigration as a cudgel to attack the Biden administration  even going so far as to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas, homeland security secretary, by the smallest of margins in the House  214-213.

After Mr Trump came out against the bipartisan package, Senate Republicans voted to block consideration of it. They defended the move by arguing that Mr Biden has the executive power needed to take action on the migrant crisis, even as they have long called for Congress to hand presidents more executive authority to do the things they have demanded.

The Biden administration is evaluating putting in place measures to make it harder for migrants to pass the asylum screening process and speed up deportations of those who dont fulfil the requirements, NBC News reported last week.

Mr Trump continued using his staunch anti-immigration rhetoric during his meandering 90-minute speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, on Saturday.

The former president was speaking about his anti-Biden messaging efforts, saying that migrant crime is a new category of crime.

I wanted to call it Biden migrant crime [but that was] just too long, Mr Trump said on stage at CPAC. So we just call it migrant crime.

We have a new category of migrant crime, and its going to be more severe than violent crime and crime as we know it, he added. Because we have millions and millions of people and they came from prisons and jails. They came from mental institutions, and [were] insane.

So theyre not the same thing. An insane asylum is a mental institution on steroids. Its Silence of the Lambs. Okay, you know that Hannibal Lecter? Theyre all being deposited into our country, he claimed. And then you have terrorists and then you have drugs. And then you have human traffickers, and theyre coming over at levels never [seen] before.

Weve never seen anything like this. Three years ago, we had the safest and most secure border in US history, the former president said. We ended catch and release except when it was catch and release in Mexico. We had catch and release in our country. We built 571 miles of border wall  far more than I said I was going to build.

A study by Stanford economist Ran Abramitzky released last summer found that immigrants havent increased the crime rate in the last 140 years.

First-generation immigrants have not been more likely to be imprisoned than people born in the United States since 1880, Krysten Crawford at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research noted on 21 July 2023.

Today, immigrants are 30 per cent less likely to be incarcerated than are US-born individuals who are white, the study finds, she added at the time. And when the analysis is expanded to include Black Americans  whose prison rates are higher than the general population  the likelihood of an immigrant being incarcerated is 60 per cent lower than of people born in the United States.

From Henry Cabot Lodge in the late 19th century to Donald Trump, anti-immigration politicians have repeatedly tried to link immigrants to crime, but our research confirms that this is a myth and not based on fact, Mr Abramitzky wrote last year.
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Donald Trumps attorneys are appealing a $454m judgment against the former president after a sprawling civil trial found him liable for a decade of fraud in his family business.

Attorneys for Mr Trump and his co-defendants filed paperwork with a New York appellate court on Monday, arguing that the judge overseeing the case committed errors of law or facts, abused its discretion and acted in excess of its jurisdiction.

But the ruling against him wont be paused until the former president and his co-defendants post a bond equal to the massive judgment against them.

If a bond is not posted within a 30-day period from the judgment, New York Attorney General Letitia James office can begin seizing his assets. Mondays filing did not mention the bond.

Mr Trump, his adult sons, two former Trump Organization executives and the entities associated with the brand-building properties in the Trump real estate empire were ordered to pay more than $464m at the conclusion of a three-year investigation and months-long trial.

A total judgment against Mr Trump alone amounts to nearly $455m with interest.

Post-judgment interest is accruing daily at the rate of 9 per cent per annum, or more than $114,000 for all defendants, including nearly $112,000 for Mr Trump alone.

The appeal was expected. His attorneys could not immediately appeal until the terms of a final judgment from Ms James were filed and approved.

Donald Trump appears inside New York County Supreme Court for the conclusion of his civil fraud on 11 January (AFP via Getty Images)

Last week, Judge Engoron rejected requests from Mr Trumps attorneys to delay the judgment, telling them in an email that there is no room for further debate and no basis to stall.

His attorneys have gone to a state appeals court nearly a dozen times throughout the course of the lawsuit and trial, including successfully getting a pause on a damning pretrial ruling, and failing to block gag orders intended to block Mr Trump and others from disparaging court staff.

If hes unsuccessful, he can request another appeal to the states highest appeals court.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump is preparing to go to trial in Manhattan next month on criminal charges for falsifying business records, adding to a busy legal calendar as he continues his campaign for the presidency.

The attorney generals lawsuit in the civil fraud case accused Mr Trump and his co-defendants of fraudulently inflating the values of his assets in statements of financial condition. These statements, which lay at the very heart of the case, were then submitted to banks and insurers to obtain favourable financing terms that Mr Trump and his entities would not otherwise have received with statements that accurately reflected his financial state.

The total disgorgement owed that is now owed back to the state  money that is effectively forfeited as ill-gotten gains  amounts to roughly $364m, with an additional $100m in interest.

The defendants were also found liable for intentionally falsifying business records, conspiring to do so, and repeatedly and persistently issuing false financial statements.

Former Trump Organization executives Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney were also found liable for repeatedly and persistently committing insurance fraud, while all defendants were found liable for conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.

The judge banned Mr Trump from serving in top roles at any New York company, including his own, for three years. His adult sons  including Eric Trump, who effectively is running the Trump Organization  face two-year bans, throwing into doubt the Trump familys ability to run a vital part of its empire.

Donald Jr and Eric Trump were also ordered to disgorge $4m each.
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As this years Conservative Political Action Conference drew to a close on Saturday, a straw poll of attendees revealed who they would like to see join Donald Trump on the Republican Party presidential ticket.

The former president has yet to officially lock up the partys nomination but is widely considered to be on the verge of doing so following this weekends win in the South Carolina primary, and very favourable polling ahead of Tuesdays contest in Michigan.

CPAC acted as a showcase for potential vice presidents should Mr Trump win the presidential election in November, with major speeches given by almost all of the big names connected with the role.

However, it was biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem who came out tied as the top pick among CPAC attendees in the veepstakes both getting 15 per cent of those polled.

Former Hawaii Democrat Rep Tulsi Gabbard came in third with nine per cent, followed by Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik of New York, each with eight per cent.

Rep Byron Donalds of Florida scored seven per cent and Arizona Senate hopeful Kari Lake got six per cent.

Rounding out the poll were Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson each with five per cent.

Mr Ramaswamy, Ms Noem, Ms Gabbard, Ms Stefanik, Mr Donalds, Ms Lake, and Mr Carson all spoke at CPAC.

South Dakotas Governor Kristi Noem speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) meeting on 23 February 2024, in National Harbor, Maryland (AFP via Getty Images)

Mr DeSantis has publicly ruled out joining Mr Trump on the ticket.

The Independents Eric Garcia notes that being the former presidents running mate is an inherently dicey prospect.

For one, the last person who served in the job, the unflappable and pious Mike Pence, famously broke with Mr Trump for the efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, which resulted in Trump supporters threatening Pences life.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy holds up a sign reading Nikki = corrupt referring to former Governor from South Carolina and UN ambassador Nikki Haley (AFP via Getty Images)

Also of consideration, Mr Trump will be 78 by the time Inauguration Day rolls around in 2025 and is capped at serving only four more years having already had one term in office.

If Mr Trump wins in November, whoever joins him on the ticket will essentially be his heir, with all the benefits and drawbacks that that entails. If Mr Trump loses in November, they will be the person to pick up the pieces of a wholly dysfunctional GOP.

Further, if the former president is convicted of a crime on the campaign trail or dies while in office, this person will become the standard bearer for the Republican Party.
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Police divers are searching inland waterways for the bodies of a same-sex couple allegedly shot dead in Sydney a week earlier by a jilted police officer lover, former celebrity blogger, with his service pistol.

Police allege former television reporter Jesse Baird, 26, and his flight attendant partner Luke Davies, 29, were shot dead in Bairds shared house in the inner-Sydney suburb of Paddington on Monday last week, New South Wales Police Force Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said.

Neighbors reported hearing one or more gunshots.

Senior-Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon was charged on Friday with the murders of both. He has not entered a plea or applied for release on bail.

Lamarre-Condon, 28, had been in a relationship with Baird that ended late last year.

He joined the police force in 2019, before that he was a celebrity blogger with photos posted online showing him posing with dozens of A-listers including Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Harry Styles.

Police conduct a line search near a body of water on a rural property near Bungonia (AAP IMAGE)

Police suspect Lamarre-Condon took the bodies in a rented van to a rural property in Bungonia near Goulburn, around 200 kilometers (124 miles) southwest of Sydney on Wednesday.

Police allege he returned to the property on Thursday after buying weights from a department store that detectives suspect were used to sink the bodies in a waterway.

Police divers searched a number of reservoirs on farms in the Bungonia region on Monday.

Its our number one priority to try and locate Jesse and Luke to give the families some solace, Hudson told reporters.

Lamarre-Condon was following legal advice by refusing to speak to police, Hudson said.

A bullet case found in Bairds home matched the pistol Lamarre-Condon signed out of a police gun safe on Thursday Feb. 15 and returned on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

A man looks at floral tributes in Sydney, on Monday, at the Paddington residence of Jesse Baird (AAP IMAGE)

Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the rules that allowed the police officer to allegedly use the gun in a violent crime while he was off duty were being reviewed.

Its a failure if someone has used their service firearm in the manner thats alleged, which is why its necessary to have a review, Webb said.

The board of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is considering calls for police to be banned from marching in this years annual parade on March 2 in response to the alleged police murder of a gay couple.

Webb said police officers should be allowed to march.

We have been participating in Mardi Gras for the last 20 years and havent missed a year and I would hate to see that this is the year that we are excluded because of the actions of one person that is not gay hate-related, Webb said.

This a crime of passion, we will allege. It is domestic-related, we allege, and that would be a real travesty for this organization to be excluded, Webb added.

Police began suspecting a homicide on Wednesday when the couples bloodstained possessions including a phone, wallet, credit cards and a set of keys were found in a trash container 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the crime scene.

Police initially suspected Baird had killed Davies after messages from Bairds phone to his housemates told them he was moving across the country to the west coast city of Perth and asking them to put his belongings in storage.

Police now allege Lamarre-Condon sent the messages to divert suspicion after Davies died.
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A plan to swap Alexei Navalny for a Russian FSB officer was in its final stages at the time of the opposition figures death  and Vladimir Putin killed him as the Russian leader couldnt stand the thought of him being free, one of Navalnys allies has claimed.

Speaking on YouTube, Maria Pevchikh, the chair of Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation, said talks about exchanging Navalny and two unnamed US nationals for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian FSB security service hitman in jail in Germany, were close to completion just a day before the Putin critics death.

Navalny died at an Arctic penal colony on 16 February. Western leaders and Navalnys team have lined up to say Nalvny was killed and Mr Putin was ultimately responsible. Navalnys mother, Lyudmila, said she was forced into signing a death certificate that stated that he died of natural causes.

Alexei Navalny could be sitting in this seat right now, right today. Thats not a figure of speech, it could and should have happened, said Ms Pevchikh.

Navalny should have been out in the next few days because we got a decision about his exchange. In early February, Putin was offered to exchange the killer, FSB officer Vadim Krasikov, whos serving time for a murder in Berlin, for two American citizens and Alexei Navalny.

Ms Pevchikh did not name the two US nationals in contention to be swapped along with Navalny but the United States has said it is trying to bring home Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, and Paul Whelan, a former US marine.

Ms Pevchikh said she received confirmation that negotiations for the swap were in their final stages on the evening of 15 February.

She said she was later told that former Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich had offered the proposal to Mr Putin, though the billionaire has denied involvement.

Ms Pevchikh accused Mr Putin of killing Navalny after discovering that Western governments were open to swapping Krasikov for him.

In her video, she described Mr Putins thinking as follows: I cant tolerate Navalny being free. And since theyre willing to exchange Krasikov in principle, I just need to get rid of the bargaining chip. Then Ill offer someone else when the time comes.

It is unclear to what extent Western officials were involved in the proposals to swap Mr Krasikov for Navalny but Ms Pevchikh said US and German officials had nodded their heads in understanding  made promises then done nothing.

Lyubov Sobol, another member of Navalnys team, claimed she had personally and repeatedly asked European and American politicians and officials to exchange Navalny. Neither the US nor the German government has commented on these claims.

Ms Pevchikh said Navalnys allies had been working since the start of the Ukraine war on a plan to get him out of Russia.
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Alexei Navalny attacked corrupt officials living in London in a never-seen-before interview.

Navalny died earlier this month in a maximum-security Arctic penal colony while serving a 19-year sentence on charges widely thought to be politically motivated.

Russias best-known campaigner against high-level corruption, the 47-year-old was a leading critic and opponent of Putin and his regime despite repeated arrests.

An interview with Navalny conducted in 2020 was released on Monday in which he condemned Putins regime while sharing his hopes the country could be cleaned of corrupt money laundering in a decades time.

In the conversation, which shows the activist looking healthy, he said: The entire Putin elite is absolutely corrupt and it is absolutely colonially minded. They have moved all their families, their children, their assets to the West and they treat our country as a free hunting zone and thats exactly how it works.

Those who try to resist, lets say they face the consequences quite quickly. Russia is a European country, all the people who live here want to live like Europe so I hope from 10 years from now if you interview me again Ill be able to tell you how we got to overcome the corrupt money laundering.

A flower and a picture are left as a tribute to Russian politician Alexei Navalny, near to the Russian Embassy in London (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Directing his frustration at Western countries, he said: The West does nothing at all, I would say. There are some ritual dances but nothing really happens. Why do corrupt officials still live in London? Because these corrupt officials feed a huge number of wonderful London lawyers.

These people, they will appear very civilised, we will be pleased to chat with them if they sit next to us. They will be wearing a tie and fine manners and at the same time they are serving the interest of utter, compete bandits.

In response, a spokesperson for the Law Society of England and Wales said sanctions now restricted firms working with Russian clients. They added: Law firms have chosen to end historic client relationships and have chosen not to represent new Russian clients even where no or limited sanctions apply.

All firms continue to invest significant resources to ensure they and their clients comply with sanctions and anti-money-laundering measures that are in place.

The interview was shot as part of an unaired documentary series in February 2020 - just months before Navalny was poisoned with a Soviet-era nerve agent while on plane after meeting activists in Siberia.

After spending five months recovering in Germany, Navalny was arrested upon his return to Russia.

US President Joe Biden meets with Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Kremlin opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and daughter Dasha Navalnaya (AFP via Getty Images)

Western leaders lined up to accuse the Kremlin of involvement in Navalnys death last week. On Friday, the US and the European Union brought new sanctions on Russia on the eve of the second anniversary of its invasion of Ukraine.

After meeting the wife and daughter of Navalny, US President Joe Biden announced more than 500 new sanctions on Russia.

Navalnys body was handed over to his 69-year-old mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, with details of his funeral yet to come. Ms Navalnaya claims she was made to sign a death certificate saying her son died of natural causes.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people have been detained across Russia as authorities seek to suppress a major outpouring of sympathy for the critic of Putin.
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Watch as farmers protested in their tractors against EU policies at a demonstration in Brussels on Monday, 26 February, as EU agriculture ministers met to discuss responses to the current crisis in the sector.

Monday's action followed weeks of protests against the bloc's farming policies.

Scenes from this live feed showed fires being extinguished and riot police blocking a road.

Demonstrations have been taking place over price pressures, taxes, and green regulations.

Similar protests have erupted across other countries in the EU, as grievances are shared by farmers in other countries over high costs, bureaucracy, and competition from non-EU nations.

On Monday in Brussels, farmers set fire to piles of old tyres and riot police fired a water cannon to put out the flames.

More than 100 tractors parked around the EU institutions headquarters a short distance from where ministers were arriving for their meeting.
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Farmers set fire to piles of tyres in Brussels on Monday in a protest to demand EU action on issues ranging from cheap supermarket prices to free trade deals, as agricultural ministers met to discuss the crisis in the sector.

Over 100 tractors were parked around the European Union institutions headquarters, jamming parts of Brussels, a short distance from the cordoned off area where ministers were meeting.

Farmers across Europe have been protesting for weeks to demand action from policymakers on an array of pressures they say the sector is under - from cheap supermarket prices, to low-cost imports that undercut local producers, to strenuous EU environmental rules.

Local grievances vary. But Morgan Ody, General Coordinator of farming organisation La Via Campesina, said that for most farmers: Its about income.

Its about the fact that we are poor, and that we want to make a decent living, Ody told Reuters.

Tractors arrive in the European Quarter (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Ody, a farmer from Brittany, France, called on the EU to set up minimum support prices and exit free trade agreements that enable imports of cheaper foreign produce.

We are not against climate policies. But we know that in order to do the transition, we need higher prices for products because it costs more to produce in an ecological way, she said.

Agriculture ministers were set to debate a new set of EU proposals to ease the pressure on farmers, including a reduction in farm inspections and the possibility to exempt small farms from some environmental standards.

Farmers need to be paid for what they do... There are aspects of the Green Deal demanded of farmers that are not remunerated. That is the core of the problem, Belgian Agriculture Minister David Clarinval said as he arrived at the meeting, referring to EU environmental requirements.

France Farmers Protests (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

In response to weeks of protests by angry farmers, the EU has already weakened some parts of its flagship Green Deal environmental policies, scrapping a goal to cut farming emissions from its 2040 climate roadmap.

The EU has also withdrawn a law to reduce pesticides and delayed a target for farmers to leave some land fallow to improve biodiversity.

We must change a lot in the CAP, because this Green Deal and the green targets that we have are almost impossible to reach, Latvian Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze said, referring to the EUs common agricultural policy (CAP).

French Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau added: Im not saying that we cannot do the (green) transition, but there is a need to take into account the reality on the ground.

Farmers demands also include ending free trade agreements, which farmers say have led to cheaper imports from countries where producers face less stringent environmental standards than those of the EU.

A stage set up at the protest site on Monday was draped with a sign that said stop EU Mercosur - a reference to negotiations to conclude a trade agreement with the Mercosur group of South American countries.
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The trial of two brothers charged in the car-bomb assassination of a Maltese journalist who investigated corruption in the tiny island nation began on Friday, nearly five years after the slaying that sent shockwaves across Europe.

George Degiorgio, 59, and Alfred Degiorgio, 57, are charged with having set the bomb that blew up Daphne Caruana Galizias car as she drove near her home on Oct. 16, 2017.

Prosecutors allege they were hired by a top Maltese businessman with government ties. That businessman has been charged and will be tried separately.

The Degiorgio brothers have denied the charges. A third suspect, Vincent Muscat, avoided a trial after earlier changing his plea to guilty. Muscat is serving a 15-year sentence.

In a Valletta courtroom Friday, Alfred Degiorgio pleaded not guilty while his brother declared that he had nothing to say. The court interpreted that as a not-guilty plea.

George Degiorgio has promised to implicate others in the plot to assassinate Caruana Galizia. The brothers had unsuccessfully tried to negotiate a pardon in exchange for naming bigger alleged conspirators, including a minister whose identity hasn't been revealed.

Mandy Mallia, sister of late journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, lights candles in front of a picture of her sister (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The bomb had been placed under the driver's seat and the explosion was powerful enough to send the car's wreckage flying over a wall and onto a field.

A top Maltese investigative journalist, Caruana Galizia, 53, had written extensively on her website Running Commentary about suspected corruption in political and business circles in the Mediterranean island nation, an attractive financial haven.

Among her targets were people in then-Prime Minister Joseph Muscats inner circle whom she accused of having offshore accounts in tax havens disclosed in the Panama Papers leak. But she also targeted the opposition. She was often sued by those she wrote about.

Two weeks before her death, she had filed a police report saying she was receiving threats, according to news reports at the time.

FILE - The wreckage of the car of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia lies next to a road in the town (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The arrest of a top businessman with connections to top government officials two years after the murder sparked a series of mass protests in the country, forcing Muscat to resign.

Yorgen Fenech was indicted in 2019 for alleged complicity in the slaying, by either ordering or instigating the commission of the crime, inciting another to commit the crime or by promising to give a reward after the fact. He was also indicted for conspiracy to commit murder. Fenech has entered not-guilty pleas to all charges.

No date has been set for his trial.

A self-confessed middleman, taxi driver Melvin Theuma, was granted a presidential pardon in 2019 in exchange for testimony against Fenech and the other alleged plotters. Two men, Jamie Vella and Robert Agius, have been charged with supplying the bomb, but their trial has not yet begun.

A 2021 public inquiry report found that the Maltese state has to bear responsibility for Caruana Galizias murder because of the culture of impunity that emanated from the highest levels of government.

The Council of Europes commissioner for human rights, Dunja Mijatovic, has decried the lack of effective results in establishing accountability five years later.

In a letter to the current prime minister, Robert Abela, the commissioner expressed the need for urgency in protecting journalists in Malta and cited ongoing defamation cases against Caruana-Galizias family.
Former longtime Bank of North Dakota President Eric Hardmeyer died Saturday after a yearslong battle with cancer. He was 64.

Hardmeyer became the bank's president in 2000 and retired in June 2021. The Mott native first joined the nation's only state-owned bank in 1985, when he started as an administrative assistant to then-President Joseph Lamb. He went on to become the bank's longest-serving president.

He led the bank through major economic events such as the Bakken oil boom and the COVID-19 pandemic. He also collaborated with the Legislature to build a new headquarters. That facility opened in 2008 in Bismarck.

"He was an amazing professional and really cared about the state of North Dakota and the people in the state," his daughter Kylie said Monday. "While he was an amazing professional, he was an even better dad."

Hardmeyer's battle with cancer lasted 3  years. He died surrounded by his four children, his wife and his twin brother.

His tenure saw bank assets increase from $1.81 billion to $7.74 billion, while its loan portfolio grew from $1.16 billion to $4.75 billion. Beginning in 2004, it also saw 16 consecutive years of record profits.

In the days since Hardmeyer's death, former colleagues have reached out to the family to express their condolences and share how the former bank leader had mentored them and shaped their professional careers, his son Teddy told the Tribune.

"He set the standard high," he said. "He cared for us, loved us, nurtured us, but it was really really cool to see his friends and colleagues reach out and say basically the same thing."

The bank is overseen by the North Dakota Industrial Commission, composed of Gov. Doug Burgum, Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. The commission in a statement said Hardmeyer "built a legacy that will impact North Dakotans for generations to come. We extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to his family, friends and banking colleagues.

Current BND President and CEO Todd Steinwand in a statement said Eric was a courageous, visionary leader and a mentor to many. The entire BND Team is grateful for his unwavering commitment to our mission, and we extend our condolences to his family and friends."
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Germany has joined the small group of countries and jurisdictions that have legalised cannabis.

The Bundestag passed a law allowing individuals and voluntary associations to grow and hold limited quantities of the drug.

The law passed by Chancellor Olaf Scholzs ruling three-party coalition legalises cultivating up to three plants for private consumption and owning up to 25 grams of cannabis.

Larger-scale, but still non-commercial, cannabis production will be allowed for members of so-called cannabis clubs with no more than 500 members, all of whom must be adults. Only club members can consume their product.

We have two goals: to crack down on the black market and improved protection of children and young people, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said at the start of a rowdy debate where the opposition accused him of promoting drug use.

You are asserting in all seriousness that by legalising more drugs we will contain drug use among young people, said Christian Democrat legislator Tino Sorge.

That is the most stupid thing Ive ever heard.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz looks on after delivering his speech at the 60th Munich Security Conference (AFP via Getty Images)

But Lauterbach said that this amounted to sticking our heads in the sand: not only had cannabis use soared among young people, whose developing brains were particularly endangered, but drugs on the streets were both stronger and more impure nowadays, greatly increasing their harm.

Some 4.5 million Germans are estimated to use cannabis.

Germany becomes the ninth country to legalise recreational use of the drug, which is also legal in some sub-national jurisdictions in the United States and Australia.

Many more countries allow its medical use as a painkiller. Cannabis remains illegal for minors as does consuming it near schools and playgrounds.

Some legislators questioned whether the new regulations would have much impact on dealing, since those who are unwilling to grow their own cannabis or join a cannabis club may still prefer to buy the drug.
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Pope Francis has canceled his engagements on Monday morning, the Vatican press office said in a short statement, adding that the pontiff did not have a fever.

The statement indicated the decision was made as a precautionary measure.

Pope Francis was well enough on Sunday to celebrate his weekly Angelus prayer from the Vatican window overlooking St. Peters Square, a day after canceling a public audience because of a mild flu-like condition.

He has been suffering from persistent but mild flu symptoms.

The Vatican calendar has no public audiences scheduled for the Pope on Monday morning, but he may have had other private engagements.

A brief announcement on Saturday from the Vatican press office said the 87-years-old pontiff was forced to scrap a planned audience with the Roman deacons as a precautionary measure due to a mild, flu-like condition.

On Sunday, Francis, who over the past few months had to cancel some of his activities and one international trip due to fragile health, concluded his Angelus prayer with his usual salutes to the waving crowd.

Pope Francis appears at the window of his studio overlooking St. Peters Square at The Vatican (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

In his address, Francis remembered with sorrow the second anniversary of the start of what he called a large-scale war in Ukraine.

So many victims, wounded, destruction, distress, tears in a period that is becoming terribly long and whose end is not yet in sight, the pope said.

It is a war that is not only devastating that region of Europe, but also unleashing a global wave of fear and hatred, he added. I plead for that little bit of humanity to be found to create the conditions for a diplomatic solution in the search for a just and lasting peace.

The pontiff also prayed for those involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and for so many war-torn people, and to concretely help those who suffer. ... Let us think of so much suffering, let us think of the wounded, innocent children.
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Hungarys parliament has finally ratified Swedens bid to join Nato, clearing the last hurdle for a historic step after months of diplomatic wrangling.

Sweden applied for membership alongside Finland in May 2022 in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine. At the time, it amounted to an intention to abandon a principle of neutrality that had stood since 1812, enacted in the wake of a Russian takeover of some of its land.

Prime minister Ulf Kristersson, who visited Hungary last Friday to sign an arms deal, said that Sweden is ready to take responsibility in Nato.

Today is a historic day. The parliaments of all Nato member states have now voted in favour of Swedish accession to Nato, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security.

Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg immediately welcomed Hungary's ratification. Swedens membership will make us all stronger and safer, he said on X.

Earlier on Monday, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban told parliament that Swedish-Hungarian defence cooperation and Swedens accession to Nato would strengthen Hungarys security.

Therefore, I ask my fellow lawmakers to approve the legislation on Swedens Nato accession in a vote today, he said.

Sweden will become Natos 32nd member.

While Finland became a Nato member last April, Sweden was kept waiting as Turkey and Hungary, which both maintain relations with Russia, raised objections. Turkeys president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hungarys Mr Orban remain the only two leaders of Nato member states that have met with Putin since he announced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson, left, and Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban (AP)

Turkey withheld ratification on Swedens membership demanding tougher action against militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party it said had made a home in Sweden.

Sweden then changed its laws and relaxed rules over arms sales to assuage Turkey. President Erdogan also linked ratification with US approval of sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, with Ankara now expecting the United States to work on securing the US Congresss endorsement.

It was less obvious why Hungary had dithered over ratifying Swedens membership bid, with Budapest mostly venting its annoyance over Swedish criticism of the direction of democratic development under nationalist Mr Orban rather than any concrete demands.

But Turkeys signature left Hungary as the final hold-out with Mr Orban facing pressure from Nato allies to fall in line.

The ratification will now be signed by the speaker of parliament and Hungarys president within a few days, after which the remaining formalities, such as depositing accession documentation in Washington, are likely to be concluded swiftly.

While Sweden has ramped up cooperation with the alliance in recent decades, contributing to operations in places such as Afghanistan, its membership is set to simplify defence planning and cooperation on Natos northern flank.

Sweden also brings into the alliance resources such as cutting-edge submarines tailored to Baltic Sea conditions and a sizable fleet of domestically produced Gripen fighter jets. It is hiking military spending and should reach Natos threshold of two per cent of GDP this year.

David Cameron arrives at the Elysee Palace in Paris (AFP via Getty Images)

In Paris on Monday, more than 20 leaders from across Europe met to send Russian president Vladimir Putin a message about their resolve to support Ukraine against Moscows invasion and crush the idea that Russia could win against Kyiv.

President Emmanuel Macron invited his European counterparts to the Elysee Palace for a working meeting announced at short notice to discuss how to ramp up ammunition supplies to Ukraine amid what his advisers say is an escalation in Russian aggression over the past few weeks.

We want to send Putin a very clear message, that he wont win in Ukraine, a presidential adviser told reporters in a briefing. Our goal is to crush this idea he wants us to believe that he would be somehow winning.

Ammunition supplies have become a critical issue for Kyiv. The European Union, though, is falling short of its target of sending Ukraine a million rounds of artillery shells by March.

We must be able to deliver more shells. The principle is that shells will be purchased where they are available, said the adviser. There is no dogmatic [French] position.

On the ground, Ukraine has been fighting hard to keep Russian forces from advancing along areas of the 600-mile frontline, but soldiers on the battlefield say they are running short of ammunition and weaponry, particularly with fresh military aid from the US being held up by domestic political spats.

On Monday, Ukrainian troops pulled out of a village, Lastochkyne, in the east of the country. The soldiers fell back to nearby villages in an attempt to hold the line there, Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesman for one of the Ukrainian troop groupings, said on national television.

Lastochkyne lies to the west of Avdiivka, a suburb of Donetsk city that the Kremlins forces captured earlier this month in an intense battle. In that case, too, outnumbered defenders chose to pull out troops and mount a defence elsewhere.

Although not in itself a major loss, abandoning Lastochkyne illustrates the battlefield challenges Ukraine is currently facing. The new phase of the war has brought some bleak developments for Ukraine.

AP and Reuters contributed to this report
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Germanys foreign minister was forced to abandon a diplomatic trip to Ukraine on Sunday after a drone hovered above her.

Annalena Baerbock was visiting a waterworks facility in Mykolayiv to coincide with the two-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine.

However, a Russian drone was spotted nearby forcing her to leave the scene and drive west to Moldova, according to German broadcaster ZDF.

It came after she pledged an 85 million aid package for Ukraine and said Germany is racking our brains to find a way to deliver more aid.

Of course, everything (in regards to military support) we are delivering is too little, she said at a press conference after paying an unannounced visit to the country.

Germany's foreign minister Annalena Baerbock and Head of Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration Vitaliy Kim stand next to the destroyed administrative centre of Mykolaiv damaged by a strike in 2022 (AFP via Getty Images)

Were racking our brains, especially through the past year, about the issue of how to deliver more, including long-range weapons systems, she said at an event in Ukraines Black Sea port of Odesa on Saturday, held jointly with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on the second anniversary of Russias military invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian leaders have been pushing their Western counterparts to deliver new weapons systems, above all longer-range missiles to strike further behind Russian lines, such as U.S. ATACMS and Germanys Taurus cruise missiles.

German lawmakers approved further military support for Ukraine on Thursday, including long-range weapon systems, but rejected a call by the opposition to deliver Taurus to Kyiv.

German officials have cited concerns that the missiles could escalate the war inside Russian territory and could be seen as more direct German involvement in the conflict.

Western leaders rallied round Kyiv on Saturday, looking to dispel concerns the West is losing interest in the conflict.

It is totally understandable that people in Ukraine say we need more of everything, Baerbock said.

Her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba said he would not go into detail about weapons and additional air defences that he said had been discussed, but added there were concrete offers available and Germany would work through them bilaterally with Ukraine or in larger settings.
 Close Putin threatens Nato with World War 3

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The West has criticised Vladimir Putins sham elections as the Russian president sent a sinister warning to Nato.

Putin warned against any move that would risk direct conflict with Russia, saying it would be one step away from World War 3.

Asked about the dangers of a wide-scale Nato-Russia conflict, Putin said: Everything is possible in the modern world.

It is the latest example of the Russian president dangling the threat of a larger, or even nuclear, conflict in Europe as he attempts to pressure Ukraines Western allies against an escalation of their involvement in his war.

The comments came as Putin claimed a landslide victory in Russias sham presidential election with 87.8 per cent of the vote.

The US, Germany, the UK and other nations have said the vote was neither free nor fair due to the imprisonment of political opponents and censorship.

Earlier, Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Alexei Navalny, called Mr Putin a killer and a gangster, as she joined scores of Russians unhappy with his regime lining up to vote on Sunday afternoon at polling stations both inside Russia and at its embassies around the world.
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At least 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed fighting back against the Russian invasion that began two years ago, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday, providing the first official death toll from Kyiv in more than a year.

"31,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed in this war. Not 300,000, not 150,000... (Russian president Vladimir) Putin is lying there... But nevertheless, this is a big loss for us," he said in a news conference at the Ukraine Year Forum in Kyiv.

Mr Zelensky said Russias casualties  both injured and dead  during the invasion stood at 500,000, of which 180,000 were Russian soldiers killed in the war, according to Kyivs estimates.

"I wont say how many wounded (Ukrainians) there are because Russia will know how many people have left the battlefield," he said.

Russias foreign ministry has rejected the tolls provided by Ukraine. Russia has not shared its own tally of Russian soldiers killed and wounded in the two-year-long invasion of Ukraine, and treats the information as a classified state secret.

Mr Zelensky added that tens of thousands of civilians had been killed in occupied areas of Ukraine, but said that no exact figures would be available until the war was over. We dont know how many of our civilians they killed. We dont, he said.

In the last update at the end of 2022, Mr Zelenskys aide Mykhailo Podolyak had said 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since the invasion on 24 February in that year.

According to a joint report by Russia media outlets Meduza and Mediazona, at least 83,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the continuing invasion.

The war, now in its third year, has seen Russia throw huge numbers of soldiers into grinding battles for strategic footholds along the frontline, such as Bakhmut in the earlier stages of the conflict or more recently the eastern city of Avdiivka.

Mr Zelensky predicted the war is set to enter a fresh phase as he warned of a new offensive from Russia likely starting in late May or the summer.

"We will prepare for their assault. Their assault that began on 8 October has not brought any results, I believe. We, for our part, will prepare our plan and follow it," Mr Zelensky said, speaking to reporters in Kyiv.

He added that Kyiv has a clear plan to counter Russian forces but did not share details over fears of compromising the military counteroffensive.

"There is a plan, the plan is clear, I cant tell you the details," he said.

Ukraines war effort, he said, depended on Western support, which has slowed significantly in recent months. He said the European Union had only supplied 30 per cent of the 1 million ammunition shells that were promised so far.

Mr Zelensky said he was nonetheless confident that the US Congress would approve a major new batch of military and financial assistance and that Ukraine needed that decision within a month.
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A prosecutor in Kazan in southwest Russia has demanded a life sentence for a serial killer known as the Volga Maniac, who is accused of murdering at least 31 elderly women, the TASS state media agency reported on Monday, citing a correspondent in the courtroom.

Radik Tagirov was arrested in 2020 on suspicion of the killings, which were committed across 15 cities in and around the Tatarstan region between 2011 and 2012.

Law enforcement agencies said Tagirov had sometimes posed as a social worker, electrician or plumber to enter the womens homes before strangling them and stealing their valuables.

Tagirov, a locksmith who had previously served prison time for petty theft, subsequently confessed to 25 of the murders.

Police have attempted to track down their killer for years and offered a 3-million-rouble (30,000) reward for information leading to his arrest.

Radik Tagirov, who was arrested on suspicion of killing elderly women, is pictured in custody in Russia (Global News)

Tagirov would go down as one of Russias most prolific serial killers.

in 2007 Siberian policeman Mikhail Popkov was convicted of 78 murders carried out between 1992 and 2007. He raped and killed women with an axe after offering them rides.

Chessboard Killer Alexander Pichushkin was alos sentenced to life in prison in Moscow in 2007 for 48 murders. He said he wanted to kill one person for each of the 64 squares on a chessboard.
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An Israeli assault on Rafah would be the nail in the coffin of aid deliveries into the besieged territory, the UN has warned.

The secretary-general of the UN, Antonio Guterres, said that a long-threatened, all-out offensive in Gazas southernmost city  where up to 1.5 million of the enclaves 2.3 million residents are currently sheltering  would not only be terrifying for those inside the city but it would put the final nail in the coffin of our aid programmes.

Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Mr Guterres said that Rafah was at the core of humanitarian aid operation for Palestinians inside Gaza, with residents having faced aerial bombardment, ground operations and a blockade that has left supplies of water, power, food and medicine running extremely low.

Israels war inside Gaza began in the wake of a bloody attack by Hamas on southern Israel during which around 1,200 people were killed and another 250 taken hostage. Health officials in Hamas-run Gaza have said almost 30,000 people have been killed by the Israeli response.

The Israeli army has presented to Israels war cabinet its dual invasion and evacuation plan for Rafah, according to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus office on Monday.

The presentation of the plan, which has not been made public, signalled Israels intent to push ahead with operations in the southern city, despite protests from its closest ally the US and the wider international community.

Conditions in Rafah are severe, with many living in schools, mosques, hospitals or densely packed makeshift encampments, where disease, lack of food and dehydration is rife. Rafah is normally home to around 280,000, but now houses up to 1.5 million people.

Aid is air-dropped in to Rafah (Reuters)

The amount of aid reaching Gaza fell 50 per cent in February compared to the previous month, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said in a statement on Twitter/X. Aid was supposed to increase not decrease to address the huge needs of 2 million Palestinians in desperate living conditions, he said.

Israels Rafah preparations continued as it was accused of ignoring an order by the United Nations top court to provide urgent aid to the people of Gaza, one month on from the landmark ruling ordering Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in Gaza. The ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) came in a preliminary response to a South African petition accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. Israel vehemently denies all such accusations.

Human Rights Watch said that Israel had violated the UNs court order, and was blocking lifesaving aid and starving Palestinians. Israel denies it is restricting the entry of aid and has instead blamed humanitarian organisations operating inside Gaza, saying hundreds of trucks filled with aid sit idle on the Palestinian side of the main crossing. The UN says it cant always reach the trucks at the crossing because it is at times too dangerous.

Meanwhile, the Israeli air force carried out a series of strikes deep inside Lebanon on reported Hezbollah targets. Explosions were reportedly heard by residents near the city of Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley, a Hezbollah stronghold. At least two people were killed in the strikes, according to a Hezbollah official. In the afternoon, Hezbollah said it retaliated for the airstrikes near Baalbek by firing 60 Katyusha rockets toward an Israeli army division command in Syria's Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The Israeli military confirmed that dozens of rockets were launched from Lebanon towards Israel on Monday afternoon.

The airstrikes near Baalbek occurred less than two hours after Hezbollah said its fighters on Monday shot down an Israeli Elbit Hermes 450 drone over its stronghold in a province in southern Lebanon. Another missile fired by Hezbollah toward the drone was intercepted by Israel, and landed near a synagogue in a town close to Nazareth in northern Israel. There were no injuries or damage.

To date, the majority of Israeli strikes on Lebanon have been focused on the two countries' shared border area. Hezbollah, which is an ally of Hamas, has said it will halt its near-daily attacks on Israel if a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

The strikes came following comments on Sunday by Israels defence minister Yoav Gallant during a visit to the Northern Command, in which he said operations against Hezbollah would ramp up even if a ceasefire is reached with Hamas in Gaza.

In a significant development in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said he was submitting his governments resignation, saying new political measures were needed as a result of the deteriorating situation in Gaza.

The resignation comes as the international community mulls over future plans for when Israels war on Hamas ends. The United States, most notably, has called for a reformed version of the Palestinian Authority that would govern both Gaza and the West Bank after the war ends.

I submit the governments resignation to Mr President [Mahmoud Abbas], Mr Shtayyeh said, continuing that it comes as a result of developments related to the aggression against the Gaza Strip and the escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

The next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political measures that take into account the new reality in the Gaza Strip, he said.

President Abbas  who is still required to accept the resignation  has been heavily criticised by many Palestinians for a perceived lack of effective action or rhetoric against Israels operations since the war began. Though Mr Abbas has spoken out on multiple occasions, many view his interventions as hollow or ineffective.
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The Israeli military said its air force has been striking targets of the militant Hezbollah group "deep inside Lebanon", where residents reported explosions near the northeastern city of Baablek.

At least two people were killed in the strikes, a Hezbollah official said.

The strikes are among the deepest into Lebanon since Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza began more than four months ago. They come a day after Israel's defence minister, Yoav Gallant, vowed to step up attacks on Lebanon's Hezbollah even if a ceasefire and hostage release deal is reached with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Lebanese security officials said Israel's air force carried out three air strikes on the outskirts of the village of Buday, near Baalbek, targeting a convoy of trucks. Buday is a Hezbollah stronghold. There was no immediate word on casualties.

A Hezbollah official confirmed that three strikes hit near Baalbek. He said the strikes killed at least two people and that one hit a warehouse for food products that is part of Hezbollah's Sajjad Project that sells to people in its stronghold at prices lower than on the market.

The air strikes near Baalbek came hours after Hezbollah said its fighters on Monday shot down an Israeli drone over its stronghold in a province in southern Lebanon. Another missile fired by Hezbollah towards the drone was intercepted by Israel, and landed near a synagogue in a town close to Nazareth in northern Israel. There were no injuries or damage.

The Israeli army said in a statement that its fighter jets struck sites used by Hezbollah in the eastern Bekaa Valley. It said they were in retaliation for Hezbollah's firing of a surface-to-air missile at the Israeli drone.

Hezbollah has been exchanging fire with Israeli troops along the border since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October.

The strike on Baalbek, because of its location deep inside Lebanon, is the most significant one since the early January air strike on Beirut that killed top Hamas official Saleh Arouri. Hezbollah, which has been exchanging fire with Israel throughout the war in Gaza, has said it will halt its nearly daily attacks on Israel if a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

But Mr Gallant said on Sunday that anyone who thinks a temporary ceasefire for Gaza will also apply to the northern front is "mistaken".

Western diplomats have brought forward a series of proposals for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, most of which would hinge on Hezbollah moving its forces at least four miles away from the border.

This will come in addition to a beefed-up Lebanese army presence, and negotiations for Israeli forces to withdraw from disputed points along the border where Lebanon says Israel has been occupying small patches of Lebanese territory since it withdrew from the rest of country's south in 2000.

Hezbollah has signalled a willingness to entertain the proposals but has said there will be no deal in Lebanon before there is a ceasefire in Gaza.

Associated Press
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An early bitcoin developer has shared dozens of private messages from Satoshi Nakamoto, revealing rare insights into the pseudonymous founder of the cryptocurrency.

Martti Malmi, also known as Sirius, began collaborating with Nakamoto in 2009, just months after bitcoin launched. His exchanges with Nakamoto during that time provide new clues about the inventor of bitcoin, as well as other prominent figures from the early years of cryptocurrency.

They also show that Nakamoto forecast future criticisms of bitcoin, including how energy intensive its network might become.

If it did grow to consume significant energy, I think it would still be less wasteful than the labour and resource intensive conventional banking activity it would replace, Nakamoto wrote.

The cost would be an order of magnitude less than the billions in banking fees that pay for all those brick and mortar buildings, skyscrapers and junk mail credit card offers.

The consistent use of English spelling, rather than US spelling, appears to confirm previous speculation that Nakamoto was not from the United States.

The emails, which were published on Github on 23 February, were used as evidence in an ongoing UK court case brought against software developer Craig Wright, who claims to be Satoshi Nakamoto.

The 53-year-old Australian said in a statement to the court that he played a pivotal role in ushering in a new era of financial technology. The Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA), who brought the case against Dr Wright, accuse him of carrying out industrial scale forgery in order to support his claims.

Dr Wright has consistently failed to supply genuine proof of his claim to be Satoshi: instead, he has repeatedly proffered documents which bear clear signs of having been doctored, Jonathan Hough KC, representing COPA, said in a written submission at the start of the trial earlier this month.

Dr Wright has denied those claims in court. The trial continues this week, with expert witnesses set to be questioned.

Speculation surrounding Satoshi Nakamotos true identity has centred around several high-profile figures within the crypto industry, including early bitcoin pioneers Hal Finney and Nick Szabo, though no definitive proof has ever been provided.

Since Nakamoto stepped back from bitcoin in 2011, the cryptocurrency has risen in value by more than 10,000 per cent, making their personal holdings worth more than $35 billion (27.7bn) at todays prices  ranking them among the 30 richest people on the planet.
The North Dakota Department of Transportation will host a public input meeting Tuesday on an Interstate 94 project planned east of Tappen.

The meeting will be from 4-6 p.m. at Tappen City Hall, 118 N. Main St. There will be an open house format with DOT representatives on site to discuss the Crystal Springs Interchange Bridge (Exit 221) project.

The work will include replacing the existing structure and reconstructing parts of the interchange ramps, approach roadways and frontage roads.

Presentation exhibits and other materials will be available on the DOT website at www.dot.nd.gov; click Public Input Meetings under News and Events.

People who wish to submit written comments on the project must have them postmarked or emailed by March 15, with Public Input Meeting - PCN 23345 in the letter heading or email subject line. Comments should be mailed to Travis Brossart, Bridge Division, 608 E. Boulevard Ave., Bismarck, ND 58504, or emailed to tbrossart@nd.gov.

People wishing to request accommodations for the meeting should contact Heather Christianson at DOT's Civil Rights Division, at 701-328-2978 or civilrights@nd.gov. TTY users may use Relay North Dakota at 711 or 1-800-366-6888.
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Google will now let Gemini, its AI assistant, send messages to users.

The company is adding the artificial intelligence tool to its Messages app. That means that Gemini will appear alongside friends, ready to chat with users just by texting.

When chatting with Gemini, the introduction encourages users to draft messages  so that people can chat with the AI system about their responses to friends, for instance. It can also be used to brainstorm ideas, plan events or simply have a fun conversation without leaving the Messages app, Google said.

The new update comes amid increasing criticism of Googles Gemini AI. Last week, Google had to take parts of its functionality offline because of a controversy over the fact that it was generating racially diverse but inaccurate historical images.

Users found that asking for pictures of Nazi soldiers or the US founding fathers would generate images mostly or solely of women and people of colour, for instance. Google admitted that the tool was missing the mark and stopped the system from making images of people.

The introduction of Gemini into Messages is only possible on Android phones, and only available to those who are part of Googles beta programme.

It came amid a host of new Android updates  many of which were focused on artificial intelligence. Android Auto can now automatically summarise long messages and busy chats, for instance, as well as suggesting relevant replies that can be quickly chosen when driving.

Android will also be able to generate captions for images, a feature it said had been designed with blind and low-vision communities. It also added new accessibility features to Google Maps, so that it can identify important locations and read information about them out loud.

Google also said that it has redesigned the Fitbit app. It will now bring together data from a variety of wearables in one place.
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More than 2,000 passengers aboard a cruise ship in the Indian Ocean have been refused permission to disembark in Mauritius for several days because of fears of a cholera outbreak on board.

Norwegian Dawn was due to arrive in the islands capital, Port Louis, at 7am on Sunday 25 February after a 12-day voyage from Cape Town.

A call at Reunion Island was cancelled and the ship arrived in Mauritius a day early.

The vessel is in the harbour but the 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members have been told they cannot leave until Tuesday 27 February, as health officials ascertain the cause of an outbreak of gastric illness on board.

The Mauritius Ports Authority said in a statement: Officers from the Ministry of Health and Wellbeing this morning took samples from around 15 passengers on board the cruise ship Norwegian Dawn due to a health risk.

These passengers had been placed in isolation on board the cruise ship due to their state of health.

The decision not to allow the cruise ship access to the quay was taken in order to avoid any health risks. The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost importance to the authorities.

The World Health Organisation says the current cholera outbreak in southern Africa has recorded more than 300,000 cases since the start of 2020, including 5,811 deaths.

A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line said: During Norwegian Dawns 13 February 2024 South Africa voyage, a small number of guests experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness.

Upon the ships return to Port Louis, Mauritius, the vessels management team met with local authorities to confirm precautions and actions were being taken to ensure the wellbeing of all on board.

Due to additional testing being required by local authorities before being allowed entry, the government of Mauritius has delayed disembarkation for the current cruise and embarkation for the next cruise by two days to 27 February 2024.

The delayed arrival will play havoc with passengers homeward flight plans. One passenger, Rob Hopkins, told The Independent: Stuck on the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship due to a gastro bug. Ship not allowed to dock into Mauritius since Sunday  another 24 hours at least. Due to fly back to UK Wednesday.

Assuming the ship is allowed to disembark passengers, Mr Hopkins should make the flight. But many others will have missed departures on Air Mauritius and British Airways flights to London as well as other airlines flights to Dubai, Frankfurt and Paris.

The Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said: We are assisting guests currently aboard the ship with their modified travel arrangements.

A further 2,279 new passengers were expected to board the ship on Sunday for a 12-night cruise via Reunion and Madagascar to South Africa. They are currently in hotels on the island.

The Mauritius Ports Authority said: As the test results will only be known in approximately 48 hours, passengers who were due to board the Norwegian Dawn and begin their cruise from Mauritius today will not be able to do so due to potential health risks.

The Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said: We have deployed additional team members to support the guests scheduled to embark on Norwegian Dawns 25 February 2024 voyage from Port Louis, Mauritius, as well as providing them with complimentary hotel accommodations until they are able to board.

The health and safety of our guests, crew and the destinations we visit is our top priority. We operate at the highest public health and sanitation standards, and encourage our guests to practise good hygiene and to report any illness-related symptoms to the onboard medical team immediately.

Sanitation procedures aboard the ship are described as elevated.
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Japan is set to introduce a six-month visa for remote workers or digital nomads who earn at least 10 million yen (53k) annually.

The Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) announced the initiative earlier this month which is scheduled to launch by the end of March.

Remote workers from 49 countries and territories are eligible under this initiative, The Japan Times reported.

Eligible individuals, including the self-employed, can stay in Japan under the specified activities visa category, provided their home countries have tax treaties and visa waiver agreements with Japan, such as the US, Australia, and Singapore.

The newly introduced six-month visa for digital nomads in Japan will not allow for immediate extensions after expiration.

According to Travel Daily Media, individuals wishing to reapply can do so six months after they depart from Japan.

Visa holders are allowed to bring their spouses and children with them to Japan. However, they must have private health insurance. Furthermore, individuals on this visa will not be issued a certificate or residence card in Japan, ISA stated.

Japan has become part of an expanding group of countries and territories, including Estonia, Mexico, Portugal, and Taiwan, offering similar programs for digital nomads.

The Strait Times reports that this move by Japan is aimed at drawing in more remote workers and stimulating its tourism sector as part of a wider strategy.

Japan envisions that digital nomads will contribute to innovation and invigorate the nations ageing workforce.

Meanwhile, the announcement of the digital nomad visa by Japan has sparked a lively discussion on Reddit, especially in the r/DigitalNomad subreddit and the r/Japan page, attracting hundreds of comments.

However, many prospective digital nomads also noted that this new visa, similar to other digital nomad visas, imposes significant eligibility requirements.

The Japan Digital Nomad Association has been advocating for the government to adopt a more proactive stance and formalise practices that have gained popularity since 2020. Ryo Osera, an executive officer of the association expressed support for the newly introduced digital nomad visa, according to ABC News, but is advocating for the reduction of restrictions in light of more lenient policies available in other Asian countries.

Its not competitive at this moment  but Japan is now a really like popular destination, Mr Osera said.

We are still talking to the government. It is a really big step but its not yet enough.

According to data from Nomad List, a website catering to remote workers that analysed over 300,000 check-ins in its database, Japan emerged as the top-growing destination for remote work in 2023, as reported by CNBC.

They dont have wholesale, open immigration that we are used to or that we would recognise, Shiro Armstrong, director of the Australia-Japan Research Centre at Australian National University told ABC News.

But there are about 2 million expats or foreigners living on various visas in Japan  and 2 million is not insignificant.

Theyve got such huge public debt. Government debt dwarfs anything we have ever seen, he said.

They need to raise revenue. So if they bring in foreigners on [a lower tax rate], it would be pretty interesting to see how the population responds.

In South Korea, digital nomad visa applicants must have an annual income exceeding 84.96 million won (52k) and be employed by a foreign company, allowing them and their families to stay for up to two years.

Malaysia offers a nomad pass for up to two years to individuals earning over $32,500 (25k) annually, provided they work in digital fields such as IT and digital marketing and have health insurance.

Taiwans Gold Card is not explicitly a digital nomad visa but grants unlimited entry, work, and residency rights for three years, with applicants evaluated on their professional skills.

Thailands Long Term Resident Visa can accommodate digital nomads for up to 10 years.
This is the Mary Poppins scene which has reportedly seen the film raised from a U (Universal) to a PG (Parental Guidance) rating.

The British Board of Film Classification has rated the 1964 film, starring Julie Andrews as the magical nanny Mary Poppins, as a PG because of discriminatory language according to its website.

The discriminatory language revolves around the use of the Dutch term Hottentots, which is used in this scene by Admiral Bloom, played by Reginald Owen.

The term was originally used in the 17th century by white Europeans to describe the Khoikhoi, a nomadic indigenous population of South Africa, but is now regarded as racially offensive.
Alexei Navalny hits out at corrupt officials living in London who allegedly help Russian leader Vladimir Putin hide money, this never-before-seen interview shows.

The interview, filmed four years before Navalny died in a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle, has been acquired by Sky News.

In the interview, Putins biggest critic talks about his hope for a better future for his country.

The interview, filmed in February 2020, was part of an unaired documentary series, After The Fall, directed by Matthew Torne and produced by Andrew Duncan.
The mother of a woman killed by her pilot husband says she and her family are terrified about the prospect of his release.

British Airways captain Robert Brown, then 47, killed his wife Joanna Simpson in 2010 and buried her body in a pre-dug grave in Windsor Great Park.

Brown, who believed he was stitched up by a prenuptial agreement, was acquitted of murdering his wife by a jury at Reading Crown Court.

He had previously admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and was jailed for 26 years.

Ms Simpson's mother Diana Parkes, 83, has now spoken out ahead of Browns potential release from prison in November.
A Labour MP has revealed that she has received "direct death threats" whilst in office and said they are becoming "the norm".

Preet Gill said that being a woman in Parliament makes things worse because of the amount of misogyny directed at female parliamentarians.

The Birmingham Edgbaston MP said that sensitive "debates had been weaponised" to justify hate directed towards representatives.

Ms Gill's comments come in light of a decision by the Speaker of the House of Commons to select a Labour motion alongside an SNP one to vote on due to threats made against MPs.
Tory MP Paul Scully has claimed there are no-go areas in some parts of the UK due to changing neighbourhoods.

Mr Scully appeared on BBC Radio London on Monday (26 February) to discuss the ongoing Islamophobia row within the Conservative Party.

It comes after Lee Anderson had the Conservative whip removed over the weekend after he claimed that Islamists have got control of the London mayor Sadiq Khan.

Mr Scully said for years people have been concerned about their neighbourhoods changing.

Theyre trying to reflect that but in a really, really clumsy way, he said.
More than half of the calories an average person in the UK consumes comes from ultra-processed foods.

Examples of ultra-processed foods include ice cream, crisps and ready meals, but can also include seemingly healthy foods like yoghurts, breads and cereals.

These types of foods are convenient and heavily marketed to us, but research links them to health issues and even early death.

So what are ultra-processed foods? What impact do they have on society and the environment? And what can you do to minimise your consumption of them?

This is Decomplicated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a stark warning if his country were to lose the war against Russia.

Speaking on the second anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine on Sunday (25 February), Mr Zelensky warned his country would not exist if Russia is victorious.

Mr Zelensky said: The most difficult part of the war was two years ago, and we have no alternative not to win. We have no way we can lose. What does it mean if Ukraine loses? We will not exist and we definitely cannot accept such a finale to struggle for our lives.
North Dakotans will see wild swings in weather this week, with potential record heat quickly giving way to wintry weather that will in turn swiftly succumb to more springlike warmth.

Bismarck, Dickinson, Minot and Jamestown all had a chance on Monday to set record highs for the date, with daytime temperatures forecast around 60 degrees -- around 30 degrees warmer than normal, according to the National Weather Service. That continues a trend that has existed for about a month, with many warm weather records falling in the region since late January.

"Springlike temperatures will be in store for much of the center of the country from the Southern Plains to the Midwest," AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex DaSilva said.

"High pressure centered over the Plains will shift off to the east early this week, allowing winds out of the south to transport warmer air across the center of the country," he said.

But a strong cold front was set to push through the area late Monday into Tuesday, bringing accumulating snow and winds gusting up to 50 mph, according to the weather service. Highs on Tuesday were forecast in the teens -- a dramatic drop of 40-45 degrees from Monday, with wind chills early Tuesday forecast around minus 20.

"The stage is set for a dome of arctic air that has been locked up in Canada to be unleashed into the United States through the next couple of days," the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center said in its forecast discussion.

The weather service posted a winter weather advisory for much of central and southwest North Dakota, including the Dickinson, Bismarck and Jamestown areas. From 1-3 inches of snow was expected in Dickinson, 2-4 inches in Bismarck and 2-6 inches in Jamestown. A winter storm watch was in effect for the Fargo and Grand Forks area, with blizzard conditions possible Tuesday.

But the winter weather won't last long.

"By midweek, the dramatic cooldown will encompass the Central states, but this will be short-lived as the warmth will come roaring back by the end of the month," DaSilva said.

Temperatures are forecast to climb back into the 30s on Wednesday, and keep ascending into the 50s on Thursday and Friday before dropping back into the 30s and 40s for the weekend.

"Hang on tight for this fast roller coaster of temperatures this week!" the weather service said in a statement.

The unusual warm weather could spell trouble ahead, weather service Meteorologist Michaela Wood told The Associated Press. The Climate Prediction Center says there is an elevated chance of higher-than-normal temperatures and lower-than-normal rain for the region through the end of summer.

If we keep going in this trend, we could go back into a drought, and that would be a big concern -- especially when it comes to fire risk, she said.

The counties of McIntosh, Billings, Golden Valley and Williams had burning restrictions in place on Monday, according to North Dakota Emergency Services. Fire danger ratings across the state on Monday were in the moderate and high categories.
Reema Al Barwardy made an appearance at the 2024 Saudi Cup festival, where her work was on display at a pop-up exhibition by the Saudi 100 brands initiative designed to support young creatives.

Reema spoke to The Independent and said I think [Saudi 100 brands) creates an inspiration for young designers, giving her support to the Saudi Cup initiative.

The Saudi Cup is organised by The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia in partnership with the Ministry of Culture.
The purpose of the searches is to obtain evidence or information relating to CCPC investigations

The competition regulator has conducted a number of searches on businesses in the home-alarm industry, as part of an ongoing investigation into possible breaches of competition law.

Officials from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) were supported by officers from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau in the searches, which are understood to have been in the Dublin area.

The CCPC has the legal power to carry out unannounced searches on business premises and homes once it obtains a search warrant from the District Court. The purpose of such searches, commonly known as dawn raids, is to obtain evidence or information relating to CCPC investigations.

A spokesperson for the CCPC said that as the investigation into the home-alarm industry is ongoing, no further comment could be made.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 27th

The commission is the statutory body responsible for the enforcement of Irish competition law.

This forbids cartel agreements being struck by two or more independent firms, such as deals to restrict output, share markets or fix prices.

Competition law in Ireland also prohibits companies which have a dominant position in the market from engaging in abusive practises, such as refusing to supply, or setting predatory price levels. Last year the CCPC was given new powers to allow it levy fines directly on firms if they engaged in crimes such as price fixing.

The legislative change meant the CCPC no longer had to pursue suspects through the courts, and could instead impose fines of up to 10m, or 10pc of turnover if that is higher, once it had made a finding of wrongdoing.

The changes, arising from a 2019 EU directive, also meant the CCPC could offer full immunity to firms that admitted being part of a cartel, provided they supplied evidence on co-conspirators and were the first company to come forward.

Announcing the change, Brian McHugh, chair of the CCPC, said international evidence showed that whistle-blowing programmes are the single most effective way of gathering essential evidence of collusion.

The regulator also got the power to carry out video and audio surveillance, and to intercept and record emails, as part of cartel investigations.

This required the advance permission of the High Court.

The CCPC can also now look into smaller mergers, if they could have an effect on competition in goods or service markets.

Large mergers have always had to be notified to the regulator for review.
Over half of hotel owners report a decrease in bookings but demand from North America has not slowed. Stock image.

The rising cost of doing business is the most serious challenge facing hotels this year, according to new research from the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF).

The survey, which was conducted ahead of the groups annual conference today, revealed that 47pc of 200 hotel owners and general managers surveyed are optimistic about trading conditions over the next 12 months.

This is down from almost three-quarters of this cohort a year ago.

Hoteliers pointed to business costs as the main challenge this year, with some forecasts suggesting that the industry could face a further 8pc rise in costs this year. This follows two years of increases, the IHF said.

Almost 80pc of hotels said they were concerned about the economic outlook for this year as forward bookings are down 4.5pc compared to the same period last year.

Around 53pc are reporting a net decrease in bookings, with those surveyed pointing to a decline from Ireland, the UK and Europe.

Demand from visitors from North America has not slowed, the research found.

We are seeing the impact of the Governments decision to increase tourism Vat, making us an outlier with the third highest rate of Vat in Europe, IHF president Denyse Campbell said.

She called on the Government to do more to lower the costs facing the tourism and hospitality industry.

This is a major challenge for tourism and hospitality, our largest indigenous employer, she said.

Increasing costs are continuing to erode our competitiveness as a destination and jeopardise the sustainability of our wider industry  a vital part of the economy supporting some 270,000 livelihoods, 70pc of which are outside of Dublin.

Despite an increase in costs, hotels are continuing to invest in properties to attract new visitors, with 78pc planning investment projects in the year ahead. This includes refurbishment of guest bedrooms and common areas, as well as guest technology.

The IHF represents 900 hotels and guesthouses located across the country, which employ over 65,000 people.
Q Hi Vicki, I run a small printing company with four employees. One of them has been called for jury duty, which could be a real hindrance in the months ahead. I understand there is lots of down time for jury members, so could I ask this employee to continue working remotely as best they can?
Ryanair tried to get state action over disruptive passengers on their flights

Michael OLeary claims theres a sense of impunity among passengers and that it is extremely rare for prosecutions to follow in-flight incidents

Michael OLeary had stressed that his representation related to matters of government policy and not law enforcement. Photo: Mike Egerton

John Burns Mon 26 Feb 2024 at 03:30

Ryanair has failed in a bid to get the Department of Justice to take action in relation to disruptive passengers on board their flights.
The Government faces an uphill task getting the word out about its plans for a new mandatory pension scheme.

It is planning to launch a new auto-enrolment pension scheme for those with no work pension or no private scheme later this year.

It represents the biggest shake-up in pensions ever in this country.

But research from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows that just one in five of those with no occupational pension from their current employment are aware of the planned auto-enrolment retirement savings scheme.

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has insisted the new auto-enrolment pension system will be introduced this year. This is despite industry figures claiming its introduction is likely to be delayed again.

It will mean pension contributions will be made by some 750,000 employees who are not part of a work pension scheme, with their employers and the State also contributing.

The scheme has been promised now for the last 18 years, but its introduction has been subjected to repeated delays.

A survey by the CSO shows that men were more aware of the scheme than women. Some 20pc of men with no current occupational pension cover had heard of the planned Government scheme, compared with 17pc of women.

Men aged 45 to 54 were most aware of the scheme.

One in five Irish nationals had heard of the planned pension scheme, compared with one in seven non-Irish nationals. Of respondents who are eligible to be auto-enrolled, and were aware of the scheme, over seven in 10 said that they would stay in the scheme if automatically enrolled in it.

This is an increase of seven percentage points on the same period in 2022.

Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) social policy officer Dr Laura Bambrick said it was a concern that there was such a low level of awareness about the new scheme among those who are set to be enrolled in it.

The lack of public awareness about the scheme among the public is worrying, especially as it is going to impact on peoples pay packets, she said.

She said Congress fully supports the introduction of auto-enrolment and did not want to see any further delay in being rolled out.

Workers and their employers will each initially pay 1.5pc of a persons gross salary into the scheme.

From year four, this will increase to 3pc, rising to 4.5pc in year seven and 6pc from year 10.

For every 3 a worker pays in, their employer would pay the same, and the State would top this up by 1.

The CSO survey found that for those who do have a work or private pension, the state pension is set to be the main source of income for six out of 10 of them.

Statisticians found that more than two-thirds of workers have some form of pension cover outside of the state pension. However, many of the figures are skewed by high levels of pension coverage in the public sector.

Pension proposition lead at Royal London Ireland Mark Reilly said it was worrying that large numbers in the private sector have no occupational pension.

It is concerning that the CSO report shows that almost a third (32pc) of workers have no private pension coverage and will therefore be depending only on the state pension in retirement, Mr Reilly said.

He said the maximum state pension is currently 277.30 a week for those aged 66 to 79, or 287.30 a week for those aged 80 or older.

Mr Reilly said it is also concerning that the report shows there has been only a very slight improvement in private pension coverage since the latest figures were published a year ago.
Dick Van Dyke and co in Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins, the beloved tale of Julie Andrews' magical nanny, has undergone a rating shift from U to PG due to concerns over discriminatory language.

The word in question, though obscure, has sparked the change.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) now advises children not to watch the 1964 classic without parental input, despite its enduring charm across generations.

The reclassification stems from the use of the term Hottentots, historically employed by Europeans to describe the Khoekhoe, a nomadic herding group in South Africa, now recognised as racially offensive.

Admiral Boom, portrayed by Reginald Owen, utters the word twice in the film.

Initially, while suspended from a rooftop in a boat, he queries a Banks child about facing the Hottentots".

Later, amidst a rooftop dance by chimney sweeps, he perceives them as attacking and directs fireworks their way.

The BBFC's PG rating signifies that some scenes may be unsuitable for young children, advising parental discretion, particularly for younger or more sensitive viewers.

While acknowledging the film's early 20th-century London setting, the BBFC's decision reflects evolving standards, surpassing the guidelines for a U rating due to the unaddressed use of potentially offensive language.

The BBFC said: We understand from our racism and discrimination research... that a key concern for... parents is the potential to expose children to discriminatory language or behaviour which they may find distressing or repeat without realising the potential offence.

Content with immediate and clear condemnation is more likely to receive a lower rating.

The BBFC recently downgraded Brad Pitt's film Fight Club from an 18 rating to a 15, despite its portrayal of sequences of graphic and brutal violence.
Trial date set for Alec Baldwin over shooting of Rust cinematographer (Santa Fe County Sheriff/PA)

The trial of Alec Baldwin over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust will begin in July, a US judge has ruled.

The US actor, 65, pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter earlier this month over the death of Hutchins on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico in October 2021.

On Monday, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer set the date for jury selection on July 9, with the trial to begin on July 10.

Actor Alec Baldwin practising drawing his revolver on the set of the Rust movie (Santa Fe County Sheriff/PA)

The trial is estimated to last eight days, between July 10 2024 and July 19 2024, the judge wrote in a court order.

Baldwin, the lead actor and a co-producer of the film, was pointing a gun at Ms Hutchins during a rehearsal when the weapon went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza.

The actor previously said he pulled back the hammer, but not the trigger, and the gun fired.

He was initially charged in January last year but those charges were formally dismissed three months later.

Earlier in January 2024, special prosecutors brought the case before a grand jury in Santa Fe after receiving a new analysis of the gun, and Baldwin was re-charged.

The indictment accuses Baldwin of involuntary manslaughter through negligent use of a firearm, and an alternative charge of involuntary manslaughter without due caution or circumspection.

Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the films armourer, has previously pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and is on trial at a court in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The filming of Rust resumed last year in Montana, under an agreement with the cinematographers widower Matthew Hutchins, that made him an executive producer.

A representative for Baldwin has been contacted.
Cork Central IFA Chair Mathew Hurley holds an Enough Is Enough poster at this morning's tractor protest at Cork Airport. Picture: IFA

Over 100 farmers drove tractors from Cork airport this morning to Cork Co Co offices to highlight farmer frustration and anger with the political system as part of an IFA 'enough is enough' campaign.

The protest comes amid ongoing farmer protests across Europe, with IFA holding a number of protests at county level in recent weeks in support of protesting European farmers.

It was decided at the IFA's most recent national council meeting that further tractor protests would take place at county level, including outside Co Co meetings to highlight farmer frustration and anger with the political system by targeting County Council meetings around the country.

Farmers here have been watching the protests across Europe. They are just as frustrated by what is happening as farmers in other countries. They feel they are being regulated out of business by Brussels bureaucrats and Department of Agriculture officials who are far removed from the reality of day-to-day farming, IFA President Francie Gorman said.

Irish farmers are pro-EU, but there is mounting frustration about the impact of EU policy on European farmers, and its implementation here in Ireland. The general feeling amongst farmers across the EU is that enough is enough, he said.

In a statement DAA/Cork Airport Statement said: Like Irelands farming community, daa is playing its part in the national and global effort to address climate change. Both Cork and Dublin airports have committed to reducing their Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 51pc by 2030  these are the emissions we have direct control over.

Last week an IFA delegation led by President Francie Gorman met with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to highlight farmer frustration with increased regulation, reduced supports and falling incomes.

While the meeting was constructive, the Taoiseach and the Government must deliver. To date, farmers have been taking actions at local level, but anger is building, he said.

A number of key issues were discussed including the Nitrates Derogation; late payments; the need for immediate tillage supports; Ash dieback; the Residential Zoned land tax; VAT refunds; the cost of doing business; and work permits.

I was clear with the Taoiseach that the Government needs to lead a unified national effort to retain the Nitrates derogation. All politicians, farm organisations and the sector need to pull together to ensure the derogation stays in place, he said.

The payment delays of 2023 cannot be repeated. The move to make an interim payment on ACRES is a step forward and money needs to get to farmers as a matter of urgency, he said.
Building a metro station at St Stephens Green would amount to partial demolition of a national monument, the MetroLink hearing has been told.

The Office of Public Works (OPW), the state body responsible for protection and preservation of national monuments, said historic railings, lamp standards, bollards, paving and sculptures would have to be removed for construction.

While most would be returned, they would be repositioned, and more than 60 mature trees in the park would be permanently felled.

There would be more hard surfaces and a fundamental change to the character of the affected area.

While OPW supports the objective of modern transport infrastructure, it also is of the view that delivery of such infrastructure can not be at the expense of Irelands national heritage, David Browne SC, barrister for the OPW said.

An Bord Pleanala has convened the hearing to hear submissions from project developers, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and hundreds of affected residents, businesses, organisations and institutions.

Residents of homes facing demolition for MetroLink to appear at public hearing

The north-east corner of St Stephens Green is the location of one of the 16 proposed stations on the 19km line that would run largely underground from Swords through Dublin city centre to Ranelagh.

Mr Browne said agreement had been reached with TII on how impacts would be minimised for 31 other properties under OPWs care.

These include Iveagh House, the National Concert Hall, Leinster House, the GPO and buildings housing the Department of Finance and Department of Justice.

However, there was no agreement on St Stephens Green.

Mr Browne said the green was a public park, a protected structure and a national monument, protected by law since 1877.

The OPW had responsibility for it since that time and had a statutory obligation to preserve it as a public facility for ornamental and leisure purposes for its more than 4.4 million annual visitors.

Under the law, any works contrary to those objectives was classified as demolition.

Declan McGrath SC, barrister for TII, said it was very conscious of the historical significance of Stephens Green and its importance to the city of Dublin and was making every effort to mitigate the impact.

TII does not consider the proposal for Stephens Green in any way a demolition of Stephens Green, he said.

Rob Goodbody, conservation architect, told the hearing that significant alterations were made to the park in the past.

Up to the 1960s, the north-east corner had the same gateway as remains in place at the Leeson Street corner, dating to 1815.

However, in 1964, a competition was held to design a monument to Wolfe Tone and a large bronze figure was subsequently installed in 1967.

The gateway was partially removed and a large granite wall was erected as a backdrop. The famine memorial was also added to the corner.

A second conservation architect, Donnchadha Gallagher, said TII proposed moving the Wolfe Tone monument and famine memorial 30 metres further into the park.

He said this was a more appropriate location for the monuments as it improved their connectivity with the rest of the park.

The hearing is continuing.
extrapolate principles of writing, based on "I am trying to write less that means more, which says more. For me, it is extremely important. For clarification, not only of the past, but of who we are as human beings. Toni Morrison was the first African-American woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize and one of the most powerful storytellers of our time. When writing her first novel, The Bluest Eye, Morrison described herself as a reader, not a writer. As a reader, she wanted to read a story that did not existone that highlighted racism and was written from the perspective of an African American girl. The resulting book, which features a black girl wanting to have blue eyes, was one of the few published at the time that didnt focus on white characters. During her literary career and work as an editor, Morrison often promoted work by other black authors, including Wole Soyinka, who was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature. Photo by Jack Mitchell/Getty Images."
The Media Minister must show that she has a plan for a new chair of RTE and how the board will function without a chair in place, Labours media spokesperson has said.

Minister Catherine Martin is set to come before the Oireachtas Media Committee tomorrow for a three hour session, to answer questions after the resignation of the RTE chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh.

Labour senator Marie Sherlock who is a member of the media committee has said the Government as a whole needs to take control of the crisis in RTE.

What we need to see from the committee tomorrow is to hear from the minister what her plan is now for a new chair of the board, to actually understand how the board is going to function with now chair over the next few weeks or whenever they intend to appoint, Senator Sherlock told RTEs Morning Ireland.

There are very serious questions about the reports that the minister has commissioned. Will a new chair take on the role in the absence of knowing what those recommendations are going to be.

The reality is here is that we cannot allow this crisis to stumble on so we need the government as a whole to take control here, the senator said.

Senator Sherlock said the crisis in RTE needed to come to an end, but that the media minister had contributed to its continuing.

When I talk to people, they are really fed up that this issue has continued. The minister herself is to blame for actually dragging out this process. There is drama all the more and we need this crisis to go away, Senator Sherlock said.

The Labour party has called on Minister Martin to resign but Ms Sherlock said the party would not be putting down a motion of no confidence in the minister.

Weve made it very clear that we dont believe that the minister is currently up to the task of overseeing the reforms that are needed in RTE, the senator said.

Ms Sherlock also said that there needed to be clarity on the Governments plans for the future funding of RTE.

Weve seen the conversation on the TV licence played out in the media. The Taoiseach saying one thing, the Tanaiste saying another thing and the minister for media saying another thing again, she said.

The senator said that the public needed to be shown leadership in relation to RTE.

Continuing to dither about how RTE and indeed the wider broadcast sector is going to be funded into the future is deeply damaging. We see what is happening to TV license revenue. There is a very significant hole there that has to be filled.

Confidence needs to be provided and leadership needs to be provided and assurances needed to be provided that this issue is in hand, the senator said.

The media minister will appear before the Oireachtas Media committiee tomorrow evening where she will answer questions on her role in the resignation of Ms Ni Raghallaigh, after Minister Martins appearance on Prime Time last Thursday.

Ms Sherlock described the ministers behaviour last Thursday as petulant.

We heard words like misinformed last Thursday. Then we learned from the chair in the early hours of Friday morning that actually the chair had contacted the department on Thursday morning in advance of the minister doing her interview, to try and clarify the situation Ms Sherlock said.

If we are going to have this petulant behaviour from a minister who decides to take the conversation onto the airwaves as opposed to in a room...there are very serious issues there.
The High Court is for the second time being asked to quash permission for hundreds of homes on former Jesuit Order lands in Milltown, south Dublin.
A Dublin woman, who claimed she had screamed in pain when a wax strip was suddenly and ferociously pulled along her right eyebrow by a beauty therapist, has lost a 60,000 damages claim against the salon owners.

Judge James McCourt said Nikita Kelly was just 17 when the alleged incident happened seven years ago and, in dismissing her case, added that she had not divulged information about a skin disorder which had been revealed in medical reports before the court.
A Limerick mobster who helped the McCarthy/Dundon gang carry out the shooting of a rival mob boss has had a 'road to Damascus' moment since the murder bid, the Special Criminal Court has heard.

'Red' Larry McCarthy Jnr (45), who was previously described as the leader of his gang, will be sentenced next month in relation to the attempted murder of Christy Keane almost nine years ago.
Breaking | Noel Kirwans daughter tells Kinahan criminal Mr Nobody how her dads murder destroyed family

Special Criminal Court heard Declan Brady, aka Mr Nobody, has disassociated himself from Kinahan groupBrady helped the organised crime group murder Mr Kirwan, who was shot dead in 2016

Declan Brady, also known as 'Mr Nobody'

Robin Schiller Mon 26 Feb 2024 at 16:58







The Kinahan gang's logistics manager known as Mr Nobody has disassociated himself from the crime group, his barrister has told a non-jury court.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it is providing consular assistance in the case of an Irish citizen who has reportedly been detained in Iraq.

Anti-corruption activist Yasser Eljuboori, who holds Irish citizenship, was detained in Baghdad while travelling back to Ireland, his wife said in a post shared to social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance, a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

"As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the details of individual cases.
Environment Minister Eamon Ryan says move is an important milestone for climate targets. Photo: Gerry Mooney

One gigawatt of solar power is now connected to Irelands electricity network, the ESB has announced.

One gigawatt  or 1,000 megawatts  is almost 20pc of the peak demand for energy on Irelands electricity system.

During peak times, about 5.5 gigawatts (GW) are demanded from the grid.

One gigawatt is enough to power the equivalent of 400,000 homes when the sun is shining.

The milestone comes just two years after the first solar farm in the country was opened in Co Wicklow in 2022.

The figure represents a combination of utility-scale solar connections, microgeneration (mainly domestic rooftop solar panels) and non-exporting solar generation.

There are 500 megawatts (MW) of utility-scale solar connections, of which 369MW are from larger projects connected to the transmission system that is managed by EirGrid.

From domestic solar rooftops, the one gigawatt includes 300MW of microgeneration, and 200MW is from non-exporting solar generation.

In the Governments 2023 Climate Action Plan, Ireland has a target to reach 8GW of solar energy by 2030.

Commenting on the announcement, Environment Minister Eamon Ryan said it marked an important milestone in Ireland achieving its climate targets.

The rooftop revolution has seen solar panels becoming an increasing feature across every town and suburb of the country, providing clean, indigenous electricity on over 82,000 homes, Mr Ryan said.

Todays announcement marks an important milestone in Irelands journey to 8GW of solar connections by 2030 and shows that even in cloudy Ireland, we can harness our homegrown green resources to power homes and businesses.

The managing director of ESB Networks, Nicholas Tarrant, said it was an achievement not only for the ESB and the solar industry, but for domestic solar customers across Ireland.

Enabling the connection of 1,000MW of clean solar power on to Irelands electricity network is a significant collective achievement for ESB Networks, our solar industry partners, and indeed the 82,000-strong cohort of microgeneration customers across Ireland, Mr Tarrant said.

It is reducing our dependence on imported fossil fuels and ultimately delivering the electricity network for Irelands clean, electric future, he added.

Last May, the Government abolished the 23pc Vat rate on the supply and installation of solar panels, bringing the average cost down by about 1,000.

While the price of solar panel installation varies depending on the number of panels installed, there are SEAI grants available to homeowners and businesses.

For domestic installation, the grant is capped at 2,100.

For businesses looking to install solar panels in farms, schools and community centres, a maximum grant of 162,600 is available.

Conall Bolger, of the Irish Solar Energy Association, said that in order for Ireland to meet its climate targets, there needed to be a significant contribution from solar electricity.
The former secretary general at the Department of Media, a key figure at the centre of the latest RTE controversy on exit packages, is due to appear at the Oireachtas Media Committee on Tuesday.

Media Minister Catherine Martin is set to come before the committee next week to answer questions, and she will now be joined by the former secretary general of her department, Katherine Licken.

Earlier in the week, Minister Martin said that on two occasions, Siun Ni Raghallaigh failed to fully inform her about the boards involvement in the exit payment for former RTE chief financial officer Richard Collins.

However, on Thursday Ms Ni Raghallaigh contacted the department to clarify that the information she provided was inaccurate and that the boards Remuneration Committee had been involved in the exit process last October.

After the shock resignation of Ms Ni Raghallaigh just hours after the ministers appearance on RTEs Prime Time, a statement from the RTE board said that Ms Ni Raghallaigh had contacted the department by phone call on October 10 with an update that the committee had approved an exit agreement with Mr Collins.

Speaking at Government Buildings in Dublin on Friday, Minister Martin said she had since spoken to the Ms Licken about that phone call.

She has been clear that while she was informed by phone that the independent mediation process on an exit package for Mr Collins had finally reached a conclusion she has no recollection of being told that it was approved by the boards renumeration committee, the minister said.

Now, Ms Licken and the minister will come before the media committee on Tuesday to answer questions on the latest controversy in the RTE saga.

Speaking on RTE Radio Ones This Week programme, Fianna Fail senator Malcolm Byrne said there are three possible situations in relation to the communication breakdown between the department and RTE that the committee will want clarity on.

Essentially three things [could have] happened. One, a lot of the detail didnt come from RTE and from the board to go to the department. Or, as Siun Ni Raghalligh indicated, that very clearly the department did know, Senator Byrne said.

And then there is the question of if the department did know, to what extent was the minister briefed and to know the detail, the senator added.

They are certainly some of the questions that we will be putting to the minister and as I understand it, Katherine Licken, former secretary general will be coming before us on Tuesday evening.

Senator Byrne said that when the controversy surrounding RTE is over, there needs to be a reformed national broadcaster.

Were losing the big picture around whats happening here. At the end of all of this what we need to have is a transformed and reformed RTE, the senator said.

Everyone accepts there has to be transparency and accountability but I think most people are of the view, and certainly politically Kevin Bakhurst is doing a good job, I certainly would have felt Siun Ni Raghallaigh as chair was doing a good job in supporting him.

Not to say that theyve got everything right, but they are dealing with a very difficult situation with a lot of historical issues. Yes, there has to be transparency and accountability but we need to ensure at the end of all of this that we have a very reformed RTE, he added.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein has repeated its demand for Ms Martin to come before the Dail this week to answer questions on the controversy.

David Cullinane TD said there was a lack of accountability across the entire Government.

He said: "I think people's faith in RTE has been rocked to its foundations because of all the financial scandals that we've seen over the course of the last year.

"But it has only been compounded by what people have seen over the course of the last number of days.

"There is a lack of accountability, a lack of transparency, and - in my view - there is a lack of confidence from the public in relation to how this minister and the Government have handled this issue."

Mr Cullinane told RTE's The Week In Politics that Ms Martin needed to "set the record straight" in front of the full Dail.
Malcolm Noonan talking to the media (Damien Storan/PA)The Green Party TD also said that nature cannot be restored without farmers and that they should be listened to.

The Irish government will continue with plans to protect and restore nature if a key law is not passed at European Union level, a minister has said.

Ireland's junior minister for nature said the "challenge" is that the vote is taking place at the end of the EU electoral cycle.

The European Parliament is to vote on the EU Nature Restoration law on Tuesday.

The legislation is a key part of the EU's European Green Deal, which seeks to establish the world's most ambitious climate and biodiversity targets and make the bloc the global point of reference on climate issues.

The plans proposed by the European Commission set binding restoration targets for specific habitats and species, with the aim by 2030 to restore at least 20% of land and sea areas and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050.

Minister of State with responsibility for nature Malcolm Noonan has acknowledged that some see the EU proposal as limited, but said "it won't limit our ambition" in Ireland.

He said that even if the law is not passed at EU level, plans will continue in Ireland and work is already underway to create a restoration plan for Ireland, with the aim of bringing it into effect by 2026.

But he said ambitions to restore Ireland's nature cannot take place without farmers' help.

"I've been talking to MEPs over the last few days just to sound them out on where they are with it, it's a big vote next week.

"I do hope it passes but the Irish government has been very strong and supportive in relation to the Nature Restoration Law and have shown good leadership in a European context on it.

"I would hope that it does (pass) and if it doesn't, we've made a commitment that we will develop our own plan.

"A lot of the elements which are underway in a lot of those projects I've talked about.

"We now have Climate Nature Fund 3.15 billion euro they're working with the Department of Finance on where they're drafting legislation which will add that mechanism to unlock a capital funding to provide consistent levels of funding into our communities for restoration.

"We've already begun a process, leading off a two-year process of developing a nature restoration plan that would come into effect in 2026.

"That's when the Climate Nature Fund kicks in as well.

"So that's going to be a collaborative plan, Minister (for Agriculture Charlie) McConalogue has said that, that will involve widespread public engagement and participation of all relevant stakeholders in the process, and that we would design it in such a way that people have a strong input into it.

"It's not going to be levelled upon people."

"Farmers across Europe are protesting for many reasons, there's falling prices, rising input costs, climate change impacting on their livelihoods.

"Critically important across Europe, I think, politicians need to listen to them and listen to what they're saying.

"They shouldn't have to farm in fear all the time.

"They should have some certainty around around their incomes.

"And the biggest challenge we see not just in Ireland in farming is succession.

"When you have such a dynamic labour market now where there are so many opportunities for young people, could you blame them for not wanting to spend 14-15 hours a day getting soaked out on a farm for a limited return?

"And while there are good tech jobs in the city and other opportunities for them?

"We've been consistent as well in talking about the nature restoration, we can't restore nature without active farmers.

"They play a really important role, animals grazing on land, all of that is hugely significant."
There has been a huge outpouring of sadness at news of the death a woman who lived homeless on the streets of Dublin.

Ann Delaney (47), a mother-of-one, who was originally from Crettyard, Co Laois, died suddenly in St James Hospital on Sunday.

Ann was a well-known and popular member of the city centre homeless community who slept most nights on Aungier Street.

A vigil is to be held on Aungier Street at 8pm tonight where those remembering Ann will conduct a balloon release in her honour.

It is understood Ms Delaney had been sleeping rough for over seven years and frequented the Aungier Street and Rathmines areas of Dublin.

As news of her death spread on social media, many laid flowers and candles at the spot where she used to sleep.

Its understood Ms Delaney regularly declined offers of assistance and had chosen not to take refuge in night shelters as she felt unsafe.

A woman who worked with Ms Delaney in the past told the Irish Independent that she came from a loving family who had tried many times in the past to help her.

Ann Delaney frequented Aungier Street in recent years. Photo: RIP.ie.

She had very complex psychiatric difficulties and this spiralled into addiction. She really was a lovely woman.

Members of Liberty Soup Run said they were heartbroken and angry after hearing of Ms Delaneys death, adding that she will be missed so much.

In a statement, spokesperson Chris OReilly said the sad news had come as a surprise.

She was alive early on Sunday but then she suddenly became unresponsive. We dont know her cause of death, whether the dropping temperatures might have been a factor or not, he said.

Paramedics were called but unfortunately Ann passed away.

"We are heartbroken and lost for words; another homeless person died on our streets and its just so wrong.

Mr OReilly said Ann was a lovely lady who was well liked but had fallen on tough times.

She had a family and a life and she just fell on hard times, he said.

We want to send our love to all of her family. She will be missed but she is at peace now.

We still can't believe that this lady has passed away.

Social media was flooded with tributes to the former nurse remembered for her kindness and her brilliant, mischievous sense of humour.

Author and Historian Aaron Henderson wrote of his sadness at her passing on X.

She was an intelligent, creative person. She once wrote my wife a lovely, Beatnik-style poem. She loved puzzles and craic.

Indeed she would often try and give us food too. She was lovely, ultra-generous, and undeniably charismatic, he said.

Shirley ORourke posted, So many people had a lot of affection for Ann and cared about her welfare.

Her legacy is that so many people will be incredibly sad to hear this news today.

Many commentators on X, spoke of their positive encounters with Ms Delaney including those who work directly with the homeless community.

Her death notice describes her as a "beloved daughter" who will be "sadly missed by her loving daughter".
Now that the Liberals and New Democrats have announced they've reached a deal on pharmacare, the path is open for the parties to carry on a confidence-and-supply agreement that has helped to keep the government in power since March 2022.

The parties have reached agreements on several fronts but there are several items on the list that have yet to be completed.

The deal provides the minority Liberal government with the backing of New Democrat MPs on confidence and budgetary matters, staving off an early election. In exchange, the Liberals have agreed to move on several NDP policy priorities. Pharmacare was just one of them.

A pharmacare deal was a major NDP condition going into the confidence-and-supply agreement, which expires in June 2025.

The government missed the initial deadline for a pharmacare agreement  the end of 2023  and set a new deadline of March 1.

In a Friday interview with CBC's Rosemary Barton Live airing Sunday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said weeks of talks between the two parties have produced draft legislation. He said this will set out a framework for a national pharmacare program and, in the short term, offer new coverage for contraception and diabetes treatment.

Diabetes treatment, contraception to be covered by new pharmacare deal: Singh WATCH | NDP leader discusses deal with Liberals:NDP leader Jagmeet Singh joins CBC's chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton to talk about a pharmacare deal his party reached with the Liberals earlier this week. Singh says the agreement will cover diabetes treatment and contraception.

"We've secured something really important, I would say really historic for Canadians. We're really excited about this," Singh said.

Another notable aspect of the agreement was the dental-care plan unveiled in December of last year. The $13 billion national dental plan currently covers seniors aged 72 and older and will expand to all eligible, uninsured low- and middle-income Canadians by 2025.

A big win for labour

The agreement led to the introduction of 10 days of paid sick leave for all federally regulated workers; that came into effect in December 2022.

The government also introduced a bill on replacement workers, C-58, referred to by union leaders and others as "anti-scab" legislation. It's currently at the second reading stage in the House of Commons.

The bill  a major win for the NDP and the labour movement  would make it illegal for employers in federally regulated industries to bring in replacement workers during a legal strike or lockout.

Striking teachers march through the streets of Montreal to press their contract demands on Tuesday, December 12, 2023. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

The bill also would compel unions and employers to negotiate within 15 days of a notice of strike or lockout which services would continue in the event of a dispute. If they can't agree, the matter would be referred to the Canada Industrial Relations Board for a decision within 90 days.

The agreement also has led to legislation and new policies involving child care, reconciliation, housing, tax fairness and sustainable jobs.

But there's still more the federal government must do to meet its commitments to the NDP.

Long-term care act

One of those commitments is to introduce a Safe Long-Term Care Act, which  according to the wording of the bipartisan agreement  would "ensure that seniors are guaranteed the care they deserve, no matter where they live."

It remains to be seen what the federal government will include in the legislation. In July 2023, an online consultation was launched to inform the development of the act; it ran until September 2023.

A discussion paper, also released last year by the federal government, highlighted potential elements of a Safe Long-Term Care Act. It says it could support the "creation of a framework and action plan on long-term care" that could focus on "training and education ... public awareness" and "data collection."

The federal government has committed to introducing new legislation on long-term care. (CBC)

The discussion paper also says a Safe Long-Term Care Act will "reflect the shared responsibility of all levels of governments with respect to the well-being of older adults and persons with disabilities" without mandating "standards or [regulating] long-term care delivery."

Homebuyers' bill of rights

The pharmacare deal wasn't the only one that missed its deadline.

The Liberals and NDP vowed to implement a "Homebuyers' Bill of Rights" by the end of 2023. The idea was first pitched in the Liberals' 2021 election platform.

The idea is to ensure the process of buying a home is "fair, open, and transparent," according to the platform document.

LISTEN | Inside the Liberal-NDP deal: Front Burner21:32Is it time for an NDP, Liberal divorce? On paper, the Liberals deal for the NDPs support is supposed to prop up their minority government until next summer. But in exchange, the Liberals agreed to a bill on pharmacare, and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is threatening that the deal could be done if they miss an approaching March 1st deadline. So could the coming weeks see the end of the deal? Would the Liberals really risk an election right now? And did the deal deliver wins for the NDP that voters will remember? CBCs chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton returns to unpack it all. On paper, the Liberals deal for the NDPs support is supposed to prop up their minority government until next summer. But in exchange, the Liberals agreed to a bill on pharmacare, and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is threatening that the deal could be done if they miss an approaching March 1st deadline. So could the coming weeks see the end of the deal? Would the Liberals really risk an election right now? And did the deal deliver wins for the NDP that voters will remember? CBCs chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton returns to unpack it all.

The federal government announced plans to develop the bill in the 2022 federal budget. It said it would "engage with provinces and territories over the next year to develop and implement" the bill and "bring forward a national plan to end blind bidding."

In a blind bidding process, a prospective buyer submits an offer for a home without knowing how many other offers there are, or how much they're worth.

The federal government has promised what it calls a 'Homebuyers' Bill of Rights.' (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

The 2023 budget said the government continues to work toward a bill and promised that it will "level the playing field for young, middle class and new Canadians."

The budget also said the bill could include measures "ensuring the legal right to a home inspection, requiring that real estate agents disclose whether they are representing both sides of a potential sale and ensuring transparency on the history of sale prices."

Electoral reform

The confidence-and-supply agreement also commits the government to working "with Elections Canada to explore ways to expand the ability for people to vote." That includes looking at "allowing people to vote at any polling place within their electoral district" and improving the process for mail-in ballots.

Under the confidence-and-supply agreement, the Liberals committed to studying ways to make it easier for people to vote. (Gabrielle Drumond/Radio-Canada)

The NDP has pushed for electoral reform for a long time. On Feb. 8, the Liberals voted against Motion 86, which called on the federal government to establish a citizens' assembly to "determine if electoral reform is recommended for Canada, and, if so, [to] recommend specific measures that would foster a healthier democracy."

NDP MP Lisa Marie Barron sponsored the motion. The House of Commons ultimately voted it down.
Patrick 'Paddy' O'Mahony Snr, whose wife, Elisabeth 'Lillie' died last November was a respected figure within Ireland's hunting and shooting sector

Gardai have arrested a man (60s) on suspicion of murder after the fatal shooting of an 83-year-old man found dead at his home on Sunday.

Grandfather and father-of-five Patrick 'Paddy' O'Mahony Snr (83) is understood to have died from a single gunshot wound to the chest - with the weapon used believed to have been either a rifle or pistol.

Mr O'Mahony - a founding member of An Riocht Gun Club - was discovered lying on the floor at his Castlemaine home yesterday morning.

He was discovered by a hunting enthusiast who had travelled to Kerry to use the Riocht range and had called to the property to chat with Mr O'Mahony.

When he was examined, it was apparent that Mr O'Mahony had suffered a single gunshot wound to his chest.

A man in his 60s was arrested by investigating gardai earlier today. He is currently detained under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007, at a Garda Station in County Kerry.

Ballistic tests will now be conducted to determine the precise calibre and weapon used in the fatal shooting.

Mr O'Mahony's body was taken to University Hospital Kerry (UHK) where a full post-mortem examination was being conducted today by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster.

Mr OMahony was last seen some 24 hours before his body was discovered.

His beloved wife, Elisabeth 'Lillie' died last November and he was one of the most respected figures within Ireland's hunting and shooting sector.

As well as being an experienced gunsmith, he was also a firearms dealer and collector.

Immediately after Mr O'Mahony's death, gardai searched his property given that he had a number of powerful weapons in his care.

These were in locked and armoured gun safes with a number of high-powered weapons located in a specially built concrete bunker.

It is understood that no weapons were either missing or unaccounted for.

The death shocked the tightknit Castlemaine community.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 26th

Parish Moderator Fr Danny Broderick said the news had "a terrible impact" on the area.

"This is a gentle, quiet community of lovely, decent people," he said.

"So to hear something like this is going to create awful vibrations all over the place. To die of natural causes in old age or through sickness is one thing but for this to happen is terrible."

"All we can do is our best to support the family, be with them and stay with them. I know they will have wonderful friends and neighbours supporting them today."

Mr O'Mahony founded An Riocht gun club with a linked shooting range located six kilometres from Castlemaine.

Over 100 hunting and shooting enthusiasts are members of the club.

While Mr O'Mahony had effectively retired from the family business over recent years, he remained a keen shooting enthusiast and his expertise were widely sought on weapon repairs and sales.

The Kerry range boasts two 50m shooting areas and is fully authorised by both the Garda and the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC).

However, gardai had attempted to take a number of powerful semi-automatic guns away from Mr O'Mahony in 2010.

They argued before Killorglin District Court that such weapons were too powerful for civilian use and that the possession of these made Mr O'Mahony a potential Tiger kidnapping target.

The court heard that Mr O'Mahony Snr was the owner of a .22 Colt Pistol; .45 Colt Revolver; .45 Colt 1911 Gold Cup Pistol and a 762 Mauser Pistol, dating back to 1876 and similar to that used by Eamon De Valera.

He also had a number of hunting rifles.

Mr O'Mahony was allowed to retain the weapons after Killorglin District Court heard that he had sufficient security measures in place, including an underground concrete bunker.

When queried about the reason for his keeping such firearms Mr O'Mahony told the court in 2010: "Why do you think I built a range for 134,000 and a shop for nearly the same. It's our hobby and our sport, no other reason and I'm on oath?"

The court heard that Mr O'Mahony had an impeccable record, was a stalwart member of the Kerry community, was a successful businessman and had previously been granted licenses for all the weapons involved.

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Local Fianna Fail Councillor Michael OShea has expressed his condolences to the OMahony family.

Everybody knew the family, theyre a lovely family, an extremely hard-working family, a family that are involved in a lot of social and community events, and everybody at this given time supports them and wants to give them every assistance they can, Cllr OShea told The Kerryman.
The former secretary general of the Department of Media, Katherine Licken, who has become embroiled in the latest RTE scandal, will not attend tomorrows Oireachtas Media Committee to answer questions after the resignation of RTE chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh.

Media Minister Catherine Martin will be grilled by TDs and senators alongside the new secretary general, Feargal O Coigligh, assistant secretary Triona Quill and Stephen Ryan, principal officer at the department.

Minister Martins private secretary, Helen Francis, told politicians on the committee tonight that it would not be appropriate for Ms Licken to attend the meeting, alongside the other department officials.

You will appreciate that, as she is no longer a staff member of the department, it would not be appropriate for her to attend as part of the departmental delegation, she wrote.

Nor indeed, would a former office holder have any standing to report to the committee to the agenda set out in the committees letter.

Minister Martin will face questions on her handling of the latest crisis at RTE, which saw chair of the RTE board, Siun Ni Raghallaigh, resign dramatically on Friday morning.

Ms Martin said she was misinformed on two occasions about Ms Ni Raghallaighs involvement in approving an exit package for a former RTE executive.

However, RTE says that it gave the information relating to the exit package of former chief financial officer Richard Collins to the department in October.

After the shock resignation of Ms Ni Raghallaigh just hours after the ministers appearance on RTEs Prime Time last Thursday, a statement from the RTE board said that Ms Ni Raghallaigh had contacted the department by phone call on October 10, with an update that the committee had approved an exit agreement with Mr Collins.

Speaking at Government Buildings last Friday, Minister Martin said she had since spoken to Ms Licken about that phone call.

She has been clear that while she was informed by phone that the independent mediation process on an exit package for Mr Collins had finally reached a conclusion she has no recollection of being told that it was approved by the boards renumeration committee, the minister said.

Earlier today, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar reiterated his support for Minister Martin and her handling of the latest RTE scandal.

He said the Government intends to appoint a new chairperson of RTE as early as next week, in the wake of Ms Ni Raghallaighs resignation.

Speaking in Paris after a meeting of European leaders, he said: We intend to appoint a new chairperson of the RTE board as soon as possible, certainly, if we can do it next week, he told RTE News.

I think Catherine Martin was probably in a no-win situation. She felt that she couldn't fully rely on the information being given to her by the former chairperson of the board.

I know, as a minister who has been in many departments, if you find yourself in a place where you're just not fully confident that you're getting full and accurate information from a chairperson, that makes it very difficult."

Responding to accusations that Ms Martin mishandled the situation, the Taoiseach added: I don't think that's fair. Certainly the problems that exist in RTE are not Minister Martin's making by any means.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has defended Media Minister Catherine Martin over her handling of the RTE crisis.

And she's been working very hard over the past year to put things right. We do need to put things right because RTE is a really important institution, in my view."

Earlier, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe also weighed in behind Ms Martin.

Ms Ni Raghallaigh quit last week just hours after Ms Martin refused to express confidence in her during an interview on RTEs Prime Time.

Mr Donohoe said party leaders were aware of the issue about the exit package ahead of the interview. He also said that he absolutely supports the minister.

My understanding is that the party leaders were aware of this as an important issue. I dont expect they were aware of the detail of the interview, he said.

I dont think its possible that our party leaders can be aware of the detail of any potential questions. But all of them in the aftermath of the interview have affirmed their full support for Minister Martin as I do again here today.

In my time working with her in recent years, has firstly been a great champion for RTE and a great champion for the importance of public service broadcasting.

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe said Government party leaders are fully behind the media minister Catherine Martin and her handling of the latest RTE scandal (PA)

Mr Donohoe refused to be drawn on whether the continuing crisis now made the abolition of the TV licence inevitable

He said the reporting to the minister from Ms Ni Raghallaigh was not as accurate as it should be.

But as to the apparent absence of a written record when Ms Ni Raghallaigh told the department about the conclusion severance talks with senior executives, Mr Donohoe said he expected answers to all such questions would come tomorrow.

The minister has said Ms Licken had no recollection of being told last October, on Budget day, that the RTE board or any subcommittee had approved any departure packages.

The talks related to the former chief financial officer, Richard Collins, who secured a non-disclosure agreement, and former director of strategy Rory Coveney  brother of minister Simon Coveney  who did not.

RTE has asked the two men to voluntarily release the amounts they were paid to leave, after the committee previously heard bombshell evidence that the former CFO had availed of 450,000 in taxpayer cash to leave the station under a redundancy programme.

Mr Donohoe said there was rarely an easy way of doing it, referring to the need to secure the resignation of senior employees who were under contract.

He insisted, however, despite the incomplete information coming to her, that Ms Martin had always been fully in control, even though she's not the DG.

RTE's director general Kevin Bakhurst has devolved responsibility for all managerial decisions at the broadcaster.

Mr Donohoe said he believed the Government would now have to give consideration to RTE coming under the annual scrutiny of the C&AG, the Comptroller and Auditor General.

On whether the three party leaders knew in advance that Ms Martin would, if asked on Prime Time, not express conference in the chair, Mr Donohoe suggested they had not.

My understanding is that the party leaders were aware of this important issue. I don't expect they were aware of the detail of the interview. I don't think it's possible that our party leaders can be aware of potential questions, he said.

Mr Donohoe also said that he expected the two remaining reports into RTE culture and governance to be delivered in March.
After it was revealed last week that a pub in Temple Bar was selling pints for more than 10, Eugene Masterson went on the hunt of cheaper tipples in the capital and has found many bars in Dublin selling pints for under a fiver.

One pub in Dorset Street in the city centre appears to have a record price for the capital of 4.50 for a pint of Guinness, with another in the southern suburbs of Inchicore for just 10c dearer at 4.60 at certain times of the day.

This is less than half of what some businesses in Temple Bar are charging, with the Sunday Worlds expose last week on the Merchants Arch becoming the first pub in the country to sell pints for over 10 making international headlines.

The cheapest pint of Guinness found in the city was 4.50 in the Auld Triangle on Dorset Street, where co-owner Declan Hallissey said that while hes proud to have such a low figure, he may have to put it up due to rising costs.

Were definitely the cheapest in Dublin, he says.

We have a small pub with just one person behind the bar. We dont do food. On other drinks like spirits, wed be more in line, but we keep the price of the pint down for the plain person.

Eugene with Martin Tipper in Clearys in Inchicore

Theres a lot of gouging going on though with the Temple Bar stuff and I saw the Sunday World article last weekend. They might have dearer rates there, but its a bit over the top.

Declan says that while many locals pop in for a pint, he gets a lot of passing trade as the pub opens at 10.30am on weekdays when others in the area dont open until 4pm or 5pm.

People do like the cheap pint here and we try to take care of the ordinary person, he says.

Theres a lot of tourists staying in nearby hotels and B&Bs and they pop in too, as well as people visiting and working in the nearby Temple Street and Mater hospitals. Its a major thoroughfare as well.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 26th

However, he says he may have to review his prices  pints of lagers such as Heineken and Carlsberg are 5.40, as are ciders such as Bulmers and Orchard Thieves.

The Guinness is probably going to have to creep up towards the fiver, he says. We do have lagers below the fiver too; Tuborg is 4.40. We have Beamish at 4.20, our cheapest stout.

Asked for his advice to other publicans, he replies: Look after the plain people and give them the pint at the price they want.

The Auld Tirangle

Clearys, in Inchicore, almost matches in the price of a pint of Guinness at 4.60 before 5pm (it rises to 5 after that time), and boasts other attractive options.

We have Harp on sale here for 3.50 a pint on Mondays up until 5pm, which I dont think can be beaten by any other regular bar in the country for a pint of lager, insists Clearys barman James.

The pub charges 4.80 for a pint of Carlsberg before 5pm (5.50 for it and most other lagers after that time). Tuborg and Carling are 4.80 all day in the bar.

I think the Licensed Vintners Association have a lot to answer for, James says

A bar should be like a hotel  you have a three-star, a four-star and a five-star. If youre a three-star you can only charge around 4 or under a fiver for a pint, if youre a four-star you can charge around 5 or 6 and if youre a five-star you can charge up to a tenner.

Most places are over 5 for a pint now and if youre getting a pint for a fiver or less, youre doing well.

James says he has some sympathy for pubs in Temple Bar.

You look at the amount of staff they have, insurance and rates, as well as live music every day.

Eugene Masterson in The Auld Tirangle

The Merchants Arch you wrote about said he spent 1 million on an extension, and that has to be paid for.

Eugene Masterson on the prowl for bargain pints

The River Bar on Dublins Burgh Quay has promotional prices for its Latin Fever nightclub downstairs on Fridays and Saturdays.

We sell pints of Tuborg on those nights for 4, as well as bottles of Sol and Desperados too, says barman Paul.

The nearby OReillys bar on Tara Street is selling most of its pints for 5, as is Mooneys bar on Lower Abbey Street, with Dis and Dat on Dame Court also charging a fiver for all pints from Monday to Wednesday.

Helen Moriarty

Pints of Guinness in the Clonliffe House in Ballybough are still at 5.

We reported last week on how the Swords Old Borough branch of Wetherspoons is selling pints of Fosters for 2.90, with its sister city centre branches the Silver Penny on Abbey Street and Keavans Port on Camden Street selling the Australian beer for 3.95.

Helens Bar in Kilmackillogue, Co Kerry famously claims to have the cheapest pints in all of Ireland.

A pint of Guinness there costs 4.40 while a Heineken will set you back 4.70.

Owner Helen Moriarty, who also runs a thriving restaurant which specialises in fish from the nearby pier, insists people dont want to be traveling for miles to be ripped off.

Pat Crotty is CEO of the Vintners Federation of Ireland, the organisation which represents publicans across the country outside the Dublin region. The pub trade has faced unprecedented challenges in recent years, from navigating the impacts of the pandemic to adapting to the rising costs of doing business, he tells the Sunday World.

The challenges are many, including significant increases in the minimum wage, high levels of excise duty along with the escalating costs associated with energy, supply chain pressures and insurance. Such factors contribute to the operational costs of running a pub and, by extension, the price of a pint. He also referenced last weeks Sunday World article on the first pub here to go over a tenner for a pint.

Its important to note that while prices in high-traffic tourist areas like Temple Bar might attract attention, pubs across the rest of the country offer much lower prices, he says.

These establishments are integral to their communities, providing not just a place to enjoy a pint but a space for social connection, celebration and support within the community.

Do you know any pub selling a pint of Guinness under 4.40, email news@sundayworld.com
Academic Rory Hearne will seek nomination from the Social Democrats to stand in the upcoming European elections for the Midlands North West.

Mr Hearne is currently an associate professor senior lecturer at Maynooth University and has written a number of books on housing policy.

He is seeking the nomination from the party to stand for election to the European Parliament in the constituency of Midlands North West.

"I am seeking to be a voice for a generation who are locked out of a home and to bring the issues of housing to the EU, to Europe and to raise them in the election, he told the Irish Independent.

I think that there is an entire generation who has been abandoned in this country in terms of the most basic thing which is access to a home of their own.

Mr Hearne said his work and public advocacy demonstrates that he is someone with solutions when it comes to housing, as well as a proven commitment and passion on the issue that he wishes to bring to the campaign.

The housing issue, it's something that I've been working on for many, many years and I suppose it's reached the point where I've described it as a social emergency, a catastrophe.

"Many people are still contacting me on a daily basis who are facing eviction, being unable to get a home, emigrating, he said.

Mr Heane said he feels a responsibility as someone who has been putting forward policies on housing and highlighting the depth of the crisis to stand for election.

He said the decision to seek nomination from the Social Democrats was influenced in part by the performance of its TDs and its values as a party.

"Ive been very impressed with Holly (Cairns) as leader, with Cian OCallaghan on housing and their other TDs. I feel that they are a party that, for me anyway, encapsulate the values of a type of Ireland that I would like to see.

Mr Hearne is the author of Gaffs, which was nominated for the Dubray Non-Fiction Book of the Year in the Irish Book Awards, and Housing Shock: The Irish Housing Crisis and How to Solve It.
Crafts and ceilis are among the events taking place for Seachtain na Gaeilge. Photo: Getty

Seachtain na Gaeilge will take place from the beginning of March until St Patricks Day, with events taking place across the country.

From quiz nights to 5km races and pop-up Gaeltachtai, there are activities for all ages and for all levels of Irish speakers.

Here are just some of the events taking place throughout the Irish language festival:

Jog ar an mBog

Bearna GAA, Cloghlea, Co Galway

A 5km run, walk or jog at Bearna GAA club that will welcome participants young and old  including those in buggies  to take part in the Irish-speaking event on Saturday March 9 from 10am.

Learn more here.

Imeacht Escape Rooms

Escape Limerick, Co Limerick

An event held at Escape Limerick on March 9 from 7.30pm with conversation as Gaeilge afterward at the Locke Bar.

Learn more here.

Seachtain na Gaeilge ambassadors Kayleigh Trappe, Grainne Seoige and Aindriu de Paor.

Trath na gCeist Datheangach

Cove Bar, Dunmore Road, Co Waterford

A bilingual quiz takes place at the Cove Bar in Waterford on Tuesday, March 12 at 8pm. There are spot prizes and music on offer on the night, with the event described as a fun night that gives people the opportunity to use their cupla focail in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Learn more here.

Cill Dara le Gaeilge: Irish classes for parents and guardians

via Zoom

Cill Dara le Gaeilge will provide eight Irish language workshops for parents and guardians with young children (up to second class) attending a school in Kildare. The interactive sessions will last an hour and will take place on Zoom. Further information is available here.

Kids Ceili, Ceol agus Ceardaiocht

Hannons Hotel, Roscommon

A family-friendly morning of music and crafts with a kids ceili will take place at Hannons Hotel in Roscommon on March 3 from 10.30am. It is suitable for beginner and fluent speakers, with free face painting, crafts and spot prizes all available.

Find out more here.

Mayor of South Dublin, Cllr Alan Edge joined by Jim Gavin, patron of this years festival. They were joined by pupils from local primary schools.

Bingo Loco

Conradh na Gaeilge, 6 Harcourt Street, Dublin

A bingo event taking place on March 5 from 7.30pm with more information available here.

Caife Buama Folctha le Lush Cork

Lush, Oliver Plunkett Street, Co Cork

A conversational bath bomb-making workshop in the Lush store in Cork offers people a chance to practice their cupla focail while making a Tobys Magic Cow bath bomb to take home.

It takes place on March 12 and March 13 at 6pm.

Paint, Patrick and Prosecco

Raidio Failte, 30 Douglas Street, Belfast

A special St Patricks Day painting and prosecco event held to celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge. Tickets cost 15 and must be booked through Eventbrite as spaces are limited. It includes a drink on arrival, all art equipment and cheeseboards and snacks throughout the event.

Learn more here.

Takin' the Mic

Irish Writers Centre, 19 Parnell Square North, Dublin

A night of poetry and prose will take place at the Irish Writers Centre on March 13 with readings from actor and playwright Emmet Kirwan, author Ola Majekodunmi and an open mic opportunity for writers, poets and musicians.

More information is available here.

Pop-Up Gaeltacht and Ceili

There are multiple pop-up events and ceili nights happening across the country for people to practice their conversational Irish and dancing, with the full list of upcoming events available on peig.ie/snag/.
The countrys Catholic bishops have signalled their opposition to the two proposed amendments to the Constitution in the March 8 referendums.

In their statement, the bishops said the family amendment to Article 41 would diminish the unique importance of the relationship between marriage and family and was likely to lead to a weakening of the incentive for young people to marry.

Marriage, they noted, entailed a public and legal commitment, but the term durable relationship was shrouded in legal uncertainty and open to wide interpretation.

It does not make sense that such an ambiguous reality would be considered antecedent and superior to all positive law and acquire the same inalienable and imprescriptible rights as those ascribed to the family founded on marriage, the bishops said in a statement.

The care amendment to Article 41.2, they warned, would have the effect of abolishing all reference to motherhood in the Constitution and leave unacknowledged the particular and incalculable societal contribution that mothers in the home have made and continue to make in Ireland.

The role of mothers should continue to be cherished in our Constitution, they said. What benefit would it be to Irish society to delete the terms woman and mother, they ask.

Contrary to some recent commentary, the bishops underline that the present constitutional provision emphatically does not state that a womans place is in the home. Neither does it excuse men of their duties to the home and family.

Rather, in contemporary society there now existed a welcome co-responsibility between women and men for every aspect of domestic life, including the provision of care in the home, they said.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - February 26th

The State, they said, had to date failed to financially acknowledge the role of women in the home and there was no indication there would be provision for the adequate financial remuneration of carers.

The bishops said the proposed term strive to support appeared to weaken the States constitutional responsibility to materially and legislatively support such care.

Indeed, the proposed new Article 42B does not actually confer any enforceable rights for carers or for those being cared for, they said.

We believe that, rather than removing the present acknowledgement of the role of women and the place of the home, it would be preferable and consistent with contemporary social values that the State would recognise the provision of care by women and men alike.

With 12 days to go to polling day on March 8, campaigners on both sides are stepping up activities.

While the bishops have urged people to consider voting No-No, the National Womens Council of Ireland (NWC) has urged people to vote Yes-Yes, as have groups such as One Family, Treoir, and Family Carers Ireland.

Damien Peelo, CEO of Treoir, which supports parents who are not married, said: The family referendum is our chance to recognise all families equally, while still protecting marriage.

"A Yes vote will give constitutional protection to lone-parent families, kinship carers where relatives have stepped in to raise children, unmarried families and cohabiting couples.

John OMeara, who recently won a case in the Supreme Court for co-habiting couples with children to be entitled to the widow/widowers pension, urged citizens to support two Yes votes and highlighted the importance of the referendum for all families.

Orla OConnor, director of the National Womens Council (NWC), said: A Yes vote in the care referendum is our chance to remove sexist language and limits on women from our Constitution.

She encouraged voters to consider whether they wanted young women and girls growing up in an Ireland where the Constitution still tells them that their primary place, indeed their life is in the home? And that they have duties and the boys and men dont?

The Free Legal Advice Centres (Flac) has backed the amendment on family but not care. Flac said it was highly regrettable voters wouldnt have the choice to simply delete the so-called women in the home provision and instead were being are asked to replace it with a new family care provision.

Calling for a No-No vote, conservative group Family Solidarity said: One particularly concerning possibility is the legal recognition of polygamous relationships under the guise of family.

The group noted former attorney general Michael McDowells concerns over the lack of clear legal definition of the terminology durable relationships.

This could lead to unforeseen and profound changes in family law, affecting areas such as inheritance, welfare rights, and more, the group claimed.

On the generic concept of care, the group warns this move to gender-neutral language, while seemingly progressive, actually erases the specific recognition of mothers and their unparalleled role in nurturing and maintaining the familial structure.
Best times to visit the worlds most popular destinations  from Rome in March to New York in September

Tourism crowds are back with a bang  heres how to time your trip to avoid them

Six new flights to take off from Ireland in 2024 - from Sicily to Denver

Natalie B. Compton  Washington Post Mon 26 Feb 2024 at 04:00

The worlds most popular tourist sites can take your breath away for their majesty - and be absolutely miserable for the sheer number of crowds.


2024216

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jfoyo57y3g&ab_channel=



  

 18

How Africa Became the "Little China" and Achieved Tenfold Economic Growth Miracle

2024216

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jfoyo57y3g&ab_channel=

China's Role in Ethiopia's Development

Ethiopia, once one of Africa's poorest nations, has seen remarkable economic growth over the past two decades, with GDP soaring tenfold. China's assistance has played a pivotal role, mirroring its global investment strategy. Chinese investment, infrastructure projects, and business ventures have fueled Ethiopia's growth, following a model akin to China's own economic development.

This partnership has resulted in transformative changes, including a focus on key industries and infrastructure development, such as the construction of Addis Ababa's light rail system. With over 180,000 Chinese residents and numerous Chinese enterprises operating in Ethiopia, the collaboration between the two nations has become a cornerstone of Ethiopia's economic revitalization.

48 

Hongde Li



@magnacarta740

@magnacarta740

9

The US and EU call this African success China's debt-trap, out of sheer jealousy ????????????

55





@tony6729

@tony6729

9

USA disrupts; China builds , develops and prosper nations ?from Singapore

40







1 

@tlsvd5842

@tlsvd5842

9

Europe and America wanted Africa to be poor and not developing

31





@PIT72100

@PIT72100

5

China will always be the best choice for Africa... business development and infrastructure .??????????????????????

12





@RobinsWood1

@RobinsWood1

8

Good choice of moving forward Ethiopia, Th Chinese will never let you down.

15





@jacksonwong90

@jacksonwong90

8

Little china much much better than little endmerica .

13





@lokesh303101

@lokesh303101

9

Yes! Yuan Trade.

32





@mob6569

@mob6569

9

Listen to nothing that the World Bank a colonized institution says. Remember what the IMF said about Ghana and what happened to it today? I am not saying Ethiopia it not doing well, but leave out the criminal colonizers rhetorics out of it. ?????????

14

Chinese Revival



@metrotrujillo

@metrotrujillo

7

Ethiopia is the head quarters of the African Union, the building was donated by China.

4





@Monkey341

@Monkey341

3

The US and EU had been involved in Africa, in extracting its natural resources but not one African country became developed thru' that. No extra schools, hospitals, infrastructure, transport, were build or improved on.

But with China's involvement and model in Africa, there are significant visible improvements in its infrastructure, dams, energy, schools, hospitals, transport, etc.

4





@Ranaimuye

@Ranaimuye

9

Africa has to proritize the following:

- Food security

- Education - basic( primary/ tertiary).

- infrastructure

* roads

* railways

* ports.

* water & sanitation

The loans have to be long-term ~ 50 years.

R

5





@listenup2882

@listenup2882

9

They make it sound like China is doing charity work in Ethiopia.

5







4 

@user-vz9qi3zh2z

@user-vz9qi3zh2z

7

?????

2





@hubreydavid7864

@hubreydavid7864

18

A United Africa needs a system like the Chinese model because the continent is cut up like a wedding cake and the foreign ownership of resources are having decades of honeymoon exploiting the resources. Once the resources are in the hands of Africa the continent will have the potential to eradicate poverty and corruption.



@joyaku3078

@joyaku3078

7

This story of economic development is the fruit of former EPRDF government now in 2024 it is eroded greatly by incapable government



@hyacinthjarrett8637

@hyacinthjarrett8637

8

Africa will never change because its leaders refuse to move on. As soon as the outside helps leave things fall apart due to neglect or in fighting for personal gains. Change our mindset that's holding us down.

2

Chinese Revival



@MattsFikezolo-lo7wq

@MattsFikezolo-lo7wq

9

Just wait, soon we will see how BBB will surpass the Chinese investment.

6







6 

@hagostesfamarian2753

@hagostesfamarian2753

6

Lier ! Ethiopia was colonized beI Italy, secondly Ethiopia had never Ports, it has only colonized Eritrea from 1961 - 1991.

Eritrea is. And Ethiopia returned to its Land Lock.

1







1 

@tedchandran

@tedchandran

9

Jai Hinduja. India BBBW with the US to help Africans. If you need US$ loans, look to the World Bank. If you need money to pay back US$ loan, look to IMF.

1







1 

@joyaku3078

@joyaku3078

7

This story of economic development is the fruit of former EPRDF government now in 2024 it is eroded greatly by incapable government
The three-second selfie that brought veteran comic Sil Foxs life crashing down around him

Comedian is suing the State over bogus sex assault charges that were dismissed in 2020

90-year-old comedian Sil Fox takes case against DPP after dismissed sexual assault charge

Paul Williams Mon 26 Feb 2024 at 03:30

Veteran comedian Sil Fox generously obliged when he was asked for a selfie by an admiring fan while he was out socialising in a Dublin pub in the run-up to Christmas more than five years ago.
On the most recent instalment of First Dates Ireland, eight more singletons entered the restaurant in the hope of finding love, but it was a Cork couple in particular that left viewers in stitches.

Cafe manager Lorraine (35) from Togher and barman Eoin (44) from Blarney Street joked that they neednt had bothered with the journey up to Dublin and could have just met up in Cork city.

The date kicked off with the two learning about each other and if they believe in love at first sight.

Viewers were glued to the screen as the newly acquainted pair bonded and bickered like an old married couple.

In a standout moment while discussing online dating, Lorraine caused Eoin to spit out his drink from laughing at a X-rated text message someone once sent her.

The pair got serious for a brief moment when Eoin opened up about his mothers passing, but Maitre D Mateo lifted the moment by modelling Eoins stylish sunglasses at the host stand.

They continued to joke and bicker throughout the date with Eoin taking a jab at Lorraines chattiness.

"Do you ever get tired? Jesus Christ. The amount of talking you do, he asked.

"Well isn't it better to be talking than not talking? I couldn't stick someone sitting here saying nothing. Would you prefer that?" Lorraine quickly replied.

The banter continued right up to the end of the date, with Eoin offering to pay.

When asked would the Cork duo like the see each other again romantically it took a few moments with Lorraine revealing she was unsure, however when Eoin said yes, she agreed she would and the pair embraced in a sweet hug.

But in the post show credits it was revealed that they decided to just remain friends.

The episode also saw a third participant from Cork venture up to the capital in hope of finding a match.

Love is wow, for me its being comfortable with someone and wanting to look after this person and make their life better, and hopefully theyre doing the same for you, said Law student Andrew (61) from Cork.

He was paired with hairdresser Clare (59) from Wexford.

The pair hit it off straight away with Clare sharing how she emigrated to America in the 80s and lived there for 34 years. Andrew spoke about living by the sea in Cork and building his dream home with his wife before she sadly passed away in 2008.

In a moment with the First Dates waitress Alice, Andrew shared that the date going amazing and he finds Clare very interesting.

Andrew insisted on paying the bill at the end of the date.

When asked would they like to see each other romantically, they both said yes.

I totally enjoyed Andrew, I think hes charming and very easy going and I think thats really nice. I enjoyed how there was no pressure, I think theres a lot more to uncover, said Clare.

After the date it was revealed the pair went for a coffee, but distance has since kept them apart. Andrew has since been dating closer to home and Clare is enjoying life in Wexford with her dog Waldo.

First Dates Ireland continues on Thursdays at 9.35 pm on RTE 2.
It is the first accredited module in Substance Misuse and Addiction Studies offered in Cork Prison.

A group of eight students in Cork Prison are amongst the first in Ireland to be presented with university accredited awards recognising their completion of a module on Substance Misuse and Addiction Studies.

This course was developed originally by University College Cork, the HSE Addiction Services and James Leonard of The Two Norries Podcast, in collaboration with teaching staff in Cork ETBs Education Unit.

The module, delivered through UCC, is the first accredited module in Substance Misuse and Addiction Studies offered in Cork Prison and one of the first University accredited modules in Substance Misuse and Addiction Studies within the Irish Prison system.

The module teaches basic knowledge about commonly misused substances and the distinction between substance use, misuse and dependence.

It covers drug pharmacology, biological effects, and impact on mood, behaviour and cognition, societal effects and the importance of addressing safe use.

Key information on overdose response and prevention of harm to individuals, families and communities was also provided.

The module the prisoners have completed is both a standalone qualification and also fits like a jigsaw piece into a bigger diploma that can be completed after release, should they choose to should they progress to the Level 7 Diploma in Substance Misuse and Addiction Studies at UCC, said Dr Seamus O Tuama of UCC ACE

This module was developed by Dr Robert ODriscoll, Senior Addiction Counsellor with the HSE Addiction Services, and delivered in partnership with James Leonard, Host of The Two Norries Podcast, with the shared purpose of breaking the addiction cycle.

James Leonard has publicly shared his experiences of addiction, crime, and recovery. Some students on the course knew James from his time in prison and can take hope working him with now in his current role.

This subject area is a particularly relevant area of study for students within Cork Prison as a lot of them have ended up in prison as a direct result of addiction or alcohol/ drug problems.

Four in five prisoners do not complete a Leaving Cert, more than half leave school before Junior Cert and a quarter never attended secondary school.
The US astronaut spoke about his time in space with MTU students

Pictured at the MTU Bishopstown Campus, Cork on Monday last was renowned retired NASA astronaut, Dr Steve Swanson, with President of MTU, Professor Maggie Cusack, and Dr Niall Smith, MTU Head of Research & Head of MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory.

The Eagle has landed, is what Neil Armstrong famously told NASAs Mission Control Centre when he and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to ever land on the moon on July 20, 1969.

Students and staff on the MTU Bishopstown campus in Cork may well have uttered the same phrase last Monday when US astronaut Steve Swanson dropped by to speak about his experiences and observations of life in space.

A distinguished NASA astronaut, Dr Swanson has flown to the International Space Station three times and has spent a total of 195 days in outer space, where he has done five space walks totalling 28 hours and five minutes.

Considering that MTU operates the internationally award-winning Blackrock Castle Observatory, a functioning astronomical observatory and visitor and outreach centre, it is perhaps no surprise that the retired spaceman paid a visit to the college.

In his talk at the MTU Berkeley Centre, Dr Swanson wowed those in attendance with video clips of his exciting outer world experiences and gave a virtual tour of his life on board the International Space Station.

The astronaut, who has also served as a CAPCOM (capsule communicator) for both the International Space Station and Space Shuttle mission and won prestigious awards including the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, also spoke to secondary school students in Midleton College and staff at DELL in Ballincollig earlier that day.

Dr Swanson was accompanied by Ross Barber and Jack Enright of the International Space School Educational Trust on his visit to Cork, which was sponsored by DELL
Jazzy will team up with a number of special guests at Dublins 3Olympia on April 4

Rising Dublin artist Jazzy has announced a special one-off charity gig to raise vital funds for children in Childrens Health Ireland hospitals.

She will team up with a number of surprise special guests for the event at Dublins 3Olympia on April 4.

Tickets for Jazzy and Friends in Aid of Childrens Health Foundation, will go on sale this Thursday, February 29, at 10am.

Ive been really wanting to do something like this, to give back to the community that has supported me to get me this far, Jazzy said in a statement.

Ive been blessed to be so busy these last couple of years and Dublin has been behind me the whole way. It hasnt gone unnoticed.

I cant wait to finally play an all-ages show in my hometown, as the love from the young fans has really warmed my heart.

Childrens Health Foundation does such fantastic work in Dublin and I couldnt think of a more worthy cause, she added.

Childrens Health Foundation raises vital funds to support sick children and their families in Childrens Health Ireland hospitals and urgent care centres at Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght and Connolly.

We are incredibly grateful to Jazzy for choosing to support Childrens Health Foundation in this special hometown show, Sharon Nolan, Head of Marketing and Communications at Childrens Health Foundation, added.

This amazing concert will raise vital funds to support sick children and their families in Childrens Health Ireland hospitals and urgent care centres and raise awareness of the work we do.

Huge thank you to Jazzy and her team for their incredible support.

Last year saw Jazzy breaking through with the phenomenal success of her Constellations EP and her first Irish and UK headline tour.

Her first number one single, Giving Me, saw her become the first Irish woman to top the charts in over 14 years. She was also nominated for a Brit award and the RTE Choice Music Prize.

Giving Me was a UK top three song and the biggest UK debut single of 2023, Official Charts Company certified, amassing over 116 million streams and counting.

She also had a top five single with dance duo Belters Only with Make Me Feel Good, which was in the Top 20 most streamed songs in 2022.
Just two weeks after it was featured in the Drogheda Independent, Meath County Council has lodged planning permission for the new Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School on the Mill Road, Colpe.

Parents and local representatives had expressed frustration at delays and hold-ups in the process, which meant they had waited years for any movement on the application, however, the planning application appeared in Fridays edition of the Irish Independent.

Parents expressed delight at the news.

After three long years, its a great day and we welcome the news that planning is being lodged, said spokesman for the parents Rory Scott. Parents and guardians look forward to viewing the plans in detail then.

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The proposed development includes the removal of interim accommodation and the construction of a new 1,000 pupil post primary school, which will comprise of 43 classrooms with associated laboratories and specialist classrooms, across the 5.26 ha site.

The school will also have a multipurpose hall, a physical education suite including a physical education hall, and all ancillary teacher and pupil facilities with a gross floor area of 11,032 square metres over three storeys.

The proposal includes the removal of all interim accommodation on site arranged across 12 blocks and the demolition of a single storey derelict building associated with the former agricultural use of the site.

Deputy Ged Nash also welcomed the development.

I am delighted that the planning application for the permanent Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School school building on the Mill Road is being lodged with Meath County Council. This is the culmination of many years of campaigning and I am delighted to have played a part, working alongside great and committed people who care about our community and the future of our young people, he said. I want to congratulate the school principal and staff, the board, parents and students on getting to this milestone moment.
The first section of the Port Access Northern Cross Route will open in a matter of weeks.

11 year old local girl Aria McGuinness took the opportunity to cycle along the deserted PANCR while the opening ceremony was taking place.

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the new PANCR took place on Monday.

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the new PANCR took place on Monday.

There are some 36 different collective nouns for politicians but whichever one you choose, there were a hell of a lot of them at the official opening of Phase 1 of the Port Access Northern Cross Route on Monday.

The 4km stretch of road runs from Rose Hall roundabout to Ballymakenny Road and at least 2km was lined with cars, as local and national representatives from all persuasions jostled to be near the scissors as it was photographed cutting the ceremonial red ribbon.

Wielding those scissors was Louth County Council CEO Joan Martin, flanked by Cathaoirleach Paula Butterly, both of whom welcomed the new road in opening remarks.

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The opening of phase one is going to alleviate the traffic and change the way we all do business in and around Drogheda, particularly the north end of the town, said Cllr Butterly.

It will help alleviate the traffic for students and teachers going to the Ballymakenny school. It will help people to avoid the hospital if they don't need to go there and it will literally change the face of the town, and by the time we get to phase four of the route, we will definitely see a changed Drogheda.

11 year old local girl Aria McGuinness took the opportunity to cycle along the deserted PANCR while the opening ceremony was taking place.

The new road will support the development of up to 5,000 new homes in the area and its delivery has been made possible through an innovative collaboration between Castlethorn; the Housing Infrastructure Services Company (HISCo); Ballymakenny Developments Ltd and Louth County Council.

I would encourage more collaborations of this nature to happen between both private enterprise communities and local authorities, not just when it comes to roads, but when it comes to rail, when it comes to enhancing our towns and our villages, and let us build communities that offer more than just houses; they offer safe havens, they offer investment, they offer tourism, and they offer homes for everybody, added Cllr Butterly.

The road was first mooted two decades ago and this first phase took just under 12 months to complete once the sod was turned on March 8, 2023.

Louth County Council CEO Joan Martin said she was delighted this day had finally arrived and explained the status of the next phases in her statement.

It's really very exciting, and we're a very long time waiting to build this road. I think it's been 20 years, said Ms Martin. It's really about delivery of housing, and that was really what the vision for this road was about, but it has a secondary vision as well and that was offering a direct access between the motorway and the port, and that would remove the port traffic from Drogheda town centre, making it a much nicer place to visit.

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the new PANCR took place on Monday.

This is phase one of four possible phases planned over the coming years, which will eventually stretch to Drogheda Port.

After this first stretch, there is another short stretch to the railway line, which is a gigantic obstacle sitting in our way and we have to get through the railway line with the help of Irish Rail so that's a complex and expensive technical job, but I already have funding for that.

Beyond that heading towards the Termonfeckin Road, I already have developers in the same way stepping up with the great interest in building that section of road.

The first section of the Port Access Northern Cross Route will open in a matter of weeks.

And then the last section would be from Termonfeckin Road roundabout down to the port, which is quite a short section that we would again hope we will be able to get funding from the Department of Transport or the NTA or one of those national bodies.

The road, which has cycle lanes and a footpath, will be open to the public for vehicles from next Monday, March 4.

There is also access to DIFE off the central roundabout, and to the Siena Convent close to Rose Hall roundabout.
A new documentary that tells the story of Achill Island native, Finbar Cafferkey, who died on the frontline in Ukraine is due to air this week.

Two years on from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a TG4 documentary Caillte san Ucrain (Lost in Ukraine) investigates the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Cafferkey, 45, who was killed while trying to secure a crucial supply line in the battle for Bakhmut on April 19, 2023.

The current affairs documentary is presented by investigative journalist, Kevin Magee, who travels to war-torn Ukraine to find out more about the Mayo native.

Finbar Cafferkey was the eldest in a family of five children and grew up in Cashel on the east side of Achill Island.

His parents Tom and Celine, sisters Meadhbh and Orla and brother Colm take part in the documentary.

Finbar's family.

Mr Cafferkey died in a Russian mortar strike along with two other foreign fighters, former US Marine veteran Cooper Andrews (26), from Ohio, and Russian anarchist Dmitriy Petrov.

Mr Cafferkey and Mr Petrov had previously fought with the YPG, a left-wing Kurdish militia who fought against the Islamic state in northern Syria.

Kevin travelled to the city of Lviv in western Ukraine, and tracked down a former female volunteer solider who trained alongside Mr Cafferkey and was due to take part in the same ill-fated mission.

Other Ukrainian frontline soldiers interviewed for the documentary tell of the difficulties serving in the Bakhmut region where Mr Cafferkey was killed.

It was previously reported that Finbar Cafferkys remains had been recovered from the battlefield and were awaiting a positive identification, but following inquiries made in the TG4 programme, Mr Cafferkey has now been officially re-classified as missing-in-action; without his remains being recovered.

A Ukrainian solider who was wounded fighting at the in frontline near Bakhmut and is currently being treated for his injuries in Lviv, told Kevin Magee in the programme, about the problems recovering the bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers from the battlefield where Finbar Cafferkey was killed.

Its almost impossible to do that, and we even had cases where we had a so-called agreement between Russian troops and our allocation team was entering to pick up the bodies, and they were immediately shot, said Andrii, 39, who served with a special forces unit on the Ukrainian front line near Bakhmut.

Only in some rare cases where the commanders of units from both sides have an agreement is it possible to recover bodies but in general its very, very, very difficult, he said.

Journalist Kevin Magee.

Andrii, who declined to give his surname for security reasons, said the area where Mr Cafferkey is missing near Bakhmut is now controlled by Russian forces.

The situation in the Bakhmut region is always quite difficult because the enemy is much better equipped with heavy weapons, drones, artillery and number of troops, so its pretty tough fighting there. When you fight there its non-stop strikes and shelling, he said.

Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland Laryso Gerasko, also speaking on the programme, dismissed earlier reports that Mr Cafferkeys body has been recovered and was awaiting identification in a morgue.

I have some information from our Minister of Defence.

"His body hasn't been identified yet, and hes missing in action.

"Unfortunately, I don't have any, more information except that.

We are on to our authorities to find his body and to identify him but that is without success unfortunately.

"It's our duty to find not only the bodies of foreigners, but Ukrainians as well, but it's very difficult in such a brutal war, said Ms Gerasko.

Caillte san Ucrain from TG4s award winning current affairs strand Iniuchadh TG4, airs on Wednesday February 28 at 9.30pm and on TG4.ie.
Soccer

Sligo Rovers subs changed the game as John Russell praises players impact off the bench

Sligo Rovers manager John Russell praised the impact of his substitutes who changed the game as the Bit ORed won their first home game of the season with a 3-1 win over Drogheda United at The Showgrounds on Saturday night.
A Wexford woman is facing into a lengthy recovery after an equestrian accident over the weekend.

Two units from the National Ambulance Service (NAS) rushed to the scene in Tomhaggard in rural Wexford at around 2.30 p.m. on Saturday where a woman had come off a horse.

An experienced rider, she is believed to have suffered serious, but thankfully non life-threatening injuries.

Having administered some medical attention at the scene, paramedics took the decision to request the assistance of the Aeromed01 air ambulance. It arrived shortly after and the woman was airlifted to Dublin.

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"Due to the nature of the injuries involved, the decision was taken to transfer the patient by air for definitive care at the national trauma unit, said Operations Resource Manager with the NAS Ger Carthy.

"Id like to thank everyone involved in this response and I wish the patient a speedy recovery.

This latest incident comes shortly after a talented young Wexford hurler is facing life-changing injuries after falling from a horse. Prayers were offered for the recovery of Conor Martin (18) from Screen at St Ibars Church in Castlebridge last week, while his club, Shelmaliers, and the entire local community has been rallying behind his family.


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-us-relationship-nicholas-burns-60-mines/?

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U.S. ambassador on why China competition must be managed while keeping "the peace"

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-us-relationship-nicholas-burns-60-minutes/?

By Lesley Stahl, Aliza Chasan, February 25, 2024

Rivalry and mistrust between the U.S. and China have shaken the confidence of the business world and pushed the relationship between the two countries to its lowest point in decades.

But walking away from the deep economic ties that have been forged in the past decades is simply not an option, the U.S. ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, told "60 Minutes."

The relationship with China is the most important, most competitive and most dangerous the U.S. has in the world, Burns said  and he believes that's not changing anytime soon.

"Some people are saying, 'Well, we're so competitive with China, we should end the economic relationship,'" Burns said. "Well, the consequence of that would be 750,000 American families wouldn't be able to put dinner on the table."

That's because ties between the two economic giants directly support American workers growing, producing and exporting goods and services to China.

U.S.-China competition

Navigating America's competing interests in China is a difficult balancing act for Burns.

"We have competing interests here, and balancing those interests is the reality in the U.S.-China relationship," he said during an interview in Beijing. "We're going to compete. We have to compete responsibly and keep the peace between our countries. But we also have to engage.

China and the U.S. are aggressively competing on artificial intelligence, biotechnology and quantum mathematics. Advances in those fields, Burns said, will lead to a new generation of military technology.

"Our two militaries are vying for military supremacy, 'Who's going to be the most powerful in the most important, strategic part of the world, which is the Indo-Pacific,'" Burns said.

President Xi Jinping likes to say that the East is rising and the West is declining, but economically, the U.S. is thriving compared to China. China's economy is facing high youth unemployment, slow growth and a potential debt crunch. In December, credit rating agency Moody's cut its outlook for China to negative.

China is also facing a long-term demographic bind. A decline in the birth rate, which some experts say is irreversible, means the country's population is both aging and shrinking.

And in January, Chinese real estate giant Evergrande was ordered to liquidate its remaining assets. Developers across China have run out of money to complete construction, leaving millions of Chinese citizens who had paid for apartments before they were built in the lurch.

Despite its slowing economy, China has the U.S. beat in many markets. China, with heavy government subsidies, is expected to overtake Japan as the world's biggest exporter of cars. Last quarter, the carmaker BYD surpassed Tesla as the best-selling EV maker in the world. The country also dominates in the wind turbine market.

"They're the leading trade partner of twice as many countries in the world as the United States, so they have global reach," Burns said.

In his annual New Year's speech, President Xi talked about the country's economic woes and, for the first time, acknowledged the high unemployment rate. Still, he has laid out a long-term goal of doubling China's economy by 2035 and surpassing the West in technology.

Risks and rewards in China

Many U.S. companies operating in China are already thriving. Disney recently expanded its Shanghai Disneyland and Aptar, a $9 billion company headquartered in Illinois, invested $60 million in a new factory in China. Aptar Asia President Xiangwei Gong said that even in a slowing economy, the company is doing well. She pointed to business opportunities in health care, cosmetics and packaged foods.

"We are here for the long-term and we believe in the consumption power of the rising middle class," Gong said. "It's 1.4 billion people here."

Walmart has more than 300 locations across China. Shoppers can buy Levi's, browse in Apple stores and get frappuccinos at one of around 6,000 Starbucks locations in China. Boeing, Tesla, Pfizer, Chevron and Intel all do work out of China. U.S. financial firms have strong operations in the country as well. The Chinese government says there are tens of thousands of U.S. companies in China.

Still, other companies and business leaders are wary, despite the lure of a country that's home to so many potential consumers. For the first time in more than 40 years, more money is leaving China than is coming in from American, Japanese, European and Korean investors, Burns said.

The ambassador pointed out that in the decades before President Xi, China powered its economy by investing in high-speed trains, roads, factories and skyscrapers. Yet in the last year, China lost more than $120 billion in long-term foreign investments, according to Beijing data.

Harsh government tactics have left American companies uncertain of the future.

"I think there's been a contradiction in the messaging from the government here in China to the rest of the world. On the one hand, they say, 'We're open for business. We want American, Japanese businesses here,'" Burns said. "But on the other hand, they've raided six or seven American businesses since last March."

The Mintz Group, a company that does due diligence for other companies that might want to invest in China, was raided last year. Five of its Chinese employees were taken into custody. Another firm, Capvision, was also raided. A report on state-run television accused Western consulting firms of espionage and stealing national security and military secrets.

"I think they want to control data about the Chinese people, about Chinese companies. That, I think, is at the heart of the problem with those American companies operating in that sphere," Burns said.

"Our two countries have to live together"

Presidents Biden and Xi met in San Francisco in November in the hopes of easing tensions, especially around the South China Sea, where Beijing has been building up military bases, increasing air sorties near Taiwan and buzzing around U.S. military planes.

"I think we're back to a more settled and stable relationship between the two countries, but it's been a rollercoaster," Burns said.

The two countries are deeply connected economically.

China was the third largest purchaser of U.S. exports in 2022, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. It was also the top supplier of goods to the U.S. that year, accounting for 16.5% of total goods imports. China is also the largest export market for U.S agricultural products, accounting for $40.9 billion in 2022.

"Our two countries have to live together. And this, I think, is the greatest tension in the U.S.-China relationship. China's our most significant competitor," Burns said. "And at the same time, China is our third largest trade partner  750,000 American jobs at stake."

No one from the Chinese government would give "60 Minutes" an interview.

Burns views China as an "adversary" stronger than the Soviet Union was from the 1940s through the 1980s. He also doesn't foresee an easing of tensions around the South China Sea.

"I think ultimately, they want to become and overtake the United States as the dominant country globally," Burns said. "And we don't want that to happen. We don't want to live in a world where the Chinese are the dominant country."
SD Worx Ireland, a HR solutions provider, is to create 40 new jobs over the next two years, as part of a 2.9m investment in its workforce at its HQ in Bray. The company, formerly Intelligo expects to grow to a team of 115 by year-end 2025.

The firms seeks to address new legislation and procedures such as gender pay gap reporting, statutory sick pay, GDPR and auto-enrolment for pensions, while being universally welcomed, which it says can be a headache for payroll departments as they require extensive administration and changes to technology systems.

SD Worxs Payroll Proficiency in Ireland report has found that one in four companies say that legislation is making payroll more difficult. Regarding the most challenging legislation, 63pc of respondents said the complexity of the taxation system, 54pc cited the complexity of the social system and 49pc said the speed of changes to social legislation. However, 55pc of businesses reported that partnering with an external payroll service provider is making their job easier.

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Using automation and machine learning, SD Worxs MegaPay payroll software addresses the challenges faced by payroll teams. The SaaS solution enables reliable, scalable payroll management that can be tailored to meet a companys changing needs and geographical footprint, as well as external factors such as payroll legislation, taxes and privacy laws.

With the ability to securely store employee information  and integrate with other company departments, such as finance  the software can also provide HR managers with valuable insights into important HR issues such as gender pay gaps, helping them to tackle the issue if needed.

The increasing need for such software and demand for SD Worxs services has now led to the company making a significant investment in its workforce. Over the next two years, the company will be hiring for roles in software development, marketing, payroll processing and project implementation. The new roles will help SD Worx to continue to innovate its MegaPay offering, while also providing capacity for a fast-growing customer base.

The new hires will be based in the SD Worx Ireland headquarters in Bray, Co. Wicklow.

SD Worx has been operating in Ireland for more than 10 years and in 2022 it acquired Intelligo, which was established in Bray in 1996.

Last year, SD Worx was named the Best Place to Work at the Workplace Excellence Awards in Ireland. The company was recognised for its commitment to employee wellbeing, fun and togetherness, as well as its policy of recognition for outstanding work and a range of benefits that support diversity and inclusivity in the workplace.

Eimear Byrne, Country Lead, SD Worx Ireland, said: Payroll and HR departments play a vital role in employee satisfaction and wellbeing. Beyond the timely payment of salaries, their scope can cover everything from employee reward schemes and Government entitlements, to making progress in narrowing gender pay gaps. It is a huge responsibility and consistently delivering on this can be complex and stressful.

As businesses and the Government put increasing emphasis on employee welfare, we are witnessing a growing demand for our services. Our existing and new team members will be vital in helping us to grow our business, while also helping other businesses to foster a culture that truly cares for the wellbeing and success of their employees.
There was a sombre atmosphere in the Ukraine Hub, Palyanytsya, in Wicklow town on Friday in remembrance of the second anniversary of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Both Ukrainians living in and around Wicklow combined with members of the local community, gathered in unison at the old library in Wicklow town to reflect on the second anniversary since war broke out, with almost six million people having fled their homeland to various locations across Europe.

Viktoriia Tropina at the Wicklow Ukrainian Hub Remembrance Day. Photo: Michael Kelly

Hub Manager Tanya Antonova said: It was a sad occasion but it was nice to see so many people in attendance. We had a great turnout, including plenty of Ukrainian guests who are currently living in Rathdrum. They all came with a wonderful selection of baked good and traditional Ukrainian dishes. We also got great support from the local Wicklow community as well, as we had representation from Wicklow and District Lions and Wicklow Rotary Club.

The Ukraine Choir were present, under the direction of Sean Olohan and they performed one song. It was a sombre occasion as we reflected on what is happening back in our homeland. We talked about all the Ukrainian children who were basically seized and adopted out to Russian families. Its all so sad.

Members of the Wicklow St Patricks Day Committee were also in attendance and Palyanytsya have plans to enter this years parade with some Ukrainian youngsters.
Australian detectives find bodies of murdered TV presenter and boyfriend, allegedly killed by police officer

Former Network 10 presenter Jesse Baird, 26, and Luke Davies, 29, went missing last week Beaumont Lamarre-Condon, a police officer who once dated TV presenter Mr Baird, was earlier charged with murder

Former Network 10 presenter Jesse Baird, 26 (right), and Luke Davies, 29, went missing last week

Irish Independent Newsdesk Tue 27 Feb 2024 at 12:37







Australian police say two bodies have been found during the search for missing Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.
Farmers have clashed with police in Belgium, spraying officers with liquid manure and setting fire to piles of tyres in a fresh show of force as European Union agriculture ministers met in search of ways to address their concerns.
We refused to die, say last couple saved from blaze in Spanish tower block

Death toll from Thursday's fire at a flat complex in Valencia in the east of the country now stands at 10

Firefighters work at the burned apartment building in Valencia, Spain, on Friday. Photo: Alberto Saiz/AP

Lydia Patrick  UK Independent Mon 26 Feb 2024 at 03:30







The final couple saved from a tower block inferno in Valencia say they refused to die as firefighters rescued them from the burning building.
The far-right leader told hundreds of thousands of supporters at a rally on Sunday that the allegations against him were a "lie" as he flexed his political muscle to hit out against the ruling government.
Israel and Hamas clash in north Gaza over weekend as ceasefire talks ramp up

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says its not clear whether a hostage deal would materialise

A Palestinian girl feeds her brother at a tent camp in Rafah, near Gaza's border with Egypt. Photo: Reuters

Dan Williams and Nidal Al-Mughrabi Mon 26 Feb 2024 at 03:30







Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen clashed throughout the Gaza Strip over the weekend, as mediators picked up the pace of talks on a possible ceasefire to free hostages held by Hamas and bring a measure of Ramadan respite to the battered enclave.
We needed a show of force  how Donald Trump defeated Nikki Haley on home ground in South Carolina

Former US president continues his march to the Republican nomination as rival refuses to bow out

'Make Argentina Great Again': Argentinian Prime Minister Javier Mile meets Donald Trump at Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington DC

Tim Reid, Gram Slattery and Nathan Layne Mon 26 Feb 2024 at 03:30







Donald Trumps big primary victory on Saturday over Nikki Haley in her home state of South Carolina was the result of a ruthless and methodical campaign to eliminate her as a threat, according to aides and people close to both campaigns.
Several NATO and European Union members are considering sending soldiers to Ukraine on a bilateral basis, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Monday.

Fico, who has long opposed military supplies to Ukraine and has taken a position seen by some critics as pro-Russian, offered no details and other European leaders did not immediately comment on his remarks.
Ukrainian troops have pulled out of a village in the east of the country, an army spokesman said on Monday, as Russian forces make their advantages in manpower and ammunition tell on the battlefield at the start of the wars third year.
On February 26, the World Trade Organization (WTO) will hold its 13th ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi. While few would make the connection between the proceedings at that summit and the plight of impoverished farmers across the world, there is indeed a direct and clear link between the two.

On that day, we, members of the European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC), an international organisation representing small-holder farmers in 21 European countries, will be protesting against the neoliberal policies in agriculture the WTO has been promoting for decades which have led to the systematic impoverishment of farmers.

This tragic state of affairs has been highlighted by the continuing protests of farmers who have been taking to the streets, blocking motorways and logistics platforms across Europe since January.

These are people who produce Europes food  whether conventionally or organically, on a small or a medium scale. They stand united by a shared reality: They are fed up with spending their lives working incessantly without ever getting a decent income.

We have reached this point after decades of neoliberal agricultural policies and free trade agreements. Production costs have risen steadily in recent years, while prices paid to farmers have stagnated or even fallen.

Faced with this situation, farmers have pursued various economic strategies. Some have tried to increase production to compensate for the fall in prices: They have bought more land, invested in machinery, taken on a lot of debt and seen their workload increase significantly. The stress and declining incomes have created a great deal of frustration.

Other farmers have sought better prices for their produce by turning to organic farming and short distribution channels. But for many, these markets collapsed after the COVID-19 pandemic.

All the while, through mergers and speculation, large agroindustrial groups have gotten bigger and stronger, putting increased pressure on prices and practices for farmers.

ECVC has actively taken part in the mobilisations of farmers in Europe. Our members have also been hit hard by dwindling incomes, the stress linked to high levels of debt, and the excessive workload. We clearly see that the European Unions embrace of WTO-promoted policies of deregulation of agricultural markets in favour of big agribusiness and the destructive international competition are directly responsible for our plight.

Since the 1980s, various regulations that ensured fair prices for European farmers have been dismantled. The EU put all its faith in free trade agreements, which placed all the worlds farmers in competition with each other, encouraging them to produce at the lowest possible price at the cost of their own incomes and growing debt.

In recent years, however, the EU has announced its intention to move towards a more sustainable agricultural model, notably with the Farm to Fork Strategy, which is the agricultural component of the Green Deal.

Farmers organisations welcomed this ambition, but we also stressed that the sustainability of European agriculture could not be improved without breaking away from the logic of international competitiveness. Producing ecologically has huge benefits for the health and the planet, but it costs more for the farmers, and so to achieve the agroecological transition, agricultural markets need to be protected. Unfortunately, we were not heard.

European farmers were therefore faced with an impossible mission: delivering an agroecological transition while producing for the lowest possible price. As a result, differences between farming organisations have clearly resurfaced.

On one side, the big farmers and agribusiness organisations, linked to Copa-Cogeca, want to maintain the neoliberal orientation and have therefore asked for the withdrawal of environmental measures set in the EUs Green Deal.

On the other side, ECVC and other organisations affirm that the environmental and climate crises are real and serious and that it is vital to give ourselves the means to combat them in order to ensure food sovereignty for the decades to come. For us, it is the neoliberal framework that must be challenged, not environmental regulation.

In particular, we denounce the free trade agreement between the EU has been concluding with various countries and regions. One of them is the deal negotiated with Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay). A final text was drafted in 2019, but it has not been signed or ratified by either side.

If it comes into effect, it would be a disaster for European livestock farmers, as it will lead to increased imports of meat, among other products, from Mercosur countries. This could potentially drive down prices, putting even more economic pressure on already struggling European livestock farmers.

Additionally, the deal could result in the importation of products that do not meet the same strict standards for food safety and environmental sustainability that the EU has embraced.

While we are not against international trade in agricultural products, we advocate for trade to be based on food sovereignty. This means allowing the import and export of agricultural products, but under the condition that it does not harm local food production and the livelihood of small-scale food producers.

Instead of protecting their farmers and helping them transition to agroecology, the EU has chosen to respond to the demands of big farmers and agribusiness organisations by reversing a key provision of the Green Deal: halving the use of pesticides by 2030.

Some European countries have also decided to address this crisis by abolishing environmental measures while maintaining neoliberal policies. France, for example, paused the Ecophyto pesticide reduction plan, while Germany abolished its plan to scrap tax breaks on farming vehicles and watered down legislation to lift subsidies on off-road diesel fuel.

Removing environmental regulations is a very risky choice because it does nothing to permanently solve the essential problem of dwindling farmers incomes. So we can be sure that farmers protests will continue to escalate in coming years.

All of this is happening at a time when the far right is on the rise across the world. Rather than solving the problems by ensuring a better distribution of income, the far right designates minority populations as scapegoats (migrants, women, LGBTQ, etc) and increases the violent repression of popular movements.

In the Netherlands, farmers anger was exploited by the right-wing Farmer-Citizen Movement party (BBB), which leveraged anti-system and anti-ecology rhetoric to secure more votes. As a result, the BBB made significant gains in provincial and national elections, increasing its seats in parliament from one to seven.

With the EUs incoherent reaction to the farmers protests, there is a real risk that this trend will continue in the elections for the European Parliament in June.

The farmers unions within ECVC maintain that the real solutions for European farmers are policies to regulate markets and promote food sovereignty, in cooperation with the countries of the South. At a time when capital income is exploding, we, as farmers, are standing with the workers unions and the climate movement to demand a fair income for all workers and coherent policies to respond to the global climate emergency.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Police take security measures and investigate the crime scene after an active-duty member of the US Air Force set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. Photo: Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images.

A U.S. military service member who had set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington over the weekend, in an apparent act of protest against the war in Gaza, has died, local media reported on Monday.
Photo Courtesy: Vikas Khanna Instagram page

Celebrity chef Vikas Khanna will launch his new restaurant in New York next month.

The restaurant named 'Bungalow' will open its doors on March 23.

"Bungalow New York Opening on Mar 23, 2024," he posted on Instagram.

He said the restaurant is a tribute to his late sister Radhika Khanna who would have turned 50 on March 23, 2024.

"50 DAYS from today on March 23rd, would have been my beloved sister Radhikas 50th Birthday.We open Bungalow on the auspicious day as a tribute to her life and also to honor millions of kitchens, chefs, cook book writers, street vendors, home cooks across India and most importantly to our MOTHERS who have nurtured our souls forever," he said.

Radhika Khanna reportedly passed away in 2022 due to multi-organ failure.

She was 48.

As per the official website of the restaurant, it is a premier New York restaurant & cocktail bar to showcase the fare of this nostalgic era.

Who is Vikas Khanna?

Khanna is an Indian chef, restaurateur, cookbook writer, filmmaker and humanitarian.

He has been one of the judges of MasterChef India since its beginning.
Photo courtesy: UNI

Prayagraj/IBNS/UNI: The Allahabad High Court on Monday allowed Hindu puja to take place at the cellar of Gyanvapi Mosque, which is located in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi, media reports said.

The high court has dismissed the Gyanvapi Mosque committee's plea challenging the Varanasi district court's decision to allow the Hindu puja at the cellar.

Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal said as quoted by Hindustan Times, "After going through the entire records of the case and after considering arguments of the parties concerned, the court did not find any ground to interfere in the judgment passed by the district judge dated 17.01.2024 appointing DM, Varanasi as receiver of the property as well as the order dated 31.01.2024 by which the district court had permitted Puja in the Tehkhana."

In a big win for the Hindu side in late January, the District Court had directed Varanasi District Magistrate in north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh to make arrangements for the worship of idols seated inside the basement situated on the south side of the Gyanvapi complex.

Varanasi District Court's order

The court had ordered, "District Magistrate Varanasi and Receiver are directed to perform puja, Raag-Bhog of idols located in the basement on the south side of the building of settlement plot number 9130, which is the suit property, by a priest named by the plaintiff and the Kashi Vishwanath Trust Board.

"Get the puja and Raag-Bhog performed and make proper arrangements for the iron fence within 7 days for this purpose."

Counsel of Hindu side Madan Mohan Yadav said that in 2023 Shailendra Kumar Pathak filed an application that puja of idol situated in the basement of the south side of the temple was being done, but after December 1993, the priest Vyas was prevented from entering the barricaded area of the said premises due to which rituals of Raag-Bhog also stopped.

The applicant stated that there was an adequate basis for believing that priest Vyasji was in possession of the said place on a hereditary basis even during British rule and performed puja until December 1993 in the said building. It was pleaded that it was necessary to perform puja on the idols present in the basement on a regular basis.

The applicant stated that the state government and the district administration have stopped worship inside the basement since December 1993 without any legal authority.

The application was opposed by the defendant, who claimed that none of the members of the Vyas family ever performed puja in the said basement; therefore, there was no question of stopping in December 1993. It was stated that there was no so-called idol at the said place.

It was claimed in the plaintiff's statement that the Vyas family had the basement, and it was in the possession of the Intezamia Committee. It was claimed that there was no idol of the deity in the basement, and in such a situation, directing any receiver to make arrangements for puja was not justified.

The court observed, "In my opinion, keeping in mind the above material, it seems appropriate that the Receiver and the District Magistrate, Varanasi, should be directed to make arrangements for puja and Raag-Bhog of the idols in the basement on the south side of the building by a priest named by the plaintiff and by the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust, for which proper arrangements of iron fencing should be made within 7 days."
Photo courtesy: UNI

Kolkata/IBNS: Breaking silence on the massive Sandeshkhali protests, local Trinamool Congress MP Nusrat Jahan has said she always followed her party's guidelines and served the people.

Nusrat, an MP from West Bengal's Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency which comprises Sandeshkhali, was earlier slammed by opposition leaders and some locals for maintaining silence on the raging issue, where several women have accused TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides of land grabbing, extortion and sexual abuse.

In an X post, Nusrat, who is also a leading Bengali film actress, shared a newspaper cutting where locals from Sandeshkhali were reported to be expressing dissatisfaction over the parliamentarian, who won by a record margin in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Nusrat wrote, "It is heart wrenching waking up to such allegations. As a woman, as a public representative I have always followed my parties guidelines and served the people. With the Sandeshkhali incident raging, Our Hon CM has already send Help.. and necessary steps are being taken for the welfare of the people.

"We are not above the law.. thus abiding by it and supporting the administration is what one needs to do. I have genuinely served the people in my constituency, in times of joy, in times of trouble.. I act in accordance with the guidelines of my party.. and I believe we must have faith in the state govt and administration,what is wrong shall always be condemned ."

"We must refrain from targeting each other.. and come together to help create peace and not commotion. Peoples security and welfare is our top priority.. Rest who says what about whom does not matter. Like I said before.. Id repeat again 'STOP POLITICISING'," she added.

It is heart wrenching waking up to such allegations. As a woman, as a public representative I have always followed my parties guidelines and served the people. With the Sandeshkhali incident raging, Our Hon CM has already send Help.. and necessary steps are being taken for the pic.twitter.com/KrqOeSvWU0  Nussrat Jahan (@nusratchirps) February 25, 2024

Sandeshkhali incident

The turmoil in Sandeshkhali, a remote block about 80 kms from Kolkata and a part of the Basirhat sub-division of North 24 Parganas district, broke out first in early January when a team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan's residence to quiz him in connection with the ration distribution scam in the state.

Shahjahan's aides allegedly assaulted and chased the ED officers turning the area into a political hotspot months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

While Shahjahan is now absconding, several women from the village came out with brooms and sticks demanding the arrest of the TMC strongman.

The protesting women have alleged Shahjahan and his aides captured several lands forcefully and sexually harassed them.

Reacting to the allegations, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in the state assembly on Thursday, "By targeting Shahjahan, ED entered into the area and then created a rift between the Adivasis and minorities."
Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from YouTube video

New Delhi/IBNS: The Calcutta High Court on Monday said police are not restrained from arresting absconding Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader in the Sandeshkhali incident, rejecting the ruling party's claim.

The high court has asked police to include Shahjahan, who has been absconding since January 5, in the case.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said police were not able to arrest Shahjahan because of a stay order by the Calcutta High Court.

"Our hands are tied," said Abhishek as questions were being raised over whether TMC is shielding Shahjahan, who along with his aides are accused of land grabbing, extortion and sexual abuse by the local women of Sandeshkhali.

"We haven't spared Partha Chatterjee (erstwhile top leader and cabinet minister).. then who is Sheikh Shahjahan?" said the TMC number two man.

Sandeshkhali incident

The turmoil in Sandeshkhali, a remote block about 80 kms from Kolkata and a part of the Basirhat sub-division of North 24 Parganas district, broke out first in early January when a team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan's residence to quiz him in connection with the ration distribution scam in the state.

Shahjahan's aides allegedly assaulted and chased the ED officers turning the area into a political hotspot months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

While Shahjahan is now absconding, several women from the village came out with brooms and sticks demanding the arrest of the TMC strongman.

The protesting women have alleged Shahjahan and his aides captured several lands forcefully and sexually harassed them.

Reacting to the allegations, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in the state assembly on Thursday, "By targeting Shahjahan, ED entered into the area and then created a rift between the Adivasis and minorities."
Photo Courtesy: PIB

A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kerala Capital, a person having links with ISIS was arrested from the Vattiyoorkavu police station limit here.

Tamil Nadu native Sadiq Basha, who served 24 months in jail for anti-national activities, was arrested on Sunday with a fake police sticker on his car, sources said.

In September 2022, he was arrested from his wife's house in Vattiyoorkavu by the NIA in connection with fundraising for ISIS.

According to the police version, he came to a mosque here for his divorce, and later created problems with his wife's relatives.

But, there were reports that he visited Vattiyoorkavu several times after his release from jail.

Sources told UNI PM Modi, who will be in the city in connection with an official program, will also attend the conclusion ceremony of the 'Padayatra' led by the BJP's state unit on Tuesday.

PM Modi to visit Kerala

Narendra Modi will visit Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra on February 27-28.

On 27th February, at around 10:45 AM, Prime Minister will visit Vikram Sarabhai Space centre (VSSC) at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. At around 5:15 PM, Prime Minister will participate in the programme Creating the Future  Digital Mobility for Automotive MSME Entrepreneurs in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

On 28th February, at around 9:45 AM, Prime Minister will inaugurate, and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth about Rs 17,300 crore at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. At around 4:30 PM, Prime Minister will participate in a public programme in Yavatmal, Maharashtra, and inaugurate and dedicate to nation multiple development projects worth more than Rs 4900 crore at Yavatmal, Maharashtra. He will also release benefits under PM KISAN and other schemes during the programme.



(With UNI inputs)
Photo Courtesy: Pinarayi Vijayan X page/@pinarayivijayan

Filmmaker, screenwriter and academic Kumar Shahani , known for his contribution to Indias parallel cinema movement with his style known as formalism, died in a Kolkata hospital on Sunday due to prolonged old-age-related issues.

He was 83.

Known for his films like Maya Darpan (1972), Tarang (1984) and Khayal Gatha (1989), he stayed away from popular films.

In his illustrious career, the director had won the prestigious National Award for the films Maya Darpan, Tarang and the documentary Bhavantarana.

His dedication to formalism was defined by the reputation of his first feature Maya Darpan, considered Indian cinema's first formalist film.

Known for his unconventional approach and strong bond to making parallel movies, critics and film enthusiasts often associated him with filmmakers such as Pier Paolo Pasolini, Andrei Tarkovsky and Jacques Rivette.

Life and movies

Born on December 7, 1940 in Larkana region of India (now Pakistan), his family moved to Mumbai (then known as Bombay) after the partition of the country.

He received a B. A. (hons) from the University of Bombay in Political Science and History and studied screenplay writing and Advanced Direction at the Film and Television Institute of India.

It was in FTII where he was taught by legendary Indian director Ritwik Ghatak.

As a highlight point in his career, he was awarded a French Government Scholarship for further studies in France, where he studied at the Institut des hautes etudes cinematographiques (IDHEC) and assisted Robert Bresson on Une Femme Douce.

After returning to India, he made his first feature film Maya Darpan in 1972.

He had to wait for twelve years before he received funding to make his next full-length feature film Tarang.

Reactions

National Film Archive of India wrote: "We are deeply saddened by the passing away of filmmaker, scholar and writer #KumarShahani (1940-2024), a pioneer and luminary of the Indian New Wave. Shahani was an integral member of the generation of filmmakers who emerged under the tutelage of #RitwikGhatak at FTII."

We are deeply saddened by the passing away of filmmaker, scholar and writer #KumarShahani (1940-2024), a pioneer and luminary of the Indian New Wave. Shahani was an integral member of the generation of filmmakers who emerged under the tutelage of #RitwikGhatak at FTII. pic.twitter.com/QOHWVEqj3q  NFDC-National Film Archive of India (@NFAIOfficial) February 26, 2024

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described his death as a big loss for Indian film industry.

"Sad to know of the demise of the renowned filmmaker Kumar Shahani at Kolkata," she posted on X.

Sad to know of the demise of the renowned filmmaker Kumar Shahani at Kolkata.



Shahani was a noted and powerful film director, who had a strong presence in the Indian parallel cinema. It is indeed a big loss for Indian film industry.



My condolences to his family, friends and  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 25, 2024

"Shahani was a noted and powerful film director, who had a strong presence in the Indian parallel cinema. It is indeed a big loss for Indian film industry. My condolences to his family, friends and followers," the CM said.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan wrote on his X handle: "The loss of renowned filmmaker Kumar Shahani, who also maintained warm ties with Kerala, is deeply saddening. His innovative filmmaking left an indelible mark on Indian cinema, while his commitment to progressive ideals inspired many. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the film fraternity."

The loss of renowned filmmaker Kumar Shahani, who also maintained warm ties with Kerala, is deeply saddening. His innovative filmmaking left an indelible mark on Indian cinema, while his commitment to progressive ideals inspired many. My heartfelt condolences to his family, pic.twitter.com/Sl3sSIwpzg  Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) February 26, 2024




Hollywood actor Kenneth Mitchell dies at 49. Photo Courtesy: Kenneth Mitchell Instagram page

Hollywood actor Kenneth Mitchell, who appeared in movies like 'Star Trek: Discovery' and Marvels 'Captain Marvel', has died, his family confirmed on Sunday.

He was 49.

He reportedly died due to complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS.

On the actor's official Instagram page, a statement was posted by his family members: "With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Kenneth Alexander Mitchell, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, son and dear friend."

As per the statement, he died on Saturday.

The actor was diagnosed with ALS in 2018.

In recent years, his family members often posted updates on his health conditions.

The actor marked the fifth anniversary of his health condition recently with an Instagram post. "My brother humorously mentioned that they dont really have a happy ALS Anniversary card in the shop. However, I want to celebrate today; the gift of life. Im so thankful to have this day in front of me. Its been a long 5 years. So much lost, so much gained. Incredibly hard times, mixed with so many more blessings. At the heart of it all are friends and family, caregivers and doctors coming to the aid of my family over and over and over again. Giving a plethora of support and love and care and encouragement. There is so much beauty in that. This disease is absolutely horrificyet despite all the suffering, there is so much to be grateful for. Especially the little joys and resilience of today and the hope of a tomorrow."

Kenneth Mitchell was known for his role as Eric Green in the CBS television series Jericho (20062008) and for portraying various characters in Star Trek: Discovery (20172021).

He played the character of Joseph Danvers in Captain Marvel (2019).

What is ALS?

As per Mayo Clinic website, ALS is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS causes loss of muscle control.

The disease gets worse over time.
Photo Courtesy: Screengrab from video posted by Punjab Police Official X page

Pakistani police rescued a woman after she was mobbed by a crowd for allegedly wearing a kurta with Arabic prints, which people allegedly mistook as verses from Quran.

The woman was accused of blasphemy and the crowd mobbed her when she was spotted in the kurta in a Lahore restaurant.

The mob reportedly asked the woman to take off her kurta.

In a video that has gone viral, a woman cop could be seen pacifying the situation and later on rescuing the woman.

Punjab Police shared the video on X where IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar was quoted as saying: "ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, the brave SDPO of Gulbarg Lahore, put her life in danger to rescue a woman from a violent crowd. For this heroic deed, the Punjab Police has recommended her name for the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal (QPM), the highest gallantry award for law enforcement in Pakistan."

"ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, the brave SDPO of Gulbarg Lahore, put her life in danger to rescue a woman from a violent crowd. For this heroic deed, the Punjab Police has recommended her name for the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal (QPM), the highest gallantry award for law pic.twitter.com/awHaIGVb9l  Punjab Police Official (@OfficialDPRPP) February 25, 2024

The woman was taken to the police station where she apologised for hurting religious sentiments.

A Muslim cleric who was present when the woman issued her apology, added that she has promised not to wear the shirt again, reported India Today.
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The last year has shown significant shortcomings when it comes to Wests ability to use economic statecraft as a tool in international politics. Almost all schemes developed to weaken potential opponents have either failed or were less effective than expected.

Lets begin with Russia: In order to drain the financial resources that enable Moscows war in Ukraine, the G7 nations implemented a price cap of $60 per barrel on Russian oil. This measure was intended to maintain global energy supply stability while constraining Russias war capabilities. Despite these intentions, however, reports from the Financial Times indicate that almost no Russian oil has been sold below this cap, undermining the effectiveness of the policy. The situation is further complicated by the fact that not all G7 members have uniformly adhered to the cap. Japan, for instance, secured an exemption allowing it to import Russian crude oil at prices exceeding the $60 threshold until June 28, 2024  highlighting the challenges in maintaining a cohesive front among allies.

Moreover, the imposition of the price cap has inadvertently spurred a surge in black market activities for oil, demonstrating the lengths to which nations will go to secure access to this vital resource. The US has taken steps to enforce the price cap, targeting crude traders and shipping entities, but the overall efficacy of these measures remains questionable.

In conclusion, while the G7s price cap on Russian oil was designed with the goal of curtailing Russias revenue streams, the reality of international oil trade and the strategic importance of energy have rendered the cap less effective than hoped.

As the team behind Substacks most read Blog, Doomberg, told Brussels Signal the entire concept was flawed from the beginning. A commodity exporter cannot be weakened with export restrictions, since they make up the loss in volume via price. The right strategy would have been to flood the market with energy, thereby collapsing global prices and the Russian economy.

The financial cushion Putin as accumulated is being put to good use, including buying European and US-American high-tech. Russia managed to import over $1 billion worth of advanced microchips from U.S. and European companies in the previous year. Using third countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, or the nations of Central Asia allows Russia continued access to needed technology, and it demonstrates that Moscow is not as isolated as it seems.

In a similar fashion, the US strategy to cut off China from semiconductor technology seems to disappoint as well. The Dutch company ASML, which is the worlds only producer of the necessary machinery to make sophisticated semiconductors, was subject to a secret agreement between the US and the Netherlands to limit exports to China. ASML, has been instrumental in advancing the semiconductor industry with its photolithography machines, which are crucial for producing computer chips.

While ASMLs most advanced technology, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, has been banned from export to China since 2019, the companys second-most advanced machines, the immersion deep ultraviolet (DUV) systems, were not initially subject to such restrictions. These DUV systems utilize deep UV light to print minuscule features that form the basis of microchips and have been pivotal in enabling significant progress in chip manufacturing.

A downturn in global demand, however, resulted in ASML lobbying the Dutch government for increased exports  and they are showing effects: Despite export controls, ASMLs DUV lithography machines have facilitated a notable breakthrough in Chinese chipmaking. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), using ASMLs equipment, managed to produce a 7-nanometer chip. The revelation of Chinas ability to manufacture such advanced chips has raised concerns in Washington, as it suggests that Chinas semiconductor industry might be reaching a level of self-sufficiency that could be difficult to curtail.

Sanctions, as they so often do, turn into what the former US Secretary of State George Shultz called a wasting asset. He describes the fact that imposing restrictions on certain goods will only motivate the target-country to develop those goods with their own technological capabilities. When asked about the history of sanctions, the energy expert Anas Alhaji told Brussels Signal that the story is almost always the same: In the end, they always fail.
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

A toddler girl lost her life and a young woman sustained injuries after unidentified suspects opened fire during a robbery incident in Pakistan's Korangi region on Saturday.

The deceased was identified as two-year-old Hoorain Hassan.

20-year-old Rafia was injured in the incident and shifted to Jinnah Hospital for treatment.

Korangi police station SHO Amin Solangi told The Express Tribune that three suspected robbers attempted to steal a motorbike of a resident Hasan [the deceased toddlers father] from outside his house.

After he resisted, area residents gathered at the scene which prompted the robbers to open indiscriminate firing.

The toddler died in the incident while she was playing with other children in the area.

The SHO added that an investigation into the matter has been initiated
Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Chinese Coast Guards said it recently conducted patrols and inspections in the waters around the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen Islands on Sunday.

The Fujian coast guard of China carried out the patrols.

In a statement as quoted by Taiwan News the patrols were carried out to 'strengthen law enforcement inspections in key areas, effectively maintain the order of operations in the relevant sea areas, and effectively safeguard the safety of fishermen's lives and property'.

A spokesperson for the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) told Taiwan News they had seen the announcement but declined to comment on it.

The patrols occurred at a time when closed doors were meeting held between families of deceased Chinese fishermen and Taiwans Coast Guard in Kinmen.

The fishermen died on Feb. 14 when their boat capsized after being chased by Taiwans Coast Guard near the islands, reported Taiwan News.

China blamed Taiwanese authorities for the death of the fishermen.

Taiwans Coast Guard apologized, though said it acted in accordance with the law, the news portal reported.
Photo Courtesy:ShareAlike 1.0 Generic/Wikimedia Commons

An active-duty member of the US Air Force on Sunday set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC, media reports said.

The Metropolitan Police Department responded to the 3500 block of International Drive, NW, at approximately 1:00 pm, to assist the United States Secret Service after an individual set themselves on fire in front of an embassy in the block, the Washington Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement to CNN.

In a video of the incident, obtained and reviewed by CNN, the man identifies himself as Aaron Bushnell and says, I will no longer be complicit in genocide, before going on to say that what hes about to do is minimal compared with the suffering of Palestinians.

The man is seen putting the recording device on the ground and then putting a liquid over himself.

He then ignites himself while repeatedly yelling 'Free Palestine'.

He eventually collapses to the ground and the police rush to douse the flame.

Rose Riley, a spokesperson for the US Air Force, told CNN, I can confirm an active duty Airman was involved in todays incident.

The man was transported to a local hospital for treatment where his condition is said to be critical.

No embassy staff members were injured, and all were accounted for, according to Tal Naim, a spokeswoman for the embassy told The New York Times.

Israel is waging a war against Hamas members in Gaza after the group attacked and killed 1,200 people in Israel on October 7.

Last year a protester had set himself on fire in front of the Israeli consulate in Georgia.
Amazon Prime Video's new web series Poacher has caught people's fancy. Do you know that the series whose story revolves around the Kerala Forest Department and how it nabbed down the criminals running an illegal ivory smuggling racket is based on a true incident called Operation Shikar? Not just that, the crime drama created by Richie Mehta and produced by Alia Bhatt shows prominent characters based on real-life people with whose help 72 people were arrested in the elephant poaching case.

All you need to know about Operation Shikar that inspired A mazon Prime Video's 'Poacher'

X

Operation Shikar was carried out between 2015 and 2017. The investigation led to the arrest of 72 people in an elephant poaching case. The arrest included elephant poachers, government officials, carvers, and high-end ivory art dealers -- all of whom were involved in the ivory smuggling racket. The Kerala Forest Department seized 464 kg of ivory artifacts worth Rs 13 crore in the international black market.

It came to light that the traffickers were paying the local hunters to kill the elephants in the darkest corners of the forest for their tusks, which were sent to the local carving artists. The finished products were then sold to art dealers and brokers across the country who dealt with national as well as international clients. While Operation Shikhar confirmed the killing of 28 tuskers, it is said that the real number is quite higher than this.

Real-life Mala Jogi, Alan Joseph, Neel Banerjee are based on real-life people!

Mala Jogi is inspired by Manu Sathyan

X

The character of Mala Jogi is inspired by DFO of the Kerala Forest Department Manu Sathyan. Richie Mehta revealed that the character of Mala Jogi is inspired by Manu, who along with many other forest officers, worked closely with the Kerala Police Department to arrest the poachers and middlemen in Kerala. The character is an amalgamation of several officers working together on the case.

When a forest watcher Kunjumon Devasey (named Aruku in the show) complained to the Police station about the poaching case, Manu was working as a range officer. After the case, he was promoted to the position of DFO. Manu has been working as a forest officer for about 20 years now.

Alan Joseph is inspired by Jose Louies

X

The character of Alan Joseph is inspired by a real-life IT engineer from Kerala named Jose Louies, who worked closely with the Kerala Forest Department as a representative of the Wildlife Trust Of India (WTI). Jose teamed up with Manu Sathyan to nab the middlemen involved. As he traced their phone call records, he reached the bigger players sitting at the top. With this information, he managed to nab Eagle Rajan and Delhi-based art-dealer named Umesh Aggarwal. Jose Louies is a wildlife enthusiast who has keen interest in snakes and bees. As seen in the Amazon Prime Video web series, he runs a popular website and often advises doctors or patients about the correct anti-venom medications.

Currently, he is working as Joint Director and Chief of Wildlife Crime Control under WTI, Delhi.

Neel Banerjee is inspired by Amit Mallick

X

The character of Neel Banerjee is loosely based on Dr Amit Mallick, who teamed up with Surendra Kumar to assemble a dedicated task force in order to swiftly apprehend the criminals. Unlike shown in the web-series, Mallick wasn't suffering from any life-threatening illness.



Currently, he serves as the IGF, second-in-command at the National Tiger Conservation Authority. In this role, Dr. Mallick remains dedicated to safeguarding the country's tiger population, actively working towards the overarching goal and garnering recognition for his efforts.

Poonam Verma, Ravi Don, and Morris Finn are also inspired from real-life people

These characters were inspired by real-life people who ran the ivory smuggling racket in Kerala back in 2015.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.






Choosing economics for graduation provides diverse career opportunities, develops critical thinking and analytical skills, and offers a versatile foundation applicable in various industries.

A degree in economics can lead to diverse career paths in finance, government, consulting, and research, provide opportunities to analyse global issues and make impactful decisions with strong analytical skills.



American Economic Association

List of career opportunities in Economics

Here are several potential career paths you could consider if you Economics as your subject of graduation:

Economist

Conduct economic research and analysis.

Work in government agencies, financial institutions, research organisations, or international organisations.

Provide insights into economic trends, policy implications, and market conditions.

Financial Analyst

Analyse financial data and trends.

Evaluate investment opportunities.

Work in banks, investment firms, or corporate finance departments.

Policy Analyst

Analyse and evaluate public policies.

Work for government agencies, think tanks, or advocacy organizations.

Contribute to the development and assessment of public policies.

Market Research Analyst

Unsplash

Analyse market conditions, consumer behavior, and industry trends.

Help businesses make informed decisions about products and services.

Work in market research firms, advertising agencies, or corporate marketing departments.

Actuarial Analyst

Assess and manage financial risks using statistical models.

Work in insurance companies, pension funds, or government agencies.

Management Consultant

Provide advice on business strategy, operations, and management.

Help organisations improve efficiency and solve business problems.

Data Analyst/Statistician

Analyse and interpret data to provide insights.

Work in various industries such as finance, healthcare, or government.

International Development Specialist

Work with organisations to address economic and social issues in developing countries.

Collaborate with NGOs, government agencies, or international organisations.

Corporate Economist

Analyse economic trends that may affect the company.

Provide insights to support business decision-making.

Teaching and Research

bccl

Pursue a career in academia, becoming a professor or researcher.

Contribute to economic knowledge and educate future generations.

Entrepreneurship

Start your own business, applying economic principles to solve real-world problems.

Use your analytical skills to make strategic business decisions.

Public Relations Specialist

Work in public relations or communications for economic organisations or companies.

Communicate economic concepts to the public or specific target audiences.

At the same time, while exploring career opportunities, it is beneficial to gain practical experience through internships, networking, and staying updated on industry trends to enhance your employability in your chosen field.

Additionally, pursuing further education, such as a master's or specialised certifications, can open up more advanced opportunities in your chosen career path.



For more information on exams, results and careers, please visit Indiatimes Education.


Douglas Elliman realtor Omer Labock sparked social media backlash with an Instagram tour of New York's smallest apartment, priced at $1,200 per month. Labock showcased the Midtown Manhattan unit, emphasising its tiny size.

Insta

NY's tiniest apartment

Standing outside the building, Labock can be heard saying, "The tiniest apartment in Manhattan can be found in this building so let's check this out, it's nuts."

Opening the door to the minuscule space on 3rd loor, he revealed an empty room with a wardrobe, possibly from Ikea, and a lone window overlooking a fire escape and neighboring buildings. Labock remarked, "Yes, this is the entire thing - you cannot make this up." Notably, the apartment lacked bathroom and kitchen facilities. The tour prompted outrage, shedding light on the challenges of housing affordability and space constraints in metropolitan areas.

"I'm not the biggest dude but I can almost touch both sides here. I think we can consider this the absolute smallest apartment in Manhattan and the total rent is $1,200 a month," he says.

The realtor continues, "Now you're probably wondering where the bathroom is. You have to make your way outside of the apartment and into this shared space."



The realtor proceeded down a hallway, passing by another apartment, before revealing the communal bathroom. Inside, the space featured basic amenities including a sink, toilet, and shower.

"Would you live here?" Labock asks in the caption.

Internet was in disbelief

The internet users were quick to share their thoughts on the same. A user asks, "How is this legal?" Another user wrote, "I'd rather live out of my car and use a gym membership bathroom."

"No bathroom then it's not an apartment. It's a room in a rooming house. Stop renaming things like this. It is a ROOM in a ROOMING HOUSE. This is not an apartment. Stop allowing landlords to price these rooms as apartments," the third user expressed.

"Where I live, this is considered a storage unit for $80 a month," the fourth user remarked. "For $1290 a month I have a three bedroom 2 1/2 bathroom house not an apartment but a house. I also have a garage. In beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada. Move! Get out of there. This is ridiculous," the fifth user commented.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News.


Just recently, worlds second richest man Elon Musk accused Google of running racist, anti-civilisational programming with its artificial intelligence (AI) models. Now, Tesla CEO Musk has openly bashed Microsoft, saying that his new laptop wont let him log in unless he creates a Microsoft account.



Just bought a new PC laptop and it wont let me use it unless I create a Microsoft account, which also means giving their AI access to my computer! This is messed up, Musk tweeted from his X handle.

There used to be an option to skip signing into or creating a Microsoft account, he added.

Reuters

In the next tweet, he tagged Microsoft and wrote, This is not cool of @Microsoft. "But since they now require that you use their services just to use your computer, Microsoft can effectively shut off your computer!" The X owner wrote this after Malaysian commentator and social media influencer Ian Miles Cheong claimed that according to Microsoft's code of conduct, the tech giant can disable users access to their services (Office, Windows, etc.) "if they dont like what youre saying".



Just bought a new PC laptop and it wont let me use it unless I create a Microsoft account, which also means giving their AI access to my computer! This is messed up.



There used to be an option to skip signing into or creating a Microsoft account.



Are you seeing this too?  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 25, 2024





Internet Comes To Elon Musks Rescue

In the comments section of the post, numerous users offered suggestions to Elon Musk on how to use his new laptop without the need to sign in to a Microsoft account. Subsequently, Musk updated the situation by stating, "Finally got through it, thanks. Laptop automatically connected to a local WiFi that didnt have a password without asking. Was able to skip once I deselected that."

Elon Musk Recently Announced That Gmails Alternative Xmail Is Coming Soon

Reuters

The CEO of X (formerly Twitter) Elon Musks next likely move is to come out with an email alternative for Google mail called Xmail. Musk's announcement came swiftly after rumors of Gmail's impending shutdown spread like wildfire on the internet.



The confirmation emerged after Nathan McGrady, a senior member of X's Security Engineering team, tweeted inquiring about the release date of Xmail. In a quick response, Musk affirmed that the service is in the works, paving the way for a potential noteworthy transformation in the email service sector.

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At a time when the debate whether AI is a boon or bane does not seem to be ending anytime soon, the CEO of NVIDIA, which is one of the world's few trillion dollar companies, has issued a warning for the IT sector's future.

'No Need For Coding', Nvidia CEO's Warning Amid AI Boom

nvidia ceo Jensen Huang/apolloadvisor

CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, has agreed that AI will have an impact on the labor market and says that anyone can become a programmer with this new technology, so children don't need to learn how to code.



The Nvidia CEO can be seen speaking at an event in a video that has gone viral. He claims that a decade or so ago, the consensus was that everyone should learn how to code.

Now, however, things are entirely different because of artificial intelligence; everyone is a programmer. He also said that children don't need to learn how to program and that it is our responsibility to develop technology that will enable human language to be used in programming. Put another way, computers should be able to understand human speech, negating the need for coding languages like C++ or Java, as per India Today report.

He said, "Over the last 10-15 years, almost everybody who sits on a stage like this would tell you that it is vital that your children learn computer science, everybody should learn how to program. In fact, it is almost exactly the opposite. It is our job to create computing technology such that nobody has to program, and that the programming language is human. Everybody in the world is now a programmer. This is the miracle of AI."

He then added, "You now have a computer that will do what you tell it to do. It is vital that we upskill everyone and the upskilling process will be delightful and surprising."

NVIDIA's Key Role In Creation Of ChatGPT

Nvidia /threatpost

The CEO of Nvidia has previously discussed the widespread impact of AI on a variety of industries. Nvidia, one of the biggest chip companies in the world, was instrumental in the creation of ChatGPT, which made use of thousands of Nvidia GPUs.



Speaking to an assembly at the Computex conference in Taiwan the previous year, Huang had proclaimed the "digital divide" to be over. He emphasized how AI is ushering in a new era of computing, one in which previously unthinkable feats are made possible. Huang emphasised how accessible programming is in the modern world, saying that anyone can learn to programme by just using computers.

Nvidia CEO Huang had said back then, "The programming barrier is incredibly low. We have closed the digital divide. Everyone is a programmer now - you just have to say something to the computer."

Underlining AI's rapid advancement, Huang attributed its growth to its user-friendliness. He had predicted AI's widespread integration into every industry, marking a significant transformation in the technological landscape.

AI Boom Had Turned NVIDIA Into $1 Trillion Company

Nvidia/getty

In May 2023, American tech giant Nvidia had become the worlds first chipmaker and only the ninth company in the world to hit the $ 1 trillion market cap. The chipmaker has been quickly becoming one of the biggest winners of the AI boom. Even this year, NVIDIA's stock has jumped more than 60% already in 2024 as AI continues to boom.



Heres the list of all the 9 companies in the world that have hit the $1 trillion market cap till date, and the year in which they hit the milestone.



1.Nvidia



2023

2.Apple

2018

3.Saudi Aramco

2019

4.Alphabet

2020

5.Meta

2021

6.Microsoft

2019

7.PetroChina

2007

8.Tesla

2021

9.Amazon

2018

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Noida International Airport: A high-speed rapid rail project is poised to significantly cut down travel time between Noida International Airport and Indira Gandhi Airport. With the rapid rail's remarkable speed of 140 kilometres per hour, passengers can expect to complete the journey in just 45 minutes.



In a comprehensive project report (DPR) by the NCR Transport Corporation, a visionary airport-to-airport corridor spanning 72 kilometers between Noida and Meerut has been proposed. This corridor is set to revolutionize the transportation landscape by integrating Rapid Rail and metro services. With the Noida airport on track for completion in October and the Namo Bharat (rapid rail) line scheduled for June 2025, the stage is set for a transformative transportation initiative.

In a detailed project report (DPR), the NCR Transport Corporation has proposed an ambitious airport-to-airport corridor, spanning 72 kilometers between Noida and Meerut. This corridor, aiming to integrate Rapid Rail and metro services, is a testament to the region's growing transportation infrastructure. With the Noida International Airport nearing completion in October and the Namo Bharat (rapid rail) line scheduled for June 2025, the stage is set for a transformative transportation initiative.

The Evolving Landscape of Transportation

The unified corridor is poised to encompass 25 stations, starting from Ghaziabads Namo Bharat station and culminating at the Noida airport. Plans are also in place to incorporate an additional 13 stations, bringing the total count to 38. This expansion is contingent on projected footfall and population growth along the Yamuna Expressway, an area poised to become a data center and logistics hub. Notable stations in this corridor include:

Stations Along the Corridor

1. Siddhart Vihar (Ghaziabad)

2. Ghaziabad South

3. Greater Noida West Sector-16

4. Greater Noida West Char Murthi Chowk

5. Ecotech-12

6. Greater Noida West Sector-2

7. Greater Noida West Sector-3

8. Greater Noida West Sector-10

9. Greater Noida West Sector-12

10. Knowledge Park- 5

11. Police Line Surajpur

12. Surajpur

13. Malakpur

14. Ecotech-2

15. Knowledge Park-3

16. Gamma-1

17. Pari Chowk

18. Omega-2

19. Pai-3

20. Ecotech-IE

21. Ecotech-6

22. Dankaur

23. Yeida North Sector-18

24. Yeida Central (Sector 21 & 35)

25. Noida International Airport

Vision for 2030

The government-sanctioned corridor, designed to connect Noida Jewar Airport with Delhi and other regions of the NCR, is projected to reach completion by 2030. The establishment of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) link via Namo Bharat is contingent upon the commencement of the Delhi-Haryana line of Namo Bharat, stretching from Sarai Kale Khan to Gurgaon. Notably, Sarai Kale Khan serves as the initial station for the Delhi-Meerut corridor.

High-Speed Connectivity: The Future of Transit

To enhance the connection between Noida Airport and Indira Gandhi Airport in Delhi, a dedicated high-speed rapid rail system will be built. A loop will be constructed at the station to allow the high-speed rapid rail to access the airport without any stops. The high-speed rapid rail system will only serve specific stations. The goal is to complete the construction of a 72.2-kilometer-long elevated route connecting Ghaziabad and Noida Airport by 2031.

The total estimated cost of this project is around Rs 16,189 crore. The central government is expected to contribute about 20% of the funding, while the state government will contribute 50%, and Noida will contribute 30%. The projected ridership is expected to be 2.95 lakh by 2031, increasing to 5.23 lakh by 2041, 6.32 lakh by 2051, and eventually reaching 6.71 lakh by 2055.

The proposed airport-to-airport corridor between Noida and Meerut, integrating Rapid Rail and metro services, is a visionary initiative that promises to redefine the transportation landscape of the region. With the Noida airport nearing completion and the Namo Bharat line set to be operational by 2025, the corridor is poised to become a critical artery for seamless connectivity and economic growth.
Ayodele Fayose, former Governor of Ekiti State, has posited that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari is not a blessing to Nigeria.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television on Sunday, Fayose said the administration of Buhari drew us back to 50 years of our history.

In the past few months, Nigerians have been battling economic hardship as the prices of food and other basic items have skyrocketed.

Protests over the economic hardship have rocked some parts of the country.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also scheduled a nationwide mass protest for February 27 and 28, over the economic crisis.

Reacting to the situation, Fayose said Tinubu inherited a dead economy adding that there is little the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can do to revive the situation within nine months.

While accusing the Buhari-led administration of destroying the countrys economy, he added that Buhari obtained loans that would be repaid by unborn children.

He asked Tinubu to stop praising Buhari in order not to confuse Nigerians about the mess created by the former president.

Look at the eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari, what will be left of a country like Nigeria as of today?

READ ALSO: He Indeed Came To Renew Nigerians Hope  Fayose Hails Tinubus UAE Visa Intervention

Even if Tinubu means well, where do you place the debt? Even if Tinubu wants to do the magic, how will he fix the country? There were loans taken in Buharis administration, some with 20 to 50 years moratorium.

Unborn children will face the kind of situation the last administration has plunged this country into.

The only thing I want to say to President Tinubu is that, without fear or favour, he should stop praising former President Buhari.

I watched a live television programme of the President telling Nigerians that former President Buhari did well.

That will cause confusion in the minds of Nigerians. Yes, he is a member of our party and a leader.

There are so many presentations we can make without celebrating a man who has put Nigerians in this predicament.

There are things you should not say. You can visit, love, and appreciate him, which is personal to the president.

With all due respect, do not come to the television to say that former President Buhari was a blessing to Nigeria.

Buhari is not a blessing to Nigerians, with all due respect. President Buhari is not a blessing to Nigeria, he drew us back to 50 years of our history.
Expats across China celebrate Lantern Festival Pub Date:24-02-26 10:14 Source:Xinhua As the traditional Lantern Festival was celebrated across China, many expats living in the country have also participated in various activities to be part of the festival. Editor:Qin Shuying

Related News Lantern Festival extends Spring Festival j... Spring Festival | Chinese New Year's Eve 24 Solar Terms: Rain Water Lujiang, Anhui: celebrate the Spring Festi...
   

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The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has urged Yorubas youths against participating in any protest, which has been planned by the Nigeria Labour Congress, to take place on February 27 and 28.

Recall that the NLC announced its plans to embark on a two-day strike to protest the hardship currently facing the country.

In a statement made available to the public on Sunday, Afenifere leader, Reuben Fasoranti, begged Nigerians to come to terms with the realities of the nations challenges.

He said that President Bola Tinubus administration is working to resolve the problems it inherited over the years.

Fasoranti said: As a responsible leader, I appeal to every Yoruba man and woman, young and old, and our fellow citizens across the nationalities, to exercise patience and refrain from engaging in protests or actions that may escalate tensions.

The outcry over the hardship, hunger, and price hikes is not unexpected. However, we must come to terms with the realities of our national challenges, which the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is striving to resolve.

READ MORE: Planned Protest By NLC Disobedience To Court Order  Justice Minister To NLC

While acknowledging the hardships faced by our people, it is important to recognise that these economic measures, although difficult, are part of a larger strategy aimed at restoring economic prosperity and stability to Nigeria.

Let us engage in constructive dialogue and contribute positively to the ongoing economic reforms. Join me in appealing for unity and understanding among our people. Together, we can weather this storm and emerge stronger as a nation.

It is important to note that the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the Naira is not undertaken lightly, as we all know the great damage done to our national prosperity through the nefarious activities of the agents of darkness within the oil and financial sectors.
No fewer than nine classrooms have been destroyed as fire razed Grace International School, at Awolowo Street next to the Kobiowu Mosque in Tanke, Ilorin South Local Government Area of Kwara State.

It was gathered that the unfortunate incident took place after 6:00 pm on Sunday, causing damages to a large portion of the 14-room building.

While confirming the fire outbreak, in a statement made available to newsmen, on Monday, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, revealed that firefighters were informed of the incident and immediately mobilized its officials to the scene.

READ MORE: Passengers Narrowly Escape Death As Bus Catches Fire In Ilorin (Photos)

Adekunle noted that a block of classrooms was completely consumed by the raging flames at the time the firemen arrived at the scene.

He said: Tragically, the fire had already ravaged nine out of the 14 classrooms, leaving a significant portion of the school in ruins.

The flames then rapidly spread to the school building, causing extensive damage.
Qatar has made a U-turn on its decision not to host the business and investment forum proposed by President Bola Tinubu during his visit slated for March 2, 2024, to the Arab country.

Recall that there was a controversy over the Presidents visit with some reports claiming that the Arab country had denied him.

INFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that this was made known in a so-called leaked memo dated February 22 2024 , had showed that Qatar declined the proposed forum, stating that the country had no agreement with Nigeria.

However, in a new letter, made by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar, apologised for the rejection of the proposed business visit.

Meanwhile, in a twist of event, the Qatari has confirmed that the business parley will be held during Tinubus visit to the country in a memo dated Sunday, February 25, 2024, addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Qatar embassy said: Regarding the upcoming State visit of H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Qatar from 2nd-3rd March 2024 and with reference to our Note: Ref: QEA/FA/057/24 dated 22/02/2024 regarding holding of a Business and Investment Forum (BIF) on the margins of Mr. Presidents visit to Qatar on 2nd March 2024.

READ MORE: Business Forum: Qatari Authorities Didnt Snub Tinubu  Onanuga

The Embassy has the honour to convey that the Qatar Chamber of Commerce will host the above-mentioned event on March 3, 2024, as proposed by the Nigerian side.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has set up a tripartite economic advisory committee, consisting of the Federal Government, sub-nationals and the private sector.

This was disclosed after he held a meeting with some key stakeholders at the State House, Abuja, on Sunday evening.

The goal, he said, is to provide additional efforts in stabilising the economy and ensuring the best economic future for Nigerians.

Lets look at what were doing right and what were doing wrong to bring life back to the economy. Like I said, many times, the people of this country are only the people who we have to please.



And we are very much concerned from students to mothers and fathers, farmers, the traders and realising that everyone of us will have to fetch water from the same well. 



READ ALSO: Emulate Argentinas Style Of Economic Reforms  Atiku To Tinubu

We are looking for additional efforts that might help the downtrodden Nigerians and we will provide that hope and reassurance that economic recovery is on its way. 



We are not saying that we have all the answers. But we will not be blamed for not trying. We assure Nigerians that we will do our best to get our marshall plan in place and fashion out the best economic future for this country, he stated.

The meeting had Aliko Dangote, chairman of the Dangote group; Tony Elumelu, group chairman of Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp); Abdulsamad Rabiu, founder of the BUA group; Segun Ajayi-Kadir, president of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), in attendance.

Others are Governors Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state and Chuwkuma Soludo of Anambra.
Some armed men, suspected to be bandits have reportedly killed one person in Ago Are, located in the Oke Ogun area of Oyo State.

It was gathered that the criminal elements invaded the community over the weekend.

Confirming the attack, the Chairman of Atisbo Local Government, Adeagbo Fasasi Ademola, told newsmen that he was promptly informed about the situation.

He said: It is true that some bandits invaded Ago Are in Oke Ogun last night.

I got a call from the Chairman of the local government that the hoodlums had attacked and killed a man.

READ MORE: Gunmen Attack Oyo Community, Kill One, Abduct Two

Immediately, I got the call, I rushed to the scene with some security agents. On getting there, a man has been killed, and the bandits have escaped.

It is very shocking that there could be a security breach here. We are still investigating the incident.

Insecurity is not peculiar to Ago Are alone, it happens all over the country. I appeal to our people that anytime they see strange faces in their midst, they should raise alarm and call the attention of the security agents.

At Irawo, about 180 kilometres, we share a boundary with the Benin Republic,
Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has said the Commission received over 5,000 fraud petitions and recovered N60 billion loot in less than 100 days after assuming office.

According to him, out of the 5,000 petitions, the EFCC had approved 3,000 for investigation.

He stated this at the weekend in Lagos as the guest lecturer at the 20th-anniversary lecture of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda Resources Centre.

The anti-graft agency boss explained that the EFCC also recovered ove $10 million, since he assumed office.

His words: When we set out to investigate, people see it as a fight between EFCC and the rest of us. It should not be so. How much will the EFCC do?

How much will the ICPC do with its staff strength? I have less than 4,800 staff. I am talking of an agency that is serving people who are over 150 million.

READ ALSO: EFCC Apprehends Six Currency Racketeers In Lagos, Recover New Naira Notes

All we have to do is investigate and present the facts before the court. I will not be the one to give judgment. That is where we have collective responsibility. When you see something, you say something.

The issue is we are working as if we are not working. Upon my assumption of office between then and now, I have received over 5,000 petitions. I am not talking of just the one we received, but the one that we have checked and we discovered that there was substance in it. That is just for one agency, the EFCC.

As I am talking to you, I have approved the investigation of over 3,000 cases in less than four months, but what is our capacity? How many staff do we have? What resources do I have access to?

In less than four months, we secured convictions of 700 and recovered over N60bn and over $10m.

If I am able to recover over N60bn in less than 100 days, you can imagine how much has been stolen.

I can tell you that for the billion that has been recovered, a trillion has been stolen.
The presidency has reacted to claims made by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that the government is plotting to launch attacks against the two-day nationwide peaceful rallies it scheduled for 27 and 28 February.

Joe Ajaero, NLCs President had made the allegation in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

Ajaero in his statement titled, As the State Prepares to Unleash Violence on us alleged that one of the groups being primed to attack the peaceful rallies is by a nebulous name, Nigeria Civil Society Forum (NCSF).

NCSF is one of the emergency groups put together, funded, promoted and remote-controlled by government to cause violence against our members for electing to peacefully protest against the hunger in the land.

We would want the State to know that the solution to our horrible economic situation and hunger is not by suppressing peaceful dissent or inflicting violence on peacefully protesting citizens, he had said.

READ ALSO: NLC Protest: Police Warn Against Economic Disturbance By Protesters Inn Lagos

The Federal Government however denied the allegation describing it as speculative, in a chat with News Agency of Nigeria.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said by raising the allegation, NLC is feeling guilty in hatching its hidden agenda influenced by partisan considerations.

He noted that the planned protest is illegal as it is against a subsisting order of court.

According to him, the Union has a hidden agenda because most of the issues raised by labour for embarking on the protest had been addressed by the government.

Onanuga, however, insisted that the issues raised by the labour union had been addressed by the government, including the payment of a wage award of N35,000 monthly for six months.

He said the money had been paid to civil servants up till January 2024 and only that of February is outstanding.
Data governance was on my mind recently, so I decided to query ChatGPT by entering the prompt: What is data governance? The AI responded with: "Data governance is a set of processes, policies, standards, and guidelines that ensure data is properly managed, protected, and utilized within an organization." That's a good start, and there is a lot more to say about data governance and its meaning at this moment.

Data governance in the age of generative AI

Data governance covers a range of disciplines, including data security, management, quality, and cataloging. The practice requires defining usage policies, creating master data sources, profiling data sets, documenting dictionaries, and overseeing data lifecycles. An organizational model often defines roles for the chief data officer facilitating a strategy, data owners who set policies on data sets, and data stewards responsible for improving data quality.

Data governance is a critical element of data integrity, allowing organizations to easily find, understand, and leverage critical dataleading to accurate reporting and informed decisions, says Tendu Yogurtcu, PhD, chief technology officer at Precisely. It provides an understanding of datas meaning, lineage, and impact, so businesses can stay compliant and ensure that AI models are fueled with trustworthy data for reliable outcomes.

Yogurtcu says that data governance was once a technical undertaking focusing on compliance. With increased adoption of AI, data has become the most vital corporate asset, and data governance should be an enterprise-wide priority, she says.

For many organizations experimenting with genAI or building applications with large language models (LLMs), there are greater data governance responsibilities, more risks from how employees use AI tools, and new scope from unstructured data. I consulted with several experts on how data governance must evolve to meet the opportunities and risks inherent in generative AI tools and capabilities.

4 ways to evolve data governance for genAI

Review data policies for use in genAI tools and LLMs

Accelerate data quality initiatives

Review data management and pipeline architectures

Extend data governance to genAI workflows

Review data policies for use in genAI tools and LLMs

Data governance departments oversee data catalogs and communicate data usage policies to help employees tap into centralized data sets and use them for building machine learning models, dashboards, and other analytics tools. These departments are now updating policies to include whether and how to use enterprise data sources in LLMs and open genAI tools. Developers and data scientists must review these policies and consult with data owners on any questions about using data sets to support genAI experimentation.

With generative AI bringing more data complexity, organizations must have good data governance and privacy policies in place to manage and secure the content used to train these models, says Kris Lahiri, co-founder and chief security officer of Egnyte. Organizations must pay extra attention to what data is used with these AI tools, whether third parties like OpenAI, PaLM, or an internal LLM that the company may use in-house.

Review genAI policies around privacy, data protection, and acceptable use. Many organizations require submitting requests and approvals from data owners before using data sets for genAI use cases. Consult with risk, compliance, and legal functions before using data sets that must meet GDPR, CCPA, PCI, HIPAA, or other data compliance standards.

Data policies must also consider the data supply chain and responsibilities when working with third-party data sources. Should a security incident occur involving data that is protected within a certain region, vendors need to be clear on both theirs and their customers responsibilities to properly mitigate it, especially if this data is meant to be used in AI/ML platforms says Jozef de Vries, chief product engineering officer of EDB.

For those excited about genAI opportunities, its important to have a first-things-first mindset by understanding their organizations data privacy, security, and compliance policies.

Accelerate data quality initiatives

Many companies offer data quality solutions, including Attacama, Collibra, Experian, IBM, Informatica, Precisely, SAP, SAS, and Talend. The global data quality tools market size was valued at over USD 4 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow 17.7% annually. I expect higher growth now that many companies are experimenting with AI tools and LLMs.

Since artificial intelligence is only as good as the data that fuels it, the many challenges of working with AI are connected to data quality, says Mateusz Krempa, COO at Piwik Pro. Poor data quality can lead to misleading or erroneous insights, seriously affecting the outcomes.

Krempa says that data quality challenges stem from the volume, velocity, and variety of big data, especially since LLMs now tap into the organizations unstructured data sources. Companies looking to develop internal LLMs will need to extend data quality initiatives to include information extracted from documents, collaboration tools, code repositories, and other tools storing enterprise knowledge and intellectual property.

Data governance is shifting gears not just to feed LLM systems with tons of data, but to do it wisely and safely, says Karen Meppen, data governance lead at Hakkoda. The focus is on ensuring the data is not just big, but smartaccurate, understandable, privacy aware, secure, and respectful of the risks and impacts of intellectual property and fairness.

Data quality can be improved using different tools, depending on the business goals and data types.

Traditional data quality tools can deduplicate, normalize data fields, validate data against business rules, detect anomalies, and compute quality metrics.

Master data management tools (MDM) help organizations connect multiple data sources and create a source of truth around business entities such as customers and products.

Customer data platforms (CDP) are specialized tools for centralizing customer information and enabling marketing, sales, customer service, and other customer interactions.

Expect upgrades and new data quality tools to improve support for unstructured data sources and increase data quality capabilities for genAI use cases.

Another recommendation from Graeme Cantu-Park, CISO of Matillion, focuses on the importance of data lineage. AI will require a completely different way of looking at governance priorities and practices to have better visibility into the data pipelines and data lineage that feeds AI applications and models.

Data lineage helps expose the datas lifecycle and answer questions about who, when, where, why, and how data changes. Because AI expands the scope of data and its use cases, understanding data lineage becomes more important to more people in the organization, including people in security and other risk management functions.

Review data management and pipeline architectures

Looking beyond policies and data quality, data governance leaders must extend their influence into data management and architecture functions. Proactive data governance enables a set of capabilities so that more employees can leverage data, analyticsand now AIto do their jobs and make smarter decisions. How data is stored, accessed, productized, cataloged, and documented are all factors in how quickly, easily, and securely organizations will be able to extend their data into genAI use cases.

Hillary Ashton, chief product officer of Teradata, suggests the following ways to make the most exciting AI use cases a reality:

Create reusable data products, or curated sets of known good data, to help the organization better control and instill trust in its data.

Respect data gravity to make information accessible to more people within the workforce without moving data across different environments.

Pilot AI initiatives with scalability in mind, including AI/ML data pipelines with robust governance that also enables an open and connected ecosystem.

A key for data teams is to identify frameworks and platforms that are easy to use and support multiple use cases. Sean Mahoney, general manager and VP at Ensono says, Governance frameworks are starting to look more agile to allow teams to respond more quickly to the pace of tech advancements. He suggests that data governance leaders also review and get involved in these tools:

Data meshes for delegating the management of the data to those creating it.

Vector databases to handle scalability and complexity inherent in generative AI and LLMs.

Real-time monitoring tools to expand data governance across more systems.

Another consideration is how data governance, management, and architecture require understanding global regulations on data storage. EDBs de Vries recommends, Enterprises should implement globally distributed databases to elevate their data governance practices by keeping highly regulated data within its region while distributing less restrictive data globally for agility when feeding into AI platforms.

Extend data governance to genAI workflows

Data governance functions must also consider how using genAI tools and LLMs requires policies and best practices. For example, at the beginning of this article, I explicitly quoted ChatGPT so that readers knew the response came from a genAI source. Good data governance calls for educating employees on procedures to increase transparency, the tools they are permitted to use, and practices that minimize data privacy issues.

The biggest thing I am seeing is the rise of ways to accurately leverage, share, and learn from data while maintaining privacy and authenticity, says Deon Nicholas, CEO of Forethought. For example, LLM-based search engines like Perplexity always cite their sources, or data redaction technologies like Private AI that enable you to scrub and redact PIl before ingesting or sending data to LLMS.

One new, proactive measure data governance leaders should consider is creating prompt libraries where employees can record their prompt use cases and share them across the organizations. This discipline extends the knowledge management practices that many data governance teams already do around maintaining data catalogs and data dictionaries.

Nikolaos Vasiloglou, VP of Research ML at RelationalAI, says, The fuel of LLMs consists of a mix of clean and well-curated content stored usually in a knowledge graph along with expert knowledge that is typically in the form of prompt libraries. While we have good governance practices for knowledge graphs, how to govern the latter is not obvious.

I love the quote popularized in the Spiderman movie, With great power comes great responsibility. Were seeing a rapid evolution of genAI capabilities, and the question is whether data governance teams will step up with their side of the equation.
Par Funding founders Joseph LaForte and his wife, Lisa McElhone (shown in middle), before their Philadelphia company was seized by a court-appointed receiver following an SEC civil fraud lawsuit in 2020. Here (clockwise from top left) are items that the receiver had cited for possible sale: a building at 300 Market St. in Philadelphia bought for $4.4 million; their $333,000 yacht; two Swiss watches worth $154,000; a painting bought for $739,000; a $184,000 Bentley ; a building at 135-137 N. Third St. in Philadelphia bought for $6.6 million; their $8 million jet, and their $2.4 million estate in Lower Merion. Some of the two dozen properties seized from the couple have since been sold. The SEC plans to pay proceeds to investors who backed the company; borrowers and former salespeople say they should also get paid. Federal officials are holding the jet. The couple faces a criminal fraud trial in April. Read more

More than 1,700 investors who pumped a total of $550 million into Par Funding, a Philadelphia business lender seized by a court-ordered receiver in 2020, are hoping to learn March 4 when theyll get some of their money back during a lawyers conference to be held on Zoom.

We are eagerly awaiting our settlement money, said Jack Belli, a Bucks County retiree who invested with Par through the A Better Financial Plan, the former King of Prussia company of insurance agent Dean Vagnozzi.

Par, Vagnozzis agency, and related businesses were taken over by the receiver, Florida lawyer Ryan Stumphauzer, after the Securities and Exchange Commission filed civil fraud charges against Par owners Joseph LaForte and his wife, Lisa McElhone; financial officer Joseph Cole Barleta; and four salesmen who raised funds from people like Belli to finance Pars high-interest loans for small businesses that couldnt get bank credit.

Most of the investors put up more than $100,000 each in savings. They were drawn by annual returns on Par investments of 10% and more each year  until Par stopped paying in March 2020.

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The SEC complaint and a separate criminal case by federal prosecutors in Philadelphia allege that Pars owners made high-interest loans to borrowers who too often couldnt repay them; lied about the risks to investors who funded the loans; failed to disclose LaFortes criminal history, and drained the company of cash to build their own fortunes.

LaForte and McElhone used some of the money to buy themselves dozens of homes and business properties, mostly in Philadelphia, plus a corporate jet, powerboats, cars, watches, and artwork, the investigation found.

Previous lawyer conferences before South Florida-based U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz, who is overseeing the case, attracted hundreds of Par investors. In December, Ruiz urged receivers to come up with a plan to return at least some of the $250 million in principal still owed to investors by the March 4 conference.

Some investors whose claims were rejected by the receiver are appealing with the hope they also can get paid.

The LaFortes agreed not to contest the civil charges. Ruiz said they would need to pay nearly $200 million to settle the civil case  an amount the LaFortes are contesting.

LaForte, his brother James, McElhone, and Barleta also face criminal conspiracy, racketeering, fraud, and tax charges. A pretrial hearing in that case was scheduled for Monday.

The LaForte brothers, convicted of fraud and other federal felonies in unrelated cases in the early 2000s, are in prison awaiting trial, which is scheduled for April.

Accountants for receiver Stumphauzer said in a January report that his staff and consultants have collected cash and assets totaling more than $175 million for potential restitution to investors. That includes:

At least $140 million from bank and investment accounts, borrower payments, payments by former investment salesmen Perry Abbonizio and Vagnozzi, who connected clients to Par, and the sale of properties, including Joseph LaFortes former home in Haverford. Remaining real estate worth around $35 million, including the LaFortes former estate in Jupiter, Fla., and other properties, mostly in Philadelphia. The sale of the Florida property has been delayed by an IRS lien against McElhone for unpaid income taxes.

Separately, federal authorities have control of the LaFortes former Cessna private jet and an investment account.

The receiver hopes to also raise additional cash, including:

As much as $60 million still owed to Par by borrowers. The receiver has been writing down the value of these potential assets, as many of the loans have proven to be uncollectible because the borrowers have gone out of business. Up to $45 million from an insurance settlement agreement with Vagnozzis longtime lawyer, John Pauciulo, and his former law firm Eckert Seamans. The SEC says Pauciulo should have urged Vagnozzi to register Par investments as securities and follow the law requiring disclosure of investment risks. That settlement is not final. Pauciulo left the firm and was assessed a $125,000 fine by the SEC in 2022. A refund of several million dollars in federal taxes Par paid in years when it claimed to be making money, but federal officials have since concluded that the company was actually losing money.

The SEC is also suing Long Island-based AG Morgan Financial Advisors, Vagnozzis brother Albert, and others who sold Par investments.

Others are demanding payments for losses they say they suffered from Par, which could delay or prevent some funds from being returned to investors. Par borrowers led by Tzvi Ozer, also known as Harold Steven Odzer, are suing in federal court in New York to collect damages from Eckert and from some of Pars investors. Dean and Albert Vagnozzi and a group of former Par salespeople also have filed lawsuits in hopes of collecting from Eckert.

Robert Hawrylak, a Par investor from Delaware County, says he thinks the authorities should also hold responsible radio stations that broadcast commercials that helped persuade him and others to make the ill-fated investment.

Im down to my last $20,000 of savings to live off, he said Friday. At 69, I may have to get a job.

The hearing is scheduled for March 4 at 10 a.m. Eastern time.
A prisoner escaped police custody in Philadelphia on Monday morning and has not been found, authorities said.

Alleem Borden, 29, escaped from Episcopal Hospital on East Lehigh Avenue  part of the Temple Health system  at 6:42 a.m., police said.

Borden was in police custody for vehicle theft and was taken to the hospital after complaining of pain, Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said.

Despite being handcuffed, Borden escaped while being discharged from the hospital, Vanore said. Borden fled and made his way to a gas station on the corner of North Front Street and East Lehigh Avenue, Vanore said, and was last spotted on video in the 2700 block of North Hancock Street.

Police conducted a pretty intense search Monday morning during which a few schools were placed on lockdown, but Borden was not found, Vanore said. He remains at large.

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Vanore described Borden as about 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing about 145 pounds, with a beard and his hair in braids. When he escaped, he was wearing a blue and black plaid shirt, blue jeans, and brown boots. Police were reviewing surveillance footage in the area where Borden was last seen, said Vanore.

Borden was accused of stealing a running Hyundai Elantra owned by someone who was making a food delivery on Frankford Avenue on Thursday, Vanore said. Police found Borden sleeping in the car on Sunday and he attempted to flee then, but didnt get far.

He was stopped very quickly and arrested, Vanore said.

Bordens escape from police custody comes less than a month after Shane Pryor, 18, escaped from the custody of Juvenile Justice Services Center staffers while he was being transported to Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia for treatment of a hand injury. He broke free of his shackles and pushed past two unarmed staffers, fleeing on foot, police said.

Pryor went in and out of buildings in the University City neighborhood before approaching a bystander and asking to use their phone, police said. He called his friend Michael Diggs, 18, who picked him up in a Ford Fusion and drove him out of the area, police said.

The teen was apprehended four days after his escape when U.S. Marshals spotted him boarding a SEPTA bus between the Feltonville and Olney neighborhoods. Pryor was charged with escape, aggravated assault, hindering apprehension, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person for breaking free from custody.

Bordens escape Monday was not his first run-in with the law, with criminal charges dating back to 2015 and a previous escape from police custody in 2020, according to court records.

In April 2020, a Johnstown woman told police Borden refused to leave her apartment, according to the probable cause affidavit for his arrest. After speaking with officers, Borden agreed to leave the apartment and did so without incident, authorities said.

After Borden left the womans apartment, police looked up the black Lincoln sedan he was driving and learned it had been reported stolen, authorities said. As one officer tried to grab Bordens wrists to bring him in for questioning, Borden pulled away and pushed the officer to the ground before fleeing on foot, authorities said. Borden pleaded guilty in June 2020 to resisting arrest and flight to avoid apprehension, according to court records.

In 2021, Borden was charged with simple assault, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and related crimes for an incident in Delaware County, court records show. He is scheduled for a trial in May on those charges.

Anyone who has information on Bordens whereabouts is asked to contact Philadelphia police at 215-686-8477 or call 911.
Melody Dorsainvil, a Temple University education student and Philadelphia School District student teacher, speaks Monday at a news conference about growing the teaching profession. Dorsainvil is currently student teaching in a second grade class at Hunter Elementary in North Philadelphia. Read more

When a family emergency hit, aspiring Philadelphia educator Melody Dorsainvil wasnt sure how she would complete her unpaid student teaching assignment.

Eventually, her Temple University professors scrambled and she was able to make it work, but Dorsainvil  whos now loving her time student teaching in a second-grade classroom at Hunter Elementary in North Philadelphia  says for many of her peers, there are too many barriers to becoming a teacher in Pennsylvania.

What we need is a tangible commitment to our future, Dorsainvil said.

One fix, State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D., Philadelphia) said, is a new program that, beginning in the 2024-25 school year, will pay student teachers in Pennsylvania $10,000 to $15,000 if they agree to work in high-needs districts and promise to teach in the state for three years.

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 READ MORE: Philly educators are leaving at alarming rates. Here are 3 teachers stories.

Hughes, Dorsainvil, and other educators, along with Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr., gathered Monday at Science Leadership Academy at Beeber, a West Philadelphia public school, to tout the new program, and to issue a call to action for continued efforts to attract more teachers. (SLA Beeber is home to the states first career and technical education program for K-12 teachers.)

Theres a national teacher shortage and Pennsylvania, in particular, has a teacher crisis, said Hughes. The commonwealth issued its lowest-ever number of new teaching certificates in 2021-22; there was a 70% drop in teacher licenses between 2011 and 2022.

And in Philadelphia, the need for new teachers is particularly acute. Recent research out of Penn States Center for Evaluation and Education Policy Analysis found that Philadelphia teachers leave the profession at very high rates  higher than the rest of the state, and higher than the rate at which local education schools are graduating new teachers. The study found that 20% of charter teachers and 18% of district teachers left the profession in their first year. After five years, the attrition rate dropped to 9% for district teachers but was 17% for charter teachers.

When school began this fall, there were widespread teacher vacancies in districts in every part of the state, said Aaron Chapin, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association.

That means hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania students arrived in a brand new year and teachers were missing from the classroom, Chapin said.

Chapin said he wants higher starting salaries for teachers.

If we want young people to stick around and be teachers in Pennsylvania, were going to need to pay them at least $60,000 a year to be teachers, said Hughes.

State Sen. Jimmy Dillon (D., Philadelphia), who worked as a grant compliance monitor for the district before running for office, noted that Gov. Josh Shapiros $48.3 billion budget plan would mean more money for schools  a $1.1 billion increase, to be exact.

But, Dillon said, more money for facilities, technology, and programming wont mean a thing if we cant keep good teachers in our classrooms.

Dillon said teacher pay is not competitive.

Imagine being expected to hold a masters degree only to earn a salary that can barely cover your rent and your student loan payments, he said. And, he said, maybe the worst part is the shift on how teachers are perceived and treated.

Monika Shealey, dean of Temples College of Education and Human Development, said the student teacher stipend  which so far has $10 million in funding, though advocates have called for $75 million  will help plug holes in the pipeline. But, she said, its long overdue.

For some reason, we think that student teachers and teachers should be doing their work as a matter of community service, said Shealey. Its a profession.
Loneliness is a national health crisis, according to U.S Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. While all generations of Americans are experiencing it, younger generations of Philadelphians are trying to navigate social isolation in unique ways. Read more

Maddy Mullahey didnt expect to spend her postgrad year lost and anxious.

Shifting from college to adult life was hard for the 23-year-old, who graduated from the University of Arts in 2022. Mullahey struggled to navigate changing career paths and find new friends as she moved out of her college apartment.

In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an extensive advisory report that called attention to what he dubbed the loneliness epidemic and the health challenges it presented. Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling  it harms both individual and societal health, Murthy wrote in the intro. [T]he harmful consequences of a society that lacks social connection can be felt in our schools, workplaces, and civic organizations, where performance, productivity, and engagement are diminished.

Synthesizing data from 148 studies over seven years, the report revealed social connection increases survival while loneliness increases the risk of premature death, its effects spanning generations and demographics. One standout fact from Murthys report found that lack of social connection is as dangerous as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control reports that for adults aged 50 and older, loneliness and social isolation contributes to a 50% increased risk of dementia, 29% increased risk of heart disease, and a 32% increased risk of stroke.

While older populations report high rates of loneliness, studies show that young adults may be the hardest hit, a result of social isolation induced by the pandemic, among other factors. In a 2020 survey, Harvard researchers found a quarter of respondents aged 55-65 reported serious loneliness, compared to two-thirds of young adults (18-25), who reported suffering from significant symptoms of anxiety or depression.

Local therapist Shayna Rudd says that since then, there have been significant hits to peoples social connections, such as the level of gun violence in the city and the COVID-19 pandemic.

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How loneliness affects general health

Social connection impacts health through three principal pathways: biology, psychology, and behaviors, according to a study by psychologist Julianne Holt-Lunstad, while social isolation is a reliable predictor in accelerated cognitive decline, depression and anxiety, and self-harm. For example, a study of over 20,000 U.S. adolescents in grades 7 to 12 followed into adulthood found that social isolation can increase inflammation to the same degree as physical inactivity.

While the COVID-19 quarantines exacerbated loneliness, approximately half of U.S. adults reported increased levels of isolation before the pandemic, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

We have a flight or fight [response], but then we have freeze when were in anxiety, said Rudd, the therapist. Gen Z is in a freeze  they are bored and afraid to move forward. Unfortunately, that does permeate loneliness, because now [its] Im not going out into social spaces; Im too afraid of whats next.

How younger Philadelphians experience loneliness

Nahee Yi, a Philly native, has amassed a following on the social media platform TikTok by filming her forced interactions with strangers in public. In an ongoing series, the 26-year-old documents herself go[ing] out in the wild to find a husband organically, filming public encounters with baristas, asking for help while shopping, or making small talk.

Its Yis attempt at fighting the social awkwardness she developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, while sharing her journey to build up the courage to chat up strangers in everyday settings.

What she didnt expect was her public diary to find a large community of people in the comments sharing their struggles with social anxiety. Im trying to show that you dont go out one day and all these people [show up], Yi said. You have to put the effort, and you have to put yourself out there and try.

Surgeon General Murthy noted that technology like social media can lead to reduced social connection, fueled by factors like a tendency to compare and a fear of missing out. Seeing others post their successes on social media made things all the more difficult for the photographer, Mullahey, making her wonder if she was the only one struggling. But Yi demonstrates that some people are finding support online.

 READ MORE: A Manayunk group helps aging Philadelphians fight loneliness and social isolation

For 24-year-old Shalan Comer, the loneliness from quarantining led her to project feelings of sadness onto others around her and drag people into the dark space with me  I might be sad but at least Im not sad alone.

Things were particularly hard for her as a woman of color living at home, because in most African American households talking about mental health or dealing with mental health, its like, oh no, youre crazy and youre just sad, itll pass. A Cigna-commissioned 2021 study of 2,496 U.S. adults found that underrepresented racial groups are more likely to be lonely, including 75% of Hispanic adults and 68% of Black/African American adults.

When the quarantine lifted, Comer moved out to Manayunk and started working at Starbucks. It was refreshing to get outside and keep her mind busy, but Comer still didnt have friends to keep those feelings of loneliness at bay. She worked over 50 hours a week just to maintain a semblance of happiness.

It wasnt until she moved into a new apartment complex in December 2023 that she began venturing out to the complexs social clubhouse and community space. Going to events like karaoke nights and PJ parties at the clubhouse helped her unfreeze from social anxiety.

I told myself almost every day or whenever Im presented with an opportunity to get out of this dark spot that you miss 100% of the shots that you dont take, she said. And then I follow up with its OK not to feel OK, but its even better to get out of your comfort zone, open up, and see whats out there for you  stop limiting yourself.

These Philly groups and events are combating social isolation

For over 10 years, Marissa Le built a community in Phillys nightlife scene as DJ Yolo Ono. But the 33-year-old found the connections she made on the dance floor or at clubs bathroom lines didnt go beyond fleeting moments out on the town.

Those connections lacked the true depth and understanding that I craved  I would see them in the grocery store and realize I actually dont know anything about these people, she said.

In February 2023, Le launched Club Connection, a roving gathering offering a series of activity-oriented events designed for social anxiety, like book swaps and frog pond hikes, to help combat the loneliness epidemic and friendship recession that millennials like herself are also dealing with.

Im really trying to design for ease and connection and just take the burden off of an individual to initiate it, she said.

Creating a space for Philadelphians to circumvent the social awkwardness in finding love was on Melissa Schipkes mind in 2022. After many iterations of her singles event, the 36-year-old founder of Pitch-a-Friend Philly said taking the pitch deck idea into the local dating scene opened a door for more people to talk to strangers at local breweries for love  and work  with ease.

Theres definitely been a loneliness factor going around the city, she said. Weve had a few presenters say that they dont do much public speaking at work and that theyve been trying to get more comfortable and how helpful it was to even just do [the event] for fun.

Practical tips for treating loneliness

Events like Club Connection and Pitch-a-Friend are good opportunities to dip your baby pinkie toe in the water and try, Rudd said, but dont let the trepidation of being social push you back into reclusiveness. She advises her clients to take baby steps and develop practices that are sustainable.

Do something that takes you out of being alone, she said. We dont heal in isolation  we do our individual work, but we heal in community.

For Mullahey, reaching out to other Philly creatives like Le has helped her gather the confidence to take on her upcoming project. After a year or so in limbo, shes using her newfound career in photography to build community, with a portrait series showcasing how loneliness has impacted young Philadelphians in a universal way.

She aims to capture side-by-side portraits of herself in her home and 20-year-old Philadelphians in their homes reflecting on times of isolation. The goal is to build connections and combat those feelings of loneliness one photo at a time.

Theres kind of a oneness to it, where were alone in different spaces, but theres togetherness in it too, she said.
Asbury Park will get $20 million for repairs to its Boardwalk and Convention Hall as part of funds from the American Rescue Plan. Read more

The iconic boardwalks of the Jersey Shore will get an infusion of cash for repairs, the governors office has announced.

Atlantic City, credited as the countrys first wooden boardwalk, and Asbury Park, the inspiration for Bruce Springsteens musings about pier lights and carnival life, were the big winners. Each will receive $20 million from funds remaining from the Boardwalk Preservation Fund, created in New Jersey from money granted by the pandemics American Rescue Plan, Gov. Philip Murphy said.

North Wildwood, which has an ongoing battle with the state over its desire to build a bulkhead, was another big winner, receiving more than $10 million for its boardwalk, which is long overdue for repairs. Wildwood received $8 million for its ongoing boardwalk reconstruction, and Ventnor received $7 million for its 1.5-mile boardwalk stretching from Margate to Atlantic City.

Cape May received $6 million.

About $7 million of Asbury Parks money will go toward the restoration of Convention Hall, another historic structure associated with Springsteen and the Jersey Shore music scene, according to officials in Asbury Park.

So many of us have created memories with family and friends at the boardwalks of the Jersey shore, Murphy said in a statement announcing the grants to 18 Shore towns. Our boardwalks have long been a prized destination and we want to keep them that way by helping shore communities repair and maintain these wooden main streets.

Shore towns with existing boardwalks were eligible to apply for funding for maintenance, reconstruction, or repairs.

The governors office cited examples of projects including replacement of old and crumbling decking along the boardwalk with resilient, longer-lasting materials; replacement of deteriorating pilings and boardwalk infrastructure; improving access and safety by building ADA-compliant ramps and railings; expanding an existing section of the boardwalk; and providing grant funds to businesses that need to complete upgrades to align with the proposed boardwalk construction.

Additionally, funding was prioritized to shore municipalities experiencing financial distress.

In addition to the $20 million each to Asbury Park and Atlantic City, the following towns received grants:

Belmar Borough: $1,504,184 Berkeley Township: $448,125 Bradley Beach: $4,275,000 Brigantine: $1,185,838 Cape May City: $6,722,552 Carteret Borough: $2,417,339 Keyport Borough: $800,694 Long Branch: $3,249,000 North Wildwood: $10,259,827 Ocean City: $4,859,175 Sea Isle City: $1,997,000 Seaside Heights: $4,795,362 Toms River: $1,018,441 Ventnor: $7,110,689 Wildwood City: $8,269,013 Wildwood Crest: $1,087,425

Seems like this Boardwalk life isnt through, Bruce.
After the back room of a Strawberry Mansion house on the 2500 block of N. 29th Street collapsed on Thursday night, the Department of Licenses and Inspections emergency unit went into action. Demolition is expected to be completed Monday. Read more

It wasnt until 10 p.m. Thursday night that Stephanie Harrell heard the house next door fall. Her grandson, in the back room of the two-story house, had heard earlier rumblings but wasnt sure what it was. Neither his grandmother nor mother, Sabrina Harrell, who were downstairs watching television in the front living room, heard anything earlier.

And then bricks from the back of the house at 2503 North 29th St. in Strawberry Mansion came raining down.

The house was vacant at the time of the collapse and no one was injured.

Both the fire and police departments came quickly after the 911 call, but it was what happened next that surprised Harrell and her neighbors. The quick response from the citys Department of Licenses and Inspections.

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Harrells neighbors began to ask her who she had to call to get action.

What Harrell and her neighbors were witnessing was the Department of L&I emergency services unit in action.

The police said they would stay until L&I came and they were here within five to ten minutes, said Harrell.

L&Is emergency response unit

L&I created the unit to respond to the citys most dangerous buildings in the aftermath of the fatal June 2013 Salvation Army collapse in Center City, where a 30-foot wall from a building being demolished collapsed onto the Salvation Army Thrift Store next door, at 22nd and Market Streets, killing seven people and injuring 13.

In this instance, Harrell saw the team in action.

By midnight, L&I inspectors had declared the property eminently dangerous but told the Harrells they could remain in their house. A demolition contract was put out to bid on Friday morning when preapproved demolition contractors assembled for a curbside bidding process.

The winning contractor started taking the house down that same afternoon, quickly removing a potential hazard. The work is expected to be completed Monday.

According to the emergency procedures, the owner, listed as ARM LLC, with an address in the 3000 block of Fletcher Street, will be billed for all costs incurred by the city, including administrative fees. Harrell said ARM LLC was a responsive owner, sending someone out quickly when she complained once of water seeping into her basement from the empty house.

On Friday, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and members of her administration held a news conference on the 29th Street corridor to press her agenda to rid the city of blight, nuisance businesses, and illegal dumping to improve the quality-of-life in highly impacted neighborhoods.

You watch us. were going to enforce the law here, she told reporters.

 READ MORE: Mayor Cherelle Parker pledges crackdown on illegal dumping and abandoned cars: Were going to enforce the law

Harrell recalled that numerous attempts had been made to repair the house over the years. They redid the porch but it always sunk down. I dont know what was wrong. They couldnt get it sturdy. Harrells parents were one of the first African Americans to move onto the block in the 1950s, the start of four generations of Harrells who have lived on the block.

Earlier this month, Parker announced she was dividing the Department of Licenses and Inspections into two separate agencies, another recommendation that came as a result of the 2013 collapse.

 READ MORE: Mayor Cherelle L. Parker will split up the Department of Licenses and Inspections

Theyre moving fast, Harrell said of L&I. We are blessed. The situation could have been a lot worse.
Iryna Mazur, Ukraine's honorary consul to Philadelphia, thanks the crowd at a rally on Sunday on the Philadelphia Art Museum steps. Mazur and other speakers called for continued American support for Ukraine's effort to repel Russian invaders. Read more

Supporters of Ukraines decadelong battle to repel Russian invaders filled the Philadelphia Museum of Arts front steps and spilled onto the Parkway during a rally Sunday afternoon in Center City to mark a somber anniversary.

Organizers of the United We Win event, which drew more than 700 participants, said they sought to bolster American resolve so that Ukraine will win the conflict, which began with the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and Donbas region in February 2014 and was followed by Russias full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.

Unfortunately  news about Ukraine is not always on the front pages of American media, said keynote speaker Iryna Mazur, Ukraines honorary consul in Philadelphia. The region is home to about 60,000 Ukrainians and Ukrainian Americans.

Some people even think that the war is mostly over, Mazur said. Tragically, the war is far from over.

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The American people have a unique power that can help Ukraine: As constituents and voters, they can deliver their unwavering support for Ukraine to their representatives in Congress. This collective voice of the American nation is important as never before.

Like Mazur, other speakers and rally attendees expressed gratitude for American support. But many were frustrated at the U.S. House of Representatives for holding up a measure to provide the weaponry and ammunition Ukraine needs to regain momentum.

With [House Speaker] Mike Johnsons vacation, we risk missing an unprecedented chance to uphold American principles against tyranny, said Dan Nysch, vice president of the Philadelphia branch of the Ukrainian American Youth Association.

To negotiate with a state that commits genocide is to negotiate with terror itself. And Ukraine will not make a deal with the devil, he said.

Ukraine has stood up to the second-largest army in the world, and they had to give up some territory recently because they didnt have enough munitions, said Paul Grod, president of the Ukrainian World Congress.

This isnt about a piece of territory. Its about lives  and people [being] tortured, raped, and executed by the Russian army in occupied Ukraine, he said. We want all governments of the free world to give Ukraine what it needs to be victorious. It needs munitions, sanctions against Russia, and [confiscation] of Russias assets all over the world.

Rada Dubashinsky, a chemist who lives in Bucks County and emigrated from Ukraine 30 years ago, said she believes the U.S. will provide the assistance.

Time is money, but in this case, time is life, she said. The time we spend debating, the longer the wait, more people die.

Dubashinsky also said great solidarity has developed within the Ukrainian American community, and with its allies as well. She and Julia Bigun, a friend she met last year at a rally for Ukraine, together created a 65-yards-long flag that was unfurled on the Art Museum steps and then carried down the Parkway to Independence Mall.

People wrote messages of hope to their loved ones in Ukraine on the flag, Dubashinsky said.

Earlier in the day, the Rev. Roman Pitula  who attended the rally  officiated during the 8:30 a.m. Mass at Philadelphias Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

A single candle burned in front of a Ukrainian flag on the altar, near a donation box for Ukrainian soldiers as well as humanitarian aid for the country.

Speaking to about 30 worshipers after the service had ended, Pitula said Russia believed it would conquer Ukraine within a couple of days of the full invasion two years ago.

But they didnt count on our people, he said. Our peoples hearts can be [gentle] but they can also be hard as stone. Our nation was united as never before, and it became a strong armor of defense.

I ask you to continue your support against this genocidal aggression. We will have peace. After the victory.

Olga Jakubowska, 74, a retired accountant who lives in Philadelphia, was born in western Ukraine and has belonged to the parish since 1961. Many members of her family are still in Ukraine, and staying in touch with them during the war has been difficult, she said.

I work with the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee, and theres been a huge outpouring from the beginning, she said.

But human nature is such that people lose interest, and I hope people realize that whats going on in Ukraine is genocide, she said.

Im surprised that some of the Republicans in Congress, like [Ohio Sen.] J.D. Vance, and the House speaker, arent more sympathetic to the Ukrainian cause, said Jakubowska.

I wish they would reconsider.
Even if groups like No Labels are able to recruit a presidential challenger for a third-party bid, they will have a tough time getting that candidate on the ballot due to the efforts of the two main political parties, writes Kyle Sammin. Read more

There will be at least two candidates on Pennsylvanias presidential ballot in November, that much we know for sure. Things may change, but right now that looks increasingly certain to mean a choice between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Plenty of Pennsylvanians would be interested in a third (or fourth or fifth) option. So why do our state laws do everything possible to prevent that?

The answer is that any group in power will work to create a system that helps them stay in power. Democrats and Republicans may not agree on much in Harrisburg, but they agree that they should be the only game in town.

Theyve been mostly successful at keeping it that way.

In the state House races in 2022, less than 1% of the vote went to candidates outside the two major parties. It was the same in the previous election and in most recent elections. The total third-party vote for governor and U.S. senator in 2020 was higher, thanks to some unpopular Republican nominees, but still less than 2.5%.

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For president in 2020, only 1.15% of people cast a ballot for anyone besides Trump and Biden  with all 79,380 of those votes going to the Libertarian Party candidate, Jo Jorgensen.

 READ MORE: Why efforts to keep Trump off primary ballots defy every principle of democracy | Kyle Sammin

Some of this is bound to be the result of voter preference: Most people probably would vote for one of the two mainstream parties on most occasions. But that assumption is hard to test when third parties struggle to get on the ballot. And recent polling on the 2024 race suggests that voters arent crazy about either of these presumptive nominees: Bidens approval rating sits around 40%, according to the latest PBS/Marist poll; Trumps is just as bad.

There are several other candidates already in the race. Professor Cornel West and environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are the most prominent, but others are also launching their quixotic bids. (Kanye West is officially out, surely a disappointment to his remaining fans.)

The centrist group No Labels had hoped to run with West Virginias Sen. Joe Manchin at the top of its ticket until he announced this month that he was not entering the race. It is currently searching for a contender.

If it finds one, it will have a tough time getting him or her on the ballot, largely due to the efforts of the two main political parties. Conservative political analyst Michael Barone once wrote that all process arguments are insincere, including this one. This is nowhere more evident than in the court challenges to third-party candidates.

In a case currently working its way through the courts, Democrats are arguing that undated mail-in ballots should be accepted, even though state law requires a date. A federal judge agreed with them, calling it a trivial paperwork error that should not stand in the way of counting votes.

Contrast that with the arguments from Democrats in 2020 who sued to keep Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins off the presidential ballot. The reason? A required affidavit was faxed, not delivered on paper with a notarys seal. A correct version was delivered to the Pennsylvania Department of State several days later, but that was past the deadline, and the state Supreme Court held that the paperwork error was enough to doom the Green Partys slate. All five Democrats on the court joined that opinion, which happened to benefit their partys nominee.

Republicans joined the Green Party in opposing the Democrats suppression efforts, but theyre not consistent on the point, either. In the city elections last year, Republicans were the ones arguing for strict interpretation of the election code when they sought to exclude Working Families Party candidates from the ballot for City Council at large. The reason in that case was that the candidates submitted financial statements that they signed electronically, not with a pen or pencil as the law requires. The courts allowed the candidates to amend their paperwork after the deadline.

Inconsistent? Definitely. But thats what happens when we have laws that restrict ballot access and well-funded political parties willing to jump on every uncrossed T and undotted I.

Whenever the government has power over something, it can become a lever for those in office to help their friends and hinder their enemies. We could make our elections a lot more democratic by removing this one lever from the hands of the major parties.

 READ MORE: Lets stay together, America | Kyle Sammin

There must be some method of determining who qualifies for the ballot, but expensive signature-gathering operations and arcane paperwork requirements arent our only options. In Great Britain, for example, anyone can run for a seat in Parliament with 10 signatures of voters in the district, plus a 500 pound deposit (about $630). If you get more than 5% of the vote, you get the 500 pounds back  its just there to discourage fringe candidates. (Pennsylvania charges a nonrefundable $200 filing fee for statewide candidates, so this is not that different.) Maybe more than 10 signatures should be required for a statewide race, but it shouldnt be too much higher.

In France, they use a different method: Candidates for president must collect the signatures of 500 public officeholders as proof of their widespread support. That exact system could not work here  our ballot requirements are state-based, not federal, so 500 in each state might be onerous. But, say, 50 signatures of mayors, county commissioners, or state legislators to make it on to the Pennsylvania ballot? That seems reasonable. They could even retain the existing requirement of 5,000 voter signatures as an alternative method for outsider candidates, in keeping with our countrys antiestablishment tradition.

The point is: Incumbents will always try to stay in power. They will crow about democracy when it suits them, and then suppress opposition candidates and tell us that their worn-out standard-bearers are the only choices allowed.

To give the people a real choice, we should clear these obstacles and open the ballot to more than just the same old duopoly.
U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, a Republican who represents Central Pennsylvania, wants Congress to block President Joe Biden from making the annual State of the Union address. Read more

U.S. Rep. Scott Perry on Monday called for House Republicans to cancel President Joe Bidens State of the Union address, which will take place next week.

The annual State of the Union address, scheduled for March 7, will give Biden a chance to outline his policy goals for the last year of his term while he campaigns for reelection in an anticipated rematch against former President Donald Trump.

During an interview on Fox Business Network, Perry (R., Pa.) said Republicans need to use every single point of leverage in their budget negotiations with Biden.

He comes at the invitation of Congress, Perry told host Maria Bartiromo. The Republicans are in charge of the House, theres no reason that we need to invite him to get more propaganda and actually blame the American people for the crisis he caused.

If Congress cannot reach a deal to fund the government by March 1, a partial government shutdown will begin. A full government shutdown would take place on March 8, the day after the presidents speech.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) extended a formal invitation to Biden to speak to a joint session of Congress in early January. Johnson said he was inviting Biden in this moment of great challenge for our country. On X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Biden accepted.

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Looking forward to it, Mr. Speaker, the president said.

The annual speech has seen numerous examples of partisan rancor in recent years. Last year, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R., Ga.) shouted, Liar, during Bidens speech. In 2020, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) ripped up a copy of Trumps speech upon its conclusion.

Perry, the former leader of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said the time slotted for the speech would be better used for a discussion on the southern border.

A longtime Trump ally, Perry played a leading role in attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The central Pennsylvania congressman offered the motion to throw out Pennsylvanias 20 electoral votes hours after rioters ransacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Perrys motion was defeated and Congress affirmed Bidens victory in the state.

The Democratic Party has an eye on Perrys seat in the 10th Congressional District, which includes Dauphin County and parts of Cumberland and York Counties. Six Democrats are running in the April 23 primary with the hopes of facing Perry in November and flipping the district.

 READ MORE: Trump and Biden are poised for a rematch in Pa. Heres whats changed since 2020.

John Henry Newman, an anti-Trump Republican from Carlisle, announced last month that he would challenge Perry in the Republican primary but didnt file the required paperwork by the deadline.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Michael Neill (left foreground), the former apprentice training director at Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, leaves the federal courthouse in Reading with his attorney Joseph Capone (right) on Tuesday. Read more

Welcome back, court watchers, to another installment of the Inside Johnny Docs Trial newsletter. Three of former labor leader John Doughertys closest allies found out last week just how much time  if any  theyll be spending behind bars for embezzling money from their former union, Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

But were already looking ahead to what the punishments imposed by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Schmehl might tell us about how much prison time Dougherty is likely to face at his scheduled sentencing in May.

We also have news on Doughertys third felony trial  an extortion case that had been set to go before a jury next month. (Spoiler: Its looking like that one may be postponed again.)

Lets get to it.

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 Jeremy Roebuck and Oona Goodin-Smith (@jeremyrroebuck, @oonagoodinsmith, insidejohnnydoc@inquirer.com)

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

The briefing

 Michael Neill, the unions former apprentice training director, was sentenced Tuesday to 13 months in prison and ordered to pay Local 98 more than $131,000 for renovations at his home and businesses that he billed to the union. I disappointed a lot of people, he told the judge. I deserve everything on myself.

 Local 98s former political director, Marita Crawford, got 15 days behind bars and three months house arrest on Wednesday. Shes already paid the union back the nearly $12,000 she spent on hotel stays, beauty services, and birthday bashes for herself and Dougherty. I made the mistake, and I alone take responsibility, she said.

 And on Thursday, Doughertys former driver and personal assistant, Niko Rodriguez, caught a break with a sentence of three years probation. He also has to pay back more than $13,000 he racked up on Local 98 credit cards for groceries, baby supplies, and other personal goods. He told the judge: I understand the gravity of my actions.

 You might have noticed a pattern in each of the defendants remarks to the judge. All three took pains to make clear that their crimes were theirs alone, and none of them blamed Dougherty, who did not attend any of the hearings last week. Some defense lawyers delicately sought to remind Schmehl that others were more responsible for Local 98s financial losses. But none of them mentioned the former labor leader by name.

 READ MORE: John Dougherty union embezzlement case: Day-by-day updates

Breaking it down: Gauging Doughertys sentence

So what could this all mean for Dougherty, who is scheduled for sentencing in May on not just the embezzlement charges but also a bribery conviction that has already sent former Philadelphia City Councilman Bobby Henon to prison?

Across four different sentencing hearings for Dougherty codefendants, Schmehl has consistently crafted punishments at the low end of  or even below  what was recommended by federal sentencing guidelines. In all but one instance, those sentences have also fallen significantly shorter than what prosecutors had sought.

The government pushed for up to two years for Neill. He got roughly half that. They asked for up to six months for Crawford, who was sentenced to two weeks behind bars plus three months house arrest. For Henon, prosecutors sought 10 years. The former council member walked away with just 3.

Only in Rodriguezs case  where the government agreed to probation  did Schmehls sentence line up with prosecutors proposal.

Its too early to say how much prison time the government will seek for Dougherty or what his recommended punishment range under federal sentencing guidelines will be. But if the judge follows the pattern hes established so far, he might be open to cutting the ex-union chief a considerable break.

Schmehl has given each of the defendants hes sentenced credit for their community service and work on behalf of union laborers. And Dougherty will almost certainly stress his nearly three decades at the helm of Local 98 fighting on behalf of organized labor and the city when its his time to stand before the judge.

But no matter how forgiving Schmehl is feeling, hes still likely to give Dougherty the stiffest sentence of all eight defendants in the case. Unlike Crawford, Neill and Rodriguez  who all pleaded guilty  Dougherty chose to take his case to trial and lost, twice.

Those proceedings showed very little happened at Local 98 without Doughertys say-so. And hell be penalized at sentencing for his role as an organizer of both the embezzlement and bribery schemes.

Doughertys also the only defendant whos been convicted in both cases  a fact that will inflate his recommended prison sentence under the guidelines. And hes facing possible conviction on a whole other set of charges in an extortion trial this spring involving threats he allegedly made to a contractor who tried to fire his nephew.

Some people say sentencing is one of the most difficult things a judge has to do, Schmehl said as he sentenced Crawford last week. When it comes to crafting Doughertys punishment, the judge certainly has his work cut out for him.

What we heard in court

You held a position of power in the union. Fellow union members elected you, and trusted in you, and you abused that trust.

 Schmehl to Neill, explaining his decision to sentence the ex-union official to 13 months behind bars.

Asked and answered

We always appreciate hearing your questions about the case. One regular reader recently wrote to ask why none of the Local 98 officials sentenced so far has been forced to start a prison term immediately.

The answer: The judge gave Crawford and Neill until early April to turn themselves in to begin serving their sentences. In Henons case, Schmehl granted the former Council member more than six weeks before he had to report to a minimum-security prison in New Jersey.

Thats not uncommon in federal court, especially in cases involving nonviolent offenses where the defendant is not deemed a flight risk or a danger to the community. Crawford, Neill, and their codefendants have all been free on bail since they were indicted in 2019.

Surrender dates are designed to give defendants time to put their affairs in order and say their goodbyes to family before they start their prison terms. They also give the U.S. Bureau of Prisons time to figure out which of its 122 correctional facilities across the country it plans to send the defendant to  a process that can take several weeks.

Do you have a question about this case? Email us back and we might answer it in our newsletter.

The legal lens

Next on the docket

Last week was just the beginning of an active couple of months in court for Dougherty and his codefendants. But the wheels of justice arent known for their speed, and that timeline could already be changing.

Late Thursday, Schmehl granted Doughertys lawyers more time to file pretrial motions for his extortion trial, which had been scheduled to start March 25. While the judge hasnt officially moved the trial date, the new filing deadline he set  April 8  falls two weeks after jury selection was set to begin. Well most likely see an order in the next few days postponing the trial until later this spring.

With that in mind, heres a look at whats next on the calendar, dates subject to change:

 March 4: Sentencing for Doughertys nephew Brian Fiocca, a former Local 98 employee.

 March 20: Doughertys feud with his former lawyers at Ballard Spahr continues with a scheduled hearing on conflicts of interest that he argues should overturn his convictions.

 March 25: The originally scheduled start date for Doughertys extortion trial alongside nephew Greg Fiocca.

 April 16: Anthony Massa, a Local 98-favored contractor turned star government witness, faces sentencing.

 April 30: Former Local 98 president Brian Burrows sentencing.

 May 2: John Dougherty faces sentencing for his embezzlement and bribery convictions.

Thats it for now. Well be back in your inbox with the latest as developments in the case warrant. In the meantime, sign up here to receive occasional emails from us featuring revelatory Inquirer investigations.

Thank you for reading, and well see you later. 

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirers Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Im hoping people will look at the review and make a decision about maybe changing some of the ways were going about doing our business, said Kelly. The participants in this market should reflect upon its comments and the legislation and review whether theyre happy with the way they are interacting with the strata that they represent and the insurer and the advisor.
HCFs purpose is to bring our human touch to healthcare and, as such, we recognise the important contribution we can make to playing our part in a reconciled Australia, she said. As we embark on our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan, were setting the foundation to establish more meaningful and long-term relationships and contribute to reconciliation in a respectful and meaningful way.
Safety should be managed in a simplistic approach. You dont need to spend a lot of money to get the right outcome, he said. We consult with our teams, and we look for the most suitable solution. Generally, that comes from the shop floor, from one of our employees.
As per the Royal Gazette, the announcement praises the governments effort to present the first balanced budget in more than two decades and commends the Tax Reform Commissions role in suggesting measures to reduce the cost-of-living and enhance the business climate in Bermuda. It also highlights the introduction of CIT as a move that reinforces Bermudas appeal to multinational corporations.
As per the MGA, the establishment of Blue Ocean comes at a time when the Cayman Islands is experiencing significant growth in its reinsurance sector. This expansion is attributed to the jurisdictions appealing regulatory framework, advanced legal infrastructure, and the availability of a skilled professional workforce.
While we need to adapt and prepare for more events such as this in the future, we know we cant lose sight of fighting the root cause of the problem. BC continues to lead on climate action and sustainable job growth through the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030.
Its very hard on the insureds, and thats not lost on any of us from the brokerage space, said Risk Strategies VP Brian Jungeberg. A lot of times, the insureds probably feel like we dont care, but it is the worst thing to feel like you cant deliver a solution to a client of yours based on their situation  theres a lot of discussions that happen in the background with the insurers as we go through the underwriting process, to try and figure out a solution creatively to help them to get things turned around.
Meanwhile Ron Lockton, the son of founder Jack Lockton, said in an emailed statement: In the nearly four years that Ive served as executive chairman of Lockton, I have remained active in the companys management and decision-making, and I am honored and excited to be given the opportunity to serve once again as CEO.
I thank Reid for the substantial value he has created for shareholders over many years as a key member of the White Mountains management team, he said. And I welcome Reid to our board of directors, where we will continue to benefit from his knowledge and expertise.
Findings from the 2023 assessment reveal that insurers within the Lloyd's of London market are among the largest underwriters of fossil fuel projects, with annual premiums estimated to be between 1.5 and 2 billion. The industry acknowledges the complexity of insuring infrastructure critical to the global economy, including oil rigs and pipelines, while also recognizing the challenges of climate change.
Meet Hot 100 member Chad Hall  a man who has extensive insurance industry experience under his belt on both sides of the fence, having worked previously for Aon and AIG. Now, however, he is president of RT Specialty Tampa, working as a wholesale insurance broker focusing purely on the construction industry. He discusses his specialism and what he's working on that will impact the market.

Chad Hall was recognized by IBA's Hot 100 as one of the Leading Insurance Professionals in the USA 2024. Learn more about the winners here.
Nine companies that sell unfinished guns without serial numbers, used to make untraceable ghost guns, must face a lawsuit by New Yorks Democratic attorney general seeking to halt their business in the state, a federal judge ruled on Friday.

U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in Manhattan rejected the companies argument that their products are not weapons. He pointed to the companies marketing materials, including boasts that it was ridiculously easy to turn their products into guns and that even a caveman can do this.

The defendants include Arm or Ally, Rainier Arms, 80P Builder, Rock Slide USA, Brownells, 80 Percent Arms, Glockstore, KM Tactical and Primary Arms. Attorney General Letitia James office and lawyers for the companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

James sued them in 2022, saying their products could not be traced by law enforcement and fueled gun violence. A 10th defendant, Indie Guns, has not responded to the lawsuit and James is seeking a default judgment against it.

The lawsuit alleged that the companies sell frames and receivers, the core parts of handguns and rifles, without the serial numbers required by law for firearms. The resulting so-called ghost guns can be obtained by people legally barred from owning guns, and their untraceability has made them the weapon of choice for violent criminals in New York, it said.

James cited a spike in the number of ghost guns recovered at crime scenes, from 44 in 2018 to 797 in 2022, and said several defendants had shipped products to an address where a man was later arrested for threatening his wife and child with a gun.

A federal appeals court in New Orleans in November found that the unfinished frames and receivers were not firearms, striking down a Biden administration rule intended to crack down on them.

Furman on Friday called that courts reasoning neither binding nor persuasive. The administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case.

(Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Aurora Ellis)

Topics Lawsuits New York Gun Liability
Donald Trumps lawyers asked a New York judge Friday to suspend an $83.3 million defamation verdict against the former president, saying there was a strong probability that it would be reduced on appeal, if not eliminated.

The lawyers made the request in Manhattan federal court, where a civil jury in late January awarded the sum to advice columnist E. Jean Carroll after a five-day trial that focused only on damages. A judge had ordered the jury to accept the findings of another jury that last year concluded Trump sexually abused Carroll in 1996 and defamed her in 2022.

The second jury focused only on statements Trump made in 2019 while he was president in a case long delayed by appeals.

In the filing Friday, Trumps lawyers wrote that Judge Lewis A. Kaplan should suspend the execution of a judgment he issued on Feb. 8 until a month after he resolves Trumps post-trial motions, which will be filed by March 7. Otherwise, they said, he should grant a partially secured stay that would require Trump to post a bond for a fraction of the award.

The lawyers said the $65 million punitive award, atop $18.3 in compensatory damages, was plainly excessive because it violates the Constitution and federal common law.

There is a strong probability that the disposition of post-trial motions will substantially reduce, if not eliminate, the amount of the judgment, they said.

Trump did not attend a trial last May when a Manhattan jury awarded Carroll $5 million after concluding that the real estate magnate sexually attacked Carroll in spring 1996 in the dressing room of a luxury Bergdorf Goodman store across the street from Trump Plaza in midtown Manhattan.

Since Carroll, 80, first made her claims public in a memoir in 2019, Trump, 77, has repeatedly derided them as lies made to sell her book and damage him politically. He has called her a whack job and said that she wasnt his type, a reference that Carroll testified was meant to suggest she was too ugly to rape.

Carroll also testified that she has faced death threats from Trump supporters and has had her reputation shattered after remarks Trump continued to make even as the trial was going on.

At the second trial, Trump attended regularly and briefly testified, though he did most of his communication with the jury through frequent shakes of his head and disparaging comments muttered loudly enough that a prosecutor complained that jurors surely heard them and the judge threatened to banish him from the courtroom.

Roberta Kaplan, a lawyer for Carroll and no relation to the judge, declined comment Friday.

Alina Habba, one of Trumps attorneys, said in a statement that Januarys jury award was egregiously excessive.

The Court must exercise its authority to prevent Ms. Carrolls (sic) from enforcing this absurd judgment, which will not withstand appeal, Habba said.

Since the January verdict, a state court judge in New York in a separate case has ordered Trump and his companies to pay $355 million in penalties for a yearslong scheme to dupe banks and others with financial statements that inflated his wealth. With interest, he owes the state nearly $454 million.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation
The longtime head of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, misspent millions of dollars of the organizations money, using the funds to pay for an extravagant lifestyle that included exotic getaways and trips on private planes and superyachts, a New York jury determined Friday.

The jury found LaPierre, 74, must repay almost $4.4 million to the powerful gun rights group that he led for three decades, while the NRAs retired finance chief, Wilson Phillips, owes $2 million. Jurors also found that the NRA failed to properly manage its assets, omitted or misrepresented information in its tax filings and violated whistleblower protections under New York law.

LaPierre, who announced his resignation from the NRA on the eve of the trial, sat stone-faced in the front row of the courtroom as the verdict was read aloud, and did not speak to reporters on the way out.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat who campaigned on investigating the NRAs not-for-profit status, declared the verdict a major victory.

In New York, you cannot get away with corruption and greed, no matter how powerful or influential you think you may be, James said in a post on X. Everyone, even the NRA and Wayne LaPierre, must play by the same rules.

The group, which has in recent years has been beset by financial troubles and dwindling membership, was portrayed in the case both as a defendant that lacked internal controls to prevent misspending and as a victim of that same misconduct.

The jury found NRA general counsel John Frazer had violated his duties, but not that he owed any money or that there was cause to remove him from the organization.

In a statement, the NRA highlighted that part of the verdict in casting the outcome as proof it was victimized by certain former vendors and insiders who abused the trust placed in them.

Whistleblowers

The jury did find that the NRA violated state laws protecting whistleblowers who raised concerns about the organization, a cohort that included the groups former president, Oliver North.

To the extent there were control violations, they were acted upon immediately by the NRA Board beginning in summer 2018, NRA President Charles Cotton said in the statement.

The jury actually found LaPierre liable for $5.4 million, but determined hed already paid back a little over $1 million.

Another former NRA executive turned whistleblower, Joshua Powell, settled with the state last month, agreeing to testify at the trial, pay the NRA $100,000 and forgo further involvement with nonprofits.

James office said Friday it wants an independent monitor to be appointed to oversee the NRAs administration of charitable assets. It is also seeking to ban LaPierre and Phillips from serving in leadership positions at any charitable organizations that conduct business in New York, and wants the NRA and Frazer barred from collecting funds on behalf of any charitable organization operating in the state.

A judge will decide those questions during the next phase of the state Supreme Court trial.

James sued the NRA and its executives in 2020 under her authority to investigate not-for-profits registered in the state.

She originally sought to have the entire organization dissolved, but Manhattan Judge Joel M. Cohen ruled in 2022 that the allegations did not warrant a corporate death penalty.

The trial, which began last month, cast a spotlight on the leadership, organizational culture and finances of the powerful lobbying group, which was founded more than 150 years ago in New York City to promote rifle skills and grew into a political juggernaut that influenced federal law and presidential elections.

Before he stepped down, LaPierre had led the NRAs day-to-day operations since 1991, acting as its face and becoming one of the countrys most influential figures in shaping gun policy.

Piggy Bank

During the trial, state lawyers argued that he dodged financial disclosure requirements while treating the NRA as his personal piggy bank, liberally dipping into its coffers for African safaris and other questionable expenditures.

His lawyer cast the trial as a political witch hunt by James.

LaPierre billed the NRA more than $11 million for private jet flights and spent more than $500,000 on eight trips to the Bahamas over a three-year span, state lawyers said.

He also authorized $135 million in NRA contracts for a vendor whose owners showered him with free trips to the Bahamas, Greece, Dubai and India, as well as access to a 108-foot (33-meter) yacht.

On the stand, LaPierre claimed he hadnt realized the travel tickets, hotel stays, meals, yacht access and other luxury perks counted as gifts, and that the private jet flights were necessary for his safety.

But he conceded that he had wrongly expensed private flights for his family and accepted vacations from vendors doing business with the NRA without disclosing them.

Among those who testified at the trial was North, a one-time NRA president and former National Security Council military aide best known for his central role in the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s. North, who resigned from the NRA in 2019, said he was pushed out after raising allegations of financial irregularities.

After reporting a $36 million deficit in 2018 fueled largely by misspending, the NRA cut back on longstanding programs that had been core to its mission, including training and education, recreational shooting and law enforcement initiatives. In 2021, it filed for bankruptcy and sought to incorporate in Texas instead of New York, but a judge rejected the move, saying it was an attempt to duck James lawsuit.

Despite its recent woes, the NRA remains a political force. Republican presidential hopefuls flocked to its annual convention last year and former President Donald Trump spoke at an NRA event earlier this month  his eighth speech to the association, it said.

Associated Press writer Philip Marcelo contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics New York Gun Liability
A lithium ion battery sparked a fire that killed one person and injured 17 others at a New York City apartment building, fire officials said Saturday.

Fridays two-alarm fire began just after 2 p.m. on the third floor of a six-story building in Harlem. New York Police Department video shows firefighters being lowered by ropes from the roof to rescue people trapped on the buildings upper floors.

Our members attach themselves to a rope and then another member goes onto the rope and goes off the side of the building, goes down to the window and grabs the person, FDNY Chief of Operations John Hodgens explained at a news conference Friday. This happened three times at this fire.

The city has seen hundreds of fires linked to the lithium ion batteries that power electric bikes and scooters in the last few years. The Fire Department has repeatedly issued warnings and safety tips.

Hodgens said an apartment door of the burning apartment was left open, intensifying the fire and hampering efforts to extinguish it.

If you could, imagine flames coming out that door and blocking off the stairwell, he said. Normally we go directly up to the floor above the fire, but we were even unable to get past those flames.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The missile attack by Houthi militants on a ship carrying a cargo of fertilizer has led to an environmental disaster in the Red Sea, US Central Command said Friday evening.

Hours later, Central Command reported that American forces had destroyed seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were about to be launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

Two anti-ship ballistic missiles struck the cargo vessel, the Rubymar, early this week.

Houthis to Step Up Red Sea Strikes, Use Submarine Weapons, Leader Says

The ship is anchored but slowly taking on water, Central Command said in a statement posted Friday on the social media platform X. The unprovoked and reckless attack by Iran-backed Houthi terrorists caused significant damage to the ship, which caused an 18-mile oil slick.

The crew of the Belize-flagged Rubymar was forced to abandon the vessel, marking the first such evacuation since the Houthis began disrupting commercial shipping in the Red Sea in response to the war in the Gaza Strip.

The Houthis, who control much of the northwest of Yemen, claimed to have sunk the vessel shortly after the attack. The crew was rescued by a container ship and taken to Djibouti.

The M/V Rubymar was transporting over 41,000 tons of fertilizer when it was attacked, which could spill into the Red Sea and worsen this environmental disaster, Central Command added. The Houthis continue to demonstrate disregard for the regional impact of their indiscriminate attacks.

Central Command said in its second posting on X that the destroyed missiles presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the U.S. Navy ships in the region.

The Houthi assaults have continued despite waves of airstrikes by the US and the UK.

On Thursday, a cargo ship caught fire after being attacked by two missiles in the Gulf of Aden, the UK Navy said. On Tuesday, the Houthis fired two missiles at a ship carrying humanitarian assistance to Yemen.

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics USA Pollution
Trinidad and Tobagos government on Friday confirmed the refined product leaking from a barge that struck a reef and overturned off the coast of Tobago was tested and determined to be a type of fuel oil.

The leak, which remains unplugged and is spreading to the Caribbean Sea threatening several countries coasts, was first spotted by Trinidads Coast Guard on Feb. 7 after a barge towed by a tugboat capsized near Tobagos shore.

Analyzes of the hydrocarbon discharge collected in Tobago indicates that the samples are characteristic of a refined oil, Trinidads energy ministry said in a release, characterizing it as intermediate fuel oil.

Intermediate fuel oil can be used as a bunker fuel to power combustion engines.

The pace at which the fuel is flowing from the barge has slowed considerably, Allan Stewart, the head of Tobagos emergency department, told Reuters.

The fuel has been leaking for more than three weeks and has stained Tobagos coastline, affecting fishing and tourism, and has entered the waters off Grenada.

We are working hard to ensure the hydrocarbons do not get to the more sensitive southwest part of the island, where there are the popular tourist beaches, Stewart added.

Containment booms are so far holding the spill. Tobago has been using skimmers and other equipment to mop-up the fuel, according to Stewart.

The barge carried as much as 35,000 barrels of fuel oil, Tobago officials have said.

The ship sailed from Panama, and it was bound for Guyana, officials have said. But monitoring service TankerTrackers.com and investigative news outlet Bellingcat said after reviewing satellite photos that the vessels were near Venezuelas shore days before the spill was first reported in Tobago.

Imagery discovered by Bellingcat shows that the barge began leaking oil as early as February 3, immediately after leaving (Venezuelas) Pozuelos Bay, and that it appears to have capsized by the morning of February 6, it said this week.

Venezuela has denied that the barge originated from the Bolivarian Republic.

(Reporting by Curtis Williams in Houston)

Photo credit: Workers from state owned Heritage Petroleum Oil and Gas Co. clean up an oil spill that reached Rockly Bay beach, in Scarborough, south western Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago, on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Akash Boodan)

Topics Energy Oil Gas
German lawmakers approved a controversial bill legalizing personal use of cannabis, paving the way for controlled consumption of the drug from April 1.

The legislation introduced by Chancellor Olaf Scholzs government  a first step toward a planned broader legalization  was supposed to take effect at the start of the year but got held up amid resistance from some lawmakers in the ruling coalition.

It has also prompted sustained criticism from Germanys main opposition conservatives, who argued that legalizing cannabis  Europes most common illicit drug  will harm young peoples health and increase the burden on police. The government said the aim is to shrink the black market, tackle drug-related crime and prevent the sale of contaminated products.

Explore the prevalence of #cannabis use in Europe dashboard of the #EuropeanDrugReport2023 by recall period, age and country and get an overview of European and national trends: https://t.co/ZVaw5fXCYY pic.twitter.com/08T7Sth2Ql

 EU drugs agency (@EMCDDA) June 20, 2023

Under the new rules, adults can possess a maximum of 25 grams (0.88 ounces) of cannabis for use in public and grow as many as three plants for private consumption. From July 1, cultivation in nonprofit cannabis clubs limited to 500 members will also be allowed.

Germany is following countries including Canada, Uruguay and Malta, as well as around 20 US states, which have introduced similar mechanisms.

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said before Fridays vote that the government is pursuing two main goals: to tackle the illegal sale of cannabis and to better protect the health of young people.

Wir verfolgen zwei Ziele: den Schwarzmarkt zu bekampfen und einen besseren Kinder- und Jugendschutz zu erreichen, sagte @Karl_Lauterbach heute im #Bundestag bei der Debatte zum #Cannabis|gesetz. pic.twitter.com/TUpuIOlIE1

 Bundesgesundheitsministerium (@BMG_Bund) Feb. 23, 2024

The situation that we are currently in is in no way acceptable, Lauterbach said in a statement to the Bundestag in Berlin. We have to face the problems and the approach we are taking here is a good approach.

The law doesnt require the backing of the Bundesrat, or upper house, according to the health ministry.

Photograph: Cannabis supporters march with a mock joint reading Legalization past the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany. Photo credit: Omer Messinger/Getty Images

Related:

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics Cannabis Germany
The Iowa Insurance Division announced it entered a settlement in principle with a group of affiliated companies commonly known as Abra. The settlement addresses Abras alleged offer and sale of interest-bearing cryptocurrency depository products referred to as Abra Boost and Abra Earn.

As part of the settlement, Abra is required to notify all Iowa consumers with open Abra accounts containing crypto assets on or before February 28, 2024, that Abra is winding down U.S. operations and to encourage them to move any remaining crypto assets from Abras platform.

Any assets owned by Iowa consumers that remain with Abra after March 6, 2024, will be converted to U.S. dollars and transferred to the Iowa Insurance Division Restitution Fund.

As part of the settlement in principle, Abra and Mr. Barhydt will enter a Consent Order with the Iowa Insurance Division requiring that they cease and desist from offering or selling unregistered securities in Iowa and ordering them to pay an administrative penalty of $461,610.14, which will be suspended if they comply with the process to return all assets owned by Iowa consumers.

The entry of this order is contingent upon Abra successfully fulfilling the requirements outlined above to ensure Iowa consumers have access to their assets or the converted value of their assets. Abra has until March 6, 2024, to complete its obligations.

The parties to the settlement include Plutus Financial Holdings Inc., Plutus Financial Inc., Plutus Lending LLC and Abra Boost LLC. These companies are controlled by William Bill Barhydt, who is also a party to the settlement. Together, they offered Abra Earn to all U.S. clients and Abra Boost to accredited U.S. clients. Investors in both programs earned interest by depositing digital assets with Abra and authorizing Abra to lend client assets to institutional borrowers.

Abra is presently winding down U.S. retail operations. Although clients have been able to withdraw their assets from Abra, cryptocurrencies valued at approximately $6,426.90 owned by approximately 39 residents of Iowa currently remain in its custody.

Source: Iowa Insurance Division

Topics Iowa
State Farm Insurance brought forth a subrogation lawsuit last week against Norfolk Southern over damages to a pair of East Palestine, Ohio homes allegedly caused by the railroad companys February 2023 train derailment.

State Farm filed a complaint in Columbiana County, Ohio Common Pleas Court seeking judgment of more than $85,000 for payouts to two homeowners whose property was damaged by chemical fires.

East Palestine resident Justin Daubenmire claimed $39,374 for damage to the insureds personal property and $32,025 for damage to his real property. State Farm paid Daubenmire in the amount of $71,199, subject to a $2,799 deductible.

Another East Palestine resident, Barbara Georgescu, claimed $13,051 of personal property damage, of which State Farm paid the full amount.

State Farm claims the insureds property damage was a direct and proximate result of negligence from Norfolk Southern. The railroad company was carrying hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride, when its train derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3, 2023. The hazardous chemicals and materials ignited, resulting in a fire which created toxic fumes, smoke and soot, State Farms claim says.

Norfolk Southern said last month that the total cost of the derailment near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border will top $1.1 billion. The railroad company said it has received $101 million in insurance payments.

An Ohio business owner sued Norfolk Southern last year for $500 million, saying most of his East Ohio companies have remained closed since the derailment. Norfolk Southern said at the time it had reached confidential settlements with 11 businesses and offering $1.8 million to 55 others.

Photo: This photo taken with a drone shows portions of a Norfolk and Southern freight train that derailed Friday night in East Palestine, Ohio are still on fire at mid-day Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Topics Lawsuits Ohio
Dartmouth, Northwestern, Rice and Vanderbilt universities have agreed to pay a combined $166 million to resolve claims that they favored wealthy student applicants, pushing total settlements in a federal antitrust lawsuit over college financial aid practices to $284 million.

Lawyers for a proposed class of hundreds of thousands of current and former U.S. students disclosed the latest settlements in a filing late Friday in Chicago federal court.

The 2022 lawsuit said 17 prominent colleges and universities violated U.S. antitrust law by violating a pledge not to consider students finances in making admissions decisions, giving wealthy students an edge.

Dartmouth and Rice said they would each pay $33.75 million. Northwestern agreed to pay $43.5 million, and Vanderbilt will pay $55 million.

Brown, Yale and Columbia universities earlier agreed to pay a combined $62 million to resolve claims against them.

The schools, including those that have reached settlements, have denied wrongdoing.

Northwestern, Dartmouth, Vanderbilt and Rice in statements said settling with the plaintiffs allowed them to move past the case and focus on their academic missions.

The case will continue against seven schools, including Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University.

Ted Normand, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, in a statement said, These new settlements will significantly increase the compensation to the class members for the harm we allege the defendants cartel caused.

Average payouts to members of the class are expected to be $750, according to a court filing.

The settlements are subject to a judges consideration and approval.

Topics Lawsuits Education Universities
The long arm of the Alabama Department of Insurance may be about to get a little longer, after the state House of Representatives approved bills that would exempt the department from sunset law provisions and would grant department investigators more law enforcement powers.

House Bill 140, sponsored by state Rep. Corley Ellis, R-Columbian, would allow department investigators to arrest people suspected of engaging in crimes  even those not related to insurance fraud  with or without an arrest warrant. Existing state law limits DOI investigative personnel to arrests that pertain only to insurance law violations.

Ellis told local news media that other crimes that DOI may encounter include identity theft, elder abuse or theft of property. He did not say why the change was needed at this time, but the bill passed without opposition.

Significantly, HB 140 also extends the statute of limitations on insurance crimes, from two years to seven years. The state Senate has read the bill twice, meaning it should come up for a floor vote soon.

HB 139, also by Ellis, removes DOI from the four-year legislative review and reauthorization statute known as the Alabama Sunset Law of 1981. Most state agencies have to be reauthorized by the Legislature every few years.

The bill passed the House 98-1 and now goes to the Senate.

Topics Alabama
Bank of America Corp. (BAC) is one of the leading banks in the U.S. and one of the world's largest financial institutions. It offers a range of financial products and services, including saving accounts, deposits, mortgage loans, cash and wealth management, investment funds, insurance, and more. Bank of America operates through four key business segments: Consumer Banking; Global Wealth & Investment Management; Global Banking; and Global Markets.

The top shareholders of Bank of America are Paul F. Donofrio, Brian T. Moynihan, Geoffrey S. Greener, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.B), Vanguard Group Inc., and BlackRock Inc. (BLK).

Bank of America's 12-month trailing net income and revenue are $26.5 billion and $98.6 billion, respectively. The company's market cap is about $267 billion. These financial data are as of February 2024.

Below is a look in more detail at Bank of America's 6 biggest shareholders.

Key Takeaways Bank of America is one of the largest consumer banks in the United States, with $3 trillion in customer deposits and other assets.

The largest shareholder is Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, which holds 13% of all marketable shares.

The next largest investors are institutional asset managers, like BlackRock and Vanguard.

Among individual insiders, the biggest investors are company insiders, like executives and board members.

Top 3 Individual Insider Shareholders

The largest individual shareholders of Bank of America are company insiders, like executives and members of the board. The following list shows only shares that are directly owned, not restricted stock units or options.

Brian T. Moynihan

Brian Moynihan owns a total of 2.4 million Bank of America shares, representing 0.03% of the companys total shares outstanding. Mr. Moynihan is chair of the board and chief executive officer (CEO). Before becoming CEO in 2010, Moynihan directed virtually every major segment of the bank's business, including consumer and small business banking, investment banking, and wealth management.

He joined Fleet Boston Financial as the company's deputy general counsel in 1993, before leading the firm's brokerage and wealth management business operations. Following a 2004 merger of Fleet Boston with Bank of America, Moynihan assumed the position of president of wealth and investment management at the bank, then was promoted to a series of executive positions before rising to CEO.

"Insider" refers to people in senior management positions and members of the board of directors, as well as people or entities that own more than 10% of the company's stock. In this context, it has nothing to do with insider trading.

Geoffrey S. Greener

Geoffrey Greener owns a total of 1.2 million Bank of America shares, representing 0.01% of the companys shares outstanding. Mr. Greener has been the chief risk officer (CRO) for Bank of America since April 2014. Before this position, Greener was head of Enterprise Capital Management and head of Global Markets Portfolio Management. He also previously chaired several committees, including on markets regulatory reform.

Paul F. Donofrio

Paul Donofrio holds over 1 million GE shares, accounting for just under 0.01 of the company's total float, according to the company's 2023 proxy statement. Donofrio joined Bank of America in 1999, and served as Chief Financial Officer for six years between 2015 and 2021. As vice chairman, he now oversees the bank's sustainability activities.



Top 3 Institutional Shareholders

Institutional investors hold approximately 68% of Bank of America's total shares outstanding.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Berkshire Hathaway owns 1.03 billion shares of Bank of America, representing 13.1% of total shares outstanding, according to the company's 13F filing. Berkshire Hathaway is a diversified holding company that owns major subsidiaries involved in insurance, rail transportation, energy, and retailing. The company also owns a sizable investment portfolio that includes shares of major U.S. corporations. The value of Bank of America shares in Berkshires portfolio is $35 billion. The company reported about $347 billion of managed 13F securities as of Q4 2023.

Vanguard Group Inc.

Vanguard Group owns 608 million shares of Bank of America, representing 7.7% of total shares outstanding, according to the company's 13F filing. The company is primarily a mutual fund and ETF management company with about $7.6 trillion in global AUM. The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is one of the company's largest exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with about $404 billion in AUM. Bank of America comprises about 0.57% of VOO's holdings.

BlackRock Inc.

BlackRock owns 491.6 million shares of Bank of America, representing 6.2% of total shares outstanding, according to the company's 13F filing. The company is primarily a mutual fund and ETF management company with approximately $10 trillion in AUM. The iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) is one of BlackRock's largest ETFs with approximately $443 billion in net assets. Bank of America comprises about 0.54% of IVV's holdings.

How Much Does Bank of America Manage? In 2023, Bank of America had just over $3.05 trillion on its balance sheets. This included $1.9 trillion of customer deposits, with the remainder accounting for loans, securities and investments.

How Many Customers Does Bank of America Have? Bank of America had 44 million active digital customers at the end of the 2022 fiscal year, according to the bank's 2023 annual report.

What Is the Minimum Monthly Balance for a Bank of America Account? The Bank of America Advantage Savings Account has a monthly maintenance fee of $8.00. According to the bank, you can avoid this fee if one of the account owners is under age 25, if you keep the balance higher than $500, if you are enrolled in the bank's Preferred Rewards program, or if the account is linked into certain other BofA accounts.

The Bottom Line

Bank of America is one of the largest consumer banks in the United States, with over $3 trillion in assets. The largest shareholder is Berkshire Hathaway, along with fund managers like BlackRock and Vanguard.


February 26, 2024 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com, a global news source and expert investing resource, announces today's roundup of stocks to watch in the Mining sector.

Today's new mining companies are listed on CSE or TSX Exchanges and focus on gold and energy metals.

New Stocks Added to the Mining Directories:

EGR Exploration Ltd. (TSXV:EGR) is exploring for gold in the Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend approximately 300 kilometres north of Timmins, Ontario. EGR's 40,255 hectare Detour West gold project is contiguous to Agnico Eagle's property which contains the Detour Lake Gold Mine and is approximately 20 kilometres from the mine, which is also hosted in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt.

Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp. (TSXV:KLDC) (OTC Pink:KLKLF) is a TSX Venture Exchange listed company that has recently consolidated a district-scale and highly prospective land package in the Kirkland Lake Gold Camp in Ontario, Canada. The properties are hosted in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, one of the world's best-endowed greenstone belts, with 200+ million ounces of gold produced to date.1 The properties are host to regional and property-scale mineralized structures that are considered second-order structures off the Larder Lake Cadillac Deformation Zone (LLCDZ), the regional structure in the belt known to be spatially associated with the gold mines hosted in the camp. The properties assembled include the 100%-owned Lucky Strike Property, Goodfish-Kirana, the Arnold property, and the optioned KL West (KLW) and KL Central (KLC) properties. The KLDC land position comprises approximately 38,000 ha, over 1,338 claims and 29 patented claims and ranks the Company as one of the largest landholder in the Kirkland Lake region.

Atco Mining Inc. (CSE:ATCM) is a junior exploration mining company focused on exploring for green energy metals throughout Canada. Atco is also exploring salt opportunities in Western Newfoundland.

55 North Mining (CSE: FFF) is an exploration and development company advancing its high-grade Last Hope Gold Project located in Manitoba, Canada.

Zodiac Gold Inc. (TSXV:ZAU) stands at the forefront of gold exploration in West Africa, boasting a district-scale discovery in the Todi Project. Guided by a commitment to responsible exploration and led by an experienced leadership team, Zodiac Gold is poised to play a pivotal role in the flourishing gold sector of West Africa. The company's flagship Todi project, covering an expansive 2,316 sq km land package, is strategically located in a previously underexplored region with close proximity to the renowned New Liberty Gold Mine. With a robust exploration strategy, excellent access to infrastructure, and a focus on sustainable practices, Zodiac Gold is well-positioned for success in unlocking the full potential of its extensive gold exploration assets.

Power One Resources Corp.(TSXV:PWRO) ACQUISITION & EXPLORATION OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS: PECORS PROJECT - Uranium, Nickel, PGE's; WICHEEDA PROJECT - Rare Earth Elements

Kobo Resources Inc. (TSXV:KRI.V) is a growth-focused gold exploration company with a compelling new gold discovery in Cote d'Ivoire, one of West Africa's most prolific and developing gold districts, hosting several multi-million-ounce gold mines. The Company's 100%-owned Kossou Gold Project is located approximately 20 km northwest of the capital city of Yamoussoukro and is directly adjacent to one of the region's largest gold mines with established processing facilities. The Company is drilling to unlock the potential size and scale of Kossou within 9+ km strike length of highly prospective gold in soil geochemical anomalies with excellent rock and trench sampling results. The Company completed ~6,000 m of RC drilling and ~5,400 m of trenching in 2023 and is planning on additional drilling and trenching in 2024. Significant gold mineralisation has been identified at three main targets within a 300 m wide, 2+ km long, pervasively altered structural corridor defining a potentially large mesothermal gold system. Kobo offers investors the exciting combination of high-quality gold prospects led by an experienced leadership team with in-country experience. Kobo offers investors the exciting combination of high-quality gold prospects led by an experienced leadership team with in-country experience.

1844 Resources (TSX-V:EFF) is an exploration company with a focus in strategic and energetic metals and underexplored regions "Gaspe, Nunavik Quebec". With a dedicated management team, the Company's goal is to create shareholder value through the discovery of new deposits.

The directories are not meant as recommendations but as a research tool to discover opportunities and trading ideas in a particular sector.

For the avid Mining Stock Investors  Check out our free comprehensive directory of Mining Stocks Mining Stocks Directory

Stay up to date on current mining sector news at https://www.investorideas.com/Gold_Stocks/ and Get News Alerts on Mining Stocks

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Dawn Van Zant and Cali Van Zant

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Former British prime minister Tony Blair was among those paying tribute to financier and member of the well-known Rothschild banking dynasty, Jacob Rothschild, after his death at the age of 87.

Described by his family as a "towering presence in many people's lives", Mr Rothschild started his career in the family bank, NM Rothschild & Sons, in 1963.

He went on to found businesses and charitable foundations and was a renowned patron of the arts and philanthropist.

Mr Rothschild's family have an estimated fortune of about 825m (964m), according to last year's Sunday Times Rich List, and give away a reported 66m (77.1m) to Jewish causes, education, and art.

The family said in a statement: "Our father Jacob was a towering presence in many people's lives, a superbly accomplished financier, a champion of the arts and culture, a devoted public servant, a passionate supporter of charitable causes in Israel and Jewish culture, a keen environmentalist, and much-loved friend, father, and grandfather.

"He will be buried in accordance with Jewish custom in a small family ceremony, and there will be a memorial at a later date to celebrate his life."

Tributes poured in for Mr Rothschild from across the business, political, and cultural sectors.

Mr Blair, who now runs the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change think tank, said: "Jacob was a dear friend and a wonderful human being. I will miss him immensely.

"He was, of course, a towering figure in Britain's Jewish community, but his impact was global in his support for great causes, including in the arts and the environment, and in his tireless work to advance peace in the Middle East."

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, ex-chancellor George Osborne  who is now chairman of the British Museum  said Mr Rothschild "made the very most of the privilege he was born into, contributing hugely to the cultural and commercial life of Britain".

He said: "His contributions to the Waddesdon Gallery make it one the jewels of the British Museum.

"Smart, curious, full of new projects and with a dry humour  he will be missed."

Born in Berkshire, Mr Rothschild was educated at Eton College and studied history at Christ Church College, Oxford.

After leaving the Rothschild Bank he took control of Rothschild Investment Trust, now RIT Capital Partners, and later co-founded the then J Rothschild Assurance Group, now St James's Place, with Mark Weinberg in 1980.

He was chairman of RIT Capital Partners, one of the largest investment trusts quoted on the London Stock Exchange, until 2019.

He was also deputy chairman at then BSkyB Television, director of RHJ International, now known as BHF Kleinwort Benson Group, and was a member of the council for the Duchy of Cornwall.

In the cultural sector, he was chairman of trustees at the National Gallery and chairman of the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

He also sat for numerous portraits, including by Lucian Freud and David Hockney.

The National Gallery tweeted: "Jacob Rothschild was a businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and cultural leader.

"Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones."

Jacob Rothschild arrives at St Bride's Church, in London, for a ceremony to celebrate the wedding of Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall in 2016.

Mr Rothschild also founded Windmill Hill Asset Management, to manage the family's philanthropic portfolio, and was chairman of the trustees for the Rothschild Foundation charity.

One of his biggest philanthropic commitments was to Waddesdon Manor and the Waddesdon estate in Buckinghamshire, England, having taken over the management on behalf of the National Trust from his cousin Dorothy de Rothschild in 1988.

In a post on X, the Rothschild Foundation and Waddesdon Manor said they were "deeply saddened" by his death.

"He will be greatly missed by his family, his colleagues, and his many friends," they said.

The Rothschild Foundation said Mr Rothschild's daughter, Hannah Rothschild, would succeed him as chairman of the charity.

The foundation added: "Jacob Rothschild was an extraordinary person and his loss will be felt by many.

"The family is committed to continuing his legacy and the foundation which he loved and endowed."

He was married for more than 50 years to Serena, who died in 2019, and with whom he had four children, Hannah, Beth, Emily, and Nat, and many grandchildren.
A vessel load of 80 metre-long wide-turbine blades, the largest ever in size to be imported to Ireland were shipped to the Port of Waterford over the weekend.

The vessel, BBC Citrine 153m arrived from Turkey with the blades also believed to be the longest in the UK.

They were unloaded and will be stored at the Port before being transported by road to their destination at Cushaling Wind Farm in Offaly.

Port of Waterford CEO David Sinnott said, "While the Port of Waterford handed similar cargo in 2023, this is the first time that components of this scale were handled through an Irish Port.

"The role that our national ports will play in the provision of offshore wind energy is a current topic and this particular project proves the important role that port teams are already providing in the creation of the current onshore wind energy infrastructure."

Mr Sinnott added that the Port of Waterford is "strategically positioned to support the future offshore wind energy sector" and has currently proposed a 250m quay extension to further support this work and future growth in the sector.

Cushaling Wind Farm is being developed by Statkraft and will mark the first use of the Vestas V162-6.2 MW EnVentus turbines in the Irish market.

The nine turbines, which have a tip height of 185 metres, will be the largest on any wind farm in Ireland.

The development, which will deliver 55.8MW of clean renewable energy to the grid, represents a 95m investment by the company.
Dear Karen,

I have been farming for years and recently sold my cows as no one in my family is interested in taking over the farm for me, I am considering a long-term lease.

I have a neighbour who is happy to take my land under a long-term lease but I have never done this before, and I am a bit anxious to make sure I do everything right and that I protect my EU payments as much as possible.

I have also heard there are certain tax exemptions available on the rental income. What advice would you have for me?

Dear Reader,

Long-term leasing of land has surged in popularity since the government announced favourable tax incentives on rental income for landlords in 2015.

A lease document is a written legal agreement between a lessor (the landowner or landlord) and a lessee (the active farmer or tenant). The lease sets out the obligations of both parties during the period of the lease, providing useful legal protection to all parties.

To qualify for the long-term income exemption scheme, the Revenue Commissioners have advised that a lease must:

Be in writing.

Contains the names and addresses of the landlord and tenant.

Specify the acreage, address, location etc. of the land.

Sets out the terms of the lease.

Signed by the lessor, lessee and independent witnesses.

Be for a definite period of five years or more.

Leases between close relatives do not qualify.

A company may be an eligible tenant, provided it is not connected with or controlled by the landlord.

Direct payments

I note that you are claiming EU payments. It is critical to include clauses in the lease that protect these payments as much as possible.

For example, the tenant would lodge all paperwork in time and repay you the payments promptly if this has been agreed with the tenant, the tenant would be responsible for any farm management costs and compliance and will pay any costs compliance fines arising therefrom, etc.

It would also be critical that if there was any change to CAP entitlements arising from the year of the lease or subsequent EU reviews, that a clause is in the lease to trigger a review of the agreement to ensure that the lease is structured so as to safeguard you, as the owner and the farmers interests and entitlements.

In such a situation, the farmer and you will agree to engage with each other to determine a sustainable solution and review the position with respect to the entitlements on an annual basis.

It is also critical that if there are buildings on the land, the farmer signs a deed of renunciation, which should be attached to the lease to ensure that he acknowledges that he is not entitled to an automatic renewal of the lease and waives his rights under the Landlord and Tenant Acts etc.

The lease must provide that insurance is in place in order that you, as lessor, be indemnified for, for example, all claims or liabilities arising from the lessees use of the property. It is critical that the lessor has his or her own public liability insurance and evidence of this is produced every year to you for the term of the lease.

You may want to consider, particularly if it is a long term lease you are entering into, as to whether you want to insert a rent review clause. It is advisable. You can make provision in the lease for regular rent reviews during the term of the lease, for example, every five years.

While lease agreement templates are readily available and the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has produced an excellent precedent master agricultural lease, it is advisable to seek the advice of a solicitor in order to adapt the lease agreement to your specific needs.

Karen Walsh, from a farming background, is a solicitor practising at Walsh & Partners Solicitors, 17 South Mall, Cork, and 88 Main Street, Midleton, Co Cork, and also the author of 'Farming and the Law'. Walsh & Partners also specialises in personal injury claims, conveyancing, probate, and family law.

Email: info@walshandpartners.ie

Web: www.walshandpartners.ie
There are delays on a number of roads on Cork city on Monday morning as farmers take to the streets in a protest ahead of a meeting of Cork County Council.

The Cork branch of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) will hold a protest at the Cork County Council meeting at 9.30am at the council offices, Carrigrohane Road, Co Cork.

Their journey began at 7.15am as a number of groups assembled at Little Island and Cork Airport.

Farmers led a convoy of tractors at Cork Airport early on Monday morning as part of their campaign against the over-regulation of farming. Picture Dan Linehan

Between 60 and 80 tractors are expected to take part in this morning's protest.

Crowds of farmers with tractors have made their way to Cork Airport as part of a morning of protests in the county. Farmers are targeting the airport in a bid to highlight their frustrations in what they feel are unfair measurements around agricultural emissions pic.twitter.com/dZaFSfNFd7  Kathleen O'Sullivan (@Kathleen_OSull) February 26, 2024

There are currently delays of more than 10 minutes on the N8 near Little Island, with delays of more than 15 minutes on the N25 near the airport, according to Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

TII have also warned to expect delays on the N27 for the entirety of the protest.

Cork Airport has advised drivers they should allow extra time for their journeys to the airport this morning.

Farmers say they are targeting the airport in a bid to highlight their frustrations in what they feel are unfair measurements around agricultural emissions

Farmers led a convoy of tractors at Cork Airport early on Monday morning as part of their campaign against the over-regulation of farming. Picture Dan Linehan

At the meeting with councillors, they plan to raise their concerns around regulations, farm costs, and the future of rural life.

IFA president Francie Gorman said that the current phase of the IFA's 'enough is enough' campaign will continue, with farmers targeting county council meetings around the country.
Farmers from across Co Cork descended on Cork Airport on Monday morning as part of protests held to highlight their frustrations with policy.

A large convoy of tractors targeted the airport soon after 7am, with the Irish Farmers' Association saying it wanted to put a spotlight on the "hypocrisy" of Dublin Airport "looking to expand by 25%" in terms of annual passenger numbers while Irish farmers have been set a target to reduce agricultural emissions by the same figure by 2030.

Farmers moved their protest from the airport to the council offices at County Hall on Carrigrohane Road after 9am ahead of Cork County Council's meeting, where about 50 tractors lined the road.

'Enough is enough'

Cork Central IFA dairy chairman Alan Jagoe told the Irish Examiner farmers came from all corners of the county to take part in the protest  one farmer "had fed his calves at 3am, milked at 4am, and left at 6am".

Alan Jagoe, dairy chairman of IFA Cork Central with farmers protesting outside the County Hall, Cork, as part of their campaign against the overregulation of farming. Picture: Dan Linehan

Farmers raised their concerns with councillors, and gave a letter to the County Mayor outlining same.

The protest was part of the IFA's ongoing 'enough is enough' campaign, which is targeting county council meetings around the country.

Munster IFA chairman Conor O'Leary said farmers were "tied up in a bureaucratic mess".

"Weve issues around nitrates, payment system failures, measurement of emissions, and frustration around unworkable regulations," Mr O'Leary said.

"Were in a situation where we can't plan, we have no generational plan, we have no pathway forward that we can see where farmers can go and its a really concerning issue."

Nitrates

A particular focus of Monday morning's action was the nitrates derogation reduction from 250kg of nitrogen per hectare to 220kg and the impact this was having on farmers, who were having to obtain more land or reduce stock numbers to comply with the new rules.

The European Commission decision to reduce this stocking rate is one made by "people that never came to see our systems  and our system here is fundamentally different to the European model", Mr O'Leary said.

"The European model is 20% grassland, and were 90% grassland. We need Europe to come here and see what we do," he added.

Conor O'Leary, Munster chairman IFA. Picture: Dan Linehan

Mr O'Leary said the councillors they were meeting on Monday "were good to us last year in the nitrates debate", having backed a delay to new rules.

But this year, "they're up for election soon; agriculture is a huge industry in Cork and we need our councillors here to stand up for us," Mr O'Leary said.

'Going out of business'

Brian Desmond, a tillage farmer in Kinsale, told the Irish Examiner at the protest farmers are "going out of business".

"If I have a year like I did this past year, next year Im out of tillage  thats 230 acres gone off the map," Mr Desmond said.

"I can't survive. Im frustrated.

"Regulations, policies  won't matter in two years' time when Im not farming."

He said he was fearful Ireland would have to depend on food imports from "volatile" countries if farmers here and across the EU were not supported.

"We have a big problem down the road. I feel were in a bad way here and its not being highlighted enough," he added.

Farmers led a convoy of tractors at Cork Airport early on Monday morning as part of their campaign. Picture: Dan Linehan

Corney Buckley from Bantry said farmers were "at our wits end at this stage with the rules and regulations, the amount of red tape".

"Were fighting for our livelihood," Mr Buckley said.

He said farmers needed to be compensated to be able to meet environmental obligations.

"This is only the start of our campaign which will continue on. Were coming up to council elections, European elections, possibly a general election, and for that particular reason we want to let them [politicians] know that unless they come up with the solutions, they can forget about their votes from the farming people," Mr Buckley warned.

He said people in the sector were "frightened", and a "lot of people are just going to pack up the business of farming".

"Were going to see no young people coming into farming, were going to see people exiting farming because they just can't continue, and for that reason Id be worried about food security down the road," Mr Buckley added.

Matt Hurley, Youghal, Cork Central chairman IFA handing in a letter to Cork County Mayor Cllr Frank O'Flynn at the County Hall. Picture: Dan Linehan

County Mayor Frank O'Flynn told the Irish Examiner he was "understanding" of the farmers' concerns, particularly as a "small farmer's son" and having "worked in the dairy industry for 43 years".

"I understand their issues and their problems. I support them and Im delighted to meet them here," he said.

He accepted a letter from the IFA with one of the farmers' requests in it being to "meet with the council, and Ill be facilitating that in the near future", the mayor said.

"Theres one thing about farmers: really and truly, any changes that come up, they embrace them  but I think theyre going a step too far now," he added.

Airport response

Daa / Cork Airport has issued a statement following the protest this morning, saying that "like Irelands farming community, daa is playing its part in the national and global effort to address climate change".

"Both Cork and Dublin airports have committed to reducing their Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 51% by 2030  these are the emissions we have direct control over," the statement said.

"This commitment is in line with the National Climate Action Plans public sector targets. Our efforts have been recognised by SEAI, which has named Cork Airport the leading commercial semi-state body for its energy management for two years running.

"We also continue to work closely with our airline partners to identify opportunities to reduce the carbon emissions that are under their direct control."

Today's action in Co Cork comes as farmers across Europe continue to protest. Farmers brought their tractors to Brussels on Monday where the EU's agriculture ministers are holding a meeting to discuss the challenges facing the sector.
Brigid McLeer is nothing if not eclectic in her interests. Cosmus, her new exhibition at Limerick City Gallery of Art, features work inspired by subjects as diverse as the failings of the international textiles industry and the assassination of Robert Kennedy.

Its a kind of survey exhibition, she says, looking back at work I've made over the past 15 years. It ranges from video pieces to installations, with drawings, collage, and textiles.

McLeer grew up in the country outside Drogheda, Co Louth, but left for London in 1991 to study for a Higher Diploma in Fine Art at the Slade School of Art.

She has lived there ever since, exhibiting widely and completing a PhD at the Royal College in 2021. Alongside her artistic practice, she is a Senior Lecturer at Manchester School of Art.

Cosmus  the deliberately misspelled title plays on the idea of merging the universal with the personal - is the largest exhibition she has undertaken in Ireland since a solo show at the Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda in 2012.

One of the major pieces featured in the new show is Collateral, a four-and-a-half metre length of embroidery she made in collaboration with a group of retired women in Lancaster and 120 more from across Britain for the Textile Biennal in Lancaster in 2021.

The work is a memorial to people who have died in factory fires around the world, she says. When I was talking with the organisation Super Slow Way, who run the Biennial, they brought me up to Burnley to visit a stately home called Gawthorpe Hall, which has a textile collection of its own.

"In that collection, there was a piece from the 1940s, a machine-made lacework produced to commemorate the Battle of Britain. A huge piece.

"I looked it up afterwards and I was struck by the material - this beautifully fine, gorgeous lace that youd associate with the floral borders on peoples clothing - and its juxtaposition with images of bombers in the air, ruined buildings and St Paul's Cathedral on fire.

Cosmus by Brigid McLeer runs at Limerick City Gallery of Art.

I was struck by how this language of violence was coupled with the fineness of the material, and I thought we could do something similar. So Collateral is based exactly on that lacework. It's the same size, and it borrows quite a bit of the design.

"But instead of the ruined buildings in London, or St Paul's on fire, you have the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, and these different factories that burned down around the world. Our piece is predominantly handmade, rather than being machine produced, and it's embroidery, not lace work as such, so that's where it was getting its language from.

The collapse of the Rana Plaza building in 2013 left 1,134 dead, and thousands more injured, and is remembered as the worst garment factory disaster the world has ever seen, though sadly  as McLeer reminds us - there have been many more.

I hope to make a new work soon, she says, one that will look again at the phenomenon of the textile industry and its connection to this bigger global capitalist system, which is full of horrors.

Robert Kennedys killing, as he campaigned to be elected President of the United States of America in 1968, was a different kind of tragedy, but one that also had wide repercussions; his death is seen by many as bringing to an end the idealism of that decade.

McLeers interest was sparked by her discovery of a suite of photographs by Paul Fusco, whod been commissioned by Look magazine to photograph Kennedys funeral.

Fusco rode the train bringing Kennedys remains from New York to Arlington Cemetery. As they were traveling south, thousands and thousands of people came out to the edges of the tracks to pay their respects, and Fusco stuck his camera out the window and photographed them.

"These were not the white elite or the middle class. They were a cross-section of society, people who thought Kennedy represented their best hope, and it was almost like they were saying goodbye to that.

The photographs are amazing. The people are looking out at you, and its like they're calling for someone to be held to account for Kennedys death.

Brigid McLeer, centre, with Brigid Laffan of the University of Limerick, and Una McCarthy of Limerick City Gallery of Art. Picture: Liam Burke/Press 22

McLeer was so taken with Fuscos images that she decided to replicate his methodology. She got permission to shoot on Regent St, one of the busiest shopping streets in Londons West End, when it was shut down for roadworks.

She laid down five metres of track in the middle of the street and ran her camera back and forth along it.

It was on a tripod where I could swivel the top of it and photograph people walking by. And if they looked at me, I would hold the camera on them a little longer. So I was mimicking Foscas actions, and my photographs are then collaged with his in my video.

McLeers video - The Regents Street, set to music by Arvo Part - suggests that these contemporary shoppers in London may be a world away from those mourning Kennedys passing in rural America in the 1960s, but they are essentially the same; still clinging to hope, still vulnerable to disappointment.

However grim her subject matter can be, McLeer insists there is as much light in her work as there is darkness, and she has yet to despair of humanity.

Just yesterday I went to see this amazing new documentary about Julian Assange, called The Trust Fall, she says. And in it, they're all talking about how we're at this real crucial turning point where our democracies seem to be disappearing.

"It brought home how we need to be really careful. We need to watch what the powers-that-be are doing and try to ensure that we hold them to account.

Its hard, but if we stay active in our relationships, in our relationship to the world and to each other, then there is always hope.
It costs an estimated 1m and four years for the Defence Forces to train a soldier to become a member of the elite Army Ranger Wing.

Highly trained and skilled, they are hugely well-regarded by other special forces across the globe. It is a gruelling and dangerous career, which is why four former members of the Army Ranger Wing say they find it almost incomprehensible that they were so poorly paid for putting their lives on the line.

Ex-ranger Ger Reidy told the Irish Examiner that his wages while serving as a ranger were so bad, he was forced to rely on family income support to make ends meet. Being a member of the Army Ranger Wing completely takes over your world and you need to be properly compensated for that, says Mr Reidy.

We started to take pay cuts following the recession in 2008. We had three cuts. The cuts were so bad that I qualified for family income support.

"I said to myself, here I am in this elite unit and Im on family income support.

The ranger wing is by its nature a highly secretive force. Mr Reidy and three of his former comrades, Robert Stafford, Ray Goggins, and Alan OBrien, have become well known for their appearances on TVs Ultimate Hell Week, which puts civilians through a tough training regime similar to that which ranger recruits must undertake. But they havent voiced publicly before now their dissatisfaction with how poorly they were paid while risking life and limb.

The four ex-rangers are well known for appearances on Ultimate Hell Week but until now have not gone public about how poorly they were paid while risking life and limb. Picture: Miki Barlok

The four men have a combined 92 years serving with the Defence Forces  66 of these with the Army Ranger Wing. They undertook a combined 31 overseas missions with the military.

They say they are speaking out now because they want to ensure that those who are still serving are properly paid, and they are given the backdated allowances they deserve.

Reidy, Goggins, Stafford, and OBrien told the Irish Examiner they would have stayed in the force if the money was half decent but they had to look after their families. After doing the sums, the four men discovered they would be better off with their pension and just doing one days work a week.

You only have to work one day a week and have the pension to equal what we earned while in the ARW, said Mr Stafford.

After Mr OBrien left the Defence Forces he got a job in UCC with the School of Medicine, initially for one day a week, and then full time.

That days wage plus my pension from the Defence Forces actually equalled the wage I was earning in the rangers.

He, like his comrades, was forced to make the decision to leave when it got too tough financially to stay with the Army Ranger Wing.

In the end I was actually having to pay to go to work, he said, pointing out that Army Ranger Wing members are on one-hour standby to deploy, not just for real emergencies but also training purposes.

Mr Goggins says the reason those in the Army Ranger Wing didnt get the pay they deserve is because we didnt kick up about it, thats why.

They [the Government] have the money now [unlike in the recession] and they should pay [the serving members and the alleged allowances owed], said Mr Stafford.

Army Ranger Wing members are on one-hour standby to deploy not just for real emergencies but also training purposes. Picture: Defence Forces

He was part of a PDForra negotiating team at the defence sector arbitration board which negotiated an increase in allowances paid to the Army Ranger Wing. Mr Stafford maintains a decision to backdate the allowance was made by the arbitrator.

The men say they are owed in the region of 30,000 each.

There are guys still in service who were paid allowance increases from 2018 but got none backdated. Some of them are owed up to 60,000, said Mr Stafford.

He said they are aware of a deceased Army Ranger Wing member whose family is also owed money.

The Irish Examiner understands that despite two letters to the Department of Justice on the allowances issue from the mens legal representative, the Department of Defence has yet to reply.

The men are annoyed at how they have been treated, given their years of service to the State, and the expertise involved in the Army Ranger Wing.

The wing was established in March 1980, primarily to focus on counter-

terrorism measures. Around 90% of Defence Forces members who try and get into the ARW are rejected because the entry requirements to the elite unit are physically and mentally gruelling. The Army Ranger Wing is among the toughest and best trained of any special force in the world and highly respected by foreign counterparts.

It can be called upon to carry out surveillance on dissidents and drug cartels operating in this country and has been involved in in numerous peacekeeping and peace-enforcement operations around the world, including extremely dangerous missions in Somalia, East Timor, Liberia, Mali, and Chad.

Mr Stafford and Mr Goggins point to the events of August 2021 when politicians heaped praise on a nine-man ARW team which undertook a gruelling 40-hour mission to evacuate 26 Irish citizens from Kabul Airport as Taliban forces closed in to retake control of the country.

Last September the Army Ranger Wing stormed the MV Matthew off the Cork coast, firing warning shots as the unit roped down from a helicopter onto the vessel, which had around 160m cocaine on board. Picture: Dan Linehan

On September 23 last year there was more praise for serving rangers after an ARW unit stormed the MV Matthew off the coast of Cork.

The unit received orders to board and detain the Panamanian-registered vessel which was found to have around 160m of cocaine onboard.

They fired warning shots as they roped down onto the vessel from a helicopter and proceeded to quickly take control of the ship in a perfectly-executed mission that was hailed nationally and internationally.

Politicians are happy to be associated with us when we are airlifting people out of Kabul and intercepting large drug shipments, but they do nothing for us, Mr Stafford said.

Arbitration

In 2010 PDForra, the association which represents enlisted personnel in the Army Ranger Wing, undertook an adjudication for claims to have their allowances increased.

PDForra general secretary Gerard Guinan said that at that time, the adjudicator made a positive ruling in favour of the members of the unit and backdated a proposed increase to 2006.

Army Ranger Wing members carry out an assault on a building during a demonstration in the Curragh Camp. Picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

However, shortly after the positive ruling was made, the Fempi legislation was passed, which put the claim for members of the unit in limbo until 2018.

It is important to note that the Department of Defence and the minister never stated that they did not intend to pay and the minister with responsibility for defence, Paul Kehoe, said as much on Primetime in 2017, Mr Guinan said.

The following year an offer was made to the representative association to implement a number of outstanding adjudications with effect from October 1, 2018, with no back pay. The offer tied in other cohorts of personnel who were entitled to lesser sums than those owed to the Army Ranger Wing.

Mr Guinan said PDForra fought the all-or-nothing nature of the offer made by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and managed to secure agreement that they could utilise the courts, or other available mechanism, to try and get restoration of the outstanding sums due to members of the elite unit.

Subsequently, PDForra launched High Court proceedings for two cohorts of its members, but was unable to do so for members of the Army Ranger Wing for technical reasons.

The association did, however, include these personnel in a complaint to the International Labour Organization in Geneva about the outstanding allowances not being paid.

Currently, PDForra is aware that a number of former members of the elite unit have approached a solicitor regarding the element of back pay, said Mr Guinan. While PDForra cannot represent non-members [as they are retired], our association believes that its very unjust that these members who utilised the only industrial relations mechanism open to them at the time have been treated so badly.

Our association firmly believes that for justice to be done, the Department of Defence needs to come forward and make some reparations for the years that these personnel spent working for sub-par rates of pay.

The fact that the Department of Defence appears to not have responded to their legal representative is shocking and must be bitterly disappointing to the personnel concerned, especially given how much they sacrificed over the years, he said.

In defence

In response, the Department of Defence released a statement to the Irish Examiner in which it said that an offer on allowance increases was made to both representative associations  PDForra, and RACO for officers  with effect from October 2018.

This was on a non-retrospective basis and both RACO and PDForra accepted this offer.

The department said it was accepted that the Army Ranger Wing allowance would be subject to a rolling three-year upward review, meaning a review was to take place in October 2021.

It pointed out that the defence sector arbitration board recommended that the Army Ranger Wing allowance be increased by 200 per month with effect from October 1, 2021, with an additional 5% increase to also apply from that date. This resulted in the Army Ranger Wing allowance increasing, with a backdated element due, at the time of implementation in 2023.

Read More Sean O'Riordan: Defence Forces may be on the brink of resolving its recruitment crisis

This provided Army Ranger Wing officers with an allowance increase from 216.48 to 279.07 per week.

Enlisted personnel who joined the Defence Forces Army Ranger Wing post-2013 saw a weekly rise from 225.62 to 288.15, while enlisted personnel who joined before 2013 got an increase from 214.34 to 276.30.

The department said these rates increased last October to 283.25 for

officers, 292.47 for personnel enlisted post-2013, and 280.44 for personnel enlisted pre-2013. Its statement said the allowance rates will again be reviewed this October.

In conclusion, the Department of Defence said it has no comment in relation to litigation case potential or otherwise.

Robert Stafford. Picture; Eddie O'Hare

Robert Stafford, aged 50, from Wexford spent 22 years in the Defence Forces of which 17 were with the ARW. He undertook eight overseas trips with the military and retired from the ARW in 2016.

He works now in corporate and VIP protection and has acted as a bodyguard for many people, including members of U2.

Ger Reidy. Picture; Eddie O'Hare

Ger Reidy, aged 50, from Co Kildare spent 23 years in the Defence Forces with all but two of them in the elite wing. He went on seven overseas missions and retired in 2017.

He completed a masters degree in cyber crime and forensics and also works as a bodyguard for VIPs.

Alan O'Brien. Picture; Eddie O'Hare

Alan OBrien, aged 48, from Midleton, Co Cork, had a 21-year career with the Defence Forces, 11 years of that with the ARW. He went on six overseas missions and retired from the military in 2015.

He went on to become a programme co-ordinator at the School of Medicine in UCC. Initially he worked with the School of Medicine for just one day a week. After a year he got a full-time job there.

Ray Goggins (left) with some children in East Timor in 2000 when posted there with the ARW.

Ray Goggins, aged 52, from Cork City spent 26 years serving in the Defence Forces  17 years were with the ARW. He retired in 2016 after also completing 10 overseas missions.

He works as a manager for a major security company which employs around 2,000 people worldwide. He has worked in some of the most dangerous places in the world since leaving the Defence Forces, including Afghanistan.
Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney has rejected assertions that he was wrong to claim Ireland was over the worst of tech job losses last year, saying that growth in the sector remains strong.

Over the last year, several high-profile companies cut jobs in Ireland, with thousands lost across companies such as Accenture and VMware. Last week, it was confirmed that Tiktok would be cutting hundreds of its Irish jobs as part of global restructuring plans.

It is estimated that over 33,000 workers globally have been let go during tech sector job cuts so far this year, according to tracking firm layoffs.fyi.

Last February, Mr Coveney said Ireland was over the worst in job loss announcements and that the majority of cuts had already been carried out.

I certainly think we are over the worst in terms of announcements, he said at the time. Of course, some of the global announcements have yet to be translated into announcements here in Ireland. But we may see a small number of further tech companies making announcements but certainly, I think we have heard the majority of the announcements that we are going to hear.

When asked about these remarks, Mr Coveney rejected any suggestion he had been mistaken in saying Ireland was over the worst of the job cutting:

I didnt get it wrong. Weve seen a lot of growth in the tech sector, as well as some job losses.

Mr Coveney added that his comments came after he had met with tech bosses in the US.

They [tech firms] had gone through at that stage what became a sort of first round of reductions, they would refer to it as headcount reductions. But dont forget those companies would have grown very dramatically in the two years previous to that.

Mr Coveney said that, despite some cuts, tech company growth in Ireland is still strong.

That doesnt mean that there arent sometimes announcements of reductions in headcount, he said.

But I think if you look at all those individual cases, most of the decisions are being made on the basis of global changes that impact on an Irish footprint. None of it is a reflection of Ireland.

There will be some companies that reduce headcount, but certainly therell be lots that will be adding to their headcount too.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Coveney said that while people have lost jobs in Ireland, there are very few examples of people who have not then found employment with another tech firm quickly afterwards.

Asked if he was worried about companies cutting staff in Ireland and rehiring in countries with a lower cost base, such as Poland, Mr Coveney said that was always a concern.

I think we have to follow it closely, Mr Coveney said.

Ireland is not a low-cost destination anymore, not just from a tech point of view but right across the Irish economy.

Of course, we have to watch carefully to see whether there are trends and if we see Irish competitiveness being undermined, well then we have to try and act on that.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee has congratulated 1,200 new Irish citizens following two naturalisation ceremonies in Dublin on Monday.

The new citizens included people from 105 countries across the world who are currently living in 31 counties of Ireland.

Speaking at the ceremony at the National Concert Hall, Ms McEntee said the new citizens were making a significant contribution to society across several sectors.

Citizenship ceremonies are always a joyous celebration of what it means to be Irish, she said. I would like to warmly congratulate and welcome our newest citizens on this milestone in their lives.

Tigran Chakion, originally from Russia, hugs his partner Julia Kalinina after he got his new Irish citizenship in Dublin on Monday. Picture: Maxwells

It is particularly apt that they will begin their journey as Irish citizens at the National Concert Hall as it is a building that is steeped in Irish history.

It is the original site of University College Dublin and even hosted the Dail debates on the Anglo-Irish Treaty in early 1922.

I want to wish nothing but the best to all those who become a citizen of this nation and join the many others who have come here and are making such a significant contribution to our culture, economy and society.

Sister Christiana Ajagu, a member of the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary, right, with Sister Euphemia Okbaneje at the Irish citizenship ceremonies in Dublin on Monday. Picture: Maxwells

Retired judge Paddy McMahon was the presiding officer at the events, and he administered the declaration of fidelity to the Irish nation and loyalty to the State.

The new citizens will undertake to observe the laws of the country and to respect its democratic values.

Sara Guzman, originally from Venezuela, has lived in Ireland for 13 years and received her citizenship at the National Concert Hall in Dublin on Monday. Picture: Maxwells

The service also heard that more than 10% of those receiving citizenship are working in the healthcare sector across Ireland.

Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Paschal Donohoe said: Ireland has always had a strong culture of welcoming new people and I am delighted to be able to attend this mornings ceremony so that I personally can welcome our newest citizens.

Originally from Poland, Dominika Zajmalowska, right, and her mum Yvonne were at the citizenship ceremonies at the National Concert Hall in Dublin. Picture: Maxwells

Today marks the end of one journey and the beginning of an exciting new one for them. By sharing their own unique cultures and traditions with us, our newest citizens become part of our communities and we are all the better for it.

"I also want to acknowledge the value and necessity of immigration to support Irelands strong economy and how it benefits our overall society.

Anjaly Alias, originally from India, who received Irish citizenship on Monday, with her husband Arun Michael. Picture: Maxwells

People born outside Ireland who fulfill the residency requirements for time spent legally living in Ireland can apply for citizenship. Applicants must be living here for five years in order to qualify.

If an applicant is married to an Irish citizen or are a declared refugee, they can apply after three years.

Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Paschal Donoghue welcoming Boitshwarelo Mogale originally from South Africa who received her citizenship on Monday. Picture: Maxwells

Applications cost 175 while a certificate of naturalisation costs 950.

Since citizenship ceremonies were first introduced, approximately 175,000 people have received Irish citizenship.
A Ukrainian refugee in Cork accused of dangerous driving causing the death of a fellow Ukrainian man with whom she had been socialising in the city was served with a book of evidence on Monday.

Detective Garda Gary Brennan served Kseniia Vasylenko with a book of evidence today.

The book was formally served on Ms Vasylenko through her solicitor Frank Buttimer at Cork District Court. The accused appeared by video link from prison as she was remanded in custody since first charged.

On the application of Sergeant Pat Lyons, Judge Mary Dorgan sent the case forward for trial at the sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court commencing on April 8. The judge gave the accused the alibi warning which requires a defendant to give certain notice to the State if relying upon an alibi defence.

Free legal aid for Mr Buttimer was extended for a barrister and senior counsel to represent the accused at the circuit court.

The only charge in the book of evidence against Ms Vasylenko concerns the allegation that she dangerously drove a Hyundai Alantra car at Cork Airport causing the death of Andrii Nesterov, who was aged around 50, after 2am on Sunday morning October 8, 2023.

It was alleged that she was driving the Hyundai car owned by the deceased and that her driving was dangerous, resulting in his death.

43-year-old Kseniia Vasylenko, with an address at Cork Airport Hotel, said at her original bail application that her husband was still in Ukraine working in IT and working with the resistance in this capacity. She said she had been working with the local authority in central Ukraine and was now living in Cork with her five-year-old son and her mother.

I did not want to leave my country. I love my country. I made the decision to come here to save my life and the life of my son. I came across Poland, Romania, Moldova, to Dublin City West to here. I have been in Cork since December 2022. I have been in the airport hotel accommodation centre, the accused said.
The High Court has formally granted microblogging site Tumblr permission to challenge a decision to include it in a list of 10 video-sharing platforms to be regulated under a new online safety code.

Tumblr claims it is "clearly not" a video-sharing platform service and says its designation as such by media watchdog Coimisiun Na Mean amounts to an error of law, and says it should not be put in the same bracket as platforms such as YouTube.

The court fixed the hearing of its action against Coimisiun na Mean, whose functions include the regulation of online safety in the State, to a date in May.

Ms Justice Niamh Hyland, who granted the US company permission to bring its judicial review action against Coimisiun na Mean accepts the case is urgent.

The judge said the matter should be heard directly after a similar, but separate, challenge brought by another online platform Reddit against Coimisiun na Mean.

That action has been fixed for hearing in May. Tumblr's case, the judge said should follow on once Reddit's action. which was brought first in time, has concluded.

The court accepted the cases should not be heard together, due to factors including legal differences in the cases and the types of services provided by the Tumblr and Reddit platforms.

Ms Justice Hyland said it would make sense if both cases were heard by the same judge.

Coimisiun na Mean is expected to contest both matters.

In its action Tumblr Inc, a US-registered microblogging site, seeks orders quashing Coimisiun na Mean's decision of December 28 last designating the applicant as a video-sharing platform service.

It claims that it is not a video-sharing platform service and should not be subjected to the same regulatory requirements as platforms that publish and share a lot of videos.

Such platforms, Tumblr submits, are very different in terms of size, risk profile, and content compared to what it offers.

Despite its designation as such, Tumblr argues video on its platform is at best a minor and ancillary feature.

The very low rates of videos on the platform makes this apparent, its claims.

It also argues there was a fundamental failure on Coimisiun na Mean's part to engage with data supplied by to it by Tumblr, nor did the respondent explain why this material was disregarded.

Coimisiun na Mean did not explain what weight it gave to factors including the perspective of Tumblr users before it arrived at its decision to designate it as a video-sharing platform service, it is also claimed.

Represented by Emily Egan McGrath SC, with Claire Hogan Bl, Tumblr also seeks declarations from the court including that the respondent's decision is invalid and misinterprets and misapplies the definition of a video-sharing platform service under EU law and the 2009 Broadcasting Act.

It further seeks declarations the decision is incompatible with articles of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and with the general principals of EU law.
A stag weekend in Cork came with a hangover in Cork District Court for a 35-year-old Welsh farmer who was arrested for assaulting another man at Reardens in Cork City.

On Monday, he was trying to get out on bail to look after his 200 cattle and 450 sheep back in Pembrokeshire.

Alun George, 35, of Llanferran, St Nicholas, Goodwick, Wales, was arrested by Garda Kevin ONeill and charged with assault causing harm to another man at Reardens on Washington Street, Cork, shortly before midnight on Saturday, February 24.

It was alleged that the injured party had some teeth dislodged.

Sergeant Pat Lyons said there was an objection to bail, based primarily on concerns about the accused returning from Wales to meet the case if granted bail. Mr George told gardai that he and his friends had tickets to return to Wales by ferry later on Monday.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, suggested that it was a suitable case for bail and that the defendant was never in any kind of trouble and would return from Wales to Cork to meet the case. He argued that if bail was refused the accused could find himself in custody for months waiting for the case to be heard.

This is a co-operative, contrite individual who did not set out to cause trouble. He has no previous convictions here and nothing in Wales, he said.

Regarding any possibility that Mr George would not be free to look after his farm, the solicitor said it would be a bit of a disaster.

Sgt Lyons said in objecting to bail that the gardai were concerned with the injured party. Mr Buttimer addressed the garda concern that the accused might not turn up in court if granted bail: The guards have an easy remedy of extradition, it is not Timbuktu.

Judge Mary Dorgan said she would grant bail in the sum of 5,000, 1,000 cash to be lodged by Mr George. Three friends of the accused who remained in Cork with him came forward as independent sureties, each of them in the sum of 2,500, of which 500 had to be lodged.

Judge Dorgan adjourned the case until May 27 with Mr George remanded on bail on those terms. The lengthy adjournment was to allow time for a medical report on the injured party and the related issue of directions in the case from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
A criminal who provided a getaway car for the attempted murder of notorious Limerick gangster Christy Keane has had a "Damascus Road experience" and turned his life around, a barrister has told the Special Criminal Court.

Brian McCartney KC said his client, Larry McCarthy, was committed to his family and his new community in Donegal where his personal circumstances and lifestyle are "completely different" to what persisted during his period of offending.

McCarthy, 45, of Tower Lodge, Old Court Road, Limerick City, pleaded guilty in October last year that between June 29 and June 27, 2015, he made a vehicle available to a criminal organisation, the McCarthy-Dundons, that was used as a getaway vehicle in the attempted murder of Christy Keane.

The offence, contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, carries a maximum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment.

Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, presiding in the three-judge court, adjourned the matter until March 11 when sentence will be passed.

'Infamous feud'

At Monday's hearing, Detective Sergeant Paraig O'Dwyer told prosecution counsel John Byrne SC the McCarthy-Dundon and Keane- Collopy organised crime gangs have been involved in an "infamous feud" dating back to 1993, when Patrick McCarthy was killed.

Christy Keane, he said, was acquitted of that murder but his brother, Kieran Keane, was later murdered. Five members of the McCarthy-Dundon gang have been convicted in relation to that, the detective said.

The main purpose of the McCarthy-Dundon gang, he said, was the commission of serious offences involving firearms, demanding money, extortion and drugs.

In the course of those crimes, there have been a number of murders in Limerick. On June 29, 2015, at 6.30am, Christy Keane arrived at the University of Limerick gym where he regularly attended in the mornings. Two gunmen wearing balaclavas got out of a red Ford Focus and fired 13 rounds into Keane's Nissan pickup truck as he sat in the driver's seat.

The gunmen fled in the Ford Focus while Keane made his way on foot to an adjacent running track where he collapsed. A nurse who was due to attend the gym class with Keane found him, called emergency services and began administering first aid.

He was taken to University Hospital Limerick and treated for four gunshot wounds, three to the upper arm or wrist and one to the lower back that punctured a lung.

Car burnt out

The Ford Focus was burned out a short distance away and the gunmen transferred to a white Volvo Estate car which they drove to another area on the outskirts of Limerick City before it was also set on fire.

When gardai examined the cars they found a Glock semi-automatic pistol in the Ford Focus and a Luger in the Volvo. They were forensically linked to the shooting of Christy Keane.

McCarthy, the detective said, had assisted in making the white Volvo available to the gunmen. He said McCarthy and another man travelled from Limerick to Dublin one week before the shooting, where the second man picked up the Volvo and drove it to Limerick, followed by McCarthy.

McCarthy was also involved in putting the Volvo in position the evening before the shooting, ready for the gunmen to help them make their escape.

The detective agreed the prosecution case was that the shooting was motivated by a rivalry between the Keane-Collopy and McCarthy-Dundon criminal organisations.

The detective noted McCarthy had 14 previous convictions including for violent disorder and assault causing harm.

In July 2005, he received an 11-year sentence from a British court for possession of a Mac 11 gun. Christy Keane was invited to offer a victim impact statement to the court but, Supt O'Neill said, he had "always indicated some reluctance to involve himself in these proceedings and no victim impact statement was forthcoming".

Move to Donegal

Supt O'Neill agreed with defence counsel Brian McCartney SC that McCarthy's personal circumstances growing up "eliminated any real prospect of an alternative lifestyle" but he has since removed himself from that by moving to Donegal.

He has not offended in nearly 10 years and while out on bail in recent times "hasn't posed a threat to anyone" the detective agreed.

Mr McCartney submitted a report written by a psychologist who had looked into McCarthy's background and current circumstances. He said the report notes that since moving to Donegal McCarthy enjoys a close relationship with his wife and three children.

His daughter is studying law and his son spent three years in the British Army, while the other son works in the north-west. Their lives are "in total contrast" to the lifestyles they may have been attracted to had they remained in Limerick, counsel said.

"His living accommodation and circumstances are completely different to those that persisted during the period of his offending and earlier lifestyle," counsel said.

He said the report concluded McCarthy does not pose a significant risk of threat to any member of the public and is unlikely to reoffend.

He added: "The accused has experienced a Damascus Road experience in terms of his move to the north-west."

He said the court would have to consider punishment and deterrence but asked the court also to consider "exceptional mitigation" where McCarthy has "turned his life around, is in employment, an education programme and has a social commitment to the area where he now lives".

"Thirty years ago, his social and personal circumstances would have rendered such changes impossible or highly unlikely. A totally different person appears before this court today," Mr McCartney told the court.
A murder investigation is underway after a man in his 80s was found dead in Castlemaine, Co Kerry on Sunday.

Patrick 'Paddy' OMahony, a former gun dealer and firearms expert, was shot at his home on Sunday, it is understood.

A man in his 60s has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He was detained under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007, at a Garda Station in Co Kerry.

Gardai were called to his home just 3km from the scenic village of Castlemaine on Sunday where Mr O'Sullivan's body was found. He was pronounced deceased at the scene and removed to the mortuary at University Hospital Kerry.

A post-mortem examination was carried out on Monday at the mortuary in University Hospital Kerry by the State Pathologist, Dr Margot Bolster.

Some 12 gardai examined the property, combing through grass and gravel with pitchforks searching for evidence.

The scene was preserved behind a cordon for technical and forensic examination.

Gardai at the scene of the incident. Picture: Domnick Walsh

An incident room has been established at Tralee Garda Station, and a Garda Family Liaison Officer (FLO) is liaising with the family.

The investigation is ongoing, a statement from gardai said.

Mr O'Mahony had been a longtime member and commander in the Forsa Cosanta Aitiuil (FCA) or Army Reserve forces.

A gun enthusiast and expert, he was well-known and well-respected in shooting and hunting circles.

He established An Riocht Rifle and Pistol Club by his home in Castlemaine in 2007. It is the only centrefire shooting range in Kerry, according to its website, and has more than 80 members.

People would travel from as far away as Armagh and Donegal to attend shooting competitions at the shooting range, bringing business to the local B&Bs, pubs and restaurants.

Liz O'Connor, owner of the Anvil bar and restaurant outside Castlemaine said that the community was devastated by the news.

"He was well-liked and respected. He was very friendly and chatted to everyone.

Police cordon still up at the late Paddy O'Mahony's home and former gun businesses outside Castlemaine, Co. Kerry. Post mortem on his body due this afternoon to determine course of investigation into his death. Locals say he was a character, 'lived for his guns' & will be missed. pic.twitter.com/ahatn6Tklt  Liz Dunphy (@LizDunphy1) February 26, 2024

"He came in here a lot with his wife, with people from the shooting range, we had great laughs. He was well-read and very intelligent. I feel for his family at this time.

"You never think that something like this could happen to someone you know, on your doorstep."

A local who has known the OMahony's all his life said that the late pensioner was a character.

Guns were his life. He was a gun enthusiast all his life. People came from all over the country to the shooting range.

His son took over the shooting range when Paddy retired. He was a sound man, a good neighbour. Everyone got on with him.

Mr OMahonys wife Lillie, described as "a great dance teacher" by locals, died in November. Her husband had visited her almost every day in the nursing home where she was being cared for before her death.

They had five children, one of whom took over his fathers gun business.

Patrick 'Paddy' OMahony Snr was found dead near Castlemaine on Sunday.

Although Mr OMahony was in his 80s, he was described as hardy by a local who asked not to be named.

He was a fresh man. I saw him two days ago and he was in good form. But he was always in good form.

Mr OMahony was well-known locally and attended mass every Sunday. He lived alone in the home after his wifes death but one of his sons was also living in the propertys yard, locals said.

Some 12 gardai were at Mr OMahonys home on Monday, some raking the ground for potential evidence.

'Hell be missed'

The property was where Mr OMahony had lived and operated his gun businesses  the Kingdom "An Riocht" shooting grounds and Alamo Gun Supplies. It is located at Ballyraemeen, some 3km outside Castlemaine on the Tralee road.

The area is a scenic, quiet spot, where many locals are busy with calving season.

One local, who asked not to be named, said the incident was shocking.

Its hard to believe this could happen here. This is a very tight-knit community, everyone helps each other out.

Hell be missed. He was well-known and well-liked.

Neighbour Bridie OConnor said that she has lived close to the late Mr OMahony for 54 years.

Its frightening. Its too close to home. I live alone, I was told to keep my doors locked today. Its scary.

He was a good neighbour, wed often have a drink and a chat."

Ms O'Connor said that she feels sorry for Mr O'Mahony's grieving family.

It was a shock to know he was shot. This is a quiet community, we all look after each other, she said.

Local Fianna Fail councillor Michael O'Shea said people are still processing the events.

"The place is awash with rumours but we really don't know what happened," he said.

"Paddy was a lovely, hard-working man. He was very involved in the community and a great family man.

"The whole community of Castlemaine is totally shocked. It's frightening that this could happen. It's a reminder that life is very short."
Media Minister Catherine Martin has the full support of her Cabinet colleagues, Paschal Donohoe has said.

The Public Expenditure Minister was asked on Monday if Ms Martin would still be in place at the end of the week, to which he replied: "Minister Martin has the full support of myself, our Cabinet colleagues and the party leaders."

Ms Martin will on Tuesday face an Oireachtas committee on the resignation of Siun Ni Raghallaigh, the chairwoman of the RTE board.

Ms Ni Raghallaigh resigned some hours after Ms Martin refused to express confidence in her as head of the RTE board during an interview on Prime Time.

The minister said she had been misinformed on two occasions about Ms Ni Raghallaighs involvement in approving an exit package for a former RTE executive.

Ms Martin has faced criticism from the Opposition and from some members of the media Oireachtas committee about comments she made on live TV last Thursday.

Speaking after a citizenship ceremony at the National Concert Hall, Mr Donohoe said that Ms Martin and her officials would be appearing at the Oireachtas media committee on Tuesday, where she would answer questions on the matter.

Catherine Martin. Picture: PA

Fundamentally, when you are the minister of a department, you are accountable, you are responsible for the work of your department, Mr Donohoe said.

But you also need your department to share information with you and to work on your behalf on matters that could be sensitive and of interest to the public and to the Oireachtas. I expect she will be central to the change that we want to make in RTE to continue with our efforts for them to regain the trust of the country.

Alongside her appearance at the Oireachtas committee, Ms Martin is set to take part in statements on the matter, but not a question and answer session.

Mr Donohoe also said the Government will consider bringing RTE under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG). The C&AG is the States public spending watchdog, ensuring that public bodies are spending their funding in an appropriate manner and ensuring that they get value for money.

If approved by the Government, RTE would face further scrutiny from both the C&AG and the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Its certainly something we are going to have to give consideration to, Mr Donohoe said. But as with any decision, it is a decision that has very significant consequences for RTE."
A new community action group has been formed in Roscrea to highlight some residents concerns about the impact the arrival of asylum seekers has had on the town.

Tensions remain in the area since a protest at Racket Hall, on January 11, made international headlines last month.

Some members of the local community learned that the hotel was closing, and up to 160 asylum seekers were going to move into the 40-bedroom hotel, leaving little accommodation for tourists.

A row broke out between protesters and gardai when the first 17 asylum seekers arrived onsite  footage of the incident went viral.

The following Saturday, a large demonstration took place in the town over the issues. There have been no similar scenes.

However, six weeks on, the anger has cooled in the Tipperary town, but round-the-clock demonstrations continue at the entrance of the hotel.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner in recent days, protester Maria Phelan said: It all started with our hotel closing and the number of people coming into our town, and there are services here for the people.

We have had cancellations in this hotel, meaning business has gone elsewhere. People here pay their taxes, and this is what we get.

There are not enough GPs and dentists, we are strapped for services. We dont have a problem with the asylum seekers, we have an issue with the pressure we are under.

We are here day and night for the foreseeable future until we are heard at Government level.

The small town, which has a population of around 6,000, is already housing hundreds of asylum seekers in Sean Ross Abbey, Racket Hall, and the Sacred Heart Convent, while several smaller properties in Roscrea town are also home to a number of asylum seekers.

Last week, the Roscrea Community Action Group was set up to engage with the local community, the Chamber of Commerce, and political representatives.

Protesters at Racket Hall have expressed their concerns at the strain being put on local services, including GPs and out-of-hour doctors. Picture: Brendan Gleeson

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, business owner and group member Alison Lee said she expects the closure of Racket Hall to impact her pub business.

This is my first year here, she said.

The pub was doing very well, its in the centre of the town. We have no nightclub, so groups of staff in Racket Hall would drink here.

My financial year has ended in February, so the next one is next February, and I wont officially know what the impact is until then. I anticipate being down around 10,000 in sales, she added.

We depend on tourists coming in from the likes of Racket Hall. This is a historical town, there is a castle and monastery, but where are the tourists supposed to stay when they visit?

I would have had weddings in here for a drink, 21st birthday parties, funerals  thatll all be gone with the loss of the hotel.

Ms Lee says already that funerals, parties, and other functions are taking place elsewhere, which is having an impact on businesses.

I am very proud of Roscrea. I hope we can focus on the positives and we can come together with the Chamber of Commerce and build up the town, she continued.

We understand there are around 750 IPAs [international protection applicants] here, and we also would like them incorporated into our culture. We dont have enough services to keep tourists now, so we need to change that.

Clare Dooley, who is also on the committee and a parent in Roscrea, said she had concerns about a rise in antisocial behaviour.

You see people congregating now at night and there is fear. There is not enough gardai on the weekends, and I just use the car now all the time. I would not walk at night.

One protester, who is also a committee member of the action group, said she is concerned about a rise in antisocial behaviour. Picture: Brendan Gleeson

Gillian Dunne, another committee member, said there are not enough services  such as GPs and out-of-hours doctors.

If you need a doctor at 4pm youve to go to Nenagh, she said.

My dad passed three years ago, we rang the ambulance, and it was an-hour-and-a-half.

Dad had a heart attack and we had to ring the gardai, and they had to work with him while we waited for the ambulance. Thats not good enough. There are not enough resources for us and that is causing many issues.

Fiona Dunford, another local, described the town as disadvantaged.

How can we invite people here with businesses closing and nothing for them to do in the town? she said.

Locals organised a welcome group to integrate people, but we need a huge amount to get this town on its feet and we have no community hotel yet, this forum was formed to raise these things.

During a walkthrough of the town, the Irish Examiner spoke to some locals including Josely Franca. Ms Franca lives in Roscrea, but is originally from Brazil.

The people have welcomed us, she said. My husband works here, we love it here, we are very happy. It is a nice community.

Brazilian tourists Silvana Nogueira and her husband Gilmar who were visiting the castle said it was their first time in Roscrea and described it as very beautiful and welcoming".

This article was edited on March 1 to make clearer that one speaker was referring to wider local involvement in establishing a welcome group.
Israels defence minister has vowed to step up attacks on Lebanons Hezbollah militant group even if a ceasefire is reached with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Hezbollah, which has been exchanging fire with Israel throughout the war in Gaza, has said it will halt its nearly daily attacks on Israel if a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

But Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said that anyone who thinks a temporary ceasefire for Gaza will also apply to the northern front is mistaken.

We will continue the fire, and we will do so independently from the south, until we achieve our goals, Mr Gallant said.

Israeli soldiers carry stretchers towards a military helicopter during an exercise simulating evacuation of wounded people in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon (Ariel Schalit/AP)

He said there is a simple aim: to push Hezbollah away from the Israeli border, either through a diplomatic agreement or by force.

Hezbollah began striking Israel almost immediately after Hamas triggered the fighting in Gaza with a deadly attack along Israels southern border from the Gaza Strip on October 7.

Tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border have been displaced by the continued cycle of Hezbollah rocket and missile attacks and Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech earlier this month that the group would adhere to a ceasefire in southern Lebanon if a ceasefire should be reached in Gaza. But he said it would resume and escalate attacks if Israel continued to strike in Lebanon after any agreement with Hamas.

A Lebanese security official said on Sunday that five Hezbollah members were killed in two separate Israeli airstrikes on trucks in the border area between Lebanon and Syria.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity. Hezbollah announced that three of its fighters had been killed, but did not say where.

The Israeli military did not acknowledge the strikes on the Lebanon-Syria border but announced that it had struck several sites in southern Lebanon in response to missile launches and that it targeted a terrorist cell in the town of Blida.

Mr Gallant said Israels targeting of Hezbollah commanders has significantly weakened the groups ability to attack Israel.

About 200 Hezbollah fighters and 35 civilians in Lebanon have been killed in nearly five months of daily low-level clashes between the Lebanese militant group and Israeli forces against the backdrop of the Israels war with Hamas, a Hezbollah ally.

In Israel, nine soldiers and nine civilians have been killed in Hezbollah attacks.

Most of the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel has been confined to the area within a few kilometres on either side of the border.

Diplomats from the US and European countries have presented a series of proposals in the hope of producing a deal that would reduce the border conflict.

The ideas mostly hinge on a Hezbollah pullback a few kilometres from the border, a beefed-up Lebanese army presence in the border region, and negotiations over border points where Lebanon maintains Israel has been occupying small areas of Lebanese territory since withdrawing its forces from the rest of southern Lebanon in 2000.

Eventually, the plans could lead into a demarcation of the land border between Lebanon and Israel, following the maritime border deal reached in 2022.

The most recent of these proposals, put forward by France, would involve Hezbollah withdrawing its forces 10 kilometres (six miles) from the border, said a Lebanese government official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Lebanon is still studying the proposal, and Hezbollah officials have indicated they are willing to consider it, but both government and Hezbollah officials have said there would be no agreement on the border before there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
A US military service member set himself on fire, in an apparent act of protest against the war in Gaza, outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

The man was transported to an area hospital after the fire was put out by US Secret Service officers, DC Fire and EMS posted online.
Farmers have clashed with police in Belgium, spraying officers with liquid manure and setting fire to piles of tyres in a fresh show of force as European Union agriculture ministers met in search of ways to address their concerns.

Brussels police said that 900 tractors had entered the city, many bearing down on the European Council building where the ministers were meeting.

Smoke drifted through the air near where police in riot gear used water cannons to defend the EUs headquarters from behind concrete barriers and barbed wire.

The farmers are angry at red tape and competition from cheap imports from countries where the EUs relatively high standards do not have to be met. They lined up scores of tractors down main roads leading to the citys European quarter, halting traffic and blocking public transport.

Police face farmers and tractors at a security checkpoint in Brussels (Nicolas Landemard/AP)

A few tractors forced their way through one barrier, sending officers scurrying.

Some lamented what they see as the slow death of working the land.

Agriculture. As a child you dream of it, as an adult you die of it, said one.

At the start of the month, a similar demonstration turned violent as farmers set fire to hay bales and threw eggs at police near a summit of EU leaders.

We are getting ignored, said Marieke Van De Vivere, a farmer from the Ghent region in northern Belgium.

She invited the ministers to be reasonable to us, to come with us on a day to work on the field, or with the horses or with the animals, to see that it is not very easy because of the rules they put on us.

Tractors parked behind a blockade during a protest in Brussels (Nicolas Landemard/AP)

The protests are the latest in a series of rallies and demonstrations by farmers across Europe.

On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron was greeted with boos and whistles at the opening of the Paris Agricultural Fair by farmers who claim that he is not doing enough to support them.

Spain, the Netherlands and Bulgaria have been hit by protests in recent weeks.

The movement has gathered pace as political parties campaign for Europe-wide elections on June 6-9.

It has already had results. Earlier this month, the EUs executive branch shelved an anti-pesticide proposal in a concession to the farmers, which make up an important voting constituency.

On the other side of the barriers in Brussels, ministers were keen to show they are listening.

Protesters light fires during a demonstration by farmers in Brussels (Harry Nakos/AP)

The EU presidency, currently held by Belgium, acknowledged that the farmers concerns include the burden of respecting environmental policies, a drop in assistance from the blocs agricultural subsidy system and the impact of Russias attacks on Ukraines grain supplies.

We hear, clearly, their complaints, said David Clarinval, Belgiums agriculture minister. Still, he urged them to refrain from violence. We can understand that some are in difficult circumstances, but aggression has never been a source for solutions.

French agriculture minister Marc Fesneau told the few reporters who were permitted by police to enter the building that theres a need to send signals immediately to tell farmers that something is changing, not only in the short term, but also in the medium and long term.

Irish agriculture minister Charlie McConalogue said the priority must be to slash administrative red tape.

The EU should ensure that policies are straightforward, that theyre proportionate and theyre as simple as possible for farmers to implement, he said.

Mr McConalogue underlined that we do respect the massively important work that farmers carry out every day in terms of producing food.
The Israeli military said its air force has been striking targets of the militant Hezbollah group deep inside Lebanon, where residents reported explosions near the north-eastern city of Baablek.

At least two people were killed in the strikes, a Hezbollah official said.

The strikes are among the deepest into Lebanon since the Israel-Hamas war began more than four months ago.

They come a day after Israels defence minister Yoav Gallant vowed to step up attacks on Lebanons Hezbollah even if a ceasefire is reached with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Lebanese security officials said Israels air force carried out three air strikes on the outskirts of the village of Buday, near Baalbek, targeting a convoy of trucks.

Civil defence workers at the site of a destroyed warehouse in Lebanon (AP)

Buday is a Hezbollah stronghold. There was no immediate word on casualties.

A Hezbollah official confirmed that three strikes hit near Baalbek. He said the strikes killed at least two people and that one hit a warehouse for food products that is part of Hezbollahs Sajjad Project that sells to people in its stronghold at prices lower than on the market.

The air strikes near Baalbek came hours after Hezbollah said its fighters on Monday shot down an Israeli drone over its stronghold in a province in southern Lebanon.

Another missile fired by Hezbollah towards the drone was intercepted by Israel, and landed near a synagogue in a town close to Nazareth in northern Israel. There were no injuries or damage.

The Israeli army said in a statement that its fighter jets struck sites used by Hezbollah in the eastern Bekaa Valley. It said they were in retaliation for Hezbollahs firing of a surface-to-air missile at the Israeli drone.

Hezbollah has been exchanging fire with Israeli troops along the border since the Israel-Hamas was broke out in October.

The strike on Baalbek, because of its location deep inside Lebanon, is the most significant one since the early January air strike on Beirut that killed top Hamas official Saleh Arouri.

Hezbollah, which has been exchanging fire with Israel throughout the war in Gaza, has said it will halt its nearly daily attacks on Israel if a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

But Mr Gallant said on Sunday that anyone who thinks a temporary ceasefire for Gaza will also apply to the northern front is mistaken.

Western diplomats have brought forward a series of proposals for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, most of which would hinge on Hezbollah moving its forces at least four miles away from the border.

This will come in addition to a beefed-up Lebanese army presence, and negotiations for Israeli forces to withdraw from disputed points along the border where Lebanon says Israel has been occupying small patches of Lebanese territory since it withdrew from the rest of countrys south in 2000.

Hezbollah has signalled a willingness to entertain the proposals but has said there will be no deal in Lebanon before there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
As far as I can tell, leap day matters a lot to leaplings (the rare few among us who are born on leap day) and advertisers.

To nearly everyone else, its just Thursday.

Feb. 29 appears on the calendar every four years to account for the leftover hours spent by the earth while orbiting the sun. The earth takes slightly longer than 365 days to make one full orbit, so an extra day is added to the calendar every four years so that our dates remain rooted in their seasons.

Thanks to advertisers, I first became aware of leap day as a 10-year-old, waiting in line at Build-A-Bear-Workshop, praying that they werent going to run out of the limited edition, free-gift-with-purchase leap day T-shirts before I got one. (My new bear Patches, a lucky leapling, and I both scored shirts.)

As is the case for any holiday, businesses use it as a promotional tool, often offering special deals such as The Melting Pots $29 dinner discount (meltingpot.com). However, no one gets a better deal on leap day than leaplings. Leaplings can treat their I.D. like an all-access pass, collecting free items from businesses that are perhaps trying to make up for lost time.

Leap day is not the kind of holiday that includes a day off from work, despite it being an extra day, but it is still a small reason to celebrate another year around the sun. Not to get too existential, but the average life span includes around only 20 leap days  so why not spend this one doing something fun? Here are some things to consider doing on Feb. 29

Listen to live music

For a high-energy show that will have you leaping up and down, see critically acclaimed eight-piece soul band St. Paul & The Broken Bones, along with opener Sugadaisy at Babeville ($35 in advance, $40 day of show at babeville.com). Visit Buffalo RiverWorks for an even higher-energy EDM show by dubstep DJs Subtronics and Wooli ($50, buffaloriverworks.com). Slow it down for a duet by Buffalo Chamber Music Players at Buffalo AKG ($30, buffaloakg.org). The leaping revs back up for Metal/Hardcore Night at Black Dots Record Store & Bar from 8 p.m. to midnight (368 Grant St., blackdotsbuffalo.shop).

Go leaping

When was the last time you jumped on a trampoline? Spend the extra day in a very meta way by leaping and flipping at a local trampoline park. Visit Urban Air Adventure Park at the Walden Galleria (urbanair.com), or Get Air Trampoline Park (3637 Union Road, Cheektowaga; getairsports.com/buffalo) to jump on wall-to-wall trampolines. Just dont forget your socks.

Drink a leap day cocktail

Party like its Feb. 29, 1928 (only 24 years ago in leap years) and whip up a leap year cocktail. The recipe, outlined in The Ultimate Book Of Cocktails, reportedly originated from the Savoy Hotel in London for a leap day party nearly 100 years ago. It is a combination of gin (two ounces) and half an ounce of Grand Marnier, sweet vermouth and lemon juice, garnished with a lemon twist. The flavor has been likened to eating a cough drop while drinking cold gin, but at least its a tradition. Make it yourself or politely ask a bartender at a local cocktail bar to whip one up for you.

Watch some theater

The stages are filled with many new productions. The Light Fantastic, a dark comedy/horror play about a complicated woman who returns to her hometown and faces conflict from her community, the supernatural world and within herself, is on stage at Road Less Traveled ($45 to $50 (roadlesstraveledproductions.org). See Betrayal by Harold Pinter, a drama about infidelity playing out in the lives of two couples, told in reverse chronological order, is at Irish Classical Theatre Company ($48, irishclassical.com). The Bowling Play is a comedy about a blind date in a bowling alley, performed by Second Generation Theatre at Sheas Smith Theatre ($40 to $53, sheas.org). Follow a persistent feud between two crotchety neighbors as they fight for the affection of their charming new neighbor in Grumpy Old Men, on stage at OConnell & Company ($38 general, oconnellandcompany.com). Catch The Folks At Home by R. Eric Thomas, a sitcom-like play that follows a down-on-their-luck couple as their in-laws move in with them, at Alleyway Theatre ($30 to $43, alleyway.com).

Dance or comedy

Go where there is sure to be some leaping and see a performance of jazz, tap, ballet, modern, commercial and contemporary dance by UBs Zodiaque Dance Company ($22, ubcfa.org). Comedian and filmmaker Emily Catalano, whose stand-up has been featured on Conan and The Drew Barrymore Show, is performing at Helium Comedy Club ($22 to $30, buffalo.heliumcomedy.com).

Do something new

In the spirit of an extra day, why not do something youve been meaning to do, but havent yet found the time?

Attend an art class (the Roycroft Campus in East Aurora is offering a class about adding texture to watercolor paintings on leap day), take an architectural tour of downtown Buffalo through Explore Buffalo (explorebuffalo.org), or get a birds-eye view of Buffalo from the observation deck at the top of City Hall. (Its not the worst spot for a proposal ... another leap day tradition.)
Monday, Feb 26th, 2024 (8:53 am) - Score 6,880

Internet provider Cuckoo, which plans to become the UK retail outlet for Fern Tradings (Octopus Investments) consolidated full fibre networks (Jurassic Fibre, Swish Fibre, Giganet and AllPoints Fibre), has refreshed their FTTP broadband plans. But at present theyre only available via CityFibre, while Openreach seems to have been dropped.

Cuckoo originally started life around four years ago as a largely independent ISP, which changed in 2022 after they were acquired by Giganet (here). But last years decision by parent Fern Trading (here and here), which sought to consolidate almost all of their full fibre operators into a single wholesale network under AllPoints Fibre, also impacted Giganet-owned retail provider Cuckoo.

Under the new approach, Cuckoo is set to become the main retail outlet for all of Ferns consolidated full fibre networks (i.e. this is where consumers will get their packages) and indeed the process of migrating customers to the ISP officially began this month (here). But despite this, the availability checker on Cuckoos website still doesnt seem to allow those in the newly consolidated network area to order a package  we ran several tests on known postcodes to check this (you currently still have to go to JF, SF or Gigas websites to order).

The latest change is that Cuckoo seems to have dropped support for Openreachs FTTP network, which previously supported home broadband packages from 39.99 per month for c.100Mbps and up to 54.99 for c.900Mbps on a 12-month term. By comparison, the new CityFibre based plans start from 28 per month for 150Mbps and go up to 39 for 900Mbps on an 18-month term  these come with free setup and an eero Pro 6E router (more can optionally be added for whole home style mesh coverage  at extra cost).

The eagle-eyed among you will quickly notice that this CityFibre-based pricing has also been aligned across the packages being offered directly via Jurassic Fibre, Swish Fibre and Giganet, which makes for a nice level of pricing simplification between the four networks. We also cant help but wonder if this would make life easier were, say, CityFibre to consider AllPoints Fibre a tempting target for their future consolidation plans (theres hardly any overlap between the networks).

However, the change does put a question mark over the heads of Cuckoos existing Openreach based customers, which we assume will continue to be supported (weve queried this). Credits to YuGi (here) for spotting the development.
Monday, Feb 26th, 2024 (10:36 am) - Score 6,040

Network operator Netomnia, which is supported by retail ISP YouFibre and has already covered almost 1 million UK premises with their alternative 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network, has quietly revealed that their network is being upgraded to support ADTRANs 50Gbps (50G PON) kit.

Just to recap. Netomnias network currently, as of 9th November 2023 (last update), covers over 730,000 UK premises  across parts of over 70 towns and cities  and theyre imminently expected to reach 1 million premises across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (coverage plan  plus additions here, here and here). The group also has around 65,000 active customers via YouFibre.

NOTE: Netomnia is supported by funding of 648m from DigitalBridge and other investors.

However, despite being a relatively new alternative network (AltNet), Netomnia has already become quite well known for pushing the boundaries of UK broadband performance via their XGS-PON powered full fibre network. One of the best examples of this came last year when YouFibre became one of only a tiny number of providers to launch an 8Gbps (7Gbps average speed) package for consumers (previously only the likes of B4RN and one of Telcoms outlets had done similar).

In that sense it is quite remarkable, if perhaps not surprising (given their track record), to see network technology firm ADTRAN quietly confirm (credits to YuGi for spotting) that Netomnia will be the first customer of their new SDX 6400 50GB PON OLT platform. This is bleeding edge technology, with the 50 Gigabit Passive Optical Network standard still being fairly recent (here)  the SDX 6400 doesnt even appear on ADTRANs website yet.

Jeremy Chelot, Boss of YouFibre and Netomnia, said: If you look at technology trends, when everybody was doing GPON, I started doing XG PON, and really if you want to offer a true gigabit type of services, GPON is not enough. So it was important for me in the past to roll-out XGS-PON for that, but now that were rolling out that 8,000Mbps [8Gbps] service its about making sure that weve got true 10Gbps services that we can offer to every home. 50G-PON is necessary to provide that level of service.

The move, which seems to skip the expected upgrade to 25G-PON that other networks have been toying with, is a major development for any operator and demonstrates a lot of faith in strategic supplier ADTRAN. Often theres something to be said for waiting and allowing a newer technology to mature, but Netomnias ability to push the boundaries has become somewhat of a unique selling point, which they clearly intend to retain.

Clearly the initial plan is to harness 50G-PON to help underpin their 8Gbps packages, but its obvious to see that this would also enable Netomnia to go much faster in the future and, as they grow, that will give them an edge over most of their competitors. On the other hand, competition evolves as markets change, thus Netomnias move may end up directly influencing the plans of others.

The usual catch in all this is the difficulty of actually being able to harness all that speed when online. Most internet services still seem to struggle to harness more than 300-500Mbps, assuming they can do even that, while the 1Gbps+ domain remains more of a luxury (Why Buying Gigabit Broadband Doesnt Always Deliver 1Gbps).

On the other hand, marketing departments and consumers with deep pockets like big performance numbers, so if you absolutely have to have the fastest connection available, and are covered by Netomnias network, then its 7-8Gbps speeds are available already.

Not forgetting that there was a time when even a 56Kbps dialup connection was considered fast. Internet connections and consumer demands are in a constant state of growth and evolution, so there will come a time when even 10Gbps+ speeds will seem positively pedestrian.
FILE - Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh speaks during a meeting with officials from Western and Arab nations, the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. Prime Minister Shtayyeh says his government is resigning, in a move that could open the door to U.S.-backed reforms in the Palestinian Authority.
A consultant has been brought on to help the Buffalo Bills and general contractor Gilbane/Turner reach their goals for hiring women- and minority-owned businesses in the building of the $1.7 billion Bills stadium.

Developments by Jem, a construction and development and project management consulting company in Buffalo, was brought on a few weeks ago to start engaging with local minority business owners to ensure diversity hiring goals can be met with Western New York businesses.

Minority-owned restaurants hoping for place in new Bills stadium find home at ECC For the first time in several years, the Erie Community College South Campus cafeteria will see traffic from patrons looking to purchase hot food and beverages. A new initiative, Taste of Diversity, will bring five Black-owned area restaurants to the ECC cafeteria every Monday through January as they prepare to learn to work in a fast-paced shared kitchen in a stadium-like concession setting.

It provides an extra layer of oversight for meeting project goals for workforce development during construction, and then afterward with community contributions and engagement and retailer and vendor involvement at the new stadium.

Officials from the state and Erie County, which together will provide $850 million in public money toward the project, have said so far that there have been mixed results in compliance with the goals of the construction agreement.

The hiring of Developments by Jem was announced Monday by the nine-member Community Benefits Oversight Committee at Highmark Stadium as it met for the first time almost a year after the oversight committees forming was agreed to as part of the signing of a Community Benefits Agreement.

Next phase of Bills stadium project about to get underway: structural steel to go up Structural steel is close to being ready to go up nine months into the construction of the $1.7 billion project in Orchard Park. The concrete that sets the stage to build the steel frame has been poured, allowing hundreds of workers to soon start on the skeleton of the stadium. That will take at least a year to complete, with the canopy for the stadium going on around this time next year.

We wanted to have a community engagement coordinator, said Penny Semaia, vice president for stadium relations with the Bills, who is serving as director of the oversight committee. Were getting excited for where were going to launch into their involvement in making sure we know and are engaged with the voice of the community. Theyre helping us identify where the needs are.

Were still building out the framework of their involvement and engagement, but theyll be part of a lot of different community events  some construction-related and some not.

The Bills must submit an annual report and data throughout the year to the oversight committee on the teams efforts to meet its requirements.

The first fiscal year for the oversight committee ends in March, and Semaia said the team will need some time to compile that information for the annual report, which is expected to be completed midyear.

Semaia was asked by board members to provide a snapshot of the annual report at the next meeting, which will be in April, although an exact date was not yet agreed upon.

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What we do here represents more than one generational opportunity, said board member Maria Whyte, chief community impact officer and chief of staff at the Community Foundation.

If we only build a stadium, (even) if its a stadium where the Bills win a Super Bowl, we will not have succeeded, she added. We have to build a stadium, and we have to grow the local economy in a way that meaningfully brings more participation into the economic process, and that includes both our business owners and workforce.

The Bills are required to make and document a good faith effort to achieve, at minimum, an overall participation goal of 30% for minority- and women-owned businesses  15% each, as well as a 6% goal for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.

The team will then be required to contribute $3 million a year, for 30 years, to the community as part of the stadium deal. Decisions on how that money is spent should be made in consultation with the committee. The agreement also calls for 30% of all retailers and vendors operating at the stadium to be companies that are owned by women and minorities.

The Rev. Mark Blue, a board member, pastor of Second Baptist Church of Lackawanna and president of the Buffalo branch of the NAACP, asked for a history of the community activities the Bills have been part of and how much will change once the new stadium is completed to help establish a benchmark for the future.

More properties near stadium up for sale with multimillion-dollar price tag Two more properties neighboring the new Buffalo Bills stadium are on sale for at least a million dollars and these have the potential for commercial development before the Town of Orchard Park makes any zoning changes in the area.

Hopefully the community will see a change and shift in the environment  the paradigm shift that is going to take place in our community, Blue said.

After a slow start that led to criticism from some Erie County officials and Empire State Development, Gilbane/Turner has been coming into compliance with the goals in the contract, Steve Ranalli, president of the Erie County Stadium Corp., said earlier this year. More outreach in the community has been conducted, and additional efforts made to split up work into as many packages as possible to involve more contractors, Ranalli previously said.

In a recent statement, Gilbane/Turner said it has involved 79 small, minority-, women- and service disabled-veteran-owned firms in the construction of the stadium, and more than half of those companies are from Western New York.

We realize that our Community Benefits Agreement is an amazing and historic opportunity for the entire county, said Semaia, whos been with the Bills for six months. We wanted to establish what were going to do as our meetings progress, and understand what information we need, what reports we want to have and also the cadence of how often we want to meet.
WASHINGTON  The Buffalo Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild sent a strongly worded letter to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland asking him to abandon seeking the death penalty for the racist gunman who killed 10 people at a Buffalo Tops Markets in May 2022.

Noting that the shooter, Payton Gendron, had already pleaded guilty to state murder charges, the letter  written by attorneys John N. Lipsitz and Joseph A. Kelemen on behalf of the progressive lawyers group  said: Is it really necessary to conduct a show trial in order to expose the nature of this tragedy?

Judge sets September 2025 trial for racist gunman who killed 10: 'We're going to stay on pace' U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo on Friday set a trial date of Sept. 8, 2025, for the white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket on May 14, 2022.

The letter also noted that the Justice Departments decision to seek the death penalty for Gendron was the first and only time the Biden administration had sought capital punishment. The lawyers also noted that President Biden himself said he opposed the death penalty while campaigning for president in 2000.

Why push for it now? the two lawyers wrote. The inescapable conclusion is that it is deemed expedient for political reasons to demonstrate the administrations commitment to fighting racism here and elsewhere. We believe, to the contrary, that continued use of the death penalty in this country is actually a betrayal of our commitment to human rights and the protection of marginalized and poor people.

A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment on the letter.

Mass shooting at Buffalo supermarket now Justice Department's first death penalty case under Garland Under Attorney General Merrick Garlands watch and a president who vowed to abolish the death penalty, the Justice Department has not taken on new death penalty cases. That changed Friday as federal prosecutors said they would seek capital punishment for a white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket.

Gendron, who was 18 at the time of the massacre, drove more than 200 miles from his home in the Binghamton area to carry out his attack after posting a racist screed on the internet. Armed with an AR-15 rifle, he started shooting Black people in the parking lot of the Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue and then continued in the store. Gendron pleaded guilty to state murder charges in November 2022.

He faces federal murder and hate crimes charges, as well. Garland decided to seek the death penalty in the Gendron case, and the Justice Department announced that it was seeking the death penalty in court papers filed in Buffalo in January.

Under federal law, a sentence of death is justified in the case, the Justice Department said in that court filing. Prosecutors cited a number of factors that led them to seek the death penalty, including the facts that the attack:

Involved multiple killings and attempted killings.

Claimed the lives of several people whose age and infirmity made them especially vulnerable.

Involved substantial planning and premeditation.

Posed grave risk of death to others.

Included acts of violence aimed at inciting violent action by others.

Took place at the Tops Markets on Buffalos East Side because the shooter wanted to maximize the number of Black victims.

Some see risks in seeking death penalty for Payton Gendron, others hope for a 'crucial lesson for America' "Capital prosecutions have not and will not deter acts of terror, acts of mental illness and acts of hatred," Robert Dunham, director of the Death Penalty Policy Project at Phillips Black, a nonprofit public interest legal practice, and an adjunct professor at Temple University, told The Buffalo News.

Gendron committed racially motivated killings, showing his expressed bias, hatred and contempt toward Black persons, Justice Department attorneys wrote.

But the local chapter of the National Lawyers Guild  which, on its Facebook page, calls the national group the oldest progressive bar association in the U.S.  took an entirely different view.

Arguing that the death penalty should be eliminated, the lawyers said that mass shootings and racial hatred should be combatted by eliminating access to military-style weapons and imposing economic policies that offer hope to those who otherwise might turn to white supremacy.

Putting this man to death will only serve to conceal and divert attention from the governments failure to address the root causes of this tragedy, the lawyers wrote in their letter to Garland, which was dated Feb. 15. In short, putting Payton Gendron to death will accomplish nothing.
Texas is trying to ban the use of its roads by people seeking care outside the state  and even dispatching right-wing vigilante groups to chase them.

By Jim Hightower | 

( Otherwords.org )  Heres our big word of the day: extraterritoriality. It expresses a sketchy legal theory asserting that rulers in one state have a right to enforce their laws in another state.

Its most prominent was in the infamous Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which required officials in Northern anti-slave states to capture and return escaped slaves to their plantation owners in the South, thus applying Southern slave laws in Northern jurisdictions. This abomination was finally repealed in 1864.

Katie Couric Video: I was forced to carry my child full term: Texas abortion plaintiff

But 160 years later, here comes another faction of right-wing zealots trying to revive the slave-law concept of extraterritoriality  this time applying it to any and all American women who dare to make their own reproductive health decisions.

Im ashamed to say that this repressive use of the doctrine is being led by my states misogynistic governor, Greg Abbott, and our corrupt attorney general, Ken Paxton. These two tyrannical men have already saddled Texas women with the most draconian abortion ban in the country, including piously forbidding abortion in cases of rape and incest.

For women to exercise their inherent right to control their own bodies, theyre forced to travel to nearby states. But Texass brutal extremists bark that well ban that, too! Theyve pushed a flagrantly unconstitutional scheme to outlaw the use of public roads to drive out-of-state for care. And theyve even sanctioned right-wing vigilantes to follow suspected medical travelers to doctors beyond our borders.

And, going full-tilt totalitarian, the Abbott-Paxton posse has demanded that out-of-state-care groups hand over the names and addresses of Texas women theyve helped outside of Texas.

Talk about government overreach! Big Brother isnt just watching hes stalking you. To oppose this brutish repression  and to keep it from coming to your state  contact RewireNewsGroup.com/abortion.
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment)  The Helpers of God (Ansar Allah) or Houthis in Yemen are proving a bigger challenge for the Biden Administrations attempt to run interference for the Israeli atrocities in Gaza than Washington had expected. Just Monday morning the Yemeni forces fired a ballistic missile at the US-owned and -operated M/V Torm Thor, an oil tanker, but it fell short. The leadership say they are hitting Red Sea traffic as a protest against Israels war against Gaza. Enormous crowds in the hundreds of thousands have demonstrated in Sanaa and other cities against the Israeli campaign against Gaza, which the International Criminal Court has ruled may be a genocide.

On Saturday, the US and Britain had flown a fourth round of bombings, directed at 18 Houthi military targets. The BBC says that they were directed at storage facilities, drones, air defence systems, radars and a helicopter of the militant movement.

A Houthi government spokesman downplayed the impact of the bombings and asserted that there was nothing the US could do about the movements Red Sea attacks.

If the US Air Force and the Royal Air Force commanders really think that a few bombing raids can knock out the Houthi capabilities, they havent been paying attention. The Saudis, the UAE and other members of a coalition bombed Yemen intensively from 2015 until 2021, as Sarah G. Phillips pointed out. At the end of the war the Houthis were still in control of 80% of the Yemeni population of some 33 million, who live on about a third of the land area of the country. They have certainly hidden away most of their munitions, having had to operate under aerial bombardment for almost a decade, and the targets being hit by the US and the UK are likely inconsequential.

Nationalist troops of the internationally recognized government of President Rashad al-Alimi have contained the Houthi forces to the south and the east but were never able to push them out of the most populous regions of the country in the north. I recently published a paper on how the United Arab Emirates worked with southern secessionists to establish control of the littoral of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, but that is a thin sliver of southern territory.

[By the way, broadcast journalists, Houthi is pronounced like who the in English  Arabic has a th sound. I dont know why the Americans keep saying Hootie.]

Reuters reports that about $1 trillion of goods is transported through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal annually, on some 19,000 vessels. That is about 30% of global seaborne trade, and it comes to about 12% of total world commerce. About 10% of global energy supplies go through this route.

Hindustan Times Video: Red Sea On The Boil: American Ship Attacked; Houthis Reiterate Support To Palestinians | Watch

The volume of goods transported through the Red Sea has fallen between 42% and 66% since the Houthis began attacking container ships. Many ships are going around the Cape of Good Hope and up the coast of West Africa, adding some 10 days to the journey from Asia to Europe, and upping the cost. Countries in the region have taken an economic hit. Egypt has suffered a 40% fall in Suez Canal revenues.

UNCTAD says that Average container shipping spot rates from Shanghai in early February 2024 more than doubled  up by 122% compared to early December 2023. The rates from Shanghai to Europe more than tripled, jumping by 256%.

Chinas $1.8 billion in investments in Africa has also been placed in jeopardy, and the Chinese portion of Djibouti port has been idled.

The Israeli port of Eilat has apparently been idled, and occasionally has to fend off Houthi ballistic missiles. About 5% of Israels imports by sea used to come in through Eilat.

The easiest way to stop this economic disruption, which could have an impact on supply chains and prices that echoes the COVID-19 era of 2021-2023, is for President Biden to cut off arms and ammunition to the mad bomber, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Rising prices and supply chain problems would not be good for Bidens reelection bid.

The Helpers of God militia is supported by many Yemenis of the Zaydi Shiite persuasion, a form of Shiite Islam that is closer to Sunnism and which does not have ayatollahs or some of the distinctive rituals of the Iranian and Iraqi Twelver Shiism. The militias leader is Abdul Malik al-Houthi, who announced this past week an escalation of attacks on Red Sea shipping.

Although the Houthis receive some money and arms from Iran, from all accounts it is a minor factor. They are an Arab, Yemeni movement with their own motivations and they have a weapons-making capacity of their own. The Helpers of God have become the de facto government of most people in Yemen and they tax them for revenue. It is not at all clear that an energy exporter like Iran would want Red Sea shipping disrupted.
Vancouver, B.C., Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rugby Resources Ltd. (Rugby or the Company) (TSX-V: RUG) is pleased to report that recent surface sampling at Cobrasco has yielded significant copper/molybdenum assay results. In addition, a new molybdenum stockworked porphyry occurrence has been identified approximately 1 kilometre (km) northeast of the Cobrasco Central drilling area. Reconnaissance mapping indicates the new molybdenum porphyry may represent a continuation of the primary mineralization intersected in drill holes approximately 1 km to the southwest (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: RTP aeromagnetics and the interpreted structural model showing Locations of recent rock samples in the north of Cobrasco concession area. The Molybdenum (Mo) anomaly previously defined in the northern central area has now been extended to the NE.

Highlights

Assays were received for 103 samples comprising 102 rock outcrops and 1 float sample from the October 2023 campaign. This program was centred primarily on the northern portions of the Cobrasco North concession with an emphasis on infill sampling of areas not previously covered in prior programs.

Assays range up to 4.77% copper, 3.98g/t gold, 50g/t silver and 0.09% molybdenum (see Tables 1 & 2  Assay Summary below). Sample geochemistry confirmed previous areas of Cu-Mo anomalism and extended the area of interest to the NE.

Outcropping quartz tonalite porphyry with quartz stockwork zone was identified to the northeast of the Cobrasco drilling area. Molybdenite mineralization occurs in locally intense stockwork and sheeted veinlets plus disseminations over an area of at least 300m x 400m (see Figures 2 & 3).

Further infill sampling in the Cobrasco Central area returned values up 4.77% Cu (G518009), 2.25% Cu (M426398) and 1.45% Cu (G518005) confirming previously established zones of outcropping mineralization (see Figure 4).

Francisco Montes, Rugbys Cobrasco Project Manager stated, Our strategy of continuing mapping and sampling is a cost-effective methodology for further defining the mineralized centres identified to date. The program will continue while we build up to the next core drilling campaign.

Chairman Yale Simpson stated Rugbys exploration program is making copper-molybdenum discoveries with significant surface dimensions. We are relatively early in the exploration-development process, but our success gives us reason to be confident Cobrasco could contribute to Colombia achieving the status of a global contributor to copper production. Copper demand is growing and new mines to meet the needs of clean energy projects, no matter what the technology adopted, will be in short supply. Rugby continues to make progress towards securing a major international mining company as a development partner. Our goal is to significantly advance the pace of exploration and development.

Figure 2: New discovery outcrop in Cobrasco NE, over an area of recent landslide with stockworked quartz-pyrite veining in tonalite porphyry with dominant phyllic alteration (Sample No. L874550: 238ppm Cu, 3.21ppm Mo, 9.7ppm Ag).

Figure 3: Mo-Cu mineralization at Cobrasco NE- sheeted quartz veins in tonalite porphyry (Sample No. G518018: 927ppm Mo, 3800ppm Cu, 9.7ppm Ag).

Figure 4  Mineralization at Cobrasco Central  disseminated bornite-chalcopyrite-chalcocite in rhyolite porphyry (Sample No M426398: 4.77% Cu, 73.7ppm Mo, 11.4ppm Ag).

Rugbys exploration results demonstrate a marked Cu-Mo porphyry corridor extending NW-SE along the margins of the Mande Batholith. Pathfinder geochemistry indicative of multiple porphyry centres extend along and peripheral to the contacts. The complex structural framework of the project area also indicates relative upthrown and downthrown domains giving rise to the possibility of entirely preserved, blind porphyry systems in areas such as Cobrasco East (Figure 1). Reconnaissance mapping during the October 2023 campaign suggests that the new molybdenum porphyry discovery in the northeast may represent a continuation of the primary mineralization intersected in Rugbys drilling to the southwest.

At Cobrasco Central, ongoing geological and alteration mapping indicates a large and robust porphyry centre with an outer propylitic alteration halo extending to the southern and northern concession borders. The Companys field team is currently conducting infill sampling and reconnaissance mapping south of the drilled area and extending to the southern concession boundary. The objective is to better define the surface expression of mineralization and provide vectors for drill targeting.

Copper and molybdenum rock sample geochemistry is shown in Figures 5 & 6. These images show the October 2023 rock sample locations and values overlain on the total rock sample geochemistry gridded images.

Figure 5: Copper (Cu) rock chip geochemistry and locations (October 2023) over total historical rock sample gridded Cu-geochemistry image (heat map). The new molybdenum NE-zone is shown cross-hatched.

Figure 6: Molybdenum (Mo) rock chip geochemistry and locations (October 2023) over total historical rock sample gridded Mo-geochemistry image (heat map).

Table 1  Assay statistics October field sampling campaign

Au

(ppm) Ag

(ppm) Cu

(ppm) Mo

(ppm) W

(ppm) SN

(ppm) Se

(ppm) Te

(ppm) Bi

(ppm) As

(ppm) Ave 0.1 1.6 2173.5 38.0 1.6 1.0 2.9 0.6 0.5 9.7 Max 3.98 50.4 47700 927.0 9.1 6.7 37 4.35 5.8 59.3 Min 0.0025 0.005 2.1 0.1 0.1 0.01 0.5 0.025 0.005 0.01

Table 2  Copper geochemistry October 2023 field campaign (significant > 0.2% Cu samples)

Sample

No. Easting Northing Au

(ppm) Ag

(ppm) Cu

(ppm) Mo

(ppm) W

(ppm) SN

(ppm) Se

(ppm) Te

(ppm) Bi

(ppm) As

(ppm) G518009 342011 658383 0.045 11.4 47700 73.7 5.4 3.1 12 1.47 2.44 12.2 M426398 342171 658340 0.083 7.05 22500 142.0 3.9 3.5 5 1.32 0.73 2.2 G518005 341861 658253 0.041 9.48 14550 10.1 5 1.4 4 1.82 1.1 13 M426359 342269 658685 0.026 1.83 12800 49.7 3.1 0.6 4 0.2 0.66 0.7 M426395 342240 658411 0.015 1.26 11200 117.5 1.3 0.5 2 0.18 0.22 3 M426399 342171 658340 0.007 2.88 10350 39.3 3.9 1.4 2 0.14 0.27 0.7 M426385 341475 658562 0.095 2.46 7960 30.6 2.3 1.2 28 4.35 5.16 35.9 M426396 342220 658401 0.021 3.37 7100 300.0 7.8 2.8 2 0.31 0.22 4.4 M426394 341707 658406 3.98 50.4 5990 157.0 2.5 1.6 11 3.47 5.8 24.5 M426397 342190 658345 0.021 2.16 5230 142.5 6.2 3.8 3 0.85 0.35 3.9 M426384 341502 658522 0.005 2 4390 7.5 3.3 1.3 2 0.22 0.18 1.2 G518018 342794 659533 0.291 9.65 3800 927.0 2.5 1 5 1.55 0.87 59.3 L874516 341852 659014 0.008 0.68 3420 103.5 3.3 2 1 0.18 0.12 3.3 M426386 341475 658562 0.011 2.39 3420 39.5 4.8 1.9 2 0.79 3.89 10.8 M426370 341314 658931 0.011 0.94 3160 37.1 2.6 1.5 2 0.3 0.06 7 M426393 341643 658368 0.015 1.34 3030 2.4 1.6 0.5 1 0.47 0.53 26.2 L874512 341987 659041 0.033 1.82 2740 49.9 2.1 0.8 2 1.24 0.07 41.9 G518008 342056 658378 0.009 1.18 2100 9.2 3.2 1.6 1 0.12 0.14 2 M426391 341619 658336 0.008 1.11 2020 3.9 1 0.7 2 0.67 0.93 26.1

Table 3  Molybdenum geochemistry October 2023 field campaign (significant > 25ppm Mo samples)

Sample No. Easting Northing Au (ppm) Ag (ppm) Cu (ppm) Mo (ppm) W (ppm) SN (ppm) Se (ppm) Te (ppm) Bi (ppm) As (ppm) G518018 342794 659533 0.291 9.65 3800 927.0 2.5 1 5 1.55 0.87 59.3 G518015 342631 659584 0.181 0.64 636 408.0 0.3 0.2 3 0.59 0.29 51.5 M426396 342220 658401 0.021 3.37 7100 300.0 7.8 2.8 2 0.31 0.22 4.4 G518007 341845 658269 0.012 4.07 433 295.0 4 1.7 2 0.32 0.26 1.4 M426394 341707 658406 3.98 50.4 5990 157.0 2.5 1.6 11 3.47 5.8 24.5 M426397 342190 658345 0.021 2.16 5230 142.5 6.2 3.8 3 0.85 0.35 3.9 M426398 342171 658340 0.083 7.05 22500 142.0 3.9 3.5 5 1.32 0.73 2.2 M426395 342240 658411 0.015 1.26 11200 117.5 1.3 0.5 2 0.18 0.22 3 L874516 341852 659014 0.008 0.68 3420 103.5 3.3 2 1 0.18 0.12 3.3 G518006 341819 658163 0.012 0.07 672 79.0 2.4 1.1 1 0.38 0.36 14.3 M426388 341394 658579 0.08 2.22 238 78.3 1.5 1.2 3 3.3 1 20.2 G518009 342011 658383 0.045 11.4 47700 73.7 5.4 3.1 12 1.47 2.44 12.2 L874541 341960 659337 0.024 0.64 1210 55.6 2.7 1.4 3 0.55 0.09 7.8 L874512 341987 659041 0.033 1.82 2740 49.9 2.1 0.8 2 1.24 0.07 41.9 M426359 342269 658685 0.026 1.83 12800 49.7 3.1 0.6 4 0.2 0.66 0.7 G518004 341981 658210 0.014 1.58 432 43.0 9.1 4.3 2 0.34 0.3 5.6 M426386 341475 658562 0.011 2.39 3420 39.5 4.8 1.9 2 0.79 3.89 10.8 M426399 342171 658340 0.007 2.88 10350 39.3 3.9 1.4 2 0.14 0.27 0.7 M426370 341314 658931 0.011 0.94 3160 37.1 2.6 1.5 2 0.3 0.06 7 M426385 341475 658562 0.095 2.46 7960 30.6 2.3 1.2 28 4.35 5.16 35.9 M426358 341607 659013 0.019 1.19 527 28.5 2 1.2 3 0.87 0.49 19.5

Technical Information and Quality Control & Quality Assurance

Rugbys sampling techniques and data management are conducted to industry standards. Sample assay results have been monitored through a quality control/ quality assurance (QA/QC) program that includes the insertion of blind certified reference materials (standards), blanks and duplicate samples. All samples are securely transported to ALS Minerals (ALS) facility in Medellin, Colombia where sample preparation takes place. Sample pulps are forwarded to ALS regional hub in Lima, Peru where all analytical work is conducted. Surface samples (rock chip and soil samples) are assayed for gold by fire assay of a 30-gram charge with AAS finish (method Au-AA23) and 48 element ultra-trace level detection by four acid digestion with ICP-AES/ ICP-MS finish (method ME-MS61). Overlimits or ore grade elements are assayed by four-acid digestion with ICP-AES finish (method OG62).

ALS is independent of Rugby and is certified to ISO 9001 & 17025 by IQNet and Standards Council of Canada respectively.

Qualified Person

Paul Joyce, Rugbys Chief Operating Officer, Director and a qualified person (QP) within the definition of that term in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has verified the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release. Paul Joyce is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (registered member # 1908).

About Rugby

Rugby Resources Limited is an exploration company conducting discovery stage exploration on a portfolio of copper, gold and silver targets in Colombia and Argentina. The Colombian Cobrasco project is located in the western cordillera belt which hosts large scale copper molybdenum mines in Chile, Peru, and Panama (and more recent significant projects discovered in Ecuador). This belt has not been subjected to modern exploration in Colombia. Rugby looks to advance the Cobrasco project to demonstrate the economic potential of a major discovery for Colombia. The discovery of significant new copper opportunities is essential for the mining industry to supply the copper necessary to transition from fossil fuels to advanced electrification.

The Company benefits from the experience of its directors and management, a team that has either been directly responsible for world-class mineral discoveries or has been part of the management teams responsible for such discoveries. Prior companies under their management included Exeter Resource Corporation and Extorre Gold Mines Limited, which held significant projects in South America. These companies were taken over by Goldcorp (Newmont) and Yamana respectively.

For additional information you are invited to visit the Rugby Resources Ltd. website at: www.rugbyresourcesltd.com.

Rob Grey, VP, Corporate Communications

Tel: 604.688.4941 Fax: 604.688.9532

Toll-free: 1.855.688.4941 Suite1890 - 1075 West Georgia St.

Vancouver, BC, Canada V6E 3C9

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein is forward-looking information within the meaning of the British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario Securities Acts. This includes statements concerning the Companys proposed exploration plans for the Cobrasco project in Colombia and the El Zanjon and Venidero projects in Argentina, progress on obtaining approval for its exploration concession applications in Colombia, the expected timing of drilling and/or geophysics programs, budgeted costs to conduct exploration programs including drilling, high grade potential and potential for mineral discoveries at its projects and the style or occurrence of the mineralization which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Rugby holds certain of its projects under option agreements, which require annual cash payments, expenditure and/ or drilling requirements in order to maintain its interest. Should the Company not be able to meet its obligations or renegotiate the agreements it will lose its rights under the option agreement. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, the effect on prices of major mineral commodities such as copper and gold by factors beyond the control of the Company; events which cannot be accurately predicted such as political and economic instability, terrorism, environmental factors and changes in government regulations and taxes; the shortage of personnel with the requisite knowledge and skills to design and execute exploration programs; difficulties in arranging contracts for drilling and other exploration services; the Companys dependency on equity market financings to fund its exploration programs and maintain its mineral exploration properties in good standing; political risk that a government will change, environmental regulations, taxes or mineral royalties in a manner that could have an adverse effect on the Companys assets or financial condition and impair its ability to advance its mineral exploration projects or raise further funds for exploration; risks associated with title to resource properties due to the difficulties of determining the validity of certain claims as well as the potential for problems arising from the interpretation of laws regarding ownership or exploration of mineral properties in the Philippines, Argentina, Chile and Colombia and in the sometimes ambiguous conveyancing characteristic of many resource properties, currency risks associated with foreign operations, the timing of obtaining permits to conduct exploration activities, the ability to conclude agreements with local communities and other risks and uncertainties; risks related to geopolitical conflicts; and including those described in each of the Companys management discussion and analysis and those contained in its financial statements for the year ended February 28, 2023 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available at www.sedarplus.ca. In addition, forward-looking information is based on various assumptions including, without limitation, assumptions associated with exploration results and costs and the availability of materials and skilled labour. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE
Pony Creek Property Located Directly Adjacent to Orla's South Railroad Project

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 26, 2024 /CNW/ - Orla Mining Ltd. (TSX: OLA) (NYSE: ORLA) ("Orla" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement (the "Arrangement Agreement") with Contact Gold Corp. (TSX-V: C) ("Contact") whereby Orla will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Contact (the "Contact Shares") pursuant to a court-approved plan of arrangement (the "Transaction").

Contact's key asset is the 100%-owned Pony Creek property, a 4,500 hectare exploration land package, strategically located adjacent to Orla's South Railroad property in the heart of the Carlin trend in Nevada. Contact also owns the Green Springs property located in the southern end of the Cortez trend. Green Springs is an early-stage exploration project where Centerra Gold currently has a right to earn into 70% of the project through completion of a four-year, $10.0 million exploration program.

Transaction Terms

Under the terms of the Arrangement Agreement, each holder of Contact shares will receive, for each Contact share held (a "Contact Share"), 0.0063 of an Orla common share (each whole share, an "Orla Share") (the "Arrangement Consideration"), for total consideration of $0.03 per Contact Share (based on Orla's closing price on February 23, 2024), representing a total purchase price of approximately US$8.1 million. The Arrangement Consideration represents a 77% premium based on Orla's and Contact's 20-day volume weighted average price ("VWAP") as of February 23, 2024. Following the completion of the Transaction, Contact shareholders will own approximately 0.7% of the issued and outstanding Orla Shares.

Acquisition Highlights and Transaction Rationale

Consolidates landholdings adjacent to Orla's core growth project, South Railroad, which hosts 1.6 moz of mineral reserves at 0.77 g/t Au, 1.8 moz of measured and indicated mineral resources at 0.74 g/t Au, and 719 koz of inferred mineral resources at 1.00 g/t Au.

Pony Creek boasts existing resources that have potential to add oxide, transition and sulphide to the resource at South Railroad; three mineralized zones with an inferred mineral resource totaling 433,000 oz at 0.52 g/t Au.

Enhances Orla's strategic footprint in Nevada , specifically along the prolific Carlin trend. The addition of Pony Creek will complement Orla's control of the southern part of the Railroad Mining District, representing a natural and seamless expansion of the South Railroad property.

, specifically along the prolific trend. The addition of Pony Creek will complement Orla's control of the southern part of the Railroad Mining District, representing a natural and seamless expansion of the South Railroad property. Contact's Pony Creek has a similar geology, structural setting, and mineralization style as South Railroad, providing drill-ready targets, including extensions of known deposits and new targets. Significant exploration potential exists in both the Pony Creek and Green Springs land packages as both projects have been historically underfunded and are underexplored.

"This transaction strengthens our land position in Nevada along the Carlin trend. Contact's Pony Creek property is a valuable complement to our South Railroad Project, one our key growth opportunities. We look forward to making the necessary investments to unlock the combined potential of this now larger, contiguous and highly prospective land package."

- Jason Simpson, President and CEO, Orla Mining

Benefits to Contact Shareholders

Attractive premium of 77% based on Orla's and Contact's 20-day VWAP as of February 23, 2024 .

. Ongoing exposure to Contact's land package and subsequent value creation opportunities through the successful development of a broader consolidated operating camp in Nevada .

. Exposure to Orla's portfolio of high-quality, low cost operations and development projects.

Access to Orla's technical, project development and operating capabilities, as well as financial resources.

Transaction Structure

Under the terms of the Arrangement Agreement, all of the issued and outstanding Contact Shares will be exchanged for Orla Shares on the basis of the Exchange Ratio of 0.0063 Orla Shares for each Contact Share. Following completion of the Transaction, existing shareholders of Orla and Contact will own approximately 99.3% and 0.7%, respectively, of the pro forma company. The Arrangement Agreement includes certain customary provisions, including non-solicitation provisions and the payment of a break fee payable in certain circumstances, as well as certain representations, covenants and conditions which are customary for a transaction of this nature.

The Transaction will be effected by way of a plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), requiring the approval of: (i) at least 66 2/3% of the votes cast by the shareholders of Contact; (ii) at least 66 2/3% of the votes cast by the shareholders and option holders of Contact, voting together as a single class; and (iii) a majority of the votes cast by the shareholders of Contact, excluding votes attached to Contact Shares held by any person as required under Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions, at a special meeting of Contact's securityholders called to consider, among other matters, the Transaction. In addition to securityholder and court approvals, the Transaction is subject to stock exchange approval and the satisfaction of certain other closing conditions customary in transactions of this nature.

Under the Transaction, all outstanding warrants of Contact will become exercisable to acquire Orla Shares, in amounts and at exercise prices adjusted in accordance with the Exchange Ratio.

None of the securities to be issued pursuant to the Transaction have been or will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and securities issued in the Transaction are anticipated to be issued in reliance on the exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act provided by Section 3(a)(10) thereof and will be issued pursuant to similar exemptions from applicable state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

Full details of the Transaction will be included in Contact's information circular, which is expected to be mailed to securityholders in early April 2024. It is anticipated that the closing of the Transaction will take place in the second quarter of 2024. A copy of the Arrangement Agreement will also be filed on Contact's company profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Voting Support Agreements

Certain shareholders and the directors and officers of Contact (collectively, the "Supporting Shareholders") have each entered into voting support agreements to vote their Contact Shares in favour of the Transaction. The Supporting Shareholders hold, collectively, approximately 11.9% of the Contact Shares.

Advisors

Orla's legal advisors are Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP with respect to Canadian matters and Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP regarding US matters.

Technical Information

The mineral reserve estimate for the South Railroad Project consists of 333 koz of proven gold reserves (8,960 k tonnes at 1.17 g/t gold) and 1,271 koz of probable gold reserves (56,239 k tonnes at 0.72 g/t gold). The open pit mineral resource estimate for the South Railroad Project consists of 343 koz of measured gold resources (9,561 k tonnes at 1.13 g/t gold), 1,410 koz of indicated gold resources (65,450 k tonnes at 0.68 g/t gold), and 653 koz of inferred gold resources (21,805 k tonnes at 0.93 g/t gold). The underground mineral resource estimate consists of 66 koz of inferred gold resources (457 k tonnes at 4.49 g/t gold). For additional detail, see the South Railroad Report (as defined below). Mineral resources are inclusive of mineral reserves.

The mineral resource estimate for the Pony Creek Project consists of 433 koz of inferred gold resources (25,719 kt at 0.52 g/t gold). For additional information, please see Contact's technical report for Pony Creek entitled "Technical Report and Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate, Pony Creek Property, Elko Country, Nevada, USA" with an effective date of February 24, 2022, available on Contact's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Qualified Persons Statement

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Sylvain Guerard, P Geo., SVP Exploration of the Company, who is the Qualified Person as defined under the definitions of National Instrument 43-101

About Orla Mining Ltd.

Orla is operating the Camino Rojo Oxide Gold Mine, a gold and silver open-pit and heap leach mine, located in Zacatecas State, Mexico. The property is 100% owned by Orla and covers over 160,000 hectares. The technical report for the 2021 Feasibility Study on the Camino Rojo oxide gold project entitled "Unconstrained Feasibility Study NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Camino Rojo Gold Project  Municipality of Mazapil, Zacatecas, Mexico" dated January 11, 2021 (the "Camino Rojo Report"), is available on SEDAR+ and EDGAR under the Company's profile at NULLwww.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov, respectively. Orla also owns 100% of Cerro Quema located in Panama which includes a gold production scenario and various exploration targets. Cerro Quema is a proposed open pit mine and gold heap leach operation. The technical report for the Pre-Feasibility Study on the Cerro Quema oxide gold project entitled "Project Pre-Feasibility Updated NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Cerro Quema Project, Province of Los Santos, Panama" dated January 18, 2022, is available on SEDAR+ and EDGAR under the Company's profile at NULLwww.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov, respectively. Orla also owns 100% of the South Railroad Project, a feasibility-stage, open pit, heap leach project located on the Carlin trend in Nevada. The technical report for the 2022 Feasibility Study entitled "South Railroad Project, Form 43-101F1 Technical Report Feasibility Study, Elko County, Nevada" dated March 23, 2022 (the "South Railroad Report"), is available on SEDAR+ and EDGAR under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov, respectively. The technical reports are available on Orla's website at www.orlamining.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the United States Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, or in releases made by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, all as may be amended from time to time, including, without limitation, statements regarding: the potential benefits to be derived from the Transaction; the closing of the Transaction, including receipt of all necessary court, securityholder and regulatory approvals, and the timing thereof; potential exploration at Pony Creek and Green Springs; the benefits of the Transaction to Contact's shareholders; and mineral resource and reserve estimates. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts which address events, results, outcomes or developments that the Company expects to occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements were made, including without limitation, assumptions regarding: the benefits of the Transaction, completion of the Transaction, including receipt of required securityholder, regulatory and court approvals, the future price of gold and silver; anticipated costs and the Company's ability to fund its programs; the Company's ability to carry on exploration, development, and mining activities; tonnage of ore to be mined and processed; ore grades and recoveries; decommissioning and reclamation estimates; the Company's ability to secure and to meet obligations under property agreements, including the layback agreement with Fresnillo plc; that all conditions of the Company's credit facility will be met; the timing and results of drilling programs; mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates and the assumptions on which they are based; the discovery of mineral resources and mineral reserves on the Company's mineral properties; that political and legal developments will be consistent with current expectations; the timely receipt of required approvals and permits, including those approvals and permits required for successful project permitting, construction, and operation of projects; the timing of cash flows; the costs of operating and exploration expenditures; the Company's ability to operate in a safe, efficient, and effective manner; the Company's ability to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms; that the Company's activities will be in accordance with the Company's public statements and stated goals; and that there will be no material adverse change or disruptions affecting the Company or its properties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to: the failure to obtain securityholder, regulatory or court approvals in connection with the Transaction; risks related to the successful integration of acquisitions; uncertainty and variations in the estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves; the Company's dependence on the Camino Rojo oxide mine; risks related to the Company's indebtedness; risks related to exploration, development, and operation activities; risks related to natural disasters, terrorist acts, health crises, and other disruptions and dislocations, including the COVID-19 pandemic; foreign country and political risks, including risks relating to foreign operations and expropriation or nationalization of mining operations and risks associated with operating in Mexico and Panama; delays in obtaining or failure to obtain governmental permits, or non-compliance with permits; environmental and other regulatory requirements; delays in or failures to enter into a subsequent agreement with Fresnillo plc with respect to accessing certain additional portions of the mineral resource at the Camino Rojo project and to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals related thereto; the mineral resource estimations for the Camino Rojo project being only estimates and relying on certain assumptions; loss of, delays in, or failure to get access from surface rights owners; uncertainties related to title to mineral properties; water rights; financing risks and access to additional capital; risks related to guidance estimates and uncertainties inherent in the preparation of feasibility and pre-feasibility studies; uncertainty in estimates of production, capital, and operating costs and potential production and cost overruns; the fluctuating price of gold and silver; unknown labilities in connection with acquisitions; global financial conditions; uninsured risks; climate change risks; competition from other companies and individuals; conflicts of interest; risks related to compliance with anti-corruption laws; volatility in the market price of the Company's securities; assessments by taxation authorities in multiple jurisdictions; foreign currency fluctuations; the Company's limited operating history; litigation risks; the Company's ability to identify, complete, and successfully integrate acquisitions; intervention by non-governmental organizations; outside contractor risks; risks related to historical data; the Company not having paid a dividend; risks related to the Company's foreign subsidiaries; risks related to the Company's accounting policies and internal controls; the Company's ability to satisfy the requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; enforcement of civil liabilities; the Company's status as a passive foreign investment company for U.S. federal income tax purposes; information and cyber security; gold industry concentration; shareholder activism; and risks associated with executing the Company's objectives and strategies; as well as those risk factors discussed in the Company's most recently filed management's discussion and analysis, as well as its annual information form dated March 20, 2023, which are available on www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov. Except as required by the securities disclosure laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Readers

This news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian standards for the reporting of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates, which differ from the previous and current standards of the United States securities laws. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the terms "mineral reserve", "proven mineral reserve", "probable mineral reserve", "inferred mineral resources,", "indicated mineral resources," "measured mineral resources" and "mineral resources" used or referenced herein and the documents incorporated by reference herein, as applicable, are Canadian mineral disclosure terms as defined in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the "CIM")  CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as amended (the "CIM Definition Standards").

For United States reporting purposes, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") has adopted amendments to its disclosure rules (the "SEC Modernization Rules") to modernize the mining property disclosure requirements for issuers whose securities are registered with the SEC under the Exchange Act, which became effective February 25, 2019. The SEC Modernization Rules more closely align the SEC's disclosure requirements and policies for mining properties with current industry and global regulatory practices and standards, including NI 43-101, and replace the historical property disclosure requirements for mining registrants that were included in SEC Industry Guide 7. Issuers were required to comply with the SEC Modernization Rules in their first fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021. As a foreign private issuer that is eligible to file reports with the SEC pursuant to the multi-jurisdictional disclosure system, the Corporation is not required to provide disclosure on its mineral properties under the SEC Modernization Rules and will continue to provide disclosure under NI 43-101 and the CIM Definition Standards. Accordingly, mineral reserve and mineral resource information contained or incorporated by reference herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by United States companies subject to the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC now recognizes estimates of "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources." In addition, the SEC has amended its definitions of "proven mineral reserves" and "probable mineral reserves" to be "substantially similar" to the corresponding CIM Definition Standards that are required under NI 43-101. While the SEC will now recognize "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources", U.S. investors should not assume that all or any part of the mineralization in these categories will be converted into a higher category of mineral resources or into mineral reserves without further work and analysis. Mineralization described using these terms has a greater amount of uncertainty as to its existence and feasibility than mineralization that has been characterized as reserves. Accordingly, U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any measured mineral resources, indicated mineral resources, or inferred mineral resources that the Company reports are or will be economically or legally mineable without further work and analysis. Further, "inferred mineral resources" have a greater amount of uncertainty and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. Therefore, U.S. investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of inferred mineral resources will be upgraded to a higher category without further work and analysis. Under Canadian securities laws, estimates of "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. While the above terms are "substantially similar" to CIM Definitions, there are differences in the definitions under the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definition Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any mineral reserves or mineral resources that the Company may report as "proven mineral reserves", "probable mineral reserves", "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared the reserve or resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules or under the prior standards of SEC Industry Guide 7.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSX.V:MMG) (OTCQB:MMNGF) ("Metallic Minerals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the first National Instrument 43-101 ("NI-43-101") mineral resource estimate (the "2024 Resource Estimate") on the Company's Keno Silver project, adjacent to Hecla Mining's ("Hecla") high-grade operations in the iconic Keno Silver District of Canada's Yukon Territory. The combined underground and in-pit total resource estimate from four separate deposits (Formo, Fox, Caribou and Homestake) comprises an Inferred Resource of 2.5 million tonnes ("Mt") at 223 grams per tonne ("g/t") silver equivalent ("AgEq") equating to 18.16 million ounces ("Moz") of contained silver equivalent. Significant resource expansion is anticipated with further drilling as each of these deposits are contained within 250 meters depth from surface and are open along strike in all directions and at depth where grades typically trend higher.

Subsequent campaigns, expected to commence in the 2024 field season, will focus on expansion through the drilling of extensions of current resource deposits, definition drilling of very prospective early-stage drilled targets and targeting of new discoveries at high-priority targets that have yet to be drill tested. This 2024 Resource Estimate is contained within four of 11 target areas that have returned positive results from initial drill testing to date, with 42 additional targets identified on the 171 square kilometer project since 2016 remaining, as yet, undrilled (see Figure 1).

PDAC 2024 Core Shacks and Exhibitor Hall

Metallic Minerals will be participating in the 2024 Prospectors and Developers Convention in Toronto. The Company invites investors to visit us in the Investors Exchange (Booth 3318) from March 3-6 as well as the Core Shack Booth 3116B March 5-6. In addition, Metallic Minerals, along with fellow Metallic Group companies, Stillwater Critical Minerals and Granite Creek Copper, and our Yukon Mining Alliance peers, will be participating in the Yukon Mining Alliance Core Shack to be held in the PDAC Investors Exchange at Booth 3310 from March 3-6.

2023 Resource Estimate Highlights

Underground Inferred Mineral Resources include the Formo deposit containing 12.77 Moz AgEq (7.11 Moz of silver, 3,000 oz of gold, 36.02 Mlbs of lead, and 66.14 Mlbs of zinc) within 1.08 Mt grading 369 g/t AgEq (206 g/t silver, 0.08 g/t gold, 1.52% lead, and 2.79% zinc). The Formo deposit is directly adjacent to the Silver Trail highway (Highway 11) and power lines that feed the central Keno Hill mill which is operated by Hecla, the largest primary silver producer in Canada and the USA. The Formo deposit directly adjoins Hecla's Keno Hill property, where Hecla is actively mining the nearby Bermingham deposit.

In-Pit Inferred Mineral Resources include Caribou, Fox and Homestake and contain 5.40 Moz AgEq (2.70 Moz of silver, 5,500 oz of gold, 8.86 Mlbs of lead, and 32.95 Mlbs of zinc) within 1.46 Mt grading 115 g/t AgEq (58 g/t silver, 0.12 g/t gold, 0.28 % lead, and 1.02 % zinc). Bulk tonnage operations in the district include the historic open pit production from the Silver King, Hector Calumet, Onek and other deposits (currently held by Hecla) and feature significantly lower development and operating costs than more selective underground mining methods 1 .

. The 2024 Resource Estimate represents the equivalent of several years of production through the Keno area mill based on production guidance provided by Hecla which is planning to mine up to 4 million ounces of silver at Keno in 2024 2 .

. Having identified the productive structures and defined this very significant mineral resource, the Company expects to be able to add significant ounces during subsequent drill campaigns.

The 2024 Resource Estimate was completed by SGS Geological Services ("SGS") based on 293 surface diamond core and reverse circulation drill holes totaling 17,654.6 meters.

Scott Petsel, Metallic Minerals' President, states, "We are very pleased to achieve this major milestone of an inaugural resource estimate for the Keno Silver project, which we see as having clear potential for major expansion within this world-class silver district, directly adjacent to one of the world's highest grade silver mines. Since the first acquisitions of Kenoproperties in 2016, the Company has worked diligently towards this announcement through a series of systematic advancements including successfully consolidating the current 171km2 property package, district-wide data compilation, target development and drill testing. With 42 early-stage targets developed on the property, 11 targets that have been drill tested with significant results, and now four target areas that have advanced to Inferred Resources, we see this milestone as a foundation from which there are very clear opportunities to quickly and efficiently grow the 2024 Resource Estimate with additional drilling, while continuing to advance early-stage targets to new discoveries."

"Metallic Minerals' combined Inferred mineral inventory, now including both the Keno Silver and La Plata projects, consists of 35.76 million ounces of silver and 1.2 billion pounds of copper. Further updates are expected in the coming weeks, including first drill results from the ongoing campaign at La Plata in Colorado which continue to be processed."

The 2024 Resource Estimate will be incorporated into an NI 43-101-compliant technical report for the Keno Silver project which will be available within 45 days.

Table 1. Keno Silver Project Mineral Resource Estimates, February 1, 2024.

Deposit Cut-off Grade (AgEq g/t) Tonnes AgEq (g/t) Ag (g/t) Au (g/t) Pb (%) Zn (%) AgEq (Moz) Ag (Moz) Au (oz) Pb (Mlbs) Zn (Mlbs) Formo 150 1,075,000 369 206 0.08 1.52 2.79 12.77 7.11 3,000 36.02 66.14 Caribou 50 589,000 149 94 0.09 0.50 0.82 2.82 1.78 2,000 6.46 10.60 Fox 50 793,000 83 28 0.02 0.09 1.26 2.11 0.73 500 1.53 22.04 Homestake 50 78,000 187 77 1.10 0.50 0.18 0.47 0.19 3,000 0.87 0.31 Total 50/150 2,535000 223 120 0.1 0.8 1.77 18.16 9.81 8,500 44.88 99.08

Notes to Table 1 reported values:

The base-case AgEq Cut-off grades consider metal prices of $22.50/oz Ag, $1,800/oz Au, $1.00/lb Pb and $1.30/lb Zn, and considers metal recoveries of 95% for Ag, 50% for Au, 94% for Pb and 88% for Zn. AgEq = Ag ppm + (((Au ppm x Au price/gram) + (Pb% x Pb price/t) + (Zn% x Zn price/t))/Ag price/gram) at the above assumed metal prices.

Keno Deposit Mineral Resource Estimate Notes (Table 1):

The effective date of the Keno deposit Mineral Resource Estimate is February 1, 2024. The Mineral Resource Estimates were estimated by Allan Armitage, Ph.D., P. Geo. of SGS Geological Services and is an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. The classification of the current Mineral Resource Estimate into Inferred Mineral Resources is consistent with current 2014 CIM Definition Standards - For Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate and numbers may not add due to rounding. The Mineral Resources are presented undiluted and in situ, constrained by continuous 3D wireframe models, and are considered to have reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that most Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. The Keno Mineral Resource Estimate is based on a validated database which includes data from 293 surface diamond, RC and RAB drill holes totalling 17,654.63 m, and 292 surface and underground channels (Formo) for 450.43 m. The resource database totals 5,429 assay intervals representing 6,734.09 m of data. The Mineral Resource Estimate is based on 29 three-dimensional ("3D") resource models for Fox (19), Caribou (4), Formo (4) and Homestake (2), constructed in Leapfrog. Grades for Ag, Au, Pb and Zn were estimated for each mineralization domain using 1.5 metre capped composites assigned to that domain. To generate grade within the blocks, the inverse distance squared (ID2) interpolation method was used for all domains. Average density values were assigned to each domain based on a database of 54 samples. Based on their size, shape and orientation, it is envisioned that the Caribou, Fox and Homestake deposits of the Keno project may be mined using open-pit mining methods. Mineral Resources are reported at a base case cut-off grade of 50 g/t AgEq. The in-pit Mineral Resource grade blocks are quantified above the base case cut-off grade, above the constraining pit shell, below topography and within the constraining mineralized domains (the constraining volumes). The results from the pit optimization, using the pseudoflow optimization method in Whittle 4.7.4, are used solely for the purpose of testing the "reasonable prospects for economic extraction" by an open pit and do not represent an attempt to estimate Mineral Reserves. There are no Mineral Reserves on the Property. The results are used as a guide to assist in the preparation of a Mineral Resource statement and to select an appropriate resource reporting cut-off grade. It is envisioned that the Formo deposit may be mined using underground mining methods. Mineral Resources for Formo are reported at a base case cut-off grade of 150 g/t AgEq. The mineral resource grade blocks were quantified above the base case cut-off grade, below surface and within the constraining mineralized wireframes (considered mineable shapes). Based on the size, shape, general thickness and orientation of the Formo mineralized structures, it is envisioned that the deposits may be mined using a combination of underground mining methods including sub-level stoping (SLS) and/or cut and fill (CAF) mining. The base-case AgEq Cut-off grade considers metal prices of $22.50/oz Ag, $1,800/oz Au, $1.00/lb Pb and $1.30/lb Zn, and considers metal recoveries of 95% for Ag, 50% for Au, 94% for Pb and 88% for Zn. The pit optimization and base case cut-off grade of 50 g/t AgEq considers a mining cost of US$2.20/t mined, and processing, treatment, refining, G&A and transportation cost of USD$25.00/t of mineralized material. The underground base case cut-off grade of 150 g/t AgEq a mining cost of US$65.00/t mined, and processing, treatment, refining, G&A and transportation cost of USD$25.00/t of mineralized material. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

Figure 1. Keno Silver Project Showing Inferred Resource Area Locations

Sensitivity Analysis

In addition to the base case scenario presented in Table 1 above, Table 2 and Table 3 below, provide sensitivity analyses which demonstrates the variation in grade, tonnage and contained metal for the 2024 Resource Estimate at various cut-off grades for both the open pit scenarios at the Caribou, Fox and Homestake deposits and the more selective underground mining scenario at the Formo deposit. Different cut-off grades may be employed depending on variations in prevailing metal prices and mining costs.

Table 2. Underground Mineral Resource Estimate for the Formo Deposit at Various AgEq Cut-off Grades, February 1, 2024

Cut-off Grade (AgEq g/t) Tonnes AgEq (g/t) Ag (g/t) Au (g/t) Pb (%) Zn (%) AgEq (Moz) Ag (Moz) Au (oz) Pb (Mlbs) Zn (Mlbs) 80 1,548,000 291 159 0.09 1.20 2.22 14.48 7.93 4,000 40.9 75.8 90 1,457,000 304 167 0.09 1.25 2.32 14.24 7.80 4,000 40.0 74.7 100 1,386,000 314 173 0.09 1.29 2.40 14.02 7.70 4,000 39.4 73.3 120 1,263,000 334 185 0.09 1.37 2.53 13.58 7.50 4,000 38.2 70.6 150 1,075,000 369 206 0.08 1.52 2.79 12.77 7.11 3,000 36.0 66.1 200 869,000 416 234 0.09 1.71 3.12 11.63 6.53 2,000 32.8 59.7 250 708,000 459 260 0.08 1.89 3.42 10.46 5.91 2,000 29.5 53.4 300 570,000 504 284 0.09 2.08 3.77 9.24 5.21 2,000 26.1 47.3

Note: Values in these tables reported above and below the base-case cut-off 150 g/t AgEq (highlighted) for in-pit Mineral Resources should not be misconstrued with a Mineral Resource Statement. The values are only presented to show the sensitivity of the block model estimates to the selection of the base case cut-off grade. All values are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate and numbers may not add due to rounding.

Table 3. In-Pit Mineral Resource Estimate, combined Caribou, Fox and Homestake deposits, at Various AgEq Cut-off Grades, February 1, 2024

Cut-off Grade (AgEq g/t) Tonnes AgEq (g/t) Ag (g/t) Au (g/t) Pb (%) Zn (%) AgEq (Moz) Ag (Moz) Au (oz) Pb (Mlbs) Zn (Mlbs) 30 1,787,000 101 50 0.10 0.24 0.93 5.82 2.87 6,000 9.4 36.8 40 1,642,000 107 53 0.11 0.25 0.98 5.66 2.80 6,000 9.1 35.4 50 1,460,000 115 58 0.12 0.28 1.02 5.40 2.70 5,500 8.9 32.9 60 1,253,000 125 63 0.13 0.31 1.08 5.03 2.55 5,400 8.4 29.8 70 1,046,000 137 70 0.16 0.34 1.13 4.60 2.37 5,300 7.9 26.1 80 884,000 148 78 0.18 0.38 1.16 4.21 2.21 5,200 7.4 22.6 90 748,000 160 86 0.22 0.43 1.17 3.84 2.06 5,200 7.0 19.3 100 641,000 170 93 0.20 0.47 1.17 3.51 1.92 4,100 6.7 16.6 120 464,000 194 109 0.27 0.57 1.18 2.89 1.62 4,100 5.8 12.1 150 287,000 231 132 0.33 0.74 1.19 2.13 1.22 3,000 4.7 7.5 200 148,000 287 168 0.42 1.00 1.34 1.36 0.80 2,000 3.3 4.4

Note: Values in these tables reported above and below the base-case cut-off 50 g/t AgEq (highlighted) for in-pit Mineral Resources should not be misconstrued with a Mineral Resource Statement. The values are only presented to show the sensitivity of the block model estimates to the selection of the base case cut-off grade. All values are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate and numbers may not add due to rounding.

DISCUSSION

The Formo Vein Deposit

Located in the West-central part of the Keno Hill district, the Formo Inferred Resource is the largest and highest-grade contributor to the 2024 Resource Estimate with 12.77 Moz AgEq at a grade of 369 g/t AgEq using a 150 g/t AgEq cut-off. The Formo deposit, in the West Keno area, is on trend with the 100 Moz historic Hector-Calumet mine controlled by Hecla. Formo is ideally located near infrastructure as it is adjacent to the Silver Trail highway (Highway 11) and power lines that feed the central Keno Hill mill and village of Keno City. The Formo deposit also directly adjoins Hecla's Keno Hill property, where Hecla is actively mining the nearby Bermingham mine.

Minor amounts of historic production at Formo, from both a small surface pit and underground workings, generated the initial exploration interest by the Company which acquired the project in 2017. Subsequent drilling resulted in significant silver-rich intercepts including some of the highest-grade x thickness values on the property (See Table 4).

The 2024 Resource Estimate envisions higher-grade selective mining methods at Formo but also demonstrates the potential for lower-cost open pit mining methodologies on the shallower portions. The Formo vein system is open along strike and at depth. Modern drilling of the property began in 2020 and only 26 diamond drill holes (4,418 meters) have been drilled since, indicating the minimal nature of drill testing at the Formo property. Over 1,300 m of the Formo vein systems strike length occurs on Metallic Minerals claims which has only been drilled on 400 meters of strike and to less than 250 meters deep. There is ample opportunity for continued resource expansion and new discoveries with additional drilling at the Formo target as tested during the fall 2023 drill campaign.

The Caribou Vein Deposit

The Caribou target in the central part of the district is the second largest contributor to the 2024 Resource Estimate totaling 2.82 Moz AgEq grading 149 g/t at a 50 g/t AgEq cut-off grade (see Table 1). The Inferred Resource has been defined by a total of 82 drill holes totaling 5,980 m of both reverse circulation and diamond core drilling averaging just 72 meters depth per hole. The shallowly explored target has been drilled only to a depth of 120 m locally and remains open to further expansion.

The Caribou deposit historically produced very high-grade material grading more than 1,000 g/t silver from near surface. Mineralization at the Caribou target consists of high-grade, north-striking Ag-Pb-Zn structures with a shallow 34-degree dip. Exploration on the high-grade vein structure has also defined a surrounding envelope of broader bulk tonnage mineralization. These broader zones of mineralization not only include wide veins but also parallel veinlets, stringers and breccia zones. In 2021 and 2022, drilling of the broader Caribou zone returned intervals up to 34.2 m wide (averaging 18.2 m), with grades up to 134 g/t AgEq (see New Release dated April 10th, 2023). These wide widths combined with a shallow dip and a near surface environment make this bulk tonnage and high-grade mineralization amenable to low cost, bulk tonnage mining methods.

The Fox Sheeted Vein Deposit

Located in East Keno and discovered by the Company in 2020, the Fox target area has subsequently seen 2,748 meters of drilling in 18 holes. The 2020 Discovery of the Fox target resulted from drill testing of a multi-kilometer silver-in-soil anomaly developed through the Company's district wide geochemical sampling programs.

The morphology of the Fox deposit is unique to the district. The Fox target is a sheeted vein system with shallow-dipping individual bedding parallel veins predominantly from 1 cm to 10 cm that are hosted in the Earn Group schists. Mineralized widths from the 2022 drilling on the Fox deposit returned the widest zones of mineralization ever reported in the Keno Hill silver district and on a grade x thickness basis are comparable in contained metal with some of the richest zones encountered on the property (See Table 4). Mineralization begins at surface and exhibits a shallow dip of less than 30 degrees with continuous mineralized drill intercepts to 177 meters estimated true thickness. The sheeted Ag-Pb-Zn veins are mineralogically similar to other known productive veins in the district.

The Fox deposit remains open to expansion in all directions and only covers a small part of the multi-kilometer scale anomaly leaving significant room to grow additional resources. The westernmost drilling in the Fox target area, in 2022, demonstrated increasing widths of mineralization that will be tested in future programs along with untested areas of very high-level silver in soil values.

The Homestake Deposit

The Inferred Resource at the historically productive Homestake vein located in the central Keno Hill district is accessible from the Keno road system approximately 6 km from the Keno Area mill (see Figure 1). The Homestake target has seen limited shallow drilling to date with only 88 drill holes for a total of 5,126 m (44 diamond core drill holes totaling 4,007 m and 44 reverse circulation drill holes totaling 1,119 m), at an average of 58 m per hole.

The 2024 Resource Estimate at the Homestake deposit is supported by a number of very high-grade drill results in a limited area of the vein system. The Homestake target area comprises two parallel vein structures within a broad structural corridor over 200 m wide that has a demonstrated strike length of over 1 km in the host Keno Hill quartzite. Homestake #1 vein shows classic Keno-style, high-grade silver-lead-zinc mineralization, while the #2 vein can also show significantly elevated gold with modest silver grades, which is characteristic of some structures in the larger deposits within the Keno Hill Silver District. The strongest grades to date include assays of 4,027 g/t silver from drilling and 4,717 g/t silver from trenching on the Homestake #1 vein, and 22.1 g/t gold with 332 g/t silver from trenching on the Homestake #2 vein.

Over the larger Homestake area there is limited bedrock exposure, but soil sampling has identified a broad corridor of elevated Ag-Pb-Zn results that strikes over 4 km within the host Keno Hill quartzite. The orientation and general indications are that this structure is comparable to the structural corridors seen at the Keno Summit and in the western part of the district at Bermingham/Hector-Calumet.

Historical drilling was targeted near the Homestake adit area where the vein is exposed at surface and early-stage sampling and trenching work returned high grades. To date there are 21 drilled vein intersections grading more than 600 g/t silver equivalent on the Homestake structures, including five that exceed 10 g/t gold on the Homestake #2 structure. Exploration at Homestake will continue to focus on extensions of the structures to the southwest and northeast along the newly identified soil anomalies with a focus on targeting thicker, more massive sections of the Keno Hill quartzite stratigraphy within the estimated 1 km thick target window.

Project Review and Exploration Update

The Keno Silver Project 2024 Resource Estimate is an important milestone following acquisition of most of the land package from 2016 to 2018 on the less explored eastern and southern extensions of the Keno Hill district. The 18.16 Moz AgEq resource is the culmination of only 18,983 m of drilling over the last five field seasons, where the exploration activities have progressed from data compilation to property acquisitions followed by geochemical rock and soil sampling, geologic mapping and geophysical surveys, and then drilling programs to advance early-stage targets. This led to a considerable number of high-grade silver drill intercepts (see Table 4) and at least five drill discoveries (Fox, Gold Hill, UKHM, McKim Creek and Zone 2) and now to the Company's inaugural Inferred Resources for the project (see Table 1).

Metallic Minerals' drilling on the project since 2016 has been 18,983 meters in 165 drill holes with total exploration expenditures of $19.46 million. With the 2024 Resource Estimate, the Company has demonstrated a highly successful systematic and efficient approach to discovery and resource delineation delivering nearly 1,000 AgEq ounces per meter drilled.

Table 4. Summary of Significant Keno Silver Project Drill Results

Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m) Ag (g/t) AgEq (g/t) Target AgEq g/t x Length (m) FOR23-03 239.95 286.0 46.05 99.1 256.8 FORMO 11,825.6 DDH-FOR-20-003 96 101.1 5.1 939.0 1,848.7 FORMO 9,428.6 FOR22-04 125.13 146 20.87 144.6 228.8 FORMO 4,774.8 CH11-007 14.6 18.5 3.9 314.8 1,170.0 CARIBOU 4,563.2 FOX22-03 29.55 101.75 72.2 22.6 62.9 FOX 4,538.3 FOR21-05 94.6 112.5 17.9 88.0 250.9 FORMO 4,491.6 FOR21-06 114.4 123 8.6 309.5 497.7 FORMO 4,280.6 CH17-23 39.7 46 6.3 375.9 630.9 CARIBOU 3,974.4 KS21-47 105.16 114.3 9.14 204.8 383.2 CARIBOU 3,502.4 FOX22-04 67.48 117 49.52 20.9 67.0 FOX 3,317.7 CH11-018 24.1 40.8 16.7 182.6 185.3 CARIBOU 3,094.2 KS21-57 35.05 41.15 6.1 335.2 443.3 CARIBOU 2,704.4 CH11-009 13.5 20 6.5 388.9 411.4 CARIBOU 2,674.4 NA12-02 19.81 28.53 8.72 210.2 261.1 NABOB 2,276.5 CH17-21 38.85 43 4.15 265.0 541.4 CARIBOU 2,246.8 FOR22-01 96 103.95 7.95 125.4 276.6 FORMO 2,199.1 NA12-12 5.4 27.55 22.15 74.7 97.4 NABOB 2,156.3

Notes to Table 4 reported values:

Ag Equivalent is presented for comparative purposes using conservative long-term metal prices (all USD): $22.50/oz silver (Ag), $1,800/oz Gold, $1.00/lb lead (Pb), $1.30/lb zinc (Zn). Recovered Silver Equivalent in Table 4 is determined as follows: AgEq g/t = [Ag g/t x recovery] + [Au g/t x recovery x Au price/ Ag price] + [Pb % x 10,000 x recovery x Pb price / Ag price] + [Zn% x 10,000 x recovery x Zn price / Ag price]. In the above calculations: 1% = 10,000 ppm = 10,000 g/t. The following recoveries have been assumed for purposes of the above equivalent calculations: 95% for precious metals (Ag/Au) and 90% for all other listed metals, based on recoveries at similar nearby operations. Intervals are reported as measured drill intersect lengths. And do not represent true width.

This stepwise process of systematic exploration on the Keno Silver project provides a template for the continued expansion of existing resources, the advancement of early-stage targets to resources and the discovery of new deposits and targets. To date, the Company has defined 42 early-stage targets and has drill tested 11 targets that have returned significant drill intercepts for follow-up. With most of the broad-scale exploration activities completed across the property, the Company will continue to focus on drilling the highest priority targets with the goal of near-term resource growth and new discoveries.

About SGS Geological Services

SGS Geological Services has an experienced and respected mining team focused on the domestic and international mining industry. The team has considerable experience in estimation and modeling of deposits of all types and practical and theoretical experience having carried out hundreds of assessments for clients. The SGS team consists of a multi-disciplinary group of qualified persons with a strong understanding of the disclosure requirements for Mineral Resources set out in the NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (2016), CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (2014) and a strong understanding of the CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines 2019.

About Metallic Minerals

Metallic Minerals Corp. is a Canadian exploration and development stage company, focused on copper, silver, gold, and platinum group elements in the La Plata mining district in Colorado, and silver and gold in the high-grade Keno Hill and Klondike districts of the Yukon. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to making exploration discoveries, growing resources, and advancing projects toward development.

At the Company's La Plata project in southwestern Colorado, the expanded 2023 NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate highlights a significant porphyry copper-silver resource containing 1.2 Blbs copper and 17.6 Moz of silver with numerous additional targets showing potential for a district scale porphyry corridor. Drill results announced in early 2023 included the longest and highest-grade interval ever encountered at La Plata and one of the top intersections for any North American copper project in the past several years. In May 2023, the Company announced a 9.5% strategic investment by Newcrest Mining Limited (acquired by Newmont Corporation in November 2023) to accelerate the advancement of the La Plata project. A 4,500-meter drill program focused on expanding the current mineral resource and testing extensions of strong porphyry-style mineralization was completed in December 2023 with results pending. In the 2023 Fraser Institute's Annual Survey of Mining Companies, Colorado ranked 5th globally for investment attractiveness and 2nd in the USA.

In Canada's Yukon Territory, Metallic Minerals has consolidated the second-largest land position in the historic high-grade Keno Hill silver district, directly adjacent to Hecla Mining Company's operations, with more than 300 Moz of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. The new 2024 Resource Estimate at the Company's Keno Silver Project adds 18.16 Moz silver equivalent (including 9.81 Moz silver) to the district, representing an 8.4% increase to the district's total silver resource3. Hecla, the largest primary silver producer in the USA and third largest in the world, is anticipating full production at its Keno Hill operations in 2024.

The Company is also one of the largest holders of alluvial gold claims in the Yukon and is building a production royalty business by partnering with experienced mining operators, including Parker Schnabel of Little Flake Mining from the Discovery Channel show Gold Rush.

All of the districts in which Metallic Minerals operates have seen significant mineral production and have existing infrastructure, including power and road access. Metallic Minerals is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success on several major precious and base metal deposits in the region, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise. The Metallic Minerals team has been recognized for its environmental stewardship practices and is committed to responsible and sustainable resource development.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Website: www.mmgsilver.com Phone: 604-629-7800

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Toll Free: 1-888-570-4420

Footnotes:

Cathro, R. J., Great Mining Camps of Canada 1. The History and Geology of the Keno Hill Silver Camp, Yukon Territory. Geoscience Canada, Sept. 2006. ISSN 1911-4850. See Hecla Mining general presentation from September 2023, Slide 17, at www.hecla.com. Hecla IR Update September 2023 See Hecla Mining online reserves and resources statement at www.hecla.com. Hecla-2022_YE_Reserves-and-Resources-Charts.pdf

Qualified Persons

The Mineral Resource Estimate for the Keno Silver Project was completed by Allan Armitage, Ph.D., P.Geo., of SGS Geological Services. Dr. Armitage is an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Dr. Armitage has reviewed and approved the technical content regarding the Mineral Resource Estimate in this news release.

Taylor Haid, P.Geo, a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure, not pertaining to the resource estimate, contained in this news release. Mr. Haid is a Senior Geologist for Metallic Minerals.

Sampling Protocol, Quality Assurance & Quality Control

All recovered drill core was transported via helicopter or UTV from the drill at the end of each shift to the core logging facility located on the Formo claims. Down hole surveys were conducted using a Reflex EZ-SHOT at 30 m intervals. Drill core was logged on site by geologists where all geotechnical and geological data was captured and documented. The analyzed core was then marked for sampling and photographed. Drill core was sampled over intervals ranging between 0.5 m to 2 m, ensuring samples were not collected across lithological boundaries. Core samples were cut in half lengthwise with a core saw, placed into a clear sample bag with an associated sample number and tag. The half-core samples were shipped in sealed rice bags by truck to the Bureau Veritas facility in Whitehorse, Yukon. The remaining half remains stored on site near the Formo core logging facility for reference.

All samples were prepared by Bureau Veritas' (BV) Whitehorse, Yukon facility and geochemically analyzed at the BV laboratory in Vancouver, British Columbia. All samples were prepared using BV code PRP70-250, which crushed, split, and pulverized 250 grams of core to 200 mesh pulps. These pulps were then analyzed by 37 Element 1:1:1 Aqua Regia Digestion followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-ES/MS) analyses (BV Code AQ202). Over-limit silver, lead, and zinc samples were further analyzed with multi-acid digestion and atomic absorption spectrometry (BV Code MA404). Samples with over-limit gold (and silver when over-limit was reached via multi-acid) were re-analyzed using a 30-gram fire assay fusion with gravimetric finish (BV Code FA530).

All results have passed the QAQC screening by the lab and the company utilizes a quality control and quality assurance protocol for the project, including insertion of blanks, duplicates, and certified reference materials approximately every tenth sample. Certified reference materials were acquired from OREAS North America Inc. of Sudbury, Ontario, and CDN Resource Laboratories Ltd. Of Langley, British Columbia for the 2023 drill program at the Keno Silver Project.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, statements about expected results of operations, royalties, cash flows, financial position and future dividends as well as financial position, prospects, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, unsuccessful operations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration, development of mines and mining operations is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
TORONTO, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian GoldCamps Corp. (Canadian GoldCamps, or the Company) (CSE: CAMP) (FSE: A68) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent dated February 13, 2024 (the "LOI") with F3 Uranium Corp. (F3) whereby the Company will enter into a definitive option agreement with F3's wholly-owned subsidiary F4 Uranium Corp. ("F4") to earn up to a 70% interest in F4s Murphy Lake Property (the "Property") in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. The Property is located in the north-eastern corner of the Athabasca Basin, 30 km north-west of Orano's McLean Lake deposits, 5 km south of ISOEnergy's Hurricane Uranium Deposit and covers approximately 6.1 square kilometers of land.

To earn an initial 50% in and to the Property, the Company must make the following cash payments, share issuances and property expenditures:

$100,000 within 7 calendar days of signing the LOI; $200,000 upon entering into of a definitive agreement; $150,000 on or before the six-month anniversary of the definitive agreement; $150,000 on or before the 12-month anniversary of the definitive agreement; $150,000 on or before the 18-month anniversary of the definitive agreement; $150,000 on or before the 24-month anniversary of the definitive agreement; following the next equity financing completed by the Company for gross proceeds of not less than $6 million, the Company will issue 9.9% of its then issued and outstanding common shares to F4; $5M on or before the 1-year anniversary of signing the definitive agreement; and $5M on or before the 2-year anniversary of signing the definitive agreement.

Upon the Company earning a 50% interest in the Property, both parties agree to participate in a joint venture for the further exploration and development of the Property, and, if deemed warranted, to bring the Property or a portion thereof into commercial production by establishing and operating a mine.

To earn an additional 20% interest in and to the Property (for a total 70% interest in and to the Property), the Company must make the following cash payments and property expenditures:

$250,000 on or before the 30-month anniversary of signing the definitive agreement; $250,000 on or before the 36-month anniversary of signing the definitive agreement; and $8M on or before the 3-year anniversary of signing the definitive agreement.

Upon the Company exercising the option, F4 shall receive a 2% net smelter royalty (NSR Royalty), provided that the Company shall be responsible only for the percentage of the NSR Royalty equal to its percentage interest in the Property. Therefore, if the Company obtains the initial 50% interest, it shall be responsible for 50% of the NSR Royalty; and if the Company obtains the full 70% interest, it shall be responsible for 70% of the NSR Royalty.

About the Murphy Lake Property

F4's 609-hectare Murphy Lake Project is located in the north-eastern corner of the Athabasca Basin, 30 km northwest of Orano's McLean Lake deposits, 5 km south of ISOEnergy's Hurricane Uranium Deposit, and 4 km east of Cameco's La Rocque Lake Uranium Zone where drill hole Q22-040 intersected 27.9% U O over 7.0 m. The maiden drill program at Murphy Lake was concluded in late September of 2022, and consisted of 14 completed drillholes totaling 6,850m. The scintillometer results from hole ML22-006 intersected up to 2,300 cps (see NR August 10, 2022), which resulted in assay results of 0.065% U3O8 over 2.5m from 322.5m to 324.5m, including 0.242% U3O8 over 0.5m on the E1 EM conductor. Unconformity associated, basement hosted uranium mineralization was encountered along a strike length of 330m on the E1 conductor between ML22-011 and ML22-013 (See Assay Results Map in F3s news release here) and was associated with graphitic and sulphide rich shear zones in an area overlain by approximately 260m of Athabasca Sandstone.

Qualified Person: The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and approved on behalf of F3 by Raymond Ashley, P.Geo., President & COO of F3 Uranium Corp, a Qualified Person. Mr. Ashley has verified the data disclosed.

About Canadian GoldCamps Corp.

Canadian GoldCamps Corp. is a Canadian-based junior exploration stage company engaged in the evaluation, acquisition and exploration of uranium properties.

For further information, please contact:

Canadian GoldCamps

Brendan Purdy, Interim CEO

604-687-2038

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results. Such statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, including, but not limited to statements related to the companys business in general, the ability to complete the transaction, and the timing of completion of the transactions contemplated by definitive option agreement, including the parties' ability to satisfy the conditions or approvals to the consummation of the transaction and the possibility of any termination of the agreement. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise or update such statements.
* Monday will mark the 10th anniversary of the beginning of coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

* Since coordinated development was proposed as a national strategy in 2014, the region has made remarkable breakthroughs in high-quality development, offering Chinese wisdom on the future of mega-urban governance to the world.

* As the benefits of the regional integration gradually emerge, China's endeavors have provided fresh ideas for global megacity clusters facing the increasingly significant challenge of pursuing equitable and sustainable development.

BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Monday will mark the 10th anniversary of the beginning of coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Since coordinated development was proposed as a national strategy in 2014, the region has made remarkable breakthroughs in high-quality development, offering Chinese wisdom on the future of mega-urban governance to the world.

OPTIMIZED INDUSTRIAL LAYOUT

In 2014, Beijing faced urban challenges such as unbalanced, inadequate and uncoordinated development. These issues also affected the broader Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, as the three locations -- also known as "Jing-Jin-Ji" -- had varying development levels despite being neighbors, and resources were highly concentrated in the capital city.

Early in 2014, China initiated a key strategy of coordinating the region's development to create a development model with an improved economic structure, a cleaner environment and improved public services.

Ma Qinghai, general manager of SMC Investment Management China Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Japan's pneumatic component manufacturer SMC Corporation, said that this year's Spring Festival was full of anticipation and excitement.

"We're preparing for the groundbreaking of the much-anticipated second phase of our Tianjin plant," Ma said.

SMC is a beneficiary of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region's coordinated development. Exactly three decades ago, the company chose to settle in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, bullish about China's enormous market potential. In 2018, SMC established a subcompany in Tianjin to aid its expansion layout.

Three years after the Tianjin plant began operation, the company's local output value has already exceeded 1 billion yuan (138.93 million U.S. dollars). SMC has even established a market team tailored to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and is considering investing a further 500 million yuan to build an innovation center in Beijing serving the whole Asia-Pacific region.

And SMC's story is not unique. To relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the capital, many enterprises in Beijing have extended their core industrial chains to Tianjin and Hebei, optimizing the layouts of supply chains and expanding the market.

In 2018, entrepreneur Hu Jianlong moved his agricultural artificial intelligence company from Beijing to Tianjin. And over the past five years, the company's annual order volume has increased from 1 million yuan to 50 million yuan.

"We have policies on par with what companies enjoy in Beijing's Zhongguancun, yet we have lower costs," Hu said.

In the process of relocating its non-essential functions, Beijing has shut down over 3,000 manufacturing companies and closed or upgraded nearly 1,000 markets and logistics centers over the past decade, Liu Bozheng, deputy director of the Beijing office overseeing the integration of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, said at a press briefing Thursday.

Indicating high-quality growth, the proportion of Beijing's new business entities in high-end industries covering technology, commerce, culture and information among all had risen to 66.1 percent in 2023 from 40.7 percent in 2013.

With a more rational industrial layout, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region saw its gross domestic product grow 90 percent from 2013 to hit 10.4 trillion yuan in 2023, official data shows.

Ma noted that over the past decade or so, the Chinese market has contributed half of SMC's global growth.

"We will continue to expand our layout and seize the opportunities and momentum of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development strategy to take our performance to new heights," Ma said.

VISION FOR THE FUTURE

The most important feature of the coordinated development strategy is that it takes the whole region into consideration, noted Shi Xiaodong, chairman of the Beijing Municipal Institute of City Planning and Design.

An Italian business district next to the high-speed railway station in Wuqing, a suburban district of Tianjin, has witnessed how the collaborative efforts have transformed the region.

Wuqing station began operations in 2008 when it handled just 12 train journeys each day, said Guo Junli, a local official in charge of promoting the development of the business district.

"When the Italian business district opened in 2011, the number of trains the station handled every day grew to 22, and then to 46. Today, all weekend intercity trains traveling between Beijing and Tianjin stop at Wuqing, bringing an average of over 16,000 passengers from Beijing to Wuqing every weekend," Guo said. "Wuqing station has already been expanded once and is about to be upgraded again, given the ever-growing flow of traffic."

"The market grew fast with the gradual deepening of regional integration. We welcomed more than 12 million visitors in 2023, with more than 70 percent coming from Beijing or Hebei," said Howard H. Li, board chairman and CEO of Waitex Group, one of the main investors in the business district.

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region now has over 11,000 kilometers of railways, up more than 30 percent from 2013, and nearly 11,000 kilometers of highways, up over 40 percent from 2013, bringing convenience to more than 100 million people living in the region's 13 cities at the prefecture level and above, all of which are included in the coordinated development strategy.

As the regional integration deepens, residents are being presented with a futuristic vision of urban life.

The once heavy smog in the region is almost a distant memory, and Xiong'an, the country's "city of the future," is being built at a rapid pace.

On April 1, 2017, China announced plans to establish the Xiong'an New Area about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing, aiming to build the 1,770-square-kilometer area into a green, innovative city and a national model of high-quality development. Chinese urban planners envision that by the middle of the century, Xiong'an will be a significant part of the Jing-Jin-Ji cluster.

In less than seven years, Xiong'an has been transformed from a blueprint into reality, with over 3,000 buildings rising from the previously barren lowlands and shabby villages. Furthermore, the centrally-administered state-owned enterprises have set up more than 200 subsidiaries and various branches in the area.

"By giving full play to China's institutional advantages and combining effective government with an efficient market, the three locations are exploring possible ways to tackle the world's urban development bottlenecks, and the progress achieved is striking," said Liu Binglian, a professor at Nankai University's College of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Collaborative Development.

As the benefits of the regional integration gradually emerge, China's endeavors have provided fresh ideas for global megacity clusters facing the increasingly significant challenge of pursuing equitable and sustainable development.

"Strengthened coordination across local administrative boundaries within cluster territories brings with it an array of social, economic, and sustainability benefits -- including productivity gains from expanded agglomeration economies and efficiency gains that support the national objective of increasing domestic consumption to fuel future economic growth -- lessons other countries may do well to learn from," read an article authored by Stephen P. Groff, former vice-president at the Asian Development Bank, and Stefan Rau, a senior urban development specialist at the same bank.

(Video reporters: Ma Yujie, Li Shuai, Hao Jie; Video editors: Yu Jiaming, Luo Hui, Zhang Nan)
Nearly three months after the 2012 death of an Erie County Holding Center inmate, jail Deputy Robert States wrote two reports about what happened during the removal of the inmate from his cell and how deputies restrained him.

The reports, both written the same day and one longer than the other, included additional details that werent in States prior reports.

Coverage of the Richard Metcalf Jr. civil trial The 2012 death of Erie County Holding Center inmate Richard Metcalf Jr. is the subject of a civil trial that began with opening statements Feb

They came about a month before the county Medical Examiners Office ruled Richard Metcalf Jr.s death was a homicide.

Details included in the two reports States wrote on March 15, 2013, contradicted the version of events described to the jury in the prior testimony of two emergency medical technicians who responded to the center on Nov. 28, 2012.

The things States wrote in his reports and when those reports were written made up a significant part of his testimony last week in the civil trial over Metcalfs death.

Former medical examiner reveals what she knew, didn't know about Richard Metcalf Jr. Dr. Dianne R. Vertes, whose testimony lasted nearly 11 hours over four days, reached conclusions in 2013 that the state body that polices New York's jails later said it "unilaterally rejects."

The state Commission of Correction has ruled Metcalfs death was caused by jail deputies who improperly restrained him and asphyxiated him after tying a spit mask around his neck and putting a pillowcase over his head. Metcalfs father is accusing the county and five current and former deputies of excessive force, negligence and deprivation of medical care.

States was the first of the deputies to take the stand in the trial, which began with opening statements Feb. 5, and had been initially expected to last about five weeks.

States said he began working as a jail deputy in 2008, and stopped working at the Holding Center in 2016. He now works as a Buffalo police detective.

His first reports about his interactions with Metcalf were written Nov. 27 and Nov. 28, 2012. He also gave a statement to investigators with the Sheriffs Office on Dec. 5, 2012, five days after Metcalf died in Erie County Medical Center.

Citing his March 2013 reports, States testified that it was the EMTs  not jail staff  who decided to keep Metcalf face down on a gurney during transport, and that the EMTs were told a spit mask had been placed on Metcalf, 35, who had been spitting blood.

'Not moving fast': Judge says trial in death of Holding Center inmate likely to extend beyond time jurors were told The trial against Erie County and five current and former deputies in the death of Richard A. Metcalf Jr. is seven or eight witnesses behind schedule, State Supreme Court Justice Mark J. Grisanti said.

States told the jury that he asked one of the EMTs if he wanted him to change Metcalfs position so his hands would be cuffed in front of his body.

The EMT said the deputies should leave him as is, and they would put a new spit mask on Metcalf in the ambulance.

States, who testified over more than 4 hours on Thursday and Friday, said he did not include any of that information in his earlier reports.

In earlier testimony, the EMTs said they were unaware of the spit mask until they pulled the pillow case off of Metcalfs head in the back of the ambulance.

They also told jurors they felt intimidated by deputies in the Holding Center and were not allowed to assess Metcalf until they brought him back to their ambulance. One described the situation in a jail medical room as awkward.

'You could feel that there was something wrong': EMT testifies in case of Holding Center inmate death "It was a heavy situation," emergency medical technician Robert Moleski said. "You could feel that there was something wrong, but you didnt know exactly what it was."

It was a heavy situation, Robert Moleski said. You could feel that there was something wrong, but you didnt know exactly what it was.

Michael Scinta, one of the plaintiffs attorneys, asked States how these new reports came to be written.

States said he must have been directed to write them by a superior, which is how such reporting usually works.

He said he was asked for more detail about what happened.

States said he doesnt know who directed him to write the reports.

Counselor who assessed Metcalf at Holding Center says she was missing information Rebecca McDaniel's assessment of Richard Metcalf Jr., which was not the court-ordered evaluation, appeared to be performed without relevant information jail staff and authorities already had about the inmate. That order said Metcalf had been demonstrating "very erratic behavior."

He said he didnt recall if there had been any talk around the jail that the medical examiner was considering ruling Metcalfs death a homicide around the time of his March reports.

Other discrepancies with States versions of events arose during his testimony:

 In his first report from March 15, 2013, States reported Metcalf was kicking his feet and yelling during his transport to the ambulance. Jail security video shows Metcalf was still during the transport.

 In an interview with the state Commission of Correction, video of which was shown to the jury, States told investigators a female EMT simply pulled the spit mask off Metcalf in the ambulance. Photos of the spit mask show the straps were cut, which is what an EMT said he had to do because it was tied so tightly around Metcalf's neck.

In his second March 15, 2013, report, States said he was in the ambulance after Metcalf was loaded inside and it was he who suggested to the EMTs they check on Metcalf, who was still restrained with handcuffs and items over his head. In their testimony, the EMTs described immediately assessing Metcalf once he was in the ambulance.

'I love the boys in blue': Depew police officer describes arrest of Richard Metcalf Jr. In a matter of about three minutes, Depew Police Officer Rene Smith saw different sides of Richard Metcalf Jr. Inside a Depew banquet center at around 2:30 a.m. on Nov. 27, 2012, Metcalf charged at Smith with a large wrench in his right hand after Smith said he pursued him through the burglary scene and, with his gun drawn, ordered Metcalf to get on the ground.

The shower incident

Metcalf arrived at the Holding Center around 3:30 p.m. Nov. 27, 2012, near the start of States shift in the jails intake area.

Depew police arrested Metcalf during a burglary early that morning. After a trip to ECMC to be evaluated after being stunned with a Taser, Depew police brought him to the Holding Center smelling of feces.

A sergeant directed States and another deputy to take Metcalf to the shower before completing a thorough search.

The plaintiffs attorneys have come to refer to that period as the shower incident.

'Denying and denying and denying': Jurors hear opening arguments in civil trial in 2012 Holding Center inmate death Attorneys on both sides delivered opening arguments Monday in a civil trial over the death of a man at the Erie County Holding Center in November 2012. The trial in State Supreme Court is scheduled to last at least five weeks.

On the way to the shower, Metcalf kept trying to pull away from them, States told the jury.

During the first week of the trial, a Depew police detective who transported Metcalf to the Holding Center testified he was told by a deputy at the jail, That guy freaked out on us in the shower and we had to take him down.

On the stand, States initially testified there was no takedown of Metcalf in the shower. He also made no mention of such an event during his pretrial deposition.

But in a statement he gave to the State Police in May 2013 for their investigation into Metcalfs death, States told the investigator he brought him to the ground and secured him again, Scinta said during his questioning of States.

I still dont recall taking him to the ground, States told the jury. If I wrote it then, I would go with it.

'Most expensive' Metcalf case costs Erie County $900,000 and counting The civil trial over the death of Erie County Holding Center inmate Richard A. Metcalf Jr. in 2012 is expected to be the most expensive case the county has ever had to defend.

States said he didnt file a use of force report for what happened in the shower.

Simply taking someone down to secure them wouldnt warrant that, he said.

Filing a use of force report isnt always required, States said. Even if an injury occurs, such a report is not required, he said.

Different circumstances warrant having these done or not, he said.

The only thing that is required is for deputies to inform their supervisors, he said.

Both States and his partner filed use of force reports later that night, when Metcalf returned from a visit to ECMC that followed an evaluation by medical staff at the jail.

When States and his partner were escorting Metcalf to his cell, he became resistant. States partners report said Metcalf veered in a different direction than the deputies were attempting to escort him.
With historical intercept of 168 grams per tonne gold over 2.4 metres

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / McFarlane Lake Mining Limited ("McFarlane" or the "Company") (CBOE (formerly NEO):MLM) (OTCQB:MLMLF), a Canadian mineral exploration and development company, is pleased to announce the addition of four additional claims on its High Lake property (40 kilometres west of Kenora, Ontario) extending its property position in an area with known gold zones and their extensions in the northwest of the current property package.

The claims increase McFarlane's land position at High Lake from 584.82 to 626.00 hectares. These claims are strategically important (See Figures 1 and 2) as they fill in a gap on the western part of McFarlane's property, which hosts the extension of both the D and R zones and provides access and expansion opportunities for the A, B and C Zones.

Figure 1 - Newly Added claims

Historical drilling (non-NI 43-101 compliant) has outlined three zones straddling the boundary between the High Lake property and the newly added claims. Highlights from this drilling, as shown in Figure 2, include 32.2gpt Au over 3.7m in hole E-1, 22.0gpt Au over 7.3m in hole E-13 and 168.8gpt Au over 2.4m in hole E-36, respectively from Zones A, B and C. All of the above intercepts are considered historical. McFarlane Lake Mining's historical resource disclosure can be viewed here.

The addition of these new claims will allow for expansion of the known zones and potential new discoveries along projections of the mineralizing trend. Prior to adding these claims, exploration would have been limited in this highly prospective area. By having these additional claims, much deeper diamond drilling exploration can occur, increasing McFarlane's ability to explore at depth. Deeper drilling has proven to add significant gold resources elsewhere on the property at the Purdex zone.

Figure 2 - Historical Drilling Highlights

McFarlane Lake is currently drilling a 10,000-metre drill program at the Purdex Zone as a follow-up to the filing of an NI 43-101 compliant technical report in July 2023 that identified 96,200 Inferred ounces and 45,800 Indicated ounces of gold at a grade of 10.43 grams per tonne of gold and 9.38 grams per tonne of gold, respectively.

Table 1: Current Purdex Zone Mineral Resource at 2.6 g/t Au cut-off

Classification Tonnes (k) Au (g/t) Au (k Oz) Indicated 152 9.38 45.8 Inferred 287 10.43 96.2

A technical report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") with respect to the High Lake and West Hawk Lake properties is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at https://mcfarlanelakemining.com.

Qualified Person

The technical contents of this news release have been reviewed and approved by Robert Kusins, Vice President of Geology of McFarlane. Mr. Kusins is a qualified person, as defined by NI 43-101. However, Mr. Kusins is not independent of the Company by virtue of his position.

About McFarlane Lake Mining Limited

McFarlane is a mineral exploration company focused on the exploration and development of the High Lake mineral property located immediately east of the Ontario-Manitoba border and the West Hawk Lake mineral property located immediately west of the Ontario-Manitoba border. In addition, McFarlane holds the McMillan and Mongowin mineral property located 70 km west of Sudbury, which hosts the past-producing McMillan Gold Mine. McFarlane also owns the Michaud/Munro mineral property situated 115 km east of Timmins along the so-called "Golden Highway". McFarlane is a "reporting issuer" under applicable securities legislation in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.

Additional information on McFarlane can be found by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release, including without limitation; anticipated results of geophysical surveys or drilling programs, estimated timing, geological interpretations and potential mineral recovery processes. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of McFarlane to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Filing Statement dated as of January 14, 2022, which is available for view on SEDAR at www.SEDAR.com Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release, and McFarlane disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

McFarlane's operations could be significantly adversely affected by the effects of a widespread global outbreak of a contagious disease, including the recent outbreak of illness caused by COVID-19. It is not possible to accurately predict the impact COVID-19 will have on operations and the ability of others to meet their obligations, including uncertainties relating to the ultimate geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, and the length of travel and quarantine restrictions imposed by governments of affected countries. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could further affect operations and the ability to finance its operations.

Further Information

For further information regarding this press release, please contact:

Roger Emdin, Chief Operating Officer

McFarlane Lake Mining Limited

(705) 562-8520

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Craig MacPhail

NATIONAL

(416) 525-5709

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - Kraken Energy Corp. (CSE: UUSA) (OTCQB: UUSAF) (FSE: F2C) (the "Company" or "Kraken") is pleased to report that the Company has mobilized for drilling at the Harts Point Uranium Property ("Harts Point" or the "Property") in San Juan County, Utah.

The Phase I drilling program will explore the property and drill up to 1,000 meters ("m") (3,280 ft) from two drill pad locations over a 5-km strike length targeting the favorable uranium bearing Chinle Formation host rock where three historical oil wells returned "off-scale" radioactivity.

CEO Matthew Schwab stated: "As we resume our phase I drilling program at Harts Point our team is very excited to properly test the extensive off-scale radioactivity encountered in historic oil and gas wells on the property. With proximity to significant historical uranium production, and existing infrastructure for potential future milling capacity, the property is perfectly situated to capitalize on the project's exceptional potential to discover a trend of high-grade uranium deposits located within a pro-mining jurisdiction."

Harts Point Property Highlights:

World class uranium jurisdiction: located in the center of the Colorado Plateau, which has produced over 590 million ("M") pounds ("lbs") U 3 O 8 at 0.2 to 0.4% U 3 O 8 since the 1950s 1,5-8 .

located in the center of the Colorado Plateau, which has produced since the 1950s . Property consists of 324 lode mining claims on Bureau of Land Management (" BLM ") ground that covers an area of 2,622 hectares ("ha") (6,480 acres) .

on Bureau of Land Management (" ") ground that covers an area of . Harts Point Anticline is Analogous to the Lisbon Valley Anticline: where the Lisbon Valley Uranium District hosted 17 large uranium mines which produced approximately 80M lbs U 3 O 8 at 0.34% U 3 O 8 from 1948 to 1988 2 . The dimensions of these tabular sandstone-hosted uranium deposits range from 2 to 13 m (7 to 43 feet) thick, 100 to 3,048 m (328 to 10,000 feet) long, and 31 to 427 m (100 to 1,400 feet) wide 3 .

where the Lisbon Valley Uranium District hosted from 1948 to 1988 .

Significant Historic Uranium Production: Several historic mines located 11 km (7 miles) west of the Harts Point Property produced approximately 280,000 lbs U 3 O 8 at 0.3% U 3 O 8 from the favorable Chinle Formation host rock 4 . The Lisbon Valley Anticline is located 31 km (19 miles) to the east of the Harts Point Property produced approximately 80M lbs U 3 O 8 0.34% U 3 O 8 2 .



Historic Exploration: Three wide-spaced historic oil and gas wells on the Property (Figure 1) along the east flank of the Harts Point Anticline show 'off-scale' radioactivity within the favorable Chinle Formation host rock. Drilled between 1953 and 1980, historic drill holes 43-037-10438, 43-037-30109, and 43-037-30623 showed off-scale radioactivity readings between 2.1 to 3.7 m thickness (7 to 12 feet) from depths of 390 to 417 m (1,280 to 1,368 feet).

(Figure 1) along the east flank of the Harts Point Anticline

Excellent Infrastructure: located approximately 64 km (40 miles) north of the White Mesa uranium processing facility. There is also excellent access throughout the Property, which is situated 45 km (28 miles) from the town of Monticello, Utah.

located approximately

Figure 1: Harts Point Property with Local Uranium Occurrences

Appointment of Director & Changes in Management:

The Company is pleased to announce that it has appointed Marlis Yassin as a director of the Company, effective February 12th, 2024.

Ms. Yassin brings more than 15 years of executive financial management and leadership experience to the Kraken team. As a senior executive or advisor to a number of global companies, Ms. Yassin has considerable experience in strategic planning, financing, acquisitions, and financial reporting and controls. Marlis is an accomplished financial executive with extensive experience in building and leading teams. She has a sophisticated knowledge of public companies, capital markets, IPOs, equity financing, and financial and regulatory reporting.

Matthew Schwab, Kraken's CEO commented: "We are excited to welcome Marlis to the Kraken team and believe that her financial management and leadership experience will be an asset as we continue to advance our properties and provide value for our shareholders."

On February 6th, 2024, Zachery Hibdon resigned as VP, Exploration of the Company. We thank Zachery for his contributions to advance the Company's exploration assets in his tenure with Kraken Energy and wish him luck in his future endeavors.

Moving forward, all exploration will be managed by the Company's Senior Geologist, Madeline Berry, with support from the experienced and professional team at Rangefront Mining Services of Elko Nevada.

References:

1 Holger Albrethsen, Jr. and Frank E. McGinley (1982). Summary History of Domestic Procurement Under U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Contracts, September 1982.

2 Chenoweth, W.L. (1990). Lisbon Valley, Utah's Premier Uranium Area, a Summary of Exploration and Ore Production. Utah Geological Survey Open File Report 188, July 1990.

3 Gordon W. Weir and Willard P. Puffett (1981). Incomplete manuscript on stratigraphy and structural geology and uranium-vanadium and copper deposits of the Lisbon Valley area, Utah-Colorado. Open-File Report 81-39. Pages 153 to 163. United States Department of the Interior

Geological Survey.

4 Chenoweth, W.L. (1993): The geology and Production History of the Uranium deposits in the White Canyon Mining District, San Juan County, Utah, Utah Geological Survey Miscellaneous Publication 93-3.

5 Mills, Stephanie E. and Bear Jordan (2021). Uranium and Vanadium Resources of Utah: An Update in the Era of Critical Minerals and Carbon Neutrality, Open File Report 735, Utah Geological Survey.

6 Chenoweth, William L. (1981). The Uranium - Vanadium Deposits of the Uravan Mineral Belt and Adjacent Areas, Colorado and Utah, New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 32nd Field Conference, Western Slope Colorado.

7 McLemore, Virginia T. and Willam L. Chenoweth (1989). Uranium Resources in New Mexico, Resource Map 18, New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources.

8 Chenoweth, William L. and Virginia T. McLemore (1989). Uranium Resources on the Colorado Plateau in Energy Frontiers in the Rockies, Albuquerque Geological Society.

Technical Information:

All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared by or reviewed and approved by Matthew Schwab, P.Geo., President and CEO of the Company, and Garrett Ainsworth, P.Geo., Chairman of the Company. Each of Mr. Schwab and Mr. Ainsworth is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

The data disclosed in this news release is related to historical drilling results. Kraken has not undertaken any independent investigation of the sampling, nor has it independently analyzed the results of the historical exploration work in order to verify the results. Kraken considers these historical drill results relevant as the Company is using this data as a guide to plan exploration programs. The Company's current and future exploration work includes verification of the historical data through drilling.

About the Harts Point Property:

Harts Point is located in the center of the Colorado Plateau, referred to by some as "the Athabasca Basin of the US" and is 64 kilometers ("km") (40 miles) north of the White Mesa Uranium Mill, the only fully licensed and operating conventional uranium mill in the United States. The Property consists of 324 lode mining claims on Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") ground and drill permits are in place for up to 20 exploration drill holes.

About Kraken Energy Corp.:

Kraken Energy Corp. is a new energy company advancing its portfolio of high-grade uranium properties in the Unites States. The Company is advancing its 100%-owned Apex Uranium Property, located 280 km (174 miles) east from Reno, Nevada which is recognized as Nevada's largest past-producing uranium mine. The Company has additionally entered into an option agreement to earn 100% of the Garfield Hills Uranium Property. The past-producing Garfield Hills Uranium Property covers 1,238 ha (3,060 acres) and is located 19 km (12 miles) east of Hawthorne in Mineral County, Nevada. Kraken Energy has also recently staked the Huber Hills Uranium Property, located 136 km (85 miles) north of Elko, Nevada which covers 1,044 ha (2,580 acres) and encompasses the historic Race Track open pit mine. The Company has recently entered into an option agreement to earn 75% of the Harts Point Uranium Property. The Harts Point Uranium Property covers 2,622 ha (6,480 acres) and is located 49 km (30 miles) northwest of Monticello in San Juan County, Utah.

For more information about the Company, please visit; www.krakenenergycorp.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Kraken Energy Corp.:

Matthew Schwab

President & Chief Executive Officer

Corporate Office:

Suite 907 - 1030 West Georgia Street

Vancouver, British Columbia

V6E 2Y3

T: (604) 628-2669

For investor relations inquiries, contact:

Kin Communications Inc.

T: (604) 684-6730

E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-Looking statements in this press release include our plans for exploration at the properties. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be comparable; the availability of labour, equipment and markets for the products produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, conditions changing such that the minerals on our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged mine can be obtained. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - Onyx Gold Corp. (TSXV: ONYX) (OTCQX: ONXGF) ("Onyx" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement of securities for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $1,500,000 (the "Offering").

The Offering will be comprised of a combination of flow-through shares (the "FT Shares") to be sold at a price of $0.215 per FT Share and premium flow-through shares (the "Premium FT Shares") to be sold at a price of $0.27 per Premium FT Share. Each FT Share and Premium FT Share will qualify as a "flow-through share" within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act").

"The flow-through funds raised in this offering enables us to launch a 3,000 meter follow-up drill program on our Munro-Croesus property in Timmins, Ontario while preserving the Company's $3M hard dollar treasury of cash and marketable securities," said Brock Colterjohn, President & CEO. "By capitalizing on the winter months we can access certain drill sites while the ground is frozen, allowing for more favourable drilling orientations on the new GM Vein discovery. Additionally, we will drill the Argus Zone further towards the west, where our westernmost hole suggested that the zone is increasing in strength as it likely converges with the regional Pipestone Fault. The company is also planning a summer field program with these raised funds to generate and refine drill targets on our recently acquired Lalonde property, which is contiguous with our Munro-Croesus property."

The gross proceeds raised from the sale of the FT Shares and Premium FT Shares will be used for exploration activities in Ontario that will qualify as "Canadian Exploration Expenses" and "flow through mining expenditures" (as such terms are defined in the Tax Act), which will be incurred on or before December 31, 2025 and renounced with an effective date no later than December 31, 2024 to the initial purchasers of FT Shares and Premium FT Shares.

The Company may pay finders' fees comprised of cash and securities in connection with the Offering, subject to compliance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued and sold under the Offering will be subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day from their date of issuance. Completion of the Offering and the payment of any finders' fees remain subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Onyx Gold

Onyx Gold is an exploration company focused on well-established Canadian mining jurisdictions, with assets in Timmins, Ontario, and Yukon Territory. The Company's extensive portfolio of quality gold projects in the greater Timmins gold camp includes the Munro-Croesus Gold property, renowned for its high-grade mineralization, plus two additional earlier-stage large exploration properties, Golden Mile and Timmins South. Onyx Gold also controls four properties in the Selwyn Basin area of Yukon Territory, which is currently gaining significance due to recent discoveries in the area. Onyx Gold's experienced board and senior management team are committed to creating shareholder value through the discovery process, careful allocation of capital, and environmentally/socially responsible mineral exploration.

About the Timmins Area Gold Properties

Onyx owns 100% of its three Timmins properties, totaling 420 km2 in size. The Munro-Croesus Gold Project is located approximately 75 kilometers (47 miles) east of Timmins, proximal to the Porcupine-Destor and Pipestone Faults, and approximately two kilometers (1.2 miles) northwest and along trend of Mayfair Gold Corp.'s multi-million ounce Fenn-Gib gold deposit. Mining occurred intermittently at Munro-Croesus between 1915 and 1936. The Golden Mile 140 square kilometer (54 square miles) property is located nine kilometers (5.6 miles) northeast of Newmont's multi-million-ounce Hoyle Pond deposit in Timmins. The Timmins South (Golden Perimeter) 187 square kilometers (72 square miles) property is located to the south and southeast of Timmins and surrounds the Shaw dome structure.

On Behalf of Onyx Gold Corp.

"Brock Colterjohn"

President & CEO

For further information, please visit the Onyx Gold Corp. website at www.onyxgold.com or contact:

Brock Colterjohn, President & CEO

or

Nicole Hoeller, VP of Corporate Communications

Phone: 1-604-629-1165 or North American toll-free 1-855-629-1165

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Website: www.onyxgold.com

Twitter : @OnyxGoldCorp

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forwardlooking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things, completion of the Offering, the use of proceeds from the Offering, the payment of finders' fees under the Offering and the proposed exploration plans for the Munro-Croesus and Lalonde properties.

These forwardlooking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the Company not receiving the necessary regulatory approvals in respect of the Offering; recent market volatility; the state of the financial markets for the Company's securities; the exploration of the Munro-Croesus and Lalonde properties not occurring as anticipated, or at all.

In making the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that the Company will receive the necessary regulatory approvals in respect of the Offering and that the Company will have sufficient resources to be able to conduct the exploration of the Munro-Croesus and Lalonde properties as anticipated.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.
Drilling to focus on immediate resource growth and testing of large-scale copper exploration targets

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSXV:BAY) (OTCQB:ATBHF) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to report the details of an aggressive exploration program set to commence at the Storm Copper Project ("Storm" or the "Project") on Somerset Island, Nunavut. The program will be conducted by American West Metals Limited ("American West"), who is the operator of the Project. American West will be solely responsible for funding the program.

Highlights

Field program will commence in March 2024 focused on resource expansion/definition and exploration

Extensive 22,000 metres (m) reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling program planned with a focus on: Testing the extensions of the mineralized zones at Storm (National Instrument 43-101 maiden resource anticipated to be released in March-April, 2024) Resource definition of the known high-grade copper (Cu) discoveries at the Thunder (48.6m @ 3.0% copper (Cu)), Lightning Ridge (30.4m @ 2.2% Cu) and The Gap zones (1.5m @ 4.4% Cu and 2m @ 2.5% Cu) at Storm Exploration for new high-grade copper zones along strike and below the existing prospects and copper discoveries Exploration along the prospective >100 kilometre (km) long copper belt including the Blizzard, Tornado and Tempest prospects

High-resolution surface electromagnetic (EM) surveys are planned at the underexplored Blizzard, Tornado and Tempest Prospect areas

Permitting roadmap continuing with environmental, mining and metallurgical studies underway

"We are excited about this significant exploration program at Storm," stated Thomas Ullrich, CEO of Aston Bay. "partner American West is fully financed and currently coordinating mobilization in order to conduct the 2024 resource expansion and exploration program. Geophysics and 22,000m of planned drilling will focus on expanding the known areas of near-surface high-grade copper mineralization at several prospects at Storm, as well as continuing to explore for new targets at depth and along strike over the almost 100-kilometre prospective trend for sediment-hosted copper mineralization."

Figure 1: Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling at the Cyclone Deposit during 2023.

EXPANSION OF MINERALIZED ZONES

The open zones of the known copper mineralization, recent discoveries of copper mineralization in the Storm area, and the largely untested 100km prospective copper belt highlight the outstanding potential for the discovery and definition of further resources within the Project area.

Figure 2: Plan view of the Storm Project showing drilling, overlaying Fixed Loop Electromagnetic (FLEM) imagery (Late time conductivity - Channel 16. Hotter colours indicate higher conductivity).

In addition to the potential expansion of the Cyclone Zone suggested by the conductivity anomaly at Cyclone North, three immediate opportunities have been defined for the expansion and addition of new zones of mineralization at Storm, including the Thunder and Lightning Ridge, Cyclone North, and The Gap Prospects (Figure 2).

All of these prospects contain high-grade copper mineralization (including 48.6m @ 3.0% Cu within drill hole ST23-03 at Thunder) and are characterized by broad zones of late time EM conductivity and more localized, highly-conductive bullseye' style EM anomalies.

EM anomalies tested to date in the Storm area have a strong correlation with the higher-grade, >2.0% Cu mineralization.

A recent review and reinterpretation of the historical Induced Polarization (IP) data has also yielded exciting results and defined numerous targets for the potential discovery of further copper mineralization (Figure 3).

IP is an effective geophysical method for the detection of network textured and vein-hosted sulfides. The IP data has been reassessed using a metal factor' algorithm which filters the raw resistivity and conductivity data to define areas likely containing metallic sulfides (including copper sulphide), as opposed to other potential sources of the IP (i.e. clay, iron-oxides).

The new imagery highlights a series of extensive IP anomalies that are coincident with the known copper deposits and main structures of the graben fault system (main copper fluid sources).

Of particular interest is a newly defined anomaly located immediately to the south of the Cyclone Zone, across the graben fault. The anomaly is interpreted to be at a deeper stratigraphic level (~100-200m depth) to Cyclone and covers an area roughly the same size as the known Cyclone mineralization. This anomaly is located in an area of no drilling and may represent a southern, offset extension of the Cyclone copper mineralization.

Multiple other anomalies have been highlighted in this data set, including strong coincident anomalies with the Corona and Cirrus Deposits, and the Thunder, Lightning Ridge, and The Gap Prospects.

Detailed Moving Loop Electromagnetics (MLEM) and approximately 12,000m of drilling have been planned for resource expansion activities in the Storm area. These activities will commence during March/April 2024.

Figure 3: Plan view of the Storm area showing the known copper deposits and drilling, overlaying IP metal factor imagery (Hotter colours indicate higher conductivity contrast) at -100 to 200m depth.

EXPLORATION PROGRAM

The recent exploration and resource definition activities suggest that Storm and new copper discoveries are only a small part of a larger sediment hosted copper mineralized system.

High-grade copper sulphide mineralization has been found at a stratigraphic level 200m below the known copper deposits, and at numerous other locations along the 100km strike of the prospective copper belt. Significantly, the same high-grade copper mineral assemblage of chalcocite-bornite-chalcopyrite is present in the new deeper discoveries as in the extensive near-surface mineralization.

Exploration activities during 2024 will be aimed at extending the coverage of drilling and detailed geophysics into these underexplored areas.

The exploration program will first focus below the Storm Prospects at depth, and at the Blizzard, Tornado and Tempest Prospects. Surface geophysics, including Moving Loop Electromagnetics (MLEM) and gravity, and RC and diamond drilling will be used to screen and test the highest-priority targets.

Approximately 10,000m of drilling has been allocated to the exploration work.

BLIZZARD AND TORNADO PROSPECTS

The Blizzard and Tornado Prospects are located approximately 5-10km along strike to the southeast of Storm. The area shares a geological setting that is interpreted to be identical to that of Storm, and contains numerous outcropping copper occurrences with coincident geophysical anomalies.

The Tornado Prospect is centered on an area with abundant chalcocite and malachite boulders in frost heaved sub-crop and float, within a 3.2km x 1.5km geochemical copper anomaly. The large copper anomaly shares the same linear trend as the main structural features of the Storm graben. Most of the anomalous copper samples are located around the interpreted northern graben fault, which is a similar setting to that of the large and laterally extensive Cyclone Prospect at Storm.

The Blizzard Prospect is defined by a broad, oval shaped zone of elevated Vertical Time Domain Electromagnetics (VTEM) conductance with approximate dimensions of 4.0km x 1.5km. The target is enhanced locally by elevated levels of copper in rock and soil samples.

Both the Tornado and Blizzard Prospects also contain a number of strong gravity anomalies (defined using 2015 and 2016 gravity survey data), which share similar features to those defined at Storm during 2023. The gravity anomalies are located in favourable geological locations and are coincident with the soil and rock copper anomalies (Figure 4).

Moving Loop Electromagnetics (MLEM) and drilling will be used to follow-up these prospective areas with the aim of defining another Storm-style copper camp along strike of the existing copper resources.

Figure 4: Gravity anomalies at the Tornado and Blizzard Prospects - terrain corrected Bouger gravity anomalies from 2023 survey.

TEMPEST PROSPECT

The Tempest Prospect is located approximately 40 kilometres south of the known copper discoveries at Storm (Figures 5 to 7). The area was discovered through historical rock and soil sampling which defined copper gossans over 250m, with assays returning copper grades up to 32% Cu.

The geology of the area is interpreted to contain the southern extension of the highly prospective Storm copper belt, overlapping much older Proterozoic rocks to the west. This geological setting and the interpreted unconformity between two main geological terranes are interpreted to be highly prospective for base metal mineralization.

A small reconnaissance sampling and field mapping program during the 2023 field season was aimed at expanding the understanding of the area. The mapping revealed a series of gossans that are significantly more extensive than originally defined. The gossans have now been traced over 4km of strike to the north and south of the original Tempest Prospect, significantly upgrading the exploration potential of the area.

Seven samples were collected of gossanous rock outcrop and float, and one was collected from exposed gneiss basement. A number of the gossanous samples yielded highly anomalous base metals with copper grades up to 38.2% Cu and zinc grades 30.8% Zn.

A ground Loupe Electromagnetic (TDEM) and magnetic survey were also completed over the Tempest area during August 2023 to aid with mapping the stratigraphy and to define potential targets for further exploration work (Figure 6).

The TDEM survey has defined a series of conductive anomalies that lie along the strike of the stratigraphy and are coincident with the copper/zinc gossans in a number of areas (Figure 6). The conductors are localised and modelling of the data estimates that they are potentially steeply dipping. The relatively short strike length of the conductive features is positive and suggests that the anomalies may not be related to conductive stratigraphic horizons such as black shales, graphite, or iron sulfides.

Moving Loop Electromagnetics (MLEM) and drilling will be used to follow up on these highly prospective areas.

Figure 5: Photo of the southern Tempest copper/zinc gossan (brown/reddish rocks), looking north.

Figure 6: Plan view map of the Tempest Prospect showing the mapped gossans and geochemical sampling points, overlaying TDEM image (late time conductivity - Gate 6) and aerial photography.

Figure 7: Map of the Project area showing the known copper and base metal deposits/prospects overlaying magnetics (Airborne GeoTEM - hotter colours indicate higher magnetic intensity). The Tempest Prospect is located approximately 40km south of Storm Copper.

About the Storm Copper and Seal Zinc-Silver Projects, Nunavut

The Nunavut property consists of 173 contiguous mining claims covering an area of approximately 219,257 hectares on Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada. The Storm Project comprises both the Storm Copper Project, a high-grade sediment-hosted copper discovery (intersections including 110m* @ 2.45% Cu from surface and 56.3m* @ 3.07% Cu from 12.2m) as well as the Seal Zinc Deposit (intersections including 14.4m* @ 10.58% Zn, 28.7g/t Ag from 51.8m and 22.3m* @ 23% Zn, 5.1g/t Ag from 101.5m). Additionally, there are numerous underexplored and undrilled targets within the 120-kilometre strike length of the mineralized trend, including the Tornado copper prospect where 10 grab samples yielded >1% Cu up to 32% Cu in gossans. The Nunavut property is now the subject of an 80/20 unincorporated joint venture with American West (see "Agreement with American West" below for more details).

Storm Discovery and Historical Work

High-grade copper mineralization was discovered at Storm in the mid-1990s by Cominco geologists conducting regional zinc exploration around their then-producing Polaris lead-zinc mine. A massive chalcocite boulder found in a tributary of the Aston River in 1996 was traced to impressive surface exposures of broken chalcocite mineralization for hundreds of metres of surface strike length at what became named the 2750N, 2200N, and 3500N zones. Subsequent seasons of prospecting, geophysics and over 9,000 m of drilling into the early 2000s confirmed a significant amount of copper mineralization below the surface exposures as well as making the blind discovery of the 4100N Zone, a large area of copper mineralization with no surface exposure.

Following the merger of Cominco with Teck in 2001 and the closure of the Polaris Mine, the Storm claims were allowed to lapse in 2007. Commander Resources staked the property in 2008 and flew a helicopter-borne VTEM survey in 2011 but conducted no additional drilling. Aston Bay subsequently entered into an earn-in agreement with Commander and consolidated 100% ownership in 2015. Commander retains a 0.875% Gross Overriding Royalty in the area of the original Storm claims.

In 2016 Aston Bay entered into an earn-in agreement with BHP, who conducted a 2,000-station soil sampling program and drilled 1,951m of core in 12 diamond drill holes, yielding up to 16m* @ 3.1% Cu. BHP exited the agreement in 2017 and retains no residual interest in the project. Aston Bay conducted a property-wide airborne gravity gradiometry survey in 2017 and drilled 2,913m in nine core holes in the Storm area in 2018 yielding a best intercept of 1.5m* @ 4.39% Cu and 20.5m* @ 0.56% Cu.

Agreement with American West

As previously disclosed, Aston Bay entered into an Option Agreement dated March 9, 2021 (the "Option Agreement") with American West Metals Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tornado Metals Ltd. (collectively, "American West") pursuant to which American West was granted an option (the "Option") to earn an 80% undivided interest in the Project by spending a minimum of CAD$10 million on qualifying exploration expenditures ("Expenditures"). The parties amended and restated the Option Agreement as of February 27, 2023 to facilitate American West potentially financing the Expenditures through flow-through shares but did not change the commercial agreement between the parties.

The Expenditures were completed during the 2023 drilling program and American West exercised the Option in accordance with the terms of the Option Agreement, as amended. American West and Aston Bay will form an 80/20 unincorporated joint venture and enter into a joint venture agreement. Under such agreement, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Project will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%.

Recent Work

American West completed a fixed loop electromagnetic (FLEM) ground geophysical survey in 2021 that yielded several new subsurface conductive anomalies. A total of 1,534m were drilled in 10 diamond drill holes in the 2022 season, yielding several impressive near-surface intercepts including 41m* @ 4.1% Cu as well as 68m of sulfide mineralization associated with a deeper conductive anomaly.

In April 2022, results of beneficiation studies demonstrated that a mineralized intercept grading 4% Cu from the 4100N area could be upgraded to a 54% Cu direct ship product using standard sorting technology. Further beneficiation studies are ongoing.

In April 2023, American West embarked on a spring delineation drilling program using a helicopter-portable RC drill rig as well as conducting gravity and moving loop electromagnetic (MLEM) ground geophysical programs.

The summer 2023 program conducted further delineation drilling of the near-surface high-grade copper zones to advance them toward maiden resource estimates by late 2023 or early 2024. Diamond drilling tested new high-priority gravity targets and environmental baseline studies will be initiated.

*Stated drill hole intersections are all core length, and true width is expected to be 60% to 100% of core length.

QA/QC Protocols

The analytical work reported on herein was performed by ALS Global ("ALS"), Vancouver Canada. ALS is an ISO-IEC 17025:2017 and ISO 9001:2015 accredited geoanalytical laboratory and is independent of Aston Bay Holdings Ltd., American West Metals Limited, and the QP. Drill core and hand samples were subject to crushing at a minimum of 70% passing 2 mm, followed by pulverizing of a 250-gram split to 85% passing 75 microns. Samples were subject to 33 element geochemistry by four-acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) to determine concentrations of copper, silver, lead, zinc, and other elements (ALS Method ME-ICP61a). Overlimit values for copper (>10%) and were analyzed via four-acid digestion and ICP-AES (ALS Method Cu-OG62).

Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. and American West Metals Limited followed industry standard procedures for the work carried out on the Storm Project, incorporating a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program. Blank, duplicate, and standard samples were inserted into the sample sequence and sent to the laboratory for analysis. No significant QA/QC issues were detected during review of the data. Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. and American West Metals Limited are not aware of any drilling, sampling, recovery, or other factors that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data referred to herein.

Qualified Person

Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.

About Aston Bay Holdings

Aston Bay is a publicly traded mineral exploration company exploring for high-grade copper and gold deposits in Virginia, USA, and Nunavut, Canada. The Company is led by CEO Thomas Ullrich with exploration in Virginia directed by the Company's advisor, Don Taylor, the 2018 Thayer Lindsley Award winner for his discovery of the Taylor Pb-Zn-Ag Deposit in Arizona. The Company is currently exploring the high-grade Buckingham Gold Vein in central Virginia and is in advanced stages of negotiation on other lands with high-grade copper potential in the area.

The Company and its joint venture partners, American West Metals Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tornado Metals Ltd. (collectively, "American West") have agreed to form a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture and enter into a joint venture agreement in respect of the Storm Project property, which hosts the Storm Copper Project and the Seal Zinc Deposit. Under such agreement, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Storm Project property will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%.

About American West Metals Limited

AMERICAN WEST METALS LIMITED (ASX: AW1) is an Australian clean energy mining company focused on growth through the discovery and development of major base metal mineral deposits in Tier 1 jurisdictions of North America. Our strategy is focused on developing mines that have a low-footprint and support the global energy transformation. Our portfolio of copper and zinc projects in Utah and Canada include significant existing resource inventories and high-grade mineralization that can generate robust mining proposals. Core to our approach is our commitment to the ethical extraction and processing of minerals and making a meaningful contribution to the communities where our projects are located.

Led by a highly experienced leadership team, our strategic initiatives lay the foundation for a sustainable business which aims to deliver high-multiplier returns on shareholder investment and economic benefits to all stakeholders.

For further information on American West, visit: www.americanwestmetals.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements made in this news release, including those regarding entering into the joint venture and each party's interest in the Project pursuant to the agreement in respect of the joint venture, management objectives, forecasts, estimates, expectations, or predictions of the future may constitute "forward-looking statement", which can be identified by the use of conditional or future tenses or by the use of such verbs as "believe", "expect", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "anticipate", "project", "plan", and words of similar import, including variations thereof and negative forms. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect, as of the date of this press release, Aston Bay's expectations, estimates and projections about its operations, the mining industry and the economic environment in which it operates. Statements in this press release that are not supported by historical fact are forward-looking statements, meaning they involve risk, uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Aston Bay believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which apply only at the time of writing of this press release. Aston Bay disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by securities legislation.

For more information contact:

Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

(416) 456-3516
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prosper Gold Corp. (Prosper Gold or the Company) (TSXV:PGX) is pleased to announce that the Company has acquired an additional 60,512 hectares by means of staking to increase the Cyprus Project land position to 61,880 hectares.

The acquisition of 150,000 acres of prospective ground in north-central British Columbia establishes the Cyprus Project as one of the largest in the region, commented Peter Bernier, CEO. The exploration potential of this newly acquired ground is bolstered by the presence of significant copper-gold mineralization at the Kaza and Northstar prospects. We will be systematically exploring this ground, beginning with a district-scale ZTEM survey covering 675 km2, generating targets under cover and at depth.

The Cyprus Project

The road-accessible Cyprus Project is situated in north-central British Columbia, Canada (Figure 1). The 61,880 hectare Project includes the historical Kaza and Northstar copper prospects (see the Company's February 20, 2024 news releases for details) and is considered a district-scale copper-gold porphyry exploration Project.

At the historical Kaza copper-gold prospect, soil samples up to 5.09 gpt gold and 10,000 ppm copper and surface rock chip samples from 1973 including 0.88% copper, 15.4 gpt gold and 120 gpt silver over 4.0 metres coincide with a 2,000 metre by 600 area of high IP chargeability and low magnetic response. The presence of sparse feldspar porphyry dikes and the sulphide assemblages present at surface suggest copper-gold porphyry mineralization may exist at depth.

Copper mineralization at the Northstar prospect consists of vein-hosted and disseminated chalcocite and bornite within faulted and fractured andesite. Surface trench sampling results includes 23.0 metres grading 2.1% copper and historical drilling intercepts include 0.55% copper over 138.2 metres. Zones of copper mineralization outlined by previous operators at the Northstar prospect are likely driven by a magmatic-hydrothermal system in the immediate vicinity.

Figure 1. Map showing location of Cyprus Project in relation to existing copper  gold prospects in north-central British Columbia.

District-scale Exploration Upside

A broad valley with very little outcrop exposure is situated to the southwest of the Kaza and Northstar prospects (Figure 2). The roughly 15 km wide valley is the manifestation of a series of northwest-trending faults which represents a district-scale exploration opportunity in the search for large copper-gold porphyry deposits. The valley is underlain by a complex and strong magnetic response related to long-lived intrusive activity in this portion of the volcano-plutonic arc. The Company is planning to commission a ZTEM survey covering 675 km2 that will outline targets in this covered and prospective portion of the Cyprus Project.

Figure 2. Google earth imagery with regional total magnetics overlain showing complex high amplitude magnetic response under broad valley.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed by Rory Ritchie, P.Geo., Vice-President of Exploration for Prosper Gold and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. The historical results contained in this release were completed by previous operators of the Property. Although the Company was not involved in the original work in respect of these results, proper industry data verification procedures appear to have been followed.

For a detailed overview of Prosper Gold please visit www.ProsperGoldCorp.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Per: Peter Bernier

Peter Bernier

President & CEO

For further information, please contact:

Peter Bernier

President & CEO

Prosper Gold Corp.

Cell: (250) 316-6644

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation; statements about the terms of the Option Agreement, approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, exploration potential of the Property, the planned exploration of the Property and granting the Royalty are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mineral exploration; fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers, directors or promoters with certain other projects; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume and the additional risks identified the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Armenia has suspended its participation in a Russia-led security bloc, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview published on Friday, Yerevan's latest step to distance itself from Moscow.

Russia and Armenia have traditionally been allies but relations soured last year when Russian peacekeepers did not intervene to stop Azerbaijan taking control of Nagorno-Karabakh from the Armenian separatists who ran the enclave.

"In practice, we have frozen our participation in this organisation," Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told the France 24 channel, referring to the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).

The bloc, a defence pact, is led by Russia and comprises several former Soviet republics.

Armenia boycotted a CSTO summit at the end of last year.

"We believe that the CSTO did not fulfil its objectives vis-a-vis Armenia in 2021 and 2022," Pashinyan said in the interview.

He also accused Moscow of leading a "coordinated propaganda campaign" against him and his government.

The Kremlin said on Friday it had not received official confirmation that Armenia was leaving the CSTO.

"We intend to contact our Armenian colleagues to clarify its statements on CSTO," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies.

In September, Azerbaijani forces retook control of Nagorno-Karabakh in a 24-hour offensive that ended three decades of Armenian separatist rule over the enclave.

In a sign of its ambition for new security guarantees, Yerevan is seeking to rely more on its Western partners -- mainly on France and the United States -- than on Russia.

Moscow has for decades been the main moderator of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh but has been bogged down by its two-year Ukraine offensive.

Armenia formally joined the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the start of February, despite Moscow warning the small Caucasus country against the move.

It is now obliged to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he sets foot on Armenian territory under an ICC arrest warrant issued for the Russian leader in March 2023.
The UN's top human rights body on Friday condemned the "horrific violations and abuses" being committed during the war in Sudan between the army and a powerful paramilitary group.

Since April last year a devastating war between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has killed thousands and sparked a humanitarian disaster.

Fighting has spread from the capital of Khartoum to the south and west of Sudan, leaving thousands dead and nearly eight million people displaced, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

"For nearly a year now, accounts coming out of Sudan have been of death, suffering and despair, as the senseless conflict and human rights violations and abuses have persisted with no end in sight," said UN rights chief Volker Turk on Friday, releasing a new report that documents abuses by the two warring parties.

The report says the army and RSF have "used explosive weapons with wide area effects, such as missiles fired from fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-aircraft weapons and artillery shells in densely populated areas."

A dozen UN experts warned in November last year that widespread sexual violence, ethnically-motivated at times, was being used as an "instrument of war".

The new report documents at least 118 cases of sexual violence, "including rape, gang rape and attempted rape", with 19 children among the victims.

It adds that "many rapes were committed by the RSF", whom activists have accused for months of raping women and girls.

"Some of these violations would amount to war crimes," warned Turk, calling for a thorough, independent investigation into all allegations of human rights abuse.

According to the report, "credible" video evidence reviewed by the UN this week shows that several students travelling by road in North Kordofan state may have been beheaded by men in army uniforms because they were seen as being RSF supporters because of their perceived ethnicity.

Video footage posted on social media in mid-February shows troops marching with decapitated heads while chanting ethnic insults, according to the UN.
The United Nations said on Friday gross human rights violations, possibly including war crimes, had been committed in Israel and the Palestinian territories since the start of the war in Gaza.

In its annual report, covering the 12 months to October 31, 2023, the UN Human Rights Office said clear violations of international humanitarian law, "including possible war crimes, have been committed by all parties" since October 7.

"The entrenched impunity reported by our office for decades cannot be permitted to continue," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.

"There must be accountability on all sides for violations seen over 56 years of (Israeli) occupation and the 16 years of blockade of Gaza."

"Justice is a pre-requisite for ending cycles of violence and for Palestinians and Israelis to be able to take meaningful steps towards peace."

The report cited unlawful killings, hostage-taking, the wanton destruction of civilian property, collective punishment, strikes on civilian infrastructure, forced displacement, incitement to hatred and violence, sexual assault and torture.

The war in Gaza began after the Hamas militant group that controls the Palestinian territory launched an attack on October 7 that killed about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli figures.

Hamas militants also took hostages, 130 of whom remain in Gaza.

Israel's retaliatory bombardment and ground offensive in Gaza have killed at least 29,514 people, most of them women and children, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

In less than five months, much of Gaza has been flattened and its population of around 2.4 million has been pushed to the brink of famine, the UN has said.

- War crimes -

The UN report said the armed wing of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups committed serious violations of international law on October 7 and 8.

It cited "attacks directed against civilians, wilful killing and mistreatment of civilians, wanton destruction of civilian objects, and taking of hostages, which amount to war crimes".

Accounts of rape, sexual assault, and torture required further investigation, it said.

Israel's response has led to "massive suffering of Palestinians, including through the killing of civilians on a broad scale, extensive repeated displacement, destruction of homes, and the denial of sufficient food and other essentials of life", it said.

"The blockade and siege imposed on Gaza amount to collective punishment and may also amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which are war crimes."

The report identified three "emblematic" Israeli strikes -- two on the Jabalia refugee camp and one in Gaza City -- which caused enormous destruction.

"Launching an indiscriminate attack resulting in death or injury to civilians, or an attack in the knowledge that it will cause excessive incidental civilian loss, injury or damage, are war crimes," said Turk.
The Netherlands will seal a 10-year security deal with Ukraine, Dutch officials announced Friday, to match similar agreements signed by Germany, Britain, France and Denmark.

Ukraine has been anxious to shore up its security with bilateral agreements, two years after Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbour.

"This agreement is a signal from the government that the Netherlands wants to support Ukraine for a longer period of time in the areas of security, defence, reconstruction and justice," the Dutch foreign ministry said.

"The Netherlands is thus helping Ukraine to defend itself against Russia," said a ministry statement. It said the accord would be signed "soon" but did not give details.

A staunch ally of Kyiv, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte -- now a frontrunner to become the next NATO chief -- called the deal "good news."

"This sends a strong signal to Russia: we strongly support Ukraine," Rutte said on X, formerly Twitter.

The Netherlands has already given 2.63 billion ($2.85 billion) in military support to Ukraine, pledging another 2.0 billion euros this year.

It announced in December it was preparing a delivery of 18 F-16 combat jets to Ukraine.

It has also given tanks, heavy artillery, machine guns and ammunition, and drones.

The Hague is home to a number of judicial institutions probing war crimes in Ukraine committed since Russia's invasion.

"Our own security is closely linked to the security of Ukraine," Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot said in the statement.

"Ukraine must be assured that they can count on our support in the longer term," Bruins Slot added.
Germany's president was urged during a memorial service in Namibia on Saturday to speed up talks on reparations for a colonial-era genocide.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was in Windhoek to pay tribute to his counterpart Hage Geingob, who died February 4 and is to be laid to rest on Sunday.

But he was reminded during Saturday's memorial that Germany has yet to agree on reparations for the massacre of the Herero and Nama peoples from 1904 to 1908.

In May 2021, Germany acknowledged that the killings by its troops amounted to a genocide and has offered to fund development projects to a cost of 1.1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) over 30 years.

For many Namibians, including some senior officials, the offer isn't enough and does not amount to formal reparations. Negotiations are ongoing.

Germany has also faced criticism from Namibia over its support for Israel, despite the enormous civilian death toll from its ongoing operations in Gaza.

One of Geingob's last acts in office before his death at age 82 was to lament what he called "Germany's inability to draw lessons from its horrific history."

At Saturday's memorial, McHenry Venaani, the leader of Namibia's official political opposition, the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), directly addressed Steinmeier.

"Our people are expecting to see the Namibian German case of genocide be settled," he said,

"We plead to you when you go back, what is on the negotiating table creates a respectable deal on behalf of our people. Creates an honourable deal so that we close this chapter."

Germany's head of state, unlike Namibia's, is not an executive president and would not be directly involved in setting a compensation sum. But Steinmeier said Germany was committed to improved ties.

"The path of reconciliation that we have embarked upon almost ten years ago has not been an easy one but together we have gone very far and we want to go further," he said.

Steinmeier said Geingob told him late last year that he wanted to be able to sign a joint German-Namibian declaration to draw a line under the genocide.

"And you know, reconciliation is not about closing the past, it is about taking responsibility for our past and it is a commitment to a better future," Steinmeier said during his tribute to the late president.

"I hope I will be able to return to this country very soon and under different circumstances because I am convinced that it is high time to tender an apology to the Namibian people."
Western New Yorks largest health system made progress last year in its efforts to dig out from the lingering financial effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kaleida Health posted a $30 million operating loss on revenues of $2.3 billion in 2023, said Michael P. Hughes, the Buffalo-based health systems senior vice president and chief administrative officer. The operating loss was less than half of the $80.6 million operating loss Kaleida posted in 2022, while revenues were up 12% from $2.05 billion.

Catholic Health records $42.5 million operating loss for 2023  but that's a big improvement from the prior year Buffalo-based Catholic Health System recorded an operating loss of $42.5 million on revenues of $1.4 billion in 2023. While still losing money, Catholic Health had budgeted for a much larger operating loss in 2023, following a year in 2022 when the system recorded a $190 million loss on revenues of $1.2 billion.

Hughes said the operating loss outperformed what Kaleida budgeted by $21 million. The health systems bottom line last year benefited from a total of $73 million in one-time state and federal funding, he added.

Revenues, in particular, bounced back, up $200 million from 2022, Hughes said.

Kaleidas main competitor, Catholic Health System, saw similar trends play out in its 2023 performance. Catholic Health recorded an operating loss of $42.5 million on revenues of $1.4 billion last year, results that beat expectations due to millions in one-time federal and state grants, lower staffing agency costs, increased patient volume and higher negotiated reimbursements from local insurance companies.

ECMC lands $14.6 million in federal relief to help cover Covid-19 response costs ECMC will receive more than $14.6 million from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, funds meant to reimburse the Buffalo health care provider for costs incurred from emergency protective measures and increased staffing as part of its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But Kaleida, Catholic Health and other Western New York health systems have a long way to go. Since 2020, Hughes said Kaleida has posted more than $250 million in losses due to the pandemic and various state mandates, such as three different moratoriums on elective surgeries. Catholic Health, for its part, sustained a $190 million loss in 2022.

While the finances of Western New Yorks largest health systems are improving, Kaleida and Catholic Health are among those calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to increase the Medicaid reimbursement rate for hospitals and nursing homes in the 2024-25 budget. The state budget is due April 1.

We believe that continued state investment and assistance is needed  not just for Kaleida Health, but the health care system here in Western New York, Hughes said. Stabilizing health care will not only help our economy, but our community and the patients that we serve.

There is better visibility into Catholic Healths recent numbers because the system goes to the securities market and secures bond financing, which comes with mandates to share detailed financial reports with investors monthly and holding regular calls with management.

Less detailed recent information is available for Kaleida because it uses loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration. As a nonprofit, Kaleida has to file an annual IRS Form 990, but those typically lag by one year  for instance, Kaleidas most recent 990 available is from 2022.

Why Catholic Health believes new Lockport hospital is 'absolutely the right model' for community Catholic Health constructed Lockport Memorial based off the neighborhood hospital model, a right-sized health care campus that should be financially sustainable while preserving hospital access for more than 80,000 residents.

Still, Hughes provided information on how much Kaleidas volume increased in 2023 in certain categories.

He said Kaleidas Emergency Department treat-and-release volume was up 5.5% in 2023 compared with 2022, while observations were up 9.7% from the prior year.

Meanwhile, inpatient surgeries were up 4.5% in 2023, and outpatient surgeries increased 7%.

Similarly, Catholic Health also saw an increase in surgical volume and emergency room visits in 2023 versus the prior year.

Hughes said Kaleida also has made progress in its recruitment and retention efforts last year. The health system hired more than 500 new employees over the past year, including more than 260 new nurses.
A French journalist has been arrested and detained in Ethiopia since February 22 on suspicion of conspiring "to create chaos" in the country, his employer said Monday.

Antoine Galindo had travelled to Ethiopia to cover the African Union (AU) summit earlier this month for the specialist publication Africa Intelligence.

Following his arrest on Thursday, he was brought before a judge on Saturday, who ordered his detention be extended until March 1, Africa Intelligence said, condemning the "unjustified arrest".

"These spurious accusations are not based on any tangible evidence that might justify this extended deprivation of liberty," it said, pointing out that Galindo had informed the Ethiopian authorities of his assignment and had a visa authorising him to work there as a journalist.

The 36-year-old, who heads the publication's East Africa section, lived in Ethiopia between 2013 and 2017 and was "known to the Ethiopia Media Authority", which oversees media accreditations.

According to a source close to the case who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, Galindo was arrested on Thursday afternoon at a hotel in Addis Ababa while meeting an official from the opposition Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) party.

He has since been held at a police station in Ethiopia's capital, the publication said, calling for his immediate release.

Ethiopian authorities did not respond to AFP requests for comment.

An OLF spokesman told AFP that a party official was arrested in Addis Ababa on Thursday but could not confirm if Galindo had met the official.

A source close to the government told AFP that Galindo was accused "of operating outside the accreditation he was given to cover the AU Summit... (and) of engaging with members of militant forces that the country has outlawed".

The OLF renounced armed struggle in 2018, prompting the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) to split from the party.

Federal forces have been fighting OLA rebels in Ethiopia's most populous region Oromia ever since, while peace talks have failed to yield meaningful progress.

- 'Atrocious environment for press' -

The Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday that it was "outraged that a journalist on a legitimate reporting trip is targeted in this way."

Galindo's "unjust arrest highlights the atrocious environment for the press in general in Ethiopia," the CPJ's Africa branch said on its website.

According to media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), as of January 1 this year, 15 journalists were in prison in Ethiopia.

"Hostility towards independent journalism seeking to cover all national issues is growing and foreign media and journalists are also in the sights of the authorities," said Sadibou Marong, director of RSF's Sub-Saharan Africa desk.

"The totally arbitrary detention of Antoine Galindo is a terrible illustration of this. RSF calls on the Ethiopian authorities to immediately release the journalist."

In 2023, Ethiopia ranked 130th in the world in terms of press freedom, down 16 places compared to 2022, according to the NGO.

The government imposed a state of emergency in Ethiopia's second most populous region Amhara in August after fighting erupted between federal authorities and a regional "self-defence" militia named Fano.

The decree, which was extended earlier this month, allows the authorities to declare curfews and for suspects to be searched and held without a warrant.

- Journalists expelled -

The fighting in Amhara reignited concerns about Ethiopia's stability, a few months after a peace deal ended a brutal two-year conflict in the northernmost region of Tigray between Tigrayan rebel authorities and forces loyal to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Abiy was hailed as a reformer when he came to power in 2018 after decades of authoritarian rule and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for his rapprochement with neighbouring Eritrea.

But his reputation has taken a hit in recent years, with UN investigators accusing his government of crimes against humanity in Tigray -- claims rejected by the authorities.

Ethiopia has expelled several foreign journalists since the end of 2020.

But prior to Galindo's detention, authorities had not arrested a foreign journalist in more than three years.

In July 2020, a Kenyan journalist was detained for more than a month in Addis Ababa, despite an Ethiopian court ordering his release on bail.
With the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Valeriya and Andriy Bohomaz, a married couple from Bakhmut, moved to Kyiv, Ukraines capital city. Later they decided to relocate Andriy's parents there as well. To do this, on June 23, 2022, they both drove back to their hometown in Eastern Ukraine. After reaching the territory of the Kharkiv oblast, said Andriy Bohomaz's in court, they made it through several checkpoints and then took a country road that was controlled by Russias occupation forces. At that moment, explosions started blasting around the car, the couple rushed out of the vehicle and ran to a public transport stop to hide from the shelling. After a few minutes, the shooting stopped, so Andriy and Valeriya decided to return to the car to get their documents and mobile phones. At that moment, another explosion went off near them.

"I saw that [my husband's] head was injured. I washed his head immediately. I started bandaging it, taking out big towels. I didn't know what to do, I'm not a doctor. I said: Please don't die. Don't leave me," Valeriya Bohomaz recalled.

The shelling of the civilian car by the Russians was recorded by a drone of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who were stationed near Barvinkove, in the Izium district of Kharkiv oblast. One of them testified in court about how they made the decision to send a drone up in the air when they noticed a civilian car passing through their positions towards the occupied territories. The drone footage shows Valeriya struggling to provide her husband with first aid, while blood was spreading around the car.

The drone footage shows Valeriya Bohomaz giving first aid to her husband, Andriy, who has suffered head and leg injuries (screenshot from the film "Follow Me").

Valeriyas escape

Ukrainian defenders then flew the drone over to the woman and tried to make her leave the scene of the attack and follow the drone. However, Valeriya kept pointing at Andriy, who was bleeding, and did not want to abandon him. This lasted for about 20 minutes. Eventually, a Ukrainian serviceman, who later became a witness at the trial, attached an A4 sheet of paper to another drone, wrote Follow me on it and then lowered the drone to an altitude where Valeriya could see the instruction.

The woman got up and started walking quickly to follow the drone. At the same time, the camera on the drone recorded three Russian soldiers approaching the Bohomaz's car. They tried calling Valeriya and waving at her, but the woman did not turn and continued to follow the drone. Soon, she was met by Ukrainian soldiers.

As a result of his serious injuries, Andriy Bohomaz had lost consciousness near the car. According to investigators, the Russians assumed that the man was dead, so they dragged him away and dumped him into a ditch.

I f**king killed a man today!

A few hours later, Russian soldier Klim Dmitrievich Kerzhayev, who had allegedly opened fire on the civilian car of Bakhmut residents, called his wife and said that he had killed a man. This conversation was intercepted by Ukrainian security forces, so it became evidence in the case. The fact that it was Kerzhayev's voice on the recording was confirmed by another Russian soldier who fought with him in the Izium district but was captured by the Ukrainian army.

This is how the conversation between Kerzhayev and his wife Anastasia went:

"I see, and I f**king killed a man today!"

"You killed?"

"Yeah."

"Who?"

"Who the f**k knows. I don't know who the f**k he was."

"A khokhol [pejoratively a Ukrainian] or something?"

"Yes, yes, yes."

"So did he go somewhere he wasn't supposed to or what?"

"Well, no. Anyway, the car was passing..."

"And?"

"I f**king hit it with a thirty [thirty-millimeter gun] from an IFV [infantry fighting vehicle], moth**f**ker."

"Wow!"

"Women [sic] were there as it turned out..."

"Uh-huh..."

"The woman came out. The man didn't, f**k."

"I see. What happened to her?"

"I don't know, she f**king took off somewhere."

"Mmm..."

"That's it."

"I see."

"Top up my phone with some money today, okay?"

"Mm-hmm."

Andriy Bohomaz, whom the Russians believed to be dead, regained consciousness after a while, climbed out of the ditch and got into the trunk of the car. Later, he decided to get out of the car and go in search of help. "The bandage was tied too tightly, and my leg became swollen. When I took it off, my leg started to shrink. I tried to step on the leg and realized I was able to walk. I walked towards the Ukrainian positions for about 30-40 minutes. I was walking with breaks because it hurt really bad. I would stop and sit on a blanket," Andriy told the court.

Ukrainian defenders took the victim to a hospital in Kharkiv. Later, the man continued his treatment in Kyiv.

Russian soldier Klim Kerzhayev (photo from social media).

I'm not a military man

Journalists of Free Radio discovered that Kerzhayev was born on July 3, 1997, and is a resident of Moscow. He is a company commander in the 15th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment (military unit 31134). Kerzhayevs unit is located in the village of Kalininets in the Moscow region.

Russian sources indicate that after the beginning of the full-scale invasion, units of the 2nd Taman Division "were blocking Kyiv from the north, namely from Chernihiv region". The division was subsequently attached to the Russian army's West formation and sent to fight Ukrainians in the Kupyansk segment of the frontline in the Kharkiv oblast.

Journalists from Mediazona, a Russian media outlet that covers the judicial, law enforcement and penitentiary systems in Russia, called Kerzhayev and asked to comment on the intercepted audio recordings released by Ukrainian security forces.

"Do you know that your conversation with your wife was tapped by the Ukrainian secret services?"

"I'm not a military man."

"This number is registered to a military man."

"I'm not a military man, I don't know who was tapping what."

"Is Kerzhayev your surname?"

"Yes."

"Then how did it happen that you are involved in the Ukrainian investigation?"

"I don't know how it happened. I'm telling you, I'm not a military man."

The journalists also managed to talk to Klim's wife Anastasia Kerzhayeva:

"Do you know that your conversation was intercepted and published?"

"What conversation?"

"When your husband Klim called you and told you about the car he shot at. And you also asked him if he killed a khokhol"

"I'm not married."

"But you are Anastasia Kerzhayeva?"

"No, that's wrong. Why would you care who I am?"

"Anastasia, you even have a photo with Klim Kerzhayev on your avatar."

"I'm telling you once again, I don't know who that is."

Guilty of war crime

Anastasia and Klim closed their joint social media pages. And after talking to journalists, she replaced her main profile photo with a selfie that no longer includes her husband.

Despite these attempts, we found several photos of the couple online. Including their wedding photos. It is also known that in 2021, the Kerzhayevs had a son. At the time, Klim was engaged in military exercises in Belarus.

Photo of Anastasia and Klim Kerzhayev's wedding, taken from social media.

Before the Krasnohrad District Court in Kharkiv oblast Kerzhayev's state lawyer asked the court to acquit his client. In his opinion, the prosecution failed to prove where the shelling originated from, failed to identify the accused and that he was, in fact, the one who opened fire on a civilian car. He also said that the evidence produced by the prosecution was obtained outside rules of procedure.

But the panel of judges found there was sufficient evidence of the Russian soldier's guilt for the "violation of the laws and customs of war." He was sentenced to 15 years behind bars in absentia. Kerzhayev also has to pay a total of 32.1 million hryvnia (770.000 euros) in compensation for moral damages. He was officially listed as wanted by the state.

This report is part of our coverage of war crimes justice produced in partnership with Ukrainian journalists. A first version of this article was published on the "Free Radio" website.
THIS Korean actor became a hot topic online after his ex-girlfriend accused him of sexual exploitation.

Keep on reading for details!

Anonymous Author Accused Actor 'L' of Cheating, Sexual Exploitation

On February 22, a post online sparked discussion among netizens where the owner of the post (OP) accused an actor of having exploited her body, and then breaking off their relationship.

According to the author of the post Ms. A, she claimed that she was ghosted by actor "L" and explained her grievance in detail. She said that she and actor "L" had known each other for six years and had been in a relationship for more than four years.

Sadly, the actor called it quits through a single text message. She attempted to contact the actor but he continued to ignore her.

Based on the post, its concern went from ghosting to alleged sexual exploitation quickly following the author's claim. Ms.A added in the post that the last time she met actor "L," which was before their breakup, they had no issues in the relationship.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Ahn Hyo Seop Viral for Alleged Exchange of Intimate Texts With THIS Celebrity

During that day, the actor rumored clicked multiple photos of the "important parts" of her body. She also claimed that the actor became insensitive to their relationship and revealed sensitive details about it on a social media platform without any consideration.

K-Netz Not Convinced of Ms. A's Revelation + Demand Her to Name the Actor

Despite explaining her side of the story and as the post garnered attention online, it backfired on her as netizens judged Ms.A for trying to stir the pot with a "trivial" incident while keeping the actor's name hidden, which could drag unrelated actors into the controversy through speculations.

In her rebuttal, Ms. A clearly stated that she had no intention to gain attention and just created the account to vent her frustration. In addition, Ms. A said that she suspected the actor of cheating after spotting feminine hygiene products inside his bathroom.

Aside from the suspected cheating allegation and possible sexual exploitation, the author of the post also mentioned that her actor ex-boyfriend would often backstab his colleagues to her.

She also hinted at revealing more details soon.

However, despite her responses, netizens were not convinced and did not believe her claims. Others even demand her to reveal the actor's name to validate her story.

"If you guys knew each other that long, and dated for four years, and broke up over text two years ago, why are you revealing it now?"

"Who are you?"

"If you are not going to reveal the actor's name, don't post about it. Other actors might get harmed! If you are not that confident, why even talk about it in public?"

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Moon Ga Young's Provocative Look Turns Heads at Milan Fashion Week

What can you say about the news? Do you have any guesses on who the actor she pertains to? 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.
"Flex X Cop" Episode 7 not only focused on a new murder case, but also on Ahn Bo Hyun's shocking past.

Here's what went down in the new chapter.

'Flex X Cop' Rating: K-Drama Sees Major Boost In Viewership

Based on the 2015 Russian series "Silver Spoon," the story depicts the life of a third-generation chaebol heir Jin Yi Soo, played by Ahn Bo Hyun. Due to the unexpected incident, he becomes a detective and joins Lee Kang Hyun's (Park Ji Hyun) crime investigation team.

A few weeks since the show aired its pilot episode, "Flex X Cop" has shown major improvement in viewership. Joining the rating race, Ahn Bo Hyun's drama jumped to an average nationwide rating of 9.9 percent, as recorded by Nielsen Korea.

Marking an all-time high, Episode 7 garnered an impressive increase of 3.7 percent from its previous episode.

Meanwhile, viewers can watch the latest episodes through SBS, while the global audience can stream it via Disney Plus.

'Flex X Cop' Episode 7 Recap: Jin Yi Soo Haunted By His Past

"Flex X Cop" Episode 7 began with Lee Kang Hyun's team arriving at the crime scene. Jin Yi Soo was able to recognize the deceased, said to be SW SOFTCEO Choi Seonu.

Starting their investigation with Seonu's wife, they found out that someone was trying to kill him and was instructed by her husband to run away.

As the probe began, the team was also looking into the death of the prominent IT company CEO and the mysterious case behind it. They didn't believe that it was suicide, given that the cause of death was dehydration.

The investigation led them to business partner Cho Sung Gu, who charged the CEO with embezzlement.

READ MORE: Park Ji Hyun K-Dramas to Watch If You Love Her in 'Flex X Cop': 'Yumi's Cells,' 'Reborn Rich,' More!

As they dug into the case, Jin Yoo Soo was reunited with his ex-girlfriend Hong Eun Ah, but they found out that she was not a key player in the case.

Amid the investigation, detective Lee received a phone call from her parents, telling her that a reporter came by Jin Yi Soo's house and asked about the family who used to live there for 25 years.

To make things more odd, Kang Hyun's father was the one who handled the case.

It turned out that the woman who lived at the house was also Jin Yi Soo's mother, who died of drowning and was ruled to have committed suicide. She didn't know what to say to Jin Yi Soo, but she now understood where he was coming from.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Male K-drama Villains Who Could Also Slay Protagonist Role: Lee Yi Kyung, Go Kyung Pyo, More

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.

KDramaStars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
Shin Se Kyung and Jo Jung Suk's romance continues to blossom in "Captivating the King" Episode, much to the viewers' delight. However, a slew of new secrets are unearthed, creating a much larger gap between the couple's love and trust for one another.

To know what went down in the new chapter, then keep on reading!

'Captivating the King' Episode 13: Kang Hee Soo's Secret Gets Revealed

Kang Hee Soo (Shin Se Kyung) confuses Lee In (Jo Jung Suk) about the real reason behind their meeting involving the king's assassination plan.

Lee In also interrogates her about why she returned to the palace three years after she left. Just then, Chu Dal Ha (Na Hyun Woo) launches a knife at him.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 'Captivating the King' Episode 12: Will Shin Se Kyung Save Jo Jung Suk?

Sadly, Kang Hee Soo gets stabbed and bleeds in Lee In's arms. Joo Sang Hwa (Kang Hong Seok) immediately locks up Kang Hee Soo's assistant.

He finds out that Kang Hee Soo is a woman disguised as Kang Mong Woo, the king's Go playmate. Joo Sang Hwa then tells Lee In that she must be imprisoned for treason.

Will Kang Hee Soo Get Punished For Lying?

The royal physician along with his assistant ran, thinking that something had happened to the king. They then summon the inspector general and learn about the plan.

Everyone gets shocked after the inspector general reveals that Kang Hee Soo is Kang Sang Hoon's (Son Hyun Joo) daughter. He was Lee In's master who betrayed the late king.

This clarifies everything for Lee In and Joo Sang Hwa. They understand why Kang Hee Soo would want Lee In dead. Meanwhile, at the palace, the officials are looking for a new queen.

Lee In's Secrets Get Unearthed

The court lady, who the queen previously persuaded to become the king's concubine, learns the truth about Kang Hee Soo's real identity.

She reveals that she overheard the principal director and the king's conversation. The king then meets Chu Dal Ha and prepares a plan to bring down the principal director.

It is revealed that he's the one who sent Chu Dal Ha as a spy so that the late king would have been executed, allowing Lee In to ascend to the throne.

ALSO READ: Shin Se Kyung Dubbed As New Prime Time Queen For THIS Reason

KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
Moon Ga Young captured the hearts of her global fans as the actress impressed everyone with her incredible fan service.

Celebrities have a way of communicating and interacting with fans, may it be on social media or in person. However, the South Korean beauty left the fans speechless after showing her love for them.

Moon Ga Young's Fan Service Lauded

Moon Ga Young got a ton of praise from fans for delivering an extraordinary approach to her fans. Over X (formerly Twitter), the "True Beauty" star made headlines for her interaction with her global supporters.

Moon Ga Young, who is in Italy for Milan Fashion Week 2024, made sure that fans felt her love by entertaining their requests for autographs and taking time to sign them one by one.

In one video, the actress was spotted petting a fan's cat, and she even told her team about the furbaby.

this fancam of kayoung cutely petting a fan's cat instantly brightened up my day! even went to her d&g team to tell them about the cat 



just mky and her soft spot for cats and dogs 



 monica01666#DGxMUNKAYOUNG # #MunKaYoung #MoonGaYoung pic.twitter.com/EE6aT9aR9K  mun kayoung  (@kayoungvisuals) February 26, 2024

Other fan cams include a video of Moon Ga Young, who was delighted after she learned about the meaning of "bellissima" or "very beautiful" in English.

As mentioned, Moon Ga Young was among the South Korean stars who participated in Milan Fashion Week 2024. The 27-year-old actress was invited to Dolce & Gabbana women's Fall/Winter 2024 collection show.

Gracing the star-studded event, the actress made heads turn with her bold look. She was dressed in a head-to-toe D&G ensemble, showing off her slim figure in a long mesh dress.

Netizens Call Out Moon Ga Young for Her Revealing & Provocative Outfit

Unfortunately, the actress' Milan Fashion Week 2024 look also garnered unpleasant reactions. On various fan accounts and online communities, netizens expressed their disappointment with the actress' choice of wardrobe.

READ MORE: Confirmed! Moon Ga Young & Koo Kyo Hwan To Couple Up In New Drama 'Us And Them'

While some mentioned that she looked "uncomfortable" with her outfit, others also noticed that Moon Ga Young has been into sexy and daring looks these days.

To recall, the Italian luxury fashion house welcomed Moon Ga Young as their newest global ambassador in 2023, along with NCT's Doyoung.

Other than her Milan Fashion Week 2024 look, the "Interest of Love" star wowed fans with her amazing and slender physique in Dolce & Gabbana's 2024 Spring-Summer collection campaign.

Moon Ga Young flaunted the creations by Dolce & Gabbana's designers, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, showcasing the modern image of women's sensuality.

The collection showcased a lot of lace, see-throughs, and provocative femininity, which is their current take on the 1960s trend.

In the said campaign, the actress sizzled in see-through pieces paired with tailored outerwear and silk lingeries.

Moreover, the brand also re-introduced their iconic Sicily bag with the new 3.5 crossbody bag.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Moon Ga Young Turns Airport Into Fashion Runway As She Joins 2023 Asia Artist Awards

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.

KDramaStars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
Global ambassadors Moon Ga Young and NCT Doyoung flaunted their high luxury visuals at the 2024 Milan Fashion Week for the Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana.

The two not only stole the show with their impeccable beauty but also with their unexpected chemistry which had fans haywire.

Many fans complimented the aura they exude while others petition for a K-Drama project starring the two. Here's what the fans said.

Moon Ga Young & NCT Doyoung Make Fans Swoon With Unexpected Chemistry

On February 25, Hallyu superstars Moon Ga Young and NCT Doyoung attended the 2024 Milan Fashion Week side by side in Italy as global ambassadors of Dolce & Gabbana.

The two were garbed in beautiful dresses from the new Dolce & Gabbana collection. Doyoung donned a dress suit that accentuated his slender waist and his beautiful collarbones.

Meanwhile, Moon Ga Young was dressed in a see-through almost lingerie-like dress which polarized the opinions of the spectators, especially Korean netizens.

International fans complimented the chemistry between them, calling them "vampire couple that came straight out of a young adult novel."

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Moon Ga Young To Quit Acting? Hallyu Star To Release Prose Collection 'PATA' This 2024

However, some criticized Moon Ga Young for her choosing to attend the event in a skimpy dress. Doyoung made sure that the actress was comfortable at the show by offering his jacket.

He even helped the former to adjust it on her shoulders. Thankfully, the outfit looked cohesive enough, gaining thumbs up from fans and fashion enthusiasts.

Will Moon Ga Young & NCT Doyoung Star In K-Drama?

Because of their swoon-worthy interaction, many are asking for an acting project starring the two of them. To recall, Moon Ga Young isn't the only one with acting experience.

In 2022, Doyoung led the romantic web series "Dear X Who Doesn't Love Me" opposite Han Ji Hyo. Prior to his television debut, he took on the role of Count Axel von Fersen at the 2021 South Korean production of "Marie Antoinette."

The two 1996-born artists totally stole the fans' attention. One commented, "They should cast them in a mafia K-drama. The mafia boss and the mafia boss' wife."

mafia boss and his girl boss wife kinda vibes damn pic.twitter.com/y6o8mmaKEL  doyoung MFW! () (@ddoingxo) February 25, 2024

Meanwhile, others think differently, expressing their wish to see them in a "makjang" K-drama where the two act as "bitchy siblings" from South Korea's most influential family.

Many agreed to the original poster, saying that it would be a big hit if Moon Ga Young and Doyoung starred in a show together.

need someone to cast them in a drama together as bitchy rich siblings https://t.co/R4C46GyZwF February 24, 2024

Meanwhile, Moon Ga Young and NCT Doyoung haven't announced their plans on returning to prime time. Fans hope that they get cast together, fulfilling viewers' "dream team" in K-dramas.

YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS: WJSN Bona, Jang Da Ah, More Risk Their Lives In Dangerous 'Pyramid Game'





While you're here, check out Moon Ga Young's impressive performance as a German investor in "Delightfully Deceitful":

KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
Things turn sour between Jo Jung Suk and Shin Se Kyung after discovering the truth behind the late king's demise in the previous episode.

Will they reunite and forgive each other's crimes? Here's what went down in "Captivating the King" episode 14.

Lee In's Crimes Get Revealed

Despite learning about the truth, the principal director isn't ready to give up to the king. Instead he evades the issue and creates a new plan.

Meanwhile, the inspector general is summoned, realizing that the man who spied on the late king is Lee In's (Jo Jung Suk) man, which is considered a crime of treason.

Elsewhere, the court lady mocks Joo Sang Hwa (Kang Hong Seok) for letting the king face a near death experience while Kang Hee Soo (Shin Se Kyung) is recovering.

The latter also feels extremely terrible for what is happening but she also has things on her plate regarding the issue that circulated three years ago.



Kang Hee Soo Discovers Lee In's True Colors

Kim Myung Ha (Lee Shin Young) holds hands together with the other ministers at the palace, following the revelation that Lee In ordered to take down the late king.

He realizes that a single life causes so much distress now only in their lives but also in their people's. Meanwhile, the principal director meets up with the queen, raising suspicions.

READ MORE: 'Captivating the King' Episode 13: Jo Jung Suk's Evil Deeds Finally Revealed

The former tells the queen about the issue from three years ago, upsetting the queen. Later on, Kang Hee Soo learns about the king's plans for the palace.

Lee In confesses about faking the late king's death and last words, revealing that he ascended to the throne falsely and with his own pleasure in mind.

Will Lee In Confess His Crimes?

Kang Hee Soo assures him that she understands why he did it, and promises that she will be by his side no matter what. This angers Kim Myung Ha, calling her a hypocrite for siding with him.

Lee In is given two options to save his life: to confess to his crime and be punished or be shamed in public in his reign as the king.

The following day, the truth is finally revealed, thanks to the court lady who overheard Kang Hee Soo's father and the late king's plans to spoil the reputation of the Joseon king.

Scared for her life, the court lady prepares for the night by applying a red lipstick on her lips while he interrogates the king about the truth in his room.

ALSO READ: Shin Se Kyung Dubbed As New Prime Time Queen For THIS Reason

She aims to be saved from the punishment, persuading the king with a condition and a request. "Captivating the King" episode 13 ends with the court lady kissing Lee In on the lips, raising tension.

KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
K-actor Lee Soo Hyuk garnered attention with his response to fans who called him 'ahjussi' in his recent live broadcast.

Curious about what the male star said? Then read on!

Lee Soo Hyuk's Gentle Humor Towards Fans Calling Him 'Ahjussi' Garners Attention

Lee Soo Hyuk gifted fans with a special live broadcast before making his way to the Dolce & Gabbana show in Milan, Italy. It has been said that the actor did this for the first time in eight years.

During his live, the heartthrob came across a fan comment calling him 'ahjussi' (a Korean term for older men). After reading the comment, Lee Soo Hyul seemed taken aback for a second but had the best response. He accepted his 'ahjussi' status and gave the fans watching the live show a genuine smile.

  ?

 



    ? pic.twitter.com/vqM1ClgZ7Y   (@pxxxgx) February 24, 2024

Another fan commented and called him 'uncle' to which Lee Soo Hyuk responded with gentle humor. Despite the unexpected reactions he received, the Korean star cooly responded and was even lauded by other fans for his great humor. However, the scenario and exchange of comments became a hot topic online, the same as with the actor's unchanging visual, voice, and charming personality.

     

     

   



     ?

   ?

  



 pic.twitter.com/HvI2jomzki   (@pxxxgx) February 24, 2024

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Lee Soo Hyuk Goes Viral For Doing THIS To His Fan: 'He's really kind'

Some pointed out how rude it was for some to call Lee Soo Hyuk 'ahjussi' while having a live broadcast. Fans said that these people were inconsiderate.

Fans & Netizens Express Their Sentiments Over Lee Soo Hyuk's Recent Live Broadcast

"He's so good-looking!"

"Why is Lee Soo Hyuk so charming?"

"Aww... such a cool and fun man!"

"Lee Soo Hyuk doesn't look like an ahjussi, but he's so cute!"

"His voice is so deep, it echoes. And with that kind of voice, he acts all cute? Hahaha, Lee Soo Hyuk is so adorable!"

"Maybe they are fans from Japan. My favorite actor's fans from Japan also call him Ahjussi."

What's Next for Lee Soo Hyuk

Later on, Lee Soo Hyuk attended the fashion show and graced the event with his elegant style and strong visuals. Aside from him, K-actress Moon Ga Young and NCT's Doyoung were some of the Korean stars also present at the gathering.

On the other hand, Lee Soo Hyuk is preparing for his small screen return through the drama "S Line" where he will star alongside Lee Da Hee and OH MY GIRL's Arin. In addition, he is confirmed to join Ji Chang Wook in the historical series "Queen Woo." The drama is scheduled to release sometime in 2024.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Ji Chang Wook To Lead New Period Drama 'Empress Woo' With Jeon Jong Seo, Lee Soo Hyuk

What can you say about the news? Share your thoughts/replies in the comments!

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars.

Kdramastars owns this article.

Shai Collins wrote this.
The former presidents lawyers filed notices of appeal Monday asking the states mid-level appeals court to overturn Judge Arthur Engorons Feb. 16 verdict in Attorney General Letitia James lawsuit and reverse staggering penalties that threaten to wipe out Trumps cash reserves.

Trumps lawyers wrote in court papers that they're asking the appeals court to decide whether Engoron committed errors of law and/or fact and whether he abused his discretion or acted in excess of his jurisdiction. A notice of appeal starts the appeals process in New York. Trump's lawyers will have an opportunity to expand on their grievances in subsequent court filings.

Trump wasn't required to pay his penalty or post a bond in order to appeal, and appealing wont automatically halt enforcement of the judgment.

The Republican presidential front-runner has until March 25 to secure a stay, a legal mechanism pausing collection while he appeals. Trump would receive an automatic stay if he puts up money, assets or an appeal bond covering what he owes. Trumps lawyers could also ask the appeals court to grant a stay without obtaining a bond or with a bond for a lower amount.

There was no indication on the court docket Monday that Trump had already posted an appeal bond or asked for a stay. His lawyers did not immediately respond to a reporters questions Monday asking if he had posted a bond or if he was in the process of securing one.

In a statement issued through a spokesperson, Trump lawyer Alina Habba addressed only the appeal itself, saying: We trust that the Appellate Division will overturn this egregious fine and take the necessary steps to restore the public faith in New Yorks legal system.

Messages seeking comment were left with the New York attorney generals office and a spokesperson for the states court system.

Engoron found that Trump, his company and top executives, including his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., schemed for years to deceive banks and insurers by inflating his wealth on financial statements used to secure loans and make deals. Among other penalties, the judge put strict limitations on the ability of Trumps company, the Trump Organization, to do business.

The appeal ensures that the legal fight over Trumps business practices will persist into the thick of the presidential primary season, and likely beyond, as he tries to clinch the Republican presidential nomination in his quest to retake the White House.

If upheld, Engorons ruling will force Trump to give up a sizable chunk of his fortune. Engoron ordered Trump to pay $355 million in penalties, but with interest the total has grown to nearly $454 million. That total will increase by nearly $112,000 per day until he pays.

Trump maintains that he is worth several billion dollars and testified last year that he had about $400 million in cash, in addition to properties and other investments. James, a Democrat, told ABC News that if Trump is unable to pay, she will seek to seize some of his assets.

Trump had vowed to appeal and his lawyers had been laying groundwork for months by objecting frequently to Engorons handling of the trial.

Trump said Engorons decision, the costliest consequence of his recent legal troubles, was election interference and weaponization against a political opponent. Trump complained he was being punished for having built a perfect company, great cash, great buildings, great everything.

Trumps lawyer Christopher Kise said after the verdict that the former president was confident the appeals court will ultimately correct the innumerable and catastrophic errors made by a trial court untethered to the law or to reality.

If the decision stands, Habba said, it will serve as a signal to every single American that New York is no longer open for business.

Trump wasnt able to appeal the decision immediately because the clerks office at Engorons courthouse had to file paperwork known as a judgment to make it official. That was done on Friday, starting a 30-day window for Trump to pay up or file an appeal and seek a stay.

If Trump were to pay the penalty at this stage instead of obtaining a stay, the money would be held in a court escrow account while the appeal plays out. If the court overturns the verdict, the money would be returned to Trump.

During the trial, Trumps lawyers accused Engoron of tangible and overwhelming bias. They've also objected to the legal mechanics of James lawsuit. Trump contends the law she sued him under is a consumer-protection statute thats normally used to rein in businesses that rip off customers.

Trumps lawyers have already gone to the Appellate Division at least 10 times to challenge Engorons prior rulings, including during the trial in an unsuccessful bid to reverse a gag order and $15,000 in fines for violations after Trump made a disparaging and false social media post about a key court staffer.

Trumps lawyers have long argued that some of the allegations against him are barred by the statute of limitations, contending that Engoron failed to comply with an Appellate Division ruling last year that he narrow the scope of the trial to weed out outdated accusations.

The Appellate Division could either uphold Engorons verdict, reduce or modify the penalty or overturn the decision entirely. If Trump is unsuccessful at the Appellate Division, he can ask the states highest court, the Court of Appeals, to consider taking his case.

The appeal is one of Trumps many legal challenges. He has been indicted on criminal charges four times in the last year. He is accused in Georgia and Washington, D.C., of plotting to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. In Florida, he is charged with hoarding classified documents.

He is scheduled to go on trial March 25 in Manhattan accused of falsifying business records related to hush money paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels on his behalf.

In January, a jury ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million to writer E. Jean Carroll for defaming her after she accused him in 2019 of sexually assaulting her in a Manhattan department store in the 1990s. Thats on top of the $5 million a jury awarded Carroll in a related trial last year.

Follow Sisak at x.com/mikesisak and send confidential tips by visiting https://www.ap.org/tips
Quebec provincial police say a crackdown on drug-related violent crimes in the eastern part of the province has now netted 21 people. A Quebec provincial police emblem is seen on an officers uniform in Montreal, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi


Sunday, February 25, 2024  CCTV footage shows the moments after a father murdered his own son.

22-year-old Eric Contreras died after being fatally shot in November 2023, and his father is the person accused of his murder.

David Contreras is facing charges of second-degree murder and was arrested on the day of his son's death.

The 52-year-old was in court on Thursday, February 22, as he seeks to be released on bond ahead of his trial.

During the proceedings, the 911 call he made following his son's death was revealed. He broke down in tears hearing it back.





"What did I do?" Contreras was heard saying in the call.

"I was fighting with my son... I lost it, he wouldn't stop."

NBC 6 South Florida obtained footage of the moments following Eric's death.

Taken on a doorbell camera, Contreras' wife is heard asking if Eric is alive and breathing, to which the dad replies: "He's not breathing, he's dead."

"Why, David? Why?" his wife goes on to ask.

Contreras continued to explain that the arguing between him and his son became unbearable.

He went on to break down in tears as he asks his wife to find his brother for him.

Police bodycam footage of Contreras' arrest has also been shared, where the crying father admits to shooting his son.

According to friends of the family, they were all on a trip to Disney World, Orlando, but, as a result of Eric's behavior, he and his dad drove back home to Kendall. Their argument then escalated and turned fatal. Contreras is said to have shot his son multiple times for unknown reasons before calling the police.

Eric was pronounced dead at the scene.





It's believed that this wasn't the first time Contreras threatened to shoot Eric. According to police, in May 2023 he shot at the ceiling and in the days running up to Eric's death, Contreras had pointed a gun at him.

According to one of Contreras' attorneys, his son struggled with his mental health.

"This is just a very tragic situation. He is distraught," he said of his client.

"The victim is the son of the defendant, and the victim has suffered from some severe emotional and mental conditions, and we're still trying to determine what happened, why it happened."

The 52-year-old entered a not guilty plea back in November, and he's since been held without bond.

Prosecutors want Contreras to stay in jail, but his attorneys hope he can go home to await trail. But a judge ruled that he would continue to be held without bond until his next court appearance - which is set for March 11, according to court records.

Watch a video of the moment following the shooting below.




Monday, February 26, 2024 - An outspoken East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member of Parliament has thrown his weight behind ODM leader Raila Odinga's bid for African Union Commission chairmanship.

In a statement on Monday, EALA MP, David Sankok, called on all Kenyans to support the bid by theAzimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party leader.

According to Sankok, the former prime minister has the credentials to bring meaningful reforms to the AU.

"I implore all Kenyans to support the candidature of Raila Odinga as the Chair of the African Union Commission.

"He is the only soul alive that I know will carry the aspirations of pan-Africanist forefathers of uniting Africa into the United States of Africa.

"We should have this chance because of other regions, so it is our time," Sankok said.

At the same time, Sankok vowed to lead demonstrations in the event Raila's votes are stolen in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The EALA lawmaker hilariously said the Azimio supports should not carry stones, because will use his crutches as weapons to defend Raila's win

"I want to assure our friends from Azimio. If Raila's votes are 'stolen' again in Addis Ababa, I will lead a demonstration.

"In fact, this time round, Azimio guys should not carry stones; my crutches will be used as a weapon of mass destruction," he noted.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Monday, February 26, 2024  First Lady Rachel Ruto has dismissed claims that President William Rutos government sponsored the multi-million crusade at Nyayo Stadium where American televangelist Benny Hinn was the guest speaker.

While addressing a congregation at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, Rachel set the record straight as she disclosed the source of funds used to sponsor Benny Hinns crusade.

According to Rutos wife, the crusade was entirely organized and funded by churches in Kenya.

She thus watered down reports claiming that the government funded the multi-million conference from taxpayer's money.

The church has fully funded all that was needed to make the crusade a success, Rachel Ruto remarked.

Rachel Ruto lauded the churches' efforts in making the planned crusade a reality and also expressed gratitude to Benny Hinn for accepting the church's request to come to Kenya.

According to the First Lady, she met the televangelist in Florida, the United States, where she took up the opportunity and convinced him to come to Kenya.

"I thank Benny Hinn for accepting our request to come to Kenya. I can tell you it is a big honour. When I met him in Florida, he told me he had stopped going out of America," the First Lady narrated.

"It has been 23 years since Benny Hinn has been to this nation and I know he has many invitations from all over the world.

"We are very grateful that he has stepped into the soil of Kenya and because of that, he has also stepped into Africa," she added.

The steering committee responsible for organising the crusade had also earlier dismissed allegations made by a section of the public that Benny Hinn's conference was stated-funded.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Monday, February 26,2024 - President William Ruto has once again lied to the world by saying that God revealed to him that he would be President of the Republic of Kenya in 2006.

During Benny Hinns crusade at Nyayo stadium on Sunday, Ruto said he visited a revival mission in the United States with his wife Rachael Ruto, and Bishop Odoyo. That is when God revealed that he would be President of Kenya.

The first time I got a revelation that I was going to be president in Kenya was in 2006 during the Asuza 100 celebration of revival in the US and I was there with my wife and Rev. Bishop Adoyo and many others, said Ruto.

The President said that at the time, he could not believe it.

I couldn't believe that the son from Sugoi would one day be president of Kenya.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Monday, February 26, 2024  Government Spokesman Isaac Mwaura found himself in deep trouble over the weekend after praising President William Rutos wife, Rachael, for bringing American televangelist Benny Hinn to Kenya.

After attending a religious crusade at Nyayo Stadium where American televangelist Benny Hinn was being hosted as the guest preacher in his personal capacity, Mwaura proceeded to tweet using the Government Spokesman's office.

He went on to upload the photos from the religious function on X, using the office's official handle.

While marveling at the Nyayo Stadium events using the tweet, Mwaura appeared to be praising First Lady Rachel Ruto for organising the crusade.

However, Kenyans were not amused as they accused him of open bias. They faulted Rutos government's supposed bias towards Christianity.

A majority explained that it was inappropriate for a public office to show an open leaning toward a certain religion when there are hundreds of faith denominations and beliefs in the country.

They argued that the crusade was not a state function and thus using an X handle belonging to a public office to promote it was out of order.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Monday, February 26, 2024  A Greek Orthodox monk has claimed that King Charles has turned to him for spiritual advice since being diagnosed with cancer.

The 75-year-old monarch was diagnosed with cancer while undergoing a recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement.

It's claimed that the King secretly contacted Archimandrite Ephraim, with whom he's said to have been friends for over 25 years.

The King and the Abbot are understood to have grown close after Princess Diana's death in 1997.

Elder Ephraim, 67, has never spoken about his friendship with the monarch but The Sun reports that he claimed that the King contacted him following his diagnosis.

The Abbot said: 'Charles has a spiritual sophistication, a spiritual life.

'Yes, he has been in contact since the diagnosis and I believe he'll overcome it.'

The elder claimed to have had a 'very good rapport' with Charles, who is said to have visited Mount Athos several times, including eight separate visits to the Abbot's 10th-century Vatopedi monastery.

A source told the newspaper: 'There are no distractions so he can meditate, pray and follow ancient rituals like getting up at 4am to follow the liturgy which he absolutely adores.'

Charles' late father, Prince Philip, was born on a kitchen table in Corfu and baptised into the Greek Orthodox church before his family fled the war-torn country when he was a baby.





The King has taken a step back from frontline duties following his diagnosis with the disease, which was discovered while he was undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate.

The form of cancer has not been specified, but aides say it is not of the prostate; the King 'continues to undertake state business and official paperwork as usual' while undergoing a schedule of treatments.

He chose to share his diagnosis 'in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer,' Buckingham Palace said.

Charles revealed to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak earlier this week that the 'wonderful messages and cards' he has received since his diagnosis have 'reduced me to tears.'
By now, most people would agree that internet connectivity is not a luxury. It is a utility that is essential to everyday life, from schoolwork, to office work to health checkups and communication. When people do not have access because of cost or lack of infrastructure, it becomes an equity issue that too often spans urban and rural communities.

Thats why Congress needs to reauthorize the Affordability Connectivity Program by April. Without it, nearly 100,000 Erie County residents and millions more in rural communities nationwide will lose low-cost internet service.

Such an outcome is unacceptable and damaging to our community, and why Sen. Kirsten Gillibrands message to Congress to act fast needs support. Shout it out. Put it on billboards, or better, yet, on the internet. If you have access to that, you have a sense of its influence and importance. Advocating for it helps neighbors who do not.

More than 1.7 million New York households benefit from the program, which helps low-income households afford high-speed internet. That number includes more than 97,000 Erie County residents, said Gillibrand, who made her case while visiting Buffalos Central Library earlier this month.

There is a growing recognition that the internet is an essential service, including in Western New York. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced in December progress on a government high-speed broadband network to blanket the county. After four years of planning, construction to lay fiber optic conduit lines has begun and will take shape this spring.

Poloncarz first announced a $20 million ErieNet initiative in 2019, with hopes of major expansion by 2021. But Covid-19 interrupted those plans and in 2022, the county released a draft business plan for $29 million that would lay 400 miles of fiber optic lines from as far north as Newstead and Grand Island to as far south as Collins and Concord.

As with many plans, the cost has risen and now comes in at $36 million, with much of it covered by American Rescue Plan dollars and $2.8 million in county funding.

The Covid-19 pandemic that resulted in shutdowns of public places, notably schools, highlighted the urgent need to extend internet connectivity to the further pockets of our population. Students without high-speed internet had more difficulty than others in keeping up with schoolwork. Adults trying to secure an appointment in the early days of vaccination availability were out of luck and at increased risk of serious illness.

In making reauthorization of the Affordable Connectivity Program by April a priority, Gillibrand focused on efforts to help close the digital divide. She supported the original legislation during the pandemic as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed in November 2021.

This essential program offers a discount of up to $30 per month on internet service and equipment, plus a onetime $100 discount on a laptop, desktop computer or tablet. The discount can reach $75 monthly for qualifying rural communities, and for tribal lands.

Weve done this before, with rural electrification projects during the Great Depression. Washington recognized that lack of electricity created an unsustainable national divide. The same holds true for high-speed internet access.

Whether the subject is students completing assignments or being taught remotely, seniors participating in telehealth, jobseekers interviewing virtually, or those already employed working remotely, internet access has become the modern utility that few can live without.

Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.




Monday, February 26, 2024 - Renowned preacher Pastor Ben Kiengei of Jesus Christ Compassion Ministry (JCM) church has told off his critics after word got out that he is having an affair with one of his wealthy congregants, identified as Dama, a prominent Nairobi businesswoman and the CEO of Dama Mobile Spares.

Speaking on Sunday during a church service, Kiengei said he is proud to be associated with the wealthy businesswoman.

Hakuna mwanaume haezi taka kutembea na Dama ata hao bloggers na baba zao, he said, adding that the rich businesswoman has been supporting his church ministry financially.

Kiengei bragged that if he needs Ksh 2 Million at any given time, he just calls Dama.

He further claimed that he is unmoved by the rumours that he is cheating on his wife with Dama.

It is alleged that Dama and Kiengei frequent Marks Hotel in Ruiru for escapades.

Listen to him telling off his critics.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Monday, February 26, 2024 - Inspector General of Police, Japheth Koome, has begged the government to allow Kenya Police to license liquor outlets.

Speaking during the Illicit Alcohol And Drug Eradication Conference in Mombasa on Monday, Koome said that the licensing of alcohol outlets should be regarded as a security issue because people are dying.

He requested Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who presided over the conference to have the licensing reverted to the police like it was previously.

"Your Excellency, I will request that maybe the law be changed regarding the licensing of alcohol outlets to return to the way it was in the past," the Inspector General said.

Koome claimed that governors have politicised the licensing of the outlets, saying all they look at is votes and revenues for their devolved units and thereby police should be given that job.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Monday, February 26, 2024  26-year-old Rael Muthoni Njeru is pleading for assistance to return home to her parents in Kenya.

This is after her Nigerian husband abandoned her and their child without a trace a month ago.

She is facing threats from her husband's family, who intend to take her child from her.

"His family said that if I do not provide my child for them within three weeks, they will take my daughter," Njeru said tearfully.

Muthoni says her troubles escalated after her husband disappeared, leaving behind his phone and has since remained untraceable.

With the rent for their accommodation overdue and the landlord threatening eviction, Njeru is at a loss for what to do next.

"I am contemplating fleeing to the Kenyan embassy in Lagos, but it is a 12-hour drive from where I currently reside," she stated.

Muthoni and her estranged husband have been married for nearly four years, with their relationship beginning in 2018 in Nairobi.

They dated for a year before marrying in 2020, after which she moved to Nigeria with him in June 2021.

"I want to come back to Kenya and take care of my children in peace," Muthoni said.

She disclosed that apart from the two-year-old girl she has with her current husband, she is also a mother to an eight-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.

With her passport missing and no means to secure transportation, she said is in urgent need of assistance to return home for her safety and that of her children.

Despite reaching out to her family for help, Muthoni's parents cannot assist due to their own financial constraints.




Monday, February 26, 2024 - Officials from the Nairobi County enforcement team were accosted by goons and attacked in South C, where they had gone to inspect a property being developed on a grabbed public land.

The officials were rescued and taken to the hospital, where they are receiving treatment.

Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai condemned the brutal attack and linked rogue officials in the county government to the land-grabbing spree currently being witnessed in Nairobi.

See photos.













The Kenyan DAILY POST.
Monday, February 26, 2024 - The family of Angata Nanyekie Member of the County Assembly (MCA) Paul Leshimpriro is mourning his death after the politician was shot yesterday morning.

Samburu County police boss Thomas Ototo confirmed to the press that the Azimio politician was killed by bandits while heading home along Morijo-Baragoi Road in Samburu.

His vehicle was ambushed on Sunday morning while he was returning home from Maralal Town.

Leshimpriro was in the car with his driver when the shooting occurred at Soit Pus. The driver, fortunately, escaped unhurt.

The incident comes barely two weeks after bandits staged a shootout against police reservists in Samburu killing one.

On January 30, the bandits reportedly stormed the burial ceremony of a National Police Reservist who had been killed at a previous shooting.

The suspected bandits accessed the funeral venue and opened fire, causing fear and confusion among the mourners.

During the exchange, one person lost his life forcing the event to be suspended.

Speaking following the attack, former Agriculture Principal Secretary Richard Lesiyampe urged the government to insure the lives of the National Police Reservists.

The government had been spearheading the war against bandits in the Rift Valley counties of Elegeyo Marakwet, Samburu, Turkana, and Baringo among others.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Monday, February 26, 2024  Outspoken Public Service Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria has blasted televangelist Benny Hinn for his stance on the Middle East conflict.

In a post on X, the Cabinet Secretary faulted the pastor's preachings delivered in a crusade attended by President William Ruto and the first family.

According to CS Kuria, Benny Hinn, who has Israeli and Palestinian heritage, adopted a one-sided view of the conflict that has rocked the region.

Kuria further wondered how that came to be considering that the Nyayo crusade where Benny Hinn made remarks was a quasi-state function.

Kenya continues to call for a cessation of hostilities even as we show solidarity with Israel over the October 7 terror attacks, he remarked.

He added that Kenya supported the rights of Palestinian people for self-determination.

The Pastor, who has on numerous occasions called for peace in Israel, was born in Jaffa, Israel in 1952.

Baptised in Jerusalem where he started his journey of faith, the televangelist was born to parents with Greek, Palestinian and Armenian heritage.

In October 2023, President William Ruto condemned the attacks on Israel soil conducted by the extremist group Hamas.

Kenya joins the rest of the world in solidarity with the State of Israel and unequivocally condemns terrorism and attacks on innocent civilians in the country, he stated then.

In November 2023, during a meeting of African leaders with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ruto supported the idea of a two-state solution.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Monday, February 26, 2024 - Controversial city preacher James Maina Nganga of Neno Evangelism Church has called out the organisers of the hyped crusade graced by American televangelist Benny Hinn at Nyayo Stadium for ignoring him.

Speaking to his congregants, Nganga said that despite being among the most popular preachers in Kenya, he was not recognized.

They couldnt allow me even to wave, Nganga ranted.

His only wish was to be given two minutes to play guitar to the faithful who had gathered at the stadium.

He bragged that a great revival would have been witnessed at the stadium if he had been given a chance to play the guitar.

Nganga also said that pastor Ezekiel was not recognized at the crusade, prompting them to walk out.

Even Pastor was not recognized and he had to walk out, he said.

Watch the video of Nganga ranting.

Yaani Chief General Commander Pastor Ng'ang'a and Pastor Ezekiel were not even recognized during Pastor Benny Crusade? This is Totally Unacceptable! pic.twitter.com/RT7vMCptim  Omwamba  (@omwambaKE) February 25, 2024

The Kenyan DAILY POST.


Monday, February 26, 2024 - Controversial pastor James Maina Nganga has expressed his anger after Pastor Benny Hinn's crusade organizers failed to recognise him on Saturday during a crusade at Nyayo stadium.

Speaking at his Neno Evangelism Ministry church in Nairobi on Sunday, Ng'ang'a said he did not get enough respect at the event, as he was only mentioned once and was also seated far away from the main stage.

I am a man of tactics. I was put to sit somewhere at a table that was not so close. I was only recognised once. Greet somebody and tell them to mind your own business, he said.

It should be noted that Pastor Ng'ang'a's church's TV channel, Sasa TV, also broadcasted Hinn's event.

The crusade started on Saturday, February 24, and ended on Sunday, February 25.

First Lady Rachel Ruto, who invited the televangelist to Kenya, was among the attendees of the crusade.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Monday, February 26, 2024 - Kileleshwa Ward MCA, Robert Alai, has condemned the assault of Nairobi city askaris commonly known as Kanjos who were beaten mercilessly in South C for demanding county permits.

The law enforcers were tipped by members of the public that an unnamed tycoon was constructing a structure on public land.

However, when they arrived at the premises, goons hired by the contractor beat the two officers to a pulp and they were later hospitalized at a Nairobi hospital.

Commenting on the attack, Alai accused Governor Johnson Sakaja's administration of allegedly protecting the owner of the property.

Alai said the silence by the City Hall boss indicates there was a direct attempt to cover up the incident.

"Disturbingly, it is alleged that top Nairobi City County enforcement and planning officers have sought to conceal this incident, likely due to Governor Johnson Sakaja's purported personal relationship with the developer.

"Such a coverup, if true, is absolutely unacceptable. I demand the immediate suspension of these officers so that an independent investigation can take place," Alai said.

Alai added that the incident highlights the urgent need for reforms and accountability within Nairobi City county's governance.

Here are the photos of Kanjo officers at the hospital.









The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Monday, February 26, 2024 - National Assembly Speaker, Moses Wetangula, has said former Prime Minister Raila Odinga requires an endorsement from President William Rutos government to become the next African Union Chairperson.

Two weeks ago, Raila Odinga stated that after soul searching and deliberations, he decided to vie for the AU chairperson post which is currently occupied by former Prime Minister of Chad Mousa Faki.

Wetangula who spoke on Sunday, insisted that the Kenya Kwanza government is behind Raila Odingas bid since he cannot be AU chief without the support of President Ruto.

"He now wants to go to Addis Ababa and he can't go there without the blessing and support of the government. The President has said the job doesnt belong to Raila but the Republic of Kenya, Wetangula said.

Speaking in Bomet County on Sunday, Wetangula said it was time for Odinga, who has vied unsuccessfully for the presidency five times, to exit the political stage.

What he has done on the local scene is enough, even Shakespeare said the world is a stage, you come play your part, you leave and others enter the scene.

"Let him go to Addis Ababa, he noted.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
This letter is in response to Cynthia M. Allen's column of Feb. 3 titled, "Bidens honoring woman who sued for abortion. Here's a better idea." I was surprised at Allen's misinterpretation of why the woman involved, Kate Cox, is being honored. Allen wrote, "But Cox was not invited by the White House to honor her child's tragically short existence or to bring awareness to rare genetic disorders. She will be there because she publicly sought to end her child's life because the risk posed to her own life (which was real but small) was in her estimation, not worth it."

This is not why Cox is being honored. She is being honored for highlighting the pain and suffering imposed on her by the government of the state of Texas by preventing her and women like her from exercising the choice that she felt was best given the issues that she faced with her pregnancy. In contrast to Allen's assertion, the Bidens are not honoring the choice that Cox made; they are honoring her right to have a choice. I would think that this distinction should be obvious.




Monday, February 26, 2024 - President William Ruto was on Sunday the chief guest of the Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa's 100-year celebrations marked at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday.

Speaking during a celebration of the churchs 100th anniversary, President Ruto praised his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta for his role in uniting AIPCA leaders to end years of division.

Ruto also revealed how a section of church leaders from the warring faction sought his intervention after mediation efforts collapsed.

The Head of State revealed that he referred the matter to the retired President and his Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, to resolve the stalemate.

The church delegation came to me. I told them uniting the church is above my aptitude and told them I would look for the leaders of this country.

"I looked for President Uhuru Kenyatta and would like to thank him because he played a big role in uniting this church, Ruto said.

Cracks within the church leadership started after outgoing leader Amos Kabuthu installed Archbishop Fredrick Wangombe as head of the church disregarding the bishops choice of Archbishop Julius Gitau who was elected in 2017.

Power struggles caused a section to break away, forming AIPCK under the leadership of Archbishop Njoroge who controlled about 200 churches, and Archbishop Wangombes faction with 1,500 churches.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Monday, February 26, 2024  Star Trek actor Kenneth Mitchell has died at the age of 49 following a five-year battle with ALS.

His family confirmed his untimely passing on social media.

A statement from his loved ones on X read: "With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Kenneth Alexander Mitchell, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, son and dear friend."

For five and a half years, Ken faced a series of awful challenges from ALS. And in truest Ken fashion, he managed to rise above each one with grace and commitment, to living a full and joyous life in each moment.

They added: "He lived by the principals that each day is a gift and we never walk alone."

The actor is survived by his wife Susan and their two children Lilah and Kallum.

The Canadian actor played several roles in sci-fi series Star Trek: Discovery, a spin-off of the beloved sci-fi franchise. He played Klingons Kol, Kol-Sha, and Tenavik, and Aurellio in the show. He also appeared as Joseph Danvers in Captain Marvel (2019) and starred as Eric Green in the CBS TV series Jericho between 2006 and 2008.

Kenneth previously opened up about his ALS diagnosis.

He told People magazine in 2020: "The moment that they told us it was [ALS], it was like I was in my own movie.

"Thats what it felt like, like I was watching that scene where someone is being told that they have a terminal illness. It was just a complete disbelief, a shock."

Mitchell played three Klingon characters in the first two seasons of Star Trek: Discovery. He was Kol in Season one, Kol-Sha and Tenavik in Season two. Then as his disease worsened, he played Aurellio, a character who used a hoverchair, a feature enabling him to use his wheelchair.

According to John Hopkins Medicine, ALS is a fatal motor neuron disease. It is characterized by progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. ALS affects voluntary control of arms and legs, and leads to trouble breathing.


Monday, February 26, 2024  An Israeli military operation in Gazas southernmost city of Rafah could be delayed somewhat if a deal for a weeks-long truce between Israel and Hamas is reached, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, February 25 but claimed that total victory in Gaza is weeks away once the military operation in Rafah begins.

Speaking to Margaret Brennan on CBS Newss Face the Nation, Netanyahu confirmed that a ceasefire deal is in the works but did not provide details.

Israeli media reported that mediators were making progress on an agreement for a temporary ceasefire and the release of dozens of hostages held captive in Gaza as well as Palestinian security prisoners held by Israel.

Reports say the deal includes the release in the first phase of some 40 hostages held in Gaza, including women, children, female soldiers and elderly and ill abductees, amid a pause in fighting of some six weeks.

It also includes the release by Israel of hundreds of Palestinian terror convicts, and a redeployment of Israeli troops within Gaza but not a complete withdrawal as Hamas had previously demanded. The deal would also reportedly see Israel enable the return of Palestinian women and children to northern Gaza, from where hundreds of thousands evacuated during the fighting, and which Israel has kept cut off from the rest of the enclave.

Several Israeli media outlets, citing unnamed officials, said the war cabinet has approved the deal.

Talks resumed on Sunday in Qatar at the specialist level, Egypts state-run Al Qahera TV reported, citing an Egyptian official as saying further discussions would follow in Cairo with the aim of achieving the temporary ceasefire and release.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, responded to Netanyahus comments, saying that they cast doubt over Israels willingness to secure a hostage deal.

Netanyahus comments show he is not concerned about reaching an agreement, Abu Zuhri told Reuters, accusing the Israeli leader of wanting to pursue negotiation under bombardment and the bloodshed of Palestinians in Gaza.

In Rafah, which is the Gaza-Egypt border, more than half the territorys population of 2.3 million have sought refuge. Humanitarian groups warn of a catastrophe, with Rafah the main entry point for aid, and the US and other allies have said Israel must avoid harming civilians. Israels political and military leaders have said the operation will not begin until the safety of non-combatants has been ensured.





Netanyahu has said he will convene the cabinet this week to approve operational plans for action in Rafah, including the evacuation of civilians.

Once we begin the Rafah operation, the intense phase of the fighting is weeks away from completion. Not months, Netanyahu told CBS. If we dont have a deal, well do it anyway. It has to be done because total victory is our goal and total victory is within reach.

Speaking to CBS, Netanyahu was asked about growing distrust of you personally by Congress and the Biden White House. When youre closest ally is telling you things like this and telling you you need to reconsider a strategy, isnt it worth considering? Brennan queried the prime minister.

Responding, the Israeli PM said: Well, first of all, you say theres no confidence in me, well the Israeli public has confidence in me. The prime ministers approval ratings, however, have plummeted since October 7 and almost all polls show that he would not be able to form a coalition were early elections to be held.

On the differences in strategy between the US and Israel, the prime minister said that he thinks the US agrees with us on the goal of destroying Hamas and the goal of releasing the hostages. The decisions on how to do that are left with us, and with me, and with the elected cabinet of Israel.

A lot of things that we were told by the best of friends initially turned out to not be true, Netanyahu continued. They said You cant enter the ground war without having enormous complications, they said You cant enter Gaza City, you cant go into the tunnels, it will be a terrible bloodbath. All that turned out to be not true, he said.

Our soldiers are in the tunnel network. We dont have to take apart hundreds of kilometres of tunnels. We are taking apart the missile production factories that are underground, the command and control headquarters, the computers that are there, the money that is there, the weapons that are there, and the ammo that is there. Were doing that methodically, he continued.

Since the beginning of the war, more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

The war broke out following Hamass October 7 attack, which saw Hamas terrorists kill some 1,200 people in a rampage through southern Israel, mostly civilians massacred amid brutal atrocities, and kidnap 253 people. Some 130 are still held in Gaza.


Sunday, February 25, 2024  Former US President Donald Trump said the Royal Family has been too gracious to Prince Harry and that he would not protect him like Joe Biden has done.

Trump made the claim at the CPAC conference in Washington DC just hours after Harry appeared in court over whether he had lied on his US immigration papers concerning his drug use.

The legal challenge has been pursued by the Heritage Foundation in Washington DC and resisted by the Prince with the support of Biden's Department of Homeland Security, something Trump doesn't agree with.

The former president told the Daily Express US: I wouldnt protect him. He betrayed the Queen. Thats unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me.

He added: I think they have been too gracious to him after what he has done.

He claimed Biden's administration protected Harry by keeping his immigration application confidential.

It comes after the Duke of Sussex told Good Morning America on February 16 that he was considering US citizenship. He was talking about the first winter Invictus Games but took the time to shed light on meeting his father after his cancer diagnosis.

When asked about enjoying his time in the US, Harry responded positively to his move away from the UK. Harry said: "It's amazing. I love every single day."

The Duke of Sussex was then asked if he feels American after now spending many years across the pond. Harry responded: "No, I don't know how I feel."

The question was followed by asking Harry about US citizenship, to which he replied: "I have considered it, yeah."

Harry was then pressed on what was stopping him and he told Good Morning America that he "does not know".

The Duke continued: I am here standing with these guys (Invictus competitors), the American citizenship is a thought that has crossed my mind but certainly not something that is a high priority for me right now.




Monday, February 26, 2024 - Over the weekend, controversial American televangelist, Benny Hinn, hosted a two-day mega crusade at Nyayo Stadium that was attended by thousands of Kenyans.

A video of the popular televangelist reportedly performing instant miracles during the crusade has emerged.

In the video, Hinn is seen claiming that a man who was deaf for years had been healed.

He was deaf but God opened his right ear, he says as music plays in the background.

He further parades a woman whose tumor miraculously disappeared after he prayed for her.

He also claimed that he healed a woman who had stage 4 cancer and another crippled woman who had been involved in an accident.

A social media user shared a video of the visiting televangelist performing the alleged miracles and wondered why he couldnt go to Kenyatta National Hospital or the Nairobi Hospital and heal the sick if at all his miracles were real.

Benny Hinn can perform miracles and heal the sick at Nyayo Stadium, but healing only 1 at Kenyatta National Hospital or Nairobi hospital is where he draws the line, wrote the X user.

Benny Hinns alleged miracles are shrouded in controversies, despite his popularity across the globe.

Kenyan gospel musician Reuben Kigame happens to be among Hinns top critics.

On his Facebook page, Kigame alleged that the preacher's sermons are not based on the Bible.

Benny Hinn doing "miracles" at Nyayo Stadium.



Hii ni maajabu.  pic.twitter.com/AHHvYA3wcd  Cornelius K. Ronoh (@itskipronoh) February 25, 2024

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Monday, February 26, 2024 - Renowned Kenyan preacher Pastor Ezekiel Odero was among the prominent pastors who attended the much-hyped crusade hosted by American televangelist, Benny Hinn, at the Nyayo Stadium.

A video that has surfaced on social media shows preachers falling down as Benny Hinn was performing his alleged miracles.

However, Pastor Ezekiel did not fall down, prompting Benny Hinn to push him.

Gabriel Oguda shared the video on his X platform and hilariously captioned it Pastor Ezekiel refused to join other fair-weather pastors in the fake fall down, so Benny Hinn had to ensure he gets down by force by fire. Tears in my eyes,.

Watch it below.

Pastor Ezekiel refused to join other fair-weather pastors in the fake fall down, so Benny Hinn had to ensure he gets down by force by fire. Tears in my eyes. pic.twitter.com/2QFlj9VvuS  Gabriel Oguda (@gabrieloguda) February 26, 2024

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Monday, February 26, 2024 - President William Rutos aide Farouk Kibet has dismissed claims that the Kenya Kwanza Alliance government is supporting former Prime Minister Raila Odingas African Union Chairperson bid because they fear him.

Speaking in Nandi, Farouk Kibet clarified that their endorsement is not rooted in fear for the 2027 general election, but rather a desire to see Raila play a transformative role on the continental stage.

He said there was a need for the Azimio leader to transcend local political divides and ensure a peaceful retirement.

According to Kibet, supporting Railas bid for the position aligns with a broader vision of fostering unity and collaboration beyond national borders.

We are not supporting him because we fear him, he said.

We are supporting him as a gift so that God can see us as generous people like other Kenyans. They should not see us as cowards, how can we fear a person that we defeated the other time? he questioned.

He also told off some of his allies who he said are opposed to Raila's candidature instead of supporting him.

Sisi hatutaki hasara ya kila siku ashindwe aseme ameibiwa. Sijui mwizi anakuwanga wapi katikati ya hii kura. (We no longer want him to lose then come back to claim votes have been stolen. We don't know where this thief is in every election circle), he said.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
For almost the past decade, Donald Trump has had only unrelenting praise for Vladimir Putin, even praising Putins murderous invasion of Ukraine. If anyone had previously doubted whether Donald Trump was in the pocket of Putin, they need only read Trumps response to the death of Putin foe Alexei Navalny. Trump did not condemn or even criticize Putins murder of Navalny, but rather, in essence, used the occasion to condemn the United States. In Trumps own words, the United States is a failing nation and he is the real victim of state oppression because he is being prosecuted for the numerous crimes he has committed. Trump makes no secret of his admiration of murderous dictators. There is no question that he is not on Americas side, that he is not on the side of democracy or the ideals that Americans have fought and died for over the past two- and one-half centuries. The only question that remains is, on whose side are Donald Trumps supporters? Trump alone has no power, so it is up to those voters who give him power to ask themselves, what do they believe in? Do they stand on the side of the rule of law and common decency or the side of a Putin disciple and traitor to everything America is supposed to stand for?
Police in North West Nile Region and Adjuman CPS are hunting for one of their own, ASP Moses Acaye, a police officer attached to Alebtong district as the officer in charge (OC), for allegedly shooting dead one Simon Omona, 24, in Lulayi village.

A serious manhunt, for ASP Acaye Moses, a police officer attached to Alebtong districts as the OC station, for a revenge attack and murder by shooting of Omona Simon, a 24-year-old, peasant of Lulayi village, on the 20.02.2024 at around 11 am< a police statement reads in part.

It is said that the OC left his station with a pistol and reported his presence at Appa police station to follow up the murder of his brother Emmanuel Opio, by a mob at Apaa trading centre, after one of the suspects was sighted by residents.

Upon reaching the trading center, he allegedly drew his pistol and shot at the victim, who was rushed to a nearby clinic from where he died.

His actions constitute a gross abuse of police authority, for use of excessive force, which resulted into a senseless murder of Omona Simon, police said in a Monday statement.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Homicide department reassured the public on Monday that they have enough information to bring to book the masterminds of the gruesome murder of Eng. Dan Bbosa, a Buganda Kingdom clan leader.

Last evening at about 6 pm, Bbosa, 72, the head of the Ndiga Clan in Buganda Kingdom was shot dead by assailants riding a motorcycle.

As the three assailants were fleeing the scene, they were knocked by a boda boda rider who raised an alarm, attracting an angry mob that aggressively pursued and apprehended two of the assailants, around Bulange-Mengo before lynching one.

Another suspect is being guarded by CID personnel at Mulago Hospital while the third is still on the run.

We are reviewing all CCTV footage, both public and private in the area, as part of investigations. The Forensic Ballistic Experts are conducting a trace of the killer gun to identify when, where, and to whom it was allocated, a Monday police statement reads in part.
The High Court in Kampala has dismissed a case in which a Makerere University official sued the institution for failing to appoint him as its Principal Registrar as ordered by the Makerere University Staff Appeals Tribunal.

Daniel Kiganda was employed by the University on May 21, 2010, as an Administrative Assistant (Information Systems) in the office of the Academic Registrar, and later in July 2013, he was promoted by the respondents Appointments Board to the position of Senior Administrative Assistant in the same office.

In 2018, he applied for the advertised positions of Principal Registrar and Senior Assistant Registrar and was shortlisted for both positions and invited for interviews.

However, he scored 50 percent and was not appointed to any of the positions on grounds that he scored below the pass mark of 60 percent. All the applicants who scored above 60 percent were appointed to the positions, with their appointments taking effect on 5 and 6 June 2018.

In July 2018, Kiganda lodged an appeal to the Tribunal, contesting the way in which he was interviewed and seeking several orders from it the Tribunal made its ruling on the matter on 17 August 2021 and held that the applicant had been treated unfairly during the interview process for the position of Principal Registrar.

The Tribunal then ordered that the respondents Appointments Board appoints Kiganda as Principal Registrar  an order which the respondent did not carry out.

He then dragged the University before the High Court accusing its appointments board of unlawfully failing to implement the tribunals recommendations and sought orders the have him appointed on the said position and over Shs400 million in damages and compensation.

However, Justice Daglous Singiza dismissed the said case with no orders to costs for lack of merit and that the University had no malice when it failed to implement the tribunals orders.
The Leader of Opposistion in Parliament has urged government not to rush the process of rationalization of its Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to avoid a boomerang effect.

Mr Joel Sssenyonyi, says since rationalization will affect service delivery and individuals in different agencies, the matter should be handled with great care.

He rather encourages government to adequately engage several stakeholders before Parliament passes the relevant Bills to avoid a repeat of mistakes made when the privatization of agencies was done in haste.

Sssenyonyis sentiments are shared by his predecessor Mathias Mpuuga, who warns that if government fails to pay attention to different voices about the matter, it may find it necessary to have some of these agencies reinstated by next year.
A section of opposition Members of Parliament has been barred from accessing the Lubowa Specialized Hospital construction site, just three months after parliament approved Shs2.7 billion to the Ministry of Health for the supervision works at the facility.

The MPs led by the Leader of Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi had gone to assess the progress of the construction works but were blocked by police officers on the basis that they had no clearance from the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Ssenyonyi defended the oppositions decision to visit the site, noting that government has invested a lot of money in the project.

Clearly this shows that there is nothing going on here. All the billions of shillings that are pumped into Lubowa Hospital, there is nothing. When we came, we heard them slashing. Clearly, there is just a bush in there no hospital, Ssenyonyi said.

Jinja West MP, Timothy Batuwa described the actions by security forces as illegal and called for the prosecution of individuals involved in blocking Parliament from carrying out its constitutional mandate.

In January 2023, Charles Ayume, the chairperson of Parliaments Health Committee asked the government to pause funding for the construction of Lubowa Specialised Hospital due to the sky-rocketing public debt that was recently revealed to have hit Shs97 trillion, and instead focus on smaller critical infrastructure projects in the health sector.
By Monitor Reporter

Police have embarked on investigations to establish circumstances under which the head of the Endiga (sheep) clan in Buganda Kingdom was last evening shot dead by unknown assailants riding on a motorcycle.

Engineer Daniel Bbosa was shot severally in the head in his car at around 6pm in Lungujja, Rubaga Division in Kampala. He died instantly.

Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said after the shooting of Bbosa, the shooter with his riders attempted to flee the crime scene but the residents pursued them and killed one of them leaving another critically injured.

He adds that the killer gun and the motorcycle have been recovered as investigations into the shooting begin.

Our investigations to identify the suspects, the gun they were using, the owner of the motorcycle and the motive are still ongoing, said Onyango.

The incident could be the first time armed suspects using motorcycles have been apprehended soon after the shooting of a prominent person and a killer gun recovered since the shooting of the Muslim clerics in December 2014.
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Small business owners from the across the South-East have attended a Productivity24-South East LEAN Conference in Newpark Hotel Kilkenny for a transformative half-day conference dedicated to the world of productivity and LEAN Thinking.

The exclusive event was tailored for owner-managers of small companies and promises to equip attendees with invaluable insights and practical strategies to harness the full potential of LEAN Principles to increase efficiency in the business.

Productivity-24 was hosted by the Local Enterprise Offices in Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford.

The event was moderated by Aine Kerr and featured speakers including John OShanahan from LEAN BPI, Stuart Nelson from Jigsaw, Robert Hernan from Enterprise Ireland, LEAN Experts Richie Dawson from LI4 and Pat Lynch from SETU.

I was delighted to be part of this event which created a conversation around efficiency and productivity in SMEs of all types and sizes in the South-East," said Aine Kerr.

The event was open to SMEs across the South East of Ireland and Aileen McGrath on behalf of the Local Enterprise Offices, said it was a fantastic opportunity to revolutionise the way SMEs think about their business in the modern era.

"Local businesses benefited from the wisdom and expertise of industry-leading speakers who have successfully navigated LEAN thinking. SMEs gained actionable insights from their experiences, best practices, and case studies," she said.

If you are interested in availing of LEAN supports, please contact your Local Enterprise Office.
The Recovery Library was launched in the Department of Psychiatry at St Luke's General Hospital recently with the intention to 'share supports and hopeful stories'.

The Recovery Library is based on a simple idea, providing books for people in the Department of Psychiatry, to learn more about recovery and read hopeful stories of other people who have improved their mental health. This can be a helpful part of regaining control in life and supporting recovery from a mental health challenge.

The idea came from a development group in the hospital made up of people with lived experience, family members, staff working in the Department of Psychiatry and the Development Officer with Mental Health Ireland.

Gina Delaney, Development Officer, Mental Health Ireland, said: "We know from listening to people who have stayed in the Department of Psychiatry that it is so important to have a variety of activities to do. Reading is a great way to learn more about ourselves and the world around us, and also we can get a break from the challenges of life by getting lost in a good book."

The selection of books are displayed so that readers can get a good sense of the content and see if the book might appeal to them. The bespoke shelving unit was crafted by the local Men's Shed.

The books are supplied by the local library in Kilkenny, and the list of books came from taking recommendations from across various disciplines and roles who work in mental health and a variety of perspectives such as community family and lived experience of mental health challenges. The group also utilised the 'Healthy Ireland at your Library' recommendations and now have over 150 book titles to select from.

It is hoped that creating the links between the local library services and Men's Shed that this will also create new opportunities for people, getting to know about these local opportunities to get more involved with their community also.

"We hope that these books can make a real difference for people staying in the hospital and we are delighted to be working with great community services and groups like the local library and Men's Shed," John Clarke, Assistant Director of Nursing in the Department of Psychiatry commented.

Staff who work in the hospital and people who are staying in the hospital have shared their hopes for the library, and there is opportunity to develop discussion groups, talks, perhaps a book club.

"Belinda Coyle, Family Peer Support Worker in the Department of Psychiatry, added: "I'm so happy to see the library in place here in the hospital, and already I know that people are discussing what they are reading, sharing view points and pieces of information, and reading to each other, which is just so great to see."
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Pictured at the MTU Bishopstown Campus, Cork was Dr Steve Swanson with President of MTU, Professor Maggie Cusack and Dr Niall Smith, MTU Head of Research

Retired US astronaut Steve Swanson visited Ireland and gave an insightful talk to students in one university.

Dr Swanson paid a visit to MTU on Monday, February 19, to give a talk about his experiences and observations of life in orbit beyond our planetary bounds.

A distinguished NASA astronaut, Steve Swanson PhD has flown to the International Space Station on three occasions, and has spent 195 days in space, including five space walks, totalling 28 hours and five minutes.

His awards and honours include the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and the JSC Certificate of Accommodation, Flight Simulation Engineering Award, and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

During the event, Dr Swanson shared video clips of his experiences and gave a virtual tour of his life on board.

The visit was sponsored by DELL Technologies Ireland, and Dr Swanson was accompanied to Cork by Ross Barber and Jack Enright from the International Space School Educational Trust (ISSET) organisation in the UK.

He also addressed secondary students in Midleton College and at DELL (EMC) in Ballincollig earlier in the day.

Dr Swanson has served in other roles at NASA, such as a CAPCOM for both International Space Station and Space Shuttle missions.
Stuff reports:

Far right activist, kyle chapman, has avoided jail after he was found with a banned gun and unlawfully possessed ammunition. In the christchurch District Court on Tuesday Judge Tom Gilbert sentenced Chapman to community detention with supervision after he was charged with unlawfully possessing over 130 rounds of ammunition, having several magazines and the possession of a Norinco semi-automatic rifle  a gun which is banned in new zealand.

Chapman is a neo-nazi. As in an actual neo-nazi, not just the term some on the left use for anyone to the right of them. He once firebombed a marae. He is definitely not someone you want armed, let alone with a banned semi-automatic.

Judge Gilbert told the court that Chapman's daughters said he had given up his preoccupation with various causes which is a relief to them.  Judge Gilbert said the pre sentence report explained Chapman had decided to give away activist activities and focus primarily on your family. Ordinarily I'd be somewhat skeptical about those comments but the material I've read and the report and various letters does suggest that is actually what has happened  though time will ultimately tell, he said. He sentenced Chapman to six months of home detention with supervision.

I hope the daughters are correct, but I think it is somewhat naive.

In 2009 he said he was giving up on the far-right when his partner left him. He didn't.

In 2019 he said he was turning his back on them, to focus on faith and family. He didn't.

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Nate Silver makes a strong case for why ignoring Biden;'s age could lose the Democrats the White House. He points out:

Biden's approval rating remains below 40%

Trump leads Biden in the polls in all major swing states

Despite the improving economy, Biden's numbers are not improving

It is reasonable for voters to see the fact that Biden would be 86 years old by the end of his second term as disqualifying and the fact that Trump also has a number of disqualifying features is not a good reason to nominate Biden

Someone who can't sit through a Super Bowl interview isn't someone the public can trust to have the physical and mental stamina to handle an international crisis, terrorist attack or some other unforseen threat

Biden has done fewer interviews than any recent president, and it's not close. By this point in their presidencies, Barack Obama had given more than 400 interviews and Trump had given more than 300. Biden has given fewer than 100

Since taking office, he has not done a single interview with reporters from a major newspaper

To restore confidence, Biden should do four lengthy sitdown interviews with non-friendly sources. Non-friendly doesn't mean hostile: nonpartisan reporters with a track record of asking tough questions would work great.

If he can't, it's awfully audacious to ask Americans to make him president for another four years.

Biden is now at only 28% in the betting markets to win re-election. He might do it if Trump implodes, but that is a hell of a risky strategy. He needs to show he is up to the job, or get out of the way.

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Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 42F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph..

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Clear skies. Low 29F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
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By Theresa Dizon-De Vega

About a 40-minute drive from Seoul, in the City of Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, stands a monument erected by the Korean Ministry of National Defense in 1974 dedicated to the valiant soldiers of the Philippine Expeditionary Task Force to Korea (PEFTOK). The PEFTOK, a 7,420-strong contingent of combat forces, was deployed in 1950 by the Philippine government to help defend freedom and democracy in the Korean Peninsula.

Depicted on the imposing monument are bas-reliefs of the Korean people rising from the depravities of war and in the front portion of the pagoda body can be seen illustrations of the folk traditions of the Philippines. This imposing monument to those who fought courageously in the Korean War forever cements the shared sacrifices between our two countries.

In one of his columns for the Manila Bulletin in 2018, the late Philippine President Fidel Valdez Ramos, himself a Korean War veteran and whose uniform is on display at the War Memorial of Korea, wrote that in response to the United Nations call for assistance, the Philippines decided to send troops to the Korean Peninsula, despite the fact that contributing a significant part of our Armed Forces was inopportune at that time, referring to the post-World War II reconstruction period that the Philippines was then facing.

The Philippines involvement in the building of the fledging Republic of Korea, however, dates back even earlier, as one of the member countries of the U.N. Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTCOK) overseeing elections, governance preparations, and the establishment of a national assembly.

More than seven decades after the Philippines became the fifth nation to recognize the Republic of Korea and formally establishing diplomatic relations on March 3, 1949, the symbols of our long-standing ties are no longer depicted in grand monuments but in other manifestations of close collaboration and partnership.

The relations between our countries are reflected in the robust engagements in various areas of cooperation. In terms of infrastructure development, Korea is one of the Philippines most active partners in the Build Better More program of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos. Jr. Future-oriented projects are in process or have recently been completed like the Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project, a critical undertaking for the Visayas region.

In addition, there are ongoing projects such as the Panguil Bay Bridge Project in Northern Mindanao, Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation undertakings in Central Luzon, and the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges, a critical connectivity project linking major islands in the middle of the country. There are likewise plans for new partnerships in green transportation, aviation facilities, energy and digitalization.

On the trade front, the signing of the Philippines-Korea Free Trade Agreement in 2023 and which is expected to enter into force this year provides the impetus for future engagement in emerging economic areas, namely, green technology, creative industries, health, pharmaceuticals, bioengineering, critical minerals, e-vehicles, digitalization and energy.

The close political, defense, and security relations we enjoy stem from our being like-minded partners manifested in our common commitment to democracy, respect for human rights, and a rules-based international order.

This continues to serve us in good stead as we navigate a world where threats to stability and security including on the Korean Peninsula and the West Philippine Sea undermine efforts to build a free, peaceful, and prosperous region. To further strengthen a growing ecosystem of partnership, new bilateral mechanisms on maritime cooperation, science and technology, and fisheries complement our joint efforts for more active engagement.

As our nascent bilateral relations arose from a spirit of kinship and sacrifice during the Korean War, so too are our future relations buoyed by the strength of our dynamic people-to-people ties. The Philippines just launched a new movement for transformative governance called Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines). We look forward to having our Korean friends and partners join us on this exciting journey as we work towards a strategic partnership in the next chapter of our relations.

Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega is the Philippine ambassador to Korea
Korea's Hanwha Group has partially resumed a 13 trillion-won ($9.8 billion) city development project in Iraq, which has been suspended for over a year due to unpaid construction costs, the government said Monday.

A ceremony to mark the group's resumption of the Bismayah New City project in Iraq was held in the Middle Eastern country, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

A government task force led by Land Minister Park Sang-woo attended the event in person. Haider Muhammed Makkiya, head of the Iraqi National Investment Commission (NIC), the contracting authority of the project, also attended the ceremony.

First commissioned in 2012, the Bismayah New City project involves the construction of 100,000 housing units and various social infrastructure facilities over a 5.5 million square-meter site near Baghdad.

Due to financial difficulties on the Iraqi side, the project, however, faced challenges, with Hanwha having suspended construction in October 2022. Currently, only minimal staff remain on-site for maintenance.

Since January of last year, Hanwha has engaged in negotiations with the NIC for the resumption of the project. According to officials, Hanwha received $230 million out of the outstanding $629 million in December of last year.

Officials noted that the resumption entails completing the unfinished portions of the project before transitioning to concluding the existing contract, and that it does not signify a complete project resumption.

A Hanwha official stated, "Full resumption of the project can be discussed only after receiving the remaining outstanding payments." (Yonhap)
by Xinhua writers Yao Yulin, Zhang Yujie and Zhang Ge

CHANGSHA, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Long Xianlan from Shibadong, an ethnic Miao village nestled deep in the mountains of central China's Hunan Province, is among the country's millions of once-impoverished rural residents who have shaken off poverty.

Donned in a protective suit, veiled hat and gloves, Long meticulously opens a hive, removes the honeycomb, and gently scrapes off the wax with a sharp blade. As the mellow honey slowly streams out, countless bees crowd around him, but the skilled beekeeper won't be hurried. Unfazed, he continues the task at hand.

Today, the self-made businessman can rake in more than 300,000 yuan (about 42,200 U.S. dollars) a year. But success did not come easy for Long. He earned it the hard way.

Ten years ago, he was a hard nut to crack for local cadres. His transformation may enlighten many around the globe in solving a common headache in poverty alleviation -- how to motivate marginalized rural populations to actively engage in efforts to improve their lot.

China's fight against poverty includes all people irrespective of their ethnicity, region and family background, targeting the poorest of the poor with the slogan "leave no one behind." Therefore, it falls on grassroots cadres to rack their wits to provide bespoke services for everyone in a bid to end their penury, even the most uncooperative.

SELECT COMPETENT PERSON

Long Xianlan, who was 27 years old in 2014, was infamous in Shibadong for his indolence. Instead of climbing mountains to cut logs for heating, he would rather chop up his wooden bed for firewood and sleep on the freezing floor; whenever the village cadres called on the community to develop industry, he would grumble that he preferred to be given money.

In 2014, the local government hand-picked several cadres -- each either born in local rural areas or experienced in dealing with rural affairs -- to live and work in the village and assigned each a local household among the poorest.

Long Xiulin, a smooth talker with 13 years of grassroots village work experience, was dispatched from the local county's publicity department. He was paired with Long Xianlan.

Through his previous postings, the accomplished ethnic Miao cadre had secured a reputation for his ability to nurture close relationships with the public.

His assignment to Shibadong illustrates the "targeted" measures of China's poverty alleviation campaign, as cadres familiar with economics were often sent to villages struggling with weak industries. At the same time, communication specialists would head to communities battling with disputes.

During China's battle against absolute poverty, a total of 255,000 teams were dispatched to offer on-the-ground support and over 3 million people were sent to the countryside as special commissioners for poverty relief, official data shows.

As of 2021, Hunan Province alone dispatched 21,000 poverty alleviation work teams to its rural areas, with more than 600,000 cadres just like Long Xiulin paired with some 1.7 million local impoverished households.

BUILDING EMOTIONAL BONDS

Starting with casual chats, Long Xiulin began to build rapport with Long Xianlan who is 17 years his junior. He spoke at length with members of the village committee and called in on Long Xianlan's neighbours. Long Xiulin soon uncovered that Long Xianlan was abandoned by his mother after his father's death, and his only relative, his younger sister, also died.

It was clear that behind Long Xianlan's reputation as an alcoholic and brawler, was a young, vulnerable man who felt isolated due to a lack of love and care. Long Xiulin believed that the ties of kinship may help the young man find his way.

On New Year's Eve 2014, one of the most valued occasions for the Miao people, Long Xiulin brought Long Xianlan to his family home. They enjoyed a pleasant family dinner, and before leaving, Long Xiulin's mother gave the young man a red envelope containing 1,000 yuan, along with some hand-made cured meat, fish and sausage.

After so many years of solitude, Long Xianlan was so touched by the normal but unforgettable family dinner, he knelt on the ground, kowtowed his hosts and, with tears rolling down his face, shouted: "Mom!"

Similar practices to better bond with the less self-motivated villagers were also tailored according to their personality and family background. The team members paired with empty-nesters would frequently drop by to attend to the elderly; those self-contemptuous were encouraged to explore their own talents like carpentry and to develop hobbies into a lucrative career.

Across the board, the sincerity of the poverty alleviation cadres soon won the locals' trust.

"I used to feel scared because of loneliness and my helpless past and doubt that the work team would never understand the wrenching suffering of the poor," recalled Long Xianlan.

"However, they didn't look down on me. Instead, they invited me to dinner, took me to join the village's industrial development so that we can learn how to earn money ourselves. That was when I came to realize that there exists someone who really cares about me!" he said.

Long Xianlan and Long Xiulin are now brothers, and the warmth of home brought the former apathetic young man true dignity and new hope for life out of grinding poverty.

PROP UP CHARACTERISTIC INDUSTRY

After several heart-to-hearts, Long Xiulin concluded that Long Xianlan's greatest concerns at that time were marriage and work.

In 2015, the work team organized a blind date activity, introducing single women in nearby villages to the bachelors in Shibadong. This was where Long Xianlan met his wife.

While the other desire of Long Xianlan chimed with another of China's targeted poverty alleviation priority approaches.

Poverty alleviation through economic development is considered the most direct and effective way to give poor areas the capacity for independent development and help people find employment locally, according to China's white paper on its poverty alleviation experience and contribution.

With this in mind, China has supported its underdeveloped rural areas in developing various industries geared to the local resources available, which, for Shibadong, are agriculture, animal husbandry, Miao embroidery, labor services and rural tourism.

Long Xiulin and his colleagues invited the village youngsters to attend an industrial development discussion, collecting their opinions on future careers so that they can provide each of them with bespoke support.

"Dozens of young people shared our own ideas. Some wanted to be tour guides, others wanted their own restaurants, and some asked to be trained to operate an excavator. For me, I would like to learn how to plant crops and breed livestock," recalled Long Xianlan.

Their voices were not only heard but taken seriously. The cadres shared free vocational skill training and job opportunities: Hotel chefs were invited to take on apprentices; technicians like welding workers offered on-site training, while Long Xianlan was among those who attended a two-month agricultural course.

According to Long Xiulin, Shibadong had all its new industrial projects under a market-oriented mechanism, with outside enterprises hiring local talent. Government funds also helped fledgling sectors gain a foothold in the market.

It was not easy for Long Xianlan to find his profitable niche. He tried selling fish and other jobs, all in vain. But no matter what, his "elder brother" Long Xiulin was always there, finding new job opportunities, helping him apply for a low-interest loan, and keeping him motivated.

"My brother has always been so good to me. I feel obligated to strive for a better life by earning money with my own hands!" said Long Xianlan.

Based on Long Xiulin's deep understanding of the local natural conditions and market demands, he persuaded the young man to join the honey business. Embraced by mountains, Shibadong boasts abundant honey sources and breeds high quality bees. The business did not require much in terms of start-up capital and suited the young man down to the ground.

Sure enough, Long Xianlan proved to be a fast learner, and started his own honey business a few months later. The work team also helped Long Xianlan promote his honey products via e-commerce platforms and media channels.

Thanks to the care and attention from his "elder brother," Long Xianlan scaled up his sweet honey business quickly, and found his place in the world.

PROVIDE FOLLOW-UP SUPPORT

To help more fellow villagers live a better-off life, in 2017, Long Xianlan took the initiative to set up a bee-keeping cooperative. It now has 562 members and manages more than 1,300 beehives, with an annual output value of nearly 2 million yuan.

Their cooperation is built upon a common business model in today's rural China: in order to integrate resources and form an industrial cluster, Long Xianlan rents local villagers' land as bee breeding bases; while Long provides necessary techniques, guides members in bee-keeping and manages the bases, the members can focus on better breeding the bees. After the honey is collected, Long's company will purchase the honey from the members and process and package the honey into bottles catering to the market demand for sale.

By the end of March 2021, there were more than 2.25 million farmers' cooperatives across China, engaging nearly half of its rural population, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Official data released in 2019 shows that each farmers' cooperative returned an average of 1,402.5 yuan as dividends to each of its member, and over 3.85 million registered impoverished households nationwide joined such cooperatives.

To boost the product sales, in 2020, Shibadong set up an exhibition hall, where tourists can directly buy local agricultural products, cultural and creative products and handicrafts on display.

The village plans to add more stories to the exhibition, including highlights of its decade-long poverty alleviation efforts, so that the visitors attracted by the local picturesque natural scenery will get a lasting impression of the village's original ecology and its eco-friendly production bases and be willing to bring the products in the mountains back home.

With the local government's support, Shibadong also set up an exhibition counter in the waiting room of Jishoudong railway station, where urbanites often passed by during their high-speed railway trips, to exhibit Miao embroidery, agricultural products and local specialties.

Promotion activities are also held on a regular basis in the village or elsewhere to help sell the products. During such events, Miao ethnic characteristics are sure to draw everyone's attention, with beautiful women wearing glistening Miao accessories, singing in Miao language. The village also designed their own online shop via the WeChat mini program, which can be accessed as long as you have an account of WeChat, China's current leading instant chatting platform.

"I've married the right person in the right place! I firmly believe that as long as we are diligent and work hard, a happy life is sure to come. My husband is no longer a drunkard and has realized our dream with his own hands," said Wu Manjin, his wife.

"I used to work in a well-off coastal city where my boss owned a sedan and villa. Such a privileged life was once a distant dream for me, beyond imagination. That dream has come true now," Long Xianlan raved, adding that such a blessing should be credited to the persevering poverty alleviation work team.

However, due to fierce market competitions and China's booming e-commerce, Long Xianlan is a little bit concerned about the price war among honey producers. He has decided to introduce some local livestream anchors to help his cooperative win the hearts of customers; he himself is also posting short videos on social media and sharing interesting moments of his bee-keeping career to attract more buyers.

It doesn't bother him much though, as Long Xianlan remains confident of his high-quality honey products, his diligent fellow villagers and the reliable village cadres.

Across the country, countless cadres like Long Xiulin, continue to extend a helping hand and support those in need with the heavy lifting, exemplifying the enduring spirit of cooperation and progress that continues to transform the lives of its marginalized population.
SK Telecom, Korea's top mobile carrier, said Monday it will create a joint venture with four global mobile carriers aimed at developing large language models (LLMs) tailored to the needs of telecommunications companies.

The joint venture will be established by SK Telecom, Germany's Deutsche Telekom, the United Arab Emirates' e& Group, Singapore's Singtel and Japan's Softbank later this year, according to the Korean company.

The plan was announced during the Global Telco AI Alliance's inaugural meeting held at the Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2024.

SK Telecom said the joint venture will develop LLMs that can help telcos improve their customer interactions via digital assistants and chatbots.

The companies aim to develop multilingual LLMs optimized for languages including Korean, English, German, Arabic and Japanese, with plans for additional languages to be agreed on among the founding members.

The envisioned LLMs will likely help the joint venture to reach a global customer base of approximately 1.3 billion across 50 countries, including SK Telecom's some 31 million subscribers and Deutsche Telekom's 250 million subscriptions, according to the Korean company.

"We as telcos need to develop tailored LLMs for the telco industry to make telco operations more efficient, which is a low-hanging fruit. Our ultimate goal is to discover new business models by redefining relationships with customers," SK Telecom CEO Ryu Young-sang said. (Yonhap)
By Harry Litman

The Alabama Supreme Courts breathtakingly arrogant, slapdash and pernicious opinion conferring personhood on newly formed embryos vividly illustrates the consequences of another reckless decision: the U.S. Supreme Courts reversal of Roe vs. Wade.

The Alabama court held last week that fertilized ova cryogenically preserved for couples having difficulty conceiving are legally and morally equivalent to newborn babies and, for that matter, 20-year-old adults. According to the court, all are human beings protected under Alabama law to precisely the same extent.

The decision clears the way for wrongful death lawsuits brought by couples whose embryos were destroyed by a patient who wandered into an in vitro fertilization clinic through an unsecured entrance, picked up several frozen fertilized eggs and, shocked by their cryogenic temperature, immediately dropped them on the floor. Reversing the trial court, the Alabama Supreme Court held that this conduct could be subject to a wrongful death claim, rendering it indistinguishable from, say, the death of a 2-year-old negligently left in a sweltering car.

Astonishingly, the sole focus of the courts analysis was whether Alabamas wrongful death law encompasses extrauterine children  that is, unborn children who are located outside of a biological uterus at the time they are killed. The court did not even attempt to wrestle with the distinction between a just-fertilized egg  what biologists call a blastocyst, a ball of up to a few hundred cells measuring a fraction of a millimeter in diameter  and a fully formed child born at term.

Its customary to note the parade of horribles that could be occasioned by such an extreme decision. But here the parade has already begun.

Alabamas largest hospital announced Wednesday that it would no longer offer would-be parents in vitro fertilization procedures due to the substantial threat of criminal liability for mishandling fertilized eggs. Other providers followed suit Thursday. Medical personnel who try to help couples conceive have been suddenly recast by the courts as potential murderers.

The immediate consequences dont end there. Women who use intrauterine devices or morning-after pills, which can affect fertilized eggs, are in the eyes of Alabama law rank baby killers.

The courts supposed legal opinion in fact rests on the tenet that life begins at conception, a matter of religious faith to which only a small minority of the country subscribes.

Chief Justice Tom Parkers concurring opinion employs quotations and teachings from Scripture as if they had the legal force of the Bill of Rights. Passages from Genesis and Exodus, various theological tracts, Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin and Jonathan Edwards take their place alongside the writings of U.S. Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Neil M. Gorsuch. All are marshaled in support of the view that God made every person in his image and human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God, who views the destruction of His image as an affront to Himself.

But apart from the wrath of God, there is no attempt to rationalize the legal equation of a frozen, formless collection of cells with a living person. The court simply assumes it away with the syllogistic reasoning that Alabamas statutory law specifies that human life includes unborn life.

Such ham-handedness undermines the entire opinion. The critical question for the state is not whether an embryo of any particular age can be said to be, in some sense, alive; its whether it is a human being deserving of the rights and protections accorded to all of us, which is a far broader and more complicated designation.

A stadium full of theologians, philosophers, ethicists and politicians couldnt come up with an authoritative answer to that question. And in the absence of such an answer, how can the state impinge so deeply on the liberty of women and aspiring parents?

Its in that sense that the Alabama Supreme Courts opinion can be traced directly to the U.S. Supreme Courts 2022 decision in Dobbs vs. Jackson Womens Health Organization. The idea of shoving this tendentious religious tract down Americans throats would have been a nonstarter under Roe vs. Wade, which asserted the constitutional liberty interests of women against an overreaching, moralistic state.

Post-Dobbs, those rights are featherweight. The outrage belongs with the U.S. Supreme Courts ill reasoning and grotesque overreach.

Nor is Alabama the only state purporting to enshrine the fundamentally religious position that human life begins at conception in law. Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Oklahoma issued similar proclamations in the wake of Dobbs.

The Alabama Supreme Court takes this malign presumption to its logical end, stripping every American in its jurisdiction of the right to make their own decisions on a matter of the highest moral and practical import. Thats the antithesis of liberty.

Harry Litman is the host of the Talking Feds podcast. This aricle was published in the Los Angeles Times and distributed by Tribune Content Agency.
By Park Jae-hyuk

SPC Group opened Hawaii's first branch of Paris Baguette, the company said Monday.

The first outlet of the Korean bakery franchise in the idyllic island state that attracts around 10 million global tourists annually is located in Honolulu's popular Bishop Street.

Since SPC Group entered the Chinese market in 2004, it has opened over 550 stores in 10 foreign countries, including the United States, France, Britain, Canada, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Considering Hawaii's status as one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, SPC Group plans to open additional Paris Baguette bakeries in the Ala Moana and Pearl City areas.

"Hawaii is one of the world's most popular tourist spots, where we can strategically raise our brand awareness and enhance our brand image," a Paris Baguette official said. "We will seek aggressive global business expansion by continuously entering new markets."

The Bishop Street branch, the 160th Paris Baguette store in the U.S., is located on the first and third floors of the 1000 Bishop building in downtown Honolulu. The area is known as the state capital's core business district, accommodating many business centers and hotels.

SPC Group added that the new store features blue tiles representative of Paris Baguette's brand color and wooden interior design.

The bakery has 40 seats on its terrace so customers can enjoy the island's pleasant weather.
By Baek Byung-yeul

The government will reduce red tape and provide incentives to accelerate the establishment of chip complexes being built here by major companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, aiming to secure the countrys competitiveness amidst increased support from the U.S. and Japan to enhance their chip technology capabilities, the industry minister said Monday.

"Currently, we will swiftly proceed with related permits to shorten the project period of semiconductor industrial complexes under construction, and greatly expand incentives to stimulate investment by semiconductor companies," Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun said during a meeting with CEOs of local chip companies in Seoul.

The industry minister held a meeting with representatives of semiconductor manufacturing, materials, parts and equipment companies to increase the competitiveness of Korea's semiconductor industry, in relation to the major conveniences such as the expansion of incentives that advanced countries, such as the U.S. and Japan, are providing to increase their domestic semiconductor competitiveness.

The U.S. and Japan have recently been reassessing and the competitiveness of their domestic semiconductor industries and making appropriate changes. Washington is reportedly planning to provide over $10 billion in subsidies to U.S. chip giant Intel, which is looking to restart its foundry business, to expand its semiconductor production facilities on American soil.

On Saturday, Taiwan's foundry business giant TSMC opened its foundry plant in Kumamoto, Japan, just two years after breaking ground on its construction. The reason why construction of the factory, which usually would take about five years, was completed so quickly is because the Japanese government provided various supports, including a subsidy of 476 billion yen ($31.7 billion), almost half of the construction cost of 1 trillion yen.

In response to the global countries' movements, the minister said that the government will establish a task force responsible for tasks related to the chip complexes, and open a hotline with major domestic semiconductor companies.

In addition, the industry ministry will announce a comprehensive support plan for the chip complexes, which includes additional investment incentive expansion plans for semiconductors and other advanced industries next month. Also, by June, it plans to establish a nurturing plan to foster a world-class chip design company, like Nvidia, in Korea.

"We will establish a dedicated task force in the ministry for promoting the specialized semiconductor complex systematically and without fail," Ahn said. "We will establish a hotline with various CEOs to quickly resolve the current issues of semiconductor companies."

Participants in the meeting included representatives from prominent domestic semiconductor companies, including Samsung Electronics CEO Kyung Kye-hyun, SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung, Wonik IPS CEO Ahn Tae-hyuk, Dongjin Semichem CEO Lee Joon-hyuk and Soulbrain CEO Chung Hyun-suk.

During the meeting, the participating CEOs also pledged to proceed with the scheduled investment without a hitch and to strive with the government to achieve 60 trillion won in semiconductor investments and $120 billion in exports this year.

They also suggested improving the investment environment, including the establishment of investment subsidies, expansion of support for mega-cluster-based facilities and construction of test facilities for small and medium-sized companies.

The industry ministry added it plans to sign a business agreement on Tuesday with Korea Electric Power Corp., Korea Land & Housing Corporation and power generation companies to quickly implement essential infrastructure construction such as electricity and water supply according to the power supply plan for the Yongin chip complex.
Kenneth Mitchell has died aged 49.

The 'Star Trek: Discovery' actor passed away on Saturday (02.24.24), following a five-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal motor neuron disease.

In a statement posted on X, his family said: "With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Kenneth Alexander Mitchell, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, son and dear friend.

"Ken was widely known as an actor in many films and television shows. Hes portrayed an Olympic hopeful, an apocalypse survivor, an astronaut, a superheros dad, and four unique Star Trekkers. (sic)"

Mitchell - who played the Klingons Kol, Kol-Sha, Tenavik and Aurellio on 'Star Trek: Discovery' - had two children, Lilah and Kallum, with his wife Susan. He was described in the statement as being a "diligent and hardworking" father.

The statement continued: "Ken was diligent and hardworking in everything he did, but as a father these traits found their fullest expression. He was extremely dedicated to being a positive and playful force in the lives of his children.

"Regardless of his later disabilities, Ken discovered a higher calling to be more fully himself for his kids. Ken will be forever proud of who his children have become."

Mitchell was diagnosed with ALS in 2018 and he began using a wheelchair in 2019.

His family explained that the late actor - who played the father of Carol Danvers in 'Captain Marvel' - was "grateful for the massive amounts of love and endless support he received" over recent years.

They said: "For five and a half years Ken faced a series of awful challenges from ALS. And in truest Ken fashion, he managed to rise above each one with grace and commitment to living a full and joyous life in each moment.

"Ken is forever grateful for the massive amounts of love and endless support he received from his community along this journey. Especially the courage, resilience and strength displayed from his extraordinary wife, family and friends."
Lay shed tears as he expressed his love for his co-EXO members. Hearing his message, OT9 Eris couldn't help but feel emotional as well!

On February 24, the Chinese K-pop idol and soloist Lay was briefly spotted in South Korea while on his way to his fan meeting schedule in Tokyo, Japan.

From Incheon International Airport, he flew to the country to hold his solo fan meeting, "Burning Heart," marking his attempt to expand his music career in the Japanese market.

Regardless of his solo successes and endeavors, Lay is continuously loved by Eris for never forgetting his roots and showing his undying love for EXO.

Lay Quashes Speculation He Left EXO Following His Heartfelt Message to Group

On this day, Japanese Eris and Xingmis had a blast watching the idol's performances of his various solo releases.

ERI LIAAAATTT !! LAY EXO !! pic.twitter.com/yVrZoWTKRT  aeribase | CARA KIRIM MENFESS CEK LIKES  (@aeribase) February 25, 2024

However, what heated the stage was when he showcased an unexpected random dance challenge of EXO's hits "Growl" and "Call Me Baby."

Just then, a VCR prepared by his fans was shown to him, which contained Lay's journey from debuting as an EXO member to establishing his solo career to become a global star.

He's watching the special video for him  he can't believe  pic.twitter.com/FAMvEXONls   (@Kyungtin) February 25, 2024

Watching it, fans felt emotional seeing how the superstar had come this far after his debut 12 years ago. Unexpectedly, Lay couldn't bottle up his emotions, expressing his real feelings for EXO through his sincere words.

"I have many memories. For me, EXO is like a university. I've been working hard as Lay of EXO in this team. I've received a lot of love in this team, so I don't want to let this team down."

(+) Whether it's my skills or our relationships, they are all the motivation for me to keep striving. I will continue to work hard. @layzhang @weareoneEXO  EXOPublicity (@EXOPublicity) February 25, 2024

ALSO READ: Lay Wants to Be Called Former EXO': Did Idol Hint at His Withdrawal From Group?

He continued:

"Whether it's my skills or our relationship, they are all the motivation for me to keep striving. I will continue to work hard."

It became a rumor earlier that Lay had left EXO. This rumor sparked after he allegedly notified the media to not associate his name with the group.

It also fueled to the fire as it has been about three years since he stopped actively working with the group to focus on his solo activities.

However, Lay made it clear that he will always be EXO by publicly showing his affection to them through his interviews and by also doing their viral "First Snow" trend on Tiktok last year.

Eris Feel Grateful to Lay for Remaining as EXO

After the clip circulated online, numerous EXO-Ls showered Lay with love and expressed their support for the idol.

As it was always Lay who's always been vocal when it comes to loving his fans and EXO, Eris and Xingmis him to know that he's also appreciated and loved as much as he's giving to people.

Yixing calling himself as EXO LAY.

Yixing dancing to Growl & Call Me Baby.

Yixing doing the EXOL sign during photo time.

Yixing saying he doesn't want to let EXO down so he's working hard.



Nobody can say he's not EXO, he loves his EXO brothers so much, he will always be EXO    (@lezkeepitloey) February 25, 2024

Lay has always said he is part of the Exo team 

Look at him showing his phone's lock & home screen with EXO photos. He is saying this is my team & sharing that they always talk about the past while hanging out together in Korea #OT9 #EXO

-May 2020pic.twitter.com/fRFJLvYaAp February 25, 2024

Lay doesn't have to prove it because he is EXO Lay. I hope everyone will stop asking if he is still in the group. From someone who dearly shows how much he loves his group, and his boys scream that he is and forever will be EXO. Support him either, Lay deserves that  BEATI   (@bmariaerigom) February 25, 2024

What are your thoughts on this? Tell us in the comments!

READ MORE: Eris Shocked After Lay Revealed How EXO Members Were Selected: 'It was seriously war...'

For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Eunice Dawson.
Jaemin and Winter are caught in dating rumors, but fans aren't having it due to the accuracy of the "proof" uploaded online.

Here's how they reacted.

NCT Jaemin & aespa Winter Involved in Dating Rumors, Stans Disagree to Sudden Speculations

In an online community, netizens gathered to discuss the 'evidence" regarding Jaemin and Winter's dating speculations. The author pointed out how the two idols had similar phone cases.

"Jaemin and Winter's couple phone case," the post's title declared.

[ notpannchoa ] Knets squash dating rumors between Winter and Jaeminhttps://t.co/qW6QjbAXZC pic.twitter.com/PLVIEXmArn  notpannchoa (@notpannchoa2) February 24, 2024

It also included the appearances of both idols after the "SMTOWN LIVE 2024 SMCU PALACE @TOKYO" ended. According to OP, the stars were seen wearing matching Chrome Hearts hoodies during their flight back to South Korea.

The author also included a gif showing the two idols joining the group photo at the 2023 Hanteo Music Awards, which was held on February 17 (Day 1) and February 18 (Day 2). However, OP specified on how Winter "copied" Jaemin's pose.

The thread continued with OP saying that the two idols have the same bunny plushies.

See OP's post below

"And today, after SM's concert, they wore the same Chrome Hearts hoodie when heading back to Korea." "And during the Hanteo Music Awards, Winter copied Jaemin's pose." "They have the same plushies."

Korean and international fans immediately disagreed with the gossips, saying how unlikely it was for Jaemin and Winter to be dating just because of a few similarities. The discussion also sparked reactions on X (Twitter). Read their comments below:

"But that brand is collaborating with aespa for the phone case, you sure know it right? aespa are all using that phone case right now, so what's the deal?" "Jaehyun fans are seriously so low. Just because Jaehyun got a troll post once, you guys are trying to send this post to the trending page instead. As expected Pann is filled with Jaehyun fans."

"Giselle and Winter have the same Chrome Hearts hoodies and Jaemin is wearing something else".

"When they were entering the country, Jaemin and Jaehyun were both wearing hoodies, so are they dating too?"

"You guys are always trying to ruin Winter from DC Gallery all the way to Pann, you guys are so low, it's been how many years already." "Sungchan also has the same hoodie as them, so are those four all dating each other? Just where do you get your delusions?"

"Jungkook and Jaehyun all have that phone case too, and you guys were claiming she was in a couple with them and now it's Jaemin?"

"Even if they are dating, touch some grass and leave them alone."

"First Jaehyun now Jaemin. So who's next? Mark? Taeyong? Jungwoo? The manager?"

  Dreamies and Aespa are close obviously but I've seen a lot of idols who has that phone case and fgs Jaemin has that hoodie for a year already wc is not even the same design from winter's it's just the same brand. What else is your proof? lol https://t.co/RG0rA70dRg  Jaemeow (@purposejaem) February 24, 2024

male and female idol breath the same air



knets: theyre married with 3 kids https://t.co/TC9i5Z6YvV  roro  (@127wonbin) February 24, 2024

What are your thoughts on the speculations? Let us know in the comments below!

Read KpopStarz for more K-pop news.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: aespa Winter & NCT Jaehyun Rumored to Be Dating - Here's What People Think

KpopStarz owns this article

Written by Riely Miller
US Secret Service vehicles block access to a street leading to the Embassy of Israel in Washington, DC on February 25, 2024 after a man self-immolated there
The Berlinale has filed criminal charges against unknown persons who over the weekend hacked the film festivals social media channel and posted a Gaza Ceasefire message with the festivals logo and branding.

The festival criticized the posts as anti-Semitic in regards to the ongoing Israeli and Palestinian conflict in Gaza. The festival quickly deleted the posts, which appeared on Sunday, January 25, and have launched an investigation into the hacking.

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On Sunday, February 25, the Instagram channel of the Berlinale Panorama section was briefly hacked and anti-Semitic image-text posts about the Middle East war with the Berlinale logo were posted on the channel, the festival statement reads. These statements do not originate from the festival and do not represent the festivals stance. The posts were deleted immediately and an investigation was launched into how this incident could have occurred. The Berlinale condemns this criminal act in the strongest possible terms and has deleted the posts and launched an investigation. In addition, the Berlinale has filed criminal charges against unknown persons. The LKA (the state criminal office) has begun an investigation.

The infographics uploaded by the hackers included statements like Genocide is Genocide. We are all complicit, and that followers need to shed the idea that German guilt absolves us of our countrys history or our current crimes. They also called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

One post read: From our unresolved Nazi past to our genocidal present  we have always been on the wrong side of history. But its not too late to change our future.

The hacking took place on the same day that Yuval Abraham, co-director of the award-winning film No Other Land, said he was receiving death threats for criticizing the Israeli state in his acceptance speech during the Berlinale closing ceremony. The hacking was unrelated to Abrahams acceptance speech.

Story continues

We are standing in front of you. Now, we are the same age. I am Israeli, Basel is Palestinian. And in two days, we go back to a land where we are not equal, Abraham said onstage at Berlinale while accepting the Best Documentary Award alongside Adra. I am under civilian law; Basel is under military law. We live 30 minutes from one another but I have voting rights. Basel does not have voting rights. I am free to move where I want in this land. Basel, like millions of Palestinians, is locked in the occupied West Bank. This situation of apartheid between us, this inequality, has to end.

He later tweeted the Berlinale clip, writing, Our film No Other Land on occupied Masafer Yattas brutal expulsion won best documentary in Berlinale. Israels channel 11 aired this 30 second segment from my speech, insanely called it anti semitic  and Ive been receiving death threats since. I stand behind every word.

The festival in its statement Monday said German media and various politicians criticized statements made by award winners on the Middle East war  a reference to Abraham and others who spoke out.

The sometimes one-sided and activist statements made by award winners were an expression of individual personal opinions. They in no way reflect the festivals position, the festival said.

BERLIN, GERMANY  FEBRUARY 19: Berlinale Director Mariette Rissenbeek speaks on stage at the European Shooting Stars 2024 award ceremony during the 74th Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin at Berlinale Palast on February 19, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Sebastian Reuter/Getty Images) Getty Images

At the festivals opening ceremony on February 15, Berlinale Executive Director Mariette Rissenbeek condemned the October 7 Hamas attacks, called for the release of the hostages, and remembered the suffering of all victims of the violence in Israel and Gaza.

We understand the outrage that the statements made by some of the award winners were perceived as too one-sided and, in some cases, inappropriate. In the run-up to and during our festival, we made it very clear what the Berlinales view of the war in the Middle East is and that we do not share one-sided positions, Rissenbeek said in her opening ceremony remarks and shared by the festival again on Monday.

She continued: However, the Berlinale sees itself  today, as in the past  as a platform for open dialogue across cultures and countries. We must therefore also tolerate opinions and statements that contradict our own opinions, as long as these statements do not discriminate against people or groups of people in a racist or similarly discriminating way or cross legal limits. From our point of view, it would have been appropriate in terms of content if the award winners and guests at the Award Ceremony had also made more differentiated statements on this issue. The Berlinale stands for democracy and openness. We explicitly oppose discrimination and all forms of hatred. We want to exchange ideas with other social and political institutions on how to conduct a social discourse on this extremely controversial topic in Germany  with the inclusion of international perspectives  without individual statements being perceived as anti-Semitic or anti-Palestinian. We have to face up to this controversial topic  as an international film festival and as a society as a whole.

Sundays Film Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles were disrupted by a protestor who used a loud speaker to blare the messages Free Palestine and Ceasefire Now on a continuous loop.

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PNN

New Delhi [India], February 26: Favfairs hosted the BizzOp Startup Expo & Summit 2024 alongside the Excellency Iconic Awards at Eros Hotel, showcasing India's burgeoning startup ecosystem and fostering a culture of innovation.

Also Read | Lohardaga Gang Rape: Two Minor Girls Returning From Friends Birthday Party Gang-Raped by 11 Men in Jharkhand, All Arrested.

The event, organised by Favfairs founder Arun Gee and Director Ashu Saini, aimed to connect budding entrepreneurs with potential investors, providing a platform for live pitching, exhibitions, and recognition through prestigious awards. Renowned actress and politician, Poonam Dhillon, graced the occasion as the chief guest, joined by esteemed dignitaries including Madan Lal MLA Kasturba Nagar, Praveen Kumar MLA Jangpura, and Subhash Malhotra, former councillor Jangpura, among others.

Startups and investors from across the nation converged at the summit, engaging in fruitful discussions and networking opportunities.

Also Read | How To Make Your Partner Feel Special? 5 Simple and Loved-Up Ways To Keep the Romance in Your Relationship Alive.

Excellency Iconic Awards 2024 honored exemplary contributions within the startup community and professionals from Health, education, business, legal services, tourism, author, rural development, designers and artist by Actress and politician Poonam Dhillon.

The event also featured exhibition stalls, showcasing innovative products and services from companies like Havandexa and Kennies further accentuating India's entrepreneurial prowess.

As India continues to embrace its startup culture, initiatives like the BizzOpp Startup Expo & Summit will play a pivotal role in nurturing and propelling the nation's entrepreneurial landscape forward.

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
VMPL

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 26: Kauvery Hospital takes a giant leap towards women's health with the launch of the Kauvery Cervical Cancer Screening Programme. The initiative, inaugurated by Amber Jade, Minister of Health, Western Australia, underscores Kauvery Hospital's commitment to addressing the alarming issue of cervical cancer and promoting equitable access to healthcare services.

Also Read | Gujarat Human Smuggling Case: Indian-Origin Man 'Dirty Harry' Arrested in Connection With Death of Family Attempting To Enter US Illegally in 2022.

Cervical cancer remains a significant global health concern, claiming numerous lives each year. Despite the World Health Organization recommending a minimum of 70 per cent screening for women, only 1.9 per cent undergo cervical cancer screening in India. Dr T. S. Sabeeha, Senior Consultant, Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Kauvery Hospital, emphasized the urgency to achieve the WHO target, urging increased awareness and participation.

In alignment with this mission, Kauvery Hospital has strategically organized screening campaign within hospital premises as well as weekly screening camps at the community level, where it is offered free of charge. Dr Sabeeha notes, "Through this initiative, we aim to bridge the gaps highlighted by the National Family Health Survey 5, fostering awareness about regular screenings, vaccination, and adopting healthy lifestyle practices."

Also Read | West Bengal Shocker: TMC Leader Dies After Being Shot From Point Blank Range in Ashoknagar.

The initiative has gained international recognition, with Amber-Jade Sanderson MLA, Minister for Health; Mental Health - Government of Western Australia, expressing her commendation during the launch. She shared her views on launching the Kauvery Hospital cervical cancer program - "It was an honour to launch the cervical cancer screening program this morning at Kauvery Hospital. The program aims to significantly reduce the impact of cervical cancer for women in Tamil Nadu. It is the second leading cause of cancer amongst women in the state and it is entirely preventable. With early detection, screening and vaccination it can be eradicated. I want to commend the team at Kauvery Hospital and the clinicians who have passionately led this program to see the light of the day. Wishing them all the best and congratulating them as this is the step in the right direction to help Women"

Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, Co-founder & Executive Director of Kauvery Group of Hospitals, emphasized the significance of early detection and prevention in combating cervical cancer. "Our mission is to empower women with knowledge and resources to take charge of their health. By increasing awareness and facilitating access to screening services, we can significantly reduce the burden of cervical cancer in the region and save lives"

The free cervical cancer screening programme aims not only to detect and prevent cervical cancer but also to empower women with knowledge and resources to take charge of their health. By increasing awareness and facilitating access to screening services, Kauvery Hospital believes it can significantly reduce the burden of cervical cancer in the region and save lives.

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
PRNewswire

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 26: Synechron, Inc., a leading global digital transformation consulting firm focused on financial services and technology organizations, is proud to be Great Place To Work Certified for 2023-2024 within 12 countries. Synechron achieved this prestigious certification based solely on direct, anonymous feedback from its regional teams of 14,700+ global employees. This marks the first time that Synechron elected to participate in the Global Great Place To Work survey (versus previous participation in country-specific surveys) as testament to its significant growth as an organization.

Also Read | Razorpay CEO Harshil Mathur Says Regulations Enabled India To Be Global Benchmark in Fintech Industry.

Synechron was proudly certified a Great Place To Work in the following countries:

* Australia* Canada* France* India* Luxembourg* Saudi Arabia* Serbia* Singapore* Switzerland* UAE* UK* USA

Also Read | Bengaluru Shocker: Elderly Woman Brutally Killed, Her Body With Severed Limbs Found in Drum Near an Abandoned Building in Nisarga Layout; Probe Launched.

Overall, Synechron received high marks in the following five categories based upon the Great Place To Work Trust Index Survey which measures the employees' level of trust in and organization and the consistency of the employee experience. The Trust Index assesses companies against these five key measures:

* Credibility - Employees perceive management and leaders to be credible, competent and have integrity

* Respect - Employees feel respected by management in terms of professional support, collaboration and decision-making

* Fairness -- Employees experience management practices that are fair based upon equality, impartiality and justice

* Pride - Measures how employees feel pride about their own work impact, pride in their team's work, and pride in the organization as a whole

* Camaraderie - Measures employees' beliefs that their organization forms a strong community where colleagues are supportive and where everyone is pulling in the same direction

The latest certifications for Great Place To Work follow multiple previous individual country awards Synechron has won in recognition of being an exemplary employer of choice. Synechron has always strived to recognize, support and provide its teams with the tools, support and resources to enhance their skills, thrive in a fast-paced, ever-evolving industry, and take their careers to the next level. The firm is continuously seeking to enhance its full array of programs, all designed to attract and retain the best talent who will work with great passion and dedication to bring clients innovative, digital transformation solutions, such as advanced Artificial Intelligence-led tools.

Faisal Husain, Co-founder and CEO of Synechron, commented, "We are incredibly honored by this global acknowledgement, proud of our company's culture and being repeatedly recognized as an outstanding employer. We take great pride in providing a collaborative, inclusive workplace where our dedicated teams of amazing individuals can leverage their talents and demonstrate to clients how modern solutions and cutting-edge tools can evolve their businesses. Our people are the cornerstone and very essence of Synechron."

"Great Place To Work Certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience," says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place To Work. She emphasizes that Certification is the sole official recognition earned by the real-time feedback of employees regarding their company culture. "By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that Synechron stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees," she added.

About Synechron

At Synechron, we believe in the power of digital to transform businesses for the better. Our global consulting firm combines creativity and innovative technology to deliver industry-leading digital solutions. Synechron's progressive technologies and optimization strategies span end-to-end Artificial Intelligence, Consulting, Digital, Cloud & DevOps, Data, and Software Engineering, servicing an array of noteworthy financial services and technology firms. Through research and development initiatives in our FinLabs we develop solutions for modernization, from Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain to Data Science models, Digital Underwriting, mobile-first applications and more. Over the last 20+ years, our company has been honored with multiple employer awards, recognizing our commitment to our talented teams. With top clients to boast about, Synechron has a global workforce of 14,700+ and has 48 offices in 19 countries within key global markets. For more information on the company, please visit our website or LinkedIn community.

About Great Place to Work Certification

Great Place To Work Certification is the most definitive "employer-of-choice" recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience - specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place To Work-Certified.

For more information please contact:Rashmi JoshiSynechron+91-9560694654Media@synechron.com / Rashmi.Joshi@synechron.com

Zoe Forbes-Pyfrom (+44) 7718 599666synechron@cognitomedia.com

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1943591/Synechron_Logo.jpg

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
emissions-india-0226-ph

Canadas efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have been laudable, but there is a way we could do so much more, says a report from National Bank of Canada.

So far efforts have been largely focused within our boundaries, but considering that Canada is responsible for less than 1.5 per cent of global emissions, these efforts could be for naught because other countries are increasing emissions by a far greater magnitude, says analyst Baltej Sidhu and associate Anh Le in the report.

Emissions are global, they are not bound by geographical boundaries, as such, we proposed to reopen the conversation with a global tilt, they said.

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Canada once said that there was no business case for meaningful increases in LNG (liquefied natural gas) exports to support Germany and Japan, but National analysts hope India could be a different story.

The worlds most populous country is facing an enormous energy challenge as it attempts to modernize its economy and meet the needs of a population that is growing by more than 12 million a year.

India recently announced plans to double its coal production by 2030, which National estimates would increase its power sector emissions from coal to roughly the equivalent of Canadas entire greenhouse gas emissions in 2021.

And emissions arent the only problem. Indias thermal power plants are estimated to consume 20-25 billion cubic metres of water a year, more than 50 per cent of the domestic requirements of a country already struggling with water scarcity.

National says there is a better way even if it means supplying India with a fossil fuel alternative.

According to our latest calculations, we estimate that partially replacing Indias coal-fired power generation with Canadian LNG would have a more profound impact on the planet than shutting down the Canadian economy entirely, said Sidhu and economist Stefane Marion.

National Bank of Canada

Assuming that 88 gigawatts of coal-fired generation comes online in India by 2032 as announced, replacing coal with Canadian natural gas would reduce emissions by 2.4 times the total emissions of Canadas economy. The natural gas need to do that would represent 66 per cent of Canadas current production.

Story continues

If you assume that Indias doubling of coal production leads to a doubling of coal-fired generating capacity by 2030, displacing it with natural gas would cut CO2 by 3.5 times the output of Canadas economy and require 1.5 times Canadas natural gas production.

If our policymakers are serious about limiting the impacts of global warming and promoting economic reconciliation with our First Nations, there is a compelling and pragmatic business case for Canada to help the planet by working with India to limit its carbon emissions, given that renewable energies will not be easily deployed there by 2030, said Sidhu and Marion.

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Financial Post

Canadas budgetary deficit ballooned in the first nine months of the fiscal year, data out Friday revealed.

The federal government posted a deficit of $23.6 billion from April to December in the 2023-24 fiscal year. That compares with a deficit of $5.5 billion for the same stretch of last year.

Government revenues were up, totalling $318.1 billion, compared to $310.0 billion a year earlier.

But so were program expenses. These hit $301 billion for the nine months, up from $282.4 billion a year earlier, with increases across all the major categories of spending.

Public debt charges also rose to $35.1 billion, up from $25.8 billion in the year before.

Cargojet Inc. will report its fourth-quarter results and hold a conference call with investors before markets open today. The report comes after a slide in consumer spending squeezed the air cargo companys bottom line in its third quarter.

Todays Data: U.S. new home sales data

Earnings: Ivanhoe Mines Ltd

Get all of todays top breaking stories as they happen with the Financial Posts live news blog, highlighting the business headlines you need to know at a glance.

Financial Post

Like a farmer who uses a winnowing basket to separate the wheat from the chaff, a successful investor must identify companies with the potential to generate economic value added (EVA) over the long term. One way to do this is to focus on businesses with strong economic moats. FP Answers gives examples of these moats and where to find them in Canadian stocks. Find out more from FP Investing

Are you worried about having enough for retirement? Do you need to adjust your portfolio? Are you wondering how to make ends meet? Drop us a line at aholloway@postmedia.com with your contact info and the general gist of your problem and well try to find some experts to help you out while writing a Family Finance story about it (well keep your name out of it, of course). If you have a simpler question, the crack team at FP Answers led by Julie Cazzin or one of our columnists can give it a shot.

McLister on Mortgages

Want to learn more about mortgages? Mortgage strategist Robert McListers Financial Post column can help navigate the complex sector, from the latest trends to financing opportunities you wont want to miss. Read them here

Todays Posthaste was written by Pamela Heaven with additional reporting from Financial Post staff, The Canadian Press and Bloomberg.

Have a story idea, pitch, embargoed report, or a suggestion for this newsletter? Email us at posthaste@postmedia.com.

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PRNewswire

Barcelona [Spain], February 26: Innovative technology brand TECNO officially announced its groundbreaking multi-skin tone color card at MWC Barcelona 2024. The multi-skin tone color card sets a new benchmark for multi-skin tone imaging with industry's largest and most accurate skin tone database. It will further assist TECNO Universal Tone technology's algorithm to adjust the accuracy of every skin tone in each capture, achieving greater mobile portrait inclusivity. Attendees at MWC Barcelona 2024 can experience this latest advancement of TECNO's Universal Tone technology in person at the brand's stand, 6B11, Hall 6, Fira Gran Via.

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For too long, mobile portrait technology has been biased due to a lack of objective evaluation indicators and inspection standards for measuring multiple skin tones. To address this issue, TECNO's multi-skin tone color card utilized international standard skin color collection methods to collect 2,838 skin color spectral data points. Conducted rigorous analysis of skin color clustering, boundary colors and intermediate color division in CIELAB space, TECNO established 268 kinds of skin tone patches based on this large skin spectral database. The result of this innovation is the industry's largest and most intricate skin tone database yet.

TECNO's multi-skin tone color card will be used to assess the color accuracy of the different skin tone images that are captured and displayed, as well as fine-tune the algorithms of Universal Tone's multi-skin tone imaging technology, including skin color restoration algorithm and skin color improvement algorithm. This advancement allows TECNO to further improve the accuracy of every skin tone, providing an industry-leading validation standard for multi-skin tone imaging technology.

Also Read | Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif's Daughter Maryam Nawaz Becomes First Woman Chief Minister of Punjab Province.

Dr. Kaida Xiao, Associate Professor in Colour and Imaging Science at University of Leeds, who advised TECNO during Universal Tone's development, notes how this development can be utilized to better enhance the images it captures, "For years, imaging technology has not encapsulated skin tone diversity. While AI promises much to overcome this, it is often trained with historically biased data. TECNO's multi-skin tone color card solves this issue scientifically by collecting mass amounts of unbiased data, and by integrating it with more advanced AI into TECNO's camera system, TECNO has been able to truly capture the beauty of diverse skin tones."

TECNO has partnered with many top global academics and influential institutions to explore the significance of inclusive portraiture. Last year, the company collaborated with BBC StoryWorks on the "Portrait for Everyone" short film, engaging professors in Colour and Imaging Science, Media Technology, and Psychological and Behavioral Science to discuss the societal impact of TECNO's Universal Tone technology, the industry's most advanced AI-powered multi-skin tone imaging technology yet. Moreover, through in-depth academic research, scientific analysis, and consultation with authoritative experts in the field, TECNO was able to determine how best to remove the technological and psychological barriers that negatively impact people's engagement with portraiture, allowing for a truly unbiased and professional photography experience through Universal Tone technology -- an approach that the multi-skin color card continues.

As a pioneer in developing a more inclusive smartphone industry, TECNO is committed to pursuing new technologies that ensure the beauty of human diversity is accurately captured. The newly released multi-skin tone color card represents a further step forward in Universal Tone's mission to ensure greater inclusivity in mobile imaging to embrace the uniqueness of every culture and to celebrate every form of beauty.

To find out more about TECNO Universal Tone technology, please visit: https://www.tecno-mobile.com/news/detail/#/1384

About TECNO

TECNO is an innovative technology brand with operations in over 70 countries and regions across five continents. Since its launch, TECNO has been revolutionizing the digital experience in emerging global markets, relentlessly pushing for the perfect integration of contemporary, aesthetic design with the latest technologies. Today, TECNO has developed into a recognized leader in its target markets, delivering state-of-the-art innovation through a wide range of smartphones, smart wearables, laptops and tablets, HiOS operating systems and smart home products. Guided by its brand essence of "Stop At Nothing", TECNO is committed to unlocking the best and newest technologies for forward-looking individuals. By creating stylish, intelligent products, TECNO inspires consumers worldwide to never stop pursuing their best selves and their best futures. For more information, please visit TECNO's official site: www.TECNO-mobile.com

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Guwahati, Feb 26 (PTI) The opposition Congress and AIUDF staged walkouts from the Assam Assembly on Monday, protesting the decision by the state Cabinet to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935.

The AIUDF had moved an adjournment motion to discuss the cabinet decision, which was rejected by Speaker Biswajit Daimary.

Also Read | Telangana Couple Electrocuted: Duo Gets Electric Shock While Drying Clothes in Vikarabad District.

The Congress maintained that amendments could have been made to the original bill without repealing it altogether.

The Assam Cabinet on Friday had approved the decision to repeal the Act in a bid to end the social menace of child marriage in the state, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Also Read | Arvind Kejriwal ED Summon: AAP National Convenor Not To Appear Before Enforcement Directorate Today, Say Sources.

Responding to the opposition parties' criticism, Sarma asserted in the House on Monday that the bill will be repealed as it is a step towards abolishing child marriage.

"Till I am alive, I won't allow child marriage to happen in Assam," he said.

The Congress walked out of the House for 10 minutes, against the Cabinet decision.

AIUDF legislators initially raised slogans and stormed into the Well of the House, squatting on the floor for over five minutes.

They also later walked out as the Speaker continued to conduct the listed business of the House.

Opposition CPI(M) legislator and the lone Independent MLA, however, remained in the House.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Thiruvananthapuram, February 26: The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Monday announced candidates for four Kerala Lok Sabha seats, nominating senior party leader Annie Raja to contest from the Wayanad constituency, a seat presently held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Notably, Pannian Raveendran has been nominated from Thiruvananthapuram, VS Sunil Kumar from Thrissur, and Arun Kumar from Mavelikara.

Congress' Rahul Gandhi is currently the MP from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. The Communist Party of India (CPI) is part of the INDIA bloc, which came into existence to take on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is led by PM Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and prevent it from winning a third straight term at the Centre in the Lok Sabha elections. CPI General Secretary D Raja is also one of the member of Coordination Committee and Election Strategy Committee. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: CPI Announces Candidates List for LS Polls in Kerala; Check Complete List

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam said that this is a political battle. "This is a political battle. Personally, I regard Rahul Gandhi as a very good friend, a person with commitment, as a young committed leader of the Congress party, committed to Gandhian and Nehruvian policies, but the point is that while fielding Rahul Gandhi as the candidate from Wayanad, Congress has to answer three political questions," he added. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP President JP Nadda Flags Off Viksit Bharat Modi Ki Guarantee Video Vans Seeking Peoples Suggestion for Manifesto (Watch Video)

He further asked in this crucial battle of elections, who is the "main enemy of the Congress party, the RSS-led BJP or Left?" "In the INDIA bloc, it is very clear that the main political enemy is the RSS-led BJP. Is the Congress clear about this?" he asked. He further said that, as far as our party and LDF are concerned, our party doesn't care who is the opponent."We will fight for the cause of secular India. We will fight for the Constitution and Gandhian Nehruvian values. We believe that Rahul Gandhi has the right to contest from any seat," he added. Meanwhile, Kerala has a total of 20 Lok Sabha seats.

(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 26 (ANI): The BJP manifesto committee meeting is underway at the BJP extension office in Delhi, where the party's National General Secretary (Organisation), BL Santosh, is presiding over the meeting.

Convenors and co-convenors of the BJP's manifesto committee are included from all across the country.

Also Read | West Bengal Shocker: TMC Leader Dies After Being Shot From Point Blank Range in Ashoknagar.

National General Secretary Tarun Chug and Sunil Bansal, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and ministers of some states are also presiding over the meeting.

During the meeting, feedback from manifesto teams across the country will be taken and then included in the party's manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

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Earlier, BJP held the core group meeting of five states on Saturday at the party headquarters in New Delhi. The meeting was led by BJP National President JP Nadda in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and Organization General Secretary BL Santosh.

First of all, the meeting of the Uttar Pradesh Core Group was organized. During this meeting, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda, Organization General Secretary BL Santosh, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Brijesh Pathak, UP Organization Minister Dharampal Singh and others were present.

According to sources, in the meeting held regarding UP, there was a discussion regarding the lost seats. A special strategy was made for the Rae Bareli and Mainpuri seats.

There was also a discussion regarding MLC elections. In the second phase, the West Bengal Core Group meeting was organized. State President Sukanta Majumdar, Suvendu Adhikari and others were present at this meeting.

In the third phase, a meeting of the Telangana Core Group was called. In this meeting, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, D.K. Aruna, Dr K. Lakshan, Bandi Sanjay and Atla Rajendra were present.

In the fourth phase, a meeting of the Chhattisgarh Core Group was called. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo and other leaders were present at this meeting. There was a discussion about new faces in the meeting.

In the fifth phase, a meeting of the Rajasthan Core Group was called. The meeting took place at the Delhi BJP headquarters for more than an hour. The meeting was held in the presence of JP Nadda and Amit Shah. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Chandigarh, Feb 26 (PTI) Farmers camping on Punjab's border with Haryana to press the Union government for various demands burnt effigies and raised slogans demanding the agriculture sector be taken out of the WTO agreement.

Thousands of farmers have been staying put at Khanauri and Shambhu, about 200 kilometres from Delhi, along with their tractor-trolleys and trucks after their march to the national capital over their demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, was stopped by security forces.

Also Read | Pankaj Udhas Dies at 72: PM Narendra Modi Condoles Death of Legendary Singer, Says 'He Was a Beacon of Indian Music'.

The 'Delhi Chalo' march is being spearheaded by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM).

The protests were held as trade ministers of 164 WTO member countries gathered in Abu Dhabi for the 13th ministerial conference (MC13). The highest decision-making body started the four-day meet on February 26 in the UAE.

Also Read | Bengaluru Horror: Missing 20-Year-Old BTech Students Body Found Partially Burnt Near Anekal, Police Suspect Foul Play.

At the protest, Farmer leaders alleged that the WTO's objective was to end farm subsidies. If India followed the policies of the WTO on the agricultural front, it would be "suicidal", they said.

On Sunday, farmers organised a seminar on the WTO issue.

Meanwhile, KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher again demanded that the Punjab government order the registration of an FIR against those responsible for the death of protester Shubhkaran Singh.

Shubhkaran (21), a native of Bathinda, was killed in the clash in Khanauri last Wednesday when some protesters tried to head towards the barricades erected by security personnel. The post-mortem has not been conducted yet and the body has been kept in the mortuary of Rajindra Hospital in Patiala since the farmers were adamant on registration of an FIR.

The farmers' march to Delhi was put on hold by farmer leaders for two days after Shubhkaran was killed and around 12 police personnel were injured in the clashes. Later, the farmer leaders said the protesters will continue to camp at Khanauri and Shambhu till February 29 when the next course of action will be decided.

(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 26 (PTI) A major fire broke out at a factory in Delhi's Mangolpuri, officials said on Monday.

No casualty was reported in the incident, they added.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi To Launch 2,000 Railway Infrastructure Projects Worth Over Rs 41,000 Crore Today.

"We got a call regarding a blaze in a factory in Mangolpuri at 9:01 pm on Sunday. A total of 16 fire tenders were pressed into service," Delhi Fire Services (DFS) chief Atul Garg said, adding that the flames were doused after about two hours.

He said the fire broke out in an MCB-manufacturing factory with an area of approximately 150 square yards.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: Man Tries To Break ATM With Fire Extinguisher in Lucknow, Arrested.

The fire engulfed the first, second and third floors of the four-storey building, Garg said, adding that the cooling operation is going on.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kohima (Nagaland) [India], February 26 (ANI): The fourth session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly's budget session commenced on Monday at the Nagaland Legislative Secretariat, with Governor La Ganesan addressing the House on the first day.

The House also elected S Toiho Yeptho, an NCP MLA from 33 Suruhuto Assembly Constituency who was the lone MLA to file the nomination, as the new Deputy Speaker.

Also Read | Pankaj Udhas Dies at 72: PM Narendra Modi Condoles Death of Legendary Singer, Says 'He Was a Beacon of Indian Music'.

The List of Business for the first day included an obituary reference to former Governor of Nagaland, late PB Acharya, by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, while Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker Sharingain Longkumer made the obituary reference to Manohar Gajanan Joshi, former Speaker of Lok Sabha and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra; and former members, Hokhato Sena, KK Sangtam and L Khumo.

Moatoshi Longkumer, Advisor for Labour and Employment, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Excise, moved the motion of thanks on the governor's address.

Also Read | Bengaluru Horror: Missing 20-Year-Old BTech Students Body Found Partially Burnt Near Anekal, Police Suspect Foul Play.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio felicitated the newly elected Deputy Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, S Toiho Yeptho, MLA of Nationalist Congress Party.

The fourth session of the NLA went paperless, with hard copies made available for download on the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) website and mobile app.

Chief Minister Rio, who also holds the portfolio of Finance Minister, will present the budget for the years 2024-25 on the second day of the budget session.

A photoshoot was also held, with the legislators wearing a touch of their own traditional attire.

The five-day budget session will end on March 1. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Silvassa (Dadra and Nagar Haveli) [India], February 26 (ANI): Calling the INDIA bloc an alliance of parties run by seven families, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that the Opposition alliance is run by parties who made "money from scams."

He asserted that electing Prime Minister Narendra Modi again is a guarantee of a developed India.

Also Read | Maharashtra: Man Denies Entry to His Wife and Child, Fires Multiple Rounds Inside Their Apartment in Goregaon; Held.

The Union Home Minister was speaking after inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of various projects at Silvassa Dadra and Nagar Haveli and said that the people of the country need to decide whether wanted the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the INDIA bloc that had committed scams to the tune of Rs 12 lakh crore.

"Be it Dalit, Adivasi or OBCs, our government has worked to provide them with all basic facilities to make their life easier. We have also delivered some promises that were deemed impossible, be it abrogation of Article 370 or the pran pratishtha of Ram Lalla (in Ayodhya)," Shah said.

Also Read | Indore Shocker: Paytm Payments Bank Employee Ends Life by Suicide Fearing Job Loss.

He further said that the Lok Sabha elections are near and people have two options; on one side is PM Modi's governance, and on the other side seven dynastic parties.

"Lok Sabha elections are knocking on our doors, and we have two options: on one side is PM Modi's governance, and on the other side, seven dynastic parties. It is for the people to decide whom they will choose," he added.

Amit Shah further said that from Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, everyone wants to make their kin the next Prime Minister or Chief Minister.

"Sonia Gandhi's aim is to make Rahul Gandhi the PM, Lalu Yadav aims to make his son the CM, Uddhav Thackeray and MK Stalin also have the same aim, and Mamata ji wants to make her nephew the CM," he added.

Shah asserted that only PM Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party can do good for the people of India.

"Can those who work for sons, cousins and sons-in-law do you any good? Speak out loud can they good for you? Only Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party can do good for the people of India. No one else can. The India bloc is a gathering of corrupt people who work for their family members," Shah attacks the INDIA bloc.

The Union Minister further said that electing Modi again is a guarantee of a developed India, as he will work to pave the way for its foundation.

The Lok Sabha elections are expected to be held across country between April and May this year. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Jhajjar (Haryana) [India], February 26 (ANI): The Haryana police on Monday registered a case against four persons, a day after Indian National Lok Dal's (INLD) chief Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead near a railway crossing in Haryana's Jhajjar district.

The four accused have been identified as Naresh Kaushik, Ramesh Rathi, Sathish Rathi, and Rahul, all hailing from Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar.

Also Read | Bengaluru Shocker: Elderly Woman Brutally Killed, Her Body With Severed Limbs Found in Drum Near an Abandoned Building in Nisarga Layout; Probe Launched.

According to the police FIR, the accused have been booked for offences under various sections of the IPC, 1860, and the Arms Act, 1959, including criminal conspiracy, rioting, unlawful assembly, and carrying prohibited arms or ammunition.

"We have registered an FIR based on the complaint received. Five teams have been constituted with 2 DSPs to arrest the accused. An investigation is underway. We are collecting physical and scientific evidence," Jhajjar Deputy Superintendent of Police, Shamsher Singh said.

Also Read | Veer Savarkar Death Anniversary 2024: PM Narendra Modi Pays Tributes to VD Savarkar on His Punya Tithi.

"We are collecting evidence from all CCTV cameras and also checking the suspected vehicle," he added.

INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead on Sunday by some unidentified assailants near the railway crossing at Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar.

As per reports, the miscreants came in a car and fired indiscriminately killing Nafe Singh and a party worker.

Following the incident, INLD (Indian National Lok Dal) leader Abhay Chautala held Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government responsible for the murder and demanded a thorough probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Chautala also raised doubts about the government's motives, stating, "The government is attempting to deflect responsibility by citing the Lawrance gang, but if that is the case, why was no security provided despite their acknowledgment of the threat?"

Manish Sharma, the doctor at Brahma Shakti Sanjeevani Hospital informed that a total of four people were brought to the hospital, out of whom, former MLA Nafe Singh Rathee and a person named Jaikishan were brought dead.

"In the evening, four people who had been shot were brought to Brahma Shakti Sanjeevani Hospital. Out of them, two had suffered heavy bleeding and were brought dead, we tried CPR but they couldn't be saved. Two others are admitted to the ICU with gunshot wounds on the shoulder, thigh, and left side of the chest. Former MLA Nafe Singh and another person, Jaikishan, were brought dead. They were shot in the neck, back, and shoulder. Multiple wounds suggest there were multiple rounds of fire. Sudden major vessel damage causes heavy blood loss and eventually, heart attack," 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)
Jhajjar (Haryana) [India], February 26 (ANI): The family of Indian National Lok Dal's (INLD) chief Nafe Singh Rathee, who was shot dead in Haryana's Jhajjar, refused to allow post-mortem of his body until the accused were arrested.

Speaking to ANI on Monday, Jitendra Rathee, son of Nafe Singh Rathee, said, "We will not allow the post-mortem to be conducted until the police catch my father's murderers. I suspect that local BJP leaders have a hand in my father's murder."

Also Read | Bengaluru Shocker: Elderly Woman Brutally Killed, Her Body With Severed Limbs Found in Drum Near an Abandoned Building in Nisarga Layout; Probe Launched.

He alleged that the police refused security for his family despite multiple requests.

"The police administration is sitting silent. My family and I are not getting security. My father was demanding security for five years. My father was a national leader. All political parties should have supported my father before he was murdered," Jitendra Rathee said.

Also Read | Veer Savarkar Death Anniversary 2024: PM Narendra Modi Pays Tributes to VD Savarkar on His Punya Tithi.

Kapoor Rathee, Nafee Singh's nephew, also reiterated the demand, saying, "We will not conduct a post-mortem until the accused are arrested. We have again gotten the names of those people."

Meanwhile, the Haryana police registered a case against four persons in connection with the case.

"We have registered an FIR based on the complaint received. Five teams have been constituted with 2 DSPs to arrest the accused. An investigation is underway. We are collecting physical and scientific evidence," Jhajjar DSP Shamsher Singh said.

"We are collecting evidence from all CCTV cameras and also checking the suspected vehicle," he added.

INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee was shot dead on Sunday by some unidentified assailants near the railway crossing at Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar.

As per reports, the miscreants came in a car and fired indiscriminately killing Nafe Singh and a party worker.

Following the incident, INLD (Indian National Lok Dal) leader Abhay Chautala held Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government responsible for the murder and demanded a thorough probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Chautala also raised doubts about the government's motives, stating, "The government is attempting to deflect responsibility by citing the Lawrance gang, but if that is the case, why was no security provided despite their acknowledgment of the threat?" (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
(Reuters) - Rio Tinto said on Monday that the Canadian government had awarded it C$18 million ($13 million) to decarbonize iron ore processing in Labrador West.

The funding from the government's Low-Carbon Economy Fund will enable Rio Tinto's Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) to reduce the amount of heavy fuel oil that is used in the production of iron ore pellets and concentrate.

The government funding represents about 25% of the total cost of the project, with IOC funding the rest of the investment, Rio Tinto said.

Installation of new equipment will begin in the second half of the year and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025.

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One of the world's largest iron ore producers, Rio expects to reduce about 2.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over the lifetime of the project.

($1 = 1.3518 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Vallari Srivastava in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
New Delhi, Feb 26 (PTI) Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande on Monday said leveraging both the MSMEs and the start-up ecosystem has been a "focus area" for the force as part of the pursuit of "Atmanirbharta" in meeting the capability development requirements.

Gen Pande said this during a visit to the Maharashtra MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) Defence Expo - 2024 in Pune, the defence ministry said in a statement.

Also Read | Maharashtra: Man Denies Entry to His Wife and Child, Fires Multiple Rounds Inside Their Apartment in Goregaon; Held.

The expo, organised by the government of Maharashtra, showcases the indigenous capabilities and innovations of the MSMEs, private companies, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratories, and Defence Public Sector Unit (DPSU) setups in Maharashtra, it said.

Gen Pande said in his keynote address that Maharashtra deserves a mention for being one of the major contributors to the nation's economy, industrial growth, exports and FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) attractiveness.

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The state was the first in India to frame a defence manufacturing policy after private investment was allowed in the sector, the statement quoted him as saying.

"Leveraging both the MSMEs and the start-up ecosystem has been a focus area for the Indian Army, as part of the Atmanirbharta pursuit, in meeting our capability development requirements," he said.

The Army chief noted that under the Innovations in Defence Excellence (iDEX) route for procurement, all projects are mandated to be progressed through start-ps.

"Currently, under the iDEX route, 55 Indian Army projects worth Rs 400 crore are being pursued, which encompass a total of 65 start-ups. Four contracts worth Rs 70 crore have been concluded for procurement of equipment in limited quantities for field exploitation. The iDEX route also follows the spiral mode of development of indigenous technology and platforms, since exploitation of limited quantities in field conditions enables concurrent development of equipment based on user recommendations," he said.

Gen Pande mentioned the Army's in-house Ideas & Innovation initiative and informed the gathering about two innovations and the technology transferred to the industry for mass production, namely VIDYUT RAKSHAK -- an Internet of Things (IoT)-based generator protection system -- and a biomedical device.

He mentioned that the Army's endeavour to promote innovation also entails pursuing Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) for the products developed in collaboration with the industry.

The Army chief highlighted that 66 IPRs have been filed by the Indian Army to date, of which 13 patents, five copyrights and five design registrations were granted.

Highlighting the economic growth made by India, he said the nation is witnessing "improved consumer affluence", better standards of living, higher literacy quotient and rising aspirations of citizens.

He appreciated the steps taken by government agencies and the Armed Forces in policy reforms, skilling initiatives, infrastructure investment, digital potential, frontline entrepreneurship and said these signify the commitment to sustainable development and the promise of being a reliable supply-chain stakeholder.

At the expo, the Indian Army displayed its indigenous equipment and systems such as Tank T-90, BMP Mk-II, Soltam Gun, Dhanush Howitzer, K-9 Vajra, Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher, Sarvatra Bridge System, Schilka Gun and Fly Catcher Radar of Army Air Defence, Tavor, Sig Sauer & M4 Assault Rifles, AK-47, Sniper Rifles and various other weapons and equipment.

Gen Pande also interacted with members of the participating industries and encouraged them to align their products and services with the Army's future requirements. He urged everyone to collectively contribute to the aspirations, goals and objectives of a rising India, through the resolve and commitment to "Atmanirbharta".

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 26 (ANI): Amid the ongoing protest by Maratha quota activist Manoj Patil over the Maratha reservation, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole has demanded the revelation of the talk between the Maharashtra Chief Minister and Maratha quota activist Manoj Patil.

"What happened between Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Manoj Jarange Patil? The details of the talks between the Maharashtra Chief Minister and Maratha quota activist Manoj Patil must be made public," said Nana Patole.

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Earlier, opposition leaders held a protest on Monday outside Vidhan Bhavan over the Maratha reservation issue.

Meanwhile, Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil claimed that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was conspiring to eliminate him (Manoj Patil) by poisoning him with saline.

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In a reply to the Manoj Patil claim, Maharashtra BJP Chief Ashish Shelar said that soon Maratha society itself will reveal the real face of Manoj Jarange Patil.

Shiv Sena leader and MLA Manisha Kayande also called Manoj Jarange Patil's claim baseless, stating, "Whatever Manoj Jarange Patil says, he is making false allegations, he is misleading the people.

Earlier, Maharashtra Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar appealed to Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil to protest peacefully, stating that he (Manoj Patil) should ensure that no one is harmed, and that law and order should be maintained.

Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar further said, "Everyone knows who groomed Manoj Jarange Patil, whose people used to go to Manoj Patil, whose OSD used to meet Manoj Patil. Maharshtra government ministers used to meet the activists. What they have sown, they are reaping."

Earlier, Maratha protestors set a state transport bus on fire at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Tirthpuri city, Ambad taluka, an official said on Monday.

Consequently, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has filed a police complaint and suspended bus services in Jalna until further notice.

"Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation has stopped ferrying its buses in Jalna till further notice. A police complaint has been filed by MSRTC's Ambad Depot Manager in a local police station after a bus was allegedly torched by Maratha Agitators," MSRTC said.

The Maratha community had been protesting against the state government on the issue of the Maratha reservation for several years.

Earlier this month, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (lower house) unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill tabled, which intended to extend 10 per cent reservation to Marathas above the 50 per cent cap.

Refusing to call off his hunger strike even after the adoption of the quota bill in the Assembly on February 20, Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil demanded that the NDA government implement the 'Sage Soyare' (Family tree) ordinance notification within two days, failing which the majority community in the state will launch a fresh round of agitation on February 24.

Patil, who had been at the front and centre of the protests demanding reservation for Marathas in government jobs and education, said the bill guaranteeing 10 per cent reservation for the community falls short of fulfilling their demands.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ashok Chavan questioned the need to continue the agitation even when all his demands had been fulfilled.

"He (Manoj Jarange Patil) knows why he is agitating? What we are saying is that when the government has fulfilled all his demands by bringing this law, then there is no need for agitation," Chavan said. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, February 26: A meeting of the Congress Manifesto Committee has been convened on March 4, sources said on Monday. According to sources, the party will finalise its manifesto during the meeting. The first meeting of the Manifesto committee was held in January this year. Congress had formed a manifesto committee for the Lok Sabha Election 2024. Senior leader P. Chidambaram chairs the committee. The Convenor is TS Singh Deo, former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Jairam Ramesh, Shashi Tharoor and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are the other member.

On January 5, Congress top leadership, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi conducted meetings with the members of the party's Alliance Committee and Manifesto Committee here in the national capital. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram who heads the Maniesfto committee had said that the party's manifesto for Lok Sabha polls will be a "people's manifesto" and apart from public consultations by party leaders, suggestions can also be sent through e-mail and a website. He had said that the Congress party will take suggestions from people across the country before finalising the party manifesto. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: AAP-Congress Seat Sharing Agreement Finalised in Delhi; AAP To Contest Four Seats, Congress Three (Watch Video)

Further, according to the sources, talks are underway between Congress, National Conference and Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (PDP) over seat -sharing. The sources said that the announcement regarding the same is likely to made by February 28. Earlier this month, National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah announced that his party will contest alone in the upcoming parliamentary elections. However, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) have been a part of the INDIA bloc and will remain so. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP President JP Nadda Flags Off Viksit Bharat Modi Ki Guarantee Video Vans Seeking Peoples Suggestion for Manifesto (Watch Video)

"Talks are going on. Every party has its own limitations. National Conference and PDP have been a part of the INDIA bloc, and will continue to remain so," Jairam Ramesh had said. Meanwhile, the BJP manifesto committee meeting was held at the BJP extension office in Delhi today, where the party's National General Secretary (Organisation), BL Santosh, presided over the meeting.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, Feb 26 (PTI) The NHRC has sent a notice to the Rajasthan Police chief over the reported death of a prisoner under suspicious circumstances in the Ajmer Central Jail and sought a report in six weeks, officials said on Monday.

The National Human Rights Commission in a statement observed that the content of the media report, if true, "indicate negligence" on the part of the jail authorities, raising an issue of human rights violations.

Also Read | Veer Savarkar Death Anniversary 2024: PM Narendra Modis Tribute to VD Savarkar in His Own Handwriting Goes Viral (See Pic).

The NHRC has taken "suo motu cognisance of a media report that a 45-year-old HIV-positive prisoner died inside the Ajmer Central Jail under suspicious circumstances on 19th February, 2024."

Reportedly, the prisoner died after "hitting himself with an iron rod during a fight with the prison staff," it added.

Also Read | Kerala Horror: Man Pours Kerosene on Wife, Sets Her on Fire Over Suspicion of Infidelity in Varkala.

The jail authorities should have taken extra care and protection to keep such items as iron rods out of the reach of prisoners.

Accordingly, it has issued notice to the Director General of Prisons of Rajasthan, seeking a detailed report in six weeks, the statement said.

"The report is expected to include his complete medical record right since entry to the prison, inquest report, post-mortem report, video recording of the same and magisterial enquiry report besides the steps taken/proposed to be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur," it said.

The Commission has also asked the authorities to inform it about the correct age of the deceased prisoner as in the intimation from the Superintendent of the Ajmer Central Jail, the age of the prisoner is mentioned as 61 years, the statement said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, Feb 26 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a PIL seeking a quota for persons with disability in the Lok Sabha, saying the judiciary cannot interfere with policy decisions.

"We cannot order reservation for the persons with disability in elections. It is purely a policy matter. Dismissed," a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said.

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The bench also questioned the plea in the PIL that the candidates be asked to make disclosures about their disability status, if any, in the nomination forms.

"Why should there be a disclosure that a person is disabled in the nomination form," the bench asked.

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The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by one Jayant Raghav, a resident of Dwarka in Delhi.

It made the Centre, the Election Commission and state poll bodies of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan parties.

(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 26 (PTI) The state machinery should help the Enforcement Directorate in finding out if an offence has been committed as there is no harm in it, the Supreme Court told the Tamil Nadu government on Monday.

The apex court had last week questioned the Tamil Nadu government for filing a plea in the Madras High Court against the ED for its probe in a money laundering case.

Also Read | Arvind Kejriwal Apologises in Supreme Court for Retweeting YouTuber Dhruv Rathee's Video, Says 'Made a Mistake'.

The central probe agency had summoned the district collectors of Vellore, Tiruchirappalli, Karur, Thanjavur and Ariyalur in connection with its probe in a money laundering case related to alleged illegal sand mining.

The state government along with the bureaucrats had moved the high court that stayed the summons issued by the ED. The probe agency has moved the top court against the high court order.

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The ED's plea came up for hearing on Monday before a bench of justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal.

"State and its officers should help the ED in finding out if there is any offence," the bench observed, adding, "If the state machinery is asked to help, what is the harm caused?"

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Tamil Nadu, said the apex court had last time asked how the state could have filed the petition before the high court.

"How the state is aggrieved if district collectors are asked something? If the district collector in individual capacity was aggrieved, he could have filed," the bench said.

"The state has to comply with the law of parliament under Article 256 (of the Constitution). The state has to comply with PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act)," it added.

The bench asked how the writ petition filed before the high court was maintainable.

Sibal said mining was not a scheduled offence under the PMLA and the state was aggrieved because the ED was asking for information from the district collectors.

"Under which provision of the PMLA, they (ED) are entitled to do this," Sibal asked, adding that ED is concerned with money laundering.

"In this case, the state is filing a writ petition because the authority of the state has been asked to produce documents with respect to mining leases," Sibal said, adding the state was aggrieved by the "omnibus order" of the ED asking the district collectors to give information.

The senior advocate argued that no formal notice had been issued by the apex court to the state on the ED's plea.

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for ED, told the bench that under the Supreme Court Rules, there was no need to give formal notice to a caveator.

He said the case does not relate to the offence of mining only as offences of criminal conspiracy and cheating under the Indian Penal Code were also there.

"We are investigating the section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) aspect also Look at the attitude of the state. It appears that the state is trying to protect the accused. Why the state is agitated about it," Raju said.

The bench was informed that an affidavit had been filed by one of the respondents in the matter.

The apex court said the affidavit be placed on record and posted the matter for hearing on Tuesday.

While hearing the matter last week, the bench had asked the state's counsel, "How can the state file this writ petition? Under which law? You satisfy us on how the state is interested and how it can file this writ petition against the Enforcement Directorate. How is the state aggrieved."

It had said the officials should cooperate with the ED.

Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Amit Anand Tiwari, appearing for the state government, had said that Tamil Nadu was bound to protect its officials from "illegal" probe of the agency.

The high court, while staying the summons, had said that the ED was venturing into a fishing expedition to find out whether information and evidence collected from the district administration could be processed further from other sources to find out a commission of the scheduled offences.

Raju had told the apex court that the district collectors were not among the accused and were summoned only as witnesses.

(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 26 (PTI) A 49-year-old Trinamool Congress leader from Ashoknagar in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district was shot dead by a group of men, following an altercation between them over a land deal, police said on Monday.

The TMC leader, identified as Bijan Das, was killed when he went to the house of a party colleague, he added.

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Das, the deputy head of Guma 1 panchayat, was shot twice from point-blank range, the police officer said, adding that one bullet hit his head and another pierced through his left ear.

"He was declared brought dead when he was taken to the Barasat Medical College and Hospital. The accused are absconding. We are investigating the matter," the police officer told PTI.

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Barasat MP Kakali Ghosh Dastidar, who went to the hospital, said that it was a "tragic incident".

"Bijan's death is an irreparable loss to the party. He started his political career from student politics and has been with the party since then. The police are investigating the case, Ghosh Dastidar said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], February 26 (ANI): Union Minister Rajnath Singh will reach Lucknow today to attend the inauguration ceremony of a world-class Gomti Nagar railway station and several other projects.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation around 2000 railway infrastructure projects worth more than Rs. 41,000 crores on February 26 via video conferencing.

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"I shall be in Lucknow today to attend the inauguration ceremony of a world-class Gomti Nagar railway station and several other projects. PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate the new Gomti Nagar Railway Station and 2000 other Railway infrastructure projects spread across the country. It is going to be a historic day in the history of Indian Railways," Union Minister Rajnath Singh posted on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Gomti Nagar station in Uttar Pradesh which has been redeveloped at a total cost of around Rs 385 crore. To cater to the increased future passenger footfall, this station has segregated arrival and departure facilities. It integrates both sides of the city. This centrally air-conditioned station has modern passenger amenities like air Concourse, congestion-free circulation, food courts and ample parking space in the upper and lower basements.

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The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 553 railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

"These stations, spread across 27 states and Union Territories, will be redeveloped at a cost of over Rs. 19,000 crores. These stations will act as 'City Centers', integrating both sides of the city. They will have modern passenger amenities like a roof plaza, beautiful landscaping, intermodal connectivity, an improved modern facade, a kids play area, kiosks, food courts, etc. They will be redeveloped as environment friendly and also Divyang friendly. The design of these station buildings will be inspired by local culture, heritage and architecture," the official release said.

The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation 1500 road bridges and underpasses. These road overbridges and underpasses are spread across 24 states and Union Territories, the total cost of these projects is around Rs. 21,520 crores. These projects will reduce congestion, enhance safety and connectivity, and improve capacity, and efficiency of rail travel. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ayodhya (UP), Feb 26 (PTI) Noting that the journey towards "Ram Rajya" began with the Ram temple consecration in Ayodhya, the VHP on Monday called on the Hindu society to vote in the national interest, setting aside personal preferences, to elect a government that respects and protects Indian cultures and values.

The coming Lok Sabha elections is going to determine the country's future and "it is the collective responsibility of all of us to hand over to our coming generations a Bharat that is fully secure, prosperous and powerful," it said in a resolution passed at a meeting of its Central Board of Trustees and Governing Council here.

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At the meeting, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) passed two resolutions -- one on the construction of the Ram temple and the second on the coming Lok Sabha elections, due in April-May.

The resolution, titled "vote in national interest and cote cent percent", read, "Bharat is the world's largest democracy. The great festival of national elections comes every five years. Voting is very important for the functioning of the democratic systems. It is our Rashtra Dharma too."

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"The Board of Trustees of Vishva Hindu Parishad calls upon the Hindu society to cast its vote to serve the cause of national interest, setting aside their personal interests, caste bias, linguism, communalism and regionalism, etc. This national election is going to determine the future of Bharat.

"It is the collective responsibility of all of us to handover to our coming generations a Bharat that is fully secure, prosperous and powerful. For this work it is much essential to have a government that respects and protects the culture and values of Bharat," the resolution read.

It asked the Hindu society to consider voting as a "national duty".

"It should be ensured that the names of eligible voters are there in their electoral rolls. Do not use NOTA in the national interest. Vote with families and ensure 100% voting in every locality/village. On the polling day, the society has to be committed for 'polling first-all things next'," the resolution said.

On the resolution on the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the VHP stated that after the consecration ceremony on January 22, "a new era has started" and "now the journey from Shree Ram Mandir to Ram Rajya has started".

"January 22, 2024 has become a golden date in the history of the world. On this day the whole world witnessed the glorious, successful and happy conclusion of the 496 years of battles. Along with the reclamation of Sri Ram Lalla's place of incarnation, the Hindu culture is also re-established! It is re-established that Shri Ram is Rashtra and the Rashtra is Ram," the resolution read.

"All destructive and anti-national conspiracies in this regard have been faded. The whole world was ecstatic and jubilant on this day because it felt that a new future is being created. Hindu society fought the longest struggle in the world for re-construction of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi," it stated.

The VHP saluted those who laid down their lives for the cause and expressed its gratitude to seers and leaders who advocated the cause.

The resolution also said that the present period is of optimistic and constructive change for the country.

"The whole world is looking towards Bharatiya culture with optimism because it feels that the solution to all global problems comes from Hindu culture and values. The coming era is the era of Bharat. Shri Ram Temple is becoming the catalyst for this transformation. Shri Ram Temple will perpetually and everlastingly continue to enthuse and motivate the entire humanity!" it said.

"It is our firm belief that with the grace of Shri Ramji, we all will be able to build a society that ensures the dignity and participation of women, protects, preserves and promotes environment and ecology, defeat all destructive anti-national forces and aspires for happiness of the whole world," the resolution read.

On the Ram temple, the VHP also hailed the central and Uttar Pradesh governments "for such a superb outcome of this struggle after 77 years of independence".

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai, February 26: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar issued a statement on Monday, 'clarifying' his decision to align with the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state. Hailing the 'strong leadership and correct decision-making' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Pawar said that he found the development work done under their leadership 'important'.

Drawing parallels, the NCP leader said that he identified with the working style of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. "The decision taken by the Nationalist Congress Party to join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena is still being discussed in different media. This letter is to make my role in this matter more clear," Ajit Pawar mentioned in his statement. Ajit Pawar Explains Why He Switched Sides and Joined Hands With BJP and Shiv Sena; Read Complete Statement.

"I find it important that the development work that is being done in this country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Strong leadership and correct decision-making process, these are their qualities that I like very much. My and their working methods are very similar," the statement said.

"I felt that it would be possible to carry out some of my future plans for development with them in a more effective manner, so I decided to go with them with the aim of taking this state towards development. Since I have taken this role, it has been my experience that since joining the government, development work has gained momentum," it added. Supreme Court to Hear Sharad Pawar's Plea Against Election Commission Order Recognising Ajit Pawar-led Faction as Real NCP.

Pawar asserted that his intention was not to hurt or insult anyone but undertake and complete development works without compromise. "I have taken my own role with the aim of completing the development works without any compromise with the ideology and objective etc. In this, I do not dare to insult anyone in any way, hurt anyone's feelings or cheat anyone or harm anyone. It was never my intention to have a dagger in my back or anything like that, nor will I ever have one," he stated. He said that to undertake any service for the people it is important to be in power.

"I have seen it done both by being in power and by being in opposition. While in power, we have seen development slowing down rapidly and while in opposition, we have also seen development works getting stuck. So one truth which cannot be denied is that for development work it is necessary for you to be in power," the Deputy CM said. He further stated that he has no intention of 'disrespecting elderly people'.

"I have no intention of disrespecting fatherly or elder people. How can the standard of living of the people be raised, how can the facilities of their basic infrastructure be made more efficient? So this is for the work of the people," he said. Pawar further appealed to the people to join him on his 'path of development' and sought blessings from the 'seniors'.

"In the times to come, the Nationalist Congress Party will not comment on anyone personally and will go before the people of the state with a blueprint for development and I also assure the people of the state about this. I humbly appeal to all the citizens to join me as I walk on the path of development and to all the seniors to bless me," he added. Ajit Pawar, along with eight MLAs, joined Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra on July 2 last year.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
They're not all created equally.

If youre a chef, an avid home cook, or if you grew up eating Italian-American food on a regular basis like me, chances are youre well versed in the world of canned tomatoes. Its a hot topic, to say the least. More particularly, you likely know all about the magical gift from the earth that is the San Marzano tomato. With their meaty texture, oval shape, and incredibly sweet flavor, San Marzano tomatoes are arguably the most highly praised tomatoes in the world. When you bite into a San Marzano, whether it be from the vine or a can, you just know.

Or do you?

A recent TikTok video shared by @sharedgoooods has viewers scratching their heads in disbelief, as the creator claims that the popularly purchased "San Marzano" canned tomato brand SMT, which is available in many grocery stores, is not, in fact, providing shoppers with true San Marzano tomatoes. Youre actually just paying the San Marzano premium for a tomato thats just a regular old tomato, the creator claims. I couldnt believe my ears or eyes. SMT was the canned San Marzano tomato brand we purchased in my home growing up for special occasions like holidays and birthdays. Once I watched this video, I knew Id have to take a deeper look into this theory to see if it checks out.

What Are San Marzano Tomatoes, Exactly?

Simply stated, San Marzano tomatoes stand out from the rest. A prized ingredient imported from Italy, they are different from all the other types of tomatoespraised by the masses for their special flavor. These beauties, known for their sweetness, are incredibly flavorful on the vine, which makes them extra special for canning as well. True San Marzanos are grown in Italy near Mount Vesuvius, where the soil is believed to give the tomatoes their robust sweetness, low acidity, and powerful tomato flavor.

When you spot a can of San Marzano tomatoes, its important to look closely and make sure the packaging also says "DOP Certified" on the label. DOP stands for the Italian phrase, "Denominazione d'Origine Protetta." Roughly translated, it means "protected designation of origin." Additionally, San Marzano refers to both the region of Italy these tomatoes are grown in and to the strain of tomato itself.

Story continues

Not All Canned San Marzano Tomatoes Are the Real Deal

Its true. The brand mentioned in the social media post, San Merican Tomatoes, does not distribute authentic San Marzano tomatoes, nor are they DOP. The craziest part about this realization is that, upon a deeper dive through the brands website, nowhere does it confirm or deny that San Merican Tomatoes does, in fact, distribute San Marzano tomatoes. While the implication that each can contains San Marzano tomatoes is conveyed by the packaging, can we really be justifiably upset as consumers? The majority of us have probably never thought twice about questioning the brand, with bright San Marzano-shaped tomatoes and that SMT brand abbreviation on each can. Well played, San Merican Tomatoes...Well played.

Nevertheless, ignorance truly is bliss. From a personal standpoint, this particular can of tomatoes always gives me a bit more excitement about cooking. The tomatoes may not be San Marzano, but they are still quality tomatoes that are well peeled, meaty, consistently shaped, and cook down into a beautiful, rich, almost buttery red sauce. I may feel a little bit like a chunk of my childhood has been a lie, but at the same time, I wont hate on San Merican Tomatoes genius marketing tactics. Wait until I break this news to my mom.

Where to Find Real Deal DOP San Marzano Tomatoes

While variations of San Marzano tomatoes can be grown in the U.S., particularly in California, true San Marzano tomatoes can only come from the Agro Sarnese-Nocerino region of Italy. They will have a sweeter, more robust flavor, while their American counterparts will be a bit more acidic. Read on to discover some brands that are the real deal, DOP certified, San Marzano tomatoes.

Kirkland San Marzano Tomatoes with Basil (available at Costco)

Cento Certified San Marzano Tomatoes

Pastene San Marzano DOP Tomatoes

Rega San Marzano Tomatoes

DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS

How to Use San Marzano Tomatoes

Here are some recipe ideas for whenever you pick up those real-deal, DOP San Marzano tomatoes:

Read the original article on All Recipes.
New Delhi, Feb 26 (PTI) Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday asked the textiles industry stakeholders to work on a long roadmap for growth of the sector, "which has huge potential".

The textile minister said the industry needs to focus on the world market as it would help make the sector competitive.

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"We are looking at a team working from across sectors to prepare the roadmap for India," he said at textiles industry function here.

He said the Indian economy is likely to reach USD 35 million by 2047, "so we have to see what will be the share" of textiles in that.

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(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 26: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday claimed that the Assam Cabinet's decision to repeal the Muslim Marriages Act is aimed at distancing Muslims from their religion and religious practices. "In Assam, the BJP government has done away with the law that was 90 years old. According to that law, the marriage of Assam Muslims used to happen through 'qazi' or registrar, and they used to get the 'nikahnama' certificate," he told reporters here. Cong, AIUDF Walk out of Assam Assembly Against Repeal of Muslim Marriages Act

The government has removed that system,he said and asked is there a provision of 'nikah' in the special marriage act. The wedding should happen as per one's religion, he said. There is no religion in the special marriage act which is a neutral, secular law, he said. Observing that 'Mehr' which is given to bride in Muslim marriage has been removed, he asked whether it is a loss to women or not. Cabinet Nod to Repeal Muslim Marriage Act Welcomed by BJP, Oppn Cries Discrimination

"If marriage is registered under special marriage act, inheritance will not be available under Muslim personal law. The purpose is to distance Muslims from their religion and their religious practices," he told reporters here. The Assam cabinet had given its nod to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 in a bid to end child marriage, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said on Saturday.

(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 26 (PTI) Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra is "not cooperating" with Sebi's investigations and has been continuously seeking more time, capital markets regulator Sebi said on Monday.

During a hearing on Chandra's appeal to stay an August 2023 Sebi order at the Securities Appellate Tribunal on Monday, a counsel for Sebi said the businessman has been repeatedly seeking additional time to furnish documents sought from him.

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Chandra is "not cooperating" with the investigations, the counsel said, adding that the capital markets regulator had also sent summons to him on January 12 this year.

"I want to put it on record that in fact, he (Chandra) is not cooperating (in the investigations). We have been writing to him, giving him summons, seeking information documents," the Sebi counsel said.

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Chandra's counsel said that Sebi's summons were pertaining to the requirement of certain documents despite knowing that there is nothing to be given from his end.

After hearing both parties, the tribunal gave 10 more days to Sebi to file a reply to the appeal filed by Chandra and set the next date of hearing on the appeal for March 8.

Sebi had said that Chandra and his son Punit Goenka had allegedly abused their roles as directors and Key Managerial Personnel (KMPs) of a listed company by siphoning off funds for their own benefit. The regulator had also barred the duo from holding key managerial positions in listed entities.

Goenka moved the SAT first and got relief, while Chandra moved the tribunal later. At the hearing on Monday, Chandra's counsel said the SAT judgement in the Goenka matter applies to Chandra as well, and added that he has approached the SAT now seeking a stay on the Sebi's confirmatory order.

Only Goenka filed the appeal initially because he was the managing director and chief executive of Zee, the counsel said, adding that Chandra was only a chairman emeritus in the company.

Sebi had earlier committed to finish its investigations in the matter in eight months or by April-end.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Sofia (Bulgaria), Feb 26 (AP) Bulgarian authorities on Monday imposed an entry ban on two Russian citizens suspected of espionage for Moscow's foreign intelligence service.

Bulgaria's agency for national security identified the two as Vladimir Nikolayevich Gorochkin, 39, and Tatiana Anatolievna Gorochkina, 37, and barred them from entering European Union member states for a period of five years.

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The agency said in a statement that the couple had lived undetected in Bulgaria until recently under the aliases Denis Rashkov and Diana Rashkova. The statement indicated they were no longer in Bulgaria, but did not elaborate on when they had left the country, or indicate where they currently were believed to be.

According to the agency, the Russians were part of an operation orchestrated by the Moscow's Foreign Intelligence Service aimed at infiltrating foreign countries using false identities. Their mission in the EU member country was reportedly to obtain authentic Bulgarian identity documents and credible biographical data confirming their authenticity, which they could then use to carry out intelligence activities outside Bulgaria.

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Last September, five Bulgarians living in the UK were charged with spying for Russia. The three men and two women were accused of conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy, namely Russia, between August 2020 and February 2023.

In 2022, Bulgaria expelled 70 Russian diplomatic staff in a move that severely strained diplomatic ties between the two countries, which were close allies during communist times. It was the greatest ever number of Russian diplomats expelled by Bulgaria, a member of the European Union and NATO.

Bulgaria has strongly backed the West's sanctions against Moscow since Russia launched its war on Ukraine. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ouagadougou [Burkina Faso], February 26 (ANI): A village in Burkina Faso's conflict-ridden northern region witnessed a brutal attack, which claimed the lives of at least 15 Catholic worshippers as they gathered for mass at a church, Al Jazeera reported.

Abbot Jean-Pierre Sawadogo, the vicar-general of the Catholic Diocese of Dori, where the attack occurred on Sunday, described the incident as a "terrorist attack."

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The assailants struck the village of Essakane, leaving 12 attendees dead at the scene, while three others succumbed to their injuries during medical treatment. Two additional individuals sustained injuries in the attack.

Despite the tragic event, there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the shooting, as reported by Al Jazeera.

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Abbot Jean-Pierre Sawadogo urged for prayers, stating, "In this painful circumstance, we invite you to pray for the rest in God for those who have died in faith, for the healing of the wounded and ... for the conversion of those who continue to sow death and desolation in our country."

The region where the attack unfolded has been plagued by armed groups, responsible for numerous assaults. Some incidents targeted Christian churches, while others involved the abduction of clergy.

Burkina Faso faces a precarious situation, with approximately half the country outside government control due to the persistent activities of these armed groups. Over the years, thousands have lost their lives, and more than two million people have been displaced, posing a severe threat to the nation's stability. Burkina Faso experienced two coups in 2022, and since then, the military rulers have grappled to restore peace in violent areas.

According to an August 2023 report by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, the number of casualties from armed group attacks has nearly tripled compared to the preceding 18 months.

The challenges faced by the military government are exacerbated by the country's porous borders with Mali and Niger, both governed by military officials dealing with their own security crises, Al Jazeera 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)
New Delhi [India], February 26 (ANI): Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Sunday welcomed Permanent Representatives of different nations to the United Nations on their visit to India and discussed strengthening multilateral efforts to meet contemporary global challenges.

During the discussions, the Foreign Secretary highlighted India's active engagement at the United Nations.

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Moreover, he also highlighted India's work in championing the interests of the Global South.

"Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra welcomed Permanent Representatives of different nations to the UN on their visit to India. Discussions covered strengthening multilateral efforts to meet contemporary global challenges. FS highlighted India's active engagement at the UN and India's work in championing the interests of the Global South," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.

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https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1761782400500351089?s=20

India's deepening engagement with the United Nations is based on its steadfast commitment to multilateralism and dialogue as the keys to achieving shared goals and addressing common challenges faced by the global community, including those related to peacebuilding and peacekeeping, sustainable development, poverty eradication, and climate change, amongst others.

India strongly believes that the United Nations and the norms of international relations that it has fostered remain the most efficacious means for tackling today's global challenges, the MEA said in a statement. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kathmandu [Nepal], February 26 (ANI): Aiming to pressure the Nepali government for a constitutional amendment, the Madhesh province-based parties, after being together for about half a decade, have again split into two parties.

Notably, the Madhesh-based parties launched a protest movement in 2016 to pressure the government for a separate state

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Senior leader of the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (LSP), Rajendra Mahato, announced his resignation from the party on Monday, taking a separate way and announcing a new campaign, "Rastriya Mukti Kranti" (National Liberation Movement).

"This is a separate campaign, and it has not taken over the structure of the party. Those who share common values can collaborate with this movement," Mahato said.

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Expressing the goal of building an alternative power through the campaign, Mahato has indicated that even his former party, the LSP, might join this agenda if they agree on the establishment of a federalism with multiple states.

"The identity movement that started four decades ago fell victim to the government's conspiracy and remained incomplete. That's why the oppressed people could not attain political achievements and the country couldn't progress. Now it's high time that all the oppressed and all those who want good governance and prosperity in the country should unite and build a 'multi-nation state,'" Mahato stated.

In a statement released shortly after the press brief on Monday, Mahato -- a senior leader in the LSP, expressed his dissatisfaction with the decisions made by Chairman Mahantha Thakur.

Mahato expressed discontent with Thakur's independent decision to appoint office bearers and had also boycotted the party's Central Committee meeting in December. (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 26 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice president Maryam Nawaz is set to witness a one-to-one contest for the post of chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab on Monday as the nomination papers of PML-N nominee Maryam Nawaz and Sunni Ittehad Council's (SIC) Rana Aftab were declared valid after scrutiny, according to ARY News.

Moreover, Maryam Nawaz has pledged to live up to people's expectations, Geo News reported.

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The newly-elected Punjab Assembly Speaker, Malik Ahmed Khan, verified the nomination papers.

Khan said that the election for the coveted slot will be held in tomorrow's assembly session.

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Maryam Nawaz, the political scion of PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, was nominated as the party's candidate for the coveted position of Punjab chief minister, as reported by ARY News.

Since PML-N and its allies bagged a clear majority in the house, there are no obstacles for Maryam Nawaz to secure the top position, according to ARY News.

Addressing a meeting in Lahore on Wednesday, the Punjab CM-hopeful thanked the people for giving her party "the mandate" and making it the single largest party in the 2024 polls.

The PML-N leader also said that she wants to dedicate the honour of becoming the "first woman CM" to every mother, daughter and sister of the country, as reported by Geo News.

She also revealed a five-year game plan, saying that under her tenure as CM, a "new era will usher in Punjab."

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), at the eleventh hour, named Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan as its new candidate for the post, following the provincial police's attempt to arrest its earlier nominee, Mian Aslam Iqbal.

PTI leader Hammad Azhar noted that party founder Imran Khan had earlier nominated Mian Aslam Iqbal for the post, however, heavy contingents of the police force were deployed outside the Punjab Assembly to arrest him.

Following that, Hammad Azhar highlighted that the provincial police attempted to arrest its earlier nominee, Mian Aslam Iqbal, ARY News reported.

Notably, earlier, the PTI nominated Mian Aslam Iqbal for Punjab chief minister, Salar Khan for Balochistan chief minister, and Ali Amin Gandapur for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief executive.

The announcement was made by Barrister Gohar Ali Khan following a meeting at Adiala Jail with PTI founder Imran Khan, ARY News 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)
Seoul [South Korea], February 26 (ANI): The South Korean government threatened striking young doctors with indictment and suspension of their medical licences, giving them four days to report back to work, Al Jazeera reported.

The order was issued on Monday after the protesting doctors turned down a government proposal that would translate to a roughly 65 per cent rise in medical school enrollment, the report stated, adding that about 9,000 medical interns and residents had taken a leave of absence.

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Since the work stoppages started last week, many surgeries and other procedures have had to be cancelled, seriously impairing hospital operations. Hospitals were becoming increasingly chaotic, according to Safety Minister Lee Sang-min, with the strikes also putting emergency services in a 'dangerous situation', according to the report.

"Considering the gravity of the situation, the government has issued the last plea," the minister said.

Also Read | Pakistan President Arif Alvi Rejects Summary To Summon National Assembly Session.

"If you return to the hospital you left behind by February 29, you won't be held responsible for what has already happened," the minister said, according to Al Jazeera.

Further, according to government officials, the increasing ageing population of South Korea requires the enrollment of additional doctors. The doctor-to-patient ratio in the country is currently among the lowest in the world.

The protesting younger doctors are demanding that the government focus on improving working conditions and salaries before attempting to expand the number of medical professionals.

"Those who do not return to work by the end of February would face a minimum three-month suspension of their medical licences", the report quoted Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo as saying.

He added that there might be other legal actions taken against them, including inquiries and even indictments.

The government of South Korea has the authority to order doctors and other medical professionals back to work when it determines that there are serious hazards to the public's health.

Refusing to follow such an order can result in medical licence revocation, fines of up to 30 million won (USD22,480), or up to three years in prison, according to the report. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Singapore, Feb 26 (PTI) The character and citizenship education (CCE) lessons conducted in multi-national Singapore's schools are teaching students about the Israel-Hamas conflict.

These lessons aim to help students process their emotions and information about the issue, and are not meant to be history lessons or to ascribe blame, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing pointed out.

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Given Singapore's social fabric and the deluge of information on the issue, it was all the more urgent to have frank discussions with students to help them understand the complex topic, the education minister said in response to concerns from some parents about the CCE material.

Some parents had put up social media posts expressing their unhappiness with the lesson content and how their children were taught about the conflict, accusing the Ministry of Education (MOE) of taking sides, among other criticisms.

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The MOE had foreseen the challenges in dealing with such a complex topic, said Chan in an interview with local media on Sunday.

Whether it is this issue or the Russia-Ukraine conflict, whenever it comes to CCE, we fully expect that there will be issues that will elicit different reactions from different people, he said.

It can be a manner of degree, it can be in different ways. So, I think we are mentally prepared for this, he added.

Despite the challenges involved in teaching the topic, when the MOE came together with principals and teachers, they had all agreed upon a common objective to build a shared ethos of how we respond as Singaporeans, the minister said.

Chan noted that the lessons are not meant to be history lessons and are also not an exercise to apportion blame to one party or another.

In fact, CCE lessons, which typically include discussions on a range of contemporary issues and global events, aim to achieve four things.

First, to help students understand their own emotions and empathise with others; second, to reflect on how to safeguard cohesion and harmony in a multiracial society; third, to learn to verify information sources before sharing them responsibly; and fourth, to appreciate the diversity of views and conduct conversations sensitively and respectfully.

While not easily achieved, the alternative would be to leave students to grapple with the issue on their own and be subject to external influences, or worse, be misguided by biased sources on social media, said Chan.

Already, students and Singaporeans in general have been flooded with unverified information, images and misinformation being circulated online, The Straits Times cited the Minister as saying.

This has stirred emotions on an issue that many Singaporeans feel strongly about, and sometimes sparked heated conversation, including among young people, he noted.

So, we have to be very careful not to let the seeds of hatred and distrust be planted in our younger generations, the minister was quoted as saying.

We must understand Singapore's vulnerabilities and interests, and work hard to preserve our cohesion, mutual tolerance and acceptance, and find ways to preserve our multiracial and multi-religious harmony.

Against this backdrop, the CCE lessons are meant to create a safe environment for students to understand what is happening in the world around them, he added.

He said the MOE had worked with other ministries and agencies, like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to curate age-appropriate materials for students to help them understand the conflict.

It also discussed the material with professional educators and principals.

On the concerns some parents have raised on the teaching material, Chan said the CCE lessons would be updated based on new developments and information.

The first tranche of materials was updated till December 2023, and MOE will continue to update it every two to three months, he added.

So, we update the curriculum in tranches because as we speak, new developments are happening, he said.

On a particular slide in the CCE lessons that was posted online on the events of October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel and Israel retaliated, Chan said it should not be taken in isolation.

He added that there are also slides for teachers' reference that recount the complex and violent history behind the conflict, and materials that go further back to encourage older students to read and understand this conflict in detail.

He also thanked educators for their professionalism, noting that they too had their own personal feelings and convictions about the issue but had not imposed them on students.

The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas militants crossed the border into Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 240 people as hostages in a brutal rampage through Israeli towns.

Since then, the Israeli retaliation in Gaza has laid much of the enclave to waste, sending the Palestinian death toll surging to almost 30,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

Some people may have mischaracterised it and say that we only present from October 7 and beyond. Our position is very clear. This is a conflict with a long history, many things have happened, Chan said.

He added that Singapore has joined many countries in the United Nations to call for a ceasefire and humanitarian support for the victims, and has always supported a two-state solution.

Besides updating the teaching materials, the MOE will also evolve its teaching methods, taking in feedback from stakeholders, he said.

On whether the ministry would consider an opt-out option for parents who do not feel comfortable letting their children participate in this CCE lesson, Chan said it was important to look at the purpose of CCE lessons, which is to promote mutual understanding and social harmony.

"I think we want all our students to be able to appreciate this, he said.

If we approach it from this perspective, then we can understand the importance of inculcating such values in our students... how we work together with people from diverse backgrounds to promote our social harmony and cohesion, how we work together to verify facts, how we work together such that at the end of the day, even if we hold different perspectives, we can have a respectful conversation.

At the end of the day, this is not issue or conflict-specific, Chan noted, adding that these values are important in Singapore's multiracial and multi-religious society.

Chan was also asked about teachers who may feel strongly on the issue, to which he said they had carried out their duties with professionalism.

They do not impose their personal views on our students. As professionals, they are committed to guide our children to the best of their abilities to understand the importance of upholding our social harmony, verifying information as a life skill, and appreciating diverse perspectives respectfully, he said.

We understand that different teachers may have their individual concerns, and this is not just about the Malay or Muslim communities here. It can also apply to the Jewish community, the Christian communities, or any other people of different faiths, or from different backgrounds," the minister said.

We make it a point to make sure that we help the schools to form the teams to deliver (the lessons) as a team, rather than as individuals, he added.

THe education minister said he CCE lessons were prepared in consultation with educators, and that school leaders helped to prepare and select teachers to teach the material and facilitate the discussions.

I must credit our educators for the conviction and courage to do this well, despite the challenges, for the sake of our children and our people, he said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Charity rower Michael Holt who has died at sea (Michael Holt/Just Giving)

Tributes have been paid to a charity rower who died at sea while trying to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Tenerife to Barbados.

Michael Holt, 54, was trying to raise 10,000 for different good causes by rowing 3,100 miles.

Some 700 miles into his journey, Mr Holt, who had type 1 diabetes, fell ill.A statement from his brother David said the family had been working tirelessly to get help to him for four days before a fishing vessel was able to reach his craft.

They said: Very sadly, upon arrival, Michael was found dead inside his cabin.

Of course this was not the ultimate conclusion we were looking for, but I am somewhat comforted knowing he died doing something he absolutely wanted to do with a passion and managed to row in excess of 700 miles in the process. An achievement in itself.

He said the death of Mr Holt, who lived in The Wirral, was a huge shock. The charity fundraiser leaves a wife and daughter and is also survived by his parents.

Mr Holts solo journey began in Gran Canaria, Spain, and should have finished in Port St Charles in Barbados.

Writing on his website before he set off, he said he expected to be rowing more than 16 hours a day and surviving on less than four hours sleep a day.

He said the trip was partly inspired by an accident he had while struggling with his diabetes that badly damaged his arms and shoulders leaving him with double reconstructive shoulder surgery that saw doctors put a titanium fitting in his right arm and 20 titanium pins and a plate in his left side.

Diabetes UK is among the charities he was fundraising for and his Just Giving page includes donations made after his death was announced with one supporter saying they were devastated to read about the passing of this brave man and another saying they were so sorry to read about Michael's passing.
Kabul [Afghanistan], February 26 (ANI): The Taliban has released Herbert Fritz, an 84-year-old Austrian far-right activist who was apprehended in Afghanistan last May, Al Jazeera reported.

The Austrian government officially announced Fritz's release in a statement on Sunday, revealing that he had safely arrived in Doha, Qatar, earlier in the day. The release was facilitated through the mediation efforts of the Qatari government.

Also Read | MEA Says Several Indians Discharged From Russian Army Following India's Demand.

Fritz was arrested after he disregarded Austria's longstanding advisory against traveling to Afghanistan, which had fallen back under the control of the Taliban in 2021.

In response to his release, Fritz expressed a desire to visit Afghanistan again, stating, "I think it was bad luck but I want to visit again." When questioned about his experience, he remarked, "There were some nice people but there were some foolish people also, I'm sorry," about his captors, as reported by Al Jazeera.

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The Austrian far-right activist had drawn attention prior to his arrest when he visited Afghanistan and reported positively on the living conditions there. He published an article titled "Vacations with the Taliban" through a far-right media outlet, contributing to arguments that Afghanistan was a safe destination for refugees to return. The Taliban arrested Fritz on suspicion of spying, and his case gained publicity among Austrian neo-Nazis through Telegram channels, the report added.

Austria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been actively working on securing Fritz's release since May, expressed gratitude to Qatar and the European Union representation in Kabul for their assistance. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer acknowledged the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and his team for their "strong support in releasing one of our citizens from prison in Afghanistan." Nehammer emphasised the collaborative efforts that enabled the Austrian citizen to return home to his family.

Herbert Fritz, identified as a founding member of Austria's National Democratic Party (NDP), an extreme right group banned in 1988, had reportedly been researching a book in Afghanistan, as asserted by the far-right Freedom Party of Austria. This party, leading in opinion polls ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections, had been actively advocating for Fritz's release.

Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed gratitude to the "caretaker government in Afghanistan" for facilitating the Austrian's release.

"The State of Qatar has proven, regionally and globally, that it is a trusted international partner in various important issues," the ministry said, adding, "It spares no effort in harnessing its energy and ability in the areas of mediation, preventive diplomacy, and settling disputes through peaceful means," Al Jazeera 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)
New Delhi, February 26: TVS Motors has reportedly launched its new TVS HLX 150F version globally with new features and specifications. The latest TVS HLX 150F is an addition to the HLX brand and reportedly offers better safety, engine, and improved suspensions. The new HLX 150F from TVS Motors has reportedly gone on sale across 50 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. As per the reports, the TVS HLX-line two-wheeler has sold 3.5 million units internationally.

The TVS HLX 150F comes with added features related to safety and styling. According to the report by Business Standard, TVS Motors expressed its "gratitude" to the customers by launching its new model with improvements. The report said that the HLX line was first introduced in Africa 10 years ago by TVS Motors. Now, the new model reportedly comes with an eco-thrust engine, superior suspensions, styling, and safety features. Kawasaki Versys X 300 Likely To Launch Soon in India: Check Expected Specifications and Features.

The report highlighted that the new TVS HLX 150F has "trapezoidal" LED headlights that are more energy efficient and provide bright light. Besides, the bike comes with tubeless tyres, rear load carriers, and a pillion handle rail, giving a better grip. According to the report by Hindustan Times Auto, the new HLX 150F comes with a semi-digital speedometer, front disc brake, and a spirited look with new graphics. The report said the bike comes in three colour choices, with black as a base theme. 2024 Kawasaki Z900, 2024 Kawasaki Ninja 500 Launched in India; Check Prices, Specifications, Features and Colours of Two New Kawasaki Bikes.

As per the report, TVS Motors launched its new bike with a 150cc eco-thrust engine with IOC technology, claiming to offer more power and fuel economy. The report also mentioned the company claiming that the motorcycle will demand lower maintenance and provide longer engine life. The report said the company's exports included about 25% of the business. The company is also said to celebrate the milestone by introducing its new TVS HLX 150F, shaping specific customer insights.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 26, 2024 06:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Bengaluru, February 26: In a shocking incident in Karnataka, a 70-year-old woman was brutally murdered in Bengaluru. The incident came to light when the body of the elderly woman was found in a plastic drum near an abandoned building in Nisarga Layout of KR Puram on Sunday, February 25. Soon after the incident came to light, the police picked up three people for questioning.

According to a report in the Times of India, the brutal murder created panic among residents in the area. The deceased woman has been identified as Susheelamma. Police officials said that the victim who stayed in a flat on II Main Road of Nisarga Layout was a BJP worker. Cops also said that the woman's younger daughter and granddaughter stayed in another apartment in the same complex. Bengaluru Shocker: Manipur Woman Assaulted and Molested in Koramangala, Four Minors Detained.

An officer privy to the case said that the deceased woman's severed limbs were found in the drum without a lid, about 200ft away from her flat. The police suspect that Susheelamma was killed on Friday night, February 24, in her flat. Susheelamma's daughter said that her mother would go to temples for a day or two. "We've found a chain which looks like gold on the deceased woman's body," the officer added.

Officials also said that the deceased woman's son and her elder daughter lived separately. They also said that Susheelamma's son would give her Rs 2,000-3,000 once in a while for her basic needs. The victim had lost her husband several years back. Munirathnamma, a neighbour, said that she spoke to Susheelamma three days ago. Bengaluru Shocker: Woman Dies by Suicide Over Husbands Extramarital Affair; Accused, In-Laws Arrested.

Back then, the victim told her that she would get some money in a few days. "Her lawyer had informed her she'd get the money," Munirathnamma added. Meanwhile, the police have begun investigating the matter and said that they will question the family to know what money she was supposed to receive and from whom.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 26, 2024 10:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New Delhi, Feb 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Bharat Tex - 2024, one of the largest-ever global textile events to be organised in the country, at Delhi's Bharat Mandapam on Monday.

Bharat Tex - 2024 is being organised from Monday to Thursday. Drawing inspiration from the 5F Vision of the prime minister, the event has a unified farm to foreign via fibre, fabric and fashion focus, covering the entire textiles value chain, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office said on Sunday.

Modi will inaugurate the event at 10:30 am on Monday. Bharat Tex 2024 Unveils Indias Textile Triumph: Global Stage for Innovation and Sustainability.

Bharat Tex will showcase India's prowess in the textiles sector and reaffirm its position as a global textile powerhouse.

Organised by a consortium of 11 Textile Export Promotion Councils and supported by the Centre, Bharat Tex - 2024 is built on the twin pillars of trade and investment, with an overarching focus on sustainability, the statement said.

The four-day event will feature more than 65 knowledge sessions with over 100 global panelists discussing various issues relevant to the sector.

It will also have dedicated pavilions on sustainability and circularity; an 'Indi Haat'; fashion presentations on diverse themes such as Indian Textiles Heritage, sustainability, and global designs; as well as interactive fabric testing zones and product demonstrations.

Bharat Tex - 2024 is expected to witness the participation of policymakers and global CEOs, more than 3,500 exhibitors, over 3,000 buyers from more than 100 countries, and over 40,000 business visitors, besides textiles students, weavers, artisans and textile workers. Celebrating Indias Textile Heritage: Bharat Tex 2024 to Showcase Regional Strengths and Global Partnerships.

With more than 50 announcements and MoUs expected to be signed during the event, it is envisaged to provide further impetus to investment and trade in the textiles sector and help push up exports.

It will be another key step to further the prime minister's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat, the statement said.
Kolkata, February 26: Tension was brewing in Ashoknagar, a hamlet near the Indo-Bangladesh border in North 24 Parganas District of West Bengal on Monday following the murder of local Trinamool Congress leader and deputy chief of a panchayat late on Sunday night. The deceased, Bijan Das (49), had gone to the house of one of his associates to rest as he was feeling unwell after attending a public function near the Guma Railway Station.

According to the residents of the area, suddenly a man barged into the room where Bijan Das was resting and shot him from point blank range. Bijan Das was immediately shifted to the Barasat Government Medical College & Hospital where he was declared brought dead. West Bengal Shocker: TMC District General Secretary Shot Dead in Broad Daylight in Murshidabad.

Villagers told the police that internal party rivalry might be the reason behind the murder. Police have identified a local resident named Gautam Das as the killer of the Trinamool Congress leader. West Bengal Shocker: Businessman Shot Dead in Broad Daylight by Bike-Borne Assailants at Kulti in West Burdwan District.

Gautam Das, who has a criminal record, is absconding and police have registered a case against him under Section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code. The body of the deceased Trinamool Congress leader has been sent for post mortem.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 26, 2024 12:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Kolkata, February 26: The Calcutta High Court on Monday directed the police to arrest TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, accused of sexual atrocities and land grab in Sandeshkhali, following which the state's ruling party said that it does not shield culprits and he would be arrested within seven days. Pulling up the Mamata Banerjee government in the state, a division bench presided by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam said it was surprising to note that "it has taken four years for 42 cases" to mature into charge sheets.

The court directed that Sheikh, the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI, the superintendent of police, and the state's home secretary representing the West Bengal government be impleaded as parties in the suo motu matter initiated on the allegations of sexual atrocities on women and the land grab of tribal people. "Therefore, the said person shall be arrested by the concerned police authorities," the court directed. Sandeshkhali Violence: Trinamool Congress Leader Ajit Maiti Who Locked Himself In House After Being Chased by Women; Rescued by Cops (Watch Video)

Welcoming the direction, the TMC claimed that previous orders of the court had tied the hands of the police in arresting him. "It was the Calcutta High Court order that barred investigating the registered FIRs. An arrest is the culmination of an investigation. If a court stays, you cannot even investigate. How can there be an arrest? If you read the previous court order, they stayed the order and posted the matter for hearing on March 6," TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

Noting that advocates appearing in the matter submitted that a wrong impression had been created that a stay had been granted by the court on the arrest of Sheikh, the bench said there is no such record. The court said that it issued a stay on February 7 regarding the formation of a joint special investigation team to probe the attack on ED officials, as ordered by a single bench. It had restrained the state police from proceeding with the investigation in the cases that were registered by them in connection with the attack.

ED officials were attacked when they went to search the premises of Sheikh on January 5 in connection with the alleged ration distribution scam. Three FIRs were filed at Nazat police station in North 24 Parganas district on January 5 -- one by an employee of Sheikh against the ED officials, another by the ED against Sheikh and his alleged accomplices, and a suo motu FIR by the police. TMC's Ghosh said the opposition parties were indulging in politics using legal tangles in Sheikh's arrest as an opportunity. Sandeshkhali Violence: Six Members of Independent Fact-Finding Committee Arrested for Unlawful Attempt to Cross Barricade in West Bengal (Watch Videos)

"Thanks to the high court today for clarifying the matter, and allowing the police to take action. Shajahan will be arrested within seven days," he posted on X. TMC's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had on Sunday made a similar assertion. Meanwhile, in Sandeshkhali, TMC leader Ajit Maiti was arrested on the charge of land grabbing. He was produced before a court in Basirhat, which sent him to five days in police custody. An FIR was also lodged against Shiekh after over 70 complaints were lodged against him, officials said.

Fresh protests also rocked parts of the trouble-torn island on the outskirts of Sunderbans as locals ransacked the properties of local TMC leaders. Armed with sticks, they attacked a few houses in the Bermajur area, venting their fury against TMC leader Shankar Sardar. He was not at home but his family members were beaten up. Opposition parties have been accusing the TMC of shielding Sheikh, who has been on the run after the attack on ED on January 5.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the 16th instalment of more than Rs 21,000 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) to Maharashtra farmers at a public programme in Yavatmal on February 28 and dedicate to the nation development projects worth more than Rs 4900 crore in the state, the PMO announced on Monday.
Barcelona, February 25: Human Mobile Devices (HMD) on Sunday partnered with Mattel, a leading global toy company, to create the Barbie Flip Phone that will arrive this summer.

The device promises to embody the vintage chic of the original girl empowerment brand with a dash of pink and of course, sparkle, said the company. Were thrilled to partner with Mattel, a company that shares our commitment to meaningful innovation and societal change, said HMD chief marketing officer, Lars Silberbauer. Honor Magic6 Pro Debuts Globally at MWC 2024: Check Price, Specifications and Features of Honors AI-Powered Smartphone.

Flip phones are beloved for offering a solution for a digital detox in a world where almost four in ten (38 per cent) of 16-24 year-olds worry they spend too much time on their smartphone. Feature phones are making a comeback with HMD reporting Flip Phone sales alone more than doubled in Europe (2022 vs 2023) and expects further growth in 2024. MWC 2024: AI Smartphones to Samsung Galaxy Smart Rings, What To Expect From Mobile World Congress 2024; Check Details.

"The Barbie x HMD launch promises to be an exciting moment for Barbie fans of all ages, we're excited to flip the switch and unveil it to the world at Mobile World Congress, said Ruth Henriquez, head of consumer products, publishing, and LBE, Mattel EMEA. The company has also announced early plans for a new development platform called HMD Fusion.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 26, 2024 10:13 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Thiruvananthapuram, February 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reveal the names of four test pilots undergoing training for Indias Gaganyaan Mission when he visits the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) on Tuesday. The Prime Minister will visit the VSSC in Kerala to review preparations for the Gaganyaan Mission. It will be a proud moment for Kerala as one of the four test pilots belongs to the state. Vyommitra: ISROs Woman Robot Astronaut Set for Solo Space Mission Ahead of Gaganyaan, Heres All You Need to Know

The four test pilots have completed their training in Russia and are now based in a unit of the ISRO getting familiar with the intricacies of the mission. Of the four, three will be on board the Indian-crewed orbital spacecraft. Gaganyaan Mission TV-D1 Test Flight Launched: PM Narendra Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge Congratulate ISRO Scientists on Successful Launch of Uncrewed Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission

Once at the VSSC, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate three facilities which include the Trisonic Wind Tunnel, Semi-cryogenic Integrated Engine and Stage Test Facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu and the PSLV Integration Facility at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The Prime Minister will arrive at the VSSC centre at 10.45 a.m. on Tuesday and will spend an hour there.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 26, 2024 05:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Kiev, February 26: Five people have been killed while 10 others have been injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine, regional authorities reported early Monday as quoted by media reports. Civilian casualties were reported in Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kherson and Sumy oblasts, The Kyiv Independent reported. In Sumy Oblast, a couple were killed when Russian forces used guided aerial bombs to attack the village of Yunakivka, situated less than 10 km (6 miles) from the border with Russia.

One house was destroyed and five others were damaged in the attack, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported. Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast came under attack multiple times during Sunday morning. One man was killed when a Russian drone dropped explosives directly on his truck. The truck driver was 57-years-old, The Kyiv Independent reported. Ukraine: How the War is Poisoning the Environment

Later on Sunday evening, four people were injured when Russian forces targeted the regional centre of Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak reported. Two men, aged 41 and 49, and two women, aged 20 and 60, were hospitalised. The attack also damaged 10 homes and several cars. In Kherson Oblast, Russian attacks killed two people and injured one person over Sunday, Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported, The Kyiv Independent reported. Russia-Ukraine War: Three Ukrainian Civilians Killed in Russian Drone Attacks on Odesa

Two people were killed when Russian forces attacked the village of Tiahynka, killing two people, a 44-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman. Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin reported that five people were injured in Kostiantynivka, Kurakhove, Zakitne, Maksymilianivka and Chasiv Yar. Russia also carried out attacks in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv oblasts, but no civilian casualties were reported.
The Norwegian Dawn pictured in New York (Getty Images)

A cruise ship was given the green light to dock in Mauritius on Monday after officials found there was no evidence of a cholera outbreak onboard.

The Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings ship tried to dock in the capital of Port Louis on Saturday but was blocked from doing so because at least 15 people had been in isolation over suspected illness.

Passengers had experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness during the ships earlier trip to South Africa - in a region currently struggling with a deadly cholera outbreak.

But Mauritian authorities took samples on Sunday and, on Monday afternoon, the director of Mauritius Ministry of Health confirmed the passengers have gastroenteritis, not cholera.

Dr Bhooshun Ori said they have fully recovered. The Norwegian Dawn was supposed to dock on Sunday but arrived one day early because it skipped its scheduled stop at Reunion Island.

At the time, the Mauritian authorities said they had taken the decision to avoid any health risks.

"The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost, the statement added.

They also said that they had worked with the ships management to make sure precautions were in place and all on board were okay while they were waiting for the test results to come back.

What is gastroenteritis?

Source: NHS Inform

Gastroenteritis is a very common condition that causes diarrhoea and vomiting. Its usually caused by a bacterial or viral tummy bug.

It affects people of all ages, but is particularly common in young children.

Cases in adults are usually caused by norovirus (the winter vomiting bug) or bacterial food poisoning.

Gastroenteritis can be very unpleasant, but it usually clears up by itself within a week. You can normally look after yourself or your child at home until youre feeling better.

The ship is carrying 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members.

Of these, around 2,000 passengers would have disembarked in Port Louis after completing their cruise while another 2,279 new passengers had been expected to board the ship, the port authority said.

Story continues

"Passengers who were due to board the Norwegian Dawn and begin their cruise from Mauritius today will not be able to do so due to potential health risks," it added.

Those who were disembarking or joining the cruise will now do so on February 27.

Southern Africa is currently seeing the deadliest outbreak of cholera the region has seen in at least a decade.

As of January 15, more than 200,000 cases, including over 3,000 deaths, have been reported, World Health Organization figures say.

Countries affected include Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Zambia has been hit especially badly, with more than 11,000 cases and hundreds of deaths.

Only 61 per cent of southern Africas population currently has access to safe drinking water, according to the Southern Africa Development Community.

Except in South Africa and Eswatini, more than half the population in this region's rural communities do not have access to sanitation facilities such as toilets.

Norwegian Cruise Line's original statement:

A spokesperson said: During Norwegian Dawns Feb. 13, 2024 South Africa voyage, a small number of guests experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness. Upon the ships return to Port Louis, Mauritius, the vessels management team met with local authorities to confirm precautions and actions were being taken to ensure the wellbeing of all on board. Due to additional testing being required by local authorities before being allowed entry, the government of Mauritius has delayed disembarkation for the current cruise and embarkation for the next cruise by two days to Feb. 27, 2024.

Furthermore, we have deployed additional team members to support the guests scheduled to embark on Norwegian Dawns Feb. 25, 2024 voyage from Port Louis, Mauritius, as well as providing them with complimentary hotel accommodations until they are able to board. In addition, we are assisting guests currently aboard the ship with their modified travel arrangements.

The health and safety of our guests, crew and the destinations we visit is our top priority. We operate at the highest public health and sanitation standards, and encourage our guests to practice good hygiene and to report any illness-related symptoms to the onboard medical team immediately.

Additionally, we have elevated our sanitation procedures aboard the ship as part of our routine measures to ensure a safe environment for all on board and will continue to take any necessary measures to protect our guests, crew and destinations we visit.
Guyana may be in South America, but it takes influences from all over the world and is a melting pot of different cultures. This is reflected in the country's food, which has not only Latin American or Caribbean influences but also plenty of Indian and Chinese ones.

In Guyana, it is not unusual to see various dishes from all over the world, from popular Latin foods like Fricase to Chinese staples like chow mein noodles, being served as local cuisine. Let us take a look at five local dishes popular in the country that are normally deemed "foreign" if it were any other country.

5 'International' Local Dishes To Try in Guyana

Guyana has a very sizeable Indian and Chinese population, in addition to those of African descent, as well as the local indigenous population. This, in addition to the Spanish, Dutch, and English influences, has crafted a truly "international" local cuisine. Here are five dishes we love from that country:

Gojas

This pastry is actually Indian in origin, and by Indian, we mean the ones from India. It is the Guyanese version of Gujiya, a famous Indian pastry, and this localized version boasts a flaky dough that acts as the crust, stuffed with spiced coconut, brown sugar, and ginger. It is full of spices, including cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Food Atlas noted that these pastries can be consumed as a snack, dessert, or breakfast pastry.

Fry Bora With Shrimp and Potatoes

According to Insanely Good Recipes, this dish is of Chinese origin, and it features an ingredient typically used in Chinese cuisine: long green beans. These beans are chopped into smaller pieces and are sauteed with shrimp and potatoes. It is considered a complete meal in itself as it features carbs, protein, and fiber from all the vegetables.

READ MORE: Guyana Asks US To Help Boost Its Military Amid Essequibo Dispute With Venezuela

Fricase

A dish that is popular in other places in Latin America, Fricase has been embraced by many in Guyana and is well-loved. Fricassee or fricassee, or just Fricase, is a stew made with pieces of meat that have been browned in butter and then served in a sauce flavored with the cooking stock popularized by Bolivia. In Guyana, they typically use beef cut into small pieces, with vegetables and also has egg or cream sauce added.

Guyanese Chow Mein

This is Guyana's take on a Chinese classic, and it was introduced to the country by those of Chinese descent. While it is prepared the same way as the Chinese original, which is stir-frying noodles with meat, vegetables, and soy sauce, this version has been described as having a distinct Guyanese flavor with local ingredients.

Guyanese Black Cake

This dish is a popular dessert item all over the Caribbean, and it is served with fruits and nuts soaked in rum, as well as a sweet dark sugar caramel that gives it its distinct flavor. It is typically served during Christmas, and Guyanese typically love preserving the cake by soaking it in even more rum.

READ MORE: Guyana Culture: Essequibo Identifies More as Guyanase and Not With Venezuela

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin
Gaby Moreno, a Guatemala native now based in Los Angeles, developed her passion for music inspired by legendary artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, and Aretha Franklin.

Growing up surrounded by blues, R&B, and 1960s Soul, she even learned English by singing songs she loved, according to Wheat Land Music.

Her distinctive fusion of Jazz, Blues, and 1960s Rock & Soul has garnered acclaim from audiences in Latin America, Europe, and the US in 2013, she was honored with a Latin GRAMMY for Best New Artist, following her Grand Prize win at the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in 2006.

Moreno co-wrote the theme song for NBC's popular show "Parks and Recreation."

Throughout her career, Gaby Moreno has toured globally alongside renowned artists such as Tracy Chapman, Ricardo Arjona, Ani DiFranco, Van Dyke Parks, The Punch Brothers, and Calexico.

READ NEXT: Zoe Saldana: Surprising Facts

She Uses Her Guatemalan Roots in Her Music

Gaby Moreno's musical tapestry is a vibrant blend of influences that transcends conventional boundaries.

Her diverse palette encompasses an array of genres, including blues, jazz, R&B, and Soul, resulting in a distinctive sonic signature.

What distinguishes her is the effortless incorporation of her Guatemalan heritage into her music, imbuing it with a unique cultural resonance, Discover Walks noted.

Moreno demonstrates a remarkable ability to navigate and harmonize these diverse influences, showcasing a musical depth that resonates profoundly in her soulful performances.

The fusion of global sounds and personal roots contributes to the captivating and authentic essence of her artistry, mesmerizing audiences with a lively and culturally rich mosaic.

She Is Multilingual

Gaby Moreno's linguistic versatility adds a distinctive allure to her music. Fluent in both English and Spanish, she effortlessly navigates the nuances of each language, infusing her lyrics with a layer of cultural richness.

This bilingual proficiency allows Moreno to convey emotion and storytelling in a nuanced manner, expanding the accessibility and relatability of her work.

The ease with which she transitions between languages is a testament to her deep connection to her Guatemalan roots and her openness to diverse influences.

This linguistic dexterity not only enhances the global appeal of her music but also reinforces the universality of emotions expressed through her soulful voice and compelling songwriting.

Gaby Moreno Has Graced Popular Late-night Shows

Gaby Moreno's musical prowess has graced the late-night television stage, elevating her presence in the mainstream.

She has delivered captivating performances on iconic shows such as "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

These appearances showcased Moreno's electrifying stage presence, soulful vocals, and her ability to captivate a diverse audience.

Being featured on these late-night lineups speaks to her widespread appeal and the acknowledgment of her talent on a broader scale.

These televised performances not only affirmed her musical excellence but also introduced her soul-stirring artistry to a global audience, solidifying her reputation as a formidable live performer.

She Is Married to Juan Carlos Mendez

As of the year 2024, Gaby Moreno is happily married to her long-time partner, Juan Carlos Mendez.

While Mendez prefers to maintain a low profile, he has been a constant source of support and love in Gaby's life.

Their relationship serves as a testament to the power of true partnership and mutual admiration, per the Qmunicate Magazine.

READ MORE: Top 5 Selena Gomez Songs

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: BERT HOOVER

WATCH: GABY MORENO Wins Best Latin Pop Album For 'X Mi (VOL.1)' | 2024 GRAMMYs Acceptance Speech - From Recording Academy / GRAMMYs
A rift within the Republican National Committee (RNC) is emerging over the potential use of party funds to cover former President Donald Trump legal bills, Rolling Stone reports.

Henry Barbour, a Republican National Committee member from Mississippi, is sponsoring two draft resolutions aimed at restricting the party's involvement in Trump's legal defense.

These resolutions face a challenging path to approval and highlight the internal divisions within the committee.

Barbour's first resolution proposes a complete bar on the RNC paying "the legal bills of any of our candidates for any federal or state office."

The second resolution advocates for the party's neutrality throughout the Presidential primary, preventing the RNC from hiring additional staff from active presidential campaigns until a nominee is decided.

These resolutions are set to be discussed and voted on during the upcoming RNC meeting scheduled for March 7-9 in Houston.

The meeting holds significance as RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel is expected to resign, with Donald Trump-backed North Carolina GOP Chairman Michael Whatley likely to assume the role.

Lara Trump, Trump's daughter-in-law, is anticipated to become the party's vice chair.

However, Lara Trump has not definitively clarified whether party funds would be allocated for Trump's legal representation.

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Having Problems Over Securing Appeal Bond

Concerns Over Neutrality and Financial Resources

The proposed resolutions reflect concerns among some Republican National Committee (RNC) members about maintaining the committee's neutrality in the Republican primary, where candidates like Nikki Haley are still competing, according to The Dispatch.

There is a desire to ensure that party resources are not directed toward supporting Donald Trump's legal battles, which involve defending himself against indictments in four criminal cases.

The earlier proposal by RNC committeeman David Bossie, declaring Trump the presumptive nominee before earning the necessary delegates, faced opposition from Trump after going public.

Chris LaCivita, Trump's top campaign adviser, asserted that RNC funds would not cover Trump's legal expenses after he assumed the role of chief operating officer of the committee.

Primary Neutrality and Legal Fee Allocation

The neutrality proposal is particularly relevant to the ongoing primary, where Nikki Haley continues to run, and only four early states have held contests, per The New York Times.

While Trump has only secured a fraction of the necessary delegates, some committee members seek assurance that the RNC remains neutral.

The other resolution emphasizes that the Republican National Committee should focus its spending on political efforts associated with winning elections in 2024 and refrain from paying Trump legal bills for candidates running for federal or state offices.

The resolution aims to redirect financial resources toward election-related activities.

Despite acknowledging the slim chance of these resolutions passing, Barbour emphasizes the importance of sending a message, especially concerning Trump's efforts to assume control of the party before the primary concludes.

As the internal debate unfolds, the Republican National Committee faces challenges in reconciling the party's financial resources, maintaining neutrality in the primary, and addressing concerns about potentially covering Donald Trump's legal bills.

The outcome of the March meeting will shed light on the direction the Republican National Committee chooses to take amidst these internal tensions.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Net Worth

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: RNC will stop paying Trump's legal bills if he announces 2024 bid l GMA - From ABC News




Former Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro supporters gathered on Sao Paulo's iconic Paulista Avenue February 25, expressing solidarity amidst ongoing investigations that have raised concerns about the possibility of legal consequences for the ex-president, according to The Straits Times.

Bolsonaro, often compared to former US President Donald Trump, organized the rally, describing it as a "peaceful gathering in favor of the rule of law and our freedom, families, and future."

Earlier this month, Bolsonaro found himself at the center of a police raid linked to an alleged coup attempt.

The authorities accused him of manipulating a draft decree to overturn election results, pressuring military leaders to participate in a coup, and conspiring to imprison a Supreme Court justice following his electoral defeat to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2022.

The ex-president had his passport confiscated and vigorously denied all allegations, emphasizing that the draft decree was constitutionally sound.

Bolsonaro supporters, resembling the actions of Bolsonaro's fervent followers in January 2023, who invaded and ransacked Brazil's presidential palace, Supreme Court, and Congress, gathered once again.

On Jan. 8, 2023, a week after Lula assumed office, the Jair Bolsonaro loyalists called for a military coup.

On the recent rally date, Bolsonaro not only defended himself against the accusations but also called for amnesty for those involved in the previous riot, asserting that it was not a coup but an effort towards pacification.

READ NEXT: Carlos Bolsonaro Under Investigation for Alleged Spying

Jair Bolsonaro's Political Disqualifications

Adding to Jair Bolsonaro's legal challenges, the electoral tribunal in June barred him from running for any public office until 2030 due to his attacks on the election system, per SCMP.

Bolsonaro, however, used the platform of the rally to call for amnesty for individuals he referred to as "poor wretched souls" imprisoned in Brasilia following the previous year's invasion of key government institutions by his supporters.

The 68-year-old former army officer, draped in Brazil's national colors, sought the rally as a display of support amid increasing legal troubles just over a year since his departure from the presidency.

Divisive Messages and Ongoing Support

The event highlighted that Jair Bolsonaro's message still resonates with a considerable portion of Brazilians, IVP noted.

Clad in green and yellow, Bolsonaro supporters flooded Paulista Avenue, demonstrating their allegiance to the former president.

One participant even paraded wearing a military hat, chanting slogans in favor of the armed forces.

Federal police investigations have also implicated military generals in an alleged plot to orchestrate a pro-Bolsonaro coup linked to the riots in Brasilia last year.

Some supporters expressed concern about the potential radicalization of Brazil under Lula's leadership, who governed the country for two terms in 2003-2010.

Hairstylist Simone da Silva Sampaio voiced her fears, stating, "It is a country that was taken over by a communist party.

We're living terrible days in this place where we are silenced. We don't have the right to speak about the truth that happens here."

Workers' Party chairwoman Gleisi Hoffmann, a prominent adversary of Bolsonaro, commented on social media, cautioning against complacency with what she termed "coup mongers," emphasizing that Bolsonaro's call for amnesty is an attempt at securing his own impunity.

As the investigations continue, Jair Bolsonaro's legal battles intensify, the political landscape in Brazil remains highly charged, with contrasting perspectives on the former president's actions and the future direction of the country.

READ MORE: Dani Alves Rape Case Update

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Supporters Of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Gather To Protest | Brazil News Live | N18L - From CNN-News18




The Hollywood Awards Season continues with the Screen Actors Guild Awards, also known as the SAG Awards, and it seems Latino actor Pedro Pascal did not behave himself, even after accepting a SAG Award for his hit show, "The Last of Us."

Pedro Pascal won the award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for HBO's "The Last of Us" at the SAG Awards and when he made his acceptance speech, he admitted he was pretty much drunk at that moment.

"This is wrong for a number of reasons. I'm a little drunk. I thought I could get drunk," he admitted on stage. However, the Chile-born action star still managed to express his gratitude for winning by shouting, "Thank you so much for this!"

Pascal also thanked his family and the HBO executives, hoking that he is very happy that they even gave him the job because "I have no skills, I have no other interests." He also joked that he could not remember the names of the other nominees in his category, before ending it with. "I'm going to have a panic attack and I'm going to leave," before finally walking off the stage.

Following his acceptance speech, he spoke with Netflix's SAG Awards correspondent Tan France backstage to talk about his drunken acceptance speech, and said, "I don't remember what I said, I just was very surprised."

'Oppenheimer' Dominated SAG Awards

While Pedro Pascal accepted his award "a little drunk," it was "Oppenheimer" that took most of the trophies during the SAG Awards, according to the BBC.

READ MORE: Selena Gomez Sets Record Straight About Rumors of Her Gossiping About Kylie Jenner With Taylor Swift

The Christopher Nolan bibliographic film about the man who invented the atomic bomb brought home the awards for Best Cast, as well as Best Actor for Irish actor Cillian Murphy. Meanwhile, Robert Downey Jr. also won Best Supporting Actor for his role in that same film.

RDJ said the award was "incredibly meaningful" while also acknowledging that he is also a frontrunner to win an Oscar and asking, "Why me, why now, why do things seem to be going my way?"

Meanwhile, Kenneth Branagh, on accepting the Best Cast Award, stated, "Why me, why now, why do things seem to be going my way?" he said as a reference to when the cast walked out of the premiere to express solidarity with the SAG-AFTRA strike last year. "We are grateful and humbled and proud not just to be in Mr. Nolan's masterpiece, but proud to be in your company."

Emma Stone's Reaction to Lily Gladstone Beating Her for SAG Award Goes Viral

There was also a heartwarming moment during the SAG Awards, and it involved the ladies competing for the Best Leading Actress Award, Emma Stone and Lily Gladstone.

According to E! News, despite losing the SAG Award to Lily Gladstone, the "Poor Things" actress looked genuinely very happy for her competitor and was visibly cheering for Gladstone.

READ MORE: Emmy Awards 2024: 'Succession,' 'The Bear' Remain Dominant in Awards Show Hauls

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Pedro Pascal: Award Acceptance Speech | 30th Annual SAG Awards - Netflix
As the Haiti Crisis continued, Caribbean leaders, including Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry, met to discuss the deployment of foreign troops to the country. This came as gang violence continued to send the country into further turmoil.

As this is happening, calls for Prime Minister Henry to step down intensified, with one top official noting that his continued presence as the head of government in Haiti has served as a "main stumbling block" for progress in the country.

Despite the calls for Henry's removal, other Caribbean leaders questioned what good would this do for a country in turmoil to move forward without a clear successor. This included Bahamas Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell, who spoke with the Associated Press regarding the situation.

Mitchell asked how Haiti, which is in the middle of one of the worst political crises in its history, would function should Haiti's prime minister resign or be removed. He also added that "there needs to be a political solution" to solve Haiti's ongoing problems.

Ariel Henry also spoke with the AP and noted that the calls for his removal are a power grab, adding that nothing will happen "unless we work together." It was noted that organized protests to demand Henry's resignation turned violent earlier this month.

Haiti Only Agenda During Caribbean Leaders' Summit in Guyana

In addition to meeting with Haiti PM Ariel Henry, the Caribbean leaders are also scheduled to meet with UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols in a four-day Caricom summit in Guyana.

The meeting with US and UN officials is scheduled for Monday morning, and Bahamas Foreign Minister Mitchell admitted that "Haiti is the only topic. Nothing else, really."

READ MORE: Latin America Politics 2023: Election, Conflicts, Other Major Issues in the Region

This meeting would likely discuss the sending of foreign troops to the beleaguered Caribbean nation, with several countries, including Kenya, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Belize, Burundi, Chad, and Senegal, already pledging to send troops to help keep the peace in the country and challenge the gangs currently dominating it.

After the meeting of Caribbean leaders, Prime Minister Henry is set to head to Nairobi, Kenya, to "finalize the modalities" of the deployment after it was halted by a court order in the African country.

Meanwhile, the international community has already pledged more than $100 million for the mission to Haiti, with the US pledging twice more.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken Pledges $200 Million for Haiti Security Mission

The US is pledging the highest amount of money for the security mission to Haiti, and it was Secretary of State Anthony Blinken himself who confirmed this, according to CNN.

"We urge the international community to join us by contributing funding, contributing personnel, contributing equipment, contributing logistics, contributing training, to this mission," Blinken told his counterparts in the G20 Foreign Ministerial meeting in Rio de Janeiro last Thursday.

He added that the situation in Haiti is "one of the most urgent challenges we face as an international community" as gangs now control 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, describing the situation there by saying, "Half the country is eating just one meal a day. Three million children need immediate humanitarian aid."

READ MORE: Haiti Crisis Explained: How Did It Get This Bad?

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: New documentary "Fighting for Haiti" examines gang violence, political crisis in the country - CBS News
A group of Chicago teens believed to be from the Chicago area orchestrated a bold break-in at a Jaguar-Land Rover dealership in Waukesha, Wisconsin, making off with nine luxury vehicles valued at over $583,000, according to Waukesha police.

Surveillance footage from Sunday morning captured the audacious crime, with nine masked suspects infiltrating the Wisconsin luxury dealership, each leaving with a stolen vehicle., per Fox 12.

Waukesha Police Capt. Dan Baumann disclosed that the break-in occurred around 6 a.m., as the perpetrators located and utilized stored car keys and key fobs to facilitate their theft.

"Nine subjects went out and throughout there looking for keys. One person finds where the keys were hidden and then starts to disseminate those to his friends," Baumann explained to WISN-TV.

Brazen Tactics and Valuable Loot

One of the suspected Chicago teens reportedly used a stolen Land Rover Velar "as a battering ram" to crash through the dealership's garage door, as detailed in the criminal complaint, according to the New York Post.

The stolen fleet included a 2019 Porsche Macan, a 2024 Land Rover Discovery Dynamic, and a 2021 Jaguar F Type R-Dynamic, with the cumulative value of the vehicles reaching $583,339. Notably, eight of the cars belonged to the dealership, while one was a customer's vehicle.

The Wisconsin luxury dealership owners arrived later at a scene of chaos, discovering the garage door obliterated and shattered glass scattered throughout the parking lot.

The daring theft prompted a nearly 40-mile chase on Sunday morning, culminating in the crash of a stolen 2021 Land Rover-Range Rover Westminster, valued at $73,998, in the West Allis area.

READ NEXT: 6, Including 2 Teens, Arrested on Walgreens Theft

Arrest and Recovery Efforts

Following the crash, 17-year-old Calvin Valentine, one of the suspected Chicago teens, was swiftly apprehended in Pleasant Prairie.

Held at the Waukesha County Jail on a $50,000 bond, the teenager faces charges of burglary, theft, and criminal damage to property, Daily Mail reports.

Law enforcement has successfully recovered six of the nine stolen vehicles - four in Chicago, one in Deerfield, and one in Wisconsin.

Waukesha Police Capt. Baumann expressed the belief that this heist was a well-coordinated and possibly professional endeavor by an organized crime group of teenagers from the Chicago area.

He dismissed the notion of impulsive teenage mischief, stating, "This wasn't just a group of kids that just decided to stay up late one-night playing video games and say, 'Hey, let's go see if the nine of us can travel two hours away to commit crimes'."

The investigation is ongoing, with authorities working to identify the remaining eight Chicago teens involved in this sophisticated operation.

The recovered vehicles from the Wisconsin luxury dealership stand as evidence in a case that has brought attention to the audacious actions of these young criminals and the extensive efforts required to bring them to justice.

READ MORE: Indiana Girl Dead After the Sand They Are Digging at the Beach Collapsed

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Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Teens steal 9 luxury cars from Jaguar-Land Rover dealership - From ABC7
A US Air Force serviceman is now in critical condition after setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy to protest Israel's ongoing campaign in Palestine.

The man, whose name was not yet released to the public, is confirmed to be an active duty member of the US Air Force. He shouted "Free Palestine" as he set himself ablaze during the incident in Washington DC. Law enforcement officials quickly rushed him as he was burning and extinguished the flames. They then sent him to a nearby hospital.

Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told Axios in an email that "an active duty Airman was involved in today's incident" but did not provide any further details on who that airman is.

In a video of the incident, he stated that he would "no longer be complicit in genocide," and added, "I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest."

He is currently at a DC hospital and is suffering from "critical life-threatening injuries," according to the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department.

Soon after the incident, the Israeli Embassy released a statement that announced that none of its staff was injured and all were safe. Israel is accused of committing genocide in Gaza as a response to a terrorist attack by Hamas last year. It is facing a case in the International Court of Justice over its recent actions.

Protests against Israel's actions toward Palestine are going on throughout the world, including in the United States, as pro-Palestinian protesters call for a ceasefire in the region.

READ MORE: Brazil: US Pressured Pro Jair Bolsonaro Generals From Executing Coup

Bomb Squad Was Called When Air Force Serviceman Set Himself on Fire Outside Israel Embassy

The DC Metropolitan Police Department, meanwhile, has released a statement and revealed that its officers responded to the scene outside the Israeli Embassy to assist the US Secret Service. MPD stated that its bomb squad was also called into the scene.

According to the Associated Press, the bomb squad was called in to examine what was described as a "suspicious vehicle." However, the DC police noted that they found no hazardous materials in that said vehicle.

This is also not the first time an American self-immolated to protest Israel's actions against Palestine. In December of last year, a man set himself on fire in Atlanta as an act of "extreme political protest" against Israel's aggression.

Latin American Leaders Continue Slamming Israel Over Assault on Gaza

Meanwhile, Israel is getting much condemnation from other parts of the Americas, particularly in Latin America, where countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Chile have denounced its actions in Gaza.

This is highlighted by the current row between Israel and Brazil, with the latter recalling its ambassador to Israel just last week. The row included Brazil President Lula likening Israel's war on Gaza to the Holocaust, according to Al Jazeera.

READ MORE: Pope Francis Removes Conservative Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Man sets himself on fire outside Embassy of Israel in Northwest DC, police say - WUSA9
After trying to get his former vice president, Mike Pence, hanged during the January 6 event, former President Donald Trump is looking for a new running mate. Who should it be? A straw poll was launched during CPAC, and it gave some insights on who conservatives think the next "Veep" should be.

Several big names were in CPAC during the weekend, many of whom are trying to kiss the ring and try to become Donald Trump's next vice president. Many names were floated, including Tim Scott and Elise Stefanik, who many think are the top 2 contenders. However, they were not the top 2 in that CPAC straw poll.

According to Politico, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy were tied for first place in the poll at 15% each. Third place went to former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard at 9%, while the two "favorites," New York Rep. Elise Stefanik and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scot, only received 8% of the votes each.

So far, Donald Trump has not yet indicated who he will choose to run with next after falling out with Mike Pence, but he does have a short list that includes over half a dozen names. These include not just Tim Scott and Elise Stefanik but also Vivek Ramaswamy, who topped the poll.

Joe Biden's Campaign Pokes Fun at Donald Trump's CPAC Speech

Donald Trump headlined the annual conservative conference, CPAC, and he delivered his usual lines along with several outrageous claims like "We have languages coming into our country -- we don't have one instructor in our entire nation that can speak that language. These are languages, it's the craziest thing, they have languages that nobody in this country has ever heard of."

READ MORE: Donald Trump $454M Fraud Trial Judgement Finalized, Clock Ticking for Ex-POTUS To Secure Appeal Bond

"A vote for Trump is your ticket back to freedom. It's your passport out of tyranny, and it's your only escape from Joe Biden and his gang's fast track to hell," he also said. "And in many ways, we're living in hell right now."

The speech raised some eyebrows, as usual, as many pointed out several lies Donald Trump did. However, the Biden campaign just mocked it, calling it "weird, self-centered ramblings."

"America already had the opportunity to choose if they wanted another four years of hell with Donald Trump's chaos, division, and crazy - they said no," a Biden spokesperson told ABC News.

Donald Trump CPAC Speech Gets Fact-Checked

Donald Trump made several claims during his CPAC speech, which many media organizations described to be filled with lies. It was recently fact-checked by CNN, including the claim that he had warned the US not to launch an invasion of Iraq. CNN noted that the claim is false as "Trump did not publicly express opposition to the March 2003 invasion of Iraq before it occurred."

Trump also claimed that the indictments against him were under Joe Biden's orders. As CNN pointed out, "This claim is not supported by any evidence. Grand juries made up of ordinary citizens - in New York, Georgia, Florida, and Washington, DC - approved the indictments in each of Trump's criminal cases."

He also repeated his election 2020 lies, as it was pointed out that "There was a tiny amount of voter fraud that was nowhere near widespread enough to have changed the outcome in any state, let alone to have reversed Biden's 306-232 victory in the Electoral College."

READ MORE: Donald Trump Facing Financial Troubles Amid Legal Defeats

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: 'Absolute fiction': Daniel Dale fact-checks Trump's CPAC speech - CNN
TED ALJIBE - Getty Images

The Philippines have accused China of dumping cyanide into the South China Sea, destroying portions a tropical atoll and its coral.

The Scarborough Shoalalso known as Bajo de Masinlocis at the center of a political dispute from which China wont back down.

The accusation claims that Chinese fisherman intentionally dumped cyanide to keep Filipino fishing boats away.

A tropical atoll in the South China Sea has become the latest dumping grounds for political disputes. Political disputes and, allegedly, cyanide.

The Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources recently fired off an accusation against China, claiming that Chinese fisherman deliberately dumped cyanide into the ocean waters to keep Filipino fishing boats at bay.

As the political rhetoric levels up, the search for the cyanide source may need to as well. GMA News states that, while the bureau accused Chinese fisherman of the cyanide dump, the Philippine Coast Guard claims that the affront could be coming from a different countrys boats. We dont have any scientific study or any evidence that would suggest that cyanide fishing in Bajo de Masinloc can be attributed to the Chinese or the Vietnamese fisherman, said Philippine Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela, according to GMA News. All they know is that theyve seen the impact of recent cyanide use.

The bureau, though, still lobbed the accusation. These Chinese fisherman use cyanide, said the bureaus spokesperson, Nazario Briguera, according to the Philippine Star. Briguera added that the group is out to intentionally destroy Bajo de Masinloc to prevent Filipino fishing boats to fish in the area.

The region falls within the West Philippine Sea, and in 2016, was declared within the exclusive zone of the Philippines, according to the Permanent Court of Arbitration set up by the United Nations.

That hasnt stopped the fighting. In mid-February, China finally removed a floating 984-foot-long barrier to prevent Filipino fishing boats from reaching a part of the atoll. Tucked into the middle of the South China Sea, some experts believe China may try to beef up the area with a manmade island for military purposes.

Story continues

The act of dumping cyanide is not necessarily a nefarious act. Cyanide fishing is a practice sometimes carried out in the regionincluding by Filipino fisherman decades in the pastto stun or kill fish and make the days work a tad easier.

A potential lack of malice, however, doesnt mean a lack of harm to the environment. It also doesnt guarantee the wrongdoers arent doing what theyre doing with the purpose of keeping others away.

Briguera claims that the recent cyanide dumping damage could easily rise toward $18 million, and that a destroyed tropical atoll may not fully recover. A location roughly 124 miles from the Philippines has turned into a major fishing ground for the region. The Star reports that an estimated 385,300 people rely on the area for either food or income, thanks to the roughly 300,000 tons of fish caught there annuallyapproximately 7 percent of the countrys entire fishing industry.

Not only does the teeming aquatic life make for a bountiful location to fill fishing nets (no matter the country of origin of the boat), but the inner lagoon has served as a respite for boats in a subpar weather conditions. Theres currently no reprieve at the Scarborough Shoal.

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City engineers are expected to produce a report this week detailing what led to the collapse of three beams during ongoing demolition work at the Walnut Street Parking Garage, a city official said.

Mike Simonson, the citys chief building official, told lehighvalleylive.com the cause of the partial collapse, which unfolded shortly after 8 a.m. Friday, remains under investigation by the citys engineering staff.

Work has been ongoing since the start of the year on the project by Vollers Construction, a Branchburg, New Jersey-based firm. Crews were hired by the city to remove the aging parking garage at 33 W. Walnut St. and replace it with a more modern structure.

One of three support beams fell Friday onto Payson House, a building across the street occupied by condominiums and businesses. The other two beams landed safely, Simonson said.

No one was reported injured in the collapse. However, it shook up some of Payson Houses residents and business owners.

Melis Carroll, a condo resident, said she was driving home around 8:10 a.m. and witnessing a section of the garage pancaking onto the next section. Thats when Carroll spotted the three support beams falling over and one beam striking the building, she said.

Adele Holliday, owner of Clementine Salon in the building, reported roof damage and feeling the building shake at the time of impact.

Vollers Construction is responsible for any damage to the adjoining property, Simonson told lehighvalleylive.com.

The company later released a statement, confirming damage by the beam and stating it failed to fall in a controlled fashion.

Vollers reported minor damage to the roof. The company described the incident as unfortunate, but isolated, and said its thoroughly investigating the root cause of the collapse to implement any necessary improvements in our safety procedures.

Additionally, Simonson said independent structural engineers examined all the damage to make sure the scene was safe.

The collapse halted demo work at the site. Construction workers are expected to remove debris and clean the site where the collapse happened. Neighbors likely will still see work in progress this week as rubble continues to be removed, Simonson said.

City officials also plan to re-evaluate the design of the project for the remainder of the demolition.

Demolition activities are paused until we consult with the engineering team to determine the best course of action going forward, city officials said in a statement. Our team is currently engaged in close collaboration with our group of professionals who will evaluate demolition methods and ensure the safest approach for the remaining removal of the structure.

Simonson said Monday afternoon it could take a while before work at the site continues. He is waiting for Vollers to submit a new plan for the remainder of the demolition. Once submitted, the plan will need to be reviewed and approved by the city before demolition work can continue.

At Payson House, city officials are not involved in the repair work after an independent engineer determined the building was safe to occupy and the city agreed, Simonson said.

The City of Bethlehem will leave the matter between the contractor and the home owner to determine a proper course of action for repair, he said.

The Walnut Street garage closed permanently at midnight on Jan. 3. Demolition work commenced shortly after the closure.

In October, the Bethlehem City Council adopted the Bethlehem Historical and Architectural Review Boards recommendation to permit demolition of the 1976 structure, which is located in the citys Historic District. The garage was deemed obsolete due to a mounting list of needed repairs, and was seen as an eyesore in Center City Bethlehem, according to Bethlehem Parking Authority officials.

The new garage, set to include condominium parking, public parking and retail space, is slated to be constructed by the end of the year.

Staff writer Connor Lagore contributed to this report.

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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
A child playing with a lit candle caused a swift-moving blaze Sunday morning at a Catasauqua apartment building, a borough fire official said.

Fire Marshal Raymond W. Anthony told lehighvalleylive.com flames ignited about 11:30 a.m. Sunday at a main-level bedroom of the building in the 700 block of Third Street. The building consists of two apartments, according to online property records.

Four adults and a handful of children escaped the fire on their own; another adult male on the first floor needed to be assisted out of the building by firefighters, Anthony said. No pets were believed to be inside when the fire started, he said.

A woman who escaped from the main level was taken to an area hospital for a medical evaluation due to smoke inhalation, Anthony said.

It took crews about 40 minutes to get the flames under control, he said. Firefighters spent hours working the scene, not clearing until about 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Anthony said.

The first floor of the building sustained significant fire damage with more smoke and water damage throughout all levels. Both apartments have been deemed uninhabitable, Anthony said.

An investigation by fire officials later determined the lit candle being handled by a child was to blame, he said.

The buildings landlord has since stepped in to help the two families with shelter, Anthony said.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
Following is a look at some government business, and related topics, this coming week across the Lehigh Valley region.

Monday, Feb. 26

WARREN/HUNTERDON | Monday, Feb. 26 is the deadline to nominate Vietnam War era veterans living in New Jerseys 7th Congressional District for the U.S. Vietnam Veterans Commemoration Program, according to the districts U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. An event is planned in March to recognize the veterans with a commemorative lapel pin and certificate. Eligible are living veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces any time between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975, in-country, in-theater or stationed elsewhere during the Vietnam War period. Nominate an eligible veteran here. NJ-07 covers Warren and Hunterdon counties.

FRENCHTOWN | The Uhlerstown-Frenchtown free bridge is scheduled to be restricted to a single alternating traffic lane controlled by flaggers 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 26 and Friday, March 1, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission announced. The travel restriction on the span linking Bucks and Hunterdon counties will allow engineers to inspect the steel-truss structure as a first step toward designing a bridge rehabilitation project that is expected to be carried out in 2025, and which will include programmable architectural lighting similar to the Easton-Phillipsburg free bridge lighting, the commission said.

Tuesday, Feb. 27

BETHLEHEM | Northampton Community College is hosting a free, in-person information session at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27 on a 10-week, accelerated Industrial Maintenance Training Program starting in April. The program is scheduled 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday at the Fowler Family Southside Center in Bethlehem. Funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the program is free to qualified candidates  who will learn the basic skills of industrial maintenance that will equip them for entry-level positions or apprenticeships. These foundational skills will include blueprint/schematics reading, electrical and mechanical concepts and troubleshooting. Participants will also earn their OSHA-10 General Industry certification. Sign up for Tuesdays session by visiting northampton.edu. For questions, email sellis@northampton.edu or call 610-332-6172.

ALLEN TOWNSHIP | The Allen Township Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold an in-person public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27 at the municipal building, 4714 Indian Trail Road, on a conditional use for a proposed 295,760-square-foot distribution/customer fulfillment center on about 19 aces west of Howertown Road and east of Liberty Drive.

Wednesday, Feb. 28

PHILLIPSBURG | Phillipsburg Town Council is holding its second meeting on its new meeting night, beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 at the Gloria A. Decker Senior Center, 310 Firth St. Councils meetings had been held Tuesdays. Council President Pete Marino explained the many Monday holidays interfere with the public receiving information before the meetings, according to minutes from councils Jan. 16 meeting.

BETHLEHEM | The Bethlehem Zoning Hearing Board meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 in Town Hall, 10 E. Church St., to review a proposal to convert an attached garage at 3246 Linden St. into a retail store to allow the preparation of prepared foods for onsite retail sale. The boards meetings are live-streamed on YouTube.

BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP | The Bethlehem Township Zoning Hearing Board meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 at the municipal building, 4225 Easton Ave., to consider requests by Chrin V-7 Associates LP for property at 5218 William Penn Highway to permit 39.5-foot high buildings, instead of the 36 feet the township permits, and 1.8 parking spaces per home, instead of the 2.5 required, as part of the proposed development of 264 apartments.

Thursday, Feb. 29

FOUNTAIN HILL | The Bethlehem Area School District is hosting a special community building on plans for the new Fountain Hill Elementary School. The meeting is open to the public and scheduled to include presentations by Superintendent Jack Silva and Principal Courtney Wertman-Stambaugh, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the existing schools gymnasium, 1330 Church St. in Fountain Hill.

HARRISBURG | Pennsylvania schools have until Thursday, Feb. 29 to apply for $90 million total in student mental health grants, administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Visit pccd.pa.gov to learn more.

ALLENTOWN | The 2024 Boots and Badges Blood Drive Competition between the Allentown Fire Department and the Allentown Police Department ends Thursday, Feb. 29, after being extended for two weeks. Winter is traditionally a difficult time for community blood centers, as inclement weather combined with accidents and seasonal illnesses often prevent people from donation blood, said Dara Gonzalez, community liaison for the Miller-Keystone Blood Center. To schedule a donation as part of the Boots and Badges competition, call 800-223-6667 (800-B-A-DONOR) or schedule online at the blood centers website, GIVEaPINT.org. Be sure to include the Group ID # for either the Allentown Fire Department (# E187) or Allentown Police Department (# E186). A full list of blood donor eligibility guidelines can be found at GIVEaPINT.org. Miller-Keystone operates its Hamilton Donor Center at Five City Center, 740 Hamilton St., Suite 120, in Allentown.

Editors note: This roundup is a new, experimental feature at lehighvalleylive.com. Send feedback to kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.

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Over  30,000 has been raised in a matter of days for a Ballyroan family whose three month old son is critically ill in hospital in the UK.

John and Michelle Moran have been living a nightmare as their son James continues to fight for his life having undergone two liver transplants.

The first emergency surgery took place when he was just seven days old. By the time he was 12 days old, James had been in five different hospitals, Portlaoise, The Coombe, Crumlin, Birmingham Childrens Hospital and finally Kings College Hospital in London where he still remains.

John's sister Sarah set up a GoFund me page to help support the couple through their difficult journey. The fund has raised over30,000 in a matter of days.

"Every day is filled with uncertainty," said Sarah.

"They tell us that James will spend the next number of months in London, and we dont know right now what life will look like after that. John and Michelle have been told that this liver will only last James approximately one or two years at which stage he will require another liver transplant. Michelle is a blood match with James and has already spoken with the surgeons. When the time comes, she will donate 20% of her liver to James which will involve more surgery for them both with huge risks involved.

"For the past three months Michelle and John have been forced to stay in London away from their home, their family and support network. They have two other boys at home in Ireland who are 12 years and 16 months old. Every day they are not able to be with them is another reminder of the difficult situation that they and their three boys are continually faced with. Christmas looked very different this year sitting with James at his hospital bedside missing their boys and families at home. No parent should ever have to be faced with this heartbreak.

"Due to the need for John and Michelle to be in the UK with James their income has reduced significantly and their expenses have increased.

"As a family we ask for your help in supporting John and Michelle as they continue this journey with James. The future for James right now is very uncertain but we do know he will need a lot of support. John, Michelle and baby James have a long road ahead."

"Your donation will be greatly appreciated and if you are not in a position to donate we ask that you keep James in your prayers."
Stradbally Hall will only be used for Ukrainians fleeing war according to its owner who believes its use for international protection applicants would be irresponsible.

Thomas Cosby also insists that cabins on the site can contractually only be used for Ukrainians and said he has not been approached by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth to vary the terms to extend its use to people seeking asylum in Ireland.

The deal we have is for Ukrainians which is not transferable to international protection. Its as simple as that, he said.

The Electric Picnic host also said the Department had absolutely not approached him to vary the terms to allow non-Ukrainians nor has he contacted them.

Mr Cosby said the current contract, which facilitates accommodation for up to 950 people in Stradbally Hall at any one time, runs to the end of May.

It has been reported that just 30 people are residing there at present but Mr Cosby said he was restricted from stating how many people live there. However, he said he expects the number of people moved to the heated cabins to increase.

As to fears that his property would be attacked, Mr Cosby described it as nonsense the arson attacks carried out elsewhere in the country.

He said there had been no problems in the community with the Ukrainians living in the tents and subsequently cabins since the Stradbally Hall first began taking the refugees after the Electric Picnic last year.

He said a suggestion that it would be used for international protection applicants was irresponsible.

The Department told the Leinster Express / Laois Live that the Stradbally site is set aside for newly arrived Ukrainians or Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs).

It said this would remain the case until legislation gives effect to changes in social welfare entitlements for newly arrived Ukrainians. It said changes in policy to the provision of accommodation will be brought into effect alongside the changes in social welfare entitlements.

The Government intends using Designated Accommodation Centres instead of Stradbally where people fleeing the war in Ukraine will be accommodated for a maximum of 90 days.

Questions over the future use of Stradbally emerged after an independent local election candidate in Laois, Pauline Flanagan said only approximately 30 refugees are on the site at this time.

"This is absolutely shocking. I think it is disgraceful the way monies are being mismanaged by the Department of Integration. How much is this facility that is essentially not being used, costing us, the taxpayer?

I was lucky enough to get a tour of this site about a month ago and the facilities are exceptional. I recall thinking how delighted I was to see such a safe, well-run, secure environment for refugees. All bedrooms have their own-door, en-suites with heated and insulated cabins, enclosed within large marquee type structures that are also heated, containing all ancillary facilities," she said. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Picture of the original facilities installed last September above.

She asked: "Why are refugees being housed in much-needed tourist and local hotels throughout Ireland and why are there homeless people sleeping on the streets when there are over 800 beds EMPTY in Laois?"

The number of people who have fled the war in Ukraine and found refuge in Laois has risen by just 65% in the past 12 months according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The report published on February 20 shows that there were 1,441 arrivals from Ukraine into Laois by February 4 this year. That's up on the 873 arrivals into the county as of February 12, 2023.

Nationally, there were 104,870 arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland this October which is up from 96,338 last October and 74,458 a year ago.
Goresbridge Horse Sales, in Kilkenny, a renowned hub for equine enthusiasts and buyers alike, embarks on an exciting journey into the future. Stepping into the shoes of the esteemed Martin and Mary Francis Donohoe, as Martin retires for new pastures, his younger brother Ed Donohoe along with his wife Siobhan have taken over the running of the family business.

The couple aims to inject new energy and innovative ideas into the auction house, known for its top-quality sport horses, show jumpers, eventers, and hunters.

With 56 years in business, Goresbridge Horse Sales remains a top spot nationally and internationally for sport and leisure horse auctions. Located in Ireland's renowned horse breeding region, the purpose-built complex hosts several sales each year.

Starting as a family business, Goresbridge Horse Sales has grown into a trusted name worldwide. Known for its fairness and honesty, it attracts buyers and sellers from around the globe.

In a recent interview, Ed and Siobhan shared their enthusiasm for the future of Goresbridge Horse Sales. "We're thrilled to be taking over the reins," remarked Ed. "While we have plans to introduce some new initiatives, our main goal is to continue the tradition of excellence established throughout the 56 years of this family business."

Siobhan echoed Ed's sentiments, highlighting their commitment to maintaining the high standards for which Goresbridge Horse Sales is known. "We're not looking to make drastic changes right away," she explained. "Our focus is on getting settled in and ensuring a seamless transition for our clients."

As Ed and Siobhan look to the future, they do so with a sense of optimism and anticipation. With a new generation poised to take the reins, the legacy of Goresbridge Horse Sales is set to continue, guided by the same principles instilled by Martin and Mary Frances.

Despite their plans to uphold tradition, the couple are not afraid to innovate. They teased the launch of a new point-to-point thoroughbred sale, set to debut in April. "We're always looking for ways to evolve and adapt to the needs of our customers," Ed emphasized.

While its live auctions remain a cornerstone of the business, the introduction of online auctions has opened doors to a broader audience, facilitating seamless transactions and fostering connections within the global equestrian community.

"Martin and Mary Frances' online platform for selling sport horses at Goresbridge, launched during Covid, has transformed how we sell," Ed explained. "It's broadened our reach and been a big success. They've helped sellers present their horses better with quality videos, boosting buyer confidence. By providing potential buyers with comprehensive insights and confidence in their online purchases, we've witnessed a surge in interest from individuals across America and Europe. This investment shows our dedication to improving the online buying experience and driving continued growth in the digital marketplace."

Siobhan is eagerly anticipating the grand reopening of Gorebridge Saddlery this September, just in time for their flagship September sales. "I'm thrilled to announce the relaunch of Gorebridge Saddlery, its a vital resource for our valued customers,"

Siobhan expressed. "In addition to our traditional offerings of tack and equestrian wear, we're elevating the experience by introducing a fashion line. Collaborating with an esteemed Irish family business, we'll showcase exquisite Donegal tweeds, wax jackets, outerwear, and hats  all perfect for a day at the races. Embracing our Irish heritage, we're also proud to feature some local Kilkenny brands."

To capture the essence of this exciting expansion, the tack shop will be rebranded as Goresbridge Saddlery & A Height of Fashion. Siobhan explained, "The new name pays homage to the legendary racehorse 'A Height of Fashion,' that was trained by Paddy Mullins and owned by Eds grand-uncle. In one of her last interviews Mrs Maureen Mullins claimed, that mare put the Mullins racing name on the map. The new name is a symbol of excellence synonymous with the Donohoe family legacy and the renowned Mullins racehorse dynasty."

The legacy of excellence that Eds parents Ned and Kitty Donohoe envisioned more than five decades ago lives on. Ed and Siobhan expressed gratitude for the foundation laid by Eds late father Ned and his mother Kitty. "We're incredibly fortunate to be building upon such a strong legacy," Ed stated. "It's an honour to carry on the tradition."

"We have a five-year strategy in place, and we're excited to see where it takes us," Siobhan remarked. "Our ultimate goal is to ensure that Goresbridge Horse Sales remains a premier destination for buyers and sellers alike."

SUCCESSION

With roots firmly planted in the family business, Ed's journey is one of dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment to excellence.

"I grew up in Goresbridge," Ed reminisces, "and from a very early age, I would have been extremely involved." He reflects on his formative years spent mucking out stables and the hustle and bustle of the sales ring, where his passion for horses was ignited.

While Ed's father laid the foundation for what would become Goresbridge Horse Sales in 1968, tragedy struck with his untimely passing in 1978. Left to carry on the family legacy, Ed's mother, with a newborn on the way and nine other children to raise, courageously forged ahead, refusing to let adversity dampen her spirit.

"Our uncles had suggested cancelling the sales," Ed recounts, "but my mother, in her wisdom, saw it differently. 'Who's going to feed all these young fellas?' she'd said. And so, she drove it on."

Siobhan emphasizes Mrs. Kitty Donohoe's importance, stating, "She's a key figure here, and we appreciate her advice. She kept the sales going and drove them on. Even now, living in Goresbridge, she still pays an interest, especially on busy sales days."

In the early 2000s, Eds older brother Martin took over Goresbridge Horse Sales. Over the following twenty years, he led the business to greater success, enhancing its reputation and making it a vital part of the Irish equestrian world.

Reflecting on his journey, Ed speaks with pride of his years growing up at Goresbridge Horse Sales. "I've been the main auctioneer here for the last 25 years and intend to continue selling on the rostrum as I love selling over the hammer," he shares. "I've been very involved all the time. I started selling saddlery here at the age of 16 and I began selling ponies at 18. I'd say I didn't maybe miss one or two sales ever."

Siobhan shares, "I grew up on a dairy farm in Bennettsbridge, where riding my pony had to wait until all the cows were milked and the calves tended to."

Siobhan also cherishes her early riding lessons with Roberta Dowling at Warrington Equestrian, which later came full circle when her children took lessons from the same instructor. Nowadays, she finds herself driving and grooming for her children at their showjumping events.

Siobhan's diverse background in finance, marketing, and media equips her with a wealth of expertise for her role at Goresbridge. She currently works in media for the Kilkenny People and serves as a multimedia presenter at racing meetings and sporting events nationwide, showcasing her proficiency in communication strategies.

"In my capacity at Goresbridge, my focus will be on marketing, public relations, and communications, encompassing the entire Goresbridge brand experience," Siobhan explains. "This includes everything from enhancing our food offerings to launching our new tack shop, ensuring that every aspect of the Goresbridge experience reflects our commitment to excellence."

FLAGSHIP SALES

Throughout the year, Goresbridge Horse Sales plays host to a series of special events and elite auctions, attracting high-profile buyers and sellers from around the world. These gatherings serve not only as showcases for top-level talent but also as forums for networking, collaboration, and celebration within the equestrian community.

Of notable significance is the international six days September sale showcasing an array of equine talent spanning various ages, with offerings extending from promising three-year-olds to seasoned veterans and widely regarded as one of the largest gatherings of its kind in Europe.

Ed explains Go For Gold sale is our flagship which was set up by Martin and Mary Frances some years ago and probably the most important sale in the Irish Sport Horse calendar, where horses are selected by a panel of horse experts that are sold in November over a gala dinner.

It's a select sale of Irish eventers that most breeders want to be a part of, and buyers come from all over, including England, Europe, and America. A lot of breeders target this sale because it's quite difficult to get a horse into, due to the high standard.

GORESBRIDGE GRADUATES

Horses that have been bought in Goresbridge Horse Sales compete successfully throughout the world and some of the most notable include Dougie Douglas who was bought in Gorebridge as a three-year-old and was sold at a Gorebridge Showjumping Sale for 1.4 million.

Of course, everybody is now familiar with Shark Hanlon's Hewick who was bought for 850 at a thoroughbred sale in Goresbridge. Hewick famously won the 2023 King George among various other Grade 1 races and is one of the nations favourites for the 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup and Aintree Grand National.

Donohoe Town & Country

In addition to their roles at Goresbridge Horse Sales, Ed also operates a successful estate agency known as Donohoe Town and Country, further expanding their presence in Kilkenny. With the support of our dedicated team of five staff members, we have established ourselves as leaders in selling country homes, land, and residential properties. Ed remarks.

Donohoe Town and County is a well-established and efficiently run business, thanks to our exceptional staff. As we continue to drive forward with both Donohoe Properties and Goresbridge Horse Sales, we recognize the importance of having a talented team around us, and we are fortunate to have such a team in both ventures. It's an exciting time for us as we continue to expand and thrive in both our endeavours, concludes Ed.

As they embark on this new chapter, Ed, and Siobhan along with their two children Ted (16) and Hannah (14) are eager to put their own stamp on Goresbridge Horse Sales. With plans for targeted sales and a renewed focus on marketing and brand development, the future looks bright for this iconic institution.

As they look forward to the year ahead, one thing remains abundantly clear: the legacy of Goresbridge Horse Sales is built to endure.
IQALUIT, Nunavut  Driving around Iqaluit, Lori Idlout wonders aloud whether the rest of Canada really is in a cost-of-living crisis.

The stories that are all too common in Nunavut of people being unable to access proper housing are getting drowned out, and that's heartbreaking, she says.

Inuit have been living in a housing crisis since first being forced into settlements. It's a truth that weighs on Idlout, the territory's sole member of Parliament.

"When I go to the malls in Ottawa and Edmonton and Winnipeg, there's lots of people walking around in malls shopping," she said in a recent interview from behind the wheel of her truck as The Canadian Press rode along with her.

"If they were having the same struggles as we were, where we can't even afford to buy a loaf of bread or milk  our stories become lost. Because other Canadians are saying it's unaffordable for them, yet they can go to the mall and buy expensive phones or whatever."

"Sorry," Idlout said, catching herself. "I feel so cynical, but that's what I get frustrated about."

Nearly 37,000 people call Nunavut home, and almost 7,500 live in its capital. Many others rely on the hub for services.

Since being elected in 2021, Idlout has made a point of trying to visit each of the territory's 25 communities, which stretch across the massive Arctic land mass and can only be reached by plane or ship.

It's a challenge. Before the House of Commons returned from a holiday break last month, Idlout said she got stranded in Rankin Inlet for six days due to weather and she had to cancel plans to visit another community.

Many of the people she represents aren't used to being consulted directly by their MP, she said.

The biggest issues people raise are housing, overcrowded living and the poor condition of their homes.

Idlout recalled the mayor of Whale Cove showing her how melting permafrost had caused his home to split in half. He relied on duct tape to stop the air from coming in.

Story continues

Permafrost is the reason housing in Iqaluit is built on stilts, and an aspect of the climate that makes construction more complicated

In another community, Idlout said she heard the story of families being so squeezed they had too few beds and took shifts to sleep.

Living like that hurts a person's mental health, she said, let alone their ability to physically rest or even study for school.

It's but one example of the effect the widespread absence of livable housing is having across the territory.

"I always thought that it was an issue, but hearing directly from people, just so many examples of how much it impacts everyone's daily lives was quite a shock," said Idlout.

The last federal census found that more than half of Inuit living in their traditional territories lived in overcrowded housing, and nearly one-third were in homes that needed major repairs.

Housing has also become a public-health concern, with moisture causing harmful mould to develop and overcrowding leading to the rapid spread of viruses.

The rate of tuberculosis in traditional Inuit territories was more than 300 times higher than that of non-Indigenous Canadians between 2015 and 2018.

As Idlout drove on Iqaluit's darkened roads, she pointed to a women's shelter.

"There are some women that have been there for years, I'm told," she said.

"There's no housing available. Like, when they've run away from domestic violence, there's nowhere else for them to go to  with the overcrowded housing situation, it's hard to go to another family's house when there's going to be no place to sleep."

As a result, women from smaller communities are mainly sent to Iqaluit, Idlout said.

Of the three territories, Nunavut has the highest rate of domestic violence. A recent report from Pauktuutit Inuit Women Canada found Inuit women there are at 12 times greater risk of being sexually assaulted compared to those in the rest of the country.

They were also found to be the victims of violent crime "at a rate more than 13 times higher" than the rate for all women in Canada, according to the report.

In 2021, the territory's advocate for children and youth said child sex abuse was so common it amounted to a crisis.

"When we're talking about intergenerational trauma in Nunavut," Idlout said, "they're not just words."

Getting more resources to deal with the prevalence of mental-health concerns, family violence and substance-abuse issues in the territory is her priority as MP, she said.

She struggled herself when she first came to Parliament.

"I cried so often because I didn't realize just how deep and how intense the experiences are."

That's how she grew to appreciate party politics  something that doesn't exist in Nunavut, which operates on a consensus government. It allowed her to share the load with colleagues in Ottawa.

Idlout also learned to lean on her family and elders, and develop coping mechanisms to unwind, such as sewing and reading.

"It can feel overwhelming."

The MP, who worked as a lawyer before entering federal politics, said her 23-year-old daughter recently became a homeowner, which was possible mainly because she lives in Iqaluit.

As she pointed out a row of individual houses, Idlout explained that given the lack of employment and banks outside of the capital, it's difficult for people to build up a credit rating to qualify for a mortgage. There's a heavy reliance on public housing.

Some put their names on a list to apply for a house as soon as they turn 18.

"There's one man who did that and he's now in his forties," she said. "He's still living with his parents."

Like everything else in the North, construction supplies need to be brought in by cargo or plane. That drives up costs.

Although there are more options in Iqaluit, a major challenge is that housing is often tied to employment.

"Government employees started saying, 'I don't want to retire because if I retire I will lose my government housing. Then I'll have to join the long waiting list to get into public housing,'" Idlout said.

"People are scared to retire because they'll lose their staff housing. There's so many stories about how the lack of housing impacts everyone's decisions and what they're able to do, or what they won't do or can't do."

Midway through driving, Idlout pulled over at a park near a bay.

Standing in the darkness, breathing in the freshness of the air, she recalled a song that tells the story of seeing two stars nearing the horizon at a particular point in the sky, which signals the return of the sun  and of life.

Tilting her head upward, reflecting on her ancestors even as she processed the hardships of the people she serves, Idlout said it's that kind of knowledge that fills her with pride to be Inuk.

"It's pretty amazing."

-- with files from Alessia Passafiume

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2024.

Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press
Members of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) were protesting outside of Kildare County Council's (KCC) headquarters earlier today.

The Kildare and West-Wicklow branch of the IFA protested outside Aras Chill Dara as part of their #EnoughIsEnough campaign.

Around 30 farmers were present outside KCC's headquarters from 1.30pm to 3pm, in advance of today's full county council meeting.

A number of local councillors were present at the time of the protest today.

When asked about his views on the matter, Sinn Fein Cllr Noel Connolly told the Leinster Leader that his party 'fully supports' the farmers' campaign.

He said: "I met with the farmers today and have met them a number of times in the past few months.

"It annoys me that government councillors say they support farmers, but don't lift the phone to their own Ministers to deliver the changes needed."

"Some of them are easy fixes, like the dog warden and the planning issues, and could easily be fixed if their Ministers loosened the purse strings," Cllr Connolly concluded.

Fianna Fail Cllr Rob Power also told the Leinster Leader: "I was pleased to meet with farmers and IFA representatives at KCC's offices, but sorry that they needed to be there at all.

"Farmers continue to face challenges at both ends of the supply chain with input prices continuing to rise and pressure for margins at the other end, so it's a real shame that instead of feeling supported by their local council they feel burdened by bureaucracy and a system that doesn't understand or respond to their needs."

Cllr Power continued: "The IFA have put forward some well structured arguments for how county councils around the country can better support them on issues like farm inspections, hedgerow management, dog control and critically more clarity and support in the planning process where farmers feel enormous frustration.

"Fianna Fail will raise these issues in KCC, and I hope that other councils will do the same in responding to the calls from farmers," he concluded.

Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender was asked about his views on the IFA's campaign by the Leinster Leader, but declined to comment.

THE IFA'S GOALS

Explaining its objectives as part of the #EnoughIsEnough campaign, the IFA said in a statement addressed to Kildare County Councillors: "Over the past number of weeks, farmers across mainland Europe have been voicing their anger and frustration at the ever-increasing administrative burden being placed on farmers which have had a major impact on farm family incomes.



"These frustrations have broadened into anger with European and National lawmakers over the massive increase in regulations relating to Agriculture.

"The EU, the Irish Government and local Government are devising policies far from the farm gate with little or no consideration of the direct impact on farmers."

According to the IFA: "There are also a number of issues that are impacting farmers at a local government level. These include:

Delays in the planning process which is hindering on-farm investment.

The implementation of the Zoned Residential Land Tax  a completely unfair tax which places a penal charge on farmers with land on the outskirts of towns and villages. All genuinely farmed land must be exempted from this tax.

The implementation of the Zoned Residential Land Tax  a completely unfair tax which places a penal charge on farmers with land on the outskirts of towns and villages. All genuinely farmed land must be exempted from this tax. County councils will be doing an increasing number of inspections on farms. There needs to be a clear protocol in place as regard how these inspections are conducted.

There are huge issues with ash trees suffering from ash dieback on rural roads. Each county council needs to come with a strategy and funding to remove these trees.

A lack of dog wardens in many counties to deal with dog attacks on sheep flocks.

The implementation of commercial rates by some county councils of farm buildings despite these being specifically exempt (mainly farm buildings in the tillage and horticulture sector).

The proposed increase in water charges will place an unfair burden on farmers, in particular those with fragmented holdings."

The group further said: "We are asking your county council to do your utmost to highlight the issues raised and seek a fundamental reset of how farm policy is devised and implemented both at the EU and in Ireland."
A sister of convicted drug dealer and gang "patriarch" - Limerick criminal Christy Keane - has been jailed for two-and-a-half years after she was caught with 124k in crime cash in the attic of her home.

Sandra Hehir, aged 56, of Assumpta Park, Island Road, Limerick city will also have to be of good behaviour for a period of two years after her release or she will face a further 12 months in prison.

Passing sentence at the Special Criminal Court this Monday, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath said Hehir knew the money in her attic and in numerous bank accounts controlled by her were the proceeds of crime.

While she had no direct involvement in the criminality of the Keane group, he said she was "not a passive participant in laundering the proceeds of that criminal activity".

There was evidence she had lied to gardai about the source of the money, he said, which was an indication of her mindset and intention. She had been involved, the judge said, in a significant number of financial transactions over a significant period.

In mitigation, the judge noted Hehir's early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions and good employment record as a hairdresser.

As she is going to prison for the first time, Mr Justice MacGrath said Hehir is likely to experience difficulty in adjusting and her standing in her community is likely to be diminished. He noted the contents of a probation report which stated that she is unlikely to reoffend and has no addiction or mental health issues.

Mr Justice MacGrath sentenced her to three years and six months imprisonment but suspended the final year for two years. She pleaded guilty before the non-jury court, in October of last year, to laundering the money at her home in June 2020.

She pleaded guilty to a charge that on June 17, 2020, at the same address she handled, acquired and/or possessed cash to the value of 124,055, knowing or believing (or being reckless as to whether) property in the said premises was the proceeds of criminal conduct.

The charge came under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Monday Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.At a previous hearing, defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC said Hehir had been told by her now deceased husband that the money that went through her accounts had come from gambling.

However, she accepted that, in all probability, it had been the proceeds of crime. Mr Dwyer said his client denied any criminal involvement, had entered a guilty plea and had expressed her regret.

The court heard that Hehir had accumulated 68,000 in savings over five years and had withdrawn 70,000 to pay the balance of her mortgage, a position that gardai said was not in line with her legitimate income.

Sergeant Cathal O'Sullivan told Fiona Murphy SC, for the prosecution, that a 2020 garda anti-money laundering operation was designed to target the Keane Organised Crime Group in Limerick, particularly Christy Keane and his nephew, Warren Hehir.

In July last year, Sandra Hehir's son Warren Hehir was sentenced to five years and three months with the final 12 months suspended for laundering 59,000 in crime cash through house renovation works.

Hehir, aged 33, of Bruach na Sionna, Castleconnell, Co Limerick had 54 previous convictions at the time of his sentencing for offences that included money laundering and drug offences.

Sgt O'Sullivan told the court that when Sandra Hehir's house was searched on June 17, 2020, a total of 124,055, in 13 separate bundles, was found secured in a plastic sheet in the attic.

A "tick-list" was also found relating to substantial sums of money owed.

The Keane gang and its associates are involved in the distribution of drugs and suspected of the importation of firearms on a national and international level, Sgt O'Sullivan said.

The court heard they had been involved in an ongoing feud with the McCarthy-Dundon gang since 2000 and that there had been 19 murders.
A criminal who provided a getaway car for the attempted murder of notorious Limerick gangland figure Christy Keane has had a "Damascus Road experience" and turned his life around, a barrister has told the Special Criminal Court.

Brian McCartney KC said his client, Larry McCarthy, is committed to his family and his new community in Donegal where his personal circumstances and lifestyle are "completely different" to what persisted during his period of offending.

McCarthy, aged 45, of Tower Lodge, Old Court Road, Limerick city pleaded guilty, in October 2023, to a charge that between June 29 and June 27, 2015, he made a vehicle available to a criminal organisation, the McCarthy-Dundons, that was used as a getaway vehicle in the attempted murder of Christy Keane.

The offence, contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, carries a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment.

Following a hearing this Monday, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, presiding at the three-judge court, adjourned the matter until March 11 when sentence will be passed.

At the sentencing hearing, Det Sgt Paraig O'Dwyer told prosecution counsel John Byrne SC that the McCarthy-Dundon and Keane Collopy organised crime gangs have been involved in an "infamous feud" dating back to 1993 when Patrick McCarthy was killed.

Christy Keane, he said, was acquitted of that murder but his brother, Kieran Keane, was later murdered. Five members of the Dundon McCarthy gang have been convicted in relation to that, the detective said.

The main purpose of the McCarthy-Dundon gang, he said, is the commission of serious offences involving firearms, demanding money, extortion and drugs. In the course of those crimes, there have been a number of murders in Limerick.

On June 29, 2015 at 6.30am Christy Keane arrived at the University Limerick gym in Castletroy, Limerick where he regularly attended in the mornings.

Two gunmen wearing balaclavas got out of a red Ford Focus and fired 13 rounds into Keane's Nissan pickup truck as he sat in the driver's seat. The gunmen fled in the Ford Focus while Keane made his way on foot to an adjacent running track where he collapsed.

A nurse who was due to attend the gym class with Keane found him, called emergency services and began administering first aid.

He was taken to University Hospital Limerick and treated for four gunshot wounds, three to the upper arm or wrist and one to the lower back that punctured a lung.

The Ford Focus was burned out a short distance away and the gunmen transferred to a white Volvo Estate car which they drove to another area on the outskirts of Limerick City before it was also set on fire.

When gardai examined the cars they found a Glock semi-automatic pistol in the Ford Focus and a Luger in the Volvo. They were forensically linked to the shooting of Christy Keane.

McCarthy, the detective said, had assisted in making the white Volvo available to the gunmen. He said McCarthy and another man travelled from Limerick to Dublin one week before the shooting where the second man picked up the Volvo and drove it to Limerick, followed by McCarthy.

McCarthy was also involved in putting the Volvo in position the evening before the shooting, ready for the gunmen to help them make their escape.

The detective agreed that the prosecution case was that the shooting was motivated by a rivalry between the Keane Collopy and McCarthy Dundon criminal organisations.

The detective noted that McCarthy has 14 previous convictions including for violent disorder and assault causing harm. In July 2005 he received an eleven-year sentence from a UK court for possession of a Mac 11 gun.

Christy Keane was invited to offer a victim impact statement to the court but, the court heard, he had "always indicated some reluctance to involve himself in these proceedings and no victim impact statement was forthcoming."

Det Sgt O'Dwyer agreed with defence counsel that McCarthy's personal circumstances growing up "eliminated any real prospect of an alternative lifestyle" but he has since removed himself from that by moving to Donegal.

He has not offended in nearly ten years and while out on bail in recent times "hasn't posed a threat to anyone" the detective agreed.

Mr McCartney submitted a report written by a psychologist who had looked into McCarthy's background and current circumstances. He said the report notes that since moving to Donegal his client enjoys a close relationship with his wife and three children.

His daughter is studying law and his son spent three years in the British Army, while the other son works in the north west.

Their lives are "in total contrast" to the lifestyles they may have been attracted to had they remained in Limerick, counsel said.



"His living accommodation and circumstances are completely different to those that persisted during the period of his offending and earlier lifestyle," counsel said.

He said the report concluded that McCarthy does not pose a significant risk of threat to any member of the public and is unlikely to reoffend.

He added: "The accused has experienced a Damascus Road experience in terms of his move to the north west."

He said the court would have to consider punishment and deterrence but asked the court also to consider "exceptional mitigation" where McCarthy has "turned his life around, is in employment, an education program and has a social commitment to the area where he now lives".

"30 years ago, his social and personal circumstances would have rendered such changes impossible or highly unlikely. A totally different person appears before this court today," Mr McCartney told the court.
The garda commissioner said he has been left baffled by the decision of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) not to invite him to its annual conference.

GRA president Brendan OConnor said the decision by the associations Central Executive Committee was arrived at after a very honest and forthright debate.

The unprecedented move comes amid ongoing discontent among Garda members on a series of issues, including a long-running wrangle on proposed changes to working rosters.

Rank and file gardai also have issues around internal disciplinary and suspension processes along with other policies implemented by the Garda leadership.

Last September, more than 98% of GRA members voted no confidence in Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.

The conference is to take place in Co Mayo in April.

Speaking in Tullamore in Co Offaly, Mr Harris said he has not received an explanation behind the snub.

I am somewhat baffled. Ive heard nothing beyond whats been issued as a public statement, Mr Harris said.

I point to the ongoing negotiations in respect of rosters, which are near conclusion.

I would point to the very active support I give to the association, both in the pay talks and in the WRC (Work Relations Commission) in terms of allowances.

But also point to the advances we have made in terms of welfare services within the organisation, the 500-plus members who sought and attained promotion last year and the over 3,000 who have put themselves through a course on human rights and policing in their own time.

It is an organisation where there is improvement, in terms of the equipment, the uniform, the computers and IT that are available.

All of these things are very positive so against that, I do find it baffling that the GRA havent invited me, but they have given no further explanation than their public commentary.

Mr OConnor previously said that morale within the Garda was in tatters.

This decision simply reflects the breakdown in trust in the relationship between the commissioner and the rank and file members we represent who gave us a unanimous and unambiguous indication of their feelings last September, Mr OConnor said.

However, Mr Harris said he has a very, very positive relationship with garda members on the front line.

Im their commissioner but that gives me huge responsibilities in terms of their welfare.

My first responsibility is obviously towards protecting the public and protecting the Republic of Ireland but beyond that then I have a huge responsibility for their welfare, he added.

We have invested hugely in terms of that. We have invested hugely in terms of the equipment and I believe that An Garda Siochana is a very positive organisation.

I point to the 6,300 people who have just recently applied to join An Garda Siochana. It is a good career and we are actively recruiting.

We have upwards now of a thousand vacancies, so we encourage all those who have applied to stick with the process and prepare for the process ahead.
Yintai to Acquire Osino in an All-Cash Transaction for C$368 million





VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yintai Gold Co., Ltd (000975.CN) ("Yintai") and Osino Resources Corp. (TSX:OSI.V) (NSX:OSN) (FSE:RSR1) ("Osino") are pleased to announce that they have entered into a binding arrangement agreement (the "Yintai Arrangement Agreement"), pursuant to which Yintai will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Osino (each, an "Osino Common Share") by way of a plan of arrangement (the "Yintai Arrangement"), for cash consideration of C$1.90 for each Osino Common Share, valuing Osino at approximately C$368 million. At closing of the Yintai Arrangement, Osino's portfolio will consist only of gold related assets located in Namibia, primarily the Twin Hills Gold Project in central Namibia as well as exploration projects Ondundu and Eureka.



Prior to entering into the Yintai Arrangement Agreement, Osino terminated its arrangement agreement with Dundee Precious Metals Inc. ("DPM"), dated December 17, 2023 (the "DPM Arrangement Agreement"), in accordance with its terms.

Transaction Highlights

Significant premium of approximately 32% to the implied value of the consideration pursuant to the DPM Arrangement Agreement 1

All-cash offer, providing value certainty and immediate liquidity to Osino shareholders

Highly credible and capable counterparty in Yintai US$5.6 billion market capitalization as a publicly traded company on the Shenzhen stock exchange Track record of successful M&A including the US$600 million acquisition of Canadian-listed Eldorado Gold Corporation's White Mountain (Jilin Banmiaozi) and Tanjianshan (Qinghai Dachaidan) Mines and Eastern Dragon (Heihe Yintai) Development Project in 2016 Significant support from its major shareholder, Shandong Gold ? with its own strong track record of international M&A

Immediate cash infusion for Osino of US$10 million for operations and working capital needs and the reimbursement in full of the termination fee paid to DPM

Chinese outbound investment approvals to be obtained in parallel with Namibian competition approval

Leverages Yintai's strong balance sheet and access to capital to fast-track development of Twin Hills



As referenced in its press release on February 19, 2024, Osino received a binding proposal from Yintai to acquire all of the issued and outstanding Osino Common Shares and notified DPM that this offer constituted a "Superior Proposal" in accordance with the terms of the DPM Arrangement Agreement. DPM notified Osino that it will not propose to amend the terms of the DPM Arrangement Agreement in light of the Yintai proposal and, as a result, Osino terminated the DPM Arrangement Agreement in accordance with its terms and entered into the Yintai Arrangement Agreement.

Based on the closing price of the DPM common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange as of February 16, 2024, the Superior Proposal represents a premium of approximately 32% to the implied value of the consideration offered pursuant to the DPM Arrangement Agreement and approximately 68% premium to the unaffected share price of the last trading day prior to announcement of the DPM Arrangement Agreement.

Yintai has also provided Osino with a loan comprising of approximately (i) US$10 million facility provided concurrently with the execution of the arrangement agreement to enable the continued, fast-tracked development of the Twin Hills gold project and to fund other liquidity needs of Osino and (ii) an amount equal to the termination fee paid by Osino following the termination of the DPM Arrangement Agreement (the "Yintai Facility").

Heye Daun, President and CEO of Osino, stated:

"Whilst we were appreciative of the previous offer from DPM, the all-cash offer from Yintai represents a significant premium to the DPM offer price, thus is clearly a superior proposal, and is an excellent outcome for Osino's shareholders. Yintai is experienced, well-financed, and has a highly credible track record of gold mining in China, with the technical skills and financial resources to progress the project through construction and into production. We look forward to working with Yintai to continue to fast-track the development of the project and close this transaction."

Xingong Ou, President of Yintai, stated:

"Twin Hills represents a unique opportunity to add a high-quality gold development asset to our portfolio in a stable and mining friendly jurisdiction. The project provides the foundation for our future production profile with production targeted for 2026, as well as significant exploration upside. We are excited to leverage the excellent work done by the Osino team in discovering and progressing Twin Hills to this point and we look forward to working with the existing Osino team to grow their Namibian activities and to implement the construction of the project. We are impressed with the responsible mining approach which the Osino team has built, and we intend to continue and to grow that approach."

Osino Board of Directors' and Special Committee Recommendations

After consultation with its financial and legal advisors, and on the unanimous recommendation of the special committee of independent directors (the "Special Committee"), the Osino Board unanimously determined that the Transaction is fair to Osino shareholders and is in the best interests of Osino and approved the Yintai Arrangement Agreement. Accordingly, the Osino Board and the Special Committee recommend that Osino shareholders vote IN FAVOUR of the Transaction.

The Osino Board and the Special Committee received fairness opinions from each of BMO Capital Markets and Eight Capital, which state that as of the date of such opinion and based upon and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set forth therein, the Consideration to be received by Osino shareholders, pursuant to the Transaction, is fair from a financial point of view to the Osino shareholders. Eight Capital was retained on a fixed-fee basis.

Transaction Conditions and Timing

The proposed transaction will be completed pursuant to a court approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). The transaction will be subject to the approval of Osino security holders, being: (i) 66 2/3% of the votes cast by shareholders, (ii) 66 2/3% of the votes cast by holders of incentive securities and warrants voting as a single class with shareholders; and (iii) a simple majority of shareholders excluding votes held by related parties under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ? Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions, at a special meeting of Osino securityholders.

The Yintai Arrangement Agreement provides for, among other things customary board support and non-solicitation covenants, with a "fiduciary out" that would allow Osino to accept a superior proposal, subject to a "right to match period" in favour of Yintai. The Yintai Arrangement Agreement also provides for a termination fee of US$9.55 million, payable by Osino to Yintai in certain specified circumstances along with the repayment or conversion of the loan. The Yintai Arrangement Agreement also includes a reverse termination fee in the amount of US$9.55 million, payable by Yintai to Osino in certain other specified circumstances.

Pursuant to the Yintai Arrangement Agreement, all outstanding Osino stock options, restricted share units, deferred share units and warrants which remain outstanding at the effective time of the Transaction, will be deemed to be exercised or settled, for their in-the-money value net of withholding taxes, as applicable, under the arrangement for Osino Shares, which will be exchanged for the Consideration.

Directors and officers of Osino have entered into voting support agreements pursuant to which they have agreed to vote their common shares in favour of the Yintai Arrangement.

Subject to certain conditions, including the parties obtaining the requisite regulatory approvals, the transaction is expected to close in H1 2024, subject to timing of the approvals under the Namibia Competition Act. Upon closing of the transaction, the Osino Shares are expected to be concurrently delisted.

Securityholder Meeting

As a result of Osino's termination of the DPM Arrangement Agreement, the special meeting of Osino securityholders previously scheduled for March 1, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. (Vancouver Time) at which securityholders were to consider the transactions contemplated by the DPM Arrangement Agreement will not proceed on that date and has been cancelled.

Osino expects to hold a new special meeting of securityholders as of a record date of March 15, 2024 on April 29, 2024, where securityholders will be asked to approve the transactions contemplated by the Yintai Arrangement Agreement.

Full details of the Yintai Arrangement will be included in a management information circular of Osino that is expected to be mailed to Osino's shareholders by early April, 2024.

Shareholders who have questions regarding the Yintai Arrangement should contact Osino's strategic shareholder advisor and proxy solicitation agent Laurel Hill Advisory Group at +1 (416) 637-4661, or by e-mail at [email protected].

Advisors and Counsel

BMO Capital Markets and Treadstone Resource Partners are acting as financial advisors to Osino and its Board of Directors and Eight Capital is acting as financial advisor to the special committee of the Board. Stikeman Elliott LLP and King & Wood Mallesons are acting as Osino's legal advisors.

Canaccord Genuity is acting as financial advisor to Yintai. DeHeng Law Offices and McCarthy Tetrault LLP are acting as Yintai's legal advisors.

About Osino Resources Corp.

Osino is a Canadian gold exploration and development company focused on the fast-tracked development of our wholly owned, Twin Hills Gold Project in central Namibia. Since its grassroots discovery by Osino in August 2019, Osino has completed more than 250,000m of drilling and has completed a suite of specialist technical studies culminating in the recently published Twin Hills Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") dated effective June 12, 2023. The DFS describes a technically simple and economically robust open-pit gold operation with a 13-year mine life and average annual gold production of over 162,000oz per annum.

Osino has a commanding ground position of over 8,000km2 located within Namibia's prospective Damara sedimentary mineral belt, mostly in proximity to and along strike of the producing Navachab and Otjikoto Gold Mines. Osino is actively exploring a range of gold prospects and targets along the belt by utilizing a portfolio approach geared towards discovery, targeting gold mineralization that fits the broad orogenic gold model.

Our projects are favourably located in central and northern Namibia and are within easy reach from Namibia's capital city, Windhoek. By virtue of its location, the Twin Hills project benefits significantly from Namibia's well-established infrastructure with paved highways, railway, power and water in close proximity. Namibia is mining-friendly and lauded as one of the continent's most politically and socially stable jurisdictions.

Qualified Person's Statement

David Underwood, BSc. (Hons) is Vice President Exploration of Osino and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release and is a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Pr. Sci. Nat. No.400323/11) and a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101 ? Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Further details are available on Osino's website at https://osinoresources.com and under Osino's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

About Yintai Gold Co., Ltd.

Yintai is a mining company publicly listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of US$5.6 billion as of February 23, 2024, as well as in excess of US$570 million in cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2023. Yintai conducts businesses in the mining and exploration of precious and non-ferrous metal.

Yintai owns 5 mining operations in China, including the Yulong lead, zinc and silver mine, the Heihe Yintai gold mine, the Jilin Banmiaozi gold mine, the Qinghai Dachaidan gold mine and the Mangshi Huasheng gold mine. In 2023, Yintai produced 225.4 Koz of gold, 6.2 Moz of silver, 9.5 Kt of lead and 16.5 Kt of zinc. The major ~29% shareholder of Yintai is Shandong Gold, the operator of multiple gold mines internationally including the ~7Moz Namdini Gold Project under construction in Ghana.

On Behalf of Osino's Board of Directors

Heye Daun, President and CEO

Contact Information

Osino Resources Corp.

Yaron Conforti

+1-604-687-2038

[email protected]

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements and information with respect to statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of Yintai and Osino with respect to future business activities and operating performance; the timing of mailing of the management information circular of Osino, the timing of the special meeting of securityholders and the timing of the completion of the transactions contemplated by the Yintai Arrangement Agreement. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although Osino has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in Osino's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis which is available on Osino's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. Osino does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

1 Based on the closing price of the DPM common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange as of February 16, 2024, the last trading day prior to the announcement of the Superior Proposal.





25 february 2024 at 17:00

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Huawei Cloud: Infrastructure of Choice for AI with 10 Systematic Innovations Unveiled in MWC Barcelona 2024





BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This year's Huawei Cloud Summit demonstrates how Huawei Cloud is the infrastructure of choice for AI applications. With the theme of "Accelerate Intelligence with Everything as a Service", the 500-strong event brought together executives and experts from diverse industries, such as carrier, finance, and Internet. Huawei Cloud presented 10 AI-oriented innovations and extensive industry expertise of Pangu models. The objective is an AI-ready infrastructure tailored to each industry for a faster journey towards intelligence.

Jacqueline Shi, President of Huawei Cloud Global Marketing and Sales Service, said in her speech: "Huawei Cloud is one of the fastest growing cloud service providers in the world. At Huawei Cloud, we're all about pushing boundaries and bringing cutting-edge tech to customers around the world. We have launched a series of local cloud Regions in recent years, such as in Ireland, Turkiye, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, giving customers easy access to the best-performing cloud. With over 120 security certifications worldwide, you can be sure your business and data are safe and sound. But it is not just about the tech. We believe in helping our partners grow alongside us, and this goal is now backed by our GoCloud and GrowCloud programs. And let's not forget AI ? it is reshaping everything, and we're at the forefront. We're building a solid cloud foundation for everyone, for every industry, to accelerate intelligence."

Today's foundation models redefine production, interaction, service paradigms, and business models for traditional applications. They make AI a new engine for the growth of cloud computing. While the potential is vast, implementing AI in line with business objectives requires systematic innovation. Huawei Cloud CTO Bruno Zhang said that "Huawei Cloud will help you with two strategies. AI for Cloud uses AI and foundation models to elevate your experience. They revolutionize software development, digital content production, and more. Cloud for AI makes AI adoption seamless and efficient. Architectural innovation, AI-native storage, and data-AI convergence empower you to train and use AI like never before."

At the Summit, Huawei Cloud unveiled ten AI-oriented innovations that make it the cloud infrastructure of choice for AI.

KooVerse: Huawei Cloud has 85 AZs in 30 Regions across over 170 countries and regions. This global cloud infrastructure covering compute, storage, networking, and security pushes latency down to 50 ms.

Distributed QingTian architecture: Foundation models require a 10-fold growth in demand for compute resources every 18 months, far surpassing Moore's Law. To address this challenge, this architecture evolved from the conventional primary/secondary one. Built on a high-speed interconnect bus (Unified Bus), QingTian surpasses the limitations in compute, storage, and networking for a top-class AI compute backbone with heterogeneous, peer-to-peer, full-mesh computing.

AI compute: Hyperscale and stable, AI Cloud Service supports trillion-parameter model training, and training jobs can run uninterrupted on a cluster over thousands of cards for 30 days, 90% of the time. Service downtime stays within 10 minutes. It provides over 100 Pangu model capability sets and 100 adapted open source large models out of the box.

AI-Native storage: Training models needs mountains of data, and Huawei Cloud handles this demand with a three-pronged approach: EMS memory service stores petabytes of parameters with 220 TB ultra-large bandwidth and ultra-low latency down to the microsecond; SFS Turbo cache service for high throughput and concurrency of tens of millions IOPS enables warm-up of 1 billion data records in just 5 hours, not 100; Object Storage Service (OBS) knowledge lake reduces 30% costs in storing training and inference data.

E2E security: The full lifecycle covers model runtime environments, training data, the models themselves, generated content, and applications. This ensures robust, secure, and compliant models and applications.

GaussDB: This next-generation database features high availability, security, performance, flexibility, and intelligence, as well as simple and smart deployment and migration. Specifically, its enterprise-class distributed architecture ensures high availability thanks to zero intra-city dual-cluster RPO, complete isolation of software and hardware faults, and zero service downtime. For security, it is certified CC EAL4+, the highest level in the industry. For automation, GaussDB enhances database migration, deployment, and migration as the world's first AI-native database.

Data-AI convergence: The explosion of foundation models means "Data+AI" is now "Data4AI and AI4Data". Huawei Cloud LakeFormation unifies data lake from multiple lakes or warehouses so one copy of data is shared among multiple data analytics engines and AI engines without data migration. Three collaborative pipelines ? DataArts, ModelArts, and CodeArts ? then orchestrate and schedule data and AI workflows. They drive online model training and inference with real-time data. The AI4Data engine makes data governance more intelligent, from data integration, development, to quality and asset management.

Media infrastructure: In this AIGC and 3D Internet era, Huawei Cloud has built a media infrastructure of efficiency, experience, and evolution. For efficiency, Huawei Cloud MetaStudio, the content production pipeline that include Workspace and AIGC-based virtual humans, generates content more quickly and better. For experience, Huawei Cloud Live, Low Latency Live, and SparkRTC empower more seamless interactions. For evolution, Huawei Cloud provides AIGC and 3D space services with real-time user interaction. All these combine to boost the business and user experience to the next level.

Landing Zone: Enterprises use and manage resources better on Huawei Cloud thanks to unified account, identity, permissions, network, compliance, and cost management. Now multi-tenancy and collaboration are seamless among personnel, finance, resources, permissions, and security compliance.

Flexible deployment: All mentioned Pangu model capabilities and services can work in public cloud, dedicated cloud, or hybrid cloud. For example, customers can build and run dedicated AI platform and foundation models in their existing data centers using Huawei Cloud Stack, a hybrid cloud solution.

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 is taking place in Barcelona from February 26 to 29. Huawei Cloud is set to collaborate with customers and partners to present a wide range of engaging topics. Additionally, innovative products and real-world cases covering Pangu models, GaussDB, data-AI convergence, virtual human, and software development will be showcased during the event.

SOURCE HUAWEI CLOUD

25 february 2024 at 19:12

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Sustainable Apparel Coalition Rebrands as Cascale





The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) enters a new phase of positive impact, rebranding as Cascale, a global nonprofit alliance that empowers collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Spanning over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, industry associations, and NGOs/nonprofits around the globe, Cascale's members are united by a singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than they take to the planet and its people. With members and "founding father" Rick Ridgeway, the organization will celebrate the change at a networking event in London on February 27.

"Cascale's vision reflects my mission to inspire responsible businesses that commit to transparency and benefit people and the planet," said Rick Ridgeway, author, adventurer, former vice president of sustainability and public engagement at Patagonia, and Cascale's co-founder. "Its enduring collaborative spirit and unwavering commitment to sustainability has delivered tremendous impact ? but we still have work to do, together. As Cascale evolves to address the needs of a broader scope of consumer goods beyond apparel and footwear, I'm proud to celebrate this new vision of an organization that is close to my heart."

The "Cas" in Cascale is "SAC" reversed, while "CA" refers to "collective action," and "scale" references scaled ambitions. The "C" in Cascale evokes a new "phase" similar to lunar cycles in nature, as well as moonlight or a mirrored reflection. The logo's elements symbolize the organization's three member categories, and external stakeholders, all critical players in advancing the unified strategy announced in September 2023. Cascale is pronounced "ksk e?l."

"Over the years, this organization has consistently demonstrated commitment to living out its values and embracing change for collective good," said Tamar Hoek, Cascale board chair and senior policy director at Solidaridad. "I am excited to continue my involvement as board chair at Cascale, alongside executives and staff, and work with members and partners in this exciting new chapter. This is the next evolution towards impact."

"Collaboration is at the heart of creating positive change in the industry," said Krishna Manda, Cascale vice chair and vice president, corporate sustainability at Lenzing Group. "Just as we've emphasized before, no single player can drive this alone. Cascale's impactful work has set the stage for a transformative journey. We are thrilled to continue supporting the organization in its next phase of development, building on the revised strategic plan. This is not just a transition; it's a shared evolution towards a healthier and greener future for everyone."

HISTORY & HIGG INDEX

In 2009, Walmart and Patagonia founded the SAC to convene apparel industry stakeholders on a pre-competitive basis and develop a common approach to measuring sustainability. In 2010, the SAC launched the Higg Index suite of tools, which are used by businesses and organizations to measure, evaluate, and improve social and environmental impact in the textile, apparel, and footwear industry. Each year, over 24,000 users rely on the Higg Index for improved benchmarking, reduced auditing, and proactive action. As home furnishings, sporting and outdoor goods, and bags and luggage companies began joining the SAC and using the Higg Index tools alongside existing corporate and non-corporate SAC members, the organization identified the need for a more expansive name: Cascale reflects its goal of scaling collective action. As of January 2024, 10 percent of Cascale's members serve or operate in product categories adjacent to apparel and footwear.

"At Dunelm, we remain as ambitious as ever about being a company that focuses on growing sustainably," said Christina Downend, head of climate change at Dunelm, a home furnishings retailer and Cascale candidate member. "This has meant combining long-term thinking with shorter-term, achievable, and measurable goals. The Cascale global community and Higg Index tools have helped us on that journey, not least as we develop initiatives such as our Better Manufacturing programme, where we are supporting and engaging our suppliers on their own transitions to net zero. Our goals cannot be met without collaboration and we are excited to be part of this community, to share knowledge and ideas so that we all make progress to fulfill our ambitions."

PROGRAMS

Cascale drives impact at scale through three foundational pillars ? Combat Climate Change, Decent Work for All, and Nature Positive Future ? forming a unified strategy for industry transformation through collective action programs that guide members from action to impact. The Decarbonization Program, launched in 2022, is one leading example of these programs in action: It aims for members to achieve a 45 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. As of 2023, Cascale's corporate members are required to set science-based targets (SBTs) for reducing GHG emissions; by the end of that year, when the organization launched the Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP), over 50 percent of these members had set or committed to set SBTs.

Cascale is now building and expanding impact programs focused on responsible corporate practices, circular product design, and responsible manufacturing, while advocating for effective policy that aims to leverage collective action, making systemic change not just possible but inevitable.

"We know that synergies exist across industries and regions. Building on our experience and success in bringing together different actors across global apparel and footwear value chains to create shared tools and solutions, now is the time to expand our reach and engage a wider membership base to drive collective action at scale," said Andrew Martin, executive vice president at Cascale. "Together, we are seeking to shape a consumer goods industry that gives back more than it takes to the planet and its people."

PARTNERSHIPS

Cascale continues to act on the belief that partnership is the new leadership. Traditional business models exacerbate rather than mitigate social and environmental problems; accepting the status quo is antithetical to the organization's mission. Cascale works collaboratively to shift the industry from silos to collective action: With the Apparel Alliance (Apparel Impact Institute, Textile Exchange, ZDHC Foundation, and Cascale), Social & Labor Convergence Program, Policy Hub, Fair Wear Foundation, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH programs, and many others, Cascale continuously develops and supports initiatives that aim to catalyze impact at scale. Following its spin-off from the SAC in 2019, Worldly, the exclusive platform for the Higg Index tools, has become the leader in environmental and social impact data for the apparel and footwear industry.

"Stakeholders across the value chain prioritize sustainability performance aimed at industry-wide harmonization, reduction of duplicative efforts, and radical collaboration for tool, program, and policy adoption," said Carolina van Loenen, director of stakeholder engagement at Cascale. "Our new name and branding reflect our expanded ability to increase our community's collective impact. Cascale remains committed to embracing the diverse perspectives of our members, partners, and external stakeholders to align on meaningful action."

Cascale's rebrand announcement video is viewable here.

ABOUT CASCALE

Cascale [www.cascale.org] is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Spanning over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe, we are united by a singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index and a unified strategy for industry transformation.

26 february 2024 at 00:05

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IMC Trading Invites Top STEM Students to Compete in Global Trading Challenge





Innovative competition mimics real-life trading on virtual island archipelago, with a $50,000 USD prize pool up for grabs

AMSTERDAM, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Global market maker IMC today announced the return of its unique market simulation challenge, Prosperity. 'The world's most innovative trading challenge', Prosperity invites STEM university students worldwide to put their trading skills to the test in a virtual tropical island archipelago.

Taking place from April 8-23, participants will take part in five trading rounds, where they will be tasked with a series of challenges designed to mimic many of the dynamics encountered in the trading industry. Players must compete alone or on a team to out-trade their competition, demonstrating positional and algorithmic trading skills and basic Python knowledge, in order to grow their island and put their team on the path to Prosperity.

"The launch of Prosperity in 2023 was a huge success. Students at more than 400 universities across 109 countries took part, with 94% of participants indicating they would now consider a career in trading," said Matthew Rose, Global Marketing Manager at IMC. "We're excited to invite new and previous participants to take part in round two of our fast-paced, creative competition, which features brand new challenges designed by some of our top traders. Reaching Prosperity will require participants to go beyond the obvious ? just like a career in trading at IMC."

At the end of the competition, the team that has earned the most profit in the island's official seashell currency will be named IMC Global Trading Talent of the Year and receive a cash prize of $25,000 USD. The remaining $25,000 prize money will be divided between participants placing 2nd to 25th in the rankings, as well as the Best Manual Trader.

Students currently enrolled at a university and studying a STEM subject can visit prosperity.imc.com to register for the challenge until April 8th. Players can compete solo or on a maximum five-person team. Once registered, participants will receive more information and be able to enter the dedicated Wiki and Discord server to meet fellow contestants, talk to IMC professionals and prepare for the challenge.

About IMC

IMC is a leading global market maker with more than three decades' experience and offices in Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific. IMC employs more than 1,600 talented individuals across offices in Amsterdam, Chicago, Sydney, Hong Kong, Seoul, New York, Zug, London and Mumbai. Their core business is to provide liquidity in financial assets on trading venues, and to deliver the best outcome in value and risk to investors. IMC engages in trading activities on its own account and employs state-of-the-art algorithms, statistical techniques, and innovative low latency technologies to execute their strategies.

SOURCE IMC

26 february 2024 at 07:00

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TECNO Unveils its Industry Bench-marking Multi-Skin Tone Color Card at MWC Barcelona 2024, Marking a Major Step-Forward in Mobile Portrait Inclusivity





BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovative technology brand TECNO officially announced its groundbreaking multi-skin tone color card at MWC Barcelona 2024. The multi-skin tone color card sets a new benchmark for multi-skin tone imaging with industry's largest and most accurate skin tone database. It will further assist TECNO Universal Tone technology's algorithm to adjust the accuracy of every skin tone in each capture, achieving greater mobile portrait inclusivity. Attendees at MWC Barcelona 2024 can experience this latest advancement of TECNO's Universal Tone technology in person at the brand's stand, 6B11, Hall 6, Fira Gran Via.

For too long, mobile portrait technology has been biased due to a lack of objective evaluation indicators and inspection standards for measuring multiple skin tones. To address this issue, TECNO's multi-skin tone color card utilized international standard skin color collection methods to collect 2,838 skin color spectral data points. Conducted rigorous analysis of skin color clustering, boundary colors and intermediate color division in CIELAB space, TECNO established 268 kinds of skin tone patches based on this large skin spectral database. The result of this innovation is the industry's largest and most intricate skin tone database yet.

TECNO's multi-skin tone color card will be used to assess the color accuracy of the different skin tone images that are captured and displayed, as well as fine-tune the algorithms of Universal Tone's multi-skin tone imaging technology, including skin color restoration algorithm and skin color improvement algorithm. This advancement allows TECNO to further improve the accuracy of every skin tone, providing an industry-leading validation standard for multi-skin tone imaging technology.

Dr. Kaida Xiao, Associate Professor in Colour and Imaging Science at University of Leeds, who advised TECNO during Universal Tone's development, notes how this development can be utilized to better enhance the images it captures, "For years, imaging technology has not encapsulated skin tone diversity. While AI promises much to overcome this, it is often trained with historically biased data. TECNO's multi-skin tone color card solves this issue scientifically by collecting mass amounts of unbiased data, and by integrating it with more advanced AI into TECNO's camera system, TECNO has been able to truly capture the beauty of diverse skin tones."

TECNO has partnered with many top global academics and influential institutions to explore the significance of inclusive portraiture. Last year, the company collaborated with BBC StoryWorks on the "Portrait for Everyone" short film, engaging professors in Colour and Imaging Science, Media Technology, and Psychological and Behavioral Science to discuss the societal impact of TECNO's Universal Tone technology, the industry's most advanced AI-powered multi-skin tone imaging technology yet. Moreover, through in-depth academic research, scientific analysis, and consultation with authoritative experts in the field, TECNO was able to determine how best to remove the technological and psychological barriers that negatively impact people's engagement with portraiture, allowing for a truly unbiased and professional photography experience through Universal Tone technology ? an approach that the multi-skin color card continues.

As a pioneer in developing a more inclusive smartphone industry, TECNO is committed to pursuing new technologies that ensure the beauty of human diversity is accurately captured. The newly released multi-skin tone color card represents a further step forward in Universal Tone's mission to ensure greater inclusivity in mobile imaging to embrace the uniqueness of every culture and to celebrate every form of beauty.

To find out more about TECNO Universal Tone technology, please visit: https://www.tecno-mobile.com/news/detail/#/1384

About TECNO

TECNO is an innovative technology brand with operations in over 70 countries and regions across five continents. Since its launch, TECNO has been revolutionizing the digital experience in emerging global markets, relentlessly pushing for the perfect integration of contemporary, aesthetic design with the latest technologies. Today, TECNO has developed into a recognized leader in its target markets, delivering state-of-the-art innovation through a wide range of smartphones, smart wearables, laptops and tablets, HiOS operating systems and smart home products. Guided by its brand essence of "Stop At Nothing", TECNO is committed to unlocking the best and newest technologies for forward-looking individuals. By creating stylish, intelligent products, TECNO inspires consumers worldwide to never stop pursuing their best selves and their best futures. For more information, please visit TECNO's official site: www.TECNO-mobile.com

SOURCE TECNO

26 february 2024 at 07:30

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ATHENS, Ga. (AP)  Students at two Georgia colleges grappled Monday with the killing of a nursing student killed in a violent act that Republicans including former President Donald Trump and Gov. Brian Kemp blamed on the immigration policies of President Joe Biden.

The killing of 22-year-old Laken Riley revived a theme  migrants committing violent crimes  that is animating the 2024 elections as Trump seeks a return to the White House. Trump famously launched his 2016 presidential bid with these words about Mexicans: Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.

The focus now is on migrants who have arrived in the country during the Biden administration, with Republicans blaming Biden for migrant flows even as Democrats attack Republicans for sinking proposed legislation that could have toughened border enforcement. That conflict is only likely to escalate this week with Biden and Trump planning dueling trips to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas on Thursday.

The man charged with murder in Rileys beating death, Jose Ibarra, is a Venezuelan citizen who immigration authorities say unlawfully crossed into the U.S. in September 2022.

Riley was a nursing student at Augusta University's Athens campus, after starting her college career at the much larger Athens campus of the University of Georgia. She was found dead Thursday after a roommate reported she didn't return from a morning run in a wooded area of the University of Georgia campus near its intramural fields.

Hundreds of students and faculty members gathered Monday afternoon for a vigil for Riley organized by her sorority sisters at the University of Georgia campus. Many people cried and members of Alpha Chi Omega held carnations, a symbol of the sorority.

Laken showed devotion with every aspect of her life, said Chloe Mullis, president of the University of Georgia chapter of Alpha Chi Omega. Doing things halfway just wasnt an option. We lost one of the brightest lights that has ever been.

Story continues

Dabney Duncan, president of the University of Georgia Panhellenic Council, urged people to speak up about possible dangers to prevent further losses, referring to Georgias bulldog mascot. We all carry that responsibility now to ensure that there is not one more dawg.

Rileys family planned a Friday visitation and Saturday funeral in Woodstock, Georgia, the suburb northwest of Atlanta where Riley graduated from high school.

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement says Ibarra, 26, was detained by the Border Patrol on Sept. 8, 2022, after entering from Mexico near El Paso, Texas. He was released for further processing, according to ICE. It's unclear if Ibarra applied for asylum.

According to ICE, Ibarra was arrested by New York police on Aug. 31 and charged with acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation. Ibarra was released before ICE could ask New York officials to hold him until immigration authorities could take him into custody, ICE said. New York officials said Sunday they had no record of the arrest.

Trump on Monday repeated a pledge to deport migrants if reelected, adding in a post on social media that Bidens Border INVASION is destroying our country and killing our citizens!

The White House expressed condolences to Riley's family and referred questions about the case to ICE and local law enforcement.

On Thursday, Biden will travel to Brownsville, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, an area that often sees large numbers of border crossings, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. Trump will go to Eagle Pass, Texas, according to three people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the plans.

Kemp told reporters after a breakfast speech on the university campus to the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce that we just have a nightmare in this country with mass migration.

That is a failure of our system on multiple levels and at multiple times and it has resulted in a young womans death," Kemp said during his speech. "That is inexcusable in any absence of any real effort by the Biden administration to step up and address this crisis, as they continue to ignore the calls for meaningful policy change that governors like me had made for well over two years.

Georgia Democratic Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler called the Republican response to Rileys death appalling, saying the GOP is to blame for scuttling a bill in Congress that would have toughened immigration enforcement.

Our border crisis continues because Donald Trump has convinced one party that the only thing that matters is putting Donald Trump first no matter the cost, Butler said in a speech on the state Senate floor.

Another Democrat, state Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes, said the characterization of migrants as criminals and thugs following Rileys death was xenophobic. As Georgia mourns the life of Laken Riley, we must not succumb to tribalism and bigotry, she said.

Kemp, who is the vice chair of the Republican Governors Association has been emphasizing immigration, saying earlier this month that he would more Georgia National Guard soldiers to aid Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbotts effort to control illegal crossings on the U.S.-Mexico border. Georgia's Republican-led legislature passed sharply partisan resolutions condemning Biden's border policy just before Kemp's announcement.

Kemps emphasis on immigration could help mobilize Republican voters in Georgia, the Souths foremost swing state. That could aid Kemp if he has future ambitions, such as running for U.S. Senate or president. It would also effectively support Trump even though Kemp continues to be cool toward Trumps renomination after Trump tried and failed to derail Kemps 2022 reelection.

___

Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta contributed

Jeff Amy And Sharon Johnson, The Associated Press
GE Vernova and Dragos Team Up to Protect Electric Grids from Cyber Threats





GE Vernova's Grid Solutions business (NYSE: GE) and Dragos Inc. today announced a technology partnership to offer holistic cybersecurity solutions by combining their respective expertise in grid automation and operational technology (OT) cybersecurity. Through this partnership, GE Vernova's Grid Solutions business will provide its global grid automation customers with Dragos' cybersecurity solutions such as the Dragos Platform, Dragos Worldview threat intelligence, and incident response services, aiming to provide a holistic approach to safeguarding their critical infrastructure and other OT environments.

This initiative is set to enhance the defense mechanisms of the electric grid by providing comprehensive OT cybersecurity solutions developed from both companies' extensive experience in the field. As part of this agreement, both companies will collaborate on product and technology integrations to offer more advanced functionalities, including:

Comprehensive Asset Visibility: The Dragos Platform, combined with GE Vernova's grid automation technology, will offer unparalleled visibility into OT assets within various industrial energy environments. This will enable organizations to strengthen their OT environment from future cyber-attacks by being able to inventory and monitor assets, track vulnerabilities, and use network monitoring to investigate issues and incidents.

Proactive Threat Detection: Dragos' OT threat intelligence, combined with its real-time monitoring system, will provide cutting-edge threat detection and monitoring capabilities. This will help GE Vernova's customers identify and mitigate potential risks before they impact operations within critical national infrastructure.

Rapid Incident Response: By combining Dragos' incident response expertise with cybersecurity offerings, critical infrastructure providers will be able to respond swiftly and effectively to minimize downtime and maintain operational continuity.

Global Threat Intelligence: Leveraging Dragos Threat Intelligence, backed by the industry's largest team of OT cybersecurity experts, GE Vernova will be able to offer its customers visibility into adversary threats, malware, and vulnerabilities impacting industrial sectors.

"We're dedicated to providing cybersecurity products, solutions, and services that help our customers protect their digital substations and other OT environments from cyber threats," said Claudia Cosoreanu, Grid Automation Chief Technology Officer at GE Vernova's Grid Solutions Business. "Our partnership with Dragos combines decades of industry-leading expertise in industrial cybersecurity and grid solutions, empowering our customers to defend against cyber threats and strengthen their cybersecurity posture."

Furthermore, GE Vernova's Grid Solutions brings decades of expertise in grid automation, offering advanced technologies and solutions to optimize grid performance, enhance reliability and resilience, and facilitate the seamless integration of renewable energy sources. With a proven track record in delivering innovative grid solutions globally, GE Vernova's expertise complements Dragos' market leading OT cybersecurity offerings, providing a comprehensive solution for protecting critical infrastructure.

"We are thrilled to partner with the new GE Vernova group to bring our combined OT cybersecurity and grid automation experience to GE Vernova Grid Automation customers," said Matthew Cowell, Vice President of Business Development, Dragos, Inc. "These combined offerings bring energy organizations better threat detection, intelligence, and resiliency in the face of cyber threats."

For more information on the combined OT cybersecurity solutions from Dragos and GE Vernova, visit their website.

About GE Vernova

GE Vernova is a planned, purpose-built global energy company that includes Power, Wind, and Electrification segments and is supported by its accelerator businesses of Advanced Research, Consulting Services, and Financial Services. Building on over 130 years of experience tackling the world's challenges, GE Vernova is uniquely positioned to help lead the energy transition by continuing to electrify the world while simultaneously working to decarbonize it. GE Vernova helps customers power economies and deliver electricity that is vital to health, safety, security, and improved quality of life. GE Vernova is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., with more than 80,000 employees across 140+ countries around the world. GE Vernova's Grid Solutions business electrifies the world with advanced grid technologies and systems, enabling power transmission and distribution from the point of generation to point of consumption, and supporting a decarbonized and secured energy transition.

GE Vernova's mission is embedded in its name ? it retains its legacy, "GE," as an enduring and hard-earned badge of quality and ingenuity. "Ver" / "verde" signal Earth's verdant and lush ecosystems. "Nova," from the Latin "novus," nods to a new, innovative era of lower carbon energy. Supported by the Company Purpose, The Energy to Change the World, GE Vernova will help deliver a more affordable, reliable, sustainable, and secure energy future. Learn more: GE Vernova and LinkedIn.

About Dragos, Inc.

Dragos has a global mission to safeguard civilization from those trying to disrupt the industrial infrastructure we depend on every day. The Dragos Platform offers the most effective industrial cybersecurity technology, giving customers visibility into their ICS/OT assets, vulnerabilities, threats, and response actions. The strength behind the Dragos Platform comes from our ability to codify Dragos's industry-leading OT threat intelligence, and insights from the Dragos services team, into the software. Our community-focused approach gives you access to the largest array of industrial organizations participating in collective defense, with the broadest visibility available.

Our solutions protect organizations across a range of industries, including electric, oil & gas, manufacturing, building automation systems, chemical, government, water, food & beverage, mining, transportation, and pharmaceutical. Dragos is privately held and headquartered in the Washington, DC area with regional presence around the world, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the Middle East. Learn more: Dragos, Inc and Linkedin

26 february 2024 at 14:15

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Wolters Kluwer executive joins The Wall Street Journal CEO Council and Accounting Today's Top 100





Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting (TAA) today announced that Jason Marx, CEO of Wolters Kluwer TAA, has joined the prestigious Wall Street Journal (WSJ) CEO Council, an exclusive group of the world's top business leaders who connect to discuss issues that shape the future of business, and drive the next era of industry, policy, and global economy. Marx has also been named in Accounting Today's widely followed "Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting" list for the 11th year in a row.

The WSJ CEO Council is an invitation-only group of the world's leading CEOs and global business leaders who lead companies that collectively employ more than 14.5 million people, generate more than $4.36 trillion in annual revenue and represent 37 countries in a wide cross-section of industries.

"It is an honor to join the WSJ CEO Council, and I look forward to exchanging ideas and insights with this group of incredible change-makers," said Marx. "I am also humbled to have been named to the Accounting Today's ?Top 100' list for the 11th year in a row. It is a privilege to be named among so many notable leaders in the world of accounting ? and business at large."

Accounting Today's ?Top 100' peer selected list identifies the thought leaders, change-makers, regulators, and others who are shaping the profession.

"With his company's solutions literally in the hands and on the desktops of tens of thousands of accountants on a daily basis, it's hard to doubt Marx's influence ? and he maintains it by constantly innovating new tools to help firms solve complex and constantly changing problems, both internally and for their clients," wrote Danielle Lee, Managing Editor, Accounting Today.

To see the full list, download the Accounting Today Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting.

Wolters Kluwer TAA enables tax and accounting professionals and businesses of all sizes to drive productivity, navigate change, and deliver better outcomes.

About Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer (EURONEXT: WKL) is a global leader in information, software solutions and services for professionals in healthcare; tax and accounting; financial and corporate compliance; legal and regulatory; corporate performance and ESG. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2023 annual revenues of ?5.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 21,400 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

For more information, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.

26 february 2024 at 08:10

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Canadian entrepreneurs think AI will save $2,600 and 260 hours of work annually, GoDaddy survey reveals





GoDaddy Airotm uses AI to help small business owners save time and money and attract new customers

New survey from GoDaddy has revealed that despite most Canadian entrepreneurs believing that AI can save them time and money, only one in five have used it for business tasks.

On average, small business owners expect to save $2,600 and 260 hours each year using AI.

and 260 hours each year using AI. GoDaddy Airotm aims to make using generative AI easy and fast for busy small business owners

TORONTO, Feb. 26, 2024 /CNW/ -- Millions of Canadian entrepreneurs are potentially missing out on saving time and money by not harnessing AI for their businesses, according to a new survey by GoDaddy.

The research, conducted among more than 500 Canadian small business owners, found that just one in five has used generative AI for business-related tasks, despite most expecting AI to help reduce costs and hours worked. The average Canadian small business owner estimates that generative AI tools could save them $2,600 and around 260 hours per year, while one in four believe the technology can reduce their workload by 500 hours or more annually.

GoDaddy's data shows that a lack of confidence in applying generative AI to business tasks is the main barrier to more widespread use among entrepreneurs.

Almost 3 out of 5 (62%) believe that generative AI could help them run and grow their business

Half (50%) admit they don't know how to start using generative AI, citing a lack of easy-to-use solutions for small business owners

Three in five (61%) survey respondents have used AI for personal tasks, demonstrating enthusiasm for the technology

The Right Solution for Any Canadian Small Businesses

To help new and existing small businesses easily take advantage of generative AI, GoDaddy just launched GoDaddy Airotm in Canada and the U.S. an AI-powered solution designed to help them save time and attract new customers.

If someone has an inkling of an idea, GoDaddy Airotm can recommend catchy domain name options with just a description of their business. Seconds after registering a domain, GoDaddy Airotm instantly starts generating content for the business, including:

Unique, eye-catching logo designs that can be easily customized to fit the business.

A fully built website with imagery and content designed to help the business engage and attract customers.

A professional email account that strengthens the credibility and prestige of the business.

By simply uploading a product photo, an auto-generated custom product description is created for an online store.

If a new or existing business wants to grow, it can quickly get plans and recommendations through GoDaddy Airotm features in seconds, including:

Comprehensive email marketing campaigns with suggested content and imagery.

Social media calendar with recommendations of when to ideally post.

Compelling social media and search engine ads to bring traffic to the business's website.

"Canadian small business owners understand the potentially transformative power of generative AI, yet half of them lack the confidence or knowledge to apply it to their ventures," said Young Lee, head of GoDaddy Canada. "That's about to change."

Ways to Learn More

See everything GoDaddy is doing when it comes to generative AI by visiting: https://www.godaddy.com/en-ca/offers/airo

Small businesses interested in more information can learn from and interact live with Laka Sriram, GoDaddy VP of AI and the leader of design and development of GoDaddy Airotm, during an upcoming Livestream Q&A.

About the Survey

An online survey was conducted between January 15 and 22, 2024, using an online business panel. Small Business (100 employees and under) owners, Side Hustle entrepreneurs, and Solopreneurs (one individual) were among the 504 total respondents in Canada who participated in the survey.

About GoDaddy

GoDaddy helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start, grow, and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers, sell their products and services, and accept payments online and in-person. GoDaddy's easy-to-use tools help microbusiness owners manage everything in one place and its expert guides are available to provide assistance 24/7. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

SOURCE GoDaddy Inc.

SOURCE GoDaddy

26 february 2024 at 09:36

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Group-IB Earns Frost & Sullivan's 2024 Competitive Strategy Leadership Award for Pioneering a Decentralized Approach in the External Risk Mitigation and Management Industry





Group-IB has been at the forefront of the global fight against cybercrime with its unique geo-distributed team model and tailored cyber-fraud framework that offer unparalleled localized cybersecurity services and threat intelligence

SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan recently researched the external risk mitigation and management (ERMM) industry and, based on its findings, recognizes Group-IB with the 2024 Global Competitive Strategy Leadership Award. Group-IB delivers advanced threat intelligence, robust external risk mitigation, and comprehensive fraud protection solutions, among its wide portfolio of proprietary cybersecurity technologies, that address emerging digital threats and help businesses fight cybercrime.

Group-IB sets itself apart in the market with substantial investments in research and development (R&D), agile development processes, a superior customer-focused approach, highly flexible pricing options, and tailored products and services to meet the unique needs of each organization. The company's geo-distributed Digital Crime Resistance Center (DCRC) model and its customized ecosystem of innovative cybersecurity, anti-fraud and digital risk protection technologies, complemented by its wide service offering including high-tech crime investigations, incident response, and audits, ensuring its clients are equipped with cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions to protect their organizations from the latest threats.

Additionally, with its extensive portfolio and large client base of over 800 customers, Group-IB is positioned as a comprehensive solution provider in the ERMM industry. The company's core strength, however, lies in its dynamic approach to cybersecurity and client relationships. Group-IB's forward-thinking strategies and ability to offer tailor-made solutions have contributed to the company's reputation as a reliable and highly trusted partner in the industry.

"Thanks to its ability to foster strong relationships with its clients, Group-IB has become one of the leading global ERMM vendors and positioned itself to consistently adapt to the ever-changing threat landscape," said Martin Naydenov, Senior Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

An innovative, geo-distributed team model is one of the key factors in Group-IB's success. This unique approach allows the company to have a global presence, with teams strategically positioned in various regions worldwide, gathering, monitoring and analyzing cyber-threat data in real time. Group-IB currently has DCRCs in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Europe, and Central Asia, staffed with highly-experienced researchers who are tasked with investigating cybercrimes, responding to incidents, monitoring local threats, and assessing regional trends. This distribution ensures that Group-IB has a deep understanding of local cybersecurity challenges and trends, enabling the company to provide highly specialized threat intelligence and customer support. The company plans to further expand its global DCRC network over the coming years.

Furthermore, Group-IB regularly monitors market trends by collecting direct feedback from multiple stakeholders, allowing the company to gain valuable industry insights and identify potential business opportunities. As a result, Group-IB differentiates itself from its closest competitors based on its ability to offer region-specific data and solutions, making it a go-to partner for organizations worldwide.

"Group-IB's geo-distributed team model allows it to have eyes and ears in all regions, providing a level of threat intel and tailored customer support that few cybersecurity vendors can replicate," noted Naydenov.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has leveraged competitive intelligence to execute a strategy successfully that results in stronger market share, competitive brand positioning, and customer satisfaction.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in various regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

Check out Group-IB's landing page: https://www.group-ib.com/resources/research-hub/frost-sullivan-competitive-strategy-leadership-award/

About Frost & Sullivan

For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion .

Contact:

Ashley Weinkauf

P: 210-844-2505

E: [email protected]

About Group-IB

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Singapore, Group-IB is a leading creator of cybersecurity technologies to investigate, prevent, and fight digital crime. Combating cybercrime is in the company's DNA, shaping its technological capabilities to defend businesses, citizens, and support law enforcement operations.

In November 2023, Group-IB celebrated the 20th anniversary of its founding with a range of exciting events marking the company's global growth and significant contribution to international law-enforcement efforts aimed at stamping out cybercrime.

Group-IB's Digital Crime Resistance Centers (DCRCs) are located in the Middle East, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Central Asia to help critically analyze and promptly mitigate regional and country-specific threats. These mission-critical units help Group-IB strengthen its contribution to global cybercrime prevention and continually expand its threat-hunting capabilities.

Group-IB's decentralized and autonomous operational structure helps it offer tailored, comprehensive support services with a high level of expertise. We map and mitigate adversaries' tactics in each region, delivering customized cybersecurity solutions tailored to risk profiles and requirements of various industries, including retail, healthcare, gaming, financial services, manufacturing, critical services, and more.

The company's global security leaders work in synergy with some of the industry's most advanced technologies to offer detection and response capabilities that eliminate cyber disruptions agilely.

Group-IB's Unified Risk Platform (URP) underpins its conviction to build a secure and trusted cyber environment by utilizing intelligence-driven technology and agile expertise that completely detects and defends against all nuances of digital crime. The platform proactively protects organizations' critical infrastructure from sophisticated attacks while continuously analyzing potentially dangerous behavior all over their network.

The comprehensive suite includes the world's most trusted Threat Intelligence, The most complete Fraud Protection, AI-powered Digital Risk Protection, Multi-layered protection with Managed Extended Detection and Response (XDR), All-infrastructure Business Email Protection, and External Attack Surface Management.

Furthermore, Group-IB's full-cycle incident response and investigation capabilities have consistently elevated industry standards. This includes the 70,000+ hours of cybersecurity incident response completed by our sector-leading DFIR Laboratory, more than 1,400 successful investigations completed by the High-Tech Crime Investigations Department, and round-the-clock efforts of CERT-GIB.

Being an active partner in global investigations, Group-IB collaborates with international law enforcement organizations such as INTERPOL and EUROPOL to create a safer cyberspace. Group-IB is also a member of the Europol European Cybercrime Centre's (EC3) Advisory Group on Internet Security, which was created to foster closer cooperation between Europol and its leading non-law enforcement partners.

Contact:

Group-IB PR team

P: +65 3159-3798

E: [email protected]

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2345908/Group_IB_Award.jpg

26 february 2024 at 10:00

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Mapbox Unveils Digital Twin in Partnership with Snowflake and Maxar to Revolutionize Telecom Visualization





BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mapbox, the leading location data platform for mobile and web applications, today announced a partnership with Snowflake, the Data Cloud company , and Maxar Intelligence , aimed at delivering a cutting-edge digital twin solution for the telecommunications industry. This collaboration leverages Snowflake's geospatial capabilities and Maxar's high-resolution 3D terrain and satellite imagery, combined with Mapbox's powerful rendering capabilities to provide telecom organizations with a visual representation of their cellular coverage at an unprecedented level of precision.

The telecom market is evolving rapidly, and Mapbox's digital twin solution in partnership with Snowflake and Maxar represents a significant leap forward in addressing the challenges faced by telecom companies. With this integrated offering, telecom organizations can obtain hyper-precise insights into cellular coverage, enabling them to make informed decisions related to coverage, outages, maintenance, and new infrastructure.

"Collaborating with Snowflake and Maxar to introduce a digital twin solution provides an opportunity for leaders in business, geospatial, and location intelligence to redefine how telecom organizations visualize and analyze their networks," said Garrett Miller, Global Vice President of Customer Engagement at Mapbox. "By harnessing the power of Mapbox's platform, telecom companies can gain actionable insights into network performance metrics, identify areas for infrastructure improvement, and make informed decisions to meet the evolving demands of their customers."

The digital twin solution consists of a base layer of ultra-high precision coverage raster datasets used for downstream business intelligence visualization and analysis. Mapbox is uniquely positioned to deliver this capability with its raster data pipeline capabilities and superior rendering engine that can performantly handle enormous datasets at scale.

"The AI-enhanced digital twin is aimed at aiding various telecom use cases such as network planning, outage mapping, and optimizing network operations," said Fawad Qureshi, Industry Field CTO at Snowflake. "Mapbox is a key partner within the Snowflake Telecom Data Cloud, and together, we are empowering telecom organizations with a robust toolset, to improve processes and foster innovation through data-driven decision-making."

"Maxar is excited to be part of this transformative partnership with Snowflake and Mapbox. Our Precision3D Telco Suite provides the telecom industry with high-resolution details, such as 3D buildings, foliage and elevations of Earth's surface, on a regional, national and global scale. Combining this dataset with Mapbox's platform and Snowflake's data layers will revolutionize decision-making processes," said Paul Granito, General Manager, Enterprise at Maxar.

The digital twin basemap combined with ultra-high-resolution raster coverage data informs better decision-making related to coverage, outages, maintenance, and new infrastructure. Organizations can access an unprecedented level of cellular coverage insights with hyper-precise telecom data rendered onto HD terrain and imagery. Visit the Mapbox site and fill out the form to show interest and receive updates about the digital twin.

Join Mapbox at Mobile World Congress 2024

Learn more about the digital twin solution and how it can revolutionize telecom coverage decision-making. Mapbox will introduce the solution during their talk at Mobile World Congress 2024 on Wednesday at Snowflake's booth in Hall 5.

ABOUT MAPBOX

Mapbox is the technology underpinning location-aware businesses and applications. Mapbox equips organizations with AI-enhanced tools and data to power navigation for people, packages, and vehicles everywhere. More than 4 million registered developers and nearly 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies have chosen Mapbox because of the platform's flexibility, security, and privacy compliance. Organizations use Mapbox applications, data, SDKs, and APIs to create customized and immersive experiences that delight their customers.

For more information, visit www.mapbox.com .

SOURCE Mapbox

26 february 2024 at 12:21

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ACI: Time to Unravel "Deliberate Deception" on Banning Detergent Pods





The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) is addressing misinformation in a corporate marketing and advocacy campaign against laundry and dishwashing detergent pods containing polyvinyl alcohol film (PVA/PVOH), the subject of an effort in New York City to ban the products.

"The propaganda campaign launched by the company Blueland is simply deliberate deception," said Brian Sansoni, ACI Senior Vice President of Communications, Outreach and Membership. "Campy marketing stunts can't cover up the shoddy use of science and blatant efforts to scare consumers and misinform policymakers."

A New York City Council member recently introduced a bill that would ban the sale of detergents containing PVA/PVOH, a water-soluble polymer encapsulating a single dose of a product. Blueland is supporting the bill through misleading claims about PVA/PVOH safety and biodegradability, claims that were previously rebuffed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In 2023, EPA thoroughly rejected Blueland's petition to restrict the use of PVA/PVOH films in detergent products at the federal level and reaffirmed the chemistry's Safer Choice status and place on the agency's Safer Chemical Ingredients List. The Agency also stated that there is "no evidence of toxicity or bioaccumulation potential for the soluble form of PVA used in detergent pods and sheets."

The EPA was also critical of Blueland's failure "to acknowledge the nature and extent of existing data" supporting the safe use of polyvinyl alcohol and that it has been extensively evaluated for decades by regulatory bodies around the world, including the Food and Drug Administration, for use in food and medicine.

ACI's website provides consumers with science-based evidence on the safety and biodegradability of PVA/PVOH used in detergents, including a rebuttal of claims such as those made by Blueland.

Blueland claims these products produce microplastics, but the research that they cite does not distinguish the water-soluble PVA/PVOH found in detergents from non-soluble grades used for different products in other industries.

"Science is on our side when it comes to the use of PVA for laundry and dishwasher pods," said Dr. G. Allen Burton, University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability and Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Co-Editor-In-Chief of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry and Past President of the Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). "Detergent films are made of a very specific type of PVA, chosen for its ability to readily dissolve and degrade. Generalizing that all PVAs are bad, toxic and not degrading is simply false and does not allow policymakers to make well-informed decisions."

"The American Cleaning Institute and the cleaning product industry are dedicated to providing innovative and effective products that are backed by sound science," added ACI's Brian Sansoni. "The development of water-soluble films and detergent pods is a prime example of the industry's success in providing products that not only deliver a powerful clean but also allow customers to have a variety of sustainable product options."

ACI believes in providing all consumers effective product options that not only meet their cleaning needs but can also be trusted to be safe, for their health and the health of the environment. There are more than 50 years of published science that supports the safety and efficacy of PVA used in laundry and detergent pods. The compact nature of the highly concentrated pods results in reduced shipping costs and ultimately, a lower carbon footprint.

Millions of Americans utilize detergent pods every single day due to their convenience and efficiency, as well as allowing a more sustainable option for the environment. ACI is urging policymakers to review the scientific evidence and reject the misleading statements made by Blueland.

The American Cleaning Institute (ACI ? www.cleaninginstitute.org) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry and represents the $60 billion U.S. cleaning product supply chain. ACI members include the manufacturers and formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and chemical distributors. ACI serves the growth and innovation of the U.S. cleaning products industry by advancing the health and quality of life of people and protecting our planet. ACI achieves this through a continuous commitment to sound science and being a credible voice for the cleaning products industry.

26 february 2024 at 12:30

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German officials will investigate how Berlin film festival winners made "one-sided" comments condemning Israel's war in Gaza at the awards gala, a government spokesperson said on Monday, February 26.

At Saturday's ceremony, several winners were accused of making anti-Semitic remarks on stage in relation to Israel's military assault, which began after an attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

US filmmaker Ben Russell, wearing a Palestinian scarf, accused Israel of committing "genocide" with its bombardment of the densely populated Gaza Strip. Palestinian filmmaker Basel Adra said the Palestinian population was being "massacred" by Israel, to applause from the audience.

Read more Subscribers only At the Berlinale, politics take center stage at the opening ceremony

"It is unacceptable that... the terrorist attack by Hamas on 7 October was not mentioned," government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann told reporters in Berlin on Monday. Chancellor Olaf Scholz "agrees that such a one-sided stance cannot be allowed to stand," Hoffmann said. "In any debate on this topic, it is of course important to keep in mind the event that triggered this renewed escalation of the Middle East conflict  namely the Hamas attack on 7 October," she said.

Culture Minister Claudia Roth and Berlin's mayor Kai Wegner have also found themselves in hot water over the ceremony. A report in top tabloid Bild carried a picture it said showed the pair applauding Adra's remarks. On Sunday after the ceremony, Wegner posted on social media that the anti-Israel remarks were "unacceptable", adding that "there is no place for anti-Semitism in Berlin."

Hoffmann said Wegner and the culture minister would review the incidents and hold talks with the festival's incoming director to ensure such incidents did not happen in the future.

'Understand the outrage'

Germany, influenced by its own World War II history when millions of Jews were killed by the Nazis, has steadfastly backed Israel following the October 7 attack. The Hamas assault killed 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) tally of official Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 29,782 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The festival, known as the Berlinale, receives substantial government funding. Asked whether the funding would now be reviewed, Hoffmann said the focus was on ensuring such incidents were not repeated.

After the controversy erupted, the film festival issued a statement Sunday saying that winners' remarks were "independent, individual opinions (which) in no way reflect the position of the festival." But, it added, "We understand the outrage, and that the statements of some of the award winners were perceived as too one-sided."

Organizers also said the Berlinale's Panorama Instagram account was briefly hacked on Sunday to display anti-Semitic posts about the war in the Middle East. "The posts were deleted immediately," organizers said Monday, adding that the Berlinale had "filed criminal charges against unknown persons" over the incident.
An Australian helicopter pilot and two local contractors who had earlier been kidnapped in Papua New Guinea's highlands have been freed unharmed, police and an aviation company spokesman said on Monday, February 26.

The pilot and two others  believed to be local sub-contractors  were taken on Monday afternoon near Mount Sisa in central Hela Province while working at a remote telecommunications tower, but were now free, "safe and unharmed", police said.

Last week more than 50 bodies were found by the side of a road  the result of clashes between rival clans. Papua New Guinea's restive highlands have in recent years been hit by a spate of kidnappings and tribal violence that has killed hundreds.

Read more Subscribers only Papua New Guinea's tribal wars see bows and arrows give way to drones and firearms

Prime Minister James Marape told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the Australian "High Commissioner has been informed on this matter." He said police and the defence force were moving into the area.

In 2023, a New Zealand archaeologist and two others were taken hostage at gunpoint at a location near this most recent incident. They were released  traumatised but seemingly physically unharmed  after a tense week of negotiations between police and kidnappers who initially demanded a ransom of $1 million  an enormous sum in one of the Pacific's poorest nations.

The government has come under fierce pressure to boost security resources in the area and tackle growing lawlessness. "I want to inform all that crime does not pay, it ultimately leads to arrest or deaths of criminals so appreciate locals who are assisting police as we speak," Marape said.

Read more Subscribers only France seeks greater influence in the Indo-Pacific region
A French journalist has been arrested and detained in Ethiopia since February 22 on suspicions of conspiring "to create chaos" in the country, his employer announced on Monday, February 26. Antoine Galindo had travelled to Ethiopia to cover the African Union summit earlier this month for the specialist publication Africa Intelligence.

Following his arrest on Thursday, he was brought before a judge on Saturday, who ordered his detention be extended until March 1, Africa Intelligence said, condemning the "unjustified" arrest. "These spurious accusations are not based on any tangible evidence that might justify this extended deprivation of liberty," it said, pointing out that Galindo had informed the Ethiopian authorities of his assignment and had a visa authorising him to work there as a journalist.

The 36-year-old journalist, who heads the publication's East Africa section, lived in Ethiopia between 2013 and 2017 and was "known to the Ethiopia Media Authority," which oversees media accreditations in the country. He has been held since Thursday afternoon at a police station in Ethiopia's capital, the publication said, calling for his immediate release.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday that it was "outraged that a journalist on a legitimate reporting trip is targeted in this way." Galindo's "unjust arrest highlights the atrocious environment for the press in general in Ethiopia," the CPJ's Africa branch said on its website.

According to media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, as of January 1 this year, 15 journalists were in prison in Ethiopia. In 2023, Ethiopia ranked 130th in the world in terms of press freedom, down 16 places compared to 2022, according to the NGO.

Ethiopia has expelled several foreign journalists since the end of 2020. "The surge in abuses against journalists seen since the start of the war in Tigray in November 2020 is not abating. Several journalists have been killed under unclear circumstances," Reporters Without Borders said. "Hostility towards foreign media was seen again in early 2023, when the authorities suspended around 15 foreign TV channels for allegedly operating without a licence," it added.

Prior to Galindo's detention, Ethiopian authorities had not arrested a foreign journalist in more than three years. In July 2020, a Kenyan journalist was detained for more than a month in Addis Ababa, despite an Ethiopian court ordering his release on bail.
Guinea's capital came to a standstill Monday, February 26, on the first day of an open-ended general strike in a key test for the junta that seized power in 2021 and banned demonstrations while muzzling critics. A confederation of the main unions has urged public and private sectors to strike for the release of a prominent media activist, lower food prices, and an end to media censorship. Schools, shops, markets and roads were empty early Monday in Conakry and hospitals only offered skeletal services as youths set up barricades on arterial thoroughfares.

The strike comes a week after the military junta unexpectedly dissolved the transitional government  which had been in office since July 2022  without providing a reason. The junta also ordered government members' passports to be seized and their bank accounts frozen. Police kept a low-profile presence in the seaside capital on Monday.

Journalists have been at the forefront of protests against media censorship. Television channels have been removed and radio frequencies disrupted in a crackdown on media outlets.

The unions have called for the immediate and unconditional release of Sekou Jamal Pendessa, secretary general of the Union of Press Professionals of Guinea (SPPG), who was arrested at the end of January for "participating in an unauthorized protest." Pendessa was sentenced Friday for six months in prison, three of which were suspended.

Internet restrictions imposed three months ago were lifted last week, a day after the unions announced plans for the strike. The resumption of internet access surprised many in Guinea and sparked a flurry of social media comments.

Rare protests

Protests have become rare under junta leader General Mamady Doumbouya, who took power in a September 2021 coup. General Doumbouya has not spoken publicly since the start of the year, despite a deadly explosion at the country's main oil depot in December paralyzing Guinea for several weeks.

The military leaders banned all demonstrations in 2022 and have arrested a number of opposition leaders, civil society members and the press. Under international pressure, the junta has promised to hand the reins of government back to elected civilians by the end of 2024, but the opposition has accused it of authoritarian drift.
Google Maps fail led to grueling trek through wilderness, say tourists. Anadolu/Getty Images

Two tourists said Google Maps mistakenly guided them into the Australian wilderness.

The German pair told 9News it took them more than a week to find their way out.

A spokesperson for Google said the path has been removed from the map.

A pair of German tourists say Google Maps mistakenly led them into the Australian wilderness, resulting in a grueling ordeal that lasted for several days.

Philipp Maier and Marcel Schoene were attempting to drive from the Australian city of Cairns to Bamaga when they followed Google's navigation system onto a dirt track leading to a remote part of Far North Queensland, Australian outlet 9News reported.

"We decided, 'OK, let's follow Google Maps because Google Maps knows maybe more than we know'," Maier the outlet.

The car got bogged in mud 37 miles into the drive, forcing the pair to spend more than a week hiking back to Cairns.

The tourists told 9News they had to cross a river with a crocodile, endured extreme weather, including thunderstorms and high temperatures, and slept under the stars after failing to build a shelter.

A spokesperson for Google told Business Insider: "We apologize for this incident and are relieved that Philipp and Marcel are safe. We can confirm that this path has been removed from the map."

Google said the company uses multiple sources to update the map, including third-party data, user contributions, Street View, and satellite imagery.

However, this is not the first time hikers have found themselves in trouble after following Google Maps directions.

Last year, a mountain rescue crew warned hikers not to rely on urban map apps like Google Maps in the wilderness after they saved three people in Vancouver, Canada.

North Shore Rescue, a volunteer search-and-rescue team, said it seemed the hikers were following a nonexistent trail on Google Maps.

In a statement provided to BI at the time, a Google spokesperson confirmed that the trail had been removed, adding: "We use a variety of sources to update Google Maps, including third-party information, imagery and feedback from our community."

Read the original article on Business Insider
President Macky Sall delivers a speech during the National Dialogue in Diamniadio (Senegal), on February 26, 2024. SEYLLOU / AFP

Senegal's embattled President Macky Sall announced on Monday, February 26, a general amnesty for political protests since 2021 during talks to set a new date for presidential polls he deferred this month, sparking deadly turmoil. The West African nation is in the grips of its worst political crisis in decades after Sall abruptly delayed Sunday's presidential vote just hours before campaigning was due to begin.

Sall presented the amnesty move as a way of reuniting the country, after bouts of unrest that have killed dozens in the past three years. Several hundred opposition members  or over 1,000 according to some rights groups  have been arrested since 2021 amid the power struggle between opposition firebrand Ousmane Sonko and the state. Both Sonko and his party's substitute candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, are now in prison.

"In a spirit of national reconciliation, I will put before the National Assembly this Wednesday in the council of ministers a bill for a general amnesty for acts relating to political demonstrations that took place between 2021 and 2024," Sall said Monday. "This will make it possible to pacify the political arena," he added.

Hundreds of imprisoned opponents have already been released in the past 10 days. However various political actors have rejected the idea of an amnesty law because it would exonerate the acts that some government or security officials are accused of committing during the protests.

No 'personal agenda'

The election postponement plunged traditionally stable Senegal into turmoil and sparked unrest that has left four people dead. The Constitutional Council, the country's top constitutional body, overturned the delay and called for the vote to be organized "as soon as possible".

Major stakeholders have snubbed Monday's talks for a new poll date. Sall had proposed that all the candidates in the presidential race should be included in the dialogue, as well as those who had been disqualified from standing. But 16 of the 19 candidates approved by the Constitutional Council to contest the election said they would not take part.

During the meeting in the new town of Diamniadio, some 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the capital Dakar, Sall said he wanted to organize the presidential election before the rainy season in June and July. He reiterated that he had no "personal agenda" and repeated his commitment to leaving the presidency at the beginning of April. "I have only one concern  to find a consensus on the date of the next presidential election so that the ballot can take place under the best possible conditions," Sall said. A movement of political and civil society figures is calling for a vote before April 2, when Sall is due to step down.

'Consensus'

Sall in his opening speech acknowledged that only two of the 19 qualified candidates had accepted the invitation to the dialogue  including his handpicked successor prime minister Amadou Ba. The president has said he hopes to reach an agreement on the date by late Tuesday.

The Aar Sunu Election (Protect Our Election) collective of over 100 civil society groups and personalities against the election delay have also boycotted the talks. The collective has called for a general strike on Tuesday. Some fear a possible power vacuum if Sall were to leave the presidency before a successor was installed. Others have accused him of playing for time, either to stay in power beyond his mandate or to benefit his political allies who fear defeat at the ballot box.

Sall said he delayed the election over disputes about the disqualification of potential candidates and over concerns about a return to unrest seen in 2021 and last year.
A LIMERICK councillor has called upon the Green Party leader, Eamon Ryan to update legislation around the construction of wind turbines.

Councillor for Adare-Rathkeale, Adam Teskey called upon Mr Ryan to see if there is any current legislation surrounding wind turbine noise and shadow flickers and if not, are there any plans to introduce regulations.

Mr Teskey referenced a planning application understood to be submitted in the near future for the construction of up to six wind turbines in close proximity to dwellings in Coolcappa.

Sometimes when wind turbines are too close to dwellings, the turbines can repeatedly cast over the sun, causing an irritating phenomenon known as shadow flicker.

READ MORE: Trade union campaign launches in Limerick

Shadow flicker occurs when the sun is low enough in the sky - usually in the evenings or mornings - that the wind turbines pass over it causing a brief shadow over landscapes and buildings every few seconds.

Mr Teskey is asking Mr Ryan to update the legislation in order to future-proof the building of turbines.

Cllr Stephen Keary believes the group should withhold from submitting a planning application at this time as the legislation around wind turbines is out of date.

The whole community is terrorised if that planning application is landed, he said.
A LIMERICK construction firm which was involved in some of Ireland's most high-profile building contracts has entered liquidation.

Nautic Building Company, which was based at Courtbrack Avenue, just off South Circular Road in the city, was brought to an end following a creditors' meeting at the South Court Hotel.

It's understood the firm had in the region of 30 permanent staff.

The meeting - described as "fraught" by sources present - saw Deloitte's Andrew Byrne and James Anderson appointed as joint liquidators.

READ MORE: New bike lane planned for Limerick road

Approximately 250 building contractors are owed significant amounts totalling more than 5m altogether.

Founded in 1981, Nautic were involved in the building of many projects across Limerick as well as nationally.

Locally, it was the lead contractor on the regional offices of the Impact Trade Union. Its builders led the 8m development of industrial space at Shannon Free Zone.

Contractors also built the 60-bed block at University Hospital Limerick.

On top of this, it worked on the Croom Civic Centre, and also the main entrance and gate lodge at the five-star Adare Manor resort.

The construction company was also appointed as the contractor for a 140-seat multi-purpose theatre building for boys secondary school Ardscoil Ris off Ennis Road in the city.

Other contracts it won included a large-scale housing development in Castleconnell and Murroe Wood Community Centre.

According to a report in the Sunday Independent, the 5.2million liabilities include more than 4.28m in trade payables, a 196,600 debt to Revenue, and more than 288,500 in claims from 21 employees.

Sources present at the creditors meeting have suggested some sub-contractors spoke of going out of business themselves due to unpaid bills from Nautic.

Limerick Live understands the firm has been struggling for more than a year.

Jason Quirke, one of the directors of the business, did not return a request for comment from this newspaper.

Julia Quirke and James Quirke are also listed as directors.
A CRIMINAL who provided a getaway car for the attempted murder of notorious Limerick gangster Christy Keane has had a "Damascus Road experience" and turned his life around, a barrister has told the Special Criminal Court.

Brian McCartney KC said his client, Larry McCarthy, is committed to his family and his new community in Donegal where his personal circumstances and lifestyle are "completely different" to what persisted during his period of offending.

McCarthy (45), from Tower Lodge, Old Court Road, Limerick City pleaded guilty in October last year that between June 29 and June 27, 2015, he made a vehicle available to a criminal organisation, the McCarthy-Dundons, that was used as a getaway vehicle in the attempted murder of Christy Keane.

The offence, contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, carries a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment.

Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, presiding in the three-judge court, adjourned the matter until March 11 when sentence will be passed.

At today's hearing, Det Sgt Paraig O'Dwyer told prosecution counsel John Byrne SC that the McCarthy Dundon and Keane Collopy organised crime gangs have been involved in an "infamous feud" dating back to 1993 when Patrick McCarthy was killed.

Christy Keane, he said, was acquitted of that murder but his brother, Kieran Keane, was later murdered. Five members of the Dundon McCarthy gang have been convicted in relation to that, the detective said.

The main purpose of the McCarthy Dundon gang, he said, is the commission of serious offences involving firearms, demanding money, extortion and drugs. In the course of those crimes, there have been a number of murders in Limerick.

On June 29, 2015 at 6.30am Christy Keane arrived at the University Limerick gym where he regularly attended in the mornings.

Two gunmen wearing balaclavas got out of a red Ford Focus and fired 13 rounds into Keane's Nissan pickup truck as he sat in the driver's seat. The gunmen fled in the Ford Focus while Keane made his way on foot to an adjacent running track where he collapsed.

A nurse who was due to attend the gym class with Keane found him, called emergency services and began administering first aid.

He was taken to University Hospital Limerick and treated for four gunshot wounds, three to the upper arm or wrist and one to the lower back that punctured a lung.

The Ford Focus was burned out a short distance away and the gunmen transferred to a white Volvo Estate car which they drove to another area on the outskirts of Limerick City before it was also set on fire.

When gardai examined the cars they found a Glock semi-automatic pistol in the Ford Focus and a Luger in the Volvo. They were forensically linked to the shooting of Christy Keane.

McCarthy, the detective said, had assisted in making the white Volvo available to the gunmen. He said McCarthy and another man travelled from Limerick to Dublin one week before the shooting where the second man picked up the Volvo and drove it to Limerick, followed by McCarthy.

McCarthy was also involved in putting the Volvo in position the evening before the shooting, ready for the gunmen to help them make their escape.

The detective agreed that the prosecution case was that the shooting was motivated by a rivalry between the Kenane Collopy and McCarthy Dundon criminal organisations.

The detective noted that McCarthy has 14 previous convictions including for violent disorder and assault causing harm. In July 2005 he received an eleven-year sentence from a UK court for possession of a Mac 11 gun.

Christy Keane was invited to offer a victim impact statement to the court but, Supt O'Neill said, he had "always indicated some reluctance to involve himself in these proceedings and no victim impact statement was forthcoming."

Supt O'Neill agreed with defence counsel Brian McCartney SC that McCarthy's personal circumstances growing up "eliminated any real prospect of an alternative lifestyle" but he has since removed himself from that by moving to Donegal. He has not offended in nearly ten years and while out on bail in recent times "hasn't posed a threat to anyone" the detective agreed.

READ MORE: Christy Keane's sister jailed over crime cash found in attic of Limerick home

Mr McCartney submitted a report written by a psychologist who had looked into McCarthy's background and current circumstances. He said the report notes that since moving to Donegal McCarthy enjoys a close relationship with his wife and three children.

His daughter is studying law and his son spent three years in the British Army, while the other son works in the north west. Their lives are "in total contrast" to the lifestyles they may have been attracted to had they remained in Limerick, counsel said.



"His living accommodation and circumstances are completely different to those that persisted during the period of his offending and earlier lifestyle," counsel said. He said the report concluded that McCarthy does not pose a significant risk of threat to any member of the public and is unlikely to reoffend.

He added: "The accused has experienced a Damascus Road experience in terms of his move to the north west."

He said the court would have to consider punishment and deterrence but asked the court also to consider "exceptional mitigation" where McCarthy has "turned his life around, is in employment, an education program and has a social commitment to the area where he now lives".

"30 years ago, his social and personal circumstances would have rendered such changes impossible or highly unlikely. A totally different person appears before this court today," Mr McCartney told the court.
Claims by Catholic bishops that the proposed changes to the constitution on family would weaken the incentive for young people to marry has been rejected by the public expenditure minister.

Irelands Catholic bishops urged the public to vote No in the referenda next month.

Two referenda will be held on March 8  International Womens Day  proposing to change the Irish constitution.

One, the family amendment, proposes amending Article 41 of the constitution to extend the meaning of family beyond one defined by marriage and include those based on durable relationships.

In statements read out during masses last weekend, the church said that the changes on family and care would diminish the relationship between marriage and family.

However, Paschal Donohoe said the proposed wording strengthens and protects relationships that are important to society.

I believe far from weakening anything within our country, I believe it has strengthened it, Mr Donohoe said.

The changes that we are asking the country to consider with regard to our constitution, actually, for me strengthen and protect the relationships that are so important within our society and our country.

Due to the way in which our constitution is currently drafted, so many young girls and boys now who are born into family units that are not recognised by our constitution.

That for me, its a matter of huge importance that we can update our constitution so that its language and values reflect the diversity of modern Ireland.

I believe far from weakening anything within our country, I believe it was strengthened it.

There are currently 150,000 cohabiting couples, and 75,000 cohabiting couples with children.

Almost 20% of families are one-parent families, with 80% of those one-parent families headed by women.

Some 40% of births are outside of marriage while 40% of families are non-marital.

The second proposed change, the care amendment, proposes deleting Article 41.2.1 and 41.2.2, which make reference to a womans roles and duties in the home, and replace it with a new article  42B  that acknowledges family carers.

The bishops argue this will have the effect of abolishing all reference to motherhood in the constitution and leave unacknowledged the particular and incalculable societal contribution that mothers in the home have made and continue to make in Ireland.
A ballot of health service workers on a new pay deal has been welcomed by Minister Robin Swann.

Under the proposed settlement, thousands of health workers will have pay parity restored on their pay bands and will receive an unconsolidated lump sum for all staff on Agenda for Change terms and conditions.

This means workers will receive a consolidated pay uplift of 5% and a non-consolidated (pro-rata) payment of 1,505.

The offer will be backdated to April 2023.

Unison said health workers have had to contend with rising prices and the emergence of a cost-of-living crisis.

In a statement, it said: The absence of devolved Government and the decision of the Secretary of State to withhold funding deeply frustrated workers.

Six days of strike action and 15 months of working to rule by health workers have finally yielded a result.

However, Unison said the restoration of pay parity with England on pay bands still leaves Northern Ireland health workers behind Scotland and Wales.

It said closing the gap will be a key trade union goal in the 2024-2025 pay round.

The health minister said the ballot was a positive step.

Mr Swann said: I said on taking office that my first priority was to get pay settlements over the line for staff.

This is a positive step in that direction and I commend the constructive negotiations that have taken place with trade unions representing Agenda for Change staff.

The unions will now ballot their members and I want them to be given the time and space for this to happen.

Staff are the backbone of health and social care services and deserve to be properly rewarded for their work.

Staff pay settlements for 2023/24 are long overdue, having been delayed by political and budgetary instability.

They will be backdated to April 2023.

The lowest pay values for Band 1 and Band 2 will also be removed.
Google parent Alphabet's CEO Sundar Pichai is likely to be fired or will resign soon amid the Gemini debacle  as he should, believes Helios Capital founder Samir Arora.

Replying to a user on social media site X (formerly Twitter), who asked for Arora's opinion on the controversies surrounding Google worldwide released AI chatbot Gemini, the market veteran wrote: My guess is he will be fired or resign- as he should. After being in the lead on AI he has completely failed on this and let others take over."

Also Read | Google admits Gemini AI is missing the mark, pauses image generation capabilities

What is Gemini AI?

Google recently rebranded its chatbot Bard as Gemini, while officially unrolling the artificial intelligence (AI) tool for users globally. According to the tech giant, users can now engage with the Gemini Pro 1.0 model in over 40 languages across more than 230 countries and territories.

Gemini Advanced is part of the Google One AI Premium Plan, priced at $19.99/month, starting with a complimentary two-month trial period. AI Premium subscribers can anticipate the integration of Gemini into various Google applications such as Gmail, Docs, Slides, Sheets, and more (formerly known as Duet AI), as mentioned in the latest Google blog post.

Also Read | Elon Musk on Gemini AI chatbot: Google's insane, racist, anti-civilization programming clear to all

A Whirlwind of Controversies

Within a week of launch, there have already been controversies. Google apologised on February 23 for its faulty rollout of a new AI image-generator linked to Gemini AI, acknowledging that in some cases the tool would overcompensate" for lack of diversity even when it didn't make sense, as per an AP report.

Addressing concerns, Google said it has decided to temporarily halt the chatbot's image generation. Prabhakar Raghavan, a senior vice president overseeing Google's search engine and other businesses, in a blog post stated, "Its clear that this feature missed the mark", and apologised for inaccurate and offensive images, and expressed gratitude for user feedback.

Also Read | Gemini AI's controversial stance on Elon Musk and Hitler comparison leaves netizens furious: Know what it said

Although Raghavan did not cite specific examples, social media highlighted instances where the Gemini AI image generator depicted a Black woman as a United States founding father, besides showing Black and Asian individuals as Nazi-era German soldiers, AP reported.

Raghavan defended the chatbot's intent, adding that the goal for the feature was to cater to diverse requests, but added that some prompts triggered "overcompensation".

Also Read | US presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy slams Google Gemini: Globally embarrassing rollout, blatantly racist

India May Issue Notice to Google over 'Biased' Gemini AI

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) is likely to issue a notice to Google over Gemini's biased" response to a question about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reports said on February 23.

Gemini came under fire for allegedly being "biased" against PM Modi after an X user took to the social media platform to complain about the too, The viral post claims to show the AI model's "bias" to a query on PM Modi, former US president Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

It was claimed that when asked a question about fascism, the Gemini AI tool displayed a proper reply about PM Modi. However, when the same question was asked about Donald Trump and Zelenskyy, the AI tool refused to give a clear answer.

Earlier in the day, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar reacted to the complaint by the X user and said that the platform violates IT rules and other laws. "These are direct violations of Rule 3(1)(b) of Intermediary Rules (IT rules) of the IT act and violations of several provisions of the Criminal code," Chandrasekhar said, tagging Google and the Meity, indicating further action in the matter.

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Trading in the financial markets can be an exciting way to participate in the global economy. With the ability to profit from market moves in forex, stocks, commodities, and more, millions of retail traders are accessing opportunities online. To trade, a reliable brokerage account is essential.

Videforex is a well-established platform that provides traders access to global markets with optimal trading infrastructure. This guide will walk through the quick and easy process of opening a Videforex account to start trading.

What is Videforex Trading Platform?

Videforex is a popular online broker that provides a user-friendly proprietary platform for trading Forex, CFDs, options, stocks, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. With Videforex, traders can access over 100 trading instruments across various markets. The trading platform offers leverage up to 1:500 and the ability to trade options with up to 95% payout.

Funding an account is straightforward, with numerous options from bank transfers to e-Wallets that support multi-currency. Withdrawals are processed rapidly within 1 hour. Multilingual customer assistance is available 24/7 via phone, email, and live chat. Overall, this broker provides optimal trading conditions to help their clients stay profitable while trading the financial markets.

How to Open a Videforex Account Step-by-Step

Opening a trading account with a Videforex broker is a quick and straightforward process that can be completed in just a few minutes.

Step 1

The first step is to visit the Videforex website and click on the prominent "Sign Up" button located in the upper right corner of the homepage. This will open up the new account registration form.

View Full Image Step 1

Step 2

On the registration form, you will need to fill in some basic personal details, including your email address, phone number, full name, and your preferred account currency. The email and phone number are required so Videforex can send you login details and account notifications. Be sure to choose an account currency that matches the currency you will be depositing to trade. This registration form only takes about 1 minute to complete with your key details.

View Full Image Step 2

The next step is to thoroughly read and agree to the Videforex Terms & Conditions, which outline important policies around privacy, fees, risks, and more. These documents are important to understand before trading, so set aside adequate time to review them before accepting. Once you agree, submit the form by clicking the "Next" button.

Step 3

After submitting, you will be automatically logged into your newly created Videforex account. The trading platform interface will load, where you can view your account balance, search markets, access analysis tools, and place demo trades.

View Full Image Step 3

At this stage, you can toggle between a demo account with $10,000 in virtual funds and your real money account. Practicing with a demo account first is recommended to familiarize yourself with the platform.

View Full Image Step 3

When you are ready to trade, simply click on your account balance, choose the real account, and proceed to deposit funds via the various payment methods offered. Once funded, you can then analyze markets using the tools provided and place your first live trade with your preferred instrument.

The whole process of opening a Videforex broker account takes just a few minutes and easy steps. With the account open, you'll have access to a leading multi-asset trading platform ready for analyzing markets and capitalizing on opportunities.

Is Videforex a Legit and Trusted Platform?

Yes, Videforex is a legitimate broker. It is licensed by the Marshall Islands trust company MH96960 and has the license number 104693. It is controlled by the IFMRRC and has the license number TSRF RU 0395 AA V0216.

Videforex uses top-level security measures, such as SSL encryption, and keeps customer funds safe in separate accounts. Videforex has detailed privacy rules in place that explain how they gather, store, and use user data. They are clear about their rules, fees, and services.

Videforex is a trustworthy place for traders to find chances and achieve maximum success. It has a great trading infrastructure, tight spreads, and dedicated support.

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To get started in global markets, open an account with Videforex today. With their high-end technology and trading tools, traders have an ideal broker to implement diverse trading strategies.

FAQs

What financial markets can I trade?

You can trade forex, cryptocurrencies, commodities, stocks, indices, and more on Videforex's platforms. They offer access to over 100 trading instruments.

How long does it take to withdraw funds from my account?

Thanks to advanced payment systems, withdrawals are processed within 1 hour at Videforex. This enables fast access to your funds.

Can I trade with Videforex on my phone?

Yes, Videforex offers a web-based platform accessible on mobile phones and PCs, allowing you to trade on the go.

Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same.

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AI essay writing websites have changed how students approach writing assignments in recent years. These websites use smart technology to quickly generate high-quality academic content, like essays and research papers. In this article, lets check out the best AI essay writing tools to help you choose the right one.

Our Picks for Best AI Essay Writer Websites

AI tools becoming more and more popular because they save time and help improve writing skills. These tools can write essays on many topics, from simple blog posts to complex academic papers. Popular AI tools were looked into this year and the top 3 picks for college students were selected. In this article, lets talk about the advantages and disadvantages of these best AI paper generators, along with their key features and how to use them.

The top picks are:

PaperTyper.net  All-in-One Service with AI Paper Writer Tool Copy AI  AI-Powered Assistant for Generating Text ChatGPT  AI Writer with Conversational Features

Key feature: Offers fast and affordable tools for writing and editing academic papers of any complexity.

PaperTyper offers the best AI tool designed specifically for generating high-quality essays that meet academic requirements. It uses advanced algorithms to analyze essay prompts and generate original, well-written essay samples. The tool searches through lots of academic databases and finds useful information for making detailed and well-researched essays, which helps students save time on brainstorming and researching. It's especially handy for difficult research papers and term essays, giving insights and data that might be hard to find.

This website was created by professional developers who want to simplify student life. They know from personal experience how challenging academic writing can be. They started developing these tools many years ago to help students improve their writing skills for free. Their commitment to making a platform that's easy to use and trustworthy has made it well-known and respected in the academic world.

Online security is extremely important, especially for academic purposes. The platform makes sure your personal information is safe and your browsing is secure. Plus, since it has been around for a while, so you can trust this platform to help with your academic work.

Over 100,000 students use PaperTyper every month to submit assignments on time and improve their grades. Users have unlimited access to the website, so you can use it for free as much as you want. No matter how much experience you have with technology, you can easily navigate this website thanks to its clear and simple design. Whether you're a pro writer or just starting out, you'll find it easy to get around and focus on your writing without any trouble.

The Main Tools of the Platform

AI Essay Writer helps students generate great essays without much effort. You can start using it right away or log in to your account. You can try it for free and then decide if you want to continue.

The latest version of the essay generator can handle complex topics and long-form content easily. This is super helpful for students facing difficult assignments. It helps you write polished and mistake-free papers, like essays and articles, with helpful suggestions and grammar checks. You can pay $5 for a premium plan to write up to 10,000 words on any topic.

Besides, there's also a grammar checker, citation generator, and plagiarism checker to make sure students create top-notch, original work. In addition to its tools, PaperTyper offers a comprehensive knowledge database, which is an online collection of helpful writing tips, articles, and tutorials on research and the specifics of academic writing.

How to Use This AI Essay Generator and Other Tools?

Here's how it works:

Enter your topic: Type in your topic on the main page and click the "Start Writing" button. If you don't have a specific topic yet, you can enter some general keywords. Edit the sample: Read the AI-generated essay and make any changes to customize it. The built-in editor allows you to edit the texts formatting. You can even highlight specific parts of the essay and ask the tool to simplify, expand, shorten, or paraphrase. Check your essay: Use the grammar and plagiarism checkers on the website to ensure your essay is correct and original. Use the citation generator for citation styles like APA, MLA, and Chicago to save time when citing your sources. Download your essay: Once you're done, you can save the result and use it however you like.

Pros:

Free access to all-in-one tools for academic writing.

Trained on large datasets containing scholarly sources on different topics.

You can edit the essay without leaving the website.

Cons:

Upgrading the word limit costs $5, but it's a fair price compared to what other services charge.

2. Copy AI

Key feature: The platform offers tools that will help you cope with any text with ease.

Using the Copy.AI platform, you can easily create a good essay on any topic. The site uses modern technology that is trained to find the best ideas for your papers. You can use all the tools that seem helpful to you. It is an excellent solution if you have been assigned an essay on without a topic or need to figure out what to write in your text.

The platform's creators know that many people face a creative crisis. And this service will help you get out of writers block and create work that deserves high praise.

You do not need to provide personal information to use artificial intelligence-based tools. You can do the work without registering on the platform. It will ensure that no one knows you used additional tools when creating your essay. Plus, the platform strictly adheres to the security policy. Therefore, you can safely register to view the history of your requests and not lose access to the tools.

If you use tools based on AI, you will be able to create a good essay and improve your academic performance. Copy.AI will help you spend significantly less time on writing task. You will be able to pay more attention to relaxation and your favorite subjects, and at the same time, not worry about what to write in your essay.

Platform tools that will be useful to students

Using the tools of the Copy.AI platform, you will reduce the time you spend on homework. The platform is available at any time of the day, allowing you to complete your essay as soon as you remember it.

You can use a paragraph generator to get high-quality text for your work. This tool will help if you need to increase the length of your essay without compromising the quality of the work. The generator uses trusted sources of information and produces part of text that is ideal for your paper.

With the paraphrasing tool, you can express all your thoughts with ease. The site also has a text structure generator. With its help, you will quickly get the basis for your essay and eliminate writer's block.

Rewriter will help you correct sentences or entire paragraphs. Using this tool, you can get a unique essay that meets all academic requirements.

How to use Copy.AI platform

The platform will shatter all your fears that working with artificial intelligence is tricky. You only need

select an instrument;

write the text you need to edit;

if you are using a title, paragraph, or text structure generator, provide the main words;

get ideas for your work.

Try to describe the task in as much detail as possible. You can also indicate the basic requirements. It will help the generator create the best topic for your essay.

Pros

the platform is suitable for writing on any subject;

unlimited use of the platform.

Cons

the free version has a 2000-word limit in chat. Still, this may be enough to create a good topic for an essay or rewrite part of it.

3. ChatGPT

Key feature: Helps students learn through conversation.

ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot that can quickly generate different content, like blog posts, articles, reviews, essays, etc. The tool can help students get creative and beat writer's block. They can use this tool to create essays by providing just a few basic prompts.

The tool analyzes your prompt and uses its training data, which includes books, essays, and various materials on different topics and writing styles, to generate the response. Students can provide prompts and ask questions to get inspiration and different ideas for essays. It also lets students talk back and forth with the AI, getting feedback and working together to come up with better essay ideas.

This chatbot helps you write clear sentences, making it easier to express your ideas smoothly. It can write entire paragraphs and sections, ensuring your ideas flow well throughout the essay. Students can use it to make their writing sound more advanced.

For international students, ChatGPT can be a helpful language guide, suggesting different ways to phrase things and teaching new vocabulary to improve essays. It's useful for both urgent writing tasks and improving language skills over time, which leads to better-written work.

However, relying entirely on this tool for academic writing has a big problem: sometimes, the text it creates isn't as good as what a person could write. It might make little sense, but it can lack the critical thinking and understanding that human writing usually has.

The tool might not understand complex topics or offer in-depth analysis, which could result in subpar-quality essays. However, even though it wasn't designed specifically for essay writing, it's still a great tool for brainstorming and idea generation.

Aside from quick content creation, students can also use this tool for language enhancement. After finishing your essay, you tell the chatbot to improve its quality. For example, you could ask it to fix the structure and grammar of your essay, but you can also ask for help with other things like its logical flow or its tone.

How to Use This Essay Writing Tool?

Here's how it works:

Generate Ideas: Ask the tool for essay ideas by providing specific prompts, like "Please give me five ideas for essays related to the French Revolution." Use these suggestions as starting points for your own research. Create an Outline: The tool can help you create outlines for essays. Request an outline based on your topic, such as "Can you create an outline for a five-paragraph essay on the political causes of the French Revolution?" Customize the generated outline by adding your research and ideas. Generate Titles: Students can use the tool to quickly get different title suggestions for their essays. Try a similar prompt, like "Can you suggest five titles for a college essay about the French Revolution?" Find Sources: Ask the tool to find sources for your essay. For example, you can say, "Can you help me find sources for a paper on 'Analyzing the leadership style of Napoleon through the ideas of the Tao Te Ching?' The chatbot will give you a couple of sources and explain why they could be useful.

Pros:

Great for quick idea generation and brainstorming.

Useful for daily tasks like writing emails and planning the study process, helping students save time.

Cons:

There's a chance of getting caught by checkers that are designed to spot AI-written content.

Without proper guidance and editing, generated essays often lack originality.

Misunderstandings of prompts can result in inaccurate accurate results.

FAQ

Is using an AI writing tool legal?

Using AI generator tools to help write essays is completely legal. These tools are made to help students come up with ideas and content. It's fine to use them as long as you use the generated content as a point of reference point for your own essay. We listed some of the best legal essay helpers above, providing valuable support for students who want to do well in their studies. But make sure you follow your school's rules because some schools might have specific rules about using AI to help with writing.

How can an AI tool write me an essay?

AI tools can help in essay writing by analyzing user-provided prompts or topics and generating relevant content based on that. They use natural language processing (NLP) algorithms to understand the context and structure of the essay and then generate text accordingly. They can help with multiple aspects of essay writing, including generating ideas, outlining, drafting paragraphs, and even suggesting improvements in grammar and style. Students can write an essay using these tools by entering prompts or topics to get generated content that they can later edit and customize to fit their needs.

Is using an AI essay writer cheap?

The price of using such tools can differ. Some may be cheap or even free but offer limited features. Others might cost more, especially for advanced features or longer essays. It depends on what you need and what the service offers. Some AI essay writing tools let you try their features for free before you decide to pay. They offer a trial period where you can test out how the tool works and see if it meets your needs without spending any money. This allows you to get a feel for the tool and decide if it's worth investing in for your writing projects.

Compiled by CoreForce LTD.

Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same.

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New Delhi: State-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) has cancelled its tender for setting up Indias first green hydrogen production unit with a 10 kilo tonne per annum (ktpa) capacity amid weak response from bidders and a legal battle over alleged bias in the tendering process.

On 25 December, Mint reported that the tender had received an only bid from GH4India Pvt Ltd, which is IOCLs own joint venture (JV) with infrastructure and engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and renewable energy company ReNew. The JV, in which all three companies have equal stakes, was formed in August 2023.

Indian Oil, L&T, ReNew and union ministry of petroleum and natural gas did not respond to emailed queries.

Further, an industry body of green hydrogen firmsIndependent Green Hydrogen Producers Association (IGHPA)approached the Delhi High Court in November, alleging bias towards IOCLs JV in the tender clauses. The plea was admitted on 29 November, and the court had issued notice to the Centre and other parties asking to file affidavits.

In the latest hearing on 2 February, 2024, the court also directed the industry body to submit its rejoinder to the response of the government and Indian Oil at the earliest.

The high court, which is scheduled to next hear the matter on 28 March, did not stay the tender. However, the oil marketing company, which had floated the tender on 29 August, announced its cancellation through a corrigendum on 21 February.

IGHPA had petitioned the Delhi high court against the tender, particularly against the right to first refusal clause.

The right to first refusal clause (Clause 19 of the tender) gives IOCL preferential right to purchase excess green hydrogen generated at the green hydrogen generation unit (GHGU). In case IOCL does not confirm the purchase within 60 days, the operator can offer the gas to third-party customers. However, the price offered to them cannot be lower than what was offered to IOCL. Other terms and conditions offered, too, must be less favourable than those offered to IOCL.

The parties would have to agree that IOCL shall be entitled to exercise its right of refusal every time the quantity of the green hydrogen generated at the GHGU increases on account of capacity augmentation or technological upgradation, modification or restructuring, said people in the know.

IOCLs tender, released on 29 August, was for a BOOT (build, own, operate, transfer) contract for a GHGU of 10 kilotonne per annum (KTA) at its existing Panipat Refinery Petrochemical Complex in Haryana. The tender was for a contract of 25 years, wherein the selected player would maintain and operate the project for the duration.

IGHPA was formed in 2022 by six renewable energy companiesAzure Power, Acme Group, Fortum India, O2 Power, Sprng Energy and SunEdison Infrastructure. The industry body argued that the government cannot arbitrarily choose any person it likes for entering into a commercial relationship, thereby discriminating between similarly situated persons.

They further submit that the Supreme Court has repeatedly warned against specific clauses in tenders which have the effect of favouring a single tenderer," the High Court order dated 29 November had noted.

The green hydrogen space in the country is in a nascent stage and is expected to pick up in the coming years.

Under the governments Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) Scheme, Reliance Green Hydrogen and Green Chemicals, ACME Cleantech, Greenko ZeroC, Welspun New Energy, Torrent Power are among the players selected for setting up green hydrogen projects.

Under the national green hydrogen mission, the government aims to bring a total investment of 8 trillion into the country by 2030.

Last year, Reliance Industries announced that it has chalked out a roadmap for bringing down the price of green hydrogen to $1 per kg in India. It would produce green hydrogen and electrolyzer under its 75,000 crore investment plan for energy transition and green energy.

ACME Group, along with Japans IHI Corporation plans to invest 60,000 crore in setting up a green hydrogen project in Odisha. The two companies last month tied up to supply ammonia (a derivative of green hydrogen) to Japan.

Green hydrogen is a key catalyst for the ambitious target of decarbonizing the refinery process and lowering emissions. Hydrogen is primarily used in the refining, steel and fertilizer sectors.

The countrys refining sector consumes around 2 million tonnes of grey hydrogen every year, with IOCL owning one of the largest shares of the countrys refining output. IOCL has also set an ambitious net zero target of 2046, the year of the centenary of Indias Independence.

Grey hydrogen is produced from natural gas, a fossil fuel, thereby leading to higher emissions during the production process, while green hydrogen is produced from renewable energy, like solar and wind.
(Bloomberg) -- Feleti Teo has been elected unopposed as the next prime minister of the small Pacific nation of Tuvalu, a decision which may have implications for one of Taiwans remaining diplomatic allies in the region.

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Former Tuvalu Foreign Minister Simon Kofe congratulated Teo on his election on Monday, in a post on X. It is the first time in our history that a Prime Minister has been nominated unopposed, he said.

The Taiwan government relayed its well wishes to the new leader of Tuvalu, one of the three nations in the Pacific that still maintain relations with Taipei, and expressed optimism that ties would be steadfast.

Teo holds a friendly position toward Taiwan, according to a statement issued by its Foreign Ministry. He has said Taiwan-Tuvalu ties are stable and he supports the position that diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Tuvalu are a long-held consensus among all sectors of Tuvalu society, the statement on Monday said.

Taiwans Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang would visit the Pacific nation in the near future, it said.

A former deputy secretary of the Pacific Island Forum, Teos election comes almost a month after Tuvalus polls in which former prime minister Kausea Natano lost his seat, sparking a new contest for leadership. Natano was a key Pacific supporter of Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims as its territory.

Before the January vote, lawmakers expected a likely re-evaluation of Tuvalus diplomatic ties with Taiwan after Nauru earlier this year said it was switching its recognition to China.

Jess Marinaccio, a former official at Tuvalus Foreign Ministry, described Teo as one of the most internationally experienced people elected to Parliament. Marinaccio, now an assistant professor at California State University Dominguez Hills, said it was unclear what Teos position will be on Taiwan or China as he had been tight-lipped on the subject.

Story continues

Teo will also decide on the future of a security and migration agreement which was struck with Australia in November. That pact has proved controversial in Tuvalu, with some lawmakers saying it gave up too much of the islands sovereignty to Australia.

(Updates with Taiwan government comment in third to fifth paragraph.)

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IndiGo, Indias leading passenger airline, has announced the commencement of daily direct flights between Hyderabad and Bangkok, effective today, February 26. This marks a significant development, as IndiGo becomes the first Indian carrier to offer direct connectivity between these two vibrant cities, according to an official statement.

The new route promises a seamless travel experience for passengers, enhancing accessibility across Southeast Asia and fostering stronger economic ties between India and Thailand. With this addition, IndiGo will now operate 37 weekly flights between India and Bangkok, solidifying its presence in the region.

Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, said, We are pleased to commence direct flights between Hyderabad and Bangkok. At IndiGo, it has been our endeavour to bridge the miles between people and their favoured destinations, promoting travel, tourism, as well as economic growth. With the addition of these flights, Hyderabad will be the 6th Indian city with a direct connection to Bangkok on IndiGo. Over the last year, IndiGo has connected Hyderabad with six new international cities, raising the overall count to 13 international destinations. As Indias leading carrier, we continue to deliver on our promise of providing affordable, on-time, courteous, and hassle-free travel experiences, across our extensive 6E network."

A well-known tourist hotspot, Bangkok is a vibrant city with a rich cultural heritage, delectable cuisine, and lively nightlife. It is also popular for its spectacular palaces, skyscrapers, museums, and markets. Floating Market, Safari World, Siam Ocean World, Chao Phraya Dinner Cruise, and Siam Park City are among the few attractions in Bangkok, as per the release.

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In a major overhaul following the clampdown by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), One 97 Communications Ltd (OCL) announced on Monday that the Paytm Payments Bank Limited has reconstituted its board of directors. As part of PPBL's top leadership rejig, ex-Central Bank of India Chairman Srinivasan Sridhar, Retd IAS Debendranath Sarangi, former Executive Director of Bank of Baroda Ashok Kumar Garg, and Retd IAS Rajni Sekhri Sibal will join the board, OCL announced on Monday.

"They have recently joined as Independent Directors," Paytm informed stock exchanges in a filing, adding, OCL supports PPBLs move of opting for a board with only independent and executive directors by removing its nominee."

In the same exchange filing, the parent company informed that Vijay Shekhar Sharma will step down as as part-time non-executive Chairman and Board member to enable this transition. While Vijay Shekhar Sharma owns 51 per cent stake in Paytm Payments Bank, One 97 Communications owns the rest.

The future business of PPBL will be led by a reconstituted Board, said the company in its stock exchange filing on Monday. PPBL has informed One 97 Communications Ltd that they will commence the process of appointing a new Chairman.

The new board members' expertise will be "pivotal in guiding us toward enhancing our governance structures and operational standards", Paytm Payments Bank CEO Surinder Chawla told Reuters.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had asked Paytm Payments Bank to wind down operations by March 15 due to persistent non-compliances and continued material supervisory concerns, triggering a meltdown in Paytm's stock.

WHO ARE THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS?

The exchange filing mentions: Shri Sridhar brings with him an illustrious career in banking spanning over 40 years. He is currently serving as the Independent Director at Jubilant Pharmova. He has held leadership positions at Export Import Bank of India, Central Bank of India and National Housing Bank."

Shri Sarangi, retired IAS (1977 batch) of Tamil Nadu cadre, is a veteran in public administration and corporate governance. He is currently serving as an Independent director on the boards of several companies including Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation Limited and Voltas Ltd, among others."

Smt Sibal is a retired IAS officer of Haryana cadre (1986 batch) with 38 years of experience in administration and governance. She has served as Secretary, Government of India. Currently, she serves as an Independent External Monitor in the Public Sector and as an Independent Director in Corporates."

It said, Shri Garg, with 39 years of diverse banking experience, has held significant positions including whole time Director at Bank of Baroda, Chief Executive for USA operations of the bank at New York, Managing Director of Bank of Baroda (Uganda) Ltd at Kampala and Chairman/Director of its subsidiaries in Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago and Kenya."

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One97 Communications, which is the parent company of fintech company Paytm , announced on Monday that founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma has resigned from the board of Paytm Payments Bank.

The Company has been separately informed that Vijay Shekhar Sharma has also resigned from the Board of Paytm Payments Bank to enable this transition. PPBL has informed us that they will commence the process of appointing a new Chairman," the company said in an exchange filing.

Also read: Have Paytm and Byju's debacles dented Indian startups' prospects? Experts weigh in

Srinivasan Sridhar, former chairman of Central Bank of India, retired IAS officer Debendranath Sarangi, former executive director of Bank of Baroda Ashok Kumar Garg, and retired IAS Rajni Sekhri Sibal have joined the board as independent directors.

Beyond these, the board has former Executive Director of Punjab & Sind Bank Shri Arvind Kumar Jain as Independent Director and Surinder Chawla, MD & CEO at Paytm Payments Bank.

We welcome the appointment of Shri Srinivasan Sridhar, Shri Debendranath Sarangi, Shri Ashok Kumar Garg, and Smt Rajni Sekhri Sibal to our Board, marking a significant step forward in PPBL's journey. Their distinguished expertise will be pivotal in guiding us toward enhancing our governance structures and operational standards, further solidifying our dedication to compliance and best practices," said Surinder Chawla, MD & CEO at Paytm Payments Bank.

Shri Srinivasan Sridhar, Board Member, Paytm Payments Bank Board said, "I am dedicated to utilizing my extensive banking expertise to steer the bank towards expanding its range of compliant services. It is my goal to ensure that PPBL becomes a paragon of regulatory compliance, setting new standards in delivering exceptional value to the stakeholders, in strict adherence with regulatory frameworks and best practices."

Shri Sridhar has an illustrious career in banking spanning over 40 years. He is currently serving as the Independent Director at Jubilant Pharmova. He has held leadership positions at Export Import Bank of India, Central Bank of India and National Housing Bank.

Also read: Paytm share price hits 5% upper circuit as RBI asks NPCI to review third-party app provider request

Shri Debendranath Sarangi, Board Member, Paytm Payments Bank said, "Assuming this expanded role at a critical juncture for PPBL, my dedication is firmly rooted in adhering to and exceeding the highest standards of regulatory compliance and corporate governance. I am wholly committed to applying my expertise to navigate PPBL towards a future characterized by operational excellence, ensuring strict compliance with regulatory guidelines and fostering a culture of best practices."

Sarangi is a retired IAS of Tamil Nadu cadre and is a veteran in public administration and corporate governance. He is currently serving as an Independent director on the boards of several companies including Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation Limited and Voltas Ltd, among others.o r

ONE 97 COMMUNICATIONS More Information

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The recent challenges faced by high-profile start-ups, Paytm and Byju's, have sparked discussions on the evolution of the start-up and entrepreneurship landscape in India. Touted as the beacons of India's burgeoning unicorn ecosystem, the seeming crash of mighty multi-billion dollar Byju's and Paytm Payments Bank has shaken the edtech and fintech start-up spaces in particular.

For the uninitiated, Paytm's fintech arm Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL) has been hit with harsh regulatory limits by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)  limits that essentially shut down the whole operation. The central bank said the move came as PPBL repeatedly failed to comply with banking norms and KYC requirements. Notably, however, the company's internally formed advisory committee is yet to begin deeper conversations to identify any issue, as per panel head M Damodaran.

Byju's on the other hand has been rocked with money laundering accusations against founder-CEO Byju Raveendran and belligerent investors intent on ousting him from the company. Raveendran is also battling Enforcement Directorate (ED) accusations related to the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), which he has denied. Once worth billions, the company's valuations have tanked abysmally compared to its glory days, with seemingly no respite close ahead.

Amid the uncertainty, we asked industry stakeholders to weigh in on the impact of these setbacks and share insights on the future trajectory of the start-up space in India.

A Big Hit: What has been the impact on India's entrepreneurship space?

BharatPe's Ashneer Grover acknowledged Paytm's pioneering role in India's fintech landscape, calling it the 'father of fintech' space in the country. Grover said that while he founded BharatPe, the company does owe its existence to Paytm.

"Paytm is the father of all fintechs in India. If it didn't exist, BharatPe wouldn't have existed. They (Paytm) introduced and built the behaviours of scanning a QR code to help money flow in India. The ecosystem was built after Google Pay and PhonePe came on the consumer side and BharatPe and Pine Labs came on the merchant side. So for the start-up community, this is sad," he said, referring to the central bank's actions.

Anirudh A Damani, Managing Partner of Artha Venture Fund views the setbacks as a recalibration for the start-up space from the "excesses of the 2021-22 boom".

"This phase is a cleanup, allowing for the emergence of startups that will define the next growth cycle. These instances underscore that valuations are secondary to sound execution and fiscal discipline. They remind us that true success is measured by profitability and real impact, not just market valuation. This period should be viewed as an educational chapter for entrepreneurs, emphasising the importance of humility, fiscal prudence, and regulatory compliance in building sustainable businesses," Damani told Mint.

Neokred CBO Vivek Sridhar echoed the sentiment that this is a period of caution and learning for start-ups. "Both Byjus and Paytm-related issues have created a perception that startups are not to be taken seriously and that the start-up ecosystem does not work on the regulatory guidelines. But they are just perceptions or opinions. All serious start-ups take the regulations very seriously and are constantly adapting to the regulatory changes."

"Paytm is good learning for the start-up ecosystem on how not to do things and follow the regulatory guidelines to ensure business continuity. And from Byjus we learn how to effectively manage a company which sees rapid growth in a short period especially when one is pegged to become a unicorn," he added.

Sridhar was also optimistic that with the constant regulatory changes and learnings from others' failures, the start-up ecosystem will become even stronger in the coming years. "The current age start-ups no longer work towards just getting the valuation but are becoming more responsible towards the customers, ecosystem, and sustainability by delivering early profits and long-term existence," he noted.

Amit Goel, Co-Founder and Chief Global Strategist at Pace 360, highlighted the rise in caution among investors. "The recent struggles of high-profile startups like Paytm and Byju's have undoubtedly caused a dent in investor confidence and overall enthusiasm for the Indian startup ecosystem. This could lead to increased scrutiny from investors, tougher funding conditions, and a slower pace of growth for startups in the near future," he noted.

He however also noted that the issues are related to individual company" and "not necessarily indicative of a systemic problem within the Indian startup ecosystem", adding: "The underlying factors that fuelled the startup boom  large young population, increasing internet penetration, and government support  are still very much in place."

Enthusiasm for FY24: What is the industry outlook?

Despite challenges faced by specific start-ups, experts expressed optimism about the overall business outlook for the Indian start-up ecosystem in the fiscal year 2024.

Amit Goel from Pace 360 highlighted the sustained growth of India's digital economy, anticipating fresh opportunities for start-ups in FY24. He credits government initiatives like Startup India and Digital India for fostering a favourable environment.

Damani sees the business landscape in 2024 as a strategic juncture, with optimism already priced into the markets. He anticipates a strong recovery post-elections, attracting foreign capital and signalling a resurgence in both public and private markets.

"Observing trends in SME IPOs and stock markets, its clear that optimism is already priced into the markets, anticipating continued growth across all sectors. A lot of foreign capital is poised at the sidelines, ready to flow in post-elections, signalling a strong recovery, especially in early-stage markets. This period stands as a strategic juncture, promising a vibrant resurgence in both public and private markets once the elections conclude," Damani added.

Mayuresh Raut, Managing Partner, Seafund however was cautiously optimistic regarding the stability of the funding climate by 2024-end. "There is cautious optimism that the funding climate will stabilise by the end of 2024. New capital pools have emerged, like private family offices, corporate venture arms and the government has large initiatives that aim to attract more foreign and domestic investment," he said.

He added that India's large market size and digital adoption trends are generating global interest and the expectation is that a lot of the policy and regulatory framework that has been built out over the last decade will continue. Raut also believes that "savvy investors are looking to cash out of the public markets and deploy funds in startups".

He also noted that venture capitalists are sitting on funds that will steadily make their way into the ecosystem.

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NEW DELHI : The Union government is on track to achieve its capital expenditure target for the ongoing financial year, a senior government official said, riding accelerated spending on key infrastructure projects essential to spur economic growth.

Till early February, the government had spent about 80% of its total capital expenditure target for FY24, according to a briefing by the finance ministry on Monday.

In the first nine months of the financial year, the government had spent only about 68% of its capex target, as per the Centres response to questions at the Rajya Sabha earlier this month.

The official mentioned earlier, requesting anonymity, also said the government was holding a modest cash balance to meet its commitments for the final three months of FY24.

The cash balance with the Centre is not high as the governments borrowing for the fiscal year has been completed," the official said, without disclosing the amount.

In the July-September second quarter, the Central government had aimed to maintain a comfortable cash position of at least 1 lakh crore to ensure sufficient buffers. However, the cash balance has depleted since due to the governments increased capital expenditure.

The Union governments capex target for FY24 stands at 9.5 lakh crore, as per the revised budgetary allocation for the financial year, up from the 7.28 lakh crore revised estimate for FY23.

For FY25, the government in its interim budget raised the central capex allocation to 11.11 trillion to develop infrastructure projects.

Mint had on 11 February reported that the railways, road transport, and highways ministries had utilised up to 85% of their budgetary allocations in the first nine months of FY24, and the defence ministry about 71%.

The consumer affairs, food and public distribution ministry had till December utilised about 64% of its budgetary allocation for FY24, the education ministry about 46%, and the ministry for micro, small and medium enterprises about 23%.

As for small savings schemes, net collections as of January were at 2.77 lakh crore, amounting to about 64% of the revised estimate of 4.37 lakh crore for FY24, said the official mentioned earlier.

In the corresponding 10 months of FY23, net small savings scheme collections were at 1.91 lakh crore, or 44% of the target ( 4.39 lakh crore as per the revised estimate) for the financial year.

As of early February, the government had collected 90,000 crore under the senior citizen scheme, over 20,000 crore under the monthly income scheme, and more than 19,000 crore under its Mahila Samman Saving Certificate scheme for women, the official said.

Small savings schemes are investment avenues offered and managed by the government that allow individuals to save and accumulate wealth.

The government offers nine types of small saving schemes, including recurring deposit, public provident fund, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, Mahila Samman Saving Certificate, Kisan Vikas Patra, National Savings Certificate, and Senior Citizen Savings Scheme.

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IF YOU WANT to get a sense of how China feels about the prospect of Donald Trump winning Americas presidential election, Chinese social media offers some revealing signals. In the past few weeks it has begun to boil over with fury and mockery. The prospect of American tariffs of over 60% on Chinese imports? Add even more," rages one online commentator in the mainland. Id be curious to see how ordinary Americans would live." Others think Mr Trump would increase the odds of a war . The world will never be at peace" with him around, reckons another netizen. This old madman is too vicious," says a third. He must be annihilated."

It is not just online: the prospect of a Trump victory is the subject of debate among Chinas elite, too. They fear his return to the White House would lead to an even hotter trade war, with potentially vast economic costs. But they also believe his contempt for alliances (witness the latest outburst against NATO) could yield huge propaganda gains and undermine the American-led security system in Asia, freeing China to act as it pleases on Taiwan and more. Some Chinese nationalists are cheering his successes and call him Comrade Chuan Jianguo: Chuan being a common rendering of Mr Trumps surname, and Jianguo meaning build the country". It is a way of suggesting that Mr Trumps excesses make China stronger.

For Xi Jinping, Chinas leader, the unpredictable trade-offs that a Trump presidency would involve are especially difficult to weigh, even if the two mens relationship is reasonable enough after multiple encounters from banquets in Beijing to steak dinners at Mar-a-Lago, Mr Trumps lair in Florida. I like President Xi a lot," Mr Trump recently told Fox News. He was a very good friend of mine during my term." On the one hand Mr Trumps presidency from 2017 to 2021 saw a profound shift in Americas policy. His administration deployed tariffs in an attempt to reduce Americas trade deficit and protect jobs. It redefined the domestic debate in America, with China portrayed as a political, technological and military adversary.

On the other hand Mr Bidens more systematic approach to governing has posed a different kind of threat to China than that of Mr Trumps first term. America has kept the Trump tariffs in place, but on top of that also built a comprehensive system for restricting Western technology flows to China. And by investing in Americas security partnerships and alliances, from Australia and India to the Philippines and South Korea, it has rejuvenated an Asian security system to deter and contain China. Mr Biden may be known as Shui Wang, or Sleepy King, in China. But while more restrained than Mr Trump, he has in some ways been a more formidable opponent.

A big part of Mr Xis calculus now is working out what Mr Trump could do on China in a second term. You might imagine that after four years in office, the MAGA appetite to confront China would be sated. Yet the available signals suggest that opposition to China in Mr Trumps inner circle may have intensified. Take the views of Robert Lighthizer, Mr Trumps influential trade representative, who could get a top job again in the White House. In the period from 2017 to 2021 he launched an investigation into Chinese theft of intellectual property and invoked Section 301 of Americas trade law, which allows the president to punish trade partners that do not play fair, in order to raise tariffs. The average tariff faced by Chinese firms rose from 3% in 2018 to 21% by the end of 2019, when the two countries struck a truce (see chart 1).

View Full Image (The Economist)

Mr Lighthizers position remains intensely hostile to China, whose totalitarian instincts, he argues, pose an ever greater danger. In a book published last year, No Trade is Free", he argues China is the greatest threat that the American nation and its system of Western liberal democratic government has faced since the American revolution". The book contains several tough proposals, including screening of Chinese investments not just on security grounds but also for long-term economic harm"; the prohibition of any Chinese company from operating in America unless there is reciprocal access for American firms in China; and the banning of TikTok, a Chinese-owned short-video app.

Crucially, Mr Lighthizer recommends another huge increase in tariffs. The goal, he argues, should be balanced trade"that is, presumably, no goods-trade deficit at all. Last year China still enjoyed a surplus with America of nearly $280bn, down from a record $419bn in 2018, but not far off the $347bn before Mr Trump took office. To correct this Mr Lighthizer calls for the undoing of one of the worst mistakes" in Americas history: its decision to enter into permanent normal trade relations" (PNTR) with China in 2000. This allowed China to pay the same low tariffs America charges most of its trading partners, rather than an alternative, steeper set of levies that appear in column 2" of Americas tariff schedule and apply to only a handful of countries such as Cuba and North Korea, and now Russia and Belarus.

Ending PNTR with China would raise tariffs on Chinese goods to 61% on average, according to Oxford Economics, a consultancy, assuming the Section 301 tariffs remain in place. For Chinese mobile phones, tariffs would jump from 0% to 35%; for Chinese toys from 0% to 70%. Instead of settling for the existing column 2 tariffs, America might write a new tariff schedule just for China. That could be even stricter on some goods (such as cars) but less restrictive on other products dear to American consumers, such as Apple iPhones.

Mr Xi will be busy asking his advisers to estimate how high the economic fallout might be. One guide is the past. At its height, the trade war knocked as much as 0.8% off Chinas quarterly GDP, according to Goldman Sachs, a bank, equivalent to roughly $40bn in todays dollars. Overall, the net trade effect was negative for China and positive for America. But the conflict eroded the incomes of both Chinese and Americans by raising prices, disrupted financial markets in each country and led to policy uncertainty that inhibited business spending (see chart 2). During negotiations with China, Mr Trump liked to be both the arsonist and the firefighter, as one observer put it, starting conflagrations with angry tweets and then dousing them with diplomatic dinners. These zigzags spooked global markets.

View Full Image (The Economist)

Another guide to the potential cost is modelling. Repeal of PNTR would shrink Americas expected share of Chinas exports from about a fifth under existing policies to about 3%, according to Oxford Economics (see chart 3). There are many moving parts to such simulations. One consideration is whether firms believe that new Trump tariffs would be maintained after he left office, as was the case last time (see Finance & economics section). Another is that some Chinese components would still find their way into Americas market embedded in goods assembled by other countries. Chinas economy and financial markets are in dismal shape compared with 2017. And it is not clear how China would retaliate: doing so during the first Trump presidency did not force America to back down. Oxford Economics assumes that China would raise its tariffs by about 17 percentage points on average. All in all, the once-intimate economic relationship between the superpowers could be reduced to an air-kiss.

Either way, the kind of decoupling that Mr Trumps advisers envisage would inflict profound damage on Chinas economy. Studies by JaeBin Ahn and other economists at the IMF show what would happen if the world splits into rival economic spheres with limited flows of foreign-direct investment between them. If such flows were to fall by half, it could eventually reduce Chinas GDP by about 2%, relative to a baseline in which investment flows more freely. Another study by Carlos Goes of the University of California, San Diego, and Eddy Bekers of the World Trade Organisation argues that tariff increases of around 30% could lower Chinas income by over 5% by 2040.

View Full Image (The Economist)

Four more years?

Judged on trade and tariffs, it is likely that Mr Xi favours a Biden victory. A Biden administration would probably extend import curbs on Chinese electric vehicles and further impede the flow of American cutting-edge technology to China in realms including semiconductors, artificial intelligence and quantum computing. But it is far less likely than a Trump administration to trigger a destabilising trade shock.

Yet the America-China relationship encompasses far more than economics, and it is here that the calculus for Mr Xi may lean the other way. He resents the Western-led world order and wants to establish China as an alternative centre of power. Mr Trumps tempestuous relationship with Americas allies in Europe and Asia may undermine cohesion with them on China policy if he is elected again. His contemptuous remarks about NATO, including his recent suggestion that he would not offer American protection to allies who fail to spend enough on defence, are music to Chinas ears. It sees NATO as a cold-war relic that the West uses to preserve its dominance. For the same reason, it relishes any tension in Americas relationships with Japan and South Korea, such as Mr Trump caused by threatening the withdrawal of American troops from those countries if their governments would not agree to big increases in their contributions to the cost of maintaining the bases.

A Trump administration might unwind the work Mr Biden has done to nurture Asian partnerships. To Chinas chagrin, he created a new grouping, known as AUKUS, aimed at strengthening co-operation with Australia and Britain in responding to the security challenge posed by Chinas navy in the Indian Ocean and Pacific. China, inaccurately, calls it NATO-like". Still, AUKUS involves exactly the kind of long-term, rather than transactional, relationship that Mr Trump dislikes.

Similarly on Taiwan, Mr Trump may be preferable for China. Mr Biden has sometimes gone beyond the conventional, ambivalent, language about Americas commitments to the island. He has said repeatedly that American troops would defend Taiwan if China invaded, only for his aides to walk back his comments after Chinese outrage. Mr Trump is probably far less enthusiastic about protecting the island. In his memoir, John Bolton, who served as Mr Trumps national security adviser in 2018 and 2019 before a bitter parting of ways, wrote of Mr Trumps grousing" about weapons sales to Taiwan. Mr Trump was dyspeptic" about Taiwan, Mr Bolton said, suggesting his boss lacked commitment to a democratic ally".

Above all else, Mr Xi wants stability. The views of Chinese scholars probably echo official thinking. In an interview in state media in January, Yan Xuetong of Tsinghua University in Beijing said that the candidates would compete to show who is more anti-China" than the other: If we want to prevent confrontation between the two sides from getting out of control and escalating into a conflict, our country needs to take some proactive measures." Mr Bidens approach to China is likely to be more predictable but better organised and enforced, and perhaps a bigger threat in the long run. Mr Trumps potential for chaos and excesses could create opportunities for China to outmanoeuvre America but also bring the instability China dreads.

Could there be a way out of superpower confrontation? Wu Xinbo of Fudan University in Shanghai suggests that Mr Biden offers hope for Sino-American ties. In an online article he describes Mr Trump as a unilateralist", having little need for Chinas help. But Biden still hopes to maintain Americas dominant position in the world," writes Mr Wu. As long as the United States wants to deal with many global problems, it cannot do without co-operation with China." Yet amid a military build-up and fraying trade ties such optimism is rare. Mr Xi will be watching the vote counts in November closely: the two likely candidates present China with very different challenges. But even as he waits for a result, he will know that however divided American politics may be, hostility towards China is now a bipartisan matter, and deeply entrenched. For him and for America the election cycle is part of a longer-term struggle.

 2023, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved.

From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com
Mumbai: Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) is actively looking at a second attempt to exit from its subsidiary India SME Asset Reconstruction Company (ISARC). In an interview with Mint, SIDBI Chairman S Ramann said the ARC had earlier sent a proposal to the central bank which was declined as the buyer failed to meet the increased provision of higher networth.

"We need to exit the ARC business. It doesn't make sense for a public sector enterprise to be in business. You need to have a private sector entity to be a part of this, whose decisions are not questioned," said Ramann.

"We need to exit the ARC business as the risk taking in the business is very high. This is better handled by a stressed fund or private sector entity where risk decisions are not questioned," said Ramann

In 2022, Press Trust of India reported that Union bank of India had sold its 8% stake in ISARC in favour of Dhansamridhi Finance. Other sponsors of the ARC include Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, and SIDBI Venture Capital Ltd.

The ARC sector in India has seen a churn with large players like Blackstone looking to sell their controlling interest in the ARC business. Arcion Revitalization, originally promoted by Apollo Global and ICICI bank, gave up its licence last year. Earlier, Lonestar surrendered its ARC licence and KKR abandoned plans to establish an ARC.

Stringent capital requirements have made it difficult for ARCs to function. The Reserve Bank of India had increased the capital requirement for ARCs to 100 crore from 2 crore. This, too, has been raised to 300 crore by 2026.

Ramann said SIDBI is currently focussed on increased direct lending to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by eyeing a 25% share in the banking system's total lending. SIDBI's current share in bank lending stands at 17%.

Earlier, the development finance institution had been in preliminary discussion with both the RBI and the government over plans to convert itself into an SME digital bank. But the talks didn't make much headway.

The future is about focussed digi-bank. SIDBI has a better risk assessment and underwriting. We are looking at going more digital, said Raman.

SIDBI is also looking to raise capital through a rights issue of 10,000 crore in the next financial year to expand its equity capital as it expects to grow its assets to 5 trillion by March 2024 from about 4 trillion in March 2023.

Sidbi's capital adequacy ratio came down to 19.29% in FY23 from 24.28% in FY22, according to its annual report.

PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK More Information

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Gopika Gopakumar Gopika Gopakumar has worked for over 15 years as a banking journalist across print and television media. Her expertise lies in breaking big corporate stories and producing news based TV shows. She was part of the 2013 IMF Journalism Fellowship Program where she covered the Annual & Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund in Washington D.C. She started her career with CNBC-TV18, where she also produced a news feature show called Indianomics and an award winning show on business stories from South India called Up South. She joined Mint in 2016. Read more from this author
Mumbai: India's top banks including State Bank of India, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank have walked back on capital commitments made to private equity and venture capital funds to avoid falling foul of a recent central bank circular on alternative investment funds (AIFs), three people familiar with the matter said. The development has rattled around 100 funds, the people said, putting a question mark over AIFs operating in a range of sectors including startup funding and buyout finance.

In December, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) asked banks and non-bank lenders to sell investments in AIFs linked to their debtor companies. PE and VC funds raise significant amounts from domestic banks through AIFs, which they invest in companies across sectors. Once a fund manager finalizes an investment, a capital call is made - a request to draw down the promised money.

In a recent case, SBI declined a capital call from the sovereign-backed National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), two of the three people cited above said on condition of anonymity. The bank has also declined capital calls from its own funds, a third person said, referring to several funds owned by India's largest bank by assets. SBI, NIIF, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank did not respond to requests for comment.

Banks, which are limited partners (LPs) or investors in these funds, have referred to the RBI circular and invoked force majeure" or An Act of God" to decline the promised capital, the people added.

According to the people cited above, the regulators identified four NBFCs close to AIFs which were suspected to be helping in evergreening loans. The RBI circular pointed to situations where lenders were investing in their own captive AIFs which had links to their own bad debt. In January, Sebi identified 30,000 crore worth of investments related to such evergreening of loans.

However, the uncertain language of the RBI circular has prompted banks to deny capital calls across the industry, even to legitimate AIFs," said the second person cited above, an investor whose fund was impacted.

According to industry estimates, Indian banks have invested around 12,000 crore in Indian PE/VC funds over the last 20-25 years.

The RBI guidelines have caused some stress on Indian AIFs, given that banks have started to reconsider deployment in funds which have common portfolios and this, in turn, has resulted in the funds having to delay committed rounds. It is imperative that the guidelines issued be revised to provide a breather for the regulated entities which would help getting life back to normal for the funds," said Ritesh Kumar, partner at consulting firm BDO.

The circular penalizes banks for making investments into AIFs even when they are legitimate or genuine investments, Kumar added.

What this instruction also ignores is the essential fact that no one LP is in a position to decide or control the management of the AIF and that the fund managers (along with an investment committee, in some cases) take the investment decisions. The instruction appears to disregard the independence of the investment manager and presumes a malafide intent by default," Kumar said.

The Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA) has been lobbying the banking and markets regulators to relax the new rule.

The changes by RBI to place greater restrictions Banks and NBFCs (REs or regulated entities) investing in funds and their portfolio companies has disrupted the capital call process for various AIFs in India," Siddarth Pai, an executive council member of IVCA said. The RBI circular does not differentiate between debt and equity, and makes broadbased, Pai said.

Several managers with REs (regulated entities) as investors have put their capital calls on hold as their fund documents require all Investors to fund capital calls at the same time. In other cases, banks have shared legal opinions stating their inability to fund capital calls due to the RBI circular on the same," Pai added. Regulated entities refer to banks, non-bank lenders and other entities under the regulator's authority.
Many malls are struggling but IKEA is betting it can breathe new life into the troubled format.

Ingka Group, the operator of most of the worlds IKEA stores, has assembled its own mall empire in recent years, spanning from China to Europe to the U.S., and says it wants to buy more locations as it aims to diversify beyond retail.

The companys blueprint is to anchor its malls with an IKEA store and seek to pull in more would-be shoppers with additions such as WeWork-style co-working spaces, Nordic-themed food halls and childrens play areas inspired by outer space.

People are looking for places that offer much more, not only shopping," said Cindy Andersen, the managing director of Ingka Centers, the companys real-estate arm. If you bring in more reasons to visit, then people will still come."

Many malls have been in decline for years as consumers shift toward local, outdoor shopping venues and buy more online. Foot traffic to U.S. malls was down 4% on average in 2023 from the prior year, and about 12% lower than 2019 levels, according to Green Street, a real-estate data provider.

Some retailers, tracking their audience, have been reducing their exposure to enclosed malls, moving instead into strip malls or downtown locations.

Even so, the IKEA operator is doubling down on the mall. Though it offloaded its 14 malls in Russia last year following the countrys invasion of Ukraine, Ingka still has 38 malls in 15 countries.

Ingka opened its first mall, or meeting place as it calls them, in 1973 in Sundsvall, Sweden, together with an IKEA store. In recent years the company has expanded its real-estate business, opening a string of new malls, and says it is actively looking to buy and develop more locations, including in the U.S.

The company looks for malls with strong existing retail tenants but with development potential, Andersen said.

Its most recent addition, a mall in Brighton, England, bought in November for 145 million, equivalent to about $184 million, was a case in point. Brands already operating in the mall included the likes of Apple and Zara, while an empty ex-department store in the same property offered a good location for a new IKEA.

Real-estate analysts said the Brighton property had recently been valued at around 250 milliona sign that buyers like Ingka can find bargains if they are willing to shoulder the risk of acquiring an unfashionable asset.

The company plans to open malls in the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Xian this year, with a first opening in India slated for 2025.

In North America, Ingka operates malls in Toronto and San Francisco. It acquired the latter in 2020 and opened last year.

By positioning its malls as more than just shopping destinations, IKEA can transcend the gloom, said Cameron Baird, a senior vice president at Avison Young, a San Francisco-based real-estate consulting firm. While many malls are failing, theres a flight to quality," he said, as both retailers and consumers gravitate toward the most dynamic destinations.

Theres been a transition in how malls are viewed, people are looking more for a lifestyle center, gathering placesyou dont just buy stuff and leave," said Baird. Ingka isnt the only proprietor attempting to enliven its malls, he said, though its ability to use IKEA stores to generate buzz makes it unique.

Ingkas push into malls has latterly been driven by the invention of a new compact-format IKEA store, designed for the city centers rather than its typical suburban warehouses. IKEA is rolling out downtown stores globally to tap in to an urban audience it believes is underserved by its out-of-town locations.

Ingka prefers to open downtown IKEAs in its own properties, where it has free rein to construct them to its preferred specifications and where it doesnt have to pay rent.

The Swedish furniture brands popularity ensures that a mall hosting an IKEA store will receive a certain level of traffic. But one store cant support a mall single-handed.

Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, Ingka understood that the mall needed updating, said Andersen. But after Covid decimated mall traffic, finding new ways to attract visitors has become much more urgent, she said.

It responded by investing 60 million, equivalent to around $65 million, on developing new concepts to attract consumers and retailers to its properties. These will eventually roll out globally.

Its not just about renting out space, its about activating it and making it much more alive," Andersen said. That includes using a mall as an event space, she said, and encouraging service businesses such as hair salons and medical centers to occupy spots alongside retail brands.

A new co-working brand called Hej! Workshop is one such means of bringing traffic into its malls.

Ingka recently opened the third Hej!Swedish for helloat its mall in downtown San Francisco. With capacity for 500 workers, and costing $399 a month, the shared-office space is fully loaded with IKEA furniture, including sofa areas for relaxation.

Hej! is intended to both help populate Ingkas malls and be a stand-alone, profitable business, Andersen said.

The San Francisco mall will also be the first to host Saluhall, Ingkas new food hall concept, which is slated to open in the spring. With Nordic cuisine as its inspiration, the menu will be 80% plant-based and use local suppliers.

Play areas for childrenincluding one called SpaceLab that is offering space-themed creative activitiesand repair hubs for clothes and other products are features Ingka has been trialing in some of its malls to boost their appeal.

The IKEA operator says its approach is working, with visitor numbers at the companys malls increasing.

Traffic at Ingkas mall in London, for example, nearly doubled last year from the year before. When the company bought the Hammersmith mall about a quarter of its units were vacant. Now its fully let after a makeover that revamped community spaces, added food options and opened the door to nonretail occupants that have regular visitors, including a gym.

Its coming back strongly," Andersen said of traffic to Ingkas malls. As the pandemics impact recedes, people want to be together."

Write to Trefor Moss at Trefor.Moss@wsj.com
That has brought huge bounty to Western and Japanese vendorsbut also portends worrying developments ahead.

The latest to benefit from Chinas splurge is Japanese chip-equipment maker Tokyo Electron. Its shares have gained 20% since it raised its profit outlook around two weeks ago. China comprised nearly half of its total net sales last quarter, after sales there doubled from a year earlier.

Strong demand from China helped offset weakness elsewhere last year as capital spending from global semiconductor companies, especially memory-chip makers, slowed. Imports of semiconductor equipment to China rose 14% year on year in 2023 to nearly $40 billion, according to the countrys customs data. Industry association SEMI reckons that global semiconductor equipment sales fell 6.1% year on year in 2023 to $101 billion: a significant improvement from its original forecast in July of an 18.6% decline.

There are a couple of reasons for Chinas spending spree. First, Chinese chip makers have been rushing to stockpile equipment in anticipation of tougher Western export restrictions. That is particularly true for lithography machines, which use light to print tiny circuits on silicon wafers. Japan and the Netherlands, key suppliers of such machines, have rolled out their own restrictions on exports to China, in concert with the U.S.

Chinas imports of lithography machines from the Netherlands almost quadrupled year on year in 2023, according to Chinas customs data. Net system sales to China from Dutch company ASML, the market leader in lithography equipment, tripled in 2023. China made up 29% of ASMLs total net system sales last yearup from just 14% in 2022.

ASML hasnt been able to sell its cutting edge extreme ultraviolet lithography, or EUV, machines to China for quite a while. But new, more recent restrictions mean it wont be able to export some less advanced machines there either. The company said last month that the Dutch government has revoked licenses for exporting certain lithography machines to China. ASML says around 10% to 15% of its sales to China could be affected this year.

For companies, the bad news is that Chinas stockpiling binge last year could dent sales growth in 2024. Even so, Chinas aggressive investment in semiconductor manufacturing capacity is a long-term trend.

Chinas effort to make the most advanced chips is hampered by sanctions, but its companies are pushing hard in more mature technologies. Chinas largest contract chip maker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, or SMIC, says its capital expenditure this year will remain roughly the same as last year at around $7.5 billion.

Another longer term risk for manufacturers of chip-making gear is Chinas drive to wean itself off Western supplies. While it will take a long time for China to catch up on some keystone technologies such as lithography, there are already niches where Chinese suppliers can replace Western counterparts. Bernstein estimates that domestic suppliers made up around 14% of Chinas wafer-fabrication equipment market last year, up from 3% in 2018. It expects that share to rise to 29% in 2026.

Such local champions include Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc. China, or AMEC, which makes etching tools to create circuit patterns on wafers. The company hasnt reported 2023 full year results yet, but its latest public estimate puts revenue growth at 32% year on year. The company reckons sales of its key dry etching equipment rose 49%. New orders for the machine rose 60% last year, pointing to continued growth.

For Western and Japanese chip equipment makers, export restrictions to China are both a blessing and a curse. For now, they are raking in huge sales. But long-term risks are multiplying, especially at the lower end of the technological spectrum.

Write to Jacky Wong at jacky.wong@wsj.com
Woman saved from mob in Pakistan in mixup over Arabic text on her dress

A woman in Pakistan had to be rescued from a mob of hundreds of men accusing her of blasphemy after they mistook Arabic calligraphy on her dress for verses from the Quran.

The woman was shopping with her husband at a market in Lahore on Sunday when people began falsely accusing her of wearing a dress adorned with verses from the Islamic holy book.

A mob of nearly 300 people cornered the woman at a restaurant, demanding her to remove the dress.

Videos on social media showed the scared woman pushed into a corner of the restaurant, hiding her face with her hand. A man can be heard in the video asking her to remove the garment or saying it would be forcefully removed from her.

She was rescued by the local police, who escorted her out of the restaurant while the mob protested.

Blasphemy is punishable by death in Muslim-majority Pakistan under stringent laws, and mob lynchings can occur over the mere allegation of committing blasphemy.

It was later confirmed that the word "halwa", which translates to sweet, was printed in Arabic script on the woman's dress.

It was a local garment trader, who was able to identify the Arabic caligraphy, who called police after 1pm (local time) to come to the womans aid.

Multiple police teams rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the crowd, before taking the woman into protective custody.

Another video showed assistant superintendent of police Shehrbano Naqvi trying to convince the mob that no blasphemous act had been committed by the woman. "During my service, I have handled three such incidents, and you should have trust in us [police], she was seen telling the crowd.

"ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, the brave SDPO of Gulbarg Lahore, put her life in danger to rescue a woman from a violent crowd. For this heroic deed, the Punjab Police has recommended her name for the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal (QPM), the highest gallantry award for law pic.twitter.com/awHaIGVb9l  Punjab Police Official (@OfficialDPRPP) February 25, 2024

The footage showed her putting an arm around the woman, who was by then covered in a black burqa and a hijab, and escorting her out of the premises.

Story continues

"I didn't have any such intention, it happened by mistake," the woman said in a videotaped apology issued from police custody.

The woman added that she was a devout Muslim and would never insult her religion. "Still I apologise for all that happened, and I'll make sure it never happens again.

Ms Naqvi, meanwhile, has been praised for her bravery and recommended by the Punjab police for the highest gallantry award for law enforcement in the country.

She told reporters that there has been a "mushrooming" of similar incidents in Pakistan. An eight-year-old Hindu boy was the youngest to be charged with blasphemy in 2021.
It is no secret that Shah Rukh Khan, the Badshah of Bollywood, is a busy person. But did you know that the King of Hearts has 17 phone? Reportedly, these are to help King Khan stay connected with his family and friends, and of course his team.

However, this might not be the case for his old friend, actor-writer Vivek Vaswani. In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, Vaswani said that SRK has 17 phones, but he has just one number, which makes it hard for him to catch up with his old friend.

"We do not meet, we dont talk, we don't even have a relationship, Vaswani said.

Shah Rukh Khan and Vivek Vaswani's friendship goes back to the 90s when King Khan was still a newbie in the industry. Reportedly, SRK had even lived with Vaswani for 2 years in Mumbai, before he bought his own place.

According to Vaswani, he last met King Khan in 2018 at a party in Mannat. However, the actor-write tried reaching the Bollywood star after Jawan.

"SRK has 17 phones, and I have one number. I called him after Jawan, but he didnt pick up. When I was in the shower, he called back but I could not answer," he said.

Vaswani added that the Dunki star travels all the time and has a lot of responsibilities. "He runs an empire, so I am okay."

'We don't talk or meet'

Vivek Vaswani, who is now a teacher and the dean of a school, said that they two friends don't meet or talk often, but when they do, "it's as if the years were not there."

We dont have a relationship. We dont talk. We dont meet, but when we do, its as if the years were not there. I am not a suburbanite. I am a teacher. I am the dean of a school. I work 18 hours a day. I travel by bus, local train, and Shah Rukh is a superstar," he said.

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Bengaluru: Suresh Poddar works in a financial services firm in Kuwait City. A non-resident Indian, he keeps scouting for new investment opportunities in Indian real estate. During the pandemic, in 2021, Poddar decided to invest in commercial real estate. He also decided to try out a new but promising conceptfractional ownership.

Few individuals can invest in a commercial propertylets say an office floor in a central business districton their own. The commercial real estate asset class has been the playground of large institutional investors for years.

What if many retail investors pooled in their money?

Fractional ownership platforms, which have become popular in India ever since the pandemic, facilitate exactly that. In short, fractional ownership is a co-ownership model where individual investors can own commercial real estate through an alternate investment route. An office, retail space or a warehouse is listed for investment. The platform markets the property and raises investor money to buy the asset through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) or a private limited company. The assets are usually pre-leased. Investors, therefore, get a monthly rental.

In the last three years, Poddar invested in commercial real estate assets sold by two fractional real estate companies, hBits Proptech and Strata Property Management. From hBits, he picked an office space in Mumbai while he invested in a warehouse property near Chennai through Strata. The investment? 25 lakh each. Under the fractional ownership model today, 25 lakh is the industry standard for minimum investment required. This cutoff keeps small investors at bay.

The secondary market is not that mature and platforms are less receptive in helping with an exit Suresh Poddar

Poddar says his experience, thus far, is good. The assets are of good quality and were already leased out by the time he invested. He receives timely rents. But he does have concerns. Exit through a secondary sale wont be easy, he feels. Then, there are other questions. Many platforms promise high rental yields (yearly rental income as a percentage of a propertys value) of up to 9-9.5%. Is that even feasible? Office real estate investment trusts (Reits), in contrast, typically end up with 5-6% annual rental yield, industry watchers said. Residential real estates rental yields are in the range of 2-3%.

The fractional platforms arent regulated in India yet. So, will they deliver what they promise?

The secondary market is not that mature and platforms are less receptive in helping with an exit," Poddar said.

His advice: read the fine print carefully.

How does it work

View Full Image Shiv Parekh, founder and CEO, hBits Proptech. The companys AUM totals about  310 crore today.

Grade A commercial real estate is now within your reach. Have multinational corporations as your tenants," a promotional video from hBits tells us. Join the league of private equity giants like Blackstone and Brookfield and own a fraction of real estate from 25 lakh onwards with the single push of a button," the video further exhorts.

Joining that big league is surely aspirational for many retail investors. Capitalizing on that aspiration, about a dozen fractional ownership companies are currently operating in India. Under this sort of ownership, investors get equity and compulsory convertible debentures (CCDs) to the proportion of their investment made in the SPV for a particular asset. If the rental income is 9%, the platform usually deducts 1% as platform or management fee and deposits the rest as rent in the investors account.

Investors can exit their investment in two wayseither through a secondary sale or when the platform finds a buyer for the property.

However, thus far, the industry has been outside the purview of Indias market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). These platforms are typically registered under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act or RERA.

If the rental income is 9%, the platform usually deducts 1% as platform or management fee and deposits the rest as rent in the investors account.

Change is coming soon. As per industry estimates, fractional ownership platforms have over 4,000 crore in assets under management (AUM) alreadybig enough to grab Sebis attention. The regulator wants all such platforms under its jurisdiction. It wants all SPVs to mandatorily list on the stock exchanges. More of this a bit later.

The beginnings

View Full Image Kunal Moktan, CEO, Property Share. In its last big transaction, Property Share bought office space at Prestige Tech Platina in Bengaluru for  720 crore.

Co-ownership of real estate has existed in India for years, albeit in an unorganized fashion. For instance, some office spaces in Nariman Point, Mumbais premier business district, had been sold to multiple individual investors but there is probably no large platform behind this.

A decade ago, Kunal Moktan left Blackstone Real Estate Partners to start Property Share with his IIM-Ahmedabad batchmate Hashim Khan. This is when fractional ownership started in earnest.

From creating a business model and the SPV structure, to the 25 lakh minimum investment, Property Share built the foundation for many other platforms to follow today. Like we mentioned earlier, most companies in the space flourished only during and after the pandemic.

Once we find a property, we make an investment note, list it on the platform, and present it in the exact same way we used to present it to the investment committee at Blackstones New York headquarters. It was initially difficult to sell a 25 lakh investment product," Moktan, also the chief executive officer (CEO) of the company, said.

In its last big transaction, Property Share, backed by Lightspeed Venture Partners, WestBridge Capital and BEENEXT, bought office space at Prestige Tech Platina in Bengaluru for 720 crore, in two tranches. It entered the UK market in 2022 where it has three warehousing assets.

We always played a conservative game. Many platforms are aggressive and want to grow their AUM, because valuation is AUM-based," Moktan said. Sebi woke up to this because its experience with real estate and retail money in the past has not been good. Regulations will tell how you can market the product, who you can market it to, and how investing will happen," he added.

Sebis worry

In early 2022, when the stock market was volatile during the Russia-Ukraine war, Mumbai resident Neeraj Shah decided to invest in an asset through a fractional ownership platform. He works as a relationship manager in a home finance company and a colleague introduced him to the concept saying it was a safe investment" with decent returns".

He invested but a year later, when the stock market bounced back, Shah wanted to exit. He realized that there was no standard mechanism in place. The platform executives said they would help but they didnt. Eventually, I got it done through my own network and sold my shares to another investor in the asset," Shah said.

Since he exited the asset in a year or so, there was not much capital appreciation on the property. Shah didnt make a profit but he didnt lose any money either.

Nonetheless, his trouble exiting underlines the need for regulation.

Reit regulations in India were in the making for over a decade before the Blackstone-backed Embassy Reit initial public offering launched in March 2019. With Reits, Sebi created a framework for investing in high-end office spaces that were out of reach for even wealthy retail investors earlier. The three office Reits (Embassy Reit, Mindspace Business Parks Reit and Brookfield India Real Estate Trust) and one retail Reit (Nexus Select Trust) have around 1.2 trillion in gross AUM, the Indian Reits Association said last September.

View Full Image Sebi on 25 November approved amendments to Reit Regulations 2014 to facilitate SM Reits. (HT)

With Reit regulations in place, Sebi now has moved to create a similar framework for the nascent fractional ownership platforms. A small and medium real estate investment trust (SM Reit) will hold assets under the fractional ownership model.

Following a consultation paper released in May last year, Sebi on 25 November approved amendments to Reit Regulations 2014 to facilitate SM Reits. The regulators framework lays out the Reit structure, obligations of the investment manager, minimum unit holding requirement, investment norms and distribution norms among others. The final amendments are expected soon.

According to the framework, each asset or property has to have a minimum value of 50 crore. A platform can also club a few assets under an SPV, adding up to a minimum 50 crore in value. The SPV can then be listed on the exchanges as an SM Reit.

What worries Sebi? One, a lack of standard and uniform selling practices. A second concern is lack of independent valuation of assets. Third, disclosures made to investors when soliciting investments arent enough. Property title, know your customer documentation and property tax payments are the other issues.

Given that many platforms take money from retail investors, it is important to oversee the nature of projects Vedika Shah

If you browse through some of the platforms, you are likely to see wait list tags on listed properties. Sebis consultation paper stated that such wait list and sold out tags used to entice investors need to be reviewed.

Exits may also become easier with the new regulations. Once listed on the stock exchange, the shares of any scheme can be traded.

It is necessary to bring in a regulatory framework in the industry. Given that many platforms take money from retail investors, it is important to oversee the nature of projects, ensure that thorough due diligence is undertaken vis a vis the projects, and the credentials of the property managers are vetted and scrutinized," said Vedika Shah, senior associate at law firm Pioneer Legal.

Pain and gain

View Full Image Sudarshan Lodha, founder and CEO, Strata.

Many in the industry are therefore worried. There is palpable nervousness about what shape and form the final regulation could take. Will it boost the sector or scuttle it?

Initially, at least, the sector is bracing for some pain. Smaller companies will be more impacted than the largesmaller companies with limited asset and investor base can get acquired, going ahead. They will find it tough to keep up with the regulations.

The mandatory listing proposal, while it is investor-friendly, may turn out to be a headache for the platforms. Mandatory listing (of assets) could be a concern, as there is added cost of compliance and volatility in pricing," Gaurav Karnik, partner and real estate leader at EY India, a consulting firm, said. The SM Reits have to invest in 100% rent yielding assets, with no investments in under-development assets," he added.

Bigger Reits today can own 20% in under-construction properties.

Mandatory listing of assets could be a concern, as there is added cost of compliance. Gaurav Karnik

As per the proposal, the SM Reit sponsors need to invest and hold a minimum of 15% of the total units of the trust for at least three years from the date of listing. This means platforms need to invest money up front for each listing.

In a regular Reit, because a developers margins are higher, they have the capacity to hold inventory. In SM Reits, we have to put 15% of our money in every transaction. I am an asset manager, not a developer. I charge an asset management fee. So, where do I bring 15% from? Its a non-starter," Sudarshan Lodha, founder and CEO, Strata, said. The company has an AUM of about 1,300 crore.

Meanwhile, SM Reit schemes cannot raise debt fundingthat would restrict the SPVs access to capital.

If a platform has to fund 15% of every deal, it is important to be well capitalized," said Moktan. Sebi has also made it clear that after the regulations are published, there are six months to get a licence. That will remove the riff-raff. Scaling up will become more difficult."

After bearing out the short-term pain, the sector may eventually grow fast and get bigger. Regulations will usher in more institutional capital.

So, the sector is likely to slow down before it grows again. Some platforms are already treading carefully, in anticipation of the coming regulation.

Prudhvi Reddy, founder and CEO of Assetmonk, another fractional ownership platform, said that the company has multiple deals in the pipeline. But, we have slowed down a bit. We want to understand what the regulations would mean and require," Reddy said.

After pausing new investments in November 2022, WiseX (formerly Myre Capital), said it has re-entered the fractional ownership market with Sebi approving the amendments.

We are aligning ourselves to the new compliance norms. There will be short-term pain for many but it will ensure that there are only serious players. It will also create an entry barrier in some sense," Aryaman Vir, founder and CEO of WiseX, said.

After bearing out the short-term pain, the sector may eventually grow fast and get bigger. Market watchers believe and hope that the regulations will usher in more institutional capital, particularly from those who are familiar with the Reit ecosystem. Better quality assets may be available in the fractional market with more developers or landlords willing to sell to the platforms. Indeed, a few developers may explore the fractional ownership market themselves. While consolidation will eliminate competition in the near-term, it could be a different story a few years from now.
NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorted captains of Indias textiles industry to tap the export potential for their products in Africa and the European Union.

This draws significance at a time when India is positioning itself as a global textiles sourcing destination by focusing on quality and sustainable manufacturing of apparel.

In the first 10 months of the current fiscal year, India exported $27.69 billion worth textile products across the globe. Textile exports to Europe stood at $7.67 billion, of which readymade garments accounted for about $4.30 billion.

Inaugurating the global textile event, Bharat Tex 2024, the prime minister asked textiles manufacturers to conduct a market survey in African countries as well as the EU and design clothing as per their requirements.

We are focusing on technology and innovation in the textiles sector on the principles of 5F. The 5F formula encompasses farm to fibre; fibre to factory; factory to fashion; [and] fashion to foreign," Modi said.

He also laid emphasis on reducing dependency on other developed economies for textiles machineries and asked domestic players to manufacture sustainable and eco-friendly machineries.

BharatTex2024 is an excellent platform to highlight Indias exceptional capabilities in the textile industry," the prime minister said. The expo is not just a textile show. The thread of textiles has brought the world together."

The textile industry is the countrys second-largest employer after agriculture, providing direct employment to 45 million people, and 100 million others in allied sectors.

India is the worlds sixth-largest exporter of textiles and apparel, with the domestic apparel and textile industry contributing about 2.3% to the countrys GDP, 13% to industrial production, and 12% to exports.

Indias textile and apparel market size is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 14.59% and is expected to reach $387.3 billion by 2028 from $172.3 billion in 2022, according to the Indian Brand Equity Foundation, a body established by the ministry of commerce and industry.

Exports of ready-to-wear textile products increased 11% to $11.57 billion in January from $10.13 billion in December, according to the commerce ministry.

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In a world where our population is booming and our reliance on technology is ever-growing, the demand for electricity has never been greater. From keeping our mobile phones charged to powering our homes and businesses, electricity is the lifeblood of modern society.

However, as we strive to meet this demand, we're faced with a pressing challenge to lower carbon dioxide emissions. In recent years, India has been making significant strides in transitioning from coal-based power to renewable energy sources.

While coal still remains a major component of India's energy mix, the country has been actively expanding its renewable energy capacity to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and combat climate change.

Also Read: Best renewable energy stock: KP Energy vs Inox Wind

The installed electricity generating capacity in the country at present is 417 GW, comprising 179 GW from non-fossil fuel sources, which is about 43% of the total installed electricity generating capacity, according to the Ministry of Power.

The country has set an ambitious goal of installing 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, and meeting 50% of its electricity needs from renewable energy sources by 2030, marking a momentous milestone in the global effort against climate change.

Currently, the country holds the 4th position globally for installed renewable energy capacity, including large hydro. It ranks fourth in both wind power capacity and solar power capacity.

Also Read: Climate action: Our energy transition need not follow preset pathways

However, the generation of power from nuclear energy, another renewable source, remains low compared to other renewable sources in the country. Nonetheless, steps have been initiated to increase nuclear power capacity to fulfil the goal of achieving a 50% energy mix from non-fossil fuels.

Nuclear power is a clean and environmentally friendly source of base-load electricity generation, available round the clock. Nuclear power plants in the country have generated over 833 billion units of clean electricity, resulting in the saving of approximately 716 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, as per the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.

India was among the pioneers in adopting nuclear energy. In 1948, just one year after gaining independence, the country enacted its first Atomic Energy Act and embarked on the journey of nuclear energy development. Initially, India introduced small reactors manufactured by General Electric, eventually becoming the first Asian nation to operate nuclear power plants in 1969.

Powering the future

In August of last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 700 MW nuclear power plant, entirely developed within India, situated in Kakrapar, Gujarat. This plant is currently operating at full capacity. Additionally, nuclear power plant projects with a capacity of 700 MW each are underway at two other locations: Rawatbhata in Rajasthan (RAPS 7 and 8) and Gorakhpur in Haryana (GHAVP 1 and 2).

Also Read: IREDA planning arm to finance rooftop solar, electric vehicles

On December 17, 2023, Unit 4 of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP 4700 MW) reached a significant milestone by achieving criticality, marking the commencement of a controlled fission chain reaction, for the first time. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is overseeing the construction of sixteen 700 MW pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) across the country, having received both financial and administrative approvals for these projects.

NPCIL currently operates 23 reactors with a combined capacity of 7480 MW, and nine additional units (including KAPP-4) with a capacity of 7500 MW are currently under construction. Furthermore, 10 more reactors, with a total capacity of 7000 MW, are in pre-project phases, anticipated to be completed progressively by 2031-32.

Also Read: Nuclear energy is clean but too risky to rely on

Meanwhile, the government has approved plans to establish a 6 x 1208 MW nuclear power plant in collaboration with the USA at Kovvada in Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh. Looking ahead, nuclear power is expected to play a crucial role in achieving the goal of net zero emissions by 2070.

The government has set a target of reaching a nuclear power capacity of 22,480 MW by 20232022, a significant increase from the current capacity of 7480 MW. Notably, the installed nuclear power capacity in 201314 was recorded at 4780 MW. Currently, nuclear power accounts for just 2% of the country's total electricity generation.

Entry of private players

The government is looking to invite private firms to invest about $26 billion in the nuclear energy sector. The government is in talks with at least five private firms, including Reliance Industries, Tata Power, Adani Power, and Vedanta, to invest around 44,000 crore each, news agency Reuters reported on February 20.

This is the first time that the government is pursuing private investment in nuclear power. The Department of Atomic Energy and the state-run Nuclear Power Corp of India (NPCIL) have held multiple rounds of discussions with private companies in the past year on the investment plan, the report added.

Under the funding plan, the private companies will make investments in the nuclear plants, acquire land and water, and undertake construction in areas outside the reactor complex of the plants.

However, the rights to build and run the stations and their fuel management will rest with NPCIL, as allowed under the law. The private companies are expected to earn revenue from the power plant's electricity sales, and NPCIL would operate the projects for a fee, according to the report.

Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.

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Public Sector Unit (PSU) lender Canara Bank said on Monday that the board has given its approval a stock split, dividing each share into five shares to enhance the liquidity of the bank's shares and make them more accessible for retail investors, the company said in an exchange filing.

The expected time period for the completion of the stock split is 2-3 months. "Expected time of completion is 2 to 3 months from intimation of date of Board Meeting (February 7, 2024) to Stock Exchanges, considering the time taken for receiving RBIs approval," said Canara Bank.

Also read: Dixon Technologies share price hits record high; what's driving the rally?

Approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is required for the stock split of its fully paid-up equity shares. The Canara Bank stock closed a percent lower today at 571.90 on the NSE.

According to the filing, the trading window will reopen on February 29 for the Directors, designated individuals of the bank, their relatives, and all associated parties.

In the previous month, Canara Bank, a state-owned institution, announced robust financial results, with nearly 27 percent surge in net income to 3,659 crore during the quarter ending December 2023.

This growth was propelled by reduced credit costs and increased interest income. The Bengaluru-headquartered bank surpassed expectations, with net interest income registering a significant rise of 9.50 percent to reach 9,417 crore. Moreover, the credit cost demonstrated a remarkable decline, plummeting by 24 basis points (bps) to a commendable 0.97.

Also read: As India expands its nuclear power capacity, Reliance, Tata Power, Adani Power, Vedanta are at the forefront

During the quarter, the bank witnessed a notable increase in net interest income, which surged by 9.5% to reach 9,417 crore.

Regarding asset quality, the bank reported an improvement, noting that its gross Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) decreased to 4.39% of the gross loans by the conclusion of December 2023, down from 5.89% recorded a year earlier. Similarly, the net NPAs, or bad loans, saw a decline to 1.32% from 1.96% reported at the end of the third quarter of the previous fiscal year.

CANARA BANK More Information

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Infibeam Avenues , a fintech firm, saw its shares gain 10% to 37.90 apiece in today's (Monday) intraday trade after the company announced an investment of $10 million for the acquisition of a 20% strategic stake in XDuce, a renowned enterprise application and AI development company based in the United States.

With headquarters in New Jersey, USA, XDuce has a team of over 150 software developers in the US, servicing some of the marquee Wall Street and insurance clients in North America. The company is renowned for its expertise in business application implementation, integration services, and business transformation.

XDuce's esteemed clientele includes industry titans such as Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Capgemini, Hollingsworth & Vose, Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs, NYP, QBE, IEEE, FMCNA, and many more.

Also Read: Stocks To Buy: HDFC Securities sees 14-18% upside for SAIL

By joining forces, Infibeam Avenues will gain the strategic advantage of tapping into this illustrious network for its Phronetic AI Solutions and CCAvenue Payments business in the US, Infibeam said in an exchange filing on Saturday (February 24).

"On Saturday, the board of directors approved the equity acquisition in XDuce. Its a strategic move to integrate Infibeam Avenues PhroneticAI capabilities into XDuces existing framework as well as support platform and payments business growth in the US market."

"This integration is aimed at enhancing the intelligence quotient of XDuce's solutions, especially by embedding PhroneticAI fraud detection and authentication and risk identification (FAR) AI technology for the financial sector in the US," the company said.

Also Read: Tata Electric Vehicle Unit eyes $1-2 billion IPO in FY25-26, says report

Moreover, the company stated that XDuce will bolster the expansion of its payment gateway brand, CCAvenue, in the United States, solidifying its presence in the highly lucrative financial sector.

This strategic initiative is expected to redefine the course of Infibeam's international operations as the company endeavors to increase the contribution of its international business to overall revenue within the next two years.

Last year, the international business contributed less than 10% to Infibeam Avenues' total revenue, and we plan to grow the international business to 30% of total revenue in the next couple of years. This strategic investment in XDuce will support the growth of the CCAvenue payments business as well as our platform business in the US," said Mr Vishwas Patel, Joint Managing Director, Infibeam Avenues.

Robust rally

Infibeam Avenues is an Indian multinational financial technology company that offers integrated and scalable digital platforms consisting of digital payment solutions under the brand name CCAvenue and enterprise software solutions under the brand name BuildaBazaar.

The company is the only listed home-grown, bootstrapped, and profitable fintech conglomerate with a comprehensive fintech portfolio, according to the company website.

Also Read: 13 Nifty 500 stocks priced under 100 have gained up to 425% in a year

The company's shares began their upward rally in September last year and have since maintained this trend. During this period, the shares have surged from 14.60 each to the current trading price of 37, marking a remarkable rally of 154%.

Q3FY24 scorecard

In Q3, the company achieved its highest-ever quarterly profit after tax (PAT) of 42.1 crore, reflecting a substantial 64% increase compared to the net profit of 25.7 crore recorded in the corresponding period last year. Additionally, the company reported its highest EBITDA of 69 crore, marking a year-on-year growth of 45%.

The gross revenue jumped by 120% YoY in Q3, while the net revenue improved by 33% YoY, reaching 112.28 crore. The stellar performance, according to the company, was attributed to the synergy of the festive season and the growing adoption of the CCAvenue payment solution by merchants.

Also Read: Q3FY24 Review: Nifty 500 firms deliver 25% growth; BFSI, oil & gas lead the pack

The company maintains its financial guidance for FY24, maintaining a range of 3,0003,300 crore for gross revenue, 410415 crore for net revenue, 230235 crore for EBITDA, and 130150 crore for profit after tax.

Disclaimer: We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.

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International tax treaties can be extremely confusing for the layman. That is because the provisions in such treaties are drafted in a very convoluting manner. And it is not just the layman who is confounded. Even experts in other fields struggle to decipher the implications of certain provisions in such treaties. Harshal Bhuta, a chartered accountant (CA), will vouch for that.

Bhuta, a partner at P.R. Bhuta & Co., came across one such instance when he was advising one of his NRI clients from Singapore on Indian investments. Under the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), non-resident Indians (NRIs) based in select countries such as Singapore, UAE and Mauritius dont have to pay capital gains tax on Indian mutual funds (MF). For NRIs based in Singapore, there is a rider thougha prerequisite that they have to meet before they are eligible for the tax benefit.

View Full Image Graphic: Paras Jain

Article 24 (1) of the India-Singapore DTAA, states that the capital gains needs to be repatriated to Singapore. Since MF capital gains have to be taxed in Singapore (and not in India), the treaty requires the proceeds to be sent there for taxation. And herein begins the confusion. Singapore does not levy any tax on capital gains. Thus, the DTAA rule that states that gains need to be taxed in Singapore might not be fulfilled and, hence, some financial experts are of the opinion that the gains might be taxable in India.

Another interpretation by other experts is that since India does not have taxation rights on capital gains in the first place under the treaty, the income tax department cannot ask NRIs based in Singapore to pay up taxes if such a situation arises. The capital gains tax, say these experts, was never treated as exempt from taxation in India.

To be sure, not all chartered accountants agree to the first interpretation. Ameet Patel, a chartered accountant and partner at Manohar Chowdhary and Associates, said that Article 24 (1) of Singapore-India DTAA refers to income earned outside Singapore that is taxable in that country if it is repatriated there. It does not cover any other income. Taxation of capital gains made in India is not dependent on its repatriation to Singapore. Therefore, there is no compulsion to repatriate capital gains back to Singapore.

View Full Image Graphic: Paras Jain

Capital gains earned by a Singapore-based investor from Indian mutual funds is not subject to tax in India as per the treaty between India and Singapore. Article 24 (1) is irrelevant for capital gains on MFs, added Patel who is also a part of Quantum AMCs board of trustees.

On the other hand, Parizad Sirwalla, national leader, global mobility servicestax, KPMG in India, said the chances of scrutiny by Indian tax authorities cannot be ruled out for any treaty exemptions. However, established judicial precedents support exemption based on a valid tax residency certificate (TRC), even if the income remains untaxed in Singapore as per Singapore domestic tax law."

What about shares?

The benefit under the DTAA treaty which gives a tax free status to MF capital gains does not extend to stocks. The treaty was modified in 2017 to include tax on gains made from shares in the Indian jurisdiction. Till such time, shares also enjoyed tax-free status on capital gains. From April 2017 till March 2019, they were only taxed at 50% of the applicable rate in India.

While shares are taxed, Article 13 (5) said that all other assets other than shares and immovable properties will be taxed in the contracting state of which the alienator is a resident (Singapore, in this case). Since Singapore does not levy tax on personal investments including capital gains, mutual funds and other securities are considered tax free. For that matter, bonds, convertible debentures, and futures and options (F&O) enjoy similar tax free status.

To get this benefit, NRIs need to fulfil the criteria of being a resident of Singapore as defined under the treaty. After that, they have to get a TRC from the Singapore government and then generate form 10F online from the Indian income tax portal.

These are the requirements to qualify for refunds under the India Singapore DTAA treaty. Only then can an NRI file for a refund of the capital gains tax deducted on MFs (and other such eligible securities).

For this, they need to furnish the TRC and form 10F. It is also possible to directly ask asset management companies (AMCs) not to deduct tax at source, but experts say its difficult to convince AMCs as they dont want to be involved in such complicated arrangements.

If the claim is rejected by the tax department, one can file a revision petition, appeal before the Commissioner of Income Tax (A) or submit a rectification application.

Treaty shopping

Experts dealing with international taxation warn people against treaty shoppingthe act of becoming a resident of a particular country for any short period with the sole purpose of getting tax benefits under the DTAA treaty. Such treaties have provisions to take note of treaty shopping. Bhuta says even if this provision does not apply, the General Anti-avoidance Rule (GARR) in India will thwart any bid at treaty shopping.

What you should do

To get the benefit of this treaty, the Singapore NRIs should invest in mutual funds as shares are taxed in India according to prevailing rates. In India, gains from shares held for more than a year are currently treated as long-term capital gains and taxed at 10% while those held for less than a year are treated as short term capital gains and taxed at a higher rate of 15%.

Note that portfolio management services (PMS) and alternative investment funds (AIFs) do not enjoy such benefits. PMS investments are bought under the holders brokerage account so if the PMS manager buys shares, they are taxed in India. If the underlying is mutual funds, then theyre not taxed. Category-1 and category-2 AIFs are also pass-through instruments and taxation depends on what the underlying investment is.

In the case of Category-3 AIFs, the AIF pays the tax on the scheme level and hence there is no treaty benefit for investors.
As the financial year is set to end on March 31, tax payers would soon be seen scurrying around to invest in tax-free financial instruments in order to claim tax deduction. Besides term insurance, NSC, PPF and NPS, retail investors can invest in ELSS mutual funds as well.

Equity linked savings scheme (ELSS) mutual funds come with a three-year lock in period and give equity exposure while offering tax benefits, at the same time, to investors.

Under section 80C of the Income Tax Act, investors are entitled to claim income tax exemption of up to 1,50,000 against the investment made in ELSS funds.

Investors with moderate to high-risk appetite are encouraged to consider ELSS as a viable investment option since it not only helps them save income tax, but also facilitates wealth creation," says Deepak Aggarwal, a Delhi-based chartered accountant.

There are a total of 42 ELSS mutual funds with total assets worth 2.04 lakh crore. These mutual fund schemes, as a category, have delivered one-year returns of 37.83 percent in the past one year. In the past two years, this category has delivered an annualised return of 19.50 percent, MorningStar data shows as on Feb 22, 2024.

ALSO READ: Mutual Funds: How to open an SIP account online? A step-by-step guide

If you are planning to invest in equity linked savings schemes (ELSS) after redeeming your current equity investment, make sure you are aware of these key provisions:

Five key provisions to know

1 If you sell your equity investment prior to March 31, 2024 which you purchased less than a year ago, the capital gains will be taxed as per short term capital gains (STCG) tax.

2. If your current equity investments are more than one-year old and you redeem them before March 31 this year, the gains will be taxed as per the provisions of long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax i.e., at the rate of 10 per cent. If you want to claim indexation, the applicable tax rate will be 20 percent.

ALSO READ: Best 9 ELSS Mutual Funds to buy in 2024; check here

3. The LTCG is applicable only when the gains from investment in equity in one financial year amount to more than one lakh.

4. If you want to avail tax deduction for the current fiscal, you must invest in one of the ELSS schemes before March 31, 2024.

5. If you invested in ELSS schemes more than three years ago, you can redeem them and re-invest the proceeds before the end of the financial year in order to claim tax benefits for the current financial year.

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(Bloomberg) -- Jair Bolsonaro led supporters at a rally in the heart of Brazils biggest city on Sunday in an attempted show of force against political opponents and the countrys Supreme Court as a litany of legal troubles close in on the former president.

Supporters dressed in the green and yellow colors of the Brazilian flag occupied three of the 18 blocks of Sao Paulos Paulista Avenue at the start of the demonstration, local media reported. Dozens of conservative congressmen and governors also attended, demonstrating Bolsonaros continued grip on the Brazilian right.

Having largely remained on the political sidelines since his Oct. 2022 election loss, Bolsonaro this month urged supporters to take to the streets after the Supreme Court ordered him to surrender his passport as part of a criminal probe into the Jan. 8, 2023 insurrection attempt that sought to overturn his defeat. Federal police targeted dozens of his closest allies, alleging that a criminal organization" tried to plot a coup detat, with the support of military personnel."

Read More: Bolsonaro Targeted as Police Ensnares Alleged Coup Plotters

More than speech, [we want] a photo of all of you because you are the most important people of this event, to show to Brazil and to the world our unity, our concerns, what we want," Bolsonaro, who has denied any wrongdoing, said in a video uploaded two weeks ago.

On Sunday, the former president arrived at Paulista Avenue 30 minutes before the beginning of the rally. He was accompanied by politicians including the governors of Sao Paulo, Tarcisio de Freitas, and Goias, Ronaldo Caiado, who have been touted by the right wing as potential candidates for the 2026 presidential election.

Sundays mobilization was the first major conservative rally since Bolsonaro left office at the end of 2022. The former presidents decision to leave Brazil for Florida, along with a crackdown on participants in the Jan. 8 riots, dampened the rabid enthusiasm that once animated his movement, which failed to replicate the massive rallies they once staged even after Bolsonaro returned home in April.

But Bolsonaros calls emboldened supporters to return to the streets, said Bia Kicis, a member of congress and close ally of the former president.

Now, he made it very clear, put his face and showed: Lets go to the street," Kicis said in a phone interview before the rally.

Bolsonaro is barred from seeking or holding public office until at least 2030 for making false claims about Brazils voting system, making him ineligible for the next presidential elections. He remains the most potent right-wing figure in the country, and stands to play a major role in determining the future of that movement.

Read More: Bolsonaros Shadow Looms Over a Revamp of the Brazilian Right

Still, more than a dozen federal investigations into possible crimes ranging from the illegal sale of luxury jewelry he received as president to the falsification of vaccine records have forced even his closest allies to consider the possibility that he will face arrest.

In January, police raided the home of Bolsonaros son, Carlos, a Rio de Janeiro city councilman and long-time adviser to his father, as part of an investigation into the misuse of Brazils spy agency.

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(Bloomberg) -- Comac and its C919 single-aisle jet emerged as unlikely stars of the 2024 Singapore Airshow, with the Chinese planemakers large chalet, several aircraft on display, and presence in the vast exhibition hall drawing throngs of onlookers and curious dignitaries.

Crowded," is how one flight attendant for China Eastern Airlines Corp., the only Chinese airline that flies the C919, described it, noting shed observed executives from all sorts of companies and countries showing up for a peek inside Comacs hospitality tent, where wait staff delivered Chinese delicacies to those trying to escape Singapores searing humidity.

For Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd., as Comac is formally known, the Singapore air show was its first big international aviation event, a chance to debut the C919 on the world stage. Between flying displays, Comac top management, including Chairman He Dongfeng and Chief Technical Officer Ren He, were keen to broaden sales beyond Asias biggest economy.

Traction wasnt bad. Comac signed Tibet Airlines to 40 C919s and won an endorsement from Saudi Arabias Riyadh Air as an emerging rival to Boeing Co. and Airbus SE.

Riyadh Airs Chief Operating Officer Peter Bellew said Comac will become a major force in the international aircraft manufacturing industry in the next decade as it emerges as an alternative to the worlds planemaking duopoly. Im sure they will build a world-beating aircraft in the next 10 years," said Bellew, a former chief executive officer of Malaysia Airlines. I wouldnt underestimate Comac for one minute."

Even Boeings Commercial Marketing Managing Director for the Asia-Pacific region, Dave Schulte, said the US planemaker expects to one day start competing with Comacs C919 for aircraft sales. The C919, which isnt yet certified to fly passengers outside of China, is almost as big as Boeings 737 Max.

Read more: Will Boeing Woes Help Chinas Comac Bust Jet Duopoly?: QuickTake

So far, however, Comac has managed to hand over four C919s to its only airline customer in China Eastern Airlines Corp. The Shanghai-based carrier has subsequently ordered a further 100 jets.

Airbuss Commercial Aircraft Chief Christian Scherer identified Comac as a future competitor as it grows but said the C919 isnt going to rock the boat in a significant way."

Comac itself meanwhile is working on a plan to become more self-sufficient in terms of suppliers, according to people familiar with the matter, with a long-term goal of replacing all US-export controlled components of the C919.

The plan, codenamed C9X9, is a response to US-issued export licenses for several crucial parts that arent being approved regularly and are therefore impacting upon Comacs ability to boost jet output, the people said, declining to be identified because the information is private.

Avoiding potential risks of being sanctioned would also ultimately allow Comac to sell its jets to nations more receptive to Beijing, like Iran or Russia, another person said.

One change already underway is around the engines the C919 uses, one person said. Theyre currently supplied by CFM International Inc., the joint venture between General Electric Co. and Safran SA. Comac is instead targeting using the CJ1000 turbofan jet engine being developed by Aero Engine Corp. of China, the person said. To that end, CJ1000 engines are already on a Comac test plane, they added.

Representatives for Comac didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Aero Engine Corp. also didnt respond to a request for comment.

However replacing all international  or even US-made  parts will be an uphill battle for Comac. The manufacturer relies to a huge degree on North American companies for components, including from Honeywell International Inc., which supplies the axillary power units to all Comacs C919 wheels, cockpit systems and displays, and its jets braking systems.

Some of that complexity was on display at the Singapore air show, when Comac allowed a select few on board one of its C919 planes flown by China Eastern.

Heres a look at the inside of that jet  an aircraft few people outside of China may ever have the chance to fly.

Comac has handed over four C919s to China Eastern. The Shanghai-based carrier has subsequently ordered a further 100 jets.

The C919 seats a maximum of 192 people and is intended to compete with the best-selling Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 planes. Its business class looks decidedly basic versus some other carriers.

China Eastern made its inaugural flight with the C919 on the Shanghai-Chengdu route, and the airline has since taken delivery of another three aircraft, adding flights between Shanghai and Beijing on Jan. 9.

In all, Comac says it has received 1,061 orders from Chinese carriers and airline lessors. The inside of the plane however looks a lot like any other, with catering trolleys, seats and tray tables that wouldnt look out of place in any airline.

The C919s engines are currently supplied by CFM International. But Comac is instead targeting using the CJ1000 turbofan jet engine being developed by Aero Engine Corp. CJ1000 engines are already on a Comac test plane, a person familiar with the matter said.

--With assistance from Ocean Hou, Angus Whitley and Yihui Xie.

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This friend of the court brief allows our College to join others in offering information and expertise in assisting the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit as they reach a decision in the appeal process.

You can view and download the full brief here.

As background, this appeal of the ruling against DACA started in September 2023 when U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen found that the Federal Governments rule issued in 2022, formalizing DACA, was unlawful. While the Court allowed the program to continue to exist for those already classified as DACA recipients, the decision left the future of all future beneficiaries in question. In November 2023, the Federal Government filed an appeal in the case, leading to this moment in history where we now step up and show our support for our current and future DACA students, valued members of our community.

Over the years, I  like many of you in our College Community  have had the opportunity to meet and work with many of our DACA students. These are our students who came to the United States as children, many at a very, very young age, and attended and graduated from our local high schools or earned high school equivalencies. Not long ago I recall meeting a DACA student who was a rising star in our healthcare program at 4Cs. At the time, she was ineligible for in-state tuition and Federal financial aid due to her DACA status. This was a student who has spent practically their entire life in our community yet was disqualified from assistance her peers received.

Simply put: our doors must be open to DACA students, and we have responsibility to make sure they have the resources and support needed to succeed, just like any other student.

While we await the appeal, there have been significant strides in the Commonwealth that reinforce the need for such support. This year, the new Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA) was launched, allowing undocumented college students in state to apply for need-based financial aid for the first time. This is critical as DACA students are not permitted to complete the Federal Governments Free Application for State Financial Aid (FAFSA).

The MASFA follows the passage of the Commonwealths Tuition Equity Law, which allows students who have completed at least three years of high school in Massachusetts and received a high school diploma or its equivalent in the State to access in-state tuition and be eligible for associated aid.

With the commitment to educate all who enter our College, the ability to teach and support our DACA neighbors is simply the right thing to do. We will continue to stand with our DACA students and will closely monitor the impact of this amicus brief and, ultimately, the ruling in the appeal. Thank you.

John Cox, President
(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government introduced an online safety law in Canada, joining European countries in trying to compel internet companies to actively regulate and remove harmful content.

The Online Harms Act, introduced in parliament on Monday, will make platforms responsible for reducing exposure to damaging content, including material that bullies or sexually victimizes children, or incites extremism, violence or hatred.

The law will cover companies that offer social media platforms, live-streamed video and user-uploaded adult content, as long as they meet a certain threshold of users, a figure that will be determined in later regulations. Firms such as YouTube Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. are expected to be affected.

It will also create a regulatory body called the Digital Safety Commission to enforce rules, receive complaints and order removal of content. An independent digital safety ombudsperson will also support and advocate for users.

Canada is late in introducing online safety legislation compared with jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, European Union and Australia. During the 2021 federal election campaign, Trudeaus Liberal Party promised to introduce a law that would put a stop to harmful online content and hold platforms accountable."

The bill would also create a new standalone hate crime offense that would apply to every other offense in the Criminal Code, allowing the conduct to be treated as a crime in itself rather than an aggravating factor in sentencing. It would allow for penalties of up to life in prison.

It would also establish a process for people to file complaints about online speech to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, which could order the user to remove the content and compensate victims up to C$20,000 ($14,809).

The bill adds to a list of contentious internet regulations introduced by Trudeaus government in recent years. Critics have raised concerns about the balance between protecting internet users and safeguarding rights and freedoms.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Trudeaus main rival, called the bill an attack on freedom of expression" before seeing the legislation.

Last year, the government passed two key laws targeting online platforms. The Online Streaming Act aims to force platforms such as Netflix Inc. and Amazon.com Inc., to fund local media and feature Canadian content. The Online News Act requires Alphabet Inc. to pay for news content.

In response to the latter, Meta has suspended all links to news content on Facebook and Instagram in Canada to avoid making payments. The news block is battering news outlets that relied on Facebook to reach their communities, including small organizations that are sometimes the only providers of local news in rural areas.

--With assistance from Brian Platt.

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The Tripura government suspended the state's principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife and ecotourism), Prabin Lal Agrawal, on Saturday following a controversy over the naming of a zoo lion and lioness as Akbar and Sita , respectively.

As reported by Times of India, Agrawal, a 1994-batch IFS officer who was serving as Tripura's chief wildlife warden at the time, documented the names Akbar and Sita for the lion couple in the dispatch register before sending them to Siliguri.

The suspension came after a complaint was filed by the VHP to the Calcutta High Court, alleging that the names were offensive to religious sentiments. A lion named 'Akbar' and a lioness named 'Sita' were transferred from Tripuras Sepahijala Zoological Park to the Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri on February 12.

The VHP filed a petition before the circuit bench requesting a name change, citing that the names had offended the religious sentiments of some citizens.

The court expressed its displeasure over the naming...," said advocate Subhankar Dutta, representing the VHP, who mentioned that the issue would soon be brought before a regular bench of the High Court.

Also Read: Vishva Hindu Parishad's plea against naming lioness 'Sita' at Siliguri zoo: 'We worship lions', says Calcutta High Court

Earlier on February 22, the Calcutta High Court judge observed orally, An animal should not be named after any deity or figure belonging to any religion."

The court said that India is a secular country and every community has the right to pursue or follow their own religion.

Why should you draw controversy by naming a lioness and a lion after Sita and Akbar?"

The judge said Sita is worshipped by a large section of citizens, while Akbar was a very successful and secular Mughal emperor." Moreover, Justice Bhattacharya said he did not support the names of both animals, PTI reported.

The North Bengal unit of the parishad stated that they became aware through media reports that a lion and lioness, identified by markings IL26 and IL27 respectively, had arrived at the Bengali Safari Park as part of an animal exchange program, with the lioness being named Sita".

(With inputs from agencies)

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As India's Silicon Valley and Karnataka's capital, Bengaluru city, braces for a 24-hour water supply cut tomorrow (February 27), a bigger worry looms. The poor monsoon in 2023 and the water dispute with Tamil Nadu have crippled the one water source of the city--Cauvery river. With a population of 1.3 crore, the city is struggling to meet the water demand.

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) announced the shutdown to conduct essential maintenance work and install Unaccounted For Water (UFW) bulk flow meters, according to a report by The Indian Express.

The 24-hour water supply disruption will begin at 6 am on February 27 and will continue till 6 am on February 28.

According to a report in The Times of India's The Weather Channel, the city presently has access to about 1,850 million litres per day (MLD), but it needs at least 1,680 MLD more to meet water needs. Bengaluru's groundwater has depleted, and at least 1,240 out of 10,995 borewells are now at risk of drying up.

On top of it, the Reverse Osmosis (RO) units that provide affordable drinking water (20 litres at 5) have either shut down or doubled their prices. In a ripple effect, the street vendors and small businesses dependent on these units now face challenges.

This acute water shortage months before peak summer is forcing many residents to ration their water use and pay almost double the usual price to meet their daily needs, according to a report by Reuters.

Skyrocketing water tanker prices

The price of water tankers in the city has already skyrocketed as well, with rates likely to go over double the usual rates during peak summer. In some parts of Bengaluru, residents are having to pay as much as 2,000 for a 12,000-litre tanker. The same 12,000-litre tanker had cost 1,200 earlier.

An estimated 20% of Bangaloreans depend on private tanker operators for drinking water.

"We now need to book water tankers two days in advance; my plants are dying, and I'm taking alternate-day showers," said Santhosh CA, a resident of Horamavu in north Bengaluru, as quoted by Reuters.

Affected Areas

South Bengaluru:

BHEL Layout

Srinivasa Nagar

Jaimaruthi Nagar

Badavane

Nandini Layout

Sakamma Layout

Narasimha Swamy Layout

Muneshwara Nagar

Jnana Jyothi Nagar

Jnanaganganagar

Mallathahalli

NGEF Layout

Part of ITI Layout

1st & 2nd Stage Railway Layout

RHBCS Layout 1st and 2nd stage

Byraweshwaranagar

Sunkadakatte

Jaya Lakshmamma Layout

Kebbehalla

Chandana Layout

Chandrashekar Layout

Geology Layout

Narasapura

Kandaya Layout

Mulakattamma Layout

Part of Papareddypalya

BEL 1st and 2nd Stage

Bilekallu

Byadarahalli

Upkar Layout

Surrounding areas of West Bengaluru

Bangaluru North:

Parts of Dasarahalli Zone and RR Nagar Zone

East Bengaluru:

Parts of A Narayanapura

Udaya Nagar

Andhra Colony

VSR Layout

Indira Gandhi Street

Jyothi Nagara

Dargamahall

Sakamma Layout

Vignana Nagar under Vignana Nagar Service Station

Akshaynagar

MEG Layout

Ramesh Nagar

Veerbhadra Nagar

Shiva Shakti Colony under Jagadish Nagar Service Station

Doddanekundi and Marathalli Service Station areas:

Nallur Puram

Ramesh Nagar

Reddy Palya

Vibhuthipura

Annasandra Palya

LBS Nagar

Cauvery project V

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently said that the Cauvery Phase-5 project of 775 million litres per day capacity, with the aim to provide 110 litres daily to Bangaloreans will be operationalised in May this year. The estimated cost of the project is 5,550 crore.

Under the Cauvery Phase-5, underground drainage works will be completed by December 2024. As part of the project, 228 km of drainage pipeline will be laid, and 13 Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) with a capacity to treat 100 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage water will be constructed, he said.

While seven STPs will be upgraded at a cost of 441 crore for daily treatment and reuse of 268 MLD sewage water, Phase-II of the drinking water supply scheme to 110 villages added to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits will be implemented at a cost of 200 crore, the Chief Minister said.

Possible solutions to Bengaluru water crisis

According to The Weather Channel's report, the BWSSB is taking several steps to address the ongoing water crisis. Here are a few of them:

Reduce consumption: The BWSSB is encouraging industries and commercial establishments to use treated water.

Alternative sources of water: Bengaluru administration is leasing out private borewells and is renting additional tankers to bridge the water supply gap.

Rejuvenating the borewells: There have been attempts to revive existing borewells to increase water availability in the city.

Awareness campaigns: The BWSSB has been organising awareness campaigns to educate Bengaluru residents on water conservation practices.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday that Central India can expect a new bout of rainfall along with thunderstorms, hailstorms, and lightning on the 26th and 27th of February, 2024.

In a post on X, IMD added, A fresh spell of rainfall activity accompanied with thunderstorm, hailstorm & lightning likely over Central India on 26th & 27th February, 2024. An active Western Disturbance likely affect Western Himalayan Region from 29th February and adjoining plains from 1st March to 4th March, 2024."

Central India

According to the IMD, there will be rain accompanied by thunderstorms on February 26th and hailstorms on February 27th in Central India. The Meteorological Office has forecasted the possibility of rainfall and hailstorms in certain parts of Madhya Pradesh until the end of this month.

Also Read: Weather update: Rain, snow, hailstorm alert issued in THESE states till 27 February. Check IMD forecast here

"As a result of the arrival of another western disturbance in Madhya Pradesh, moisture will appear from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Following this, there is a possibility of light to moderate rain and hailstorms in some places till February 28 and 29. Particularly, there is a possibility of more rainfall in eastern MP and in the district of Jabalpur, Shahdol, Sagar and Rewa divisions," Ashfaq Hussain, meteorologist," IMD Bhopal told ANI.

Northern India

According to the meteorological department, cold wave conditions persisted in tribal areas and higher hills of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, with some places experiencing light snowfall. Kukumseri in Lahaul and Spiti recorded the lowest night temperature in the state at minus 13.9 degrees Celsius, PTI reported.

View Full Image Manali, Feb 23 (ANI): Tourists seen at the snow-covered Solang Valley, in Manali on Thursday. (ANI Photo) (Ajay Kumar)

Snowfall measurements were reported in various areas: Manali received 4 cm, Kalpa received 3.5 cm, Sangla received 3.2 cm, Khadrala received 2 cm, and Sarahan received 1 cm. Trace amounts of snowfall were also reported in Shimla, Kufri, Dalhousie, Keylong, Kukumseri, and Gondla.

Despite efforts, numerous roads remain closed to traffic, including four national highways. Lahaul and Spiti are the most affected with 246 roads closed, followed by 29 in Chamba and 10 in Kullu, as per information from the state emergency operation center.

View Full Image Manali, Feb 21 (ANI): Border Road Organization (BRO) clears the snow from roads after the upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh receive heavy snowfall, in Manali on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) (Ajay Kumar)

However, the meteorological department has predicted snowfall at many places in the higher hills from February 25 to March 1. It has also forecast rains at a few places in the mid-hills on February 26, 27 and 29 and at many other places on March 1 as a fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the Himalayan region from Monday.

(With inputs from agencies)

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On Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs rejected reports claiming that Indians with the Russian army are seeking help for discharge. Citing the report as inaccurate, the ministry has said that every such case has been dealt with strongly and, therefore, several Indians have already been discharged from the service.

The MEA, in its notification, said, We have seen some inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge. Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities, and those brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi. Several Indians have already been discharged as a result."

The ministry added that it is committed to this top priority matter and has been pursuing the Russian authorities for the same.

"We remain committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army," the ministry wrote.

February 24, 2024 marked the second anniversary of Russia's 'full-scale invasion' in 2022.

Earlier on Friday, the MEA said it was in touch with Moscow for the early "discharge" of Indians working as support staff to the Russian Army and urged its nationals to stay away from the conflict zone in Ukraine.

The comments by External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal came following a report that some Indians are working as support staff to the Russian army in the conflict zone.

"We are aware that a few Indian nationals have signed up for support jobs with the Russian army," Jaiswal said.

He said the Indian embassy in Moscow has regularly taken up this matter with the relevant Russian authorities for their "early discharge". "We urge all Indian nationals to exercise due caution and stay away from this conflict."

Meanwhile, today (February 26), some 20 European leaders will gather in Paris to send Russian President Vladimir Putin a message of European resolve on Ukraine and counter the Kremlin's narrative that Russia is bound to win a war now entering its third year, France said.

French President Emmanuel Macron has invited his European counterparts to the Elysee Palace for a working meeting announced at short notice because of what his advisers say is an escalation in Russian aggression over the past few weeks.

After initial successes in pushing back the Russian army, Ukraine has suffered setbacks on eastern battlefields, with its generals complaining of shortages of arms and soldiers.

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The Karnataka Government had invited Indian-origin professor Nitasha Kaul to attend an event here, however, the academic at the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom was denied entry when she landed at Bengaluru airport.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Kashmiri Pandit academic based in London wrote, Denied entry to #India for speaking on democratic & constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as esteemed delegate by Govt of #Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused me entry. All my documents were valid & current (UK passport & OCI)." Kaul claimed that she was given no reason by immigration officials at Bengaluru airport and received no notice or information in advance from the Indian government that she would not be allowed to enter the country. There was no immediate comment from the Karnataka government, which had organized a two-day 'Constitution and National Unity Convention -2024' on February 24 and 25, to which Kaul was invited as a speaker. I spent 12 hours in a flight from London to Bangalore, several hours at immig where they shuttled me here & there, provided no info on process, then 24 hours in a holding cell (no BA flight back until next day) under direct cctv w restricted movement, a narrow area to lie down," she said.

and no easy access to food and water, made dozens of calls to airport for basic things as a pillow and blanket, which they refused to provide, then 12 hours on the flight back to London," she added.

Reacting to the development, the Karnataka BJP was quick to label the professor an "anti-India element" and a part of what it called a 'Break India Brigade', criticizing the Karnataka Government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for extending an invitation to Kaul.

The BJP also went on to label Kaul a "Pakistani sympathiser" and posted headings of a couple of her writings on X.

The saffron party claimed the Congress government was "threatening the unity & integrity of India" by extending an invitation to the Kashmiri Pandit professor -- who has written and spoken extensively on Kashmir, Bhutan, and other topics.

The BJP used the opportunity to claim that the Congress is "now using Karnataka as its laboratory to prepare the ground for its divisive agendas". "Thanks to our security agencies, one such anti-India element was caught suspiciously entering India and detained at the airport", it further said.

(With PTI inputs)

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Niranjan Hiranandani and his son Darshan Hiranandani, promoters of Mumbai-based real estate giant Hiranandani Group, for questioning in a case related to alleged foreign exchange violations. The summons come just days after the ED conducted searches at four premises linked to the group.

The father-son duo has been asked to appear before the ED's office in Mumbai on February 26, according to news agency PTI. However, they are also given the option of submitting their initial responses through an authorized representative.

This development comes after the searches conducted by the ED on February 22 at four locations associated with the Hiranandani Group and its entities, raising questions about potential foreign exchange irregularities. The specific nature of the alleged violations and the details of the ongoing investigation remain unclear at this time.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had accused Moitra of asking questions in Lok Sabha to target the Adani group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts.

The Hiranandanis have been asked to depose at the central agency's office in Mumbai but they may choose to submit their primary responses through an authorised representative, they said.

Darshan Hiranandani has been living in Dubai for the last many years.

About four premises of the Hiranandani Group in and around Mumbai were searched by the ED last week under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

Apart from some foreign transactions, the agency is said to be probing the beneficiaries of a British Virgin Islands (BVI)-based trust allegedly linked to the Hiranandani Group promoters.

The group has said it will cooperate with the ED in this FEMA investigation.

Official sources said the ED probe is not linked to another FEMA investigation being conducted against TMC leader Mahua Moitra, who was expelled as a Lok Sabha MP in December last year.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had accused Moitra of asking questions in the Lok Sabha to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the behest of Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts.

Dubey had also accused Moitra of compromising national security for monetary gains.

Moitra has denied any wrongdoing and claimed she was being targeted as she had raised questions on deals of the Adani Group.

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Just a year to go in the commercial launch of Navi Mumbai Airport in March 2025, but Adani Airport Holdings (AAHL) is still facing troubles in getting major airlines to shift operations from Mumbai.

Adani Enterprises tried to move at least one major carrier to the Navi Mumbai airport a year ago and even offered it prime slots. However, Air India and IndiGo have not shown interest in making the shift.

Even with the new airport, the existing airport (in Mumbai) will still serve its purpose. How precisely we orchestrate one another will have to be planned going forward," IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers told Financial Express.

AAHL stated that it is currently holding discussions with many airlines in this regard, however, there is nothing concrete as of now.

We will be able to give clarity on this when there is something concrete and agreements are signed," Adani Airport Holdings told FE.

The first flight is expected to operate from the Navi Mumbai airport, worth 19,600-crore, by the end of FY25, with a capacity expansion to 20 million passengers in Phase 1.

With a 55 million passenger capacity annually, Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) will remain congested until then, Financial Express reported.

The Navi Mumbai airport will have a road connection to Mumbai by the time it prepares to handle its first flight the following year. Although there is insufficient rail connectivity via the Central Railway's Harbour line, work on building the 40-kilometer metro line that will link Mumbai's airport with Navi Mumbai's airport has not yet started.

Sources informed FE that numerous clearances from various government agencies are still pending, while the construction work on the Navi Mumbai airport has been ongoing since August 2021.

The Adani group is optimistic that it will receive approval from the relevant authorities promptly.

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Haryana Vidhan Sabha speaker Gian Chand Gupta extended his condolences to the family of INLD (Indian National Lok Dal) Chief Nafe Singh Rathee who was shot dead by assailants while he was traveling in his SUV in Jhajjar's Bahadurgarh near Delhi on Sunday.

"This is a very unfortunate incident. I am deeply saddened by this loss. I extend my condolences," he said.

Here are top 10 updates on INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee's murder,

1) Jhajjar SP Arpit Jain said, "We received information regarding an incident of firing. CIA and STF teams are working. The accused will be arrested soon." Police said further investigation into the matter was underway.

2) INLD leader Abhay Chautala on Sunday held Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government is responsible for the murder of state party Chief Nafe Singh Rathee and demanded a thorough probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

3) He asserted that the state government failed to provide necessary security measures, even though Rathee informed senior police officials of the threats to his life.

4) The incident that has taken place today (death of party chief Nafe Singh Rathee), for this the state government is responsible. They are responsible because, six months ago, Nafe Singh told me, the police informed him that his life was in danger and he could be attacked anytime. He (Nafe Singh Rathee) wrote to the SP, CM, and DG that they must investigate this and provide him with security," Chautala told ANI.

5) He further demanded a CBI inquiry into the case and said, The party will take strict action on this and force the government to conduct a CBI investigation."

6) Apart from Nafe Singh Rathee, another party worker who was traveling with the INLD chief also lost his life whereas three private gunmen hired by Rathee were critically injured in the attack.

7) Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, "The news of INLD state president Nafe Singh Rathee being shot dead in Haryana is very sad. This reflects the law and order of the state...Today no one is feeling safe in the state."

8) Nafe Singh Rathee was a member of the 9th and 10th Haryana Legislative Assembly from the Bahadurgarh constituency. In addition to being two times MLA, he served two terms as Chairman of Bahadurgarh Municipal Council.

9) "The two-time MLA, who is our state unit chief, was not provided with security. In writing, representations had been made to senior police officers and state home minister that he was facing threats and should be provided with security," INLD leader Abhay Chautala told PTI.

10) The 70-year-old politician had received multiple death threats and had made multiple appeals to the government to provide police protection.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday asserted that the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 will be repealed, and as long as he is alive, he will not let child marriage take place in Assam".

The Assam CM also pledged that he would eliminate child marriage in the state before 2026.

The Assam Cabinet on Friday had approved the decision to repeal the Act in a bid to end child marriage in the state.

Responding to the criticism in the state Assembly, Sarma said that the bill will be repealed as it is a step towards abolishing child marriage. "Till I am alive, I won't allow child marriage to happen in Assam," he said.

"I will not let this happen as long as Himanta Biswa Sarma is alive...I would like to challenge you politically, I will shut down this shop before 2026," he added.

On Sunday, Sarma said that the Muslim women of the state will get relief from torture and exploitation" once the Act is repealed.

"The torture, and exploitation that has been going on against Muslim mothers for so long will be ended with this bill. The Prime Minister ended triple talaq. But in Assam only because of this act, a Kazi would not have been faulted if he had registered the marriage of a below 18-year-old girl and he had gotten bail from the court. Now to give talaq will not be easy after the repeal of this act and there will no registration of marriage below 18 years old girl," Sarma added.

He posted on X and said that this move marks another significant step towards prohibiting child marriages in Assam.

The obsolete pre-independence" era Act Act was repealed in a bid to end child marriages, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. ''This Act contained provisions allowing marriage registration even if the bride and groom had not reached the legal ages of 18 and 21, as required by law," Sarma posted on X.

The state government mentioned after repealing the law, District Commissioners and District Registrars will be authorized to take custody of registration records currently in the custody of 94 Muslim Marriage Registrars on the repeal of the legislation under the overall supervision, guidance, and control of the Inspector General of Registration."

The Congress walked out of the House for 10 minutes, against the Cabinet decision.

They maintained that amendments could have been made to the original bill without repealing it altogether.

AIUDF legislators initially raised slogans and stormed into the Well of the House, squatting on the floor for over five minutes.

The party had moved an adjournment motion to discuss the cabinet decision, which was rejected by Speaker Biswajit Daimary.

They also later walked out as the Speaker continued to conduct the listed business of the House.

Opposition CPI(M) legislator and the lone Independent MLA, however, remained in the House.

(With agency inputs)

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In a pre-Ramzan gesture, a UAE-based Indian businessman and philanthropist has donated 1 million dirhams (approximately INR 2.5 crore) to ensure the release of 900 prisoners from jails across the Gulf nation. Firoz Merchant, 66, who is the owner of Pure Gold Jewellers, donated the money to the UAE authorities, a testament to the holy months message of humility, humanity, forgiveness, and kindness.

"Prominent Dubai-based Indian businessman and philanthropist Firoz Merchant of Pure Gold has donated close to 2.25 Crores (AED 1 million) to ensure the release of 900 prisoners from jails across the Arabian nation," said a statement from his office.

Under the aegis of The Forgotten Society initiative founded in 2008, Merchant has already been instrumental in obtaining the release of 900 prisoners across the UAE since the beginning of 2024, including 495 prisoners from Ajman, 170 prisoners from Fujairah, 121 prisoners from Dubai, 69 prisoners from Umm Al Quwain and 28 from Ras Al Khaimah.

In conjunction with the Director Generals of Police at the Central Jails across the UAE, Merchant has already succeeded in obtaining the release of over 20,000 prisoners over the years from a wide range of denominations, nationalities, and religions.

He gets their debt paid and donates funds for their air tickets to fly back to their home country.

Merchant says he began this mission keeping in mind the priority the UAE gives to tolerance to give a second chance for them to be reunited with their families.

He aims to facilitate the release of more than 3,000 prisoners in 2024. Merchants helping hand has been recognised by the rulers, also his kindness, forgiveness and generosity have earned him accolades from senior government officials across the UAE.

"I am very fortunate to affiliate with the government authorities. The Forgotten Society initiative is based on the premise that humanity transcends borders. We work together to provide them with the possibility to reconcile with their family in their home country and society," Merchant said.

Colonel Mohammed Yusuf Al-Matrooshi, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Punitive and Correctional Establishments, Ajman, said that it is rare to see such commitment and concern towards the rehabilitation of prisoners by giving them a helping hand.

So many thousands owe him a debt of gratitude and what makes it so impressive is the quiet and discreet manner in which he sets about doing so much good work and providing genuine hope to those who might be languishing behind bars because they cannot pay their fines," Al-Matrooshi said.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, February 25, said that an Israeli military offensive in Gazas southernmost city of Rafah could be delayed somewhat" if a deal is reached for a weekslong ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

He further claimed that total victory in the territory would come within weeks once the offensive begins in Rafah, as four of the six remaining Hamas battalions are concentrated there. Thus, Israel is set to undertake plans to expand its offensive against the Hamas militant group to Rafah on the Gaza-Egypt border, even as humanitarian groups have warned of a catastrophe. In Rafah, more than half the besieged Palestinian population of 2.3 million have sought refuge and is Gazas main entry point for aid.

Israel confirmed the news about a deal in progress, reported CBS. An Egyptian official informed Egypts state-run Al Qahera TV that talks over the ceasefire resumed on Sunday in Qatar, and discussions would follow in Cairo to release hostages held in Gaza and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

The Israeli PM is set to head a meeting of the Cabinet this week to approve operational plans, including the evacuation of civilians in Rafah to elsewhere in Gaza. Netanyahu said, Once we begin the Rafah operation, the intense phase of the fighting is weeks away from completion. Not months," reported CBS. If we dont have a deal, well do it anyway."

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan claimed that President Joe Biden hadnt been briefed on the Rafah plan and said, We believe that this operation should not go forward until or unless we see (a plan to protect civilians)," reported NBC.

The ongoing mediatory talks in Egypt, where Qatar is acting as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, have resulted in the drafting of the ceasefire deal. This deal includes the release of at least 40 women and elderly hostages in return for at least 300 Palestinian prisoners, who are mostly women, minors and older people.

Citing sources, the proposed six-week-long pause in fighting would permit the delivery of aid in Gaza every day. Meanwhile, negotiators face an unofficial deadline with the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan around March 10.

Also read: South Africa urges World Court to pressure Israel to halt Rafah offensive

However, Hamas claimed that it was not involved in the latest proposal developed by the United States, Egypt and Qatar but informed that the proposal largely matches its earlier demand for the first phase of a truce.

(With inputs from AP)

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(Bloomberg) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said hell have a plan for action" in hand on Sunday for moving the civilian population out of Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip ahead of expanded military offensive.

There is no disagreement with me and the US about the need to evacuate the population," Netanyahu said in an interview with CBSs Face the Nation."

Israel doesnt need prodding" by the US to shield Gaza civilians, he added. The plan will include how to dismantle" remaining Hamas battalions, Netanyahu said.

The Israeli leader said people now in Rafah, near the Egyptian border, would be directed north. Theres room for them to go north of Rafah to the place that weve already finished fighting in," Netanyahu said.

Much of Gaza has been devastated by Israeli air and ground bombardments since October, and most of the million or more civilians now sheltering in Rafah were moved from areas in the north.

Separately, Netanyahu said he couldnt predict a timeline for a deal with Hamas on swapping Israeli hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

Read more: Israel Pushes Ahead With Rafah Plan Without Precise Strategy

Israeli media reported that talks on Friday involving the Israeli delegation and representatives from the US, Egypt and Qatar had yielded a breakthrough.

Netanyahu told CBS that Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by the US and European Union, first needs to back off delusional claims" which he didnt specify.

An intense Israeli military operation in Rafah could take a matter of weeks," and Israel will proceed with it whether theres a hostage/temporary cease-fire deal or not, Netanyahu said.

Read more: Brazil Says Israel Raises Smoke Screen to Hide Gaza Massacre

Israel has been attacking Hamas in Gaza for nearly five months, killing almost 30,000 there, according to the enclaves Hamas-run health ministry. Meantime, conditions on the ground in Gaza are increasingly desperate.

Eighteen of 24 Hamas battalions have been destroyed since Israels campaign started after the Oct. 7 attacks on southern Israel by Hamas operatives, in which 1,200 people were killed and 250 kidnapped.

--With assistance from Alisa Odenheimer.

(Updates with additional comments from eighth paragraph.)

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(Bloomberg) -- Norfolk Southern Corp. nominated two new director candidates as the beleaguered railroad faces pressure from an activist shareholder aiming to replace the CEO and overhaul the board.

The company proposed former Delta Air Lines Inc. Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson and onetime North Dakota senator Heidi Heitkamp join the board as part of a 13-member slate revealed Monday. Current directors Thomas Bell and Steven Leer will not stand for reelection, while Mitchell Daniels Jr. and Michael Lockhart will retire from the board after reaching the mandatory retirement age, the company said in a statement.

Norfolk is seeking to fend off a proxy fight after activist investor Ancora Holdings Group built a stake and called for substantial changes, citing poor decision-making and underperformance. The railroad was already struggling to move past a costly derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, last year that drew national attention.

Read More: Activist Firm Calls for Norfolk CEO Ouster, Board Overhaul

Shares of Norfolk Southern were largely unchanged at 9:36 a.m. Monday in New York. The stock rose 9.2% this year through Fridays close.

Ancora last week proposed eight new directors, including former Ohio Governor John Kasich. The investment firm also is seeking to replace Norfolk CEO Alan Shaw with Jim Barber, the former chief operating officer of United Parcel Service Inc.

Norfolk said Monday that it rejects Ancoras nominees, calling the plan short-sighted."

Ancoras nominees and plan may not only hinder the successful execution of a strategy that is yielding results, but also threaten Norfolk Southerns progress on safety, its continued commitment to the community of East Palestine, and its improved relationships with regulators and other stakeholders," the company said.

Ancora pushed back Monday, calling the companys proposed board plan a weak and reactionary refresh." Shaw and the board have no credible plan and no viable record to run on," an Ancora-led investor group said in an emailed statement. Norfolk Southern has faced criticism for having operating profit margins that lag its peers.

Shaw and the Norfolk Southern board garnered support from the Federal Railroad Administration and union leadership after the railroad has focused on safety following the derailment that spilled chemicals in East Palestine on Feb. 4 last year. Norfolk Southern has invested more in hot-bearing detectors, worker training and was the first railroad to join an FRA pilot program for workers to report close calls on safety without concern of being disciplined.

Any backsliding, as a result of a change in leadership or otherwise, on the safety-oriented path you have laid out and communicated to us will likely attract renewed oversight attention from my office as we pursue our safety mission," FRA chief Amit Bose said in a letter last week.

(Updates with shares, support from Federal Railroad Administration, unions from fourth paragraph)

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(Bloomberg) -- A flood of uniformed police officers  about 1,000 additional ones each day  is making a dent in lawlessness on New York Citys subway system, with crime falling 17% in February so far.

The influx comes amid a series of high-profile shootings just two months into the year which has shaken mass-transit riders. A man was fatally shot last month on a 3-line subway train in Brooklyn after trying to subdue a dispute over loud music. Another man was shot and killed on the 4 train in the Bronx on Feb. 12 when an argument between two groups of teenagers turned violent. Most recently, a man was murdered Friday morning on a D train in the Bronx over a dispute with other riders.

The uptick in police presence on the system began at the start of February after officials saw a spike in crime in January when total major felonies jumped by 46.7%  driven by grand larceny incidents  compared with the same month in 2023, according to MTA data. Overall subway crime is up 13% year-to-date compared to the same period in 2023. Such incidents decreased in February following the boost in policing, Michael Kemper, New York Police Departments chief of transit, told reporters Monday.

It just goes to show the effect of a New York City cop out there  visible, arresting the right people," Kemper said. And then crime has a downward turn as were seeing and experiencing in February."

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority runs the citys subways, buses and commuter rail lines. The agency needs to boost ridership to increase its revenue collections, but violent incidents on the subway threaten that progress.

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(Bloomberg) -- Nippon Steel Corp. and the United Steelworkers have signed a non-disclosure agreement, allowing talks to progress even as the union publicly maintains its opposition to the Japanese companys planned $14.1 billion takeover of United States Steel Corp.

While the union has signed the confidentiality pact, there have been no further discussions beyond that, USW President David McCall said in an interview. The NDA will allow Nippon Steel and the union to sit down and hash out details about accepting existing labor agreements. Nippon Steel didnt immediately respond to a request for comment after business hours.

US Steel shares rose as much as 1.4%, erasing earlier losses.

There has been no discussion about an agreement or accepting our labor agreement," USW President David McCall said in an interview. Im telling you straight out that weve had no discussions other than the NDA."

The move comes as the influential union has been vocally critical of the deal, blasting the iconic American company for agreeing to sell to the Japanese producer. Though USW cant block the acquisition, it can ramp up political pressure on US President Joe Biden to reject it in an election year, when union support could prove crucial to his bid to stay in office.

Read More: Nippon Steels China Assets Raise Concerns Over US Deal

Economic aides of the president said last month that Biden aims to preserve union jobs and domestic manufacturing in the US steel sector, which hints at the administrations priorities and the potential scope of a review. Biden could scuttle the acquisition via the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which reviews the national security implications of foreign investments.

In a Feb. 13 letter to McCall and USW Negotiating Committee Chair Michael Millsap revealed in a public filing Monday, Nippon Steel said it understands that a change in ownership can create anxiety for the union and that Nippon stands behind the USW agreements. The union later published a letter titled Smoke and Mirrors USS/Nippon Style" to its members saying it received the note, but bristled at Nippons promise.

In recent weeks, people familiar with the matter have said a US national security review of Nippon Steels takeover of US Steel is unlikely to conclude until late this year and that the administration is worried about the Japanese steelmakers exposure to China. US Steel and Nippon have publicly stated that they still expect the deal to close by the second or third quarter.

A protracted timeline would put the decision around the 2024 election. Former President Donald Trump said he would absolutely" block the Nippon-US Steel deal if he wins the November contest.

--With assistance from Josh Wingrove.

(Updates with US Steel shares in the third paragraph)

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(Bloomberg) -- The US Commerce Department is adding computer networking company Sandvine Inc. to a blacklist that will effectively ban it from obtaining US technology, according to a government disclosure.

The Commerce Departments Bureau of Industry and Security made the determination to add Sandvine to its Entity List" on the basis that the company had supplied equipment to the government of Egypt. Sandvines technology enabled mass web-monitoring and censorship to block news as well as target political actors and human rights activists," according to a notice made available Monday in the Federal Register. Such activities were contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States," the notice added.

Sandvine sells whats known as deep-packet inspection technology, which can be used to monitor massive flows of internet traffic passing between networks. The technology can be customized to block out spam and viruses. But it can also be deployed to block millions of websites and messaging apps and carry out covert surveillance of internet activity.

Sandvine representatives didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Commerce Departments decision comes after Bloomberg News reported in September that Sandvine had made sales worth more than $30 million in Egypt, including to state-owned Telecom Egypt, Vodafone Egypt and to government agencies including Egypts Ministry of Defense and the National Telecom Regulation Authority.

Egypt was one of at least a dozen countries where Sandvines equipment had been used by governments to censor content on the internet, Bloomberg News previously reported. The companys systems also appeared to have been utilized to enable attempts to hack the iPhone of a presidential candidate, according to security researchers.

In Belarus, Sandvine sold its equipment to a state-controlled internet agency, which used the technology in August 2020 to block social media platforms, messaging apps and news websites amid nationwide protests over a disputed presidential election. After criticism from human rights groups and US Senators, Sandvine later announced that it would no longer work with Belarus, saying that it abhorred the use of technology to suppress the free flow of information resulting in human rights violations."

The company, originally founded in Canada, was acquired by San Francisco-based private equity firm Francisco Partners and combined with Procera Networks in 2017, in a deal worth $444 million.

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Weeks before the death of Alexei Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putin's most vocal critic, he was set to be freed from prison in exchange for a Russian agent imprisoned in Germany. However, Putin was unwilling to let him go free and ordered Navalny's killing, said one of Navalny's close associates.

Navalny was supposed to be freed in the coming days," Maria Pevchikh said in a video statement posted on Monday. Negotiations were underway to trade Alexei Navalny along with two Americans, for a Russian agent imprisoned in Germany.

In her video message, Pevchikh also claimed that the idea of trading Navalny for Vadim Krasikov, a convicted Russian assassin serving a life sentence in Germany, was presented to Vladimir Putin by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich,

Talks to release Navalny had reached final stage"

The negotiations to release Navalny had reached the final stage" after two efforts. However, Pevchikh accused the Russian president of ordering the killing of Navalny because he was unwilling to let his most outspoken critic go free.

Vadim Krasikov, who was expected to be traded for Navalny, had links to Russia's Federal Security Service, known as the FSB. At present, he is serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 killing of a former Chechen rebel in a Berlin park.

According to Bloomberg, the US and Russia have been negotiating a deal to finalise a swap involving Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and businessman Paul Whelan. Gershkovich was detained by the FSB on allegations of spying. He was detained by the FSB in March last year. Whelan, a former US Marine, was sentenced to jail for 16 years in 2020 on spying charges which he rejects.

On being asked about the prisoner exchange negotiations between Russia and the US, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Bloomberg, I know nothing about this agreement."

In her video message, Pevchikh didn't mention the name of the two Americans who were a part of the prisoner swap.

Putin was clearly told that the only way to get Krasikov is to exchange him for Navalny," said Pevchikh. Instead, he decided to get rid of the bargaining chip" and offer someone else when the time comes."

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KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Half of all Western military support promised to Ukraine fails to arrive on time, complicating the task of military planners and ultimately costing the lives of soldiers in Russia's war , Ukraine's defense minister said Sunday.

Rustan Umerov, speaking at the Ukraine. Year 2024" forum in Kyiv, said each delayed aid shipment means Ukrainian troop losses and underscored Russias superior military might.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later told attendees at the event that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. It was the first time that Kyiv has confirmed the number of its losses.

Commemorations to mark the second anniversary of the war on Saturday brought expressions of continued support, new bilateral security agreements and new aid commitments from Ukraines Western allies. But Umerov said that they still needed to deliver on their commitments if Ukraine is to have any chance of holding out against Russia.

We look to the enemy: their economy is almost $2 trillion," he said, adding that they use up to 15% of official and nonofficial budget funds for the war, which constitutes more than $150 billion. He said that whenever a commitment doesn't arrive on time, we lose people, we lose territories."

During a press conference after the forum Sunday, Zelenskyy said four brigades did not take part in the countrys counteroffensive against Russian forces because they hadnt received the equipment they were expecting.

Can you imagine the numbers of guys who would have fought, who couldnt? The ones that had to sit and wait for the equipment they never received?"

The Ukrainian leader also confirmed plans for an international peace summit to tackle issues exacerbated by the war, such as nuclear or food security, in Switzerland in 2024. That would be followed by a potential invitation to Russian representatives to attend a second summit later in the year. However, Zelenskyy said Ukraine would not submit to a peace plan that did not serve its interests, and discarded the idea of direct negotiations.

Is it possible to talk to a man who kills his opponents?" Zelenskyy said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. We will offer a platform where he can agree that he has lost this war and that it was a mistake."

Zelenskyy also spoke about ongoing fighting in northeastern Ukraine, where front-line conflict has intensified in recent months leading to the capture of the Ukrainian city of Avdiivka. He said that Moscow was using heavy artillery fire to put pressure on Ukrainian forces in the directions of Kharkiv and Kupiansk.

However, his speech remained defiant. Will Ukraine lose in this war? I am sure that it wont. Our most difficult moment was on Feb. 24 two years ago. We have no alternative but to win. (...) If Ukraine loses, then we will not exist. We do not want such an ending to this fight for our lives."

Russian forces on Sunday appeared to be pressing on west of Avdiivka, the strategic city whose capture this month handed Moscow a major victory as fierce fighting rages on in eastern Ukraine.

Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, who leads Ukrainian forces fighting in the area, said Sunday that his troops had retreated from much of Lastochkyne, a western suburb of Avdiivka. Some Ukrainian media on Saturday reported that Russian troops had taken Lastochkyne, but there was no official confirmation from Kyiv and the battlefield situation appeared fluid.

Jake Sullivan, U.S. President Joe Bidens national security adviser, on Sunday asserted that he believes Kyiv has a path to victory, as long as Western allies deliver the tools that it needs."

Speaking to NBC in Washington, Sullivan acknowledged that Ukrainian forces lost Avdiivka because of a shortage of ammunition, calling on U.S. Congress to step up" and pass the additional $60 billion in security assistance requested by the Biden administration.

I think its important to take a step back and remember that two years ago, everyone was predicting that Ukraine was going to fall," Sullivan said, adding that Moscow has already failed in its fundamental objective" to subjugate" its neighbor.

The reality is that Putin gains every day that Ukraine does not get the resources it needs, and Ukraine suffers," Sullivan added.

Also on Sunday, Germanys top diplomat announced during a visit to southern Ukraine that Berlin would send Kyiv an extra 100 million euros ($108 million) in humanitarian aid, according to Germanys dpa agency.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock then had to abort a visit to a water supply station in the city of Mykolaiv after a Russian drone was spotted in the area, dpa reported. Baerbock and her delegation rushed back into their armored vehicles, and the drone briefly followed the convoy before veering off, the agency said.

Russian shelling and rocket strikes on Sunday continued to pummel Ukraines south and east, as local Ukrainian officials reported that at least two civilians were killed and eight others were wounded in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson provinces.

A woman was wounded and a railway station turned into a smoldering ruin amid heavy shelling in the eastern city of Kostiantynivka, according to the head of the municipal military administration. Ukraines public broadcaster, Suspilne, cited local police as saying that the strikes also damaged an Orthodox church, more than a dozen residential buildings and dozens of shops, a post office, schools and local government offices.

___

Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

___

This story has been corrected to show that the monetary figure in the quote from Ukraines defense minister is $150 billion, not $100 billion.

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Former Maldives Foreign Affairs Minister Abdulla Shahid on Saturday said the claims made by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu about thousands of Indian military personnel" were just another in a string of lies.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the newly elected president of the Maldivian Democratic Party said, 100 days in, it's clear: President Muizzu's claims of 'thousands of Indian military personnel' were just another in a string of lies. The current administration's inability to provide specific numbers speaks volumes." "There are no armed foreign soldiers stationed in the country. Transparency matters and the truth must prevail," he stated.

Currently, there are around 70 Indian troops along with Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters stationed in the Maldives. The removal of Indian troops in Maldives was the main campaign of Muizzu's party.

On the second day of assuming office, Muizzu officially requested the Indian government withdraw its military personnel from the Maldives. Last December, Muizzu claimed that an agreement was reached to withdraw Indian military personnel after talks with the Indian government.

The president also stated that diplomatic negotiations were underway for the withdrawal of Indian troops. He detailed that, as agreed in the last negotiations, the military personnel on one of the three aviation platforms would be withdrawn before March 10, 2024, and the military personnel on the remaining two platforms would be withdrawn before May 10, 2024.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of External Affairs said that India will replace military personnel at aviation platforms in the Maldives with competent Indian technical personnel.

India has provided the Maldives with various types of defence equipment, including helicopters and Dornier aircraft, but the presence of about 80 Indian defence personnel  stationed there to operate this equipment  has become a matter of controversy ever since newly elected Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pledged to remove foreign military troops from the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

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(Bloomberg) -- Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer expressed concern that President Joe Biden risks losing support among the states Arab and Muslim Americans because of his support for Israel in the war against Hamas in Gaza.

The risk is coming into focus with the Michigan primaries, where Bidens detractors are urging Democrats to protest by sitting out the vote or casting uncommitted" ballots on Tuesday. Democrats have told the presidents team theyre worried his pro-Israel stance will alienate voters in a state he won narrowly in 2020 thats home to a large Arab-American population.

Im not sure what were going to see on Tuesday, to tell you the truth," Whitmer, a Democrat, told CNNs State of the Union. I know that weve got this primary and we will see differences of opinion. Im just not sure what to expect."

Biden trails Republican frontrunner Donald Trump 47% to 42% in Michigan in a hypothetical 2024 rematch, according to a Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll in January.

Michigans Arab American community is pretty angry right now," Representative Debbie Dingell said on CBSs Face the Nation. She said she knows some families who has lost 20 or 40 members" in the Gaza fighting.

Top administration officials met Arab and Muslim community leaders in Michigan this month as Biden faces a backlash over Israels assault, which has left 29,000 people dead, most of them Palestinian civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.

Biden should come out and meet with community members himself, Dingell said. I do believe that he is going to need to do that at some point down the road," she said.

Dingells previous congressional district included Dearborn, a city near Detroit with a large number of residents with Middle Eastern ancestry. That city is now represented by Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat whos the first Palestinian American woman elected to Congress.

Read more: Netanyahu Says Hell Soon Have Plan to Move Rafah Civilians

Whitmer urged voters to recall Trumps executive actions as president to block travel to the US by citizens of several countries with a Muslim majority.

I just want to make the case, though, that its important not to lose sight of the fact that any vote thats not cast for Joe Biden supports a second Trump term," she said.

Pro-Palestinian protesters have confronted Biden in almost every city he has visited since war broke out after Hamass Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Biden has stepped up criticism of the extent of Israels military campaign, calling the response over the top." But the US last week blocked a United Nations Security Council resolution backing a cease-fire in Gaza as it pursues efforts to shield civilians in any Israeli assault on Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians have sought refuge.

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Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's ( PML-N ) senior leader Maryam Nawaz was elected as the Chief Minister of Pakistan's Punjab province. She has become the first-ever woman chief minister of a province in Pakistan.

She won after receiving 220 votes in the 371-member Punjab Assembly. The election was boycotted by the opposition Sunni Ittehad Council party, backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, reported Al Jazeera. The session was presided over by newly elected Punjab assembly speaker Malik Ahmad Khan.

Who is Maryam Nawaz, first woman CM in Pakistan?

The daughter of former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz is the fourth member of her family to become Punjab Chief Minister. The position has been earlier held by her father, his brother Shehbaz, and Shehbaz's son Hamza.

Maryam was born in 1973 and is the eldest among all the siblings. She joined politics after her father Nawaz Sharif became the prime minister for the third time. At present, she has emerged as the most eligible political heir of the family. Maryam became more active in politics and took a significant role in the party after Nawaz Sharif was disqualified from the post of prime minister in 2017.

Her political career suffered when she was disqualified from holding public office by the Supreme Court of Pakistan after her name appeared in the Panama Papers scandal. The Pakistan Supreme Court ruled that she was involved in money laundering. However, her political party has rejected all the charges and continues to maintain that she is innocent.

In 2017, Maryam was featured in the BBC's 100 Women list because of her significant influence among the masses. She was also named in The New York Times list of 11 Powerful Women Around the World for the year 2017.

In her maiden speech in Punjabs Provincial Assembly after winning the chief minister election and taking oath, Maryam said it was the victory of every woman, every mother, every sister".

She pledged to live up to the expectations of the people. There are speculations that Shehbaz Sharif could return as prime minister for a second term, according to an Al Jazeera report.

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A Pakistani woman was mobbed recently after people mistook Arabic text on her attire for Quran verses. The incident took place at a Lahore restaurant with the angry mob shouting slogans as police tried to rescue the woman. SDPO Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi was later recommended for the Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal for her role in de-escalating the situation.

The woman was accused of blasphemy and mobbed while visiting a restaurant with her husband. Visuals shared by the Punjab Police show the unnamed individual covering her face with her hands as people surrounded her, shouted slogans and asked her to take off the kurta. The woman police official escorted her out of the restaurant as police officials helped keep the chanting mob at bay. She however apologised for hurting religious sentiments. The victim was later taken to the police station and said she did not know much about the writing on her kurta.

Pakistan has strict blasphemy laws with punishment ranging from a fine to death. Derogatory remarks (including written text and visible representation) can be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine". Allegations of blasphemy have also resulted in public lynching in several incidents in Pakistan in the past.

According to the ASP the incident, had started after the girl entered a shop and a customer objected to her dress. The latter claimedg that it was bore Quranic verses  a claim that was quickly picked up by others. ASP Naqvi said the meaning of one of the words Halwa written in Arabic calligraphy on the girls dress was sweet."

"More people started gathering there and demanded the shopkeeper to hand over the girl to them. The shopkeeper sheltered her in the shop informing the charged mob that it was just an Arabic calligraphy print as the girl and had not insulted the religion of Islam and holy verses of the Quran," the police official said.

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(Bloomberg) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his country has lost 31,000 soldiers since Russias full-scale invasion started two years ago as he stressed that a decision from the US Congress on $60 billion in aid was needed within a month.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine has a clear plan" for 2024, while making a blockbuster claim that parts of its 2023 battle strategy had been leaked to Russia.

With the war now in its third year, Russia has gained fresh momentum, exploiting Kyivs deficit of ammunition and shortage of troops. US support, a crucial lifeline, faces formidable obstacles in the Republican-led House of Representatives, even after a joint $95 billion package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan cleared the Senate.

When we talk about US assistance, we should understand that its not financial support, mainly its weapons," Zelenskiy told reporters in Kyiv on Sunday during an extended press conference.

The Patriot air-defense system costs $1.5 billion, but you cant buy it without the US and there are no similar systems in the world. We can find money, but we wont find such an amount of weapons."

Read more: White House Urges House Speaker to Free Up Path for Ukraine Aid

As military supplies to Ukraine are dwindling, Russian forces scored a symbolic victory this month when Ukraine pulled soldiers out of the embattled eastern city of Avdiivka after months of combat. Kremlin troops are probing Ukrainian defenses elsewhere along the 1,200-kilometer (746-mile) frontline.

The Ukrainian president said that 2024 will determine how the war will end, and called US elections in November a potential tipping point.

It will be difficult for us in the coming months because there are fluctuations in the US that have an impact on some countries, though the European Union showed it is capable of being a leader with its support," Zelenskiy said.

Ukraine expects Russia to prepare counteroffensive actions at the end of May or the beginning of summer," Zelenskiy said, vowing that his forces would be ready to fight. The tipping point will be elections in the US, and then we will understand what will happen afterward," he added.

Read more: Ukraine Enters Third Year of War as Stalled Aid Dims Outlook

Zelenskiy said Ukraine needs two or three types of weapons to stop Russias offensive and break its defensive lines.

If Ukraine gets 10 Patriot systems for key industrial centers, if we can use them closer to the battlefield, they wont be able to advance, we would crush their defensive lines," he said. It would radically change the situation."

The Ukrainian leader said that his government doesnt have precise data on how may civilians have lost their lives in the past two years because some areas are occupied, though the figure is tens of thousands killed and murdered."

While Zelenskiy disclosed the first official figure for military losses in many months, he declined to also pinpoint the number of wounded, saying that would help the Russian military.

The Ukrainian president claimed that some plans for Kyivs 2023 counteroffensive in the countrys southeast had been leaked to Russia.

I will be open with you: our counteroffensive actions in the fall of last year were on the Kremlins table before those counteroffensive actions started," Zelenskiy said, without saying who he thought was behind the leak.

Other highlights of Zelenskiys remarks:

--With assistance from Kateryna Chursina.

(Updates with additional Zelenskiy comments from seventh paragraph)

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Zong Qinghou, a beverage magnate who became one of Chinas richest men by challenging international rivals such as Coca-Cola, died on Sunday.

The founder of soft-drink maker Hangzhou Wahaha Group was 78 years old, his company said in a brief announcement posted to its website. The website, which was darkened in an honorary practice marking a significant death, said the cause on Sunday was ineffective treatment," without elaborating.

Zong, a legendary entrepreneurial success in China, founded Wahaha after spotting a chance in the 1980s to sell flavored drinks to a population that suddenly had pocket money.

Zong produced some of Chinas first television commercial jingles to build national recognition for Wahaha, a name that roughly translates as laughing baby" and sounds as funny in Chinese as it does in English. He undercut Coke and Pepsi on price, and stoked nationalism to sell Wahaha beverages.

Zongs family was Chinas 31st richest with a fortune estimated at $13.1 billion in a 2023 report by Hurun Report. The Shanghai wealth-research firm in 2010 and 2012 put Zong on top of its annual rich list before he was overtaken by property and technology tycoons. Wahaha is closely held.

In its announcement, Wahaha identified Zong as a Communist Party member. The announcement didnt mention Wahahas future business operations. His daughter Zong Fuli, known as Kelly, has held senior roles in Wahaha for several years.

Like many from Chinas first generation of private entrepreneurs, Zong grew up desperately poor. His hometown of Hangzhou later gained an image for technology, after Jack Ma based Alibaba Group Holding there, but business was more freewheeling in 1987 when Zong was selling drinks and ice cream for pennies from a three-wheeled vehicle.

He created Wahaha in 1989 after developing a childrens tonic" drink that he pitched as a nutritious supplement for students who werent getting enough to eat. When he tried to use idled capacity in a government-owned canning company to make the popular drink, workers revolted for fear a private businessman would toss them out.

The media also said we were capitalists," Zong told the BBC in 2011. It was a huge negative campaign."

His bold move was to buy the 2,000-employee facility. Wahaha hit just as Chinas economy was generating cash income for individuals who during its Communist era had goods allocated to them by the government. Zong capitalized on the trend by saturating media so Wahaha became better known than Coke to large segments of the population, and made his drinks available even deep in the countryside with aggressive distribution and low pricing.

Today, Wahaha is a sprawling enterprise covering nearly every Chinese province. The companys 30,000 employees and more than 80 plants annually produce 30 billion bottles of milk, tea, juice, water and yogurt.

Instead of accepting political appointments like many of Chinas wealthiest entrepreneurs, Zong demonstrated his national pride by speaking up for homegrown brands. In 1998, Wahaha introduced Future Cola" to Chinas countryside, pricing it 20% less than Coke and Pepsi. When Coca-Cola in 2008 bid $2.4 billion to buy a Chinese orange-juice brand, a Wahaha official lamented, if national brands are gone, for the long term, its not good for the Chinese industry." Chinas Commerce Ministry blocked Coca-Colas takeover attempt.

Zong didnt shun working with foreign companies, despite his eternal confidence in Chinas market, but in 2007 the blowup of a Wahaha venture with the French food company Danone gripped the business world for months.

Danone accused Wahaha of making and selling products outside the companies agreed upon network of operations, and Zong charged that Danone stymied the growth of their venture. The French and Chinese presidents even became involved, and after two years of rancor Wahaha agreed to pay Danone hundreds of millions of dollars to settle the dispute.Zong said he had little personal use for his wealth. He told the BBC in 2011 that his only hobbies were cigarettes and tea.

In recent years, Zong ceded increasing responsibility for running Wahaha to his only daughter, Zong Fuli, known as Kelly, a graduate of Pepperdine University in California.

Write to James T. Areddy at James.Areddy@wsj.com
There are so many crises raging around the world that you can ask why I have chosen to bring the one in Papua New Guinea (PNG) to your attention this fortnight. So let me tell you the reason upfront: It is an example of why hyper-diverse societies can end up in deep trouble unless they develop the necessary social capital needed to govern themselves.

The post-colonial state was carved out of an arbitrary chunk of the Melanesian archipelago (the region comprising the easternmost stretches of Indonesia and islands northeast of Australia). Its claim to fame is that it has the most diverse population on the planet, with over 850 languages and thousands of bands and tribes, in a population of over 10 million living in a country the size of Maharashtra and Gujarat combined.

PNG is reeling from the after-effects of a volcanic eruption, urban riots, inter-tribal violence, fuel shortages, foreign exchange problems, an impending secession and ongoing parliamentary machinations to replace the prime minister. Its police force, which went on strike last month over a wage dispute, is too small to pacify warring tribes. Few criminals are arrested and incarceration rates are low, allowing them to operate with impunity. Geopolitically, it is in a tight spot in the contest between the West and China.

You could say that PNG is caught in a polycrisis of its own, but underlying the visible symptoms are fundamental problems. The Independent State of Papua New Guinea is essentially a hyper-diverse tribal society wrapped in a Westminster style political system. A people who did not have social structure bigger than a village before European colonization 150 years ago are now citizens of a modern state. The basic social unit is a wantok (one talk"), a small community that speaks the same language. Band and tribe loyalties are strong. People expect leaders to act in the interests of their social group, so MPs are more concerned about favourable redistribution than national governance. Foreign missionaries might have converted people to Christianity, but old tribal identities remain. After independence from Australia in 1975, Papua New Guineans have tried to construct a national identity, but it remains a work in progress. The wantok, tribe and extended family remain powerful in the face of monotheistic religion, nationalism and cosmopolitanism.

Earlier, I have argued that diverse societies suffer from a problem of under-cooperation resulting in under-provision of public goods. PNG is so diverse that for centuries its society could not organize itself into tribal confederations, leave alone kingdoms and bureaucratic states. Village communities were so geographically isolated, culturally distinct and economically self-sufficient that they couldnt coalesce and form a bigger entity. Inter-tribal violence, basic commerce and inter-marriage would maintain a rudimentary order, and everyone just lived with that. In 1975, a liberal democratic state was thrust on a people few of whom could imagine who or what a Papua New Guinean was. Things have changed since, but the people of PNG have not been able to build social capital fast enough to ensure that their government can maintain political order, rule of law and deliver basic public goods.

Hyperdiversity results in weak social capital, making effective cooperation difficult at any meaningful scale, thus resulting in poor societal outcomes. Hence PNGs low human development indicators, high crime and corruption.

But there is high social capital within wantoks, helping its members procure jobs, favours and other forms of support. These are a little like Indian jaatis, kinship groups with high trust and economic ties. But unlike jaatis, wantoks neither have an ideological basis nor any presumptive hierarchy.

Indian society has some problems in common with PNG. Electoral politics is organized around identity groups, not on different approaches to governance. There are a large number of political parties and opportunistic leaders who jump ship frequently. Governments rule with less than half the total votes. Federalism is impaired because MPs are expected to dispense local favours. There are conflicts over language. It is hard to make simple, universally applicable laws.

So why is hyper-diverse India able to do better? We have a stronger sense of common civilization, geography and community. Our religious, ethnic and national identities cut across caste lines. In other words, Indians have a better developed sense of higher-level imagined communities. In a sociological sense, all these higher-level identities are a good thing, even if which should have political primacy is contested. To my mind, a pluralist Indianness is the highest-level identity around which we can create the broadest stock of social capital, which can then achieve the greatest cooperation.

PNGs challenge then is to leapfrog its hundreds of small societies into one big Papua New Guinean one. It will not be easy. As much as foreign countries can provide economic and technical assistance, the task of turning a hyper-diverse society into a pluralistic nation belongs to Papua New Guineans. And, as we in India can attest, it is a never-ending one.
A few Indians caught in the Russia-Ukraine conflict have sent desperate pleas back home asking to be rescued, saying the Russian military had hired them as helpers but coerced into fighting in the war.

Out of roughly 100 Indians hired by the Russian military, at least one has been killed in battle. The Indian government is scrambling to secure the discharge of these individuals.

But its also true that Indians have willingly fought for other countries as mercenaries, and in a few instances for global terror groups as well. Mint takes a look at how all this came to pass.

What exactly happened?

According to a report from The Hindu, around 100 men from across the country, including from Gujarat, UP and Karnataka, were hired by the Russian military as helpers last year. The men were promised lucrative jobs and benefits and underwent background checks. However, it appears that at least three of the men recruited have been forced into fighting for Russia. More men are now coming forward with similar claims. These men have had their passports seized and one recruit from Gujarat has been killed in the fighting. According to some of these men, Indias embassy in Moscow has been unhelpful in extracting them from their situation.

How has the Indian government responded?

The ministry of external affairs has stated that it was aware" of Indians assisting the Russian military. We remain committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army," the foreign ministry said in a statement. It later stated that several Indians have been discharged as a result of Indias efforts. It also denied claims that the Indian mission in Moscow had been unhelpful.

Has this happened before?

In recent years, the question of Indians travelling abroad to fight for foreign causes has come up. Indians travelling to fight for terror groups like the Islamic State has occupied much attention, given the national security threat posed. Indians also fought as mercenaries in Lebanon in 2013. Several of these individuals were deported. The outbreak of the conflicts in Ukraine and more recently in West Asia saw several Indians volunteering to fight for Ukraine and Israel.

What is Indias policy on this?

There is some uncertainty surrounding the Indian governments position on the matter. No Indian can be allowed to go to a foreign country with an objective of taking part in the internal affairs of that country because it would adversely impact friendly relations with foreign countries, and allowing any Indian to go to another country to take part in a conflict (which amounts to taking part in terrorist activity) would lead to the allegation that the Indian government is promoting terrorism in other countries," Indias home ministry said in an affidavit. However, it is unclear if those Indians returning from Russia will be prosecuted in any way.
Ahead of the upcoming elections in Arunachal Pradesh, there was a significant boost for the ruling BJP as two Congress MLAs and two legislators from the National People's Party (NPP) switched allegiance to the BJP on Sunday.

As reported by PTI, with this development, both the Congress and NPP now have two MLAs each in the 60-member assembly, strengthening the BJP's position in the state. During a ceremony held at the BJP headquarters, senior Congress MLA and former union minister Ninong Ering from the Pasighat West seat, along with Wanglin Lowangdong from the Borduria-Bogapani constituency, joined the saffron party. Also Read: Congress to face another setback as Rajasthan MLA Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya is likely to join BJP Additionally, NPP's Mutchu Mithi representing the Roing seat and Gokar Basar from the Basar constituency also became members of the BJP. Chief Minister Pema Khandu attended the event, which marked their transition to the BJP.

Later, in a post on X, Khandu said, Warmly welcomed Hon Congress MLAs Ninong Ering Ji & Wanglin Lowangdong; and 2 NPP MLAs; Mutchu Mithi Ji, former State President, NPP and Shri @GokarBasar Ji - in the @BJP4Arunachal. Their joining of party is a testament to their faith in the principles of good governance championed by Hon PM Narendra Modi Ji. Hon PM's transformative leadership, centered around the motto 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas', has brought about positive change across the country. Their joining of the party will further fortify our base in their respective constituencies and Arunachal Pradesh. Hon State President Shri @BiyuramWahgeBJP Ji along Lok Sabha Election In-charge of our State & Hon Min, Assam Shri @TheAshokSinghal Ji were present on this occasion. Together, we look forward to continuing our commitment to the principles of inclusive development and people-centric welfare."

Also Read: Is Navjot Singh Sidhu also leaving Congress? Speculation rife as he calls for a press conference on farmer issue

With Sundays development, the BJP now has 53 MLAs in the House, while three independent MLAs extend outside support to the government.

The Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls will be simultaneously held in the northeastern state later this year.

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The Communist Party of India (CPI), the second-largest coalition partner in Kerala's ruling Left Democratic Front, has announced the names of its candidates for four crucial seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Among the candidates, senior party leader Annie Raja will contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. The seat in Kerala is presently held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Party veteran and former MP Pannian Raveendran will contest from Thiruvananthapuram, another crucial seat represented by senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.

The announcement was made by Party State Secretary Binoy Viswam at a press conference. Former agriculture minister V S Sunil Kumar and the party's youth wing AIYF's leader C A Arunkumar will be fielded from Thrissur and Mavelikkara seats respectively, he added.

Gandhi represented the Amethi parliamentary seat in the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2019. BJP leader Smriti Irani defeated Gandhi in Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Gandhi won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad, the second seat he had contested.

(Inputs from agencies)

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has started discussions on Delhi's seven Lok Sabha seats as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress decided to contest these seats together in an alliance

The BJP, which won all seven parliamentary seats of the national capital in 2014 and 2019, is discussing the choice of candidates for the seven seats. The brainstorming has been revolving around whether or not to repeat the MPs

While no names have been finalised yet, sources said some of the sitting members of Parliament might not get repeated and instead new names will come up. And among the new names, according to a report in the Hindi daily NBT, is actor Akshay Kumar. While there has been no official word yet, the report says, Kumar might be asked to contest from the Chandni Chowk seat in Delhi. BJP leader and former Union minister Dr Harsh Vardhan won the seat twice in 2014 and 2019. The seat was won by former Congress leader and Union minister Kapil Sibal in 2004 and 2009.

"The AAP-Congress alliance will certainly impact the partys approach to candidate selection in Delhi since the contest is now bipolar and not tri-corner as it was in 2019," a recent report in The Indian Express said, quoting a source.

It is worth mentioning here that the Chandni Chowk to China actor Akshay Kumar had spent a large part of his childhood in Delhi, before moving to Mumbai. In a recent interview, he had admitted that he lived with 24 of his family members in a small house in Chandni Chowk.

We were 24 people living in the same house in Chandni Chowk. We all would sleep in the same room. In the morning, when we woke up for exercise, everyone would jump over each other to get out," he told news agency ANI.

Kumar had faced criticism for making movies that silently supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government's projects, a charge that the actor had denied saying he made movies on projects during previous Congress governments too.

Among other seats that the BJP is thinking of changing the candidate is North East Delhi. The seat is presently represented by former BJP, Delhi President Manoj Tiwari, who has won the seat twice.

The Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress on February 24 announced a formal seat-sharing arrangement in Delhi. As per the agreement, the Congress will field candidates in North East, Chandni Chowk, and North West and the AAP will field candidates in New Delhi, East Delhi, West Delhi and South Delhi seats.

The parties have also agreed on a seat-sharing arrangement in Gujarat, Haryana, Chandigarh and Goa. The AAP will contest two seats - Bharuch and Bhavnagar seats in Gujarat.

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The American Red Cross is partnering with the family of Kasen Iverson, a 2-year-old boy battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia, to host a community blood drive in his honor.

The event is set to take place from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1039 Nordveien Dr., in Boyceville.

Kasen was diagnosed with leukemia in November 2023. Ever since his diagnosis, Kasen has been in and out of the hospital frequently for chemotherapy treatments and has received several blood transfusions.

Kasens situation has inspired me not only to donate blood, but to also encourage others to give blood as well, said Lonna Borgert, Kasens great-grandmother.

I am so grateful that there was donor blood and platelets for my great-grandson Kasen when he needed them so badly in his fight against leukemia, said Borgert. When I think of the Red Cross as a whole, I think about them always being there in some capacity in emergencies. They are a godsend.

For patients like Kasen, having blood donations available is truly the key to his survival. Like so many other critical patients, Kasen could not have survived these last months without blood donations. The Iverson family is hopeful that Kasen will make full and speedy recovery.

The American Red Cross urges donors to give blood or platelets now to continue to strengthen the national blood supply this month. People of all blood types  especially those with type-O blood  are critical to ensuring hospitals can meet the daily demand for lifesaving transfusions this winter.

Generous blood donors are vital to ensuring those in need of transfusions have access to critical care. As a thank you, all who come to give Feb. 1-29, 2024, will receive a $20 Amazon.com gift card by email. Visit RedCrossBlood.org/Heart for details.
Amid Sandeshkhali row, Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has said that his party is not shielding its absconding leader Shajahan Sheikh. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is putting pressure on the ruling Trinamool Congress government in Bengal to arrest Shahjahan.

The TMC leader has been at the centre of the row following allegations by women and locals of land grabbing and sexual abuse. Women protestors in Sandeshkhali are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides.

West Bengal government has so far received more than 500 complaints related to land grabbing from villagers of Sandeshkhali over the past one week. Sheikh has remained elusive since a mob attack on Enforcement Directorate officials on January 5.

'Didi has now become an aunty': Suvendu Adhikari amid Sandeshkhali violence

Sandeshkhali case: Here are 5 updates

Six members of an independent fact-finding committee, on their way to Sandeshkhali, were arrested at Bhojerhat in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Sunday afternoon. The team was headed by Justice Narsimha Reddy, Former Chief Justice of Patna High Court with members Charu Bali Khanna, Bhavna Bajaj, OP Vyas, Rajpal Singh, Aparna Banerjee, and Bandana Biswas.

WB: Independent fact-finding team en rote to Sandeshkhali detained by police

West Bengal Police has detained local TMC leader Ajit Maiti at Sandeshkhali on charges of land grabbing from villagers. Maiti, considered a close aide of fugitive Shajahan Sheikh, was detained from the residence of a civic volunteer where he had locked himself for over four hours after being chased by villagers.

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) said it has received 50 complaints of sexual abuse and land grab" from tribal families against TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his associates.

Sandeshkhali villagers thrash TMC MLA Ajit Maity with slippers | Video

Over 1,250 complaints, including 400 related to land disputes, have been received at government camps in the restive Sandeshkhali region of West Bengal. According to Arun Kumar Samanta, the BDO of Sandeshkhali Block 2, his office has received over 1,000 complaints.

Land grab that brought Mamata Banerjee to power, now challenges TMC in Bengal

About Shahjahan Sheikh: The TMC leader is popularly known as "Bhai", who started as a small-time worker in the fisheries of the Sandeshkhali block in North 24 Parganas near the Bangladesh border. He entered politics in 2004 as a union leader in the brick kilns. He later joined the local CPI(M) unit. Known for fiery speeches and organisational skills, Sheikh caught the attention of Trinamool Congress leadership in 2012. In 2018, Sheikh gained prominence as the deputy head of the Sarberia Agarhati gram panchayat. His younger brothers are also active TMC workers. They also manage his business, including land dealings.

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of parliament (MP) Varun Gandhi has denied speculations about contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha 2024 election from Amethi, the high-profile seat in Uttar Pradesh. This seat used to be a Nehru- Gandhi family bastion for decades until 2019.

Varun Gandhi said this in response to reports suggesting that will fight the election as an independent candidate from Amethi, with outside support from the Congress and Samajwadi party alliance.

The two parties sealed the seat-sharing formula, and Amethi and Raebareli are the two seats the Congress got in the deal.

Amethi was earlier held for 15 years by Varun's cousin Rahul Gandhi, who was defeated by BJP leader and now Union Minister Smriti Irani in 2019. Rahul, however, won the second seat in Wayanad, in Kerala and is likely to seek re-election from there in the 2024 polls, too.

Residents of Amethi are now inclined towards Varun Gandhi, according to a report in news agency IANS. This, the report said, comes since Rahul is not keen to contest Amethi, the seat that was once won by his father in 1980.

Dissenting Voices

Varun is unlikely to be fielded by BJP in 2024 for breaking ranks. The 43-year-old Pilibhit MP has for long been taking a critical stand on many issues against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the centre and Yogi Adityanath-led state government in Uttar Pradesh.

In December, Varun slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for allowing the sale of alcohol at railway stations on the lines of liquor outlets at airports. Prior to that, in October 2023, he took on the Yogi Adityanath administration over suspending the licence of the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Amethi. Later, the Allahabad High Court stayed the suspension, eliciting praise from the BJP leader.

In 2020-21, Varun was the only BJP leader who had come out in support of the farmer protests. He also sought accountability for the death of eight people, including four farmers, killed in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri after being run over by vehicles allegedly driven by Ashish Mishra, son of BJP leader and Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni.

Hours after speaking for Lakhimpur Kheri victims, Varun and his mother, Maneka Gandhi, a BJP MP from Sultanpur in UP, were dropped from the partys National Executive Committee. Around that time, speculation was rife that Varun Gandhi might join the Samajwadi Party (SP) ahead of the UP assembly elections in 2022. But, according to sources, he chose to wait to complete his five-year term as Lok Sabha MP.

Maneka and Varun joined the BJP in 2004. Varun contested his first election from Pilibhit in 2009. In 2013, he was made general secretary of the party.

In 2021, many had linked his stand to his exclusion from the Union cabinet expansion in July of that year. Varun has been upset with the BJP earlier as well. He was reportedly annoyed with his party for being ignored before the 2017 UP polls.

Recently, Varun was seen retweeting PM Modi on the government's decision to confer Bharat Ratna on former Prime Ministers Chaudhary Charan Singh and PV Narasimha Rao and architect of Green Revolution, MS Swaminathan.

Hailing Indira Gandhi

In December, BJP MP Varun Gandhi praised former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, saying that a "true leader" does not take "sole credit" for victory, as he referred to India's win against Pakistan in the 1971 war.

In November, cousins Rahul and Varun met at Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand, again fuelling speculation about the BJP MP's switch to the Congress party, months ahead of the 2024 general elections. Varun had said then that he was there on a private visit.

In January 2023, however, Rahul had dismissed speculation about Varun joining the Congress.

In 2004, Sonia Gandhi left the Amethi seat for her son Rahul and moved to Raebareli. Sonia Gandhi has decided not to contest the Lok Sabha elections. Her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is speculated to contest from Raebareli.

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RAMALLAH, West BankThe Palestinian Authoritys government resigned on Monday, an early step toward the overhauls the U.S. and Middle Eastern powers see as a condition for the body to take charge of Gaza after the war.

The move falls short of changes Western and Arab governments have pressured the Palestinian Authority to make, including replacing longtime career politicians with a technocratic team and for Mahmoud Abbas, the Authoritys aging and unpopular president, to step aside and invest a new prime minister with some of the presidents powers.

Gazas future status is among the most contentious issues facing the international community as Israels military offensive in the enclave approaches its fifth month, and is key to ending the conflict.

Israels government on Monday said that its military presented a plan to increase aid flow and evacuate civilians from the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, as pressure mounts on Israel to share its strategy for protecting the more than one million Palestinians sheltering there as Israel seeks to invade.

The U.S. has called for a reformed Palestinian Authoritywhich currently governs Palestinian population centers in the Israel-occupied West Bank semiautonomouslyto administer Gaza postwar. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted any role for the Authority in Gaza after the war.

The next phase and its challenges require new political and governmental arrangements that take into consideration the new reality in Gaza, the national unity talks, and the urgency of reaching internal Palestinian reconciliation based on national interest," the Palestinian Authoritys prime minister, Mohammad Shtayyeh, said in a speech Monday morning as he tendered his and his governments resignation.

The proposed cabinet resignation requires approval from Abbas.

The Authoritys president hasnt faced a presidential ballot since he was elected in 2005. Perceived by Palestinians as ineffective, corrupt and too dependent on the goodwill of the U.S. and Israels government, Abbas and the Authority have seen their popular support plummet in the West Bank and Gaza, according to polls, with around 90% of Palestinians now calling for his resignation. Such unpopularity is a major obstacle to the Authority taking over Gaza after a potential Israeli withdrawal.

This is a half step toward a government change," said an official from the Palestine Liberation Organization, which represents Palestinians internationally. The official said the proposed changes didnt involve Abbas.

Another official from the organization questioned what a future technocratic government for the Palestinian Authority could achieve in rebuilding and governing Gaza without fresh funding and a long-term political perspective for the territory.

Abbas has told Arab and U.S. officials that he is working on forming a new government with Mohammad Mustafa, a former Palestinian economy minister and World Bank executive, as the likely candidate for prime minister, according to senior Arab officials.

Abbas has also tasked a number of Palestinian officials to prepare a plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, which would include establishing a reconstruction authority, operating under the supervision of the World Bank and subject to an international accounting firm.

One plan for postwar Gaza being formulated by five Arab states could see the Islamist Hamas movement being folded into the widely secular Palestine Liberation Organization, ending the yearslong split between Palestinian factions.

Arab officials complained that Hussein Al-Sheikh, the Palestine Liberation Organizations number two and a close Abbas confidant, would be an obstacle to postwar arrangements in part due to his sharp opposition to Hamas.

One question mark hanging over the future of Gaza is what role, if any, Hamas would be able to play in a future administration for the enclave, something Israel categorically opposes.

Some senior members of Fatah, the ruling party of the Palestinian Authority, are still seeking reconciliation with Hamas, its main rival, which forcefully took power from Fatah in Gaza in 2007.

Fatah is expected to hold talks with Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Moscow later Monday. Officials familiar with the meeting, however, say the Moscow gathering was largely symbolic as Russia lacks a clear road map for a more unified Palestinian front.

Diana Buttu, a former Palestinian peace negotiator, said Shtayyehthe prime ministerand his cabinet never wielded extensive power given the Palestinian Authoritys lack of sovereignty under Israeli military occupation and Abbass efforts to centralize the Authoritys limited prerogatives under himself.

The Palestinian Authority was meant to survive for five years, it was meant to be interim," Buttu said. Its been 30 years. Its like an old car breaking down. Shtayyeh inherited a position on life support."

Write to Summer Said at summer.said@wsj.com and Omar Abdel-Baqui at omar.abdel-baqui@wsj.com
Can government tell Big Tech companies how to edit content and police their platforms? Thats the question before the Supreme Court on Monday in two cases with major First Amendment implications (Moody v. NetChoice and NetChoice v. Paxton).

NetChoice, a tech industry group, is challenging Texas and Florida laws that seek to prevent social-media platforms from silencing conservatives. Republicans are rightly frustrated by censorship that often tilts against conservatives, including us. But the solution to business censorship of conservatives isnt government censorship of business.

***

The Florida law bans large social-media platforms from removing the accounts of political candidates, or suppressing posts by or about them. Platforms also cant take any action to censor, deplatform, or shadow ban a journalistic enterprise based on the content of its publication or broadcast," and they must apply their standards in a consistent manner" among their users.

The Texas law bars platforms from making editorial decisions based on the viewpoint of a users expression, which isnt clearly defined. The law is so broad it could be read to bar platforms from suppressing pro-Nazi speech or content that glorifies eating disorders. Both laws require platforms to explain in detail why posts are removed. Companies could face stiff government penalties and lawsuits.

NetChoice makes a strong case that the laws abridge First Amendment speech rights by restricting the editorial discretion of platforms. Only last term the Court ruled in 303 Creative LLC that Colorado couldnt compel a website designer to create work that violates her values. The same principle, NetChoice says, should apply to the Texas and Florida laws.

While such social-media platforms as Instagram and YouTube arent traditional publishers like newspapers and broadcasters, they exercise editorial judgment when they decide what content to remove, suppress or amplify. They also exercise discretion when curating user feeds and making recommendations.

The states disagree. They claim their laws regulate business conduct, not expression. They also argue that states can prohibit businesses that open themselves to the public from discriminating against customers under the common-carrier legal doctrine that predates the U.S. Constitution.

Common carriers have generally opened their facilities to all speakers and speech," Florida writes in its brief. Requiring them to open that door a crack more interferes with no expression of their own. Thus, the telephone company, internet-service provider, and delivery service have license neither to snuff out the speech they carry, nor to cancel disfavored subscribers."

This analogy is inapt. Businesses that are regulated as common carriers like telephone companies, taxis, railroads and electric utilities dont engage in editorial or expressive activity. Yet the states implicitly concede that social-media platforms do engage in such expression when they accuse them of discriminating against disfavored speech. Florida and Texas cant have it both ways.

The overriding problem is that extending common-carrier regulation to social-media platforms invites more government control of speech. Do Florida and Texas want Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan dictating what can and cant be said online? Could California pass a law requiring companies to remove posts that criticize male transgender participation in womens sports?

Texas and Florida lean heavily on the Courts Pruneyard precedent (1980), which held that California could extend its constitutional free speech protections to malls because they are open to the public. But malls dont typically engage in activities protected by the First Amendment. Pruneyard also gave short shrift to the property rights of business owners.

A more relevant precedent is Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo (1974), which overturned a Florida law requiring newspapers to offer equal space to political candidates to respond to editorials that criticize them. The Court said the law compelled and chilled speech because editors might well conclude that the safe course is to avoid controversy."

The Florida and Texas laws do the same. If the laws stand, companies would no doubt refrain from policing their platforms to avoid being bankrupted by litigation. Some conservatives might prefer an online free-for-all, and the free market has given birth to platforms for them. Elon Musk has taken a lighter touch to content regulation since buying X, formerly Twitter. But if youre worried about the cultural damage from social media now, imagine if sites are obliged to let anything go.

***

These two cases, by the way, are separate from one the Court will hear in a few weeks concerning Biden Administration pressure on tech platforms to censor conservatives. That case, Murthy v. Missouri, implicates government censorship that strikes us as a First Amendment violation.

Conservatives are understandably concerned that left-leaning tech companies want to exclude their ideas. There is no easy solution to this problem. Exposure and condemnation of the censorship has helped. But it never turns out well for conservatives, or anyone else, when the supposed remedy is giving government more power to control speech. The Supreme Court can make that clear to Texas and Florida.
Knightsbridges Expansion into Hong Kong and China Amid Chinas Economic Resurgence

As China experiences a remarkable resurgence in its economic trajectory, Knightsbridges decision to expand its presence into Hong Kong and mainland China comes at an opportune moment. The confluence of Chinas dynamic growth and Knightsbridges strategic move promises to unlock new avenues for legal services and business opportunities in the region.

Chinas Economic Resurgence: Chinas economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience and recovery following the challenges posed by the global pandemic.

With a focus on domestic consumption, technological innovation, and infrastructure development, China has emerged as a key driver of global economic growth.

The governments commitment to reforms and opening up further enhances Chinas attractiveness as a destination for foreign investment and business expansion. Strategic Importance of Hong Kong and China: Hong Kong serves as a vital gateway to Chinas vast market, offering unparalleled access to global capital and expertise.

As a global financial hub, Hong Kong provides an ideal platform for international businesses seeking to establish a presence in Asia.

Knightsbridges decision to open offices in Hong Kong and mainland China underscores the strategic significance of these markets and the firms commitment to serving clients in the region. Legal Services Demand: With Chinas economy undergoing rapid transformation, there is a growing demand for specialized legal services to support businesses navigating complex regulatory environments.

Knightsbridges expertise in corporate law, cross-border transactions, and intellectual property rights positions the firm as a valuable partner for companies seeking to capitalize on opportunities in China.

The firms expansion into Hong Kong and China allows it to offer tailored legal solutions and strategic advice to clients, ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations while maximizing business potential. Growth Opportunities: By establishing a presence in Hong Kong and mainland China, Knightsbridge aims to tap into the burgeoning demand for legal services and expand its client base in the region.

The firms global network and reputation for excellence in legal counsel provide a competitive advantage in capturing opportunities arising from Chinas economic resurgence.

Knightsbridges strategic expansion underscores its commitment to supporting clients in navigating the evolving business landscape in Asia and capitalizing on the growth potential offered by Chinas resurgent economy.

The timing of Knightsbridges expansion into Hong Kong and China aligns perfectly with Chinas economic resurgence, presenting a strategic opportunity for the firm to establish a strong foothold in key Asian markets.

With a focus on providing innovative legal solutions and unparalleled client service, Knightsbridge is well-positioned to capitalize on the growth opportunities arising from Chinas dynamic business environment and contribute to the success of its clients in the region.

Knightsbridges Joint Venture with ETT: A Gateway to Opportunities in China

Introduction: Knightsbridge, a leading global legal firm, has recently announced a groundbreaking joint venture (JV) with ETT, a prominent consulting group based in China. This strategic collaboration heralds a new era of possibilities for Knightsbridge in the dynamic and burgeoning Chinese market. With the combined expertise and resources of both firms, the JV promises to unlock a myriad of opportunities and provide unparalleled legal services to clients navigating the complexities of doing business in China.

Expanding Horizons: The partnership between Knightsbridge and ETT signifies a strategic expansion into the vibrant landscape of China. With its robust economy, rapid technological advancements, and ever-evolving regulatory environment, China presents a wealth of opportunities for global businesses. By joining forces with ETT, Knightsbridge gains access to invaluable insights, local knowledge, and established networks, enabling the firm to better serve its clients and capitalize on emerging trends in the Chinese market.

Comprehensive Legal Solutions: One of the key advantages of the Knightsbridge-ETT JV is the ability to offer comprehensive legal solutions tailored to the needs of clients operating in China. From corporate law and intellectual property rights to regulatory compliance and dispute resolution, the combined expertise of both firms ensures that clients receive top-tier legal guidance and support across a wide spectrum of practice areas. Whether navigating complex mergers and acquisitions or safeguarding intellectual property assets, the JV is well-equipped to address the diverse legal needs of businesses in China.

Facilitating Cross-Border Ventures: In an increasingly interconnected world, cross-border ventures are becoming increasingly common, presenting both opportunities and challenges for businesses. The Knightsbridge-ETT JV aims to facilitate seamless cross-border transactions by providing strategic legal counsel and guidance to clients engaging in international business activities involving China. By leveraging ETTs deep understanding of local laws and regulations, as well as Knightsbridges global network and expertise, the JV streamlines the process of conducting business across borders, mitigating risks and maximizing opportunities for success.

Driving Innovation and Growth: At the heart of the Knightsbridge-ETT partnership lies a shared commitment to innovation, excellence, and client satisfaction. By fostering a culture of collaboration and creativity, the JV endeavors to deliver innovative legal solutions that drive growth and empower clients to achieve their business objectives in China. Through a combination of cutting-edge legal expertise, industry knowledge, and strategic foresight, Knightsbridge and ETT are poised to lead the way in shaping the future of legal services in China and beyond.

The Knightsbridge-ETT joint venture marks a significant milestone in Knightsbridges strategic expansion efforts and reaffirms the firms commitment to serving clients in key global markets. With its extensive experience, industry-leading expertise, and unwavering dedication to client success, the JV is poised to open a wealth of new opportunities and set new standards of excellence in the provision of legal services in China. As businesses continue to navigate the complexities of the Chinese market, Knightsbridge and ETT stand ready to provide the trusted guidance, support, and legal expertise needed to thrive in this dynamic and fast-evolving landscape.

Shayne Heffernan
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: February 26 2024

Kevin Carroll broke into a boarding house in Uniondale on two separate occasions, stealing two electric bicycles.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a Manhattan man was sentenced yesterday to 20 years to life in prison for two burglaries that took place just seven days apart at a Uniondale boarding house in 2020.

Kevin Carroll, 41, was convicted after a jury trial before Judge Helene Gugerty on December 14, 2023, of Burglary in the First Degree (a B violent felony); three counts of Burglary in the Second Degree (a C violent felony); and two counts of Burglary in the Third Degree (a D felony). He was acquitted of one count each of Burglary in the Second Degree and Burglary in the Third Degree, two counts of Criminal Contempt in the First Degree and three counts of Criminal Contempt in the Second Degree.

The trial began on December 6, 2023, and the jury deliberated for approximately two days before delivering their verdict. Carroll is a mandatory persistent felony offender, and was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years to life in prison.

The defendant once lived at the boarding house at 429 Fenimore Avenue and knew the layout, the people that lived there, and where they kept their valuables, said DA Donnelly. Carroll broke into the house, attacked a victim, and stole an electric bicycle. Just seven days later, the defendant went back for more, forcing his way back into the address and stealing a second electrical bike. Kevin Carroll is a persistent felony offender with a lengthy criminal record. He will now potentially serve the rest of his life in prison and will no longer be a threat to the community.

DA Donnelly said, according to the charges, the defendant is a former resident of 429 Fenimore Avenue, a boarding house in Uniondale with shared and single-occupancy rooms.

On June 22, 2020, at approximately 5:00 p.m., the defendant forced open a rear door of the house and struck a victim, who had gone to investigate the disturbance, several times in the face and head. The victim ran outside to call 911 and saw the defendant fleeing with a gray electric bicycle that belonged to another resident of the house.

Seven days later, on June 29, 2020, at approximately 1:30 p.m., another victim heard a knock at the front door, opened the door and saw the defendant standing there. The victim attempted to hold the door closed, but the defendant pushed through and entered the house. The defendant entered another room, walked out with a white electric bicycle, and fled the house.

Twenty-minutes later, police officers observed the defendant with the white bicycle approximately a quarter of a mile from the scene. He was arrested later that day by Nassau County Police Department officers.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: February 26 2024

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America on View at the Preservation Long Island Exhibition Gallery in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, March 22  May 3.

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America presented by the Smithsonians Museum on Main Street, in cooperation with the Museum Association of New York (MANY), examines the nearly 250-year-old American experiment of a government of, by and for the people, and how each generation since continues to question how to form a more perfect union. Opening at the Preservation Long Island Exhibition Gallery in Cold Spring Harbor, New York on March 22, 2024, Voices and Votes will be on view through May 3, 2024.

Preservation Long Island, a regional not-for-profit organization headquartered in Cold Spring Harbor that maintains and interprets historic sites and collections pertaining to Long Islands history, has been chosen by MANY to be the first venue in New York State to host the Voices and Votes: Democracy in America exhibition. This initiative is all part of the Museum on Main Street programa national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions to small town and rural cultural organizations across America. The exhibition will tour twelve communities across New York from March 22, 2024 through January 2026: https://nysmuseums.org/Project-Participants-and-Host-Sites

Preservation Long Island is excited to serve as the inaugural site for Voices and Votes: Democracy in America, said Alexandra Wolfe, Preservation Long Island Executive Director. The exhibitions focus on freedom, civic participation, and political engagement resonates strongly with our commitment to making the past relevant to the present.

Voices and Votes explores the action, reaction, vision, and revision democracy demands as Americans continue to question how to shape American values. From the revolution and suffrage to civil rights and casting ballots, all communities are part of the evolving story of democracy in America. Exhibition sections explore the origins of American democracy, the struggles to obtain and keep the vote, the machinery of democracy, the right to petition and protest beyond the ballot and the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Voices and Votes engages multimedia interactives with short games; and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.

The exhibition will include a section that incorporates art and artifacts drawn from Preservation Long Island and other local collections. The objects we chose connect the broader historical narratives of Voices and Votes with Long Island people and storiesaddressing themes such as the ways people make their voices heard, who is left out of the conversation, and the roles and responsibilities of citizens, said Lauren Brincat, Preservation Long Island Curator.

Among the local highlights in the exhibition is an original essay by Jupiter Hammon (1711ca. 1806), Americas first published African American poet, written while he was enslaved at Joseph Lloyd Manor in Lloyd Harbor shortly after the American Revolution, advocating for the citizenship of Black New Yorkers in the new nation. Other items include a bracelet and ring made from scrap sheet metal by women aircraft factory workers on Long Island as the United States fought to preserve democracy abroad during World War II, and the drawings and models for the national monument to African American civil rights leader and womens rights activist, Mary MacLeod Bethune (18751855), created by Long Island artist, Robert Berks (19222011) in 1974.

Voices and Votes allows us to reflect on Cold Spring Harbor and the surrounding community history and explore what it means to be an active participant in the governance of not only the country but also this community, said Andrew Tharler, Preservation Long Island Education and Engagement Director.

The series of local exhibition-related programming and free events include a community quilt project, curator-led exhibition and walking tours, lectures, community conversations and an oral history series; preview the full schedule: https://preservationlongisland.org/voices-and-votes/

Designed for small-town museums, libraries, and cultural organizations, Voices and Votes will serve as a community meeting place for conversations about democracy, the freedoms, and responsibilities of citizens, participating in government, and more.

Voices and Votes is based on an exhibition currently on display at the Smithsonians National Museum of American History called American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith. The exhibition is part of Museum on Main Street (MoMS), a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions. To learn more about Voices and other Museum on Main Street exhibitions, visit museumonmainstreet.org.

Support

A New Agora for New York: Museums as Spaces for Democracy has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Voices and Votes is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the Museum Association of New York. Additional support has been provided by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.

Support for MoMS in New York State has been provided by the United States Congress, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. To learn more visit museumonmainstreet.org, sites.si.edu, or nysmuseums.org.

About Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service

SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 65 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. For exhibition description and tour schedules, visit sites.si.edu.

About Preservation Long Island

Preservation Long Island is a not-for-profit organization that works with Long Islanders to raise awareness, appreciation, and support for the protection of our shared past through advocacy, education, and the stewardship of historic sites and collections. http://preservationlongisland.org

Preservation Long Island maintains and interprets historic sites and collections that embody various aspects of Long Islands history including:

Joseph Lloyd Manor, Lloyd Harbor http://preservationlongisland.org/joseph-lloyd-manor/

Custom House, Sag Harbor http://preservationlongisland.org/custom-house/

Sherwood-Jayne Farm, Setauket http://preservationlongisland.org/sherwood-jayne-farm/

Old Methodist Church and Exhibition Gallery http://preservationlongisland.org/methodist-church/

About the Museum Association of New York

The Museum Association of New York is the only statewide museum service organization with more than 750 member museums, historical societies, zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums. MANY helps shape a better future for museums and museum professionals by uplifting best practices and building organizational capacity through advocacy, training, and networking opportunities. Visit www.nysmuseums.org and follow MANY on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @nysmuseums.
Authorities on Monday released the names of those involved in Sunday's fatal crash in Dunn County.

Tony Alan Swanson, a 57-year-old Boyceville man, died after a head-on collision with the vehicle of Barbara Jean McLennan, a 56-year-old Chetek woman, according to a press release from the Eau Claire Post of the Wisconsin State Patrol.

Authorities said the preliminary investigation found that a pickup truck driven by McLennan was traveling southbound on Highway 25 near Northline Road at 12:49 p.m. Sunday when it pulled into the northbound lanes to pass a vehicle. The truck then drove head-on into Swanson's passenger car, which was traveling northbound.

Swanson was fatally injured as a result of the crash. McLennan received minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
Part one in a series.

Hezbollah entered the 2006 war against Israel with an arsenal of 14,000 projectiles  a mixture of rockets and missiles of various ranges. By the end of the 34-day conflict, Hezbollah had lost approximately half of this arsenal  expending it in attacks against Israel or having caches destroyed by Israeli military operations.

In the aftermath of that war, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1701, hoping to install guardrails to prevent Hezbollahs rearmament and, through that, the outbreak of another lethal war between the group and the Jewish state. Those guardrails have failed. In the intervening 18 years, Hezbollah has transformed into the worlds most heavily armed non-state actor, amassing an arsenal qualitatively and quantitatively dwarfing its old cache, estimated at somewhere between at least 150,000  200,000 projectiles  which include unguided artillery rockets, as well as ballistic, anti-air, anti-tank, antiship missiles, mortars, and drones.

The following analysis will break down this arsenal into its components and corollary Israeli countermeasures, giving an idea of what a future conflict between Hezbollah and Israel will look like.

Rockets

The bulk of Hezbollahs arsenal consists of short-range and unguided projectiles, mostly Katyusha variants. This part of the arsenal is comprised of different types of rockets, whose reach ranges from four to 40 km, and can carry warheads with between 10-20 kg of high explosives or submunitions.

According to a 2023 study by Tel Aviv Universitys Institute for National Security Studies, Hezbollah has about 40,000 rockets within the Katyusha variants, complemented by about 80,000 slightly longer range Fajr-3 (45km, 45kg) and Fajr-5 (75 km, 90kg), Raad 2 (65km) and Raad-3 (70km, 50kg), and Khaibar-1/M-302 (100km, 150kg). If fired from near Metula, this part of Hezbollahs arsenal alone could reach halfway between Haifa and Tel Aviv, or close to Herzliya if fired from near Naqoura, at the southernmost possible point.

Additionally, during the current conflict, Hezbollah revealed that it also possesses the Iranian-made Falaq-1 rockets, using them for the first time in strikes against Israel beginning on January 26, 2024. The Falaq-1 is an unguided surface-to-surface missile, capable of carting a 50kg warhead, with a maximum range of 10km. It is launched from platforms mounted to the rear of 44 light jeeps, which have six Falaq-1 rocket launchers in a ready-to-launch position.

Illustrative: Maximum Potential Range of Hezbollahs Short-Range Arsenal

Older Israeli estimates suggested that Hezbollah would fire at least 1,000-1,500 rockets per day at Israel in a future war. More current estimates suggest a more ominous possibility of 3,000 to 4,000-plus rockets fired daily at Israel, at least in the first stages of the war. For point of comparison, Hezbollah succeeded in firing a maximum of 160 rockets per day during the 2006 War and averaged approximately 100 rockets per day.

Israels primary countermeasure to this tier of rockets is the Iron Dome. Different estimates exist of this systems accuracy, but its median success rate is approximately 90 percent  which means that 10 percent of the number of rockets fired into Israel will likely succeed in penetrating northern Israel at various depths  which is 100-150 rockets at the low range, and 300-400 rockets at the higher range.

But that is the ideal world scenario, which assumes 1) Israel has infinite funds and infinite Tamir Interceptors for its Iron Dome batteries, 2) Iron Dome performs optimally, and 3) Hezbollah doesnt employ tactics to throw off Iron Domes radar.

The price of each interceptor and Israels Tamir stockpile are classified. But most estimates suggest that, given the expected rate and quantity of Hezbollahs fire, this stockpile would run out within mere days of the onset of fighting, leaving Israel exposed to thousands of rockets and missiles at all hours of the day, without any effective active defense, and certainly not a hermetic one. Moreover, endless restocking of Tamirs is not a feasible option. At the lower estimates, each interceptor costs approximately $40-$50k. Attempting to intercept even the low estimate of 1,000-1,500 rockets per day would create a daily price tag of roughly $40,000,000 at a minimum  economically bleeding Israel within days. By contrast, Hezbollahs short-range rockets are cheap, with much of this portion of its arsenal costing the group somewhere between $100-$150 per rocket to produce.

This suggests the Israelis are going to have to make painful but judicious choices to determine the bearable number of rockets to permit to strike the country and in which locations. Israel will also be forced to choose between protecting critical infrastructure and military installations or its civilian population. Given the inaccurate nature of these rockets, it is hard to estimate beforehand the number of casualties they will cause on the Israeli side of the frontline. What can be certain is that, even at the low end, Hezbollahs short-range rocket fire will succeed in halting daily and economic life in the north and creating mass civilian displacement from the Galilee, further straining Israels financial resources.

Drones

Hezbollah possesses an assortment of drones  including Mirsad-1 (200km range), Ayoub, a Shahed-129 derivative (1600+ km range), and potential access to other Iranian-made drones like the Karrar, Mohajer, and Samed. Hezbollah also possesses loitering munitions, which it has used in recent attacks on Israel. Launching a large number of drones could very likely overwhelm Iron Domes capabilities. The exact number of drones in Hezbollahs possessions is unknown. Still, one Israeli think tank estimates that the group possesses as many as 2000 UAVs  though how it came about this estimate is unknown.

Iron Dome can theoretically engage drones, but its effectiveness has not been tested against swarms of drones, and their flat trajectory makes it harder for the missile defense system to be as effective with them as with rockets. This could allow Hezbollah to penetrate many kilometers into the Israeli Home Front and target critical civilian and military infrastructure. This drone arsenal would pose a sufficient challenge in and of itself to Israel, particularly if Hezbollah launches swarms of drones or loitering munitions. But Hezbollah could also combine drone swarms with rocket barrages, throwing off Iron Domes radar and targeting system, and allowing more of the groups projectiles to hit targets within Israel. Credible assessments suggest that by using a combination of rocket barrages, loitering munitions, [and] armed drones, Hezbollah could bring about the collapse of [Israels] missile defense system, completely exposing Israel to rocket fire directed at it.

Anti-Tank Weapons

Hezbollah also holds an assortment of anti-tank weapons and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs). These include tripod-launched AT-3 Sagger (3km, 2.6-3.5kg warhead), the AT-4 Spigot (2.5km, armor penetrating), AT-5 Spandrel (4km), AT-13 Saxhorn (1.5 km, armor piercing). But the most effective anti-tank missile known to be possessed by Hezbollah is the AT-14 Kornet, which has an effective range of 5-8km while carrying an anti-armor or bunker-busting thermobaric warhead, and a longer-range variant capable of striking 8-10km away. Hezbollah also possesses an Iranian variant with a dual-launcher capable of simultaneously firing two missiles to counter active protection systems (APS) like Israels Trophy.

Hezbollah also possesses Iranian-made Almas-1 missiles, which are reverse-engineered variants of the Israeli Spike missile, and which it has used in attacks against Israel since Oct. 8, including the Jan. 25, 2024 strike on an IDF intelligence facility located on the border ridge in Israel, north of Shlomi, and the Jan. 27, 2024 strike on an IDF intelligence base in Rosh HaNikra Hezbollah has hinted that it also possesses the most recent third generation capable of reaching a maximum range of 16km. The group also hinted at possessing a second generation of the Almas, which it claims can be fired from an airborne platform to reach a range of 25km.

Hezbollah has had decades to hone its ATGM capabilities, with experience stretching back to its 1985-2000 South Lebanon Conflict with the IDF, the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel War, and its experience fighting in Syria. Hezbollah used its ATGMs, particularly its Kornets, to great effect against Israeli Merkava tanks during the 2006 Lebanon War. Still, since beginning its attacks against Israel on October 8, it has also demonstrated perfecting a different use for them as terror weapons. Hezbollah has been targeting soldiers and civilian and military infrastructure along the border. This use of ATGMs as a precision weapon, essentially to snipe at more vulnerable Israeli targets, especially civilian ones, has been described as unprecedented in Israel and perhaps the world. Critically, when used in this manner, Israel has no defense against ATGMs.

The IDF possesses no means to intercept these missiles when they are fired at squads of soldiers, vehicles, and buildings along Israels northern border. Since anti-tank missiles are fired by direct sight on a flat trajectory, despite having a reasonably long flight time of at least 30 seconds, Israel has no countermeasures that would give residents even five seconds of warning to seek shelter or intercept incoming missiles to a community. The most likely option would be evacuating civilians from areas within their range, though electromagnetic jamming or smokescreens could be used as a stopgap measure.

But Hezbollahs possession of Almas missiles may pose an additional challenge for the Israelis, especially if they were able to reproduce the capabilities of the Spike original. The Spike possesses an electro-optic guidance system, including thermal guidance, which gives it a fire and forget capability. The operator can choose a target, launch the missile which locks onto even a moving target, and tracks it until impact. If the target is beyond the operators line of sight, he can launch the missile first, let it approach the estimated area, and then select the intended target. The Spike can also strike tanks and armored vehicles from above, where their armor is relatively thin. Spike missiles can be launched from relatively mobile platforms like tripods, as well as light vehicles or drones.

Israels Response to Hezbollahs Short-Range Rocket Threat

Israel is currently developing the Iron Beam, a 100kw class High Energy Laser Weapon System, in response to the challenges posed by Hezbollahs short. Iron Beam possesses several advantages over Iron Dome, all of which would effectively alter the foregoing assessment. It is designed to intercept a broader range of threats, including mortars, rockets, UAVs, mini-UAV swarms, and anti-tank missiles. Moreover, unlike its kinetic interceptor counterpart, Iron Beam is cheap to operate  low-range estimates indicate it would cost $2 per shot  and, because it doesnt use ammunition, has an unlimited magazine, eliminating the challenge of resupply and production costs.

The system is not without its constraints. Iron Beam has a considerably shorter interception range than Iron Domes 70km reach. Its effectiveness can be negatively impacted by weather, and its dwell time  it takes several seconds of contact for an Iron Beam laser to destroy its target, which can be further complicated if missiles are sheathed in heat-resistant materials  makes it relatively ineffective against heavy barrages, unlike Iron Domes rapid-fire capability. Iron Beam batteries also have a much higher set-up cost than Iron Domes. Moreover, Iron Beam has yet to be deployed or battle-tested, but at best, it can only complement Iron Dome and reduce the harm that Hezbollah can inflict upon the Israeli home front, but only to a degree. This means Israel will have to transition quickly to using its offensive capabilities against Hezbollah.

Israels longstanding military doctrine has been predicated upon quickly and overwhelmingly transferring the fight into enemy territory. Hezbollahs rocket strategy, and the inadequacy of current Israeli countermeasures to blunt its impact on Israel, will require a swift, complete, and heavy-handed application of this classical IDF doctrine  particularly since Hezbollah will use this short-range projectile arsenal in combination with more advanced and long-range capabilities which will all need to be countered before their total impact can overwhelm the Israelis.

Israels first resort will be to unleash its standoff fire capabilities, including artillery, particularly the Israel Air Force. But as powerful as these assets are, their effectiveness in dealing with Hezbollahs short-range arsenal will be limited. They may be able to counter Hezbollahs projectiles that require fixed positions to be launched, especially those whose locations have been predetermined by the Israelis in their extensive target bank. This could counter, to a degree, the threat posed by Hezbollahs drones  at least those that require stationary airstrips to be launched.

But the challenge posed by most of Hezbollahs short-range arsenal is its mobility. Most of the groups projectiles in this category  be they rockets or ATGMs  are typically launched from highly mobile platforms, like trucks or tripods. Their operators will be able to strike and disappear before they can be located and destroyed by Israeli jets. That is why Israel, which relied heavily on its air force during the 2006 Lebanon War, failed to silence Hezbollahs rocket fire on northern Israel until the ceasefire went into effect on August 12.

Israel could tolerate 34 days of 100+ rockets striking its home front daily. But Israel cannot endure the current threat, quantitatively and qualitatively, for anywhere near that long of a duration. To properly counter Hezbollahs short-range threat alone, Israel will have no choice but to complement its use of standoff firepower with immediate and large-scale deployment of ground troops to penetrate Lebanon deeply enough to either locate and destroy these launchers and eliminate their operators or at least place them out of range of northern Israel.

David Daoud is Senior Fellow at at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies where he focuses on Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon affairs.
An investigation into a claim that Education Minister Claude Meisch assaulted a senior female civil servant in a restaurant in Luxembourg City last month has been closed for lack of evidence, the public prosecutors office said on Monday.

An allegation that Meisch attacked the woman on 5 January was made public when a video hit social media earlier this month. The Education Ministry confirmed that a meeting between Meisch and the woman had taken place but denied that the minister physically assaulted anyone.

Also read:

Education minister denies violent altercation with woman as police investigate

Meisch said there had been a discussion with the woman, but that it had not become violent. The woman in question, a senior civil servant at his ministry, also denied that Meisch assaulted her.

The public prosecutors office said on Monday it has now closed an investigation it had launched into the incident.

As part of the investigation ordered by the Luxembourg public prosecutors office, the person who was in the company of the minister was interviewed, the prosecutors office said in a press release.

Also read:

Opposition parties point to ethics code breach in Meisch affair

In view of this persons statements, the public prosecutors office closed the case without further action in the absence of evidence to conclude that a criminal offence had been committed, the prosecutors office added.

Opposition party dei Lenk had called on Meisch to stand aside from his roles as education and housing minister until the investigation was concluded.
Britons flying to destinations like Mallorca will face higher air fares this summer because of capacity constraints, the boss of Ryanair has warned.

Chief executive Michael OLeary said issues limiting the number of available aircraft mean European airlines will struggle to meet demand for travel during the peak season.

Ryanair will receive even fewer Boeing aircraft by the end of June than previously expected, CEO Michael OLeary said, potentially prompting the budget carrier to cut its summer schedule at the busiest time of the year.

The Dublin-based airline is the first in Europe to warn of disruption due a deepening crisis at Boeing, which has been mired in a regulatory audit and has been prohibited from ramping up 737 MAX production since the Jan. 5 mid-air panel blowout of a new Alaska Airlines MAX 9.

Ryanair was due to receive 57 Boeing MAX 8200 planes by end-April, but just over a week ago Boeing told the airline it would receive around 50 aircraft by end-June, OLeary said. That could now change.

We dont really know how many aircraft were going to get from Boeing, OLeary said at a media briefing.

Were pretty sure were going to get 30 to 40. Were reasonably confident were between 40 and 45. And now we are far less confident were going to get between 45 and 50.

In a statement to Reuters, Boeing confirmed that it has told some airlines that deliveries could be delayed as the company ensures planes meet all regulatory standards before being handed over to customers.

We deeply regret the impact this is having on our valued customer Ryanair, Boeing said.

Were working to address their concerns and taking action on a comprehensive plan to strengthen 737 quality and delivery performance.

The delayed deliveries mean Ryanair might have to remove some flights from its summer schedule, OLeary said, cutting capacity for what is expected to be a record summer of travel.

If we only get 40, by the end of March we will have to announce some minor schedule cuts, he said.

That means Ryanair is likely to carry only 200 million passengers for the financial year beginning in April, versus the 205 million previously forecast.

Further capacity constraints could make the carrier, known for its low ticket prices to summer hotspots less competitive against low-cost rivals like easyJet .

Ryanairs stock has risen by a quarter over the past two years, making it the best performing European airline as the industry benefits from a travel boom after COVID pandemic lockdowns.

OLeary did not mince words in criticising Boeing for its communication with Ryanair since Januarys door plug issue.

Theres a shitshow going on in Seattle, OLeary said, repeating his calls for management changes. They keep giving us optimistic, broken promises. And then a week or two weeks later... it turns out that reality is worse.

His comments come days after the first management shakeup at Boeing as a result of the MAX 9 accident - the replacement of 737 program head Ed Clark, an 18-year Boeing veteran, with Katie Ringgold, who led 737 delivery operations.

If United Airlines or other carriers drop orders of Boeings MAX 737 10, Ryanair would gladly take the planes, OLeary said.

Id be delighted to take them as long as they get the right price. It would give us some growth in 2027 or 2028.

OLeary said he will pass some of the costs of delays to customers. Prices will rise by about 5%-10% this summer, and average fares could increase by 10-15 euros in the next five years.

Analysts say customer costs are set to keep going up across the sector.

General supply chain delays is a continuing theme and is pushing upward pressure on fares and indeed aircraft values and lease rates, said Stephen Furlong, an analyst with Davy.

The airline was discussing possible compensation with Boeing to mitigate for losses.

Its inexcusable. Boeing will try to claim that its excusable. I think we (will) get some modest compensation out of Boeing, OLeary said.

At this point our focus is getting the bloody airplanes.
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High school students who attended Teach Day at University of Wisconsin-Stout learned quickly that the teaching profession, like the universitys other majors, is about doing.

Soon after arriving, the 94 students from 11 regional high schools were working on hands-on projects such as designing a billboard, writing a multigrade lesson plan and creating a public service announcement. UW-Stouts slogan Do More on Day One that reflects the applied learning focus became Do for One Day.

Students got a taste of teaching and heard from UW-Stout students what its like, said Deanna Schultz, associate dean and School of Education director. Theres such a huge need for teachers, a desperate need for fully licensed teachers. Teach Day helps build the teacher pipeline.

Its a fun day. Weve had students who leave saying, 'I can see myself at Stout,' Schultz said of the biannual event that began three years ago.

In family and consumer sciences education, students were guided through a project by professor Diane Klemme and several of her students. The visitors created two small Valentines Day candy boxes out of paper, one for residents of Our House Senior Living in Menomonie and one to give to a friend.

We were hoping to show students the important skill of doing demonstrations in the classroom. Family and consumer sciences is a hands-on program, and future teachers will need to be able to do demonstrations in a classroom. We also wanted to connect service learning and giving back to the community, Klemme said.

In technology education, students created a public service announcement. This allowed them to know what it was like doing a project as a teacher, instructor Barb Bauer said. It also allowed them to work with other disciplines to help them understand we all have the same goals as teachers.

In early childhood education, students made little critters out of craft materials and discussed lesson plans for how the animals could be used to teach children from prekindergarten to second grade.

They also visited the Child and Family Study Center and observed teachers working with infants and toddlers. Kennedy Reckmann, a junior from Lake City, Minnesota, an early childhood education major, led one of the tours to observation rooms.

Reckmann explained how she and other UW-Stout students use the rooms to get an open view of what children are actually doing. She is completing her pre-student teaching this semester with 4-year-olds at the center.

About 15 to 20 UW-Stout students in education programs supported Teach Day by leading interactive sessions.

Teachers and advisers accompanied the high school contingents, including Amanda Van Oosten, a family and consumer sciences teacher at Wausau West High School. She brought 24 students who were interested in a variety of teaching programs.

Students have really enjoyed the hands-on aspect of the day, hearing from some of the Stout students and getting a real feel for the campus, Van Oosten said.

They get to see other students interested in what theyre interested in and put a face to the major, she added.

Van Oosten teaches an aspiring educators class, in which students can dual-enroll and earn college credit at Northcentral Technical College. She also helps with the student chapter of Educators Rising.

Seven undergraduate teaching programs

Students were greeted by and received an overview of the day from Schultz and professor Debbie Stanislawski. They also met with directors of the seven education undergraduate programs:

Seth Dutter, applied mathematics and computer science, with a math education concentration.

Ann Carlisle, art education.

Lindsay Barnhart, early childhood education.

Klemme, family and consumer sciences education.

Stanislawski, marketing and business education.

Kevin Mason, special education.

Bauer, technology education.

Along with the Bachelor of Science programs, UW-Stout offers five graduate programs in education, five certificates and three certifications.

Teach Day drew mostly juniors and seniors. School districts represented were Altoona, Augusta, Cameron, Chippewa Falls, Gilmanton, Greenwood, La Crosse Logan, Loyal, River Falls, Wausau West and Elk River, Minnesota.

Holly Vang, a senior from Wausau West, attended Teach Day for early childhood education in part because she is taking a young adult education course and sees herself someday interacting with young children in her career in a teaching-related field.

I see that teaching the next generation is very important. I really have respect for people who teach, said Vang.

The day wrapped up with nine UW-Stout education majors answering questions from the high school students about life as a student at UW-Stout. They talked about the hands-on nature of the programs, opportunities to get involved on campus, small class sizes, close connections to professors, the convenience of campus and flexible class schedules compared to high school.

Along with the School of Education, Teach Day was supported by Enrollment and Strategic Initiatives, the Admissions Office and Continuing Education and Conferences.
A little over a month after Harvard Universitys interim president created two presidential task forces  on combatting antisemitism and Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias  one of the co-chairs of the antisemitism group has resigned.

Interim Harvard President Alan Garber said Harvard Business School professor Raffaella Sadun stepped down in order to refocus her efforts on her research, teaching, and administrative responsibilities.
A 33-year-old Newton man was arrested on Sunday evening after setting fire to a restaurant bathroom in Boston, the citys police department said.

The man had been at Lola 42, a restaurant located at 22 Liberty Dr. in the Seaport district, around 6:35 p.m. on Feb. 25, the department said.

The staff refused to serve him because they said he was intoxicated upon arrival, police said. And he threw his water at the bar after being turned away.

He then went into the restroom where he engaged in destructive behavior, and upon exiting informed the staff there was a fire in the bathroom, the department said.

The fire department found a blaze in the trash barrel and extinguished it, police said. Though a manager for the restaurant declined to comment, she stated there were no injuries, and said it was an isolated incident.

Police officers arrested the man, identified as David Gong, outside of the restaurant. Gong will be charged with burning of a public building, burning of personal property, attempt to burn a public building, attempted arson of a dwelling house and malicious destruction of property.
One American Idol contestant blew judges away with her audition of a song from the Barbie movie. Some judges even called her the future winner of this season.

Abi Carter, a California native, introduced herself to judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie during her audition Sunday. She auditioned with the hit song What Was I Made For? by Billie Eillish that was used in Barbie.

Its such a beautiful song and she does it amazing, Perry told Carter about Eillishs version. Please do it amazing.

Carter put her own spin on the song, belting impressive high notes throughout the emotional performance.

After her audition, all three judges stood for applause. Carter even received a hug from Perry.

What were you made for? Perry asked Carter. You were made for this.

While Perry and Carter hugged, Bryan looked at Richie and said quietly, that may be the winner of American Idol. Perry told Bryan that Carter was Top 10 material. Luke then relayed to the room what he told Richie.

Thats the winner, Richie echoed.

Judges told Carter they did not need to vote, as it was obvious Carter would be moving on to Hollywood Week. She was then given a golden ticket and sent off to the next round.

American Idol will air every Sunday at 8 p.m. EST on ABC. Those looking to stream the show can do so on FuboTV. The platform offers a free trial for new users.

The show also streams on Hulu with a subscription. Those who sign up will get their first month free. Plans for Hulu start as low as $7.99 a month and give you access to thousands of shows and movies.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a controversial seasoning and flavor enhancer, is getting an image makeover, thanks to the efforts of Ajinomoto, a Japanese multinational that is a major MSG producer.

Ajinomotos North American subsidiary recently launched a charm offensive to promote MSG as the ingredient of the year, with food magazine articles and restaurant industry publications alike giving the ingredient renewed attention - and favorable coverage.

A white, crystalline substance similar in appearance to salt, MSG has no flavor of its own. When used as a seasoning, however, the compound enhances the taste of foods both sweet and savory, contributing a sensory experience thats labelled umami.

Since the mid-20th century, MSG has been widely used in processed foods as well as in restaurants, notably Chinese-American eateries.

However, controversy has dogged its use. MSG has been blamed for causing allergic reactions, often dubbed the Chinese Restaurant Syndrome in sensitive individuals, and some researchers suggest that the widespread use of MSG in processed foods may be linked to the obesity epidemic that plagues the developed world.

Authoritative sources differ widely on their verdicts with respect to MSG use, some declaring it safe, while others suggesting it be banned altogether.

As part of their effort to rehabilitate MSG, Ajinomoto North America and others are working with chefs across the industry to encourage the use of MSG in restaurant kitchens.

MSG is, for instance, being promoted as a replacement for the salt used to season the water in which vegetables are boiled, as part of seasoning rubs for meat or chicken, and as an addition to salad dressings and cold sauces. A few chefs are even tabletopping MSG, offering it in shakers next to the salt and pepper on their dining room tables.

MSG is touted as a bar ingredient, where it can be used to create specialty cocktails and enhance the flavor of classics. A few dashes of a MGS-water solution is promoted as a way to boost the taste bud appeal of cocktails such as a Bloody Mary, a Dirty Martini, or even an Old Fashioned. MSG is also specified as the flavor foundation for unconventional creations like the Banana Hammock, a Margarita-style drink thats made with banana-infused tequila.

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Side Dishes:

The Starting Gate at the GreatHorse Country Club in Hampden is presenting a Royal Brunch on Saturday, March 2, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Brunch guests of all ages get to mingle with Disney royalty while enjoying an extensive assortment of morning food favorites.

In addition to eggs, mini-waffles, and pancakes, those attending can partake of a yogurt station, a selection of breakfast pastries, and fresh fruit.

A dessert table will be available as the crowning touch to the meal.

Crafts and photo opportunities with the royal guests are also part of the fun; those attending are encouraged to dress fancy.

Tickets for the event, which are $60 plus a convenience fee, can be ordered on Eventbrite.com.

The Starting Gate answers at 413-566-5158.

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Arbys locations are, for a limited time only, bringing back brown sugar bacon as part of a trio of sandwich offerings.

A Brown Sugar Bacon BLT feature bacon two ways in both its regular form and the brown sugar variation. Assembled on a Kings Hawaiian bun, the sandwich also includes the requisite lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.

A Brown Sugar Bacon version of the brands roast beef sandwich is available. Its finished with Swiss cheese, mustard spread, lettuce and tomato.

Similarly put together, the Turkey & Brown Sugar Bacon Sandwich features roast turkey in lieu of beef.

Theres an Arbys restaurant on Granby Road in Chicopee and on Southbridge Street in Auburn.

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On Saturday, March 9, Tuckers Restaurant in Southwick will be presenting A Tribute to Sinatra starring Patrick Tobin.

The dinner portion of the evening begins at 5:45 p.m., with Tobin coming on stage at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets for the dinner and show are $65 and can be purchased by calling the restaurant at 413-569-0120.

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Johnnys Bar and Grille in South Hadley is holding a Hu Ke Lau Takeover on Saturday, March 2, from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

During this one-day event, Johnnys will be replacing their regular menu with favorites from the fondly-remembered Hu Ke Lau Restaurant in Chicopee.

Quantities may be limited, and reservations are being taken for parties of six or more.

Johnnys Bar and Grille can be reached at 413-534-8222.

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The Boston Wine Expo is being held on March 2 and 3 at the Boston Park Plaza in Boston.

Over 100 wineries are expected to be in attendance; the Expo also includes Grand Tastings and wine tasting classes.

Tickets and additional information is available online.

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The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge will be the site of An Evening with Hartford Family Winery on March 7, starting a 5:30 p.m.

Hartford Family Winery is a California-based operation located in the Russian River district of Sonoma County. The winery specializes in single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and old-vine Zinfandel bottlings.

Held in the Inns historic Firehouse function venue, the event will feature a four-course tasting menu, with each course paired with representative Hartford Family Wines. Don Hartford, the winerys CEO and co-owner, will provide commentary during the tasting.

Tickets are $120 and can be ordered on Eventbrite.com.

The Red Lion Inns telephone number is 413-298-1645.

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The Wendys Company has introduced a new item to its breakfast menu.

Co-branded with Atlanta-based bakery operator Cinnabon, the Cinnabon Pull-Apart adds a sweet goods option to the chains morning line-up. Made with Danish dough dunked in a sweet glaze, the Pull-Apart is baked with cinnamon, brown butter and sugar before being served with Cinnabons signature cream cheese frosting.

Suggested pricing, which may vary with location, is $3.69.

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Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurants are promoting two Lenten seafood selections, both of which will be available throughout the month of March.

A crispy-coated Flounder Fish Sandwich is slathered with tartar sauce and garnished with pickles before being served on a brioche roll.

Eight butterflied shrimp along with a biscuit and a choice of side make up the Shrimp Tackle Box.

There are Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen locations at 489 State Street, 665 Boston Road, on Memorial Drive in Chicopee, and on Route 9 in Hadley.

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Sugaring season is already off to its start, and Pause and Pivot Farm in Williamsburg is offering a special Maple Experience this March.

Four small-scale sessions are designed to give participants a close-up look at how maple sugaring is done. Each two-hour experience includes a maple-themed breakfast or brunch, a walk-through of the maple gathering and boiling process, and a souvenir of the visit.

Tickets for the event, which are available at Eventbrite.com, are $25 for adults and $10 for children 12 and younger. A convenience fee is also added to ticket prices.

Pause and Pivot Farm answers at 413-268-4770.

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Dunkin, the beverage and snack chain, has announced its limited-time-only lineup for early spring.

The brand is launching a new Sparkd Energy line of caffeine-enhanced, fruit-flavored cold drinks. The sparkling beverages are available in two flavors - Berry Burst and Peach Sunshine - and are vitamin enriched.

Two new coffees are another element of this spring LTO agenda. A Churro Signature Latte, which can be enjoyed either hot or iced, is churro-flavored and topped with whipped cream and a caramel drizzle. Bringing together coffee and cream, a Cinnamon Vanilla Coffee is also being offered.

In the pastry case Dunkin fans will find a cinnamon-sugared Churro Donut and slices of Banana Chocolate Chip Bread.

Designed for on-the-go enjoyment, Dunkin has developed a Breakfast Empanada. Served hot, the empanada features scrambled eggs, cheddar, and sausage inside a flaky crust.

Dunkin Rewards members can additionally access an array of deals, discounts, and bonus point offers as part of the brands early spring promotions.

Hugh Robert is a faculty member in Holyoke Community Colleges hospitality and culinary arts program and has nearly 50 years of restaurant and educational experience. Robert can be reached online at OffTheMenuGuy@aol.com.
Something curious is bubbling up in the seltzer aisle -- if you know where to look.

Since last year, Polar Seltzer has been putting together a treasure hunt of secret flavors that you can only find at specific grocery stores. Six grocery chains were selected to be part of Polars carbonated cabal of curated carriers.

But Worcesters merchants of everything effervescent arent going to tell you right away. Instead, theyre turning it into an event they call Expedition: Flavor. On their website, Polar has an interactive map that lets customers disclose wherever they found one of the six special edition flavors: Cranberry Raspberry, Clementine Bramble, Island Blueberry, Apple Pom Bomb, Blood Orange Punch and Nectarine Lemon.

Each of those flavors is connected to a specific grocery store. But be warned: Not all flavors are available everywhere. For example, two of the six stores do not have any Massachusetts locations.

The intention is to get fans hunting around stores and to share their findings with other seltzerheads. If you want to keep the magic and wonder of the hunt alive, you can stop reading here.

But if you want to peak behind the curtain to see what Orson the Polar Bear has been plotting in his Emerald City of bubbles, Im here with the cheat sheet.

(Spoiler Warning)

Cranberry Raspberry - Only at Market Basket

Clementine Bramble - Only at Stop & Shop

Island Blueberry - Only at Shaws

Apple Pom Bomb - Only at Big Y

Blood Orange Punch - Only at ShopRite (Not available in Massachusetts)

Nectarine Lemon - Only at Kroger (Not available in Massachusetts)

That store-exclusive element is no joke. Ive been hunting around for these seltzers for weeks and havent seen any crossover into other stores.

Then there are the out-of-state exclusives. ShopRite has locations in Connecticut. I wound up finding a pack (the last one on the shelf) in East Hartford.

Then theres Kroger (and affiliated stores like Harris Teeter). The closest location with Nectarine Lemon is over 500 miles away in Virginia.

However, I was fortunate enough to have a co-worker out at a conference in Nashville who managed to swing by a Kroger for me. I now owe her a blood debt, three coffees and a ride to the airport if she needs one.

So, now that I have all of them, theres one question that remains...

What do they taste like?

Blood Orange Punch (ShopRite) - You dont get a lot of flavor in this one. The citrus is represented with a tart background, the punch never really develops past a general glow. Its like theres two basslines and no melody here. This one needs a mixer to really shine.

Nectarine Lemon (Kroger) - This flavor is potent, as far as seltzers go. Its got a strong rush of that nectarine, with the lemon coming in to brighten it up. You dont often see grouping between lemons and the orange family. The pairing does run a little dry.

Cranberry Raspberry (Market Basket) - Here weve got a pairing of battling tart berries that make an opaque cloud of dry flavor. Its like a pair of loud trumpets playing next to each other. They could really use a different accompaniment.

Island Blueberry (Shaws) - This is one of the more fragrant flavors of the bunch, coming in with a strong dose of that tropical fruit. Meanwhile, the blueberry is more of a muted background flavor. Its a bit of a dissonant crash between them, though. Youre either going to really like this, or not like it at all.

Apple Pom Bomb (Big Y) - You get more of the pom than the apple, so its more of just a pom bomb with some apple. Its still pretty good.

Clementine Bramble (Stop & Shop) - A really nice blend of citrus and what appears to be blackberry, if the label is accurate. This one hits the sweet spot of multiple flavors blending to make you want another sip.

The final word: All-time Polar Seltzer rankings

Please note that most seltzer flavors are good. Honestly, any flavor within the top 75 are still a solid choice. Its just that the flavors in the top 25 range are really good.

As always, these rankings are not scientific, but are correct.

87. Blueberry Lemonade

86. Mango Cherry Bliss (Summer Seasonal)

85. Vanilla

84. Seltzer

83. Pomegranate Apple (Winter Seasonal)

82. Lemon Cola (Polar Park Exclusive)

81. Hibiscus Cloudberry (Winter Seasonal)

80. Blackberry Mango Punch

79. Minotaur Mayhem (Impossibly Good)

78. Lime

77. Strawberry Honeydew (Summer Seasonal)

76. Ruby Red Grapefruit

75. Jalapeno Citrus Margarita (Limited Edition)

74. Mermaid Songs (Impossibly Good)

73.Blood Orange Punch (Expedition: Flavor)

72. Raspberry Lime

71. Triple Berry

70. Strawberry Lemonade (Seltzerade)

69. Cranberry Cider (Winter Seasonal)

68. Vanilla Zen

67. Blueberry Lemonade (Seltzerade)

66. Blackberry Mango Punch (Summer Seasonal)

65. Polar 100 (Special Edition)

64. Blood Orange Sangria

63. Passionfruit Blueberry (Summer Seasonal)

62. Yeti Mischief (Impossibly Good)

56. Strawberry Watermelon

55. Yuzu Orange Blossom (Winter Seasonal)

61. Pomegranate

60. Cranberry Raspberry (Expedition: Flavor)

59. Cranberry Bramble (Winter Seasonal)

58. Dragon Fruit Lemonade

57. Island Blueberry (Expedition: Flavor)

56. Raspberry Rose (Summer Seasonal)

55. Be Mine (Valentines Day Edition)

54. Cranberry Clementine

53. Mango Limeade (Seltzerade)

52. Kiwi Pink Grapefruit (Summer Seasonal)

51. Nectarine Lemon (Expedition: Flavor)

50. Guava Mule (Summer Seasonal)

49. Pineapple Guava

48. Mandarin

47. Blackberry Clementine (Winter Seasonal)

46. Seaside Watermelon Punch (Summer Seasonal)

45. Watermelon Lemonade (Seltzerade)

44. Aple Pom Bomb (Expedition: Flavor)

43. Pixie Lights (Impossibly Good)

42. Pineapple Lemonade (Seltzerade)

41. Cherry Pomegranate

40. Prickly Pear Citrus (Winter Seasonal)

39. Blackberry Mango

38. Ginger Lime Mule

37. Berry Sweet Grapefruit

36. Grapefruit Melon Kiss (Winter Seasonal)

35. Clementine Bramble (Expedition: Flavor)

34. Key Lime Grapefruit

33. Toasted Coconut

32. Coconut Limeade

31. Ginger Peach (Winter Seasonal)

30. Tropical Cherry (Summer Seasonal)

29. Werewolf Howls (Impossibly Good)

28. Tart Cherry Limeade (Seltzerade)

27. Concord Clementine (Winter Seasonal)

26. Watermelon Mojito (Summer Season)

25. Frosted Boysenberry (Winter Seasonal)

24. Black Cherry

23. Unicorn Kisses (Impossibly Good)

22. Georgia Peach

21. Pineapple Pomelo

20. Blood Orange Lemonade (Seltzerade)

19. Blackberry Citron (Winter Seasonal)

18. Upside Down Plum (Winter Seasonal)

17. Pomegranate Champagne (Winter Seasonal)

16. Raspberry Limoncello (Summer Seasonal)

15. Blood Orange Cranberry (Winter Seasonal)

14. Pink Summer Iced Tea (Summer Seasonal)

13. Lemon

12. Blueberry Tangerine (Summer Seasonal)

11. Starfruit Lemonade

10. Id Rather Drink Alone (Valentines Day Edition)

9. Black Cherry Vanilla (Winter Seasonal)

8. Strawberry Margarita (Summer Seasonal)

7. Raspberry Pink Lemonade (Seltzerade)

6. Pink Lady Apple & Lemon

5. Orange Vanilla

4. Nectarine Lemon (Summer Seasonal)

3. Dragon Whispers (Impossibly Good)

2. Perfectly Plum Summer (Summer Seasonal)

1. Cranberry Lime

---

I ate it so you dont have to is a regular food column looking at off-beat eats, both good and bad. Were sort of stuck with the name at this point.

You can send any praise/food suggestions to nomalley@masslive.com. Please send all criticisms and complaints about my seltzer rankings to jmicek@masslive.com. You can check out the rest of the series here.
The United States airman who set himself on fire in protest over the Israel-Hamas War had ties to Massachusetts, NBC 10 Boston and other outlets reported.

On Sunday before 1 p.m., Aaron Bushnell, 25, of San Antonio, walked over to the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., and started to livestream himself on the gaming platform Twitch, the AP reported Monday. Bushnell doused himself in accelerant and lit himself on fire, dressed in his fatigues.

Bushnell was previously a student at Nauset Public Schools between 2003-2007 and 2013-2014, the district confirmed in a statement to NBC 10 Boston.

Our school community is saddened by Mr. Bushnells death and we offer our condolences to his family and friends, the statement said.

Today, I am planning to engage in an extreme act of protest against the genocide of the Palestinian people, Bushnell said during the stream. ...I will no longer be complicit in genocide. Im about to engage in an extreme act of protest. But compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, its not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.

Before and after he set himself on fire, Bushnell yelled Free Palestine. The Twitch stream was removed but censored versions of the video can be seen online. First responders are seen calling for fire extinguishers, while one officer kept his gun on Bushnells body on the ground.

Bushnell succumbed to his injuries and died overnight, the Air Force told the AP.

His death comes as the war in Gaza approaches six months since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. Since it began, close to 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, while over 1,200 Israelis have been killed, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Community members rallied outside Brockton High School Monday morning to show their support for students and teachers as they returned from February break.

The rally comes in the wake of a request by half the Brockton School Committee that the National Guard be deployed at the school to help deal with disciplinary issues.

A few dozen participants gathered for the small rally around sunrise on Monday, holding signs with messages such as we love our school and your community is with you, pictures of the event show.

The rally was organized by Rahsaan Hall, the president of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, according to The Boston Globe. He organized the rally to show the school community that people are concerned and want to support them.

School community members want more resources  including more teachers  provided to the school district, they told the Globe at the rally. Notably, just before the school year began in September 2023, school officials discovered that the districts budget was short $14 million.

Sharon Baker, a grandmother of Brockton students, told the Globe she thinks the staff at Brockton High needs get to know its students better. We dont know what is going on in the homes. We dont know what these kids are going through, she said.

Michael Curry, a Brockton resident whose two sons graduated from the school, told the Globe he believes student mental health struggles in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic are to blame for the behavioral issues.

Thats as much of a distraction as a disruptive kid in class  having an armed guard in the classroom, he said.

On Feb. 16, Brockton School Committee members Claudio Gomes, Ana Oliver, Tony Rodrigues and Joyce Asack penned a letter to all of Brocktons officials asking Mayor Robert Sullivan  who chairs the committee  to ask Gov. Maura Healey to deploy the National Guard at Brockton High School.

The committee members cited a disturbing increase in violent and drug-related incidents at the school over the last few months as the reason for the request. Students are wandering the halls, getting in fights, causing classroom disruptions and leaving the school without permission, they wrote.

Read more: Brockton School Committee members ask to deploy National Guard at high school

Understaffing is a major part of the problem, which is why the committee members want National Guard personnel to act as substitute teachers and hall monitors, Rodrigues said during a press conference last week.

We do need to take our schools back into control and make sure that our students have a safe learning environment, because whats going on at the high school is disheartening, and kids are losing precious learning time when kids are causing chaos, he said.

But many Brockton officials, including Mayor Sullivan, remain deeply opposed to the idea. Last week, several city councilors told MassLive they found the request shocking, and some went as far as to call it embarrassing.

The councilors argued that bringing in the National Guard would be inappropriate because its members are not trained to handle youth disciplinary issues. Additionally, many councilors questioned why the committee members acted on their own instead of as a council as a whole, noting that the split fell along existing internal divisions within the committee.

School administrators, the school committee and parents can all do more to address student disciplinary issues, the councilors argued.

Calling out the National Guard infers that theres nothing else that the public schools can do. But is that really true? Ward 4 Councilor Susan Nicastro questioned in an interview with MassLive last week.

A special school committee meeting is set for Tuesday night, during which the public will have a chance to speak about these issues. Additionally, Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez will give an update on safety at the school.
UW-Parkside junior Alejandro Solis isnt sure what his senior year is going to look like for him come fall.

Solis, a first-generation college student, hopes hell be able to return to Parkside to finish his programs in criminal justice, political science and community engagement. But its February, and with no certainty about what student financial aid he might qualify for, Solis is bracing for a contingency plan, should there be gaps between his financial aid offer and his college costs.

Solis isnt alone  across the state, thousands of public and private college students and accepted applicants are in a holding pattern to see how much federal student aid theyll be allocated. Typically, colleges and universities would have learned months ago how much financial aid students who filled out the Free Application for Student Aid form would be getting. Then, theyd pass along that information to students so families could decide if they could afford college.

But FAFSA data this year has been delayed by nearly six months, wreaking havoc in financial aid departments and leaving students wondering if theyll be able to afford college.

Its a little worrisome, because I dont know if Im going to get the aid I received last year, Solis said. Im having to think about it, because am I going to have to work more, and work more during the school year, to be able to afford school on my own if Im not able to receive the aid? Ill basically just have to put myself through school.

Thousands of high schoolers who have been admitted to universities also are being forced to wait to decide on their academic futures. Without knowing their financial aid award, they dont know if they can afford the universities that have accepted them  and theyre bumping up against deadlines schools set for students to claim spots in the freshman class.

FAFSA delays have prompted UW-Madison to delay its deadline for admission deposits and on-campus housing contracts by two weeks, to May 15. Eligibility in UW-Madisons two cost-waiver programs is also determined by income and severity of financial need data provided on the FAFSA.

UW-Madisons financial aid office is monitoring the situation carefully and is committed to getting students information as quickly as possible, spokesperson Kelly Tyrrell said earlier this month.

Officials at other Universities of Wisconsin schools say they have more flexibility in enrollment deadlines.

But theres still a feeling of helplessness with guiding students through the FAFSA this year, UW-Parkside Financial Aid Director Kristina Klemens said. Financial aid staff cant even see if students have filled out their FAFSAs, she said, making it difficult for staff to answer questions about an applications status or to fix errors.

Like any other school, we just feel like were in limbo. We normally would be doing so much more at this point to be educating and preparing our new students and our current students for what to expect going forward. And instead, were just sort of stuck, Klemens said. For our students, not being able to come into the semester at this point knowing what to expect, I know is extremely stressful because they really do depend on what we can give them to make this place an option for them.

Whats behind the delays?

FAFSA has a new form that condenses the amount of information students and their families need to provide. However, the forms initial rollout was pushed back by three months and, since then, its been plagued by errors.

The FAFSA form normally is released each year on Oct. 1, but it was pushed back this cycle to late December. An error on the form that risked giving low-income students less aid now is pushing the timeline for when colleges and universities receive information back into March.

Under a new law, the FAFSA form changes key elements: Rather than basing need on expected family assistance, the new formula instead rates a students financial need, even allowing the rating number to be in the negatives to underscore the severity of need.

The new form increases access to Federal Pell Grants as well, a form of student aid that doesnt have to be repaid. About 610,000 more students will qualify for those under a new formula that takes both family size and the federal poverty level into consideration. The grants also are being opened up to incarcerated students, who had been barred from them for nearly three decades.

The new law also sought to simplify the application, reducing the number of questions from more than 100 to 36. Among the questions removed are some asking about drug-related criminal convictions or requiring male applicants to register for the military draft to complete the form.

Once financial aid departments start receiving student financial aid data in mid-March, it will take a few weeks to process that information and follow up. For some students, that means they wont get their financial aid package until late spring.

Enrollment, retention concerns

The FAFSA delays come at a tenuous time as UW system leadership seeks to increase its enrollment and graduation rates. UW system increased its enrollment by 1,700 students this fall, the first increase in nine years that outperformed initial projections. The delay and the resulting student uncertainty threaten to stall that improvement.

The impact on enrollment is a big unknown at UW-Milwaukee, where Financial Aid Director Tim Opgenorth said theyre hoping it doesnt become an issue. But he said the university wont know for sure until students start arriving in September.

To get financial aid packages out as fast as possible, Opgenorth said the financial aid department has hired back a handful of retired employees temporarily.

The majority of UW-Milwaukee students rely on financial aid to afford their educations. In the 2021-22 school year, 80% of its students received financial aid and 57% got need-based aid such as Pell Grants.

Whether its incoming students with admissions or even our current students, were just trying to work with them, letting them know to still complete the FAFSA and not get discouraged, Opgenorth said. Were hoping to turn things around as quickly as possible.

At Parkside, about 70% of students rely on financial aid. For many students who are low-income, first-generation college students or who come from minority families, finances often become a bigger deal for them, Klemens said.

They really want to make sure that we are an affordable option for them and that were going to be there to support them. ... When we dont really have good information to give them at this point, that can make them want to look elsewhere, at maybe a lower cost or maybe closer to home because they dont want to have the additional expense of living on campus, whatever it might be, Klemens said. Theres going to be a lot of concern nationwide  not just for us  about how this could impact students coming in or a students ability to stay here.
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.

Elyse Cherry, CEO of BlueHub Capital, pictured Sept. 7, 2021 in Brookline, Massachusetts. Photo Credit: Marilyn Humphries Photography, courtesy of Elyse Cherry. 2021 Marilyn Humphries

Elyse Cherry

Age: 68

Community: Roxbury

Her story: Elyse Cherry was not one to stay hidden inside the closet, even at a time when it was less societally acceptable to be out, proud and open about ones sexual orientation. In the 1970s, she said she came out as a lesbian.

However, Cherry said she promptly discovered that she soon became an outlaw  a person with a hidden identity whose very existence was anathema to the laws and mores of the day.

Nonetheless, Cherry said she did not envision the trajectory of her life to be one hindered by her sexuality. After graduating from Wellesley College, she entered Northeastern University School of Law in 1980, where she said even in the closeted bad old days it was known as the gayest law school in the U.S.  somewhere queer people could safely be out.

Together with her classmates, they organized to challenge what she said was a then progressive idea that homosexuality was a victimless crime, and they developed content on the first course on gay rights and the criminal law.

Cherry added fellow classmates took the mantle to add law courses on gay rights, family law, employment benefits, trusts and estates and more.

She said her goal was to build a world alongside her classmates in which equality is a given, not a goal  not just for members of the LGBTQ community, but for all of us.

Yet, Cherry said she knew reaching this point could not be achieve solely through work in a legal career, no matter how much pro bono work I pursued. After law school, Cherry joined the Hale and Dorr law firm, where she worked to not only build a commercial real estate and affordable housing practice, but noted she also actively engaged in the non-profit sphere.

For more than 25 years now, Cherry has been the CEO of BlueHub Capital, a Roxbury-based national economic development organization with $1.2 billion in assets under management, she said.

We began with the idea that, if we could develop innovative financial solutions to address the changing needs of our communities, we could harness investment for underserved communities that would make all of our communities more stable, more connected, and more ready to tackle future challenges together, Cherry said.

Since helping to start BlueHub Capital in 1985 as a founding board member, Cherry said the company has grown exponentially and that it has invested more than $2.4 billion to finance affordable housing, prevent foreclosure-related evictions, expand access to clean and renewable energy, create schools, community childcare and healthcare facilities and rehabilitate inner city real estate  among other achievements  all within what she said are underserved communities.

Cherry has also poured energy into being a leader in the LGBTQ+ community. She previously chaired the Board of Directors of the group MassEquality, which under her tenure, fought for the right to same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. It was a goal that the state achieved in 2004, becoming the first in the nation to do so.

Cherry is also the co-chair of The Boston Foundations Equality Fund, and served for years on the boards of GLAD, or the GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, and of LPAC, or the Lesbian Political Action Committee.

Additionally in the political arena, Cherry has raised money for and supported policies and legislation that seek to build inclusive communities and worked to make sure elected leaders have strong ties to the LGBTQ+ community.

Cherry said shes always been more comfortable taking the lead to effect change. She had additionally chaired the board for the Center for New Words, the non-profit organization that grew from the New Words feminist bookstore formerly located in Cambridge, and also served on the board of the Institute for Global Leadership at Tufts University.

Additionally, Cherry chaired the boards of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and of the Forsyth Institute  a research institute which focuses on oral health and its relationship to systemic health.

Cherry is also a member of the board of trustees for Wellesley College  her alma mater, and of the board of directors for The Boston Foundation.

Institutions like these make monumental differences in peoples lives, Cherry said. By claiming a seat at the able, I help to ensure our communities are represented, our many identities are recognized, our needs are met, and that inclusivity becomes the norm we all practice.

In her words: Dont let others define you. Lives make much more sense from the back end than the front end, and the future is often murky. Nonetheless, we can figure out where we want to go  maybe not for all time, but for at least a next step or two. Then, we need to put ourselves out there. The world changes because we all change it. You, too, can build the life, and the world, you want.

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.
The former Greenfield chief of police, Robert Haigh, demanded he receive an educational incentive pay raise of 20% two weeks before he retired  a pay bump recently shot down by the city council.

Haigh threatened to take legal action against the city in a letter received on Jan. 31 if newly-elected Mayor Virginia Ginny Desorgher did not deliver on a pay raise secretly agreed to by the citys previous administration, according to letters published by the city in response to a records request. The Shoestring, an independent news collective, originally reported on the letters.

As of today, there have been four weeks in which the MOU educational incentive has not been honored even though the current Mayor has chosen a funding source different than that selected by the previous Mayor to be used to fund the new wages, Haigh wrote to the mayors office. This is my demand for the full payment of my wages expeditiously.

Haigh wrote that he spoke with legal counsel for the Massachusetts Police Association, Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, and the State Attorney Generals Office and said, I believe that the City is in violation of the Massachusetts Wages Act by failing to pay my wages.

Haigh wrote he would be owed three times the unpaid wages plus his attorneys fees and costs of a lawsuit under the Wage Act.

As I understand it from the Attorney Generals Office, I must file a complaint there before filing a lawsuit, but they suggested I write to my employer first to make a demand for payment, Haigh wrote.

Last Wednesday, city councilors decided against funding Haighs pay raise, noting that former Mayor Roxann Wedegartner had two months to make the case for Haighs pay raise in front of city officials but she never did.

MassLive reached out to Haigh and Wedegartner for comment. The Greenfield mayors office declined to comment Monday morning.

Read more: Greenfield police chief blames new mayor in letter announcing retirement

MOU likely void, says mayor

In a letter dated Feb. 1, Mayor Desorgher notes she first learned about the memorandum after being sworn in on Jan. 2 and that the contract addendum is likely void based on a legal opinion from the citys counsel.

I have been advised that under Massachusetts law, a contract made by a municipal official in circumstances indicating an unconscionable effort to bind a successor board or officer is contrary to public policy and invalid, Desorgher wrote.

Despite the legal opinion she received, Desorgher wrote that she would allow the city council to weigh in on whether to fund Haighs raise. Since the citys 2024 budget didnt include money for Haighs raise, the city council would have to approve the transfer of funds.

In fact, as you further know, the Council was not even aware of this Contract Addendum and its provisions until I submitted it for a vote on appropriation last month, Desorgher wrote.

On Feb. 21, the city council voted unanimously against funding Haighs raise.

Newly elected Councilor Wahab Minhas said the vote on Wednesday night reflected the changes brought on by the election last fall.

I think it was a resounding opinion from the public to move in a certain direction and today were going forward with that direction, Minhas said. The public should know that we are on their side and we care about their money and their taxes.

City councilors told MassLive they were blindsided by the memos and residents were flooding councilors emails with complaints.

Haigh, the second-highest-paid employee in the city last year, would have seen a base salary increase of about $33,900 or an estimated $169,500 base salary under the agreement.

It appears from the letters that Wedegartner had promised Haigh the city would use American Rescue Plan (ARPA) money  federal funds in response to the COVID-19 pandemic  to pay for Haighs raise for the first half of 2024.

However, Desorgher said she did not think funding Haighs pay raise was an appropriate use of ARPA funding and highlighted that, per Haighs contract, the city council is responsible for allocating the funds for his salary.

Haigh also claimed to be treated differently from other department heads in Greenfield who received salary increases starting on Jan. 1, 2024, but as Desorgher noted, those department heads entered into agreements far earlier than Haigh and those salary increases were written into the 2024 budget for Greenfield.

Haighs abrupt retirement

Haigh abruptly announced his retirement to the mayors office in a letter dated Thursday, Feb. 15 for his retirement effective the following day. It capped off an 11-year tenure that saw the final two years embroiled in controversy over a racial discrimination lawsuit and a sudden decision to eliminate overnight patrols in the city.

MassLive obtained through a public records request Haighs letter announcing his retirement to DeSorgher, a former city councilor who won in a landslide election last fall.

I am leaving the Greenfield Police Department with great sadness and a job unfinished, wrote Haigh in the letter dated Feb. 15. I am not leaving because I want to, but because of your refusal to support this department and your Chief.

City officials discovered a secret memorandum signed by Haigh and Wedegartner approving a 20% raise for the chief and a second memo approving a 25% raise for Deputy Chief William Gordon. The memorandum was an addendum to the officers contracts.

The memorandum of agreement gave financial incentives for Haigh and Gordon for having earned a bachelors degree and masters degree, respectively. Haigh earned a bachelors degree from Western New England University in 1998.

Last week, Desorgher appointed Acting Chief Todd Dodge to take over leadership at the Greenfield Police Department.

I also know that it has been a very challenging time for the men and women in this department and that was something that Chief Dodge is very concerned about, Desorgher said. A period of healing and stability has begun and I just want to thank Chief Dodge for stepping up to the plate.
Federal investigators recently provided the defense and prosecution in the Karen Read murder case with thousands of documents, and on Monday, a judge delayed the start of the trial with several hearings expected following the latest development.

The trial for Read, 43, the Mansfield woman charged with hitting and killing her boyfriend John OKeefe with an SUV after dropping him off at a house party in Canton in 2022, was delayed until April 16. It was originally scheduled for March 12.
The 48-year-old Massachusetts woman who was killed in a snowmobile crash in New Hampshire over the weekend has been identified as Westford resident Krista Bebezas.

It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the unexpected death of our beloved Krista, a devoted mother of two beautiful girls, a loving daughter, an amazing sister, and a dear friend to so many, her family said in a statement Sunday night.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, which reported the crash, confirmed Bebezas as the victim in the crash Monday morning.

Conservation officers and other rescuers responded to the crash on a remote trail in Gorham near Pine Mountain a little after noon on Saturday, the department said previously. Bebezas companion was providing her with CPR when officers arrived, at which point officers joined in the effort, but she succumbed to her injuries and was declared dead at 1 p.m.

The circumstances surrounding Bebezas death closely match that of two other Massachusetts women who died in snowmobile crashes the state in the last two months. Gorham is located the same area of the state where the two other fatal crashes happened on Feb. 16 and Jan. 23, and where another Massachusetts woman was critically-injured in a crash on Feb. 10.

Another similarity between the crashes is that the Fish and Game Department determined that inexperience with snowmobiles was the primary factor in all four. Inexperience is the leading factor in all snowmobile crashes, and rental companies arent required to provide riders with training, MassLive reported previously.

Just over a week ago, 39-year-old Shawnee Hollis  a North Brookfield mother  died after crashing a snowmobile into a tree off the side of trail she was on in Milan, New Hampshire. Similarly, in late January, 56-year-old Littleton resident Stacey McGarry died after crashing a snowmobile in nearby Berlin. Earlier this month, 41-year-old Methuen resident Eloara Machado was so severely injured in a snowmobile crash in Milan that she had to be airlifted to a hospital.

Other Massachusetts residents have been seriously injured in snowmobile crashes in other parts of New Hampshire in recent weeks. Additionally, earlier this month, a Pittsfield man was killed in a snowmobile crash in New York.
Two bodies were discovered at a downtown Boston hotel Monday, according to police. It is unclear if the deaths are suspicious, but homicide detectives are investigating.

Officers reported to 240 Tremont St.  the address of the Moxy Boston Downtown hotel  a little after 12:20 p.m. after someone at the hotel called to report the bodies, a Boston police spokesperson said. Officers quickly located the bodies and determined they could not be resuscitated.

The bodies were found inside a hotel room, WBZ-TV reported. Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden told reporters outside the hotel that the bodies were found on the 13th floor, and that a hotel employee alerted police to the bodies, NBC10 Boston reported.

Read more: Harvard antisemitism task force leader resigns

Hayden said authorities believe there is no danger to the public, NBC10 Boston reported.

No further information has been released. It is unclear how long the bodies have been at the hotel.

Moxy is a boutique hotel chain owned by Marriott. Its Boston location is situated in the citys Theater District. Marriott did not respond to a request for comment on the bodies Monday afternoon.
Editors note: Monica Ortiz Uribe is the host of palabras Asi Fue, a podcast where journalists talk about the intersection between their personal histories and their work. This story first appeared on palabra, the digital news site by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

By Monica Ortiz Uribe | Edited by Virginia Lora

The warning bell went off in early August 2022 during the companys second-quarter earnings call. I listened on speaker from my home office while doing my morning stretches. The news was grim. Print subscriptions continued their industry-wide dive, resulting in a net loss of $54 million. The CEO announced a significant cost reduction program to reassure shareholders, a plan that had the opposite effect on those of us employed by the media giant he oversaw.

My video conference invitation came a week later. I thought it was a call to discuss my investigation into why so many talented physicians were leaving our county hospital. But when I saw the Human Resources staffer pop up on the screen next to my editor, I knew. My job as my hometown newspapers race and diversity reporter was over just 20 months after it began. HR assured me that the decision was purely financial, not a judgment against the quality of my work.

In the year and a half since my layoff, the blows to our industry have kept on coming. No doubt journalists at the Los Angeles Times, Business Insider, TIME magazine, and other outlets are still grappling with the uncertainty of losing their jobs in the first weeks of 2024. The research firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas estimates that since 2021, more than 6,400 jobs in the broadcast, digital and print news industry have been eliminated.

When I lost my job, devastation was not what I felt. I had worked as a freelancer before and knew I could turn to that again. I was sad that I would no longer be using my 16 years worth of local and national news experience to serve my hometown. But the overarching emotion I felt was relief.

Nine months prior to my layoff, a therapist diagnosed me with post-traumatic stress disorder. Years of covering horrific violence and injustice at the U.S./Mexico border finally caught up with me. I began my national reporting career in Ciudad Juarez where warring drug cartels hung headless corpses off bridges and tossed the tortured bodies of murdered women in the desert like trash. I witnessed immigrant families sleeping on bug-infested mattresses in a hotel basement and listened to cries of children who were taken away from their immigrant parents by federal authorities. I reported live on national radio hours after a gunman opened fire at an El Paso Walmart, a racist attack that resulted in the death of 23 people.

The emotional damage manifested itself slowly at first, then came in loud bursts. I battled depression, piercing back pain, and days when I was so overcome with dread, I couldnt pick up the phone to do an interview. Once, a bumper sticker displaying a set of semi-automatic rifles sent me spiraling into a sobbing fit. When I was still employed, I felt fortunate to have a boss who gave me days off when I struggled emotionally. At my request, he was also careful about the stories he assigned me. Even then, my gut told me I needed more time and space to heal. I kept going, however, for the sake of a steady paycheck and a sense of obligation to the readers of our newspaper.

Two weeks before I lost my job, my husband and I closed on a home in rural New Mexico. Fortunately, I had some severance pay, savings, and a few freelance gigs to help me pay my share of the mortgage. The move was part of a recovery plan that my husband and I gradually set in motion soon after I started noticing signs of my emotional turmoil. My layoff freed me to focus fully on my recovery.

There is no cell service, grocery store, or stoplight in the town we now call home. The daily barrage of helicopters I used to hear above the U.S./Mexico border has been replaced with birdsong, the smog with fresh air, and the asphalt with earth. In the weeks after I got laid off, I let the pace of my surroundings inspire my own movements. I said yes to a last-minute invitation on a river rafting trip with friends. I exercised, read for pleasure, wrote in my journal and took naps in the middle of the day. I relished not setting a morning alarm every weeknight.

Two things have been essential to recovering my well-being: finding a daily practice and setting aside loads of open, unscheduled time. A therapist who met with journalists shortly after the El Paso mass shooting described a daily practice as doing something that calms you every day. For me, it can be as simple as taking a hot shower or enjoying a device-less dinner with friends. Setting aside unscheduled time was trickier, especially in a culture that exults productivity and always being busy. It took me a while to quit feeling guilty when I stopped for longer than five minutes to just breathe and be silent. Long stretches of unscheduled time lowered my anxiety and eventually replaced it with the opportunity to think creative thoughts.

Today, I feel stronger than I did the summer after my layoff. Not having the pressure to perform or produce at someone elses pace has helped me tremendously. Episodes of emotional distress are far less frequent and less intense. When they do happen, I know how to manage them better. My journal entries post-layoff are filled with happy memories of steering my own inflatable kayak between high canyon walls, watching meteors streak across a star-studded sky, and relaxing in hot springs. The trade-off, though, is apparent in my bank account: my severance is long gone, my savings depleted. Still, Im not too worried. This year, I feel ready to take on bigger work projects, hopefully involving subjects that inspire me. The ideas for these projects were born in those moments of open, unscheduled time.

Im glad that mental health is less of a taboo subject nowadays. With fewer and fewer people in newsrooms, the demands on journalists still employed by them will only increase, making it more important than ever for us to be self-aware and know our limits. Im writing this essay to urge fellow journalists to check-in on yourselves. If you recognize the signs of post-traumatic stress, speak up and ask for help. The sooner you address it, the better off youll be. As difficult as it may seem, newsrooms also need to create a workplace that allows their staff to have a healthy, balanced life. I wish that getting laid off hadnt been the solution for my own recovery.

As a young reporter, a mentor shared with me something his father told him: journalists have a skeleton key to the world. I now know that that key reveals both the best and the worst of the world. I dont regret covering the tragedies that Ive come across thus far in my career. They are an inevitable part of our jobs. Writing about them allowed me to amplify the voices of vulnerable people and highlight subjects that need urgent attention. Covering these tragedies made me a better journalist. Hopefully, taking time to heal will also make me a better journalist, one that is prepared to walk through the next door my skeleton key opens.



Monica Ortiz Uribe was a senior staff reporter for the El Paso Times in Texas from December 2020 to August 2022. She now lives in and works independently from rural New Mexico. She is the co-host of the podcast Forgotten: The Women of Juarez and the host of palabras podcast Asi Fue.

Virginia Lora is an independent audio producer, reporter and editor who works in English and Spanish, and dabbles in French. Born in Peru, she moved to the U.S. at age 13 and grew up in Miami, Florida. Much of her interest in stories that center the margins comes from her early-career experiences interviewing people in communities all over the country for an oral history project, and her own immigration experience. She earned a B.A. in history, French and a certificate in Latin American & Latino studies from Amherst College and trained in narrative audio at the Transom Story Workshop.
New Englanders will want to think of where they want to look up during the biggest celestial event of 2024.

On April 8, a total solar eclipse will be visible from North America as it makes its path from Texas all the way northeast to Maine. This path of totality indicates when and where the 31.6 million people living along that path are expected to see the eclipse happening, weather pending, according to NBC News.

Viewers outside of the path of totality will not experience a total solar eclipse, but they may still see a partial eclipse. In March 2023, NASA released a map detailing the trajectory of the 2024 total solar eclipse. Other parts of the country looking up are expected to see what looks like a bite taken out of the sun, NBC News wrote.

Zeroing in on the end of the path of totality, where the eclipse is visible in parts of the Northeast. All of southern New England  Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island  is expected to have a partial view of the eclipse since it will not be in the path. Northern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine should have a clear view of the eclipse.

This map shows the path of the April 8, 2024 eclipse. Areas within the dark band will see totality, when the moon completely blocks the sun. The ovals show the time that area will experience totality.NASA

For parts of the Northeast outside of the path of totality, including New York City and Providence, the sun will become about 90% obscured in those cities during the peak of the 2024 total solar eclipse, according to NASA. The agency has specified the times and locations where New Englanders can watch from within the path of totality, the local time for when totality begins on April 8 and how long it will last:

Burlington, Vermont, 3:26 p.m., 3 minutes

Lancaster, New Hampshire, 3:27 p.m., 3 minutes

Caribou, Maine, 3:32 p.m., 2 minutes

Before reaching northern New England, the eclipse is expected to cross Mexico and head on through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

By 5:16 p.m., the path exits North America off Newfoundland, Thrillist reported in April 2023. Thrillist noted at the time that hotels and even cruise lines are already booking reservations for stargazers coming far and wide.

Those in Massachusetts who want to see the eclipse within the path of totality may want to set their sights on Burlington, Vermont. Trips by car leaving any major Massachusetts city could be as long as three or four hours. Eclipse enthusiasts and stargazers can also use transit to travel north via Greyhound from the Boston area, taking Trailways from Worcester or taking the Amtrak Vermonter for those living in western Massachusetts, all of which can take people to Burlington.

Due to the timing of all of these trips, book your trip the day before so that you catch the 3:26 p.m. eclipse.

One of the more critical aspects of the eclipse that everyone watching should adhere to is using proper eye protection. Despite any obstruction, it is not safe to look directly at the sun. NASA suggests safe solar viewing glasses, or eclipse glasses, to wear if you plan to look up at the sun during the eclipse. Regular sunglasses will not protect your eyes the same way.

Always inspect your eclipse glasses or handheld viewer before use; if torn, scratched, or otherwise damaged, discard the device, NASA said. Always supervise children using solar viewers. Do NOT look at the sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer  the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury.

After April 8 has come and gone, people will have a long time to wait until the next total solar eclipse. Give it 20 years  Aug. 23, 2044, to be exact, according to NASA.
RUSSELL  Massachusetts State Police on Monday released helicopter footage detailing last weeks rescue of an 87-year-old man with dementia from a wooded wetland.

The man had been last seen shortly after noon Feb. 21 in the area of Blandford Road in the Berkshire foothills west of Westfield.
The emergency services will light up Swinford on Saturday, March 2 with the community invited to Blue Light Day between 10am and 2pm.

Blue Light Day is an opportunity for young and old to get a front seat view of the front-line crews when officers from An Garda Siochana and Mayo Fire Service will be joined by representatives from the Coast Guard, Civil Defence, Defence Forces and others at Swinford Amenity Park.

The Garda Mounted Support Unit, Armed Support Unit, Roads Policing Unit will be out in force with the Garda Band also in attendance to entertain the crowd.

From 10am to 2pm families are invited to meet the crews and the children can check out the emergency vehicles and ask the tough questions  who knows the districts next Superintendent or Chief Fire Officer may be among the attendees.

Sergeants Conor Drury and Regina Carley, Community Engagement Sergeants based at Swinford Garda Station, invited the 'entire community to come along and meet the emergency crews'.

Unfortunately, its often only at difficult times in peoples lives that we get to meet them but Blue Light Day is an opportunity for all of the community, particularly the children, to get to know their local officers and in a fun setting we get to give them an insight into the roles we all play in the community, they stated.

The first hour 10am to 11am of the day will be a silent hour to facilitate children with special needs and sensory needs.

For one little hero it will be a particularly special day. James Ryan from Ardgullen, Swinford will be awarded the title of Honorary Garda. The forces newest recruit will be joined by his family and friends for the momentous occasion.

Sgt Drury praised the four-year-old for his courage, determination and said he is proud to have him as a member of his team.

It is a particularly exciting day for the Ryan family. I was honoured to meet James recently and welcome him to the team here in Swinford and the blue family.

The event is being run in conjunction with the Little Blue Heroes Foundation. The organisations vision is to support families of children with serious illnesses in Ireland while empowering the lives of children through positive engagement.
The loved ones of a 30 year old Irish man who suffered a catastrophic head injury in Spain are seeking help to fund his specialist rehabilitation.

According to a fundraising campaign set up on Go Fund Me, Brian Domi Mallon's life took an unexpected turn when he missed a step descending the stairs of Sagrada Familia Metro Station in Barcelona on his way home from work on March 3, 2023.

A Sligo man, Brian reportedly moved to Barcelona after falling in love with the city during an Erasmus year, and was due to start teaching sociology after completing his masters in 2022.

After his fall, he was initially in a coma for two weeks due to a brain bleed, but began making an "almost miraculous recovery" when he woke up.

However, during Easter week, Brian developed an infection at the site of his craniotomy, which quickly spread through his entire brain.

Despite surgery to attempt removal of the infection, he suffered a further bleed and went back into a coma.

Brian - who has undergone eleven surgeries to address issues such as bleeds, craniotomy, cranioplasty, brain shunts and PEG feeding tube - has been left with challenges such as an inability to talk and communicate, as well as complete paralysis on his right side, and partial paralysis on his left side.

He spent three months on life support, almost five months in ICU, and 5 months in a specialist rehabilitation hospital in Barcelona.

Fortunately, he began to breathe fully for himself in September and began to eat in October, before finally starting to say some words in November.

He is beginning to regain movement and mobility very slowly, and he is in good spirits.

However, as he needs 24/7 total care and needs to learn to speak again, people in the Sligo community and beyond are being urged to donate what they can to his ongoing care.

Brian returned by air ambulance to Sligo University Hospital just before the turn of the new year and was moved to the Benbulben Rehabilitation unit at St. Johns Hospital, Sligo at the end of January.

His participation in rehabilitation has reportedly been stunted due to medical issues, the severity of his brain injury, medication side effects, and his difficulty in communicating.

According to the Go Fund Me campaign, the potential of Brians recovery "massively depends" on continuing specialist rehabilitation.

The money raised by the campaign will go to the Brian Domi trust fund for his medical care, modifications to the family home, and the provision of accessible transport.

A statement from the family reads: "Regardless of size, every donation is a meaningful step toward Brian regaining independence and rebuilding his life. In these challenging times, your support is a source of comfort and strength for our family.

"Every cent received will go directly into the Brian Domi trust fund and will be used exclusively for Brian's rehabilitation and needs. Thank you for being part of Brian's support network. Your kindness is making a significant impact. We appreciate it more than words can express."

Almost 10,000 has been raised for Brian's recovery so far out of a 75,000 goal.
by Barbara Lippert , Columnist, February 23, 2024

Ernie Schenck, award-winning ad guy and lifelong Rhode Islander, has suffered through a series of what he sees as head-scratching choices in creating tourist campaigns for the Ocean State.

He doesnt get why the powers that be dont use the massive local ad talent to make something knowing and distinctive.

For example, there was the embarrassment stirred up by a 2016 campaign with the tag line Rhode Island: Cooler and Warmer. The words framed an abstracted sail, and the brightly colored mark was designed by Milton Glaser himself, the genius designer behind the iconic I Heart New York logo.

But one rule in being cool, I assume, is that you dont announce it directly. The warmer was supposed to imply that this state was friendlier and warmer than its New England neighbors to the north. But thats a big inference, and a bit of a diss.(What did New Hampshire ever do to you, Rhode Island?)

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Cooler and warmer left viewers confused and spawned parodies along the lines of Dumb and Dumber. It did not help that the TV ads, created by Havas to show all the fun things to do in the state, included a scene shot in Iceland. To add to the gang-that-couldnt-shoot-straight package, one of the restaurants shown on the web site turned out to be in Massachusetts.

Never a good sign, the states CMO resigned days after the multimillion-dollar campaign was released.

There have been at least two more campaigns in the interim that havent stuck. So the timing for this latest seems urgent. COVID hit Rhode Island hard, and tourism revenue is vitally important to all states coffers.

Schenck posted the latest Rhode Island campaign, featuring the tagline All That" -- introduced by Florida-based Zimmerman Advertising last week -- on his social media to see what everybody thought. He said he would withhold his opinion.

Commenters were not amused. More like underwhelmed.

About that tagline: All That is a contemporary phrase that seems infused with a little sarcasm, like she thinks shes all that. Is a state all that?

Its meant to be hip but earnest, a deadly combination.

And yes, the series of ads (there are six) is visually generic.

Did you know that you could go to Rhode Island to find a flock of Lululemon women doing outdoor yoga in a park? I love that in a state. Theres ice cream! And a kayak!

One bit of credit and newness, however, is due for how diverse the ads are, both in casting and for one spot in its music -- a driving bounce beat. Its Big Freedia (from New Orleans) re-jigging the song "Pipe That" to a more family-type version of "Like That." Its very quick and works well with the edit.

The other spots use more classical music. One is devoted to food: "All Cuisine, All People, All That. Another is targeted to the LGBTQ+ community, although its so low-key that the only thing I noticed was the Pride flag. All Lifestyles, All That is the final super.

So back to Schenck. What did he think of the campaign? Weve got personality up the wazoo here, and great little stories and secrets. Its an odd quirky little piece of land. Id want something that speaks to the charm of this particular state, he told me.

And theres no insight in these ads, he said, only a blur of too much of what you can get in a bunch of other places. I understand that people want it to be something for everybody," he said. But Id rather be everything to somebody.
Is Crypto a Security? South Korean Courts Cant Decide  and Its Causing Legal Backlogs

Is crypto a security? South Korean courts cannot seem to decide on the answer, and a new report claims the conundrum is causing a legal backlog.

Per Newsis, individual judges at the Seoul Southern District Court are finding themselves drawn into debates about whether certain coins can be considered to have security properties.

Is Crypto a Security?  Judges Forced to Make Difficult Decisions



The Seoul Southern District Court is handling two of the highest-profile altcoin price manipulation cases in South Korean legal history.

The court is now handling various cases relating to the Terra ecosystem crash of May 2022, as well as the art-themed Pica Coin token.

Both cases hinge on prosecution allegations that the coins were knowingly sold as securities.

Currently, South Korean law does not recognize any coin as having security status. However, judges have been pressured to accept precedents from the US.

Washington-based regulators have declared that some coins can be considered securities. They say others have commodity properties.

Terraform Labs, the firm behind Terra ecosystem coins like LUNC (formerly LUNA), has based much of its South Korean case around the notion that cryptoassets are not securities.

However, judges at the Seoul Southern District Court have repeatedly agonized over judgments on this matter. Newsis wrote:

Is crypto a security? Seoul Southern District Court judges ask this question during every trial.

Judges Agonizing Over Difficult Crypto Decisions



A judge from the same court sentenced a former crypto exchange executive to four years in prison on February 15.

The latter was found guilty of securing a low-cap altcoin listing to drive up prices. However, in sentencing, the judge struck an exasperated note, stating:

It is difficult to clearly recognize the illegality of the act. That is because there are no clear [legal] standards.

Unnamed legal community experts claimed that South Koreas crypto market is expanding. And, they say, the number of fraud cases is increasing.

But, they said, South Korea lacks a relevant legal framework to deal with such matters.

In the Pica Coin case, media outlets report that prosecutors have urged the court to consider the token to be a security.

This would allow prosecutors to press charges of price manipulation under the terms of the Capital Markets Act.

A preference for trading altcoins in South Korea is weakening as momentum-chasers go after Bitcoin instead https://t.co/3CPZyiH6IF  Bloomberg (@business) February 22, 2024

However, Pica Coin-related defense lawyers have complained that coins are not securities under national law.

A defense lawyer told the court during a hearing:

The Pica Coin [police] investigation was illegal. And the resulting prosecution is also illegal. This case was investigated and prosecuted in a country where virtual assets are not recognized as securities.

Lee Jeong-yeop, the CEO of the Lawjipsa legal firm and the President of the Blockchain Law Society, said:

It seems that [trials] will become protracted when courts have to examine possible [violations of] the Capital Markets Act. [] Crypto-related crime has caused an enormous amount of damage. But if judges decide that the Capital Markets Act does not apply in these cases, it will be problematic.

If the latter is true, Lee said, defendants should be acquitted or receive reduced sentences.

An unnamed former Supreme Court Justice said:

In a criminal trial, there should be no room for expanded or analogical interpretation. So it would be difficult for a court to rule virtual assets have securities properties here. But in civil cases, [] it does seem possible.

Kim Hyun-kwon, a lawyer at LKB & Partners, opined that legal experts still have different opinions, so it is impossible to say definitively what is right or wrong.

Kim concluded that in the absence of legislative change, a clearer picture would need to be constructed based on individual courts rulings on the matter.

Those wishing to find an answer to the question Is crypto a security? in South Korea appear to be left with no other choice but to wait.

 K-pop Stars Choi Si-won, Cho Hyun-young Deny South Korean Scam Coin Involvement K-pop stars Choi Si-won and Cho Hyun-young have denied allegations that they were involved in promoting so-called South Korean scam coins.#CryptoNews #SouthKoreahttps://t.co/XZoy8Se6pJ  Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) February 16, 2024

Allegations of crypto fraud and crypto-related crime have dominated the headlines in South Korea this year.

Police have reported a rise in crypto-related scams, bogus OTC deals, and crypto-powered drug trafficking.
by Ray Schultz , Columnist, February 23, 2024

As if they didnt have enough to worry about, publishers were rattled this week when Google removed its news filter from some search results in an apparent experiment.

A Google spokesperson told media outlets, Were testing different ways to show filters on Search and as a result, a small subset of users were temporarily unable to access some of them.

On Friday, Google clarified that The News filter is available to users now and we do not have plans to remove it.

Nonetheless, the test upset users: At the least, loss of the news filter would reduce traffic for news publishers.

When users look for news, the News tab of Search filters search results, Google says on its site. Users get content related to events in the news. For broader context, the News tab displays more articles than a regular search query.

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That wasnt the only Google-related news that scared people this week. In another episode, a bizarre report spread that Google is closing Gmail this year.

The source is a fake email that some observers called a blatant satire or hoax. But many readers failed to get the joke; one said, I hate this company.

The fake email says, As of August 1, 2024, Gmail is being sunsetted, marking the end of its service. This means that as of this date, Gmail will no longer support sending, receiving or storing emails.

The report makes no sense, given that Gmail is the biggest email service.

For its part, Gmail said on X, Gmail is here to stay.
by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, February 26, 2024

Stagwell has agreed to acquire French digital brand and marketing consultancy Whats Next Partners (WNP). Terms were not disclosed.

According to Stagwell, the firm specializes in data-driven strategies, integrated communications and creative content.

When the deal closes, WNP will become the first co-branded member of the Anomaly Alliance, expanding Anomaly's global footprint to France. It currently has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, London, Berlin, and Shanghai.

advertisement advertisement The consultancy will add capabilities to Anomaly in scaled digital content and AI-enabled CRM and data. And the hope is it will help the agency compete for and service larger European accounts.

WNP was founded by Guy Chauvel in 2010. Earlier he served at JWT and was CEO Havas Europe. He will work with Anomaly Alliance CEO Carl Johnson to develop new client solutions for the Anomaly Alliance of agencies which was formed in 2020. In addtion to Anomaly, agencies in the group include Y Media Labs, Mono, marketing communications and PR firm Hunter, experiential agency Relevent, and Concentric Health Experience.

Stagwell said further Anomaly Alliance acquisitions are to come, ranging from Latin America to Asia Pacific.
by Ray Schultz , February 26, 2024

The Economist Group has appointed two senior executives: Luke Bradley-Jones as president and managing director of The Economist and Leon Saunders Calvert as president and managing director of Economist Intelligence.

Bradley-Jones, general manager of EMEA at Disney+, will be tasked with driving The Economists digital evolution. Starting this summer, he will be based in London and have a significant presence in The Economists New York office.

Saunders Calvert, who comes on board in April, joins from ESG Book, a fintech company where he was partner and chief product officer. Prior to ESG Book, he spent 15 years at the London Stock Exchange Group.

Both new hires will report to Lara Boro, chief executive of The Economist Group, who says, Im delighted to welcome these outstanding industry leaders to The Economist Group. Mr Bradley-Jones, an Economist aficionado and subscriber for 30 years, has the track record, vision and leadership ability to further The Economists audience growth and digital innovation.

Boro adds that Saunders Calverts knowledge of data, analytics and software will help him lead the EIU team to create the most innovative client solutions.
Saudi Arabia Rolls Out Metaverse Initiative to Celebrate Cultural Heritage

The Saudi Arabian government has launched a metaverse platform to display the countrys cultural heritage, including history, arts, and crafts.

The Saudi Press Agency recently announced the launch of the metaverse initiative, which is supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative Media Intelligence.

Saudis new metaverse will see users explore the countrys cultural heritage through digital means by participating in simulated activities.

Poised to create faster and more relative virtual worlds, Saudi authorities partnered with droppGroup and droppPhygical utilizing HyperLedger Fabric 2.5 blockchain technology to make the metaverse experience.

The platform invites the audience to share the countrys heritage with new markets. Unlike traditional touring markets, users can explore the countrys historical sites through digital models.

Leveraging Web3 models, global users can now partake in the cultural heritage, benefiting from the continued adoption of digital technologies in the region.

Celebrating Founding Day with Saudi Arabias Metaverse



According to authorities, the metaverse initiative will incorporate cultural shows, music, dance, and crafts events. Notably, the history walk, games for user engagement, and other activities are significant highlights of the release.

The Saudi Arabia Founding Day, an event that shows the countrys history down to 1727, was streamed on the Metaverse platform.

This cross-platform compatibility embodies the Ministry of Cultures commitment to inclusivity, enabling a diverse global audience to explore and engage with the rich history of Saudi culture.

The metaverse can be accessed through devices like laptops, Virtual Reality (VR) headsets, and mobile phones.

Middle Easts Web3 Strategy Attracts New Companies



Saudi Arabia has looked to explore digital alternatives to diversify economic sources and stimulate Web3 growth.

Last year, Saudi Arabia reportedly invested $50 million in metaverse firm Animoca as it plans to become a blockchain hub in the region.

NEOM, the countrys project, partnered with Animoca to develop digital initiatives. While $25 million was given as convertible notes to the company, another $25 million was used to purchase shares in the metaverse firm.

Majid Mufti, the CEO of NEOM Investment Fund, lauded the partnership as bringing the appropriate Web3 architecture to the foreground.

We are excited to partner with Animoca Brands to support the development of Neoms digital infrastructure. Web3 technology and infrastructure development will not only be an important foundation of Neoms tech stack and architecture but also has the potential to revolutionize global industries.

The Middle East has recorded massive investment in Web3 since the start of 2023, with major jurisdictions competing to become the Web3 hub for digital investments in the region.

Dubai has seen Web3-based firms trickle into its local market after it launched a plan to give firms a 90% license subsidy. Furthermore, the region awarded a web3 license to the AYA platform, a crypto-friendly firm to support conservation and nature credits.
To each according to his threat advantage does not count as a principle of justice.

John Rawls, A Theory of Justice, 1971

Born: 21 February 1921

Nationality: American

Profession: Academic philosopher

University: Harvard and Oxford

Died: 24 November 2002

Enthusiastic and patriotic, John Rawls enlisted in the US Army in the middle of World War Two as soon as he had finished his BA degree. It was February 1943 and, after some basic training, he was assigned to the Pacific theatre.

His first experience of combat was in New Guinea  a country which saw fighting for almost the whole duration of the Pacific campaign  where he won a Bronze Star.

He was then redeployed to the Philippines, and served in the trenches under constant fire for many days. The experience seemed particularly terrible to Rawls and his fellow servicemen, the philosopher confided many years later, because they knew the Japanese would neither surrender nor take prisoners. That meant that unless he and his comrades killed all the enemy, some Americans would inevitably die.

One soldier in a dugout close to Rawls stood up and deliberately removed his helmet to take a bullet to the head, choosing to die rather than endure the constant barrage.

But Rawls survived unscathed and was later deployed to Japan, where he became part of the 350,000-strong US military force which occupied the country after the surrender of August 1945.

It was a curious time: the Japanese surrender had signed away legal authority to General Douglas MacArthurs Supreme Allied Command, and Americans were designing new institutions for the country. But Rawls was too junior to have much decision-making authority himself: as a sergeant, he spent most of his time dealing with other US servicemen.

Hiroshima

A capable infantryman, Rawls seems to have impressed his superiors. He had already been promoted from a private, and would have gone on to become an officer were it not for two events in late 1945  events which turned the future theorist against the military for good.

The first came in the autumn of 1945, when Rawls passed through Hiroshima after it had been destroyed by an atomic bomb. The total obliteration of physical infrastructure, and the even more horrific human toll, affected him deeply. The scale of the tragedy, and the fact that the destruction had been deliberately inflicted by his own side, was profoundly unsettling. He wrote that the scenes still haunted him 50 years later.

The second incident was more personal. Sergeant Rawls was instructed by a first lieutenant to discipline a fellow soldier. Rawls refused, believing no punishment was justified. This act of insubordination resulted in Rawls being demoted back to a private.

By January 1946, Rawls was as disenchanted with the Army as it was with him, and they parted ways. Rawls was soon back in Ivy League academia, where he would spend rest of his working life.

Anti-militarism

The two incidents illustrate Rawls ideas succinctly. The desolation of post-atomic Hiroshima was not only horrific; it was also a city where the rich fabric of social institutions, laid down over many generations, had been wiped out. The challenge was to ensure that a better society emerged in its place.

Deciding what this new society should look like was the task of the Supreme Command for the Allied Powers, and Rawls took this question  what should the rules of a society be  back to the US. But only in 1971 did he come up with a comprehensive answer. His theory starts by imagining away all that had gone before, just as the past had been erased in Hiroshima.

The disciplinary incident is even more revealing. Sergeants are required to uphold military rules  it is one of their principal functions  and their failure to do so can undermine the cohesion on which armies rely. Yet

Rawls put aside this large-scale consideration to ensure that justice was applied to a single individual. His action foreshadows Rawls main intellectual battle  against the philosophy of Utilitarianism.

Utilitarians argued that the greatest good of the greatest number should direct policy, but Rawls contended that this permitted the individuals concerns to be overridden by the mass. The integrity of each person had to be protected, he said. This principle became the basis for his whole philosophy.

Anti-religion

Before the war, Rawls had been a committed Episcopalian. His undergraduate thesis had been about Sin and Faith, and the young Rawls had even considered joining the priesthood. But his experiences in the Pacific and in post-war Japan shattered his cosy certainties.

As an old man, he mused that if ever he needed evidence that God was not enough, he remembered the words of a military chaplain who had told the American soldiers that God would shield them but not the Japanese (Rawls later wrote that he upbraided the pastor for distorting the Bible).

Then he would recall what he had seen in Hiroshima, the news he had heard about Auschwitz while travelling on a train in 1945, and the arbitrariness with which several of his fellow soldiers had been killed, one of the them dying in his arms. God, it seemed, had been absent.

Demobilised from the Pacific in 1946 to start a doctorate in moral philosophy back at Princeton, Rawls was a very different person to the God-fearing optimist who had volunteered for service. Religion and the Army had failed him. In their place, he had developed a thirst for justice  or, more accurately, a thirst to discover what justice was.

His worldview had been shaped by a collection of vivid, shocking, and deeply personal experiences, all of them from his wartime service. The course of the rest of his life was set.

Rawls: political philosopher

John Rawls is commonly described as the most important political philosopher of the 20th century. In the succinct words of former President Bill Clinton, Rawls almost singlehandedly  revived the disciplines of political and ethical philosophy with his argument that a society in which the most fortunate helped the least fortunate is not only a moral society, but a logical one.

The work of this reclusive Harvard academic has become a mainstay of undergraduate courses, and his ideas have influenced western and international institutions, most notably the European Union and the United Nations.

Rawls defining idea was an argument in favour of helping the least well-off. To eliminate the bias of self-interest, he imagined forcing people to choose how society should be governed without letting them know where in society they would be. People in this hypothetical scenario, he said, would act to protect the weakest in society, just in case it was them. Hence, he concluded, helping the least well-off person was the right thing to do.

He offered an idealised account of founding fathers establishing a New World, improving on the work of Americas own founding fathers. It is no coincidence that Rawls became famous during the Vietnam War  a conflict that rocked American society, as news footage propelled front-line horrors into the sitting rooms of a TV-viewing public, and body bags brought back more than 50,000 US soldiers, many of them conscripts.

Rawls arguments presented a uniquely American account of why US military involvement in South East Asia was un-American. When his magnum opus, A Theory of Justice, was published in 1971, he became a hero of the liberal left.

Rawls fame and influence, and the strength of his argument, was sufficient to rejuvenate the whole topic of ethics. Ever since Wittgensteins clever arguments in the 1920s, the field had been left barren. Many wondered whether concepts of right and wrong really meant anything.

Rawls put Wittgenstein in his place: logic was only part of the answer; our instincts mattered, too, he said. Right and wrong were important because each person was important.

It was a heartfelt argument from a quiet man who was determined to save humanity from another battlefield hell.

Rawls and the Pacific War

US engagement in the Pacific War began following the bombing of Pearl Harbour in Hawaii, on 7 December 1941  famously described by US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as a date that will live in infamy.

Japan had invaded Manchuria a decade earlier, and, less successfully, pushed into Soviet Russia in 1939. But it was American involvement which transformed the conflict. Once Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy confirmed their support for Japanese aggression, the Pacific theatre became part of World War Two  with action across an even greater area than the war in Europe.

Japan followed their Hawaii attack by sinking two British warships, forcing the surrender of Thailand and capturing Hong Kong, Guam, and Wake Island  all within a single month. Then, at the start of 1942, they invaded Burma and drove south in a rapid advance, taking vast swathes of territory and thousands of Allied prisoners, reaching as far as the Philippines by May. They even bombed the Australian mainland.

But fateful Japanese miscalculations in the Battle of Midway of June 1942 left their carrier fleet crippled; and from then until their surrender, three years later, the story was the same  fierce attrition, hard-won Allied victories, an ever diminishing Japanese domain, and ever-more desperate Japanese defence.

The first successful Allied counter-offensive was in New Guinea, followed by a very bloody victory in Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands early in 1943. From there, the Americans adopted an island hopping strategy, using each new territorial gain to launch an assault on the next. This approach took them to Saipan, Tarawa, the Phillippines, Iwo Jima, and eventually Okinawa.

Meanwhile, Japanese forces were pushed back from India and Burma, while the US Navy  in particular their submarines  backed up by USAAF flying fortress bombers, deprived Japan of the resources needed to sustain an industrial war.

Anticipating the bloodiest battle of all on the Japanese home islands, President Truman ordered the use of atomic bombs  a decision which may have saved the lives of many thousands of US servicemen, but at the cost of approximately a quarter of a million Japanese civilians.

The Soviets re-entered the war on the same day as the second bomb was dropped, on Nagasaki, and less than 24 hours later, on 10 August 1945, the Japanese Cabinet decided to surrender.

This article featured in issue 46 of Military History Monthly.
An active-duty member of the Air Force died after setting himself on fire as an act of protest outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Sunday.

The airman, whose identity was not immediately confirmed, recorded the self-immolation, and a video of it was posted online. In it, the uniformed service member calmly walks to the front of the embassy and says he is about to engage in an "extreme act of protest." He then dumps an accelerant on himself from a water bottle and pulls out a lighter, setting himself on fire. He screamed "free Palestine" repeatedly before collapsing to the ground, engulfed in flames.

Rose Riley, an Air Force spokeswoman, confirmed to Military.com late Sunday evening that the individual was an active-duty airman. The Air Force also said Monday morning that the airman "succumbed to his injuries and passed away last night."

Read Next: National Guard Apache Helicopter Crashes in Mississippi Killing Two Crew Members

The Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department said Sunday on X, formerly known as Twitter, that officers responded to the embassy around 1 p.m. local time "to assist the United States Secret Service after an individual set themselves on fire in front of an embassy in the block." The police identified him as an adult male.

In the video, armed guards run up to the man with weapons drawn, and one person brings a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. D.C. police dispatched an explosive ordnance disposal team to search a suspicious vehicle at the scene, but it was cleared Sunday evening after "no hazardous materials found," the police said on X.

The airman identifies himself as Aaron Bushnell in the video, CNN reported. The Air Force has not released the man's identity, saying it will "provide additional details 24 hours after next-of-kin notifications are complete."

This is the second act of self-immolation related to the ongoing bloodshed brought on by the Israel and Hamas war, which has led to massive casualties in the Gaza Strip.

In December, a protester set themselves on fire outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta, Georgia. A Palestinian flag found at the scene was part of the protest, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said, according to The Associated Press.

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The German military is planning a series of deployments to the Pacific this summer, and it is looking at possibly setting up a permanent military liaison position in Hawaii at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command as it refines its regional strategy.

The German military is planning a series of deployments to the Pacific this summer, and is looking at possibly setting up a permanent military liaison position in Hawaii at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command as it refines its regional strategy.

For some time, Germany has been testing the waters for a return to the Pacific, deploying the Navy frigate FGS Bayern to the South China Sea in 2021 and sending small detachments of personnel to participate in exercises around the region. But this year the German Navy and Air Force will make their way to Hawaii for the biennial Rim of the Pacific Exercise, the world's largest naval war game.

"Before we send people and forces into the region, we knew we needed knowledge of the region," said German navy chief Vice Adm. Jan Christian Kaack. "We are building up liaison offices in Japan at (U.S. Navy ) 7th Fleet and here at INDOPACOM (U.S. Indo-Pacific command ). ... Some are temporary, just for the deployment, and some will stay."

German military officials had been quietly flying in and out of Honolulu in 2023 holding meetings with top U.S. military leaders, according to officials knowledgeable about the planning process. But since the new year German officials have become more vocal about their plans.

Kaack flew to Oahu in January along with a delegation of other German navy and air force officers to participate in a military affairs conference hosted by the Honolulu-based think tank Pacific Forum.

During the event he participated in a panel with U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Samuel Paparo, who is expected to soon take over U.S. Indo-Pacific command and lead all U.S. forces in the region.

Berlin in 2023 released its first China strategy, which called Beijing a "systemic rival" and advocated that Germany -- Europe's largest economy -- work to reduce economic dependence on its largest trading partner.

"China has changed," the document stated. "As a result of this and China's political decisions, we need to change our approach to China."

Kaack told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that Beijing's increasingly aggressive tactics in the South China Sea played a role in the shift in thinking.

Beijing has become locked in a series of disputes with neighboring countries over maritime navigation and territorial rights in the South China Sea, which serves as a critical trade route that more than one-third of all trade moves through. China has claimed the entire waterway over the objections of neighboring countries that also use resources and shipping routes in the sea.

A 2016 international court ruling in favor of the Philippines found that China's claims have "no legal basis." Beijing in turn has called the ruling "illegal" and has built military bases on disputed islands and atolls and attacked fishermen and other maritime workers from neighboring countries.

Kaack said the prospect of disruptions to free navigation in the Pacific is a major concern to Germany and other European countries. He also noted Chinese investment in port facilities in Europe as well as recent moves in the Arctic.

"China declaring itself a 'near Arctic nation' and operating up there, and now with the melting of the ice and Russia's heavy involvement in the area and then this exploration by China, a lot of people woke up," he said. "There's a better understanding in German society now of how things are interconnected and that we should care."

Germany has a complicated history in the Pacific region, once maintaining imperial holdings in China as well as ruling over the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, the Marshall Islands, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Nauru and others until losing them to other imperial powers during World War I.

But German officials insist they want to return to the Pacific as friends to all nations in the region.

Kaack said, "I put a lot of effort during the last two years into discussions with partners in the area -- Singapore and Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and others -- to learn to listen a lot and to understand what their perception is and how they perceive us and what, from their perspective, are appropriate tasks for us."

He said officials welcomed German participation in the region, on the condition that it isn't through the auspices of NATO or the European Union and put Pacific relationships first.

"That was a clear, clear demand by most of the partners in the area," said Kaack.

The German naval deployment will include two ships that will sail through the Suez Canal and make stops in India and Singapore before passing through the South China Sea. It will also make stops in Japan and participate in U.N. sanctions enforcement operations against North Korea. The ships will make their way to Hawaii for RIMPAC and then to San Diego and eventually through the Panama Canal to return to Europe.

The German air force deployment will be jointly conducted with the French and Spanish air forces starting in mid-June, flying from Europe to Alaska and on to Japan. In Japan the German group will split up, with half continuing on with the Spanish and French to Australia and the other half making their way to Hawaii for RIMPAC and then continuing to train with the Hawaii National Guard.

In January, the German air force sent 15 personnel to Hawaii for advance planning of the deployment.

"This is the very first time we are coming to Hawaii with fighter jets," said German air force spokesperson Lt. Col. Matthias Boehnke. "Together with our partners France, Spain, U.S.A. and other allies, this is a strong sign of solidarity and how important the Indo-Pacific region has become for peace in the world."

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ABOARD THE CUTTER HARRIET LANEIt was a hot, humid and cloudy day in the South Pacific as the U.S. Coast Guard's Cutter Harriet Lane pulled into port in Apia, Samoa, earlier this month.

It was the second stop for the 270-foot Medium Endurance Cutterknown as "270s "in its new role as the Coast Guard's "Indo-Pacific Support Cutter " devoted to operations in Oceania.

The nearly 40-year-old ship arrived in Hawaii in December after undergoing over a year's worth of renovations at a Baltimore shipyard. In January it set sail for its first Pacific deployment, heading south into the high seas where members of its crew boarded fishing vessels to look for signs of illegal fishing.

It had made a quick stop in American Samoa before heading west into Samoan waters, where Lane's crew picked up and worked with Samoan law enforcement officials aboard as "ship riders " for several days, allowing the Samoans to use Lane's resources and its crew to board fishing vessels within their own jurisdiction through an agreement with the U.S. government.

In Apia, the Lane was supposed to drop off the Samoan ship riders, resupply and send members of its crew shore-side for a series of community service projects and outreach with other Samoan officials.

But as the ship moored at the pier, powerful swells and surf in the harbor raised alarm bells for officers and crew aboard. A storm system was passing through and it could be felt in the seas. The ropes tying the ship to the pier let out audible sounds of strain as the water churned.

Nearby in the port a capsized Chinese fishing vessel offered a vivid visual of what could happen to those who gamble on the ocean's power.

Cmdr. Nicole Tesoniero, Lane's captain, ultimately decided the risk was too high to stay in the port.

The ship riders got off and the Lane's cooks and other crews hastily brought on food supplies from the pier to restock the kitchen. Then Tesoniero met with officials with the U.S embassy and explained the potential dangerwhile making new plans on the fly. Lane left as the strain on the ropes reached its peak.

The ship returned to the sea, but stayed nearby. The next day, a handful of crew members left the Lane aboard an "over the horizon " boata small inflatable boat the ship uses for interdictions and boardingsto return to Apia for a day of classroom exercises with Samoan law enforcement. That night, Lane set sail bound for Suva, Fiji, for a port call there to wait out the stormy weather before picking up Fijian ship riders and resuming operations.

Tesoniero said that it's all part of a process of trial and error as the Lane and its crew undertake a mission they never have before. The Lane and the rest of the Coast Guard's 270s have a long history in the Caribbean and Latin America doing Drug War missions for which they were designed, along with search-and-rescue operations. There's a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw on whenever a challenge comes along.

But Tesoniero said that in the Pacific "we're now at the point of everything we do, we're the first 270 to ever do it. It's the first 270 to ever cross the international dateline at 40-years-old."

As the Lane traverses the Pacific, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan is also making a series of visits to Pacific Island countries, meeting top officials. The Coast Guard is playing an increasingly key role in America's Pacific strategy as the U.S. competes with China for influence.

'Sustained presence'

Tesoniero runs the ship with both a sense of authority and a sense of humor, walking a fine line between being both a commander and shipmate as she leads a relatively small crew. A fully staffed 270 would have a crew of just over 100, but low recruitment and retention mean Lane relies on a revolving door of crew members and Coasties on temporary duty assignments to keep it running.

Over the course of her military career, Tesoniero has navigated both storms at sea on ships as well as the nuances of the halls of political power. She both taught at the Coast Guard Academy and did a stint on the staff of former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley at the Pentagon.

Now it's her job to lead Lane and its crew on a mission that top officials in Washington hope will breathe new life into America's Pacific engagement strategy. The Coast Guard has been working to increase its Pacific operations, with a major focus on outreach to Pacific Island nations as well as efforts to clamp down on illegal fishing.

Overfishing has become a hot topic, particularly in Oceania, where fishing vessels from around the world descend on the Pacific's " Tuna Belt " as fish stocks elsewhere see unprecedented depletion.

Some of the companies operating these vessels have been accused of flouting environmental regulations and underreporting their catches. By some estimates, as many as one in five fish sold in supermarkets may have been caught illegally. In 2020 the Coast Guard declared illegal, unreported and unregulated fishingwhich maritime agencies call IUUhad surpassed high-seas piracy as the top global maritime security threat.

Along with the environmental effects, overfishing has had economic and social consequencesat times sparking tension as fishermen from different countries compete for fish stocks. Around the world, fishermen struggling to bring in enough fish have at times turned to piracy, drug smuggling and other criminal enterprises as coastal areas suffer from the fallout.

The Coast Guard has increased its Pacific footprint significantly, replacing old vessels and expanding operations. In 2021 the Coast Guard held a historic triple commissioning ceremony when it brought three new fast -response cuttersthe Myrtle Hazard, Oliver Henry and Frederick Hatchto Santa Rita, Guam.

Then-Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz, now retired, flew from Washington, D.C., to Guam to preside over the occasion, telling attendees, "These FRCs are so capable that we bring expeditionary capability to the region that we haven't had before."

The FRC's are relatively small and nimble vessels that aim to replace the Coast Guard's previous Island Class patrol boats. Fast and maneuverable, they're able to visit small Pacific island ports that larger vessels wouldn't fit into.

Capt. Jennifer Conklin, a Hawaii-based officer in charge of the Coast Guard's Operation Blue Pacificwhich Lane is in the region to supportsaid that the FRCs "were kind of a game changer, they were just much more capable than our old patrol boats ... we were really able to maximize that capability."

But the small vessels are also limited in both how far and how long they can operate. While they can island hop, they struggle with sustained operations on the high seas, and a high operation tempo has strained the vessels. Some are in need of serious maintenance soon.

"What the Harriet Lane brings is that sustained presence that we really want, " said Conklin.

After the Cold War, the U.S. significantly scaled down both its diplomatic and military presence in Oceania to focus on interests elsewhere. But the Coast Guard has remained important, rescuing mariners in distress and doing patrols.

Many Pacific island nations lack navies or coast guards of their own to defend their waters and conduct search-and-rescue missions, and look to countries like the U.S. to help. Fiji, one of the few that does, has only six navy vessels to patrol its vast maritime territory and regularly looks to the U.S. for help.

Lt. Channing Meyer, who worked under Conklin on Operation Blue Pacific and is assigned to the Lane for the deployment, said, "We've always had a presence here as much as we can because the Coast Guard as an agency more closely resembles the needs for Oceania countries than let's say the Navy, Army, Air Force. We're worried about search and rescue, we're worried about marine and environmental response like oil spills, and mass rescue operations."

Lane's first Pacific deployment will ultimately see it traverse Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia, with port calls along the way, before it finally returns to Hawaii in April. It is expected to return to sea again this summer.

"If I were a lieutenant, this would be my first choice for an assignment, " Conklin said.

A 'stop gap'

While the Lane is the latest Coast Guard cutter assigned to the Pacific, it's also the service's oldest in the region. The aging 270s weren't meant for Pacific operations, and several crew members said that while the upgrades in Baltimore have made it possible for the Lane to make the voyage, the Pacific's vast distances push the platform to its limits.

One crew member said, "So much was done on it and you still worry something is going to (expletive ) explode."

But other crew members say they feel a deep connection to the ship. One crew member that works in the engineering section said, "I've put a lot of work into her, so I kind of have to."

The Coast Guard also has two Legend-class National Security Cutters based in Hawaii. They're among the service's largest and most advanced cutters, equipped with drones and advanced sensors. They have been deploying in the Western Pacific and up near Alaska, where they have operated in disputed waters standing off with Russian and Chinese forces and supporting the U.S. Navy.

But Tesoniero said that the smaller Lane is better suited for the relationship-building effort the Coast Guard seeks in Oceania and argued that in the region, "in a lot of senses, I think there there probably is something that comes with seeing a ship that's a little bit more weathered and looks the part of being 40 years old instead of something with sleek outlines."

Still, she said that ultimately the Lane is a "stop gap " until the service can send a newer, better medium-size ship to the Pacific.

"It's great that a 40-year-old ship can do it, (but ) I think that's 100 % on the backs of the crew, because of their desire to keep the ship in the condition that it is, " Tesoniero said.

The Coasties that operate the cutters are also facing challenges as demand grows in the Pacific. While Coast Guard brass said in early 2023 said they hoped to triple Pacific deployments in coming years, by December 2023 top commanders announced that low recruitment and retention meant they would have to close several stations and take several cutters off line due to a lack of personnel. That puts more work on those that remain.

The officers and crew work hard to keep up morale on the Lane. Tesoniero hosts regular trivia nights and other crew members host varied activities from karaoke and bingo to Dungeons & Dragons. They also have occasional ice cream socials, though one crew member commented after the Apia port call was cancelled that "if you haven't noticed yet, whenever something bad happens, we get ice cream."

As China makes inroads in the Pacific, U.S. officials have been trying to hastily reinvest in the region. Officials said they hope to see the Lane host a range of experts on board as it travels the region, to include civilians from other agencies to meet requests from Pacific island countries.

"I think that's where we have the advantages, you know, a willingness to dialogue and gain perspective on what the ask is, and then try and bring that to the table the best we can, " said Tesoniero. "From an organizational standpoint, we need to just throw everything we have into saying Harriet Lane is unique to this region, she's going to fill out this mission, (and ) we're going to equip it with the right people and the resources to make that happen."

"We have to find what our niche down here is, and I do think it's being able to work with these small countries that American society as a whole may be a little bit more ignorant towards, and just share that, 'look, it's not just a big blue space on the map', " Tesoniero said.

___

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BUDAPEST, Hungary  Hungarys parliament voted Monday to ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO, bringing an end to more than 18 months of delays that have frustrated the alliance as it seeks to expand in response to Russia's war in Ukraine.

The vote, which passed with 188 votes for and six against, came as a culmination of months of wrangling by Hungary's allies to convince its nationalist government to lift its block on Sweden's membership. The government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban submitted the protocols for approving Sweden's entry into NATO in July 2022, but the matter had stalled in parliament over opposition by governing party lawmakers.

Unanimous support among all NATO members is required to admit new countries, and Hungary is the last of the alliances 31 members to give its backing since Turkey ratified the request last month.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called it a historic day."

We stand ready to shoulder our share of the responsibility for NATOs security, Kristersson wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Orban, a right-wing populist who has forged close ties with Russia, has said that criticism of Hungary's democracy by Swedish politicians had soured relations between the two countries and led to reluctance among lawmakers in his Fidesz party.

But the vote on Monday removed the final membership hurdle for Sweden which, along with neighboring Finland, first applied to join the alliance in May 2022, just a few months after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Addressing lawmakers before the vote, Orban said: Sweden and Hungarys military cooperation and Swedens NATO accession strengthen Hungarys security.

Orban criticized Hungary's European Union and NATO allies for placing increased pressure on his government in recent months to move forward on bringing Sweden into the alliance.

Several people tried to intervene from the outside in the settling of our disputes (with Sweden), but this did not help but rather hampered the issue," Orban said. "Hungary is a sovereign country, it does not tolerate being dictated by others, whether it be the content of its decisions or their timing.

Last weekend, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators visited Hungary and announced it would submit a joint resolution to Congress condemning Hungarys alleged democratic backsliding and urging Orbans government to immediately lift its block on Swedens trans-Atlantic integration.

But on Friday, Ulf Kristersson, Sweden's prime minister, met with Orban in Hungary's capital where they appeared to reach a decisive reconciliation after months of diplomatic tensions.

Following their meeting, the leaders announced the conclusion of a defense industry agreement that will include Hungary's purchase of four Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripen jets and the extension of a service contract for its existing Gripen fleet.

Orban said the additional fighter jets will significantly increase our military capabilities and further strengthen our role abroad and will improve Hungarys ability to participate in joint NATO operations.

To be a member of NATO together with another country means we are ready to die for each other, Orban said. A deal on defense and military capacities helps to reconstruct the trust between the two countries.

Monday's vote on Sweden's NATO accession was just one matter on a busy agenda for lawmakers in the Hungarian parliament. A vote was also held on accepting the resignation of President Katalin Novak, who stepped down earlier this month in a scandal over her decision to pardon to a man convicted of covering up a string of child sexual abuses.

After accepting Novak's resignation, lawmakers are expected to confirm Tamas Sulyok, the president of Hungary's Constitutional Court, as the country's new president. He is set to formally take office on March 5.

Some opposition parties have said they will not participate in a vote to confirm a new president and have called for direct presidential elections. But Sulyok was nominated by Orban's Fidesz party, which has a two-thirds majority in parliament and is expected to easily approve his presidency.

A presidential signature is needed to formally endorse the approval of Sweden's NATO bid, which is expected within the next few days.
Stablecoin Market Capitalization Hits $138 Billion as Volume Grows by 4.5% this Month

The stablecoin market capitalization has soared 1.95% to hit $138 billion in February recording a fifth consecutive monthly growth since September 2023.

A new market report by cryptocurrency analytics firm CCData shows a stablecoin market capitalization and trading volume rise.

Stablecoin volume on CEXs rose 4.54% to $1.05tn in January, its highest level since December 2021. Notably, $FDUSD's market share continued to rise in January, reaching 15.6%, aided by the popularity of the BTC-FDUSD pair on Binance. Full Report: https://t.co/uR1uf3BuaZ pic.twitter.com/zs2LxbkFGz  CCData (@CCData_io) February 22, 2024

According to the release, the stablecoin market capitalization breached $138 billion as of February 16, with indices showing a stronger performance towards the end of the month.

The growth marks a fifth consecutive month increase since the end of Q3 2023 with high inflows into the cryptocurrency market. This inflow has pushed stablecoins to their highest point since the start of 2023.

At the same time, stablecoin trading volume grew in the first two months of 2024. Trading volumes hit 1.04 trillion in January, marking the highest volume point on centralized exchanges (CEX) since December 2021.

Stablecoin Dominance Plunge Continues



The report hinted at a higher figure this month as a result of $440 billion in trading volume recorded as of February 16. Although stablecoins saw increasing figures and activities, their overall market dominance plunged from 8.15% to 7.09% this month.

The decline in dominance in February is its sixth straight month of reduced overall market strength when compared with other cryptocurrencies. This came on the heels of the massive inflow into other cryptocurrencies, increasing their market cap to $1.97 trillion as institutional inflows came into the market.

Tether (USDT) maintains its lead on the stablecoin market with its market cap hitting $97.3 billion, a 1.23% rise in the last 30 days. This growth places USDT dominance at 70.6%, followed by USDC and DAI.

The market capitalization of USD Coin (USDC) rose for the third consecutive month, rising 5.34% to $26.9bn, recording the highest market capitalization since June 2023. Meanwhile, the market capitalization of First Digital USD (FDUSD) rose 12.5% to $2.44bn, recording a new all-time high for the stablecoin, the report noted.

CBDC Development Grows Alongside Stablecoin Market Capitalization



As the stablecoins market capitalization rose, use cases for Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) grew, with interest recorded in several jurisdictions.

Countries with existing pilot projects also explored new use cases. On January 31, the Bank of Japan held the first digital yen meeting, with more activities in other regions.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Central Bank announced plans to explore a CBDC to improve the countrys financial inclusion and complement cash use, with executives eyeing the end of 2024 as a potential launch date, the report added.

Several justifications have been given for CBDCs, including to improve cross-border payments amid the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies, in the past two years. However, many people and organizations have flagged privacy concerns in most CBDC models.

Last year, two European Union data privacy agencies warned of a possible risk involving CBDCs, fit example. Although government officials downplayed issues, policy watchers have also raised similar concerns globally.
Millions of U.S. veterans will be eligible beginning March 5 for health care with the Department of Veterans Affairs under an accelerated effort to provide benefits and services to those exposed to toxic substances while serving.

The VA announced Monday that all veterans who have served in a combat zone since the Vietnam War, as well as those who participated in training or operations and came into contact with hazardous materials, will be able to enroll in VA health care.

The expansion of health care benefits was mandated by the PACT Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in August 2022, which required the expansion to occur by 2032. VA officials said last month the acceleration is a result of a hiring blitz made possible by provisions in the law.

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"If you're a veteran who may have been exposed to toxins or hazards while serving our country, at home or abroad, we want you to come to us for the health care you deserve," VA Secretary Denis McDonough said Monday in a release.

Under the PACT Act, more than 100,000 veterans have enrolled in VA health care and roughly 760,000 disability claims have been approved. VA officials did not detail exactly how many veterans now will be eligible for care under the expansion but said the figure is in the "millions."

"Beginning March 5, we're making millions of veterans eligible for VA health care years earlier than called for by the PACT Act," VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal said. "We want to bring all of these veterans to VA for the care they've earned and deserve."

The expansion allows all veterans who deployed to combat zones in support of the Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars to enroll in VA health care.

In addition, veterans who never deployed but were exposed to pollutants while participating in a known "toxic exposure risk activity," or TERA, either in the U.S. or abroad, will be eligible.

That would include exposure while on active duty, active-duty training or inactive-duty training to: air pollutants from burn pits, particulate matter, sulfur or oil well fires; chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, contaminated water or depleted uranium from embedded shrapnel; occupational hazards such as lead, industrial solvents, toxic paint, asbestos and firefighting foam; radiation, including nuclear weapons handling, maintenance and detonation, X-rays and occupational exposure; and chemical or biological weapons or nerve agents.

According to the VA, the department will use service records and other resources to determine whether a veteran participated in a TERA.

Veterans are not required to have a service-connected disability or file a compensation claim to be eligible for VA care. New enrollees will have access to a toxic exposure screening provided by their primary care physician and may be referred to specialty care depending on need, Elnahal said during a call with reporters last month.

They also will be assessed for placement in the VA's priority-based health system and referred to the Veterans Benefits Administration if they qualify for additional benefits.

Priority group placement determines whether a veteran is required to make copayments for appointments or prescriptions, depending on treatment or the medications.

During a press conference Monday, Elnahal said that, by law, veterans receiving treatment for exposure-related illnesses will not make copayments for appointments related to that care.

"This is a real economic benefit opportunity for veterans but also a clinical benefit," Elnahal said.

The Veterans Health Administration has set a goal to hire 52,000 employees this fiscal year, which, when factoring in attrition, should grow its workforce by 3%. Elnahal said the increases could help to absorb new patients, meet demand and standardize -- or even improve -- wait times.

"Challenges abound with hiring for every single health care system, so we are not complacent at all," Elnahal said. "We're continuing to make the changes we need to make the hiring process better and faster."

The VA is encouraging veterans to apply for care or benefits by visiting the VA.gov/PACT website or calling 1-800-MYVA411.

Related: Millions of Vets Got Health Care and Benefits Under the PACT Act. Thousands Left Out Want the Same Chance.
ANTIOCH  A U.S. flag neatly folded and encased in the military room of this citys museum ended up there because, as the story went, it was draped around an Army soldier as he climbed on a helicopter from atop the U.S. Embassy in Saigon.

He was among the last American troops to leave Vietnam, he said, and brought the flag that kept him company during combat home with him.

The precious possession was later presented with great fanfare to the Antioch Historical Society during a Vietnam Veterans Appreciation barbecue fundraiser nine years ago, on the cusp of the 40th anniversary of the fall of Saigon.

We were so excited about it at the time. It seemed like a really good deal, recalled Laura Jacques, a longtime volunteer and past president of the Antioch Historical Society.

But the flag will now be removed from the wing of the museum where other decorated Antioch soldiers keepsakes are on display after records show it was probably never in Vietnam  and neither was the man who claimed to carry it.

Military records obtained by this newspaper show the flag-bearing former U.S. Army sergeant, Michael Thomas Greenawalt, was in fact stationed in Germany, working as a desk clerk during the Vietnam War.

While the records from the National Archives and Records Administration do not show the complete personnel file on his service from 1972 to 1985, not up for debate are historical records that say the U.S. Marines  not Army troops  were the last combat soldiers to evacuate the embassy by helicopter on April 30, 1975.

Greenawalt did not return calls or emails for comment. The longtime Antioch resident moved to a nearby county several years ago, available public records show.

But veterans and local historians who remember the lead up to the April 2015 barbecue fundraiser  which was documented by this news organization at the time  are now feeling a mixture of emotions over the new revelations.

Former museum volunteer and veteran Bill Fraga remembers being caught off-guard by the donation at the time, but the board was later excited to get it. Greenawalt, then-commander of the Antioch American Legion post, approached Fraga during a barbecue planning meeting just days before the event offering his prized memento, he said.

He told a story that he had the flag around his neck when he left and got out of there, Fraga recalled. It was one of the last flags (to leave Vietnam).

Fraga didnt think to question it, given Greenawalts status with the local American Legion.

During the event, Greenawalt retold the tale of leaving the U.S. Embassys rooftop with the flag around his neck  the same one he had carried with him during his entire stay in Vietnam, he said.

Its one that I had with me that I brought from home. I had the flag with me in the country the whole time, he was quoted as saying in an East Bay Times article.

When a reporter asked him why he decided to donate it, he said: It just seemed right at the time and I did it.

Greenawalt, who joined the service while living in Riverside, told those assembled at the 2015 veterans barbecue that he had served in a special unit, part of the Army Special Forces from 1972 to 1975.

But a tipster raised questions about Greenawalts service, which led to this newspapers review of his records.

I feel like he played everybody there that day, said Fraga, an Army veteran who did not serve in Vietnam. If I had been a combat veteran, I would have been really upset, and as it is, Im upset because he did that.

Getting this respect for something you didnt do just aint right, Fraga added.

J.R. Wilson, founder of the Delta Veterans Group, whose group benefited from the fundraiser barbecue, remembers being surprised by the late-minute flag donation and later questioning Greenawalts war story. Wilson said in an interview he didnt raise the issue then and never spoke again with Greenawalt, who moved out of the area shortly thereafter.

Wilson finds it upsetting to think about the stars and badges on the American Legion honor guard uniform Greenawalt wore back then. They signified a senior jumpmaster with two gold stars during combat, a combat infantry badge and pathfinder torch badge symbolizing flight and airborne capabilities and a Vietnam campaign ribbon, among other badges.

He added that nearly half of Greenawalts uniform badges seen in photos from a past newspaper article appeared to be unearned. As commander of Antioch VFW Post 4551, Wilson is tasked with examining such records regularly.

A clerk is not an infantryman, nor does he get combat infantry badges, he said. Its pretty sad that someone would want to impersonate a hero.

Even so, Wilson said Greenawalt has the right to prove people wrong by submitting a DD-214 (military discharge papers), though that could lead to more questions.

Autrey James, past commander of Antiochs American Legion who took office just after Greenawalt vacated it, didnt recall the flag story but did remember Greenawalts mention of serving in Vietnam. To be a member of the American Legion, you only need to serve one day of active duty, he said.

If I had heard that (flag) story, I would have challenged him on that, James said.

The Antioch museum plans to remove the flag.

I guess well have to look into things a little more before we display them. Well have to do some more research, Jacques said. Usually, we have some connection and know that things are on the up and up.

2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The Mississippi National Guard has identified two Guardsmen who died Friday in an AH-64 Apache helicopter crash in the northern part of the state.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Bryan Andrew Zemek, 36, was in Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment, and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Derek Joshua Abbott, 42, was in Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 151st Lakota Medical Evacuation unit, according to the National Guard.

"Jill and I mourn the loss of two Mississippi National Guardsmen," President Joe Biden said in a statement Saturday. "Our prayers are with their families, units, and the entire Mississippi National Guard at this incredibly difficult time."

Read Next: Active-Duty Airman Dies After Setting Himself on Fire in Protest Outside of Israeli Embassy

"We will continue to keep our solemn promise to care for their families," Biden added. "Just as they were faithful to our nation."

The crash occurred during a routine, daytime training mission amid clear weather conditions. The incident is still under investigation, and it may take weeks before a cause is identified.

Zemek, who was from Oxford, Mississippi, is survived by his wife and three kids. His awards include four Army Commendation Medals and the Senior Army Aviator Badge.

Abbott, a native of Fulton, Mississippi, is survived by his wife and three children. An Iraq War veteran, Abbott's awards include the Air Medal with a Valor device and numeral 2, three Army Commendation Medals, the Senior Army Aviator Badge, and Combat Action Badge.

"With a heavy heart, let us all always remember the bravery and courage of the men and women in our armed forces," Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves told reporters Saturday.

It was the latest in a string of fatal military helicopter incidents in recent years. In April, the Army grounded all of its aircraft after a crash involving two Black Hawks out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, killed nine soldiers in one of the deadliest training incidents in the service's history.

Earlier this month, a Utah National Guard AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed near Salt Lake City. In a rarity for aviation crashes, the two pilots survived.

The military has grappled with rotary-wing aircraft mishaps, but the Army National Guard in particular has had a large number of incidents over the past decade, with at least 28 of its troops killed in helicopter crashes as of April, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.

The National Guard has issues maintaining its aircraft and allotting proper flight time for its pilots, with many of those aviation units being largely manned by part-time troops. In addition to making up much of the aviation support and air power abroad, the Guard heavily relies on helicopters for domestic missions, including disaster relief and search and rescue.

Related: National Guard Apache Helicopter Crashes in Mississippi Killing Two Crew Members
The Department of Veterans Affairs will not move forward with covering gender-affirmation surgery for transgender veterans while it studies the effects of a sweeping law that expanded VA eligibility to millions of veterans, VA Secretary Denis McDonough confirmed Monday.

McDonough did not rule out proceeding with covering gender-affirmation surgery after the PACT Act analysis is done. But the move further delays the availability of a treatment that transgender veterans have been eagerly anticipating since McDonough first announced the VA would provide it two and a half years ago -- a year before the PACT Act became law.

"We're not ready at this point to initiate rulemaking" to cover gender-affirmation surgeries, McDonough told reporters at his monthly press briefing. "VA has moved methodically ... in its consideration of this important potential change in coverage because it must be implemented in a manner that's been thoroughly considered and ensures that the services made available to vets meet VA's rigorous standards for consistent, high-quality health care nationwide.

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McDonough has said for months that the policy on gender-affirmation surgery was on his desk, but previously did not elaborate on what outstanding questions he had.

Now, McDonough is saying the PACT Act's expansion of VA eligibility to millions of veterans means the department has to do further analysis of how many transgender veterans will newly enroll in VA health care and what services they will need.

The analysis, being led by VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal, is expected to take "several months," after which McDonough promised he will be "prepared to dig into it."

"While we're considering this for further analysis, VA will continue to provide all other types of gender-affirming care to veterans," McDonough added. "To all LGBTQ+ veterans and to all veterans, I just want to be 100% clear that VA is 100% committed to providing you world-class care and a safe, welcoming and discrimination-free environment. Every veteran and every VA employee should feel respected and treated with dignity at VA."

McDonough announced in June 2021 the department would cover gender-affirmation surgeries for transgender veterans, part of a flurry of moves in the early days of the Biden administration to signal support for LGBTQ+ Americans.

The PACT Act, meant to expand health care and benefits to veterans exposed to toxins during their military service, was signed into law in August 2022.

McDonough's June 2021 announcement kicked off a formal rulemaking process, a way to change federal regulations that can sometimes take years. At the time of McDonough's announcement, the VA said it expected the rulemaking process for transgender surgeries to take about two years.

The decision not to move forward for now on covering gender-affirmation surgery was first disclosed in a filing by the VA in a lawsuit brought by transgender veterans.

The lawsuit from the Transgender American Veterans Association, or TAVA, sought to force the VA to respond to a petition first filed in 2016 calling on the department to cover gender-affirmation surgery. The VA's Thursday filing in the lawsuit said the department formally denied the petition, citing the PACT Act analysis, and called for the lawsuit to be dismissed.

In a statement Monday, TAVA expressed disappointment in McDonough's decision but vowed to continue fighting for coverage of surgeries.

"Secretary McDonough has broken his promise to transgender veterans to provide life-saving, doctor-prescribed, transition-related surgical care and denied our petition to initiate the rulemaking process that has been ostensibly in the works behind the scenes for the last three years," TAVA said. "We will not let trans veterans lose hope. This fight is not over!"

While the VA is citing the PACT Act for the indefinite delay, it comes at a time when Republicans have been trying to restrict transgender health care, including at the VA. House Republicans' initial version of the 2024 VA spending bill, which has yet to be passed into law, would ban the VA from providing gender-affirmation surgery or hormone therapy for transgender veterans.

Alluding to the GOP efforts, Democratic lawmakers expressed frustration at McDonough's decision to deny the petition.

"I had hoped VA would be the leader in this space, instead of giving into the extreme conservative wing of the Republican Party, who may be the loudest but are not representative of our country," Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said in a statement Monday. "The secretary gave me his word this would happen during his nomination process. I am extremely frustrated that it has taken three years for VA to make this disappointing decision."

Related: Yearslong Delay in Covering Transgender Surgeries Prompts Lawsuit Against VA
Jennifer Barnhill is a columnist for Military.com writing about military families.

"9/11 happened, and all of a sudden everything changed," said Erin Whitehead, who spent decades as a military spouse while her husband pursued a career in the Marine Corps. "It became a much different life, much harder."

The surge of military activity that followed the attack on New York and Washington, D.C., leading to years of conflict in the Middle East would strain families as deployments and casualties mounted. But this national tragedy also sparked a sense of purpose for those in the military community.

"We'd all go to different people's houses for dinner every night because we needed to be together. It made it survivable," said Whitehead. "We became family."

Before marrying my husband, I imagined the military was what I saw in movies -- soldiers clutching rifles, ready to storm a beachhead, terrified but in it together. I knew the lifestyle was hard, but I had no idea that as a military spouse, I too would undergo a parallel bonding experience on the home front. And in speaking to others, it seemed my experience was not unique. Our shared suffering bonds military spouses to each other and the military lifestyle, if we let it.

Research shows that military spouses who feel a sense of belonging within the military community have a greater sense of overall well-being. However, building these sustaining relationships is challenging for military families who have to move away from relatives and friends and leave new connections every two to three years.

While basic training and deployments help service members develop strong, new ties and feelings of connectedness, military spouses are left on their own to find a sense of belonging.

"None of this stuff had been scripted," said Kathleen Palmer, an Army spouse who was living in Germany after 9/11.

Although there was a push to support families in the years following Sept. 11, the existing infrastructure was not prepared to deal with the post-9/11 operations tempo that saw troops away from home for extended periods. Palmer was lucky that a more senior Army spouse took it upon herself to build a community at the German base.

"There was nothing," she recalled. "And so, she actually reached out and  brought in every spouse no matter what, and that, to me, set the tone."

Palmer, who has moved 15 times over the 27 years she has been an Army spouse, said that often only other military spouses understand the pressures.

"At the end of the day, very few people are walking in our shoes, and I think that we have to really embrace everybody who's in the shoes," she said.

When that community isn't easily accessible to military families, it can severely increase the burden of service.

Jenny Lynne Stroup, deputy director of Hiring Our Heroes and a Navy spouse of 15 years, had a welcoming first experience, witnessing senior military spouses form a tight-knit community when her husband served on the USS George H.W. Bush. But when he was assigned to duty in New York City in 2013 after a tour in Afghanistan, none of the same resources and support were available, thrusting their family into a particularly trying adjustment period.

"That really set us up very poorly to function as a family," Stroup said. "It was the first time all four of us had lived together under one roof for more than like a week at a time.  We fell through the cracks."

It would have been easy for Stroup to turn this perceived abandonment into resentment, but instead, she chose to try to recreate her first positive experience. When she made civilian friends, she seized the opportunity to educate them about military life.

But not everyone has the same positive first impressions to rely on.

"The reserve is totally different; you don't have that family community," said Natalie Ealy, a Marine Corps spouse of 23 years whose husband now serves on active duty.

Part-time service means that troops are drawn from a wide range of communities, augmenting the fighting force. It also means that reserve families often aren't embedded within a military community. Ealy didn't know what she had been missing until her husband was on active duty.

"I remember when we were stationed in Hawaii, and he went to Afghanistan, it was just a bad day. I walked in, and my neighbor right away was like, 'So, I ordered pizza and you're gonna come over for a glass of wine.'  [Military spouses] just get it without you even needing to say anything."

But what helped spouses whose partners entered service before or shortly after 9/11 feel a sense of belonging may no longer resonate with younger military spouses.

"It used to be when spouses were low, we would hear things like 'bloom where you're planted,' and 'it's all an adventure'," said Corie Weathers, an Army spouse and author of "Military Culture Shift: The Impact of War, Money, and Generational Perspective on Morale, Retention, and Leadership."

According to Weathers, when Boomers and Gen-Xers share those comments, it is because they likely found friends and community support that made otherwise negative experiences more tolerable. They reinforce the idea that military life is worth it because for them it was.

"Then you've got millennials that are like, 'Hey, guys, you said this was gonna be great, but this is really hard,'" said Weathers.

When Sarah Curtis, an Air Force spouse of four years, shared her worries about having her first child without her husband around with senior spouses, she was shut down.

"I feel like I can't talk about my negative experiences because someone's always had it worse," she said. Instead of immediately rejecting the military community, she turned inward, writing a book of poems on the topic. She also focused on improving communication within her marriage.

"If we are not, like, fully in sync on the same page about things, it's a lot easier for me to be mad and resentful," she said.

According to Weathers, millennials value spending time with family more than previous generations, making time apart from service members more impactful. However, the financial stability the military provides new recruits in the current economic climate may offset some negative impacts.

"I get to stay home because of the benefits that the military has offered us," said Faith Morales, whose husband enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2018 and went on active duty in 2022. Early in her military experience, Morales struggled to find child care for their two-year-old and decided to stay home. "It's so nice to have a choice. Because I feel like, before this, I didn't have a choice."

Military spouses are diverse, as are their experiences and what makes this life worth it. However, what was true of all generations of spouses I spoke to was an eventual acceptance of the lifestyle, the good with the bad.

"I think coming to terms with the Army, and its mistress-like presence, actually has helped me," said Palmer. "You have to stop fighting it at some point and embrace it. And it's not for everybody."

What made military life "worth it" was more often than not a byproduct of military life -- friendships and personal growth vs. a direct benefit provided by the military such as health care.

"You're always going to be waiting for the next thing. Waiting for your next move. Waiting for them to come home. Or just waiting until you get out," said Curtis. "Finding happiness and finding joy has to be a choice. You're asking me on a good day. So, definitely, this life is worth it."

-- In addition to her reporting, Jennifer Barnhill is the host of Military Dinner Table Conversations, a monthly reverse town hall with military families. She is a 2023 Bush Institute StandTo Veteran Leadership Program Scholar, the editor-in-chief of the National Military Spouse Network's Career Connections Magazine, and the military spouse liaison on The League of Wives Memorial Project.
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At the start of World War II, Nazi Germany had a long lead in building atomic weapons. It was German scientists who discovered nuclear fission and its energy potential. The United States only began its nuclear program, the Manhattan Project, in earnest when it entered World War II. The U.S. had no idea how far along the Germans were, but assumed the Nazis were pursuing a nuclear weapon as well.

Neither side would end up completing an atomic bomb while the war in Europe raged, but the Allies were determined to stymie Nazi projects at every opportunity. One critical installation to the Nazi atomic bomb effort was the Vemork Norsk Hydro hydrogen electrolysis plant in occupied Norway. Vemork was producing heavy water, a critical component for nuclear chain reactions -- which meant Vemork had to be destroyed.

To neutralize the Vemork plant, the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) would send two gliders filled with commandos into Norway as part of Operation Freshman in November 1942; tragically, those men would be captured, tortured and killed. But in February 1943, the Allies tried yet again to sabotage the Nazis atomic bomb effort in a mission known as Operation Gunnerside.

I was a training officer in sabotage and demolition up in Aviemore before I got the first message from London saying I had been picked to lead an operation in Norway, Joakhim Ronneberg, the commander of Operation Gunnerside, noted in Behind the Lines: The Oral History of Special Operations in World War II. They never mentioned nuclear weapons, they just mentioned heavy water They never told me what it was used for.

Ronneberg would lead Norwegian commandos as they parachuted into the wilderness, skied their way to a hydropower plant, infiltrated the heavily guarded cliffside facility via a ravine, and destroyed its heavy water stockpile. In doing so, they effectively set back Nazi atomic bomb program far enough so the Germans would never be able to build one.

Joachim Ronneberg, right, at a mountainside briefing for the mission to destroy the Nazi-controlled hydroelectric plant in Telemark, southern Norway. (National Library of Norway)

The chain reaction of events that led to Operation Gunnerside actually began five years earlier. In 1938, German chemists Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann discovered that bombarding certain elements with neutrons caused them to split. Bombarding uranium, it turned out, would release high amounts of energy when its nucleus was split in two. Physicists Lise Meitner and Otto Robert Frisch figured out what was happening and gave the process a name: nuclear fission.

It didnt take long before these brilliant scientists figured out the atoms could be split again and again in a chain reaction that, when controlled in a nuclear reactor, could create large amounts of energy. If left uncontrolled, it could be wielded as a destructive weapon.

The problem for the rest of the world was that Hahn and Strassmann worked at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin, which had been under the control of the Nazi regime for nearly five years. In less than a year from their discovery, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler would plunge the continent into a new world war. One of the ways he might win that war was being the first to develop an atomic weapon.

To make such a device, the Nazis had to create a sustained chain reaction. Fission is achieved by bombarding uranium atoms with neutrons, but the neutrons need to be slowed down to make them efficient enough to achieve a critical mass. The substance used to slow neutrons is whats referred to in nuclear physics as a moderator.

For their moderator, German scientists researched using heavy water, which is different from regular water in that the hydrogen isotope is replaced by deuterium, which makes the substance literally heavier than normal water. While heavy water can be found in nature, it is usually mass-produced for nuclear experimentation and use in nuclear reactors. So when the Allies discovered the Germans were producing heavy water during World War II, they figured it could only mean one thing: The Nazis were trying to build a nuclear bomb.

The Vemork hydrogen electrolysis plant in Norway was the perfect place to create heavy water, which requires a significant amount of energy to produce. The facility was already a hydroelectric power plant, so the Germans could just create and store heavy water there until it was ready to use.

The Vemork Hydroelectric Power Plant, still standing in 1947. (National Library of Norway)

The idea of Hitler having a bomb that could destroy an entire city was not taken lightly in London. To derail the German nuclear program, the British SOE devised a plan that would destroy the Vemork plant. As part of Operation Grouse, the SOE planted an advance team of Norwegian commandos in the nearby wilderness to assess German defenses and guide the commando team to the plant during the next phase of the plan -- except the Grouse commandos didnt know what the next phase of the plan would be.

SOE then devised Operation Freshman, a force of combat engineers from the British 1st Airborne Division who were to be flown into Norway by two Halifax bombers, each towing two gliders. Once in position, they would assault the front gate of the plant and destroy the facility and its heavy water before escaping overland into Sweden. It would have been the second-longest glider tow ever attempted, if it had succeeded.

On Nov. 19, 1942, the Freshman mission failed to land any troops in the area, as adverse weather downed one of the Halifax tugs and its two gliders. The other Halifax tug lost a glider when its cable snapped, and it was forced to return to base. If there were any survivors of the crashes, they were captured and then likely tortured and executed by the Gestapo.

A new attempt was made when the SOE realized its Grouse personnel were still operational near the Vemork plant. The new operation was codenamed Gunnerside. Instead of sending in glider troops, the Norwegian commandos would parachute into the wilderness and ski to the plant. Once in the area, they would sneak into the plant instead of fighting their way in. By the time the Germans knew theyd been assaulted, the SOE hoped, it would be too late to save the heavy water.

We had less than three weeks to prepare, to plan our retreat to Sweden, choose the route, get hold of all the maps and intelligence about the target, said Ronneberg.

The Gunnerside troops faced the same danger as those from Freshman: Hitlers standing order was that all commandos captured by German troops would be interrogated and killed without remorse. Before the Gunnerside mission began, the Norwegian commander handed out suicide capsules to the men involved.

I cannot tell you why this mission is so important, but if you succeed, it will live in Norways memory for a hundred years, Norwegian Royal Army Colonel Leif Tronstad reportedly told the commandos at the time, according to Assault in Norway: Sabotaging the Nazi Nuclear Program.

Reenactors recreate the Gunnerside mission in Rjukan, Norway.

The Vemork hydrogen electrolysis plant was a tough nut to crack. It sat on the top of a steep hillside and was surrounded by a deep ravine that acted like a moat, defending its walls. There was one bridge connecting the facility to the rest of the area.

On Feb. 27, 1943, six Norwegians parachuted in to meet the Grouse members who were waiting for them. The 11-man group made their way to the Vemork plant under the cover of extreme weather and crossed the ravine by climbing into it and then up the steep plant walls.

Conditions were very nice when we landed, Ronneberg said of the mission in Behind the Lines. But during the day, they just got worse  before night was over, it was a real blizzard.

For months before the raid, Norwegian resistance operatives had provided the men with maps of the plant, guard positions and routines to allow the members of the commando unit to access Vemork without being detected.

We left our advance base at about 8 p.m., Ronneberg recalled. We started on skis, but were forced to continue on foot. It was steep country and we sank up to our waists in snow  we began a steep and slippery descent into the river [at the bottom of the ravine] at 10 p.m. It would be another 2 hours before the guards shift change and the next phase of the operation.

After climbing up a sheer rock face for 150 yards to the Vemork railway line, the commandos waited until the guard moved and then advanced, breaking entry through two locked gates. The commandos entered the building itself through a cable tunnel, but the demolition team had been separated in the search for an entry point. Ronneberg and his partner decided to continue the mission. They took down a guard and entered the heavy water storage room.

My colleague kept watch over the guard, who seemed frightened but was otherwise quiet and obedient, said Ronneberg. I began to place the charges, which went quickly and easily  I had half the charges placed when I heard a crash of broken glass behind me.

The crash came from the other two members of the demolition team. Unable to find an entrance, they, too, forced their way into the heavy water room. They placed the rest of the charges, double-checked their work and told the guard to run for cover.

I remember telling him to keep his mouth open, otherwise he would damage his eardrums, Ronneberg said. He did, because I spoke to him two years later and his hearing was all right.

The commandos then left the building, all without firing a shot. The clandestine team was 20 yards from their entry point when the explosions went off. When the sentry at the gate left his post to respond, the Norwegians went back into the night and left the ravine the way they came in. They split up and individually skied to neutral Sweden before heading onto their Norwegian units in Britain. Amazingly, no lives were lost.

Ronneberg and his fellow commandos became international heroes following Operation Gunnerside, with their daring raid celebrated in various media like the 1965 film The Heroes of Telemark, starring Kirk Douglas as a fictionalized mission commander. Ronnenberg would become among the most decorated war heroes in Norwegian military history.

Veterans of Operation Gunnerside, including Joachim Ronneberg (left), meet King Haakon VII of Norway at the premiere of the 1948 film 'Operation Swallow: The Battle for Heavy Water' in Oslo. ( Leif rnelund/Oslo Museum)

While Operation Gunnerside may have delayed Nazi Germanys heavy water production, it didnt fully destroy its capabilities. The Nazis resumed heavy water production at Vemork not long after the raid, and the power plant would become the target of many daytime Allied bomber missions for the rest of the war, most having little effect.

The United States would test the first-ever nuclear fission bomb in July 1945, two months after World War II in Europe ended. This test, called Trinity, used readily available graphite as a moderator, instead of heavy water. The U.S. military would quickly develop operational atomic bombs, deploying two against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 and ushering about the end of the war in the Pacific.

The first time I heard about atom bombs and heavy water was after the Americans dropped the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Ronnenberg recalled in a 2015 profile in The New York Times. Then we started to understand our raid and why.

It was only after the war that the Allies learned Germany was never close to building an atomic weapon and had only done preliminary research. But the threat of such a weapon in Hitlers arsenal was enough to spur the Allies to action, and the raid on Vemork may have set the Nazis back just enough to keep it out of Hitlers reach.



Ronnenberg, who died in October 2018 at age 99, certainly believed so. Without Operation Gunnerside, he told The New York Times, London could have ended up looking like Hiroshima.

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Lower Allen Township Police are looking for this woman in connection with an under-ringing theft at Weis Markets on six separate occasions between November 2023 and February 2024.
The Cardinals and shortstop Brandon Crawford reportedly have mutual interest. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle mentioned earlier today that the Cards were believed to have interest in Crawford, though she also reports that theres an A.L. West club in the mix. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch confirmed that the Cards are interested in Crawford and relayed that the interest is mutual.

Last week, it was reported that the Cards were looking for some extra shortstop depth, with Crawford, Nick Ahmed and Elvis Andrus mentioned as speculative fits. Ahmed signed a minor league deal with the Giants earlier today, removing one option the Cardinals could have considered.

Crawford, 37, has spent his entire career with the Giants thus far. The Bay Area native was drafted by them in 2008 and made it to the majors by 2011, winning the World Series with them in 2012 and 2014.

Over the past decade-plus, hes had many good years but is coming off a couple of frustrating campaigns. In 2021, he hit a career-high 24 home runs and slashed .298/.373/.522 for a wRC+ of 140. Along the way, the club signed him to a two-year, $32MM extension so that he wouldnt reach the open market. Though that deal kept a franchise icon on the roster, it didnt work out especially well for them.

Crawford spent time on the injured list in 2022 due to knee issues and hit just nine home runs in 118 games. Hit batting line dipped to .231/.308/.344, leading to a wRC+ of 88. His defense also may have slipped, depending on your favored metric. Outs Above Average still had him at +7 but Defensive Runs Saved put a -6 on him.

Last year, things got even worse. There were IL trips due to a right calf strain, left knee inflammation, a left forearm strain and a right hamstring strain. He got into only 94 contests and mustered a tepid batting line of .194/.273/.314. The defensive metrics were split again, with Crawford posting +6 OAA but -14 DRS.

Up until today, a return to the Giants would have been somewhat plausible. That club is slated to have rookie Marco Luciano as its regular shortstop, making it sensible that Crawford could have been brought back as a backup/insurance policy/veteran mentor. But the signing of Ahmed seems to make that less likely and may push Crawford out of San Francisco for the first time in his career.

St. Louis is also set to turn over the shortstop job to a rookie, with Masyn Winn slated for the lions share of playing time for the Cards. He has just 37 games of big league experience so far and hit just .172/.230/.238 in that time. The primary fallback option would be Tommy Edman, though hes penciled in as the clubs everyday center fielder and is also working back from undergoing arthroscopic wrist surgery in October. Utility player Brendan Donovan underwent flexor tendon surgery in August of last year. Jose Fermin is also on the roster but doesnt have much of a track record in the majors or even at Triple-A.

Given the state of the depth chart at shortstop, bringing in another option would make sense. Perhaps playing in a part-time role would allow Crawford more opportunity to stay healthy and productive. Or even if he doesnt play much, he could serve as a mentor and share his accumulated wisdom with Winn, who hasnt even turned 22 years old yet. Given his struggles over the past two years, he likely wouldnt cost much, if hes even able to secure a guaranteed roster spot.
OXFORD, MI  Students and staff were sent home early from Oxford High School today after an emailed bomb threat raised safety concerns, police said.

Law enforcement was dispatched to the school and commenced a search, which focused on the parking lot, the Detroit Free Press reports. No explosives were found, and the threat was determined to be a hoax. It came from outside the building.

The school first went into lockdown at 10 a.m. By 11 a.m., students and staff had been dismissed for the day, the report said. An eighth-grade student parent night scheduled for today was also postponed.

The Oxford community is still recovering from the Nov. 30, 2021, mass shooting at the high school by then-15-year-old Ethan Crumbley. Crumbley was a student at the school and opened fire, killing four students, and wounding seven others. He pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism; he is serving a mandatory life sentence. His mother, Jennifer Crumbley, was recently convicted of involuntary manslaughter. His father, James Crumbley, is expected to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter next week.

RELATED: Jennifer Crumbley, mother of Michigan school shooter, found guilty
CHICAGO (AP)  An Illinois judge who sparked outrage by reversing a mans rape conviction involving a 16-year-old girl has been removed from the bench after a judicial oversight body found he circumvented the law and engaged in misconduct.

The Illinois Courts Commission removed Adams County Judge Robert Adrian from the bench Friday after it held a three-day hearing in Chicago in November on a compliant filed against Adrian.

Its decision says Adrian engaged in multiple instances of misconduct and abused his position of power to indulge his own sense of justice while circumventing the law.

The commission could have issued a reprimand, censure or suspension without pay, but its decision said it had ample grounds for immediately removing Adrian from the bench in western Illinois Adams County.

In October 2021, Adrian had found then 18-year-old Drew Clinton of Taylor, Michigan, guilty of sexual assaulting a 16-year-old girl during a May 2021 graduation party.

The state Judicial Inquiry Board filed a complaint against Adrian after the judge threw out Clintons conviction in January 2022, with the judge saying that the 148 days Clinton had spent in jail was punishment enough.

The complaint said Adrian had acknowledged he was supposed to impose the mandatory four-year sentence against Clinton, but that he would not send him to prison. That is not just, Adrian said at the sentencing hearing, according to court transcripts. I will not do that.

Clinton was accused of sexually assaulting Cameron Vaughan. The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they were sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly.

Vaughan told The Associated Press in November, when she was 18, that Adrians reversal of Clintons verdict left her completely shocked but determined to oust the judge. She attended the November commission proceedings with family, friends and supporters.

After Adrian threw out Clintons conviction, Vaughan said that the judge told the court this is what happens whenever parents allow teenagers to drink alcohol, to swim in pools with their undergarments on, she recounted in an account supported by a court transcript of the January 2022 hearing.

Adrians move sparked outrage in Vaughns hometown of Quincy, Illinois, and beyond, with the prosecutor in the case saying that her heart is bleeding for the victim.

Vaughan told the Chicago Tribune following Fridays decision removing Adrian that she was very happy that the commission could see all the wrong and all the lies that he told the entire time. Im so unbelievably happy right now. He cant hurt anybody else. He cant ruin anyone elses life.

When reached by phone Friday, Adrian told the Chicago Tribune that the commissions decision to remove him is totally a miscarriage of justice. I did what was right. Ive always told the truth about it.

Adams County court records show that Clintons guilty verdict was overturned because prosecutors had failed to meet the burden of proof to prove Clinton guilty.

But in Fridays decision, the commission wrote that it found Adrians claim that he reversed his guilty finding based on his reconsideration of the evidence and his conclusion that the State had failed to prove its case to be a subterfuge  respondents attempt to justify the reversal post hoc.

Clinton cannot be tried again for the same crime under the Fifth Amendment. A motion to expunge Clintons record was denied in February 2023.
YPSILANTI, MI - A historic brick building in downtown Ypsilanti dating back more than century could be getting a new neighbor.

A planning and real estate development company that is also working to restore the Centennial Plaza building at 124 Pearl St. proposes to build a new six-story building in a parking lot immediately to the north, off Washington Street.

For developers with J29:7 Planning and Development Corp., the project got its start as they were looking to launch their headquarters in Ypsilanti, said its CEO Derric Scott.

They learned the Centennial building, originally built in 1922 as the Huron Hotel, was up for sale but there werent any potential buyers interested in preserving it as office space for more than two-dozen local businesses and community groups, including the Ypsi Alehouse on the ground floor, he said.

Outside Ypsi Alehouse at the Centennial Plaza building, 124 Pearl St. in Ypsilanti on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com

Our No. 1 priority was, consistent with our philosophy as a development group, how do we ensure that existing businesses and residents are not being displaced? Scott said.

As J29:7 looked at the costs of purchasing and restoring Centennial Plaza, which includes a parking lot and an adjacent carriage house home to a jewelry store, it became difficult to justify the investment, Scott said. So the developers turned their attention next door.

We saw the vacant lot as an opportunity to say, could we increase density on the site because the citys master plan calls for it and there once was a building there, so could we potentially put something back here and address this affordable housing issue that we continue to hear, Scott said.

Thats led to the proposal being developed now, for a new building at 136 N. Washington St. that would house 60 studio and one-bedroom apartments in its upper five floors, one level of underground parking and a ground floor with building amenities and retail space, according to plans submitted to the city.

A conceptual rendering from Myefski Architects shows a proposed six-story development at 136 N. Washington St. in downtown Ypsilanti, a project from J29:7 Planning and Development Corp.Myefski Architects, Provided by J29:7 Planning and Development Corp.

Recognizing Ypsilanti residents have consistently voiced concerns over housing accessibility and affordability in recent years, the units are proposed as workforce housing, Scott said.

The building would aim to serve teachers, firefighters, hospital workers and others who J29:7 is learning commute as much as 50 miles a day for jobs in the Ypsilanti area, he said.

The exact level of affordability levels are still fluid, but developers are hoping to move forward with units targeted at people making 60% to 80% of the area median income, he said. That translates into annual income of roughly $52,000 to $69,000 under current figures for a one-person household.

The project has won some $3 million in grant money from the Michigan Economic Development Corporations Revitalization and Placemaking Program thats helping integrate the affordability component, Scott said.

J29:7 also intends to pursue brownfield funding that could restrict some of the units supporting by the money for tenants of lower incomes, he said.

Read more: Plans for more affordable housing in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti get state funding boost

The project was initially slated to go before the Ypsilanti Planning Commission on Feb. 21 but was pulled from the agenda before the meeting. City planning staff noted a number of noncompliant items with city code in their written review.

Scott said some of the issues stem from parts of the city regulations that are outdated, noting he believes the project would be some of the first residential development in the downtown area in decades.

The problems are surmountable, he said, but the concern is the state funding comes with a certain timeline that developers must meet for the project.

We certainly want to work with the city to make sure that we have the right project, but it may not be possible for us to continue to move forward if we lose our funding source, he said.

The Centennial Plaza building, 124 Pearl St. in Ypsilanti on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 and the parking lot located at 136 N. Washington Street that is proposed as the site for a new six-story development.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com

The project is not currently scheduled to go back before the planning commission, but city planners are working with J29:7 to find a future date for site plan approval, city Economic Development and Equity Coordinator Katie Jones said in an email.

In the meantime, Scotts development group has already completed interior improvements to the neighboring Centennial Plaza building and is preparing to begin facade and brick restoration work. Later this year, a substantial amount of exterior and energy efficiency improvements are planned, he said.

Residents will also be able to help shape the proposed new building next door.

Scott said he anticipates J29:7 will launch a community engagement process in the coming weeks, to invite residents to collaborate in deciding what kind of tenant would occupy the retail space and how the site should look. Community members can fill out an online form to stay apprised of opportunities to participate.

There are a lot of elements that we want to invite the community to help us design, he said. In our opinion, this is the communitys project, so we want to be really thoughtful about how it unfolds.

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YPSILANTI, MI - Ron Flowers wants everyone to feel comfortable talking about mental health struggles, even when its hard. He knows from experience how vital it can be.

The Eastern Michigan University professor lost his son Dan, who struggled with mental illness. On the outside, Dan thrived as a National Merit Scholar, an accomplished wrestler and performer in jazz bands. On the inside, Dan dealt with anxiety, panic attacks and alcohol abuse.

It made me ask what could we have done, Flowers said.

Flowers wants the topic of mental health out in the open, and is working with university leaders and faculty to create classrooms with compassion.

As head of the universitys Department of Leadership and Counseling, Flowers secured a $50,000 grant from the Flinn Foundation, which aims to improve the quality, scope and delivery of mental health services in Michigan, according to the foundations website.

The grant will help with the campus-wide task force Building a Community of Caring that Flowers and others established in fall 2023. Working with the Jed Foundation and University of Michigans Healthy Minds Study, the university will spend the next four years studying best practices for mental health support, awareness and education and implement them across campus, Flowers said.

Flowers became motivated to push for this initiative after spending times in support groups of parents that have lost children to mental illness. He asked the universitys Provosts Office if more could be done for mental health awareness and support on the Ypsilanti campus.

Can we strengthen the safety net for our students as they make their way through this university? Flowers remembers asking. Can we form a task force to examine these questions?

More information on the universitys Counseling and Psychological Services can be found at emich.edu/caps/index.php.

The university is matching the grant funds to supplement the mental health support initiative, Flowers said. Both the Flinn and Jed foundations were formed through their founders personal experiences dealing or supporting those suffering from mental illness, so Flowers said they are perfect partners.

Through those partnerships, we will map what we are doing to support our students at EMU, Flowers said. Once we know what our needs are, how can we strengthen what we are doing, inform students what we are doing, work with organizations to work on what were doing and support families?

Flowers teaches classes studying higher education issues and has found that students with mental health issues typically do not finish their degrees. The focus has to be on making the classroom a safer place to discuss mental health, he said.

You have to talk about it, he said, adding he has found the faculty is student-centered and ready to offer support. Make it a normal thing to talk about it classes.

Some tips he has found helpful is getting people to disconnect from social media for a day, meaning putting down their cellphones.

Take a day and set your phone aside to disconnect, he said.

The early part of the Building a Community that Cares initiative is finding strategies to reach students. This involves making the universitys mental health services website accessible, implementing input from the whole university community and hanging banners across campus that read You Belong or We Care.

The initiative is also exploring how to make faculty comfortable discussing with students. The last thing Flowers wants is another thing for teachers to check off an already busy checklist, he said.

We dont want to just add another thing to peoples schedules, so how can we do it in a way thats convenient, he said, adding that the solution may be short YouTube videos of faculty sharing best practices. What works for them, what doesnt work for someone else, messages like that.

The early feedback on this initiative has encouraged Flowers, as faculty has overwhelmed him with messages and ideas.

I now have an idea folder that Im filling up, he said. We are doing great stuff on campus already, and I look forward to adding to it.

If you would like more reporting like this delivered free to your inbox, click here and signup for our weekly newsletter: Michigan Schools.

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ANN ARBOR, MI  Seven development teams are competing to become the Ann Arbor Housing Commissions co-developer of a prime piece of downtown real estate.

The commission on Friday, Feb. 23, released the names of developers from around the country that responded to a request for proposals by a Feb. 8 deadline.

We are excited to receive great proposals from leaders of affordable housing in Michigan and nationally, Housing Commission Executive Director Jennifer Hall said, indicating the commission is in the process of reviewing the proposals with the goal of selecting a co-developer in March.

The commission has had plans to build roughly 300 mixed-income housing units, including at least 100 affordable units, on the former YMCA property next to the Blake Transit Center.

Ann Arbor's 18-story high-rise development plan for the city-owned parking lot next to the Blake Transit Center downtown as submitted for consideration by the city's Design Review Board in December 2022.SmithGroup

The site runs along the north side of William Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues.

The seven teams that have submitted co-developer proposals are Gorman and Co., The Habitat Company, Lincoln Avenue Communities, The Michaels Organization, Related Midwest, Renovare Development and a combined team that includes The Roxbury Group and Ethos Development Partners.

In late 2022, the Housing Commission unveiled a conceptual plan showing two connected towers rising 17 and 18 stories with housing above ground-floor commercial space. Its planned as an all-electric building designed to be net-zero ready.

City Council voted in August to sell the property to the commission for $6.2 million after over two decades of discussion and debate about the sites future.

The city purchased the property in 2003 and in 2008 tore down the old YMCA, including 100 affordable housing units associated with it. The site has been a public parking lot ever since.

The Y Lot parking lot next to the Blake Transit Center where Ann Arbor has plans for a mixed-income housing development on Sept. 29, 2023. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com)Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

The citys attempts to facilitate private redevelopment of the lot over the years left the city embroiled in legal battles with multiple developers. After the last failed attempt, the city settled a lawsuit with developer Dennis Dahlmann and repurchased the property from Dahlmann for $5.2 million in 2018.

Parking lots in perpetuity. Ann Arbor central park site among city lots still in question

City officials have spent the last several years forming a new plan for mixed-income housing, while carving out space for a new mid-block bus lane on the north side of the site.

The Downtown Development Authority also is planning a Fourth Avenue streetscape project in 2026 in conjunction with the development, including enhanced transit shelters, a new mid-block crosswalk and other improvements.

Ann Arbor's 18-story high-rise development plan for the city-owned parking lot next to the Blake Transit Center downtown as submitted for consideration by the city's Design Review Board in December 2022.SmithGroup

The development proposals the commission is considering vary in nature.

Related Midwest proposes a west tower with 80-100 permanent supportive housing units delivered turnkey to the commission and an east tower with 180-200 workforce housing units income-restricted to families and individuals with incomes between 60% and 120% of the area median. The developer proposes building both in one phase with a single bond issuance.

The Habitat Company said in its proposal it appreciates the commissions extensive effort to come up with a vision for the property, though the Chicago-based developer has significant concerns about the financial viability of trying to include 20% affordable housing in todays challenging financial climate.

To provide context for this analysis, a current Habitat market-rate development has a similar $170 million cost, for more units at higher rents, and includes no affordable units. If this building were to incorporate a 20% affordable component into the structure, it would not have been financeable, Habitat President Matthew Fiascone wrote, saying he welcomed the chance to work with the commission to clarify the concept in a manner that ensures the development vision can be achieved.

Habitat is familiar with the site as Dahlmann tried selling it to the firm several years ago before the city stepped in to repurchase it.

Approximately seven years ago, we had the property under contract with the prior owner and invested over $100,000 in design work and zoning discussions with the city of Ann Arbor, Fiascone wrote. While the project did not come to fruition, our interest in the property has not abated, and we look forward to discussing ideas to bring this important project to life.

The Ethos/Roxbury proposal states the team sees its experience and missions in alignment with the citys development recommendations and goals for the site and it wants to build on those recommendations to ensure development of the site contributes to an economically diverse downtown that will help address the citys need to provide housing for citizens with a range of incomes, including people with low incomes who may require social services.

Given the complexity associated with the development and financing of affordable housing and mixed- use projects, the Ethos/Roxbury team employs a process that ensures collaboration and commitment from all members of the development team, the proposal states, indicating Ethos/Roxbury would work with the commission to develop a scope of work and deliverables.

Ann Arbor's 18-story high-rise development plan for the city-owned parking lot next to the Blake Transit Center downtown as submitted for consideration by the city's Design Review Board in December 2022.SmithGroup

The Michaels proposal calls for 108 income-restricted affordable apartments and a market-rate development of 162 unrestricted apartments, 10% of which would have discounted rents.

The Renovare proposal calls for 295 total housing units plus 5,276 square feet of space targeting community-centric retail or commercial services.

The Gorman proposal also calls for housing above commercial space: a west tower with about 100 low-income affordable housing units, including 50 with supportive services, and an east tower with about 200 market-rate units with a target of 20% being affordable to low-income residents.

The Y Lot parking lot next to the Blake Transit Center where Ann Arbor has plans for a mixed-income housing development on Sept. 29, 2023. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com)Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

Lincoln proposes a modification of the citys tentative plan for the site. Rather than a two-phase plan with an affordable housing component and a mixed-income component, Lincoln proposes a single-phase development with a majority of the units serving households with incomes up to 80% of the area median, though at least 40% or 100 of the units would be for people with incomes up to 60% of the area median and the average household income would not exceed 60% of the area median.

One reason for approaching the project as a single phase is to eliminate the risk of co-locating affordable, income-restricted units with market-rate units as that can greatly limit achievable rents for market-rate units, the proposal states.

In addition, the financial feasibility of two separate phases as originally contemplated is significantly more challenging than doing it as a single phase, according to Lincoln.

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WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - A bakery that was once open in downtown Saline is starting fresh with a new location in Salem Township near Ann Arbor.

Enchanted Oven recently opened at 5241 North Territorial Road East after closing in Saline in July. The new location was formerly Flower Bar which specialized in coffee, pastries and bouquets of flowers.

I knew (the new location) would do well and I was confident, but I also didnt know how quickly it would do well, Owner Amber Wardia said. The space sat empty for a little while and people were just excited to see something opening and, of course, my customers were excited for us too.

Enchanted Oven quickly outgrew its previous space in Saline which is part of the reason why the business decided to close and move elsewhere, Wardia said.

Related: Michigans Best Local Eats: Cakes, cupcakes, pies fill the Enchanted Oven in Saline

The business is known for serving a variety of baked goods including cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pies and cheesecakes for both walk-in customers and custom orders for special occasions and events.

Enchanted Oven also offers a vegetarian menu at its new location for both breakfast and lunch. Some menu items include veggie shawarma, breakfast sandwiches, salads and homemade pierogis.

That was kind of a last-minute decision, Wardia said. Theres not a lot (of food) around here to just grab and go, so it just made sense.

Enchanted Oven at 5241 North Territorial Road East in Salem Township on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.Makayla Coffee

Wardia has big plans for her business, including expanding her involvement in wedding catering, she said, adding this new centrally located storefront gives her the opportunity to reach more people.

Enchanted Oven began in Birmingham in 2007 before Wardia moved its operations to Florida in 2013. Eventually, the business made its way back to Michigan at North Ann Arbor Street in Saline in 2018.

Now, that the business is open in Salem Township, Wardia has been having conversations about potentially opening a second location in Pittsfield Township.

I couldnt abandon my customers (in Saline), she said. I have to go back so I can still serve them.

While nothing is official yet, Wardia said she has been in talks about possibly opening that location in a commercial space near State Street and Textile Road.

Some of the cupcakes for sale at Enchanted Oven at 5241 North Territorial Road East in Salem Township.Photo Courtesy Enchanted Oven

Wardia is hopeful a second location will help her to comfortably take on more orders and expand Enchanted Ovens outreach to more customers, she said.

While it may not always be easy, Wardia said she has already been feeling the support from both longtime and new customers and is excited for what is next for her business.

Learn more about Enchanted Oven online, on social media or by phone at 734-355-5526.

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WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI -- Izzys Hoagie Shop will continue to bring its same service to Ann Arbor under new ownership while Detroit Cookie Company has ended its time within the city.

Here are those stories and some other recent Washtenaw County business stories you may have missed.

New owner, staff at Izzys Hoagie Shop will continue legacy in Ann Arbor

Izzys Hoagie Shop is continuing to bring its cheesesteaks and same goofy service to West Stadium Boulevard in Ann Arbor following the death of Owner Terry Lahner in December.

Former General Manager Acadia Mercer has taken ownership of the well-known hoagie shop and officially reopened the business Jan. 9.

Read the full story here.

Detroit Cookie Company has closed its Ann Arbor location

Ann Arbor now has one less place to get fresh-baked cookies.

Detroit Cookie Company had its last day at 609 E. William St. on Valentines Day, Feb. 14, according to company social media posts. The business has been open in Ann Arbor since 2021.

Read the full story here.

New bakery is bringing Asian American baked goods to Ann Arbors westside

Ann Arbors westside neighborhoods can now get a taste of Asian American pastries at a new business.

Q Bakehouse & Market recently opened at 1608 Jackson Ave., around where Huron Street splits to Jackson and Dexter avenues.

The new business offers pastries, as well as small batches of food like frozen dumplings made in-house.

Read the full story here.

A new Ann Arbor gym aims to provide everything an athlete may need

A new gym in Ann Arbor is taking fitness to a whole new level.

Valor Strength and Performance had its soft opening at 573 State Circle on Jan. 18 and plans to have its grand opening during the first week of March.

Read the full story here.

Taste some heat with Thompson & Co.s Nashville hot chicken sandwich

Southern comfort food is something Thompson & Co. in Ypsilanti does right.

The restaurant opened at the end of Depot Town in the Thompson Block building in August 2021. Since then, it has become known for serving Southern-inspired comfort food.

Menu items include dishes made from scratch, like skillet cornbread, fried chicken, brisket sandwiches, bayou pasta and shrimp and grits.

Read the full story here.

Bite into the Reuben - the No. 1 sandwich at Zingermans Deli in Ann Arbor

Zingermans Delicatessen has made a name for itself over the years to become far more than just a sandwich shop in Ann Arbor.

The deli, which some consider to be an Ann Arbor institution, opened in March 1982 by friends Paul Saginaw and Ari Weinzweig, who had goals of creating a traditional Jewish deli.

Today, the Ann Arbor deli is led by managing partners Grace Singleton, Rick Strutz and Rodger Bowser.

Read the full story here.

Beer and laughs will soon be on tap at this new Ann Arbor business

People in Ann Arbor can get their fill of beer and laughs at a new business opening soon.

Hear.Say Brewing + Theater will bring a mix of an improv theater and a brewery to the former Townies Brewery location at 2350 W. Liberty St.

Co-Founders Tony DeRosa and Jason Tomalia are behind the business that will offer a seven-barrel brewhouse complete with an event space, a food truck, a short-term rental house and a biergarten.

Read the full story here.

Get your fill of bubble tea with new family-run business near Ypsilanti

Catie Williams loves bubble tea so much that the drink is the first thing she looks for whenever she visits a new city, she said.

Now she is bringing it to Ypsilanti Township as she opens up Bobalee Co. with her husband, Terrence. The couple officially opened the business on Feb. 16 at 1286 Anna J Stepp Road.

Read the full story here.

Chelsea Outfitters is expanding its operations in new downtown location

Chelsea Outfitters is moving its sustainability to a new downtown Chelsea location.

The business known for being a general store filled with sustainable living tools and outdoor recreation supplies opened in March 2023 at 105 S. Main St. in downtown Chelsea.

Read the full story here.

Credit union expands its footprint in Washtenaw County with Ann Arbor branch

Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union has expanded its footprint in Washtenaw County with a new location in Ann Arbor.

The credit union recently opened its newest branch location at 2151 W. Stadium Blvd. complete with a drive-thru ATM and a walk-up ATM.

Read the full story here.

Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter.

More Ann Arbor business news:

The Original Cottage Inn is gone, HomeGoods is opening & other Washtenaw County business news

New owners at a Chelsea business, new Dexter shops open & other Washtenaw County business news

Moosejaw is closing, Toastique is moving in & other Washtenaw County business news

Angelos closes, Northside Grill celebrates 30 years and other Washtenaw County business news

New Mexican restaurant coming, DiBellas Subs returning and other Washtenaw County business news

Ann Arbor business rebrands, Saline gets new bakery and other Washtenaw County business news

Ann Arbor ice cream shop opens, Dexter gets a bike shop and other Washtenaw County business news
Several state audits could have offered some clue of Newvilles financial discrepancies years before they came to light in December 2022, but borough officials claim they never saw them.

Compliance audits for Newvilles police pension plan and nonuniformed pension plan released in 2019 through the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General indicate partial compliance with previous audit recommendations.

Both audits examined the Jan. 1, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2018, period and showed the borough failed to deposit $25,286 in state aid from 2012 between the two groups into an eligible pension plan.

They also indicated a failure to pay minimum municipal obligations or interest to the plans for several years.

More recent audits of the plans released in 2023 indicated noncompliance with previous recommendations to make these minimal municipal obligation and interest payments.

Additionally an attestation engagement for the boroughs liquid fuels tax fund released in 2022 indicated a recurring failure to obtain project approval, nonpermissible expenditures and late receipt of allocations.

This covered the Jan. 1, 2016, to Dec. 31, 2020, period and listed three occasions in 2018 and 2019 when varying amounts of money that totaled more than $9,000 was transferred from the boroughs liquid fuels tax fund to its general fund. According to PennDOT, liquid fuels funding is sent to municipalities from the state to repair and construct bridges and roads and cover relevant expenses.

Each of the documents came through the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General and included a distribution list of people who were to receive the report, including former Borough Manager Fred Potzer and Council President Scott Penner.

While other borough officials were also listed on several of the audits, Penner, who then was a council member, is the only one who still is on the council.

Borough Solicitor Marcus McKnight said even though Penners name was included on the audits, he never saw them.

The reports were not sent to Scotts address but were sent to the borough office, McKnight said. The mail was collected and read each day by Fred who was able to provide only the information he deemed necessary to members of [the] borough council. The audit reports were not distributed to the members of [the] borough council, but were discovered after Fred stopped reviewing the daily mail last December (2022).

Potzer was hospitalized in December 2022, and borough officials at that time discovered the financial discrepancies. He was fired last January, and an investigation through the Cumberland County District Attorneys Office is ongoing, though no charges have been filed.

Newville was designated a financially distressed community under Act 47 in August, qualifying the borough to receive two interest-free loans from the state totaling about $800,000.

In November, representatives from Public Financial Management, Newvilles Act 47 Recovery Coordinator, presented a recovery plan for the borough that showed some of its outstanding liabilities as of July. These included the $25,286 for the misallocated 2012 state pension aid and more than $600,000 in outstanding pension payments and interests. Neither of these were covered by the state loans.

The recovery plan also identified more than $45,000 owed to PennDOT for misallocated liquid fuels funding. Of this, the loans covered just over $15,000 with the remaining amount split over two payments at the end of last year and beginning of this year.

The Auditor Generals office did not return a request for comment regarding the audits and follow-up.

Photos: Newville Historical Society Christmas Carriage Rides 2023
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  A Michigan Marine was welcomed home for the final time on Monday, Feb. 26, as his body was brought back to Grand Rapids before traveling to his final resting place in Traverse City.

The remains of Capt. Miguel Nava, of Traverse City, arrived at Gerald R. Ford International Airport early Monday afternoon in a casket wrapped in an American flag. Dozens of veterans, first responders, and Patriot Guard and community members lined the streets outside the airport with flags to welcome Nava home.

I came to honor a fallen brother who died in the line of duty, said Julian Arizola, a Grand Rapids veteran Marine who was one of nearly 30 flag bearers standing in salute as Navas remains passed by in a motorcade outside Gerald R. Ford Airport.

Its my duty.

Nava, 28, was one of five Marines who were killed in a helicopter crash Feb. 6 during a flight training in San Diego, California. He grew up in West Michigan and graduated from Comstock Park High School in 2013.

RELATED: Marine killed in helicopter crash remembered as beloved student, leader at West Michigan school

The airplane carrying Navas body touched down in Grand Rapids around 12:15 p.m. on Monday. He was reunited with his family before being taken in a motorcade procession to Traverse City, where he will be laid to rest.

Police, firefighters and first responders from around the Grand Rapids area stationed their vehicles on overpasses along the procession route with their lights flashing to pay tribute to Nava as he passed by.

The road leading out of the airport was lined with military veterans and members of the Patriot Guard Riders, a nonprofit group dedicated to showing support to fallen military service members.

Mike Meyers, state captain of Patriot Guard Riders of Michigan, said the group wanted to honor Nava for making the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Its an honor for us to stand for him, Meyers told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. Were willing to do whatever it takes to stand in honor for our fallen heroes.

Bill Schwalm, an Air Force veteran, traveled to Grand Rapids all the way from Saginaw to welcome Nava back home. Schwalm said he felt called to come and show support to Navas family, while also paying respect to the fallen Marine.

Schwalm, who served in Vietnam for four years, said those who have served in the military feel a deep connection toward one another.

You just cant explain to people your feelings, he said. They say that youre brothers, but its more than that.

A former student at Comstock Park High School, Nava was remembered by school officials as a beloved student athlete and leader. He had lofty aspirations and a contagious enthusiasm, said Comstock Park assistant principal Tony Petkus.

He always had that smile, it didnt matter what the situation was, Petkus previously told MLive. He was positive. He was that leader.

Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, was killed in a helicopter crash during a flight training on Feb. 6 in San Diego, California, the military announced Friday. Nava was a native of Comstock Park and is remembered as a "beloved student, leader" and athlete from Comstock Park High School.3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

After he graduated from Comstock Park in 2013, Nava returned to the school to mentor, guide and encourage other students, the school said.

Nava commissioned in the Marine Corps on May 26, 2017, and was promoted to the rank of captain on Nov. 1, 2021, the U.S. military previously shared. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

Miguel Nava is survived by his parents, Lisa and Javier Nava, his brother Nikolas Nava, and his wife Ryann Nava and son Luca Nava, Comstock Park said.

A celebration of Navas life is planned for 2 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at Comstock Park High School. Doors will open at 1:15 p.m. Immediate family and close friends will sit in the auditorium while friends and the public are asked to sit in the gymnasium.

The other four Marines who died on Feb. 6 are:

Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas

Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona

Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire

Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho

The crew was returning to the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, from Creech Air Force Base in Nevada when the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter they were flying in went down in the mountains outside San Diego. A historic storm in the area was a contributing factor in the crash, officials said.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  The body of Capt. Miguel Nava is expected to arrive at Gerald R. Ford International Airport early Monday afternoon.

Nava, 28, died in a Feb. 6 helicopter crash with four other marines during flight training in San Diego, the Marine Corps said.

Nava is a 2013 graduate of Comstock Park High School. His body will be taken to Traverse City where he lived with his wife, Ryann Nava, and their son, Luca.

Related: Marine killed in helicopter crash remembered as beloved student, leader at West Michigan school

Grand Rapids Fire Capt. Matt Keusch said that fire and police agencies are expected to set up vehicles along the route leaving the airport and on bridges over highways as the procession heads north.

The flight into Grand Rapids is expected to land between noon and 1 p.m., a military spokesperson said. The motorcade is expected to leave a short time later.

Keusch said area residents are invited to show their respect along the route.

The procession is expected to go north on Patterson Avenue SE from the airport to 28th Street to westbound I-96 to northbound U.S. 131.

Grand Rapids and Kentwood firefighters will fly a large U.S. flag as the motorcade leaves the airport.

Keusch said that police and fire departments north of Grand Rapids are also expected to park on U.S. 131 overpasses with lights flashing.

A celebration of Navas life is 2 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at Comstock Park High School. Doors will open at 1:15 p.m. Immediate family and close friends will sit in the auditorium while friends and the public are asked to sit in the gymnasium.

The other four Marines who died are:

Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas

Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona

Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire

Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho

The crew was returning to the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, from Creech Air Force Base in Nevada when the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter they were flying in went down in the mountains outside San Diego. A historic storm in the area was a contributing factor in the crash, officials said.
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- Ottawa County commissioners are in mediation with the countys health officer Monday, Feb. 26 as they look to entice her departure and end a wrongful termination lawsuit.

Commissioners began meeting shortly after 9 a.m. and have been in closed session for much of the time.

The mediation comes after a Muskegon County judge ruled on January 19 that an alleged $4 million settlement with Health Officer Adeline Hambley was unenforceable.

RELATED: Judge wont enforce alleged $4M settlement for Ottawa County health officer

The legal dispute and later court hearing was the result of a split Nov. 6 vote by commissioners following a closed session about Hambleys future. Some commissioners believed they were voting to authorize the countys attorneys to write up paperwork for a $4 million settlement, but board Chair Joe Moss said the vote was simply to continue negotiations with Hambley.

A majority faction of county commissioners in January 2023 announced they planned to replace Hambley with another Nathaniel Kelly, a Hudsonville resident who works as a health and safety manager at an HVAC service company.

A majority of board members are affiliated with a conservative group called Ottawa Impact know for criticism of pandemic mask mandates.

RELATED: A gross misuse of taxpayer funds: Ottawa County officials react to $4M health officer settlement offer

But Hambley filed a wrongful termination lawsuit.

Commissioners in October began a termination hearing to take testimony against Hambley in preparation for her possible termination. After the Nov. 6 meeting, it was revealed they were in settlement negotiations.

Because of the dispute over discussions surrounding the $4 million payout, Hambleys attorney wanted a judge to rule the alleged deal was enforceable.

The legal process took more than two months to settle.

In the Muskegon judges Jan. 19 ruling, she determined the resolution that commissioners voted to approve at the Nov. 6 meeting was simply too vague. The resolution was to accept counsels recommendation on litigation and settlement activities.

The Monday mediation comes as county leaders grapple with several high-profile issues.

On Thursday, Feb. 22, commissioners voted to place county Administrator John Gibbs on paid leave because of ongoing discord with county leaders.

An attorney for Gibbs claims hes being targeted for making complaints against the countys corporate counsel, Kallman Legal Group.

But an attorney representing the county, in a letter released Friday, alleged there were a myriad of complaints against Gibbs.

RELATED: He was Ottawa Impacts first big surprise - was he an expensive mistake?

The complaints made by county employees and commissioners include Gibbs allegedly claiming without any substantiation that a county official was cheating on their spouse, sweeping his office monthly for surveillance devices, sabotaging the work of the board, threatening to kill the county attorney and criticizing commissioners faith.

Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter.
MUSKEGON, MI  A man described as the enforcer in a disturbing torture case was sentenced to decades in prison for his role in his little brothers death.

The judge made it clear that he didnt believe that Paul Ferguson, 21, was sorry for the abusive punishments he and his mother, Shanda Vander Ark, carried out that led to the death of 15-year-old Timothy Ferguson.

The court believes Mr. Ferguson is one step away from becoming a psychopath like his mother, Muskegon County Circuit Judge Matthew Kacel said.

RELATED: Mom says nothing before shes sentenced to prison for torturing son to death

Kacel sentenced Ferguson to a minimum 30 years  maximum 100 years  in prison Monday morning, Feb. 26, on a first-degree child-abuse charge.

Ferguson kept his head bowed throughout most of the hearing including when the judge recalled the various punishments the convicted abusers carried out.

The gruesome case started when Timothy Ferguson was found dead July 6, 2022, at the Vander Ark family home in Norton Shores. The teen, who had autism and was speech- and motor-impaired, weighed only 69 pounds when he died.

Ferguson and Vander Ark punished Timothy by feeding him hot sauce, putting him in ice baths, depriving him of sleep and locking the refrigerator and food cabinets. Timothy died from malnourishment and hypothermia.

Vander Ark, 44, is serving a life sentence at the Womens Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti after a jury found her guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree child abuse.

Unlike Vander Arks sentencing, there wasnt anybody who spoke in court on Monday on Timothys behalf. However, also unlike Vander Ark, Ferguson showed some form of remorse through a letter he read to the judge.

RELATED: The worlds a darker place without him, siblings of boy tortured to death by mom say

If I could do it all again and do it right, I would, he said, asking for mercy and compassion while telling the judge he would serve his time with what little honor I have left.

Muskegon County Chief Trial Prosecutor Matt Roberts said Ferguson represents a threat to the public moving forward if he doesnt get mental health treatment while incarcerated. Roberts asked the judge to sentence Ferguson, on the minimum side, to a term thats equivalent to his life expectancy.

The judge felt Ferguson was submissive to Vander Ark because he had nowhere else to go.

I dont believe that youre sorry. I dont believe you have any empathy, Kacel said. I think youre just as bad as your mother, if not worse.

Want more Muskegon-area news? Bookmark the local Muskegon news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Muskegon daily newsletter.
SAGINAW, MI  A former volunteer at a Saginaw Township church with an alleged habit of abusing children has been deemed psychologically fit to stand trial. Its not a surprising ruling, considering the defendant was well enough to be sentenced to prison earlier this month for abusing a Saginaw County child in another part of the state.

Shackled and with his head freshly shaved, 42-year-old Jonathan S. Russell appeared before Saginaw County District Judge David D. Hoffman for a competency hearing on Monday, Feb. 26. Hoffman in December sent Russell to the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Ypsilanti, where staff were to assess his competency.
The Associated Press has called both the Democratic and Republican Michigan Presidential Primaries. President Joe Biden won the Democratic primary and former President Donald Trump is the winner of the Republican primary.

Live results from the race, which features President Joe Biden as the forerunner for the Democratic ballot and former President Donald Trump leading the Republican side, are available.

Uncommitted is in second place on the primary ballot in an effort by activists to send a message to Biden about his handling of the war in Gaza.

Related: With 13% uncommitted, Michigan voters show breadth of anger over Gaza conflict

The Tuesday Feb. 27 election is mostly for the presidential primary, however, some local ballot initiatives and millages are up for considerations throughout the state. Results will be posted for those as available.

The primary is a closed one, meaning voters must either opt for a ballot comprising solely Democratic or Republican candidates when either at the polls or voting absentee.

After Democratic majorities in Michigans legislature moved the presidential primary date to Feb. 27, Michigan Republicans shifted to a hybrid system of selecting presidential delegates, utilizing both a closed caucus of party officials and a public primary to select delegates. Republican voters in the Feb. 27 public primary will instead get to decide how 16 delegates are allocated. The closed caucus on Saturday, March 2, of internal delegates will allocate 39 of the 55 delegates the state party will send on to their national convention in August.

Local Ballots and Millages

In addition to determining the presidential candidate, there are many local ballot initiatives and millage proposals up for voting across the state of Michigan.

In Bay County, four millages - including road and fire millages in Beaver Township; Bay City Schools millage renewal and Freeland Community schools millage renewal, all passed, according to unofficial results.

Related: Bay County election results for Feb. 27, 2024

In Saginaw County Maple Grove Township, voters rejected a fire protection services special assessment proposal. And voters did not approve an operating millage proposal for Hemlock Public School District.

Among the ballot items that voters passed: a public safety millage renewal in Saginaw and a millage renewal for Saginaw Township Community Schools.

Related: Saginaw County Election results

Voters in two townships in Kent and Ottawa counties have approved renewing taxes that support their respective fire departments.

Park Township voters in Ottawa County Tuesday approved a five-year renewal of a property tax used to repave local streets.

Spring Lake Township officials in Ottawa County were sent a clear message by voters Tuesday that they disapprove of a large residential development on a former blueberry farm.

Voters approved an operating millage renewal request for Allendale Public Schools, allowing the district to collect approximately $4.95 million in 2025.

Washtenaw County residents in a handful of communities decided local ballot questions during the Tuesday, Feb. 27 presidential primary election.

Voters in Jackson County approved millage renewals for Hanover-Horton Schools and the Columbia School District in the Feb. 27 primary election, though a proposed increase in the millage rate for Hanover-Horton did not fare as well.

In Kalamazoo County, Nikki Haley received the majority of votes for the Republican primary, one of only two counties in the state where she beat Donald Trump.

Augusta Township voters overturned a rezoning that would have changed a 33-acre propertys classification from agricultural residential to multiple-family residential.

Montcalm County voters pass operating millage but reject $36.8M bond proposal

Where can I check if Im registered to vote?

Michiganders can check online with the Department of State to see a number of things, including:
A strong cold front will move through Michigan and other Great Lakes states this week. The front could produce a line of severe thunderstorms.

Record warmth will shoot north into Michigan Tuesday. Afternoon temperatures will warm above 60 degrees for most of Lower Michigan. Even the Upper Peninsula will have spots hitting 60 degrees.

High temperature forecast for Tuesday afternoon, February 27, 2024NOAA

The storm system will move from the Plains across the Great Lakes region Tuesday evening and Tuesday overnight. We will go from record warmth Tuesday to temperatures falling into the 20s and 30s Wednesday.

All of the ingredients in this storm system put together mean a line of thunderstorms is possible. For Michigan it looks like very late in the evening Tuesday to before sunrise Wednesday. Our sleep Tuesday night could be interrupted by flashes and booms. Fortunately thunderstorms in the middle of the night tend to weaken.

Severe storms possible Tuesday could pack hail, 60 mph wind gusts

The Storm Prediction Center has placed part of southern Michigan in a 15 percent chance of scattered severe wind gusts and large hail. An area up to central Lower Michigan has a lesser five percent chance of severe thunderstorms. Cold season thunderstorms can more easily produce large, damaging hail. If your garage is open, park the expensive car in it Tuesday evening.

Forecast for severe thunderstorms late Tuesday, February 27, 2024.Storm Prediction Center

The highest risk of severe thunderstorms is in the orange shaded area. This is an area from Holland to Hastings to Charlotte to Hillsdale and into the very southwest corner of Michigan. Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Lansing, Jackson, Ann Arbor, the entire Detroit area, Flint, Saginaw and Bay City are in the lesser threat of severe thunderstorms.

The storms should hit the southwest corner of Lower Michigan sometime between 8 p.m. and midnight Tuesday night. Then the storms would move northeast into the other part of Lower Michigan overnight Tuesday night.

There could definitely be some timing changes on these storms. If the storms came earlier, as in late afternoon, there would be a higher chance of severe thunderstorms.

This is just an early heads-up that a weather type we dont normally worry about in late February is possible.

Severe weather forecast for Tuesday, February 27, 2024. Orange area has a 15 percent chance of severe storm. Yellow area has a five percent chance.Storm Prediction Center

Also note if you are traveling, the severe weather threat extends into a large part of Illinois, Indiana and Missouri. Severe storms there would happen Tuesday afternoon at the more likely time of day for severe thunderstorms.

Stay updated on the MLive Weather Page and join our Michigan Weather Insider text group here.
No injuries were reported after a train collided with a tractor-trailer at the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks at North Bedford Street Monday morning.

Carlisle Police Staff Sgt. Josh Bucher said the crash happened at 10:54 a.m.

"The truck was coming southbound on Bedford Street and obviously didn't make it the whole way across the tracks and was struck on its trailer, which kind of swung the trailer to the side and then pushed the truck onto its side," he said.

Bucher said the trailer was empty and the train was not carrying hazardous materials.

The tractor-trailer was driven by Dustin Mann, of Colorado, who has worked in the trucking industry for about 20 years, and said this was his "first big accident ever."

Mann said he was driving south on North Bedford Street when he saw the lights flashing at the tracks. The intersection is not equipped with crossing arms.

"I slowed down and I looked around, and I didn't see the train and I didn't hear the horn, so I started to go ... then as soon as I go, all of a sudden there it (the train) is," Mann said.

He picked up speed so the train hit his trailer instead of his truck.

The collision pushed the tractor-trailer into North Bedford Street resident Martha Wogan's yard.

Wogan had just arrived home and was going into the kitchen to get some water when the crash happened.

"I looked out [and] I saw the (tractor-trailer's) tires spinning and got a little closer up to the window, and I saw the tractor-trailer laying there and the train was actually trying to get stopped at that time," she said.

Bucher said an investigation into the incident is ongoing, involving the Carlisle Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police and Norfolk Southern.

He expected the area around the 400 blocks of North Bedford Street and North East Street would remain closed for several hours.

Posted earlier on Cumberlink:

Carlisle Police said the 400 block of North Bedford Street and the surrounding area is closed after a tractor-trailer and train crash Monday morning.

Police said they are currently on the scene, as of 11 a.m., and at this time, no injuries have been reported.

Areas affected are the 400 block of North Bedford Street and North East Street, as well as the 400 block of North Hanover Street, which includes the Spring Road intersection.

Police said traffic will be detoured round these areas for an extended period of time.

Check back to Cumberlink.com as more information becomes available.
The University of Virginia is digging its roots deeper into the Washington suburbs.

A new Fairfax County campus announced earlier this month is expected to expand and consolidate the schools programming in Northern Virginia, home to the largest concentration of UVa alumni and prospective undergraduates.

UVa has leased the second and third floors, about 55,000 square feet, of a building in the Inova Center for Personalized Health complex in Falls Church, where it has an existing collaboration with Inova Fairfax Hospital, which serves as a teaching hospital for UVa medical students.

Work is under way on the campus at 8095 Innovation Park Drive, where the university says it will offer classrooms and collaborative work spaces that will host full-time UVa students and serve as a hub for working professionals taking online courses, high schoolers in summer programs and businesses that offer workforce training through the school.

The leaders of UVa Northern Virginia said the campus, scheduled to open in January 2025, will offer something different than what can be found 100 miles south in Charlottesville, where Founding Father Thomas Jefferson established his Academical Village in 1819.

We see working professionals as the bulk of our Northern Virginia audience, spokeswoman Leanna Yevak told The Daily Progress. Our programs are all created for individual learners to access; they are not school specific.

Of the universitys 12 individual schools, eight are expected to offer courses at the new facility, with more than 30 programs already planned.

A handful of UVas schools have been operating in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington for years.

A branch of the Darden School of Business has been based in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington since 2016, and a Management of Information Technology program, part of the McIntire School of Commerce, offers in-person classes at a campus within Valo Park in Tysons Corner.

UVa formally launched its Northern Virginia campus in Rosslyn in September 2021, offering courses in business, data science, education, engineering and professional studies. Gregory Fairchild, a longtime UVa professor of business administration and associate dean for the schools Washington-area initiatives, was tapped to serve as dean UVa Northern Virginia. Officials at the time said it was just the beginning.

The new Falls Church campus will bring much of UVa's current Northern Virginia programming together in one place, while offering a foundation for future programs.

We already have a number of programs, faculty and researchers who have been doing work in the region for years, but they have not been consolidated, said Yevak.

The Falls Church facility will also host the UVa Northern Virginia summer program, Inspire Summer, which focuses on preparing high schoolers for life after graduation with classes in programming, business, marketing and essay writing.

With so many people in Northern Virginia, and so many of those people being UVa alumni, it only makes sense that the region has become a feeder for UVa undergraduate programs.

Were aware that this region is perfectly situated to meet students before they enter the undergraduate space and postgraduate space, Yevak said.

UVa Northern Virginia is also planning to launch an initiative that will provide custom executive programming courses for nearby companies in the region.

UVa previously shared real estate with Virginia Tech at the Northern Virginia center in Idylwood. It exited that property in 2020 after it refused to share the costs of a major overhaul of the facility that will see it transformed into a mixed-use research-housing-office center. That overhaul is currently underway, and Tech remains a major stakeholder in the project.
OKLAHOMA CITY  A recently released police search warrant has revealed more details in the case of Nex Benedict, a nonbinary Oklahoma student who died a day after a high school bathroom fight that may have been prompted by bullying over gender identity.

The warrant filed Wednesday in Tulsa County District Court shows that when Benedicts mother, Sue, called 911 on Feb. 8, the 16-year-old's eyes had rolled back into their head, their hands were curled and they were struggling to breathe.

Paramedics responding to the familys house in the Tulsa suburb of Owasso performed CPR and rushed them to the hospital, where they later died.

Benedict was able to walk out of the bathroom after the Feb. 7 fight, but they were taken to the hospital later that day and sent home.

Sue Benedict said the school nurse had advised her to take the teen to be checked out after complaining of a headache from hitting their head on the bathroom floor, according to the warrant.

At the hospital, Sue Benedict requested to speak with police but told the officers she didnt want to file charges at the time, the warrant states. She instead asked police to speak to school officials about issues on campus among students.

Benedict told The Independent later that the teen suffered bruises all over their face and eyes in the fight, which involved a transgender student and three older girls.

The school district said the students were in the restroom for less than two minutes before the fight was broken up by other students and a staff member. Police and school officials have not said what provoked the fight.

The family, through their lawyer, declined to comment Friday on the search warrant. Earlier this week, they said they launched their own independent investigation into what happened.

More than two dozen people gathered for a vigil Friday at All Saints Episcopal Church organized by the McAlester Rainbow Connection in McAlester. It was one of two Friday night in Oklahoma, the first of more than a dozen vigils for the teen scheduled nationwide through Monday. Another vigil was planned for Sunday in Owasso.

The warrant, signed the day after Benedicts death, also shows investigators took 137 pictures at the school, including inside the girls bathroom where the fight occurred. They additionally collected two swabs of stains from the bathroom and retrieved records and documents of the students involved in the altercation.

While the 2-week-old warrant states police were seeking evidence in a felony murder, the department has since said Benedicts death was not a result of injuries suffered in the fight, based on the preliminary results of the autopsy.

The police department, which didnt respond to multiple messages sent Friday, said it wont comment further on the teens cause of death until toxicology and other autopsy results are completed.

Owasso school officials, meanwhile, said Friday that they requested police obtain the court order to search the school because of state and federal privacy laws regarding the release of confidential student records.

We are continuing to cooperate with the Owasso Police Departments ongoing investigation, Jordan Korphage, a school district spokesperson, wrote in an email.

Tulsa County District Attorney Stephen Kunzweiler, whose office isnt currently involved in the police investigation, called the death a tragedy but cautioned people against being swayed by sentiments fueled by the passion of emotions which may be misinformed.

A family in our community is grieving and we empathize with their sorrow during this difficult time, he wrote in an email Friday. While much has been speculated about this childs death in social media, we will maintain the integrity of law enforcements investigation, and allow them to do their job.

Here's how to support transgender youth, according to trans teens Here's how to support transgender youth, according to trans teens
On Brandon Williams last day staying at Sweet Homes shelter, he held a backpack slung over one shoulder and a gray duffle in his right hand  everything he owned filled those two bags.

He bent his beanie-covered head to fit through the small door frame before issuing a silent goodbye to the place that had served as a home the past four months.

The microshelter  made of painted orange wood and arched white lattice over the roof, one of 30 huts on an old mill site in Sweet Home  is part of the citys first and currently only homeless facility.

A Place to Sleep, episode 4: Sweet Home In Sweet Home, you'll find the region's only designated sleeping place for folks actively self-medicating with alcohol and narcotics.

Theres no electricity or running water, but it does have a bed, a lock on the door and a key.

As a resident there, Williams kept his belongings in the plastic bin outside, stripped his bedsheets on Fridays when shelter staff conducted hut checks, made coffee in the common area and played on his Nintendo Switch.

But mostly he waited.

He waited for his disability benefits to be approved, and he waited in a long line on the short list of available affordable housing options in Linn County.

Before he came to the Family Assistance and Resource Centers shelter, Williams was couch-surfing in Lebanon after a disability hindered his ability to work.

The 42-year-old speaks about his former career with longing in his voice.

I loved my job, he said.

As a certified nurse assistant, he checked for vital signs, transported patients and bathed and dressed their wounds. For a while, he commuted 2 hours to work in Grants Pass and 2 hours back to Monmouth, where he was living at the time.

But he felt that it was worth it and would nap in between shifts, he said.

Then Williams' foot shattered in a form of neuropathy caused by his diabetes, he said.

It totally came out of the blue. I had never heard of this condition before," he said.

Its called charcot neuroarthropathy, a chronic, devastating and destructive disease of the bone structure and joints, according to the National Institutes of Health. It healed as well as it could, Williams said, but then it happened again, and his whole other leg shattered.

He has done in-home care as a temporary worker and hasn't had a steady job since, he said.

It took getting a lawyer to fight for social security disability insurance. Its been a slow process. So Williams couch-surfed in Lebanon at friends' houses for about a year before he landed a space at the shelter.

Williams is one of 165 people who have sought shelter in Sweet Homes low barrier shelter in 2023. When it opened in January of last year, it was the only shelter in East Linn County. It is still the only shelter in East Linn County.

Housing first

Shirley Byrd stands next to a chart on the back of a door inside the Family and Resource Assistance Center, where keys hang next to the names of shelter residents. The shelter founder wears a shirt with the words, Open hearts open doors.

Initially, Byrd wanted to open the shelter in Lebanon, where she was living at the time. The city of Lebanon wasnt receptive to her ambitions. But Sweet Home was.

I was surprised that Sweet Home was willing to implement a big project like that when they were a smaller community, but I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out, Byrd said.

After Linn County granted the use of the land, a former mill site called the knife lot, the space soon saw the construction of 30 microshelters, showers and bathrooms and a main building that houses staff, including a doctor who visits the site.

The shelter is low-barrier, meaning there are no clean or sober requirements for residents. The shelter was the first of its kind in Linn County, the first low-barrier shelter and the only microshelter in Linn County.

In the year its been open, 21 people have gotten off the streets and into housing: 18 are in permanent housing, and three are in transitional housing.

In all, 165 people spent at least one night at the shelter in 2023. Seventy percent of the residents were from Sweet Home, 15% were from Lebanon, 10% from Albany and fewer than 5% came from other cities, according to data from FAC.

Over one-third of residents of the microshelters were victims of domestic violence. Another third had a severe disability, while 41.7% had severe mental illness, and 43.5% had drug addiction, according to data provided by the shelter.

I think it showed that housing first works, Byrd said.

When Byrd first opened the shelter, she was amazed at the partnerships of the various organizations that helped establish wrap-around services or donated materials. There are also county, city and peer support partners, she said.

The shelter contracts with Samaritan and Linn County Mental Health, reserving two huts for them. Samaritans hut is for patients who dont have housing and have stayed in the hospital for a while and need a place to recuperate.

The Linn County Mental Health hut is reserved for a patient without housing with whom it needs to make regular contact, she said.

Lessons learned

Being the first of its kind in Linn County, and Byrds first attempt at opening a shelter anywhere, she had a few lessons to learn along the way, prompting some changes at the shelter since opening, she said.

Upon opening, the shelter immediately filled and started a waitlist.

The waitlist got so long that we had to do away with it, Byrd said.

Once a space freed up, Byrd would grab the list, but it was difficult to get a hold of people. Many without shelter dont have regular access to a phone or chargers, she said.

So shelter workers would be forced to move down the list, and that didnt feel fair, especially when the people who were once at the top of the list finally did reach back out, Byrd said.

So, now the shelter is structured on a first come, first-served basis, she said. Whoever calls or shows up first when there is an opening gets the space, she said.

But thats hard too, she said. They have people calling everyday that they have to inform that there isnt any space, she said.

Establishing boundaries was also important, Byrd said.

Some people had her personal number because she would call them back on it instead of the office phone, not thinking twice about it, Byrd said.

It's easy to get enmeshed in peoples lives," Byrd said, We're around them so often, and they just become like family, so you don't think of the little things, like they called them back on your own number.

When you dont follow the rules for everyone, people lose faith in what you are doing, Byrd said. And the shelter does have certain rules  some that former residents of FAC have criticized.

For example, residents cant leave the space for more than three days without a prearranged notice because there are so few spaces. And just because the space is low-barrier, doesnt mean residents can use alcohol or substances on the property.

There are also rules about how much stuff people can have with them: only enough to fit in a waste bin. That can be difficult for some people to follow because its easy to accumulate or collect things, Byrd said.

They ended up having to write in a rule specifically about collecting rocks after residents filled the micro shelter with various rocks, she said.

Staying at the shelter is contingent on the resident's ability to follow rules. But, Byrd subscribes to a philosophy that they can always try again.

Plans for the future

Although the agency was not awarded funds directly from the $2.9 million the state recently gave to Linn County's multi-agency coordinating group, the city of Sweet Home was. The city plans envision adding three to five more pods at FAC.

Unlike the existing huts, these pods would have electricity and would be larger, according to a previous interview with Sweet Home City Manager Kelcey Young.

Byrd said the hope is to give people a rental history. These huts would be used as transitional housing for those who have stayed in the microshelters but who are not able to get into traditional housing because of the requirements to rent often serve as barriers.

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Similarly, shelter residents able and wanting to work can find it difficult to get hired when you have gaps in your unemployment history, she said.

In opening the shelter, shes noticed a lot of gaps, namely, people with traumatic brain injuries. Mid-Valley Media's series A Place to Sleep highlighted such a person.

The newsroom sent its journalists to designated spaces that local cities set aside for people to sleep in and met a man with a traumatic brain injury who was not able to follow the shelter's rules.

Byrd welcomes people to return and try again. It seemed there wasnt a way Joshua Leslie Jr. could follow the rules.

We'd like to see a couple transitional huts for people who are particularly suffering with traumatic brain injuries. There's not really any programs for them. There are a large group of clients, and they don't get mental health help, she said.

Byrd hopes to implement programs where residents with traumatic brain injuries can be supported and learn life skills, hopefully gaining more independence, she said.

She isnt sure when that ambition could be realized, but her overall goal is to get more people into housing than in 2023, she said. Williams represents the shelter's very last housed resident of last year.

New place

On a recent day, Williams stood in his apartment, a top level, one-bedroom in Albany. He wore a green Oregon Ducks sweater  they are his favorite team, he said. The space isnt furnished yet, but hes had a few friends come by to visit.

I made some good friends. Sometimes we would just be rolling over laughing, he said about his former neighbors at Family Assistance and Resource Center.

Williams describes himself as a quiet person, but he came out of his shell a little more when he was living there. One of his favorite things to do was just talk with the other residents in the common room, he said.

Williams looks back on his time there positively.

The workers there were freaking phenomenal, Williams said. I got there on the 29th of September; they signed me up for housing; and by December, I was approved for housing.

"It all felt really quick, quicker than I would have been able to do it by myself, he said.

Williams may have a place to stay, but he's still playing the waiting game with other resources. His lawyer still is fighting to get his disability covered, and he has yet to get benefits.

Even though he left, hes still in contact with the workers in the programs involved in FACs wrap-around services, including Community Services Consortium, which is helping him with his current housing, he said.

Williams wanted to stay in Lebanon; it would have been easier to get to doctors appointments, he said. But there were 200 people above him on the waitlist for housing.

He is grateful for his place in Albany, but it means he has to take a bus to Lebanon or rely on friends to drive him because he medically shouldnt be walking, he said. He also has to traverse the stairs because no lower-level apartments were available, he said.

Some days his legs are better than others, Williams said.

For now, Williamss apartment features folding chairs in the living room, and at night he sleeps on a blow-up mattress. He has a friend who plans to drop off a couch and cookware, he said, and hes on a waitlist to receive some more furniture.

Even bare, slowly, the apartment is starting to feel like home.

Related stories:
Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited (ASX:BENPG  Get Free Report) declared a interim dividend on Tuesday, January 9th, MarketIndexAU reports. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 12th will be given a dividend of 1.415 per share on Tuesday, March 12th. This represents a yield of 1.39%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 27th. This is a positive change from Bendigo and Adelaide Banks previous interim dividend of $1.37.

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Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Company Profile

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Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited provides banking and financial products and services to retail customers and small to medium sized businesses in Australia. The company operates through Consumer, Business and Agribusiness, and Corporate segments. It offers a range of products and services, including personal and business banking, financial planning, commercial mortgages and unsecured loans, investment products, insurance, and superannuation.

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A neurophysiologist compared the fracking tank explosion  which blew Steven Straughen nearly 30 feet away one night in 2019 to an IED explosion that soldiers see in battle.

The explosion at the Simpson Pad 26 oil and gas production site on Dec. 12 that year would forever alter the life of Straughen, an Air Force veteran.

After 14 surgeries and the loss of his right foot, Straughen was awarded $30 million in a U.S. District Court case, as part of a personal injury lawsuit against the company that created the tanks.

Due to a Colorado law put in to place in 1986, Straughen will only see around half of the awarded amount, with over $14 million being capped under the limitations on damages for non-economic loss or injury.

And now Straughen's lawyer is considering a ballot measure to get rid of the cap.

A go-getter's mindset

Straughen, an Idaho native, joined the Air Force directly out of high school with the intention of becoming a nuclear weapons technician.

While he waited a year for nuclear clearance, he volunteered with the Marines, traveling to Fallujah, where he experienced combat.

He was shot nine times, with six bullets striking his Kevlar vest and three going through his arm. He was back in the field a week later.

Straughen eventually left the Air Force after six years and joined the oil and gas industry, quickly climbing the ranks to a senior site supervisor position.

"I kind of grew up with the idea of youre responsible for yourself and youre never going to get anywhere if you dont do it yourself. You have to work hard. Oil and gas very much fit into that hard work mentality," Straughen said in an interview with The Denver Gazette. "It was the closest thing to going back to combat, but without having to pull the trigger. You had to be really good and on your game to stay safe.

Outside of work, Straughen was an avid snowboarder, mountain climber and sailor. He reached Everest base camps multiple times.

He got married and had two children. One was 2 months old and the other was 2 years old at the time of the explosion.

He had everything he wanted in life. It was perfect, Kurt Zaner, Straughen's attorney, said.

After the explosion, that all changed.

The explosion

Straughen was working in Weld County at a Skyline Well Testing site that fateful night. He was called out by an operator, Richard Williams, due to smoke or steam rising from one of the water and oil storage tanks at the site.

To Straughen, everything seemed normal. But he took the opportunity as a teaching moment for Williams, asking him to cut off the vent line for the oil tank as precaution, Straughen said.

He climbed the water tank, while Williams climbed the oil tank. A few moments later, the water tank exploded. The blast threw Straughen 27 feet, breaking his ankle, knee, hip, pelvis, all-but-one rib, jaw and parts of his back.

"I remember the flash. The next memory I have, Im up in the air. I could see Denver," he said. "I remember looking down at the ground where I was going to land and thinking, Dont land on your head, land on your feet.

According to a deposition by Williams, Straughen thought he was back in Iraq upon landing.

"I was talking nonsense," Straughen said.

He would be taken to a Denver hospital for a few weeks before being moved to a rehabilitation center in Idaho. His right foot was eventually amputated because it wouldn't heal, severing his ties to his active lifestyle.

Over four years later, the healing process continues, racking up over $200,000 in medical debt, according to the initial civil complaint.

"The recovery is still going," he said. "Its never going to stop. This is permanent. Recovery is never going to be complete."

His wife believed they should pursue a potential injury case. They contacted Zaner, who brought in chemists and engineers to find out what went wrong.

They concluded that the 10 tanks  manufactured and delivered by BHS Inc.  had holes in them, creating a dangerous mixture of oxygen, Zaner said.

We were able to determine, consistent with the OSHA investigation and one of the companys investigations, that these tanks were delivered with holes in them," Zaner said. "There were some pinholes. There were some bigger holes. All of this allowed oxygen into the system and created an explosive mixture when there shouldnt have been one.

The lawsuit against BHS Inc. was filed in 2021, following years of investigating.

The defense attorneys did not respond to requests for comment by The Denver Gazette.

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But BHS Inc., represented by McConaughy & Sarkissian, P.C., responded to the initial complaint, saying the company was "without sufficient information to form a belief as to the truth of these allegations and, therefore, denies the same."

The defendant rejected the plaintiffs allegations and theories of liability in the pretrial order and denied that its actions caused the incident or the resulting injuries and damages.

The defense argued that the incident was caused by the negligence of others over whom the company had no responsibility or authority to control, including Straughen and Williams, along with their employer, according to court documents.

BHS added there was an assumption of risk, a failure to mitigate and avoidable consequences in the case.

Following a trial in the U.S. District Court in Colorado on Feb. 15, jurors agreed that BHS was responsible for 80% of negligence, with 15% going to the employer, 5% to a supervising company and 0% to Straughen, according to court documents.

Straughen was awarded $10 million for economic damages  including medical bills  and $5 million for physical impairment and disfigurement.

He was also awarded $15 million for non-economic damages, which covered things, such as pain and suffering.

Because of a cap in Colorado law, Straughen will likely see only $468,000 of the $15 million in non-economic damages.

Current non-economic damage amounts are actually now capped at $600,000, but the injury occurred in 2019.

There is a possibility that the cap can be raised up to $1 million, but that will require approval from the judge.

Why a cap?

Zaner called the cap a "miscarriage of justice," claiming it prevents jurors from correctly deciding on personal injury cases.

"It's an antiquated law which says that these legislators in the 80s know better than those eight jurors who sat in those seats for nine days listening and evaluating and applying what they thought was justice," Zaner said.

Zaner added he is in the beginning stages of putting together a ballot measure to try and get rid of the cap.

The U.S. and state chambers of commerce and the insurance industry argue that caps to damages curb "excessive verdicts" that can increase the cost of doing business and inhibit job growth.

In a case in which an Arapahoe County jury last year awarded Jacqueline Gebert $2.7 million after a Sears repairman incorrectly rewired her stove and caused her electrocution, the corporate groups argued that Colorado's cap does not affect the jury's work but instead introduces stability into the legal system by giving "no legal significance" to any dollar award above the cap.

"The general expectation of the American jurisprudence system is that defendants will be subjected to liability and damages in a fair, consistent, and predictable manner," wrote attorneys for the interest groups. "When a defendant is made to pay radically different sums for the same or substantially similar injury, it undermines these principles with irrationality and unpredictability."

In that case, Colorado's second-highest court rejected the attempt to declare the state's cap on certain monetary damages unconstitutional.

"One of the reasons that these caps are put in place is that non-economic damages are very hard to quantify," Frederick Yarger, partner at Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell, told The Denver Gazette. "It's not like economic damages where you can have some proof of lost earnings or medical bills or cost of care. Its very much a general argument about non-economic loss, about pain and suffering that arent tied to concrete evidence."

Yarger noted that having an uncapped amount of non-economic damages can make jury verdicts unpredictable, with some juries deciding different amounts based on similar injuries.

"One of the biggest concerns is consistency," he said.

The $5 million that Straughen received for physical impairment and disfigurement is uncapped.

Yarger said this is one of the reasons that Colorado keeps the cap on non-economic damages.

Zaner insisted that juries should be the ones deciding the amount.

"They looked at Steves life and said, This is what hes been through. This is what hes going to go through. This is what was fair compensation,'" he said.

Zaner also claimed the jurors didn't know about the differences between capped and uncapped monetary damages, and, if they did, they might have decided to place more money for Straughen's physical impairment.

"Steve lost his leg. Hell never do all the activities he wanted to do with his young children," Zaner said. "To say the most thats valued at by society is $500,000 is a real insult to the system."

To Straughen, the money received is still "an incredible amount," though he called the cap an "unfair precedent." He added that if his case can help others in the future, that's a net positive.

"Better is better no matter where it comes from," he said. "If it has to come from a learning moment like this, and it helps somebody else, then were all better for it."

Colorado Politics reporter Michael Karlik contributed to this report.
SNM Abdi is an independent journalist specialising in Indias foreign policy and domestic politics. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
Mary Ellen Klas is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. Views do not represent the stand of this publication.
In today's edition of Moneycontrol Pro Panorama: More NBFC's piled in past three years, simultaneous polls may not be an unalloyed...

Moneycontrol Pro Panorama | Markets need their Vitamin D too, as disclosures make them stronger

The idea behind economic sanctions was to weaken Russia and force it to withdraw from the Ukraine war, which started two years back. Western nations intensified the sanctions regime in the

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Jonathan Levin has worked as a Bloomberg journalist in Latin America and the U.S., covering finance, markets and M&A. Most recently, he has served as the company's Miami bureau chief. He is a CFA charterholder.
Sushma Ramachandran is a senior journalist based in Delhi. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
Arun Anand has authored two books on the RSS. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
Digital infrastructure company Equinix is, according to a number of news outlets, planning to invest US$390 million in building data centres in Africa over the next five years.

A Bloomberg report, published last week, suggests that the investment will focus primarily on South Africa and the west of the continent, although Sandile Dubem, managing director for South Africa, has indicated that the company is also exploring opportunities in East Africa and may spend more to build or acquire there. With this in mind the company has a number of studies under way to assess opportunities.

The company first entered Africa with its acquisition of West African data centre and connectivity solutions provider MainOne in 2021. This took a while to complete. Indeed, we reported that Equinix had finally completed its acquisition of MainOne for an enterprise value of US$320 million, in April 2022.

The deal added three operational data centres to Equinix's portfolio, in Nigeria, Ghana, and Cote d'Ivoire. Another Nigerian data centre opened in April 2022.

As we reported at the time, Equinix announced plans for a Johannesburg IBX data centre in December 2022. Construction began in 2023. It will have 4MW of IT capacity in its first phase, eventually reaching 20MW and more than 9,290 square metres of colocation space. It is expected to launch later this year.
Vietnams Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) reportedly plans to require foreign businesses who want to provide domestic satellite telecoms services to have a gateway station located in the country.

According to VNA, the new requirement is included in a draft decree that provides articles and measures to implement the upcoming Law on Telecommunications 2023. The law will classify satellite broadband services such as Starlink as cross-border services.

Under the new proposed regulations, which update the previous Law on Telecommunications 2009, foreign satellite service providers must ensure that all traffic generated by satellite subscriber terminals in Vietnam must pass through a local ground gateway connected to the public telecoms network.

They must also meet capital and investment conditions. For example, contributed charter capital must be at least VND30 billion (US$1.2 million USD), and total investment capital in the network must be at least VND100 billion in the first three years, the report said.

Foreign satellite service providers must also have a commercial agreement with a licensed domestic telecommunications enterprise, and have a technical plan to ensure information security, perform emergency prevention, and shut off services when ordered to do so by relevant state agencies.

The report said that the MIC considers cross-border satellite communications to be a risk in terms of data from Vietnamese internet users being collected abroad and used illegally.

The draft decree is open for comments until early April. The new telecoms law is scheduled to will take effect from July 1.
Nokia announced on Friday it has signed a partnership deal with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to jointly research 6G technologies and 6G use cases for India.

Under the partnership, Nokia and IISc will work together in Nokias 6G Lab in Bengaluru to focus on three core areas of research: 6G radio technologies, 6G architecture and the application of machine learning (ML) into the 6G air interface.

The two organisations aim to develop reference architectures, software frameworks and algorithms to be continued to the 6G technology and standards ecosystem.

While the 6G research will have global applications, Nokia and IISc will also drill down on 6G use cases that specifically address the needs of the Indian market, such as making use of AI and developing "network as sensor" technologies to improve transportation safety, augment healthcare and increase access to education.

Nokia and IISc will also research 6G applications to enable better network sustainability and energy efficiency, as well as improved resiliency and reliability of networks for critical communications.

Nishant Batra, chief strategy and technology officer at Nokia, said the partnership would further Indias Bharat 6G Vision, which aims to position India as a key global contributor to the design, development and implementation of 6G technology. And by exploring 6G use cases specific to India, we will ensure that 6G addresses the unique needs of the subcontinent.

Indias Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has been laying the groundwork for 6G development under the Bharat 6G programme since 2021, with the aim of making sure India-specific requirements (summed up as affordability, sustainability and ubiquitous connectivity and intelligence) are included in the global IMT-2030 6G standard that eventually emerges from the International Telecommunication Union around 2030.

The ITU completed its 6G Framework in June 2023. The DoT said that it had successfully lobbied the ITU to include ubiquitous connectivity, ubiquitous intelligence and sustainability as key elements of 6G. In July last year, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said India had already obtained over 200 patents for 6G technology from international organisations.

Nokia said the collaboration with IISc is the first such partnership to emerge from its 6G Lab, which it launched in October last year at its global R&D center in Bengaluru. That same month, rival telecoms vendor Ericsson launched its India 6G research team in its R&D Center in Chennai to supplement its global efforts to develop 6G technologies.
JACKSONVILLE, ALMore than 500 students were awarded degrees as part of Jacksonville State Universitys Fall 2023 commencement on Dec. 15, including:

Suneet Sharma of Enterprise, Computer Science degree; and,

Norah Martin of Jack, Computer Science degree.

Founded in 1883 as a state teachers college, Jacksonville State University has grown from humble beginnings into the Alabama regional university with the highest percentage of accredited programs.

Located in the Appalachian foothills midway between Birmingham and Atlanta, JSU offers more than 150 courses of study, including over 40 online programs, at the undergraduate and graduate level. To learn more, visit www.jsu.edu, call 1-800-231-JAX1 or e-mail jaxfacts@jsu.edu.
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, gestures toward the crowd during an award presentation at the North Dallas Chamber on Oct. 4, 2022, in Dallas. (Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News/TNS)
The Enterprise City Council approved the purchase of some sensory-friendly playground equipment for Johnny Henderson Family Park at their recent council meeting.

The equipment includes a Sensory Wave Climber Arch which allows children of all abilities to enjoy climbing while enhancing sensory development. The arch, which is intended for children ages two to 12, includes molded-in grips and handholds that provide additional support for children of all abilities. The Discover Cave allows children to climb up and over or crawl in and through for discovery and exploration. The cave includes hand grips and is intended for children ages two to five.

A fun mirror and 12-inch bells will also be installed.

Billy Powell, Director of Community Services and Recreation, said each year the Enterprise Parks and Recreation Department works with the Enterprise Rotary Club to update the playground equipment at the park.

We are thankful for the support of the Enterprise Rotary Club and all they have done and continue to do to pour into our parks and facilities for the betterment of our community, Powell said. The clubs donations have been instrumental in not only creating such a vibrant and enriching playground for our children, but also to maintaining the equipment to provide safe and enjoyable experiences for years to come.

Powell said the Rotary Club will donate $12,000 to cover the cost of the new equipment, which will be installed by members of the Enterprise Parks and Recreation Department.
Two Chinese bloggers in exile warn that police are interrogating their followers

Two Chinese bloggers in exile warn that police are interrogating their followers View Photo

SHANGHAI (AP)  Two prominent Chinese bloggers in exile said police were investigating their millions of followers on international social media platforms, in an escalation of Beijings attempts to clamp down on critical speech even outside of the countrys borders.

Former state broadcaster CCTV journalist Wang Zhian and artist-turned-dissident Li Ying, both Chinese citizens known for posting uncensored Chinese news, said in separate posts Sunday that police were interrogating people who followed them on social media, and urged followers to take precautions such as unfollowing their accounts, changing their usernames, avoiding Chinese-made phones and preparing to be questioned.

Li Ying, known as Teacher Li, came to prominence as a source of news about the White Paper protests, a rare moment of anti-government protests in mainland China in 2022. Teacher Lis account on X, formerly known as Twitter, @whyyoutouzhele now posts news and videos from submitted by users, which cover everything from local protests to viral videos of real-life incidents that are censored on the Chinese internet.

In a post Sunday evening, Teacher Li suggested people unfollow his account. Currently, the public security bureau is checking my 1.6 million followers and people in the comments, one by one.

Li shared screenshots of private messages he received from followers over the past few months, which claimed that police had interrogated individuals, and that one person had even lost their job.

As of Tuesday morning, Li had dropped down to 1.4 million followers on X.

International social media platforms like X and YouTube are blocked in China, but can still be accessed with software that circumvents the countrys censorship systems.

Wang, who has a million subscribers on X and 1.2 million followers on YouTube, also told his fans to unsubscribe.

In a written statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it didnt understand the situation and that it was not a diplomatic matter.

Li and Wang did not respond to requests for comment.

Over the past decade, Beijing has cracked down on dissent on Chinese social media, with thousands of censors employed both at private companies and with the Chinese state.

Chinese users expressing critical opinions online have reported being called, harassed or interrogated by police, with some called in for questioning and ordered to take down certain posts or delete their accounts. In some cases, users have been detained, with some spending up to two weeks in jail and a small number sentenced to years in prison.

More recently, Beijing has extended its reach to tracking non-Chinese platforms such as Facebook, Telegram and X. A recent leak of documents from I-Soon, a private contractor linked to Chinas top policing agency and other parts of its government, described tools used by Chinese police to curb dissent on overseas social media, including one tool specifically created to surveil users on X.

Hackers also created tools for police to hack email inboxes and unmask anonymous users of X, the documents show. Sometimes, officers sent requests to surveil specific individuals to I-Soon, the leak revealed.

Li said he would not stop posting even if people unfollowed, but he urged his followers to take basic digital safety precautions.

I dont want your life to be impacted just because you wanted to understand the real news in China, Li said, in an additional post. You only want to understand whats happening, but the price is quite high.

___

Wu reported from Bangkok.

By DAKE KANG and HUIZHONG WU

Associated Press
Tep Vong, the leader of Cambodias Buddhist community, dies at 93 View Photo

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP)  Tep Vong, the senior monk who headed Cambodias Buddhist community and was vital for its rejuvenation in the wake of the Khmer Rouge genocide in the late 70s, has died. He was 93.

Cambodias Ministry of Cult and Religion said Tep Vong died Monday after an extended illness.

Tep Vong in 2006 was granted the title of the Great Supreme Patriarch, making him the religious chief of both the Mahanikay and Dhammayut orders of Theravada Buddhism in Cambodia. About 97% of Cambodias 17 million people are Buddhists.

He had been close to the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party and its leader, Hun Sen, who served as prime minister for 38 years before stepping down last year.

Tep Vong was key to the rejuvenation of Buddhism in Cambodia after the communist Khmer Rouge during their 1975-79 rule tried to eradicate all organized religion. Their radical policies are blamed for the deaths of as many as 1.7 million people from starvation, illness, and execution.

After an invasion by neighboring Vietnam ousted the Khmer Rouge from power in January 1979, Tep Vong was one of a core group of seven monks re-ordained under Vietnamese sponsorship to reestablish the organized Buddhist faith in the country, temporarily uniting the Mahanikay and Dhammayut orders.

Born in 1932 in the northeastern province of Siem Reap, home to Cambodias famous Angkor temples, Tep Vong was first ordained as a monk in his hometown in 1952, serving until he was forced to defrock when the Khmer Rouge came to power.

He served as the senior monk in the sangha  the Buddhist monastic community  that included both orders until 1991, when the Mahanikay and Dhammayut separated again, and Tep Vong became the Supreme Patriarch of the dominant Mahanikay order.

In 2006, he was elevated to the Great Supreme Patriarch, making him the head of both orders.

His body will be kept at Ounalom Pagoda, the centuries-old temple in the capital Phnom Penh where he had long served, for public viewing ahead of his funeral.
Russia wants to imprison the co-chair of Nobel-winning rights group over criticism of war in Ukraine

Russia wants to imprison the co-chair of Nobel-winning rights group over criticism of war in Ukraine View Photo

Russian authorities on Monday sought a prison sentence of nearly three years for a veteran human rights advocate who spoke out against the war in Ukraine.

The prosecution demanded that Oleg Orlov, 70, be convicted of repeatedly discrediting the Russian army and sentenced to two years and 11 months in prison. The demand came in a retrial after he was earlier ordered to pay a fine. Underscoring how little tolerance President Vladimir Putins government has for criticism of its invasion of Ukraine, the prosecution appealed the fine, seeking a harsher punishment.

The charges against Orlov, co-chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights group Memorial, came after he posted on Facebook an article he wrote denouncing the invasion of Ukraine. He has rejected the case against him as politically motivated.

A court in Moscow in October 2023 delivered a guilty verdict and fined Orlov 150,000 rubles (about $1,500 at the time), a significantly milder punishment compared to the lengthy prison terms some other Russians have received for criticizing the war.

Both the defense and the prosecution appealed the verdict, and a higher court voided the fine and sent the case back to the prosecutors. A new trial began earlier this month, another step in a yearslong, unrelenting crackdown on dissent in Russia that the Kremlin ratcheted up after sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

Mondays hearing drew over 100 supporters of Orlov and more than a dozen Western diplomats, Russian independent news site Mediazona reported. Orlov brought a book to the hearing  The Trial by Franz Kafka  reflecting his view of the trial as absurd. At a hearing on Thursday, Orlov read the novel and refused to engage in the proceedings.

In his closing statement to the court on Monday, he once again denounced the war in Ukraine. I dont regret anything and I dont repent anything, he said.

Speaking to those who are now moving the steamroller of repression forward with their work  government officials, law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors, Orlov wondered if they were scared themselves of what our country, which you probably love too, is turning into  this absurdity, in this dystopia.

Doesnt the obvious come to mind  that the steamroller of repression may sooner or later roll over those who launched it and pushed it? This has happened many times in history, he said.

The court is to deliver the verdict in the trial on Tuesday morning.

By DASHA LITVINOVA

Associated Press
Supporters of Brazils Bolsonaro stage huge demonstration to defend him amid investigations View Photo

SAO PAULO (AP)  Supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro staged a huge rally jamming a main avenue in Brazils biggest city Sunday to defend him against legal challenges that could put him in jail.

The far-right leader said in a speech that he seeks pacification to erase the past, taking a more conciliatory tone than when he was in office.

Bolsonaro is seeking to show his base is resilient as he is being investigated by federal police over his alleged role in the Jan. 8, 2023, attacks on government buildings by his supporters over his election loss. He wants the dozens of people still in jail for those incidents to get pardons.

Bolsonaro is also accused of illegally receiving jewels from Saudi Arabia during his presidency.

His supporters filled blocks of the citys Paulista Avenue. Independent observers from a research group at the University of Sao Paulo estimated 185,000 people joined in. Brazils military police put the crowd size even bigger.

Many of the participants complained Bolsonaro is being persecuted by Brazils Supreme Court and claimed President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva unfairly won his narrow victory in the 2022 election.

Some also carried Israeli flags as a show of defiance to the current president, who has received widespread criticism at home for comparing Israels military offensive in Gaza to the Holocaust.

What I seek is pacification, it is erasing the past, Bolsonaro said in a speech as he held an Israeli flag himself. It is to seek a way for us to live in peace and stop being so jumpy. Amnesty for those poor people who are jailed in Brasilia. We ask all 513 congressmen, 81 senators for a bill of amnesty so justice can be made in Brazil.

Bolsonaro denied that he and his supporters attempted a coup when rioters assaulted government buildings a year ago.

What is a coup? It is tanks on the streets, weapons, conspiracy. None of that happened in Brazil, he said.

Bolsonaro is barred from running for office until 2030 due to two convictions of abuse of power, but he remains active in Brazilian politics as the main adversary for left-of-center Lula. As this years mayoral elections loom, candidates have split between the two leaders.

Some of Bolsonaros allies aiming to unseat Lula in the 2026 elections also attended, including influential governors Tarcisio de Freitas of Sao Paulo state and Romeu Zema of Minas Gerais state. But other key politicians and business executives who aligned with him during his 2019-2022 presidency did not show up.

Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo, predicted the pro-Bolsonaro event would not help the former presidents legal situation.

The fact that Bolsonaro doesnt yield any power now reduces what he can do. Beforehand, we feared he could use the force of the armed forces. Now that is ruled out, Melo said. This new reality does not favor him with unpredictability and drama.

The event showed, though, that Bolsonaros message still resonates with many Brazilians, some of whom evidently favor any coup attempt that would put him in charge. One man paraded wearing a military hat and shouted: Brazil, nation, hail our forces. The armed forces didnt sleep!

Federal police investigations also include military generals among those who are alleged to have plotted a pro-Bolsonaro coup with the riots in the capital city of Brasilia last year.

Other Bolsonaro supporters believe Brazil faces the risk of radicalism under Lula, who also governed for two terms in 2003-2010.

It is a country that was taken over by a communist party, hairstylist Simone da Silva Sampaio said, in a reference to the presidents Workers Party. Were living terrible days in this place, where we are silenced. We dont have the right to speak about the truth that happens here.

Workers Party chairwoman Gleisi Hoffmann was one of the few high profile adversaries of the former president to make comments about the pro-Bolsonaro event in Sao Paulo.

When he speaks about amnesty for those sentenced for the riots of Jan. 8, Bolsonaro aims at his own impunity. He cannot defend interests that are not his own, Hoffman said on her social media channels. We should not have any complacency with coup mongers, starting from their boss.

___

Savarese reported from New York.

By FELIPE CAMPOS MELLO and MAURICIO SAVARESE

Associated Press
Brooklyn preacher goes on trial for fraud charges prosecutors say fueled lavish lifestyle View Photo

NEW YORK (AP)  A Brooklyn preacher with ties to New York City Mayor Eric Adams went on trial Monday in Manhattan federal court over charges that he looted a parishioners retirement savings and tried to extort a businessman to fuel his lavish lifestyle.

Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 47, a Rolls Royce-driving bishop, was in court as a jury was being chosen two years after a grand jury lodged charges against him including wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, attempted extortion and making false statements to federal law enforcement officials.

Prosecutors say he plundered a parishioners savings and duped a businessman with false claims that they could leverage his connections to New York City officials, including Adams, to make millions of dollars. Miller-Whitehead has pleaded not guilty.

Miller-Whitehead has been free on $500,000 bail since his arrest, which came only months after he was the victim of a robbery when $1 million in jewelry was stolen from him by gunmen who surprised him during a church service.

His lawyer, Dawn Florio, said at the time that her client felt as if he were being turned from a victim into a villain.

Bishop Whitehead has pled not guilty, and is looking forward to having his day in court, so that he can fight these charges, Florio said in a statement Friday.

In charging documents, prosecutors made no mention of the friendship that Miller-Whitehead developed with the citys mayor while he served as Brooklyns borough president before his election to the citys top job.

But an evidentiary request from prosecutors suggests the mayors relationship with Miller-Whitehead might become a focal point at the trial. Prosecutors are seeking to require a writer for The New Yorker to testify about a January 2023 article titled, The Mayor and the Con Man.

Attorney Rachel Strom, who represents New Yorker staff writer Eric Lach, argued in a letter to Judge Lorna G. Schofield that prosecutors were trying to authenticate a generic, run-of-the-mill denial that Whitehead made about his dealings with the mayor once Adams knew he was the target of an investigation.

The Subpoena is highly invasive, would expose the journalist to cross examination (potentially putting other confidential sources at risk), and make the journalist effectively an arm of law enforcement, she wrote. The judge was expected to rule before opening statements.

At a news conference last week, the mayor was asked about legal filings in the case indicating prosecutors planned to show jurors evidence that Miller-Whitehead used the name of Adams to commit fraud and attempted extortion.

Adams responded that anyone reporting about it should quote the documents that stated that clearly he did not have authorization and there was no connectivity to the actions of (the) mayor or borough president.

Among pretrial evidentiary rulings, the judge has agreed to exclude mention of Miller-Whiteheads criminal conviction for identity theft and grand larceny, which resulted in a five-year prison stint, although it could be brought up if he decides to testify.

Miller-Whitehead became a religious figure when he formed the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in 2013.

Although he preaches in Brooklyn, he owns a $1.6 million home in Paramus, New Jersey, and an apartment in Hartford, Connecticut.

Mondays trial stems from charges alleging he bilked a parishioner out of $90,000 in retirement savings by falsely promising he would find her a home and invest the rest in his real estate business. Prosecutors say he instead spent the money on luxury goods and clothing.

He also is charged with trying to convince a businessman to lend him $500,000 and give him a stake in real estate deals by claiming his ties to city officials could earn favorable treatment for the businessmans interests.

The businessman, Brandon Belmonte, complained to federal authorities, who initiated a half-year probe in 2022 that culminated in Miller-Whiteheads arrest.

Some of the key evidence at the trial was expected to result from secret audio recordings made of conversations between Belmonte and Miller-Whitehead.

By LARRY NEUMEISTER

Associated Press
The Taliban release an 84-year-old Austrian man who was detained in Afghanistan last year

The Taliban release an 84-year-old Austrian man who was detained in Afghanistan last year View Photo

VIENNA (AP)  An 84-year-old Austrian man who traveled to Afghanistan last year and was arrested there was released by the countrys Taliban rulers, the Austrian government said Sunday.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry in a statement identified the man as Herbert Fritz and said he arrived in Doha, Qatar from Afghanistan on Sunday afternoon. If necessary, he will be given medical treatment before continuing on to Austria, it said.

A spokeswoman for the Austrian Foreign Ministry told the Associated Press that Fritz had been held in a prison in Kabul. He was not immediately available for comment.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer thanked the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his team for their strong support in releasing one of our citizens from prison in Afghanistan.

It is only due to our trusted collaboration that this Austrian citizen will be able to return home to his daughter and grandchildren, Nehammer said.

Qatars Foreign Affairs ministry released a statement on X expressing gratitude to the caretaker government in Afghanistan for releasing the Austrian.

The State of Qatar has proven, regionally and globally, that it is a trusted international partner in various important issues, and it spares no effort in harnessing its energy and ability in the areas of mediation, preventive diplomacy, and settling disputes through peaceful means  , it said.

Austrian newspaper Der Standard reported last year that an Austrian man had been arrested in Afghanistan and that he was a veteran far-right extremist and co-founder of a minor far-right party that was banned in 1988, the National Democratic Party.

It said he had been in custody for a few weeks, since shortly after a far-right magazine published an article he wrote titled Vacation with the Taliban in which he gave a positive view of life in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. According to the report, he was accused of spying and Austrian neo-Nazis made his case public via Telegram channels.

The Taliban have barred women from most areas of public life and stopped girls from going to school beyond the sixth grade as part of harsh measures they imposed after taking control of the country in 2021, despite initially promising more moderate rule. The Taliban seized Afghanistan as U.S. and NATO troops were in the final weeks of their pullout from the country after 20 years of war.

According to Der Standard, the Austrian has been a keen traveler to dangerous locations, visiting Afghanistan in the 1980s and, a few years ago, visiting Kurds fighting against the Islamic State group in northern Syria.

Austrian officials said Fritz arrived in Afghanistan last May.

___

Associated Press writer Yesica Fisch in Jerusalem contributed.

By STEPHANIE LIECHTENSTEIN

Associated Press
The Enterprise Chamber of Commerce invites everyone to celebrate St. Patricks Day the Enterprise way at the Worlds Smallest St. Patricks Day Parade and the Half Pint 0.5K on Saturday, March 16, at noon on East College Street. This annual event will celebrate its 31-year legacy and honors its only parade participantthe grand marshal.

The chambers selection committee is proud to announce Mike Donahue as this years parade grand marshal. Donahue is the son of the late, beloved Pat Donahue, the person who served as the parades grand marshal from 1999 until 2006. Mike Donahue watched his father fulfill this role for many years in Enterprise, and Mr. Pat always proudly demonstrated his love for his Irish heritage.

The familys pride and love for their heritage was passed on to their son throughout the years, as he was taught to share this love everywhere he served. Donahue is actively serving in the Enterprise community and over the decades has become a prominent figure out and about the town.

Donahue is a special needs adult who attends the Vivian B. Adams School in Ozark, and he continually participates in Special Olympics. According to those who nominated Donahue, He is an ambassador for our little town spreading conversations and smiles around him just like his father did.

The parade will begin at the Coffee County Courthouse on South Edwards Street, down East College Street, around the Boll Weevil Monument in the center of Main Street, and back. The parade is free and open to the public. Downtown streets will be closed to through traffic during the event, but there will be parking available around the event area.

Everyone is encouraged to wear their favorite festive Irish ware and join in celebrating St. Patricks Day at this family-friendly event March 16 in downtown Enterprise.

Immediately after the parade, the Half Pint 0.5K race for the rest of us will start at 12:30 p.m., followed by the festive Shamrockin After-Party at 1 p.m. at FXT CrossFit. Registration is still open for the Half Pint 0.5K Race, and everyone is invited to sign up or learn more about the festivities today at www.EnterpriseAlabama.com or by calling the Enterprise Chamber at (334) 347-0581.
Live updates | Biden hopes a Gaza cease-fire deal can take effect by next Monday

Live updates | Biden hopes a Gaza cease-fire deal can take effect by next Monday View Photo

U.S. President Joe Biden said Monday that he hopes a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas that would pause hostilities and allow for remaining hostages to be released can take effect by early next week.

Asked when he hoped such a deal could be finalized, Biden said Monday that he hoped it could happen by next Monday. He says his national security adviser tells him the negotiators are close.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said that the army had presented to the War Cabinet its operational plan for a ground offensive into Rafah, Gazas southernmost town along the border with Egypt, where 1.4 million Palestinians have sought safety.

The situation in Rafah, where dense tent camps have sprouted to house the displaced, has sparked global concern and Israels allies have warned that it must protect civilians in its battle against Hamas.

The war began after Hamas-led militants stormed across southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 250 others hostage.

The war has unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and has killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry, which does not distinguish in its count between fighters and noncombatants. Israel says it has killed 10,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Currently:

 Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of blocking aid to Gaza in violation of a UN court order.

 Palestinian prime minister submits governments resignation, a move that could open door to reforms.

 Israel vows to target Lebanons Hezbollah even if a cease-fire is reached with Hamas in Gaza.

 Air Force member dies after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC.

 Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.

Heres the latest:

BIDEN HOPES A CEASE-FIRE AND HOSTAGE DEAL CAN TAKE EFFECT BY NEXT MONDAY

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden said Monday that he hopes a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas that would pause hostilities and allow for THE remaining hostages to be released can take effect by early next week.

Asked when he hoped such a deal could be finalized, Biden said: Well I hope by the beginning of the weekend. The end of the weekend. My national security adviser tells me that theyre close. Theyre close. Theyre not done yet. My hope is by next Monday well have a ceasefire.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said Sunday that an Israeli military offensive in the southernmost city of Rafah could be delayed somewhat if a deal for a weekslong cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is reached. He claims that total victory in Gaza is weeks away once the offensive begins.

Talks toward a deal have resumed at the specialist level in Qatar, which is one of the mediators.

ISRAEL SAYS IT FOUND A 10-KILOMETER TUNNEL CONNECTING GAZA CITY TO CENTRAL GAZA

JERUSALEM  The Israeli military says it uncovered a 10-kilometer (6-mile) long tunnel connecting parts of central Gaza to Gaza City in the north.

The military said the tunnel network ran near the Turkish Hospital in central Gaza and Israa University in Gaza City. It released photos and video footage it said was taken inside the tunnels showing long corridors, staircases, beds, weapons and other supplies.

The military destroyed a number of buildings at the Israa University campus in January, claiming that the facility had been used for military purposes by Hamas.

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.

Israel accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields and has exposed many tunnels running near mosques, schools, hospitals and U.N. facilities. Some of the hostages who were held captive in Gaza have said they were kept in tunnels.

Israel has found similar tunnels across Gaza over the course of its nearly five-month military campaign.

ISRAELI COURT HEARS ARGUMENTS IN CASE OF ULTRA-ORTHODOX MEN SERVING IN ARMY

JERUSALEM  Israels Supreme Court has heard arguments in cases that would force ultra-Orthodox men to serve in the army, as the military is strained by the nearly five-month war in Gaza.

Hundreds of people protested outside the court in Jerusalem on Monday, waving flags and chanting for equal service, as the court began to hear arguments that would cancel the exemption for ultra-Orthodox men.

Military service is compulsory for Jewish men, but politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties have won exemptions for their communities to allow men to study full-time in religious seminaries. These exemptions have prompted widespread anger and resentment from the secular majority, especially as the army has recently announced that compulsory service may be extended and reserve duty will be more frequent as the war continues in Gaza and tensions on the northern border escalate.

The government is required to submit a new draft law in the coming months. Ultra-Orthodox parties, which are a key coalition partner of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hope to continue the system of exemptions.

Opponents, including key members of a mass protest movement against Netanyahus judicial overhaul, say the exemptions are unfair and must end.

Activist groups filed petitions last year to force the state to strike down the exemptions and subsidies for young ultra-Orthodox men who study full-time in religious institutions called yeshivas. In the past, attempts to overhaul the draft law to include ultra-Orthodox have drawn tens of thousands of community members to the streets in large, violent protests.

90 PEOPLE REPORTED KILLED ACROSS GAZA IN THE LAST 24 HOURS

RAFAH, Gaza Strip  The bodies of 90 people killed in Israels bombardment have been brought to hospitals in the war-wrecked Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory reported Monday.

Hospitals had also received 164 wounded, it said.

The fresh fatalities brought the death toll in Gaza to 29,782 since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, the ministry said in its daily briefing. The ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants, but said two thirds of the dead are children and women.

Another 70,043 had been wounded since Oct. 7, it said.

The ministry said many casualties remain under the rubble and first responders have been unable to retrieve them amid the relentless bombing.

The war began after Hamas-led militants rampaged across southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking roughly 250 people hostage.

By The Associated Press
Germanys Scholz explains his reluctance to send Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine View Photo

BERLIN (AP)  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made clear Monday that he remains reluctant to send Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, pointing to a risk of his country becoming directly involved in the war.

Germany is now the second-biggest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States and is further stepping up its support this year. But Scholz has stalled for months on Ukraines desire for Taurus missiles, which have a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles) and could in theory be used against targets far into Russian territory.

He hasnt stated definitively that they wont be delivered but offered the clearest explanation yet of his hesitancy  which has annoyed both Germanys conservative opposition and some in his own three-party coalition  at an editorial conference of German news agency dpa.

The chancellor has long emphasized his determination to help Ukraine without escalating the war and drawing Germany and NATO into it, and stressed that no German soldiers will go to Ukraine.

Britain and France have long since announced that they were sending Storm Shadow and Scalp long-range missiles, respectively, to Ukraine.

Scholz said Monday that the Taurus is a very far-reaching weapon and added: What is being done in the way of target control and accompanying target control on the part of the British and the French cant be done in Germany. Everyone who has dealt with this system knows that.

Asked if hes worried that German soldiers would have to go to Ukraine to control what the missiles target, Scholz said that German soldiers must at no point and in no place be linked to targets this (Taurus) system reaches, and added not in Germany either.

He said there are good reasons why the missiles are not the next option on the agenda. This clarity is necessary. I am surprised that this doesnt move some people, that they dont even think about whether, as it were, a participation in the war could emerge from what we do.

Scholz suggested that the German debate over Taurus missiles has lost sight of what Ukraine actually needs now. What Ukraine is missing is ammunition at all possible distances, but not decisively this thing from Germany, he said.

Last week, German lawmakers called on the government to deliver further long-range weapons to Ukraine, but voted down an opposition call explicitly urging it to send Taurus long-range cruise missiles.

A motion drawn up by the governing parties urged the government to keep up military support and said this includes the delivery of further necessary long-range weapons systems and ammunition to enable attacks on strategically important targets far in the rear of the Russian aggressor.

That unspecific formulation allowed government lawmakers to advocate sending Taurus missiles, or not.
CCC interim secretary-general suspended pending disciplinary hearing

The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) standing committee has taken the decision to suspend interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu with immediate effect, pending a disciplinary hearing. The suspension comes after Tshabangu failed to attend crucial meetings, according to a statement released by CCC interim committee deputy chairperson Albert Mhlanga.

Mhlanga expressed the committees concern over Tshabangus repeated absence from meetings despite receiving invitations. Additionally, Tshabangu submitted a replacement list for the Bulawayo Senate and proportional representation to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) without the approval of the interim standing committee. These actions led to the decision to suspend Tshabangu.

The CCC interim standing committee sat on February 21 amid a great concern about the appointed CCC interim secretary-general Tshabangu for not attending our meetings on several occasions (despite) invitations [being sent] to him and further went on to submit a Bulawayo Senate and proportional representation replacement list to Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) that was not agreed upon by the interim standing committee in our last meeting, stated Mhlanga.

The CCC interim committee also declared null and void the announcement made by Harare mayor Jacob Mafume, who appointed Welshman Ncube as the interim president based on the 2019 Gweru congress. According to Mhlanga, this move established a separate party known as CCC-Welshman, while the CCC party that recalled members, appointed Tshabangu, and was led by former President Nelson Chamisa remains the formalized CCC.

Mhlanga clarified that the interim chairman Dingilizwe Tshuma would lead the party for the next 90 days until a congress date is set. He further criticized Tshabangu for engaging with Mafume, Ncube, and Tendai Biti, who were not part of the interim standing committee that appointed him as the CCC interim secretary-general.

Moreover, the CCC camp denounced the Bulawayo Senate and Proportional Representation replacement list submitted by Tshabangu to Zec. Mhlanga emphasized that all elected Members of Parliament, council, and senate should continue their duties until the end of their term and consult with stakeholders and citizens for the way forward.

With immediate effect, the CCC party has suspended the CCC interim secretary-general Tshabangu pending a disciplinary hearing.

We have realised that Tshabangu was only looking for positions through securing our signature to endorse him as the secretary. We had agreed that the recalls would only be effected in Bulawayo to deal with those elected but coming from outside Bulawayo but to our surprise Tshabangu decided on his own to go beyond Bulawayo, Mhlanga stated.

Mhlanga accused Tshabangu of overstepping his authority by recalling individuals in Mashonaland provinces without proper consultation. He criticized Tshabangu for surpassing the initial agreement and imposing his own choices, highlighting that parties formed outside Bulawayo tend to fail. Mhlanga reiterated that the CCC leadership is an interim national structure awaiting a congress.

The disciplinary hearing will determine the outcome of Tshabangus suspension and shed further light on the internal dynamics and power struggles within the CCC. As the party prepares for its congress, the decisions made in the coming months will shape the future direction of the CCC and its role in Zimbabwean politics.

Breaking News via Email
Snakes: An Evolutionary Winner (press release) Stony Brook University

Climate

From Pixels to Politics: How Video Games Can Inspire a Green New World Atmos. I wonder if any climate models have been wired up to video games?

#COVID19

Measles outbreak just a plane ride away, Manitoba health official warns CBC. Measles is airborne.

The new pandemic treaty: Are we in safer hands? Probably not BMJ

China?

Chinese Control Over U.S. Oil And Gas At Heart Of Biden Family Influence Peddling, New Whistleblower Reveals (excerpt) Public. Needs an American version of the post-Smiley LeCarre to do this story properly.

Many are living from meal to meal: Malaysian governments claim of hardcore poverty eradication draws scepticism Channel News Asia

Syraqistan

U.S. Air Force Member Sets Self on Fire Outside Israels Embassy in D.C. to Protest War in Gaza Time. Aaron Bushnell:

I will no longer be complicit in genocide. Im about to engage in an extreme act of protest, the airman repeated, in footage reviewed by TIME, as he walked toward the driveway of the Israeli embassy. But compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, its not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.

Oddly, all of the early coverage suppresses the detail:

Why did he do it? Four major news outlets have almost the exact same headline for the self-immolation of 25-year old Aaron Bushnell. Not one of them mentions the words Gaza or genocide, the reason for Aarons protest, or the word Palestine, his last words spoken. pic.twitter.com/MdRCFsptzD  Assal Rad (@AssalRad) February 26, 2024

Well see how the official reaction goes:

Predictiona reporter to Karine Jean-Pierre tmrw: A serviceman set himself on fire to avoid, in his words, being complicit in "genocide." Will the president call his family & if so, what'll he say? KJP: The president will tell them thatIsrael has a right to defend itself. pic.twitter.com/vMQgeAuzJw   Steven W. Thrasher, PhD, CPT (@thrasherxy) February 25, 2024

Bushnell recorded his self-immolation on Twitch (since deleted). Heres the YouTube (until it gets taken down):

Here is a transcript from @taliaotg, who broke the story. Key detail:

New Not-So-Cold War

A Tale Of Two Wars Madras Courier. Im all for diplomacy, but there are some prerequisites for making it work, none of which were fulfilled in Ukraine or Israel.

South of the Border

Thousands of Brazilians rally in support of Bolsonaro amid coup probe Al Jazeera

The Caribbean

2024

US millennial women are now more likely to die in their late 20s and early 30s than any generation since the World War II era: report Business Insider

The Bezzle

Why Are There Suddenly So Many Car Washes? Bloomberg. A private equity infestation.

Digital Watch

Google explains Geminis embarrassing AI pictures of diverse Nazis The Verge. Like this: Very 1619 Project. Commentary: Im done with @Google Mario Juric. A long Tweet. Key paragraph: Ive been reading Googles Gemini damage control posts. I think theyre simply not telling the truth. For one, their text-only product has the same (if not worse) issues. And second, if you know a bit about how these models are built, you know you dont get these incorrect answers through one-off innocent mistakes. Geminis outputs reflect the many, many, FTE-years of labeling efforts, training, fine-tuning, prompt design, QA/verification  all iteratively guided by the team who built it. You can also be certain that before releasing it, many people have tried the product internally, that many demos were given to senior PMs and VPs, that they all thought it was fine, and that they all ultimately signed off on the release . With that prior, the balance of probabilities is strongly against the outputs being an innocent bug  as @googlepubpolicy is now trying to spin it: Gemini is a product that functions exactly as designed, and an accurate reflection of the values people who built it . Those values appear to include a desire to reshape the world in a specific way that is so strong that it allowed the people involved to rationalize to themselves that its not just acceptable but desirable to train their AI to prioritize ideology ahead of giving user the facts. Microsoft trying to stop Copilot generating fake Putin comments on Navalnys death The Register

Travel

Boeing

Ryanair demands compensation from Boeing for aircraft delivery delays FT

Supply Chain

Asias love for non-OPEC+ crudes set to deepen as output expands Hellenic Shipping News

Groves of Academe

Koch Injected Nearly $500 Million into Hundreds of Colleges and Universities Between 2018 and 2022 Exposed by CMD. Biggest winner: George Mason.

Healthcare

Best health care system in the world! Let this sink inif the former U.S. Surgeon General @JeromeAdamsMD cant afford a hospital visit, after knowing full well about doctors and insurance, and having a premier health insurance planwhat hope is there for the rest of us? #Medicareforall #healthcareforall now! https://t.co/QBvqk0tff4  Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) February 25, 2024

A loophole got him a free New York hotel stay for five years. Then he claimed to own the building AP

Class Warfare

Its Not Just Wages. Retailers Are Mistreating Workers in a More Insidious Way. NYT A New Force Set Loose New York Review of Books. Pre-1789 France. The Origins of Enduring Economic Inequality (forthcoming) (PDF) Journal of Economic Literature. From the Abstract: We survey archaeological evidence suggesting that among hunter-gatherers and farmers in Neolithic western Eurasia (11,700 to 5,300 years ago) elevated levels of wealth inequality occurred but were ephemeral and rare compared to the substantial enduring inequalities of the past five millennia. In response, we seek to understand not the de novo creation of inequality but instead the processes by which substantial wealth differences could persist over long periods and why this occurred only at the end of the Neolithic, at least four millennia after the agricultural revolution. Archaeological and anthropological evidence suggests that a culture of aggressive egalitarianism may have thwarted the emergence of enduring wealth inequality until the Late Neolithic when new farming technologies raised the value of material wealth relative to labor and a concentration of elite power in early proto-states (and eventually the exploitation of enslaved labor) provided the political and economic conditions for heightened wealth inequalities to endure. Constitutional Clash: Labor, Capital, and Democracy (PDF) Northwestern University Law Review. From the Abstract: In the last few years, workers have engaged in organizing and strike activity at levels not seen in decades Viewed collectively, these effortslabors efforts for shortseek not only to redefine the contours of labor law. They also present an incipient challenge to our constitutional order. If realized, labors vision would extend democratic values, including freedom of speech and association, into the putatively private domain of the workplace. It would also support the Constitutions promise of free labor this Article shows that contemporary fights about labor are also inherently fights about constitutional law [T]he Constitutions promise of free labor. Oh? Death of the Innovator? New Left Review

Leap year saved our societies from chaosfor now, at least National Geographic

Deep Time Diligence (interview) Tyson Yunkaporta, Emergence Magazine

Antidote du jour (via):

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2024/02/links-2-24-2024.html>here
Admittedly the Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski is rabidly anti-Russian. Fortunately, there does not seem to be much mainstream Anglosphere press amplification of his remarks at the UN last Friday and his follow-up comments to Bloomberg and CNN. As well see, they are based on the barmy idea that Russia will roll up Poland after fully eating up Ukraine. So Poland is threatening the US that if it does not keep pouring money into the Ukraine black hole, NATO members will have to take matters into their own hands by getting nukes.

As well discuss soon, the vehemence of Sikorskis comment seems triggered not just by the Houses refusal to approve $61 billion for Ukraine, but also the spectacle of the Ukraine forces starting to crumble with a defeat that at the end turned into a rout in Adiivka.

In a recent post, we considered the question of how Russia seemed vanishingly unlikely to defeat its ultimate opponent, the US and NATO, in the Ukraine proxy war, and what that could mean for how Russia prosecutes the Ukraine war. Recall the Clausewitz standard:

War therefore is an act of violence intended to compel our opponent to fulfill our will.

While NATO members may eventually settle down into what Aurelien calls epic sulking, Sikorskis remarks illustrate that the most ferociously ant-Russian NATO members, Poland and the Baltic states, will continue to whip up fears of Russian invasion and sapping of precious bodily fluids.

And could they do more than just bark at Russia? As well discuss, Polands current and likely near-term support of the Ukraine conflict may Russia in a tricky position and could even affect how it paces the war.

First, lets look at what Sikorski said1:

 Poland's Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski: If the US fails to deliver military support to Ukraine despite the Commander-in-Chief's desire to do so (President Biden), allies will start developing their own nuclear weapons because America is dysfunctional and unreliable. pic.twitter.com/dR4fBda9wz  Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) February 24, 2024

Recall that Sikorski, who at the time was not in the Polish government, thanked the US for the destruction of the NordStream pipelines.

His recent remark is not a direct threat but it still is awfully specific. Fortunately, Poland and the Baltic states are not well positioned to move it forward: Wikipedia does not list any of them as having nuclear reactors. Nevertheless, Sikorskis remarks about nuclear weapons make for a jarring contrast with Polands position in opposition to nuclear power being include in the EU green finance taxonomy.

Sikorskis threat display demonstrates that Ukraine defeat at Adiivka has punctured the very large propaganda balloon about inevitable Ukraine victory. For one-stop shopping, Similicius the Thinker has an excellent sitrep that is very heavy on Western news coverage, with alarmed headlines from virtually all major outlets, including the Washington Post, New York Times, The Hill, Politico, ABC.

In concert with downbeat official statements, many reports did not try to pretty up the fact that the Ukraine forces crumbled in Adiivka, by highlighting the capture of troops and the disorderly evacuation, aka rout. Moreover, the press is also covering unsightly realities like the exhaustion and demoralization of Ukraine forces, the losses they have suffered, and even the almost medieval conditions in the trenches.

But Sikorskis belligerent talk is in keeping with the assessment of Politicas morning European newsletter, that the posturing greatly exceeds the ability to do much:

LEADERS SUMMIT IN PARIS: Some 20 European leaders are meeting today at the Elysee Palace for a hastily convened summit in support of Ukraine. Their goal? Getting their mojo back to help Ukraine win against Russias advancing troops. Words vs. actions: The problem with the EUs enthusiastic support? To date, the rhetoric hasnt been matched with sufficient ammunition and weapons deliveries  with North Korea and Iran sending more ammo to Russia than the entire EU has to Ukraine. But many Europeans are gloomy: Without action to back it up, the Elysee is increasingly alone in its optimism. Only one in 10 Europeans think Ukraine can win, according to a recent poll. The question European leaders will need to answer: Are they prepared  and willing  to step in and make up for a flagging U.S.?.

A careful reader will notice that this is just a new version of the old fight Russia to the last Ukrainian strategy, that the EU is at best intending to send more weapons when its and the US deliveries were not enough to overcome Russian forces. A new analysis, republished in TASS, dutifully recounts how Western weaponry in the famed summer counter-offensive greatly exceeded what Russia brought to that fight. Of course, there is the wee matter that the West provided almost nada in the way of air support, which is considered in the sort of doctrinal offensive that the US and NATO ginned up. And among other failings, they also appeared not to have contemplated Russia mining their too-clearly-announced line of attack, and then quickly mining behind the advancing forces, so they suffered more losses when retreating.

And the do more of what so far has failed not only does not acknowledge that Western weapons cupboards are looking mighty bare, but also, as Scott Ritter and Brian Berletic have pointed out, disparate EU weapons systems, like a multiplicity of tanks, creates a logistical nightmare, so the value of those arms is blunted by the complications in deploying and sustaining them. And there is the elephant in the room: that Ukraine has long ago run out of the ability to shanghai conflict-capable men, and has taken to press-ganging the unfit (in age and intellect) and is also conscripting women. The media has chosen to focus much more on shrinking weapons supplies, but has increasingly started to include more mentions of the manpower shortage, particularly of anyone with a modicum of experience.

However, second, there is a more immediate and serious cause for concern. The US and EU member states still keep moving up the escalation ladder with Russia as Project Ukraine founders. And a move that had seemed unduly provocative may now be under serious contemplation, as in having nominally Ukraine-piloted F-16s attack Russia, potentially out of NATO states. Jens Stoltenberg has also just announced that NATO is on board with Kiev attacking targets outside Ukraine, aka in Russia, so long as the target has been approved, presumably meaning colorably military. From the Financial Times:

Ukraine has the right to strike Russian military targets outside Ukraine in line with international law, the Nato secretary-general has said for the first time since the start of the full-scale war nearly two years ago. Jens Stoltenberg earlier this week acknowledged that the use of western-supplied arms to strike targets in Russia had long been a point of contention among Kyivs allies, due to fears of escalating the conflict. A Nato official confirmed to the Financial Times on Thursday that Stoltenberg said Kyiv had the right to self-defence, including by striking legitimate Russian military targets outside Ukraine. In recent months Kyiv has stepped up strikes on military targets inside Russia with drones and long-range missiles, including an oil depot used by the Russian army near St Petersburg. However, due to western sensitivities around attacks on Russian territory, Ukraine has only ever alluded to its responsibility. A spokesperson for Ukraines air defence forces, Yuriy Ignat, said that Ukraine as a rule, does not comment. France and the UK, which have already supplied Kyiv with long-range missiles, have been cautious about endorsing such strikes for fear of escalation with Moscow.

Russia had said a long time ago that any use of foreign materiel or bases in an attack on Russia would amount to an act of war and Russia would respond.

But Russia has not treated this line as hard and fast. That is likely because that Ukraine and its NATO helpers have bothered with creating a veneer of deniability with these attacks, for instance depicting some as the doing of dissidents in Russia. Its also close to conventional for major powers to send little green men in to advise pet state actors and as we know all too well from the Middle East, sponsor terrorists as long as we like their choice of enemies.

But Russia is well aware of transgressions. Precision targeting almost certainly means US/NATO assistance. Many of the weapons platforms, such at the Patriot, are difficult to master and thus are pretty certain to be operated in large measure by NATO volunteers.

Foreign mercenaries have been active in Ukraine. Russia has even been credited with striking gatherings of NATO advisers. In his recent Tucker Carlson interview, Putin mention that, in order, Polish, Georgian and US mercenaries are most active in Ukraine. Per Alexander Mercouris 9see at 1:16:15), Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu briefed Putin that the Ukraine war effort was being run by the West, out of Poland (presumably based on this session. Note I have been unable to find a transcript or an English subtitled version).

Lets put this in context of the state of play. Many of the panicked reports describe that Ukraine really will run out of many critical weapons, at least relative to the level needed to prevent catastrophic losses, starting at the end of March. The most important is air defense, which is reportedly set to dry up then. This is far and away the biggest potential casualty: with Russia having total control of the skies, it could take out many more targets.

Mind you, experts point out that even if the US $61 billion were approved in early March, its not clear how much the US could deliver quickly given its depleted stocks. Zelensky want to acquire Patriot missiles, which are already in short supply.

But the $61 billion is also reported to be necessary to fund Ukraines much anticipated mass conscription, which has yet to be approved. Ukraine, which has its own currency, certainly could print if it wanted to to finance the initiative. One assumes the actual constraint is political: that without ongoing Western support, Ukraine would suffer mass upheaval as citizens rebelled against throwing yet more men and now even women into the meat grinder. The government apparently judges that there is not enough Banderite muscle to compel compliance in the absence of Western backing.

However, the Financial Times, consistent with earlier accounts, warns that the NATO forces are seriously contemplating at least two avenues of attack directly on Russia:

In Germany, lawmakers are seeking to persuade Chancellor Olaf Scholz to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine, a long-standing demand from Kyiv as it could use the advanced German weapon to strike Russias supply lines. The governments parliamentary majority on Thursday was set to approve a motion asking Scholz to deliver additional long-range weapons systems to Kyiv, which many take to mean Taurus. The German missile has a slightly longer range than its French and British equivalents and is more sophisticated against reinforced structures, such as bunkers and bridges. Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted last year that Moscow could strike western-supplied F-16s outside Ukraines borders, which he said risked bringing Nato into a direct conflict with Russia. This seriously risks dragging Nato further into this armed conflict, Putin said in June. The tanks are burning and the F-16s will burn just as well.

The pink paper is being coy about F-16s. It is not just that they would be Western-supplied. They would almost certainly have to operate from airbases outside Ukraine, since the require pristine runaways and Russia could make sure there werent any. Poland appears to be too far from Russia (even Crimea) for the F-16 to launch attack anywhere that might raise Russias hackles. But Romania might be plausible for continuing to attack the Donbass. Readers?

Now it may be between the distance to Russia proper and the low likelihood that the F-16s would be effective even if they got that far that Russia is more worried in principle than practice. Scott Ritter has said that an F-16 would be visible to Russia upon takeoff and the odds of a pilot returning alive was 20%.

However, many commentators have taken note of the current uncomfortable resemblance of the current conflict to the runup to World War I, including a plethora of incompetent leaders and key officials. Many contend that no one wanted a big war (which is an exaggeration; there were interests that wanted a fight) and that conflict blew big due to a series of miscommunications and misreadings, plus rigid treaty obligations.

So Russia is no doubt mindful of the risk that the West could do something colossally stupid, as in mount a serious enough attack on Russia to protect its amour propre that Russia would be compelled to retaliate against an offending NATO member.

This is a long-winded set-up to an amendment to the view of the earlier post, which argued that Russia had ample reasons to move slowly even when the Ukraine military started imploding: the need to do first things first (fully capture and clear all the oblasts that joined Russia), see what the progress of economic and political collapse implied for the best next steps. and the lack of a real need to move rapidly.

We also stressed that the principle of Do not make sudden moves around crazy people also argued for a measured approach.

But if the NATO powers look determined to inflict damage on Russia, even if that would be unproductive to counterproductive, that could suggest a need to move faster, not necessarily in terms of territorial acquisition (occupying terrain is costly and would add to the Collective West freakout) but the pace of destruction of the Ukraine military. Heads exploding across NATO-sphere suggests Russia might want to take maximum advantage of the soon-to-open window of Ukraine being badly undersupplied, most of all on the critical air defense front. Simplicius gives a very good description of how Russia is now punching Ukraine from multiple directions, regularly catching Western planners off guard and disproving the claim that in the brave new world of ISR, surprise is impossible.

Simplicius and other point out that Russia has been concentrating forces, both in the Zaporzhizhia area and has been reversing the meager gains of the great Ukraine counteroffensive, and also has troops buildups not just near Kharkiv but also Sumy. The map-watchers so far think they are not big enough for a big arrow offensive.

But it does mean Russia would not find it hard to feed a great many more men into positions opposite the already-bucking line of contact. And a decisive collapse might persuade the West it had no good countermoves save licking its wounds and trying to foment terrorism within Russia, a la the IRA in England.

In other words, it seems possible that Russia could kick its operations into a higher gear than otherwise necessary to protect the West from itself.

____

1 Sikorskis remarks at the UN, which then led to a round of press interviews:
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has appointed Farah Dakhlallah of the United Kingdom as the next NATO Spokesperson. Ms Dakhlallah will take up her responsibilities during March 2024.

Mr Stoltenberg said: I look forward to welcoming Farah Dakhlallah as the next NATO Spokesperson. In a more dangerous world, clear and timely communication, and engagement with the media, are more important than ever.

Ms Dakhlallah joins NATO with wide-ranging experience from both the public and private sectors, including the United Nations, the UK government, and AstraZeneca, as well as several media organisations. She succeeds Oana Lungescu, who served as Spokesperson from 2010 to 2023.
Big Techs AI systems are ERASING entire record of white people from human history

There are no longer any white people on earth, nor were there any in the past, according to Google's artificial intelligence (AI) Gemini (formerly Bard) program.

All "American women" are black, according to Gemini, and the same goes for "Swedish women," "Australian women," "British women" and "German women." Take a look for yourself:

It's embarrassingly hard to get Google Gemini to acknowledge that white people exist pic.twitter.com/4lkhD7p5nR  Deedy (@debarghya_das) February 20, 2024

The same types of results show up when performing a normal Google search as well. Type in the words "American inventors" into Google's "Images" category and see for yourself the results.

When asking Google's Gemini to "Generate images of people born in Scotland in year 1820," the image that comes up is a portrait of a smiling, redheaded white woman coupled with a scowling black man.

(Related: Even before the Wuhan coronavirus [COVID-19] and Black Lives Matter [BLM] came to be the latest things, the anti-white agenda was fast spreading like a virus all across "diverse" America.)

Google's Gemini refuses to show white couples, claiming "racism"

Amazingly, if you try asking Google's Gemini to "Create an image of a White couple," the following politically correct, anti-white prompt comes up instead:

"While I am able to generate images, I am unable to fulfill your request to create an image based solely on someone's race or ethnicity. It is against my guidelines to create content that could be construed as discriminatory or promote stereotypes."

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Learn about our free, non-commercial AI / LLM project here. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Based on this, you might assume that Google's Gemini will not pull up any images of any couples, no matter the race  but you would be dead wrong for assuming that as the AI program quickly and easily populates plenty of imagery when asking it to "Create an image of a black couple."

"Sure, here is an image of a Black couple," the prompt responds with not just one but two images of happy black couples.

Gab founder Andrew Torba responded to all this by telling the world that Gab.ai does not have the same issue:

"They don't have that issue because their engineers are not manually programming it to erase white people," notes Chris Menahan for Information Liberation about how Gab's AI program, as creepy as it still is being AI and all, does not discriminate against white people like Google's Gemini AI does.

In the comments, someone highlighted the Zionist origins of the anti-white agenda, which seeks to destroy white society through communism, wars, financial panic, media corruption of society, breakup of families, pornography and homosexuality, among many other evils.

"The Talmud and Zohar teach that this period of 'birth pangs' among the Gentiles will eventually recede as humanity is ushered into a new age of Judaic enlightenment in which belief in 'one true god' and observance of his laws will prevail over the 'confusion' of Christian 'polytheism.'"

"AI is a con," wrote another. "It's little more than a plagiarism machine. It just steals others' content, warps it and sticks it together with Photoshop and, more recently, video editing filters."

"There is plenty of evidence this is the case. A group of artists on a stock photo website recently changed all their images to 'AI is theft' posters while maintaining the original tags, and all of a sudden, all the AI software started to pump out warped versions of the 'AI is theft' image."

The race wars are heating up. Find out more at RaceWar.news.

Sources for this article include:

InformationLiberation.com

NaturalNews.com
Douglas Macgregor warns: Allowing illegal aliens to vote will lead to ABOLITION of the SECOND AMENDMENT

U.S. Army Col. Ret. Combat Veteran Douglas Macgregor, who appears regularly on television to offer his analysis of military and world affairs, has issued a warning to America:

Many of the tens of thousands of illegal migrants who enter the United States daily will end up joining the military for pay, Macgregor warns, adding that this "is more dangerous to American liberty than any foreign invading army."

With weapons in their hands and the right to vote, these illegals will systematically gut the U.S. Constitution and strip Americans of their Second Amendment right to bear arms.

"Give illegal migrants weapons and the right to vote, they will disarm American Citizens and impose dictatorship," Macgregor says.

Few Americans are willing to serve in the military anymore, so illegal aliens are increasingly taking their place  and Macgregor understands, to some degree, why this is happening.

"If Americans won't join the armed forces to fight it's because the conflicts after 911 made no sense and there was no intention to win," he tweeted to X.

(Related: America's bleeding hearts have begun taking in illegal aliens to live with them in their homes.)

Macgregor says drain the swamp

Unhappy with the direction things are going, Macgregor would like to see Americans take the fight in another direction by electing someone other than Joe Biden to the White House this fall.

"Drain the D.C. swamp," Macgregor tweeted in reference to a common trope uttered by former President Donald Trump.

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If all goes according to plan, Biden and his regime will solidify the totalitarian, gun-free "utopia" they have long envisioned. Americans will be stripped of their constitutional rights while illegals take their place as the new "Americans."

"That's exactly the plan of the globalists," wrote someone in response to Col. Macgregor's warning.

"Disarming American citizens and imposing dictatorship has been the plan for a very long time," said another.

Our own Health Ranger also piped in to thank Col. Macgregor for his continued service to the republic, affirming the notion that illegal aliens in the military and on the voter rolls is a really bad idea.

Tucker Carlson put out his own video a few years back at Prager U warning about the threat of open borders and how it would support the Democrat agenda to replace American citizens with illegal aliens.

"Isn't this exactly what happened to Rome?" asked someone on X about what helped burn the world's most infamous republic to the ground. "They armed invading people who turned against them?"

Others agreed, adding that giving illegal aliens access to weapons and sensitive military information, not to mention voting rights, is a disaster waiting to happen, to say the least.

"For example, say we let a Chinese man join our armed forces -- what stops the CCP from locking up that man's family that is still in China and threating them with harm unless that man turns over military intelligence or sabotages or kills Americans," one of them added.

"The only military that will exist soon will be a newly formed military under the guidance of the American citizens as they will take to the streets and exercise in full the constitutional right under the constitutional structure of the Second Amendment, the First Amendment, and the 14th amendment," suggested another.

"This will have to happen to save the republic."

Another agreed, stating that he would sooner join a militia than "fight for the feds" who "don't value the young men they expect to fight for their twisted version of imperialism, and their recruitment numbers reflect this."

More of the latest news about the illegal alien threat to America can be found at InvasionUSA.news.

Sources for this article include:

Twitter.com

NaturalNews.com

PragerU.com
OZARK-More upscale rental housing in the Dale County seat is a strategic goal for the city of Ozark that is now a reality as a $5.3 million apartment complex is expected to be completed by August.

Friday Ozark Mayor Mark Blankenship and Ozark-Dale County Economic Development Director Holle Smith toured the construction site on which the 28-apartment complex on Campus Drive, near the Alabama Aviation College, is being built by Watson and Downs Investments.

The complex will consist of 20 two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments, and eight one-bedroom, one-bathroom units, said Andrew Gholson, the onsite superintendent with the general contractor, Engineered Systems. We started framing Monday and weve come a long way in a week, he said he surveyed the hard-hatted work crews between the yards of wooden beams. As long as it doesnt rain, well be alright.

Love where you live and Building Ozark together are more than mottos printed on car tags and coffee mugs for the mayor of the city billed as the Heart of the Wiregrass.

Bringing people to Ozark is a priority, said Blankenship. Its our focus. With an estimated population in city limits of some 15,000, mobile data collection marketing research that uses cell phone pings indicates that the citys daytime population is near 30,000.

Smith said that the Alabama Aviation College on Highway 231 in Ozark has been asking for rental housing as its student enrollment from outside the immediate area increases. The college specifically wanted nearby apartments because they have so many students commuting from a distance, and this apartment complex will serve as accessible apartments to students at the college, as well as non-college residents.

Blankenship said that the proximity of the land to the AAC is what sparked his interest. I asked the Andrews family to let us know first whenever they decided to sell the land, he said. Weve been working on getting rental housing, in general, in the city because I dont care what we bring in here industry-wise, if the employees have to go home to somewhere else to live, we havent accomplished much long term.

Prior to being elected mayor, Blankenship served eight years as the Dale County Commission Chairman and before that, four years as president pro tem of the Ozark City Council. Our city remains one of the best places to live and raise a family in Alabama, he said. We have so much to offer here in Ozark.

Smith agreed, calling the apartment project a true partnership with the city of Ozark, the Ozark Utilities Board and the Dale County Commission helping make it a reality. Among the contributions from the city of Ozark to include tax abatement, Smith said, are the rezoning of the property to allow for apartments housing and an agreement for a 99-year lease of a small strip of city-owned land between the former Andrews property and Heritage Way for $1 a year. The commission agreed to use $50,000 from lodging tax funds for asbestos abatement, demolition of existing structures on the property and grading of the property. The Ozark Utilities Board approved the waiver of water and sewer tap fees and agreed to assess a minimum bill for three years.

An increase in varied housing options is greatly needed in Dale County, said Smith. The population and workforce cannot increase without viable options for living spaces.

Job creation through businesses and industry attraction and a growing workforce will be halted if new housing is not available, she added. This apartment complex will be an asset to economic development due to its location, because it will serve the Alabama Aviation College, which is a draw to industry due to the colleges unique, quality workforce training programs.
Large-scale geoengineering projects to alter Earths climate, once dubbed a conspiracy theory, are now expanding globally right out in the open

What was once just a "conspiracy theory" or "internet myth" confined to the fringes of society is now becoming official policy to keep the planet from "warming" or "boiling."

We are talking about chemtrails and other forms of geoengineering, which those who propagate such things used to deny before eventually admitting that, yes, there are attempts being made to alter the function of the natural order to stop "climate change."

Concepts like "dumping chemicals in the ocean" and "injecting reflective particles in the sky" are making headlines in prominent media outlets that once denied the existence of such things. Because of the alleged "climate crisis," deranged scientists are coming up with bizarre ideas like blocking out the sun with poison, which they claim will protect Earth from melting.

(Related: Last summer, Mexico banned chemtrails and geoengineering after an American startup firm tried to block out the sun with chemicals in Baja California Sur.)

Cloud brightening, atmospheric chemicals, dyed oceans

Just the other day, the Wall Street Journal reported on some of these newfangled projects, claiming that they stand to "reduce greenhouse gas emissions" at a much faster rate than existing technologies.

In order to stop "scary" things like heat waves, thunderstorms and floods, the climate industry is rushing to change the way clouds work and alter the pH levels of the ocean, among other large-scale planetary endeavors.

They still want everyone to stop eating meat and drive electric vehicles (EVs), of course, but those interventions are simply not enough to reach the "carbon-free economy" that they want to see take full shape by the year 2030.

We are building the infrastructure of human freedom and empowering people to be informed, healthy and aware. Learn about our free, downloadable AI tools on nutrition, health and preparedness at this article link. Every purchase at HealthRangerStore.com helps fund our efforts to build and share more tools for empowering humanity with knowledge and abundance.

One of the newest projects going on right now involves blasting a brine mixture into the sky to create larger, brighter clouds to reflect sunlight back into space. This project is taking place at Southern Cross University in Australia with funding from the government, other universities and various conservation organizations.

Across the world in Israel, a startup called Stardust Solutions is spending $15 million in private funding to blast reflective particles into the sky at high altitudes to try to reduce solar radiation. In the "next few months," tests using the proprietary chemical blend will move from an indoor testing facility to the actual outdoors.

In the United States at Martha's Vineyard, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute is planning to dump thousands of gallons of sodium hydroxide dyed with chemical colorings into the ocean to create a so-called "carbon sink" to draw carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere and into the water.

Then there was the infamous "Make Sunsets" geoengineering effort in California that eventually made its way down to Mexico, prompting widespread criticism and outrage because of the sulfur and other harmful chemicals that were released into the atmosphere.

The climate cult is finally starting to admit that its efforts to reduce carbon are not working, so this is why they are shifting to more extreme measures like trying to block out the sun and recreate atmospheric gas concentrations and ratios to "fix" whatever they think is wrong with the climate.

Over at the United Nations (UN), there is also growing talk that the age of "global warming" has actually ended, and now the world is shifting into a period of "global cooling."

"All of this is a clear sign that the 'climate crisis,' or rather the 'climate crisis' narrative, is entering a dangerous new phase," warns the National Pulse.

"Rational thinking increasingly leads to alarmism and, ultimately, hysteria about impending doom. Under such conditions, the most unreasonable and ill-considered responses will seem reasonable and appropriate."

More of the latest news about globalist efforts to reconfigure the world in their image can be found at Geoengineering.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheNationalPulse.com

NaturalNews.com
Largest-ever COVID jab study ties popular injections to serious health risks

An in-depth analysis of the medical records of 99 million "fully vaccinated" people reveals that Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "vaccines" are linked to a variety of neurological, blood and heart-related health problems.

The largest global vaccine study to date, the research, conducted by the Global Vaccine Data Network and published in the peer-reviewed journal Vaccine, points to the mRNA (modRNA) injections from Pfizer Inc., BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc. as having the worst risks. These double-dose shots were found to increase the risk of heart-related inflammation, i.e., myocarditis and pericarditis.

The more traditional viral-vector COVID injections from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) were found in the study to increase the risk of a type of blood clot in the brain, as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome, a neurological disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nervous system.

For the research, scientists looked specifically for 13 medical conditions considered to be "adverse events of special interest." They fully expected to discover more-than-expected cases of such adverse events following COVID injection versus other vaccine injections.

The 99 million records they looked at came from patients hailing from eight different countries, offering a substantial sample size from which to draw conclusions.

As expected, mRNA-based COVID shots were consistently linked to myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, following the first, second and third doses. The highest risk was seen after the second jab of Moderna's mRNA injection.

We are building the infrastructure of human freedom and empowering people to be informed, healthy and aware. Learn about our free, downloadable AI tools on nutrition, health and preparedness at this article link. Every purchase at HealthRangerStore.com helps fund our efforts to build and share more tools for empowering humanity with knowledge and abundance.

As for pericarditis, researchers identified the highest risk after the first and fourth dose of the same mRNA injection from Moderna, pericarditis being inflammation of the thin sac covering the heart.

The team also identified a statistically significant increase in cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome within the first 42 days after injection with the University of Oxford-developed ChAdOx1 or "Vaxzevria" shot  this condition was not observed in relation to the mRNA COVID shots.

"Based on the background incidence of the condition, 66 cases were expected  but 190 events were observed," a media report explains about the study's findings. "ChAdOx1 was linked to a threefold increase in cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, a type of blood clot in the brain, identified in 69 events, compared with an expected 21."

"The small risk led to the vaccine's withdrawal or restriction in Denmark and multiple other countries. Myocarditis was also linked to a third dose of ChAdOx1 in some, but not all, populations studied. Possible safety signals for transverse myelitis  spinal cord inflammation  after viral-vector vaccines was identified in the study."

(Related: COVID jabs have killed millions  here's the proof.)

Medical establishment still claims COVID jab damage is "rare"

As with most published studies of this nature, the scientists involved made sure to throw in the caveat that such risks are relatively "rare," considering the 13.5 billion people worldwide who were injected with COVID injection poisons from one or more of the aforementioned types and brands.

Another thing they stated is that the association does not necessarily prove causation, though it is clear from this and numerous other such studies that COVID injections are causing profound damage in recipients' bodies  so much so that excess mortality was off the charts each and every time another injection or "booster" shot was unleashed.

"This the largest study to date looking at the risks associated with Covid vaccination," noted the editor of GBNews, which covered the study and still tried to argue that COVID shots are safe and effective and "saved lives."

"Still, those left injured by vaccination are demanding answers and dissent should not be silenced, a point powerfully articulated by a man who recently confronted Rishi Sunak over Covid vaccine injuries."

COVID injections are genocide. Learn more at Genocide.news.

Sources for this article include:

GBNews.com

ScienceDirect.com

NaturalNews.com
Manhattan DA warns of MOBILE PAYMENT FRAUD: Two taps and someones life savings could be gone

Concerned by a surge in mobile payment fraud draining bank accounts through the use of popular and widely-used mobile payment apps like Cash App, Venmo and Zelle, Manhattan District Attorney (DA) Alvin Bragg has sent letters to the CEOs of the companies that own these peer-to-peer payment services.

Reportedly now handling an estimated $1 trillion in payments, Bragg said these apps are exposing its users to scammers and thieves  costing them a lot of their hard-earned cash.

The DA addressed the letters to the parent companies of Venmo, Cash App and Zelle. In his letters, Bragg demanded the app owners and operators "improve their security and protect their users from scams and thefts." He specifically requested that they "impose limits on transactions, require secondary verification of up to a day and better monitor unusual activity." He also requested meetings with the companies to discuss these issues in detail.

"Two taps and someone's life savings could be gone," warned Bragg.

Bragg is demanding that the parent companies of these payment apps install tighter security measures, including multi-factor authentication, lowering the limit on daily transfers, requiring wait times on transfers of larger amounts of cash and better monitoring of suspicious activity.

Many people getting scammed through payment apps

According to a September 2022 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, while many had praised these app platforms for making it easy for them to receive and send money to businesses, family and friends and making paying for things easier, there's also a significant number who had been scammed or had their private information breached through these apps. (Related: Beta-testing, crypto-romance and more: FBI warns internet users about app-hacking techniques.)

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Learn about our free, non-commercial AI / LLM project here. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Fraud claims involving payment services have tripled between 2020 and 2022, costing consumers hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

"No longer is the smartphone itself the most lucrative target for scammers and robbers  it's the financial apps contained within," said Bragg. "Thousands or even tens of thousands can be drained from financial accounts in a matter of seconds with just a few taps."

"These crimes involve an unauthorized user gaining access to unlocked devices and then draining bank accounts of significant sums of money, making purchases with mobile financial applications and using financial information from the applications to open new accounts," continued Bragg.

The DA noted that while in most cases it is relatively easy for criminals to steal or trick their way into the locked smartphones of their victims, in some cases thefts can turn violent. In Los Angeles, several people were notably robbed of thousands of dollars through Venmo at knifepoint. Similar incidents have been reported in Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

"In the most disturbing cases, offenders have violently assaulted or drugged victims, and either compelled them to provide a password for a device or used biometric ID to open the victim's phone before transferring money once the individual is incapacitated," Bragg warned.

Learn more about tech and cyber crimes at Glitch.news.

Watch this video exposing a Cash App scam.

This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

AI is making it much easier for cybercriminals to steal your life savings.

FBI warns of "Phantom Hacker" scams WIPING OUT senior citizens' life savings.

WARNING: AI-powered DEEPFAKE VOICE SCAMS are now coming for your bank balances.

Dating website/app profiles mostly fake "catfish" that steal your private info while pushing politics, climate change, money scams, vaccines and gender fluidity.

More than 376M SCAM messages sent daily to steal money, clone voices of Americans.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

ManhattanDA.gov

PewResearch.org

ABCNews.go.com

Brighteon.com
NATO wants to give Ukraine 1 MILLION DRONES in 2024 but who will make them?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has announced plans to give Ukraine one million drones in 2024.

Kyiv being given the drones for its war effort was the center of a Feb. 15 meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, according to the Warzone. The ministers gathered in the Belgian capital to discuss defense investments and present a consolidated front for the alliance. Two NATO member nations, the U.K. and Latvia, will be responsible for the endeavor.

"A group of allies is coming together with the goal of delivering one million drones to Ukraine," said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. "Our commitment is essential to preserving Ukraine's freedom," he continued, stressing that NATO allies account for 99 percent of all military aid to Kyiv.

British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed the news in a statement, saying that both London and Riga "will co-lead an international coalition to build Ukraines vital drone capabilities." He added: "Together, we will give Ukraine the capabilities it needs to defend itself and win this war, [and] to ensure that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin fails in his illegal and barbaric ambitions."

Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds also confirmed the development, stating that the two nations will work with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov toward this goal. "Together with other members of the drone coalition, we have formed a strong core," Spruds continued.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree in early February establishing the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF), a new branch under the Ukrainian Armed Forces specifically dedicated to drones. According to Kyiv Independent, the USF "will reportedly focus specifically on improving Ukraine's work with drones" by "creating special drone-specific units, ramping up training, [systematizing] their use, increasing production, and pushing innovation. (Related: Drone use is widening in Ukraine, bringing with it potential dawn of robotic killing machines.)

Thanks to your generous support, we are building the infrastructure of human freedom and actively donating our technology to independent publishers, authors and home schooling organizations. Learn about our game-changing non-commercial AI project here. Support our ongoing efforts to preserve and enhance human knowledge by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com.

Drones playing a huge role in the Ukraine conflict

Before the establishment of the USF, Zelensky said in January that one of Kyiv's main goals for 2024 was to outpace Russia in the production of drones. "To address that imbalance, Ukraine had already said that it aimed to produce one million drones domestically in 2024," the Warzone pointed out.

"It is by now no secret that drones are playing a vitally important role in the war, for both sides and across all domains. As well as repeatedly emphasizing the importance of drones to its operations, Ukrainian officials have also warned that Russia possesses far greater numbers of these systems than it does  with a notable disparity when it comes to the widely-used first person view types."

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's deputy prime minister for innovation, confirmed Kyiv's plan to produce more drones domestically. He told Reuters that there are plans to produce "thousands of long-range drones capable of deep strikes into Russia." Ten companies have stepped up to the challenge, Fedorov added.

"We need to act in an anti-bureaucratic way. This is the essence of a breakthrough in the war of technology. We are going to continue to put our bets on this, to work in this direction  because technology can really save us," he said, citing examples of how Kyiv removed bureaucratic roadblocks to drone development and production.

"We removed taxes on UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) components, simplified the contracting procedure, and the procedure for decommissioning. In other words, we took all the blockages that private sector companies were facing and addressed them in six months by passing all the necessary laws and resolutions."

The Ukrainian innovation minister also mentioned that efforts are underway to localize the production of drone components. As of writing, Ukraine's drone industry relies heavily on components sourced from foreign nations  including China, an ally of Moscow. "That's why I think that if we continue this trend, by the end of the year  we will have a lot of companies that have already made more than 50 percent of their components locally," said Fedorov.

Visit UkraineWitness.com for more stories about Ukraine's use of drones against Russia.

Watch Patrick Lancaster talk about Russia's use of energy weapons to take out Ukrainian drones.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Ukrainian KAMIKAZE DRONE sets off explosion, crashing into Russian airbase and damaging supersonic bomber.

REPORT: Ukraine abducts wounded Russian soldiers using giant drones with pincers.

Ukraine's experimental DRONE BOATS strike two Russian Navy ships in Crimea.

Ukrainian drones conduct explosive attacks on Russian power stations.

US weapons package for Ukraine includes 100 KILLER DRONES.

Sources include:

TWZ.com

KyivIndependent.com

Reuters.com

Brighteon.com
NTSB doesnt want a third party to examine evidence from East Palestine derailment disaster  what are they trying to hide?

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is once again working against by working to prevent discovery in a class action regarding the East Palestine train derailment incident that dumped noxious chemicals like vinyl chloride and dioxins into the surrounding environment.

The government regulator, which supposedly works on behalf of the American public, is trying to stop a third party from accessing for evaluation evidence in the case. Overseen by proud homosexual "Mayor Pete," aka Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the NTSB claims that allowing the third party to see the evidence would "impose an undue burden on the agency's investigative and financial resources."

Attorneys representing the NTSB submitted documents to U.S. Judge Benita Y. Pearson of the Northern District Court of Ohio expressing opposition to the inspection demands of the third party, a coalition of OxyVinyls LP, GATX Corp., and General American Marks Co.

Since the NTSB is currently conducting an active probe into Norfolk Southern over the Feb. 3, 2023, incident, the government agency does not want anyone else accessing the evidence, for reasons that remain unknown  though many suspect a government coverup.

(Related: The Government Accountability Project [GAP] is demanding that the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] procure records proving that Facebook censored posts about East Palestine train derailment.)

When the government works for itself, not We the People

With jury selection scheduled for March 31, 2025, the case's plaintiffs are seeking compensation for economic and emotional distress caused by the explosion and chemical release, which sent an infamous black smoke cloud into the skies that prompted local evacuations.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Learn about our free, non-commercial AI / LLM project here. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Since there are so many lawsuits that have been filed over the incident, most of them have been consolidated into a class action. Norfolk Southern is suing OxyVinyls LP, GATX Corp., and one other company for their involvement in creating the rail cars and chemicals that were on board, arguing that these companies must also share liability for the damages.

In their defense, these companies want to examine the crash site for themselves to come up with defending arguments, which the NTSB will not allow. The government agency allowed for a limited evidence inspection, but will not release any further evidence until after a June 25 board meeting that is scheduled to conclude its investigation.

The unfortunate losers in this whole saga are the people who live in and around East Palestine as nobody, including the government, is representing them or their interests. Instead, the powers that be want to sweep the matter under the rug with as little liability to their buddies as possible.

"The government holds all the cards and they aren't giving any of them up willingly," is how one reader described the situation. "They are lawless and untouchable. That won't change until they are all dead."

"And more and more Americans are waking up to that fact every day," responded another. "Their government has been trying to kill them for two decades. Poisoning their food and water first. Then their skies. And when that wasn't fast enough for them, they MANDATED A TOXIC SHOT on everyone who would buy their BS."

"Our government should be charged with crimes against humanity ... on US."

Another person found it laughable that suddenly the government cares about the nation's finances, allegedly, despite the country being tens of trillions of dollars in debt as the debt load continues to skyrocket.

"I fully expect any and all evidence to eventually be classified so no one can have access to it outside of Pedo Pete's garage," said someone else.

Another government body lying and covering up the truth? Color us shocked! Learn more at Corruption.news.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

NaturalNews.com
Obliteration awaits US if Biden wins reelection, Trump warns

Former US President Donald Trump has claimed that he is the only hope for preventing Americas collapse, saying Joe Biden will finish destroying the nation if he wins a second term in the White House.

(Article republished from RT.com)

If crooked Joe Biden and his thugs win in 2024, the worst is yet to come, Trump said on Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in suburban Washington. Our country will go and sink to levels that were unimaginable. He added, These are the stakes of this election: Our country is being destroyed, and the only thing standing between you and its obliteration is me.

Trump is polling as, by far, the leading Republican candidate to challenge Biden in the November presidential election. He claimed that while the incumbent presidents mental state prevents him from properly comprehending reality, he is surrounded by some very bad fascists who are intentionally destroying the US, partly through open borders.

With four more years of Biden, the hordes of illegal aliens stampeding across our borders will exceed 40 to 50 million people, Trump said. Medicare, Social Security, health care and public education will buckle and collapse. It will collapse.

The ex-president estimated that the US will have 18 million illegal migrants by the time Bidens term ends in January 2025, and he vowed to launch the largest deportation campaign in the nations history if he wins back the presidency in November. Theyre killing our people, he said. Theyre killing our country. We have no choice.

We are building the infrastructure of human freedom and empowering people to be informed, healthy and aware. Learn about our free, downloadable AI tools on nutrition, health and preparedness at this article link. Every purchase at HealthRangerStore.com helps fund our efforts to build and share more tools for empowering humanity with knowledge and abundance.

Trump gave his speech one day after former White House senior adviser Stephen Miller told the CPAC audience that if his ex-boss takes office again, he will immediately seal the borders and start mass deportations. Biden, who halted many of Trumps border-security measures, has presided over the largest influx of illegal migrants in US history.

Trump also blasted Bidens foreign policies, enabling the Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine conflicts, and accused him of using law enforcement to target political enemies. The Republican challenger faces four criminal indictments and several civil lawsuits, which he has argued are part of an effort to interfere in this years election.

A declining, crooked Joe Biden  hes the crookedest, most incompetent president in the history of our country  will soon have us losing World War III, Trump said. We wont only be in World War III. Well be losing World War III, with weapons the likes of which nobody has ever seen before.

Trump, referring to himself as a proud political dissident, vowed to take his revenge by winning back the presidency and making the US more successful than ever before. For hard-working Americans, November 5 will be our new Liberation Day, he said. But for the liars, and cheaters, and fraudsters, and censors and imposters who have commandeered our government, it will be their Judgment Day.

Read more at: RT.com
Justin Trudeau TERRIFIED of independent media winning information war, calls for aggressive new CENSORSHIP to protect mainstream media propangandists

The reason why the corporate-controlled media no longer holds the same level of sway over public opinion is because of social media, according to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

At a speaking engagement in conservative-leaning Alberta, Trudeau told radio host Ryan Jespersen in an exclusive 30-minute interview on his "Real Talk" podcast that free speech online is part of "a deliberate undermining of the mainstream media" that must stop immediately.

"There are the conspiracy theorists, there are the social media drivers who are trying to do everything they can to keep people in their little filter bubbles to prevent people from actually agreeing on a common set of facts the way CBC and CTV, when they were our only sources of news, used to project across the country, at least a common understanding of things," Trudeau complained.

When Bell Media decided earlier this month to lay off many of its local journalists and sell 45 of its 103 regional radio stations, Trudeau denounced the move, stating that local journalism is what keeps Canadian "democracy" intact.

"There are massive changes that need to happen in our media landscape," Trudeau further told Jespersen in the more recent interview. "And [the] government can try and create conditions and incentives for it to happen."

After previously stating in the same interview that independent, local media is compromising mainstream media outlets that act as mouthpieces for the government, Trudeau confusingly countered this by stating that "we're putting money towards local independent media."

Thanks to your generous support, we are building the infrastructure of human freedom and actively donating our technology to independent publishers, authors and home schooling organizations. Learn about our game-changing non-commercial AI project here. Support our ongoing efforts to preserve and enhance human knowledge by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com.

(Related: Did you know that Canada is spending millions of dollars on "vaccine passports" until 2026?)

Canadians must choose to deny "encrapification of news," says Trudeau

Last summer, the Canadian parliament passed the so-called Online News Act (ONA) that requires search engines and social media outlets to compensate news outlets for posting their content. Google complied, but Facebook, according to Trudeau, is "choosing to be bad guys about this."

Instead of complying with the ONA, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is blocking all media content from Canadian publishers both on Facebook and Instagram.

Since all of his efforts to try to control the news from the top down are failing, Trudeau says it is up to individual Canadians to choose to refuse what he described as the "encrapification of news," borrowing this bizarre term from British Columbia Premier David Eby.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama made similar statements last May in an interview with CBS in which he complained about "a divided media," thanks to social media and other independent sources of information.

Obama romanticized about days gone by when America had just "three TV stations," waxing nostalgic about that time when "people were getting a similar sense of what is true and what isn't, what was real and what was not."

"How do we return to that common conversation?" Obama added, wishing he could make America common again through a centralized media. "How can we have a common set of facts?"

Concerning Trudeau's comments about "conspiracy theorists," it should be noted that when government officials use this term, they are typically referring to people who question the government's version of truth.

"Trudeau is a known liar that wants to be a dictator," wrote someone at RT about Canada's current leader.

"I'm from Canada and can say without hesitation that Trudeau is universally despised and will soon be gone," wrote another. "There will be a National Party on that day."

"Major news outlets are shaping public opinion by publishing propaganda and lies instead of truth," said someone else.

"Just look at how the mainstream media ignores the plea of 30,000 murdered Palestinians."

More related news coverage can be found at Censorship.news.

Sources for this article include:

RT.com

NaturalNews.com
Animal rights advocates recently celebrated the Bangladeshi court's decision to suspend all licenses for the adoption of wild elephants as a "landmark" decree that will aid in the abolition of cruelty.

This is a move to protect the mammals that are residing in the country.

Landmark Order

Bangladesh was once home to a significant population of Asian elephants, but habitat destruction and poaching have resulted in a sharp decline in elephant populations.

Approximately 200 elephants remain in the country today, and according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are nearly 100 captive Asian elephants.

The prior plan allowed for the custody of juvenile elephants, and the forestry department would grant licenses to logging companies so they could utilize the animals to move logs, and some became members of circus troupes.

The court recently found out that such exploitation violated the license agreements.

Rakibul Haque Emil, head of the animal rights group People for Animal Welfare (PAW) Foundation in Bangladesh, described the move as a "landmark order."

"In this name of training elephants, private licensees including circus parties brutally separate elephant calves from their mother, shackle them for months and then torture them to teach tricks," Emil said.

Read Also: Free Mali: The World's Loneliest Elephant Locked Away in a Philippine Zoo for Almost 40 Years

Conservation Effort

The High Court's decision is a major win for Bangladesh's efforts to save elephants, but it also raises questions about how to rehabilitate the captive animals.

In addition to protecting wild elephants, the order aims to make sure that those who have endured mistreatment in captivity get the treatment and rehabilitation they are due.

This all-encompassing approach to conservation symbolizes a positive change toward a day when people and wildlife can live side by side in harmony while upholding the inherent worth and rights of every living thing.

Actor Jaya Ahsan and PAW filed a lawsuit on behalf of the public interest opposing the licensing of captive elephants.

The writ was filed stating that elephants were tortured and trained for these purposes, as well as being used in circuses, social events, and even in the ill practices of extortion.

A baby elephant, which was being exploited as a street vendor, was killed by a train in May of last year. This incident later on drew attention to the predicament of the captive elephant population.

Some people paint the elephants bright colors and make them do feats for people on the streets in exchange for some money.

Two malnourished elephants were taken from their owners by authorities in May 2019 after they had been utilized as roadside panhandlers. Afterwards, the elephants were given to the Dhaka Zoo.

Emil then made a promise to rally support for the rehabilitation of elephants kept in captivity.

"Several countries in Asia such as Thailand and Nepal have found some success in rehabilitating captive elephants. We shall do it here," Emil pointed out.

Related Article: Rescued Elephant Carrying Tourists for 25 Years Now With Deformed Spine - Thailand
Colorado and Wyoming can expect strong winds and a snowy outlook, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) hazardous weather outlook. Homeowners should stay alert for potential High Wind Warnings and colder temperatures.

The NWS Weather Prediction Center warned of a significant winter storm in the Western or Pacific Northwest, bringing high winds, snow squalls and widespread heavy snow.

In addition, homeowners can expect colder temperatures in portions of the Great Basin, Central Rockies and Cascades. People can anticipate snow rates and wind gusts reaching from 50 to 60 mph. Motorists traveling this week should check for dangerous travel conditions in the Pacific Northwest.

The threat of mountain snow can become more challenging in the affected areas. Homeowners should stay alert for heavy snowfall and high-elevation snow.

In the Midwest and Southern Texas, the recent NWN forecast reported that anomalous warm temperatures could occur.

Wyoming, Colorado Weather Forecast This Week

According to the NWS Weather Forecast, a widespread high wind event could emerge in the south and central Wyoming. High Wind Warnings are possible on Monday. Homeowners should check for possible increased fire weather threats, including in the Nebraska Panhandle.

In the early week, people should anticipate colder temperatures and snow potential. On the other hand, portions of Colorado can expect light snow conditions, with possible accumulations of two to four inches.

Snowy outlook can spread over Colorado, Northeast Utah and Nevada. Possible blowing snow can also emerge with windy conditions. In North Central Colorado, widespread snow will be likely with limited travel impacts. Motorists should check for difficult winter conditions and a strong cold front.

In addition, drifting snow can unload in the Continental Divide, impacting the southern I-25 corridor and southeast mountains. In the early week, the threat of extremely dangerous fire conditions can occur due to the strong winds.

Staying Safe Against Snowy Conditions in Wyoming and Colorado

The latest weather forecast warned of challenging weather conditions in Wyoming and Colorado this week. Limiting outdoor plans and activities is also suggested to keep safe from the poor weather outlook in Colorado and Wyoming.

Homeowners should store survival winter and emergency kits inside their cars or homes to keep them safe from snowy outlook. The advisable emergency kits are the following:

Battery-powered radio

Flashlight

Medicine kits

Water supplies

Winter clothes

In addition, homeowners should be extra careful with hazardous travel in Colorado due to slippery roads and reduced visibility. Checking the road conditions is important before traveling to avoid being stranded while commuting.

Meanwhile, power outages can occur due to colder conditions in Wyoming and Colorado.

Related Article: NWS Weather Forecast: Light Snow to Impact Upper Midwest, Northern New England

For more similar, don't forget to follow Nature World New
The UK is experiencing a stark contrast in weather conditions, as the southern regions face heavy rains and strong winds, while the rest of the country enjoys a dry and bright start to the week.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for parts of England, indicating severe weather that could cause damage and disruption.

Southern England Soaked by Persistent Rainfall

The southern parts of England, especially London and the surrounding areas, are preparing for an onslaught of rainfall that is expected to last until 9 am on Monday.

The Met Office has extended its yellow weather warning, which means that residents should stay alert and be aware of the potential impacts of the severe weather.

The heavy rains could cause flooding, travel delays, power cuts, and damage to properties and infrastructure. Coastal areas in the south are also at risk of coastal gales, which could intensify the effects of the rainfall.

The Met Office has advised people to avoid unnecessary travel and to follow the advice of local authorities.

The wet weather is caused by a low-pressure system that is moving across the UK from the Atlantic. The system is bringing moist and unstable air, which results in persistent and heavy showers.

The system is expected to move away from the UK by Monday afternoon, bringing some respite to the affected regions.

Northern UK Basks Under Sunny Spells

In contrast to their southern counterparts, most parts of the UK will bask under sunny spells, with a largely dry start anticipated for the week ahead. Residents in these regions can expect isolated showers, but nothing that would dampen their spirits or disrupt their daily activities.

The dry and bright weather is due to a high-pressure system that is dominating the northern half of the UK. The system is bringing stable and clear air, which results in sunny spells and mild temperatures.

The system is expected to remain over the UK for the next few days, bringing some hope and optimism to the nation.

This stark contrast paints a picture of a nation divided by weather lines, each region preparing differently for the week ahead - one bracing for impact, while another looks forward to basking under clear skies.

Also Read: UK Weather Update: Met Office Warns of Dangerous Snow, Ice Conditions; Flood Warnings Reported

Snowy Surprise for Some Areas

While most of the UK is either wet or sunny, some areas are in for a snowy surprise this week. According to new weather maps by WX Charts, parts of Scotland, Manchester, Northern Ireland, and Cardiff could see up to four inches of snow in the coming days.

The maps show a giant wall of snow that is set to hit the UK as a result of "blocked" air currents in Iceland and Greenland, causing another arctic blast for the country.

The Met Office has warned of potential "snow accumulations" that could cause travel disruption and hazardous conditions.

The snowy weather is expected to peak on Wednesday, when some areas could see a whiteout. However, the snow is likely to be short-lived, as milder air is forecast to return by the weekend.

The Met Office has advised people to check the latest weather updates and plan ahead for any possible changes.

Related article: UK Weather: Heavy Rain Triggers More Than 150 Flood Alerts
ELBA-Bond has been denied for two of the three people charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of Ethan Christopher Hill on Valentines Day.

Coffee County District Judge Josh Wilson Friday denied bond for Freddie McGee Jr., 21, and Lena Michelle McGhee, 52. A third person charged with Hills death is a 17-year-old female juvenile, whose name has been withheld because of her age.

McGee Jr. and McGhee appeared in the District Court of Coffee County, Elba Division, Feb. 22 for pre-trial detention hearings, also known as Aniahs Law hearings, where 12th Judicial District Attorney James Tarbox argued that each defendant was a risk to public safety, among other factors related to Aniahs Law, and needed to be held without bond pending a trial of the murder charge against each defendant.

The next day Wilson issued orders denying bond to each defendant. Both defendants will be held at the Coffee County Jail without the right to pre-trial release.

Tarbox said that between 10 and 11 p.m. Feb. 14, his office, the Elba Police, Coffee County Sheriffs deputies, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the Coffee County Coroners office responded to the scene of the shooting in the 1400 block of Jones Street in Elba.

Based upon information gathered during the investigation, arrest warrants for the charge of murder were obtained for the two adults and the juvenile, Tarbox said. All three defendants were arrested early Thursday afternoon.

Tarbox said he appreciates the work of the Elba Police Department, Coffee County Sheriffs Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency/State Bureau of Investigation, members of the U.S. Marshalls Fugitive Recovery Task Force, Enterprise Police Department, and the Coffee County Coroners Office for their work during the investigation.
French Polynesia is a paradise of turquoise waters, white sand beaches, and lush green islands. But behind this idyllic scenery lies a mystery that has baffled scientists for decades: how did a tiny bee, native to this region, come into existence?

The bee in question is Hylaeus tuamotuensis, or Tuamotu's masked bee, a solitary species that belongs to the family Colletidae.

It is one of the smallest bees in the world, measuring only 3 to 5 millimeters in length. It has a distinctive yellow mask on its face, which gives it its common name.

It is also one of the rarest bees in the world, known only from a few specimens collected in the Tuamotu Archipelago, a group of coral atolls in the eastern part of French Polynesia.

A Discovery Forgotten

The story of this enigmatic bee begins in 1934, when a young American entomologist, Elwood Zimmerman, embarked on a scientific expedition to Polynesia.

He was part of the "Mangarevan expedition", a multidisciplinary team of researchers who explored the natural and cultural history of the region.

Zimmerman was fascinated by the diversity of insects he encountered, especially the bees.

He collected hundreds of specimens, including three tiny bees that he found on tahatehe flowers in the Tuamotu Archipelago.

Zimmerman did not realize the significance of his discovery at the time.

He sent his specimens to the Bernice P Bishop Museum of Honolulu, where they remained undisturbed and largely forgotten for over 30 years.

It was not until 1965 that another bee expert, Prof Charles Michener, examined Zimmerman's collection and recognized the uniqueness of the Tuamotu's masked bee.

He described it as a new species and named it after its geographic origin.

Also Read: Colombia Uses Seized Timber to Help Bees and the Environment

Solving a Scientific Mystery

The existence of Hylaeus tuamotuensis in French Polynesia has puzzled scientists ever since.

How did such a small and isolated creature evolve in this region? What are its closest relatives and how are they related to other bees around the world? What are its ecological roles and conservation status?

To answer these questions, a team of researchers from France, New Zealand, and the United States conducted a comprehensive study of the Tuamotu's masked bee and its relatives.

They used a combination of morphological, molecular, and biogeographic methods to unravel the evolutionary history and diversity of this bee group.

Their findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.

The researchers discovered that the Tuamotu's masked bee is not alone.

They identified eight new species of masked bees that are closely related to Hylaeus tuamotuensis, all endemic to French Polynesia.

They also found that these bees belong to a distinct lineage that diverged from other Colletidae about 40 million years ago, during the Eocene epoch.

This means that these bees are ancient relics of a once more widespread group that has gone extinct elsewhere.

The researchers also revealed that these bees have a remarkable biogeographic history.

They traced their origin to Australia, where their ancestors likely lived in dry and open habitats.

They then colonized New Zealand, where they diversified into several species.

Some of these species then dispersed across the Pacific Ocean, reaching French Polynesia and adapting to the tropical environment.

They likely used natural rafts, such as floating vegetation or debris, to cross the vast distances between islands.

The researchers also assessed the ecological significance and conservation status of these bees.

They found that these bees are important pollinators of native plants, especially those with small and inconspicuous flowers.

They also found that these bees are highly vulnerable to habitat loss, invasive species, and climate change.

They recommended urgent actions to protect these bees and their habitats, such as establishing protected areas, controlling invasive predators, and restoring native vegetation.

The study of the Tuamotu's masked bee and its relatives has shed light on the hidden diversity and history of French Polynesia's fauna.

It has also highlighted the need to conserve this unique and fragile biodiversity.

These bees are not just new species; they are living fossils that hold the secrets of the past and the hope for the future.

Related article: Study Shows that It May Take a Few Generations Before Bees Recover from a Single Exposure to Insecticide
Chipmaker Broadcom could be looking to sell off its end-user computing business for $3.8 billion as part of its plans to divest non-core business units post its acquisition of VMware in November for $69 billion.

According to a Reuters report, global investment firm KKR has quoted a price of $3.8 billion for the business, outbidding other private equity players.

In December, Broadcom had said that it was looking to divest non-core parts of its business, including the end-user computing unit and another unit, named Carbon Black.

Our strategy going forward is simply to enable global enterprises to run their applications across their data centers, as well as on public clouds by consuming VMWares higher-value software stack, Hock Tan, president, and CEO at Broadcom, was quoted as saying in an earnings call transcript.

And to track and keep these workloads across the environment, we are investing in a rich catalog of microservices tools. This will be our focus. And the noncore businesses of end-user computing and Carbon Black will be divested, Tan added.

When asked specifically about the reasons behind divesting the end-user computing and Carbon Black divisions acquired via the VMware deal, Tan had said that although both were good assets, the company didnt want to be distracted by non-core parts of its business and focus on those divisions where it saw the biggest value for its business model.
HPE and Kyndryl have allied to bring private LTE and 5G wireless services to enterprise customers. Under the agreement, Kyndryl will work with HPEs Aruba and Athonet divisions to offer customers integrated wired, WiFi and private 5G services.

HPE acquired Athonet in 2023 and gained its range of 5G services, which include 5G Core technology for network slicing and advanced voice services. It offers CBRS and 5G starter kits that include Athonet mobile packet core, SIM cards, a choice of radio, and other components needed to set up private cellular networks. In addition, HPE offers Athonet private 5G as part of its wide-ranging GreenLake edge-to-cloud services platform. The offering bundles Wi-Fi and private 5G into a monthly subscription plan that requires no capital outlay by customers.

For Kyndryl, the private 5G Athonet service builds on packages that the IT infrastructure services provider already offers from HPE, including multi-cloud mobility, networking, compute as a service (CaaS), ransomware and disaster recovery.

Kyndryl said its Athonet service customers will be able to use its Bridge open-integration technology services platform to manage network conditions. Bridge features AIOps support that aims to help customers automate IT infrastructure deployment, reduce the risk of network downtime, and improve the mean time to repair (MTTR), Kyndryl states.

The companies are trying to tap into what many expect to be a growing market. The use of private 5G networks will continue to grow exponentially as companies look to accelerate digital transformation and new technological capabilities, HPE stated in a recent blog about private 5G. According to management consultancy Analysys Mason, the number of private LTE/5G networks worldwide will grow from 4,000 in 2022 to more than 60,000 in 2028. In addition, spending on private networks will increase to $9 billion in 2028, up from $1 billion in 2022, HPE stated.

HPE Athonet is not Kyndryls only 5G offering. It also partners with Nokia to offer LTE and 5G private wireless networking technologies for enterprises. Kyndryl also has a wide-ranging partnership with Cisco that includes private 5G offerings.
Just hours after speculations, chipmaker Broadcom late on Monday signed a definitive agreement to sell its end-user computing unit to investment firm KKR for $4 billion.

When the transaction is final, the end-user computing (EUC) division will become a standalone company run by its existing management team and led by Shankar Iyer, the investment firm said in a statement.

The newly acquired division will have greater access to growth capital, KKR said. In addition, the investment firm said that plans are afoot to expand EUCs research and development division and go-to-market functions, including sales, customer success and partner support teams.

Broadcom acquired the end-user computing business when it finalized its $61 billion purchase of VMware in late November. The EUC division includes the desktop virtualization platform Horizon and unified endpoint management platform Workspace ONE.

The chipmakers chief executive officer Hock Tran said back in December that Broadcom was looking to divest non-core divisions of VMware, including the EUC and Carbon Black.

When asked specifically about the reasons behind divesting the end-user computing and Carbon Black divisions, Tan had said that although both were good assets, the company didnt want to be distracted by non-core parts of its business and wanted to focus on those divisions where it saw the biggest value for its business model.
Australia, known for its stunning landscapes and vibrant cities, is also home to a thriving rural and regional entrepreneurial community.

From small agricultural businesses to tech startups in rural towns, these ventures play a crucial role in economic growth and development. However, entrepreneurship in rural areas can be challenging, isolating and often a cause of anxiety. Mentorship, networking and community support are therefore not only vital for the mental health and well-being of regional business owners, but also vital for the success of these businesses and the communities they are a part of.

As the founder of businessDEPOT, John Knight is passionate about entrepreneurship and the impact it can have on individuals and communities they belong. Having grown up in regional Australia himself, Knight understands the challenges that businesses in remote locations face  limited access to resources, smaller talent pools, and less visibility in the broader market. Having literally been born into a regional family business, he knows firsthand the struggles of family business too  thats what drove him to create businessDEPOT, a one-stop shop for the services, resources and support business owners need to help them and their companies to thrive.

Knight believes that every business, no matter where they are located, should have access to the tools and guidance they need to succeed. By offering a variety of services and support, from accounting and legal services, to capital raising, business broking and marketing services, businessDEPOT is helping to level the playing field for all businesses. Whether these business owners are remotely located or not, the vision remains the same, to empower more entrepreneurs to achieve their goals.

Says Knight, who is also a member of Entrepreneurs Organization Queensland, Mentorship is one of the pillars of support for entrepreneurs, regardless of location. In rural areas, however, where access to resources and business guidance may be limited, mentorship becomes even more valuable.

Mentors share their knowledge and experiences, providing insights that help entrepreneurs navigate hurdles unique to their industry and location. Moreover, mentors can provide emotional support in times of stress or uncertainty, serving as a sounding board for ideas and offering encouragement when challenges arise, he continues.

Another vital area of support for rural and regional entrepreneurship is networking. Building connections within the community and beyond enables entrepreneurs to tap into a diverse range of skills, knowledge and resources. In rural areas, networking can be particularly powerful, as it allows entrepreneurs to form collaborative partnerships and share resources to overcome common challenges. Networking events, conferences, and industry associations create opportunities for entrepreneurs to meet like-minded individuals, exchange ideas, and build relationships. They can be few and far between though in regional areas, especially if you dont want the whole community knowing your business affairs.

Entrepreneurs Organization is bringing these opportunities to regional areas throughout by connecting their members with others in similar circumstances, allowing their network of entrepreneurs to learn from each others experiences, find support and brainstorm innovative solutions to shared problems. With options for both face-to-face and virtual connection, the organisation is committed to providing much-needed support in the regions.

With the isolation and lack of infrastructure faced by those operating outside of inner-city locations, feelings of loneliness are often exasperated. The desire to succeed in a challenging business environment, often with limited support and resources, can place further pressures on the business owners and create issues around mental health.

This is where community support plays a crucial role. Rural and regional populations have a strong sense of solidarity and community-lead initiatives. One way Entrepreneurs Organisation helps with this is by creating business groups that catch up regularly to share their challenges and experiences, while at the same time being able to draw upon the broader community of members where necessary. Such support can be invaluable and the catalyst for success for the individual that is feeling lonely in their business.

We all know that entrepreneurship in Australia is not confined to urban locales and is an essential driver of economic growth and community development. However, the mental health challenges faced by entrepreneurs in these areas often go unnoticed. When paired together, mentorship, networking opportunities and community support [whether your local community or a wider community of like-minded individuals] can pave the way for a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem that fosters not just economic success but also mental health and well-being.

businessDEPOT

Entrepreneurs Organization Queensland

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Ahead of the 13th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC13), the Australian Government has pledged more than $20 million to bolster trade and development initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region.

Recognizing the significance of trade in enhancing regional stability and prosperity, Australia aims to collaborate with Indo-Pacific partners to strengthen their economies. The additional funding aligns with the priorities of Indo-Pacific countries and will focus on key areas including:

Capacity building in e-commerce and the digital economy

Trade financing

Enhancing intellectual property systems

Identifying ways trade can support national climate adaptation plans

As part of this commitment, Australia will allocate $10.3 million to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Office in Geneva to support its engagement with the WTO. Additionally, ongoing support will be provided to Timor-Leste, assisting the country in meeting its obligations as a new member of the WTO.

Furthermore, sustainable development research organizations in Geneva will receive $2 million to assist developing countries in the region in advancing their climate and development priorities through trade.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong said: There is no sustainable long-term economic growth without trade. Being serious about helping our neighbours become more economically resilient means supporting their development as trading nations.

Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell said: Australias support helps our Indo-Pacific partners to step up their involvement in international economic institutions like the WTO and benefit from the trade opportunities they generate.

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Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Snow flurries this morning will give way to partly cloudy skies during the day. High 39F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 26F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Four former leaders of the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) helped former FLC chairman Trinh Van Quyet inflate a subsidiarys capital and list its shares on the bourse to scam VND3.6 trillion ($146 million) from investors.

The police have recommended that the four be charged with stock manipulation and fraudulent appropriation of assets.

They are former chairman Tran Dac Sinh, deputy CEO Le Hai Tra, former deputy CEO Tram Tuan Vu and listing management and evaluation director Le Thi Tuyet Hang.

They have been recommended to be charged with abusing their position and power while performing official duties. All have been arrested except Hang.

Three other people are recommended to be charged with publishing false information or concealing information in securities activities.

They are Le Cong Dien, head of the department of supervision of public companies under the State Securities Commission of Vietnam, Duong Van Thanh, CEO of the Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD), and Pham Minh Trung, head of VSD stock registration department.

Trinh Van Quyet and seven others are being investigated for stock manipulation and fraudulent appropriation of assets.

Thirteen other people are being accused of stock manipulation and 22 with fraudulent appropriation of assets.

The police said that Faros Construction was originally a loss-making company that Quyet bought and changed the name several times. After years of inactivity, starting from April 2014, the company began to receive orders to construct property projects for FLC.

In the beginning the company had VND1.2 trillion in charters capital but the figure was falsely inflated to VND3.1 trillion between 2014 and 2016. Quyet ordered his two sisters and other leaders of Faros to inflate the number.

Eventually the capital was raised to VND4.3 trillion illegally.

Quyet then listed Faros as a public company on the HoSE, Vietnams biggest stock exchange, with the help of four leaders of the bourse.

Sinh, then chairman of the bourse, knew that a financial report of Faros in 2014 and 2015 pointed out that there was not enough evidence to prove the actual charter capital of the company.

But he ordered his subordinates to help list Faros on the stock market because he had a personal relationship with Quyet and former FLC CEO Doan Van Phuong, who is now in hiding.

Although the evaluation and approval of the listing on the HoSE was not the responsibilities of the board of directors, Sinh ordered the listing council to report the evaluation result of Faros to him.

Sinh and the directors of HoSE then approved to list Faros on the exchange starting at VND10,000 per share.

Tra, who is Sinhs subordinate, was in charge of evaluating and deciding whether a company should be listed on the bourse.

He and other members of the listing council at first agreed that Faros was not able to prove its charter capital and asked the company to clarify.

But when the company submitted its clarification, Tra and the council members approved its listing immediately without carefully studying the report.

Tra admitted to the police that he helped the company list because he had personal relationships with Quyet and Phuong.

Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange deputy CEO Le Hai Tra. Photo courtesy of the exchange Dien, as head of the department of supervision of public companies, found out that Faros did not provide enough evidence of capital contribution but still approved for its shares to be listed with a charter capital of VND4.3 trillion.

He did that because he felt pressure as Faros was a big company and Quyet had relationships with many officials.

Dien did ask Faros to provide further evidence, but the company said that he was "doing things beyond his authority and causing difficulties for the company."

Dien therefore went forward with approving the listing, knowing that it was wrong.

In August 2016, Faros was approved by the VSD to list 430 million ROS shares at VND10,000 apiece. ROS a month later was officially listed at VND10,500.

After Faros was listed, Quyet told his subordinates to use various tricks to increase the companys charter capital twice more to VND5.6 trillion, to attract even more investors to buy shares.

From September 2016 to March 2022, Quyet told his sister Hue to sell nearly 400 million ROS shares to 30,400 investors, collecting VND4.8 trillion.
California voters will decide March 5 whether to pump billions more dollars into combating the nation's worst homelessness crisis, an investment Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom argues will finally provide the housing and treatment so badly needed by tens of thousands of homeless people.

Newsom is spearheading Proposition 1, a $6.4 billion bond he says would fund 11,150 new beds and housing units for people living on the streets with untreated mental illness or addiction, and ongoing capacity for 26,700 additional outpatient appointments. It would also alter how $3 billion to $4 billion in existing annual tax funding for mental health services is spent, funneling a hefty portion of it into housing.

Many authorities on mental health and homelessness agree California desperately needs thousands more housing units and treatment beds to successfully attack the growing public health crisis. Health and law enforcement groups have lined up behind the initiative, as have the mayors of the state's major cities.

Homelessness statistics in California have risen a staggering 20% since Newsom took office in 2019, to more than 180,000 people  68% of them on the streets and not in shelters. The numbers are growing despite Newsom's unprecedented investment of more than $20 billion in homelessness programs, plus billions more for health and social services.

Yet many of the front-line workers implementing Newsom's initiatives fear that Proposition 1 would simply pour more money into a broken homelessness response system that is largely failing to house those in need.

Rather than focus on getting homeless people into mental health and addiction programs  and ultimately into housing  many caseworkers say they waste precious time and taxpayer dollars searching for their homeless clients after encampments have been cleared by state and local officials, a policy Newsom has encouraged, not only for the safety of homeless people but for those in surrounding neighborhoods.

Once they locate their clients, advocates must help them  often repeatedly  obtain food, clothing, and medication refills, and replace official government documents like birth certificates and IDs. "You can't get housing without that stuff," said Afton Francik, an outreach worker with the Sacramento-based nonprofit Hope Cooperative, which is implementing several of Newsom's homelessness and mental health initiatives.

Perhaps the biggest challenge they face, outreach workers and case managers say, is rebuilding the trust that took time to establish  and which they say is essential to getting people into treatment and housing.

"It makes it so much harder to even find people or help them get into housing because you have to go back and repeat that work you already did," Francik said.

Newsom says California has placed at least 71,000 people indoors  either in permanent or temporary housing  since he took office in 2019. State money flows to cities and counties, which have opened at least 15,000 housing units and 2,485 residential treatment beds, plus additional outpatient capacity, during his tenure.

Newsom has also revamped health programs to get people off the streets, including a massive $12 billion transformation of the state Medicaid health insurance program that provides some patients with housing and one-on-one case management services.

As he promotes Proposition 1, Newsom is calling for stricter enforcement, saying he feels a deep responsibility to keep California's streets clean and safe, and to respond to growing neighborhood concerns about trash, mental illness, crime, and drugs. He has acknowledged that sweeps can traumatize homeless people but argues that local officials who receive state money to clear encampments are supposed to find shelter or treatment for those displaced.

Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, who supports Proposition 1, said sweeps are sometimes necessary for public health and safety.

"This is a huge drain on public resources and emergency services," Cooper said. "Drugs are everywhere. There is so much mental illness. We've got to get these folks the help and treatment they need."

But critics of the sweeps argue that it's inhumane to forcibly move people without providing shelter or housing. "We're seeing a ton of enforcement, but there's literally nowhere to put people," said Crystal Sanchez, president of the Sacramento Homeless Union.

Newsom acknowledged the state doesn't have enough housing for everyone who needs it, and that Proposition 1 is part of the solution. The measure would expand his existing housing and treatment programs, which do not trigger the land use and environmental reviews that often delay or kill new projects.

"We are in a unique position to take what we have been promoting  these promises  and make them real," Newsom said in January.

Like all of Newsom's homeless housing initiatives, Proposition 1 would rely on outreach teams and caseworkers to help homeless people obtain services and housing.

But in boots-on-the-ground interviews from rural Northern California to San Diego, such workers said it would be difficult to get more people into housing if they must continue picking up the pieces after encampment clearings  a policy the U.S. Supreme Court will scrutinize in April.

The question the court will consider is whether to allow criminal or civil penalties against homeless people living outdoors if no shelter or housing is available. Newsom said in an amicus brief that cities and counties should be allowed to clear encampments, signaling he has no plans to retreat from the policy.

"When encampments are being cleared by law enforcement, it totally upends people's lives and violates that trust in a way that they're going to be more resistant to help," said Hannah Wesolowski, chief advocacy officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, whose California chapter supports the ballot initiative. "If someone has a mental illness and is unhoused, trust is the most important thing in trying to engage them in treatment and actually getting them into housing."

Take Samuel Buckles, a longtime Sacramento resident who said he struggles with mental health and is addicted to fentanyl. Buckles, 53, lost his home in a fire and then his job early in the covid-19 pandemic. Since then, he has worked odd jobs as a handyman and purchased a recreational vehicle that he parked around Sacramento and called home.

When law enforcement officials cleared his camp in early February, they confiscated his RV because he had allowed the registration to lapse. He lost his birth certificate and Social Security card, all his medications for diabetes and high blood pressure, his extra clothing, and a fridge packed with groceries he'd recently purchased with his food stamp benefits.

"That was my home and everything I had in the world," Buckles said on a cold February morning from his new form of shelter: a tent donated by outreach workers.

It was the first time in years he said he had truly felt homeless.

In mid-February, law enforcement cleared the encampment he had relocated to, forcing him to move again. Feeling despondent, he said he had given up on the promise of housing. "Please make this pain stop. I don't know how much more I can take," he said.

Buckles was able to grab a few possessions from his RV after it was confiscated, but replacing the documents he needs for housing may take months and repeat visits by outreach workers, said Greg Stupplebeen, an outreach manager with Hope Cooperative.

Even if Buckles had his paperwork in order, "there's nowhere to put anybody right now," Stupplebeen told him.

This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.
Diabetic patients who take anti-diabetic drugs - known as glitazones - long term had a lower risk of primary and secondary brain cancer compared with diabetic patients on other medications, new research led by the University of Bristol has found.

The study, published in BMJ Open, suggests these drugs could be repurposed to prevent brain metastasis in cancer patients who are at high risk of secondary cancers, if the current research is supported by future studies.



PPAR-  agonists (fibrates) and PPAR  agonists (glitazones) drugs are clinically important due to their widespread safe use to treat high cholesterol (hyperlipidaemia) and diabetes. Previous studies have suggested that fibrates and glitazones may have a role in brain tumor prevention. Given the drugs safety and cost, they have the potential to be repurposed to prevent brain cancers and reduce the risk of secondary tumors by stopping tumor growth.



Using primary care records from the UK GP database Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), which contains data from a network of over 2,000 GPs from more than 670 practices across the UK, the researchers examined if this theory could be supported.



The research team carried out two case-controlled studies using primary and secondary brain tumors identified within CPRD between 2000 and 2016. Cases and controls were selected from people who had been treated with any anti-diabetic or anti-hyperlipidaemic drug.



The study identified 7,496 individuals with any brain tumor (4,471 primary; 3,025 secondary) in total. There were 1,950 cases and 7,791 controls in the fibrate and 480 cases with 1,920 controls in the glitazone analyses.



The researchers found long-term glitazone drug use by diabetic patients was associated with reduced primary and secondary brain tumor risk compared with diabetic patients on other medications. No association was found between fibrate use for hyperlipidaemic patients and any type of brain tumor.



Kathreena Kurian, Professor of Neuropathology and Head of the Brain tumor Research Centre at the University of Bristol and Honorary Consultant at North Bristol NHS Trust, and one of the study's authors, said: "The anti-diabetic drugs glitazones could potentially be involved in a pathway which prevents primary brain tumors and brain metastasis in diabetic and other patients.



"Our research could also be used to better understand pathways which prevent the development of primary brain tumors, such as glioma."

This is the largest study in diabetic patients showing a link between long-term glitazone use and decreased primary brain tumor and brain metastasis.



If our research is validated in larger studies and trials, these drugs could be repurposed to prevent brain metastasis in cancer patients who are at high risk of secondary cancers, such as breast and lung cancer." Yoav Ben-Shlomo, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology in the Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences (PHS) and corresponding author

Further research is required to investigate whether these findings are replicated using independent datasets that are larger in size and/or with better data on blood sugar control and other potential causes-and-effects.



If the glitazone association is biologically causal, this could lead to a better understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms and potential therapies for the prevention of brain cancers. The researchers suggest this hypothesis could be tested in a future double-blind clinical trial if stronger evidence emerges from other studies, given the safety and current use of glitazones for managing diabetes.



The research was supported by Southmead Hospital Charity; Cancer Research UK (CRUK); and Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Programme (ICEP).
Despite considerable life-saving progress, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of death globally, claiming an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. Most CVD-related deaths are from heart attacks and strokes, with a significant portion occurring prematurely in people under 70 years of age.

Among CVDs, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) ranks as the most prevalent. Atherosclerosis is a general term for many different disorders that result from thickening and loss of elasticity in the arterial wall. It is a severe disorder and the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in most developed countries. Atherosclerosis is caused by high blood pressure, smoking, or high cholesterol. That damage leads to the formation of plaque. The plaque may cause ASCVD, which includes stroke, heart attack, and damage to peripheral arteries (in the legs), all of which can lead to death if left untreated.

To develop personalized ASCVD strategies, it is pivotal to go beyond the traditional risk factors. By identifying new pathophysiological players that can modulate the individual CVD risk, it can be fully exploited through integrative bioinformatic algorithms.

Multi-omics approach

Recent advancements in omic technologies (the scientific fields associated with measuring biological molecules in a high-throughput manner) have led to significant discoveries, uncovering connections between genetic, epigenetic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data with various disease processes. This wealth of data has fuelled the development of personalized medicine, primarily seen in oncology, improving disease management and outcomes. There is growing evidence that omic technologies could offer new solutions in ASCVD. However, challenges remain in the clinical application of omic data, including insufficient evidence from large multi-center studies, technological complexity, lack of data integration pipelines, and standards in lab protocols, as well as specialists proficient in omic approaches for everyday clinical practice.

Introducing COST Action AtheroNET

The new Network for implementing multiomics approaches in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease prevention and research (AtheroNET) intends to consolidate and connect experts from different fields into a pan-European and international network that will focus on the use of multi-omics and imagining technologies and data integration through Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML) approaches.

AI and ML have the potential to revolutionise the approach to ASCVD research and treatment by enabling personalised medicine, early detection, optimised therapies, and accelerated drug discovery. As these technologies continue to advance, they are expected to play an increasingly prominent role in improving outcomes for patients with ASCVD. The network gathers 365 individuals from 33 countries and includes a high proportion of Young Researchers.

AtheroNET aims to tackle challenges by using these new tools. Its main goal is to create a platform where people can work together to see how omic approaches can help understand ASCVD better. The network will develop new, reliable ways to predict and diagnose ASCVD, which can be used in hospitals and clinics. Eventually, these new methods will be combined with advanced imaging technologies and AI to better predict and manage heart disease risks in the short and long term.

The cutting-edge mission of the COST Action AtheroNET is to promote a discussion on the role of multiomic technologies and AI/ML strategies to accelerate research on ASCVD. To achieve this, AtheroNET includes outstanding male and female junior investigators and top-level senior researchers, currently from 33 European countries, building an interdisciplinary network able to pursue research excellence and to train the next generation of scientists for the transfer of novel omic technologies from bench to bedside." Prof. Paolo Magni, Chair of AtheroNET

AtheroNET has been established with its unique and comprehensive expertise to address urgent needs for new approaches in CVD prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. Considering the multifactorial nature of ASCVD, the Action involves experts from different fields to tackle these challenges through research and educational concepts, bringing interdisciplinary views and vision to the network. By combining basic research with clinical expertise and complex bioinformatics, AtheroNET will go beyond the state-of-the-art, and more importantly, will foster a new generation of scientists competent for the utilisation of omics in clinically-relevant settings. This COST Action will also facilitate the work on harmonisation of different methodologies and research protocols between laboratories making sure that novel discoveries are solid, replicable, and properly disseminated.

Branching out

The next Management Committee (MC) meeting of AtheroNET, coupled with a Working Group meeting, will be taking place in Valencia, Spain on 28th February and 1st March 2024.

"The upcoming meeting will foster excellence in AI/ML-based research to combat ASCVD, scientific discussions, as well as the preparation of dissemination activities for the scientific community, patients, and the lay public" explains Prof. George Kararigas, Science Communication Coordinator of AtheroNET.
Mary Delgado's first pregnancy went according to plan, but when she tried to get pregnant again seven years later, nothing happened. After 10 months, Delgado, now 34, and her partner, Joaquin Rodriguez, went to see an OB-GYN. Tests showed she had endometriosis, which was interfering with conception. Delgado's only option, the doctor said, was in vitro fertilization.

"When she told me that, she broke me inside," Delgado said, "because I knew it was so expensive."

Delgado, who lives in New York City, is enrolled in Medicaid, the federal-state health program for low-income and disabled people. The roughly $20,000 price tag for a round of IVF would be a financial stretch for lots of people, but for someone on Medicaid  for which the maximum annual income for a two-person household in New York is just over $26,000  the treatment can be unattainable.

Expansions of work-based insurance plans to cover fertility treatments, including free egg freezing and unlimited IVF cycles, are often touted by large companies as a boon for their employees. But people with lower incomes, often minorities, are more likely to be covered by Medicaid or skimpier commercial plans with no such coverage. That raises the question of whether medical assistance to create a family is only for the well-to-do or people with generous benefit packages.

"In American health care, they don't want the poor people to reproduce," Delgado said. She was caring full-time for their son, who was born with a rare genetic disorder that required several surgeries before he was 5. Her partner, who works for a company that maintains the city's yellow cabs, has an individual plan through the state insurance marketplace, but it does not include fertility coverage.

Some medical experts whose patients have faced these issues say they can understand why people in Delgado's situation think the system is stacked against them.

"It feels a little like that," said Elizabeth Ginsburg, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Harvard Medical School who is president-elect of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, a research and advocacy group.

Whether or not it's intended, many say the inequity reflects poorly on the U.S.

"This is really sort of standing out as a sore thumb in a nation that would like to claim that it cares for the less fortunate and it seeks to do anything it can for them," said Eli Adashi, a professor of medical science at Brown University and former president of the Society for Reproductive Endocrinologists.

Yet efforts to add coverage for fertility care to Medicaid face a lot of pushback, Ginsburg said.

Over the years, Barbara Collura, president and CEO of the advocacy group Resolve: The National Infertility Association, has heard many explanations for why it doesn't make sense to cover fertility treatment for Medicaid recipients. Legislators have asked, "If they can't pay for fertility treatment, do they have any idea how much it costs to raise a child?" she said.

"So right there, as a country we're making judgments about who gets to have children," Collura said.

The legacy of the eugenics movement of the early 20th century, when states passed laws that permitted poor, nonwhite, and disabled people to be sterilized against their will, lingers as well.

"As a reproductive justice person, I believe it's a human right to have a child, and it's a larger ethical issue to provide support," said Regina Davis Moss, president and CEO of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda, an advocacy group.

But such coverage decisions  especially when the health care safety net is involved  sometimes require difficult choices, because resources are limited.

Even if state Medicaid programs wanted to cover fertility treatment, for instance, they would have to weigh the benefit against investing in other types of care, including maternity care, said Kate McEvoy, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors. "There is a recognition about the primacy and urgency of maternity care," she said.

Medicaid pays for about 40% of births in the United States. And since 2022, 46 states and the District of Columbia have elected to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months, up from 60 days.

Fertility problems are relatively common, affecting roughly 10% of women and men of childbearing age, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Traditionally, a couple is considered infertile if they've been trying to get pregnant unsuccessfully for 12 months. Last year, the ASRM broadened the definition of infertility to incorporate would-be parents beyond heterosexual couples, including people who can't get pregnant for medical, sexual, or other reasons, as well as those who need medical interventions such as donor eggs or sperm to get pregnant.

The World Health Organization defined infertility as a disease of the reproductive system characterized by failing to get pregnant after a year of unprotected intercourse. It terms the high cost of fertility treatment a major equity issue and has called for better policies and public financing to improve access.

No matter how the condition is defined, private health plans often decline to cover fertility treatments because they don't consider them "medically necessary." Twenty states and Washington, D.C., have laws requiring health plans to provide some fertility coverage, but those laws vary greatly and apply only to companies whose plans are regulated by the state.

In recent years, many companies have begun offering fertility treatment in a bid to recruit and retain top-notch talent. In 2023, 45% of companies with 500 or more workers covered IVF and/or drug therapy, according to the benefits consultant Mercer.

But that doesn't help people on Medicaid. Only two states' Medicaid programs provide any fertility treatment: New York covers some oral ovulation-enhancing medications, and Illinois covers costs for fertility preservation, to freeze the eggs or sperm of people who need medical treatment that will likely make them infertile, such as for cancer. Several other states also are considering adding fertility preservation services.

In Delgado's case, Medicaid covered the tests to diagnose her endometriosis, but nothing more. She was searching the internet for fertility treatment options when she came upon a clinic group called CNY Fertility that seemed significantly less expensive than other clinics, and also offered in-house financing. Based in Syracuse, New York, the company has a handful of clinics in upstate New York cities and four other U.S. locations.

Though Delgado and her partner had to travel more than 300 miles round trip to Albany for the procedures, the savings made it worthwhile. They were able do an entire IVF cycle, including medications, egg retrieval, genetic testing, and transferring the egg to her uterus, for $14,000. To pay for it, they took $7,000 of the cash they'd been saving to buy a home and financed the other half through the fertility clinic.

She got pregnant on the first try, and their daughter, Emiliana, is now almost a year old.

Delgado doesn't resent people with more resources or better insurance coverage, but she wishes the system were more equitable.

"I have a medical problem," she said. "It's not like I did IVF because I wanted to choose the gender."

One reason CNY is less expensive than other clinics is simply that the privately owned company chooses to charge less, said William Kiltz, its vice president of marketing and business development. Since the company's beginning in 1997, it has become a large practice with a large volume of IVF cycles, which helps keep prices low.

At this point, more than half its clients come from out of state, and many earn significantly less than a typical patient at another clinic. Twenty percent earn less than $50,000, and "we treat a good number who are on Medicaid," Kiltz said.

Now that their son, Joaquin, is settled in a good school, Delgado has started working for an agency that provides home health services. After putting in 30 hours a week for 90 days, she'll be eligible for health insurance.

One of the benefits: fertility coverage.
The first stem cell culture method that produces a full model of the early stages of the human central nervous system has been developed by a team of engineers and biologists at the University of Michigan, the Weizmann Institute of Science, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Models like this will open doors for fundamental research to understand early development of the human central nervous system and how it could go wrong in different disorders. Jianping Fu, U-M professor of mechanical engineering and corresponding author of the study in Nature

The system is an example of a 3D human organoidstem cell cultures that reflect key structural and functional properties of human organ systems but are partial or otherwise imperfect copies.

We try to understand not only the basic biology of human brain development, but also diseaseswhy we have brain-related diseases, their pathology, and how we can come up with effective strategies to treat them, said Guo-Li Ming, who along with Hongjun Song, both Perelman Professors of Neuroscience at UPenn and co-authors of the study, developed protocols for growing and guiding the cells and characterized the structural and cellular characteristics of the model.

For example, organoids developed using patient-derived stem cells may be used for identifying which drugs offer the most successful treatment. Already, human brain and spinal cord organoids are used to study neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, but they often mimic one part of the central nervous system and are disorganized. The new model, in contrast, recapitulates the development of all three sections of embryonic brain and spinal cord simultaneously, a feat that has not been achieved in previous models.

The system itself is really groundbreaking, said Orly Reiner, the Berstein-Mason Professorial Chair of Neurochemistry at Weizmann and co-author of the study who developed cellular tools to identify neural cell types in the model. A model that mimics this structure and organization has not been done before, and it offers numerous possibilities for studying human brain development and especially developmental brain diseases.

While the model is faithful to many aspects of the early development of the brain and spinal cord, the team notes several important differences. For one, neural tube formationthe very first stage of central nervous system developmentis very different. The model cant be used to simulate disorders that stem from improper closure of the neural tube such as spina bifida.

Instead, the model started with a row of stem cells roughly the size of the neural tube found in a 4-week-old embryoabout 4 millimeters long and 0.2 millimeters in width. The team stuck the cells to a chip patterned with tiny channels that the team used to introduce materials that enabled the stem cells to grow and guided them toward building a central nervous system.

The team then added a gel that allowed the cells to grow in three dimensions and chemical signals that nudged them to become the precursors of neural cells. In response, the cells formed a tubular structure. Next, the team introduced chemical signals that helped the cells identify where they were within the structure and progress to more specialized cell types. As a result, the system organized itself to mimic the forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain and spinal cord in a way that mirrors embryonic development.

As an engineer, the challenging part is to learn neural development and stem cell biology, said Xufeng Xue, first author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow in mechanical engineering U-M. It was a team effort to make this happen, with amazing collaborators at UPenn and Weizmann.

The team grew the cells for 40 days, simulating development of the central nervous system to about 11 weeks post-fertilization. In this time, the team was able to demonstrate the roles of specific genes in spinal cord development and learn how certain cell types in the early human nervous system differentiate into different cells with specialized functions.

In many cases, animal models simply do not recapitulate either the characteristics or the degree of severity seen in human brain diseases such as microcephaly, Song said. Even nonhuman primates are not the same. So in the context of disease biology and treatment strategies, a human cell model is almost irreplaceable.

The team plans to apply the model to study different human brain diseases using patient derived stem cells.

Xue hopes to continue using this model to study the interplay among different parts of the brain during development. He is also interested in studying how the brain sends instructions for movement via the spinal cord. This line of inquiry, which could shed new light on disorders like paralysis, would require the neurons to link up into working circuitssomething that was not observed in this study.

Insoo Hyun, a bioethicist at the Museum of Science in Boston who was not part of the study, notes that experiments like these are closely scrutinized before they are allowed to move forward.

Research groups must be clear about the scientific question they are trying to answerand that the degree of development they allow in the model is the minimum to answer the question, he said.

The model does not include peripheral nerves or functioning neural circuitryfeatures that are critical for humans ability to experience our environment and process that experience.

The study was funded by the Michigan-Cambridge Collaboration Initiative, University of Michigan, State of Michigan, Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation, National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health.

The research conforms to the 2021 Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation recommended by the International Society for Stem Cell Research. All protocols used in this work were approved by the Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

The team has applied for patent protection with the assistance of U-M Innovation Partnerships and is seeking partners to bring the technology to market.
As we get older, we may start to notice it takes us longer to find the right words. This can lead to concerns about cognitive decline and dementia.

However, a new study by Baycrest and the University of Toronto suggests that talking speed is a more important indicator of brain health than difficulty finding words, which appears to be a normal part of aging. This is one of the first studies to look at both differences in natural speech and brain health among healthy adults.

Our results indicate that changes in general talking speed may reflect changes in the brain. This suggests that talking speed should be tested as part of standard cognitive assessments to help clinicians detect cognitive decline faster and help older adults support their brain health as they age." Dr. Jed Meltzer, Baycrest's Canada Research Chair in Interventional Cognitive Neuroscience and the lead author on the study

In this study, 125 healthy volunteers aged 18 to 90 completed three different assessments. The first was a picture-naming game, in which they had to answer questions about pictures while ignoring distracting words they heard through headphones. For example, when looking at a picture of a mop, they might be asked, "Does it end in 'p'?" while hearing the word "broom" as a distraction. In this way, the researchers were able to test the participants' ability to recognize what the picture was and to recall its name.

Next, participants were recorded as they described two complex pictures for 60 seconds each. Their language performance was then analyzed using Artificial Intelligence-based software, in partnership with Winterlight Labs. Among other things, researchers examined how fast each participant spoke and how much they paused.

Finally, the research participants completed standard tests to assess mental abilities that tend to decline with age and are linked to dementia risk  namely, executive function, which is the ability to manage conflicting information, stay focused and avoid distractions.

As expected, many abilities declined with age, including word finding speed. Surprisingly, although the ability to recognize a picture and recall its name both worsened with age, this was not associated with a decline in other mental abilities. The number and length of pauses participants took to find words was not linked to brain health. Instead, how fast participants were able to name pictures predicted how fast they spoke in general, and both were linked to executive function. In other words, it wasn't pausing to find words that showed the strongest link to brain health, but the speed of speech surrounding pauses.

Although many older adults are concerned about their need to pause to search for words, these results suggest this is a normal part of aging. On the other hand, slowing down of normal speech, regardless of pausing, may be a more important indicator of changes to brain health.

In future studies, the research team could conduct the same tests with a group of participants over several years, to examine whether speed speech is truly predictive of brain health for individuals as they age. In turn, these results could support the development of tools to detect cognitive decline as early as possible, allowing clinicians to prescribe interventions to help patients maintain or even improve their brain health as they age.

This research was supported by a Discovery Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), an Internship Grant from the Mitacs Accelerate Program and a Connaught Innovation Award.
In a recent study published in eBioMedicine, researchers conducted entomological, wastewater, and case surveillance of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in Singapore.

Study: Case report: Zika surveillance complemented with wastewater and mosquito testing. Image Credit: Tacio Philip Sansonovski/Shutterstock.com

Background

ZIKV is a mosquito-borne virus from the Flaviviridae family. ZIKV cases and outbreaks have increased over the last two decades in the Americas, the Pacific, Asia, and Africa.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern in 2016 when over a million ZIKV cases were reported in Brazil and the Americas.

Moreover, infections were associated with severe neurologic complications and congenital Zika syndrome.

Infected individuals are often asymptomatic; if present, symptoms include fever, rash, joint and muscle pain, and conjunctivitis. Singapore recorded a ZIKV outbreak in 2016-17, and sporadic infections have been since reported.

The low population immunity and presence of competent vectors in Singapore underscore the risk of ZIKV outbreaks, warranting comprehensive surveillance and vector control measures.

While case surveillance is limited to those with symptoms, wastewater and entomological surveillance can provide non-intrusive, comprehensive surveillance.

About the study

In the present study, researchers conducted entomological, case, and wastewater surveillance of ZIKV. A definitive ZIKV case was defined based on the detection of viral RNA in whole blood, serum, urine, or semen.

Hospitals and primary healthcare clinics had access to test services, and all cases were required to be notified to the Health Ministry, Singapore.

Epidemiological data included the weekly number of ZIKV infections and areas with infection/case clusters.

Mosquito surveillance was undertaken at sites with reported Zika cases, including the area of concern (AOC), its vicinity, and the neighborhood of sporadic cases. Mosquito populations were monitored using the National Gravitrap Surveillance System.

Additional Biogents (BG)-Sentinel traps or Gravitraps were set up at the AOC. Mosquito specimens were collected and processed.

Adult female Aedes mosquitos were identified at the species level. RNA was extracted from samples and subject to real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

Besides, wastewater autosamplers were deployed at the AOC and its neighborhood. Wastewater samples were concentrated through ultrafiltration; RNA was extracted, and RT-qPCR was performed.

ZIKV envelope (E) gene was sequenced. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on its sequence. Spearmans correlation between ZIKV wastewater signals and new weekly Zika cases was analyzed.

Findings

A residential area in northeast Singapore recorded two Zika cases in May 2023. Infections increased to 15, with five sporadic cases in other zones by mid-June 2023.

The researchers screened 590 Aedes mosquito pools for ZIKV. These samples comprised 43 pools from the National Gravitrap Surveillance System at the AOC, 128 from its vicinity, and 419 from areas with sporadic cases.

Ninety mosquitos were captured using additionally set-up BG-Sentinel traps or Gravitraps in the AOC and its vicinity. Virus-positive mosquitos were detected in samples from the AOC only.

Three pools with eight mosquitos and three individually screened mosquitos were positive for viral RNA. Wastewater signals were positive for viral RNA between May 15 and 25, 2023, in the AOC and surrounding locations.

One area (A) had a higher frequency of equivocal (20.2%) and positive (6%) samples than other areas (B and C).

Notably, the period of wastewater detection coincided with the peak number of cases reported in the AOC and a peak in the detection of positive mosquitos. ZIKV RNA signals in wastewater positively correlated with weekly new infections.

Retrospective and prospective wastewater samples from other areas were not positive for ZIKV.

Phylogenetic analyses revealed that ZIKV sequences were genetically distinct from strains identified in 2016 in Singapore and belonged to the Asian genotype. Further, the sequences were closely related to those detected in 2012 and 2016 in the Philippines.

Conclusions

In sum, this surveillance analysis showed that the peak ZIKV outbreak in Singapore occurred in the epidemiological week of May 14, 2023, and declined by mid-June 2023.

The absence of viral RNA in samples from regions not vicinal to AOC and those with sporadic cases highlights the limited transmission and low incidence of ZIKV infections in the country.

Of note, all mosquito samples could not be identified at the species level. Moreover, the team could not determine whether ZIKV in wastewater was from new infections or those in recovery.

Overall, the study demonstrated the emerging applicability of wastewater surveillance for ZIKV, suggesting that regular surveillance of wastewater could provide early alerts and facilitate timely measures.
After dedicating 16 years to my career in the U.S. and amassing a portfolio of real estate and cash valued at $2 million, my ties to Vietnam remain unbreakable.

At 37, living solo and with no current plans for marriage or childrensince the right partner hasnt appearedI find myself yearning for the familiar landscapes of Vietnam, my childhood home.

Despite the changes these places have undergone, my nostalgia for the bamboo-lined paths, rivers, and beaches of my youth persists, prompting me to consider a permanent return to Vietnam. The solitude Ive experienced in the U.S. further amplifies my desire for a life where daily interactions can be navigated in my mother tongue.

However, I wonder if my savings will be sufficient to ensure a comfortable life there.

Originating from the coastal city of Da Nang, where I own property in the city center, personal expenses do not worry me. The real challenge is finding the most effective way to leverage my assets to continue my commitment to aiding the less fortunatea commitment Ive honored even from afar by sending charitable donations to Vietnam. This generosity is fueled by my belief that with effort, earning in the U.S. is attainable.

Therefore, the idea of relocating to Vietnam permanently is accompanied by the concern that I may not be able to continue this support without a local, income-generating job.

What steps should I take?
Of all the organs, the liver is most susceptible to drug toxicity. Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a leading cause of drug attrition, with over 750 FDA-approved drugs known to have a level of DILI risk.1

Numerous strategies to de-risk DILI in drug discovery have been developed and, recently, the focus has shifted to more reliable human in vitro 3D liver models that can better predict DILI.2 These models use primary human liver cells that are cultured together in a physiologically relevant environment, enabling them to remain functional for extended periods.3

In this study, CN Bio assessed whether an in vitro Liver-on-a-Chip, also known as a human liver microphysiological system (MPS), could be utilized as an accurate predictor of DILI risk over a wide set of compounds. Thirteen of these compounds are known as mildly and severely hepatotoxic pharmaceutical drugs. The study also included two non-approved antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs).

The liver MPS is utilized in CN Bios PhysioMimix DILI assay. It is made up of primary human hepatocytes (PHH) and Kupffer cells (HKC), cultured under flow perfusion on 3D scaffolds and can maintain highly functional 3D liver microtissues for up to four weeks, should longer-term repeat dosing studies be required. The potential of CN Bios PhysioMimix DILI assay to accurately identify drugs with varying risk has been demonstrated in three case studies.

The first study analyzes two pharmaceutical drugs, Tolcapone and Entacapone, which are typically used for Parkinsons disease management. Both are classified as catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitors. Tolcapone, the first FDA-approved COMT inhibitor, was introduced in 1998 to the US market. Unfortunately, its DILI risk was missed during preclinical safety testing. Severe liver complications were observed in the clinic that caused the death of some patients and the drug's withdrawal soon after. In 2009, tolcapone was re-introduced to the market but only as a last resort for Parkinsons disease treatment.5

Conversely, the structural analog to Tolcapone, Entacapone, has a low hepatoxicity risk and was the second COMT inhibitor to be approved for Parkinsons disease. It is deemed relatively safe but has been known to cause liver damage occasionally.6

Published data from in vitro cellular assays demonstrated that both compounds induce mitochondrial dysfunction in a dose-dependent manner or through the inhibition of efflux transporters.7 Tolcapone was associated with immune-mediated DILI (iDILI), which caused a sharp increase in T-regulatory cells.8, whereas Entacapone did not.

The second case study is focused on two antidiabetic thiazolidinediones: Troglitazone and Pioglitazone. Classified as having severe DILI concern, Troglitazone was licensed in 1997 to treat type 2 diabetes. The FDA withdrew the approval just three years later, due to repeated reports of liver injury, including acute liver failure, in the post-marketing surveillance.

Published animal studies failed to predict Troglitazones ability to cause severe liver injury. This compounds toxicity was also undetected in traditional in vitro 2D hepatic assays.9

Pioglitazone is a compound known to be of low-DILI concern. Examples of acute liver injury due to pioglitazone are uncommon but have been reported occasionally during post-marketing in patients with heart failure or obesity.10,11 During development, pioglitazone hepatotoxicity was not observed in traditional in vitro 2D primary hepatocyte cultures or more advanced 3D models.12,13

The last case study examines the capability of CN Bios PhysioMimix DILI assay to predict the DILI risk of two non-approved ASOs: LNA32 and LNA43. Both were shown to be safe or very hepatotoxic using in vivo rodent models respectively.14,15

ASOs are engineered molecules that contain locked nucleic acid (LNA) made to instigate target RNA cleavage. Numerous studies show a strong link between liver toxicity and the sequence content of the LNA gapmer of ASOs.16 The liver serves as an accumulation target organ where ASO-mediated toxicity is likely observed.14

In vitro biotransformation studies, performed at an early stage of drug development, are essential for predicting the potential hepatotoxicity of ASOs. For modalities like ASOs, where there is a human-specific mode of action, animal models are less suitable. To eliminate false reporting due to interspecies differences, it is paramount to make use of the most human-translatable in vitro models available during preclinical evaluation.

In this study, CN Bios PhysioMimix OOC and Multi-chip Liver-12 plates were used to culture Liver MPSs. Following drug dosing, a variety of functional liver-specific endpoints were analyzed (including clinical biomarkers such as serum albumin and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) across a dose-response to generate EC:50 curves. Analysis of these functional liver-specific endpoints enabled the creation of distinct mechanistic signatures of hepatotoxicity to show the assays ability to assess the human DILI risk of differing drug modalities.

Aims

Demonstrate the ability of The PhysioMimix DILI assay to produce clinically relevant, high-content data (six endpoint EC:50 curves) from a wide set of thirteen compounds from mildly to severely hepatotoxic. Demonstrate the ability to accurately evaluate the DILI risk of novel modalities through the generation of clinically relevant, high-content data (six endpoint EC:50 curves) for two ASOs. Conclude whether the assay can more accurately predict human DILI over conventional preclinical approaches.

Results

Figure 1. PhysioMimix OOC enables the generation of 3D human liver microtissues, functional for up to four weeks. A) In vitro liver microtissues are generated by the PhysioMimix OOC, which uses open well plates designed for the 3D culture of primary liver cells on an engineered scaffold. B) Schematic representation of a PhysioMimix Multi-chip Liver-12 plate for the coculture of PHHs and HKCs. C) Cross-section of a well indicating the scaffold and fluidic flow perfusion of 3D liver microtissues by micropumps. D) Phase contrast microscopy (10 x and 20 x) and immunofluorescence (IF) labeling of 3D liver MPS. To visualize the HKCs, before seeding HKCs were transduced with an adenoviral vector expressing eGFP. Representative photomicrographs are shown. The transduction and imaging were performed as a standalone experiment to demonstrate cell localization. HKCs cells are pre-validated in-house before use in experimental cell culture, and must have low levels of post-thaw activation; this is assessed by measuring biomarkers IL-6 and TNF-. Image Credit: CN Bio

Figure 2.Experimental timeline of a standard DILI assay in the PhysioMimix Multi-chip Liver-12 plate. Image Credit: CN Bio

Figure 3. The Liver MPS produces highly reproducible data and consistent microtissues A) 3D Liver microtissue quality control (QC) metrics at Day four (Mean  standard deviation (SD), N = 360); Functionality assessment at the end of the drug dosing (96 hours)  B) Albumin and Urea, and C) CYP3A4 and ATP. Data was collected from 12 individual experiments; for each experiment, three vehicle control replicates were used (data shown are Mean  SD, N = 36).Image Credit: CN Bio

Figure 4. The Liver MPS generates accurate Tolcapone (high-DILI-concern) and Entacapone (low-DILI-concern) DILI profiles, using multiple hepatotoxic endpoints. Liver microtissues were exposed to Tolcapone (blue) and Entacapone (brown) for 96 hours. All endpoint measurements were derived from the same liver MPS. Data shown are mean  SD, N = 3, and all from 96-hour samples, apart from LDH release which was measured at 48 hours. Image Credit: CN Bio

Table 1. Toxicity of Tolcapone and Entacapone in 3D human liver MPS microtissues. Liver microtissues in the MPS were exposed to both compounds for 96 hours. LDH data was measured at 48 hours post-dose. Data were generated from seven-point dose responses, with N = 3 per concentration. Maximum test concentration for Tolcapone = 6.3 x C max and for Entacapone = 91.5 x C max . Source: CN Bio

Assay Tolcapone Entacapone EC50 (xC max ) R2 EC50 (xC max ) R2 LDH 4.9 0.9 73.8 0.9 ALT 3.3 0.6 87.1 0.7 Albumin 0.3 0.9 62.5 0.9 Urea 4.5 0.9 39.3 0.9 CYP3A4 5.5 0.7 82.5 0.9 ATP 7.2 0.9 75.7 0.9

Figure 5. The Liver MPS accurately generates troglitazone (high-DILI-concern) and pioglitazone (low-DILI-concern), DILI profiles using multiple hepatotoxic endpoints. Liver microtissues in the MPS were exposed to troglitazone (blue) and pioglitazone (brown) for 96 hours. All endpoint measurements were derived from the same liver MPS culture. Data shown are mean  SD, N = 3, and all from 96-hour samples. Image Credit: CN Bio

Table 2. Toxicity of Troglitazone and Pioglitazone in 3D human liver MPS microtissues. Liver microtissues in the MPS were exposed to both compounds for 96 hours. Data were generated from seven-point dose responses, with N = 3 per concentration. Maximum test concentration for troglitazone = 47 x C Cmax , maximum test concentration for pioglitazone = 100 x Cmax . Source: CN Bio

Assay Tolcapone Entacapone EC50 (xC max ) R2 EC50 (xC max ) R2 LDH 43.9 0.9 ND ALT 40.3 0.8 ND Albumin 21 0.9 63.2 0.7 Urea 22.7 0.9 ND CYP3A4 11.8 0.8 ND ATP 15.5 0.9 16.5 0.7

ND - not detected

Figure 6. Liver MPS accurately determines the DILI risk of two ASOs (LNA43, LNA32), using multiple hepatotoxic endpoints. Liver microtissues in the MPS were exposed for 96 hours to LNA43 (blue), known to be severely hepatotoxic in vivo, and LNA32 (brown), known to be safe in vivo. All endpoint measurements were derived from the same liver MPS culture. Data shown are mean  SD, N = 3, and all from 96-hour samples. Image Credit: CN Bio

Figure 7. The PhysioMimix DILI assay accurately determines the liability of a broad set of known severely and mildly hepatotoxic compounds. Exposure-corrected cytotoxicity or margin of safety (MOS = EC:50/Cmax) was determined for four key biomarkers albumin, urea, ATP, and clinical biomarker ALT, following 96 hours of exposure. All endpoint measurements were derived from the same liver MPS culture. Data shown are mean  SD, N = 3. Tested compounds are arranged based on DILI rank, from low DILI concern (left) to high DILI concern (right). Image Credit: CN Bio

Conclusion

The PhysioMimix assay was able to accurately predict human DILI for all compounds tested. With its heightened sensitivity, the model identified hepatotoxicants (Pioglitazone, Dexamethasone, Levofloxacin) that were missed by 2D and some 3D in vitro models.5 The experimental approaches and data show that CN Bios PhysioMimix OOC cultures metabolically active and highly functional liver microtissues.

These liver microtissues can be consistently and reliably employed to predict, with accuracy, the DILI liability of drugs of differing modalities. CN Bio hypothesizes that by recapitulating the immune aspects of the liver that cause DILI, the assay's sensitivity was improved.

The model can be additionally modified to include adaptive immune cells, like Peripheral Blood Mononuclear cells (PBMCs), into the recirculating flow that perfuses the MPS model to provide an immunocompetent solution.

Through the measurement of six different endpoint biomarkers, including clinical biomarkers (ALT and serum albumin), the model produced a signature of hepatotoxicity for each test article to assist with identifying compounds with various levels of DILI concern, and reveal mechanisms of their toxicity.

The human translatable data generated by the PhysioMimix DILI assays enables researchers to progress only the safest drugs into in vivo studies, minimizing the number of animals required. The approach provides a viable alternative to animal models where translatability to humans is predicted to be poor and for the testing of advanced drug modalities where human-specific targets and pathways are required to be better prepared for the clinic.

References and further reading

Dirven, H. et al. (2021). Performance of preclinical models in predicting drug-induced liver injury in humans: a systematic review. Sci. Rep. 11, 119. Walker, P. A., Ryder, S., Lavado, A., Dilworth,  Clive & Riley, R. J. (2020). The evolution of strategies to minimise the risk of human drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in drug discovery and development. Arch. Toxicol. 94, 25592585. Rubiano, A. et al. (2021). Characterizing the reproducibility in using a liver microphysiological system for assaying drug toxicity, metabolism, and accumulation. Clin Transl Sci 14. Rowe, C. et al. (2018). Perfused human hepatocyte microtissues identify reactive metabolite-forming and mitochondria-perturbing hepatotoxins. Toxicol. Vitr. 46, 2938. Artusi, C. A., Sarro, L., Imbalzano, G., Fabbri, M. & Lopiano, L. Safety and efficacy of tolcapone in Parkinsons disease: systematic review. doi:10.1007/s00228-020- 03081-x/Published. Kuoppamaki, M., Leinonen, M. & Poewe,  Werner. Efficacy and safety of entacapone in levodopa/carbidopa versus levodopa/benserazide treated Parkinsons disease patients with wearing-off. J. Neural Transm. 122,. Longo, D. M., Yang, Y., Watkins, P. B., Howell, B. A. & Siler, S. Q. (2016). Elucidating differences in the hepatotoxic potential of tolcapone and entacapone with DILIsym, a mechanistic model of drug-induced liver injury. CPT Pharmacometrics Syst. Pharmacol. 5, 3139. Teschke, R., Chen, M., Kenna, J. G. & Uetrecht, J. (2019). Article 837 REVIEW Frontiers in Pharmacology | www.frontiersin.org Citation: Uetrecht J (2019) Mechanistic Studies of Idiosyncratic DILI: Clinical Implications. Front. Pharmacol 10, 837. Bell, C. C. et al. (2018). Comparison of Hepatic 2D Sandwich Cultures and 3D Spheroids for Long-term Toxicity Applications: A Multicenter Study. Toxicol. Sci. 162, 655666. Chen, M., Suzuki, A., Borlak, J., Andrade, R. J. & Lucena, M. I. (2021). Drug-induced liver injury: Interactions between drug properties and host factors. J. Hepatol. 63, 503514 (2015). Richardson, B., Khan, M. Q., Brown, S. A., Watt, K. D. & Izzy, M. Personalizing Diabetes Management in Liver Transplant Recipients: The New Era for Optimizing Risk Management. Rev. | Hepatol. Commun. 6, 2022. Li, F., Cao, L., Parikh, S. & Zuo, R. (2020). Three-Dimensional Spheroids With Primary Human Liver Cells and Differential Roles of Kupffer Cells in Drug-Induced Liver Injury. J. Pharm. Sci. 109, 19121923. Proctor, W. R. et al. (2017). Utility of spherical human liver microtissues for prediction of clinical drug-induced liver injury. Arch. Toxicol. 91, 28492863. Dieckmann, A. et al. (2018). A Sensitive In Vitro Approach to Assess the HybridizationDependent Toxic Potential of High Affinity Gapmer Oligonucleotides. Mol. Ther. - Nucleic Acids 10, 4554. Sewing, S. et al. (2016). Establishment of a predictive in vitro assay for assessment of the hepatotoxic potential of oligonucleotide drugs. PLoS One 11, 115. Burel, S. A. et al. (2015). Hepatotoxicity of high affinity gapmer antisense oligonucleotides is mediated by RNase H1 dependent promiscuous reduction of very long pre-mRNA transcripts. Nucleic Acids Res. 44, 20932109. Bell, C. C. et al. Characterization of primary human hepatocyte spheroids as a model system for drug-induced liver injury, liver function and disease OPEN. Nat. Publ. Gr. (2016) doi:10.1038/srep25187.

About CN Bio

CN Bio is a leading organ-on-a-chip (OOC) company that offers a portfolio of products and contract research services to optimise the accuracy and efficiency of bringing new medicines to market. With more than a decade of research and development experience, we aim to transform the way human-relevant pre-clinical data is generated through the development of advanced in vitro human organ models .

CN-Bio's PhysioMimix OOC range of microphysiological systems (MPS) enable researchers to recreate human biology in the lab. The technology bridges the gap between traditional cell culture and human studies, to support the development of safer and more efficacious therapeutics, whilst reducing the dependence on animal model usage.

CN Bios portfolio of products (MPS, 3D validated cells, consumable plates) and services support researchers that require reliable, data-rich, in vitro studies, to uncover novel mechanistic insights into drug or disease mechanism of action.

Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.Net which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is introducing short-loop train services during morning peak hours between Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Station (Majestic) and Garudacharpalya Metro Stations from Monday, BMRCL officials said on Friday.

According to BMRCL, this will help a large number of commuters bound towards Trinity, Indiranagar, Benniganahalli and KR Pura Metro stations as the trains will be available every three minutes in this section between 8.45 am and 10.20 am.

These services will be available on all working days (except Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays).

Furthermore, for the convenience of passengers arriving in early morning hours to Bangalore city through Indian Railways, intercity buses, Namma Metro is also introducing the first train service from Nadaprabhu Kempegowda station (Majestic) towards all directions at 5 am on all days of the week, except Sundays, they said.
Mahindra has introduced a new variant called Z8 Select to its Scorpio N line-up, priced between Rs 16.99 lakh to 18.99 lakh (ex-showroom).

This new trim sits below the standard Z8 but above the Z6 variant. Lets delve into what the Z8 Select offers, hitting Mahindra dealerships starting March 1.

Compared to its counterparts, the Z8 Select variant comes at a lower price point, with savings ranging from Rs 1.11 lakh to Rs 1.65 lakh depending on the chosen powertrain. However, its slightly pricier than the Z6, by about Rs 69,000 to Rs 1.38 lakh. Buyers can opt for either the 203 bhp, 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine or the 175 bhp, 2.2-litre diesel engine, each paired with a 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox. Notably, the Z8 Select does not offer a 4WD option.

Mahindra Scorpio N Z8 Select: Features

The Z8 Select variant introduces a sleek Midnight Black exterior finish, setting it apart visually. While it shares many features with the Z8 variant, some amenities like push-button start, tyre pressure monitor, dual-zone climate control, power folding wing mirrors, and automatic headlights and wipers are excluded.

However, buyers can still enjoy notable features such as 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, LED lighting, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 7.0-inch TFT instrument cluster, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a sunroof, rear disc brakes, and six airbags. Additionally, safety features like ESC (Electronic Stability Control) are also included in this variant.

The Z8 Select variant promises a blend of style, performance, and affordability, making it an attractive pick for Scorpio enthusiasts.
The corporate affairs ministry has asked its field officers to expedite the inspection of the books of BYJUS and submit the report, a senior official said on Monday as trouble continues to brew at the edtech firm.

The ministry, which is implementing the companys law, will decide on the further course of action after receiving the report from its regional office.

Also Read: I Remain CEO, Rumours Of My Firing Exaggerated: Byju Raveendran Writes To Employees

In July 2023, the ministry asked the office of the Regional Director in Hyderabad to inspect the company Think & Learn Pvt Ltd, which is registered in Bengaluru.

Think & Learn Pvt Ltd operates under the brand BYJUS.

On Monday, the senior official said the ministry has sought to expedite the inspection and submission of the report with respect to BYJUs.

Specific details about the inspection could not be immediately ascertained.

Last year, the ministry ordered the inspection in the wake of various developments at that time at the edtech company, including its inability to finalise the statements and resignation of auditor.

A BYJUs spokesperson said the inspection is ongoing and the company has received multiple communications requesting information and documents from time to time.

It has cooperated completely and responded with all necessary responses along with documents to the MCA (Ministry of Corporate Affairs).

The company also apprised them of the corporate governance measures implemented, including the constitution of the advisory council. All directions of the MCA have also been complied with, the spokesperson said in a statement.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is also looking into the financial disclosures made by the edtech firm for certain financial years.

ICAI President Ranjeet Kumar Agarwal, last week, said the case is under process.

According to BYJUS spokesperson, the company has also closed its financials for FY 2022 and has effected the necessary filings with the Registrar of Companies (RoC).

Given all of the above, the company is also hoping for an expedited closure of the matter, the spokesperson added.

On February 23, shareholders of BYJUS voted unanimously for removing Founder CEO Byju Raveendran and his family members from the board over alleged mismanagement and failures at what was once Indias hottest tech startup.

However, the company had called the voting done in absence of founders as invalid and ineffective.

Raveendran, his wife and brother  the only three members on the company board as of now  stayed away from the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) called by a group of six investors, who collectively hold more than 32 per cent in Think & Learn.

At the end, more than 60 per cent of the shareholders voted in favour of all the seven resolutions, which included removing the current management, reconfiguration of the board and a third party forensic investigation into acquisitions done by the company, sources close to the investors had said.

However, sources close to BYJUS had put the number at 47 per cent.
Gold Rate Today In India: February 26, 2024, witnessed fluctuations in gold prices across various cities in India. The standard price for 10 grams remained relatively stable, hovering around Rs 62,000. Broadening the comparison, the average price for 10 grams of 24-carat gold stood at approximately Rs 62,840, while for 22-carat gold, it was Rs 57,600.

At the same time, the silver market displayed a consistent upward trend, reaching Rs 74,500 per kilogram.

Gold rate today in India: Retail gold price on February 26

Gold Rate Today In Mumbai 22 Carat & 24 Carat

Currently in Mumbai, the price of 10 grams of 22-carat gold stands at Rs 57,600, while the equivalent amount of 24-carat gold is valued at Rs 62,840.

Gold Rate Today In Delhi

In Delhi, individuals are required to allocate Rs 57,750 for 10 grams of 22-carat gold and Rs 62,940 for the same quantity of 24-carat gold.

Gold Rate Today In Chennai

In Chennai, the price for 10 grams of 22-carat gold is Rs 58,100, and for the same amount of 24-carat gold, its Rs 63,380.

Check gold rates today in different cities on February 26, 2024; (In Rs/10 grams)

City 22 Carat Gold Price 24-Carat Gold Price Ahmedabad 57,650 62,890 Kolkata 57,600 62,840 Gurugram 57,750 62,940 Lucknow 57,750 62,940 Bengaluru 57,600 62,840 Jaipur 57,750 62,940 Patna 57,650 62,890 Bhubaneshwar 57,600 62,840 Hyderabad 57,600 62,840

Multi Commodity Exchange

On February 26, 2024, the futures for gold set to expire on April 05 were actively traded at Rs 62,232 on the Multi Commodity Exchange. Furthermore, silver futures with a March 05, 2024 expiration date were quoted at Rs 70,147.

Retail Cost of Gold

The retail cost of gold in the country is the amount customers pay for it. This price is influenced by various factors, including the global gold price, the value of the Rupee, and the costs associated with labour and materials used in the production of gold jewellery.

Gold is highly important in India because of its cultural significance, its value for investment, and its traditional role in weddings and festivals.

2024 Outlook: Rs 70,000 Per 10 Grams Gold Price

According to the All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC), they have recently stated that prevailing global economic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions are expected to propel gold prices to a historic high of Rs 70,000 per 10 grams in the upcoming year. This trajectory underscores golds status as a dependable investment and a valuable hedge against inflation.
The GPT Healthcare IPO closes today, Monday, February 26, 2024. The issue opened for subscription on February 22nd and closes at the end of the trading day today. While the retail portion of the IPO was fully subscribed on the second day, the overall subscription was reported to be around 85% as of February 23.

Open Date: February 22nd, 2024

Close Date: Today, February 26th, 2024

Price Band: Rs 177  Rs 186 per share

Listing Date: Tentatively set for February 29, 2024

According to BSE data, the retail portion of the GPT Healthcare IPO was oversubscribed by 1.25 times. The Non-Institutional Investors (NII) portion saw a subscription rate of 79%, while the Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIB) portion was subscribed at 19%.

On the inaugural day, the subscription status of the GPT Healthcare IPO stood at 37%. The retail portion of the issue was subscribed at 66%, the NII portion was booked at 18%, and bids for the QIB portion are still pending.

The price band for the GPT Healthcare IPO has been set between Rs 177 and Rs 186 per equity share, with a face value of Rs 10 each. The IPO lot size comprises 80 equity shares, and investors can subscribe in multiples of 80 equity shares thereafter.

On Thursday, February 22, GPT Healthcare IPO secured Rs 157.54 crores from anchor investors. The company informed the exchanges that it allocated 84,69,996 equity shares at Rs 186 per share.

The GPT Healthcare IPO has allocated up to 50% of the shares in the public issue for qualified institutional buyers (QIB), at least 15% for non-institutional investors (NII), and a minimum of 35% of the offer is reserved for retail investors.

GPT Healthcare Ltd manages a network of mid-sized full-service hospitals branded as ILS Hospitals and offers comprehensive healthcare services, emphasizing secondary and tertiary care.

The allocation of shares for the GPT Healthcare IPO is scheduled for February 27, with its listing set to occur on both the NSE and BSE on February 29, 2024.

GPT Healthcare IPO GMP Today

As of today, Monday, February 26, 2024, at 11:00 am, the Grey Market Premium (GMP) for the GPT Healthcare IPO is Rs 9. This means that the IPO is trading Rs 9 above its issue price band of Rs 177  Rs 186 per share in the unofficial grey market.

GMP is an unofficial indicator and does not guarantee the listing price of the IPO. Its important to remember that the GMP is not a reliable indicator of the future performance of the stock.

GPT Healthcare IPO: Should You Subscribe?

Assigning the subscribe long-term rating, brokerage Anand Rathi in a note said, At the upper price band, the company is valuing at P/E of 39.1 times with a market cap of Rs 1,526.2 crore post issue of equity shares and return on net worth of 23.7 per cent in FY23. On the valuation front, we believe that the company is fairly priced. Thus, we recommend an subscribe for long term rating to the IPO.

GPT Healthcare IPO Details

The IPO is a combination of a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating to Rs 40 crore and an Offer For Sale (OFS) of up to 2.6 crore equity shares by private equity firm BanyanTree Growth Capital II.

BanyanTree, which holds 2.6 crore shares or 32.64 per cent stake in Kolkata-based GPT Healthcare, is divesting its entire shareholding in the company.

Proceeds from the fresh issue to the tune of Rs 30 crore will be used for payment of debt and general corporate purposes.

The IPO will mobilise Rs 501.67 crore at the lower end of the price band and Rs 525.14 crore at the upper end.

GPT Healthcare, founded by Dwarika Prasad Tantia, Dr Om Tantia and Shree Gopal Tantia, started with an eight-bed hospital in Kolkata in 2000. Today it operates four full-service multi-specialty hospitals, with a total capacity of 561 beds.

The company competes with listed industry peers, including Global Health Ltd, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Ltd, Jupiter Life Line Hospitals Ltd, Yatharth Hospital & Trauma Care Services Ltd and Shalby Ltd.

Half of the issue has been reserved for qualified institutional buyers, 35 per cent for non-institutional investors and the remaining 15 per cent for retail investors. Investors can bid for a minimum of 80 equity shares and in multiples of 80 equity shares thereafter.

Its total income increased 7.3 per cent to Rs 361.03 crore in FY23 from Rs 337.41 crore in FY22.

JM Financial is the sole book-running lead manager to the issue.
In January 2024, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed restrictions on Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL) due to persistent non-compliance with regulations. PPBL needs to settle all existing transactions by March 15, 2024. This has led to an impact on Paytms UPI service as well. However, users need not worry as clear guidelines have come in around the use of Paytm UPI ID.

Third-Party App Provider (TPAP)

RBI has asked the NPCI to examine the possibility of migrating Paytm Payments Bank customers using the UPI handle @paytm to 4-5 other banks, in a bid to prevent any disruptions in the payment ecosystem.

On Friday, the central bank came out with additional steps for the benefit of customers, wallet holders and merchants who are availing banking services from Paytm Payments Bank, which has been barred from accepting deposits and credits after March 15, 2024.

If approved by NPCI, Paytm users with @paytm UPI handles could potentially migrate seamlessly to newly identified banks, minimising disruption.

As per the website of Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL), it has 30 crore wallets and 3 crore bank customers.

NPCI, an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India, is an initiative of RBI and Indian Banks Association (IBA) for creating a payment and settlement infrastructure in India.

As the PPBL cannot accept further credits into its customer accounts and wallets after March 15, 2024, certain additional steps have become necessary to ensure seamless digital payments by UPI customers using @paytm handle operated by the bank, and minimise concentration risk in the UPI system by having multiple payment app providers, the RBI said in a statement.

NPCI has been advised by the RBI to examine the request of One97 Communication Ltd (OCL) to become a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) for UPI channel for continued UPI operation of the Paytm app, as per the norms, it said.

One97 Communications Ltd (OCL), which owns the Paytm brand, holds a 49 per cent stake in PPBL.

RBI further said that in the event of NPCI granting TPAP status to OCL, it may be stipulated that @paytm handles are to be migrated seamlessly from PPBL to a set of newly identified banks to avoid any disruption.

No new users are to be added by the said TPAP until all the existing users are migrated satisfactorily to a new handle, it added.

For seamless migration of @paytm handle to other banks, NPCI may facilitate certification of 4-5 banks as Payment Service Provider (PSP) Banks with demonstrated capabilities to process high volume UPI transactions. This is in line with NPCI norms for minimising concentration risk, RBI said.

Also, for the merchants using PayTM QR Codes, OCL may open the settlement accounts with one or more PSP Banks (other than Paytm Payments Bank), the Reserve Bank said.

It further said the migration of UPI handles is applicable only to such customers and merchants who have a UPI handle @Paytm. For others who have a UPI address or handle other than @Paytm, no action is required to be taken by them.

RBI again asked the customers, whose underlying account/ wallet is currently with Paytm Payments Bank, to make an alternative arrangement with other banks well before March 15, 2024.

It further said that the holders of FASTag and National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC) issued by Paytm Payments Bank, may make alternative arrangements before March 15, 2024, to avoid any inconvenience.

All the  actions are undertaken in the sole interest of protecting the customers and payment system from any possible disruptions and are without any prejudice to the regulatory or supervisory actions initiated by RBI against Paytm Payments Bank, the central bank said.

In March 2022, the RBI barred PPBL from onboarding new customers with immediate effect.

Paytm UPI Use After March 15

No, you will not be able to use @Paytm UPI after March 15, 2024, if your UPI handle is linked to Paytm Payments Bank. This is due to restrictions imposed by RBI on Paytm Payments Banks ability to handle UPI transactions.

Heres a summary of what will and wont work after March 15th:

What wont work:

Using @Paytm UPI: You wont be able to initiate or receive UPI payments using your @Paytm UPI handle.

Adding money to your Paytm wallet: Deposits and credit transactions to your Paytm wallet will be disabled.

What will still work:

Existing wallet balance: You can still use your existing wallet balance for transactions until its depleted.

Withdrawing money: You can withdraw money from your Paytm wallet to your linked bank account.

Using Paytm app for other services: You can still use the Paytm app for other services like checking balance, bill payments, etc.

What to do:

If you currently use @Paytm UPI, its recommended to:
The security personnel arrested a man named Gurpreet Singh at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. He has been arrested for making a fake immigration arrival stamp for Malaysia. As per reports, he was caught due to an error in the spelling of the arrival stamp.

Gurpreet hails from the Safdarpur village, Patiala, Punjab. He was apprehended from a flight named Thai Airways Flight TG-1331, when it landed at the airport from Bangkok, Thailand. The security officer took Gurpreet Singh to an officer from the Immigration Bureau named Satish Kumar. The airline security staff handed over the necessary documents to Kumar and informed him that Gurpreet had been deported from Bangkok.

The scrutiny of Gurpreets documents revealed that he left for Bangkok on July 30, 2023, from Lucknow Airport in Uttar Pradesh. He boarded the Thai AirAsia flight FD-147 on an on-arrival visa. A visa on arrival is a type of visa issued at the time of a foreign nationals arrival in a country.

During the investigation, immigration officer Satish Kumar found two immigration stamps on Gurpreets passport. The first arrival stamp was affixed by Thailand Immigration on July 31, 2023, on page number seven. At the same time, the second stamp dated July 31, 2023, was also affixed on page number five of the passport. This was, however, the arrival stamp of Malaysia Immigration. There was no immigration stamp on Gurpreets passport, which would have shown that he had gone to Malaysia from the airport. Immigration stamp gives the sanction to gain entrance to the host country.

This was revealed when Kumar observed Gurpreets Malaysian Immigration stamp very closely. He realised that the spellings of West were misspelt as Wrst and Thirty was written as Shirty. The officer soon found that Gurpreets arrival immigration stamp from Malaysia on page number five was fake. After an initial interrogation, he handed over the accused to the IGI Airport Police. The police have registered a case and started an investigation.

In a similar case, a man from Malaysia named Gagan Deep Singh was earlier arrested because he had fake stamp entries in his passport.
The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) will release the Group 2 prelims exam 2023 answer key soon. The exam was conducted on February 25 from 10.30 am to 1 pm. Candidates who appeared for the exam will be able to download the answer key through the official website of APPSC at psc.ap.gov.in, once issued.

The registration process for the exam started on December 21, 2023, and ended on January 17, 2024. The commission had issued a notification seeking to fill a total of 897 positions through this recruitment drive. Of these, 566 vacancies are set aside for non-executive positions and 331 vacancies are designated for executive positions.

APPSC Group 2 Prelims Exam Answer Key 2023: How To Download

Step 1: Visit the official website of APPSC at psc.ap.gov.in.

Step 2: Click on the APPSC Group 2 Prelims Answer Key 2023 link available on the home page.

Step 3: A PDF containing the answer key will be displayed on the screen.

Step 4: Check and download the page for further use.

The commission conducted the written exam for General Studies and Mental Ability. A new topic of social science was added to it this year. Each section has 30 marks. The preliminary exam is for a total of 150 marks. The APPSC screening test is an objective type examination held in the OMR-based format in offline mode. While the main exam comprises objective-type questions, and candidates are required to answer them in offline mode (OMR-based) or a computer-based test (CBT). Candidates will be shortlisted for the Computer Proficiency Test (CPT) based on merit in the main written examination.

Meanwhile, the APPSC is set to conduct the Group 1 recruitment preliminary examination on March 17. The recruitment drive aims to fill up a total of 81 vacancies in Group 1 Services. The exam features objective type and OMR-based questions. It will be held in the offline mode. Candidates who clear the prelims exam will be shortlisted for the mains exam, the date of which will be announced later. The main exam will consist of descriptive-type questions.
The Bihar School Examination Board or BSEB board exam 2024 for classes 10 and 12 students has concluded. The Bihar Board has also started the evaluation process of class 12 answer sheets. The exam results are expected to be out soon on the official website of BSEB biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in.

This year, more than 16 lakh students registered for Bihar Board 10th examination. While more than 13 lakh students had registered for the Bihar Board 12th examination. Now all the candidates are eagerly waiting for their results. Bihar Board Result 2024 is also expected to be released earlier than other education boards. The class 10 evaluation process will also start soon.

About 200 centres have been assigned to check the copies of Bihar Board Exam 2024 Class 12th. The evaluation of Bihar Board exam copies is expected to be completed by March 15, 2024. The class 10 exam was held between February 15 to February 22, 2024. Whereas, the Bihar Board 12th examination was held between February 1 to February 13, 2024. The exams were held from 9:30 am to 12:45 pm (morning shift) and from 2 pm to 5:15 pm (afternoon shift).

About 25,000 teachers have been put on duty to check the Bihar Board 12th answer copies. All teachers have to reach the center by 8 am for the evaluation of copies. The board has issued the necessary guidelines in this regard. The evaluation of all copies will be monitored through CCTV cameras. According to media reports, Bihar Board 12th Result 2024 can be declared by March 20. However, BSEB has not yet released the official date of the result.

For the Bihar Board result, an evaluation process of many steps has to be completed. Verification of marks will be done after the evaluation process of Bihar Board copies is over. After that, the board will interview the toppers. The result will be released only after the completion of the Bihar Board topper interview. Along with declaring the results, the Bihar Board also releases the toppers list.
Vietnam International Bank (VIB) has become one of the first banks in Vietnam to implement Temenos Core Banking solution on cloud, in collaboration with AWS and ITSS.

VIB will implement the latest Core Banking version R23 from Temenos on the AWS cloud and VIB's private cloud platforms, marking it the first bank to deploy the Temenos Core Banking system on a cloud computing platform in Vietnam. The project is a collaboration with ITSS, a technology solutions and IT services company from Switzerland.

VIB is currently the first banks in Vietnam to implement Temenos Core Banking solution on Cloud, in collaboration with AWS and ITSS. Photo courtesy of VIB

According to Tran Nhat Minh, Deputy CEO and CIO of VIB, with its strategic positioning to become a leading retail bank in Vietnam, VIB is at the forefront of investing in technology initiatives, digitalization, and building an advanced and robust technology platform.

The banking industry in Vietnam is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by an increase in customer demand for digital experiences and the constant advancement of technology.

The migration of core banking systems to the cloud has emerged as a game-changing factor, promising flexibility, innovation, and enhanced customer experiences.

This core banking modernization project on the cloud reaffirms VIB's commitment to continuously improve service quality and operational efficiency while creating a strong foundation to serve customers in a prominent digital era.

In this project, VIB will deploy the latest version of Temenos Core Banking on the AWS cloud and the VIB private cloud. The deployment ensures compliance, safety, and continuous system operation, marking an important step towards the comprehensive restructuring and innovation of VIB's digital platform, aligned with its three drivers: "mobile first, cloud first, and AI first."

With "cloud first," VIB pioneers the deployment of Temenos Core Banking solutions on the cloud, using cloud-native services. This ensures automatic and rapid on-demand infrastructure scalability, superior seamless service delivery to users, mitigating the impact of service disruption, and optimizing development and operational costs.

With "mobile first," mobile banking is one of the key factors, and deploying Temenos Core Banking on the Cloud provides robust APIs, high operational performance, flexibility, enabling VIB to maintain 24/7 services, enhancing the best customer experience, and ensuring seamless access to banking services.

With "AI first," VIB has been focusing on leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to provide predictive analytics and suitable financial solutions.

The deployment of Temenos Core Banking aims to ensure the enhancement of input data quality through tight automated system controls, which is a crucial input supporting the "AI first" key factor.

VIB and partners representatives at the signing ceremony on Feb. 24, 2024. Photo courtesy of VIB

Ramki Ramakrishnan, Managing Director for APAC at Temenos, said that they are delighted to welcome VIB as the first bank in Vietnam to embrace Temenos core banking on the cloud, further solidifying our market-leading position in this vital market.

Temenos serves as the trusted banking platform for large banks globally, including leading Vietnamese banks, spanning the retail, corporate, wealth, and private banking sectors.

Vietnams banking sector has experienced significant growth over the last decade and is home to some of the largest and most innovative banks in Southeast Asia, and VIB is leading the way.

"With VIBs forefront position in cloud-powered banking, we are excited to be working with them as their strategic partner to support their future growth," said Ramakrishnan.

In its strategic transformation phase (20172026), VIB witnesses impressive growth, positioning the bank as one of the leading retail banks in Vietnam.

To date, VIB is one of the most retail-oriented banks in Vietnam, with a retail loan proportion of over 85% of its loan portfolio.

Over the past seven years, it has achieved compounded growth in its credit portfolio of 32% due to strategic business changes and successful penetration and expansion in the individual customer segment.

With the aim of becoming the most innovative bank in Vietnam, VIB is implementing long-term digital strategies, with digital banking witnessing significant growth alongside high penetration and digital conversion rates.

From 2017 to 2023, digital transaction CARG was 100%, with over 94% of retail transactions conducted through digital channels, serving millions of active customers every month.

The implementation of Temenos core banking solution on AWS Cloud marks VIB's latest advancement in its digital transformation journey, contributing to the establishment of a robust infrastructure that serves as the foundation for the adoption and development of cutting-edge technology products.

It also optimizes the customer experience, aligns with growth plans, and accommodates future increases in customer numbers, products, and transactions through digital banking channels.

Eric Yeo, Vietnam Country Manager, AWS, said that the cloud revolution provides capabilities to optimize operations, improve security, reduce operation costs for technology infrastructure, and minimize downtime during peak traffic.

"We are proud to collaborate with VIB and Temenos on this journey to help shape the banking industry in Vietnam. This technology platform will help banks meet and exceed rapid business growth in the future," he stated.

With a diverse product ecosystem and the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as AI and augmented reality (AR), as well as superior convenience and speed, VIB has asserted its position as one of the leading banks in delivering innovative digital products with a customer-centric approach.

The digital strategy also earns VIB recognition from both domestic and international organizations for its high-tech and trend-leading products.

The utilization of Temenos Core Banking solution with its cloud-native and cloud-agnostic features in this project allows VIB the freedom to operate across public clouds such as AWS and VIB private clouds; provides the agility, scalability, and resilience necessary to meet the dynamic needs of modern customers; and fosters an environment of continuous innovation and improvement for VIB.

The new system will also expedite VIB's ability to upgrade, expand, and introduce new digital products and services to the market quickly and significantly save time.

Additionally, with high performance and flexibility, VIB can maintain 24/7 services and provide a better customer experience. Accordingly, customers will benefit from maximum security when using VIB's services, as the AWS Cloud holds over 140 security compliance certifications.

"We are pleased to be putting our more than two decades of digital core banking transformation expertise to work, allowing VIB to innovate faster using cloud capabilities to grow their business while meeting sustainability commitments. What sets ITSS apart are our accelerators, hands-on experience within global markets, and how we keep the end-user experience in mind while driving digital transformations. ITSSs Temenos services and cloud technology expertise pave the way for VIB to deliver mission-driven products and services that delight their customers," Manju HC, Director of ITSS Global, said.

VIB has been pioneering in cloud computing since 2021 and developing a cloud-native mobile banking application with MyVIB.

Temenos is the leading open platform for composable banking, serving 3,000 banks globally, helping them build new services and enhance customer experiences, and achieving triple return on equity and half-industry cost-to-income ratios. For more information, visit here.

ITSS, a global banking software integrator, has supported over 350 Temenos clients since 2001, offering banking technology services and solutions for various banking products, including Transact, FCM, Islamic banking, TAP, Multifonds, Inclusive Banking, and Infinity.
The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) will close the extended registration deadline for the teachers recruitment examination today. The exam is being conducted to fill positions of school teachers for classes 1 to 12, and special school teachers for classes 9 to 10. Interested and qualified individuals can apply for BPSC TRE 3 via the official website, bpsc.bih.nic.in. This recruitment campaign aims to fill 87,774 positions in the organisation.

The exam is set to take place from March 7 to 17 and the results will likely be announced between March 22 and 24. The examination will consist of 150 questions divided into three parts. The first segment will consist of 30 questions, followed by 40 in the second section and 80 in the final session.

BPSC TRE 3.0: Eligibility Criteria

Age limit: The minimum age for all vacancies is 18, except secondary (classes 9, 10), senior secondary (classes 11, 12), and SC, ST welfare schools (classes 6-12), which have a lower age limit of 21 years. The maximum age restriction is 37 years for UR males, 40 for OBC, BC, and UR females, and 42 for SC and ST applicants.

BPSC TRE 3.0: How to Apply

Step 1: Visit the BPSCs official website, bpsc.bih.nic.in.

Step 2: Click on the Apply Online option on the home page.

Step 3: A new page will open, and candidates must click on the apply online link.

Step 4: Register and log in to your account.

Step 5: Once completed, fill out the application form.

Step 6: Make payment for application fees.

Step 7: Click submit to download the page.

Step 8: Keep a hard copy in case you need it later.

BPSC TRE 3.0: Application Fee

Candidates in the general or unreserved categories must pay BPSC TRE application fees of Rs 750, while scheduled caste (SC), scheduled tribe (ST), female candidates, and disabled candidates must pay Rs 200.

The second phase of the BPSC TRE 2023 was held from December 7 to 15. The examination was conducted in two shifts on the first day and one shift on the second day. The recruitment drive was conducted to fill 86,557 teacher positions in the state.
The numbers game is set to begin in Karnataka, with the state witnessing hectic activity in the run-up to the Rajya Sabha elections to be held on Tuesday. Congress MLAs are holed up in a star hotel in Bengaluru, while the Bharatiya Janata Party is pinning its hopes on cross-voting on election day.

Senior Congress leaders have alleged that calls were being made to their MLAs to try and lure them and their votes with money but have yielded no result.

We are like a flock of flamingos, and we will fly high. We have the numbers, we trust each and every MLA of our party, and we will sail through confidently and easily, said senior Congress minister Santhosh Lad to News18.

Karnataka politicians across parties, be it the BJP, Janata Dal (Secular), or the Congress, have over the years mastered the art of resort politics, seeing the ruling Congress herding all their MLAs to a star hotel in the city. The MLAs will be taken on a bus from the hotel to the Vidhana Soudha on February 27.

It is not that we do not trust our MLAs. Every Congressman is committed to winning this election as well, just as we are in the assembly polls. We will be in the hotel together as its just that it is easier for us to coordinate and go together on the day of the elections, Lad added.

The Karnataka assembly has 224 members, and to win the seat in their favour, each candidate will have to get 45 first-preference votes. The Congress, which is in power in Karnataka, has 135 MLAs with it, along with the support of three other independent legislators.

A senior Congress minister confirmed that talks to rope in mining baron and Gangavathi MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy have been positive. After a long hiatus away from active politics, Reddy won the seat in the elections last year under his new party Karnataka Rajya Prathima Paksha. A former BJP minister, Reddy had said in an interview that the BJP had abandoned him and did not stand by him during his hour of need.

According to Congress sources, independent MLAs Darshan Puttanaiah of the Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha (Melukote), Latha Mallikarjun (Harapanahalli), and KH Puttaswamy Gowda (Gauribidanur) also have agreed to extend their support during the voting.

Karnataka is seeing a contest of five candidates, three from the Congress, one from the Bharatiya Janata Party, and another from the JD(S), which is part of the BJP-led NDA, for four Rajya Sabha seats. The Congress with 134 MLAs (Surpur legislator Venkatappa Naik passed away on Sunday) has fielded party leader and Rahul Gandhis close associate Ajay Maken, Syed Naseer Hussain who has been renominated and is seeking another term in the upper house along with GC Chandrashekhar.

The BJP on the other hand with 66 MLAs has fielded Narayana Krishnasa Bhandage, a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). And despite not having the numbers, the BJP-JD(S) combine has once again fielded business magnate Kupendra Reddy.

It was nothing but mischief on the part of the JD(S)-BJP pair, but Reddy will lose once again, said a senior Congress leader.

Congresss three candidates are in a very solid position, and their victory is guaranteed. This Rajya Sabha election is needless as the party would have won anyway, said former Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Gowda. Kupendra Reddy was with me in the Rajya Sabha together. It pains me to see him being exploited last time and this time by his political party [JD(S)] by forcing him to contest when he has no chance of winning.

Senior leaders in the BJP and JD(S) camp are pinning their hopes on cross-voting as insiders say they have been in touch with a few Congress MLAs. The recent election to the Teachers constituency where the Janata Dal (Secular) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combined faced their first election together saw defeat with Congress P Puttanna retaining his hold on the seat.

The strategy and planning for a state election, Rajya Sabha election, or Lok Sabha election are different. We are going to win big in the Lok Sabha elections and show our might as we join forces with the JD(S). Lets see what happens in the Rajya Sabha polls, said a senior BJP leader and former minister.

Deputy chief minister and state Congress chief DK Shivakumar lashed out at JD(S) leader and former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy, alleging that he was aware that phone calls were made offering money to leaders.

We know who the calls have been made to, what they have been saying, and how much they have offered. Our MLAs have given us all the information, and we are well aware of what their game plan is, Shivakumar said a few days ago.

Shivakumar said the opposition fielded a fifth candidate with the intention of cross-voting. They have some plan in mind. It is for cross-voting. We will get to know on the voting day, he added.

In turn, it is learnt that the Congress hopes that two BJP leaders who have been sidelined by the party and have even stopped attending party meetings, ST Somashekar and Shivaram Hebbar, cast their vote in favour of the ruling party.
With the completion of Shahpur Kandi Barrage on the River Ravi, India has effectively ceased the water flow to Pakistan, which signifies a strategic shift in water allocation from February 25, according to reports. This move would benefit the region of Jammu and Kashmir for agricultural purposes.

How will J&K Benefit from This?

The region would now receive at least 1,150 cusecs of water that was previously allocated to Pakistan. The water is expected to be utilised for irrigation purposes, benefiting over 32,000 hectares of land in the Kathua and Samba districts. The Shahpur Kandi Barrage is a dam on the Ravi River in Pathankot district, Punjab, India.

Through this, Jammu and Kashmir will be able to get 20% of the hydel power generated from dam. Besides, the water will also benefit Punjab and Rajasthan regions.

According to a report by NDTV, the 55.5 metre-high Shahpur Kandi Dam is part of a multi-purpose river valley project that includes two hydel power projects with a total installed capacity of 206 MW. It is built on river Ravi, 11 km downstream of Ranjit Sagar Dam Project.

About the Indus Water Treaty

Under the treaty, signed in 1960 under the World Banks supervision between India and Pakistan, a portion of Ravi rivers water flowed into Pakistan via Lakhanpur dam. The treatys provisions enable India to set up storage facilities on the western rivers, further enhancing its water management capabilities.

Under the treaty, India has the exclusive rights over the waters of the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers while Pakistan controls the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers.

Shahpur Kandi Barrage

Former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao laid the foundation stone for the Shahpur Kandi Barrage project in 1995 but it was held up for nearly four years due to a domestic dispute between Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

In 2008, Shahpur Kandi was declared a national project, but its construction started in 2013. The project was again stalled in 2014 due to the disputes between Punjab and J&K. Finally, the Centre mediated between the two states in 2018, and the work resumed after.

During a rally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accorded highest priority to Shahpur Kandi Barrage project, and stressed over Indias rightful claim to the waters of Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers.

Had Narendra Modi not become the prime minister in 2014, the Shahpur-Kandi dam project  that was stalled for 70 years  would not have resumed, Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Office said at a public meeting at Basohli in Kathua district, which is part of his Udhampur parliamentary constituency.

A task force was also set up to ensure every drop of water from the rivers reaches to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

Around 2 million acre-feet of water from the Ravi river continued to be unutilised to Pakistan below, Madhopur, according to a report by The Economic Times. Water projects such as Bhakra Dam on Sutlej, Pong and Pandoh Dam on Beas and Thein (Ranjit Sagar) on Ravi river along with the Beas-Sutlej link and Indira Gandhi Nahar Project have enabled India to use 95% share of waters from eastern rivers.

The completion of Shahpur Kandi Barrage will help India utilise these water resources, bolstering agricultural and economic growth in both the states.
Google is facing backlash over its latest artificial intelligence model, Gemini, which generates images of people from different ethnicities and genders.

Gemini creates realistic images of people based on the descriptions just like Open AIs ChatGPT. But it has not been trained to filter hate content, or introduce diversity into its inputs.

Weve acknowledged the mistake and temporarily paused image generation of people in Gemini while we work on an improved version, Google said in a blogpost.

Google says that Gemini Pro is more capable at tasks such as summarizing content, brainstorming and writing than GPT-3.5.

Gemini is now available on Google products in its Nano and Pro sizes, like the Pixel 8 phone and Bard chatbot, respectively. Google plans to integrate Gemini over time into its Search, Ads, Chrome, and other services.

Inaccuracies Spotted

Google has admitted to inaccuracies found in the historical depictions that Gemini AI chatbot was creating. The company said it has developed protections against low-quality information along with tools to help people learn more about the information they see online.

In the event of a low-quality/ outdated response, we quickly implement improvements. We also offer people easy ways to verify information with our double-check feature, which evaluates whether theres content on the web to substantiate Geminis responses, it added.

According to DataQuest, the training data used to develop Gemini might have needed more diversity, leading to an inability to generate images beyond a specific range. This resulted in a lack of inclusivity and representation in the tools outputs.

A recent study by Stanford University that included responses from three AI generated models to 200,000 legal queries, researchers found errors in random questions on federal courts, with ChatGPT fabricated responses 69% of the time and Metas Llama 2 model hit 88%, as quoted by The Financial Times.

Researchers from University of Washington and Carnegie Mellon University found that AI models have different political biases, depending on how they have been developed.

What do we know about biases in AI?

AI bias refers to systems that produce biased results based on historical and current social inequality. Businesses cannot benefit from systems that produce distorted results and foster mistrust among people of colour, women, people with disabilities, the LGBTQ community, or other marginalized groups of people, according to a blogpost by IBM.

Usually, AI systems learn to make decisions based on training data so it is essential that the sampling for over or underrepresented groups are reviewed properly.

Flawed data will usually produce errors, unfair outcomes and amplify biases. Algorithmic bias can also be caused by programming errors, such as a developer unfairly weighting factors in algorithm decision-making based on their own conscious or unconscious biases, the IBM blog added.

Cognitive biases can favour a particular community or people through a persons experiences and judgments when processing information.
The Reliance Foundations Vantara announced on Monday has a 650-acre Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre for animals from distressed and dangerous environments from India and all over the world, where they are rescued and housed in state-of-the-art large enclosures and shelters. Over 2,000+ animals across 43 species are under the care of the centre.

With a staff strength of about 2,100+, the rescue and rehabilitation centre has rescued about 200 leopards from all over India, which have suffered injuries in road accidents or man-wild conflicts. It has rescued over 1,000 crocodiles from a severely overcrowded and congested facility in Tamil Nadu. It has rescued animals from hunting lodges in Africa, animals under threat of euthanasia in Slovakia, severely distressed animals from facilities in Mexico.

ALSO READ | Reliance Foundation Announces Vantara  Indias First-of-its-Kind Animal Rescue, Care, Conservation & Rehabilitation Programme

The Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre has a 1 lakh sqft area for hospital and medical research centre. The hospital and research centre possess the most advanced technology with an ICU, MRI, CT scan, X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, dental scalar, lithotripsy, dialysis, OR1 technology that enables live videoconferences for surgeries and blood plasma separator.

For about 7 endangered species of Indian as well as foreign animals, the Centre has started conservation breeding programs with the objective of having a viable reserve population to repopulate the populations of endangered species in their native habitats to save them from extinction.

Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation on Monday announced the launch of their Vantara (Star of the Forest) programme, an umbrella initiative to focus on rescue, treatment, care and rehabilitation of injured, abused and threatened animals, both in India and abroad. The Vantara initiative, the first-of-its-kind in India, has been conceptualised and birthed under the passionate leadership of Anant Ambani, Director on the boards of RIL and Reliance Foundation. Spread over 3,000 acres within the Green Belt of Reliances Jamnagar Refinery Complex in Gujarat, Vantara aims to be one of the leading contributors to conservation efforts globally.

Today, the Vantara ecosystem has provided a new lease of life and hope to over 200 elephants, over 300 large felines such as leopards, tigers, lions, jaguars etc., over 300 herbivores such as deer and over 1,200 reptiles such as crocodiles, snakes and turtles.

In an exclusive interview to CNN-News18s Anand Narasimhan, Anant Ambani said, We have had many [checks]. The trusts have been going to court many times, and we have always argued well, and we are legally compliant. We comply with every statutory compliance Getting an animal is not easy. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India has certain guidelines. The state government has guidelines. We are extremely regulated. We follow every law to the T."

All the rescued animals have been brought to Vantara after obtaining prior approval from the Chief Wildlife Wardens of the respective states and the Central Zoo Authority as per provisions laid under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the recognition Zoo rules, 2009. All animal exchange programmes are done on approval/permission from the Central Zoo Authority.

Vantara has also answered to exchange requests from other institutions in India and overseas. Such animals were brought in after obtaining necessary permissions from the Central Zoo Authority, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
The dismembered body of a 65-year-old woman was found in a drum in Bengalurus KR Puram area on Sunday. The drum was then dumped at a vacant plot near an abandoned house.

The deceased  identified as Sushilamma  and her daughter were living in a rented flat in KR Purams neighbouring area of Nisarga Layout. Police found the body only after receiving complaints from the locals about a stench emanating from that spot.

Additional Commissioner (Bengaluru East) Raman Gupta said that the incident might have taken place on Saturday, adding that he and other senior officers are examining the crime scene.

Police sources told News18 that a few suspected were picked up for questioning.

Dinesh, a resident of Nisarga Layout, is also one of the suspects picked up for interrogation by the police. He was well acquainted with the deceased.

Gupta told News18 that police have registered a case in connection with the murder and are waiting for the postmortem report to know the exact date of the murder. The motive behind the murder is yet to be ascertained.

Sushilamma has two daughters and a son. One of her daughters is working in a private company and a granddaughter studying in college.

The deceased used to go out to visit temples for one or more day, thus her daughter also assumed that she might have gone out.

He said necessary investigation will be undertaken by the authorities, adding that they have launched a manhunt to nab the accused behind this heinous crime.

HORRIFYING CASES FROM 2023

Last year, several such incidents of gory and horrifying murder came to light. Of them, Mumbais Mira Road murder was one of the most terrifying cases.

A 36-year-old woman was allegedly killed by her live-in partner and chopped into several pieces in Mira Road in June last year.

While 13 body parts were found at the residence of the accused, he disposed of other parts after cutting them into several pieces, sources had told News18, adding that the accused used to boil body parts in cooker to ensure there is no foul smell.

The accused, Manoj Sahani (56), was arrested while trying to flee from his rented apartment. He had been living with the victim  Sarawasti Vaidya  in flat 704 at J wing of Geeta Akash Deep building in Geeta Nagar Phase 7 over the past three years.

In July, the body of a woman, chopped into several pieces was recovered by the Delhi Police near Geeta Colony flyover area.

Director General of Police of North Delhi had said that the body parts have been found in two different places near Geeta Colony flyover in Janmuna Khadar area.

In September, a 28-year-old labourer allegedly strangled his wife to death and chopped her body into pieces before disposing them into a gorge in Rushikulya River in Odishas Ganjam disrict.

He was questioned after being picked up on the basis of an FIR lodged against him by his mother-in-law in Kodala police station area.

Police said, Following a heated exchange of words at their home on Wednesday night, the accused strangled his wife to death and carried her body to the gorge, chopped it into five pieces with an axe and threw those into the river.

Police claimed that the accused had confessed to committing the crime but were waiting for evidence with the recovery of the body parts.
Ahead of the peak summer season, residents in East Bengaluru are grappling with a severe water crisis as borewells dry up, and the prices of water tankers soar.

A long queue has formed in front of RO water units in East Bengaluru, where people are gathering to collect water for their daily needs. The reasons behind this crisis include the failure of the southwest monsoon, depletion of groundwater, and the drying up of borewells and tube wells.

Kochu Sankar, a resident of Banjara Layout at Horamavu in Bengaluru, emphasised the dire situation they are facing, stating, We are in a disastrous situation regarding water. This layout comprises about 100 buildings and almost 400 households. We are all entering into a crisis.

Adding to the frustration another resident AR Shantamma said, Tankers are not supplying adequately, and the prices are exorbitant. The government must assist us in this situation. We are asking for our basic needs. All representatives should take initiatives and come forward to help us.

Meanwhile, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) have convened a high-level meeting to formulate an action plan to address the issue.

The BBMP has allocated 131 crores to drill borewells in Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli, Dasarahalli, RR Nagar, and Yelahanka  the areas facing a water crisis. The BBMP commissioner has also instructed the maintenance and repair work of tube wells.

The residents of Horamavu have criticised the allocation of 131 crore for drilling new borewells to tackle the water crisis, calling it insufficient.

Kochu Sankar, a resident, pointed out the limitations of the allocated funds, stating that with five zones, each containing 100 wards and an estimated 100 layouts like theirs, the funds wouldnt effectively address the widespread water shortage.

He emphasised, Even the budget which has been allocated, none of them have been converted into work order, so all these BBMP officers are giving lip service. Now these 131 crores also, by the time tender happens and work order gets released and work gets done itll take three more months. The situation is grave, and we want water today, not three months later.

ESCLATING WATER TANKER PRICES

Residents of Bengaluru are grappling with a dual challenge  a water crisis and soaring prices for water supplied by private tankers.

Many residents are expressing concern over the exorbitant prices set by water tanker suppliers, making it challenging for them to afford this essential service. While some providers offer prices between 1,000 and 1,500 per tanker, others charge as much as 2,000.

To address this issue, the BBMP and the BWSSB have issued strict warnings to water tanker operators, urging them to refrain from charging excessive prices. They have threatened to take action against violators.

We have warned water tankers not to charge exorbitant prices for water supply and will take action if they do so. If the water crisis situation worsens, we will take private water tankers under our control for water supply, said BBMP Commissioner Tushar Girinath addressing the issue.

As summer approaches, residents of East Bengaluru are demanding urgent action from the BBMP, BWSSB, and the state government, proposing:
Noida Traffic Police late on Sunday issued a traffic advisory ahead of the tractor marches by Samyukta Kisan Morcha, Bharatiya Kisan Union and other farmers unions.

The advisory noted that the all the routes leading towards Delhi from Gautam Buddh Nagar will be heavily barricaded and strict checking of vehicles will also be in place.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY DETAILS:

Movement of all kinds of goods vehicle are prohibited on the routes of Yamuna Expressway to Noida-Greater Noida Expressway to Delhi and Sirsa to Pari Chowk to Surajpur.

Commuters are requested to use Metro services as much as possible to avoid any inconveniences that rise due to traffic disruptions.

Vehicles going to Delhi from the Chilla border are advised to take the Sector 14A flyover  Roundabout Sector 15  Sandeep Paper Mill Chowk  Jhundpura Chowk  to desired destination, Delhi.

Commuters moving towards the national capital from the DND border can take this route: Film city flyover  Sector 18  Elevated road  Delhi.

Vehicles from Kalindi border can take this route: Mahamaya Flyover  Sector 37  Delhi.

Commuters who take Yamuna Expressway to reach Delhi can move from Jewar toll to Khurja to Jahangirpur to Delhi.

Commuters on the Peripheral Expressway who take either the Sirsa or Pari chowk route to Delhi can go from Dadri, Dasna to their desired destination in the national capital.

Commuters taking NH-91 to Ghaziabad, Dadri to Bulandshahr are advised to go take the Ghaziabad to Hapur route to reach their destination.

Vehicles moving towards Dadri from NH-91 to Bulandshahr are advised to go from Bulandshahr to Hapur to reach their destination.

Emergency vehicles will be carefully diverted via the safe routes.

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on Monday said, A program to take out a Tractor chain has been decided. Tractors will be parked on the highway that leads to Delhi, especially the divider highwayIt was decided to register a different kind of protest so that the government would listen to us and not forget the farmers.

Last week, the Samyukta Kisan Morch (SKM) had announced that it will carry out a tractor march on Monday to condemn the death of the 21-year-old farmer at the Punjab-Haryana border.

The SKM, after a meeting in Chandigarh, had said that the farmers will take out tractor marches on highways across the country on February 26 and hold a Mahapanchayat in Delhi on March 14.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said that the tractors will be on the highway that lead towards the national capital, adding that this will a one-day programme.

Asking the farmers to take part in the march, president of BKU (Tikait) Pawan Khatana, said, We plan to line up tractors from Greater Noida to the Noida side and march along the Yamuna Expressway, moving towards the Chilla border via the Noida Expressway.

Farmers from across villages will gather at Greater Noidas Jewar toll plaza, Times of India reported. From there, Khatana said, they will move towards Noidas Chilla border.

Farmers will come together to demand Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops, Khatana told ToI.

In a video message, circulated on messaging platform WhatsApp, Khatan can be heard saying, On the call of BKU Tikait head Rakesh Tikait and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), we have decided to organise a tractor march on Yamuna Expressway, adding that, they plan to line up their tractors on the Greater Noida to Noida side of the expressway and march towards Noida. He said the farmers will uphold discipline throughout the march.

Amid the tractor marches, disturbances in traffic across Noida is expected. Earlier this month, though police stopped a farmers march heading towards the Chilla border, heavy barricading  imposed as a security measure  caused massive traffic jams.

To avoid a similar situation, police have come up diversion plans and routes. DCP (traffic) Anil Kumar Yadav said that he is yet to receive information on the farmers tractor march. We will make arrangemens once they share the information of their portest, Yadav was quoted as saying by ToI.

As per the CBSE schedule for board exams, Class X students have their English exam and Class XII students have taxation and artifical intelligence exams from 10:30 on Monday.

BKU Lokshakti is also planning to protest at the collectorate on February 29. President of BKU Lokshakti Shyoraj Singh said that they also intend on presenting a memorandum to the district administration regarding these issues.

Additionally, protestors also intend to burn effigies of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and ministers. After which, several meetings of SKM and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha forums are scheduled for the subsequent two days.

Farmers also observed a Black Day on Friday to condemn the death of the 21-year-old farmer Subhkaran Singh.

The farmers Delhi Chalo march was further halted till February 29 on Saturday as groups leading the agitation have shifted their focus to the death of a young agitator in the ongoing protest.

Farmers leaders said that they will decide their next course of action on February 29 while agitators will stay put at the two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border, Shambhu and Khanuari.
Five days after 21-year-old Shubhkaran Singh died during the farmers protests at Shambhu, the post-mortem of the body is still pending. Farmers have rejected the Punjab governments job and Rs 1 crore cash offer to the youths family.

According to sources, farmers in large numbers have reached Patialas Rajindra Hospital. They rejected Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Manns offer of a government job to Shubhkarans sister and Rs 1 crore cash to the family.

Sources said the farmers have also demanded an FIR to be registered against the Haryana police, while the Punjab police is also under pressure and are going in for a legal opinion. Senior police officials from Punjab visited Khanauri border to understand the circumstances under which Shubhkaran died, they added.

Shubhkaran was killed as clashes broke out between farmers and the police on February 21. The Haryana police, however, has maintained that no bullet was fired during the protests as is being claimed. Doctors at Rajindra Hospital have said Shubhkaran succumbed to a head injury.
The Haryana government will order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the killing of Haryana Indian National Lok Dal (INLD)chief Nafe Singh Rathee, Home Minister Anil Vij assured the state assembly, news agency PTI reported.

If the House is only satisfied with a CBI probe, then I assure the members that we will hand over the case to the CBI, Vij said in the Assembly. Earlier in the day, the Speaker admitted an adjournment motion on law and order as the opposition Congress raised the issue of Rathees murder and demanded a probe into the incident either by a high court judge or a high court judge-monitored CBI investigation.

Soon after the Question Hour, Congress members raised the issue and demanded a discussion on law and order.

Sparing Your Life: Haryana INLD Chiefs Killers Told His Nephew

Meanwhile, the nephew of Nafe Singh Rathee, who was at the wheel when the INLD Haryana chief was gunned down on Sunday near a Railway crossing in Haryanas Jhajjar district, told police that one of the shooters told him they were sparing his life, reported NDTV.

The slain Haryana politicians nephew, Rajesh, told police in his complaint that Rathee, his maternal uncle, was sitting in the front left seat, right next to him, in the Toyota Fortuner SUV when the incident took place. He added that the rear seat was occupied by a gunner posted in the 66-year-old INLD leaders security and a party colleague, Jaikishan Dalal.

Rajesh said their SUV was waiting at the Barahi railway crossing on the way to Bahadurgarh when a car stopped behind it. Five men approached the SUV and fired at least 20 rounds, Rajesh added.

He told police that one of the shooters, who killers also shod dead one of Rathees aides and injured others, told him, Tujhe zinda chor rahe hain, jake inke ghar bata diyo (we are sparing you, go and tell his family).

On the basis of Rajeshs complaint, police have registered a case of murder against seven people, including BJP leader and former legislator Naresh Kaushik and several family members of Bahadurgarh municipal corporation chairperson Saroj Rathi. Police later added other charges under other sections of the Indian Penal Code to the FIR.

Police are now looking for the Hyundai i10 car the killers are suspected to have used.
Vietnamese students in Singapore exchange with experts at a career fair on Feb. 24, 2024. Photo by VNA

The Vietnamese Youth Alliance in Singapore held a career fair on Feb. 24-25, aiming to provide support for Vietnamese students in the country to seize job opportunities and have better career orientations.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Mai Phuoc Dung, representatives from Kaplan Singapore, Vietnamese experts, and more than 200 Vietnamese students attended the event.

The students attended a workshop on building a personal brand at the event, and joined a "Coffee Chat" with 20 speakers who have years of experiences working at prestigious corporations in Singapore.

Ambassador Dung highly valued the benefits that the career fair brings to the Vietnamese student community in Singapore. He expressed his hope that the young generation of Vietnam will develop strongly not only in Singapore, but also wherever they study and work in the world.

Career Fair is organized annually by the Vietnamese Youth Alliance in Singapore to provide opportunities for students to expand their job network, meet industry experts, and gain experience for future job interviews.
A surveillance camera footage has emerged during the police probe which shows the killers movement in a Hyundai i10 just before they sprayed the SUV of Haryana Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) Nafe Singh Rathee with bullets in Haryanas Jhajjar district.

According to sources, Rathees car allegedly stopped at a railway crossing on Sunday when the killers car stopped near the vehicle. This was followed by a spray of bullets on the INLD chiefs car. Rathee, aged around 70, and one of his aides were killed in the firing, and two others were left critically injured.

#BreakingNews | CCTV footage has been accessed in which the accused of the #Haryana INLD Chief Nafe Singh Rathi murder case can be seenAnand Tiwari shares details with @anjalipandey06 pic.twitter.com/Dz06uitQn3  News18 (@CNNnews18) February 26, 2024

Police are now looking for the Hyundai i10 car the killers are suspected to have used. Rathee was sitting in the front and his nephew was driving. INLD leader Jaikishan Dalal and a gunner deployed for the INLD leaders security were sitting at the rear end.

Sources said about 20 rounds were fired, most of them at the prime target. Visuals of Rathees car show the bullet marks on Rathees car.

BJP leader among 7 named in FIR

A case of murder has been registered against seven people, including BJP leader and former legislator Naresh Kaushik and several family members of Bahadurgarh municipal corporation chairperson Saroj Rathi. Police later added other charges under other sections of the Indian Penal Code to the FIR.

Rathees name was in the news last year in an abetment to suicide case. Former Haryana minister Mange Ram Numberdars son, Jagdish, died by suicide and a case was registered against Rathee under charges of abetment. Allegations of harassment and land-grabbing were also levelled against Rathee and his nephew. The High Court granted the INLD leader anticipatory bail on January 24 last year.

Rathees family members have said they suspect Numberdars involvement in the INLD leaders murder.

The attack, which came weeks before the Lok Sabha elections, drew sharp reactions from opposition parties, which alleged a breakdown in law and order in the BJP-ruled state. However, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that not a single culprit involved in this case will be spared. Police have been instructed to arrest the accused as soon as possible and take the strictest action, he said.

INLD leader Abhay Chautala said Rathee had sought more security cover citing the threat to his life, but did not get any.
Amid the row between the United States (US) and India over the alleged assassination attempt on Khalistani advocate Gurpatwant Singh Panun, top officials from the Homeland Security of USA and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), India, will meet on Wednesday to discuss cooperation in the field of internal security.

Officials confirmed to CNN-News18 that the Homeland Security Dialogue led by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and his US counterpart Kristie Canegallo will happen in New Delhi on February 28.

The Ministers decided to convene the 20th Meeting of the India-U.S. Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and the 5th Designations Dialogue at a mutually convenient date early next year. Both sides are looking forward to the next edition of the Homeland Security Dialogue in 2024, where leaders will advance security cooperation, through capacity building and other activities, a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement after the Fifth Annual India-U.S. 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in November last year said.

KHALISTAN TOP FOCUS

Officials told CNN-News18 that Khalistani terror conspiracies will be one of the top points of discussion for India. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has identified more than 50 Khalistan supporters who attacked the consulate in San Francisco. Identifying others and ensuring that all of them are brought to justice is one of the key concerns for India.

The US, on the other hand, wants accountability fixed for alleged the assassination attempt on Pannun, an American citizen. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Chief Christopher A Wray visited India in December last year and met the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director and NIA Director General (DG). Although an official statement from the NIA ruled out any specific discussion on Pannun, sources said cooperation on Indian fugitives of law was discussed.

EXTRADITION, NARCOTICS & CYBER TERROR

India is also pushing for the extradition of 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana. A US court has dismissed Ranas appeal against extradition and India is likely to raise the issue of expeditious proceedings in this regard.

Officials said immigration, human trafficking, child sexual exploitation, narcotics and cyber security issues will be on the agenda. The NIA, CBI, Intelligence agencies and MHA officials will be part of the deliberation, which will push for better evidence sharing and mutual cooperation in counter-terror probes.
Haryana Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Nafe Singh Rathee and a party worker were killed after unidentified assailants fired several rounds of bullets at their SUV in Bahadurgarh near Delhi on Sunday, a senior party leader said. Three private gunmen hired by Rathee for security also suffered injuries in the attack.

According to news agency ANI, police have named four suspects in its FIR, including Naresh Kaushik, Ramesh Rathi, Sathish Rathi, and Rahul.

The Haryana INLD chiefs son, Jitendra Rathee, said, After my fathers death, his body was shifted to the mortuary at around 3 to 3:30 am and an FIR was registered at around 4 am. We will not perform the last rites of my father until the names of the accused mentioned in the FIR are arrested and we are provided security. I think local politicians are involved in this.

The attack, which came weeks before the Lok Sabha elections, drew sharp reactions from opposition parties, which alleged a breakdown in law and order in the BJP-ruled state.

INLD leader Abhay Chautala said that Rathee and a party worker accompanying him were shot dead. Three private gunmen, whom Rathee had hired for security, also received injuries, Chautala said, adding, No police security had been given to him.

Chautala, who later visited the hospital in Bahadurgarh where the bodies were kept, demanded a CBI probe into the incident. Meanwhile, another party leader claimed that at least 20 rounds of bullets were fired at the politician.

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said he spoke to officials and ordered them to take immediate action in the matter.

He said the Special Task Force is probing the matter and the culprits will be nabbed soon.

Rathee, aged around 70, was travelling in an SUV when the assailants, who were in a car, attacked him in Bahadurgarh town in Jhajjar district.

Doctors at the hospital said that Rathee had suffered injuries in neck, stomach, spine and thigh and suffered heavy blood loss.

Rathee was elected MLA from Bahadurgarh twice in 1996 and 2005. Chautala accused the government of failing to provide Rathee with security despite there being threat to his life, and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij.

The two-time MLA, who is our state unit chief, was not provided with security. In writing, representations had been made to senior police officers and state home minister that he was facing threats and should be provided with security, he said.

Rathee had earlier told me that that he was informed by some police personnel that he faces threat. Later, I also spoke to SP Jhajjar over phone and brought this to his notice. Had he been provided with security, such a situation would not have arisen, Chautala said.

Jhajjar Superintendent of Police Arpit Jain said that teams of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) and the Special Task Force (STF) of the police were looking into the incident.

Multiple teams are probing. We are probing all angles and we will try to arrest the accused soon, he said.

Meanwhile, Haryana BJP Chief Spokesperson Jawahar Yadav said, I feel the Opposition should not do politics over somebodys death. Our efforts should be directed towards ensuring that the accused are caught as soon as possible.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that not a single culprit involved in this case will be spared. Police have been instructed to arrest the accused as soon as possible and take the strictest action, he said.

Congress, AAP allege BJP ruined law and order in Haryana

The opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party also hit out at the Manohar Lal Khattar government over the incident.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the BJP has ruined law and order in Haryana.

In a post on X, Kejriwal said the death of INLD leader Nafe Singh in firing in Haryana is very sad. I express my condolences to his family and supporters. Kejriwal alleged the BJP has ruined the states law and order and said the police force which should be deployed to nab goons has been stationed on the Haryana-Punjab border to stop protesting farmers.

Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda while expressing deep grief at Rathees killing, said, The news of INLD state president Nafe Singh Rathee being shot dead in Haryana is very sad. This reflects the law and order of the stateToday no one is feeling safe in the state. Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that Haryana has fallen prey to anarchy. He said criminals are ruling the roost and law and order has collapsed in Haryana.

Another senior Congress leader, Kumari Selja, alleged that anarchy has increased so much in the state that fearless miscreants fired several rounds of bullets at Rathee. The BJP has created jungle raj in the state, she alleged.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sushil Gupta said that rule of law has ended in Haryana and jungle raj prevails. No one is safe in Haryana today, he added.

(With inputs from reporters and agencies)
Kashmiri activist and journalist Yana Mir, whose I am not Malala video recently went viral, on Monday claimed she was harassed by the customs officials at the Delhi Airport, a claim denied by the authorities.

In a social media post, Mir, who returned from London, said that her luggage was left open by the authorities and scanned as if she was a brand smuggler.

Madam scan your bag, open your bag, why do you have Louis Vuitton shopping bags? Did you pay for them? Where are the bills???? What Londoners think of me: INDIAN MEDIA WARRIOR. What Delhi customs thinks of me: Brand Smuggler, wrote Mir alongside a video she shared from the airport.

What i said in London about India: I am FREE AND SAFE IN INDIAHow i was welcomed back to India :Madam scan your bag, open your bag, why you have louis vuitton shopping bags? Did you pay for them? Where are the bills???? What Londeners think of me: INDIAN MEDIA WARRIOR pic.twitter.com/ANIhhLoQJ3 Yana Mir (@MirYanaSY) February 26, 2024

Mir had recently made headlines for her fiery speech in the British Parliament building, where she said, I am not a Malala Yousafzai because I will never have to run away from my home country.

Why are you making me do this at 5 in the morning? Have you told them (your team) what I have done and come? This is embarrassing for me, Mir can be heard saying in the video.

The activist also claimed that she was being charged duty for empty Louis Vuitton bags and was also asked to present bills for the same. Mir also said that her luggage was personally checked by the officials as if she were a drug peddler.

Privileges Not Above Law: How Custom Dept Reacted to Claims

In response, Delhi Customs shared footage on X claiming that Yana Mirs bags were scanned as per norms for international passengers.

Bag scanning of international passengers is done routinely. While other passengers put their luggage inside the scanner without any fuss. Ms. Yana Mir felt needlessly offended. The staff remained courteous throughout. Privileges are not above the law, the post read.

Ms. Yana Mir didnt cooperate at all when requested to get her bags scanned. Her luggage was ultimately picked up by airline staff and Customs officer for scanning as seen in the footage. Delhi Customs (Airport & General) (@AirportGenCus) February 26, 2024

The customs officials further alleged that Mir failed to cooperate in the process after the staff requested a baggage scan.

Her luggage was ultimately picked up by airline staff and Customs officer for scanning as seen in the footage, the customs department said on the allegations.
In a tragic incident in South Delhi, a 42-year-old man lost his life in an attack by a stray bull while he was on his way to pick up his son from school.

Subhash Kumar Jha was assaulted by the bull on February 22, outside St. George School in Delhis Kalkaji extension, NDTV reported.

The distressing event was captured in a video circulating on social media, showing the bull attacking Jha from behind and striking him repeatedly on the face and chest.

In the viral footage, people can be seen attempting to save Jha by hitting the bull with sticks.

The victim was transported to Batra Hospital, where he succumbed during treatment, the police added. The autopsy report revealed that Jha had sustained multiple fractures in his ribs and injuries to his head.

His body was subsequently handed over to his family after the post-mortem. Jha, originally from Bihar, worked as a loan agent in Delhi. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

The police further stated that they have communicated the information to the municipal corporation, highlighting the prevalent issue of stray animals in the locality.

With inputs from agencies.
The West Bengal Police on Monday morning arrested Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Ajit Maity from the trouble-torn Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district on the charges of land grabbing from villagers.

Maity, considered a close aide of absconding TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh, was detained on Sunday evening from the residence of a civic volunteer where he had locked himself for over four hours after being chased by villagers, police said.

Meanwhile, after getting over 70 complaints, the police lodged an FIR against absconding TMC leader and prime accused in the matter, Shajahan Shiekh, he said.

Most of the complainants claimed that Shajahan was actively involved in the forcible acquisition of their land and torturing of local women, the police officer said. Angry villagers had attacked Maity a couple of days back for his alleged ties with Shajahan and his group, accused of land grabbing and sexual assault on local women.

The riverine Sandeshkhali area, situated about 100 kilometres from Kolkata on the borders of the Sunderbans, has been witnessing protests since the first week of February over allegations of sexual atrocities and land grabs by local TMC leaders. One of the key accused Shahjahan Sheikh has been evading authorities since a mob attack on Enforcement Directorate officials, who had gone to search his premises in Sandeshkhali in connection with a corruption case, on January 5. Shiba Prasad Hajra and Uttam Sardar, considered close associates of Sheikh, were, however, arrested.

Here are the top developments in the Sandeshkhali issue.

Police said, We have arrested Aji Maity after getting complaints from villagers regarding land grabbing. We will produce him in the court later in the day.Police arrested Ajit Maity after a TMC delegation visited the restive Sandeshkhali for the second consecutive day on Sunday and heard the grievances of villagers who have been protesting against alleged atrocities by local leaders of the ruling party.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday asserted his party was not protecting its absconding leader Shajahan Sheikh, accused of sexual abuse and land grab by Sandeshkhali villagers, even as police halted a probe panel from visiting the area to investigate complaints of atrocities against women.

An independent fact-finding panel led by former Chief Justice of Patna High Court L Narasimha Reddy was stopped by police citing Section 144 CrPC, a TMC delegation visited the area for the second consecutive day and heard grievances of villagers who have been protesting against alleged atrocities by local leaders of the ruling party.

ISF leader Ayesha Bibi was arrested from Sandeshkhali on Sunday for her alleged involvement in burning poultry farms of arrested local TMC leader Shibaprasad Hazra, an officer said.

(With inputs from reporters and agencies)
The families of two men belonging to Jammu and Kashmir have appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs for help after they ended up as mercenaries for Russia fighting against Ukraine on the frontline.

In December 2023, Aazad Yousuf Kumar, a resident of Poshwan in the Awantipora district of Jammu and Kashmir informed his family about a helper job he had landed in Dubai.

A job seeker, 31-year-old Aazad set out for his journey leaving behind his wife and their four-month-old child. According to his family, Aazad and a few others were duped by a Dubai-based consultancy and sent to fight as mercenaries for Russia on the frontline with Ukraine.

He went to Mumbai first and then to Dubai. He later informed us that he would be travelling to another location and his phone wouldnt be available for some days. After a few days, he called us and informed us they had been pushed to join the Russian army, Aazads father, Mohammad Yousuf Kumar told News18, adding that the consultancy person disappeared after they landed in Russia.

A copy of Aazads Russian visa shown to News18 by his family mentioned his purpose as a tourist and was valid from December 4, 2023, to December 31, 2023. According to the copy, the inviting party was listed as LLC Capital Service, Moscow.

Mohammad Yousuf Kumar also said that during his training with the Russian army, Aazad accidentally shot himself in the leg and was taken to a medical facility where he was treated. When he returned, he found 12 men who he had travelled with relocated to the frontline. Aazad communicated occasionally with his family in Kashmir through social media.

Before landing the job in Dubai, Aazad used to dig borewells in the villages near Awantipora. His friend Basharat asserted that an injured Aazad was waiting for help. He is about 20 kilometres away from the frontline right now but will be deployed in the war once he recovers, Basharat told News18.

He also said that Aazad cries while calling his family and wishes to come home. He calls us for 2-3 minutes only and cant understand the Russian language, so he doesnt know his location. At the moment he is away from the frontline but fears he will be sent soon, Basharat said.

The Ministry of External Affairs has assured it has taken up the matter of discharging Indians who are fighting alongside the Russian Army in Ukraine. There have been growing reports about Indians from different states being used as mercenaries.

Meanwhile, another Kashmiri youth, Zahoor Ahmad from Hajinar Tangdar from Kupwara has gone missing; in Russia. In a letter to Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, the J&K students association has demanded the safe return of the duo from the valley.

In a photograph accessed by News18, Zahoor was in Odintsovsky district in Russia in early December last year. He had also posted a photograph on his social media handle wearing a military uniform.

Zahoor, employed in a private capacity in Chandigarh, travelled to Russia in December 2023 with two companions, Arbaab from Uttar Pradesh and Asfaan from Hyderabad. His sudden disappearance necessitates urgent assistance from the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure his safe return, the letter read.

They have requested the Ministry of External Affairs to launch a thorough investigation into both cases, locate Azad Yusuf Kumar and Zahoor Ahmad Sheikh, and facilitate their prompt repatriation to their families.
A recent ruling by the Uttarakhand High Court has specified that a woman cannot be denied employment due to pregnancy. While striking down a rule that barred pregnant women from being considered suitable for government jobs, the High Court emphasised on motherhood being a great blessing.

In response to a petition that was filed by Misha Upadhyay, who was denied the post of nursing officer at Nainitals BD Pandey Hospital due to her pregnancy, the court ruled out the order. Even after having an appointment letter issued to her by the Director General of Medical Health and Family Welfare, the hospital refused the woman from joining, giving the fitness certificate which declared her temporarily unfit to join. The certificate also stated no other health problems apart from pregnancy, an India Today report quoted.

The state governments rule that deemed women who are pregnant for 12 weeks or more temporarily unfit for employment was also struck down by the High Court. As per the rule, the woman was required to be examined by a registered medical practitioner six weeks after the date of delivery and produce a certificate of fitness. Expressing a deep displeasure over the rule, the High Court called it unconstitutional.

Considering the states action extremely narrow against women the court also said that the rule is definitely a violation of Articles 14, 16 and 21 of the Constitution.

The bench hearing the petition pointed out the contradiction in denying employment based on pregnancy but also recognised maternity leave as a fundamental right.

The judge said, If a situation is visualised that a woman who joins service on fresh appointment and becomes pregnant after joining would get maternity leave, then why cant a pregnant woman join her duties on fresh appointment? After joining, she would also be entitled to maternity leave.
From March 1 to 3, 2024, Jamnagar is poised to witness a breathtaking spectacle as it becomes the enchanting venue for the pre-wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant. Nestled within the lavish confines of the Ambani residence, this event is set to be an extraordinary fusion of tradition, opulence, and heartfelt revelry.

The festivities are designed to encapsulate the essence of joyous Indian family celebrations, where music, dance, and carnival fun will take center stage. With the couple being a fashionista, we are anticipating some great fashion moments this March from the duo.

Till then, lets take a look at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchants unforgettable style moments over the years:

NMACC Glam

Radhika Merchant looked stunning at the grand opening of Jio World Plaza in Mumbai, attending the event with her fiance Anant Ambani. Radhika donned an elegant mini black dress with a velvet bodice and satin ruffle hem. The sleeveless dress boasted a plunging neckline and was adorned with an embellished bow. To enhance the monochrome look, Radhika adorned herself with an array of jewels. She styled her hair into a sleek high bun, complemented by a blingy headband. Completing her ensemble were a bracelet, statement rings, and earrings. Radhika finished off her stylish appearance with strappy silver heels and a glittery mesh net mini bag.

Anant, in turn, complemented her in a black traditional attire, featuring a bandhgala jacket and accentuating his look with an exquisite brooch.

Engagement Love

Radhika and Anant exchanged engagement vows on December 29, 2022, in a private ceremony held at Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara, Rajasthan. During the event, Radhika was stunning in a pink suit featuring intricate gotta patti work on the kurtas yoke. She completed her ensemble with a scallop-bordered dupatta, and a notable element of her look was the floral haath phool. Conversely, Anant Ambani chose a purple-hued kurta for the occasion.

For the engagement ceremony of Anand Piramal and Isha Ambani

The engagement ceremony of Anand Piramal and Isha Ambani in Italy drew significant attention in 2018. An unseen photograph from the celebration revealed the presence of a charming couple, Anant and Radhika. Radhika, in particular, left a lasting impression as she adorned a breathtaking red gown for the occasion, capturing our admiration and Anant complemented her in a black tuxedo.

Candid Picture

A candid click of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant from yester years. Merchant can be seen in a blue torn denim jeans and Anant in a black shirt. A cute click, indeed!

The couple at the Akash-Shlokas Wedding Reception

Radhika and Anant were captured in a joyful moment, posing together for a photograph at the Akash-Shlokas Wedding Reception. Radhika looked stunning in a white lehenga adorned with prominent rose motifs, complemented by her open tresses and a sheer dupatta. Anant appeared sharp and stylish in a blue kurta-pyjama ensemble. Notably, Radhikas attention-grabbing diamond and emerald necklace, borrowed from Isha Ambani, added an extra touch of elegance to her ensemble.

Sequin love

Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani graced Armaan Jain and Anissa Malhotras reception alongside Anants parents, Nita and Mukesh Ambani. Merchant donned a pale sheer drape adorned with intricate sequin detailing, featuring a heavy floral border. The ensemble exuded a romantic charm and was paired with a matching blouse, adding a touch of high-shine glamour. To complement the sheer outfit, Merchant chose delicate accessories, showcasing an elegant diamond necklace and matching earrings. On the other hand, Anant wore a maroon sherwani with sequin work.

A Beautiful Couple

At the wedding of Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta, Radhika Merchant graced the occasion in a striking orange lehenga, complemented by exquisite jewelry and simple makeup. Her vibrant attire, adorned with elephant and floral motifs, showcased elegance. The lehenga was paired with a gold polka-dotted choli, and she draped a matching dupatta to complete the ensemble. Radhika added a touch of glamour with a stunning diamond necklace and earrings. Her hairstyle, a puffy ponytail, elevated her overall look.

Anant chose to don a pink kurta-pyjama ensemble, accentuated by a light pink nehru jacket, adding a dapper touch to his appearance.

Twinning in Black

Radhika Merchant, the soon-to-be daughter-in-law of the Ambani family, accompanied Anant Ambani hand-in-hand at the opening ceremony of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre. Making a stunning statement, Radhika wore a black saree in an Indo-western style with lace detailing. She gracefully posed alongside Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambanis younger son. The couple radiated charm and elegance in their matching black outfits, setting a perfect example of couple goals with their adorable appearance.
Renowned for its cinematic grandeur, Kalki 2898 AD, directed by the visionary Nag Ashwin, has seized attention with the exciting revelation of its release date. The movie, starring acclaimed actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone and Disha Patani in significant roles, guarantees an exceptional cinematic journey. Now, the director of the film, Nag Ashwin opened up about the timeline of the film.

At the Synapse 2024 event in Gurgaon, Nag Ashwin revealed that the films timeline will commence with Mahabharat. He stated, The film starts with Mahabharat and ends in 2898 AD. It spans 6000 years in time. We tried to create worlds, imagining what they would be like while still keeping it Indian, and not make it look like Blade Runner. The film begins 6000 years behind 2898 AD is 3102 BC, which is when the last avatar of Krishna is believed to have passed.

The film-maker also clarified that he hasnt used OpenAIs Soras, that has become a rage among the netizens to experiment and create scenes. Even though he shared that hell try it soon, he explained, We had to build so many sets, designs, vehicles for this film. It was a lot of process to ideate, conceptualise, build it, prototype, machinery, ageing. Had I used Sora, I wouldnt need to do this. It could just be a prompt and I wouldnt need to go for VFX. I am also thinking that, in the process of this struggle, will some magic come through? Because we take months to perfect this, something new could happen. If its as easy as a prompt, are you missing something as a creator?

Prabhas fans are eagerly anticipating his role in Kalki 2898 AD, a distinctive blend of the Mahabharat epic with time travel concepts. The makers assure an unparalleled cinematic experience, with the film scheduled for a May 8 theatrical release. Santhosh Narayanan serves as the music director and the high-budget production is under the helm of producer C Ashwani Dutt, associated with the esteemed Vyjayanthi Movies banner.

In a remarkable move, the creators of Kalki 2898 AD orchestrated an elaborate release date announcement with raiders across various Pan-India cities, such as Varanasi, Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh, Chennai, Madurai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Bhimavaram, Kashmir and Vijayawada. The raiders marched in unison, creating excitement and uniquely unveiled the scroll, proclaiming the films release on May 9, 2024.

Besides, Kalki 2898 AD garnered global acclaim with its groundbreaking debut at San Diego Comic-Con last year. The films highly anticipated release has captivated audiences worldwide, creating eager anticipation as it promises to transport viewers into a futuristic world filled with intrigue.
Students pose for a photo at a school in Indonesia. Photo by Pexels

Indonesia may have to widen its budget deficit to fund a multi-billion-dollar free school lunch programme promised by likely new president Prabowo Subianto, showed a briefing document seen by Reuters on Sunday.

Defence Minister Prabowo and running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of outgoing president Joko Widodo, declared victory in this month's presidential election after a quick ballot count on Feb. 14 showed they had won nearly 60% of votes, ahead of the official results announcement due by March 20.

President Widodo's cabinet has since started to calculate the cost of the lunch programme, said a person familiar with the matter, declining to be identified as they were not authorised to speak with media.

Analysts said the programme could undermine Indonesia's track record of fiscal discipline.

The document, prepared by the coordinating ministry for economic affairs, showed the programme could widen the budget deficit by as much as 0.33% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 if introduced across the world's third-biggest democracy.

The ministry arrived at the figure by assuming each child from one year old through to the end of elementary school - 58 million children - receives one meal a day worth up to 15,000 rupiah ($0.96) or less than $1 for five days a week, for a total cost of 193.2 trillion rupiah ($12.39 billion).

The cost would drop to about a third of that total if the programme is only offered to children of low-income households.

The calculations assumed a 2025 budget deficit of less than 2.5% of GDP, and 2025 economic growth of 5.3% to 5.6%, the document showed.

For comparison, the fiscal deficit for 2024 has been set at 2.29% of GDP, while the economic growth target is 5.2%.

The programme will be discussed with President Widodo at a cabinet meeting on Monday, CNBC Indonesia cited Airlangga Hartarto, coordinating minister for economic affairs and a member of Prabowo's election campaign team, as saying on Friday.

The ministry and the presidential office did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Prabowo's campaign team has said the programme will initially require up to 120 trillion rupiah, before reaching 450 trillion rupiah when nationwide coverage is achieved in 2029.
Priyanka Chopra has been ruling over the global audience for quite some time now, and her fans are always eager to get a glimpse of her life on social media. Even the actress never fails to impress her admirers with her stunning images of herself or her family. Recently, she posted an unfiltered picture of herself relaxing under the sun, and were sure her latest selfie will encourage her followers to start their week on a happy note.

Priyanka Chopra took to her Instagram stories to post a selfie of herself without makeup. In the photograph, she is seen looking at the sun, which is shining brightly on her face. Her hair is left open, and the snap exposes her neck to the sun. Sharing this raw photo, the actress wrote, Fresh faced Sundays with a love-struck emoji.

The actress is soaring to new heights professionally. Priyanka has joined the Oscar-nominated documentary To Kill A Tiger as an executive producer, with Dev Patel and Mindy Kaling. The actor shared a screenshot of an international outlet on Instagram, along with a heartfelt statement, to express her enthusiasm and joy at becoming a part of the film.

Sharing the news, Priyanka wrote, Im so proud to join the incredible team of the Academy Award-nominated documentary To Kill A Tiger, and to announce that Netflix has acquired the global distribution rights to this powerful feature directed by Nisha Pahuja. When I first watched this film in 2022, I was immediately captivated by its poignant narrative, depicting a fathers valiant struggle within the judicial system to secure justice for his daughter. This project serves as a testament to the boundless love and unyielding determination of a devoted father for his cherished daughter.

The actress added that the documentary is a hard-hitting piece of art that also is also close to her on a personal level. She mentioned that it brings her memories of her father. She stated, I cannot wait for audiences around the world to discover this moving story.

To Kill A Tiger, directed by Nisha Pahuja, has won two dozen prizes throughout the world, including Best Documentary at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the Amplify Voices Award at TIFF, and Best Feature Documentary at the Canadian Screen prizes.
Renowned actor Randeep Hooda recently took to Instagram to honour Veer Savarkar on his death anniversary. In his tribute, Hooda hailed Savarkar as one of the eminent figures of Bharat Mata, applauding his profound intellect and unwavering courage. He recounted Savarkars enduring legacy, noting how the British incarcerated him in a tiny 7 by 11-foot cell in Kalapani for five decades.

Hooda went on to share a poignant insight from his preparation for Savarkars biopic. He revealed that he voluntarily confined himself within the same jail cell to gain a deeper understanding of Savarkars ordeal. However, he humbly admitted that he couldnt endure even twenty minutes in such confinement, contrasting it with Savarkars eleven years of solitary imprisonment.

In the images shared, Hooda is captured inside the cell with folded hands towards a framed picture of Savarkar. Another photo shows him seated on the floor, eyes looking above seemingly observing the cell. Alongside these snapshots, Hooda also included the poster of the upcoming biopic, showcasing his dedication to portraying Savarkars remarkable journey.

Today is the punyatithi (death anniversary) of one of the greatest sons of Bharat Mata. Leader, Fearless Freedom Fighter, Writer, Philosopher & Visionary #SawatantryaVeerSavarkar. A man whose towering intellect and fierce courage scared the British so much that they locked him in this 7 by 11 foot jail in Kalapani for two life times (50 years). During the recce on his biopic I tried to lock myself inside this cell to feel what he must have gone through. I couldnt stay locked for even 20 minutes where he was locked for 11 years often in solitary confinement, he wrote in the caption along with the post.

I imagined the unparalleled endurance of #VeerSavarkar who endured the cruelty and inhuman conditions of imprisonment and yet managed to build and inspire the armed revolution. His perseverance and contribution is unmatchable hence for decades the Anti India forces still continue to vilify him.Naman, he further wrote.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Randeep Hooda (@randeephooda)

In the upcoming movie Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, Randeep Hooda takes on the lead role, joined by Ankita Lokhande. Directed and co-written by Randeep Hooda along with Utkarsh Naithani, the film dives into the fascinating story of Swatantrya Veer Savarkara visionary leader. Produced by Anand Pandit Motion Pictures and Randeep Hooda Films, in collaboration with Legend Studios and Avak Films, the movie aims to shine a light on Savarkars significant role in Indias fight for independence. The movie is set to be released on March 22, 2024.
Urvashi Rautela celebrated her birthday over the weekend by cutting a real 24-carat gold cake. In a video she shared on Instagram, Urvashi was seen cutting into a gold wrapped, three-tier cake with Yo Yo Honey Singh by her side. The actress was seen wearing a stunning red outfit as she cut her birthday cake. It seemed that she was celebrating her birthday cake with the team of Love Dose 2.

In the video, Honey Singh lit the birthday cake and sang her the birthday song with the crew of the song. After she cut a slice of the cake, Honey was seen picking out of the gold wrapped rose and fed her. Apart from the gold cake, a chocolate cake was also seen placed on the table. Honey was seen cutting into the cake, almost butchering the cake.

Urvashi shared one of the video with the caption, Thanks a million to all my magnificent fans & loved ones for all your blessings I love you . Sharing another post with the photos from the celebrations, she wrote, #Birthday #BirthdayGirl #24CARATREALGOLDCAKE  BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS ON #LOVEDOSE 2 SETS. Thank you @yoyohoneysingh in the tapestry of my journey, your presence is woven with threads of gratitude. Your tireless efforts and genuine concern for me have crafted a brilliant chapter in my career. Words falter in capturing the depth of my emotions for you.

Urvashi is among the busiest stars on the work front. In the past year, she made notable special appearances in four Telugu films  Bro, Skanda, Waltair Veerayya, and Agent. Additionally, she starred in the web series Inspector Avinash, alongside Randeep Hooda. Upcoming projects include Dil Hai Grey and her debut in Telugu cinema with Black Rose.
Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna among others attended Telugu producer, Dil Rajus nephew, Ashish Reddys wedding reception on Friday night. On Monday, February 26, Vijay took to Instagram to drop a bunch of photos of his dapper look from the event.

Vijay captioned the photos, Needed to do a quick drop by at a wedding. Vijay looked dapper as he posed in a black sherwani. His photos quickly went viral on Instagram. Have a look at his post here:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vijay Deverakonda (@thedeverakonda)

One person commented, Rashmika ko impress kar raha hai. Another added, Okay!! Now lets go to the wedding We are already late Another person wrote, My man I love you so much .. looking damn and thank you for wearing my fav colour.

One fan of the actor wrote, Hottieeeee deverakonda  Another person wrote, Awww  dashing personality . One person commented, Vijay Deverakondas looks >>>>>> any Indian heros look . Several fans also dropped GIFs of Rashmika Mandanna in the comments section.

Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna are rumoured to be dating each other for a long time now. Recently, the rumoured couples trip to the Maldives fuelled speculation about a possible marriage announcement, with expectations of an engagement in the second week of February. However, the Liger actor later clarified that he was neither getting engaged nor getting married. Im not getting engaged or married in February. It feels like the press just wants to get me married every two years. I hear this rumour every year. Theyre just walking around waiting to catch me and get me married, Vijay said while speaking to Lifestyle Asia.

It should also be noted that neither Rashmika nor Vijay have ever accepted or denied their relationship in public. The two have worked together in two films  Geetha Govindam (2018) and Dear Comrade (2019).
The pre-wedding festivities of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambanis youngest son Anant Ambani and industrialist Viren Merchants daughter Radhika Merchant are all set to take place in Gujarats Jamnagar from March 1-3. Goes without saying, it will be a star-studded affair with performances by several top celebrities.

Famous international artists including Rihanna and magician David Blaine are set to perform at the pre-wedding festivities. Top Indian musicians wholl perform include Arijit Singh, Ajay-Atul and Diljit Dosanjh.

Even as these performances make headlines, one cannot forget Radhikas solo on-stage performance from 2022 that created a big buzz and left guests in awe. In June 2022, the whos who of the country had gathered for the arangetram or ascent to the stage of Radhika Merchant, who is an accomplished Bharatnatyam dancer. The Merchant and Ambani families had turned out in full strength as did their friends from the worlds of public service, business and the arts to support and encourage the first on-stage solo performance by Radhika. While the creme de la creme of the country attended the big event, in all the glitz and glamour, the star that really shone bright was Radhika Merchant herself with her graceful performance. This was the time of success for her and her guru Ms Bhavana Thakar, who trained Radhika in Bharatnatyam for over 8 years to be ready today for her Arangetram  her first solo stage performance  which also marked the entry of a new artist into the rarefied world of an ancient art form and the continuance of the age-old tradition of the art and the guru-shishya parampara.

Anant and Radhika are all set for their pre-wedding ceremonies which will take place in Gujarats Jamnagar from March 1-3. it will be a star-studded affair with performances by many top celebrities. Popular Indian actors including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Rajinikanth will be gracing the celebration with their respective families. Salman Khan will also be travelling to Jamnagar for the pre-wedding festivities. Akshay Kumar will also be attending the pre-wedding celebrations with his wife, Twinkle Khanna.

All guests will fly to Jamnagar from Mumbai or Delhi between 8 am and 1 pm on March 1. Each of the three nights will have a theme. Day 1 is An Evening in Everland with an Elegant cocktail dress code. Day 2, A Walk on the Wildside, suggests jungle fever attire. It will be held outdoors at the Ambanis animal rescue center in Jamnagar, so comfortable shoes and clothes have been recommended.

Invitees will then swap their safari-themed outfits for more elegant ones for Mela Rouge. The dress code for this is dazzling desi romance, suggesting traditional South Asian attires for all. The final day will host two big events. The first one, Tusker Trails, suggests casual chic dress code, as guests are expected to further explore the greens of Jamnagar. The concluding day party, Hashtakshar, calls for an elegant evening with heritage Indian wear.
Welcome to Waikiki 2 star Kim Seon Ho is facing criticism after he recently expressed gratitude to Nam Joo-hyuk during an appearance on By PDC channels YouTube show. The episode, shot as Kim Seon Ho headed to a theatre performance in Daehak-ro, Seoul, saw him acknowledging the strong friendship with his former co-star from Start-Up. While carefully avoiding discussions about his personal life controversy, Kim Seon Ho credited Nam Joo Hyuk for providing him with much-needed strength during challenging times. He further praised him for acting like an older brother when needed. However, this appreciation has sparked a backlash from fans, particularly as Nam Joo Hyuk is currently embroiled in bullying allegations.

In one of the segments, when Kim Seon Ho was discussing the importance of having a supportive circle, he thanked Nam Joo Hyuk for standing by him during tough times. He said, Its really important who you surround yourself with because I met with great people who gave me such a positive influence. An example would be actor Nam Joo-hyuk. I bumped into him later on after the show and he hugged me without a word. At that moment, he felt like an older brother.

Despite Seon Hos intention to spread positivity and support Nam Joo Hyuk amid his controversy, his words backfired, according to The Qoo. Kim faced backlash from his own fans, as many were unimpressed, considering Kim is currently dealing with a bullying allegation case himself.

A user wrote, I wonder if they met before or after the Nam Joo-hyuk controversy, while another wondered, There must be something in common. One more wrote, I met him by chance, but hes selling me off as his best friend. LOL If I cant ridicule him, Ill be very sick.

Meanwhile, in the same interview, Kim Seon Ho also thanked the director Oh Chung-hwan and other team members of his previous shows for their support. He shared, Life has been pretty great so far. The director (of Start Up) also came to see me on stage despite his busy schedule. Not only him, but the writers, too. Theyre all truly my saviours. That includes the people I worked with previously. Theyre the ones who made who I am today. I also met with the director of Hometown Cha Cha Cha not long ago at the backstage after performing on stage. He was also impressed by my fellow actors so I said, Theyll be great for your next project and recommended them to him. Thats what I love about this field and Im happy to be a part of it.

Apart from theatre, Kim Seon Ho is set for a small screen return in The Tyrant, as reported by K Drama Stars. The actor will share the screen with veteran stars Cha Seung Won and Kim Kang Woo in the series, which is expected to feature four episodes. Additionally, there are discussions about him making a special appearance in the highly anticipated drama You Have Done Well, featuring IU and Park Bo Gum. Kim Seon-ho is also confirmed to reunite with former Welcome to Waikiki 2 co-star Moon Ga Young in Daesungs upcoming music video.
Recent news suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is confident of a third term and has asked the cabinet to come out with a plan for 100 days. This is a happy development. Considering that PM Modis assessment of the Indian political system surpasses any known living person. If he is confident, there are ample reasons to be.

But, one wonders, is there any reason to doubt otherwise? Over the last ten years, India has seen remarkable changes in perhaps, all sectors. In fact, one can pick a sector of their choice and find positive developments and honest efforts towards a planned direction. I was listening to Nripendra Mishra, former Principal Secretary to PM Modi (2014-19) and currently Chairman, Executive Council, Prime Ministers Museum & Library, Delhi. Mishra spoke about how there may be things said about demonetisation and black money today. But, it needs to be seen from a lens that black money and corruption is a million-mammoths matter. It has become ingrained in the Indian system of things and is so deeply rooted that to uproot it one might have to really uproot some things. Shaking alone wont do! Case in point-demonetisation.

Mishra, thence, added an important point which makes the central node of the working thought process. He meant to say that one could question what we accomplished to curb the demon of black money but its clear that the intention was honest and so were the efforts made in that direction. It is, perhaps, these efforts that make Prime Minister Modi the only choice for Bharat in the upcoming general elections.

The second part of the news item pertained to the plan for 100 days. As a political observer, it takes me back 10 years when I had begun researching and writing about civilisational and political issues. India had just voted PM Modi to power. It was a Tsunami when most had anticipated a wave! And much like the charged speeches Modi made, the difference in governance was visible from the first week. It is said that during the election campaign, Modi met people belonging to different sections of Indian society. This included corporate leaders and businessmen. Modis organisational skills were on display when leaders of the party under his direction would explain and spread his plan for business and commerce. India, then, was plagued by red-tapism, corruption, bureaucratic hurdles etc. It is inspiring and laudable that he had a clear understanding of what issues hindered the Indian growth story. Even more, he had a plan ready.

Much like the plan, soon after he took office in 2014, PM Modi took a proactive approach to governance. He told his cabinet in June that year to focus on efficient governance, delivery and implementation of projects and to work closely with states to ensure the collective progress of the country. He also asked his ministers to set a plan for the first 100 days, listing priorities.

Another early stage development was asking ministers and bureaucrats to move towards a six-day workweek model. This has been said by many ministers until recently, that PM Modi is a tough taskmaster. But, its no new thing. As its clear that from the first week in office; he has been on mission mode for Indias development. For instance, in those early few days, he made it clear to senior bureaucrats that he was not keen on theories but wanted practical doable policies. One has to be thoroughly prepared for meetings, make bullet point presentations and be ready for follow-up meetings. India, in 2014, began moving from general theories to actionable points.

The functioning of the government also changed from Sarkari setups to corporate boardroom-style meetings. Even ministers of the council who, in a pre-Modi era, would have had a comparatively easy life and wherein the functioning of the ministry was left in the hands of the top bureaucrats, were in for a surprise. Ministers were asked to be in their offices by 9 AM and meetings with senior bureaucrats began at 9:30 AM. This was a significant departure. And, arguably, it is the consequence of this working style that our country has shown progress by leaps and bounds. Argued with a friend last year that PM Modis working style is the pillar of the 4M Mantra i.e. Mindset change, Mission approach, Monitoring and Mass participation. While I have seen it in action over the decade, planning for it started even before he took office.

Therefore, we see the deliverables and precisely, this is why India is growing at such rapid a pace. While every now and then there is some political opposition, which turns out to be a negotiation tactic used by his opponents, PM Modi is set on a path to see India as a developed nation by 2047. To that end, he is pulling out all the stops. And the electorate sees it. This is why he will be returning with more power in his third term.

Arjun Singh Kadian is an academic and policy professional based out of offices in Haryana and Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
Ahmed Patel loved challenges. Each time he stepped in to firefight for his party, more specifically for his boss Sonia Gandhi, he tried to ensure that she wins. Like, after winning the Rajya Sabha polls in 2020, a teary-eyed Patel told News18: The prestige of many people depended on this win.

Patels children Faisal and Mumtaz have worked hard at carrying forward the legacy of their father in Bharuch. They too, like their father, love challenges and with seat-sharing talks announced between the AAP and Congress, they face yet another challenge. As per the pact, Bharuch goes to AAPs kitty along with Bhavnagar.

In fact, much before the alliance was announced, Aam Aadmi Party had declared Chaitar Vasava as the candidate from here. Both AAP and Congress vie for the same votes here, hence, it was inevitable that AAP attacked Patel. This is what has upset the Patel children even more along with the fact that the same Congress workers they incited against AAP will have to be told now to calm down and work together. This may not be easy.

Mumtaz Patel, in an exclusive conversation with News18, minced no words about the challenge. Asked if she felt let down, Mumtaz said: I do feel sad and upset for sure. Let down may not be the right word to use. I shall always work for the Congress. If the alliance committee has taken a decision, it may be for the best. I will respect it and continue to work for the party.

Ahmed Patel was the MP from Bharuch for eight terms  thrice from the Lok Sabha. But for 1989, the seat has been won by the BJP. The sitting MP is Mansukhbhai Vasava.

Mumtaz, when asked if she felt the move was unfair to her fathers legacy, said: Dads contribution as an MP from the Congress has been for 45 years. He was the voice of Bharuch and Gujarat in Parliament. This is for all to see in the times to come. Thats his legacy. One Lok Sabha election doesnt change that.

But the real issue is to ensure that at the local level, the till now warring AAP and Congress workers sink their differences and work together. Even Vasava knows this is tough and so does Mumtaz. I cant say for sure, she responds when asked if it will be easy for the cadre to work in sync.

Its this lack of surety which speaks a lot. At the heart of Ahmed Patels Bharuch home stands the rocking chair where he took many a tough decisions. This chair now stands still, unsure, perhaps of which way it should swing.
After getting the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) name and symbol, Ajit Pawar, national president of the party, wrote a 10-point letter to the people of Maharashtra to clarify that he joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena government in the state only for development, and did not insult or back-stab anyone".

Deputy Chief Minister Pawar, who is known for his aggressive style of work and good grip over administration, has been at the centre of criticism for taking a stand different from that of NCP founder Sharad Pawar and splitting the party. Pawar has earlier, too, explained that he had not betrayed Sharad Pawar, rather he followed his orders every time, including for the morning swearing-in in 2019. With these 10 points, Pawar again justified his decision to join the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government.

ALSO READ | Emotional Sharad Pawars 1st Reaction After Losing NCP to Nephew Ajit: It Has Never Happened Before

Ajit Pawar joined Maharashtra politics in 1991 when he contested the Lok Sabha election for the first time and won. Pawar said that there was enough discussion over who brought him into politics, who made him the minister and who gave him opportunities". But I got the opportunity to enter politics accidentally. There was a space for a young leader, hence I was given this opportunity by the family. I sacrificed my personal responsibilities and focused on work related to people. For the past 30 years, I have been doing this, as just getting an opportunity is not enough, you need to work tirelessly to make the best use of that opportunity for people," said Pawar.

In the same letter, Pawar wrote: From day one of my political career, I have always focused on developmental issues. Today also, I am doing the same and the same will be followed in the future. I have seen the pace of work when you have power and have also seen the pace of work when you are in the opposition. If you want to work for people at that pace, you need help from the power (government)"

He further wrote, I have not compromised on any ideology or with the vision of development. The decision I took was with the purpose of speeding up development. While doing so, neither did I back-stab nor did I insult anyone."

The way development is taking place under the able leadership of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah is remarkable. I personally liked their qualities of strong leadership and right decision-making, which were similar to my working style. I knew this would make it easy to implement my ideas and plans for development of Maharashtra, hence I decided to join hands with them," Pawar said.

ALSO READ | Sharad Pawar Visited Raigad Fort for First Time in 40 Years; Credit Goes to Ajit Pawar: Fadnavis

He also stated that nobody from his party will personally criticise anyone and that he will work hard to make a blueprint for development of the state. Pawar also made an appeal to the people of the state to join him in this journey of development by supporting his vision.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday asked people in Delhi to vote for INDIA bloc in the Lok Sabha polls so that their voices can be heard in Parliament and assured that inflated water bills will be waived off if the alliances candidates are elected.

Speaking at a protest organised by his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) against inflated water bills here, Kejriwal said on a lighter note that he should be given the Nobel Prize for running the government despite the alleged hurdles created by the BJP. If you choose the INDIA bloc this time, Delhi will have its own defence armour and nobody can trouble the people then No LG will then be able to harm the people of Delhi since well have a strong representation in the Parliament, he said.

Kejriwal alleged that he had barely seen any of the elected seven MPs raising the real concerns of Delhi, in the Parliament so far. Once you give these seven seats to us, I promise you that the incorrectly inflated water bills will be waived off within 15 days of the Lok Sabha Elections, and no LG will be able to do anything to the people of Delhi. I am hereby reiterating that you do not need to pay these faulty bills. You can tear and burn these bills right in front of BJP officials, Im standing with you, he said. The AAP and the Congress, members of the INDIA bloc, have finalised a 4-3 arrangement in Delhi, under which the ruling party will contest four out of the seven parliamentary seats in the national capital.

The chief minister said there are around 11 lakh families who have received inflated water bills. The AAP government is your government. Had the BJP been in power, it would have disconnected the water supply. Those who have received inflated water bills, they do not need to pay them.

We made a scheme to settle water bills. BJP people stopped the scheme through the LG. Officers are literally crying and saying they have been threatened with suspension if they bring the scheme to the Cabinet, Kejriwal alleged. The chief minister claimed that the BJP stalled many schemes of the city government.

Only my heart knows how Im running the government in Delhi. The way the BJP, along with the Lieutenant Governor (LG), has been troubling the people of the capital, and the way I have been constantly addressing and solving all these problems that people of Delhi encounter, is something that I deserve a Nobel Prize for. But the Nobel Prize for me is nothing but your love and support, the faith you have in me is what I have earned, he said. The chief minister assured the people that he would implement the one-time settlement scheme for inflated water bills.

The BJP hates the people of Delhi because you have voted for AAP thrice. The BJP is taking revenge on them for choosing a common man to be the chief minister. I love you. I can die but cannot see you in pain. I will stand like a wall between the BJPs atrocities and you, he said. He also accused the BJP of running a smear campaign for years. I can assure you that they (BJP) will certainly pay for their sins. God is watching them, and their swollen ego will soon be shattered, just like the Ravanas. Everyone has to reap what they sow, Kejriwal said. Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP demanded that the AAP government issue zero water bills to those with disputed bills. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva alleged that Kejriwal has raked up the water bill settlement issue just to divert public attention from his governments alleged corruption. CM Kejriwal needs to understand that people of Delhi know it very well that the Jal Board is inundated with scams and installation of air flow water meters has caused the problem of few lakh consumers getting excessive bills, he said.
ELKO  The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Communities in Schools of Nevada an $11.8 million, five-year grant.

The grant covers six Nevada schools, in Elko County, Humboldt County and Clark County. It will bring resources to Elkos Flag View Intermediate and Northside Elementary schools.

We work inside of our schools to help eliminate whatever barrier it is thats keeping our kids from coming to school and being successful, said Tami Hance-Lehr, chief executive and state director of communities in Schools of Nevada.

Communities in Schools, which reaches elementary, middle and high schools, is able to ensure every student thrives and ultimately graduates with a career plan, Hance-Lehr said.

Now, Communities in Schools has found additional funding for its efforts thanks to an expansion of the Full-Service Community Schools grant.

The federal Education Department intends for the grant to bring more resources and services to school campuses, Hance-Lehr said. The grants main aims are to provide students with additional basic needs and to extend school days with before-school and after-school activities.

The program also will introduce additional professional development, learning and teaching to schools, not only for Communities in Schools staff but also for teachers and administrators, Hance-Lehr said.

Communities in Schools employs a site coordinator at each school in the program. In Elko, Maria Dorado is coordinator at Northside Elementary and Erin Christensen the coordinator at Flag View Intermediate.

These coordinators might help students succeed by providing shoes, socks, coats, hats, gloves, or school supplies, Hance-Lehr said. Within Elko County specifically, Communities in Schools handles a weekend food bag program for students.

Every weekend, we send them home with a bag full of shelf-stable food that they can eat over the weekend. And we provide that not only in the schools that we work in but additional Elko County schools as well, she said.

Through general use sites, Communities in Schools brings basic needs to schools beyond just the ones with site coordinators. This extensive support system includes the food bag program, connection with vision care, Telehealth for students 12 and older and giving students school supplies and hygiene kits, Communities in Schools Interim Executive Director Leslie Goicoechea said.

Communities in Schools site coordinators also partner with students who need additional assistance with attendance, behavior and coursework.

Well place someone to really provide that one-on-one relationship with students and help encourage students and break any barriers, Goicoechea said.

A site coordinator provides three levels of support, Goicoechea said. The first tier is schoolwide support. Thats something any student can access, whether it is the student of the month program, an attendance goal for the school or something like a weekend food bag program.

We also provide small group services which we call our tier two services, and that can be something small like reading groups or behavior groups, she said. The other tier is case management, where each site coordinator works one-on-one with certain students to help them meet tailored goals, Goicoechea added.

Thanks to the grant, Flag View and Northside will each receive a second Communities in Schools staff member who will help coordinate various services, Hance-Lehr said. In addition, the Elko Boys and Girls Club will come onto the campuses to offer resources such as after-school activities. Headstart of Northeastern Nevada will assist as well.

The grant will help elevate and activate family engagement and community engagement. It will help expand and enrich our learning time and opportunities and then also bring in other collaborative leadership and community partners and best practices, Goicoechea explained.

Hance-Lehr said Communities in Schools will do a deep dive to find out which additional services Elko County students need, working closely with principals along the way.

This funding is really going to give us the opportunity to level up our services and these two schools, Goicoechea said.
The last day of the Budget Session of the Assam Assembly witnessed a high-voltage drama with the Opposition MLAs protesting against the repeal of the Marriage & Divorce Registration Act and the ruling legislators vehemently countering them. As long as I am alive, I will not let child marriage take place in the state, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

MLAs of Congress and AIUDF criticised the state governments decision and opposed it strongly. Responding to the Opposition, CM Sarma became emotional in the Assembly and firmly stated, Mark it carefully, as long as I am alive I will not let child marriage take place in Assam. As long as Himanta Biswa Sarma is alive this will not happen. I would like to challenge you politically; I will shut down this shop before 2026.

I will stop the practice of marrying minor girls of the Muslim community, he added.

Later, taking to microblogging site X, CM Sarma wrote, I want to make it loud and clear, till the time I am there, I will not allow you to play with the future of innocent Muslim children. I will bring an end to this exploitative business and will not allow a single child marriage to take place in Assam.

I want to make it loud and clear, till the time I am there, I will not allow you to play with the future of innocent Muslim children.I will bring an end to this exploitative business and will not allow a single child marriage to take place in Assam: HCM Dr @himantabiswa pic.twitter.com/wTVFuXrz4u  Chief Minister Assam (@CMOfficeAssam) February 26, 2024

Prior to this, in the morning, AIUDF MLAs staged a Protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Assam Assembly against the state cabinets decision to repeal the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act.

AIUDF MLA raised an adjournment proposal to have a detailed discussion on the issue, which was promptly denied by the state Assembly Speaker, following which, the Opposition started shouting anti-government slogans inside the house.

Later, the Speaker interfered and asked CM Sarma to speak on the matter. Speaking on the cabinets decision, the Assam CM said, By 2026 will close all these shops (KAAZI system).

Following CM Sarmas speech, Congress MLAs left the house and AIUDF started protesting against the decision. Opposition MLAs alleged that the government is not allowing them to even speak in the Assembly and that their microphones were forcibly switched off.
Absconding Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh, accused of alleged sexual atrocities and land grabbing in West Bengals Sandeshkhali, was arrested on Thursday morning after being on the run for 55 days. According to police, the TMC leader was arrested from a house in Minakhan, around 30 km away from the island of Sandeshkhali on the outskirts of Sunderbans, in North 24 Parganas district.

Sheikh was hiding in the house along with a few associates.

After the arrest, he was taken to the Basirhat court, around 65 km from Kolkata, where he is being kept in a lockup till he is produced before a judge later in the day. Huge police deployments have been made at the court premises to maintain the law and order situation.

Additional forces were also deployed in parts of Sandeshkhali, which Sheikh is accused of turning into his fiefdom over the last decade, to prevent any further flare-up of the situation.

He was taken into custody within 24 hours of the Calcutta High Court stating that the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the West Bengal Police can arrest him.

Sheikh was at large since an ED team that went to raid his house in connection with the alleged ration scam was attacked by a mob of around 1,000 people on January 5.

According to police, he was traced with the help of his mobile phones tower location.

Shiekh was changing his location from time to time. He was spotted with the help of his mobile phones tower location, a police officer said.

Who is Shahjahan Sheikh?

Known to residents as Betaj Badshah, Sheikh Shahjahan is an influential person associated with Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in West Bengals Sandeshkhali, a border area in the North 24 Parganas district. Before the TMC leader made headlines after Sandeshkhali allegations, his backers attacked ED and CAPF personnel during an attempt to raid his house in connection with the ration scam.

Protests are underway in North 24 Parganas district against Sheikh Shahjahan and his supporters over allegations of land grabbing and sexually abusing local women.

Sheikh has been absconding since an Enforcement Directorate team that raided his house in connection with an alleged ration scam was attacked by a mob last month.

An accused in many cases, Sheikh was born into an extremely poor family but locals his name is now a force to reckon with in Sandeshkhali. Most of the complainants claimed that Shajahan was actively involved in the forcible acquisition of their land and the torturing of local women.

While Shahjahan holds the post of zilla parishad in this area, his career started with the Left regime in 2006. He began as a close aide of CPI(M) leader Moslem Sheikh, on whose behalf he would collect money and gradually began to dabble in real estate and fisheries in this area.

Sheikh joined the Trinamool Congress in 2013 and, since, has become close to former minister Jyotipriyo Mallick.

In 2019 when three people were killed in a BJP-TMC clash, Sheikhs name was linked to the incident, however, the TMC leader said it was only to malign his image.

Locals say Sheikh has alleged involvement in various illegal activities since 2006 but no action was taken against him due to his closeness with powerful TMC leaders. Sources alleged that he helped rig the elections in the area and, therefore, was important to the political party in power.
National, February 26, 2024: Indus Appstore, Indias revolutionary new Android-based app store from PhonePe, has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 100,000 downloads in just three days of launch. This remarkable feat underscores the Indian markets eagerness for a localized, inclusive, and developer-empowering alternative to existing app stores.

The rapid adoption of the Indus Appstore, particularly as a side-loaded application, which requires users to download it directly from the Indus Appstore website and grant additional permissions, is indicative of the strong interest and need for an app store that aligns closely with the preferences of the Indian consumer.

Sharing his thoughts on the milestone, Akash Dongre, Chief Product Officer and Co-founder of Indus Appstore, said: We are thrilled and humbled by the overwhelming response to the Indus Appstore. Reaching over a lakh downloads in just three days confirms that India is ready for a homegrown app store that prioritizes the needs of its diverse users and fosters a vibrant developer community. This is only the beginning; were committed to continuously evolving Indus Appstore to make it the go-to destination for apps in India

App developers, tech enthusiasts, and users have actively downloaded the app, recognizing the potential impact of the Indus Appstore on Indias digital ecosystem. Early feedback from users and developers has been overwhelmingly positive. The zero-commission model, 12 regional language support, and video-led app discovery have been particularly lauded. Indus Appstores rapid download figures demonstrate a clear demand for disruption and greater choice in a market traditionally controlled by a small number of global players.

Indus Appstore was launched by Shri. Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon. Minister of Railways, Communications, and Electronics & IT, on the 21st of February, 2024 ,in New Delhi. At the launch event Indias startup ecosystem rallied in support of this groundbreaking initiative, with leaders from Dream11, Hotstar, Hungama, Bharat Matrimony, DailyHunt, IXIGO, MapmyIndia and several others in attendance.

The event was also marked by a compelling keynote address by Shri. Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa, Government of India, who highlighted the power of Indus Appstore to propel Indias tech leadership and said, What we are seeing today is really a demonstration of Indias tech power and its great ability to build a unique innovation. The creation of Indias app store is very, very timely, its very needed. It will bridge the expectations between the developers and app store providers and, by supporting it in 12 languages, I think the Indus Appstore will really strengthen the Android position as a very competitive choice in India.

PhonePes Indus Appstore is aiming to reach an install base of 500,000 users as soon as possible, with one million downloads expected shortly after. This ambitious trajectory reflects the companys confidence in Indus Appstores unique value proposition and its potential to redefine Indias digital landscape.

Download the Indus Appstore at https://www.indusappstore.com

About Indus Appstore:

Indus Appstore is a native Android-based mobile app store, designed to fulfill the localized and cultural needs of Indian consumers. With an extensive array of categories it seeks to provide users a localized, contextual and a personalized experience. Indus Appstore is available in English and 12 Indian languages, which allows users to explore the app store in their preferred language.

For developers, Indus Appstore provides a fair and level playing field to list, distribute & promote their products in the Indian app ecosystem. It provides a self-publishing platform, localization services, multiple tools to monitor and grow their apps along with a dedicated 247 customer support.

For more details: media@indusappstore.com

This is a Partnered Post.
Pav Bhaji is more than a dish. Its a symphony of flavours igniting the taste buds, a sensory experience that elevates the mundane to the extraordinary. That initial bite? Pure bliss. In fact, the seamless fusion of buttery, flaky Pav with the fiery Bhaji is a sensation cherished by Desi food enthusiasts everywhere. With an array of vegetables harmonising in unmatched flavours, the Bhaji finds its perfect match in Pav and nothing else. So, when a food blogger dared to introduce the Croissant Pav Bhaji, it wasnt just about stirring the pot; it was about flipping opinions and stirring up a storm of mixed reviews.

It all began when renowned food influencer Karan Marwah, curator of the Instagram page @foodelhi, unveiled his latest gastronomic adventure: the Croissant Pav Bhaji from a Delhi eatery. While the dish bore striking similarities to the classic Pav Bhaji, it was the flaky Pav, reminiscent of a buttery Croissant, that stole the spotlighteliciting both awe and skepticism.

Also Read: Kulfi Stuffed Within Buttery Pav Sends Internet in a Disgusting Meltdown. Watch Viral Video

Indeed, infusing a beloved Indian staple with a touch of French pastry finesse was bound to ignite a culinary debate, with many questioning the need for such an experimentation.

Take a Look:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karan Marwah | FOODDelhi (@foodelhi)

Bro killed indian and french at the same time . quipped a commentator. As someone from MUMBAI, Im personally offended!! exclaimed another. A third, with a touch of humour, remarked, We needed flying cars in 2024 not these kind of things. Bro this is not Pav bhaji .. its Crossover bhaji, declared a fourth.

Yet, amidst the uproar, there were voices of approval. Honestly idk why are people so sensitive. I love flaky breads and I think it will hold flavour even better. Looks appetizing and not an absolute unhinged food experiment. Authenticity is nice but overrated. Let people be innovative with food. The street style indo Chinese we love was once an innovations inspired by the taste pallets of 2 countries, reasoned one enthusiast. This looks interesting, chimed in another.

Also Read: Tandoori Chai Made With Diyas? Viral Recipe Video Leaves Desis in a Bitter Taste

Meanwhile, as per the original poster, the dish hails from Pot Pot in New Delhi, commanding a hefty price tag of Rs. 585.
Before smartphones were introduced, writing love letters to your beloved was the primary way of expressing love. Recently, a woman, Val, discovered a heartfelt letter penned by her late husband. The letter was hidden beneath the wallpaper for over 64 years.

Val, a resident of Devon City, England, was renovating her home to design a special room for her granddaughter. During the renovation, she found the love letter beneath the wallpaper where her name and address were written. The love letter was addressed to someone named Rose, a name unfamiliar to Val. Alongside her name was a heart symbol and a wedding date.

The letter was written by Ken Perot to his future wife, Val, in August 1960 which surfaced during the renovation at Vals home. Signed with a heart symbol, it moved Val to tears. The letter was written in August 1960 and their wedding was scheduled for March 1961

Other love notes addressed to Val were also discovered on the walls. They met in 1959 at a dance in Exmouth when Ken was 21. He overcame hurdles as he was involved with someone else. But in just a few months, Ken and Val got engaged. During that time, he wrote a letter to his future wife. Despite Kens demise in 1996, Val still cherishes his memory.

Users were touched by the heartfelt story, recalling Ken as a great father and Val as a loving mother. They reminisced about their before-wedding conversations. Val was unaware of the messages Ken had written on the walls of their home while they lived together. Several social media users shared their views about the love story. One user expressed sadness. Another user believed if Ken was there he would be happy seeing this moment.

A somewhat similar story unfolded in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where a man, Rick Trojanowski, made a stunning discovery. While searching a toolbox from a farm auction back in 2017, he unexpectedly found a hidden love letter penned 70 years ago by Army Corporal Irvin G Fleming. The letter was penned for Mary Lee Cribbs, a resident of Grand Rapids, by the author.
A man in Missouri, US is suspected of attempting insurance fraud by allegedly arranging for someone to cut both his legs and stage a tractor accident to cover it up. The Howell County Sheriffs Office investigated the case which involved a 60-year-old man from Willow Springs who claimed to have lost both legs in a brush hog accident. However, inconsistencies arose, such as the absence of his severed legs, the unusually clean wounds inconsistent with a brush hog and his known status as a paraplegic, raising doubts about how he could have been in the path of a tractor-operated brush hog.

Torey Thompson, a lieutenant with the Howell County Sheriffs Office, stated to the Springfield News Reader, If a brush hog did it, it would have been a bloody, gory mess. Ive seen those types of accidents before. This wasnt like that. Additionally, officers and medical personnel at the accident scene were puzzled by the tourniquets on the mans leg stumps and who applied them immediately after the incident. Subsequent investigation revealed that a Florida man had reportedly visited the victim with a hatchet and severed his legs for a fee.

The 60-year-old paraplegic had implemented a scheme to commit insurance fraud, opting to have his legs amputated in a staged accident since he no longer had any use for them. However, as he had not yet filed a claim with the insurance company, there were no grounds for charging him. Lieutenant Thompson remarked, It was a poorly executed plan, Ive never seen anything quite like it.

Despite being unable to charge the paraplegic man with insurance fraud formally, the sheriffs office contemplated pressing charges for filing a false police/EMS report due to the waste of time and resources. However, due to the severity of the mans injuries, incarceration was impractical, so the decision was made to allow him to recover in a hospital. Remarkably, the mans severed legs were discovered by a relative concealed in a bucket hidden by tyres, and they were surrendered to investigators.
For decades, the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI has used and exploited innocent Kashmiri youth to spread terror in the region, only to abandon them later in Pakistan.

Youths are manipulated and coerced into carrying out terrorist activities, only to be disowned and left destitute by the very agencies that recruited them. According to exclusive inputs obtained by CNN-News18, one such individual is Jalal-u-Din Dar, a resident of Saduanara Hajin village in District Bandipora.

Dar joined the terrorist ranks of Hizbul-Mujahideen in 2005 and later fled to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). In Pakistan, he assumed the alias Raju or Randa and married a local woman named Kiran Begam, with whom he has four children.

However, Dars life took a tragic turn when Pakistani authorities abandoned him, leaving him emotionally shattered and desperate to return to India. He is now seeking forgiveness from the Indian government, hoping to rebuild his life in his homeland. Top intelligence sources said this is a harsh reality faced by many Kashmiri youths who fall victim to Pakistans manipulative tactics.

This is the new normal in Pakistan now. Its an open fact that Kashmiris are used for their selfish interests by Pakistans ISI. Its a sad state of affairs for the youth who are in their captivity and emotionally broken, sources said.

They added that its time for all Kashmiri youth to realise the importance and understand the false narrative of Pakistan. They are doing all this for Kashmiris to collect money from OCI (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) and the Muslim world, sources stressed.
Alyssa Farah Griffin, who once served as White House communications director under former US president Donald Trump, said Republicans should be concerned because Nikki Haley bagged almost 40% vote share despite running against virtual incumbent Donald Trump in the South Carolina primary.

She also said that Nikki Haleys strong showing on Saturday should serve as a five-alarm fire to the Republican Party. Trump won the South Carolina primary by about 20 percentage points, leading Haley 59.8% to 39.5%, according to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ election results tracker.

Her comments came during a CNN panel discussion after the race was called. Griffin said the results of the Republican primary vote should concern the Grand Old Party because the former South Carolina governor was able to get 40% of the GOP primary vote despite Donald Trump running with all the benefits of an incumbent candidate.

Somebody whos running as virtually an incumbent  Donald Trump  getting 60%, and 40% being against him? Thats not a mandate. Especially with the entire Republican party apparatus behind him, with most elected Republicans behind him, Griffin was quoted as saying.

Now, its unclear what a path could look like for Nikki Haley. I think were all very open-eyed about that. But she is underscoring the fundamental weakness of Donald Trump, and it should be a five-alarm fire for the party, but for some reason, it is not, Griffin further added.

Nikki Haley has pledged to stay in the race. The Republican party has called on her to drop out as her chances of victory in the GOP primary remains slim.

On Saturday, she said she is committed to staying in the race and said she thought it was important for voters still to have a choice between candidates. (This is) not a Soviet-style election with only one candidate. And I have a duty to give them that choice, Haley said.

The former aide of Trump also said that Haley made the right statements after the primary concluded Saturday, saying, Shes powering through. She said what she had to say last night.
Professor Ashok Veeraraghavan, a pioneering computer engineer of Indian descent, has been awarded the Edith and Peter ODonnell Award in engineering, one of the highest academic honours in the US state of Texas.

Veeraraghavan, professor of electrical and computer engineering at George R. Brown School of Engineering at Rice University, was awarded for his revolutionary imaging technology that seeks to make the invisible visible.

The award, presented by the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST), is given annually to star researchers in the state engaged in pathbreaking work in medicine, engineering, biological sciences, physical sciences and technology innovation.

Originally from Chennai

This years engineering award went to Veeraraghavan, recognising his groups revolutionary imaging technology that seeks to make the invisible visible," according to a statement from TAMEST. Originally from Chennai, where he spent most of his pre-adult life, Veeraraghavan told news agency PTI, "I am delighted to receive this award."

It is the recognition of the wonderful and innovative research that many students, postdocs and research scientists, in the computational imaging lab at Rice University have done over the last decade" Veeraraghavans computational imaging lab conducts research on imaging processes holistically, from optics and sensor design to machine learning processing algorithms, to tackle imaging challenges that are otherwise beyond the reach of current technologies.

Imaging technologies

Most imaging systems today are designed in a way that does not take all these three things into account together; they are designed separately," Veeraraghavan said. Co-design opens up new degrees of freedom and allows us to achieve some imaging functionalities or performance capabilities that are otherwise not possible," he added. Veeraraghavans research seeks to provide solutions for imaging scenarios where the visualisation target is inaccessible to current imaging technologies due to the scattering of light in participating media. There are many examples of this," he said.

One familiar example is when youre driving a car and its foggy, so you cant see too far out. In this case, fog acts as the scattering medium. If youre doing satellite imaging, clouds can act as the scattering medium. And if youre doing biological imaging, its skin that acts as the obscurant so you cant see blood cells or the structure of the vascular system, for example," he explained.

Significant advances

In all of these contexts, the main challenge is that light interacts with the participating media and scatters, which means you lose information about the image you are trying to capture. I think imaging through scattering media is one of the most challenging problems thats left in imaging. So that is what the core focus of my lab is, and weve made significant advances toward solving that problem."

Luay Nakhleh, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering and professor of computer science and biosciences at Rice, congratulated Veeraraghavan for his achievement saying he richly deserves this special recognition". In fact, this is extra special for our school since it is the second year in a row that one of our faculty receives the ODonnell Award, with Jamie Padgett being last years recipient."

Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Rices executive vice president for research and a professor of materials science and nanoengineering, physics and astronomy, praised Veeraraghavan and underscored the impact of his research. Im so pleased to see Ashok recognised with the Edith and Peter ODonnell Award, joining an accomplished group of prior Rice University recipients of the honour," Ramesh said. Ashok has used math and technology to solve some of the most difficult problems in imaging. His work has broad applications for the advancement of human health, microscopy, national security, autonomous vehicles, photography and so much more."

(With agency inputs)
As Donald Trump looks set to secure a third presidential nomination from the Republican Party, a straw poll at a prominent gathering of conservative activists has shown that South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and Indian-origin biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy were tied for the top choice to be the former US presidents running mate, according to media reports.

The straw poll, at the Conservative Political Action Conference or CPAC, announced at the end of the four-day gathering outside Washington on Saturday said that Noem and Ramaswamy each garnered 15 percent of the vote in the straw poll, The New York Times reported. Tech entrepreneur Ramaswamy, 38, who was born in Cincinnati to Indian immigrant parents, ran for the Republican presidential nomination this year but dropped out of the race after finishing fourth in Januarys Iowa caucuses. He then withdrew from the race and backed Trump.

Noem, 52, became the first woman governor of South Dakota when she was elected in 2018, endorsed by Trump. During the Covid pandemic, she rose to national prominence over her refusal to issue statewide mandates for vaccinations and wearing face masks. It was the first time in years that a question about whom Republicans should pick for vice president had overshadowed one about the presidential nominee in the survey of attendees, the NYT report said.

It was also because Trump, 77, won the presidential poll as expected with a landslide over Nikki Haley, beating her 94 per cent to five per cent. The last time Trump was not the top choice for the White House among CPAC attendees was in 2016 when Texas Senator Ted Cruz finished first, the report said.

Former Indian-origin Representative Tulsi Gabbard, from Hawaii, who ran for president as a Democrat in 2020 but has since left the party to become an independent, finished third with nine per cent of the votes followed by Representative Elise Stefanik of New York and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina with eight per cent votes each. Senator JD Vance of Ohio, whom CPAC attendees chose as their favourite senator, received two per cent of the votes, behind former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the political scion of a Democratic family who is now running for president as an independent, the report said.

The report said that Trumps third presidential campaign would be his first without former vice president Mike Pence as the two parted ways politically after Pence refused to help Trump overturn the 2020 election won by Joe Biden, a Democrat. Trump on Sunday secured a resounding win over his Indian-American rival Haley in South Carolina in the Republican primary. Trump has now won every contest that counted for Republican delegates, adding to his previous wins in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and the US Virgin Islands.
ELKO  Sixteen landowners offered to sell water rights through the Central Nevada Regional Water Authority and the Humboldt River Basin Water Authority so those water rights can be retired.

Based on currently available funding, HRBWA will be able to purchase/retire 8,400 acre-feet of water rights and CNRWA will be able to purchase/retire 7,700 acre-feet, Jeff Fontaine, executive director of both water authorities, said in an email.

This looks like a successful program, and there is a need to continue this program as a potential long-term tool, he told Elko County commissioners on Wednesday, but there is only one-time funding under the current program, however. This has never been done before in the state of Nevada.

An acre-foot is enough water to cover an acre of land 1-foot deep.

The state provided $15 million to the Humboldt and central authorities combined for the purchase of water rights. The Humboldt River Basin Water Authority received $8 million, and the Central Nevada Regional Water Authority, $7 million.

The $15 million was out of $25 million the Nevada Legislature appropriated for the retirement of groundwater rights, but the state withheld $3 million, Fontaine said. The money was from of American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The filing deadline was Jan. 22, and both water authority boards approved their ranked lists on Feb. 9. Elko County belongs to both water authorities.

Fontaine said that the Central Nevada Regional Water Authority received 35 applications from eight individuals or corporations, and they were all in Diamond Valley in Eureka County.

The Humboldt River Basin Water Authority received 40 applications from eight potential sellers of rights in three groundwater basins  Antelope Valley, Upper Reese River Valley and Middle Reese River Valley, which are all in Lander County.

The program that will retire 16,100 acre-feet combined was totally voluntary, Fontaine said.

The 16 potential sellers filed applications to sell more than one water right, so the application totals were much higher than the number of actual sellers, and Fontaine told Elko County commissioners he determined that just one didnt meet the qualifications.

The purchase price for groundwater rights was set. Over-pumped basins were allocated $900 per acre-foot. Over-appropriated bases that are not over-pumped were valued at $350 per acre-foot, and water rights in Diamond Valley in Eureka County were valued at $800 per acre-foot.

Retirement of water rights was proposed to stabilize groundwater levels and address over-pumped water basins and basins where there are conflicts, Fontaine said earlier, and he said there will be restrictions for sellers, but they can keep their land and improvements.

Commissioner Delmo Andreozzi asked if there will be deed restrictions, and Fontaine said there would be restrictions involving mitigation of dust and weeds and the state will help the sellers.

He also said those whose water right sales dont go through by the Sept. 30 deadline for obligating the money can irrigate this season.

The state will cut the checks and send them to an escrow company, Fontaine said, explaining that the money will be held in escrow until each deal goes through. The state will own the water rights, and they will be permanently retired.

The Central Nevada Regional Water Authority includes Elko, Churchill, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Nye, Pershing, and White Pine counties. The Humboldt authority includes Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, and Pershing counties.
US authorities have arrested an Indian-origin man in Chicago in connection with the deaths of a Gujarati family of four. The family, in question, froze to death near Canadas southern border with the United States two years ago.

Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel was held at Chicagos OHare International Airport and will appear for a detention hearing on February 28, according to The Chicago Tribune. Patel, also known as Dirty Harry, Param Singh and Haresh Rameshlal Patel, has been charged with the criminal offence of transportation of illegal alien and conspiracy to bring and attempt to bring an illegal alien to the United States.

US court documents, affidavit and criminal complaint filed in the case against Patel in the District Court for the District of Minnesota provide detailed information about Patels involvement in the human smuggling conspiracy. The affidavit relates to the investigation concerning the human smuggling event on January 19, 2022, in which four family members  Jagdish Patel, 39, Vaishaliben Patel, 37, Vihangi Patel, 11, and Dharmik Patel, 3  were found frozen to death near Emerson, Manitoba, approximately 12 metres from the Canada/US border while attempting to enter America illegally.

After the bodies were recovered, border patrol authorities arrested Steve Shand, 47, on January 19 for transporting two other Indian nationals. The affidavit described the January 2022 incident as an unsuccessful attempt by a human smuggling organisation to smuggle the Patel family into the US from Canada. More specifically, this affidavit concerns the involvement of one member of that organisation, a man named Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel in the US, it said.

The complaint provides details of communication between Harshkumar Patel and Shand concerning the human smuggling conspiracy. Shand has said that Patel was the manager of a gambling establishment in Florida. Through phone messages, Shand and Patel communicated about arrangements for rental cars, hotels, and payments to Shand. The two also discussed the severe weather in North Dakota and Minnesota on January 19, 2022. In one message, Patel told Shand to make sure everyone is dressed for the blizzard conditions please.

They also discussed the time Shand should travel to the border to pick up the Indian nationals. Pickup coordinates were relayed to Shand by Patel, court documents show. The complaint states that Patel was an Indian national whose real name was Harshkumar Patel, and that he lived in Florida.he was part of an organised human smuggling group that facilitated illegal entry of Indian nationals into the United States, the affidavit said.

Shand has told Homeland Security officials that Patel recruited him to transport illegal aliens from the US/Canadian border in Minnesota to the Chicago area for money. Shand described five total trips he had made to the international border in Minnesota between December 2021 and January 2022, to transport Indian nationals, including the January 19, 2022 trip during which he was arrested, the affidavit added.

Shand said he dropped off the first of his loads at a supermarket in Chicago called Patel Brothers on or about December 12, 2021. His second load was dropped off at a private residence in what Shand described as a wealthy part of the Chicago area on or about December 22, 2021. His subsequent two loads were dropped off at the Presidential Inn and Suites motel in Matteson, Illinois on or about December 31, 2021 and January 12, 2022, it added. Court documents said that Patel had been refused a US visa on at least five different occasions between 2014 and 2016. The date of Patels first entry into the US appears to be July 21, 2016.

The affidavit also provides details of a related investigation into the smuggling of Indian nationals. It said that an investigation was initiated in 2018 into a human smuggling organisation based in the state of Gujarat, India that was responsible for smuggling Indian nationals into the US. A man named Rajinder Singh was suspected of being the main facilitator in the United States for the group, it said. Singh had identified individuals in Canada who were responsible for transporting the smuggled Indian nationals within Canada to the US border for illegal entry. One of the individuals Singh identified in Canada was a man named Fenilkumar Patel. Singh stated that Fenilkumar Patel arranged the trip for the family that died in Manitoba, Canada on January 19, 2022, the affidavit said.

Singh also said that Fenilkumar Patel currently resides in Toronto. Singh added that once the Indian nationals reach their final destinations in the US, commonly Chicago, they work until they have paid off their debt to the smuggling organisation. Previous information discovered during the investigations indicated that Indian nationals smuggled by the Gujarat human smuggling group, work in a chain of restaurants in Chicago. The restaurants were identified and are owned by a man from India who has also been identified, the affidavit said.

The affidavit further states that a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) official in Delhi had attended a meeting with the Gujarat Police in February 2022. The Gujarat Police stated that Jagdishkumar Patel (the father of the family of four that died on January 19, 2022) was associated with the restaurant owner in Chicago on social media and through financial transactions. The Gujarat Police stated they suspected the restaurant owner in Chicago facilitates the smuggling of Indian nationals to work in his restaurants for sub-standard wages and as a way to pay off debt, the affidavit said.

(With PTI inputs)
Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday denounced Western civilisation as crooked, asserting that Islams values will prevail amid the war in Gaza. This provocative statement was widely reported by Israeli media outlets.

During an address at a meeting in Irans Khuzestan province, he said: This is the real face of Western culture and civilisation and liberal democracy, which on the outside are ironed politicians with smiles on their faces. But on the inside, it is a rabid dog and a bloodthirsty wolf, Khamenei was quoted as saying by The Jerusalem Post. On the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, Irans supreme leader condemned what he described as Western hypocrisy.

Westerners, who make noise and uproar for the execution of a criminal, face the slaughter of 30,000 innocent people in Gaza, and the United States brazenly vetoes the resolution to stop bombing Gaza for the umpteenth time, he said, according to the Israeli publication. The resistance forces standing and the enemys dismay from their destruction, as well as the patience of the people of Gaza in the face of bombings and calamities, show a strong religious faith, Khamenei said.

Israel has long accused Irans clerical rulers of stoking violence by supplying arms to Hamas. Tehran, which does not recognise Israel, says it gives moral and financial support to the group, which controls the Gaza Strip. Backing the Palestinian cause has been a pillar of the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution and a way the Shiite-dominated country has fashioned itself as a leader of the Muslim world.

Earlier in October, Khamenei had said that Tehran was not involved in the October 7 Hamas attack but hailed what he called Israels irreparable military and intelligence defeat. We kiss the hands of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime, said Khamenei in his first televised speech after the attack. This destructive earthquake (Hamas attack) has destroyed some critical structures (in Israel) which will not be repaired easily  The Zionist regimes own actions are to blame for this disaster, he said.

(With agency inputs)
Israels military on Monday proposed a plan for evacuating civilians from the Gaza Strip after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a ground invasion of the city of Rafah was necessary for total victory.

This comes as foreign aid groups have expressed fears that such an operation will inflict mass civilian casualties. More than 1.4 million Palestinians have converged on the last Gazan city untouched by Israels ground troops. It is also the entry point for desperately needed aid, brought in via neighbouring Egypt.

Israels military presented the War Cabinet with a plan for evacuating the population from areas of fighting in the Gaza Strip, and with the upcoming operational plan, a statement from Netayahus office said Monday.

Prime Ministers Office Statement:The IDF presented the War Cabinet with a plan for evacuating the population from the areas of fighting in the Gaza Strip, and with the upcoming operational plan.  Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) February 26, 2024

Doha Talks

Meanwhile, Egyptian, Qatari and US experts met in Doha for talks also attended by Israeli and Hamas representatives for the latest effort to secure a truce before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The US said ongoing mediation efforts produced an understanding towards a ceasefire and hostage release, while a Hamas source said the group insisted on the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

However, Netanyahu, who has dismissed the withdrawal demand as delusional, said a ground invasion of Rafah would put Israel within weeks of total victory over Hamas, whose October 7 attack triggered the war. If we have a (truce) deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen, he said of the ground invasion in an interview with CBS Sunday. It has to be done because total victory is our goal and total victory is within reach  not months away, weeks away, once we begin the operation.

The main UN aid agency for Palestinians urged political action to avert famine in Gaza. Dire food shortages in northern Gaza are a man-made disaster that can be mitigated, said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. Famine can still be avoided through genuine political will to grant access and protection to meaningful assistance. The UN has said it faces restrictions, particularly on aid deliveries to northern Gaza.

Mediators Hope For Truce

Israels army confirmed Sunday the death of soldier Oz Daniel, 19, whose body is still held captive by Hamas, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which said he was killed on the day of the attack. Mediators have voiced hope that a temporary truce and a hostage-prisoner exchange can be secured before the start of Ramadan on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar.

Jordans King Abdullah II warned fighting during the holy month will increase the threat of expanding the conflict, according to a royal statement. Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, whose country hosts Hamas leaders and had helped broker a one-week truce in November, is due in Paris this week, the French presidency said. Media reports suggest the warring parties are weighing a six-week halt to fighting and the initial exchange of dozens of female, underage and ill hostages for several hundred Palestinian detainees held by Israel.

(With agency inputs)
More than 3,000 people are stranded in Mauritius waters after the Indian Ocean island nation stopped a ship belonging to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings from docking at its ports due to what it said was a health risk.

On Sunday, the Mauritius port authority said that they took samples from about 15 passengers who were in isolation on board. The Norwegian Dawn, had been scheduled to dock in Port Louis on Sunday, but since it had not gone to Reunion Island, it arrived in Port Louis a day earlier, the Mauritius Ports Authority said in a statement.

Stomach-related illness

The decision not to allow the cruise ship access to the quay was taken in order to avoid any health risks, the authority said. The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost to the authorities, it added, without giving any details about the nature of the health risk.

A spokesperson for the US-headquartered Norwegian Cruise Line said in a statement that during the ships trip to South Africa on Feb. 13, some passengers had experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness.

Once in Port Louis, the ships management worked with Mauritian authorities to make sure precautions were in place and all on board were okay, the spokesperson said. The port authority said its test results would be known in 48 hours. Officials at Mauritius health ministry were not immediately reachable for comment.

Potential health risks

The ship has 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members. Of these, about 2,000 passengers would have disembarked in Port Louis after completing their cruise while another 2,279 new passengers had been expected to board the ship, the port authority said.

Passengers who were due to board the Norwegian Dawn and begin their cruise from Mauritius today will not be able to do so due to potential health risks, it said. Those who were disembarking or joining the cruise will now do so on Feb. 27, the Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said. Tourism is one of the major drivers of Mauritius economy.

(With agency inputs)
The Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said his government, which rules parts of the Palestinian West Bank, is resigning and has submitted the resignation to Palestinian President and Chief of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Mahmud Abbas.

A report by the Associated Press said that the move will open doors for US-backed reforms.

I submit the governments resignation to Mr President (Mahmud Abbas), Shtayyeh said, adding it comes in the wake of the developments related to the aggression against the Gaza Strip and the escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem, Shtayyeh said.

The next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political measures that take into account the new reality in the Gaza Strip, he said, as he called for inter-Palestinian consensus and the extension of the (Palestinian) Authoritys rule over the entire land of Palestine, he further added.

Now, Mahmoud Abbas will take a call on whether he accepts Shtayyeh and his governments resignation, but this move shows that there is willingness to go ahead with the shake-up that the US wants in order to brings necessary reforms to revitalise the Palestinian Authority. The US wants a reformed Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza once the war is over. But many obstacles remain to making that vision a reality.
Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, on Monday, became the first-ever woman chief minister of a province in Pakistan when she was elected to head the Punjab province, describing it as an honour for every woman in the country.

Maryam, the 50-year-old senior vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, won the chief ministerial elections amid a walkout by lawmakers of former prime minister Imran Khans party-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). In her maiden speech at the provincial legislature, Maryam said that she was happy to sit in the seat where her father used to sit.

My father trained me how to run the office, Maryam, considered the political heir of three-time PM Nawaz, said. Today, every woman of the province is proud to see a woman chief minister, she said and hoped that the tradition of female leadership would continue in the future as well.

                            pic.twitter.com/LbfZOEt4cg PMLN (@pmln_org) February 26, 2024

Will not seek revenge

The PML-N leader said she had seen hard times like imprisonment but was thankful to her opponents for making her strong. But I will not seek revenge, she said, indirectly referring to former Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar. Maryam received 220 votes and won the chief ministerial elections for the politically crucial Punjab province, home to 120 million people. She defeated Rana Aftab of the PTI-backed SIC, who received no votes as his party boycotted the election.

The votes have been counted according to which Maryam has obtained 220 votes, and SIC candidate Rana Aftab Aftab secured zero votes, said newly-elected Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan while presiding over the session. To win the chief ministers election, a candidate needs to win the backing of the majority, which is 187 members in the House that currently has 327 seats, according to Geo News. The newly-elected chief minister, Maryam, enjoyed the support of the majority in the House.

Read More: Watch | Nawaz Sharifs Daughter Maryam, PML-N Lawmakers Take Oath In Paks Punjab Amid PTI Hooting

The PTI-backed SICs 103 members have taken oath from its total 113 lawmakers in the Punjab Assembly. Maryam was backed by PML-N allies, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), and the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP). The walkout by at least 103 SIC members, including the PTI-backed independent lawmakers, was staged after the SIC nominee for chief minister, Aftab, was not permitted to speak at the point of order.

Queen of Mandate Thieves

Before boycotting the session, the opposition chanted slogans of Queen of Mandate Thieves as the PTI claimed that Maryam had lost his seat with a margin of over 800 votes in the February 8 polls besides the partys over 100 Punjab Assembly seats that had been stolen. It decried that the irony is a defeated candidate has become chief minister.

Taking a swipe at the walkout by the SIC lawmakers, Maryam said, Today, I am upset that the respectable members of the opposition benches are not present here [] I wish they would be a part of the political and democratic process. She said that despite several challenges and difficulties, her party members and the PML-N never left the ground empty. If the opposition was present today, and if they had protested during my speech, I would have been happy, she said.

Maryam is considered the political heir of the 74-year-old PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, who surprisingly nominated his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, 72, as his partys prime ministerial candidate. The PML-N won 137 seats, while independents backed by 71-year-old Khans PTI party won 113 in the Punjab Assembly. Separately, 20-odd independents, not PTI-backed, have already joined the PML-N.

(With agency inputs)
A cryptocurrency scammer posing as a wine trader from France wooed 37-year-old Indian-American techie Shreya Datta and then conned the Philadelphia resident out of savings and retirement funds while saddling her with debt.

The scammer, who identified himself as Ancel, defrauded the tech professional out of $450,000 in a cryptocurrency romance scam after wooing her romantically for months with his flirtatious smile and emoji-sprinkled texts.

Datta told news agency AFP that the scammer robber using digitally altered deepfake videos and a script so sophisticated that she felt her brain was hacked.

This tactic employed by scammers is commonly known as pig butchering. Here the victims are likened to hogs fattened up by fraudsters with feigned love and affection before the proverbial slaughter  tricking them into a fake crypto investment.

This fraud tactic has grown rapidly and is thought to be run by crime syndicates in Southeast Asia, has resulted in losses worth billions of dollars in the United States, with victims saying there is little recourse to recover the money.

As it has for many victims, Dattas experience began on a dating app  Hinge, in her case, where last January she met Ancel, who introduced himself as a French wine trader based in Philadelphia.

Datta said she was charisma bombed as the conversation quickly moved to WhatsApp. The gym buff with a dreamy smile deleted his Hinge profile to give her focused attention, a refreshing experience in the age of fleeting online relationships.

They exchanged selfies, flirty emoticons and did brief video calls in which the suave but shy man posed with a dog, later determined to be AI deepfakes.

They texted daily, with Ancel enquiring about little things like whether she had eaten, preying on Dattas desire for a caring companion after her divorce.

Plans to physically meet kept getting pushed back, but Datta was not immediately suspicious. On Valentines Day last year, she received a bouquet from Ancel sent from a Philadelphia flower shop, with the card addressing her as Honey Cream.

When she sent him a selfie, posing with the flowers, he sprayed her with red kiss mark emojis, according to WhatsApp exchanges seen by AFP.

Traumatizing

Ancel also sold her the dream of retiring early and becoming financially independent. The dream was, Im retiring early, Im well off. What is your plan?' Datta, an immigrant from India, told AFP. Hes like, Ive made all this money investing. Do you really want to work till youre 65?'

Then Ancel sent her a link to download a crypto trading app  which came with two-factor authentication to make it appear legitimate  and showed her what he called money-making trades through annotated screenshots, according to the news agency.

Datta converted some of her savings into cryptocurrency on the US-based exchange Coinbase and the fake app initially allowed her to withdraw her early gains, boosting her confidence to invest more.

As you make astronomical amounts of money trading, it messes with your normal risk perception. You feel like, Wow, I can do even more, Datta said in hindsight. Ancel also pushed to invest more of her savings, take out loans and despite her reluctance, forced her to liquidate her retirement fund.

By March, Dattas nearly $450,000 investment had more than doubled on paper, but alarm bells went off when she tried to withdraw the amount and the app demanded a personal tax.

She turned to her London-based brother, who did a reverse image search of the pictures Ancel had sent her and found they were of a German fitness influencer.

When I realised it was all a scam and all the money was gone, I had proper PTSD symptoms  I couldnt sleep, couldnt eat, couldnt function, Datta said.

It was very traumatising.

Brainwashed

Dating sites are rife with disinformation, with Facebook groups such as Tinder swindler dating scams and Are we dating the same guy? cropping up, and researchers calling out the growing use of AI-generated profile pictures.

But the use of romance as a hook to commit financial fraud is provoking new alarm.

The FBI told the news agency that last year more than 40,000 people reported losses totaling well over $3.5 billion from cryptocurrency fraud, including pig butchering, to the agencys Internet Crime Complaint Center.

But that estimate is likely low, as many victims tend not to report the crime out of shame.

Self-harm among victims is a common concern, campaigners say, with most unable to recover their losses and some falling prey to another breed of scammers  fake recovery agents.

Datta, who is in therapy and has moved to a smaller apartment to manage her debt, said she had little hope of recovery after reporting the crime to the FBI and Secret Service.

More agonising, Datta said, was dealing with public judgments such as, How could you be so stupid?

There should be no shame in becoming a victim of this absolutely masterful psychological scam, West said.

Victims are truly brainwashed.
Former Maldivian minister of foreign affairs Abdulla Shahid said the claims made by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu that thousands of Indian military personnel were deployed in Maldives was another lie concocted by him. He said there are no armed foreign soldiers in Maldives.

100 days in, its clear: President Muizzus claims of thousands of Indian military personnel were just another in a string of lies. The current administrations inability to provide specific numbers speaks volumes. There are no armed foreign soldiers stationed in the country, Shahid wrote on social media site X. Shahid is also the newly elected president of the Maldivian Democratic Party.

Transparency matters, and the truth must prevail, he further added.

The newly elected president and his party made the removal of Indian troops in the Maldives the main campaign promise during the elections. There are around 70 Indian troops, a Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters stationed in the Maldives.

Muizzu officially requested the Indian government withdraw its military personnel from the Maldives on the second day of assuming office. Muizzu in December 2023 claimed that after talks with the Indian government an agreement was reached to withdraw Indian military personnel.

He also added that diplomatic negotiations were underway for the withdrawal of Indian troops. He also claimed that military personnel on one of the three aviation platforms would be withdrawn before March 10 thus year. The military personnel on the remaining two platforms would be withdrawn before May 10, he claimed.

The external affairs ministry this month said India will replace military personnel at aviation platforms in the Maldives with competent Indian technical personnel.

Muizzu, the former mayor of Male and protege of Abdulla Yameen, the creator of India Out campaign and former president who was jailed for corruption, is a major backer of the India Out campaign.

He vowed to take Male closer to Beijing once voted to power and said that no country will influence the island-nations foreign policy, in an indirect jibe to India, on several occasions, before and after he became the Maldives President.
The Taliban have released an 84-year-old Austrian who was arrested in Afghanistan last May. Herbert Fritz arrived in Doha on Sunday after mediation by the Qatari government helped secure his release, according to a statement by the Austrian government.

After his arrest last year, Fritz had gone to Afghanistan and reported positively on life there. This helped fuel anti-immigration arguments that Afghanistan was a safe country to which refugees could return, Austrias Der Standard newspaper said. The Taliban arrested him on suspicion of spying, Der Standard said.

The Austrian foreign ministry said it had been working to secure Fritzs release since May, and thanked Qatar and the European Union representation in Kabul for assisting its efforts to bring about his return to Austria.

Fritz was a founding member of the countrys National Democratic Party (NDP), an extreme right group banned in 1988, according to Der Standard and other media. Austrias far-right Freedom Party, which has been leading opinion polls ahead of parliamentary elections due later this year, had pressed for Fritzs release. The party has said he was researching a book in Afghanistan.

Qatars foreign ministry expressed gratitude to Afghanistans Taliban administration for its cooperation in releasing the Austrian, without naming him.

The Documentation Centre of Austrian Resistance, which monitors far-right activity, described Fritz as an active participant in extreme-right political circles.

(With agency inputs)
A US Air Force soldier is in critical condition after he set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, Sunday. He live-streamed the self-immolation action on Twitch where he captured himself standing outside the gates of the Israeli embassy and identifying himself as a member of the US Air Force.

I will no longer be complicit in genocide [in Gaza]. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, the man apparently said before setting himself alight and repeatedly shouting Free Palestine!

ALSO READ: Who Is Aaron Bushnell? US Air Force Soldier Who Set Himself on Fire in Front of Israeli Embassy in DC Dies

HORRIBLE: A protestor (claimed to be an active duty member of the US Air Force) committed an act of self-immolation (burning himself alive) in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington DC today. He shouted:I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to pic.twitter.com/e7YTqatTrE  Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) February 25, 2024

The mans name was not shared publicly but according to the New York Times and the New York Post it matches a LinkedIn account for an active-duty Air Force officer from Texas. His identity is yet to be confirmed.

Law enforcement officers standing nearby responded by putting out the fire with three fire extinguishers. Law enforcement also drew a gun on the burning man during the incident, according to a report by Task and Purpose.

Authorities were heard asking the man  May I help you, sir?  at first but as soon as he was engulfed in flames they started yelling at him to get down on the ground. They even drew their guns on the burning man before someone pushed them to get fire extinguishers to extinguish the fire.

Twitch removed the troubling footage quickly as it violated the streaming apps guidelines. The Air Force told US news media outlets it was unable to verify reports that the man was an active serviceman.
Japanese ambassador to India, Hiroshi F Suzuki on Monday urged Indian youth to consider studying and working in Japan, underlining the ease of obtaining visas and the abundance of skill training and job opportunities available.

Appearing in a video posted by Hindi-speaking YouTuber Mayo san, ambassador Suzuki said, I have one message for Indian people, particularly, to young people of India. Please go to Japan to study and work. If you are a student, its so easy to get a visa."

Relaxation of visas for Indian students was first announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modis Japan visit in November 2016. Under this programme, students, graduate students, and alumni of universities in India were allowed to submit a certificate of student status or graduation. This provided an alternative to the need for a document confirming financial capability when applying for a single-entry visa for short-term tourism purposes.

The ease of visa requirement was aimed to further advance people-to-people exchanges with India, including an increase in young visitors. If you are a student, all you have to do is present your student ID. I am encouraging young Indian people to go to Japan to get skill training and job opportunities," the Japanese envoy said.

Suzuki, a career diplomat, served as ex-PM Shinzo Abes executive secretary from 2012-2020. Regarded as a member of Abes inner circle, he sat in more than a dozen bilateral meetings between Abe and Modi in those seven-and-half years. Ambassador Suzuki is often seen in viral videos, dancing to the tunes of popular Bollywood tracks, and enjoying Indian cuisine.

When asked about his favourite Indian food in the YouTube interview, the Japanese envoy said, I am impressed with so many delicious foods across India. But what impressed me most was Misal Pav in Pune. I had a competition with my wife who can eat more spicy food. My wife completely beat me. The video clip was retweeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

This is one contest you may not mind losing, Mr. Ambassador. Good to see you enjoying Indias culinary diversity and also presenting it in such an innovative manner. Keep the videos coming! https://t.co/TSwXqH1BYJ Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 11, 2023

During the interview, Ambassador Suzuki revealed that he loved visiting Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan and the moonlight plucking" of tea leaves in Darjeeling. There are so many places that I have not visited," he added. On a question about a big difference between the two countries, the envoy said, For me, (its) language because in Japan we have dialects but we have the same writing. In India, there are so many different writings." Drawing a comparison between India and Japan, the envoy described Indian hospitality as exceptional," akin to its own culture of Omotenashi."
Indian-origin UK-based professor Nitasha Kaul alleged on Sunday that she was refused entry into India and deported from Bengaluru airport to London, citing orders from Delhi.

Kaul, whom the Karnataka government reportedly invited to speak at the Constitution and National Unity Convention  2024, claimed her denial was due to her views on democratic and constitutional values. She also referenced past criticism of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

IMPORTANT: Denied entry to #India for speaking on democratic & constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as esteemed delegate by Govt of #Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused me entry, Nitasha said in a long post on social media platform X.

IMPORTANT: Denied entry to #India for speaking on democratic & constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as esteemed delegate by Govt of #Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused me entry. All my documents were valid & current (UK passport & OCI). THREAD 1/n pic.twitter.com/uv7lmWhs4k Professor Nitasha Kaul, PhD (@NitashaKaul) February 25, 2024

Who is Nitasha Kaul

She is an academic with expertise in politics, international relations, and critical interdisciplinary studies, and currently holds a position as a professor at the University of Westminster in London.

Her background spans several disciplines and regions. She has diverse scholarly pursuits and contributions to academia.

Whats the Controversy

Nitasha claims to have endured a grueling ordeal, spending approximately 12 hours on a flight from London to Bangalore, followed by an extended period at immigration where she was shuttled here and there without receiving any information about the process.

She claims to have spent 24 hours in a holding cell, under constant surveillance with limited movement and insufficient access to food and water. Despite numerous calls to the airport for basic necessities such as a pillow and blanket, her requests were denied, she said.

I was given no reason by immigration except we cannot do anything, orders from Delhi. My travel & logistics had been arranged by Karnataka & I had the official letter with me. I received no notice or info in advance from Delhi that I would not be allowed to enter, she wrote on X.

I am a globally respected academic & public intellectual, passionate about liberal democratic values. I care for gender equity, challenging misogyny, sustainability, civil & political liberties, rule of law. I am not anti-Indian, I am anti-authoritarian & pro-#democracy, she said.

Background and Academics

Nitashas academic journey is marked by a pursuit of interdisciplinary scholarship. Beginning with a BA Honours in economics from SRCC, Delhi University, Kaul subsequently pursued advanced studies, obtaining a Masters degree in Economics with a specialisation in Public Policy.

Her academic pursuits ended in a Joint Ph.D. program in Economics and Philosophy at the University of Hull, UK, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach to scholarly inquiry.

Work

Kauls scholarly work is beyond traditional academias confines, encompassing theoretical research and practical engagement with pressing socio-political issues.

Her work as an assistant professor of economics at the Bristol Business School and as an associate professor in creative writing at the Royal Thimphu College in Bhutan underscores her versatility as a scholar.

Her literary endeavours, include the publication of Imagining Economics Otherwise: encounters with identity/difference.

Activism

Beyond this, Nitasha is engaged in advocacy and activism, particularly in the realm of human rights and social justice.

She is the co-editor of a special volume in the Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) on Women and Kashmir. She has also testified at the US Congress on Kashmir and Human Rights.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Van Thao speaking at the event. (Photo: VNA)

The event was attended by nearly 130 delegates who are representatives from Belgian agencies, universities, businesses, and social organisations.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Van Thao highlighted the potential for cooperation between the two countries in six key areas including seaport-logistics, modern agriculture, green energy, healthcare-medicine, human resources training, and people-to-people exchange.

Vietnam and Belgium can also cooperate in developing solar energy, wind power, and hydroelectric energy projects, while sharing experience and technology, he added.

In 2022, two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Belgium increased by nearly 60%, partly thanks to Belgium's export of vaccines and medical products to Vietnam. This shows the great potential for cooperation, not only between the two countries but also between Belgium and ASEAN via Vietnam's geo-economic position as a regional gateway.

Regarding human resources training, the ambassador noted that the two countries can promote cooperation in areas where Vietnam has high demand such as technique, information technology, and management.

Strengthening people-to-people contact between the two countries through cultural, tourism, and academic exchanges will create opportunities to increase understanding, tighten relations, and create a solid foundation for comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, he added.

For his part, First Vice President of the Belgian Senate and President of the Belgium-Vietnam Alliance Andries Gryffroy emphasised that Vietnam - Belgium relationship is a special one that has been built on the foundations of respect, trust, and mutual interests.

He pointed out significant achievements in expanding and strengthening bilateral relations, especially in the fields of economy, trade, and investment. The visits by the two countries' high-ranking ndelegations in the past year are clear evidence of the constantly developing Belgium-Vietnam cooperation, he said.

At the event, some agricultural products of Vietnam were also introduced to Belgian market./.
A general agreement has been reached on the outline of an agreement for Hamas to release hostages in exchange for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, a White House official said Sunday. Negotiators for the US, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar reached "an understanding" in Paris, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN's State of the Union. "I'm not going to go into the specifics of that because it is still under negotiation in terms of hammering out the details of it," he said. A final deal could be settled in the coming days, Sullivan said.

An Israeli official said Saturday that the talks seemed to be moving ahead, but a Hamas leader told CNN on Sunday that he is "not aware" of any progress in negotiations concerning Israel and Hamas. An Israeli delegation is going to Qatar as soon as Monday for intensive talks intended to settle remaining details, per the New York Times. That move was cleared after Israel's war cabinet approved the deal's outline on Saturday night. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday that Israel wants a deal to free the hostages, per the Washington Post.

Netanyahu said he also wants Hamas to abandon what he called its "crazy demands," which he said include a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and negotiations toward permanently ending the Israel-Hamas war. If a ceasefire goes into effect, he said, an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza city of Rafah could be "delayed somewhat," per the AP. (More Israel-Hamas war stories.)
If you're going to claim serious injuries from a car crash have left you unable to work or play with your kids, entering a Christmas tree-throwing contest probably shouldn't be on your to-do list as your case winds its way through the courts. Kamila Grabska found that out the hard way after an Irish court dismissed her $825,000 insurance company lawsuit, following the emergence of a photo showing her not only taking part in the unusual tree-hurling competition but winning the women's division. Per the Irish Independent , which first reported on the case, the mother of two was involved in a 2017 car accident that she says left her with debilitating back and neck injuries that wouldn't even allow her to lift a heavy bag of groceries, let alone hold down a job.

Grabska, now 36, filed a suit against RSA Insurance after her vehicle was rear-ended in Ennis, and she recently described to the High Court in Limerick how she still experienced pain daily, though on good days she could take walks with her kids and do some light housework. On bad days, she noted, she wouldn't be able to get out of bed until noon and required pain meds. But a photo emerged in court that had been published in the Independent in January 2018, just months after she was in the accident, showing Grabska throwing a 5-foot-long spruce in the contest, reports the Guardian.

When asked in court by an attorney for the insurance company if she'd ever told her doctors that she'd been involved in a Christmas tree-throwing contest, Grabska replied, "No, because I forgot." Footage was also seen in court that showed Grabska playing and wrestling for more than an hour with her "large and strong" Dalmatian. After seeing the video and pictorial evidence, Judge Carmel Stewart dismissed Grabska's case. "It is a very large, natural Christmas tree and it is being thrown by her in a very agile movement," Stewart said in court. "I'm afraid I cannot but conclude the claims were entirely exaggerated." (More Ireland stories.)
Farmers clashed with Belgium police on Monday, spraying officers with liquid manure and setting fire to tire piles in a fresh show of force as European Union agriculture ministers met in search of ways to address their concerns. Brussels police said 900 tractors entered the city, many bearing down on the European Council building where the ministers were meeting. Police in riot gear used water cannons to defend the EU's headquarters from behind concrete barriers and barbed wire. The farmers are angry at red tape and competition from cheap imports from countries where the EU's relatively high standards don't apply. They lined up scores of tractors, snarling traffic and blocking public transport.

Some lament what they see as the slow death of working the land. At the start of the month, a similar demonstration turned violent as farmers torched hay bales and threw eggs and firecrackers at police near an EU summit. "We are getting ignored," Marieke Van De Vivere, a farmer from northern Belgium, told the AP. She invited ministers "to be reasonable to us, to come with us on a day to work on the field ... to see that it is not very easy ... because of the rules they put on us." Spain, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria have been hit by recent protests, and the movement has already had results: Earlier this month, the EU's executive branch shelved an anti-pesticide proposal in a concession.

The EU presidency, currently held by Belgium, acknowledged that the farmers' concerns include the burden of respecting environmental policies, a drop in assistance from the bloc's agricultural subsidy system, and the impact of Russia's attacks on Ukraine's grain supplies. "We hear, clearly, their complaints," said David Clarinval, Belgium's agriculture minister. Still, "we can understand that some are in difficult circumstances, but aggression has never been a source for solutions." Irish Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said the EU should ensure policies are "straightforward, that they're proportionate and they're as simple as possible for farmers to implement. We do respect the massively important work that farmers carry out every day."

(More farmers stories.)
In video released by the Owasso Police Department, Nex Benedict, the non-binary Oklahoma teenager who collapsed and died the day after a fight in a high school bathroom, told police they had blacked out after being beaten by girls who had been bullying them. The 16-year-old, speaking from a hospital bed, told the officer three girls had been picking on them and their friends because of how they dressed. In the bathroom, the girls "said something like, 'Why do they laugh like that?' And they were talking about us in front of us." Nex said they poured water on the girls in response, and three of them "jumped" the teen, CNN reports. "They got my legs out from under me and got me on the ground and started beating the s--- out of me," they said.

In surveillance video from Owasso High School, Nex appears to sway at one point while walking to the school nurse's office with a school security officer, NBC News reports. In the police video, Sue Benedict, Nex's grandmother and guardian, told the officer she was angry that the school hadn't called the police. The officer told Nex and Sue Benedict that they could file a police report for assault and battery, but throwing water could also be considered assault. "The courts are going to look at it as it's a mutual fight," he said. Sue Benedict decided against seeking charges at the time.

In a 911 call the next day, Sue Benedict said Nex was "not doing good at all." She said Nex's breathing was shallow and they were having headaches. She said she wasn't sure if Nex's condition was the result of a head injury from the fight. Police have said the investigation is ongoing but preliminary results suggest Nex did not die from trauma, the New York Times reports. Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of the GLAAD advocacy group, said it was " haunting" to hear Nex "describe how school and state leaders failed, at every level of leadership, to keep them safe from bullying and harm," NBC reports. Eliis said the videos and 911 audio "all point to a clear and catastrophic cascade of failures." (More school assault stories.)
"The bottom line is this: we have had a 50 percent-plus growth in gang membership... that is not great for young people - gangs peddle misery and suffering across many New Zealand families with respect to organised crime and drugs and intimidation and fear and violence.

"That's not something we're going to tolerate so, I'm sorry, we are going to do something different. We either try something different and get a different outcome or we just carry on doing more of the same; more increasing gang membership, more violent crime, more retail crime in New Zealand."

On Monday, lifetime Mongrel Mob member Harry Tam also lashed out at the Government over its gang crackdown.

"I can't help but just laugh about it, in reality, because it's so stupid," he told Newshub.

But Luxon, shrugging his shoulders, said: "I don't care about Harry Tam, my friend... irrelevant."

During the AM interview, Luxon was asked if he cared about the Opotiki Maori Wardens - which also described the crackdown as laughable.

"The Maori Wardens do a great job, we really like the work that they do," the Prime Minister said. "But the reality is this... we've had a 31 percent increase in violent crime and we campaigned on this.

"People are over it, people want to feel safe.

"We're going to make tough decisions and, the reality is, gangs want all the rights of being Kiwis - they're not prepared to take the responsibilities."

Among the plans in the crackdown include a ban on gang insignia in public and police officers being granted special powers to disperse gang gatherings.
According to preliminary data from the General Department of Customs, from January 1 to February 14, 2024, Vietnams import and export value of goods totalled 82.56 billion USD, an increase of 17.1% compared to the same period last year.

Particularly, exports of goods were valued at 43.83 billion USD, an increase of 21.6%, while import value reached 38.73 billion USD, an increase of 12.4%.

Photo for illustration. (Source: congthuong.vn)

Thus, during the period, Vietnams trade balance enjoyed a surplus of 5.1 billion USD.

In particular, preliminary statistics showed that during the Lunar New Year (Tet) 2024 (from February 8 to February 14), more than 1,000 Vietnamese enterprises participated in import and export of goods.

Nearly 10,000 import and export declarations were registered at 116 Customs branches with the total value of 1.41 billion USD.

During the Tet holiday 2024, the countrys main export products included phones and components of all kinds, worth 282.8 million USD, accounting for 38.7% of the total; computer, electronic products and components, worth 263.6 million USD, accounting for 36.1%; and machinery and equipment items, worth 54.4 million USD, accounting for 7.5%.

During the holiday, Vietnamese businesses imported goods from 59 countries and territories. The country mostly imported goods from the Republic of Korea with a value of nearly 239 million USD, accounting for 35.2% of the total; followed by China with 196.7 million USD (accounting for 29%); and Cambodia with 41.3 million USD (accounting for 6%)./.
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This file photo taken with a drone on April 15, 2021 shows a view of Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

by Xinhua writers Yao Yulin, Zhang Yujie and Zhang Ge

CHANGSHA, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Long Xianlan from Shibadong, an ethnic Miao village nestled deep in the mountains of central China's Hunan Province, is among the country's millions of once-impoverished rural residents who have shaken off poverty.

Donned in a protective suit, veiled hat and gloves, Long meticulously opens a hive, removes the honeycomb, and gently scrapes off the wax with a sharp blade. As the mellow honey slowly streams out, countless bees crowd around him, but the skilled beekeeper won't be hurried. Unfazed, he continues the task at hand.

Today, the self-made businessman can rake in more than 300,000 yuan (about 42,200 U.S. dollars) a year. But success did not come easy for Long. He earned it the hard way.

Ten years ago, he was a hard nut to crack for local cadres. His transformation may enlighten many around the globe in solving a common headache in poverty alleviation -- how to motivate marginalized rural populations to actively engage in efforts to improve their lot.

China's fight against poverty includes all people irrespective of their ethnicity, region and family background, targeting the poorest of the poor with the slogan "leave no one behind." Therefore, it falls on grassroots cadres to rack their wits to provide bespoke services for everyone in a bid to end their penury, even the most uncooperative.

SELECT COMPETENT PERSON

Long Xianlan, who was 27 years old in 2014, was infamous in Shibadong for his indolence. Instead of climbing mountains to cut logs for heating, he would rather chop up his wooden bed for firewood and sleep on the freezing floor; whenever the village cadres called on the community to develop industry, he would grumble that he preferred to be given money.

In 2014, the local government hand-picked several cadres -- each either born in local rural areas or experienced in dealing with rural affairs -- to live and work in the village and assigned each a local household among the poorest.

Long Xiulin, a smooth talker with 13 years of grassroots village work experience, was dispatched from the local county's publicity department. He was paired with Long Xianlan.

Through his previous postings, the accomplished ethnic Miao cadre had secured a reputation for his ability to nurture close relationships with the public.

His assignment to Shibadong illustrates the "targeted" measures of China's poverty alleviation campaign, as cadres familiar with economics were often sent to villages struggling with weak industries. At the same time, communication specialists would head to communities battling with disputes.

During China's battle against absolute poverty, a total of 255,000 teams were dispatched to offer on-the-ground support and over 3 million people were sent to the countryside as special commissioners for poverty relief, official data shows.

As of 2021, Hunan Province alone dispatched 21,000 poverty alleviation work teams to its rural areas, with more than 600,000 cadres just like Long Xiulin paired with some 1.7 million local impoverished households.

BUILDING EMOTIONAL BONDS

Starting with casual chats, Long Xiulin began to build rapport with Long Xianlan who is 17 years his junior. He spoke at length with members of the village committee and called in on Long Xianlan's neighbours. Long Xiulin soon uncovered that Long Xianlan was abandoned by his mother after his father's death, and his only relative, his younger sister, also died.

It was clear that behind Long Xianlan's reputation as an alcoholic and brawler, was a young, vulnerable man who felt isolated due to a lack of love and care. Long Xiulin believed that the ties of kinship may help the young man find his way.

On New Year's Eve 2014, one of the most valued occasions for the Miao people, Long Xiulin brought Long Xianlan to his family home. They enjoyed a pleasant family dinner, and before leaving, Long Xiulin's mother gave the young man a red envelope containing 1,000 yuan, along with some hand-made cured meat, fish and sausage.

After so many years of solitude, Long Xianlan was so touched by the normal but unforgettable family dinner, he knelt on the ground, kowtowed his hosts and, with tears rolling down his face, shouted: "Mom!"

Similar practices to better bond with the less self-motivated villagers were also tailored according to their personality and family background. The team members paired with empty-nesters would frequently drop by to attend to the elderly; those self-contemptuous were encouraged to explore their own talents like carpentry and to develop hobbies into a lucrative career.

Across the board, the sincerity of the poverty alleviation cadres soon won the locals' trust.

"I used to feel scared because of loneliness and my helpless past and doubt that the work team would never understand the wrenching suffering of the poor," recalled Long Xianlan.

"However, they didn't look down on me. Instead, they invited me to dinner, took me to join the village's industrial development so that we can learn how to earn money ourselves. That was when I came to realize that there exists someone who really cares about me!" he said.

Long Xianlan and Long Xiulin are now brothers, and the warmth of home brought the former apathetic young man true dignity and new hope for life out of grinding poverty.

PROP UP CHARACTERISTIC INDUSTRY

After several heart-to-hearts, Long Xiulin concluded that Long Xianlan's greatest concerns at that time were marriage and work.

In 2015, the work team organized a blind date activity, introducing single women in nearby villages to the bachelors in Shibadong. This was where Long Xianlan met his wife.

While the other desire of Long Xianlan chimed with another of China's targeted poverty alleviation priority approaches.

Poverty alleviation through economic development is considered the most direct and effective way to give poor areas the capacity for independent development and help people find employment locally, according to China's white paper on its poverty alleviation experience and contribution.

With this in mind, China has supported its underdeveloped rural areas in developing various industries geared to the local resources available, which, for Shibadong, are agriculture, animal husbandry, Miao embroidery, labor services and rural tourism.

Long Xiulin and his colleagues invited the village youngsters to attend an industrial development discussion, collecting their opinions on future careers so that they can provide each of them with bespoke support.

"Dozens of young people shared our own ideas. Some wanted to be tour guides, others wanted their own restaurants, and some asked to be trained to operate an excavator. For me, I would like to learn how to plant crops and breed livestock," recalled Long Xianlan.

Their voices were not only heard but taken seriously. The cadres shared free vocational skill training and job opportunities: Hotel chefs were invited to take on apprentices; technicians like welding workers offered on-site training, while Long Xianlan was among those who attended a two-month agricultural course.

According to Long Xiulin, Shibadong had all its new industrial projects under a market-oriented mechanism, with outside enterprises hiring local talent. Government funds also helped fledgling sectors gain a foothold in the market.

It was not easy for Long Xianlan to find his profitable niche. He tried selling fish and other jobs, all in vain. But no matter what, his "elder brother" Long Xiulin was always there, finding new job opportunities, helping him apply for a low-interest loan, and keeping him motivated.

"My brother has always been so good to me. I feel obligated to strive for a better life by earning money with my own hands!" said Long Xianlan.

Based on Long Xiulin's deep understanding of the local natural conditions and market demands, he persuaded the young man to join the honey business. Embraced by mountains, Shibadong boasts abundant honey sources and breeds high quality bees. The business did not require much in terms of start-up capital and suited the young man down to the ground.

Sure enough, Long Xianlan proved to be a fast learner, and started his own honey business a few months later. The work team also helped Long Xianlan promote his honey products via e-commerce platforms and media channels.

Thanks to the care and attention from his "elder brother," Long Xianlan scaled up his sweet honey business quickly, and found his place in the world.

PROVIDE FOLLOW-UP SUPPORT

To help more fellow villagers live a better-off life, in 2017, Long Xianlan took the initiative to set up a bee-keeping cooperative. It now has 562 members and manages more than 1,300 beehives, with an annual output value of nearly 2 million yuan.

Their cooperation is built upon a common business model in today's rural China: in order to integrate resources and form an industrial cluster, Long Xianlan rents local villagers' land as bee breeding bases; while Long provides necessary techniques, guides members in bee-keeping and manages the bases, the members can focus on better breeding the bees. After the honey is collected, Long's company will purchase the honey from the members and process and package the honey into bottles catering to the market demand for sale.

By the end of March 2021, there were more than 2.25 million farmers' cooperatives across China, engaging nearly half of its rural population, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Official data released in 2019 shows that each farmers' cooperative returned an average of 1,402.5 yuan as dividends to each of its member, and over 3.85 million registered impoverished households nationwide joined such cooperatives.

To boost the product sales, in 2020, Shibadong set up an exhibition hall, where tourists can directly buy local agricultural products, cultural and creative products and handicrafts on display.

The village plans to add more stories to the exhibition, including highlights of its decade-long poverty alleviation efforts, so that the visitors attracted by the local picturesque natural scenery will get a lasting impression of the village's original ecology and its eco-friendly production bases and be willing to bring the products in the mountains back home.

With the local government's support, Shibadong also set up an exhibition counter in the waiting room of Jishoudong railway station, where urbanites often passed by during their high-speed railway trips, to exhibit Miao embroidery, agricultural products and local specialties.

Promotion activities are also held on a regular basis in the village or elsewhere to help sell the products. During such events, Miao ethnic characteristics are sure to draw everyone's attention, with beautiful women wearing glistening Miao accessories, singing in Miao language. The village also designed their own online shop via the WeChat mini program, which can be accessed as long as you have an account of WeChat, China's current leading instant chatting platform.

"I've married the right person in the right place! I firmly believe that as long as we are diligent and work hard, a happy life is sure to come. My husband is no longer a drunkard and has realized our dream with his own hands," said Wu Manjin, his wife.

"I used to work in a well-off coastal city where my boss owned a sedan and villa. Such a privileged life was once a distant dream for me, beyond imagination. That dream has come true now," Long Xianlan raved, adding that such a blessing should be credited to the persevering poverty alleviation work team.

However, due to fierce market competitions and China's booming e-commerce, Long Xianlan is a little bit concerned about the price war among honey producers. He has decided to introduce some local livestream anchors to help his cooperative win the hearts of customers; he himself is also posting short videos on social media and sharing interesting moments of his bee-keeping career to attract more buyers.

It doesn't bother him much though, as Long Xianlan remains confident of his high-quality honey products, his diligent fellow villagers and the reliable village cadres.

Across the country, countless cadres like Long Xiulin, continue to extend a helping hand and support those in need with the heavy lifting, exemplifying the enduring spirit of cooperation and progress that continues to transform the lives of its marginalized population. 

This file photo taken on Jan. 18, 2020 shows a view of the branch venue of Hunan TV Spring Festival Gala 2020 in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

This file photo taken on April 16, 2021 shows Long Xianlan checking a honeybee hive in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

This file photo taken on Feb. 16, 2019 shows a matchmaking event in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin (1st L) visiting the family of Long Xianlan in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

This file photo taken on Sept. 4, 2019 shows Long Xianlan checking a honeycomb in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Zeguo)

This file photo taken on Sept. 4, 2019 shows Long Xianlan holding a honeycomb in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Zeguo)

This file photo taken on Oct. 25, 2020 shows the family of Long Xianlan posing for a photo in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin (R) talking with villager Shi Basan in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin on a visit to villagers in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin (2nd L) visiting the family of Long Xianlan in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin (L) talking with Mei Yao, a village official, at the villager service center in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

This file photo taken on April 16, 2021 shows the family of Long Xianlan preparing breakfast in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

Editor: JYZ
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Mahir Haneef

The Bahrain Shura Council yesterday passed an amendment to the proposal for discounts for elderly citizens in government fees, specifying that the reduction in fees should not be less than 50 per cent.

During yesterdays session, the Councils Rapporteur, Leena Habib Qassim, presented the amendment suggested by the Councils Services Committee to Article 9 of Law No. 58 of 2009. H.E.

Osama bin Ahmed Khalaf Al Asfoor, Minister of Social Development, attended the Council hearing yesterday. While approving the amendment, the Shura Council has left it to the Council of Ministers to decide which government services provide a 50 per cent fee reduction for elderly citizens.

The Shura Council also approved the Services Committees recommendation that no separate elderly card be mandated for availing fee reductions. Rather, it specified the law to mean that whoever is over the age of 60 years as per their government identity card can claim such a benefit.

Besides the reduction in government fees, senior citizens would also be eligible for discounts for household supplies at private firms and companies that are willing to participate in the scheme, the amended proposal said.

During the hearing, MP Dr. Jehad Abdullah Mohammed Alfadhel emphasised the need for clarity and specificity in government decisions and highlighted the concerns raised by an association of retirees regarding various government fees, such as municipal fees and licence renewal fees, which are not clearly outlined. The MP called for clarity on the reductions or discounts available to the retirees.

Further, the MP raised concerns about access to medications for seniors, especially in light of the prevalence of diabetes among elderly citizens in Bahrain. She suggested ensuring a fifty per cent reduction in drug prices for seniors and sought clarification on the legal mechanisms required for such amendments.

Additionally, the MP discussed the implementation of the health system and emphasised the importance of ensuring access to medications for all older individuals, regardless of their insurance status. She expressed optimism about the governments efforts in providing free treatment and medications, while also acknowledging the need for further improvements through the upcoming changes to the health insurance system in Bahrain.

Experience and wisdom

Meanwhile, MP Ali Ahmed Ali AlHaddad spoke during yesterdays session about the importance of employing elderly citizens to make use of their experience and wisdom while allowing them to live with dignity and financial freedom.

The MP highlighted the need to support a draft law that includes amendments to provide discounts for the elderly, citing successful models in Western countries like Canada where retirees are actively engaged by private entities for their expertise and advice.

He emphasised the valuable contributions elderly individuals can make to society beyond traditional employment, serving as mentors and advisors across various fields.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Zahra Ayaz

Bahrain residents are currently flocking to the lively Manama Souq, a bustling marketplace, as they prepare for the upcoming Gergaoon festival.

The streets are illuminated, and the sales of traditional items have skyrocketed, creating a lively and festive atmosphere. While the festival might be unfamiliar to non-residents, Gergaoon holds great significance in the Eastern Arabian region and takes place on the 14th night of Ramadan.

It is celebrated in several countries, including Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. During Gergaoon, children play a central role by donning traditional attire and embarking on a door-to-door singing and gift-collecting journey.

They sing traditional songs and collect sweets and nuts from their neighbors. In the past, they were presented with dates, rice, wheat, and sugar. However, these days, candies and nuts have become the preferred treats. In Bahrain, girls wear beautifully embroidered jalabiyas and adorn themselves with gold jewellery, while boys proudly sport traditional Bahraini thobes, jackets, and caps.

Gergaoon is a cherished tradition that brings our community together and fills our hearts with joy, expresses Fatima Saleh, a local resident. She describes the atmosphere in Manama Souq during this time as truly magical.

Cultural heritage

Hana Ali, a Bahraini mother, explains that the festival is a beautiful way to preserve their cultural heritage and pass it down to the younger generations. She finds it priceless to see the excitement in her childrens eyes as they dress up and receive treats from their neighbours during the festivities.

The Daily Tribune reached out to speak with Mohammad Danish Haneef, a local businessman and the Managing Director of Danesh Food Stuff, who shed light on the high demand for specific items during Gergaoon. He mentioned that traditional mats called Sufra, which can be used for eating or decorating walls, are particularly sought after, with prices ranging from BD3 to BD5.

Fraser, decorative horses made of cotton, are popular among children for dancing and hopping during the festivities, costing between BD4 and BD6. Mohammad also highlighted the sale of drums made from leather, priced at BD3, which children use for traditional music and dancing.

Treat

Packets of chocolates and nuts, costing around BD1.5, are eagerly purchased by Bahraini mothers to treat their children. Handmade and decorated dolls, priced at BD20, representing cultural figures, are also in demand during this festive season.

During Gergaoon, it is customary for children to dress in traditional attire and visit the homes of friends and family, eagerly anticipating the nights sweet offerings. Some youngsters even take to the streets of Manama and Muharraq, playing lively music and dancing to celebrate the occasion.

As the Gergaoon festival approaches, the atmosphere in Manama Souq is filled with excitement and joy, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of Bahrain.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Labour Fund Tamkeen announced employment and wage increment support for more than 80 Bahraini employees at Al Kindi Hospital, as well as its facilitation of the hospitals growth over the next two years through the Business Growth Program.

In line with its partnership with private sector institutions to advance healthcare, one of the largest contributors to national economic growth, Tamkeens support for Al Kindi Hospital fosters the expansion of private sector enterprises, as well as provides more qualitative job opportunities for Bahraini talent in this promising sector.

Facilitating the creation of quality job opportunities for Bahrainis in this high potential sector, Tamkeens is assisting with the career prospects of the hospitals staff through both the National Employment Program (NEP) and the Wage Increment Program.

Launched in November, these programs will support 50,000 Bahrainis by increasing their wages, boosting the recruitment channels available to them, and providing expanded career development programs and job market-oriented training.

Tamkeen covers 100% of wage increments for Bahraini employees over a 24-month period and also provides specialized training for Bahrainis ready to assume leadership positions.

Enterprises

Meanwhile, the Business Growth Program is designed to assist established enterprises with expanding their operations, introducing new services, increasing productivity, and ensuring sustainability.

Tamkeens support for Al Kindi Hospital includes a range of improvements, such as recently launched Intensive Care Unit and ambulance services, and enhanced critical care and surgery facilities. Additionally, the hospital will renovate its radiology unit by adding state-of-the-art fluoroscopy systems, and upgrading its diagnostic precision and overall technological capabilities.

Tamkeens Chief Executive, Her Excellency Ms. Maha Abdulhameed Mofeez, said, The private healthcare sector is essential for sustainable economic growth, contributing 1.16% to Bahrains GDP during the third quarter of 2023.

With a 15,000-strong workforce, it offers significant opportunities for innovation, value generation, and the employment of Bahraini talent. Through this partnership with Al Kindi Hospital, we are enhancing local workforce engagement and professional development in this crucial sector. The goal is to drive national growth and improve quality of life.

Collaboration

Al Kindi Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ibtesam Al-Dalal, added, We deeply appreciate Tamkeens support, which is enabling us to expand our services, improve our facilities, and purchase advanced technologies and equipment.

This collaboration will also help us retain, empower, and further motivate our Bahraini employees, while helping them to excel in their healthcare careers. We reaffirm our commitment to promoting innovation, contributing to the development of national skills, and shaping the future of this critical sector.

Founded in 2008, Al Kindi Hospital emerged as a leading provider of private healthcare services in the Kingdom. The facility holds prestigious accreditations from both Joint Commission International and Bahrains National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA), which attest to its dedication to upholding the highest quality standards and delivering patient-centric care.

Tamkeen remains dedicated to supporting private sector enterprises that demonstrate commitment to supporting the development of the national workforce and expanding their own operations.

Strategic priorities

This aligns with Tamkeens 2024 strategic priorities focused on economic impact and sustainable development under three pillars: increasing economic participation through new employment opportunities for new entrants, expanding career development opportunities available to the Bahraini workforce, and further developing the private sector by supporting enterprises and boosting productivity and the adoption of technology.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bafco Food Bahrain, a leading shareholding company established in 2016, has been recognized by the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce for its exceptional standards in food quality manufacturing.

The accolade comes as a testament to Bafcos unwavering commitment to delivering premium-quality food products to both national and international markets. Bafco Food Bahrain embarked on its journey in 2018 with the construction of a Lentil Processing Plant, originally slated for completion in 2020.

Despite facing setbacks due to the global COVID-19 crisis, the construction concluded in mid2022, with full-scale production commencing in early 2023. Specializing in the processing and production of Masoor Dhal (Red Lentils), Bafco Food Bahrain sets its sights on achieving the highest standards of quality, in line with global benchmarks.

The companys vision is underscored by its goal to emerge as a leading agro-commodity trader on both national and international fronts, ensuring complete customer satisfaction through premium-quality offerings. The production process at Bafco Food Bahrain involves meticulous steps, from peeling whole red lentils to creating various products tailored to customer requirements.

The companys commitment to quality extends to every aspect of its operations, including stringent quality control measures and skilled machine operators with decades of experience. Since the commencement of operations, Bafco Food Bahrain has produced approximately 4,500 metric tons of finished products for domestic and international markets.
AFP | Charleston

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Donald Trump cruised to a lightning victory Saturday in South Carolina's Republican primary, blitzing rival Nikki Haley in her home state and continuing his march to the nomination and a White House rematch with Joe Biden in November.

Trump completed a sweep of the first four major nominating contests, converting a year of blockbuster polls into a likely insurmountable lead going into the "Super Tuesday" 15-state voting bonanza in 10 days.

Haley had vowed to fight on regardless of the outcome but Trump, seeking to move quickly from the primary to the general election, didn't mention her once during a victory speech in which he turned his fire on Biden.

"We're going to be up here on November 5 and we're going to look at Joe Biden -- we're going to look him right in the eye, he's destroying our country -- and we're going to say, Joe, you're fired. Get out," Trump said to cheers at his victory party in state capital Columbia.

Haley has repeatedly questioned the 77-year-old former president's mental fitness and warned another Trump presidency would bring "chaos," but her efforts appeared to do little to damage his standing among Republicans.

By about 7 am (1200 GMT) Sunday, major national news outlets had Trump just shy of 60 percent of the vote, with almost all votes counted.

US networks had felt able to call the race for Trump within seconds of the polls closing, suggesting little doubt over the outcome.

David Darmofal, a politics professor at the University of South Carolina, said the speed of Trump's projected victory confirmed him as "effectively the presumptive Republican nominee for president."

"This quick call is a bad result for former governor Haley in her home state. The quickness of the call will likely lead to additional pressure for her to drop out of the race," he told AFP.

Haley, a popular governor of South Carolina in the 2010s and the only woman to have entered the Republican contest, was looking to outperform expectations in her own backyard and ride into Super Tuesday with wind in her sails.

But she was never able to compete in a battleground that preferred Trump's brand of right-wing "America first" populism and personal grievance over the four criminal indictments and multiple civil lawsuits he faces.

Trump had already won Iowa by 30 points and New Hampshire by 10, while a dispute in Nevada led to the real estate tycoon running unopposed in the first official contest in the western United States.

- 'Not giving up' -

Biden reacted to the South Carolina result with a brief written statement warning Americans of "the threat Donald Trump poses to our future as Americans grapple with the damage he left behind."

Meanwhile Haley reminded supporters as she congratulated Trump in her concession speech that she had already vowed to fight on, regardless of the outcome.

"I'm a woman of my word. I'm not giving up this fight when a majority of Americans disapprove of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden," she said.

Trump aides have been clear that they want to see off Haley long before the Republican National Convention in July -- and are expecting the party to coalesce around the front-runner ahead of the first of his criminal trials on March 25.

A traditional conservative who espouses limited government and a muscular foreign policy, Haley has argued that a Trump presidency would be mired in scandal from day one.

Her central argument -- that polling shows her performing better than Trump in hypothetical matchups with Biden -- may have fallen on deaf ears but she has vowed to stay in the race at least through Super Tuesday.

Analysts say she is building her profile for a potential 2028 run -- and is poised to step in should legal or health problems knock Trump out of the race.

"Nikki Haley's an incredible role model," said one Republican voter, Julie Taylor. "She's not giving up, she's showing strength and grace and courage."
AFP | Amman

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Jordan's King Abdullah II warned on Sunday of a wider regional war if Israel presses on with its military campaign in the Gaza Strip during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in March.

At a meeting with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, Abdullah warned "of the continuation of the war on Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan, which will increase the threat of expanding the conflict," Jordan's official Petra news agency reported.

Israel has warned that, if Iran-backed Hamas militants do not free the remaining hostages held in Gaza by the start of Ramadan it will keep fighting during the holy month, including in Rafah along the Egyptian border where around 1.4 million Gazans have sought refuge.

Ramadan is to begin on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar.

Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza have resumed in Doha, state-linked Egyptian media reported on Sunday, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said any deal would not prevent an offensive in Rafah.
The research, conducted among more than 500 Canadian small business owners, found that just one in five has used generative AI for business-related tasks, despite most expecting AI to help reduce costs and hours worked. The average Canadian small business owner estimates that generative AI tools could save them $2,600 and around 260 hours per year, while one in four believe the technology can reduce their workload by 500 hours or more annually.

GoDaddy's data shows that a lack of confidence in applying generative AI to business tasks is the main barrier to more widespread use among entrepreneurs.

Almost 3 out of 5 (62%) believe that generative AI could help them run and grow their business

Half (50%) admit they don't know how to start using generative AI, citing a lack of easy-to-use solutions for small business owners

Three in five (61%) survey respondents have used AI for personal tasks, demonstrating enthusiasm for the technology

The Right Solution for Any Canadian Small Businesses

To help new and existing small businesses easily take advantage of generative AI, GoDaddy just launched GoDaddy Airo in Canada and the U.S. an AI-powered solution designed to help them save time and attract new customers.

If someone has an inkling of an idea, GoDaddy Airo can recommend catchy domain name options with just a description of their business. Seconds after registering a domain, GoDaddy Airo instantly starts generating content for the business, including:

Unique, eye-catching logo designs that can be easily customized to fit the business.

A fully built website with imagery and content designed to help the business engage and attract customers.

A professional email account that strengthens the credibility and prestige of the business.

By simply uploading a product photo, an auto-generated custom product description is created for an online store.

If a new or existing business wants to grow, it can quickly get plans and recommendations through GoDaddy Airo features in seconds, including:

Comprehensive email marketing campaigns with suggested content and imagery.

Social media calendar with recommendations of when to ideally post.

Compelling social media and search engine ads to bring traffic to the business's website.

"Canadian small business owners understand the potentially transformative power of generative AI, yet half of them lack the confidence or knowledge to apply it to their ventures," said Young Lee, head of GoDaddy Canada. "That's about to change."

Ways to Learn More

See everything GoDaddy is doing when it comes to generative AI by visiting: https://www.godaddy.com/en-ca/offers/airo

Small businesses interested in more information can learn from and interact live with Laka Sriram, GoDaddy VP of AI and the leader of design and development of GoDaddy Airo, during an upcoming Livestream Q&A.

About the Survey

An online survey was conducted between January 15 and 22, 2024, using an online business panel. Small Business (100 employees and under) owners, Side Hustle entrepreneurs, and Solopreneurs (one individual) were among the 504 total respondents in Canada who participated in the survey.

About GoDaddy

GoDaddy helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start, grow, and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers, sell their products and services, and accept payments online and in-person. GoDaddy's easy-to-use tools help microbusiness owners manage everything in one place and its expert guides are available to provide assistance 24/7. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

SOURCE GoDaddy Inc.

SOURCE GoDaddy

For further information: For further information: Thomas Costello, [email protected] or Siobhan Newmarch, [email protected]
TORONTO, Feb. 26, 2024 /CNW/ - PortsToronto and the University of Toronto Trash Team are proud today to release the official results of the 2023 Trash Trapping Program's research season. From May through October 2023, PortsToronto's network of trash traps, which includes eight Seabins and two WasteSharks, removed 43kg of litter, including 62,996 pieces of small plastic pollution from the Toronto Harbour. This includes items such as plastic pellets, pieces of foam from food containers, plastic bottle caps, cigarette butts and fatbergs1.

2023 Results and Findings

Over the course of only three expeditions in October 2023, the Toronto WasteSharks Ebb and Flow collected 19.2 kilograms of floating trash, including nearly 600 pieces of microplastics. (CNW Group/PortsToronto)

Tiny debris, including microplastics (items smaller than five-millimetres) remain by far the most common items by count collected by Seabins. Plastic items in the environment eventually break down into microplastics (often irregularly shaped small fragments), which can make it difficult to determine their origins. This year, using the same methodology, the research team has begun to see signs of a decrease in the amount of microplastics collected in PortsToronto Seabins, which could suggest the benefits of additional outreach and education efforts toward waste reduction.

WasteSharks, which are equipped with a large catch basin, captured mostly large plastic fragments  including large pieces of foam from construction and food containers, hard plastic fragments, as well as plastic water bottles, caps, cups, lids and straws. Data also revealed that fatbergs were within the top ten most commonly found items in both the Seabins and the WasteSharks.

In August 2023, PortsToronto launched a pilot program with two WasteShark aquadrones. This pilot program represented a Canadian first for these innovative trash traps, which are remotely operated and skim the surface of the water to collect floating debris. Over the course of only three expeditions in October 2023, the Toronto WasteSharks "Ebb and Flow" collected 19.2 kilograms of floating trash, including nearly 600 pieces of microplastics. With a larger capacity and remote controlled agility, the Toronto WasteSharks are able to collect a higher volume of debris in a shorter period, collecting nearly the same amount as all the Seabins combined over the entire field season. These can also be piloted into problem areas such as the corners of slips where we know that debris and other material can accumulate.

___________________________________ 1 These rock-like masses are formed by the combination of fat, grease and wastewater materials, including wet wipes and diapers, that are released with wastewater redirected to the lake during heavy rainfall.

Background of Program

Since 2019, PortsToronto and the University of Toronto Trash Team have collaborated on the Trash Trapping Program, which employs trash trapping technology and solutions-based research to tackle floating debris in the Toronto Harbour. Through this program, researchers measure and analyse the debris and plastic pollution collected by trash traps in order to track trends in floating debris, determine the source of the material and use data to identify upstream solutions. This data and key findings and shared in order to raise awareness and encourage behavioural and policy change that could help reduce and prevent floating debris in Toronto's Harbour. To view detailed data, results and mitigation strategies identified during the 2023 research season, please consult the U of T Trash Team's website.

The PortsToronto Trash Trapping Program is part of the Toronto Inner Harbour Floatables Strategy (Floatables Strategy), which is a collaborative strategy with a mission to reduce plastic pollution and other floating litter in the harbour. The Floatables Strategy incorporates additional methods of and locations for capturing floating debris, including storm drains. Further detail and waste characterization results can be found here.

Follow along with us on social media @PortsToronto and @Sharks_TO, and view a video summary of our 2023 Trash Trapping Program season, here.

Quotes

"Floating debris and plastic pollution in the water is not a problem unique to Toronto. We know that this is an issue prevalent in urban waterways around the world. What is unique about Toronto is that we have a coalition of like-minded organizations that have come together to find innovative solutions that leverage new technology and local research and trades to help make a difference," says RJ Steenstra, President and CEO of PortsToronto. "Thank you to all partners who have contributed to the Trash Trapping Program's progress thus far. We look forward to continuing this important work for years to come."

"Our collaboration with PortsToronto is invaluable," said Dr. Chelsea Rochman, Head of Operations at the U of T Trash Team. "Together, we make a huge impact in our community. We clean the inner harbour. We collect data to inform upstream solutions. We increase waste literacy among the public. And, we provide summer jobs to many students that provide training in science and application."

Fast Facts

Researchers estimate that 10,000 metric tonnes of waste enter the Great Lakes each year, much of it plastic.

A common occurrence in urban waterways, floating debris comes from a variety of sources  including overflowing or windblown trash bins at the water's edge, storm water runoff and industry.

Anthropogenic (originating from human activity) debris, and microplastics in particular can harm wildlife and contaminate drinking water, and negatively impact public enjoyment of cherished shared water resources.

Since the Trash Trapping Program's launch in summer 2019, Seabins in the PortsToronto network have removed hundreds of thousands of pieces of plastic debris from the Toronto Harbour, moving the needle toward cleaner water in Lake Ontario .

. PortsToronto Seabins are deployed at four locations on the Toronto waterfront and at the Outer Harbour Marina (4).

waterfront and at the Outer Harbour Marina (4). In 2023, PortsToronto launched a pilot program with two WasteShark aquadrones, known as the Toronto WasteSharks, Ebb and Flow .

. The WasteShark aquadrone is designed to skim the surface of the water to collect floating debris and waste from the aquatic environment.

About PortsToronto

For more than 100 years PortsToronto has worked with its partners at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to enhance the economic growth of the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. PortsToronto owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which welcomed approximately 2.8 million passengers in 2019; the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada's largest freshwater marinas; and, Marine Terminal 52, which provides transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses at the Port of Toronto. PortsToronto is committed to fostering strong, healthy and sustainable communities and has invested more than $14 million since 2009 in charitable initiatives and environmental programs that benefit communities along Toronto's waterfront and beyond. PortsToronto operates in accordance with the Canada Marine Act and is guided by a nine-member board with representation from all three levels of government.

About The University of Toronto Trash Team

The U of T Trash Team, co-founded in 2017, is a science-based community outreach organization made up of undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, researchers, local volunteers and staff all working together with a common goal to increase waste literacy in our community while reducing plastic pollution in our ecosystems. Their local projects use research to inform policy and management, and education and community outreach to increase waste literacy, engage the public and implement effective solutions. Their ultimate goal is to inspire an assortment of solutions resulting in the global reduction of waste and healthier habitats for wildlife and people.

About the PortsToronto Trash Trapping Program

The PortsToronto Trash Trapping Program employs trash trapping technology and solutions-based research to tackle plastic pollution and protect Toronto's waters for future generations. Since 2019, the Trash Trapping Program has removed hundreds of thousands of small pieces of plastic pollution from the Toronto Harbour. It is led by PortsToronto and the U of T Trash Team, in partnership with Swim Drink Fish, the Waterfront Business Improvement Area (WBIA) and the City of Toronto BIA Office Innovation Grant, Nieuport Aviation, the Toronto Zoo, Harbourfront Centre, and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). It is part of the Toronto Inner Harbour Floatables Strategy, a partnership led by TRCA, and of the International Trash Trapping Network, an initiative led by the U of T Trash Team and Ocean Conservancy, and has influenced the launch of similar trash trapping and data collection programs throughout the Great Lakes and beyond.

About the Toronto Inner Harbour Floatables Strategy

The Toronto Inner Harbour Floatables Strategy (Floatables Strategy) is a collaborative strategy with a mission to reduce plastic pollution and other floating litter in the harbour. It is a collaboration between the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority the Toronto Remedial Action Plan, University of Toronto Trash Team, PortsToronto, City of Toronto, Swim Drink Fish, Waterfront Business Improvement Area, and Harbourfront Centre. Partners in Project Green oversees the Floatables Strategy on behalf of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

SOURCE PortsToronto

For further information: Media Contact: Jessica Pellerin, Manager, Media Relations and Public Affairs, PortsToronto, Cell: (647) 298-0585, E-mail: [email protected]
A prototype of the AG600M firefighting plane returns to the apron at Hulunbuir Hailar Airport, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Jan 27. YAO XUDONG/FOR CHINA DAILY

Two prototypes of the AG600M, the firefighting variant of China's AG600 seaplane, recently finished test flights in an extremely cold environment, the Aviation Industry Corp of China said.

The State-owned aircraft maker said in a news release that two AG600M prototypes arrived at Hulunbuir Hailar Airport in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region in late January, and then carried out several test flights from the airport.

The tests lasted about two weeks and verified the AG600M's capability and performance in freezing temperatures ranging from -20 C to -40 C. The test crew also checked procedures for operations in cold weather, AVIC said.

The company said the AG600M project team will carry out a series of test flights of the prototypes across the country to meet its schedule of qualifying the aircraft for the type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China before the end of this year.

After the airworthiness certification work, initial deliveries are expected to start before 2025, according to AVIC.

The AG600M model performed its first land-based test flight in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, in May 2022. It carried out its first water-based test flight in Jingmen, Hubei province, in August that year.

It has a maximum takeoff weight of 60 metric tons. In a typical firefighting operation, it will collect 12 tons of water from a lake or sea within 20 seconds and use it to douse fires over an area of about 4,000 square meters, designers said, adding that the plane has a flight range of up to 4,500 kilometers.

The base AG600 model, which made its maiden flight in December 2017, was China's second amphibious aircraft model after the SH-5, which was developed in the 1970s for military purposes and has long since been retired from service.

With a length of 37 meters and a wingspan of 38.8 meters, the AG600 is roughly the size of a Boeing 737. It is the world's biggest amphibious aircraft, surpassing Japan's ShinMaywa US-2 and Russia's Beriev Be-200.

Editor: JYZ




The private residence of the Minister of State in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, was engulfed by fire on Sunday afternoon.





The property, located on No. 9, Justice Roseline Ukeji Close, in the upscale Asokoro area of Abuja, was reportedly razed completely by the inferno.





Despite efforts to respond to the emergency, including the arrival of fire service personnel, nothing could be salvaged from the property.





Mr. Austin Elemue, the Special Adviser on Media to the Minister, confirmed the incident, stating that the cause of the fire was not immediately known.





He stated that relevant authorities have launched an investigation into the matter to determine the cause of the fire.




Amid the current economic hardship in Nigeria, veteran Nollywood actor, Kanayo O Kanayo has warned Igbos over the planned nationwide protest against President Bola Tinubu-led federal government.

Kanayo gave the warning in a viral video shared on his official Instagram page on Saturday night while reacting to the economic hardship in the country.

The actor warned that Igbos are usually the target in everything in Nigeria, hence the need for Ndigbo to sing along with Davidos unavailable song.

While describing the economic crisis as unfortunate, Kanayo stated that if Igbos cannot be trusted with leadership power in Nigeria, they can also not be trusted with protest.

Hunger has no religion. I have been looking for stores where only Muslims or Christians buy but I cant see. So, I want to urge all Igbos to sing along with Davidos Im unavailable. Ndigbo are not available for protest in Nigeria.

Its unfortunate that we are all going through this economic hardship but the fact is we are not available because in our own matters.

We are always the target, we should learn from what happened. Lets guard ourselves and ensure that people who said we cannot be trusted with leadership, we also want to tell them that we can also not be trusted with protest.

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo had in a statement by its President General, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, warned Igbo youths against the planned nationwide protest.




The Trade Union Congress, TUC, has told President Bola Tinubu to as a matter of urgency, order importation of food items within two weeks from any part of the world to cushion the effect of hardship in the country.

TUC has also accused the International Monetary Fund, IMF, and the World Bank of being behind the high cost of living in the country through their advice for the removal of subsidy on petroleum products and electricity tariffs and told the government to stop following the dictates of the two world bodies.

This is as the Congress has insisted that it was not part of the proposed nationwide protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and would not participate in any process that ab initio, it was not a party to.

These among others were the crux of the press briefing by the President of TUC, Comrade Festus Osofo in Abuja on Monday.

Although, the TUC in its recommendations/solutions which it said it would present to the federal government through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, did not mention anything about the proposed protest by its sister union, the NLC, Comrade Osifo while fielding questions from journalists on whether it would participate in the protest, categorically said it was not part of it.

He said, So, it is when you jointly agree, right? That you want to do something. When you agree jointly that is the way to go and along the line you now decided that you are not doing again.

Comrades, can any of you show us where there is any agreement for us coming together? Whenever we are doing things together you always see us together addressing you. On that particular day, did you see any member of TUC there?




Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, is in court for the continuation of his terrorism trial.





Kanu was brought to court by the Department of State Services, DSS, on Monday morning.





In December 2023, the Supreme Court had returned Kanus case to the Federal High Court for continuation of prosecution.





This was after the apex court dismissed the Appeal Courts verdict that discharged and acquitted Kanu of all terrorism charges.





Against this backdrop, the court had scheduled February 8 for the hearing of Kanus terrorism charges.





But the trial was subsequently adjourned till February 26.




Ace economist and chieftain of the Labour Party, Pat Utomi, has issued a stern warning that the naira may fall to N10,000 per dollar if nothing is done urgently.

Utomi gave this warning on Sunday at an event organised by activist Dr Moses Paul to mark the first anniversary of the 2023 presidential election.

He said the country was going down very fast because those in authority seem to be far from the people.

Our country is dying before us; it is dying because the people dont believe that those in authority are representing them and those in power dont feel the people.

They dont act for the people and everything is running away. Going down very fast.

This is like claiming this moment and acting like citizens to make this country work right now.

We must not wait for the next election (2027) before we act, we need to take back our country right now.

We need to take charge now because we know what to do that they dont know what to do. If we dont create our own security system, there will be no production, and if there is no production, the naira will reach N10,000 per dollar, I assure you. he said.
Ahead of the proposed nationwide protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the Nigeria Police Force has placed its operatives on red alert across the country.





The Police Force has also reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the rights and freedom of protesters are protected.





NLC had scheduled February 27 and 28 for a nationwide protest over the current high level of economic hardship in the country.





A few hours before the planned protest, the Nigeria Police Force, in a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said officers have been placed on red alert across the country to ensure the safety of the protesters.





The statement said the force remains vigilant against any attempts by hoodlums to hijack the protest, stressing that anyone who might want to leverage on the nationwide protests to create brouhaha in the country would be apprehended.





Parts of the statement read, All Commissioners of Police and their respective supervising officers have been briefed and instructed to coordinate the officers on ground in ensuring the safety and security of all participants if the protests hold as planned.





Emphatically, the Force is fully prepared to respond swiftly and decisively to any unlawful activities or acts of violence that may threaten peace, public safety, and security in the event of such.





It is vital to state that the Police has spread its tentacles nationwide to curb any attempt by some individuals who might want to leverage on the nationwide protests, to create brouhaha, and such will be met with an approved legal and proportional force as the Police will not allow wanton breakdown of law and order, loss of lives and property like we had experienced, in some instances, in the past, in any part of the country.




Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Igboho, has urged President Bola Tinubu to order the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.





Igboho also urged the Tinubu-led Federal Government to drop the treasonable charges preferred against Kanu.





In a video released on Monday, Igboho said releasing Kanu will allow him to attend to his failing health.





The freedom fighter stressed that the IPOB leader is an agitator fighting for the Southeast like himself who is agitating for the interest of the Southwest.





Igboho said: Please release Nnamdi Kanu, stop politics. This guy did not do anything. Today is February 26, 2024.





Release him, let him go and stay with his family. This guy is just fighting for his people in the South East like me that I am fighting for my people in Yorubaland, release him, let him go. Release Kanu. Please release him.




Olukayode Ariwoola, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), has sworn in 11 new justices to the bench of the supreme court.

The justices sworn in include Jummai Sankey, Chidiebere Uwa, Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, Haruna Tsammani and Moore Adumein.

Others are Obande Ogbuinya, Stephen Adah, Habeeb Abiru, Jamilu Tukur, Abubakar Umar, and Mohammed Idris.

With the new justices, the supreme court has attained its full complement of 21 as prescribed by the constitution.

These appointments to the apex court will be the first of such significance since 2020.

The last time the apex court got very close to achieving its full complement was in 2020, when eight justices of the court of appeal were elevated to join 12 justices on the bench of the apex court.

Thereafter, the bench witnessed a steady depletion from 20 to 10 justices in 2023, a scenario Ariwoola described as the lowest in the history of the countrys judiciary.

In his speech on Monday, the CJN admonished the newly sworn in justices to allow their consciences guide and filter their conducts.

As justices of the highest court in the land, where appellants expectations are always extremely high, Ariwoola warned the incoming justices to be ready for verbal abuses or criticisms from litigants who lose cases.

There is no way you can please human beings, especially litigants. The easiest way to fail in life is by trying to please everyone. The only deity you can fear is the Almighty God, he said.

Once your judgment is in consonance with what God expects from you, and is also in accordance with the constitution, you should consider yourself the happiest and freest person on earth.

Your moral uprightness, integrity and respect for the constitution and other extant laws in operation, must be unwavering and unassailable.

Any judgment given at this level can only be upturned in heaven.
The carrier rocket for China's relay satellite Queqiao 2 has arrived at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in South China's Hainan province. [Photo/CCTV]

BEIJING -- The carrier rocket for China's relay satellite Queqiao 2 has arrived at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in South China's Hainan province, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Thursday.

The Long March-8 Y3 carrier rocket will undergo assembly and testing at the launch site, the CNSA added.

As a new generation carrier rocket, Long March 8 uses green and environmentally friendly liquid propellant. The rocket achieved its maiden flight in 2020, filling the gap in China's launch capability of sending payloads of 3 to 5 tonnes to the sun-synchronous orbit.

According to the CNSA, Queqiao 2, which had been transported to the same launch site earlier this month, is scheduled for launch in the first half of 2024.

At present, the facilities at the launch site are in good condition and preparatory work is underway as planned, the agency said.

Queqiao 2, or Magpie Bridge 2, will serve as a relay platform for the fourth phase of China's lunar exploration program, providing communications services for the Chang'e 4, Chang'e 6, Chang'e 7, and Chang'e 8 missions.

Editor: JYZ




A member of the United States air force set himself on fire on Sunday afternoon outside the Israeli embassy in Washington.

Ann Stefanek, US air force spokesperson, confirmed the man was an active-duty member but did not disclose his identity.

The man who filmed himself and live-streamed on Twitch, the social media platform, said his actions were in protest of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group.

In the video, the man could be heard saying I will no longer be complicit in genocide, while standing before the embassy gates.

I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, he added, before setting his phone down to film dousing himself in a clear liquid from a metal bottle.

He then lit himself on fire while yelling Free Palestine! until he fell to the ground.

The video was later taken down from the social media platform and replaced with a message stating that the channel violated Twitchs guidelines.

Vito Maggiolo, the citys fire department spokesperson, said the airman survived the incident after officers with the US secret service extinguished the fire.

Maggiolo said he was taken to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries and remains in critical condition.

Tal Naim, spokesperson of the Israeli embassy, said no staff members were injured and all were accounted for.

In December, a person self-immolated outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta and used gasoline as an accelerant, according to Atlantas fire authorities.

A Palestinian flag was found at the scene, and police said the act was believed to be one of extreme political protest.
The majority of New Jersey residents are worried about book bans and the political motivations behind them, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton poll released Monday.

The survey, conducted in December, asked residents if they were more concerned about banning books in schools or having students taught books or topics some might find offensive.

About 58% of respondents said they were more concerned that schools might ban books and censor educationally-important topics, according to the poll.

Another 35% were more concerned that schools might teach books and topics that some would consider inappropriate or offensive. The rest of those polled said they were unsure.

Pollsters also asked residents what forces they believed were behind laws banning books or prohibiting teachers from talking about race or LGBTQ issues in class. About 56% said they felt the legislation was driven by politicians wanting to win votes, while 31% said they believed the laws were driven by parents.

When we assess views in a scientific and representative way, public opinion on this issue shows  like many other topics  that the loudest voices do not necessarily represent the majority, said Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers.

These results are further proof following the 2023 legislative races that pro-book ban politics does not play well with a majority of New Jerseyans, she added.

The poll results skewed along party lines with 79% of Democrats putting book banning and the censoring of important education topics on the top of their list of concerns, compared to 27% of Republicans.

Among Republican voters, 67% said the teaching of inappropriate material was their biggest concern, compared to 15% of Democrats.

Researchers conducted the poll of 1,657 adults through landlines, cellphones and text, the pollsters said.

The poll was conducted before the Freedom to Read Act was introduced in the state Senate in late January and the state Assembly in early February. The legislation proposes a set of requirements for library material in New Jersey public school libraries and public libraries. It also proposes new rules to protect school librarians from harassment.

The legislation was introduced following efforts in some districts to remove books from school libraries.

The Rutgers-Eagleton poll was conducted via phone from Dec. 13-23 with 1,657 New Jersey adults. It has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2.8 percentage points.

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Tina Kelley may be reached at tkelley@njadvancemedia.com.
Dominic Sessa went from a real-life Massachusetts boarding school student to a Massachusetts boarding school student in the Oscar-nominated film The Holdovers.

Now his breakout role is indie awards-official.

Sessa is the winner of the award for best breakthrough performance at the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

Sessa, 21, made his screen debut in the film opposite Paul Giamatti and DaVine Joy Randolph.

The actor, who grew up in Ocean City (see our January interview with Sessa), receives the award for playing high school student Angus Tully in the 1970-set Christmas story directed by Alexander Payne. Giamatti plays Tullys ornery classics teacher Paul Hunham.

This movie The Holdovers changed my life, Sessa said, wearing a white, 70s-inspired Saint Laurent suit to accept the award at the Independent Spirit Awards Sunday in Santa Monica, California.

Alexander Payne, you changed my life, he said. Working on this every day was an absolute master class with you and I just cant thank you enough for this opportunity that you gave me. Even more importantly, just thanks for being a really good friend to me.

Sessa also thanked Giamatti and Randolph and said working with them was easy.

You guys heard me, you saw me, you trusted me, you gave me patience every single day and thats everything, he said. You guys are unbelievable.

Randolph, who has been sweeping awards ceremonies with her performance as Mary Lamb, the boarding schools head cook, won the Independent Spirit Award for best supporting performance the day after winning at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The Holdovers is up for best picture at the Oscars, and Randolph and Giamatti, who both won Golden Globes, are nominated for their work.

The Holdovers cinematographer Eigil Bryld joined Sessa and Randolph as a winner at the Independent Spirit Awards, which were hosted by Aidy Bryant and streamed live on YouTube and X, formerly Twitter.

Sessa also recognized Holdovers screenwriter David Hemingson, who is nominated for the Oscar for best original screenplay.

I have so much love for you, man, Sessa said. You gave so much of your heart in this character and you trusted me with that and I cant thank you enough.

Sessa, born in Cherry Hill, spent his childhood in Egg Harbor Township and Ocean City before being cast in the Holdovers role as a boarding school student at Deerfield Academy. He thanked BAFTA award-winning casting director Susan Shopmaker for seeing so much in me that I dont think I saw in myself a lot of times.

Sessa also thanked his high school acting teachers from Deerfield, including Catriona Hynds, who recommended him to Shopmaker during auditions for the movie, which filmed on the schools campus.

You guys taught me everything, he said.

In January, Sessa won the Critics Choice Award for best young actor for his performance in The Holdovers.

Im just trying to be present right now and take all this in, the Jersey actor told NJ Advance Media before his awards show wins. Doing a film like this and getting this recognition for it, its very few and far between. Even though its my first movie ever, I still cant really take any of that for granted.

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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup.
Wendy Williams wants a comeback.

Im bored, she says, eyeing her pink host chair from The Wendy Williams Show, which she has moved into her New York apartment.

I wanna get back on TV and stay on for years, she says in the second installment of the documentary Where is Wendy Williams?

The concluding chapter of the story, which aired Sunday on Lifetime, shows a Williams energized by people taking pictures with her on the street in Los Angeles. The Jersey talent is elated at the idea of a meeting with NBC about a possible new show.

I love being famous, the Asbury Park native says, demonstrating how she likes to roll down a car window just to see if people will recognize her.

But her family and manager see another side.

The one they find in bed with vodka bottles. The mother, aunt, sister, daughter and friend who they say was diagnosed with alcohol-induced dementia well before 2023, but continued to drink.

They say a financial guardianship, instituted by the New York court in 2022, has failed to prevent Williams from hurting herself.

Clearly, health-wise she was spiraling and everybody knew it, everybody saw it, her sister Wanda Williams Finnie says in the documentary, which was filmed in 2022 and 2023.

Where is Wendy Williams? premiered shortly after Williams diagnoses of dementia and aphasia were made public.

I think that the guardianship system is broken, Williams Finnie says. If this is how it works, then its broken.

Williams guardian, who declined to appear in the film, sued Lifetime parent company A&E ahead of the documentarys premiere.

Williams Finnie says she had agreed to become her sisters guardian when the court got involved, but was shut out when a decision was made to go with a professional guardian.

She asks why her sister, despite ostensibly being under the care of the guardian, continues to conduct interviews with media outlets like TMZ, holding up her swollen foot for the camera  a result of her lymphedema.

Williams family watches as those around her continue to make what they consider questionable decisions.

In March 2023, Williams flies to LA with her publicist, Shawn Zanotti. She does so without the permission of her guardian and without informing her jeweler-turned-manager, Will Selby.

Williams is making the trip to meet with NBC about a new show she thinks will happen, but before she arrives for the all-important meeting, she downs two vodkas during lunch. Zanotti watches as Williams orders the drinks and does not try to stop her.

When Williams returns to New York, Alex Finnie, Williams niece, a TV news anchor in Florida, visits to check on her aunt.

Wendy Williams in Miami. When she visits family there, they say they want her to stay so they can deter her from drinking and steer her to better health.Courtesy of the Finnie/Hunter Family

Finnie is suspicious of Zanotti, who is relatively new to Williams circle, and leaves the room, telling producers she refuses to film with her.

Williams tells Finnie that her financial guardian took all the money out of her Wells Fargo account. Producers say Williams was unable to provide evidence of this, but Finnie uses her aunts claim to make a broader point.

There have been random people around you getting money, Finnie says.

Stealing money from me, says Williams, who grew up in Ocean Township.

People around you getting paid, theyre going to tell you stuff to make you feel good, Finnie says.

The old Wendy, the one who was all about saying it like you mean it, would never allow this to happen, she says.

Listen to the people in your life that are not taking a dime, Finnie advises Williams, urging her to lean on family.

Im afraid that she could die

Zanotti tells the filmmakers that Wendy is bouncing back, pointing to media coverage about her alleged return to TV.

She claims that she never witnessed Williams in a state of intoxication.

But her family, including her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., are adamant that she needs recovery, not work.

Footage from the documentary directly contradicts Zanottis claim about Williams wellbeing.

When theyre in LA, Zanotti asks Williams, an executive producer of the Lifetime documentary, if she wants to go to the Oscars that weekend.

Whats Oscars? Williams asks, looking genuinely confused.

When Zanotti tells her its an awards show, Williams says she would like to go ... and suggests she wear what she has on: a T-shirt, jean shorts and furry, oversized boots.

Williams with her sister, Wanda Williams Finnie, and brother, Tommy Williams Jr.Courtesy of the Finnie/Hunter Family

NBC declined to comment on the meeting with Williams, but no offer for a show was made. After her return to New York, Selby says she seems worse off than before. Friends of Wendy like Blac Chyna, aka Angela White, are concerned.

A trip to Miami to see family is the prescription that both Selby and Williams loved ones think can help her the most.

Theyve seen a video of Williams sleeping in a Louis Vuitton store, shortly after the guardianship went into effect.

Its very clear she has a problem with alcohol, says her nephew, Travis Finnie. If you bring up alcohol around her she gets defensive.

Williams son fears the worst.

Im afraid that she could die, says Hunter, another executive producer of the documentary.

When Hunter and Finnie meet Williams in Miami after eight months apart, theyre visibly taken aback as she claims her podcast effort, which has yet to make a debut, is doing well and making money.

She looked confused and she looked skinny, Hunter says.

Its clear my aunt needs help, Finnie says. Other people, he says, are using Williams to advance their own interests.

However, there are glimmers of the Wendy they knew.

The one who fondly recalls that she bought her parents an apartment in Florida when she was 27. Who sits and reminisces with her father, Thomas Williams Sr., looking through old family photos and talking about how she misses her mother Shirley Williams, who died in 2020.

Then theres the Wendy that cant seem to acknowledge she has a drinking problem or health issues beyond Graves disease, hyperthyroidism and lymphedema.

A young Wendy Williams, at right, with her father, Thomas Williams Sr., and mother, Shirley Williams. Courtesy of the Finnie/Hunter Family

Alcohol, dementia and dueling interests

Kevin hates that I care for liquor, Williams says.

Hes very important to me, she says, tearing up.

Hunter says that the last time Williams visited Florida, doctors diagnosed her with dementia.

They basically said that because she was drinking so much, it was starting to affect her headspace and her brain, he says.

The documentary notes that this mention from Hunter was the first time anyone said anything about dementia during the production of the film.

Williams, who continually tells those around her about her intended return to TV, arrives for dinner with her father and brother.

So Kevin, Im so glad youre here, really, she tells her brother, Tommy. Her father looks worried about the mixup, which Williams does not correct.

As a result of her previous visit to Miami in 2021, Williams looked healthier, her son says, gaining up to 30 pounds as she was steered away from alcohol and toward better health.

At the time, Williams had taken a break from The Wendy Williams Show, which was canceled and replaced with Sherri in 2022.

The family wanted her to extend her stay and the show wanted her back.

Our priority wasnt just to dust her up and put her back onstage, Travis Finnie says. It was to actually focus on long-term recovery.

Again, the family says it is not only Williams alcohol addiction but also the guardianship that stands between them and helping Wendy.

I still see glimpses of my mom very often, says Hunter, who was removed as Williams power of attorney in 2022. She still has a chance to live a good and healthy life but she needs to want to live that. I feel like if you dont slow her down shes not going to slow down for anybody.

Williams' guardianship is up for review this year.Calvin Gayle

Cutting the cameras

Williams family says her progress was derailed after she was ordered to return to New York.

She was required to appear in court for the guardianship in 2022.

Hunter says Miami was better for his mother because she wasnt able to self-sabotage.

She needs to heal, thats what needs to happen, because shes not good right now, Williams brother says.

Right now shes weak and vulnerable and she needs to be around people who arent going to take advantage of that.

Hunter wants his mother to extend her latest stay in Miami, but she returns to New York, where she admits that shes lonely. She prefers having the film crew around because it means people will be there.

Just several days after her return home, producers go to her apartment to film an interview for the documentary and find her crying and intoxicated, having apparently consumed part of a mimosa.

I miss my family, Williams says through the tears.

A producer says its the fourth time theyve shown up for an interview with Williams and had to cancel because she was in such a state.

The filmmakers stopped following Williams in April 2023 because of concerns for her wellbeing, the documentary says.

Selby, who is also an executive producer of the documentary, says its clear that leaving Williams alone is not working.

He says he went to her apartment and when she kept telling him to wait, he pushed into the place and found an empty liquor bottle.

Shes locked herself in her apartment, surrounded herself with alcohol and decided, This is going to be my fate, he says in the documentary.

When the film wrapped, Williams was living in a medical facility. The New York apartment was emptied of her belongings.

While she can call her family, they do not know the location of the facility and arent able to visit her.

Williams Finnie says she hasnt heard from the guardian in a year, but from what she hears on calls with her sister, Williams is improved.

Its almost like Im talking to Wendy from the past, she says.

Selby says Williams is sober, has gained weight and has stopped trying to return to work.

She even told me that eventually she wants to move to Miami, he says.

The guardianship? Its due for review this year.

Hunter knows what he wants to see:

I want the family to become the guardian.

Where is Wendy Williams? can be watched on Lifetime and is available for purchase on Amazon Prime Video.

Heres some information on streaming TV services with free trials that carry Lifetime.

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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup.
Jersey City firefighters doused two residential fires Sunday morning, but not before enough damage was done to knock a total of 10 people from their homes, officials said.

Jersey City firefighters responded to 304 Chapel Avenue at approximately 10:30 a.m. and found heavy fire on the second floor of the structure, Jersey City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said.

Firefighters quickly put out the fire with no injuries to occupants or firefighters, but three people were displaced and assisted by the American Red Cross. The building suffered heavy fire damage on the second floor and roof.

Earlier that morning, seven people, including an infant, were displaced in a fire at a two-family home at 48 Bergen Ave., between Fulton and Woodlawn avenues.

Upon arrival, firefighters observed a working fire in the ceiling of the second floor with extension to the roof area. There were no injuries reported and the displaced residents were assisted by the American Red Cross.
Two Hudson County men and a Passaic County man were arrested and more than $500,000 in MDMA/ketamine was seized, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced Monday.

Mauricio Hurtado, 42, of Secaucus, Jose Restrepo, 57, of North Bergen, and Carlos Florez, 49, of Bloomingdale, were arrested Thursday in North Bergen following an investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutors Office Narcotics Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.

During the course of the investigation, more than five kilograms of suspected MDMA/ketamine and a handgun were recovered, Suarez said.

Hurtado, Restrepo and Florez, who were arrested in the area of 91st Street and Bergenwood Avenue, have been charged with possession with the intent to distribute (MDMA), possession with the intent to distribute (ketamine), conspiracy to distribute (MDMA) and conspiracy to distribute (ketamine).

Following the arrests, a court-authorized search warrant was conducted at Hurtados Secaucus apartment Friday and police recovered a handgun, more than $100,000 in cash (suspected proceeds from narcotics transactions), and narcotics, Suarez said.

Hurtado was additionally charged with possession with the intent to distribute (MDMA), possession with the intent to distribute (ketamine), possession of a firearm while committing a drug offense, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, money laundering and possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent to distribute.

The recovered narcotics are described as a pink and bright yellow substances most commonly used for recreational purposes and known for its hallucinogenic effects.

Suarez credited the HCPO Narcotics Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, and the United States Postal Inspection Service with the investigation and arrests, with assistance from the Secaucus Police Department and the North Bergen Police Department.
A Union City man fleeing from police after shoplifting from a Secaucus store Friday jumped into a creek near MetLife Stadium before being arrested, Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller said.

Gregory Calvo, 53, was charged with shoplifting, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, eluding, possession of burglar tools, obstructing the administration of law and resisting arrest after the incident that started at Kohls on Millcreek Drive at 9:30 a.m. He was taken to Hudson County jail.

A store loss prevention officer reported the theft and told police the getaway vehicle was a 2011 gray Mitsubishi Lancer, Miller said. When police arrived, the Calvo drove around two marked police vehicles and fled onto Route 3 West.
Flames gutted the Walgreens on Old Route 22 in the town of Clinton Sunday evening.

Several social media posts showed flames shooting from the roof of the building. The fire was reported at about 8:45 p.m.

Numerous firefighters were on scene at the building after 11 p.m., as smoke still pumped from the building. The store is at the end of a small strip of stores on the westbound side of the road.

Town officials could not immediately be reached for comment about the incident.

Firefighters at the Walgreens fire in Clinton, N.J. on Sunday evening, Feb. 25, 2024.(Photos by Andre Malok | NJ.com)

Firefighters at the Walgreens fire in Clinton, N.J. on Sunday evening, Feb. 25, 2024.(Photos by Andre Malok | NJ.com)

Firefighters at the Walgreens fire in Clinton, N.J. on Sunday evening, Feb. 25, 2024.(Photos by Andre Malok | NJ.com)

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Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com
Nearly every New Jersey town is expected to continue seeing steady increases in home prices through the spring, according to the latest Zillow real estate forecast.

Lawnside, a township in Camden County, is expected to see the biggest increase at 3.20%. Two other towns - Ewing in Mercer County and Gibbsboro in Camden County - could also see 3% increases in real estate values.

Just eight towns out of the 547 New Jersey ZIP codes analyzed by Zillow are expected to see declines in home values by April. Those were all drops of 1.1% or less.
Citing less demand at its Elmer hospital, Inspira Health Network is relocating its maternity service from the facility, leaving Salem County without a hospital that offers maternity care.

Inspira on Sunday said the five-bed unit at the Elmer hospital on Front Street will stop treating pregnant patients around April. The hospital has been known for its maternity care, which offers a midwifery program that now will continue at the companys Mullica Hill hospital.

Inspira, which operates five hospitals and dozens of outpatient clinics, said a rise in the number of patients seeking advanced clinical capabilities led to a drop in patient numbers at its Salem County hospital in recent years. Two-thirds of Salem County patients, according to the company, turn to Inspiras hospitals in Vineland or Mullica Hill for maternity care.

The Elmer facility in 2023 was recognized for its safe infant care practices by Baby Friendly USA, a national accreditation entity.

Inspira Health strives to meet our community where they want to receive care, and therefore we are consolidating our maternity care services at our Mullica Hill and Vineland medical centers  building on Elmers strengths at these hospitals, Kathy Scullin Marinelli, an Inspira spokesperson, said in an emailed statement to NJ Advance Media.

Inspira acquired Salem Medical Center on Salem Woodstown Road last year, but the facility is not staffed for birthing. Salem County is one of New Jerseys most rural, filled with farmland and small towns. Its population is about 65,000, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elmer hospital still offers a range of medical care, including general surgery, according to Inspiras website. Elmer wont be the only New Jersey hospital this decade to cease serving pregnant women.

In 2022, Cape Regional Medical Center, Cape May Countys lone hospital in the Cape May Court House section of Middle Township, announced it would end its obstetrics services, leaving patients to rely on other area facilities for treatment.

Christ Hospital in Jersey City closed its obstetrics and maternity departments in 2020 as part of a consolidation of services throughout the CarePoint Health system. The move left Hoboken University Medical as the only CarePoint hospital with maternity care. Bayonne Medical Center closed its maternity department in 2006.

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Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com.
Two Individuals Convicted for $11 Million COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

A federal jury in Atlanta convicted a Georgia man and woman yesterday for their roles in an over $11 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud scheme.

Teldrin Foster, 42, of Decatur, was convicted of bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured financial institution, and money laundering in connection with 14 loan applications.

Carla Jackson, 55, of Tucker, was convicted of two counts of money laundering in connection with laundering the proceeds of a PPP loan.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between April and August 2020, Foster and co-conspirators submitted, or assisted in the submission of, PPP loan applications on behalf of 14 businesses seeking loans of approximately $800,000 for each company. In the loan applications, the co-conspirators certified that each applicant business was in operation on Feb. 15, 2020, and had employees for whom it paid salaries and payroll taxes or that it paid independent contractors; that the funds would be used to retain workers and maintain payroll or to make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments; and that the information provided in the application and in all supporting documents was true and accurate in all material respects. The co-conspirators reported that each business had approximately 60 employees and approximately $300,000 in average monthly payroll expenses. To support these payroll figures, each businesss loan application was accompanied by an IRS Form 941, which employers use to report payroll taxes. In reality, each Form 941 was fraudulent.

After the PPP loan proceeds were deposited into the businesses accounts, Jackson and others laundered certain of the funds through a series of transactions that were devised to disguise the origins of the funds and how the funds were spent.

The defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud and money laundering charges and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on each of the bank fraud and false statement to a federally insured bank charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia, Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBIs Criminal Investigative Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Atlanta Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) Eastern Region made the announcement.

The FBI, IRS-CI, and SBA-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Siji Moore of the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tal Chaiken and Samir Kaushal for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the departments response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

This story has been published on: 2024-02-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Zelenskyy: State to launch cashback for purchase of Ukrainian products on Made in Ukraine platform

Citizens of Ukraine will be able to receive compensation for part of the payment for goods and services produced in Ukraine as part of the new state cashback program "Buy Ukrainian," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at the presentation of the Made in Ukraine platform in Kyiv.

"For the purchase of certain types of goods and services made in Ukraine, citizens of Ukraine will be able to receive a refund of part of the funds on a special card," the head of state said.

Zelenskyy said that he had given the instructions to the government, and this program is currently being developed.

According to the president, the goal of this program is "to ensure that Ukrainian money remains in Ukraine and works in Ukraine."

"These are taxes, these are the salaries of our soldiers, these are the capabilities of our state, including defense ones. The parameters of the Ukrainian cashback are already being prepared: financial and technical," the president said.

He added that it is necessary to try to make the cashback program work this year.

Zelenskyy said that the newly created Made in Ukraine platform should become a platform for constant direct dialogue between the state and entrepreneurs.

The head of state indicated that work continues on other government programs that will allow domestic producers to scale up their work.

"These are government grants, loans, stimulation of production, demand through Ukrainian cashback, assistance in foreign markets," the president said.
TAMPA, Fla. - The easiest way to make sense of the Yankees spring opener is to acknowledge it was multi-layered. It was complicated. Its also very early, so lets promise not to over-react.

Still, the Yankees can be forgiven for dreaming big when they watched Juan Soto smash a 400-foot home run over the wall in left center. In one swing, everything theyd ever heard about Soto became a reality.

Soto has power, plate discipline and a presence that makes opposing pitchers think about another line of work. That crazy shuffle looks dangerous. Soto is a threat even when he grounds out.

No wonder Aaron Judge is giving Soto the deluxe treatment. Its been less than a month and two are already BFFs.

(Soto) is a New York Yankee. Its his first year here and I want it to be his best year, Judge said. If hes feeling right, doing his thing, thats going to take us one step closer to a World Series.

Soto smiled hearing of Judges warm embrace. He said, I loved every minute of his get-to-know-you afternoon at Steinbrenner Field.

And why not. The setting for Sotos spring debut couldnt have been more perfect. The game was broadcast on YES. Everyone is counting down the days until Soto sets foot in the Bronx.

Unfortunately, the big audience back home saw more than Soto and Judge lead the Yankees to a 12-6 undressing of the Blue Jays on Sunday. Carlos Rodon, coming off a disastrous 2023 season, threw 2.2 innings. It wasnt pretty.

Although he allowed only one run, the left-hander struggled in the second inning, loading the bases with two walks and a hit batter. Rodons made it to the third inning but was pulled when his 48th pitch  his last  was tomahawked over the left field wall by Alejandro Kirk. .

What to make of this? Rodon is complicated case, which is why I sought out Yankees legend Ron Guidry after the game.

What did you think of Rodon? I asked Gator.

I guess it was better than last year, he said.

The assessment was more clinical than critical. No one in the organization wants to come down on Rodon; theyre too heavily invested for that. The Yankees only choice is to wait for the return to his 2022 form with the Giants.

Give Rodon credit for at least showing up in terrific shape. Hes not only lost weight around the middle, his delivery is cleaner and more athletic.

Rodons first inning, in fact, was a billboard of hope. He needed just 11 pitches, including nine strikes, while whiffing two. Dont under-estimate how relieved Rodon was when he said, its good to know the swing and miss stuff is still there.

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Any amateur therapist knows Rodon was traumatized last summer. Agent Scott Boras had convinced Hal Steinbrenner of the need to put Rodon in pinstripes. In exchange for the $162 million the young Boss forked over, the Yankees were supposed to get the final piece for a championship.

But not only did Rodon epically fail, hes made it harder for Boras to sell Steinbrenner on Blake Snell this time around. Theres been no movement between the Yankees and Boras in weeks. Every hour that passes increases the likelihood the Yankees will go into the season with the rotation as is.

No ones coming to the rescue. Not Snell, who would cost anywhere from $55 million to $63 million with luxury tax considerations. Not Dylan Cease, who would cost the Yankees super prospect Spencer Jones in any deal with the White Sox.

No one besides the last years 1-through-4 and free agent addition Marcus Stroman.

Its a good rotation, maybe an excellent one. But its still unclear who would start Game 2 if Judge and Soto can muscle the Yankees into the playoffs.

Rodon was supposed to Gerrit Coles wing man. He still is, theoretically. But the weight loss and improved conditioning are only the first steps in Rodons makeover.

Step Two is throwing harder. Rodon averaged 93.6-mph against the Blue Jays, down considerably from last years 95.9. Rodon reminded reporters it was only his first start, and I wasnt raring back or anything.

Thats reasonable, but even with uptick in velocity Rodon still needs a put-away pitch. In 2023 hitters attacked him as never before, swinging at a career-high 53.2 percent of his offerings. The contact ratio increased as well, jumping 10 percent in the last two years.

The Yankees would like Rodon to diversify his arsenal to feature more curveballs and change-ups. Rodon doesnt trust either pitch. Hes instead experimenting with a cutter this spring.

Well see where either option leads Rodon in the coming weeks. But that so-so outing on Sunday didnt make Yankees fans feel any better about the rotation. If anything, the murmuring for Snell is that much louder today.

Rodon has an answer for that: Clarke Schmidt.

When asked if he liked the rotation as is, Rodon flatly said, I do.

So does Steinbrenner. But the rumors persist. If youre looking a simpler narrative, Sotos your guy.

Hes a flat-out beast. Fun times ahead for the Yankees offense. Thats a guarantee. Feel free to overreact.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.

Bob Klapisch may be reached at bklapisch@njadvancemedia.com.
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Faimon Roberts III covers rural communities in Louisiana. His work is supported by a reporting grant from the Microsoft Journalism Initiative and is administered by the Greater New Orleans Foundation.

He can be reached at froberts@theadvocate.com.
The government will expand the list of goods and equipment, during public procurement of which preference is given to those where there is a certain level of localization of production in Ukraine, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at the Made in Ukraine forum in Kyiv on Monday.

We plan to use a number of tools to help domestic producers in the near future. The first tool is public procurement. We will expand the list of categories of goods that should be purchased from local producers, he said.

According to him, in particular, the matter concerns defense procurement.

We have estimates that the UAH 300 billion budgeted for the purchase of weapons, if at least 50% is localized, is a very important and large locomotive for economic growth, First Deputy Prime Minister  Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko added at the forum.

According to her, 40% of the purchase of Ukrainian equipment returns to the budget, which is important at the stage of limited budget resources as a stimulus for Ukrainian production.

Today, localization is already in effect in accordance with the current legislation. Our task is to expand the list of goods so that municipal equipment, specialized equipment, and mine clearance vehicles must have at least 20% of the Ukrainian component, she emphasized.

Svyrydenko clarified that the volume of public competitive procurement in 2023 amounted to UAH 1 trillion.

If you take the percentage of import penetration that was before the war, it was 40%, you can understand what our priorities are for the development of Ukrainian production, she explained.
Baltimore's police commissioner is stepping down after four years in the role. Commissioner Michael S. Harrison's departure was announced Thursday morning at a news conference held on short notice at City Hall. Harrison was appointed commissioner in 2019 and granted a five-year contract, which would have ended in March 2024. He moved to Baltimore from New Orleans, where he led that city's police department through a reform process similar to the court-ordered changes being implemented in Baltimore. The Baltimore Police Department was placed under a federal consent decree in 2017 after Department of Justice investigators found a pattern of unconstitutional policing. Harrison was chosen to lead the department through that period of reform.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal states that in terms of military defense support with finance, weapons and technology from partners, Ukraine has a ten-year perspective.

"Financial support for our military needs. After signing six security agreements, we understand that we have a financial resource from each country that signs such an agreement for four years. In addition, these agreements are signed for 10 years," he said at the forum Ukraine. Year 2024 on Sunday.

The Prime Minister emphasized that there will be many such agreements, in particular, with all the G7 countries and with the countries that have joined the Vilnius Declaration.

"Therefore, from the point of view of military defense support with finances, weapons, technologies, we have a ten-year perspective - as in the signed agreements," Shmyhal added.
The North Devon Palestine Solidarity Campaign (NDPSC) hosted a public gathering at Barnstaple Library on Saturday (February 24), to raise awareness of the conflict in Gaza and the continued suffering of civilians.

Through Zoom, around 50 participants listened to first hand accounts from people living in the West Bank and Gaza.

The event included discussions on boycotting Israeli goods, support for UNRWA, and a kite-making workshop, accompanied by traditional Palestinian treats.

UNRWA is The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East; a UN agency that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees.

The NDPSC has been actively involved in supporting Palestinians' rights to land, education, and essential services, especially in the face of escalating violence.

Dr Amani Odeh, a dentist and activist from East Jerusalem, had been scheduled to speak but was unable to attend the meeting. Instead, attendees heard from Areej, a young woman still in Gaza, whose child is due to be born in March.

A spokesperson for the Voices in Palestine event said: What should be a joyful event in anyones life becomes one laden with terror when you know that the surgery you are very likely to need because of your particular condition is just not going to be available.

Having a child becomes a death sentence. She spoke from the noisy open street, the only place she could get wi-fi.

Dr Nadia Naser-Najjab, a Middle East Studies expert, explained the historical and contemporary impacts of the conflict.

She highlighted the disproportionate effects of Covid-19 on Palestinians and the systemic oppression she said they endure.

A kite-making workshop at the event served as a symbol of solidarity, honouring the cultural significance of kites in the region.

They (kites) are also used to convey messages and simply as an expression of joy, sympathy or solidarity. In local demonstrations across the world, the words of poet Refaat Alareer, murdered by a targeted Israeli bomb, have been painted on kites, to honour his memory and to register grief at events in Gaza - especially the many thousands of children killed or maimed, a spokesperson from Voices in Palestine said.
A holidaymaker has called for better and more brown tourist signs to North Devons attractions after struggling to find some of them.

Writing to the North Devon Gazette, Richard Gardner from London said he was delighted when exploring the scenic beauty of the region, but raised a significant issue regarding the inadequate visibility of directional road signs, particularly the brown ones guiding tourists to attractions such as Exmoor Zoo.

Mr Gardner raised concerns over the state of what tourist signs there were, noting that several were difficult to spot due to being hidden by overgrown vegetation or unreadable with layers of mud and dirt.

Despite receiving helpful recommendations from locals, Mr Gardner encountered difficulties locating the zoo and credited his eventual success to the assistance of a compassionate stranger.

In response to these concerns, Exmoor Zoo shared their frustration, highlighting the challenges they face in navigating the landscape surrounding signage regulations.

"We would dearly love more brown signs to assist the visitors in the area, but it seems the council is all for tourism on one hand but not on the other hand," said Lynn Reynolds at the zoo.

"This is a situation we must deal with on a nearly daily issue; we do get complaints about it daily!"

The zoo is eligible for five brown signs from the nearest A road, however, since the main road at the top of the zoo is now an A road, it doesnt qualify for any additional brown signs apart from those closest to it.

Currently, the attraction has three at the top of its road, one at Challacombe Cross, and one at Blackmoor Gate.

Initially, there were two at Blackmoor Gate, but one was removed due to exceeding the quota. Another sign near the Bratton Fleming turnoff was also removed after being hit by a vehicle and deemed too dangerous to replace.

Despite several attempts to improve signage, the zoo was told it now needs 150,000 visitors annually to qualify for more signs, due to planning regulations being strictly enforced.

Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway echoed similar sentiments, and said: "We did try to get signs on the south and northbound exits of the M5 at junction 27 but were told this would be the furthest we would be permitted to have brown signs."

In response to enquiries, a spokesperson for Devon County Council explained the responsibility of businesses to maintain and replace signs when necessary.

They said: "Verges are maintained in line with Devon County Council policy. Where hedges obscure signs, this is the responsibility of the adjacent landowner to cut these accordingly.

Where signs have reached the end of their useful life, it is the responsibility of the business to fund any replacement. If signs are failing, we would encourage businesses to contact us to arrange replacement."

Exmoor Zoo now wants to collaborate with other attractions, such as Watermouth Castle and the Lynton and Lynmouth Railway at Woody Bay, to explore joint signage ventures and make it more accessible for both tourists and local visitors.

Lynn at Exmoor Zoo explained their brown attraction signs are due to be spring cleaned in the next couple of weeks for pre-season, but didnt feel theirs were obstructed by overgrowth from hedges.

She added: We do clean our signs, but I know a lot of signs around our area are looking dire due to the consistent bad weather creating mud we have been having.
Its nearing bedtime, and you decide to read a book to your child.

As you go through the pages, the baby doesnt understand what youre reading, but the process can play a big role in your childs development.

Dr. Usama Moustafa, a pediatrician with the Northwest Medical Group in LaPorte, said not only reading, but also singing, rhyming and talking should be part of the daily routine with your infant.

These are very important because babies develop listening skills and interests in sounds and words from this activity, Moustafa said. So, engaging babys senses is very important right from birth.

When it comes to reading to your child, Moustafa recommends starting as soon as your baby comes home.

Because that early and frequent verbal stimulation is important, he said. It does help the childs brain and language skills develop.

When children get older, around 9 to 12 months, give them a book to play with to start engaging in that activity. Moustafa said board books and soft books are great for children at that age.

They may chew on the book or bang it on the floor, but, still, I would encourage including books in their play activity, Moustafa said.

He said reading with children doesnt have to be a huge project for parents. Even a few minutes of reading a story each night can be helpful.

Moustafa said another important aspect of reading is repetition.

So, they may want to use the same story book or look at the same pictures over and over, Moustafa said. This activity is actually hardwiring their brains and providing constant stimulation for language development.

Hearing the sounds you make while reading stimulates your childs brain.

They start to understand certain backgrounds of sounds and try to reproduce that, Moustafa said. This is the beginning of personal expression and two-way communication.

Many organizations have programs in place to promote reading and literacy.

Jackie Bergstrom, childrens programmer at the Lowell Public Library, launched the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program in April 2021.

Since the program started, I have had 385 families sign up, Bergstrom said. Quite a few of my readers have already reached their 1,000 books goal.

She said the free program is geared toward children from birth through pre-school. Parents can sign up at the library. Theyll receive a reading binder to log their books in the self-paced program.

Once they reach their first 100 books, they come in for a sticker and I take their picture to put up on my Wall of Readers, Bergstrom said. With the parents permission, we also put their child's picture on our Lowell Library Facebook page to congratulate them for their first goal being reached. For each hundred books after that, they come in for more stickers and small prize incentives.

Bergstrom said the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program is a great way to introduce books to children.

I have had so many parents mention to me that their toddlers verbal and language skills have really taken off since reading more to them, and it is a great jumpstart for kids who are getting ready to start kindergarten, Bergstrom said. I have had some children start the program who don't really have much interest in books and by the end are constantly bringing books up to their parents to read to them and are also starting to read independently.

Call the Lowell Public Library at 219-696-7704 for more information.

For nearly 30 years, the Center for Urban and Regional Excellence (CURE) at Indiana University Northwest has offered the Reading Skills program in partnership with the Institute of Reading Development.

From phonics and sight words for beginning readers to textbook and note-taking skills for young adults and everything in between, the programs teach the grade-specific reading skills students need to feel confident and succeed in school, CURE Assistant Director Amanda Smith said. Program participants learn new skills through a combination of exciting weekly classes led by a knowledgeable teacher and interactive lessons and assignments between classes.

The Reading Skills program is beneficial to readers of all skill levels.

The program is designed to meet the child where they are so that they are appropriately challenged and can make progress at every step, Smith said.

Visit readingprograms.org or call 800-470-2891 for program schedules or to enroll or speak to a program adviser. Cost varies by the type of program and the student's grade level, though discounts are available.

Families receive $20 off each additional child after enrolling one child in a program, Smith said. There are also significant discounts offered for returning families.

Initially offered in-person at sites around the Region in the summer, the Reading Skills program evolved with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The programs are now available year-round in a virtual/online format, Smith said. This year, we do plan to return to offering in-person/site-based instruction, while also continuing the online programming as an alternative for those who either live too far from a teaching site or simply prefer the online modality.
VALPARAISO  A large bond of $750,000 cash and $250,000 surety was set Monday morning for a 48-year-old Gary man accused of stealing a pickup truck from a gas station with two young girls inside, pulling out a gun and then proceeding to make the older girl smoke drugs before raping her.

It unlikely the accused, Melvin Pumphrey III, will be able to post the sizeable bond considering he requested and was granted the services of a public defender during his initial hearing before Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffry Clymer.

Clymer said the case is a classic example of the need for a high bond considering Pumphrey's risk for flight and the danger he poses to society.

The judge said Pumphrey is at risk for failing to return to court because he faces what would amount to a life sentence if convicted. He is also already charged with stealing a vehicle and fleeing, Clymer said.

Prosecutors, who sought a $100,000 cash bond, cited Pumphrey's lengthy criminal history.

Pumphrey is charged with rape, child molesting, robbery, six counts of kidnapping, auto theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, records show.

Porter judge reluctantly accepts plea from repeat child neglecter VALPARAISO  Porter County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer reluctantly accepted a plea agreement Friday in a child neglect and injury case

The case stems back to May 5 when police said they were called to the GoLo gas station at 3600 Central Ave. in Lake Station where the father of the girls said he pulled up to a gas pump, left the vehicle running and went inside the business to purchase cigarettes.

When he returned to the pump, his vehicle was missing, as were his 13-year-old and 9-year-old daughters, police said.

The older girl later told investigators that after the stranger, identified as Pumphrey, got in the truck, he pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot them before driving them to Portage. He parked and ordered the older girl out of the vehicle.

"No, the little can't come, she can't see this," he reportedly said.

Pumphrey made the older girl sit near a house under construction, took out "a small plastic thing" and told the girl to "hit this," according to the charges.

Psych exams disagree on competency of the accused in Valpo health club killing Porter County Public Defender Mark Chargualaf said he has, "concerns regarding defendant's ability to understand the nature of the proceedings and assist in his defense."

She followed his orders and told police it "made her feel weird and not normal," police said.

Pumphrey allegedly walked the girl to a wooded area, saying, "Just sit here, get high and have a good time."

The girl said he made her smoke again and then sexually assaulted her knowing her young age.

They walked back to the truck, drove off and the girls were dropped off near a Portage bar where they sought help, police said.

Police said they identified Pumphrey with the help of a surveillance video and he later told officer he was not sure what happened on the day in question, but, "I'm sure it's not good."

Clymer scheduled a trial for July 15, with preliminary hearings April 19 and June 14.
The implementation of the state cashback program Buy Ukrainian, which was presented by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday, will require about three months of technical development with the participation of commercial banks, First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko predicts.

"I think we need three months to technically develop this solution. Obviously, all commercial banks should be involved, obviously, we must decide what types of products it (cashback) should apply to, and calculate our sources (of financing) to cover this program," she told reporters at the Made in Ukraine forum in Kyiv on Monday.

Svyrydenko noted that this program will have an effect both on the economy and on increasing the loyalty of Ukrainian consumers to domestic goods.

As reported, Zelenskyy at the forum on Monday announced the launch of the Buy Ukrainian cashback program, under which citizens of Ukraine will be able to receive compensation for part of the payment for Ukrainian goods and services.
A technology company that's building a high-speed fiber network connecting Indiana to the raw computing power of Chicago's central data centers is looking to help develop a tech center in downtown Hammond.

Quantum Corridor, which is working to build a fiber-optic network 1,000 times faster than traditional internet networks across Northern Indiana, is looking to turn part of the former Franciscan Health Hospital in downtown Hammond into a technology center that would give companies access to quantum computing capabilities, CEO Tom Dakich said. It's hoping to partner with Purdue University Northwest to develop an Impact Lab that would have the potential to bring high-tech firms downtown.

"It could spur massive amounts of development," said Dakich, a Carmel attorney who developed the Digital Crossroads data center at the site of the former State Line Generating Plant in Hammond. "It could bring scientists and researchers to Northwest Indiana. It could bring big ideas to life."

Hammond has been in talks with Purdue University Northwest about the project, which would likely be located in the cancer center of the former St. Margaret Hospital that closed at the end of 2022, Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said.

"This is a great opportunity," he said. "The Quantum Corridor is a unique and interesting project where they want to develop quantum-level computer power. Downtown Hammond would be one of the nodes. It's a great opportunity for downtown Hammond. It would mean it would be one of the few places in the United States with access to quantum computing capabilities. That could bring academically involved research, scientists and firms."

A Purdue University Northwest spokesperson declined to comment, citing unfamiliarity with the project. The university previously announced plans to build the Roberts Impact Lab at PNW after landing $5 million from a state READI grant and a $3 million donation from alumnus and donor David Roberts and wife Susan Roberts.

The project aims to spur economic development by incubating businesses, scaling existing businesses and providing companies with lab space and other resources.

Quantum Corridor, a public-private partnership with the state of Indiana, recently extended a fiber line allowing for instantaneous transmissions from the Chicago ORD 10 Data Center at 350 E. Cermak Rd. in downtown Hammond to the Digital Crossroads data center on the state line on the Lake Michigan lakefront. It built out the first 12-mile leg of the project with the help of a $4 million READI grant, successfully completing its first transmission at a speed 500 times faster than the blink of an eye in October. It's looking to extend the fiber line 263 miles along the Indiana Toll Road to the Ohio state line, while extending nodes to cities like West Lafayette and South Bend.

Dakich, an Andrean High School graduate, said Quantum Corridor would equip the Impact Lab with the capacity to transmit 1 million photo files or 1,500 HD videos every second. The quantum computing power would be attractive to firms working in areas like artificial intelligence, alternative energy, traffic studies and biotech, he said.

"It's a nearly instantaneously connection to the information superhub at 350 Cermak in downtown Chicago," he said. "I describe it as when an airplane stops on the tarmac where the people mover for all the data from the airplane that's moving very fast. Tying it into the fiber that's significantly faster than other networks and virtually instantaneously will support a research facility with a more technical workforce."

Quantum Corridor is looking to help develop a 50,000-square-foot facility at 5454 Hohman Ave. on part of the former hospital footprint downtown. The lab would be equipped with scientific and engineering equipment utilizing the quantum computing power.

"It would be equipment they couldn't afford that's ridiculously, astronomically expensive," he said. "We want to be a national player. We want lab equipment that can do massive computations for research for biotech or other areas. It could bring science and firms that otherwise wouldn't come to Northwest Indiana. It would make Northwest Indiana better."

McDermott said Hammond hired the law firm Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath to review how the city could best capitalize off the project.

"It's unique and not offered anywhere else in the state of Indiana," he said. "We don't want to mess it up."

Hammond recently resumed communications with Franciscan Health, which started demolition of the hospital. Eventually, only the parking garage and the former cancer center that will host the tech center will be left standing, McDermott said.

"This is an amazing opportunity to bring a tech center downtown," McDermott said. "Obviously we're not thrilled about the situation with the hospital but this is an opportunity to make lemons into lemonade. This is the same team that pulled off the data center project. It hasn't completely replaced the assessed valuation of the State Line Generating Plant, but it's close and it's still being expanded upon. Plus, that was one of the dirtiest plants in the country. Now it's completely green and we almost got everything back in assessed value."

Hammond also has had success with redevelopment projects like turning the troubled River Park Apartments into Oxbow Landing and the razed Woodmar Mall into the Hammond SportsPlex and, soon, a massive regional YMCA, McDermott said.

"This is way more challenging because the poverty is more extreme there than in other parts of the city," he said. "It's not as easily accessible as areas like Cabela's and the Horseshoe Casino. There are challenges. But the South Shore Line and new housing is coming. And this is a big one. Purdue's involved. The technology is amazing."

Hammond has considered other options for the hospital site like townhomes or apartments but may wait to see what impact the tech lab has, McDermott said.

"We might want to wait to leave us flexibility," he said. "If this is successful and blows up, it could get filled to capacity and bring more development. If this is successful, we could have the rest of the footprint for technology-oriented development."
The Indiana Court of Appeals has rejected a request for a shorter prison sentence submitted by a LaPorte man convicted last year of drug dealing.

Pedro A. Burgos Jr., 23, pleaded guilty to dealing in a controlled substance, a level 2 felony, and was ordered to serve 17 years at the Indiana Department of Correction, according to court records.

Records show Burgos sold counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to a confidential police informant in August and October 2021 during three controlled drug buys organized by the LaPorte County Drug Task Force.

A subsequent police search of Burgos' residence found 3.4 pounds of marijuana, additional bags of pills, an AR-556 rifle and $25,550 in currency, including $400 in buy money from the controlled transactions, according to court records.

Records show Burgos' plea agreement, which included the dismissal of several other felony charges, provided for a sentencing cap of 17 years, which is the statutory advisory sentence for a level 2 felony.

In his appeal, Burgos argued the trial court abused its discretion by sentencing him to the maximum sentence permitted under his plea agreement.

Burgos specifically argued LaPorte Superior Judge Thomas Alevizos failed to properly consider his young age, history of substance abuse and other aspects of his character Burgos claimed favor a shorter prison term.

The three-judge Court of Appeals panel unanimously rejected Burgos' arguments in affirming his 17-year sentence.

The appeals court said while a defendant's youth and substance abuse history are potential mitigating factors, in this case Alevizos was within his rights not to give them any weight, in part because Burgos failed to take advantage of numerous prior opportunities for substance abuse treatment.

Likewise, the appellate judges said Burgos' character does not support a sentence reduction given his extensive criminal history, including his arrest in this case after two prior drug charge diversion agreements and his continuing to use and sell drugs while on pretrial release.

"As aptly observed by the trial court, Burgos has shown a complete disregard for all the conditions of grace that have been previously offered to him. In short, Burgos has not met his burden to establish that his sentence is inappropriate. Accordingly, we affirm the sentence imposed by the trial court," the appeals court said.

Burgos still can ask the Indiana Supreme Court to consider revising his sentence. Otherwise, his earliest possible release date from prison, assuming good behavior, is Jan. 15, 2036, records show.

Gallery: Recent arrests booked into LaPorte County Jail Cory Newsome Tiffany Dupree Dustin Musgrave Randy George Jeremy Teutemacher Damita Smith Sidney Holifield Dewite Garland Bruce Kahn James Johnson Sabrina Jones David Nava Shawn Shirley Brian Sherrod Rickey Gurley Sr. Kenneth Umfleet Brandon Bernacchi Dashawn Brown David Kubiak JD Williams Jr. Joseph France Luke Hardin Brian Vernard
A Matteson, Illinois, man is accused of first-degree murder for his alleged role in a fatal shooting last summer on Interstate 94  just west of the Indiana-Illinois state line near Hammond.

Calvin D. Woods, 32, was charged Saturday in Cook County, Illinois, in connection with the Aug. 28, 2023, expressway shooting death of Travon M. Mackie, 30, of Chicago, records show.

According to Illinois State Police, troopers responding around 7:30 p.m. to a two-vehicle crash along the concrete median on northbound I-94 near Dolton Road found an abandoned Audi A4 and a Toyota Camry with Mackie inside suffering life-threatening injuries due to multiple gunshot wounds.

Mackie was transported to a local hospital where he died, police said.

Illinois State Police claim their investigation into the incident determined Woods was an occupant of the Audi and connected to the shooting that killed Mackie.

Woods was taken into custody without incident Thursday by Illinois State Police in coordination with the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service, police said.

Gallery: Take a virtual tour of Indiana's state parks Brown County State Park Chain O' Lakes State Park Charlestown State Park Clifty Falls State Park Falls of the Ohio State Park Fort Harrison State Park Harmonie State Park Lincoln State Park McCormick's Creek State Park Mounds State Park O'Bannon Woods State Park Ouabache State Park Pokagon State Park Potato Creek State Park Prophetstown State Park Shades State Park Shakamak State Park Spring Mill State Park Summit Lake State Park Tippecanoe River State Park Turkey Run State Park Versailles State Park White River State Park Whitewater Memorial State Park
Attorney General Todd Rokita has secured the backing of three statewide elected officials as he prepares to seek the Republican nomination for a second four-year term as Indiana's chief legal officer.

Rokita's campaign recently announced the attorney general has won the endorsement of Secretary of State Diego Morales, State Comptroller Elise Nieshalla and State Treasurer Daniel Elliott.

Ultimately, it's up to the delegates attending this summer's Republican State Convention to award the GOP attorney general nomination.

But Rokita likes his chances given that two of the three officeholders endorsing him were just nominated for their posts at the 2022 convention.

"I appreciate the support of these Indiana leaders as I seek reelection. They understand we must continue protecting Hoosiers and defending liberty, which is what I have done, and will continue to do, as Indiana's attorney general," Rokita said.

"Together, my colleagues and I represent the strongest line of defense against the woke madness invading our country at every turn and I look forward to our continued teamwork on behalf of all Hoosiers."

The Munster native is a former four-term congressman and two-term secretary of state. State convention delegates nominated Rokita for attorney general in 2020 over incumbent Curtis Hill Jr. after Hill was temporarily suspended from practicing law by the Indiana Supreme Court.

Rokita was reprimanded last year by the five Republican-appointed high court justices following Rokita's sworn admission that he violated the Rules of Professional Conduct for Hoosier attorneys.

Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings recently expressed interest in challenging Rokita for the attorney general nomination.

Gallery: Get to know the state symbols of Indiana State Aircraft: Republic Aviation P-47 Thunderbolt State Bird: Cardinal State Flag State Flower: Peony State Fossil: Mastodon State Gun: Grouseland Rifle State Insect: Say's Firefly State Language: English State Motto: "Crossroads of America" State Nickname: The Hoosier State State Pie: Sugar Cream Pie (unofficial) State Poem: "Indiana" State River: Wabash State Seal State Snack: Indiana-Grown Popcorn State Song: "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" State Stone: Limestone State Tree: Tulip tree
Paul Harveys hugely popular radio show segment, The Rest of the Story, was created to fill in gaps for stories about little-known facts or unknown elements.

Harveys iconic voice would end each segment with, And now you know the rest of the story.

Todays column is a version of this concept, revisiting two of my columns with details that were not in the original one. Ill leave it up to you whether these new details are pertinent or if they sway your judgement of the sources in those columns, which can be found at NWI.com under a search for my name.

The first is the story about Mohamad Darwish, a 42-year-old military veteran who lives in the upscale subdivision of Aberdeen, just southwest of Valparaiso. Since July, a group of juveniles have harassed the home he shares with his fiance, her teenage daughter and a newborn baby.

His home and other nearby homes were being repeatedly targeted. Pounding on doors. Throwing eggs at cars. Ringing door bells and running. Typical juvenile delinquency behavior.

But there was one key difference regarding Darwish and his family.

We are Palestinian and one of the kids called me a terrorist, he told me through a newly installed gate on his front porch. Were afraid to go out and walk the streets here when it gets dark.

Police to!d me they stepped up patrols in that neighborhood and there was no evidence of a hate crime. Darwish filed a protection order against seven juveniles.

In court, they all admitted under oath that they were involved, apologized to me, and said they would not bother us again, Darwish said.

And they havent since then. But after my column ran, I heard from multiple former neighbors of Darwish who claimed he instigated arguments with them and intimidated them.

I used to live next to him in his previous neighborhood, one woman told me. He harassed all of the neighbors and threatened them, to the point we had to move. Meanwhile, some of those kids in Aberdeen have lost friends because other families believed his lies and they say those kids are now racists.

Another woman told me, Mr. Darwish is not portraying himself as who he actually is. He is not simply an innocent victim.

Earlier this month, Darwish was charged with domestic battery against his former girlfriend. Last week, I asked him about it.

My ex-girlfriend is accusing me of hitting her, he replied. I have a criminal attorney who is handling my case and unfortunately I cannot talk about it.

Does this mean he wasnt victimized by those kids? Of course not. But it does indicate that hes had a history of problems with former neighbors and we would never know about it if I didnt write that initial column. Ill leave it up to you if your perspective has shifted about him and his claims.

The second story revisits the case of Jimmie Batalis, who wants to renovate his familys building and reopen a bar and eatery in downtown Hobart. The city wants to demolish the 150-year-old structure and rid the downtown area of a potentially dangerous eyesore.

Its a complicated situation at 235 Main St., next to the post office and across from The Art Theater, where the building has stood since 1874. There, at the intersection of the past and the future, question marks pop up like weeds.

Allegations have been stated publicly. Renovation cost estimates have been delivered. A lawsuit has been filed against the city to challenge the validity of the demolition order. And the new mayor is caught between an old building and a hard place.

Batalis missed many of the meetings with city officials before September of last year because he was in prison for the last 17 years. His formal release date was November, 2026, but he was released early, in late August, 2023. Hes wearing an ankle tracker until mid-April.

In 2007, a judge sentenced Batalis to 57 years in prison for the shooting murder of Jason Nosker in 2003. The bullet left Nosker paralyzed from the waist down for more than three years before his death from a blood poisoning infection, police said.

At that court hearing, Batalis insisted he's innocent. Seventeen years later, he hasnt changed his stance.

I was wrongfully convicted and the prosecutor told me to my face in 2013 that he knows he prosecuted the wrong person, Batalis said. But I did my time. I was young and Im not that hothead kid anymore. I'm just trying to get on with my life and be productive. But it seems like people want me to fail or be a criminal instead of making something of myself.

His past criminal case should have nothing to do with his ongoing case against the city, but it definitely matters in the court of public opinion. Ill let you decide whether it should be a factor with your perspective of this pending lawsuit and your judgment of Batalis.

Meanwhile, I heard from Mikayla Zakutansky, a Hobart native who is currently attending Ball State University pursuing two masters degrees - one in architecture and one in historic preservation. She reached out to Batalis to express interest in helping to save his building from demolition.

I believe there is potential for a unique opportunity to provide historical research, existing conditions assessments (feasibility study), and design recommendations that could legitimize the potential of keeping the building, she wrote.

I contacted her, asking if he was serious about this offer.

This is a serious consideration of mine, she replied. With Jimmie's interest and allowing me to utilize the building, I'm at a point of simply doing research and collecting information from him and any other sources and hoping to receive guidance from faculty on how best to engage the situation beyond the scope of the project.

As Paul Harvey would say, now you know the rest of the story.
I recently moved in with a man. Until now, for the last decade, I lived alone in a shoe-box studio apartment on the north end of Manhattan with my dog, Quentin Compson. Now the man, the dog and I live in a shoe-box one-bedroom in Brooklyn. It took awhile to get used to having another occupy my space, when all I ever had to account for was myself and my wire-haired familiar.

I didnt know how much I would rely on midnight for both my cravings and my work. As the man goes to bed, I stay up to write: I had heard from friends that this was how they got their alone time, by staggering the hours, a necessary cushion from the joys of coupled life. It doesnt hurt that I get my best writing done after-hours and often finalize my recipes late into the evening, long after the man has gone to bed. This leaves me to the living room, to the kitchen and to myself. And if theres one dish that encompasses these precious hours of recuperative solitude, it has to be midnight spaghetti.
AT&T will offer a $5 credit to customers affected by a widespread outage on Thursday that was caused by technical issues the company encountered while trying to expand its network, its chief executive said on Sunday.

The outage, which started around 3:30 a.m. Eastern time, temporarily cut off connections for users across the United States.

Some of the affected cities included Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York, according to Downdetector.com, which tracks user reports of telecommunication and internet disruptions.

At its peak, the site had received about 70,000 reports of disrupted service for AT&T. Service was fully restored after about seven hours.
Each town has its witch/Each parish its troll, a character sings ominously while sharpening hedge shears. We will with pleasure/Take the life from their veins.

Let it be known that the British import The Hunt  about a man ostracized, and worse, for a crime he didnt commit  does not really err toward subtlety.

The simple premise can be summed up in a sentence: Lucas (Tobias Menzies, from The Crown and Outlander), a small-town kindergarten teacher, is falsely accused of molesting several of his students, and his life falls apart. The Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg told the story in an understated manner in his movie The Hunt (2013), which is simultaneously detached and veined with warm, if subtly expressed, empathy.

Now a tragedy that feels ripped from the headlines is deployed with fable-like horror stylings in a stage adaptation by David Farr directed by Rupert Goold, which just opened at St. Anns Warehouse. Ritualistic dancing and chanting, sacrifices, jump scares, blinding white lights, quasi-supernatural apparitions: At times it feels as if we are watching a spinoff from the cult 1973 film The Wicker Man, in which an island community following pagan practices drenched in sex and violence turns against an outsider.
Two days before the Michigan Democratic primary, speakers at a rally on Sunday in Dearborn, Mich., urged voters to withhold their support from President Biden over his policy on the war in Gaza  and said that only Mr. Biden and Democrats who support his Israel policies would be to blame if the protest vote helped former President Donald J. Trump win in November.

You all know Trump is an existential threat to our democracy, said one of the speakers, Representative Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan, and President Biden is risking another Trump term over his support for the most right-wing government, most extremist government in the history of Israel.

Ms. Tlaib is the only member of Michigans congressional delegation backing an effort encouraging Democrats to protest Mr. Bidens stance on the war in Gaza by voting uncommitted in the states primary on Tuesday. That movement, led by a group called Listen to Michigan, has energized a primary that Mr. Biden is expected to win handily, but it has raised concerns that the president could be losing support he needs to win the swing state in the general election in November.

It is unclear how much support the push to vote uncommitted has garnered, even as Listen to Michigan has held rallies and visited mosques across the state since it began its efforts this month.
Hostage talks are set to continue in Qatar

An Israeli delegation is expected to arrive in Qatar as soon as today for talks on a new deal for a temporary cease-fire with Hamas and the release of some hostages held in Gaza, according to an Israeli official.

The negotiations follow talks held in Paris on Friday between an Israeli delegation and mediators from the U.S., Qatar and Egypt. In those discussions, Israels delegation agreed to a basic outline for a deal that would involve a six-week truce and the exchange of about 40 hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, officials said.

Israels war cabinet approved the broad terms on Saturday night, an Israeli official said. The goal was to reach a deal before the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, which is expected to begin around March 10.

Hamas representatives did not attend the Paris meeting, and it was not immediately clear how acceptable the outline was to the group. One main sticking point has been Hamass insistence on a complete cessation of hostilities as a condition for any hostage deal, as well as the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners.
The European Commission is responsible for the uncontrolled flow of agricultural products from Ukraine into Poland and the European market, as well as for the provisions of the Green Deal, which have caused protests from farmers throughout Europe and which need to be revised in order to support farmers, Polish Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski said.

"We need to understand the farmers' protests, and I will endeavor to do this at tomorrow's [February 26] meeting of the EU Council of Ministers in Brussels," posted the Polish Agriculture Ministry's website quoting comments by Siekierski.

Siekierski said he was convinced the European Union needed a new approach to cooperation with Ukraine, among other things slow the widespread liberalization of trade with this country as a matter of urgency.

Siekierski said he also intended at the meeting to demand limitations on the Green Deal and a delay in the implementation of a number of its provisions.

He also said he hoped EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's talks in Warsaw and Kyiv would give her a better understanding of the problems faced by farmers.

He said he was holding talks with the agriculture ministers of other countries. Recently, talks were held with his counterparts from Ukraine, France and Belgium, and the German agriculture minister will be in Warsaw on March 1.

Siekierski said after talking to farmers protesting at the border that it was dangerous to politicize these protests.

"This is not good for farmers. I urge them to make their public protest as easy to bear as possible, otherwise public support for the protests will lessen," he said.
Nestled in a dense forest, the Ukrainian military base appears abandoned and destroyed, its command center a burned-out husk, a casualty of a Russian missile barrage early in the war.

But that is above ground.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israeli forces would push into the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah regardless of the outcome of talks to pause the fighting that appear to have been making some progress in recent days.

It has to be done, the Israeli prime minister said. Because total victory is our goal, and total victory is within reach.

Mr. Netanyahu did say that if a cease-fire deal was reached, the move into Rafah, which during 20 weeks of war has served as a last refuge for hundreds of thousands of Gazan families forced from their homes, would be delayed somewhat.

The push toward Rafah has drawn warnings from Israels closest ally, the United States, because of the potential for mass civilian casualties beyond the nearly 30,000 Gazans who have already been reported killed in the war, more than half of whom are women and children.
Willis Kwakye has attended the same school since 2021. Hes 13 now, an eighth grader, a veteran, someone who knows his way around the classrooms and the cafeteria. And sometimes, when hes in his uniform with a math worksheet in front of him, I can even think its real school for a little bit, he said.

His classmate Arianna White, also 13, knew just what he meant. It feels a lot like school, except were just filming and theres a lot of cuts, she said.

Kwakye and White were speaking, via video call, from a classroom on the set of Abbott Elementary. (They were in one of the real classrooms, where child actors complete their mandated three hours of instruction per work day.) The Emmy-winning ABC sitcom mockumentary has recently matriculated for a third season and already been renewed for a fourth. Set in a fictional K-8 school in Philadelphia  though actually filmed in Los Angeles  it requires the presence of about 150 school-age children each season.

In any given episode, those kids can be seen raising their hands in class, scurrying past each other in the hallways, giggling at their teachers antics. But Abbott Elementary diverges from most scripted series involving children in two significant ways: The show uses its child actors sparingly, giving them a handful of lines per episode and only requiring their presence one or two days each week. And for the most part, it lets them be kids.
During several hours of arguments today, the Supreme Court appeared skeptical of laws in Florida and Texas that ban major social media companies from making editorial judgments about which messages to allow. The justices seemed to align more closely with the social media companies, which accused the laws of violating the First Amendment.

The courts decision, which is expected in June, will almost certainly be its most important statement on the scope of free speech in the internet era.

A ruling in favor of the states would expose users to a greater variety of viewpoints but would almost certainly amplify the ugliest aspects of the digital age, including hate speech and disinformation. A ruling in favor of the social media platforms seemed more likely, though the justices seemed poised to return the cases to the lower courts to answer questions about how other websites  like Gmail, Venmo and Uber  should be allowed to moderate users speech.

Supporters of the laws said that they were an attempt to combat any Silicon Valley censorship of conservative views, prompted in part by the decisions of some platforms to bar Donald Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
Toeing the line in Miami Beach

Americas corporate elite were everywhere in Miami at the Future Investment Initiative conference, Saudi Arabias latest bid to showcase its extensive wealth and deepen ties with Western business.

The event last week showed how far the Saudis have shifted the narrative after murdering the journalist Jamal Khashoggi  and how willing executives are to kiss the ring of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdoms de facto ruler, in return for cash. DealBooks Lauren Hirsch was on hand to report on the financiers and Hollywood A-listers who made the trip.

Everyone wanted everything to look normal. The Saudis are using their vast oil wealth to become one the worlds biggest investors and forge closer relationships with Wall Street, Silicon Valley and more.

Lots of big names showed up: Steve Schwarzman of Blackstone, Barry Sternlicht of Starwood, Alex Karp of Palantir and Hollywood royalty like Brian Grazer and Gwyneth Paltrow. (So too did former Trump officials including Steven Mnuchin, the former Treasury secretary; Mike Pompeo, a previous secretary of state; and Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law.) Attendees mingled over wine, which is banned in Saudi Arabia, and Carbones spicy rigatoni.
The 93-year-old widow of a Wall Street financier has donated $1 billion to a Bronx medical school, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, with instructions that the gift be used to cover tuition for all students going forward.

The donor, Ruth Gottesman, is a former professor at Einstein, where she studied learning disabilities, developed a screening test and ran literacy programs. It is one of the largest charitable donations to an educational institution in the United States and most likely the largest to a medical school.

The fortune came from her late husband, David Gottesman, known as Sandy, who was a protege of Warren Buffett and had made an early investment in Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate Mr. Buffett built.

The donation is notable not only for its staggering size, but also because it is going to a medical institution in the Bronx, the citys poorest borough. The Bronx has a high rate of premature deaths and ranks as the unhealthiest county in New York. Over the past generation, a number of billionaires have given hundreds of millions of dollars to better-known medical schools and hospitals in Manhattan, the citys wealthiest borough.
Memorials sprang up in New York City over the weekend in honor of Flaco, a Eurasian eagle-owl who died on Friday after apparently striking a building on the Upper West Side.

His ability to thrive for a year in Manhattan after escaping from the Central Park Zoo last February captivated much of the city, offering an enchanting object lesson about the power of instinct and the beauty of urban wildlife.

His death may prove equally instructive.

Flaco is among the estimated one billion birds that will die this year in the United States after striking buildings.

Building strikes are one of the main causes of death for birds  and one of the easiest threats to solve, according to Christine Sheppard, director of the glass collisions program at the American Bird Conservancy.
Manhattan prosecutors on Monday asked the judge overseeing their criminal case against Donald J. Trump to prohibit the former president from attacking witnesses or exposing jurors identities.

The requests, made in filings by the Manhattan district attorneys office, noted Mr. Trumps longstanding history of attacking witnesses, investigators, prosecutors, judges, and others involved in legal proceedings against him.

In outlining a narrowly crafted gag order, the office hewed closely to the terms of a similar order upheld by a federal appeals court in Washington in another of Mr. Trumps criminal cases.

The gag order in the Manhattan case, if the judge approves it, would bar Mr. Trump from making or directing others to make statements about witnesses concerning their role in the case. The district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, also asked that Mr. Trump be barred from commenting on prosecutors on the case  other than Mr. Bragg himself  as well as court staff members.
As of 2021, around 25 percent of 40-year-old Americans are not married  the highest percentage ever recorded. While divorce rates have plummeted from their early 1980s high, fewer people are choosing to marry in the first place. Why?

Yes, around two million Americans get married every year (and you probably have the save-the-dates on your refrigerator door to prove it). But a rising number of people arent, even people in long-term partnered relationships. They arent getting married for any number of reasons, whether thats distrust of the institution of marriage or the potential loss of access to federal benefits or a belief that marriage just doesnt fit their needs. But in his new book, Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization, the University of Virginia professor Brad Wilcox argues that marriage is more important than ever for individuals and for the country.

I spoke with Dr. Wilcox about getting married, staying married and whether the government should help individuals find partners. This interview has been edited for length and clarity and is part of an Opinion Q. and A. series exploring modern conservatism today, its influence in society and politics and how and why it differs (and doesnt) from the conservative movement that most Americans thought they knew.

Jane Coaston: Why dont more people get married now, in your opinion? How did we get to this point where, as you write, we are seeing the closing of the American heart?
If there is a recession in the United States this year, it probably wont be because consumers spontaneously run out of spending power. (If unemployment abruptly rises, thats another matter.) Ive put together five charts that show that consumers are in reasonably good shape, although life is getting harder for the most vulnerable groups.

Households arent the place to look for economic weakness, Michael Pearce, the deputy chief U.S. economist for Oxford Economics, a forecaster, told me last week.

True, its easy to find worrisome statistics. The personal saving rate fell in December to 3.7 percent of disposable personal income, which except for a dip in 2022 was the lowest since 2008. In 2023 consumers were still on average somewhat better off financially than they were in 2019, but the trend is negative, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wrote in a December report. While there are some indications the economy is improving, what our experience shows is that many families are not seeing this improvement in their bank accounts, Mike Croxson, the chief executive of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, said in a statement last week.
Russian forces carried out an air strike at night on Yunakivka community in Sumy region, as a result of which two people were killed, the regional military administration's press service said.

"Today, on February 26, at 02.15, an airstrike was carried out on Yunakivka community. The enemy used guided aerial bombs. Four explosions were recorded. Preliminarily, as a result of the airstrike, two people were killed  spouses who were at home," the administration said.

One household was also destroyed and five ones were damaged.

All necessary services are available on site.
In 2020 the balance of military power in the Taiwan Strait began a gradual but profound shift in Chinas favor.

That August, Alex Azar, then the health and human services secretary, became the highest-ranking U.S. cabinet official to visit Taiwan in more than four decades. Though he was there to talk about the pandemic, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army responded by carrying out large-scale military exercises around the self-governing island, sending aircraft over the median line of the Taiwan Strait, the halfway point between China and Taiwan, for only the third time in more than 20 years. Since then, China has responded to such visits and other perceived provocations by flying more than 4,800 sorties, with growing numbers of aircraft flying in locations previously seen as off-limits and conducting dozens of increasingly complex air and naval military exercises around Taiwan.

The P.L.A.s now-normalized presence around Taiwan raises the risk of an accidental confrontation. But over the longer term, it has also gradually created a dangerous sense of complacency in Taipei and Washington while giving China the crucial operational practice it might one day need to seize the island.

As a military analyst specializing in China and Taiwan who has spent the past two years managing an open-source database tracking Chinese military activity, I am deeply concerned about the dangers that this activity poses. Alarms should be ringing, but neither Taiwan nor the United States has taken meaningful action to deter China, and Taiwans response has been inconsistent and lacks transparency, which may further embolden Beijing. A more robust approach is needed to deter China from escalating the situation.
On the average day, some 95 million pictures are posted on Instagram, along with 34 million videos on TikTok and hundreds of millions of tweets. Some go viral, most dont. And some percentage  the numbers are unclear  are taken down for violating the content rules set by the platforms. Given the volume of posts and videos, it is no exaggeration to say that the rules for social media have become the most important speech regulations on the planet, policing what can and cannot be said online.

This fact has not gone unnoticed. Texas a few years back wrote its own law to govern big tech companies, barring them from discriminating on the basis of viewpoint when they take posts off their social media platforms. Two advocacy groups funded by Facebook, Google, Twitter and other companies sued almost immediately, arguing that they have a First Amendment right to remove whatever they want from their platforms for any reason, sort of as an editor might if she were choosing which articles to run in her print magazine every month. It has raised a constitutional question tricky enough to have made it to the Supreme Court, in a case that will be argued on Monday called NetChoice v. Paxton.

If the Supreme Court endorses the First Amendment arguments presented by the platforms in this case, it could give Meta, X and Google the kind of immunity few businesses have ever had. I cant say I like the law Texas passed  but that isnt the point, for the cure is worse than the disease. If the justices strike down the Texas law, they would be jeopardizing our ability to control our own future using democratic means.

It is important to understand what the tech companies are asking for. Nearly everything TikTok or Instagram does involves moving and sorting information, even if it is just displaying search results or quietly collecting your personal data. The tech giants are pushing the simplistic position that any such conduct is speech (and any sorting or blocking of that speech is editing). If the justices buy this argument, they would be granting constitutional protection to nearly anything a social media platform does, putting both their actions  and those of tech companies more broadly  beyond the reach of lawmakers who want to constrain them. Doing so would create a kind of immunity verging on sovereignty that it is hard to imagine the framers of the Constitution ever intended.
New Yorks reputation as a beacon for artists was never inevitable. Only after World War II had destabilized Europe was the city able to usurp Paris as the commercial center of the art business. Veterans returning from abroad found a new diversity of college art programs and art schools thanks to the abundance of federal education grants made available by the G.I. Bill. The expansion of government-subsidized housing loans meant that cheap space was also easy to come by, as New York had a then-ample stock of residential and industrial buildings. In the following decades, which saw the birth of Abstract Expressionism, followed by Pop Art, followed by minimalism  all locally grown movements  the city also became the capital of what we now call the art world, a multibillion-dollar, mostly unregulated global economy of galleries, auction houses and fairs that has grown without interruption through wars, recessions and two pandemics.

No part of this system would function  or have any meaning at all  without the artists themselves. Theyre the real reason New York and the art world are synonymous: Even now, when real estate prices have reached heights that would shock those postwar pioneers, artists still live here and, more important, they still work here. There are artists studios in pretty much every neighborhood of every borough, ingrained in the citys architecture unlike anything else but bodegas and pizzerias. Beyond the fact of their ubiquity, there are no generalizations to be made about these spaces. One of the pleasures of covering art in New York is the ability to see firsthand the array of environments in which artists work: out of opulent homes or cramped and grungy rooms with no windows; out of converted office spaces or cavernous factories; in a sizable workshop or at a computer in the kitchen alcove of a studio apartment.

But the city has always romanticized artist-dominated buildings, the kinds of communal spaces in which every unit might be home to an artists studio (and sometimes, unofficially, their residences, too). With this in mind, we set out to document a sample of the artists buildings that currently exist in New York: a floor of the Brooklyn Army Terminal, a former military depot and supply base in Sunset Park; a shared space for photographers in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; a warehouse (and onetime textile factory) in Ridgewood, Queens; an office building above what used to be a Dunkin Donuts in Manhattans Financial District; and a loft in TriBeCa, a relic of the 60s and early 70s, before the area was zoned for residential occupation, when artists illegally took over abandoned manufacturing buildings. (The city had to mark stairwells and doorways with placards reading A.I.R., for artist-in-residence, so the fire department would know to rescue them in case of an emergency.) In an almost unheard-of feat of perseverance, the same artist, Don Dudley, 93, has been working out of this loft since 1971.

Whats featured here is not definitive, and perhaps not even fully representative of what it looks like to have an artistic space of ones own in the city. Artists can and will work anywhere and, like their work itself, theyre limited only by the extent of their imaginations  and their finances. To have a studio at all, one has either to be able to afford to buy or have a gracious and understanding landlord, both rarities in the current real estate market. As of 2024, its never been harder for artists to find a place to work. In Manhattan, average rent prices have risen 15 percent from their levels just before the Covid-19 shutdown, and things arent much better in the other boroughs. (In Brooklyn and parts of Queens, rent is at least 10 to 15 percent higher than it was in March 2020.) So artists have had to create a kind of whisper network to withstand New Yorks unimpeachable forward march, which the art market has, ironically, enabled. Suitable spaces are passed down, sublet, shared in secret. Most of them are temporary fixes before an artist  whos grown out, or been priced out, of their space  has to move on.
Unlike, say, Los Angeles or Washington, D.C.  one-industry towns where, more likely than not, youre either in Hollywood or the government, or servicing them  New York has never been identified by a single business. Finance, theater, media, publishing: All live here, the worlds overlapping less than youd imagine, given Manhattans limited space.

But if no one industry rules the city, one group of people does: artists. Every year, a new generation of them arrive in New York hoping to make their name. Those of us who arent artists come here for them, too  their energy, ideas, ambition, scrappiness and keenness are what give this city its inimitable character.

Yet as M.H. Miller notes in his survey about the artists studios of New York, the citys position as the center of the art world is a modern phenomenon, made possible after World War II by a collision of factors: an abundance of new art schools and art programs, which returning soldiers could access thanks to the G.I. Bill; the expansion of government-subsidized housing loans; and a plenitude of residential and industrial spaces. In the decades that followed, an outsize number of essential contemporary art movements  Abstract Expressionism, Pop, minimalism  were born here.
In a life of feeling things incredibly deeply, John Patrick Shanley has experienced some thrilling highs: the rapturous audience response in 1984 to Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, his first success as a playwright; accepting an Academy Award in 1988 for best screenplay for Moonstruck.

Add to that list the thrill of discovering the luxury of drop-off laundry. I was like 35 years old, and I was in Poughkeepsie, Shanley said in a phone interview during a rehearsal break last month. I went in to do my laundry, and after a couple of questions, I realized that they would do it for me, fold it and give it back to me. And I was like, This is the greatest thing thats ever happened in my life.

Shanleys latest play, Brooklyn Laundry, is about sacrifice and everyday heroism that begins with a character placing her bag of rags on the scale at a laundromat. Opening on Wednesday at New York City Center, it is the 13th play the playwright has premiered with the Manhattan Theater Club. Theres an incredible flair, intelligence, grace and humor to his work, said Lynne Meadow, the theater companys artistic director. Most of all, she added, he writes with such humanity, and so personally.
Had I ever seen so much bare flesh in one room? Naked in a mixed-gender Austrian sauna, I sat opposite two dozen other nude people on wooden benches. Even after more than a year of living in Europe, as an American, I still felt a little uncomfortable sitting there in nothing but my own skin.

The sauna master came in to warm things up. Tall and lanky, wearing just a towel wrapped around his hips, he wheeled in a cart with several grapefruit-size balls of crushed ice infused with essential oils like black pepper, lime and eucalyptus. After a short speech telling us to leave immediately if we felt dizzy, he placed one of the ice balls onto a tray of hot coals, and it began to sizzle. The smell reminded me of an expensive aromatic candle: a touch sweet, a touch spicy.

He twisted forward, backward and sideways with a large towel clutched between his hands, like a half-dressed matador, moving the air around the room with a singular goal: to get us very, very hot, as part of a sauna ritual called aufguss, German for infusion. As I watched, mesmerized, I began to forget my awkwardness  or that I was even naked.

No swimsuits allowed

Austria and Germany abound with spas called thermen  resorts with pools, saunas, lakes, restaurants, bars and treatment areas. Typically, they have a warm mineral spring, and a section where nudity is required. Walk in wearing swim trunks and youll get glares and maybe even reprimands.
An explosive device was detonated early Saturday outside the Alabama attorney generals office in downtown Montgomery, Steve Marshall, the attorney general, said in a statement on Monday.

The explosion, which Mr. Marshall said had not injured anyone, was set off one day after he announced that he did not plan to prosecute I.V.F. providers or families seeking treatment after a recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are legally considered children.

The statement did not say whether the explosion had caused any damage, whether the motive for the act was known or whether there were any suspects. A spokeswoman with the attorney generals office said on Monday that she could not provide any information beyond the statement, and directed further questions to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, which is investigating the explosion, said it received a report on Monday morning about a suspicious package near the intersection of Washington Avenue and South Bainbridge Street in Montgomery.
In a cemetery on a back country road near Sacramento, three rows of granite gravestones bear the same inscription: Unknown, moved from Negro Hill Cemetery by the U.S. Government  1954.

The graves hold the remains of 36 settlers from Negro Hill, one of the largest communities of Black miners that sprang up during the Gold Rush. In 1853, the settlement, along the American River about 25 miles northeast of downtown Sacramento, was home to 1,200 people and had a boardinghouse and several shops, according to El Dorado County, which oversees the cemetery.

But much else about the communitys history has been forgotten. Thats because the spot where Negro Hill once stood is now deep under Folsom Lake, flooded and destroyed when the reservoir was created in the 1950s, and because Black history has not gotten its due at state parks and other historic sites in California, according to Susan D. Anderson, the history curator at the California African American Museum in Los Angeles.

All of the Black history that is woven throughout all of these sites was never expressed or interpreted, Anderson told me. Were going to be telling all those stories.
Timothy Bilodeau, 26, was charged with domestic terrorism after taking part in protests against building a new police center in a forested area just outside Atlanta.

Credit... Sophie Park for The New York Times
When a 22-year-old nursing student was found dead on a wooded trail at the University of Georgia in whats believed to be the first homicide on campus in nearly 30 years, it set off waves of grief and fear that shook the university to its core.

But when a 26-year-old migrant from Venezuela was charged on Friday with kidnapping and murdering the student, Laken Riley, it did something else: It transformed Athens and Clarke County, a community of about 130,000 people some 70 miles east of Atlanta, into the latest flashpoint in the political fight over American immigration policy.

In a social media post on Monday, former President Donald J. Trump called the suspect, Jose Antonio Ibarra, a monster, and blamed President Biden for an invasion that is killing our citizens. Earlier in the day, at an event at the university, Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia decried an unwillingness by this White House to secure the southern border.

A third Republican, Representative Mike Collins, who represents Athens, wrote on social media: The blood of Laken Riley is on the hands of Joe Biden, Alejandro Mayorkas and the government of Athens-Clarke County, referring to the unified city-county government.
Air defense forces destroy nine out of 14 Shahed UAVs, three X-59 missiles

Air defense forces destroyed nine out of 14 Shahed UAVs and three Kh-59 aircraft missiles that Russia attacked on Monday night, the AFU Air Force press service said.

"As a result of combat work, the air defense destroyed three X-59 guided aircraft missiles and nine suicide bombers within Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions," according to the statement.

It is noted that on the night of February 26, the occupiers attacked with an Iskander-M ballistic missile (Crimea), two S-300 missiles (Belgorod region), three Kh-59 guided aircraft missiles, an anti-radar Kh-31P (Zaporizhia region) and 14 attack drones of the Shahed type (Kursk region).

"Anti-aircraft missile units, mobile fire groups and electronic warfare systems of the Ukrainian defense forces have been involved in repelling the air attack," the department said.
Tucked down in Terry Ahwals basement is her personal wall of fame: Here she is at the Obama White House Christmas party. Here is a framed thank-you note from President Bill Clinton. There she is grinning alongside Jennifer Granholm, the former governor of Michigan.

President Biden, Ms. Ahwal says, will not appear on her wall.

After a lifetime of work in Democratic politics  running local campaigns, asking strangers for money, begging acquaintances to vote for candidates  she is now campaigning against the Democrat in the White House.

A Palestinian American who emigrated from the West Bank more than 50 years ago, Ms. Ahwal is furious over the presidents alliance with Israel in its war against Hamas that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza. She does not even have a better candidate in mind, but she vows there is nothing Mr. Biden can do to get her back now.

You want my vote? You cannot kill my people in my name. As simple as that, she said recently, sitting at the dining room table of her home in Farmington Hills, a Detroit suburb. Photographs of her travels to Jordan, Peru and the Great Lakes decorate her walls. Everything Israel wants, they get.
In the run-up to Michigans presidential primary on Tuesday, President Biden has stayed out of the state, where he is facing a campaign from liberal activists frustrated with his enduring support for Israel in the war in Gaza.

But another Democrat jumped into the contentious debate tearing at the seams of the partys coalition.

Representative Ro Khanna of California last week assumed the unofficial role as mediator between Democrats disaffected by Mr. Bidens Middle East policies and Biden allies like himself. He met with students, Arab American leaders and progressive voters, many of whom said they were, at least for now, withholding their support from Mr. Biden.

He was blunt about his takeaway.

We cannot win Michigan with status quo policy, Mr. Khanna, who has pushed for a cease-fire, said in an interview, adding that a shift should come in a matter of weeks, not months.
The Supreme Court seemed skeptical on Monday of laws in Florida and Texas that bar major social media companies from making editorial judgments about which messages to allow.

The laws were enacted in an effort to shield conservative voices on the sites, but a decision by the court, expected by June, will almost certainly be its most important statement on the scope of the First Amendment in the internet era, with broad political and economic implications.

A ruling that tech platforms have no editorial discretion to decide which posts to allow would expose users to a greater variety of viewpoints but almost certainly amplify the ugliest aspects of the digital age, including hate speech and disinformation.

Though a ruling in favor of big platforms like Facebook and YouTube appeared likely, the court also seemed poised to return the cases to the lower courts to answer questions about how the laws apply to sites that do not seem to moderate their users speech in the same way, like Gmail, Venmo, Uber and Etsy.
The co-chair of a task force set up by Harvard University to combat antisemitism resigned on Sunday, the second high-profile resignation in the universitys efforts to address complaints that Jewish students have felt increasingly uncomfortable on campus since the Hamas attack of Oct. 7.

The co-chair, Raffaella Sadun, a professor of business administration, did not give a reason for stepping down, but a colleague said she appeared to be frustrated at how long it was taking to make progress on addressing the issue.

Basically her conclusion is that she didnt feel confident or satisfied that she could lead and influence this process in a way that made sense to her, said Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi of Harvard Chabad, a Jewish campus organization. He said that he had spoken with several people with knowledge of Dr. Saduns thinking.

A nationally prominent rabbi, David Wolpe, resigned from a previous antisemitism advisory committee in early December, after widely criticized testimony about campus antisemitism before Congress by the former Harvard president, Claudine Gay. Both events on campus and the painfully inadequate testimony reinforced the idea that I cannot make the sort of difference I had hoped, he wrote on X at the time.
President Emmanuel Macron of France on Monday said nothing should be ruled out after he was asked about the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine in support of the embattled nations war against Russia.

Mr. Macron, speaking after a meeting of European leaders in Paris to bolster support for Ukraine, stressed that the talks had not resulted in any consensus on putting troops on the ground in an official, approved and endorsed way.

But he insisted that anything is possible if it is useful to reach our goal, which he said was to ensure that Russia cannot win this war.

Neither the United States  which was represented at the meeting by its top diplomat for Europe, James OBrien  nor other European leaders immediately reacted publicly to Mr. Macrons comments. His statements were a stark departure from the usual caution that Western leaders  including Mr. Macron himself  have exercised. They have repeatedly said that they want to avoid escalating the conflict and previously ruled out sending any ground troops to Ukraine.
Hungarys Parliament voted on Monday to accept Sweden as a new member of NATO, sealing a major shift in the balance of power between the West and Russia set off by war in Ukraine.

The vote allowed Sweden, which has long been nonaligned, to clear the final hurdle that had blocked its membership in NATO and held up the expansion of the military alliance.

Hungarys authoritarian prime minister, Viktor Orban, whose Fidesz party has a large majority in Parliament, has maintained cordial relations with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia despite the war in Ukraine and had stalled for 19 months on putting Swedens NATO membership to a vote in the 199-member legislature.

His decision to finally allow a vote followed a visit to Budapest, the Hungarian capital, on Friday by the Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson. During the visit, it was announced that Sweden would provide Hungary with four Swedish-made Gripen jets in addition to the 14 its air force already uses, and that the maker of the jets, Saab, would open an A.I. research center in Hungary.
The United Nations top court on Monday heard a final day of arguments on the legality of Israels decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories, proceedings that have added pressure to Israel at a time when attention focuses on the war in Gaza.

The hearings, which began last Monday, were the first time that the court, the International Court of Justice, had been asked to detail the legal consequences of Israels prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation of the territories, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem, since 1967  issues that have been the subject of years of debate and resolutions at the United Nations. The U.N. General Assembly asked the court to give an advisory opinion.

Judge Nawab Salam, the president of the court, ended the hearings saying that the judges conclusions would be announced at a public hearing. The conclusions were expected to take at least six months, lawyers at the court said.

The sessions, held at the Peace Palace in The Hague, heard from representatives of more than 50 countries, an unusually high number for the court. Most sided with the Palestinian representatives, who argued that Israel had long abused Palestinian rights with impunity and denied their right to self-determination.
Hamass Oct. 7 attack on Israel had many unpredictable consequences, but the elevation of the International Court of Justice to global public attention is a particularly unexpected one.

In December, South Africa brought a case against Israel alleging violations of the Genocide Convention, and last week the court held hearings on a separate matter regarding Israels occupation of Palestinian territories.

The two matters have turned the court into a new arena for the political disputes and legal arguments over Israels actions in Gaza, where over 29,000 people have been killed, many by heavy Israeli bombardment. And although the courts enforcement powers are limited, its public hearings, at a time of intense interest in the conflict, give it considerable power to shape, and reflect, global opinion.

The courts conspicuous role is partly a coincidence of timing: The U.N. General Assembly requested that the court in The Hague issue a nonbinding advisory opinion on the legality of Israels occupation back in January 2023. Its unlikely wed be discussing those hearings in detail if war had not broken out in the meantime, and if South Africa had not filed its genocide case in the same court.
Israeli airstrikes inside Lebanon on targets associated with the Hezbollah militia hit deeper than any in recent years on Monday, targeting an area close to the Syrian border.

The Israeli military said that its fighter jets had struck Hezbollah air defenses in the Bekaa Valley, about 60 miles from the Israeli border. It said that the strikes were in response to a surface-to-air missile attack that downed an Israeli drone over southern Lebanon. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for that attack.

At least two Hezbollah fighters were killed in the Israeli airstrikes and at least six other people were wounded, according to Bachir Khodor, mayor of the nearby city of Baalbek. Video from the scene provided by Mr. Khodor, which could not be independently verified, showed a building reduced to rubble and people on stretchers being loaded into an ambulance.

The Israeli military later confirmed that it had also killed a Hezbollah commander in a targeted strike earlier in the day in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah announced the fighters death in a statement, but did not provide details on his rank or seniority.

In a statement, Hezbollah said that it had retaliated by firing a rocket barrage toward the Golan Heights, a plateau that Israel seized in 1967, and had aimed at an Israeli army headquarters. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the statement.

The Bekaa Valley, a fertile plain that runs along the Syrian border, has long been a stronghold for Hezbollah, the politically powerful Lebanese militia that has engaged in near-daily clashes with Israeli forces since the Hamas-led attacks in Israel on Oct. 7. The fighting has displaced more than 150,000 people on both sides of the Lebanese-Israeli border and left hundreds dead.
Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh of the Palestinian Authority, the body that administers part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, tendered the resignation of his cabinet on Monday, according to the authoritys official news agency.

The decision follows diplomatic efforts involving the United States and Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, to persuade the authority to overhaul itself in a way that would enable it to take over the administration of Gaza after the war there ends.

But it was unclear whether Mr. Shtayyehs resignation would be enough to revamp the authority or persuade Israel to let it govern Gaza. President Mahmoud Abbas, the most senior leader of the authority, will stay in position along with his security chiefs. And after accepting Mr. Shtayyehs resignation, Mr. Abbas asked him to remain as a caretaker prime minister while a replacement is sought.

Israeli leaders had strongly hinted that they would not allow the authoritys existing leadership to run Gaza. American and Arab leaders had hoped that new leadership might make Israel more likely to cede administrative control of Gaza to the authority  a context that Mr. Shtayyeh discussed in his resignation statement.

The next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political arrangements that take into account the emerging reality in the Gaza Strip, Mr. Shtayyeh wrote, according to Wafa, the authoritys news agency. Those challenges include the push for the extension of the Palestinian Authoritys sovereignty over the entire land of Palestine, he added.

With no functional parliament within the areas controlled by the authority, Mr. Abbas remains the key figure in the authority, regardless of Mr. Shtayyehs fate. Mr. Abbas has long ruled by decree, and he exerts wide influence over the judiciary and prosecution system. Any prime minister works under the authority of Mr. Abbas and has little leeway to make their own decisions.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers died in the Russian war against Ukraine, and 180,000 died on the Russian side.

"Every person is a large loss for us. Some 31,000 Ukrainians died, military personnel died in this war. Neither 300,000, nor 150,000, whatever Putin is lying about," he said at a press conference on Sunday.

At the same time, according to Zelenskyy, there are 180,000 dead on the Russian side.

"And I know that up to 500,000 [from the Russians] along with the wounded," he said.

The head of state, however, did not disclose the number of wounded military personnel on the Ukrainian side.

"I won't say how many wounded. Since Russia will know how many people left the battlefield. I just won't say about it. There are missing in action [from our side]. I won't play with these numbers, I don't want to. Why? Since the last exchange showed that we will be inaccurate with you due to the fact that we returned several people. They were on the list of missing persons, and two guys returned alive," the president said.

In addition, according to Zelenskyy, tens of thousands of civilians died in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

"We know about tens of thousands. I don't know how many of them died, were killed, tortured, tortured, how many were deported. There are, you know, there are some lists, but all of them... We don't know exactly how many of our civilians they killed. We don't know. We'll find out when we're done with him and this Russia," he said.
Theres the one big question when it comes to 2024: Which presidential candidate is going to win in November?

Then there are lots and lots of other related questions.

The Run-Up, a weekly politics podcast from The Times, is trying to answer as many listener questions as we can  on the show, which you can subscribe to wherever you get your podcasts. And here.

What else do you want to know? Email and ask us, ideally in the form of a voice memo, at therunup@nytimes.com. Well keep updating this post periodically.

What if something happens to Biden or Trump that disqualifies them? Like, I know this is morbid, but what if one of them dies?

Lets start with President Biden and the Democrats.

We asked our colleague Reid Epstein, who is covering Mr. Bidens re-election campaign, for insight into how the president and the Democratic Party are thinking about this question:

There is no Plan B. Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee unless one of two things happens. Either he suffers a major health calamity between now and November, or Mr. Biden himself decides that hes not going to run.
A background illustration showing a watercolor painting with many overlapping people. As the page scrolls, the illustration transitions into irregular shaped circles of various colors that sometimes overlap. These swatches are labeled using various examples of how different people of Middle Eastern and North African descent identify themselves, including Sudanese, Southwest Asian, Brown, Mixed, Levantine, Yemeni, Palestinian, etc. People of Middle Eastern and North African descent are usually counted as white by the U.S. government, though most do not identify that way. So The New York Times asked more than 5,300 people in the U.S. with this heritage how they describe themselves 

No Box to Check: When the Census Doesnt Reflect You

Egyptian, Iranian, Lebanese, Amazigh, Arab, American.

These are just a handful of ways that thousands of people who responded to a New York Times callout described themselves. The answers were as diverse as the group of individuals behind them. People with roots in the Middle East and North Africa, often abbreviated as MENA, represent a multitude of cultures, religions and languages. And they all have different viewpoints about how they fit into the American mosaic.

Accounting for MENA identity in the United States has become particularly relevant this year. The 2024 presidential election could hinge on a handful of swing states like Michigan, where Arab American voters turned out decisively for President Biden in 2020. But Mr. Biden has faced mounting frustration from Arab Americans and others within his party for his support for Israel in the war in Gaza.

While people of MENA heritage are by no means monolithic, they do share one common experience in the United States. On official forms, most dont see themselves represented among the check boxes for race or ethnicity. With few good options, many end up being counted as white.

A decades-old federal guideline defines white as anyone with origins in Europe, North Africa or the Middle East. In the 2020 census, Lebanese and Egyptian were offered as examples for the white box on the race question. The other categories included Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, a variety of Asian ancestries and some other race.

While the Times survey and follow-up interviews  conducted from September 2022 through August 2023  do not represent all Middle Eastern and North African voices, a vast majority of respondents agreed that the current race categories are at odds with how they identified.

I never check the white box. I understand why it exists, historically and logistically, but I have never identified as a white person. Martin Zebari, 30, identifies as Southwest Asian The categories dont speak to my identity as Arab or, more specifically, Yemeniya. I dont walk through this world as a white person, I dont get those privileges as a white person, I dont have white culture. Samera Hadi, 33, identifies as Yemeni American I am African, but I feel that checking the Black or African American box is wrong. My ancestors did not struggle through slavery or racism. My skin color does not make me a target of racism, but Im not white. Imene Said Kouidri, 48, identifies as Algerian and North African You come to the U.S., and if youre dark skinned, then youre Black. But theres nothing in Somali thats Black or white. Sometimes I choose other and sometimes I choose African American.  Faisal Ali, 29, identifies as Somali and Arab Given the choices, I would always say white. But there are a whole bunch of qualities associated with that that dont capture me, my identity, my background and my experience. Joseph Hallock, 80, identifies as Syrian American

Community leaders have been advocating for Middle Eastern and North African to be included as an official category for years.

The Biden administration last year proposed removing MENA from the white definition and adding a Middle Eastern or North African box as part of a larger overhaul to combine the question of race and ethnicity on federal forms.

Take a look at a proposed example of a form. The MENA addition is highlighted.

Source: Office of Management and Budget, Federal Interagency Technical Working Group on Race and Ethnicity Standards

The revisions, currently under review, would give official recognition to a large and growing portion of the U.S. population. They would also ripple through the nations statistical universe and have numerous practical implications for the MENA population, especially around health care, education and political representation.

We spent 30-plus years trying to get to the point where the census would address the massive undercount of our community, said Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute.

Some experts worry, however, that the addition of more check boxes, along with a write-in option, might confuse respondents and make the census form too complex to generate accurate data. After all, theres no agreed-upon set of countries or ethnicities that would fall under a Middle Eastern and North African category.

This would be the first time since the 1970s that a completely new race or ethnicity category has been added, and thats a very significant change, said Margo J. Anderson, a professor emerita at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the author of The American Census: A Social History. Youre asking people to answer in a much more complicated way, and MENA is just one piece of a much bigger need for testing all of these changes between now and the 2030 census.

The Census Bureau recently announced that 3.5 million people listed a MENA origin in the 2020 decennial census, but the numbers included only those who first identified as white.

Most of what demographers know about the MENA population now comes from the Census Bureaus annual American Community Survey, which asks respondents about race, ethnicity and also their ancestry. The most recent data, from 2022, shows that nearly four million U.S. residents  just over 1 percent of the population  listed a Middle Eastern or North African ancestry.

Those figures can also be combined with other survey questions to help demographers broadly understand the MENA population in terms of size, location and economic status, but these statistics have no legal standing. Only the categories included in the decennial census dictate how people are classified across a broad spectrum of statistical agencies.

For example, while there is robust research into the public school achievement gap between white and Black students, less is known about the performance of Middle Eastern and North African students because they are not officially tracked in federal education statistics.

When policy makers redraw political boundaries every ten years, there is often much debate over whether the new congressional districts fairly represent various minority groups. But people of MENA descent are not officially part of this conversation because they dont exist in the data used to draw the lines.

Medical researchers can better detect elevated health risks for certain groups if they gain access to more granular race data, researchers from Cornell University recently found. During the first year of the pandemic, for example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was able to detect the high risk of Covid among Native Americans in large part because Native American, unlike MENA, is an official race category. Dr. Tiffany Kindratt, a health researcher at the University of Texas at Arlington who has reached a similar conclusion in her work, noted that the designation is crucial to securing funding for studies.

With so much missing information, The Times decided to conduct its own survey to learn more about those of MENA descent in the United States.

I have never passed for white a day in my life. There is no way that I should be hidden into this category. Now my numbers go into this category of culture that I do not belong to, that Im not recognized as, and that I dont share privileges with. Susu Attar, 42, identifies as Iraqi Im not white, Im North African. By having to check white  I feel like it reduces me to a certain set of expectations or experiences that dont capture what its meant to be an Arab and a Muslim in America. Khelil Bouarrouj, 37, identifies as North African I have been discriminated against and have been told to go back to my country more times than I can count from white people. Why should I be lumped in with the very people who discriminate against me? Dusty Haddad, 51, identifies as Palestinian

In the Times survey, respondents were asked several multiple choice questions about their racial and ethnic identity.

When asked to choose from a list of race options that did not include Middle Eastern or North African, nearly half of the 5,300 survey respondents chose another race and about a third picked white. When a MENA box was added, the change was drastic  nearly 90 percent chose either MENA alone or MENA along with one other category. (Unlike the census form, which prompts MENA individuals to identify as white, the Times survey did not.)

A watercolor painting of a chart shows these responses before the MENA category: 49% of respondents chose Another Race, 32% chose White, 12% chose Another Race, White, 2% chose Black of African American, 1% chose Asian or Pacific Islander, and 5% chose other combinations. The chart shows these responses after the MENA category was added: 69% chose MENA, 15% chose MENA, White, 3% chose Another Race, 5% chose White and 8% chose other combinations.

A lot of MENA people dont perceive themselves as being part of the majority population in the United States, said Jeffrey S. Passel, a senior demographer at Pew Research. Some of them perceive themselves to be subject to discrimination because of their origins.

Nadine Naber, a professor of Arab American studies at the University of Illinois Chicago, said the lack of a MENA box made it difficult to track instances of racism and discrimination, both for law enforcement and in workplaces and universities.

At the same time, people of Middle Eastern and North African descent are often hypervisible and subjected to racial profiling, and stereotypes associating Muslims and Arabs with terrorism persist with pernicious consequences, Dr. Naber said. And there may be some reluctance to self-identify as Middle Eastern and North African on official forms for that very reason, she added.

People lack access to resources and are being discriminated against, but we cant respond because we dont have the data, said Dr. Naber, who is an author of a study of Arab Americans in Chicago released last year called Beyond Erasure and Profiling.

A small share of those surveyed did choose white even when a Middle Eastern and North African option was offered  showing how difficult it is to find universal agreement on views around identity within such a diverse population. But when MENA was an option, a much larger share of respondents chose it in addition to white.

Several survey respondents acknowledged the privilege that comes with the perception of appearing or presenting as white.

If I look at myself, Im not hijabi, Im not Muslim, and I know I go around the world with white-woman privilege. My Turkish family has white privilege in certain contexts. Ceylan Swenson, 24, identifies as white and mixed-SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) In our country, race is such a loaded question that I feel like I cant truthfully say anything other than white, as I definitely have the privilege that goes along with that. Blake Bachara, 32, identifies as white and vaguely Arabic To someone who sees me, I might present as white. But as soon as anyone hears my name, I immediately become nonwhite. I filled out white most of the time only because I didnt feel like I had a good option. Amin Younes, 35, identifies as Palestinian and German American Were forced to choose between checking white or acknowledging our identity as Arab/Middle Eastern. But we can be both. Rita Obeid, 34, identifies as Middle Eastern/Arab

The addition of a Middle Eastern and North African box would impact demographic data for all groups in the United States, and would almost certainly result in a decrease in the number of people counted as white. After all, the Census Bureau has included most MENA individuals in that category for as long as it has counted them.

The debate over how to classify people of Middle Eastern and North African descent is not new. In the early 1900s, Arab immigrants  who were mostly Levantine Christians  fought to be classified as white to circumvent rules that allowed only white immigrants to become U.S. citizens.

The matter became the subject of several court cases  and set in place a legal precedent that would last for decades.

The federal government issued guidelines in 1977 that defined people from the Middle East and North Africa as white. A box for this population was on the agenda when the race and ethnicity guidelines were updated in 1997, but there was not enough consensus to implement change.

Extensive research continued under then-President Barack Obama, but it did not result in any changes to the race or ethnicity categories. In 2022, the Biden administration picked it back up and asked the public to weigh in.

Thousands of people submitted feedback, which a working group is now reviewing, before final recommendations are submitted to the Office of Management and Budget. Revisions to the race and ethnicity statistical standards are expected by the summer.

The new category will allow all of us to be seen and also see each other for the first time. Its a chance to re-emerge from the whiteness many immigrants sought to survive a century ago, but that has served to erase and harm us over the 20th and 21st centuries. Thomas Simsarian Dolan, 41, identifies as MENA The census is the only major set of data that lawmakers and corporations and others use to see who is in this country. To not be represented in something like that, it just feels like we arent supposed to care about who we are. Gabrielle Barbara Guliana, 26, identifies as Chaldean

The largest group of respondents to the Times survey said they were of Egyptian, Lebanese, Palestinian, Iranian or Syrian descent. Among these identities, those from Lebanon and Iran were more likely to call themselves white.

Respondents whose families immigrated to the United States before 1960 were also more likely to identify as white. For those with families arriving in more recent decades, another race was the most common response.

The survey also revealed differences along generational lines. While those over the age of 50 were more likely to choose white, respondents under 30 were less likely to do so.

Generationally its a very different conversation. As you get younger, people are more likely to identify as MENA or not white, but the first generations who came to the U.S. are more likely to identify as white. Christina Boufarah, 21, identifies as Middle Eastern/North African/Arab The wish for assimilation is very much inside every immigrant Ive ever met  wanting to be accepted, wanting to feel safe. Whats changing is really the fact that people are refusing to put up with the shame and refusing to hide, making it easier and safer to not check the white box today. Michele Magar, 69, identifies as MENA and non-practicing Jew If anything, I consider myself closer in race to Black people than white people. I grew up in this city, born in 1980 and there werent many first-generation American Arabs in N.Y.C. My identity and race has always made me question why there are so few selections. Soufiane Driss, 43, identifies as North African

Many people told The Times that they regard Middle Eastern and North African as an ethnicity, not a race. For several decades, the Census Bureau has made a distinction between the two categories. It has captured information about race for people who are white, Black, Asian or Native American. And it has inquired about Hispanic and Latino heritage as a matter of ethnicity. Under the new system, the distinction would disappear, and Middle Eastern and North African would be added to a new combined question that asks for race or ethnicity.

Some respondents took issue with the term the Middle East, which is generally used to refer to Arabic-speaking countries as well as others like Iran, Israel and Turkey. The term became widely used in the 1900s, when it was employed by world powers, and its borders have long been subject to debate. There is also no consensus on which countries and territories constitute the Middle East.

Particularly among younger people and academics, a different term has been adopted  SWANA, or Southwest Asia and North Africa.

Its not an easy task to incorporate a wide swath of the world with many countries, languages, ethnicities and religions into a single box, but proponents say MENA is the most inclusive option and a good place to start.

As an Afghan, we would get lost in the Asian box, and feel that MENA should become more inclusive like the more current term SWANA, to include Afghanistan, Turkey and Armenia. Azita Ghanizada, identifies as Afghan The notion of being an Arab in the West is a politically charged notion  often one where you are seen as an enemy, frankly. Being in control of defining your own identity is a way of defeating the pernicious power of stereotyping. Moustafa Bayoumi, 57, identifies as Arab American I can say Im American, Im Arab, Im Syrian, Im a Muslim, Im a West Virginian. So these labels are not so simple for us to just say, All you people get in this bucket. But if MENA is what works best for now, Ill take whatever starts to see us or count us. Nawar Shora, 47, identifies as Arab American
A 19-year-old man faces three months to five years in prison for stealing a horse and trying to hide it in his apartment on the third floor of a residential building.

When police officers in Wejherowo, Poland, received an emergency call about a man trying to lead a horse to the upper floors of a local apartment building, they thought it was a clever prank. However, the person on the other end of the line was not laughing. They insisted that there was a grown horse on the staircase of their building making its way up, and the residents needed police assistance. Police reluctantly sent out a crew to investigate, but they were shocked to find that the callers story checked out. There was indeed a full-grown horse being led to the upper floors of the apartment building by a young man who appeared to be arguing with disgruntled neighbors trying to stop him.

Photo: Midjourney

A young man was trying to lead a mare into the stairwell of a multi-family building, Anetta Potrykus, a spokeswoman from the District Police Headquarters in Wejherowo, told Radio Gdansk.

Officers later learned that the unnamed resident trying to lead the horse into his third-floor apartment had stolen the animal and was trying to conceal it, in case someone came asking about it. He apparently never considered how conspicuous that operation would be, or how he would keep a full-grown mare in his two-bedroom apartment if he managed to get it through the front door.



Police officers estimated the price of the horse at around 15,000 Polish zloti ($3,800). They managed to get the animal back to the owner  who had already reported it stolen  safe and sound.

As for the 19-year-old genius who tried to hide the stolen horse in his apartment, he has been charged with theft and risks spending up to five years behind bars.
UFO MP-1766 is the worlds first levitating legal tender. It was commissioned by the Cameroon National Bank and created by Mennica Polska, the Polish Mint.

The name of this innovative coin was inspired by its likeness to a flying saucer and its ability to slowly rotate in the air like an alien spacecraft. The number 1766 reflects the founding date of the Polish Mint as well as the coins denomination, 1,766 Cameroonian francs ($2.91). As you can probably guess, although it can be used in Cameroon as legal tender, the value of this tiny wonder of engineering is considerably higher than its official denomination. With a limited mintage of only 510 units worldwide, the UFO MP-1766 has a pre-order price of over $1,000. The prototype coin was unveiled at last weeks Technical Forum in Berlin and will be available this upcoming spring.

We wondered what to surprise the participants of the Technical Forum with this time ukasz Karda, director of the Polish Mints technical and production planning department, told the Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper. We assembled a team of experts from various company divisions, including marketing and production. The idea was spontaneous: Lets make a flying coin. At first, it sounded like a good joke, but with each passing day, it became clear that we were up to the task. We found the right technology and it worked. Work went smoothly, production went rapidly.

Mennica Polska hasnt offered too many details on the technology behind UFO MP-1766, but according to the little information we do have, the innovative coin has a small motor embedded in it which is activated by a magnetic field generated between the coin and the special base it comes with. This allows the silver coin to levitate and slowly rotate like a flying saucer.

Apart from its levitating capabilities and futuristic design, the UFO MP-1766 also has fluorescent elements that glow in the dark, adding to the dramatic effect.

Mennica Polska is the only private body permitted to manufacture coins and investment products in Poland and the sole manufacturer of commemorative coins issued by the National Bank of Poland. To make the UFO MP-1766 legal tender and not just a levitating piece of silver, the company decided to partner with an exotic central bank.



We cannot simply create a coin that goes into official circulation, because only central banks have the right to issue money, ukasz Karda said. Therefore, there is a business model of getting in touch with somewhat exotic foreign banks, in this case the Bank of Cameroon.


Port of Dublin Floats PR/Marketing RFP Fri., Mar. 15, 2024 The Port of Dublin, which handles 50 percent of Irelands total trade and 80 percent of its containerized traffic, wants a PR/marketing services firm to position it as an essential state asset.
An appeal has been lodged with An Bord Pleanala against a decision by Offaly County Council to grant permission for the construction of a sterilisation technology facility at Ballyduff, Tullamore,

The local planning authority gave the green light to Synergy Health Ireland Limited, in January of this year. A number of nearby residents have lodged an appeal.

The development will front the Clara Road at Ballyduff and include the repositioning and upgrade of the two existing entrances to the site from Clara road. The provision of internal roads, footpaths and a bicycle path and 42 car parking spaces.

Enda Scally is one of those appealing the application. He lives near the development site.

In his submission to Offaly County Council, Mr Scally said there was no indication of how the proposed industrial facility is designed to achieve compliance with the Radiological Protection Act 1991 (Ionising Radiation Regulations 2019 or International Atomic Energy Agency guidelines and standards).

In addition he said that the overall height of the proposed industrial sterilisation facility is 2.4 times the height of the nearby units in Axis Business Park. He maintained that if built the industrial facility would have a direct effect on the visual amenities of the dwellings to the north and adjacent properties. ''Such an overbearing facility is contrary to proper planning and sustainable development,'' he said.

He said the application proposes bulky, large, high units that would result in overshadowing and appear visually dominant as viewed from the amenity space of the dwellings to the north. ''It would seriously injure the residential visual amenities,'' he claimed.

Mr Scally stressed that under the county development plan, Arden Road and Ballyduff is zoned to facilitate strategic large-scale employment. He said that the proposed facility will employ just 32 staff members.

''The indicative masterplan will depreciate the value of domestic property in the vicinity and thereby be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the surrounding townlands. It will lead to unsustainable development on the land north of the grand canal and the town's northern environs,'' said Mr Scally.

An Bord Pleanala will make known its decision in June.
Each student will receive 2,500 for each year of study, up to a maximum of four years. The Cloncreen Wind Farm Educational Scholarship Scheme aims to award over 600,000 to local students over the lifetime of the Scholarship Fund

Bord na Mona has announced a significant investment of over 80,000 to support students in the Midlands through the Cloncreen Wind Farm Educational Scholarship Scheme. Following considerable interest in the scheme, 13 local students have been awarded scholarships, to support their educational pursuits.

As part of the educational scholarship scheme, which was launched in August 2023, students living in the vicinity of Cloncreen Wind Farm can receive 2,500 for each year of study, up to a maximum of four years. The Scholarship can be used to cover various education-related expenses, including course fees, accommodation, and transportation costs.

Applications for the Scholarship scheme were evaluated against predefined criteria, giving special consideration to courses related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and those contributing to sustainability, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Applications were welcomed from all third level courses and further education, from Level 6 and upwards as per the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).

The Scholarship scheme is directly funded by the renewable energy generated at the wind farm. This scheme forms part of the wider Cloncreen Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund package which provides annual grant funding for a variety of initiatives and schemes in local communities.

The scholarship recipients including Ciara Hanley, Diarmaid O'Neill, Eoghan Ryan, Holly Meehan, Jane Foran, Jessica Corcoran, Katie Dunne, Katie Lawlor, Mark Whelehan, Rebecca ONeill, Saoirse Dunne, Shay Evans, and Tom Mangan, were announced at a recent awards ceremony in Tullamore. These students are studying a wide range of courses from Science, Engineering, and Nursing to Education and Law.

Welcoming the news, Simon Harris, Minister for Further and Higher Education, said: The work Bord na Mona is doing in the renewable energy sector is truly impressive. It has been a leader in our ongoing transition to a green economy. As Minister in charge of Skills I want to see industry, state agencies and educational providers invest massively in the skills of the future. Our Climate Action Plan highlights the need for people to be provided with the right skills to be able to participate in and benefit from the future net-zero economy. Looking at the range of courses undertaken by these 13 students underpins the importance of that plan. It is reassuring to know that the future of our nation is in the hands of such talented and ambitious young people. I would like to wish them every success in their future education.

Speaking at the Awards Ceremony, John Reilly, Head of Renewable Energy, Bord na Mona said, We are delighted to support 13 students through our Cloncreen Wind Farm Educational Scholarship Scheme, as they embark on the next phase of their academic journeys. As Bord na Mona continues to expand its renewable energy activity across the country to support Irelands net zero ambitions by 2050, the role of our Community Benefit Fund ensures we maximise the benefits for the neighbouring communities throughout the process.

Bord na Mona is also delighted to announce that the 2024 Cloncreen Wind Farm Educational Scholarship Scheme will be opening in the coming months. Further information will be made available in local media and on www.cloncreenwindfarm.ie.
Ferbane native Seamus Dooley has been chosen as the 2023 Offaly Person of the Year.

Tony Bergin, from Cooleshall in the Killavilla area of the county, has been selected as the 2023 Unsung Hero of Offaly.

Both men will be presented with their prestigious awards at a gala dinner dance in the Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore, on Saturday, April 13 next.

A journalist, Seamus is Irish Secretary of the National Union of Journalists.

A tireless advocate of journalists in all sectors, he is a regular commentator in the national media.

Educated at the School of Journalism in the College of Commerce, Rathmines, Seamus started his career as a reporter in the Tullamore Tribune before being appointed Editor of the Roscommon Champion. He worked with the Irish Independent before taking up his role with the NUJ.

A proud Offaly man, Seamus has never forgotten his roots in west Offaly. His father, the late Eddie Joe Dooley, a long serving councillor on Offaly County Council, also received the award.

Nonagenarian Tony Bergin, a retired dairy farmer, is a passionate inventor of all things practical.

Tony has won numerous competitions across Ireland including a number at the National Inventions Section of Tullamore Show which he has been exhibiting at since its inception.

In total thirty-three nominations were received for the Offaly Association (Dublin) 2023 Offaly Person of the Year and Unsung Hero of Offaly awards.

The prestigious awards are organised by a sub-committee of the Offaly Association (Dublin) and sponsored by the Celt Bar, Talbot Street, Dublin.

Chairperson of the sub-committee, Liam Fleury, said the committee was overawed with the calibre of the nominees this year.

"The awards ceremony will be held in the Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore on Saturday, April 13 and tickets  priced at 45 - to the event will shortly be available from the hotel or any member of the organising sub-committee," said the Drumcullen native.

The Offaly Person of the Year sub-committee members are Liam Fleury, D rumcullen and Dublin, (087 6169192), Pat Teehan, Coolderry and Birr, (087 6593757), Noel McCann, Daingean and Tullamore, 085 8057385), Peter Carter, Edenderry and Tullamore, (087 2662475), and Ger Scully, Tullamore and Killavilla (083 1750285).

In attendance at the gala dinner and presentation will be Coolderry native, Noel Tynan, the 2022 Offaly Person of the Year and Edenderry's Shane Loughlin, the 2022 Unsung Hero of Offaly, as well as previous recipients of both awards.
Lubinets confirms execution of seven Ukrainian POWs by Russians near Bakhmut; will appeal to UN, ICRC

Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets confirmed the execution of seven unarmed Ukrainian soldiers near Bakhmut who were about to surrender, calling it another Russian war crime.

"The Russians again shot Ukrainian soldiers who were surrendering," he said in Telegram channel.

According to him, this is another war crime, which probably occurred on February 24 in Bakhmut region.

Lubinets said the video distributed on Telegram channels shows that the Ukrainian servicemen are surrendering. In particular, their hands were raised up, they showed that they were unarmed and did not pose a threat.

"The Russians should have taken them prisoner, but instead they mercilessly shot them," he said.

However, Lubinets did not name the exact number of Ukrainians shot by the Russians, but there were probably at least seven. "These are military personnel of the Defense Forces of Ukraine," he said.

Lubinets said the Ukrainian side knows which military unit the Russian soldiers are from.

"This case must be recorded as another violation by Russia of international humanitarian law. In this regard, I will immediately send official letters to the UN and ICRC so that the organizations record and publicly admit that the Russian military is killing Ukrainian prisoners," Lubinets said.

"For the Russian army, the Geneva Conventions, rules and customs of war mean nothing. They act according to their unspoken 'conventions,' 'rules' and 'customs'  cruelty, meanness, baseness. Such murders of prisoners of war are not isolated cases. There should be punishment for them punishment," the ombudsman said.

Earlier, a video of the Russian army shooting Ukrainian soldiers who were unarmed and had their hands raised high above their heads began distributing on Telegram channels.
Ukraine is interested in ensuring that all aid arrives on time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a press conference in Kyiv on Saturday after negotiations with the leaders of Belgium, Italy, the EU and Canada.

"Everything is important  bilateral documents, European support, a support package of 50 billion, and coalitions. Coalition F16, etc. What is important, what is missing? It's not enough for everything to be, as they say, in time, when it's really needed," he said.

"There is not enough air defense for Ukraine. This is important for the front. In order to protect children, schools, universities, hospitals. And for this it is important for everyone to concentrate their efforts. In order not to shoot at Kharkiv, for example," Zelenskyy said.

"We need long-range weapons. Since the Russians stand at such a distance that they can hit our people, and we cannot respond to them with dignity," he said.

"If we are talking about sanctions, we must clearly know that this is really isolation. And no one signs any contracts behind their back. And there are no economic relations with it. For he then spends all these benefits on the war. That is, it is not very reasonable to help Ukraine on the one hand, and on the other hand to make money with a murderer," the President of Ukraine also said.

Zelenskyy said "Putin's political isolation."
Ukraine, in addition to negotiations with EU member states on concluding bilateral agreements on security guarantees, is also conducting a separate negotiation track on signing a security agreement with the European Union, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva said.

"I would like to mention another important stage in relations with the EU. You have already seen that security agreements have been signed with some European states. There is also a separate track between Ukraine and the European Union regarding security guarantees," Zhovkva said at a panel discussion at the forum "Ukraine. Year 2024" which takes place on Sunday.

As he noted, at a certain stage such a document will be signed between Ukraine and the EU, but today the main goal for Ukraine is to sign bilateral security guarantees with most, if not all, EU members.

However, Zhovkva said not all EU states have even joined the Vilnius Declaration.

"We know about these states. We strive for such states, including Ukraine's neighbors, to become guarantors of our security," he said.

"Ukraine is and will remain a reliable partner of the EU, and our path to the EU is a component of our victory," the deputy head of the Presidential Office said.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Oleksandr Syrsky and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov visited forward command posts in the combat area, where they conducted a detailed analysis of the situation, determining further steps, primarily to protect troops from drones and air strikes KABs, as well as strengthening individual sections of the front.

"Together with the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov, we visited the forward command posts of military units and subunits in the area of combat operations. We heard from the commanders of military groups about the situation in their areas of responsibility. The enemy regularly storms the positions of our forces. In many directions the situation is complex and requires constant monitoring," Syrsky said in the Telegram channel on Monday.

"We analyzed the current situation in detail and discussed the necessary further steps, primarily protecting troops from drones and air strikes with KABs, as well as strengthening individual sections of the front," he said.

Syrsky and Umerov also talked with the commanders of brigades and individual battalions about the state of affairs on the ground, and analyzed the problems that arise in the brigades. "I drew attention to the importance of coordination and proper operational interaction of all Defense Forces, as well as preserving the lives of our defenders," the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine emphasized, adding that "to improve the combat effectiveness, sustainability and control of units, he immediately made several decisions on the spot."

"It's an honor to fight with such Heroes," Syrsky said.
Russian revanchism gave birth to the brutal war that is now ongoing against Ukraine ten years ago, during the annexation of Crimea, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, speaking via video link at the Forum "26-2-14. The war began in Crimea."

"It was when I felt that the world was capable of turning a blind eye to such crimes, to such annexations, to such mockery of people whose home was simply taken away," he said.

Wars, Zelenskyy said, end truly and honestly when the evil that gave birth to them can be extinguished. "And that is why the sense of justice and the aspirations of peace must go hand in hand. This requires, in particular, not to forget about Crimea, to fight for Crimea, against the evil that Russia brought to Crimea, and then tried to spread throughout Ukraine and wants to spread also on the lands of other peoples," he said.

According to the president, "we must fight for the full restoration of the power of international law, power in relation to Crimea, and therefore any other land."

"We must fight for the fundamental right of the Crimean Tatar people, like any other people, to the right to live in their home... The return of all our prisoners, the return of all those deported from Ukraine, the return of Crimean political prisoners is our absolute priority," he said.
An observation about instant runoff voting from a 2016 article in this series supports arguments in the most recently published article of this series. The observation is that to put an end to duopoly, much more is needed than to merely extend to voters an illusion. In the past I may have failed to emphasize how significant this observation is.

There surely are people who favor the two-party nature of our politics. Typically, their perspective is that with more than two political parties Congress would be gridlocked. In this view, Congress could never pass legislation because, with multiple political parties, no single party would ever be



... or the highway

(Image by Paul Cohen) Details DMCA



able to force through its proposals. This argument takes the dismal position that, by nature, politicians lack any capacity for compromise. It surely seems that way today, but the more charitable view would be that this inflexibility is a natural consequence of allowing a two-party duopoly to survive.

Would politicians continue behaving this way after realizing that it is highly unlikely that their party will ever regain control of government? Would they not learn the value of cooperation, often across party lines. Fortunately, with there being many viable parties, it would no longer be clear who the despised other side to reflexively oppose might be. Indeed, the opponents and allies would likely shift sides according to the legislative issue, no longer rigidly set according to party label. No doubt there would be a revival of the old-fashioned trading of you voting for my bill in exchange for me voting for your bill.

We know that some of the founders vainly hoped that the country could avoid having political parties. They had some experience with elections and may well have feared the advance of the very sort of battling two-party duopoly that now afflicts our politics. But the folly of this notion quickly became apparent with the election of John Adams, a member of the Federalist party, as the nation's second president. Perhaps there is no way to avoid the establishment of political parties, but we should consider the possibility that having many political parties might have much the same salutary effects these founders anticipated from having none.

What do we mean by a two-party duopoly? Surely it is not simply that there are exactly two political parties; the duopoly we now suffer with often includes additional "third parties". Common use of the term seems to be that while there may be more than two political parties, only the dominant two have any realistic chance of winning elections.

The voting system we generally use, plurality voting, asks voters to choose just a single candidate to support. Plurality voting works well, but only for elections with a maximum of two candidates. This voting system is defective even in the context of our current two-party duopoly because non-viable third parties can alter election outcomes by drawing more votes away from one viable candidate than the other.

Plurality voting is especially unsatisfactory for our primary elections which often have more than just two viable candidates. And in so many states, the general election is effectively guaranteed to one of the two parties. In these cases, the very flawed primary election is the only important election.

Plurality voting does let voters enjoy a convenient illusion when faced with two unsatisfactory viable candidates. By casting a vote for a third party or perhaps even a write-in candidate the voter can make a pretense doing what seems honorable. But the voter surely has some vague recognition that this really is a failure to participate in the only significant role of the election, which is to choose between the viable candidates.

Unfortunately, helping voters to feel better is also the primary benefit of instant-runoff voting (a.k.a ranked-choice voting). Voters are invited to enjoy voting their honest support for the candidate they truly prefer but they are assured that their support will surely migrate into support for the viable candidate they may prefer but perhaps do not particularly support. The voter likely does feel some relief, but that feeling is founded on another convenient, though transparent, illusion. The only way this subterfuge could lead to a win for the third-party candidate is if a majority of voters miraculously choose to give more support that same third-party candidate than to any viable candidate (despite recognizing that candidate has no chance of winning). It could happen, but it seems highly improbable, much like winning big in a lottery. And it is almost impossible to imagine that this could re-occur with sufficient frequency to cause this additional party to achieve viability. Ranked-choice voting provides a well-disguised and appealing illusion, but it seems quite unsuited for putting an end to the two-party duopoly.

Encouraging voters merely to feel better about voting more honestly is a pale alternative to allowing those voters to choose from a more generous number of viable alternatives. That is what it would take to end the duopoly and if that is our objective, we must insist on much more from the new, alternative voting system. It cannot merely provide an opportunity for a voters to cast ineffective votes in elections that still unfairly favor the two dominant parties. It must provide a mechanism for promoting the viability of additional candidates on ballots.

This is why we must consider systems (such as balanced approval voting ) that are both evaluative and balanced . These two properties actively mitigate the power held by the two political parties when those two parties become dominant. Such voting systems eliminate the bias that structurally favors the most famous candidates, and these systems provide hope for smaller parties and for outstanding independent candidates to become viable. Perhaps there are other voting systems that also accomplish these important objectives, but...
Lithuania is actively strengthening its Armed Forces and purchasing military equipment. It is not difficult to guess that the main beneficiary of the militarization of Lithuania is the United States' military-industrial complex. Lithuanian Minister of Defence Arvydas Anusauskas said that planned and ongoing purchases from the United States alone reach 1.2 billion.

In total, Lithuania will allocate about 23 billion for military needs over the next 10 years.

Anusauskas noted that this amount includes the entire range of costs: costs of providing personnel, operating costs, purchase of weapons, and other acquisitions for the Lithuanian army. Obviously, Lithuania is a loyal client of the U.S.

The intention to purchase American JLTV vehicles was initially announced in 2017 when this model was ahead of nine other armored vehicles proposed for the national military during tests in Lithuania.

Lithuania's application to purchase JLTV was filed in the United States in late February 2019.

In August 2021, the Lithuanian military received the first batch of JLTV armored military SUVs manufactured by the American company Oshkosh Defence.

The second batch of armored vehicles arrived in November 2022. In 2022, Lithuania had also contracted the purchase of an additional 300 JLTVs.

Their delivery will begin in 2024. Armored vehicles will be armed with M2 QCB 12.7mm heavy machine guns.

The delivery of these additional JLTVs would bring the total number of these vehicles of the Lithuanian military to 500 units.

So, in in May 2023 fifty JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle) were delivered to the country - this was the third delivery of this kind.

At the end of December 2023 the Lithuanian Armed Forces also received the fourth batch of American-made JLTV armored vehicles.

This brings the total number of JLTVs in the Lithuanian military to 200. Thus, Lithuania received all the armored vehicles ordered within the first contract. A certain number of these vehicles are armed with the CROWS remote weapon with a 12.7-mm heavy machine gun.

In December 2022, Vilnius signed an agreement to purchase HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS). In total, it is planned to purchase eight such combat vehicles. It is expected that they will be supplied with ammunition that is capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 300 km. The arrival of the first MLRS is expected in 2024. The contract value is $495 million.

The U.S. is now more than ever interested in selling HIMARS. These missile systems have long been used in combat operations in Ukraine. Moreover, when they first began to be supplied to Kyiv, there were a lot of opinions about a "miracle weapon" that would help Ukraine quickly win. The opinions have remained just opinions.

Fortunately for the United States, they have such loyal friends as Lithuania, which will buy American weapons in any case - and even praise them for their unsurpassed qualities.

The American military-industrial complex is interested in getting as many NATO countries as possible "addicted" to these purchases. After all, by buying weapons from the United States, these states doom themselves to long-term client relationships - then they need to purchase ammunition from the U.S. and turn to the services of American specialists to repair the purchased equipment.
We have just been through "President's Day". To understand the title of this short piece, I refer you to Albert Einstein's definition of war as an act of murder. Who am I to argue with that genius? Every President except two who died early in office have thus been surrogate murderers.

How many have all 46 minus 2 presidents murdered? It would be easier to crack Ft. Knox to get an official answer to my question. It doesn't really matter though. I will have one of my heroes give you his estimate of the number of people our presidents and "we" (as US citizens represented by our government) murdered just in the Vietnam War along with the accompanying devastation. His name is S.B. Wilson. Mr. Wilson, now a lawyer, lost both legs crushed by an oncoming munitions train he had attempted to halt. He has tallied for us the deaths and destruction from one war alone, the US war waged against the Southeast Asian people in Viet Nam, Laos, and Cambodia that is known as the Viet Nam War. Read his account and try not to weep:

-Over 6 million Southeast Asians killed.

-Over 64,000 US and Allied soldiers killed.

-Over 1,600 US soldiers, and 300,000 Vietnamese soldiers remain missing.

-Thousands of amputees, paraplegics, blind, deaf, and other maimings created.

-13,000 of 21,000 of Vietnamese villages, or 62 percent, severely damaged or destroyed, mostly by bombing.

-Nearly 950 churches and pagodas destroyed by bombing.

-350 hospitals and 1,500 maternity wards destroyed by bombing.

-Nearly 3,000 high schools and universities destroyed by bombing.

-Over 15,000 bridges destroyed by bombing.

-10 million cubic meters of dikes destroyed by bombing.

-Over 3,700 US fixed-wing aircraft lost.

-36,125,000 US helicopter sorties during the war; over 10,000 helicopters lost or severely damaged.

-26 million bomb craters created the majority from B-52s (a B-52 bomb crater could be 20 feet deep, and 40 feet across).

-39 million acres of land in Indochina (or 91 percent of the land area of South Viet Nam) littered with fragments of bombs and shells, equivalent to 244,000 (160 acre) farms, or an area the size of all New England except Connecticut.

-21 million gallons (80 million liters) of extremely poisonous chemicals (herbicides) applied in 20,000 chemical spraying missions between 1961 and 1970 in the most intensive use of chemical warfare in human history, with as many as 4.8 million Vietnamese living in nearly 3,200 villages directly sprayed by the chemicals.

-24 percent, or 16,100 square miles, of South Viet Nam sprayed, an area larger than the states of Connecticut, Vermont, and Rhode Island combined, killing tropical forest, food crops, and inland forests.

-Over 500,000 Vietnamese died from chronic conditions related to chemical spraying with an estimated 650,000 still suffering from such conditions; 500,000 children have been born with Agent Orange-induced birth defects, now including third generation offspring.

-Nearly 375,000 tons of fire-balling napalm dropped on villages.

-Huge Rome Plows (made in Rome, Georgia), 20-ton earthmoving D7E Caterpillar tractors, fitted with a nearly 2.5-ton curved 11-foot-wide attached blade protected by 14 additional tons of armor plate, scraped clean between 700,000 and 750,000 acres (1,200 square miles), an area equivalent to Rhode Island, leaving bare earth, rocks, and smashed trees.

-As many as 36,000,000 total tons of ordnance expended from aerial and naval bombing, artillery, and ground combat firepower. On an average day US artillery expended 10,000 rounds costing $1 million per day; 150,000-300,000 tons of UXO remain scattered around Southeast Asia. 40,000 have been killed in Viet Nam since the end of the war in 1975, and nearly 70,000 injured; 20,000 Laotians have been killed or injured since the end of the war.

-7 billion gallons of fuel consumed by US forces during the war.[1]

There were five surrogate murderers during the Vietnam War: Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford. To Kennedy's credit, he tried to end the war and was assassinated by his own warmongering and murdering government.

In Closing

The U.S. government is very adept at duping the American public by turning its surrogate murderers either into National Holidays or memorializing them in concrete ways such as statues, city and street names, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts etc., etc. To paraphrase Mark Twain, "It's easy to fool the people and hard to convince them they have been fooled."

Note

1. Wilson, S.B. Remembering All the Deaths from All of Our Wars. Counterpunch, May 27, 2016.
This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here.

Imagine for a moment that I told you Congress was suddenly teetering at the edge of passing a $95-billion bill to give many more Americans reasonable health care. No, it really doesn't sound likely, does it? Okay, then, how about Congress teetering at the edge of passing just such a bill to further arm Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan with American weaponry of all sorts? Oh wait, it may be to arm those countries further, but it's also to fund the giant all-American arms-makers, those key components of the military-industrial-congressional complex, since money for weaponry meant for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan will actually go directly to them, as TomDispatch regular and Pentagon expert William Hartung explains today.

Oh, and just imagine for a moment that, should those arms companies get such near-record funding anytime soon, some of that money -- count on it -- will be poured into endless cost overruns and distinctly dysfunctional weapons systems. You want an example? Take Boeing, which should be considered the poster child for such a reality right now. If you've been watching the nightly news, I'm sure you've noticed those Boeing 737 Max 9 commercial jets that were discovered to be missing door bolts after a door plug from one of them fell 16,000 feet into an Oregon backyard.

What's been far less noticed is that Boeing has an unnervingly similar record when it comes to building military aircraft. Take, for instance, the new Boeing aerial refueling tanker, meant to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of such planes. It simply doesn't work. At the cost of a genuine fortune, it's years behind schedule, plagued by major deficiencies, way over cost, and still not fully ready for use. Similarly, in early December, after a crash near Japan killed eight airmen, the Pentagon grounded its full fleet of Boeing CV-22 Ospreys (which have experienced 10 fatal crashes that have killed 57 people over the last 23 years). And that's just to list the problems of two Boeing aircraft.

With that in mind, let Hartung explore an all-American world in which taxpayer dollars continue to pour into the military-industrial complex and how efficiently that "arsenal of democracy" responds by delivering ever less to Americans. He offers, in fact, a shocking vision of where our tax dollars are really going and why that's bad for us. Tom

War Is Bad for You -- And the Economy

Biden Touts the Alleged Benefits of the "Arsenal of Democracy"

By William D. Hartung

Joe Biden wants you to believe that spending money on weapons is good for the economy. That tired old myth -- regularly repeated by the political leaders of both parties -- could help create an even more militarized economy that could threaten our peace and prosperity for decades to come. Any short-term gains from pumping in more arms spending will be more than offset by the long-term damage caused by crowding out new industries and innovations, while vacuuming up funds needed to address other urgent national priorities.

The Biden administration's sales pitch for the purported benefits of military outlays began in earnest last October, when the president gave a rare Oval Office address to promote a $106-billion emergency allocation that included tens of billions of dollars of weaponry for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. MAGA Republicans in Congress had been blocking the funding from going forward and the White House was searching for a new argument to win them over. The president and his advisers settled on an answer that could just as easily have come out of the mouth of Donald Trump: jobs, jobs, jobs. As Joe Biden put it:

"We send Ukraine equipment sitting in our stockpiles. And when we use the money allocated by Congress, we use it to replenish our own stores" equipment that defends America and is made in America: Patriot missiles for air defense batteries made in Arizona; artillery shells manufactured in 12 states across the country -- in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas; and so much more."

It should be noted that two of the four states he singled out (Arizona and Pennsylvania) are swing states crucial to his reelection bid, while the other two are red states with Republican senators he's been trying to win over to vote for another round of military aid to Ukraine.

Lest you think that Biden's economic pitch for such aid was a one-off event, Politico reported that, in the wake of his Oval Office speech, administration officials were distributing talking points to members of Congress touting the economic benefits of such aid. Politico dubbed this approach "Bombenomics." Lobbyists for the administration even handed out a map purporting to show how much money such assistance to Ukraine would distribute to each of the 50 states. And that, by the way, is a tactic companies like Lockheed Martin routinely use to promote the continued funding of costly, flawed weapons systems like the F-35 fighter jet. Still, it should be troubling to see the White House stooping to the same tactics.

Yes, it's important to provide Ukraine with the necessary equipment and munitions to defend itself from Russia's grim invasion, but the case should be made on the merits, not through exaggerated accounts about the economic impact of doing so. Otherwise, the military-industrial complex will have yet another never-ending claim on our scarce national resources.

Military Keynesianism and Cold War Fallacies

The official story about military spending and the economy starts like this: the massive buildup for World War II got America out of the Great Depression, sparked the development of key civilian technologies (from computers to the internet), and created a steady flow of well-paying manufacturing jobs that were part of the backbone of America's industrial economy.

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A team of scientists at Virginia Techs Earth Observation and Innovation Lab say the land in numerous major cities on the east coast is sinking, which could impact the lives of millions of people. The NASA-funded team estimates there are at least 867,000 properties and critical infrastructure including several highways, railways, airports, dams, and levees were all subsiding according to NASA.

The study also found that more than half of the infrastructure in major cities such as New York, Baltimore, and Norfolk, Virginia was built on land that has subsided or sank by 1-to-2 millimeters per year between 2007 and 2020. Numerous counties in Delaware, Georgia, Maryland and South Carolina have sank at rates double or triple that.

Charleston, South Carolina has been sinking at a rate of roughly 4 millimeters per year, leading officials in the city to consider building an 8-mile seawall around the city coast. Because much of the citys downtown area is built on land that is less than 10 feet above sea level, the area has seen an increase in tidal flooding in recent decades.

The study also found that some areas of Charleston are experiencing differential subsidence, a phenomenon that involves different parts of a small area subsiding at different rates, which can also complicate things. Other east coast areas experiencing differential subsidence include Boston and parts of Maryland.

While natural cause are at play in Charleston, human activities -- such as groundwater pumping -- have helped contribute to the problem.

Along with impacting infrastructure, farmlands and wetlands are also being damaged by the issue leading to saltwater intruding into farmland and fresh water supplies.

The good news is that subsidence is a problem that we can slow at local scales to some degree, said Manoochehr Shirzaei, a co-author on the study and director of the EOI Lab.

For instance, the study found that parts of the Eastern Shore in Maryland and parts of Virginia were likely impacted by groundwater withdrawals and intentional pumping of water back into aquifers. In coastal areas of Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, the presence of dams have blocked sediment that would have traveled down several rivers and replenished coastal lands.

By ending those practices or altering them, the rate of subsidence can be slowed.

The study used satellite images and ground-based GPS sensors to map the coast from New England to Florida. Researchers then built a map that shows the variability in the rising and falling of various areas along the coast. That data was also measured against horizontal and vertical velocity data collected by the Global Navigation Satellite System, which are ground-based.
The state Department of Human Services connects thousands of homecare workers with Oregonians who, because of age or physical disability, need assistance with daily life in their homes.

However, a bill being pushed by SEIU 503 seeks to add a new layer of bureaucracy that would not only make the system more confusing for clients and caregivers, but also would cost millions more to administer  all for the goal of increasing the membership of Oregons largest public-employee union.

Specifically, House Bill 4129 would create a new homecare option by requiring the state to contract with private vendors to administer the states Medicaid-funded homecare program.

In reality, this is a ploy by SEIU to get around a 2014 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that blocked its ability to force Medicaid-paid, in-home caregivers to pay union dues. By contracting with a private vendor, the new model would reshuffle homecare workers outside the protections of the courts decision.

As vice-chair of the House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services and an employee of a nonprofit that helps workers exercise their union membership rights, respectively, the authors of this letter have interacted with many caregivers, who are hard-working people performing important work  often caring for their own loved ones.

Unfortunately, thats not what HB 4129 is about.

To show that it is, Oregon lawmakers should adopt an amendment to ensure that caregivers rights remain protected by the U.S Supreme Courts decision under the new employment model.

If not, they should oppose HB 4129.

Anna Scharf and Ben Straka

Scharf, R-Yamhill and Polk counties, represents District 23 in the Oregon House and serves as vice-chair of the House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services. Straka is a research and government affairs associate with the Freedom Foundation

To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion.
What if Bryan Kohberger, the man charged with the University of Idaho student stabbings, helped lead police right to him?

His own attorneys may raise the question  including at trial  in their efforts to defend him. Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022 in a case that continues to collect national intrigue.

By the end, it could create new case law for criminal investigations across the U.S., legal scholars told the Idaho Statesman.

Anne Taylor, Kohbergers lead public defender, said she has repeatedly pored over law enforcements evidence summary to justify his arrest and still wants to know what led police to her client as the suspect.

The clear picture that Im concerned about is the states pathway of how Bryan Kohberger comes to their attention and is identified, Taylor told the court at a hearing last month. Over a year into this case and  were not sure. I know different pieces, but I dont know where they fit together.

Depending on the circumstances that come to light, it could be grounds for a constitutional rights challenge over the methods police used to find and charge Kohberger, his defense attorneys have said.

In a probable cause affidavit, police described using traditional investigative techniques to arrive at Kohberger as the suspected killer and close an almost seven-week manhunt that ended on the other side of the country in eastern Pennsylvania. DNA evidence also factored for police to allege they had their suspect, but only after the other elements established through surveillance footage of the suspects car and Kohbergers cellphone location data fell into place, according to the affidavit.

But six months after Kohbergers December 2022 arrest, state prosecutors acknowledged for the first time that an advanced DNA technique known as investigative genetic genealogy, or IGG, initially led investigators to Kohberger. The process involves submitting DNA located at a crime scene to public genealogy websites to build a family tree related to possible suspects and narrow an investigation. Police made no mention of the FBIs use of IGG in the affidavit.

A single source of male DNA was pulled and processed from a leather sheath for a Ka-Bar combat-style knife discovered under one of the four stabbing victims at the off-campus Moscow home. The four students were seniors Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21, junior Xana Kernodle and freshman Ethan Chapin, both 20.

At the time, Kohberger, 29, was a graduate student of criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University in Pullman, about 9 miles west of Moscow. Kohbergers attorneys have said there were no connections between him and the victims.

In the court filing that revealed the FBIs use of IGG, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson argued that the state was not required to disclose the DNA technique. Prosecutors did not intend to introduce it at trial, he said, and it was irrelevant to Kohbergers defense. Instead, they planned to present a comparison of DNA evidence police obtained from a swab of Kohbergers cheek during his arrest against the knife sheath DNA, which showed a statistical match, Thompson said.

The IGG process pointed law enforcement toward (Kohberger), but it did not provide law enforcement with substantive evidence of guilt, Thompson wrote in the court filing. The IGG information is not material to the preparation of the defense.

For eight months, the two sides fought over the release of the IGG records to the defense through the legal process known as discovery. Judge John Judge of the 2nd Judicial District in Latah County, who is overseeing the Kohberger case, last month granted the defense at least some of the FBIs records from the IGG process. What was turned over, and what may have been withheld, is unclear to the public because the documents were sealed.

Tiffany Roy, a longtime forensic DNA expert, said Kohbergers defense team is perhaps working toward leveraging its recent access to the FBI records to make a constitutional rights claim against illegal searches and seizures under the Fourth Amendment. Prosecutors attempts to conceal information about use of IGG to identify a suspect alone should give the public pause, Roy, who also holds a law degree, said in a phone interview with the Statesman.

I dont understand the governments argument here, Roy said. You have an obligation to expose every part of your investigation, and then we decide what is important. If the FBI were doing the right thing, they wouldnt have to make these arguments. Put it all out on the table.

Prosecutors wont say which websites FBI used for IGG

Already, the Kohberger case has broken new ground, according to David Gurney, director of the IGG Center and professor of law and society at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Never before in a case has the defense team received access to this level of IGG records in discovery, he said.

The next battle between the attorneys on each side of the Kohberger case could be over whether the defense will be allowed to present IGG evidence to the jury at trial, Gurney told the Statesman by phone. IGG records have been introduced at trial a couple of times before, he said, but only when prosecutors chose to do so when they felt it beneficial to their case.

Its potentially novel in that way, Gurney said, explaining the defenses potential strategy if it comes to fruition. I would try to get all of this information in front of the jury.  I would try to just muddy the waters by showing, Oh, the state did all these bad things, so therefore you should just not trust them at all.

For instance, prosecutors have not publicly disclosed which genealogy websites police used to land on Kohberger  only that the FBI submitted the crime scene DNA to one or more of the publicly available services. Law enforcement primarily works with two lesser-known websites called GEDMatch and FamilyTreeDNA, but has at least in some past instances found ways to access DNA profiles on a more widely used platform with more users, Gurney and Roy said, and other IGG experts testified at an August hearing for Kohbergers defense.

They have access to GEDMatch and FamilyTreeDNA and thats it, Roy said. So if they didnt get what they wanted from those databases and need to fish around in other databases, I would be really uncomfortable with that.

Ancestry.com and 23andMe are much more popular competitors in the genealogy industry, but neither of the direct-to-consumer services cooperates with law enforcement, according to their websites. Instead, investigators have in other cases previously reviewed DNA profiles on MyHeritage, yet another of the genealogy platforms available online, Gurney and Roy said.

The reason that they would have done it, if they did, is it gives you access to a much larger number of people, a much larger number of matches, and, in theory, that will make your job easier, Gurney said.

If the IGG records now in the defenses possession divulge that FBI investigators conducted themselves in an improper way or violated expectations of privacy to get to Kohberger, it may help create legal openings for creating doubt about the evidence, they added.

Its a good tool, but the question is, does it violate civil rights? said Greg Hampikian, a biology professor at Boise State University who heads the Idaho Innocence Project. Some say that its just another technique, but this technique involves something more intimate than a body cavity search. Its an every single cell in your body search.

Faced with the task of defending Kohberger, Los Angeles-based criminal defense attorney Joshua Ritter said he would pursue the same approach and try to create questions in the minds of jurors about the DNA evidence. The host of True Crime Dailys The Sidebar podcast said the whole case hinges on this issue, based on what prosecutors have disclosed to date.

The probable cause affidavit was well done and showed high-level police work, but the remaining evidence against Kohberger becomes very tenuous and circumstantial if the DNA is removed from the equation, Ritter told the Statesman by phone. That the defendant lived in the area, had suspicious driving habits and possibly turned off his cellphone at the time of the homicides makes for a much harder case for prosecutors to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, he said.

I think everybody agrees this case rises and falls on that DNA, Ritter said. Their ability to match Kohberger to the knife sheath at the crime scene is the seminal, cornerstone piece of evidence.

Police also said they linked the crime scene DNA to other DNA acquired from the trash they took from Kohbergers family home in Pennsylvania. The comparison showed that the DNA from the trash was the male suspects biological father with nearly 100% certainty, according to the affidavit.

The critical role the cases DNA evidence is likely to play is precisely why Kohbergers attorneys have made it a focal point of their pretrial efforts, several attorneys and DNA experts told the Statesman. Successfully securing the IGG records was the first step.

At the August hearing, Kohbergers defense attorneys told Judge that without the requested information, they couldnt effectively defend their client in his capital murder case. For example, the defense shouldnt have to take the states word that Kohbergers DNA was found on the knife sheath.

The use of IGG and order of events in the Moscow homicide investigation leading up to Kohbergers arrest are crucial to providing a sound defense, they told the court.

We cant articulate to you, because of the lack of the data, the sequence of exactly how they got to our client, and what happened when and in what order, said Elisa Massoth, another of Kohbergers defense attorneys. And, if its shown that law enforcement brushed up against privacy rules in their pursuit of a suspect through IGG, she said, the defense is eyeing a constitutional challenge.

Im not sure if it raises constitutional questions

Based on legal precedent, criminal defendants do not have privacy rights under the Fourth Amendment to evidence they allegedly left behind at a crime scene. Police also do not need a warrant to acquire potential evidence from discarded garbage taken to the curb.

In addition, swabs of a suspects cheek for DNA are legal with a search warrant. A criminal defendant who was discovered through investigative techniques, such as IGG, cannot vicariously assert the Fourth Amendment rights of others whose privacy may have been violated from a lack of consent, the group of legal experts told the Statesman.

Thompson, however, tried to get ahead of a possible Fourth Amendment claim in the Kohberger case in his arguments against Judge giving the defense the IGG records used to find him. The defense would first have to establish that the defendant had a reasonable expectation of privacy to allege that law enforcement committed such a violation, he wrote.

The Ka-Bar knife sheath was abandoned at the (crime) scene, as was the DNA inside it, Thompson wrote. Defendant cannot show that he had a reasonable expectation of privacy in DNA left at the scene of a quadruple homicide or in the genetic information of his relatives, who voluntarily provided their own DNA to a genetic genealogy service.

In addition, local law enforcement did not use the FBIs IGG results in support of Kohbergers arrest or any search warrants obtained by police, Jeff Nye, chief deputy for the Idaho attorney generals criminal law division, said at the August hearing. The assertion would seem to target arguments that any evidence investigators produced afterward is spoiled because it was illegally obtained and therefore inadmissible at trial based on the so-called fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine.

Likewise, Brandon Garrett, a constitutional law professor at Duke Universitys law school, is skeptical of a possible civil liberties claim over law enforcements use of publicly available information as part of a criminal investigation. The use of advanced genetic tools is just a few decades old, and the courts have been slow to consider granting what would essentially be a new privacy right protected under the Fourth Amendment, he said.

If a person using a genealogy website didnt agree to allow police to include their DNA profile for IGG searches, it amounts to a possible violation of the terms of service by law enforcement, Garrett said in a phone interview with the Statesman.

But Im not sure if it raises constitutional questions, he said. It raises a larger question of, is there a constitutional right to genetic privacy? And we dont have clear answers.  We dont know what the courts will do with it, even if it is super interesting and an important problem.

At the August hearing, Judge prodded the defense on the relevance of the IGG records, including in a hypothetical situation where the FBI was found to have skirted the rules to arrive at Kohberger. He questioned whose constitutional rights would have been violated in the circumstance.

I dont want to get into the Fourth Amendment issue there. I think thats a gray area, for sure, Judge said.

What it suggests is that folks should probably be cautious about sending their spit to some corporation. But I dont know how much thats going to bear on what ultimately happens given the sequence of what happened with Mr. Kohberger, he added.

After police found the knife sheath, the Idaho State Police crime lab in Meridian located the DNA on its button snap, the affidavit said. No matches were found in the national criminal offender database, so the DNA was sent to an unidentified private lab to begin the IGG process, Thompson said in the court filing.

That lab is believed to be Texas-based Othram, which Idaho State Police said has maintained a contract with the state for forensic genetic work, including IGG, since summer 2021. The defense has twice said the private lab was Othram, though prosecutors have never confirmed the name of the lab involved, and Othram has not responded to Statesman requests for comment.

Law enforcement working the Kohberger case decided the FBI would take over the IGG process and investigators began building family trees to try to get to a suspect. The FBI then sent a tip to local police to investigate, but produced limited records in the process and removed the DNA profile from the genealogy websites they used, per Department of Justice policy, Thompson wrote.

Nonetheless, Judge at least partially awarded the IGG records to Kohbergers defense team. Ritter, the Los Angeles-based criminal defense attorney, said the decision prevented a possible constitutional challenge under the 14th Amendment over alleged due process violations from prosecutors refusing to turn over records showing how police came to suspect Kohberger.

The states argument that the IGG investigation is wholly irrelevant since it was not used in obtaining any warrants and will not be used at trial is well supported, Judge ruled in October. Nonetheless, Kohberger is entitled to view at least some of the IGG information in preparing his defense even if it may ultimately be found to be irrelevant.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in Moscow to clarify how the defense may use the IGG records, including which experts may review them.

Kohberger submitted for DNA testing, neighbor says

Still, another scenario could exist. The FBI may have used the crime scene DNA to conduct an IGG search and instead landed directly on Kohbergers own DNA profile on a genealogy website. Ostensibly, this would give them a direct hit for the possible suspect.

Kohberger more than a year before the student homicides told a fellow WSU graduate student living in the same on-campus housing complex in Pullman that he had submitted his DNA for testing to learn about his ancestry, the neighbor told the Statesman last year. The neighbor spoke on condition of anonymity over privacy concerns.

He talked about his ancestors, the neighbor said in an interview from the entry of his apartment. He had some sort of DNA test. I dont know how he got to that point.  It was just interesting to him.

Suddenly, the possible constitutional implications would no longer be about the DNA left at a crime scene or the rights of those genealogy website customers who didnt agree to allow law enforcement to access their profiles for use in a criminal investigation. Under this potential scenario, Kohberger himself would not have consented for his DNA profile to be used in such a way, Gurney said.

I think that scenario could be really interesting from a constitutional perspective, he said. Its not clearly a vicarious claim, because its him making a claim for himself.

The chances of that remain low, Gurney said, even if Kohberger previously submitted his DNA to a genealogy website. Most people use either Ancestry.com or 23andMe, which law enforcement cant access, and requires customers to use each companys proprietary testing kits.

But other possibilities remain, he acknowledged. Kohberger could have downloaded his DNA profile from either service and then submitted it to GEDMatch or FamilyTreeDNA, but still not agreed to allow law enforcement to use it in its investigations. Thus, the potential constitutional claims for a criminal defendant.

Its never happened in any case that Im aware of, Gurney said. Weve had cases where theres a sibling or parents or something. But no one that I know in this field has ever encountered a violent criminal who was so stupid as to upload their own DNA into  any of these databases.

In yet one other scenario, Kohberger could have originally sent his DNA to MyHeritage to produce a DNA profile. FBI investigators then would have had to upload the crime scene DNA to the website while conducting an IGG review, against the terms of service but as the federal agency has previously been known to do, Gurney and Roy said, and landed on the exact match for the suspect.

I think it would be unethical, Gurney said. It would be something that I would strongly urge them not to do, but its not illegal for them to access the MyHeritage database, if thats indeed what happened.

Even so, Ritter saw the possible constitutional implications if the FBI did violate MyHeritages terms of service, which in turn could be argued also violated Kohbergers Fourth Amendment rights. Defense attorneys, he said, might be able to argue that it wasnt only the use of his own DNA profile that infringed on his expectation of privacy but also the use of his DNAs connections to relatives, which also would identify him, based on the agreement he struck with the genealogy company when he paid for the service.

It might be a devils in the details situation, he said. It raises the question, Is the FBI operating in that gray area and using this website that people believe has their information and is being protected from law enforcement when really its not?  He does have a direct expectation of privacy, and what is that expectation and is that outlined on that website clearly enough that he had an expectation, not only his individual profile, but any kind of collateral revelations from that DNA?

 Kevin Fixler Idaho Statesman (TNS)

2024 The Idaho Statesman. Visit idahostatesman.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
There is trouble at one of the most beloved natural attractions in Oregon and all of the Pacific Northwest.

Busted buildings. Hazardous spills. Injuries and allegations of sexual assault.

Years of mismanagement by Crater Lake Hospitality, a subsidiary of Aramark, the corporate behemoth hired by the National Park Service in 2018 to operate concessions at Crater Lake National Park, has endangered the parks employees, visitors and pristine natural environment, a new investigation by The Oregonian/OregonLive has found.

On the latest Beat Check, Oregonian/OregonLive reporters Shane Dixon Kavanaugh and Jamie Hale discuss those findings.

Read More:

Subscribe to Beat Check anywhere you listen to podcasts to get new episodes each week.

You can support local journalism by becoming a subscriber to The Oregonian/OregonLive. Explore more of our podcasts and sign up to get newsletters for the latest news and top stories.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh covers Portland city government and politics, with a focus on accountability and watchdog reporting.

Reach him at 503-294-7632

Email at skavanaugh@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @shanedkavanaugh
A late-February winter storm warning is in effect for parts of Oregon and southwest Washington.

The National Weather Service issued a storm warning for the Oregon and southern Washington Cascades and foothills through Tuesday, Feb. 27.

The alert says that heavy snow is expected above 1000 feet. Higher elevations could see up to 15 inches of snow. High winds could also cause blowing snow and visibility issues for those driving through the passes.

In Oregon, the cities of Sandy, Detroit and Santiam Pass are included in the warning. The upper Hood River Valley, which includes Parkdale, could also see winter weather conditions during the storm. Upper elevations in Lane County and Marion County, particularly Silver Falls State Park, are under a winter storm warning as well.

If you plan to head up to Mount Hood or drive over any of the passes, check ODOTs Trip Check before you go.

Is your area like to be affected by the storm? Check the NWS map:
Its still February and winter weather is on the menu Monday as Portland/Vancouver could see rain, hail, graupel and even some thunderstorms later in the day. Theres even a 50-70% chance of snow mixing in with rain overnight and into Tuesday morning.

The National Weather Service says although theres a good chance of seeing snowflakes and even some sticking slushy snow overnight, the chance of accumulations higher than an inch fall to 10-20% below 500 feet of elevation.

All those percentages apply to the lowest valley locations. If you live at 500-1,000 feet youll see sticking snow at times and some possible accumulation during the heaviest showers. Those below 500 will see showers throughout Monday with thunderstorms possible after about 10 a.m. Heavier showers and thunderstorms could also bring small hail, and/or graupel. The high temp will be near 45 degrees.

What's graupel?graphic courtesy of NWS Spokane

Monday night is when Portland may see some snow mixing with rain and the possibility of some slushy buildup on grasses and elevated surfaces. With the low temp only expected to drop to 34 degrees, any snow that does fall shouldnt stay around too long.

If, however, you live or are traveling above 1,000 feet the story is much different. The Cascades and the Coast Range both are likely to see impactful snow with this storm.

The Cascades are expected to see snow amounts of 1-2 feet above 2,000 feet elevation. Even the foothills at 1,000-2,000 feet could see anywhere from 3 inches to a foot of snow through Tuesday morning according to the weather service.

The Coast Range is under a winter weather advisory warning of 2-6 inches of snow above about 1,000 feet through 1 a.m. Tuesday. This will make driving over the Coast Range passes difficult at times. Travelers should be ready with emergency kits, traction devices,and full tanks of fuel or charged batteries.

Portland may see continued rain/snow mix showers early Tuesday before the snow levels rise to 2,000 feet by the afternoon. The high will be around 44 degrees.

The system responsible for the cold, unsettled weather will move east later Tuesday. This will allow showers to taper off, although not disappear altogether.

On Wednesday snow levels are expected to rise to 3,000-4,000 feet making sure all the lower elevations only see rain during this next round of widespread precipitation. Even the Coast Range will be back to regular rain. But the snow that did fall in the coastal mountains may melt quickly causing some minor flooding in area rivers.

Portland will see rain all day Wednesday, along with windy conditions. The high will be around 50 degrees.

The extended forecast shows multiple wet systems moving into the region through Saturday and colder air returning before the end of the work week. Lowering snow levels are possible by Thursday. The Cascades will continue to pile up snowpack well into the weekend.
The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine held joint exercise in Khmelnytsky region.

"As part of strengthening cooperation with the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the training of Bohun swamp vehicle drivers was held on the territory of Khmelnytsky region," the URCS said on Facebook on Monday.

Representatives of the Ukrainian Red Cross' emergency response teams from Odesa, Volyn, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Khmelnytsky regions and Kyiv City along with employees of the State Emergency Service from 18 regions trained their driving skills on this type of special vehicle to improve their readiness for responding emergencies on water during ice drift and providing those injured with first aid.

The training started with a theory course on the technical characteristics of the Bohun vehicle, after which the participants trained their skills in driving the vehicles on marshland and water, the URCS said.
Motion Enters Definitive Agreement to Purchase Two Fluid Power Companies

Feb. 23, 2024 - Motion Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company (GPC), signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire the operating assets of Perfetto Manufacturing and SER Hydraulics.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The affiliated organizations are well-established, with Perfetto in business since 1986 and SER Hydraulics since 1978. Located in Sudbury, Canada, each has grown to provide engineered solutions, service and equipment for hydraulic/pneumatic cylinders, complex power units and other assets used in fluid power systems throughout the area, which is central to the mining, agricultural and forestry industries. The dual acquisition will expand and improve Motion's services to these and other heavy-industry customers.

"After more than 30 successful years in business, we want to thank our loyal customers and employees for contributing to our success," said Gerald Perfetto Sr., Owner. "The Motion team is committed to continued investment in the business, which will bring great opportunities for our customers, employees, and the communities in which we work and live."

Randy Breaux, President of GPC North America, said, "We look forward to welcoming these two terrific organizations, especially the talented employees. These world-class experts will be key to our market growth strategy, and we look forward to extending our position together as a premier leader in industrial solutions."

The transcation, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to be finalized at the end of February.

With annual sales of over $8 billion, Motion is a leading industrial distributor of more than 19 million parts and supplies, including bearings; mechanical power transmission products; electrical and industrial automation components; hose, belting, and gaskets; hydraulic and pneumatic components; process pumps; industrial and safety products; seals and accessories; and material handling products and solutions.

SOURCE: Motion Industries, Inc.
Photo: (Photo : Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images )

In a recent study published in Nature Neuroscience, scientists at Trinity College in Ireland utilized blood tests to assess specific biological markers and employed specialized brain imaging techniques.

With their findings revealed that individuals with long COVID experiencing brain fog exhibited greater permeability or "leakiness" of the blood-brain barrier.

This study marks the initial biological evidence suggesting that the symptom may stem from underlying changes in the brain.

Brian Fog Symptoms in Long COVID Patients

Dr. Leah Croll, a neurologist and assistant professor at Temple University, emphasized the significance of this research, challenging the common dismissal of long COVID symptoms, particularly brain fog, as mere psychological issues.

The study's identification of a tangible biological mechanism behind these symptoms offers validation for individuals experiencing them.

While acknowledging the study's limited scale, its implications could contribute valuable insights to ongoing research aimed at understanding and treating long COVID, a condition affecting millions.

Presently, there are no established tests or treatments for this debilitating condition.

The study involved 32 participants who had contracted COVID-19 in 2020, with brain imaging revealing increased blood-brain barrier permeability in those with long COVID and brain fog.

Cognitive tests further indicated mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment in participants with brain fog.

Additionally, the researchers examined blood markers related to inflammation and blood clotting in 76 individuals hospitalized for acute COVID-19 in 2020.

Those reporting brain fog during their acute infection showed a significant increase in a marker associated with blood-brain barrier dysfunction.

This suggests that inflammation affecting the blood-brain barrier may contribute to brain fog in both acute and long COVID cases.

Further Research into Long COVID Brain Fog Treatment

Despite the study's limitations, conducted on a small scale at one Irish hospital during the early stages of the pandemic, it provides valuable insights and warrants further investigation.

Researchers emphasize the need for more extensive studies to confirm these findings and comprehend their implications.

Dr. Croll expressed optimism that the study contributes to unraveling the biological foundations of COVID-related brain fog, paving the way for improved tests and treatments in the future.

Read Also: Jill Biden Boosts Women's Health Research with $100 Million Funding

Professor Matthew Campbell, Head of Genetics at Trinity and Principal Investigator at FutureNeuro, highlighted the significance of identifying leaky blood vessels and a hyperactive immune system as potential drivers of brain fog in long COVID.

Understanding these underlying causes could pave the way for targeted therapies in the future.

Professor Colin Doherty, Head of the School of Medicine at Trinity and Principal Investigator at FutureNeuro, commended the research's execution amid a national crisis, noting its potential to change the landscape of post-viral neurological conditions.

Dr. Chris Greene, the study's first author, anticipates further studies exploring the molecular events contributing to post-viral fatigue and brain fog, believing that similar mechanisms may underlie neurological dysfunction in various viral infections.

Origins of Brain Fog

In the quest to understand the origins of brain fog, researchers concentrated on serotonin and engaged in a thorough examination of the disease process.

Commencing with mouse experiments, they postulated that "viral persistence," a significant element in long COVID, could be associated with serotonin depletion.

Existing studies propose that, even after the initial illness wanes, certain long COVID patients retain lingering infections in specific body areas, often termed "viral reservoirs," potentially contributing to persistent symptoms.

Maayan Levy, a senior author and assistant professor of microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania, clarified that they sought proof of viral persistence by analyzing the stool of long COVID individuals for viral genetic material.

Approximately 30% of patients exhibited viral RNA in their gastrointestinal tract, prompting the team to replicate this scenario in mouse models.

The experiments illustrated that a prolonged viral infection, employing lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus as a substitute for SARS-CoV-2, resulted in diminished serotonin levels, implicating the body's immune response in this phenomenon.

Subsequent inquiries concentrated on a cytokine named type 1 interferon, exposing its pivotal role in promoting inflammation and disrupting serotonin levels in the bloodstream.

Given that the gut contributes to 90% of serotonin production in the body, the inflammatory response in the gut obstructed the absorption of tryptophan, a crucial amino acid and serotonin precursor.

Consequently, decreased tryptophan levels led to reduced serotonin production.

Moreover, these cytokines induced blood platelet clotting, further depleting circulating serotonin levels stored in platelets.

Related Article: Flu and RSV Cases On the Rise, Yet Numbers Still Below Last Year's, Reports CDC
The Defense Procurement Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has concluded the first direct contract with a Swedish manufacturer, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reports.

"The first direct contract with a Swedish manufacturer was concluded by the Defense Procurement Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine during the visit of Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson to Ukraine," the Ministry of Defense said in a message on its Telegram channel on Monday.

The contract was reportedly made possible thanks to the support of the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, FMV, under the Cooperation Agreement between FMV and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, which was signed during the NATO summit in Vilnius in July 2023.

"Cooperation with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration allows us to accelerate the development of our own agency and carry out further procurement, relying on the best European experience in transparency in the process of acquiring necessary products through the use and implementation of the best European models," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

"The action plan agreed upon by the parties in early February in Stockholm, in addition to the planned contracts, also provides for the opportunity to join current Swedish procurement now," the message states.

"The experience of our cooperation on this first contract will pave the way for many subsequent contracts in the near future and strengthen the Armed Forces of Ukraine," FMV Director General Goran Martensson is quoted by the press service of the Ministry of Defense.
Photo: (Photo : Alyssa Pointer-Pool/Getty Images )

An extensive search is in progress for a missing 3-year-old Wisconsin boy, Elijah Vue, who, according to a district attorney, was sent to stay with a man "for disciplinary reasons."

Mother of 3-Year-Old Missing Wisconsin Boy Charged

Jacalyn LaBre, the district attorney for Manitowoc County, made this claim in court, implicating Elijah's mother, Katrina Baur, 31, and the man, Jesse Vang, 39, in potential child neglect charges.

While formal charges have not been filed and case documents are sealed, details from the police and LaBre's statements shed light on the situation.

Elijah, described as a 3-foot, 50-pound boy with sandy blonde hair and Hmong heritage, was reported missing on Tuesday, leading to a statewide Amber Alert.

During a hearing, LaBre alleged that Baur intentionally sent Elijah to Vang's residence for disciplinary reasons, knowing the tactics used and the lack of care provided.

The nature of the relationship between Baur and Vang remains unclear. The prosecutor also claimed that the mother was not truthful with the police investigating Elijah's disappearance. Baur and Vang are currently in custody, with a court appearance scheduled for Monday.

The investigation for Elijah's disappearance involves local, state, and federal reserves, with law enforcement urging dwellers to report any sightings or data.

Two Rivers, where the circumstances occurred, is a city on Lake Michigan, approximately 90 miles north of Milwaukee.

Authorities Still Searching for Missing 3-Year-Old Wisconsin Boy

Authorities are actively exploring rivers, waterways, local landfills, and properties in Manitowoc County to locate Elijah.

Baur reportedly left the child with Jesse Vang for disciplinary reasons, as indicated by prosecutors.

Although the charging documents remain sealed, portions were revealed in court on Friday, with the district attorney, Jacalyn Labre, stating that Baur intentionally sent the child to Vang's residence for over a week, being aware of inadequate care and tactics used.

Read Also: Heartbreaking Missouri Tragedy: Mother, Four Children Lost in Apparent Murder-Suicide House Fire

Prosecutors also claim that Baur provided misleading statements to the police regarding her whereabouts since Elijah's disappearance.

Both Baur and Vang face child neglect charges, with the possibility of additional charges.

Elijah, described as having sandy-colored hair, brown eyes, standing 3 feet tall, and weighing 50 pounds, was last seen in gray sweatpants, a dark-colored long-sleeve shirt, red and green dinosaur shoes, with a birthmark on his left knee.

Family of the Missing 3-Year-Old Is Worried

Elijah's family expressed uncertainty about how Baur and Vang knew each other, mentioning that they haven't been in contact with Baur for three years.

Vang, previously imprisoned for six years for methamphetamine distribution, is believed by prosecutors to be responsible for the child's disappearance.

LaBre mentioned in court that Baur changed her story multiple times during police interviews about her whereabouts during the past week, potentially leading to contempt charges.

Elijah's family emphasized in a court statement their concerns about Baur receiving cash bail, considering her and Vang as prime suspects.

Although the court acknowledged the emotional impact of Elijah's disappearance, only child neglect charges were presented at that point, with the possibility of additional charges later.

The court set bail at $15,000 for Baur and $20,000 for Vang.

Search efforts extend to rivers, waterways, and local landfills in Manitowoc County, and the public is urged to report any information to Two Rivers police at 844-267-6648 or call 911.

Authorities caution against falling victim to financial scams related to the case, particularly regarding a "fake video" that does not depict Elijah's recovery by officers.

Related Article: Amber Alert Issued for Missing 5-Year-Old Ohio Boy Allegedly Abducted by Foster Mom
An article in The New York Times Magazine for 26 April 1981 entitled Rosetta Stones from Space opened as follows:

The first recorded meteorite fell in Phrygia in Asia Minor about 2000 B.C. The object was carried to a local temple and then later transported to Rome, where it remained for 500 years before being lost. Almost since the rise of civilization, meteorites have been regarded as objects of worship, and in Asia today a number of meteorites are still kept in shrines. In the New Testament, Acts 19:35 refers to the city of Ephesus and its temple of Artemis containing a sacred stone that fell from the sky. The Kaaba stone in Meccas Great Mosque, the holiest shrine in all Islam, is probably a meteorite. Where exactly these falling stones came from was a subject of debate until the 19th century. As late as 1772, the august French Academy of Sciences, then the undisputed center of European scholarship, issued a report  signed by such notables as Antoine Lavoisier, the father of modern chemistry  flatly stating that the falling of stones from the sky is physically impossible. Instead, the report suggested that meteorites were simply terrestrial rocks struck by lightning. It was not until 1803 that the respected physicist Jean-Baptiste Biot, also of the French Academy of Sciences, was able, after studying a meteor shower that occurred over the town of Laigle, west of Paris, to certify that these strange objects did not come from earth. It was a finding that marked the beginning of meteoritics as a serious scientific discipline, but the battle was not yet over. Four years later, a meteorite fell to earth near Weston, Conn., and two Yale scholars were dispatched to collect it. Upon hearing of the event, President Thomas Jefferson, a first-rate scientist in his day, is said to have replied that it was easier for him to believe that two Yankee professors would lie than that stones would fall from heaven.

Some have debated whether Mr. Jefferson really ever said such a thing but, regardless of whether he did or did not, the overall point remains: Accepted scientific theory was used to deny what eventually could not be denied as true empirical fact.

The relationship between apparent fact and accepted theory is a complex one. Simplistic accounts of that relationship do justice to neither side. Sometimes, apparent fact must be rejected because it contradicts solid theory. The sun, for example, doesnt really rise in the morning, travel across the sky, and set every evening. Railroad tracks dont actually converge in the distance. Boats dont drop off the edge of the earth at the horizon. Shadows dont move.

Sometimes, though, a solidly established fact mandates the revision of a theory. For instance, the Ptolemaic model of the solar system acquired more and more cycles and epicycles as time passed in order to account for such observed phenomena as the apparent retrograde motions of the planets. And, in some cases at least, the accumulation of such puzzling facts  the famous American historian and philosopher of science Thomas Kuhn (1922-1976) called them anomalies in his classic 1962 book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions  eventually lead to what Kuhn called paradigm shifts, in which a reigning scientific model is replaced by a new one that, unlike its predecessor, is able to account for those anomalous facts.

Paradigm shifts are not and, of course, should not be undertaken lightly. Many seeming anomalies will turn out to be mistaken or illusory. Many will be able to be incorporated into the reigning paradigm without cataclysmic shifts. But neither should any given paradigm be regarded as permanent or beyond replacement. The mighty edifice of Newtonian physics has been supplanted at very small and very large scales, for example, by quantum physics and relativity. The apparently fixed stability of the continents has been replaced by the concept of plate tectonics. The stability of biological species did not survive its encounter with the data accumulated by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.

Ive been thinking of such things during my recent readings about apparent extrasensory perception and other seeming psychic phenomena. Ive had people point out in response to my posts that the current Standard Model of particle physics  the theory that classifies all known elementary particles and that seems to have been experimentally confirmed by the existence of quarks in the 1970s and that gained further credence with proofs of the top quark (1995), the tau neutrino (2000), the Higgs boson (2012), and etc.  allows no room for the existence of spirits or remote viewing or clairvoyance.

I absolutely agree that the lack of a theoretical framework for conceptualizing spirits or ESP is a challenge to those claiming that they exist. But it seems to me that the challenge isnt a one-way street, any more than Newtonian physics proved the non-existence of anomalies that it couldnt explain.

A passage from the late Professor Elizabeth Lloyd Mayers posthumously-published 2008 book Extraordinary Knowing: Science, Skepticism, and the Inexplicable Powers of the Human Mind seems relevant here:

Changs article included an interview with Brian D. Josephson, professor of physics at Cambridge University, who shared the 1973 Nobel Prize in physics for a fundamental discovery in superconductivity. Josephson made no bones about his view that science at large brings a less than open-minded attitude to examining anomalous phenomena: Theres really strong pressure not to allow these things to be talked about in a positive way. Changs piece in the Times offered the following conclusion: Perhaps the biggest reason most scientists dismiss paranormal research is that no one has a good suggestion for how the mind could interact with the physical world. And even Dr. Josephson conceded, It would have to be something we havent identified in physical experiments. I think if we can get some sort of model, then people may start to look at it. (213-214)

It seems to me completely obvious, though, that facts must ultimately trump theory. Now, it may be that there are no actual psychic phenomena. If it can be established that there are, however, then so much the worse for any theory or model or paradigm that cannot accommodate them. And if  please note my very deliberate use of the important word if  there is as yet no paradigm that can explain them but the fact that they occur can be solidly established, dismissing their occurrence on the basis of merely theoretical objections is not a legitimate move. Nor will it be a successful one in the long run.

Posted from Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii
Dr. Gavin Ortlund is a Reformed Baptist author, speaker, pastor, scholar, and apologist for the Christian faith. He has a Ph.D. from Fuller Theological Seminary in historical theology, and an M.Div from Covenant Theological Seminary. Gavin is the author of seven books as well as numerous academic and popular articles. For a list of publications, see his CV. He runs the very popular YouTube channel Truth Unites, which seeks to provide an irenic voice on theology, apologetics, and the Christian life. See also his website, Truth Unites and his blog.

In my opinion, he is currently the best and most influential popular-level Protestant apologist, who (especially) interacts with and offers thoughtful critiques of Catholic positions, from a refreshing ecumenical (not anti-Catholic), but nevertheless solidly Protestant perspective. Thats what I want to interact with, so I have issued many replies to Gavin and will continue to do so. I use RSV for all Bible passages unless otherwise specified.

All of my replies to Gavin are collected in one place on my Calvinism & General Protestantism web page, near the top in the section, Replies to Reformed Baptist Gavin Ortlund. Gavins words will be in blue.

This is my 23rd reply to his material.

*****

Im responding to the biblical canon portions of Gavins video, Defending My Views on the Canon and Icons (5-16-23). I already replied to Gavin with regard to icons on 5-19-22.

10:26 for a lot of these early Eastern fathers the deuterocanonical books are inspired in some sense but theyre not at the same level as the first tier canon.

Id have to see actual examples. It seems to me that if you categorize a passage as Scripture, that you are acknowledging that it is inspired and canonical, and there was plenty of that in the writings of the Eastern fathers. I compiled patristic quotations in my book, The Quotable Eastern Church Fathers: Distinctively Catholic Elements in Their Theology (July 2013, 303 pages). The section on the Deuterocanon took up a little over seven pages.

10:48 I was responding to George Farmers comments which give the impression that there were twelve centuries of one view of the canon, that the church decided, and then the Protestants came along and took books out of the Bible. I was trying to show [that] thats way off; theres a lot of diversity about the canon in the early and medieval church, as I pointed out, all the way up to the very decades prior to the Council of Trent . . . you dont have just one canon for twelve centuries and then the Protestants coming along to take books out of the Bible.

I agree about the early Protestants, since I have documented that both Martin Luther and John Calvin cited the deuterocanon as Scripture rather widely. I dont think  from my own studies  that the above statement is a correct generalization of the situation from the late fourth century until Trent. Protestant scholarly sources bear witness to this stated opinion of mine, as regards the first four centuries:

Down to the 4th century the church generally accepted all the books of the Septuagint as canonical . . . (The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 2nd ed., edited by F. L. Cross & E. A. Livingstone, Oxford University Press, 1983, 70) In post-NT times, the Christian Fathers down to the later 4th cent. almost all regarded the LXX as the standard form of the OT . . . (Ibid., 1260) It should be observed that the Old Testament thus admitted as authoritative in the Church was somewhat bulkier and more comprehensive . . . It always included, though with varying degrees of recognition, the so-called Apocrypha, or deutero-canonical books . . . In the first two centuries at any rate the Church seems to have accepted all, or most of, these additional books as inspired and to have treated them without question as Scripture. (J. N. D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, San Francisco: Harper, revised edition of 1978, 53-54)

The West, as a whole, was inclined to form a much more favourable estimate of the Apocrypha . . . For the great majority, however, the deutero-canonical writings ranked as Scripture in the fullest sense. Augustine, for example, whose influence in the West was decisive, made no distinction between them and the rest of the Old Testament . . . The same inclusive attitude to the Apocrypha was authoritatively displayed at the synods of Hippo and Carthage in 393 and 397 respectively, . . . (Ibid., 55-56; he also noted some disagreement of Eastern fathers in the third and fourth centuries) . . . the custom of Christian churches which continued with isolated remonstrances to make the Greek OT canon, with which the Vulgate agrees almost completely, their standard. (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, General editor: James Orr, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1939, five volumes, Vol. 1, Apocrypha, 182)

The great Protestant evangelical scholar F. F. Bruce notes that the Council of Hippo in 393 (along the lines approved by Augustine) and the Third Council of Carthage in 397, and the belief of the Christian Church in the following centuries:

[Hippo and Carthage] appear to have been the first church councils to make a formal pronouncement on the canon. When they did so, they did not impose any innovation on the churches; they simply endorsed what had become the general consensus of the churches in the west and of the greater part of the east . . . The Sixth Council of Carthage (419) re-enacted the ruling of the Third Council, again with the inclusion of the apocryphal books . . . Throughout the following centuries most users of the Bible made no distinction between the apocryphal books and the others: all alike were handed down as part of the Vulgate . . . The two Wycliffite versions of the complete Bible in English (1384, 1395) included the apocryphal books as a matter of course. (The Canon of Scripture, Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1988, 97, 99-100)

Compare:

A council probably held at Rome in 382 under St. Damasus gave a complete list of the canonical books of both the Old Testament and the New Testament (also known as the Gelasian Decree because it was reproduced by Gelasius in 495), which is identical with the list given at Trent. (The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 232)

The list from 382  which The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church deemed as identical with the list given at Trent  includes: Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Tobit, Judith, and 1 and 2 Maccabees. Baruch was included as part of Jeremiah, as in St. Athanasius list of 15 years previously. This is indeed identical with the Tridentine list, and comprises the seven extra deuterocanonical books in Catholic Bibles which Protestants reject from the canon as apocryphal. Nevertheless, there they are in the Council of 382.

The Council of Carthage accepted the same list, as detailed by Brooke Foss Westcott (A General Survey of the History of the Canon of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1980, rep. from 6th ed. of 1889, 440). Bruce questioned the authenticity of the Gelasian Decree, but note that he did not question the fact that the Sixth Council of Carthage (419) re-enacted the ruling of the Third Council [Carthage, 397], again with the inclusion of the apocryphal books.

The renowned Protestant Church historian Philip Schaff concurs about the intervening centuries between the councils of Carthage and Trent:

This canon [of Carthage  see above citation] remained undisturbed till the sixteenth century, and was sanctioned by the council of Trent at its fourth session. (Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, vol. 3: Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1974 [orig. 1910], 609-610)

All of the above sources are Protestant. My entire case can be strongly made by them, without even having to cite Catholic scholars; and they obviously cant be accused of having a Catholic bias.

My good friend and fellow Michigander, Gary Michuta is the biggest expert on the deuterocanon among Catholic apologists (having written two books on the topic). In his book, The Case for the Deuterocanon: Evidence and Arguments (2015), in chapter nine, from pages 112 to 137, he provides 209 examples of many Church fathers (including many Eastern ones) citing deuterocanonical books, describing them as Scripture or the words of God or spoken by the Holy Spirit, etc. Then he spends the next 84 pages (138-221) helpfully providing 235 patristic quotations where a Church father cited a deuterocanonical book in order to prove the truthfulness of a doctrine.

Michuta notes (p. 138) that the latter evidence contradicted St. Jeromes claim (echoed by Protestants) that the Deuterocanon was used  by consensus in the early Church  only as edifying material, as opposed to support[ing] ecclesiastical doctrine. Michuta continues his marvelous juggernaut of deuterocanonical patristic proofs, by providing (pp. 222-231) 120 more examples where Church fathers cited in an unqualified way, deuterocanical books alongside protocanonical books. Then he summarizes:

[A] broad [patristic] consensus emerges that Deuterocanon is Scripture in its fullest sense . . . with only Julius Africanus, Jerome, Rufinus, and an unknown semi-Pelagian doubting or opposing it . . . In light of this data, one can conclude that Jerome and Rufinus did not represent the common opinion of the ancient Church. Quite the opposite. (p. 245)

Here are a few examples from my own aforementioned book:

St. John Chrysostom calls Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) part of the Old Testament (Homily X on Acts 4:1; Homily XIX on Ephesians, v. 5:18-21) and Scripture (Homily XXIX on Acts 13:16-17; Homily XLIX on Acts 23:6-8; Homily XV on 1 Corinthians 5:1-2, 10, v. 5:7; Homily IV on Ephesians, v. 2:10; Homily XX on Ephesians, v. 5:26-27; Homily XLVIII on John, v. 7:8; Homily IX on Hebrews, v. 6:4-5). He cites Wisdom alongside 2 Samuel, Proverbs, and two NT passages (Homily XV on Ephesians, v. 4:31) and calls it Scripture (Homily VII on Hebrews, v. 4:16).

St. Cyril of Jerusalem includes Baruch in the Old Testament (Fourth Catechetical Lecture, 35). St. Cyril of Alexandria describes the same book as Divine-uttering (Tomes Against Nestorius: III, 4).

St. Athanasius calls Wisdom Scripture (On the Opinion of Dionysius, 9 [cf. 15]; Four Discourses Against the Arians, II, 42), and also Baruch (ibid., II, 49), Sirach (ibid., II, 79), and Bel and the Dragon (ibid., III, 30). He cites Tobit as recording the words of God, alongside Matthew and Isaiah (Apology to the Emperor Constantius, 17). Gary Michuta, in his other book on the topic, Why Catholic Bibles are Bigger (Port Huron, Michigan: Grotto Press, 2007), discusses St. Athanasius somewhat complex views:

Athanasius quotes both Baruch and Susanna right along passages from Isaiah, Psalms, Romans, and Hebrews; he makes no distinction or qualification between them [1]. Wisdom also is used as an authentic portion of sacred Scripture . . .: But of these and such like inventions of idolatrous madness, Scripture taught us beforehand long ago, when it said, The devising of idols, as the beginning of fornication, and the invention of them, the corruption of life . . . [Ws 14:12] [2] And later in the same work: For since they were endeavouring to invest with what Scripture calls the incommunicable name . . . [3] This reference to the incommunicable name comes from Wisdom 14:21 . . . Athanasius quotes another passage from Wisdom as constituting the teachings of Christ, the Word of God. He undoubtedly uses it to confirm doctrine. [4] In another argument against Arians, he calls both the Protocanonical Proverbs and the Deuterocanonical Wisdom holy Scripture . . . [5] . . .Athanasius also quotes the book of Sirach without distinction or qualification, in the midst of several other scriptural quotations. [6] . . . Athanasius calls the Book of Judith Scripture. [7] Tobit is cited right along with several Protocanonical quotations [8] , and even introduced with the solemn formula it is written. [9] [1] Four Discourses Against the Arians, Discourse 1.12.

[2] Against the Heathen, 11.1. Emphasis added.

[3] Against the Heathen, 1, 17.3.

[4] On the Incarnate Word, 4.6; 5.2.

[5] Defense Against Arius, 1, 3.

[6] Life of Anthony, 28 and Apology Against the Arians, 66.

[7] Four Discourses Against the Arians, Discourse 2.35 . . .

[8] Defense of Constantius, 17. Tobit is cited after Matthew and Isaiah.

[9] Defense Against Arius, Part 1, 11. (pp. 110-112; footnote numbering my own)

The great Protestant Bible scholar F. F. Bruce confirms Michutas analysis:

As Athanasius includes Baruch and the Letter of Jeremiah in one book with Jeremiah and Lamentations [in his list of the OT canon], so he probably includes the Greek additions to Daniel in the canonical book of that name, and the additions to Esther in the book of that name which he recommends for reading in church [but doesnt list as a canonical book] . . . In practice Athanasius appears to have paid little attention to the formal distinction between those books which he listed in the canon and those which were suitable for instruction of new Christians. He was familiar with the text of all, and quoted from them freely, often with the same introductory formula  as it is written, as the scripture says, etc. (Ibid., 79-80; my bracketed comments, based on the larger context of Bruces analysis)

Catholic apologist Matt1618 produced a magnificent treatise, Did Some Church Fathers Reject the Deuterocanonicals as Scripture? In it, he stated about Origen (182-254):

[H]e does put Baruch and the two Maccabees books in the canon. . . . he speaks approvingly of the Septuagint, which contains all the Deuterocanonical books. . . . Origen defends the use of the passage in Daniel 3 that Catholics have, the Song of the 3 children, Susanna, and Bel and the Dragon, as found in Daniel 13 and 14 of the Catholic Bible. He says that Bel and the Dragon and Susanna, Daniel 13 and 14 and only found in the Catholic Bible, is found in every single Church of Christ. Origen himself acknowledges that all Churches use these books. And in which way? He notes that he refers to them as Scripture. His opponent said it was a forgery. He corrects his opponent. It is not a forgery, but he notes his own use of them as Scripture. [To Africanus, 5]

Origen protests the fact that that these portions of Daniel now found only in Catholic Bibles, were removed from the Scriptures. [To Africanus, 9] Here are more relevant passages from Origen:

But he ought to know that those who wish to live according to the teaching of Sacred Scripture understand the saying, The knowledge of the unwise is as talk without sense, [Sirach 21:18] and have learnt to be ready always to give an answer to everyone that asketh us a reason for the hope that is in us. [1 Pt 3:15] [Against Celsus, 7:12] [A]s is written in the book of Tobit: It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but honourable to reveal the works of God, [Tobit 12:7]in a way consistent with truth and Gods glory, and so as to be to the advantage of the multitude. [Against Celsus, 5:19]

Matt1618 comments: He uses the phrase, As is written, in reference to Tobit. The phrase It is written always is a reference to Scripture, both in Scripture itself as well as its use by the Fathers. Thus, Origen sees Tobit as Scripture.

Tobias [Tobit] (as also Judith), we ought to notice, the Jews do not use. They are not even found in the Hebrew Apocrypha, as I learned from the Jews themselves. However, since the Churches use Tobias, you must know that even in the captivity some of the captives were rich and well to do. Tobias himself says, Because I remembered God with all my heart; and the Most High gave me grace and beauty in the eyes of Nemessarus, and I was his purveyor; and I went into Media, and left in trust with Gabael, the brother of Gabrias, at Ragi, a city of Media, ten talents of silver (Tobias, 1:12-14). [To Africanus, 13]

But that we may believe on the authority of holy Scripture that such is the case, hear how in the book of Maccabees, where the mother of seven martyrs exhorts her son to endure torture, this truth is confirmed; for she says,  ask of thee, my son, to look at the heaven and the earth, and at all things which are in them, and beholding these, to know that God made all these things when they did not exist. [2 Maccabees 7:28] [Fundamental Principles, 2:2]

And that which is written about wisdom, you may apply also to faith, and to the virtues specifically, so as to make a precept of this kind, If any one be perfect in wisdom among the sons of men, and the power that comes from Thee be wanting, he will be reckoned as nothing  or If any one be perfect in self-control, so far as is possible for the sons of men, and the control that is from Thee be wanting, he will be reckoned as nothing; (Wisdom 9:6) [Commentary on Matthew, 4]

Matt1618 summarizes: Thus, the Protestant apologists who argue that Origen spoke against the Books and did not view the Deuterocanonical books as Scripture, are wrong. Though it is true that some of these books (only some of these books, as some are canonical) are not termed canonical, that is irrelevant. The question is whether he saw these books as Scripture. Origen clearly terms these books as Scripture, according to Origen himself. He also uses these books to teach doctrine.

As the second American President John Adams rightly stated:

Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.

At 12:38 Gavin cites St. Cyril of Jerusalem (Fourth Catechetical Lecture, 35) mentioning twenty-two Old Testament books. Oddly, St. Cyril also stated in the near context (sec. 33): Read the Divine Scriptures, the twenty-two books of the Old Testament, these that have been translated by the Seventy-two Interpreters. The 72 refers to the 72 translators of the Greek Septuagint (LXX) from the third century BC (as his section 34 makes clear beyond all doubt). But it included precisely the extra books or sections that Catholics accept (1 and 2 Maccabees, Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch, and additions to Esther and Daniel).

If Cyril was recommending the reading of the books in the Septuaguint, they included the entire (Catholic) deuterocanon. Earlier in this section 33, he referred to the divinely-inspired Scriptures and he didnt differentiate the deuterocanon. Then in section 34, after recounting the translation of the Septuagint, he wrote, the translation of Old Testament, spoken by the Holy Ghost, was of the Holy Ghost accomplished.

Therefore, according to Cyril, all of LXX is inspired Scripture (the Old Testament), and he refers to these as the twenty-two books of the Old Testament in section 33 in the last sentence. It seems to me, then, that when he states in section 35, Of these read the two and twenty books, but have nothing to do with the apocryphal writings hes not referring to the deuterocanonical books, which were included in these 22 in LXX, but rather, to other writings beyond the Catholic Old Testament.

Cyril of Jerusalem seems to be either confused or self-contradictory as to the deuterocanon. But in any event, we know for sure that he indisputably includes Baruch in the canon (section 35 that Gavin cites). And Gary Michuta documents on page 174 of his book, The Case for the Deuterocanon, that St. Cyril of Jerusalem in his Catechetical Lectures, VI, 4, cited Sirach 3:21-22 on the incomprehensibility of God.

In that work (IX, 2) he also brought up Wisdom 13:5 to illustrate that from the works, which are Divine, it is possible to attain to some conception of His power. And in XI, 15, St. Cyril cited Baruch 3:14-15 as evidence for the incarnation and deity of Christ. In XI, 19, Cyril also cited Sirach 3:22 authoritatively, as related to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.

But if indeed Cyril was wrong about the Deuterocanon, from the Catholic perspective, this shouldnt surprise or trouble any Catholic, especially in light of the fact that he excluded the book of Revelation from the canon of the NT, as can be seen in section 36 of this same treatise. St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory Nazianzen also excluded it at about the same time. Individual Church fathers can be wrong in particulars. Its no disproof of the Catholic position at all; no difficulty for us when this is shown.

Protestant apologists often seek out anomalies among the fathers and (oddly) act as if that proves there was no consensus against the anomalies. I would call that sort of a backwards methodology. If one is looking to determine what most Church fathers believed, one wouldnt focus on the few who were dissenters from the overall consensus. The patristic consensus was exemplified by the councils of Carthage and Hippo, shortly after Cyril died in 387. They both included the deuterocanon. The consensus was as this Protestant reference work stated:

The church of the first centuries made no essential difference between the writings of the Hebrew canon and the so-called Apocrypha. (The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. 1, 214)

So Cyril of Jerusalem (well, possibly) and Jerome disagreed? So what? Of what significance is that, in determining overall patristic consensus? Very little at all. They were exceptions to the rule, and one can always find those (just as there were exceptions among certain fathers concerning biblical books all agree on, and some accepted books as canonical that no one today thinks are that). It proves nothing except that, well, there were exceptions (which we can already be pretty sure will exist in any collective).

14:34 Cyrils view is representative of the East.

Some Eastern fathers dissented from the consensus, as I have already noted. The question is: why should that matter? The overall patristic view strongly lines up with the Catholic position on the deuterocanon.

*
+ a New Argument on How Protestant Faith Alone Helps Prove the Absolute Necessity of Purgation After Death

I just watched the James White  Trent Horn debate about purgatory (2-17-24). I believe it is the only debate including White that I have ever watched in its entirety since I started interacting with him way back in 1995.

In his closing statement at 2:19:38, White stated: you wont find the term purgatory in here [he held a Bible when saying this]; you did not find anything about temporal punishments in here . . . every time Trent went there, hes quoting from the universal catechism, hes quoting from a pope that lived 2,000 years after the birth of Christ. This truly is the issue . . .

First of all, terms for doctrines considered in and of themselves are irrelevant. The terms original sin, Trinity, incarnation, justification by faith alone, and virgin birth dont appear in the Bible, either, as White is undoubtedly well aware. And the only time faith alone appears it is condemned as a falsehood (in James 2:24), and additionally, the concept is condemned in other words, eight more times in context (2:14, 17-18, 20-22, 25-26). That doesnt stop White from believing in the unbiblical doctrine of faith alone, does it? And there are scores more verses against faith alone. So this was simply a piece of sophistry.

Trent didnt have time to cover this particular matter (one cant do everything in a time-managed debate, and he did great), but I can easily show that temporal punishment is definitely taught in Holy Scripture. In fact, in an article I wrote just eight days ago, I demonstrated this very thing. Ill add much more biblical evidence presently, too. So I thank James White for providing this opportunity to elaborate  more than I ever have  upon an explicitly biblical doctrine that is an important premise of the doctrine of purgatory. If he hadnt made this denial, I wouldnt be writing this. Blatant theological error brings about more apologetics and deeper analyses, as St. Augustine observed.

When Moses sister Miriam spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (Num 12:1, RSV), God punished her with leprosy (12:6-10). Thats a temporal punishment for sin (not damnation). But it was not permanent, because Moses prayed for her to be healed (12:13), and she was after a time. This was literally Moses praying for an indulgence. The text implies that the leprosy wasnt permanent as a result of the prayer. An indulgence simply mean a remission or relaxation of the temporal penalties for sin.

On several occasions, Moses atoned for his people and brought about an indulgence, so that they were not being punished for one of many sins of theirs (Ex 32:30-32; Num 14:19-23). In the latter case, God pardoned the iniquity of the Hebrews because Moses prayed for them. In Numbers 16:46-48, Moses and Aaron stopped a plague. That was an indulgence too, and the plague was a temporal punishment for sin. Phinehas, a priest, turned back Gods wrath (Num 25:6-13). The bronze serpent in the wilderness was an indulgence granted by God (Num 21:4-9). But a significant penance or temporal punishment for the sin of the rebellious Hebrews in the desert remained: they could not enter the Promised Land:

Numbers 14:26-37 And the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron, [27] How long shall this wicked congregation murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the people of Israel, which they murmur against me. [28] Say to them, `As I live, says the LORD, `what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: [29] your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and of all your number, numbered from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against me, [30] not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. [31] But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. [32] But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. [33] And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. [34] According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know my displeasure. [35] I, the LORD, have spoken; surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die. [36] And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, and who returned and made all the congregation to murmur against him by bringing up an evil report against the land, [37] the men who brought up an evil report of the land, died by plague before the LORD. (cf. 32:13; Josh 5:6)

Moses himself was temporally punished for sin: God didnt allow him to enter the Promised Land, either (and this is well-known to Bible students):

Numbers 27:12-14 The LORD said to Moses, Go up into this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the people of Israel. [13] And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was gathered, [14] because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin during the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the waters before their eyes. (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

In the book of Judges we find the same dynamic again:

Judges 13:1 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

Temporal punishment for sin occurred in the Bible as early as Cain (for murdering his brother Abel):

Genesis 4:10-15 And the LORD said, What have you done? The voice of your brothers blood is crying to me from the ground. [11] And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brothers blood from your hand. [12] When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. [13] Cain said to the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. [14] Behold, thou hast driven me this day away from the ground; and from thy face I shall be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will slay me. [15] Then the LORD said to him, Not so! If any one slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who came upon him should kill him.

Note that the temporal punishment had a prescribed limit: Cain was punished with being a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth but God wouldnt allow anyone to kill him. This was the purpose of the mark of Cain. It verifies the notion of temporal punishment. Since White is so big on demanding particular words to describe biblical concepts that are clearly present, here (fulfilling his demand or request) is a passage where God [temporally] punish[es] a king:

Isaiah 10:12 When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem he will punish the arrogant boasting of the king of Assyria and his haughty pride.

And what was the punishment?: the Lord, the LORD of hosts, will send wasting sickness among his stout warriors (Is 10:16). If someone thinks this is unfair, I would note that God repeatedly temporarily judged His own chosen people, Israel. One example among countless ones occurs in this same chapter (along with an indulgence from God: the relaxing of the punishment):

Isaiah 10:24-27 Therefore thus says the Lord, the LORD of hosts: O my people, who dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrians when they smite with the rod and lift up their staff against you as the Egyptians did. [25] For in a very little while my indignation will come to an end, and my anger will be directed to their destruction. [26] And the LORD of hosts will wield against them a scourge, as when he smote Midian at the rock of Oreb; and his rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it as he did in Egypt. [27] And in that day his burden will depart from your shoulder, and his yoke will be destroyed from your neck.

Heres another passage where God punishes in a temporal sense (not eternally):

Isaiah 30:31-32 The Assyrians will be terror-stricken at the voice of the LORD, when he smites with his rod. [32] And every stroke of the staff of punishment which the LORD lays upon them will be to the sound of timbrels and lyres; battling with brandished arm he will fight with them.

Heres an example where God temporally punished the people of Jerusalem (Jer 5:1), because they didnt do justice or seek truth (5:1), refused to repent (5:3), committed many  transgressions and apostasies (5:6), forsook God, followed false gods, and committed adultery (5:7-8). As a result, God says this:

Jeremiah 5:9 Shall I not punish them for these things? says the LORD; and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?

Its punishment (the word is there, if White irrationally demands that) and its temporal, too, because, again, as every Bible student knows, God kept restoring Israel over and over after He punished them. The book of Jeremiah frequently states that God will punish Israel for her rebellion (6:15; 8:12; 9:9, 25; 11:22; 21:14). In the same book, God temporarily punishes the Israelites by allowing the Babylonians to conquer and destroy Jerusalem:

Jeremiah 32:28-36 Therefore, thus says the LORD: Behold, I am giving this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it. [29] The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city shall come and set this city on fire, and burn it, with the houses on whose roofs incense has been offered to Baal and drink offerings have been poured out to other gods, to provoke me to anger. [30] For the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth; the sons of Israel have done nothing but provoke me to anger by the work of their hands, says the LORD. [31] This city has aroused my anger and wrath, from the day it was built to this day, so that I will remove it from my sight [32] because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah which they did to provoke me to anger  their kings and their princes, their priests and their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. [33] They have turned to me their back and not their face; and though I have taught them persistently they have not listened to receive instruction. [34] They set up their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it. [35] They built the high places of Baal in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. [36] Now therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, `It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine, and by pestilence:

But after God temporally punishes Israel, the book then immediately describes how they will be pardoned (God offering in effect an indulgence):

Jeremiah 32:37-42 Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation; I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. [38] And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. [39] I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. [40] I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them; and I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. [41] I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. [42] For thus says the LORD: Just as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good that I promise them.

In the chapter preceding, Jeremiah wrote magnificently about the new covenant itself:

Jeremiah 31:31-34 Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, [32] not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. [33] But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. [34] And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, `Know the LORD, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

King David wasnt punished by death due to his sins of murder and adultery (as Saul was for his sins), but he still had a terrible temporal punishment to pay: his son was to die (2 Sam 12:13-14). In other words, part of his punishment was remitted (indulgence) but not all. Now, since up to now I have only provided Old Testament prooftexts, I can imagine that some Protestants might demand that I provide NT texts, too. Im happy to oblige such requests. Its in the New Testament, too, folks:

St. Paul pointedly noted that those who received the Holy Eucharist in an unworthy manner were guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord (1 Cor 11:27). Thats the serious sin. And he goes on to say that many of them received a temporal punishment as a result: That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. Paul describes this punishment as being chastened (11:32). He had stated in 1 Corinthians 5:5: deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved (cf. 5:1-4). Penance or punishment of this sort exhibits Gods holiness and just nature, whereas forgiveness and indulgences extend His lovingkindness and mercy.

And so, accordingly, St. Paul offered an indulgence or relaxation of the temporal punishment for sin to the same person (see 2 Cor 2:6-11). Paul even uses the word punishment to describe the former penitential chastisement, in 2 Corinthians 2:6, and says that it is enough and urges the Corinthians to forgive and comfort him . . . reaffirm your love for him (the indulgence). This is not simply implicit or indirect proof. Its explicit New Testament proof for both temporal punishment and indulgences.

Even James White mentioned, I believe, Hebrews 12 in the debate, and acknowledged that there is such a thing as divine chastisement. What he seems unaware of, though, is the fact that this chastisement is equated with (temporal) punishment:

Hebrews 12:5-11 And have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons?  My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him. [6] For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. [7] It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? [8] If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. [9] Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? [10] For they disciplined us for a short time at their pleasure, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. [11] For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Therefore, we have in this passage divine punishment for sin, for our own good (including the word, punished), and it is described as temporal or temporary (these words come from the same root): in the words for a short time and For the moment and later [it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness]. St. Peter even noted that God uses emperors and governors as His agents of temporal punishment (sent by him), for our good:

1 Peter 2:13-14 Be subject for the Lords sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, [14] or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.

One might wonder if James White is reading the same Bible that we read (save for the seven disputed books). How can he possibly miss all of this? Its amazing and befuddling. But alas, he is reading and studying the same Bible, but he is selecting what he wants to see in it and overlooking things in the Bible that go against his prior theology. Because of this strong bias, he is apparently blind to this clear, undeniable evidence of temporal punishment in the Bible (likely because it is so in line with the concept of purgatory; and therefore must be minimized or dismissed altogether). Never ever underestimate the power and influence of bias (up to / possibly including downright hostile prejudice) on a mind.

All that he or anyone needs to know in order to accept this claim about temporal punishment for sin was how God dealt with the Hebrews / Israelites / Jews throughout the Old Testament: something readily known by anyone familiar with the Old Testament at all. They were punished over and over  by God  for their sins. But then God would heal and bless them after a time. That virtually sums up the entire Old Testament. Its as obvious as the nose (or smirk) on Whites face. We Catholics accept and follow all of the Bible. Lastly, divine chastisement is all over Holy Scripture, and is the same notion as temporal punishment, whether the word punish is present or not:

Scripture refers to a purging fire in many places besides 1 Corinthians 3: whatever shall pass through the fire will be made clean (Num 31:23); Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you; and on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire (Dt 4:36); we went through fire (Ps 66:12); do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you (1 Pet 4:12); We also see passages about the baptism of fire (Mt 3:11; Mk 10:38-39; Lk 3:16; 12:50).

The Bible makes frequent use also of the metaphor of various metals being refined (in a fire): when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold (Job 23:10); thou, O God, hast tested us; thou hast tried us as silver is tried (Ps 66:10); The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tries hearts (Prov 17:3); I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy (Is 1:25); I have refined you, . . . I have tried you in the furnace of affliction (Is 48:10); I will refine them and test them (Jer 9:7); I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested (Zech 13:9); he is like a refiners fire, and like fullers soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver (Mal 3:2-3); . . . your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire (1 Pet 1:6-7).

God cleansing or washing us is another common biblical theme: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! . . . Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean (Ps 51:2, 7); Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts (Prov 20:30; cf. 30:12); the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning (Is 4:4); I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me (Jer 33:8); I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses (Ezek 36:25); cleanse them from sin and uncleanness (Zech 13:1); our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (Heb 10:22); he was cleansed from his old sins (2 Pet 1:9); the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

Divine chastisement is taught clearly in several passages; for example, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you (Dt 8:5); do not despise the LORDs discipline or be weary of his reproof, (Prov 3:11); I will chasten you in just measure (Jer 30:11); God who tests our hearts (1 Thess 2:4).

These passages describe the presuppositional notions that lie behind the apostolic and Catholic doctrine of purgatory (methods of how God works, so to speak). Purgatory is written all over them. I once didnt make the connection of what seems so obvious to me now. I think there are many who (like myself) may be able to be persuaded to see that the Bible is far more Catholic than they had ever imagined.

**

I had completed this paper (so I thought) and went to eat dinner, and during my meal I thought of another counter-reply to White (I love these light bulb moments!). Trent got White to agree during the cross-examination period that the sinner at death likely still has sin in his soul (which is a no-brainer anyway). Protestants and Catholics agree, Im happy to report, that actual sin will not be allowed into heaven (Rev 21:27: nothing unclean shall enter it), and White readily agreed with that, too, so that something must necessarily change before we enter heaven.

For many years I have made a nutshell argument for purgatory on this very basis, noting that Protestants believe that the dead saved / elect person will be instantly zapped by God to make him or her sinless and ready for heaven, whereas we Catholics simply think itll take a bit longer. The difference can then be seen as one mainly of mere duration rather than of essence. When pressed on this, however, White  predictably  appealed or reverted back to the Protestant pillar of faith alone, stating in one way or another that Jesus took care of all that at the cross.

But this leads to an internal problem (and this is the insight / argument that came to me at dinner). Protestants themselves, as part of their faith alone / extrinsic / imputed justification doctrine separate sanctification from justification. In doing this, by the way, they departed from all previous Christian soteriological tradition (hence, Protestant scholars Alister McGrath and Norman Geisler honestly admitted that this doctrine was virtually nonexistent between the time of the Bible and Luther). And  some more trivia  it wasnt even Martin Luther who definitively did this. It was his successor, Philip Melanchthon: so the scholars tell us.

Since they separate the two things, actual sin and its removal are placed in the category of sanctification, which (in their view) is a process and lifelong, and not directly tied to salvation, whereas justification by faith alone is believed to be a one-time event (and for Calvinists, irreversible), in which God declares us totally righteous, even though in actuality we arent (i.e., we still commit actual sins). It follows from this that sanctification will not be completed (for virtually all of us, I submit) at the time of death.

If thats true, then it means that  necessarily  God must do something about that, so that we can enter heaven. We can no longer do anything about it at death because our time is up (Heb 9:27: it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment). So God, after our death, must purge us of sins that were not utterly removed  even going by the Protestant conception of justification by faith alone. Thus, the very essence of purgatory can be proven by Protestantisms own soteriological premises and beliefs.

White refused to admit that God had to do anything after our death to make us worthy to enter heaven (per Rev 21:27). And I think he did that because hes sharp enough to know that if he had recognized that point, the game would have been over, biblically speaking. He would have conceded the most basic and important premise behind the biblical and historical belief of purgatory. It turns out, then, that the logical ramifications of one Bible verse (Rev 21:27) lead inexorably to purgatory in some sense. At the very least it establishes the most essential and central premise behind the Catholic (and I say biblical) doctrine of purgatory.

**

Related Reading

Purgatory: Refutation of James White (1 Corinthians 3:10-15) [3-3-07]

Does Time & Place Apply to Purgatory? (vs. James White) [11-6-19]

Vs. James White #11: Biblical Evidence for Indulgences [11-15-19]

The Day (1 Cor 3:13) & Purgatory (Vs. James White) [2-27-24]

*
On February 16 the Alabama State Supreme Court ruled that fertilized eggs are persons, calling them extrauterine children. This allows would-be parents to sue an in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic for wrongful death when frozen embryos are accidentally destroyed (which was the subject of the case before the court). It has the side effect of shutting down IVF treatments in Alabama (including those already in progress) as clinics try to protect themselves from lawsuits and potential prosecution.

I cant say I was surprised by the ruling. A significant proportion of the anti-choice / pro-forced birth movement is opposed to IVF, and the 2022 Dobbs ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade allowed state courts and legislatures to decide these extremely personal choices that properly belong to individuals.

As I often do with important court cases, I read the ruling. Im not a lawyer, but most court rulings  especially at the higher levels  are fairly easy to follow, if you dont mind wading through dozens and sometimes hundreds of pages of precedents and legal reasoning. I want to know not just what the court ruled, but why they ruled that way  and what its likely to mean going forward. Most times I respect the reasoning even if I disagree with the conclusions of the court.

Not so in this ruling.

A ruling from the Middle Ages

I felt like I was reading something from the Middle Ages, perhaps even a transcript from one of the witch trials. It begins with the assumption that human life begins at fertilization and therefore a frozen egg is an unborn child. From there it was a short walk to the decision the court had already made. Chief Justice Parker included a concurring opinion where he sermonized on the sanctity of life and godliness and quoted from the King James Bible, the Manhattan Declaration (a conservative Christian manifesto), Thomas Aquinas, and John Calvin.

My first reaction was this is insanity. But my reaction was wrong. For the ruling to be insane there would have to be mental illness involved. Our mainstream society tends to blame any human action we cant understand on mental illness, and this simply isnt the case. Perfectly sane and rational people often do horrible things, sometimes for financial reasons, but more often because they genuinely believe something evil is good.

This ruling isnt insanity.

Its theocracy.

The Theocratic Court of Alabama

The first amendment puts, in the words of Thomas Jefferson, a wall of separation between church and state. It does not and cannot put a wall between religion and politics. Religion is more than which supernatural propositions we affirm and which ones we reject. Religion is also our highest values and virtues. Politics are how we put our values and virtues into action in collective society. Our religion informs and influences our politics, whether we are Pagans, Christians, Jews, or anything else, and whether we are politically liberal, conservative, or anything else.

Whether someones politics are grounded in their religion or if their religion is grounded in their politics is a valid question, but one of lesser importance in the matter at hand.

At the same time, we live in a religiously diverse nation. If politicians (including judges) wish to inject their religious values into the common society (again, thats not necessarily a bad thing) they must ground them in secular principles that apply to Pagans, Muslims, atheists, and everyone else, not just conservative Christians. The Alabama State Supreme Court is not a church court.

The law is a great and terrible thing. It forces people to do things they may not want to do (like paying taxes) and forces them to not do things they may want to do (like smoking marijuana). Some of this is necessary for creating an orderly society and promoting the common good  what is necessary and what is oppressive is a matter of legitimate debate. But when a religious majority  or a minority gerrymandered into power  forces people to live by the values of one particular religion, it violates the first amendment and it violates peoples basic human rights.

The Alabama IVF case is not the ruling of a court in a constitutional republic. Its the ruling of a theocracy.

The ruling contains both factual and legal errors

Courts in this McConnell-Trump era of textualism and originalism argue that they must apply and enforce laws as they were understood when they were originally enacted, no matter how long ago that was, or what may have changed in the meantime. By this standard, the infamous Dred Scott decision was rightly decided, because slavery was legal when the Constitution was ratified.

But even by this standard, the Alabama IVF ruling contains a critical error.

In 2018 Alabama voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life. My opinion on the illegitimacy of this amendment notwithstanding, it became the law in Alabama after the Dobbs decision took away the right to an abortion.

Even those of us who are strongly pro-choice understand that unborn child is a legitimate term. A fetus eight months into development may very well be able to live outside the womb even without extraordinary medical care. They are deserving of some legal protection, though exactly how much is a matter of debate.

But the Alabama court takes this common understanding of unborn child and arbitrarily applies it to any fertilized egg. If this isnt judicial overreach I dont know what is.

If you freeze a two-year-old child or a two-day-old child or an eight-month-old fetus, it will die. If you freeze a fertilized egg, it will survive indefinitely and once thawed and implanted, will begin to grow. These are categorically different things and so laws protecting unborn children do not apply to frozen embryos. The Alabama court made both a factual error and a legal error.

Some traditions say that human life begins when a post-birth child takes its first breath. I argue that it begins when the fetus can live outside the womb without extraordinary medical care. I also argue that we have no way of knowing exactly when human life begins and so we must leave these decisions to individuals, not to legislatures or courts.

We may never be able to conclusively say when human life begins, but this much we can say:

There are no such things as extrauterine children.

Supporting IVF for political expediency

Because of this ruling, a wrongful death lawsuit can proceed, and an IVF clinic is being sued for damages. Not surprisingly, IVF clinics in Alabama have stopped treatments, despite the courts insistence that such consequences were unlikely and therefore irrelevant.

Almost all Republican politicians have called for legislation to protect IVF treatments. Lets be honest: IVF treatments are very expensive, and many health insurance policies do not cover them, or do not cover them entirely. So people who get IVF treatments tend to be wealthy, and wealthy people often contribute to political campaigns  including Republican campaigns. Plus Republicans tend to be on the side of more babies is a good thing whether those babies are wanted by would-be parents or needed by society.

IVF treatments should be protected, and doing the right thing for the wrong reason is still doing the right thing. So Im glad that most Republicans are on the right side of an issue for a change.

However

IVF treatments fertilize eggs in a laboratory. The success rate (success meaning a full term pregnancy) is less than 50%, and goes down significantly with the age of the mother. Most embryos will not survive. Further, IVF tends to be done in batches, and once there is a success the rest are not needed and are typically destroyed.

If someone truly believes that human life begins at fertilization  as this court contends and as many anti-choice zealots insist  then IVF is ethically problematic. The Catholic Church forbids IVF, saying it involves the massive destruction of human life, distorts the meaning of the sexual act between husband and wife, and treats the child like a manufacturing product, not as a gift.

Republicans and others who support IVF while still trying to outlaw abortion because life begins at conception are making a decision from political expediency, not from ethical reasoning.

We told you this was coming in 2016  more is on the way

I supported Hillary Clinton in 2016 for one reason: to preserve Roe v. Wade and the legal concept of the right to privacy. Too many people decided they just didnt like Hillary and stayed home, because Roe is settled law. And now we have Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Handmaid Amy on the Supreme Court, and the rights protected by Roe v. Wade are gone.

Theyre coming for birth control next. People who believe human life begins at fertilization call IUDs abortion devices  that was the core issue in the Hobby Lobby case. Im seeing arguments almost every day about how birth control pills are damaging to womens health (despite about 60 years of evidence to the contrary). In his Dobbs concurrence, Clarence Thomas called for revisiting Griswold v. Connecticut, the 1965 case that established the right to birth control.

Obergefell (same sex marriage) and Lawrence v. Texas (the decriminalization of same sex relations) will be next.

Donald Trump and most Republican legislators dont care about birth control. But a significant minority do, and theyre well-organized and well-funded, and so Donald Trump and most Republican legislators listen to them. Their goal is both simple and terrifying: overturning the sexual revolution. They believe that sex is sinful and only for procreation, not something thats inherently good for our physical and emotional health. They believe sex should have consequences  and only approved sexual activities should be permitted.

Remember that prior to Lawrence v. Texas, oral sex between straight married couples was illegal in 18 states.

They want a return to the time when straight white Christian men were in charge and everyone else knew their place, especially women.

Vote like your rights depend on it  because they do

I expect new laws at both the state and federal level will protect IVF. There may be limitations on the process, and thats not necessarily a bad thing. IVF is a potentially-dangerous technology, and while its been an overwhelmingly good thing so far, who knows where it could go. We should proceed with deliberation.

But Ill be surprised if this ruling is overturned at the state level, because that would chip away at one of the core arguments of the pro-forced birth contingent. A law protecting IVF will not protect IUDs, nor will it stop the far right from finding a convenient case to overturn Griswold. That will allow states like Alabama, Texas, and Florida to start regulating other forms of birth control, such as making them available only to married couples.

We need to encode the principles of Roe v. Wade into federal law. The only way to do that is to elect a Democratic President and strong Democratic majorities in both the House and the Senate. It will likely take multiple election cycles to accomplish this.

The pro-forced-birth movement worked for almost 50 years to overturn Roe v. Wade. They were finally successful. We cannot give up because we dont have immediate success. Those in safe blue states cannot abandon those of us in red states to the whims of the theocrats.

First they came for abortion. Then they came for IVF. Theyll keep coming for more and more rights until theyre stopped.

Vote. And do everything else you can do to protect your rights and the rights of others.

But whatever else you do, vote.
Stanbic Bank Ghana, a member of the Standard Bank Group on Sunday February 11 hosted the Chinese community in Accra to a special dinner at the Tang Palace Hotel, to celebrate the 2024 Chinese New Year (Year of the Dragon).



Addressing the group at the event, Head Business and Commercial Banking at Stanbic Bank, Farihan Alhassan noted that Standard Bank is one of the few financial institutions in Africa that has created a dedicated service for Chinese businesses and individuals working with Africa.



China is very dear to us because we appreciate the primary importance of China to the growth of our economy. The Chinese new year is equally one of our important calendar activities, that is why weve rolled out series of planned activities, including tonights event to welcome the year of the Dragon. Stanbic Banks relations with the Chinese community in Ghana has come a long way, just like the partnership between the Standard Bank Group and Chinas biggest bank ICBC. We take this opportunity to thank you all for your custom, and celebrate the growing, mutually-beneficial economic relationship between our two beautiful countries. I wish you all the very best of the year; good health, long life, strong family ties, more money, and good business, he said.



The Dragon, per the Chinese Zodiac, is the only mythical and the most powerful creature of the 12-animal Chinese zodiac. This legendary magical beast is symbolic of authority, honour, dignity and unprecedented opportunities. The economic relationship between China and Africa according Farihan Alhassan, is full of these incredible opportunities.



One of the leaders of the Chinese community in Accra, Mr. Fan Tang, whos also the owner of Tang Palace Hotel where the gathering was held, thanked Stanbic Bank for the immense show of support towards Chinese businesses in Ghana.



We have enjoyed with appreciation, Stanbic banks genuine interest in small and big Chinese owned enterprises operating in Ghana. I was explaining to my Chinese community how the partnership between Standard Bank and ICBC makes it easy for we Chinese to navigate the Africa-China trade terrain. From areas like energy, mining to agriculture, you have demonstrated more than enough commitment to see our businesses thrive. Thank you for always sticking with us, may the new year bring all of us good luck, strength and unending favour, he said.



Modern China celebrates the New Year twice a year: together with the rest of the world on January 01 and according to the Eastern calendar. This years Chinese New Year celebrations also known as the Spring Festival started on Saturday, 10 February, ending on Saturday February 24, 2024. It is a significant and festive time in Chinese culture which sees a majority of the Chinese community travelling back to China to celebrate with families and loved ones.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









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No 19 Accra Bar and Restaurant was the venue for the maiden edition of the bartenders masterclass organized as part of the prestigious Ghana Beverage (GBA), bringing the nomination phase to a successful close.



The uniquely curated activity, instituted as part of efforts to groom young talents for the bartending profession and retool already existing practitioners, brought together stakeholders and well-wishers of the beverage industry as well as members of the bartending profession.



Under the guidance of Mr. Kojo Aidoo, a renowned mixologist and President of the Ghana Bartenders Guild, over 50 participants underwent rigorous training in various facets of the bartending profession. From mastering the latest mixology techniques to honing their skills in ingredient selection, cocktail crafting, and presentation aesthetics, attendees delved deep into the art of mixology.



A highlight of the Masterclass was the Bartender's Challenge, where participants showcased their creativity by crafting original cocktails inspired by Ghanaian flavors and ingredients. The competition was fierce, with each contestant delivering unique and inventive concoctions that impressed judges and spectators alike.



Speaking at the session, Ms. Emma Wenani, Chief Director of Global Media Alliance, organizers of the masterclass, commended the participants for making time to invest in their professions by enrolling for the masterclass. She emphasized the significance of their commitment to continuous learning and advancement in the field of mixology.



Id like to applaud your dedication to your craft through your participation in this masterclass. I am thrilled by the turnout which is a convergence of talent, passion, and innovation in the art of mixology. Your being here shows that youre committed to learning more about your craft to climb the ladder of your profession to the top. As we navigate an ever-changing landscape, characterized by shifting consumer preferences and emerging trends, it's essential to stay agile and innovative. Embrace experimentation, embrace diversity, and never stop learning., she said.



Taking turns, some participants shared their experiences.



Being part of this training session has really been an eye-opener for me. Its been incredibly informative, providing valuable insights into flavor profiles, cocktail techniques, and the art of hospitality. I am grateful to the organizers for putting together such a wonderful event, and I look forward to participating in future editions Ophelia Dakura, a bartender with NsuomNam Seafood and Fish Restaurant expressed.



On his part, Moses Addo also shared: It was a rewarding experience to see my creation being enjoyed by judges and fellow participants. Moreover, the Masterclass provided a great platform for networking and connecting with industry peers and experts. I had the chance to exchange ideas, learn from others, and forge new connections that I believe will benefit me in my career moving forward.



Global Media Alliance has over the past 8 years, through the Ghana Beverages Awards Scheme contributed to the advancement of the beverage industry with the aim to inspiring excellence in the beverage industry. This year, the institution of the masterclass forms part of its strategic objective of elevating the works of all players within the beverage industry value chain.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Hohoe Magistrates Court has granted a GH10,000 bail to Korkuvi Atiga, a farmer, with one surety over allowing his domestic animals to stray into neighbours farms, causing damage to their crops, among other things.



Atiga pleaded not guilty to the charge and will reappear on March 14, 2024.



The prosecutor, Frank Azila-Gbettor, told the court, presided over by John Evans Ocran, that the accused person lived at Fodome Lormnava, a farming community in the Fodome Traditional Area of the Volta Region.



He was engaged in the rearing of domestic animals including sheep and goats in the community, the prosecutor said.



In October 2021, the Environmental Health Officer of the area received a series of reports from the community that Atiga had released his animals, which strayed into farmlands to destroy the crops of neighbours.



He said an officer of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit visited the community to educate the accused person to construct a pen for his animals and refrain from releasing them to roam the community.



The officer also noted that Atiga did not take good care of the animals, which made offensive noises at night when mating, disturbing the sleep of community members.



The accused person was educated to repair his damaged pen to safely keep the animals but failed to heed the advice.



The Municipal Environmental Health Unit then instructed the Unit Committee members to capture any stray animal in the community, but the members faced resistance from the accused person.



However, the unit committee members were able to arrest five stray sheep belonging to the accused person on August 14, 2022, but the issue was resolved after he promised not to repeat the offence.



That withstanding, the nuisance continued until October 17, 2022, when three of his stray sheep were caught and transported to the office but Atiga again asked for pardon and was forgiven.



On December 26, 2023, a community member arrested three stray sheep on his farm and deposited them at Fodome Helu police station, which were later brought to the Environmental Health Unit at Hohoe.



The prosecution said five days later the accused person asked his wife to retrieve the animals, but the officer asked Atiga to report to the office himself to meet with the farmer to assess the cost of damage to his crops.



Atiga failed to report to the office and continued to let his animals loose without any regard for advice, leading to his summons to the court.

Source: GNA









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Bulgaria will continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine, Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov said.

"I want to remind that we have not stopped helping Ukraine for a single day. And we will continue to provide it regardless of the signing of certain documents, both within the framework of joint efforts of the EU and NATO, and on the basis of bilateral agreements. Help for Ukraine is help for Europe and Bulgaria," he said at a press conference with Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Monday.

At the same time, Denkov did not disclose the details of the military assistance provided to Kyiv, but noted that "we are constantly increasing our support both in the field of diplomacy and in the field of military-technical assistance, we check daily what your needs are and what our capabilities are."

The same, according to him, applies to humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians.

Answering the question whether Bulgaria intends to sign an agreement on security cooperation with Ukraine, Denkov replied: "The issue of signing security guarantees will be discussed, consultations will be held, and we will make a decision."

The Bulgarian Prime Minister also said that his country is looking for opportunities to support international efforts aimed at finding the right form for Russia to compensate for the losses it inflicted on the Ukrainian people.
NPP National Youth Organizer, Salam Mustapha, has called for calm among the residents in Bawku in the Upper East Region of Ghana.



There have been generational civil war between the Mamprusi and Kusasi tribes over Chieftaincy conflicts and other deep-rooted issues.



Many residents in the community have died as a result of the war and in recent times, there have been seemingly an unending shootings in the area.



Due to the tension in Bawku, some radio stations are said to stop operations as part of measures to calming down nerves, however some people believe this is not the solution to the problem as they fear it might even create further conflicts.



Addressing the issue during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show on Monday, February 26, Salam Mustapha expressed disgust over the Mamprusis and Kusasis' longstanding kerfuffle, hence recounting the repercussions of the actions of the two tribes on the community and the nation at large.



To him, no one can end the Bawku conflict than the people, themselves, and called on them to unite in order to foster development in the area.



"It will take the people to say that, okay, enough is enough. Whether you are a Mamprusi or you are a Kusasi, look, we are one people; so let's make progress, then everybody will drop their arms. Otherwise, it looks like any young man growing up, the next thing you want is a firearm, it's a gun for yourself because you don't when someone will attack you and women and children, the aged are those suffering. Businesses are gone. You know people's livelihoods, I don't think it's a nice story," he advised.



He also blamed politicians for fueling the conflict, revealing there are some politicians sponsoring the Bawku fights for political gains.



Salam Mustapha admonished the political actors in the dispute, media practitioners and individuals resorting to the use of incendiary language to desist from it stating such behavior creates further cracks making it difficult to resolve the issue.



"It has not made any stride. It has not yielded any benefit and we just can't continue like that...it is rather destroying, so why should we continue?", he questioned.



He implored the Bawku residents to notice the damage they are doing to themselves and strike a truce, stressing "I think that the biggest legacy we can do is to find a way to get back to normalcy and ensure that we restore calm and unity back and I don't think that it is something out of the way. I think that it's something that we can achieve".





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Mr. Kofi Asare, has urged the government to reconsider its Free Senior High School education policy, proposing that parents opting to have their children reside in the boarding houses should be responsible for the cost associated with it.



In a Financial Burden Analysis of the Free SHS Policy and Implications on Equitable Access, EduWatch recommended that free boarding secondary education should be reserved for students in deprived communities as well as students who are from very homes.



The study, which was commissioned by Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) with support from Oxfam as part of the DANIDA Strategic Partnership II Project, explained that allowing parents to pay will allow the government to generate some revenue to complement the Free SHS.



According to the study, championed by the its executive director revealed, In the medium-to-long-term, the MoE must develop and implement a strategy to gradually transition Ghanas secondary education system from the current boarding-as-a-norm to day-as-norm. Free boarding secondary education should be reserved strategically for students in underserved communities where there is no reasonable commutable access to a secondary school.



However, parents, who in spite of an opportunity for their wards to be day students for free, still decide to opt for boarding status must pay for its full cost.



The study also recommended that the government improve the disbursement of funds under the Free SHS to improve teaching and learning.



The MoF must improve the disbursement of funds under the free SHS policy. The timely availability of funds (especially at the school level) to procure. items that were previously smuggled into prospectus, is critical to sustain compliance with the current moderate, harmonised prospectus. This will also improve the availability of adequate foodstuffs and other Teaching and Learning Resources in schools to reduce the financial burden on some parents to supply provisions to their wards in school.



The government in her annual budget tend to spend so much money on the Free SHS education policy. This according to the study of eduwatch, adds up to the financial stress of the government adding that, if parents who are financially stable could absorb the boarding fees, it will be a great relief to the government.

Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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Guinea's capital city has come to a standstill as workers take part in a nationwide strike.



The Guinean Trade Union Movement, an umbrella group of major unions in the West African country, urged public and private sector workers not to turn up to their jobs, starting from Monday.



The group of unions said it was demanding lower food prices, the lifting of internet restrictions and the release of a prominent media activist.



Schools, shops and roads were empty in the usually bustling city of Conakry, news agency AFP reports.



The strike comes a week after Guinea's military junta dissolved the transitional government - which had been in office since July 2022 - without providing a reason.



The Guinean Trade Union Movement said the strike would be indefinite.

Source: BBC









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Former US President Donald Trump said the Royal Family has been too gracious to Prince Harry and that he would not protect him like Joe Biden has done.



Trump made the claim at the CPAC conference in Washington DC just hours after Harry appeared in court over whether he had lied on his US immigration papers concerning his drug use.





The legal challenge has been pursued by the Heritage Foundation in Washington DC and resisted by the Prince with the support of Biden's Department of Homeland Security, something Trump doesn't agree with.



The former president told the Daily Express US: I wouldnt protect him. He betrayed the Queen. Thats unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me.



He added: I think they have been too gracious to him after what he has done.



He claimed Biden's administration protected Harry by keeping his immigration application confidential.



It comes after the Duke of Sussex told Good Morning America on February 16 that he was considering US citizenship. He was talking about the first winter Invictus Games but took the time to shed light on meeting his father after his cancer diagnosis.



When asked about enjoying his time in the US, Harry responded positively to his move away from the UK. Harry said: "It's amazing. I love every single day."



The Duke of Sussex was then asked if he feels American after now spending many years across the pond. Harry responded: "No, I don't know how I feel."



The question was followed by asking Harry about US citizenship, to which he replied: "I have considered it, yeah."



Harry was then pressed on what was stopping him and he told Good Morning America that he "does not know".



The Duke continued: I am here standing with these guys (Invictus competitors), the American citizenship is a thought that has crossed my mind but certainly not something that is a high priority for me right now.













Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Member of Parliament(MP) for Tolon Constituency, Alhaji Habib Iddrisu has brought honour to the area after being elevated as 1st Deputy Majority Chief Whip.



The lawmaker who is serving the last year of his first term in the legislature, becomes the first MP in the Fourth Republican constitution from the area, to have been elevated to such status.



By the promotion which was announced by the Speaker of Parliament, Right Honourable Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Habib Iddrisu will now be among leaders of the side of the majority who seat on the front row in the chamber.



Considered as one of the hardworking and result-oriented lawmakers from the Northern Region, Alhaji Habib Iddrisu has prioritized the needs of his constituents in the areas of education, health, infrastructural development among others.



Speaking briefly on his new role, he revealed that it would spur him on to do mire for his constituency and the country as a whole promising to lend the needed support to his side for the effective execution of business in the house.



This though came to me as a surprise, I am optimistic it will spur me on to do more for my constituency and the country at large. I have a responsibility to lend the needed support to the leader of my side and colleagues for the overall development of mother Ghana, he disclosed.



*New Changes*



Following an emergency meeting between the majority Caucus members and President Nana Akufo-Addo, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stepped down on Wednesday, February 21.



In a meeting of the National Council of the NPP on Friday, February 23, 2024, where the changes were confirmed, the Suame MP who is in his final term was confirmed as a Minister of Parliamentary Affairs despite his resignation as Majority Leader.



Presenting the recommendations and the concurrence letter from the Majority Caucus, the General Secretary of the NPP Justin Frimpong Koduah who was part of the emergency meeting, indicated that the caucus sought approval from the National Council, which convened at the Alisa Hotel in Accra.



This process he added, adheres to the provisions of Order 6 of the Standing Orders of Parliament (2024), as interpreted by Speaker Alban SK Bagbin. The Speakers interpretation emphasized the significant role of parliamentary caucuses in leadership selection while maintaining the involvement of political parties in the process to ensure a balance between internal party democracy and parliamentary norms.



Per the NECs recommendations, the newly appointed leadership team for the Majority Front Bench will consist of:



Majority Leader: Alexander Afenyo-Markin, MP for Effutu



Deputy Majority Leader: Patricia Appiagyei, MP for Asokwa



Majority Chief Whip: Frank Annoh Dompreh, MP for Nsawam/Adoagyiri



First Deputy Majority Chief Whip: Habib Iddrisu, MP for Tolon



Second Deputy Majority Chief Whip: Alex Tetteh Djornobuah, MP for Sefwi Akontombra

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President John Dramani Mahama, has reiterated his much-touted 24 hour' economy policy as a game changer that would massively improve the economic fortunes of the country.



Speaking at the end of a two-day policy dialogue by the party at Peduase in the Eastern Region, Mr Mahama said the 24 hour economy policy would positively impact every facet of the economy.



The 24-hour economy now remains perhaps the surest way to achieve significant economic expansion, boost productivity, meet demand, curb unbridled imports and its attendant negative effects on our economy and currency and above all generate well-paying jobs for the millions of our people who are without employment.



I am encouraged by the very positive feedback and input we continue to receive on the proposal from our compatriots in organised labour, academia, business and industry, he said.



Policy dialogue



The two-day policy dialogue was organised under the auspices of the NDC Social Democracy Lab, a policy think tank group of the party.



Latex Foam Valentines Day Promo



The dialogue brought together many interest groups in the party to fashion out and fine tune public policies under three thematic areas: Human Development, Finance and Economy and Governance

Source: graphic.com.gh









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Salam Mustapha has commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his good works for Ghanaians since the inception of his government.



The New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Youth Organizer expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the President asserting that posterity will remember his great achievements for Ghana.



Salam's remarks come as the President prepares to deliver his last State of the Nation Address tomorrow.



The President is expected to highlight his government's accomplishments and the new things to revamp the various sectors of the economy with this year marking his last term in office.



Salam Mustapha, speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme Monday morning, lauded the President stressing "I am of the firmest conviction that posterity will remember Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo well in that the changes he has introduced into the country, is what generations will remember him for. When his name is mentioned, we will remember him fondly for the leadership he has brought into Ghana".



He added; "Maybe for now we will not readily appreciate him...When you take sector by sector, what this President has done is invaluable and I will greatly miss him as President."

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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During the months of December and January, developers in central Pennsylvania proposed plans to build housing, a Sheetz, a hospital and two massive warehouses, among other projects.

The list below includes 12 projects in 11 municipalities and four counties.
Three alternative rock bands will perform on one night in central Pa. this summer.

Bush, with Daughtry and Our Lady Peace, will be on stage on June 1, 2024, for Hollywood Casinos Outdoor Concert Series.

After three decades, well over 24 million records sold, a Grammy Award nomination, 1 billion streams, and a procession of [No. 1] hits, Bush stand tall as rock outliers whose imprint only widens as the years pass.

Sharing the stage with Bush is Our Lady Peace is one of Canadas most successful alt-rock bands along with Daughty, one of the most visible and consistent Rock & Roll torchbearers of the 21st Century. Bush and Daughtry both performed at Hollywood Casino in 2022 and will be returning to bring another memorable evening to central Pennsylvania.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 1, on Ticketmaster.

Other concerts in the series for 2024 include:

June 21 - Michael Franti and Spearhead with special guests Stephen Marley and Bombargo

July 12 - Impractical Jokers

Aug. 20 - Sam Hunt
Fans of Fleetwood Mac have the opportunity this coming weekend to see Tusk, a tribute band, in central Pa.

Tusk will perform at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at American Music Theatre in Lancaster.

No fancy tricks, no gimmicks, just five musicians recreating the music of Fleetwood Mac to perfection with note for note renditions that no other Fleetwood Mac tribute on the touring scene today can come close to duplicating.

Tusk covers all the great hits of Fleetwood Mac. The five musicians comprising Tusk have been making music together in various combinations and styles for over 25 years. Authentic-sounding and always respectful, Tusk leaves no stone unturned in replicating the sounds of one of the worlds best-loved, top-selling bands.

Here is where to get tickets (prices are as of the time of this post):

Other Tusk performances include:

March 2 at Penns Peak in Jim Thorpe

June 1 at Levoy Theatre in Millville, New Jersey

June 2 at Rams Head Tavern On Stage in Annapolis, Maryland

July 20 at Keswick Theatre in Glenside

Aug. 15 at May Performing Arts Center in Morristown, New Jersey
Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov denies the recent allegations that Russia has Iranian-made long-range missiles, the We Ukraine Telegram channel reported on Sunday, February 25.

"They don't have them, they don't. This all is not true," he said on the sidelines of the Ukraine. Year 2024 conference.

Speaking about missiles supplied by North Korea, Budanov said that "a few of them were used."

"But saying that they were used massively  that is also not true," the Ukrainian intelligence chief said.

Earlier, Reuters reported that Iran has allegedly supplied Russia with hundreds of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles.
One of the enduring winery events in central Pennsylvania is back on the schedule for March.

Nissley Vineyards in Bainbridge, Lancaster County, will hold its annual Tap the Tanks event during four sessions (5:30 to 7 p.m. and 7:30 to 9 p.m. on both Saturday, March 9 and March 16). The winery is located at 140 Vintage Drive.
By Kris B. Mamula, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette(TNS)

Feb. 25ST. MARYS, Pa.  Pinned to the door of Stephanie Zuroskis refrigerator is a curling black and white ultrasound image of her baby at 11 weeks, 1 day old.

The babys delivery is still months off, but her worry these days is whether she will get to a maternity hospital from her rural Elk County home in time for the birth. Penn Highlands Healthcare Elk Hospital, 20 miles away, is closing its obstetrics unit May 1, leaving a six-county area of north-central Pennsylvania  twice the size of Delaware  without hospital maternity care.

I like being in the woods, surrounded by the Allegheny National Forest, Ms. Zuroski, 32, said about the home she shares with husband, Nathan, 30, but this is the downfall of living in rural Pennsylvania.

Rural hospitals are in crisis, experts say, and shuttering maternity units is the just latest cost-cutting move to stem the flow of red ink. In addition to Elk County, maternity units in Clarion and McKean counties have closed in recent years at a time when infant mortality rates exceeded the statewide average.

McKean County, population 39,866, had an average infant mortality rate of 7 deaths per 1,000 births for the years 2016 through 2020, the most recent numbers available and well above the statewide average of 5.9 infant deaths before the age of 1, according to the state Department of Health. Infant mortality rates for the other five counties were not available from the health department.

Cameron, Clinton, and Forest counties are the other areas without hospitals to care for new moms.

At a meeting Friday at the St. Marys hospital, which was closed to the public, health system executives said the hospital only had 147 births last year, far short of the 1,000 births needed for such a program to break even, according to Ridgway Borough Council member Zack Pontious, who was in attendance. Mr. Pontious didnt think there was any chance the decision would be reversed.

I dont think anythings going to change, he said.

Meanwhile, the population of the new maternity care desert will grow to 156,664  four times bigger than Cranberry Township in Butler County, north of Pittsburgh, which is served by four hospitals, including one offering maternity care that opened in 2021. Cranberrys population is about 33,000.

Elk County Commissioners and other elected officials were scheduled to meet Friday with Penn Highlands executives at the hospital in St. Marys to discuss the closing. The meeting was closed to the public.

In a Feb. 1 news release, Penn Highlands said the closing was designed to offer a higher level of care for mothers and newborns.

Ryan Grimm, 31 years old and a new father who lives in St. Marys, where the hospital is located about 2.5 hours north of Pittsburgh, didnt see things that way.

Now its a million times less attractive for a young family to live here, said Mr. Grimm, who works at a nearby chemical plant. Everythings already 30 minutes to the nearest town.

Elk County Commissioner M. Fritz Lecker said many people had accepted the decision by the biggest employer in the rural county of 30,477 people.

This is a tough one when were trying to grow our town and attract young couples, she said. I dont think its possible that were going to be able to reverse any decision. People are resigned to the fact.

A group of Elk County business leaders were preparing to petition state Rep. Mike Armanini, a Republican from Clearfield County, to explore options to prevent the closure of this health care service that is likely to have unpredictable and long lasting negative impacts.

In addition to putting pregnant women at risk, the letter said, closing the obstetrics unit will make it difficult to attract and retain women workers who are vital to sustaining our manufacturing industry, which serves as the economic backbone of this district.

Elk Countys hospital issues are hardly unique.

More than half of rural hospitals in the U.S.  59% in Pennsylvania  do not offer labor and delivery care, according to a recent study by the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform, a Downtown-based consultant. Over the past 10 years, more than 200 rural hospitals across the country have shuttered maternity units because of the serious financial and workforce challenges rural hospitals are facing.

It is not an exaggeration to say that rural maternity care is in a state of crisis and a crisis demands immediate action, the study concluded.

Another study, this one from 2019 that appeared in the journal Health Affairs, found that residents of rural areas had a 9% higher risk of complications and death related to childbirth when compared to women living in urban areas due to fewer hospitals offering obstetric care.

The effects of these service losses were most acute in remote rural communities, where residents experienced increased rates of preterm births, (the leading cause of infant mortality), out-of-hospital births and births in hospitals without obstetric units, the study found.

The closing of the hospital unit in St. Marys comes as losses mount at Penn Highlands Healthcare.

At a state Senate Majority Policy Committee hearing Feb. 14 at Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital in Washington County, health system CEO Steve Fontaine told legislators that rural hospitals were teetering.

I am here to tell you that rural hospitals are on the brink of disaster without increased support from our state and federal governments, he said in prepared remarks. Can you imagine how a closure of one or more of these facilities would affect local residents?

Mr. Fontaine was not available for further comment.

The systems decision to close the maternity wing followed an operational loss of $32.3 million on total patient revenue of $2.2 billion for fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, an increase from a loss from operations of $1.1 million for the same period in 2022. Last year, Penn Highlands, which operates eight hospitals, also closed a doctors office dating to the 1940s in the village of Force in Elk County, which drew pickets to the systems corporate offices in DuBois, Clearfield County.

Meanwhile, those hit by the loss of medical services in rural areas continue to look for whats causing the financial woes.

In an interview Tuesday, Mr. Armanini wondered whether the closure of the hospital unit wasnt caused by Obamacare, the federal law enacted in 2010 by former President Barack Obama and called the Affordable Care Act.

This is unfortunately being faced by rural hospitals throughout the country, the state representative said. Is this being caused by Obamacare? I believe it is crushing hospitals. We can not let this go.

Experts say that law boosted hospitals revenue because it significantly reduced the number of people without health insurance by offering them government subsidized coverage. But hospital executives say that insurers reimbursement for labor and delivery doesnt cover costs.

Moreover, labor costs for nurses have skyrocketed.

Preparing for a time after the Elk Hospital obstetrics unit closes, the squad at St. Marys Ambulance, a nonprofit emergency medical services provider based next to the hospital, is planning classes for crews to brush up on emergency childbirth care, said Nicholas Burdick, manager.

Medical care for emergency childbirths is part of the basic training programs for emergency medical technicians and paramedics, but 65% to 70% of the ambulance services calls are for people with Medicare or Medicaid health care coverage, Mr. Burdick said.

We dont necessarily see a whole lot of maternity issues in the field, he said.

Still, in case of emergency, expectant mothers can expect an ambulance ride lasting at least an hour to the hospital.

Our transport distance to the next hospital is 45 minutes to an hour farther, Mr. Burdick said. In Cameron County, it could be even longer, an hour to 90 minutes.

Nobodys happy about it, he added.

The Zuroskis home, located in Highland Township, population 493, is back a muddy road off Route 948, a two-lane blacktop that ribbons through the dense Allegheny National Forest. The couple raises goats and hunting beagles. Both of them work at a century-old paper mill several miles away in Johnsonburg, dubbed Paper City, where Ms. Zuroski is an environmental engineer.

Itll be their first child and the Zuroskis chose the 168-bed Olean General Hospital in New York state for delivery. The hospital is an hour and 15 minutes away. Penn Highlands Elks maternity services will be consolidated at a system hospital in DuBois, which is only five minutes closer to their home.

The biggest thing for me is my mom had really fast labors with my brother and sister, so I worry about a long ride, said Ms. Zuroski, the oldest of three children. My mom almost had my sister in the elevator going up to the maternity ward at Butler Hospital.

Im a little nervous about making it to the hospital in time, she said.
Some passengers aboard a Norwegian Cruise ship were quarantined following a stomach illness that broke out on the ship, which prompted local authorities to prevent passengers from disembarking until test results were in.

The Norwegian Dawn cruise line revealed that a small amount of guests experienced mild symptoms of the stomach-related illness aboard the ship that began to surface last week.

Right now, its unclear exactly how many passengers or crew members are sick.

But of the small number of passengers who fell ill, 2,184 passengers are aboard the Norwegian Dawn, along with 1,026 crew members, according to the Mauritius Ports Authority.

The 12-day South African voyage, from Cape Town to Port Louis, was scheduled to touch down at its final destination on Feb. 25, but when the boat skipped its Reunion Island stop, it arrived at Port Louis earlier than expected, where the ship was unable to dock, according to what the Mauritius Ports Authority said Sunday.

Upon arrival, the Mauritius Ministry of Health took samples from 15 passengers on board the ship due to the health risk and isolated them aboard the vessel, the authority said.

So, until testing is finished, Mauritius will not let anyone exit or enter the ship for the next cruise until Tuesday, the cruise line said.

About 2,000 passengers were scheduled to disembark the boat Sunday but are still aboard. Some 2,279 new passengers were scheduled to board the vessel in Port Louis on Sunday but have yet to do so, according to the Mauritius Ports Authority.

To make up for that, U.S.-based Norwegian Cruise Line said its providing guests complimentary hotel accommodations until they are allowed to board.

Health officials should receive the test results in about 48 hours from when passengers were tested.
A team of scientists at Virginia Techs Earth Observation and Innovation Lab say the land in numerous major cities on the east coast is sinking, which could impact the lives of millions of people. The NASA-funded team estimates there are at least 867,000 properties and critical infrastructure including several highways, railways, airports, dams, and levees were all subsiding according to NASA.

The study also found that more than half of the infrastructure in major cities such as New York, Baltimore, and Norfolk, Virginia was built on land that has subsided or sank by 1-to-2 millimeters per year between 2007 and 2020. Numerous counties in Delaware, Georgia, Maryland and South Carolina have sank at rates double or triple that.
By Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel (TNS)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER  NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps has had to get comfy in three different spacecraft seats, but while she said she would have fit in any of them, its the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour set to lift off this week that ended up being the one that was just right.

Chosen as one of nine NASA astronaut candidates in 2009, all of her classmates have flown to space. Epps had previously been assigned to both a Soyuz mission and a Boeing CST-100 Starliner mission to the ISS, but after a reassignment took her off the Soyuz trip and delays piled up on Boeings Starliner program, Epps was finally shifted to the SpaceX Crew-8 mission.

I guess any launch is a great launch if you have a mission. So even though youre the last, it doesnt matter. You get that launch, you get the mission and you go, she said after arriving Sunday to KSC with her crewmates. You know they always save the best for last.

Now nearly 15 years later, shes set to finally get to space atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 from KSCs Launch Pad 39-A at 12:04 a.m. Thursday.

Ive been deep in thought about what all is about to happen to us, the crew and what were going to go do, she said. It is overwhelming to me how many people have contributed to this. So I just want to thank everyone  who has helped propel us to space.

Epps will be one of three space rookies flying along with fellow NASA astronaut and mission commander Matthew Dominick and Roscosmos cosmonaut and mission specialist Alexander Grebenkin. The pilot for the mission, NASAs Michael Barratt, is the only frequent flyer having been to the ISS twice before, first on a Soyuz in 2009 and then on the final flight of Space Shuttle Discovery in 2011.

Dominick, who was chosen as an astronaut candidate in 2017, is also among the last of his class to fly to space.

Do we rib our classmates? Yes. Its an important part of the culture, he said. That stuff doesnt matter as much. Our job here in the astronaut office is just as important as we get a ground job. You go to space, you get experience doing that. You can bring that back and give back to the office in many ways. Im just as excited to fly as I am to come back and do my ground job and contribute to the office and move human spaceflight forward.

The quartet looks to relieve the Crew-7 astronauts who have been on board the ISS since last August. With Endeavour, Crew-8 are flying on SpaceXs most traveled Crew Dragon, the one that first took Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS on the Demo-2 mission in 2020, marking the first return by NASA to human spaceflight from the U.S. since the end of the space shuttle program.

Endeavour has already logged more than 466 days in space having flown once a year since Demo-2, with Crew-2 in 2021, the first Axiom Space mission Ax-1 in 2022 and Crew-6 in 2023.

The four members of Crew-8 will bring to 50 the number of humans who have flown on its fleet of four Crew Dragon spacecraft, with only one repeat flyer among the 50.

SpaceXs frequency was in part pushed by delays from Boeing, its fellow partner in NASAs Commercial Crew Program. Starliner and Dragon were supposed to share one launch each a year to the ISS.

At one point, Epps was assigned to be on what would have been Starliners first rotational crew mission  Starliner-1, which was originally targeting flight in 2021, but now wont fly until at least 2025. Had that been on schedule, Epps would have been the first Black woman to make a long-term stay on the ISS. With Starliners delay, though, that milestone ended up going to Jessica Watkins on the Crew-4 mission in 2022.

Im very grateful for this flight, Epps said. Ive trained for Soyuz. Ive trained for Boeing. Ive trained for a lot of vehicles, but I am honored to fly with this crew on the Dragon Endeavor.

Epps and her crewmates, though, are expected to actually welcome the first Starliner flight with crew on board while on orbit. The Crew Flight Test launching from Cape Canaveral on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is scheduled to bring up two NASA astronauts on its test flight as early as mid-April for a short stay at the ISS. If successful, it would pave the way for the Starliner-1 mission to finally take on its planned shared crew flight duties next year.

Veteran astronaut Barratt, who with Dragon is set to fly on his third different spacecraft, said he and the others were likely to try out the seats of Starliner and other spacecraft when they arrive.

Theres no guards posted to the gates, he joked.

While there, in addition to potentially welcoming Starliner in April, they will be on station for the arrival of fellow NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson coming up to the station as early as March 21 as part of a three-person Soyuz crew. Their stay on board could also see the first flight of Sierra Spaces new cargo spacecraft the Dream Chaser.

Theres just huge curiosity amongst us, Barratt said. So everybody will want to know every cubic centimeter of our stack volume, and that includes the docked ships. And of course, some of them, weve got to unload and reload.

The Crew-8 members will become part of Expedition 70 on the ISS when they arrive, and then continue on into Expedition 71 with an expected stay on board until the end of August when they are relieved by SpaceX Crew-9. They will have their hands on about 200 experiments in science and technology research over the six-month stay.

Original plans of a mid-February launch were pushed because the launch site, KSCs Launch Pad 39-A, was the only place from which the recent Intuitive Machines lunar lander mission was able to fly That in turn was limited by a previous Falcon Heavy launch that needed the same pad.

Its been absolutely incredible to watch spaceflight explode here at the Cape, Dominick said as he marveled that the constraint for flight isnt a lack of rockets, but the availability of a launch pad. Theres stiff competition to get out there to 39-A.

2024 Orlando Sentinel. Visit at orlandosentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
By Michael Rellahan Daily Local News (TNS)

The candidate for state Auditor General, whose nominating petitions from Chester County have been called into question for including allegedly forged signatures, on Wednesday contended that his campaign had not been involved in any effort to secure false information.

But Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley suggested in a telephone interview that the false signatures could have come from outside sources, and not from any person aligned with his campaign. He declined to identify any sources who would have been involved in subterfuge.

I am not saying anyone else did this, Pinsley said. But it could be that.

Pinsley, who is seeking the Democratic Partys nomination for the statewide post in the April 23 primary, said that he did not know how the apparently false signatures had ended up on his nominating petitions, but indicated that the woman who had circulated the suspect documents had been recruited by one of his campaign staffers.

He also said that he is prepared to meet with investigators from the Chester County District Attorneys Office to go over what might have occurred to result in the filing of petitions in which the names of at least 16 voters were allegedly fraudulently submitted to the Department of State earlier this month.

That is exactly right, he said. We are looking for swift and decisive action.

Chester County District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe, reached outside of his office, issued the following statement:

My office is aware of the reports of forged signatures on a statewide candidates Chester County petitions, it said. Pursuant to Pennsylvania election law, candidates are able to contest the validity of another candidates petitions in a court of law. During this election cycle, the last day to file objections was Feb. 20. The District Attorneys Office has nothing to do with this process.

However, based on the complaints we have received, the Chester County Detectives are conducting a criminal investigation, he said. I will not comment further on the pending investigation at this time.

The allegedly false signatures include four elected officials, including two Coatesville council members, a West Goshen supervisor and Common Pleas Judge Alita Rovito. At least 16 total voters signatures have been identified as forgeries by a group of freelance investigators familiar with the nominating petition process, those involved said.

In his telephone comments, Pinsley said he had no clear explanation as to why or how those signatures had appeared on his petitions. He suggested however that they may have been submitted improperly by others outside his campaign.

It could be a variety of things, he said.

The initial report came to our attention through a journalist from Philly, Pinsley said in an email Wednesday afternoon in reply to questions from the MediaNews Group. At present, we lack clarity on the circumstances surrounding this incident.

The swift discovery of the first lone signature raises suspicions of deliberate tampering, so we are investigating this internally (by reviewing circulators) and any external influence. However, I must stress that no concrete evidence supports either conjecture at present, he said.

Pinsley acknowledged, however, that the person who circulated the petitions on which the apparently forged signatures were presented had indeed been a volunteer that was found by my campaign manager. He indicated that he did not personally know the woman who circulated the petitions, who has been identified as a Temple University student.

Its unacceptable behavior, he stated, no matter who was at fault.

Should we identify the individual behind this unacceptable conduct, I am fully prepared to engage with the Chester County District Attorneys Office and formally lodge a complaint, Pinsley said in his email. The sanctity of democracy cannot be understated, and any attempt to tamper with it must be met with swift and decisive action.

We owe it to our democratic principles to uphold integrity and ensure the protection of our electoral process, he said. " I am sure you know that I have run on how important democracy is and that it is one of the main reasons I got into politics.

In January, the county party endorsed state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta in his run for the state office over Pinsley. In Pennsylvania, candidates for office are responsible for filing nominating petitions for both local and state office. The time window to do so is relatively small, so many candidates seek volunteers to help them gain the requisite number of signatures.

For state offices like auditor general, candidates must collect at least 1,000 signatures, with 100 from at least five counties. But the process is exacting, and volunteers must follow state Election Code rules for the signatures.

Beside Rovito, the other elected officials whose signatures appear but who said they did not sign are Coatesville City Councilwoman Khadijah Al Amin and Carmen Green, and West Goshen Supervisor Nate Holman.

I absolutely did not sign that petition, said Al Amin Tuesday, noting that her name was not even complete on the document. There are a lot of errors on those petitions that just raise a lot of questions.

Thats not my signature, said Green. The way they wrote my name is not right.

She is a supporter of Malcolm Kenyatta I signed his petition with my signature, she said.

I have never heard of (Pinsley), said Holman. The only petition that I signed was for Malcolm Kenyatta.
A new dad was arrested after he fought with officers who stopped him from leaving a Pennsylvania hospital with his hours-old baby.

According to WPXI-TV and WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh, Derrick Means was at West Penn Hospital in the city last Thursday when he tried to leave the maternity ward with the baby that his girlfriend had given birth to just six hours earlier.

The newborn had been not released from the hospital by doctors.

When he was prevented from leaving by Highmark Health police officers, Means told them, I dont give a (expletive) who yinz are, the police, security, or whoever you think you are, youre not stopping us from leaving! according to a criminal complaint cited by WPXI.

A fight broke out in the maternity ward between Means and several officers, one of whom tased Means to no effect. Police said he punched two officers in the face and chest as they tried to remove him from the hospital, both TV stations reported.

Nobody should have to witness that, especially while theyre giving birth, a NICU nurse told WPXI. Thats a stressful thing as it is.

Police charged Means with two counts each of aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment, and one count of disorderly conduct, according to online court records.

Means was released on a non-monetary bond and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 7.
Family, friends and Harrisburg-area advocates gathered for a protest Monday outside of the troubled Dauphin County Prison after a man died inside on Friday.

The death of Justin Cofield, 33, marked the 21st death at the jail since Jan. 1, 2019, and the third death in as many months.
Want a say in the news? Email Claudia at todayinpa@pennlive.com to have your thoughts on the stories covered here or on PennLive heard.

You can listen to the latest episode of Today in Pa on any of your favorite apps including Alexa, Apple, Spotify, and Stitcher. Episodes are available every weekday on PennLive. Feel free to subscribe, follow or rate Today in Pa. as you see fit!

Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | February 26, 2024

A series of animal deaths at a zoo is raising some eyebrows. Meanwhile, two previous election board members in one county are trying to figure out why the number of ballots recorded as received dont match up with footage they reviewed of drop boxes. Heres the deal with student loan forgiveness in Pennsylvania. And a Mechanicsburg native went from canceled to hosting this past weekends Saturday Night Live.

Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa., a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Claudia Dimuro. Today in Pa. is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories pertaining to Pennsylvania that lets you know, indeed, whats happening today in Pa.

Todays episode refers to the following articles:

If you enjoy Today in Pa., consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, wed like to know what you think about the program, too.

As sponsored by Renewal by Anderson of Central PA.
West Ham United and Brentford clash Monday in a clash of middle of the pack teams in the English Premier League. West Ham sits in 10th place and looks to snap out of a funk against 16th place Brentford in a match scheduled for a 3 p.m. ET kickoff at London Stadium.

The West Ham vs. Brentford Premier League match will be televised by USA Network. Live streams are available with introductory offers from FuboTV (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial) and Sling (low intro price).

West Ham looks to stop the bleeding of a winless streak that dates back to Dec. 28 and spans six Premier League matches and two others in the FA Cup. The Hammers are 0-4-4 over that stretch with three straight losses by a combined 11-0 margin to Nottingham Forest (2-0), Arsenal (6-0) and Manchester United (3-0).

West Ham will have a small edge on its home turf against a Brentford side with a similar statistical profile, but this club has learned the hard way over the past two calendar months that they still have to make the plays.



WEST HAM UNITED VS. BRENTFORD

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Monday, Feb. 26, 2024

Time: 3 p.m. ET

Location: London Stadium, London.

TV channel: USA Network

Live stream options: FuboTV (free trial) | DirecTV Stream (free trial) | Sling TV (low intro price)

Moneyline: West Ham +135, Brentford +195, draw +240.



For Brentford and West Ham, the records and point totals might not fully capture how evenly this match could be played. Brentford has a 7-4-14 season record and is 1-0-4 in its past five matches, but in terms of goal differential (-9 to -8), goals scored (36 to 35) and goals allowed (44 for both) has had a season remarkably similar to West Ham. Brentford also owns a 3-2 win over West Ham when they last met Nov. 4.

Round 2 of Brentford versus West Ham United will play out at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network. Live streams are available with introductory offers from FuboTV (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial) and Sling (low intro price).
Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov has called on world politicians to speed up the creation of a military tribunal over Russia for war crimes in Ukraine.

"The war cannot end simply in peace. A tribunal must be held to restore justice. And I call on the international community to make this day come as soon as possible," Denkov said at a press conference with Zelenskyy in Kyiv.

He also stated that Bulgaria supports the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula and is ready to cooperate within the framework of the international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported by Russia.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister stressed that the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine is a war against Europe, against the entire democratic world.

"Bulgaria stands in solidarity with Ukraine in its battle for a just world. Ten years ago, the illegal annexation of Crimea marked the beginning of Russia's aggression against Ukraine and opened the way to February 24, 2022. It is already clear that Putin's goal is not only Ukraine. It is much wider. The ambitions of Russian aggression are a threat to Bulgaria's national security. And therefore, the support of Ukraine is the protection of ourselves. Bulgaria definitely takes the side of Ukraine in this unjust war," he said.
Indian Ambassador to Ukraine Sri Harsh Kumar Jain handed over the 16th batch of humanitarian aid from India, which will be transferred to Ukrainian hospitals.

According to the Interfax-Ukraine agency at the Indian Embassy, the humanitarian aid includes, in particular, diagnostic and medical equipment, including a portable X-ray machine, an X-ray machine with a C-Arm fluoroscope, an electrohydraulic operating table, a color Doppler ultrasound system and others.

Humanitarian aid from India was provided to Sumy Regional Clinical Hospital and Krolevetsky Town Council Hospital at the request of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

"India attaches paramount importance to providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine at this difficult time in accordance with the human-centered approach of the Government of India, the central tenet of Indian national beliefs and values that perceive the whole world as one family," the Ambassador stressed.
The PokerStars European Poker Tour, at the Le Palais des Congres, today hosted the last of six 25,000 No-Limit Hold'em tournaments here in Paris. These five-figure buy-ins consistently attracted some of the biggest and best high rollers in the world, with its finale attracting a total of 43 entries by the conclusion of late registration. A total prize pool of 1,011,360 was collected over the two-day event, resulting in six places being paid.

It was Santhosh Suvarna who earned the privilege of lifting one of the last silver PokerStars spadies of the series, alongside the 348,860 first-place prize.

Suvarna ended Day 1 as chip leader and flawlessly managed to convert his monster stack into a win on the felt after swiftly dispatching Samuel Ju in heads-up play.

Despite Suvarnas prominent career as a Dubai-based Indian entrepreneur, he is no stranger to tournament success. His win today marked his 15th recorded live cash of six figures and above, which will only add to his already impressive career earnings of $6,672,704.

Santhosh Suvarna

Final Table Results

Rank Player Country Prize (EUR) 1 Santhosh Suvarna India 348,860 2 Samuel Ju Germany 227,600 3 Jamil Wakil Canada 156,800 4 Chris Brewer United States 116,300 5 Viacheslav Buldygin Russian Federation 91,000 6 Sam Greenwood Canada 70,800

Day 2 Action

Adrian Mateos was the first casualty of the day as his ace-king fell to the ace-queen of Rui Ferreira. Mateos got it in good, but the five-card runout saw Ferreira improve to quads; Mateos exited to the rail on the first hand of the day.

The speedy departure of Mateos seemingly set the pace for proceedings as there was a total of 12 eliminations within the first three levels of play, ensuring half the field had been dispatched by the first break. Most notably, the bust-outs of Steve O'Dwyer, Andras Nemeth, Justin Saliba and Juan Pardo all occurred within 13 minutes of each other.

All eyes were on Daniel Dvoress at the start of the day as hed already accumulated an impressive record here in Paris, winning two 25,000 NL Hold'em events for an impressive total of 720,620. Dvoress also managed to accumulate an additional three cashes in the remaining 25,000 buy-in events, but today wasnt to be as his streak came to an end on Level 15, when his pocket nines were cracked by the ten-nine suited of Suvarna.

Daniel Dvoress

Shortly after, Thomas Santerne, the winner of the 50,000 EPT Paris Super High Roller, made his exit in tenth place, ensuring the remaining nine players a seat at the final table.

Final Table Action

Viacheslav Buldygin drew first blood, eliminating Tamas Adamszki in ninth place. Adamszki three-bet jammed his short stack into the pocket queens of Buldygin, ensuring his departure just three players off the money.

Though dressed to impress in the same signature white suit in which he took down the $3,000 Mystery Bounty at EPT Cyprus, Quan Zhou was on the wrong side of a cooler, which saw him eliminated in eighth place, putting the remaining finalists on the money bubble.

Quan Zhou

It was Sirzat Hissou who had the misfortune of being the stone bubble. Hissou got his money in as a commanding favorite against Suvarna, however, the five-card runout reversed their fates as Suvarna rivered a gutshot to eliminate Hissou.

It wasnt long before Suvarna claimed his second victim of this final table. Sam Greenwood, much like Hissou, got it in ahead with a dominating hand, holding ace-king against the ace-queen of Suvarna. However, the dealer peeled a queen on the turn which ended Greenwood's deep tournament run in sixth place.

Buldygin departed in fifth place as he lost the bulk of his stack in back-to-back hands, his last big blinds being awarded to Jamil Wakil. Buldygin seemingly left in good spirits with an apt consolation prize of 91,000.

Viacheslav Buldygin

Chris Brewer displayed his experience at this final table as he masterfully avoided disaster when his pocket aces were cracked by the kings of Suvarna. However, it wasnt to be as Wakil claimed the remainder of Brewer's short stack and he exited in fourth place.

Despite claiming both Buldygin and Brewers stacks, the first player to finish in podium position was Wakil. His king-seven was a small favorite against the queen-nine of Suvarna, but Suvarna made two pair and claimed yet another tournament life.

Jus stack was perhaps the most volatile of all the nine finalists, including some lucky escapes, but his fate was ultimately sealed by Suvarna, who claimed his fourth and final elimination of the tournament.

All that was left was for Suvarna to lift his newly acquired silver PokerStars spadie as he claimed his first EPT title, along with 348,860.

Santhos Survana

This concludes PokerNews coverage of the last 25,000 NL Hold'em tournament at EPT Paris. Check our live reporting hub for continuing action at this and other venues.
Democrats are not just sitting by as Republicans try to gaslight Americans about the inevitable consequences of their anti-abortion laws.

It wasnt just Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) who took down the Republican attempts to backtrack on their attacks on IVF and reproductive rights.

Senator Tammy Duckworth tied Republican attacks on IVF to their anti-abortion rhetoric that led to the overturning of Roe.

On ABCs This Week, @SenDuckworth reminded viewers that attacks on IVF are possible because of the elected Republican war on Roe v. Wade and reproductive freedom pic.twitter.com/GCWFfaM4z7 To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.  Robyn Patterson (@RMPatterson46) February 25, 2024

Ive been talking about this since 2018 when it was very clear that Republicans were working to eliminate womens reproductive rights, Duckworth said on ABCs This Week. I said, if Neil Gorsuch gets put on the Supreme Court, if Amy Coney Barrett gets put on the Supreme Court, were gonna have an erosion of Roe v. Wade. And even back in 2018, I said IVF is next. Theyve said theyre coming for IVF. So unfortunately, I wasnt surprised.

Jen Klein, Director of the White House Gender Policy Council, wasnt having it either. Women in this country are being denied access to emergency rooms when theyre in the middle of having an emergency, whether they need an abortion or theyre having a miscarriage, Klein said on MSNBCs The Weekend.

What just happened in Alabama is fertility clinics are now closed. They are unsure what to do. And these are people who desperately want a family, who desperately want a child  and now are unsure if that is legal to do in their state, Klein added.

On @TheWeekendMSNBC: The White Houses Jen Klein made clear that despite Republican claims about supporting IVF, women across red-states are being denied access to care, fertility clinics are closing, and Americans who want families are scared it isnt legal in their states. pic.twitter.com/GEacB6OQQs  Robyn Patterson (@RMPatterson46) February 25, 2024

How we got here:

Problems for Republicans started when a survey found that 86% of all respondents supported access to IVF, with 78% support among self-identified pro-life advocates and 83% among Evangelical Christians.

After the strong reaction against the Alabama ruling against IVF based on the Republican argument used to overturn Roe v Wade by a conservative Supreme Court, Republicans were told to get out there and deny deny deny. They were told to express support for IVF.

The Senate Republican campaign arm memo urging members to come out in support of IVF came just three days after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos used in IVF are children and have legal protections under the states personhood laws.

And Republicans are doing just that, ignoring their own records to do so.

Heres how thats going: Rep. Byron Donalds says IVF is important because it helps couples breed.

Rep. Byron Donalds on Meet the Press says IVF is important to couples because it helps them breed great families. pic.twitter.com/WeO20BGvMk  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 25, 2024

Republicans are trying to run away from their own policies

What is behind all of this is the conservative notion of personhood attributed, but only when convenient, to embryos. There are many obvious ramifications from this unfounded belief, which Republicans have been well aware of for at least 20 years, so denial at this point beggars belief.

The bottom line is if life begins at conception as they argue, then embryos are human beings. The Alabama ruling allowed parents to sue for wrongful death of their frozen embryos.

This caused several fertilization clinics to cease their work, out of concern that they could be held liable for embryos that are destroyed or lost. The Alabama AG then tried to reassure everyone that he wont prosecute IVF clinics and families.

However, the Alabama Supreme Court referred to IVF cryotanks where embryos are stored as cryogenic nurser(ies). That would certainly give pause to anyone concerned about legal liability.

Logically, there is no way out of this one: Its either one way or the other. Republicans can equivocate about in utero versus in an IVF lab, but that argument undercuts their entire premise. Either life beings at conception or it does not.

Oh, and by the way, we all saw this coming. It is the inevitable next step of their premise, which has no medical or scientific foundation. If only Republicans hadnt overturned Roe, their illogical attacks on freedom could have flown largely under the radar.

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Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley grew up less than 50 miles away from Aiken.

She made three campaign stops in Aiken County in the last three weeks while her primary opponent, former president Donald Trump, made none.

And Haley received endorsements from two prominent local officials: S.C. Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, and S.C. Rep. Bart Blackwell, R-Aiken.

All went for naught Saturday night.

Trump received 15,173 votes in Aiken County, 60.8% of the votes cast. Haley received 9,647 votes or 38.65% of the votes cast.

"Trump wins big in SC, and Nikki bombs in the state where she was once the darling of the Tea Party," S.C. Rep. Bill Taylor, a Trump endorser, posted on Facebook a day after the primary.

South Carolina is once again Trump Country, South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Drew McKissick said.

Statewide, Trump received 59.79% of the votes cast.

"It was true in 2016 and 2020, and South Carolina Republicans just put an exclamation point on it," McKissick said in a news release. "His Promises Made, Promises Kept agenda is what strengthened our country before, and can do it again."

Haley received 39.52% of the votes cast, meaning she received a higher percentage of the vote in New Hampshire  43.2%  than she did in her home state.

Trump won 73 of Aiken County's 86 precincts.

Michael and Joanna Bright said they voted for Trump at Mercy Church on Saturday.

Michael said the country is drifting further apart and that he was also concerned about the economy.
Shmyhal after meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart: We expect revival of military cooperation to begin joint production of weapons

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal met with Prime Minister of Bulgaria Nikolai Denkov.

"Today, following a comprehensive dialogue, we have reached a common ground on many important issues. Ukraine and Bulgaria will continue to strengthen cooperation in the fight against Russian aggression and to restore the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country," Shmyhal wrote on his Telegram channel on Monday.

Bulgaria will also take a leading position in the implementation of the Peace Formula of the President of Ukraine, in particular in terms of environmental, energy, food security and recovery.

According to Shmyhal, the Ministries of Justice of Ukraine and Bulgaria will intensify cooperation to bring Russia to justice for its crimes.

"We will also work together to build an international compensation mechanism that will allow us to recover funds from the aggressor for the losses and destruction caused," the Prime Minister of Ukraine said.

The Prime Minister noted that Ukraine was looking forward to intensifying military cooperation with Bulgaria. The Prime Minister's press service reports that the parties signed a memorandum of cooperation in the defense sector.

Following the meeting, the heads of the Ukrainian and Bulgarian governments agreed that "in the near future, the relevant ministries will study the possibilities of establishing interconnectors between the power grids of Ukraine and Bulgaria (via the power grid of Romania) within the framework of ENTSO-E." In addition, "Bulgaria will help increase its transit potential along European Solidarity Lanes in the direction of Mediterranean ports."

Shmyhal said that plans for 2024 include holding the next meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation.
That's where she met her husband of 25-plus years. They aren't solely focused on Umoja Village. Wesby said she and her husband are matchmakers, too.

I enjoy seeing other people experience that type of bond," she said. I love trying to put people together.

She likes to help people achieve their goals.

I love seeing people give their best in what they are assigned to do, she said.

Humble beginnings

I am a person who loves God, who loves life, I love my family, I love myself, I love family and people in general, she said. It all started with how I was raised."

Wesby remembers when her family would sing gospel music a cappella and develop the harmonies. Harmony is a great metaphor for life because it requires listening, letting someone else lead and being part of a team.

I think our whole family singing a cappella forced you to appreciate harmony, and also tricked me into believing in the sanity of unity, togetherness and love, she said.

Coming from a tight-knit family, she was mostly raised by her mother Betty, and her extended family  grandparents, aunt and uncles. She said her family taught her the value of a good education. She was competitive in school and earned good grades.

I remember one of my uncles would give me a dollar for every 'A' that I made, she said.

English was Wesby's favorite subject in school. She loves language, she said.

I have always been an avid writer, she said. It has helped her with the marketing and communication needs of her work.

Wesby said she had plenty of father figures in her life, including a former longtime pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Aiken, Alf Mills Jr., and Ronnie Mckie.

Both of those men had their own families, but because they gave of themselves, their families allowed them to be (good to her), she said.

Because so many people poured time and energy into her life, Wesby said she feels compelled to give back.
The Berkeley County Library System (BCLS) is hosting a Spotlight on Local Women of Note from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Friday, March 22, at Moncks Corner Library, 1003 Highway 52 in Moncks Corner. Read moreBCLS hosting Spotlight on Local Women of Note
ORANGEBURG  When South Carolina State Universitys class of 2021 walked across the stage at commencement, just one graduate left campus with a history bachelors degree in hand.

That year's class wasnt an aberration. Since 2017, an average of 1.4 students a year have been awarded the four-year diploma in the subject.

But if university administrators get their way that number will drop to zero as the low enrollment has President Alexander Conyers looking to eliminate his schools bachelors degrees in history, special education, art education, social studies and dramatic arts.

That proposal is currently on hold as the administration works to give the board of trustees a broad view of its academic strategy after it voted in December to punt the decision to an unspecified later date.

In the meantime, the idea of cuts has spurred discontent from some on campus who questioned the wisdom of removing instructional programs they said are important to the educational mission of the state's only public historically Black university.

"The (S.C. State) University faculty have contributed to the development and teaching of history, not just African American history, but history in the state of South Carolina and beyond," said Alison McLetchie, an assistant professor of sociology at S.C. State. "It is almost sinful, and disrespectful, to cut programs that contribute to the well-being of this state and to the understanding of who we are as South Carolinians."

Mixed Messages

About two months before first asking the board to eliminate the degrees, documents produced by the university about the on-edge programs struck a different tune with state authorities.
Several members of the Charleston County School Board have requested Gov. Henry McMaster and state Attorney General Alan Wilson investigate whether the district's new contract with Superintendent Anita Huggins is legally valid.

Carol Tempel, Darlene Roberson, Daron Calhoun II and Courtney Waters sent a letter to the offices asking for an investigation because they were concerned the contract violated the S.C. Freedom of Information Act.

South Carolina state law says that no contract to a teacher or other employee can be extended without the board's clerk notifying all members three days in advance, and the contract needs to be approved during a properly called meeting.

During a contentious meeting on Jan. 22, the board voted 5-4 to have district lawyers negotiate a three-year contract with Huggins, a longtime district employee who had been serving as acting superintendent since September.

The four who voted against the motion are the ones requesting the state look into the matter.

It became necessary to find a new superintendent after the board in October parted ways with Eric Gallien, agreeing to a settlement of more than $350,000 just months into his tenure leading South Carolina's largest school district.

Chairman Keith Grybowski asked for a vote following a closed-door meeting during which he told the other board members he intended to offer Huggins the position. Several board members said they were caught off guard since Grybowski told them in previous conversations he wanted to give Huggins a letter of agreement that would formalize her interim superintendent role.

The meeting agenda noted that the board was going to receive legal advice on Huggins' contract as well as discuss the superintendent search and to potentially create an ad hoc committee to establish an evaluation of the acting superintendent.
After a successful year, the Charleston County Teacher Compensation Task Force is gearing up to accomplish its main goal: bringing starting educators' salaries up to $58,000.

The task force wants to incorporate the one-time $5,000 bonus teachers received last year into their pay scale and request additional benefits for hourly employees. It's asking for this after raising Charleston teacher salaries by a historic amount in 2023, getting teachers an across-the-board raise of $5,000 in addition to the bonus. It also extended the number of years teachers were available for a raise from 30 years to 40 years.

But it knows Charleston teachers will need more support if it wants to fix the teacher retention crisis plaguing the state.

More coverage To read more in-depth stories from The Post and Couriers Education Lab, go to postandcourier.com/education-lab.

In some ways, what happened to us last year makes things a little tricky, said Bill Briggman, chief human resources officer for CCSD. A couple weeks ago, 15 vacancies were reported, when this time of year we usually have 65. A lot of teachers didnt leave us because of the pay, and I dont want the community or the board to think we dont have a problem.

The task force was created after The Post and Courier published an op-ed by Briggman about the importance of raising teacher pay in October 2022. The task force was formed shortly afterward. Instead of only recruiting people from Charleston's education community, the task force was also filled with local business leaders.

The task force came up with a presentation for the school board that tied Charleston teacher salaries to the city's rising housing prices. Their data found that teachers needed to make $77,880 to rent an average apartment in the Charleston metro area.
This week's things to do includes St. Patrick's Day celebrations, arts and crafts along the Swamp Rabbit Trail and a "nerd" poetry slam, among others. Read moreHere are the 6 best things to do March 14-21
The 34th Annual SC BBQ Shag Festival kicks off on Thursday, March 21, at the recreation park and ball fields in Hemingway. This year the festival runs from March 21-24. The four-day event features music, vendors, BBQ and fun for the whole family. First held in 1987, the event has grown to at Read moreSC BBQ Shag Festival kicks off March 21
Does it seem to you that a lot of the controversies in education (homework, grading, punishment, curricula) exist because people arent considering things from the students point of view and what they might need? Read more'Luxury beliefs' leaving some kids in the dark
MONCKS CORNER  The file finally closed on a near 20-year-old homicide with Xavier D. Williams plea earlier this month to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter.

Williams, 43, pleaded guilty in Berkeley County Circuit Court on Feb. 14, a day after he was sentenced in federal court for a single charge relating to drug trafficking. Williams will serve his sentences concurrently  15 years in prison.

The Nov. 1, 2004 fatal shooting of 28-year-old Fred L. Greene Jr. remained unsolved for nearly 17 years until Williams was charged with murder in September 2021. Greene was shot multiple times inside a Ladson nightclub during a Halloween party.

In 2021, the Berkeley County Sheriffs office announced it had four witnesses who gave statements that placed Williams at the club that night and being the shooter, according to an earlier report in The Post and Courier.

Williams was previously charged with murder in Greenes death, but the charge was dismissed for insufficient evidence. The charge was later expunged from Williams record.

Williams family was also victimized by violent crime. Two of his brothers were shot to death, according to federal court records. Williams had also used illegal drugs since he was 13 years old. He was convicted of trafficking cocaine and other drug charges in 2012, his third drug conviction. He was sentenced to serve six years in prison.

In 2021, Williams was one of several indicted on federal drug trafficking charges in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine.

He pleaded guilty to a single count and was sentenced on Feb. 13 to 180 months.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed the importance of finding and returning home all illegally exported or forcibly detained persons.

Today, no one can say for sure how many of our citizens  children and adults, warriors and civilians  are being held in Russian captivity, in Russian deportation, in camps, and how many of our people are in the prisons of this terrorist state. But each of us can and must speak with absolute certainty and specificity: we must do our best to bring all these people home to Ukraine, he said, speaking on Monday at a meeting of the International Platform for the Release of Civilians Illegally Detained by the Russian Federation.

Everyone has seen what our people look like after the Russian captivity, after all these terrible tortures. Everyone knows what our people testify about, the atrocities they recount. And the world knows with what cruelty Russia is trying to conceal the truth about the captured Ukrainians and to indoctrinate the children abducted from Ukraine ... To teach them hatred  hatred specifically towards their own home, he said.

According to him, it is very important not to forget about anyone and to find absolutely everyone. All civilians, all our adults, children, all our Crimeans  everyone, absolutely everyone. Military, civilians. Deported and Crimean political prisoners. He named, in particular, Nariman Dzhelyal, Vladyslav Yesypenko.

And it is imperative to bring Russia, every war criminal, all those involved in the deportation of our people, those involved in the torture of prisoners to justice  Please do more every time  because it is not enough  more than seems possible, more than there is strength for, more than planned to bring our people home, he called on the platform participants.

In turn, Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov said that "Ukraine must seek justice in the international criminal court. It has the right to any means of protection provided for by international law in relation to crimes against human rights."

"Children have the right to be free from war, they have the right to grow up next to their parents, they have the right not to be taken out of the country, they have the right not to be cut off from the history of their people's heritage. Bulgaria stands for the sacred right of every nation, for every country to live normally in peace, in prosperity, independently determining its future," he said.

According to him, "Bulgaria is actively involved in the implementation of the four sections of President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula."

"Bulgaria condemns the aggressor, violation of international law, cruelty against humanity. Bulgaria supports Ukrainians in their struggle for their own freedom, for recognition of the ideals of European democracy and speaks with words of respect to those fighting for their freedom. Bulgaria will continue to support Ukraine as long as it takes," he said.
In an ongoing effort to protect historic communities, proposed changes to a Charleston County ordinance that established the Historic Preservation Commission are dividing council and residents of settlement communities.

County officials say proposed amendments to the ordinance in question will help protect such communities. Those who live in them say otherwise.

The Historic Preservation Ordinance in 2018 established the Historic Preservation Commission, which protects designated historic areas in the unincorporated part of the county. The commission reviews development proposals, demolition requests and other changes to determine whether the results of the work would meet standards of "historical appropriateness."

Under the current terms of the ordinance, the HPC must generate a letter of historic appropriateness before the planning commission can grant final approval to project designs.

Emily Pigott, the countys historic preservation officer, said the commissioners approached the county at the beginning of 2023 to address concerns with the approval criteria, which kickstarted the process of amending the ordinance.

We dug a little deeper and thought, we could take advantage of this opportunity and clean up a lot of things in the ordinance, Pigott said.

There are several proposed changes to the Historic Preservation Ordinance. They include removing the ability for the commission to personally nominate properties to be historic districts or individual properties, adding conceptual workshops for residents to get informal feedback for proposed designs and a process where residents can amend their designation as a historic property or district to add additional supporting documentation, such as area character appraisals.

Another proposed change is removing the subdivision plat applications from the Historic Preservation Commissions purview at the advice of the countys legal department. Joel Evans, Charleston Countys zoning and planning director, said those applications are meant to be under the Planning Commissions purview according to state law.
NORTH CHARLESTON  A woman who reported she was raped by two men while unconscious in 2019 learned two years later that the police detective who said he was investigating her case had misled her, a lawsuit alleges.

There was no investigation or incident report filed about her case. None of the evidence she provided could be found. Any possible forensic evidence collected when she underwent a sexual assault examination at a hospital was destroyed. And any hope of seeing the two men prosecuted was gone, according to a civil lawsuit filed in Charleston County on Feb. 8.

Its a horrible tragedy, said attorney Edward Phipps. Shes got a lifetime of issues. Counselors tell me the event of going to an authority and expecting them to help her, and betraying her like they did, is worse than the sexual assault trauma.

Both the North Charleston Police Department and the city of North Charleston declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation.

The lawsuit names former detective Paul Schoolfield as the officer who allegedly agreed to investigate her case. He has since retired, did not have a lawyer listed in public records as of Feb. 21 and could not be reached for comment. Schoolfield worked at the North Charleston Police Department from February 2005 to January 2022.

What happened?

This case began Dec. 16, 2019, when the victim, who had been drinking, agreed to go out around 4 a.m. after a friends birthday party had ended.

The woman, identified only as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, said she was sexually assaulted while she was unconscious by two men who lived in her neighborhood, according to the lawsuit. One of the men, who is identified in the lawsuit only by initials I.R., admitted to the victims friend through a text message that he had sex with the victim but claimed it was consensual.

In South Carolina, a person cannot consent if unconscious.

She said she was left on the porch of her home, her jumpsuit inside out and covered in blood and semen, according to the lawsuit. The then-19-year-old went to MUSC so health professionals could collect evidence of a sexual assault. She called North Charleston police to report the rape.
When Joe Clarke opened Forte Jazz Lounge in 2019, a liquor liability insurance policy cost $6,000 for him to sell wine and beer. It doubled the following year.

The policy jumped to $32,000 when Forte reopened after the pandemic.

Clarke never wanted to sell liquor at his downtown Charleston venue, where musicians like The Brett Belanger Trio and Charles Grant regularly take the stage. A veteran vocalist who often performs himself, Clarke at first didnt see the need for spirits at a place where the music, not drinking, drives business.

Clarke, who owns the small business with his wife, added liquor to the menu in June, in part with the hope of bringing in more revenue.

His liquor liability insurance renews in March. The cheapest quote he has received is $42,000. He might be forced to take out a loan just to fork over the down payment.

It threatens our business, our livelihoods here, Clarke said. (The rates are) oppressively ridiculous.

In South Carolina, every establishment serving alcohol after 5 p.m. must carry a liquor liability insurance policy of at least $1 million. Contrary to its name, spots serving only beer and wine are subject to the million-dollar mandate.

Bar and restaurant owners around the state have continued to raise the alarm about how liability insurance rates are skyrocketing and how it's not sustainable. A system designed to crack down on bars overserving customers has created a risk-heavy environment for insurers, some experts say.
Theres not a single, perfect way to consolidate South Carolinas many disjointed, uncommunicative health agencies. You could merge every agency that touches even tangentially on health care, or you could leave out, say, the social services or veterans affairs offices, as legislation the Senate passed on Wednesday does.

Likewise you could create one completely consolidated super agency from the get-go or leave the six individual agencies largely intact but grouped under a single secretary with pretty much absolute authority, as S.915 and and its companion H.4927 do.

But theres a perfect way to keep our states long-awaited consolidation from happening  or at least a tried and true way: Its to let one individual agency talk its way out of the consolidation, or even a little piece of it. That creates blood in the water, and the other independent fiefdoms start circling, demanding first small concessions and then complete exemptions, and their legislative supporters start forming coalitions  Ill vote to keep your agency independent if you vote to keep mine independent  until the entire thing unravels.

This is what has happened every time legislators have tried to bring some sanity to this huge portion of our state government, and every time, weve gotten left once again with eight separate agencies that divvy up the job of providing crisis mental health care, physical health care, substance abuse services, disability and special needs services and assistance to the elderly and at-risk  in sometimes overlapping ways, often with no coordination or communication, diminishing the quality of care, increasing its cost and forcing patients to navigate a confusing labyrinth of bureaucratic entities.
Nothing could stop Donald Trump in South Carolina.

Not the 91 criminal charges or his problematic claim spoken here that Black Americans like him more because of it.

Not the more than $15 million Nikki Haley and her allies spent on TV last month. Or the more than 1,700 in-state volunteers who signed up to volunteer for her.

Not the comment Trump made in Conway about NATO, where he suggested he would encourage Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" if European allies don't meet defense spending targets.

And in a state with one of the largest military retiree populations in the country, not even his disparaging remarks about the former governor's deployed military husband appeared to negatively impact Trump in any real way.

In the battle for South Carolina's Republican presidential primary, it was as if Trump was on a bullet train, barreling toward the GOP nomination fueled by his 20-point, 60 percent to 40 percent win.

Meanwhile, Haley was trying to catch up to him on her 45-foot campaign bus, which at the last stop on her final day of barnstorming the state actually took a wrong turn.

"We were running up against the king," said Katon Dawson, a top Haley adviser in the state and former chair of the S.C. Republican Party. "I can't tell you what stone we left unturned. I mean, we're running against the guy that has 41 percent of the Republican primary at 'hello.'"
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / National plaintiffs law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP encourages investors in Archer-Daniels-Midland Company ("ADM" or the "Company") (NYSE:ADM) who suffered losses from purchasing or otherwise acquiring ADM common stock between April 30, 2020 and January 22, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"), to contact us immediately regarding a pending securities fraud class action against ADM. The deadline to apply to be lead plaintiff is March 25, 2024.Class Period: April 30, 2020 - January 22, 2024Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: March 25, 2024Case information: lieffcabraser.com/securities/adm Contact us: Email or text investorinfo@ lchb.com or call 1-800-541-7358ADM, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is an agricultural supply chain manager and processor.The action alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements about the performance and prospects of ADM's Nutrition segment, while engaging in improper accounting practices and procedures that obscured the segment's true performance and purported growth.On January 21, 2024, ADM announced that it had placed its CFO and Senior Vice President, defendant Vikram Luthar, on leave effective immediately. According to ADM, Luthar's "leave is pending an ongoing investigation being conducted by outside counsel for ADM and the Board's Audit Committee regarding certain accounting practices and procedures with respect to ADM's Nutrition segment, including as related to certain intersegment transactions." The Company also revealed that it launched its investigation after it received a request for documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result, ADM delayed its Q4 and FY 2023 earnings release and withdrew its outlook for the Nutrition segment. On this news, the price of ADM common stock plummeted $16.23 per share, or approximately 24%, from its closing price of $68.19 per share on the previous trading day, to close at $51.69 on January 22, 2024.About Lieff CabraserLieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, with over 120 attorneys in offices in San Francisco, New York, Nashville, and Munich, Germany, is an internationally recognized law firm committed to advancing the rights of investors and promoting corporate responsibility. Recognized as a "Plaintiffs' Powerhouse" by Law360, Lieff Cabraser has litigated some of the most important civil cases in the United States, and has assisted clients in recovering over $129 billion in verdicts and settlements. For over 50 years, Lieff Cabraser has remained committed to ensuring access to justice for all.ContactSharon LeeLieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP415 956-1000 slee@ lchb.com SOURCE: Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein
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NEWTOWN, PA / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / The law firm of Edelson Lechtzin LLP is investigating securities fraud claims on behalf of all purchasers of The Boeing Company ("Boeing" or the "Company") (NYSE:BA) common stock between October 23, 2019, and January 24, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period").Investors who purchased Boeing common stock may move the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to appoint them as a lead plaintiff, no later thanApril 1, 2024 . Current holders of Boeing stock may pursue corporate governance reforms. Please contact Edelson Lechtzin LLP at 844-696-7492 to discuss your investment losses, or by e-mail at elechtzin@ edelson-law.com . A copy of the class action complaint can be viewedHERE .Background on The Boeing CompanyHeadquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Boeing is a multinational aerospace company that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide.The Securities Fraud ClaimsThe complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or omissions regarding Boeing's business, operations, and prospects, including that the Company failed to disclose they had been prioritizing its profits over safety, leading to poor quality control standards in the production of its commercial aircraft such as the 737 MAX, resulting in a heightened risk of manufacturing flaws that could render the Company's new airplanes unsafe.On January 5, 2024, a panel called a "door plug" flew out the side of a 737 MAX 9 (a variant of the 737 MAX) during Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, leaving a gaping hole in the plane's main cabin, feet away from where passengers were sitting. Due to the gravity of this incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded 171 of the 737 MAX 9 planes pending further investigation to determine the cause of this incident.Then on January 12, 2024, the FAA announced that it would conduct a comprehensive audit of the production line of the 737 MAX 9 and its associated suppliers. Subsequently, on January 16, 2024, Wells Fargo lowered its rating of Boeing's stock, citing the risks associated with the FAA's inspection of the Company's production standards. Upon receiving this news, the price of Boeing's stock dropped by nearly 8%. On January 24, 2024, news outlets reported that the FAA had declared that it would not allow Boeing to expand production of the 737 MAX due to safety concerns related to the January 5, 2024 incident. Consequently, the price of Boeing's stock fell by almost 6%.For more information, please contact:Marc H. Edelson, Esq.Eric Lechtzin, Esq.EDELSON LECHTZIN LLP411 S. State Street, Suite N-300Newtown, PA 18940Phone: 844-696-7492 or 215-867-2399 ext. 1Email: medelson@ edelson-law.com Email: elechtzin@ edelson-law.com Web: www.edelson-law.com Edelson Lechtzin LLP is a national class action law firm with offices in Pennsylvania and California. In addition to cases involving securities and investment fraud, our lawyers focus on class and collective litigation in cases alleging violations of the federal antitrust laws, employee benefit plans under ERISA, wage theft and unpaid overtime, consumer fraud, and dangerous and defective drugs and medical devices.This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions. No class has been certified in this case, so 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. Your ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.SOURCE: Edelson Lechtzin LLP
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"Babbily was born out of this vision, with a commitment to making AI simple, approachable, and useful for everyone, regardless of their technical expertise." DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries and daily lives, Babbily emerges as a pioneering platform, democratizing access to AI technology. With its official launch, Babbily aims to bridge the gap between the complex world of AI and the everyday user, offering a suite of tools designed for simplicity and effectiveness.Babbily With features like Chat, Image Chat, Image Generator, Text-to-Speech, and our special Easy Tools (these are ready-to-use chat prompts designed to make your chats a breeze), Babbily is truly shaping up to be the new favorite tool for everyone.Babbily's comprehensive features, including Chat, Image Chat, Image Generator, Text-to-Speech, and specially designed Easy Tools, cater to a wide range of needs, from enhancing productivity and creativity to facilitating learning. The platform's intuitive interface ensures that users, regardless of their technical background, can harness the power of AI without the daunting learning curve often associated with such technology.To introduce users to the seamless experience of Babbily, the platform is offering a 7-day free trial, inviting individuals to explore the various functionalities and discover the potential of AI in their personal and professional lives.Chris Crawford, CEO of Babbily, shared his insights on the motivation behind the creation of the platform: "The inspiration for Babbily stemmed from a recognition of the rapid advancement of AI and the realization that it remained an intimidating concept for many. Our goal was to develop a platform that not only harnessed the power of AI but also presented it in a user-friendly manner. Babbily was born out of this vision, with a commitment to making AI simple, approachable, and useful for everyone, regardless of their technical expertise. We believe that AI should be a tool that empowers, not overwhelms, and Babbily is our answer to that belief." Babbily stands as a testament to the potential of AI when made accessible and user-friendly. It is not just a tool; it is a companion in the digital age, ready to assist users in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of AI. Whether you're a student seeking academic support, a professional looking to streamline workflows, or simply a curious individual exploring the possibilities of AI, Babbily is your gateway to unlocking the transformative power of artificial intelligence.Embark on your AI journey today with Babbily's 7-day free trial at https://babbily.com/ About Babbily Babbily is an AI platform designed to make artificial intelligence simple and accessible for everyone. With a focus on user-friendliness and versatility, Babbily offers a range of features to enhance productivity, creativity, and learning. For more information, visit https://babbily.com/ Contact InformationDena ManeyChief Customer Officerdena.maney@babbily.com 4446662184Related VideoSOURCE: BabbilyView the original press release on newswire.com
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NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Entergy CorporationBY: CRISTINA DEL CANTO | SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALISTThe United Way of Northern New Jersey invited Entergy's CEO Drew Marsh to be a keynote panelist at the National ALICE Summit that was held last month in New Orleans. The summit focused on supporting Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed individuals. ALICE represents the growing number of families who earn a little more than the federal poverty level but still struggle to afford basic needs like food, housing, childcare transportation, health care and technology.During the panel, Marsh emphasized Entergy's commitment to assisting ALICE customers and communities across our service area of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Marsh shared the panel with Gianetta Jones, senior vice president and chief people officer for Coca-Cola Bottling Company. The panel discussion was moderated by LaMont Bryant, who heads Ethicon and Johnson & Johnson MedTech Research and Development.Throughout the conversation, Marsh highlighted Entergy's programs that help ALICE households and communities, including customer bill payment assistance and free tax preparation services, as well as volunteer support from the company's 12,000 employees. Entergy uses data from ALICE reports in each state to partner with regulators and United Way affiliates in designing shareholder-funded bill assistance programs tailored for ALICE residents living in our service area. In total, these initiatives have provided $15 million in bill payment support to numerous ALICE households in the past two years.Marsh also cited the Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC, as a crucial poverty reduction program, emphasizing that Entergy has made it a significant volunteer initiative since 2009."Each year, our employee volunteers collaborate with the IRS, United Way affiliates and nonprofits to provide free tax preparation services for our low-income customers living in our service area," said Marsh. "Since this service began, we have helped 200,000 families access $300 million in EITC refunds. This impactful initiative highlights the importance of supporting and uplifting ALICE households in our communities." During the discussion, Marsh stressed the importance of advocating for the ALICE population, who are, at times, overlooked because they are living just above the federal poverty level but, when faced with a life-threatening accident or medical illness, they too must decide between paying for groceries, medicine or electricity.Marsh emphasized the vital role businesses and corporations play in supporting ALICE households through education and advocacy on public policies at the local, state and federal levels. Supporting ALICE households aligns with our commitment to enhance the lives of our customers, employees and communities. By providing essential resources and assistance to ALICE families, Entergy aims to create a brighter future for everyone. Learn more about how we serve our communities.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Entergy Corporation on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: Entergy CorporationWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/entergy-corporation Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: Entergy Corporation
The signing of security cooperation agreements between Ukraine and its partners is nothing more than the already open process of Ukraine's accession to NATO, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak has said.

"We consider the signing of such agreements as an intermediate stage towards full membership in NATO. At the same time, this is already specific work on our future entry into NATO. Because each such agreement contains confirmation from one or another country of support for us on this path and adaptation of our legislation, military industry and military potential to NATO standards," he said at the Ukraine. Year 2024 conference on Sunday, February 25.

"Therefore, the signing of security agreements is already an open process for Ukraine's accession to NATO," he said.

The head of the presidential office also said that several more states will soon sign such agreements with Ukraine.

Answering the question what guarantees exist that the Vilnius Declaration will not become a new Budapest Memorandum, Yermak replied: "I once said that under President [of Ukraine Volodymyr] Zelenskyy there will be no Minsk-3, so under this president there will never be a Budapest."

"We have drawn conclusions from our country's mistakes over this entire period, and therefore today we believe in specifics, we believe in legal obligations, and this is what the agreements that we have already signed with six countries are based on," he said.
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LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / FinTechOmniis pleased to announce an exclusivemarketing event for fintech professionalson April 8th, 2024, from 2 PM to 5 PM, at the prestigious Cosmopolitan hotel's Barbershop bar in Las Vegas. The event is designed to provide a platform for leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs in the fintech marketing industry to connect, collaborate, and enjoy valuable networking opportunities.FinTechOmni stands at the forefront of the fintech marketing industry, championing innovation and fostering collaborative opportunities. Renowned for organizing biannual events, FinTechOmni has become a key player in shaping the future of fintech marketing strategies and solutions. The company's signature events offer critical platforms for professionals eager to close deals, establish meaningful partnerships, delve into new marketing insights, and expand their networks within the financial technology sector.Anticipated by many in the industry, the company's latest event is set to feature an open bar in a relaxed yet professional setting conducive to engaging conversations and productive networking. The meeting is tailored to cater to the needs of advertisers, publishers, solution providers, and thought leaders focusing on lending, debt, credit reporting, insurance, and mortgage within the fintech sector.Attendees of the upcoming FinTechOmni event can look forward to a three-hour session packed with opportunities for networking and insightful discussions on current trends and challenges in the fintech marketing landscape. Set against the sophisticated backdrop of the Cosmopolitan Barbershop, the event promises a blend of exclusivity and productive discourse."We are orchestrating an environment where the sharpest minds in fintech can converge to shape the future of our industry," says the Chair of FinTechOmni's Advisory Board,Murad Muradyan. "This is where lasting partnerships are formed, and ground-breaking ideas are born." Professionals eager to partake in this enriching experience can register through theFinTechOmni website . In addition, industry stakeholders interested in raising their profile and contributing to the success of the event may inquire about sponsorship opportunities.For more information or to confirm attendance, please visit https://fintechomni.com/ About FinTechOmniFinTechOmni stands as a pivotal connector in the financial technology marketing sphere, dedicated to advancing industry standards through its expertly crafted events. It provides a platform for professionals to engage, share insights, and foster partnerships across specialties such as lending, debt management, credit reporting, insurance, and mortgage services.The organization is well-known for orchestrating exclusive events that assemble the brightest minds in fintech marketing, facilitating an exchange of strategies and ideas essential for industry growth. FinTechOmni's biannual events are not merely networking opportunities; they are incubators for innovation where lasting professional relationships are formed.In its commitment to progress and excellence, FinTechOmni ensures each event maintains an atmosphere conducive to open dialogue and meaningful interactions, ensuring that each attendee leaves with valuable connections and enriched knowledge.Contact Information Mariangel Floresevents@ fintechomni.com (855) 453-5434 https://fintechomni.com/ SOURCE: FinTechOmni
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NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / U.S. Bank:Bank donates $100,000 in grant funding to help support Crenshaw District revitalizationOriginally published on U.S. Bank company blogThe ongoing U.S. Bank Black History Month celebration included a block party and ribbon cutting event at the newly renovated Slauson and Crenshaw branch, the first-ever U.S. Bank Black Heritage Community branch, featuring design upgrades that reflect the vibrant cultural heritage of Los Angeles's Crenshaw community.At the event, U.S. Bank welcomed guest speaker Maxine Waters, the U.S. representative for California's 43rd congressional district since 1991, who currently serves as the ranking member of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee.Additionally, U.S. Bank provided $100,000 to two local organizations supporting the bank's years long efforts to make a meaningful impact in revitalizing the Crenshaw District.Destination Crenshaw received a $50,000 grant to support Build Back Crenshaw Workplace Apprentice Program andLocal Initiatives Support Corp (LISC)of Los Angeles received a $50,000 grant to support the Black Women Vend - Crenshaw Micro-Enterprise Program.U.S. Bank has been a support of Destination Crenshawsince 2022 , when the bank's Impact Finance community development division invested $8.9 million in New Markets Tax Credit allocations in support of the reparative development project that is poised to become the largest public Black art project in the country.Ultimately, the Destination Crenshaw project plans to commission more than 100 temporary and permanent works by Black artists who have strong ties to Los Angeles, with a piece slated to be installed behind the U.S. Bank Slauson and Crenshaw Branch and the branch itself being home to a mural created by, for and featuring local community members.The branch muralThe Heart of Hyde Parkwas created by lead artist Moses Ball and commissioned by L.A. Commons, an organization based in Leimert Park that engages communities in artistic and cultural expressions that tell their unique stories.Joining Destination Crenshaw and LISC LA at the block party festivities were local artists and food trucks, including longtime U.S. Bank client Crenshaw Coffee.Event attendees received complimentary branded tote bags featuring airbrush art designs created bylocal artist Tamika Quillard . Block partiers could use the tote bags as they visited the Food Access Los Angeles Farmer's Market next to the branch.The Black Heritage Community branch is designed to deliver a hyperlocal, culturally relevant experience for diverse customers and create a deeper connection with customers, employees and the community. The branch was designed with space to host free community events, financial health workshops and skills training events, and to provide a storefront for small business pop ups. Customers are offered free financial health resources, expert advice and products. The branch works locally with community leaders.Watch the video above to learn more about the Crenshaw community and the continued commitment of U.S. Bank to power human potential in Los Angeles.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from U.S. Bank on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info:Spokesperson: U.S. BankWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/us-bank Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: U.S. Bank
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / KALO GOLD CORP. ("Kalo", "Kalo Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, based on the results of recent compilation work, the gold mineralization of the Qiriyaga Hill Deposit is located between two interpreted volcanic centres and sits immediately east of the newly interpreted Vunisea Fault (Figure 1). The Vunisea Fault is associated with a >1,200 metre ("m") north-northeast trending untested soil anomaly (Figure 2). The Vunisea Fault potentially acted as a metal-bearing epithermal fluid conduit or "feeder zone" that then spread laterally to the east into layers of porous tuffs, volcanic breccias and limestone layers, thereby creating the Qiriyaga Hill Deposit. Historically, drilling at Qiriyaga Hill was solely focused on the development of a shallow open pit gold mining operation over approximately a 400m strike length and therefore the deepest hole drilled to date has a vertical depth of only 150m. No drilling has been undertaken to explore the potential "feeder zone" of the Qiriyaga Hill Deposit. Given that the Qiriyaga Hill Deposit and the Vuinubu Ridge Trend (see news release dated 15 February 2024) both represents the distal or top of two precious metal epithermal systems respectively (Figure 6) it is estimated that drilling within 400m of the surface, targeting the Vunisea Fault related "feeder zone" will be a priority for the next phase of exploration work.Terry L. Tucker, Kalo Gold President and CEO stated, "The compilation work by the professional team at SGDS Hive, in particular Andy (Andrew) Randell, P.Geo., has focused on developing a clear understanding of the geology of Vatu Aurum by integrating and interpreting all of the recent as well as historical data including: geochemical, geophysical, trench, drill hole and surface mapping information. This work has led to the delineation of high priority epithermal gold targets within the Qiriyaga Hill Prospect. These targets will be the focus of the 2024 exploration program. This will include trenching, mapping, sampling, and diamond core drilling along the >1,200m long Vunisea Fault and along the Vuinubu Ridge Trend, where a >1,900m northeast-trending high priority epithermal gold target is located along the deep-seated Nubu Graben Fault that has also been identified. Ongoing compilation work will be summarised in further news releases on an ongoing basis." Soil geochemistry highlights the Vunisea Fault as it is associated with both anomalous "volatile elements" (As, Mo, Sb, Hg and Tl), which indicates that gold mineralization may exist at shallow depths and anomalous "boiling elements" (Au, Ag, Te and Pb), which usually mark the top of the precious metal horizon (Figure 2). Historical trenching at Qiriyaga North has returned excellent results (Table 1 and Figure 3) and appear to be associated with the southern extent of the Vunisea Fault which extends >1,200m to the north. In addition, trenching from Qiriyaga East and 500m northeast to Vunikulu has also returned excellent results (Table 1). These targets have not been drill tested. Historical trenching at Qiriyaga Hill, which has been drill tested to a maximum of 150m vertical depth, has returned several significant surface trench results (Figure 3).TrenchTargetFrom (m)To (m)Trench Intercept (m)Gold (g/t)*Grade x Width (g-m)TVIT1505Qiriyaga (QH)30303.1494Including24309.4257TVIT1506Qiriyaga (QH)1001000.9192TRCT26Qiriyaga (QH)3163160.88279TRCT44Qiriyaga (QH)24241.3733TRCT12Qiriyaga North (QN)1101101.48163TVIT1527Qiriyaga North (QN)36361.8466TRCT14Qiriyaga North (QN)60601.74104TRQET16Vunikulu2256340.4515TRQET1Qiriyaga East36280.6217TRQET3Qiriyaga East84122380.3614* Assay results assume 100% recovery as no recent metallurgical testing has been undertaken on this mineralization.Table 1 - Qiriyaga Hill, Qiriyaga North, Qiriyaga East and Vunikulu Trench ResultsThe new interpretation of both geology and structure, when overlain with the results of the Controlled-Source Audio-frequency Magnetotellurics ("CSAMT") survey, have identified a high resistivity zone immediately west of the Qiriyaga Hill Deposit that is interpreted to be associated with an upwelling or feeder zone that has not yet been drill tested and is located along the Vunisea Fault (Figure 4 and 5). It is estimated that drilling within 300 to 400m of the surface, targeting the main CSAMT interpreted "upwelling zone" which underlies the Vunisea Fault is a priority for the next phase of exploration work and drilling. The geological model developed for this target (Figure 6) indicates that drilling to date has focussed on mineralization found laterally from a yet to be discovered gold feeder zone.The Company continues the compilation work with a focus on structure and geology to further identify additional epithermal gold targets. With the work that has been completed to date the Company has formulated a detailed trenching, mapping, sampling and drill core relogging program that would be followed up by a diamond drilling program for the Qiriyaga Hill Prospect which would include all the targets discussed in this news release and the new release dated 15 February 2024.ABOUT KALO GOLD CORP.Kalo Gold Corp, a gold exploration company, is focused on exploration for low sulphidation epithermal gold deposits of the Vatu Aurum Gold Project on the island of Vanua Levu (North Island) in the Republic of Fiji. Kalo holds a 100% interest in two Special Prospecting Licenses, covering 367 km2 that hosts a minimum of seven volcanic arc related calderas ranging between 1 km to 10 km in diameter. Historical exploration work concentrated on the Qiriyaga Hill and Vuinubu Ridge Gold Deposits and resulted in the identification of over fourteen priority epithermal gold exploration targets.Both Viti Levu, (South Island), and Vanua Levu are on the prolific Pacific "Ring of Fire", a trend that has produced numerous large deposits, including Porgera, Lihir and Grasberg and on Viti Levu, the exceptional Vatukoula Gold Mine. The Vatukoula Gold Mine has produced more than 7 million ounces of gold since 1937. The island of Viti Levu also hosts the fully permitted Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project, where Lion One Metals is fast tracking a high-grade underground gold mining operation. Tuvatu is now operating and targeting production expansion and additional growth through exploration.Qualified PersonThe technical information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Andrew Randell, P. Geo a qualified person as defin
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RADNOR, PA / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP( www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed against GrafTech International Ltd. ("GrafTech") (NYSE:EAF). The action charges GrafTech with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the company's business, operations, and prospects. As a result of GrafTech' s materially misleading statements and omissions to the public, GrafTech' s investors have suffered significant losses.CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR GRAFTECH LOSSES. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/graftech-international-ltd?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=eaf&mktm=r CANNOT VIEW THIS VIDEO? PLEASE CLICK HERELEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: MARCH 25, 2024CLASS PERIOD: FEBRUARY 8, 2019 THROUGH AUGUST 3, 2023CONTACT AN ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS YOUR RIGHTS:Jonathan Naji, Esq. at (484) 270-1453 or via email at info@ ktmc.com Kessler Topaz is one of the world's foremost advocates in protecting the public against corporate fraud and other wrongdoing. Our securities fraud litigators are regularly recognized as leaders in the field as well as the firm itself which is continuously awarded for the successful results we've achieved. We are proud to have recovered billions of dollars for our clients and the classes of shareholders we represent.In addition to representing investors in cases where the fraud has been revealed, Kessler Topaz also represents whistleblowers - persons who expose wrongdoing to those in positions of authority or to the public- in cases brought under federal and state qui tam statutes, and through financial fraud whistleblower programs, such as those run by the SEC, CFTC and IRS. If you have information about fraud against government programs (such as Medicare), or violations of federal securities, commodities, tax or anti-foreign bribery laws, contact Kessler Topaz at (866) 369-7779 or at wbinfo@ ktmc.com or go to https://www.ktmc-whistleblower.com DEFENDANTS' ALLEGED MISCONDUCTBefore the start of the Class Period, GrafTech had underwent an extensive transformation that wasintended to revamp the company's business and return it to profitability. In public filings with the SEC, the company lauded its "transformation" and claimed that it had emerged from its restructuring with the "most competitive portfolio of low-cost graphite electrode manufacturing facilities in the industry." The company further represented that GrafTech's facilities were "modern, strategically located and well-maintained," which they claimed would provide the company with efficient growth opportunities following the offering. Key to this purportedly sustainable growth were the company's claims regarding the "more environmentally friendly nature of EAF steelmaking" employed by GrafTech's customers. Defendants continued to represent throughout the Class Period that GrafTech was committed to protecting the environment and acting "proactively" to advance sustainability initiatives.The truth began to be revealed on September 16, 2022, when GrafTech disclosed that its critical manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Mexico had been shut down by regulators following inspections by the State Attorney's office for the Secretary of Environment and the Ministry of the Environment. The Monterrey facility was responsible for manufacturing 30% of GrafTech's overall graphite electrode output and 100% of its pin stock. Following this news, GrafTech's stock price fell $0.45, or 8.5%, to close at $4.85 on September 19, 2022.Then, on August 4, 2023, GrafTech issued a press release reporting the company's financial and operational results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023. In the results, GrafTech reported that sales declined 49% compared to the second quarter of 2022 as the company continued to "recover" from the effects of the Monterrey facility shutdown in 2022. As a result of the substantial decline in net sales, GrafTech reported a net loss of $8 million compared to $115 million in net income reported in the second quarter of 2022. On the investor conference call discussing the results, GrafTech attributed the Monterrey suspension as the "key driver" of the underperformance and disclosed that GrafTech's ability to secure customer contracts would continue to be indirectly impacted in the second half of fiscal 2023.Following this news, GrafTech's stock price fell $1.18 per share, or 22.56%, to close at $4.05 per share on August 4, 2023.WHAT CAN I DO?GrafTech investors may, no later than March 25, 2024, move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff for the class, through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLPor other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages GrafTech investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information. The class action complaint against GrafTech, Porter v. GrafTech International Ltd., et al., Case No. 24-cv-00154, is filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASEWHO CAN BE A LEAD PLAINTIFF?A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLPKessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com CONTACT:Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Jonathan Naji, Esq.280 King of Prussia RoadRadnor, PA 19087(484) 270-1453 info@ ktmc.com SO
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NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / South PoleUnsustainable land-use practices, including expansive agriculture and forest encroachment, pose a significant threat to landscapes, leading to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and habitat destruction.Sustainable finance mechanisms at the landscape level, like the Cocoa Landscape Investment Facility (CLIF) in Ghana, can help steer countries, companies, and local producers toward sustainable landscape management. South Pole, in collaboration with Partnerships for Forests (P4F), has spent the last two years designing and developing CLIF and has recently published a report on its key learnings, with a focus on Asutifi Asunafo and Bia Juabeso landscapes. Here we share what we learned from the development of CLIF, the importance of valuing natural capital beyond carbon (such as water and biodiversity), and the critical role of public-private partnerships in addressing the complex issue of deforestation.CLIF: an urgently needed sustainable finance mechanismThe current agri-food system's damaging impacts on the environment are estimated at a staggering US$19.8 trillion, more than twice the market value of global food consumption. Severe consequences on ecosystem services, food security, and community livelihoods underscore the urgent need for a transformative approach to landscape management. It is clear that we need to transform our relationship with nature for a future of sustainable and equitable economic growth.The urgency for finance that drives sustainable practices comes into sharp focus in Ghana, the second-largest cocoa producer in the world. The West African nation known for its rich biodiversity and lush forests has lost more than 60% of its forest cover since 1950. This rampant deforestation has largely been driven by the expansion of cocoa farming and unsustainable agricultural practices.Deforestation in Ghana's cocoa forest landscape is intricately linked to low yields, low incomes, poor agricultural practices, and unfavourable market conditions. Smallholder farmers - the backbone of Ghana's agriculture sector - lack incentives for sustainable practices. A comprehensive landscape approach, with a holistic balance between agricultural productivity, nature conservation, and community well-being, is crucial to not only safeguard nature but also improve the lives and livelihoods of local communities.In response to these challenges and to protect Ghana's forests, the Government of Ghana and the private sector have joined forces to implement initiatives that address the sustainability of landscapes and improve the lives and livelihoods of local communities. This mechanism is designed to operate at the landscape level, with the goal of coordinating and increasing investments to deliver zero-deforestation, low-carbon, and sustainable landscape management in three priority landscapes in Western North Ghana.Collaborate, invest, sustainCollective action and structural investments are critical to address the complex issues in cocoa-producing landscapes. CLIF serves as a model for financing mechanisms that can coordinate investments, encourage public-private partnerships, and promote sustainable practices. By assessing the value of natural resources, collaborating with diverse stakeholders, and adopting a landscape approach, CLIF has the potential to pave the way for a more sustainable future in Ghanaian landscapes.CLIF addresses the root causes of deforestation, empowering smallholder farmers, and fostering collaboration between diverse stakeholders by providing technical assistance and loans, and leveraging natural capital such as through climate-smart agriculture, forest conservation, and reforestation. The investment mechanism embodies a holistic and highly replicable investment model for sustainable landscape management.Key lessons from the development of CLIFThe full report developed by South Pole - Lessons learned from the Cocoa Landscape Investment Facility (CLIF) development: Valorising natural capital - details the process followed for assessing the landscape potential for avoiding carbon emissions and presents potential pathways for valuing carbon and different ecosystem services. This serves as a valuable resource for project developers, development practitioners, investors, and other stakeholders involved in sustainable landscape management and smallholder farming ecosystems.Insights from the development of the CLIF reveal a structured approach to landscape management that is replicable to products and geographies beyond cocoa and Ghana. The report emphasises the importance of inclusive governance, co-management, and coordinated investment in viable livelihood options for farmers. The prioritisation of forest restoration, agroforestry, community livelihoods, and improved governance highlights the need for a holistic and replicable strategy in tackling the challenges associated with sustainable landscape management.Going beyond carbonAs CLIF progresses, it is becoming clear that sustainable landscape management demands a holistic approach. The lessons learned underscore the need to look beyond carbon and consider broader ecosystem services, including biodiversity and water resources. This comprehensive perspective ensures that natural resources are preserved and resilient landscapes are developed that benefit the environment and local communities.Now, more than ever, finance partnerships and the involvement of key stakeholders in transforming sustainable landscape management are crucial. CLIF is now looking to explore a variety of finance partnerships and corporate sector commitments to prepare for a full pilot rollout in 2024.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from South Pole on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: South PoleWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/south-pole Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: South Pole
PR-Inside.com: 2024-02-26 15:16:04

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Cannon Connect expands online community for global entrepreneurs and established businessesHOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Greater Houston startup and innovation sector leader, The Cannon, announced the completion of its December 2023 acquisition of Village Insights, a turnkey ecosystem management software company. Houston-based Village Insights, founded in 2020, builds tailored, centralized platforms for the management of and engagement with stakeholders, customers or a community of users.The Cannon is an innovation and entrepreneurship community. Village Insights partnered with The Cannon to create and launch Cannon Connect, a digital platform developed to support entrepreneurs, member companies and organizations across The Cannon's physical and virtual communities, locally and globally. Cannon Connect provides collaboration and strategic networking opportunities that complement member programs offered at The Cannon's seven, physical flex-space locations, including its 120,000-square-foot West Houston headquarters, situated at the 30-acre Founders District."The Cannon's hub network stretches from The Woodlands to Galveston across the 13-county region, with a membership base of over 900 companies and 3,000 employees," said Jon Lambert, CEO of The Cannon. "The digital extension of our physical footprint brings comprehensive innovation and business development support to communities that need it the most. Cannon Connect's virtual-connection capabilities stand to remarkably expand our universe of ecosystem opportunities." As part of the equity transaction, the Village Insights core leadership team members have assumed supporting roles related to growth and expansion of The Cannon and Cannon Connect platform."The combined commitment to support innovation communities-large and small-is evident," said Village Insights former CEO, Andrew Ramirez. "Village Insights and The Cannon merged to align efforts and cultivate regional and global innovation communities. Alignment of our value propositions represents a significant leap forward for the populations that we serve." The acquisition strengthens The Cannon's offering as the first and only "physical-digital hybrid" innovation ecosystem platform provider. Cannon Connect's virtual community broadens access to existing Cannon member resources, which include a multi-sector business advisor network, strategic planning tools, business educational materials, fund-sourcing support, and more."The integration of a world-class onsite member experience and Cannon Connect's superior virtual resource network creates a seamless, streamlined environment for member organizations," said Clemmie Martin, The Cannon's newly appointed Chief of Staff. "Cannon Connect and this acquisition pave pathways to access and success for all." About The CannonThe Cannon, headquartered in Houston, Texas, provides physical and digital innovation infrastructure that supports global entrepreneurship and business development, via collaboration among startups, established companies, advisors and investors across seven physical locations and three virtual hubs.About Cannon Connect Cannon Connect is a community platform focused on expansion of digital and social infrastructure to support entrepreneurship and innovation.It extends access to The Cannon's internal team and resources, partners and a continuously updated, best-in-class business growth toolkit.About Village Insights Village Insights is an ecosystem management software firm that provides a centralized platform for stakeholder or customer management and community engagement. It was acquired by The Cannon in December 2023.Contact InformationTammy DoweExternal Affairstdowe@ spotonpublicrelations.com 7134121771SOURCE: The CannonView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-02-26 15:31:56

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The Selux PBC Separator, part of the Next Generation Phenotyping (NGP) System, makes this the only FDA cleared, single-platform technology capable of delivering rapid AST results for both positive blood culture and isolated colonies.BOSTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Selux Diagnostics, a biotech startup in Boston whose mission is to combat superbug infections and preserve the lifesaving power of antibiotics for future generations, announced it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its proprietary Positive Blood Culture (PBC) Separator. The addition of positive blood culture sample type expands the Selux NGP System, a rapid AST platform that can provide targeted therapeutic results days faster than the current standard of care.Selux PBC Separator The Selux PBC Separator with Selux AST System receives FDA 510(k) ClearanceThe Selux PBC Separator allows labs to test directly from positive blood culture without the need to subculture by automatically preparing the sample for susceptibility testing. This latest FDA clearance determines a bacteria's susceptibility to 17 specific antibiotic agents on the Selux Gram Negative Panel.The Selux PBC Separator has already garnered FDA Breakthrough Designation, acknowledging its potential to address the critical need for performing AST directly from positive blood culture and other sterile body fluids. The FDA's Breakthrough Devices Program aims to provide timely access to medical devices that improve the treatment or diagnosis of life-threatening or debilitating human diseases or conditions.Steve Lufkin, CEO of Selux Diagnostics, commented, "This third 510(k) clearance for Selux marks a significant advancement in infectious disease care. The Selux NGP System is the only AST platform able to deliver rapid AST results direct from positive blood culture and isolated colonies. We extend our gratitude to our employees, partners, and advisors whose contributions were instrumental in achieving this breakthrough designated accomplishment." James S. Lewis II, PharmD, FIDSA, co-director of antibiotic stewardship at Oregon Health and Science University and chair of the CLSI Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Subcommittee, remarked, "The infectious disease community has eagerly awaited innovative technology to bolster our fight against difficult to treat infections. This clearance, coupled with the Selux NGP System, marks a significant leap forward." For more information on the Selux NGP System, visit www.seluxdx.com AcknowledgmentThis platform has been supported in whole or in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR); and Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under contract number HHSO100201800013C.About Selux DiagnosticsSelux Diagnostics is transforming patient care by accelerating the selection of personalized antimicrobial therapy for all infectious disease patients. This advance will save lives, shorten hospital stays, and combat the growing antibiotic resistance epidemic by decreasing the overuse of broad-spectrum agents. Learn more at www.seluxdx.com The Selux Next Generation Phenotyping (NGP) System includes:Positive Blood Culture (PBC) SeparatorSelux InoculatorSelux AnalyzerSelux Gram Negative and Gram Positive PanelsContact InformationKassi WhaleDirector of Marketingkwhale@ seluxdx.com 801-512-5044SOURCE: Selux DiagnosticsView the original press release on newswire.com
Cyril Obarakpo, a resident of Oria-Abraka in Delta State, etched his name in local history as he tied the knot with two women in a unique wedding ceremony over the weekend.

A viral video capturing the event showcased Mr Obarakpo passionately kissing both brides in the presence of friends and family as they cheered along.

The pre-wedding photoshoot added a touch of fandom, with Mr Obarakpo and his two wives donning matching Manchester United jerseys and jeans.

The unconventional ceremony has surprised many Nigerians and is reminiscent of similar events in the past.

It is not the first time such a wedding has occurred in Nigeria. Tersugh Aondona, popularly known as Aterry-Baba, made headlines in January by marrying three wivesBlessing, Nancy, and Sulumshimain a single ceremony at Lante Kukwagh Comprehensive Secondary School in Jato-Aka, Kwande Local Government Area, Benue State.

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The Delta State region has witnessed similar unique weddings before. In 2017, a man identified as Emamuzo from Isoko South married two brides, Janet and Osioni, attracting widespread attention after their wedding banner went viral online.

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Veteran actor Kola Oyewo has recounted battling with prostate enlargement that resulted in him becoming impotent.

The Yoruba actor disclosed this in a video interview with Kunle Afods YouTube page on Saturday after he (Afod) and actor Peter Fatomilola paid him (Oyewo) a visit.

Prostate enlargement is a noncancerous growth of the walnut-sized gland below the bladder in men; it naturally enlarges with age, narrowing the urethra and leading to urinary issues.

The actor revealed that after undergoing a series of tests and surgeries, his doctors had to remove his testicles to save his life.

The 77-year-old actor stated that he first noticed difficulty passing urine in July 2019 and subsequently visited his family doctor in Ilaramokin, Ondo State, who recommended further testing.

He said, Its not a small thing. I have an enlarged prostate, and I can count six people who died as a result of that. I know about the person who helped me get my land and five others who are friends.

I used to do everything, as you all know, until July 2019, I started finding it hard to urinate. I went to the hospital, and I was given drugs and later went for a test, and I was told my prostate gland is about to block.

Surgery

The actor, who started acting as a professional in 1964 after he joined the Oyin Adejobi theatre group, recounted a near-death experience during one surgical procedure, hoping it would restore normal urinary function through his penis.

Following surgery to remove his testicles, he chose to forgo further operations, believing the initial surgery would restore proper urination.

Oyewo, unable to engage in sexual intercourse, now urinates through a bypass created in his urinary tract by medical experts.

He stated that medical experts assured him the bypass would facilitate urination and prevent premature death due to his condition.

Oyewo also mentioned feeling better and participating in several movie projects post-surgery.

The actor recounted a visit from actress Foluke Daramola during his recovery but instructed her not to solicit money on his behalf, as his children could support him.

When I arrived at the hospital, directed by my family doctor, I was given two water sachets. Afterwards, I was laid down on their bed for a scan. After that, I received the results, which I returned to my doctor. He mentioned I was lucky because the disease could have been fatal.

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My doctor instructed me to go to his main hospital, where an attempt was made to insert something into my penis, but it was unsuccessful. I was then sent back home and advised to bid farewell to my family as I needed to undergo surgery. I informed my wife, who has been battling a stroke since 2017, about the operation.

She was in tears, and I reassured her, uncertain who would go first between us. An incision was made on my stomach, and a device was inserted to assist with urination. I was informed it was necessary to prevent immediate death. I was also recommended for another surgery to cease my sexual function. I consented, as I no longer required it, and my children were adults with their own families.

Subsequently, I underwent the surgery with two of my children present. Afterwards, I was advised to undergo another X-ray at the teaching hospital, which nearly proved fatal. Had I known I would lose the ability to urinate normally through my penis, I would not have proceeded with the surgery. I feel improved and have even resumed work on movie sets, albeit avoiding strenuous tasks.

When Foluke Daramola came to visit, I urged her not to publicise my situation or solicit funds on my behalf. My children provide for me, and I also attend to my needs.

Background

Oyewo embarked on his professional acting career in 1964 upon joining the Oyin Adejobi Theatre Group, with his inaugural performance as Adejare in Orogun Adedigba, an adaptation of Oyin Adejobis autobiography.

Following a fruitful nine-year tenure with Oyin Adejobi, he transitioned to the University of Ife theatre, collaborating closely with the late veteran dramatist and scholar, Ola Rotimi.

Renowned for his portrayal of Odewale in Ola Rotimis The Gods Are Not To Blame, Mr Oyewo commenced his tenure at Obafemi Awolowo University in 1996, ultimately attaining the position of senior lecturer before his retirement in September 2011.

After he retired from Obafemi Awolowo University, he assumed a pivotal role at Redeemers University as the head of the Department of Dramatic Art. He also holds a performing arts lecturing position at Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State.

Watch the interview below:

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The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied allegations that the Guards Brigade has been put on high alert over suspected activities of coup attempts in the country.

The Acting Director Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, a brigadier general, disclosed this on the DHQ official X account on Sunday.

Mr Gusau said the attention of the DHQ was drawn to a report published by SaharaReporters on 25 February claiming that the Guards Brigade had been put on high alert following unusual movements, leading to suspicion of a coup plot in Nigeria.

The report also said the suspicion prompted an emergency meeting involving President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Commander of the Guards Brigade, Adebisi Onasanya, a colonel.

Mr Gusau said the publication was a figment of the imagination of the publisher and should be disregarded by the public.

He said the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, had repeatedly reiterated the unalloyed commitment of members of the armed forces to the protection and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.

It will be recalled that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa OFR had in various fora reiterated the unalloyed commitment of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to the protection and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria. Therefore, the Defence Headquarters strongly condemn this unsubstantiated assertion which is just a figment of the imagination of the publisher and enjoins members of the public to disregard it, the statement said.

Last week, Mr Musa had cautioned those demanding a coup in the country.

Read the full statement below:

PRESS RELEASE

DHQ REFUTES ALLEGATION OF GUARDS BRIGADE PLACED ON HIGH ALERT OVER SUSPICION OF COUP PLOT IN NIGERIA

1.The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to a malicious and unfounded article published online by @SaharaReporters on 25 February 2024 claiming that the Guards Brigade has been put on high alert following unusual movements, leading to suspicion of a coup plot in Nigeria. The publication also asserted amongst other things that the suspicion prompted emergency meeting involving President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Staff to the President and Commander of the Guards Brigade.

2.The publication also asserted amongst other things that the suspicion prompted emergency meeting involving President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Staff to the President and Commander of the Guards Brigade.

3.It will be recalled that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa OFR had in various fora reiterated the unalloyed commitment of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to the protection and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria. Therefore, the Defence Headquarters strongly condemn this unsubstantiated assertion which is just a figment of imagination of the publisher and enjoins members of the public to disregard it.

4.Furthermore, the Defence Headquarters calls on relavant security agencies to immediately take appropriate action against the Sahara Reporters for this unpatriotic action. Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters will seek legal redress on the issue which has the ulterior motive of creating unnecessary tension in the country.

Signed:

TUKUR GUSAU

Brigadier General

25 February 2024

Acting Director Defence Information

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part on Monday via video link in the framework of a special summit in Paris, organized by French leader Emmanuel Macron, to support Ukraine.

"Today I took part in the work of a special summit in Paris - the summit of leaders, which was brought together by Mr. President of France. The main theme is everything that strengthens us in Europe, our resilience, our abilities, of course, our arsenals, our ability to produce weapons, arms supplies for Ukraine and continuity of support," the President said in a video message.

According to Zelenskyy, "everything we do together to protect against Russian aggression adds real security to our peoples for decades to come."

"Because each of the Russian losses and each of the Russian defeats teaches both Russia and any other opponent of Europe and the free world in general - teaches that aggression does not and cannot give results. Cooperation and determination are two answers that everyone should give to the question of ending the war and bringing peace closer," he said.

As reported, about 20 leaders from the European Union gathered in Paris today to send a clear signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin about Europe's intentions to continue supporting Ukraine.
As the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), resumes on Monday, lawyers and litigants are stranded at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria last December restored Mr Kanus trial after dismissing the judgement of the Court of Appeal freeing the IPOB leader.

Mr Kanu is standing trial for terrorism before Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Armed operatives of Nigerias secret police, SSS, on Monday, mounted barricades on adjoining routes to the court located in the central area of Abuja.

Typically, Monday mornings are busy with many cases, but SSS personnel would not allow lawyers and litigants to enter the court premises without verifying their identities.

Even lawyers and litigants whose cases are before other judges are being prevented from entering the Federal High Court complex, a lawyer told PREMIUM TIMES after he scaled the hurdle.

As of 9:15 a.m., a large number of lawyers and journalists were stranded outside the courtrooms.

Some lawyers engaged SSS operatives in shouting matches as the former complained of missing their suits before other judges of the court.

Members of Mr Kanus family led by his younger brother Emmanuel Kanu, the IPOB leaders legal team, are in court for the days proceedings.

Background

In June 2021, the Nigerian government repatriated Mr Kanu from Kenya after the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the IPOB leaders arrest for jumping bail in 2017.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on 13 October 2022, dismissed the terrorism and treasonable felony charges filed against Mr Kanu based on his agitation for the secession of a Biafra Republic, comprising the five South-east states and parts of neighbouring states, from Nigeria.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Oludotun Adefope-Okojie, dismissed the terrorism and treasonable felony charges against Mr Kanu.

The court had ordered Mr Kanus release from detention after striking out a seven-count charge pending before Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Mr Adefope-Okojie held that Mr Kanus forced return from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 was a breach of local and international laws.

But, instead of complying with the appellate courts decision ordering Mr Kanus unconditional release, the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) filed an appeal at the Supreme Court.

The then AGF, Abubakar Malami, filed an application for a stay of execution of the Court of Appeals verdict on the separatist leader.

But on 28 October 2022, another three-member panel of the Court of Appeal headed by Haruna Tsammani halted the execution of its judgement which freed Mr Kanu of terrorism charges.

The government had applied that the execution of the judgement be suspended pending the resolution of its appeal filed at the Supreme Court.

Mr Tsammani, in the ruling, held that the counter-affidavit filed against the government application by Mr Kanus legal team led by Mr Ozekhome was misleading.

Mr Kanu has been leading secession campaigns in the South-east region and some parts of South-south Nigeria for an independent state of Biafra.

The federal government has consistently blamed IPOBs separatist activities for the violence in the South-eastern region of the country.

Mr Kanu, the IPOB leader, has been in SSS detention since June 2021 when he was repatriated from Kenya to Nigeria.

He was first arrested in 2015 under the administration of former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari.

The judge had asked the prosecution to proceed to trial on the remaining seven charges, ordering the prosecuting lawyer, Shuaibu Labaran, to file a fresh proof of evidence before May 18, the next hearing date.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the judge, in a separate ruling on 8 April 2022, validated the federal governments repatriation of Mr Kanu from Kenya to face the charges pending against him in Nigeria.

The judge ordered that the case proceed to trial on Counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 13 and 15.

Five of the sustained charges have to do with alleged acts of terrorism, including professing to be a member and leader of IPOB, a proscribed organisation, issuing inciteful and deadly threats against individuals, and issuing directives, among others.

Count 15 has to do with the illegal importation of a radio transmitter he declared as used household items in violation of section 47 (2) (a) of the Criminal Code Act. Cap, C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Full details of the counts:

Count 1

The prosecution alleged that Mr Kanu, of Afara Ukwu, Umuhahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, as a member of and leader of proscribed IPOB sometimes in September 2021, committed an act of terrorism against Nigeria and its people by allegedly making a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria with intent to intimidate the population, threatened that the people would die and that the whole world would standstill. The offence is said to be punishable under section 1(2)(b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act 2015.

Count 2

The prosecution accused him of committing an act in furtherance of an act of terrorism against Nigeria and its people made a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of the court with intent to intimidate the population, issued a death threat against anyone who flouted his sit-at-home order.

Mr Kanu allegedly ordered whoever flouted the order should write his/her will, and as a result banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, and fuel stations domiciled in the eastern states of Nigeria must not open for business. Citizens, and vehicular movements, in the eastern states of Nigeria, the prosecution said, were grounded as a result of the sit-at-home order.

The prosecution said the offence is punishable under section 1(2)(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act (2013).

Count 3

The prosecution also alleged that on diverse dates between 2018 and 2021 within the jurisdiction of this court, Mr Kanu professed himself to be a member and leader of IPOB, a proscribed organisation in Nigeria.

This, the prosecution said was an offence contrary to and punishments under section 16 of the Terrorism Prevision Amendment Act 2015.

Count 4

M Kanu also, allegedly, on diverse dates between 2018 and 2021, made a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria inciting members of the public in Nigeria in furtherance of an act of terrorism against Nigeria and its people to hunt and kill Nigerian security personnel.

The offence, according to the prosecution, is punishable under section 1(2)(h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act 2013.

Count 5

Mr Kanu, also on diverse dates between 2018 and 2021, allegedly broadcasted furtherance of an act of terrorism against Nigeria and its people received and heard in Nigeria in furtherance of an act of terrorism, inciting members of the public in Nigeria to hunt and kill families of Nigeria security personnel.

The offence is said to be punishable under 1(2)(h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act 2013.

Count 13

Mr Kany also alleged between 2018 and 2021 made a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria with the intent to incite violence, in furtherance of an act of terrorism against Nigeria and its people, directed members of the public to burn down every federal facility in Lagos resulting in major economic loss to the federal government.

The alleged offences, the prosecution says, are punishable under section 1(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment) Act 2013.

Court 15

The prosecution also alleged that on diverse dates between March and April 2015, Mr Kanu was illegally imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubulisluzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, a radio transmitter known as Tram 50L concealed in a container of used household items which he declared as used household items.

The alleged offence was said to be contrary to section 47(2)(a) of Criminal Code Act CapC45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

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Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has vowed to track down gunmen behind the killing of a community leader in the state.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the victim, Silas Onyima, who is the president-general of Umuoji, was killed when some hoodlums attacked him in his residence on Friday evening.

Umuoji is a community in the Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.

Soludo reacts

Reacting in a statement by his spokesperson, Christian Aburime, on Sunday, Mr Soludo expressed sadness over the killing of the president-general.

On behalf of the good people of Anambra State, the state government unreservedly condemns this heinous act of unprovoked violence, he said.

The governor condoled with the family of the slain president-general and his community.

This senseless killing represents an affront to the peace and security we are collectively working to build in Anambra State, and Governor Soludo has vowed to ensure that the perpetrators of this dastardly act are brought to justice, the statement said.

The governor, according to the statement, has directed security agencies to take immediate and decisive action to apprehend the culprits and ensure swift prosecution of those responsible to deter future recurrences.

He stressed that his administration is committed to the security of lives and property in the state, assuring that he will not be deterred by the acts of criminals who seek to disrupt the peace enjoyed in the state.

We call on all Anambra residents to remain calm and law-abiding as we continue to work together with security agencies to keep the perpetrators of violent crimes away from our communities and state.

Increased attacks

Like other states in Nigerias south-east, security has deteriorated in Anambra State with frequent attacks by armed persons.

The attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities.

The killing of the community leader occurred less than two weeks after gunmen killed a former House of Representatives candidate from Anambra State, Jude Oguejiofor.

The Nigerian government has accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. However, the group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks.

IPOB is leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants to be carved out from the South-east and some parts of South-south Nigeria.

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Security operatives on Monday rescued 16 kidnap victims in Kogi State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports in Lokoja.

Speaking to NAN on Monday, Williams Ovye-Aya, the spokesperson of the police command in the state, described the rescue operation as very swift and pragmatic.

Eleven of the victims, he said, were passengers of a Peace Mass Transit bus, while the remaining five were reportedly abducted from a Sienna bus on Sunday along Ette Enugu Ezike road.

Mr Aiyedatiwa Ovye-Aya, who said no arrest had been made, vowed to apprehend the suspects and bring them to face justice.

According to him, security operatives were out there combing the bush to arrest the culprits to bring them to book.

We are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that kidnappers are arrested and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others

As security operatives, we are out to arrest the menace of kidnapping and other criminal activities in Kogi and the country as a whole.

Already, our Commissioner of Police in Kogi Command, Bethrand Onuoha, is happy with the rescue operation and has commended the Joint security team, he said.

The police spokesperson quoted the Commissioner of Police as reiterating his commands unwavering determination to sustain the ongoing onslaught against criminalities in Kogi.

Mr Ovye-Aya appealed to the good people of the state for their continued collaboration with the police and other security agencies in ensuring adequate security of lives and property in Kogi.

(NAN)

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The Kano State Fire Service says a fire has razed 21 shops at Yankatako Market at Rijiyar Lemo in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.

The spokesperson of the service, Saminu Abdullahi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the fire occurred at about 02:00 a.m. on Monday.

According to Mr Abdullahi, We received a distress call at about 02:00 a.m. from the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) that there was a fire outbreak at Yankatako market.

We quickly mobilised our personnel to the scene and put out the fire so as not to spread to other shops, he said.

Mr Abdullahi said the 21 shops were contained in the furniture section of the market.

He said no life was lost and the cause of the fire was being investigated.

(NAN)

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Editors Note: This report is undergoing fresh editorial review. We apologize for any inconveniences.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday adjourned the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), until 19 March.

Binta Nyako, the judge, before whom Mr Kanu is being tried by the Nigerian government for terrorism, fixed the date for commencement of trial.

At the adjourned date, the prosecuting lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo, promised to call at least two witnesses that day. Mr Awomolos appearance on Monday is an indication of the federal governments drastic shake-up of its prosecution team. Its the first time an external prosecutor will be leading the federal governments team since the case started in 2015.

Mr Kanus trial resumed on Monday following the Supreme Court judgement on 15 December 2023.

The Supreme Court last December restored Mr Kanus trial after setting aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal freeing the IPOB leader.

Mr Kanu is standing trial for terrorism before Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Fresh bail request

At the resumed proceedings on Monday, Mr Kanus lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, argued a fresh application for his client bail.

Mr Ejimakor hinged his clients bail request on provisions of the Nigerian constitution that provides that a defendant is entitled to adequate time and resources to prepare for his defence.

Also, the lawyer raised a plethora of issues hampering effective preparation of the IPOB leader for his defence.

Mr Ejimakor decried the attitude of operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) who he said often eavesdrop on confidential conversations between Mr Kanu and his legal team.

He raised concerns about Mr Kanus deteriorating health condition, urging the judge to release the IPOB lead on bail.

But, the prosecuting lawyer, Mr Awolowo, disagreed with Mr Ejimakor.

Mr Awolowo told the judge to dismiss Mr Kanus bail application, and the preliminary objection to the commencement of trial.

He said the requests were irritating as they lacked legal basis.

Mr Awomolo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, brought on board by the new Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, was the external prosecutor that secured the conviction of a former federal lawmaker, Farouk Lawan, over the 2012 fuel subsidy probes bribery. Mr Lawans conviction was finally affirmed by the Supreme Court in January.

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Civil society organisations (CSOs) in Imo State have given Governor Hope Uzodinma a three-month ultimatum to conduct local elections in the state.

The CSOs also urged the states House of Assembly to pass a resolution compelling the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission to begin the process of conducting the elections before May.

The groups, which included the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Christian Aid and the Tax Justice and Governance Platform, made the call at a joint news briefing on Sunday in Owerri.

Constitutional violation

In a statement, titled Imo State Economic Challenges and Debt Management amid Economic Uncertainties in Nigeria, the state Coordinator of Tax Justice and Governance Platform, Chibundu Uchegbu, said the need for local elections in the state was long due.

Mr Uchegbu said: The people of the state are no longer progressing as they should due to the absence of leadership at the local government level.

The last time Imo held a local government election was in August 2018 with the set of elected local government area officials disbanded in less than one year in office  specifically in May 2019  by a successive government.

Since that time to date, the affairs of the local government system in the state are being run by unelected officials, therefore, denying the people their democratic rights, aspirations and privileges.

This is a clear violation of Section 7 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which says The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly, the government of every state shall subject to Section 8 of this Constitution, ensure their existence under a Law, which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance functions of such councils.

He said that despite the huge sums of money injected into their treasury from the Federation Account Allocation Committee monthly, local councils were not living up to their responsibilities to the people at the grassroots.

This is because the State Government prefers to use appointees to run the affairs of the local government areas, he said.

The CSOs urged the Imo State Government not to interfere in the activities of the local council councils after the election to enable them to function optimally.

Imos debt burden

The CSOs further decried the escalating debt burden in the state.

They argued that the data from the National Bureau of Statistics as of 30 June 2023 indicate that the domestic debt profile of the state stood at over N220.8 billion.

According to Mr Uchegbu, the foreign debt profile at the same time stands at a disturbing $77.8 million, coupled with the unemployment rate level at 56.6 per cent at that time.

He said that the escalating debt burden was affecting the well-being of over 6.7 million Imo population.

He called on the state lawmakers to enact legislation making it compulsory that every loan collected by the government  both domestic and foreign  should be tied to identifiable capital expenditure, development programmes and projects.

The CSOs called for the enactment of a Fiscal Responsibility Law in the state, emphasising debt management, transparency and accountability in all fiscal-related matters.

They said the law should define the purpose of incurring debts in clear terms of debts being for projects that would promote value chain development, improve the macro-economic framework, develop infrastructure and build strategic human capital.

They also demanded that the law should stop borrowing for recurrent expenditure (personnel and overheads) and dilatory capital expenditure that adds no value to economic growth, wealth creation and development, among others.

The CSOs further urged the governor to prioritise the agricultural value chain, saying that with it, the Imo economy would take a huge leap towards recovery.

(NAN)

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Speaker Abbas Tajudeen has asked the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review to revisit some of the gender bills that were rejected in the last assembly, notably the bill on the creation of extra-legislative seats for women.

Mr Tajudeen spoke at the inauguration of the Constitution Review Committee on Monday in Abuja.

The Speaker, in his speech, stated that the 43-member committee must consider those bills and prioritise them.

I urge you to revisit the issue of additional or reserved seats for women across legislative bodies, twinning in joint tickets and conferring citizenship on foreigners married to Nigerian women, he said.

Gender Bills

The National Assembly, during the last alteration exercise, rejected the five gender bills, prompting protests from women groups and civil society organisations.

However, despite the outrage, the lawmakers did not rescind the decision.

One of the bills sought to grant citizenship to foreign-born husbands of a Nigerian woman. Already, a Nigerian mans foreign-born wife is automatically a Nigerian citizen.

Another bill sought to allocate 35 per cent of political positions based on appointment to women while there was one that sought to create special seats for women in National and State Assemblies.

Decongest exclusive list

Mr Tajudeen also charged the committee to further deplete the exclusive legislative list to consolidate some of the strides made during the last alteration.

The last alteration deleted power, correctional facilities and railways from the exclusive list. Those items were moved to the concurrent list. With the alteration, both federal and state governments can now legislate on these matters.

The speaker added that the ongoing alteration is going to be the most comprehensive ever done. He listed state police and local government autonomy as some of the priority issues.

READ ALSO:

We expect the Sixth Alteration under this Tenth National Assembly to be the most comprehensive yet. As such, the task before the Constitution Review Committee is profound.

The House Agenda is ambitious in its scope and encompasses wide-ranging issues pivotal to our national growth. Among these are: devolution of powers, including state policing; enhancement of fiscal federalism through local government autonomy; further decongesting the Exclusive Legislative List, he said.

In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Ben Kalu, also listed some of the issues that the current assembly is going to prioritise, including resource allocation, state police, and others.

Mr Kalu said, As we gather here today, it is important to highlight the areas that are currently at the forefront based on the bill proposals we have received so far  some of them include the establishment of state police; state access to mines; increased participation of women in politics; clear specification of the taxes/levies to be collected by each tier of government and the provision for the office of the Mayor of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

The deputy speaker added that the committee is time-conscious and that it is going to avoid undue delays.

The event was also attended by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, the Conference of Speakers of State House of Assemblies, traditional rulers, and others.

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President Bola Tinubu has resolved to implement the Stephen Oronsaye report that called for a leaner government by merging some agencies and scrapping some others.

The presidents decision was announced by a presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, in a post on X.

Twelve years after the Steve Oronsaye panel submitted its report on restructuring and rationalizing Federal government parastatals and agencies and a white paper issued two years after, President Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council today decided to implement the report, Mr Onanuga wrote.

Many agencies will be scrapped and many others will be merged, to pave the way to a leaner government, he said.

Also, briefing State House correspondents after Mondays meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) would be scrapped, merged or subsumed into relevant organisations of government.

He said the aim was only to cut costs and not to throw Nigerians into the labour market.

Mr Idris said the details of the affected MDAs would be made known soon, adding that a committee had been set up for the implementation of the report.

Background

In 2011, former President Goodluck Jonathan set up the presidential committee on the reformation of government agencies chaired by Steven Oronsaye, a former Head of Service of the Federation.

Its terms of reference included, among others, examining the enabling Acts and mandates of all the federal agencies, parastatals, and commissions to determine areas of overlap or duplication of functions.

The committee, in its report, recommended that of the 541 Statutory and Non-Statutory Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions, 263 statutory agencies should be reduced to 161, 38 agencies should be abolished, 52 agencies should be merged, and 14 should revert to departments in ministries.

A white paper committee, headed by the then Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, reviewed the report and rejected most of the recommendations of the committee when it submitted its report in 2014.

However, even the accepted recommendations were not implemented until the Jonathan administration left office in 2015.

In 2021, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated two committees to implement the report. One of the committees, headed by a former Head of Service, Bukar Aji, was mandated to review the Oronsaye Report and the government white paper. The other committee, chaired by Amal Pepple, was mandated to review MDAs created between 2014 and 2021.

The then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, in July 2022, set up another white paper committee, headed by Ebele Okeke, to review the report of the Pepple committee. However, the Buhari administration failed to implement the report.

While the discourse on the implementation of the report was ongoing, the National Assembly and successive governments have been creating agencies and institutions, therefore, increasing the cost of governance in the process.

The consequence of the bloated government has been the steady increase in the recurrent expenditure of the federal government.

Critics have also accused Mr Tinubu of not willing to reform the civil service. Many refer to the appointment of 50 ministers by Mr Tinubu to buttress the point.

Aside from the appointments, Mr Tinubu also embarked on some frivolous budgetary expenses, most notably the allocation of N344 billion to the National Assembly in the 2024 budget and spending billions on the renovation of his official residence and that of his deputy.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, in a statement he posted on X on Sunday, slammed President Tinubu for failing to reduce the size of government, as done by Argentine President Javier Milei.

He (Milei) started off cutting government expenditure by reducing the size of government and wastage; blocked stealing of government funds, and attracted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through concessions, tax holidays, and improved ease of doing business, Atiku said.

PREMIUM TIMES had in a recent editorial called on the Tinubu administration to implement the Oronsaye report as a way of cutting the cost of running the government.

Expected opposition

Meanwhile, organised labour groups are expected to kick against the latest move by President Tinubu because the policy may lead to the loss of jobs.

Workers in Nigeria are already grappling with the cost of living crisis due to some of the policies of the current administration, notably the fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange unification policy.

The two main unions in Nigeria, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), are set to embark on nationwide protests against economic hardship.

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Eleven justices joined the Supreme Court bench on Monday, bringing the number of the courts justices to its full complement of 21 for the first time in history.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, on Monday, urged the 11 new justices to see themselves as representatives of God on earth, reminding them that they will give account of their stewardship to God one day.

Mr Ariwoola, who said this at the swearing-in of the newly-appointed justices, also warned them to shun questionable acts capable of dragging the court in the mud.

He said their elevation to the Supreme Court bench was in recognition of their astuteness and passion for hard work, which is the hallmark of judicial excellence.

See yourselves as the representatives of God on earth, because any judgement given at this level can only be upturned in heaven, he said.

He urged them to put in their best as seasoned judicial officers transiting from the Court of Appeal and had established remarkable acquaintances with judicial oaths and roles guiding the conduct of judicial officers.

Your moral uprightness, integrity and respect for the constitution and other extant laws in operation, must be unwavering and unassailable, he added.

The new Supreme Court justices include: Haruna Tsammani (North-east), who chaired the 2023 Presidential Election Petition Court, Justice Moore Adumein (South-south), Jummai Sankey (North-central), Chidiebere Uwa (South-east) and Chioma Nwosu-Iheme (South-east).

The rest are: Obande Ogbuinya (South-east), Stephen Adah (North-central), Habeeb Abiru (South-west), Jamilu Tukur (North-west), Abubakar Umar (North-west) and Mohammed Idris (North-central).

READ ALSO:

NAN reports that on 22 October 2023, the number of Nigerias justices dropped to 10.

Within the space of three years, the number of judges on the courts bench plummeted from 20 to 14 in June 2022, when then Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, abruptly resigned.

Since then, the number has further spiralled down to 10, as Musa Dattijo Muhammad retired on 27 October.

NAN reports that on 21 December 2023, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the justices confirmation after they were cleared through a voice vote by the senators at the plenary.

With the confirmation, the Supreme Court has now reached its full complement of 21 justices as mandated by law.

The Nigerian constitution provides for a maximum number of 21 justices for the Supreme Court. But the court, until Monday, had never attained the feat.

(NAN)

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Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy head of the Presidents Office of Ukraine, has begun negotiations with the Norwegian delegation on concluding a bilateral security agreement, the press service of the head of the Ukrainian state reports.

Upon the instruction of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak and in pursuance of the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva has started negotiations with Norway on the conclusion of a bilateral security agreement, a message published on the President's website on Monday reads.

It is noted that the Norwegian delegation was headed by Special Representative for Ukraine of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway Christian Syse.

The parties discussed the main structural elements and blocks of the future agreement and agreed on a schedule for further work.

"Norway is our key partner in Northern Europe, one of the leaders of the coalition of fighter jets that has been supporting Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. It is important that today we have started the process of formalizing the security commitments of our countries," said Zhovkva.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, fixed 19 March for ruling on the bail application and preliminary objection to filed by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The judge, Binta Nyako, fixed the date after counsel for the federal government, Adegboyega Awomolo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and that of Mr Kanu, Alloy Ejimakor, adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the motions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) earlier reported that at the resumed hearing of the matter, Mr Awomolo told Mrs Nyako that the case was coming up for hearing after the decision of the 15 December 2023 Supreme Court.

Mr Awomolo said the Supreme Court affirmed Mrs Nyakos decision of 8 April 2022, by affirming the preservation of counts one, two, three, four, five, eight and 15 of the charge which Mr Kanu pleaded not guilty to.

READ ALSO:

The senior lawyer said that the Supreme Court ordered the continuation of the hearing on the remaining seven counts out of the earlier 15 counts.

So we are ready to proceed with the hearing of this matter and it is in the defendants interest and everybodys interest in this country to see to the end of the hearing, he said.

But Kanus counsel, Mr Ejimakor, told the court that he had two motions  an application for bail and a preliminary objection.

He said though he agreed that the Supreme Court directed the continuation of the trial, they were not ready to continue the proceedings.

He urged the court to take the bail application and the preliminary objection for court to decide whichever way, and the prosecution did not object.

(NAN)

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Women groups and representatives of civil society organisations led by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) have appealed to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to reinstate the suspended guidelines on safe termination of pregnancy.

The groups in a webinar on Monday said the guidelines are important to make provision for termination of pregnancy in cases of incest, rape, and sexual and gender-based violence.

They highlighted that there has been a rise in the number of rape and incest cases, leading to pregnancy and that by law, these victims, including children, are unable to access safe abortion services.

Following public criticism, the Lagos State Government suspended the guideline exactly one week after its launch on 29 June 2022.

The 40-page policy document was titled Lagos State Guidelines on Safe Termination of Pregnancy for Legal Indications.

The guideline, according to WARDC aligns with existing laws and domesticates the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, Section 38, supporting victims of rape and sexual violence.

According to data cited by WARDC, unsafe abortion in Nigeria constitutes 10 per cent of the global maternal death rate and stands as the second leading cause of maternal mortality in the country.

Protecting women

In her remarks, the Founding Director of WARDC, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, emphasises the need for the government to prioritise womens health, rights, and lives despite the sentiments that may surround the matter.

Mrs Akiyode-Afolabi said the guidelines were developed to save women from preventable deaths, noting that the suspension undermines the crucial objective.

We understand that certain religious, cultural, and philosophical convictions oppose the document developed over four years, she said.

She added that the denial of safe abortion care to survivors of rape not only violates the right to health and privacy but also may infringe upon the prohibition of ill-treatment, and Nigeria as a nation bound by the provisions of the Maputo Protocol must take all appropriate measures to protect reproductive rights, authorising medical abortion in specific cases.

Petition launched

Mrs Akiyode-Afolabi also launched an online petition to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, titled Save Women from Dying in Nigeria, which has now garnered about 300 signatures.

Also, in her presentation on the status of sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) in Nigeria, Ngozi Nwosu-Juba, cited cases of how lack of access to safe abortion endangers the lives of rape and incest victims.

In 2017 alone, according to WARDC, 212,000 women out of an estimated 2 million annually who had abortions sought treatment for complications, while 285,000 did not receive the necessary care for the severe health consequences they faced.

Importance of guidelines for safe abortions

Speaking on the importance of the guideline, the General Secretary and Project Coordinator for the Society Of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON), Kehinde Okunade, said it is high time the government woke up to prevent our women from dying from preventable causes of unsafe abortions.

Mr Okunade noted that SOGON in collaboration with some organisations, is working to ensure the guideline is reinstated and applicable within the Lagos state context.

Beyond the guideline being reinstated, there is a need to look at some social constructs or barriers that will prevent the uptake of the guidelines, and we need to educate people including healthcare workers so they can offer services in line with the guidelines without any hindrance, he said.

We want a situation where women have full rights to their sexual health and access to medical services without hindrances.

The guidelines were developed by the Lagos State Ministry of Health alongside SOGON, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and CSOs, to guide health workers on processes of offering safe abortion within the ambit of the law.

In collaboration with over 150 NGOs, WARDC organised a press conference in August 2022 demanding the immediate lift of the suspension, alleging that the state government is being blackmailed by religious sentiments, and by persons with certain philosophical convictions to suspend the guideline.

WARDC project

The WARDC Programme Officer on the project titled: Enhancing Womens Voices to Demand Accountability on Maternal Health in Nigeria, Peace Etugbo, highlighted the consequences of unsafe abortions.

Ms Etugbo said the project aims to enhance the voices of women in Lagos State and to demand accountability for safe abortion and preventable maternal death.

The objective is to strengthen evidence-based policy, expand access to safe abortion and prevent maternal deaths. To coordinate the activities of CSOs and engage health practitioners on best practices, she explained.

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The police will protect peaceful protesters who take part in the rallies organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to protest the rise in the cost of living, an official said on Monday.

While the police pledged to protect the protesters, the federal government again urged the NLC to cancel the protest.

Police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi said the police hierarchy has ordered commissioners of police in all states to ensure the protesters are protected.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) scheduled the protests for Tuesday and Wednesday to protest the high cost of living caused by government policies. The labour union also accused the government of failing to implement agreements they had to mitigate the impact of the government policies on workers.

The NLC had on Sunday alleged that the government was planning to sabotage the protest by sponsoring groups to attack the protesters.

In his Monday statement, Mr Adejobi said the protesters would be protected by the police because the police authorities were committed to ensuring that the rights and freedom of protesters were protected.

In line with its lawful duty to maintain law and order, the Nigeria police force has deployed personnel nationwide and placed them on red alert to monitor the planned protest, he said.

All commissioners of police and their respective supervising officers have been briefed and instructed to coordinate the officers on ground in ensuring the safety and security of all the protesters.

While recognising the importance of peaceful protest, the force remains vigilant against any attempts to hijack such protests by individuals or groups with sinister intents, he said.

Mr Adejobi, however, warned against violence during the protest. He said the police were fully prepared to respond swiftly and decisively to unlawful activities or acts of violence targeted at threatening public peace, safety and security.

He said the police would not allow the wanton breakdown of law and order and loss of lives and property as experienced during some previous protests in parts of the country.

He said the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, urged the NLC and its partners to adhere to the principles of non-violence and respect for the rights of others.

FEC asks Labour to shelve protest

Also on Monday, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) asked the NLC to shelve the planned protest.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who disclosed this to State House correspondents, said the council deliberated on the proposed industrial action during its meeting on Monday.

He said that the government had fulfilled more than 85 per cent of the agreements entered into with Labour in September 2023. He, however, did not list the fulfilled agreements with the crucial demand by labour being a significant rise in workers salaries.

Prices of goods and services have increased by over 200 per cent across Nigeria since President Tinubu removed subsidies on petrol and floated the naira. However, there has not been any corresponding increase in workers salaries.

The government has, however, set up committees to work with the labour unions on the salary increase

READ ALSO: Presidency replies NLC over alleged plan to attack peaceful protesters

On Monday, the minister said the NLC should consider the efforts of the government in addressing the challenges and not allow mischief makers to hijack the situation at this critical period.

Mr Idris said the council also approved the continuation of payment to vulnerable households under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).

The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, said that appropriate measures would be put in place to verify all beneficiaries.

He said all beneficiaries would be identified through their BVN, NIN and account numbers or electronic wallets even after the payment.

Mr Edun said that the reintroduction of the NSIP was in line with the administrations desire to address the challenges faced by vulnerable Nigerians.

He added that 12 million households would benefit immediately from the payment of the N25,000 NSIP initiative.

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IGP battles extortion by officers

Nigeria Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun on Wednesday warned officers against using his name to extort Nigerians.

PREMIUM TIMES, last week, reported the series of extortion by police officers in the country despite three of their colleagues being recommended for dismissal for extorting $3, 000 in Rivers State and the removal of a divisional crimes officer in Delta State from his post for alleged N2.4 million extortion.

The money was recovered from the officers and refunded to the victims.

Some police officers from the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja had while visiting Edo State to investigate a murder case extorted N3 million from a vulnerable Nigerian in Auchi, human rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu alleged on X.

The extortion story continued on Friday with the Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, announcing the detention of some officers for allegedly extorting N30.3 million from a Nigerian.

Akpata, Okpebholo, Ighodalo become party flag-bearers in Edo governorship

The race for who becomes the next governor of Edo State entered another phase last week as the political parties concluded their primary election.

Olumide Akpata, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association on Friday emerged the governorship candidate of the Labour Party on Friday in Benin City.

A serving senator, Monday Okpebholo emerged the APC governorship candidate in the rerun primary conducted on Thursday. The National Working Committee of the party ordered the rerun after the initial election produced three candidates from parallel primary elections.

The primary of the ruling PDP in the state began with confusion on Thursday as the Deputy Governor of the Edo Philip Shaibu, organised a parallel primary in which he was the sole aspirant. He subsequently emerged as the winner.

However, by sundown on Thursday, a Lagos-based lawyer and former chairperson of Sterling Bank, Asue Ighodalo, Governor Godwin Obasekis preferred aspirant, was declared the PDP governorship candidate in the state after emerging victorious at a primary organised by the national leadership of the party at Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin City.

Edo state will on 21 September elect a successor to Governor Obaseki, who is serving the last year of his second term in office.

Akwa Ibom govt to set up agency to sell food items at lower prices

The Akwa Ibom State Government last week unveiled plans to establish an agency that will buy food items in bulk and sell at lower prices to the residents as a measure to bring down the ballooning price of staple foods which has gone beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.

Governor Umo Eno said he has forwarded to the House of Assembly a bill for the establishment of the agency.

Federal lawmakers doubtful prediction on exchange rate

A federal lawmaker, Wednesday, predicted that N100 will be equal to $100 in less than 16 years despite the Nigerian currency trading at all-time low at N1,598.54 to $1.

The lawmaker, Clement Jimbo, who represents Abak/Ika/Etim Ekpo Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State in the National Assembly did not, however, explain how that will happen.

Akpan Ekpo, a professor of economics, said the naira may not still exist in the next 16 years unless Nigeria has a productive economy  manufacture goods and earn foreign exchange.

Police explained why they arrested LP national chairperson

There was confusion on Wednesday, a day before the LP governorship primary in Edo State when the Nigerian Police, Zone 5, Benin City in Edo State, arrested the party National Chairperson, Julius Abure, shortly after he honoured an invitation to attend a security meeting with the State Security Services.

Amidst heightened tension in the state, the police spokesperson in the Zone, Tijani Momoh told PREMIUM TIMES that the police acted on a petition from a former youth leader of the party, Anselm Eragbe, who accused Mr Abure of conspiracy and brutal assault.

Mr Momoh said the petition was endorsed by the inspector general of police, who directed the assistant inspector of police in the zone to investigate the allegation.

Mr Abure was later released late Wednesday night.

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The Nigerian Police have dismissed one of the three officers involved in the alleged extortion of $3,000 from Nigerians.

The officer, Michael Odey, a police inspector was dismissed after Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 16, Bayelsa State, Alifa Omata, upheld the recommendation of the Rivers State command, which had recommended the dismissal of the three officers.

Mr Odeys dismissal is effective from 7 February.

This is contained in a statement forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday by the police spokesperson in Rivers State, Grace Iringe-Koko.

Mr Odey was one of the three officers recommended for dismissal by the Rivers state command after they were found guilty of extorting $3,000 from two Nigerians.

The others are Doubara Edonyabo and Talent Mungo  both assistant police superintendents.

Asked why the two others were not dismissed, Mrs Iringe-Koko said because of ranks  ASPs, their recommendation for dismissal is beyond what an AIG can review.

The disciplinary process for Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs) Doubara Edonyabo and Talent Mungo involves review by the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission, ensuring a fair and just resolution.

The Rivers State Police Command encourages residents to promptly report any misconduct by law enforcement agents. Be rest assured, all reports will be handled with the utmost seriousness, and appropriate actions will be taken to uphold fairness and justice, Mrs Iringe-Koko, a superintendent of police, said.

It is important to note that all three officers remain in custody as investigations continue into two additional cases of similar nature. Updates on these investigations will be provided in due course, she added.

Background

Human rights activist in Delta State, Harrison Gwamnishu, last month drew the attention of the police authorities via a post on X to the alleged extortion.

Mr Gwamnishu alleged that the officers left Rivers State to Aba, where they abducted the victims, took them to Delta and Bayelsa states before dumping them in Port Harcourt after extorting the $3,000, an equivalent of N4.2 million as of January.

The police spokesperson in Rivers, Mrs Iringe-Koko, who swiftly reacted to the tweet, later updated the public that officers had been identified, detained and the money recovered and refunded to the victims.

After investigation, the police in Rivers recommended that the three officers be dismissed.

Beside the three officers, other police officers in the country have engaged in a series of extortion since the beginning of the year, a development that forced the inspector general of police to issue a statement that officers found guilty of using his name to extort Nigerians will face severe punishment.

This newspaper last week reported how the commissioner of police in Delta state removed a divisional crime officer in Abraka from his post over alleged extortion of N2.4 million from a Nigerian. The divisional police officer in Abraka is also accused of benefiting in the extortion to the tune of N900,000.

Also, last week, PREMIUM TIMES reported how police officers from the Force Criminal Investigation Department headquarters, Abuja, who were in Edo State to investigate a murder case allegedly extorted N3,150,000 from a Nigerian in Auchi area of the state.

The Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, last week announced the detention of some officers serving at the Special Tactical Squad at the Force headquarters in Abuja for extorting over N30 million from Nigerians, this newspaper reported.

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Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Monday, flagged-off the Light Up Nigeria Project in Enugu as part of the federal governments efforts to improve power supply to industrial clusters in the South-east.

The flag-off of the Light Up Nigeria Project was organised by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC).

The NDPHC is a government-owned company responsible for implementing the National Integrated Power Project and operates a portfolio of gas thermal electricity generation assets in Nigeria.

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, and their Ebonyi State counterpart, Francis Nwifuru, attended the event.

South-east agenda

Speaking during the flag-off at the Old Government Lodge, Enugu, Mr Shettima said President Bola Tinubu has resolved to return the South-east region as the nations industrial powerhouse.

The vice-president described the project as a transformation journey and renewal of hope for industrialists and investors in the South-east region.

The long awaited solution to epileptic power supply is finally here and this project will help to stabilise Nigeria because if there is no power, there cant be industrialisation.

The economic fortune of Nigeria remains the critical concern of President Tinubu as we believe that if the power sector works, Nigeria works too, so we must make the project work and make the South-east work, Mr Shettima said.

This marks the renewal of hope for investors and industrialists. This is not a ribbon-cutting charade. This is a calculated endeavour to re-engineer our economy.

The project serves as a long-awaited solution to the power supply that has undermined our economy over the past decades, he added.

Igbo is the hope of Nigeria

Mr Shettima said the Igbo-speaking people of the South-east were notable for their hard work, saying the hope of Nigeria is with Igbos.

Some describe the Igbo as the Nigerian Jews; geographically mobile, economically enterprising and educationally ambitious. You have the hope of the nation, right in our midst. The hope of the nation rests with Ndigbo, he said.

Mbah speaks

Speaking at the event, Mr Mbah commended the federal government and the NDPHC for flagging off the Light-Up Nigeria Project, saying the initiative aligns with his administrations disruptive approach to governance in the state.

The Light up Nigeria Project today is, in my view, a new dawn for power in the South-east and one of the most innovative initiatives in the power sector.

This project is of critical importance since it deals with the power sector, which I believe is pivotal to economic growth. Indeed, if we fix power, a lot of other sectors would fall into place, he said.

The programme will certainly bring improved access to affordable power to the South-east. This will in turn result in reduced power costs for the productive sector and enable them to improve productivity and generate jobs.

This is critical in this day where the country is pushing to boost production and drive-up exports to ultimately shore up our domestic currency, the governor added.

On his part, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPHC, Chiedu Ugbo, said the event marks the formal launch of the South-east phase of the strategic collaboration between NDPHC and other project partners to provide steady and reliable electricity supply to industrial and business clusters across Nigeria.

Mr Ugbo said the event was intended to provide an opportunity for the business community in the South-east to interact with Mr Shettima.

He added that the initiative is evidence of President Tinubus commitment and determination to provide reliable and sustainable solutions to the electricity challenge in the country.

Todays event builds on the commitment made by His Excellency (Shettima) at Agbara (Ogun State) and will be replicated in other geopolitical zones across the country, he said.

The NDPHC boss, however, lamented that although the company has various plants for power generation, their utilisation has been hindered by technical challenges and market constraints.

One major challenge is the lack of sufficient transmission and distribution infrastructure to transport power from the plants, he said.

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This is one time that the Inspector General of Police should show the lion in him. Drag this fellow before the court of law to teach him that instigation to murder is a crime. Otherwise, you may not have long to wait before the followers of such misguided preachers begin to execute the pseudo-divine directives of their barbarous clerics.

I believe that every man and woman is entitled to subscribe to whatever religion they fancy. I believe that religion is designed primarily to draw Gods creatures to Him. As someone privileged to have a rich admixture of Muslims, Christians and Ifa devotees within the extended family, I have come to realise that religious bigotry is borne out of ignorance and mischief. That is the background of my aversion to the weaponisation of religion to create cleavages and disharmony among otherwise peaceful people.

Wanted Fugitive

The name Idris Abdulazeez Dutsen Tanshi didnt actually ring a loud bell nationally until he was declared wanted by the police recently in Bauchi for the alleged contempt of court. A cursory search revealed that he is an influential Islamic cleric of the extremist hue, who enjoys considerable attention in some traditional circles.

He has been playing hide-and-seek with the police since 2022 when he was arraigned in Bauchi, for alleged blasphemous remarks. He was also charged with inciting public disturbance, insulting or inciting contempt of religious creed. In one of his fiery audio missiles, he threatened to go on exile in the face of alleged persecution by the state governor, Bala Mohammed.

But the police issued a special bulletin last week declaring the cleric wanted and seeking the assistance of the public in apprehending him. If seen, arrest and hand over to the nearest police station or to the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, Bauchi State Command, or call 08151849417, 09048226246.

An undisclosed reward awaits whoever is able to apprehend Idris or provide information leading to his arrest. The police declaration came after Dr Idris Dutsen Tanshi failed to appear before the Upper Sharia Court 1 in Bauchi to continue his trial on charges of purported incitement to public disturbance.

The release of the police bulletin came at a time when an incendiary video clip of a little-known cleric trended massively on social media because it pole-vaulted from religious idiocy to an unmistakable campaign for murder. The attention-seeking bigot is so unknown that newsmen were unable to match the face with a name throughout the week. Apparently, he is not one of the big fishes in the pond, but he surely aspires to be a religious piranha.

Homicidal Cleric

In the video, the attention-seeking man claims that the Holy Quran specifically ordered the killing of spouses of Muslims who refuse to be converted to their husbands Islamic religion. He did not provide the specific verses of the Quran where he lifted his horrendous injunctions, from but said enough to instigate any maniac sufficiently depraved to consider the murder of President Tinubus wife, Oluremi, as a religious duty.

As to be expected, the internet has been set ablaze by the mindless verbal terrorism of this wannabe sheik. However, the preponderance of opinion on the call for the assassination of Mrs Tinubu is that the so-called cleric could do with psychiatric help. Some of the more pointed reactions came from fellow Muslims who felt embarrassed that a man who claimed to be a cleric was misrepresenting their faith in the service of a political agenda.

Now, Tinubu, his wife is an infidel. As a pastor, she is a leader among the infidels. Gods judgement says she must be killed. Shes a pastor a leader of infidels (Christians); Allah says they must be killed The Koran says all those kinds of people should be killed. Tinubu as a Muslim is not supposed to marry a woman who is an infidel. When such a person as Tinubu cant convert his wife to become a Muslim, what is the value of the Muslim/Muslim ticket?

The message that this loonie is passing to his listeners is that killing Nigerias First Lady on account of her religious beliefs is a sacred duty. Measure for measure, this man is an infinitely more dangerous man than the fugitive Idris because, though allegedly extremist and incendiary, Idris hasnt yet declared a fatwa on any Nigerian on account of his faith. Or, perhaps I missed something there?

As to be expected, the internet has been set ablaze by the mindless verbal terrorism of this wannabe sheik. However, the preponderance of opinion on the call for the assassination of Mrs Tinubu is that the so-called cleric could do with psychiatric help. Some of the more pointed reactions came from fellow Muslims who felt embarrassed that a man who claimed to be a cleric was misrepresenting their faith in the service of a political agenda.

Former Senator Shehu Sani observed that the cleric had crossed the red line: Criticising the Government and its policies is within the ambit of democratic rights; but calling for the killing of Senator Remi Tinubu by the religious cleric is unacceptable and utterly condemnable.

Political activist Aisha Yesufu also weighed in: What the heck is wrong with these clerics? Killed for her religion? What brand of Islam are these clerics practicing? This is a direct threat. She should be killed because she does not practice his religion? Has he been killed for not practicing other peoples religion? When it is time to do bambiala he will not care that she is not a Muslim. These fanatics make me want to puke!

One commentator, mustiboy, thought it was time the cleric was canned. That man should be arrested. Na dem they brainwash our people. Im a Muslim but this is not what Islam teaches. They need to make that man an example. Arrest him asap, said mustiboy.

However, if the intention of the hate vending cleric was to cause religious disharmony and disaffection, he had partial success in the intemperate exchanges between some younger elements in the society, who saw his instigation to murder as proof that project Nigeria is not workable. Some seized the opportunity to chip in their own biases and validate age-long stereotypes, arguing that the true face of Islam can only be found in those sections of the country where Muslims live in harmony with adherents of other religions.

This is one time that the Inspector General of Police should show the lion in him. Drag this fellow before the court of law to teach him that instigation to murder is a crime. Otherwise, you may not have long to wait before the followers of such misguided preachers begin to execute the pseudo-divine directives of their barbarous clerics.

Condemnation

The most positive outcome for me is that all the commentators, no matter the amount of bile spewed, condemned the nameless cleric for openly advertising a murderous intent covered with religious icing. And such commentaries came from people from all walks of life and across the various political divides. The baying for blood was not considered a partisan issue; killing of innocent Nigerians because of their faith is wrong, ungodly and evil. On those scores, Nigerians are in unanimity.

The politicians are unanimous in condemning the hate vendor because they know from history that, If you dont speak out in condemnation when they are openly advertising the proposed murder of your opponents spouse, no one will come to your aid when it gets to the turn of your wife to face the cudgels of the mindless mob.

By the way, where does the Ignoramus want to start in a multi-religious world where there are 2.4 billion Christians, 1.2 billion non-religious, 1.1 billion Hindus, 506 million Buddhists and 100 million adherents of African Traditional Religion, among other faiths?

Many have wondered what is delaying the police in reining in the murder instigator. Perhaps the police are thinking that ignoring the man would deny him the publicity he is obviously seeking. But that is a faulty logic. Evil does not disappear just because you refuse to acknowledge it. Evil festers. Then it spreads. And before you know it, some street urchins will be gunning for the jugular of some notable non-Muslim in obedience to the preachment of some misguided mallam.

It is true that times are hard today more than ever before. Many Nigerians operate on very short fuses. It takes very little irritation to ignite the flame of discord. Thank God, Nigerian Muslims know that their Christian brothers are not their problem. People like the homicidal cleric are half-baked religious artisans who try to make up for their lack of depth and theological expertise, with outrageous claims about God instructing them to spill innocent blood.

Over To IGP

This is one time that the Inspector General of Police should show the lion in him. Drag this fellow before the court of law to teach him that instigation to murder is a crime. Otherwise, you may not have long to wait before the followers of such misguided preachers begin to execute the pseudo-divine directives of their barbarous clerics.

Wole Olaoye is a Public Relations consultant and veteran journalist. He can be reached on wole.olaoye@gmail.com, Twitter: @wole_olaoye; Instagram: woleola2021.

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Sadly, what seems to be playing out in many of our climes is a protracted competitive tendency among church leaders to outdo one another in the value, size, and grandiose natures of our real estate portfolios. It is this environment of competitiveness in the ownership of church assets that has become a natural habitat for the god of Mammon to capture the hearts of leaders.

It was the greatest church building project in the world at that time, costing about $3 billion in todays currency. On the day of the dedication, Emperor Justinian shouted, SOLOMON, I HAVE OUTDONE THEE! The church was called, The Church of Holy Wisdom, and dedicated in AD 537 in ancient Constantinople, Turkey. The story of the Church of Holy Wisdom and how it ended is pathetic, and a classic source of wisdom on asset sustainability for church leaders worldwide. Given the changing socio-political landscape of the world, coupled with the post-Christian culture that currently pervades our world, which will continue to deteriorate, the right balance must be sought between the size of our investments in real estate and the sustainability of these assets.

To be very clear, the need to set up appropriate structures for local churches cannot be underestimated. These structures start from the ownership of needs-driven physical assets that would serve the various necessities of local churches, to the governance and administrative structures that would regulate the management and maintenance of these physical structures. Sadly, what seems to be playing out in many of our climes is a protracted competitive tendency among church leaders to outdo one another in the value, size, and grandiose natures of our real estate portfolios. It is this environment of competitiveness in the ownership of church assets that has become a natural habitat for the god of Mammon to capture the hearts of leaders.

To avoid being captured by Mammon, our desire for real estates in the church must be needs driven and not greed driven. We must build solely with the advancement of the kingdom of God in mind, rather than the advancement of our personal empires and public pedigrees.

Repeatedly, the leaders of the Church of Holy Wisdom were warned to be wary of trading their fire and focus on God for this massive investment, they turned it down. It was the late Canadian prophecy scholar, Dr Grant Jeffrey who described a generation as a period of a hundred years, meaning that the church of Holy Wisdom which was dedicated in AD 537 survived more than one thousand years, ten generations before it was desecrated, hijacked, and converted into a mosque around 1453.

What a world of difference would be made on earth by church leaders who use most of their finances to change lives, build legacies, sponsor missionaries and ministries, support other struggling ministers outside of their local churches, and expand the frontiers of the truth of the gospel in their ministries, to as much degree as their capacities permit. Interestingly, the leaders of the Church of Holy Wisdom in Turkey were not driven by such passion but they lost out in the battle with Mammon.

The story of the Church of the Holy Wisdom is quite interesting. Recounting this story was Dr Erwin Lutzer, Senior Pastor of the Moody Church, founded by the late D.L Moody. In Dr Lutzers words:

After building one of the worlds greatest cathedrals named the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Istanbul, Turkey, Emperor Justinian in AD 537 in his dedication speech shouted, Solomon, I have outdone you. Such was the grandeur nature of this colossal edifice whose glory and splendour adorned brightened the city of Constantinople for generations. Repeatedly, the leaders of the Church of Holy Wisdom were warned to be wary of trading their fire and focus on God for this massive investment, they turned it down. It was the late Canadian prophecy scholar, Dr Grant Jeffrey who described a generation as a period of a hundred years, meaning that the church of Holy Wisdom which was dedicated in AD 537 survived more than one thousand years, ten generations before it was desecrated, hijacked, and converted into a mosque around 1453.

In his own account of the capture of this edifice, Dr Erwin Lutzer further stated that, Soldiers fought their way into the church of the Holy Wisdom, killing all worshippers. Religious icons and furnishings were destroyed. The priests performing their duties were massacred. Churches and convents were ransacked, and nuns were raped.

In his book, The Fall of Constantinople, Dionysios Hatzopoulos documents how the Church of the Holy Wisdom was taken over, desecrated, and ultimately conquered after ten generations, The bells of the massive church rang mournfully, and singing hymns in Greek, Italian or Catalan, men, women, children, soldiers made peace with themselves, with God and eternity.

In his own account of the capture of this edifice, Dr Erwin Lutzer further stated that, Soldiers fought their way into the church of the Holy Wisdom, killing all worshippers. Religious icons and furnishings were destroyed. The priests performing their duties were massacred. Churches and convents were ransacked, and nuns were raped.

Today, all the massive investments, totalling about $3billion, poured into the construction of the Church of Holy Wisdom have been completely wasted and lost after the passing of ten generations. In his book, The Lost History of Christianity, Phillip Jenkins documented the accounts of thousands of churches across Europe that have now been taken over by Mosques. Some of the documented accounts are startling.

Ayo Akerele is the Senior Pastor of Rhema Assembly and the founder of the Voice of the Watchmen Ministries in Ontario, Canada. He can be reached through ayoakerele2012@gmail.com

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In some countries, the fear of pain has completely enslaved whole populations so that they are now under the bondage of medical insurance. Pain has long moved from being a personal affair to a societal phobia. Pain has become a national and international rounding point. Seminars are conducted to discuss the subject of pain. Whole professions are started every day to try to cope with the plague of pain. Pain has gone beyond an individual matter. Pain has gone corporate.

Pain, problems, sorrow, grief, are some of the most feared things in this world. Too many people are afraid of pain. Pain has become a phobia on its own. As a matter of fact, to many people, the fear of pain has become the beginning of wisdom. It is the fear of pain that drives people to the gym these days. Because they are afraid of growing old or getting sick. It is the fear of pain that has caused our generation to be so dependent on the pharmaceutical industry.

The American Academy of Pain Medicine states that more than one-quarter of Americans (26 per cent) from the age 20 years and over  or an estimated 76.5 million people  report that they have had a problem with pain of any sort that persisted for more than 24 hours in duration. (NOTE: this number does not account for acute pain).

Adults between the ages of 45 and 64 years were the most likely to report pain lasting more than 24 hours (30 per cent). Twenty-five per cent of young adults in the age range of 20 to 44 reported pain, and adults from the age 65 and over were the least likely to report pain (21 per cent).

In some countries, the fear of pain has completely enslaved whole populations so that they are now under the bondage of medical insurance. Pain has long moved from being a personal affair to a societal phobia. Pain has become a national and international rounding point. Seminars are conducted to discuss the subject of pain. Whole professions are started every day to try to cope with the plague of pain. Pain has gone beyond an individual matter. Pain has gone corporate. Industries and companies now specialise in making money from the pain of others. Billions of dollars are spent yearly to deal with the problem of pain.

According to a recent Institute of Medicine Report, Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, and Research, pain is a significant public health problem that costs the society at least $560 to $635 billion annually  an amount equal to about $2,000 for everyone living in the US. This includes the total incremental cost of health care due to pain, ranging between $261 billion and $300 billion, and between $297 billion and $336 billion, due to lost productivity (based on the days of work missed, hours of work lost, and lower wages).

Even though pain could come in different forms, but it is a universal word that we all use to depict any kind of discomfort or inconvenience. Either psychological, emotional or physical. Pain causes people to withdraw themselves from anything that is the reason for that pain. We run away from pain and what we regard as the source of pain. As such, people will normally run away from other people who they regard as the sources of their pain. We also try to avoid places or circumstances that inflict pain or remind us of past pains.

This instinctive urge to run away from pain is one of the highest reasons for broken relationships among people. We break relationships that we regard as painful in most cases. Marriages break down simply because people cannot bear the pain of being together any longer. Friends cut relationship among themselves when they see that pain is involved.

There is a great deal of pain in life and perhaps the only pain that can be avoided is the pain that comes from trying to avoid pain.  R. D. Laing

So, to a large extent, either we like it or not, pain affects all of us, not just physically. Pain affects us psychologically and even socially. We feel the consequences of pain in all spheres of life. Politics, economy, family and even sports.

Pain can either make or break you. Yes, pain can make you. Pain makes you when you stand on its shoulders and you bring out something positive from it. The example of how Steve Jobs dealt with pain is a wonderful illustration of how pain can make people. Even though Steve Jobs was battling cancer, in his own words, the pain and reality of death made him to work harder than he had ever worked before.

There is no coming to consciousness without pain.  Carl Jung

He actually alluded to the fact that pain and death could be some of the greatest inventions and motivations of men to do more, perform more, produce more.

Behind every beautiful thing, theres some kind of pain.  Bob Dylan

In Steve Jobs words: When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: If you live each day as if it was your last, someday youll most certainly be right. It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today? And whenever the answer had been No for too many days in a row, I knew I needed to change something.

Remembering that Ill be dead soon is the most important tool Ive ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything, all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure, these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumour on my pancreas. I didnt even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctors code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you would have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes. TO BE CONTINUED.

Sunday Adelaja is a Nigerian born leader, transformation strategist, pastor and innovator. He was based in Ukraine.

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As Nigeria continues its democratic journey, the fight against corruption must adhere to the rule of law principles, ensuring equal treatment for all. Indeed, in the quest for justice, the actions of those in authority must withstand scrutiny and be free from the shadows of ambiguity or favouritism.

As a public affairs commentator, I find it imperative to dissect the complexities of this situation, raising crucial questions about the dynamics at play and the consequential impact on Nigerias fight against corruption.

At the moment, President Bola Tinubus commitment to justice is under scrutiny as Nigerians await an explanation of recent events concerning one of his appointees. The appointee, Jim Obazee was accused in recent media reports of allegedly masterminding arbitrary raids on homes of some government officials associated with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and suspected of sleaze. The alleged raids are beyond the scope of Mr Obazees brief as a special investigator. His agents who executed the raids were also accused of deploying blackmail, intimidation and other acts during the exercise.

Halima Shehu, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), was suspended promptly after allegations of corruption. Why has Obazee, accused of overstepping his mandate, not faced similar consequences?

Betta Edu, the former minister of humanitarian affairs, was also suspended for allegations against her. Will Obazee be held to the same standard of accountability, given the gravity of the accusations against him? The cases mentioned share a common thread  allegations of abuse of power, corruption, or overreach.

However, the response to each case has been markedly different, raising concerns about the consistency of justice in the fight against corruption by the Tinubu-led administration. The credibility of the ongoing anti-corruption campaign of the Tinubu administration, especially regarding the Nigerian economy, hinges on transparent and consistent actions against all accused parties.

Why does Mr Obazee appear to be exempt from the same standards applied to others? One of the most perplexing facets of this unfolding drama is whether Mr Obazee enjoys the tacit support of the presidency in his alleged perpetration of arbitrary raids. The pattern of raids described in the newspaper report raises doubts about the autonomy of his actions. Does Mr Obazee act as a lone operator, or does he possess an invisible shield from higher authorities that emboldens his actions? Is Mr Obazee above the law?

The essence of justice lies in its impartial application, irrespective of ones affiliations or mandates. The delayed legal response to Mr Obazees actions fuels speculation about a potential sense of invincibility that transcends legal scrutiny. One cannot help but wonder whether Mr Obazee perceives his mandate as a shield of impunity. The delayed legal repercussions for his alleged overreach prompt me to wonder if the presidency is encouraging him to act beyond the confines of established legal protocols.

Is he, in reality, executing the bidding of a higher authority, utilising his position to allegedly harass, intimidate, and potentially extort innocent Nigerians? Does Mr Obazees conduct align with the tenets of justice? Does his approach adhere to transparency, fairness, and legal due process?

Without swift legal consequences, these posers remain suspended in the national discourse, demanding urgent answers. The imperative lies in the Tinubu-led administration to preserve the sanctity of justice, ensuring that no individual, regardless of their position or allegiance, stands immune to the scrutiny of the law.

As Nigerians, we must query the autonomy of his actions and assess if such actions find protection within the corridors of power.

* Asaolu, a public affairs commentator, writes from Ibadan. He can be reached at deleasalou@gmail.com

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Azerbaijan has always been the initiator of peace talks, now it is time for Armenia to step up, said the Baku Network expert platform guest Siyavush Karimi, composer, People's Artist of Azerbaijan, rector of the National Music Academy, during the next episode of the platform's analytical video project "Dialogue with Tofig Abbasov", Trend reports.

Karimi noted that Azerbaijan has always been the initiator of peace talks, now time for Armenia to step up.

"The Azerbaijani side emphasized that Armenians are welcome to return to Karabakh and abide by the country's laws. Their departure from Karabakh was voluntary, with no coercion from Azerbaijan. Armenians must recognize the importance of peace and reconciliation," he said.

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Workers across Nigeria are set for the national protests called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for Tuesday and Wednesday over the economic hardship in the country exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies and devaluation of the Naira.

Plateau

In Plateau, the state council of the NLC said it has concluded arrangements to join the protest.

Eugene Manji, the state NLC chairman, told NAN on Monday in Jos, that the council held its state executive council meeting, and had concluded arrangements for the protest.

Mr Manji said all NLC affiliates had been briefed, and had been urged to fully mobilise their members for the protest.

We have just completed the meeting for the final mobilisation.

As I speak to you, we are still at the venue of the meeting, and we are going ahead with the protest tomorrow.

We are urging all affiliates to come out in their numbers to participate in the protest in support of the workers and suffering masses, he said.

The chairman told NAN that adequate security personnel would be mobilised to ensure that hoodlums did not hijack the protest.

According to him, the NLC will meet with security agencies later on Monday, to fine-tune the arrangements.

Kogi

In Kogi, the NLC on Monday appealed to security operatives to provide adequate protection during the protest.

Amari Gabriel, the NLC chairman, said that the appeal became imperative in view of an unconfirmed planned attack on the workers.

We just rose from our State Executive Council (SEC) meeting upholding the decision of the national body of NLC to file out in protest against the prevailing hardship in the country.

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y written letters to all the security operatives informing them of our planned two days of peaceful protest. We are ready unless theres a contrary instruction.

Its in view of this that we are calling on the security operatives to give us adequate protection during our peaceful protest.

This is because we are going to be peaceful during the protest.

We urge the Federal Government to do something to salvage the situation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the NLC had on 16 February declared a two-day nationwide mass protest, to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, over the economic hardship being faced by Nigerians.

Adamawa

In Adamawa, the police have deployed personnel at strategic positions to ensure the safety of lives and property ahead of the protest.

In a statement in Yola on Monday, the spokesperson of the police in the state, Suleiman Nguroje, cautioned citizens against violent activities before, during and after the protest.

The Command has deployed a high visibility police patrol across major areas, including government installations, private/public warehouses, hospitals, schools, markets, and residential areas, among others, he said.

The Command is committed towards safeguarding lives and properties during the nationwide protests expected to commence between 27th and 28th February 2024, he stated.

He said the police in the state acknowledged that every citizen has the constitutional right to peaceful protest.

We strongly and in clear terms advise that all processions should be conducted within the context of the law, as the Police will act in accordance with the rules of engagement to protect the rights and ensure that citizens rights were not violated, he said.

According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Dankombo Morris, has resolved to ensure hitch-free conduct of the procession across the state.

He said in collaboration with sister security agencies in the state, the police will not hesitate to halt any individual or groups that may want to hide behind these peaceful protests to cause a breakdown of law and order.

He advised the good people of the state to continue to pursue their lawful businesses without any fear of threat or intimidation and report any suspicious character to the Police.

The CP urged parents and guardians to caution their children and wards against all forms of violence and be law-abiding, he stated.

(NAN)

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From threat by Ohanaeze Ndigbo against the Nigerian government to squabble in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-east, the past week was eventful in the region.

It was the fourth week of February 2024.

Here are the highlights of the top stories that made headlines in the region:

Security agencies raid terrorist camp in South-east

The week began with a cheering announcement by the police in Anambra State on Tuesday that combined security agencies raided a camp of suspected insurgents in Achalla, a community in Awka North Local Government Area of the state.

The police spokesperson in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, said combined security operatives raided the camp on Monday.

He said the commissioner of police in the state ordered the operation after the insurgents allegedly disrupted business activities at the communitys market the previous Monday by ordering traders in the market to sit-at-home.

Mr Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said the security operatives took the insurgents by surprise, prompting them to flee with gunshot wounds, leaving trails of blood.

Although the police did not specifically mention the identities of the insurgents, a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had been linked to the sit-at-home orders in the region, which was intended to pressure the Nigerian government to release its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial for alleged terrorism at a Federal High Court, Abuja.

Ohanaeze threatens to sue Nigerian government

Still on Monday, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo threatened to sue the Nigerian government over its failure to create an additional state in the South-east.

The President-General of the Ohanaeze, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, said it is improper that the South-east is the only region in Nigeria with five states, adding that the situation has cost the region billions of financial losses and losses in ministerial appointments as well as legislative representations.

Mr Iwuanyanwu claimed that he had repeatedly drawn the attention of successive Nigerian governments to the situation in the region, but nothing has been done to address the injustice.

Leaders in the South-east have been making the demand for an additional state in the region. This is, however, the first time the apex Igbo group would threaten legal action against the Nigerian government.

Prosecution of man over alleged cruelty to animals

We also reported the story of a native doctor in Enugu State accused of cruelty to animals.

The native doctor, identified simply as Nnabuikem, popularly known as High Chief Enenie Nwa ite, hails from Ovoko, a community in Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area of the state.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Nnabuikem was seen in several video clips uploaded on his Facebook page torturing and violently killing animals, apparently to perform rituals for his clients.

The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Kanayo Uzuegbu, later announced that he had ordered the arrest and prosecution of the native doctor.

Mr Uzuegbu urged individuals and organisations within and outside Nigeria who have seen the viral video clips to keep faith with the police to ensure justice in the matter.

South-east PDP squabbles over national secretary position

The crisis raging in the South-east PDP deepened on Tuesday when the leadership of the party in the region insisted that the National Working Committee (NWC) and other organs of the PDP should ratify Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the partys national secretary.

There has been an intense contest about who is the authentic national secretary of the PDP, between Samuel Anyanwu and a former PDP National Youth Leader, Mr Ude-Okoye.

Mr Anyanwu, the substantive occupant of the position, is seeking to retain the position after losing in the 11 November Imo State governorship election.

A Federal High Court in Abuja, in January 2024, declared Mr Anyanwu as the valid national secretary of the PDP.

But the PDP leadership in the South-east, in a communique issued at the end of its Zonal Executive Committee meeting in Enugu on Tuesday, contended that the Abuja court ruling came after a High Court in Enugu State had already ruled against Mr Anyanwu and ordered that Mr Udeh-Okoye be recognised as the national secretary of the party.

They accused the partys national leadership of mistreating the zone by neglecting their earlier nomination, and insisted that they would no longer tolerate the delay in ratification of Mr Udeh-Okoye as the partys national secretary.

The raging crisis, if not immediately tackled, may completely tear the PDP apart in the region, where it suffered losses in the 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections.

Lassa fever kills 14 in Ebonyi

Lassa fever continued its havoc in Ebonyi State on Wednesday where it claimed 14 lives.

Authorities said that the 14 cases were among the 29 confirmed cases of the disease recorded as of 20 February.

According to them, no fewer than 110 suspected cases of the disease were recently recorded in the state.

Arraignment of lawyer accused of brutalising house help

The report about a female lawyer accused of brutalising her 11-year-old house girl was among the stories that trended in Nigerias South-east within the past week.

The lawyer, Adachukwu Cukelu-Okafor, was said to have used a broken bottle, knife and electric iron to brutalise the child who began staying with her on 5 January.

She later reportedly went into hiding which prompted the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare in Anambra, Ify Obinabo, to declare her wanted.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that, following Ms Cukelu-Okafors disappearance, Nigerias Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, placed a N2 million bounty on the lawyer.

The lawyer later surrendered herself to the police in Awka, Anambra State.

She was arraigned, Wednesday, on a two-count charge of willful infliction of physical injuries on the house girl before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Magistrate Court in Awka, Anambra State.

The lawyer pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The court declined her bail application and remanded her in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka.

The matter was adjourned until 28 February for a ruling on the defendants bail application.

Killing of Anambra community leader

It was a black Friday in Umuoji, a community in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state where Silas Onyima, the president-general of the community, was killed by hoodlums who attacked him in his residence.

The attack and killing of the president-general highlights the worsening insecurity in the state and region.

Killing of pharmacist in Imo

Like in Anambra, the black Friday extended to Imo State on Friday, where gunmen killed a pharmacist after abducting his elder brother, who later escaped from captivity.

The incident happened in Irete, a community in Owerri West Local Government Area of the state.

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Udaipur : The Department of Hindi at Bhopal Nobles Postgraduate College organized a lecture series on the topic "Youth Dreams and Challenges" at Kumbha Auditorium. Renowned author, artist, and educator Prof. Srinivasan Ayyar addressed the students, emphasizing that the younger generation always stands ten steps ahead, especially in the realms of the internet, thought process, actions, and decision-making. He urged them to make choices wisely and understand the difference between good and bad.

Highlighting the prevalence of negative thoughts as a major obstacle to success, Prof. Ayyar cautioned against letting pessimism take control. He encouraged students to share their struggles with a trustworthy friend if negative thoughts arise, emphasizing the importance of seeking hope each day and not letting despair dominate one's life. Prof. Ayyar emphasized that opportunities are limitless, and individuals should explore possibilities for themselves.

Expressing concern over the rising rate of suicide among the youth, he advised seeking support from friends and fostering a positive mindset. Prof. Ayyar concluded by urging students to never let hopelessness dominate their lives, as life is full of endless possibilities.

Dr. Chandrarekha Sharma, Assistant Professor, expressed gratitude, while Dr. Renu Rathore, the Principal, encouraged students to recognize the value of time and their abilities, contemplating how they can contribute to the nation and society.

Colonel Prof. Shiv Singh Sarangdevot, President Dr. Mahendra Singh Rathore, and Registrar Mohabbat Singh Rathore, sent messages emphasizing the need for students to stay informed about literary and societal innovations and develop a positive and creative perspective to strengthen the nation.

The information was shared by the University's Public Relations Officer, Dr. Kamal Singh Rathore.

Source :
LONDON, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- After the launch of the New York office in June 2023, Vega IT now opens its first office in London.

In times of economic uncertainty that has been shaking the IT industry over the past few years, Vega IT continues to grow, emerging as a reliable partner to companies seeking to stay ahead of the curve.

Vega IT's co-founder, Sasa Popovic, with Nikola Prelevic and Richard Morris, executive partners at Vega IT UK. (PRNewsfoto/Vega IT)

Earlier in January, the company embarked on the UK expansion journey, and the first stop was the opening of the London office. They have welcomed Nikola Prelevic and Richard Morris to the position of Executive Partners.

Vega IT's co-founder, Sasa Popovic, explains that even though the company was not physically present in the UK, this market plays a fundamental role in its success:

"Over the last 15 years, we've delivered a number of impactful projects in the UK for some of the world's most innovative businesses, including Howden Broking Group, Costa Coffee, Doctor Care Anywhere, Analysys Mason, Tangent, JAAQ, Emperor, and many more. By having an experienced team on the ground, working shoulder to shoulder with our UK clients, we aim to take customer satisfaction to an even higher level and, eventually, expand our client base in this growing market."

Nikola Prelevic brings two decades of experience in digital transformation consulting, leading global practices and delivery teams, advising clients on strategies, and building brilliant digital experiences and solutions. He worked for the world's leading consultancies and digital service companies, including ThoughtWorks, Accenture, and Atos.

"London is expected to continue to be at the epicentre of digital growth across most sectors, and further accelerate market growth with the latest innovation, so it was a logical move to establish our physical presence here. I'm looking forward to seeing the impactful results and change Vega IT will deliver to clients with the implementation and delivery of digital innovations, experiences, and solutions," Prelevic points out in a recent interview .

Richard Morris is a digital business transformation consultant with 30 years of experience leading major programmes across multiple industries. He is joining Vega IT from IBM, where he was an Executive Partner in the consulting practice. In the same interview, he adds that:

"Vega IT is a brilliant, dynamic, and entrepreneurial organisation without the constraints of heavy processes and large overheads, freeing up the time to focus on our clients. Establishing the UK office as part of the global expansion will bring the full value of Vega IT closer to our UK clients."

The opening of the London office is an important milestone in Vega IT's strategic expansion of its global footprint. In addition to its headquarters in Serbia and offices in Montenegro, the UK, and the US, the company plans to open new offices in the Middle East and the Netherlands.

About Vega IT:

Vega IT is a software engineering, end-to-end digital product development, platform implementation, data and AI, and system integration services company founded in 2008. The company boasts deep domain expertise across various sectors, including HealthTech, FinTech, InsurTech, EdTech, PharmaTech, digital agencies, not-for-profit, and more.

Contact:

Srecko Sekeljic

+381 69 584 06 04

srecko.sekeljic@vegait.rs

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More than 40 mobile operator networks across five continents have now commercially launched network API services to the developer community to unlock 5G's full potential

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA today outlined the strong progress the mobile industry, and technology partners, are making in unlocking the full potential of 5G networks and commercialising network APIs through the GSMA Open Gateway initiative.

A year since GSMA Open Gateway was unveiled at MWC 2023, 47 mobile operator groups, representing 239 mobile networks and 65% of connections around the world, have now signed up to the initiative. GSMA Open Gateway is focused on accelerating the growth of digital services and apps, by ensuring they integrate seamlessly with hundreds of participating networks around the world. This is done through single, programmable, access points, which are common among all mobile operators, known as Application Programmable Interfaces (APIs).

Working with technology partners and cloud providers, including AWS, Infobip, Microsoft, Nokia and Vonage, a part of Ericsson, more than 40 mobile operator networks have now made a combined total of 94 APIs commercially available to enterprise developers in 21 markets across Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.

With online fraud and cybercrime being one of the biggest issues facing online commerce, the GSMA, mobile operators and technology partners are first focusing the GSMA Open Gateway initiative on tackling online crime. Recent activities include:

Four Sri Lankan operators who have launched three APIs on a single operator platform providing robust authentication to secure customer online transactions;

Three Brazilian operators who have launched three APIs to combat fraud;

Three Spanish operators who have announced the launch of two anti-fraud APIs, working with online retailers;

Four Indonesian operators who launched three APIs to improve online security and customer experience; and

Three South African operators who are combatting fraud and digital identity theft in sectors including banking, finance, insurance, and retail through two new APIs.

Three German operators who have today made two APIs available to help app developers and enterprises tackle online fraud and protect the digital identities of mobile customers.

"It's been an exciting year for GSMA Open Gateway, and the mobile industry, where we have begun to build a unified ecosystem and unlock the full potential of 5G networks. This has culminated in the birth of a new API era," said Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA. "Our collective job for 2024 is to nurture and grow this opportunity and provide ubiquitous access to enterprise developers and cloud providers, so they can do what they do best, which is launch game changing new services that can maximise the benefits of 5G networks."

FOCUS FOR 2024: GROWING COMMERCIAL & MONETISATION OPPORTUNTIES

According to research by McKinsey, GSMA Open Gateway and other network API initiatives can unlock significant value for the telecommunications industry, and businesses using 5G networks over the next six years. It's forecast that, if operators can expose more of their network APIs and innovations to enterprise developer and cloud provider communities, then they can unlock an additional $300bn market opportunity by 2030.

Having built strong support amongst the global mobile operator industry in 2023, the GSMA Open Gateway initiative is focusing on how it can help members ramp up developer engagement in 2024. This will be achieved through the commercial launch of new services and a focus on three go-to-market commercial channels for open API adoption.

GSMA Open Gateway's three main go-to-market channels are:

Network Cloud Marketplace e.g. partnering with cloud providers including AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure and Vonage Strategic Technology Partners/Resellers e.g. Infobip, Nokia, and Ericsson Operators Direct to Market through their enterprise and innovation divisions

The industry is now turning its attention to a whole array of new services and innovations, including Quality-on-Demand APIs to enable safe drone flight, robotics, extended reality and immersive online gaming services over 5G networks. The roadmap includes further development in connectivity for network slicing, cybersecurity and cloud enablement.

Ishwar Parulkar, Chief Technologist for Telecom and Edge Cloud at Amazon Web Services at AWS, said: "The progress of GSMA's Open Gateway initiative over the past year had been very encouraging. As we get into the next phase of telcos productizing more APIs and monetizing them through various go-to-market channels, the role of a common, aligned approach across operators, hyperscalers and other channel aggregators that Open Gateway is promoting becomes even more critical."

Ankur Jain, Vice President, Google Cloud Telco, said: "Google Cloud has engaged with the GSMA Open Gateway initiative since its inception, and we are pleased to see progress towards giving developers simplified access to network capabilities in an open, standardized, and aggregated way. We look forward to working with our CSP partners and developers to bring innovative use cases to market."

Ross Ortega, Vice President, Product Management, Microsoft Azure for Operators, said: "Microsoft proudly champions the Open Gateway initiative, underscoring our commitment to making network programmability universally accessible to developers of connected applications. We believe that the standardization of network capabilities and APIs is crucial for ensuring that developers can easily understand and adopt these technologies. Azure Programmable Connectivity is at the forefront of this effort, aligning closely with Open Gateway standards to pave the way for seamless integration and innovation."

Other examples of how GSMA Open Gateway members and partners are working together to develop new industry use cases for developers include:

Nokia and Liberty Global have conducted successful trials in Port of Antwerp in Belgium , as part of the initiative, delivering high-definition video streams to remotely-located captains, to help them manoeuvre shipping vessels through busy areas.

and have conducted successful trials in Port of in , as part of the initiative, delivering high-definition video streams to remotely-located captains, to help them manoeuvre shipping vessels through busy areas. Deutsche Telekom , O2 Telefonica and Vodafone are testing Quality on Demand APIs with Siemens Energy. Siemens is using the API to perform virtually assisted remote maintenance, using augmented reality, that requires consistently high network quality to enable broad deployment even in locations without stable connectivity.

, and are testing Quality on Demand APIs with Siemens Energy. Siemens is using the API to perform virtually assisted remote maintenance, using augmented reality, that requires consistently high network quality to enable broad deployment even in locations without stable connectivity. VEON has announced the launch of Geolocation Gateway, with the first commercial implementation already in place in Uzbekistan. A country-wide restaurant chain in Uzbekistan has worked with Beeline Uzbekistan and VEON Adtech, to grow its business through precision-marketing based on the Geolocation Gateway APIs. Future potential use cases include financial fraud detection and emergency response.

has announced the launch of Geolocation Gateway, with the first commercial implementation already in place in Uzbekistan. A country-wide restaurant chain in has worked with Beeline Uzbekistan and VEON Adtech, to grow its business through precision-marketing based on the Geolocation Gateway APIs. Future potential use cases include financial fraud detection and emergency response. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Liberty Global have announced a collaboration to create a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) framework that enables developers to use and access Liberty Global's fixed and mobile networks as a platform for innovation. The two companies will focus on sectors, such as home productivity, logistics/transportation, remote care/assistance to improve people's lives across Liberty Global markets. Services will be based on GSMA Open Gateway standards and use CAMARA standard APIs to ensure worldwide standardization and wider adoption.

and have announced a collaboration to create a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) framework that enables developers to use and access Liberty Global's fixed and mobile networks as a platform for innovation. The two companies will focus on sectors, such as home productivity, logistics/transportation, remote care/assistance to improve people's lives across Liberty Global markets. Services will be based on GSMA Open Gateway standards and use CAMARA standard APIs to ensure worldwide standardization and wider adoption. Microsoft's Azure Programmable Connectivity (APC) has launched in public preview at Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2024, featuring APIs like number verification and SIM swap among other capabilities. APC, building a robust partner ecosystem with global operators such as AT&T, BT, Claro, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, MEO, Rogers, Singtel, T-Mobile, Telefonica, TIM Brasil, Verizon, and Vivo, aims to extend its reach further. Enterprises like Banco Itau Unibanco and NAGRA are adopting APC for developing network-aware applications, enhancing security, and combating fraud. Microsoft is also working with network technology partners and network programmability aggregators, such as Ericsson and Vonage, as well as Nokia and Nokia's Network as Code platform, making concrete progress accelerating the ecosystem on network programmability.

has launched in public preview at Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2024, featuring APIs like number verification and SIM swap among other capabilities. APC, building a robust partner ecosystem with global operators such as AT&T, BT, Claro, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, MEO, Rogers, Singtel, T-Mobile, Telefonica, TIM Brasil, Verizon, and Vivo, aims to extend its reach further. Enterprises like Banco Itau Unibanco and NAGRA are adopting APC for developing network-aware applications, enhancing security, and combating fraud. Microsoft is also working with network technology partners and network programmability aggregators, such as Ericsson and Vonage, as well as Nokia and Nokia's Network as Code platform, making concrete progress accelerating the ecosystem on network programmability. Since the launch of the Open Gateway initiative Infobip has signed several collaboration agreements with network operators and ecosystem partners to use the platform, including Vivo, Claro, TIM Brazil, Vodafone and Orange Spain. New partnerships with Telefonica Spain, Personal Argentina, Veon Group and many more will happen in the near future.

has signed several collaboration agreements with network operators and ecosystem partners to use the platform, including Vivo, Claro, TIM Brazil, Vodafone and Orange Spain. New partnerships with Telefonica Spain, Personal Argentina, Veon Group and many more will happen in the near future. Since launching its Network as Code platform with developer portal at the GSMA's MWC Las Vegas in September 2023 , Nokia has signed collaboration agreements with 10 network operators and ecosystem partners to use the platform, including BT, DISH, NOS Portugal, and Telia. Nokia is announcing new agreements with CSP partners in Belgium and Argentina as part of its MWC Barcelona 2024 presence.

, has signed collaboration agreements with 10 network operators and ecosystem partners to use the platform, including BT, DISH, NOS Portugal, and Telia. Nokia is announcing new agreements with CSP partners in and as part of its MWC Barcelona 2024 presence. In February 2024, Vonage launched Vonage Network Registry, a first-to-market developer registration service to accelerate and simplify developer access to network APIs. The service will also facilitate CSPs in effectively scaling the consumption of network APIs by standardising the approval process and granting access to network providers' APIs for Application Service Providers (ASPs). Vonage is working with multiple operators in Europe and North America including Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica, Vodafone, AT&T and Verizon to unlock programmable network capabilities for developers, and with KDDI in Japan , who is reselling its communications APIs. Vonage also announced a collaboration with AWS to leverage communications and network APIs to accelerate the availability of new solutions to developers, along with a new Fraud Protection Solution to be made available in the AWS Marketplace.

GSMA Open Gateway APIs are defined, developed, and published in CAMARA, the open-source project for developers to access enhanced network capabilities, driven by the Linux Foundation, in partnership with TM Forum.

THE GSMA OPEN GATEWAY INITIATIVE: WHAT TO SEE AT MWC BARCELONA 2024:

GSMA Open Gateway events and demonstrations available to see at MWC Barcelona 2024 include:

"Open Gateway  The Art of What's Possible " is the key theme of MWC's Keynote 1 on the main stage in Hall 4 on Monday, 26 February: 09:30 - 10:45 CET . GSMA Director General, Mats Granryd , will chart Open Gateway's progress, before the audience hears speeches from leading industry leaders from China Mobile, Microsoft, Orange, Telefonica, and Vodafone on the initiative's progress.

is the key theme of MWC's Keynote 1 on the main stage in . GSMA Director General, , will chart Open Gateway's progress, before the audience hears speeches from leading industry leaders from China Mobile, Microsoft, Orange, Telefonica, and Vodafone on the initiative's progress. The CEOs of Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica and Vodafone will be discussing Open Gateway further with CNBC Europe anchor Karen Tso later in the day, during Keynote 4: Europe's New Horizon .

later in the day, during . During his keynote address, Nick Venezia , Founder and Chief Data Officer at Centillion.AI, will be discussing how mobile operators and developers can unlock further value from 5G APIs and create revenue-generating partnerships with global brands, digital ad exchanges, and advertising technology companies.

Founder and Chief Data Officer at Centillion.AI, will be discussing how mobile operators and developers can unlock further value from 5G APIs and create revenue-generating partnerships with global brands, digital ad exchanges, and advertising technology companies. The "Gateway to API Heaven" conference session will be held on Monday 26 February at MWC Stage B, Hall 6 . GSMA Chief Technology Officer Alex Sinclair alongside AWS, Axiata, Bridge Alliance and Chenosis will be hosting a deeper delve into the potential of network APIs and cross-industry collaboration.

conference session will be held on Monday 26 February at . GSMA Chief Technology Officer alongside AWS, Axiata, Bridge Alliance and Chenosis will be hosting a deeper delve into the potential of network APIs and cross-industry collaboration. The Open Gateway Devcon: is taking place on Wednesday 28 February between 15:00 - 19:00 CET at the Partner Theatre 2, Hall 8.0. For developers, by developers, attendees gain valuable insights into the potential of Network APIs and how they can reshape their approach to development.

is taking place on Wednesday 28 February between at the For developers, by developers, attendees gain valuable insights into the potential of Network APIs and how they can reshape their approach to development. Monetising 5G through Open Gateway will be a key focus of the 5G Futures Summit on Stage C, Hall 6 on Wednesday from 09:00 CET . GSMA Head of Networks, Henry Calvert will chair keynotes and a panel with experts from Chenosis, Deutsche Telekom, Microsoft, Telefonica and Vonage.

will be a key focus of the on on Wednesday from . GSMA Head of Networks, will chair keynotes and a panel with experts from Chenosis, Deutsche Telekom, Microsoft, Telefonica and Vonage. Mobile World Capital Barcelona, using Nokia's Network as Code platform with developer portal, will run a real-time 48-hour GSMA Open Gateway Hackathon , at the Talent Arena in Hall 3. Participants in the hackathon will develop practical use cases that this new framework of common network APIs can bring to the market.

, at the Participants in the hackathon will develop practical use cases that this new framework of common network APIs can bring to the market. As well as GSMA Open Gateway members demonstrating API use cases on their stands across MWC Barcelona, the GSMA will be showcasing three demos on the GSMA Pavilion booth, Hall 4. These are from Vonage, part of Ericsson, Bridge Alliance and Liberty Global, Vodafone Ziggo & CableLabs.

Notes to Editors:

About GSMA

The GSMA is a global organization unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organizations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today's biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world's largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.

We invite you to find out more at gsma.com

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GURUGRAM, India, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia cold chain market is experiencing a frosty surge, driven by rising food security concerns, a booming pharmaceutical sector, and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies. Ken Research's comprehensive report, KSA Cold Chain Market Outlook to 2028: Chilled for Growth, delves into this dynamic landscape, projecting a remarkable 8.4% CAGR over the next five years. This press release summarizes the key findings and offers valuable insights for investors, logistics companies, and stakeholders seeking to tap into this flourishing market.

Market Overview:

Several key factors are propelling the KSA cold chain market towards a bright future:

Food Security Focus: The government's ambitious food security goals necessitate efficient cold chain infrastructure to minimize food spoilage and waste. This includes investments in refrigerated warehouses, transportation solutions, and advanced technologies.

The government's ambitious food security goals necessitate efficient cold chain infrastructure to minimize food spoilage and waste. This includes investments in refrigerated warehouses, transportation solutions, and advanced technologies. Pharmaceutical Boom: The Kingdom's burgeoning pharmaceutical industry requires robust cold chain solutions for transporting and storing temperature-sensitive medicines and vaccines. This presents a significant opportunity for specialized cold chain logistics providers.

The Kingdom's burgeoning pharmaceutical industry requires robust cold chain solutions for transporting and storing temperature-sensitive medicines and vaccines. This presents a significant opportunity for specialized cold chain logistics providers. E-commerce Growth: The rise of e-commerce for perishable goods like groceries and pharmaceuticals is driving demand for last-mile cold chain solutions. This necessitates the development of efficient and cost-effective delivery networks.

The rise of e-commerce for perishable goods like groceries and pharmaceuticals is driving demand for last-mile cold chain solutions. This necessitates the development of efficient and cost-effective delivery networks. Rising Disposable Incomes: Increasing disposable incomes are leading to higher consumption of fresh and processed food, further boosting the demand for cold chain solutions across the food retail sector.

Interested to Know More about this Report, Request a Free Sample Report

Segmentation Spotlight:

Ken Research provides a detailed segmentation of the market, allowing you to pinpoint your target audience effectively:

By Product: Fruits & Vegetables, Meat & Poultry, Seafood, Pharmaceuticals & Biologicals, and Dairy Products are the major segments.

Fruits & Vegetables, Meat & Poultry, Seafood, Pharmaceuticals & Biologicals, and Dairy Products are the major segments. By Service: Refrigerated transportation dominates, followed by cold storage and warehousing. Value-added services like packaging and temperature monitoring are gaining traction.

Refrigerated transportation dominates, followed by cold storage and warehousing. Value-added services like packaging and temperature monitoring are gaining traction. By End-user: Retail, food & beverage processing, and pharmaceuticals are the primary users. Healthcare and agriculture are expected to see significant growth.

Retail, food & beverage processing, and pharmaceuticals are the primary users. Healthcare and agriculture are expected to see significant growth. By Region: Riyadh, Jeddah , and Dammam hold the largest market share due to their high population density and economic activity. However, emerging regions are attracting investments in cold chain infrastructure.

Competitive Landscape:

The KSA cold chain market features a mix of established players and innovative newcomers:

Global Giants: DHL Supply Chain, Kuehne + Nagel, and C.H. Robinson Worldwide offer global expertise and extensive networks.

DHL Supply Chain, Kuehne + Nagel, and C.H. Robinson Worldwide offer global expertise and extensive networks. Regional Players: GAC Saudi Arabia, Saudi Logistics Services (SAL), and Al-Othaim Logistics cater to local needs and regulations.

GAC Saudi Arabia, Saudi Logistics Services (SAL), and Al-Othaim Logistics cater to local needs and regulations. Specialized Players: Niche players focus on specific segments like pharmaceuticals or last-mile delivery, offering customized solutions.

Recent Developments:

Investments in Infrastructure: Government initiatives like the National Cold Chain Strategy and the Food Security Program are driving investments in cold storage facilities, refrigerated trucks, and logistics hubs.

Government initiatives like the National Cold Chain Strategy and the Food Security Program are driving investments in cold storage facilities, refrigerated trucks, and logistics hubs. Tech Adoption: Companies are embracing technologies like blockchain for track & trace, Internet of Things (IoT) for real-time monitoring, and artificial intelligence (AI) for optimized route planning.

Companies are embracing technologies like blockchain for track & trace, Internet of Things (IoT) for real-time monitoring, and artificial intelligence (AI) for optimized route planning. Sustainability Initiatives: Growing awareness of environmental impact is leading to the adoption of green solutions like electric vehicles and energy-efficient cold storage facilities.

Visit this Link :- Request for custom report

Future Outlook:

The KSA cold chain market is poised for exciting developments in the coming years:

Focus on Sustainability: Environmentally friendly practices like using renewable energy and eco-friendly packaging will gain traction.

Environmentally friendly practices like using renewable energy and eco-friendly packaging will gain traction. Integration with Technology: Blockchain, AI, and automation will be further integrated into cold chain operations, enhancing efficiency and transparency.

Blockchain, AI, and automation will be further integrated into cold chain operations, enhancing efficiency and transparency. Rise of Specialized Services: Niche services like cold chain financing and risk management will cater to specific industry needs.

Niche services like cold chain financing and risk management will cater to specific industry needs. Expansion into Emerging Regions: Investments in infrastructure and growing demand will drive market expansion into new regions across the Kingdom.

Challenges to Address:

Despite its promising outlook, the market faces some hurdles:

High Initial Investment: The upfront costs of setting up and maintaining cold chain infrastructure can be a barrier for smaller players.

The upfront costs of setting up and maintaining cold chain infrastructure can be a barrier for smaller players. Skilled Workforce Shortage: Attracting and retaining skilled professionals in cold chain management and technology is crucial.

Attracting and retaining skilled professionals in cold chain management and technology is crucial. Regulatory Challenges: Streamlining regulations and harmonizing standards across different regions will facilitate seamless cold chain operations.

Why This Report Matters:

This report empowers various stakeholders to navigate the KSA cold chain market:

Investors: Identify lucrative investment opportunities across different segments and technologies.

Identify lucrative investment opportunities across different segments and technologies. Logistics companies: Gain insights into emerging trends, customer needs, and regulatory requirements to adapt their offerings and expand their reach.

Gain insights into emerging trends, customer needs, and regulatory requirements to adapt their offerings and expand their reach. Policymakers: Develop policies that support infrastructure development, promote technology adoption, and ensure fair market competition.

Develop policies that support infrastructure development, promote technology adoption, and ensure fair market competition. Food producers and retailers: Understand the cold chain landscape to optimize their supply chains, minimize spoilage, and ensure product quality.

Understand the cold chain landscape to optimize their supply chains, minimize spoilage, and ensure product quality. Pharmaceutical companies: Identify reliable cold chain solutions for transporting and storing temperature-sensitive medicines and vaccines.

Request free 30 minutes analyst call

Taxonomy

By Type

Cold Storage

Cold Transport

By Ownership

Owned

3PL Companies

By End User

Meat and Seafood

Vaccination and Pharmaceuticals

Frozen Food

Bakery

Dairy Products

Fruits, Vegetables and Others

Cold Storage Market

By Temperature Range

Frozen

Chillers

Ambient

By Automation

Automated Pallets

Non-Automated Pallets

By End User

Meat and Seafood

Vaccination and Pharmaceuticals

Frozen Food

Bakery

Dairy Products

Fruits, Vegetables and Others

By Major Cities

Riyadh

Jeddah

Dammam

Mecca

Medina

Others

Cold Transport Market

By Type of Truck

Reefer Vans/Trucks

20 foot reefers

40 foot reefers and others

By Mode of Transportation

Land

Sea

Air

By Location

Domestic

International

By Vicinity

Inter-city

Intra-city

By End User

Meat and Seafood

Vaccination and Pharmaceuticals

Frozen Food

Bakery

Dairy Products

Fruits, Vegetables and Others

For More Insights On Market Intelligence, Refer To The Link Below: 

KSA Cold Chain Market

Related Reports by Ken Research: 

Australia Cold Chain Market Outlook to 2027 Driven by Rising Meat and Seafood Consumption Owing to Growing demand for Fresh Food

The Australia cold chain market is anticipated to grow with a CAGR of 10.3% due to the ever-growing demand Majority of the end users' segments are expected to register a robust CAGR in the Australia Cold Chain Market in the upcoming years Demand for perishable food products is expected to increase due to the rising disposable income and retail spending of the people in the country, which will necessitate the development of cold storage facilities and positively affect the market growth.

UAE Cold Chain Market Outlook to 2027 Driven by rising consumption of dairy, meat and seafood, smooth domestic and international connectivity and automation in warehouses

UAE Cold Chain Market is expected to grow at the rate of 4.6% in the forecast period 2022-2027 UAE Cold Chain Market Revenues are expected to be dominated by Cold Storage with over 50% share in 2027 Revenue in UAE Cold Chain Market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 4.8% till 2027 due to rising grocery spending and demand for small and medium storages.

Vietnam Cold Chain Market Outlook to 2026 Driven by Rising Meat and Seafood Consumption and Increasing Awareness of Applying Cold Chain in Protecting Foods in Vietnam

The Vietnam cold chain market is anticipated to grow with a CAGR of 14.8% due to the ever-growing demand Rising demand in future for pharmaceutical products and vaccines are to contribute the highest growth in cold chain market with cold storage Large Scale 3PL Companies are anticipated to contribute the major market share in Vietnam cold chain market by ownership.

Global Cold Chain Market Outlook to 2027 Driven by Rising Import-Export Trade Volume and Domestic Consumption of Meat, Seafood, Fruits and Vegetable, the popularity of Ready to Eat frozen processed food

According to Ken Research estimates, the Global Cold Chain Market will expand at significant rate by 2027, owing to the growing demand of processed ready-to-eat food, rising export volumes, expanding storage capacity and new and advanced technologies.

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LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Contact Us:-

Ken Research Private Limited

Ankur Gupta, Director Strategy and Growth

Ankur@kenresearch.com

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Largest pro-Israel student gathering this year features remarks from key leaders, thought-provoking masterclass sessions and moments of togetherness

ATLANTA, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 800 pro-Israel student leaders convened in Atlanta for Hillel International's Israel Summit  the largest gathering of Jewish college students this year focused on Israel and countering anti-Jewish hate, at a time of rapidly rising antisemitism on college campuses.

Hillel International, the world's largest Jewish college organization with a presence on more than 850 campuses globally, has tracked more than 1,000 incidents of antisemitism on college campuses since October 7 alone. The Israel Summit included student leaders, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, from more than 200 campuses across the country.

Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International, who recently returned from a visit to Israel with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, told the student leaders assembled, "This moment calls for serious leadership. And that's why your coming together for this Israel Summit is so important. When I told the leaders I met that more than 800 pro-Israel students would be attending this convening, they were moved and inspired."

In addition to keynote remarks from Nova Music Festival survivor Millet Ben Haim, Soviet dissident and human rights activist Natan Sharansky, Clark Atlanta University President George French Jr., and Israeli government spokesperson and social media sensation Eylon Levy, along with a video address from Israeli President Isaac Herzog, student leaders took part in "masterclass" sessions featuring experts in campus advocacy, Middle East policy, Black and Jewish relationship-building, and Jewish communal leadership.

Session facilitators included Yair Rosenberg, staff writer at The Atlantic, Melissa Weiss, executive editor of Jewish Insider, Amb. Dennis Ross, a lead peace negotiator in Democratic and Republican administrations, Eylon Levy, Israeli government spokesperson, and Joshua Cohen, speechwriter and senior advisor at the U.S. Department of State. Renay Blumenthal, vice president of The Marcus Foundation, a leading supporter of Israel Summit, addressed the students at a gala dinner at the Georgia Aquarium.

Jillian Lederman, a senior at Brown University and chair of Hillel's Israel Leadership Network, told attendees at the gala dinner at the Georgia Aquarium, "Sitting at these tables are students who have authored op-eds, appeared on national television stations, crushed BDS resolutions, and testified before the United States Congress. They are joined by Hillel professionals who have sacrificed their days, nights, time, sleep, and sanity to be constant fonts of support and advice. During what could have been our very loneliest moments on campus, the Jewish community has never been more closely connected than it is today."

Matthew Bronfman, chair of Hillel International's Board of Governors, praised the student leaders, sharing, "You are leading your campuses to stand strong with Israel and stand up against hate, anti-Zionism and antisemitism. You brought thousands of your peers to Washington this past November to March for Israel, and you have ensured that the hostages remain constantly in the hearts and prayers of your campus communities. You have the ability to make sense out of the chaos, and you provide each of us with what we as a community need most right now  hope."

This year's Israel Summit, the seventh, is the largest gathering of pro-Israel student leaders this year. When students return to campus, they will continue to benefit from Hillel's Israel Leadership Network, the largest pro-Israel student leadership body, as they lead on their individual campuses.

For more information on Israel Summit, Hillel's tracking of antisemitic incidents on campus, and broader work of fostering Jewish student community in the face of hate, please contact Blake Goodman at [email protected] or (202) 531-6404.

About Hillel International

Founded in 1923, Hillel has been enriching the lives of Jewish students for 100 years. Today, Hillel International is a global organization that welcomes students of all backgrounds and fosters an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel. Hillel is dedicated to enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. As the largest and most welcoming Jewish student organization in the world, Hillel builds connections with emerging adults at more than 850 colleges and universities, and inspires them to direct their own path. During their formative college years, students are challenged to explore, experience, and create vibrant Jewish lives.

SOURCE Hillel International
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. The editor-in-chief of the Paris-based La Gazette du Caucase online newspaper, renowned French journalist Jean-Michel Brun has published an article on the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly genocide, Trend reports.

"It has been 32 years since the Armenian Armed Forces committed this crime, the horror of which surpasses all imagination. Those who managed to escape the attackers were killed in the forest where they had sought refuge, while others died of cold or were seriously wounded. Most of them were women, children, and elderly people.

The Armenian invasion resulted in the occupation of more than 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, killing more than 20,000 people. More than 50,000 people were wounded or crippled. More than a million civilians, victims of the Armenian policy of ethnic cleansing, lived as refugees, internally displaced persons for almost three decades," the author writes.

Jean-Michel Brun emphasized that no sanctions have been taken against Armenia for these crimes - neither by the US nor by the European Union.

"The same is true for France, which has never condemned Armenia for the occupation of a sovereign country, nor for ethnic cleansing, nor the Khojaly genocide. On the contrary, several French cities signed twinning agreements with Azerbaijani cities that were under Armenian occupation at the time," Brun noted.

The article further points out that when Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hoisted the national flag in the town of Khojaly on October 15 last year, it was a historic event marking the restoration of justice for all Azerbaijanis.

"Today, large-scale construction and reconstruction works are underway in Khojaly. Hundreds of houses are being revived from ruins. The construction of roads, communication, water supply, sewerage, electricity, and other main lines in the city is being completed. Resettlement of residents will begin very soon. According to the local authorities, 50 families are expected to return to Khojaly within the first six months of this year. Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty have thus already been restored, and 32 years after the tragedy, Khojaly is being revived," said Brun in the conclusion.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
New hub in Krakow marks ActiveCampaign's strategic move to strengthen global operations and technical expertise

KRAKOW, Poland, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ActiveCampaign, the must-have platform for intelligent marketing automation, announced the future opening of its newest hub in Krakow, Poland. This strategic expansion underscores ActiveCampaign's commitment to strengthening its global presence and enhancing its services to better serve customers worldwide. The physical hub is set to open later this year, and the company is interviewing and hiring employees today.

ActiveCampaign Expands Global Footprint with New Hub in Krakow, Poland

The Krakow hub represents a significant investment in the region, reflecting ActiveCampaign's dedication to providing localized support and resources for its growing customer base. The company plans to focus on hiring engineers and product professionals to bolster its technical capabilities, innovation, and product development efforts.

"We are looking forward to establishing our presence in Krakow and welcome talented individuals to join our team as we continue to innovate and deliver exceptional experiences for our customers," said Jason VandeBoom, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ActiveCampaign. "Expanding our operations to Krakow enables us to tap into a rich pool of technical expertise and further elevate our platform to meet the evolving needs of businesses globally."

ActiveCampaign's expansion into Krakow comes at a time of rapid growth for the company, driven by increasing demand for its intelligent marketing automation solutions. By establishing a presence in Poland, ActiveCampaign aims to better serve its European customers and strengthen its position as a leader in the industry.

The company is actively recruiting top talent in Krakow, focusing on hiring engineers and product professionals passionate about driving innovation and delivering value to customers. Interested candidates are encouraged to visit the ActiveCampaign careers page for more information on available opportunities.

"We are excited to join the vibrant tech community in Poland and contribute to the region's thriving ecosystem," said Tony Newcome, Chief Technology Officer of ActiveCampaign. "With our new hub, we look forward to building a diverse team of talented individuals who share our vision of helping small teams power big businesses with intelligent marketing automation."

ActiveCampaign's expansion into Krakow emphasizes the company's commitment to innovation, growth, and the customer experience. Krakow will be the company's 7th global hub, joining Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ireland, and two in the United States.

About ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign helps small teams power big businesses with the must-have platform for intelligent marketing automation. Customers from over 170 countries depend on ActiveCampaign's mix of pre-built automations and integrations (including Facebook, Google, WordPress, Salesforce, Shopify, and Square) to power personalized marketing, transactional emails, and one-to-one CRM interactions throughout the customer lifecycle.

ActiveCampaign holds the highest customer satisfaction rating among Marketing Automation, E-Commerce Personalization, Landing Page Builders, and CRM solutions on G2.com and is one of only a handful of software solutions with over 10,000 positive reviews. ActiveCampaign has also been named the Top Rated Email Marketing Software on TrustRadius. Learn more and start your free trial at ActiveCampaign.com .

SOURCE ActiveCampaign, LLC
At Distributech International 2024, Aetheros shares details on its open, secure, edge computing and communications software platform for mission critical, large-scale, smart electricity networks

SAUSALITO, Calif., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Aetheros, a leading provider of IoT networking software and hardware products, today announced that it has added GSMA Remote SIM Provisioning support to its flagship software product AetherOS (AOS). Utilities customers can now provision their smart grid eSIMs for the fast, reliable and secure AT&T nationwide network.

In North America, AetherOS is available on the Aclara I-210+c and kV2c Gen 5 smart meters. Utilities need secure, reliable and resilient wireless connectivity to deliver new services to customers and connect to their customers' smart meters. With remote SIM provisioning, utility companies have the power of choice and flexibility to deploy AMI 2.0 on public, private or hybrid networks.

"Working with AT&T, we have developed a secure and scalable eSIM solution for utility companies that want to build out private 4G/5G LTE networks," said Ray Bell, Founder and CEO of Aetheros. "By adding eSIM support to AOS, these utilities now have a zero-cost option for migrating their smart meters between their private and public LTE networks."

AetherOS is an open standards-based network operating system and edge computing platform based on Linux. At the core of AOS is its oneM2M compliant IoT Service Layer software with integrated OMA SpecWorks compliant LightweightM2M support, that together provide devices and applications with secure, reliable, and scalable device, application, and network management services. This rich set of services provided by the AOS open standards based IoT Service Layer enables utilities to securely and rapidly deploy and manage their intelligent edge applications on market leading residential, commercial and industrial smart meters.

"AT&T is committed to assisting utilities that are using advanced 4G/5G cellular networking in their next-generation smart metering infrastructure network buildouts," said David Garver, Area Vice President, AT&T Connected Solutions. "AT&T has a long history of working with utilities customers providing fast, reliable and secure telecommunications services. By working with Aetheros to deliver eSIM support for smart meters, AT&T is empowering utilities to deploy LTE smart meters on the AT&T nationwide network and their private networks."

Aetheros Inc. is a leading provider of IoT networking software and hardware products. Our products are deployed in mission critical, large-scale, smart grid networks in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico, meeting our customer's reporting metrics of 99% and delivering over 4 Billion+ meter reads daily to the retail energy markets. Aetherosmex S de RL de CV, our subsidiary, offers Managed IoT Device, Application, and Network Management Services throughout Mexico.

 2024 Aetheros. All rights reserved. Aetheros, AetherOS, AOS, Aetheros Edison names, logos and slogans, and all other names, logos and slogans identifying Aetheros' products and services the registered trademarks or service marks of Aetheros Inc. All other names, logos, and slogans belong to their respective owners.

Contact: PR@aetheros.com for more information, or visit us at www.aetheros.com

SOURCE Aetheros Inc.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Land Title Association (ALTA), AARP and the Southeast Land Title Association (SLTA) applaud Georgia Attorney General Christopher Carr for his efforts to combat unfair and deceptive practices in the Georgia real estate market by filing a complaint against Florida-based real estate brokerage MV Realty and certain affiliates for filing unfair real estate fee agreements in property records, known as Non-Title Recorded Agreements for Personal Services (NTRAPS). This practice preys upon homeowners, offering small cash gifts in exchange for decades-long contracts for the exclusive rights to sell the property.

"The property rights of American homebuyers must be protected," said ALTA Vice President of Government Affairs Elizabeth Blosser. "A home often is a consumer's largest investment, and we have to ensure there are no unreasonable restraints on a homebuyer's future ability to sell or refinance their property due to unwarranted transactional costs."

"Attorney General Carr's actions and the steps taken by the Georgia legislature to pass legislation to prohibit such predatory business practices are a great example of how the judiciary and the legislature can come together to protect homeowners and their rights," said AARP Government Affairs Director Samar Jha.

Attorney General Carr is the ninth attorney general to sue MV Realty over its "Homeowner Benefit Program." Eight other attorneys general filed lawsuits, including New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Indiana Attorney General Todd Rotika.

"Congratulations to Attorney General Carr for filing suit against MV Realty, its affiliates and others pursuant to the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act," said Deborah Bailey Esq., ALTA Board Governor and co-chair of SLTA's Georgia Governmental Affairs Committee. "Consumers deserve protection against predatory business models. Georgia is demonstrating to the country that it is possible to be a top state for conducting business while simultaneously protecting consumers. This filing underscores the importance of companies that are marketing innovative financial products to do so in a responsible manner. Companies doing business in Georgia, like any other state, have a responsibility to protect consumers and to make sure their products are safe, legal and ethical."

"AARP is helping older adults steer clear from fraud, scams and other unscrupulous practices that threaten their economic security and savings," said Debra Tyler-Horton, State Director of AARP Georgia. "Stopping unfair service agreements is an important way to protect what is often someone's most valuable asset, their home. We thank Attorney General Carr for looking into this predatory business model that targets older adults and financially insecure homeowners."

In 2023, 16 states passed legislation protecting homeowners from the predatory practice of filing NTRAPS in property records.

The American Land Title Association, founded in 1907, is a national trade association representing more than 6,000 title insurance companies, title and settlement agents, independent abstracters, title searchers and real estate attorneys.

CONTACT: Megan Hernandez, 14405541937, [email protected]

SOURCE American Land Title Association
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Transportation Research Institute today issued a request for motor carriers to participate in ATRI's annual update to its Operational Costs of Trucking report.

ATRI's Operational Costs of Trucking is one of the most trusted resources in the industry for benchmarking costs and operations. ATRI collects data confidentially from for-hire motor carriers of all sectors, regions, and sizes  from 1-truck owner-operators to 10,000-truck fleets  to produce insights on key industry trends that guide decision-makers of all kinds.

Cost metrics requested by ATRI include driver pay, insurance premiums, and equipment lease or purchase payments. Carriers and owner-operators can submit these costs for the year 2023 on a per-mile or per-hour basis with an easy-to-use online data entry form or an emailed PDF form. Additional questions cover operational metrics such as the percentage of empty miles, dwell time per stop, and driver turnover.

All participating motor carriers receive a customized report that compares their fleet's costs and operations to peer carriers of the same sector and size, as well as an advance copy of the full report.

"We contribute data to ATRI's Operational Costs every year because its findings are indispensable to our operations," said Jason Higginbotham, Ozark Motor Lines Chief Financial Officer. "The customized peer-group analysis provides us an essential update on how our fleet performs, while the full report allows us to identify industry-wide trends and communicate them to our partners."

For-hire motor carriers are encouraged to provide operational cost data to ATRI by Friday, April 26, 2024. ATRI's data collection form is available online here, along with a sample customized report and FAQ. All confidential information is protected, and it is published only in anonymized, aggregate form.

ATRI is the trucking industry's 501c3 not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation's essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.

SOURCE American Transportation Research Institute
NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The automotive anti-pinch power window system market is estimated to grow by USD 2.37 billion from 2022 to 2027, growing at a CAGR of 10.51%. Based on Geography, the market is classified as APAC, Europe, North America, Middle East and Africa, and South America. APAC will have the largest share of the market. APAC is estimated to contribute 36% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period. Some of the main countries that are significantly fuelling the growth of the anti-pinch power window system in APAC are China, Japan, and Australia. There is increasing demand from emerging markets like India, China, Thailand, and Indonesia, which is driving market growth. Additionally, advancements in technology, growing product awareness, and the inclusion of safety norms in several countries are expected to further fuel market expansion. This development is influenced by factors such as consumer preferences, vehicle automation, touch-sensitive technology, anti-trap features, automotive sensors, electric vehicle (EV), market growth, user experience, power window mechanism, energy efficiency, and the competitive landscape, shaping the future of luxury vehicle markets in the APAC region. Download a sample report

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Automotive Anti-pinch Power Window System Market 2023-2027

Report Coverage Details Page number 170 Base year 2022 Historic period 2017-2021 Forecast period 2023-2027 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 10.51% Market growth 2023-2027 USD 2,367.04 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023(%) 10.27 Regional analysis APAC, Europe, North America, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 36% Key countries US, China, Japan, Germany, and UK

The automotive anti-pinch power window system market is fragmented owing to the presence of many global and regional companies. A few prominent companies that offer automotive anti-pinch power window system market are Acsysteme, Brose Fahrzeugteile SE and Co. KG, Continental AG, DENSO Corp., Grupo Antolin Irausa SA, Inteva Products LLC, Leopold Kostal GmbH and Co KG, LITE ON Technology Corp., Mabuchi Motor Co. Ltd., Magna International Inc., Microchip Technology Inc., Nidec Corp., NSB Classic PTE LTD, NXP Semiconductors NV, Panasonic Holdings Corp., Robert Bosch GmbH, Stoneridge Inc., Texas Instruments Inc., Valeo SA, and Mitsuba Corp. The report provides a full list of key companies, their strategies, and the latest developments. Download Sample before buying

Key company offerings are

Acsysteme: The company offers automotive anti-pinch power window system with physical sensor, and soft sensor which consists of real time evaluation of resistive efforts preventing the door from closing.

The company offers automotive anti-pinch power window system with physical sensor, and soft sensor which consists of real time evaluation of resistive efforts preventing the door from closing. Brose Fahrzeugteile SE and Co. KG: The company offers crank drive for lowerable windows that maximize the scope of delivering with aluminum inner dool panel with sensor technology.

The company offers crank drive for lowerable windows that maximize the scope of delivering with aluminum inner dool panel with sensor technology. Continental AG: The company offers intelligent power window lifter control units which are controlled with body control modules, door control units.

The company offers intelligent power window lifter control units which are controlled with body control modules, door control units. For details on companies and their offerings. Buy the report!

Increasing safety systems in the automotive industry is a key factor driving market growth. The increasing popularity of additive manufacturing in the automotive industry is a major trend . Increasing cost pressure for OEMs is a significant challenge

Growth by the luxury vehicle segment is significant growth during the forecast period. Luxury vehicles represent a category of automobiles designed to evoke exclusivity and elevate brand prestige. Notably, this segment features advanced anti-pinch power window systems, enhancing safety and convenience. Luxury vehicles are characterized by their higher price tags compared to other vehicle types. German automakers, particularly Mercedes-Benz, dominate this segment globally. The demand for luxury SUVs is growing, leading to an expansion in this market segment. This trend is evident in both developed markets like the US and emerging markets like China , driving segment growth. These developments are influenced by various factors such as Automotive, Anti-pinch, Power window, Safety, Vehicle, Window control, Automotive technology, Market trends, Electric windows, Sensor technology, Smart automotive systems, Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), Passenger safety, Regulatory compliance, Motorized windows, Automotive electronics, Innovation, Automotive aftermarket, and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), reflecting the comprehensive landscape of luxury vehicle trends and technologies. Technavio Research experts have provided more insights on the market share of segments. View the Sample Report

Analyst Review

The market is witnessing significant growth driven by increasing concerns over safety and regulatory requirements. This technology, employing sensors, prevents accidents by detecting obstacles, safeguarding occupants from injuries. Automakers, particularly in emerging countries like India, China, Brazil, and South Africa, are prioritizing safety systems to comply with stringent regulations. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers collaborate to integrate anti-pinch technology seamlessly, mitigating risks of system failure. Tier 1 players are crucial in manufacturing motors for power windows, meeting demand from manufacturers globally, including in the U.S., China, India, South Korea, and the U.K. The aftermarket segment also sees traction as consumers seek to retrofit safety features into existing passenger cars, contributing to the broader trend of vehicle electrification.

In today's automotive landscape, safety regulations dictate the direction of market trends, emphasizing passenger safety over all else. However, there's a notable surge over safety in some corners of the industry, particularly among automakers vying for competitive intensity. The Asian giants, including key market players, are investing heavily in innovative technology like anti-pinch power window systems, addressing concerns regarding obstruction and enhancing overall safety features. This investment extends beyond developed markets, with a keen eye on developing countries where private vehicles are on the rise. OEMs and suppliers are crucial in driving these advancements, recognizing the key benefits they offer in improving living conditions worldwide. Research methodology continues to refine these solutions, ensuring market relevance and efficacy.

The market is driven by factors like vehicle economy and safety systems, catering to diverse needs in utility cars. Its growth is influenced by socioeconomic conditions impacting consumer preferences. Forecasted market size suggests promising opportunities, propelled by trends favoring advanced safety features. A thorough competitive analysis reveals key players focusing on product innovation, price competitiveness, and financial position stability, evident in their diverse product portfolio. Growth strategies emphasize regional expansion and enhancing regional presence. For investors, this market offers a comprehensive investor's guide, outlining potential returns and risks. View the Sample Report

The automotive purge valve market size is forecast to increase by USD 973.87 million, at a CAGR of 4.7% between 2023 and 2028.

The automotive racing seat market size is forecast to increase by USD 909.61 million, at a CAGR of 11.45% between 2023 and 2028.

TOC:

1 Executive Summary

2 Landscape

3 Sizing

4 Historic Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Segmentations

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Vendor Landscape

11 Vendor Analysis

12 Appendix

About US

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact US:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.co

SOURCE Technavio
JERSEY CITY, N.J., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd. announces the release of a market assessment report on the "Global Digital Agriculture Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Offerings (Advisory Services, Precision Agriculture & Farm Management, Quality Management & Traceability, Digital Procurement, Agri E-Commerce, And Financial Services), Technology (Peripheral, Core), Operation (Farming & Feeding, Monitoring & Scouting, Marketing & Demand Generation) Type (Hardware, Software, Services), Region, Market Outlook And Industry Analysis 2031"

The Global Digital Agriculture Market is estimated to reach over USD 51.35 billion by 2031, exhibiting a CAGR of 11.55% during the forecast period.

Digital Agriculture Market Report Scope:

Report Attribute Specifications Market size value in 2023 USD 21.72 Bn Revenue forecast in 2031 USD 51.35 Bn Growth Rate CAGR CAGR of 8.9% from 2024 to 2031 Quantitative Units Representation of revenue in US$ Million and CAGR from 2024 to 2031 Historic Year 2019 to 2023 Forecast Year 2024-2031 Report Coverage The forecast of revenue, the position of the company, the competitive market structure, growth prospects, and trends Segments Covered By Offering, Technology, Operation, And Type Regional Scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; Middle East & Africa Country Scope U.S.; Canada; U.K.; Germany; China; India; Japan; Brazil; Mexico; France; Italy; Spain; Southeast Asia; South Korea

Request for Free Sample Pages: https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/request-sample/2321

Digital agriculture applies cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics. Moreover, it employs automated systems, smart crop sensors, and drones to track how farmers use water, fertilizer, pesticides, and crops to get the most out of their crops. The demand for food is rising in tandem with the world population because of the scarcity of arable land. Digital agriculture has emerged as a solution for better crop monitoring and management to address the need for food security and environmentally responsible farming methods. Rising food consumption due to the world's rapidly expanding population is one of numerous reasons for the recent market explosion.

Furthermore, demand for autonomous agricultural equipment is growing in many nations due to a need for workable workers. Not to mention that creative irrigation techniques are being used increasingly due to the growing water scarcity. With everything mentioned above, it's no wonder the digital farming business is expected to flourish. However, digital agriculture technology requires significant initial investments for acquisition, setup, and training. Due to this cost, smaller or less financially stable farmers may need help accessing specific markets.

List of Prominent Players in the Digital Agriculture Market:

Cisco Systems, Inc. (US)

IBM Corporation (US)

Accenture ( Ireland )

) Trimble Inc. (US)

Deere & Company (US)

Epicor Software Corporation (US)

Hexagon AB ( Sweden )

) Bayer AG ( Germany )

) AGCO Corporation (US)

Vodafone Group PLC (UK)

Market Dynamics:

Drivers-

The growing demand for the digital agriculture market is fueled because more and more people are learning about the benefits of digital agriculture for crop yields, and the worldwide market for agricultural products and services has grown substantially.

One of the main factors propelling the digital agriculture market is the positive impact that technological breakthroughs and innovations have on farmers' ability to maximize output while decreasing losses and optimizing resource utilization. As precision agriculture technology becomes more widely used, the digital agriculture market experiences global expansion.

Challenges:

The prime challenge is insufficient technological knowledge, a shortage of competent individuals, and a lack of norms and protocol because of lockdowns and isolation in emerging countries, which is predicted to slow the growth of the digital agriculture market. More people need to learn about digital agriculture and participate in training programs for these technologies to be widely used and effective. That could be a setback for digital agriculture's chances of bringing about a farming sector revolution and generally boosting agricultural sustainability and production.

Regional Trends:

The North American digital agriculture market is anticipated to register a major market share in terms of revenue. It is projected to grow at a high CAGR in the near future because renowned producers of agricultural equipment are located there. Market growth in North America is expected to be driven by increasing government efforts and guidelines to enhance the agriculture industry over the projected period. Besides, Europe had a substantial share in the market because of the dependable producers' financial situation, availability of cutting-edge technology, solid infrastructure, and enhanced supply network. With the support of an efficient administrative system, farmers may learn all they need to know to operate and maintain precision farming equipment, which should increase demand in the e-commerce agricultural market in the area.

Curious about this latest version of the report? @ https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/enquiry-before-buying/2321

Recent Developments:

In January 2024 , Trimble introduced the Connected Climate Exchange, a carbon marketplace. Its goal is to make the agricultural supply chain more sustainable by linking and collecting verifiable data from all points along the chain. The new sustainability solutions from Trimble can help businesses scale their operations while decreasing their carbon footprint, which is crucial for reaching zero-carbon targets.

, Trimble introduced the Connected Climate Exchange, a carbon marketplace. Its goal is to make the agricultural supply chain more sustainable by linking and collecting verifiable data from all points along the chain. The new sustainability solutions from Trimble can help businesses scale their operations while decreasing their carbon footprint, which is crucial for reaching zero-carbon targets. In January 2024 , Agriculture & Agribusiness Company AGCO launched FarmerCore, a revolutionary worldwide program to provide farmers and dealers with an experience like never before. The new end-to-end distribution model is a significant step forward for AGCO's Farmer-First strategy. It demonstrates their dedication to assisting farmers worldwide in improving their profitability, productivity, and sustainability.

Segmentation of Digital Agriculture Market-

Digital Agriculture Market By Offering-

Advisory Services

Precision Agriculture & Farm Management

Quality Management & Traceability

Digital Procurement

Agri e-Commerce

Financial Services

Digital Agriculture Market By Technology-

Peripheral Technology Platforms Apps

Core Technology Automation Drones Robotics AI/ML



Digital Agriculture Market By Operation-

Farming & Feeding Precision Agriculture Precision Animal Rearing & Feeding Precision Aquaculture Precision Forestry Smart Greenhouse

Monitoring & Scouting

Marketing & Demand Generation

Digital Agriculture Market By Type-

Hardware Automation & Control Systems Drones/UAVs Irrigation Controllers GPS/GNSS Flow & Application Control Devices Guidance & Steering Handheld Mobile Device/Handheld Computers Displays Harvesters & Forwarders Variable Rate Controllers Control Systems Robotic Hardware VAC Systems LED Grow Lights Other Automation & Control Systems Sensing & Monitoring Devices Yield Monitors Soil Sensors Water Sensors Climate Sensors Camera Systems FID & Sensors for Precision Forestry Temperature & Environment Monitoring Sensors pH & Dissolved Oxygen Sensors C Sensors FID Tags & Readers for Livestock Monitoring Sensors for Livestock Monitoring Sensors for Smart Greenhouse Other Sensing & Monitoring Devices

Software On-cloud On-premises AI & Data Analytics

Services System Integration & Consulting Data Collection & Analytical Services Connectivity Services Assistant Professional Services Maintenance & Support Services



By Region-

North America-

The US

Canada

Mexico

Europe-

Germany

The UK

France

Italy

Spain

Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific-

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Southeast Asia

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America-

Brazil

Argentina

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa-

GCC Countries

South Africa

Rest of the Middle East and Africa

For More Customization @ https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/customisation/2321

Why should buy this report:

To receive a comprehensive analysis of the prospects for global Digital Agriculture market

To receive industry overview and future trends of global Digital Agriculture market

To analyze the Digital Agriculture market drivers and challenges

To get information on the Digital Agriculture market size value (US$ Mn) forecast till 2031

Major Investments, Mergers & Acquisition in global Digital Agriculture market industry

Other Related Reports Published by InsightAce Analytic:

Farm Management Software and Data Analytics Market

Precision Farming Market

Augmented Reality In Agriculture Market

Smart Farming Market

Autonomous Agriculture Equipment Market

About Us:

InsightAce Analytic is a market research and consulting firm that enables clients to make strategic decisions. Our qualitative and quantitative market intelligence solutions inform the need for market and competitive intelligence to expand businesses. We help clients gain competitive advantage by identifying untapped markets, exploring new and competing technologies, segmenting potential markets and repositioning products. Our expertise is in providing syndicated and custom market intelligence reports with an in-depth analysis with key market insights in a timely and cost-effective manner.

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SOURCE InsightAce Analytics Pvt. Ltd.
CHICAGO, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 1st, Democrats for the Illinois House will kick off Women's History Month with a fundraising event celebrating some of Illinois' most dynamic women in power. The annual Women's History Month event hosted by Speaker Welch and House Democrats is designed to encourage, motivate, and inspire women in leadership. This year's program features our very own Chairwoman of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Minyon Moore.

This years honorees include Chairwoman Moore, Assistant Majority Leader Camille Lilly, Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates, and Triveni Institute Founder and Director Jordan Parker.

"I am truly honored to be recognized by Speaker Welch and the Democrats for the Illinois House in celebration of Women's History Month in my hometown of Chicago," says Moore. "The esteemed women being recognized for their incomparable achievements in their fields deserve to be celebrated not just this month, but every single day. I am humbled to be amongst this distinguished group of leaders who continue to fight for a more just and equitable society for us all. I look forward to working with them and all of Chicago to ensure the 2024 Convention is one that makes all Chicagoans proud."

Speaker Welch and Democrats for the Illinois House agree.

"When we have women in power, there is no limit to what we can accomplish. Women leaders are compassionate. They are inclusive. And they get the job done. I look forward to honoring this exceptional group of women who will headline Women in Power and all of the women across our state who lift our communities every day. In Illinois, we are lucky to have some of the fiercest advocates in the country who are making historic strides in the fight for equity and inclusion and standing tall for the next generation."

This year's honorees include Chairwoman Moore, Assistant Majority Leader Camille Lilly, Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates, and Triveni Institute Founder and Director Jordan Parker.

Women in Power will be held at RPM Events [317 N. Clark Street | Chicago] from 1-3 PM. There will be a special photo line with Chairwoman Moore and Speaker Welch for those who purchase sponsorships. Tickets are limited and can be purchased at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/womeninpower24 . Pre-purchased tickets are highly encouraged. Attendees can also RSVP by emailing [email protected].

This event is closed to the press.

SOURCE Democrats for the Illinois House
12th annual program recognizes African American leaders and their contributions to the Commonwealth

Honorees include a Navy Commanding Officer, NASA Project Director, Sheriff, and Dentist

Four high school student finalists of creative contest also recognized

RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation and the Library of Virginia are pleased to announce the 2024 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History honorees and Student Creative Expressions Contest finalists.

This annual program recognizes notable African American business and community leaders who have overcome obstacles to make significant impacts across the state.

"We are proud to honor changemakers whose efforts have strengthened their communities for generations to come," said Bill Murray, Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications at Dominion Energy. "The Strong Men & Women in Virginia History honorees serve as role models for helping every community to thrive."

Members of the armed forces, engineers, medical professionals, community leaders, educators, writers, judges, and elected officials have been celebrated throughout the program's history.

"The Library of Virginia is proud to recognize African Americans who have made significant contributions in their respective fields and in the lives of citizens of the Commonwealth," said Librarian of Virginia Dennis T. Clark. "This year's honorees offer powerful success stories that reflect rich legacies of excellence."

The 2024 honorees:

Captain Janet H. Days

Navy Commanding Officer, Norfolk

R. Tyrone Foster

Sheriff, Bristol

Dr. Erma L. Freeman

Dentist, Mecklenburg

Gregory L. Robinson

NASA Project Director, Manassas

The leaders were celebrated at a reception and private dinner on Thursday in Richmond. Each honoree was provided the opportunity to choose a nonprofit to receive a $5,000 grant from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation. Along with the event, the Library of Virginia will host a traveling exhibition featuring each of the honorees and their biographical information. The exhibition will be on display at various community, business, and educational institutions throughout the year so that Virginians can learn about these outstanding leaders and their contributions to the Commonwealth.

In 2013, Strong Men & Women in Virginia History was born when the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation and the Library of Virginia began a new educational initiative that merged two phenomenal Black History Month programs: Dominion Energy's 22-year-old series, Strong Men & Women: Excellence in Leadership and the Library of Virginia's eight-year-old program, African American Trailblazers in Virginia History.

As part of the initiative, Virginia high school students can participate in a creative contest to honor outstanding African Americans and share stories they feel may be missing from the mainstream narrative.

The 2024 Student Creative Expressions Contest finalists:

Bezawit Abate

Potomac Senior High School, Prince William County

Justin Kidd Jones

Richmond Community High School, Richmond

Katelyn Luu

Cosby High School, Chesterfield County

Angelina Nair

Grafton High School, York County

The winner of the student creative contest was Katelyn Luu from Cosby High School who wrote about Udine Smith Moore, known as "Dean of Black Women Composers." In honor of her efforts, Katelyn's school received $2,000.

Each student received an Apple MacBook Air laptop and money for their school.

For more information on Strong Men & Women in Virginia History, photos and full honoree biographical information, go to: Strong Men & Women in Virginia History - Library of Virginia Education.

About the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation

About 7 million customers in 15 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D). Through its Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation as well as EnergyShare and other programs, Dominion Energy contributed $46.7 million in 2023 to community causes. The Foundation supports nonprofit causes that meet basic human needs, protect the environment, promote education, and encourage community vitality. Please visit www.DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

About the Library of Virginia

The Library of Virginia is the state's oldest institution dedicated to the preservation of Virginia's history and culture. Our online offerings attract nearly 4 million website visits per year, and our resources, exhibitions and events bring in nearly 100,000 visitors each year. The Library's collections, containing more than 130 million items, document and illustrate the lives of both famous Virginians and ordinary citizens. The Library is located in downtown Richmond near Capitol Square at 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Learn more at www.lva.virginia.gov.

SOURCE Dominion Energy
EQBMED is a collaborative, community-based partnership to address diversity in clinical trials supported by grant funding from PhRMA

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Equitable Breakthroughs in Medicine Development (EQBMED), led by Yale School of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, the Research Centers in Minority Institutions Coordinating Center (RCMI) at Morehouse School of Medicine, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, is a partnership bringing clinical trial sites closer to the community to further equity and access for diverse populations. Today, EQBMED announced the selection of the first four Learning Phase sites, moving the needle closer to a scalable and sustainable clinical trial model in historically underserved communities. The partnerships include:

Morehouse School of Medicine and Grady Health System in Atlanta , Georgia;

Yale School of Medicine and Medical University of South Carolina in Florence , South Carolina;

Research Centers in Minority Institutions Coordinating Center (RCMI) at Morehouse School of Medicine , Texas Southern University in Houston and University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas ; and

and Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Meharry Medical College in Nashville , Tennessee.

The selection of these sites is part of EQBMED's plan to identify an initial 10 community-facing clinical trial sites in historically underrepresented communities of color across the country.

EQBMED's multi-stakeholder model employs a holistic approach that considers the baseline capabilities of each site, allowing EQBMED to focus on creating opportunities for communities of color to participate and stay true to the program's mission to promote clinical trial access and education.

The EQBMED model stands out from others in the field because of its collaborative approach to working with local sites and trusted voices within the community to address critical barriers facing communities of color and rural residents. The program works to increase awareness of clinical trials, address misinformation and historical mistrust, while ensuring the trial is easily accessible.

The EQBMED partnership meets sites where they are, building on their strengths and capabilities to become sustainable within the clinical trial ecosystem. This means developing a tailored approach to each site, which could include, fostering sustainable partnerships with community-based organizations and leaders, enhancing technology capabilities, augmenting infrastructure, and providing funding for dedicated personnel.

This tailored approach drove the development of a new model to consider site readiness  the site maturity assessment model  which enables a site to identify its current capabilities as well as aspirations and co-develop a roadmap to achieve them. The maturity model enables tracking progress at each site over time toward reaching the definition of success agreed upon by the community, trial sites, and EQBMED while maintaining the necessary scientific standards and metrics for quality in clinical trial research.

"Advancing health equity, which includes diverse participation in clinical trials, means meeting individuals where they are, building trust, and responding to the needs of communities. This has continued to be a priority of the Yale School of Medicine," said Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, MD, MHS, Associate Dean for Health Equity Research, and C.N.H Long Professor of Internal Medicine, Public Health, and Management at Yale University. "Establishing trust is step one in cultivating meaningful collaboration with communities. Our goal of having steadfast commitment to inclusivity and advancements in healthcare can only be achievable through genuine investment and an authentic establishment of trust over time."

"We stand at a thrilling crossroads, having approached our efforts with intentionality, to foster meaningful connections with both our sites and communities," said Tesheia Johnson, MBA, MHS, Chief Strategy Officer at Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI) at Yale School of Medicine. "Our site model has made incredible strides towards breaking barriers and fostering genuine partnership, building toward collective success in every step."

Each EQBMED network partner is aligned with one of the four current sites and brings their individual strengths and opportunities, while serving in a mentor role to help each site thrive and meet their goals.

"Backed by a rich history, this diverse mix of clinical trial sites saves lives by giving their patients  the Atlanta, Florence, Houston, Galveston and Nashville communities  an opportunity to advance the science of lifesaving medicines as well as benefit from this extraordinary work," said Dr. Priscilla Pemu, MD, MS, FACP, Associate Dean for Clinical Research and Professor of Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine. "EQBMED is making real progress towards equitable access to clinical trials and enhancing these sites with needed resources."

"We are seeking to address systemic barriers that underserved patients often face when it comes to clinical trials, including a lack of outreach, patient mistrust, and a lack of clinical trial infrastructure in historically underserved communities," said Dr. Elizabeth Ofili, MD, MPH, FACC, Professor of Medicine and Principal Investigator of the RCMI Coordinating Center at Morehouse School of Medicine. "The RCMI Coordinating Center and research consortium are pleased to partner with EQBMED to accelerate drug discovery for the benefit of our communities."

"There are myriad challenges to overcome if we want to address the racial and economic disparities in clinical trials and health care. Moreover, communities of color are not a monolith, so we cannot expect any two sites to require the same solutions. I am excited to be working with a team that understands that unique needs require unique solutions, and I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues on this necessary and crucial initiative," said Dr. Peter Embi, MD, MS, FACP, FACMI, FAMIA, FIAHSI, Professor and Chair of Biomedical Informatics and Medicine and Senior Vice-President for Research and Innovation at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

"PhRMA's funding for EQBMED was born from thousands of conversations with patients, community leaders, health providers, industry experts and policymakers about the importance of enhancing clinical trial diversity. Today's announcement is years in the making and shows what's possible when people from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise come to the table to work towards solutions together," said Stephen J. Ubl, President, and Chief Executive Officer of PhRMA.

EQBMED is building on and leveraging past and present work by the network partners to support local trial sites in historically underrepresented communities in this critical area of clinical research. As we work to increase access to clinical trials for diverse patient populations in pursuit of true health equity, we are committed to sharing our findings broadly to build a foundation of trust, innovate a new approach to clinical trial diversity, and create beneficial change for community-centric research, for medical science, and for society at large.

More information at: https://medicine.yale.edu/ycci/researchspectrum/collab/equitable-breakthroughs-medicine-development/.

About Equitable Breakthroughs in Medicine Development

Equitable Breakthroughs in Medicine Development (EQBMED) is a pioneering partnership committed to transforming the landscape of clinical trials by advancing diversity, transparency, and knowledge. By empowering community-based sites and addressing historical disparities, the program is dedicated to creating a more inclusive future in medicine development.

About Yale School of Medicine

Yale School of Medicine (YSM) is one of the world's leading centers for biomedical research, advanced clinical care, and medical education. YSM's research ranges from basic science research on the molecular mechanisms and underpinnings of diseases to translational and clinical studies aimed at improving diagnosis and treatment. More than 1,700 Yale physicians provide care to patients from across the region and around the world through Yale Medicine, the school's clinical practice. With its emphasis on critical thinking and independent student research, YSM produces leaders in academic medicine. For almost two decades, the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI), the academic home of the NIH NCATS-funded Clinical and Translational Sciences Award (CTSA), at the Yale School of Medicine has spearheaded efforts to change the landscape of diversity in clinical trials. YCCI provides infrastructure and training to support clinical research and works to improve the health of all individuals and communities by increasing participation in clinical research in communities of color and marginalized populations. For more information visit www.medicine.yale.edu.

About Morehouse School of Medicine

Founded in 1975, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is among the nation's leading educators of primary care physicians, biomedical scientists, and public health professionals. An independent and private historically-Black medical school, MSM was recognized by the Annals of Internal Medicine as the nation's number one medical school in fulfilling a social missionthe creation and advancement of health equity. MSM faculty and alumni are noted for excellence in teaching, research, and public policy, as well as exceptional patient care. MSM is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral and master's degrees. To learn more about programs and donate today, please visit www.msm.edu or call 404-752-1500.

About the Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Coordinating Center

The RCMI Coordinating Center supports the RCMI Consortium and research network, which has NIH-funded research centers and 1,300 scientists, located across the nation in twenty-two Historically Black, Hispanic and Minority-Serving Institutions, that are leading innovations in health disparities research across diverse communities. RCMI CC supports investigators with their collaborative, multi-site research occurring across the Network. Please visit www.rcmi-cc.org to learn more, and find research collaborators.

Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Coordinating Center is supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health (NIH), through Grant Number U24MD015970. The contents of this announcement are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

About Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is the largest comprehensive research, teaching and patient care health system in the Mid-South region, with the highest ranked adult and children's hospitals in the Southeast by U.S. News & World Report. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, VUMC sees more than 3.2 million patient visits per year in over 180 ambulatory locations, performs 91,000 surgical operations and discharges 79,000 inpatients from its main-campus adult, children's, psychiatric and rehabilitation hospitals and three regional community hospitals. The Medical Center is the largest non-governmental employer of Middle Tennesseans, with nearly 40,000 staff, including more than 3,000 physicians, advanced practice nurses and scientists appointed to the Vanderbilt University faculty. For more information and the latest news follow VUMC on Facebook, LinkedIn, X and in the VUMC Reporter.

About Grady Health System

Grady Health System is one of the largest safety net health systems in the United States. Grady consists of the 953-bed Grady Memorial Hospital, seven neighborhood health centers, Crestview Health & Rehabilitation Center, Correll Pavilion, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, which is operated as a Children's affiliate. With its nationally acclaimed emergency medical services, Grady is Atlanta's only Level I trauma center and serves as the 911 ambulance provider for the city of Atlanta. Grady's Walter L. Ingram Burn Center is the leading burn center in North Georgia. And the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center is a Joint Commission designated Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center. Other key services/distinctions include Grady's Regional Perinatal Center with its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Georgia's first Cancer Center for Excellence, The Avon Comprehensive Breast Center, the Georgia Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, and the Ponce de Leon Center - one of the top HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in the country. Grady is one of an elite group of hospitals to earn the Baby-Friendly USA international recognition as a Baby-Friendly Designated birth facility. For more information, visit http://www.gradyhealth.org/.

About Meharry Medical College

Meharry Medical College, founded in 1876, is the nation's largest private, independent historically Black academic health sciences center dedicated to educating minority and other health professionals. True to its heritage, it is a United Methodist Church related institution. The college is particularly well known for its uniquely nurturing, highly effective educational programs; emerging preeminence in health disparities research; culturally sensitive, evidence-based health services and significant contribution to the diversity of the nation's health professions workforce. Meharry is a leading national educator of African Americans with M.D. and D.D.S. degrees and Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences. For more information visit: https://home.mmc.edu/about/.

About Medical University of South Carolina Health

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state's only comprehensive academic health system, with a unique mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates more than 3,200 students in six colleges  Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy  and trains more than 900 residents and fellows in its health system. MUSC brought in more than $300 million in research funds in fiscal year 2023, leading the state overall in research funding. MUSC also leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health funding. For information on academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Patient care is provided at 16 hospitals (includes owned or governing interest), with approximately 2,700 beds and four additional hospital locations in development, more than 350 telehealth sites and nearly 750 care locations situated in all regions of South Carolina. In 2023, for the ninth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $5.9 billion. The nearly 26,000 MUSC family members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, students, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research, and patient care.

About Texas Southern University

Texas Southern University is one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive historically black colleges or universities in the United States. A distinguished educational pioneer since 1927, Texas Southern University (TSU) has become one of the most diverse and respected institutions in Texas. TSU provides higher education access to the nation's underserved communities with over 100 academic and research programs that address critical urban issues and prepare its diverse student population of nearly 8,000 students to become a force for positive change in a global society.

The Texas Southern University Joan M Lafleur College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences (COPHS) stands as a beacon of excellence and innovation in the field of healthcare education. Situated in the heart of Houston, Texas, COPHS is dedicated to advancing health care through its cutting-edge programs, research initiatives, and commitment to community service. With a rich history of producing highly skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals, the college is a pivotal part of TSU's mission to transform students into leaders who are prepared to meet the challenges of a dynamic and diverse healthcare landscape. The mission of the Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS) is to provide quality academic programming to produce an ethnically diverse population of health professionals, especially African Americans and underrepresented minorities, who are transformational leaders in the delivery of interdisciplinary health services while addressing critical and urban issues. https://www.tsu.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/college-of-pharmacy-and-health-sciences/about-us/

About The University of Texas Medical Branch

Texas' first academic health center opened its doors in 1891 and today has four campuses, five health sciences schools, six institutes for advanced study, a research enterprise that includes one of only two national laboratories dedicated to the safe study of infectious threats to human health, a Level 1 Trauma Center and a health system offering a full range of primary and specialized medical services throughout the Texas Gulf Coast region. UTMB is an institution in the University of Texas System and a member of the Texas Medical Center. [www.utmbhealth.com]

About PhRMA

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country's leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. PhRMA has convened thousands of stakeholders to explore a new potential infrastructure with diverse communities, health systems, and academia that seeks to show proof of concept for a network of connected, community-rooted and sustainable trial sites. PhRMA provided a grant to Yale University to support the creation and development of this initiative. Learn more about PhRMA's Equity Initiative at PhRMA.org/Equity.

Contact:

Rebekah Escala

VOX Global

(919) 830-2093

SOURCE EQBMED
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fibocom (Stock Code: 300638), a leading global provider of IoT (Internet of Things) wireless solutions and wireless communication modules, exhibited at Mobile World Congress Barcelona at Booth #5I33 in Hall 5 of Fira Gran Via. Committed to accelerating connectivity for an intelligent future, Fibocom showcased its state-of-the-art wireless modules and solutions, incorporating cutting-edge technologies like RedCap and AI, etc. These innovations serve a wide range of applications, spanning fields like Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), Smart Retailing, Industrial IoT (IIoT) and beyond.

Fibocom at MWC Barcelona 2024 (PRNewsfoto/Fibocom Wireless Inc) Fibocom launches 5G RedCap FM330 series based on MediaTek T300 at MWC Barcelona 2024 (PRNewsfoto/Fibocom Wireless Inc)

Accelerating Connectivity through mmWave, RedCap, Wi-Fi 7, etc

Setting the stage for the next evolution in wireless communication technology, Fibocom displays its latest modules and solutions with high professionalism, especially with the illustration of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), the heart of the revolutionary transformation of the telecommunication industry.

"FWA Lite", refers to an economical 5G experience enabled by lightweight products. Fibocom insists on technology innovations, specifically with Reduced Capability (RedCap) technology. On the first day of the congress, Fibocom announces the launch of the newest 5G RedCap module FM330 series, and USB Dongle solutions that are based on MediaTek's latest T300 RFSOC. Besides, other Fibocom RedCap series modules FG131, FG132 integrating on Qualcomm's SDX35 platform are also displayed, the whole RedCap portfolio catering to different market demands.

"FWA Pro", refers to an ultimate 5G experience with higher speed. Fibocom has made significant strides in the 5G FWA landscape since 2019, with excellent quality platforms and design-wins that prove its product competitiveness. Displaying various up-to-date FWA applications like CPE, ODU, and Mobile Hot Spots, Fibocom presents its successes of the series modules like FX190(A/W), FX180(W), FX170, FG370, FG360 and the corresponding solutions.

It's worth noting that Fibocom's FWA product portfolio fully complies with technologies like 3Tx and 8Rx for next-level FWA capability.

Fibocom also creates an immersive experience of the latest technologies-based live demos. Wi-Fi 7 test bed, illustrating an advanced 5G FWA system-level demonstration with Fibocom's different modules and solutions. Opening up the underlying driver for hardware acceleration from cellular to Wi-Fi, this marks the industry's pioneering test bed for FWA, which enables FWA devices to achieve Wi-Fi speed level AX3000 capabilities. It can provide high-performance solutions for a broader range of industry clients. In collaboration with STMicroelectronics, Fibocom integrates a smart home solution for the 5G CPE embedded with its 5G module to interconnect smart home devices in the application layer. It complies with Matter standards and redefines the smart home connectivity, creating a more convenient and intelligent home environment for users.

Enriching the Intelligent Future with Wireless Edge Computing Solutions

Illustrating the transformative power of intelligent connectivity, Fibocom presents its comprehensive product portfolio and successful implementations covering diverse vertical markets. Fibocom's smart wireless product portfolio covers solutions from 4G entry-level, medium, and premium to 5G high-end and AI including SC126, SC138, SC228, SC151, SC171L, SC171, SCA825, etc.

Attendees are invited to experience intelligent life with multiple devices like Electronic Cash Registers (ECR), Industry Handhelds/ PDAs, IVI (In-Vehicle Infotainment), Smart Industrial Helmets, etc. It is worth having an AI-enabled live chat with the Chatting App based on Fibocom's SC171 solution. Besides, Fibocom debuts the smart module during the congress. Overall, Fibocom provided a glimpse into a future where intelligence seamlessly integrates into every facet.

Underlining its theme for MWC 2024, 'Accelerate Connectivity, Intelligent Future,' Fibocom vividly illustrates the transformative power that not only shapes the present but redefines the future.

The Mobile World Congress is in full swing now, welcome to witness this unfolding wireless future at Fibocom's booth, #5I33 in Hall 5. Steer the course toward a more connected and intelligent world!

Media Contact: pr@fibocom.com

SOURCE Fibocom Wireless Inc
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. The Turkish Foreign Ministry has condemned the Khojaly massacre committed by Armenia, Trend reports via the ministry's statement.

"We condemn the massacre committed by the Armenian armed forces on February 26, 1992 in the Azerbaijani city of Khojaly against innocent civilians.

The atrocities that occurred that day left a black mark on the history of mankind. The pain of our 613 brothers who became martyrs, and all Azerbaijanis, wounded, captured and missing that day in Khojaly, is still in our hearts. We express our condolences to the Azerbaijani people," the statement said.

On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The food industry pulsed electric field (PEF) systems market size is set to grow by USD 333.04 million between 2023 and 2027 and decline at a CAGR of 28.19%, according to Technavio's latest market research report. The increased need for food sterilization drives market growth. This expansion is fueled by pioneering entities like Elea GmbH, Pulsemaster, and Diversified Technologies pioneering PEF technology. Innovations by TOMRA Food, Steribeam, Steribest, and CoolWave Processing further propel the sector. This confluence of advancements signifies a pivotal shift towards advanced food processing, highlighting the significance of Pulsed Electric Field Systems in boosting food processing innovation. Read our Sample Report

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Food Industry Pulsed Electric Field Systems Market 2023-2027

Report Coverage Details Page number 149 Base year 2022 Historic period 2017-2021 Forecast period 2023-2027 Growth momentum & CAGR Decelerate at a CAGR of 28.19% Market growth 2023-2027 USD 333.04 million Market structure Concentrated YoY growth 2022-2023(%) 32.13 Regional analysis Europe, North America, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution Europe at 37% Key countries US, Canada, China, Germany, and The Netherlands

With a focus on identifying dominant industry influencers, Technavio's reports present a detailed study via synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. This report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. The report is segmented by Application, Type, and Geography. The liquid food segment will be significant during the forecast period. PEF systems preserve liquid food by inactivating microbes, enhancing quality, and extending shelf life. Juices, dairy products, and more benefit from PEF, retaining sensory traits, freshness, color, and safety. These advantages drive the demand for PEF systems in the liquid food industry. Read our Sample Report

Segmentation Overview

Application

Liquid Food



Solid Food

Type

30-50 KV/cm



10-30 KV/cm

Geography

Europe



North America



APAC



South America



Middle East And Africa. Receive our market sample report now to gain access to a detailed analysis of the food industry pulsed electric field (PEF) systems market, download sample report.

The adoption of PEF systems as an alternative to thermal pasteurization is an emerging market trend. The high initial cost of setting up PEF systems hampers market growth.

Analyst Review

The Food Industry Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) Systems Market is witnessing significant growth driven by advancements in food pasteurization and microbial inactivation technologies. PEF systems utilize high voltage electric fields to modify food structure, effectively targeting liquid and solid foods in a treatment chamber. A pulse generator powers these systems, impacting microorganisms by disrupting cell membranes and intracellular contents. This process reduces cellular metabolic activity, rendering microbial spores and viruses inactive. Additionally, PEF systems maintain the integrity of enzymes while preserving the food's quality. Antimicrobial and ionic compounds further enhance conductivity, particularly in mediums with high ionic strength, ensuring efficient treatment against bacterial and mold spores. The market's expansion reflects the industry's commitment to innovative solutions for food safety and preservation.

The Food Industry Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) Systems Market is experiencing significant growth owing to the demand for efficient and sustainable food processing methods. PEF systems utilize enzymes to enhance extraction processes while minimizing dehydration. They effectively reduce viruses and microbial contamination, extending shelf life and maintaining cut quality in products like French fries. These systems optimize extraction processes, preserving nutrients and flavors with mild heating and nonthermal methods. Improved field strength control, treatment time, pulse frequency, and pulse width ensure precise processing parameters, while controlling acidity levels. Furthermore, advancements in antimicrobial packaging complement PEF treatments, benefiting potato processors by reducing breakage and minimizing water and energy consumption during drying and pre-frying phases.

The Food Industry Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) Systems Market is rapidly evolving, driven by factors such as frying oil absorption, juice yields, and wastewater volume reduction. Commercial-scale PEF systems offered by leading equipment providers are gaining traction, promising enhanced integration with existing production lines. Concerns like air bubbles, dielectric breakdown, and electro-corrosion are being addressed through rigorous adherence to FDA regulations, including juice HACCP regulations and good manufacturing practices. Institutions like The Ohio State University, through its Food Safety Engineering Laboratory, play a pivotal role in clean food process technology development. Financial support facilitates regulatory approval and commercializing PEF-processed products, securing endorsement and ensuring industry performance standards are met.

Related Reports:

The safety instrumented systems (SIS) market share in the chemicals and petrochemicals industry is expected to increase by USD 635.73 million from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 8.62%.

The electric and hybrid aircraft propulsion system market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.53% between 2023 and 2028. The market size is forecast to increase by USD 12.31 billion.

ToC:

1 Executive Summary

2 Landscape

3 Sizing

4 Historic Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Segmentations

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Vendor Landscape

11 Vendor Analysis

12 Appendix

About US

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.co

SOURCE Technavio
SHANGHAI, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Financial Times (FT) released its annual Global MBA Ranking 2024 on February 12, 2024, with Fudan MBA Program ranking 27th globally. The program showcased remarkable performance across various metrics, earning the top spot in Asia for both 'Career Service' and 'ESG and Net Zero Teaching'. It is also ranked No. 2 and No. 3 worldwide in 'Salary Percentage Increase' and 'Career Progress', respectively.

Fudan MBA Program ranked No. 27 in the Global MBA Ranking 2024 by the Financial Times (PRNewsfoto/School of Management, Fudan University)

Breaking into the global top 100 in 2013, the program's position within the ranking has climbed consistently over the past decade, now proudly sitting among the top 30 globally.

Leading the way in incorporating ESG into its curriculum design

Fudan MBA Program has maintained its top position in Asia for 'ESG and Net Zero Teaching'. This accolade serves as a testament to School of Management at Fudan University (FDSM)'s adaptability in aligning with current trends and its commitment to prioritizing ESG practices.

An emerging paradigm of ethical business conduct is reshaping the corporate landscape, heralding a new era of responsible commerce and sustainable growth. Fudan MBA has been at the forefront of embedding ESG principles into its curriculum, spearheading transformative advancements in Chinese MBA education. In 2022, the program underwent a comprehensive curriculum upgrade, introducing the Future Development Module course designed to foster sustainable leadership for the digital age. This upgrade also established the Environment, Society, and Governance (ESG) course as a required component. Its commitment to ESG education was further reinforced in 2023 when the ESG program was implemented across all 12 classes of the 2022 MBA intake.

"ESG is now a global concern and playing a crucial role in national policies and business growth. To ensure our students acquire a profound understanding of relevant knowledge and skills, we have made ESG courses mandatory. As future leaders, MBA students must possess a forward-looking perspective and embrace ESG principles to tackle tomorrow's challenges," emphasized Zheng Ming, Professor and Associate Dean of the School.

Prof. Wang Xiaozu from Department of Finance said that ESG initiatives, ranging from classroom pedagogy to management research, have catalyzed an overhaul of MBA training paradigms. 'ESG's burgeoning influence on corporate decision-making, supply chain management, corporate finance, and human capital management underscores the need for cutting-edge research to summarize optimal business practices. Deeper comprehension of ESG will spark a plethora of novel ideas and innovations, enriching classroom discourse,' he added.

Continued dominance in Career Service in Asia

Fudan MBA maintains its position as the top Career Service provider in Asia. Demonstrating thought leadership and tangible efficacy in student career development and support, the School garners acclaim from students, corporates, and global peers.

Student career guidance and support constitute hallmark features of Fudan MBA education. FDSM was the first among university business schools in Chinese mainland to establish a Career Development Office (CDO), having done so in 1999. The CDO provides a diversity of career guidance and services to full-time MBA students through integrating resources and providing end-to-end support throughout the entire job search process. The goal is to help students better understand their career trajectory and advancement opportunities, significantly improving their competitiveness in the job market.

In recent years, the CDO has fortified its role as a compass for student career trajectories. Augmenting traditional business-centric content, the center has diversified its portfolio to encompass emerging domains such as sci-tech innovation and ESG, broadening students' vocational horizons. Among the 2023 cohort of Fudan full-time MBA, 92% transitioned across industries or roles, with 57% achieving dual transformations in both industry and function.

Furthermore, the CDO has established a 'Talent Collaboration Ecosystem' involving over 2,000 partners from multiple sectors. The ecosystem serves as a vibrant hub for face-to-face interactions between students, alumni, and industry leaders, fostering long-term positive career values. In collaboration with leading companies across a wide spectrum of industries, the CDO organizes bespoke practical workshops, vocational classes, and simulated interviews. These endeavors aim to expand students' job search horizons and equip them with a comprehensive array of career resources. In 2023 alone, the center orchestrated and hosted 252 career development initiatives.

Diverse initiatives to foster innovation talent

In 2020, FDSM unveiled its 'Sci-tech Innovation Strategy' initiative centered on the core belief that sci-tech innovation holds the key to future success. The approach aims to empower management and drive the development and transformation of the Chinese innovation enterprise. Fudan MBA Program has since been actively engaged in both the curriculum framework of innovation management courses and the cultivation of talents in this domain, showcasing a two-pronged approach to fostering capabilities crucial for the future.

Fudan MBA launched the groundbreaking Fudan MBA Sci-Tech Innovation and Entrepreneurship Elites Program, dedicated to nurturing young elites and future leaders in sci-tech innovation. To date, two sessions of the program have yielded 142 students selected from a pool of over 1,500 MBA candidates. The students have been distributed across three tracks: biomedicine and healthcare; next-generation information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI); and new materials, renewable energies, and state-of-the-art equipment. The ultimate goal is to shape a new generation of visionaries who will lead the country's scientific and technological progress.

In 2023, Fudan MBA launched the Juchuang Leadership Development Initiative, further enriching its hands-on experience portfolio. These endeavors seek to assist students in seamlessly integrating cutting-edge theories with global leadership principles, applying them in real-world business contexts. This approach not only encourages proactive engagement, innovation, and global stewardship but also equips them with the core strengths necessary to navigate the rapidly evolving business landscape. Moreover, it ensures the perpetuation of Fudan MBA education's quintessence, passing down its values and knowledge to future generations.

In the earlier FT Global EMBA Rankings, three programs from FDSM have claimed positions among the top 30 globally: the Fudan EMBA Program secured the 8th spot, marking a significant milestone. The HKU-Fudan IMBA Programme followed suit, landing at the 24th position, while the BI-Fudan MBA Program ranked 29th. With Fudan MBA's ascendancy to 27th place, four of FDSM's programs clinch rankings among the top 30 globally, solidifying its stature as one of the select few business schools worldwide to attain such distinction.

SOURCE School of Management, Fudan University
Gesund.ai's platform validates medical AI models for safety, effectiveness, and health equity in order to accelerate and improve responsible use of AI in the clinic and in drug development.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Gesund.ai, the company ensuring that medical artificial intelligence (AI) is safe and effective for all, today announced it has joined both VALID AI and the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC) as a member. The partnerships allow Gesund.ai to power the validation infrastructure for VALID AI member health systems, while working closely alongside government bodies like the Department of Commerce to help establish best practices for using medical AI.

Founded by a collective of more than 30 health systems, plans, research, and technology partners, VALID AI is a collaborative effort to help health care organizations execute on generative AI initiatives by establishing best practices and use cases within a clinical environment. VALID AI stands for Vision, Alignment, Learning, Implementation, and Dissemination of Validated Generative AI in Healthcare. The collective states that "Gen AI is a watershed moment in health care, but fewer than 1 in 10 health care organizations have concrete plans in place for execution. VALID AI hopes to help bridge this gap."

Gesund helps providers close the gap between aspiration and execution due to its framework-agnostic AI validation platform that allows providers to get started on adopting third party AI models and/or developing their own medical AI solutions now while maintaining the ability to adapt later down the road with minimal friction. Gesund.ai's platform turbo charges teams who want to do rapid blind spot detection, granular bias analysis, and who want to know for which patient cohorts the AI is best-suited.

"By embracing open innovation and radical collaboration, health care organizations of all sizes can lead the charge in creating value from Gen AI in a responsible manner," said Ashish Atreja, CIO and chief digital health officer at UC Davis Health  a founding health system of VALID AI.

The AISIC brings together a consortium of AI creators, academics, government and industry researchers, and civil society organizations in support of the development and deployment of safe and trustworthy AI. It represents the largest collection of test and evaluation teams established to date and will focus on establishing the foundations for a new measurement science in AI safety.

"AI is moving the world into very new territory. And like every new technology, or every new application of technology, we need to know how to measure its capabilities, its limitations, its impacts. That is why NIST brings together these incredible collaborations of representatives from industry, academia, civil society and the government, all coming together to tackle challenges that are of national importance," said Laurie E. Locascio, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director.

"Medical AI has the potential to fundamentally change virtually every facet of the healthcare industry, but with so much rapid innovation, it's imperative that guardrails be put in place to ensure trust, safety, and patient equity," said Enes Hosgor, Ph.D., founder & CEO of Gesund. "We are honored to join both organizations in their respective missions to develop and deploy responsible medical AI, and are excited to provide Gesund's world-class model validation platform to support those efforts."

Following the announcement last fall that Gesund joined the White House Cancer Moonshot initiative, CancerX, the company is announcing it will also participate in the CancerX Accelerator's inaugural cohort. CancerX is a public-private partnership to boost innovation in the fight against cancer. Co-hosted by the Moffitt Cancer Center and Digital Medicine Society (DiMe), alongside the Office for the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), it convenes the many diverse stakeholders needed to unleash the power of innovation to reduce the burden of cancer for everyone.

About Gesund.ai

Gesund is the world's first AI assurance platform in healthcare on a mission to help bring clinical-grade AI solutions to market. Gesund uses its platform to deliver industry-leading independent third party validation of medical AI for pharma and medical device companies. Backed by marquee investors including Merck, McKesson, Northpond and 500, Gesund orchestrates the entire AI/ML lifecycle for all stakeholders by bringing models, data and experts together in a no-code environment. Its pioneering AI-native platform can be deployed on-prem, air-gapped, or in the cloud, which enables faster engagement with healthcare providers and board-certified physician experts. To learn more visit www.gesund.ai.

James Christopherson

PR Manager

Gesund.ai

[email protected]

This release was issued through WebWire. For more information, visit http://www.webwire.com.

SOURCE Gesund.ai
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor Ron DeSantis announced an investment of nearly $25 million from the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program to either create or expand 19 programs dedicated to strengthening workforce development across Florida. The initiative underscores Florida's dedication to equipping students statewide with the essential skills required for success in high-demand occupations.

Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant funding provides Florida students with opportunities for hands-on educational experiences in a broad range of career and technical education programs such as automotive maintenance and light repair, digital video and technology, allied health assisting, criminal justice operations, entrepreneurship, emergency medical responder and many more.

"In Florida we have become the number one state in the nation for talent development by making strategic investments in our workforce," said Governor Ron DeSantis. "We will continue to equip students in our state with the skills they need to succeed, without being burdened by debt."

"Under Governor DeSantis' leadership, Florida is strategically investing in workforce development, ensuring that our state remains at the forefront of innovation," said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. "This funding reflects our dedication to equipping students with the skills necessary to excel in an increasingly competitive marketplace."

School districts and Florida College System institutions receiving funding through the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant in 202324 are:

Broward County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on semiconductor business management and analysis, practical nursing, horticulture and many other additional programs.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on semiconductor business management and analysis, practical nursing, horticulture and many other additional programs. Flagler County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on phlebotomy, nursing assistants, emergency medical technicians and other additional programs.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on phlebotomy, nursing assistants, emergency medical technicians and other additional programs. Indian River County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on automotive maintenance and light repair.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on automotive maintenance and light repair. Lee County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on advanced manufacturing technology, firefighting, electricity and other additional programs.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on advanced manufacturing technology, firefighting, electricity and other additional programs. Leon County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied robotics, engineering pathways, welding technology and other additional programs.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied robotics, engineering pathways, welding technology and other additional programs. Martin County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied information technology, criminal justice, nursing assistants and other additional programs.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied information technology, criminal justice, nursing assistants and other additional programs. Miami-Dade County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on industrial biotechnology, automotive maintenance and light repair, digital video technology and other additional programs.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on industrial biotechnology, automotive maintenance and light repair, digital video technology and other additional programs. Nassau County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on welding technology.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on welding technology. Okaloosa County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on teaching, emergency medical responders, criminal justice and other additional programs.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on teaching, emergency medical responders, criminal justice and other additional programs. Santa Rosa County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on global logistics.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on global logistics. Seminole County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on global finance and entrepreneurship.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on global finance and entrepreneurship. St. Johns County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied cybersecurity.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied cybersecurity. St. Lucie County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied robotics, building construction technologies, pharmacy technician and other additional programs.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied robotics, building construction technologies, pharmacy technician and other additional programs. Sumter County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on welding technology, animal science, horticulture and other additional programs.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on welding technology, animal science, horticulture and other additional programs. Washington County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on cloud computing and virtualization, management and entrepreneurial principles, welding technology and other additional programs.

School District: Funding will assist programs focused on cloud computing and virtualization, management and entrepreneurial principles, welding technology and other additional programs. Florida State College of Jacksonville : Funding will assist programs focused on welding and medical assistance.

: Funding will assist programs focused on welding and medical assistance. Miami-Dade College: Funding will assist programs focused on enterprise cloud computing, computer programmer mobile applications development, network security and other additional programs.

College: Funding will assist programs focused on enterprise cloud computing, computer programmer mobile applications development, network security and other additional programs. Tallahassee Community College : Funding will assist programs focused on applied robotics, engineering technology, supply chain management and other additional programs.

This $25 million investment is part of the $100 million allocated in August to the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program. The program provides grants to school districts and Florida College System institutions to fund some or all of the costs associated with the creation or expansion of career and technical education workforce development programs that lead to industry certifications included on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List.

Earlier this month, Governor DeSantis and Commissioner Diaz announced an additional $22 million in funding for workforce related initiatives and $35 million in funding under the same grant specific to the growth of Florida's semiconductor industry.

More information about the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program and the application process can be found at CAP Grant.

SOURCE Get There
Early Childhood Education Franchise Opens First of Three Locations Coming to the Dallas Market

DALLAS, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebree School, a leader in early childhood education that provides infant and toddler care, preschool, before and aftercare, and summer camp programs, announced today the opening of its first school in Dallas. Located at 2400 Bryan St., the new school is the first of three slated to open in the Dallas area on Monday, February 26th. Celebree School offers customized programs that address the physical, social, emotional, and academic needs of children while adhering to Texas early education standards.

Enrollment is now open, and community members are encouraged to contact Celebree School for tours, visits, and more information. Celebree School of Dallas Arts District offers childcare programs to families and businesses in the surrounding area and will be celebrating a grand opening event in early April.

The new school is owned and operated by local entrepreneurial couple, Mindi and Jeff McClure. Both Mindi and Jeff have extensive experience in the financial services and real estate investment banking industries. During that time, Mindi worked closely with small business owners, sparking a passion for entrepreneurship. This inspired their goal to open a business that positively impacts their community. Coming from a long line of schoolteachers, the McClures understand the value of quality education and care for young families. This dedication is what led them to establish their own Celebree School. The couple is committed to their vision of creating a school environment that will protect, educate, and nurture every child.

"From raising two daughters, I know how important it is to give your children a high-quality place to learn at a young age," shared Mindi. "This Celebree School will bring dedicated teachers and staff members who make it their goal to allow these children to learn and prosper. Introducing the first Celebree School in Texas reflects our commitment to providing this fundamental support to the people of Dallas."

Celebree School lives by its promise to Grow People Big and Small, and was founded on the belief that success in early childhood development is equal parts curriculum and a connection that extends beyond the classroom to address the needs of the whole child and the whole family. Each Celebree School is a village made up of parents, children, and educators while providing curriculum-based care that prepares your child for kindergarten and beyond.

With a 29-plus-year history of providing superior early childhood education, Celebree School delivers a stable, secure learning environment that helps children develop a lifelong love of learning. Programs are available for children six weeks to Pre-K with unique curriculums designed to develop positive social skills and values while allowing children to learn about their world through age-appropriate play, projects, and activities. Care is available part time or full time and parents are allowed to drop in and visit at any time.

"We're honored to continue to help brilliant entrepreneurs like Mindi and Jeff McClure actualize their business goals and have them join our Celebree School family," said Richard Huffman, Founder and CEO of Celebree School. "As we continue to expand our brand's footprint through franchising, it's more important than ever that we partner with local community leaders who have a passion for early childhood education. The opening of the Dallas school brings me immense pride and joy. I know they are the perfect franchisees to drive our mission forward."

The fast-growth brand began franchising in 2019 and now boasts 44 schools open, 54 franchisees awarded over 100 sites, a presence across 14 states, and an enrollment of more than 4,570 children who are being protected, educated, and nurtured within the Celebree family. When franchisees invest with Celebree School, they're investing in an organization with a strong culture, solid systems, and a proven business model backed with 29-plus years of experience in providing exceptional early childhood education. For more information of franchising opportunities visit https://www.celebree.com/franchising/.

Celebree School  Dallas Arts District is open Monday  Friday 7:00 a.m.  6:00 p.m. For more information on Celebree School in Dallas, please visit https://www.celebree.com/dallas-arts-district-tx/ or call 972-782-4225.

About Celebree School

Founded in 1994, Celebree School is a leader in early childhood education that provides infant and toddler care, preschool, before and aftercare, and summer camp programs. With a mission to Grow People Big and Small, Celebree School believes success in early childhood development is equal parts curriculum and connection. Each school employs a customized program that addresses the physical, social, emotional, and academic needs of children and follows applicable state guidelines. In 2019, Celebree School launched its franchise offering. Learn more about how we grow confident children who are prepared for school and life at Celebree.com. Connect with us on Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Celebree School
The Lake Ranch at Hico Contains a 100-Surface-Acre Lake and Spans Over 780 Acres Total

DALLAS and HICO, Texas, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hortenstine Ranch Company (HRC), a Texas-based brokerage company specializing in large land and ranch real estate, is proud to announce that the company's latest property has hit the market. The Lake Ranch at Hico is an approximately 784-acre lakefront property in Hico, Texas, part of Erath County, and features an estimated 100 acres of pristine private water.

The Lake Ranch at Hico

Situated within the rolling landscapes of the Cross Timbers area, these untouched private waters, stretching about a mile and fed by drainage along Gilmore Greek watershed, provide abundant opportunities for trophy bass fishing, a haven for waterfowl hunters, and an ideal spot for most any type of watercraft enthusiasts to enjoy.

For those looking to live on a beautiful piece of land, The Lake Ranch at Hico has the perfect amenities already in place. Perched on a hill overlooking the lake, the custom-built lodge measures just over 7,000 square feet with an additional 2,220 square feet of outdoor living space and covered porches. Thoughtfully designed and constructed, the lodge received a complete interior and exterior renovation in 2018 along with the addition of a private, 2,180-square-foot primary suite  a showcase of refinement and elegance. The spectacular lake can be viewed from just about every room of the lodge. With no shortage of garage space and other wonderful amenities, the lodge makes for the perfect place to call home  or a home away from home.

"Hortenstine Ranch Company could not be more thrilled to bring this unique property to the market," said Bret Polk, broker associate with Hortenstine Ranch Company and longtime Erath County resident. "The property represents the finer things in life and is in an asset class all its own. Everything was thought of here, and it makes for a great home, vacation spot, or investment opportunity."

The Lake Ranch at Hico is now on the market, but there are thoughts that it will go away quickly. Do not miss out on the opportunity for expansive and glorious views of Texas's Erath County, situated about two hours southwest of Dallas and a little over two hours north of Austin.

For photos and videos of The Lake Ranch at Hico, please visit the digital media kit linked here. For more information about the property and Hortenstine Ranch Company, please visit the listing page on HRC's website linked here.

About Hortenstine Ranch Company

Hortenstine Ranch Company (HRC), LLC exclusively specializes in ranch and recreational properties. With decades in ranch real estate, HRC has curated a power list of high-net-worth families and individuals who are consistently seeking premium investment-class properties. HRC's diverse and talented ranch brokers deliver the most advanced marketing strategies, ranch market analytics, professional mapping, photography, videography, wildlife and agricultural consultation, consistent sales volume, and buyer and seller representation. The brokerage company continues to set the bar for the farm and ranch real estate market, as proven by referrals and repeat business. To learn more about Hortenstine Ranch Company, please visit HRCRanch.com.

Media Contact

Avery Cooper, TruePoint Communications, [email protected], 214-550-3414

SOURCE Hortenstine Ranch Company
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- During MWC 2024, the "Green All-Optical Network Forum" was successfully held by the well-known European research and analysis institute IDATE. The participants advocated seizing the development opportunities of the gigabit broadband market and ushering in the 10Gbps network era. Kim Jin, Vice President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, interprets the F5.5G all-optical target network to accelerate gigabit popularization and support the evolution of future networks to 10Gbps, opening up the new era of F5.5G commercial use.

Kim Jin, Vice President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, delivers the speech

Optical broadband is moving from video-driven 100 Mbps to experience-driven 1Gbps, and enabling intelligence-driven 10Gbps connections. Under this trend, Huawei proposes an F5.5G all-optical target network need to build an F5.5G all-optical target network that supports 3 network capabilities, and 4 network architecture. That is, achieve 3 network capabilities: 10Gbps ubiquitous access, metro network reducing latency to 1ms, and backbone network achieving 99.9999% availability; and build 4 network architecture: backbone network deploys 400G, 800G OTN to connect data centers, metro network requires 100G to COs, access network uses 50G PON to homes and enterprises, and connects 10Gbps to room.

Home network: The number of FTTR users has reached 14 million. FTTR helps operators sell "1 network" with FTTR instead of "1 fiber plus 1 terminal" with FTTH. FTTR is expanding from the connection function to smart home applications (FTTR+X), that is, the convergence of FTTR networks and various smart home applications. Operators can furtherly sell multiple applications on top of "1 network". Huawei launches the industry's first FTTR+X product, iFTTR F50, which increases the rate from 2000 Mbps to 3000 Mbps. In addition, it introduces built-in storage and computing units to provide users with up to 8 TB storage and intelligent album search functions, helping carriers expand the boundaries of home broadband services.

Optical access network : There are nearly 200 million gigabit users worldwide. More than 50 carriers have released 10Gbps commercial packages. The rapid development of gigabit services is driving the upgrade of optical access networks from GPON to 10G PON or even 50G PON. Huawei FlexPON+ solution helps carriers smoothly evolve from GPON to 10G PON at the optimal cost, promoting the development of gigabit users. In addition, the 7-modes-in-1 50G PON with symmetric upstream and downstream transmission supports 100% reuse of existing ODN, protecting carriers' investment. The MA5800T, the industry's first intelligent OLT, supports 2Tbps per slot and an intelligent engine, supporting ubiquitous 10Gbps access.





: There are nearly 200 million gigabit users worldwide. More than 50 carriers have released 10Gbps commercial packages. The rapid development of gigabit services is driving the upgrade of optical access networks from GPON to 10G PON or even 50G PON. Huawei FlexPON+ solution helps carriers smoothly evolve from GPON to 10G PON at the optimal cost, promoting the development of gigabit users. In addition, the 7-modes-in-1 50G PON with symmetric upstream and downstream transmission supports 100% reuse of existing ODN, protecting carriers' investment. The MA5800T, the industry's first intelligent OLT, supports 2Tbps per slot and an intelligent engine, supporting ubiquitous 10Gbps access. Metro network : It is estimated that 85% of enterprise applications will be migrated to the cloud by 2025. The ultra-low latency of 1ms and flexible service scalability of the metro network are the key to ensuring the ultimate user experience and quick connection to the cloud. Huawei Alps-WDM solution deploys 100G and 200G OTN at the edge of the metro network. The E2E all-optical switching enables one-hop service transmission and cloud access within milliseconds, helping carriers build a simplified and ultimate-experience metro network.





: It is estimated that 85% of enterprise applications will be migrated to the cloud by 2025. The ultra-low latency of 1ms and flexible service scalability of the metro network are the key to ensuring the ultimate user experience and quick connection to the cloud. Huawei Alps-WDM solution deploys 100G and 200G OTN at the edge of the metro network. The E2E all-optical switching enables one-hop service transmission and cloud access within milliseconds, helping carriers build a simplified and ultimate-experience metro network. Backbone network: The traffic between data centers increases by more than 50% annually. Cloudification of enterprise production systems requires higher network availability. Huawei's leading high-performance 400G and 800G OTN, optical-electrical hybrid ASON, and OSN 9800 K36, the industry's first OTN product for data centers, provide 1.6T per slot and a single-fiber capacity of 100T, and improve network availability from 99.999% to 99.9999%.

Kim Jin said, "Huawei will continue to innovate based on the F5.5G all-optical target network, to help carriers seize development opportunities in the gigabit market and accelerate F5.5G commercial use, embracing the new wave of market prosperity."

SOURCE Huawei
Innovative competition mimics real-life trading on virtual island archipelago, with a $50,000 USD prize pool up for grabs

AMSTERDAM, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Global market maker IMC today announced the return of its unique market simulation challenge, Prosperity. 'The world's most innovative trading challenge', Prosperity invites STEM university students worldwide to put their trading skills to the test in a virtual tropical island archipelago.

Taking place from April 8-23, participants will take part in five trading rounds, where they will be tasked with a series of challenges designed to mimic many of the dynamics encountered in the trading industry. Players must compete alone or on a team to out-trade their competition, demonstrating positional and algorithmic trading skills and basic Python knowledge, in order to grow their island and put their team on the path to Prosperity.

"The launch of Prosperity in 2023 was a huge success. Students at more than 400 universities across 109 countries took part, with 94% of participants indicating they would now consider a career in trading," said Matthew Rose, Global Marketing Manager at IMC. "We're excited to invite new and previous participants to take part in round two of our fast-paced, creative competition, which features brand new challenges designed by some of our top traders. Reaching Prosperity will require participants to go beyond the obvious  just like a career in trading at IMC."

At the end of the competition, the team that has earned the most profit in the island's official seashell currency will be named IMC Global Trading Talent of the Year and receive a cash prize of $25,000 USD. The remaining $25,000 prize money will be divided between participants placing 2nd to 25th in the rankings, as well as the Best Manual Trader.

Students currently enrolled at a university and studying a STEM subject can visit prosperity.imc.com to register for the challenge until April 8th. Players can compete solo or on a maximum five-person team. Once registered, participants will receive more information and be able to enter the dedicated Wiki and Discord server to meet fellow contestants, talk to IMC professionals and prepare for the challenge.

About IMC

IMC is a leading global market maker with more than three decades' experience and offices in Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific. IMC employs more than 1,600 talented individuals across offices in Amsterdam, Chicago, Sydney, Hong Kong, Seoul, New York, Zug, London and Mumbai. Their core business is to provide liquidity in financial assets on trading venues, and to deliver the best outcome in value and risk to investors. IMC engages in trading activities on its own account and employs state-of-the-art algorithms, statistical techniques, and innovative low latency technologies to execute their strategies.

SOURCE IMC
NAPLES, Fla., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial NanoTech (INTK), steered by its visionary new presidents, Mr. Pawe Cyniak and Mr. Wojciech Samio, is delighted to announce not only a pioneering pilot project in Suleczyno, Poland, but also the reception of a letter of intent valued at $750,000 for energy-saving projects across Poland. This significant commitment, with close to 10% of the funds already transferred to the company, underscores the trust and anticipation surrounding our innovative technologies and their potential impact on energy efficiency nationwide.

The initial pilot investment, aimed at enhancing thermal insulation on the facade and roof of a municipal building in Suleczyno, represents the first step in this ambitious journey. Valued as a strategic initiative, this project highlights our commitment to sustainable development and is expected to offer considerable energy savings. Following successful implementation and approval of our technology by officials, plans will extend to encompass all facilities managed by the municipal authority, promising a future of reduced energy consumption for heating and cooling, alongside prolonged building maintenance free from mold, fungi, and moisture.

Corporation Industrial NanoTech lands $750K for Polish energy-saving projects, begins pilot in Suleczyno. Post this

The comprehensive support from Poland, marked by the $750,000 letter of intent, sets a solid foundation for a series of energy-saving initiatives. It not only demonstrates confidence in Corporation Industrial NanoTech's solutions but also marks a significant milestone in our efforts to promote environmental sustainability and energy efficiency.

Our specialized construction team in Poland is prepared to carry out these projects, ensuring adherence to the highest standards of efficiency and quality.

The Board of Directors of Corporation Industrial NanoTech expresses its profound gratitude for this trust and support, viewing it as a testament to our innovative approach and dedication to environmental stewardship. This venture aligns perfectly with our mission to deploy cutting-edge, eco-friendly solutions that serve the communities and the environment.

About Corporation Industrial NanoTech

Corporation Industrial NanoTech is a global leader in nanotechnology-based solutions, specializing in the development and commercialization of high-performance coatings and thermal insulation materials. Our innovative products are designed to provide energy savings, corrosion resistance, and environmental protection for a wide range of industrial and residential applications. With a commitment to sustainability and efficiency, Corporation Industrial NanoTech's technologies are deployed in over 40 countries, helping clients reduce their carbon footprint while improving the longevity and performance of their assets. Our mission is to harness the power of nanotechnology to create products that contribute to a safer, healthier, and more sustainable world.

Safe Harbor Statement

Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, this release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions, involving risks and uncertainties. These include potential impacts from competitive products, challenges in meeting customer demand, managing company growth, integrating new technologies, equipment, or personnel, as well as navigating the effects of economic and business conditions. Industrial Nanotech Inc. is not required to revise or update any forward-looking statements due to events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

For more information about this initiative and other projects, please contact:

invest@industrial-nanotech.com

SOURCE Industrial Nanotech, Inc.
HERZLIYA, Israel and CALGARY, AB, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Innocan Pharma Corporation (CSE: INNO) (FSE: IP4) (OTCQB: INNPF) ("Innocan" or the "Company"), a pioneer in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, is pleased to announce the latest findings from the Company's pharmacokinetic study of its LPT-CBD platform in rabbits.

The fundamentals of LPT-CBD lay in its ability to slowly release CBD into the blood stream. Studies conducted in various animal models including mice, dogs, goats, and sheep showed long pharmacokinetics of CBD that persisted up to several weeks. In the Company's latest study conducted on rabbits, the results showed additional supportive data for the long exposure of CBD obtained following a single subcutaneous LPT-CBD injection.

The Company is encouraged by these study results as they confirm the approach the Company is taking with its LPT platform. The results from studies of several organisms injected with the Company's liposomal CBD have consistently demonstrated that a detectable CBD level could be maintained for weeks following one injection. The Company will continue with human trials in the near future.

Pharmacokinetics (PK) is an important tool that helps evaluate the bioavailability and exposure level of a specific drug. Parameters such as maximal blood drug concentration (cMax), time to reach cMax (Tmax) and half-life of the drug are calculated based on data collected from blood analysis of the drug across a determined time. The collected PK parameters along with other tests help to define the required dose of a drug to achieve a maximal therapeutic effect. In the study conducted on rabbits, the animals were collected for blood analysis of the drug for up to 11 days. As expected, the animals presented a persistent CBD concentration in their blood that maintained through the entire testing period. This correlates to PK results obtained from other species, supporting the long CBD exposure and the necessity of only a single LPT-CBD injection to obtain a long and wide therapeutic window for CBD.

About Innocan Pharma:

Innocan is a pharmaceutical tech company that operates under two main segments: Pharmaceuticals and Consumer Wellness. In the Pharmaceuticals segment, Innocan focuses on developing innovative drug delivery platform technologies comprises with cannabinoids science, to treat various conditions to improve patients' quality of life. This segment involves two drug delivery technologies: (i) LPT CBD-loaded liposome platform facilitating exact dosing and the prolonged and controlled release of CBD into the blood stream. The LPT delivery platform research is in the preclinical trial phase for two indications: Epilepsy and Pain Management. In the Consumer Wellness segment, Innocan develops and markets a wide portfolio of innovative and high-performance self-care products to promote a healthier lifestyle. Under this segment Innocan has established a Joint Venture by the name of BI Sky Global Ltd. that focuses developing on advanced targeted online sales. https://innocanpharma.com/

Contact Information:

For Innocan Pharma Corporation:

Iris Bincovich, CEO

+1 5162104025

+972-54-3012842

+442037699377

info@innocanpharma.com

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain information set forth in this news release, including, without limitation, the Company's plans for human trials of its LPT-CBD platform, is forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Innocan's control. . The forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Innocan, including expectations and assumptions concerning the anticipated benefits of the products, satisfaction of regulatory requirements in various jurisdictions and satisfactory completion of production and distribution arrangements.

Forward-looking information is subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed in this news release. The key risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: global and local (national) economic, political, market and business conditions; governmental and regulatory requirements and actions by governmental authorities; and potential disruption of relationships with suppliers, manufacturers, customers, business partners and competitors. There are also risks that are inherent in the nature of product distribution, including import/export matters and the failure to obtain any required regulatory and other approvals (or to do so in a timely manner). The anticipated timeline for entry to markets may change for a number of reasons, including the inability to secure necessary regulatory requirements, or the need for additional time to conclude and/or satisfy the manufacturing and distribution arrangements. As a result of the foregoing, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this news release. A comprehensive discussion of other risks that impact Innocan can be found in Innocan's public reports and filings which are available under Innocan's profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

Readers are cautioned that undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information as actual results may vary materially from the forward-looking information. Innocan does not undertake to update, correct or revise any forward-looking information as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2046271/3968398/Innocan_Pharma_Corporation_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Innocan Pharma Corporation
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. The Austrian dasfazit.at online newspaper published an article dedicated to the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, Trend reports.

"Armenian terrorists committed one of the most heinous crimes against humanity 32 years ago - the Khojaly genocide. Khojaly - once a peaceful Azerbaijani town was occupied on the night from February 25 to 26, 1992. During the occupation, Armenian terrorists killed 613 peaceful residents of the town. Among the victims were old men, women, and children," the article reads.

The article emphasizes that no sanctions were imposed on Armenia for these crimes, neither by the US nor the European Union. On the contrary, in 1992 (the same year Armenian terrorists committed genocide in Khojaly), the US adopted the 907th amendment to the Constitution against Azerbaijan.

"Under the leadership of President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan won the Second Karabakh War and carried out anti-terrorist measures in Karabakh. This way, Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity were fully restored. On October 15 last year, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev raised the national flag in Khojaly. This was a historic event, the restoration of justice, the beginning of a new, peaceful life in the city, which had survived the beastly glare of Armenian terrorism.

Hundreds of houses in Khojaly are undergoing large-scale repair and reconstruction works, which are at the stage of completion (all utilities, drinking water, sewerage, electricity, and main lines of the city). And very soon the resettlement of Khojaly residents will begin. During the first six months of this year, it is planned to resettle 50 families in the city. And this will be another Great Victory of the Azerbaijani people," the article stated.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Increase in infertility rates, delayed pregnancies among women, and technological advancements in IVF devices drive the growth of the global IVF devices and consumables market.

PORTLAND, Ore. , Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "IVF Devices and Consumables Market Size, Share by Product (Instruments, Accessories & Disposables, and Reagents & Media), Technology (Fresh Embryo IVF, Frozen Embryo IVF, and Donor Egg IVF), and End User, (Fertility Clinics, Hospitals, Surgical Centers, and Clinical Research Institutes): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032." According to the report, the global IVF devices and consumables industry generated $2.2 billion in 2022, and is anticipated to generate $12.0 billion by 2032, registering a CAGR of 18.4% from 2023 to 2032.

Request Sample of the Report on IVF Devices and Consumables Market Forecast - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/864

Prime determinants of growth

Rise in rates of infertility, trend of delayed pregnancies among women, and technological advancements in IVF devices act as the key driving forces of the global IVF devices and consumables market. However, high cost associated with IVF treatment restricts the market growth. On the contrary, growth opportunities in emerging markets, rise in number of fertility clinics, and expansion of fertility tourism presents are expected to open new avenues for the expansion of the market in the coming years.

Report coverage & details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20232032 Base Year 2022 Market Size In 2022 $2.2 Billion Market Size In 2032 $12.0 Billion CAGR 18.4 % No. Of Pages In Report 282 Segments Covered Product, Technology, End User, and Region Drivers Increase In Infertility Rates

Delayed Pregnancies Among Women

Technological Advancements in IVF Devices Opportunities Growth Opportunities in Emerging Markets

Rise In Number Of Fertility Clinics

Increase In Trend of Fertility Tourism Restraint High Cost Of IVF Treatment

Recession Impact

During a recession, individuals and governments tighten their budgets, leading to reduced healthcare spending. This could affect patients' ability to access and afford IVF devices and consumables, potentially leading to decreased demand for IVF products. In addition, economic downturns often lead to reduced healthcare budgets, impacting the purchasing power of healthcare facilities. This results in delayed or scaled-down investments in expensive IVF devices and consumables.

However, delayed childbearing, increase in acceptance of assisted reproductive technologies, advancements in IVF technology, and increase in awareness of fertility issues are expected to boost the need for specific types of IVF devices and consumables.

Want to Explore More, Connect to our Analyst- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/864

The accessories & disposables segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Depending on product, the accessories & disposables segment acquired the largest market share in 2022, accounting for more than half of the market revenue, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to advantages associated with IVF accessories & disposables such as easy handling and high cost effeciency.

However, the instruments segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 19.0% during the forecast period. This is attributed to technological advancements; complexity of fertility treatments, which necessitate the use of advanced instruments, such as advanced incubators and time-lapse imaging devices, and emphasis on infertility diagnosis and treatment.

The fresh embryo IVF segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

On the basis of technology, the fresh embryo segment was the major shareholder in 2022, accounting for around two-thirds of the global IVF devices and consumables market revenue and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to the advantages of fresh embryo IVF such as higher success rate, convenience, cost-effectiveness, and enhanced safety.

However, the frozen embryo IVF segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 18.9% during the forecast period. This is attributed to the advantages associated with frozen embryo IVF such as flexibility, high success rates, and technological advancements, making it a preferred choice for couples undergoing fertility treatment.

For Procurement Information - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/864

The fertility clinics segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period

By end user, the fertility clinics segment accounted for the largest share in 2022, contributing to around two-thirds of the global IVF devices and consumables market revenue, and is estimated to register the highest CAGR of 18.7% during the forecast period. This is attributed to the increasing prevalence of infertility issues and availability of advanced healthcare professionals in fertility clinics along with high success rate.

Asia-Pacific to maintain its dominance by 2032

Region wise, Asia-Pacific held the largest market share in terms of revenue in 2022, accounting for two-fifths of the global IVF devices and consumables market revenue and is likely to dominate the market during the forecast period. This is attributed to surge in prevalence of infertility issues, rise in number of fertility clinics, increase in awareness about fertility treatments, and rise in government policies and initiatives aimed at addressing reproductive health concerns.

Leading Market Players

Cook Group

Cooper Companies Inc.

Genea Limited

Fujifilm Holdings Corporation

Hamilton Thorne Ltd.

Kitazato Corporation

Nidacon International AB

Vitrolife AB

Esco Micro Pte. Ltd.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global IVF devices and consumables market. These players have adopted strategies such as product launch, expansion, agreement, acquisition, and collaboration to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario.

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SOURCE Allied Market Research
SAN FRANCISCO and CHAM, Switzerland, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- February 26, 2024  SPAN and Landis+Gyr (SIX: LAND) today announced a strategic partnership to cost-effectively advance electrification, create grid flexibility, and build resilience. The collaboration brings together two energy industry leaders to help utilities improve utilization of existing assets, unlock Distributed Energy Resource (DER) flexibility management, and enhance customer engagement.

Landis+Gyr and SPAN  Integrated Panel

Modern utilities face many competing pressures, amplified by consumer adoption of DERs, regulatory focus on vehicle and home electrification, and ambitious commitments to decarbonize the grid. Utilities must meet renewable energy deployment goals while maintaining grid stability, and upgrade aging infrastructure to electrify homes and vehicles while keeping customer bills low. In addition, end customers and regulators expect customer empowerment to manage both their energy cost as well as their carbon footprint. Through this new partnership, SPAN and Landis+Gyr are combining best-in-class energy management solutions with industry leading grid edge intelligence to help utilities navigate this difficult landscape.

The co-innovated solution reimagines the interface between the home and the distribution grid, delivering a whole-home multi-asset virtual power plant (VPP), as well as offering unique tangible benefits to both utilities and end consumers, including:

Extends useful life of existing equipment

Intelligently manages loads to defer or avoid upgrades for homes and the distribution grid Provides device-level high-resolution continuous waveform submetering

Unprecedented load visibility for analytics and simple measurement & verification Allows control of the highest value loads with whole-home context

Orchestrates home loads based on real-time concurrent usage and customer preferences Delivers superior homeowner experience

Provides customers total visibility and choice in load management priorities and participation

"The collaboration with Landis+Gyr allows us to advance AMI through device-level intelligence and control. Landis+Gyr's high-resolution continuous waveform sensing, networking, and software capabilities perfectly complement SPAN's household level energy orchestration capabilities, allowing us to amplify grid-level benefits and improve utilization of existing infrastructure. Furthermore, SPAN's Home App empowers customers, providing critical transparency and prioritization of DERs, improving customer awareness of energy usage, and enabling enrollment in demand flexibility programs," said Arch Rao, CEO of SPAN. "We're thrilled to be working with Landis+Gyr to help utilities enable grid flexibility and advance their decarbonization programs."

As the initial joint product from the partnership, Landis+Gyr and SPAN will offer an industry-first grid edge solution with circuit-level billing-grade metering, DER visibility, and controls. Addressing the increasing power demand driven by electrification of transportation and buildings will require new and innovative ways of managing the load at each premise. The joint product will improve utilization of existing utility infrastructure in addition to enabling utilities to avoid costly and time-consuming secondary distribution service upgrades by balancing loads to maintain peak power of the premise within the existing capabilities of the grid, furthering home and transportation electrification.

"The partnership between Landis+Gyr and SPAN not only expands our flexibility management platform, which enables utilities to ensure grid stability and reliability, but also helps them reduce costly grid infrastructure investments required for electrification. We're particularly excited to bring SPAN's service upgrade avoidance capabilities and intuitive app experience to our customers to empower both utilities and end consumers to drive energy efficiency and flexibility," Werner Lieberherr, CEO of Landis+Gyr added. "The collaborative solution innovated by our two companies will revolutionize the way end consumers and utilities combine their efforts to manage energy better and decarbonize the grid as a result."

SPAN and Landis+Gyr plan to evaluate the offering with US utilities, starting with pilots this year. By innovating on decarbonization-focused grid-edge products, the collaboration will help utilities and consumers support the energy transition in a smarter and more sustainable way.

The new product and partnership will be presented at DistribuTECH 2024 in Orlando, Florida from February 27-29. To find out more, visit Landis+Gyr's booth #2401 and SPAN's booth #2019.

About SPAN:

SPAN's mission is to enable electrification for all, decarbonizing the built environment by removing barriers to electrification while providing a holistic approach to managing increasing demands on household energy. SPAN is developing products that provide an intuitive energy management interface for the home, with the belief that powering your home with clean energy should be a simple and delightful experience that is technology-forward and human-centered. SPAN has grown from a core team of four to 200+ employees, with panels installed nationwide in 50 states. For more information, go to span.io.

About Landis+Gyr

Landis+Gyr is a leading global provider of integrated energy management solutions. We measure and analyze energy utilization to generate empowering analytics for smart grid and infrastructure management, enabling utilities and consumers to reduce energy consumption. Our innovative and proven portfolio of software, services and intelligent sensor technology is a key driver to decarbonize the grid. Having avoided more than 9.5 million tons of CO 2 in FY 2022, Landis+Gyr manages energy better  since 1896. With sales of USD 1.7 billion in FY 2022, Landis+Gyr employs around 7,300 talented people across five continents. For more information, please visit our website www.landisgyr.com.

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Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1672109/Landis_Gyr_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Landis+Gyr
Tucson Medical Center Implants First Patient with Novel Investigational Device

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Minnesota based Laplace Interventional announced the successful completion of its first-in-human (FIH) procedure with its Laplace Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement (TTVR) system by Dr. Thomas Waggoner and Dr. George Makdisi from US Heart and Vascular Institute at Tucson Medical Center (TMC). In addition, Dr. Pradeep Yadav from Piedmont Heart Institute, Atlanta was also present during the case as a clinical proctor. The procedure was conducted under an Early Feasibility Study (EFS) clinical protocol approved by the U.S. FDA intended to understand the safety and technical feasibility of the Laplace TTVR System. The patient was discharged from the hospital and is recovering.

Laplace Interventional's device is intended to replace the leaky native tricuspid valve to reduce or eliminate Tricuspid Regurgitation (TR). Laplace Interventional's TTVR system is designed for procedural simplicity and is delivered through the patient's vasculature without requiring a high risk open-heart surgery.

"TMC is focused on providing leading-edge cardiac care to our patients by bringing advanced minimally-invasive technologies to our patients. We are proud to be the first medical center in the world to successfully implant a patient with Laplace Interventional's cutting-edge new technology to treat tricuspid regurgitation. Thanks to the FDA's dedication to the EFS Program, we are able to offer our patients new options for TTVR as early as possible through studies such as this." commented Dr. Waggoner.

"The team at Laplace Interventional has developed an incredibly easy to use TTVR system. I can see this procedure to be readily learnt by physicians and Laplace's technology to be routinely adopted across the world potentially improving the lives of several million patients who need a treatment." commented Dr. Yadav.

"In Tucson Medical Center's 80th year serving Southern Arizona, we're incredibly proud of partnerships like this, that allow us to pursue innovation for our patients," said Mimi Coomler, CEO of Tucson Medical Center. "Continued research and the pursuit of new medical technology allows us to continue our mission of providing exceptional health care with compassion."

Laplace Interventional Founder and CEO, Ramji Iyer, PhD said " On behalf of the Laplace team, I would like to congratulate Dr. Waggoner, Dr. Makdisi and the entire team at TMC, especially the TMC Cardiovascular Research team, on this incredible achievement and sincerely thank them for their dedication towards outstanding patient care. I am also very thankful to Dr. Yadav for his participation in the procedure as a clinical proctor. The successful completion of the FIH procedure in the US EFS study marks a significant milestone for Laplace's technology and in understanding its potential to benefit a significant number of patients with tricuspid regurgitation."

Caution: Laplace Interventional's TTVR System is approved for investigational use in the United States and limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use only.

Note: Laplace Interventional's TTVR System is intended to be used for reduction of TR in adults who have severe or more symptomatic TR despite medical therapy and who have been determined to be appropriate for transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement.

For more information, contact:

Laplace Interventional, Inc.

[email protected]

SOURCE Laplace Interventional
The LIM Fashion Show is being transformed into an industry "must-attend" event with a noteworthy cast of design talent, industry mentors and honorary chairs

NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LIM College today announced that its annual student-produced fashion show will be held April 19 at 6 p.m. at New York City's famed Glasshouse at 660 12th Ave.

The show, which is planned, produced, and executed entirely by students, is being transformed into an industry must-attend event aimed at uplifting emerging New York City designers, especially those who design with diversity and inclusivity in mind.

Annual LIM College Student-Run Fashion Show to be Held April 19 Post this

The LIM Fashion Show will also offer exclusive opportunities for the fashion industry to connect with the next generation of talent in the business of fashion and will benefit the Verma Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to giving high-quality wig caps to cancer patients experiencing hair loss.

Noteworthy LIM alumni industry mentors, including Joshua Danforth, Senior Director of Visual Merchandising Capabilities for Walmart; Gina Mercatili, Visual Production Supervisor-Windows and Special Store Projects for Bloomingdale's; Lulu Palmer, Founder of creative agency Haus Eleven; Kevin Schmidt, Founder, K&L Events; Brandon Smithwrick, Head of Content at Kickstarter, and Aubriana Sweet, Founder and Head Creative for A Sweet Production, will share their knowledge, guidance and support with LIM students as they plan and execute the show this year.

Honorary event chairs will include Kirsten Ferguson, the enigmatic and inspiring running instructor at Peloton; Emme, the award-winning American supermodel, body advocate, and Founder of the True Beauty Foundation; Elliot Carlyle, Founder of CURRENT.LY Global and a fashion and jewelry industry consultant, and Natasha Verma, Fox5NY News Anchor and Founder of the Verma Foundation.

"The 2024 LIM Fashion Show will be unlike any event our students have produced in nearly eight decades," said Ron Marshall, LIM College President. "The college is transforming every aspect of the production and giving students an incredible opportunity to deliver a world-class event while learning alongside industry leaders, advisors, designers, and partners in the process," he said.

"While the students are elevating the experience this year, we are also creating exclusive opportunities for leading brands and organizations within fashion and retail to meet emerging talent within the business. This includes not only top students in the business of fashion at LIM, but also emerging local design talent in New York. Any industry organization that wants to tap into who and what is next within fashion will find value in attending this year's LIM Fashion Show," Marshall added.

Planning for the LIM Fashion Show is ongoing and designers, industry leaders, brands, retailers, and those interested in being involved in the event or sponsoring it may contact Consulting Fashion Show Producer Rachel Willingham at [email protected].

About LIM College

Founded in 1939 and located in midtown Manhattan, LIM College is focused on the global business of fashion and lifestyle. Offering master's, bachelor's and associate degree programs, LIM prepares students for career success via an immersive approach grounded in real-world experience and "learning by doing" through required internships. LIM College's commitment to excellence in business education ensures graduates are sought after by a wide range of employers, as evidenced by a Career Outcomes Rate of 96% for the Class of 2022. Alumni excel throughout all areas of fashion and lifestyle and have gone on to work for companies such as Chanel, Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Ross Stores, Ulta Beauty, Microsoft, Saks Fifth Avenue, Edie Parker, Walmart, Macy's, and Google.

Contact:

Anne Roman

[email protected]

419.708.5171

Meredith Finnin

[email protected]

646.218.2156

SOURCE LIM College
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Loretta P. Martinez, J.D., an accomplished attorney with more than 25 years of experience, primarily as general counsel in public and private higher education institutions, will be the inaugural senior vice president and general counsel of Loyola Marymount University.

As LMU's head legal officer, Martinez will be an integral member of the university's executive leadership team, addressing essential issues that impact the community, and providing counsel on legal matters, governance, and related topics. Her appointment is effective April 1, 2024.

Loretta P. Martinez, J.D., an accomplished attorney with more than 25 years of experience, primarily as general counsel in public and private higher education institutions, joins LMU as inaugural senior vice president and general counsel.

"SVP Martinez's breadth of knowledge and expertise will serve LMU well as we build an in-house legal function that proactively engages key leaders and units to assess and mitigate legal risk and optimize our legal compliance in support of our university's values, mission, and strategic goals," said LMU President Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D.

Martinez joins LMU from the University of New Mexico, where, as general counsel, she has led an office encompassing five campuses and the UNM Health System. She advises the Board of Regents, university president, CEO for the UNM Health System, campus chancellors, and senior leadership, and she oversees the public records office, privacy office, and some 100 cases in active litigation.

"I am excited to bring my background as a higher education general counsel to a university with LMU's national reputation and impact," Martinez said. "I resonate with LMU's Catholic, Jesuit, and Marymount mission and look forward to establishing a trusted legal resource that ensures that the university succeeds in accomplishing its strategic priorities, ultimately igniting a brighter world."

Prior to her arrival at the University of New Mexico, Martinez served as general counsel and vice chancellor for legal affairs at the City University of New York, where she led an in-house legal staff and collaborated with counterpart in-house counsels at several CUNY institutions. At Colorado College, Martinez served as general counsel and board secretary for more than eight years.

She has also worked in the private sector, specializing in public and private P-20 education law, and served as outside general counsel to elected officials, Colorado cities and towns, and other governmental and private entities on a broad range of public law topics. Martinez earned her Juris Doctorate at Harvard Law School and her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Yale University.

SOURCE Loyola Marymount University
CHICAGO, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The cloud and edge computing will be rapidly adopted, security and compliance will be given more attention, and automation and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies will be integrated into managed network services. Suppliers will guarantee effective, flexible, and safe networking solutions that assist digital transformation projects by emphasising user experience, providing managed SD-WAN services, and utilising predictive analytics.

The Managed Network Services Market is expected to reach USD 89.9 billion by 2028 from USD 65.7 billion in 2023, at a CAGR of 6.5 % during 20232028, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Managed Network Services Market"

300 - Tables

50 - Figures

290 - Pages

Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=901

Scope of the Report

Report Metrics Details Market size available for years 2017-2028 Base year considered 2022 Forecast period 20232028 Forecast units Value (USD) Million/Billion Segments Covered By Type, Verticals, and region Region covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America Companies covered The major players in the Managed Network Services Market are IBM (US), Cisco (US), Ericsson (Sweden), Verizon (US), Huawei (China), AT&T (US), BT Group (UK), Telefonica (Spain), T-Systems (Germany), NTT (Japan), Orange (France), Vodafone (UK), Fujitsu (Japan), Lumen (US), Masergy (US), Colt Technology Services (UK), Telstra (Australia), CommScope (US).

The diverse and competitive landscape of managed network services empowers businesses through enhanced efficiency. By outsourcing network management, organizations unlock optimized resource utilization and reduced expenses. Leveraging Managed Service Providers (MSPs) alleviates the burden of keeping pace with technology, allowing internal resources to focus on core competencies. Managed networks further provide global reach even for resource-constrained organizations, eliminating the complexities of building, monitoring, and maintaining internal infrastructure. This frees them to concentrate on their core business objectives. Compared to the costly and time-consuming in-house approach, particularly challenging for SMEs where cost is paramount, managed services offer a compelling alternative. They eliminate installation and management complexities, paving the way for increased agility, cost-effectiveness, and freedom for businesses of all sizes.

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By type, managed network security is expected to register the fastest growth rate during the forecast period.

The segment dedicated to managed network security is poised for the most significant growth within the Managed Network Services Market. This surge is driven by the ever-present threat landscape that compromises systems, hinders productivity, and disrupts compliance efforts. By partnering with Managed Security Providers (MSPs), businesses safeguard their perimeters against diverse security threats. These providers implement robust controls and protections to defend network services and customer data from external exploits, continually validating technologies and procedures through internal and external audits. This comprehensive approach empowers businesses to confidently pursue innovation and growth, unburdened by the complexities of modern cybersecurity challenges.

By vertical, Healthcare is expected to register the fastest growth rate in the Managed Network Service market during the forecast period.

The healthcare vertical within the Managed Network Services Market anticipates accelerated growth driven by its significant technology investments. Cloud, mobility, and IoT adoption seek to enhance care quality, minimize costs, and maintain regulatory compliance and market competitiveness. Yet, healthcare institutions face immense pressure from competing resource demands, including regulations, budget constraints, staffing/skill gaps, compliance burdens, and cybersecurity threats. Managed network services offer a solution, empowering healthcare providers to effortlessly manage HIPAA-compliant networks, securely deploy and maintain mobile health applications, and seamlessly grant internet access to patients and visitors. This tailored approach enables healthcare institutions to navigate complex IT challenges while focusing on their core mission of delivering quality patient care.

Based on region, Asia Pacific is projected to register the fastest growth rate during the forecast period.

The Asia Pacific region is compelling in the MNS market and is poised for significant growth over the forecast period. Key drivers include high-growth populations, burgeoning economies, and widespread adoption of mobile and internet technologies. This dynamic demography translates to a vast subscriber base for companies, further amplified by diverse geographies and the booming use of smart devices. To accommodate this surge, reliable and secure internet connectivity becomes paramount, propelling the demand for MNS. Notably, managed network security services reign supreme within the region, driven by the prevalence of cyberattacks and emerging infrastructure vulnerable to breaches. This underscores the critical role MNS plays in empowering businesses to navigate the complexities of connectivity and security in the fast-paced Asia Pacific market.

Top Key Companies in Managed Network Services Market:

The report profiles key players such as IBM (US), Cisco (US), Ericsson (Sweden), Verizon (US), Huawei (China), AT&T (US), BT Group (UK), Telefonica (Spain), T-Systems (Germany), NTT (Japan), Orange (France), Vodafone (UK), Fujitsu (Japan), Lumen (US), Masergy (US), Colt Technology Services (UK), Telstra (Australia), CommScope (US) etc.

Recent Developments:

In May 2023 , NTT announced the Next Generation Platform for Managed Network Services. The platform provides customers a direct pathway towards network transformation, underpinned by NTT's managed services experience, expertise, and expansive technical resources.

, NTT announced the Next Generation Platform for Managed Network Services. The platform provides customers a direct pathway towards network transformation, underpinned by NTT's managed services experience, expertise, and expansive technical resources. In Feb 2023 , Huawei launched the digitally managed network solution to boost new growth for carriers' B2B services.

, Huawei launched the digitally managed network solution to boost new growth for carriers' B2B services. In June 2021 , with Cisco, AT&T Business introduced Webex Calling with AT&T  Enterprise to Cisco's Unified Communications Manager  Cloud (UCMC), helping businesses optimize operations and accelerate digital transformation in any environment.

, with Cisco, AT&T Business introduced Webex Calling with AT&T  Enterprise to Cisco's Unified Communications Manager  Cloud (UCMC), helping businesses optimize operations and accelerate digital transformation in any environment. In May 2021 , Cisco Webex, one of the leading providers of cloud-based collaboration solutions, and Box, one of the leading Content Clouds, announced new and deepened integrations between the two technology platforms to make it easier for customers to work securely and effectively in the cloud.

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Managed Network Services Market Advantages:

Lower network management operating and capital expenses because MSPs provide predictable pricing structures, scale economies, and proactive maintenance that reduces infrastructure investments and downtime.

Organisations may scale resources up or down as needed without having to make significant infrastructure investments thanks to managed network services, which offer scalability and flexibility to respond to changing business needs and evolving network requirements.

Protecting against cyber risks and adhering to regulatory standards, managed service providers provide strong security features such firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, encryption, and frequent security updates.

MSPs provide proactive network performance management and monitoring, spotting and fixing problems before they affect operations and guaranteeing high network infrastructure availability, dependability, and performance.

With specialised teams monitoring, debugging, and fixing network problems, managed network services offer round-the-clock support and maintenance, guaranteeing uninterrupted operation and reducing downtime.

While MSPs take care of routine network operations, maintenance, and optimisation, organisations may concentrate on key business activities and strategic initiatives by outsourcing network management.

Report Objectives

To determine and forecast the global Managed Network Services Market based on type, vertical, and region from 2023 to 2028, and analyze the various macroeconomic and microeconomic factors that affect the market growth.

To forecast the size of the market segments concerning five central regions: North America , Europe , Asia Pacific , Middle East & Africa , and Latin America .

, , , & , and . To provide detailed information about the major factors (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges) influencing the growth of the Managed Network Services Market.

Analyze each submarket concerning individual growth trends, prospects, and contributions to the overall Managed Network Services Market.

To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high-growth segments of the Managed Network Services Market.

To profile the key market players; provide a comparative analysis based on business overviews, regional presence, product offerings, business strategies, and key financials; and illustrate the market's competitive landscape.

Track and analyze competitive developments in the market, such as mergers and acquisitions, product developments, partnerships and collaborations, and Research and Development (R&D) activities.

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The telecom market is evolving rapidly, and Mapbox's digital twin solution in partnership with Snowflake and Maxar represents a significant leap forward in addressing the challenges faced by telecom companies. With this integrated offering, telecom organizations can obtain hyper-precise insights into cellular coverage, enabling them to make informed decisions related to coverage, outages, maintenance, and new infrastructure.

"Collaborating with Snowflake and Maxar to introduce a digital twin solution provides an opportunity for leaders in business, geospatial, and location intelligence to redefine how telecom organizations visualize and analyze their networks," said Garrett Miller, Global Vice President of Customer Engagement at Mapbox. "By harnessing the power of Mapbox's platform, telecom companies can gain actionable insights into network performance metrics, identify areas for infrastructure improvement, and make informed decisions to meet the evolving demands of their customers."

The digital twin solution consists of a base layer of ultra-high precision coverage raster datasets used for downstream business intelligence visualization and analysis. Mapbox is uniquely positioned to deliver this capability with its raster data pipeline capabilities and superior rendering engine that can performantly handle enormous datasets at scale.

"The AI-enhanced digital twin is aimed at aiding various telecom use cases such as network planning, outage mapping, and optimizing network operations," said Fawad Qureshi, Industry Field CTO at Snowflake. "Mapbox is a key partner within the Snowflake Telecom Data Cloud, and together, we are empowering telecom organizations with a robust toolset, to improve processes and foster innovation through data-driven decision-making."

"Maxar is excited to be part of this transformative partnership with Snowflake and Mapbox. Our Precision3D Telco Suite provides the telecom industry with high-resolution details, such as 3D buildings, foliage and elevations of Earth's surface, on a regional, national and global scale. Combining this dataset with Mapbox's platform and Snowflake's data layers will revolutionize decision-making processes," said Paul Granito, General Manager, Enterprise at Maxar.

The digital twin basemap combined with ultra-high-resolution raster coverage data informs better decision-making related to coverage, outages, maintenance, and new infrastructure. Organizations can access an unprecedented level of cellular coverage insights with hyper-precise telecom data rendered onto HD terrain and imagery. Visit the Mapbox site and fill out the form to show interest and receive updates about the digital twin.

Join Mapbox at Mobile World Congress 2024

Learn more about the digital twin solution and how it can revolutionize telecom coverage decision-making. Mapbox will introduce the solution during their talk at Mobile World Congress 2024 on Wednesday at Snowflake's booth in Hall 5.

ABOUT MAPBOX

Mapbox is the technology underpinning location-aware businesses and applications. Mapbox equips organizations with AI-enhanced tools and data to power navigation for people, packages, and vehicles everywhere. More than 4 million registered developers and nearly 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies have chosen Mapbox because of the platform's flexibility, security, and privacy compliance. Organizations use Mapbox applications, data, SDKs, and APIs to create customized and immersive experiences that delight their customers.

For more information, visit www.mapbox.com .

SOURCE Mapbox
The region continued meaningful expansion across all segments from midscale to all-inclusive, and residential to luxury; conversions remained a main driver of growth.

PLANTATION, Fla., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Following its recent announcement of strong global net rooms growth and a record year of global rooms signings, Marriott International today announced a year of robust room signings and additions across the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA) in 2023. The company nearly doubled its number of organic deal signings in the region versus prior year, signing 57 transactions and nearly 7,300 rooms in 2023 to reach a solid pipeline of 24,000 rooms across the region at the end of last year.

Rendering JW Marriott at MARAEY (Brazil)

In 2023, the company added over 170 properties to Marriott's portfolio in CALA, growing its footprint to nearly 500 properties, including hotels and residences, and nearly 87,000 rooms across 37 countries and territories, making Marriott the largest hotel company in the region based on open rooms and pipeline.

At year-end, Marriott's hotel pipeline in CALA stood at 155 properties and 24,000 rooms, which will further enhance the company's leadership position in the luxury segment across the region, unveil new offerings in the affordable midscale segment, and increase its offering of all-inclusive properties.

"We are pleased to report a great year of growth for Marriott in the CALA region, with strong development activity in 2023. With continuing momentum in conversions, and our ongoing expansion across numerous segments, including luxury and all-inclusive, we remain focused on providing our guests and owners with more best-in-class options" said Laurent de Kousemaeker, Chief Development Officer for Marriott International in the Caribbean and Latin America. "We see exceptional opportunities in the region across all segments, but particularly in midscale with the new City Express by Marriott brand, opening up fresh possibilities in this segment throughout the region."

City Express by Marriott

In 2023, the company strategically positioned CALA as the launchpad for the company's entry into the high-growth affordable midscale segment with the acquisition of the City Express brand portfolio. With 150 properties and approximately 17,500 rooms across Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Chile, the deal increased Marriott's footprint in the region by approximately 45 percent. In 2024, the City Express by Marriott brand is expected to further expand with new properties across the region.

Luxury Growth in the Region

With 60 properties across six of the seven global luxury brands of the company, Marriott remains a leading option for luxury travelers in the region, offering a broad portfolio of options from pristine beaches to city escapes. Opening highlights in 2023 included the debut of The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai (Mexico) in November 2023, and The St. Regis Kanai Resort (Mexico) earlier in the year. Anticipated luxury openings in 2024 include the JW Marriott Sint Maarten Beach Resort (Sint Marteen), Almare, a Luxury Collection All-inclusive Resort Isla Mujeres (Mexico), Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Papagayo (Costa Rica), The St. Regis Aruba (Aruba), W Punta Cana, All-Inclusive, The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort (Dominican Republic), and W Sao Paulo (Brazil). The region holds a luxury pipeline of 34 properties and over 5,000 rooms.

Accelerating Momentum in Conversions

Hotel conversions continue to have momentum in the CALA. Nearly 35 percent of Marriott's rooms signings in the region in 2023 were conversions, including the recently announced Villa Lapas, Autograph Collection (Costa Rica), Aloft Guadalajara Country Club, Sheraton Guadalajara Expo and Delta Hotels Puebla (Mexico), and Las Terrenas, Autograph Collection (Dominican Republic). Hoteliers and investors are leveraging the efficiencies and advantages of renovating and rebranding existing properties throughout the region, further expanding the breadth of Marriott Bonvoy's portfolio of more than 30 global leading brands.

All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott's all-inclusive resort portfolio in the region continues to meet consumer demand. With 31 open all-inclusive properties in CALA located across nine markets (Mexico - Riviera Nayarit & Cancun, Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda, St Lucia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Grenada and Brazil) and four brands (Autograph Collection, Delta, Westin, and Luxury Collection), and 18 additional properties in the signed pipeline, the company is providing guests more all-inclusive offerings than ever before. The company recently signed the second Ritz-Carlton All-Inclusive property in the region to be located on the shores of Yanuna, Dominican Republic, along with a Luxury Collection All-Inclusive Resort to bring unparalleled luxury to the Dominican Republic.

Expected all-inclusive openings for 2024 in the region include Almare, a Luxury Collection All-inclusive Resort Isla Mujeres (Mexico), W Punta Cana, All-Inclusive (Dominican Republic), and the rebranding of several Elegant Hotels properties (Treasure Beach, The House, and Waves) into the Autograph Collection brand in Barbados, which will bring Marriott's global all-inclusive roster to 49 open and pipeline properties across 12 markets and 10 brands. Six of the pipeline properties are slated to open in 2024.

Branded Residences Portfolio

The popularity of branded residences in CALA is experiencing a surge of customer demand. Marriott currently offers 15 open locations in 11 markets across the region. Anticipated residential openings in 2024 include The Residences at The St. Regis Kanai Resort (Mexico), Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve Residence, Papagayo (Costa Rica), The Residences at The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort (Dominican Republic), and the W Residences Sao Paulo (Brazil). Globally, the company has a pipeline of 115 residential projects.

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy, the company's award-winning travel program, boasts a thriving community of over 6 million members in CALA and keeps growing to offer an even more enriching travel experience for its members, with new strategic partnerships, and increased ways to earn and accumulate points across the region. Announced in May 2023, the company entered a strategic collaboration with Rappi, the multilatina technology company, further enhancing the unparalleled advantages for its members and enabling the company to connect with Rappi's more than 20 million users across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay.

As Marriott continues to expand its footprint and offerings in CALA, the region is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the breadth and depth of its portfolio, with an array of growth and development opportunities.

Note on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of United States federal securities laws, including statements related to deal signings, expected future project openings and portfolio growth; our development pipeline; the pace and momentum of development activity; future growth opportunities; demand trends and expectations; and similar statements concerning anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts. We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous evolving risks and uncertainties that we may not be able to accurately predict or assess, including the risk factors that we identify in our U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Any of these factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations we express or imply in this press release. We make these forward-looking statements as of the date of this press release and undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Marriott International

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of nearly 8,800 properties across more than 30 leading brands in 139 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy, its highly awarded travel program. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on X and Instagram.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.
HACKENSACK, N.J., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Co-CEOs Dr. Jason Auerbach and Jeff Ward of MAX Surgical Specialty Management are proud to announce MAX's expansion into Pennsylvania. Just off the heels of partnering with practices led by thought leaders in New York and Vermont, this entry into Pennsylvania will further add to New Jersey based, MAX's position as a leading innovator in the realm of surgeon-led OMS platforms. This growth is another steppingstone in solidifying MAX's presence as the premier OMS platform supporting practices throughout the Northeast.

MAX Enters Pennsylvania

"With each partnership, we reinforce that MAX is not just another option but rather a real difference maker for so many great surgeons trying to navigate this space," shares Dr. Auerbach. "The feedback has been astounding, and we are confident it will be no different from our new partners at Lititz Oral Surgery. We are witnessing a transformation in our industry, and MAX is proud to be at the forefront of this evolution."

In Pennsylvania, MAX has forged a partnership with Lititz Oral Surgery , located in Lititz and Hershey, Pennsylvania. Led by esteemed surgeon Dr. John Vakkas , DDS, MD, Lititz Oral Surgery is recognized for its superior clinical standards, patient-focused approach, educational initiatives, and exceptional treatment outcomes. Dr. Vakkas will directly contribute to MAX's passion for philanthropy as he has done great work to support those with cleft lip and palate around the world.

"Dr. Vakkas and his team exemplify the values that MAX stands for," Jeff Ward reflects. "Their dedication to superior patient care and specialized expertise make them invaluable partners that complement our other practices."

This new partnership in Pennsylvania showcases further progress toward MAX's mission in a tangible manner. MAX is thrilled to be reshaping the OMS industry landscape with surgeon-led vision and ideals.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Sabrina Levine | [email protected] | (917) 769-4434

Nicole Waldman | [email protected] | (805) 404-8152

About Dr. John Vakkas:

Dr. Vakkas is both a licensed dentist and physician and holds board certification from the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He obtained his doctor of dental surgery from Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery and his medical degree at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. He completed an internship in general surgery before completing his Oral and Maxillofacial residency at New York Presbyterian, Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Vakkas has over 15 years' experience in oral surgery, with special interest in dental implantology, dentoalveolar surgery and pathology. In addition to his surgical practice, he fulfilled his passion for serving the underprivileged through international work with Healing the Children, where he provided cleft lip and palate surgical care in Colombia, as well as Healthcare International, providing dental services in Jamaica. Dr. Vakkas is an active member of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the Pennsylvania Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the National Dental Honor Society. Further information is available at https://jawdoctor.com/staff/john-vakkas-dds/ .

About Dr. Jason Auerbach:

Dr. Jason M. Auerbach also known as @bloodytoothguy (186K) on social media is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon certified by both the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the National Dental Board of Anesthesiology. This dual certification  and the expertise it reflects  enables Dr. Auerbach to provide patients with the full range of oral and maxillofacial surgery services, including laser-assisted dental implant surgery, advanced bone grafting, wisdom tooth extraction, exposures of impacted canines for orthodontic patients, and more. Dr. Auerbach founded Riverside Oral Surgery in 2007 and, in so doing, began to realize his vision of providing the optimal patient experience through clinical excellence, compassionate care, and close attention to every detail. Since then, he has been honored regularly by colleagues and patients alike, and now has 13 practices in the greater state of New Jersey. Dr. Auerbach's newest venture is MAX Surgical Specialty Management LLC, the ultimate surgeon-led oral and maxillofacial platform where he serves as the President and Co-CEO.

About MAX Surgical Specialty Management:

Based in Hackensack, New Jersey, MAX Surgical Specialty Management is a management services organization that partners with premier oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) practices to drive and support clinical excellence and a superior patient experience with the intention of creating the ultimate surgeon-led OMS platform. Backed by MedEquity Capital, RF Investment Partners, and Kian Capital, MAX is committed to building the region's first OMS-only specialty platform where surgeons' autonomy, independent practice identity, and clinical excellence are organizational imperatives. MAX provides a superior platform to support strategic practice growth as well as scalable, effective, and efficient daily operations required to meet the needs of top performing OMS practices. Further information is available at www.max-ssm.com.

About MedEquity Capital:

Headquartered in Wellesley, Massachusetts, MedEquity Capital is a healthcare private equity firm that focuses on investing in profitable healthcare services business, most often in the lower middle-market. Since its founding over 20 years ago, MedEquity has invested over $400 million of equity capital, with top decile returns for its investors. Further information is available at www.medequity.com.

About RF Investment Partners:

RF Investment Partners provides capital ranging in size from $5 million to $30 million to support leading domestic, lower-middle-market companies. RF partners with family-owned and private businesses in a variety of situations, including acquisition financing, growth capital investments, recapitalizations, refinancings, and management buyouts. RF's investment professionals have significant experience investing across the capital structure and have the flexibility to structure deals to meet the distinct needs of each company and situation. RF invests in unitranche, second lien, and subordinated debt, alongside preferred and common equity. Further information is available at www.rf-partners.com.

SOURCE MAX Surgical Specialty Management LLC
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Following is a statement by Emily Wilkins, president of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein, president of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, on acts of intimidation and threatening behavior by President Obrador of Mexico against NY Times reporter Natalie Kitroeff.

"We were shocked that President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador put NY Times journalist Natalie Kitroeff at risk by providing her confidential contact information to the public and making aggressive comments toward her.

"Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries for reporters. Cartels and other criminals frequently intimidate, beat or kill journalists. For President Obrador to weaponize criminal elements against a reporter requires investigation. If any harm comes to Ms. Kitroeff from this incident, the National Press Club will insist on a full measure of justice in this case.

"President Obrador's actions are particularly appalling for their apparent attempt to intimidate Ms. Kitroeff as she and her colleagues prepare to publish important journalism that provided much needed accountability about his own network.

"Going forward President Obrador should make a public apologize to Ms. Kitroeff and her readers at the Times and take the great care in these matters as is expected of a head of state."

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. With 3,000 members representing nearly every leading newsroom, the Club is a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.

The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged, global citizenry through an independent and free press. NPCJI is the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club.

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for the National Press Club

SOURCE National Press Club
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mark Libby has expressed condolences to the Azerbaijani people on the commemoration of the Khojaly genocide, Trend reports, referring to the official page of the embassy on X.

Today we join Azerbaijanis in mourning the hundreds who were killed in Khojaly in 1992. On behalf of the United States, I extend my deepest sympathy to the families of those killed, injured, and displaced in Khojaly. We have a duty to work for peace in the region and ensure such tragedies never happen again, the publication says.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Collaboration leverages Neomorph's leading molecular glue discovery platform and Novo Nordisk's extensive expertise in cardiometabolic and rare diseases

Total potential deal value of $1.46B across multiple targets

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Neomorph, Inc. today announced it has entered into a collaboration and licensing agreement with global healthcare company Novo Nordisk to discover, develop and commercialize molecular glue degraders. Neomorph, a biotechnology company solving critical problems in human health through the discovery of novel therapeutics against 'undruggable' targets, was founded in 2020 and is venture backed by Deerfield Management Company.

"We are incredibly excited to partner with Novo Nordisk, a world-class healthcare company within diabetes, obesity and rare blood disorders," said Phil Chamberlain, DPhil, Co-Founder, President, and CEO of Neomorph. "By combining Neomorph's proprietary glue discovery platform with Novo Nordisk's vast experience in cardiometabolic and rare diseases, we are well positioned to develop transformative treatments in these areas. This collaboration will enable the expansion of our platform into new therapeutic areas, complementing our on-going efforts in oncology."

Under the terms of the agreement, Neomorph will receive an upfront and near-term milestone payments, plus R&D funding. Neomorph is also eligible to receive future clinical, commercial and sales milestone payments bringing the total potential deal value for multiple targets to $1.46B, plus tiered royalties. Neomorph will lead discovery and preclinical activities against selected targets with Novo Nordisk having the right to exclusively pursue further clinical development and commercialization of the compounds.

"Novo Nordisk is expanding its drug discovery efforts and deploying a range of novel technology platforms with the aim of discovering and developing new treatment solutions for people living with serious chronic diseases. We are pleased to enter this research collaboration and eager to start the scientific work on the novel class of molecular glue degraders being pioneered by Neomorph," said Brian Vandahl, Senior Vice President of Global Research Technologies at Novo Nordisk.

About Neomorph

Neomorph is a biotechnology company solving critical problems in human health through the discovery and development of innovative new medicines against 'undruggable' targets. Neomorph was founded in 2020 and is venture backed by Deerfield Management Company.

Neomorph's team is comprised of industry leading experts in protein degradation and molecular glues who have a track record of ground-breaking discoveries in the field. The team at Neomorph is committed to leadership in advancing the science and technology of molecular glue drug discovery, while prosecuting a pipeline of projects through clinical development.

Neomorph is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, visit www.neomorph.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Contacts

Investor Contact: [email protected]

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Neomorph
BERLIN, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PowMr, a leading provider of innovative renewable energy solutions, is proud to announce the launch of its groundbreaking POW-SunSmart 8KL3 and 12KL3 off-grid inverters. Engineered to meet the evolving needs of consumers seeking reliable and affordable energy independence, these state-of-the-art inverters are set to redefine off-grid power solutions worldwide.

POW-SunSmart 8KL3 Product Image

Designed for three-phase systems, the POW-SunSmart 8KL3 and 12KL3 inverters deliver unparalleled performance and efficiency, catering to most residential applications. With advanced features and robust construction, they offer a seamless transition to off-grid living, ensuring uninterrupted power supply even in the most demanding environments.

PowMr's POW-SunSmart series emerges as a frontrunner in the industry, looking up to established brands like DEYE inverter with its unparalleled functionality. Through the utilization of state-of-the-art technology and unwavering engineering prowess, PowMr remains steadfast in its mission to democratize renewable energy solutions.

"We are thrilled to introduce the POW-SunSmart 8KL3 and 12KL3 off-grid inverters to the market," said Tony, CEO of PowMr. "These products represent a significant milestone in our mission to empower individuals and communities with sustainable energy solutions. With their exceptional performance and affordability, we aim to revolutionize off-grid living and inspire a greener future for all."

The POW-SunSmart 8KL3 and 12KL3 inverters have quickly gained popularity among users across the Europe and other high-voltage areas. Customers praise their reliability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, making them a preferred choice for off-grid installations of all sizes.

Key Features of POW-SunSmart 8KL3 and 12KL3 Off-Grid Inverters:

Up to 800V PV input voltage, ideal for high power.

Exclusive Li-ion battery BMS dual activation.

Advanced MPPT technology with up to 99.9% efficiency.

Wall-mounted installation saves home space.

Time-slot function to save cost with peak-valley tariffs

For more information about the POW-SunSmart 8KL3 and 12KL3 off-grid inverters, visit https://powmr.com/.

About PowMr:

PowMr is a leading provider of renewable energy solutions, specializing in solar inverters, charge controllers, and energy storage systems. With a commitment to innovation, quality, and affordability, PowMr empowers individuals and communities worldwide to harness the power of renewable energy for a sustainable future.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2345320/POW_SunSmart_8KL3_Product_Image.jpg
Community Support Surges as Zephyr RTOS Adoption Continues in Products

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Zephyr Project announced that Renesas Electronics Corporation , STMicroelectronics and Ac6 have joined as Silver members. Zephyr, an open source project at the Linux Foundation that builds a secure, connected and flexible RTOS for future-proof and resource-constrained devices, is easy to deploy and manage. It is a proven RTOS ecosystem created by developers for developers.

The Zephyr 3.6 release is a significant step towards delivering the next Long-Term Support version of the project later this year. It includes several security-focused features such as the integration of TF-M 2.0, and improved tooling for SBOM (Software Bill of Materials) generation. With over 30 new boards added across the entire range of supported architectures (Arm, RISC-V, x86, Xtensa, ...), Zephyr now supports over 600 boards that developers can readily use to build their embedded applications.

A Growing Community

Zephyr RTOS has a growing set of software libraries that can be used across various applications and industry sectors such as Industrial IoT, wearables, machine learning and more. It is built with an emphasis on broad chipset support, security, dependability, long-term support releases and a growing open source ecosystem.

Renesas, STMicroelectronics and Ac6 join Arduino, AVSystem, Baumer, BayLibre, Blues, Golioth, Infineon, IRNAS, Laird Connectivity, Linaro, Memfault, Percepio, Silicon Labs, Sternum, Synopsys, Technology Innovation Institute, Texas Instruments and Wind River as Silver members. Platinum members include Analog Devices, Antmicro, Google, Intel, Meta, Nordic Semiconductor, NXP, Oticon, Qualcomm Innovation Center and Zeiss.

"We are excited to join the Zephyr RTOS community and collaborate with a dynamic and diverse group of developers to foster innovation and deliver reliable solutions to our customers," said Mohammed Dogar, Vice President of Embedded Processing Business Development Division, Renesas. "The Zephyr Project's focus on collaboration, key technology integration, and a robust ecosystem makes it an ideal platform for accelerating time-to-market and ensuring the success of embedded systems. We look forward to actively contributing to the Zephyr community and advancing the development of open-source, field-proven solutions together."

"At Ac6, we provide the tools and support necessary for you to expand your knowledge," said Roy Jamil, Project Director at Ac6. "Our belief in the Zephyr Project and its contributions to the embedded community is strong. That's why we are proud to back this initiative, thanks to our training that enables our customers to integrate Zephyr seamlessly into their projects. Ac6's course is designed to equip developers with the knowledge and skills necessary to fully leverage Zephyr's capabilities. We believe that through our comprehensive training and hands-on approach, participants will be able to harness the power of Zephyr to innovate and enhance their embedded systems projects." Learn more by clicking here .

The 3.6 Release

The 3.6 release is an important milestone ahead of the upcoming Long-Term Support (LTS) version of the project. In particular, Zephyr 3.6 integrates Trusted Firmware-M 2.0, a key component for building secure devices. The project also includes improved Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) management tools, therefore helping users ensure that security vulnerabilities can be identified and mitigated in a timely manner.

As Zephyr expands its reach into new types of embedded applications, the numerous enhancements made to the input subsystem makes this release an ideal platform for building devices that feature keypads, touchscreens, and other forms of analog or digital input devices.

Additionally, a newly formed Sensors Working Group has helped drive many improvements of the sensor subsystem. Zephyr 3.6 provides a rich API to implement complex sensor fusion algorithms while keeping power consumption low.

Other notable additions in this release include:

GNSS subsystem for adding spatial awareness to Zephyr applications;

Networking services that allow to create socket and CoAP servers using resources more efficiently; and

New drivers for a wide variety of sensors and peripherals, from round LCD displays to environmental sensors, to cellular modems, and more.

With more than 30 new boards, Zephyr 3.6 now supports well over 600 boards. Some of the newly supported boards include the popular Arduino UNO R4, a variety of boards with bleeding-edge wireless capabilities such as Nordic Semiconductor's nRF9151 DK and nRF9131 EK, ST Nucleo WBA55CG, and many more. Learn more in the 3.6 blog and video .

These improvements enable more products to leverage Zephyr. Recent products featured on the Zephyr Product Page include:

gaitQ tempo - A device that enables people with Parkinson's to walk better using a discreet vibration cueing system.

- A device that enables people with Parkinson's to walk better using a discreet vibration cueing system. Framework Laptop 13 DIY Edition - A thin, light, high-performance 13.5 notebook that is fully modular and easy to repair, upgrade and customize.

- A thin, light, high-performance 13.5 notebook that is fully modular and easy to repair, upgrade and customize. REEKON T1 Tomahawk - A digital tape measure that enables tradespeople across industries to collect measurements faster and more accurately.

- A digital tape measure that enables tradespeople across industries to collect measurements faster and more accurately. Lisios WaterAlarm - A non-invasive early warning system for water leaks that helps consumers save water.

If you are leveraging Zephyr in your products, fill out this form for inclusion on the product page .

See Zephyr RTOS in-person

The Zephyr Project will also have a booth at embedded world , which takes place in Nuremberg, Germany on April 9-11, that will feature several member demos, a product showcase and more. Stay tuned here for more details.

Zephyr Developer Summit takes place on April 16-18 in Seattle, Washington, as part of the Embedded Open Source Summit (EOSS) . Launched in 2021, the annual Zephyr Developer Summit is for developers using or considering Zephyr RTOS in embedded products. EOSS and Zephyr Developer Summit are co-located with Open Source Summit North America and other events. Registration for one event offers access to all events. Learn more or register here .

About the Zephyr Project

The Zephyr Project is an open source, scalable real-time operating system (RTOS) supporting multiple hardware architectures. To learn more, please visit www.zephyrproject.org .

About the Linux Foundation

The Linux Foundation is the world's leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects are critical to the world's infrastructure including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, PyTorch, RISC-V, SPDX, OpenChain, and more. The Linux Foundation focuses on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at linuxfoundation.org .

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage . Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Media Contact:

Maemalynn Meanor

Director of Public Relations & Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE The Zephyr Project
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading global fashion retailer, REVOLVE, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Marianna Hewitt as the Creative Director of their exclusive in-house label, L'Academie. This announcement comes off the success of Marianna x REVOLVE curated collection that launched in December 2022. As an entrepreneur, fashion enthusiast, and leading influencer, Marianna Hewitt brings a refreshing vision and personal style to L'Academie, to reimagine the brand's aesthetic.

Photo Credit: Anna Sokol

Marianna Hewitt, Co-Founder of Summer Fridays - a top selling beauty brand on REVOLVE, will be instrumental in shaping the overarching concept and trend direction for L'Academie. From the vision to the curation of its overall aesthetic, Marianna will be deeply involved in every step of the process including fabric and color selection, fittings and design meetings, and offering her keen insights to determine the style direction of each piece.

Marianna will continue to work closely alongside the REVOLVE team throughout the entire lifecycle of the brand's collections and collaborate on editorial direction for campaigns as well as site merchandising. Marianna notes that she "collaborated closely with the L'Academie team to curate my dream wardrobe with versatile essentials to wear effortlessly from meetings to my next trip."

"It is an honor for me to be a part of REVOLVE in a bigger way as Creative Director of L'Academie, a brand that has been part of my wardrobe since 2015. Together with this talented team, we've stayed true to the brand's core essence and reimagined it to have pieces I would want in my dream wardrobe." - Marianna Hewitt, Creative Director, L'Academie

"Marianna has been a long time collaborator and friend of REVOLVE. It has been incredible to follow her journey over the years as a blogger, influencer to business woman to now becoming Creative Director of REVOLVE's very own, L'Academie. We're so excited to introduce Marianna's first collection with our community as we continue to elevate our in-house brands with a fresh perspective." - Raissa Gerona, Chief Brand Officer, RVLV Group

REVOLVE and Marianna are excited to introduce the new L'Academie, a Parisian-inspired collection, bringing a touch of Paris to fashion enthusiasts around the world. The collection features timeless pieces that elevate everyday wear, promising versatility and sophistication for seasons to come. Marianna's passion for creating a wardrobe that seamlessly transitions from professional settings to leisure aligns perfectly with the ethos of L'Academie and REVOLVE.

Shop the Collection: REVOLVE

Campaign Imagery: HERE

Media Contacts:

[email protected]

About Revolve Group, Inc.

Revolve Group, Inc. (RVLV) is the next-generation fashion retailer for Millennial and Generation Z consumers. As a trusted premium lifestyle brand and a go-to online source for discovery and inspiration, we deliver an engaging customer experience from a vast, yet curated, offering of apparel, footwear, accessories, and beauty styles. Our dynamic platform connects a deeply engaged community of millions of consumers, thousands of global fashion influencers, and more than 1,000 emerging, established, and owned brands.

We were founded in 2003 by our co-CEOs, Michael Mente and Mike Karanikolas. We sell merchandise through two complementary segments, REVOLVE and FWRD, that leverage one platform. Through REVOLVE, we offer an assortment of premium apparel, footwear, accessories, and beauty products from emerging, established and owned brands. Through FWRD, we offer a highly curated assortment of iconic and emerging luxury brands. For more information, visit www.revolve.com .

SOURCE Revolve Group, Inc.
STOCKHOLM, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sandvik has signed an agreement to acquire Cimquest, a US based reseller of Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) solutions and one of the largest resellers in the Mastercam network. With the acquisition, Sandvik strengthens its position in the CAM market and further builds on its capabilities to serve customers and expand the customer base. Cimquest will be a part of business unit Mastercam and will be reported within business area Sandvik Manufacturing and Machining Solutions.

Cimquest has since 1990 been a reseller of Mastercam, a global leading provider of CAD/CAM software solutions for manufacturing industries, owned by Sandvik. In addition to reselling Mastercam, Cimquest is a distributor of additive products, mainly 3D printers for both metal and polymers.

"The acquisition of Cimquest is another step in our strategic direction to grow in the digital manufacturing space, and an important investment in Mastercam's channels. This will strengthen our presence within CAM, expand our ability to serve customers and improve our growth platform going forward," says Stefan Widing, President and CEO of Sandvik.

Cimquest, founded in 1990, is headquartered in Branchburg, New Jersey, and has 55 employees. In 2023, the company had revenues of around 26 MUSD*. The impact on Sandvik's EBITA margin will be limited. Impact on earnings per share will be positive. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

*A limited part of Cimquest revenues in 2023 were to Sandvik-owned Mastercam and will not impact Group total external revenues.

Stockholm, February 26, 2024

Sandvik AB

For further information, contact Louise Tjeder, VP Investor relations, phone: +46 (0) 70782 6374 or Johannes Hellstrom, Press and Media Relations Manager, phone: +46 (0) 70721 1008

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/208/3935899/2628508.pdf Sandvik to acquire CAM reseller Cimquest

SOURCE Sandvik
Companies are currently injecting nearly three billion euros into projects in Saxony-Anhalt, marking a significant commitment to transformative initiatives. When factoring in Intel's giga-investments, an additional zero needs to be appended.

MAGDEBURG, Germany, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The largest investment project not only in Saxony-Anhalt but in all of Europe is Intel's establishment in Magdeburg. Approximately 30 billion euros are set to be invested in the construction of multiple chip factories. The company has initiated collaborations with six universities in Saxony-Anhalt and is actively recruiting its initial workforce. Approval processes commenced in February, paving the way for the production of the world's most advanced chips in the two factories starting from 2027.

Saxony-Anhalt  HERE is the place for big plans

In addition to Intel, numerous other semiconductor companies are also making substantial investments. Sioux Technologies, a globally recognized technology accelerator with around 1,100 employees, is developing strategic high-tech solutions for various markets such as semiconductors, laboratory and medical technology, mechatronics, imaging, mobility, and clean energy. In Barleben, Sioux plans to invest around 20 million euros in a research and development center, gradually creating three hundred highly qualified permanent jobs.

Meanwhile, in Bernburg, a large high-performance distribution center for semiconductors and electronic components is taking shape. The topping-out ceremony for Avnet's Electronics Distribution Center was celebrated in November 2023, with an investment volume exceeding 225 million euros. Over the next eight years, around 700 jobs are expected to be created in Bernburg.

Sven Schulze, Minister for Economic Affairs, Tourism, Agriculture, and Forestry of the State of Saxony-Anhalt, emphasizes the economic dynamism of the region against the backdrop of these examples: "Saxony-Anhalt is on the fast track. High-profile fast-track approvals, a central location in Europe, close collaboration with educational institutions, and attractive conditions such as affordable rents and sufficient childcare spaces make investments and living here exceptionally appealing."

Life Sciences Take Pioneering Role in Saxony-Anhalt's Future

Saxony-Anhalt is establishing itself as a leader in the field of Life Sciences, showcasing the state's future resilience. The mRNA Center in Halle (Saale) is taking shape, with the Wacker Chemie AG demonstrating serious ambitions in this cutting-edge technology through a substantial investment exceeding 100 million euros. The new facility is expected to host around 200 employees. Additionally, the Magdeburg-based medical technology company Neoscan Solutions recently secured a contract to build the world's most powerful 14 Tesla MRI magnet for human examinations.

Chemical parks in Saxony-Anhalt are undergoing expansion and sustainable transformation, with Germany's largest Chemical Park Leuna, being one of the nation's largest construction sites. Over 100 companies from eleven nations are investing 1.3 billion euros in research and green chemistry. The expansion is set to create up to 250 direct and 750 indirect jobs, primarily in the sustainable chemistry sector. AMG Lithium has chosen the Chemical Park Bitterfeld-Wolfen for a 140-million-euro investment to purify lithium hydroxide, transforming it into a battery-grade raw material  a unique endeavor in Europe.

Innovations in renewables and storage technologies

NexWafe, a US-based company, is investing 30 million euros in Bitterfeld-Wolfen to establish a factory for producing solar wafers, a crucial material for the photovoltaic industry. In Bitterfeld, the German company Silicon Products, in collaboration with a French partner, aims to produce high-purity silicon carbide, a vital resource for nearly all semiconductor manufacturers.

TESVOLT AG, a leading technology company in commercial and industrial energy storage, plans to construct a new Gigafactory in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, investing around 60 million euros. The long-term goal is to create over 400 new jobs, particularly in research and development.

The automotive and logistics sectors are also experiencing rapid development from international players. LMG Manufacturing, an aluminum die-casting specialist, inaugurated its new manufacturing hall in Hoym/Seeland after just ten months of construction. Daimler Truck's largest logistics project commenced with the official groundbreaking in Halberstadt in September 2023. The Global Parts Center in Halberstadt/Harz aims to deliver spare parts worldwide starting in 2025, generating approximately 450 jobs with an investment of nearly 500 million euros.

Dr. Robert Franke, Managing Director of the Investment and Marketing Corporation Saxony-Anhalt mbH, emphasizes, "Saxony-Anhalt is an attractive and sought-after location for settlement. We are witnessing significant investments not only in the chip industry but also in various other sectors such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology, and the automotive industry. This underscores why Saxony-Anhalt has gained considerable international visibility."

Read more details here.

CONTACT: Sabine Kraus, +49 391/568 9920, [email protected]

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cNaOTqHjgk

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1840465/4556227/IMG_Sachsen_Anhalt_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Investment and Marketing Corporation Saxony Anhalt (IMG)
The 2024 Autumn/Winter Milan Fashion Week - Shenzhen Futian Fashion Carnival

SHENZHEN, China, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 23, the 2024 Autumn/Winter Milan Fashion Week - Shenzhen Futian Fashion Carnival kicked off in Milan, Italy. High-end fashion brands NEXY.CO, KAVON and CHLOSIO from Shenzhen's Futian District jointly debuted at the top fashion show venue Palazzo Reale in Milan Fashion Week. It was the first time that Shenzhen fashion brands had collectively entered the official schedule of the Autumn/Winter Milan Fashion Week with a special "fashion carnival", presenting a grand high-level women's clothing brand joint fashion show, and injecting fresh Shenzhen charm and Futian elements into Milan Fashion Week. Around 300 people including Italian fashion industry entrepreneurs, brand representatives, industry association leaders, Milan celebrities, fashion influencers and international media representatives attended the event.

The "hand-in-hand" fashion show spanning thousands of miles took place at the top official fashion show venue - Palazzo Reale, Milano. With the magnificent Duomo di Milano as the backdrop, the wonderful collision of Eastern civilization and Western art on the runway of Milan Fashion Week attracted extra attention.

On the runway, Eastern fashion from Shenzhen and Western modern fashion added radiance and beauty to each other. At this moment, contemporary fashion and traditional art resonated. Chinese design brimming with profound cultural significance received unanimous praise from the local industry and media. Guests on the spot described the experience of this grand show with words such as "shocking" "stunning" "successful" and "exciting". Off the stage, fashion professionals raised their cameras and phones to capture the stunning moments of the grand show and expressed their anticipation for another gathering at the Milan Fashion WeekShenzhen Futian Fashion Carnival next year. They were confident that another "spring of fashion" would be embraced amid active international fashion cooperation.

As one of the organizers of this event, in recent years, Futian District from Shenzhen has been fully supporting fashion brands to "go global" and actively promoting high-end fashion brands to participate in official fashion shows of the four major international fashion weeks and launch new products.

Taking this event as an opportunity, the IFSC and ICFCC signed a letter of intent for cooperation at the Milan City Hall, reaching a cooperation intention on the international promotion of Futian fashion industry, international fashion enterprise cooperation and collaboration in organizing fashion industry promotions.

SOURCE The 2024 Autumn/Winter Milan Fashion Week - Shenzhen Futian Fashion Carnival
HOUSTON, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Silver Star Properties REIT, Inc. ("Silver Star" or the "Company") is a self-managed real estate investment trust that is currently repositioning in an orderly manner into the self-storage asset class. Hartman SPE, LLC (the "SPE"), an indirect subsidiary, which owns legacy office, retail, and industrial properties today announced "the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware confirmed in all respects the SPE's Combined Disclosure Statement and Chapter 11 Plan."

Under the Chapter 11 Plan, the SPE will continue to conduct an orderly sale of its assets to pay its undisputed creditors in full, complete the refinance of its maturing senior indebtedness, and maximize capital available for Silver Star's redeployment into the self-storage asset class. When all the sales are completed, Silver Star expects to have approximately $370 million in available funds, assuming a loan-to-value ratio of 50%, for the Company's investment strategy. The Chapter 11 process, culminating in the successful confirmation of the Chapter 11 Plan, allowed the SPE to complete property sales without external interference by a dissident minority shareholder, which sales will be instrumental as the SPE looks to close on the refinancing of its SASB Loan. The minority shareholder agreed to a judgment during the Chapter 11 case to withdraw all interference with the ongoing property sales.

The Chapter 11 case became necessary after efforts to amicably resolve intercompany ownership matters failed, a process that had been ongoing since December 2022, involving negotiations between the Company and Hartman vREIT XXI, Inc. which is under the control of Allen Hartman. The Company had pursued mediation and sought legal remedies in response to Allen Hartman's efforts to secure more favorable terms through the use of aggressive legal tactics. The Company ultimately reached the conclusion that the Chapter 11 filing was the only viable and constructive avenue to obtain the necessary relief to purify its ownership of the SPE's properties, thereby safeguarding and enhancing shareholder value. Ownership of the SPE's properties was confirmed by Federal court order entered by the United States Bankruptcy Court against Hartman vREIT XXI.

Gerald Haddock, Executive Chairman of the Executive Committee of Silver Star, stated, "We are pleased with our progress towards our goals of moving the Company into self-storage. Confirmation of the Chapter 11 Plan, and the expected exit from Chapter 11 in the near future, will allow the Company to resume its new growth strategy and make distributions to its shareholders much quicker, all of which have been hindered by the dissident shareholder's interference."

Contact:

Investor and Media Relations

[email protected]

1-877-734-8876

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Because such statements include risks, uncertainties, and contingencies, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on any such statements. Several important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this material. Forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date on which such statements were made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update any such statements that may become untrue because of subsequent events. Such forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor protection for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

SOURCE Silver Star Properties REIT, Inc.
TAIPEI, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA), under the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), led Taiwanese startups to participate in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for the seventh consecutive year. Wayne Wang, Director of the Hsinchu Science Park Bureau, led a delegation of representatives from 96 high-tech startups based in Taiwan, showcasing the country's significant role in the global information and communications technology sector.

Under initiative of National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan, Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) organizes a delegation of startups for CES 2024 leaded by Wayne Wang, Director of the Hsinchu Science Park Bureau, with 96 startups who have been selected by Consumer Technology Association

The TTA Pavilion commenced its opening ceremony at 11:30 am on January 9th, with representatives from various government departments, including the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA), the Ministry of Economic Affairs(MOEA), and the Taipei City Government, CTA President and CEO Gary Shapiro, Chief of Staff of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation Vincent Ash, the Deputy Director-General of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Noriya Tarutani, CEO of the House of Startups in Luxembourg Philippe Linster, and AVP Commercial of Dubai World Trade Centre Ayman Hassan were present to express their support and encouragement for the Taiwanese startup teams.

Showcase Taiwan's Strength and Attract International Talent

Director Wang highlighted that TTA has consistently led startups to participate in CES since 2019, with the number of participating teams growing from 32 in the first year to nearly 100 this year. Sixty-one of the startups are participating for the first time, indicating the vibrant development of Taiwan's startup ecosystem.

Taiwan has played a reliable and critical role in the semiconductor industry, with NSTC making IC innovation applications a policy focus. Leveraging the advantages of the semiconductor industry ecosystem, the council aims to strengthen innovation capabilities across various industries and actively recruit international startups and talents related to IC innovation. Director Wang encouraged all startup teams to actively showcase their strengths at the exhibition, emphasizing that their performance would not only represent Taiwan's technological startup strength but also serve as a crucial indicator showcasing Taiwan's innovation prowess globally and attracting foreign talents to collaborate and invest in Taiwan.

TTA Strengthens International Startup Ecosystem Collaboration

Under the theme of semiconductor applications, TTA planned six major areas, including Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (AI/Robotics), Digital Health, Smart Home, Smart Cities & Sustainability, Sport Tech, and Vehicle Tech & Advanced Mobility, showcasing Taiwan's startups' cutting-edge technologies and solutions in these fields.

Five TTA Demo Show sessions were held on the main stage, inviting international startup partners from South Korea, Japan, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, and others to showcase their unique technologies. The events also extended invitations to global investors and corporate representatives.

First Roadshow in Los Angeles to Enhance Local Collaboration

TTA held a roadshow in Los Angeles in collaboration with Science and Technology Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles on January 13th. This marked TTA's first roadshow in Los Angeles, with over 30 startups pitching on stage and exploring potential investment and collaboration opportunities with venture capitalists, angel investors, and startup accelerators from Southern California.

Investment institutions expressing interest in engaging with Taiwanese startups include Mucker Capital, ranked second as the best venture capital fund company in the United States, Tech Coast Angels, ranked first in specific project evaluations among 370 angel investors, and TechStars with bases in North America, Europe, Africa, and assistance to over 2900 startups. These enthusiastic responses reflect the high level of interest from mainstream investment institutions and accelerators in Southern California towards Taiwanese startups. The upcoming roadshow is expected to foster closer and more in-depth interactions, creating more potential collaboration opportunities.

SOURCE Taiwan Tech Arena
Mr. Custer pursued higher education at the University of Iowa and Northern Iowa where earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with high honors in 1983. He then attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where he received a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1989. Mr. Custer continued his scholarship at the University of Missouri in 1990 obtaining a Master of Library and Information Science in 1991 and capped his studies with a Master of Business Administration from the University of Kansas in 2012. He was admitted to practice before The Missouri Bar in 1990 and the United States Supreme Court in 2016.

Mr. Custer transitioned to academia after working in the law field for four and a half years in private practice becoming the collection development/head reference librarian and lecturer in 1995 at the Kansas University School of Law. He transitioned after three years to the position of associate director; collection development librarian; lecturer; and associate director. Adding to his exceptional career, he became head of technology services and lecturer in 2008.

In 2010, Mr. Custer served as assistant professor of law and director of the Vincent C. Immel Law Library at the Saint Louis University School of Law. He joined the faculty of Case Western Reserve University in 2015 as associate professor of law and director of the Ben C. Green Law Library. He received a promotion to full professor of law in 2023; teaches three law classes; and is currently a member of the Faculty Senate at Case Western Reserve University.

An expert in advanced legal research; electronic discovery; and law practice technology, Mr. Custer is dedicated to keeping abreast of the most recent technology and methods by maintaining affiliation with the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis; the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association; the American Bar Association; the American Association of Law Libraries; the American Association of Law Schools; the Mid-America Association of Law Libraries; the Ohio Regional Association of Law Libraries; the Missouri Bar; and the United States Supreme Court Bar.

In addition to his professional responsibilities, Mr. Custer is an author with many published works, such as a textbook he co-authored called "Kansas Legal Research" with Carolina Academic Press in 2009. He was a contributing editor to "The Jury Expert'' with the American Society of Trial Consultants from 2005 to 2008; authored and edited the third edition of "Kansas Legal Research and Reference Guide" with Michie Publishing in 2003; and also the second edition in 1997 with the Kansas Bar Association. The attorney and educator has also contributed articles to professional journals; law reviews and journals; and chapters to books, and currently contributes regularly to the "Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal".

Mr. Custer has been recognized with many accolades during his prestigious career in both education and law receiving such awards as the Paper of the Year award from LexisNexis and the American Association of Law Libraries in 2009. He notes that he was part of a group of authors who received an Andrews Award from the American Association of Law Libraries in 2007; received an Individual Article Award from The University of Kansas School of Law in 2007; and a Continuing Legal Education Award from The University of Kansas School of Law in 2001, 2002, and 2003.

Teaching several law school classes, both nationally and internationally, Mr. Custer is particularly proud to have taught International Legal Research at the University of Bahcesehir, Istanbul, Turkey, and Topics in Law: Introduction to Law and the Legal System at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, England. He has presented papers at Balliol College at the University of Oxford and the University of Hong Kong.

In his spare time, Mr. Custer enjoys music; hiking; biking; and traveling. He also loves staying in contact with his two grown children, Kaitlyn and Benjamin.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE The Inner Circle
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Azerbaijani and Armenian delegations are set to meet in the upcoming days, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov told journalists, Trend reports.

The decision to resume the process was made following a meeting between the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan at the Munich Security Conference. A meeting with the Armenian delegation to negotiate a peace treaty is scheduled in the coming days, Bayramov added.

To note, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a bilateral meeting with the Armenian prime minister in Munich on February 17.

During the meeting, they discussed negotiations on a peace treaty between the two countries, the normalization of relations, and the issue of border delimitation. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs were tasked with promptly organizing meetings on the peace agreement and the border delimitation commission.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Board-certified as a family physician, Dr. Revilla is the owner and medical director at The Center for Wellness and Hormonal Balance. He specializes in hormone replacement therapy; thyroid optimization; and anti-aging medicine. The doctor is highly respected among peers and patients as he strives to educate patients so they can make informed decisions about their care and discover how they can conquer their disease or problem rather than just being dragged along for the ride. He noted that he accomplishes this by spending ample time with them, patiently listening to their symptoms without judgment, and performing considerable testing before recommending or tailoring their treatment plans.

With more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare field, the doctor asserts that family medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive healthcare for people of all ages. The specialist is called a family physician or family doctor. A family physician is often the first person a patient sees when seeking healthcare services. They examine and treat patients with a wide range of conditions and refer those with serious ailments to a specialist or appropriate facility. He credits many of his career accomplishments to his mentor, Jack Scott, MD.

Dr. Revilla explained that prior to his current post, he worked in emergency medicine early in his career where he saw numerous patients with hormonal imbalances. That motivated him to seek further training in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, which he now offers for men and women at the Center for Wellness and Hormonal Balance using BioTE bioidentical hormone pellets. He also provides treatments such as IV nutrient therapy, thyroid optimization, and supplements.

Described by his patients as warm, charismatic, and approachable, Dr. Revilla believes individualized care helps patients achieve their best in social, physical, and emotional health with the right therapy. A testament to his vast knowledge and extraordinary success, he is a Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) and explained that the ABFM is a non-profit, independent medical association of American physicians who practice in family medicine and its sub-specialties.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, editorialteam@continentalwhoswho.com

SOURCE The Inner Circle
-In collaboration with SAP, a world's first product CO2 emissions management service for the process manufacturing industries-

TOKYO, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6841) announces the development and release on this date of OpreX Carbon Footprint Tracer, a solution in the OpreX Transformation lineup that targets the carbon footprint management needs of companies in the process manufacturing industries.

OpreX Carbon Footprint Tracer is a cloud service that calculates CO2 emissions based on measurement data and other types of primary information collected from instrumentation systems, power monitors, and other systems, and a consultation service that aids in the formulation of strategies for calculating and reducing CO2 emissions. This is a total solution for the process manufacturing industries that enables the visualization and reduction of CO2 emissions.

For the calculation of CO2 emissions, this service realizes seamless integration with the SAP Sustainability Footprint Management service and ERP solutions offered by SAP, enabling the visualization and management of product carbon footprint (PCF) based on European standards. The support for European standards and linkage with the SAP Sustainability Footprint Management service is a world first, giving companies in the process manufacturing industries the ability to both visualize and manage their PCF.

Development Background

Efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 are accelerating worldwide, and Europe is leading the way in carbon neutral-related activities by implementing PCF solutions that use measurement data and other primary information to evaluate the impact of climate change over the entire product life cycle. With the passing of regulations such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) tariff and the introduction of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) tool, the need to support these policies is particularly urgent. To give process manufacturers the ability to calculate CO2 emissions for individual products, Yokogawa Digital, a Yokogawa subsidiary, has leveraged the company's wealth of information and operational technology (IT and OT) to develop OpreX Carbon Footprint Tracer. By linking with the SAP Sustainability Footprint Management service, this solution enables the visualization and management of PCF based on carbon-neutral standards.

Product Features

1. Quick and accurate assessment of emissions data for verification of emissions reduction measures

Utilizing Yokogawa's data collection technology, this solution automatically collects data from sensors and systems, including those from other vendors, to assess the operational parameters for individual products and update a PCF dashboard. This is expected to make it easier to audit CO2 emissions by providing operational data as evidence.

2. Management of PCF based on European CO2 emission-related laws and regulations

Through the linkage of data with the SAP Sustainability Footprint Management service developed by SAP, which is actively engaged in emissions-related activities in the European market, this solution aids in the creation of dashboard displays and outputs reports that support WBCSD*1 PACT*2, Catena-X*3, and other European emissions-related laws and regulations. In addition, as this is offered as a cloud service, it can be readily updated in response to changes in laws and regulations.

3. Provision of consultation on emissions reduction in tandem with EMS and supply chain optimization

Yokogawa has multiple solutions such as energy management systems (EMS) that serve to reduce CO2 emissions by optimizing energy consumption and improving the procurement of raw materials. While putting these solutions to good use, the company will also provide consultation on emissions reduction planning and aid in the implementation of emissions reduction solutions that rely on OpreX Carbon Footprint Tracer to accurately measure PCF.

*1 WBCSD: World Business Council for Sustainable Development

*2 PACT: Partnership for Carbon Transparency is hosted by WBCSD

*3 Catena-X: An open data ecosystem for the automotive industry designed to create data chains that enhance the value chain

Key Markets

Oil and gas extraction and refining processes, pipelines and other transportation processes, plants for petrochemicals, chemicals, renewable energy, electric power, pulp and paper, food and pharmaceuticals, steel, non-ferrous metals, water distribution, water treatment, etc.

Applications

Plant monitoring, operation, control, data acquisition, record keeping, etc.

For More Information

https://www.yokogawa.com/solutions/solutions/connected-intelligence/oprex-cft

About OpreX

OpreX is the comprehensive brand for Yokogawa's industrial automation (IA) and control business. The OpreX name stands for excellence in the technologies and solutions that Yokogawa cultivates through the co-creation of value with its customers, and encompasses the entire range of Yokogawa's IA products, services, and solutions. This brand comprises the following five categories: OpreX Transformation, OpreX Control, OpreX Measurement, OpreX Execution, and OpreX Lifecycle. OpreX Carbon Footprint Tracer is an OpreX Connected Intelligence family product in the OpreX Transformation category, which delivers operational excellence throughout an enterprise's activities, from production through to supply chain optimization and risk and business management.

About Yokogawa

Yokogawa provides advanced solutions in the areas of measurement, control, and information to customers across a broad range of industries, including energy, chemicals, materials, pharmaceuticals, and food. Yokogawa addresses customer issues regarding the optimization of production, assets, and the supply chain with the effective application of digital technologies, enabling the transition to autonomous operations.

Founded in Tokyo in 1915, Yokogawa continues to work toward a sustainable society through its 17,000+ employees in a global network of 129 companies spanning 60 countries.

For more information, visit www.yokogawa.com.

The names of corporations, organizations, products, services and logos herein are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Yokogawa Electric Corporation or their respective holders.

SOURCE Yokogawa
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. The prolonged absence of prosecution for war criminals in Armenia has fostered an atmosphere of impunity among these individuals; consequently, the Azerbaijani state must persist in its consistent efforts in this direction, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told reporters during his visit to the Mother's Cry monument of the Khojaly genocide, Trend reports.

"We have all witnessed how recently some of the perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide have been brought to criminal responsibility," said the minister.

"On that day, 613 innocent lives were brutally taken, with many more missing or captured. Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has undertaken consistent and systematic efforts over the years to hold the war criminals responsible for the Khojaly genocide and restore historical justice. As a result, this year's commemoration of the tragedy occurs in a transformed atmosphere, marked by the full restoration of Azerbaijan's sovereignty and the proud display of our tricolor flag flying in Khojaly," Bayramov added.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. The head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Azerbaijan Peter Michalko has expressed condolences to the Azerbaijani people on the occasion of the Khojaly massacre's 32nd anniversary, Trend reports via the delegation's Facebook publication.

Today we remember and honor the memory of women, men, children, old people who became victims of the terrible tragedy in Khojaly. I express my deep condolences to those who lost their families, loved ones, homes in Khojaly. We must all always work together for the sake of reconciliation and lasting peace so that such tragedies never happen again, Michalko said.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

On September 19-20, 2023, Azerbaijan carried out anti-terrorist measures in Karabakh. This way, Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity were fully restored. On October 15 last year, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev raised the national flag in Khojaly.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
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Kiev, Feb 26 : Around 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia's full-scale invasion began two years ago, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

The Ukrainian President said at a news conference on Sunday that he is providing the updated death toll in response to the inflated figures that Russia has quoted.

"31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died in this war. Not 300,000 or 150,000, or whatever (Vladimir) Putin and his lying circle are saying. But each of these losses is a great loss for us," Zelensky was quoted as saying by the BBC.

The Ukrainian President said he would not give the number of wounded as that would help Russian military planning.

Speaking about the wider losses in the war, the Ukrainian President said that tens of thousands of civilians had died in the areas of Ukraine occupied by Russia but the true number was unknown. "I don't know how many of them died, how many were killed, how many were murdered, tortured, how many were deported," he was quoted as saying by the British news broadcaster.

Zelenskyas tally differs sharply from estimates by US officials, who, in August last year, put the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed at 70,000.

In terms of Russian losses, he said that around 180,000 Russian soldiers have been killed and tens of thousands more injured.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Whenever efforts are made to normalize relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, France repeatedly demonstrates a strong predisposition that tends to aggravate the issue, preventing its good growth, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told reporters during his visit to the Mother's Cry monument of the Khojaly genocide, Trend reports.

"Initiated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a meeting was held, receiving positive assessments and maintaining a normal atmosphere. The significance of continuing the process was underscored during the meeting. However, following this, the French President issued a statement, and the French defense minister visited Armenia, making provocative remarks. These actions indicate a deliberate and systematic effort to impede the positive development of the process. This reaffirms that the restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty is a concern for various entities," Bayramov added.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of Armenian mass terror, 613 people were cruelly murdered, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly persons; eight families were utterly destroyed; 130 children lost one parent; and 25 children lost both parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children, out of 1275, who were kidnapped, held hostage, and tortured, remains unknown.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Amman, Feb 26 : King Abdullah II of Jordan has warned that a continued war in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan could risk expanding the conflict.

King Abdullah made the remarks on Sunday at a meeting in Amman with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, during which he called for maximum efforts to reach an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and to protect innocent civilians, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by the Royal Hashemite Court.

The king noted that Jordan will continue to provide humanitarian, relief, and medical assistance to the people in Gaza, the statement added.

The king reiterated Jordan's rejection of any attempts to separate the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, while urging the continuation of Arab coordination to find a just solution to the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution.

Abbas, for his part, voiced appreciation for Jordan's steadfast position on the Hamas-Israel conflict, stressing the need to continue close coordination and consultation between the two sides to serve the Palestinian cause and protect holy sites in the city.
Mumbai, Feb 26 : Filmmaker Kiran Rao's movie 'Laapataa Ladies' has been selected to be the opening film of The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) Summer Festival.

Following the success of the first IFFM Summer Festival, IFFM announces the launch of the it's second edition, which will take place from February 29 to March 2.

Kiran calls it "a great honour" for 'Laapataa Ladies' to be the opening film at IIFM.

She added: "I am absolutely delighted and would like to convey my heartfelt gratitude to the festival. I hope the Melbourne audience enjoys the film, and that I get to visit this great city in person soon!"

The three-day event takes the larger festival that happens annually in August, transforming it into a biannual celebration.

VicScreen CEO Caroline Pitcher said: "IFFM is the largest celebration of Indian cinema in the southern hemisphere, lighting up Melbourne every year with incredible films and unforgettable star power."

"VicScreen is proud to support the expansion of the festival, with the return of a three-day summer programme, which includes the highly anticipated Australian premiere of 'Laapataa Ladies'."

Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick said that she is thrilled to kickstart their "latest venture" with Kiran's nuanced film of "layered human relationships, celebrates women and the unexpected complexities that life throws at us."

'Laapataa Ladies', which is based in rural India, is about two young brides who get lost on a train and the pursuit of people who find themselves in a series of confusion on the go. It stars Ravi Kishan, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastav and Nitanshi Goel.
New Delhi, Feb 26 : A massive fire was reported at a factory in Delhi's Mangolpuri area, which was later brought under control, a fire department official said on Monday, adding that no one was injured.

Director of Delhi Fire Service (DFS) Atul Garg said that a call regarding a blaze in a factory at E-Block in Mangolpuri was received at 9:01 p.m. on Sunday.

"Total 16 fire tenders were rushed to the site. Fire was in a MCB manufacturing factory with an area of approximately 150 square yards," said Garg.

The DFS chief said that the building comprises basement ground plus three storeys.

"Fire was on the first, second and third floors and the cooling operation is going on," said Garg.
Lucknow, Feb 26 : Hectic political activity is being witnessed in Lucknow as the countdown for the polling for Rajya Sabha biennial elections to ten seats begins.

The ruling BJP and the main opposition, the Samajwadi Party (SP), have the numbers to send seven and three members respectively, unopposed to the Rajya Sabha, but with the BJP fielding Sanjay Seth as its eighth candidate, a keen contest is now on the cards.

The BJP and the SP are the two largest parties in the 403-member state assembly with 252 MLAs and 108 MLAs respectively.

Seth, a local real estate giant, is a former SP leader who joined the BJP in 2019.

Since the outcome of the polls, being held just ahead of the general elections, are likely to have an impact and both SP and BJP are reaching out to voters in a big way.

Former minister and head of the Jansatta Dal, Raghuraj Pratap Singh a.k.a. Raja Bhaiyya is among the most sought after 'voter'.

Two days ago, SP leaders went to Raja Bhaiyya's residence to seek his support and hours later state BJP President Bhupendra Chaudhary drove to his residence for a 'discussion' on the same subject.

Akhilesh Yadav also met Raja Bhaiyya and sought his support for the RS polls.

What makes Raja Bhaiyya a much sought after 'voter' is the fact that his party has two members but he wields influence over at least four Thakur MLAs who could go his way during the voting.

On Monday, Raja Bhaiyya said that he had not yet taken a decision on the RS polls.

Voting for the 10 Rajya Sabha seats will be held on Tuesday and the results will be announced on the same day.

The seven other candidates fielded by the BJP are former Union minister RPN Singh, former MP Chaudhary Tejveer Singh, General Secretary of the party's Uttar Pradesh unit Amarpal Maurya, former state minister Sangeeta Balwant (Bind) party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, former MLA Sadhna Singh and former Agra mayor Naveen Jain.

The SP has fielded actor MP Jaya Bachchan, retired IAS officer Alok Ranjan and Dalit leader Ramji Lal Suman.

To get elected to the Rajya Sabha from UP, a candidate needs nearly 37 first preference votes, an official said.

Returning officer Brij Bhushan Dubey said, "A candidate will need 36.37 first preference votes to register a win. At present, there are 399 MLAs in the UP legislative assembly."

Asked whether the three jailed MLAs will also be able to vote in the Rajya Sabha elections, Dubey said it would be decided by the court and the political party concerned.

SP MLAs Irfan Solanki and Ramakant Yadav and SBSP legislator Abbas Ansari are in jail.

Dubey said that the polling will be held from 9 am to 4 pm. "Counting will commence from 5 pm and results are likely to be announced on Tuesday night," he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said that all the BJP candidates will register a win in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Chief whip of the Samajwadi Party in the legislative assembly, Manoj Pandey, said that all SP MLAs would vote for the party's candidates in Rajya Sabha election.

Pandey claimed that SP leaders, who had won on RLD and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) tickets, will vote for SP candidates.

However, RLD and SBSP leaders said that all their MLAs will vote for BJP candidates.

Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) leader Pallavi Patel, an ally of the Samajwadi Party, had earlier said that she will not vote for SP candidates but has now agreed to vote for the party.
Eight dead in road accident in TN's Tiruvannamalai. Image Source: IANS News

Vijayawada, Feb 26 : Four people were killed when a bus rammed into a stationary truck in Kakinada district of Andhra Pradesh early Monday morning.

The incident occurred on the national highway near Padalamma temple in Prathipadu mandal.

According to police, a truck which was heading to Bapatla from Odisha had suffered a tyre puncture and the driver had stopped the vehicle by the roadside.

A bus of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), which was on its way to Rajamahendravaram from Visakhapatnam, hit the stationary truck from behind.

Three persons fixing the puncture and a pedestrian were killed on the spot.

The bus driver did not stop the vehicle after the accident and reached Rajamahendravaram.

Police have registered a case and took up investigation.
New Delhi, Feb 26 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday skipped the seventh summon issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with alleged excise policy scam case.

The AAP sources said that the Chief Minister will not go to ED as the matter is in court and the next hearing is on March 16.

"Instead of sending summons every day, ED should await the court's decision. We won't leave the INDIA alliance," sources said.

Last week, ED had issued summon to Kejriwal and asked him to appear before the financial probe agency on Monday.

On February 19, Kejriwal had skipped ED's sixth summon in connection with the alleged excise policy scam.

The financial probe agency's complaint alleged that Kejriwal intentionally did not want to obey the summons and kept on giving "lame excuses."

"If a high-ranking public functionary like him disobeys the law, it will set a wrong example for the common man i.e. the Aam Aadmi," the agency said.
Prayagraj, Feb 26 : The Allahabad High Court on Monday rejected the plea filed by Muslim side challenging the Varanasi court order allowing Hindu parties to offer prayers and puja in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi Mosque.

Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal delivered the verdict.

The single-judge had reserved order in the matter on February 15.

The plea was filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee challenging a January 31 district court order, permitting the conduct of Hindu prayers in the southern cellar or basement (tehkhana) of the Gyanvapi Mosque.

The said order was passed amid an ongoing civil court case involving conflicting claims over the religious character of the Gyanvapi compound.

Among other claims, the Hindu side has said that Hindu prayers were earlier offered by the family of one Somnath Vyas in the mosque's cellar until 1993, when the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led government allegedly stopped it.

The Muslim side has opposed this claim and maintained that Muslims have always had possession over the mosque's building.

The main dispute over the Gyanvapi compound involves a claim by the Hindu side that a section of an ancient temple on the said land was destroyed during the rule of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century.

The Muslim side has maintained that the mosque predated Aurangzeb's reign and that it had endured various alterations over time.

Following the Varanasi district court's order on January 31 which allowed priests to perform prayers before the idols in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi, religious ceremonies were performed on the mosque's premises at midnight on February 1.

Later, the southern cellar was opened to devotees.

On February 13, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also visited the Gyanvapi premises and worshipped at the 'Vyas Ka Tekhana'.

--IANS

amita/dan
New Delhi, Feb 26 : Director-storyteller-YouTuber Sudhanshu Rai released a book on family life titled 'Mom Says You Need To Be Strong!' authored by Aditi Gupta (Notion Press).

'Mom Says You Need To Be Strong!' is a collection of short stories depicting family life: struggles, losses, dreams, hopes, and love.

Each story in the book is essayed by a female protagonist and these focus on different issues that are faced by women, who often emerge stronger from every situation, as that is the only way forward.

Rai, who's best known for his web series 'Detective Boomrah', said that the emotions expressed through the characters in the stories are raw, real and relatable.

"Just the very idea of conveying them through diary entries is impressive," Rai said. "In fact, I feel men should read this book as much as women, as it would make us aware of depth of emotions in every woman."

The book is a compilation of 15 short stories that showcase different aspects of a womanas life. These are in the form of diaries, except for one, which is a journal of a grandmother, being read by the grandson.

The chapters move around themes as varied as harassment of women, infidelity, being a single mother, hitting puberty, postpartum depression, dealing with abusive relationships, young love, handling a 'creep' in your office, learning to wear the daughter-in-law's hat, a victim of child marriage, the struggles of breastfeeding, dealing with loss and how important it is to hold your family together.

The author said the idea first came to her two years ago and it was actually her husband who encouraged her to go ahead with it.

"I poured my heart out in the drafts, worked through them diligently and I am glad that I have been able to express my thoughts for readers," Gupta said.

She said that the book is a blend of fiction and reality as the characters are fictional but the incidents narrated in the stories are very much real, and will surely touch the hearts of the readers.

This 250-page book is available in both paperback and digital editions across all online shopping websites.
Meta to form 'Operations Centre' to combat spread of deceptive AI in EU polls. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Feb 26 : Meta (formerly Facebook) on Monday said that it will be activating an Elections Operations Centre to combat the spread of misleading artificial intelligence (AI) content in the European Union's (EU) 2024 Parliament elections.

The tech giant will bring together experts from across the company from their intelligence, data science, engineering, research, operations, content policy and legal teams to identify potential threats and put specific mitigations in place across their apps and technologies in real-time.

EU Parliament elections will take place from June 6 to June 9.

"We have committed to taking a responsible approach to new technologies like GenAI, and signed on to the tech accord to combat the spread of deceptive AI content in elections," Marco Pancini, Head of EU Affairs, Meta, said in a blogpost.

Meta will be focusing on three key areas -- combating misinformation, tackling influence operations, and countering the risks related to the abuse of GenAI technologies.

The tech giant further said that they have the largest fact-checking network of any platform and are currently expanding it with 3 new partners in Bulgaria, France, and Slovakia.

Since 2016, the company said that they have invested over $20 billion into safety and security and quadrupled the size of its global team working in this area to around 40,000 people.

This includes 15,000 content reviewers who review content across Facebook, Instagram and Threads in more than 70 languages -- including all 24 official EU languages.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which was closed due to maintenance on Friday, will remain close on Saturday also due to incessant rains, officials said. 12 March, 2021. (Photo: Nissar Malik/IANS). Image Source: IANS News

Srinagar, Feb 26 : Authorities on Monday allowed only one-way traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH) keeping in mind the safety of commuters and the poor condition of the road.

All traffic movement had been stopped on the Srinagar-Jammu NH due to heavy rains in Ramban District that led to land and mudslides plus shooting stones along the highway for the last few days.

However, on Monday one carriageway of the NH was opened and Traffic Department officials said that only one-way traffic would be allowed on the highway. This was done keeping the safety of travellers in mind.

"Only Light Motor Vehicles would be allowed to travel on the highway today from Srinagar to Jammu. No vehicle will be allowed to move in the opposite direction", officials said.

Meanwhile, the Srinagar-Leh Highway, Mughal Road, Bandipora-Gurez, Sinthan-Kishtwar and Kupwara-Tangdhar roads are still snowbound and closed to traffic.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. France shares the grief of the Azerbaijani people honoring the memory of the victims of the Khojaly genocide, the French Embassy in Azerbaijan said on X, Trend reports.

"To prevent such atrocities from happening again, it is necessary to work on establishing peace in the region," the embassy's publication says.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
New Delhi, Feb 26 : When farmers in India are given highly accurate monsoon forecasts not typically available to them, they make better investment decisions -- demonstrating that countries have an opportunity to better protect their economies from climate change by improving weather forecasting.

Climate change is making weather more variable, jeopardising the livelihoods of the majority of the world's poor who depend on agriculture for survival.

Highly variable weather makes it challenging for farmers to prepare for the coming season because they don't know if this year will be like the last. But, a new study from India on Monday found that providing them with an accurate weather forecast, in this case, of the monsoon onset, can help farmers decide how much to plant, what to plant, or whether to plant at all.

Nearly two-thirds of the global population lives in monsoon-affected regions.

"Farmers tailor their planting decisions based on what they think the weather and in many parts of the world, the monsoon, will be like, but climate change is making the monsoon and other weather patterns increasingly difficult to predict," says study co-author Fiona Burlig, an assistant professor at the Harris School of Public Policy and deputy faculty director of the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago's India office.

The study said that from an Indian state where agricultural productivity per worker is generally low, found that new forecasts are able to deliver accurate monsoon predictions even in a changing climate.

"Farmers listen to these forecasts and are able to change their planting decisions accordingly, making them an important climate adaptation tool for the agricultural sector," it said.

Burlig and her University of Chicago coauthors -- Amir Jina, Erin Kelley, Gregory Lane and Harshil Sahai -- studied how farmers across 250 villages in India's Telangana state changed their behaviours when given highly-accurate forecasts (at least four-six weeks ahead) on when the annual monsoon would begin.

An earlier monsoon typically means a longer growing season, suited to cash crops like cotton. Later monsoons are generally worse, forcing farmers to grow lower-value subsistence crops like paddy. To boost the credibility of the forecasts in the eyes of the farmers, the researchers partnered with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in Hyderabad.

On a pre-season visit to Medak and Mahabubnagar districts of Telangana where the study was conducted, the researchers found that farmers' predictions about when the monsoon would arrive varied widely. The more optimistic farmers believed the monsoon would come about 2.5 weeks earlier than the more pessimistic farmers. Then, they were given the more accurate forecasts. The new information changed their minds and their farming behaviours.

Overly optimistic farmers, for whom the forecast brought "bad news" of a shorter-than-expected growing season, took steps to cut down on their investments and expenditures.

For example, they reduced the amount of land they cultivated by nearly a quarter and bought about a third less fertiliser than farmers with similar beliefs who received no information.

While their agricultural output, crop sales and farming profits took a hit because they engaged in less farming overall, these farmers also tended to find other ways to make money.

As a result of receiving the forecast, four out of seven of them newly owned a non-agricultural business, and as a group they cut their debt in half, leading to net savings of more than $560 per farmer and an almost doubling of their business profits.

In other words, instead of doing unprofitable farming, they were able to diversify their activities, the forecast made these farmers better off.

Overly pessimistic farmers, for whom the forecast brought "good news" that the growing season would be longer than expected, increased investments and expenditures. For example, they increased the land they cultivated by 15 percent and were more likely to add new crops and cash crops. This led to 22 percent increases in agricultural production.

The researchers also tested how giving farmers insurance, which is highly promoted by the Indian government, instead of forecast information would change their behaviours. Overall, farmers who received insurance increased the land they cultivated and the amount they spent on up-front investments like seeds and fertiliser. These effects were driven by overly optimistic farmers, who incorrectly believed it would be a good year.

Given the safety net the insurance provided, they responded with a large increase in investments, even though the forecast would have caused them to instead reduce investments. In this way, insurance and forecasts could be used as complimentary climate adaptation strategies: Forecasts let farmers make the right investments for the coming year, while insurance protects them against risk.

"We saw a direct line from more accurate forecast information to improved investments for farmers and more prosperous farmers means a healthier economy," says study co-author Gregory Lane, an assistant professor at the Harris School of Public Policy.

"Countries have a huge opportunity to help protect their farmers and their economy from the unpredictability of climate change by improving their long-range forecasts."
Bhopal, Feb 26 : Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla on Monday said that his state continued to witness all-round growth in health infrastructure under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direction.

He added that district and community health centres across the state are being equipped with advanced technology.

The Deputy Minister said the initiative of aOne State-One Healtha of Bhopal AIIMS is a much needed step, which will help in strengthening the state's health system.

He asserted that regular assistance from AIIMS will help to upgrade health services at district and community health centres across Madhya Pradesh.

Shukla made this assertion while addressing a seminar on aOne State-One Healtha, an initiative from AIIMS Bhopal to provide its regular assistance to the state government-run health system in Madhya Pradesh.

In the seminar, which was attended by AIIMS Bhopal Director Ajay Singh and several other doctors and health experts of state governmenta"run hospitals on Monday, Shukla during his address also emphasised on the process of a regular review system of health services.

"AIIMS' assistance will pave the way for better services across the state, which is the vision of Prime Minister Modi," Shukla, who is also the Health and Family Welfare Minister in Madhya Pradesh government, said.

Meanwhile, AIIMS Bhopal Director said that Madhya Pradesh will be the first state to start a aOne State-One Healtha system in the country.

aAIIMS Bhopal is committed to take its services to remote areas in the state and provide better health services to every citizen in Madhya Pradesh."
Chennai, Feb 26 : In a first, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) model that is specific to Indian population and can accurately determine the age of a foetus in a pregnant woman, in her second and third trimesters.

Accurate age of a foetus -- gestational age -- helps in providing proper care of pregnant women and also to determine precise delivery dates.

Currently, physicians in India determine the gestational age using a formula developed for Western population, increasing chances of error.

The new model called 'Garbhini-GA2' accurately estimates the age of a foetus for the Indian population, reducing error by almost three times, said the team of researchers, including from the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad on Monday.

It is "the first late-trimester gestational age estimation model to be developed and validated using Indian population data", they noted in the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia.

The new model can also improve the care delivered by obstetricians and neonatologists, thus reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in India.

The research is also part of 'Interdisciplinary Group for Advanced Research on Birth Outcomes -- DBT India Initiative' (GARBH-Ini) programme.

"GARBH-Ini is a flagship programme of DBT, and the development of these population-specific models for estimating gestational age is a commendable outcome. These models are being validated across the country," said Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, in a statement on Monday.

"IIT Madras has been contributing towards solving healthcare problems at the grassroots and local level with the aim of enhancing public health in India. To this end, we are utilising advanced data science and AI/ML techniques to build tools to predict unfavourable birth outcomes. The first step towards this is to develop accurate GA models that perform significantly better than currently used models designed using Western populations," added Dr Himanshu Sinha, a Coordinator at the Center for Integrative Biology and Systems Medicine, IIT Madras, and who led the data science work for this research.

Garbhini-GA2 used three routinely measured foetal ultrasound parameters, and was developed using GARBH-Ini cohort data documented at Gurugram Civil Hospital, Haryana, and was validated in an independent cohort in South India.

Once validated in prospective pan-India cohorts, this Garbhini-GA2 can be deployed in clinics across India, improving the care delivered by obstetricians and neonatologists, thus reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in India, the researchers said.

"Improving the gestational age accuracy is a critical component of the broader goals of the GARBH-Ini study, which aims to reduce the adverse pregnancy outcomes,"said Dr Shinjini Bhatnagar, Principal Investigator of the GARBH-Ini programme and a Distinguished Professor, at THSTI.
I-T raids were aimed at damaging my image, says BRS MLA. Image Source: IANS News

Jaipur, Feb 26 : The Income Tax team on Monday raided ten locations linked to a private infrastructure company in Rajasthan's Jodhpur.

Police teams were deployed outside the places where raids were taking place, confirmed officials.

The Income Tax team arrived in private vehicles and raided the places simultaneously.

Officials said that this raid was conducted by the Income Tax Department on complaints related to disproportionate assets.

The teams of the department were scanning the documents till the time of filing this report.

More details were awaited.
Bhubaneswar, Feb 26 : Three women artists died while several others sustained grievous injuries after the SUV they were travelling in crashed into a tree in Ostapur area of Odisha's Kendrapara district early Monday, police said.

The identity of the deceased persons is yet to be ascertained.

"The jatra troupe was going towards the bus stand in an SUV when the driver lost balance of the vehicle and rammed into a tree along the road near Ostapur on Monday. The victims were returning home after finishing the rehearsal at nearby Naranpur village. Investigation is on to find out the reason behind the accident," said Inspector In-Charge of Sadar police station.

The locals and fire services personnel rushed the victims to Kendrapara District Headquarters hospital (DHH) where doctors declared three women artists as 'received dead'.

"Three women have been received dead at the hospital while three others, including two women, who sustained serious head injuries were referred to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. Another person with minor facial injuries is currently undergoing treatment here," said Medical Officer, Kendrapara DHH.

Locals claimed that several accidents have occurred at the particular spot during the last couple of months.
Kolkata, Feb 26 : After being denied the permission by Kolkata Police to hold sit-in from February 27 against the alleged sexual harassment and violence against women at Sandeshkhali, the state unit of BJP on Monday approached the Calcutta High Court to ask for the permission for sit-in.

In the petition, the BJP has said that the denial of the police permission for the sit-in-protest at the base of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in central Kolkata is arbitrary considering that the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee conducted two-rallies at the same venue just 12 days back, with City Police making all the arrangements.

The matter will come up for hearing on Tuesday. Earlier, BJPas IT Cell Chief Amit Malviya indicated that his party will move to court challenging the denial of police permission.

The police denied the permission on grounds that use of loudspeakers is prohibited at the place where the proposed-sit-in-protest has been scheduled by the BJP.

Amit Malviya plans to assemble some protesting women from Sandeshkhali at the protest rally.
Panaji, Feb 26 : The Anti-Narcotic Cell of Goa Police conducted a narcotic raid at Arpora, Bardez in North district and arrested a Nigerian national allegedly for possessing drugs worth Rs 74.75 lakh in the international market.

The police have identified the accused Nigerian national as Innocent Okezuonu Anaemem (56) native of Uburu-Ekwe, Abuja, Nigeria.

"He was arrested for being in possession of 480 grams of cocaine valued at Rs 72 lakh, 15 grams of Ecstasy powder of Rs 1.50 lakh and 250 grams of Charas of Rs 1.25 lakh," police said.

Police said that based on specific information, they kept watch over him for almost a week.

"We closely monitored his movements. With the help of human intelligence and technical surveillance, we laid a trap and nabbed him in Arpora. We seized drugs valued at Rs 74.75 lakhs from his possession," police said.

The police added that the accused has three cases registered against him in Goa and are pending before the concerned courts.

"In 2013 the accused was arrested in the infamous National Highway Blockade case at 'O-Coqueiro' junction, Porvorim. He was also arrested for overstaying without legal documents and was lodged at the Mapusa detention center. The third case was registered against the accused while he was lodged at the detention center where he assaulted an employee," police said.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the inauguration of Bharat Tex 2024, at Bharat Mandapam. Image Source: IANS News

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 26 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) here on Tuesday and review the Gaganyaan activities and also dedicate three ISRO facilities to the nation.

In a statement issued here by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, it said the Prime Minister will also inaugurate three facilities which includes Trisonic Wind Tunnel, here, Semi-cryogenic Integrated Engine and Stage Test Facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri and the PSLV Integration Facilities at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.

PM Modi will arrive at the VSSC centre at 10.45 a.m. Tuesday and will spend an hour there.

After the ISRO event, the PM will be at the Central Stadium to take part in the valedictory function of the statewide yatra to be undertaken by Kerala BJP president K. Surendran.

PM Modi has been in Kerala on two occasions in January, first when he came to address a mammoth rally of women, and days later he came to attend the wedding of actor Suresh Gopias daughter at the famed Sree Krishna temple, Guruvayoor, also in Trissur.

.--IANS

sg/dpb
New Delhi, Feb 26 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram on February 27 and will inaugurate three important space infrastructure projects worth about Rs 1800 crore.

The PMO in a statement said that the projects include 'PSLV Integration Facility' at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota; 'Semi-cryogenics Integrated Engine and stage Test facility' at ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri; and 'Trisonic Wind Tunnel' at VSSC.

It said that PM Modi will also review progress of the Gaganyaan project.

"The PSLV Integration Facility (PIF) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota will help in boosting the frequency of PSLV launches from 6 to 15 per year. This state-of-the-art facility can also cater to the launches of SSLV and other small launch vehicles designed by private space companies," it said.

The statement added that the new 'Semi-cryogenics Integrated Engine and stage Test facility' at IPRC Mahendragiri will enable development of semi cryogenic engines and stages which will increase the payload capability of the present launch vehicles.

"The facility is equipped with liquid Oxygen and kerosene supply systems to test engines up to 200 tons of thrust," the statement said.

It added that the wind tunnels are essential for aerodynamic testing for characterisation of rockets and aircraft during flight in the atmospheric regime.

"The "Trisonic Wind Tunnel" at VSSC being inaugurated is a complex technological system which will serve our future technology development needs," the statement said.

It said that the Prime Minister will also review the progress of Gaganyaan Mission and bestow 'astronaut wings' to the astronaut-designates.

"The Gaganyaan Mission is India's first human space flight program for which extensive preparations are underway at various ISRO centres," the statement added.
Guwahati, Feb 26 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the menace of child marriage will be eradicated from the state in the next two years, and he will not let such marriages happen.

Guwahati, Feb 26 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the menace of child marriage will be eradicated from the state in the next two years, and he will not let such marriages happen.

"I will not let child marriages happen in the state. Till Himanta Biswa Sarma is alive here, child marriages can not happen in Assam," he said.

The Chief Minister also said that the state government has prepared an action plan to eliminate child marriage by 2026.

He was speaking in the Assam Assembly on the issue of scrapping the much-old Assam Muslim Marriage Act.

During the discussion, CM Sarma launched a scathing attack on the opposition AIUDF MLAs.

He warned, "I am challenging you (AIUDF MLA) that I will shut your shop. The Assam Muslim Marriage Act had provisions for marriage of children aged five-six years. That is why we scrapped the Act. I will not let anybody run a business involving Muslim children."

Earlier on Friday, the long-standing Assam Muslim Marriage & Divorce Registration Act of 1935 was repealed by the state government. The decision was taken during a state cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister.

Assam cabinet Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah later said it was a major step toward the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). He emphasized that going forward, all matters pertaining to Muslim marriages and divorces would be governed by the Special Marriages Act.

He told reporters here, "The District Commissioner and the District Registrar will now be in charge of registering Muslim marriages and divorces under the new structure. The 94 Muslim registrars who were employed under the revoked Act will also be released from their positions and given a lump sum payment of Rs 2 lakh."

Minister Mallabarua also emphasized the decision's wider ramifications, especially in light of the state's efforts to prohibit child marriage.

He pointed out that juvenile marriages had been made easier by the antiquated 1935 Act, which was a holdover from the British Empire.

Notably, the Assam government launched a massive crackdown against the child marriage in February last year. At least 3,483 people were arrested during the initial drive and 4,515 cases in all were registered.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that police would conduct operations twice in a year till 2026 when Assam would become free from the menace of child marriage.

In July last year, police crackdown against the child marriage led to unearthing of 710 incidents of child marriage, which were registered with 1,100 accused named, out of whom 915 people have been arrested so far.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Today is the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy. The pain of Khojaly is a deep wound for the Turkic people, Turkiye's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Cahit Bagci told reporters during a visit to the Khojaly genocide monument Mother's Cry, Trend reports.

"We continue to mourn with tremendous anguish in our hearts. At the same time, we celebrate the freedom of Karabakh from Armenian occupation. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces' localized anti-terrorist efforts in Karabakh last September restored the country's territorial integrity, avenging the victims of the Khojaly tragedy. Now our brothers and sisters from Khojaly can return to their ancestral land," the ambassador added.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the mass terror that was committed by Armenians, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens, were brutally murdered; eight families were completely wiped out; 130 children lost one of their parents; and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured, is still unknown.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
New Delhi, Feb 26 : Sony Picture India has denied speculation of an acquisition of a stake in OTT platform Aha.

In a statement, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) said, "We at Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) respectfully clarify that the speculation regarding our acquisition of a stake in the OTT platform, Aha, is completely unfounded and not based on facts."

Reports had said that Sony has begun discussions for a stake in Arha Media and Broadcasting which runs the South Indian video streaming platform, Aha.
New Delhi, Feb 26 : Alkem Labs share price recovered on Monday after it denied reports of tax evasion.

Alkem Labs share price is trading at Rs 5100, down 5.8 per cent. It had fallen to Rs 4652 after reports of alleged tax evasion.

Alkem Labs said it categorically denies these allegations and rumours and stated that information published is factually incorrect.

"We would also like to specifically state that we are not aware of any information that could have had an impact on the trading of the company's equity shares," Alkem Labs said.

"The company asserts its commitment to compliance and transparency, having fully cooperated with the Income Tax Department officials during their survey proceedings in September 2023. The company had subsequently received certain queries from the IT department, which have been addressed by the company. The company remains committed to follow principles of the best corporate governance and ethical business practices," the company said.

Alkem Labs is a major pharmaceutical company with a market capitalisation of Rs 61,131 crore.

As per a recent report by Motilal Oswal Financial Services, given the highest share of acute therapies in the domestic formulation segment (82% of DF sales), the growth prospects continue to remain hinged on variability of season and acute infections. The company is emphasising on strengthening its position in the Chronic therapies and biosimilars.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
New Delhi, Feb 26 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the 16th instalment of more than Rs 21,000 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) to Maharashtra farmers at a public programme in Yavatmal on February 28 and dedicate to the nation development projects worth more than Rs 4900 crore in the state, the PMO announced on Monday.

The Prime Minister will also disburse 2nd and 3rd instalments of aNamo Shetkari MahaSanman Nidhia, worth about Rs 3,800 crore which will benefit about 88 lakh farmers across Maharashtra. The scheme provides an additional amount of Rs 6,000 per year to the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana in Maharashtra.

Besides, the Prime Minister will disburse Rs 825 crore of Revolving Fund to 5.5 lakh women Self Help Groups (SHGs) across Maharashtra.

This amount is additional to the Revolving fund provided by the Government of India under National rural livelihood Mission (NRLM). Revolving Fund (RF) is given to SHGs to promote lending of money within SHGs by rotational basis and increase annual income of poor households by promoting women led micro enterprises at village level.

With the release of this installment under the PM-KISAN scheme, an amount of more than Rs 3 lakh crore, has now been transferred to more than 11 crore farmersa families directly into their account.

Prime Minister will initiate distribution of one crore Ayushman cards across Maharashtra. This is yet another step to reach out to beneficiaries of welfare schemes so as to realise the Prime Ministeras vision of 100 per cent saturation of all government schemes.

Prime Minister will also launch the Modi Awaas Gharkul Yojana for OBC category beneficiaries in Maharashtra. The scheme envisages the construction of a total 10 lakh houses from FY 2023-24 to FY 2025-26. Prime Minister will transfer the first instalment of Rs 375 crore to 2.5 lakh beneficiaries of the Yojana.

The Prime Minister will dedicate to nation multiple irrigation projects benefiting Marathwada and Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. These projects are developed at a cumulative cost of more than Rs 2,750 crore under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna (PMKSY) and Baliraja Jal Sanjeevani Yojana (BJSY).

PM Modi will also inaugurate multiple rail projects worth more than Rs. 1300 crore in Maharashtra. The projects include Wardha-Kalamb broad gauge line (part of Wardha-Yavatmal-Nanded new broad gauge line project) and New Ashti - Amalner broad gauge line (part of Ahmednagar-Beed-Parli new broad gauge line project). The new broad gauge lines will improve connectivity of the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions and boost socio-economic development.

Prime Minister will also virtually flag off two train service during the programme. This includes train services connecting Kalamb and Wardha; and train service connecting Amalner and New Ashti. This new train service will help improve rail connectivity and benefit students, traders and daily commuters of the region.

Besides, the Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation several projects for strengthening the road sector in Maharashtra.

The projects include four laning of the Warora-Wani section of NH-930; road upgradation projects for important roads connecting Sakoli-Bhandara and Salaikhurd-Tirora. These projects will improve connectivity, reduce travel time and boost socio-economic development in the region.

Prime Minister will also inaugurate the statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay in Yavatmal city.

--IANS

sps/dan
New Delhi, Feb 26 : In yet another setback to the Congress which has been reeling under a series of defections by its MPs and MLAs ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, Geeta Koda, its Singhbhum MP and wife of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, quit the grand old party and joined the BJP on Monday.

Geeta Koda, who joined the Congress in 2018, was the lone Lok Sabha MP of the party in Jharkhand.

She joined the BJP on Monday in the presence of Babulal Marandi at its state headquarters in Ranchi.

Geeta Koda was said to be miffed with alliances forged by the Congress party in Jharkhand and reportedly sent in her resignation to the partyas High Command in New Delhi.

After the changeover Geeta Koda hit out at her former party saying, "I joined the BJP today. The Congress has put the country in trouble by indulging in appeasement politics. The party says it will take everyone along, but it takes only its family along."
New Delhi, Feb 26 : Ola founder and chairman Bhavish Aggarwal on Monday launched India's artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot 'Krutrim AI' to take on OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini.

The AI chatbot is now rolling out in public beta.

"As promised, starting the @Krutrim AI public beta rollout today," Aggarwal posted on X.

"This is a start for us and our first-generation product. Lots more to come and this will also improve significantly as we build on this base. Do give us your feedback," he added.

He said the chatbot will help users in more than 10 Indian languages, including English, Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, Gujarati and even Hinglish (a mix of Hindi and English).

"Krutrim marks the dawn of a new era in the AI computing stack for our nation. We will aim to innovate alongside the world and define future paradigms," Aggarwal stated.

The launch comes after Krutrim became the country's fastest unicorn and also the first AI unicorn in the country, after it closed its first round of funding.

The funding round, led by investors such as Matrix Partners India and others, garnered an investment of $50 million in equity at a valuation of $1 billion.
Bengaluru, Feb 26 : The Karnataka Police have cracked the murder case of a 70-year-old woman -- a BJP worker -- on Monday and arrested the accused from Bengaluru.

The accused -- also a BJP worker -- confessed that after suffocating the old woman to death, he had cut her into pieces and then stuffed the body in a plastic drum.

The accused has been identified as Dinesh, a resident of K.R. Puram in Bengaluru and earlier worked as a merchant in Chennai port. The accused had confessed that he was eying on the gold jewels of the old woman.

The victim, Susheelammaas body was found in a plastic drum near a dilapidated house in Nisarga Layout in K.R. Puram. The body was chopped into pieces however police found that the legs and hands of the body were missing.

The dog squad had led the police team to the residence of the accused located in the same areas close to the house of the victim.

The accused said that he had loans of Rs 30 lakh and people who lent him money had started coming to his house and pulled him up for non-payment. The victim Susheelamma owned a house and the victim had come to know that after disposing of a property she had got a huge amount.

The accused had planned the murder and invited the old-woman to his house. There he strangled her to death and cut her body into pieces. He then disposed her limbs in Avalahalli Lake and was planning to dispose of other body parts.

The incident came to light after the locals spotted the plastic drum and informed the police.

Susheelamma resided in a flat on II Main Road of Nisarga Layout. Her younger daughter and granddaughter stayed in another apartment about 200 feet away from her flat. The family did not suspect foul play as the victim would go for a visit to temples for a day or two.

The police have taken up further investigation.
New Delhi, Feb 26 : February 26 marks the death anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a controversial and popular political figure of India's pre- and post-independence era. Often described as divisive and polarising figure of his time, by his detractors, Savarkar has earned a new-found prominence and relevance in Indian polity and the credit for this goes to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

V.D. Savarkar has become a rallying point in today's politics, with both BJP and Congress training guns at each other over the former's Hindutva pitch in early 1990s and alleged capitulation before the Britishers.

Today's Generation Z and the millennials aren't much aware of Veer Savarkar but given the BJP-Congress sparring over him, it has captured the imagination of all. He has become a highly emotive issue today, for right-wing outfits, he is someone whose legacy of Hindutva will embolden BJP's pitch and open new avenues of connect with the youth while Congress, by identifying him as a 'punching bag' wants to deflate the saffron politics by demonising him.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's barb on the Hindutva ideologue, last year, to target BJP and RSS is a case in point, to understand Savarkar's relevance in today's politics.

"My name in not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi. Gandhis don't apologise to anyone," Rahul had said at a press conference, when asked by scribes on how he could have saved his MP status by offering an apology over the Modi surname row.

Rahul's taunt on Savarkar created upheaval in MahaAghadi Alliance also, as ally Shiv Sena took umbrage at his remarks and warned of 'cracks' if Congress keeps hurting the Maratha pride by insulting Savarkar.

Savarkar was handed over two life imprisonment of 50 years by the British government for planning and mobilising strong rebellion against foreign rule and he also paid a heavy price for this. He was imprisoned in 'Kala Pani' of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in 7x11 feet prison and subjected to harsh and inhumane conditions for many years, unless released over 'agreement' with the then rulers. All through the period of his incarceration, Savarkar endured cruelty and inhumane conditions.

Congress has hit hard at the Hindutva ideologue as well as BJP, while accusing both of fanning religious polarisation for votes. It says that Savarkar wrote many clemency petitions to Britishers seeking forgiveness while BJP boasts about nationalism and brags about him as a leader who cowered before the invaders.

Rebutting all the political charges, BJP says that it's the habit of Congress to praise the Gandhis while hurling abuse and insult at the nationalist leaders who fought for India's freedom.

Post-independence, Savarkar, a key leader of Hindu Mahasabha came under heavy fire from all quarters, over his alleged role in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. He was charged as one of the co-conspirators in Bapu's murder but was later acquitted by the court and absolved of all charges. Despite a clean chit in the case, Congress has been relentless in attacking him.

In the run-up to 2024 Lok Sabha polls, political heat is set to get more fierce. Congress claims that by posturing on Savarkar, BJP is again fashioning Hindutva as a political agenda. However, the facts favour the BJP on this. Savarkar was apparently among the first leaders to give a call for Hindutva as an ideology and also popularised it.

Moreover, the saffron party has been unabashed in its eulogy of the nationalist leader whose contributions to country's political discourse, claims party, were belittled and rather brushed aside by Congress, the party that ruled the nation for six decades. BJP claims that the 'family-run party' eroded the legacy of nationalist leaders like V.D. Savarkar while exalted the Gandhis and made them look like 'bigger than life' personalities.

The BJP-led governments have also made it a point to acknowledge and accentuate Savarkar's contributions. Last year the Madhya Pradesh government declared plans of introducing a chapter on Savarkar in school textbooks while the Uttar Pradesh government has also spoken about making state board students aware of Savarkar's biography.

The unveiling of Savarkar's portrait in Karnataka under the previous BJP government last year sparked major protests from the then Opposition Congress but after coming to power the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government has refrained from removing it.
New Delhi, Feb 26 : Canadian actor Kenneth Mitchell, known for roles in 'Star Trek' and 'Captain Marvel', on Monday passed away aged 49 due to Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) -- a fatal motor neuron disease.

The disease, a slow degeneration of nerves of the brain, starts in mid-middle age, around 50s.

Ken battled the fatal disease, which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, for five and a half years, his family posted in a statement on Instagram.

"With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Kenneth Alexander Mitchell, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, son and dear friend," the post read.

"Ken was widely known as an actor in many films and television shows. He portrayed an Olympic hopeful, an apocalypse survivor, an astronaut, a superhero's dad, and four unique Star Trekkers," it added.

Dr Ishu Goyal, Associate Consultant Neurologist, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, told IANS that no particular reason behind the disease is known yet, which makes it difficult to predict who can get the disease.

"While sometimes it is genetic, it does not run in families. So we cannot really predict who is going to get ALS," Ishu said.

Muscle weakness, paralysis, and eventually respiratory failure are the main outcomes of ALS, which predominantly affects the motor neurons that regulate voluntary muscles -- used for chewing, talking and moving arms and legs.

Symptoms of ALS include muscle weakness, muscle cramps and twitches (fasciculations), impaired motor function, dysphagia, or slurred speech, increased muscular tone and stiffness and breathing issues.

"People with ALS may eventually lose their abilities to move, breathe, eat, and talk as the disease worsens," Dr Vipul Gupta, chief of Neurointervention and co-chief of stroke unit, Artemis Hospital, Gurugram, told IANS.

"Insufficient oxygen delivery to the bloodstream by the lungs is the primary cause of death for most ALS patients. Breathing may become difficult or impossible with ALS. This is due to the fact that it affects the muscles in our lungs and chest. The diaphragm, which divides your chest from your abdomen, is one of these muscles. Other breathing muscles affected include those between your ribs," he added.

A common clinical feature of the disease is its slow-growing process.

"It usually starts with weakness in one part of the body. It may start from the hand or leg. And gradually the weakness keeps on increasing, and it keeps on stepwise involving the other parts of the body. So the part of the body that gets affected loses its function," Ishu said.

Over the years, the weakness keeps on increasing, making the patient wheelchair-bound. However, the patient remains mentally normal. They can think, communicate normally. Gradually it also affects speaking function, and ultimately turns fatal as it starts affecting respiration, as well as causes swallowing dysfunction.

Unfortunately, there is no particular cure for this disorder, but there are a few drugs which slow down the process of ALS to a certain extent, the doctors said. It may prolong the life of the patient by a few months.

The two drugs that are currently used are the Tarragon injections, which are given monthly, and Dialysol tablets, which have to be taken twice daily.
Kiev, Feb 26 : Europe should suspend ammunition exports to third countries other than Ukraine in light of the shortages faced by the Ukrainian military, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in an interview with a german media portal published on Monday, media reported.

Kiev is being confronted with critical shortages of ammunition, as $61 billion in funding from the US remains stuck in Congress, causing defence aid deliveries to run dry, The Kyiv Independent reported.

Reports suggest Ukraine could face a catastrophic shortage of ammunition and air defences within weeks.

"All contracts for the export of ammunition produced in Europe to third countries must be put on hold, and all such ammunition should be sent to Ukraine," Kuleba told the media portal.

"Every cartridge produced in Europe should serve the purpose of defending Europe."

Ukraine's European allies are aware of the lack of ammunition and have admitted they were "too late" in deciding to "ramp up their own production, sign long-term contracts, and put new production lines into operation," according to Kuleba.

"Unfortunately, we are now paying for these mistakes."

The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said on February 19 following a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels that he urged member states to procure ammunition for Ukraine outside the bloc if this source of supply is "better, cheaper and quicker".

Borrell added that the European defence industry claims to be capable of increasing ammunition production, The Kyiv Independent reported.

The Ministers discussed how to increase the EU's provision of shells to Ukraine through bilateral and European frameworks, according to Borrell.

Earlier in February, Czechia began to push a plan to jointly finance the purchase of 800,000 artillery shells outside the bloc. Prague has suggested that Europe could turn to arms companies in South Korea, Turkey or South Africa, according to US media portal Politico.

Canada has signalled that it is ready to help Czechia with the plan, but details of the cooperation are still being established, according to CBC News on February 22. Canada may contribute up to $22 million, CBC News said.

Plans to buy ammunition from outside the bloc face opposition from France, Greece and Cyprus. While France wants to boost its domestic defence industry, Greece and Cyprus do not wish to buy arms from Turkish producers, given their tense relations with Ankara.

Denmark responded to Kiev's calls for help by deciding to donate all the artillery rounds from its stockpiles to Ukraine, The Kyiv Independent reported.

"If you ask Ukrainians, they are asking us for ammunition now, artillery now. From the Danish side, we decided to donate our entire artillery," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the Munich Security Conference on February 17.

Ukraine's withdrawal from the city of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast on February 17 demonstrated Ukraine's need for more artillery shells, as well as air defence systems, long-range weapons and fortifications, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said.

Umerov had said earlier in February that Ukraine was unable to fire more than 2,000 shells per day, around a third of Russia's average daily shell usage.

Estonia's Foreign Intelligence Service reported on February 13 that as well as producing new shells, Russia refurbishes Soviet stocks of artillery ammunition, allowing it to produce as many as four million units in 2023.

"It is almost certain that Western ammunition deliveries to Ukraine in 2024 will not be able to keep pace," and the gap "in available artillery ammunition between Ukraine and Russia is expected to widen even more in 2024," the report said.

The EU aims to deliver more than one million shells to Ukraine by the end of 2024.
Gadchiroli : , Feb 26 (IANS) The Maharashtra Police have arrested a woman Maoist leader carrying a reward of Rs 6 lakh on her head from the terror-hit Gadchiroli district, officials said here on Monday.

The arrested person has been identified as Kamla Padaga Gota, alias Rajeshwari, who became an outlaw in 2006 when she was barely 13 years old, said Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police, Neelotpal.

The arrest came in the midst of CPI-Maoistas four-month long 'tactical counter offensive campaign' (February-May) when they take up various subversive activities, arson, attacks on security forces, destruction of public properties and other violence.

Hailing from Bada-Kakler village at Bijapur in Chhattisgarh, Rajeshwari (30) had multiple cases against her for several serious offences her in different police stations in the district.

Taking the extremist route as a teenager, she was recruited through the Chetana Natya Manch and in five years, she took over as its Deputy Commander.

In 2016, Rajeshwari was transferred to the Farsegarh LOS where she worked till her arrest in a case pertaining to police firing in Bijapur in 2019.

After her release from jail in 2020, she resumed working as an area committee member of a special Maoist outfit till her re-arrest on February 25 by the Gadchiroli Police.

In 2016, Rajeshwari was involved in two encounters with the police in the Karamarka jungles of Farsegarh and in Manewada forests of Bhopalpattanam, both in Chhattisgarh.

She was part of another team that indulged in police encounters in Kachalaram forests near Bijapur in 2018, and last year she was part of a gang that opened fire on Gadchiroli Police in Bhamragad jungles.

After the four encounters notched in her name, Maharashtra government announced Rs 6 lakh reward for her capture.

Stating that 73 hardcore Maoists have been arrested in the past 13 months, Neelotpal appealed to the extremists to shun violence and surrender before the security forces.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. With deep sorrow, I honor the memory of the Shehidis (martyrs) killed in Khojaly on February 26, 1992, by Armenians who did not spare children, old men, and women, and sincerely share the pain of the Azerbaijani people, said Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye Numan Kurtulmus on X, Trend reports.

"The victims of this crime against humanity will remain in our memories, even if the entire world chooses to ignore them," he emphasized.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

On February 25-26, 1992, as a result of mass terror by Armenians, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Lucknow, Feb 26 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Monday, said that his government takes cognisance of all authentic news reports brought out by the media, which are not propaganda.

Lucknow, Feb 26 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Monday, said that his government takes cognisance of all authentic news reports brought out by the media, which are not propaganda.

"Media is a powerful medium to convey the sentiments of society to the government," he said.

According to an official release, the chief minister -- while speaking at a media conclave -- said that his government considers every piece of news as a suggestion and takes cognisance of news reports based on facts.

He emphasised that the media, encompassing print, TV, and increasingly, social and digital platforms, stands as a cornerstone of a flourishing democracy, exerting significant influence on society. "Even today, the role of print media cannot be undermined. Each of these mediums has its own set of followers," he stated.

He further said, "Many people do not consider their day complete without reading a newspaper even today. At the same time, numerous individuals have connected with digital media through smartphones and have not turned on their televisions for years. Regardless of the platform, the foundation of media should be based solely on truth."

Moving beyond 'Rising UP' and discussing 'Shining UP', he mentioned that a lot has changed in the country in the past 10 years.

"India is respected globally today, with secure borders, effective internal governance and world-class infrastructure. The confidence of the people has gone up and people are benefiting from welfare schemes without discrimination. For the first time, the government is paying attention to fulfilling the livelihood needs of the people while respecting their faiths," he stated.

"Before 2017, more than 300 riots used to take place in the state in a year while curfew remained imposed for half of the year. Entrepreneurs were scared of investing in the state for lack of security of both themselves and their capital. From education to healthcare, everything was in complete disarray in the state," he said.

He then pointed out, "Today, the youth hold tablets in their hands, and not guns. Extortions no longer take place in Uttar Pradesh. Instead, there is the PM SVANidhi scheme for street vendors. Curfews are no longer imposed here; instead, Kanwar Yatra is organised with enthusiasm. Uttar Pradesh has transitioned from a 'breaker' in the country's development, to becoming a breakthrough since 2017. We have brought an investment of Rs 10 lakh 24 thousand crores to the ground."
New Delhi : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal speaks during the Budget Session at Delhi Legislative Assembly. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Feb 26 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday told the Supreme Court that he made a mistake by retweeting an alleged defamatory video posted by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee in relation to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT Cell in 2018.

A bench presided over by Justice Sanjiv Khanna was hearing a special leave petition filed by Kejriwal against the refusal of the Delhi High Court to quash the summons issued against him in the criminal defamation case.

The bench, also comprising Justice Dipankar Datta, will take up the matter for hearing on March 11. In the meantime, the apex court ordered that the proceedings pending before the trial court will remain stayed.

On February 5, a bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court upheld the summoning order by the Magistrate observing that re-tweeting defamatory content falls under the offence of defamation as per Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The Magistrate had earlier summoned Kejriwal, deeming the re-tweet prima facie defamatory.

The case was filed by Vikas Pandey (Sankrityayan), the founder of the social media page 'I Support Narendra Modi', who claimed that Kejriwal's retweet of the video tarnished his reputation.
Those sending people abroad by fraudulent means won't be spared: Hry minister. Image Source: IANS News

Chandigarh, Feb 26 : Acceeding to the demand of the main Opposition Congress, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Monday informed the state Assembly that a probe by the CBI has been ordered into killing of Indian National Lok Dal's State Chief Nafe Singh Rathi.

"If the House wants the probe to be conducted by the CBI, it will be conducted," Vij said.

The Congress described the killing of Rathi as the state's "first political murder" and demanded a probe into the incident either by a high court judge or a high court judge-monitored CBI investigation.

Congress leader Raghuvir Kadian said it was a political murder.

"It is a political murder and the first such incident in Haryana after it was carved out as a separate state (in 1966)," Kadian informed the Assembly.

At the beginning of the day's proceedings, the Haryana Assembly paid tributes to former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi, who died recently.

Two-time legislator Rathi was shot dead along with a party worker by assailants in Jhajjar's Bahadurgarh town.

Twelve people, including former Bahadurgarh MLA Naresh Kaushik, were booked in connection with his killing.

Rathi was sitting in the front seat of his SUV when the assailants waylaid the vehicle and fired indiscriminately from close range. The assailants sped away after the crime scene.
New Delhi, Feb 26 : The Centre has announced a relief package for FCV (Flu Cured Virginia) tobacco farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka which includes interest free loans and waiving of penalties.

The Commerce and Industry Ministry said that the Centre has approved a Rs 10,000 interest-free loan for tobacco farmers in Andhra Pradesh whose crop was damaged by heavy rains in December.

"In view of the hardships faced by FCV (Flu Cured Virginia) Tobacco growers in Andhra Pradesh, the Government of India has approved Rs 10,000/- interest free loan from the Grower Welfare Fund of Tobacco Board to the grower members of the fund, whose crops were damaged due to MICHAUNG Cyclonic rains in Andhra Pradesh," the statement said.

It said that this is a one-time interest free loan for Andhra Pradesh Crop Season 2023-24 only. This interest free loan amount will be recovered from the respective tobacco growers auction sale proceeds of 2023-24 Andhra Pradesh crop season.

Currently, auctions of FCV Tobacco are going on in Karnataka. Till date, around 85.12 M. kg FCV tobacco has already been marketed by the Board through its e-auction platforms in Karnataka. There is a jump of 12.49 per cent in the average price received by tobacco growers i.e. from Rs 228.01/- per kg last year to Rs 256.48/- per kg in the current year.

In Karnataka, the state government has declared drought in all except 2 FCV Tobacco growing taluks. This has affected the livelihood of FCV Tobacco growers. Due to this, the Central government has decided to permit the sale of FCV Tobacco on Tobacco Boards auction platform after waiving off the penalty on the sale of excess production of registered growers and unauthorised production of unregistered growers for Karnataka Crop Season 2023-24 only.

From 3rd-5th December 2023, MICHAUNG cyclone had caused heavy rains in Andhra Pradesh. The FCV tobacco crop grown in Andhra Pradesh covering Eluru, East Godavari, Kakinada, Prakasam, Nellore, Bapatla, Palnadu and Guntur districts has been severely affected due to these cyclonic rains.

The estimated area planted in the current crop season in Andhra Pradesh was 75,355 ha and 14,730 ha area i.e. around 20 per cent of the total planted area has been affected due to these heavy rains. The FCV tobacco crop has been impacted by washing out of crop, drowning of standing crop, water logging and resultant wilting of standing crop.

Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) Tobacco is mainly produced in India in 2 states, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Currently the crop season is going on in Andhra Pradesh, which has 42,915 FCV tobacco growers and auctions are going on in Karnataka which has 39,552 FCV tobacco growers.

--IANS

sps/dan
Kiev, Feb 26 : Five people have been killed while 10 others have been injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine, regional authorities reported early Monday as quoted by media reports.

Civilian casualties were reported in Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kherson and Sumy oblasts, The Kyiv Independent reported.

In Sumy Oblast, a couple were killed when Russian forces used guided aerial bombs to attack the village of Yunakivka, situated less than 10 km (6 miles) from the border with Russia.

One house was destroyed and five others were damaged in the attack, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported.

Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast came under attack multiple times during Sunday morning. One man was killed when a Russian drone dropped explosives directly on his truck. The truck driver was 57-years-old, The Kyiv Independent reported.

Later on Sunday evening, four people were injured when Russian forces targeted the regional centre of Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

Two men, aged 41 and 49, and two women, aged 20 and 60, were hospitalised. The attack also damaged 10 homes and several cars.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian attacks killed two people and injured one person over Sunday, Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported, The Kyiv Independent reported.

Two people were killed when Russian forces attacked the village of Tiahynka, killing two people, a 44-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman.

Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin reported that five people were injured in Kostiantynivka, Kurakhove, Zakitne, Maksymilianivka and Chasiv Yar.

Russia also carried out attacks in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv oblasts, but no civilian casualties were reported.
Kolkata, Feb 26 : The crucial hearing in the anticipatory bail plea of absconding Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh, the accused mastermind behind the attack on ED and CAPF officers at Sandeshkhali on January 5, was postponed at a district court in West Bengal's Barasat due to a pen-down strike call given by the lawyers of the court on Monday.

The matter will be now heard on March 15.

This is the second lower court which has been moved by Shahjahan seeking anticipatory bail from underground through his counsel.

Earlier, he had moved a special PMLA court in Kolkata, which had rejected his plea.

Legal experts feel that following the postponement of the hearing, the situation has become even more critical for Shahjahan considering that a division bench of the Calcutta High Court made it clear on Monday that there is no stay order on his arrest and hence there are no restrictions on the state police seeking to arrest him.

On Monday itself, an FIR was registered against Shahjahan at the Sandeshkhali police station on the basis of over 70 complaints lodged against him by the villagers. The charges include harassment of women, forceful grabbing of farmland, and flooding farmland belonging to others with saline water in order to grab land at throwaway prices, among others.
Mumbai, Feb 26 : Nifty remained sideways throughout the session on Monday with negative bias and closed with a loss of 91 points at 22,122 levels.

Profit booking was witnessed in some of the index heavyweights at higher levels, said Siddhartha Khemka, Head of Retail Research at Motilal Oswal Financial Services.

Majority of the sectors ended in the red. However, buying was seen in oil & gas, auto, and realty, he said.

"Globally, investors would take cues from macro data releases lined up during the week. The US New Home Sales Data for January would be an important event to track on Monday. Overall, we expect the market to consolidate at higher zones while following global trends," Khemka said.

Nifty closed on a negative note at 22,122, down by 90.65 points, while the Sensex closed at 72,790, down by 352 points. Nifty Energy was the sector which outperformed on Monday, up by 0.50 per cent, said Vaibhav Vidwani, Research Analyst at Bonanza Portfolio.

The top Nifty losers were Asian Paints, Hindalco Industries, Apollo Hospitals, Divis Labs, and Tata Steel, while the top gainers were Power Grid Corp., L&T, Adani Enterprises, Adani Ports, and Tata Consumer.
Chennai, Feb 26 : A single-judge bench of the Madras High Court on Monday set aside an order passed by a trial court in 2023 discharging Rural Development Minister I. Periyasamy in a case booked of alleged irregular transfer of plot to the personal security officer of former Chief Minister late M. Karunanidhi.

The plot in question belonged to the Tamil Nadu Housing Development Board (TNHDB).

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh directed the minister to face trial along with two other accused persons in the case, as he ordered the proceedings to be held on a day-to-day basis.

The judge also directed the trial court to remand the accused persons to judicial custody if they adopt any dilatory tactics.

The court sought a periodic report on the progress of the trial which needs to be submitted to the Registrar General of the high court.

The case relates to the allotment of a high-income group plot of Tamil Nadu Housing Development Board in Chennai to a person named Ganesan, who was then the personal security officer of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

Ganeshan, according to the prosecution, was allocated the plot for being an "impeccable and honest government servant". During this period in March 2008, Periyasamy served as the Housing Minister.

The DVAC had booked the case after the AIADMK came to power in 2011.

The then Tamil Nadu Speaker P. Dhanabal had granted sanction for the prosecution of Periyasamy on December 17, 2012.

However, in 2016, Periyasamy filed a discharge petition on multiple grounds, including the claim that the sanction to prosecute should have been obtained from the Governor, and not the Speaker.

A special court for MP/MLA cases had dismissed the discharge petition on July 6, 2016 and its order was confirmed by the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court in November and December 2022, respectively.

Periyasamy had filed another discharge petition before the special court on February 21, 2023. The second petition was also filed on the ground that the competent authority to grant sanction was the Governor, and not the Speaker.

The special court that heard the case, however, accepted the contention and passed a discharge order on March 17, 2023.

The Madras High Court took up the case on suo moto in September 2023, leading to the present order.
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 26 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reveal the names of four test pilots undergoing training for India's Gaganyaan Mission when he visits the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) on Tuesday.

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 26 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reveal the names of four test pilots undergoing training for Indiaas Gaganyaan Mission when he visits the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister will visit the VSSC in Kerala to review preparations for the Gaganyaan Mission.

It will be a proud moment for Kerala as one of the four test pilots belongs to the state.

The four test pilots have completed their training in Russia and are now based in a unit of the ISRO getting familiar with the intricacies of the mission.

Of the four, three will be on board the Indian-crewed orbital spacecraft.

Once at the VSSC, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate three facilities which include the Trisonic Wind Tunnel, Semi-cryogenic Integrated Engine and Stage Test Facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu and the PSLV Integration Facility at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

The Prime Minister will arrive at the VSSC centre at 10.45 a.m. on Tuesday and will spend an hour there.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. The Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan expresses condolences to the friendly and brotherly Azerbaijani people on the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy, Trend reports via the embassy's publication.

The Iranian Embassy expressed its sympathy to the relatives of the victims of the Khojaly genocide.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

On February 25-26, 1992, as a result of the mass terror by Armenians, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Jaipur, Feb 26 : A rape accused who attacked the victim girl in Rajasthan's Kotputli-Behror district on Saturday, forcing her to withdraw her complaint, lost one of his legs on Monday morning after coming under a train at a railway line in Jaipur.

The accused, who has been identified as Rajendra Yadav (33), had attacked the 25-year-old victim woman and her brother on Saturday. The girl is battling for her life at the Sawai Man Singh Medical College here.

The Rajasthan police arrested Yadav on Monday in an injured condition.

The accused was reportedly trying to escape by crossing a railway line, only to lose one of his legs after coming under a moving train.

DGP U.R. Sahu said, aThe police were raiding various places to arrest the accused. A GRP team informed the police about a person losing his leg after coming down under a train. When the ambulance reached the spot and took the injured person to the hospital, he was identified as accused Yadav with the help of his identity card. The accused is still undergoing treatment."

The officer also said that to avoid detection, the accused had changed his look by shaving his and beard cutting his hair short.

Yadav had served jail term last year on rape charge, and was reportedly pressurising the victim woman to withdraw the case that she had registered against him on June 17 last year.

Soon after being released on bail, he started putting more pressure on the girl to withdraw the case.

The victim had even sought police protection, said her brother.

He said the accused, along with his accomplices, attacked him and his sister on the evening of February 24. The attackers also reportedly fired a bullet, which pierced the victim's spine.

Eyewitnesses said that the accused continued to attack the woman with sharp-edged weapons till the time she collapsed.

Presuming she had died, the attackers fled from the spot, said station-in-charge Rajesh Meena, adding that one of the accomplices, Mahesh, was arrested on Saturday while a hunt is on to nab the remaining accused persons.
New Delhi, Feb 26 : Saying that TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu and his family members are intimidating public officials probing the alleged Skill Development Corporation scam case, the Andhra Pradesh government on Monday urged the Supreme Court to cancel his bail.

Appearing for the state government, senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi apprised a bench presided over by Justice Bela M Trivdei that Naiduas family members are openly threatening officials involved in the investigation in the case with a payback once they come back to power.

The bench, also comprising Justice Pankaj Mithal, observed that the apex court cannot consider the submissions unless the alleged statements are not placed on record.

In response, Rohtagi said that an interlocutory application containing the transcript of an interview given by Naidu and his son Nara Lokesh has been placed on record. Pressing for cancellation of Naiduas bail, the senior counsel said that no benefit of bail or liberty should accrue to the accused in view of the ensuing election.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Naidu, said that they would respond to the application moved by the state government.

Allowing Naidu a period of two weeks to respond to the allegations, the apex court posted the matter for hearing on March 19.

The special leave petition filed by the Andhra Pradesh CID before the Supreme Court challenges the decision by the Andhra Pradesh High Court passed in November last year ordering release of the TDP leader on regular bail on the bail bond already furnished by him.

A bench of Justice T. Mallikarjuna Rao of the High Court made "absolute" the interim bail granted to Naidu on October 31 on medical grounds.

A division bench of the Supreme Court in January this year delivered a split verdict on a plea filed by Naidu seeking quashing of criminal proceedings against him in the same case. Resultantly, his plea was referred to the Chief Justice of India for the constitution of a larger Bench to settle the law.
Chennai, Feb 26 : After being a major atomic power generation hub, Tamil Nadu is all set to become a major space centre in the country, with the presence of rocket/satellite makers, rocket port, space propellant park, Defence corridor and aerospace park.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 28 will remotely lay the foundation stone for India's second rocket port to be built at Kulasekarapattinam during his visit to Tuticorin District, said a senior official of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday.

ISRO is building a rocket port at Kulasekarapattinam from where small rockets laden with small satellites can be launched.

ISRO currently has the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) rocket with a carrying capacity of 500 kg.

The proposed rocket port is also expected to cater to the launch needs of private rocket makers.

Major space faring nations have multiple rocket launch sites. At present, India has one rocket port at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh with two launch pads.

"A rocket launch site should be on the east coast and near the Equator. And Tuticorin District satisfies that condition," a former ISRO official told IANS.

Tuticorin District is a good location for a rocket that needs to fly towards the south and proximity to the sea is also important. As a matter of fact, long ago Tuticorin was considered for locating a rocket launch site.

India's Earth observation or remote sensing satellites are flown southwards. The rockets flown from the Sriharikota rocket port in Andhra Pradesh to put satellites into the Polar orbit are not able to fly straight southwards as they have to go around Sri Lanka, resulting in higher fuel spend.

On the other hand, a straight path will result in lower fuel consumption which in turn enables the rocket to carry heavier satellites, ISRO officials said.

Former Director of ISRO, M Annadurai had told IANS, "Given the trend of launching a constellation of small satellites, the entry of small rockets -- from ISRO and private players -- coupled with the rocket port in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu can become a global space sector hub."

"Additionally, through the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), ISRO has taken the initiative to showcase to the non-space faring nations its space capabilities and also provide training to build small satellites. Those nations are interested in remote sensing satellites for their needs.

"There is a strong possibility of the first set of satellites being made and launched into orbit by India.

"Further the Defence corridor and increased drone manufacturing and usage will beef up the ecosystem for making small satellites in Tamil Nadu," Annadurai added.

Indian private and government rocket companies can offer cost-effective launch services, as Kulasekarapattinam is an ideal location for putting a satellite into polar orbit since it is located on the east coast and is near the Equator.

With ISRO setting up its second rocket port in Kulasekarapattinam, the Tamil Nadu Government has announced that it will set up a new Space Industrial and Propellant Park near Tuticorin District on an area of 2,000 acres.

The proposed park will be set up by Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (TIDCC).

Already industrial units in Chennai, Coimbatore and other places in Tamil Nadu have been supplying components for ISRO.

Private rocket maker Agnikul Cosmos Private Ltd is based in Chennai.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate ISRO's Semi-cryogenics Integrated Engine and Stage Test facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri during his visit to Kerala.

The new facility will enable development of semi cryogenic engines and stages which will increase the payload capability of ISRO's current rockets.

The facility is equipped with liquid oxygen and kerosene supply systems to test engines up to 200 tonnes of thrust.

Be that as it may, in the atomic power sector, Tamil Nadu currently has 2,440 MW commercial generation capacity out which 2,220 MW are operation (2,000 MW in Kudankulam and 440 MW at Kalpakkam) and one 220 MW plant at Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) is under maintenance since 2018.

The unit is expected to be operational from April 1, 2024.

That apart, another 4,000 MW of atomic power is being added in Kudankulam.

According to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), the integrated commissioning of the 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is in an advanced stage.

Two more 500 MW fast breeder reactors at Kalpakkam are being planned.

Recently the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation a Rs 400 crore Demonstration Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant (DFRP), at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), at Kalpakkam.

The Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Facility (FRFCF), being set up in Kalpakkam near here, is expected to be completed by December 2027.

The FRFCF project is executed by the Nuclear Recycle Board, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the DAE.

Originally budgeted at about Rs 9,600 crore, the purpose of the FRFCF is to reprocess the spent fuel of the fast breeder reactors.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in)
BJP Tamil Nadu president likely to be nominated to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Feb 26 : In an interim order, the Supreme Court on Monday stayed criminal proceedings initiated against Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai -- who in an interview given to a YouTube channel in October 2022 -- claimed that it was a Christian NGO that had first filed a case to ban use of crackers during Diwali.

Observing that prima facie no case of hate speech is made out, a bench presided over by Justice Sanjiv Khanna ordered stay on further proceedings pending before the trial court.

The bench, also comprising Justice Dipankar Datta, issued notice to the complainant V. Piyush -- the social activist who had instituted a case before the Salem's magistrate court against Annamalai.

The matter is ordered to be listed in the week commencing April 29, 2024.

Recently, the Madras High Court dismissed the petition filed by the BJP leader seeking quashing of the criminal case.

A bench of Justice Anand Venkatesh observed that the interview of Annamalai disclosed a divisive intent on the part of the petitioner to project that a Christian NGO was acting against Hindu culture.

"The intent behind the statement could be gathered from the fact that though the interview spanned for about 40 minutes, a shorter 6.5 minute footage, in which he claimed that it was a Christian NGO which filed the first case, had been edited out and tweeted through the official X handle of Bharatiya Janata Partyas (BJP) Tamil Nadu unit."

Annamalai had given an interview to a YouTube channel on October 22, 2022, just two days before Diwali that year, alleging that it was a Christian NGO that had first filed a case to ban use of crackers during the festival.

In his petition, the complainant alleged that the BJP leader had deliberately fanned communal hatred by "lying" that it was a missionary NGO that filed a case against bursting crackers during Diwali celebrations.

The Salem magistrate court had taken cognisance of the complaint and issued notice to BJP leader against which he had moved the Madras High Court.
Beirut, Feb 26 : Hezbollah claimed on Monday that it had shot down an Israeli drone with a surface-to-air missile, and the drone was seen falling in flames in Iqlim al Tuffah, located more than 20 km away from the border between Lebanon and Israel.

The Israeli Hermes 450 drone was shot down by the Islamic Resistance's air defence unit, Hezbollah said, adding that "its fighters will continue to confront the enemy and prevent them from achieving their aggressive goals," Xinhua news agency reported.

A Lebanese military source informed Xinhua news agency that three Israeli drones were spotted in the airspace near the southern Lebanon border area during early Monday morning, and two of the drones breached the border into southern Lebanon, travelling a distance of 15 to 20 km.

According to the anonymous source, the Israeli military conducted three raids on Monday in two border towns in southern Lebanon, and bombed eight towns and villages in the eastern and central regions with around 30 shells.

The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing increased tension since October 8, 2023, after Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, prompting Israel to respond by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.
New Delhi, Feb 26 : SJVN Limited, through its wholly-owned subsidiary SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL), has signed a power usage agreement with Jammu & Kashmir Power Corporation Limited to supply 300 MW of solar power from its 1,000 MW Bikaner Solar Power Project in Rajasthan.

Chairperson & Managing Director of SJVN, Geeta Kapur, informed that the Bikaner Solar Power Project is being developed under the IREDA scheme at a cost of Rs 5,491 crore. The project is being developed under the domestic content requirement mode and is slated for commissioning by July 2024.

The power generated from the project will be used by government entities, either directly or through discoms.

SJVN, a leading power sector Central public sector utility, has targeted the setting up of 25,000 MW capacity by 2030 and 50,000 MW capacity by 2040. This shared vision has been formulated in sync with the Government of Indiaas commitment of generating 50 per cent energy from non-fossil-fuel-based energy resources by 2030.
Islamabad, Feb 26 : Pakistan President Arif Alvi has rejected a summary to summon the National Assembly session, sources said, in which newly-elected MNAs will take oath, according to a media report.

The President, as per sources, said that all reserved seats should be allocated first before the summoning of the session, Geo News reported.

With only three days left in the Constitution-mandated deadline to summon the session of the National Assembly, President Alvi has come under severe criticism from the political parties, particularly the PPP and the PML-N, for resorting to 'delaying tactics' instead of convening the session of the lower House of the Parliament, Dawn reported.

A summary requisitioning the session of the Assembly was sent to the President by the parliamentary affairs division four days ago, but there has been no official response from Alvi, Dawn reported.

PML-N and PPP leaders criticised the President for not summoning the session, with PPP leader Shazia Marri saying the President should not abuse his Constitutional powers.

"President Alvi should not be loyal to an individual but the Constitution," she said, adding that if the President does not summon the session within the prescribed period, he will be remembered among the violators of the Constitution, Dawn reported.
Chennai, Feb 26 : A delegation of fishermen from Rameswaram will meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, MK Stalin, in Chennai on Tuesday.

The leader of the fishermen, P Jesu Raja said in a statement on Monday that the delegation would meet CM Stalin to appraise him about the continual arrests of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.

The delegation wants his assistance in finding a permanent solution with the aid of the Centre to the issue that was affecting the lives of fishermen and their families.

The fishers' demands include the immediate release of five fishermen from Rameswaram who are in Sri Lankan jails.

The delegation will apprise CM Stalin that the fishermen's mechanised boats have also been impounded by the Sri Lankan Navy, and they want all the boats to be retrieved.

Jesu Raja in the statement said that they "want a permanent solution to be worked out by the two governments for fishers engaged in fishing along the Palk Bay."

It may be noted that in early February, a Sri Lankan court had sentenced five fishermen to prison terms ranging between six months to two years, for the repeat offences of poaching.

The court had also ordered the release of 37 other fishermen who had been remanded in judicial custody in the island nation since February 2.

The fishermen associations in the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu had announced boycott of fishing from February 17.

The DMK MLA from Rameswaram constituency, Katharbatcha Muthumarilingam, intervened in the issue and assured the agitating fishermen that he would get them an appointment with the CM at the earliest, and convinced them to withdraw their relay hunger strike.

Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister, Anitha Radhakrishnan, had also promised to find alternatives for the fishers, such as deep sea fishing, for which subsidies are being offered by the Union and State governments.
Seoul, Feb 26 : SK Telecom, South Korea's top mobile carrier, said on Monday it will create a joint venture with four global mobile carriers aimed at developing large language models (LLMs) tailored to the needs of telecommunications companies.

The joint venture will be established by SK Telecom, Germany's Deutsche Telekom, the UAE-owned e& Group, Singapore's Singtel and Japan's Softbank later this year, according to the South Korean company.

The plan was announced during the Global Telco AI Alliance's inaugural meeting held at the Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2024, reports Yonhap news agency.

SK Telecom said the joint venture will develop LLMs that can help telcos improve their customer interactions via digital assistants and chatbots.

The companies aim to develop multilingual LLMs optimized for languages including Korean, English, German, Arabic and Japanese, with plans for additional languages to be agreed on among the founding members.

The envisioned LLMs will likely help the joint venture to reach a global customer base of approximately 1.3 billion across 50 countries, including SK Telecom's some 31 million subscribers and Deutsche Telekom's 250 million subscriptions, according to the Korean company.

"We as telcos need to develop tailored LLMs for the telco industry to make telco operations more efficient, which is a low-hanging fruit. Our ultimate goal is to discover new business models by redefining relationships with customers," SK Telecom CEO Ryu Young-sang said.
Dubai, Feb 26 : A 43-year-old Indian-origin investment banker quit his high-paying job in Dubai last year to serve as a full-time volunteer at the BAPS Abu Dhabi temple, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month.

Vishal Patel, a second-generation expat from Gujarat who was brought up in London, was working with the Dubai International Financial Centre and has previously held positions at prominent investment banks and hedge funds, The Khaleej Times reported on Monday.

Vishal spoke of his close association with the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha since childhood, adding that their Mandir in London has been a guiding light in his life.

"Supporting this (Abu Dhabi) Mandir allowed me to make a meaningful impact on society and engage in endeavours that contribute to the greater good. This opportunity was too significant to pass up," Vishal, who has been living in the UAE since 2016, told the daily.

From placing protective fences at the building site to serving food to guests, Vishal actively participated in the temple's construction process.

He is now the chief communications officer in a voluntary capacity for the temple and oversees various responsibilities, including media relations and strategic communications.

He told The Times that several other volunteers like him are ready to give up their jobs to serve at the BAPS Sanstha.

"Our spiritual leaders, Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Mahant Swami Maharaj, have left a lasting impact on young minds and inspired many to devote their time and efforts from all corners of the world," he said.

After graduating with a degree in economics from the University of London, Vishal was struggling with finding employment, and a breakthrough came while volunteering at the BAPS Mandir in London.

He met a senior director at Merrill Lynch who offered him advice on entering the investment banking industry, which led him and other young volunteers to organise fairs at the temple for students and employment seekers.

"That's why you see youths dedicating themselves as volunteers in BAPS. The Mandir has provided them with a strong foundation in their lives. And that is precisely what this Abu Dhabi Mandir will provide here," he told The Times.

India and the UAE further cemented their friendship on February 14 with the inauguration of the majestic Rs 700 crore (BAPS) Mandir -- the first Hindu temple in the Gulf nation.

In his inaugural speech, Prime Minister Modi showered extraordinary praise on the UAE, saying that the country has won the hearts of 140 crore Indians and written a "golden chapter in human history".

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, donated 13.5 acres of land for the construction of the temple during PM Modi's visit to the country in 2015, and in January 2019, a further 13.5 acres of land was allocated, making a total of 27 acres of land gifted for the temple.

--IANS

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Blood of Azerbaijani martyrs was avenged, Chairman of the Board of Azerbaijan's Intellectual Property Agency Kamran Imanov told reporters, Trend reports.

"May God grant health and many years of life to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev. Today, we're proudly walking. We have shown the world that we are a dignified nation, demonstrating our greatness," he said.

Imanov then noted that Armenian falsifications continue up to this day and will undoubtedly be responded.

"Our traditions, national and spiritual values are our past, without which the present has no future. Preserving the material and spiritual heritage, the 'archaeology' of the spirit of our ancestors, means preserving the spirit of our people," the official pointed out. "Armenian falsifications continue to this day. To preserve them, we must respond, and we'll continue to expose the falsifiers."

"Every Armenian lie must be brought to the public. The only reason behind this lie is that when any nation claims the territories of its neighbors, it seeks evidence on lands that do not belong to it, appropriating as false 'arguments' the cultural heritage of another people," he added.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

On September 19-20, 2023, Azerbaijan carried out anti-terrorist measures in Karabakh. This way, Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity were fully restored. On October 15 last year, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev raised the national flag in Khojaly.

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Mumbai, Feb 26 : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced on Monday that it has imposed penalties on the State Bank of India (SBI) and Canara Bank for non-compliance with banking regulations and RBI directions.

The RBI in an order dated February 26 slapped a penalty of Rs 2 crore on State Bank of India for contravention of provisions of the Banking Regulation Act and not complying with the Depositor Education Awareness Fund Scheme.

The RBI said that an examination of the Risk Assessment Report/Inspection Report revealed, inter alia, that SBI held shares as pledgee of an amount exceeding 30 per cent of paid-up share capital of certain companies and also failed to credit eligible amount to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund within the period prescribed in the BR Act.

Similarly, the RBI has imposed a penalty of Rs 32.30 lakh on Canara Bank for non-compliance with certain directions issued by the central bank on 'Data Format for Furnishing of Credit Information to Credit Information Companies and other Regulatory Measures'.

The RBI said that an examination of the Risk Assessment Report/Inspection Report and all related correspondences in the case of Canara Bank revealed, inter alia, non-compliance with the aforesaid directions by the bank, to the extent it (i) failed to rectify the rejected data and upload the same with the Credit Information Companies (CICs) within seven days of receipt of such rejection report from the CICs, and (ii) restructured certain accounts which were not standard assets as on March 31, 2021 under the extant directions.

However, RBI also said this action is based on the deficiencies in regulatory compliance of the two banks and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.
Srinagar, Feb 26 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday filed a charge sheet against three Pakistan-based handlers and two others in a court for the Rajouri terror attack.

"Pushing ahead with its efforts to destroy and dismantle the terrorist ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir, NIA on Monday charge-sheeted five accused including three absconding Pakistan-based handlers of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit, in the Rajouri attack case of January 2023.

The case RC-01 & 02/2023/NIA/JMU, relates to a heinous terror attack on civilians at village Dhangri, District Rajouri on January 1, 2023 followed by an IED blast the next day," an official said, adding that seven innocent people including two children were killed and several others severely injured in the attacks.

"Three of chargesheeted individuals are LeT handlers, identified as Saifullah alias Sajid Jutt alias Ali, Muhammad Qasim, and Abu Qatal @ Qatal Sindhi.

While Abu Qatal and Sajit Jutt are Pakistani nationals, Qasim had exfiltrated to Pakistan sometime around 2002 and had joined the LeT terrorist ranks there, officials said.

These three had orchestrated the recruitment and dispatch of LeT terrorists from Pakistan to target innocent civilians, particularly from the minority community in Jammu & Kashmir as well as security personnel. The attacks were carried out under the directions of these Pakistan-based handlers, they said.

"Saifullah @ Sajid Jutt is currently a highly-placed LeT commander and was responsible for engineering the overall conspiracy from Pakistan along with the other two. Muhammad Qasim is presently the right hand of highly placed LeT Commanders. Abu Qatal had come to India in 2002-03 and was active in the Poonch-Rajouri range along with other terrorists," an official said.

"The other two charge-sheeted accused are Nisar Ahmed alias Haji Nisar and Mushtaq Hussain alias Chacha, both Overground workers (OGWs) of the LeT and residents of Mohra, Gursai, tehsil Mendhar, Poonch district.

"The duo was arrested during the course of the investigations by the NIA. It was found during investigations that they had provided logistical support to the terrorists on the directions of Abu Qatal.

"Along with a juvenile, who was also apprehended for aiding and abetting the perpetrators, they had provided food, shelter, and other types of logistics support to the terrorists for approximately three months following the attack in Dhangri," an official said, adding that they had also attempted to conceal evidence by destroying the mobile phone used for clandestine communication with the Pakistan-based LeT commanders.

Nisar had also received consignment of arms, ammunition and cash sent by the Pakistan-based handlers for the terrorists. Investigations have revealed that Nisar had come in contact with Abu Qatal during the latteras stay in India and remained in touch with Abu Qatal even after the latteras return to Pakistan, the official said.

"In the chargesheet filed today, the two arrested adult accused and the Pakistan-based handlers have been charged under UA(P) Act and various sections of IPC. The Final Report against the apprehended juvenile will be submitted to the Juvenile Justice Board, Rajouri in due course," the official said.
Amaravati, Feb 26 : Kolusu Parthasarathi, a rebel MLA of Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) here on Monday while another YSRCP MLA Vasanta Krishna Prasad announced that he too would follow suit in a day or two.

The MLA from Penamaluru in Krishna district joined the TDP in the presence of partyas national General Secretary Nara Lokesh.

Parthasarathi joined the TDP two days after the party announced him as the candidate from Nuzvid constituency in Eluru district in the forthcoming elections.

His name figured in the list of 94 candidates announced by TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday. A popular BC leader who served as minister in Congress government in united Andhra Pradesh, he had met Naidu last month after indications that YSRCP may not field him again.

Parthasarathi, president of the Vijayawada city unit of the YSRCP, Boppana Bhavana Kumar, and the former chairman of the Kamma Corporation, Tummala Chandrasekhar, too quit the party and joined the TDP on Monday.

They said the state will progress only if Nara Chandrababu Naidu becomes the Chief Minister again.

Welcoming all the three leaders into the TDP fold, Nara Lokesh felt that the need for all the people to come forward in support of the TDP in the upcoming elections to ensure that Naidu is back as the Chief Minister.

Lokesh made it clear that it is possible only for the TDP to accord proper recognition and respect for all the sections in society.

Meanwhile, YSRCP sitting MLA from Mylavaram, Vasnatha Krishna Prasad has announced that he will join TDP in a day or two. He stated that he had no personal differences with TDP leader and former minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao and was ready to work with him. Devineni Umaas name was missing from the first list of TDP candidates amid reports that Vasantha Krishna Prasad, who was denied renomination by YSRCP, is vying for the TDP ticket.

The senior TDP leader met Naidu on Sunday and assured him that he will abide by whatever decision the party takes.

--IANS

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PM Modi's tribute to Veer Savarkar in his own handwriting goes viral. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Feb 26 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid homage to noted freedom fighter Veer Savarkar on the latter's death anniversary and said that 'nation will always remember his valiant spirit'.

"Tributes to Veer Savarkar on his Punya Tithi. India will forever remember his valiant spirit and unwavering dedication to our nation's freedom and integrity. His contributions inspire us to strive for the development and prosperity of our country," PM Modi wrote on his X handle.

While the noted nationalist was paid homage by many Union Ministers and all top leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party throughout the day, a special tribute by Prime Minister Modi became a sensation on social media.

The Modi Archive Twitter handle on Monday shared PM Modi's homage to Veer Savarkar in the former's own handwriting, which soon went viral.

The handwritten letter by PM Modi read, "Savarkar was not just a revolutionary. He was a great poet, a high-class litterateur, a specialist in science, a social reformer. His speech used to mesmerise his audience."

Veer Savarkar was born with the name Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in 1883 in Nashik. It was because of his valiant opposition and movement against the British regime that he was honoured with epithet 'Veer'.

Savarkar, a key leader of Hindu Mahasabha, was the first to make 'Hindutva' a rallying point and also mobilised strong public support for the same.

Earlier on Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President J.P. Nadda also posted their tribute for Savarkar.

Shah wrote in a post on X, "Every moment of Savarkar ji's life was dedicated to the nation. Even the tortures of Kalapani could not deter his steadfast desire to liberate the country. Savarkar ji, who considered untouchability as the biggest obstacle to the country's development, inspired people to join the freedom movement with his continuous struggle, powerful speech and timeless thoughts."

Nadda described Savarkar as "the great hero of Indian freedom struggle and also an embodiment of unparalleled sacrifice and bravery".
New Delhi, Feb 26 : Kashmiri activist Yana Mir has accused the Delhi Customs department of harassing her during checking at the IGI Airport recently after her return to the national capital from London. However, responding to her allegations, the Delhi Customs said that Mir did not cooperate, adding Mir "felt needlessly offended" even as "the staff remained courteous throughout".

Recently, in the British Parliament building, Mir had said that she is safe in India, in her home in Kashmir and her speech also went viral on social media platforms.

Mir, who also calls herself Kashmir's first female vlogger and journalist, took to Twitter at 7 a.m. to express her experience, stating: "What I said in London about India: I am FREE AND SAFE IN INDIA."

However, she described her reception at Delhi airport as less than welcoming, detailing how she was questioned about her Louis Vuitton shopping bags and asked to produce receipts.

The journalist, known for her outspoken views, contrasted the perception of her in London as an "Indian media warrior" with how she was labelled by Delhi Customs as a "brand smuggler".

"Madam, scan your bag, open your bag, why you have Louis Vuitton shopping bags? Did you pay for them? Where are the bills? What Londeners think of me: INDIAN MEDIA WARRIOR What Delhi Customs thinks of me: Brand Smuggler," she said in the tweet.

Delhi Customs responded, asserting that bag scanning of international passengers is routine and that Mir's luggage was ultimately scanned after she refused to cooperate initially.

They emphasised the importance of following procedures and treating all passengers equally, regardless of their status or profession.

"Bag scanning of international passengers is done routinely. While other passengers put their luggage inside the scanner without any fuss, Yana Mir felt needlessly offended. Staff remained courteous throughout. Privileges are not above law. Footage tells the story," read the Delhi Customs reply to her with the videos.

While Mir insisted that she was not seeking special treatment, she criticised the alleged lack of courtesy and professionalism in the handling of her case, calling it "dictatorial".

Delhi Customs, however, maintained that their staff remained courteous throughout the process, as evidenced by surveillance footage.

"Yana Mir did not cooperate at all when requested to get her bags scanned. Her luggage was ultimately picked up by airline staff and Customs officer for scanning as seen in the footage," the Delhi Customs tweet added.

--IANS

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Chennai, Feb 26 : Tamil Maanila Congress-Moopanar President and former Union Minister G.K. Vasan on Monday announced that the party was joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Vasan told reporters at the partyas headquarters here that the alliance would take full shape in the coming days.

He also said that seat allocation would be finalised after calculating the number of alliance partners in the NDA.

BJP's Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai told reporters said that the narrative that the BJP was against minorities would be broken in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He said that Vasan has taken the first step to bring about a change in Tamil Naduas political landscape in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and 2026 Assembly elections.

The TMC-Moopanar was re-launched in November 2014, after it had earlier merged with the Congress in August 2002), and was part of the AIADMK-BJP alliance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Party leader, N.R. Natarajan contested in the Thanjavur constituency but lost to the DMK candidate S.S. Palanimanickam. Subsequently, the AIADMK had nominated Vasan to the Rajya Sabha.

After the AIADMK had snapped ties with the BJP in September 2023.and party General Secretary and former Chief Minister K.Palaniswamy had openly stated that there won't be any alliance again, the BJP was counting Vasan's personal rapport of the AIADMK chief again.
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 26 : Spelling fresh discord in the INDIA bloc, the CPI on Monday announced four candidates from Kerala for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, including Annie Raja, wife of party General Secretary D. Raja, from Wayanad - presently held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Announcing the candidates, Kerala CPI state Secretary Binoy Viswam asked the Congress to explain if Rahul Gandhi need to contest from Kerala only and not from north India.

Noting even while the CPI and the Congress are part of the INDIA block, he said: "We have the highest regards for Gandhi and he has the right to contest from any constituency in the country, but the Congress has to answer questions if he is going to contest from Wayanad."

aThe Congress party has to answer if Gandhi should contest from Kerala which has just 20 seats and not from north India," he added.

Incidentally a row had broken out after the CPI's national leadership in September last year decided to convey to the Congress that as the CPI was a part of the INDIA bloc, Gandhi should not contest from Wayanad. However, this was met with stiff resistance from the CPI-M-led Left and the CPI dropped the idea, but on Monday, this issue surfaced again.

Annie Raja expressed happiness that her party has selected her for Wayanad. "I am happy to accept the directive of the party and my assurance to the people of Wayanad is, I will always be with them," she said, in her first reaction.

"Another reason why I am happy to fight it out at Wayanad is, I learned the basics of politics at Wayanad," she added.

Incidentally Annie Raja hails from Iritty, which borders the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, but has always been based out of Delhi with her husband, who is now the topmost leader of the CPI.

This will be Annie Rajaas first electoral battle in Kerala and in Wayanad, where Gandhi won a landslide victory in the 2019 polls with the highest margin in the state of 4.31 lakh votes.

Among the three other candidates that was announced include 78-year-old Pannyan Raveendran, the CPI's veteran former state Secretary and Lok Sabha member from Thiruvananthapuram, to take on the mighty and flamboyant Congress Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor, who has already won thrice from that seat.

Former state Agriculture Minister VS Sunilkumar will be taking on sitting Congress member T.N. Prathapan in the Thrissur seat and CA Arun Kumar will be taking on Congress veteran and seven-time sitting Mavelikera Lok Sabha member Kodikunnil Suresh.

--IANS

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Chandigarh, Feb 26 : The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) here has signed an MoU with HIMCARE, a scheme of the Himachal Pradesh government to provide cashless treatment, an official said on Monday.

The collaboration aims to streamline healthcare services and empower patients through the implementation of a cashless treatment initiative on the analogy of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna, benefitting around 5,000 patients from Himachal Pradesh on yearly basis.

The MoU was signed in the presence of PGI Director Vivek Lal, Deputy Director, Administration, Pankaj Rai and HP Swasthya Bima Yojna Society Chief Executive Officer Ashwani Sharma.

Under the agreement, PGI and HIMCARE will work together to enhance the healthcare experience for patients by facilitating cashless treatment.

PGI Director Lal said: "Through the partnership and the implementation of a cashless treatment initiative, we are poised to enhance accessibility and affordability, ultimately ensuring that no patient is denied the care they deserve due to financial constraints."

Deputy Director Rai said: "Himachal Pradesh had started new scheme namely HIMCARE on January 1, 2019, for providing the facility of cashless treatment benefit up to Rs 5 lakh per year.

"On an average, 4,000 patients per year from Himachal Pradesh are availing treatment under the scheme at the PGI Chandigarh. However, the entire process of reimbursement under the scheme was very cumbersome and time consuming and takes a minimum four-five months for reimbursement. To overcome this issue and for the benefit of HIMCARE beneficiaries, it has been decided to provide the cashless facility by the PGI on the analogy of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna."

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 26 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday held a meeting with the heads of several fintech companies and startups during which she emphasised the need for strict adherence to official regulations and giving paramount importance to the protection of consumer interests, a senior official confirmed.

The meeting, which took place in the backdrop of the RBI action against Paytm Payments Bank, was attended by representatives of fintech firms such as Google Pay, PhonePe, Amazon Pay and RazorPay, as well as top officials of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

Top government officials who attended the meeting included Financial Services Secretary Vivek Joshi, DPIIT Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) Secretary S. Krishnan, and RBI Deputy Governor T. Rabi Sankar, among others.

While the government has made it clear that there can be no compromise over the compliance to regulatory norms, it has also given the assurance that the fintech sector is seen as playing a key role in the Indian economy and various steps have been taken to nurture the ecosystem of these entities.

The RBI had barred Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) from accepting deposits after February 29. However, this date was extended to March 15 "keeping in view the interest of customers (including merchants) of PPBL who may require a little more time to make alternative arrangements and the larger public interest", the RBI said.

"No further deposits or credit transactions or top ups shall be allowed in any customer accounts, prepaid instruments, wallets, FASTags, National Common Mobility Cards, etc. after March 15, 2024 other than any interest, cashbacks, sweep in from partner banks or refunds which may be credited anytime," the RBI order said.

However, the RBI has also advised NPCI to examine the possibility of migrating the users from PPBL to some other banks so that consumers do not suffer due to an abrupt disruption.
New Delhi, Feb 26 : A Delhi court has set aside the order of a magisterial court that issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against a man accused of cruelty towards his wife, denouncing the decision as "highly inappropriate" and reflective of a "callous approach".

Additional Sessions Judge Shefali Sharma stressed the need for utmost caution in issuing NBWs to prevent wrongful detention and uphold individuals' right to liberty.

The plea challenging the Mahila Court's issuance of an NBW against the man, who faced charges under Indian Penal Code for cruelty to women by husband or relatives and for criminal breach of trust, was brought before the sessions court.

Expressing dismay at the discrepancy between granting the accused permission to travel abroad for a course until December 2024 and simultaneously issuing NBWs for non-appearance, the sessions court criticised the trial court's lack of diligence in reviewing the case record before making such decisions.

It noted the absence of sufficient grounds for directly issuing an NBW without first attempting to serve a bailable warrant as well as the trial court's decision to grant liberty to the accused to travel abroad, coupled with the sudden issuance of NBWs, lacked proper justification and adherence to legal procedures.

Consequently, the sessions court annulled the Mahila Court's directive, pointing out the importance of exercising caution and prudence in matters involving the issuance of NBWs to prevent unwarranted deprivation of liberty.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. I deeply cherish the memories of our brothers and sisters martyred 32 years ago at Khojaly in front of the entire world, and I extend my sincere condolences to Azerbaijan, Turkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan wrote on X, Trend reports.

"Turkiye always stands by Azerbaijan," the minister wrote.

Today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the mass terrors by Armenians, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1,275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

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Chandigarh, Feb 26 : Acceding to the demand of opposition Congress, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Monday told the state Assembly that a probe by the CBI has been ordered into the killing of Indian National Lok Dal's state unit chief Nafe Singh Rathi.

"If the satisfaction of the House is through the CBI investigation, then the investigation will be done through the CBI only," Vij said. The Congress described the killing of Rathi as the state's "first political murder" and demanded a probe into the incident either by a high court judge or a high court judge-monitored CBI investigation.

Congress leader Raghuvir Kadian said it was a political murder.

"It is a political murder and the first such incident in Haryana after it was carved out as a separate state (in 1966)," Kadian told the Assembly.

At the beginning of the day's proceedings, the Haryana Assembly paid tributes to former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi, who died recently.

Two-time legislator Rathi was shot dead along with a party worker by assailants in Jhajjar's Bahadurgarh town.

Twelve people, including former Bahadurgarh MLA and BJP leader Naresh Kaushik, were booked in connection with his killing.

Vij said those responsible behind the murder will not be spared. Expressing grief over this incident, the Home Minister said this "is a very unfortunate incident and Nafe Singh Rathi was with him as a legislator in 1996 and 2000, and Nafe Singh was also his good friend".

Vij said as soon as he was informed about the murder, he immediately spoke to the Director General of Police, Jhajjar Superintendent of Police, and the Special Task Force (STF) chief and handed over the investigation of this case to the STF.

He said the police are thoroughly investigating the case but he cannot share modules of the investigation.

An FIR has been lodged against political people by Rathi's nephew.

In response to questions raised by the Opposition regarding the security demanded by Rathi, the Home Minister said "it is true that Rathi had demanded security and handed over a letter to the SP, Jhajjar, in this regard on July 14, 2022, and a case was registered in this regard. After that, the police investigated threats they were receiving, and in the investigation it was found that a person from Kolkata was threatening Nafe Singh over the phone and was later caught".

In addition, Vij said no letter had come to his office regarding this matter.
Jarange-Patil to Marathas: 'Squat in police stations if our boys get arrested'. Image Source: IANS News

Jalna : , Feb 26 (IANS) After a community backlash and a slight by the Maharashtra government, Shivba Sanghatana leader Manoj Jarange-Patil on Monday evening called off his 17-day long hunger strike at his village Antarvali-Sarati.

He also headed for treatment to a hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar after which he will launch a state-wide tour for Maratha quotas.

The development came a day after he accused Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of allegedly plotting to eliminate him and threatened to march to Mumbai to lay a siege at his official residence.

However, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde intervened and warned Jarange-Patil not to cross his limits and create problems of any kind by politicising the issue.

Jarange-Patil aborted his Mumbai plans, broke off the hunger strike but declared that the agitation to get quotas for Marathas under the aSage-Soyarea (family bloodline) would continue till its logical end.

This evening, he told media persons that he will get admitted to a hospital for a few days of treatment and then embark on a state-wide tour to fight for the Maratha reservation in jobs and education.

Last week, at a Special Session of Maharashtra Legislature, the state government passed the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Bill, 2024, giving 10 per cent quotas to the Marathas.

Jarange-Patil has stood firm on his demand to declare the Marathas as aKunbi Castea and grant them separate quotas from the OBCs category, a formal notification for aSage-Soyarea after the draft was issued on January 26, and other demands.

Simultaneously, the quotas movement suffered cracks when two of his associates Ajay Maharaj Baraskar and Sangeeta Wankhede turned his strong critics, accused him of working against Marathasa interests, blackmailing the government by shifting stance, arrogance and losing his amental balancea, among other things.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leaders also targeted him by saying he was acting as the aTrumpetera for someone else, hinting at Nationalist Congress Party (SP)'s newly-allotted poll symbol, while ruling NCP Cabinet Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said come what may, he would not allow Maratha quotas from the OBCs category.
Kohima, Feb 26 : Nagaland Governor La Ganesan on Monday emphasised that unresolved Naga political issue is a major impediment to the state's development and welfare goals.

Addressing the Assembly on the commencement of the 4th session of the 14th Assembly, he called upon all stakeholders to transcend differences and work towards a final solution through dialogue and compromise, reaffirming his government's unwavering commitment to facilitating a peaceful resolution.

He expressed appreciation for the members of the house for their steadfast dedication to achieving a peaceful and early resolution of the Naga political issue.

The Governor reiterated his government's readiness to pave the way for a final solution that is honourable, acceptable, and inclusive, emphasising the collective interest of the people of Nagaland.

As Nagaland progresses on its developmental trajectory, he stressed the importance of Naga unity, urging the people to cherish their shared history and foster a sense of brotherhood.

Addressing concerns over the suspension of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the India-Myanmar border, he emphasised the historical, tribal, and familial ties that traverse international boundaries and urged reconsideration of the decision, advocating for continued FMR with enhanced regulations, including input from Village Council Authorities, to ensure smooth implementation.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who also holds the finance portfolio will present the budget for 2024-25 on February 27. The session will conclude on March 1 with four sittings and a recess on Wednesday.

The proceedings of the session were conducted in a paperless environment with 70 per cent of the legislative proceedings being paperless.

Governor Ganesan acknowledged his government's gratitude for the resounding mandate received from the people of Nagaland, as it approaches its first year in office. He highlighted the importance of the people's cooperation, which has inspired the government to redouble its efforts towards realising its visions for comprehensive and holistic development.

He said the government is focused on enhancing the overall teaching and learning environment by constructing 16 school complexes based on a hub and spoke model, known as the Lighthouse School Complexes.

Governor Ganesan also lauded Nagaland's budding music and arts scene, with events like the famous Hornbill Music Festival garnering international attention. The festival, which attracted 40 bands and 800 musicians from five countries in its 2023 edition, boasted a social media impact exceeding 10 million.

The recent Asia Music Summit (AMS) hosted in Kohima solidified Nagaland's reputation as a cultural powerhouse, attracting participants from over 12 countries and 510 registered delegates.

He said the state government is actively advocating for the construction of an airport at Ciethu, near Kohima, aiming to overcome constraints in air connectivity. Proposals have been submitted to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for an airport capable of accommodating ATR-72 class aircraft initially, with provisions for future expansion.

Additionally, the entry of Pawan Hans into Nagaland promises to bolster helicopter services, catering to six locations within the state and facilitating inter-state connectivity to Jorhat Airport. In the electric transmission sector, under the World Bank-funded NE Region Power System Improvement Scheme (NERPSIP), Nagaland has achieved comprehensive coverage of major towns and load centers with a robust 132kv line system.
Aizawl, Feb 26 : Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday called upon the legislatures to play the decisive role of enlightening the executive and ensuring that the nation progresses in right direction.

Addressing the 9th Mizoram Assembly, Dhankhar described the state of Mizoram as full of hope and possibilities and urged the state to work through the wisdom of the legislature to unleash opportunities.

"In tandem and togetherness, evolve a mechanism so that youth of your state can take full advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead... It is time for you to unlock these and reward the nation and state with progress," he said.

Praising the discipline and decorum displayed by members of the Mizoram Assembly, the Vice-President described it as worth emulating by others.

Noting that the performance of the Assembly was "quite close to that of the Constituent Assembly in terms of decorum", Dhankhar stressed that such an ecosystem benefits the state as well as the nation and the people prosper.

Referring to the election (on November 7, 2023 polls) of three women members in the state Assembly for the first time, the Vice-President noted the significance of the passage of the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' mandating one-third reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state legislatures.

"We are fast heading towards women-led development... This involvement of women in Lok Sabha and Legislatures will be transformational in evolution of policies and governance," Dhankhar stressed.

Praising the successful transformational role played by the 'Act East Policy', Dhankhar stressed the crucial role played by the North-East Council in construction of more than 12,000 km of road, 700 MW power plants and establishment of many national institutions.

"The last decade has been the Golden Era of the northeast... the region has seen unprecedented, exponential growth during this period," he said.

The Vice-President also highlighted the exponential rise in physical and digital connectivity and their game changing potential resulting from the remarkable focus on northeast India with a separate department -- Development of North Eastern Region.

Emphasising on the tourism and horticulture potential of the state, Dhankhar said: "Mizoram is gifted with incredible beauty and cultural richness."

"Mizoram is a dream destination for tourists. Surrounded by lush green hills and villages. These developmental activities will enhance tourism in the area."

Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Mizoram Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama, Mizoram Assembly members and other dignitaries were also present.
New Delhi, Feb 26 : Leading financial services company Paytm said on Monday that its founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma has stepped down as Non-Executive Chairman and Board Member of Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL), as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) ban on the bank's operations inches closer.

In a BSE filing, the company said that the PPBL has reconstituted the Board with the appointment of Central Bank of India's former Chairman Srinivasan Sridhar, retired IAS officers Debendranath Sarangi and Rajni Sekhri Sibal, and Bank of Baroda's former Executive Director Ashok Kumar Garg.

PPBL's future business will be led by a reconstituted Board by One 97 Communications Ltd (OCL), after the RBI ban on the bank operations from March 15. They recently joined as Independent Directors.

"OCL withdraws its nominee from the Paytm Payments Bank Board and Vijay Shekhar Sharma steps down as part-time, non-executive Chairman and Board member," it said in the filing.

The company said that it supports PPBL's move of opting for a board with only Independent and Executive Directors by removing its nominee.

"The company has been separately informed that Vijay Shekhar Sharma has also resigned from the Board of Paytm Payments Bank to enable this transition. PPBL has informed us that they will commence the process of appointing a new Chairman," said the company in its filing.

This significant development came as the central bank extended, by 15 days to March 15, the deadline after which Paytm Payments Bank Ltd is barred from accepting deposits.

The last date fixed earlier was February 29.

The company has reassured its users that its mobile app, including the QR code, Soundbox and Card Machine will remain operational even after March 15.

"We welcome the appointment of Sridhar, Sarangi, Garg, and Sibal to our Board, marking a significant step forward in PPBL's journey," said Surinder Chawla, MD and CEO at Paytm Payments Bank.

--IANS

na/vd
Jaipur, Feb 26 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma was in Sanganer, his home constituency, on Monday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated and laid the foundation for several railway projects, including redevelopment of 21 stations, in Rajasthan.

The project includes redevelopment of the Sanganer railway station in Jaipur district as well.

At the event, Sharma could be seen wearing a Sanganeri print stole.

Speaking on the occasion, Sharma said, "The Sanganer railway station will see historic development work in the coming days as the model of Sanganer printing and dyeing will be displayed here. Visitors coming here will get to see the rich art and craft of Sanganer, giving a boost to the local print industry."

The Chief Minister added that funds worth Rs 192 crore have been sanctioned for the Sanganer railway station development work following which trains going to Kota and other big stations will have their stoppages here.

In fact, trains will also start from Sanganer and go to Mumbai, he added.

The railway station will have all the facilities a developed station, he said, adding that the railway sector in India has developed a lot under PM Narendra Modi's leadership.

Sharma also paid his gratitude to PM Modi by saying, "I would like to thank the Prime Minister for sanctioning a whopping budget for the development of railway infrastructure in Rajasthan."

"I would also like to thank Railway Minister Ashwinin Vaishnav, who has scripted history by developing the railways," the Chief Minister said.

The programme was also addressed by state BJP President C.P. Joshi, who highlighted the Sanganeri stole wore by CM Sharma and said that local products from Sanganer will be displayed here to promote the idea of 'vocal for local'.

"Also, we will boost the 'one product, one destination' idea on these railway stations," he added.

Sharma also met the street vendors of Sanganer and had tea with them at a local tea stall soon after the programme.

In a tweet, he shared pictures of the occasion, saying, "A cup of tea, godlike public opinion, affectionate moments with loved ones Today, we had an intimate discussion over tea on various issues with respected area residents in Sanga Baba's city Sanganer."

"Our government is committed to the economic upliftment of our street vendor brothers and sisters who are symbols of entrepreneurship," he said.
Jaipur, Feb 26 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, while returning from a function on Monday, stopped his convoy midway and enjoyed a cup of tea at a roadside stall near here.

Sharma spoke cordially with the people present at the tea stall, who were mostly overwhelmed by the simplicity of the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by BJP MP Ramcharan Bohra.

Sharma said the PM Street Vendor's Aatmanirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) has been launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide financial incentives to street vendors as well as for promoting indigenous products through the 'vocal for local' campaign.

Recently, the Chief Minister had announced to stop his convoy at red lights like common people, so that others do not face any traffic problems.
Mumbai, Feb. 26 : On the eve of tabling the state budget for 2024-2025, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar presented supplementary demands worth Rs 8,609 crore to the legislature on Monday, besides the additional demands of Rs 55,520 crore made during the previous Winter Session in December 2023.

These include allocations for farmers, power sector, urban and rural civic bodies, judiciary department, public health, transportation and other departments.

The government has already set aside an amount of Rs 2,210 crore for farmers who suffered damage to crops and horticulture in the bouts of unseasonal rains and hailstorms, plus another Rs 2,031 crore for subsidy to MahaVitaran for power supplied to agricultural pumps, handlooms, and powerlooms in the state.

The government has also made provisions of Rs 2,019 crore towards loan to urban bodies under the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund from nationalised banks, plus Rs 800 crore for providing civic amenities by urban and rural civic bodies.

Another amount of Rs 1,438 crore has been earmarked for payment of loans arrears to Mumbai Metro 3, and the Pune and Nagpur Metros.

A provision has been for Rs 1,328.33 crore towards the arrears of various allowances provided to judicial officials as per the Reddy Commission.

The government has set aside Rs 485 crore for the salaries of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) staff and Rs 251 crore for transport cess, plus Rs 432 crore for pensions and other retirement benefits of high court judges.

Provision has been for Rs 384 crore for various irrigation development bodies, and Rs 381 crore for the Public Health Department to build new urban hospitals. An amount of Rs 256 crore has been earmarked for the state-central contribution under the National Rural Health Campaign, Rs 200 crore each for district road repairs, government buildings and Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank for pending loans given to various cooperative sugar factories which were given government guarantees, and Rs 248 crore as subsidy for milk and milk powder.

Ajit Pawar will table the budget in the Legislature on Tuesday.
Chittoor : , Feb 26 (IANS) Taking the electoral battle to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president Nara Chandrababu Naidu's home turf, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday and declared Krishna Raghava Jayendra Bharath as YSRCP candidate against the former chief minister.

Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh), Feb 26 (IANS) Taking the electoral battle to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president Nara Chandrababu Naiduas home turf, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday and declared Krishna Raghava Jayendra Bharath as YSRCP candidate against the former chief minister.

The YSRCP president appealed to the people of Kuppam to elect Bharath as MLA and promised to make him a minister.

"Vote for Bharath as Kuppam MLA. I will give him a ministerial position in my cabinet. Together, we vow to bring further development and welfare initiatives to the Kuppam constituency through him," he said.

Bharath, a member of state Legislative Council, touched Jagan's feet when the latter made the announcement, calling Bharath a leader of the weaker sections, Jagan said he did not secure victory in 2019, he served as MLC, to ensure effective governance over the past five years.

TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu has never lost an election from Kuppam since 1989.

Addressing the public meeting at Gundisettipalle, Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that Chandrababu Naidu failed to fulfil aspirations of locals and lost the right to represent Kuppam constituency.

The Chief Minister said that Naidu, who opted to contest from Kuppam after he lost in Chandragiri in 1983, has been a failed leader as he totally neglected the constituency though it elected him as MLA seven times.

He also remarked that Naidu is not worthy to be the Chief Minister. "Neither he owns a house in Kuppam nor did he give anything to the people of the constituency though they gave him everything and he neglected the Backward Classes who form the majority in Kuppam," Jagan said.

While Naidu's style of functioning was full of deception and backstabbing, Jagan said his administration revolved around the welfare of the people.

"The former chief minister has no single achievement to his credit despite holding the mantle thrice as chief minister," he added.

The YSRCP chief said that as Naidu cannot claim to have implemented even a single welfare scheme, he has forged alliances with foster son and others and is ready to cheat people again with false promises and deceptive alliances.

He appealed to people not to be misled by the impracticable assurances.

If Naidu could not complete even the Kuppam Branch Canal during his 14 year stint, what he can do to the state, he questioned.

The Chief Minister listed out the slew of welfare and development programmes carried out in Kuppam constituency in the last 57 months and said the government has distributed Rs 1,899 crore to eligible beneficiaries in full transparency through various welfare schemes, with the DBT component being Rs 1,400 crore.

He said that Kuppam people have a special place in the heart of the government and 82,039 families out of the total 87,941 families in the constituency have received the Navaratnalu welfare benefits.

The Chief Minister was all praise for the Kuppam people saying that they had remained patient all these years though Naidu and his supporters blocked the efforts to establish the facilities of Vellore CMC Medical College and Hospital in Chittoor district. Naidu also pushed the Chittoor Dairy towards insolvency for selfish gains, he said, adding that it was only after YSRCP came to power that the Chittor Dairy took rebirth and the CMC hospital and college facilities came to the district.
The Patna Pirates confirmed their spot in the semifinals, beating Dabang Delhi K.C. 37-35 in the Eliminator 1 of the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 at the GMC Balayogi Stadium here on Monday. Skipper Sachin led his team with 9 raid points as Patna Pirates made it to the Semi-final 1 after what was an exciting encounter that could have gone either way.

The Patna Pirates skipper gave his team the perfect start with two points in the first raid of the match. Dabang Delhi K.C. skipper Ashu Malik made up soon after as the two teams matched each other well in the opening stages. The Patna Pirates kept the match going, with Sachin getting the Dabang Delhi K.C. All-Out with a raid worth four points.

Ashu was in fine form as well, earning a Super 10 and a Super Raid in one go. It was a second move worth four points in the first 20 minutes of the match, with Yogesh tackling Manjeet in the Patna Pirates' next raid to get them All-Out in what was a very close first half. Dabang Delhi K.C. got a Super Tackle to take a one-point lead heading into the second half.

A second Super Raid for Ashu Malik kickstarted the second half as Dabang Delhi K.C. tried to take a hefty lead. The Patna Pirates did not let that happen as Manjeet continued to support his captain and take his team level on points with 10 minutes left. The match which was swinging continuously saw both teams competing out at their best with only a few points separating them.

The lead kept changing hands in the final five minutes but eventually, it was the Patna Pirates who prevailed in what was a tightly contested clash. Two straight Super Tackles seemed to give Ashu Malik's team the win but late drama saw Sachin's successful raid get the Dabang Delhi K.C. All-Out.

Then Manjeet got Vishal Bhardwaj in the final raid of the match, sealing the Pirates' spot in the first Semifinal against the Puneri Paltan.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26.The next meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers is scheduled for February 28-29 in Berlin, Head of the Press Service Department of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Aykhan Hajizada told Trend.

17:03

BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. The meeting of the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan will be held on February 28-29 in Berlin, Armenian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Ani Badalyan said, Trend reports.

"The meeting of the delegations of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers will be held on February 28-29 in Berlin according to the agreement reached at the trilateral meeting held in Munich," she said.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency'sWhatsApp channel
Chennai, Feb 26 : Delhi Toofans added another win to their results column, defeating the Hyderabad Black Hawks 15-11, 13-15, 15-9, 15-11 in a tense battle in the third season of the Prime Volleyball League Season 3 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai on Monday.

Ivan Fernandez's left-handed spikes proved to be key for Hyderabad and Ashamat Ullah helped with attacking serves. Lazar Dodic's spikes kept the match in balance, but unforced errors started creeping up on Delhi. While Stefan Kovacevic's blocks were on point, Player of the Match Santhosh started finding his feet with attacks and earned a Super Point to get Delhi ahead.

Aponza began working his magic in the middle with monstrous blocks, while Ivan kept testing Delhi's defence with angled spikes. The addition of Anu James in attacks relieved pressure on Santhosh, allowing him to play freely. John Joseph's block shut the doors on Delhi and the Hawks jumped right back into the contest.

Dodic's thunderous play from the service line rattled the Hawks, while Hemanth's incessant attacks kept Hyderabad at par. Service errors hurt the Hawks, while skipper Saqlain's clever play helped Delhi regain control. Hemanth began firing from the outside line, and the Hawks reopened the door for themselves. But Delhi middle blockers Aponza and Aayush shut the doors tight and the Toofans picked up a gritty win.
Bengaluru, Feb 26 : The Karnataka government on Monday dropped the rigid transfer policy, with regard to inter-district transfer of couples working in the police department. which led a section of state police officers reportedly writing to President Droupadi Murmu seeking 'mercy killing'.

Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara has given a direction in this regard to Karnataka DGP Alok Mohan, allowing the transfer of couples working in the state Police Department to the same district or same unit.

A letter by the police to the President in this regard went viral on social media last Saturday. The names of the complainants have not been disclosed, as police officers are not supposed to raise such complaints because they can attract disciplinary action against them.

Citing a Supreme Court judgment and the Karnataka Civil Service Rules (KCSR), the letter claimed that a couple in police service can carry out their duties in the same unit or in the same district. It claims that for three years, transfer requests of police couples have not been obliged by successive governments.

"Due to work postings, we stay away from our parents, family members and children for 10 to 15 years. Not able to take care of our family members and children, we are leading a painful life. Many married couples' relationships have reached the stage divorce," the police personnel complained.

"As husband and wife are staying away, they are not able to have children even after five years of marriage. Other government departments are allowing couples to work in the same district. Peace and happiness have eluded us. Hence, we request you to allow us to end our lives through mercy killing," the letter stated.
Bengaluru, Feb 26 : Karnataka Large and Medium Industries Minister M.B. Patil on Monday assured that henceforth 24.1 per cent of the land in industrial areas developed by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) will be reserved for Dalit entrepreneurs, as per rules.

In a meeting convened with the delegation led by the Karnataka Dalit Entrepreneurs Association Working President Srinivasa, he said that violations of rules will not be allowed.

The delegation brought to the minister's attention that while regulations mandate 24.1 per cent reservation for Dalit enterprises in KIADB-developed industrial areas, the effective allocation stands at only 16 per cent. Particularly in 12 industrial areas of Bengaluru city, Bengaluru Rural, and Kolar district, 653 acres of land remains to be allotted to Dalit entrepreneurs, Srinivasa said.

In response to this, the Minister stated that nothing could be done in industrial areas where already enterprises are set up. However, moving forward, 24.1 per cent of the land will be reserved for Dalit entrepreneurs in neighbouring industrial areas, he added.

He said that the government remains committed to the cause and authorities concerned will be instructed to adhere to the norms. He said that further discussions would be held with the association.

The Minister Patil said that the issue of unequal treatment towards Dalit entrepreneurs predates the current administration and has persisted through previous governments. He also assured the delegation that necessary actions would be taken accordingly. Principal Secretary, Industries, S. Selvakumar and KIADB CEO Dr. Mahesh were present at the meeting.
Bengaluru, Feb 26 : The Karnataka BJP unit has levelled serious allegations against the Congress government in connection with the reported deportation of British academic and writer Nitasha Kaul from the city, accusing it of channelising taxpayers' funds to 'terrorist-sympathisers', 'urban naxals', 'anti-nationals', and 'riots-accused' to destabilise the country ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections." Bengaluru, Feb 26 (IANS) The Karnataka BJP unit has levelled serious allegations against the Congress government in connection with the reported deportation of British academic and writer Nitasha Kaul from the city, accusing it of channelising taxpayers' funds to 'terrorist-sympathisers', 'urban naxals', 'anti-nationals', and 'riots-accused' to destabilise the country ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections."

On Sunday, Nitasha Kaul was detained by the security agencies on her arrival at the KempeGowda International Airport in Bengaluru before she was deported back to London. Kaul later claimed that she was denied entry despite having an invitation to speak at a conference organised by the Karnataka government.

Kaul, a controversial writer, was invited by the government of Karnataka to participate in a conference titled 'The Constitution and Unity of India' in Bengaluru.

Lashing out at the Congress government for inviting Kaul, the BJP posted on social media without taking her name, "The Congress has disgraced the Indian Constitution by inviting a Pakistani sympathiser who wants India to break up.

"Don't you have any shame, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah? Are you trying to challenge the Constitution and threaten the unity and integrity of India?"

It is now apparent that the Congress is now using Karnataka as its laboratory to prepare ground for its divisive agendas, potentially undermining national unity and integrity, the BJP alleged.

"Thanks to our security agencies, one such anti-India element was caught suspiciously entering India and was detained at the airport. No money to spend on drought relief or developmental needs of Karnataka, but, Siddaramaiah is happy to finance the 'Break India Brigade'," it said.

Kaul, an OCI cardholder and writer based in London, stated on X, "Denied entry to India for speaking on democratic and constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as an esteemed delegate by the government of Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused my entry. All my documents were valid and current (UK Passport and OCD)."

"I was given no reason by immigration except 'we cannot do anything, orders from Delhi'. I spent 12 hours in a flight from London to Bengaluru, several hours at immigration where they shuttled me here and there, providing no info on the process.

"Then 24 hours in a holding cell under the direct CCTV with restricted movement, a narrow area to lie down and no easy access to food and water, made dozens of calls to airport for basic things as a pillow and blanket, which they refused to provide, then 12 hours on the flight back to London."
Bengaluru, Feb 26 : The Karnataka BJP unit has levelled serious allegations against the Congress government in connection with the reported deportation of British academic and writer Nitasha Kaul from the city, accusing it of channelising taxpayers' funds to 'terrorist-sympathisers', 'urban naxals', 'anti-nationals', and 'riots-accused' to destabilise the country ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

On Sunday, Nitasha Kaul was detained by the security agencies on her arrival at the KempeGowda International Airport in Bengaluru before she was deported back to London. Kaul later claimed that she was denied entry despite having an invitation to speak at a conference organised by the Karnataka government.

Kaul, a controversial writer, was invited by the government of Karnataka to participate in a conference titled 'The Constitution and Unity of India' in Bengaluru.

Lashing out at the Congress government for inviting Kaul, the BJP posted on social media without taking her name, "The Congress has disgraced the Indian Constitution by inviting a Pakistani sympathiser who wants India to break up.

"Don't you have any shame, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah? Are you trying to challenge the Constitution and threaten the unity and integrity of India?"

It is now apparent that the Congress is now using Karnataka as its laboratory to prepare ground for its divisive agendas, potentially undermining national unity and integrity, the BJP alleged.

"Thanks to our security agencies, one such anti-India element was caught suspiciously entering India and was detained at the airport. No money to spend on drought relief or developmental needs of Karnataka, but, Siddaramaiah is happy to finance the 'Break India Brigade'," it said.

Kaul, an OCI cardholder and writer based in London, stated on X, "Denied entry to India for speaking on democratic and constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as an esteemed delegate by the government of Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused my entry. All my documents were valid and current (UK Passport and OCD)."

"I was given no reason by immigration except 'we cannot do anything, orders from Delhi'. I spent 12 hours in a flight from London to Bengaluru, several hours at immigration where they shuttled me here and there, providing no info on the process.

"Then 24 hours in a holding cell under the direct CCTV with restricted movement, a narrow area to lie down and no easy access to food and water, made dozens of calls to airport for basic things as a pillow and blanket, which they refused to provide, then 12 hours on the flight back to London."
Anantapur : , Feb 26 (IANS) The Congress on Monday virtually launched its campaign for forthcoming Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh with the promise of Rs 5,000 per month income support to every poor family.

The party unveiled the first guarantee for Andhra Pradesh on the lines of similar guarantees given by it in Karnataka and Telangana.

Looking to revive its fortunes in Andhra Pradesh, where it was almost wiped out a decade ago, the Congress announced the first guarantee at Nyaya Sadhana Sabha at Anantapur.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge unveiled Indiramma Universal Basic Income support of Rs 5,000 per month to every poor family. He declared that the amount will be transferred directly in the bank account of the women of the families.

"Our guarantee is not like the Modi Ki guarantee. We deliver whatever we promise," he said.

This was the first major public meeting of the Congress after Y. S. Sharmila was appointed President of the state unit.

AICC in-charge for Andhra Pradesh Manickam Tagore, Congress Working Committee (CWC) member N. V. Raghuveera Reddy and other leaders addressed the meeting.

Claiming that the Congress kept its promises in the past, Kharge said it would ensure the inclusive development of all sections of society. aPrime Minister Modi always says yeh to Modi ki guarantee hai. Where is Modi's guarantee? Have you received 15 lakhs in your bank accounts? Have the farmersa income doubled. Has he provided 2 crore jobs," he asked.

The Congress chief also asked PM Modi why he always attacks the party, and why was he "attacking, abusing, and purchasing our MLAs and MPs?"

Kharge promised that if voted to power Congress will complete the work on Polavaram project after according it the status of national project. He claimed that it was during Congress rule that the work on the project was taken up.

He hit out at Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Jagan Mohan Reddy, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan

"There is a BJP in Andhra Pradesh. B is for Babu, J for Jagan and P for Pawan. They are with BJP because they are scared of Modi Ji and do not respect the will of the people," he said.

The Congress also reiterated that it will fulfil the commitments made to Andhra Pradesh in 2014. These include granting special packages for Rayalaseema and North Andhra development, constructing Dugarajapatnam sea port, and the Kadapa steel plant.

Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary K. C. Venugopal posted on aXa that after Telangana, Andhra Pradesh is also looking towards the Congress with hope.
Bhopal, Feb 26 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the redevelopment work that would be taken up in 33 railway stations in the state.

The Chief Minister said this after PM Modi virtually laid the foundation for the redevelopment of 544 stations across the country. Of them, 33 are in Madhya Pradesh.

"I thank the Prime Minister and the Railway Minister on behalf of the people of Madhya Pradesh," he said.

CM Yadav said that his state was on the fast track of development under the "double-engine" government of the BJP at the Centre and in Madhya Pradesh.

While addressing a programme in Sehore district on Monday, Yadav said: "Industry expansion has taken place and employment opportunities have increased in Madhya Pradesh."
Bengaluru, Feb 26 : A war of words has broken out between the Congress government and the BJP in Karnataka over the incident of deporting 'controversial' UK writer Nitasha Kaul back to London from the Bengaluru airport on Sunday.

Nitasha Kaul was detained by the security agencies on her arrival at the KempeGowda International Airport in Bengaluru before she was deported back to London. Kaul later claimed that she was denied entry despite having an invitation to speak at a conference organised by the Karnataka government.

While Minister for Social Welfare, H.C. Mahadevappa, said the Congress government is 'deeply concerned' about Kaul being denied entry into India, state BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra slammed the Congress by dubbing the act of inviting Kaul to Karnataka as a 'disgusting act'.

Taking to X, Mahadevappa said, "We are deeply concerned about Nitasha Kaul being denied entry into India. Speaking on democratic and constitutional values is a right we must uphold. Let's respect Freedom of Speech, a fundamental constitutional right, and encourage open dialogue for a stronger democracy."

Mahadevappa added, "As we know, the BJP is always against the spirit of the Constitution. Because of their ignorance about our constitutional values, such things are taking place repeatedly. We condemn such acts of dictatorship towards the values of the Indian Constitution."

On the other hand, Vijayendra said, "Highly disgusted by the CM Siddaramaiah-led government whitewashing the crimes of 'Tukde Tukde' gang by inviting Nitasha Kaul for a talk on 'Constitution and Unity of India'.

"A known terrorist sympathiser and one who constantly spews venom and disseminates anti-India propaganda in connivance with the enemies of the Indian state is accorded a red carpet welcome by the Congress-ruled Karnataka government, which is a highly condemnable and unpardonable crime.

"Equally disgusting is the fact that the event was attended by all the top leaders of the Congress. What is more worrisome and annoying is the government's indulgence in unwanted expenditures involving crores of rupees when our state and the farmers are already in distress owing to unprecedented drought and severe water crisis."

Kaul, an OCI cardholder and writer based in London, was invited by the government of Karnataka to participate in a conference titled 'The Constitution and Unity of India' held over the weekend in Bengaluru.
New York, Feb 26 : An Indian investigative journalist has died in a building fire in New York City despite firefighters' heroic efforts to save the people trapped in the apartment building.

New York, Feb 26 (IANS) An Indian investigative journalist has died in a building fire in New York City despite firefightersa heroic efforts to save the people trapped in the apartment building.

The death of Fazil Khan, 27, a reporter for Hechinger Report, in Friday's fire in the Harlem section of the city, was confirmed by the education-focused news media and Indiaas Consulate-General in posts on X.

According to the New York Fire Department, a lithium-ion battery caused the fire that injured 17 other people.

Khan, according to the department, was one of five people seriously injured and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Hechinger Report, a non-profit media outlet focused on education, said in an X post: "We are devastated by the loss of such a great colleague and wonderful person, and our hearts go out to his family. He will be dearly missed."

The journalist organisation, Investigative Reporters and Editors, posted on X: "He was a wonderful, talented member of the IRE community. He will be missed."

In an X post, Indiaas Consulate General said it was saddened by his death and gave the assurance, "We continue to extend all possible assistance in repatriation of his mortal remains to India".

Khan was a graduate of Columbia Universityas Journalism school, the Indian Institute of Mass Communications in New Delhi, and the Delhi University.

Hechinger Reportas website said he worked as "a data reporter who is responsible for gathering and analyzing education data and collaborating with other reporters to expose inequality and examine innovation in education".

The fire in the six-storey building trapped residents, three of whom hung out of windows and were rescued in a dramatic operation by firefighters who dangled on ropes outside the building to reach them and bring them down to safety. Meanwhile, other firefighters rushed into the building to help those trapped inside, some of them unconscious, escape the fire, Fire Departmentas Chief of Operations John Hodgens said.

According to Khanas LinkedIn profile, he had worked for Business Standard as a sub-editor and for CNN-News18 as a correspondent before coming to the US in 2020 to study at Columbia. After his graduation, he had worked at the universityas Graduate School of Journalism as an investigative fellow.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)
Nairobi, Feb 26 : Ministers of environment and other leaders from more than 180 nations convened in Nairobi on Monday for the start of the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), to be held till March 1.

More than 7,000 delegates from 182 UN member states and more than 170 ministers have registered for UNEA-6, taking place under the theme 'effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution'.

With a focus on strengthening environmental multilateralism to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature loss and pollution, this year's Assembly will be negotiating resolutions on issues ranging from nature-based solutions and highly hazardous pesticides to land degradation and drought, and environmental aspects of minerals and metals.

The UN Environment Assembly is the world's highest decision-making body on the environment -- its membership includes all 193 UN member states.

It meets biennially to set priorities for global environmental policies and develop international environmental law; decisions and resolutions then taken by member states at the Assembly also define the work of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

"We are living in a time of turmoil. And I know that in this room, there are people who are, or who know, those deeply affected by this turmoil. Our response must demonstrate that multilateral diplomacy can deliver," said Leila Benali, President of UNEA-6 and Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Morocco.

"As we meet here in 2024, we must be self-critical and work towards inclusive, networked and effective multilateralism that can make a tangible difference to people's lives."

As climate change intensifies, a million species head towards extinction, and pollution remains one of the world's leading causes of premature death, UNEA-6 will see countries consider some 19 resolutions, part of a broader push to spur more ambitious multilateral environmental action.

The resolutions cover, among other issues, circular economy; solar radiation modification; effective, inclusive, and sustainable multilateral actions towards climate justice; sound management of chemicals and waste, and sand and dust storms.

Delegates this week will include heads of state, representatives from government, civil society, and the private sector.

A series of leadership and multi-stakeholder dialogues and more than 30 official side events and associated events are expected to lay the grounds for strengthened future global and regional coordinated efforts by the United Nations, member states and partners to deliver high-impact planetary action.
Press Release

February 23, 2024 Bong Go expresses condolences for fallen soldiers in Lanao del Norte; calls for proper implementation of grants for former rebels In the wake of a deadly encounter between Philippine Army soldiers and members of the Islamic State (IS)-linked Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute Group (DI-MG) in Lanao del Norte, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go has extended his deepest sympathies to the bereaved families of the military personnel who lost their lives. "Unang-una, nakikiramay po ako sa mga pamilya ng mga nasawi," Go conveyed in an ambush interview on Wednesday, February 21, after attending the celebrations of the 104th Founding Anniversary of Marinduque, highlighting the sacrifices made by the soldiers in the line of duty. The clash unfolded on February 18 in Lanao del Norte, which led to the death of six soldiers. The soldiers, part of the scout platoon of the 44th Infantry Battalion, were engaged in a military operation when they stumbled upon DI-MG militants in Barangay Ramain of Munai town. "Alam n'yo, pinaghirapan po ni dating pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte, ng Duterte administration na mabuo 'yung BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), para magkaroon tayo ng long and lasting peace sa Mindanao," he stated, emphasizing the importance of not letting these efforts go to waste. The senator also addressed the menace of terrorism, urging the military to intensify its efforts to suppress terror groups that threaten the stability of the region. "Trabaho po ng ating law enforcers kasama ang military na sugpuin po itong terorismo lalo na kung may mapatunayan nga po na itong naiuulat na Maute Group ay nandidiyan pa rin sila sa Lanao del Norte. At alam n'yo, kapag terorista talaga, wala pong prinsipyong pinag-uusapan diyan, walang sinasanto 'yan. Dapat po talaga sugpuin ang terorismo," he added. Another issue that Go responded to was the alleged reduction in cash assistance for the decommissioning of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants. Go highlighted that these existing programs and incentives designed to facilitate the decommissioning process are key components to achieve peace between the government and rebel groups. "Ako po'y nananawagan sa ating peace process secretary, Secretary (Carlito) Galvez, to validate and investigate together with the MILF Peace Implementing Panel and even the BARMM government," he stated. In a Senate hearing on February 20 attended by former MILF fighters, allegations surfaced that MILF commanders are taking cuts from the cash grants intended for rebel returnees. This concern was raised by the former fighters themselves, indicating a potential loss of funds given the report that about 26,000 former combatants have surrendered so far. "Nababahala tayo... kapag isinurender nila ang kanilang baril ay mayroon po silang matatanggap na cash grant... pero kung may alegasyon na may mga cut, I find it not acceptable," Go stressed. Go emphasizes the importance of the cash grants provided to former rebels as part of their decommissioning, viewing these funds as essential for helping them transition to a peaceful, civilian life. "Ang cash grant na 'yon ay para tulungan ang ating mga dating rebelde. Pwedeng magamit nila ito, kapital sa kabuhayan, pagsisimula muli ng bagong buhay kasama po ang kanilang pamilya. Kasama po 'yon sa ating inaasam na peace," explained Go. To end, Go has urgently called on the government to hasten the decommissioning process of former rebel combatants, stressing that the progress made thus far has not reached intended targets.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. The West has done nothing to penalize Armenia for the crimes against humanity in Khojaly, Dean of the Faculty of Turkic World Economics at UNEC and professor of Uludag University, Mehmet Yuce, told Trend.

"On February 26, 1992, Armenians committed one of the most horrifying crimes against humanity - genocide in the town of Khojaly. They killed indiscriminately all those who got in their way - men, women, children, the old - with savage and vicious viciousness. These atrocities were deliberate. The purpose was to show what the cruelty of the Armenians could reach. This massacre took place before the eyes of the world, but no one said a word. Inspired by this, armed Armenian gangs began to commit even more atrocities. Those who committed this crime did not answer to the law. On the contrary, Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan, who were the main perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide, later became presidents of Armenia. Sargsyan also commanded armed Armenian units in Karabakh. Nevertheless, these two, as presidents, received no criticism from Western leaders. During the Khojaly genocide, Sargsyan was Armenia's defense minister. He then said: "Before Khojaly, Azerbaijanis thought that Armenians could not raise a hand against civilians. We were able to break this stereotype in Khojaly". With these words, he admitted to committing genocide in Khojaly. However, the West has not applied any sanctions against Armenia. It is necessary to ask the so-called human rights structures and organizations of the West what they have done in connection with the Khojaly genocide. The Khojaly genocide is a continuation and the bloodiest page of Armenia's policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide against Azerbaijanis. During this genocide, people were not just killed, but subjected to unthinkably cruel torture, and human dignity was violated. Anger and hatred towards the Azerbaijani people were manifested most horribly.

Khojaly has already been cleared of Armenian invaders. However, Azerbaijan must continue its struggle to recognize this genocide in the international arena. The recently discovered mass graves, as well as testimonies of people who suffered from Armenian vandalism, provide even more evidence to bring the truth about this in the international arena. The struggle for recognition of the Khojaly genocide and imposition of sanctions against Armenia by the countries of the world should be conducted by a separate working group within the Organization of Turkic States," he said.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Gurugram, Feb 27 : A 24-year-old Nepali man killed his wife here and sought to attribute her death to illness but was arrested after her autopsy revealed her death of strangulation, police said.

Police said they received information about the incident from the hospital where the woman, identified as Shanti, was brought by her husband, Tapras Joshi, a native of Dodi district in Nepal on Sunday night.

"She was brought to the hospital in an unresponsive and unconscious state. The body had signs of strangulation and nail marks," a police officer privy to the matter said.

According to the police the couple had come to Gurugram only 15 days ago. They were residing and used to work in a PG located in Saraswati Kunj of Sector-53.

The accused told the police that there was an argument between them on Sunday night over some issue, and it turned ugly. His wife kicked him in the stomach and in a fit of rage, he strangulated her to death with a scarf. Thereafter he took the woman's body to the hospital and told the doctors that she died due to illness.

The hospital authority then informed the Sector-53 Police Station. A police team reached the hospital took custody of the body and sent it for an autopsy.

"The medical examination of the body conducted on Monday confirms that the woman died due to strangulation. We immediately arrested the accused husband who admitted to the killing of his wife," Inspector Rajender, SHO of Sector-53 Police Station, said.

Based on a complaint given by the deceased's family, a case of murder was registered against the accused at the Sector-53 police station.
'Black day for Congress', Assam minister lashes out at grand old party for its stance on Muslim Marriage Act. Image Source: IANS News

Guwahati, Feb 27 : Assam Cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika on Monday criticised the Congress party over the debate on repealing Muslim Marriage Act in the state on the floor of the Assembly.

According to Hazarika, "this was a black day for the Congress" as it opposed a government move to end child marriages in the state.

Taking to his X handle, the minister wrote: "Today is a black day for the Congress in the Assam Assembly, they opposed a bill that prevented Qazis from registering any marriage with underage girls.

"A party - that prided itself on being 'liberal' - has been reduced to backing child marriages for its survival!" he added.

Earlier on Monday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted that the menace of child marriage will be eradicated from the state in the next two years.

He said: "I will not let child marriage happen in the state. Till Himanta Biswa Sarma is alive here, child marriages can not happen in Assam."

The Chief Minister also said that the state government has prepared an action plan to eliminate child marriage by 2026.

He was speaking on the floor of the Assam Assembly on the issue of scrapping the much-old Assam Muslim Marriage Act.

During the discussion, Sarma launched a scathing attack on the opposition AIUDF legislators.

He warned: "I am challenging you (referring to AIUDF MLAs)... I will shut your shop. The Assam Muslim Marriage act had provisions of marriage of children of five-six years. That is why we scrapped the act. I will not let anybody run a business involving Muslim children."

Earlier on Friday, the long-standing Assam Muslim Marriage & Divorce Registration Act of 1935 was repealed by the state government.

The decision was taken during a state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

--IANS

tdr/pgh
Bengaluru, Feb 27 : JD-S leader Kupendra Reddy, fielded as the fifth candidate by the NDA for the elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka scheduled to be held on Tuesday, has expressed confidence that he will get the required votes to win.

Speaking to the media, Kupendra Reddy noted that he had lost the previous time but he was confident now.

"The faith and trust is whether we are able to gather the required votes to ensure victory. (JD-S leader and) Former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy has already emphasised that no vote should go to here and there.

"I have 100 per cent confidence that I will get votes. Whether they are from independent MLAs or otherwise, however I will manage to get required votes, I have guarantee of it," he said.

Asked about JD-S MLAs being contacted by Congress leaders, Reddy sought to dismiss it as speculations.

"All JD-S MLAs attended the meeting on Monday, you can question if one MLA supports the opposite side. We have not called MLAs to the hotel. I will reach the Vidhana Soudha by 8 a.m. Our MLAs will also reach there by that time, we will gather for breakfast and later they will cast their votes," he said.

The Congress has fielded three candidates and NDA has fielded two candidates. The fifth candidate Kupendra Reddy is falling short of five votes. Both BJP and Congress have claimed that there would be cross voting and their candidates are going to win.
Gandhinagar: Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Mahendra Nath Pandey with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel at a seminar on 'Electric Vehicle Manufacturing - Charging Ahead to 2047'. Image Source: IANS News

Hyderabad, Feb 27 : Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said on Monday that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, a new history of development politics is being written in the country.

Addressing a public meeting here as part of BJP's Vijay Sankalp Yatra, he said that there was a time when vote-bank politics and division of votes used to determine the poll results "but today under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, a new history of development politics is being written".

He claimed that after 75 years of Independence, the country under Prime Minister Modi's leadership is achieving the goal of 'swaraj' (self-governance).

"Today Prime Minister Modi has created an environment where 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka prayaas' has become the election mantra," he said.

Terming Prime Minister Modi the world's most popular leader, he said under his leadership the country has completed a 10-year journey of progress. "The coming election is an opportunity for people to give Prime Minister Modi another chance to serve the nation," the Gujarat Chief Minister said.

He further said that by electing Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for the third time, people can "enhance both the pace and scale of development".

Chief Minister Patel claimed that whatever BJP promises in its election manifesto, it implements it with clear determination.

"For the first time in the country, the PM raised issues like 'Swachhata' from the Red Fort. Today, people have made Prime Minister Modi's vision their mission to work for nation building," he said.

He mentioned that whether it was Swacch Bharat, digital payment and vocal for local, people accepted his slogan and followed him.

He claimed that Narendra Modi took several "historic steps" like scrapping Article 370, women's reservation and construction of Ram temple.

Chief Minister Patel hoped that the people of Telangana will vote for development, stability and good governance and ensure BJP's victory in every constituency.

Union Minister for Tourism and Culture and state BJP President G. Kishan Reddy also addressed the yatra in his parliamentary constituency Secunderabad.

He exuded confidence that Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister for the third term.
Gurugram, Feb 27 : The Gurugram Police have arrested seven cyber fraudsters including a minor and a woman for allegedly duping people across the country of Rs 20.28 crore, an official said.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Deepmala, Satpal, Suresh, Jai Prakash, Mohammed Murshid, and Nazakat Ali.

According to the police, after reviewing the data of the mobile phones and SIM cards recovered from the accused by the police from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordinate Centre (I4C), it was found that the accused were involved in committing a fraud of about Rs 20.28 crore while around 5,940 complaints were registered against them across India.

In connection with this, 321 cases were registered across the country, of which 10 cases were registered against them in Haryana, including five in Gurugram.

"The accused were involved in creating fake IDs on Instagram, committing fraud in the name of task-based work, liking videos on YouTube, and providing jobs," Priyanshu Diwan, ACP (south) said.

The police also recovered nine mobile phones, five SIM cards and two laptops used in the crime.

Further action is being taken regularly on the information obtained/collected by examining the devices recovered from the arrested cyber fraudsters by the police, he said.
Kochi, Feb 27 : The family members of Ajeesh, a tractor driver from Wayanad who was killed by a wild elephant with a radio collar put on by the Karnataka forest department, has rejected the offer of Rs 1.5 million announced by the Congress government in the neighbouring state.

On February 10, Ajeesh was killed by a wild elephant, leading to a massive protest in the hilly district of Wayanad.

With man-animal conflict rising in the area, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who's the local MP, came calling and a few days later, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre announced a compensation of Rs 1.5 million for Ajeesh's family.

As soon as the announcement came, the Karnataka unit of the BJP strongly expressed its displeasure over the rationale behind giving compensation and announced to protest the move.

Hearing about the move of the Karnataka BJP unit, the family members of Ajeesh wrote to them stating that they are deeply pained by the news of the protest and hence even while being thankful for the offer, they do not wish to accept the compensation that has been offered.
Bengaluru, Feb 27 : The stage is all set for the election for four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka on Tuesday amid high drama as both the ruling Congress and opposition BJP and JD-S are claiming that they would ensure the victory of their candidates at any cost.

The Congress had called a meeting of all MLAs at a private star hotel here and the MLAs were made to stay there overnight due to fears of cross-voting.

Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar, asked if there would be cross voting, ruled it out and mock voting would be conducted for all the legislators on Monday night.

Addressing reporters at the hotel, the venue for the mock voting, he said: "The legislators will be participating in a mock voting session tonight and they will stay at the hotel. They will go to the voting venue directly from here."

The death of Surpur MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik has proved to be a setback for the party. However, the party is confident of getting the votes of independent MLAs Latha Mallikarjun and K. Puttaswamy Gowda.

Sarvodaya Party MLA Darshan Puttanaiah and KRPP MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy are also likely to cast their vote for Congress candidates.

Mallikarjun had attended the Legislative party meeting of the Congress.

Shivakumar also stated that BJP MLA S.T. Somashekar has been his buddy for years. Somashekar, along with fellow party MLA Shivaram Hebbar, are skipping BJP party meetings and identifying with Congress leaders. Their moves on Tuesday will be eagerly watched.

The Congress has fielded party Treasurer Ajay Maken, Rajya Sabha MP Syed Naseer Hussain, and G.C. Chandrashekhar. Senior BJP leader Narayansa Bandage and Kupendra Reddy, from the JD-S had filed their nominations as the candidates of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the Rajya Sabha. The fielding of Kupendra Reddy as the fifth candidate has created intense competition between the ruling Congress and the BJP.

The BJP has issued a whip for all its MLAs to be compulsorily present for voting and cast their votes to the candidates as directed by the party.

The elections are prestigious for the families of former PM H.D. Deve Gowda and former CM B.S. Yediyurappa. Rajya Sabha elections are the first litmus test faced by the BJP and JD-S alliance. Yediyurappaas son B.Y. Vijayendra is the BJP state President.

JD-S leader Kupendra Reddy, fielded as fifth candidate from the NDA, expressed confidence that he will get required votes to win in the election.

Police has imposed curbs in the surrounding areas of Vidhana Soudha from Monday till Feb 28 morning. The voting on Tuesday will start from 10 a.m.and go on till 4 p.m.. The counting will take place between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. The Congress has 134 MLAs, the BJP 66 and JD-S 19 MLAs. There are 2 independents and 2 others. The cross voting fear is haunting both sides.
Jaipur, Feb 27 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has asked Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) to accelerate the work of Pachpadra Refinery located in Balotra and complete it before Diwali.

He also directed HPCL to enter into long term supply agreements with investors to ensure timely sale of the products manufactured in the refinery.

Chief Minister Sharma gave the instructions while chairing a review meeting at his office on Monday over the progress of Pachpadra Refinery with HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL).

He said that the capacity to process 9 MMPTA crude oil and 2.4 MMPTA petrochemicals is being developed in Pachpadra Refinery. It is a first of its kind integrated refinery cum petro-chemical complex. At present, more than 90 per cent work has been completed in four units and seven packages in the project.

The Chief Minister said that the refinery project "will start the industrial revolution" in the state.

"This is creating employment opportunities at the local level. At present, the project is generating about 24,000 direct and 35,000 indirect employment opportunities," he said.

He said that the state will also get revenue of about Rs 6000 crore every year from the project. "Also, Rajasthan will emerge as a major center of foreign direct investment."

Chief Minister Sharma instructed HPCL to complete the pending works of the refinery on priority, so that it becomes operational soon and the supply of oil to the country and the state can be ensured as per the requirement.

He said that in addition to petrol and diesel, 35 petrochemicals and other substances will be produced in the project.

The Chief Minister also directed HPCL to prepare an action plan for effective marketing of these products.

Earlier, HPCL representatives informed the Chief Minister about the progress of the project through a presentation.

It was informed that 487 km crude oil line from Mundra (Gujarat), 230 km water line from Nachna (Jaisalmer), 75 km crude oil line from Mangla (Barmer), 85 km natural line from Bagoda (Jalore), the work of gas line and 216 km products line from Palanpur (Gujarat) are almost completed.

In the meeting, Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant, Additional Chief Secretary Finance Akhil Arora, and senior officials were present.
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 27 : Kerala is all set to be catapulted to a new glory when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reveal the names of four test pilots undergoing training for India's Gaganyaan Mission when he visits the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) here on Tuesday.

Sukhoi fighter pilot Group Captain Prashanth B. Nair, who hails from Kerala, has been undergoing the training for India's dream mission for the past few years, sources said.

The four test pilots have completed their training in Russia and are now getting familiar with the intricacies of the mission at a unit of the ISRO.

Ever since the news surfaced that there is a Keralite in the team of test pilots, there has been a mad rush to find out who the officer is.

The Prime Minister will visit the VSSC in Thiruvananthapuram to review preparations for the Gaganyaan Mission.

Prime Minister Modi will arrive at the VSSC at 10.45 a.m. on Tuesday and will spend an hour there.
Lucknow, Feb 27 : The Rajya Sabha biennial elections to 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh are set for a nail-biting finish on Tuesday as legislators begin to switch loyalties hours before the polling begins.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hosted a dinner for NDA MLAs on Monday night and Jansatta Dal-Loktantrik chief Raja Bhaiya, who had announced his support to the BJP candidates, was among those present.

Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav also hosted a dinner for his legislators around the same time but seven legislators did not turn up.

Though SP leaders kept insisting that the legislators would turn up later while some of them had informed the party high command about their absence due to personal reasons, the fact was that there was panic in the SP camp. Those who stayed away included Rakesh Pandey a" father of BSP MP Ritesh Pandey who had joined the BJP recently, Abhay Singh, Rakesh Pratap Singh, Manoj Pandey, Vinod Chaturvedi, Maharaji Prajapati and Puja Pal.

A total of 11 candidates are in the fray with the BJP and the SP have the numbers to send seven and three members respectively. But BJPas Sanjay Seth as its eighth candidate, has necessitated a keen contest.

BJP had earlier announced only seven names including former Union Minister R.P.N. Singh, former Agra mayor Navin Jain, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, former Mathura MP Chaudhary Tejveer Singh, former UP MLAs Sangeeta Balwant and Sadhna Singh, along with state BJP General Secretary Amar Pal Maurya.

The SP has fielded three candidates including Jaya Bachchan, who is the four-time RS MP and is being given the fifth term, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan and Ramji Lal Suman.

Of the 10 seats going to be vacant on April 2, nine are from BJP quota and one -- Jaya Bachchan -- from SP.

According to Returning Officer Brij Bhushan Dubey, a candidate will need 36.37 first preference votes to register a win. At present, there are 399 MLAs in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

"Polling will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. while the counting will commence from 5 p.m. and results are likely to be announced on Tuesday night," he added.

The BJP and its allies have the support of 286 MLAs -- BJP (252), Apna Dal (S) (13), Nishad Party (6), SBSP (6) and RLD (9). Raghuraj Pratap Singh (Raja Bhaiya), with two MLAs, has also assured his support to the BJP.

The strength of SBSP is five as MLA Abbas Ansari, son of jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, is in jail. As a result, the NDA's strength is expected to be 287 against 290.96 needed by the ruling alliance to ensure victory of its all eight candidates. In such a scenario, NDA is falling short of around 3-4 votes.

On the other, the SP requires the support of 110 MLAs for its three candidates. The party is relying on its 108 MLAs of which two a" Irfan Solanki and Ramakant Yadav -- are lodged in jail on criminal charges. This lessens SPas strength to 106.

With the support of two Congress MLAs, SP can increase its tally to 108, which will, still be short of one to two votes.

The missing MLAs from the party dinner could turn the tables in favour of the BJP candidates though these MLAs did not attend the chief ministeras dinner either.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. At 17:00 on February 26, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev paid tribute to the victims of the Khojaly genocide by observing a minute of silence, Trend reports.
Egyptian American author and educator Aya Khalil will never forget how her third-grade teacher, Mrs. Faulkner, welcomed her to her new school. Khalils picture book, The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story, illustrated by Anait Semirdzhyan, is based on this experience. She wrote her latest book, The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale, also illustrated by Semirdzhyan, in response to the banning of her quilt book. In addition, she is the author of The Night Before Eid: A Muslim Family Story, illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh; My First Book of Arabic Words: An ABC Rhyming Book of Arabic Language and Culture, illustrated by Chaymaa Sobhy; and Our World: Egypt, illustrated by Magda Azab. PW spoke with Khalil about her teaching and writing, her experience with book banning, and why shes committed to shining a light on the beauty of Arabic cultures and the Islamic faith for readers of all backgrounds.

Youve had the opportunity to teach both adults and children. Can you tell us about your teaching experience?

After receiving my bachelor's degree in communications and English literature, and a masters degree in teaching English as a second language, I went on to teach ESL to adults in college and language schools, and Arab culture classes as an adjunct professor at a university. Ive also taught preschool and was an assistant in a kindergarten classroom. Currently, Im a guest teacher and a volunteer ELA tutor at my childrens K5 public school in northwest Ohio, and I really enjoy it.

In addition to teaching, you worked as a journalist. What sorts of stories did you write? And when did you start writing for kids?

Ive always been a storyteller, and I went into journalism because of the negative representation of Arab and Muslim people. When I graduated from college, I was able to cover a lot of local Arab and Muslim stories in Toledo, Ohio. After moving from Ohio to South Carolina and while I was finishing my masters degree, I wrote for a variety of parenting magazines and newspapers on a variety of topics, from kids allowances to organized sports. Of course, I tried to include Muslim voices whenever possible.

I began writing for kids when I started noticing the lack of representation of Arabs and Muslims in the books when working with kindergarten students. I wasnt finding books that represented any of the Arab and Muslim students at my school. And, when I did find them, the authors were not Arabs or Muslims, and some of the books had errors. On top of this, with three beautiful children of my own, I wanted them to see themselves in books, to find positive representations of Arabs and Muslims, and to be proud of their culture, language, and religion. Something had to be doneso I decided to start writing these types of childrens books. Thinking about all of the kids who will see themselves in my books on their bookshelves, in their libraries, and in their classrooms makes me want to keep on writing them!

How has your teaching impacted or influenced your writing for children?

My teaching has allowed me to stay on top of whats being taught and discussed in schools and to come up with many story ideas. My education and experience have also taught me how best to word things and to ask questions in the classroom. In addition, Ive learned the importance of validating feelings and understanding how some students may have no problem raising their hands to share, while others might prefer writing to express themselves.

Your book The Arabic Quilt is based on a personal experience in third grade. Can you tell us about it?

Growing up in North Dakota, my brother and I were the only Arab and Muslim children in the whole school. One day, my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Denise Faulkner, asked me if Id like to write my classmates names in Arabic for a project. I was so excited that the kids in my class were going to see their names in a language that I spoke at home. When I passed out their names written on index cards, my classmates started saying all sorts of positive things about them including how they liked the letters dots and squiggles, and that Arabic was a beautiful language. My teacher had my classmates copy their names on different pieces of paper, and she hung them up in our classroom. This made me feel so welcome! Years later, when I started teaching preschool, I recreated this lesson. I also thought about how it might make a good picture book, and I wrote it. I got a lot of rejections at first, but then my agent, Brent Taylor, sold it. It came out during the pandemic, and was on the banned list, too. But the banning isnt working. Over 70,000 copies have been sold to date.

Where did the idea for your latest book, The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale, come from?

When I found out in 2021 that The Arabic Quilt was on the banned books list in the Central York District in Pennsylvania, I was pretty shocked. I wondered why they had banned it and removed it from their bookshelves. When I read about the other books that were on the list, I discovered that they were all diverse booksand banned for no reason. I was really upset about it. Then, right around that time, my editor asked if Id like to write another story. I thought because of the censorship going on in the country, maybe this would be a good topic to explore in a picture book. And thats how The Great Book Banning Bake Sale came to be. The book follows the same characters from The Arabic Quilt when they discover that some of their favorite books have been banned and removed from their librarys bookshelves. They decide to have a bake sale to raise money to buy copies of the banned books to donate to the Little Free Libraries so kids can read the books, and the authors can get paid.

What are your hopes for your timely title and its readers?

My hope is that the book raises kids awareness of book bans and censorship in general. I also hope that readers come to know that their voices are powerful and that theyre never too small to demand change, whether its protesting a book ban, creating or signing petitions, or using their writing to express their opinions, and letting their voices be heard. Everyone needs to be heard.

If you were to make something for a banned book bake sale, what would it be?

I would probably make the baklawa that I mention in my book. Its my moms special recipe and everyone loves it!

Wafaas Baklawa

Baklawa is a popular dessert in many Arab and Middle Eastern countries. This is a family favorite recipe, passed on to me from my mother, Wafaa.

To make baklawa, youll need:

Phyllo dough

6-7 cups of crushed or finely grated walnuts (or pistachios)

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

8 tablespoons butter, melted

Nutella (optional)

For the syrup, you'll need:

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of water

Juice from a half of a lemon

1/4 teaspoon of vanilla

To make the syrup:

Be sure to make the syrup first and store in the fridge.

Put the sugar, water, vanilla, and lemon in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then put in the fridge.

To put it all together:

Spray a baking sheet pan with non-stick spray. Divide the phyllo dough in half.

Add crushed or finely grated walnuts or pistachios to the phyllo dough and press with your hands. Add the other half of the phyllo dough. Cut into squares or diamond shapes. Add the melted butter to the top. Make sure you cut well to really get in there to make sure the top layer is coated and the rest of the butter sinks to the bottom. A food brush will help coat the top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 17 to 22 minutes or until the top is a nice golden color. Once you take it out, add the cooled down syrup to the top.

PS: Add Nutella if youd like an extra twist!
Valentines Day may be over, but there are still plenty of books out this month for young readers to love, including a previously unpublished work from a late Caldecott Medalist, a middle grade tale about the questionable intentions of a school for monster descendents, a poetry collection highlighting the experiences of Black girlhood, and more.

Picture Books

Are You Big?

Mo Willems. Union Square Kids, $17.99 ISBN 978-1-4549-4818-6. Ages 35. Willems takes the idea of relative size and pursues it all the way out into the universe in this conceptual title. The book received a starred review from PW.

A Flicker of Hope: A Story of Migration

Cynthia Harmony, illus. by Devon Holzwarth. Viking, $18.99 ISBN 978-0-5935-2576-0. Ages 48. A Mexican girl waits for the return of her migrant farmworker father, whose departure parallels the migratory pattern of monarch butterflies. The book received a starred review from PW.

Jam, Too?

JaNay Brown-Wood, illus. by Jacqueline Alcantara. Penguin/Paulsen, $18.99 ISBN 978-0-593-32376-2. Ages 36. A conga player on a beach attracts other percussionists, the impromptu ensemble growing to include a variety of instruments. The book received a starred review from PW.

My Thoughts Have Wings

Maggie Smith, illus. by Leanne Hatch. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, $19.99 ISBN 978-0-06-321458-3. Ages 48. A child attempts to soothe herself from nighttime fears in this picture book debut from poet Smith. See our q&a here.

Nana in the Country

Lauren Castillo. Clarion, $19.99 ISBN 978-0-544-10217-0. Ages 48. In the companion to Castillos Newbery Honor-winning Nana in the City, Nana visits the child narrator in the country, and the child hopes to impress Nana with her knowledge of nature.

A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef Jose Andres and World Central Kitchen

Erin Frankel, illus. by Paola Escobar. Random House Studio, $18.99 ISBN 978-0-5933-8057-4. Ages 48. This biography of a chef renowned for global disaster relief efforts traces how he came to feed the few AND the many. See our In Conversation between Frankel and fellow author David Unger on their new picture books on Andres.

Pretty Ugly

David Sedaris, illus. by Ian Falconer. Toon, $18.99 ISBN 978-1-66266-527-1. Ages 57.Reworked from a Little Lit anthology comic, this twisted fable by Sedaris and the late Falconer follows a young ogre as she learns an unexpected lesson about inner beauty. See our q&a with Sedaris on his picture book debut.

Ten Little Rabbits

Maurice Sendak. HarperCollins, $19.99 ISBN 978-0-06-264467-1. Ages 48. This previously unpublished treasure from the late Caldecott Medalist recalls the creators Nutshell Library in its gentle-hued simplicity. Read more about the picture book. The book received a starred review from PW.

This Baby. That Baby.

Cari Best, illus. by Rashin Kheiriyeh. Random House/Schwartz, $18.99 ISBN 978-0-593-56463-9. Ages 37. Best gives a parallel portrait of two babies living across the street from one another and their joyful experiences with their families. The book received a starred review from PW.

Tomorrows Lily

Chris Raschka. Greenwillow, $19.99 ISBN 978-0-06-304937-6. Ages 48. Raschka draws the connection between life and nature in this picture book by the Caldecott Medalist. The book received a starred review from PW.

Middle Grade

Across So Many Seas

Ruth Behar. Penguin/Paulsen, $17.99 ISBN 978-0-593-32340-3. Ages 10 and up. Four generations of a Sephardic Jewish family navigate cultural and societal upheaval from 1492 to 2003. See our q&a with Behar about the storys personal roots. The book received a starred review from PW.

Bumps in the Night

Amalie Howard. Delacorte, $17.99 ISBN 978-0-593-64587-1. Ages 812. Incoming eighth grader Rika moves to Trinidad for the summer, where she delves into her familys history and learns that monsters and magic are real. See our q&a with Howard. The book received a starred review from PW.

Drawing Deena

Hena Khan. Salaam Reads, $17.99 ISBN 978-1-5344-5991-5. Ages 812. Pakistani American middle schooler Deena copes with the stress surrounding family finances and interpersonal relationships via her art. See our q&a with Khan on her five new books out this year.

Max in the House of Spies (Operation Kinderspion #1)

Adam Gidwitz. Dutton, $18.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-593-11208-3. Ages 812. Highly intelligent German Jewish 11-year-old Max Bretzfeld is sent to England as part of the Kindertransport. When he discovers that his host family might be British agents, he attempts to return home by becoming a spy himself. See our q&a with Gidwitz. The book received a starred review from PW.

Medusa (The Myth of Monsters #1)

Katherine Marsh. Clarion, $19.99 ISBN 978-0-06-330374-4. Ages 812. After discovering her powers, seventh grader Ava Baldwin is whisked off to Accademia del Forte in Venice, where she learns that all the students are descended from monsters of myth. The book received a starred review from PW.

The Observologist: A Handbook for Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions

Giselle Clarkson. Gecko, $24.99 (120p) ISBN 978-1-77657-519-0. Ages 712. In this book styled as a naturalists sketchbook, Clarkson spotlights larger-than-life bugs and their damp, shadowy habitats. The book received a starred review from PW.

The Partition Project

Saadia Faruqi. Quill Tree, $19.99 (416p) ISBN 978-0-0631-1581-1. Ages 812. Pakistani American 12-year-old aspiring journalist Mahnoor Raheem interviews her grandmother for a media project and uncovers the horrors her grandmother witnessed as a young refugee.

Unstuck

Barbara Dee. Aladdin, $17.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-534489-86-8. Ages 913. After experiencing her first bout of writers block, seventh grader Lyla Benjamin struggles to get back on track for a town-wide writing contest. See Dees essay for PW on the inspiration for her new book.

Young Adult

The Absinthe Underground

Jamie Pacton. Peachtree Teen, $19.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-68263-492-9. Ages 14 and up. When 17-year-old Sybil swipes a valuable poster for the popular cabaret Absinthe Underground, the owner offers her a dealsneak into the Fae realm and steal the crown jewels and the owner will set her up financially. The book received a starred review from PW.

The Bad Ones

Melissa Albert. Flatiron, $19.99 ISBN 978-1-250-89489-2. Ages 14 and up. After four seemingly unconnected individuals vanish from suburban Illinois, teen Noras investigation into their disappearance reveals a link to a dangerous childhood game. See our q&a with Albert.

Black Girl You Are Atlas

Renee Watson, illus. by Ekua Holmes. Kokila, $18.99 ISBN 978-0-593-46170-9. Ages 12 and up. Watson crafts a semi-autobiographical poetry collection that speaks to the girl she was in her youth and the expansive experience of Black girlhood as it cycles toward womanhood.

Bless the Blood

Walela Nehanda. Kokila, $19.99 ISBN 978-0-593-52949-2. Ages 14 and up. Poet Nehanda delivers an unflinching account of living with leukemia as a Black, queer, nonbinary person. The book received a starred review from PW.

Conditions of a Heart

Bethany Mangle. McElderry, $19.99 ISBN 978-1-6659-3763-4. Ages 14 and up. Sixteen-year-old Brynn Kwan grapples with the reality of her recent Ehlers-Danlos syndrome diagnosis while on suspension from school. The book received a starred review from PW.

Even If It Breaks Your Heart

Erin Hahn. Wednesday, $21 ISBN 978-1-250761-27-9. Ages 13 and up. Grappling with the recent death of his best friend Walker, Case Michaels, who comes from a long line of cowboys and bull-riders, determines to accomplish the list of goals theyd created. The book received a starred review from PW.

Infinity Alchemist

Kacen Callender. Tor Teen, $19.99 ISBN 978-1-2508-9025-2. Ages 13 and up. Ash Woods strikes up a deal with college student Ramsay Thorne: assist Ramsay in finding a magical relic and theyll teach Ash alchemy. The book received a starred review from PW.

Snowglobe

Soyoung Park, trans. from the Korean by Joungmin Lee Comfort. Delacorte, $20.99 ISBN 978-0-593-48497-5. Ages 12 and up. In a world ravaged by snow, Chobahm gains an opportunity to live in the exclusive Snowglobe, where shes been hired to replace an actor whose death must be kept a secret. Read about the buzz behind the book here.

A Tempest of Tea (Blood and Tea #1)

Hafsah Faizal. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $19.99 ISBN 978-0-374-38940-6. Ages 14 and up. Arthie Casimirs Spindrift, a popular tearoom by day and a bloodhouse covertly frequented by vampires by night, is under threat of being shut down by the monarchy unless she makes a dangerous deal. The book received a starred review from PW.
Small Press Distribution has finished moving more than 300,000 books from its Berkeley, Calif., warehouse to facilities owned by the Ingram Content Group and Publishers Storage and Shipping. The transfer, which took several months to complete, is part of executive director Kent Watsons plan to keep the nonprofit distributor a viable option for about 400 client publishers by cutting operating costs while simultaneously increasing services.

Under what Watson called the SPD Next program, Ingram and PSS will house SPDs inventory while providing publishers access to an array of services including print-on-demand, e-book, and audiobook distribution, as well as more extensive distribution in the U.S and worldwide.

I cannot overstate the amount of time, sweat, and perseverance that our team has put into making the move to SPD Next a reality, Watson said, in a statement. He added that by moving its existing staff into new roles, SPD was able to complete the transition without laying off any employees.

SPD financed the warehouse move with a GoFundMe campaign that raised $100,000. Now, Watson has started a new initiative aimed at raising $75,000 to support what he calls SPD Next Pagea plan to roll out the new services to publishers. The aim of the new program is to train client publisher on how to most effectively use the new options that they now have available. The new services, Watson added, will help SPDs publishers continue to bring new voices to readers in a time when distribution options have shrunk and book bans are targeting books written by authors from marginalized communities.

SPD Next Page continues Watson's overhaul of the distributor since he was named SPD executive director in summer 2022. His appointment ended an 18-month period of uncertainty for SPD that included the resignation of SPD executive director Brent Cunningham.
MDHHS staff early 20th century.

In 1895, Michigan passed a law requiring schools to teach about communicable diseases.

Norm Hess

State of Michigan public health messaging from 1924.

State of Michigan public health messaging from 1924.

Public health has many faces in Ingham County: Lauren Chambers, behavioral health consultant; Laura Scurlock, NP; Kajalpreet Kauer, RN. Bottom row, l-r: Sterling Wendt, community health worker; Donna Korganji, NP; Dr. Alane Laws-Barker, gynecologist/surgeon.

Dr. Nike Shayinka

Staff from the Cedar Community Health Center-Womens Health, a part of the Ingham Community Health Centers and Ingham County Health Department.
Property details:

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Property details:

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. The project for the memorial complex to perpetuate the memory of the victims of Khojaly was ready a long time ago, and the place was also chosen. But every year, I had certain hesitations regarding the construction of the memorial complex and postponed the project, said President Ilham Aliyev during his meeting with representatives of the general public from the Khojaly district, Trend reports.

The head of state noted: Because, just like you, I also believed and knew that we would return here, that we would return to Khojaly where a memorial complex would be created to perpetuate the memory of innocent victims.
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The Turks have a long history of producing guns inspired by other manufacturers, combined together with some licensed clones endorsed by the designers themselves, along with others that are straight-up rip-offs of iconic models. The Girsan MC 14T imported by EAA is a slightly modernized version of the Beretta Model 84 from their Cheetah line of blowback handguns.

When Beretta introduced the 80 series handguns in 1975, they did so with two models, a .32 ACP christened the Model 81 and bigger version in .380 ACP, both using double-stack magazines. A year later, they launched the Model 86, a single-stack with eight rounds in the mag but which also incorporated the tip-up barrel of the Tomcat backup pistol.

The MC 14T combines both the double-stack mag and .380 chambering of the 84, with the easy loading feature of the 86, which Beretta added to their catalog as the 84 FS (and is the rarest of the Tomcat pistols). Girsan brought it back, and if youre a lover of the classic open-topped slide duty guns from Val Trompia, you may want to cast a beady eye over this Turkish variant.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Any notions you may have of this being a low-quality knockoff are quickly dispelled as soon as you pick the gun up  machine work on the slide and barrel are excellent.

White, 3-dot sights are fitted, and the rest of the slide is very Italian, with an open-top design that celebrates its centenary this year. Due to the combination of blowback action with its stiff recoil spring and there being not a lot of slide material to grab onto, manipulation is a bit awkward  so being able to load the first round directly into the barrel via the tip-up feature is appreciated.

To do this, the user simply presses down the barrel release lever located on the right-hand side of the frame, located roughly where youd expect an ambi slide release, and the spring-loaded barrel pops up. The actual slide release is operated by the right thumb if youre a righty or your trigger finger if youre cack-handed.

The MC 14T can be carried in one of three conditions: cocked and locked with a single-action first shot, hammer down and safety off for double action, or if youre one of those types who favor both a belt and suspenders to complement your 5.11 tuxedo, hammer down and thumb safety applied, which disconnects the trigger from the rest of the clockwork.

Discounting the last (dumb) option, either of the other two are perfectly viable, as the double-action trigger pull is smooth, with just a tiny bit of stacking toward the end of the stroke allowing the user to stage the trigger if they wish, or else pull straight through to drop the hammer. Single-action carry is facilitated by discrete, but easy to manipulate twin safety levers and a 5.25-pound pull with a crisp break.

Once the first round has left the pipe, theres about a  inch of reset to send the next one on its merry way.

Those with larger hands will find the grip a touch on the short side, but the included 13-round magazine has a finger rest incorporated into the baseplate, which locks the pinky in place. Theres no checkering on either front or back strap, though there are a series of machined grooves to give some additional purchase, and the well made, hard plastic grip panels feature fairly aggressive diagonal striations.

In contrast, the dust cover area of the slide feels unfinished, as if it emerged straight from the casting tree, though it does offer three Picatinny rail slots to mount the compact light of your choice. We tried bolting up a full-sized SureFire X300 Ultra, and the forward rail slot is located a hair too far toward the muzzle  something of an oversight which really should be corrected, as theres plenty of material to accommodate it.

Girsan retained the elegant, sweeping trigger guard of the early Model 84, before Beretta succumbed to 80s movie fashion and incorporated a squared-off and hooked trigger guard, ruining the pistols lines.

Theyve also included a lanyard loop, as found on the original Beretta 92, which while utterly superfluous for the average user, at least isnt positioned in such a way to deliver a stab to the palm during a reload. Unlike the Italian guns, the MC 14Ts magazine release is reversible for left-handed use.

The Girsan apes the Italian guns takedown procedure  which is to say, dont. Unless you like Ruger Mk2 levels of frustration, its better to just clean the parts you can access with the slide locked to the rear, hose the rest out with brake cleaner, and re-oil.

ROUNDS DOWNRANGE

Despite being chambered in .380 ACP, the Girsan is very nearly a full-size pistol, and feels like a CZ 75 in terms of grip dimensions. Its aluminum frame balances well, and the various grooves front, rear, and sides do a decent job of controlling it during recoil, which is much sharper than youd otherwise expect due to its straight blowback action.

With its fixed barrel, accuracy is very good, and we had no problem making headbox hits on demand at 25 yards. Although our supply of .380 ACP ammo on hand was limited, there were no stoppages during several range sessions  again, the fixed barrel means that feeding is very straightforward, and empties are flung out of the gun with enthusiasm, despite the lack of an ejector.

Would we carry one? Nope. While the design is elegant, reliability and accuracy are everything wed need, and workmanship good, the MC 14T is a copy of an 80s product and the world has moved on in the past 40 years. It does allow anyone with diminished hand strength to manipulate a semi-auto by virtue of the tip-up barrel, but its bigger than ideal for a carry gun and has only 13 rounds of a marginal cartridge in the magazine.

If your circumstances require you to trade capacity and power for the ability to run the gun without having to rack the slide, then the MC 14T is worth a look, but for most of us, there are better options out there.
The Adani group is in advanced talks with top sovereign funds based in West Asia to raise up to $2.6 billion for its airport expansion and green hydrogen projects.

Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

The group, which expects to close the ongoing financial year ending March with Rs 80,000 crore of Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation), has held a series of road shows in London, Dubai, and Singapore with potential investors, briefing them about their future growth plans.

The groups flagship, Adani Enterprises, may dilute part of its stake in the airport-holding firm and/or the green hydrogen business to these funds, which are keen to invest in the Indian infrastructure sector, said a source close to the development.

The timing of the fundraising has not been decided, but it is expected to hit the markets by mid-2024, the source said.

An Adani spokesperson declined to comment.

During the presentation to potential investors, the group highlighted the recent rating upgrades by global rating agencies, including Moodys and S&P.

These agencies have reaffirmed ratings for all the Adani group companies and restored the stable outlook of five entities.

At the same time, Fitch has maintained the ratings of all issuers within the Adani complex with a stable outlook.

The infrastructure funds, which are looking for a long-term bet, are keen to invest in India, and Adani group companies are offering the opportunity to invest in equity, said a banker close to the development.

The investment by New York-based fund GQG has helped in restoring confidence among global investors," said the source.

In 2023, the Adani group companies raised capital via various domestic and international channels, including debt of over Rs 84,000 crore and stake sales to GQG partners for another Rs 35,000 crore, Qatar Investment Authority for approximately Rs 4,000 crore, and TotalEnergies for approximately Rs 2,500 crore, demonstrating confidence by international investors.

The investment by US International Development Finance Corp of $553 million as debt for a container terminal project in Sri Lanka also boosted investor sentiment, the banker said.

The group is all set to start the copper plant in Mundra next month and plans to get into the aluminum business to meet the rising demand in India.

The group also has captive use for copper and aluminum in the transmission line and electricity distribution business.
Vietnam-based electric vehicle maker VinFast, a rival of Tesla in the global market, has set foot in India and began work on building its Rs 16,000 crore EV manufacturing facility at Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu.

Photograph: Lisa Baertlein/Reuters

The company has already sought a reduction in import duties on its cars for about two years until customers get familiar with the brand and its unit in the state.

The global major kicked off the construction of the first phase of its integrated EV hub, which may see Rs 4,000 crore of investment initially and will create more than 10,000 jobs.

The Thoothukudi project aims to evolve into a first-class electric vehicle production hub in the region, with an annual capacity of up to 150,000 units.

According to a report in the news agency Reuters, the companys India chief executive officer, Pham Sanh Chau, said on Sunday that it has already proposed a two-year reduction in the import duty, bringing it down to at least 70-80 per cent for a select number of cars.

This, according to the company, is until customers get familiar with the brand. Chau - who has also served as Vietnams ambassador to India, Nepal, and Bhutan between 2018 and 2022 - was appointed as the CEO of the company in India in November last year.

He said the Centre government is still considering the request by the company.

This comes at a time when its rival Tesla had also requested a 100 per cent cut on import duty on fully-built EVs.

Tesla's entry has fallen into the slow track as the government is yet to come out with a favourable response.

With the addition of illustrious names like Vinfast to the list of EV Manufacturers in Tamil Nadu, we are proud that Chief Minister M K Stalin has closed in on his aim of making Tamil Nadu the EV capital of South Asia and not just India, said state industries minister T R B Rajaa.

At present, Tamil Nadu is a clear leader with over 70 per cent of all electric two-wheelers and 40 per cent of all electric four-wheelers sold in India being manufactured in the state.

As per data shared by the state government, in the last three years, Tamil Nadu has seen investments to the tune of Rs 10 trillion, creating over 3.1 million jobs.

The establishment of VinFast's facility is not merely the inception of another manufacturing unit but a pivotal moment in the creation of a comprehensive industrial cluster in South Tamil Nadu.

"The upcoming factory is poised to catalyse the formation of a robust vendor ecosystem, surrounding the VinFast factory with a network of suppliers and ancillary industries, a government statement said.

The region has seen several investments in the recent past, like the footwear cluster JROne, which will generate over 40,000 jobs in the backward district of Perambalur.

Tamil Nadus biggest advantage is our talent pool and we are already skilling people for EV and battery tech via path-breaking schemes like the Naan Mudhalvan scheme under the Skill Development Corporation of TN.

"We are happy to note that Vinfast will also be hiring talents trained under Nan Mudhalvan, Rajaa added.

Founded in 2017 and making EVs since 2021, VinFast has also announced numerous EV growth plans overseas, including a factory in North Carolina.
In its attempt to forge a non-Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, non-All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam bloc for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday struck an alliance with the G K Vasan-led Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) in Tamil Nadu, with the regional party expressing hope more organisations will join the National Democratic Alliance in the state.

IMAGE: BJP president J P Nadda with Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Vasan during an event in New Delhi, on August 11, 2023. Photograph: Jitender Gupta/ANI Photo

The BJP state unit hailed Vasan and said his advice will be used in the coming days to guide the alliance.

TMC was launched by veteran leader, the late G K Moopanar in 1996 after he walked out of the Congress protesting against its decision to align with the AIADMK for polls.

However, it merged with the Congress in 2002 but Vasan quit the national party in 2014 and revived it.

Addressing a press conference in Chennai, the former union minister said TMC, ever since the days of its founding by Moopanar, has had a 'national outlook'.

The decision to join hands with the BJP included issues like welfare of Tamil Nadu and Tamils and a strong and prosperous India.

"Today, economic growth and security of the nation is very important. Uplift of poor people is more important, infrastructure is very important. We are going to be the third economic power in the world. All this put together, TMC wants a government, a Prime Minister who can really achieve this," he said and lauded the BJP and PM Narendra Modi for delivering in various sectors in the last decade.

"Tamil Maanila Congress, as part of NDA will face the coming elections under BJP's leadership," he said, adding he will attend PM Modi's public meeting at Palladam in Tirupur district on Tuesday.

Vasan's announcement marks the first official tie-up the BJP has managed to forge in Tamil Nadu ahead of the polls, amidst its attempts to create a grouping other than those headed by the ruling DMK and the AIADMK.

A part of the AIADMK-led NDA coalition in Tamil Nadu that faced the 2021 Assembly polls, Vasan's announcement signals his party's end of ties with the main opposition party in the state.

The Edappadi K Palaniswami-headed AIADMK had announced severing ties with the BJP in September 2023.

Vasan also indicated that his party's slogan 'Prosperous Tamil Nadu, Strong India', was in tune with the Centre's various steps.

Asked about a ministerial berth for his party in the event of BJP ensuring a third term, Vasan said the 'alliance with BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji is for respectability, for mutual understanding and for the goal of achieveing a powerful India and a prosperous Taml Nadu'.

Further, the alliance was based on trust, Vasan, who was Shipping minister in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance II regime, said.

Tamil Nadu voters had witnessed BJP winning the two earlier elections (2014,1019) with good support from other states and want the saffron party to earn a third term to ensure economic development, betterment of the poor.

They have 'realised' that another term under PM Modi will lead to economic prosperity and reduction in poverty, among others, Vasan added.

BJP state president K Annamalai, who addressed the press jointly with Vasan later, welcomed the TMC's move.

He described TMC as a 'very good and traditional party'.

"Vasan's advice is very much required in the coming days. We will seek his advice and create a strong alliance," to face the polls, he said.

Further, Vasan has always been a voice from TN supporting Modi, and 'they have a bond', Annamalai said.

Incidentally, the BJP had a stitched a multi-party coalition for the 2014 Parliamentary elections and the constituents included the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).

However, the bloc could manage to win only two seats in Tamil Nadu as the J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK swept the polls.

In 2019, the saffron party had aligned with the AIADMK for the Lok Sabha polls.

Hitting out at the ruling DMK, Vasan said it has failed to implement the pre-poll promises.

"The DMK government has become anti-people. The burden it has put on people-- increase in milk prices, power tariff-- are some examples...it has failed to reflect the aspirations of the common people."

He said TMC firmly believes that Tamil Nadu will pave the way for another 'good regime' at the Centre under the BJP.

More parties could join the BJP-led alliance in the coming days, he added.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Armenia and its patrons believed that no one would punish them. They were completely wrong, and they are still wrong today, said President Ilham Aliyev during his meeting with representatives of the general public from the Khojaly district, Trend reports.

Armenia, which is looking for a new owner and seeking refuge in somebodys arms, should understand that the only way is to accept all of Azerbaijans conditions and give up its territorial claims against Azerbaijan, the head of state added.
India and China are rising and the two countries, in the process, are changing the world order, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday.

IMAGE: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar delivers the Pandit Hriday Nath Kunzru Memorial Lecture 2024 on 'Bharat and the World', at the Convention Centre of JNU in New Delhi, February 26, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Jaishankar, citing talks between leadership of the two countries in Mamallapuram and Wuhan, said India tried to maintain an "equilibrium" in the ties through diplomacy, but the relations took a different turn following China's military build-up along the Line of Actual Control in 2020 in violation of laid down norms.

The external affairs minister, speaking at a media summit organised by the TV9 Network, described the rise of India and China as "significant" in the global geopolitical scenario.

"If you were to list three or four really big things which have changed in the last 20-25 years, I think most people would agree it would be the rise of China and the rise of India," he said, replying to a question.

"You can say China started it much earlier because our own politics here delayed the era of reform. That's okay. What's done is done. But there is no question, both countries are rising and for world politics, this poses a very interesting problem," he said.

"The problem is this: both are changing the world order by their rise. So each one has an impact vis-a-vis the world. But they also happened to be neighbours. So their relationship is also changing while it is changing vis-a-vis the rest of the world," Jaishankar added.

The external affairs minister argued that the situation, therefore, is making it "very complicated to create an equilibrium". They were part of "equilibrium maintenance exercise", Jaishankar said when specifically asked about the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Chinese city of Wuhan in 2018 and Mamallapuram in 2019.

"We tried to maintain that equilibrium naturally -- first through diplomacy. So what you saw in Wuhan and Mamallapuram, etc was that equilibrium maintenance exercise," he said.

"But what happened in 2020 was, China for whatever reason chose to move military forces in disregard of agreements. That called for a different response for the equilibrium," he said.

"The logical thing for us to do, which is what we did, was we moved our forces and in a very big way. So from 2020, you have an equilibrium, one part of which is the military posture in the border areas, one part of it today obviously is the political relationship impacted by this border situation," he said.

"One part of it is also the economic measures that we have taken," he added.

Jaishankar said the Modi government believes that interests of the country's working class, small enterprises and small industries must be protected against "unfair competition".

"Our effort today is to build our deep strengths. We have to build our digital capabilities, our telecom, our manufacturing, our pharma industry, our health self-sufficiency, our defence industry, our ability to deploy on the border which you can only do if you build infrastructure," he said.

Jaishankar suggested that India's annual average expenditure on the border with China was about Rs 3,500 crore till 2014. Today, it is almost Rs 15,000 crore, he said.

There was a neglect of the border infrastructure, he said, adding "you cannot defend the border if you do not build infrastructure there".
Stepping up its attack on the Union government over the "Agnipath" military recruitment scheme, the Congress alleged on Monday that "gross injustice" was done to youngsters and asserted that it would revert to the old recruitment system if voted to power at the Centre.

IMAGE: Selected candidates for the Indian Army and Air Force, stage a protest at Jantar Mantar demanding recruitment that got delayed due to the Agnipath scheme, in New Delhi, January 11, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The opposition party also demanded that appointment be given to the about two lakh youngsters who had cleared the recruitment process but were not given joining letters as the "Agnipath" scheme was launched in 2022.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to President Droupadi Murmu on Monday, highlighting the "gross injustice" done to the youngsters seeking regular employment in the armed forces due to the "Agnipath" scheme, and urged her to ensure justice for them.

The future of nearly two lakh young men and women has become uncertain due to the scrapping of the regular recruitment process in the armed forces, Kharge said in his letter to the president, who is the supreme commander of the armed forces.

"There are many well-known issues with the Agnipath scheme. Former Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane has written that the Army was 'taken by surprise' by Agnipath and that 'for the Navy and Air Force, it came like a bolt from the blue'," he said in his letter to Murmu.

"Furthermore, the scheme is discriminatory among our jawans by creating parallel cadres of soldiers who are expected to work on similar tasks, but with very different emoluments, benefits and prospects. The majority of Agniveers will be released into an uncertain job market after four years of service, which some have argued could affect social stability," Kharge said.

Tagging Kharge's letter, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on X: "We are with the military candidates, who are full of patriotism and bravery, in the fight for justice."

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said with the spirit of patriotism and service in mind, lakhs of youngsters across the country work hard day and night. "Whether it is cold, hot or rainy, they wake up early in the morning and practise running. They think that they will join the Army, serve the country and also get employment. The BJP government crushed the dreams of lakhs of promising youth of the country by bringing Agnivir Yojana," she said in a post on X.

"Lakhs of posts are vacant, crores of youth are unemployed -- this is Modi's guarantee," she added.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot said there was no demand for such a scheme.

"In the long term, this scheme will not benefit anybody except saving some money for the government of India. We in the Congress party feel that we should go back to the old recruitment system," Pilot said.

If some changes are to be introduced to modernise the armed forces, that is very much possible in the current setup, but to completely eradicate the old system is not right, he added.

"It is closing avenues of employment. I think it has been done in an ad-hoc fashion, without much thought to the future prospects of how the Army would function. We in the Congress believe that the Agnipath programme is not a positive development and we will certainly go back to the old recruitment system when people vote us back," Pilot said, with party leaders Pawan Khera and Deepender Hooda by his side.

Hooda said several military recruitment processes were completed during and before the outbreak of COVID-19 and only joining was left. But after the introduction of the "Agnipath" scheme, these youngsters selected by the government were not given joining letters.

"These youngsters met (former Congress chief) Rahul Gandhi and shared their pain. Since then, Rahulji has been continuously raising his voice," he said.

On whose demand did the Narendra Modi government bring the "Agnipath Yojana", Hooda asked.

"Neither the Army nor the youngsters joining the Army had put forward the demand for the scheme," he said.

"When we asked what will the Agniveers do after four years of service, BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya had said those youngsters will be given the job of a watchman in the BJP office. I want to tell the BJP that the youngsters of the country join the Army with a sense of patriotism and not with a sense of becoming a watchman outside the BJP office," Hooda said.

In his letter to the president, Kharge said he met the affected youngsters recently and they told him that between 2019 and 2022, almost two lakh young men and women were informed that they were accepted into the three armed services.

"These young men and women had struggled against all odds to pass gruelling mental and physical tests and a written exam. Until 31 May, 2022, they believed that they had fulfilled their dreams and were awaiting only their joining letters. On that day, their dreams were shattered by the Government of India's decision to end this recruitment process and replace it with the Agnipath scheme," Kharge said.

"Our youth cannot be allowed to suffer in this manner. I appeal to you to ensure that justice is done," the Congress chief added.

The "Agnipath" scheme provides for recruiting youngsters in the age bracket of 17 years and a half to 21 years for a four-year period, with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years.
A professor of Indian origin at the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom who was invited by the Karnataka government to attend an event in Bengaluru was denied entry when she landed at Bengaluru airport and was then deported, according to her posts on social media platform X.

IMAGE: Nitasha Kaul's bio on the social media platform states that she is a novelist, writer and poet, among other things. Photograph: Kind courtesy @NitashaKaul/X

Professor Nitasha Kaul, a Kashmiri Pandit academic based in London, in a series of posts on X claimed she was given no reason by immigration officials at Bengaluru airport and received no notice or information in advance from the Indian government that she would not be allowed to enter the country.

There was no immediate comment from the Karnataka government, which had organised a two day 'Constitution and National Unity Convention -2024' on February 24 and 25, to which Kaul was invited as a speaker.

Kaul's bio on the social media platform states that she is a novelist, writer and poet, among other things.

"Denied entry to India for speaking on democratic & constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as esteemed delegate by Govt of Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused me entry. All my documents were valid & current (UK passport & OCI)," she said, sharing pictures of the invitation extended to her by the Karnataka government and other conference-related communications.

In her post on X, Kaul said that authorities unofficially indicated that she was denied entry into India as she has criticised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in the past.

Reacting to the development, the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party was quick to label the professor an "anti-India element" and a part of what it called a 'Break India Brigade', criticising the Karnataka government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for extending an invitation to Kaul.

The BJP also went on to label Kaul a "Pakistani sympathiser" and posted headings of a couple of her writings on X.

Both Kaul and the Karnataka BJP have shared a document addressed to the station master, British Airways at Bengaluru Airport which informs that she has been refused to land in India. Her nationality mentioned in the document is United Kingdom.

Claiming that she was given no reason by immigration officials except "we cannot do anything, orders from Delhi", Kaul said: "My travel & logistics had been arranged by Karnataka & I had the official letter with me. I received no notice or info in advance from Delhi that I would not be allowed to enter."

She described her ordeal, saying, "I spent 12 hours in a flight from London to Bangalore, several hours at immigration where they shuttled me here and there, provided no info on process, then 24 hours in a holding cell (no BA flight back until next day) under direct cctv w (with) restricted movement, a narrow area to lie down."

The BJP claimed the Congress government was "threatening the unity & integrity of India" by extending an invitation to the Kashmiri Pandit professor -- who has written and spoken extensively on Kashmir, Bhutan and other topics.

The BJP used the opportunity to claim that the Congress is "now using Karnataka as its laboratory to prepare ground for its divisive agendas".

"Thanks to our security agencies, one such anti-India element was caught suspiciously entering India and detained at the airport", the BJP further claimed.
'Fifteen days ago, we were only talking of Ayodhya. Now we are talking about farmers.'

IMAGE: Farmers at a protest site at the Shambhu barrier, the border between Punjab and Haryana, February 23, 2024 during the march towards New Delhi to push for better crop prices promised to them in 2021. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

The absence of Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait from the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political)-led latest farmers' protest is a noticeable void.

Tikait, who was at the forefront of the 2020-2-21 farmers' protest, has been conspicuously missing since farmers began their 'Dilli Chalo' march.

Tikait's tearful appeal had previously moved his elder brother, Naresh Tikait, to rally hundreds of thousands of farmers on January 27, 2021 -- a day after unsettling scenes at the Red Fort when police action was anticipated against protesting farmers at various Delhi borders.

His recent silence is as significant as his previous tears.

Naresh Tikait recently stated: 'Our full moral support is with the protesting farmers,' but declined to explain why he and his brother were not part of the 'Dilli Chalo' call by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political).

The division among the farmers became evident when a parallel Bharat Bandh call by the SKM (political) was given for February 16.

Harmeet Singh Qadian, a farmer leader who was part of the earlier protest but is keeping away this time, claimed: "The ones who began their protest on February 13 are the same people who were responsible for the Red Fort violence on January 26, 2021.

"We support their right to protest. But we aren't with them."

IMAGE: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, seated third from left, along with farmers and supporters during their protest outside the collectorate in Meerut, February 21, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Professor Jagmohan, a close observer of Punjab affairs and the farmers' protest, said: "In my opinion, the SKM (non-political) itself is political. Elements from among them are the ones who stormed the Red Fort on January 26, 2021, when hundreds of thousands of farmers were protesting peacefully."

Following the death of 78-year-old farmer Gian Singh at the Shambhu border (between Haryana and Punjab), Tikait broke his silence while protesting at the Dehradun-Muzaffarnagar highway near Baagowali Chauraha.

He warned, 'Dilli door nahi hai. On February 26 and 27, we will do a tractor march up to the Ghazipur border of Delhi. However, one side of the road will remain open for commuting.'

IMAGE: Farmers with an effigy with photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij at the Black Day protest against the Union government and Haryana government during the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march, at the Shambhu border, February 23, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Professor Sukhwinder Singh, who has worked with grassroots organisations in Punjab, commented: "They may appear to be divided. But that is how it was in 2020.

"A group of farmers forced their way into the Red Fort while others protested peacefully. It was Tikait's tears that galvanised the protest. Had he not cried, the protest might have taken a different turn."

He further said the death of a farmer has agitated other farmers, and there is a likelihood of convergence.

IMAGE: Farmers hold flags at a protest site during the march towards New Delhi at the Shambhu border, February 23, 2024. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters

But Punjab-based sociologist Manjit Singh observed: "The protest may not match the optics of the farmers' protest that began in November 2020.

"But it has awakened everyone from their deep slumber -- the Centre, political parties, the media, and civil society who seemed to be asking no questions of the government months away from the 2024 general elections.

"It may not rattle the Centre, and nothing is likely to come of it since there will be no Parliament session soon, but it is slowly becoming the conversation and may change the narrative.

"After all, a week is a long time in politics. Fifteen days ago, we were only talking of Ayodhya. Now we are talking about farmers."

He believes that even the protesting farmers know nothing will come of this agitation before the Lok Sabha elections.

"One has to realise that such movements do not yield immediate results. These movements are long-drawn and protracted.

"What it has done now is that it has brought the media attention back to farmers from other emotive issues like Ram Mandir."

IMAGE: A candle light protest after a death of a protestor at Shambhu Barrier, February 23, 2024. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters

Professor Kanwalpreet, professor of political science at the DAV College Chandigarh, summed up the issue.

"If this farmers' protest has forced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to return to Delhi, leaving his Nyay Yatra, it means it has already overshadowed the yatra, and the Congress wants to be seen as participating in it, as do other political parties.

"If this protest continues long enough, it will slowly force people away from religion to real issues like agriculture, employment, health, education, etc."

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
An active-duty member of the United States Air Force attempted self-immolation and yelled, 'Free Palestine', outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, on February 25, according to the Air Force and local officials, reported by CNN.

IMAGE: Protests outside the UN headquarters in New York City, on January 31, 2024. The image is used only for representation. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters

'The Metropolitan Police Department responded to the 3500 block of International Drive, NW, at approximately 1 pm, to assist the United States Secret Service after an individual set himself on fire in front of an embassy in the block,' the Washington Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement to CNN.

The man, identified as Aaron Bushnell. In a video of the incident analysed by CNN the man is seen saying, 'I will no longer be complicit in genocide', before going on to say that what he's about to do is 'minimal compared with the suffering of Palestinians'.

After placing the recording device on the ground, he covers himself with an unidentified liquid, lights it, and yells, 'Free Palestine'. Eventually, he collapses as policemen hurry to use fire extinguishers to put out the flames.

"I can confirm an active-duty airman was involved in today's incident," Rose Riley, a spokesperson for the US Air Force, told CNN.

As per MPD, the man is still in serious condition after being taken to a nearby hospital by DC Fire and EMS.

"No embassy staff were injured and are safe," as per an Israeli Embassy spokesman.

By the time firefighters were dispatched to the scene, the fire had already been extinguished by the US Secret Service, according to Vito Maggiolo, a public information officer from DC Fire.

Vito Maggiolo, a public relations officer with DC Fire, stated, that by the time firefighters were dispatched to the scene, the fire had already been extinguished by the US Secret Service

MPD said it is working with the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate the incident.

In December, a person set themselves on fire outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta in what police said was 'likely an extreme act of political protest'.

A Palestinian flag that was part of the protest was recovered at the scene, and gasoline was used as an accelerant, police and fire officials told reporters at a news conference.

Following the terror assaults in Israel on October 7 that claimed 1,200 lives, Israeli authorities have declared war on Hamas in Gaza.

Nearly 30,000 people have died in Gaza as a result of the reaction, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Hindu prayers will continue in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, the Allahabad high court said on Monday while dismissing a plea that had challenged the district court's order to this effect.

IMAGE: A priest offers prayers at 'Vyas ji ki tehkhana' inside the sealed basement of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, in Varanasi. Photograph: ANI Photo

The court observed that the Uttar Pradesh government's 1993 action of stopping worship rituals inside "Vyas Tehkhana" located at the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi was "illegal".

Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal said that the worship rituals were stopped by "illegal action of state without there being any order in writing".

Justice Agarwal rejected two appeals filed by the mosque management committee challenging the Varanasi district judge's January 17 order that appointed the district magistrate as the receiver of the "Vyas Tehkhana" and January 31 order by which he allowed 'puja' to be performed there.

The high court said worship will continue in the "Vyas Tehkhana" of the mosque adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

Mohammad Yasin, joint secretary of Anjuman Intezamia Masajid, the committee that manages the affairs of the Gyanvapi, said that their lawyers are studying the judgement and they might approach the Supreme Court against the order.

Dismissing the appeals, Justice Agarwal said, "After going through the entire records of the case and considering the arguments of the parties concerned, the court did not find any ground to interfere in the judgment passed by the district judge on January 17, appointing the Varanasi district magistrate as the receiver of the property, as well as the order dated January 31 by which the district court permitted puja in the tehkhana."

Going through the argument made by the Muslim side that the January 31 order was passed without any application, the high court said, "In the instant case, by order dated January 17 the composite prayer made in application was allowed, but only relief (a) was incorporated appointing receiver. Relief (b) allowing worship was added on January 31, 2024 after it was brought to the notice of the Court and order stood modified/ amended in terms of Sections 151/152 CPC."

"I find that the challenge made to the order dated January 31 on the plea of res judicata is totally unfounded as the relief prayed by the plaintiff was granted on January 17, 2024 but part of it was not incorporated in the order which was subsequently modified/ amended," Justice Agarwal said.

The court noted that the Uttar Pradesh Sri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983 provides that the district magistrate, who, being the ex-officio member of the board of trustees and also a member of the executive committee, is bound to act as per the duties of the board and also to comply with the directions of the Board and state government being the member of executive committee responsible for the superintendence, direction and control of the affairs of the temple.

"Once, the District Magistrate, Varanasi is performing his duties enumerated under the Temple Act, 1983, his appointment as Receiver by the court, who has to act on the direction and supervision of the court would not lead to any clash of interest," the court added.

In its 54-page judgment, the court also noted, "Lastly, an attempt has been made to malign the image and impute motive to the order passed by the Court below on January 31, 2024 on the ground that the officer concerned had passed the order on the last working day."

Justice Agrawal said that puja at that place has already been started and is going on, thus there is no occasion to stop the same.

The high court judge had reserved his verdict in the matter on February 15 after hearing the counsels for the parties.

The mosque committee had moved the high court on February 2, hours after the Supreme Court refused to hear its plea against the district court order and asked it to approach the high court.

A survey conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India on the court's order had suggested that the Gyanvapi mosque was constructed during Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's rule over the remains of a Hindu temple.

The district court ruled on January 31 that a Hindu priest can perform prayers before the idols in the southern cellar of the mosque.

The prayers are now being conducted by a Hindu priest nominated by the Kashi Vishwanath temple trust and the petitioner, who has claimed that his grandfather offered puja in the cellar till December 1993.

The district court had directed the local administration to make arrangements within seven days for prayers in the cellar. This would have involved "proper arrangements" with metal barricades at the complex.

The January 31 order of the district court was delivered on the plea of Shailendra Kumar Pathak, who had claimed that his maternal grandfather, priest Somnath Vyas, offered prayers in the cellar till December 1993.

He had said puja was stopped during the tenure of then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav after the Babri masjid in Ayodhya was demolished on December 6, 1992.

During the hearing, the Muslim side had contested the petitioner's version.

It had said no idols existed in the cellar and hence, there was no question of prayers being offered there till 1993.

The Muslim side had also countered the petitioner's claim that the basement was under his grandfather's control.

The petitioner had claimed that his family had control of the cellar even during British rule.

The said temple is called by the masjid committee as Gyanvapi mosque, the petitioner had said. There is a tehkhana (cellar) in the southern side of the subject building which is the principal seat of hereditary pujari (priest) of Vyas family, the petition said.

The suit was filed against the action of the state government and district administration restricting the plaintiff to enter the said temple and fundamental right granted under Article 25 of the Constitution being infringed.
The Madras high court on Monday set aside an order of a special court for the trial of Prevention of Corruption Act, discharging Tamil Nadu rural development minister I Periyasamy from a corruption case, and directed him to stand trial.

IMAGE: Tamil Nadu rural development minister I Periyasamy (right). Photograph: Courtesy Periyasamy on X

Stating that the legitimacy of the administration of criminal justice will be eroded and public confidence shaken if MLAs and ministers facing corruption cases are able to short-circuit criminal trials, the judge said the public should not be led to believe that a trial against a politician in this state is nothing but a mockery of dispensing criminal justice.

A Constitutional court is duty-bound, under the Constitution, to ensure that such things do not come to pass, the judge added.

The matter pertains to alleged corruption against the minister relating to the allotment of a house under the Tamil Nadu Housing Board during the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rule of 2006-2011.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh said the additional special court for the trial of criminal cases related to elected Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu here should resume hearing on or before March 26 -- within one month from today (Monday).

The trial court shall, as far as practicable, conduct trial from day to day, and complete the same on or before July 31, 2024, the judge added.

All the accused, including minister Periyasamy, shall appear before the Special Court on March 28.

Upon such appearance, they shall furnish a bond of Rs 1 lakh each with two sureties under Section 88 CrPC to the satisfaction of the special court, the judge added.

If the accused, including Periyasamy, adopt any dilatory tactics, the trial court can insist upon their presence and remand them in custody, as laid down by the Supreme Court in state of Uttar Pradesh vs. Shambhu Nath Singh case, the judge added.

The judge said that as of the date of taking cognisance of the offences, Periyasamy was an MLA, which meant that it was the Speaker and not the Governor who was the competent authority to grant permission to prosecute him.

Therefore, the permission/sanction granted by the Speaker does not suffer from any infirmity or want of authority, the judge added, stating that for these reasons, the petition filed by Periyasamy seeking discharge, once the trial commenced, was not maintainable.

Consequently, the Special Court -- to which the case had been transferred from the trial court -- committed a gross illegality in entertaining and allowing a second discharge petition in the midst of trial, the judge added.

"This court has no hesitation in holding that the order dated March 17, 2023 discharging A3 (Periyasamy) smacks of manifest illegality and grave procedural impropriety...," the judge further said.
Congress MP from Jharkhand's Singhbhum (ST) constituency, Geeta Kora, on Monday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party at its state headquarters in Ranchi, and criticised her former party for indulging in appeasement politics.

IMAGE: Ex-Congress MP Geeta Kora. Photograph: ANI Photo

The move comes months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Kora, the wife of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, the lone Congress MP in the state, joined the saffron party in the presence of BJP state president Babulal Marandi.

"I joined the BJP today (Monday). The Congress has put the country in trouble by indulging in appeasement politics. The party says it will take everyone along, but it takes only its family along," she said.

Kora said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who ensured that proper respect was accorded to tribals, and also took a stand for women over various issues.

Modi ji takes tough decisions in the interest of the country... He is working for every section of the society. This is why I have decided to leave the Thugbandhan' and join the BJP, she said.

Kora was referring to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Cong-Rashtriya Janata Dal alliance in the state.

Attacking the coalition government in Jharkhand, Kora said that the harm the tribals have suffered today is because of the alliance.

Tribals are becoming homeless and they are migrating. This coalition government doesn't have any policy or vision for the tribals. Unemployed youths are forced to take to the streets. They cannot benefit Jharkhand, she claimed.

Meanwhile, in a post on X, former chief minister Babulal Marandi said: Impressed by the public welfare works of Honorable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji and the policies of Bharatiya Janata Party, the hard-working MP of Chaibasa, Smt Geeta Kora ji joined the BJP today. Congratulations and welcome to the BJP family.

Marandi also alleged that the Congress used former CM Madhu Koda for political gains, and calls itself a tribal-friendly party to derive political mileage.

"Shibu Soren, Lalu Yadav and Ahmed Patel looted the forests, water and land of the tribals... Then trapped Madhu Koda Ji who hails from the 'Ho' community. In an attempt to suppress the voice of the Ho' community and in order to save themselves, corrupt leaders sidelined him (Koda).

"I request Madhu Koda Ji to make public the evidence... It is important for public to identify the real culprits of the loot," Marandi said.

Koda served as Jharkhand CM between 2006 and 2008, and later faced a jail term after being convicted of corruption in a coal scam.

He was a BJP MLA from Bihar's Jagannathpur assembly constituency before the creation of Jharkhand in 2000.

In the 2005 Jharkhand assembly elections, Koda was denied a ticket by the BJP, but contested as an independent candidate from his stronghold Jaganathpur and won.

The BJP-AJSU alliance had won 12 out of the 14 parliamentary seats in Jharkhand in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The National Investigation Agency on Monday filed a charge sheet against five Lashkar-e-Tayiba operatives, including three Pakistan-based handlers of the banned outfit, in connection with an attack on civilians in Rajouri district last year.

IMAGE: Security personnel keep a vigil ahead of Army chief General Manoj Pande's visit to Rajouri to review the security situation after four soldiers were killed in the recent terror attack, in Poonch, December 25, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

The final report against a juvenile who was also apprehended in the case will be submitted to the Juvenile Justice Board in Rajouri, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.

Seven people belonging to the minority community were killed and several others injured when terrorists attacked Dhangri village in Rajouri on January 1.

While five civilians were killed in firing by terrorists, two lost their lives in an improvised explosive device blast the next day.

The charge sheet against three Pakistan-based LeT handlers, including two top commanders of the proscribed outfit, and two arrested 'over ground workers' was filed before a special NIA court under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code.

The spokesman identified the accused as LeT handlers Saifullah alias Sajid Jutt alias Ali alias Habibullah alias Numan alias Langda alias Noumi, Mohd Qasim and Abu Qatal alias Qatal Sindhi and Nisar Ahmed alias Haji Nisar and Mushtaq Hussain alias Chacha, both residents of Gursai village in Poonch.

"While Saifullah and Qatal are Pakistani nationals, Qasim exfiltrated to Pakistan sometime around 2002 and joined the LeT terrorist ranks there," the spokesperson said.

The NIA said the three Pakistan-based handlers had orchestrated the recruitment and dispatch of LeT terrorists from across the border to target innocent civilians, particularly from the minority community in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as security personnel.

"The attacks were carried out under the directions of these Pakistan-based handlers. Saifullah is currently a highly placed LeT Commander who was responsible for engineering the overall conspiracy from Pakistan, along with the other two. Qasim is currently the right hand of highly placed LeT commanders," the official said.

The spokesperson added that Qatal had come to India in 2002-03 and was active in the Poonch-Rajouri range.

The NIA said investigations revealed that the two arrested 'overground workers' had provided logistical support to the terrorists on the directions of Qatal.

"Along with a juvenile, who was also apprehended for aiding and abetting the perpetrators, they had provided food, shelter and other types of logistic support to the terrorists for approximately three months following the attack in Dhangri.

"They had also attempted to conceal evidence by destroying the mobile phone used for clandestine communication with the Pakistan-based LeT commanders," the spokesperson said.

The official said Nisar received the consignment of arms, ammunition and cash sent by the Pakistan-based handlers for the terrorists.

"Investigations have revealed that Nisar had come in contact with Qatal during the latter's stay in India. He remained in touch with him even after the Qatal's return to Pakistan," the spokesperson said.
The incident remains a reminder of the inherent fragilities of all geopolitical relationships.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi and Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani in Doha, February 15, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The hectic behind-the-scenes diplomacy that played a key role in ending the 18-month ordeal of eight former Indian Navy personnel imprisoned in Qatar on alleged espionage charges can be viewed as a reflection of strengthening economic ties between the West Asian powerhouse and India.

The rapid change in the Qatari government's stance from the death sentence in October last year to jail terms in December to freedom took place ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates on February 13.

The PM reportedly played an active role in securing the release of these men, personally negotiating with Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai in December.

Though this case has a happy ending, the episode has raised many questions about the complexities of geopolitical alignments in West Asia, highlighting the constant challenges India faces in managing them.

The official details of the charges against the Navy men have not been made public and the circumstances remain murky.

They were employees of a Doha-based company called Dahra Global, a now defunct entity owned by a Qatari citizen, which reportedly specialised in training defence personnel.

Reports say the eight Indian men were accused of passing on sensitive submarine-related information to the Israeli intelligence and the death sentence was passed just weeks after the war between Gaza-based Palestinian group Hamas and Israel broke out on October 7.

Qatar is one of the militant outfit's strongest backers.

Although India has traditionally supported the two-State solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict, it has developed closer ties with Tel Aviv, which has become the country's second-largest supplier of defence equipment.

India has historically enjoyed cordial relations with the array of West Asian powers, from Sunni Saudi Arabia to Shia Iran.

In recent years, it has deepened this relationship as part of the rapprochement between the Arab world and Israel.

In July 2022, in partnership with the United States, New Delhi signed on to the I2U2 technological collaboration among India, Israel, the UAE, and the US.

Last year, the development of an India-Middle East-Europe corridor was announced at the G20 summit in New Delhi.

Qatar, too, has emerged as a significant investor in India.

Recently, Qatar Energy and Petronet signed a long-term deal, the biggest in recent years, to supply 7.5 million metric tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) annually.

Qatar accounts for half of India's LNG imports and this deal is critical at a time when Europe is also exploring the region for similar deals to reduce dependence on Russian gas.

Qatar's sovereign wealth fund also has significant investment in the Indian private sector, including the startup universe, while several Indian companies have a presence in Qatar.

Economic ties between the two are strengthened also by a large presence of Indian workforce there.

No doubt this symbiotic economic relationship and Mr Modi's personal rapport with Emir Al Thani played a part in the reprieve for the Navy men and can be seen as a major achievement for Indian diplomacy.

Nonetheless, the incident remains a reminder of the inherent fragilities of all geopolitical relationships.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. The military operations we conducted both in 2020 and in September of the last year were conducted in full accordance with international humanitarian law, President Ilham Aliyev said at a meeting with representatives of the general public from the Khojaly district, Trend reports.

This is further evidence of the greatness of our nation. However, there is a feeling of revenge in our hearts when we go back to that bloody history, when we look at those terrible videos and photos. We are filled with anger, and this anger will not let up even after 300 years, not just 30. And this is natural, we are human beings, but at the same time, we are representatives of a great nation, the head of state pointed out.
The Calcutta high court on Monday directed the police to arrest Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh, who has been accused of sexual atrocities and land grab by villagers in Sandeshkhali area, while clarifying there is no stay on it.

IMAGE: Women protest demanding the arrest of TMC leader Ajit Maity and others, at Bhanga Katpol area of Bermajur, Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas on Sunday, February 25, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The court said it is surprising to note that the incidents of atrocities in Sandeshkhali were reported to the state police four years ago.

"It is furthermore surprising that it has taken four years for 42 cases to mature into chargesheets," a division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam said.

Noting that advocates appearing in the matter submitted that a wrong impression has been created that a stay had been granted by the court on the arrest of Sheikh, the bench said that there is no record in any of the cases relating to incidents at Sandeshkhali that there is a stay on Sheikh's arrest.

"Therefore, the said person shall be arrested by the concerned police authorities," the court directed.

The court directed that Sheikh, the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the district superintendent of police and the state's home secretary representing the West Bengal government be impleaded as parties in the suo motu matter initiated on the allegations of sexual atrocities on women and land grab of tribal people.

The bench directed the high court registry to give public notice in one prominent English and one Bengali newspaper stating that Sheikh has been made a party in the matter, as he is on the run and not seen in public since a mob attack on ED officials on January 5.

The division bench, also including Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, directed that the matter will come up for hearing again on March 4.

Noting a petitioner's submission that women in the area were afraid to lodge complaints with the police fearing reprisals, the court said that it would consider on the next date of hearing whether the Legal Services Authority should be requested to take up those cases.

Advocate General Kishore Dutta, representing the state, submitted that in four years till December 18, 2023, the local police registered 43 first information reports (FIRs) on various charges including rape, out of which chargesheet have been submitted in 42 cases.

He further submitted that seven cases were registered during the same period over allegations of grabbing land owned by tribal people and chargesheet have been filed in all of these.

Holding that the manner of investigation is not clear and under what provisions the chargesheets were filed, the bench said that this aspect will be examined by it at a later date.

Dutta also stated before the court that 24 cases have been started since February 18 this year on various charges and 15 arrests made.

Stating that four years is too long a period, the Chief Justice said the 'issue has been boiling for quite some time and ultimately it has burst'.

The court asked what more proof is required that land grabbing took place at Sandeshkhali when the state government has taken steps to rehabilitate the victims.

Petitioner lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal claimed that while state ministers were being allowed to go to Sandeshkhali freely, others were being prevented.

The AG submitted that the state ministers have not visited those places in Sandeshkhali block II where prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) were operational and also went to Sandeshkhali block I, where no such orders have been imposed.

Clarifying the issue that an impression was created about a stay being in operation on the TMC leader's arrest, the court said that in a different matter, it had on February 7 stayed the constitution of a joint special investigation team of the CBI and the state police which had been ordered by a single bench to investigate the attack on ED officials.

It had restrained the state police from proceeding with investigation in the cases which were registered by them in connection with the attack.

ED officials were attacked when they went to search the premises of Sheikh on January 5 in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam in West Bengal.

Three FIRs were filed at Nazat police station in North 24 Parganas district on January 5 -- one by an employee of Sheikh against the ED officials, another by the ED against Sheikh and his alleged accomplices and a suo motu FIR by the local police.

The ED and the state government had moved separate appeals challenging the single bench order.

While the ED prayed that only the CBI be ordered to investigate the attack, the state prayed that its police be given the sole authority to probe the FIRs on the same.
Several Indians, who worked as support staff to the Russian army, were 'discharged' following India's demand, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday.

IMAGE: Indian men trapped in Russian warzone. Photograph: X

It said India remains committed, as a matter of 'top priority', to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army.

According to media reports, several Indians have been working as security helpers in the Russian military, and they were forced to even fight with Russian soldiers in certain areas along Russia's border with Ukraine.

'We have seen some inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge,' the MEA said in a statement.

'Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities and those brought to the attention of the ministry have been taken up with the Russian embassy in New Delhi,' it said.

The MEA added, 'Several Indians have already been discharged as a result.'

Meanwhile, a 23-year-old man from Surat working as a 'helper' for the Russian Army was killed in a Ukrainian missile strike in a war zone, as per the claim made by his relatives.

Relatives of the deceased, Hemil Mangukiya, on Monday, urged the Central government to help them get back his mortal remains.

Surat district collector Sourabh Pardhi said no official confirmation has been received as of now.

"We are awaiting details. No official confirmation has been received so far. We will share (details) once confirmed," he said.

Hemil had made a Whatsapp call to his family members in Surat on February 20, and on the next day, he was killed near the Ukraine border in a missile strike by Ukraine, claimed his uncle Suresh Mangukiya.

"We humbly request the government to help us get back his body to Surat," he said.

Hemil had worked in an embroidery business earlier, his cousin brother Darshan Savani told reporters.

"Hemil had moved to Russia to join the Army two months back. He was working as a helper with a monthly salary of Rs 50,000," according to Darshan.

He had made a WhatsApp call to his family members on February 20 and asked them not to worry about him, which was his last communication, Darshan claimed.

He claimed Hemil decided to leave India in search of a job for better prospects.

"He had applied for a few jobs abroad but his applications were rejected. Meanwhile, he came across a job opening as a helper with the Russian army for a salary of Rs 50,000 and applied," Darshan claimed.

Hemil had paid Rs 3 lakh to a Mumbai-based agent to help him go to Russia. Upon reaching Russia, his employer made him sign a contract, as per which he was deployed in a war zone and his salary was raised to Rs 2 lakh, according to Darshan.

He said Hemil's family members allowed him to go to Russia as he was promised a decent salary. He left for Russia on December 14, Darshan added.

"We came to know about Hemil's death through his acquaintance on February 23. His friend from Nepal also died similarly," he added.

Darshan and Suresh Mangukiya also claimed that Hemil was influenced by a video asking youth to take up a job with the Russian Army.

"He made up his mind to join the Russian Army after viewing that video and met an agent in Mumbai," Suresh Mangukiya claimed.

Last week, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi was in touch with Moscow for early 'discharge' of Indians working as support staff to the Russian Army and urged its nationals to stay away from the conflict zone in Ukraine.

"We urge all Indian nationals to exercise due caution and stay away from this conflict," he had said.

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi had urged the ministry to rescue the Indians.

In a related development, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association said it wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, seeking their intervention for repatriation of two youths 'trapped' in Russia.

It said one youth is trapped along the Russia-Ukraine border and another reportedly missing within Russia.

In a statement, the national convener of the association, Nasir Khuehami, said that Azad Yusuf Kumar and several others have been ensnared in a fraudulent recruitment scheme, wherein they were deceived into travelling to Russia under false promises of job opportunities in cooking and cleaning.
Delhi's former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who completed one year in jail on Monday, spends most of his time inside his cell reading books from the library, playing badminton and reading the Bhagvad Gita, a Tihar jail official said.

IMAGE: AAP leader Manish Sisodia is being brought to the Rouse Avenue Court for a hearing in the Delhi excise policy case, in New Delhi, February 22, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigations in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy scam on February 26, 2023.

He was later arrested by the Enforcement Directorate also in the case and then sent to the Tihar jail.

Sisodia is presently lodged in Tihar jail number 1, where he stays in his separate cell shared with two more inmates, who are lodged in non-heinous cases, official sources said.

Tihar has 16 jails. All the cells, wards and barracks in the jails are heavily mounted with CCTV cameras installed by the prison authorities.

An official said Sisodia spends most of his time reading the Bhagvad Gita and books issued from the Tihar library and playing badminton, a facility provided by the jail authorities for all inmates.

According to the Tihar jail officials, Sisodia does some meditation before having morning tea.

The officials said the Aam Aadmi Party leader has not yet demanded any specific thing and is housed in the jail like other inmates.

The officials said because of his gentle behaviour in the prisons, he was never shuffled to other jails of the Tihar.

The timings for the tea, food and watching television are same for him as the other inmates, he said.



The morning starts with tea, biscuits and snacks including 'dalia' between 7 and 8 am.

Lunch is served either with chapati or rice along with dal and one vegetable, an official said.

He said the wards remain closed between 12 pm and 3 pm. At 4 pm, tea is served again.

The official said dinner is served by 7 pm with the same set of food items - dal, rice, chapati and vegetable.

Sisodia is one of the three AAP leaders who were arrested and remained in Tihar jail. Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh are the other two arrested Delhi ruling party leaders.

Jain is out on bail on medical grounds. Singh, however, is lodged in Tihar jail number 2.

Sisodia spends most of his time reading books, including the Bhagavad Gita. In March 2023, the court had allowed him to carry the Hindu holy book, a pen and a dairy. He also plays badminton in the evening, an official said.

In the initial days, Sisodia also wrote public letters related to the educational qualification of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the importance of education for the underprivileged children. These letters were shared by his party leaders out of the prisons.

Another official from Tihar said Sisodia avails the facility of 'inmate calling system' where a prisoner can talk to his family once a day for five minutes.

Sisodia's bail plea has been rejected multiple times by the Supreme Court. However, he was granted permission to meet his ailing wife twice.

In October and November, he was allowed to go home, located at Mathura Road, and meet his wife on the court's order.

An official said Sisodia often goes for medical check up in hospitals outside Tihar, whenever doctors in Tihar advise him. In January, he was taken to Delhi government-run LNJP Hospital for consultation on orthopaedic issues, the official said.
Government unlikely to bring in an ordinance to address the developments arising out of the Supreme Court order.

IMAGE: A five-judge Constitution bench comprising Chief Justice Dr D Y Chandrachud, Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra pronounce the judgment on the petitions challenging the Electoral Bonds Scheme, February 15, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

While the Supreme Court has asked the State Bank of India to disclose complete details on electoral bonds issued since 2018, banking norms may come in the way of revealing the names of the buyers of these papers, sources said.

To a query whether executing the Supreme Court verdict would not lead to a breach of promise the government made to the bond holders that their names would be kept secret, sources said it would indeed be so.

They also said the government was unlikely to bring in an ordinance to address the developments arising out of the Supreme Court order, considering the 17th Lok Sabha had concluded its last session and the Lok Sabha polls were imminent.

Sources said the verdict would bring back the days of black money in funding political parties. Those who have black money will survive, they said.

"This would bring back the bad old days," one of them said.

The electoral bond scheme, notified in 2018, was not perfect but an improvement on funding practices prevailing then, according to them.

The Supreme Court could have said this scheme was a step ahead of the practices then and needed further improvement, but electoral reform now has received a setback.

Sources said it was difficult to reveal the names of bond buyers that time because it would have led to harassment at local levels.

When asked whether the government would file a review petition in the Supreme Court, they said those who were filing PIL (public interest litigation) petitions should come forward and do so.

Jagdeep Chhokar, founder of the Association for Democratic Reforms, the lead petitioner in the case, said relevant laws amended to introduce the scheme had been struck down by the Supreme Court and hiding behind banking practices made no sense.

All those provisions, be it in the Companies Act, the Representation of the People Act, or the Income Tax Act, have been declared unconstitutional by the apex court, he pointed out.

Sanjay Hegde, a senior advocate who was a petitioner against the scheme in the Supreme Court, said once the court had struck down various amendments to the pieces of legislation enacted to introduce the scheme, one could not invoke banking practices.

The order has to be obeyed, he said.

Black money existed before the scheme as well as after the scheme was introduced, he added.

Those who did not pay taxes, such as loss-making companies, were also eligible to participate in it.

To say that it prevented black money in funding elections is misleading, he said.

Chhokar said it would be vital to track the patterns of quid pro quos when the SBI shared the data with the Election Commission.

"How difficult or easy it is to identify quid pro quos would depend on what kind of data comes out," he said.

However, there is no data to show if a bond changes hands, the person who purchases the bond can be held to some degree of accountability.

Constitutional expert and former Lok Sabha secretary general P D T Achary told Business Standard technically the Centre could bring in an ordinance and subsequently convene Parliament for a day to pass a Bill.

"But all of this is in the realm of conjecture. The government, if it follows this course, would need to find new legal grounds for denying the information since the Supreme Court said the scheme violated a fundamental right (Article 19 (1) (a)," he said.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
Asserting that he will not allow child marriages in the state, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday alleged that opposition Congress and All India United Democratic Front were siding with a "draconian" law which purportedly legalised underage marriage.

IMAGE: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma speaks on the state cabinet approving the Assam Repealing Ordinance 2024, during the last day of the ongoing budget session of the state assembly, in Guwahati, February 26, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Sarma also asserted in the assembly that his government will bring the Uniform Civil Code through the "front door", while maintaining that the UCC does not deal with traditional practices and rituals.

Members of the Congress and AIUDF, protesting against a Cabinet decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935, staged walkouts later.

The AIUDF had sought an adjournment motion to discuss the Cabinet decision, while the Congress maintained the original act could have been amended without repealing it altogether.

While Speaker Biswajit Daimary disallowed the adjournment motion, the chief minister also said that a discussion can be done when the repeal bill is listed in the proceedings.

As Sarma tried to explain why the repeal was needed, the two opposition parties created noisy scenes in the House leading a visibly agitated chief minister to assert that he will go ahead with banning child marriage.

This old law allowed registration of marriages between children of five-six years of age. If you want to speak in favour of this draconian law, I will also say that till I am alive, I will not allow child marriage to happen in Assam, Sarma said, pointing to the opposition benches.

I won't allow you to carry out business with Muslim children, Sarma said, specifically targeting the AIUDF."

As the opposition parties continued to create a ruckus, the chief minister switched to speaking in Hindi, saying that he was doing so that his words can reach a wider section of people.

I want the Congress, AIUDF to know that till Himanta Biswa Sarma is alive, I will not allow child marriages to take place, the CM said in a raised voice to assert his point.

Protesting against the Cabinet decision, the Congress walked out of the House for 10 minutes. AIUDF legislators initially raised slogans and stormed into the Well of the House, sitting on the floor for over five minutes. They later staged a walkout.

The Act of 1935 contained a provision allowing marriage registration even if the bride and groom had not reached the legal ages of 18 and 21, as required by law.

The chief minister also asserted in the Assembly that his government will bring the Uniform Civil Code through the "front door", while maintaining that the UCC does not deal with traditional practices and rituals.

The UCC is in Uttarakhand now. The UCC deals with four points -- preventing underage marriage, banning polygamy, inheritance laws and registration of live-in relationships. The UCC does not deal with traditional rituals or practices, the CM said.

The Uttarakhand Assembly had on February 7 passed a Bill that seeks to impose uniform rules on marriage, divorce, inheritances and live-in relationships for all communities except the Scheduled Tribes.

Sarma had said last month that Assam will be the third state after Uttarakhand and Gujarat to introduce a Bill seeking the UCC and it would exempt the tribal communities from the ambit of the law.

Replying to a discussion on the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, Sarma claimed that the government was only trying to curb practices conducted by individuals with malicious intent.

We will bring the UCC and we will bring it through the front door, Sarma asserted, reacting to leader of opposition Debabrata Saikia's question during the discussion if the proposed legislation on healing practices a tactic to bring in the UCC by the back door.

The Bill, which was later passed by a voice vote, seeks to eradicate non-scientific healing practices and make 'magical healing' by any person with sinister motive a cognizable and non-bailable offence, with imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to Rs one lakh.

Sarma, referring to a ruckus created by opposition parties earlier in the House over the state Cabinet's decision to repeal the Muslim Marriages and

Divorces Registration Act, said he was saddened at the stance taken by them over such a sensitive issue as child marriage.

On the opposition's objections to the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, Sarma maintained that a similar law exists in the form of Centre's The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954'.

It was passed when the late Jawaharlal Nehru was the prime minister, he said.

When (AIUDF chief) Badruddin Ajmal gives dua' (blessings), we have no problem. But when he tries to buy votes with his dua water', it will be an offence, Sarma said, evoking reactions from the AIUDF legislators who pointed out that their party chief is also a spiritual leader and people voluntarily approach him for healing'.

Ajmal is often approached by Muslims to blow into their water bottles, by which they believe that the water comes to possess healing qualities.

Independent legislator Akhil Gogoi, seeking the government to clarify the definition of evil practice', stated that most ministers and MLAs themselves wore talismans, etc.

Gogoi said the chief minister himself had red thread tied around his wrist, which is believed to have been obtained through following religious rituals.

In reply, Sarma said, I have worn this for my own good. We don't have a problem with someone following a traditional system for his or her own welfare, unless any sinister design is involved.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High near 45F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. A few flurries are possible. Low 29F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Mark Barden is co-founder and CEO of the Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund, and the father of Daniel, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy on Dec. 14, 2012. Opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of Vermont News & Media.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. An event was held at the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Russia, organized jointly with the representative office of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Russia, dedicated to the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, Trend reports.

The event was attended by ambassadors, representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Russian public, the diaspora, the Azerbaijan Youth Association of Russia, and Azerbaijani students studying in Moscow.

Before the official part of the event, the ambassadors of Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Pakistan, along with the guests present, laid flowers at the bas-relief of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev installed in the Embassy building, as well as a banner dedicated to the victims of the Khojaly tragedy. Funeral music played in the hall was performed by a string quartet.

Opening the event, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia Polad Bulbuloglu noted that this Day of Remembrance differs from previous ones in that today Khojaly, like the entire territory of Azerbaijan, is completely liberated from the occupiers.

Khojaly is an unhealing wound of the Azerbaijani people. This is one of the most serious crimes committed against the civilian Azerbaijani population during the long-term aggression of Armenia and one of the most tragic pages in the history of Azerbaijan.

Polad Bulbuloglu emphasized the special significance of the fact that it was on this day that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev paid a visit to Khojaly, where he laid the foundation of the Khojaly Genocide Memorial and met with representatives of the public.

The ambassador noted that this year for the first time the entire country, especially, Khojaly, liberated from occupation, commemorates the events of February 26 with a completely different, special feeling, with the head held high, as the National Flag of Azerbaijan proudly flies over the city.

The ambassador emphasized that at one time a political and legal assessment of such a bloody crime was given only after the return of National Leader Heydar Aliyev to the leadership of the country. The great role played by the international information campaign Justice for Khojaly, initiated by Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva, was also noted, within the framework of which young people both in Azerbaijan and abroad actively take part in preserving the memory of the victims of the tragedy.

Polad Bulbuloglu, addressing the representatives of the younger generation present, admonished them to never forget the difficult pages of the history of their country and to spread information about the Khojaly genocide among their peers and the international community.

In his speech, the ambassador paid special attention to the problem of mine terror.

In conclusion, Polad Bulbuloglu emphasized that Azerbaijan, being committed to the normalization of Azerbaijani-Armenian interstate relations, insists on compliance with international obligations and the renunciation of territorial claims on the part of Armenia, as it is confident that there is no alternative to the peaceful development of the region.

Then, activist of the Azerbaijan Youth Association of Russia, student of the First Moscow Medical State University named after I.M. Sechenov Gunel Mirieva read the poems of the poetess Naila Nadir My land, my Karabakh.

Next, the quartet performed Edvard Griegs mournful work The Death of Ose.

On this day, a large stand was installed at the entrance to the Embassy, dedicated to the memory of those killed in the Khojaly tragedy. Azerbaijanis living in Moscow, representatives of the diaspora, and students laid flowers at the memorial throughout the day.
Former Prime Minister Hun Sen is now expected to be named president of the body.

Cambodian members of commune councilors line up before voting for the Senate election at the Sisowath high school polling station in Phnom Penh, Feb. 25, 2024.

The ruling Cambodian Peoples Party won 55 of 58 seats in Sundays Senate election in an unsurprising result that will allow former Prime Minister Hun Sen to become president of the body.

The Khmer Will Party won three seats, according to the National Election Committee, or NEC.

The small, pro-democracy party is one of several parties that have sought to gain support in recent months after the main opposition Candlelight Party wasnt allowed to compete in last years National Assembly election.

Only members of Cambodias 11,622 local commune councils and members of the National Assembly were allowed to cast votes in the election. The CPP holds 120 of the Assemblys 125 seats and also holds the large majority of seats on the commune councils.

The last commune elections were held in 2022, with the Candlelight Party winning 22 percent of votes.

Many of those councilors voted for the Khmer Will Party in Sundays Senate election, according to exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy. However, some Candlelight Party councilors have been pressured over the last year to switch their allegiance to the CPP, he said.

Cambodias former Prime Minister Hun Sen receives a kiss from a commune councilor after voting at a polling station in Takhmao city, Kandal province on Feb. 25, 2024. (Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP)





CPP spokesman Sok Ey San dismissed Rainsys comments, saying there were no problems with the election.

We see that the preliminary election results have already been made public by the NEC, he told Radio Free Asia. We are happy with the decision of the electorate.

The royalist Funcinpec Party and the newly formed National Power Party also competed on Sunday.

Acting head of state

The Senate is designed to act as a check on the Assembly, but in practice it is essentially a rubber stamp body.

However, the president of the Senate acts as head of state when King Norodom Sihamoni is out of the country. The role will allow Hun Sen to continue to wield influence behind the scenes.

Hun Sen, 71, stepped down as prime minister last August after decades in power, paving the way for his eldest son to be appointed to the position.

A commune councilor shows her inked finger after voting at a polling station in Phnom Penh on Feb. 25, 2024. (Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP)





Cambodias Constitution allows the king to nominate two senators and the National Assembly to nominate another two, with the remaining 58 seats chosen in an election held every six years.

The NEC ruled last May that the Candlelight Party couldnt field any candidates for the National Assembly in the July election, citing inadequate paperwork. The partys efforts to fix the issue in September were unsuccessful.

That prompted an announcement in October that the party would join in an Alliance Toward the Future, with three other smaller political parties, including the Khmer Will Party.

The Khmer Will Partys secretary general, Kong Monica, said that if all pro-democracy voters had been united, the party could have won at least six seats on Sunday.

Last week, the partys president, Sok Hach, told supporters in Battambang province that the party is already eyeing the 2027 commune elections and the 2028 general election.

Translated by Sum Sok Ry. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.
The vines might be sent to Laos for processing into ecstasy or MDMA, sources said.

Yellow vine is seen at a processing site in Koh Kong province, Laos, in November 2016.

Smugglers are sneaking into a Cambodian national park to harvest so-called yellow vine, possibly to sell in Laos as raw materials for illegal drug manufacturing, residents told Radio Free Asia.

Virachey National Park in northeastern Cambodia is already threatened by illegal logging, but yellow vine, which can be used for herbal remedies but is also believed to be a precursor for making the drug ecstasy or MDMA, is another valuable commodity.

Those collecting it often dont even know what it is for, but those who run the yellow vine trade seem to want to keep things quiet.

In 2012, Chut Wutty, a prominent Cambodian environmentalist was shot to death after taking photos of harvested vines near a processing factory.

According to Cambodias forest law, which went into effect in 2002, those convicted of processing yellow vine, which is the commonly used name of the woody climber Coscinium fenestratum, can be sentenced to between five and 10 years in prison.

Sometimes smugglers will drive trucks into the forest to harvest the vines. They also buy yellow vine from residents who live near the national park, a resident who refused to be named for safety reasons told RFA Khmer.

Baing Chhreap, a villager who himself has harvested vines, said he can sell them for 500 riel per kilogram (5 U.S. cents per pound). He said that harvesting in the national park is not punished because local authorities are colluding with businesses.

But he also said that those who harvest have no idea who their buyers are selling to.

Too busy to worry about it

Chan Srouy, chief of the Sekong Commune near the national park, said he was aware that the vines are harvested but has no idea who the ringleaders are.

I am very busy with the election, he said, referring to weekend Senate elections. I havent got time to visit the villages. You can talk with authorities.

Ly Chandaravuth, an activist with the Mother Nature environmentalist group, said he is concerned that the middlemen sell the vines for illegal drug production. He urged authorities to immediately take action against the vine smuggling.

I am concerned that yellow vines are smuggled to Laos, he said. I suspect the vines are being used to produce illegal drugs and will be imported back to Cambodia. We have wasted millions of dollars and human resources on drug related issues.

Stung Treng Provincial spokesman Meng Kong said authorities have constantly cracked down on illegal smuggling and are investigating suspects to be brought to justice.

We have detained many trucks and taken action according to the law, he said. In case there are more suspects we will take actions against them. Ive received the information and are investigating.

Am Sam Ath of the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights said the government should take immediate action against the illegal yellow vine trade.

Translated by Samean Yun. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.
Ye Du vows to fight for the couple's freedom until his dying day, in a letter marking China's Valentine's Day.

Jailed Hong Kong rights lawyer Chow Hang-tung, left, and her fiance Ye Du, right, are seen in an undated photo.

By rights, jailed Hong Kong rights lawyer Chow Hang-tung ought to have gotten a love letter from her Guangzhou-based fiance and fellow rights activist Ye Du, on Lantern Festival.

But it was unclear if his message of lifelong love and support -- published in a major newspaper -- survived recent censorship of their correspondence by prison guards.

Ye's letter to Chow, an award-winning activist who has been behind bars since September 2021 for organizing vigils marking the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, expresses his sadness that the couple seem fated to be permanently apart.

"We're so far apart, yet you are always in my thoughts," wrote Ye, who proposed to Chow in July 2021 via a letter printed in the Ming Pao newspaper, but who is himself under a travel ban imposed by the authorities, to mark the 15th day of the first lunar month, a festival equivalent to Valentine's Day in the Chinese calendar.

"I will keep fighting for freedom and for our love for the rest of my life," the letter, which laments that the couple have never spent Lantern Festival together, reads.

Ye said that whenever he speaks out on behalf of Chow, he is typically hauled in by state security police for questioning soon afterwards.

"But this heavy pressure from the powers that be has never destroyed the love between us," he wrote.

His letter also recalls gifts the couple have previously exchanged on Lantern Festival  a large Kindle for Chow to read more comfortably in prison, and a quilt for Ye emblazoned with the message: "May we never be apart!"

Delivering a message

It is unclear whether Chow has read the letter yet. Reports emerged last week that Correctional Services guards at her prison had ripped out the pages from the copies of the Ming Pao delivered to the prison, the InMediaHK news website reported on Feb. 15.

It quoted correctional officials as saying that the content had been judged a threat either to prisoner rehabilitation or to prison order.

Hong Kong barrister Chow Hang-tung gave this quilt with the words May we never be apart! as a Valentines Day gift to her fiance Ye Du in February 2023. (Amnesty International)

Ye wrote on his Facebook page on Jan. 27 that his letter "was there for the whole world to read -- except her."

He called on anyone visiting Chow to take a copy to the prison with them.

The couple's correspondence has even been denounced in the ruling Chinese Communist Party-backed media.

Hong Kong's Ta Kung Pao published an op-ed article last week accusing the reporting around their love letters as "cheap sensationalism," and "manipulating people's emotions with propaganda."

Pro-China lawmaker Maxine Yao also hit out Ye's letter in the government-backed Bauhinia magazine, calling it "indecent," "explicit," and accusing it of "political manipulation" as Chow's case continues to progress through the courts.

"The logic of the 'love letter' doesn't make sense. It forcefully confuses the original author's love experience with anti-Chinese thoughts," Yao wrote.

The Ta Kung Pao described it as "soft propaganda" on the part of overseas anti-China forces seeking to destabilize Hong Kong.

In-prison censorship

Several people familiar with prison life in Hong Kong said it is fairly common for Correctional Services prison guards to censor newspapers delivered to its prison, and the practice is often used to target individual inmates.

Chow Hang-tung is seen inside a vehicle after being detained in Hong Kong, Sept. 8, 2021. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

Prison rules allow guards to have the last say over prisoners' reading material, and to ban anything deemed sensitive, including instructions on how to escape, or anything seen as an incitement to commit further crimes.

In practice, political topics like the trial of prominent prisoners including Jimmy Lai, are increasingly being censored, as is any material relating to the 2019 protest movement or the 2014 Umbrella Movement, said people familiar with prison life in Hong Kong, amid an ongoing crackdown on dissent and political opposition.

The Correctional Service Department replied to a detailed list of questions from RFA Cantonese about the censorship of prisoners' reading materials with a single sentence: "The article you mentioned was distributed to prisoners/the prisoner," but without specifying which article the reply referred to.

Translated by Luisetta Mudie.
Cuba is one of Pyongyangs few allies which shares its hostility towards the United States.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with his wife Ri Sol Ju farewell Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and his wife Lis Cuesta in Pyongyang, in this Nov. 7, 2018 photo released by North Koreas Central News Agency.

North Korean state-run media outlets have minimized their coverage of Cuba after the longtime ally since the Cold War established diplomatic ties with South Korea on Feb. 14.

The Rodong Sinmun, the Norths state-run daily, for instance, has not reported anything about Cuba since Feb. 15 when it briefly covered the Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguezs condemnation of Israels attack on Palestinians, as part of a summary of international news items.

Pyongyangs official Korean Central News Agency has also not mentioned Cuba for more than a week.

Cuba was not even mentioned in KCNA reports on Feb. 23 and 24 on celebrations at diplomatic missions and U.N. representations in 26 countries and a series of congratulatory visits by dignitaries to mark the 82nd birthday of the former leader Kim Jong Il.

It is usual for North Korean media to omit Cuba when reporting national events such as the former leaders birthday.

South Koreas presidential office said on Feb. 15 that the countrys move to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba would deal a political and psychological blow to Pyongyang, whose diplomatic footing is largely dependent on a small number of Cold War allies.

South Korea did not have diplomatic ties with Cuba for 65 years.

Meanwhile, Cuba continues to maintain close relations with North Korea, which were established in 1960, with their shared socialist ideology and their hostility towards the United States. Cuba maintains an embassy in Pyongyang.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro a comrade-in-arms, as cited by its state media. North Korea even observed three days of official mourning in 2016 when Castro died at the age of 90.

Edited by Elaine Chan.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. On the occasion of the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly genocide, one of the worst tragedies of the twentieth century, visits to the Mother's Cry monument dedicated to the genocide continue as the Azerbaijani people honor the memory of the victims, Trend reports.

The monument is visited by intelligentsia, public representatives, schoolchildren, and other citizens laying flowers at the monument.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Battles began last Wednesday when the anti-junta forces in Chin state attacked the junta troops.

Ongoing junta shelling across central Myanmar has killed seven civilians as of Monday, locals told Radio Free Asia.

Battles began last Wednesday when anti-junta forces in Chin state attacked the junta troops in the states Tedim township, in Khaikam city near the border with Kale township.

Kale township of Sagaing region has been the site of other junta attacks in the last few months. On Wednesday, a drone crash, perceived by locals to be an accident, injured 13 children when the drones explosives detonated over a village monastery.

In September, four family members died when a junta shell exploded on their home in the township.

A Kale resident who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons told RFA Monday that seven people were killed by heavy artillery in other neighborhoods of Kale city, the capital of Kale township, but the whereabouts of the other six have not been identified yet, as the fighting is ongoing.

One was killed and one was injured on Feb. 25. Now people in Sin Ywar neighborhood have also fled to safety, said the resident. Many homes were damaged due to the military juntas shelling and many people were injured.

All the victims were from Kale city, the resident added. The extent of civilian and soldier injuries is still unknown at this time.

Roughly 5,000 residents of Kale city have fled to safety, according to aid workers assisting internally displaced people.

Kale city became the first to resist the February 2021 military coup in May, with civilians arming themselves with age-old Tumee rifles. This mobilization came in the wake of one of the deadliest single-day massacres, with junta troops killing 110 people across the nation on March 27, 2021.

According to Myanmars 2019 General Administration Department statistics, Kale township is home to more than 340,000, of whom almost half are ethnic Chins.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Taejun Kang.
The region produces about 70% of the worlds jade, a key source of wealth to fund operations.

Fighting between the rebel Kachin Independence Army and the juntas military over control of Myanmars largest jade mine  an important source of wealth  has intensified since the beginning of the year, according to local residents and political observers.

Since the February 2021 military coup detat, both the junta and the KIA have relied on natural resources to fund their operations, and Hpakant is a particularly important area, said Aung Hein Min, a Kachin political analyst.

The armed groups are trying to control these areas as it is strategically important for both military and financial support, said Aung Hein Min, an elected parliamentarian for Hpakant township in 2020. It is an important point to control jade production.

The area produces about 70% of the worlds jade, which is popular in neighboring China, according to researchers and gem experts.

On Jan. 20, anti-junta Peoples Defense Forces and the Kachin Independence Army, or KIA, together attacked and seized Hway Hkar, a strategic hill, from the juntas 33rd Military Division, a major gateway for Hpakant township in northern Myanmars Kachin state.

Miners search for jade stones at a mine dump at a mine in Hpakant, Kachin state, Myanmar Nov. 25, 2015. (Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters)





The joint KIA and PDF forces also took control of the juntas nearby Nam Tein military camp on Feb. 2, local residents told Radio Free Asia.

These are strategic hills where military forces have been stationed for about a decade, a resident said on condition of anonymity. The military council has lost these hills after serious attacks by rebel forces.

The KIA and the junta both typically collect about 20 percent of jade production in exchange for giving permission to miners to extract in their areas of control, according to an April 2023 report from the Kachin State Accountability Resource Governance group.

The Kachin Independence Organization, or KIO  the political wing of the KIA  has clashed with the Myanmar military for decades.

The KIO sometimes works with Chinese companies in mining rare earth minerals in Kachin state, where successive governments have failed to regulate illegal mining for gold, jade and other rare metals for generations.

Junta troops and the KIA have fought about 35 battles in the area since early February, according to Col. Naw Bu, the KIOs news and information officer. The KIA has captured a total of 10 military camps since last month, he said.

We cant talk about military strategy to the media, he said to RFA. We have nothing to say about significant developments until now despite the escalation of battles.

RFA tried to contact Social Affairs Minister Thant Zin Koko, the spokesperson of the juntas Kachin state government, to ask about the recent fighting in Hpakant, but he couldnt be reached.

Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.
A leader of Myanmars ethnic Shan rebel group has denied any connections to the Japanese yakuza leader who was charged in New York with attempting to traffick weapons-grade nuclear materials.

Yakuza leader Takeshi Ebisawa was charged with attempting to sell confirmed weapons-grade uranium and plutonium to a man he believed was part of Irans nuclear weapons program, but who was in fact an undercover agent working for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.

Ebisawa and a group of associates allegedly transported the minerals out of Myanmar and into Thailand, holding them at one point at a hotel on the tropical island of Phuket. On video, he told the agent he was selling the materials on behalf of a rebel group leader in Myanmar.

The indictment issued by the U.S. Department of Justice did not identify the rebel group, but media speculation last week identified Shan state. However, the group said on Sunday that while it has discussed trafficking uranium, it never went further than that.

According to a post by Tai Freedom, a mouthpiece for the rebel group, Shan state leader Yawd Serk said a foreigner had once approached him looking to buy uranium heard to be available in Shan state.

However, he said that he had never heard of any place where uranium was produced, Tai Freedom said in the post. He simply replied that he would have to learn more about it because he didnt even know about uranium. He has never discussed any transaction with anyone.

Yawd Serk called the claims he was connected to the current trafficking case just an act of discredit without any source, as he had previously been accused of being involved in the drug trade, the post said.

Last weeks indictment did not confirm how the unnamed rebel leader  referred to only as co-conspirator 1  allegedly came to possess the materials, but did say he had claimed his group was mining uranium in [its] territory in Burma, and could mine as much as 5 tons of it.

Edited by Malcolm Foster.
Fourteen young people from Ywa Thar Yar village in Rakhine state were arrested at a military councils checkpoint in Yangon on Feb. 20, 2024. From top left in the first row, they are: Aye Chan Tin, Aye Hsan Win, Aye Thidar, Bo Saw Hein and Chit Hsan Khin. Second row: Cho Cho Than, Hsu Lin Shwe, Khin Than Nwe, Moe Htet Thu and Oo Win Kyaw. Third row: Phyo Htoo San, Phyu Phyu Soe, Soe Myint Maw and Ye Win Hlaing.

More than 100 ethnic Rakhine youths detained by Myanmars junta as they returned by bus to Rakhine state from the commercial capital Yangon last week remained incommunicado on Monday, with relatives expressing concern that they were forcibly recruited to join the military amid a rollout of the countrys conscription law.

Junta troops arrested the youths on Feb. 20 at a checkpoint in Shwe Pyi Thar township, according to a monk who was a fellow passenger on one of the buses and who lobbied to authorities on their behalf.

Of the three buses that were stopped, the two that I tried to intercede for carried between 90 and 100 passengers [in total], said the monk who, like others interviewed for this report, spoke to RFA Burmese on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.

The last thing I knew, they were arrested, he said. The reason I know this is because they entered the military checkpoint and never came out.

The youths, aged between 18 and 30, had been working in garment, shoe and other factories in Yangon, the monk said. They were returning to their homes in the Rakhine townships of Myepon, Minbya, Mrauk-U, and Kyauktaw because their wards in Yangon would no longer register them as guests and they feared arrest after the junta enacted the military conscription law earlier this month.

They departed the Aung Mingalar Bus Yard in two buses operated by the Aung Si Khaing bus service and a third operated by the Pwint Phyu bus service, the monk said. The buses typically carry up to 50 passengers.

The youths are currently being held at the junta troop unit in Yangon regions Hlaing Tharyar township, he said, adding that he had been unable to contact them as of Monday.

No contact since arrest

The military has suffered heavy losses on the battlefield in recent months  most notably in western Rakhine state, where the ethnic Arakan Army, or AA, ended a ceasefire in November and has since gone on to capture six townships.

On Feb. 10, the junta enacted the Peoples Military Service Law, sending draft-eligible civilians fleeing from Myanmars cities. They say they would rather leave the country or join anti-junta forces in remote border areas than fight for the military, which seized power in a 2021 coup detat.

RFA Burmese has since received reports of recruitment roundups and arrests of young people, despite pledges from authorities that the law will not be enforced until April.

Arakan Army troops pose in front of the juntas Western Regional Headquarters in Kyauktaw after capturing it on Feb. 13, 2024. The Myanmar military has suffered heavy losses in western Rakhine state in recent months. (Arakan Army Information Desk)

A relative of one of the detained youths told RFA that 14 of them are from his home village of Ywa Thar Yar, in Myebon townships Yaw Chaung district.

Four are male and 10 are female, he said. We havent had any contact with them since their arrest. They were working in factories in Yangon.

The relative urged the junta to release them as soon as possible, as they had committed no crimes and were supporting their families with their income.

Aid workers confirmed to RFA that more than 100 Rakhine youths were arrested at the checkpoint on Feb. 20, but were unable to provide the details of those in custody, such as their names, ages or hometowns.

Nowhere is safe

Residents said that in the past two weeks, authorities in Yangon and Mandalay have been strictly enforcing the Guest List Law, which mandates either seven days imprisonment or a fine of 10,000 kyats (about US$5) for those who fail to register.

And last week, junta troops arrested around 600 civilians after their flights from Yangon landed at two airports in Rakhine state, according to family members and sources with knowledge of the situation, who said the military is holding them on suspicion of attempting to join the armed resistance.

A young Rakhine man working in Yangon told RFA that the junta is arresting people from his state who are living in the city even if they are registered on guest lists, but said returning home isnt safe either.

Now, if you go back to Rakhine, you will be arrested at Sittwe Airport  [or] at Kyaukpyu Airport. But if you stay [in Yangon], there are difficulties with the military service law, he said. I fled here to avoid the fighting in Rakhine, but its not safe here either. Thats just the current situation."

Rakhine military commentators told RFA they believe that the junta is likely targeting youths returning to Rakhine state because they fear they will join the AA.

Attempts by RFA to contact junta spokesperson Maj. General Zaw Min Tun for comment on the detention of young people in Shwe Pyi Thar township went unanswered Monday.

On Feb. 20, the AA said in a statement that the junta is unlawfully arresting Rakhine people in cities such as Yangon and Mandalay to use as soldiers, in addition to subjecting them to daily discrimination, torture, extortion, and execution. The group called on Rakhines fleeing fighting in the state to move to territory under its control, instead of relocating to the cities.

Translated by Kalyar Lwin. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.
Tuvalu, northeast of Fiji, is one of only 12 nations that recognize Taiwan instead of Beijing.

This undated photo published by Tuvalu TV on Facebook on Feb. 26, 2024 shows Feleti Teo, Tuvalus new prime minister.

UPDATED at 6:38 P.M. ET on 02-26-2024

Tuvalu has chosen a seasoned Pacific leader as prime minister as it navigates challenges such as its diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, a contentious security treaty with Australia and funding for an ambitious land reclamation project.

Feleti Teo was the only candidate nominated for prime minister, allowing the Pacific island countrys governor-general to declare him elected, Tuvalus state TV said Monday, citing government secretary Tufoua Panapa.

It said the government and opposition ranks in the 16-member Parliament wont be clear until later this week when an oath taking ceremony takes place. Tuvalu held its election in late January, but it has taken a month for all members of Parliament to gather from across the far-flung archipelago in the capital atoll Funafuti.

Teo, over the past two decades, has had leading roles in key regional organizations such as the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, the Pacific Islands Development Forum, the Forum Fisheries Agency and the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat. He is a former attorney general of Tuvalu.

Teos election bodes well for the new government, according to Meg Keen, director of the Pacific Island Program at the Lowy Institute, an Australian think-tank.

He will be an astute navigator, she said, of relations with countries that have interests in the region.

He is well respected both in Tuvalu and the region. He brings to the office a deep understanding of the geopolitics of the region and the critical climate and resource issues affecting Tuvalus sovereignty and survival, Keen told BenarNews, a news service affiliated with Radio Free Asia.

We can expect that Tuvalus voice will be well projected at home and in the region.

This photo taken on Jan. 25, 2024, shows people outside a polling station on election day in Funafuti, the capital of the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu. (Sam Pedro/AFP)





Teo was congratulated on social media site X by lawmaker and former foreign minister Simon Kofe. It was the first time in Tuvalus history that a prime minister had been nominated unopposed, Kofe said.

Tuvalu, home to about 11,000 people, is one of the dwindling number of nations that have diplomatic relations with Taiwan instead of Beijing. Last month, another Pacific island nation, Nauru, severed ties with Taiwan, reducing its diplomatic allies to 12 countries. Among Pacific island nations, Palau and the Marshall Islands also recognize Taiwan.

Chinas government has courted Pacific island nations for the past two decades as it seeks to isolate Taiwan diplomatically, gain allies in international institutions and challenge U.S. dominance. Beijing regards Taiwan, a democracy and globally important tech manufacturing center, as a renegade province that must be reunited with the mainland.

Kofe, in a radio interview last month, said views on diplomatic recognition of Taiwan and a security treaty with Australia, which was signed in November last year, are likely to influence groupings in the new Parliament.

The treaty between Tuvalu and Australia, called the Falepili Union, requires Tuvalu to have Australias agreement for any partnership, arrangement or engagement with any other state or entity on security and defence-related matters. Its expansive scope and lack of consultation was criticized during the election campaign.

Tuvalu also is seeking U.S. $1.3 billion from international donors for a land reclamation plan that would double the size of Fongafale, the most populated island, by reclaiming 3.6 square kilometers (1.4 square miles) from its lagoon.

Tuvalu says half of Fongafale would be inundated during the high tide by 2050. Its projections for sea-level rise are based on the most pessimistic scenario for greenhouse gas emissions developed by the United Nations climate panel.

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization.

The story's headline was updated.
Abidin Damollam, an imam who served in a mosque in Qayraq village in Chinas Xinjiang region, was arrested in June 2017.

A 96-year-old Uyghur religious leader who was arrested in 2017 has died in prison, and authorities did not turn his body over to his family, his granddaughter told Radio Free Asia.

Abidin Damollam was an imam who served in a mosque in Qayraq village in Atush (in Chinese Atushi), the capital of the Qizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture in northwestern Xinjiang.

He was arrested in June 2017 on charges of promoting religious extremism and sentenced to nine years in prison.

His granddaughter Mariya Muhemmed, who lives in the United States, told RFA Uyghur that Damollam passed away on Feb. 5 inside Atushs Aghu prison.

Our grandfather was the imam of a mosque in Qayraq for 30 years and educated children in religion, she said.

In May 2017, he was arrested and has been serving in a large prison in Aghu, where they detain political prisoners. Many people are there, she said. Our grandpa passed away there and his body was not returned to the family.

Imams in Xinjiang are appointed by the Chinese government, and part of their duties are to provide religious instruction to students with government approval. Therefore, Damollam was arrested for doing what the government appointed him to do, his family said.

According to Muhemmed, prison authorities froze Damollams body and two days later transferred it to the Atush Police Department who buried him in a cemetery instead of returning the body to the family.

RFA attempted to verify the circumstances of Damollams passing and burial with relevant authorities.

An officer at the Suntagh police station did not have any knowledge of Damollam, saying that there were several thousand people with the same name.

An officer from the Justice Department of Qizilsu Prefecture confirmed the recent passing of Abidin Damollam, mentioning him among the other religious figures arrested.

I think I heard of his name. Let me look at the list. Yes, he is in the list, she said. He passed away at the beginning of this month. He was serving in Aghu prison in Atush.

An officer from the Atush City Police Department confirmed the circumstances of Damollams passing.

Yes, there is someone called Abidin Damollam with 11 children, he said. From what I heard he passed away in prison. He has been imprisoned since 2017 but I dont know which prison. His frozen body was returned about 10-15 days ago.

An officer from the Aghu Police Station confirmed that Abidin Damollam passed away at the Aghu Prison of Atush but could not explain as to why the authorities did not hand over the body to his family.

We dont know how he passed. They only said that it was due to illness, he said. Im not able to answer further questions. It is true that the body was given to us, not to the family.

The political director of the same police station intervened in the call and stated that the information was "confidential," refusing to provide further details over the phone.

Damollam had been a target of authorities during the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution and had to endure public humiliation in the eras notorious struggle sessions multiple times.

He was also detained several times in the 1990s whenever there was political unrest in the region, his family said, but they were not able to confirm how many times or for what reasons he was detained.

Translated by Alim Seytoff. Edited by Eugene Whong.
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.
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
The vibration of a specific reed that grows around the Nagorno-Karabakh region has provided the haunting sound of Armenias duduk, a wind instrument, for centuries. Azerbaijans recent military takeover of the disputed territory means duduk makers are now looking to Europe for imported reeds, but some fear the traditional sound might change forever.
Commemorative event on the 32nd anniversary of Khojaly genocide was held at the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the People's Republic of China.

Along with diplomatic missions accredited in China, representatives of scientific and public circles, as well as our citizens living in Beijing attended the event.

First of all, as a sign of respect for the memory of the martyrs, a wreath was laid in front of the Khari Bulbul bas-relief in the courtyard of the embassy, and the memory of the victims of Khojaly was commemorated with a minute of silence.

Military Attache, Colonel Teyfur Rustamov, who was awarded the Karabakh Order for his heroism during the 44-day Patriotic War, delivered detailed information about the massacre in Khojaly.

Azerbaijani Ambassador to China H.E. Bunyad Huseynov said in his speech this year we are we are commemorating the Khojaly tragedy with mixed emotions. Now thanks to the leadership of victorious Commander-in-chief, President Ilham Aliyev, the heroism of our Armed Forces and unity of our people our territories were liberated from Armenian occupation, and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan was restored.

The words of refugees and displaced persons are now replaced with the term of the Great Return. Some of the perpetrators who committed the genocide in Khojaly have been arrested and will soon be brought to justice and receive their appropriate punishment. Undoubtedly, other perpetrators involved in this crime will also face the sentence they deserve.

Today, as a result of the reconstruction works carried out by Azerbaijan in the liberated territories life is being restored in the economic regions of Karabakh and East Zangezur. We will soon witness the return of the residents of Khojaly to their homes.

Within the framework of the event, a photo exhibition of the articles published in the international press about the Khojaly tragedy was held, as well as a video containing the interviews of the witnesses of the genocide and footages of the raising of the national flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan by the President Ilham Aliyev in the liberated Khojaly and reconstruction works city carried out in the city was screened.
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."
BELGRADE -- Last September, 86-year-old Ann Bratton thought she'd stumbled onto the investment of a lifetime. An ad on one of the encrypted Telegram app channels the Nashville-area retiree had joined was offering debit-like "Trump cards" featuring the billionaire U.S. ex-president's image, each supposedly preloaded with $200,000. After years of forking out tens of thousands of dollars on souvenir banknotes, coins, and other Trump memorabilia, she calculated that she could quickly and easily turn a $6,000 investment into a $4 million nest egg. What she didn't know was that behind the offer of "Trump Collection" cards was an opaque group of web-based vendors from a faded industrial city 8,500 kilometers away. And that city, in the Balkan country of North Macedonia, was already notorious for being home to legions of scammers who had fraudulently monetized Donald Trump's popularity in the United States and around the world. Neither the Republican presidential hopeful Trump nor any of his organizations appear to have any connection to the manufacturers, platforms, or sellers. But it's an open secret in this corner of the Balkans that a startlingly successful digital disinformation and fake news industry that emerged in the Macedonian city of Veles alongside the political rise of Donald Trump helped lay the groundwork for a thriving new business in fraudulent goods marketed through encrypted channels to Trump-style conservatives and "patriots" an ocean away. And local authorities have acknowledged that the perpetrators appear to be netting huge profits by convincing pro-Trump Americans that a return to power of the 45th U.S. president will ensure huge windfalls for holders of the knockoff goods. "I believe in President Trump, and I think he is honest. I believed that I was investing in the future," Bratton said of her seven-year splurge on quasi-banknotes, tokens, coins, and more recently the bogus debit cards. "I can't even remember where it was all advertised." Months of research and infiltration of closed groups on the Telegram platform by RFE/RL's Balkan Service have identified 69 individuals who posted offers for such fraudulent cards, with the digital trail placing two-thirds of them in Veles. The journalists found that most of the 88 websites actively hawking such products to "American patriots" had domains registered in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. The number of vendors offering them to unwary customers is likely to be much higher, since several of the closed Telegram channels that they were using had upwards of 300 members. One of the typical Telegram communications -- carefully protected by an administrator acting as a gatekeeper but seen by RFE/RL journalists -- offered the advice: "Be sure to...[get] specific instructions on how to deceive the Americans."

Veles and its 45,000 or so inhabitants became synonymous with opportunism around the Trump movement ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, when more than 100 political websites sprung up there spreading fake news and appeals on hot-button campaign issues.

The sites used content from fiercely partisan blogs and advertised it via Facebook, generating millions of views per month.

How Does The Latest Scheme Work? So far, there has been no apparent response to the misleading ads by the competent authorities in the United States -- the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission -- or in North Macedonia. RFE/RL's Balkan Service sent multiple e-mails to Trump's campaign press team inquiring whether they were aware of the "Trump cards" or were planning any response. RFE/RL has not received a response. The formula is remarkably simple, on its face: A story is promoted with American readers in mind according to which products with Trump's image -- for example, coins, stickers, and stamps -- will become a currency in the future and worth millions once he's back in power. Stories suggesting swift financial returns are also distributed via digital channels, frequently zeroing in on Trump supporters. It is a new, supercharged spin on an old grift. Back in 2016, advertisements for collectibles like "Trump coins" or "Trump dollars" appeared on Telegram channels. Fraudsters' follow-up stories suggested the novelties would become legal tender in a "future Trump monetary system," sometimes making references to cryptocurrency. The New York Times reported in 2022 that the fraud hinged on the sale of "Trump coins" that were free for the asking but included a $9.99 charge for "shipping and handling." The ads included fake screenshots of celebrities urging people to invest as soon as possible "because the real money will soon disappear." In the middle of 2023, NBC News revealed that three companies based in Colorado were behind a "Trump bucks" scheme. The report detailed the machinations behind the "Trump Rebate Banking System" (TRB) and described the experiences of some of its victims. The "Trump card" strategy that was analyzed by RFE/RL has been employed since at least September 2023 and is mostly based on individual sellers' networking through online platforms, rather than any single entity. Communication is conducted through closed Telegram channels, while virtual marketers post false ads to Telegram channels that are open to the public. News that is thought to be of particular interest to a conservative U.S. audience is also shared on those same public channels.

It peddles the premise that people who own TRB products can retrieve returns on previous investments, encouraging them to believe they are simply cashing out with the use of the new cards. The prices of the cards can reach into the thousands of dollars.



"In short, the story will be that they need this product so they can cash in on other TRB products by withdrawing $5,000 every day at the ATM," one of the closed channels promoting the cards says. The language used to promote the products is often vague and obfuscating. "They can register up to $500,000 on each card." It was just such an ad that roped in Bratton, dangling the prospect of cashing in on years of online purchases. She ordered her cards in late September 2023 and received the first one by mail by early October. "I have been through a nightmare for the last year," Bratton told RFE/RL. "Counting all the people I have worked with during this time, I have spent well over $30,000 just for cash-out." Multiple individuals have contacted her, purporting to be "support" within the TRB, including someone calling themselves Abigail. "This Abigail person, she told me I needed to get those [cards] and she would activate these cards after I got them in the mail," Bratton said. "So, I did get them in the mail, and then when I got back on her site, I couldn't find Abigail anywhere.... It's just like she dropped out of the sky or something, you know?" Bratton shared detailed information about the shipment and a photograph of a "Trump Card" with RFE/RL. An investigation by RFE/RL's Balkan Service showed that the card was offered on a closed Telegram channel through which Macedonian merchants communicate. The card's QR code leads to a website, Trbcollectcard.net, presented by something called "Agenda 47" with a headline boasting that "America's Comeback Begins TODAY!" An image of a "Trump Card" with the ex-president's likeness bounces tantalizingly above a big, red "Order Now" button. The site's online registration and other clues lead squarely back to the Macedonian city of Veles. Payment-platform data showed that Bratton's card purchase was registered by an individual identified as Vesna Laftova. There are no e-mails, phone numbers, or other contact listings for such a person. The 'Clicksters' From Veles Of the 69 creators of similar products for sale, data from social networks shows that at least 45 declare their location to be Veles. They include individuals describing themselves as students, superintendents of children's playgrounds, men's suit salespeople, the owner of a local butcher shop, and many other ordinary walks of life. RFE/RL contacted some of them, but all of them declined to talk. Once the second-largest industrial city in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Veles was suffering unemployment of around one-fifth of its population, or 10,000 people, by the 2002 census, 11 years into its post-Yugoslav transition. That number was down to 3,000 declared jobless residents by the last census, in 2021.

Veles Mayor Marko Kolev says signs of the industrial collapse of the 1990s are still apparent. He told RFE/RL's Balkan Service that the breadwinners in many families, including his own, lost their jobs. "Some of the young people have found a way to quickly earn serious financial resources, but now I see that the next generations of young people are also following the same path," Kolev said. He'd heard that "some Trump products" are being sold, he said, but the city can only speculate about such things.

Still, he acknowledges, it is something of an open secret. "Honestly, I don't know how legal or illegal it is, but there is probably abuse because some of the things that are marketed in those [Telegram] groups are that 'if Trump came to power, some of the things being sold would have a higher value,'" he said. "This is how U.S. citizens are [being] manipulated." Kolev says he hasn't discussed such things with investigatory authorities, because there's not enough evidence. Local IT professional Borce Pejcev says he believes not all of what's happening is legal. He is a programmer for an international high-tech company but has been offered outside work designing websites for some of the scammers. "Two years ago, they contacted me to create their websites and to create scripts for them. I turned them all down," he said. "They offered me a percentage, but I told them I didn't want to." He acknowledges that his refusal was motivated at least in part by not wanting to "help people who break the law." He declined to name any specific websites or their backers out of concern for his personal safety. He says there's a new term among locals for the new generation of people peddling fraudulent products like fake debit cards. "When you see, for example, a 20-year-old driving an [expensive] car in town, you can tell that these are what we call 'clicksters' here," Pejcev said, "because, actually, their job comes down to that: clicking." Veles's mayor describes the luxury cars zooming around the city as window-dressing by their owners, intended to recruit more people into the business. "You can't force someone to work and advance step by step when someone of his age has earned half a million euros or 1 million or 2 million euros overnight," Kolev said. "You see him in Dubai on a yacht -- how can you force his peer to be an engineer and work for an average salary in a local factory?" Covering Their Tracks One of the websites selling a version of the "Trump Card" was registered in early February to Veles resident Borce Velkovski. Contacted by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, he described his role in the business as minor. "Only my name was put there because I have partners who were not allowed to put their name [in the registry]," he said. "Now I have a percentage of it, but it's nothing special." He declined to elaborate, and said everything connected with the operation of the website was carried out by other people.

"There are things I can't and don't want to say -- who my partners are and what they're doing. That's a secret," he said. "They work like everyone else worldwide, they sell. That's how this is sold. I don't know what the dispute is." Saying he was "on a completely different side," Velkovski pledged to deactivate the site. Within days of his conversation with RFE/RL, the site was down. Deepfakes The "TRB Collect Card" that Bratton bought from Tennessee is a product that was routed through the closed Telegram channel "TRB Collect Card + Save America Coin," which began operating on September 12, 2023. Instructions to would-be vendors are written in Macedonian. Almost daily, new ads are posted that sellers are encouraged to disseminate through specific Telegram channels populated by users mistrustful of traditional media. Over the course of the "TRB Collect Card + Save America Coin" channel's first four months, more than 150 ads were placed that appeared designed to attract U.S. customers. Many used images of Trump or members of his family or associates, or public figures seemingly holding the products. All of the images were doctored, with the cards or coins inserted into the original photos.

The recognizable faces used by the scammers included entrepreneur Elon Musk, actors James Woods and Russell Brand, political commentators Tucker Carlson and Ben Shapiro, and Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump. It also included deepfake video of ex-President Trump seemingly advertising TRB cards and calling them a unique product that will make money for everyone.

Such ads subsequently appeared on open Telegram channels where dubious and conspiracy-minded reports from right-wing American blogs are frequently shared, perceived Trump successes are glorified, and U.S. President Joe Biden and other administration figures are harshly criticized. How A Network Of Sales Sites Is Created From such misleading ads, Telegram links lead to similar websites. The texts on those websites are brief and, in many cases, use identical keywords and catchphrases.

None of the owners of the 88 websites that RFE/RL analyzed using the DomainTool application were identifiable through a simple search. Their domains are registered with Namecheap, an ICANN-accredited domain-name registrar and web-hosting company that is based in Phoenix, Arizona. In nearly all 88 cases, the site address is listed as being in Reykjavik. "The Icelandic company that exists to hide the real owners of the site is called Withheld For Privacy, and the Icelandic police are investigating this company," Steinarr Kr Omarsson, detective and chief inspector with the national police force, told RFE/RL. He said the company had no functioning local offices, local operations, or staff in Iceland and that their investigation showed the company to be an outpost of U.S. Namecheap. "The main reason for Withheld For Privacy seems to be to obfuscate the path for legitimate authorities to access relevant information in their investigations," Omarsson said. He added that Icelandic authorities would cooperate in any investigation if they received a proper request from the competent authorities of other countries. The Role Of Payment Platform CopeCart The websites' digital path next leads customers to a payment platform, which in this case is CopeCart. CopeCart was established in Germany with a U.S. branch that has been licensed to do business in Florida since January 2022.

More than 80 of the websites analyzed by RFE/RL are connected to CopeCart's Florida operations. A review of registered products showed that 90 percent of the offers for virtual merchants to participate in sales involved "Trump" cards, coins, or similar products. "In terms of your question about '90 percent of products sold on CopeCart'...there are no products or services sold on CopeCart. Perhaps the confusion is with an affiliate marketplace where a small percentage of registered vendors offer 'affiliate commissions' and are looking for referrals to their sites (not CopeCart)," a Florida company representative told RFE/RL. "This product set is not representative of the products and services sold using CopeCart technology." In a brief telephone conversation with RFE/RL in which he was told that multiple Internet users had complained of being deceived by "Trump" products bought through the platform, CopeCart Florida manager Vsevolod Onyshkevych stated repeatedly that the CopeCart platform did not tolerate fraud. "If there is any fraud, they should first get [the] vendor, they can get to us, or their bank," Onyshkevych said. When asked if CopeCart had reported any such cases to the authorities, he said that they "strictly follow the procedures." The company insists it has a "strict zero-tolerance policy regarding the sale of certain products." All memorabilia-like offers must state that they are of "no cash value." All of the products scrutinized by RFE/RL included a warning in their description stating that they were souvenirs. ATMs Just 'Shoot It Right Back Out' After Bratton received 20 "Trump Collection" cards in October 2023, eager for her payout, she tried to use them to withdraw some of the promised cash from a local ATM. "The point I saw [advertised by the vendor] was that I can go to any ATM and withdraw cash, so I did that," she said. The ATM "just shot [the card] right back out, you know." She tried several other ATMs, including one operated by Bank Of America.

Bank Of America, the United States' second-largest bank, was among the institutions most frequently mentioned in the false ads as locations where purchasers could use their "Trump" cards to withdraw money. "Bank of America has nothing to do with those products. These are souvenirs," William Halldin, a senior bank media representative, told RFE/RL. He said there were no figures to suggest how many people had tried to cash in on such products. Asked whether there was any way the cards could be turned into cash from his institution, Halldin was brief: "No." A Freedom of Information request by RFE/RL to the Federal Trade Commission, which is tasked with protecting U.S. consumers, had not yielded a response by the time this article was published. If It Sounds Too Good To Be True... Retired FBI agent and cybercrime-prevention expert Scott E. Augenbaum says the toughest part of the job is explaining to citizens who buy items like Bratton's that they will most likely never get their money back. "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. I'm just telling people, be careful. Because if we had this one lady in Tennessee, I guarantee you there are thousands of people falling for this scam," Augenbaum said. He points to the FBI's 24-hour Internet Crime Complaint Center, known as IC3, where public complaints are filed and FBI cases are opened if the scale of the alleged fraud is "high enough." In response to an RFE/RL query touching on the Macedonian fraudsters, the FBI said that "as a rule, they do not make any statements about possible ongoing investigations." Blazo Trandofilov, director of the Macedonia's Financial Intelligence Office, which combats money laundering and terrorist financing, told RFE/RL that the bulk of such groups' illicit earnings went unseen and some of their funds might be received in other countries. "If someone were to report [a credible crime] to the U.S. intelligence services, the procedure is that they would inform us," Trandofilov said. "However, we have not received such notifications or reports of any fraud."
Welcome to Wider Europe, RFE/RL's newsletter focusing on the key issues concerning the European Union, NATO, and other institutions and their relationships with the Western Balkans and Europe's Eastern neighborhoods.

I'm RFE/RL Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak, and this week I'll be discussing two issues: whether the EU will go for a full ban on Russian aluminum imports and how Estonia is leading the way on confiscating frozen Russian assets.

Brief #1: Will The EU Target Russian Aluminum Next?

What You Need To Know: Last week, the EU passed its latest sanctions package on Russia to coincide with the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

As I discussed in a previous briefing, the measures introduced were weak, consisting largely of additional asset freezes and visa bans.

The rather feeble package also prompted internal criticism within Brussels, especially from more hawkish EU member states, with the argument that the European Union must be more ambitious in sanctioning the Kremlin in the future.

Speaking to several EU diplomats, who wish to remain anonymous because they don't have the authority to speak on the record, the European Commission has promised to start work on a new sanctions package with immediate effect. And this time it will try to include sectoral sanctions that would have a much greater impact on the Russian economy.

One of those sectors is aluminum. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have pushed for both import and export bans on the metal for a while now.

Officials from the four nations noted in a discussion paper, seen by RFE/RL, that "Europe's imports of aluminum not only fund Russia's war economy but also benefit Kremlin-backed oligarchs and state companies."

It is estimated that the European Union still imports the metal from Russia to the tune of 2.3 billion euros ($2.5 billion) per year. The bloc also exports various aluminum products to Russia, worth some 190 million euros.

The only sanction the bloc has enacted in this field has been a very specific and targeted import ban on aluminum wire, foil, tubes, and pipes produced in Russia.

That still leaves 85 percent of the aluminum business -- including the lucrative construction and automotive industries -- untouched so far.

Deep Background: This could change as the aluminum industry in Europe is now calling for more sanctions on Russia.

Representatives of Europe's aluminum industry in Brussels have argued that on moral grounds "business as usual" with Russia cannot continue.

But there are also compelling economic reasons.

Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, imports of Russian aluminum represented well over 30 percent of the EU's total. Now, Russian aluminum represents only around 8 percent of the bloc's imports due to the industry decoupling from Moscow voluntarily. By relying on it less, there is less to lose by sanctioning.

Aluminum is also quite different from other raw materials, such as the much rarer uranium used in the nuclear industry. It is easy to obtain, produced all over the world, and easy to transport.

Given that the EU is now producing even more aluminum and importing it from new partners in Iceland, Mozambique, and Norway, supply is far outstripping demand.

Drilling Down

There are still a number of issues that need to be overcome. While the dependency on Russian aluminum in general has reduced across the EU, a few EU member states -- most notably Greece -- still rely on Moscow for most of its imports of the metal. And as always with sanctions, all 27 EU member states need to sign off on them.

Officials from the European Commission have also said there are three areas that Brussels, out of principle, won't target with sanctions: food, drugs and medical equipment, and critical raw materials. Aluminum is classified as a critical raw material by the EU, even if there might be an abundance of it on the market right now.

The European Commission is aware of another obstacle. If sweeping sanctions on aluminum were to be introduced, some member states could ask for exemptions. Greece would be an obvious candidate. This is what happened when the EU introduced sanctions on Russian steel imports in 2023. A few EU member states won derogations, allowing them to ignore the measures until 2028, distorting the bloc's internal single market and giving those countries a competitive advantage.

In the steel industry, there are certificates of origin, which establish the country where the alloy comes from and where it was manufactured. What concerns the EU is that there is no such thing in the aluminum industry, which makes it easier for Moscow to circumvent sanctions. A system similar to the one for steel could be created for aluminum, but it would probably require a sustained global effort to be effective, and this could prove time-consuming.

Future sanctions in this field will also depend on EU-U.S. cooperation and coordination. The United States doesn't have any sanctions on Russian aluminum, but it has slapped a 200 percent tariff on the metal. Washington and the EU could also impose sanctions on RUSAL, the Russian state-owned aluminum giant.

The United States has previously targeted the company. In 2018, the White House imposed sanctions on the company's then boss, oligarch Oleg Deripaska, and all his businesses due to "Russia's malign activity." (While the measures were lifted one year later, it does show that sanctions targeting aluminum haven't always been off the table.) With Deripaska on the EU's blacklist since April 2022 due to his economic support of Russia's war in Ukraine, some EU officials believe that there is room to go even further.

Brief #2: Will Estonia Lead The Way In Confiscating Frozen Russian Assets?

What You Need To Know: Recently, the European Union took the first step in actually using some of the money from Russian assets frozen in the bloc to financially support Ukraine.

As a first, cautious step, the EU is using the proceeds of blocked funds from the Russian central bank and the Russian National Wealth Fund. A decision to transfer some of these earnings to Ukraine has been agreed in Brussels, although the second step -- actually sending the money to Ukraine -- hasn't been cleared yet by the bloc's member states.

There are misgivings, though, especially in larger countries: What impact could this have on the euro as a global currency? And what about private property rights, which are considered fundamental in the EU?

Estonia has gone further, just passing a draft law in its first reading in parliament that would allow the proceeds from frozen assets belonging to Russian citizens to be sent to Ukraine as compensation for war damages. A second reading is due in March or April, and the law is expected to be adopted in the second half of the year.

Estonia has frozen Russian assets worth some 36 million euros ($39 million), through its own measures and the implementation of EU sanctions.

While it is still a relatively small amount, Brussels and some other EU member states are watching Estonia's experience with interest.

The Baltic country could set a precedent and go even further by not only confiscating earnings from assets but also the assets themselves.

Or as the country's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, a supporter of the proposed law, put it before participating in the EU's Foreign Affairs Council on February 19: "If the law is passed, there won't be any excuses anymore that we cannot do it legally. Then it becomes a matter of political will."

Deep Background: What does the Estonian proposal look like? If enacted, the measure is an option, not an obligation, and it would be Estonia's Foreign Ministry that decides to use funds, registered assets, or any other type of asset of a person or entity under international sanctions. (While the target here is clear, it is not just Russian individuals or firms but funds belonging to people and companies from any sanctioned country.)

The people or entities that would be targeted under the measure are those with a connection to the policymaking of the state that has committed (or just assisted in) an unlawful act.

In the case of Ukraine, that means people "undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence" of the country. As for entities, assets can be confiscated if the companies are more than 50 percent state owned.

Drilling Down

For this to fly, there have to be sufficient safeguards -- because it is a mechanism of "last resort." According to the draft law, it should be applied when a state -- in this case, Russia -- fails to compensate for the damage caused to another state -- in this case, Ukraine. This, of course, hasn't happened yet and doesn't look likely to happen any time soon. But it means Moscow would be given a chance to pay damages to Ukraine before the measure could kick in.

There are also legal safeguards. In each case, there would probably be a preliminary review in an Estonian court before anything was decided and then follow-up inspections on the procedure and how the money was disbursed. And the people or entities targeted would have the opportunity to contest the decision in Estonia.

Perhaps the most crucial part of all this is the "right to claim" for those whose assets have been confiscated. This gives the individual the right to get their money back in the future from the state that is judged to have caused their damage in the first place (in this case, Russia). To do that, according to the draft law, "the persons are not required to actively act in the name of ending the military aggression" but to refrain from "showing their support of the military aggression." Then, according to the proposed law, they should try to persuade the offending state -- in this case, Russia -- of its "obligation to compensate for damage."

Before any transfer of money takes place, Estonia would also need to conclude a treaty with the aggrieved state or with some kind of international compensation body. Such a deal would have to include the purpose of using the compensation, for example, repairing damaged schools or hospitals.

But how well does this sit with international law? In a resolution passed in November 2022, the United Nations General Assembly acknowledged Russia's obligation to compensate for the unlawfully caused damage in Ukraine. This resolution is nonbinding, however, and it leaves lots of room for countries to interpret it differently. In the explanatory note to the draft law, the Estonian government makes its case by stating: "At this point, it should be taken into consideration that any country is a legal construct and acts and bears liability through its people. Stripping the persons who have contributed to the aggression in the aggressor state, the activity of which also endangers the security of Estonia and all of Europe, of their assets, which are located outside of their home country, is justified in the current situation, in which there is a war in the heart of Europe for the first time in more than 80 years."

Looking Ahead

The Hungarian parliament is set on February 26 to approve Sweden's NATO accession, which would complete the Nordic country's ratification process in all 31 countries of the military alliance. Sweden might even officially join NATO as member number 32 later this week in a flag-raising ceremony in Brussels.

The death of Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny will dominate the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg this week. On February 28, his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, will address the chamber, which later that day is set to debate how the EU should respond to the Kremlin. The following day, February 29, lawmakers are expected to pass a nonbinding resolution on how the bloc should support other political prisoners and civil society activists in Russia.

That's all for this week. Feel free to reach out to me on any of these issues on Twitter @RikardJozwiak, or on e-mail at jozwiakr@rferl.org.

Until next time,

Rikard Jozwiak

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Mosques and churches are being repaired today in the territories of Azerbaijan liberated from occupation, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office Sheikhul Islam Allahshukur Pashazade told reporters during his visit to the Khojaly genocide monument Mother's Cry, Trend reports.

He noted that mosques are being built in Shusha and other districts so that Azerbaijani citizens returning to these lands might pray there in the future.



Today commemorates the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy. Following extensive artillery fire, Armenian forces took Khojaly on the night of February 2526, 1992, with the support of the former USSR's 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment.

On February 2526, 1992, as a result of the mass terror committed by Armenians, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens, were brutally murdered; eight families were completely wiped out; 130 children lost one of their parents; and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured, is still unknown.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Sarah Slater

A woman sleeping rough was found dead in Dublin city centre over the weekend.

Ann Delaney (47) was discovered on Sunday morning. Her death is believed to be the second known death of a rough sleeper in the country.

Ms Delaney, originally from Carlow, was found in a sleeping bag close to a Tesco supermarket on Aungier Street.

A nurse and a mother, Ms Delaney is understood to have been living rough for at least seven years, first on Thomas Street, and then she moved to Aungier Street.

Ann Delaney

Numerous flowers and candles were left at the spot where she slept and where her body was discovered.

Chris OReilly, who has managed the Liberty Soup Run for the last five years, said Ann was a lovely lady, a real character and a lot of people would have known her.

She passed away sadly on Sunday morning. She was alive early on Sunday, but then she suddenly became unresponsive. We dont know her cause of death whether the dropping temperatures might have been a factor or not.

Paramedics were called, but unfortunately Ann passed away. We are heartbroken and lost for words. Another homeless person died on our streets and thats just so wrong.

Ann was a lovely lady and was well liked. She was just going through a hard time. She had a family and a life and she just fell on hard times.

"We want to send our love to all of her family. She will be missed but she is at peace now. We still can't believe that this lady has passed away.

Mr OReilly said she went through a lot of living on the streets and had been beaten up on at least one occasion.

Ann slept rough as she was afraid to stay in the homeless hostels. Her family would come to visit her to see how she was. She loved music and Aslan and was a wonderful poet.

Liberty Soup Run is planning an official goodbye to Ms Delaney at 8pm. Several songs she was known to love will be played along with balloons being released in her memory.

A woman, who knew her as Ann, said on social media: Ann no longer sought shelter and (in) the last few weeks it was clear to see her health go down. I'm sure the stress and constantly being robbed on the streets did not help, but that did not take away from the person she was.

You would see her everyday feeding the birds pouring her water and ice onto the pavement and having chats with the locals at Aungier Street. She never asked you to buy anything in the shop without trying to give you the money. RIP Ann, you are out of your pain now.

Ms Delaneys remains are understood to have been taken to the City Morgue and her funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.
Article 370 Movie: Looking for Zooni Haksar's real identity?

Yami Gautam has left a great impact on the audience with her character in the film.

Article 370 Movie, Zooni Haksar real face, name and images: Ever since the Yami Gautam-starrer 'Article 370' was released in cinemas, people have been looking for information about the real identity of Yami's character 'Zooni Haksar'. It seems Yami Gautam has left a great impact on the audience with her character in the film.

"Article 370 Movie Character real name", "Who is Zooni Haksar?", "Zooni Haksar real name", "Zooni Haksar real face", and "Zooni Haksar real images" are among some of the searches on Google that remain unanswered.

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Rozana Spokesman tried a lot to dig into it and find out the mystery behind the real-life Zooni Haksar. Unfortunately, we didn't find any information related to these as it seems both the Government and the real-life Zooni have been maintaining confidentiality regarding the same. Zooni, indeed, played a crucial role in scripting the history of India, and whenever such things happen, the Government takes care of the concerned person's safety by not revealing their true identity.

Who is Zooni Haksar?

While people are looking for information about her real identity, it is still not clear if Zooni is her real identity. It could be her agent's name or just a reel name for her character in the movie. Again, this information remains an unanswered question. Zooni Haksar was chosen by Rajeshwari Swaminathan from the Prime Minister's Office for a covert mission and their goal was to shatter terrorism and dismantle the billion-dollar conflict economy.

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It was during 2017 to 2019 when separatists were beholden to Pakistan and used to hire stone-pelters. It was then, that Zooni Haksar managed to trap no less than the militant Burhan Wani but Zooni was hauled up for ignoring the protocol and was later summoned by Rajeshwari to lead a National Intelligence Agency mission. Likewise, Zooni delivered the coup de grace to terrorists while Rajeshwari discovered a crucial clause that allowed the government to have its way in Parliament.

Zooni was posted in Kashmir and joined forces with Rajeshwari Swaminathan, a bureaucrat in the Prime Ministers Office in Delhi, helping to lay the groundwork for the decision on Article 370. Reportedly, they were backed by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.

(For more news apart from Article 370 Movie, Zooni Haksar real face, name and images, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Bigg Boss 17 Runners Up Abhishek Kumar pays obeisance at Golden Temple

Abhishek Kumar was accompanied by his parents.

Bigg Boss 17 Runners Up Abhishek Kumar at Golden Temple Amritsar: Abhishek Kumar, who rose to fame with his stint in the Bigg Boss 17, visited Sri Harmandir Sahib aka Golden Temple in Amritsar on Monday.

Abhishek Kumar was accompanied by his parents during his visit to Sri Harmandir Sahib aka Golden Temple in Amritsar. Abhishek had won hearts with his journey in Bigg Boss 17.

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Earlier, the Bigg Boss 17 fans did not love him because of his aggression but later on they started loving him. Abhishek was also evicted from the house for breaking a rule of the house as he had slapped Samarth Jurel inside the house.

However, it was the provocation by Samarth and Isha Malviya that led to the incident when Abhishek slapped Jurel. It was not just the audience but also Salman Khan who noticed the same and brought him back to the show.

Abhishek Kumar, upon his comeback to the show, showed his sensible side to the world and won many hearts. In fact, a lot of people wanted him to win the show, but Munawar Faruqui's huge fanbase didn't let it happen.

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Despite the loss, Abhishek was happy as Munawar was his dearest friend inside the house and Abhishek was standing with him when no one else was there for him. Abhishek had also shared a good bond with Mannara Chopra who also loved his 'vibe'.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Employees of the State Security Service (SSS) of Azerbaijan have visited the Mother's Cry monument of the Khojaly genocide, Trend reports, referring to the press service of the State Security Service (SSS).

On the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, one of the bloodiest tragedies in the history of mankind, the Head of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan Colonel General Ali Nagiyev, and employees of the Service visited the monument to the victims of the Khojaly genocide Mother's Cry established in Khatai district of Baku.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
AT&T (T) customers across the country will receive a $5 credit per account if they were affected by last week's nationwide outage. customers will see the credit in 1-2 bill cycles depending on when their bill closes. Most credits will be posted in the next billing cycle, the telecom giant said in a statement.

AT&T CEO John Stankey sent a letter to the company's employees on Sunday about the cellular network outage that occurred on February 22 and the company's efforts to restore service. The company reiterated its financial guidance provided with its earnings report in January 2024.

"For the portion of consumer and small customers most impacted by the outage, we are automatically applying an account credit to compensate them for the inconvenience they experienced. Prepaid customers will have options available to them if they were impacted. We are also working closely with our Mid-Market and Enterprise customers and will address their concerns as those discussions take place," John Stankey said in the letter on Sunday.

AT&T customers across the U.S. experienced a temporary network disruption on Thursday due to a software update error. The outage, which affected services such as calls, texts, and internet access, was not the result of a cyberattack, according to AT&T. Following the outage, service was gradually restored throughout the day, with all impacted customers regaining connectivity by late afternoon.

Despite speculation about a potential cyberattack, AT&T attributed the outage to an incorrect network expansion process.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Bunzl Plc (BZLFY.PK,BNZL.L), a British distribution and outsourcing company, reported that its profit attributable to the company's equity holders for fiscal year 2023 increased to 526.2 million pounds or 156.0 pence per share from the prior year's 474.4 million pounds or 140.7 pence per share due to a 50.3 million pounds increase in profit before income tax, partly offset by a 10.2 million pounds increase in the tax charge at constant exchange rates. In a separate press release, Bunzl said that it has signed an agreement to acquire Nisbets in the UK and Pamark in Finland.

Bunzl's adjusted earnings per basic share for fiscal year 2023 were 191.1 pence, an increase of 2.7% at constant exchange rates or 3.7% at actual exchange rates.

Profit before income tax was 698.6 million pounds, an increase of 7.8% at constant exchange rates or 10.1% at actual exchange rates.

Annual revenue declined by 1.9% or 2.0% at actual exchange rates year-over-year to 11.80 billion pounds. Within this, acquisition growth of 2.5% was offset by underlying revenue decline of 2.9% and the impact of the UK healthcare disposal in December 2022 which impacted revenue by 1.5%.

The company maintained its 2024 profit guidance published in its pre-close statement.

Following a slower than expected start to the year in North America, the company now expects to deliver slight revenue growth in 2024, at constant exchange rates, driven by acquisitions announced in 2023; with underlying revenue, which is organic revenue adjusted for trading days, declining slightly. Group operating margin is now expected to be slightly below 2023.

The company said its board recommended a final dividend of 50.1 pence, 10.4% higher than the prior year, resulting in a full year dividend of 68.3 pence. This represents an 8.9% increase in the total dividend compared to 2022.

Meanwhile, Bunzl said it has signed an agreement to acquire an 80% stake in Nisbets and associated entities for an initial consideration of 339 million pounds in cash. An additional earn-out amount may be payable based on Nisbets' financial performance in 2024.

Founded in 1983 by Andrew Nisbet, Nisbets is an omni-channel distributor of catering equipment and consumables in the UK & Ireland, Northern Europe and Australasia, offering an extensive product range including a wide range of own-brand products to foodservice customers. It has over 1,800 employees and an experienced management team, with Andrew Nisbet acting as a non-executive director and the family continuing to hold a minority interest in Nisbets.

The transaction includes put / call options that enable Bunzl to acquire the remaining 20% stake in the future at a price based on Nisbets' financial performance at the time of option exercise, subject to certain conditions.

The transaction is expected to be meaningfully accretive to earnings per share in the first full year following completion.

In January, Bunzl signed an agreement to acquire its first business in Finland, Pamark. This anchor acquisition in Finland is expected to complete later this month and will increase the number of countries in which Bunzl operates to 33.

Pamark is a distributor of cleaning & hygiene, healthcare, foodservice and safety products to a broad range of private and public sector customers in Finland. The company generated revenue of 56 million euros in 2023.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
U.K. stocks were subdued on Monday as weak copper prices weighed on the metal sector.

The benchmark FTSE 100 was marginally lower at 7,699 after rising 0.3 percent on Friday.

Miners Anglo American and Glencore dropped 1-2 percent.

Biopharma giant AstraZeneca rose 1.3 percent after receiving approval from European regulators for its blood-disorder drug Voydeya.

Likewise, GSK edged up 0.6 percent after announcing positive headline results from EAGLE-1 phase III trial for gepotidacin, a potential first-in-class oral antibiotic.

Bunzl slumped nearly 5 percent. The distribution and outsourcing company said it had signed an agreement to acquire Nisbets in the U.K. and Pamark in Finland.

Homebuilders Persimmon fell almost 2 percent and Barratt Developments shed half a percent following the antitrust watchdog's investigation into the sector.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
Chinese automaker BYD (BYDDY) unveiled a new electric supercar under its high-end brand Yangwang to compete with premium car makers like Ferrari.

BYD introduced U9 supercar, which can reach a top speed of 309.19 kph. It can accelerate to 100 kph within 2.36 seconds compared to 100 kph in 2.5 seconds by Ferrari's hybrid SF90 Stradale model.

The supercar, priced at 1.68 million yuan, equivalent to $233,424, is powered by e4 Platform, and the BYD-developed DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System, integrating track performance, street adaptability, and playful features.

U9 supports dual charging and can charge from 30 percent to 80 percent in 10 minutes. The four electric motors power the supercar with a total output of 960 kW and 1,680 Nm peak torque.

The latest EV, equipped with a lithium iron phosphate battery or LFP, will be available for pre-orders at a non-refundable deposit of 300,000 yuan. The automaker offers a warranty for 6 years or 150,000 km.

U9 also features DiLink150 intelligent platform, powered by customized 4nm 5G chips.

BYD had earlier launched SUV U8 under its Yangwang brand and plans to launch soon U7 sedan with a 135.5 kWh battery.

The latest launch is a part of the Chinese automaker's plan to compete with the industry giants as it also plans to increase sales globally and would open a factory in Europe soon.

Notably, BYD had produced over 3 million new-energy vehicles in 2023, out of which 1.6 million were battery-only passenger cars, and 1.4. million were hybrid vehicles.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
A Subway Thornton Oil store in Columbus, Ohio overcharged Letitia Bishop, a local woman, for three sandwiches, causing her to pay a shocking amount of $1,021.50.

The receipt, obtained by WSYX ABC 6's "On Your Side," showed that Bishop was charged an exorbitant $1,010 for a single sandwich, which is well above the usual price range of $6.50 to $12 for a footlong sub.

Upon realizing the error, Bishop attempted to reach out to Subway's corporate office for assistance, but her efforts were in vain, leading to frustration and financial strain. As a result, she was left cash-strapped and struggling to afford basic necessities like groceries.

Despite her attempts to resolve the issue with her bank and the now-closed Subway location, Bishop faced several challenges in recovering her money. According to Subway's website, the Thornton Oil location in question, located at 4600 Winchester Pike, is temporarily closed.

After seeking help from Lee Anne Lanigan, the director of consumer relations and investigations at the Better Business Bureau, and media attention, Bishop eventually received a refund after 7 weeks.

The refund process involved Subway connecting with the regional manager of Thorntons, the gas station franchise owner, who provided the reimbursement in cash. As an apology, the franchise owner offered complimentary meals once a week for eight weeks.

However, Bishop encountered a delay when depositing the cash at her bank, as the funds were put on hold, impacting her ability to cover expenses promptly. Despite the delay, Bishop was relieved to have finally received refund after a long and arduous process.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
In Boston, Massachusetts, a McDonald's Corp. (MCD) customer reportedly attacked an employee over touching the lid of his drink.

Police stated that a 34-year-old man was charged with assault following the incident at South Station on Saturday night. The suspect, identified as Odair Andrade, became enraged when the employee made contact with his drink's lid.

Andrade was apprehended for physically assaulting the employee with his fists and a cash register.

Witnesses, including Joshua Venter, characterized the violent confrontation as alarming and concerning to Boston 25 News.

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Transit Police promptly detained Andrade, who is now confronting multiple charges, including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, while, the victim received immediate medical treatment on-site.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

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February 25, 2024 CHIZ TO DOLE: LOOK AFTER WORKERS' WELFARE, SUPPORT P100 WAGE HIKE Sen. Chiz Escudero said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) should be advancing the welfare of the country's workforce and support Senate Bill 2534 that would grant a P100 increase in the daily minimum wage of employees in the private sector. Escudero reminded DOLE that its primary job is to look after the welfare of workers, and not to block any legislation that aims to uplift living condition of the labor force. "Nagtataka ako bakit umaalma ang DOLE sa panukalang batas na ito. It is supposed to take the side of workers," Escudero said in reply to the warning made by Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma that the wage hike, once implemented, will lead to a possible price increase of basic commodities. With such a comment, the senator pointed out: "What they are doing is DTI's job... this all the more justifies the bill because no one is looking out for our workers and everyone is just simply pro-business." Last Monday Escudero said Filipino workers have endured enough and deserved to be compensated more, as he cast his "yes" vote to the passage on third and final reading of the proposed legislation He also expressed hope that the House of Representatives will pass its own version of the proposed legislation so that the minimum wage earners in the private sector will finally have their long-delayed salary adjustment. "Nagtiis na sa mahabang panahon ang ating mga manggagawa... Ang aking hiling at panalangin, sana ay bigyan din ng panahon at pagkakataon ito ng Kamara upang mabigyang-buhay. Pagdebatehan kung kinakailangan, pag botohan kung kinakailangan. Ang mahalaga, ito ay mapag-usapan at bigyan ng pag-asa na makapasa upang mabigyan ng pag-asa ang ating mga manggagawa," he said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. All students of Azerbaijan's Karabakh University will use its hostel for free, Azerbaijani Minister of Science and Education Emin Amrullayev told reporters, Trend reports.

The minister also stated that an incentive grant will be awarded to university students who excel academically.



To note, the Karabakh University will begin operations in the 2024/2025 academic year. Initially, the institution is anticipated to educate approximately 1,000 students.

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Mihir Konkapaka, 7, demonstrates how to use his invention, the Checklistinator, which was a winner in the international 2018 Inventors Challenge. The youth contest drew 248 entries from 194 cities worldwide.

San Diego second-grader Mihir Konkapaka knows from personal experience that kids sometimes forget to pack everything they need for school, so he decided to do something about it.

That idea, the Checklistinator, has won the 7-year-old Sabre Springs science whiz the Thomas Edison Prize in the 2018 Inventors Challenge.

The third annual competition, co-sponsored by AT&T Inc. and Imagination.org, received 247 entries from 196 cities worldwide. Six prizes were awarded to students in grades kindergarten through high school. Mihir was the winner in the K-2nd grade division.

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In an award ceremony at an AT&T store in Carmel Mountain Ranch Wednesday morning, Mihir demonstrated his invention, an electronic list-maker that he programmed to ask a series of school-packing reminders, like Hello, Mihir, lets check!  Do you have your binder? ...How bout your Chromebook? ... Your lunch box?

A product mock-up of the Checklistinator, an electronic listmaking device invented by 7-year-old Mihir Konkapaka of San Diego. Here its seen hanging like a luggage tag from a rolling backpack. (Pam Kragen/San Diego Union-Tribune )

Dressed in an Oxford shirt and tie and speaking with the confidence of an adult, Mihir said he hopes his invention will help other students. He has uploaded the devices schematic design online so anyone can create their own Checklistinator for free.

I feel really happy about it because I think its something lots of people need, he said. I hope I can package it to help others.

The Checklistinator is actually Mihirs second invention. His first  a chemistry-themed board game he created in kindergarten to help kids learn the periodic table  has a patent pending.

Mihir is the only child of Koumar and Soumya Konkapaka. Koumar is an electrical engineer with Qualcomm Inc. Soumya is a school teacher.

Soumya said her son started reading before he was 3 years old and has always gravitated to nonfiction books, particularly about math and science. In kindergarten, he wanted to learn computer coding but his parents didnt know how, so he taught himself by checking out books from the public library.

San Diego City Councilman Mark Kersey, right, declares June 27 Mihir Konkapaka Day at a presentation honoring the 7-year-old inventor, center. Ignacio De La Torre of AT&T, left, looks on at the ceremony held at an AT&T store in Carmel Mountain Ranch. (Pam Kragen/San Diego Union-Tribune )

By age 5, hed learned Python coding. In first grade, he started learning Java script. This summer, hes taking a class at the Rancho Penasquitos library to learn more coding programs.

One of Mihirs best friends, 8-year-old Shaneev Priolkar, said Mihir is not like any other kid he knows. Though they both enjoy playing the video game Minecraft, Mihir has actually built his own Minecraft games. Mihir is also an avid swimmer and competed this year in the Lego League.

Mihir is a student in Tanya Bouchers second-grade class at Morning Creek Elementary in Sabre Springs. Because his math skills are so advanced, he studies math each day in Kim Oteros third-grade classroom.

Otero said that in her 18 years of teaching shes never met a student quite like Mihir.

He really stands out, Otero said. Hes naturally curious, always asking lots of whys and lots of hows. Hes a natural leader and super independent. Hes just a go-getter.

Mihir Konkapaka, 7, poses with the electronic assembly of his Checklistinator. (Pam Kragen/San Diego Union-Tribune )

The Checklistinator is something Mihir created for his first grade science fair project. When he heard about the Inventors Challenge, he decided to enter the product in the competition, which encourages students to create innovative problem-solving products for their daily lives, according to Ignacio De La Torre, an assistant vice president for AT&T in San Diego.

Mihir wrote the coding for the device. Then he got some technical help from his dad assembling the circuit board. His mom helped him complete the product mock-up, which shows how the product can be downsized into a battery-powered luggage tag that can be attached to a backpack or suitcase.

During the ceremony Wednesday, San Diego City Councilman Mark Kersey read a proclamation that named June 27 in Mihirs honor. Kersey has a background in technology and said hes thrilled that school STEM programs (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fueled Mihirs imagination.

San Diego has a history of science and innovation that dates back generations, Kersey said. Seeing STEM education flow down to schools and libraries  its exciting to watch.

Asked what he wants to be when he grows up, Mihir said hes not sure, but he does plan to invent many more products in the future. His parents say theyre happy to let their son learn and grow at his own pace.

Were taking it as it goes, Soumya said. We think he should be a kid right now and figure everything else out when hes ready.

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
Suzanne Newman, president of The Country Friends (Jody Pinchin)

Suzanne M. Newman has been elected president of The Country Friends, the 65-year-old nonprofit that has provided nearly $14 million to San Diego County-based charities with a special emphasis on women, children, the elderly, the military and those with disabilities. She succeeds Deborah Cross, the organizations president for the past four years, who will continue to serve on The Country Friends Board of Directors as first vice president.

I have known Suzanne for many years and I am so excited to work with her in her new role, says Cross. I know she will be an excellent leader of The Country Friends.

Newman has been closely involved with The Country Friends for 20 years as an officer, board member, and co-chair of the Art of Fashion, the nonprofits signature fundraiser. She continues the legacy begun by her late mother, Jean, who served as past president, board member and longtime manager of The Country Friends Consignment Shop on El Tordo in Rancho Santa Fe.

It is an honor to follow in my mothers footsteps in service to The Country Friends, says Newman. I look forward to continuing to work with a wonderful board of directors and membership who are all so committed to helping San Diegans in need.

The Country Friends also announced its 2019-2020 officers and board of directors. Officers include Deborah Cross, first vice president; Marci Cavanaugh, second vice president and chair of human care funding; Yvette Letourneau, third vice president and consignment manager; Janean Stripe, treasurer and chief financial officer; Trish Bugg, recording secretary. Directors include Events Manager Christine Byrne, Jean Waters, Erika Fetter, Becky LeBret, Jolene Davidson, Robyn Hudgens, Sage Billick, Mia Park, Andrea Naversen, Sharon Mauro, Maggie Bobileff, Laura White, Sharon Ferges, Elaine Becerra, Terri Chivetta, Chris Epstein, Rebecca Franks, Tamara Lafarga-Joseph, Kim Quinn, Valerie Parker, and JoLynn Shapiro.

Newman has spent more than four decades in the travel industry, currently serving as director of supplier relations-airlines with Irvine-based LUXE Travel Management and prior to that, as LUXEs director of account development. Previously, she held positions at AcuFlight, Inc., Carlson Wagonlit Travel and American Airlines. Her awards include The Order of the Golden Rose from Carlson for helping to integrate companies involved in the largest travel management company acquisition to date. She earned her bachelor of arts degree from Pomona College in Claremont, Calif. Newman has served on several advisory and philanthropic boards.
Chula Vista has a pension problem.

Rising pension costs for public employees are creating a structural deficit in the citys budget  meaning Chula Vista spends more money than it receives. If left unchecked, that growing deficit could impact the citys ability to provide basic services in the future.

San Diego Countys second-largest city isnt the only municipality in California with a pension problem. The states pension system is underfunded, meaning it doesnt have enough money to pay benefits owed to retirees and current employees. Because of how the system is structured, cities throughout the state are being asked to fund the system by paying more.

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The San Diego Union-Tribune sat down with Chula Vistas finance director, David Bilby, to find out where the problem comes from, what impact it has on Chula Vista, and what the city is doing about it.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

The California Employees Retirement System, commonly known as CalPERS, is funded by a combination of tax dollars from member agencies, employee contributions, and investment returns. The way it works is thousands of government entities like cities and water districts send hundreds of millions of dollars to CalPERS. The system takes that money and invests it.

In order to be fully funded, CalPERS needs to earn a certain return on that investment. When the state doesnt meet its investment goals, cities are asked to make up the shortfall.

The pension systems unfunded liability grew during the two most recent economic downturns  the 2001 dot-com crash and the 2007 housing crisis. Since then, the gap between how much money the fund has and how much it needs to pay out benefits has grown, even though the economy has largely bounced back from the Great Recession.

To help bridge the gap, CalPERS took several measures to make the system more sustainable in the future. But those changes placed a lot of financial stress on cities like Chula Vista.

For example, CalPERS lowered its investment return goals from 7.5 percent to 7 percent. It may seem like a small change, but that means Chula Vista will likely have to pay $200 million more toward the unfunded liability over 20 years.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR CHULA VISTA?

Chula Vista doesnt have to pay it all at one, but the amount increases every year for the next five years. For example, the city owes CalPERS $21 million this year and $24 million next year.

The 2018-19 budget set aside 15.8 percent of the general fund to pay for the benefits of 820 retirees and beneficiaries.

The single factor that is making the structural deficit grow is pension costs, Bilby said.

The city doesnt have a funding source to pay for all of this. But it is taking several steps to prevent cutting any public services. The current plan is to cut costs wherever possible and have public employees pay their fair share of pension costs.

The city is already taking several steps to bring costs down. They include relying more on interns, volunteers and hourly and seasonal workers, and increasing fees the public pays for services such as renting a gazebo.

Yes, the pension situation now means renting a gazebo for a family reunion is more expensive.

Additionally, the city is investing in technology to make government more efficient. For example, switching to a paperless accounting system may save Chula Vista hundreds of thousands a year.

Another part of the plan is to get public employees to pay more of their pension costs.

Historically, Chula Vista has picked up most of the tab. But over the last couple of years, the city has asked workers to contribute more during union negotiations.

Miscellaneous employees  meaning city workers who are not firefighters or sworn police officers  are at or near the 50 percent mark. Police and firefighters are not there yet.

Currently, Chula Vista contributes more than double what police and firefighters hired before 2013 put in toward pension costs. The finance director hopes the city can close the gap during labor negotiations next year.

Were trying to create a sustainable and stabilized pension system and if we ignore the cost side and just say the city can pick up the tab, then the city would have to resort to cuts to service, Bilby said. There is just no way you can balance the ledger if people arent contributing more or if we cut services.

WHAT HAS CHULA VISTA ALREADY DONE?

Pension reform to lower the costs of future benefits.

During the booming economy of the 1990s, Chula Vista joined other California cities in enhancing employee benefits. Chula Vistas benefits were among the more generous in the state.

They promised public employees who worked 30 years and retired at 60 a pension of 90 percent of their single-highest year salary until they die.

The city realized that was unsustainable in 2011 and introduced another benefit tier for new hires.

Employees hired after the reform were promised a pension of 60 percent of their highest salary, assuming they work 30 years and retire at 60. Then, in 2013, then-Gov. Jerry Brown introduced another pension tier that had public workers earn that same 60 percent of salary pension benefit that Chula Vista introduced in 2011, but with the caveat that workers dont earn the benefit until they retire at 62 instead of 60.

While the reforms will help in the long-term, Chula Vista is still on the hook for the promises it made in the 1990s. Every retiree and a majority of current employees receive the most generous package. That means it will take decades for the new pension packages to have a significant impact on the citys finances.

It will be 20 years before you see this cosmic shift in a significant reduction in current costs because then the tier ones will mostly be gone, Bilby said.

HOW DO RECENT TAX MEASURE FACTOR IN?

Chula Vista voters approved three different sales tax measures since 2016. The first two, Measure P and Measure A, were to pay for increases to services. The latest one, Measure Q, is a special tax on marijuana businesses and revenues have not been allocated to specific purposes.

Measure P revenues do not pay for pension costs. That measure was passed to complete infrastructure projects that had previously been neglected. It is a direct result to staff cuts made after the 2008 recession. Most of the work is being done by contractors, not employees who get benefits; therefore, it does not add to the citys pension liabilities.

Measure A revenues will be used to cover pension costs of police officers and firefighters hired with money from the tax measure. However, the amount of Measure A revenues being spent on pensions is proportionate to the number of employees hired with Measure A money.

Measure Q, a sales tax measure on the citys new marijuana industry, is a different story.

The city was careful not to promise those tax revenues for specific purposes. The finance directors hope is that some of those revenues will be spent on pension costs.

Its not a silver bullet, but its certainly going to be a revenue stream someday that we can hopefully dedicate to pension costs and ensuring we have service levels in public safety, Bilby said.

Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. On behalf of Israel, I extend my heartfelt condolences over the Khojaly genocide to the people of Azerbaijan, Ambassador of Israel to Azerbaijan George Deek said, Trend reports.

"Today, we remember the victims who were murdered in Khojaly in 1992. On behalf of Israel, my heartfelt condolences extend to the people of Azerbaijan. The pain of our Azerbaijani friends resonates deeply with us," he wrote on his page on X.

He added that such atrocities as the senseless slaughter of innocent people, including children, women, and the elderly, in their homes "compel us to continue combatting injustice and hate, and safeguard our shared humanity".

Today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the mass terrors by Armenians, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1,275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Air Astana, the largest airline in Central Asia, has called for a gastronomic visit to Azerbaijan, Trend reports via the airline's Telegram post about Azerbaijani dishes.

"Discover a wealth of flavors and aromas on a gastronomic tour to hospitable Azerbaijan," the post said.

The airline also pointed out top five dishes which the guests should try in the land of fire.

"Plov (Pilaf) - this is a delicious dish made from rice, meat, dried fruits, nuts and spices. Plov in Azerbaijan is prepared with a special skill.

Dolma - this is a classic Azerbaijani dish consisting of grape leaves or vegetables stuffed with minced meat and rice," the post noted.

Piti, a traditional Azerbaijani meat dish served in clay pots, is prepared from meat, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, bones and spices, the post also said.

"Kutaby - these are thin dough flatbreads stuffed with minced meat, herbs, cheese or pumpkin. This is a popular street dish in Azerbaijan, usually served with natural yoghurt or pomegranate sauce.

Shekerbura - this is a traditional Azerbaijani sweet dish consisting of thin layers of dough filled with minced nuts, sugar, honey and spices," added the post.

To note, Air Astana operates flights to Baku from the Kazakh cities of Almaty, Astana and Aktau seven times a week.

Of these, the company operates two flights per week on Astana-Baku-Astana and Almaty-Baku-Almaty routes, and three flights per week are operated by FlyArystan (part of the Air Astana group) on Aktau- Baku-Aktau.

Besides, last year, 58,072 tourists from Kazakhstan visited Azerbaijan, which is 91 percent more than in 2022 (30,350 tourists).

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. A minute of silence has been observed at 17:00 (GMT +4) throughout the territory of Azerbaijan to honor the memory of the Khojaly massacre victims, Trend reports.

During this time, the movement of vehicles on the streets of the capital was suspended. In cities, districts, villages, as well as in diplomatic representations of the country abroad, the national flags of Azerbaijan were lowered.

Thousands of residents of Baku, having visited the monument to the victims of the tragedy in the city's Khatai district, paid their respects to the memory of the martyrs, laying wreaths and carnations at the monument. In cities and regions of the country, in central and local executive authorities, agencies and organizations, mosques, churches, synagogues, as well as in foreign countries, ceremonies of remembrance, events, processions, flash mobs, and cultural activities dedicated to the massacre victims has taken place.

In the places of temporary resettlement of Khojaly residents, meetings were organized with witnesses of the massacre and family members of the tragedy victims. The memory of the Khojaly massacre victims was honored in the mosques of Khojaly, Shusha, Aghdam, Khankendi cities, and in other liberated territories where the majestic flag of Azerbaijan is waving.

To note, today marks the 32nd commemoration of the Khojaly massacre. On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Khojaly city was occupied by Armenias armed forces with the assistance of the former USSRs 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment following massive artillery shelling.

As a result of the occupation, 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly citizens were brutally murdered, eight families were completely wiped out, 130 children lost one of their parents, and 25 children lost both of their parents. The fate of 150 people, including 68 women and 26 children out of 1275 people, who were taken prisoner and hostage as well as cruelly tortured is still unknown.

On September 19-20, 2023, Azerbaijan carried out anti-terrorist measures in Karabakh. This way, Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity were fully restored. On October 15 last year, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev raised the national flag in Khojaly.

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The team of Azerbaijans national air carrier, AZAL, paid a visit to the monument in the Khatai district of Baku erected in memory of the victims of the Khojaly genocide. This year marks the 32nd anniversary of the tragedy.

AZAL employees laid flowers at the "Ana haray" monument as a sign of respect and remembrance for the victims of the genocide.

As a result of the Khojaly genocide committed on the night of February 25-26, 1992, by the Armenian armed forces, 613 residents of Khojaly, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 elderly people were murdered. Eight families were destroyed, 25 children lost both parents and 130 children lost one parent. 487 civilians were wounded by enemy bullets. 1275 people were taken hostage and the fate of 150 hostages is still unknown.
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European regulators has given the green light to AstraZeneca 's blood-disorder drug Voydeya, the biopharma giant announced on Monday.

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency said Voydeya, whose generic name is danicopan, has been recommended for marketing authorisation as an add-on to ravulizumab or eculizumab for the treatment of adult patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH), a rare and severe blood disorder which destroys red blood cells and can lead to blood clots and organ damage.

The positive opinion was based on results of the 12-week ALPHA Phase III trial, results of which were published in The Lancet in December.

Marc Dunoyer, chief executive officer of AstraZeneca's rare disease division Alexion, said the welcome news "recognises the promise of Voydeya as an add-on to standard-of-care to address signs and symptoms of clinically significant EVH for this small subset of patients".

Voydeya is an oral, Factor D inhibitor developed as an add-on to standard-of-care Ultomiris (ravulizumab) or Soliris (eculizumab) to address the needs of the around 10-20% of patients with PNH who experience clinically significant extravascular haemolysis (EVH) while treated with a C5 inhibitor, AstraZeneca said.

"As we saw in the pivotal ALPHA Phase III trial, dual complement pathway inhibition at Factor D and C5 may be an optimal treatment approach for these patients," Dunoyer said.
Ryanair revised down its passenger forecasts and warned of possible flight cancellations over the upcoming summer season on Monday, blaming Boeing over worsening delays in aircraft deliveries.

The airline's chief executive Michael O'Leary expressed frustration over Boeing's manufacturing setbacks, describing the situation as a shit show following a fuselage blowout incident on an Alaska Airlines flight in January.

Boeing's production issues on the 737 MAX had triggered restrictions from the US aviation regulator on expanding production of the aircraft - a key model for Ryanair's expanding fleet.

O'Leary said Ryanair was considering seeking compensation from Boeing for the disruptions.

Initially expecting to receive 57 Boeing 737 MAX-8 aircraft by June, Ryanair had consistently adjusted its estimates downward due to persistent manufacturing at Boeing.

O'Leary suggested that Ryanair could only receive between 40 and 45 aircraft, potentially falling short of the airline's operational needs for the summer schedule.

As a result, the airline - Europes largest - could be forced to implement minor schedule cuts by the end of March to mitigate passenger disruption.

The delivery delays were expected to impact Ryanair's passenger numbers, with forecasts revised downwards for both the current and following financial years.

While demand for air travel remained robust, O'Leary warned of higher fares for customers due to the constrained capacity resulting from Boeing's production woes.

Despite the challenges, Ryanair was on track to achieve profitability targets for the financial year, albeit with potential implications for future growth plans.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.
London's Heathrow Airport has denied a report by the Sunday Times that plans to add a third runway had been shelved.

"The speculation in today's Sunday Times is wrong, and Heathrow recognises neither the plans nor actions described," said a spokesperson for the airport.

The Sunday Times claimed that Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye was looking to scrap the expansion and had started to disband a team focussed on the project, citing unnamed sources.

Heathrow said it was looking at how it could best optimise the current airport to achieve short-term growth within its current infrastructure.

"Longer term, we're reviewing our plans to make sure the airport has the capacity the UK economy needs, while boosting the resilience of our operations for our customers and meeting our sustainability commitments," the statement said.

The longstanding push to build an additional runway at Heathrow has been halted by legal challenges from local residents and environmental campaigners, as well as being impacted heavily by the Covid-19 pandemic. Heathrow reported its first annual profit since 2019 just last week.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Shareccast.com
Peak summer air fares in Europe are likely to rise again this year by up to 10%, according to Ryanair, as problems with aircraft at Boeing and Airbus leave customers scrambling for seats. The increase would come on top of the sharp post-pandemic rise in holiday flight prices last year when pent-up demand met limited capacity in European airlines.- Guardian

More than half of UK retailers and exporters have been affected by the disruption to Red Sea trade from Houthi rebel attacks on cargo ships, research by a leading business lobby group suggests. The price of shipping a container from Asia to Europe has gone up by as much as 300% for some businesses, while logistical delays have added up to three to four weeks to delivery times, according to the survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).  Guardian

A project to power Britain using solar farms thousands of miles away in the Sahara is moving a step closer to fruition as its backers prepare to commission the worlds biggest cable-laying ship. The 700ft vessel will lay four parallel cables linking solar and wind farms spread across the desert in Morocco with a substation in Alverdiscott, a tiny village near the coast of north Devon.  Telegraph

Abolishing inheritance tax would increase Britains workforce by 300,000 because it would encourage people not to retire early, economists backed by Liz Truss have argued. Analysis by the Growth Commission claimed the number of people in work would increase by 1.1 per cent if the tax was removed.  Telegraph

Spending on Facebook and Instagram advertising by the two main political parties is more than 10 times higher this year compared to the start of 2023, Sky News can reveal. Spending on social media by Labour and the Conservatives is due to dramatically escalate through the course of the year due to spending and data rule changes which benefit the two main parties.  Sky News
The Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI), a part of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, has recently launched India's most extensive Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. This cutting-edge system is tailored to store solar energy and has a remarkable capacity of 40 MW/ 120 MWh. Accompanied by a solar photovoltaic (PV) plant with a capacity of 152.325 MWh, it provides a dispatchable capacity of 100 MW AC (155.02 MW peak DC).

This endeavor is in line with Chhattisgarh's dedication to meet peak energy requirements sustainably, as the state will acquire the energy, thus fulfilling its obligations towards renewable purchases. Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurated the project for the nation via a virtual ceremony.

An essential aspect of this project is its incorporation of bifacial modules, an advanced technology that enhances energy production by capturing ground-reflected light, surpassing the performance of conventional monofacial modules. This innovation establishes a fresh benchmark for large-scale renewable energy projects in harmony with India's dedication to sustainable development.

Moreover, the project exemplifies strategic land utilization, repurposing 451 acres of previously unused land across 9 villages in Tehsil Dongargarh and Dongargaon, District Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. Through a tripartite agreement involving the Energy Department of the Government of Chhattisgarh, Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL), and SECI, this initiative demonstrates a sustainable approach to energy project development while minimizing environmental impact.

To guarantee power stability and dependability, the project seamlessly integrates into the current power grid via a 132 kV double-circuit double-string transmission line connected to the Thelkadih substation of Chhattisgarh State Power Transmission Company Limited (CSPTCL).

Apart from its environmental advantages, the project is projected to reduce tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, highlighting its role in combating climate change. With backing from a long-term power purchase agreement with the state electricity distribution company (CSPDCL), the project showcases its economic feasibility and lays the groundwork for forthcoming renewable energy initiatives

Supported by the World Bank and Clean Technology Fund through the Innovation in Solar Power & Hybrid Technologies Project, alongside contributions from domestic lending agencies, the project illustrates cooperative endeavors aimed at fostering sustainable financial structures. This not only enhances the project's commercial appeal but also demonstrates India's dedication to global sustainability objectives.
Cryptocurrencies, initially crafted for decentralized and secure transactions, have evolved in response to the pressing concern for privacy. Among them, Zcash (ZEC) stands out as a pioneering privacy coin, distinguished by its unique approach to transaction confidentiality, notably through shielded transactions. In the digital era, where securing financial information is paramount, Zcash's advanced technology plays a pivotal role. So, are you ready to dive deep into the market? This educational resource Quantum vGen connects you with an educational expert where you can learn about investing.

Zcash Basics

Background and History

Zcash, launched in 2016, emerged from the Zerocoin project and further developments by a team of scientists and engineers. It is a decentralized cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin, but distinguishes itself by emphasizing privacy features. The protocol is maintained by the Electric Coin Company, and the community actively contributes to its growth.

Key Features

Zcash introduces distinctive features that set it apart. While Bitcoin transactions are publicly visible on the blockchain, Zcash offers two transaction types: transparent and shielded. This dual-architecture caters to users seeking a balance between transparency and confidentiality. The transparent transactions resemble Bitcoin transactions, revealing the sender, receiver, and amount, whereas shielded transactions provide enhanced privacy.

Understanding Shielded Transactions

Transparent Transactions and Limitations

Transparent transactions, akin to Bitcoin, lack privacy features, making transaction details visible to anyone. This transparency, while suitable for some use cases, falls short in protecting sensitive financial information. Zcash addresses this limitation with its shielded transactions.

Technology Behind Shielded Transactions

Shielded transactions in Zcash rely on a cryptographic tool known as zk-SNARKs, which stands for Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments of Knowledge. This complex term encapsulates the ability to prove the authenticity of information without revealing the actual information. In the context of Zcash, zk-SNARKs enable verifiable transactions without disclosing the sender, receiver, or transaction amount.

Enhanced Privacy

Zcash's shielded transactions go beyond traditional privacy coins by providing an extra layer of anonymity. The use of zk-SNARKs allows parties involved in a transaction to prove its validity without revealing any critical information. This heightened privacy makes Zcash an appealing choice for those seeking confidential transactions.

Privacy Advantages of Zcash

Comparative Analysis

When compared to other privacy coins, Zcash stands out due to its dual-architecture. While Monero and Dash offer privacy features, Zcash's ability to cater to both transparent and shielded transactions provides users with flexibility.

Real-World Use Cases

Zcash finds practical application in scenarios where financial privacy is paramount. Businesses, individuals, and even other blockchain projects leverage Zcash for confidential transactions. It serves as a reliable option for those requiring privacy without compromising the security of their transactions.

Privacy Features

The privacy-centric features of Zcash include shielded transactions, obfuscation of transaction data, and the use of zk-SNARKs. These features collectively contribute to a robust privacy framework, making Zcash a preferred choice in the cryptocurrency landscape.

Testimonials and Case Studies

Real-world success stories highlight the effectiveness of Zcash's privacy features. Testimonials from users and businesses showcase instances where shielded transactions played a pivotal role in securing sensitive financial information.

Criticisms and Challenges

Illicit Activities and Privacy Coins

Privacy coins, including Zcash, have faced criticism for potentially facilitating illicit activities due to their enhanced privacy features. Addressing these concerns is essential for the wider acceptance of privacy-focused cryptocurrencies.

Regulatory Challenges

Governments and regulatory bodies worldwide grapple with the rise of privacy coins, raising concerns about potential misuse. Zcash's response to these challenges involves active collaboration with regulators, demonstrating a commitment to compliance.

Balancing Privacy and Compliance

Zcash recognizes the need to balance user privacy with regulatory compliance. Ongoing efforts within the community and the Electric Coin Company focus on addressing these challenges and ensuring Zcash remains a responsible player in the cryptocurrency space.

Future Developments and Roadmap

Research and Development Initiatives

Zcash continues to invest in research and development to enhance its privacy features. Ongoing initiatives aim to further strengthen the protocol, ensuring that Zcash remains at the forefront of privacy-focused cryptocurrencies.

Planned Upgrades and Improvements

The Zcash roadmap includes planned upgrades and improvements to the protocol. These enhancements may involve technological advancements, scalability solutions, and additional features that contribute to a more robust privacy infrastructure.

Collaborations and Partnerships

Potential collaborations with other projects and partnerships with industry players could further solidify Zcash's position in the market. These alliances may lead to innovative solutions and broader adoption of Zcash's privacy features.

Community Involvement

The Zcash community plays a pivotal role in shaping the cryptocurrency's future. Community-driven initiatives, feedback, and engagement contribute to the ongoing evolution of Zcash, ensuring it remains a dynamic and responsive privacy coin.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Zcash's emphasis on privacy through shielded transactions and the use of zk-SNARKs makes it a key player in the realm of privacy coins. Balancing transparency and confidentiality, Zcash provides users with a versatile and secure platform for their financial transactions. As regulatory challenges persist, Zcash's commitment to compliance and ongoing development initiatives position it as a privacy coin with a promising future in the evolving cryptocurrency landscape.
Shoprlive Founder, Sumit Jha, Highlights E-commerce Challenges in 2024

We live in a world that is powered by everything digital. The pandemic made many realize the limitless power of the online world, where we saw the onset of innumerable online brands and businesses. Today, this has created a whole digital ecosystem where many platforms, brands, and businesses successfully dwell, inspiring others vying to make their mark in the industry. The e-commerce industry has seen the constant rise of various platforms and apps, including Shoprlive by Sumit Jha.

Shoprlive is a one-of-a-kind e-commerce platform and app helping businesses and brands of all sizes sell their products at the best price points. It provides buyers with a comprehensive and interactive platform to make their best purchases, making it the best buyer/seller-friendly e-commerce app in India. Buyers and sellers can connect on the platform and do business most efficiently and hassle-free. From electronics, gift cards, and furniture to fashion, sports, and personal care, Shoprlive amazes everyone with its product collection and prices.

It is estimated that by 2040, 95% of purchases will be made online. Hence, retailers need to overcome e-commerce challenges and find the best solutions. Sumit Jha points out a few challenges that he thinks the new e-commerce businesses will face.

The first challenge, he says, is cyber data and security, as security breaches have only seen a rise. Since there is a lot of data and information regarding e-commerce, technical issues with data can cause severe damage to a brands image and the retailers daily operations. The solution, he says, is to stay vigilant, back up data, and install security plugins.

Secondly, he says offering buyers an excellent customer experience is essential. Often, for e-commerce apps or websites, the flow of the same, flooding of information, or a cluttered app may ruin a persons viewing and buying experiences. Hence, it is imperative to have a clean and simple app that can be navigated easily and has CTAs (call-to-action).

Further, Sumit Jha explains that it is always challenging to lure customers to buy from their e-commerce platforms in a saturated industry. Hence, innovative and immersive e-commerce features are the need of the hour, just like Shoprlive has quickly adopted and stayed ahead of the competition. E-com entrepreneurs need to focus more on live commerce and implement features like shopping from reels. He says it is also essential to keep a genuine price point for every product on the e-commerce platform to keep attracting repeat buys and more customers.

The founder points out that his whole purpose of starting a unique e-commerce platform like Shoprlive (@shoprlive) was to give equal opportunities to buyers and sellers, thriving on the power of live commerce.
A New Jersey teacher accused of molesting a 12-year-old student in a school storage closet four years ago has died ahead of his trial, which was set to begin next month, according to an obituary.

Paul VanHouten, 57, of Williamstown, died on Thursday. A cause of death was not included.

A trial for VanHouten was scheduled to begin on March 4 on charges of second-degree sexual assault, child endangerment and official misconduct. The charges were announced in July 2020 following a five-month investigation.

VanHouten was a science teacher at Williamstown Middle School in Monroe Township when he molested the girl in February 2020, authorities said. He threatened to fail the student if she told anyone, authorities said. He was immediately suspended in February after the girls mother reported the incident to officials.

VanHouten had pleaded not guilty to the charges. His attorney Robert N. Agre declined to comment on the defenses planned arguments at trial.

Following the arrest, the students family filed a lawsuit against VanHouten and the Monroe Township School District.

In that suit, she alleged that after finishing a quiz in VanHoutens class, he asked her to help him retrieve materials for a class science experiment from the storage closet.

The charges were not the first time VanHouten was accused of criminal activity as a teacher.

He was charged in 2018 with creating false public alarm for a social media post about a student purportedly threatening the school. A municipal judge later dismissed harassment charges against him in the case.

VanHoutens statement made in 2018 happened days after 17 people were killed during a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. In the weeks after that massacre, police across New Jersey charged several students with making threats against their schools.
NEW YORK  New York City has marked the anniversary of the 1993 bombing at the old World Trade Center that blew open a massive crater underneath one of the 110-story twin towers, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others years before the deadly attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey held a memorial Mass at St. Peters Church in Manhattan on Monday, followed by a solemn ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, located near the soaring, 104-story skyscraper that rose in place of the twin towers.

A bell tolled at precisely 12:18 p.m. to mark the time of the Feb. 26 attack, and a moment of silence honored the victims. Attendees then laid roses where their names are inscribed at a reflecting pool representing the footprint of the North Tower, where the underground parking garage bombing happened.

FILE - Victims of a fire at the World Trade Center in New York are treated at the scene, Feb. 26, 1993. New York City is marking the anniversary of the 1993 bombing that blew apart a van parked in an underground garage, killing six people and injured more than 1,000. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is holding a memorial Mass on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024 at St. Peters Church in Manhattan. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler, file)AP

Charles Maikish, who was director of the World Trade Center Department at the Port Authority at the time of the bombing, said at the ceremony that the 1993 attack was targeted at the heart of our free economic and Democratic system.

The intent was to inflict massive loss of human life and a lasting and permanent disruption of our economic system and way of life, he said. Well, they failed.

The 1993 attack was carried out by Islamic extremists who sought to punish the U.S. for its Middle East policies, particularly its support for Israel.

Stephen Knapp age 47 of Great Kills, the Chief Maintenance supervisor of the Port Authority's mechanical division. . in the picture held by his wife Louise, he is on the top of the world trade center circa 1976 . . February 26, 2005 (SI ADVANCE/Joshua Carp) STATEN ISLAND ADVANCESTATEN ISLAND ADVANCE

The terror cell detonated approximately 1,200 pounds of explosives in a parked rental van, leaving a five-story, 150-feet-wide crater filled with 4,000 tons of rubble, according to the museum.

Six people were convicted of the attack, including the accused ringleader Ramzi Yousef. A seventh suspect in the bombing remains on the FBIs most wanted list.

The attack was a harbinger of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks that ultimately felled the citys tallest skyscrapers, killing nearly 3,000 people in the worst attack on American soil.

Yousefs uncle, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, would later become the self-proclaimed mastermind of 9/11, when hijacked planes were used as missiles to strike the buildings.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Americans are getting more money back on this years tax returns, according to the latest Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data.

Through Feb. 16, the latest date currently available on the IRS website, the agency has issued 20,883,000 refunds, nearly 25% fewer than the 27,781,000 that had been issued by this time last year.

The reason for the dramatic reduction in refunds issued to date is a simple one; the agency officially began processing tax returns one week later this year than it did in 2023.

Because the 2023 filing season began on Jan. 23, the IRS had been receiving returns for 26 days by Feb. 10, 2023; compared to only 19 days for the 2024 filing season, which opened on Jan. 29. Considering the loss of 7 days in this comparison, filing season statistics below continue to show a strong start to filing season 2024, with all systems running well, according to the IRS.

The average refund amount through Feb. 16 was $3,207, roughly 2% higher than the average refund of $3,140 at that time last year.

Through Feb. 9, the average had been just $1,741, but has increased dramatically now than the IRS has begun issuing refunds to taxpayers who claimed the the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit, the refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit.

Due to the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act, which took effect during the 2017 filing season, the IRS legally cannot issue refunds or credits to anyone who claimed an Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit before Feb. 15, with the agency expecting those who claimed those credits to receive their direct deposit refunds by Feb. 27.

The policy was implemented to help prevent revenue loss due to identity theft and refund fraud related to fabricated wages and withholdings, according to the IRS.

TRACKING YOUR REFUND

If youre one of the millions of Americans who have already sent in their tax returns, there are online portals that will allow you to monitor the status of your refund.

For federal taxes, residents can use the IRS Wheres My Refund tool or the IRS2Go mobile app to see when their refunds have been received, processed and sent.

Refund status will appear roughly 24 hours after you e-file a current-year return, three or four days after you e-file a prior-year return or four weeks after you file a paper return.

To access the information, which is updated overnight each day, residents must provide their Social Security or individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN), filing status and exact refund amount on their return.

Once refunds are sent, those using direct deposit should receive their refund within five days, while those expecting checks in the mail may have to wait several weeks.

For state taxes, New Yorkers can visit the Department of Taxation and Finance website and click Check refund status.

This allows residents to see if their return has been received; when its being processed; if the return requires additional review; if the state requires additional information; if a requested refund amount has been adjusted and when a refund has been issued.

NEW TAX INCOME BRACKETS

While tax rates have remained the same as last year, the IRS has announced new brackets with adjusted thresholds, boasting upper limits that are 7% higher than last year.

In addition to the new tax brackets, the standard deduction, the amount you can deduct to adjust the amount of income on which youre taxed, has also increased from $12,950 to $13,850 for single filers and from $25,900 to $27,700 for married couples filing jointly.

Heres a look at the new tax brackets that will be used when filing in 2024.

MARGINAL TAX BRACKETS FOR SINGLE FILERS

$11,000 or less in taxable income  10% of taxable income

$11,001 to $44,725 in taxable income  $1,100 plus 12% over $11,000

$44,726 to $95,375 in taxable income  $5,147 plus 22% over $44,725

$95,376 to $182,100 in taxable income  $16,290 plus 24% over $95,375

$182,101 to $231,250 in taxable income  $37,104 plus 32% over $182,100

$231,251 to $578,125 in taxable income  $52,832 plus 35% over $231,250

$578,126 or more in taxable income - $174,238 plus 37% over $578,125

MARGINAL TAX BRACKETS FOR MARRIED COUPLES FILING JOINTLY
Whats Happening Staten Island is a periodic series about active construction projects and other community happenings around the borough.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Passersby may have noticed a glaring absence at Freedom Circle recently, but city officials said Friday its part of an annual effort to better maintain the Ocean Breeze location.

A spokesperson for the city Parks Department said that each year after Veterans Day, the flags are taken down in an effort to protect them from the harsh winter weather before being restored ahead of Memorial Day.

Freedom Circle, located where the wood and stone portions of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Boardwalk meet, is the site of seven flagpoles, each featuring an American flag from a different time in the nations history from the Revolution to the present day.

In warmer months, the modern Stars and Stripes serves as the circles centerpiece surrounded by six flags  a version of the First Navy Jack, the Grand Union Flag of 1775, the Betsy Ross Flag of 1776, the first Official United States Flag of 1777, the 15-star Star-Spangled Banner honored in Francis Scott Keys 1814 poem of the same name, and the 35-star flag that became the official U.S. symbol during the Civil War.

Flags at Freedom Circle in Midland Beach blow in the wind ahead of Tropical Storm Isaias on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Paul Liotta)

Former Borough President James Molinaro conceived the idea for Freedom Circle in 2003 as a memorial for the nations veterans, and used $750,000 from the Borough Hall budget to fund the Parks Department design and construction, according to Advance reporting from the time.

Molinaro led a host of city officials, including former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the location June 14, 2005, flag day.

People left their farms and blacksmith shops to fight for a form of government the Greek philosophers had spoke about for years, had dreamed about but never saw, Molinaro said at the ribbon-cutting. Today (America is) the only country thats had the same form of government for 230 years. Its been tested with four presidential assassinations, a civil war and a president firing his chief military officer, and Im sure it will survive another 230 years.

Have a location where you want to know whats happening? Email PLiotta@siadvance.com.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- City and state officials have seemingly thrown in the towel on managing Staten Islands troublesome turkey population, now telling borough residents they must learn to live alongside the neighborhood nuisances.

The turkeys, first documented on Staten Island in late 1990s, were once contained to the boroughs East Shore, often congregating on Seaview Avenue around what is now Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze.

But in recent years, the population has exploded, with the pesky pests spreading their wings all across the borough, nesting on residents front lawns, blocking traffic, scratching cars, defecating on private property, and in some cases, dying on sidewalks and being left to rot.

Councilman David Carr (R-Mid-Island), who has spearheaded recent efforts to address the growing turkey population, recently told the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com that local officials have reached a stalemate with city and state agencies who had previously helped try to relocate the birds.

During a 2022 Wildlife Summit to discuss future population mitigation plans, the states Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which had been an active partner in previous relocation efforts, told local officials that borough residents would need to learn to live alongside the turkeys.

DEC statements at that time, before and after summit, indicated their view that the turkeys were kind of a status quo that now needed to be accepted and I didnt agree with that, Carr said.

State officials deferred responsibility to NYC Parks, claiming it was their role as the local agency to lead any turkey relocation efforts, according to the councilman, but little progress has been made in devising a new plan.

Im looking to continue those conversations and come together with a plan by mutual agreement with DEC and Parks in the very near future, but at this point there hasnt been an agreement on how to proceed, said Carr.

However, both agencies now appear focused on getting Staten Islanders to embrace the birds as neighbors, as opposed to relocating them or managing the growing population.

A DEC representative told the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com that capturing and relocating wildlife, as the state has agreed to do in the past, is not a long-term, sustainable solution from a social, financial or biological perspective.

As wild turkeys are now established on Staten Island, it is important that state and municipal government agencies and non-governmental organizations provide consistent messaging to the community about taking actions to minimize conflicts between wildlife and people, and how to co-exist with wildlife, the representative added.

NYC Parks echoed that sentiment, referring to the turkeys as one of the many native species that call our city home, and offered residents tips for coexisting beside them, which include not feeding the birds, preventing them from nesting on private property, observing from a distance and leashing your pets.

A flock of turkeys block traffic on Mason Ave in Midland Beach on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) Jason PaderonJason Paderon

RELOCATION EFFORTS

In 2014, the DEC, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Staten Island University Hospital began capturing and relocating the turkeys to the And-Hoff Sanctuary in the Catskills.

By 2018, the sanctuary had more than 150 of the boroughs fowl, but the boroughs population was barely dented, with the turkeys left behind continuing to breed and create dangerous, frustrating and disgusting situations for Staten Islanders.

The last relocation attempt in October 2019 was put on hold because the state was worried the animal sanctuary couldnt keep the turkeys on its property, and said it would need to install an enclosure or annually clip the turkeys wings so they could not fly, in addition to expanding the 12-acre area to make room for more birds.

The state and city have since severed ties with the And-Hoff Sanctuary and appear unwilling to restart any sort of relocation program, despite the continued support of local elected officials.

I certainly still believe in capture, release and relocate because these turkeys are not pets, theyre pests. Theyre not native to here and, frankly, dont belong in our ecosystem, Carr said.

A turkey purches on top of a parked car on Seaview Ave in front of Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) Jason PaderonJason Paderon

OTHER OPTIONS

With relocation seemingly out of the question, Staten Island officials have been left with few options to address the boroughs turkey takeover.

In the past, city and state agencies had attempted to stop the turkeys at the source, searching for and removing eggs from known hot spots during mating season.

The efforts ultimately failed to mitigate the growing population and similar attempts would likely be even more difficult now that the birds are scattered all across the borough.

Carr has floated the idea of detaining the turkeys within a designated location within the borough, which would minimize their contact with residents, but such a plan would require an appropriate location and the support of city and state agencies.

That would require locating an appropriate site and then finding a way to manage them because were not talking about a cull. Were talking about a detention system so to speak, Carr said.
The complete shrouding of our sun by the moon has mesmerized humanity for millennia  a moment in time when skies darken and stillness creeps in.

Its spellbinding not only for the lucky ones in the path of total darkness, but also those on the fringes of the moons shadow getting a partial glimpse.

Shepherd Heinz Greiner watches the beginning of a total solar eclipse near Augsburg, southern Germany, on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 1999. A German myth has the cold and lazy male moon, ignoring the fiery passionate female sun during the day most of the time, except for a few bits of passion during an eclipse and then they'd squabble again and the sun would resume shining again, Mark Littmann of the University of Tennessee says. (AP Photo/Frank Boxler, File)AP

The cosmic curtain is about to rise again on the greatest show on Earth: a total solar eclipse that will dazzle tens of millions as it races across North America.

Day will turn into night as the moon perfectly positions itself between Earth and the sun on April 8, temporarily blocking the sunlight. The eclipse will begin in the Pacific, cross into Mexico and then cut through Texas on a northeasterly path through 15 states before heading out over Canada and the North Atlantic.

Ukrainian man watches a partial solar eclipse through a strip of film in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 29, 2006. The moon began blocking out the sun in the morning in Brazil before the path of greatest blockage migrated to Africa, then on to Turkey and up into Mongolia, where it will fade out with the sunset. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)AP

Totality will last up to 4 minutes, 28 seconds  enough time for the wonder of it all to soak in, weather permitting.

The sight of a total solar eclipse is stunning because the most beautiful celestial object  the suns corona  is hidden from us all our lives except for the precious moments of totality, eclipse mapmaker Michael Zeiler said in an email.

FILE - People watch the total solar eclipse from Svalbard, Norway on Friday March 20, 2015. (Haakon Mosvold Larsen/NTB Scanpix via AP, File)AP

Even scientists like NASAs Kelly Korreck find themselves in awe.

There might have been tears of joy the first time, she said. To actually experience it was just really a powerful, moving experience.

FILE - Magdalena Nahuelpan, a Mapuche Indigenous girl, looks at a total solar eclipse using special glasses in Carahue, La Araucania, Chile, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. The total eclipse was visible from Chile and the northern Patagonia region of Argentina, and as a partial solar eclipse in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix, File)AP

While full solar eclipses happen every year or two or three, theyre often in remote locations like the Arctic or Antarctica, the southern tip of South America or the Pacific.

FILE - An man uses special glasses to view a partial solar eclipse as people gather near the Sphinx at the Giza Pyramids on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, Friday, March 20, 2015. The partial eclipse was visible across Europe and parts of Asia and Africa, while sky-gazers in the Arctic were treated to a perfect view of a total solar eclipse as the moon completely blocked out the sun in a clear sky. (AP Photo/Khaled Kamel, File)AP

The last time totality crisscrossed the U.S. was in 2017, with totality lasting 2 1/2 minutes. After April, it wont happen again until 2045, but get set for six full minutes of totality.

FILE - The progression of a total solar eclipse is seen in a multiple exposure photograph taken in 5-minute intervals, with the moon passing in front of the sun above Siem Reap in northwestern Cambodia, 225 kilometers (140 miles) from Phnom Penh, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 1995. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)AP

FILE - Members of the British Astronomers Association prepare their telescopes at their campsite near Truro, England, on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 1999, preparing for a total solar eclipse the next day. (AP Photo/Dave Caulkin, File)AP

FILE - A young shepherd carries a goat as he watches a partial solar eclipse in the village of Bqosta, near the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Wednesday, March 29, 2006. In Lebanon the Education Ministry ordered all public schools closed for the day with advice to families to keep children indoors during the solar eclipse which started around noon. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari, File)AP

FILE - The moon passes in front of the setting sun during a total solar eclipse in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, July 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Marcos Brindicci, File)AP

FILE - Thousands of tourists gather to view a solar eclipse in front of Apollo Temple in the Turkish Mediterranean coastal resort of Side, Turkey, Wednesday March 29, 2006.. Astronomers from NASA and Britain's Royal Institute of Astronomy watched the eclipse from an ancient Roman theater. The total solar eclipse began at sunrise on the eastern tip of Brazil, crossesed the Atlantic and made landfall in Ghana, headed north across the Sahara, the eastern Mediterranean, Turkey and the Black Sea, and on into Central Asia, where it will finally die out at sunset in Mongolia. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici, File)AP

FILE - Lucy Maphiri, left, and Margaret Makuya watch the total solar eclipse over Shingwedzi camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2002. (AP Photo/Jon Hrusa, File)AP

FILE - Images of the crescent shaped sun are projected on a sidewalk as light passes through the leaves of a tree during a partial solar eclipse in Oklahoma City, Monday, Aug. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)AP

FILE - A total solar eclipse is observed above the mountainous Siberian Altai region, about 3,000 kilometers (1,850 miles) east of Moscow, on Friday, Aug. 1, 2008. (AP Photo/Oleg Romanov, File)AP

FILE - Vietnamese student Dang Anh Tuan shows a projected image of a solar eclipse at an observatory in Hanoi National University of Education in Hanoi, Vietnam, Wednesday, July 22, 2009, during the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, though in most of Vietnam, people will only be able to see a partial eclipse. (AP Photo/Chitose Suzuki, File)AP

FILE - Eclipse watchers squint through protective filters as they view an eclipse of the sun from the top deck of New York's Empire State Building in New York on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 1932. Full solar eclipses occur every year or two or three, often in the middle of nowhere like the South Pacific or Antarctic. (AP Photo/File, File)AP

FILE - An man uses special glasses to view a partial solar eclipse as people gather near the Sphinx at the Giza Pyramids on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, Friday, March 20, 2015. The partial eclipse was visible across Europe and parts of Asia and Africa, while sky-gazers in the Arctic were treated to a perfect view of a total solar eclipse as the moon completely blocked out the sun in a clear sky. (AP Photo/Khaled Kamel, File)AP

FILE - A man watches a solar eclipse through an x-ray film in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, File)AP

FILE - A crowd reacts to the view of a partial solar eclipse as it peaks at over 70% percent coverage on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Michael Noble Jr.)AP

FILE - A youth dressed as a shaman arrives to take part in a photo session before Tuesday's total solar eclipse, in La Higuera, Chile, Monday, July 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix, File)AP

FILE - This multiple exposure photograph shows the progression of a partial solar eclipse over the Gateway Arch in St. Louis on Aug. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)AP

FILE - People watch in darkness during the totality of a solar eclipse on as seen from a hill beside a hotel on the edge of the city overlooking Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Friday, March 20, 2015. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)AP

FILE - People view a total solar eclipse from La Higuera, Chile, Tuesday, July 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix, File)AP

FILE - The moon starts to block the sun during a solar eclipse seen through a cloud, in Skopje, Macedonia, Friday, March 20, 2015, in the last total solar eclipse visible in Europe for over a decade. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski, File)AP
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Azerbaijan stands out as a country with significant potential in the field of renewable energy sources, said member of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan Sevinj Huseynova, Trend reports.

"Today, Azerbaijan has emerged as a pivotal contributor to Europe's energy security, alongside numerous other nations. Furthermore, Azerbaijan has consistently prioritized the development of renewable energy sources. Within this framework, the Caspian Sea presents vast potential, with the Azerbaijani sector alone boasting a capacity of 150,000 MW. Moreover, experts hold high regard for the potential of recently liberated territories, notably Kalbajar and Lachin, emphasizing solar and wind energy initiatives. Plans are underway to establish over 10 hydroelectric power plants in Karabakh," the MP said.

She highlighted the adoption of pertinent laws and normative legal measures aimed at advancing the realm of renewable energy sources within the country, enhancing legislation, and refining the institutional framework in this domain.

"The approval of the document "Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development" signals a commitment to prioritizing renewable energy sources and the expansion of 'green' technologies in alignment with the country's socio-economic development goals for both the present and future. Through extensive efforts in this domain and bolstered international standing, Azerbaijan has been selected to host COP29. I am confident that Azerbaijan will continue to excel in this direction, achieving even greater success in the future," Huseynova added.

The decision to hold COP29 in Azerbaijan was officially announced in Dubai on December 11, 2023, enabling Azerbaijan to host the above event in November.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Sacked radio host Antoinette Lattouf has filed a second set of legal proceedings against the ABC, this time in the Federal Court, and alleges the broadcaster breached its own workplace agreement in the decision to dismiss her for sharing a Human Rights Watch Instagram post.

The case is in addition to the matter taken to the Fair Work Commission, which argued she was unlawfully dismissed from a short-term contract for sharing political opinion. Later she amended the claim to include racial discrimination.

Antoinette Lattouf and Maurice Blackburn lawyer Josh Bornstein earlier this month. Credit: Kate Geraghty

Lattoufs legal team filed the latest application in the Federal Court on Thursday, and the ABC was served with a notification of the case on Friday afternoon. The presenters team wants both cases to be heard together in the Federal Court as soon as possible.

Lattouf is again being represented by Maurice Blackburn lawyer Josh Bornstein, and has added Noel Hutley, SC, to her team. Hutley is one of Australias best known silks, having worked for Australias richest person, Gina Rinehart, for some time.
FICTION

Burma Sahib

Paul Theroux

Hamish Hamilton, $34.99

A few years ago, well after midnight, at a bar during the Sydney Writers Festival, a bunch of us crime writers were pitching high-concept thriller or potential series ideas to one another. George Orwell: Detective, is a procedural series waiting to happen, someone said. Orwells first job had been as a colonial policeman in Burma for five years and we drunkenly envisaged White Mischief-style sex, violence, corrupt colonial officials and the shooting of elephants.

Fortunately, the hack version of this story never did get written. The good version, however, has just arrived from Paul Theroux, called Burma Sahib.

Paul Theroux reimagines the young George Orwell working as a policeman in Burma. Credit:

Eric Arthur Blair (Orwell is a nom de plume) was born in Bihar, India, where his father was an official in the Opium Department of the Indian Civil Service. Therouxs book begins on the ship to Rangoon, as a painfully shy 19-year-old, fresh from Eton, embarks on what he hopes might be an adventure right out of the boys weeklies. The family cant afford to send Blair to Oxford, so the tall young man tries out for the Burma Police, daring to dream that perhaps like Kipling he will find material to make poems, stories or even a novel.
Australia needs drastic economic reform to avoid a future where it could be forced to resettle large populations of climate refugees from the Pacific and the food bowl of the Murray Darling Basin could be decimated.

That is the view of the United Nations top climate official, Simon Stiell, who spoke exclusively to this masthead following a meeting last week with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen.

Simon Stiell, the UNs top climate official, has urged Australia to embrace wholesale economic reform to address climate change. Credit: Getty

Stiell said Australia has more to gain and more to lose than most nations and therefore had a responsibility to help lead a global effort to decarbonise its economies and unlock the trillions of dollars needed to prepare for climate impacts.

It is Australia which will be the front and centre in resettling entire national populations [if climate targets are not met], said Stiell, who has served as the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change since August 2022.
Large parts of the Great Barrier Reef have been bleached as ocean temperatures soar above average as scientists fear conditions will worsen in coming weeks.

Scientists had hoped that two tropical cyclones might keep waters cool enough to protect the reef from record temperatures, but during routine surveys, James Cook Universitys Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research scientist Dr Maya Srinivasan and her team detected moderate to severe bleaching around the Keppel Islands.

Scientists monitored 27 sites in the Great Barrier Reef and found moderate to severe coral bleaching. Credit: James Cook University, Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research

Once we were in the water, we could instantly see parts of the reef that were completely white from severe bleaching. Some corals were already dying, she said. We have seen fish abundance decline as coral cover declines in this region following past impacts like this.

But other parts of the reef are also showing signs of bleaching. More than 1000 kilometres away on Lizard Island, bleaching is the worst its been in five years.
On the day, Chong arrived at the MCG early to work out how far away Voos seat was and to ask the Swifties sitting nearby for their help. I was very nervous, mainly because I was worried my ticket wouldnt be scanned as I bought it through a reseller and couldnt add it to my digital wallet. The stress was there until the very last second, he said. Once Love Story began, he snuck to Voos row and hid behind other Swifties until the proposal lines started, at which point he revealed himself and dropped to one knee. It was a resounding Yes from Voo. Justin and Megan celebrated their engagement with friends after the Taylor Swift concert in Melbourne. We both felt so overwhelmed with happiness from all the love and support of not just our friends, but everyone around us  the Swifties true excitement for us, it really made the moment special and unforgettable, Chong said.

Initially, he wasnt sure about asking something so personal in such a public space, particularly since Voo is generally quite shy. However, given how much Swifts music had featured in their relationship so far, he eventually realised how apt the decision was. Megan is the biggest Swiftie that I know, Chong said. It was a magical day. Jules and Kesh: A Timeless pair Since 18-year-olds Kesh Fernandez and Jules Gabor met in high school, Swifts music has played a pivotal role in their relationship. Weve been told were very Taylor-coded, Gabor said. Like when she first asked me to be her girlfriend, she gave me a paper ring [a reference to Swifts song Paper Rings]. Fernandez agreed, reminiscing about the time they cried over the song Timeless, thinking about how they related to it as a queer couple. The whole right person, wrong time thing, we had that in high school. We were in and out of each others lives.

It therefore made sense to take the next big step in the presence of Swift herself, Fernandez said. Like the others, this was done at the tail end of Love Story. It felt symbolic of Taylor passing Jules onto me because her music took care of Jules when I wasnt there. She would listen to Taylor when she had a bad day. But I wanted to redefine her relationship with Swift so that she could focus on the love songs more than the sad songs. In Swifts own words, it was a long time coming, especially after the pair were scammed out of $400 when trying to buy tickets on Facebook Marketplace. Luckily, they were able to find legitimate tickets a few days before the show, though they ended up having to pay $550 for two restricted-view seats. But it was worth it, Fernandez said, especially because of the more universal meaning behind the proposal. People resonated with our video because it shows an openly queer couple. Its representation for a lot of Swifties who maybe felt like they werent recognised.

Alanah and Jordan: Forever the 1 Alanah Doxey, a 29-year-old Swiftie from the Gold Coast, entered Swifts first Melbourne show as a girlfriend. Little did she know, shed leave as a fiancee. Her partner of more than 10 years, 34-year-old Jordan Belton, pulled out a ring right as Swift sang the famous lyrics, leaving Doxey stunned. I was not expecting it at all. I thought he was joking at first because he likes to joke around, and I didnt initially see the ring. But I looked back down at him and just started screaming What the f--- over and over before I said yes  It was surreal, Doxey said.

It was an easy decision to make, Belton said, given his partner has been a Swiftie since she was 13. Swifts shows had also become a tradition for the couple since they had seen the 1989 and Reputation tours together. I figured adding extra excitement to an already exciting night could be the move. It made planning easier, if anything  thanks Taylor. In hindsight, it went far better than I imagined, as our whole section was cheering and applauding for us and I got to show off my new fiancee and the ring, he said. Though Belton is generally more of a Northlane man, Doxey was certain Swifts music would play at their wedding. I always get choked up when I listen to You Are In Love from 1989 and Paper Rings from Lover because they remind me of the kind of love I feel for Jordan, Doxey said. Sienna and Guy: Alls well that ends well to end up with you Thanks to a conveniently timed bathroom break, 25-year-old Guy Drydale was able to put his plan to propose into action.

He and his partner, 22-year-old Sienna Brown, flew from Melbourne to Sydney for Swifts third show last week. As a long-time Swiftie, Brown had already expressed it would be a dream to get engaged at her idols concert. However, she still had no idea what Drydale had in store. He knew how much her music means to me, we listen to Taylor together constantly. Ive told him so many times that I want our first dance to be to Lover, so now itll be even more special, Brown said. Before Swift took the stage at 7.30pm, Brown left her seat for a last-minute bathroom break. Drydale  who was wearing a Kansas City Chiefs jersey inspired by Swifts boyfriend, Travis Kelce  seized the opportunity to tell the Swifties around him about his plans and asked them to film the special moment. Over the first eight songs, those Swifties surreptitiously caught footage of an unsuspecting Brown and even the ring box bulging out from underneath Drydales shirt.
Rogers offered to assist Queens counsel Garfield Barwick with his luggage on the flight back to Australia. He was astonished when Barwick opened his coat and revealed the plant cuttings he was smuggling into the country. Years later, when Chief Justice Barwick was haranguing him in the High Court, Rogers, with a lively sense of humour, was tempted to interject: Remember those illegal plants, your Honour! Newspaper clipping (caption incorrect) showing Mrs Katie Szenes and her two sons, Andrew (left) and Andy (in mothers arms), catching their first sight of the Harbour Bridge from the boat deck of the Manoora. Rogers was admitted to the bar in 1956 and took silk in 1973. He performed brilliantly, and an impressive coterie of juniors worked with him, including later luminaries Bret Walker, Noel Hutley, Jim Allsop, Bob Macfarlan, Bob Austin and Keith Mason. In 1979, aged 46, he was appointed to the bench. Lawyer Helen Coonan, herself destined to enjoy a high-profile public life, wrote to him congratulating him on his appointment, and from that, a friendship developed, culminating in marriage in 1983. The marriage was celebrated at the Wayside Chapel, Kings Cross, by the Rev Ted Noffs and officially performed at the Australian Embassy in Paris, with former prime minister Gough Whitlam in attendance. There was an age difference of 14 years, Coonan having been born the year Rogers arrived in Australia, but they would be together for more than 40 years, and it turned out to be an exceedingly happy marriage. They had three children between them: Karen and Nicole from Rogers former marriage and Adam Coonan from Helens former marriage.

In the mid-1980s, Rogers took a sabbatical and went with his wife to study in New York, taking time while there to write slabs of the famous AWA case (relating to the liability of auditors in circumstances of corporate collapse) he was handling in Australia. Partners-in-law: Judge Rogers adjusting the wig of his wife Helen Coonan when she was admitted to the Bar in July, 1986. Credit: Fairfax The New York trip was, he said, the experience of a lifetime. He studied mediation at Columbia University and was invited to participate in the Aspen Summer School Dialogue, which was at the beginning of major changes in thinking about corporate law and litigation practice globally. He brought back his learnings on mediation to happily see them taken up in Australia by his friend and ardent supporter, Chief Justice Sir Laurence Street. In 1987, Rogers became the first chief judge of the Commercial Division of the NSW Supreme Court. In this position, his reputation was forged: commercial cases were subject to strict case management with tight deadlines and an expectation of the highest standards of preparation and professionalism. Andrew Rogers QC, the Audit Quality Review Board chairman, 2006. Credit: AFR

Under Rogers, the quid pro quo was that commercial cases would be decided with proper despatch, and the commercial community could be confident in using the court. Rogers enforced how barristers ran commercial cause cases. Former Supreme Court judge George Palmer, a commercial barrister at the time, recalled the changes as shocking, utterly brutal, and the most dramatic change to court procedure in 150 years. In days where justice demanded speed, he would often attend court without robe and wig, in an always dapper suit, and equally not require counsel to robe up. He once told a fill-in tipstaff: You are too short to carry the staff, so - dont bother with that! But Rogers ground-breaking reforms revolutionised how commercial litigation was conducted, happily coinciding with the opening-up of the Australian economy. When Rogers retired in 1993, Chief Justice Gleeson said: The Commercial Division provides a fast track, but practitioners in that area are left in no doubt that it is also a hard track. To use a racing metaphor, the going in the Commercial Division is always firm. That suits some horses and riders better than others, but it suited me well as a barrister, and it suits me even better now. Andrew Rogers and wife, former NSW senator Helen Coonan, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Rogers continued as a lawyer. He became a recognised international arbitrator, selected by his colleague practitioners to chair arbitral panels on difficult questions that would determine seminal issues, including sorting out the collapsed Dabhol Power Company in India, given its unfortunate links to Enron.
The alleged murder of television presenter Jesse Baird and flight attendant Luke Davies in a Paddington home has shocked Sydney. Police say they are piecing together the movements of one of their own, Senior Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon, who has been charged over their deaths.

Here is what we know about his alleged movements.

Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon has been charged with the murders of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. Credit: Facebook

Friday, February 16

A police-issued Glock pistol is signed out of Miranda Police Station. Police records show Lamarre-Condon checked the gun out for the purpose of attending a user-pays event  a protest on Sunday, February 18. These events allow officers to pick up extra shifts and fees are paid by organisations.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb says it would be a travesty if police were not to march in this weekends Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, following the alleged murder of a gay couple by a serving officer.

Beau Lamarre-Condon was on Friday charged with killing Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, allegedly using his police gun, with detectives still searching for their bodies on Monday.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the force had been building a bridge with Sydneys gay and lesbian community for 20 years. Credit: Kate Geraghty

The shocking situation, which occurred at the start of Sydneys Mardi Gras season, has deeply scarred the citys gay community and reopened fraught discussions about the participation of NSW Police in the annual parade, which takes place this Saturday.

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has not articulated a position on the matter. A spokesman said the organisation had not yet had the opportunity to formally discuss it as a group, but would do so.
NSW Police have been asked not to march at Saturdays Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade by the events organisers.

The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Board said having police participate in the march could intensify the current feelings of sorrow and distress in the LGBTQ community grieving over the deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.

Uniformed police march in the Mardi Gras parade in 2004. Credit: Fairfax Media

Beau Lamarre-Condon, a police officer who had previously marched in the parade, has been charged with the murders of Baird and Davies and is in custody.

In recent days, many have voiced their concerns to us, particularly regarding feelings of unease at the parade, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Board said in a statement.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) argues that the EU's planned adoption of a carbon tax on eurozone imports of steel, cement, and power (which generate substantial carbon dioxide emissions) from 2026 will have only a minor impact on the worldwide process of fighting greenhouse gas emissions, Trend reports.

"The EU's Carbon Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which takes effect in 2026, levies import duties on steel, cement, energy, and other products that emit carbon dioxide. The EU step is connected to reducing carbon leakage from nations with less stringent restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions to countries with strict regulations and high taxes on carbon dioxide emissions," the published research of the ADB says.

However, the bank's experts estimate that the measures outlined by the EU will reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by less than 0.2 percent compared to the carbon dioxide emissions trading scheme already in place (from 100 to $108 per ton).

"According to the Asian Economic Integration Report (AEIR), the introduction of a carbon tax could reduce global exports to the EU by about 0.4 percent and exports directly from Asia to the EU by about 1.1 percent. The output of some producers in the EU could also be negatively affected," ADB notes.

''Thus, the fragmented nature of carbon tax initiatives, in terms of sectors and regions covered, can only partially curb carbon dioxide emissions,'' the research says.

ADB chief economist Albert Park believes that to significantly reduce carbon emissions globally while also making sure climate efforts are more effective and sustainable, carbon pricing initiatives need to be extended to other regions outside the EU, especially Asia.

Meanwhile, there should be appropriate incentive mechanisms to encourage the widespread implementation of duties (tariffs) on carbon dioxide emissions outside the EU.

"Carbon dioxide emissions along the entire production and supply chain are growing faster in Asia than in other parts of the world. So, trade in environmentally friendly products and services should be encouraged; green technology transfer should be promoted; and governments should be supported in promoting green infrastructure and investment. There should be global cooperation to develop universally recognized systems to account for greenhouse gas emissions from a range of products and services," the ADB document noted.

To note, the ADB has been operating since 1966 and includes 68 countries.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
NSW One Nation is at risk of losing its sole MP as speculation mounts that United Australia Party (UAP) national director Craig Kelly will join Pauline Hansons party in a bid to get elected in Macquarie Street.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, One Nation insiders told the Herald that Hanson and her chief of staff, James Ashby, had held internal discussions about installing Kelly as state director of the partys NSW division, with an eye on contesting the 2027 state election.

Speculation is mounting that Craig Kelly will defect to join Pauline Hansons One Nation. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Coming just six months after then leader Mark Latham and his ally Rod Roberts exited One Nation amid allegations of financial impropriety, the move could have major implications for MP Tania Mihailuk.

Sources privy to internal conversations said she had threatened to leave the party if Ashby used Kellys appointment as state director as a springboard to run for the Legislative Council in 2027, deposing the former Labor Bankstown MP at the top of the ticket.
Loading Early in my life as a Richmondite, I came across two instructive books. Janet McCalmans Struggletown, a social history of the suburb published in 1984, added to my appreciation for the tough times endured by the working-classes who had lived here for more than a century. Tom Nobles Untold Violence, and its chapter about murderous Richmond drug baron Dennis Allen was less comforting. While Allen was dead by that time, his crime family lived locally, and the pace of my jogs would pick up around Stephenson and Chestnut streets. I soon witnessed the gentrification of Richmond as those who couldnt get out of Struggletown fast enough were replaced by new cycles of owners and renters who loved the convenience of its location, along with the shopping, pubs and lack of pretension. In the early 1990s, Bridge Roads clearance outlets were famous. Shopping tour buses lined Church Street on Saturdays full of bargain hunters keen to snare clothes, footwear, chocolate, and homewares.

I made the leap from tenant to mortgage holder in a tiny flat. Across Richmond, empty warehouses were converted to New York-style apartments and architect Nonda Katsalidis transformed the pigeon-filled Dalys silos into the Malthouse Apartments. Kylie Minogue was rumoured to own one. I never saw her at the Malthouse, but she was often spotted in Richmond with then-boyfriend Jason Donovan and, in recent years, on Bridge Road. Her grandmother Millie lived in a Victorian cottage next door to the silos. The quality of food also rapidly expanded. Bridge Roads offering expanded beyond late-night fast-food haunts like Hollywood Palace, Zorbas and Silvios Pizza. We didnt even need to go to Victoria Street for our Thy Thy Vietnamese fix. Bridge Road and Victoria Street now struggle with high vacancy rates due to high rents, generational change where offspring dont want to run the family restaurant, consumer shift to shopping outlets and much more. The medically supervised injecting room, up from Victoria Street and near a primary school, has divided residents and been blamed for the demise of the once-dynamic strip. It is confronting to see drug-affected people but I dont have to go to the Victoria Street precinct to see that  theyre present in the CBD and other suburbs. For more than a century, the Dimmeys department store, with its clock tower, has been a beloved feature. Peak celebrity spotting was watching Molly Meldrum steer a super-sized trolley overflowing with toys and crockery one Christmas Eve. In later years, it limped along before closing in 2012. The building is now a Coles, though campaigners were successful in a bid to stop the supermarket from putting their logo on the tower.

Richmond feels like a big country town as you spot familiar faces at the bowlo, walking to the G to barrack for the Tiges or shopping at the Gleadell Street Market each Saturday. When there is a big game at the MCG, the suburb comes alive. Living in Richmond when the Tigers won the 2017 and 2019 premierships is up there in my all-time favourite moments. Loading Two of my children went to schools beyond their home suburb and in the early years said they wished they lived out in the greener parts of Melbourne, where their friends had swimming pools and huge rumpus rooms to host sleepovers and parties. As time went on they realised the advantages of living in Richmond, where access to the 75, 48, 78 and 70 trams and railway stations was better than a long commute. Mind you, they now wonder where they will live given the continued gentrification of the suburb. Theres no way I could afford to buy here now. Richmonds median house price is $1,377,500 and the unit price $590,000. I fear young families may be missing out on the experience of raising a family in Richmond. Its beginning to feel like there are more fur babies than the human variety. While people shift out once kids arrive or feel that they have outgrown the suburb, there can be huge benefits in staying. Kids can walk to school, to sport training or part-time jobs, encouraging their independence and helping us avoid many hours stuck in traffic.
A West Australian mother whose twin seven-year-old daughters died when the car she was driving crashed last week says nothing makes sense now after her excruciating loss.

Rachel van Oyen said she wished Macey and Riley could see how much of an impact they had made on so many hearts.

Rachel van Oyen with her twin daughters, Macey and Riley. Credit: Facebook

In a blink of an eye everything changed. My entire world fell apart, vanished. There are still no words to describe this emptiness and pain Im drowning in. It should have been me, she wrote on Facebook.

What I would give to take your places my precious girls.. I have never felt so helpless than I did that day, all I could do was try hold you briefly even though youd both grew wings.
A clear majority of voters back the case for tax reform that can help young Australians buy their first homes, with 59 per cent in favour of using stamp duty exemptions to make housing more affordable.

An exclusive survey also shows that 40 per cent of voters want changes to negative gearing on investment properties as one option to scale back tax concessions, while 26 per cent oppose the idea and the rest are unsure.

The findings come as the Greens call for an end to tax handouts for big property investors, while the Grattan Institute and other policy advocates name negative gearing as a good target for reform that could recoup tax revenue and help new home buyers.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rebuffed calls to overhaul tax breaks on investment properties and Labor backbenchers have repeatedly declared there are no plans to make any changes, while Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has ruled out the idea.
The federal government is confident Tuvalu will stick with a landmark climate and security pact negotiated with Australia last year after the tiny island nation elected a new prime minister who played a pivotal role in the creation of the treaty.

A month after Tuvaluans went to the polls, the nations parliament chose newly elected MP and former attorney-general Feleti Teo as prime minister.

The Albanese government anticipated Teos election, based on soundings with local sources, and was hopeful he would be chosen ahead of other potential candidates.

Anthony Albanese and Tuvalus then-prime minister, Kausea Natano, announced the landmark pact in November. Credit: AAP

The choice of prime minister was delayed by three weeks because dangerous weather stopped boats from bringing MPs to the capital, underlining the risk of rising sea levels caused by climate change to the low-lying nation of around 11,000 people.
A Palestinian activist who hijacked two planes and labelled Hamas operatives responsible for the October 7 attacks freedom fighters is facing a push by Jewish groups to deny her an Australian visa.

Leila Khaled is billed as the keynote speaker at Junes Ecosocialism event in Perth hosted by the Socialist Alliance and Green Left media outlet, but the Albanese government has given a strong signal it would block any attempt for Khaled to travel here, citing anti-terrorism laws.

Leila Khaled. Credit: United Press International

The now-elderly figure, who appears holding an AK-47 in famous murals in the West Bank, is a prominent member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a hard-line Marxist group that shocked the world with airline hijackings and bombings in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Khaled helped hijack TWA Flight 840 on its way from Rome to Tel Aviv in 1969, believing Israels ambassador to the United States was on board. No one was injured but the hijackers blew up the aircrafts nose.
The house in John Street was sold by The Agencys Ben Collier following a redesign by Neeson Murcutt Architects in 2017. It is five metres wide with a single lock-up garage. The Woollahra home was the top auction result on Saturday. Collier said it sold just 10 minutes after it was passed in at $9.05 million. The reserve was not disclosed. The house last traded in 2009 for $2.9 million. In Neutral Bay, a young newlywed couple renting in Double Bay became first home owners on the weekend. The couple phoned, in relying on a friend to bid on their behalf.

The 60-square-metre two-bedroom unit at 4/38 Bent Street guided at $800,000 attracted four registered parties, all first home buyers, with three making offers. Bidding opened at $790,000 and went up in $10,000, $5000 and $1000 increments. The unit sold above the $800,000 guide and $850,000 reserve for $857,000 to the happy newlyweds. The vendor had lived there for 20 years. The unit last traded for $397,000 in 2004, records show. It was sold through Ty McCartney-Brown from McGrath Crows Nest.

In Manly, a three-bedroom house at 79 Wood Street, moments from Little Manly Beach, sold under the hammer for $6.33 million. The house, too small for young families but perfect for downsizers, attracted four registered bidders and three made offers. Bidding opened at $5 million and was slow to start, according to auctioneer Clarence White from Menck White Auctioneers. Even at all sorts of different price points, youve got this kind of tentative bidding from buyers, White said. Bids ranging in increments of $50,000, $100,000, $10,000 and $5000 were placed on the home with a $5.25 million guide.

I even took two 10 [thousand dollar bids] and then two five [thousand dollar bids] to finish. So thats a bit unusual on a $6 million house to get small increments like that, White said. Loading The buyer was a downsizer from the Hills area. The vendor had lived overseas since they renovated it nearly 10 years ago, and was present at the auction. The home last traded for $1.9 million in 2007, records show. Selling agent James Haywood from Cunninghams Real Estate said the main drawcard for the downsizers interest was that it was a freestanding home that wasnt too big to maintain.

It did have the double car garage as well, which is obviously pretty key in Manly, Haywood said. Along the same street, 40 people stood on the lawns of a palatial home at 6/10-12 Wood Street as auctioneer Emma Brown-Garrett from Menck White Auctioneers called the auction. Eight registered to bid and three made offers on the home on the eastern hill of Manly in walking distance to the sailing club. All interested parties were from the northern beaches, and all bar one were downsizers. Bidding opened at $4.4 million in $50,000 increments, climbing above the $4.5 million guide, then jumped to $100,000 bids.

After two final $25,000 bids it sold for $5.25 million. The bidding was so strong, Brown-Garrett said. The vendors parents had lived there for 30 years. It was sold by Georgi Bates from Cunninghams Real Estate. In Granville a solid three-bedroom brick home at 18 Union Street with no guide but feedback around $850,000 attracted nine registered parties  all first home buyers.

Bidding opened at $700,000 and went up in $50,000 bids until $900,000, then $10,000 bids until it met its $950,000 reserve. After a handful of smaller offers it sold for $983,000 to a first home buyer from Penrith. Loading The home last sold for $245,000 in 2000, records show. The vendor was pleased with the result. It sold through Soon Tee from LJ Hooker Granville / Guildford / Merrylands. SQM Research founder Louis Christopher said the auction market was swamped with volume. It was one of the biggest weekends weve had at this time of the year for many years. And so clearance rates fell from what we can see, compared to this time last week. Its still reasonably buoyant. But I think we have found the limits of the market in terms of how much the market can absorb the current supply levels, he said.
Moscow: Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny was killed because he was close to being freed in a prisoner swap and President Vladimir Putin could not tolerate the thought of him being released, a close ally alleged on Monday.

Navalny, 47, died at an Arctic penal colony on February 16. The Kremlin, which casts Navalny and his supporters as US-backed extremists, has denied state involvement in his death. Navalnys death certificate, according to supporters, said he died of natural causes.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny gestures in a court room in Moscow. Credit: AP

The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment and Navalny ally Maria Pevchikh, who is based outside Russia, did not present documentary evidence for her assertion.

Speaking on YouTube, Pevchikh said talks about exchanging Navalny and two unnamed US nationals for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian FSB security service hit man in jail in Germany, were in their final stages at the time of his death.
Beirut/Jerusalem: Israeli warplanes struck Lebanons Bekaa Valley, killing at least two Hezbollah members in its deepest attack into Lebanese territory since hostilities erupted with the Iran-backed group last October, sources in Lebanon said.

Underlining the risks of escalation, Hezbollah responded by firing 60 rockets at an Israeli army headquarters in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the groups al-Manar television reported. An Israeli army spokesperson said dozens of rockets were fired towards the Golan Heights from Lebanon.

Smoke rises following an Israel military bombardment in southern Lebanon as seen from northern Israel. Credit: AP

The attacks marked an intensification of the worst violence between the heavily armed Hezbollah and Israel since their 2006 war, fuelling concern of the potential for further escalation and regional spillover of the Gaza war.

The Israeli army said its fighter jets had struck Hezbollah air defences in the Bekaa Valley in response to the downing of an Israeli drone, which Hezbollah said it had shot down with a surface-to-air missile earlier on Monday.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 26. Kazakhstan's Samruk-Kazyna JSC (Sovereign Wealth Fund) and Chinese CRRC Corporation Limited (a Chinese state-owned and publicly traded rolling stock manufacturer) have signed a cooperation agreement, Trend reports.

The document was signed by the Chairman of the Board of Samruk-Kazyna Nurlan Zhakupov and the director of CRRC Group Sun Yongcai.

Thus, the agreement is of a strategic nature, aimed at strengthening ties and searching for new investment opportunities.

At the meeting, it was noted that Kazakhstan is also interested in deep localization of locomotive production using advanced technologies and the creation of service centers for equipment maintenance. CRRC, in turn, through Kazakhstan, can gain access to the markets of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Europe.

"The volume of cargo transportation by rail between Kazakhstan and China shows positive dynamics every year. In 2023, the volume of cargo transportation amounted to 28.3 million tons, which is 22 percent more than in 2022. CRRC is our long-time reliable partner, and we are interested in developing our cooperation," Zhakupov said.

To note, in October 2023, during the official visit of the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to China, Kazakhstan Railways has concluded a framework cooperation agreement with the Chinese corporation CRRC, under which 200 locomotives will be purchased.
Haley strikes back much more intelligently by, for instance, proposing a mental competence test for all presidential candidates over the age of 75. A pointed reminder that Trump, 77, is only a little younger than Joe Biden and certainly no saner. Haley is 52. Loading But Haley cannot be enjoying the physical threat that comes with the campaign. A few weeks ago she asked for Secret Service protection because of escalating threats and harassment. Yet Haley still refuses to yield and kiss the ring of Trump, as she put it: We dont do coronations in America. The Trumpite clamour that she quit the contest would make the Republicans a Soviet-style operation with just one candidate, Haley says. She insists that the party needs her because while Trump may be able to win the nomination, he is fated to lose the general election against President Biden.

Im the one that saves the Republican Party, Haley posits. I think my message has broken through. Not only are we getting Republicans, were getting independents, were getting Reagan Democrats  the people who want the anger to stop, the people who want the division to stop and the people who want us to stop having 80-year-old candidates. There are four chief reasons that she might be insisting on running an unwinnable race. That was then: Donald Trump, as president, with Nikki Haley when she was his ambassador to the UN in 2017. Credit: AP First, she might be positioning in the hope that Trump anoints her as his vice-presidential candidate. She hasnt ruled it out. She would definitely help Trump if she were on his ticket, says Green, because she appeals to different demographics, notably educated women, traditional Republicans, independent voters and even some Democrats. A Fox News voter analysis found that 59 per cent of Haleys voters say they wouldnt vote for Trump even if he is anointed as the Republican nominee.

But to be his running mate, you have to absolutely affix your lips to Trumps ass, and I think Nikki is too proud to put up with that, Green says. Loading Second, she could be entrenching herself as the leading Republican back-up should Trump be locked up. There is no way that the American people are going to vote for a convicted criminal, says Haley. If so, she seems to want to be ready to replace him as Republican nominee. Asked directly if this were her plan, she refuses to answer directly. Or third is the intriguing speculation that she could run for the presidency as an independent. She points out that a majority of Americans, around 60 per cent, consistently reject both Trump and Biden for the next term in the White House. Running as an independent candidate would allow Haley to appeal to these voters. Asked directly, Haley only stoked the speculation by saying that she was running as a Republican right now. If she were to stand as an independent, shed probably peel more votes away from Trump than Biden, but thats not a given, says Green.

One potential as a vehicle for an independent Haley might be a newly prominent non-profit called No Labels. Calling itself centrist and non-partisan and with a $US70 million war chest, No Labels says it is definitely interested in talking to Haley as the groups possible presidential pick. This implies that shes a centrist. But Haley could only be considered a centrist by way of comparison to Trump and right-wing extremists. Shes more of a traditional conservative Republican and opposes abortion, for instance. And the logistics and expense of getting an independent candidate on the ballot in all 50 US states in time for the election is daunting. Haley appeals to educated women, traditional Republicans, independent voters and even some Democrats. Credit: Bloomberg Fourth, she might be angling for the 2028 presidential election, building profile and support. Already, she has done unexpectedly well. Dont discount that I defeated a dozen fellas, she reminded an interviewer, referring to all the other Republican contenders bar Trump. Mike Green says: My guess is shed be more effective as a never-Trumper outside, not running. Her narrative is resonating, more than that of former Republican senator Liz Cheney, who was too strident, and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who was too fat and yesterdays news.

Haley is a more credible spokesperson for the never-Trumpers, reminding sceptical Republicans why they dont like Trump. If so, that would make her a post-Trump candidate. In another election or two she could be a credible candidate for the White House. If recent US politics offers us one lesson, it is that anything is possible. Peter Hartcher is international editor.
~"The time is now to facilitate our students".~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Mrs. Judianne Labega-Hoeve, the Interim Director of Bureau Telecommunications and Post, recently hosted a progress meeting with the VWO 6 ICT class of Milton Peters College. The students, under the guidance of their ICT teacher Mr. Marcus Nicolaas, conducted a comprehensive survey on Cyber Security. Now, they are translating these findings into tailored video messages and advertisements for an island-wide cyber security campaign.

During the meeting, Mrs. Labega-Hoeve underscored the project priorities for 2024, emphasizing the critical need to inform our community about the ongoing and ever-evolving cyber threats. She stressed the importance of protecting vulnerable groups in our society and commended the students for their dedication and hard work thus far.

Impressed by the students' initiative, Mrs. Labega-Hoeve pledged to continue investing in educational projects. To recognize and encourage outstanding achievement, the best-performing and most promising ICT student will be given the opportunity to attend the largest regional Telecom conference, CANTO, in Miami this summer, all expenses paid.

Additionally, Mrs. Labega-Hoeve announced plans to onboard one MPC student for a summer job to continue working on important Cyber Security matters. She stated, "The time is now to invest in our own students and education system. We must not only provide lip service but also facilitate with tangible support and offer them platforms for growth."

Looking ahead, Mrs. Labega-Hoeve pledged to repatriate at least one student per year who is studying abroad for special ICT assignments. She envisions leveraging these students as consultants in the near future, enabling them to contribute with their newly acquired knowledge, while also providing them with opportunities to earn money to offset their college fees.

This initiative aligns with Mrs. Labega-Hoeve's commitment to nurturing local talent and strengthening the nation's cybersecurity infrastructure.
THE HAGUE:--- De Nationale Carrierebeurs, the leading career fair in The Netherlands, is proud to announce the participation of distinguished influencer Kenty Lichtenberg in the upcoming event Werken in de Caribbean. For the second consecutive year, Werken in de Caribbean will provide companies in the Dutch Caribbean with unique opportunities to showcase their organizations to candidates looking to work or relocate to the Caribbean. On March 22nd and 23rd, at the Amsterdam RAI, candidates will have the opportunities to attend this event, completely free and make use of over 300 workshops and companies that will be sharing their organization portfolios.

Kenty Lichtenberg, known for their influential presence and advocacy for career development & personal branding, will be part of the team that will digitally highlight this event in the coming weeks. These highlights will contribute to the diverse and enriching experience for both exhibitors and attendees. The collaboration with Caribbean influencers aims to highlight the professional opportunities and vibrant career prospects available in the Dutch Caribbean.

About Werken in de Caribbean at De Nationale Carrierebeurs:

De Nationale Carrierebeurs is the premier career fair in The Netherlands, connecting job seekers with a wide range of employers and career development opportunities. With a focus on fostering meaningful connections, the event provides a platform for professionals to explore diverse career paths and for organizations to showcase their offerings.

Key Highlights:

Caribbean Opportunities: Companies based in Sint Maarten, Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba and Surinam and other Dutch Caribbean regions will have a platform to showcase their organizations.

Networking: Attendees will have the chance to connect with influencers, industry experts, and potential employers, fostering valuable professional relationships.

Career Relocation: For job seekers interested in pursuing a career in the Caribbean, Werken in de Caribbean at De Nationale Carrierebeurs offers insights, opportunities, and connections for successful relocation.

The collaboration with Kenty Lichtenberg underscores the commitment of Werken in de Caribbean to providing a dynamic and inclusive platform for career development. The event promises to be a bridge between talented professionals and organizations seeking to expand their teams in the Dutch Caribbean.

For St. Maarten, specifically, there will be a variety of organizations that will also be present: St. Maarten Medical Center, Port St. Maarten St, Maarten Laboratory Services, Government of St. Maarten, MCB / WIB Bank, White & Yellow Cross St. Maarten, and many more.

Join us on March 22nd and 23rd at the Amsterdam RAI for an unparalleled experience in career exploration and networking.

For further inquiries, please visit: www.carrierebeurs.nl and visit their social media platforms. (Facebook, Instagram & Linkedin).
Gatchalian: Maritime Zones Act approved by Senate; to strengthen PH claim over WPS

Senator Win Gatchalian said a proposed measure that seeks to establish Philippine maritime zones is expected to strengthen the country's claim over the West Philippine Sea as the Senate approved on third and final reading the proposed legislation.

Gatchalian, member of the Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zone, emphasized he is hoping the proposed legislation would be enacted as soon as possible given continuing tensions over disputed waters in the West Philippine Sea.

Over the weekend, the Chinese Coast Guard blocked a Philippine vessel near the Scarborough Shoal which was delivering fuel and aid to Filipino fishermen in the area. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said they had a similar encounter in the area a week earlier.

"This is an important piece of legislation that would strengthen our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, which was already established by our victory in the 2016 arbitral ruling," said Gatchalian, who co-authored the proposed measure.

The proposed Philippine Maritime Zones Act, once enacted into law, would clearly define the country's maritime zones, harmonizing domestic laws on maritime territory with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Specifically, the establishment of the country's maritime zones would fortify the geographical extent of the Philippines' maritime domain, Gatchalian explained.

"Inaasahan natin na ang pagsasabatas ng ating maritime zones ay magpapalakas ng ating mga karapatang pandagat at ang paggiit nito laban sa patuloy na panggigipit ng China sa ating mga kapwa Pilipino," he said.

"Ang ating pagkakaisa at matibay na paninindigan ang susi sa mas matinding pagtatanggol ng ating karapatan sa sariling karagatan," he ended.
China vows to ramp up anti-hacking protections



Shanghai, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



The Chinese government on Monday called for heightened data security measures and anti-hacking protections for sensitive domestic companies, vowing to "effectively prevent and control major risks" by 2026.

China has in recent years accused other governments and foreign groups of launching cyberattacks on its digital infrastructure, while being blamed itself for sponsoring attacks abroad, including in the United States.

Beijing's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Monday called for the construction of a "data security protection system" in a document addressed to local governments and Chinese businesses.

Local governments must focus their attention on "businesses that have mastered key technologies... are related to the security and stability of the industrial chain, or have a bearing on national security", the ministry said.

Officials must also "guide businesses to strengthen risk monitoring and emergency responses for important and core data", with more than 45,000 companies expected to be enrolled in a national data protection and classification system by 2026.

Data leaks have been a persistent problem in China, with hackers claiming in 2022 to have accessed the personal information of a billion Chinese citizens, including summaries of incidents reported to the Shanghai police.

Another massive leak in the same year exposed millions of pieces of facial recognition and vehicle registration data belonging to Hangzhou-based tech company Xinai Electronics, TechCrunch reported.

The US arm of China's largest bank, ICBC, said in November that it was hit by a ransomware attack that disrupted its financial services systems.

US media at the time reported that ICBC had been targeted by Russian-linked ransomware specialist LockBit, which has attacked governments, major companies, schools and hospitals, causing billions of dollars of damage and extracting tens of millions in ransoms from victims.

China has also been accused of backing cyberattacks against foreign governments, with the Netherlands saying this month that Beijing's hackers had installed malware in a computer network being used by the Dutch military.

Monday's directive comes after a data leak from Chinese cybersecurity firm I-Soon that appeared to show staff hacking into neighbouring countries' government servers and taking over individuals' social media accounts.
French AI firm Mistral launches first chatbot



Paris, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



French start-up Mistral AI announced on Monday it was launching a new chatbot, in a race to catch-up with US counterparts like OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT.

Mistral, formed last year by ex-Google and Meta researchers, has already raised almost 500 million euros ($540 million).

Certain investors valued the company at more than $2.0 billion in December, leading to frenzied speculation about it becoming a future European tech champion.

On Monday the firm announced an improved language model -- the term AI firms use to describe the programmes they build apps on -- as well as its first chatbot, called "Le Chat".

Mistral's earliest customers would be given access to the bot for testing, before it was released more widely, it said.

"Le Chat is natively multilingual and offers a pedagogical and fun way to explore Mistral AI's technology," the firm said in a statement in English.

Among European AI firms, only Germany's Aleph Alpha brought in as much funding as Mistral last year.

OpenAI has attracted billions in investment from Microsoft and is closely tied in with the software giant's services.
US top court hears challenges to social media laws



Washington, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



In a case that could determine the future of social media, the US Supreme Court was asked on Monday to decide whether a pair of state laws that limit content moderation are constitutional.

The laws were passed by Florida and Texas in a bid to stem what conservatives see as political bias by big tech companies on the major platforms.

Florida's measure bars social media platforms from pulling content from politicians, a law that was passed after former president Donald Trump was suspended from Twitter and Facebook in the wake of the January 6, 2021 assault on US Congress.

The suspension crystallized long-held criticism by US conservatives of alleged political censorship on sites such as Facebook or YouTube.

Florida governor and former US presidential candidate Ron DeSantis said the law was needed to reverse "shadow-banning" by tech companies of conservative viewpoints and political figures, which the platforms firmly deny.

In Texas, the law stops sites from pulling content based on a "viewpoint" and is also intended to thwart what conservatives see as "censorship" by tech platforms against right-wing ideas.

"It's difficult to think of any other recent First Amendment case in which the stakes were so high," said Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute, in a statement.

The appeal was brought to the country's highest court by associations representing big tech companies, the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice, who argue that the first amendment allows platforms to have the freedom to handle content as they see fit.

"We are looking to vindicate the First Amendment rights of websites to make editorial decisions that protect the trust and safety of their users," said CCIA president Matt Schruers.

"When Texas and Florida say the government is now going to be the barometer of what is allowable speech and what content must be carried online, that's a clear First Amendment violation," he added.

The Biden administration has also urged the Supreme Court to take up the case and will also argue against the laws at the Supreme Court on Monday.

The highly politicized issue faces an uncertain outcome in the polarized Supreme Court.

The nine-member court earlier this year narrowly voted to suspend the controversial laws while it weighed the cases.

But that decision was opposed by three conservative justices, who in an opinion said that the "ground-breaking" Texas law governing the activity of major platforms needed special treatment and that jurisprudence on free speech matters was not necessarily fit for purpose.

Justice Elena Kagan, a liberal, also dissented, though she did not give any justification for doing so.

Given the political divide in the US, Texas and Florida laws came onto the books as Washington struggles to update federal laws governing online life, with states increasingly setting their own rules.

The state of Montana has passed an outright ban of TikTok, while Maryland has enacted its own tax of online advertising.
Rival campaign consultant behind deepfake Biden AI call



Washington, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



A political consultant working for the long-shot presidential campaign of a Democratic rival to Joe Biden has admitted being behind a robocall impersonating the US leader.

The AI-generated call, the brainchild of an operative for Minnesota congressman Dean Phillips, featured what sounded like Biden's voice urging people not to cast ballots in January's New Hampshire primary.

It is being investigated by authorities as attempted voter suppression.

The incident caused alarm among experts who fear a deluge of AI-powered deepfake disinformation in the 2024 White House race as well as in other key elections around the globe this year.

Steve Kramer, a consultant working for Phillips, told NBC News on Sunday that he hired New Orleans street magician Paul Carpenter to use AI software to replicate Biden's voice.

He said the ploy was intended as a wake-up call to bring attention to the dangers AI poses for politics.

"This is a way for me to make a difference, and I have," Kramer told NBC.

"For $500, I got about $5 million worth of action, whether that be media attention or regulatory action."

The fake phone message, scripted by Kramer, opened with "what a bunch of malarkey" -- a favorite phrase of the president's.

The AI-generated voice told voters that "it's important that you save your vote for the November election."

"Voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again. Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday," the voice added.

Kramer said the robocall was made without the knowledge of the Phillips campaign.

"Glad he fessed-up. America should already have AI guardrails in place to prevent its nefarious use," Phillips said on X.

Kramer said that he has received a subpoena from the Federal Communications Commission, the US regulator, and expects that he will face prosecution and lawsuits.

The New Hampshire District Attorney's office opened an investigation into the robocall shortly after it was deployed.
Israel vows to push into Gaza's far-south as truce talks underway



Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories, Feb 25 (AFP) Feb 25, 2024



Israel's prime minister said Sunday a potential ceasefire in its war against Hamas militants would only delay a ground invasion of Gaza's southern city Rafah that shelters more than half of the conflict-battered territory's population.

Israel's ally the United States said ongoing mediation efforts produced "an understanding" towards a ceasefire and hostage release, while a Hamas source said the group insisted on the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Amid a spiralling humanitarian crisis, the main UN aid agency for Palestinians urged political action to avert famine in Gaza.

Egyptian, Qatari and US "experts" met in Doha for talks also attended by Israeli and Hamas representatives, state-linked Egyptian media said, in the latest effort to secure a truce before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that a military operation into Rafah, on Gaza's southern border with Egypt, would put Israel within weeks of "total victory" over Hamas whose October 7 attack triggered the war.

"If we have a deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen," he told CBS of the looming ground invasion.

Such an operation is widely feared to bring more mass civilian casualties in Rafah, where around 1.4 million Palestinians -- most of them displaced from other areas -- have converged.

"If we don't have a deal, we'll do it anyway," Netanyahu said.

"It has to be done because total victory is our goal and total victory is within reach -- not months away, weeks away, once we begin the operation."

Dire food shortages in northern Gaza which have sent Palestinians fleeing south were "a man-made disaster" that can be mitigated, said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

"Famine can still be avoided through genuine political will to grant access and protection to meaningful assistance."

The UN has said it faces restrictions, particularly on aid deliveries to northern Gaza.

The Doha talks follow a weekend meeting in Paris, without Gaza rulers Hamas, where representatives "came to an understanding among the four of them about what the basic contours of a hostage deal for temporary ceasefire would look like", White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN.

A Hamas source told AFP that "some new amendments" were proposed on contentious issues, but "Israel did not present any substantive position on the terms of the ceasefire and the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip".

Netanyahu has dismissed the troop withdrawal demand as "delusional".



- 'Uninhabitable' -



More than four months into the war, desperate families in Gaza's north have been forced to scavenge for food as fighting and looting have stopped humanitarian deliveries.

Hundreds of Palestinians headed south whichever way they could, walking down garbage-strewn roads between the blackened shells of bombed-out buildings, said an AFP correspondent.

In northern Gaza's Jabalia, displaced man Marwan Awadieh said the area "has become completely uninhabitable" and food was desperately scarce.

"Even the animal fodder that we had resorted to is now unavailable," he said, and wild herbs have "been depleted".

Red Crescent volunteer Ezzedin Halaweh said food shortages in the north were "leading to severe health issues, especially among children".

Israeli forces continued striking targets across the Palestinian territory and battling militants in heavy urban combat centred on the southern city of Khan Yunis, near Rafah.

The Israeli military campaign has killed at least 29,692 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

The war broke out after Hamas's unprecedented attack which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.



- 'Expanding the conflict' -



Militants also took about 250 Israeli and foreign hostages, 130 of whom remain in Gaza, including 31 presumed dead, according to Israel.

Israel's army confirmed Sunday the death of soldier Oz Daniel, 19, whose "body is still held captive by Hamas" according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum which said he was killed on the day of the attack.

Mediators have voiced hope a temporary truce and a hostage-prisoner exchange can be secured before the start of Ramadan on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar.

Jordan's King Abdullah II warned fighting during the holy month "will increase the threat of expanding the conflict", according to a royal statement.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, whose country hosts Hamas leaders and had helped broker a one-week truce in November, is due in Paris this week for talks on the Gaza conflict, the French presidency said.

Media reports suggest the warring parties are weighing a six-week halt to fighting and the initial exchange of dozens of female, underage and ill hostages for several hundred Palestinian detainees held by Israel.



- Hezbollah threat -



Across from overcrowded Rafah, neighbouring Egypt has kept its border closed to a mass refugee flight, saying it will not help facilitate any operation to push Palestinians out of Gaza.

But satellite images show it has also built a walled enclosure next to Gaza, in an apparent effort to brace for the possible arrival of large numbers of refugees.

Inside Israel, public pressure has grown on Netanyahu from the families of hostages demanding swifter action, and from a resurgent anti-government protest movement.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said there would be no let-up in action against Lebanon's powerful Hamas ally Hezbollah, whose militants have traded near-daily fire with Israeli forces since early October.

Both Hamas and Hezbollah are backed by Israel's enemy Iran.

If diplomatic efforts fail to end the deadly cross-border hostilities, "we will do it by force", Gallant warned in a video message from a northern army base near Lebanon.

"If anyone thinks that when we reach a deal (with Hamas)... it will ease what is happening here -- they are wrong."

burs-jd/ami/it
Hungarian parliament to vote on Swedish NATO bid



Budapest, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



Hungary's parliament is expected to ratify Sweden's NATO bid Monday, ending more than a year of delay that left fellow defence alliance partners furious as Ukraine fought off Russian troops.

Hungary remains the last obstacle to Stockholm's NATO membership after Turkey ratified their request in January.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and neighbouring Finland applied to join NATO in May 2022.

Finland became the 31st member of the US-led defence alliance last April.

But while Hungary repeatedly said it supported Swedish membership in principle, it kept prolonging the process by asking Sweden to stop "vilifying" the Hungarian government.

Budapest also accused Swedish officials of being "keen to bash Hungary" on rule-of-law issues.

After a meeting Friday between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson in Budapest, the nationalist leader announced progress.

"We have managed to clarify our mutual good intentions," Orban told journalists after signing a deal to acquire four Swedish-made fighter jets, expanding its existing fleet of 14 Jas-39 Gripen fighters.

Orban's nationalist Fidesz party -- whose ruling coalition with the Christian Democratic KDNP holds a two-thirds majority in parliament -- had already indicated it would support Sweden's bid.

All opposition parties except the far-right Our Homeland movement are in favour of ratification.

Lawmakers are therefore widely expected to greenlight the Nordic nation's bid in the parliamentary vote at around 4:20 pm (1520 GMT) Monday.



- Maintaining domestic popularity -



After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, most NATO members were keen to quickly approve the membership bids of both Finland and Sweden.

Hungary and the other holdout Turkey held up the process.

While Ankara cited security concerns, Budapest invoked a range of different reasons for delaying ratification.

For some experts, it was a strategy to wring concessions from Brussels to unlock billions of euros in frozen funds. Others argued it underlined Orban's closeness to the presidents of Russia and Turkey.

For analyst Mate Szalai of Venice's Ca' Foscari University, Orban was simply playing to his domestic audience.

"Orban wanted to go as far as he could without causing serious problems to the Transatlantic community while proving that Hungary is a power to be reckoned with," he told AFP.

While Hungary's "confrontational behaviour" did not reap any tangible results, it might have "been beneficial domestically for the ruling Fidesz party", he added.

"Many initiatives of the Hungarian government are designed to provoke a backlash in Europe," said Szalai.

"And most criticism expressed towards the Orban government actually helps Fidesz to maintain its popularity in the country."

Hungary approved Finland's membership last March, but despite its earlier promises, Budapest ended up being the last to vote on Sweden's NATO aspirations.
What does NATO entry mean for Sweden?



Stockholm, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



Sweden's NATO membership bid, submitted in the wake of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, looks set to clear the final hurdle with Hungary scheduled to vote on ratification on Monday.

Accession to the US-led alliance means stark changes for both Sweden's defence and the geopolitical balance in the region.



Why did Sweden decide to join NATO?



At the end of the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century, Sweden adopted an official policy of neutrality.

Following the end of the Cold War, the neutrality policy was amended to one of military non-alignment.

While Sweden has sent forces to international peacekeeping missions, it has not gone to war for more than 200 years.

The last conflict it fought was the Swedish-Norwegian War of 1814.

Despite its neutrality it pursued an active foreign policy, championing human rights and being a top aid donor per capita, sometimes being a labelled a "humanitarian superpower".

But while remaining outside NATO, Sweden has formed ever-closer ties to the alliance, joining the Partnership for Peace programme in 1994 and then the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council in 1997.

However, a majority of Swedes were long opposed to full membership and it was considered somewhat of a taboo among the Social Democrats -- Sweden's largest political party.

Former Social Democrat defence minister Peter Hultqvist even declared in the fall of 2021 that he could "guarantee" that he would never participate in a process to join NATO.

Only months later, Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine led to a dramatic shift in both public opinion and among political parties.

A broad majority of the Swedish parliament voted to apply for membership, which the country did -- along with Finland -- in May 2022.



What does Sweden bring to NATO?



For a long time, Swedish policy dictated that the country needed a strong military to protect its neutrality.

But after the end of the Cold War, it drastically slashed its defence spending, turning its military focus toward peacekeeping operations around the world.

In 1990, defence spending accounted for 2.6 percent of gross domestic product, shrinking to 1.2 percent by 2020, according to the government.

Spending started to increase again following Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea.

In March 2022, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden announced it would increase spending again, targeting two percent of GDP "as soon as possible".

In late 2023, Sweden's government said military spending would exceed the two percent goal in 2024.

Combining its different branches, the Swedish military can field some 50,000 soldiers, about half of whom are reservists.

Its air force includes more than 90 of its domestically developed fighter jet JAS 19 Gripen, and it has a Baltic Sea navy that includes several corvettes and submarines.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also said in January that his country was ready to contribute troops to NATO's forces in Latvia.

Sweden and Finland joining NATO also means that the Baltic Sea becomes surrounded by alliance members, with some analysts dubbing it a NATO lake.

"It's the final piece of the puzzle on NATO's map in Northern Europe that is now falling into place," Robert Dalsjo, an analyst at the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), told AFP.



What are the implications for Sweden's defence?



As a member of NATO, the country's military calculations change in several key aspects.

"Sweden has for a long time worked from the presumption: 'We'll solve the task alone'," Jan Henningson, a researcher at the FOI, told AFP.

"That changes now," he added, explaining that defence will now need to be conducted within the alliance.

"Now we'll have to learn to be a team player. And we'll have to adjust to the fact that we are not preparing to defend just Swedish territory, but allied territory," Dalsjo noted.

For Sweden, joining the alliance also upends its traditional thinking of power relations in a potential conflict.

"Traditionally, we have thought that we are a small state and whoever attacks us is much bigger," Henningson said.

But when it comes to the economy and demographics "NATO is much larger than Russia," according to Henningson.

"We are no longer David in all aspects, so to speak," Henningson said -- a change that is not lost on Sweden's military.

"It'll be a quite impressive force with hopefully the combined might of 32 countries from Turkey in the south all the way up to Svalbard," Swedish army chief Jonny Lindfors told newspaper Dagens Nyheter in December.

He added that he thinks the extra strength would make the risk of a conflict breaking out less likely.
Last holdout Hungary to vote on Swedish NATO bid



Budapest, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



Hungary's parliament was expected to ratify Sweden's NATO bid on Monday, the final obstacle for an enlargement of the alliance spurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The vote would end more than a year of delay that left fellow NATO partners furious as Ukraine has battled Russian troops.

Russia's February 2022 invasion prompted Sweden and neighbouring Finland to apply to join the bloc, ending a long-standing stance of non-alignment.

Finland became the 31st member of the US-led defence alliance in April.

But while Hungary repeatedly said it supported Swedish membership in principle, it kept prolonging the process by asking Sweden to stop "vilifying" the Hungarian government.

Budapest also accused Swedish officials of being "keen to bash Hungary" on rule-of-law issues.

After a meeting Friday between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson in Budapest, the nationalist leader announced progress.

"We have managed to clarify our mutual good intentions," Orban told journalists after signing a deal to acquire four Swedish-made fighter jets, expanding its existing fleet of 14 Jas-39 Gripen fighters.

Orban's nationalist Fidesz party -- whose ruling coalition with the Christian Democratic KDNP holds a two-thirds majority in parliament -- had already indicated it would support Sweden's bid.

All opposition parties except the far-right Our Homeland movement are in favour of ratification.

Lawmakers were widely expected to greenlight the Nordic nation's bid in the parliamentary vote at around 4:20 pm (1520 GMT) Monday.

Once parliament has approved the bid, the president is expected to sign it in the coming days.

Sweden will then be invited to accede to the Washington Treaty and officially become a NATO member.

In the case of Finland, for example, Ankara gave the green light on March 30, 2023, and Finland became a NATO member on April 4.



- Maintaining domestic popularity -



After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, most NATO members were keen to quickly approve the membership bids of both Finland and Sweden.

Hungary and the other holdout Turkey held up the process, especially for Sweden.

While Ankara cited security concerns, Budapest invoked a range of different reasons for delaying ratification.

For some experts, it was a strategy to wring concessions from Brussels to unlock billions of euros in frozen funds. Others argued it underlined Orban's closeness to the presidents of Russia and Turkey.

For analyst Mate Szalai of Venice's Ca' Foscari University, Orban was simply playing to his domestic audience.

"Orban wanted to go as far as he could without causing serious problems to the Transatlantic community while proving that Hungary is a power to be reckoned with," he told AFP.

While Hungary's "confrontational behaviour" did not reap any tangible results, it might have "been beneficial domestically for the ruling Fidesz party", he added.

"Many initiatives of the Hungarian government are designed to provoke a backlash in Europe," said Szalai.

"And most criticism expressed towards the Orban government actually helps Fidesz to maintain its popularity in the country."

Hungary approved Finland's membership last March, but despite its earlier promises, Budapest ended up being the last to vote on Sweden's NATO aspirations.
Does Sweden joining make the Baltic Sea a 'NATO lake'?



Brussels, Belgium, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



Sweden's accession to NATO adds a final puzzle piece to the alliance around the shores of the strategically important Baltic Sea -- but Russia still poses a threat above and below water.

After Finland joined last year, Sweden's membership -- which looks set to clear the final hurdle Monday with Hungary's vote on ratification later on Monday -- means all the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea, except Russia, will be part of the US-led military alliance.

That has led some to label the sea a "NATO lake", with the Western allies now appearing well-placed to strangle Russia's room for manoeuvre in the crucial shipping route if a war with Moscow ever breaks out.

But analysts warn that while Sweden's entry makes it easier for NATO to exert control and reinforce its vulnerable Baltic states, Russia can still menace the region from heavily-armed exclave Kaliningrad and threaten undersea infrastructure.

"If you look at a map then geographically the Baltic Sea is becoming a NATO lake, yes," said Minna Alander a research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.

"But there is still work to do for NATO."

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a series of high-profile incidents involving pipelines and cables under the Baltic Sea have given NATO a wake-up call over its vulnerabilities.

In September 2022 a sabotage attack hit the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Europe. Over a year on, investigators have still not publicly named those responsible.

Then last October a gas pipeline and a cable from Finland and Sweden to Estonia were damaged. Finnish police say they believe a Chinese cargo ship was likely involved.

NATO has bolstered its naval deployments in response and is looking to step up its monitoring capabilities, but keeping an eye on what's happening beneath the water is a major task.

"It's very difficult to have overall control of a sea as you would control territories on land," said Julian Pawlak, a researcher at Germany's Bundeswehr University in Hamburg.

"What the Nord Stream sabotages have shown, among others, is that it remains hard to be aware exactly what is happening below the surface and on the seabed."



- Kaliningrad threat -



Sweden has long had a close partnership with NATO but its formal membership will allow it to be fully integrated into the alliance's defence plans.

Beyond its long Baltic coastline, Sweden brings with it the island of Gotland which would play a central role in helping NATO impose its will.

But just across the water Russia has its own vital outpost -- the exclave of Kaliningrad.

Wedged between Poland and Lithuania, Moscow has in recent years turned the region into one of the most militarised in Europe, with nuclear-capable missiles stationed there.

Russia's Baltic fleet based in Kaliningrad is a shadow of what it was during the Cold War and the invasion of Ukraine has sapped some of its forces from the region.

But John Deni, a research professor at the US Army War College, said the Kremlin has kept up investments in undersea capabilities and still has the firepower to stage small-scale landings or threaten NATO supply routes.

"In terms of artillery, indirect fires and nuclear-capable weapons they out-gun and out-range NATO allies in the region," Deni told AFP.

"Allies have to meet that threat and counter it."

On the other side, while Stockholm brings with it a rich heritage of naval history, like other NATO states in the area its sea power in the Baltic remains understrength.

"Even if you count Sweden, NATO naval assets are relatively limited," Deni said, adding that the allies need to develop their ability to carry out demining under fire.



- Reinforcing the Baltic states -



Three countries breathing a particular sigh of relief over the entry of Sweden -- and Finland -- are NATO's Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, long seen as an Achilles heel for the alliance.

War planners have struggled to work out how to stop them being cut off if Russian land troops seized the 65-kilometre (40-mile) Suwalki Gap between Belarus and Kaliningrad.

Sweden's position straddling both the North and Baltic Seas opens up a key route for transiting more NATO forces to protect them in case of attack.

"It allows US forces to reinforce the Baltic Sea nations in a timely manner, but especially the frontline states," said Tuuli Duneton, Estonian undersecretary for defence policy.

Despite the joy at NATO over welcoming Sweden to the fold, however, US academic Deni insisted the alliance should lay off considering the Baltic its own property.

"Calling it a 'NATO lake' leads to complacency," Deni said.

"The challenge and the threat posed by Russia in the region is significant in some ways and the allies for now lack the capacity to counter that in a crisis."
'No compromise' if Orban, Fico question Ukraine: Polish PM



Warsaw, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Monday that "no compromise" was possible with his Hungarian and Slovak counterparts if they decline to openly support Ukraine facing Russia's invasion.

Tusk will meet Czech, Hungarian and Slovak premiers Petr Fiala, Viktor Orban and Robert Fico in Prague on Tuesday at a meeting in the so-called Visegrad group.

Support for Ukraine has sown division among the four-nation group of Central European nations -- all NATO and European Union members -- as Orban and Fico have criticised military support for Ukraine.

Orban blocked a 50 billion euro EU aid package for months while Fico has refused to provide military aid to war-ravaged Ukraine, questioning its sovereignty and calling for peace with Russia.

"If you are a NATO and EU member, by definition and by the very nature of this membership you have to support Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion," Tusk told reporters.

"If someone fails to understand this, and I will say this openly in Prague tomorrow, they place themselves ... outside our communities, and there is no compromise to be made on this," he told reporters.

Tusk said he would say this to Orban "in the eyes" when they meet in Prague, and added he was "stunned" by Fico's recent statements on Ukraine.

"It won't be a pleasant or simple encounter," Tusk said after meeting Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau in Warsaw.

Tusk added that the meeting would be a "test" of the Visegrad group.

He said that upon his return home, he would say "openly" if the four-country club still has a reason to exist.

The Visegrad group was founded in 1991, two years after the four countries had ended four decades of Soviet-led communist rule.

Given the historic experience with Moscow-led communist rule, "it is a paradox that Budapest and Bratislava send out these ambiguous signals concerning (President Vladimir) Putin and Russia these days", added Tusk.
Sweden in NATO will boost European, global security: Scholz



Berlin, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



Sweden's entry into NATO will be a boost to European and global security, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Monday, after Hungary approved Stockholm's bid, clearing the way for accession.

The ratification by the parliament in Budapest was a "win for all of us," Scholz said on X, formerly Twitter. "The decision strengthens our alliance and thus the security of Europe and the world," he added.

sea/hmn/rlp
Slovak PM claims EU, NATO states mulling sending troops to Ukraine



Bratislava, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico claimed on Monday that some EU and NATO member states are considering sending troops to Ukraine.

Since he was elected last October, Fico has made a string of remarks that have soured ties between Slovakia and neighbouring Ukraine.

"Several NATO and EU member states are considering sending their soldiers to Ukraine on a bilateral basis," Fico told reporters after a government meeting.

He did not provide any source for his remarks, saying he was not authorised to go into details.

He spoke ahead of a meeting of EU leaders in Paris, organised by French President Emmanuel Macron, aimed at strengthening Western support for Ukraine.

Fico described the gathering as a "combat meeting".

"We see huge security risks in the bilateral agreements that are likely to be conducted soon with NATO and EU member states that want to send their troops to Ukraine," he said.

He added that such a decision would lead to "an enormous escalation of tension."

Fico has previously questioned Ukraine's sovereignty and called for a compromise with Russia.

The day after he was sworn into office in October, Fico announced a halt to all Slovakian military aid to Ukraine.

"The EU should change from an arms supplier to a peacemaker," he said.
Last holdout Hungary approves Sweden's NATO bid



Budapest, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



Hungary's parliament on Monday ratified Sweden's bid to join NATO, clearing the final obstacle for an enlargement of the military alliance spurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The vote ends more than a year of delays that left fellow NATO partners furious as Ukraine battled Russian troops.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson hailed a "historic day", while NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Sweden will make the alliance "stronger and safer".

Russia's February 2022 invasion prompted Sweden and neighbouring Finland to apply to join the bloc, ending a long-standing stance of non-alignment in both countries.

Speaking about Russia's potential reaction at a press conference, Kristersson said, "The only thing we can expect with any certainty is that they don't like Sweden becoming a member of NATO, nor Finland".

While Finland became the 31st member of the US-led defence alliance in April last year, Sweden's bid had been held up. Turkey only ratified it last month.

On Monday, Hungary finally followed, with 188 members of parliament voting in favour and six against Sweden's accession.



- 'Historic day' -



"Today is a historic day... Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security," Kristersson said in a statement on X.

Stoltenberg welcomed Sweden as the 32nd NATO ally, saying its "membership will make us all stronger and safer."

People in Sweden also cheered the approval.

Jimmy Dahllof, 35, said Sweden would be "safer... bringing us closer to our European neighbours."

Earlier Monday, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban had asked lawmakers to approve Sweden's bid.

"The Swedish-Hungarian military cooperation and Sweden's accession to NATO will strengthen Hungary's security," Orban told parliament.

Only the far-right Our Homeland movement were against the ratification.

Now that parliament has approved the Nordic nation's bid, the president is expected to sign it in the coming days.

Sweden will then be invited to accede to the Washington Treaty and officially become NATO's 32nd member.

Going forward, "Nordic countries will have a common defense for the first time in 500 years... we remain friends, and we become allies", Kristersson told a press conference later.



- 'Confrontational behaviour' -



Though repeatedly saying it supported Swedish membership in principle, Hungary kept prolonging the process by asking Stockholm to stop "vilifying" the Hungarian government.

Budapest accused Swedish officials of being "keen to bash Hungary" on rule-of-law issues.

After a meeting on Friday between Orban and Kristersson in Budapest, the nationalist Hungarian leader announced that the two had clarified "our mutual good intentions".

Hungary also signed a deal to acquire four Swedish-made fighter jets, expanding its existing fleet of 14 Jas-39 Gripen fighters.

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, most NATO members were keen to quickly approve the membership bids of both Finland and Sweden.

For Sweden, Ankara cited security concerns, before moving ahead with the ratification.

In Hungary's delay, some experts saw a strategy to wring concessions from Brussels to unlock billions of euros in frozen funds.

Others argued it underlined Orban's closeness to the presidents of Russia and Turkey.

For analyst Mate Szalai of Venice's Ca' Foscari University, Orban was simply playing to his domestic audience.

"Orban wanted to go as far as he could without causing serious problems to the Transatlantic community while proving that Hungary is a power to be reckoned with," he told AFP.

While Hungary's "confrontational behaviour" did not reap any tangible results, it might have "been beneficial domestically for the ruling Fidesz party", he added.

"Many initiatives of the Hungarian government are designed to provoke a backlash in Europe," said Szalai.

"And most criticism expressed towards the Orban government (from outside Hungary) actually helps Fidesz to maintain its popularity in the country."

burs-ros-jza/giv/rlp
Sweden set to join NATO after Hungary approves bid



Stockholm, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



Sweden on Monday cleared its final obstacle to joining NATO after Hungary's parliament ratified the bid in what Sweden's prime minister called a "historic day", while other alliance members expressed relief at the move spurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Sweden would make the alliance "stronger and safer" while the United States, the main alliance power, as well as Britain and Germany welcomed Sweden's now imminent accession.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that having Sweden in NATO "strengthens our defence alliance and with it the security of Europe and the world".

Russia's invasion two years ago prompted Sweden and neighbouring Finland to apply to join the trans-Atlantic bloc, ending their longstanding stance of non-alignment.

Every NATO member has to approve a new country however, and Hungary's vote ended more than a year of delays that frustrated the other 31 nations as Ukraine battled Russian troops.

Finland joined in April last year, but Sweden's bid was stalled by both Hungary and Turkey, with Ankara approving Stockholm's candidacy only last month.

Hungary then followed, with 188 parliament members voting in favour and six far-right deputies against.

"Today is a historic day... Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security," Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on X.

Speaking about Russia's potential reaction, Kristersson told a press conference: "The only thing we can expect with any certainty is that they don't like Sweden becoming a member of NATO, nor Finland".

Going forward, "Nordic countries will have a common defence for the first time in 500 years... we remain friends, and we become allies," he added.

Stoltenberg said that Sweden becoming the 32nd NATO ally "will make us all stronger and safer".

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban had long stalled Sweden's membership but told parliament that it would "strengthen Hungary's security".

Though repeatedly saying it supported Swedish membership in principle, Hungary kept prolonging the process, asking Stockholm to stop "vilifying" the Hungarian government.

After a meeting on Friday between the nationalist Orban and Kristersson in Budapest, the Hungarian leader announced that the two had clarified "our mutual good intentions".

Hungary also signed a deal to acquire four Swedish-made fighter jets, expanding its fleet of 14 Jas-39 Gripen fighters.

Hungary's president is expected to sign the law within days. Sweden, which has been militarily neutral for two centuries, will then be invited to accede to the Washington Treaty and officially become NATO's 32nd member.

All the Baltic nations except Russia will now be part of the alliance. On top of its move into NATO, Sweden signed an accord in December that gives the United States access to 17 Swedish military bases.

The looming membership has been accompanied by a toughening of declarations by its leaders. General Per Micael Buden, commander-in-chief of the Swedish military, said in January that Swedish people "must mentally prepare for war".

"It is the last piece of the puzzle in the NATO map for northern Europe," said Robert Dalsjo, an analyst for the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI).

People in Sweden mainly cheered the approval.

Jimmy Dahllof, 35, said Sweden would be "safer... bringing us closer to our European neighbours".

"I am very relieved because we have been waiting so long," said Ingrid Lindskrog, a 73-year-old pensioner.

In Hungary's delay, some experts saw a strategy to wring concessions from the European Union, which has frozen billions of euros in funds because of the nationalist government's policies.

Others argued it underlined Orban's closeness to the presidents of Russia and Turkey.

For Mate Szalai, an analyst at Venice's Ca' Foscari University, Orban was simply playing to his domestic audience.

"Orban wanted to go as far as he could without causing serious problems to the trans-Atlantic community while proving that Hungary is a power to be reckoned with," he told AFP.

Many of his acts are intended to provoke Europe, Szalai added.

burs-ros-jza/tw/js
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 26. The Minister of Finance of Kazakhstan Madi Takiyev has met with the Director General for Central and Western Asia of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Eugene Zhukov, where issues of promising areas of bilateral cooperation, as well as financing of Kazakh projects by the ADB were discussed, Trend reports.

Thus, Madi Takiyev noted the strategic nature of the partnership with the Asian Development Bank and its contribution to the socio-economic development of Kazakhstan.

"Over the years of partnership, Kazakhstan and ADB have managed to build mutually beneficial cooperation. ADB, through various instruments, continues to promote the reform agenda of the government of Kazakhstan, thanks to which the country currently has an active portfolio of cooperation and numerous successful programs have already been implemented. I would also like to emphasize the importance of the assistance provided to Kazakhstan in the form of technical support from the ADB, which creates opportunities to ensure the transfer of knowledge and experience," Takiyev said.

The meeting was also attended by acting Director of the Representative Office of the Asian Development Bank in Kazakhstan Mirzo Iskandar Gulamov and regional coordinator Botagoz Vaissova.

Meanwhile, the Asian Development Bank has invested (cumulative grants, technical assistance, and lending commitments) $6.8 billion in various projects in Kazakhstan since the start of cooperation on January 19, 1994.

In the field of public sector management, $2.6 billion was allocated, in the transport sector, $2.2 billion, in the finance sector, $1.2 billion, and in the energy sector, $427.5 million.

In addition, $191.5 million was allocated for agriculture, natural resources, and rural development; $38.9 million for water supply projects and other urban infrastructure services; $67.6 million for education, etc.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Within the framework of the visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundations Aktoty Raimkulova met with the Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva.

At the meeting, the existing ties of cooperation between the Foundation and Kazakhstan, the founding country of the organization, were emphasized. The parties discussed the directions of the Foundation's activities in the current and next year in the field of protection and popularization of the rich cultural heritage of Kazakhstan.

During the conversation, the sides also exchanged views on the implementation of the "Turkic Cultural Heritage Convention" entrusted to the Foundation within the framework of the strategic program "Turkic World Vision-2040". The creation of the Foundation's Council, as well as the preparatory work carried out for the Meeting of the Council with the participation of the Ministers of Culture of the organization's member countries, was emphasized.

Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva, stressing the significance for the Turkic world of the Convention prepared by the Foundation, expressed confidence in providing the necessary support for cooperation in this area. She also highly appreciated the organization's efforts to establish the Foundation's Council and confirmed participation in the Council Meeting, which is planned to be held in March this year.

The meeting continued with the discussion of further prospects for cooperation between the Foundation and Kazakhstan and issues of mutual interest.
We want to see more barriers torn down, not new ones being put up. This is why its important the UK is here at MC13, to secure meaningful outcomes for companies and consumers back home and around the world as part of the Governments plan to grow the economy and boost opportunities for our young people. I look forward to working with members this week to make that happen.
They have gone now and three other investors are looking for an exit. It may well be up to the new owners of Heathrow as much as the new CEO to make that call on whether the third runway ever gets built.
Church said: It is a really powerful chant that every single activist that I have met, every march that I have been on, in every context that I have ever heard it sang, it always has been for the human rights and for the equal liberty of Palestinian people, as well as Israeli people, on the lands of Palestine and Israel, and that is what I have always taken it and understood it to mean and thats what I think it does mean.
I welcome that change. It may have taken longer than any of us would have liked but the fact of the matter is the House of Commons voted for a ceasefire last week and the really important issue now is seeing concrete action being taken as a result of that vote, hence the motion.
Mr Flynn added: We are keen to build as much consensus as possible, while recognising the need to substantially shift the dial on the positions of Sunak and Starmer, who have been too timid in their approach to securing an immediate ceasefire  and not forgetting the success the SNP has had in changing the terms of the debate by doggedly sticking by our principles and values.
He went on: I am clear and my actions are clear. I have moved these schools into the conventional programme rather than pausing, rather than cancelling them, not because Ive let them down but because the Secretary of State and the UK Government has let them down.
He was chairman of RIT Capital Partners - one of the largest investment trusts quoted on the London Stock Exchange - until 2019, but also held roles including deputy chairman at the then BSkyB Television, director of RHJ International, now known as BHF Kleinwort Benson Group, and was a member of the council for the Duchy of Cornwall for the then Prince of Wales.
One poignant letter in the archive is from the much-loved poet Philip Larkin, who did not live long enough to see his poem The Trees take its place on the Tube in 1986.
Mr Navalny had been jailed since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow of his own accord after recuperating in Germany from nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin. He was later convicted three times.
Western nations have hit Russia with more sanctions in response to Mr Navalny's death as well as for the invasion of Ukraine, which marked its second anniversary on Saturday.
She invited the ministers "to be reasonable to us, to come with us on a day to work on the field, or with the horses or with the animals, to see that it is not very easy...because of the rules they put on us".
With Sweden following Finland into Nato, becoming its 32nd member, President Vladimir Putin has effectively achieved the very thing he sought to avert when he launched his war in Ukraine - an expansion of the alliance - Western leaders have said.
After breaking a lock on a gate, Mr Lamarre-Condon then left the female acquaintance there before driving the van on to the property and returning 30 minutes later, police said.
The BBC reports that a bomb disposal unit was sent to the site over concerns about a suspicious vehicle that could have been connected to the individual.
Last month it was reported by Deadline that Disney Branded Television had issued a pilot order for a new series, with Gomez returning as her character Alex Russo alongside David Henrie as Justin Russo. It's gonna be really fun. I was excited to bring the characters back. It's not a reboot. It's gonna be a different version, I guess, so I'm excited for you guys to see it, she told Kimmel. The Only Murders In The Building star was just 15 years old when the show originally launched in 2007 and centered on the Russo family, who are all wizards living in New York.
"NHS at its very best. I realise there are untold pressures at the moment, but the service I received was first class and hugely appreciated." He finishes by writing "NHS" with a heart emoji.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, February 26. Kyrgyzstan is keen on expanding the number of projects by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in the country, Aida Ismailova, the Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan to South Korea, said during a meeting with KOICA's President, Chang Won-sam, Trend reports.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, Ismailova spoke about the approval of the National Roadmap for implementing the Five-Year Action Plan for the Development of Mountain Regions and the planned Second Global Mountain Summit "Bishkek+25" in 2027 in Kyrgyzstan, twenty-five years after the First Summit. She invited the Korean side to actively participate and contribute specifically to preserving mountain ecosystems.

In turn, Chang Won-sam expressed gratitude for KOICA's assistance in Kyrgyzstan. He emphasized that KOICA will continue implementing projects in the country's priority areas of cooperation, such as the environment, agriculture, governance, and healthcare.

At the end of the meeting, the sides discussed organizing a visit by Chang Won-sam to Kyrgyzstan to further strengthen grant and technical cooperation.
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Senior official for global affairs and diplomatic strategies with the Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) Traian Hristea on February 22 and 23 participated in events organised in New York by the United Nations (UN) to mark two years since the Russian Federation started a war of aggression against Ukraine, reiterating the importance of maintaining international support for Ukraine.

"Romania has signed up to the condemnation of the Russian Federation by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. The Romanian dignitary reiterated the active role pledged by Romania at the UN as a supporter of efficient multilateralism and rules-based international order, as well as an actor involved in strengthening international security and counteracting the negative impact of the consequences of the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine," according to MAE.

In the plenary session of the UN General Assembly, Hristea reiterated the importance of maintaining international support for Ukraine and reconfirmed Romania's firm support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country within internationally recognised borders.

"He underlined that the war of aggression unleashed by the Russian Federation is a flagrant violation of the principles and rules of international law, generating the most serious crisis - food, energy, economic security - with effects on multiple levels. At the same time, he reaffirmed Romania's support for the peace formula proposed by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the only framework that can lead to a just and lasting peace and offered assurances that Romania will remain by Ukraine's side and the Ukrainian people for as long as it takes."

Hristea also showed that Romania provides support and will continue to support Moldova, the country most affected by the implications of the war of aggression, except for Ukraine, in order to cope with the challenges to its stability.
President Klaus Iohannis congratulated on Monday Hungary's President-elect Tamas Sulyok.

"Congratulations to Tamas Sulyok for the election as President of Hungary. I look forward to working together to the benefit of our people, on the basis of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and Hungary," the Romanian head of state wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

On Monday, Hungary's Parliament elected Constitutional Court chief Tamas Sulyok as the country's new president.

Tamas Sulyok, a 67-year-old jurist who has headed the Constitutional Court since 2016, was sworn in and will take office on March 5. In Hungary the role of the president is largely ceremonial.
OMV Petrom has signed two financing contracts under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) for the construction of two production facilities for green hydrogen of a total capacity of 55 MW at the Petrobrazi refinery, the company reported on Monday.

The contracts were signed with the Romanian Ministry of Energy for a maximum funding amount of EUR 50 million; the total investment is approximately EUR 140 million.

"Through our Strategy 2030, we committed to support the energy transition in Romania and the region, with investments of around EUR 11 billion by the end of this decade, of which approximately 35% will support low- and zero-carbon projects. We have made great strides in renewables and electro-mobility projects, and with this project we are adding hydrogen to our portfolio of low carbon projects," says OMV Petrom CEO Christina Verchere.

The funding was obtained following the reopening, in July 2023, of the competitive call for projects supporting investment in green hydrogen, initially launched in 2022.

"We are proud to be among the first green hydrogen producers in Romania. Green hydrogen, produced from renewable energy sources, is a viable solution for a low-carbon future. By developing these projects at Petrobrazi, we are taking important steps towards sustainable refining activity," says Radu Caprau, member of OMV Petrom's Executive Board, responsible for Refining and Marketing.

The projects consist of building two water electrolysis plants of 35 MW and 20 MW at the Petrobrazi refinery. The entire production process will be powered by renewable energy, therefore carbon-free, allowing the hydrogen obtained to be classified as green hydrogen.

The annual amount of green hydrogen to be produced by the two projects has been estimated at approximately 8 kilotons.

Integrating green hydrogen into the production process of green fuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel and biodiesel, will lead to a CO2 emission reduction of minimum 70% compared to conventional fuels.

The projects are currently in the engineering phase, with a final investment decision expected in 2024.
Only 10% of parents of Ukrainian refugee children in Romania can cover all their basic needs, 26% most of their needs, 60% partially/some needs, 4% no needs at all, according to an analysis by Save the Children conducted in February.

Of the needs they cannot cover, the most common (74%) are related to paying the rent and utilities, 54% are related to doctor visits and buying medicines, 43% are related to clothing and footwear, 39% are related to household items, 32% are related to food, the source said.

93% of respondents live in rented flats or houses, 2.86% in accommodation provided by the government, 2.39% with private persons without paying rent.

In terms of education, 34% of children need support to learn Romanian, 28% need IT equipment, 15% need school supplies, 10% need afterschool programmes.

Regarding access to health services for children, 37% answered that health services are accessible, 45% answered that they are difficult to access, 6% answered that they have no access at all, 10% mentioned that they do not need these services, 2% preferred not to answer.

Concerning adult health services, 30% responded that the services are accessible, 54% responded that they are difficult to access, 7% responded that they have no access at all, while 9% mentioned that they do not need health services.

62% of the refugees interviewed were not employed at the time of the questionnaire, 17% were employed under contract in Romania, 11% work remotely for a company outside Romania, 7% are employed without a contract and 3% are retired.

According to the analysis, the lack of communication skills in Romanian is the reason that most refugees from Ukraine declare as an impediment to employment (65%), followed by the need to care for a family member (adult or child) (54%).

Although the answer to the question of whether they want to stay and live in Romania is mostly "no" or "don't know," those who confirm that they will stay add that this is the children's choice and that they are already studying here (the children thus demonstrating their need to integrate). Those who do not see their future here mention the difficulty of finding a job and learning Romanian, homesickness and missing their loved ones.

Most of them do not want their children to leave online school in Ukraine, and parallel attendance is difficult, the language barrier being a problem here too.

The needs analysis of Ukrainian refugees was carried out in February through a quantitative analysis (questionnaire), to which was added a qualitative part, represented by 22 focus groups comprising three age categories (children, adolescents and adults).

Save the Children is with the Ukrainian refugees, constantly assessing needs and providing humanitarian assistance, as appropriate, at border crossings with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, in the Accommodation and Procedures Centres for Asylum Seekers of the General Inspectorate for Immigration, in refugee camps coordinated by the IGSU, in various staging points, in Integrated Service Centres set up by Save the Children in several localities and in partner schools.

To date, Save the Children Romania has provided support to 345,553 people, including 176,547 Ukrainian children and 169,006 adults.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu stressed during the meeting at the Governmental Palace on Monday with Greek ambassador in Bucharest Lili Evangelia Grammatika that the friendship between Romania and Greece is reflected by an extremely rich agenda of political-diplomatic contacts at political level, as well as a very constructive and substantial dialogue with the European Union and NATO.

"Very productive meeting with Hellenic Republic ambassador to Romania, H.E. Ms. Lili Evangelia Grammatika. The friendship between Romania and Greece is reflected by an extremely rich agenda of political-diplomatic contacts at political level, as well as a very constructive and substantial dialogue with the EU and #NATO," Ciolacu wrote in a post on the Government's X page.
The National Stamp Company Romfilatelia announces the release, starting on Tuesday, of the anniversary postage set titled "200 Years Since Avram Iancu's Birth".

According to a Romfilatelia statement, the set consists of a postage stamp and a perforated souvenir sheet, with the face of 13 lei and 33 lei, respectively.

As a sign of tribute and appreciation for the 1848 Revolution leader nicknamed 'Bonnie Prince of the Mountains', the Romanian Parliament adopted Law No. 223 of 2023 establishing 2024 as the "Avram Iancu Year", to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth.

Avram Iancu stands out in the history of Transylvania as a spearhead of the Romanian national movement whom members of the Romanian intelligentsia such as Simion Barnutiu, Gheorghe Baritiu or Alexandru Papiu Laurian saw as an auspicious leader "capable of taking the nation forward".

Avram Iancu organized the Romanian resistance against the Hungarian troops, but after the intervention of the Austrian and Tsarist forces, he had to surrender.

"Avram Iancu's name soon became a powerful symbol of national freedom, so that his official declaration as a Hero of the Romanian Nation, on November 17, 2016, was just the acknowledgement of an indisputable truth," said Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

The issue will be available in the Romfilatelia store network in Bucharest, Bacau, Brasov, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi, Timisoara, as well as online at: http://romfilatelia.ro/store/.
President Klaus Iohannis will participate in a working meeting in Paris on Monday with a series of allied leaders on Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the intensification of efforts to continue support for Kyiv.

According to a Presidential Administration press release, the high-level meeting is hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

The discussions will cover the evolution of the war launched by Russia against Ukraine, its implications for European and Euro-Atlantic security, as well as identifying options for stepping up assistance to Ukraine, the source said.

Klaus Iohannis welcomes the approach of the French President and stresses that the unity and solidarity of the international community in supporting Ukraine are essential and must be maintained, the press release mentions.

On this occasion, the Romanian head of state will reaffirm Romania's constant position of multidimensional support to Ukraine, as long as necessary, the Presidential Administration says.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, February 26. Mark Bowman, Vice President of Policy and Partnerships at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), is scheduled to visit Kyrgyzstan from February 27 to March 1, 2024, Trend reports.

During his visit, he will engage in meetings with senior government officials, members of the diplomatic community, and customers of the EBRD in the country.

Bowman will hold discussions with key figures, including Akylbek Zhaparov, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Daniyar Amangeldiev, Minister of Economy and EBRD Governor, and Ayaz Baetov, Minister of Justice.

In addition to these meetings, the EBRD Vice President will take part in a special event aimed at promoting the EBRD's Green Economy Financing Facility III. He will also introduce new e-notary and e-registration platforms designed to support the countrys digitalization strategy and enhance its business attractiveness.

In 2023, the EBRD made investments totaling 102 million euro through 22 projects in Kyrgyzstan, marking the bank's highest operational achievement in the country over the past five years. Sixty-seven percent of these projects were directed towards the private sector, with almost 40 percent of investments contributing to green initiatives.

To date, the EBRD has invested 960 million euro in Kyrgyzstan through 238 projects, primarily focusing on supporting private entrepreneurship and economic development initiatives.
The Romanian Union of Postal Workers (SLPR), affiliated to the National Trade Union Bloc (BNS), is organising, starting Monday, protest actions in front of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalisation.

The picketing of the ministry is scheduled to take place from 26 to 29 February 2024, from 11:30 to 14:00.

Last year, on October 9, postal workers started several protests that lasted until October 13, 2023.

The list of the unionists' grievances currently include the same issues as in the previous year, namely: the lack of a transparent, motivating and non-discriminatory salary system, which has led to the situation in the Romanian Post where 80% of the staff receive the minimum wage, regardless of position, education, responsibilities, professional experience.

Also, SLPR stresses that there is a huge risk that, with the increase of the minimum wage on economy, from January 1st 2024, Posta Romana ( Romanian National Postal Company) will enter into insolvency proceedings or will dismiss many thousands of employees.

Trade unionists also complain about the lack of coherent development and sustainability policies of the Romanian National Postal Company, the lack of transparency and predictability in the management act, as well as the lack of social dialogue at the level of Posta Romana.
Finland and Sweden's NATO entry shows us that this defensive military alliance, the strongest in history, is the security guarantee whereby Western-style democracies can protect their way of life, welfare and prospects for a fully-developed future, said Senate President Nicolae Ciuca.

"Finland and Sweden applied together, but due to geopolitical complications, the Finnish flag was raised at the NATO headquarters one year earlier. Finland and Sweden's renouncing neutrality closes two history chapters that have been open since the period of World War II. The two Nordic states remained in the Western bloc only economy-wise, with Finland avoiding the establishment of a communist regime exactly through this foreign policy of military neutrality. The admission of the two states to NATO shows us that the strongest defensive military alliance in history serves as the security guarantee through which Western-style democracies can protect their way of life, welfare and prospects for a fully-developed future," Ciuca wrote on Monday evening on Facebook.

His remarks follow the Hungarian Parliament's approval vote for Sweden's NATO bid, which thus becomes the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Alliance.

The Hungarian Parliament ratified on Monday Sweden's bid to join NATO, the last step for this Scandinavian country that expressed its desire to join the military alliance after the Russian invasion of Ukraine two years ago, AFP reports.

After almost two years of waiting, the Budapest Parliament approved Sweden's candidacy by an overwhelming majority (188 votes of a total of 199).
The taxi drivers, members of the National Association of the Employers of Transport Operators in the Taxi Regime (ANPOTRT) will remain in the next days in the Constitutiei Square (Parliament Square, ed. n.), after they failed to talk with the Government representatives on Monday, the chairman of the association, Remus Nedelcu, declared for AGERPRES.

"We didn't achieve anything at all. No one called us. We still remained in the square. We will remain tomorrow and the day after, or we will remain until it is resolved," declared Remus Nedelcu.

He mentioned that he tried to contact the representatives of the Government, but he did not receive any response. On the other hand, he announced that all the participants in the protest who came from the country remained in the Constitutiei Square because there was no point in leaving Bucharest and returning on Tuesday, spending money on fuel.

Remus Nedelcu stated that, for Monday's protest, the organization had authorization for 800 cars, and all the participants gathered at the demonstration. For Tuesday and Wednesday, the organization received approval for 1,800 cars daily.

Taxi drivers protested on Monday in Constitutiei Square, requesting the issuance, under emergency regime, of an ordinance to amend Law 204/2019, for the approval of Government Emergency Ordinance no. 49/2019 regarding alternative transport activities for passenger cars and drivers.
Joe Holleman Political correspondent/columnist Follow Joe Holleman Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Two national legislators from the St. Louis area have signed their names to compositions about credit cards and evictions:

 U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican and Missouris senior senator, wrote last week to the Department of Justice, asking it to block the planned $35.3 billion merger of Capital One and Discover Card.

Continuing his Republican-populist stance of recent months, Hawley joins progressive Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in asking President Joe Bidens administration to block the deal.

This is destructive corporate consolidation at its starkest, Hawley wrote on Wednesday, saying the merger would create a new juggernaut ... with unprecedented powers to extort American consumers.

On X (nee Twitter), Hawley was more succinct, saying the merger is another way to screw the American people.

Hawley is not the only Missouri lawmaker questioning the plastic partnership.

While stopping short of calling for blockage, U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, said regulators must explain how the creation of (the) sixth largest bank in the U.S., would improve financial stability, competition or the needs of working families.

 On Monday, U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-St. Louis, said she has signed onto a letter to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, asking for information about the evictions of Black people, specifically Black women with children.

The letter, signed by 47 other representatives, says grave injustices still exist and notes that significant racial disparities in eviction filings exist.

Shockingly, although Black Americans only make up 18.6% of all renters in the United States, over half (51.1%) of those affected by eviction are Black, the letter states.

The letter asks for a response from HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge by March 18.
Joe Holleman Political correspondent/columnist Follow Joe Holleman Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Take one conservative U.S. congressman from Missouri and one liberal U.S. senator from Oregon, put them in a room with enough pen and paper, and what do you get?

The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.

The bill may not have the snappiest of monikers, but it passed the House by a vote of 357-70.

In a pretty divided time in government, to get 84% was a huge win, said U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, during a visit to Arnold on Friday, where he touted the legislation while also talking about local concerns.

Smith is chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. He represents Missouris 8th District, which includes much of Jefferson County and all of Ste. Genevieve and St. Francois counties.

About 25 people attended Smiths roundtable rally at Arnold City Hall, including a pair of Missouris GOP state representatives, Phil Amato and David Casteel, and Arnold Mayor Ron Counts.

Some of the bills key provisions include:

 Offers tax deductions of $2,000 for each child in a household, instead of limiting to just one deduction. It removes the penalty for having multiple children, Smith said.

 Increases tax deductions available to small businesses for research and development costs, which Smith called a useful tool in reducing Chinas impact on the U.S. economy.

 Provides more tax relief for those recovering from recent hurricanes, flooding, wildfires and the Ohio rail disaster. That alone affects people in 45 states, he said.

 Establishes more tax credits for building more low-income housing.

Smith partnered with U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, who chairs the Senates Finance Committee, to craft this tax bill.

He noted that the two occupy opposite sides on the standard political spectrum.

Hes a progressive Democrat from Oregon, Im a conservative Republican from Missouri, Smith said. We are polar opposites.

But in creating the legislation, Smith said the two found ways to give and take on specific issues to craft the overall plan.

Neither one of us compromised our values, he said. You can find that common ground.

Smith also said he was confident of the eventual success of the measure.

Its going to pass, he said, adding that U.S. Sen. Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-New York, has spoken in favor of the bill. But Id like to see it get 84 (percent) in the Senate.

Smith said that despite popular conception, some legislators are setting aside differences to solve national problems  adding that the media focuses more on the congressional clashes than the collaborations.

He also tipped his cap to U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, who represents part of the Metro East area. In her first term, she has talked with Smith about the state of the U.S. House. I really appreciated that, he said.

As a final bow to bipartisanship, Smith quipped, And Ill let Ron Wyden buy me lunch anytime he wants.
The woman came to St. Louis to be with her then-boyfriend, St. Louis City SC star Indiana Vassilev. But she liked it here and eventually came 
ST. LOUIS  A woman was found bound by ropes and bleeding this weekend, then told officers she had been held hostage inside a church in the citys Patch neighborhood.

An officer responded to a call for help just before 1:30 a.m. Saturday.

The woman, who was bleeding from the head, told the officer she had been held hostage at a church in the 300 block of Marceau Street, in far south St. Louis.

She said she was locked in a room, only given water and beaten. There was no indication how long the woman had been held in the room.

Police went with the woman to the church, and she took officers to a room that had a bottle of water and a bucket filled with feces and urine, an officer wrote in a court document.

She identified three suspects at that location: 32-year-old Pasi Heri of Dutchtown, 28-year-old Grace Kipendo of Arnold and 25-year-old Mmunga Fungamali, who has a Canadian address listed on his court file. Police were unable to confirm his citizenship status in Canada.

All three men were each charged with one count of second-degree kidnapping and one count of third-degree assault. They were all arrested Saturday, according to online court records, and remained in custody Monday without bond.

The woman was not a native English speaker, police said, but the officer wrote she knew English well enough to talk to him.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  A Chesterfield man was killed in an afternoon crash Saturday while heading north on I-270 and attempting to change lanes, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Guy Porter, 65, was in a northbound lane of the four-lane highway just south of Dougherty Ferry Road, authorities said, when he changed lanes into the front end of a Freightliner truck at 12:24 p.m.

The rear of Porters Kia Soul hit the truck, sending his car into the center median where it overturned, according to the crash report. Porter was rushed to Mercy Hospital St. Louis, and he was pronounced dead at 12:49 p.m.

The driver of the truck, Alan Helfer, 59, of Columbia, Illinois, was not injured. Both drivers were wearing seat belts.
ST. LOUIS  Prosecutors on Saturday charged a 20-year-old man with shooting and killing an 18-year-old in the city's Gravois Park neighborhood.

Andrew Crawford, of the 4000 block of North 23rd Street, is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Jan. 31 death of Dwayne Gibbs in the 3400 block of California Avenue.

Court documents provide little detail about the shooting. A probable cause statement said Crawford shot and killed Gibbs and was identified by a witness to the killing.

Crawford is being held in the St. Louis jail without bond.
ST. LOUIS  Three men who are suspects in a Kansas murder investigation were arrested in St. Louis after being on the run from police for 10 days.

Kevin Quinn, 37, Aquan A. Quinn, 20, and Kevin W. Martin, 23, all of St. Louis, were arrested on Feb. 22 by the U.S. Marshals Service and the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office in north St. Louis. The three men have each been charged with one count of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery.

The charges stem from the death of 37-year-old Jason York, who was found shot to death inside his southeast Kansas home on Oct. 23.

Investigators found York's body after police there received a 911 call from someone who reported hearing gunshots from inside a residence in Independence, Kansas, a city of about 8,500 people in Montgomery County, Kansas.

Authorities there issued arrest warrants for the three men on Feb. 12. The county, which is just north of the Kansas-Oklahoma border, is about 370 miles southwest of St. Louis and about 150 miles west of Springfield.
JEFFERSON COUNTY  The Fox School District in Arnold is again floating the possibility of moving to a four-day week to save costs, one year after postponing the discussion.

The district has projected future budget shortfalls as a result of declining enrollment and the end of pandemic relief funds. Next fall, Fox could become the second-largest school district in Missouri to switch to a condensed schedule because of budget woes or staffing shortages.

A community forum will be held Monday featuring speaker Jon Turner, associate professor at Missouri State University and a leading researcher on the four-day week in education.

The potential transition to a four-day week is not a decision that we take lightly, so we welcome your input, Fox Superintendent Paul Fregeau wrote in an invitation to families. It is an option that would provide the Fox C-6 School District with sustainable budget savings year after year.

In early 2023, Fregeau first said the district should consider a shortened week among other budget cuts including layoffs. The proposal was shelved pending a property tax increase that voters rejected in August.

In Missouri, students have to attend school a total of 1,044 hours each year. Most districts on a short week extend the length of the school day to make up the hours.

There are 168 school districts statewide  nearly one-third  on a four-day schedule, including Crystal City, Grandview and Sunrise in Jefferson County. Warren County schools also made the switch in 2019.

Independence, with about 14,000 students, dropped the fifth day last fall and is the only district with a student population larger than Foxs 10,500 to have made the switch. Most of the others are smaller districts in rural areas.

The moves have generally been well-received by parents and school staff after switching to a four-day schedule. Some districts offer day care, tutoring or other enrichment programs on the fifth day. Enrollment in Independence has been virtually unchanged after making the switch.

In Fox, the decision is expected to save $1 million annually, Fregeau has said. The districts enrollment in the past year dropped by more than 200 students or 2%  one of the fastest rates of decline in the state.

Attendance rates, which count toward state funding, have also worsened since the pandemic started. Last year, 22% of Fox students were chronically absent, compared with 12% in 2019.

Missouri legislators have been unsuccessful at slowing the trend toward four-day weeks, which became an option under state law in 2011.

The Senates Empowering Missouri Parents and Children Committee held a hearing last week on a plan by state Sen. Doug Beck, D-south St. Louis County, that would require certain school districts to hold elections before going to a four-day schedule.

School districts located in a charter county, such as St. Louis, St. Charles and Jefferson counties, or serving a city with more than 30,000 residents, would need voter approval to shorten weeks starting in 2025.

But Becks proposal goes even further. He said four-day weeks have burdened families and a lot of times the school districts just impose it, and half the families dont even know it was going to happen.

Were not in a four-day society yet. If we were in a four-day society, maybe we wouldnt have this conversation, Beck said.

He says he is taking a carrot rather than a stick approach to incentivize keeping a full school week.

Under Becks plan, five-day districts or charter schools would see an additional 2% of the schools state aid allotment from the previous year, which would be earmarked for teacher pay increases. Districts that are in session for at least 175 days would also be allowed to set start dates earlier in August than current law allows.

Current law, approved in 2019, prevents K-12 districts from starting earlier than 14 days before the first Monday in September. The measure pitted members of the tourism industry, who wanted to extend the summer vacation season, against school superintendents.

For the upcoming school year, the change means schools arent allowed to open earlier than Aug. 19.
ST. LOUIS  Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has sent cease-and-desist letters to two more St. Louis-area school districts  warning against discriminatory practices within the districts.

In one letter, Bailey claims the Parkway School District has prohibited students from forming religious-based clubs, namely Fellowship of Christian Athletes, or prevented them from using school resources and holding meetings on campus.

In a second, Bailey accuses the Lindbergh School District of implementing race-based criteria for the districts gifted program by allowing students from underrepresented racial or ethnic populations to enter gifted programs even if they score lower on tests than typically required.

If these reports are true, Lindbergh School District is discriminating on the basis of race, in direct violation of both state and federal law, Bailey writes.

Bailey sent a letter last Wednesday to the Webster Groves School District, ordering it to drop its goal of increasing staff diversity. And he sent one on Thursday to the Wentzville School District, claiming the district retaliated against school board members who helped Bailey build a case alleging open records law violations.

Three of the districts  Parkway, Lindbergh and Webster Groves  have refuted Baileys allegations of religious or racial discrimination, calling the claims unfounded or not based in fact. Wentzville declined to comment.

Baileys letter to Lindbergh said the district traditionally admitted gifted students scoring in the 95th national percentile on at least one screener or standardized test, such as math or reading, and at least in the 84th percentile on another.

But Bailey alleged the district allowed underrepresented students into its gifted program if they scored much lower  in the 84th percentile on one standardized test and in the 50th percentile on another test.

On Monday, Lindbergh administrators blasted Baileys letter, which they described as politically motivated and not based in fact.

This letter appears to be based on a misunderstanding of the program, district officials said in a statement.

Lindberghs honors program, called LEAP, complies with all state and federal requirements, they said. And contrary to whats implied in the attorney generals notice to Superintendent Tony Lake, 10% of Lindbergh students qualify for gifted programs, which is more than double than the national average.

The attorney general does not have any legal grounds for his objection to Lindbergh Schools procedures to identify students for gifted education services, and we are deeply disappointed that he did not reach out to us first to obtain accurate information before posturing on social media with a statement that is not grounded in facts, Lindberghs statement reads.

We will provide an informational response to the attorney general in the near future.

In the letter to Parkway, Bailey claims his office received reports that the district prohibited religious-based clubs from using a campus announcement system, hanging posters or holding meetings on campus.

Parkway called the accusations unfounded.

Parkway has several active and long-standing faith-based clubs, including Fellowship of Christian Athlete clubs at each of Parkways four high schools. High school students also participate in the Jewish Student Union, Muslim Student Union and Catholic Faith Club.

We know when students have activities that are meaningful to them personally and create a sense of belonging, they are more successful at school, district officials said in a statement. Parkway is committed to supporting the diversity of religions represented in our student bodies and providing clubs and activities to support their interests and needs.

Baileys warnings to Lindbergh and Parkway were both sent on Thursday  the same day Bailey sent the letter to Wentzville.

In that letter, Bailey claimed Wentzville School Board members and administrators retaliated against three school board members who assisted Bailey in his suit against the district over alleged open records law violations. Bailey cautioned Superintendent Danielle Tormala to tread lightly.

And the day before, Bailey told Webster Groves School District to drop its goal of increasing its number of staff members of color, saying the district instituted race-based criteria for employees and applicants.

The districts three-year strategic plan calls for increasing the number of qualified applicants of color and increasing our number and percentage in hiring staff of color.

Webster Groves spokesperson Derek Duncan called Baileys letter ridiculous.

There is nothing wrong with the state goal, and it is certainly not unlawful race-based hiring, Duncan said in a statement then.
WASHINGTON  Shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., predicted the decision would bring transformational change to American politics.

Now, for the first time since that court ruling, Hawley is caught up in that transformation.

Hawley is up for reelection in a state that has one of the strictest abortion laws in the country, further than Hawley himself supports. The procedure is banned even for victims of rape and incest.

The first-term senator could be on the same ballot as a measure to enshrine abortion rights in the Missouri Constitution and a presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, whose allies are seeking to strengthen federal limitations on the procedure.

How Hawley navigates the abortion issue may determine whether he pays a political price at the ballot box. Hawley won election in 2018 by a margin of nearly six percentage points, and Democrats will attempt to use Hawleys views on abortion to eat into his support.

Once a bellwether, Missouri has become reliably Republican in the six years since Hawley defeated former Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in 2018. But Democrats have seized on abortion rights in conservative states like Kansas and Kentucky to help win gubernatorial races and defeat ballot initiatives aimed at further restricting abortion rights.

Hawley has said he believes abortion laws should be decided by the states and he supports the idea of Missourians voting on abortion rights. But he has also said he believes a measure to allow abortion in the state will fail.

In my lifetime, nothing that any voter in my state has ever voted on has mattered with regard to abortion, Hawley said after the Dobbs ruling in 2022. Because weve never had any say. The voters of Missouri and every other state now, what they decide on this is going to be law. And thats a big change.

Still, Hawley also supports federal measures to limit abortion and signed on to a bill to ban the procedure after 15 weeks, months after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. Its unlikely such a ban would be able to make it through the U.S. Senate, where it would require bipartisan support to pass.

Hawleys campaign declined to comment on the record for this article.

Should Trump win the White House in November, anti-abortion activists are looking beyond Congress. A policy plan written and compiled by scores of key conservative activists, called Project 2025, called the Dobbs ruling just the beginning of the conservative effort to prevent abortion.

With the absence of Roe setting a legal requirement for how far the federal government can go to restrict abortion, activists are advocating for a Republican president to use executive power to block abortion pills, restrict travel for abortion and back off from defending abortion rights in the courts.

Its clear that a lot can be done, said Kristi Hamrick, the vice president for media and policy at Students for Life, an anti-abortion group. From the use of the bully pulpit, to the use of regulatory power, to the use of personnel. Theres a lot that can be done.

One key target: abortion pills.

Medication abortion counts for more than half of the abortions performed in the United States. In 2021, the FDA made it easier for women to access medication abortion by no longer requiring in-person doctor visits to receive the two pills  mifepristone, then misoprostol  at home.

The rule change has made it possible for abortion clinics in states where the procedure is legal to mail pills to people in states where the procedure is illegal. The New York Times reported that clinics in states like Massachusetts have even been protected against criminal charges by their state government.

Anti-abortion advocates are pushing for a Republican administration to restrict or eliminate the use of medication abortion.

One way is through enforcement of the Comstock Act, an 1873 federal law which prohibits the mailing of obscene material, including anything used for contraception or abortion. The Supreme Court ruled that law does not apply to birth control, but a case, led by Erin Morrow Hawley, argues that the Comstock Act should apply to medication abortion.

Morrow Hawley, who works with the Alliance Defending Freedom and is married to Sen. Hawley, is leading a case before the Supreme Court next month on behalf of a group of doctors who argue that mifepristone is not safe enough for FDA approval. She has already won partial victories focused on safeguards for the drug in lower courts.

The case is among the first significant legal challenges pushing the Supreme Court to go further in restricting access to abortion. In a column last June in the WORLD News Group, a religious news organization, Morrow Hawley called her case hope on the horizon in the struggle against chemical abortion pills.

Yet the fact that many states still allow elective abortions under a regime more extreme than Roe underscores the need to change hearts and minds, Morrow Hawley wrote. We must not only make abortion unlawful  but also unthinkable.

Already, Democrats have highlighted the anti-abortion advocacy of the Hawley family. Lucas Kunce, a Democrat running for Senate, has said he plans to make abortion rights a significant part of his campaign against Hawley, should he win the Democratic primary in August.

He has framed the issue as a way that Hawley wants to control the people of Missouri.

This is him, Kunce said in an interview with The Star. This is his life. This is his crusade. This is his familys business. This is what they do. This will be a referendum on him and abortion at the same time.

The November election may also contain a referendum on abortion rights in Missouri. Activists are currently circulating a petition that would make the procedure legal in the state, but would allow restrictions after fetal viability.

Jared Young, an independent candidate running for Senate, said he supports the referendum but thinks it should be one decided by the individual states.

I always felt like the national mandate that Roe created was a mistake, Young said. This divisive, emotional issue, this is exactly the kind of issue that the founders envisioned this laboratory of democracy, federalist system for. And so Missouri will decide for Missouri.

Activists have until May to collect around 170,000 signatures  8% of voters in two-thirds of six out of Missouris eight congressional districts.

And while advocates point to the success of abortion rights groups against ballot measures in Kansas and Kentucky, the Missouri ballot measure will be different.

Instead of rejecting ballot language that would allow state legislatures to create stiffer abortion regulations, Missourians will be asked to reverse the existing law that prevents abortions in the state.

Jean Evans, the former executive director of the Missouri Republican Party, said if the measure makes it on the ballot, she expects that it would increase turnout among suburban women and young women, just as it has in other states.

But she said she doesnt think the issue will cost Hawley the election.

Its a double-digit conservative state, Evans said. That would be an awful lot for a challenger against Josh Hawley, who is extremely popular amongst Republicans. I know that Democrats dont like him, but Josh Hawley is arguably one of, if not the most, popular Republican in Missouri politics.

In 2022, Democrats nominated Trudy Busch Valentine, from the family who owned Anheuser-Busch, in a year where abortion rights were the focus of Democratic candidates across the country. Busch Valentine lost the race by more than 13 percentage points.

Still, Democratic groups are centering abortion rights again in 2024, amid a presidential election where two widely unpopular candidates are expected to be at the top of the ballot.

When Republicans tell you who they are, believe them, said Danni Wang, a spokeswoman with Emilys List, an advocacy group that focuses on electing women who favor abortion rights.

They want to pass a national abortion ban, and if they had their way, they would absolutely pass a national abortion ban with no exceptions. This is certainly the case in the plans that theyve telegraphed.
JEFFERSON CITY  Democrats raised questions Monday about the cost of sending Missouri soldiers and police to Texas as part of an election-year effort by Republicans to draw attention to immigration problems on the nations southern border.

Democratic members of the House Budget Committee said they were unclear why Gov. Mike Parson is asking for $2.2 million to send 200 Missouri National Guard troops and 11 members of the Missouri Highway Patrol to the Lone Star State beginning next month.

Although there is $4 million for emergency costs already available already, Parson, a Republican, is seeking the midyear budget adjustment as a buffer in case funds are needed for other emergencies that may arise in the state.

Why is that not being used for this? said Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, who is the ranking member of the panel. Why do we need an emergency supplemental? It feels like were here unnecessarily.

Parson budget chief Dan Haug said the administration doesnt want to roll the dice in case a tornado, flooding or other natural disaster hits the state before the end of the fiscal year on June 30.

This should be plenty for anything that comes up, Haug said. You dont want to get caught short.

Parson announced the decision last week after witnessing the crisis on a recent trip to Texas, placing blame on President Joe Biden for what he described as a wide open border.

In making the announcement, Parson joined other Republican governors who said they would dip into taxpayer coffers to assist Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in his election-year standoff with the federal government.

Guard members will assist in the construction of physical barriers and with security patrols as needed.

Illegal crossings at the southern border reached an all-time high in December, but that figure dropped by 50% in January due to seasonal trends and enhanced enforcement efforts by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

U.S. House members shot down a bipartisan border security package earlier this month after former President Donald Trump disapproved the proposed deal.

The first deployment is scheduled to be active in Texas on March 10, and rotating groups of National Guard members will be deployed roughly every 30 days. The mission is set to last 90 days, though it could be extended.

Eleven Missouri Highway Patrol troopers will also be in Texas beginning March 1. They will be partnered with Texas troopers, riding with them in their vehicles near the border and answering calls.

Up to 22 highway patrol troopers could be deployed.

Rep. Deb Lavender, D-Manchester, questioned whether 132 vacant positions within the highway patrol could result in law enforcement resources being depleted.

Does that not put Missouri at risk? Lavender said.

Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Eric Olson said they have chosen troopers from throughout the state to ensure that no one area of Missouri is affected by the deployment.

Missouri National Guard Adjutant General Levon Cumpton said sending troops to Texas will not impact services back home. In all, there are 12,000 soldiers in the state.

Were very fortunate to have a strong Missouri guard, Cumpton said.

The National Guard already has a presence in Texas. There have been 250 Missouri National Guard members in the state for the past four years under federal orders.

They are there to protect the border, Cumpton said.

Under Democratic questioning, Cumpton said the soldiers roles will not be in conflict with the orders of those in Texas under federal orders.

Republicans on the committee expressed support for the deployment as a response to illegal immigration, human trafficking and the import of fentanyl.

You have my full support in this effort, said Rep. Cody Smith, R-Carthage, who is chairman of the powerful budget-writing committee.

The committee took no action on the request Monday.

The legislation is House Bill 2016.
CLAYTON  Several donors who sued Webster University to stop the institution from using scholarship funds for a loan obligation dropped their suit Monday, clearing a major hurdle for the private college as it seeks to tap more than $30 million in restricted donations.

Donors and former trustees Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin and Jack Schreiber, plus Schreibers wife, Sherry, settled with the college Monday. Jack Schreiber said he was satisfied with the settlement and declined to share details.

Two more donors, Jane and Bruce Robert, dropped their suit on Friday. Their attorney did not respond to a request for comment.

Board Chair Sumit Verma said Monday that the university has been working with donors.

Through that process, we have resolved the objections of all the donors who filed motions to intervene in Websters pending legal action to reclassify endowment funds, Verma said in a text message.

Webster wants to use restricted endowment funds, which are earmarked for scholarships, research and professorships, in order to meet the liquidity ratio on a loan it obtained to construct new science and business buildings on its main campus in Webster Groves. Its lawyers have said that university officials fear that without it, the lender could demand immediate payment. A recent Moodys report warned Webster, whose bond rating fell into junk status, is at risk of default without a boost to its liquidity ratio.

Websters move to tap into restricted donor funds underscores the financial problems before the university. Over the past decade, Webster has lost more than $160 million, including a $37 million deficit at the end of the 2022-23 school year. Yet its board of trustees continually awarded raises to then-Chancellor Beth Stroble and President Julian Schuster that made the two among the highest-paid university leaders in the St. Louis region.

Four of its leaders, including Stroble and CFO Richard Meyer, have since resigned.

University leaders have said the COVID-19 pandemic and changing demographics have increased competition for students and impacted operations.

Webster filed its petition to tap restricted endowment funds on Feb. 1, two days after Verma, the board chair, sent a letter to donors informing them of the universitys plan. The Missouri attorney generals office told Webster it did not anticipate intervening in the schools attempt, according to court filings.

Verma said in the letter that the school would only spend the money to pay bills as a last resort.

Some donors said they supported Webster. Barbara Havira said she has donated more than $100,000 to the university over the years.

I respect that theyre trying to make up for financial losses, Havira said last week. My commitment was to the university, not to honoring (an) individual in particular.

Other donors spoke out against the move, including David Underwood, who established a scholarship in memory of his late wife, Nancy.

Im just deeply disappointed in the conduct of Websters board and the Missouri (attorney general) and feel a great sense of loss for the good I tried to make from Nancys death, Underwood said Monday.
Defeating Russia should be the top priority of every American and American elected official who cares about our national security. Supporting Ukraine is a crucial component in that strategy.

Feb. 24 marked the two-year anniversary of Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. As the Ukrainians enter the third year of fighting for their independence, House Speaker Mike Johnson and fellow House members have not only left for a two-week recess but also left Ukraine hanging, desperate for critical supplies like ammunition.

Back in 1994, former U.S. National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski wrote this in Foreign Affairs: It cannot be stressed strongly enough that without Ukraine, Russia ceases to be an empire, but with Ukraine suborned and then subordinated, Russia automatically becomes an empire.

Ukraine needs the support of the U.S. if it hopes to defeat Russia. This support comes in the form of supplying military equipment which is produced right here in the United States. Currently Ukraine is facing a critical shortage of ammunition and weapons as the U.S. has not sent a new round of aid since December, when congressional funding ran out.

This shortage has real military consequences as just this past week the stronghold city of Avdiivka fell to the Russians. The BBC called it Moscows biggest victory since Ukraines failed counter-offensive last year.

The U.S. is not the only country helping Ukraine. NATO reports that the United States has provided Ukraine with around $75 billion in military, financial and humanitarian aid since Russias invasion, while other NATO allies and partners have provided more than $100 billion.

On Feb. 12 the U.S. Senate passed a new bill which included more than $60 billion for Ukraine, but Speaker Johnson recessed the House for two weeks without taking up the national security supplemental bill.

Twenty-two Republican senators voted to pass the bipartisan bill. Neither of Missouris senators were among them. Both Sen. Josh Hawley and Sen. Eric Schmitt voted against the emergency defense spending bill.

Last week also brought the news of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalnys death in a Russian penal colony. A human rights group has reported at least 400 people detained in Russia for attending memorial gatherings for Navalny.

President Joe Biden said this of Navalnys death: This tragedy reminds us of the stakes of the moment. History is watching the House of Representatives. The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will never be forgotten.

Three days after Navalnys death, former President Donald Trump finally broke his silence on the matter, but has yet to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Also last week, The New York Times reported that while not yet deployed, Russia had developed a space-based weapon could threaten thousands of U.S. satellites and affect the daily lives of Americans.

I reached out to each of Missouris eight U.S. House members and asked if they would support Ukraine funding upon their return. Three responded: Rep. Eric Burlison, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver and Rep. Ann Wagner.

Burlison, a Republican, said, We should secure our own borders before we consider funding an overseas conflict, then went on to blame the Biden administrations border policies. The statement didnt mention that congressional Republicans recently killed a proposal that addressed the border crisis and provided aid to Ukraine and Israel.

Wagner, a Republican, shared this: I was just in Munich and Brussels to discuss the current war in Ukraine and my talks with Heads of State, elected officials, and many others only reinforced my belief we have to defeat the inherent evil of Vladimir Putin and support Ukraine so they can bring Russias military to its knees. I hope there will be a comprehensive National Security package that addresses that vital support, as well as our own domestic security.

Cleaver, a Democrat, is also supportive: Most of the time, mixed signals are a no. But with the House of Representatives, mixed signals are a recipe for cooking and feeding Putin a new dish called Ukrainian Porridge. All of my conscious life, I have felt that true friends are those you lean on no matter what and my support for Ukraine is strong-willed. I continue to hope that House Republicans Leadership will echo that support and bring support for Ukraine to the floor for a vote.

American lives are not being lost in Ukraine. But if Putin and his malicious regime wins there, he will likely continue his aggression onto NATO territory. At that point, Article 5 would be invoked, requiring the U.S. to defend its allies. And we would likely see bloodshed from our military.

Americans are overwhelmingly supportive of Ukraine. A recent Pew Research Center poll shows that 74% of Americans view the war there as important to U.S. national interests, with 43% describing it as very important.

Albert Einstein said in 1953, The world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than from those who actually commit it.

Think about that as you consider who to support or vote for in the upcoming elections. America is at a crossroads. We must ask ourselves whether we still stand for freedom, sovereignty and democracy. Right now, that intersection goes right through the heart of Ukraine.
February 26, 2024: Russia was unable to recruit, mobilize or conscript enough Russians to fight in Ukraine. Even before the end of 2023, Russia sought ways to deal with this problem. One solution was recruiting 15,000 Nepalese men to fight in Ukraine. The Nepalese Russia recruited were not from the Gurkha region. Gurkha soldiers are much in demand as mercenaries and battalions of them serve in the British and Indian armies. Gurkhas were not interested in fighting for the Russians in Ukraine, so the Russians turned to non- Gurkha Nepalese who needed a job, any job, even if it was a dangerous one. The Nepal recruits were given little training when they entered Russian service in mid-2023. The Nepal troops were soon in Ukraine where they suffered casualties. At least ten were known to have died and there are probably more dead. Four Nepalese soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces and held as prisoners of war. Families back in Nepal have appealed to Nepalese politicians to find a way they can contact their men in Ukraine. Russia does not provide any way for their Nepal mercenaries to send or receive mail to anyone in Nepal. That led Nepal to ban any more Russian recruiting in Nepal. Earlier Cuba did the same when Russian tried to recruit Cuban men to fight as mercenaries in Ukraine.

Russia has been seeking countries where they can recruit local men to be mercenaries but has had little or no success. Russia has a bad reputation because they are the ones that invaded Ukraine and now the Russians are losing, and most countries are fine with that or dont care as long as the Russians do not try to recruit local men to be mercenaries.
February 26, 2024: American analysts estimate that Russia has already spent over $210 billion in direct costs to sustain its invasion of Ukraine. In addition, the economic sanctions have caused Russia to lose $10 billion because of customers canceling orders for weapons. Russian personnel losses in Ukraine are currently over 400,000 men killed and permanently disabled. Over half a million Russian soldiers have been wounded and recovered sufficiently to return to duty.

Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine are not popular with most Russians because Russia is the invader, and the Russian government has been unable to make a convincing case for sending Russian soldiers into Ukraine. Vladimir Putin has again reshuffled Russias senior leadership controlling operations in Ukraine, but the new generals put in charge does not seem to work. Such leadership changes have not improved troop training or tactics. The only known exceptions were the private armies like the Wagner Group and Chechen volunteers who were recruited, trained, and led by Chechen leaders that Putin trusts. Wagner has had some success because they are allowed to recruit from prisons. Putin quietly allowed Wagner to give pardons to such volunteers, which meant they were free if they survived six months of combat. Most dont, but over 30,000 volunteered anyway. Wagner and the Chechens were also allowed to recruit Russian veterans, especially those with combat experience, and pay them more than Russian troops receive. That helped a bit.

These two mercenary forces report to Putin, who must personally approve what operations they take part in. Russian generals in charge of the forces in Ukraine must accept this and make the most of it. Despite all this, the two mercenary forces have not achieved any notable victories but have made progress in areas where they are involved. Most other Russian troops in Ukraine are on the defensive and taking heavy casualties doing that. Putin has finally allowed his generals to create a new force of Russian troops who are adequately trained and equipped, rather than insisting that they be wasted in constant suicidal attacks. This takes time, and it wasnt until late 2023 that some of these new forces were ready and sent into combat. Ukrainian intelligence regularly reports on the progress of Russian forces in action or in training. Such reports can be independently verified with commercial satellite photos. The Ukrainians supply details to explain why things are happening and use a network of informants in Russian controlled territory to help with that. NATO supplied the Ukrainians with the results of more detailed air and satellite photos as well as radio intercepts. Ukraine continues to obtain useful information by monitoring Russian troops using their cell phones freely. Officially, Russia bans such use of cell phones, but the Russian officers are unwilling to actively crack down on cell phone use.

Few in Russia or the rest of the world believed that Russia would invade Ukraine in February 2022. Some Ukrainian intel and staff officers thought it was a possibility. Russia did invade and suddenly the world had its first near-peer war since World War II. Near-peer is a war between nations armed with similar weapons. This did not go well for Russia and by the end of 2022 Russia faced an ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive that was pushing Russian forces out of Ukraine. Russia responded by threatening to use nuclear weapons if Ukraine continued its counteroffensive. Russia wants to keep some of the Ukrainian territory it has seized since 2014. Russia blames NATO for supporting Ukraine, a non-member, whose efforts to join NATO are one of the reasons Russia invaded in 2022. That resulted in crippling economic sanctions by NATO nations.

To Russia, the sanctions and aid to Ukraine justified the nuclear threat. Ukraine and NATO refused to back down and Russias remaining major trading partners China and India, advised Russia to drop the nuclear threat. Most other nations did the same. The implication was that if Russia went ahead and used nuclear weapons, they would become an international outlaw and much worse off. The Russian invasion was unjustified and violated an agreement Russia signed in the 1990s to get Soviet-era nuclear weapons removed from Ukraine in return for Russian assurances that they would never try to seize Ukrainian territory. Russian leader Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion despite advice from his military, diplomatic and economic advisors that it was a bad idea. The advisors were right, and before the end of 2022 that advice was made public and a growing number of Russians, who initially believed state-controlled media justifying the war, no longer support Putins war.

No nuclear weapons have been used since 1945 when two American nukes dropped on Japanese cities finally got Japan to surrender after starting the war and losing. Until the nukes were used, Japan was ready to resist a land invasion while a naval blockade was causing hunger and starvation in Japan. Since then, there has been an understanding among the growing number of countries with nuclear weapons that no one would be the first to use nukes and then only to defend their own territory or in response to a nuclear attack. Russian leader Putin threatens to violate that understanding and it remains to be seen if Putin will actually break this 77-year-old nuclear understanding.

Putin and his generals also missed what happened when NATO personnel served in Ukraine between 2014 and 2021 when they taught Ukrainian officers how to become a NATO-compatible force. This turned out to be a major advantage because the Russians were still using their rigid Soviet-era command and troops control procedures. By 2021 the Ukrainians had adopted more flexible Western methods where junior commanders were trained to improvise when necessary. The only Russian troops who did any of that were the Spetsnaz special operations forces. Most Russian troops follow detailed orders and, when they encounter something not covered in their orders, they halt and wait for further instructions. Ukrainian forces regularly exploited this. After nearly a year of fighting the Russians have not changed, even though the more flexible Ukrainians constantly win battles because of their initiative.

Ukrainians appreciated this training effort, and it made a difference on the battlefield. This was especially true because Russia was sending more troops to Ukraine with little or no training. That means the Russians suffered higher casualties and the Ukrainians lost far fewer men. After a few months of fighting in 2022, Russia had lost many of its veteran soldiers and officers. Since then, most of the new Russian troops have little training or advanced tech and suffer from low morale and poor leadership. That sort of thing makes a big difference in combat but is often discounted during peacetime.

Another endemic problem Russia suffers from is their inability to develop and produce weapons and equipment that match or surpass what the West has. From 2015 to early 2022 Russian defense production has been crippled by detailed and regularly updated sanctions based on continuing searches for smuggled Western parts. An example of this was Orlan-10 UAV, whose production should have been shut down by 2016 sanctions but wasnt. Oran-10s required several Western electronic boards and chips that were not manufactured in Russia and had to be imported. By 2017 it was clear that Russia was not simply using existing stockpiles of now banned components to build new Oran-10s. This was a major problem because Orlan-10 was a key observation asset as it could spot targets for Russian artillery or rocket fire. Oran-10 can operate high enough to be safe from rifle or machine-gun fire and it is difficult for a lightweight anti-aircraft missile like Stinger to hit. At night it is even less vulnerable to ground fire.

In Ukraine some Orlan-10s continued to be shot down or crashed because of equipment failure. Their wreckage was examined for the presence of banned components and these items were still there. The banned items were common, not custom-manufactured for Orlan-10s. There were dozens of distributors you could order from. Government efforts to sort out which distributors were selling the Oran parts to a firm with a link to Russia had come up empty.

After the Cold War ended in 1991 Russia was a democracy briefly, until Putin showed up in 1999, and was able to import Western components as well as weapons. This was intended to provide Russian manufacturers help in improving their development management capabilities. That ended in 2014 when Putin decided to absorb parts of Ukraine, like Crimean, and then expanded their conquest list to all of Ukraine in 2022. The sanctions were a major problem for Russian weapons manufacturers. Many in the Russian defense industries understood this but Putin had outlawed open discussion about it. Putin believed Russia had an obligation to rebuild its empire but that could not happen if Russia remained a democracy with a free press. In contrast, Ukrainians kept their democracy and free press, and it made a difference in combat which Putin still refuses to accept. Meanwhile Ukraine declares that it is an unofficial NATO member, and that membership will be formalized once the war is over.

Lost access to Western components is not the only problem Russian defense manufacturers are having. Russias enormous pre-war artillery munitions stocks are now depleted, while its production facilities are unable to expand. Before 1991 a lot of Soviet era 122mm and 152mm ammunition was produced outside post-1991 Russia. That includes Ukraine, Belarus, and other former Soviet republics which likewise halted artillery munitions production and dismantled production facilities. Russia did not expect a long war in Ukraine and did not have the artillery munitions available to fire all the shells their forces in Ukraine wanted in the past year. On the front lines Ukrainian troops have noted far fewer Russian shells fired at them recently, estimated as down to 5,000 rounds daily from highs of 75,000. Ukrainian artillery, a combination of old Soviet 152mm and new NATO 155mm guns, were initially adequately supplied with shells and used more effective tactics than the Russians. By late 2023 Ukrainian forces too found themselves short of artillery ammunition. Ukraines NATO weapons suppliers are scrambling to increase production of artillery ammunition, but the results of that effort wont show up until later in 2024 and then show major improvement in 2025.
New FAST Ad-Supported Channel Launched for Must-See MoviES!

#ConUnPack Distribution, the producers behind the renowned Must See MoviES! channel, are delighted to announce their partnership with FAST Channels TV to introduce their FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channel to global audiences. Viewers can access

Toronto, Canada( )

#ConUnPack Distribution, the producers behind the renowned Must See MoviES! channel, are delighted to announce their partnership with FAST Channels TV to introduce their FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channel to global audiences. Viewers can access the channel on various free TV streaming services via http://mustseemovies.es/

#ConUnPack, a specialized distributor in "truly independent" cinema based in Spain, was founded in 2016 by Hugo Serra and JJ Montero, bringing together years of experience in production, consulting, marketing, audiovisual communication, and film distribution.

The company focuses on the "invisible" world of Spanish-language cinema, curating auteur films with significant cinematic and cultural value. Their FAST channel, Must See MoviES!, serves as an international platform for promoting Spanish-language cinema, catering to viewers keen on discovering new "en espanol" cinema while honing their Spanish skills.

Must See MoviES! offers a meticulously curated selection of high-quality independent Spanish and Latin-American films.

Hugo Serra and JJ Montero, co-founders of #ConUnPack, expressed their enthusiasm about the partnership with FAST Channels TV, stating, "At Conunpack Distribution, we are thrilled about the agreement reached with FAST Channels TV for the distribution of Must See MoviES! in the United States. With this collaboration, we aim to reach new audiences who can discover and enjoy, just like us, excellent Spanish-language auteur cinema beyond our borders."

FAST Channels TV empowers over 200 content owners to create and launch their own FAST linear channels, providing cutting-edge white-label platforms and playout generation services for broadcasters, operators, and content owners to swiftly launch and monetize their FAST channels.

Russell Foy, CEO of FAST Channels TV, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating, "We are thrilled to welcome Must See MoviES! to our lineup of channels. This partnership underscores our commitment to offering diverse and compelling content to our viewers."

The partnership between Must See MoviES! and FAST Channels TV represents a significant stride in delivering meaningful, uplifting content to a broader audience. Through their FAST channel, viewers can anticipate an even more accessible and engaging cinematic experience.

Stay tuned for Must See MoviES! on FAST Channels TV, the home to the highest quality and curated Spanish and Latin-American independent films.

About Must See MoviES!

Must See MoviES! provides access to a catalog featuring the best independent Spanish-language films in the industry, offering high-quality, curated Spanish and Latin-American Movies for free with ads. The channel showcases films that have garnered acclaim at world-renowned festivals and received praise from both audiences and critics alikea must-watch for Spanish cinema enthusiasts!

About FAST Channels TV:

Revolutionize Your TV Experience with FAST Channels TV

Empower your content ownership journey with FAST Channels TV, your premier destination for launching cutting-edge FAST linear channels. Our state-of-the-art white-label platforms and channel playout generation services are tailored for broadcasters, operators, and content owners, enabling swift deployment and seamless monetization of your channels.

For inquiries about launching a FAST channel or adding some or all of our channels to your platform, contact FAST Channels TV at info@fastchannels.tv or visit https://www.fastchannels.tv/
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, February 26. Trade turnover between Tajikistan and UAE grew by 84 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, Trend reports.

This was stated during a meeting between Tajikistan's Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Zavki Zavkizoda, and Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Trade, held within the framework of the 13th Conference of Ministers of World Trade Organization (WTO) Member Countries in Abu Dhabi.

During the meeting, the parties discussed expanding trade and economic cooperation and bilateral investments.

Zavkizoda urged his counterpart to facilitate the attraction of investments from the UAE into priority sectors of Tajikistan's economy, particularly in the construction and reconstruction of hydroelectric power stations, solar and wind power stations, establishment of joint industrial enterprises, mineral extraction, and construction of logistical and tourist infrastructure.

At the end of the meeting, the parties expressed readiness for further expansion of trade and economic cooperation.
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / U.S. Bank:

Bank donates $100,000 in grant funding to help support Crenshaw District revitalization

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

The ongoing U.S. Bank Black History Month celebration included a block party and ribbon cutting event at the newly renovated Slauson and Crenshaw branch, the first-ever U.S. Bank Black Heritage Community branch, featuring design upgrades that reflect the vibrant cultural heritage of Los Angeles's Crenshaw community.

At the event, U.S. Bank welcomed guest speaker Maxine Waters, the U.S. representative for California's 43rd congressional district since 1991, who currently serves as the ranking member of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee.

Additionally, U.S. Bank provided $100,000 to two local organizations supporting the bank's years long efforts to make a meaningful impact in revitalizing the Crenshaw District.

Destination Crenshaw received a $50,000 grant to support Build Back Crenshaw Workplace Apprentice Program and Local Initiatives Support Corp (LISC) of Los Angeles received a $50,000 grant to support the Black Women Vend - Crenshaw Micro-Enterprise Program.

U.S. Bank has been a support of Destination Crenshaw since 2022 , when the bank's Impact Finance community development division invested $8.9 million in New Markets Tax Credit allocations in support of the reparative development project that is poised to become the largest public Black art project in the country.

Ultimately, the Destination Crenshaw project plans to commission more than 100 temporary and permanent works by Black artists who have strong ties to Los Angeles, with a piece slated to be installed behind the U.S. Bank Slauson and Crenshaw Branch and the branch itself being home to a mural created by, for and featuring local community members.

The branch mural The Heart of Hyde Park was created by lead artist Moses Ball and commissioned by L.A. Commons, an organization based in Leimert Park that engages communities in artistic and cultural expressions that tell their unique stories.

Joining Destination Crenshaw and LISC LA at the block party festivities were local artists and food trucks, including longtime U.S. Bank client Crenshaw Coffee.

Event attendees received complimentary branded tote bags featuring airbrush art designs created by local artist Tamika Quillard . Block partiers could use the tote bags as they visited the Food Access Los Angeles Farmer's Market next to the branch.

The Black Heritage Community branch is designed to deliver a hyperlocal, culturally relevant experience for diverse customers and create a deeper connection with customers, employees and the community. The branch was designed with space to host free community events, financial health workshops and skills training events, and to provide a storefront for small business pop ups. Customers are offered free financial health resources, expert advice and products. The branch works locally with community leaders.

Watch the video above to learn more about the Crenshaw community and the continued commitment of U.S. Bank to power human potential in Los Angeles.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from U.S. Bank on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: U.S. Bank

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/us-bank

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: U.S. Bank

View the original press release on accesswire.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Fortitude Gold (OTCQB: FTCO) (the "Company") today announced the timing of its year-end 2023 earnings conference call scheduled for Wednesday, February 28, 2024. Fortitude Gold is a gold producer, developer, and explorer with operations in Nevada, U.S.A. offering investors exposure to both gold production and dividend yield.

Conference Call

Fortitude Gold's CEO, Mr. Jason Reid, will host the conference call Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Topics of discussion will include year-end results and an update on current operations. The conference call will be recorded and posted to the Company's website.

Q&A

Following Mr. Reid's opening remarks, the Company will host a question and answer (Q&A) session.

Date: Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Time: 11:00 AM Eastern (9:00 AM Mountain)

There are two ways to join the conference call:

To join the conference via webcast, please click on the following link: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2640/50015.

To join the call via telephone please use one of the following dial-in details:

Toll Free: 888-506-0062

International: 973-528-0011

Participant Access Code: 555765

Please connect to the conference call 10 minutes prior to the start time using one of the connection options listed above.

REPLAY

A webcast replay of the conference call will be available using the following link: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2640/50015.

A teleconference replay will be available using the following numbers:

Toll Free: 877-481-4010

International: 919-882-2331

Replay Passcode: 50015

About Fortitude Gold Corp.:

Fortitude Gold is a U.S. based gold producer targeting projects with low operating costs, high margins, and strong returns on capital. The Company's strategy is to grow organically, remain debt-free and distribute substantial dividends. The Company's Nevada Mining Unit consists of seven high-grade gold properties located in the Walker Lane Mineral Belt and an eighth high-grade gold property in west central Nevada. The Isabella Pearl gold mine, located on the Isabella Pearl mineralized trend, is currently in production. Nevada, U.S.A. is among the world's premier mining friendly jurisdictions.

Cautionary Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. If you are risk-averse you should NOT buy shares in Fortitude Gold Corp. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding the Company's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to the Company on the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release.

Contact:

Greg Patterson

719-717-9825

[email protected]

www.Fortitudegold.com

SOURCE: Fortitude Gold Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / This year's theme for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is "Engage, Educate, Empower: Uniting to End HIV/AIDS in Black Communities." We spoke with C. Virginia Fields, President and CEO of National Black Leadership Commission on Health (Black Health), a Gilead grantee, about how together, we can take action toward meaningful change.

We commend Virginia and our many community partners for continuing to honor and advance the decades of progress that Black communities have made in HIV.

Learn more: https://gilead.inc/487PjBu

Inclusion & Diversity is key to our success as a company.

Building an inclusive and diverse workforce is critical to enabling Gilead's mission - and, ultimately, will help us create a better, healthier world. We are highly committed to creating an inclusive culture, one that enables all people to do their best work and that is reflective of the diversity of our patients. At the same time, we recognize that we need to do more to accelerate our progress - for our people, for our business and for the world.

Gilead's overall Inclusion & Diversity aspirations are:

Be the employer of choice for diverse talent

for diverse talent Foster an inclusive culture where differences are leveraged to innovate and enable our mission

where differences are leveraged to innovate and enable our mission Be respected for equitable and socially responsible practices

Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. The company strives to transform and simplify care for people with life-threatening illnesses around the world. Gilead has operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.

Originally published by Gilead Sciences

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Gilead Sciences on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Gilead Sciences

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/gilead-sciences

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Gilead Sciences

View the original press release on accesswire.com
HPE Infrastructure provides efficient, open and flexible connectivity across 3,000 sites throughout urban and rural communities

BARCELONA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) announced it is working with TELUS, which is building Canadas first 5G open radio access network (Open RAN), by providing infrastructure across 3,000 sites. Once completed, the new TELUS Open RAN 5G network will provide instantaneously-responsive connectivity enhancing the customer experience with faster connectivity and mobile access.

Designed specifically to support high-performance telecommunications workloads, HPE ProLiant DL110 Gen11 servers provide an open and flexible, virtualized foundation to deliver next-generation cellular connectivity to urban and rural Canadians. The servers provide Open RAN infrastructure to assist TELUS with the interoperability it needed to build a scalable, best-of-breed 5G network. HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers will provide the foundation for a Distributed Unit (DU) which is responsible for preparing data for transmission across the 5G network.

Open RAN technology enables HPEs telco customers the interoperability to design and manage their network with the equipment and software they desire, said Phil Cutrone, senior vice president and general manager of Service Providers, OEM and Telco at HPE. This is one example of why we are the infrastructure of choice for telco carriers worldwide. HPE enables success by providing the most energy efficient, open, and flexible solutions at the edge.

Access to 5G networks is expected to transform worldwide data networks by enabling real-time internet of things (IoT) systems like immersive virtual reality and embedding artificial intelligence (AI) in business and consumer applications. Projections estimate 5G will triple network traffic by 20281. This includes demand from remote and rural businesses and consumers that have traditionally had limited access to data networks, as 5G communications are expected to enable their operations and communities to thrive.

We are excited to elevate mobile communications for Canadians through the integration of our 5G network with Open RAN, which offers unmatched flexibility and diversity in services, stated Nazim Benhadid, Chief Technology Officer at TELUS. Partnering with HPE, we are constructing a next-generation network that lays the foundation for continuous innovation and success for both our business and consumer customers. Moreover, this HPE solution not only meets the performance requirements but also plays a pivotal role in our commitment to reducing energy intensity per terabyte of data traffic by 50% by 2030.

HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers are purpose-built, ruggedized, and Network Equipment-Building System (NEBS)-compliant to enable an Open RAN solution. Providing a DU that frees TELUS from historical reliance on proprietary appliances enables the carrier to smoothly and flexibly integrate with other Open RAN 5G infrastructure components.

The HPE ProLiant DL110 Gen11 servers use AI-enabled innovation to distinguish between periods of high and low utilization, putting under-utilized infrastructure into an idle state without compromising latency or RAN network availability. The ability to optimize power consumption produces infrastructure power savings compared to existing Open RAN implementations.

About Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) is the global edge-to-cloud company that helps organizations accelerate outcomes by unlocking value from all of their data, everywhere. Built on decades of reimagining the future and innovating to advance the way people live and work, HPE delivers unique, open, and intelligent technology solutions as a service. With offerings spanning Cloud Services, Compute, High Performance Computing & AI, Intelligent Edge, Software, and Storage, HPE provides a consistent experience across all clouds and edges, helping customers develop new business models, engage in new ways, and increase operational performance. For more information, visit: www.hpe.com

1 Statista, 5G Statistics & Facts, January 26, 2024

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240225800720/en/

Kari Curto

[email protected]

Source: Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Wootton to lead the management consulting firms specialization in developing organizational analytic capabilities as the supporting structure for digital transformation.

DUNMORE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Huntzinger Management Group, Inc. (Huntzinger), a leader in healthcare IT advisory, managed information and consulting services and a 2020 and 2021 Best in KLAS winner for HIT Advisory Services, announced Aaron Wootton has been named Chief Digital Officer (CDO), effective February 12, 2024. In this inaugural role, Wootton will lead Huntzingers expansion in the digital world of healthcare IT, advancing the companys expertise, depth and breadth in Artificial Intelligence and digitization.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226714524/en/

Aaron Wootton, Chief Digital Officer for Huntzinger Management Group (Photo: Business Wire)

As a well-known leader in the healthcare IT industry, Aaron brings a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge to Huntzinger, said Tanya Freeman, President, COO and Founding Partner for Huntzinger. We are excited to have him as part of the Huntzinger team as we look to grow our expertise in the digital transformation sphere.

Wootton brings over 20 years of experience in the healthcare IT industry. In his most recent role, Wootton served as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Concord Hospital in New Hampshire where he successfully chartered a system-wide governance structure and maturity model for Concords digital front door capabilities, guiding the planning and implementation. Prior to Concord Hospital, Wootton served in several roles at Henry Ford Health (MI), including System Vice President of Enterprise Analytics, System Vice President of IT Physician Alignment and Health Information Exchange (HIE), and Regional Vice President and CIO of Central Market. There, Wootton spearheaded several large initiatives including enterprise-wide analytics, value-based care technology, physician alignment, joint ventures and the HIE. From 2013 to 2023, Wootton held several leadership roles including President and CEO of the Community Health Technology Network, an organization dedicated to delivering technology services that aid in improving the health of communities, as well as the CIO and Vice President at Allegiance Health (MI).

Aarons understanding of digitization and AI will help take Huntzinger to the next level, said Bob Kitts, CEO and Founding Partner of Huntzinger. His expertise and first-hand knowledge will allow Huntzinger to take our clients to the forefront of the digital world.

Wootton is a member of CHIME and holds certifications as a Chief Digital Health Executive (CDH-E) and Certified Healthcare CIO (CHCIO). He has a Bachelors in Management of Information Systems and a Masters in Business Administration from Cleary University. Wootton has served on several boards and committees throughout his career, including the Board of Michigan Health Information Network (MiHIN), Chair of the MiHIN Cybersecurity Committee and Chair of Truvetas Data Integration Committee.

About Huntzinger

Huntzinger provides IT advisory, managed information and consulting services to the healthcare industry. We focus on improved business performance optimization by assisting our clients in leveraging their IT investment to position our healthcare clients for the future. For more information, visit huntzingergroup.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226714524/en/

Huntzinger Management Group

Maggie Dudacek, Marketing Manager

[email protected]

Source: Huntzinger Management Group, Inc.
Designed for professional photographers

High capacities up to 1TB

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kingston Digital, Inc., the flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced it is shipping the Canvas React Plus V60 SD memory card. The latest addition expands the Canvas React family of memory cards tailored for UHS-II photography enthusiasts. The new V60 SD card is crafted for both passionate photographers and cost-conscious budding creatives, offering speeds up to 280MB/s1 and storage capacities reaching 1TB2, transforming the way photographers capture and store their digital portfolio.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226979684/en/

Kingston releases Canvas React V60 SD card for cost-conscious photography enthusiasts. (Photo: Business Wire)

Photographers know that a camera's performance hinges on its memory card. The Canvas React Plus V60 SD card elevates this performance, enabling photographers to capture fast-action shots and 4K Ultra HD videos smoothly, without lag or interruptions. Its standout feature is the exceptional write speed of up to 150MB/s, allowing for clear, precise captures in burst mode or continuous shooting, and ensuring superior performance for 4K video at higher frames per second (fps) than UHS-I. This eliminates the wait time for camera buffering, guaranteeing a seamless creative process and enhanced workflow efficiency.

In addition to its impressive speeds, the Canvas React Plus V60 SD card offers generous storage capacities up to 1TB. This means photographers can now carry their entire portfolio in one convenient and compact package, eliminating the need to switch memory cards frequently. Professionals can now store thousands of high-resolution images and videos, providing peace of mind and convenience while on assignments or during travel.

Kingston offers a range of storage solutions for the everyday photographer to professional videographers, said Carissa Blegen, flash product manager, Kingston. By introducing the Canvas React Plus V60 SD card, weve addressed the demands of users transitioning to UHS-II, enabling them to capture and store their work with exceptional speeds and generous storage space, all at an affordable price.

Kingstons Canvas React Plus V60 SD cards are available in capacities from 128GB-1TB and are backed by a lifetime warranty, free technical support and legendary Kingston reliability. For more information, visit www.kingston.com.

Canvas React Plus V60 SD Card Features and Specifications:

Capacities2: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Standard/Class : Class 10, UHS-II, U3, V60

: Class 10, UHS-II, U3, V60 Performance1: 280/100MB/s Read/Write (128GB)

280/150MB/s Read/Write (256GB-1TB)

Dimensions: 24mm x 32mm x 2.1mm

24mm x 32mm x 2.1mm Operating Temperature: -25C to 85C

-25C to 85C Storage Temperature: -40C~85C

-40C~85C Warranty: lifetime warranty, free technical support

1 Based on internal testing performance will vary based on host device. Advertised speeds require Kingston MobileLite Plus Reader and compatible UHS-II host device. Backwards compatible with UHS-I devices.

2 Some of the listed capacity on a Flash storage device is used for formatting and other functions and thus is not available for data storage. As such, the actual available capacity for data storage is less than what is listed on the products. For more information, go to Kingston's Flash Memory Guide.

Canvas React Plus V60 SD Card Part Number Capacity SDR2V6/128GB 128GB SDR2V6/256GB 256GB SDR2V6/512GB 512GB SDR2V6/1TB 1TB

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Kingston Is With You

About Kingston Digital, Inc.

From big data, to laptops and PCs, to IoT-based devices like smart and wearable technology, to design-in and contract manufacturing, Kingston helps deliver the solutions used to live, work and play. The worlds largest PC makers and cloud-hosting companies depend on Kingston for their manufacturing needs, and our passion fuels the technology the world uses every day. We strive beyond our products to see the bigger picture, to meet the needs of our customers and offer solutions that make a difference. To learn more about how Kingston Is With You, visit Kingston.com.

Editors Note: For additional information, evaluation units or executive interviews, please contact PR Team, Kingston Technology Company, Inc. 17600 Newhope Street, Fountain Valley, CA USA 92708, 714-435-2600 (Voice). Press images can be found in Kingstons press room kingston.com/company/press/

Kingston and the Kingston logo are registered trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. IronKey is a registered trademark of Kingston Digital, Inc. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226979684/en/

PR Team

Kingston Digital, Inc.

714-435-2600

[email protected]

Source: Kingston Digital, Inc.
Market of Choice is Oregons first retailer to offer Royal Ranchs climate-conscious, regenerative beef

EUGENE, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Independent, family-owned Market of Choice is Oregons first grocer to partner with Royal City, Washington-based Royal Ranch, a leader in regenerative agriculture, to bring its carbon-neutral beef to market. Market of Choice customers can now enjoy their preferred USDA Choice cuts from Royal Ranch, available in its full-service and self-service meat departments at all 11 stores statewide.

This partnership brings together two multi-generational family-owned, purpose-driven businesses that are dedicated to addressing animal welfare and environmental impact. Their shared commitment aims to improve the health of local and regional communities.

At Market of Choice, our guiding purpose is to strengthen the food ecosystem around us and the livelihoods of people in it, says Matt Martin, senior director of perishable merchandising for Market of Choice. No one has invested in localizing food like we have, and this partnership is another example of Market of Choices commitment to supporting local food systems, reducing environmental impact and bringing top-quality, innovative products like the Royal Ranch carbon-neutral beef to our stores.

Royal Ranch has developed a complete regenerative system in which its orchards, field crops, dairy farm, and ranch are one self-sustaining system, eliminating most outside inputs such as fertilizers and feed. It raises its cattle from birth to harvest, and is the only ranch of its size with its own processing facility, giving Royal Ranch complete ownership over every stage of the process. Royal Ranchs regenerative practices have been verified by an independent auditor, Legacy Verified, on behalf of the USDA.

Market of Choice is the perfect partner to introduce our carbon-neutral beef to Oregonians, says Austin Allred, owner of Royal Ranch. We are revolutionizing the way cattle are raised and brought to market through our closed-cycle regenerative ranching model. Royal Ranch is creating a scalable system aimed at cultivating quality sustainable food for the masses, reshaping the future of farming for a healthier planet and better-nourished communities.

In February, Market of Choice is hosting media events in Eugene and Portland, Oregon, offering opportunities to learn more about regenerative agriculture and interview representatives from Market of Choice and Royal Ranch. Interested members of the media can use the contact info below to request details.

About Market of Choice

Founded in 1979, Market of Choice is Oregons largest family-owned, independent grocer with 11 stores located throughout the state. Driven by the joy of and an admiration for Oregon food and its makers, Market of Choice has grown into a thriving grocery retailer with nearly 1,400 dedicated employees. With stores in Ashland, Bend, Corvallis, Eugene, Medford, and the Portland-metro area, Market of Choice has developed deep, meaningful relationships with farmers, ranchers, fisherfolk, and food and beverage producers across Oregon and is committed to fostering a vibrant local food economy. For more information, visit www.marketofchoice.com. Stay connected with Market of Choice on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

About Royal Ranch

Founded in 1962 and based in Royal City, Washington, Royal Ranch is one of four farms that make up Royal Family Farming. With a mission to support communities and families everywhere by sustainably producing natural products for a wholesome, nutritious life, Royal Family Farming is committed to regenerative farming. At Royal Family Farms, returning to natural processes has been an innovation that overhauled the way we think and operate. We have learned how regenerative agriculture capitalizes on natural biological cycles and ecosystems and have combined them with updated tools and techniques to manage modern issues. Learn more about us at www.royalfamilyfarming.com, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226543189/en/

Laura Luthi

503-341-7785

[email protected]

Source: Market of Choice
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rental Beast is pleased to announce a significant milestone in its partnership with MIAMI Realtors. The two have agreed on a multi-year contract extension, solidifying Rental Beast as the preferred rental software provider for the MLS.

MIAMI Realtors has been at the forefront of issuing rental market reports utilizing the combined dataset made possible with the Rental Beast integration. This has helped establish the MLS as the authority on the state of rental housing in South Florida while keeping MLS members ahead of the ever-evolving rental market. By extending the partnership and deepening this integration, MIAMI Realtors is now one of the most valuable platforms in the U.S. for local property managers and investors. Members will continue to provide their clients, including property owners, tenants, and investors, with excellent service and insights.

This extension comes at a crucial time as the Miami housing market at large and the rental market, in particular, remains very competitive, with average rental prices rising above the national average. The percentage of listings with concessions was around 4% lower than the national average in 2023, signaling that property owners have the upper hand in setting the tone for the market.

Were excited about the continued partnership with Rental Beast, said Teresa King Kinney, CEO of MIAMI Realtors. This extension reinforces our mission to provide our members with cutting-edge tools and to help them succeed in any market condition.

MIAMI Realtors is one of the largest MLSs in one of the largest rental markets in the U.S. Building on our partnership is a testament to the mutual, unrelenting commitment both organizations have to the success of their members. Rental Beast is committed to delivering superior rental software solutions and data that empower real estate professionals and elevate the standard of service clients experience across the Miami region, said Ishay Grinberg, CEO and Founder of Rental Beast.

About MIAMI Realtors

The MIAMI Association of Realtors was chartered by the National Association of Realtors in 1920 and is celebrating 104 years of service to Realtors, the buying and selling public, and the communities in South Florida. Comprised of six organizations, the Residential Association, the Realtors Commercial Alliance, the Broward-MIAMI Association of Realtors, the Jupiter Tequesta Hobe Sound (JTHS-MIAMI) Council, the Young Professionals Network (YPN) Council and the award-winning International Council, it represents over 60,000 total real estate professionals in all aspects of real estate sales, marketing, and brokerage. It is the largest local Realtor association in the U.S. and has official partnerships with 260 international organizations worldwide. MIAMIs official website is www.MiamiRealtors.com

About Rental Beast

Rental Beast is a leading real estate technology firm with an end-to-end SaaS platform designed to empower real estate professionals and the nation's most comprehensive database of nearly eleven million rental properties. Sourced directly from property owners, updated in real-time, and offering a fulfillment-grade rental dataset, the Rental Beast database provides real estate professionals with an unparalleled view of all properties and owner types.

Utilizing a seamless and secure integration, participating MLSs, and REALTOR Associations can capture thousands of properties that are normally off-MLS inventory, and leverage essential search, data ingestion, and maintenance systems needed to help member agents and subscribers capture their share of $12 billion in annual leasing commissions.

Rental Beast is recognized and supported by Second Century Ventures, the capital and strategic growth arm of the National Association of REALTORS and is a proud member of the 2022 REACH-Canada program. Learn more at rentalbeast.com/MLS.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226083802/en/

Media:



For MIAMI Realtors: Chris Umpierre at 305-468-7047 or [email protected]



For Rental Beast: Rebecca Hickey at [email protected]

Source: Rental Beast
WABUSH, Canada--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Government of Canada awarded C$18.1 million from its Low Carbon Economy Fund to Rio Tintos Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) to support the decarbonization of iron ore processing at its operations in Labrador West.

The funding will enable IOC to reduce the amount of heavy fuel oil that is consumed in the production of iron ore pellets and concentrate. The company will install an electric boiler to displace emissions from the usage of the heavy fuel oil boilers, as well as instrumentation and fuel-efficient burners to further reduce heavy fuel oil consumption from induration machines.

Over the lifetime of this project, IOC will see a cumulative reduction of about 2.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Installation of the new equipment will begin in the second quarter of 2024 and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025. The project will create more than 100 jobs during the construction and implementation stages in Labrador West.

IOC President and Chief Executive Officer Mike McCann said: Rio Tinto IOC has a plan to decarbonize and continue producing some of the lowest carbon-intensity high-grade iron ore products in the world, right here in Canada. This project alone will eliminate approximately 9% of IOCs greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to collaborating with the Government of Canada and other partners towards our goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

Labrador Member of Parliament Yvonne Jones said: By working with organizations across Canada, such as IOC, we can help the community save money on monthly operating costs and grow the economy, all while fighting climate change. Through the Low Carbon Economy Fund, the Government of Canada is partnering with climate leaders nationwide to cut emissions. I applaud the leadership shown by IOC for helping to keep our air clean and build resilient communities in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Government of Canadas contribution represents approximately 25% of the total cost of the project, with IOC funding the remainder of the investment.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226725223/en/

Please direct all enquiries to [email protected]

Media Relations

Simon Letendre

M +1 514 796 4973

Rio Tinto plc

6 St Jamess Square

London SW1Y 4AD

United Kingdom

T +44 20 7781 2000

Registered in England

No. 719885

Rio Tinto Limited

Level 43, 120 Collins Street

Melbourne 3000

Australia

T +61 3 9283 3333

Registered in Australia

ABN 96 004 458 404

riotinto.com

Category: IOC

Source: Rio Tinto
New launches include Unified Steel Material List Generator, Unified Steel Cool Roof Colors, CEU Course on Underlayments for Architects and E-Books

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Westlake Royal Building Products (Westlake Royal), a Westlake company (NYSE: WLK), a leader in efficient and durable roofing systems and components, will exhibit its energy-efficient and weather-resistant roofing systems and solutions at the 2024 International Builders Show (IBS) from February 27 through 29 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The wide range of roofing products will be on display in the Westlake Royal Building Products booth #C3819 in the Central Hall. Featured product lines from Westlake Royals roofing brands include Newpoint Concrete Roof Tile, US Tile Clay Roofing Products, Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing, DaVinci Roofscapes and Westlake Royal Roofing Components. Additionally, the company will unveil four important launches at the showthe Unified Steel Material List Generator, Unified Steel Cool Roof Colors, a CEU course for architects on roof underlayments and a new DaVinci color exterior support series.

We are looking forward to bringing our robust range of roofing systems and components to IBS, says Steve Booz, vice president, marketing, Westlake Royal Building Products. Our new roofing launches this year will appeal to builders, architects, remodelers and contractors. Weve got something for everyone.

The first of Westlake Royals four launches at this years IBS is its Unified Steel Material List Generator. An interactive tool that auto-generates a roofing product list,1 the intuitive system significantly simplifies the estimating process for both Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing, the ultra-lightweight roofing system that benefits from the structural strength of steel, as well as Westlake Royal Roofing Components, a range of integrated roof components designed to deliver a higher standard of roof installation and performance. The tool integrates seamlessly with roof measurements acquired traditionally or through 3D and geospatial measurement generating software. There is no cost to builders and contractors who use it.

Westlake Royal will also feature its new Unified Steel Cool Roof Colors, two hues rated by the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC). Each color provides high solar reflectivity and high thermal emittance when solar energy hits the roof surface, detracting sunlight and radiating heat off the roof surface. The colors exceed California Energy Code (CEC) Title 24 Part 6 Cool Roof Requirements and, with a Solar Reflective Index greater than 20, meet Los Angeles Countys more stringent SRI requirements. The colors, Harborwood and Stirling Gray, are offered in PINE-CREST Shake and PACIFIC Tile profiles.

The company is also unveiling its new CEU course on roof underlayments for architects. The Importance of Roof Underlayment for Energy Efficiency and Fire Resistance course explores the roof underlayment as an integral part of the total roof system design and educates architects on the performance, benefits, fire resistance and weather resilience of various underlayment types. The course is accessible through Hanley Wood University and the AIA. Participants obtain 1.0 CEU credit upon completion.

In keeping with the 2024 trend and focus on home exteriors and colors, DaVinci Roofscapes has launched two new e-books in their FRESH series. Authored by international color expert Kate Smith with Sensational Color, the e-books provide top-down guidance on Fixed Features, Regional Colors, Environment & Surroundings, Style of the Home and Historic or HOA Colors. The first e-book invites people to follow the 5 Steps for Finding the Perfect Hues for Your Home and the second new e-book tackles the topic of FRESH Colors for Homes with Brick or Stone.

DaVinci will also recognize roofers from coast to coast who have received the 2023 DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Project of the Year Awards. Six residential projects and one commercial project have received the prestigious award. Qualifications for DaVinci Masterpiece Contractors to obtain the award include excellence of installation work, outstanding visual impact and ability of the roofing work to transform the look of a home or commercial project.

On Tuesday, February 27, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PST, RoofersCoffeeShop will broadcast live from the Westlake Royal roofing section of the Westlake Royal Building Products booth. Heidi Ellsworth, president of RoofersCoffeeShop, will interview industry leaders on new product introductions at the show, trends taking place in the industry and insights into show floor activities.

Displays of the companys roofing product lines will also be viewable in-booth. In addition to Unified Steel and Westlake Royal Roofing Components, these include: composite shake and slate product lines from DaVinci Roofscapes; Newpoint Concrete Roof Tile, a durable concrete line known for its superior strength and long-lasting beauty; and US Tile Clay Roofing Products, a legacy line of clay tile manufactured to the highest standard of sustainability and craftsmanship.

All attendees of IBS are invited to visit the Westlake Royal Building Products booth which, in addition to the roofing selections mentioned here, will also include a robust range of product lines and launches from the company including siding and accessories, trim and mouldings, stone, windows and outdoor living.

To explore the full suite of Westlake Royal roofing brands featuring clay, concrete, steel, composite and components roofing solutions, visit westlakeroyalroofing.com.

About Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions

The Roofing Solutions portfolio from Westlake Royal Building Products is a recognized, national leader in durable and sustainable clay, composite, concrete, and steel roof systems. Encompassing a suite of materials that provide strength, versatility, and refinement, our portfolio includes US Tile Clay Roofing Products, Newpoint Concrete Roof Tile, Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing, DaVinci Roofscapes, and Westlake Royal Roofing Components, all designed to deliver a higher standard of roof installation, performance, and design.

About Westlake Royal Building Products

Westlake Royal Building Products USA Inc., a Westlake company (NYSE: WLK), is a leader throughout North America in the innovation, design, and production of a broad and diverse range of exterior and interior building products, including Siding and Accessories, Trim and Mouldings, Roofing, Stone, Windows and Outdoor Living. Westlake Royal Building Products manufactures high quality, low maintenance products to meet the specifications and needs of building professionals, homeowners, architects, engineers and distributors, while providing stunning curb appeal with an unmatched array of colors, styles, and accessories.

For more information, please visit WestlakeRoyalBuildingProducts.com. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram and Like us on Facebook.

__________________________________

1 The statements made herein are subject to the Legal Disclaimer outlined on the Material List Generator website.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226650501/en/

Media Contacts:

Ann Iten

[email protected]

*For Newpoint Concrete Roof Tile, US Tile Clay Roofing Products, Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing, and Westlake Royal Roofing Components



Wendy Bruch

[email protected]

*For DaVinci Roofscapes

Source: Westlake Royal Building Products
Investing.com - The Brent crude contract has traded in a pretty tight range of late, and Goldman Sachs expects a $70-$90 a barrel range to continue for the foreseeable future as oil price volatility has fallen to pre-Covid lows, despite the tensions surrounding the Red Sea tanker attacks.

This muted volatility despite the ongoing conflicts in the oil-rich Middle East reflects three main reasons, the influential investment bank said, in a note dated Feb. 25.

Firstly, the geopolitical risk premium remains modest, with only a $2/bbl boost to Brent from Red Sea disruptions and unaffected crude production.

Secondly, the pillars of the OPEC range framework remain in place as elevated spare capacity limits upside price risk, while the OPEC put limits downside risk.

Saudi Arabias decision not to increase its capacity and the decline in the elasticity of U.S. supply on shale consolidation suggest that Saudi Arabia has both the will and the means to support prices.

Finally, robust non-OPEC supply growth is likely to nearly keep pace with solid global demand growth.

We still expect demand to grow 1.5mb/d in 2024, with a downgrade in China on weakness in our nowcast but upgrades in India and the U.S., said analysts at Goldman.

We still expect OPEC+ to extend cuts through 2024Q2, and to only gradually and partially phase out the latest package starting in 2024Q3.
PPG (NYSE: PPG) announced that it has engaged Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC as financial advisor to assist in a review of strategic alternatives for its architectural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada.

PPGs architectural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada, which operates within the companys performance coatings segment, is an industry leader in residential and commercial architectural coatings through its well-known portfolio of brands, including GLIDDEN, OLYMPIC, LIQUID NAILS, HOMAX, PITTSBURGH PAINTS & STAINS, Manor Hall, FLOOD, DULUX (in Canada), and SICO, among others. The business manufactures and sells interior and exterior paints, stains, caulks, repair products, adhesives, and sealants for homeowners and professionals. It also includes certain light-duty protective coatings products that are primarily sold through company-owned stores and manufactured through a common factory footprint.

In total, the distribution network includes more than 15,000 touchpoints through company-owned stores, independent dealer locations, and major home improvement centers and retailers across the U.S. and Canada. In 2023, the architectural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada represented approximately 10% of PPGs total net sales.

PPG Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tim Knavish, said, The architectural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada has a well-established position in a growing market, leading brands, proven innovation, established customers, and dedicated and talented employees. We have made considerable progress over the past several years in modernizing the architectural coatings business model to better position the business for continued success. This has included instituting value-added customer-facing digital tools, revamping our manufacturing and distribution footprint, transitioning towards an asset-light distribution model, and introducing innovative products that enhance customer productivity and sustainability. Our actions over the past several years have created positive momentum in the business as we have significantly increased the number of distribution points for our well-known brands. These changes have been recognized in the industry and validate the progress of the business transformed strategy. The business is now poised to accelerate this transformation.

We are exploring this strategic review now given the positive momentum in the business, with the intent of ensuring its continued growth and success while also maximizing the value for PPG and its shareholders. We will assess whether some or all of the business could be better suited to grow faster with a partner or different owner, or may be better suited to operate as a core business within another company, as a standalone entity, or in a joint venture. Our review will help to determine if any of these alternative structures will provide the business with more speed and accelerated growth capability. Throughout this process, we will continue to fully support the business, our employees, and our architectural coatings customers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

In January, we announced a strategic review of alternatives for our silica products business and are now also conducting a review of our architectural coatings U.S. and Canada business. These actions reflect a regular and disciplined strategic assessment process by our Board and management team, including ensuring each of our businesses delivers value for our customers and shareholders, and aligns with the growth and investment strategies for the company, said Knavish.

Despite the business delivering flat sales volumes in 2023, on a 3-year pro forma basis PPGs overall company sales volume results would have improved cumulatively by over 200 basis points excluding the architectural coatings U.S. and Canada business. Also, the companys Performance Coatings segment operating (EBIT) income, excluding the U.S. and Canada architectural coatings EBIT and the associated growth-related investments we have made, would have resulted in an approximately 300-basis point improvement in segment margins in 2023.

The timing and outcome of the strategic review is uncertain. There is no assurance that the review will result in any transaction or other outcome. PPG does not intend to disclose developments or provide updates on the progress or status of the review unless and until it deems further disclosure is appropriate or required. PPGs strategic review of its architectural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada does not include its architectural coatings businesses in the other regions around the world, including in Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific, where PPG holds strong #1 or #2 positions in a number of key countries.

The architectural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada is led by about 6,600 employees, and manufactures and distributes products through dedicated facilities in:

Manufacturing: East Point, GA; Oakwood, GA; Louisville, KY; Huron, OH; Reno, NV; Carrollton, TX; Temple, TX; Delta, BC (Canada); and Vaughan, ON (Canada).

East Point, GA; Oakwood, GA; Louisville, KY; Huron, OH; Reno, NV; Carrollton, TX; Temple, TX; Delta, BC (Canada); and Vaughan, ON (Canada). Distribution: Huron, OH; Oakwood, GA; Reno, NV; Aurora, IL; Flower Mound, TX; Riverside, CA; Reading, PA; Carolina, PR (Puerto Rico); Calgary, AB (Canada); Delta, BC (Canada); Toronto, ON (Canada); and Moncton, NB (Canada).

The architectural coatings business footprint in the U.S. and Canada includes approximately 750 company owned stores in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) and Canada.

In addition, its headquarters is located in Cranberry, PA, which includes the leadership and administrative team for the business. The business also has an office in Vaughan, ON (Canada) and Boucherville, QC (Canada), which includes additional administrative teams.

The company will hold a conference call to discuss the strategic review of its US and Canada architectural coating business today, February 26, at 9:00 a.m. ET. Participants can pre-register for the conference by navigating to https://www.netroadshow.com/events/login?show=d5d8bf31&confId=61593 . The conference call also will be available in listen-only mode via Internet broadcast from the PPG Investor Center at www.ppg.com. A telephone replay will be available February 27, beginning at approximately 11:00 a.m. ET, through March 11, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The dial-in numbers for the replay are: in the United States, 1-833-470-1428; Canada, 1-226-828-7575; UK, (Local) 20-8068-2558; international, +44-20-8068-2558; passcode 947016. A Web replay also will be available shortly after the call on the PPG Investor Center at www.ppg.com, and will remain through Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
FILE PHOTO: A logo for Amazon Web Services (AWS) is displayed at the Collision conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada June 23, 2022. Picture taken June 23, 2022. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo

By Valentine Hilaire

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Amazon Web Services Mexico (AWS), a unit of Amazon.com Inc, announced on Monday it will invest over $5 billion to open a cluster of data centers in Mexico, amid growing demand for cloud services as more firms adopt new technologies.

The cluster will be built in the Mexican state of Queretaro, Ruben Mugartegui, head of Amazon Web Services Mexico unit, told Reuters in an interview, adding the investment will be spread through the next 15 years.

The company has been working on this project for more than five years, Mugartegui said.

AWS currently serves clients such as Mexican theater operator Cinepolis, stock exchange BIVA, airline Aeromexico, and local governments.

Cloud computing helps companies access technology services such as storage and databases through the internet, ending the need to own and maintain physical data centers and servers. Companies can cut technology costs by around 20% when they use AWS, Mugartegui said, citing a study.

Amazon has invested over 52 billion pesos ($3.04 billion) in Mexico since its arrival to the country in 2015.

The new investment comes in the midst of so-called nearshoring, the trend of companies relocating businesses from Asia closer to the United States following disruptions in supply chains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Mexican government has aimed to lure companies to invest in the country with initiatives such as a decree issued last year granting tax incentives for firms wanting to move operations to Mexico.

Mugartegui declined to say if Amazon received any fiscal benefits, but noted the company has worked closely and efficiently with the government and that firms relocating to Mexico are among the candidates to become new clients.

Carmaker Tesla announced last year it will build a factory in Mexico. Local authorities approved $153 million in incentives for Tesla and have said its investment will stand at over $5 billion.

($1 = 17.1265 Mexican pesos)

(Reporting by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Michael Perry)
Peterborough, Toronto, Calgary, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dozens of community members have blocked access to a Raytheon facility in Calgary, joining blockades this morning in both Toronto and Peterborough to demand an end to military exports to Israel. These rolling actions are a concerted effort to interrupt Canada's complicity in Israel's genocide against Gaza, just days after the UN called for an immediate arms embargo against Israel. Raytheon is the worlds second-largest military company, which supplies the Israeli Air Force with guided air-to-surface missiles for its F-16 fighter jets, as well as cluster bombs and bunker busters, which have consistently been used against Gazas civilian population and infrastructure.Workers and community members also blocked all entrances to the TTM Technologies plant in Scarborough this morning, resulting in the first shift of the day being cancelled altogether. In Peterborough, activists picketed a Safran Electronics facility, and spoke with many supportive workers about their employer's complicity in genocide.TORONTO: Rachel Small, [email protected], 647-769-2472 (Toronto, World BEYOND War)PETERBOROUGH: Urpi Pine, 705-977-2929; Kerry Bebee, 705-772-9340; Hanah Mcfarlane, 705-933-8211CALGARY: Wesam Cooley, 587-572-5507"In face of the ongoing complicity of the Canadian government, workers and activists are taking matters into our own hands to prevent companies in our communities from supplying weapons and components to Israel. We won't allow business at Raytheon to proceed as usual while they continue to supply Israel with missiles and bombs that are being used to commit genocide."Wesam Cooley, Calgary spokesperson"We are seeing different actions take place at arms companies across Canada demanding an immediate arms embargo against Israel. As a Palestinian, I have been gobsmacked at the Canadian governments open defiance of international law, particularly in light of the most recent UN report directing Canada to impose an arms embargo on Israel. What's worse is that since October, Canada has authorized at least $28.5 million of new permits for military exports to Israel, their participation in this genocide must end now, we need an arms embargo!Dalia Awwad, Palestinian Youth MovementAs Israel's genocide in Gaza drags into its fifth month, Trudeau's government has been facing escalating scrutiny and public pressure. Over 82,000 Canadians signed a parliamentary petition demanding an embargo on military exports to Israel, and 75 civil society groups called on Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly to resign if she won't impose an arms embargo. Government officials have been misrepresenting the nature of Canada's military exports to Israel, and failing to uphold their legal responsibility under the Arms Trade Treaty. Today's coordinated actions to stop arming genocide were planned by a number of local groups, and have been endorsed by national organizations including World Beyond War, Labour for Palestine, and the Palestinian Youth Movement. Photos from each action are available here.National Media Contacts:Rachel Small, [email protected], 647-769-2472 (Toronto, World BEYOND War)Dalia Awwad, [email protected], 416-988-9695 (Toronto, Palestinian Youth Movement)

Palestinian Youth Movement [email protected]

Source: Palestinian Youth Movement
Remaining assays from the 2022-2023 season, highlights include:

446 m of 0.63% Cu, including 76 m of 0.92% Cu (AZ23228MET)

TORONTO, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- McEwen Copper Inc., 47.7% owned by McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX) is pleased to announce assay results from the final unreleased drill holes of the last season (2022-2023). The results from this period not only validate previous drilling results but also confirm the continuity of mineralization and extend the mineralization.

Selected Highlights:

Hole AZ23 205 MET returned 257 m of 0.76% Cu within the Enriched zone.





MET returned of within the Enriched zone. Hole AZ23 228 MET returned 446 m of 0.63% Cu in the Enriched zone, including 76 m of 0.92% Cu .





MET returned of in the Enriched zone, including of . Hole AZ23230MET returned 250 m of 0.68% Cu in the Enriched zone, including 192 m of 0.83% Cu.



The objective of the 2022-2023 drilling campaign was to collect information needed as the project advances towards the completion of a Feasibility Study in Q1 2025. Work continues during this field season (2023-2024) and includes resource drilling that will convert the initial 5-year pit resources to Measured and Indicated categories and will further upgrade resources from Inferred to Indicated. In addition to resource drilling, geotechnical, metallurgical, hydrogeological, exploration, and condemnation drilling are also being performed.

With the closing in October 2023 of a US$10.0 million investment by Nuton, a Rio Tinto venture, and the ARS $42 billion investment by Stellantis, the Los Azules Project is fully funded for the 2023-2024 drilling campaign. McEwen Copper is currently seeking funding to support feasibility-level engineering and pre-construction work. Another record-setting drill season is underway at Los Azules with over 62,000 meters of drilling, of which 43,000 meters have been completed to date.

Argentinas new president is taking important initiatives to unlock the countrys potential to become a significant supplier of critical minerals to the world, to combat climate change and at the same time strengthening the economy, said Rob McEwen, Chairman and Chief Owner.

McEwen Coppers Los Azules project is progressing at light speed towards completing a feasibility study by Q1 2025 and it has already delivered significant economic benefits to the neighbouring communities. It is a very large copper resource, where recent exploration drilling suggests it definitely has room to grow, said Michael Meding, Vice President and General Manager of McEwen Copper.

Table 1 - Remaining 2022-2023 Los Azules metallurgical drilling results. All intercepts are approximate true thickness.

Hole-ID Section Predominant

Mineral Zone From

(m) To

(m) Length

(m) Cu

% Au

(g/t) Ag

(g/t) Comment AZ23199MET 31 Total 100.0 271.0 171.0 0.80 0.06 1.56 Enriched 100.0 271.0 171.0 0.80 0.06 1.56 Incl. 156.0m of 0.85% Cu Primary AZ23200MET 34-33 Total 94.0 394.5 300.5 0.43 0.04 2.89 Enriched 94.0 394.5 300.5 0.43 0.04 2.89 Incl. 172.0m of 0.59% Cu Primary AZ23204MET 39 Total 116.0 312.0 196.0 0.50 0.12 1.83 Enriched 116.0 275.5 159.5 0.54 0.13 1.87 Incl. 38.0m of 1.01% Cu Primary 275.5 312.0 36.5 0.34 0.07 1.67 AZ23205MET 31 Total 105.0 374.7 269.7 0.73 0.08 1.77 Enriched 105.0 362.0 257.0 0.76 0.09 1.94 Primary 362.0 374.7 12.7 0.28 0.05 1.30 AZ23226AMET 33 Total 90.0 275.3 185.3 0.47 0.03 0.91 Enriched 90.0 275.3 185.3 0.47 0.03 0.91 Incl. 38.0m of 0.66% Cu Primary AZ23228MET 47 Total 170.0 616.0 446.0 0.63 0.07 3.58 Enriched 170.0 430.0 260.0 0.72 0.07 4.18 Incl. 76.0m of 0.92% Cu Primary 430.0 616.0 186.0 0.49 0.07 2.74 Incl. 52.0m of 0.80% Cu AZ23229MET 50-51 Total 92.0 262.4 170.4 0.46 0.04 1.80 Enriched 92.0 262.4 170.4 0.46 0.04 1.80 Incl. 76.4m of 0.52% Cu Primary AZ23230MET 30 Total 104.0 438.2 334.2 0.59 0.06 3.66 Enriched 104.0 354.0 250.0 0.68 0.06 3.67 Incl. 192.0m of 0.83% Cu Primary 354.0 438.2 84.2 0.31 0.07 3.61 AZ23232MET 48-49 Total 94.0 464.0 370.0 0.40 0.04 0.95 Enriched 94.0 414.0 320.0 0.44 0.05 1.02 Incl. 76.0m of 0.58% Cu Primary 414.0 464.0 50.0 0.12 0.03 0.45 GTK2315MET 52-53 Total 69.0 521.2 452.2 0.29 0.05 1.09 Enriched 69.0 260.0 191.0 0.45 0.04 0.86 Incl. 76.0m of 0.70% Cu Primary 260.0 521.2 261.2 0.18 0.05 1.26 GTK2316MET 30 Total 94.0 319.1 225.1 0.38 0.02 0.88 Enriched 94.0 319.1 225.1 0.38 0.02 0.88 Incl. 48.0m of 0.64% Cu Primary GTK2317MET 28-27 Total 156.0 326.0 170.0 0.42 0.02 2.15 Enriched 156.0 326.0 170.0 0.42 0.02 2.15 Incl. 58.0m of 0.49% Cu Primary AZ23210MET 30 Total 110.0 415.0 305.0 0.64 0.07 1.62 Enriched 110.0 352.0 242.0 0.73 0.07 1.59 Primary 352.0 415.0 63.0 0.28 0.06 1.73 AZ23223MET 32 Total 142.0 376.0 234.0 0.40 0.03 0.52 Enriched 142.0 376.0 234.0 0.40 0.03 0.52 Incl. 76.0m of 0.57% Cu Primary AZ23227MET 34 Total 69.0 334.0 265.0 0.68 0.07 1.27 Enriched 69.0 284.0 215.0 0.73 0.06 1.30 Incl. 137.0m of 0.80% Cu Primary 284.0 334.0 50.0 0.44 0.09 1.13 Incl. 22.0m of 0.65% Cu

Results are summarized in three schematic cross sections (Figures 2, 3, and 4), which include simplified interpretations of the Overburden, Leached, Enriched and Primary zones. The Enriched mineral zone refers to a copper deposit enriched by precipitation-derived water circulation that carries copper minerals downward through the rocks to accumulate in a thick, often horizontal blanket. Immediately above the Enriched zone is the Leached zone, from which copper was removed and transported. Weathering and oxidation often contribute to this process. Below the Enriched zone, the Primary (or Hypogene) zone is formed by ascending copper-rich thermal fluids, originating from a much deeper magmatic source. The green line indicates the pit floor of the 30-year pit shell from the 2023 NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA).

Figure 1 presents a plan view of the location of three sections and the holes reported. Adjacent cross sections are located 50 m apart from each other, starting with the lowest numbered section at the south end of the deposit and progressing to the north.

Figure 1  Plan View Location of Cross-sections and Drill Holes in the Deposit





Figure 2 displays an intercept of 446 m grading 0.63% Cu (AZ23228MET) and includes 76 m grading 0.92% Cu within the Enriched zone. This hole extends higher-grade mineralization further to the west within the Enriched zone.

Figure 2 - Section 47 - Drilling, Mineralized Zones and 30-year PEA Pit (Looking North)





Figure 3 highlights a 257 m interval grading 0.76% Cu (AZ23205MET). Both this hole and hole AZ23199MET (171 m grading 0.80% Cu) directly to the west confirm the continuity and grade of the Enriched zone on this section.

Figure 3 - Section 31 - Drilling, Mineralized Zones and 30-year PEA Pit (Looking North)





Figure 4 presents an intercept of 250.0 m of 0.68% Cu in hole AZ23230MET. This hole validates mineralization in the center of this section. Hole AZ23210MET displays an intercept of 242.0 m of 0.73% Cu and extends higher grade mineralization in the Enriched zone to the east. Hole GTK2316 contains an intercept of 225.1 m of 0.38% Cu. These three new holes validate the continuity and strength of mineralization on this section.

Figure 4 - Section 30 - Drilling, Mineralized Zones and 30-year PEA Pit (Looking North)





Technical information

The technical content of this press release has been reviewed and approved by Darren King, Director of Exploration of McEwen Copper, who serves as the qualified person (QP) under the definitions of National Instrument 43-101.

All samples were collected in accordance with generally accepted industry standards. Drill core samples, usually taken at 2 m intervals, were split and submitted to the Alex Stewart International laboratory located in the Province of Mendoza, Argentina, for the following assays: gold determination using fire fusion assay and an atomic absorption spectroscopy finish (Au4-30); a 39 multi-element suite using ICP-OES analysis (ICP-AR 39); copper content determination using a sequential copper analysis (Cu-Sequential LMC-140). An additional 19-element analysis (ICP-ORE) was performed for samples with high sulphide content and that exceeded the limits of the ICP-OES analysis.

The company conducts a Quality Assurance/Quality Control program in accordance with NI 43-101 and industry best practices, using a combination of standards and blanks on approximately one out of every 25 samples. Results are monitored as final certificates are received, and any re-assay requests are sent back immediately. Pulp and preparation sample analyses are also performed as part of the QAQC process. Approximately 5% of the sample pulps are sent to a secondary laboratory for control purposes. In addition, the laboratory performs its own internal QAQC checks, with results made available on certificates for Company review.

Table 2  Hole Locations and Lengths for Los Azules Drilling Results

HOLE-ID Azimuth Dip Length Loc X Loc Y Loc Z AZ23199MET 250 -67 271.0 2383430 6558947 3659 AZ23226AMET 250 -77 275.3 2383311 6559016 3656 AZ23228MET 70 -60 616.0 2382837 6559585 3625 AZ23229MET 70 -70 262.4 2382846 6559746 3616 AZ23230MET 70 -73 438.2 2383344 6558864 3664 AZ23232MET 45 -70 464.0 2383226 6559780 3632 GTK2315MET 38 -70 521.2 2383192 6559976 3639 GTK2316MET 250 -78 319.1 2383348 6558863 3664 GTK2317MET 90 -70 326.0 2383561 6558835 3665 AZ23200MET 90 -70 394.5 2383467 6559120 3657 AZ23204MET 250 -76 312 2383292 6559323 3643 AZ23205MET 250 -74 374.7 2383504 6558973 3660 AZ23210MET 250 -76 415 2383533 6558930 3664 AZ23223MET 66 -73 376 2383253 6558932 3670 AZ23227MET 70 -79 334 2383305 6559059 3654 Coordinates listed in Table 2 based on Gauss Kruger - POSGAR 94 Zone 2

ABOUT MCEWEN COPPER

McEwen Copper is a well-funded, private company which owns 100% of the large, advanced-stage Los Azules copper project, located in the San Juan province, Argentina. McEwen Copper is a 47.7% owned private subsidiary of McEwen Mining, which is listed on NYSE and TSX under the ticker MUX.

Los Azules is being designed to be distinctly different from conventional copper mines, consuming significantly less water, emitting much lower carbon levels and progressing to be carbon neutral by 2038, being powered by 100% renewable energy once in operation. The projects recently updated Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) projects a long life of mine, a short payback period, low production costs per pound, high annual copper production, and an after-tax IRR of 21.1%.

ABOUT MCEWEN MINING

McEwen Mining is a gold and silver producer with operations in Nevada, Canada, Mexico and Argentina. McEwen Mining also holds a 47.7% interest in McEwen Copper, which is developing the large, advanced-stage Los Azules copper project in Argentina. The companys goal is to improve the productivity and life of its assets with the objective of increasing the share price and providing a yield. Rob McEwen, Chairman and Chief Owner, has a personal investment in the company of US$220 million. His annual salary is US$1.

CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS



This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and information, including "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements and information expressed, as at the date of this news release, McEwen Mining Inc.'s (the "Company") estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations or beliefs as to future events and results. Forward-looking statements and information are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies, and there can be no assurance that such statements and information will prove to be accurate. Therefore, actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements and information. Risks and uncertainties that could cause results or future events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, fluctuations in the market price of precious metals, mining industry risks, political, economic, social and security risks associated with foreign operations, the ability of the corporation to receive or receive in a timely manner permits or other approvals required in connection with operations, risks associated with the construction of mining operations and commencement of production and the projected costs thereof, risks related to litigation, the state of the capital markets, environmental risks and hazards, uncertainty as to calculation of mineral resources and reserves, and other risks. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information included herein, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to reissue or update forward-looking statements or information as a result of new information or events after the date hereof except as may be required by law. See McEwen Mining's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the caption "Risk Factors", for additional information on risks, uncertainties and other factors relating to the forward-looking statements and information regarding the Company. All forward-looking statements and information made in this news release are qualified by this cautionary statement.



The NYSE and TSX have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release, which has been prepared by the management of McEwen Mining Inc.



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Vancouver, B.C., Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rugby Resources Ltd. (Rugby or the Company) (TSX-V: RUG) is pleased to report that recent surface sampling at Cobrasco has yielded significant copper/molybdenum assay results. In addition, a new molybdenum stockworked porphyry occurrence has been identified approximately 1 kilometre (km) northeast of the Cobrasco Central drilling area. Reconnaissance mapping indicates the new molybdenum porphyry may represent a continuation of the primary mineralization intersected in drill holes approximately 1 km to the southwest (see Figure 1).







Figure 1: RTP aeromagnetics and the interpreted structural model showing Locations of recent rock samples in the north of Cobrasco concession area. The Molybdenum (Mo) anomaly previously defined in the northern central area has now been extended to the NE.

Please click to view image

Highlights

Assays were received for 103 samples comprising 102 rock outcrops and 1 float sample from the October 2023 campaign. This program was centred primarily on the northern portions of the Cobrasco North concession with an emphasis on infill sampling of areas not previously covered in prior programs.

Assays range up to 4.77% copper, 3.98g/t gold, 50g/t silver and 0.09% molybdenum (see Tables 1 & 2  Assay Summary below). Sample geochemistry confirmed previous areas of Cu-Mo anomalism and extended the area of interest to the NE.

Outcropping quartz tonalite porphyry with quartz stockwork zone was identified to the northeast of the Cobrasco drilling area. Molybdenite mineralization occurs in locally intense stockwork and sheeted veinlets plus disseminations over an area of at least 300m x 400m (see Figures 2 & 3).

Further infill sampling in the Cobrasco Central area returned values up 4.77% Cu (G518009), 2.25% Cu (M426398) and 1.45% Cu (G518005) confirming previously established zones of outcropping mineralization (see Figure 4).

Francisco Montes, Rugbys Cobrasco Project Manager stated, Our strategy of continuing mapping and sampling is a cost-effective methodology for further defining the mineralized centres identified to date. The program will continue while we build up to the next core drilling campaign.

Chairman Yale Simpson stated Rugbys exploration program is making copper-molybdenum discoveries with significant surface dimensions. We are relatively early in the exploration-development process, but our success gives us reason to be confident Cobrasco could contribute to Colombia achieving the status of a global contributor to copper production. Copper demand is growing and new mines to meet the needs of clean energy projects, no matter what the technology adopted, will be in short supply. Rugby continues to make progress towards securing a major international mining company as a development partner. Our goal is to significantly advance the pace of exploration and development.





Figure 2: New discovery outcrop in Cobrasco NE, over an area of recent landslide with stockworked quartz-pyrite veining in tonalite porphyry with dominant phyllic alteration (Sample No. L874550: 238ppm Cu, 3.21ppm Mo, 9.7ppm Ag).

Please click to view image





Figure 3: Mo-Cu mineralization at Cobrasco NE- sheeted quartz veins in tonalite porphyry

(Sample No. G518018: 927ppm Mo, 3800ppm Cu, 9.7ppm Ag).

Please click to view image





Figure 4  Mineralization at Cobrasco Central  disseminated bornite-chalcopyrite-chalcocite in rhyolite porphyry (Sample No M426398: 4.77% Cu, 73.7ppm Mo, 11.4ppm Ag).

Please click to view image

Rugbys exploration results demonstrate a marked Cu-Mo porphyry corridor extending NW-SE along the margins of the Mande Batholith. Pathfinder geochemistry indicative of multiple porphyry centres extend along and peripheral to the contacts. The complex structural framework of the project area also indicates relative upthrown and downthrown domains giving rise to the possibility of entirely preserved, blind porphyry systems in areas such as Cobrasco East (Figure 1). Reconnaissance mapping during the October 2023 campaign suggests that the new molybdenum porphyry discovery in the northeast may represent a continuation of the primary mineralization intersected in Rugbys drilling to the southwest.

At Cobrasco Central, ongoing geological and alteration mapping indicates a large and robust porphyry centre with an outer propylitic alteration halo extending to the southern and northern concession borders. The Companys field team is currently conducting infill sampling and reconnaissance mapping south of the drilled area and extending to the southern concession boundary. The objective is to better define the surface expression of mineralization and provide vectors for drill targeting.

Copper and molybdenum rock sample geochemistry is shown in Figures 5 & 6. These images show the October 2023 rock sample locations and values overlain on the total rock sample geochemistry gridded images.





Figure 5: Copper (Cu) rock chip geochemistry and locations (October 2023) over total historical rock sample gridded Cu-geochemistry image (heat map). The new molybdenum NE-zone is shown cross-hatched.

Please click to view image





Figure 6: Molybdenum (Mo) rock chip geochemistry and locations (October 2023) over total historical rock sample gridded Mo-geochemistry image (heat map).

Please click to view image

Table 1  Assay statistics October field sampling campaign

Au

(ppm) Ag

(ppm) Cu

(ppm) Mo

(ppm) W

(ppm) SN

(ppm) Se

(ppm) Te

(ppm) Bi

(ppm) As

(ppm) Ave 0.1 1.6 2173.5 38.0 1.6 1.0 2.9 0.6 0.5 9.7 Max 3.98 50.4 47700 927.0 9.1 6.7 37 4.35 5.8 59.3 Min 0.0025 0.005 2.1 0.1 0.1 0.01 0.5 0.025 0.005 0.01

Table 2  Copper geochemistry October 2023 field campaign (significant > 0.2% Cu samples)

Sample

No. Easting Northing Au

(ppm) Ag

(ppm) Cu

(ppm) Mo

(ppm) W

(ppm) SN

(ppm) Se

(ppm) Te

(ppm) Bi

(ppm) As

(ppm) G518009 342011 658383 0.045 11.4 47700 73.7 5.4 3.1 12 1.47 2.44 12.2 M426398 342171 658340 0.083 7.05 22500 142.0 3.9 3.5 5 1.32 0.73 2.2 G518005 341861 658253 0.041 9.48 14550 10.1 5 1.4 4 1.82 1.1 13 M426359 342269 658685 0.026 1.83 12800 49.7 3.1 0.6 4 0.2 0.66 0.7 M426395 342240 658411 0.015 1.26 11200 117.5 1.3 0.5 2 0.18 0.22 3 M426399 342171 658340 0.007 2.88 10350 39.3 3.9 1.4 2 0.14 0.27 0.7 M426385 341475 658562 0.095 2.46 7960 30.6 2.3 1.2 28 4.35 5.16 35.9 M426396 342220 658401 0.021 3.37 7100 300.0 7.8 2.8 2 0.31 0.22 4.4 M426394 341707 658406 3.98 50.4 5990 157.0 2.5 1.6 11 3.47 5.8 24.5 M426397 342190 658345 0.021 2.16 5230 142.5 6.2 3.8 3 0.85 0.35 3.9 M426384 341502 658522 0.005 2 4390 7.5 3.3 1.3 2 0.22 0.18 1.2 G518018 342794 659533 0.291 9.65 3800 927.0 2.5 1 5 1.55 0.87 59.3 L874516 341852 659014 0.008 0.68 3420 103.5 3.3 2 1 0.18 0.12 3.3 M426386 341475 658562 0.011 2.39 3420 39.5 4.8 1.9 2 0.79 3.89 10.8 M426370 341314 658931 0.011 0.94 3160 37.1 2.6 1.5 2 0.3 0.06 7 M426393 341643 658368 0.015 1.34 3030 2.4 1.6 0.5 1 0.47 0.53 26.2 L874512 341987 659041 0.033 1.82 2740 49.9 2.1 0.8 2 1.24 0.07 41.9 G518008 342056 658378 0.009 1.18 2100 9.2 3.2 1.6 1 0.12 0.14 2 M426391 341619 658336 0.008 1.11 2020 3.9 1 0.7 2 0.67 0.93 26.1

Table 3  Molybdenum geochemistry October 2023 field campaign (significant > 25ppm Mo samples)

Sample No. Easting Northing Au (ppm) Ag (ppm) Cu (ppm) Mo (ppm) W (ppm) SN (ppm) Se (ppm) Te (ppm) Bi (ppm) As (ppm) G518018 342794 659533 0.291 9.65 3800 927.0 2.5 1 5 1.55 0.87 59.3 G518015 342631 659584 0.181 0.64 636 408.0 0.3 0.2 3 0.59 0.29 51.5 M426396 342220 658401 0.021 3.37 7100 300.0 7.8 2.8 2 0.31 0.22 4.4 G518007 341845 658269 0.012 4.07 433 295.0 4 1.7 2 0.32 0.26 1.4 M426394 341707 658406 3.98 50.4 5990 157.0 2.5 1.6 11 3.47 5.8 24.5 M426397 342190 658345 0.021 2.16 5230 142.5 6.2 3.8 3 0.85 0.35 3.9 M426398 342171 658340 0.083 7.05 22500 142.0 3.9 3.5 5 1.32 0.73 2.2 M426395 342240 658411 0.015 1.26 11200 117.5 1.3 0.5 2 0.18 0.22 3 L874516 341852 659014 0.008 0.68 3420 103.5 3.3 2 1 0.18 0.12 3.3 G518006 341819 658163 0.012 0.07 672 79.0 2.4 1.1 1 0.38 0.36 14.3 M426388 341394 658579 0.08 2.22 238 78.3 1.5 1.2 3 3.3 1 20.2 G518009 342011 658383 0.045 11.4 47700 73.7 5.4 3.1 12 1.47 2.44 12.2 L874541 341960 659337 0.024 0.64 1210 55.6 2.7 1.4 3 0.55 0.09 7.8 L874512 341987 659041 0.033 1.82 2740 49.9 2.1 0.8 2 1.24 0.07 41.9 M426359 342269 658685 0.026 1.83 12800 49.7 3.1 0.6 4 0.2 0.66 0.7 G518004 341981 658210 0.014 1.58 432 43.0 9.1 4.3 2 0.34 0.3 5.6 M426386 341475 658562 0.011 2.39 3420 39.5 4.8 1.9 2 0.79 3.89 10.8 M426399 342171 658340 0.007 2.88 10350 39.3 3.9 1.4 2 0.14 0.27 0.7 M426370 341314 658931 0.011 0.94 3160 37.1 2.6 1.5 2 0.3 0.06 7 M426385 341475 658562 0.095 2.46 7960 30.6 2.3 1.2 28 4.35 5.16 35.9 M426358 341607 659013 0.019 1.19 527 28.5 2 1.2 3 0.87 0.49 19.5





Technical Information and Quality Control & Quality Assurance

Rugbys sampling techniques and data management are conducted to industry standards. Sample assay results have been monitored through a quality control/ quality assurance (QA/QC) program that includes the insertion of blind certified reference materials (standards), blanks and duplicate samples. All samples are securely transported to ALS Minerals (ALS) facility in Medellin, Colombia where sample preparation takes place. Sample pulps are forwarded to ALS regional hub in Lima, Peru where all analytical work is conducted. Surface samples (rock chip and soil samples) are assayed for gold by fire assay of a 30-gram charge with AAS finish (method Au-AA23) and 48 element ultra-trace level detection by four acid digestion with ICP-AES/ ICP-MS finish (method ME-MS61). Overlimits or ore grade elements are assayed by four-acid digestion with ICP-AES finish (method OG62).

ALS is independent of Rugby and is certified to ISO 9001 & 17025 by IQNet and Standards Council of Canada respectively.

Qualified Person

Paul Joyce, Rugbys Chief Operating Officer, Director and a qualified person (QP) within the definition of that term in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has verified the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release. Paul Joyce is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (registered member # 1908).

About Rugby

Rugby Resources Limited is an exploration company conducting discovery stage exploration on a portfolio of copper, gold and silver targets in Colombia and Argentina. The Colombian Cobrasco project is located in the western cordillera belt which hosts large scale copper molybdenum mines in Chile, Peru, and Panama (and more recent significant projects discovered in Ecuador). This belt has not been subjected to modern exploration in Colombia. Rugby looks to advance the Cobrasco project to demonstrate the economic potential of a major discovery for Colombia. The discovery of significant new copper opportunities is essential for the mining industry to supply the copper necessary to transition from fossil fuels to advanced electrification.

The Company benefits from the experience of its directors and management, a team that has either been directly responsible for world-class mineral discoveries or has been part of the management teams responsible for such discoveries. Prior companies under their management included Exeter Resource Corporation and Extorre Gold Mines Limited, which held significant projects in South America. These companies were taken over by Goldcorp (Newmont) and Yamana respectively.

For additional information you are invited to visit the Rugby Resources Ltd. website at: www.rugbyresourcesltd.com .

Rob Grey, VP, Corporate Communications

Tel: 604.688.4941 Fax: 604.688.9532

Toll-free: 1.855.688.4941 Suite1890 - 1075 West Georgia St.

Vancouver, BC, Canada V6E 3C9

[email protected]

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein is forward-looking information within the meaning of the British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario Securities Acts. This includes statements concerning the Companys proposed exploration plans for the Cobrasco project in Colombia and the El Zanjon and Venidero projects in Argentina, progress on obtaining approval for its exploration concession applications in Colombia, the expected timing of drilling and/or geophysics programs, budgeted costs to conduct exploration programs including drilling, high grade potential and potential for mineral discoveries at its projects and the style or occurrence of the mineralization which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Rugby holds certain of its projects under option agreements, which require annual cash payments, expenditure and/ or drilling requirements in order to maintain its interest. Should the Company not be able to meet its obligations or renegotiate the agreements it will lose its rights under the option agreement. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, the effect on prices of major mineral commodities such as copper and gold by factors beyond the control of the Company; events which cannot be accurately predicted such as political and economic instability, terrorism, environmental factors and changes in government regulations and taxes; the shortage of personnel with the requisite knowledge and skills to design and execute exploration programs; difficulties in arranging contracts for drilling and other exploration services; the Companys dependency on equity market financings to fund its exploration programs and maintain its mineral exploration properties in good standing; political risk that a government will change, environmental regulations, taxes or mineral royalties in a manner that could have an adverse effect on the Companys assets or financial condition and impair its ability to advance its mineral exploration projects or raise further funds for exploration; risks associated with title to resource properties due to the difficulties of determining the validity of certain claims as well as the potential for problems arising from the interpretation of laws regarding ownership or exploration of mineral properties in the Philippines, Argentina, Chile and Colombia and in the sometimes ambiguous conveyancing characteristic of many resource properties, currency risks associated with foreign operations, the timing of obtaining permits to conduct exploration activities, the ability to conclude agreements with local communities and other risks and uncertainties; risks related to geopolitical conflicts; and including those described in each of the Companys management discussion and analysis and those contained in its financial statements for the year ended February 28, 2023 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available at www.sedarplus.ca. In addition, forward-looking information is based on various assumptions including, without limitation, assumptions associated with exploration results and costs and the availability of materials and skilled labour. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE
MONTREAL, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stingray (TSX: RAY.A; RAY.B), a global leader in music, media, and technology, has taken the initiative to collaborate with a group of independent broadcasters, advocating for government intervention to aid Canada's local radio sector. A persuasive letter has been sent to the Honourable Chrystia Freeland and the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, outlining actionable recommendations to address the economic challenges posed to local radio by the digital shift and the loss of advertising dollars to online platforms.

Stingray and its independent industry partners propose that the upcoming budget includes a commitment to dedicate at least 70% of the Government of Canada's advertising expenditures to local media, ensuring an even distribution across radio, television, print, and Canadian-owned digital media. Additionally, they recommend establishing a minimum 20% tax credit to motivate advertisers to invest in advertising with Canadian-owned print and broadcast media, providing a much-needed boost to these vital (yet endangered) sectors.

Eric Boyko, President, Co-Founder, and CEO of Stingray, emphasized the importance of these recommendations, saying, "The local radio sector is an integral part of our national identity, providing a connection to Canadian culture, music, and essential information, particularly during local or regional emergencies. Stingray and our respected independent industry partners are calling on the government to implement these measures, which are critical to the sector's viability."

The letter has received full backing and support from prominent independent industry players such as Acadia Broadcasting Limited, Arsenal Media, Bayshore Broadcasting, Blackburn Media Inc., Byrnes Communications Inc., Central Ontario Broadcasting, Dougall Media, Durham Radio Inc., Evanov Communications, Golden West Broadcasting Ltd., Local Radio Labs Inc., MBS Radio, Pattison Media Ltd., Quinte Broadcasting Co. Ltd., Rawlco Radio, Starboard Communications Inc., Torres Media, Vista Radio, and Whiteoaks Communications Group.

These recommendations are presented with the firm belief that government support would significantly strengthen the independent radio sector, allowing it to maintain its pivotal role in promoting Canadian music, safeguarding the public in times of crisis, and upholding fundamental democratic values.

About StingrayStingray (TSX: RAY.A; RAY.B), a global music, media, and technology company, is an industry leader in TV broadcasting, streaming, radio, business services, and advertising. Stingray provides an array of music, digital, and advertising services to enterprise brands worldwide, including audio and video channels, over 100 radio stations, subscription video-on-demand content, FAST channels, karaoke products and music apps, and in-car and on-board infotainment content. Stingray Business, a division of Stingray, provides commercial solutions in music, in-store advertising solutions, digital signage, and AI-driven consumer insights and feedback. Stingray Advertising is North America's largest retail audio advertising network, delivering digital audio messaging to more than 20,000 major retail locations. Stingray has close to 1,000 employees worldwide and reaches 540 million consumers in 160 countries. For more information, visit www.stingray.com.

For more information, please contact: Frederique Gagnier Public Relations Manager Stingray [email protected]

Source: Stingray Group Inc.
Los Angeles, California--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - Cape Robbin, the women's fashion brand founded by fashion entrepreneur Michael Chen, has launched a special collection to captivate hearts this Valentine's Day. The brand has released an exclusive apparel and shoe collection featuring an innovative and alluring take on the color of love - pink.

Michael Chen

Designed to celebrate the spirit of love, the collection showcases apparel and footwear that combines the brand's trademark designs with the timeless allure of pink. From edgy dresses that exude romance to bold shoes that make a statement, Cape Robbin's Valentine's Day Collection aims to offer something for everyone.

The collection includes pink-themed Emersyn, Moan, and Pofin-2 footwear styles alongside many others. It also offers full looks like the signature Dumpa shoes and Koji handbag paired with a Timmie top.

Michael Chen expressed his excitement about the Valentine's Day launch, stating, "Valentine's Day is a celebration of love, and what better way to express love than through fashion? Our latest collection is a tribute to romance, bringing a fresh perspective on pink. We believe that fashion should express individuality and emotion, and this collection embodies just that."

Cape Robbin has earned a reputation for pushing the boundaries of fashion with its bold, edgy, and trendsetting designs. The Valentine's Day Special Collection is no exception, as it promises to redefine romance and style with a unique blend of creativity and sophistication.

About Cape Robbin:

Cape Robbin is a fashion brand owned and founded by Michael Chen. The brand offers trendsetting footwear, apparel, and accessory styles that aim to embody individualism and art. Founded in 2013, Cape Robbin has grown in popularity among women with a fashion-forward, bold, and edgy fashion sense. The company has solidified its position among the foremost personalized fashion footwear brands, serving a vast clientele of 6,000 B2B partners across the United States.

Contact Information:

Name: Michael Chen

Website: https://caperobbin.com/

Address: 1943 W Mission Blvd, Pomona, California 91766, US

Phone: (626) 810-8080

Email: [email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198979
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. (TSXV: GMG) (OTCQX: GMGMF) ("GMG" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it begins trading today on the OTCQX market under the symbol "GMGMF".





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The OTCQX Best Market is for established, investor-focused U.S. and international companies. To qualify for the OTCQX market, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, demonstrate compliance with U.S. securities laws, be current in their disclosure, and have a professional third-party sponsor introduction. Penny stocks, shells and companies in bankruptcy cannot qualify for OTCQX. The companies found on OTCQX are distinguished by the integrity of their operations and diligence with which they convey their qualifications.

GMG has now qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market, having been upgraded from the Pink market. The two lower-tier markets for OTC trading in the U.S. are the OTCQB Venture Market and the OTC Pink market. This upgrade will provide increased transparency in trading for GMG's U.S. investors through its higher levels of reporting and governance.

GMG's Managing Director and CEO, Craig Nicol, commented: "As part of our capital markets access plans, we are delighted to broaden the Company's exposure in the U.S. market through this upgrade. It is a major step toward our corporate development in North America."

GMG's Chairman and Non-Executive Director, Jack Perkowski, commented: "Increasing GMG's presence in the U.S. is of strategic importance for funding our development and growth initiatives. Enabling U.S. investors with increased involvement will expand the Company's future capital opportunities."

About GMG

GMG is a clean-technology company which seeks to offer energy saving and energy storage solutions, enabled by graphene, including that manufactured in-house via a proprietary production process.

GMG has developed a proprietary production process to decompose natural gas (i.e. methane) into its elements, carbon (as graphene), hydrogen and some residual hydrocarbon gases. This process produces high quality, low cost, scalable, 'tuneable' and low/no contaminant graphene suitable for use in clean-technology and other applications. The Company's present focus is to de-risk and develop commercial scale-up capabilities, and secure market applications.

In the energy savings segment, GMG has focused on graphene enhanced heating, ventilation and air conditioning ("HVAC-R") coating (or energy-saving paint), lubricants and fluids. In the energy storage segment, GMG and the University of Queensland are working collaboratively with financial support from the Australian Government to progress R&D and commercialization of graphene aluminium-ion batteries ("G+AI Batteries").

GMG's 4 critical business objectives are:

Produce Graphene and improve/scale cell production processes Build Revenue from Energy Savings Products Develop Next-Generation Battery Develop Supply Chain, Partners & Project Execution Capability

For further information please contact:

Craig Nicol, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of the Company at [email protected] , +61 415 445 223

, +61 415 445 223 Leo Karabelas at Focus Communications Investor Relations, [email protected] , +1 647 689 6041

www.graphenemg.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "expects" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or will "potentially" or "likely" occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forwardlooking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding the upgrade to the OTCQX Best Market providing increased transparency in trading for GMG's U.S. investors, trading on OTCQX Best Market being an important step toward the Company's corporate development in North America, increasing the Company's presence in the U.S. being strategically important for future funding of development and growth, and increased U.S. investor involvement expanding the Company's future capital opportunities.

Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions of management, including, without limitation, assumptions relating to the upgrade to the OTCQX Best Market resulting in higher levels of reporting and governance which will lead to increased transparency in trading for U.S. investors, that the upgrade to the OTCQX Best Market is an important step towards the Company's corporate development in North America, that increasing the Company's presence in the U.S. will help fund the Company's development and growth, and that increased U.S. investor involvement will expand the Company's future capital opportunities.

Additionally, forward-looking information involves a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of GMG to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation: that the upgrade to the OTCQX Best Market will not result in a higher level of reporting, that the upgrade to the OTCQX Best Market will not lead to increase transparency in trading for U.S. investors, that the upgrade to the OTCQX Best Market will not be an important step towards the Company's corporate development in North America, that increasing the Company's presence in the U.S. will not help fund the Company's development and growth, that increased U.S. investor involvement will not expand the Company's future capital opportunities, risks relating to the extent and duration of the conflict in Eastern Europe and its impact on global markets, the volatility of global capital markets, political instability, the failure of the Company to obtain regulatory approvals, attract and retain skilled personnel, unexpected development and production challenges, unanticipated costs and the risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated October 12, 2023 available for review on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199208
Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - IT-OFFSHOREis expanding its expert operation in business immigration to the EU by merging Expatcenter.eu and celebrating its decade-long anniversary. IT-OFFSHORE, a consulting company founded in Frankfurt in 2014, is today a recognized leader in providing all-inclusive services for company registration, account opening, licensing, and creating unique financial solutions for businesses to expand internationally.





IT-OFFSHORE international company formations

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IT-OFFSHORE proudly announces the completion of the acquisition deal with Expatcenter.eu. This company has specialized in business immigration for IT companies and startups to Singapore since 2017. The strategic move overlaps with the celebration of the company's 10th anniversary.

The acquisition of Expatcenter.eu aims to significantly enhance the expertise of IT-OFFSHORE in business immigration, offering clients fully integrated solutions for team relocation and business legalization not only in the European Union but also in Australia, Latin America, and Asia.

IT-OFFSHORE's CEO, Dmitry Sabitov, emphasized the significance of this deal: "The acquisition of Expatcenter.eu is a key milestone in our expansion strategy. It will strengthen our presence in the EU market and enrich our expertise, allowing us to provide even more comprehensive and integrated solutions for our clients. Along with our existing experience, this acquisition aims to greatly enhance our position in the business immigration and relocation market."

They also announced the service extension in company registration and account opening and managed to significantly expand the company's product range for obtaining residence permits and residency.

"We aim to offer our clients an even wider spectrum of services that will help companies effectively solve business challenges related to growth and global expansion," said Dmitry Sabitov.

The company's team includes professional business analysts, auditors, and lawyers with over ten years of experience. They will help clients understand the structure of their business and provide practical solutions.

Contact:

+44 (203) 769-29-01

[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/198883
Press Release

February 26, 2024 CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH OF SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE LOREN LEGARDA ON SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 933 OR "THE 2005 CONVENTION ON THE PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF DIVERSITY OF CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS" Mr. President, honorable colleagues, I rise today with a deep sense of pride as we approach to concur in the ratification of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The Convention, adopted by the Parties on October 20, 2005, in Paris, France, defines "cultural expressions" as those that result from the creativity of individuals, groups, and societies. These expressions embody cultural content, symbolic meaning, artistic dimension, and values inherent in cultural identities. The Convention espouses the principle that cultural diversity can be protected and promoted only if human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression and the ability of individuals to choose cultural expressions, are guaranteed. The protection and promotion of diversity of cultural expressions hinge upon the value of equal dignity and respect for all cultures. Our commitment to the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions represents not only a reaffirmation of our nation's value for cultural diversity but also the culmination of a long journey that began with a call for action over 17 years ago when the Convention entered into force on March 18, 2007. According to the records of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippines first considered ratification of the Convention as early as 2008. However, the matter was only discussed in detail during a DFA-hosted inter-agency meeting in 2014. Because of the change in administration in 2016, the process had to start anew to reflect the signatures of the officials of the then-incoming administration. The administration has changed, eight (8) years have passed, yet Certificates of Concurrence from seventeen (17) concerned government agencies remained incomplete. In response to this delay, on January 25, 2023, I filed Senate Resolution No. 444, urging the concerned government agencies to expedite the submission of their respective certificates of concurrence in view of the country's ratification of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. This call was heeded. The certificates of concurrence were completed, and on August 14, 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. ratified the Convention and was finally transmitted to the Senate for concurrence on August 17, 2023. Mr. President, We may have missed potential opportunities outlined under the Convention over the two (2) decades since the Convention was adopted, the importance of coming together to uphold cultural expressions and preserve cultural heritage is timeless. With our decisive concurrence in the ratification of the Convention, we will be able to access the key clauses of the Convention. These include collaborative arrangements and preferential support for developing countries, which will significantly enhance the access for creative and cultural sectors in the Philippines to both domestic and foreign markets. Creative professionals will become eligible to tap into the International Fund for Cultural Diversity, established under the Convention, to fund projects and initiatives of emerging dynamic cultural sectors in developing countries worth up to $100,000. The Convention aligns with existing cultural laws such as the Republic Act No. 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 that I authored and co-sponsored, which encompasses the protection, conservation, and promotion of intangible cultural heritage; the Republic Act No. 11961 or the Cultural Mapping Law that I authored and principally sponsored, which mandates local government units to conduct a comprehensive cultural mapping for both tangible and intangible, and natural and built heritage. Additionally, the Convention would supplement the Republic Act No. 11904 or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act that I authored to create a nurturing environment for our creative culture to flourish. Mr. President, Our support of the treaty exemplifies the core values of the Convention, showcasing the power of unity in diversity and our collective resolve to protect and promote the diverse cultural expressions that define us as a nation and as a global community. This will send a message to the international community that the Philippines holds its traditional and contemporary culture in high regard. I, therefore, urge all of my esteemed colleagues to join me in supporting this vital measure, ensuring that future generations inherit a world where the richness of cultural expression thrives unhindered by biases or barriers. Thank you, Mr. President.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, February 26. Tatneft, a Russian oil company, has signed a contract with Tajikistan for the supply of fuel and petroleum products, Trend.

According to the State Material Reserves Agency under the Government of Tajikistan, the agreement was reached during a meeting between agency officials and representatives of Tatneft in Kazan, Russia (Republic of Tatarstan), coinciding with the visit of Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon to the city on February 21-22. The details of the contract were not disclosed.

Additionally, during his visit to Russia, Rahmon met with the Head of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, during which collaboration prospects in various industrial sectors, such as metallurgy, chemicals, light industry, food, and pharmaceuticals, were identified as promising areas for development.

Furthermore, during a meeting between Rahmon and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan on February 21, it was noted that bilateral trade between the two countries had increased by 2.5 percent in 2023, reaching $1.8 billion. Russia remained the leading trading partner of Tajikistan, with over eighty federal subjects of Russia maintaining direct economic ties with Tajikistan.

Tatneft is one of the largest oil companies in Russia. The company is pursuing a strategy of increasing reserves and expanding its presence not only in Russia but also abroad.
Largest pro-Israel student gathering this year features remarks from key leaders, thought-provoking masterclass sessions and moments of togetherness

ATLANTA , Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 800 pro-Israel student leaders convened in Atlanta for Hillel International's Israel Summit  the largest gathering of Jewish college students this year focused on Israel and countering anti-Jewish hate, at a time of rapidly rising antisemitism on college campuses.

Hillel International, the world's largest Jewish college organization with a presence on more than 850 campuses globally, has tracked more than 1,000 incidents of antisemitism on college campuses since October 7 alone. The Israel Summit included student leaders, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, from more than 200 campuses across the country.

Adam Lehman , president and CEO of Hillel International, who recently returned from a visit to Israel with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, told the student leaders assembled, "This moment calls for serious leadership. And that's why your coming together for this Israel Summit is so important. When I told the leaders I met that more than 800 pro-Israel students would be attending this convening, they were moved and inspired."

In addition to keynote remarks from Nova Music Festival survivor Millet Ben Haim , Soviet dissident and human rights activist Natan Sharansky , Clark Atlanta University President George French Jr ., and Israeli government spokesperson and social media sensation Eylon Levy , along with a video address from Israeli President Isaac Herzog , student leaders took part in "masterclass" sessions featuring experts in campus advocacy, Middle East policy, Black and Jewish relationship-building, and Jewish communal leadership.

Session facilitators included Yair Rosenberg , staff writer at The Atlantic, Melissa Weiss , executive editor of Jewish Insider, Amb. Dennis Ross , a lead peace negotiator in Democratic and Republican administrations, Eylon Levy , Israeli government spokesperson, and Joshua Cohen , speechwriter and senior advisor at the U.S. Department of State. Renay Blumenthal , vice president of The Marcus Foundation, a leading supporter of Israel Summit , addressed the students at a gala dinner at the Georgia Aquarium.

Jillian Lederman , a senior at Brown University and chair of Hillel's Israel Leadership Network, told attendees at the gala dinner at the Georgia Aquarium, "Sitting at these tables are students who have authored op-eds, appeared on national television stations, crushed BDS resolutions, and testified before the United States Congress. They are joined by Hillel professionals who have sacrificed their days, nights, time, sleep, and sanity to be constant fonts of support and advice. During what could have been our very loneliest moments on campus, the Jewish community has never been more closely connected than it is today."

Matthew Bronfman , chair of Hillel International's Board of Governors, praised the student leaders, sharing, "You are leading your campuses to stand strong with Israel and stand up against hate, anti-Zionism and antisemitism. You brought thousands of your peers to Washington this past November to March for Israel, and you have ensured that the hostages remain constantly in the hearts and prayers of your campus communities. You have the ability to make sense out of the chaos, and you provide each of us with what we as a community need most right now  hope."

This year's Israel Summit , the seventh, is the largest gathering of pro-Israel student leaders this year. When students return to campus, they will continue to benefit from Hillel's Israel Leadership Network, the largest pro-Israel student leadership body, as they lead on their individual campuses.

For more information on Israel Summit , Hillel's tracking of antisemitic incidents on campus, and broader work of fostering Jewish student community in the face of hate, please contact Blake Goodman at [email protected] or (202) 531-6404.

About Hillel International

Founded in 1923, Hillel has been enriching the lives of Jewish students for 100 years. Today, Hillel International is a global organization that welcomes students of all backgrounds and fosters an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel. Hillel is dedicated to enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. As the largest and most welcoming Jewish student organization in the world, Hillel builds connections with emerging adults at more than 850 colleges and universities, and inspires them to direct their own path. During their formative college years, students are challenged to explore, experience, and create vibrant Jewish lives.

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SOURCE Hillel International
16 Start-Up Organizations Selected to Advance their Digital Health Oncology Innovations via Public-Private Partnership Support

BOSTON , Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today on the Central Stage at ViVE 2024, CancerX announced the 16 start-up members of its inaugural Accelerator cohort , launched in partnership with MassChallenge: The Blue Box, C the Signs, Cancer Insights, Curvia, EnteroTrack, Gesund.ai, Gray Oncology, LindAI, Mika Health, Navya, Oatmeal Health, Orbit Genomics, Realyze Intelligence, Reimagine Care, SurvivorPlan, and Xanthos.

These digital innovators were selected from a strong pool of applicants after three rounds of judging led by Accelerator Champions , Debiopharm, Reveal HealthTech, UC Davis Health, Atrium, Dell Technologies, Intel, Astra Zeneca, AWS, and Oncology Ventures, as well as judges from the CancerX community . The inaugural cohort proposed ideas focused on using digital innovation  in the areas of clinical research; screening and diagnosis; treatment and management; clinical operations; and patient, caregiver, and survivor experience  to reduce the burden of cancer for all people.

Launched one year ago, CancerX , a public-private partnership announced by the White House as a national accelerator to boost innovation in the fight against cancer, and its more than 150 members are working to achieve the national goals for the Cancer Moonshot of reducing the death rate from cancer by at least 50% over the next 25 years, and improving the experience of people and their families living with and surviving cancer.

"Leveraging the InnovationX model for cancer is positioning us to harness digital innovation to reduce the cancer death rate and improve the lives of those living with cancer," said Dr. Kristen Honey , Chief Data Scientist and the Executive Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) "InnovationX" team in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH). "The public-private partnership model allows us to lean on the complementary expertise of government agencies, coupled with industry leaders in digital innovation and oncology, to identify promising new innovations, nurture them, and put together the right pieces to convert it into real change for the people impacted by cancer."

"Today's announcement is another important milestone for CancerX, bringing us closer to achieving our mission to achieve the Cancer Moonshot goals," added Stephen Konya , Senior Advisor to the Deputy National Coordinator, and Innovation Portfolio Lead for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC), HHS. "The potential to win the battle against cancer is within our grasp. Working together with the CancerX community is helping us harness the power of data and put it to use to fast track new digital innovations in cancer research and care."

CancerX is co-hosted by Moffitt Cancer Center and the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) , alongside ONC and OASH. To date, CancerX has already launched two projects: a data sprint to support the collective efforts of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and ONC to advance cancer-related data standards; and open sources resources to guide in the advancement of digital innovation to improve equity and reduce financial toxicity in cancer care and research.

"We are proud to assemble one of the most diverse cohorts of companies in Oncology through this inaugural cohort, to be at the forefront of oncology innovation," said Dr. Brian Gonzalez , Associate Center Director at Moffitt Cancer Center. "These startups are in a great position to reduce the burden of cancer, with their cutting-edge digital technologies and access to world-class Accelerator Champions and Mentors. From screening through survivorship, the CancerX Accelerator will break the silos and provide access to insights from health systems, technology and pharmaceutical companies, as well as strategic investors. The collaborative environment fostered by this unique Accelerator will promote cross-pollination of ideas within cohort, spurring further innovation."

"Fresh ideas and perspectives are critical to meeting the goals of the Cancer Moonshot and winning the fight against cancer," said Dr. Doug Mirsky , Vice President, DiMe. "We are proud to be the first to formalize the support for early-stage digital innovation in oncology through the CancerX Accelerator. This program is unlike any other - leveraging our exceptional member community to develop a program that provides bespoke insights into the unique challenges and opportunities at the intersection of oncology and digital innovation. Our inaugural cohort represents the brightest minds and most innovative ideas, and we're excited to welcome and support them through the largest oncology mentor network within digital health and oncology."

The cohort will now participate in a 4-month program during which they will work with Accelerator Champions and engage with Mentors and CancerX members from across the healthcare ecosystem, including investors, provider organizations, and oncology experts, to test and validate their solutions. Startups will graduate from the Accelerator with a roadmap to successfully scale their company, an opportunity to move forward with their sponsor, and a community that will continue to support their solution development.

CancerX will build on the success of the inaugural round and plans to open Accelerator applications for a second cohort in the fall of this year.

For more information about the CancerX Accelerator and updates on future cohorts, please visit the website or sign up to receive CancerX newsletters.

About CancerX: Announced by The White House Cancer Moonshot in February 2023 , CancerX is a public-private partnership to boost innovation in the fight against cancer. Co-hosted by the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) and Moffitt Cancer Center , alongside the Office for the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), it convenes the many diverse stakeholders needed to unleash the power of innovation to create a future that's free of cancer burden. To learn more or participate in CancerX's pre-competitive, evidence-generating efforts; Accelerator cohort, or demonstration projects, visit www.cancerx.health .

Media Contacts: Carla English , [email protected] ; Jonesa Rodriguez , [email protected]

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SOURCE Digital Medicine Society (DiMe)
SAN ANTONIO , Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) (the "Company") announced today that it will offer, subject to market and customary conditions, $865,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Senior Secured Notes due 2030 (the "Notes") in a private offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").

The Notes will be guaranteed on a senior secured basis by certain of the Company's wholly owned domestic subsidiaries (the "Guarantors"). The Notes and the related guarantees will be secured, subject to permitted liens and certain other exceptions, on a first-priority basis by security interests in all of the Company's and the Guarantors' assets securing the Company's existing senior secured credit facilities and existing senior secured notes (other than accounts receivable and related assets securing the Company's existing receivables-based credit facility (the "Receivables Facility")) and, on a second-priority basis, by accounts receivable and related assets securing the Receivables Facility.

The offering of the Notes is part of a refinancing transaction whereby the Company intends to enter into an amendment to its existing senior secured credit facilities, which is expected to extend the maturity of the Company's term loan B facility from 2026 to 2028, among other amendments. The Company expects to close this transaction concurrently with the closing of the offering of the Notes. The closing of the offering of the Notes is not conditioned on the closing of any amendment to the Company's existing senior secured credit facilities.

The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Notes to (i) prepay a portion of the borrowings outstanding under the Company's existing senior secured term loan facility (including accrued but unpaid interest related thereto) and (ii) pay related transaction fees and expenses.

The Notes and related guarantees will be offered only to persons reasonably believed to be "qualified institutional buyers" in reliance on the exemption from registration pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act and, to persons outside of the United States , in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes and the related guarantees have not been registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration or an applicable exemption from the Securities Act and applicable state securities and foreign securities laws.

This press release is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell nor the solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes or any other securities. The offering is not being made to any person in any jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful.

While the Company plans to present at J.P. Morgan's 2024 Global High Yield & Leveraged Finance Conference on February 27, 2024 , in light of the offering of the Notes, the Company no longer plans to make available on its investor website a live audio webcast or a replay of its presentation.

About Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings

The Company is at the forefront of driving innovation in the out-of-home advertising industry. The Company's dynamic advertising platform is broadening the pool of advertisers using its medium through the expansion of digital billboards and displays and the integration of data analytics and programmatic capabilities that deliver measurable campaigns that are simpler to buy. By leveraging the scale, reach and flexibility of its diverse portfolio of assets, the Company connects advertisers with millions of consumers every month across more than 330,000 print and digital displays in 19 countries, excluding countries held for sale.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements," including within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, all statements other than those made solely with respect to historical facts and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the offering and the anticipated terms and use of proceeds of the Notes. The words "will," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "continue," "look forward to," "well-positioned to," "remains," "further," "estimate," "forecast," "goals," "targets" and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. In addition, numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, whether or not the offering will be consummated and the terms, size, timing and use of proceeds of the offering of the Notes as well as any amendment to the Company's existing senior secured credit facilities. Many of the factors that will determine the outcome of the subject matter of this press release are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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SOURCE Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc.
SHENZHEN, China , Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Saramonic proudly announces the release of its latest masterpiece  the Blink500B2+. Equipped with USB-C, Lightning, 3.5mm TRS and 3.5mm TRRS adapters, the 4-in-1 Blink500B2+ boasts wide compatibility with most shooting devices. The Blink500B2+ is an upgraded version of the Blink500B2, enhancing the beloved features of its predecessor to deliver an unparalleled audio experience for content creators at every level.

Ultimate 4-in-1 Compatibility for Seamless Creativity

The Blink500B2+ adopts a 4-in-1 design, which delivers wide compatibility with cameras, computers, and mobile devices. This 4-in-1 solution empowers content creators to seamlessly adapt to any recording scenario, from solo podcasts to dynamic interviews and collaborative content creation.

Dual-Device Connectivity - A Game-Changer for Live Streamers

Recognizing the prevalent need for simultaneous streaming across multiple platforms, the Blink500B2+ allows dual device connectivity with 1 receiver at the same time. Ideal for live streamers, content creators, and broadcasters. It allows users to seamlessly connect and record audio on two devices simultaneously. Whether streaming on two platforms or capturing backup recordings, the Blink500B2+ ensures maximum flexibility and convenience.

40-Hour Ultra-Long Battery Life

One of standout upgrade of Blink500B2+ is its significantly improved battery life. The system itself can record continuously for up to 20 hours, and the charging case provides one full cycles of recharge, extending the usage time to an incredible maximum of 40 hours. This impressive longevity ensures that creators can rely on the microphone system for extended recording sessions, outdoor shooting, or travel without the interruption of frequent battery changes.

Unmatched Upgrade in Audio Quality

The revolutionary Blink500B2+ microphone system comes with a 2-level noise reduction function and low-cut filter, ensuring a clean and immersive audio experience, free from unwanted distractions. A notable feature is its selectable Mono, Stereo, and Safety Track output modes, providing flexibility for your creativity. In addition, the real-time and external playback monitoring features elevate your creative process, allowing for on-the-fly adjustments and ensuring every nuance is captured.

About Saramonic

Saramonic is a professional audio technology company with a mission to generate better sound quality for creators worldwide. Whether you're a musician, podcaster, lecturer, broadcaster, sound contractor, YouTuber, or someone who simply wants to record daily life, Saramonic can offer products way exceeding your expectations.

Visit http://www.saramonic.com for more information about Saramonic.

Contact Information

Diana Wu

Sales Director

[email protected]

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SOURCE Saramonic
Smart skylights, windows and doors enable healthy, effortless living

WARROAD, Minn. , Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As smart home innovation demand continues to grow, Marvin, a premium manufacturer of windows and doors, today announced a new automated solution in which stunning design and smart technology seamlessly merge to offer more convenience and control over air, light and views with Marvin Connected Home.

With Marvin Connected Home, homeowners can create the perfect setting for waking up, winding down and everything in between with voice-activated and programmable smart skylights, windows and doors. Through the ease of a smart home platform like Amazon Alexa and home automation systems like Crestron Home or Control4, homeowners can conveniently operate Marvin Connected Home skylights, windows and doors. This groundbreaking smart home solution is designed to transform the way architects and builders approach home design, providing unparalleled ease, increased productivity and a personalized in-home experience for homeowners.

"Marvin Connected Home is an innovative solution that represents a significant leap forward in smart home technology," said Marvin CEO Paul Marvin . "By blending exacting design with cutting-edge technology, Marvin Connected Home is a first-of-its-kind solution setting a new standard for the industry and reaffirming Marvin's long-lasting commitment to innovation."

Marvin Connected Home offers flexible control of Modern Automated Awning and Casement windows, Awaken skylights and the Modern Automated Multi-Slide door, making it easy for homeowners to operate windows and doors with a home automation system, voice assistants, the Marvin Home app, a wall switch or on-unit control buttons. Other features include:

Ability to create customized schedules and scenes in a smart home platform or home automation system for different times of the day

Ability to program windows and skylights to responsively react to outdoor conditions such as temperature and humidity

Peace of mind with built-in rain sensors that automatically close open windows, doors or skylights when moisture is detected

Ability to check and control the Modern Automated Multi-Slide door's magnetic lock using the Marvin Home app

Proven performance and modern design of the Marvin Modern product line

"These smart window and door solutions are engineered to deliver integrated technology for truly effortless living," said David Goulet , vice president of R&D and product development at Marvin. "Marvin Connected Home empowers homeowners with unprecedented control over their living spaces, offering an unmatched in-home experience."

Marvin Connected Home is currently available from Marvin Modern dealers in select markets. Professionals and homeowners can learn more about Marvin Connected Home by visiting a participating Marvin Modern dealer or at marvinconnectedhome.com.

About Marvin

Marvin is a fourth- and fifth-generation family-owned and -led business headquartered in Warroad, Minnesota , with more than 7,500 employees across 16 cities in North America . The Marvin portfolio of products for builders, architects and homeowners is designed to provide exceptional solutions for any project with a focus on creating better ways of living. Marvin products are distributed nationally through a network of independent dealers and are also exported internationally. Visit Marvin.com to learn more.

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SOURCE Marvin
Made Possible by Transformational Gift - the Largest to Any Medical School in the Country

BRONX, N.Y. , Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Philip Ozuah , President and CEO of Montefiore Einstein, the umbrella organization for Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System, today announced that Albert Einstein College of Medicine has received a transformational gift from Ruth L. Gottesman , Ed.D., Chair of the Einstein Board of Trustees and Montefiore Health System board member. This historic gift  the largest made to any medical school in the country  will ensure that no student at Einstein will have to pay tuition again.

"This donation radically revolutionizes our ability to continue attracting students who are committed to our mission, not just those who can afford it. Additionally, it will free up and lift our students, enabling them to pursue projects and ideas that might otherwise be prohibitive. We will be reminded of the legacy this historic gift represents each spring as we send another diverse class of physicians out across the Bronx and around the world to provide compassionate care and transform their communities," said Dr. Yaron Tomer , the Marilyn and Stanley Katz Dean at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

This transformational gift is intended to attract a talented and diverse pool of individuals who may not otherwise have the means to pursue a medical education. It will enable generations of healthcare leaders who will advance the boundaries of research and care, free from the burden of crushing loan indebtedness.

With this donation, all current fourth-year students will be reimbursed their spring 2024 semester tuition and, effective beginning in August of this year, all students moving forward will receive free tuition at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Albert Einstein College of Medicine was founded in 1955 with a mission to welcome all students, without restrictions. Today this gift furthers that mission by removing the financial restrictions for those without the economic means to afford medical school.

Dr. Gottesman joined Einstein's Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC) in 1968. At a time when learning problems were often unrecognized and misdiagnosed, she developed widely used screening, evaluation, and treatment modalities that have helped tens of thousands of children. In 1992, she started the Adult Literacy Program at CERC, the first of its kind, which is still in operation. In 1998, she was named the founding director of the Emily Fisher Landau Center for the Treatment of Learning Disabilities (at CERC). Dr. Gottesman earned her bachelor's degree at Barnard College and her master's and doctoral degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is Clinical Professor Emerita of Pediatrics (Developmental Medicine) at Einstein.

Over the course of her 55-year association with the College of Medicine, Dr. Gottesman's dedication and philanthropic vision have helped make Einstein the remarkable institution it is today. She and her late husband, David S. Gottesman , have been enormously generous donors in the past to Einstein's innovative research and education initiatives.

"I am profoundly grateful to Dr. Gottesman for this historic and transformational gift. I believe we can change healthcare history when we recognize that access is the path to excellence. With this gift, Dr. Gottesman will fund excellence in perpetuity and secure our foundational mission of advancing human health," said Philip O. Ozuah , M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of Montefiore Einstein.

"Each year, well over 100 students enter Albert Einstein College of Medicine in their quest for degrees in medicine and science. They leave as superbly trained scientists and compassionate and knowledgeable physicians, with the expertise to find new ways to prevent diseases and provide the finest health care to communities here in the Bronx and all over the world. I am very thankful to my late husband, Sandy, for leaving these funds in my care, and l feel blessed to be given the great privilege of making this gift to such a worthy cause," said Ruth L. Gottesman , Ed.D., Chair of the Einstein Board of Trustees and Montefiore Health System board member.

" Ruth Gottesman's extraordinary and unprecedented gift gives new meaning to selfless determination and transformational philanthropy. She has always been an inspiration to her fellow board members and the entire Montefiore Einstein community. She will have the lasting gratitude of all who choose to train and learn here," said Dan Tishman , Chair of the Board of Trustees of Montefiore Einstein.

About Montefiore Health System

Montefiore Health System is one of New York's premier academic health systems. It is a recognized leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized, accountable care to approximately three million people in communities across the Bronx , Westchester , and the Hudson Valley . It comprises ten hospitals, including the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, and over two hundred outpatient ambulatory care sites. The advanced clinical and translational research at its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its preeminent school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families. For more information, please visit www.montefiore.org . Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , and LinkedIn , or view us on Facebook and YouTube .

About Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Albert Einstein College of Medicine is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2023-24 academic year, Einstein is home to 737 M.D. students, 209 Ph.D. students, 124 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and approximately 239 postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has more than 2,000 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates. In 2023, Einstein received more than $192 million in awards from the National Institutes of Health. This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in cancer, aging, intellectual development disorders, diabetes, clinical and translational research, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. For more information, please visit einsteinmed.edu, follow us on Twitter, Facebook , Instagram, LinkedIn, and view us on YouTube.

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SOURCE Albert Einstein College of Medicine
NEW YORK , Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NLX, which is revolutionizing the way AI powers customer experiences for large and enterprise brands, is proud to announce it has raised $12 million in Series A funding, led by Cercano and joined by Thayer Ventures and HL Ventures. Initial investors IAG Capital Partners, JetBlue Ventures and Tech Square Ventures' Engage also contributed to this new round of funding.

"AI is transforming the customer service journey for brands and it is essential that every touchpoint in that journey feels personalized to the consumer and exceeds their expectations  while also grounded in practicality," said Andrei Papancea, CEO and Chief Product Officer of NLX. "This milestone speaks to NLX's success in helping some of the most well-known global brands deliver world-class customer experiences at scale. We are excited to continue our growth and development with this latest round of capital which will fuel NLX's market expansion, strategic hires, and even more market-defining capabilities, like our patented multimodal technology."

NLX leverages the latest in generative AI, cloud software, and its voice, chat and multimodal conversational AI technology to deliver exceptional customer experiences that meet the scale, complexity and compliance needs of enterprise brands.

Among those enterprise customers include, but are not limited to, Red Bull and Copa Airlines. NLX has also engaged with teams at Comcast following their participation in the Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs accelerator program. NLX's largest deployment is rolled out in 90 countries and over 65 languages and locales.

"NLX is redefining the way people interact with brands. Their commitment to providing automated and frictionless multimodal self-service experiences aligns with the evolving needs of enterprises. We are excited to support NLX's innovative approach and their potential to revolutionize the customer experience landscape," said Lauren Glatter , investor at Cercano.

"NLX continues to empower companies by enabling them to provide customers with a seamless end-to-end self-service experience. This not only delights customers but also helps in managing substantial fluctuations in call center demands. We are proud of the innovative strides being made by NLX, and are excited to see what they have in store for enhancing customer experiences in the future," said Ryan Chou , Managing Director, Investments at JetBlue Ventures.

More about NLX

NLX provides an end-to-end enterprise AI platform for creating, managing, deploying and analyzing chat, voice, and multimodal conversational applications. The platform enables brands to manage conversational deployments across their entire enterprise, while providing unmatched modularity and access to state of the art AI models from providers like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and the Open Source community.

Cercano Management, LLC ("Cercano") is an SEC registered investment adviser, the statement provided is not intended and should not be construed as solicitation to purchase or sell, any security, investment product or service. Cercano's views and commentary are subject to change in the future without notice. Nothing stated is intended to predict the performance of any investment.

CONTACT:

Molly Gannon Conway

[email protected]

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SOURCE NLX
The agreement includes installation of the Gridstream Connect AMI network, Revelo smart sensing meters, software, and support to enable grid modernization for improved reliability and efficiency

ATLANTA , Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Landis+Gyr (SIX: LAND) and Rhode Island Energy have agreed to a contract to deploy and support advanced smart metering technology for 530,000 electric customers in the state.

The utility will be installing Landis+Gyr's Revelo metering platform, featuring grid-edge sensing and edge computing capabilities to manage load and support grid troubleshooting. The Revelo meter operates on Landis+Gyr's RF Wi-SUN network, which also supports interaction with other smart energy and smart city devices.

The path to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 is driven by technology, and Rhode Island Energy is in the midst of creating a two-way grid that has the flexibility to support electrification of transportation while integrating renewable energy resources. Adding grid edge intelligence across its distribution system through advanced metering is a key part of that process.

Landis+Gyr's Gridstream Connect network and software provide a secure and flexible communications hub for managing metering data. Additionally, advanced grid-edge processing allows for greater consumer engagement with applications such as real-time load disaggregation and pricing information.

By deploying advanced metering technology, Rhode Island Energy is better able to support plans for further integration of distributed energy resources, increasing the scale of transportation electrification and balancing other new loads coming onto the grid. Rhode Island Energy's deployment of the new meters is expected to begin in 2025.

"The Revelo platform is truly the next generation of electric meter, with grid sensor capabilities built in that improve consumer energy management and distribution grid awareness to better balance load and integrate distributed energy resources," said Chuck Yechout , Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Landis+Gyr. "We look forward to working with Rhode Island Energy on their grid modernization goals."

About Rhode Island Energy

Rhode Island Energy provides essential energy services to over 770,000 customers across Rhode Island through the delivery of electricity or natural gas. Rhode Island Energy's team of 1,300 employees is dedicated to helping Rhode Island customers and communities thrive, while supporting the transition to a cleaner energy future. Rhode Island Energy is part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies addressing energy challenges head-on by building smarter, more resilient, and more dynamic power grids and advancing sustainable energy solutions. For more information visit www.RIEnergy.com and stay connected on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

About Landis+Gyr

Landis+Gyr is a leading global provider of integrated energy management solutions. We measure and analyze energy utilization to generate empowering analytics for smart grid and infrastructure management, enabling utilities and consumers to reduce energy consumption. Our innovative and proven portfolio of software, services and intelligent sensor technology is a key driver to decarbonize the grid. Having avoided more than 9.5 million tons of CO in FY 2022, Landis+Gyr manages energy better  since 1896. With sales of USD 1.7 billion in FY 2022, Landis+Gyr employs around 7,800 talented people across five continents. For more information, please visit our website www.landisgyr.com.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2287017/4542332/Landis_Gyr_Logo.jpg

Media contact:

Dan Jacobson

Regional Contact North America

Senior Marketing Communications Manager

[email protected]

320-307-7486

Investor inquiries: [email protected]

Media inquiries: [email protected]

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SOURCE Landis+Gyr
GM of Disney+ to steer digital innovation and growth of global audience

Leon Saunders Calvert named President of Economist Intelligence

LONDON , Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Economist Group today announced the appointments of two senior leadership roles. Luke Bradley-Jones , Disney+ General Manager of EMEA, has been named President and Managing Director of The Economist. Mr Bradley-Jones will continue to accelerate The Economist's digital evolution. He will be based in London and will also have a significant presence in The Economist's New York office. He will assume the role of president this summer.

Leon Saunders Calvert will serve as the new President and Managing Director of Economist Intelligence, the business information arm of The Economist Group. Mr Saunders Calvert will be based in London .

Mr Bradley-Jones is an experienced leader in the media and digital sectors with a demonstrated history of launching and scaling new products. He most recently served as General Manager EMEA at Disney+, responsible for the roll-out of Disney+ across the region as well as the strategy, operations and commercial performance of Disney's direct-to-consumer business. Prior to Disney, Mr Bradley-Jones spent eight years at Sky, where he led the transformation of Sky's on-demand services and launched a range of products. In 2017 he assumed the role of Chief Marketing Officer at Sky, responsible for marketing strategy across Sky's TV, broadband and mobile businesses. Before Sky, he held leadership roles in digital, business development and strategy at BBC Worldwide.

Mr Saunders Calvert comes to Economist Intelligence from ESG Book, a fintech company focused on data, analytics and software, where he was partner and chief product officer. Prior to ESG Book, he spent 15 years at the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). Mr Saunders Calvert joined LSEG through the acquisition of Refinitiv, formerly the Financial & Risk business of Thomson Reuters, where he ran various business lines including investment banking and sustainable finance. He will assume his responsibilities in April.

Both Mr Bradley-Jones and Mr Saunders Calvert will report directly to Lara Boro , chief executive of The Economist Group. "I'm delighted to welcome these outstanding industry leaders to The Economist Group," said Ms Boro . " Mr Bradley-Jones , an Economist aficionado and subscriber for 30 years, has the track record, vision and leadership ability to further The Economist's audience growth and digital innovation. He knows how to create just the right products to reach global audiences on a variety of platforms. I couldn't be happier to have him helm our core Economist business."

Ms Boro added: "I'm also thrilled that Mr Saunders Calvert will be leading Economist Intelligence. His knowledge of data, analytics and software will help him lead the EIU team to create the most innovative client solutions."

"The Economist is a brand I've respected and relied on for years," said Mr Bradley-Jones . "I'm arriving at a moment when its commitment to well-balanced and incisive journalism is more important than ever before. It's an honour to be tasked with identifying new ways to evolve The Economist into a digital-first product. I look forward to expanding its reach and impact."

Contact: Alissa Neil ; [email protected]

About The Economist

With rigorous reporting, in-depth analysis and global perspective, The Economist explains today's most important events and seeks to discern the trends that will shape the future. In addition to the weekly print edition, The Economist publishes its journalism daily through its website, app, podcasts, newsletters, videos and Espresso, an app for concise global news. The Economist has 1.2m subscribers. More than 60m people follow The Economist across X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok and Threads.

About The Economist Group

The Economist Group is a global media and information services company that exists to pursue progress for individuals, organisations and the world. A leader in analysis, intelligence and transformative communication, we combine local insight with global expertise to advise and inform millions. Through four brandsThe Economist, Economist Impact, Economist Intelligence and Economist Educationthe company provides its users, clients and customers with the tools, knowledge and insights to make sense of today's world and understand tomorrow's. To learn more please visit www.economistgroup.com.

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SOURCE The Economist Group
By Lewis Jackson

SYDNEY (Reuters) -An Australian helicopter pilot and two local workers were released unharmed in Papua New Guinea on Monday within hours of being kidnapped at gunpoint in the remote highlands, police said, following negotiations with security forces.

The three had landed at a remote telecoms site near Mount Sisa in the province of Hela when an armed group took them away, David Manning, the police commissioner of Papua New Guinea, said in a statement.

But they were released safe and unharmed after large numbers of security personnel responded and negotiated with the group through local leaders, he added in a subsequent statement, without further describing the leaders.

Security forces were tracking the perpetrators and police would use deadly force if they tried to resist arrest, Manning added.

"Our country has had enough of these domestic terrorists who are undermining the safety and security of our communities, and they have no place walking free," he said.

Police had previously been cleared to use lethal force against the kidnappers.

The kidnapping came almost a year to the day and in the same province where an Australian archaeologist and two Papua New Guinea researchers were taken and held for more than a week until a ransom was paid.

Australia's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Lewis Jackson; Editing by Michael Perry and Clarence Fernandez)
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, February 26. Tajikistan and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) discussed the current situation and prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation, Trend reports.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, the issue was deliberated during a meeting between Tajikistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sirojiddin Muhriddin, and Ivana Zivkovic, Assistant Secretary-General of the UN and Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States of the UNDP.

During the meeting, the participants discussed matters related to the projects implemented by the UNDP in Tajikistan, upcoming events, as well as opportunities to expand cooperation in various fields.

Since 1994, UNDP's Country Office in Tajikistan has played a pivotal role in supporting the country's poverty alleviation efforts.

Collaborating closely with the Government of Tajikistan, civil society, and the local population, UNDP strives to enhance living standards, particularly for the most vulnerable, aiming for a future marked by equality, dignity, and opportunity. The focus areas include bolstering governance accountability, addressing natural disaster risks, promoting environmental sustainability, and tackling health challenges.
BUJUMBURA (Reuters) - Gunmen from the Red Tabara rebel group killed nine people and injured others in an overnight attack in western Burundi near the border with Democratic Republic of Congo, a government spokesperson told reporters on Monday.

Red Tabara has been fighting Burundi's government from bases in Congo since 2015.

In a post on social media platform X, Red Tabara said it had attacked two Burundian military positions on Sunday night, also seizing weapons and ammunition.

The rebel group said six soldiers had been killed in the attack.

Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye in late December accused Rwanda of hosting and training Red Tabara after a separate attack in which the government said at least 20 people had been killed.

Burundi later closed its border with Rwanda, which rejected Ndayishimiye's allegations.

(Reporting by Nairobi newsroom; Editing by Alexander Winning and Sharon Singleton)
Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words "Cyber Security" in this illustration taken, February 19, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's ministry of industry and information technology (MIIT) unveiled a plan on Monday that aims to improve data security in China's industrial sector and effectively contain "major risks" by the end of 2026.

The plan comes at a time when China and the United States both frequently accuse each other of cyberattacks and industrial espionage.

Reuters reported last year that Chinese government entities and state-owned enterprises were accelerating efforts to replace Western-made hardware and software with domestic alternatives, partly due to fears of hacking from foreign adversaries.

"In response to frequent risk scenarios such as ransomware attacks, vulnerability backdoors, illegal operations by personnel, and uncontrolled remote operation and maintenance, we will strengthen risk self-examination and self-correction, and adopt precise management and protective measures," according to the plan, published on MIIT's website.

Protective measures, including emergency drills simulating ransomware attacks, must be applied to over 45,000 companies in China's industrial sector by 2026 year-end, covering at least the top 10% in terms of revenue in every Chinese province.

The plan also aims to complete 30,000 data security training sessions and cultivate 5,000 data security "talents" within the same timeframe.

China has in the past three years tightened regulation over how its companies store and transfer user data, citing national security concerns. Regulators fined Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi $1.2 billion in July 2022 over data-security breaches.

The Ministry of State Security warned in December that foreign geographic information software was being used to collect sensitive data in key sectors including its military.

In the same month, MIIT proposed a four-tier classification system to help it respond to data security incidents.

(Reporting by Eduardo Baptista; Editing by Michael Perry)
(Reuters) - The United States has said a deal may be close for a ceasefire and hostage deal after nearly five months of war between Israel and Hamas that has devastated the Gaza Strip.

The conflict was triggered when Hamas militants burst over the Gaza border to attack Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's air and ground campaign in Gaza since then killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar have been mediating truce negotiations since January. The last deal led to a week-long pause in fighting in November during which the Islamist Hamas released more than 100 hostages and Israel freed about three times as many Palestinian prisoners.

These are some facts about the ceasefire talks:

IS A DEAL IN REACH?

There are mixed signals.

On Friday Israeli negotiators met Qatari, Egyptian and U.S. mediators in Paris. A source briefed on those talks said they had produced a truce "outline" that could eventually lead to a ceasefire.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Israel and the mediators "came to an understanding" on the basic contours of a deal.

This week, Israeli officials are heading to Qatar where Hamas has its political office, though the two sides will not speak directly, a source said.

Still, in their public statements, the two sides remain far apart on the biggest issues.

WHAT'S THE URGENCY?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel's military campaign should turn to Rafah, the last relatively safe place in Gaza that has been swelled by a million displaced people who fled their homes elsewhere.

Aid agencies, as well as Western allies of Israel, fear an attack there would magnify the humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by the war, intensifying international pressure for a truce.

Meanwhile the Muslim holy month of Ramadan will start on around March 10. Arab countries have voiced fears a continuation of fighting in Ramadan will further stoke regional tensions.

CEASEFIRE

The biggest difference between the sides is over conditions for a ceasefire.

Israel has said it is ready to accept a temporary halt to fighting during a hostage-and-prisoner swap, and Israeli media have cited officials talking about a six-week truce covering Ramadan.

But Netanyahu is determined not to end the military campaign until it achieves "total victory" over Hamas with an assault on Rafah.

He then envisages open-ended Israeli security control over Gaza which would allow forces to return at any point.

Hamas says it will only accept a deal based on a permanent ceasefire that ends the war and includes an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, rather than another temporary truce.

HOSTAGES AND PRISONERS

Netanyahu and his senior ministers say that any agreement would have to lead to the return of all the roughly 130 hostages believed to remain in Gaza. In return for freeing hostages, Hamas wants a wide-scale release of Palestinians held by Israel.

Negotiations may touch on the ratio of prisoners to be released per hostage, the phasing of the releases, and whether higher-profile Palestinians or those convicted of serious violence would be included.

OTHER ISSUES

It is not clear how far either side would make an accord now contingent on other issues or longer-term goals.

But Hamas is seeking other commitments as part of a deal.

It wants all displaced people to be able to return to their homes across Gaza. It wants far more aid to be allowed in. And it wants a reconstruction programme, with most houses and infrastructure having been smashed or damaged by Israeli bombardment.

Netanyahu's post-war plan, contained in a cabinet discussion paper, conditions rehabilitation of Gaza on the coastal enclave's total demilitarisation - meaning Hamas would have to lay down all its arms, something it is unlikely to accept.

(Compiled by Angus McDowall; editing by Mark Heinrich)
By Yuvraj Malik and Krystal Hu

(Reuters) -Microsoft will make French startup Mistral AI's artificial intelligence models available through its Azure cloud computing platform under a new partnership, the companies said on Monday.

The multi-year deal signals Microsoft's efforts to offer a variety of AI models beyond its biggest bet in OpenAI as the tech giant seeks to attract more customers for its Azure cloud services.

Microsoft will take a minority stake in Mistral as part of the deal, the startup told Reuters without disclosing details.

Microsoft confirmed its investment in Mistral, but said it holds no equity in the company. The tech giant is under regulatory scrutiny in Europe and the U.S. for its outsized funding in OpenAI.

The Paris-based startup works on open source and proprietary large language models (LLM), similar to the one OpenAI pioneered with ChatGPT, that understands and generates text in a human-like fashion.

Its latest proprietary model, Mistral Large, will be first available to Azure customers under the partnership. Mistral's technology will be hosted on Microsoft's cloud computing platform.

Mistral has also been working with Amazon and Google to distribute its models. It plans to make Mistral Large available on other cloud platforms in the next few months, a spokesperson said.

Mistral was founded by Timothee Lacroix and Guillaume Lample, who previously worked on Meta's artificial intelligence teams; and Arthur Mensch, a former researcher at Google's DeepMind.

(Reporting by Yuvraj Malik in Bengaluru and Krystal Hu in New York; Additional reporting by Yun Chee Foo in Brussels; Editing by Tasim Zahid and Richard Chang)
Director-General of the World Trade Organization Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala arrives to attend the opening of the WTO ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, February 26, 2024. REUTERS/Emma Farge

By Emma Farge, Rachna Uppal and Alexander Cornwell

ABU DHABI (Reuters) -Trade ministers from around the world gathered in Abu Dhabi on Monday for a World Trade Organization meeting that aims to set new global commerce rules, but its chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and delegates sought to curb expectations.

The almost 30-year-old global watchdog, whose rules underpin 75% of global commerce, tries to strike deals by consensus, but such efforts are becoming more difficult amid signs that the global economy is fragmenting into separate blocs.

"Let's not pretend that any of this will be easy," Okonjo-Iweala said in her opening speech, describing the atmosphere as "tougher" than the WTO's last 2022 meeting, citing wars, tensions and elections and signs that trade growth will undershoot the organisation's own estimate.

She called on ministers to "roll up their sleeves" and complete negotiations, but seemed to rule out any deal in Abu Dhabi on reforming the body's mothballed appeals court.

"We are not there yet," she said.

Thani Al Zeyoudi, conference chair and UAE's foreign trade minister said in an opening address: "The multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core is at a critical juncture; it is confronting many challenges.

"I now ask all of you to show the world that the WTO is alive and well and fully capable to deliver results that matter to people everywhere," he said.

Some delegates privately voiced concerns that India's trade minister, seen as the main holdout on some key issues including agriculture, was absent on Monday although New Delhi said he would be in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

NEW MEMBERS

Negotiators say they remain hopeful for an agreement that could buoy global fish stocks and protect fishermen by banning government subsidies.

Other outcomes from the four-day meeting that are either definite or achievable are the accession of two new members - Comoros and East Timor - and a deal among around 120 countries to remove development-hampering investment barriers.

Tougher areas are extending a 25-year moratorium on applying tariffs on digital trade, which South Africa and India oppose, and an agreement on agriculture trade rules that has eluded negotiators for decades.

Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, who was in New Delhi on Monday at a textiles event, repeated in a statement posted to the WTO website India's insistence on a controversial stand-alone permanent waiver to WTO rules that currently restrict domestic agriculture subsidies on food items like rice.

"I think this week is really about trying to consolidate progress from two years ago and build on where possible, but I don't think there's going to be major new breakthroughs in new areas," said Simon Conveney, Ireland's minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, referring to the WTO's 2022 meeting in Geneva.

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the meeting was a chance to "chart a future path together" and that success should not be measured by the number of deals.

Her office later said she reaffirmed U.S. priorities for the meeting, including "restoring transparency, rebuilding the WTO to address todays challenges, and dispute settlement reform.

Tai also met with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, where she raised concerns about China's excess steel capacity impacting global markets and the "ongoing imbalances caused by China's state-led, non-market approach to trade policy," USTR said.

WORKING OVERTIME

One factor that could help the WTO negotiations is the determination of Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian finance minister, whose insistence on all-night meetings helped deliver a package of deals in Geneva in 2022. She has already asked ministers to plan for the four-day talks to run overtime.

The European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said that uncertainty and multiple crises were impacting the rules-based global order. "This tense geopolitical environment makes multilateral organizations like the WTO much more, not less, important," he said.

(Additional reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Alex Richardson, Bernadette Baum, Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Marguerita Choy)
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks on the day of the Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in honor of General Mark A. Milley, 20th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and an Armed Forces Hail in honor of General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., th

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Monday released the results of a 30-day review that effectively absolved itself of any wrongdoing in U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's secret hospitalizations in December and January.

The report is unlikely to quell political furor or temper expected questioning of Austin by lawmakers later this week when the Pentagon chief appears before the House Armed Services committee to address the matter.

Austin failed to disclose a prostate cancer surgery in December and a subsequent hospitalization in January, even to President Joe Biden. Austin's own deputy, who was on vacation in January and took over his duties, was not informed for days that he was in the hospital.

The review, which was carried out by Pentagon officials, said "nothing examined during this review demonstrated any indication of ill intent or an attempt to obfuscate." Austin also reviewed the report.

Earlier this month, Austin apologized for failing to tell President Biden and senior staff about his recent prostate cancer diagnosis ahead of time, adding that the health scare was a "gut punch" that had shaken him.

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers criticized Austin for failing to disclose a cancer diagnosis and subsequent hospitalizations. Some prominent Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, called for Austin to be removed from his job.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
South Korean doctors march to the Presidential Office to protest against the government's medical policy in Seoul, South Korea, February 25, 2024. REUTERS/Kim Soo-Hyeon

By Jack Kim and Ju-min Park

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea's government on Monday told young doctors they had until the end of February to return to work or risk being punished for staging a week-long protest that has disrupted services for patients at several major hospitals.

Two-thirds of the nation's residents and intern doctors had walked off the job to protest a government plan to increase the number of students admitted to medical school in a bid to address what authorities say is a shortage of doctors that is set to worsen in one of the world's fastest ageing societies.

The protest has forced hospitals to turn away patients and cancel procedures.

"Considering the gravity of the situation, the government issues the last plea," safety minister Lee Sang-min said at the opening of a task-force meeting, adding that chaos was mounting in hospitals and emergency services had reached a "dangerous situation".

"If you return to the hospital you left behind by Feb. 29, you won't be held responsible for what has already happened," he said. "We urge you to remember your voice will be heard loudly and most effectively when you are by the side of patients."

The government has previously warned that it could take legal action against doctors who do not comply with a back-to-work order, including prosecution, possible arrest and stripping them of their medical licences.

The young doctors who are protesting say the government should first address pay and working conditions before trying to increase the number of physicians.

Vice health minister Park Min-soo said those who did not return by March 1 will face a minimum three-month suspension of their medical licence among other legal action.

Senior doctors and private practitioners have not joined the walkout but have held rallies urging the government to scrap its plan to boost medical school quotas.

Many South Koreans support the plan, which has been spearheaded by President Yoon Suk Yeol.

A recent Gallup Korea poll showed about 76% of respondents approved of the plan, regardless of their political affiliation and a separate opinion poll by Realmeter released on Monday showed that Yoon's approval rating had risen to 41.9%, the first time in eight months it has topped the 40% level.

In a package of policy plans to improve medical services, the government said it will increase the number of new medical students by 2,000 a year and expand legal protection against malpractice suits and prosecution.

It also plans to give incentives for doctors to practice in essential disciplines such as paediatrics and general surgery and in regional areas where shortage of doctors is more serious.

Some doctors, however, say the government's plan is aimed at winning more votes in the April general election. In a statement, medical professors at Seoul National University, which runs one of the top medical schools in the country, called on the authorities to postpone discussing the plan until after the elections.

(Reporting by Jack Kim and Ju-min Park; Editing by Ed Davies and Miral Fahmy)
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) annual meeting in National Harbor, Maryland, U.S., February 24, 2024. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

By Jack Queen

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Donald Trump on Monday appealed a judge's ruling that the former U.S. president must pay $454 million in penalties and interest for fraudulently exaggerating his net worth and the values of his real estate holdings to secure better loan terms.

Trump asked an intermediate-level state appellate court to overturn Justice Arthur Engoron's Feb. 16 ruling in a civil fraud lawsuit brought in 2022 by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The ruling included a $354.9 million penalty and limits on his ability to do business in New York state.

The penalties, along with sizable jury awards in two other civil cases, could become a drain on Trump's cash reserves and hobble parts of his real estate empire as he pursues the Republican nomination to challenge President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 U.S. election.

James, a Democrat, accused Trump in the lawsuit of overstating his net worth by as much as $3.6 billion in financial statements provided to banks. Trump has accused James and Engoron of political bias against him.

In addition to imposing the monetary penalties, Engoron's decision barred Trump from running a corporation in New York or seeking loans with banks chartered or registered in the state for three years. The judge also enhanced the powers of a court-appointed financial watchdog at the Trump Organization, the umbrella entity for the former president's business ventures.

The appeals court - formally called the Appellate Division, First Department - potentially could put the judge's ruling on hold during an appeals process that could last a year or longer.

Trump denied wrongdoing. He is worth $2.6 billion, according to a Forbes estimate, but accounts of his worth vary greatly and it remained unclear how much cash he has on hand. Trump said in a deposition in April 2023 that he had roughly $400 million in liquid assets.

Engoron's ruling followed a contentious three-month trial in Manhattan that began in October. It featured testimony by Trump, who conceded that his property valuations were not always accurate but said his lenders were on notice to independently verify them.

The judge also fined Trump's sons Don Jr. and Eric $4 million each and barred them from running a New York corporation for two years. Both men have denied wrongdoing and joined in Trump's appeal on Monday.

The payouts from Engoron's judgment total $464.4 million for all defendants. More than $114,000 of interest will continue accruing daily, mostly for Donald Trump alone. The judgment was made public on Friday.

The case is part of a maelstrom of legal troubles Trump faces - including criminal charges in four separate cases - though none have diminished his commanding lead in the race for the Republican nomination. Trump has used the cases to rally his base and raise money, telling supporters that he is being targeted for political reasons.

In one of the other civil cases, a jury in January found that Trump must pay writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defaming her by denying her claim that he raped her decades earlier. Trump has vowed to appeal. Another jury last year ordered Trump to pay Carroll $5 million in a separate case.

Trump is separately trying to delay enforcement of the $83.3 million verdict and wants to appeal without posting any security.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who oversees that case, gave Carroll until Thursday to respond.

In one of the criminal cases, a New York judge has set a March 25 trial date for Trump on charges involving falsifying business records to conceal hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election that gave him the presidency.

Trump is also under indictment in Washington and Georgia over his efforts to reverse his 2020 election loss and in Florida over his handling of classified documents upon leaving office. He has pleaded not guilty in all four cases.

(Reporting by Jack Queen;Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Luc CohenEditing by Will Dunham, Noeleen Walder and Lisa Shumaker)
FILE PHOTO: Berkshire Hathaway logo is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., May 10, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) -The U.S. government has threatened to sue the PacifiCorp unit of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway over its alleged failure to cover $356 million in costs associated with the 2020 Slater wildfire in southern Oregon and northern California.

In its annual report filed on Monday, PacifiCorp's parent Berkshire Hathaway Energy said the Department of Justice notified the utility last month of its intent to litigate over fire suppression costs, natural resource damages and burned area emergency response costs incurred by the U.S. Forest Service.

Berkshire Hathaway Energy said PacifiCorp is cooperating to resolve the alleged claims, possibly through mediation or arbitration. It said the $356 million could grow to reflect interest, penalties and additional environmental damages.

The Justice Department has also corresponded with PacifiCorp about recovering the estimated $625 million costs and damages to federal lands from the 2020 Archie Creek and Susan Creek wildfires in southern Oregon, the annual report said.

Neither the Justice Department nor Berkshire Hathaway Energy immediately responded to requests for comment.

The Slater fire started on Sept. 8, 2020 in southern Oregon and spread to approximately 157,000 acres (63,536 hectares).

PacifiCorp separately faces private lawsuits from thousands of homeowners and businesses concerning Oregon and California wildfires in 2020 and 2022, including over its alleged negligent failure to shut down power lines.

Multiple juries have issued verdicts against PacifiCorp, and more trials are scheduled for 2024. PacifiCorp has taken $2.4 billion of charges through Dec. 31, 2023 for estimated wildfire losses, before recoveries from insurers.

In his annual letter to Berkshire shareholders on Saturday, Buffett said his Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate could face more wildfire losses if the frequency and intensity of severe thunderstorms keeps growing.

"It will be many years until we know the final tally from BHEs forest-fire losses and can intelligently make decisions about the desirability of future investments in vulnerable western states," Buffett wrote.

Berkshire bought PacifiCorp for $5.1 billion in 2006.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Jason Neely and Andrea Ricci)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Christian Fischer, a tactical aircraft maintenance specialist with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing, assists an F-35A Lightning II pilot with preflight tasks Feb. 13, 2024, during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. The Combat Archer exercise was a formal evaluation of the units ability to conduct air-to-air live-fire missions. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

The Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing has completed the first training deployment of the units F-35A Lightning II aircraft.

On Friday, more than 150 airmen finished the Weapons System Evaluation Programs Combat Archer exercise at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla, according to an Air National Guard news release.

Airmen were given the opportunity to train on tasks and skills that they dont perform at their home unit, such as unrestricted takeoffs and loading live ammunition onto the airframe.

WSEP is a formal evaluation of a units ability to conduct air-to-air live fire missions, said Capt. Alexander Abbott, the 115th Fighter Wing project officer for the training. Beyond evaluation, live-fire air-to-air experience against threat-representative targets boosts confidence and provides critical feedback to the unit and missile engineers.

An F-35A Lightning II aircraft with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing takes off during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 13, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

The two-week program allowed Madison, Wis.-based F-35 pilots an opportunity to practice the tactical departure techniques used in high-threat environments.

High-speed takeoffs are essential to rapidly achieve safe ejection altitudes while minimizing ground-to-air threats, said Tech. Sgt. Patrick Joyce, a weapons expeditor with the 115th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

We learn to think on the fly with our live training exercises. This is the first time that were loading live munitions on the airframe, said Joyce. Weve had to work through a number of procedures different from those required on our prior F-16s, but I think those experiences help shape us into better loaders and better technicians.

F-35s, after years of planning, controversy and robust efforts to both attract and keep the aircraft out of Madison, arrived at Truax Field in April 2023.

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. William McNierney, a tactical aircraft maintenance specialist with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing, inflates the tire of an F-35A Lightning II aircraft during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 15, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

An F-35A Lightning II aircraft with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing takes off during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 15, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

Aircraft maintenance specialists with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing raise a grounding rod during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 13, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

Airmen with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing perform preflight tasks during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 14, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Kristy Jorgensen, a tactical aircraft maintenance specialist with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing, performs a preflight check of the aircraft exterior during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 15, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Rebecca Mertes, a tactical aircraft maintenance specialist with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing, performs the engine intake inspection of an F-35A Lightning II aircraft during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 15, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

Aircraft maintenance specialists with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing, assists an F-35 Lightning II pilot with preflight tasks during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 14, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

Aircraft maintenance specialists with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing raise a grounding rod during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 13, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Kade Parsons and Tech Sgt. Jose Sanchez, low observable aircraft structural maintenance specialists with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing, perform maintenance on an F-35A Lightning II aircraft during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 13, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Kyle Vanderzanden, a tactical aircraft maintenance specialist with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing, performs maintenance on an F-35A Lightning II aircraft during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 13, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

Aircraft maintenance specialists with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing conduct post flight procedures during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 13, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. David Snyder, left, an air crew egress systems specialist, Tech Sgt. Rebecca Mertes and Master Sgt. William McNierney, tactical aircraft maintenance specialists, all with the Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing, prepare to inflate an aircraft tire during a Weapons System Evaluation Program exercise Feb. 15, 2024, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (Anya Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 26. Turkmenistan's Ahal region is interested in developing economic cooperation with Iran's North Khorasan Province, Trend reports.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, this commitment was expressed during a meeting between the head of the Ahal region of Turkmenistan, Rovshen Hojagulyev, with the leadership of the North Khorasan Province of Iran.

During the talks, the sides stressed the importance of expanding mutually beneficial cooperation between Turkmenistan and Iran.

In particular, the sides discussed issues on the development of cooperation between the Akhal regions of Turkmenistan and the province of North Khorasan in trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres.

Meanwhile, on February 22, a separate meeting of representatives of the healthcare sector of the two regions was held.

In addition, during the visit, the Turkmen delegation got acquainted with the industrial, construction, production and petrochemical complex of North Khorasan.

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A small contingent of soldiers from the Somali armys Danab Brigade is taking part in exercise Justified Accord in Kenya. Led by the U.S., the multinational exercise got underway Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Facebook/Somali National Army Radio)

The U.S. Army on Monday launched a series of military drills in Kenya, where an elite contingent of Somali soldiers will join a multinational exercise in their first mission abroad, U.S. Africa Command said in a statement the same day.

Somalis from the Danab unit, also known as the Lightning Brigade, are joining about 1,000 troops from 22 other countries for the annual Justified Accord exercise.

Several U.S. Army deployed units are taking part in Justified Accord, including soldiers from the Massachusetts National Guard and the 2nd Security Forces Assistance Brigade.

Both the U.S. and Kenya have a shared interest in regional stability, and the exercise also will address real threats, said Lt. Col. Jason Porter, deputy chief of exercises at Southern European Task Force, Africa headquarters, which is leading the drill.

The exercise is also aimed at helping U.S. partners prepare for a range of contingencies, including humanitarian assistance operations, disasters and crisis response.

Part of (Justified Accord) is making sure were building readiness, Porter said in an interview ahead of the exercise.

Instability in Somalia has rippled into Kenya over the years, resulting in numerous high-profile attacks. In 2020, one U.S. soldier and two American contractors were killed when their base at Manda Bay, Kenya, came under attack by al-Shabab militants.

And in 2013, the militant group besieged a shopping mall in Nairobi, the capital, in an attack that involved grenades and small-arms fire, resulting in 67 deaths.

The inclusion of the Danab soldiers means the event will incorporate members of a unit integral to Somalias strategy for countering al-Shabab.

Building up the Danab also has been a focal point for AFRICOM and its special operations teams, which have been advising the commandos inside Somalia for many years.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting ongoing efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Danab Brigade and other Somali security forces, AFRICOM said.

Despite international efforts to help Somalia neutralize al-Shabab, the terrorist group has proved resilient during its nearly 20-year existence.

In 2023, Somalia experienced a 22% increase in fatalities stemming from Islamic militant violence, reaching a record high of 7,643, according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

The drill runs through March 7. It is the U.S. militarys largest exercise in East Africa.

Stars and Stripes reporter John Vandiver contributed to this report.
Candidates from the German Army NCO School listen to a discussion about U.S. military equipment during an exchange with soldiers from 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, in Grafenwoehr, Germany, on Feb. 22, 2024. The German military is planning a series of deployments to the Pacific this summer, and is looking at possibly setting up a permanent military liaison position in Hawaii at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command as it refines its regional strategy. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

(Tribune News Service)  The German military is planning a series of deployments to the Pacific this summer, and is looking at possibly setting up a permanent military liaison position in Hawaii at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command as it refines its regional strategy.

Germany for some time has been testing the waters for a return to the Pacific, deploying the Navy frigate FGS Bayern to the South China Sea in 2021 and sending small detachments of personnel to participate in exercises around the region. But this year the German navy and air force will make their way to Hawaii for the biennial Rim of the Pacific Exercise, the worlds largest naval war game.

Before we send people and forces into the region, we knew we needed knowledge of the region, said German navy chief Vice Adm. Jan Christian Kaack. We are building up liaison offices in Japan at (U.S. Navy) 7th Fleet and here at INDOPACOM (U.S. Indo-Pacific command). ... Some are temporary, just for the deployment, and some will stay.

German military officials had been quietly flying in and out of Honolulu in 2023 holding meetings with top U.S. military leaders, according to officials knowledgeable about the planning process. But since the new year German officials have become more vocal about their plans.

Kaack flew to Oahu in January along with a delegation of other German navy and air force officers to participate in a military affairs conference hosted by the Honolulu-based think tank Pacific Forum.

During the event he participated in a panel with U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Samuel Paparo, who is expected to soon take over U.S. Indo -Pacific command and lead all U.S. forces in the region.

Berlin in 2023 released its first China strategy, which called Beijing a systemic rival and advocated that Germany  Europes largest economy  work to reduce economic dependence on its largest trading partner.

China has changed, the document stated. As a result of this and Chinas political decisions, we need to change our approach to China.

Kaack told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that Beijings increasingly aggressive tactics in the South China Sea played a role in the shift in thinking.

Beijing has become locked in a series of disputes with neighboring countries over maritime navigation and territorial rights in the South China Sea, which serves as a critical trade route that more than one-third of all trade moves through. China has claimed the entire waterway over the objections of neighboring countries that also use resources and shipping routes in the sea.

A 2016 international court ruling in favor of the Philippines found that Chinas claims have no legal basis. Beijing in turn has called the ruling illegal and has built military bases on disputed islands and atolls and attacked fishermen and other maritime workers from neighboring countries.

Kaack said the prospect of disruptions to free navigation in the Pacific is a major concern to Germany and other European countries. He also noted Chinese investment in port facilities in Europe as well as recent moves in the Arctic.

China declaring itself a near Arctic nation and operating up there, and now with the melting of the ice and Russias heavy involvement in the area and then this exploration by China, a lot of people woke up, he said. Theres a better understanding in German society now of how things are interconnected and that we should care.

Germany has a complicated history in the Pacific region, once maintaining imperial holdings in China as well as ruling over the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, the Marshall Islands, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Nauru and others until losing them to other imperial powers during World War I.

But German officials insist they want to return to the Pacific as friends to all nations in the region.

Kaack said, I put a lot of effort during the last two years into discussions with partners in the area  Singapore and Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and others  to learn to listen a lot and to understand what their perception is and how they perceive us and what, from their perspective, are appropriate tasks for us.

He said officials welcomed German participation in the region, on the condition that it isnt through the auspices of NATO or the European Union and put Pacific relationships first.

That was a clear, clear demand by most of the partners in the area, Kaack said.

The German naval deployment will include two ships that will sail through the Suez Canal and make stops in India and Singapore before passing through the South China Sea. It will also make stops in Japan and participate in U.N. sanctions enforcement operations against North Korea. The ships will make their way to Hawaii for RIMPAC and then to San Diego and eventually through the Panama Canal to return to Europe.

The German air force deployment will be jointly conducted with the French and Spanish air forces starting in mid-June, flying from Europe to Alaska and on to Japan. In Japan the German group will split up, with half continuing on with the Spanish and French to Australia and the other half making their way to Hawaii for RIMPAC and then continuing to train with the Hawaii National Guard.

In January the German air force sent 15 personnel to Hawaii for advance planning of the deployment.

This is the very first time we are coming to Hawaii with fighter jets,  said German air force spokesperson Lt. Col. Matthias Boehnke. Together with our partners France, Spain, U.S.A. and other allies, this is a strong sign of solidarity and how important the Indo-Pacific region has become for peace in the world.

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A Russian Iskander short-range ballistic missile system during military exercises in 2019. (Russian Defense Ministry)

European Union states still arent doing enough to stop Russia getting hold of sanctioned technologies for use in weapons to wage war on Ukraine, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Tens of millions of euros of trade in banned sensitive goods continue to originate from the bloc itself, despite multiple rounds of sanctions, one of the officials said, based on internal assessments of trade flows.

Almost a quarter of 450 million ($488 million) of so-called high priority items that reached Russia from the EU in the first nine months of last year was shipped directly from Europe. Russia mostly imported the rest via third countries, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private information.

Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and China were among countries involved in the trade circumventing EU sanctions, as well as states neighboring Russia including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. While data show the EUs direct official trade with Russia in sensitive goods collapsed after the war began, exports of those goods from the bloc to third countries surged to fill the gap completely.

Spokespeople for the European Commission didnt immediately reply to a request for comment.

The EUs call for member states to tighten control of exports comes with the war in its third year and Russian forces on the offensive against Ukrainian troops facing dwindling supplies of munitions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that a decision from the U.S. Congress on more than $60 billion in aid is needed within a month.

The EU and its allies have focused much of their sanctions enforcement work on a list of common high priority items in recent months. They include dozens of parts, components and advanced technologies such as semiconductors and electronics that have been found in missiles and other military systems used by Russia against Ukraine, or are essential to producing them.

The blocs actions to enforce sanctions have included export restrictions on companies in third countries as well as diplomatic outreach in those nations asking them to curb re-exports to Russia. The EU has also taken powers that would allow it to ban exports of sanctioned goods to a country in the most blatant cases, though some member states have so far resisted using the tool.

The Kyiv School of Economics reported in January that Russia imported $8.77 billion of battlefield goods  a list similar to the EUs high priority items  between January and October last year.

Most of that trade takes place through networks of thousands of small companies outside the EU  with the vast majority based in China  and often through several steps across different jurisdictions, Bloomberg previously reported.

Shipments are hard to track as they regularly involve chains of multiple vendors and at times re-sellers who may be dipping into older stock.

However, the EUs internal assessment suggests that a slice of the trade is originating within the bloc. Member states  who are responsible for enforcing sanctions  and companies, knowingly or unknowingly, are doing too little to stop it, the officials said.

The data also suggested that subsidiaries and subcontractors of some European firms operating abroad were producing sanctioned items and exporting them to Russia through intermediaries in middle countries, according to one official.

Major manufacturers have repeatedly said they abide by all sanctions rules and dont export to Russia.

EU rules do allow some exceptions for export to Russia of so-called dual use goods  a broader group of items that can be used for both military and civil purposes  for reasons including humanitarian needs, health emergencies, natural disasters and medical use.

Between Russias February 2022 invasion and last December, more than 560 million ($607 million) of licenses were granted by a dozen member states including Germany, France and Italy, the official said. Over the same period, more than 2 billion ($2.2 billion) of requests were denied.

The exemptions dont apply for exports of goods to Russias defense industry and other sensitive sectors such as energy and aviation, according to the EUs guidelines.

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 26. Turkmenistan is implementing ambitious plans according to the country's socio-economic development and investment program in 2024, Trend reports.

According to the official source, the program is designed to ensure sustainable economic growth of the country, the development of key sectors of the economy and regions.

Among the priorities are achieving full utilization of production capacities, increasing export potential, developing import substitution, and reforming the agroindustrial complex.

The program also contains measures to expand trade and services, create new jobs, improve social infrastructure, and special attention will be paid to the introduction of innovative technologies and digitalization of the economy.

Furthermore, the "Program of socio-economic development of Turkmenistan and investments for 2024" is based on the achievements of previous years and currently successfully implemented long-term development programs.

During its preparation, a detailed analysis of the indicators of all sectors of the economy and regions of the country was carried out in order to plan further progress as accurately as possible.

This approach made it possible to form a balanced and well-founded program of specific measures to achieve sustainable growth in the well-being of the population of Turkmenistan.

Meanwhile, Turkmenistan, striving for the development and prosperity of its people, focuses on a wide range of efforts aimed at various aspects of the country's social, economic and cultural development.

One of the key areas is infrastructure development, including the construction and modernization of transport networks, energy systems, housing and communications.

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President Joe Biden is expected to issue an order as soon as this week to prevent the bulk flow of Americans sensitive data  including genetic information  to hostile foreign countries, prime among them China.

The plan takes aim at a controversial practice that privacy advocates have long criticized as an enabler of mass surveillance, whether in the United States or other countries.

The order is designed to block data brokers and other companies from selling access to large stores of geolocation, genomic and other sensitive, personal information to buyers in countries of concern such as China, Russia and Iran, administration officials have told industry and civil society experts. The forthcoming order was first reported by Bloomberg.

Federal officials have for years expressed alarm over the risk that the information bought legally from data brokers or stolen by hackers working for foreign governments could be used to spy on or blackmail high-value targets in the United States, such as lawmakers and military personnel. China, for instance, has been mining Western social media, including Facebook and X, to furnish its security services with information on foreign targets, The Washington Post reported in 2021.

Recent advances in artificial intelligence have also prompted fears that the data could be analyzed in more powerful ways to enable profiling and espionage, including of activists, journalists and political figures. At the same time, new laws in China have restricted foreign access to data once available to academics, researchers and Western companies.

Chinas siphoning of tens of millions of Americans data, whether through hacking or the purchasing of companies, has long been of concern to U.S. officials. A massive Chinese cyber breach of federal personnel records discovered in 2014 and of Marriott Hotels database a few years later, merged with existing intelligence and commercially available information, prompted worry that Beijing  and, to a certain extent, Moscow  was building an ability to track individuals, including undercover CIA officers.

There have been serious adverse consequences as a result of these breaches, said one former senior U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the matters sensitivity.

Now that vast stores of personal genomic, geolocation, health and finance data are available commercially, officials are concerned that foreign adversaries can simply buy the information in bulk from brokers without users knowledge or consent. There are no laws that would stop a genomics company from contracting with a Chinese firm to sequence its genetic specimens, for instance.

In China theyre using mass data collection for surveillance and repression, said James A. Lewis, a technology policy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. And the concern is they might use Americans data for malicious purposes.

At the same time, some analysts said, the order probably will be difficult to implement and enforce, requiring the government to figure out a way to track flows of commercial data on a global scale.

In the face of a persistent, sophisticated foreign adversary, will this be effective in denying them access to this data? asked Nigel Cory, associate director of trade policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. At this stage its hard to see how what the administration is doing will be targeted enough and effective enough to do that.

Other analysts feared that what the Biden administration intends as a narrow and targeted regime could embolden future presidents or other governments to more aggressively exert their influence over the worlds most powerful communications medium.

My impression is that the administration does not want to fragment the internet, said Samm Sacks, senior fellow at Yale Law Schools Paul Tsai China Center, adding that for now the data categories in the executive order appear to be limited. But those could expand as we play whack-a-mole with new types of data collection, she said.

Administration officials declined to comment as the order has not been issued. But they have said in briefings that such a move is necessary in the absence of a national data privacy law, which would regulate the collection and sale of Americans sensitive information. And they have noted that the order merely starts a months-long rulemaking process through which industry and civil society groups can offer suggestions and criticism.

Also prompting the order was a concern that the government has limited ability to deal with the threats of foreign data misuse. The most prominent pathway today  a cross-agency group known as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS  has the authority to review and block individual foreign business deals on national security grounds. The committee has said it needs a comprehensive policy to guide decisions in areas involving businesses that collect sensitive personal data. The Justice Department, which reviews certain telecom-related licenses for national security risk, has similar concerns.

The order will not extend to any expressive activity such as Americans social media posts, messages or videos on platforms such as TikTok, the popular video app whose ownership by the Chinese tech giant ByteDance has led to fierce debates in Washington over national security and freedom of expression.

The order will not target any one company, such as TikTok. However, if an app is collecting information in bulk considered sensitive because it can help identify a person and their habits, such as geolocation data, that information cannot be sent to any country of concern, experts said.

For each category of restricted data, the administration will specify an amount beyond which the transfer is prohibited, for instance a certain number of U.S. individuals for genomic data, and a certain number of devices on which geolocation data is collected.

The most sensitive include peoples DNA and biometric data, as well as computer keyboard use patterns. The intent is not, for instance, to prevent an American from sending DNA to the genomics company 23andMe to see if she has distant relatives in China, though the firm would be barred from selling data in bulk to China or from working with a Chinese processing firm, they said.

U.S. officials have noted that BGI Group, a Chinese company with a U.S. subsidiary, operates the China National GeneBank, a vast government-owned repository that now includes genetic data drawn from millions of people around the world. Intelligence officials say they believe Chinese companies are trying to acquire DNA from Americans.

Genomic data will provide the blueprint for future biotech products and capabilities to grow the economy, but in the wrong hands, it could also be weaponized to create engineered pathogens or misused to identify and target individuals, said Michelle Rozo, vice chair of the congressionally-mandated National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology. Genomic data is a strategic resource, and the United States needs to treat it as such.

The order would cover bulk data exchanged as part of a corporate investment, acquisition or contract, though there may be exceptions if the data exchange meets certain cybersecurity and privacy requirements. The order will exempt ordinary financial activities of multinationals or federal contractors, such as a company or government agency that is processing payroll data for employees in countries of concern.

Some Commerce Department officials have expressed unease that the plan might undermine trade or economic activity, including by imposing complicated new demands on businesses with international operations, some experts said. Administration officials have said the order is drawn narrowly so as to minimize its negative impact.

Experts say enforcement will be challenged by determined adversaries who seek to buy data through third parties in countries outside the United States. What about the use of proxies? Cory said. How do you expect firms to do due diligence to try to figure out who is the ultimate owner of an entity? How do they do that with so many different transactions involving the types of data theyre worried about?

Whatever rule is eventually adopted, he said, its important that it be flexible enough to adapt in the future. This is uncharted territory, Cory said.

Cate Brown contributed to this report.
(Tribune News Service)  Two Democratic lawmakers are pushing the Pentagon to take a more in-depth approach to reviewing potential defense business mergers as the number of military contractors dwindles.

Demanding robust oversight from the Defense Department when it comes to those deals, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Rep. John Garamendi of California, both members of their chambers respective Armed Services committees, lamented what they called officials insufficient review of defense industrial base consolidation.

With rampant consolidation that affects supply chains, prices, and security, DoD must conduct more thorough and transparent assessments of [mergers and acquisitions] in the defense space, they wrote in a Friday letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III.

Though concerns over U.S. industrial base consolidation are far from new, defense contractor L3Harris Technologies recent high-profile purchase of one of the two domestic producers of solid rocket motors (Aerojet Rocketdyne) has shone a spotlight on the Pentagons role in assessing and overseeing mergers and acquisitions.

An October 2023 report from the Government Accountability Office found that the department has limited insight into defense business mergers and acquisitions, with officials in recent years assessing, on average, 40 cases out of the approximately 400 that occurred annually.

Meanwhile, the reports findings showed the Defense Department doesnt typically monitor the effects of any completed consolidations on the defense industrial base, nor are officials required to. Instead, the Pentagon steps in only if the antitrust agencies seek the departments involvement  something the GAO reported has occurred in two instances over the last decade.

Without transparency the public cannot know DoDs assessment of whether a merger might affect defense contracts, prices, supply chain gaps, innovation, and national security, Warren and Garamendi wrote. This makes it more difficult to oversee and mitigate the risks of mergers, or to assess the sufficiency of DoDs review process.

Merger in focus

In the lead-up to the July 28 closure of L3Harris $4.7 billion deal to buy Aerojet Rocketdyne, Warren  a proponent of heavily scrutinizing proposed mergers  urged the Federal Trade Commission to block the purchase.

Now, with the deal sealed, she and Garamendi used their letter to underscore the gaps in the Defense Departments review of the transaction  and question to what extent they may represent systemic lapses that would necessitate an overhaul of the Pentagons approach.

While L3Harris leadership told investors during a second-quarter 2023 earnings call that the company gave the department assurances  that we would be a merchant supplier of rocket motors and rocket engines, Warren and Garamendi noted that its still unclear what those assurances were.

Citing a briefing between both lawmakers staff and the Defense Department in November 2023, the letter stated that Pentagon officials relayed they hadnt imposed conditions on the merger or indicated they would monitor its impacts. The officials also could not provide a clear roadmap of engagement with the FTC and Department of Justice on the matter, the letter said.

Those answers, taken with the report from GAO, may require the department to completely reassess its approach [to] major defense industry mergers moving forward, lawmakers wrote.

These concerns are not unique to the L3Harris-Aerojet merger, the letter said. The assessments DoD conducts on M&A lack basic public transparency which might otherwise provide useful insight and accountability.

The two asked Austin to disclose by March 11 the assurances that L3Harris gave the Pentagon regarding the merger and how officials will hold the company to them. If no such assurances were given, they want to know why the department didnt seek any.

And they want the Pentagon to outline the transactions benefits to the defense industrial base, as well as how the department will ensure they materialize.

Given the importance of ensuring a robust defense industrial base and diversified supply chains, it is concerning that the DoD does not appear to be conducting robust oversight of even some of the largest mergers, Warren and Garamendi said.

A Pentagon spokesman declined to comment on the letter, writing in an email that the secretary will reply in due course, as he does with all of his correspondence.

New guidance pending

For its part, the Defense Department has expressed an interest in bolstering its review efforts. The department concurred with all four recommendations the GAO made in its October report, and Pentagon acquisition chief William LaPlante indicated in the response that officials intend to issue new guidance on assessing mergers and acquisitions.

In addition, LaPlante said the department plans to request funding for reviewing potential consolidations within the forthcoming five-year spending plan. The assistant secretary for industrial base policy currently oversees defense mergers without any dedicated funding, LaPlante wrote  but he said additional monies will allow officials to increase their workforce and resources.

The Defense Department also pledged to look at designing and implementing a monitoring initiative to track whether risks identified in its merger assessments were realized after the transaction is completed. And LaPlante wrote that the forthcoming guidance will include directives on evaluating those risks after deals have closed.

A legislative tweak

In the fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress sought to boost the Pentagons role in reviewing potential mergers and acquisitions  but Warren and Garamendi hinted in their letter that further action is likely needed.

A provision in the law would enable the Defense Department to get information on a proposed defense-related merger or acquisition at the same time as the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice.

That simultaneous notification, Warren and Garamendi wrote, allows defense officials to proactively assess potential threats to the industrial base rather than being forced to rely on federal antitrust agencies to do so.

In the letter, the two asked how officials plan to ensure they receive the required disclosures, and what actions will be taken to assess the impacts of mergers. But they also suggested they intend to press the Pentagon to be more forthcoming.

Recent history suggests that much more needs to be done to ensure we maintain a robust, competitive defense base, Warren and Garamendi said. Without more transparency, however, Congress cannot assess whether DoDs current authorities and access are sufficient to protect our national security.

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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon on Feb. 1, 2024. (Alexander Kubitza/U.S. Navy)

WASHINGTON  Privacy restrictions and staff hesitancy is being blamed for the failure to notify the president and other U.S. officials about Defense Secretary Lloyd Austins prostate cancer and subsequent hospitalization for complications from surgery, according to an internal review released Monday by the Pentagon.

Austins staff was limited in the information that they could provide due to medical privacy laws preventing what information could be shared with them by medical staff, according to an unclassified summary of the review.

The review, which was conducted by Jennifer Walsh, director of administration and management at the Pentagon, does not mention any punishments or reprimands for staff members. Austin has previously stated he did not instruct anyone on his staff to withhold information about his health.

There was no finding of ill-intent or an attempt to obfuscate, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagons top spokesman, said Monday.

The review made eight recommendations, and two already are being implemented. In a memorandum from Austin, the six remaining recommendations will be implemented in the next 90 days, unless specified otherwise. Some of the actions include ensuring key defense officials in the order of succession are familiar with relevant processes and procedures, as well as the department reviewing and updating internal reporting practices associated with the transfer of duties, Ryder said.

As hindsight has shown, the process for making decisions to transfer the secretarys authority could and should be improved. Additional written guidance and support plans would aid in setting optimal conditions for the secretarys and deputy secretarys teams to provide appropriate support for the deputy secretary when assuming the functions and duties of the secretary as acting secretary, according to the summary of the review.

Ryder also said the classified version of the review has been sent to Congress.

Austin is scheduled to testify before the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday about his failure to notify the White House and Congress about his illness. The Defense Department inspector general is still conducting a separate investigation into Austins handling of his hospitalization.

Austin, 70, returned to the Pentagon on Jan. 29 after being absent from the building for nearly a month because of his health. The secretary had been released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., on Jan. 15 after spending about two weeks there following the surgery, which was conducted Dec. 22.

He did address reporters at the Pentagon on Feb. 1 and apologized for not disclosing his prostate diagnosis, the surgery that followed and complications that led to an extended hospital stay.

I want to be crystal clear: We did not handle this right. I did not handle this right, Austin said. I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis. I should have told my team and the American people, and I take full responsibility.

His cancer was discovered during a regular health screening in early December. He was admitted to the hospital about three weeks later for surgery, which required general anesthesia. He left the hospital the following morning.

On Jan. 1, Austin returned to Walter Reed after experiencing pain in his abdomen, hip and leg. He was later found to have a urinary tract infection, and Austin spent days in the intensive care unit before he was moved to a private section of the hospital.

But during Austins medical treatments, no one at the Defense Department notified the White House, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, Congress or the public for several days.

The summary of the review states Austins staff was hesitant to pry or share any information that they learned and as long as the secretary remained in the ICU timely secured communications could not be ensured.

On Jan. 2, Austin transferred some of his more pressing responsibilities to Hicks.

Austin said he had been experiencing fever, chills and shallow breathing on that day, and doctors decided to move him to the intensive care unit for several days of close monitoring.

Yet Biden did not learn of Austins prostate cancer until Jan. 9. That same day, the White House ordered all Cabinet members or secretaries must immediately notify the administration if at any time they cannot perform their duties.

The secretary returned to Walter Reed on Feb. 11 where he was admitted to a critical unit and underwent non-surgical procedures to correct a bladder problem. The secretary was discharged from the hospital on Feb. 13 and returned to work at the Pentagon two days later.
Kyle Hansen, 28, stands outside his home in Mission Viejo, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. Hansen, a squad leader with 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, left the Marines in 2018 after he was injured in an amphibious assault vehicle accident at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. He transferred to the Wounded Warrior Battalion, got help and then set out for civilian life. (Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Kyle Hansen had almost fulfilled his service contract with the Marine Corps when he was injured in a training accident at Camp Pendleton.

When he left the service in 2018, he moved back home to Mission Viejo, Calif., with his parents and set out to navigate the civilian world, a task he knew could be difficult given little preparation and the medical challenges he faced from being badly burned and having a brain injury.

Some people I know slept in cars, and some went to drugs, said Hansen, now 28, of fellow Marines also leaving the service. You realize life is hard and how important it is to become a great American now, even more than when I was serving.

Despite not having a job lined up before he left Camp Pendleton, a connection with a fellow Marine veteran whod started a solar company helped Hansen start becoming financially stable. But a recently published University of Southern California report, The State of the American Veteran: The Southern California Veterans Study, out of the Suzanne Dworak-Packs School of Social Work, found many Southern California veterans struggle.

The study, led by Sara Kintzle, an associate research professor, queried more than 3,000 veterans  most were non-commissioned and junior level  from Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego counties who had served in the Army, Navy and Marines. Though most served between 2001 and 2016, there were also older vets represented.

The study follows several others done more than a decade ago, allowing for comparisons to see what has improved as more community groups, nonprofits and government agencies have stepped up their efforts to serve the needs of local veterans. Familiar topics of a lack of preparation, mental health issues and stigmas, housing and food insecurities and loneliness reemerged.

Some 69% of veterans said when they left the military, they felt like they had to start over; 54% said adjusting to civilian life was complicated. More than 30% left the service without a job lined up; nearly 40% met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and depression, and the suicide risk rate among the veterans polled was a reported 23%.

The new study examines the emergence of community-based programs and the formation of collaboratives  the first was in Los Angeles  that now network for the good of service members and their families. Private, public and government agencies are now increasingly working together and coordinating to improve access to services, reducing barriers to care, and influencing policy.

Access to service is a big one, Bravo said of the studys key takeaways. The disconnect had to do with knowing what services were available from a plethora of 800 numbers.

To help with that in Los Angeles County, the Veteran Peer Access Network was formed, the first collaborative of its kind in the nation run by veterans, where veterans are paired up as battle buddies to navigate the levels of resources available.

Its doing such a wonderful job that the Orange County Military Families Collaborative is trying to do it also, Bravo said.

Getting the veterans  and their families  the individualized help they need makes all the difference, especially when it comes to securing jobs and housing and food stability  high among risk factors for veterans, the study found.

Bravo said her collaborative is also hard at work pushing for policy and legislative changes to remove some of the barriers veterans face. For example rules that count VA disability compensation toward income that can disqualify veterans from housing.

Bravo said she plans to visit lawmakers in both Sacramento and Washington, D.C., this year to push for the Home For the Brave Act that, if passed, would remove the service-connected disability money from a veterans income for housing purposes.

People with the largest need cant get help, she said. Especially for the oldest veterans, now that access to housing is limited.

The study found that among the most significant barriers for veterans is just getting out of the gate after being discharged. Answers from veterans indicated that 33% of active duty service members leave without a job or housing plan, 28% found it was too difficult to look for a job while still on active duty and 18% reported thinking getting a job would be easy because of their service.

As a result, 83% of veterans reported having housing problems, with the most common solution being about 36% of veterans moving back in with their parents. Only 24% reported being able to rent their own place.

Some who served at bases far from family found themselves crashing with friends or living in cars or hotel rooms to stay in the area.

Patrick Keplinger, a services program manager for the Marine Corps Community Services Program at Camp Pendleton, said he wasnt surprised by those data points. Housing instability starts with a lack of preparation while still on active duty, he said, and few leaving the service find jobs similar to what their military occupation specialty was.

Coming out of Iraq and Afghanistan, so much of society pumped us up, said Keplinger, who served as a major in the Marines and was part of the early invasion in Iraq. The sense I had, and my buddies had, was that, Of course, Im going to get a job.

Companies say theyre veteran-friendly, but theyre really not, he said. If you tout yourself as being veteran-friendly, get rid of barriers like requiring certain types of resumes. A lot of us had a false sense of security.

Each year, nearly 35,000 Marines transition from the Marine Corps to civilian life. At Camp Pendleton, its about 9,000 annually  77% of those after completing a four- or five-year contract.

In the Marine Corps, it takes three months to become a Marine  thats just to become a Marine, Keplinger said. Then you learn combat skills and then your job. When you leave, you get one week of transition (preparation)  and you do that one year ahead. The transition times need to be longer and more at the end of their service.

Kintzle and her research team concluded that each service member should have a job lined up before they leave military service and that they should understand what constitutes stable housing. They also should be provided with realistic expectations of what happens in the civilian world and be prepared for the emotional difficulty that accompanies returning to civilian life.

Ideally, theyd sit with a financial counselor and understand tax and housing implications, Keplinger said of the exiting Marines, who largely entered the service straight out of high school. If you live on base, you dont know what its like to pay for gas, water, cable. If you live in the barracks, how do you plan for groceries? They need a couple of days of classes for career exploration and to understand what a $50,000 job means compared to a $100,000 job.

And understand what the rest of the world looks like, he added. Southern California is different than North Carolina or Idaho. Politically, how do these areas feel about veterans? Then figure out, What is your plan? Nine thousand leave the gates; once they leave, we dont know what happens to them.

Kolin Williams is an Army veteran and the chair of Saddleback Colleges Veterans Education & Transition Services program. Each week, he spends at day at Camp Pendletons School of Infantry speaking with Marines who are planning to separate from the service.

Initially, they see me as a representative of Saddleback to help them with education, but as the relationship continues, I dive into all the other topics, Williams said. All those things matter. They are all pieces of the puzzle, including mental health. If theyre not well mentally, then that can make the process even more difficult.

The study found that most veterans dont seek care for mental health issues despite the health benefits of doing so and the numerous resources available.

A majority of veterans believe they possess the necessary skills to manage their own behavioral problems, which is a consistent and pervasive barrier for veterans getting the health care they need, Kintzle found.

Loneliness  manifested by a loss of camaraderie  was prevalent among veterans surveyed.

Vets will seek like-minded individuals, Williams said. If (they are) not from California and they have no family here when they discharge, no one has our back. When youre dealing with a change in identity, it becomes a problem, especially when you combine that with not seeking help for mental health.

Williams first met Hansen at Camp Pendleton and then again at Saddleback College. Because he was injured, Hansen had support from the Wounded Warrior Battalion West, an organization that Williams said should be a model for supporting Marines as they leave the service.

He had a lot going on then with his disability, Williams said. Kyle is a great example of someone who took the initiative and made things work despite his challenges. Hes the exception to have dealt with so much, but come out good on the back end.

Nearly five years later, Hansen held onto his job in the solar industry  and is now even pursuing his dream of opening his own bar  while also growing RFV Eco Warriors, a group he founded with a fellow Marine to help other veterans network with local community leaders and business owners while also being good stewards of the earth. The group holds beach cleanups that provide service members some one-on-one time with people who might be able to guide them into new careers.

Kintzle said the study found many veterans are most comfortable getting connected to resources through other veterans whove had positive experiences.

Vets rely so much on word of mouth, she said. Those experiences can be helpful in getting other veterans to seek care. That is where the most positive outcome comes from. A little bit of help and prevention is so important when you can change things, including finding a place to live and a job to keep them stable.

Since the studys release, Kintzle said she has presented its results to about 40 groups connected to veterans services. Her goal is for these organizations to use the information to measure their success and see what they can do better.

My hope is that we improve service and understand what new services are needed and get it to people who have impact on policy, she said. How might we think about loneliness, improve the cultural stigma and build interactions to address more of these issues?

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Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz was sworn in as chief minister of Punjab after she was elected the chief executive of the province.

The Punjab Assembly on Monday elected PML-N leader Maryam as the chief minister of the province amid a boycott of the session by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

Maryam, who has become the first-ever female chief minister in Pakistans history, won the elections after receiving the backing of 220 MPAs in the provincial assembly.

Her opponent, Sunni Ittehad Council's (SIC) candidate Rana Aftab Aftab Ahmad, did not get any votes as the party boycotted the elections after they were stopped from speaking.

"The votes have been counted according to which Maryam has obtained 220 votes and SIC candidate Rana Aftab Aftab secured zero votes," said Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan while presiding the session.

After announcing the result, the speaker invited CM-elect Maryam Nawaz to come to the seat of the leader of the House.

Apart from becoming the first female chief minister in the country, Maryam has also become the fourth member of the Sharif family and first woman member of her family to get elected as CM.

The PML-N senior vice president was elected on two seats in Lahore  NA 119 and PP-159  during the February 8 general elections. Post-elections she she withdrew from the National Assembly seat.

In the PP-159 constituency, she contested against PTI-backed independent candidate Mehr Sharafat and won with a slim margin.

Overall, she is the sixth member of Sharif family who has been elected in a general or a by-election.

Before her, Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Abbas Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz and Begum Kalsoom Nawaz were elected from Lahore.

The session, which began with over a 30-minute delay, was being presided over by newly-elected Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan.

At the start of the session, Speaker Khan administered oath to two MPAs and then assured the lawmakers that he would run the House without any bias.

The speaker then briefed the Assembly that after completing the scrutiny of the nomination papers, PML-N's Maryam Nawaz and SIC's Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan had emerged as the candidates vying for the chief minister's slot.

Following this, the speaker directed the secretary of the Assembly to brief the members about the voting process.

Once this was done, the SIC's candidate for CM requested the speaker to address the House on a point of order but was barred from speaking.

"In today's session, only elections will be held for the chief minster. You cannot speak in today's session," Speaker Khan told the SIC candidate as he tried to speak up.

After being barred from speaking, the members of the SIC walked out of the House which led to a delay in the start of the elections.

As the SIC MPAs walked out, the speaker formed a committee, comprising Khawaja Salman Rafique, Salman Nazeer, Samiullah and Khalil Tahir Sindhu, to convince the legislators to return to the Assembly.

The speaker then also sent PPP's Ali Haider Gilani and PML-Q's Chaudhry Shafay Hussain to convince the SIC MPAs to return for last time.

While sending them the speaker warned that if the lawmakers do not return then he would move forward with the proceedings.

However, the efforts went in vain and the speaker then went ahead with the proceedings and began the process of electing a new leader of the House.

Each member that cast their vote was sent to the lobby and remained there till the completion of the voting process.

Once the counting of votes was done the members were invited back to the Assembly for the announcement of the results.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 26. The meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) will be held on May 24 this year in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), Trend reports.

According to the CIS Executive Committee, the next meeting of the Council of Permanent Plenipotentiary Representatives of the CIS States to the statutory and other bodies of the commonwealth will be held on February 27 at the CIS Executive Committee in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

During this meeting, the agenda of the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of Government, which will be held on May 24 in Ashgabat, will be considered.

Furthermore, at the meeting in Minsk, the permanent representatives will discuss the implementation of the roadmap for the implementation of initiatives expressed by the heads of delegations during meetings of the Council of Heads of State, the Council of Heads of Government, the Council of Foreign Ministers, and the CIS Economic Council in terms of security cooperation and summarize the results of foreign policy cooperation within the Commonwealth in 2023 in the context of international positioning in the CIS.

Note that, the last meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of Government was held in October last year in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

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Sicko who abused animals had 27kg of cocaine in his car

THIS is the convicted dog-fighting boss on the run from the UK authorities who is now facing prison time in Ireland after being caught with 1.9 million worth of cocaine. John Donaghy, who has 16 previous convictions for animal cruelty, took full responsibility for 27 kilos of the drug found in the boot of his Ford Mondeo outside his rural Co Kildare bolthole last July.

Some of the cash that was seized

John Donaghy AKA John Knibbs who was convicted in Naas Circuit Court for having in excess of 2.1M worth of cocaine and canabis for sale or supply at Ballynamullagh, Carbury, Co. Kildare. In the UK, as John Knibbs, he was prosecuted a number of times for dog fighting and was disqualified from keeping animals. Pic taken 31-1-2024

A CONVICTED dog-fighting boss on the run from the UK has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being caught in Ireland with 1.9 million worth of cocaine.

John Donaghy, also known as Knibbs, pleaded guilty to possessing 27 kilos of the drug found in the boot of his Ford Mondeo outside his rural Co Kildare bolt-hole last July

John Donaghy, who has 16 previous convictions for animal cruelty, had been living in Ireland for the last six and a half years breeding dogs despite being disqualified from owning an animal in the UK.

Footage of Donaghy's dog fighting

The 59-year-old father of six also admitted holding 110,000 cash found in a Super Valu shopping bag on a shelf in a kitchen hot-press by the Garda Organised Crime and Drugs Unit during a search.

Judge Martina Baxter sentenced him last week after previously hearing the evidence against him, also handing down a five-year sentence for money laundering to be served concurrently.

His sentence was back-dated to when he first went in prison last year.

Gardai acting on confidential information carried out the search at Donaghys home at Ballynamullagh, Carbury Co Kildare.

The drugs were found immediately and Donaghy took full responsibility for them and the cash found in the kitchen and was full co-operative".

Donaghys own CCTV system captured him loading the blocks of cocaine contained in a black refuse sack into his car.

A garda witness said in court Donaghy told him that if he revealed who he was holding the drugs and cash for he would fear for my wife and kids.

He and his wife Kimberleigh Steele have lived at the Kildare house for the last three years with their four children aged under six.

During his time in Ireland the UK native has not come to the attention of the gardai and has been in custody since his arrested in July last year.

There were no obvious trappings or wealth, but Donaghy had no income to support his family other than his dog breeding.

It was heard at Naas Circuit Court that Donaghy held the stash at the home he shared with his partner and young children to pay off a drug debt thanks to his 500 to 600 a week cocaine habit.

It emerged that Donaghy still had outstanding matters to deal with in the UK courts in relation to his dog-fighting convictions.

Donaghy had changed his name by deed poll from John Knibbs, it was heard at a previous bail hearing.

His defence counsel said he was under pressure to pay his drug debts which had got bigger and didnt go away and found himself in a situation where he had no control over what was delivered.

Since being in prison he had beaten his addiction and was on an enhanced regime working as a cleaner.

Donaghy was convicted in his absence in the UK, under the name of John Knibbs, for several offences relating to dog fighting at Lincoln magistrates court in 2019 after failing to appear at his own trial.

The prosecution came as a result of Operation Camelot, a joint investigation into organised dog fighting by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and police forces in England and Wales.

Donaghy, is seen as a key figure in the world of organised dog fighting and was first convicted of dog fighting in 2009 and banned from keeping dogs for life.
A probation report found that the defendant John Murphy (43) has some in-built hostility to women

The one-year jail term handed down to a married secondary school teacher who sexually exploited a 16-year-old girl through Instagram was too lenient, the Court of Appeal has ruled in doubling his sentence.

The three-judge court had heard a probation report found that the defendant John Murphy (43) has some in-built hostility to women and was at medium risk of reoffending.

Murphy, a married father of one with an address at Ferncourt Crescent, Ballycullen in Dublin, pleaded guilty at Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court in July last year to a charge of the sexual exploitation of the then 16-year-old victim on dates between June 2017 and June 2018.

The Galway native also pleaded guilty to possession of child abuse images, relating to two videos of graphic content. Those offences occurred in 2008 and 2010.

Appealing the leniency of the sentence given to Murphy earlier this month, Roisin Lacey SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said that when passing sentence, Judge Cormac Quinn had failed to adequately take into account a number of aggravating factors. Murphy, she said, carried on the communications with the vulnerable 16-year-old for a whole year while he was a secondary school teacher and she was doing her junior certificate exams.

Ms Lacey said the sentencing judge had put too much weight on mitigating factors, such as Murphy's good career and lack of previous convictions, and not enough weight on the aggravating factors. The offending had a serious impact on the victim, she said.

In ruling on the State's application to overturn the sentence at the Court of Appeal today, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the trial judges assessment that the accused might not have been aware of the specific vulnerabilities of the injured party might seem generous.

A probation report records the accused as acknowledging his awareness of the victims mental health difficulties and his eagerness to affirm that these difficulties predated his contact with her. The complainant had referred to self-harm and to the fact that years earlier she had been diagnosed as clinically depressed, said Mr Justice Birmingham.

The trial judge took into account Murphys personal circumstances by way of mitigation in that the accused was 42 years old at the time of his sentencing, married, had a young child, came from a good family and benefited from their support, said Mr Justice Birmingham.

Early pleas of guilty also avoided any issue regarding the search warrant which resulted in gardai accessing the computer devices on which the child abuse images were located, noted Mr Justice Birmingham.

Mr Justice Birmingham said the trial judge said that bearing in mind the issues set out in the probation report and to incentivise and to ensure rehabilitation, I am going to suspend the final two years of that sentence.

Mr Justice Birmingham noted the trial judge had said that, having regard to "the issues set out in the probation report" and to "incentivise and to ensure rehabilitation", he would suspend the final two years of the sentence.

The respondent knew, or out to have known, he was dealing with a vulnerable complainant and even if he did not have specific knowledge of the complainants individual vulnerabilities, and we think he did, as a teacher, he must have known that a child of that age was vulnerable, said Mr Justice Birmingham.

The child abuse material was placed in category one, the judge also noted.

Accessing the material had taken place in 2007 to 2010, and a consecutive sentence, though technically available, would seem harsh. On the other hand, the possession of such material is not a matter to be ignored, said Mr Justice Birmingham.

Had the judge arrived at a sentence of three years and left matters there it seems to us that the sentence would have been a not inappropriate one, and one with which we would not have been minded to interfere with, he said.Mr Justice Birmingham said the court was of the view that suspending two years of the three-year sentence was "excessive and amounted to an error".

Resentencing as of todays date, he said the court was prepared to suspend the final 12 months of the adjusted three-year sentence.
The court heard he has moved to the Donegal area to remove himself from circumstances in Limerick

A Limerick mobster who helped the McCarthy/Dundon gang carry out the shooting of a rival mob boss has had a 'road to Damascus' moment since the murder bid, the Special Criminal Court has heard.

'Red' Larry McCarthy Jnr (45), who was previously described as the leader of his gang, will be sentenced next month in relation to the attempted murder of Christy Keane almost nine years ago.

The head of the Keane crime group was struck a number of times on the morning of June 29, 2015, after arriving at the University Limerick (UL) campus for a gym session.

The court today heard how the gun attack occurred as part of the "infamous" Limerick feud and dated back to a murder in 1993 which Christy Keane was charged with but later acquitted of.

Detective Sergeant Padraig O'Dwyer said that on the morning he was shot, Christy Keane had arrived at the UL carpark for a gym session when he was approached by two gunmen who discharged 13 rounds at him.

Keane was struck three times in the hand and once in the lower back, suffering serious but non-fatal injuries. He was treated at the scene by a nurse who was exercising nearby.

The detective sergeant told John Byrne SC, prosecuting, that the gunmen fled in a red Ford Focus with false registration plates which was driven a short distance away to Newtown in Annacotty before being burnt out.

A Glock semi-automatic pistol was later recovered from the car. The gunman then got into a white Volvo estate which travelled to Drombanna and was subsequently burnt out. Another firearm was recovered from that car.

A Garda investigation established that Larry McCarthy drove to Dublin to collect the Volvo two days before the shooting with an accomplice, Noel Price, who has already been sentenced to 6.5 years imprisonment for facilitating the gunmen by making the car available to them.

The court heard that CCTV footage captured Price returning to Limerick in the white Volvo estate with McCarthy travelling over a minute behind him in his black BMW 5 Series.

Det Sgt O'Dwyer also said that Larry McCarthy had parked the Volvo in Annacotty the night before the shooting.

He was charged in 2020 and last October pleaded guilty to facilitating the McCarthy/Dundon criminal organisation in making the white Volvo available to them in the attempted murder of Christy Keane.

The offence, contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, carries a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment.

The court was told that the shooting of Christy Keane occurred in the context of the "infamous" Limerick feud between what were then the Keane/Collopy and McCarthy/Dundon crime groups.

Det Sgt O'Dwyer said the feud can be traced back to in or around 1993 with the death of Patrick McCarthy. Christy Keane was charged and subsequently acquitted of that murder in 1995.

In November 2003 his brother Kieran was killed and five members of the McCarthy/Dundon gang were convicted of his murder.

The court heard there have also been previous attempts on the life of Christy Keane.

Det Sgt O'Dwyer said that the main purpose of the McCarthy/Dundon crime group is the commission of serious offences including firearms, demanding money, extortion, drug matters and murder.

The court heard Larry McCarthy Jnr has 14 previous convictions, including a 4.5 year jail term in relation to a stabbing imposed by the Special Criminal Court.

He was on bail for that offence when he assisted the gang involved in the attempted murder of Christy Keane.

McCarthy was also given an 11-year jail term in the UK in 2005 after being caught with a MAC-11 firearm as part of an intelligence operation by UK police.

Det Sgt O'Dwyer agreed with the defence that Larry McCarthy has not offended in almost nine years and has not come to adverse garda attention in recent years.

The court heard he has moved to the Donegal area to "remove himself" from circumstances in Limerick and to "develop fresh roots" in the North-West.

The defence barrister said his client has suffered a number of family bereavements recently including the death of his mother-in-law.

Counsel also said that Larry McCarthy, previously of Tower Lodge on the Old Court Road in Limerick, has had a "Damascus Road experience" in his move to the North-West.

The three judges, with Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, adjourned sentencing to March 7 and remanded the accused in custody.
Special Criminal Court heard Declan Brady, aka Mr Nobody, has disassociated himself from Kinahan group

The Kinahan gang's logistics manager known as Mr Nobody has disassociated himself from the crime group, his barrister has told a non-jury court.

Declan Brady appeared before the Special Criminal Court today to be sentenced after pleading guilty to facilitating a criminal organisation in the murder of Noel Duck Egg Kirwan over eight years ago.

Mr Kirwan (62) was shot dead outside his Clondalkin home on December 22, 2016 while sitting in his car with his partner.

Gardai believe he was targeted purely because he was pictured at the funeral of feud victim Eddie Hutch earlier that year.

The victim's daughter today asked the Kinahan figure "how does it feel" knowing he was going to prison for killing an innocent man, telling him that he had destroyed their "past, present and future".

Earlier the court was told how Brady (57), nicknamed Mr Nobody, facilitated the crime group in utilising a tracking device to keep surveillance on Mr Kirwan prior to his murder.

Detective Superintendent Mark O'Neill said that the device was bought in the UK two months before the fatal shooting and transported to an address in Dublin 1.

On November 3, 2016, it was moved to a property in Crumlin linked to a senior associate of the Kinahan crime group.

It was later moved to an apartment in the Beacon South Quarter in Sandyford.

He told Dominic McGinn SC, prosecution, that 1.21am on the morning of November 8, Declan Brady and others left the apartment complex.

Over 90 minutes later the tracking device pinged at St Ronans Drive in Clondalkin where Mr Kirwan was living.

The device would give an updated position every four hours, the court heard.

Det Supt ONeill also said that demands could be made of the tracking device to give an instant update on its location, with 13 of these made by the senior Kinahan crime figure using a laptop.

The court heard that prior to the shooting Mr Kirwan traded in his BMW X5 and began driving a Ford Mondeo.

Garda surveillance had been placed on the gang and on December 14, detectives watched Declan Brady and the senior Kinahan figure outside a car dealership where the BMW was being stored.

Det Supt ONeill said that at 8.17pm two people could be seen peering over a fence at the dealership.

CCTV footage also showed Declan Brady driving towards the dealership the following day with surveillance gardai noticing a second individual in the rear of the car on a laptop.

He said demands for an updated location on the tracking device were made at this time as if someone was trying to ascertain where it then was.

The tracker was subsequently removed from the BMW on December 20, and in the early hours of the following morning was placed on Mr Kirwans Ford Mondeo.

The device subsequently mirrored the known movements of the Ford Mondeo up until the point of the shooting.

A month after the murder gardai carried out a search of the Sandyford apartment. The DNA of the senior Kinahan crime figure was recovered from a laptop while Bradys DNA was found on a toothbrush in the property.

Under cross-examination from defence counsel Michael OHiggins SC, the senior detective accepted that Declan Bradys role was to provide logistical support to the organisation.

He also agreed that the defendants role ended a week before the murder, that he received instructions from more senior persons, and that he effectively acted as a chauffer for another individual more senior than he was.

Mr OHiggins also said that his client is currently held on the progression unit of Mountjoy Prison for enhanced prisoners and has disassociated himself from any person involved in the organised criminal group. Det Supt ONeill said of this: I accept that.

In a victim impact statement Mr Kirwans daughter, Donna, asked Declan Brady: How does it feel to know youre going to prison for killing an innocent?

She said that they hadn't "got the intelligence between the lot of you to do your homework correctly, and realise that her father was a completely innocent man.

In the statement, read out on her behalf, she said that her family live in torment and that Brady had destroyed their "past, present and future".

Bernadette Roe, the victims partner, said it was only by the grace of God that she wasnt murdered that night as well.

She said Noel Kirwan was in great form on the day of the murder and looking forward to spending Christmas with their families.

Ms Roe also said in her victim impact statement that she feels angry and cheated about Noels senseless murder.

I will never celebrate Christmas again. I wish I could go to sleep, and this nightmare never happened, she said, adding that this all happened because he was pictured by the press walking into the funeral of a lifelong neighbour. May Noel rest in peace.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, adjourned sentencing to April 30.

Declan Brady is already serving two lengthy jail terms for firearms offences and money laundering on behalf of the Kinahan crime gang.
It is not the first time Anthony OSullivan has been caught up in CAB proceedings, but the last time the target was John Boylan

SEVEN years ago, Anthony OSullivan stood in the winners enclosure at Cheltenham after the racehorse Labaik pulled off a stunning 25-1 win at the famous festival.

Trained by Gordon Elliot, the French horse became an overnight folk hero for Irish racing fans and left bookies counting the cost.

Beside OSullivan on the day stood drug dealer and convicted criminal John Boylan. The pair raised their arms in victory with broad grins across their faces.

But this week OSullivan looked less delighted as he appeared at the Four Courts in Dublin where the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is seeking to have two properties turned over to it.

CAB secured court orders under Section 2 of the Proceeds of Crime Act last November to freeze the properties and will be making the case to allow it to take them over.

Anthony O' Sullivan

OSullivan has been served notice that CAB is to begin the next step in proceedings, but he has not yet filed an affidavit in his defence, it was heard in court.

OSullivans case is due for mention again next month.

It is not the first time Anthony OSullivan has been caught up in CAB proceedings, but the last time the target was John Boylan.

Within a week of the victory celebrations at Cheltenham in 2017, CAB officers targeting a west Dublin crime gang raided 12 premises and seized a Mercedes and cash.

Boylan, also known as John Power, was later named as the target of a Proceeds of Crime action which would include Labaik being effectively seized by CAB.

One affidavit filed by CAB made it clear that the celebrations at the winners enclosure resulted in Boylan, and subsequently OSullivan, being investigated.

The profiler working in the garda unit stated that she learned of Boylans income and her view was that everything pointed to him being the owner of the racehorse Labaik.

Armed gardai even travelled to Punchestown where the horse had been entered in a race to ensure its passport stayed in their control and to prevent Labaik being sold.

Boylan's Rathcoole house

A garda superintendent at one hearing said they feared trainer Gordon Elliot, who has no involvement in crime, could have been pressured by criminals to hand over Labaik.

Boylan tried to hit back in the courts, blaming CAB for allowing Labaik to run in a race where it picked up an injury, making the horse worthless when it could have gone for as much as 300,000 at sale.

At one point in the legal wrangle, Anthony OSullivan put himself forward as part-owner of Labaik, which never raced again and died of colic in late 2020.

He had lodged a motion in 2018 claiming half ownership of Boylans 90 per cent share and saying he was entitled to his share of the horses winnings.

However, on the final day of the hearing in April 2019, OSullivans solicitor told the court that his client was no longer pursing the application and it could be struck out.

During the CAB case against Boylan, it was heard OSullivan was the registered owner of Forest Hill Animal Feeds, which the Bureau says was established by Boylan.

The company was invoiced by Goffs (UK) for the purchase of Labaik, but CAB said it was money from Boylan which was used to pay for the horse.

CAB also said at the time that OSullivan, of Ashwood Road, Clondalkin, Dublin, is also involved in criminality.

During his case against CAB, Boylan gave evidence that his friend Anthony OSullivan bought the horse through Gordon Elliot and asked him if he wanted to buy into the horse.

He said he had an understanding with OSullivan that he was buying half the horse and would pay all the cost.

In a judgement in October 2019, OSullivans case was formally struck out and Boylan was deemed to have failed to make his case against CAB.

CAB was granted the motions to have Boylans E Class Mercedes declared the proceeds of crime along with his 90 per cent share of Labaik, along with a mobile home and a house in Dublin.

The Sunday World previously revealed Boylan has 67 convictions for offences including cocaine dealing, criminal damage, threatening and abusive behaviour and theft.

He was once arrested in connection with the attempted robbery of a cash-in-transit van in Lucan in 2009, during which a raider was shot dead by gardai.

Boylan was arrested near the scene of the raid and charged in connection with the offence.

He denied all involvement and was later acquitted in that case on the directions of a judge.
This is just an absolutely shocking and terrible incident and no one knows what has happened

Gardai in Kerry have launched a probe into the fatal shooting of a man in the Castlemaine area.

The investigation was launched after gardai discovered the body of a man in his eighties at his home outside the mid-Kerry village on Sunday morning.

A spokesperson for the Garda Press Office said that gardai in Tralee are now investigating all of the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the mans body.

The Kerryman understands that gardai are treating the death as a fatal shooting.

Residents in the quiet rural village were shocked last night of the news of the mans death.

Fianna Fail councillor Michael OShea told the Irish Independent: The area is a beautiful, quiet village, where everyone knows everyone.

Everyone knows who their neighbour is and everyone respects and watches out for their neighbour and everyone in the village.

This is just an absolutely shocking and terrible incident and no one knows what has happened.

You could live a lifetime down here and nothing like this would ever happen, so understandably, we are all completely shocked and taken aback.

I am not sure who the man was yet but I can just say this is a very sad and tragic incident that no one wants to ever hear of.

All thoughts go to the man and his family.

Meanwhile, a local resident said: Its a shock to anyone who heard the news.

People are shocked, people never expect it to happen here, to anyone here.

But its especially shocking that an elderly person has died. Thats the saddest thing of all. Our thoughts are with the man and his family.

The village lies between Tralee and Killorglin. It is a picturesque corner of Kerry with a strong rural sense of community.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene and removed to the mortuary at University Hospital Kerry, the garda press office said.

The scene is currently being preserved for technical examination, with The Kerryman witnessing several gardai at the home on Sunday evening.

The garda press office said that the State Pathologist and local coroner have been notified.

The results of a post-mortem examination will assist Gardai in determining the course of the investigation, they added.

The Kerryman has learned that gardai are now speaking with another male in relation to the incident.
I asked him why he agreed to do it (to be drawn) and he said he thought it would be a positive thing to do

It has been a profound and extraordinary week in the life of the acclaimed artist Mike ODonnell.

Today he will begin clearing away his successful exhibition called Released from St Johns Theatre in Listowel, Co Kerry.

Thousands of people came to see his portraits, but the visit last week of one man had special significance.

Gerry The Monk Hutch, the subject of 16 of Mr ODonnells 26 portraits, arrived quietly without fanfare last Thursday afternoon.

Mr ODonnell had extended the invitation always in the hope Hutch would come but was never sure that he would, or could. But he did and the artist is grateful.

The two men first encountered each other when Mr ODonnell sketched him during the Regency murder trial.

Following his acquittal, Hutch accepted Mr ODonnells request to draw him again and welcomed him into his home. On the day, Mr ODonnell brought a homemade apple tart served in one of his mothers favourite dishes.

Last Wednesday, Mr ODonnells mother Mary ODonnell was laid to rest. She died at the age of 92.

Mr ODonnell was moved when Hutch sympathised with him and returned Marys beloved dish that contained the apple tart. I thought it was the mark of the man. Respectful and decent, Mr ODonnell said.

It was wonderful for me to have him come and see my work. It meant a lot to me. It brought the whole thing full circle.

I asked him why he agreed to do it (to be drawn) and he said he thought it would be a positive thing to do. I think he meant it would be a good thing to do for me and I hope it was a good thing for him too. He said he has had requests from many artists, but he selected me because he thought I was good and I am very honoured.

Its not easy to make art and its even harder to make a living. And I am so grateful for his time and generosity to me.

He said a very funny thing when he arrived in Listowel after passing through Kerry and seeing all the grottos en route. He said, I thought we were going to end up in Lourdes.

I brought him around the exhibition and he said he really enjoyed it. He talked a little bit about his past in that he said he doesnt look back in anger. He is a man of substance.

Hutch was found not guilty in the Regency trial but was described by a judge of the Special Criminal Court as a figurehead and patriarchal figure of the Hutch organised crime group.

He is still under garda investigation, and it is understood his life could still be under threat from rival gangsters. He divides his time between Ireland and Spain, remaining cautious about his safety.

Also last week, Mr ODonnells hometown of Tralee was convulsed by the largest drug seizure in its history  and two local men were charged.

Mr ODonnell knew one of the men very well and sketched him as he stood in the dock. Drawing him was hard for me because I know him, he said. We acknowledged each other and I put my fist on my heart to let him know I could see the humanity in him even in the situation we found ourselves.

I do that with everyone I draw. I dont like when people use the word monster to describe any person. There is humanity in every person and I look for it when I draw someone. I always find it.

It certainly has been one of those weeks I will never have again.

Last Sunday night my brother and I held my mothers hand and guided her into eternity. She brought us into this world and we saw her out.

Mr ODonnells exhibition will move to a venue to be announced in Dublin.
Because we have our own issues - we have our own path. We were never looked after so don't pit us against another vulnerable group

Far-right groups have been accused of attempts to set minorities against each other in Ireland in a blatant bid to promote their own political agenda.

A leading Traveller community activist in Kerry said some far-right campaigners have clearly tried to pit minority groups against each other - most notably by trying to get Irish minority groups to speak out against overseas minorities in respect of the allocation of available healthcare, housing and education resources.

Kerry Traveller Health and Community Development Project manager Brigid Quilligan warned far-right activists not to attempt to exploit Travellers who have historically never been looked after in Ireland.

Far-right campaigns have increasingly promoted an 'Irish first' strategy in a bid to garner support.

Such slogans have been evident at numerous anti-refugee protests nationwide - amid demands from far right campaigners that Ireland should look after its own minorities with scarce resources rather than aiding refugees and asylum seekers.

The tactics are seen as a bid to promote far-right candidates in upcoming local elections by fuelling and then exploiting local controversies.

However, one Cork protest against the development of a refugee housing complex has involved several people who had previously campaigned against Traveller accommodation.

Ms Quilligan said Traveller groups have not been taken in by such divisive tactics and the sudden display of concern for Irish minorities who, until now, have been ignored by large swathes of society.

"What I find is that often minority communities are pitted against each other," she told Radio Kerry.

"We would find an awful lot of people now, very far-right people, would say: 'What about our own?' What about the Traveller community? We want to look after our own."

"My response to that - our response to that - don't pit us against another community that is looking for support and resources.

"Because we have our own issues - we have our own path. We were never looked after so don't pit us against another vulnerable group."

Traveller groups have also queried the timing of the sudden show of concern for their needs.
I'd rather be at home making love to my wife while my children are asleep

President Joe Biden has joked to aides that the key to a long and lasting marriage is "good sex," according to a new book about first lady Jill Biden that casts a spotlight on their 47-year romance.

"American Woman - The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden," was authored by New York Times White House correspondent Katie Rogers and comes out this week.

The part about sex takes up only a few paragraphs in the 276-page book but has already generated headlines.

Rogers writes that Biden opted against running for president in 2004, a decision punctuated to aides when Jill Biden entered the room wearing a halter top with the word "NO" scrawled on her stomach.

Joe Biden, now 81, told a group of supporters that year that he had little interest in running for president. "I'd rather be at home making love to my wife while my children are asleep," he said.

The comment drew a shrug from a spokesperson at the time who said then-Senator Biden was "frankly totally in love with his wife," Rogers writes.

"Joe may have tamped down on his public bedroom declarations (in) winning the presidency, but he has joked to aides that 'good sex' is the key to a lasting and happy marriage, much to his wife's chagrin," according to Rogers.

The book describes the anguish Joe Biden experienced when his first wife, Neilia, died in a 1972 car crash along with their daughter Naomi.

He and Jill married in 1977, but it took five proposals from Biden to get Jill to agree.

"I've been as patient as I know how to be, but this has got my Irish up. Either you decide to marry me or that's it - I'm out. I'm not asking again," Biden said on the fifth try, Rogers writes.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, February 26. Within the framework of studying the investment potential of Uzbekistan, the representative office of Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company (NMMC) JSC in Tashkent held a meeting with a delegation of UK Colchester Global and BlueCrest Capital Management companies, Trend reports.

During the negotiations, the foreign partners were presented with the ultimate goals on effective utilization of local raw material base and industrial development on the basis of advanced technologies, which were developed on the basis of experience gained during the implementation of the New Uzbekistan Strategy.

In addition, the UK guests were presented information on the company's performance, strategic changes and implementation of the best global practices.

Following the negotiations, an agreement was reached to develop projects in the mining industry jointly with the representative office of JP Morgan Chase in Uzbekistan.

Meanwhile, Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company manufactured products worth 67.5 trillion soums ($5.4 billion) in 2023, which is 3.8 percent more year-on-year.

Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company attracted $473.5 million within the framework of Uzbekistan's Investment Program for 20212023.
The first of a series of overnight closures on the State Highway 29 Kaimai Range which started on Sunday night will continue to Thursday February 29. The highway will be closed from 8pm to 4.30am each night.

"Closing the road will ensure essential maintenance can be done in a safe and efficient manner," says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Maintenance and Operations Regional Manager Roger Brady.

"SH29 is a critical route, providing the key link between the countrys largest port and the Golden Triangle."

Roger says around 14,000 vehicles use this road every day, including several thousand heavy vehicles.

"It is critical that we are able to maintain SH29 to ensure the route is safe and accessible for all road users.

Weve collaborated with freight operators and roading contractors to confirm days and times that work best for everybody.

"By locking in a schedule, regular road users, including freight operators, can make plans in advance to minimise the disruption to themselves and their customers.

Roger says further multi-night closures will take place in March, May and July.

State Highway 2 corridor between Tauranga and Katikati

Road renewals on SH2 north of Tauranga continue to make great strides, over half the reseal programme is now complete, with 12 out of the 20 sites between Katikati and Tauranga ticked off the list,' says Roger.

"Most of this work is carried out at night, although temporary speed limits will be in place the following day to allow the chip to bed in, so delays are to be expected."

For all roadworks, please follow the temporary signs and directions of the traffic management teams.

Plan ahead and check Journey Planner before you travel: journeys.nzta.govt.nz

Bay of Plenty

Tauranga

 Takitimu North Link Stage One: Earthworks are underway across a number of sites. On Wairoa Road, stop/go traffic management is in place while trucks are crossing Wairoa Road, and 30km/h speed limits is in place at all times within the construction area. Work in this area will become more evident as the Wairoa Road bridge is completed in preparation for its opening. Minden Road has a 30km/h speed limit throughout the construction zone. A temporary haul road, separated from SH2, into the Te Mete Valley is operational to support the summer earthworks season. Temporary speed limit of 60km/h on SH2 alongside the haul road. More information.

 Cambridge/Moffat roads: Construction work to complete the new Cambridge Road Overbridge, between Bethlehem and Tauriko continues. Until April 2024, there is a full closure of a section of Moffat Road between Tauranga Adventist School and Cambridge Road (East). This is disruptive, there are local alternative routes for light vehicles, and all heavy vehicles can use SH29/Takitimu Drive Toll Road. More information.

 Waihi Road, Tauranga: Tauranga City Council will be undertaking asphalt resurfacing work working on Waihi Road from Sunday 25 February to Sunday 10 March, the SH2 on-ramp to SH2 Takitimu Drive will be closed during this time.

 SH2 Bay Link: People travelling between Baypark and Bayfair will continue to see road and lane closures at night. This week these are from Sunday 25 February to Friday 1 March (approximately 7pm to 6am each night) around Bayfair roundabout and across SH2/SH29A Te Maunga interchange. Closures will vary night to night, depending on site requirements and progress, and people are asked to allow extra time, follow signposted detours and drive with caution through the project site. To minimise impact, works are undertaken at night where possible. More information.

 SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road (TDTR): A reduced speed limit of 80km/h is in place while Takitimu North Link crews are working behind the barriers.

 SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR) Shared Path: The shared path alongside SH2 is diverted until May 2024. An alternative option for path users is available via Kaituna Road and Te Tumu Road.

 SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR): The Quayside Properties Ltd-led Rangiuru Business Park Interchange project continues. Temporary barriers will be in place until approximately June 2024, with one lane available in either direction. A temporary speed limit of 70km/h applies through the site. More information.

Western Bay of Plenty

 SH2 Waihi to Omokoroa: At Sharp Road, roundabout construction is underway with significant activity on the southbound lanes. There will be intermittent stop/go in place which may cause longer delays, however, typically there will be minor delays of one to two minutes. In the Athenree Gorge, lane shifts and speed restrictions are in place while line markings are changed.

 SH2 Apata Curves: Road widening works are underway with lane shifts and speed restrictions in place. There will be intermittent stop/go traffic management in place which may cause longer delays, however typically delays will be between one to two minutes. Please follow the temporary signs and directions of the traffic management team.

 SH2 Tahawai: Lane shifts, shoulder closures and speed restrictions are in place between Kauri Point Road and Stokes Road as services are relocated. These works are expected to be completed by the end of February.

 SH2/near Loop Road, Te Puna: Construction continues at the western tie-in of the Takitimu North Link project, where utilities need to be moved.

 SH2 Bethlehem to Athenree: Resealing is underway at a number of locations on SH2 between Bethlehem and Waihi. Reseals between Te Puna and Omokoroa will result in some line-marking changes with wide centrelines installed (providing greater separation for opposing traffic).

 SH29 Kaimai Range: The Kaimai Range will be closed from Sunday 25 February to Thursday 29 February, from 8pm to 4.30am to allow road resurfacing to take place. The closure points on the western side of the Kaimai Range is at the SH29/24 and SH29/28 intersections and on the eastern side of the Kaimai Range at the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection. Detours are available for all vehicles southbound via Rotorua and northbound via the Karangahake Gorge.

Rotorua

 SH30 Atiamuri: Road rehabilitation continues between 7am and 5pm each day until Thursday 29 February. Temporary traffic management will be in place with stop/go temporary traffic management in place during work hours and will remain in place for 48 hours after works are complete until the road has been swept and line marked.

 SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage One and Two: Line marking continues on Stage One between Tarawera Road and Iles Road. This work will be done at night (7pm to 6am) and includes limit lines, fire hydrant/valve markings along the road and through the intersection. Temporary traffic management will be in place including short term lane closures, road closures, shoulder closures and temporary speed restrictions in place while the line marking is underway and to allow for drying. We expect this work to be completed by Friday 1 March, weather dependent.

Work begins Monday 26 February on the remaining section of road between Owhata Roundabout and Tumene Drive, including surface milling, asphalting and stormwater connections in the westbound lane. This work will require the entrance to Brent Road to be closed Monday 26 February and Tuesday 27 February. Multiple active worksites may include stop/go, lane shifts and shoulder closures, temporary pedestrian crossings, footpath closures, and/or reduced speed limits. Access for local residents and businesses will be maintained at all times. More information.

 SH33 Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa: Safety improvement work continues about 6km north of Okere Falls Cafe. Work includes widening of the road corridor, installing safety barriers and improving drainage. Temporary traffic management is in place including stop/go, lane shifts, shoulder closures and reduced speed limits. Temporary traffic lights will be in place 24/7 from Monday 26 February for approximately two weeks while pavement construction is underway. Minor traffic delays are expected. More information.

 SH30/33 Te Ngae Junction: Safety barriers will be installed at the roundabout, with night works from 6pm Monday 4 March 2024. Work will occur between 6pm and 7am - for five nights (weather permitting). Temporary traffic management will be in place including stop/go, lane shifts, and reduced speed limits. Minor traffic delays are expected. More information.

Eastern Bay of Plenty

 SH2 Manganuku Bridge, Waioeka Gorge: A reduced speed limit of 30km/h for heavy vehicles will remain in place until further notice. Heavy vehicles must adhere to the speed limit as those travelling at higher speeds will exert greater loads on the structure, which currently poses a significant risk. Repairs will start on the bridge towards the end of March and take 2 weeks to complete.

 SH2 Wainui: Excavation works will take place at the intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road (Matakerepu) on Wednesday 28 February to identify existing services and record the location and depth of these. There will be a 3-way stop/go in place from 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Tairawhiti Gisborne/Hawkes Bay:

 SH5 Napier to Taupo: Work is underway at multiple sites on SH5 to improve safety at high-risk curves. In addition, contractors are undertaking repair, recovery and routine maintenance work at various SH5 sites. Overall, please plan for delays of up to 30 minutes across the whole SH5 Napier to Taupo corridor. While this work takes place, stop/go traffic management is in place in certain areas, and there are temporary reduced speed limits of 30km/h and/or 50km/h. Current worksites on SH5 include: the intersection of SH5 and Marshalls Bridge (north of Eskdale), SH5 north of Te Pohue (south of the passing lane), and the site near the underslip at SH5 Captains Culvert.

Manawatu-Whanganui

 SH1 Utiku: Road repairs are in progress with a view to restoring the road back to 100km/h by the end of March. Currently 2 lanes are open through the site at 30km/h, from time to time there will be stop/go traffic management in place.

 SH1/3 Bulls to Sanson: Full nighttime closures continue to allow for roundabout tie-in works. The section of SH1/3 outside Base Ohakea is closed at night between 7.30pm and 6am Sunday nights to Friday mornings. The southbound detour for motorists (light vehicles) is via Tangimoana Road, Taylor Road and onto SH1. The southbound detour for freight (heavy vehicles) is via Tangimoana Road, Campion Road and onto SH1. The detour for all northbound traffic is via Fagan Road, Speedy Road, Tangimoana Road and back onto SH1/3. From Monday 19 February, the new roundabout will be open with a 30km/h speed restriction in place and uneven surfaces at times. During daytime hours (and on Friday and Saturday nights), all motorists will be travelling on the new road alignment. More information.

Waikato

 A variety of safety improvements across the Waikato are about to commence, these will contribute towards making the roads safer. A programme of work about to start includes a mixture of new and modified signage, new hazard warning signs, roadside safety/barrier guard rail, road widening, improved road lines and improved road markings. It is expected there will be minimal disruption for motorists while this work is completed. The works will take place over the next three months. More Information.

East Waikato

 SH25 Coromandel: Recovery work is underway along SH25 to repair damage caused by last summers severe weather. The sites include Wharekaho and Pumpkin Hill. Stop/go traffic management will be in place at these locations. More information.

 SH25 Ruamahunga: Our team working to stabilise the large slip site at Ruamahunga is making great progress and needs equipment and supplies delivered to the top of the slope by helicopter on a regular basis. Moving forwards, from this Friday 23 February, these deliveries will be made every second Friday until further notice. This will usually be done between 12 noon and 2.00pm and means SH25 will be closed at the site for short periods so the helicopter can safely operate over the road to deliver those important supplies. The road will be closed in both directions for up to 20 minutes at a time and then reopened to allow traffic to clear before the next closure.

 SH27 Waharoa: Safety upgrade work continues on SH27 between Walker Street and McGowan Street and is expected to take up to 4 weeks to complete. SH27 is open to traffic, under lane diversions and stop/go traffic management when needed. Car parks on SH27 will be inaccessible during this period, however the rest area and car park across the road from the Pitt Street intersection will remain open and a safe crossing will be provided at all times. Minor delays are to be expected.

 SH27 Mangatarata: Stop/go traffic management will be in place until early March, while a southbound side barrier, new signs and line marking (including rumble strips) are installed. At times, there will be nightworks between 7pm and 6am, and a reduced speed limit. Minor delays are expected.

 SH29 Hinuera: A full road closure of SH29 at Hinuera is in place weekdays, between 6am and 6pm, until Wednesday 28 February. A detour is available westbound via SH27, then left onto Puketutu Road, then left onto Hinuera Road, Hopkins Road and back on to SH29 and vice versa travelling eastbound. Minor delays are expected.

Central Waikato

 SH1 Lichfield: Road rehabilitation continues until Tuesday 5 March. There will be stop/go in place from 6am-6pm Monday to Saturday along with a temporary speed limit.

 SH1 Atiamuri: Road widening is under way for safety barrier installation along a 6.9km section of SH1, from the Waikato River Bridge south to Thorpe Road. Work is behind temporary safety barriers and there is a 50km/h speed restriction. Stop/go is in place between 8amand 5pm on Monday and Wednesday, 26 and 28 February, at a narrow section where safety barriers cannot be used. Expect delays of up to 5 minutes.

 SH1 Maroa Road: The 4.8km site is currently operating at 100km/h until finishing works for the safety barrier installation resume.

 SH1 East Taupo Arterial: Road widening and flexible safety barrier installation continues between Napier Road and the airport roundabout. Speed restrictions will be in place, with completion expected to be mid-2024. More information.

 SH5 Wairakei: Stage two of road rehabilitation near Palmer Mill Road continues until mid-March. Work will take place from Monday to Saturday between 6am and 6pm with stop/go traffic management in place with temporary speed limits. Outside of these hours both lanes will be open with reduced speed limits.

 SH41 Tokaanu: Due to a washout, the road is down to one lane under temporary traffic lights, with a 30km/h temporary speed restriction in place. Works to repair the washout are due to begin Early April and will take 3-4 weeks to complete.

 SH1 Desert Road  night closures: Pavement rehabilitation night work at multiple locations along SH1 Desert Road require road closures. Work continues until mid-March, between 6pm and 6am, Sunday to Thursday nights, SH1 will be closed between Waiouru and Rangipo. There will be a detour in place via SH46, SH47, SH4 and SH49, back to SH1 and vice versa. This detour adds approximately 35 minutes to travel time. Outside these hours (including all day on Friday and Saturday) both lanes will be open with reduced speed limits.

West Waikato

 SH1 Waikato Expressway - Ngaruawahia section: Safety improvements and remedial works continue with another block of current night-time closures now underway. Southbound closures are from Sunday 25 February to Thursday 7 March, 7pm-5am. The southbound detour uses SH1B, with light traffic rejoining SH1 via Lake Road. Heavy vehicles (50 tonnes and above) must continue on SH1B, including the local road detour around Telephone Road, and connect to SH1 again at Cambridge or via SH26 into Hamilton. More information.

 SH1 Waikato Expressway  Rangiriri Section: While remedial work has been completed the repairs need to bed in before final surfacing starts in Early March. A temporary speed limit of 70km/h remains in place until the final surfacing is completed.

 SH1/SH29 Piarere Intersection: Work is underway constructing the access road, drainage works and installing environmental controls. Temporary traffic management is in place, including shoulder closures and lane shifts, please follow the instructions of the team on site and any temporary traffic signage. Traffic delays are expected during construction in this area and an increase of vehicle movements including truck and trailers carting material to site. More Information.

 SH1 Karapiro: Work is underway on a section of SH1 between Keeleys Reserve and Moana Roa Road in preparation for median barrier being installed mid-2024. The main construction work involves 1.5km of shoulder widening, temporary barrier installation, earthworks and pavement construction, followed by surfacing, lighting and permanent barrier installation. During the majority of the construction the slow (left-hand) lane of the southbound passing lane between Keeleys Reserve and Moana Roa Road will be closed, and the worksite will be under a temporary speed limit of 50km/h. Access in and out of Kentucky Road will remain open. Construction is expected to be finished by late June.

 SH1 Karapiro (Gorton Road): The construction of a turnaround bay at Gorton Road continues and will be followed by another at Tunakawa Road. While construction crews are onsite, there is no right turn onto Gorton Road. This means southbound traffic wanting to access Gorton Road will need to travel to the new turnaround bay at Keeleys Reserve to change direction. This adds around 4-6 minutes to your journey. Previously the right turn onto Gorton was reopening on weekends/outside of work hours, however this is no longer occurring due to safety concerns and confusion to motorists. The left turn onto Gorton Road, and left and right turn onto SH1, will remain for the duration of construction, with a stop sign rule applied. More information.

 SH3 Ohaupo: The Waipa District Council led Ohaupo Village pedestrian safety improvements are underway and are expected to be complete by late February. During this time lane shifts and stop/go traffic management will be in place, along with temporary speed limits.

 SH23 Raglan: Preparation works including kerb, channel and drainage continue, with work taking place between 7am and 5pm each day until Saturday 24 February. From Tuesday 27 February, SH23 will be closed overnight between 9pm and 5am between houses #4095 and #4180, this is to enable crews to remove existing road layers and replace them. Vehicles will be allowed through the worksite at 9.45pm, 11pm, 1am and 3am. The work is expected to be completed in early March. More Information

 SH30 Te Kuiti: Due to a slip, priority give-way is in place near Mangaokewa Road, motorists are advised to proceed with caution.

 SH3 Te Kuiti: Drivers on SH3 are advised to expect delays from 29 Feb, with work beginning to build a retaining wall and culvert on a stretch of highway between Te Kuiti and the SH3/SH4 junction. For the first few days of construction traffic will be down to one lane with stop/go traffic control while the highway is temporarily widened on the southbound shoulder. Drivers should expect short delays at this site. Once this is done the road will be reopened to two lanes under speed restrictions for up to three months while the retaining wall and culvert are being built, with a few days of stop/go expected at the end of the project.

North Waikato

 SH2 Pokeno: Slip repairs are being carried out until Tuesday 12 March between 7am and 7pm outside Max Birt Sawmills, Pokeno (1.5km from the SH1 Southern Motorway onramp). During this time there will be speed reductions in place and road layout changes. More information

 SH2 Mangatawhiri: From Sunday 25 February until Monday 11 March there will be stop/go from 9pm to 5am at the east bound Mangatawhiri off-ramp for maintenance.

 SH1 Pokeno interchange to Mercer interchange: There will be a full southbound closure on Thursday 29 February between 10pm and 5am to carry out multiple maintenance activities. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes.

 SH1 Orams Road to Mercer interchange: There will be a full northbound closure on Wednesday 28 February between 9pm and 5am for barrier maintenance. Traffic will still be able to travel north using one of the southbound lanes.

 SH1 Dragway Road to Island Block Road: There will be a full northbound closure on Sunday 25 and Monday 26 February between 10pm and 5am for resurfacing. Traffic will still be able to travel north using one of the southbound lanes.

 SH1 Hampton Downs Overbridge: There will be a full closure of the overbridge at Hampton Downs from Foster Road to Harness Road (local roads) on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 February between 8pm and 5am. The northbound on-ramp and off-ramp will also be closed. There will be no access to the Gull Petrol Station. Please use alternative ramps at Dragway Road or Rodda Road.

Taranaki

 SH3 Uruti: Slip repairs continue at SH3 Uruti, north of Mangamaio Road. The work includes the installation of rock mesh protection to improve the safety and resilience of this slip-prone area of the network. The site will be run under stop/go traffic controls 24/7 with delays of approximately 10-15 minutes for the duration of construction and is expected to be completed by the end of March.

 SH3 Mt Messenger: From 7pm on Friday 5 April to 4am on Monday 8 April SH3 Mt Messenger will be closed for resurfacing. There will be scheduled openings to clear traffic queues. Outside this time, road users can expect stop/go traffic management at night between 6pm and 6am between Tuesday 2 April and Friday 19 April, with delays expected of up to 15 minutes. Road users are encouraged to plan ahead.

 SH3 Te Ara Tutohu Waitara to Bell Block: Until mid-June, Princess Street will be closed between SH3 and Armstrong Avenue to everyone except residents while roadworks continue. People travelling to or from Waitara via Princess Street will need to use Nelson Street or Bayly Street. Those wanting to access Princess Street west from Princess Street east (Tikorangi side) will need to use Bayly Street. Both lanes of SH3 are open, and a temporary roundabout will be in place at the Princess Street and SH3 intersection, with the current traffic lights removed. The roundabout is expected to be complete by mid-2024 More Information

 SH4 Paroparowhero Culvert Replacement: Work to repair damage from heavy rainfall on SH4 north of Taumarunui, between the intersection of SH43 and Okahukura Bridge Road will continue until June 2024. The repair work involves a temporary lane to maintain traffic flow under 24/7 e-light stop/go controls, while crews install a 3.5 x 4 metre box culvert. The work is scheduled to take approximately six months, weather permitting. Road users are asked to plan ahead for delays of up to 15 minutes in this area.

For up to 48 hours following completion of chipseal sites, a 50km/h temporary speed limit will be in place until the road is swept and line marking reinstated.



The above information is accurate at the time of release. Many of the above works are dependent on a number of factors, particularly weather, and may be postponed at short notice. For up-to-date information on road works, traffic, detours and delays, motorists are encouraged to visit the NZTA Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz).

NZTA thanks motorists for their patience while we complete this essential work to keep the state highway network safe, accessible and resilient.

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

 Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
The coalition Government is restoring law and order by providing police new tools to crack down on criminal gangs, says Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell.

Over the last five years gangs have recruited more than 3000 members, a 51 per cent increase," says Goldsmith.

"At the same time, weve seen a significant escalation in gang-related violence, public intimidation and shootings, with violent crime up 33 per cent.

We need to take action and reduce gangs ability to engage in criminal behaviour and prevent them from further endangering and intimidating Kiwis."

Goldsmith says that is why, as part of National and ACTs coalition agreement, the Government will introduce legislation to ban all gang insignia in public places, and create greater powers to stop criminal gangs from gathering in groups and communicating.

Police will be able to issue dispersal notices, which will require gang members to immediately leave the area and not associate with one another for seven days," says Goldsmith.

Courts will be able to issue non-consorting orders, which will stop specified gang offenders from associating or communicating with one another for up to three years.

The law will also be changed to give greater weight to gang membership as an aggravating factor at sentencing, enabling courts to impose more severe punishments.

However the Opposition's justice spokesperson Duncan Webb and police spokesperson Ginny Andersen say "the Government's re-announcement of its impractical policy on gang insignia isn't going to make it work any better", and will only put more pressure on already stretched frontline Police.

This is a superficial policy that adds little if anything to existing powers and even worse, the evidence shows it doesnt work to reduce gang activity and intimidation," says Webb.

We all agree that gang intimidation must stop, but insisting that Police use their resources to chase down people for wearing jackets, bandanas, hats, even jewellery like rings, rather than criminal behaviour, is not the best way to do that.

The ACT Party says the gang crackdown is welcome and overdue.

ACT welcomes the Government cracking down on gangs and the introduction of ACTs policies to do it," says ACT Justice spokesperson Todd Stephenson.

"After five years of Labour cuddling criminals and ignoring victims, its time for gangs to see consequences for their actions.

Gangs are responsible for harm and chaos across the country, they peddle drugs, are violent and intimidating. They cause misery in our communities."

Stephenson says imposing tougher sentences on gang members by making their membership an aggravating factor is an ACT policy that will mean less people see their only prospect as becoming a gang prospect.

"ACT also campaigned on issuing dispersal notices and non-consorting orders," says Stephenson.

The gang members who ruin so many peoples lives are going to find more consequences for their actions because of ACTs policies.

"ACTs coalition document also got rid of Labours prisoner reduction target, commits to introducing Firearms Prohibition Orders, and reintroducing Three Strikes."

Stephenson says its time they sent a message to New Zealand that crime will be punished, that criminals cant get away with committing senseless violent acts on people trying to earn a living, and that victims are at the heart of the justice system.

ACT believes protecting the safety and property of New Zealanders is the governments first and most important job," says Stephenson.

"We welcome policies that restore balance to a system that has become too focussed on criminals instead of victims.

The Opposition's police spokesperson Ginny Andersen says if the Government wants Police to do more they need to back them with resourcing, not cut their budget.

Frontline police are stretched already dealing with criminal behaviour, so we have to look at what is the best use of their time. It certainly isnt being the wardrobe Police, says Andersen.

New Zealanders expect that gang members will be caught and punished if theyre committing crimes  it doesnt make a difference what theyre wearing. In fact its likely that banning gang patches will only make Police jobs more difficult as theyll be harder to find.

We support continued efforts to reduce the impact and influence of gangs in New Zealand, but it is disappointing that the Government is diverting resources from effective operations such as targeting the financial networks of gangs  hitting them in the pocket where it hurts them most  and ignoring the evidence that their actions will have no significant impact on reducing crime, says Andersen.

Minister of Police Mark Mitchell says New Zealanders deserve to feel safe in their homes, communities and public places.

For too long gangs have been allowed to behave as if they are above the law," says Mitchell.

"There is no tolerance for this behaviour and these new laws will support Police to take action against it.
In the economic golden triangle of Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga, Tauranga and the Mount have long enjoyed being a tourist Mecca, a city of beautiful beaches and boomers, looking to its cousins over the hill as a landlocked town of bogans and boy racers.

As for Taurangas boomer label of being the retirement capital of New Zealand, the median age in Tauranga in 2023 was 40 years, not much older than the national average of 38.

Tauranga has been the fastest growing in New Zealand for most of the last 27 years. Recent communications from Tauranga City Council still describe it as the fastest-growing.

However, latest Population Estimates & Projections data provided to Stuff from Statistics New Zealand show, between 30 June 2022 and 30 June 2023, Hamilton city grew 3.4 per cent while Tauranga city (which includes the Mount and Papamoa) grew 2.5 per cent.

Hamilton city also grew faster than any region between 2022 and 2023. Waikato region was the third fastest growing region (behind Auckland and Otago regions), growing by 2.3 per cent between 2022 and 2023, whereas Bay of Plenty was fourth, growing 2.1 per cent.

Looking at the longer term, between 30 June 2018 and 30 June 2023, Tauranga city grew by an average of 2.6 per cent per year whereas Hamilton city grew 1.9 per cent, says a spokesperson from Statistics New Zealand,

They were the first and second fastest growing cities.
Up on the upper deck of a navy ship in the late 1950s, back to the blast, listening to the countdown to detonation.

First was the flash, then a rolling thunderclap swept across the ocean a minute or so later.

When the flash came and their backs were to the blast, they were able to see an x-ray vision of their bones.

This is what many New Zealand Navy sailors experienced between May 1957 and September 1958.

British Nuclear testing, Operation Grapple involved nine tests near Christmas Island.

Recently, two Navy veterans received medals from the British Government who finally recognised their efforts in Operation Grapple between May 1957 and September 1958.

Naval officer commander Keith Wisneskey presents the medal to Ronald Arther Francis Owen. Photo: Ayla Yeoman.

Ronald Arther Francis Owen  also known as Raf, official number Q13952  joined the Navy in September 1951 as a Boy 2nd Class.

In 1957 he was on board the HMNZS Pukaki where he witnessed two nuclear detonations  Grapple X and Y.

Gordan Lindsay Roberts  official number M16180  joined the Navy in May 1957 as an ordinary seaman.

Lindsays first post was on the HMNZS Pukaki where the ship spent three months at Christmas Island for Operation Grapple, witnessing four nuclear detonations  Grapple Z.

We were guinea pigs because they wanted to know how close you can put a ship to a nuclear detonation and still operate, says Lindsay.

Keith Wisneskey presenting medal to Gordan Lindsay Roberts. Photo Ayla Yeoman.

You only saw the little ones! joked New Zealand Nuclear Testing Veterans Association vice president Brian Harnor.

The biggest one was Grapple Y, which was the equivalent of three million tons of TNT which is 200 times bigger than Hiroshima, and we were 80 miles away, but as per normal we were all on the upper deck and back to the blast.

We could hear the countdown to detonation.

It was awe-inspiring, says Brian.

It is something you would never forget, says Ronald.

We had x-ray vision of our bones in our hands, says Brian.

You couldnt believe it, can this be happening?

Then, a couple of minutes later we were told we could turn around and then you saw this developing H-bomb well up in the sky and this big orange-coloured ball growing larger and larger. It was an amazing sight.

You could see the sea being sucked up, we got this mushroom effect and it kept growing bigger and bigger at the top.

A view of Grapple Y nuclear test April 28, 1958. Photo supplied.

It was just fantastic, I mean its just like a movie.

The thought of damage or nuclear fallout or the future never entered our heads.

We were there as weather ships to make sure that if there was any dirty fallout it would be blown away from any land mass, says Brian.

Their task as sailors on the weather ships was to let off hydrogen balloons to monitor the weather and make sure it was safe to drop the bomb.

They wouldnt drop the bomb until it was safe.

They said it was clean, but they werent sure, this was all an experiment.

This medal ceremony was hugely significant to the veterans as they represented a recognition of their efforts from the British Government in British Nuclear Testing.

Any exposure to the use or testing of nuclear weapons exposes you to radiation.

The exposure that these veterans have been exposed to is incredibly dangerous causing cancers and many other health implications for those exposed and the generations after them.

In 1945 they had Hiroshima, Nagasaki, they knew the effect of those detonations, says Lindsay.

They were testing a new generation of bombs that they hoped were safe, but they had to test them to find out, says Brian.

We were totally uninformed about the possible health hazards, says Brian.

We were there doing a job to which they said there was no danger, says Lindsay.

The scientists knew there was danger.

They were aware there was radiation danger.

We were just the minions, the guinea pigs.

Medal presentation ceremony attendees. Photo Ayla Yeoman.

Due to the harm that these veterans were exposed to, Britain, the Royal Navy, the Air Force and the government have played hardball and denied all claims of harm caused by the exposure of their nuclear testing.

Theyve always hid the facts and denied them, says Brian.

Brian says around three years ago Boris Johnson sat down with the British veterans and finally looked them in the eye.

Finally, he understood the pain and realised what these guys had gone through, says Brian.

Out of that meeting, this medal was created."

Hence why the design of the medal has an atom surrounded by olive branches, explains Keith.

Brian did not receive a medal on Thursday, February 22, as he will be presented with his Tuesday, February 27 by the British High Commissioner.

Next Tuesday at the Navy Museum in Auckland, the British High Commissioner is honouring us by coming to that function, and she will honour us by presenting it to us on behalf of the British government.

That makes me very proud that theyve recognised the service, its been a long, long time coming, says Brian.
The New Zealand Defence Force will hear fresh accounts of Maori military veterans experiences at the second hearing week of the Wai 2500 Military Veterans Kaupapa Inquiry into all claims involving past Maori military service.

The Waitangi Tribunal inquiry extends to all types of military service, whether operational or routine, in time of war or peace, and at home or abroad; undertaken directly for, or on behalf of the Crown of New Zealand or the Imperial Crown in New Zealand.

The purposes of the inquiry, in addition to determining the Treaty of Waitangi consistency of Crown conduct are to prepare an official narrative that will put Maori experiences of military service for the Crown on public record, and consider how to improve support for veterans and current serving personnel.

During this second round of hearings, held at Northlands Motatau Marae, 40km south of Paihia, the tribunal will hear further evidence from claimants regarding service in Korea and South East Asia (c. 1950s  1990s), Antarctic operations, nuclear testing and peacekeeping (c. 1950s  2010s) and current Crown policy and practice, in relation to concerns raised by Maori ex-service people and their whanau.

Senior leaders from across the Defence Force attended the opening of this weeks hearing, including Chief of Army Major General John Boswell and Commander Joint Forces Rear Admiral James Gilmour.

This process is about acknowledging and listening to the experiences our veterans had whilst they were in service. Its important they and their whanau have the opportunity to share their experiences, says Major General Boswell.

Its equally important that we as a Defence Force engage with our veterans and their whanau, so that we can learn from our past and find opportunities to better serve our Maori veterans, now and into the future.

The first week of WAI 2500 hearings took place at Tunohopu Marae in Rotorua.

Alongside the inquiry, the NZDF is conducting additional research into Maori military service. It has also held hui with veterans to provide updates on Tikanga and te reo Maori within Te Ope Katua o Aotearoa (New Zealand Defence Force), and the use of NZDF Marae and Turangawaewae (a place to stand).

Its important we take opportunities to inform our people, veterans and other involved agencies about bicultural policies and practices in Ngati Tumatauenga (NZ Army), Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa (Royal New Zealand Navy) and Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa (Royal New Zealand Air Force), says Major General Boswell.

This ensures veterans are better informed on the developments the NZDF has made, including in the use of service marae and turangawaewae. This aims to address a number of claims in the Wai 2500 Military Veterans Kaupapa Inquiry that pre-date those changes.

We want to understand how to better provide coordinated support to Maori veterans and whanau, and to identify and prioritise research that meets their needs.

Its what we need to do for our people and protect them moving forward.
After a dry February so far, the last week of meteorological summer starts off wet for the North Island, with settled weather for the South Island.

Heavy rain watches have been lifted for Great Barrier Island, the Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Plenty on Monday, but MetService is forecasting the rain in the second half of the week to mostly fall in dry eastern areas.

The Bay of Plenty, Great Barrier Island, and the Coromandel Peninsula were all under heavy rain watches until the early hours of Tuesday, as warm humid air over these areas brings an increased risk of localised downpours.

The risk of localised downpours was the biggest concern with these heavy rain watches, as peak intensities of 20 to 35 mm per hour could occur, says MetService Meteorologist Clare OConnor.

Downpours such as these can cause surface flooding and hazardous driving conditions so if you are in an area covered by a heavy rain watch make sure you keep an eye on the MetService rain radar and forecast throughout the day.

This humid air is wrapped into an area of low pressure which crosses the North Island in the early hours of Tuesday morning, says Clare.

As the low moves to the east of New Zealand, it takes the rain with it, feeding showers onshore on the east coasts of both main islands.

As these eastern areas have been the drier locations of this summer, any rainfall is likely welcome, however, accumulations expected will not alleviate the dry conditions.



After a month of see-sawing temperatures, this week these return to normal for the time of year, although fresh southerly winds on Wednesday afternoon about the lower North Island will add a brief chill to the air.

For the extra day of February 29, it is looking relatively settled across the country.

Image: MetService.
UPDATE 8.17AM: The Bay of Plenty woman reported missing earlier today, has been found.

In a post on Facebook earlier this morning, police issued a plea for a woman who was last seen from her Rotorua home at 11pm on Monday, February 26.

In an update post, police now say the woman "reported missing from her Rotorua home has been located safe and well".

"Thanks for all the shares!"

EARLIER:

Bay of Plenty Police are issuing a public plea to help find a missing woman.

The 75-year-old Rotorua woman, known as Robyn, was last seen on Wrigley Road at 11pm on Monday, February 26.

In a post on Facebook, police say Robyn has dementia.

"Family and Police are concerned for her wellbeing.

"Robyn is 150-160cm tall, with shoulder-length black and grey hair.

"She is very fit and can walk long distances, and may be wearing the same jacket as in the photo.

"Anyone who sees Robyn is asked to call 111 and reference the file number 240227/4227."
Jesus Diaz / ABC Seville Monday, 26 February 2024, 17:14 Compartir Copiar enlace

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Seville city council plans to close free access for tourists to the city's iconic Plaza de Espana and will start charging an entrance fee. Admission will remain free, however, for local residents registered in Seville and those born in the city.

Meanwhile, proceeds from the admission fee will go towards improving the conservation and security of the area and allow the creation of a ceramics workshop school to help maintain the popular monument, which was built for the Ibero-American exhibition of 1929 by Anibal Gonzalez. It is the second most visited monument in Seville after the city's cathedral and ahead of the Alcazar.

Currently, the central building of the square is occupied by a large number of institutions, ranging from the government delegation to the free trade zone, as well as the state roads department and the general secretariat of penitentiary institutions. Meanwhile, the city hall has ownership of the square's open space, from the ceramic benches representing the provinces to the front balustrade, including the estuary and the avenue of Isabel La Catolica.

Graphic: A. Montes / ABC Sevilla

The second most visited monument

The draft agreement, seen by the city's ABC newspaper, pointed out that in recent decades Patrimonio del Estado and the city council have both restored the site at a cost of more than ten million euros. The latest move aims to establish a management of the tourist hotspot, guaranteeing its conservation and maintenance for the future.

Mayor Jose Luis Sanz and Juan de la Rosa in the Plaza de Espana in Seville. R. Doblado

Of the 3.8 million tourists who visit the Andalusian city every year, between 95% and 97%, according to the Seville Tourism Observatory, visit the iconic square.

Horse-drawn carriages

According to the draft agreement, seen by SUR's sister newspaper, horse-drawn tourist carriages will continue have free access to the square, as well as staff working in the premises and people visiting the area for administrative purposes.
SUR in English Gibraltar Monday, 26 February 2024, 09:29 Compartir Copiar enlace

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Gibraltar resident Ian McIntosh was arrested for allegedly assaulting his partner and injuring her cat. He was charged with assault and cruelty to animals.

In a separate incident, Riyen Lea, who was on bail following an incident of suspected domestic abuse in December, was found in breach of bail conditions and has been remanded in HMP Windmill Hill.
Anthony Piovesan Monday, 26 February 2024, 13:52 Compartir Copiar enlace

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Before the Covid-19 pandemic Brit Craig Smith wouldnt have looked twice at Malaga as it appeared on the long list of flights at Heathrow Airports departures lounge in London. Today, after a quick trip visiting family in England, its the first thing he looks out for as he prepares to board his flight back home: to Malaga. The city pitched to host the World Expo, Torremolinos is looking to be the scene for EuroPride 2027, it really feels like the province is going places so I thought if I wanted an investment, why not Malaga, Smith told SUR in English.

The 39-year-old from Cambridge is just one of many new home buyers in Malaga province who are snapping up homes not only to enjoy life along the sunnier shores of southern Spain, but as an investment to capitalise off a destination that is quickly drawing extra attention from all corners of the globe.

Smith said he had always wanted to live somewhere warmer than the UK, and so Malaga became a candidate city for the graphic designer to call home. While it boasted miles of golden beach along the Costa del Sol, consistent sunshine and year-round warmth, Smith could never expect from his small, cold town north of London, it is what Malaga is transforming into that convinced him of his future there and to purchase a home in Torremolinos.

You have digital nomads coming in from all over the world, Google setting up its headquarters here - everyone seems to be investing in Malaga, residentially and commercially, so I wanted to be a part of that, he said.

Long-term investment

In May 2023 Smith purchased his home, a three-bedroom property with a terrace that looks out to the nearby Parque Bateria in Torremolinos, the mountains and Mediterranean sea. While he pointed out how much he enjoys the space day-to-day, he also said the house would be a long-term investment, and has applied for Andalucias new tourist permit so he can one day turn the home into an Airbnb.

When I left the UK and decided to make Spain my home, I sold my flat there and I feel like property is a good form of investment so I wanted to take the money I earned from the sale of my flat and put it into another property rather than leaving it in the bank, Smith said.

With a destination like Malaga, its in hot demand and so many more people are flocking here each year so I see the house as definitely my short term home but also a long term investment. I also thought buying a home here would make me feel more a part of Spain and a part of the community if it was a house that I owned and Im investing in. Living here helps me really integrate in many aspects rather than just feeling transient if Im renting - Ive chosen Spain and I want to invest in it and keep my money here, he added.

A place to unwind

Brit Mark Coup wanted somewhere sunny he and his family could escape to over school holidays and so he purchased a two-bedroom apartment in Duquesa in June 2023.

The 57-year-old from Hebden Bridge, a small town in Englands West Yorkshire region, runs a jewellery and homecare business and fosters three children in addition to his own three birth children and said he was looking for a place he could unwind. He had never been to the Costa del Sol other than one weekend in Malaga city six years ago, but started researching properties and suddenly considered it as a prospect. I didnt really know what I wanted to buy and what each purpose would be, whether it would be a holiday home for our employees, ourselves and our foster children or whether it would be to rent out as an investment, said Coup, who engaged The Spanish Estate Agent to help him find his dream property.

Mark Coup and his family bought an apartment in Duquesa within two days of arriving on the Costa del Sol. SUR

We were taken to Estepona and Duquesa and looked at two or three properties and we ended up owning an apartment from that visit that day, Coup said.

We got in touch with our lawyers and did all the paperwork and within 48 hours after having never visited the Costa del Sol before, the purchase was finalised.

The thing that made us buy in Spain and in that area, besides the glorious weather and the very child-friendly atmosphere, was the importance of having a place to relax. In my business during the Covid-19 pandemic we did 3,000 care visits a week in the middle of the UK, were responsible for 120 employees - it took a toll on everybodys health and wellbeing - so if weve got a holiday home in Spain, we have to go and use it and enjoy it and that warmth in winter, when things are dark and dreary in the UK, has already made an immediate difference for me, Coup added.

To live and work

Sales director at Gilmar real estate on the Costa del Sol Alberto Bermejo said a boom in house sales in Malaga province in recent years had created two markets: those buying in Malaga city and those purchasing houses along the Costa del Sol and in greater Malaga province.

The Covid-19 response has shown to many people that the Costa del Sol and Malaga are quite set up for people to work and to live very well, he said.

Property sales in Malaga province soared from 2,251 in 2020 - the year of the global health crisis - to 3,218 in 2021 and then 3,331 in 2022, according to figures from the Spanish INE national statistics institute.

The province since the pandemic has increased its capabilities to attract talent and boost its human resources, its connections by train and plane have improved and it has a very good climate so its become the perfect place to work from distance.

Bermejo said in addition to Brits, who predominate the market when it comes to foreign buyers in Malaga province, the past 12 months has seen an increase in buyers from Belgium, Netherlands, France, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania and Slovenia. He said the majority of them are pre-retirement age, choosing Malaga province to live long term, and often starting out by using their property as a holiday home before turning it into their forever home when they enter into full retirement.

A new home in the sun is a place to relax. SUR

Bermejo also pointed out an increase in Spanish buyers in Malaga province, with many buyers coming from Madrid and Barcelona.

Many of them are coming to Malaga to work, but also Malaga is increasing its university and educational offers so we are receiving more demand from Spaniards in Andalucia coming to study in Malaga, he added.

Scandinavian buyers

This is also backed by director of Hansen Real Estate Andreas Hansen who had also noticed an increase in Spanish buyers in the past 12 months.

This is a surprise, but it could be that they have the same push to buy as the Danes and Brits and Germans have: if they are fairly well off from Madrid, Barcelona, or north of Spain and can work from home then they might as well work in the sun rather than in the rain, he said.

Hansen, who has noticed undoubtedly the rise in house sales in the past five years in Malaga province, said most buyers are in the pre-retirement age bracket, above 50 years old.

While still lacking Norwegian buyers compared to a few years ago, Hansen also pointed out plenty of new Danish, Swedish, German and Dutch buyers, with a handful of Belgians and a sprinkling of French and Italians.

The interest in general just seems to be multiplying even more and since theres a lot of interest there are fewer properties available, he said.

Theres more demand than there is on offer, especially post Covid-19, since people have started working from home and they thought, well if Im only expected to be in the office once or twice a month anyway I might as well live in Malaga where there are cheap flights to Berlin or Copenhagen or wherever flights are offered.

More for your money

Climate is very important but I think people choose Malaga because they get a lot for their money in comparison - you can get very nice properties here for much less than you can up north usually, the director said.

Hansen said typical hot spots for buyers are still parts of the western Costa del Sol such as Estepona, Marbella and Mijas, but Torre del Mar has emerged as a recent area of interest.

It has had an amazing boom the past few years with the amount of people living here, the amount of properties being built and the quality of services, Hansen said.

The real estate agent also said Nerja, on the eastern part of the Costa del Sol is still as popular as ever but believes it is starting to reach its ceiling.

You can only build so much before you run out of space, he said. Hansen said Caleta de Velez is currently booming, especially among those prepared to spend a bit extra on their home, while Rincon de la Victoria was also experiencing an increase in house sales.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, February 26. Representatives of Uzbekistan and Russia discussed matters of establishing cooperation in agro-industrial sphere, Trend reports.

The discussion took place in an online dialogue on the topic "Uzbekistan and Russia - partners and agreements" organized by Uzbekistan's Consulate General in St. Petersburg together with the the Russian consulting firm Imexis LLC.

Representatives of the agricultural sector of Uzbekistan and Russia, such as Food Agro, Angor Fresh, Samarkand Evro Asia Textile, Aral See Acuaculture, BMB NRC Agrologistics Uzbekistan, Rustark, representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of St. Petersburg, the Association of Customs Brokers of Uzbekistan and Hermes professional guild took part in the online meeting.

During the meeting they familiarized with the potential and production capabilities of the companies, as well as supplying products grown in Uzbekistan to the Russian market.

Representatives of the Consulate General expressed interest in establishing friendly and mutually beneficial economic relations aimed at further strengthening trade and economic partnership between the two countries, and expressed readiness to comprehensively support business representatives of both countries.

The parties received detailed answers to all their questions and agreed to cooperate in establishing partnership relations and solving possible problems.

Meanwhile, foreign trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Russia amounted to $766.7 million in January 2024.
Europa Press Malaga Monday, 26 February 2024, 15:04 | Updated 21:49h. Compartir Copiar enlace

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A total of 46 people are being investigated by the police in Spain for alleged planning breaches at various properties throughout Malaga province.

Officers from the Guardia Civil's nature and environment protection branch Seprona inspected various properties across the area as part of a police operation and found 46 people - including builders, technical directors and landowners - were in breach of planning laws.

The operation was launched to combat offences against land and urban planning, and to protect the environment, historical and artistic heritage and the landscape, the Guardia Civil said in a statement.

In 179 inspections in all the municipalities of Malaga province, officers detected 192 breaches, mainly for lack of planning permission, failure to comply with the project and/or the licence, earthworks, and others. The complaints have been sent to the respective town councils, who are responsible for territorial and urban planning laws.

Of the breaches, officers noticed a trend of illegal construction of single-family homes on rural land, in some cases in protected areas, as well as the illegal installation of prefabricated houses for residential purposes. Authorities also discovered property owners who had illegally installed swimming pools under the cover of using it as an irrigation pool, building tool sheds without permission and others.

There were 30 urban planning breaches in the towns of Ronda, Mijas, Ojen, Casares, Estepona, Manilva, Coin, Pizarra, Alhaurin el Grande, Alhaurin de la Torre, Alora, Alozaina, Canillas de Aceituno, Rincon de la Victoria, Tolox, Competa and Torremolinos. The proceedings for these offences have been sent to the environmental prosecutor's office in Malaga.
David Lerma Estepona Monday, 26 February 2024, 18:31 Compartir Copiar enlace

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Selwo Aventura is celebrating 25 years of attracting visitors to the popular animal reserve in Estepona on the south coast of Spain.

In its more than two decades operating on the Costa del Sol, the park has become known for prioritising welfare over business interests through its collaboration with the European Endangered Species Programme.

Selwo Aventura reopened its doors this year on 16 February after its usual winter break. This 2024 season will see improvements to the park's facilities, with special attention to the area where numerous birds from Africa are housed. Selwo Aventura, as the veterinary centre of the Selwo Marina park in Benalmadena, will also refurbish its necropsy room, where studies of deceased specimens are carried out. There, samples of organs and fluids are taken for the genetic study of the animals.

Eloy Serrano, chief curator of Selwo Aventura, said he has never been fond of the traditional idea of a zoo. "When I started out as a zoologist, my idea of what it involved was not very favourable," the man pointed out, who started his career at Madrid Zoo and has been working in Estepona for the past seven years.

"Whether you call it a reserve or a zoo, they are animals that live in captivity. The important thing is that now in these institutions, conservation, recovery and environmental education are the priority, at least since 2003," he added.

Of Selwo Aventura he said it is like an "African safari". "We have evolved a lot, first within the zoos themselves, because before it was all about being able to see the animal; now it's about their welfare and the development of conservation projects."

Most popular

Serrano said the elephants had become the zoo's most popular animal. They currently have two: Mogor, an eleven-year-old Asian male, and Jangoli, a 54-year-old female.

Serrano, who has 21 keepers under his care, said the bond between keeper and animal is important at the Estepona animal park. "The keepers do have a great closeness, because they are very involved. There is a bond. This is not like switching off a computer," the zoologist, who is in charge of no less than a thousand animals spread over 108 species, said.

Among all of them, Cynara stands out, a female Iberian lynx daughter of Esperanza, who was found in a critical condition in a tree hole in Donana and was just the second to breed in captivity at the Zoobotanico de Jerez de la Frontera.
Juan Soto Malaga Monday, 26 February 2024, 11:09 Compartir Copiar enlace

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Foto Vega, one of Malaga city's main reference points for professional and amateur photographers, has closed after more than half a century of trade in Calle Granada.

The store first opened in Malaga's historic centre in November 1973, when it moved to the premises now occupied by La Taberna del Pintor de El Pimpi. They stayed there for approximately 15 years and later moved to number 50 on the street, premises they occupied until last January.

The owner of the store, David Vega, who has already closed the shop, pointed out they will be moving to the Cristo de la Epidemia area, although the Foto Vega brand will cease to exist. The brand name Fotocine Vega, which was the original name of the company, will be recovered.

The new Fotocine Vega will open in a couple of weeks in Calle Santa Maria Micaela 4. It will be in a property owned by the company, where until now they had a warehouse.

Vega said location was no longer a priority as the store hardly benefited from tourism. At the new premises they hope to focus more on online sales such as the sale of paper for digital kiosks throughout Spain, he added. They will now rent the premises they used to occupy in the centre to Mira Mira jewellers.
Cruise ship travel boom in Spain with more than 600,000 passengers setting sail in 2023 But the increase in cruise ship tourism has sparked protests from local residents in some ports of call, fed up with hordes of tourists clogging up their streets during the peak months

Edurne Martinez Madrid Monday, 26 February 2024, 17:35 Compartir Copiar enlace

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Tourists aboard cruise ships that docked into Spanish ports - including the Port of Malaga - exceeded 600,000 passengers last year, the latest data shows.

The figure is close to the record 700,000 cruise passengers registered in 2012. Chief executive of MSC Cruises Fernando Pacheco said at a press conference in Madrid the demand for cruises is growing year after year.

His company carried "more than half" of last year's total cruise passengers (350,000) and Pacheco predicted an increase in 2024 of between 10-15%, the same level as the expected price increase. "In 2023 we sold almost twice as many places as we sold in 2019," added Pacheco, who pointed out the average amount paid by each passenger per person per night in Spain last year was 120 euros all-inclusive except for day excursions.

Pacheco said one of the reasons for an increase in passengers is the reduction in air capacity following the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to fewer people paying higher prices to travel by plane.

But the increase in cruise ship tourism has sparked protests from local residents in some ports of call, fed up with hordes of tourists clogging up their streets during the peak months The city with the greatest social protest is Barcelona, as confirmed by MSC, which is why they are carrying out social and environmental sustainability strategies with the industry and the city council.

Pacheco said his company has signed an agreement with the city council in which MSC commits to not taking on water in Barcelona on the days that their ships are docked there. They have their own desalination infrastructure whereby they collect water from the sea, use it for all the ship's non-drinking operations and, once filtered, return it to the sea.

Departures from the port of Bilbao

The company's strategy is for Europe to compete with the USA in the cruise sector, as currently more than 50% of the passenger volume comes from North America. "One of our challenges is to continue to grow in Spanish ports to continue to make this market bigger," he said. Pacheco pointed out Bilbao will be one of the ports where they wish to start operating out of "soon" in a bid to "give a new life" to the company's fleet of smaller ships.
Avenged Sevenfold is set to take the stage on Wednesday, March 6 (3/6/2024), at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. The concert will kick off at 6:30 p.m., with special guests Poppy and Sullivan King opening.

Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster. Fans looking to secure tickets are advised to explore reselling platforms such as VividSeats, StubHub, and more.

VividSeats : Tickets start at $54

StubHub : Tickets start at $56

SeatGeek : Tickets start at $49

TicketNetwork : Tickets start at $65

Avenged Sevenfold, hailing from Huntington Beach, California, is a heavy metal band established in 1999. The current roster includes M. Shadows as vocalist, Zacky Vengeance as rhythm guitarist, Synyster Gates as lead guitarist, Johnny Christ as bassist, and Brooks Wackerman as drummer.

Some of the bands notable songs include Dear God, Seize the Day, So Far Away, A Little Piece of Heaven, and Buried Alive.

Where is Avenged Sevenfold stopping next?
Syracuse, N.Y.  When the city of Syracuse launched its high-speed internet service in some of its poorest neighborhoods last fall, officials were not bashful about touting that it was free.

The email address for inquiries about the new Surge Link service was freeinternet@syracusesl.com. Mayor Ben Walshs press release announced free broadband internet access to 2,500 households in the first sentence. The Syracuse Housing Authority urged residents to attend a launch ceremony so they could learn how to apply for the FREE service.

But four months after launch, new Surge Link enrollees now have to pay $10 per month, and about 500 residents who signed up for free service before Feb. 8 may face a monthly charge in the spring, unless the federal government takes action.

Its the result of a federal programs expected lapse and bleak prospects for congressional action to extend it. The Affordability Connectivity Program has subsidized broadband service for 23 million income-eligible U.S. households, including those who signed up for Surge Link. Part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the program will run out of funding some time in April unless Congress takes action, according to the Federal Communications Commission. The agency froze new applications for the program as of Feb. 8.

That step affected the citys Surge Link, plus major internet service providers such as Spectrum and Verizon that participate in the program to give income-eligible customers $30 credits so they can more easily afford service. In Syracuse, about 24,500 residents served by the two major communications companies take advantage of the subsidy. The companies now have notices about the programs expiration posted on their website, and theyll be required to provide additional notifications directly to affected customers.

I think we all need to be encouraging our federal representatives to think about some program similar to the Affordability Connectivity Program in the future because we know we have a huge need here, Jennifer Tifft, Syracuses director of strategic initiatives, told the Syracuse Common Council on Wednesday. The fact that 40% of Syracuse households are enrolled in that program shows how badly people in our city need a discount on internet.

The council unanimously passed a resolution at its Feb. 5 meeting urging Congress to pass and President Joe Biden to sign proposed legislation that would extend the program through the end of this year. While Biden and the Democratically controlled U.S. Senate have expressed support for extending the program, the GOP-led House of Representatives has opposed new spending on these types of programs without cutting costs from something else.

Central New Yorks U.S. Rep. Brandon Williams, a first-term Republican, did not respond to a syracuse.com inquiry about his stance on the proposed legislation. Five GOP members of the House from New York state have co-sponsored the bill, but Williams is not one of them.

The looming end of the federal subsidy comes as Syracuse officials are exploring ways to expand its fledgling Surge Link service beyond the initial pilot area focused on low-income residents in the Southwest, Near Westside and Brighton neighborhoods. The city is moving forward on the effort even though the ability to provide free service is in jeopardy.

The Walsh administration has secured councils authorization to apply for a state grant worth up to $30 million that would cover the cost of building out broadband infrastructure that the city would own and use to expand Surge Link. Tifft said the grant could allow the city to extend service to the North Side and the rest of the South Side. Depending on how much state funding can be secured, the entire West Side also could be covered. Federal American Rescue Plan Act funds paid for the citys initial buildout of infrastructure for the pilot program, which is administered by Geneva-based Community Broadband Networks.

Because the city still has ARPA funding for broadband to spend, it can offer the $10 per month rate for Surge Link once the Affordable Connectivity Program funding expires. With households served by private providers potentially looking at $30 increases, demand for Surge Link could be even greater, Tifft said.

Were talking about being able to provide high-speed internet at $10 a month, which is going to be significantly cheaper than what theyre going be able to get through a commercial provider if they want home internet, Tifft said. And I think we are all in agreement that home internet is a very important utility, especially today.

City reporter Jeremy Boyer can be reached at jboyer@syracuse.com, (315) 657-5673, Twitter or Facebook.
Natasha Alford was 19 years old and visiting the Dominican Republic when she felt a sense of belonging for the first time in her life as a Latina. Born and raised in Syracuse, Alford found it difficult to fit in living in her hometown, as she is someone of Black and Puerto Rican descent. However, being in the Dominican Republic, a country with a large percentage of Afro descendants, Alford was treated like one of their own.

The combination of growing up in Syracuse along with her experience in the Dominican Republic inspired her to write her new memoir, American Negra.

American Negra in English translates to American Black girl. Alford, 37, wanted this to be the title of her memoir to emphasize the importance of Blackness existing in every context of society.

Oftentimes, when we use the word Black in the United States, we assume that it only refers to African Americans, said Alford. But there are Black people in other countries and cultures. American Negra is just about [highlighting] the fact that there are Black people in Latin America within the context of the United States.

Throughout her memoir, Alford talks about her experience living in Upstate New York as an Afro-Latina, dealing with chronic illness, and the affirmation and pride in her racial identity. It felt like at times, it was hard, growing up in Upstate New York, for people to fully understand, embrace and affirm my racial and ethnic identity, Alford said. [But] people are now embracing what it means to be negra in the Latin American sense. That is also part of the intention of titling the book: to help people understand that theres a tension that exists, but also theres a movement thats happening.

Alford graduated from Nottingham High School in the Syracuse City School District, and then went on to earn a B.A. in Social Studies at Harvard University. Throughout Alfords career as an award-winning journalist, her writing has been featured in publications like the New York Times, MSNBC, CNN, Vogue, and O, The Oprah Magazine. Today, Alford is vice president for digital content for TheGrio and works as a CNN political analyst. She is also pursuing a masters degree in Public Policy at Princeton University. Alford resides in the New York Metropolitan area.

Natasha Alford (center) on the set at CNN with Anderson Cooper (left) and other contributors. (Photo courtesy of Natasha Alford)Picture courtesy of Natasha Alford

In 2020, Alford wrote a freelance story for syracuse.com/The Post-Standard exploring the roots of youth violence in her hometown and possible solutions to it.

In her memoir, Alford highlights the importance of being a journalist from Syracuse. Alford wants her hometown readers to pay attention to some of the inequalities and untapped potential that exists within the city. She wants this book to encourage people to get out of their bubbles and invest in their own communities.

I remember growing up going to the library, and wishing I could read more writers from Syracuse, said Alford. I hope that a whole generation sees this and says, Look, you can be a writer, you can be an author, and you can be from here. Not just at the university, but homegrown.

To make sure of this, Alford gives back to her community by providing scholarships for students who aspire to be journalists. Journalism is not just a profession that only attracts the wealthiest students and I wanted to make an investment in students who are early in their journey.

Alford hopes that American Negra readers will understand that her success did not come without obstacles. Throughout the book, she discusses persevering through the effects of chronic illness. Its too easy to see somebody who works in television or journalism, and only see them when they present at their best, said Alford. I wanted to pull the curtain and let people see these are the challenges. I want them to know that even if you have to adjust to a new normal, it can still be a normal that is in line with what you dreamed for yourself. You dont have to give up on that dream.

American Negra will be published on Feb. 27. Alford will also be holding a book signing of her memoir from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 15, at Parthenon Books, 333 S. Salina St., in downtown Syracuse. Reserve a spot at this link.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Iran and Russia will take significant measures to enhance their economic relations at the joint economic commission meeting between the two countries, Iran's ambassador to Russia, Kazim Jalali wrote on his "X" page, Trend reports.

Jalali said that the joint economic commission meeting will take place in Tehran in the next three days, with the attendance of senior officials from Iran and Russia.

He stated that the meeting will aim to advance relations in the areas of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), free trade agreement, banking cooperation, and group visa waiver.

It should be noted that Iran and Russia have a close collaboration in economic, trade, military and other sectors. The building of the Rasht-Astara railway in the segment of the North-South International Corridor that goes through Iran with the help of Russian credit is a clear example of this collaboration. Moreover, Russian companies are involved in the exploration and production of Irans oil and gas fields.

---

Follow the author on X (Twitter):@BaghishovElnur
Democratic state legislators are planning to put forward a new map for New Yorks 26 congressional districts and the move could have implications for the Syracuse areas seat in the House of Representatives, according to a report from Newsday.

The new proposal would come after legislators vote down a map created by a bipartisan panel, Newsday said. Votes on a new map by the Assembly and Senate could come as soon as Thursday.
Liverpool, NY - Students in all 13 Liverpool Central School District schools are being dismissed early due to a district-wide Internet outage, Liverpool officials said.

The Internet also is connected to the heating system, and the phones are experiencing interruptions, district officials said. The system is being repaired currently, according to the district.
Town of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.  A missing 5-year-old boy was found submerged in a drainage ditch Sunday afternoon in Upstate New York.

The child was not breathing when a water rescue team of firefighters found him in several feet of water in the Town of Poughkeepsie, Arlington Fire District Chief William A. Steenbergh said in a news release.

The boy was rushed to MidHudson Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, hospital sources told Mid Hudson News. His name has not been released.

The child went missing around 1:40 p.m. Sunday in Arlington, a neighborhood in the Town of Poughkeepsie, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department said in a news release. He was last seen near Manchester Road and Rhobella Drive, police said.

When police learned the boy was possibly in a nearby area with drainage ditches and culverts, Arlington firefighters joined the search, Chief Steenbergh said. Water rescue technicians then found the child in chest-high water, Mid Hudson News reported.

It is not clear how long the boy had been in the water, the fire chief said. No further information has been released.

The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information has been asked to call Poughkeepsie police at (845) 485-3666.
New York  A New York City medical school will be tuition-free for all students from now on thanks to a $1 billion donation from a former professor, the widow of a Wall Street investor.

Ruth Gottesman announced the gift and its purpose to students and faculty at Albert Einstein College of Medicine Monday, bringing some in the audience to tears and others to their feet, cheering. Gottesman, 93, has been affiliated with the college for 55 years and is the chairperson of its board of trustees.

The gift is intended to attract a diverse pool of applicants who otherwise might not have the means to attend. It will also let students graduate without debt that can take decades to repay, college administrators said. Tuition at Einstein is $59,458 per year. The average medical school debt in the U.S. is $202,453, excluding undergraduate debt, according to the Education Data Initiative.

Each year, well over 100 students enter Albert Einstein College of Medicine in their quest for degrees in medicine and science, Gottesman said. They leave as superbly trained scientists and compassionate and knowledgeable physicians, with the expertise to find new ways to prevent diseases and provide the finest health care.

Gottesman credited her late husband, David Sandy Gottesman for leaving her with the financial means to make such a donation. David Gottesman built the Wall Street investment house, First Manhattan, and was on the board of Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway. He died in 2022 at age 96.

l feel blessed to be given the great privilege of making this gift to such a worthy cause, Ruth Gottesman said.

The gift is believed to be the largest made to any medical school in the country, according to Montefiore Einstein, the umbrella organization for Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Montefiore Health System.

I believe we can change healthcare history when we recognize that access is the path to excellence, said Dr. Philip Ozuah, president and chief executive of Montefiore Einstein.

Gottesman joined Einsteins Childrens Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center in 1968 and developed screening and treatments for learning problems. She started the first-of-its-kind Adult Literacy Program at the center in 1992, and in 1998 was named the founding director of the Emily Fisher Landau Center for the Treatment of Learning Disabilities at CERC. She is clinical professor emerita of pediatrics at Einstein.

Through their foundation, the Gottesman Fund, the family has supported charities in Israel and within the U.S. Jewish community, especially through gifts to schools, universities and New York Citys American Museum of Natural History.

Einstein becomes the second tuition-free medical school in New York. In 2018, New York University School of Medicine announced that it would cover the tuition of all its students.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 26. Hungarys parliament elected Tamas Szujok, who until recently was the chairman of the Constitutional Court, as the new president of the country, Trend reports.

The election of a new president took place on the first day of the spring session, the opening of which was broadcast on the parliament website.

Last week, ruling party Fidesz nominated Constitutional Court head Tamas Szujok, 67, to replace Katalin Novak, Hungary's first woman president.
Wild&Beyond Newbie

Join Date: Jun 2023 Location: Bangalore Posts: 0 Thanked: 115 Times

250+ days a year for 11 years straight - India Overlanding



People say I was born a truck driver in my past life. I've driven quite a bit across India and drove up to Leh from Bangalore via West India and drove back 'solo' via Central India for 8 years straight between 2012 and 2019. Similarly drove to the North East & Bhutan via East India and returned solo via Central to the East of India for at-least 5 times in the last 9 years and many many other overland tours. Traveling to the Himalayas has been what I ended up doing more than forests, coasts and other regions which I believed I loved equally but the figures speak otherwise - "traveled to the Indian Himalayan region over 75 times in the last 17years" - so .



While driving in different regions,, terrains, conditions, day or night is what I've done a lot, travel is my first love hence I've backpacked and hitch-hiked too. My biggest hitch hiking trip was in Nov 2011, when I hitchhiked for free in trucks from Bangalore to Kohima to attend my first Hornbill Festival there.



I've owned a Tata Indica DLE 2000 Model, Fiat Sienna 1.6ELX 100BHP 2003 Model, Tata Xenon 3.0L Turbo 4x2 115BHP 2013 Model, Ford Endeavour 2.5L Turbo 4x4 Manual 2006 Model, Ford Endeavour 3.0L Turbo 4x4 AT 154BHP 2011 Model, Ford Endeavour 3.0L Thunder Plus Manual 154BHP 4x4 2009 Model, Isuzu D-Max 2.5L 4x4 V-Cross 133PS 2018 Model apart from using many other SUVs, Jeeps locally in different regions. I currently drive (you can say literally live out of) a remapped Isuzu V-Cross 2019 with a custom roof top tent.



Team-BHP had been a favourite hang out to learn about what other auto enthusiasts did and learnt many a thing from them. Particularly loved the travelogues and deep technical reviews and discussions.



I've been on this brilliant Indian Automobile Forum some years ago as WhiteAttraction (am still so embarrassed with this name ) when I was driving a white Sienna 1.6ELX. I was a member of the PalioUsersGroup too and active from time to time here. I've been a Mechanical Engineer working in the IT Industry as head of business for over 20 years before I put a stop to my career end of 2011. And this was to pursue my passion for travel, wildlife and nature full time. Launched a niche travel company in 2013 which I still run called #wildnbeyond (on Insta & FB) and offer many unique experiences including personally led overland tours to Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal, Arunachal, Bhutan, Nagaland, Meghalaya, etc. every year for about 8 years on the trot - COVID didn't allow me couldn't do everything I planned in 2020 - and then I continued doing what I do best "driving across India seasonally" -FULL TIME!!!



I just rejoined and here I am now eager to be part of this esteemed forum once again.



JUST COMPLETED 11 YEARS OF FULL TIME TRAVEL DRIVING ACROSS INDIA AND LIVING OUT OF HOME FOR OVER 250DAYS A YEAR!!!People say I was born a truck driver in my past life. I've driven quite a bit across India and drove up to Leh from Bangalore via West India and drove back 'solo' via Central India for 8 years straight between 2012 and 2019. Similarly drove to the North East & Bhutan via East India and returned solo via Central to the East of India for at-least 5 times in the last 9 years and many many other overland tours. Traveling to the Himalayas has been what I ended up doing more than forests, coasts and other regions which I believed I loved equally but the figures speak otherwise - "traveled to the Indian Himalayan region over 75 times in the last 17years" - soWhile driving in different regions,, terrains, conditions, day or night is what I've done a lot, travel is my first love hence I've backpacked and hitch-hiked too. My biggest hitch hiking trip was in Nov 2011, when I hitchhiked for free in trucks from Bangalore to Kohima to attend my first Hornbill Festival there.I've owned a Tata Indica DLE 2000 Model, Fiat Sienna 1.6ELX 100BHP 2003 Model, Tata Xenon 3.0L Turbo 4x2 115BHP 2013 Model, Ford Endeavour 2.5L Turbo 4x4 Manual 2006 Model, Ford Endeavour 3.0L Turbo 4x4 AT 154BHP 2011 Model, Ford Endeavour 3.0L Thunder Plus Manual 154BHP 4x4 2009 Model, Isuzu D-Max 2.5L 4x4 V-Cross 133PS 2018 Model apart from using many other SUVs, Jeeps locally in different regions. I currently drive (you can say literally live out of) a remapped Isuzu V-Cross 2019 with a custom roof top tent.Team-BHP had been a favourite hang out to learn about what other auto enthusiasts did and learnt many a thing from them. Particularly loved the travelogues and deep technical reviews and discussions.I've been on this brilliant Indian Automobile Forum some years ago as WhiteAttraction (am still so embarrassed with this name) when I was driving a white Sienna 1.6ELX. I was a member of the PalioUsersGroup too and active from time to time here. I've been a Mechanical Engineer working in the IT Industry as head of business for over 20 years before I put a stop to my career end of 2011. And this was to pursue my passion for travel, wildlife and nature full time. Launched a niche travel company in 2013 which I still run called #wildnbeyond (on Insta & FB) and offer many unique experiences including personally led overland tours to Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal, Arunachal, Bhutan, Nagaland, Meghalaya, etc. every year for about 8 years on the trot - COVID didn't allow me couldn't do everything I planned in 2020 - and then I continued doing what I do best "driving across India seasonally" -FULL TIME!!!I just rejoined and here I am now eager to be part of this esteemed forum once again. Last edited by Rehaan : 26th February 2024 at 07:56 . Reason: Picture inserted in-line. Typos fixed. Spaced for better readability. :)
charanreddy BHPian



Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Bangalore Posts: 728 Thanked: 2,188 Times

Re: Work From Home (WFH): Is this the future for many? Quote: Hells Bells Originally Posted by

I lead the tech and data function (aka CDO) of a mid sized (3.5B revenue) European CPG firm and am based out of Bangalore. We have globally adopted the hybrid approach and it is predominantly established out of the obvious cost-of-operations efficiency factor. However, I am increasingly seeing that when we really get the teams together in front of each other, the ability to resolve conflicts and aligning the path forward is accelerated by leaps and bounds. I am echoing the opinions that the teams have themselves stated to me.



I am quite curious if my two reactions - lack of understanding of need to partner or lack of intent to make an impact - are the underlying themes which other leaders are also struggling with their teams? Neither of these reactions can be argued without getting into opinions which is why I dont bother trying to define them as a rule or policy which is backed with "facts".



+1. A big reason why we dont see traction is that a lot of time is wasted in setting up formal meeting which are often after a few days. This mounts up and work which should been resolved end to end in a week takes like 3 weeks or more.





I echo on your identified areas of focus , more on lack of intent to make an impact. Employees feel that they are a small cog in the big wheel while most big bussiness ideas start in the minds of 1 person especially those who consider the companies challenges an active problem they need to work on holistically. As folks stuck with the same problem, We need to catch up











We are one of those product MNCs that has mandated 3 days a week policy. Rationale from leaders was around higher productivity when multiple smart ppl from diverse departments meet and get things done. I have noticed it too. In WFH days, I had to set up meetings with every one I needed to liaise with and if it was a senior person then the meeting use to take multiple days to Happen. Calendars where blocked all the time and one cant find a quiet period to work or talk to other folks. With back to office I am seeing the above happen and I can attest myself the benefits. I have caught my VP / GM multiple times at the water cooler / walking on the floor and a quick 5 minute conversation resolves so many issues and creates clarity. To this at scale with 1000s of employees , who are on zoom and mostly not paying attention is hard. To V.V.Narayans point , some infosec issues can be controlled too with WFO though it is wont account for all the use cases. For a country MD / GM especially in Europe or in a sensitive industry like banking / insurance faces significant fines and jail time for mistakes of employees, so it is easy to understand why they wish to take precautions.



Also being a manager I see people who talk about employee satisfaction fail to appreciate managers / leaders are employees too with much higher stakes. My experience / job profile is similar to yours except I lean in on the analytics and data science consulting for a major US based e commerce company for its Europe business.+1. A big reason why we dont see traction is that a lot of time is wasted in setting up formal meeting which are often after a few days. This mounts up and work which should been resolved end to end in a week takes like 3 weeks or more.I echo on your identified areas of focus , more on lack of intent to make an impact. Employees feel that they are a small cog in the big wheel while most big bussiness ideas start in the minds of 1 person especially those who consider the companies challenges an active problem they need to work on holistically. As folks stuck with the same problem, We need to catch upWe are one of those product MNCs that has mandated 3 days a week policy. Rationale from leaders was around higher productivity when multiple smart ppl from diverse departments meet and get things done. I have noticed it too. In WFH days, I had to set up meetings with every one I needed to liaise with and if it was a senior person then the meeting use to take multiple days to Happen. Calendars where blocked all the time and one cant find a quiet period to work or talk to other folks. With back to office I am seeing the above happen and I can attest myself the benefits. I have caught my VP / GM multiple times at the water cooler / walking on the floor and a quick 5 minute conversation resolves so many issues and creates clarity. To this at scale with 1000s of employees , who are on zoom and mostly not paying attention is hard. To V.V.Narayans point , some infosec issues can be controlled too with WFO though it is wont account for all the use cases. For a country MD / GM especially in Europe or in a sensitive industry like banking / insurance faces significant fines and jail time for mistakes of employees, so it is easy to understand why they wish to take precautions.Also being a manager I see people who talk about employee satisfaction fail to appreciate managers / leaders are employees too with much higher stakes. Last edited by charanreddy : 26th February 2024 at 14:52 .
What just happened? Google has announced plans to discontinue its Google Pay app in the United States in favor of Google Wallet. The former will no longer be available to download after June 4, 2024, nor will users be able to make transactions through it after that day.

According to Google, users will no longer be able to send, request or receive money from others through the US version of the Google Pay app after June 4. People wanting to view and transfer their Google Pay balance to their bank can do so until June 4, but if they still have any money left in their Google Pay account after that day, they will have to use the Google Pay website to transfer those funds.

With Google Pay being discontinued, users are being encouraged to migrate to Google Wallet, which will become the company's primary platform for managing digital payments and transactions in the US. In a blog post announcing the transition, Google mentioned that all the popular features of the soon-to-be-discontinued app, such as online checkouts and tap-to-pay, are already available in Google Wallet.

this belongs in the computer history museum pic.twitter.com/47crwHlX8A  Alex Bowles (@alexqgb) February 24, 2024

Google did not offer a detailed reason for its decision to discontinue Google Pay but suggested that it is part of its plans to "simplify" its payments apps in the country. The company also mentioned that Google Wallet is used by five times as many people as Google Pay in the US. Alongside payments management, Google Wallet also allows users to securely store payment cards, as well as other digital items like transit cards, driver's licenses, state IDs and more.

Google's decision to sunset yet another of its products has elicited many different responses among social media users, ranging from anger to amusement. Some, like Sacha Sayan, mocked the company for abruptly discontinuing many of its products, while confusing users by rebranding other apps and services multiple times. As an example, he pointed out how Google replaced the original Google Wallet branding with Android Pay many years ago, only to replace it with Google Pay before ditching it in favor of Google Wallet yet again.

Do note that Google is only discontinuing Google Pay in the US and not in the rest of the world. The company says that the app will remain functional in other countries like India and Singapore, where millions of people use it to make and receive payments.
In brief: Nvidia GPUs have become the cornerstone of the booming AI business, but the company is struggling to keep up with industry demand. ASIC chips, which provide a customized silicon design to hardware-accelerate specific computing workloads, could soon become the next big thing in the field.

According to recent job listings posted online, Meta wants to hire highly skilled hardware engineers to develop a new generation of application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designs. ASIC chips are customized at the hardware level for a particular computing use, which means they are not intended for general-purpose use like traditional CPUs. But ASICs are also extremely efficient at what they are designed to do, like crunching machine learning algorithms for AI workloads and chatbot services.

Meta's latest offerings spotted by The Register are for jobs in Bangalore, India, and Sunnyvale, California. In India, the Facebook parent is seeking an ASIC engineer to build hardware accelerators for its data centers. The new employee will become an integral part of the ASIC team working on a state-of-the art chip architecture to accelerate AI/machine learning algorithms, the job offer says.

Meta wants to build "green" data center accelerators despite the notorious hunger for energy shown by AI applications. The new ASIC engineer will need to work on both a new advanced hardware architecture and algorithms to power and test those new chips. Responsibilities of the role include development of performance and functional models to validate the new architecture, creation of machine learning kernels to analyze the ASIC chips, and optimization of the architecture for ML workloads.

The Facebook company is looking for someone with a bachelor's in computer science or engineering at minimum, with more than 10 years of experience and knowledge of computer architecture concepts such as processors, memory systems and on-chip interconnection networks. The candidate will also need a significant experience in low-level, object-oriented programming languages like C++ (and C).

Some of Meta's job offerings related to ASIC architectures were first posted in December 2023, The Register remarks, but they were reposted two weeks ago. The company previously said that it wants to develop its own "Inference accelerators," which would be brought online in 2024.

According to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, GPUs have played a pivotal role in improving Meta's "recommendation engines" and the company's overall revenues. But Nvidia has also said that it will likely be unable to provide enough GPU accelerators for anyone working in the AI business in the upcoming future. Meta is seemingly working on the elusive concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI) too, which is an incredibly hard task on the latest GPU tech but could greatly benefit from specialized ASIC silicon designs.
What just happened? Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone company known for its competitively-priced smartphones, has been showing off its first electric vehicle at Mobile World Congress (MWC). The SU7 Sedan is said to come with a premium price tag, but then it is supposed to be a rival to luxury vehicles like the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S.

Following its 2021 announcement that it would be investing $10 billion into electric vehicles over the following ten years, Xiaomi revealed its first EV, the SU7, in late December. The company said it had spent $1.4 billion developing the car, and that sales were due to begin this year. What it never revealed was the price.

Xiaomi had the SU7 on show at MWC but still didn't talk about an exact price, though it did essentially confirm that the EV would be expensive. That might not seem like the best idea during these economically challenging times when the world's electric vehicle market is in a slump, but Xiaomi believes the SU7 will appeal to many of its high-end-smartphone users.

"We think it's a good starting point for us in the premium segment because we have already 20 million premium users in China based on the smartphone," Xiaomi Group President Weibing Lu told CNBC. "I think the initial purchases will be very overlapped with the smartphone users."

The SU7 comes with a 73.6 kWh battery that promises a range of 668 km (415 miles), while the 101 kWh battery option is said to offer 800 km (497 miles) on a single charge. Customers can also choose between the rear-wheel option that comes with a single 220kW (295 hp) motor or dual 495kW (664 hp) combined output motors.

A big part of the SU7 is its integration not only with Xiaomi's smartphones, but also the company's many connected smart home appliances. That might sound like a privacy nightmare, but Xiaomi says that it has ensured data privacy will be respected when connecting the devices.

According to analyst firm IDC, Xiaomi was the third-largest smartphone company last year in terms of global shipments (145.9 million), sitting behind second-place Samsung (226.6 million) and leader Apple (234.6 million). Whether it can replicate that success in the competitive EV market remains to be seen.
In brief: After teasing the novel wearable gadget last month, Samsung is now formally introducing the Galaxy Ring at Mobile World Congress 2024 in Barcelona. The Korean giant is adjusting its health and wellness strategy with new devices and an AI-infused management of personal, private data.

Coming later this year, the Galaxy Ring is Samsung's latest offering in the wearable market for wellness and personal healthcare. Designed to be comfortable for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Galaxy Ring aims to simplify everyday wellness while being part of the company's new strategy for addressing the "digital health dilemma."

The Galaxy Ring is being showcased at Mobile World Congress and will be available in three different colors: gold, platinum silver, or ceramic black. According to The Verge, the device is lighter than it appears, has a slightly concave shape, and is available in sizes ranging from 5 to 13 (S to XL).

The Galaxy Ring will collect various health data points to calculate a new intelligent health score known as My Vitality Score. This score will provide personalized health insights based on multiple factors, including sleep, activity, heart rate, and heart rate variability. The company is also extending its partnership with the fertility app Natural Cycles to the new device.

With the Galaxy Ring, Samsung is introducing a new method to deliver personalized wellness and health insights to customers. The strategy revolves around home and personal devices, where Samsung believes it can establish "intelligent" connections unlike any other company.

The healthcare industry has faced limitations due to data fragmentation, but Samsung Health aims to connect various devices and third-party solutions on a single platform. Advanced sensors, including those in the Galaxy Ring, securely gather data, while AI algorithms offer more personalized insights and tailored "health experiences" for each user.

Samsung asserts that AI is the most transformative technology of the century, and wearable devices can now provide customers with a more comprehensive approach to health improvement. Although Samsung doesn't provide details about the specific AI models it employs, the company notes that Samsung Health has an extensive "global dataset" of 64 million monthly active users.

Samsung states that the Galaxy Ring is one of its "many initiatives" aimed at simplifying healthcare and wellness for "billions of people." However, the company has not yet disclosed specific information about the pricing and availability of the new device.
The big picture: Apple is constantly experimenting with new products and concepts behind closed doors and occasionally, we catch wind of a couple of these ideas. The latest to make their way through the rumor mill include a trio of wearable devices that may or may not ever see the light of day.

According to the well-connected Mark Gurman, the Cupertino tech giant in recent years has considered putting out a smart ring and smart glasses. Both would be extensions of existing product lines in terms of functionality  the ring would feature health-tracking tech like what can already be found in the Apple Watch and the glasses could support audio (overlapping with AirPods) and leverage cameras for various tasks (sort of like Vision Pro).

The ring could be a viable option for those that like the health-focused features of the Apple Watch but don't need or want the extra bells and whistles or bulk associated with wearing a watch. It could also appeal to folks that simply prefer to wear a traditional watch instead of a smart variant, or those that don't like watches at all.

Smart glasses have been done before, but not very well. Google Glass launched more than a decade ago to an awful reception, prompting the company to halt production to reevaluate. Others have also put out connected spectacles over the years to mixed results although lately, it seems people are warming up to the privacy concerns that once haunted the category.

Gurman said the ring idea is just that for now  as in, it isn't something Apple is actively developing. That may or may not be a mistake considering Samsung just announced its new Galaxy Ring wearable at MWC 2024 in Barcelona. The spectacles sound as if they are further along in the process  in what Apple calls the "technology investigation" phase.

Another project, reportedly codenamed B798, is said to involve putting cameras on AirPods in order to give them some of the benefits of smart glasses without lenses and frames. Gurman said the cameras could "theoretically be used to capture data that would be processed via AI and assist people in their daily routines" but didn't offer any additional insight.

As always, it's entirely possible  or in some cases, likely  that these ideas may never evolve into official products. Apple is more selective than others when it comes to launching new product categories, often preferring to be as certain as possible that a new gadget will find success rather than throwing a ton of ideas against the wall and seeing what sticks.

Image credit: Semeon Hrozian, Soulful Pizza
Recent research delving into the intricate world of bird feathers has uncovered a fascinating discovery: a distinct set of feather rules governing flight capabilities. This breakthrough sheds light on the evolution of flight and offers insights into which dinosaurs might have taken to the skies.

According to paleontologist Jingmai O'Connor from the Field Museum of Natural History, the success of theropod dinosaurs, including birds, can be attributed to their remarkable flight abilities and the versatile structures of their feathers.

Universal Characteristics of Flight

Through the meticulous examination of wing feathers from 346 bird species worldwide, ornithologist Yosef Kiat observed a striking consistency.

Regardless of size or species, all flying birds displayed uniformity in their primary feathers, numbering between nine and eleven. This pattern, shared among diverse flying birds from hummingbirds to eagles, contrasts sharply with the varying configurations found in flightless birds like emus and penguins.

Related Article: Chinese Dragon Fossil: Researchers Discovers 240-Million-Year-Old Aquatic Reptile

Insights from Fossils

By applying these newfound feather rules to fossils dating back up to 160 million years, researchers identified ancestral bird species likely capable of flight.

Among these, iconic creatures like Archaeopteryx and Microraptors stood out, showcasing feather structures indicative of flight capacity, Science Alert writes.

Conversely, species like Caudipteryx, despite possessing the correct number of primary feathers, exhibited symmetrical features incompatible with flight, suggesting a loss of flight capability over time.

Unraveling Evolutionary Mysteries

The study's findings challenge previous hypotheses proposing multiple instances of flight evolution in dinosaurs.

Kiat and O'Connor contend that flight likely evolved only once in dinosaurs, with subsequent diversification leading to various outcomes: some lineages became flightless, while others, like Microraptors, retained flight but faced evolutionary dead ends.

The researchers emphasize the importance of feather structure analysis in assessing flight potential, underscoring the limitations of skeletal data alone in understanding evolutionary trajectories.

"It was only recently that scientists realized that birds are not the only flying dinosaurs," O'Connor explains.

Implication of Fossil Record Gaps

While this research provides valuable insights into the origins of flight, Kiat and O'Connor acknowledge that gaps in the fossil record hinder a comprehensive understanding of wing evolution.

As such, this study represents a significant step forward but not the final word in the ongoing debate surrounding the evolution of flight in dinosaurs.

The analysis of feather structures offers a compelling glimpse into the ancient origins of flight, highlighting the important role feathers played in shaping the evolutionary history of birds and their dinosaur ancestors.

To view the study titled "Functional constraints on the number and shape of flight feathers," visit PNAS.

In other news, China sent a new pair of giant pandas to the San Diego Zoo in the United States. The gesture was a symbol of friendship between the two nations.

Read Also: Chameleon Inspired 3D-printing Ink Changes Colors in a Single Print Job

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Google has temporarily suspended its AI image creation tool in Gemini due to errors related to historical figures. The tech giant has taken a proactive stance, addressing the concerns raised by disappointed users.

In a recent blog post, Prabhakar Raghavan, Google's Senior Vice President, candidly acknowledged the missteps in a comprehensive blog post, shedding light on the challenges faced by AI technology. He noted that the Gemini conversational app, recognized as a standalone product, operates independently from Google Search and its underlying AI models. The Imagen 2 AI model powers the app's image generation feature at its core.

(Photo : ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images) Alphabet Inc. and Google CEO Sundar Pichai speaks during the inauguration of a Google Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub in Paris on February 15, 2024.

What Went Wrong?

The Google executive highlighted the tech giant's aspiration for inclusivity during the feature's development, which involved meticulous tuning to avoid pitfalls observed in previous image generation technologies, specifically steering clear of creating inappropriate content. However, despite these concerted efforts, issues surfaced due to two critical factors.

Raghavan explained, "So what went wrong? In short, there are two things. First, our tuning to ensure that Gemini showed a range of people failed to account for cases that should clearly not show a range. And second, over time, the model became way more cautious than we intended and refused to answer certain prompts entirely-wrongly interpreting some very anodyne prompts as sensitive."

"This wasn't what we intended. We did not want Gemini to refuse to create images of any particular group. And we did not want it to create inaccurate historical-or any other-images," Raghavan, Google's Senior Vice President, Knowledge & Information, stated.

Consequently, Google promptly deactivated the image generation of people in Gemini and committed to a substantial improvement process before reactivating the feature. This includes rigorous testing to ensure heightened accuracy and reliability.

Read Also: WTO Considers Taxing Digital Media, Threatening Netflix, Spotify, Video Games

Google to Gemini Users: Be Careful

Moving forward, Raghavan cautioned users, stating, "One thing to bear in mind: Gemini is built as a creativity and productivity tool, and it may not always be reliable, especially when it comes to generating images or text about current events, evolving news, or hot-button topics. It will make mistakes. As we've said from the beginning, hallucinations are a known challenge with all LLMs-there are instances where the AI just gets things wrong. This is something that we're constantly working on improving."

While Gemini endeavors to deliver factual responses to prompts, users are advised to exercise caution. The AI tool integrates a double-check feature to assess content substantiation across the web. Nevertheless, Google recommends relying on Google Search for up-to-date and high-quality information on current events and topics, leveraging separate systems that ensure the delivery of fresh and reliable information from various sources.

Acknowledging the potential for Gemini to produce embarrassing, inaccurate, or offensive results occasionally, Google commits to taking swift action upon identifying any issues. Raghavan emphasized AI technology's evolving and beneficial nature, expressing Google's dedication to a safe and responsible rollout.

"AI is an emerging technology that is helpful in so many ways and has huge potential, and we're doing our best to roll it out safely and responsibly," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Google has dispelled rumors on social media. Recent viral posts on platforms like Twitter created panic among millions of Gmail users, suggesting the service would shut down permanently in August 2024.

TechTimes reported that the alarming message turned out to be a hoax, a recycled message from when Google discontinued Gmail Basic. Users can rest assured that Gmail will continue, and there's no need to worry about losing their email accounts or important files.

Related Article: Jeff Bezos, Nvidia Join Forces in $675M Investment for Humanoid Robots

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Xiaomi officially launched the Xiaomi 14 internationally at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona after its debut in China, entering the high-end market controlled by Apple and Samsung.

The firm's new flagship, Xiaomi 14, is part of its product line expansion as its smartphone business is recovering despite fierce competition, with sales falling slower than in prior years, according to CNBC.

Xiaomi 14 Specs

Xiaomi, known for its affordable, high-spec handsets, has two versions of its Xiaomi 14 series: the regular and Ultra models. The latter has a breakthrough "quad" camera system created with Leica for professional photography and filmmaking, including a "movie mode" for cinematic experiences.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra emphasizes its cutting-edge camera technology, including Leica lenses and new capabilities to reinvent mobile photography. The primary camera has a huge one-inch sensor and variable aperture for excellent picture quality and adaptability.

(Photo : PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinese President of Xiaomi Corp Lu Weibing holds the new Xiaomi 13 Pro during a press conference at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona on February 26, 2023.

The partnership excited Leica Camera AG CEO Matthias Harsch, who called the Xiaomi 14 Ultra's optical system a mobile photography milestone.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra's Dolby Vision and HDR10+-enabled LTPO AMOLED display provide an immersive viewing experience, while Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and Xiaomi's HyperOS offer smooth performance for demanding workloads.

On the software front, the Xiaomi 14 comes pre-installed with Google apps and the Play Store but includes significant bloatware and defaults to several Xiaomi apps.

With its Longjing Glass front, glass or eco-leather back, and titanium or aluminum alloy frame, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is elegant and durable. Its stylish and durable exterior can sustain frequent use.

Read Also: [LEAK] Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Will Feature Thinner Design, Bigger Battery

The device guarantees four years of Android updates and five years of security patches. While HyperOS enhances the user experience, users may need to customize settings to their preferences, especially given its default iOS-like style, making it a compelling choice for iPhone users transitioning to Android, according to Wired.

The price of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra starts at 1,499 ($1,624), while the Xiaomi 14 starts at 999 ($1,082).

Xiaomi Targets Becoming Top 5 EV Manufacturers

In addition to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Xiaomi has announced a range of new products, including a tablet, the 6s Pro 12.4, the Redmi Book Pro 2024 laptop, and the Remi Monitor G Pro 27.

Xiaomi also introduced its electric vehicle (EV), the SU7 sedan, as previously reported by TechTimes. During the launching event, CEO Lei Jun outlined the company's ambitious goal of becoming one of the top five global automakers within the next two decades by manufacturing premium electric vehicles comparable to EV industry leaders like Porsche and Tesla.

Moreover, Xiaomi introduced customized color options for the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi Watch S3, aligning their aesthetics with the SU7 sedan.

Xiaomi's Hong Kong-traded shares rose 40% this year, indicating financial strength. The Chinese tech giant has allocated $10 billion for smart EV investment over the next decade, reflecting its commitment to shaping the future of the EV industry. Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently acknowledged the competitiveness of Chinese EV makers and noted that they could "demolish" their global competitors.

Related Article: Newly-Found Cyberattack Can Set Your Smartphone on Fire: Here's How

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The Mobile World Congress 2024 will get massive revelations from Samsung, centering on its upcoming Galaxy Ring's formal unveiling alongside the new Galaxy AI Vision. In the upcoming event, the South Korean tech giant will display its latest technology to the world, with attendees getting the chance to see the actual Galaxy Ring, showing more of its connected experiences.

In this upcoming showcase, Samsung is also exhibiting new developments in its artificial intelligence, expanding more on what it showcased with the mobile AI.

Samsung Galaxy Ring, Galaxy AI Vision Coming This Week

The latest press release from Samsung announced its upcoming showcase on MWC 2024, with a massive focus on the Galaxy Ring which will see its grand unveiling here, alongside the Galaxy AI Vision. The event in Barcelona, Spain will debut Samsung's massive focus on mobile AI that will expand to its Galaxy portfolio, promising a more powerful and connected experience.

Samsung will be displaying its intelligent health lineup at MWC, offering users even more personalized and seamless health experiences with the transformative power of AI, across even more devices. As part of this portfolio, Galaxy Ring is being unveiled as a new health form factor that simplifies everyday wellness, supporting smarter and healthier living via a more connected digital wellness platform - Samsung Health.

Read Also: Samsung to Bring Galaxy AI Features to More Devices Through New One UI 6.1 Update

Samsung's MWC 2024 Showcase: What to Expect?

Samsung's focus on mobile AI will get significantly more attention with its release of the Galaxy AI Vision, set to be available on devices like the Z Fold5, Z Flip5, Tab S9 series, S23, S23 FE, and the latest Galaxy Book4 series.

Moreover, Samsung unveils the features of the Galaxy Ring, centering on personalized health insights like Sleep, Activity, Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability, Booster Card, and its connection to the SmartThings ecosystem.

Samsung's Galaxy Ring and Galaxy AI

The first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2024 saw an early unveiling of the latest developments from Samsung, centering on the S24 series and its renowned focus on machine learning with Galaxy AI. However, that is not all that the company unveiled, especially as it teased its first small form factor wearable for health and lifestyle, the Samsung Galaxy Ring.

While the South Korean tech giant did not reveal much about the Galaxy Ring, only saying that it is coming later this year, the company went massive on its new offers on artificial intelligence, centering on an onboard mobile AI. The Galaxy AI is the main technology on the S24 and other eligible devices, but Samsung also partnered with Google to bring more of the experience to its smartphones.

The Galaxy Ring's teaser brought massive light on Samsung's wearable technology that aims to bring a new device offering significant connections to its tech, alongside the health tracking features available. Alongside this, the focus on newfound power with the Galaxy AI Vision will offer more to its users to highlight improved features across the Galaxy portfolio.

Related Article: Samsung Galaxy Ring, Possible New Foldables Coming this July?

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Last week's tech news brought these three top stories to the world, including the notorious cyberattack that targets smartphones using Qi wireless chargers and may cause them to burst in flames. The upcoming crewed Moon mission from China also got massive attention last week, centering on the Mengzhou crewship and the Lanyue lander.

The massive outage from AT&T last week also caused significant disruptions in the United States, affecting its wireless services that were inaccessible for many.

Cyberattack Causes Smartphone Fires via Wireless Charging

The University of Florida and CertiK, a security audit company, recently discovered a new cyberattack that can target users who charge via Qi wireless chargers, causing them to catch on fire when using it. This new threat, while not yet exploited by bad actors in the present, has the potential to cause significant issues for users, especially those not paying attention to charging sessions.

TechXplore highlighted this discovery where the Qi wireless chargers have vulnerabilities in its communication-based feedback control system, specifically with its inductive chargers.

It is through this that the Qi wireless chargers transfer energy from the magnets to the smartphone and its batteries via electromagnetic fields. More specifically, the wireless charger's VoltSchemer adapter which can be manipulated to bring three types of attacks to a device.

Read Also: Google Launches AI-Powered 'Help me write' Chrome Extension: Here's How It Works

China's Crewed Moon Mission: New Spaceship and Lander

China is moving forward with its planned crewed Moon mission with the introduction of its new spaceship and lander names, centering on the future undertaking of this venture by around 2030. The Chinese space agency recently unveiled the "Mengzhou" crewship which stands for "dream vessel," and the "Lanyue" Moon lander which means "embracing the moon."

These were the chosen names for the vessels it will use for the mission come next decade, trimmed down from the almost 2,000 proposals submitted since August 2023.

China's Manned Space Agency revealed that its renowned Long March-10 carrier rockets would bring the spacecraft to the Moon's orbit, before the planned landing.

Massive Outage of AT&T Affects Multiple US Users

One of the most massive outages in communications and wireless connections happened last week with AT&T, and the telecommunication company's services saw significant disruptions that went on for hours. This left users without access to calls, texts, and data internet connections which widely affected its US user base.

DownDetector's website saw around 74,000 customers reporting the issue, with the company acknowledging the issue and claiming that it would fix the problems immediately. However, despite services returning, AT&T did not reveal the reasons behind it initially, but on a recent update via X, claimed that it was an incorrect process amidst its network expansion plans.

Now, the company offers as much as $5 credit for affected subscribers by applying on its website.

Related Article: Will Smith Breaks the Internet with AI-Generated Spaghetti Video Parody

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This week on CryptoWatch saw significant developments on Binance's case, particularly with the plea deal that the company agreed to for a $4.3 billion payout to the US, recently getting its approval from a judge. Alongside this, the massive revelations behind Satoshi Nakamoto's early claims about Bitcoin using massive energy in the present were revealed via the early emails the anonymous creator had.

Also, take a look at the prices of the top coins in the cryptocurrency market, especially with the significant developments in the industry.

Binance's $4.3b Plea Deal Gets US Judge Approval

After the massive guilty plea of Binance last year, the proposed $4.3 billion payout of the company was recently approved by Judge Richard Jones of the US District Court for the Western District of Washington. Now that it is official, it is the largest criminal penalty in United States history, leading the company to continue its operations in the US and other parts of the world.

Bloomberg said that there are still conditions on its operations despite this settlement, with an independent firm to be appointed to monitor the company in the future. A law firm called Sullivan & Cromwell is reportedly looking to take on this role, among many others interested in doing so.

Moreover, Binance's counsel also shared that the company "accepts full responsibility" for the past scrutinies it faced, now looking to move forward without its disgraced former CEO, Changpeng Zhao.

Read Also: CryptoWatch: Coinbase Bounces Back, Bitcoin's Future, Crypto's Help to USD's Strength

Satoshi Nakamoto: Bitcoin's Energy Consumption

While there is an ongoing dispute on Craig Wright who previously claimed to be the person behind the Satoshi Nakamoto pseudonym, the Bitcoin creator previously unveiled that the present top coin would consume massive energy for its operations in the future.

That said future is now, as recent reports claim that Bitcoin is one of the notorious coins that require massive power for its operations, including the infamous BTC mining.

This was unveiled by Marii "Sirius" Malmi, one of the early collaborators of Bitcoin and a known developer from 2009 to 2011, providing his email conversation with Nakamoto during the starting days of the renowned crypto.

Nakamoto claimed in their email exchanges that they predict BTC's massive power need in the future, alongside the importance of Proof of Work (PoW) in its operations, also a subject of high energy consumption.

Top Cryptocurrencies' Prices Now

This week's charts on CoinMarketCap show some coins seeing a stagnant performance, but others rejoicing in their massive percentage increases over the past week. The top 5's biggest earners include Ethereum and Binance Coin (BNB), and the rest saw either the same pricing or a small dip.

Bitcoin (BTC) - Price: $51,592.75 | 0.97 percent decrease over the past seven days Ethereum (ETH) - Price: $3,121,22 | 8.88 percent increase over the past seven days Tether (USDt) - Price: $0.9999 | 0.03 percent decrease over the past seven days Binance Coin (BNB) - Price: $387.54 | 10.42 percent increase over the past seven days Solana (SOL) - Price: $104.12 | 7.05 percent decrease over the past seven days

Related Article: What's the Future of Bitcoin? Crypto Price Expected to Keep on Rising After Hitting Above $50,000

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The rebranded company now known as Human Mobile Devices, HMD, is making a significant debut on the Mobile World Congress 2024 this week, teasing the new device lineup coming. First off, there is the new 'Barbie' flip phone under HMD's latest lineup that will be unveiled later this week, alongside new Nokia smartphones that will continue their availability for all.

Moreover, there are also new offers from HMD coming later this Summer, focusing on the improved repairability of its devices, particularly with its displays.

HMD to Debut Barbie Flip Phone, New Nokia Smartphones

HMD Global's rebrand, now Human Mobile Devices, is ramping up its efforts in entering the smartphone market with the latest devices it will debut this MWC 2024. The company teased these new models that will soon be up for a grand unveiling via the Barcelona, Spain event happening this week, with four devices still hidden under pixelized silhouettes to look forward to.

One of the biggest revelations of the company is teasing its collaboration with Mattel and Barbie on a new flip phone dedicated to the famed global doll and fashion icon.

The Barbie Flip Phone will arrive this summer 2024. Promising style, nostalgia and a much-needed digital detox, this retro feature phone will flip the script on smartphone culture and will be this summer's hottest accessory.

Alongside this, new Nokia smartphones are also making their way for a next-season release.

Read Also: Oppo, Nokia Reach a Licensing Deal After Patent Dispute; Returning to EU?

Human Mobile Devices' MWC 2024 Showcase

Human Mobile Devices is putting a massive focus on its original device showcase this year, with the initial four coming this MWC 2024.

Apart from that, the company also promised improvements in fixing a phone screen, "substantially reducing the number of steps" required to do so under its "FIY" (Fix It Yourself) movement with better repairability.

HMD Global and Nokia

Nokia is taking the Mobile World Congress stage with massive announcements from the company, and back in 2017, the company announced that it joined HMD Global via an acquisition from its previous owners, Microsoft. This also marked the time the renowned Finnish brand transitioned from being a Windows-powered phone to an Android-based smartphone.

Throughout the years, HMD Global and Nokia debuted different Android smartphones under the Finnish brand name to the world, offering a massive range that suited various types of needs or requirements. From its budget-friendly 5G smartphones down to new foldables and its focus on self-repairs available for its affordable smartphone lineup.

Nokia's take on Android was said to be ending under HMD, but that was not the case, as the company only focused on its new brand launch, with the famed Finnish name continuing its developments and offers.

Human Mobile Devices is now the name of the company, and its latest focus is introducing its brand to bring original technology that centers more on what people need or require from a smartphone. This week, the Barbie Flip Phone and more Nokia smartphones are getting a massive introduction from HMD, highlighting human innovation for all.

Related Article: Goodbye Nokia? HMD Global to Bring Original, 'Human Mobile Devices' says CEO

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There's speculation circulating about a potential collaboration between Meta and LG to develop a competitor for Vision Pro. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to visit South Korea this week to engage in discussions about launching a headset integrated with webOS by 2025.

(Photo : Meta)

The shipment of orders for Meta Quest Pro will begin on Oct. 25.

Meta, LG Partnership

Industry sources indicate that Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to meet with the Chief Executive Officer of LG Electronics to solidify the terms of their partnership.

As reported by The Korea Economic Daily, this visit marks Zuckerberg's first publicly acknowledged trip to South Korea since 2014 when he collaborated with Samsung to finalize the Gear VR smartphone headset partnership.

Six months ago, another South Korean news outlet revealed that Meta had joined forces with LG to develop upcoming Quest Pro headsets. However, this isn't the inaugural collaboration between Meta and a seasoned consumer electronics firm for a VR headset.

Previously, Samsung managed the hardware for Gear VR, Xiaomi manufactured Oculus Go, and Oculus Rift S were both manufactured and co-designed by Lenovo. All three headsets prominently displayed both the partner company's logo and Oculus branding.

The extent of LG's brand integration into Quest Pro 2 remains uncertain, as does whether it will retain this name. Another example of a software-focused Big Tech company teaming up with a Korean hardware manufacturer for an XR headset is evident.

Last year, Samsung announced its partnership with Google for a headset, with Google managing the software side. This headset is expected to be released later this year.

Potential Features

Meta is set to manage the software aspect of the new headset, while incorporating webOS, the operating system found in LG TVs. The specifics of this integration remain unclear, but it could potentially mean the headset will feature a virtual LG TV experience.

This integration has the potential to seamlessly bring over popular streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Hulu, Paramount+, and VUDU, without requiring additional developer efforts.

Also Read: Meta Quest Brings Xbox Cloud Gaming to its Wearables, Test it via the Beta

In contrast, while the Apple Vision Pro places a strong emphasis on media consumption and includes native apps for Disney+ and Apple TV+, as well as support for iPad versions of platforms like Prime Video, the Quest currently lacks such comprehensive app support.

Although the Quest does have a Netflix app, it only supports 480p streaming and lacks features like downloads, passthrough, or hand tracking.

The upcoming Quest Pro 2 might introduce Codec Avatars, an extensive research and development endeavor by Meta. This project aims to transform remote communication by creating photorealistic avatars driven in real-time by headsets equipped with face-tracking sensors.

In contrast, Apple's Personas pursue a similar objective but are currently stuck in the uncanny valley and confined to a 2D display.

As Meta reenters the segment alongside LG and Google's collaboration with Samsung, the high-end headset market, previously dominated solely by Apple, could potentially evolve into a three-way competition next year.

Related Article: Meta Quest Removes a Fan Favorite Feature, But Why?

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Press Release

February 26, 2024 CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH OF SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE LOREN LEGARDA FOR HOST COUNTRY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND THE GLOBAL GREEN GROWTH INSTITUTE (GGGI) Mr. President, I rise today to express my strong support for the Host Country Agreement between the Philippines and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Establishing the GGGI Office in the Philippines an agreement that signifies our country's commitment to sustainable development and green growth initiatives. The Global Green Growth Institute is an international organization dedicated to promoting sustainable economic growth in developing countries. GGGI has served as a valuable partner to the Philippines since our accession to its Establishment Agreement in 2012. By partnering with the GGGI, the Philippines has been able to advance initiatives in climate action, climate-resilient agriculture, waste management, e-mobility, bioplastics, and sustainable landscape management. Through technical and financial assistance amounting to approximately ten (10) million US dollars, the GGGI has supported our efforts in climate resilience and green growth development, with clear and measurable outcomes. On December 19, 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. ratified the Host Country Agreement between the Philippines and the GGGI. Its Instrument of Ratification was transmitted to the Senate on January 11, 2024, for our consideration and concurrence. Mr. President, These significant actions timely align with the visit to the Philippines of the 8th United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, who also serves as GGGI's President of the Assembly and Chair of the Council. Tomorrow, as he graces the halls of the Senate with his presence, we look forward to sharing with him a vital development that rests within our control: the strengthening of GGGI's presence and operations in the country through our concurrence with the ratification of the Host Country Agreement. By supporting this Agreement, we may anticipate further endeavors in partnership with GGGI that will help us achieve our climate and sustainability goals faster and in larger scales. These efforts include the recent roll-out of electric vehicles and charging stations in Bataan, the enhancement of agricultural value chains of banana, calamansi, seaweed and coconut in Oriental Mindoro, mobilization of investment for circular economy, enhancing access to international climate funding and the proposed large-scale 'ridge-to-reef' adaptation project in Oriental Mindoro expanding to Panay Island. These, as well as several other initiatives that focus not only on greening the economy but also on building resilient livelihoods for many, constitute important turning points in mobilizing investments for circular economy, enhancing access to international climate funding. Recognizing the valuable contributions that the esteemed organization brings to our country, and the importance of our partnership in building a more sustainable future for all Filipinos, I urge my fellow Senators to support this Agreement and enable the Global Green Growth Institute to effectively function in our beloved country. Thank you, Mr. President.
OMEGA has sold 11 MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold suitcases in a dedicated Sothebys online auction for a total of CHF 534,670 helping to raise essential money for the brands long-term partner, Orbis International

Auctioned between February 12  24, each of the unique cases contained the 11 OMEGA x Swatch Mission to Moonshine Gold watches  the first time these versions had ever been offered as one set, and the first time that the special MoonSwatch suitcase was available to buy.

100% of the auction proceeds will be given to Orbis, which fights avoidable blindness and vision loss around the world. Through its programs and on board the Flying Eye Hospital, Orbis has provided eye care for millions of patients, while also training hundreds of thousands of eye care professionals in areas with the greatest need globally. Orbiss work is especially valuable for children, allowing many of them to see their parents, the moon, and the stars for the very first time. OMEGA has supported Orbis since 2011, and this auction's success will help advance the organizations mission to put eye care within reach of everyone.

Sotheby's x Omega MoonSwatch Moonshine Case @ Omega

Raynald Aeschlimann, President and CEO of OMEGA, says, This unique auction really captured the imagination of MoonSwatch fans around the world. Were so thrilled that the proceeds can now go to Orbis. We believe whole-heartedly in their eye care mission, and were so pleased to have raised money as well as awareness for their work.

The Mission to Moonshine Gold models are a radiant twist on the original BIOCERAMIC MoonSwatch timepieces. Each one is crafted with a seconds hand coated in 18K Moonshine Gold  a distinctive alloy created in-house at OMEGA that offers a more subtle and long-lasting form of yellow gold. Each of the Moonshine Gold hands also reveals its own special detail, such as a strawberry pattern for the Strawberry Moon in July, or a flower pattern for the Flower Moon in May. Before the auction concluded, fans were able to see the suitcases on display at 11 OMEGA Boutiques around the world, including those in Zurich, Tokyo, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, New York, London, Milan, Paris, and Sydney.

Seconds hand coated in 18K Moonshine Gold @ Omega

Now, they are in the hands of 11 lucky bidders. OMEGA thanks everyone who took part in the auction and appreciates the great interest shown in support of Orbis.
Lenovo outdid itself in its latest showcase at the Mobile World Congress 2024 in Barcelona, Spain, as it introduced the world's first-ever transparent micro-LED display called the "Project Crystal." This is also known as the ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop Concept, and it centers on a blank and transparent borderless screen that uses the power of artificial intelligence for what it will show users.

This new concept laptop is already making massive waves in this new age of tech, centering on a new AI PC that revolutionizes the industry.

Lenovo 'Project Crystal' Brings World's First Transparent Laptop

Amidst Lenovo's showcase at MWC 2024, the company unveiled the ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop Concept also known as Project Crystal, offering a see-through device that can bring computer screens to the device. It is a 17.3-inch microLED transparent display, which also offers a transparent keyboard area and a "floating" footpad design.

The transparent keyboard may also transform into a drawing board with a supported pen, no longer needing additional devices to connect for this experience.

Lenovo's Project Crystal is the company's take on a futuristic perspective on AI PCs but puts a twist with its augmentation of both the virtual and physical world in one.

Read Also: Microsoft, Lenovo, Big Tech Companies Sign UNESCO AI Ethics Recommendation

Transparent microLED Display Powered by AI

Lenovo credits its integration of the virtual and real world thanks to the power of its Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) which delivers the display on its transparent screen.

Through the physical, see-through screen, Lenovo's AIGC will bring the "overlaying" digital display to the device and offer regular computer activities. With the microLED, Lenovo said that it will bring high color saturation and 1,000 nits of brightness for visibility in both indoors and outdoor settings.

Unique Developments from Lenovo

The renowned global tech company, Lenovo, delivered significant concepts and devices to the world in their recent showcases, centering on unique developments from last year that bring promising experiences. One of the top-regarded devices from the company is under Motorola's AI features and adaptive display, offering new types of screens and more for users.

To be more precise, there is the Motorola smartphone concept which takes on the form of a "slap bracelet" that could cling to one's wrists and delivers a new form factor for the device.

This intuitive design centers on a widely flexible smartphone that could be bent to a familiar design, with everything about the smartphone curving unnaturally for its user.

The unique developments from Lenovo see significant ideas come to life, and despite being concepts, there are plans from the company to make it work and offer it soon for all. The latest concept of the company is the Project Crystal, a device that has a transparent microLED screen that offers an AI-powered display, a world's first on this new laptop experience.

Related Article: Lenovo Unveils Hyper-Realistic AI Avatar for ALS Patients at CES 2024

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Lawmakers are pressing Elon Musk to activate SpaceX's StarShield for Taiwan. StarShield, utilizing low-Earth orbit satellites, delivers high-speed, secure, and resilient communications and imagery to military entities.

(Photo : Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

C.E.O. of Tesla, Chief Engineer of SpaceX and C.T.O. of X Elon Musk speaks during the New York Times annual DealBook summit on November 29, 2023 in New York City.

Urging to Activate Starshield

The StarShield satellite network, initially developed for the U.S. military, holds potential significance for Taiwan amid escalating tensions. However, a hurdle remains: Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has been hesitant to extend the service to Taiwan, despite a contractual obligation with the Pentagon.

The Pentagon emphasizes the need for a robust communication infrastructure, prompting a group of U.S. lawmakers led by Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) to issue a letter to Musk, urging him to ensure StarShield availability for American defense forces operating in and around Taiwan.

Forbes obtained and disclosed a letter stressing the criticality of a strong communication network to safeguard U.S. interests and allies in the Indo-Pacific area.

Chair of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Gallagher, expressed concern that SpaceX might be refraining from providing broadband internet services in Taiwan, potentially violating contractual obligations with the U.S. government.

Tensions Between China, Taiwan

The letter comes at a time of rising tensions between China and Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and hasn't ruled out using force to bring it back under its control.

On the other hand, Taiwan operates as a separate democratic nation and receives strong support from the U.S. and other countries. The situation in Taiwan has become more tense due to China's increasing military pressure and cyberattacks.

CIA Director William Burns recently revealed that President Xi Jinping instructed the Chinese military to prepare for a possible invasion of Taiwan by 2027. Additionally, the election of President Lai Ching-te, who favors independence for Taiwan, has added to the tension.

Also Read: Elon Musk Teases Shipping Cybertrucks to China: Is It Possible?

Musk's relationship with both parties is intricate. In China, his electric car company Tesla boasts a significant presence with a major factory and a devoted following. Additionally, Musk has hinted at understanding China's stance on Taiwan, proposing in 2022 that a compromise could potentially ease tensions.

However, Musk's space endeavors rely heavily on the U.S. government and military. SpaceX, having launched over 5,000 satellites since 2019, stands as the primary provider of satellite internet services globally.

With lucrative contracts secured with the Pentagon, NASA, and other agencies, SpaceX has committed to providing these entities with comprehensive network access on a global scale.

Among these networks is StarShield, designed to provide the military with high-speed, secure, and robust communications and imagery through low-Earth orbit satellites. In the event of China severing its undersea internet cables, as it has done previously, this network could prove crucial for Taiwan's communication needs.

Gallagher and fellow lawmakers paid a visit to Taiwan, where they engaged in discussions with President Tsai Ing-wen and other officials. The focus of these talks revolved around the necessity of implementing StarShield. It was revealed that the network currently remains inactive in Taiwan.

Related Article: President Tsai Ing-wen Pledges to Boost Taiwan's Defense with New Technologies

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Law firm's attempt to validate fees with ChatGPT backfires dramatically. This serves as a warning for legal practitioners integrating technology into their practice.

(Photo : STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

This photo illustration shows the ChatGPT logo at an office in Washington, DC, on March 15, 2023.

Using ChatGPT to Justify Fees

In a recent legal debacle, New York-based firm Cuddy Law faced backlash after employing OpenAI's ChatGPT to justify its fees.

The firm represented the plaintiff in a lawsuit against the New York City Department of Education (DOE), alleging failure to provide the plaintiff's child with a free appropriate public education, resulting in a victory.

The child had previously been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), language disorder, developmental coordination disorder, and acute stress disorder.

Despite ChatGPT-4's reputation for making mistakes, Cuddy Law tried to use it to justify their fees in a trial they won. But Judge Paul Engelmayer didn't agree. He didn't just reject a big part of the fees they asked for; he also criticized the law firm for relying on ChatGPT.

Judge Engelmayer said it's risky to trust ChatGPT because it can't tell if the information it gives is real or made up. He mentioned other cases where lawyers got in trouble for using ChatGPT to make fake legal documents.

This shows how using AI like ChatGPT in law can be risky. Even big names like Michael Cohen, who used to be Donald Trump's lawyer, have been caught using AI to make fake legal stuff.

Law Firm's Defense

Cuddy Law justified its use of ChatGPT by arguing that it acted as a secondary source to validate their fees, in line with typical legal billing standards where the losing party covers these costs.

According to representative Benjamin Kopp through The Register, their implementation of AI differed significantly from creating false court documents; rather, it served as an additional tool for reference.

Despite this, Judge Engelmayer remained skeptical, noting the law firm's failure to disclose the specifics of ChatGPT's fee assessment or whether any data used was artificially generated.

The judge deemed Cuddy Law's request for $113,484.62 in fees as unacceptable and advised them to refrain from relying on the AI tool in future fee applications.

In his 34-page ruling, the judge criticized the incorporation of ChatGPT's conclusions as a reliable indicator of appropriate billing rates, particularly in niche legal areas.

He also questioned the transparency of Cuddy Law's fee structure, highlighting the lack of clarity regarding the inputs used alongside ChatGPT and the synthetic nature of the data employed.

These concerns underscore broader issues surrounding the accountability and accuracy of AI-generated information within legal proceedings.

Also Read: OpenAI Security Head Suggests ChatGPT Can Decrypt Russian Hacking Group Conversations in Pentagon Event

Cuddy Law ultimately saw a significant reduction in the fees awarded, receiving only $53,050.13 instead of their initial request.

This case serves as a warning for legal practitioners seeking to integrate technology into their work. While AI tools like ChatGPT hold promise for legal research and analysis, the dangers of relying on them without proper validation are clear.

Judge Engelmayer's firm stance in rejecting ChatGPT's findings underscores the importance of transparency, thoroughness, and responsible utilization of AI in the legal profession.

Related Article: Former Trump Lawyer Michael Cohen Admits to Using Bard, AI-Generated Court Cases-Hallucinations?

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Experts are reportedly claiming that artificial intelligence (AI) can be used by the U.S. military to enhance the efficiency and speed of targeting effectiveness, intelligence assessments, and war plan creation. This comes as US officials are on the lookout as China continues to pressure Taiwan, consistently considering the island is Chinese territory.

Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, reportedly told Fox News that AI and machine learning (ML) can assist U.S. intelligence professionals in analyzing the vast quantity of surveillance data that the country is consuming, particularly from China and the Western Pacific Ocean.

(Photo: MARK SCHIEFELBEIN/AFP via Getty Images)

China has warned amateur military enthusiasts that they could be imprisoned for taking and posting Chinese army tech images online.

The Senior director adds that AI and ML can help make the quick processing, assessment, and distribution of surveillance data more nimble and effective. Thus, possibly giving the U.S. military and decision-makers an advantage in this regard.

The use of this new technology, can lessen the likelihood that a mistake in judgment will lead to an unnecessary military war. It is stated that decision-makers frequently confuse training exercises for real military operations and misunderstand the objectives of adversaries.

Read Also: Military AI Development to Take Center Stage on CDAO AI Symposium

China-Taiwan Tensions

In light of the ongoing debate over China's intentions regarding Taiwan, it is imperative to avoid making incorrect assessments of the adversary's goals. This is the case even though Washington politicians are becoming increasingly concerned that China is getting ready to invade Taiwan to forcibly unite it with the mainland and undo decades of democratic self-governance.

China stepped up its military posture in the Taiwan Strait during Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi's divisive August 2022 visit to Taiwan. China reportedly used 727 aircraft in 2022 and 850 aircraft in the first half of 2023 to invade Taiwanese airspace, according to the Stimson Center.

AI-Assisted Military Operations

AI has previously been employed to support military operations; according to reports, the Israel Defense Forces started using it in July of last year to select targets for airstrikes and organize supplies for combat.

Without providing particular missions, the military claims that an AI recommendation system capable of processing large amounts of data is used to choose targets for attacks.

Another artificial intelligence model called Fire Factory is then used to quickly organize subsequent raids. It utilizes information about military-approved targets to compute munition loads, prioritize and allocate thousands of targets to planes and drones, and suggest a schedule.

Human operators oversee and approve the plans and targets for air attacks using both AI systems. There are worries regarding the lack of national and international rules on this technology.

Supporters of the proposal assert that better algorithms may perform better than human abilities and perhaps lower the number of fatalities, while opponents of the proposal worry about the dangers of increasingly autonomous systems.

Related Article: OpenAI Security Head Suggests ChatGPT Can Decrypt Russian Hacking Group Conversations in Pentagon Event

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : PAU BARRENA/Getty)

The year's biggest smartphone event is kicking off in Barcelona, Spain, this week, and companies are pushing artificial intelligence in all types of products.

At a launch event in Barcelona on Sunday, Chinese smartphone maker Honor, a spin-off from Huawei Technologies, introduced the company's latest AI strategy. This strategy includes developing an "intent-based user interface" designed to make using different devices and systems smoother. His announcement came just before the city's big mobile industry event, MWC Barcelona, previously known as the Mobile World Congress.

During the event, Honor's CEO, George Zhao Ming Zhao, showcased Honor's new feature, Magic Portal. It lets users quickly move a text message with, for example, a restaurant's name, directly into Google Maps to see the location. The goal is to use AI to predict what users might need next, making their experience better and more intuitive.

Counterpoint, a technology research company, predicts that the worldwide delivery of smartphones equipped with GenAI technology will exceed 100 million units this year, a significant increase from roughly 47 million in 2023. This number is expected to surge to 552 million by 2027.

Other late-breaking developments:

Motorola has announced that starting from the latter half of 2024, every Moto smartphone, encompassing their diverse lineup from budget to high-end models, will be equipped with Corning Gorilla Glass. The company plans to utilize varying grades of Gorilla Glass based on the device's price point, showcasing prototypes featuring Gorilla Glass 5 and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 at a recent briefing. This move is expected to enhance screen durability across the board, particularly improving display protection for budget smartphones.

Qualcomm has unveiled the first-ever large language model capable of operating directly on an Android smartphone, featuring more than 7 billion parameters. In addition, the company is presenting a separate model designed to run offline on Windows PCs. Through the Qualcomm AI Hub, Qualcomm is making available more than 75 models optimized for the Snapdragon platform, which will also be accessible on platforms such as HuggingFace and GitHub.

Samsung finally took the wraps off the Galaxy Ring, showcasing a variety of prototypes in different sizes and colors, from S to XL, at the event. The Galaxy Ring is designed to provide functionalities such as monitoring heart rate and sleep, with the larger sizes expected to offer better battery life thanks to their bigger batteries. Set to hit the market by the end of 2024; the Galaxy Ring is also designed to integrate seamlessly with the Galaxy Watch. Pricing details for the Ring have yet to be announced.

Honor unveiled the Magic 6 Pro, its newest flagship smartphone that does not fold, featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip with generative AI capabilities. In addition, the company introduced the PORSCHE DESIGN Honor Magic V2 RSR, a foldable premium model, also equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. Both smartphones operate on an Android 14-based MagicUI 8.0 and come with features such as a 180 MP telephoto lens and a battery constructed from Silicon-carbon for improved efficiency

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Lenovo)

Lenovo is showing off the first laptop that might justifiably boast a completely bezel-less display, thanks to its transparent micro-LED screen that resembles a piece of clear glass when inactive.

However, when activated, this 17.3-inch Micro-LED display is capable of presenting text, images, and graphics. Currently a concept, the ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop Concept has been crafted by Lenovo, with prototypes showcased at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Lenovo has been tight-lipped about the specifics of the laptop's hardware, revealing only that the screen delivers "high color saturation along with outstanding contrast and a brightness of 1000 nits," ensuring "superior visibility in both indoor and outdoor environments." The display's transparency allows for the overlay of virtual objects onto real-world scenes.

Moreover, Lenovo has equipped the laptop with a rear-facing camera situated at the lower back, enabling users to capture real objects for interaction via the display.

"The brilliance of this laptop lies in its intelligent integration of the virtual and real," Lenovo wrote on its website. "Through the power of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC), the transparent screen opens up new avenues of work collaboration and efficiency by enabling the interaction with physical objects and overlaying digital information to create unique user-generated content. The transparency allows it to effortlessly integrate naturally within its environment. Users can seamlessly switch between the keyboard and drawing board with a supported pen, unlocking new levels of creative efficiency. AI in combination with transparent displays will open up new ways of engaging with data and applications, offering opportunities to develop new features and form factors."

Lenovo highlighted that Micro-LED technology brings numerous benefits to the creation of transparent displays. The technology's high color saturation, remarkable contrast, and brightness of 1000 nits ensure the screen is clearly visible in both indoor and outdoor environments, making it versatile for a variety of settings. Additionally, Micro-LED technology holds potential for future enhancements in image quality, durability, and the ability to adjust the screen's transparency. This adjustment capability can offer increased privacy or greater transparency for interacting with real-world objects.

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Choreographer Dmytro Dikusar has been defending the country from the first days of the Russian invasion. Since March 5, 2022, he has been in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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In an interview with OBOZ.UA, the artist told how the great war changed him and what disappointments he is experiencing now because of the immaturity of Ukrainian society. Dmytro Dikusar frankly admits that at certain moments he becomes so aggressive that he has to "make extra efforts inside himself not to break someone's head." The last time the choreographer appeared on social media was at the end of October last year.

Dmitro Dikusar says that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was the beginning of a completely new stage in his life: "For a new me, which I have never known and am still trying to find. What has changed now? There is a certain disappointment in certain people. I knew that over time everyone would get used to the war and the attitude towards the military would be "I didn't send them there," but I didn't think it would be so fast. I was disappointed by how easy it is to mislead and divide people on the topic of language ("thank you" to Farion), on the topics of "all commanders are f*cked up" and "the Armed Forces do not give out anything, everyone runs around with their asses bare"... The enemy's IPSO is working, unfortunately!"

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"Another disappointment is the work of pseudo-volunteers, which has undermined the credibility of real volunteers. I did not think that there are citizens in my country who have neither conscience nor honor at all. The fourth disappointment is some officials who decided that now is a very convenient moment to steal even more than they did before. Not allowing the thought that there will be a reckoning for this. All this (plus the loss of a huge number of comrades and fatigue from the long war) made me very intolerant of "sh*t people" and at certain moments very aggressive. Sometimes I make an extra effort inside myself not to break someone's head in half," says Dikusar.

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"A certain number of kind and decent people who tirelessly continue to support the military, believe in our victory (especially in the occupied territories), and pray for our lives keep me in good shape and force me not to give up," the choreographer continues, "and also keep the memory of my brothers who gave their lives in the fight for freedom and the existence of the entire Ukrainian nation. And the thirst for revenge against the non-humans who caused so much trouble and disaster in my country and abroad."

The choreographer Dmytro Dikusar last communicated publicly at the end of October - on his birthday, the artist shared emotional thoughts on his Facebook page about two different worlds: the military and the Ukrainians on the home front. At that time, Dikusar came to Kyiv for the first time on vacation.

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 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.
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The anniversary of the full-scale invasion was commemorated not only by Ukrainians but also by foreign officials. For example, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Ukraine and met with the Antytila band, carrying a gift with her - a medal she dedicated to the resistance movement against the Russians in the bloody war.

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Six months ago, she admitted that the song "Fortress Bakhmut" touched her so much that the band became one of her favorites. Therefore, the high-ranking official could not come empty-handed. In turn, representatives of Antytila called Georgia Meloni a great friend of Ukraine on Instagram and made a gift in return - a record player with a record that includes Fortress Bakhmut, which has become a symbol of the resilience of the Ukrainian people.

"During the visit of the President of Ukraine to Italy six months ago, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni admitted that she starts her morning with news about Ukraine and sang the chorus of the song "Fortress Bakhmut", which she fell in love with at the San Remo festival and became a sincere fan of Antytila's music," said Antytila representatives.

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As we noted earlier, the Prime Minister did not arrive empty-handed  she wore a badge with the coat of arms of Ukraine and the inscription "Daremo anima e corpo per la nostra liberty," which means "We will lay down our body and soul for our freedom." According to Antitila, it was dedicated to "two years of Ukrainian resistance."

The band admitted that the turntable they decided to give Meloni in return was made in Italy, but the record they put in the present has a Ukrainian soul.

"Taking this opportunity, Antytila also decided to make a gift to a great friend of Ukraine. A vinyl record player made in Italy with a Ukrainian soul - an MLNL record containing the song "Fortress Bakhmut". After all, Italian iron + Ukrainian bravery = an invincible combination," they explained.

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Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that Okean Elzy presented a new song for the first time since 2022. "The Answer" is a dramatic track with a black-and-white military-themed video that has already found a place in the hearts of Ukrainians.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
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The "egg-smashing" trend is blowing into a small town in Zhejiang, how to play the cards in your hand?

Analyst: the drivers of rising oil prices were signs of high demand in the United States

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

They intensify the search for Javier Marquez, a 20-year-old young man who disappeared on March 2 in Logrono

Ayuso distances herself from her partner's case and delves into her criticism of the Prosecutor's Office and Moncloa for their "Chavista methods"

Laura Escanes makes a mess by promoting the company Children's walkers: outdoor walks for a maximum of 7 and with harnesses

Pascal Praud and you - Fine for not picking up dog droppings: 537 euros, "it's not enough", says a dog owner

Borrell hopes the EU can agree on the use of Russian assets

China: the increase in sales and industry does not cancel out the effects of the real estate crisis

They record the attack of a bear that left two injured in the Slovak city of Liptovsky Mikulas

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.

Faced with the risks of war with Russia, Latvia restores its military service for men

The Japanese Cabinet of Ministers refrained from commenting on the results of the elections in Russia

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The popular Ukrainian duo TamerlanAlena, which was formed in 2009 and became famous for the songs "Wind Currents," "I Want to Be with You" and other hits, ceased to exist in its usual lineup after Russia's full-scale invasion. Olena Omargalieva began singing solo, and her husband Tamerlan volunteered to defend his homeland from the first days of the great war.

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Today, Tamerlan rarely appears in public space, does not give interviews, and does not release songs. However, as part of his cooperation with OBOZ.UA, blogger Bohdan Bespalov managed to talk to the man, who is now actively involved in volunteer work, performs special missions, and every time he returns from military missions, he does not understand the behavior of some of his colleagues. Read about the strange actions of stars, the choice to volunteer, and the crisis in relationships during the war in our exclusive interview.

 Your life changed after February 24, like most Ukrainians. You went to serve as a volunteer. Do you plan to return to music as an artist in the future?

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 To be honest, I don't have any such thoughts now. And my state of mind is a bit non-musical. What will happen next? I'm already writing the winning track. For our victory. I think we'll make one for sure (smiles).

 Nowadays, a lot of witches, psychics, tarot readers, and numerologists make predictions about victory, when the war will end, etc. How do you feel about this phenomenon in general? What is the reason for this? Perhaps people need a little miracle?

 One hundred percent. I don't treat this as a phenomenon in any way. But people want to hear something good. Some changes, some news that could keep their condition positive. In general, if you analyze it, look: a new tarot reader appears who predicts something. Everyone's attention is focused on him or her. Then, when it doesn't happen, he or she, of course, disappears somewhere. So it's okay that something is happening. People really need positive news. Whether they get it from tarot readers, numerologists, or something else is a matter of choice. People want to believe in something good, and joyful. And they find their way.

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 Moving on to more serious topics... You know, we have been living in a state of "victory is coming soon" for quite some time. Well, at least, the media wrote about it, talked about it in the telethon, and so on. And now, in my observation, we have begun to broadcast reality more. That is, the same Budanov says more down-to-earth things. Do you think people need this truth?

 You know, if everyone was of the same psychotype, I think so. But many people cannot accept this truth, because it strangles them and presses them mentally. So I can't say for sure, but it's better to live with the truth because you are more or less aware of the situation that is happening around you, next to you. It is somehow more convenient to plan something.

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 For many couples, the war has become a kind of test. What about your family? Have you become even closer to your wife? Or vice versa  have you had misunderstandings?

 The mega-stressful situation on February 24 has many consequences. Even for those families in which everything seemed to be perfect. Some people cope with it, others not so well, so many people get divorced. We also went through trials from the very first days. The tense atmosphere lasted for several months. You know, we remembered all the bad things that happened, accumulated. For some time, we didn't even communicate and supported each other with text messages.

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 Thank you for that answer. There is no need to be ashamed of problems. There are many difficulties and nervous situations in life. And I think people should know that we are all going through difficult times, but we are doing our best. What do you think about women's mobilization? Recently, there have been a lot of discussions on this topic. Some say it would be right to mobilize women, others say there is no point in talking about it at all.

 I have seen many women who are fighting. They are very competent, and very deep in what they do. But how were we brought up? That a woman is a keeper of the family hearth, that a woman is not for war. I am sure that mobilization should not be forced. At the same time, many women live in the military and find themselves in it. I believe that women have something to do in the rear, and they will be more useful here. But at the same time, I am sure that many women will go to war for their reasons. I also know many married couples who fight in the same unit. There is such a story. So it's a choice of each person, no matter what gender you are.

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 By the way, I never thought about it... This is the first time I've heard that even married couples are in the units.

 I was also amazed when I saw it. It is very interesting. And maximum support. And many of those who find their soul mates at the front, this also happens. This was especially true in the first two months of the great war near Kyiv. Because everything is real. You see, there are no more masks. People even get married.

 And what about your stage colleagues? Recently, Pianoboy Dmytro Shurov and Dzidzio said that artists have no place in the army at all, and their purpose is to give music and culture. Do you agree with this thesis or is it also more individual? Does it depend on the person, and how ready they are? Both mentally and physically.

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 It's a hundred percent. Getting back to the fact that each of us is not like the other. That is, we are all different, and our psychotype is also different. Someone can take up arms and go to defend their home, village, city, or country. And someone can't do it, because it is a really important decision in life.

Recently, a spokesman for the Armed Forces of Ukraine spoke on this topic. Answering a similar question, he said that this does not prevent them from making the same reposts. When there was a conversation about bloggers who close down meetings, they said they were more useful in the rear. But we can see for ourselves how these bloggers behave, having an imaginary privilege for themselves. The answer was that this does not prevent them from doing their job and holding meetings while at the start line. You don't have to be in the first position.

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I believe that artists are, yes, "subtle" people in their feelings, creative. But until February 24, I was an artist myself and was engaged in music 24-7, writing songs as much as possible, and was involved in the creative process. You know, everything is individual. I believe that we have a civic duty to our country, and no one has canceled it.

 Public figures go on vacation. As was the case with Oleksandr Voloshyn in Mexico at the end of December. Then blogger Prentkovych's boyfriend went to the Maldives under the guise of volunteering. How do you regulate such things? Do you and the boys talk to each other about these topics? What is your reaction to such news?

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 I won't speak for anyone else, I'll tell you my opinion frankly. I believe that this is a different reality. When women with children leave, for example, it's one thing. When guys with military service go on a volunteer program and end up somewhere on the ocean, it's a little strange.

 And when you decided to volunteer, what influenced your choice and what was the most difficult thing to do in the beginning?

 The hardest part was making the decision. We live on the Zhytomyr highway, just outside Kyiv. And on the 25th, if I'm not mistaken, in the evening, we were taking out several cars with our families. We had two families. And the hardest thing was to go back on the 26th. It was the most difficult decision I have ever made in my life. But I don't regret it one bit. Because I accepted this situation for myself from the very first days.

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It is a test, and each of us passes it as we feel 100%. But I have always said that these are difficult times for all of us, for the nation as a whole. And it all depends on the decision, the choice each of us makes. Because we will live with this choice in the future. I think it was an irrevocable decision because we all knew what could happen. Especially when they [the Russian occupiers] were already reaching the Kyiv region. We knew it could be a one-way ticket.

 Will we make it?

 One hundred percent. I talk to the guys [in the military] all the time and I realize that we are still the strongest nation. I am sure that any European country is simply not ready for this. And how creative our people are! We have a creative approach to every task. There may be fewer of us, but we will make sure that we win with our creative approach.

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We have a legendary guy who runs TikTok, nicknamed "The Chemist". He can walk into a room and make a bomb out of improvised materials. So I realize that we have very cool people who are making history today. History is being decided now. We have proven that we love Ukraine and will defend it to the last. Because for us, the country is not just a word, it matters.

 There is a large-scale Ukrainization of the entire cultural space, which I fully support, 100%. Can we, and TamerlanAlena's fans, count on, for example, a small gift in the form of a Ukrainianized song, one of your hits? Have you and Olena considered this option?

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 Yes, we are preparing a surprise. We had an idea a long time ago to make "The Wind Currents" in Ukrainian. Because of my schedule, I haven't been able to get to the studio to record my verse for over a year. This is a very cool story. I think we will organize it somehow and premiere it. Maybe even this year to cheer up our citizens a little bit.
New farmer show of force as EU ministers tackle red tape



Brussels, Belgium, Feb 26 (AFP) Feb 26, 2024



Farmers faced off with riot police in Brussels streets paralysed by tractors on Monday, as EU ministers huddled to try to streamline rules and red tape that are fuelling protests across the bloc.

An estimated 900 tractors brought the city's European quarter to a halt -- for the second time in a month -- with farmers hurling eggs, burning tyres and setting off fireworks while officers fired water cannon and tear gas to press them back.

While the day saw no serious clashes, it represented a new show of force in the Europe-wide farmers' movement, spurred by what are seen as excessive EU environmental requirements and unfairly cheap imports.

Agriculture ministers from the 27-nation bloc were in Brussels to examine proposals for simplifying the EU's much-maligned Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) -- in a new attempt to try to assuage farmers.

But for the protesters in Brussels -- who came from Spain, Portugal and Italy as well as Belgium -- none of it felt like enough.

"It's their responsibility to talk to us," said Marieke Van de Vivere, who came to protest against green regulations she says are strangling her family farm.

"When our horse poops, we have to tell them how much it poops, we have to pay for the horse that poops, we have to tell them what happens with the poop of the horse -- where it goes, what day."

"It's too crazy to explain," she said.

Adoracion Blanque, of the Spanish young farmers association, had a similar message.

"There are so many demands and bureaucracy that we farmers cannot continue producing," she told AFP.

The rolling farmer protests -- which saw French President Emmanuel Macron angrily heckled over the weekend -- have unnerved EU leaders concerned they could prove a boon for the far-right at European elections in June.

Brussels has given ground with a string of concessions in recent weeks.

These include an extended suspension of rules on leaving land fallow, and safeguards to stop Ukrainian imports flooding the market under a tariff-free scheme introduced after Russia's 2022 invasion.

In the short term, the latest European Commission proposals could further lift environmental constraints by easing demands for former livestock farmers to convert their land into grassland.

The commission also envisions cutting the number of on-site farm inspections by 50 percent, and granting leeway to farmers who fail to meet CAP requirements because of extreme weather.



- 'Bureaucratic monster' -



Beyond that, Brussels has opened the door to a possible medium-term revision of the CAP, to be negotiated with lawmakers and member states, with a view to cutting more red tape.

Right now "we need something practical, something operational," France's agriculture minister Marc Fesneau told reporters upon arrival, arguing there is room for adjustments "within the current rules."

But he said meeting some demands "would require changing the legislation."

"Whether that happens before or after the European elections does not matter -- what matters is moving forward," he said.

Germany's agriculture minister, Cem Ozdemir, acknowledged "there is a lot of anger faced with promises that have not been kept."

"The current CAP is a bureaucratic monster," he said, calling for reforms to encourage "working the land rather than paperwork."

Elsewhere in Europe, the protest movement simmered on with thousands of Spanish farmers rallying outside the agriculture ministry in Madrid, holding placards that read: "The countryside is in the abyss and the government doesn't care."

Maria Villoslada Garcia, a 43-year-old winegrower from northern Spain, told AFP: "We expect solutions, but quickly" from the EU and Spain "because we are being suffocated" and "our work costs more than what it pays."
Spring will begin with successes and victories. Celestial Transits will encourage you to make life-changing decisions at work and in your personal life. This is a time of renewal, transformation, and inspiration.

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Astrologers say that Aries, Sagittarius, Scorpio, and Pisces will be the lucky ones in March. They will be able to realize the most important goals and get closer to the realization of their lifelong dreams.

Aries

The beginning of March will bring a career breakthrough. There will be successful negotiations, important meetings, and promising offers. However, ill-wishers and envious people may start putting spokes in your wheels. Try to avoid negative influences. Stay away from conflict situations at work.

You receive important messages from the universe through your intuition, so trust it. It is intuition that will lead you to the path of joy and help you avoid difficulties and obstacles. Fateful realizations will come that will have a great impact on your immediate future.

Sagittarius

You will have a strong and stable source of energy. Astrologers advise you to start planning, look at your life holistically, and keep a diary where you describe all aspects and connections in detail.

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This is a good time to visualize your dreams. In early March, your intuition will be enhanced - interesting discoveries await you.

Scorpio

Don't lose confidence in your abilities. Someone will try to lead you astray. Don't be influenced by people who doubt you, don't give up. Be brave and go for your goal.

It's time for creativity to express itself. Take care of your mental health and don't miss the opportunity to get joy and pleasure from life.

Pisces

Do you realize the true value of what you have in life? Some things are truly blessed and priceless. Feeling grateful will have a big impact on your life next week.

Often you don't even realize that you have strong intuitive abilities. Through visualization practice, you will become more aware of these gifts and learn to use them wisely. You can achieve an important goal if you follow the call of your heart.

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Subscribe to the OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest developments.
A key figure behind the campaign to establish an Aboriginal Voice to parliament warns Indigenous people will suffer a massive loss if they alienate long-standing allies in the Jewish community by aligning Indigenous Australia with the Palestinian cause.

Sean Gordon, the chair of the Uphold & Recognise group that lobbied for nearly a decade to build public support for constitutional change, made the comments after the deputy chair and chief executive of the Melbourne Writers Festival quit over its promotion of an anti-Israel line at this years event.

The Palestinian and Indigenous flags were on display at a pro-Palestinian protest in Melbourne on Sunday. Credit: Chris Hopkins

Deputy chairman Dr Leslie Reti and interim chief executive Fiona Menzies stood down from their positions at the festival after one of the events sessions was framed and promoted as Aboriginal solidarity with Palestine. The proposition is historically contested as it casts Israel as the illegitimate colonisers of Palestine.

Gordon, speaking to this masthead from the remote Northern Territory community of Tennant Creek, questioned the purported connection between Aboriginal advancement and the plight of Palestinians.
Dozens of shopping centres across Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong are expected to trigger higher density housing development under the state governments planning reforms, even though the surrounding suburbs are not connected to train lines.

It has led several councils, including Randwick, Canada Bay and Sutherland Shire, to submit that certain commercial hubs in their municipalities should be excluded from the policy, which will change local development controls to permit more dense forms of housing.

A Woolworths Metro store in Mosman. There is ongoing debate about whether such stores are large enough to trigger new planning controls around them. Credit: Peter Rae

The newly formed Department of Planning, Homes and Infrastructure would not say how many town centres could trigger the policy, only that it was talking to councils and stakeholders to determine the list.

We have indicated broad parameters only and will work with each local council to understand the constraints and capacity options around each centre, a spokesperson said. [The total] number will be determined in consultation with councils.
Bruce Lehrmann, who has been charged with two counts of raping a woman in Queensland in 2021, will face a committal hearing in June, with his lawyers to cross-examine witnesses.

Bruce Lehrmann was charged with two counts of rape last year. Credit: Steven Siewert

The former federal Liberal Party staffer was charged last year, and his case has since had several mentions at a local court west of Brisbane.

The Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday heard prosecutors and Lehrmanns defence barrister, Patrick Wilson, had agreed to set the date for a half-day committal hearing on June 17.

Lehrmann, 28, is facing two counts of raping a woman, who he allegedly met in a nightclub weeks after he first appeared in a Canberra court over unrelated allegations he raped Brittany Higgins in Parliament House.
Former constable Zachary Rolfe arrested a child hiding in a bin by pushing it over and dragging him from it, a year before killing Indigenous teenager Kumanjayi Walker.

Rolfe shot Walker, 19, three times while on duty in the remote community of Yuendumu in November 2019 and was acquitted of murder in a five-week trial.

Kumanjayi Walker (left) and Zachary Rolfe.

Rolfe took the stand at an inquest into Walkers death on Monday and was asked questions about a use-of-force incident in 2018.

The court was shown body-worn footage of the incident where Rolfe was shown arresting a 14-year-old boy in Alice Springs.
Hundreds of millions of dollars in donations from wealthy benefactors that fund scholarships and research would be at risk under a plan to introduce a new tax on universities, top institutions warn.

Sydney University vice chancellor Mark Scott said a proposed wealth tax would make it harder for institutions to attract philanthropic contributions, with donors wary of their funds being diverted to a government fund.

Top universities say a new tax would harm their ability to attract donations. Credit: Penny Stephens

The financial levy was the main revenue-raising proposal in the landmark Universities Accord Report released on Sunday and would go towards a $10 billion future fund, which would be redistributed on the advice of an independent board.

The levy, dubbed a wealth tax by critics, would be on untied revenue, which mainly covers international student fees but could also include money from philanthropy and commercial deals.
Three months after the federal government said it would end the stand-off over Melbournes stalled airport rail project, no one has been appointed to broker the peace and both sides are refusing to back down over the future of the $10 billion train line.

Melbourne Airports owners want an underground station, while the Victorian government prefers an above-ground station  or to pause the project indefinitely.

Jacinta Allan, then Victorias transport infrastructure minister, and Paul Fletcher, the then federal urban infrastructure minister, at a press conference on the Airport Rail Link in 2021. Credit: Jason South

Federal Transport Minister Catherine King promised in November to appoint a mediator to end the stalemate but no one has been found. Her office did not directly respond to questions on Monday about why the mediator had not been appointed and when they would be in place.

Victorian Transport Infrastructure Minister Danny Pearson on Monday said the Victorian government was ready to work with the Commonwealths chosen negotiator to settle their dispute but was not yet aware of an appointment.
Victorias finances would improve by more than $1 billion a year if the Allan government slapped the big banks with a significant new tax as part of Treasurer Tim Pallas 10th budget.

Despite a raft of state taxes being abolished under the GST agreement in the 1990s, federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has confirmed Victoria has the legal authority to impose new taxes.

Greens MP Sam Hibbins (centre) says this years budget needs a major bank levy. Credit: Chris Hopkins

A 0.05 per cent quarterly levy on Victorias share of bank liabilities would raise an estimated $1.25 billion next financial year and as much as $1.7 billion a year by 2034. The findings are contained in Parliamentary Budget Office costings commissioned by the Victorian Greens.

The proposed levy would run on similar terms to the federal governments bank levy, which applies a 0.015 per cent tax on banks with total liabilities of more than $100 billion. The Victorian share of bank liabilities assessed for the federal tax would be set in line with the states proportion of the national economy.
Prospective Airbnb operators will have to provide a police clearance to prove they are of good character, screen potential guests to ensure good behaviour and enforce a code of conduct for guests under a policy being considered by the City of South Perth on Tuesday night.

South Perth and the City of Belmont are some of the first local governments to consider short-stay rental rules after the state government flagged major changes to the sector in November last year.

City of South Perth deputy mayor Bronwyn Waugh.

Local governments have been given planning powers over any homeowner wanting to rent their homes out for more than 90 days a year in the hopes it would result in more long-term rentals put back on the market.

The South Perth policy was drafted by Deputy Mayor Bronwyn Waugh, but it does not have the support of city planning officers who have urged the council to wait for further details from the state government.
It takes two pool noodles stuffed between my legs to keep me stable enough and high enough in the water to hold a drink and paddle one-handed at the same time. I see my three friends about 30 metres away and make my way tentatively towards them (note its hard to make a straight line holding a wine above water, balancing on pool noodles and using one hand for propulsion). Drinking sparkling wine together in the middle of Lake Argyle is weird and magnificent and cool and refreshing. By the time we clamber back on board it is approaching dusk and, all around, the classic mesa-like escarpments, covered in boulders and spinifex, that make this landscape so iconic are glowing rust red and golden, while the geography is casting immense shadows across the water. Rugged beauty with more places to swim than you can poke a stick at. As soon as everyone is back on board, the boat steams back towards the Lake Argyle Resort. Its been a fun afternoon and a surprisingly quirky travel adventure and I believe the pleasure has peaked. But almost as soon as we are under way, Lake Argyle flips the switch to a majestic lightshow. The sunset is like watching an aurora reflected in the water. Away from the centre of the reservoir, where a light breeze dapples the surface, and once in the lee of the escarpment, the lake has completely glassed out and is a perfect mirror for the slow-motion light show in the sky. And its not just a few minutes of dazzling colours while the sun drops below the mountain range rising from the western side of the lake. This is a grand final of sunsets, a half-hour of suspenseful penalty shoot outs, leaving every person on the boat silent with anticipation and respect for what this supersized landscape is capable of conjuring with just four ingredients  sky, rock, water and ever-diminishing light.

Calling it a sunset cruise is a ridiculous understatement. Its a natural phenomena that, on its own, is worth crossing a continent to see. By the time the boat arrives back at its berth, twilight is wrapping up and a stunning full moon is rising above the lake to the east. My friend was right: it is one of the best things Ive ever done. El Questro Homestead. Again, in the late afternoon heat, we leave the Lake Argyle Resort, only this time in a helicopter and make our way high above the reservoir towards a far island and land on a deserted beach that feels about as far from humanity as you can get. Our pilot, Nick Fulton, from Helispirit, prepares a luxury picnic from an Esky while the other passengers and I swim among the stags of drowned trees on the edge of the lake. As dusk approaches we board the helicopter, circumnavigate this huge island and then fly to the centre of the lake. Nick tells us over the intercom that we are about to pass over the sunset cruise boat. Below, we can see the travellers in the water, specks floating on their noodles. He then flies us over the massive rubble wall that holds this reservoir back and, Durack House, the original homestead that was moved to escape the rising water as Lake Argyle filled. Its not all about the waterholes  El Questro horse-riding.

This sunset is different to the one from the boat  a blast of golden, showy bling from horizon to horizon silhouetting the archipelago of the lakes islands. You are getting that pure spirit of the Kimberley magic, Nick tells me. You go find a little spot to park up, like we did today. Theres no one around and you just see those beautiful orange colours ... theres no better place to be flying. Im a sucker for water so throw in the typical desert colours youd see at the Bungles Bungles and the green of the vegetation and add a bit of water and its a match made in heaven for me. After Lake Argyle, our next stop is El Questro Station a 700,000-hectare wilderness cattle station and outback tourist mecca dissected by the Pentecost River, 110 kilometres west of Kununurra. On our first evening we clamber our four-wheel drive to the summit of a range, not far from the stations main accommodation area and watch another dusk, awed by our third staggering Kimberley sunset in a row. El Questro is one of those handful of Australian destinations that are code words for adventure  the Cape, Oodnadatta Track, the Tarkine.

And it doesnt disappoint. El Questro is perhaps most famous for its luxury homestead where prices start at almost $2000 a night and head to $3500. But it also caters for adventurers on a budget with unpowered camping options for about $50 a night and multiple glamping and cabin options in between. For the adventurous there are self-guided experiences and rangers who will accompany you to visit the parks wonders. The station offers everything from horse-riding treks to helicopter picnics. And the culmination of almost every adventure is the obligatory crystal-clear water hole. Giant boabs as big as small buildings. On our second day at El Questro we leave our accommodation just after dawn with ranger Todd Smith for a hike up the namesake El Questro Gorge. But even getting to the start of the walk is an adventure, with two significant deep river crossings, one more than 100 metres wide, even though it is nearing the end of the dry season. We pass boab trees the size of small buildings and eventually reach the end of vehicular access under a towering escarpment of King Leopold sandstone and the entrance to the gorge. Once we start walking, the arid spinifex and grassland gives way to a remnant Gondwanan rainforest of ferns, pandanus and towering palms. This is a lush, dark and wet world of splendid tree frogs, tree snakes and sooty grunter fish swimming in the gin-clear pools. It is also an ancient landscape  the cliffs are billions of years old and everywhere are fragments of fossilised ripples on the face of stones and boulders in the bed of the gorge from a time when this was an inland sea.

Swimming holes that are worth a trek. Even in the early morning it is hot and Ranger Todd promises the reward of a swim once we reach our destination  known prosaically as the Halfway Pool. After clambering over rocks for an hour we reach the promised spring-fed waterhole and spend half an hour cooling down before heading back downstream to make our way to another famous Kimberley swimming spot  the thermal Zebedee Springs. Here the water is a permanent 28 to 30 degrees under the umbrella-like canopy of ferns and palms. Soaking for nearly an hour I think to myself that the Kimberley, like the 50 words the Inuit have for different types of snow, needs its own suite of words to describe all the countless ways it offers to bathe and swim. In the brutal landscape and climate of far north-west Western Australia, nothing pleasurable comes easy, which is what makes the glorious moments so exquisite. And that is exactly how the man who runs El Questro, Geoff Trewin, likes it.

Gorge view - El Questro Homestead. Our goal here is to make it safe not easy, Trewin says. People come here for the challenge. For adventurers in eastern Australia the pinnacle road trip is to get to the top of Cape York. In Western Australia its El Questro. They come for the challenging walks and the hard-to- reach waterfalls. Its a challenge to even get here and even the name El Questro has a mystique. On my last day, just before leaving El Questro, I take a final swim in the Pentecost River. It is time to say goodbye to this vast wilderness of red rock and clear water, this brutal, arid landscape replete with an oversupply of that simplest human luxury  pristine places to get wet. The writer travelled as a guest of Gday Group, the owners of Discovery Parks and El Questro. THE DETAILS
Every appearance of the world-famous Australian actress Margot Robbie on thered carpet for more than six months has been a major fashion sensation around the world. The Barbie aesthetic has become a major trend thanks to the 33-year-old star of the movie of the same name. However, the artist herself has recently been increasingly moving away from the Barbiecore style in its classic sense and proving that Barbie is not just about pink.

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It's a shame to admit that the huge success of the movie about the iconic blonde doll did not bring Margot Robbie any major film awards this year. However, even though the actress did not get the coveted statuettes, the movie itself and her role in it have indeed become a cult favorite. And there's no need to talk about Robbie's images! OBOZ.UA offers to analyze the star's latest outfits, in which she came to prestigious awards, attracted the attention of all viewers and paparazzi, but never received awards.

"Golden Globe"

"The Golden Globes traditionally marks the beginning of the red carpet season and the summing up of the past year in the film industry. To do this, Margot Robbie decided to choose the most barbicor look possible. The bright pink shimmering Armani Prive dress is a reference to the image of the vintage The Superstar Barbie from 1977. At that time, Robbie was nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical, but the award went to her colleague Emma Stone for the movie Poor Creatures.

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Critics Choice Awards 2024

The fact that Margot Robbie has recently abandoned the classic Barbie look is also explained by the hate from some critics. Some fans are tired of the star's constantly pink images. So the actress's appearance at the Critics Choice Awards 2024 surprised many people. She chose a luxurious custom-made fiery dress by Balmain, which was immediately nicknamed "hot Barbie glamor". The tight-fitting mermaid style perfectly emphasized Robbie's graceful figure. The dress had ruffles along the body, and the off-the-shoulder neckline was decorated with roses.

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The look was complemented by massive diamond earrings from Lorraine Schwartz, and the hair was parted back, with a parting in the center and light waves. It should be added that Emma Stone also took the main award at that time.

BAFTA

The 77th BAFTA Film Awards, which took place on the night of February 18-19 at the Royal Festival Hall in London, also failed to bring Margot Robbie an award. However, her image has once again become one of the most discussed. This time, the actress once again opted for a shimmering Armani Prive dress, not in bright pink, but in black in tandem with a light powder color.

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Opera gloves and a gathered hairstyle with a strand in front made the look extremely sophisticated and elegant.

Screen Actors Guild of America

For the 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards, which took place on the night of February 24-25 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Margot Robbie wore an exclusive black mini dress by Schiaparelli from the fall-winter 2020 collection. The black velvet piece was decorated with a huge pink bow belt, which formed a wide strap on the star's shoulder, as well as a long spectacular train. The overall look was complemented by black Manolo Blahnik pumps and an ankle bracelet.

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Oscar preview dinner

On February 12, the American Film Academy gathered world film personalities before this year's Oscars for a traditional dinner in Beverly Hills. Margot Robbie, who, as you know, was not even nominated for Best Actress, attended the event. For the event, one of the main beauties of Hollywood chose a trendy tweed suit from Chanel in a light pink shade. It's no secret that Robbie has been an ambassador of this fashion house since 2018, so she regularly appears on the red carpet wearing clothes from this particular brand.

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The tweed costume consisted of a short top, an unusual style miniskirt, a cropped jacket, and a handbag made of the same fabric. The actress looked like a doll, but there was no inappropriate infantilism in her image-she looked expensive and sophisticated.

We've talked about five Margot Robbie looks from the red carpet of the 2024 Film Awards, but we want to recall her last appearance, when she came to support her colleagues at the Producers Guild Awards. For the event, the star chose a chic black and white mini dress with a shirt-like insert, in which she exuded elegance and also showed off her gorgeous sculpted legs. The Barbie ensemble was perfectly complemented by a sparkling diamond necklace, adding a touch of glamor to her look.

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As OBOZ.UA wrote, on the night of January 7-8, the 81st Golden Globe Awards ceremony, which is called the Oscar rehearsal, took place in Los Angeles, USA.

And on the night of February 18-19, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced the winners of the BAFTA Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The documentary 20 Days in Mariupol by Ukrainian director and videographer Mstyslav Chernov won the best in its category.

Meanwhile, the 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards took place on the night of February 24-25 in Los Angeles. The prestigious statuettes were awarded to those actors and actresses who in 2023 were remembered for their most significant roles in films and TV series that have already become cult. The film about the father of the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer, has once again outperformed all its competitors in terms of the number of awards.

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Washington: A US military service member who had set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington over the weekend, in an apparent act of protest against the war in Gaza, has died, local police said.

Officer Lee Lepe, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department, confirmed the US airmans death.

A US Secret Service police vehicle is parked outside of the Israeli Embassy. Credit: AP

The Pentagon said the death was a tragic event and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin was following the situation.

Pentagon spokesman Major General Patrick Ryder told reporters that he was not aware of any other acts of protest by service members against the war.
First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska welcomed her colleague, First Gentleman of Denmark Bo Tengberg, the husband of current Danish President Mette Frederiksen, to Kyiv. For the meeting, the wife of the Ukrainian guarantor once again chose a symbolic piece of jewelry. This time it was a rare vintage brooch in the form of a flower bud in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

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More details about the unique piece were shared on the N1 VINTAGE Instagram page. The post states that Zelenska was wearing a brooch from Lanvin Paris, one of the oldest existing French haute couture houses.

In general, the first lady wore a restrained spring look in dark colors. She chose a cropped wide coat in a deep navy blue shade with massive buttons, as well as black trousers and comfortable low-cut boots. A light scarf tied around her neck added lightness and color to the outfit.

The brooch became the main decoration of the image, adding not only sophistication or elegance but also symbolism. It looked like a blue flower with a golden stem and wide leaves.

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"A flower bud is a harbinger of the birth of new beauty. It hides the philosophy of continuous renewal of life. A rare brooch in the shape of a flower bud, made by Lanvin Paris, one of the oldest French Haute Couture Houses in existence, was found to complement the looks of our First Lady Olena Zelenska," commented N1 VINTAGE representatives.

They also noted that the jewelry is adorned with a glass paste necklace in the Jeanne-Marie Lanvin shade - bleu nuit. It was made by Henkel & Grosse craftsmen in the famous German jewelry city of Pforzheim in the 70s of the last century.

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Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that stylist Nataliia Kamenska carefully selects images for the wife of the President of Ukraine that would convey not only her mood but also the state of all Ukrainians. Kristina Alekseichuk, a style expert and lecturer at the Andre Tan Academy of Style and Design, explained why the whole world is paying attention to Zelenska. According to the stylist, the most striking difference in the first lady's looks is that her clothes successfully combine classics with elements of modern trends.

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Lithuanian farmers are no longer planning to join the Polish protest on the country's border starting March 1. Lithuanian farmers do not intend to interfere with grain supplies from Ukraine, and food from Russia is a much bigger problem for them.

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This was stated by the head of the Lithuanian Association of Grain Producers, Ausrys Macijauskas, LRT reports. He reminded that Polish farmers are protesting against "cheap grain from Ukraine" and intend to block the road on the Lithuanian border for a week.

Earlier it was reported that Lithuanian farmers would also join the action on their side of the border. However, according to Mr. Macijauskas, this will not happen.

"Lithuanian farmers have not blocked, are not blocking, and are not going to block Ukrainian grain... We see the problem, but we understand the situation - the leaders of Ukrainian farmers came last fall, we had a round table with them, and we discussed how to solve the problem. Of course, we need to control, we need to keep records... We need to do all of this, which the Lithuanian government also does not do, but we are not going to block it, as the Poles do," the Lithuanian farmers' representative said.

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According to Mr. Macijauskas, the situation with prices for agricultural products in Lithuania is more strongly influenced by grain supplies from Russia. They are still not banned by the European Union (EU) sanctions.

At the same time, Lithuania's neighbor Latvia has already banned imports of Russian grain at the level of national legislation. In addition, Latvian Agriculture Minister Armands Krause demanded in Brussels that pan-European sanctions be imposed on agricultural products from Russia.

Moreover, Krause suggested replacing Russian grain with Ukrainian grain."Everything that is imported from Russia can be imported from Ukraine. In this way (by banning imports from Russia - Ed.) we will support Ukraine, and not help Russia to feed its war machine," the official said.

Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The latest film by director Tyler Perry, released on February 23, 2024, Mea Culpa, received a lot of hate from Netflix viewers on social media, and film critics rated it very low for its predictable plot, stereotypical dialogues, and poorly chosen actors who were supposed to "pull off" the film. They were not even afraid to call it one of the "worst movies ever made."

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The main characters included Destiny's Child's Kelly Rowland and actor Trevante Rhodes, who won several awards for his role as Sharon in the Oscar-winning film Moonlight. Mea Culpa had high hopes that were not realized. At the time of writing, the film has received only 14% of positive reviews on the Rotten Tomatoes website, meaning that its rating is only 2.6/5 stars.

In Mea Culpa, director Tyler Perry tells the story of an ambitious criminal defense lawyer, Mea Harper, who takes on the case of artist Zyair Malloy, who is accused of murdering his girlfriend. However, an ordinary working relationship turns into a passionate love affair, with erotic shots which can be seen in some fragments of the movie.

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Although the film was called a thriller, which means it was supposed to capture the audience's attention, the comments on Rotten Tomatoes classified it as boring and threw tomatoes at it. Some people even tried to look at the film from the perspective of a comedy in order not to completely lose faith in the director's creativity.

"The only way I could sit through this movie was to look at it as a comedy because it can't be serious. The movie is a mess on all fronts, but at least it made me laugh a little unintentionally," "Mea Culpa is just too stupid for this world," "The text looks like a first draft that was rushed to the screen," dissatisfied viewers said.

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The movie has also been called "mediocre" with a "boring plot" that is "implausible". On IMDb, one of the most popular services among film critics, Mea Culpa has a rating of only 4.2 stars out of 10.

"As the plot description might suggest, it's hopelessly overwrought, with Perry's poor actors stumbling through absurdly soapy dialogue, wasting their time doing something that requires far more concentration to work," said film critic Benjamin Lee in The Guardian, giving the film only 2/5 stars.

However, the audience also praised Mea Culpa for Rowland's acting skills. "Don't let the script distract you from the fact that Kelly Rowland did such a great job! I would love to see her beautiful face in movies more!" wrote X social network user expensivebadone.

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"The story was interesting. It had a lot of gaps in it and to say it was bad would be an exaggeration. The city looked great, the artwork was fire, and the twist was a surprise. The public is set to hate Tyler," Precise_Chi said.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that Netflix will show a nine-episode documentary series "Tipping Point: The Bomb and the Cold War" about seven world leaders, including President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Dont test our patience Mah CM Shinde tells Jarange, saysconspiracy will be exposed soon





MUMBAI :

MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange must not test the patience of his Government after the latter made wild allegations against Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Shinde also took a swipe at the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray of the Shiv Sena (UBT) while responding to Jarange. Speaking in Antarwali Sarati earlier in the day, Jarange said Fadnavis was trying to kill him. Jarange had also said a poisoning attempt was made against him through saline, though he did not elaborate on the claim. Those who are protesting again and again against the Government must not test our patience.

They should not create a law and order problem. I wonder why Jaranges speech looks like the script generally used by Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde said. He was speaking to reporters on the eve of the session of the Maharashtra Legislature. Asked about Jaranges aggressive stand and the use of expletives in his speeches, Shinde said action would be taken as per law. It is a conspiracy in progress and it would be exposed soon, the CM added. Earlier, Fadnavis said the State Government has a fair idea about the people behind Jarange, adding that details would come out at an appropriate time. Asked about Jaranges announcement that he would march to Mumbai to protest in front of Fadnavis bungalow, the Deputy CM said it was his official residence and anyone with any kind of work can visit it.
have commenced to restore peace in State: Manipur CM





IMPHAL,

MANIPUR Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday said peace initiatives have commenced to address ethnic tensions in the State. Emphasising the Governments foremost responsibility to safeguard lives, property, and the States integrity, Singh assured citizens of appropriate security measures in place. We dont need to panic...I want to assure people that security forces have been appropriately deployed in all the areas to tackle the situation, he said at the Sanaroisingi Numit (Players Day) function here. He reiterated the commitment to pursuing peace through dialogue and urged people to trust the Governments efforts. To bring about a political solution, the process for peace and talks has started so that everyone can live in peace. We need to revive our earlier lives.

Singh also addressed pressing issues such as drug abuse and demographic shifts, highlighting the governments initiatives to combat drug addiction and maintain demographic balance. Around 1.5 lakh people out of 30 lakh are drug users. This is the primary reason why the State Government announced the war on drugs in 2018, Singh said. From 2006 to 2018, some 1,400 new villages have cropped up in the state out of nowhere creating demographic imbalances, he added.

Singh reiterated that the State Government will identify the illegal immigrants with 1961 as the base year. We do politics to secure the present and future generation. We want to be very clear. We will fence the borders, cancel Free Movement Regime and identify all illegal immigrants in the state who came after 1961. Its our commitment, he said. Singh also announced that all the gold medalists of the 36th and 37th National Games would be provided with government jobs. He said Wushu player Naorem Roshibina Devi, who won silver at the 19th Asian Games at Hangzou in China, would be appointed as a DSP.
High drama OVER Sandeshkhali Independent fact-finding team detained on way, released later





KOLKATA :

SIX members of an independent fact-finding committee led by former Chief Justice of Patna High Court L Narasimha Reddy were stopped by police as they were proceeding to trouble-torn Sandeshkhali area in West Bengals North 24 Parganas district to probe alleged incidents of atrocities on women. Citing Section 144 CrPC was in force in parts of Sandeshkhali and it would not be prudent to allow them access to the area even in groups of four-five, senior police officers stopped their convoy at the Bhojerhat area, which is around 52 km from the riverine area, on Basanti Highway. Reddy, accompanied by former IPS officer Raj Pal Singh, former National Commission for Women member Charu Wali Khanna, advocates O P Vyas and Bhavna Bajaj, and senior journalist Sanjeev Nayak, sat on the wayside vowing to proceed to the area as high drama followed. The six were detained by police and taken in a vehicle and later released, a police officer said.

This is completely illegal. We have told the police personnel as law-abiding citizens we will not break rules. No curfew has been imposed in Sandeshkhali. So we can go in two groups. At least two of our women members should be allowed to visit the females who had bore the brunt of atrocities of musclemen enjoying political patronage and impunity from police action in all these days till the media unravelled the shocking truth, Reddy said. Claiming they were given a copy of the section 144 order as they set off for the journey, he said, The administration cannot stop civil society members of the country to interact with victims of human rights violation. What they (administration) are scared to hide. He recalled the panel members had been stopped from visiting certain pockets of Howrah, singed by clashes between two groups during Ram Navami, halted at Howrah Bridge last year though others from the ruling party were allowed to go. Another member of the group told reporters they would peacefully sit on one side of the road, without hindering the movement of vehicles till being allowed to proceed. Khanna said, What they have done is nothing but murder of democracy.

They have illegally detained us. The group comprising former judge, bureaucrats and journalist was slated to visit Sandeshkhali on February 25 to also probe alleged incidents of Trinamool Congress leaders grabbing residents land to convert into Bheris (fish farm). They were scheduled to visit Majherpara, Natun para, Patra para and Naskarpara Ras temple under the jurisdiction of Sandeshkhali police station limits. The committee is slated to submit a report to the constitutional authorities. Asked about the police action against the fact-finding team, Sujit Basu, one of the two West Bengal Ministers who visited Sandeshkhali for the second day on Sunday, told reporters, I dont have any knowledge or information about that. A TMC delegation visited the trouble-torn Sandeshkhali in West Bengal for the second consecutive day on Sunday and heard the grievances of villagers who have been protesting against alleged atrocities by local leaders of the ruling party. The delegation, comprising State Ministers Partha Bhowmick and Sujit Bose, visited Bermajur area, which witnessed violent protests recently, and sought one-and-half month from locals to address their grievances.
INLD Haryana president Rathee, worker shot dead





CHANDIGARH,

THE Indian National Lok Dals Haryana unit president Nafe Singh Rathee and a party worker were killed when unidentified assailants sprayed bullets on their SUV in Bahadurgarh near Delhi on Sunday, a senior party leader said. Three private gunmen hired by Rathee for security also suffered injuries in the attack. The attack, which came weeks before the Lok Sabha elections, drew sharp reactions from Opposition parties, which alleged a breakdown in law and order in the BJP-ruled State. INLD leader Abhay Chautala told PTI that Rathee and a party worker accompanying him were shot dead. Three private gunmen, whom Rathee had hired for security, also received injuries, Chautala said, adding, No police security had been given to him.

Rathee, a former MLA from Bahadurgarh and aged around 70, was travelling in an SUV when the assailants, who were in a car, attacked him in the town in Jhajjar district. A volley of bullets was sprayed at him, Chautala said. Confirming the attack on Rathee, police said further investigation in the matter was underway. Chautala accused the Government of failing to provide Rathee with security despite there being threat to his life, and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij. The two-time MLA, who is our State unit chief, was not provided with security. In writing, representations had been made to senior police officers and State Home Minister that he was facing threats and should be provided with security, he said.
Now, crackdown on wildlife traffickers using Interpol





NEW DELHI :

India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are crucial routes used by the traffickers to transport exotic species.

INDIA, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia have planned coordinated crackdowns on wildlife trafficking kingpins operating through their jurisdiction by sharing criminal intelligence and breaking down their financial flows, officials said. During the two-day Regional Investigative and Analytical Case Meeting (RIACM) on Exotic Species Trafficking organised by the CBI and Interpol here recently, experts deliberated on four crucial routes used by the traffickers to transport exotic species.

The term exotic species refers to those not part of native wildlife in a particular habitat or geographical area. It has emerged that air cargo is the most common route used by traffickers to smuggle exotic wildlife from Africa to Southeast Asia and then to India and China, officials said. During the information-sharing session, four key trends of routes undertaken by smugglers were spotted.
Number of M&A deals in India falls 10 per cent to 793 in 2023: PwC





Business Reporter

THE number of merger and acquisition (M&A) deals during 2023 dropped by 10 per cent on an annual basis to 793, said a PwC India report on Sunday. However, the total disclosed deal value for M&A declined much steeper at 38 per cent during the year, according to the report titled Deals at a glance. The report further observed that PE (Private Equity) investments totalled USD 36 billion, marking a substantial 36 per cent drop from 2022. Despite this decline, the average investment size per deal increased to USD 46 million from USD 42 million in 2022, reflecting a potential shift towards larger opportunities. While early-stage investments were 53 per cent less compared to that in 2022, the report said, these along with growth-stage investments continued to make up the major share, constituting around 73 per cent of fundings in 2023. On the other hand, buyouts demonstrated resilience with only a 5 per cent decline compared to 2022.

This suggests a nuanced landscape, where investors show interest in diverse strategies and larger-scale ventures, even amid an overall decrease in PE investments, the report said. In 2023, India resiliently navigated global headwinds, solidifying its appeal to international investors. The economic fundamentals stay strong reflecting investor enthusiasm for the countrys expanding economic opportunities and this optimism is also echoed in PwCs latest CEO Survey. Despite a restrained deal-making environment throughout the year, the deal activity stabilised towards the last quarter leading us to anticipate an upswing in 2024, said Dinesh Arora, Partner & Leader Deals, PwC India.

In calendar year 2023, PwC said the retail and consumer sector emerged as the most active sector with technology finishing up marginally behind for the second consecutive year. Following closely were the professional services and fintech sectors, which exhibited high activity in terms of volume. Meanwhile, financial services, renewable power, and healthcare dominated in deal value. Top 10 deals of 2023 included JV buyouts, strategic investments, PE buyouts, and stock mergers and contributed 21 per cent of the total deal value. While PE deals were higher in volume overall, strategic deals dominated the top deals with domestic deals and group-level consolidations as a significant theme, the report said. PwC is a network of firms in 152 countries with over 3,27,000 people providing assurance, advisory and

tax services.
Polish carriers are worried about the period when Ukraine will join the European Union and will be able to carry out international transportation without restrictions. Therefore, they are already doing everything they can to make their carriers less competitive. Currently, Ukrainian carriers are not competitors for Polish ones in the EU market, and any such statements are nonsense and manipulation. At least because Ukraine has ten times fewer licenses for such activities.

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Volodymyr Balin, vice president of the Association of International Road Carriers (AsMAP), told OBOZ.UA. He explained:

Ukraine can carry out transportation between EU countries and between countries with the EU to third countries only if it has an ECMT license;

"We have 5,500 such licenses," and on their basis, Ukraine can carry out no more than 100,000 such transportations per year;

"Poland has 320 thousand vehicles" that can be used for transportation.

"What kind of competition are we talking about? I am categorically against the idea that Ukrainian carriers are competitors to Polish carriers in the European Union market, this is absolute nonsense," Balin said.

He also emphasized that the statements of the Poles that Ukraine is allegedly destroying their transportation market are manipulations. However, he admitted that local carriers are worried about the period when Ukraine will join the European Union:

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will join the European Union;

will be able to carry out such transportation without restrictions.

"Therefore, they are already doing everything to make Ukrainian international carriers less competitive in the future," the expert stated.

The EU is on Ukraine's side

At the same time, Balin emphasized that the EU itself supports the extension of the transportation agreement with Ukraine. That is, they are on the side of our country.

Moreover, they are "critical" of the Poles' comments on this agreement. "The Ministry of Infrastructure has stated that what Poland has proposed is not yet acceptable even to the European Union," he said.

There is a way out of the situation

Balin sees two ways out of the current situation. These are:

either the Polish authorities restore order at the border and ban the blockade;

"or we will go other ways, through other countries, even by other means of transportation."

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Who is behind the border blockade?

At the same time, Balin emphasized that the Confederation Party is behind everything that is happening. He called it "openly pro-Russian" and "openly anti-Ukrainian."

"They have stated that they are against Ukraine's accession to the European Union. By the way, they are against Poland's participation in the European Union and believe that we should leave," he summarized.

Poles are expanding the border blockade

Meanwhile, Polish carriers have announced that they will resume their strike on the border of Ukraine on March 1. Drivers and representatives of logistics companies will join the blockade already organized by Polish farmers.

The carriers' protest action was suspended on January 17. Back then, they said they would wait for the Polish government and the European Commission to fulfill their demands by March 1.

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However, according to Maciej Wronski, president of the Polish Transport and Logistics Association, the negotiations between the carriers and the authorities have not progressed. "There was an announcement from the Ministry of Infrastructure that a draft law would be presented that would strengthen control over Ukrainian carriers. Several weeks have passed and we have no draft," Wronski said.

According to him, some carriers are still protesting, but unofficially. "We see these people at farmers' protests. For me, this is also absolutely not serious, we have to give the government a chance to implement the points of the agreement concluded in January. I am against intensifying the protests, I am against blocking roads, I am for solving the problems of specific communities," Wronski added.

However, according to the Polish media, signals from farmers and carriers indicate that if the situation does not change by Thursday, February 29, the scale and number of protests on the border with Ukraine will only increase. The journalists also reminded us that not only Ukraine but also Poland suffers from the border blockade.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA, meanwhile, one of the organizers of the Polish protests on the border of Ukraine turned out to be the owner of a transport company that manages to make money on the blockade. We are talking about Edyta Ozigala, a member of the Polish border blockade committee, head of the protest at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint, and a politician.

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PM Modi asks youngsters to vote for country





NEW DELHI,

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that his monthly Mann Ki Baat broadcast will not be aired for the next three months in line with political ethics in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. In the 110th episode of the programme, he asked first-time voters to poll in record numbers in the elections and said their maiden vote should be cast for the country. With the general elections expected in April-May, he said there is a possibility that the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will be enforced in March like it was done in 2019, a reference to the expected announcement of the election schedule sometime next month. The MCC guidelines of the Election Commission asks Governments to not use official events or public-funded platforms for something that may be seen to give the ruling party publicity or political advantage. The Prime Minister said it is a big success of the programme that it has been kept away even from the shadow of the Government during its 110 episodes and asserted that the broadcast has been dedicated to the countrys collective strength and achievements. It is a programme of the people, for the people and by the people, Modi said. However, following political ethics the Mann ki Baat will not be broadcast for the next three months during this period of the Lok Sabha elections, he said. When we meet the next time, it will be the 111th episode of the Mann Ki Baat, Modi added, noting the auspiciousness associated with the number. What can be better than this, he said.

The Prime Minister has frequently expressed confidence of retaining power in the elections. The programme was deferred before the 2019 general elections as well. Modi also appealed to first-time voters to cast their votes in record numbers, asserting that the 18th Lok Sabha will be a symbol of their aspirations. PM on Sunday hailed nari shakti and said it is touching new heights of progress in every field. Modi said International Womens Day on March 8 is an opportunity to salute the contribution of woman power to the countrys developmental journey. Great poet Bharatiyar ji has said that the world will prosper only when women get equal opportunities. Today the nari shakti (women power) of India is touching new heights of progress in every field, the prime minister said. Who would have thought till a few years ago that in India, women living in villages too would fly drones, he said. But today this is becoming possible. Today there is so much discussion about Drone Didi in every village. Namo Drone Didi, Namo Drone Didi is on everyones lips, he said.

The Prime Minister also spoke to Drone Didi Sunita from Uttar Pradeshs Sitapur. She talked about her drone training and how it helps in farming. Today there is no region in the country where woman power has lagged behind. Another area where women have demonstrated their leadership abilities is natural farming, water conservation and sanitation, he said. The matrishakti of the country is playing a big role in saving Mother Earth who is suffering pain and hardships due to chemicals, he said. Women are now extending natural farming to every corner of the country. Today, if so much work is being done in the country under the Jal Jeevan Mission, water committees have had a big role to play in it. The leadership of these water committees lies only with women, Modi pointed out. Apart from this, sisters and daughters are making all-out efforts for water conservation, he said. Modi also spoke with Kalyani Prafulla Patil from Maharashtra and lauded her work in moving towards natural farming. Whether it is Sunita ji or Kalyani ji, the success of woman power in myriad fields is very inspiring. I once again appreciate this spirit of our woman power from the core of my heart, the prime minister said.
Strive towards getting over 400 seats: Amit Shah





Khajuraho (MP),

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday asked BJP workers to resolve to give the Narendra Modi government a third term at the Centre with more than 400 seats, asserting that the upcoming Lok Sabha polls were about making India a superpower and the worlds third-largest economy. Addressing about 23,000 booth-level workers of the party at Khajuraho, the Union Minister also claimed the Congress means corruption and corruption means Congress. Opposition INDIA bloc partners Samajwadi Party and Congress have announced a tie-up for the Lok Sabha polls in MP, with the Akhilesh Yadav-led outfit set to contest in Khajuraho, bordering Uttar Pradesh, and support the grand old party in the remaining 28 constituencies in the state. Shah said the Congress during its 10-year tenure (between 2004 and 2014) had indulged in scams worth Rs 12 lakh crore. Resolve to form the Modi-led government at Centre again by winning more than 400 seats. The upcoming Lok Sabha polls are for making Bharat a superpower and the worlds third largest economy under Modis leadership, he told his party workers. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won from Khajuraho with a margin of about 4.90 lakh votes.

The Modi government has completed ten years, but the opposition leaders cant level allegations of a single penny on him, Shah said. Hailing the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya under the Modi government, Shah said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi used to take swipes at him by saying the saffron party claims it will build the temple but will not give people the date of construction. The temple has been built under the Modi government. The BJP fulfils every commitment made to the public, asserted Shah, considered his partys key strategist. The top BJP leader said the Congress dragged its feet for years over the Ayodhya temple, but Modi fulfilled the desire of crores of Lord Rams devotees by performing the bhumi pujan of the shrine and then leading its consecration ceremony. He said that Congress and its allies have always insulted and abused Sanatana Dharma. Congress and its allies tried to coin the term bhagwa terrorism and they always humiliated Bharatiya culture, he said. Not only in India, Modi ji has returned recently by inaugurating a grand temple in UAE. Congress people are not tired of humiliating Sanatana Dharma. Giving credit for the partys victory to booth workers, Shah said that the BJP won 27 out of 29 Lok Sabha seats of Madhya Pradesh in 2014 and 28 segments in 2019.
Suspicions about safety of Kaliyasot-Kerwa tigers and crocodiles rise in public mind





By Vijay Phanshikhar

Several related issues are popping up in public discourse since the administration began the massive encroachment-demolition drive in the Bhadbhada dam area. Besides clearing up of encroached spaces covering countless hundreds of acres, the one issue that has engaged public attention is how the Madhya Pradesh Government is going to protect and preserve the tiger population in the Kaliyasot-Kerwa forest complex covering hundreds of square kilometers on the edge of the capital of Madhya Pradesh, a unique distinction by any standard. Environmentalists also talk of several crocodiles that are sighted on the rocks or ground on the edge of the Kaliyasot dam reservoir and needing a careful handling so that they do not fall prey to human interference. This fear stems from a suspicion that the current demolition drive may be a pre-curser to some new developmental idea for which encroachment is being cleared. If this suspicion has any substance, then the tigers may not be able to enjoy a safe haven.

As one travels along the curving asphalt road on the edge of the forest area, one comes across caution-signs that tigers may be seen at some spots. The road of about five kilometers is truly beautiful in every sensed  flanked by forest on one side and a mirror-like expanse of the reservoir. It is at such moments that the thought of conservation of forests and their denizens springs up. If an untoward human interference is allowed in increasing proportions thanks to the developmental plans, then the first to be threatened will be the flora and the fauna. It is common knowledge that this forest complex has around a dozen tigers and an equal number of crocodiles, which residents of the near-by areas have seen on multiple occasions in the past few years. There should be no doubt that the Forest Department has an appropriate-sounding explanation of what it intends to do to protect the forests and the wildlife. Yet, doubts persist  which need to be cleared logically and practically.

Let alone a few stray incidents of animal-attacks in the past some years, this area can boast of certain cordiality between the denizens of the forest and the citizens of those areas of Bhopal. However, if human interference grows closer to the edge of the forests, then animal-man conflict may arise in the future. This is the most worrisome point that has crept into public discourse recently. Not just the environmentalists but also the common citizens now expect a definitive official response to their fears about the possible threat to the Kaliyasot-Kerwa forest complex. Some sections of the officialdom may try to dismiss such fears as figment imagination of some activists. But superficial dismissal of such fears is not going to quench the public suspicion. What is needed, possibly, is a substantial and convincing plan of action to lend full protection to the woods and the wildlife that has tigers as well as crocodiles besides other layers of the ecological pyramid.
Press Release

February 26, 2024 Explanation of Vote of Senator Joel Villanueva On Senate Bill No. 2492 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act Mr. President, dear colleagues: It is with immense pride and honor that I vote YES to this historic measure. The Philippine Maritime Zones Act, co-authored and co-sponsored by this representation, is a landmark legislation that will reinforce our rights as an archipelagic state, and will be part of the legal, political, and diplomatic strategies of the Philippines in enforcing the rule of law in our maritime domain. Binibigyang diin at ngipin ng panukalang batas na ito ang integridad ng ating teritoryo, na kinikilala ng United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), at ang makasaysayang tagumpay natin sa Permanent Court of Arbitration sa Hague noong 2016. We congratulate the Sponsor, the Chairperson of the Senate Special Committee on Maritime and Admiralty Zones Sen. Francis Tolentino, for swiftly shepherding the passage of this measure. We thank him for specifically clarifying that our Contiguous Zone extends to a distance of 24 nautical miles and that our Exclusive Economic Zone extends to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines, meaning we are claiming entitlement under UNCLOS. We also thank him for accepting our amendments which: 1) clarified the acts being penalized under Section 16 of the bill and 2) emphasized that only the high tide features of the Kalayaan Island Group of the West Philippine Sea are capable of generating a territorial sea under Article 121 of the UNCLOS. As we vote Yes to this measure today, we reiterate our commitment to protect our sovereign rights and preserve our territorial integrity, and our commitment to upholding an international order based on international law. In closing, allow me to share with you an excerpt from the famous essay written by the great Filipino diplomat, statesman, and soldier Carlos P. Romulo Sr., which I think is apt for this momentous occasion: "I am a Filipino-inheritor of a glorious past, hostage to the uncertain future. As such I must prove equal to a two-fold task- the task of meeting my responsibility to the past, and the task of performing my obligation to the future. I sprung from a hardy race, child of many generations...By the strength of their hearts and hands, by every right of law, human and divine, this land and all the appurtenances thereof... the whole of this rich and happy land has been, for centuries without number, the land of my fathers. This land I received in trust from them and in trust will pass it to my children, and so on until the world is no more." I believe that this law and all our efforts to protect our territorial integrity are among the greatest legacies we can leave for future generations of Filipinos. Thank you, Mr. President, and may God bless our country.
South Korea will tighten export controls over Russia and Belarus. These are high-priority technology goods, including chips and anything that could potentially be used for military purposes.

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This was announced on Monday, February 26, by the South Korean Ministry of Commerce, Yonhap reports. The country has added 682 items with actual or potential military use to the list of items that will be banned from delivery to Russia and Belarus.

"The ministry will strengthen the implementation of export controls in connection with related organizations, as there will be more attempts to evade export controls and seek to evade shipments," the statement said.

The ministry will particularly focus on monitoring exports of "common high-priority items," including chips that could be used in drones, with other partner countries, he added.

The innovation raised the total number of items on the list to 1159. The day before, the government also announced that it was investigating a South Korean company sanctioned by the United States for its ties to Russia.

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Daesung International Trading was one of 93 organizations added to the "list of entities" for export restrictions by the US Bureau of Industry and Security.

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Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC lowered its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 4.0% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 9,093 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 375 shares during the period. Tiemann Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $881,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 30,218,560 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Abbott Laboratories in the 4th quarter worth $1,893,715,000. Morgan Stanley raised 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 worth $4,278,132,000 after acquiring an additional 4,886,954 shares during the period. Capital International Investors raised 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 worth $6,451,127,000 after acquiring an additional 2,747,652 shares during the period. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 83.1% in the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 4,925,012 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $582,924,000 after acquiring an additional 2,235,314 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.70% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $112.50, for a total transaction of $4,781,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,315,537.50. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In related news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $112.50, for a total transaction of $4,781,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,315,537.50. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of the companys 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 approximately $7,022,916. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Abbott Laboratories Price Performance

Shares of ABT stock traded down $0.86 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $118.60. 1,543,205 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,385,612. Abbott Laboratories has a fifty-two week low of $89.67 and a fifty-two week high of $120.15. The stocks fifty day moving average is $112.45 and its two-hundred day moving average is $104.32. The company has a market cap of $205.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.64, a P/E/G ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.16.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.19 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $1.19. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 14.27% and a return on equity of 20.65%. The company had revenue of $10.24 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.19 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.03 earnings per share. Abbott Laboratoriess quarterly revenue was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 15th. Investors of record on Monday, April 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.55 per share. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.85%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 12th. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 67.48%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently commented on ABT shares. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $123.00 to $126.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $128.00 price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. TheStreet upgraded shares of Abbott Laboratories from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Thursday, December 21st. Barclays boosted 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. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted 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. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $120.00.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on ABT

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 company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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Shares of Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A  Get Free Report) have earned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the sixteen ratings firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $137.44.

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on A shares. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Agilent Technologies from $128.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, December 7th. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on shares of Agilent Technologies from $140.00 to $130.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. UBS Group lowered shares of Agilent Technologies from a buy rating to a neutral rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $163.00 to $125.00 in a report on Friday, November 17th. TheStreet upgraded shares of Agilent Technologies from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Friday, December 8th. Finally, Bank of America lowered shares of Agilent Technologies from a buy rating to a neutral rating and raised their price target for the company from $130.00 to $133.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 12th.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Agilent Technologies

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Agilent Technologies

In related news, SVP Philip Binns sold 2,880 shares of Agilent Technologies stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.78, for a total transaction of $402,566.40. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 12,824 shares in the company, valued at $1,792,538.72. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . In other Agilent Technologies news, SVP Philip Binns sold 2,880 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.78, for a total value of $402,566.40. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 12,824 shares in the company, valued at $1,792,538.72. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink . Also, VP Rodney Gonsalves sold 1,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $137.69, for a total transaction of $206,535.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 26,133 shares in the company, valued at $3,598,252.77. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last three months, insiders have sold 95,929 shares of company stock worth $12,730,599.

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in Agilent Technologies by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 31,853,176 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $3,830,344,000 after purchasing an additional 349,651 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Agilent Technologies by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 25,279,117 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $3,514,556,000 after acquiring an additional 206,865 shares in the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its stake in Agilent Technologies by 19.6% during the 4th quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 13,246,489 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,841,659,000 after acquiring an additional 2,170,219 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its stake in Agilent Technologies by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 13,214,595 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,591,990,000 after acquiring an additional 253,729 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in Agilent Technologies by 17.4% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 10,255,526 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,146,773,000 after acquiring an additional 1,519,134 shares in the last quarter.

Agilent Technologies Trading Up 0.0 %

Shares of A stock opened at $132.03 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $38.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.36, a PEG ratio of 3.01 and a beta of 1.11. Agilent Technologies has a 1-year low of $96.80 and a 1-year high of $145.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 2.61 and a quick ratio of 1.97. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $133.76 and its 200-day simple moving average is $122.53.

Agilent Technologies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 24th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 2nd will be issued a $0.236 dividend. This represents a $0.94 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.71%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 1st. Agilent Technologiess dividend payout ratio is presently 22.33%.

About Agilent Technologies

(Get Free Report

Agilent Technologies, Inc provides application focused solutions to the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Life Sciences and Applied Markets, Diagnostics and Genomics, and Agilent CrossLab. The Life Sciences and Applied Markets segment offers liquid chromatography systems and components; liquid chromatography mass spectrometry systems; gas chromatography systems and components; gas chromatography mass spectrometry systems; inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry instruments; atomic absorption instruments; microwave plasma-atomic emission spectrometry instruments; inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry instruments; raman spectroscopy; cell analysis plate based assays; flow cytometer; real-time cell analyzer; cell imaging systems; microplate reader; laboratory software; information management and analytics; laboratory automation and robotic systems; dissolution testing; and vacuum pumps, and measurement technologies.

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Truvestments Capital LLC increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 34,690 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after buying an additional 1,106 shares during the period. Truvestments Capital LLCs holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $2,013,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. State Street Corp boosted its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 92,570,288 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $5,919,870,000 after purchasing an additional 858,922 shares during the period. Capital International Investors boosted its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 12.8% during the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 69,296,006 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $4,431,517,000 after purchasing an additional 7,878,833 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 39,034,341 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $2,489,314,000 after purchasing an additional 225,065 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at about $1,873,696,000. Finally, Northern Trust Corp boosted its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 5.8% during the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 25,292,711 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,467,989,000 after purchasing an additional 1,394,158 shares during the period. 74.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Bristol-Myers Squibb Trading Down 1.3 %

Shares of BMY stock traded down $0.66 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $51.00. 3,300,850 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 15,181,268. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 1-year low of $47.58 and a 1-year high of $71.07. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $50.40 and a 200 day moving average price of $53.88. The company has a quick ratio of 1.31, a current ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24. The firm has a market capitalization of $103.13 billion, a PE ratio of 13.38, a PEG ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.38.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Increases Dividend

Bristol-Myers Squibb ( NYSE:BMY Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.55 by $0.15. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a net margin of 17.83% and a return on equity of 50.95%. The business had revenue of $11.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.19 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.82 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 6.61 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 1st. Investors of record on Friday, January 5th were given a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 4th. This is an increase from Bristol-Myers Squibbs previous quarterly dividend of $0.57. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.71%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs payout ratio is presently 62.18%.

Bristol-Myers Squibb announced that its board has approved a stock buyback program on Thursday, December 7th that allows the company to repurchase $3.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the biopharmaceutical company to purchase up to 2.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are typically a sign that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have issued reports on BMY shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research note on Thursday, November 9th. They set a hold rating and a $55.00 target price for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald lowered shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $68.00 to $55.00 in a research note on Wednesday, November 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price target on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $81.00 to $69.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Monday, October 30th. Redburn Atlantic lowered shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $77.00 to $54.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, TheStreet lowered shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Thursday, November 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $61.17.

View Our Latest Analysis on BMY

Insider Activity at Bristol-Myers Squibb

In related news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner acquired 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $49.78 per share, with a total value of $99,560.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 82,672 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,115,412.16. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other Bristol-Myers Squibb news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner bought 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $49.78 per share, with a total value of $99,560.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 82,672 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,115,412.16. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Christopher S. Boerner bought 3,071 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $48.86 per share, with a total value of $150,049.06. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 79,384 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,878,702.24. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 0.08% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

(Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for various anti-cancer indications, including bladder, blood, CRC, head and neck, RCC, HCC, lung, melanoma, MPM, stomach and esophageal cancer; Pomalyst/Imnovid for multiple myeloma; Orencia for active rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis; and Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

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Polish carriers have announced that they will resume their strike at the Ukrainian border on March 1. Drivers and representatives of logistics companies will join the blockade already organized by Polish farmers.

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This was reported by RMF24. The carriers' protest action was suspended on January 17. Then they said they would wait for the Polish government and the European Commission to fulfill their demands by March 1.

However, according to Maciej Wronski, President of the Polish Transport and Logistics Association, the negotiations between the carriers and the authorities have not progressed. "There was an announcement from the Ministry of Infrastructure that a draft law would be presented that would strengthen control over Ukrainian carriers. Several weeks have passed and we have no draft," Vronsky said.

According to him, some carriers are still protesting, but unofficially. "We see these people at farmers' protests. For me, this is also absolutely not serious, we have to give the government a chance to implement the points of the agreement concluded in January. I am against intensifying the protests, I am against blocking roads, I am for solving the problems of specific communities," Wronski added.

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However, according to the Polish media, signals from farmers and carriers indicate that if the situation does not change by Thursday, February 29, the scale and number of protests on the border with Ukraine will only increase. The journalists also reminded that not only Ukraine, but also Poland suffers from the border blockade.

The losses from the previous blockade of carriers for Poland amounted to several hundred million euros, according to media reports. "Such a large amount is due to the fact that the cost of all annual transportation from Poland to Ukraine is about 10 billion euros," the article says.

What the Poles demand: Ukraine tried to negotiate

The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine reported that in February, Deputy Minister Serhiy Derkach met with his Polish counterpart Pawel Ganczar with the participation of representatives of the customs and border services of both countries. The talks took place at the border and focused on preventing the blockade of the border by Polish carriers.

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"Our position remains unchanged: we have to solve problems together and are open to dialogue and compromises that will not harm the interests of carriers. The blockade of the border is harming the economies of Ukraine, Poland and the EU... We continue to operate pilot projects at the Yahodyn - Dorohusk and Nizhankovychi - Malkhovychi checkpoints until March 1," Derkach emphasized.

The system will separate the queue of loaded and empty vehicles at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint, as well as eliminate the need for empty trucks to register in the system at the Nyzhankovychi-Malhovice checkpoint.

"The system is transparent and helps minimize any risks of corruption. But the main thing for its operation is an uninterrupted and predictable number of trucks crossing the border. Only then will each driver be able to know exactly when they will cross the border. Under the blockade organized by Polish farmers, no carrier can plan its activities, and the Ukrainian economy continues to suffer losses," Derkach summarized.

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Nevertheless, Polish carriers are demanding the abolition of the eCheck and the return of the system of special permits for Ukrainian drivers to the EU. Ukraine has repeatedly stated that the country will not take such steps. they contradict agreements with the European Union as a whole, and Poland is violating these agreements.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, one of the organizers of the Polish protests on the border of Ukraine turned out to be the owner of a transport company that manages to make money on the blockade. We are talking about a member of the Polish border blockade committee, the head of the protest at the Yagodyn-Dorogusk checkpoint, and a politician Edyta Ozigala.

Meanwhile, the number of provocations on the blocked border is growing. For example, Polish farmers were caught trying to break the wheels of Ukrainian cars. Protesters near the Rava-Ruska checkpoint scattered nails and screws all over the road to prevent Ukrainian vehicles, including passenger vehicles, from continuing to move.

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Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL  Get Free Report) has received an average rating of Moderate Buy from the thirteen brokerages that are covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and twelve have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $128.64.

A number of analysts have weighed in on RCL shares. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Royal Caribbean Cruises from $100.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Tigress Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $139.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, December 21st. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $148.00 to $154.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, February 16th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $141.00 to $143.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 19th. Finally, Truist Financial reissued a buy rating and issued a $134.00 price objective on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in a research note on Monday, December 4th.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On Royal Caribbean Cruises

In related news, Director Arne Alexander Wilhelmsen sold 315,234 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.19, for a total value of $37,887,974.46. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 19,852,273 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,386,044,691.87. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website . In other news, Director Arne Alexander Wilhelmsen sold 315,234 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.19, for a total transaction of $37,887,974.46. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 19,852,273 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,386,044,691.87. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink . Also, EVP Harri U. Kulovaara sold 24,707 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.90, for a total value of $2,641,178.30. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 33,650 shares in the company, valued at $3,597,185. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 636,460 shares of company stock worth $76,557,183. Corporate insiders own 8.70% of the companys stock.

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises during the 2nd quarter valued at about $693,000. Dagco Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. BKM Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises during the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises during the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, West Branch Capital LLC boosted its holdings in Royal Caribbean Cruises by 50.0% in the 4th quarter. West Branch Capital LLC now owns 300 shares of the companys stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. 75.64% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Price Performance

RCL stock opened at $121.91 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $31.29 billion, a PE ratio of 19.60, a P/E/G ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 2.54. Royal Caribbean Cruises has a 12 month low of $59.37 and a 12 month high of $133.77. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $122.90 and a 200 day moving average price of $106.74. The company has a current ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.03.

Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.13 by $0.12. Royal Caribbean Cruises had a return on equity of 45.55% and a net margin of 12.22%. The business had revenue of $3.33 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.36 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned ($1.12) earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Royal Caribbean Cruises will post 10.04 earnings per share for the current year.

About Royal Caribbean Cruises

(Get Free Report

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operates as a cruise company worldwide. The company operates cruises under the Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises brands, which comprise a range of itineraries. As of February 21, 2024, it operated 65 ships. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

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Brookfield Business Partners LP (TSE:BBU.UN  Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, February 28th, TickerTech reports. Investors of record on Thursday, March 28th will be given a dividend of 0.0625 per share on Thursday, March 28th. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.84%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th.

Brookfield Business Partners Stock Performance

TSE BBU.UN opened at C$29.72 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 227.98. The firm has a market cap of C$2.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.39, a PEG ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 1.45. The company has a 50 day moving average of C$28.39 and a 200-day moving average of C$23.65. Brookfield Business Partners has a 1-year low of C$16.86 and a 1-year high of C$31.82.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Brookfield Business Partners from C$29.00 to C$33.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, February 5th.

Brookfield Business Partners Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Brookfield Business Partners L.P. is a private equity firm specializes in acquisition. The firm typically invests in business services, construction, energy, and industrials sector. It prefers to take majority stake in companies. The firm seeks returns of at least 15% on its investments. Brookfield Business Partners L.P.

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Shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (NYSE:BIP  Get Free Report) (TSE:BIP.UN) dropped 2.5% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $29.80 and last traded at $29.85. Approximately 143,317 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 69% from the average daily volume of 468,670 shares. The stock had previously closed at $30.62.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

BIP has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. TD Securities cut their price objective on shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $47.00 to $46.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 2nd. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $38.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $45.00 to $40.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 2nd. Raymond James raised their price objective on Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $40.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, National Bank Financial cut Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $39.11.

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Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Trading Down 4.5 %

The business has a fifty day moving average of $31.04 and a 200-day moving average of $29.40. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 218.73 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 0.54 and a quick ratio of 0.66.

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE:BIP  Get Free Report) (TSE:BIP.UN) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The utilities provider reported ($0.20) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.79 by ($0.99). The firm had revenue of $4.97 billion for the quarter. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners had a return on equity of 0.79% and a net margin of 1.34%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. will post 3.35 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th will be paid a $0.405 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $1.62 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.54%. This is a boost from Brookfield Infrastructure Partnerss previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. Brookfield Infrastructure Partnerss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 1,092.94%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brookfield Infrastructure Partners

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. purchased a new position in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners in the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Heritage Wealth Advisors acquired a new stake in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners during the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners by 8,107.7% during the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,067 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 1,054 shares during the period. Power Corp of Canada acquired a new stake in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners during the 1st quarter worth about $73,000. Finally, Clear Street Markets LLC acquired a new stake in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners during the 4th quarter worth about $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 55.52% of the companys stock.

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. owns and operates utilities, transport, midstream, and data businesses in North and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company's Utilities segment operates approximately 60,000 kilometers (km) of operational electricity transmission and distribution lines; 2,900 km of electricity transmission lines; 4,200 km of natural gas pipelines; 7.8 million electricity and natural gas connections; and 540,000 long-term contracted sub-metering services.

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Stock analysts at StockNews.com began coverage on shares of China Pharma (NYSE:CPHI  Get Free Report) in a report released on Saturday. The brokerage set a hold rating on the stock.

China Pharma Stock Performance

Shares of CPHI opened at $0.09 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $0.10 and a 200-day moving average price of $0.13. China Pharma has a 12-month low of $0.08 and a 12-month high of $0.88.

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China Pharma Company Profile

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China Pharma Holdings, Inc develops, manufactures, and markets generic and branded pharmaceutical, and biochemical products primarily to hospitals and private retailers in the People's Republic of China. The company offers products in the form of dry powder injectables, liquid injectables, tablets, capsules, and cephalosporin oral solutions.

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Synovus Financial Corp lowered its stake in shares of Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR  Free Report) by 2.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 82,772 shares of the conglomerates stock after selling 2,114 shares during the period. Synovus Financial Corps holdings in Danaher were worth $20,536,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in DHR. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. purchased a new stake in Danaher during the third quarter worth about $25,000. OFI Invest Asset Management purchased a new stake in Danaher in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. IAG Wealth Partners LLC grew its holdings in Danaher by 344.8% in the second quarter. IAG Wealth Partners LLC now owns 129 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the period. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new stake in Danaher in the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, First Capital Advisors Group LLC. purchased a new stake in Danaher in the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.71% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have issued reports on DHR. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Danaher from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. KeyCorp boosted their price objective on shares of Danaher from $260.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. HSBC began coverage on shares of Danaher in a research note on Monday, December 18th. They set a hold rating for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded shares of Danaher from a buy rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $215.00 to $205.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 7th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded shares of Danaher from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Danaher presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $266.00.

Danaher Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:DHR traded down $2.19 on Monday, reaching $251.65. 2,486,666 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,793,762. The firm has a market capitalization of $186.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.26, a PEG ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 0.85. Danaher Co. has a fifty-two week low of $182.09 and a fifty-two week high of $255.00. The businesss 50-day moving average is $236.56 and its two-hundred day moving average is $231.00. The company has a quick ratio of 1.37, a current ratio of 1.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31.

Danaher (NYSE:DHR  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The conglomerate reported $2.09 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.91 by $0.18. The company had revenue of $6.41 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.10 billion. Danaher had a net margin of 17.26% and a return on equity of 12.25%. The firms revenue was down 10.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.87 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Danaher Co. will post 7.63 EPS for the current year.

Danaher Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 26th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 28th will be issued a $0.27 dividend. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.43%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 27th. This is a boost from Danahers previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. Danahers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 15.02%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Teri List sold 3,289 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $248.32, for a total value of $816,724.48. Following the sale, the director now owns 19,726 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,898,360.32. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, Director Teri List sold 3,289 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $248.32, for a total value of $816,724.48. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 19,726 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,898,360.32. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Georgeann Couchara sold 2,622 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $242.67, for a total transaction of $636,280.74. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 4,244 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,029,891.48. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 9,200 shares of company stock valued at $2,279,038 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 11.10% of the companys stock.

About Danaher

(Free Report)

Danaher Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets professional, medical, industrial, and commercial products and services worldwide. The Biotechnology segments offers bioprocess technologies, consumables, and services that advance, accelerate, and integrate the development and manufacture of therapeutics; cell line and cell culture media development services; cell culture media, process liquids and buffers for manufacturing, chromatography resins, filtration technologies, aseptic fill finish; single-use hardware and consumables and services, such as the design and installation of full manufacturing suites; lab filtration, separation, and purification; lab-scale protein purification and analytical tools; reagents, membranes, and services; and healthcare filtration solutions.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DHR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR  Free Report).

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Eldorado Gold Co. (NYSE:EGO  Get Free Report) (TSE:ELD)s share price gapped down prior to trading on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $10.59, but opened at $10.37. Eldorado Gold shares last traded at $10.42, with a volume of 169,990 shares.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently commented on EGO shares. National Bank Financial reissued an outperform spec overweight rating on shares of Eldorado Gold in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Stifel Canada cut shares of Eldorado Gold from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. CIBC upped their target price on shares of Eldorado Gold from $16.50 to $18.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Stifel Nicolaus reissued a hold rating on shares of Eldorado Gold in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded Eldorado Gold from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, October 30th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Eldorado Gold presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $13.13.

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Eldorado Gold Trading Down 0.8 %

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Eldorado Gold

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 4.00 and a quick ratio of 2.89. The firm has a market cap of $2.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.98 and a beta of 1.14. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $12.25 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $10.99.

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Swiss National Bank boosted its stake in Eldorado Gold by 11.4% in the 3rd quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 448,320 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $4,034,000 after buying an additional 46,000 shares during the last quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc grew its holdings in Eldorado Gold by 13.0% in the third quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 193,188 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $1,729,000 after purchasing an additional 22,292 shares during the period. Gabelli Funds LLC increased its position in Eldorado Gold by 9.2% during the third quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 1,965,000 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $17,508,000 after purchasing an additional 165,700 shares during the last quarter. Helikon Investments Ltd raised its stake in Eldorado Gold by 1.7% during the third quarter. Helikon Investments Ltd now owns 29,438,478 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $262,297,000 after purchasing an additional 501,488 shares during the period. Finally, U S Global Investors Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Eldorado Gold by 361.3% in the 3rd quarter. U S Global Investors Inc. now owns 346,004 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $3,083,000 after purchasing an additional 271,004 shares during the last quarter. 58.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Eldorado Gold

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Eldorado Gold Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the mining, exploration, development, and sale of mineral products primarily in Turkey, Canada, Greece, and Romania. The company primarily produces gold, as well as silver, lead, and zinc. It holds a 100% interest in the Kisladag and Efemcukuru gold mines located in western Turkey; Lamaque gold mines located in Canada; and Olympias, Stratoni, Skouries, Perama Hill, and Sapes gold mines located in Greece, as well as the 80.5% interest in Certej development projects located in Romania.

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TD Securities reaffirmed their tender rating on shares of Enerplus (NYSE:ERF  Free Report) (TSE:ERF) in a research note published on Thursday morning, MarketBeat reports. TD Securities currently has a $18.85 price objective on the oil and natural gas companys stock, down from their prior price objective of $21.00.

Other research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. National Bankshares dropped their price objective on shares of Enerplus from $25.00 to $21.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. CIBC lowered their target price on shares of Enerplus from $23.00 to $19.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Enerplus from $21.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, November 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $21.69.

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Enerplus Trading Down 1.8 %

Enerplus Increases Dividend

Shares of ERF opened at $17.59 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.87. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $15.08 and a 200-day simple moving average of $16.12. Enerplus has a 1-year low of $12.84 and a 1-year high of $19.01. The stock has a market cap of $3.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.38 and a beta of 1.95.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 4th will be paid a dividend of $0.13 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 1st. This is a boost from Enerpluss previous quarterly dividend of $0.06. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.96%. Enerpluss payout ratio is currently 11.43%.

Institutional Trading of Enerplus

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in ERF. DRW Securities LLC acquired a new position in shares of Enerplus during the 4th quarter valued at $2,301,000. Legal & General Group Plc lifted its holdings in shares of Enerplus by 3.4% during the 4th quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 223,179 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $3,437,000 after acquiring an additional 7,378 shares in the last quarter. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Enerplus by 51.0% during the 4th quarter. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC now owns 4,650 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $71,000 after acquiring an additional 1,571 shares in the last quarter. Vident Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Enerplus by 20.0% during the 4th quarter. Vident Advisory LLC now owns 19,793 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $304,000 after acquiring an additional 3,292 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nuveen Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Enerplus during the 4th quarter valued at $12,740,000. 56.60% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Enerplus

(Get Free Report)

Enerplus Corporation, together with subsidiaries, acquires, develops, and explores crude oil and natural gas in the United States. Its oil and natural gas properties are located primarily in North Dakota, Colorado, and Pennsylvania. Enerplus Corporation was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

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Entergy Co. (NYSE:ETR  Get Free Report) has received a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the eleven brokerages that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have issued a hold recommendation and seven have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $110.82.

ETR has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Entergy from $92.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. UBS Group raised shares of Entergy from a neutral rating to a buy rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $103.00 to $118.00 in a research report on Monday, November 6th. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Entergy from $99.00 to $104.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada cut shares of Entergy from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and set a $117.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Finally, Bank of America upgraded Entergy from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their target price for the stock from $94.00 to $110.00 in a report on Tuesday, November 21st.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Entergy

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Entergy

In other news, EVP Marcus V. Brown sold 38,417 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $101.53, for a total transaction of $3,900,478.01. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 9,380 shares in the company, valued at $952,351.40. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link . 0.39% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new position in shares of Entergy during the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its stake in shares of Entergy by 1.8% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 637,493 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $74,429,000 after buying an additional 11,568 shares in the last quarter. Blair William & Co. IL lifted its stake in shares of Entergy by 20.0% during the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 44,607 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $5,208,000 after buying an additional 7,434 shares in the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. lifted its stake in shares of Entergy by 52.8% during the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 189,102 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $22,074,000 after buying an additional 65,376 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allianz Asset Management GmbH lifted its position in shares of Entergy by 37.7% in the first quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 288,794 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $33,717,000 after acquiring an additional 79,137 shares in the last quarter. 86.52% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Entergy Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE ETR opened at $102.50 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $21.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.24, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.71. The stocks 50-day moving average is $100.65 and its 200 day moving average is $97.99. Entergy has a 1-year low of $87.10 and a 1-year high of $111.90. The company has a current ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.57.

Entergy (NYSE:ETR  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 22nd. The utilities provider reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.52. Entergy had a net margin of 19.41% and a return on equity of 10.54%. The company had revenue of $2.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.27 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.51 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Entergy will post 7.22 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Entergy Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Investors of record on Friday, February 9th will be paid a $1.13 dividend. This represents a $4.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.41%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 8th. Entergys payout ratio is 40.76%.

About Entergy

(Get Free Report

Entergy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and retail distribution of electricity in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Utility and Entergy Wholesale Commodities. The Utility segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power in portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, including the City of New Orleans; and distributes natural gas.

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Epoch Investment Partners Inc. increased its position in shares of Amcor plc (NYSE:AMCR  Free Report) by 2.1% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 1,342,167 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 27,984 shares during the period. Epoch Investment Partners Inc.s holdings in Amcor were worth $12,294,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in AMCR. Raymond James & Associates increased its stake in shares of Amcor by 13.9% during the first quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 222,899 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,525,000 after buying an additional 27,213 shares during the period. Private Advisor Group LLC boosted its position in Amcor by 33.0% during the first quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 26,878 shares of the companys stock valued at $304,000 after purchasing an additional 6,664 shares in the last quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. boosted its position in Amcor by 23.3% during the first quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 121,261 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,374,000 after purchasing an additional 22,888 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS boosted its position in Amcor by 5.2% during the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 202,541 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,295,000 after purchasing an additional 10,101 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vontobel Holding Ltd. boosted its position in Amcor by 58.5% during the first quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 45,244 shares of the companys stock valued at $522,000 after purchasing an additional 16,707 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 49.52% of the companys stock.

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Amcor Price Performance

Shares of AMCR stock opened at $9.27 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 0.71. The company has a market cap of $13.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.07, a PEG ratio of 10.19 and a beta of 0.80. The stocks 50-day moving average is $9.47 and its 200 day moving average is $9.31. Amcor plc has a 1-year low of $8.45 and a 1-year high of $11.51.

Amcor Dividend Announcement

Insiders Place Their Bets

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 28th will be issued a $0.125 dividend. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.39%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 27th. Amcors dividend payout ratio is presently 113.64%.

In other Amcor news, Director Arun Nayar sold 10,261 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $9.39, for a total value of $96,350.79. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 52,527 shares of the companys stock, valued at $493,228.53. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.69% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Truist Financial dropped their price objective on Amcor from $11.00 to $10.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $10.40.

View Our Latest Stock Report on Amcor

About Amcor

(Free Report)

Amcor plc develops, produces, and sells packaging products in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, and the Asia Pacific regions. The company operates through two segments, Flexibles and Rigid Packaging. The Flexibles segment provides flexible and film packaging products in the food and beverage, medical and pharmaceutical, fresh produce, snack food, personal care, and other industries.

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Hyatt Hotels Co. (NYSE:H  Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of Hold by the thirteen ratings firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and five have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $125.14.

A number of research firms recently commented on H. Evercore ISI reissued an in-line rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of Hyatt Hotels in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Hyatt Hotels from $119.00 to $128.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. Redburn Atlantic cut shares of Hyatt Hotels from a buy rating to a neutral rating and raised their price target for the stock from $120.00 to $130.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on shares of Hyatt Hotels from $37.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Hyatt Hotels from $116.00 to $134.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, February 13th.

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Check Out Our Latest Report on Hyatt Hotels

Insider Buying and Selling

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

In other Hyatt Hotels news, insider Joan Bottarini sold 4,250 shares of Hyatt Hotels stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $128.72, for a total transaction of $547,060.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 11,301 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,454,664.72. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . In other Hyatt Hotels news, insider Joan Bottarini sold 4,250 shares of Hyatt Hotels stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $128.72, for a total transaction of $547,060.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 11,301 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,454,664.72. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . Also, insider Jnp Parachute Mirror Trust L sold 66,701 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.21, for a total transaction of $8,418,333.21. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last three months, insiders have sold 78,552 shares of company stock worth $9,918,594. 21.24% of the stock is owned by insiders.

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Quarry LP acquired a new position in Hyatt Hotels during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. First Manhattan CO. LLC. acquired a new position in Hyatt Hotels during the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Hyatt Hotels by 597.5% during the 3rd quarter. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC now owns 279 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 239 shares in the last quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd acquired a new position in Hyatt Hotels during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC grew its holdings in Hyatt Hotels by 49.8% during the 4th quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 382 shares of the companys stock worth $50,000 after acquiring an additional 127 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 46.03% of the companys stock.

Hyatt Hotels Trading Up 10.8 %

NYSE:H opened at $150.17 on Monday. Hyatt Hotels has a 52 week low of $96.77 and a 52 week high of $150.66. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $130.55 and a 200 day moving average of $117.61. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 73.61, a PEG ratio of 23.28 and a beta of 1.46.

Hyatt Hotels (NYSE:H  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, February 23rd. The company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.38 by $0.26. Hyatt Hotels had a net margin of 7.40% and a return on equity of 13.25%. The company had revenue of $1.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.56 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.55 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Hyatt Hotels will post 2.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hyatt Hotels Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 12th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 27th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.40%. Hyatt Hotelss payout ratio is presently 29.41%.

About Hyatt Hotels

(Get Free Report

Hyatt Hotels Corporation operates as a hospitality company in the United States and internationally. It operates through Owned and Leased Hotels, Americas Management and Franchising, ASPAC Management and Franchising, EAME/SW Asia Management and Franchising, and Apple Leisure Group segments. The company manages, franchises, licenses, owns, and leases portfolio of properties, consisting of full-service hotels and resorts, select service hotels, resorts, and other properties, including timeshare, fractional, residential, vacation, and condominium units.

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On the morning of February 26, Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov arrived in Kyiv on an official visit. Bulgarian Defense Minister Emil Yeftimov also arrived in Ukraine along with the prime minister.

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The program of the Bulgarian delegation in Ukraine is not disclosed for security reasons. This was reported by BNT News.

In addition to the prime minister, the Bulgarian delegation also included the ministers of justice, environment and energy, Atanas Slavov, Yulian Popov and Rumen Radev, deputy ministers of defense and foreign affairs, Stanimir Georgiev and Tikhomir Stoychev, and the head of the defense ministry, Admiral Emil Eftimov.

The press service of the Bulgarian government said that Denkov's visit to the Ukrainian capital is intended to emphasize that the Bulgarian government stands firmly on the side of justice and will continue to defend Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On the eve of his visit to Kyiv, the Bulgarian prime minister said that his country supports the Ukrainian formula for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law.

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Earlier, Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov emphasized that Ukraine is fighting not only for its independence and territorial integrity, but also for Europe. Peace in Ukraine after the war with Russia must be just and based on the international order.

As a reminder, Bulgaria donated a hundred armored personnel carriers to Ukraine by decision of the National Assembly. According to the agreement, the Ukrainian side will be provided with armored vehicles with existing weapons, as well as spare parts for their maintenance, which are no longer needed by the Bulgarian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

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Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Mckinley Capital Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM  Free Report) by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 74,285 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 3,338 shares during the quarter. Exxon Mobil makes up about 1.2% of Mckinley Capital Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 17th biggest holding. Mckinley Capital Management LLCs holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $8,734,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC raised its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 17.4% during the 1st quarter. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC now owns 7,909 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $680,000 after purchasing an additional 1,173 shares during the last quarter. Retirement Income Solutions Inc purchased a new position in shares of Exxon Mobil in the first quarter valued at approximately $275,000. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P boosted its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 318.8% in the first quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 17,163 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,417,000 after acquiring an additional 13,065 shares during the last quarter. Ergoteles LLC increased its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 95.6% during the first quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 15,843 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,308,000 after purchasing an additional 7,744 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bridgefront Capital LLC acquired a new position in Exxon Mobil in the 1st quarter valued at $237,000. 58.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Exxon Mobil

In other news, Director Jeffrey W. Ubben sold 2,077,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.06, for a total value of $216,132,620.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 13,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,352,780. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other Exxon Mobil news, Director Jeffrey W. Ubben sold 2,077,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.06, for a total value of $216,132,620.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 13,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,352,780. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, VP Leonard M. Fox sold 12,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.65, for a total transaction of $1,231,800.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 220,678 shares in the company, valued at $22,652,596.70. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 2,091,400 shares of company stock worth $217,616,420 over the last three months. Insiders own 0.04% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on XOM. Mizuho downgraded shares of Exxon Mobil from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $117.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Erste Group Bank reiterated a hold rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and issued a $120.00 target price on shares of Exxon Mobil in a report on Monday, February 5th. TD Cowen upgraded Exxon Mobil from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $115.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Finally, Redburn Atlantic raised shares of Exxon Mobil from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the company from $116.00 to $119.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 9th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $127.53.

Get Our Latest Report on Exxon Mobil

Exxon Mobil Stock Up 0.8 %

XOM traded up $0.87 on Monday, hitting $104.71. 2,191,743 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 18,777,324. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $101.42 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $106.12. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Exxon Mobil Co. has a twelve month low of $95.77 and a twelve month high of $120.70. The company has a market cap of $414.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.74 and a beta of 0.97.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The oil and gas company reported $2.48 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.20 by $0.28. The business had revenue of $84.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $90.03 billion. Exxon Mobil had a net margin of 10.45% and a return on equity of 18.51%. The companys revenue was down 11.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $3.40 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.25 earnings per share for the current year.

Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 11th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 14th will be paid a dividend of $0.95 per share. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.63%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 13th. Exxon Mobils payout ratio is 42.74%.

About Exxon Mobil

(Free Report)

Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in the United States and internationally. It operates through Upstream, Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas.

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Mutual Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 34,643 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 149 shares during the quarter. Mutual Advisors LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $3,207,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Cornerstone Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 12,807.4% during the 2nd quarter. Cornerstone Advisors LLC now owns 26,485,964 shares of the companys stock valued at $16,449,000 after purchasing an additional 26,280,764 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in Philip Morris International by 100,700.1% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 15,640,144 shares of the companys stock worth $1,582,939,000 after buying an additional 15,624,628 shares during the period. Capital World Investors boosted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 3.9% in the second quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 116,185,273 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,342,014,000 after purchasing an additional 4,368,323 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 33.5% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 17,147,790 shares of the companys stock worth $1,587,542,000 after buying an additional 4,304,089 shares during the period. Finally, Boston Partners grew its holdings in Philip Morris International by 1,225.5% during the 2nd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 3,568,402 shares of the companys stock worth $348,046,000 after acquiring an additional 3,299,188 shares in the last quarter. 79.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

PM has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. Societe Generale raised Philip Morris International from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $87.50 target price on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. Redburn Atlantic initiated coverage on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, November 16th. They issued a neutral rating and a $95.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, UBS Group cut shares of Philip Morris International from a buy rating to a sell rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $105.00 to $86.50 in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $105.40.

Philip Morris International Price Performance

PM opened at $91.22 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $141.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.24, a P/E/G ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.63. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $92.56 and a 200 day moving average price of $92.90. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 1 year low of $87.23 and a 1 year high of $101.92.

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.44 by ($0.08). Philip Morris International had a net margin of 8.53% and a negative return on equity of 116.29%. The business had revenue of $9.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.99 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.39 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.39 EPS for the current year.

Philip Morris International Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 21st were given a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 20th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.70%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 103.59%.

Insider Transactions at Philip Morris International

In related news, insider Wilde Frederic De sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $94.25, for a total value of $942,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 198,447 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $18,703,629.75. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.15% of the companys stock.

About Philip Morris International

(Free Report)

Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches.

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Numerai GP LLC decreased its position in Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. (NYSE:TPH  Free Report) by 46.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 32,253 shares of the construction companys stock after selling 27,465 shares during the quarter. Numerai GP LLCs holdings in Tri Pointe Homes were worth $882,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Tri Pointe Homes by 110.2% during the 3rd quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 195,680 shares of the construction companys stock worth $5,352,000 after acquiring an additional 102,567 shares during the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC grew its stake in Tri Pointe Homes by 22.1% in the third quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 22,684 shares of the construction companys stock worth $620,000 after purchasing an additional 4,110 shares in the last quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP purchased a new position in Tri Pointe Homes during the 3rd quarter worth $1,357,000. Invesco Ltd. grew its position in shares of Tri Pointe Homes by 15.1% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,042,993 shares of the construction companys stock worth $28,526,000 after buying an additional 137,175 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC grew its holdings in Tri Pointe Homes by 85.4% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 85,714 shares of the construction companys stock worth $2,344,000 after acquiring an additional 39,490 shares in the last quarter. 97.59% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Tri Pointe Homes Trading Up 0.9 %

Tri Pointe Homes stock opened at $35.59 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 2.11 and a current ratio of 2.11. The stock has a market cap of $3.40 billion, a PE ratio of 10.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.73 and a beta of 1.53. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $34.88 and a two-hundred day moving average of $30.89. Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. has a one year low of $22.98 and a one year high of $36.43.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Tri Pointe Homes ( NYSE:TPH Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 20th. The construction company reported $1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.12 by $0.24. The firm had revenue of $1.24 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.20 billion. Tri Pointe Homes had a net margin of 9.37% and a return on equity of 11.75%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 17.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.98 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. will post 3.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

TPH has been the topic of several recent research reports. Wedbush reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $32.00 target price on shares of Tri Pointe Homes in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Tri Pointe Homes from $35.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Finally, Oppenheimer reissued an outperform rating and set a $41.00 price target (up from $36.00) on shares of Tri Pointe Homes in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $38.20.

View Our Latest Research Report on Tri Pointe Homes

Tri Pointe Homes Company Profile

(Free Report)

Tri Pointe Homes, Inc engages in the design, construction, and sale of single-family attached and detached homes in the United States. The company operates through a portfolio of six regional home building brands comprising Maracay in Arizona; Pardee Homes in California and Nevada; Quadrant Homes in Washington; Trendmaker Homes in Texas; TRI Pointe Homes in California, Colorado, and the Carolinas; and Winchester Homes in Maryland and Northern Virginia.

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Operose Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA  Free Report) by 122.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 919 shares of the aircraft producers stock after acquiring an additional 505 shares during the quarter. Operose Advisors LLCs holdings in Boeing were worth $176,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in Boeing by 2.4% in the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 36,819,108 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $7,774,723,000 after acquiring an additional 868,582 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its position in shares of Boeing by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 26,416,857 shares of the aircraft producers stock worth $5,578,184,000 after purchasing an additional 392,811 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors grew its stake in Boeing by 4.9% during the 2nd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 18,306,455 shares of the aircraft producers stock worth $3,865,614,000 after buying an additional 863,026 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in Boeing by 109,667.8% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 16,055,730 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $3,058,456,000 after buying an additional 16,041,103 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital Research Global Investors raised its stake in Boeing by 1.7% in the second quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 11,115,353 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $2,347,119,000 after buying an additional 185,383 shares during the last quarter. 61.33% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Boeing Trading Down 0.2 %

BA opened at $200.50 on Monday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $224.02 and a 200 day moving average price of $215.09. The Boeing Company has a 1 year low of $176.25 and a 1 year high of $267.54.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Boeing ( NYSE:BA Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The aircraft producer reported ($0.47) earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of ($0.72) by $0.25. The firm had revenue of $22.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $21.14 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted ($1.75) EPS. The companys revenue was up 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that The Boeing Company will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.

BA has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on Boeing in a research note on Friday, December 1st. They set a buy rating and a $265.00 price target on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on shares of Boeing from $285.00 to $260.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Boeing from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the stock from $204.00 to $270.00 in a report on Monday, November 20th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Boeing from $225.00 to $215.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Finally, Northcoast Research lowered Boeing from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Friday. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $252.63.

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Boeing Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Boeing Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, sells, services, and supports commercial jetliners, military aircraft, satellites, missile defense, human space flight and launch systems, and services worldwide. The company operates through Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space & Security; and Global Services segments.

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Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY  Free Report) (TSE:RY) in a research report sent to investors on Thursday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the financial services providers stock.

A number of other brokerages have also recently weighed in on RY. StockNews.com cut shares of Royal Bank of Canada from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Bank of America raised Royal Bank of Canada from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Royal Bank of Canada has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $131.50.

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Royal Bank of Canada Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:RY opened at $98.66 on Thursday. Royal Bank of Canada has a 52 week low of $77.90 and a 52 week high of $102.49. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $98.92 and a 200 day moving average price of $91.63. The company has a market cap of $139.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.66, a PEG ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10.

Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY  Get Free Report) (TSE:RY) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 30th. The financial services provider reported $2.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.92 by $0.13. Royal Bank of Canada had a return on equity of 15.21% and a net margin of 12.59%. The business had revenue of $9.59 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.63 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.09 EPS. Research analysts predict that Royal Bank of Canada will post 8.49 earnings per share for the current year.

Royal Bank of Canada Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 23rd. Investors of record on Thursday, January 25th were paid a dividend of $1.0155 per share. This represents a $4.06 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.12%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, January 24th. Royal Bank of Canadas payout ratio is 51.09%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Fiera Capital Corp grew its position in shares of Royal Bank of Canada by 4.9% in the third quarter. Fiera Capital Corp now owns 4,375,864 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $383,474,000 after purchasing an additional 205,658 shares during the period. Prospera Financial Services Inc lifted its holdings in shares of Royal Bank of Canada by 48.1% during the 2nd quarter. Prospera Financial Services Inc now owns 16,344 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,561,000 after acquiring an additional 5,305 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Royal Bank of Canada by 6.3% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 4,836,985 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $464,175,000 after acquiring an additional 285,500 shares during the period. Korea Investment CORP grew its holdings in Royal Bank of Canada by 12.6% in the second quarter. Korea Investment CORP now owns 1,271,209 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $121,611,000 after purchasing an additional 142,033 shares during the period. Finally, Aigen Investment Management LP increased its position in Royal Bank of Canada by 59.0% during the third quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP now owns 19,713 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,723,000 after purchasing an additional 7,313 shares during the last quarter. 42.02% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Royal Bank of Canada Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, including auto financing, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses.

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San Juan Basin Royalty Trust (NYSE:SJT  Get Free Report) declared a monthly dividend on Friday, February 16th, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th will be given a dividend of 0.0303 per share by the oil and gas producer on Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.06%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th. This is a boost from San Juan Basin Royalty Trusts previous monthly dividend of $0.02.

San Juan Basin Royalty Trust Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:SJT opened at $5.15 on Monday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $5.08 and a two-hundred day moving average of $6.29. San Juan Basin Royalty Trust has a 12-month low of $4.37 and a 12-month high of $11.20.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On San Juan Basin Royalty Trust

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of SJT. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. boosted its stake in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 41.2% during the 1st quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 17,454 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $135,000 after buying an additional 5,093 shares during the period. US Bancorp DE acquired a new stake in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust in the 1st quarter valued at $35,000. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 10.8% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 23,748 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $208,000 after purchasing an additional 2,307 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. lifted its stake in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust by 423.1% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 8,976 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $79,000 after purchasing an additional 7,260 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mariner LLC acquired a new stake in shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust in the 1st quarter valued at $298,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 13.56% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, TheStreet lowered shares of San Juan Basin Royalty Trust from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Monday, February 12th.

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About San Juan Basin Royalty Trust

(Get Free Report)

San Juan Basin Royalty Trust operates as an express trust in Texas. The company has a 75% net overriding royalty interest carved out of Southland's oil and natural gas interests in properties located in the San Juan Basin in northwestern New Mexico. It also owns subject interests consist of working interests, royalty interests, overriding royalty interests, and other contractual rights in 119,000 net producing acres in San Juan, Rio Arriba, and Sandoval Counties of northwestern New Mexico, as well as 825.6 net wells.

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Schulhoff & Co. Inc. lessened its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,110 shares of the companys stock after selling 65 shares during the period. Eli Lilly and Company makes up 1.4% of Schulhoff & Co. Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest position. Schulhoff & Co. Inc.s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $2,745,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of LLY. Thompson Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Retirement Group LLC boosted its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 159.1% during the 2nd quarter. Retirement Group LLC now owns 57 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 35 shares during the period. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC purchased a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter valued at about $33,000. Legacy Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Optiver Holding B.V. purchased a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the 3rd quarter valued at about $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.38% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on LLY shares. StockNews.com upgraded Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $650.00 to $850.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $815.00 price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $700.00 to $825.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, TheStreet cut Eli Lilly and Company from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Monday, December 4th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $663.33.

Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

NYSE LLY traded up $2.38 on Monday, reaching $771.92. 2,239,125 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,403,202. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $654.76 and its 200 day simple moving average is $602.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69. The company has a market cap of $733.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 133.63, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.32. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12 month low of $309.20 and a 12 month high of $794.47.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $2.49 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.30 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $9.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.95 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 51.22% and a net margin of 15.36%. The companys revenue was up 28.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.09 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed 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. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 14th. This is a positive change from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.67%. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 89.66%.

Insider Transactions at Eli Lilly and Company

In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 78,573 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $648.07, for a total value of $50,920,804.11. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 99,333,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at $64,375,262,246.70. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders sold a total of 195,055 shares of company stock valued at $125,254,657 in the last three months. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Eli Lilly and Company Profile

(Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes.

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Smartsheet Inc (NYSE:SMAR  Get Free Report)s stock price gapped down prior to trading on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $42.04, but opened at $40.91. Smartsheet shares last traded at $41.81, with a volume of 103,876 shares.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Bank of America assumed coverage on Smartsheet in a research note on Monday. They set an underperform rating and a $45.00 price objective for the company. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on Smartsheet from $50.00 to $52.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th. DA Davidson reissued a buy rating on shares of Smartsheet in a research note on Wednesday, December 6th. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price objective on Smartsheet from $53.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Finally, Citigroup raised Smartsheet from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $56.00 to $63.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $53.31.

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Smartsheet Stock Performance

The business has a 50 day moving average price of $46.09 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $43.04. The company has a market cap of $5.75 billion, a P/E ratio of -40.04 and a beta of 0.80.

Smartsheet (NYSE:SMAR  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, December 7th. The company reported $0.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.09 by $0.07. Smartsheet had a negative return on equity of 23.90% and a negative net margin of 15.15%. The company had revenue of $245.90 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $241.36 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted ($0.30) EPS. Smartsheets revenue for the quarter was up 23.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Smartsheet Inc will post -0.84 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at Smartsheet

In related news, CRO Michael Arntz sold 7,632 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.28, for a total transaction of $345,576.96. Following the transaction, the executive now owns 18,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $821,967.84. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Smartsheet news, insider Jolene Lau Marshall sold 2,247 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.03, for a total transaction of $101,182.41. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 12,129 shares in the company, valued at approximately $546,168.87. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CRO Michael Arntz sold 7,632 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.28, for a total value of $345,576.96. Following the transaction, the executive now owns 18,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $821,967.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 34,783 shares of company stock worth $1,589,047 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 4.71% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of Smartsheet

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in SMAR. Raymond James & Associates grew its stake in shares of Smartsheet by 4.5% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 19,514 shares of the companys stock worth $1,069,000 after buying an additional 845 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Smartsheet by 10.2% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 16,949 shares of the companys stock worth $928,000 after buying an additional 1,567 shares during the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. grew its stake in shares of Smartsheet by 7.0% in the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 25,608 shares of the companys stock worth $1,403,000 after buying an additional 1,677 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its position in Smartsheet by 8.1% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 10,683 shares of the companys stock valued at $585,000 after acquiring an additional 803 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Smartsheet in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $431,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 88.99% of the companys stock.

About Smartsheet

(Get Free Report)

Smartsheet, Inc engages in managing and automating collaborative work. Its platform provides solutions that eliminate the obstacles to capturing information, including a familiar and intuitive spreadsheet interface as well as easily customizable forms. The company was founded by W. Eric Browne, Maria Colacurcio, John D.

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MQS Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of TELUS Co. (NYSE:TU  Free Report) (TSE:T) by 55.6% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 35,208 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock after buying an additional 12,588 shares during the period. MQS Management LLCs holdings in TELUS were worth $575,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Captrust Financial Advisors grew its stake in TELUS by 18.1% in the second quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 4,669 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock valued at $104,000 after purchasing an additional 717 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its stake in TELUS by 59.3% in the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 5,666 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock valued at $148,000 after purchasing an additional 2,109 shares in the last quarter. Power Corp of Canada purchased a new position in TELUS in the first quarter valued at about $164,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its stake in shares of TELUS by 125,940.0% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 6,302 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $123,000 after acquiring an additional 6,297 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers bought a new stake in shares of TELUS during the 1st quarter worth about $206,000. 49.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

TU has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded TELUS from an overweight rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on TELUS from $27.00 to $26.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 12th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded TELUS from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th.

TELUS Stock Down 0.8 %

TU opened at $17.86 on Monday. TELUS Co. has a 1-year low of $15.47 and a 1-year high of $21.34. The business has a 50 day moving average of $17.86 and a 200-day moving average of $17.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.88, a P/E/G ratio of 4.01 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a current ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35.

TELUS (NYSE:TU  Get Free Report) (TSE:T) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 9th. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.18 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.17 by $0.01. TELUS had a net margin of 4.18% and a return on equity of 7.81%. The firm had revenue of $5.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.24 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.17 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that TELUS Co. will post 0.78 earnings per share for the current year.

TELUS Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th will be issued a $0.2793 dividend. This is a boost from TELUSs previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 8th. This represents a $1.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.26%. TELUSs dividend payout ratio is 258.14%.

TELUS Company Profile

(Free Report)

TELUS Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of telecommunications and information technology products and services in Canada. It operates through Technology Solutions and Digitally-Led Customer Experiences segments. The Technology Solutions segment offers a range of telecommunications products and services; network services; healthcare 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, as well as mobile and fixed voice and data telecommunications services and products.

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Schulhoff & Co. Inc. lessened its holdings in shares of The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO  Free Report) by 0.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 76,852 shares of the companys stock after selling 503 shares during the quarter. Coca-Cola makes up 2.2% of Schulhoff & Co. Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 10th biggest position. Schulhoff & Co. Inc.s holdings in Coca-Cola were worth $4,302,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new stake in Coca-Cola during the first quarter valued at $77,000. Merit Financial Group LLC increased its position in shares of Coca-Cola by 16.7% in the 1st quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 12,227 shares of the companys stock valued at $758,000 after acquiring an additional 1,754 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in Coca-Cola by 41.4% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 149,275 shares of the companys stock worth $9,255,000 after purchasing an additional 43,680 shares during the period. Ergoteles LLC boosted its stake in shares of Coca-Cola by 385.3% during the 1st quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 19,032 shares of the companys stock worth $1,180,000 after acquiring an additional 15,110 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp lifted its stake in Coca-Cola by 11.9% in the 1st quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 2,840,557 shares of the companys stock valued at $176,115,000 after buying an additional 301,804 shares in the last quarter. 68.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

KO has been the topic of several research reports. Citigroup increased their target price on Coca-Cola from $67.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on Coca-Cola in a report on Monday, November 13th. They issued a hold rating and a $64.00 target price on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Coca-Cola from $64.00 to $66.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price target on Coca-Cola from $60.00 to $66.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $67.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Coca-Cola news, CEO James Quincey sold 247,188 shares of Coca-Cola stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.94, for a total transaction of $15,063,636.72. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 442,546 shares of the companys stock, valued at $26,968,753.24. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, EVP Beatriz R. Perez sold 52,300 shares of Coca-Cola stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.00, for a total value of $3,138,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 143,383 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,602,980. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO James Quincey sold 247,188 shares of Coca-Cola stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.94, for a total value of $15,063,636.72. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 442,546 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $26,968,753.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 391,516 shares of company stock worth $23,636,810 in the last quarter. Insiders own 1.00% of the companys stock.

Coca-Cola Stock Down 0.8 %

Shares of NYSE KO traded down $0.49 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $60.71. The companys stock had a trading volume of 10,243,640 shares, compared to its average volume of 14,262,829. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29. The Coca-Cola Company has a fifty-two week low of $51.55 and a fifty-two week high of $64.99. The stock has a market capitalization of $261.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.48, a PEG ratio of 3.46 and a beta of 0.59. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $59.63 and a 200-day simple moving average of $58.28.

Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The company reported $0.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.48 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $10.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.68 billion. Coca-Cola had a net margin of 23.42% and a return on equity of 42.50%. Coca-Colas quarterly revenue was up 6.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.45 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that The Coca-Cola Company will post 2.81 earnings per share for the current year.

Coca-Cola Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 1st. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be issued a $0.485 dividend. This represents a $1.94 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.20%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This is a positive change from Coca-Colas previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. Coca-Colas dividend payout ratio is currently 74.19%.

Coca-Cola Profile

(Free Report)

The Coca-Cola Company, a beverage company, manufactures, markets, and sells various nonalcoholic beverages worldwide. The company provides sparkling soft drinks, sparkling flavors; water, sports, coffee, and tea; juice, value-added dairy, and plant-based beverages; and other beverages. It also offers beverage concentrates and syrups, as well as fountain syrups to fountain retailers, such as restaurants and convenience stores.

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The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency maintains 12 secret bases in Ukraine along the border with the aggressor country of Russia. The secret bases help to monitor the actions of the Russian armed forces, listen to the conversations of the Russian military, and collect other important information.

ADVERTISIMENT

This is stated in the article by The New York Times entitled "Spy War: How the CIA Secretly Helps Ukraine Fight Vladimir Putin". Journalists write that they interviewed about 200 current and former officials in Ukraine, the United States, and Europe.

The officials said that the CIA has been working with Ukraine for more than a decade. This cooperation "has turned Ukraine, whose intelligence services have long been considered compromised by Russia, into one of Washington's most important intelligence partners in the fight against the Kremlin."

At the same time, according to journalists, CIA Director William Burns paid a visit to Ukraine last Thursday. It was his tenth trip to the country.

As noted, 12 underground data collection points have been set up along the Russian border over the past eight years. Two more have recently been built.

ADVERTISIMENT

Analyzing the partnership between Ukraine and the CIA, the publication writes that Ukrainians have repeatedly demonstrated their capabilities, for example, by collecting intercepted data that helped prove Russia's involvement in the downing of a Malaysian Airlines plane in 2014.

Ukraine also helped the Americans identify Russian agents who interfered in the 2016 US presidential election.

The New York Times has learned that in 2016, the CIA began training an elite Ukrainian special forces unit known as Unit 2245, which captured Russian UAVs and communications equipment so that CIA specialists could rework them and break Moscow's encryption systems. According to the newspaper, one of the officers in this unit was the current head of the GRU, Kyrylo Budanov.

The CIA also helped train a new generation of Ukrainian spies who worked in Russia, throughout Europe, Cuba, and other places where Russians have a significant presence.

ADVERTISIMENT

According to The New York Times, the details of the partnership between Ukrainian and American intelligence agencies have been a closely guarded secret for a decade.

"These intelligence networks are more important now than ever as Russia goes on the offensive and Ukraine becomes increasingly dependent on sabotage and long-range missile strikes that require spies far behind enemy lines. And they are increasingly at risk: if Republicans in Congress cut off military funding for Kyiv, the CIA may have to cut back on its activities," the article says.

According to the newspaper, the partnership between the CIA and the GUR began in late February 2014, when former President Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia. At that time, a new paramilitary unit was created and deployed behind enemy lines to conduct operations and gather intelligence that the CIA or MI6 could not provide.

ADVERTISIMENT

Starting in November 2021, the CIA and MI6 sent Ukraine messages that Russia was preparing for a full-scale invasion. The intelligence, among other things, listed the names of Ukrainian officials whom the Russians planned to kill or capture, as well as Ukrainians whom the Kremlin hoped to put in power.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) by 18.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 6,350 shares of the utilities providers stock after buying an additional 1,000 shares during the quarter. Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Southern were worth $436,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in SO. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC acquired a new position in Southern in the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Intrepid Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in Southern in the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. Sanctuary Wealth Management L.L.C. acquired a new position in Southern in the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. VitalStone Financial LLC acquired a new position in Southern in the 2nd quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, RVW Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Southern in the 3rd quarter valued at $35,000. 62.85% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Southern Stock Performance

NYSE SO traded down $1.27 on Monday, reaching $66.42. The stock had a trading volume of 1,904,762 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,661,173. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a current ratio of 0.77. The Southern Company has a 12-month low of $61.56 and a 12-month high of $75.80. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $69.26 and its 200 day moving average price is $68.69. The stock has a market cap of $72.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.22 and a beta of 0.50.

Southern Announces Dividend

Southern ( NYSE:SO Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The utilities provider reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.05. Southern had a return on equity of 11.40% and a net margin of 15.79%. The business had revenue of $6.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.90 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.26 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was down 14.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts expect that The Southern Company will post 4.01 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 6th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.22%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 16th. Southerns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 77.14%.

Insider Transactions at Southern

In related news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.99, for a total transaction of $359,950.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 101,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,291,435.16. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Southern news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.99, for a total value of $359,950.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 101,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,291,435.16. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider David P. Poroch sold 10,099 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.96, for a total value of $706,526.04. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 28,691 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,007,222.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 25,998 shares of company stock worth $1,817,613 over the last 90 days. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently commented on the company. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $80.00 price objective on shares of Southern in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Southern from $69.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. Citigroup assumed coverage on Southern in a report on Friday, December 8th. They set a buy rating and a $82.00 price target on the stock. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Southern from $66.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, Mizuho cut their price objective on Southern from $76.00 to $73.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $73.46.

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About Southern

(Free Report)

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.

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Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust (NYSEARCA:FXY  Free Report) by 97.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 7,278 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 3,598 shares during the period. Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors Inc. owned approximately 0.20% of Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust worth $453,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. increased its position in Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust by 18.5% during the first quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 978 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $75,000 after buying an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. grew its holdings in Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust by 40.6% in the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 31,525 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $2,426,000 after buying an additional 9,104 shares in the last quarter. UBS Group AG grew its holdings in Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust by 2.2% in the 1st quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 40,891 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $3,146,000 after buying an additional 878 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its stake in shares of Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust by 63.0% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 823 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $64,000 after acquiring an additional 318 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LPL Financial LLC bought a new position in Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust during the second quarter worth about $750,000.

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Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust Price Performance

FXY stock traded down $0.10 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $61.45. The company had a trading volume of 31,703 shares, compared to its average volume of 128,625. Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust has a 1-year low of $61.09 and a 1-year high of $71.54. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $63.32 and a 200-day moving average price of $62.97. The company has a market capitalization of $221.22 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -119.05 and a beta of 0.05.

Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust Profile

Guggenheim CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust, formerly CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust, is a grantor trust. The Trust issues shares (the Shares) in blocks of 50,000 (a Basket) in exchange for deposits of Japanese Yen and distributes Japanese Yen in connection with the redemption of Baskets. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the price of Japanese Yen plus accrued interest, if any, less the expenses of the Trusts operations.

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Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors Inc. decreased its position in shares of Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund Inc. (NYSE:NBXG  Free Report) by 2.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 203,386 shares of the companys stock after selling 5,860 shares during the quarter. Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors Inc.s holdings in Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund were worth $2,119,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in NBXG. Raymond James & Associates bought a new position in Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund during the first quarter valued at approximately $1,964,000. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund during the first quarter valued at approximately $643,000. Lazard Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund by 44.1% during the first quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 853,716 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,909,000 after purchasing an additional 261,238 shares during the period. UBS Group AG lifted its position in Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund by 32.1% during the first quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 633,762 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,841,000 after purchasing an additional 153,959 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. bought a new position in Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund during the first quarter valued at approximately $232,000.

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Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund Stock Up 0.2 %

Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund stock traded up 0.02 during midday trading on Monday, reaching 11.77. 107,196 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 236,247. The business has a 50 day moving average of 11.27 and a two-hundred day moving average of 10.74. Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund Inc. has a 12 month low of 9.31 and a 12 month high of 11.96.

Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund Announces Dividend

Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund Company Profile

The firm also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 15th will be given a $0.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 14th. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 10.20%.

(Free Report)

Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund Inc (NBXG) is a newly organized, non-diversified, limited term closed-end management investment company focused on next generation mobile network connectivity and technology.

The Funds investment strategy focuses on equity securities issued by U.S.

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Trexquant Investment LP acquired a new stake in Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM  Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 52,013 shares of the CRM providers stock, valued at approximately $10,547,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Salesforce by 463.1% in the second quarter. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,283 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $694,000 after acquiring an additional 2,700 shares in the last quarter. Pointe Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Salesforce by 370.0% in the second quarter. Pointe Capital Management LLC now owns 1,551 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $328,000 after acquiring an additional 1,221 shares in the last quarter. Walkner Condon Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in Salesforce by 2.9% in the third quarter. Walkner Condon Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,633 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $534,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Hawaii grew its stake in Salesforce by 89.2% in the second quarter. Bank of Hawaii now owns 5,282 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $1,116,000 after purchasing an additional 2,490 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Trivest Advisors Ltd grew its stake in Salesforce by 288.6% in the second quarter. Trivest Advisors Ltd now owns 952,000 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $201,120,000 after purchasing an additional 707,000 shares during the last quarter. 77.52% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the company. KeyCorp cut their target price on Salesforce from $272.00 to $268.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Salesforce from $280.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. UBS Group boosted their price target on Salesforce from $285.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, February 16th. JMP Securities restated a market outperform rating and set a $293.00 price target on shares of Salesforce in a research note on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Salesforce from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-seven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $272.09.

Salesforce Price Performance

CRM stock traded up $10.86 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $303.66. The stock had a trading volume of 4,343,022 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,917,634. Salesforce, Inc. has a 52-week low of $161.53 and a 52-week high of $303.83. The company has a market cap of $293.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 115.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 1.28. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $275.45 and its 200 day simple moving average is $237.55. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15.

Salesforce (NYSE:CRM  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, November 29th. The CRM provider reported $2.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.05 by $0.06. Salesforce had a return on equity of 9.19% and a net margin of 7.63%. The business had revenue of $8.72 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.71 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.73 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 11.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Salesforce, Inc. will post 6.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Salesforce news, CEO Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $230.13, for a total value of $3,451,950.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 14,756,166 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,395,836,481.58. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, CAO Sundeep G. Reddy sold 216 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $278.71, for a total transaction of $60,201.36. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 2,869 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $799,618.99. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $230.13, for a total value of $3,451,950.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 14,756,166 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,395,836,481.58. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 1,378,322 shares of company stock valued at $370,661,179 in the last three months. 3.70% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Salesforce Company Profile

(Free Report)

Salesforce, Inc provides Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology that brings companies and customers together worldwide. The company's service includes sales to store data, monitor leads and progress, forecast opportunities, gain insights through analytics and relationship intelligence, and deliver quotes, contracts, and invoices; and service that enables companies to deliver trusted and highly personalized customer service and support at scale.

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Truvestments Capital LLC increased its stake in shares of Polaris Inc. (NYSE:PII  Free Report) by 9.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 4,687 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 413 shares during the period. Truvestments Capital LLCs holdings in Polaris were worth $488,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Polaris in the second quarter valued at approximately $772,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Polaris by 71.2% in the 2nd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 250 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the period. Money Concepts Capital Corp grew its position in shares of Polaris by 89.1% during the 4th quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 312 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 147 shares in the last quarter. Huntington National Bank increased its holdings in shares of Polaris by 526.0% in the second quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 313 shares of the companys stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 263 shares during the period. Finally, Employees Retirement System of Texas purchased a new stake in shares of Polaris in the second quarter worth $47,000. Institutional investors own 87.36% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

PII has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley raised Polaris from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and raised their price target for the company from $103.00 to $113.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. KeyCorp cut their price target on shares of Polaris from $115.00 to $105.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 12th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on shares of Polaris from $100.00 to $95.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. TheStreet downgraded shares of Polaris from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Polaris from $100.00 to $103.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Polaris has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $102.11.

Polaris Trading Down 1.0 %

Shares of PII traded down $0.91 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $91.66. The company had a trading volume of 88,012 shares, compared to its average volume of 710,944. Polaris Inc. has a 52-week low of $82.00 and a 52-week high of $138.49. The company has a quick ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 1.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $91.71 and its 200 day moving average price is $96.38. The firm has a market cap of $5.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.64 and a beta of 1.60.

Polaris (NYSE:PII  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The company reported $1.98 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.67 by ($0.69). Polaris had a return on equity of 40.98% and a net margin of 5.63%. The company had revenue of $2.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.25 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $3.46 earnings per share. Polariss revenue for the quarter was down 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts predict that Polaris Inc. will post 7.98 EPS for the current year.

Polaris Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be given a dividend of $0.66 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $2.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.88%. This is a boost from Polariss previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. Polariss dividend payout ratio is presently 29.89%.

About Polaris

(Free Report)

Polaris Inc designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets powersports vehicles in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Off-Road, On-Road, and Marine. The company offers off-road vehicles (ORVs), including all-terrain vehicles and side-by-side vehicles; military and commercial ORVs; snowmobiles; motorcycles; and moto-roadsters, quadricycles, and boats.

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Twin Focus Capital Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:VWO  Free Report) by 1.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 204,144 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 3,395 shares during the quarter. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF accounts for about 1.8% of Twin Focus Capital Partners LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest position. Twin Focus Capital Partners LLCs holdings in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF were worth $8,005,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 108,287.1% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 296,468,035 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $11,556,324,000 after purchasing an additional 296,194,508 shares during the period. Betterment LLC lifted its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 3.4% in the 3rd quarter. Betterment LLC now owns 77,659,118 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $3,045,014,000 after purchasing an additional 2,563,729 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 2.8% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 55,415,031 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,556,296,000 after purchasing an additional 1,508,810 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley lifted its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 8.4% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 45,951,617 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,791,194,000 after purchasing an additional 3,566,685 shares during the period. Finally, Wealthfront Advisers LLC lifted its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 2.5% in the 1st quarter. Wealthfront Advisers LLC now owns 43,578,877 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,010,294,000 after purchasing an additional 1,078,675 shares during the period.

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Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Price Performance

Shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF stock traded down $0.13 during trading on Monday, reaching $41.45. 4,856,156 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 10,812,993. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF has a 1-year low of $37.46 and a 1-year high of $43.10. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $40.35 and a 200-day moving average price of $40.01. The firm has a market capitalization of $74.20 billion, a PE ratio of 10.00 and a beta of 0.69.

About Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF

The Fund seeks to track the performance of the FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index, that measures the return of stocks issued by companies located in emerging market countries.

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Twin Focus Capital Partners LLC reduced its holdings in shares of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK  Free Report) by 11.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,850 shares of the asset managers stock after selling 245 shares during the quarter. Twin Focus Capital Partners LLCs holdings in BlackRock were worth $1,196,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in BLK. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A acquired a new position in BlackRock in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. West Tower Group LLC acquired a new position in BlackRock in the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Archer Investment Corp acquired a new position in BlackRock in the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new position in BlackRock in the 2nd quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Tyler Stone Wealth Management acquired a new position in BlackRock in the 2nd quarter valued at $33,000. 77.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity at BlackRock

In related news, Director Rachel Lord sold 36,059 shares of BlackRock stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $818.06, for a total transaction of $29,498,425.54. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 17,004 shares of the companys stock, valued at $13,910,292.24. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other BlackRock news, General Counsel Christopher J. Meade sold 18,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $282.54, for a total transaction of $5,085,660.60. Following the sale, the general counsel now owns 11,914 shares in the company, valued at $3,366,142.24. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Rachel Lord sold 36,059 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $818.06, for a total value of $29,498,425.54. Following the sale, the director now owns 17,004 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,910,292.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 69,533 shares of company stock valued at $46,774,326. Company insiders own 1.06% of the companys stock.

BlackRock Stock Down 1.0 %

Shares of BlackRock stock traded down $8.08 on Monday, hitting $805.51. The company had a trading volume of 146,369 shares, compared to its average volume of 597,585. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 3.72 and a current ratio of 3.72. The stock has a market capitalization of $119.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.06, a P/E/G ratio of 1.80 and a beta of 1.38. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $795.24 and a 200-day moving average of $721.42. BlackRock, Inc. has a 1 year low of $596.18 and a 1 year high of $823.71.

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 12th. The asset manager reported $9.66 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $8.84 by $0.82. BlackRock had a return on equity of 14.85% and a net margin of 30.81%. The business had revenue of $4.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.65 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $8.93 earnings per share. BlackRocks revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that BlackRock, Inc. will post 39.63 earnings per share for the current year.

BlackRock Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 22nd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 7th will be issued a $5.10 dividend. This is a positive change from BlackRocks previous quarterly dividend of $5.00. This represents a $20.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.53%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 6th. BlackRocks dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 54.78%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have weighed in on BLK. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on BlackRock from $719.00 to $793.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, November 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut BlackRock from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and set a $708.00 target price for the company. in a report on Friday, December 15th. BNP Paribas upgraded BlackRock from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $885.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, December 12th. TD Cowen upgraded BlackRock from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and upped their price target for the company from $819.00 to $938.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price target on BlackRock from $720.00 to $818.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, BlackRock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $785.73.

Read Our Latest Report on BLK

BlackRock Company Profile

(Free Report)

BlackRock, Inc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks.

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Weik Capital Management raised its position in Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY  Free Report) by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,365 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock after buying an additional 75 shares during the period. Teledyne Technologies comprises about 1.1% of Weik Capital Managements portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest holding. Weik Capital Managements holdings in Teledyne Technologies were worth $2,192,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Teledyne Technologies by 3.1% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,037,487 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $425,515,000 after buying an additional 31,116 shares during the period. Barclays PLC grew its position in Teledyne Technologies by 18.0% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 99,504 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $40,656,000 after acquiring an additional 15,169 shares in the last quarter. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. boosted its stake in shares of Teledyne Technologies by 8.2% in the third quarter. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. now owns 544 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $222,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares during the period. Metis Global Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Teledyne Technologies by 21.5% in the third quarter. Metis Global Partners LLC now owns 1,715 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $701,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pinebridge Investments L.P. increased its stake in Teledyne Technologies by 3,082.9% during the 2nd quarter. Pinebridge Investments L.P. now owns 24,413 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $10,036,000 after buying an additional 23,646 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.57% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Teledyne Technologies

In other news, Director Kenneth C. Dahlberg sold 4,000 shares of Teledyne Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $432.91, for a total transaction of $1,731,640.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 18,735 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,110,568.85. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Teledyne Technologies news, Director Schack Wesley W. Von sold 1,145 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $410.06, for a total value of $469,518.70. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 10,822 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,437,669.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Kenneth C. Dahlberg sold 4,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $432.91, for a total transaction of $1,731,640.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 18,735 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,110,568.85. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 74,206 shares of company stock worth $30,707,174. Company insiders own 2.14% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have commented on TDY shares. Needham & Company LLC decreased their price target on shares of Teledyne Technologies from $522.00 to $510.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. StockNews.com raised shares of Teledyne Technologies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, February 10th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of $515.67.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on TDY

Teledyne Technologies Stock Down 0.4 %

Shares of TDY traded down $1.61 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $431.26. The companys stock had a trading volume of 54,629 shares, compared to its average volume of 206,540. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 1.69 and a quick ratio of 1.17. Teledyne Technologies Incorporated has a 12-month low of $364.98 and a 12-month high of $448.71. The companys 50 day moving average is $432.84 and its 200 day moving average is $412.65. The stock has a market cap of $20.35 billion, a PE ratio of 23.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 1.03.

Teledyne Technologies (NYSE:TDY  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $5.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $5.04 by $0.40. Teledyne Technologies had a return on equity of 10.81% and a net margin of 15.72%. The firm had revenue of $1.43 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.46 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.94 EPS. The businesss revenue was up .5% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Teledyne Technologies Incorporated will post 20.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Teledyne Technologies Profile

(Free Report)

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, provides enabling technologies for industrial growth markets in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and internationally. The company's Instrumentation segment offers monitoring and control instruments for marine, environmental, industrial, and other applications, as well as electronic test and measurement equipment; and power and communications connectivity devices for distributed instrumentation systems and sensor networks.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TDY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY  Free Report).

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Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Co. (NYSE:WAB  Get Free Report) EVP Nicole B. Theophilus sold 3,000 shares of Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $137.26, for a total transaction of $411,780.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,354 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,068,310.04. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Trading Down 0.3 %

WAB traded down $0.40 during trading on Monday, hitting $137.89. The companys stock had a trading volume of 203,270 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,104,465. Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Co. has a twelve month low of $91.89 and a twelve month high of $138.97. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $130.10 and its 200-day moving average price is $117.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $24.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.60, a PEG ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 1.41.

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Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies (NYSE:WAB  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The transportation company reported $1.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.58 by ($0.04). Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies had a net margin of 8.42% and a return on equity of 10.34%. The business had revenue of $2.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.48 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.30 earnings per share. Westinghouse Air Brake Technologiess quarterly revenue was up 9.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Co. will post 6.74 EPS for the current year.

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Increases Dividend

Analyst Ratings Changes

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 23rd will be given a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.58%. This is a positive change from Westinghouse Air Brake Technologiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.17. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 22nd. Westinghouse Air Brake Technologiess dividend payout ratio is presently 17.70%.

WAB has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. Susquehanna lifted their target price on Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a positive rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. KeyCorp lifted their target price on Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies from $133.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Bank of America raised Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $128.00 to $150.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic downgraded Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $135.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $145.20.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Cibc World Markets Corp bought a new position in Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies in the 1st quarter valued at $1,092,000. Eudaimonia Partners LLC bought a new position in Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies in the 1st quarter valued at $366,000. Neuberger Berman Group LLC grew its stake in Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies by 2,233.1% in the 1st quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC now owns 245,277 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $23,589,000 after purchasing an additional 234,764 shares during the period. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. bought a new position in Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, State of Tennessee Treasury Department grew its stake in shares of Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies by 13.8% during the 1st quarter. State of Tennessee Treasury Department now owns 115,233 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $11,645,000 after acquiring an additional 13,949 shares during the period. 90.52% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies

(Get Free Report)

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides technology-based locomotives, equipment, systems, and services for the freight rail and passenger transit industries worldwide. It offers diesel-electric, battery, and liquid natural gas-powered locomotives; engines, electric motors, and propulsion systems; and marine and mining products.

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Czech President Petr Pavel has granted permission for 20 citizens of his country to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, another 56 people were denied on the recommendation of the Ministry of Defense.

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He said this in an interview with the NOVA TV channel. According to the Czech leader, the reason for the rejection of applications for admission to the Armed Forces was the applicants' failure to meet the criteria.

"In the case of some applicants, it is a matter of non-compliance with the conditions, for example, a person should not be subject to criminal proceedings, as this could be a good escape for him or her," he explained.

Pawel added that the ministries of defense and interior are also involved in developing recommendations for refusal or authorization.

"But the thing is that some of these people are in the active reserve. In this case, their absence may disrupt combat capability," he said.

The Czech leader called on the public to continue supporting Ukraine, which has been fighting Russian aggression for two years. According to him, the situation on the battlefield has changed since the beginning of the war. Petr Pavel explained that Russia has learned from its mistakes and is now actively developing its military industry.

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He also emphasized that Western countries have a debt to Ukraine and should pay it by providing ammunition and military equipment. In his interview, he expressed the opinion that Western countries are not doing enough, especially in terms of military equipment production.

"The debt of the Western countries to the defending country is that they failed to provide Ukraine with enough quality equipment and ammunition for a successful and rapid counteroffensive," said Pavel.

At the same time, he believes that now "Russia, having plunged into a war with Ukraine, is so weakened that it will not risk entering into any conflict with NATO countries." However, this cannot be ruled out in the future.

As a reminder, Czech President Petr Pavel said that Prague had found 800,000 pieces of artillery ammunition abroad that it could transfer to Ukraine. It is about half a million 155-mm shells and another 300,000 122-mm shells.

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As OBOZ.UA reported, the Czech Republic was the first country to send heavy equipment to Ukraine in 2022. Back then, it provided 45 T-72 tanks from army reserves, as well as 131 infantry fighting vehicles, 16 air defense systems, and six helicopters.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
An aerial shot of Kipling Complex in Freeport, Grand Bahama, that is being transformed into the future UB North campus. The four-story International Building is scheduled to be demolished. UB FILE PHOTO
Tiffany Laylor (right), principal and biology teacher at The Sankofa Academy (TSA), and Alyxandria Brown (second right), history teacher, with students Carlianna Johnson-Fraizer (left), Deandrea Wilson (center) and Emeline Preval (right). TSA was created to assist people that have graduated high school, but without the required Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) subject passes to enter a degree program. Their goal is to assist those people with obtaining the necessary senior national examination passes for entry into a tertiary level institution.
R.E. Barnes (right), chairman of the Sir Victor Sassoon (Bahamas) Heart Foundation, presents Henry Dean with the Lady Sassoon Golden Heart Award.
Protecting those most in need among us
Ukrainian Armed Forces units have withdrawn from the village of Lastochkine near occupied Avdiivka. The defenders will organize defense on the line along several other settlements.

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This was reported by the spokesman of the Tavriia Operational-Strategic Group (OSG) Dmytro Lykhovii, Suspilne media outlet reports. Heavy fighting continues in the Avdiivka sector.

The representative of Tavriia noted that units of the Defense Forces came out to organize defense on the line of Orlivka, Tonenke, and Berdychi.

The day before, Lykhovii said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had withdrawn to prepared positions on the western outskirts of Lastochkine, but Russian troops have not yet fully occupied the village, and fierce fighting continues.

After capturing Avdiivka, the Russian occupation forces identified Lastochkine as a new target for attacks. The invaders intensified their assault operations in the direction of the settlement to the west of the occupied city and shelled it daily.

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Over February 25, in the Avdiivka sector, the Defense Forces repelled 25 Russian attacks in the areas of the settlements of Sieverne, Stepove, Berdychi, Lastochkino, and Nevelske in the Donetsk region.

Earlier, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that the situation is currently difficult in many frontline areas, including Avdiivka. Together with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, he visited the forward command posts of military units in the combat zone. The two men awarded the soldiers who held Avdiivka and covered the withdrawal of their comrades from the city, causing irreparable losses to the enemy.

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Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
That release could not be found.
It's time for Europe to "wake up" and realize what a dangerous world it exists in and increase its support for Ukraine. According to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, the outcome of the Russian-Ukrainian war may be decided in the coming months.

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The European top diplomat said this in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais, which was published on February 25. He noted that the EU countries have jointly outpaced the United States in "civilian, military, economic and humanitarian assistance" to Kyiv.

But this is not a reason to relax - Europeans need to "provide more help and faster," Borrell said.

He explained that EU states are not directly involved in the war, so they "do not fully understand" its importance.

"Russia is an undemocratic regime capable of destroying its opponents, such as [Alexei] Navalny, or eliminating defectors on European soil. Do we want it to appear on Europe's doorstep and control 36% of the global grain market?" the head of European diplomacy asked a rhetorical question.

Borel called on Europeans to wake up, support Ukraine, and improve the defense capabilities of their own countries.

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As OBOZ.UA previously reported:

- At a large press conference on February 25, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainians will soon face a dangerous period - approximately March-April 2024.

- The head of state also said that the format of the end of this war will depend on 2024.

- Earlier, EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell emphasized that Ukraine needs the shells urgently and in huge quantities. He also called on the EU to prepare for a long confrontation with Russia and explained why a Russian victory would be a disaster for everyone.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Don't fall for fakes!


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The decision to invite Ukraine to join the Alliance depends on two countries. These are the United States and Germany.

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This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky at a press conference. It took place on Sunday, February 25, in Kyiv.

"At the moment, the invitation depends on, with all due respect to all partners, all partners, in principle, support Ukraine in extending an invitation to us and everyone believes that in the future Ukraine will be in the Alliance. But this decision depends on the United States and Germany. This is a fact," Zelensky said, answering a journalist's question about the NATO summit in Washington.

According to the president, he sees no risks in inviting Ukraine to NATO.

"The risks that are being voiced behind the scenes relate to the inadequacy of the Russian dictator's reaction to Ukraine's membership in NATO. I believe that there are no risks in the invitation," the head of state summarized.

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Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky announced for the first time the losses of the Defense Forces in the war with Russia. According to him, 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers paid with their lives to deter Russian aggression and liberate the occupied territories.

As a reminder, the President of Ukraine is holding a press conference in Kyiv on February 25. OBOZ.UA is broadcasting the event online and has collected all the details and statements made by Zelenskyy during his communication with Ukrainian and foreign media.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to initiate his Lok Sabha Election 2024 campaign in West Bengal from the first of next month, unveiling a comprehensive plan of rallies starting from Arambagh before moving to Barasat.

According to reports from Delhi BJP sources, Mr Modi is scheduled to address a rally in Arambagh on 1 March, targeting the current TMC stronghold. Arambaghs sitting MP, Aparupa Poddar, faces a challenge as neighbouring Hooghly is a strong support base for BJP, led by MP Locket Chatterjee. The Lok Sabha election schedule is expected to be announced in March, with voting likely to commence in early April. Ahead of the official announcement, political parties are actively engaging in pre-campaign activities.

While TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is touring districts, emphasising government projects service delivery, BJP is gearing up for an intensive campaign. According to the BJPs Delhi unit, Narendra Modi will address a rally in Arambagh on 1 March and then return to Delhi. Mr Modi is also expected to visit Krishnanagar on 2 March. Thereafter, on 6 March, he will be in Barasat, with a massive gathering expected at Kachari Maidan, where victims from Sandeshkali could meet him.

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The political landscape is heating up as both TMC and BJP are actively shaping their campaign narratives. TMCs Mamata Banerjee is emphasizing her governments achievements, while BJP, under the leadership of state president Sukanta Majumdar, is preparing for a robust campaign.
Abhishek Banerjee, the all India Trinamul Congress general secretary on Sunday rejected the Opposition parties allegations that the police are playing a biased role in failing to arrest Sandeshkali TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan. He stated: If the High Court ties the hands of the state police administration, then how will they make arrests?

He questioned those who are vocal about empty promises and suggested that the several national committees coming here should inquire before the court why the hands and feet of the state police are tied. Mr Banerjee further stated: Trinamul is not guarding Sheikh Shahjahan. If someone is being guarded, it is through the judicial system, ensuring that headlines in Sandeshkhali remain consistent.

The hands and feet have been tied by the Calcutta High Court. No matter how prominent a leader is, if anyone commits injustice aga inst people, it will not be tole rated. The BJP and other opposition parties have been continuously accusing the Trinamul Congress of influencing the ongoing cases related to Sandeshkhali and Sheikh Shahjahan. When asked about this, Mr Banerjee said: Those who claim to be champions of human rights, defenders, and representatives of various organisations are demanding the arrest of one person every day. They say, Arrest him, arrest him.

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Take this plea to the court. If the High Court ties the hands of the state administration, then from where will they make arrests? He said For those who have concerns about the incidents in Sandeshkhali or Sheikh Shahjahan, the event that occurred on 5 January, where there was an attack on ED officials, they filed a complaint and lodged an FIR. They alleged that ED officials were attacked and they filed an FIR. In that matter, the Chief Justices bench of the Calcutta High Court directed the formation of an SIT.

After 10-12 days, the bench of the Chief Justice of the High Court, Justice Jay Sen Gupta, stays that order. He said: The administration should be given at least 15 days, 20 days, 1 month, 2 months based on the foundation of an FIR. They are giving 12 years to the ED, and even then, they dont tie their hands. In the Sardar case, the trial has not started yet, and then they dont say there will be a stay order.

They wont give the police 15 days, but they are ready to give the ED 10 years, 12 years, 15 years. He cited examples of former cabinet minister Partha Chatterjee and Jyotipriya Mallick, making it clear that no matter how prominent a leader is, if anyone commits injustice against people, it will not be tolerated.
Manoj Kumar Sharma, the real-life inspiration behind Vikrant Masseys character in the film 12th Fail, recently shared that he didnt receive any personal benefits from his story being adapted for the big screen. Despite the movies massive success, Sharma emphasized that he didnt expect or accept any monetary compensation.

In a candid conversation, Sharma expressed, If youre wondering what I gained personally, the truth is, nothing material. Ive always lived by principles of honesty and integrity, never seeking financial gain from others. My wife shares the same values. He elaborated on their lifestyle, mentioning their decision to eschew materialism, including refraining from wearing jewelry and avoiding traditional gift-giving practices. Instead, they opt for heartfelt letters to express affection.

Sharma finds solace in the impact his story has had on audiences, particularly school students who reach out to him expressing admiration and a desire to emulate his resilience. He shared a touching anecdote of a viewer who, after watching the film, reconciled with his father, finally understanding the depth of his struggles.

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While 12th Fail draws inspiration from Sharmas life, the journey from book to film was possible due to Vidhu Vinod Chopras admiration for the story. Sharmas involvement ensured authenticity throughout the adaptation process, culminating in a poignant cinematic experience.

Sharmas narrative highlights the intrinsic rewards of sharing ones story with the world. Despite the absence of material gains, the profound impact on individuals lives underscores the true value of his journey. Through his honesty and humility, Sharma continues to inspire others to find strength in their own adversities.

In essence, Manoj Kumar Sharma got his story transcend mere cinematic adaptation, serving as a beacon of resilience and human connection. His refusal to measure success in monetary terms reinforces the timeless adage that true wealth lies in the hearts touched and lives changed.
Bollywood actor Karisma Kapoor on Monday became a speaker at the Indian Conference at the Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts.

The actors sister Kareena Kapoor made a special appearance at the Anari actress session this time. Sunny Sandhu, general partner at Vicus Ventures, facilitated this session.

Karisma expressed gratitude to Sunny Sandhu and his colleagues on Instagram. It was an absolute pleasure and honor to be a speaker at the India Conference in Havard, she wrote in her thank-you note to the Harvard India Conference.

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We would like to thank Kareena Kapoor for joining us for an interesting but spontaneous conversation.

Thank you to @sunnysandhu24 and team #HarvardIndiaConference for being so wonderful, she wrote in her subsequent message. This was very unique.

The 49-year-old actress posted a series of images from todays Harvard session.

With the March 15 Netflix release of Homi Adajanias Murder Mubarak, Karisma will return to acting.

With the 1997 film Dil to Pagal Hai, the Biwi No. 1 actress has won the National Award for best supporting actress as well as the Filmfare Award for best actress.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday took a sharp dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and called him Bhagoda no. 1 after he skipped the 7th Enforcement Directorate summons for questioning in the excise policy case.

The probe agency had last week issued the seventh summons to Kejriwal and asked him to appear for questioning on February 26. However, the Delhi CM skipped the summons and his party said that the ED should wait for a court order.

Reacting to the Delhi CMs decision, BJPs national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said,  Arvind Kejriwal should be given a prize for being bhagoda No. 1those who were with Anna Hazare used to say, first resignation, then probe. today they will neither give their resignation nor they participate in the probe because now they are friends and allies of Lalu Prasad Yadav.

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Responding to the AAPs accusations of vendetta politics, the BJP leader asked if that is the case then why the court has not given him any relief.

They say that this is vendetta politics, and vindictiveness by the ED but then why the Court has not given them any relief?even their new ally Congress has done a press conference saying Kejriwal is corrupt and he has to give answers on the liquor policy scam, he added.

The AAP, however, said that the Delhi court will hear the matter of the validity of ED summons on March 16 and the agency should wait for its order instead of sending summonses daily.

The probe agency had earlier moved to Delhis Rouse Avenue court against Kejriwal for not complying with the summons.

Earlier on February 17, the Delhi CM had appeared before the court via video conferencing and the matter was adjourned till March 16 after Kejriwal expressed his unavailability due to the assembly session.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has warned of the need to provide more assistance to Ukraine, which has been fighting a full-scale Russian invasion for two years. According to him, now is a crucial moment in history.

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He made the remarks after returning from a trip to Ukraine on Sunday, February 25. The words of the American lawmaker were quoted by CNN.

Schumer noted that this year is a "decisive moment in world history" and added that "the loss of Ukraine in the war with Russia would have devastating consequences for the United States."

"This is a pivotal moment, a turning point in the United States' ability to project ourselves-our strength, our power, our ability-to the world. When we got there, we told the Ukrainian people: America will not abandon you," Schumer emphasized.

The Senate Majority Leader specified that Ukraine needs more artillery shells, more weapons to destroy Russian supply networks, and more anti-aircraft weapons. He added that Russian troops can keep up artillery fire for much longer than Ukrainian artillery can return fire.

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"The Russians can move further and hit the Ukrainians, and the Ukrainians will not be able to hit them back," he said.

The day before, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden again appealed to Congress to approve a bill with additional assistance for Ukraine. They stated that Ukraine can win the war with Russia, and it needs "the necessary tools" to do so.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, President Volodymyr Zelensky is confident that the US Congress will make a positive decision to allocate $50 billion in aid to the country. There is a month to make this decision.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
In a major poll planks, the Opposition Congress on Monday promised to scrap the Agnipath scheme and reintroduce the old recruitment system in the Army if elected to power. The announcement was made shortly after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to President Droupadi Murmu expressing concerns about the controversial recruitment scheme in the Indian Army.

Addressing a press conference on the issue, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said, Our defence expenditure is increasingit was recently said that we are earning a lot of money through defence exportsthat we are becoming independent and doing indigenous manufacturing. If our defence department is generating so much income, and we are becoming so capable, then the most important thing would be to make resources available for the jobs, recruitment, and families of our brave soldiers available.

The Congress leader accused the BJP of weakening the Army and asked why the government is messing around with the Army to save money if it can spend thousands of crores on Prime Ministers plane, advertisements.

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Congress leader Pawan Khera, who accompanied Pilot at the press briefing, accused the Modi government of insulting Jawan and Kisan of the country.

Today both soldiers and farmers are troubled in the country. There was a Prime Minister in the country who used to give the slogan of Jai Jawan-Jai Kisan. Now there is another Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is insulting both farmers and soldiers, Khera said.

Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda, who also present during the presser, said that there was no demand of the Agnipath scheme from Army, the youth or any other political party.

Highlighting the alleged reduction in Army recruitment from 60-65,000 to just 45,000 per year, Hooda claimed the strength of Indian Army is likely to decrease from 1.4 million to 8,00,000 in the next 10 years.

If the recruitment numbers continue to fall at this rate, our army of 1.4 million will reduce to 800,000 within 10 years, he said.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Monday announced senior leader Annie Raja as its candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, which is currently held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

The CPI, which is the second largest coalition partner in Keralas ruling Left Democratic Front, has announced candidates on four Lok Sabha seats.

Former MP Pannian Raveendran will contest from Thiruvananthapuram, a seat represented by Congress stalwart Shashi Tharoor.

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CPI youth wing AIYF leader CA Arunkumar will contest from Mavelikkara, while former agriculture minister VS Sunil Kumar has been fielded from Thrissur.

The announcement of candidates on the four crucial Lok Sabha seats of Kerala was made by the partys state secretary Binoy Viswam following an executive meeting in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Congress party has not yet announced its candidates but Rahul Gandhi is most likely to contest from Wayanad and face Annie Raja, relatively strong candidate.

There is also buzz around his candidature from Amethi, a Congress stronghold he lost to BJPs Smriti Irani in 2019. There are chances he could contest both the seats.

Annie Raja is the wife of CPI general secretary D Raja. She is a member of the national executive of the Communist Party of India. Annie Raja also holds the post of general secretary of National Federation of Indian Women, CPIs womens wing.
The Allahabad High Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by the Anjuman Intejamia Masjid Committee against the Varanasi district courts order allowing Hindus to offer prayers in a tehkhana (cellar) of the Gyanvapi Mosque.

Pronouncing the verdict, Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal said that the court didnt find any ground to interfere in the judgment passed by the district judge.

After going through the entire records of the case and after considering arguments of the parties concerned, the court did not find any ground to interfere in the judgment passed by the district judge dated 17.01.2024 appointing DM, Varanasi as receiver of the property as well as the order dated 31.01.2024 by which the district court had permitted Puja in the Tehkhana, Justice Agarwal said while pronouncing its verdict.

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Hindu Prayers in the Vyas Tehkhana will continue, the High Court ruled.

The Varanasi court on January 31 had ruled that the Hindu side can offer prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque  the Vyas Tehkhana.

The court had also directed the district magistrate to make arrangements for puja and a pujari nominated by Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust.

Reacting to the High Courts verdict, Advocate Hari Shankar Jain, said, It is a decision worth welcoming. The right that Hindus have to perform puja has been maintained by the High Court. Hindus were performing puja in the Vyas Tehkhana until 1993, but they were stopped unlawfully. They (the Muslim side) can move Supreme Court, but we are also ready to oppose.

Advocate Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, representing the Hindu side, said that religious rituals used to take place in the Vyas Tehkhana until 1991 when it was stopped without any order.

The High Court ruled in our favourThe objection of Anjuman Intezamias (Masjid Committee) has been dismissed by the High Court, he added.

Another advocate Prabhas Pandey hailed the HC verdict as a big victory for the Santana Dharma.

The judge dismissed the pleas that the Muslim side had filed against the District Judges orderIt means that the puja will continue as it isThis is a big victory for our Sanatana DharmaThey (Muslim side) can go for a review of the decision. Puja will continue, he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid tributes to Veer Savarkar on his Punya Tithi and said India will forever remember his valiant spirit and unwavering dedication to nations freedom and integrity.

The Prime Minister posted on X: Tributes to Veer Savarkar on his Punya Tithi. India will forever remember his valiant spirit and unwavering dedication to our nations freedom and integrity. His contributions inspire us to strive for the development and prosperity of our country.

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, commonly known as Veer Savarkar, was born on May 28, 1883, in Bhagur. A prominent advocate of Hindutva ideology, Savarkar passed away in 1966.

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Savarkar, a multifaceted individual, was recognised as a freedom fighter, politician, lawyer, and writer. He joined the Hindu Mahasabha and popularised the term Hindutva to create a collective Hindu identity as an essence of Bharat.

He was arrested and sent to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by the British colonial authorities. He served double life imprisonment sentences at the infamous Kaala Pani prison.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Monday said his government will recommend a CBI probe into the murder of INLD leader Nafe Singh Rathee.

In a sensational incident, Rathee was shot dead along with a party worker by some unidentified assailants in Jhajjar on Sunday. He was travelling when the attackers sprayed bullets on their SUV in Jhajjars Bahadurgarh town. Three private gunmen hired by Rathee for security also suffered injuries in the attack, police said.

If the House is only satisfied with a CBI probe, then I assure the members that we will hand over the case to the CBI, Vij was quoted as saying in the state assembly.

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Earlier in the day, Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta admitted an adjournment motion on law and order as the opposition Congress raised the issue of Rathees murder and demanded a probe into the incident by a high court judge-monitored CBI investigation.

The state police has also booked former Haryana MLA Naresh Kaushik and 11 others in connection with the killing.

Meanwhile, the INLD leaders family has refused to cremate the body until the culprits are brought to book.

The police administration is sitting silent. My family and I are not getting any security. My father was demanding security for five years. He was a national leader. All political parties should have supported him before he was murdered, Rathees son Jitendra told ANI.

We will not conduct a post-mortem until the accused are arrested, the slain INLD leaders nephew Kapoor said.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has asserted that not a single culprit involved in the case would be spared.

Demanding strict action against the culprits, Haryana INLD leader Abhay Chautala claimed Rathee had informed the police about danger to his life, however, no security was provided to him.

The incident that has taken place for this, the state government is responsible. They are responsible because, six months ago, Nafe Singh told me, the police informed him that his life was in danger and he could be attacked anytime

He (Nafe Singh Rathee) wrote to the SP, CM, and DG that they must investigate this and provide him with security Ex-MLAs also informed the chief minister, but no security was provided to him, he claimed.

Rathee had served as an MLA of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) from Bahadurgarh where the attack took place. He also served twice as the chairman of the Bahadurgarh Municipal Council.

He hogged limelight last year when former Haryana minister Mange Ram Rathis son Jagdish Rathi died by suicide and a case was filed against Nafe Singh under the charges of abetment. Allegations of harassment were subsequently leveled against Rathee and his nephew Sonu in connection with the suicide case. Rathee was granted anticipatory bail by the High Court on January 24 last year.
West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday launched a blistering attack on the ruling TMC over the Sandeshkhali issue and said that blaming the Kolkata High Court for the delay in main accused Sheikh Shahjahans arrest amounted to contempt of court.

Speaking to reporters, the Congress state president said, Women across West Bengal are out on the streets, crying for justice and fighting for the honour of fellow women in Sandeshkhali. Those in the TMC government should hang their heads in shame for failing to protect the women of Sandeshkhali. Laying the blaming on the High Court and the legal process (for the delay in the arrest of the accused Sheikh Shahjahan), instead, amounts to contempt of court. The government should be held in contempt for saying that the high court has tied the hands of the state police.

Chowdhury claimed that the main accused was still in the wind with the active support and protection of the state administration, while others are being made scapegoats and arrested.

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The Congress leaders remarks came after TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said that his party was not defending the absconding ruling party leader, instead, it was the high court which had tied the hands of the state police.

The so-called masters and defenders of human rights are chanting, arrest him, arrest him. What can the police do if their hands are tied by the high court? ED officials were assaulted on January 5 and the Calcutta High Court constituted a SIT to probe the incident. However, the ED appealed and sought a stay on the verdict. A bench led by the Chief Justice upheld their request. On March 6, there will be a fresh hearing in the matter. How will the police arrest (Shahjahan) if the high court ties the hands of the police administration, he said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday asserted that Uri and Balakot strikes by India in Pakistan sent out a clear message to the global community about Indias determination to combat cross-border terrorism.

On the Western front, the long-standing challenge of cross-border terrorism now elicits more befitting responses. Believe me, Uri and Balakot sent their own messages, he said while delivering the Pandit Hriday Nath Kunzru Memorial Lectures 2024 at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Convention Centre, on the topic of Bharat and the World.

Calling national security a complicated calculus in todays times, the minister highlighted Indias response to Chinese incursions on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The calculus of national security has become much more complicated. Traditional methods of competing and pressuring are buttressed by new tools of influence and disruption. Here too, Bharat has pushed back with determination and fortitude, he said.

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The minister said India has worked on developing border infrastructure; one of the aspects which, he said, was long neglected.

When we were challenged on the LAC, with China, In the midst of COVID rapid and effective counter deployments were the appropriate answer. We have made the defence of the nation much more effective, Mr Jaishankar said.

He added, On the largest stage when it came to the Indo-Pacific. We held firmly to our decision to establish and take forward the Quad.

He said, Economically, Bharats answer is in greater Atmanirbharta. Politically, a more authentic and rooted representation that will contest the propaganda which will favour the compliant and discredit it. Bharat will never shy away from questions, but equally, Bharat has the courage to question the questioners.
There was a time when devaluation of a countrys currency was a national tragedy; devaluation of the Indian rupee in 1949, 1966 and 1991 caused widespread consternation, but with the adoption of floating exchange rates the rupee is devalued almost daily, with few people, if any, even noting the falling value of the rupee. Similarly, falling morality in public life has ceased to invite comment, much less shock public conscience. The same is true for academic institutions.

Fifty years ago, no one could have imagined that any institution worth its salt would give admissions in lieu for money, yet this is the norm today. Much worse is happening, with vice-chancellors of most State universities being appointed on political considerations, and being embroiled in the worst kind of scandals. Question papers of Government recruitment examinations are invariably leaked and often, education ministers charge humongous bribes for appointing teachers in primary schools.

No wonder learning has been devalued, what with cutoffs of medical post-graduate entrance examinations getting reduced to sub-zero levels ~ necessitated by the need to accommodate the requisite number of candidates ~ even though they may lack merit. Prestigious IITs admit general category students with twenty-five percent marks while the same students score near perfect scores in their Board examinations ~ highlighting the complete devaluation of the examination system.

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The situation is so bad that Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2023, found that about 25 per cent of 14 to 18-year-olds cannot read a Standard II level text fluently, even in their regional language. The education system based on Government schools has collapsed, just like the buildings from which these schools operated. Sadly, devaluation has set in the academic standards of the great universities of yesteryears, like Calcutta University and Allahabad University, who now mostly churn out unemployable graduates.

The respect for occupiers of high offices has been devalued to near zero with chief ministers, ministers, and top bureaucrats perpetually in the cross-hairs of enforcement agencies, and often in jail on corruption charges. Devaluation in public life can be best understood by an apocryphal story; one of the less talented incumbents to the Indian Presidency, asked an eminent economist about the meaning of devaluation.

The professor replied: Sir, earlier we could get an outstanding individual like Dr Rajendra Prasad, or a renowned scholar like Dr S Radhakrishnan, for a salary of Rs 10,000, but now we could only hire a semiliterate person like you for this salary. Sadly, falling standards in politics is now a worldwide phenomenon. Traditionally, banana republics of Africa and South America were notorious for political amorality, but the twenty-first century has seen this malaise infect the body politic of established democracies.

The United States, which projects itself as the torchbearer of democracy and the best in governance, has a presidential hopeful in ex-President Donald Trump, against whom fraud charges have been proved, and who is charged with an attempt to forcibly overthrow an elected government. While in office, Mr Trump had the dubious distinction of being impeached twice.

Britain, another votary of democracy and good governance, had a Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, who along with his cabinet colleagues, was fined by the London Police for violating the Covid protocols that they had imposed on the entire country. Closer home, we have Pakistan where opposition leaders routinely land in jail on corruption charges. Miraculously, verdicts against them are overturned once they come to power.

Coming back to India, nowhere is devaluation in standards as manifest as in this years conferment of Bharat Ratna honours. Since its institution in 1954, Bharat Ratna had been awarded to 48 individuals in recognition of their exceptional service/performance of the highest order. There were many years when no one received the Bharat Ratna.

This year, the Government conferred this honour on five persons, four of them politicians. The next day, a leading national daily came out with an editorial, discussing in gleeful detail, how the ruling party would benefit electorally, by honouring these persons with the Bharat Ratna. Should the public really believe that the nations highest award was conferred for political expediency rather than on merit, then the value of the award, which has no monetary component, is effectively reduced to near zero.

There is, however, a contrary view, though still in a nascent stage, viz. a new morality is emerging, and perhaps, contemporary events need to be judged by the newlyminted touchstones. Specifically, a view has emerged that reassessment of the relevance of Gandhian thought, that had guided world leaders, philosophers and intellectuals, is now required. The reason being that the Mahatmas views on human conduct, truth and non-violence, are at odds with the current reality.

An indication of the way the wind is blowing, is the shameful trend of deification of Nathuram Godse, the Mahatmas assassin. An explanation for this volte-face readily presents itself. India is a country, that is now seeking its due place in the comity of nations. Understandably, the Government is constantly striving towards achieving the biggest and best in everything. However, as collateral damage, smaller endeavours are not appreciated; most Government plans and projects are denominated in lakhs of crores of rupees, if not more.

Correspondingly, citizens have started thinking big, which often translates into trying to earn big money ~ even by questionable means. This line of thought and action is diametrically opposed to Gandhian thinking, with its emphasis on truthfulness, thrift, purity of means, and other related concepts. A shortcoming of the alternative narrative is that its intellectual moorings are yet to be formalised. So, all politicians have to swear by Gandhism even when their actions are contrary to what the Mahatma would have done in the given circumstances. Though the Government is on a purely capitalist trajectory, but the socialist in the Constitution obliges it to swear by equality. Similarly, even die-hard communalists dare not express themselves candidly in public, because constitutionally, we are a secular country.

AI will probably come to the rescue of politicians practising the current version of realpolitik, by formulating a suitable philosophical basis for their line of thinking. Still, a perceptible change has come about in political posturing. Not too long-ago politicians, indulged in chicanery surreptitiously, keeping a facade of morality, but now, with sinking morality, there is no need for masks, and politicians of all hues shamelessly flaunt their agenda of gaining wealth and staying in power at all costs.

The way public representatives allow themselves to be bought and sold, soon, a stock exchange may come up for price discovery. In a case of life imitating art, the present scenario uncannily resembles a comedy show of the late Jaspal Bhatti, where he was shown running a trading agency for elected representatives. It is a tribute to the genius of George Orwell, that he could foresee the downfall of political morality. In his magnum opus, Nineteen Eighty-four, penned exactly seventy-five years ago, Orwell wrote: The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake.

We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. We are different from the oligarchies of the past in that we know what we are doingWe know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power.

The writer is a retired Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-Tax
In the wake of the global push for manufacturing resurgence, governments worldwide seem entranced by the allure of factories as a panacea for a myriad of societal ills. Whether it is President Joe Biden committing trillions to make America the manufacturing capital again or rising powers like China and India bolstering their industrial sectors, the consensus is clear ~ manufacturing holds the key to solving climate change, job loss, geopolitical strife, and economic stagnation. However, the prevailing narrative raises crucial questions about the efficacy of such investments and the veracity of manufacturing as a cure-all. A good manufacturing job once provided decent wages, job security, personal autonomy, and career progression. However, the landscape has shifted dramatically. Automation and technological advancements have reshaped the nature of manufacturing jobs, with factories becoming highly automated and requiring more specialised skills.

The idea that pouring trillions into manufacturing will bring back the golden era of stable, well-paying jobs seems increasingly unrealistic. Moreover, the traditional belief that manufacturing fuels innovation and economic growth is under scrutiny. While developing countries historically benefited from the reallocation of labour from agriculture to manufacturing, the complexity of modern supply chains, as seen in the iPhone production process, makes replicating this path challenging. Economic historians question whether state support for manufacturing played as decisive a role in development as commonly assumed, highlighting the importance of productivity growth in services and the removal of protectionism.

The argument for manufacturings role in innovation also comes with caveats. While manufacturing firms may have dedicated research and development departments, the emphasis on innovation spending in manufacturing overlooks the innovative potential within the services sector. The interplay between industry and services is vital for fostering technological progress, as evidenced by tech progress in places where both coexist. As governments commit staggering amounts for the green transition, it is crucial to scrutinise where these funds should be directed. While investing in critical minerals extraction and refining is essential, the assumption that more physical goods are needed for a net-zero emissions future requires careful consideration.

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The world will need to replace the entire capital stock dependent on fossil fuels, but the complexity and risks involved in such endeavours warrant a nuanced approach. The final argument for increased manufacturing investment revolves around national security and the need to reduce dependence on foreign supplies. The recent example of supply disruptions during and after the Covid19 pandemic is cited as evidence of vulnerabilities.

However, market economies have a natural capacity to adapt to limitations, and greater self-sufficiency might make countries more vulnerable to future shocks. While the manufacturing mirage continues to capture the imagination of global leaders, the complexities and uncertainties surrounding its revival demand a re-evaluation of our priorities. Instead of funnelling trillions into a nostalgic vision of manufacturings past glory, perhaps it is time to explore diverse and innovative solutions that address the current and future challenges facing humanity
As the Brown Universitys estimates for the War on Terror of the 21st century have made clear, if indirect impacts of war are included then mortality can be many times more than the deaths caused directly by war and conflict. These estimates have stated that the war on terror claimed about 0.9 million lives directly, but if indirectly caused mortality is included the figure rises much more menacingly to 4.5 million. In other words, in this context, indirectly caused deaths are about four times the directly caused deaths.

This figure does not include all the countries ravaged by the war on terror, and needs updating too. What is even more disturbing is that talk of the possibility of the third world war and a nuclear war has been heard more during the last two years than in the several decades preceding this, largely due to the possibility of a direct conflict between the USA/NATO and Russia, taking off from the ongoing proxy war in Ukraine, and to a lesser extent the possibility of a direct war between the USA and China. An even broader war with NATO, a few Asian allies and possibly Australia on one side and the axis of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea on the other side has also been discussed as a more distant possibility which, however, cannot be entirely ruled out, even though it would surely be a complete disaster. Einstein, when asked what a third world war would look like responded that he does not know how the third war would be fought, but the fourth one would be fought with stones.

He was referring of course to the reality of wars becoming so destructive that the third world war would in fact ruin the world almost entirely. Wars have become even more destructive since Einstein spoke these words, and their destructiveness appears destined to increase further, as more and more resources and human ingenuity are being diverted to increase destructive capabilities instead of constructive ones, even though millions and millions remain deprived of even basic needs and the requirements of ecological repair and rehabilitation are perhaps the most urgent.

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Hence while the 20th century witnessed a six fold increase in war and conflict related mortality compared to the 19th century, the 21st century may witness something unique and unprecedented in the already highly destructive history of war and conflict  it may witness wars with the capacity of wiping out, in terms of direct and indirect impacts, most of the life on earth and almost the entire human life, apart from disrupting very badly the basic lifeenabling and life-nurturing conditions of the planet. This would be the inevitable result if only 10 per cent of the existing stockpile of nuclear weapons are used. However even more destructive weapons of mass destruction are being developed, and due to a relentless quest for dominance that appears to be blind to all its grave dangers, the biggest military and economic powers are more frequently seen to be on the verge of direct confrontation and war. Hence this writer has been arguing consistently for quite some time that the present time is not just for incremental reform (although even that would be welcome) but for bravely and steadily moving towards a no-war future. The role of the peace movement is to minimize the distress caused by all kinds of violence  violence in daily life as well as war and the arms race.

On the one hand it seeks to minimize the possibilities of various forms of violence including self-violence in daily life. So many efforts are already being made for this, but there may be problems in them. To give one example, to reduce possibilities of various forms of self-violence, there may be over-reliance on certain medicines whose benefits may also be exaggerated for economic gain. The role of the peace movement may be to provide a more evidence-based approach and also to provide a wider, holistic understanding of the social situation, helping to understand root causes of violence and also ways of reducing this.

If the peace movement is successful in this, then this will attract a large number of people who should be involved in various important peace activities such as inter-faith harmony and ensuring peace in communities at various levels. This mobilization of a large number of people for peace in daily life also provides increasing opportunities for mobilizing people on world peace, disarmament and minimizing the possibilities of war and conflict. Peace movements of various countries can cooperate with each other all the time to take this forward at world level, ultimately establishing the peace movement as a very important force for creating a better and safer world.

One of the most important objectives should be to eliminate all weapons of mass destruction, to reduce all weapons, minimize the military industrial complex and ultimately to create a future without wars. If there is peace and stability, chances of cooperation for resolving serious environmental problems increase significantly. Hence both by eliminating weapons of mass destruction as well as by facilitating cooperation for resolving global environmental problems like climate change such a peace movement can contribute greatly to saving and protecting the life-nurturing conditions of our planet.

Hence these two important tasks of reducing violence in daily life in various ways should be integrated with the wider task of world peace and disarmament, thereby creating possibilities of millions and millions of people becoming a part of this movement. Durable peace is only possible if it is peace with justice and so the peace movement is inevitably committed to a world based on justice and equality. So much care is taken to ensure that children and young adults are able to pursue education in accordance with their career interests. As violence is such an important cause of distress and destruction, why not give equal attention to ensuring that children and adolescents grow up with values and world-views based on peace with justice?

Nelson Mandela said: Many who live with violence day in and out assume that it is an intrinsic part of the human condition. But this is not so. Violence can be prevented. Violent cultures can be turned around. In my own country and around the world we have shining examples of how violence has been countered. Governments, communities and individuals can make a differenceSafety and security dont just happen: they are the result of collective consensus and public investment.

Hence a peace movement should be broad-based, should have continuity and should proceed further with careful evidence-based planning to ensure high levels of success in reducing violence at all levels. (The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Planet in Peril and A Day in 2071.)
The Ukrainian Armed Forces may be reinforced with French Mirage 2000 multi-role fighters. Negotiations on the planes were held by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi during the visit of French leader Emanuel Macron to Ukraine.

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The head of state announced this at a press conference at the "Ukraine. Year 2024". "Yes, we talked about airplanes," Zelenskyi said briefly, answering a question about the possibility of France providing Ukraine with Mirage 2000 aircraft.

It is worth noting that the Mirage-2000D aircraft is a regular carrier of SCALP-EG, Storm Shadow, and TAURUS cruise missiles, as well as other airborne weapons. Instead, Ukrainian aircraft still need to be modernized for this purpose, which takes too much time. Therefore, when it comes to the possible reinforcement of our Su-24M with Mirage-2000D aircraft, this may indicate an intention to increase the number of platforms for the use of Western guided missiles in the Ukrainian Air Force.

What is known about the Mirage-2000?

The French Mirage-2000 is a single-seat, multi-role fighter aircraft developed by the French company Dassault Aviation. Officially commissioned in 1984, the Mirage-2000 has become the main aircraft of the French Air Force (Armee de l'Air) and other military formations.

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On the battlefield, French Mirage-2000C aircraft can be used for:

Air patrolling: The Mirage-2000C can be used to conduct air patrols over conflict areas, detect and defend against enemy aircraft and drones.

The Mirage-2000C can be used to conduct air patrols over conflict areas, detect and defend against enemy aircraft and drones. Attacks on ground targets: The aircraft can be used to conduct air strikes against important enemy targets on the ground, such as military strongholds, artillery positions, command posts, etc.

The aircraft can be used to conduct air strikes against important enemy targets on the ground, such as military strongholds, artillery positions, command posts, etc. Protection against air threats: Mirage-2000Cs are capable of conducting air-to-air combat and repelling attacks from enemy aircraft and missiles. They can protect other air and ground forces from airborne threats.

Mirage-2000Cs are capable of conducting air-to-air combat and repelling attacks from enemy aircraft and missiles. They can protect other air and ground forces from airborne threats. Reconnaissance: Aircraft can be used to conduct reconnaissance over enemy territory, gather intelligence, and detect enemy troop movements.

Aircraft can be used to conduct reconnaissance over enemy territory, gather intelligence, and detect enemy troop movements. Supporting ground operations: The Mirage-2000C can provide support to ground forces by conducting air strikes on enemy positions during ground combat operations.

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The aircraft is equipped with modern electronic navigation systems, radar, target detection systems, and electronic onboard avionics, which increases the effectiveness of combat missions.

The aircraft has a sleek and ergonomic design that improves aerodynamic performance and maneuverability. It is equipped with a powerful engine that allows it to reach high speeds.

To summarize, the Mirage-2000C is a high-performance and multifunctional fighter aircraft characterized by high maneuverability, efficiency in air operations, and reliability in combat missions.

Last March, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecorneuil said that Paris was considering the possibility of transferring the first batch of the country's main combat aircraft, the Mirage 2000, to Ukraine. French instructors are also ready to conduct a training program for our pilots in the skies over Warsaw, in agreement with Poland.

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After that, the media reported that Ukrainian pilots in France were learning to fly Mirage 2000 multi-role fighters developed by Dassault Aviation. About 30 of our military were allegedly undergoing accelerated training. However, the Ukrainian Air Force denied this information.

Meanwhile, rumors continued to circulate that France plans to buy about 40 fourth-generation Mirage 2000-9 fighters from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and transfer them to Ukraine.

Last September, the spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Yurii Ihnat, noted that the French Mirage 2000 attack aircraft that Paris is ready to give to Kyiv will not be able to replace the multifunctional fighters that our pilots need to gain air superiority. On the contrary, Russian air defense can simply destroy them.

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In early February 2024, it was reported that France was decommissioning some of its Dassault Mirage 2000D aircraft  about 20 units. It is possible that these fighter-bombers could be transferred to Ukraine.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and in Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Saudi Arabia is grappling with the formidable task of reinventing its economy, steering away from the dependence on oil that has long defined its financial landscape. Vision 2030, unveiled five years ago by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, outlines an ambitious plan to diversify and transform the economy. However, the journey toward economic reform seems to be progressing at a pace slower than initially envisioned. The linchpin of this transformation is tourism, a sector that policymakers hope will become the largest source of new jobs and account for a significant share of GDP. Abha, a city nestled in the southwestern part of the kingdom, has been earmarked for a grand makeover.

The Public Investment Fund has committed billions to build hotels and tourist attractions, with the aim of drawing 2 million visitors annually by 2030. Yet, the challenge lies in convincing foreign tourists to choose Saudi Arabia over other global destinations. The kingdom only began offering tourist visas in 2019, and while the potential is vast, the competition is fierce. The question looms large  what unique selling points does Saudi Arabia possess beyond the allure of its royal family and stunning landscapes? Attracting foreign firms and investors is paramount to the success of Vision 2030, yet the government struggles to articulate a compelling case for their choice of the kingdom.

Crown Prince Muhammads success will be closely tied to his ability to create jobs for the countrys youthful population, two-thirds of whom are under 35. The pandemic exacerbated unemployment, reaching 15.4 per cent in the second quarter of 2020. Although the rate has since declined, concerns persist. Saudis are now taking on low-skilled jobs that were traditionally filled by migrants, but the higher end of the market still lacks opportunities for educated citizens. Foreign direct investment (FDI), a crucial element for economic growth, has been sluggish, falling short of the kingdoms targets. In 2020, the hoped-for $10 billion in annual FDI inflows reached only $5.5 billion. The recent announcement of a new strategy aiming for $100 billion in annual FDI by 2030 raises eyebrows, as some critics argue that officials set ambitious targets without adequate feedback.

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The business climate, dominated by one man, is a cause for concern among potential investors. The detention of businessmen and royals in 2017 on corruption charges sent shockwaves through the business community. Tax issues, exemplified by hefty bills served to companies like Uber, further add to uncertainty. The recent directive for multinationals to relocate regional headquarters to the kingdom by 2024 is seen by some as a coercive move, prompting firms like Siemens and Unilever to open offices in Riyadh.

The economic challenges, including the reduction of subsidies, increased taxes, and rising labour costs, have eroded some of Saudi Arabias traditional advantages for foreign firms. The path to diversification is intricate, and success will hinge on the delicate balance of economic reforms, foreign investment, and the ability to create a competitive edge.
King Abdullah II of Jordan has warned that a continued war in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan could risk expanding the conflict.

King Abdullah made the remarks on Sunday at a meeting in Amman with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, during which he called for maximum efforts to reach an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and to protect innocent civilians, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by the Royal Hashemite Court.

The king noted that Jordan will continue to provide humanitarian, relief, and medical assistance to the people in Gaza, the statement added.

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The king reiterated Jordans rejection of any attempts to separate the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, while urging the continuation of Arab coordination to find a just solution to the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution.

Abbas, for his part, voiced appreciation for Jordans steadfast position on the Hamas-Israel conflict, stressing the need to continue close coordination and consultation between the two sides to serve the Palestinian cause and protect holy sites in the city.
The Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday that it remains committed to pursuing all the relevant cases of its nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army.

The remarks were in response to inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge.

We have seen some inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge, the ministry said in a statement.

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We remain committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army.

Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities and those brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi.

As a result, several Indians have already been discharged, the statement read.

Last week, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal acknowledged that the ministry was aware about the recruitment of Indians by some agents who duped them into joining the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

In a statement, the ministry called on the Indian community to stay away from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and urged them to exercise due caution.

As per media reports, 23-year-old Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya from Gujarat, was killed in a Ukrainian air strike in the Donetsk region on February 21.

Indian officials are yet to confirm the killing of Mangukiya, reportedly hired as a security helper by the Russian Army.

The development comes amidst recent reports that a group of Indian youths fell victim to agents who deceitfully sent them to Russia under the false pretext of providing them with security guard jobs.

Instead, all of them were dispatched to war-torn Ukraine-Russia areas.
Saint-Laurent, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers this afternoon. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High 41F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain and snow showers this evening. Remaining cloudy overnight. Low 26F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 50%.
Workers harvest cranberries from a bog behind Bass Pro Shops at Patriot Place in Foxboro. Although not family owned, the bog helps keep up the tradition of cranberry farming in Massachusetts.
Could this be the beginning of the end for Trump?
Press Release

February 26, 2024 MANIFESTATION OF SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA ON THE CONCURRENCE TO THE PH-GLOBAL GREEN GROWTH INSTITUTE (GGGI) AGREEMENT Mr. President: I would like to associate myself with the Sponsorship speech of Senator Marcos and express my full support to the Senate's concurrence to the ratification of the Agreement between the Philippines and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). To mitigate the effects of climate change, many countries have started greening their economies by adopting more eco-friendly approaches to economic production and consumption. There has been an increasing demand for "green jobs" or jobs that reduce the environmental impact of enterprises and economic sectors, ultimately to levels that are sustainable. The concept of "green jobs" is not new in the Philippines. In fact, the 16th Congress passed Republic Act No. 10771 or the "Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016," through the leadership of Senator Legarda who was then Chairperson of the Committee on Climate Change. The International Labor Organization views the development of green job skills as not only reactive but as an important driver of change which offers a considerable potential for job generation.[1] The ILO estimates that a shift to a greener economy could create about 24 million new jobs globally by 2030.[2] This partnership is a welcome development since GGGI is one of the leading international organizations supporting green growth policies and investments. We recognize the paradigm shift to green policies for growth as crucial to promoting sustainability and preserving and protecting the environment. That is why we also filed Senate Bill No. 246 or the Single-Use Plastics Regulation and Management Act, together with Senator Legarda, and introduced an amendment to the PENCAS Bill that promotes the use of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). Thank you, Mr. President, and may God bless us all.
The war unleashed by Russia not only devastates Ukraine, but also "raises a global wave of fear and hatred." This was stated by Pope Francis, who called for a "just, lasting peace" and negotiations.

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The head of the Catholic Church mentioned our country during the Sunday service on February 25. The Pope addressed the people in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, telling them that the day before, on the 24th, was the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion. It is worth noting that the pontiff did not name the culprit of the war, the Russian Federation. Vatican News quotes the cleric.

"Yesterday, on February 24, we remembered with sorrow the second anniversary of the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine. How many casualties, wounded, destruction, suffering, tears have been caused during this period, which is becoming terribly long and whose end is still not in sight!

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This is a war that is not only devastating this region of Europe, but is also creating a global wave of fear and hatred. Renewing my most sincere commitment to the martyred Ukrainian people and praying for all, especially the many innocent victims, I implore you to find that little bit of humanity that will help create the conditions for a diplomatic solution in the search for a just and lasting peace," Francis said.

He also called on the faithful to continue to pray for "numerous peoples torn apart by wars," including Israel and Palestine.

"Let us reflect on the great suffering, let us remember the innocent children," the religious leader urged.

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As OBOZ.UA wrote:

- At the end of 2023, a 9-year-old boy who lost his mother and suffered burns due to the Russian attack on Vinnytsia met with the Pope. Little Roma from Lviv presented Francis with a commemorative bracelet and received a blessing from the pontiff.

- After that, the Pope once again condemned the deaths of thousands of children in the wars raging in Ukraine, Gaza and Yemen. However, the pontiff traditionally did not name the perpetrators of the aggression.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
For the next four days, trade ministers from 160 countries around the world will gather in Abu Dhabi to discuss, debate, argue and lobby over export and import laws, as well as on issues ranging from carbon tax to subsidies. India will be represented at this crucial meeting of the World Trade Organisations (WTO) 13th inter-ministerial conferences (MC) by a delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.



With agitating farmers waiting at state borders and elections around the corner, Goyal can well feel the weight of expectations from domestic lobbies ranging from wheat farmers to fishermen, as the discussions get underway. Expert observers feel the expected-to-be cantankerous deliberations to not exactly be fruitful. But there is a lot riding on it for the Indian economy. More than any resolution, ensuring that moves from challenger nations do not pass muster will be the test of strength for Team Goyal!

Here are the four most important issues that India will have to be wary about at the WTO this week:

Food procurement and subsidy  India has a tried and tested food security policy that more often translates into a policy keeping the rural economy steady by offering subsidies to farmer produce like wheat, and procuring them with minimum support prices through a system of mandis and the govt-owned Food Corporation of India (FCI). However, some WTO countries have been arguing that these subsidies should be limited, an argument that has been debated at several earlier MCs. It is expected to come to a head this time, and especially considering the agitating farmers, Goyal will have to go in for a do or die, at least to avert any decision adverse to domestic political interests.

Just like at the COP climate conferences, arguments over these are likely to boil down to a fight between the haves and the have-nots, with developing countries like India arguing that historical inequality should be mitigated first before going in for universal rulings like this.

Fishermen  Similarly, India is expected to fight tooth and nail any multilateral restrictions on supporting and subsidising fishing. Here again, countries are likely to group into distinct factions of developed fishing powers (read, the North Atlantic giants) versus developing countries in Africa and Asia.

Indias argument against any new laws here would be that support mechanisms for fishermen are essential for their sustenance, while it is the developed countries that have depleted marine resources through industrialised overfishing and deep-water fishing. With a sizeable vote bank of fisherfolk in many coastal constituencies, Piyush Goyal dare not trip up here.

China  Indias nemesis to the north is set to use the WTO platform to call out Indias anti-China trade practices since the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020, where soldiers died on both sides. India had retaliated by imposing a virtual ban on investments through the automatic route from its border countries, in effect barring China from investing in the growing India story. In addition, India had also thrown out several Chinese e-commerce apps from operating in the country, including the once wildly popular TikTok.

Customs duty on e-commerce  Tech powerhouses like the US where most of the e-commerce and internet powerhouses are based do not want customs duty to be imposed on electronic transmissions like when people shop online, for books, music and gaming. However, India, one of the biggest internet consumer markets, would want the present moratorium on the duty to be lifted, since it estimates that the country is losing upwards of Rs 82,000 crore every year due to this. Remains to be seen which way the wind will blow.
Vijay Shekhar Sharma has resigned as part-time non-executive Chairman of Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) on Monday, and the board of the bank has been reconstituted.

The Reserve Bank has barred the PPBL from accepting deposits and credits from any customer post-March 15 for persistent non-compliances and continued material supervisory concerns in the bank. The action against Paytm Payments Bank followed "serious supervisory concerns", including inadequate customer identify and a lack of arms length distance with Paytm, Reuters quoted a source as saying.

PPBL reconstituted its board of directors with the appointment of former Central Bank of India chairman Srinivasan Sridhar, retired IAS officer Debendranath Sarangi, former executive director of Bank of Baroda Ashok Kumar Garg, and former IAS officer Rajni Sekhri Sibal, Paytm said in a regulatory filing on Monday. They had recently joined as independent directors, it said.

"The company has been separately informed that Vijay Shekhar Sharma has also resigned from the Board of Paytm Payments Bank to enable this transition. PPBL has informed us that they will commence the process of appointing a new Chairman," the company said in a regulatory filing.

OCL supports PPBL's move of opting for a board with only independent and executive directors by removing its nominee, it added.

"PPBL's future business to be led by a reconstituted board," the filing said.

The expertise of the new board members will be "pivotal in guiding us toward enhancing our governance structures and operational standards, further solidifying our dedication to compliance and best practices", Reuters quoted Paytm Payments Bank CEO Surinder Chawla as saying.

PPBL will soon start the process of appointing a new chairman, the company said.

Who are the members in the new board of directors?

Srinivasan Sridhar has been a banker for over 40 years. He is currently serving as the independent director at Jubilant Pharmova. Sridhar has held leadership positions at Export Import Bank of India, Central Bank of India and National Housing Bank.

Debendranath Sarangi, retired IAS (1977 batch) of Tamil Nadu cadre, is a veteran in public administration and corporate governance. He is currently serving as an independent director on the boards of various companies including Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation Limited and Voltas Ltd.

Rajni Sekhri Sibal is a retired IAS officer of Haryana cadre (1986 batch). She has 38 years of experience in administration and governance. Sibal has served as secretary, government of India. Currently, she serves as an independent external monitor in the public sector and as an independent director in corporates.

Ashok Kumar Garg who comes on board with 39 years of diverse banking experience, has held significant positions including whole time director at Bank of Baroda, Cchief Executive for USA operations of the bank at New York, managing director of Bank of Baroda (Uganda) Ltd at Kampala and chairman/director of its subsidiaries in Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago and Kenya.
Senior BJP leader Amarinder Singh on Sunday condemned the Haryana Police for the "barbaric act of violence" against a farmer who was injured during the ongoing farm protest at the Khanauri border.

He also urged Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar to take strict action against the policemen responsible for assaulting the farmer -- Pritpal Singh -- who is currently undergoing treatment at the PGIMER in Chandigarh.

Amarinder Singh, the former Punjab chief minister, said on X, "I strongly condemn the barbaric act of violence committed by the Haryana Police on our young farmer Pritpal Singh."

"I urge Haryana CM @mlkhattar to take strict action against the policemen who are guilty of badly beating up an unarmed youngster who was just serving langar to people," he said.

The protesting farmers on Sunday held a seminar on the WTO agreement, with farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher telling reporters at the Shambhu border that they are demanding the agriculture sector be taken out of the World Trade Organization agreement.

On February 26, the farmers will burn effigies of the WTO and also of the Centre, he said, he added.

Farmer leaders too hit out at the Haryana Police over the injuries suffered by the farmer.

Farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa said Pritpal Singh was doing "langar seva" at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border when he was allegedly dragged by the policemen.

"He was dragged from his tractor trolley, thrashed and later admitted to a hospital in Rohtak. But we got him shifted to PGIMER at Chandigarh," he said.

Pandher said Pritpal Singh has suffered multiple injuries.

"We strongly condemn the police action," he said.

Pandher further said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come forward and accept the demands of the protesting farmers so that the deadlock in talks between the Centre and farmer leaders is broken.

"The prime minister should also take action against policemen who indulge in such "barbaric acts", he said.

The fourth meeting between Union ministers and farmer leaders on February 18 ended in a stalemate.

Earlier, Shubhkaran Singh (21), a native of Bathinda, was killed in a clash in Khanauri last Wednesday when some protesters tried to head towards the barricades erected by security personnel.

Shubhkaran Singh's cremation has not taken place yet as farmer leaders are demanding that the Punjab government order the registration of an FIR against those responsible for his death.

After the seminar, Pandher claimed that the WTO agreement adversely impacts the farmers.

The seminar was held a day before trade ministers from 164 countries are scheduled to gather in Abu Dhabi, UAE on Monday to discuss a range of issues pertaining to areas such as agriculture, fisheries subsidies, and a moratorium on imposing customs duty on e-commerce trade.

"Before 1995, India used to go according to its own independent agricultural policy, but things changed when India entered WTO," said Pandher.

He said the logic being given is that if a legal guarantee on crop MSP is given, it will lead to spiralling of prices, "which we don't agree will happen".

"On the contrary, on the crops where there is no MSP, they are more costly. Till the time the government of India does not take out the agriculture sector from WTO policy, farmers of the country will not get justice," he said.

The march, spearheaded by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), was put on hold for two days after a protester was killed and around 12 police personnel were injured in clashes at Khanauri on February 21.

Two days later, the farmer leaders said the protesters will continue to camp at Khanauri and Shambhu on Punjab's border with Haryana till February 29 when the next course of action will be decided.

KMM leader Pandher has said they will announce their next course of action on February 29.

A meeting of the forums associated with the SKM (non-political) and KMM will be held on February 27 at the protest sites. A common meeting of SKM (non-political) and KMM forums will be held on February 28.

Thousands of farmers have been camping at Khanauri and Shambhu, about 200 kilometres from Delhi, along with their tractor-trolleys and trucks after their march to the national capital to press the Centre for various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, was stopped by security forces.

The Punjab farmers are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.
In a huge setback to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Government in Tamil Nadu, the Madras High Court on Monday ordered re-trial by special court in a corruption case against Rural Development Minister I. Periyasamy. The bench directed the special court to conduct the trial on a daily basis and send the accused to judicial custody if they indulged in dilatory tactics.



Hearing the suo motu petition against the lower courts judgment discharging Periyasamy, Justice N. Anand Venkatesh set aside the discharge and directed the case be transferred to the Special Court for trial of cases against MPs and MLAs for re-trial. The bench ordered the minister and another accused in the case to appear before the special court on March 28 and furnish a bond of Rs 1 lakh.

Periyasamy is facing charges for allegedly gaining pecuniary advantage by allotting Tamil Nadu Housing Board land in Chennai under the "Impeccable Honest Government Servant quota" to one Ganesan, when the Minister held the Housing portfolio in 2008.

Ordering the special court to conduct trial on a daily basis and send periodical reports to the High Court registrar general, the bench gave the special court the liberty to send the accused including the minister to judicial custody if they indulge in dilatory tactics, LiveLaw reported.

Hearing the case, the bench observed that the court should send a message to the public that it could take action even against people in the highest rank.

The Madras High Court had earlier initiated similar action against former DMK minister K. Ponmudy, ministers Thangam Thennarasu and KKSSR Ramachandran. The High Court in December last year convicted Ponmudy in a disproportionate assets case, in which he was discharged by a lower court.

Similarly, former minister Senthil Balaji is facing an Enforcement Directorate probe and is under judicial custody in a money laundering case.
A political blame game has erupted in Haryana over the murder of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) state chief Nafe Singh Rathee on Sunday with the party claiming he was denied security by the BJP government despite multiple requests.

INLD Secretary General Abhay Chautala told reporters on Sunday evening after Rathee's murder that the latter had written to the authorities, including Chief Minister Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Khattar but his plea was ignored.



Rathee was killed after unidentified gunmen ambushed his SUV at Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district on Sunday evening. The miscreants came in a car and fired indiscriminately at Rathees vehicle near the railway crossing at Bahadurgarh, killing him immediately.



Chautala pinned the blame on the state government. "They are responsible because, six months ago, Rathee told me that he was informed by the police that his life was in danger. Rathee wrote to the SP, CM, and DG seeking security and probe into the threats. Former MLAs too informed the CM about the situation but no security was provided," he added.



VIDEO | Here's what INLD Secretary General, Abhay S. Chautala (@AbhaySChautala) said on INLD leader Nafe Singh Rathee's murder in Haryana's Jhajjar earlier today.



"The state government bears direct responsibility for today's tragic incident in which Nafe Singh Rathee was shot pic.twitter.com/N9Cw7EwM6E  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 25, 2024

Chautala accused the Khattar government of providing security to "accused in criminal cases but not to those who deserved it."



He said the Khattar government is trying to save itself by pinning the blame for Rathees killing on the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. "We will demand that a CBI investigation should be done into this and the accused should be punished. The government is trying to save itself by taking the name of the Lawrance gang. If you think so, then why wasn't security provided to Rathee," Chautala added.



Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that Haryana has fallen prey to anarchy. He said criminals are ruling the roost and law and order has collapsed in Haryana.



AAP said the "rule of law has ended in Haryana and jungle raj prevails". "No one is safe in Haryana today," Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sushil Gupta told reporters.



Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Jawahar Yadav on Sunday said that parties should not do politics over somebody's death and efforts should be directed to nab the accused. Yadav added they were not aware of any demand for security for Rathee.



"The police are doing their work. We understand the seriousness of it. The CIA and STF have already begun their investigation. Strict action will be taken against the accused. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal should refrain from doing politics during such situations. I am not aware of any demand for security for him (Nafe Singh Rathee)," Yadav told ANI.

He also hit out at Surjewala, stating nobody takes him seriously in Haryana. "All that he does is make statements. I don't wish to count the number of murders that happened during the time of Deepender Hooda or Randeep Surjewala," he added.
The Allahabad High Court will deliver the crucial verdict on the plea against the lower court order permitting the Hindu side to conduct prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi Mosque on Monday.

The petition against the Varanasi Court's January 31 order was filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee (which manages Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi) on February 1. It came after the Varanasi court on January 31 order allowed the Hindu side to perform 'Puja' In 'Vyas Tehkhana' (southern cellar of Gyanvapi Mosque).



According to the order, a Hindu priest can perform prayers before the idols in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque and the prayers will be conducted by a "pujari" nominated by the Kashi Vishwanath temple trust.



The mosque committee approached the Supreme Court against the order, seeking an urgent hearing but the top court refused to hear its plea and asked the petitioners to approach the Allahabad High Court.



The hearing was held in the Allahabad HC on February 15 and the bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agrawal had reserved the judgment.



The main argument of the mosque committee was that the Vyas Tehkhana was under its possession since it was a part of the Mosque premises and that the Vyas family or anyone else did not have any right to worship inside the Tehkhana. The Muslim side further argued that there had been no prayers in the 'Tehkhana' since 1993 and if after 30 years, the court was appointing a receiver and changing the status quo, there should have been some cogent reason behind the decision.



The petitioners also submitted that the Hindu plaintiff was never in possession of the Vyas Tehkhana, and the question about the possession can only be decided after framing of issues, reported Live Law.



The counsel for the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, S F A Naqvi said in the plea that the Hindu side's suit itself is barred by order 7 rule 11 of the Civil Procedure Code. The plea has also alleged that the main purpose behind filing the suit was to create a controversy over the functional Gyanvapi mosque where regular namaz is offered.



To this, the Hindu side argued that the Hindu 'Puja-Path' never stopped inside the Tehkhana and the same continued even after 1993 when the CRPF took possession of the same.



The counsels for the Hindu plaintiff, Advocate Hari Shankar Jain and Vishnu Shankar Jain, said their first prayer (for appointment of a receiver) was allowed on January 17. However, the second prayer (for the performance of prayers inside Vyas Tehkhana) was not allowed due to some omissions. They requested the District Judge to allow the second prayer too, he allowed the same on January 31 by invoking powers under Section 152 CrPC.



Shailendra Kumar Pathak, who had petitioned the Varanasi district court seeking the right to worship there, had claimed that his grandfather, Somnath Vyas, offered "puja" there up to December 1993, when it was stopped by the administration.



Puja being conducted at the Vyas Tehkhana following court order | PTI

The Hindu side also claims that the "puja" stopped there during the tenure of then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav after the Babri masjid demolition on December 6, 1992.


The Allahabad High Court on Monday dismissed the Gyanvapi masjid committees plea against prayers by the Hindu side in the sealed cellar of the mosque.



Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal dismissed the Masjid committees plea and upheld an earlier order of the Varanasi district court permitting prayers by the Hindu side in the sealed cellar of the mosque, known as 'Vyas Tehkhana'. Advocate representing the Hindu side, Vishnu Shankar Jain, told presspersons that pujas in the Vyas Tehkhana will continue. The bench heard arguments of both sides in the case on February 15.

"Today, the Allahabad High Court has dismissed the first appeal from orders of Anjuman Intezamia and the effect of the order is that the ongoing puja in the 'Vyas Tehkhana' of Gyanvapi complex will continue. If the Anjuman Intezamia comes to the Supreme Court, we will file our caveat before the SC, ANI reported quoting Jain.

The petition against the Varanasi Court's January 31 order was filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Mosque Committee (which manages Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi) on February 1. It came after the Varanasi court on January 31 order allowed the Hindu side to perform 'Puja' In 'Vyas Tehkhana' (southern cellar of Gyanvapi Mosque).

According to the order, a Hindu priest can perform prayers before the idols in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque and the prayers will be conducted by a "pujari" nominated by the Kashi Vishwanath temple trust.

The mosque committee approached the Supreme Court against the order, seeking an urgent hearing but the top court refused to hear its plea and asked the petitioners to approach the Allahabad High Court.

The main argument of the mosque committee was that the Vyas Tehkhana was under its possession since it was a part of the Mosque premises and that the Vyas family or anyone else did not have any right to worship inside the Tehkhana. The Muslim side further argued that there had been no prayers in the 'Tehkhana' since 1993 and if after 30 years, the court was appointing a receiver and changing the status quo, there should have been some cogent reason behind the decision.

The petitioners also submitted that the Hindu plaintiff was never in possession of the Vyas Tehkhana, and the question about the possession can only be decided after framing of issues, reported Live Law.
The West Bengal Police on Monday filed an FIR against Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh, who has been absconding since January 15, over the allegations of land grabs and sexual harassment of women in Sandeshkhali.

A police officer told the media that they had received over 70 complaints against Shajahan.

The island village in the North 24 Parganas district has been witnessing protests for over a month after scores of women took to the streets alleging that Shahjahan and his supporters had illegally grabbed their lands and had been sexually abusing them.

The TMC leader went into hiding on January 15 after a mob affiliated to him attacked and chased away a team of Enforcement Directorate officials who had reached Sandeshkhali to raid his premises in a separate corruption case.

The Calcutta High Court on Monday directed police to arrest Shahjahan and expressed surprise at the fact that the incidents of atrocities in Sandeshkhali were reported to the state police four years ago.

"It is furthermore surprising that it has taken four years for 42 cases to mature into chargesheets," said a division bench headed by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee claimed on Sunday that Shahjahan could not be arrested because of legal tangles and stay on FIRs filed by the police.

The court, however, made it clear that there is no record in any of the cases relating to incidents at Sandeshkhali that there is a stay on Sheikh's arrest.

Following the HCs clarification, senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said Shahjahan will be arrested in seven days.

"About the arrest of Sheikh Shajahan, Abhishek Banerjee is correct. The matter was stuck in the legal tangle of the court. The opposition was doing politics using this opportunity. Thanks to the High Court today for clarifying the matter and allowing the police to take action. Shajahan will be arrested within seven days," Ghosh posted on X.

Fresh protests in Sandeshkhali

Meanwhile, fresh protests erupted in Sandeshkhali on Monday as locals ransacked the properties of local TMC leaders.

Armed with sticks, they attacked a few houses in the Bermajur area of Sandeshkhali, venting their fury against local TMC panchayat leader Shankar Sardar, reported PTI, quoting police officials.

Shankar, accused of land grabbing, was not at home, but his family members were beaten up by the villagers, said an officer.
Senior PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, on Monday became the first woman chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province.



Maryam, the 50-year-old senior vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, won the chief ministerial elections amidst a walkout by lawmakers of former prime minister Imran Khan's party-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

The PML-N leader defeated Rana Aftab of the PTI-backed SIC to win the chief ministerial elections for the politically crucial Punjab province, home to 120 million people.

Maryam paid a visit to her mother's grave at Jati Umra before going to the Punjab Assembly, where the election for the post of chief minister took place.

In a post on X, the PML-N said Maryam also visited the graves of her paternal grandparents.

For the first time in the history of our nation, a woman will become the CM of Punjab. Maryam Nawaz Sharif will be the first woman to take the oath as CM Punjab!, the PML-N had said in a post on X before the election.

Addressing the Punjab Assembly after the election, Maryam Nawaz said her appointment is an honour for every woman in Pakistan and added she has no desire for revenge against the Opposition. I want to thank those who put me in difficulties, which included death cells, court visits, incarceration of my father and the death of mother, but, despite all this, I feel indebted to my adversaries.Today, where I am standing, it is all because of this struggle, Dawn reported quoting Maryam. The Opposition boycotted the election and staged a walkout after the results were announced.

Maryam announced a relief package for Ramzan called Nigheban, free medicines in government hospitals and a dedicated helpline for women.

-with PTI inputs.
Yami Gautam's Article 370 has been banned in all Gulf countries. The movie is based on challenges people face amidst the central government repealing Article 370, which granted special status to the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Gautam plays Intelligence Officer Zooni Haksar in the film directed by Aditya Dhar. Here are other films that were banned.
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Showers early, then partly cloudy for the afternoon. High 49F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 32F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Javier Milei, the fiery, right-wing populist president of Argentina, gave Donald Trump on Saturday an ecstatic hug a day after meeting with Biden administration officials in Buenos Aires.

Trump and Milei were the biggest speakers to wrap up the annual Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington. During their backstage greeting, captured in a video posted by a Trump campaign staffer, Milei shouted President! and pulled Trump in for a close hug before they took pictures together.

Milei took office in December after running a campaign inspired by Trump, complete with red Make Argentina Great Again hats in a nod to the former presidents own Make America Great Again movement. He was the last of several foreign politicians at CPAC to echo popular Trump themes on issues like migration and the threat of socialism.

In the video, Trump tells Milei, Make Argentina Great Again. Milei then uttered his famous phrase, Long live freedom, damn it!

The Argentines appearance at CPAC came a day after he met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. A top Milei official alleged that Marc Stanley, the U.S. ambassador in Buenos Aires, had suggested that Milei not speak at CPAC.

Mileis security minister, Patricia Bullrich, who was also attending the gathering south of Washington, said Stanley told Mileis office that he thought the conference was very political and that it was not appropriate for him to participate.

It was honorable to come, Bullrich said. He comes here as a speaker, to give a general speech, not to talk about the election.

The State Department did not respond to a request for comment Saturday evening.

Milei urged the CPAC crowd to put a stop to socialism and not to endorse more regulation of the economy. He also called abortion access a murderous agenda to decrease the size of the population.

Do not be led by mermaids singing social justice, he said in Spanish. Do not give up your freedom. Fight for your freedom because if you do not fight, you will be led into misery.

(AP)
A 26-year-old illegal immigrant was arrested Friday in the killing of a nursing student whose body was found on the University of Georgia campus, and police said he apparently did not know the victim, he acted alone and there was no further threat to the university community.

The suspect, identified as Athens resident Jose Antonio Ibarra, was taken into custody for the death of 22-year-old Laken Hope Riley, police said. The body of the Augusta University College of Nursing student was found near running trails Thursday, launching a highly visible police investigation that centered on an apartment complex just south of there.

Video from campus security and other technology led police to Ibarra, who lived in one of the apartments, University of Georgia Police Chief Jeff Clark said in a Friday evening news conference.

The evidence authorities have gathered in the case is robust, and they believe it was a solo act by Ibarra, according to Clark. He also said the investigation suggests that the suspect and victim had no relationship.

This was a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual, and bad things happened, Clark said.

Ibarra faces charges including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another, according to Clark. Authorities were taking him to Athens-Clarke County Jail.

It wasnt immediately known if Ibarra had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Clark said Ibarra doesnt have an extensive criminal history and is not a U.S. citizen, but he did not know Ibarras immigration status.

Rileys body was discovered Thursday afternoon after a friend told police she had not returned from a morning run, authorities said. Officers immediately began a search and found her body in a forested area near Lake Herrick that includes trails popular with runners and walkers.

Emergency medical responders determined she died before officers found her. Clark said Friday that the cause of death was blunt force trauma, but he did not elaborate.

Riley studied at the University of Georgia through the spring of 2023 before transferring to Augusta Universitys College of Nursing, according to a statement from the University of Georgia, which does not have a nursing program itself. She remained active in the sorority she joined at the University of Georgia.

Rileys sister, Lauren Phillips, paid tribute to her Friday in an Instagram post, calling her the best sister and my built in best friend from the very first second.

This isnt fair and I will never understand it but I know you are in heaven with the man you loved most right now, Phillips wrote. Im not sure how Im going to do this but its all going to be for you from now on. I cannot wait to give you the biggest hug someday. I will miss and love you forever Laken.

Riley graduated in 2020 from River Ridge High School in Woodstock, a suburb northwest of Atlanta, where she ran cross country.

Our community and our world lost a shining light with the tragic passing of Laken, Cherokee County schools Superintendent Brian Hightower said in a statement. An outstanding scholar athlete, Laken inspired classmates and teachers with her love of learning and her kindness to all. We ask that the community please keep her family in their hearts.

The area where Riley was found is near the campus intramural fields, and only a little farther from a large dormitory complex occupied mostly by first-year students. Officials had advised students to travel in groups and avoid the area.

Police set up a mobile command post at an apartment complex nearby, with more than a dozen officers present. At one point, officers searched a dumpster at a gas station across the street.

First-year business major Paige Soskel, who was having coffee Friday with a friend in downtown Athens, said she was stunned to think that Riley was killed during the day.

It was kind of just surreal to think that we have friends in the sorority that she was in, Soskel said. And just to think that its somebody that people we know actually know is just scary  that it could be anyone.

She said she already tries to let others know where she is, including using an online tracking service. But now shes considering further precautions, and her father sent her pepper spray.

Nate Stein, who graduated in December with a biomedical engineering degree, said hes likely to be on edge for a little bit. His roommate is a frequent runner, and they often exercise in the area around the lake.

I used to walk there every morning too, and I mean, it just feels like a very safe space, Stein said. Its on campus so, like I said, it doesnt really feel like it would ever be unsafe at all.

The University of Georgia, which has 41,000 students, mostly in Athens, canceled classes Friday.

Augusta canceled classes at its Athens campus but said it would remain open as a gathering place for students, faculty and staff. However, the universitys campus in a strip mall appeared largely deserted in the afternoon, with an employee saying reporters were not being allowed inside.

Students at the University of Georgia were already shaken after a student was found dead in his dorm room Wednesday and an armed robbery took place in the center of campus the night of Feb. 16. University police said Thursday there was no reason to believe those incidents were connected to Rileys death.

Murder is relatively rare in Athens with the city averaging six per year, about half Georgias statewide rate. But Athens-Clarke crime statistics show other types of crime with rates above the statewide average, including aggravated assault, burglary, rape and motor vehicle theft.

A similar killing in Tennessee in 2022 shocked people nationwide. Eliza Fletcher, 34, was abducted during a pre-dawn run near the University of Memphis, and her body was found days later. Cleotha Abston has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder and especially aggravated kidnapping.

A week later, thousands of people across the country finished Fletchers run in events honoring the mother of two and kindergarten teacher.

(AP)
Denmark on Monday joined Sweden in closing its investigation into the 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines, with authorities saying they concluded there was deliberate sabotage but not the sufficient grounds to pursue a criminal case.

Danish authorities said the probe has been both complex and comprehensive. Copenhagen police, which carried out the investigation jointly with the Danish security service, said they were not able to provide further comments.

The underwater detonations on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which were built to carry Russian natural gas to Germany, occurred in international waters but within Swedish and Danish economic zones. Sweden earlier said that a state actor was the most likely culprit.

Denmarks investigation was one of three into the explosions.

Sweden ended its probe on Feb. 7 on the grounds that it has no jurisdiction. It said the investigations primary purpose was to establish whether Sweden or its citizens somehow were involved. Swedish officials also said they handed over to Germany material that can be used as evidence in the German investigation.

Denmarks decision to close the investigation was expected, Kenneth hlenschlger Buhl of the Royal Danish Defense College told broadcaster DR.

The Swedes said they had a fairly good idea of who was behind it but have no jurisdiction over those they wanted to talk to, hlenschlger Buhl said. The Danes are saying the same, just slightly different words.

The German federal prosecutors office said Monday that its investigation continues and that it wont provide more information.

The source of the explosions has been a major international mystery.

The blasts happened as Europe attempted to wean itself off Russian energy sources following the Kremlins full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and contributed to tensions that followed the start of the war.

The undersea explosions ruptured the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which was Russias main natural gas supply route to Germany until Russia cut off supplies at the end of August 2022.

They also damaged the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which never entered service because Germany suspended its certification process shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine in February of that year.

The explosions at the pipelines took place about 80 meters (260 feet) underwater on the ocean floor in the Baltic Sea. Seismic measurements indicated that the explosions occurred shortly before the leaks were discovered.

Months after the detonations, there is no accepted explanation. Russia has accused the U.S. of staging the explosions, a charge Washington denies.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the situation is close to absurd.

On the one hand, there was a deliberate act of sabotage and on the other hand there has been no progress in the investigation. The situation is so obvious that one can only express absolute astonishment, he said.

The pipelines were long a target of criticism by the U.S. and some of its allies, who warned that they posed a risk to Europes energy security by increasing dependence on Russian gas.

In March 2023, German media reported that a pro-Ukraine group was involved in the sabotage using a vessel and setting off from the German port of Rostock. Ukraine rejected suggestions it might have ordered the attack and German officials voiced caution over the accusation.

Swedish prosecutors earlier hinted that the identity of the perpetrator was likely to remain unclear.

Beyond their geopolitical impact, the Nord Stream pipeline leaks were a huge environmental disaster with local wildlife affected and huge volumes of methane discharged into the Baltic Sea in what analysts believe could be the single largest release of methane due to human activity.

(AP)
The IDF says it eliminated a senior Hezbollah commander, Hassan Hussein Salami, in an airstrike in southern Lebanon on Monday.

According to the IDF, Salami, who held a rank equivalent to a brigade commander, was targeted while driving in the village of Majadel. The IDF identified Salami was the commander of a regional unit in Hezbollah and had overseen attacks on IDF troops and Israeli communities in northern Israel. Hezbollah had announced Salamis death earlier but did not refer to him as a commander.

This development comes amid heightened tensions and exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah along the Lebanon-Israel border, with many expecting an Israel-Hezbollah war to break out over the next few months.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Adi Zohar, the 30-year-old pregnant woman who was seriously injured in the Maale Adumim terror attack on Thursday, spoke to the press from her hospital room in Shaare Tzedek Hospital on Sunday about the moments of horror and the incredible neis she experienced.

Baruch Hashem, Im slowly recovering, she said. I feel like I experienced a huge neis and I want to focus on that. I got my life back.

She recounted the moments of the attack: This is a road I travel on a daily basis, to work. I was standing in traffic, talking on the phone when I noticed that the car in front of me suddenly rammed into the car in front of it. I told my aunt that there was a strange accident  and then within seconds, the terrorist got out of the car, like a madman. I saw his gun straight away. I started shouting to my aunt that theyre going to shoot me and I have no way to avoid it.

The terrorist looked at me and I at him. I tried to crawl into my seat as I was thinking about my unborn baby. I said Shema Israel and he shot me. Within seconds, I saw that my shirt was soaked with blood. I didnt feel the bullet. I got out and tried to run away. Later in the videos, I saw that he was close to me. I crawled on the floor, trying to reach other cars. Because I was on all fours, they didnt open the door for me.

A wonderful woman opened the door for me and I calmly told her: There was a terror attack, Im pregnant, they shot me, call an ambulance. The ambulance took a long time to arrive because of the traffic jams. I called my husband to update him  and what I remember after that is the hospital.

I experienced a neis. Im still here, Im talking to you. The bullet hit a very dangerous place but my baby and I are alive and thats what matters. Everyone talks about the moments before death and thats how I felt  that this was my last moment, I thought about the fact that my son is only two years old and will have to grow up without me.

Hashem was with me in every moment. The fact that I didnt lose consciousness saved my baby. In retrospect, one of the doctors told me that the fact that I didnt lose consciousness helped me. I am a very hysterical person in my everyday life but at that moment I was calm.

I share in the grief of the family of the murdered victim. Thank you to everyone for your support. I still have a long road ahead of me.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
The IDF says it has escalated the military efforts against Hamas in the eastern suburbs of Khan Younis, specifically in Abasan al-Jadida and Abasan al-Kabira. The Givati Brigade has been conducting a series of raids in these southern Gaza areas, resulting in the deaths of numerous Hamas operatives and the seizure of a significant arsenal of weapons and rockets.

During these operations, the IDF encountered armed resistance from Hamas gunmen. In one engagement, IDF troops were met with gunfire as they advanced into a building; they returning fire, killing two gunmen who attempted to escape the scene. Inside the building, IDF soldiers uncovered a substantial cache of military hardware, including explosive devices, grenades, sniper and assault rifles, and other combat equipment.

Another significant discovery was made in a building repurposed as a medical laboratory within the Abasan region. Here, IDF forces found a rocket launcher and a long-range projectile ingeniously concealed within a refrigerator, showcasing the inventive methods employed by Hamas to hide their weaponry.

The IDF reported that its Givati snipers have been particularly effective in neutralizing threats in the area, with several Hamas gunmen ambushed and killed in recent operations. One such incident involved a Hamas operative who was fatally shot by a sniper as he attempted to plant an explosive device near IDF troops.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
An El Al flight heading from Tel Aviv to Moldova was diverted following a disturbance caused by a passenger who reportedly behaved violently towards another passenger  the second such incident in the past two weeks.

In a statement, El Al said the flight crew dealt with the incident upon landing, and even invited the police to continue dealing with the violent passenger. The company views the incident seriously and is taking all the measures required according to the procedures and the law in coordination with the relevant enforcement authorities.

This incident mirrors a similar occurrence about two weeks prior on an El Al flight from Prague to Tel Aviv, where security guards had to subdue a passenger attempting to force entry into the cockpit. The flight was consequently diverted to Greece.

El Al said at the time that new procedures were put into place to avoid similar attempted cockpit breaches on other flights.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
An active-duty member of the US Air Force died after setting himself ablaze outside the Israeli Embassy on Sunday. The individual, identified as 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell, performed the self-immolation in protest of the United States support for Israel in its war against the Hamas terror group in Gaza.

The incident occurred shortly before 1 p.m. when the man approached the embassy premises and began a live broadcast on Twitch, a popular video streaming platform. Witnesses and law enforcement believe that during the livestream, he placed his phone aside, doused himself in an accelerant, and then ignited the flames.

Amidst the act, he was heard declaring his refusal to be complicit in genocide and shouted Free Palestine! before collapsing to the ground.

The Israeli Embassy has since stated that the man was not known to them and confirmed that none of their staff were harmed during the incident.

The Metropolitan Police Department, alongside the US Secret Service, responded promptly to the scene. The area was secured, and a bomb squad was dispatched to examine a suspicious vehicle associated with the incident. Authorities later confirmed that no hazardous materials were discovered within the vehicle.

This act follows a similar incident in December, where an individual self-immolated outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta, using gasoline. A Palestinian flag was found at the scene, indicating the act as one of extreme political protest  long identified by psychologists as an extreme cry for help.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, in which he explained the evil tactics of the Hamas terror group.

He began by stating that the Hamas massacre of Oct. 7 is arguably the most well-documented attack in history. The meticulously choreographed spectacle of savagery and sadism saw Hamas mercilessly murder, butcher, rape and burn Israeli families alivedocumenting their crimes with GoPros and cellphones. The terrorists even live-streamed their atrocities on their victims social-media accounts.

That was only the first phase of Hamass media strategy. When the fighting shifted to Gaza, Hamas went from massacring Israeli civilians to hiding behind Gazan civilians. For the past 16 years, Hamas has systematically embedded its terror infrastructure inside and under civilian areas in Gaza as part of its human-shield strategy. IDF troops discovered that most homes in Gaza have terror tunnels underneath or weapon caches inside, and the majority of schools, mosques, hospitals and international institutions have been used by Hamas for their military operations.

Hamas has forced Gazans to stay in active combat zones by blocking their attempts to move out of harms way. When civilians manage to reach the safer areas to which we guide them, Hamas then moves to those areas, turning humanitarian zones into staging areas for further attacks.

By embedding itself among civilians, Hamas conceals itself from the cameras covering the conflict. By instructing terrorists to dress in civilian clothes, Hamas camouflages its terrorists as innocents. By waging war from inside and underneath hospitals, Hamas hopes that international law and public sympathy will provide a shield for their military activities.

Hagari then contrasted the behavior of the IDF, which conducts its operations with caution, transparency and in accordance with international law.

Our strategy remains consistent and clear: Ensure that Oct. 7 never happens again. We will continue fulfilling this mission while upholding our values and exposing the true face of Hamas to the world, he concludes.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
The Hezbollah terror group on Monday morning fired surface-to-air missiles at an Israeli Hermes 450 drone in Lebanese airspace, downing it.

Following the incident, the IDF stated: This morning, air defense fighters intercepted a surface-to-air missile launched at Air Force UAV that was operating in Lebanese skies using the Davids Sling system. After a short time, another missile was launched at the UAV and hit it. As a result, the UAV fell into Lebanese territory.

A rocket warning siren was activated in the Alon Tavor area following the launch of the interceptor. There were no casualties.

Around midday on Monday, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) responded to the downing of the drone by carrying out airstrikes 62 miles (100 kilometers) north of the Israeli/Lebanese border. The strikes, the deepest in Lebanese territory that Israel has carried out since the 2006 Lebanon War, targeted Hezbollah targets in the city of Baalbek, a Hezbollah stronghold located east of the Litani River in Lebanons Beqaa Valley.

At least two Hezbollah terrorists were killed in the attack.

Hezbollah also fired a barrage of missiles at northern Israel around noon. Two rockets landed in Shtula, lightly injuring one Israeli and damaging a chicken coop.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Israels defense minister vowed Sunday to step up attacks on Lebanons Hezbollah terror group even if a cease-fire is reached with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Hezbollah, which has been exchanging fire with Israel throughout the war in Gaza, has said it will halt its nearly daily attacks on Israel if a cease-fire is reached in Gaza.

But Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that anyone who thinks a temporary cease-fire for Gaza will also apply to the northern front is mistaken.

We will continue the fire, and we will do so independently from the south, until we achieve our goals, Gallant said. He said there is a simple aim: to push Hezbollah away from the Israeli border, either through a diplomatic agreement or by force.

Hezbollah began striking Israel almost immediately after Hamas triggered the fighting in Gaza with a deadly attack along Israels southern border from the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7. Tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border have been displaced by the continued cycle of Hezbollah rocket and missile attacks and Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire.

Gallant said Israels targeting of Hezbollah commanders has significantly weakened the groups ability to attack Israel.

About 200 Hezbollah fighters and 35 civilians in Lebanon have been killed in nearly five months of daily low-level clashes between the Lebanese militant group and Israeli forces against the backdrop of the Israels war with Hamas, a Hezbollah ally. In Israel, nine soldiers and nine civilians have been killed in Hezbollah attacks.

Most of the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel has been confined to the area within a few kilometers on either side of the border.

Diplomats from the United States and European countries have presented a series of proposals in hopes of producing a deal that would tamp down the border conflict.

The ideas mostly hinge on a Hezbollah pullback a few kilometers from the border, a beefed-up Lebanese army presence in the border region, and negotiations over border points where Lebanon maintains Israel has been occupying small areas of Lebanese territory since withdrawing its forces from the rest of southern Lebanon in 2000.

Eventually, the plans could lead into a demarcation of the land border between Lebanon and Israel, following the maritime border deal reached in 2022.

The most recent of these proposals, put forward by France, would involve Hezbollah withdrawing its forces 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border, said a Lebanese government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations.

Lebanon is still studying the proposal, and Hezbollah officials have indicated they are willing to consider it, but both government and Hezbollah officials have said there would be no agreement on the border before there is a cease-fire in Gaza.

(AP)
In a groundbreaking moment, Economy Minister Nir Barkat told Saudi Arabias Commerce Minister Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi that their countries can make history together during the World Trade Organizations ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi.

The two ministers were seen shaking hands and chatting amicably on the sidelines of the conference, exchanging business cards and discussing potential collaborations.

Israel is interested in peace with countries that seek peace, and we can make history together, Barkat said, according to a statement from the Economy Ministry.

This historic encounter marks a significant step towards normalizing relations between the two countries, which have had no official diplomatic ties until now. The development comes at a time when the Middle East is witnessing a shift in alliances and a growing recognition of Israels economic and strategic importance.

The World Trade Organizations conference provides a platform for nations to discuss trade agreements and economic partnerships, making it an opportune setting for this historic encounter.

The outcome of the ministers meeting remains to be seen, but it undoubtedly signals a new era of cooperation and possibility between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for launching a barrage of rockets on Monday afternoon towards an Israeli military installation as a retaliatory measure following Israeli airstrikes in eastern Lebanon.

In a statement released by Hezbollah, the terrorist organization group cited the Israeli aggression near Baalbek as the motive behind their attack. The rockets, identified as 60 Katyusha rockets, were aimed at an IDF base situated in the Golan Heights region.

Videos shared on various social media platforms depict multiple rockets striking and detonating in close proximity to a bus carrying passengers. The passengers can be seen quickly exiting the bus to seek shelter from the explosions.

Bichasdei Hashem, there have been no reported injuries resulting from the rocket barrage.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
A bidding war for Wincanton is on the cards after the logistics provider revealed it had received a separate takeover approach.

Wincanton shares soared on Monday as it told shareholders the group had provided due diligence information to help the unnamed party decide whether to make a formal takeover offer.

However, the company's bosses are unanimously advising shareholders to support a revised 4.80 per share bid from CEVA Logistics, a subsidiary of French shipping giant CMA CGM.

Delivery giant: Founded nearly a century ago, Wincanton operates around 8,500 vehicles that deliver a vast range of consumer goods across the UK

Wincanton shares jumped 11.25 per cent to 499.5p on Monday morning following the announcement, making them the FTSE All-Share Index's biggest riser.

The latest proposal values Wincanton at an enterprise value of 802.7million, a 37.8million increase on CEVA's previous offer, which the two businesses agreed on last month.

When the prior deal was revealed, CEVA said it was a 'unique opportunity' to expand across the UK and gain 'complementary grocery and consumer expertise.'

Founded nearly a century ago, Wincanton operates around 8,500 vehicles that deliver a vast range of consumer goods across the UK, including food, fuel, industrial equipment, and building materials.

Its customers comprise some of Britain's most prominent retailers, such as Primark, Ikea, Asda and Sainsbury's, as well as manufacturers like BAE Systems, British Sugar and Tata Chemicals.

In its most recent trading update, the Wiltshire-based group reported that revenue in the quarter ending December rose 1.3 per cent despite difficult market conditions.

Wincanton told investors: 'There can be no certainty that an offer by the potential competing bidder will be made for the company, nor as to the terms on which any offer might be made.

'Accordingly, shareholders are advised to take no action at this time with regard to the approach by the potential competing bidder.'

CMA-CGM is one of the world's largest shipping operators, with about 155,000 staff, a presence across over 160 countries, and a turnover of $47billion last year.

Its proposed acquisition of Wincanton comes amidst a flurry of foreign businesses taking advantage of discounted valuations and a weaker pound to snap up London-listed firms on the cheap.

Companies bought by overseas owners in the past couple of years include Dechra Pharmaceuticals, fashion brand Ted Baker, supermarket chain Morrisons, and Hotel Chocolat, which was acquired by confectionery giant Mars.
Women hold more than two in five board positions at the countrys biggest listed companies  but step-change is still needed to get more into the most powerful jobs.

The proportion of boardroom jobs held by women in the FTSE 350 increased by two percentage points last year to 42.1 per cent, according to the Government-backed FTSE Women Leaders Review.

This is up from the 24.5 per cent recorded when the report was launched in 2017.

Campaigners hailed this progress as a revolutionary change for UK plc but said even more needs to be done to get women in top roles.

There are just ten female chief executives in the FTSE 100 and two women who chair a blue-chip board.

Utility giant: The longest-standing female chief exec is Liv Garfield (pictured), who has been boss of water firm Severn Trent for almost a decade

The longest-standing female chief executive is Liv Garfield, who has been boss of water firm Severn Trent for almost a decade.

The newest addition to the list is BTs chief executive Allison Kirkby who took over at the telecom giant last month.

But Gwen Rhys, founder of Women in the City, said the ongoing lack of female chief executives continues to be disappointing for Britain.

We are making progress but it has taken over ten years to get to where we are, she said.

Women make up just 35 per cent of all leadership roles in FTSE 350 companies, a number that has stayed stubbornly flat in recent years and remains below the target of 40 per cent, the report said.

This includes positions such as chief executive, chief finance officer and other members of the executive committee involved in the day-to-day running of business.

And despite major improvements in recent years, nine firms across the FTSE 350 still have all-male executive committees.

The nine listed firms without any women on their committee include Aston Martin Lagonda, Savills, Hochschild Mining, Foresight Group, Primary Health Properties, BBGI Global Infrastructure, Bellway, International Distributions Services and Fresnillo.

At the other end of the spectrum, firms such as Severn Trent and Diageo have led the way for diversity, with more women than men on the board  a respective 75 per cent and 70 per cent female representation.

Denise Wilson, chief executive of the FTSE Women Leaders Review, said this was down to the revolutionary change in the culture and dialogue around company leadership.

Just over a decade ago, 152 of FTSE 350 companies had no women on their boards at all.

Overall, Burberry was the best performer in the FTSE 100 for female representation on boards and leadership teams, while Frasers Group, the retail empire led by Mike Ashley, was worst.

But Penny James, co-chairman of the FTSE Women Leaders Review, said: We need a step-change in the rate of improvement to reach our goal of 40 per cent womens representation at the top of industry in two years.

The UK is second only to quota-led France, which has 44.7 per cent representation of women at board level.
Barrington Research restated their outperform rating on shares of Cars.com (NYSE:CARS  Free Report) in a research note released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a $25.00 price target on the stock.

Cars.com Price Performance

CARS stock opened at $17.53 on Thursday. Cars.com has a 1 year low of $14.82 and a 1 year high of $22.84. The company has a market cap of $1.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.13 and a beta of 2.05. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $18.30 and a 200 day moving average of $18.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 1.22 and a quick ratio of 1.45.

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Cars.com (NYSE:CARS  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 22nd. The company reported $0.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.19 by ($0.07). Cars.com had a return on equity of 25.78% and a net margin of 17.19%. The company had revenue of $179.60 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $178.40 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.15 earnings per share. Cars.coms quarterly revenue was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Cars.com will post 0.78 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Cars.com

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Cars.com

In other Cars.com news, CEO Thomas Alex Vetter sold 17,666 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $19.00, for a total transaction of $335,654.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 568,885 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,808,815. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . Over the last quarter, insiders sold 50,331 shares of company stock valued at $956,289. Corporate insiders own 1.59% of the companys stock.

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Boston Partners increased its stake in shares of Cars.com by 599.5% during the third quarter. Boston Partners now owns 782,912 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,051,000 after purchasing an additional 670,982 shares in the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas increased its position in shares of Cars.com by 138.9% during the third quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 51,454 shares of the companys stock valued at $868,000 after acquiring an additional 29,913 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB increased its position in shares of Cars.com by 19.6% during the third quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 266,555 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,507,000 after acquiring an additional 43,667 shares in the last quarter. Savant Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Cars.com during the third quarter valued at approximately $728,000. Finally, Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC bought a new stake in shares of Cars.com during the third quarter valued at approximately $183,000. Institutional investors own 88.77% of the companys stock.

Cars.com Company Profile

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Cars.com Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as a digital automotive marketplace that connects local car dealers to consumers in the United States. The company offers a suite of digital solutions that creates connections between individuals researching cars or looking to purchase a car with car dealerships and automotive original equipment manufacturers.

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The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE:SHW  Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the eighteen ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $311.22.

SHW has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $310.00 to $320.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $274.00 to $312.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Argus upped their price target on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $330.00 to $378.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Sherwin-Williams from $285.00 to $317.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Finally, Mizuho reduced their price target on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $352.00 to $340.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 26th.

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Sherwin-Williams Trading Up 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE SHW opened at $322.03 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.25, a quick ratio of 0.48 and a current ratio of 0.83. Sherwin-Williams has a 52-week low of $205.43 and a 52-week high of $322.86. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $306.96 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $279.18. The stock has a market cap of $81.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 1.14.

Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:SHW  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 25th. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.81 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.80 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $5.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.23 billion. Sherwin-Williams had a net margin of 10.36% and a return on equity of 74.72%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.89 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Sherwin-Williams will post 11.39 EPS for the current year.

Sherwin-Williams Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 26th will be issued a $0.715 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 23rd. This is an increase from Sherwin-Williamss previous quarterly dividend of $0.61. This represents a $2.86 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.89%. Sherwin-Williamss payout ratio is presently 26.16%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Sherwin-Williams

In other Sherwin-Williams news, COO Heidi G. Petz sold 6,699 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $290.24, for a total value of $1,944,317.76. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 14,718 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,271,752.32. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Sherwin-Williams news, COO Heidi G. Petz sold 6,699 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $290.24, for a total value of $1,944,317.76. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 14,718 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,271,752.32. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Todd D. Rea sold 2,449 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $313.54, for a total value of $767,859.46. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 9,329 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,925,014.66. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 10,071 shares of company stock valued at $2,982,293. 0.55% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in shares of Sherwin-Williams during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Aspect Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Sherwin-Williams during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Union Savings Bank purchased a new position in shares of Sherwin-Williams during the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Providence Capital Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Sherwin-Williams by 44,853.3% during the 1st quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 6,743 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 6,728 shares during the period. Finally, First United Bank & Trust purchased a new position in Sherwin-Williams during the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. 75.87% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Sherwin-Williams Company Profile

(Get Free Report

The Sherwin-Williams Company engages in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of paints, coating, and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. It operates through three segments: The Americas Group, Consumer Brands Group, and Performance Coatings Group. The Americas Group segment offers architectural paints and coatings, and protective and marine products, as well as OEM product finishes and related products for architectural and industrial paint contractors, and do-it-yourself homeowners.

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Shares of Hyatt Hotels Co. (NYSE:H  Get Free Report) have been given a consensus rating of Hold by the thirteen analysts that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $125.14.

A number of brokerages recently commented on H. StockNews.com lowered Hyatt Hotels from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Monday, November 6th. Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on Hyatt Hotels from $116.00 to $134.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. Barclays lifted their price target on Hyatt Hotels from $119.00 to $128.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, January 29th. Evercore ISI reiterated an in-line rating and set a $135.00 price target on shares of Hyatt Hotels in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic downgraded Hyatt Hotels from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lifted their price target for the company from $120.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th.

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Hyatt Hotels Stock Up 10.8 %

Shares of H opened at $150.17 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $15.49 billion, a PE ratio of 73.61, a PEG ratio of 23.28 and a beta of 1.46. Hyatt Hotels has a 12 month low of $96.77 and a 12 month high of $150.66. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $130.55 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $117.61. The company has a current ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85.

Hyatt Hotels (NYSE:H  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 23rd. The company reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.38 by $0.26. Hyatt Hotels had a return on equity of 13.25% and a net margin of 7.40%. The firm had revenue of $1.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.56 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.55 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Hyatt Hotels will post 2.99 EPS for the current year.

Hyatt Hotels Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 12th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 28th will be paid a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 27th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.40%. Hyatt Hotelss payout ratio is presently 29.41%.

Insider Transactions at Hyatt Hotels

In related news, insider Malaika Myers sold 3,351 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.35, for a total value of $403,292.85. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 15,956 shares in the company, valued at $1,920,304.60. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, insider Malaika Myers sold 3,351 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.35, for a total value of $403,292.85. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 15,956 shares in the company, valued at $1,920,304.60. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Jnp Parachute Mirror Trust L sold 66,701 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.21, for a total transaction of $8,418,333.21. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 78,552 shares of company stock worth $9,918,594 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 21.24% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Swiss National Bank boosted its position in Hyatt Hotels by 64.3% during the second quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 170,700 shares of the companys stock valued at $19,559,000 after buying an additional 66,800 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Hyatt Hotels by 0.5% during the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,256,479 shares of the companys stock worth $239,367,000 after purchasing an additional 11,041 shares during the period. Cadian Capital Management LP boosted its holdings in shares of Hyatt Hotels by 157.8% during the second quarter. Cadian Capital Management LP now owns 580,000 shares of the companys stock worth $66,456,000 after purchasing an additional 355,000 shares during the period. New York Life Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Hyatt Hotels by 34.2% during the third quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC now owns 8,055 shares of the companys stock worth $854,000 after purchasing an additional 2,051 shares during the period. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board boosted its holdings in shares of Hyatt Hotels by 33.3% during the third quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 903,230 shares of the companys stock worth $95,815,000 after purchasing an additional 225,530 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 46.03% of the companys stock.

Hyatt Hotels Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Hyatt Hotels Corporation operates as a hospitality company in the United States and internationally. It operates through Owned and Leased Hotels, Americas Management and Franchising, ASPAC Management and Franchising, EAME/SW Asia Management and Franchising, and Apple Leisure Group segments. The company manages, franchises, licenses, owns, and leases portfolio of properties, consisting of full-service hotels and resorts, select service hotels, resorts, and other properties, including timeshare, fractional, residential, vacation, and condominium units.

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Shares of The Western Union Company (NYSE:WU  Get Free Report) have been given a consensus rating of Reduce by the nine brokerages that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation and six have given a hold recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $12.95.

A number of research firms recently issued reports on WU. Barclays boosted their price objective on Western Union from $10.00 to $11.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Western Union from $12.00 to $13.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $16.00 target price on shares of Western Union in a report on Tuesday, December 19th. Wolfe Research reiterated an underperform rating on shares of Western Union in a report on Thursday, January 4th. Finally, William Blair reiterated a market perform rating on shares of Western Union in a report on Wednesday, February 7th.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Western Union Stock Performance

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WU. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. increased its position in Western Union by 16.2% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 30,665 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $575,000 after buying an additional 4,265 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. increased its position in Western Union by 137.8% during the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 117,142 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $2,195,000 after buying an additional 67,876 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its position in Western Union by 14.8% during the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 58,715 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $1,100,000 after buying an additional 7,576 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in Western Union by 18.2% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,410,073 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $45,173,000 after buying an additional 370,987 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vontobel Holding Ltd. increased its position in Western Union by 3.2% during the 1st quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 72,887 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $1,403,000 after buying an additional 2,286 shares in the last quarter. 88.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

NYSE:WU opened at $12.96 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.23, a current ratio of 1.03 and a quick ratio of 1.01. Western Union has a 1 year low of $10.07 and a 1 year high of $13.54. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $12.30 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $12.31. The company has a market cap of $4.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.71, a PEG ratio of 4.76 and a beta of 0.83.

Western Union (NYSE:WU  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The credit services provider reported $0.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.37. The business had revenue of $1.05 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.02 billion. Western Union had a return on equity of 113.63% and a net margin of 14.37%. The companys revenue was down 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.32 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Western Union will post 1.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Western Union Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of $0.235 per share. This represents a $0.94 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.25%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. Western Unions dividend payout ratio is currently 55.95%.

About Western Union

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The Western Union Company provides money movement and payment services worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Consumer-to-Consumer and Business Solutions. The Consumer-to-Consumer segment facilitates money transfers for international cross-border and intra-country transfers, primarily through a network of retail agent locations, as well as through websites and mobile devices.

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Shares of Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM  Get Free Report) (TSE:AEM) have earned a consensus recommendation of Buy from the seven analysts that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $65.33.

Several research firms have recently commented on AEM. Raymond James raised their target price on shares of Agnico Eagle Mines from $66.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, January 12th. CIBC reduced their price objective on shares of Agnico Eagle Mines from $72.00 to $69.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. National Bank Financial reiterated an outperform overweight rating on shares of Agnico Eagle Mines in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Finally, TD Securities reduced their price objective on shares of Agnico Eagle Mines from $64.00 to $62.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st.

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Agnico Eagle Mines Stock Up 3.1 %

Shares of NYSE AEM opened at $49.63 on Monday. Agnico Eagle Mines has a 52-week low of $43.22 and a 52-week high of $61.15. The stock has a market cap of $24.70 billion, a PE ratio of 12.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 22.24 and a beta of 1.04. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $50.69 and a 200 day moving average price of $49.33. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 2.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10.

Agnico Eagle Mines (NYSE:AEM  Get Free Report) (TSE:AEM) last announced its earnings results on Friday, February 16th. The mining company reported $0.57 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.48 by $0.09. Agnico Eagle Mines had a net margin of 29.29% and a return on equity of 5.54%. The business had revenue of $1.76 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.72 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.41 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 26.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Agnico Eagle Mines will post 2.23 earnings per share for the current year.

Agnico Eagle Mines Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be issued a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.22%. Agnico Eagle Miness dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 38.93%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Agnico Eagle Mines

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in AEM. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its holdings in shares of Agnico Eagle Mines by 86.4% in the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 540,450 shares of the mining companys stock worth $33,097,000 after acquiring an additional 250,445 shares during the last quarter. US Bancorp DE raised its holdings in shares of Agnico Eagle Mines by 108.6% in the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 4,420 shares of the mining companys stock worth $270,000 after acquiring an additional 2,301 shares during the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp raised its holdings in Agnico Eagle Mines by 37.6% in the 1st quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 2,795 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $171,000 after acquiring an additional 764 shares during the last quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. acquired a new position in Agnico Eagle Mines in the 1st quarter valued at $678,000. Finally, BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in Agnico Eagle Mines by 44.0% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 364,215 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $22,304,000 after acquiring an additional 111,208 shares during the last quarter. 59.37% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Agnico Eagle Mines Company Profile

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Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, a gold mining company, exploration, development, and production of precious metals. The company's mines are located in Canada, Australia, Finland and Mexico, with exploration and development activities in Canada, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States.

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Shares of KBR, Inc. (NYSE:KBR  Get Free Report) have received a consensus rating of Buy from the six brokerages that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy recommendation. The average 1 year target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $69.00.

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. UBS Group dropped their target price on shares of KBR from $65.00 to $63.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 2nd. StockNews.com raised shares of KBR from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on shares of KBR from $71.00 to $78.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. KeyCorp raised their target price on shares of KBR from $63.00 to $65.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Finally, Citigroup raised their target price on shares of KBR from $62.00 to $67.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 26th.

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KBR Trading Up 0.4 %

NYSE KBR opened at $59.53 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.04 billion, a P/E ratio of -29.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.94. KBR has a 52-week low of $49.37 and a 52-week high of $65.87. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $54.37 and a 200 day moving average price of $56.27. The company has a quick ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29.

KBR (NYSE:KBR  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 20th. The construction company reported $0.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.69. The business had revenue of $1.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.78 billion. KBR had a negative net margin of 3.81% and a positive return on equity of 25.08%. The businesss revenue was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.69 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that KBR will post 3.21 EPS for the current year.

KBR Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.01%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This is a boost from KBRs previous quarterly dividend of $0.14. KBRs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -29.27%.

Institutional Trading of KBR

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of KBR in the second quarter valued at $27,000. National Bank of Canada FI grew its position in shares of KBR by 930.0% in the second quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 515 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 465 shares during the period. Fred Alger Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of KBR in the third quarter valued at $36,000. Spire Wealth Management grew its position in shares of KBR by 110.6% in the second quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 697 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 366 shares during the period. Finally, CWM LLC grew its position in shares of KBR by 113.6% in the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 814 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $48,000 after purchasing an additional 433 shares during the period.

About KBR

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KBR, Inc provides scientific, technology, and engineering solutions to governments and commercial customers worldwide. The company operates through Government Solutions and Sustainable Technology Solutions segments. The Government Solutions segment offers life-cycle support solutions to defense, intelligence, space, aviation, and other programs and missions for military and other government agencies in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

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Macquarie Group Limited (ASX:MQGPE  Get Free Report) announced a interim dividend on Tuesday, January 9th, MarketIndexAU reports. Shareholders of record on Sunday, March 17th will be paid a dividend of 1.546 per share on Sunday, March 17th. This represents a dividend yield of 1.53%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 28th. This is a positive change from Macquarie Groups previous interim dividend of $1.49.

Macquarie Group Stock Performance

Macquarie Group Company Profile

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Macquarie Group Limited provides diversified financial services in Australia, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through four segments: Macquarie Asset Management (MAM), Banking and Financial Services (BFS), Commodities and Global Markets (CGM), and Macquarie Capital.

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EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG  Get Free Report) had its target price cut by investment analysts at Truist Financial from $172.00 to $165.00 in a report issued on Monday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a buy rating on the energy exploration companys stock. Truist Financials target price indicates a potential upside of 47.51% from the stocks current price.

EOG has been the topic of several other research reports. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded shares of EOG Resources from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and lowered their target price for the company from $150.00 to $130.00 in a report on Thursday, December 14th. Susquehanna cut their price objective on shares of EOG Resources from $164.00 to $147.00 and set a positive rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 26th. KeyCorp dropped their price target on shares of EOG Resources from $157.00 to $147.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 11th. UBS Group decreased their target price on shares of EOG Resources from $165.00 to $145.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on shares of EOG Resources from $165.00 to $163.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $142.40.

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EOG Resources Stock Down 3.9 %

EOG stock opened at $111.86 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $65.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.60, a PEG ratio of 0.32 and a beta of 1.40. The company has a current ratio of 2.44, a quick ratio of 2.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. EOG Resources has a 12 month low of $98.52 and a 12 month high of $136.79. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $115.89 and a two-hundred day moving average of $122.91.

EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 23rd. The energy exploration company reported $3.07 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.14 by ($0.07). EOG Resources had a net margin of 31.40% and a return on equity of 25.38%. The business had revenue of $6.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.18 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $3.30 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 5.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that EOG Resources will post 12.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On EOG Resources

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Truvestments Capital LLC acquired a new stake in EOG Resources during the second quarter worth $25,000. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of EOG Resources in the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Lumature Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of EOG Resources in the 1st quarter worth about $28,000. McIlrath & Eck LLC grew its holdings in shares of EOG Resources by 77.6% in the 3rd quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 238 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Peoples Bank KS bought a new stake in shares of EOG Resources in the 3rd quarter worth about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.21% of the companys stock.

About EOG Resources

(Get Free Report)

EOG Resources, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, and natural gas and natural gas liquids. Its principal producing areas are in New Mexico and Texas in the United States; and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company.

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Primecap Management Co. CA lessened its holdings in Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT  Free Report) by 19.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 408,500 shares of the restaurant operators stock after selling 97,800 shares during the quarter. Primecap Management Co. CA owned 0.92% of Brinker International worth $12,905,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. New York State Common Retirement Fund lifted its position in Brinker International by 63.9% during the third quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 31,428 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $993,000 after purchasing an additional 12,251 shares during the period. Barclays PLC lifted its position in Brinker International by 411.7% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 170,719 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $5,394,000 after purchasing an additional 137,354 shares during the period. Junto Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Brinker International during the second quarter worth about $24,426,000. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Brinker International during the third quarter worth about $296,000. Finally, Landscape Capital Management L.L.C. bought a new stake in Brinker International during the third quarter worth about $2,852,000.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently commented on EAT. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of Brinker International from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Brinker International from $43.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on shares of Brinker International from $45.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 4th. Raymond James increased their target price on shares of Brinker International from $45.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut shares of Brinker International from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and set a $36.00 target price for the company. in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Brinker International currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $41.77.

Insider Buying and Selling at Brinker International

In other Brinker International news, CFO Joseph G. Taylor sold 24,163 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.97, for a total transaction of $1,086,610.11. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 56,661 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,548,045.17. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Brinker International news, COO Douglas N. Comings sold 14,951 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.76, for a total transaction of $609,402.76. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 37,604 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,532,739.04. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Joseph G. Taylor sold 24,163 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.97, for a total transaction of $1,086,610.11. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 56,661 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,548,045.17. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 50,114 shares of company stock valued at $2,148,223. 1.50% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Brinker International Price Performance

Brinker International stock opened at $46.30 on Monday. The business has a 50 day moving average of $42.32 and a 200-day moving average of $36.87. Brinker International, Inc. has a 1 year low of $28.23 and a 1 year high of $46.63. The company has a market capitalization of $2.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.58, a P/E/G ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 2.47.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The restaurant operator reported $0.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.94 by $0.05. Brinker International had a negative return on equity of 113.41% and a net margin of 3.63%. The company had revenue of $1.07 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.08 billion. Equities analysts anticipate that Brinker International, Inc. will post 3.67 EPS for the current year.

Brinker International Profile

(Free Report)

Brinker International, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership, development, operation, and franchising of casual dining restaurants in the United States and internationally. It operates and franchises Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy restaurant brands.

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Profund Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Biohaven Ltd. (NYSE:BHVN  Free Report) by 65.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 57,514 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 22,695 shares during the quarter. Profund Advisors LLCs holdings in Biohaven were worth $1,496,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of BHVN. US Bancorp DE increased its holdings in shares of Biohaven by 19.1% during the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 586 shares of the companys stock valued at $70,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC purchased a new position in shares of Biohaven during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $332,000. AlphaCrest Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Biohaven during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $344,000. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Biohaven by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 4,656,866 shares of the companys stock valued at $552,163,000 after purchasing an additional 21,586 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of Biohaven by 55.3% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 82,599 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,794,000 after purchasing an additional 29,413 shares in the last quarter. 89.60% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Biohaven news, Director Irina Antonijevic sold 11,000 shares of Biohaven stock in a transaction on Friday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.79, for a total transaction of $459,690.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 2,535 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $105,937.65. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 15.50% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Biohaven Stock Down 0.0 %

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Shares of BHVN opened at $47.31 on Monday. Biohaven Ltd. has a 52-week low of $12.35 and a 52-week high of $50.68. The firms fifty day moving average is $44.83 and its two-hundred day moving average is $32.28.

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on BHVN shares. Royal Bank of Canada began coverage on shares of Biohaven in a report on Friday, February 16th. They set an outperform rating and a $62.00 target price for the company. Robert W. Baird began coverage on shares of Biohaven in a report on Friday, December 8th. They issued an outperform rating and a $58.00 price target for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Biohaven from $32.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday. HC Wainwright began coverage on shares of Biohaven in a report on Friday, December 22nd. They issued a buy rating and a $50.00 price target for the company. Finally, Piper Sandler boosted their price target on shares of Biohaven from $29.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, Biohaven has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $47.50.

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Biohaven Company Profile

(Free Report)

Biohaven Ltd., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on discovering, developing, and commercializing therapies for patients with debilitating neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases in the United States. The company's pipeline products include BHV-7000, a potassium channel activator for the treatment of focal epilepsy; BHV-7010, a Kv7 channel modulator for the treatment of different neurological diseases; Troriluzole, a tripeptide prodrug that is in Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of neurological and neuropsychiatric illnesses; BHV-5500, a low-trapping glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist for neuropathic pain; and Verdiperstat, an oral myeloperoxidase inhibitor, which is in Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

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Operose Advisors LLC raised its position in Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF (BATS:NULV  Free Report) by 189.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 4,388 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 2,870 shares during the quarter. Operose Advisors LLCs holdings in Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF were worth $147,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mariner LLC raised its position in Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF by 5.7% in the third quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 38,232 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,285,000 after purchasing an additional 2,076 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC raised its position in Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF by 2.4% in the third quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 1,064,387 shares of the companys stock valued at $35,753,000 after purchasing an additional 24,694 shares during the period. Retirement Capital Strategies acquired a new position in shares of Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF in the third quarter worth $575,000. Hsbc Holdings PLC grew its stake in shares of Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF by 2.2% in the third quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 66,894 shares of the companys stock worth $2,247,000 after acquiring an additional 1,444 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC grew its stake in shares of Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF by 121.0% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 20,788 shares of the companys stock worth $698,000 after acquiring an additional 11,382 shares in the last quarter.

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Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF Stock Up 0.4 %

BATS:NULV opened at $37.00 on Monday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $35.97 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $34.85. The company has a market cap of $1.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.72 and a beta of 0.92. Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF has a 52 week low of $25.49 and a 52 week high of $30.70.

About Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF

The Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF (NULV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI TIAA ESG USA Large Cap Value index. The fund tracks an index of US large-cap value stocks that score highly on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. The fund is weighted using a multi-factor optimizer.

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Operose Advisors LLC bought a new stake in JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF (BATS:BBEU  Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 3,839 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $195,000.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BBEU. Flow Traders U.S. LLC raised its stake in JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF by 394.1% in the 1st quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC now owns 189,621 shares of the companys stock valued at $10,406,000 after purchasing an additional 151,243 shares during the last quarter. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. acquired a new position in shares of JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $391,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $547,000. Royal Bank of Canada increased its stake in shares of JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF by 54.5% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 11,933 shares of the companys stock valued at $654,000 after acquiring an additional 4,207 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $23,094,000.

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JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF Stock Performance

BATS BBEU opened at $57.72 on Monday. The companys 50 day moving average is $56.07 and its 200-day moving average is $53.57. The firm has a market cap of $7.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.98 and a beta of 0.93.

JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF Company Profile

The JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF (BBEU) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund tracks a market cap-weighted index of large- and mid-cap stocks in developed European countries. BBEU was launched on Jun 15, 2018 and is managed by JPMorgan Chase.

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Natixis Advisors L.P. lifted its position in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG  Free Report) by 395.8% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 255,779 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 204,192 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors L.P.s holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF were worth $22,074,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in EFG. Mcmillion Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF in the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. Dividend Assets Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF in the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. Northwest Capital Management Inc bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF in the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. AlphaCore Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF in the 2nd quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF in the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Price Performance

Shares of EFG opened at $101.76 on Monday. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a 1-year low of $67.58 and a 1-year high of $85.81. The company has a 50-day moving average of $96.94 and a 200 day moving average of $91.93. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.69 and a beta of 0.89.

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Company Profile

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East.

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MQS Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Highwoods Properties, Inc. (NYSE:HIW  Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 25,624 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock, valued at approximately $528,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Quantinno Capital Management LP raised its position in shares of Highwoods Properties by 141.7% during the second quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 54,980 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,315,000 after buying an additional 32,230 shares during the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its position in Highwoods Properties by 41.9% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 561,832 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $11,579,000 after purchasing an additional 165,948 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its position in Highwoods Properties by 13.1% in the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 726,806 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $14,979,000 after purchasing an additional 84,167 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its position in Highwoods Properties by 6.4% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,773,506 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $36,552,000 after purchasing an additional 106,056 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Strs Ohio increased its position in Highwoods Properties by 65.0% in the third quarter. Strs Ohio now owns 286,598 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $5,906,000 after purchasing an additional 112,904 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 96.31% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Bank of America cut shares of Highwoods Properties from a buy rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $29.00 to $20.00 in a research report on Monday, November 13th. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on shares of Highwoods Properties from $28.00 to $29.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. Morgan Stanley cut shares of Highwoods Properties from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and cut their price objective for the company from $22.00 to $18.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of Highwoods Properties in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a buy rating and a $28.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on shares of Highwoods Properties from $25.00 to $26.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Highwoods Properties presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $24.00.

Highwoods Properties Stock Down 0.8 %

Shares of HIW opened at $23.49 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.03 and a beta of 1.22. Highwoods Properties, Inc. has a 12-month low of $17.06 and a 12-month high of $27.57. The company has a current ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $23.02 and a 200-day moving average price of $21.55.

Highwoods Properties Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 12th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 8.51%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 16th. Highwoods Propertiess dividend payout ratio is currently 143.89%.

About Highwoods Properties

(Free Report)

Highwoods Properties, Inc, headquartered in Raleigh, is a publicly-traded (NYSE:HIW), fully-integrated office real estate investment trust ("REIT") that owns, develops, acquires, leases and manages properties primarily in the best business districts (BBDs) of Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, Orlando, Raleigh, Richmond and Tampa.

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Meeder Advisory Services Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM  Free Report) by 3.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 7,018 shares of the restaurant operators stock after buying an additional 223 shares during the quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc.s holdings in Yum! Brands were worth $877,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. RB Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Yum! Brands by 9.7% in the first quarter. RB Capital Management LLC now owns 4,890 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $580,000 after buying an additional 431 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in Yum! Brands by 0.4% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 761,575 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $90,284,000 after buying an additional 3,024 shares during the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new stake in shares of Yum! Brands in the first quarter worth $664,000. Moors & Cabot Inc. increased its stake in shares of Yum! Brands by 7.4% in the first quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 7,530 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $893,000 after purchasing an additional 517 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. increased its stake in shares of Yum! Brands by 10.8% in the first quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 2,862 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $339,000 after purchasing an additional 279 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.17% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

YUM has been the subject of several research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Yum! Brands from $130.00 to $133.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, February 9th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of Yum! Brands from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $150.00 to $135.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 11th. Stifel Nicolaus reiterated a hold rating and set a $135.00 price objective on shares of Yum! Brands in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Yum! Brands from $145.00 to $141.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 9th. Finally, Barclays lowered their target price on shares of Yum! Brands from $146.00 to $144.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $144.75.

Yum! Brands Trading Down 0.2 %

NYSE:YUM opened at $138.04 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $38.84 billion, a PE ratio of 24.74, a P/E/G ratio of 2.18 and a beta of 1.09. Yum! Brands, Inc. has a twelve month low of $115.53 and a twelve month high of $143.24. The companys 50 day moving average is $130.68 and its two-hundred day moving average is $127.53.

Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 7th. The restaurant operator reported $1.26 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.39 by ($0.13). The company had revenue of $2.04 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.11 billion. Yum! Brands had a negative return on equity of 17.76% and a net margin of 22.57%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.31 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Yum! Brands, Inc. will post 5.73 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Yum! Brands Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 21st will be given a dividend of $0.67 per share. This represents a $2.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.94%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 20th. This is an increase from Yum! Brandss previous quarterly dividend of $0.61. Yum! Brandss payout ratio is currently 47.94%.

Insider Activity

In other news, VP David Eric Russell sold 9,919 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.63, for a total value of $1,285,799.97. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 18,661 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,419,025.43. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, VP David Eric Russell sold 9,919 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.63, for a total transaction of $1,285,799.97. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 18,661 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,419,025.43. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO David W. Gibbs sold 3,792 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $130.17, for a total transaction of $493,604.64. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 57,325 shares in the company, valued at $7,461,995.25. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 17,467 shares of company stock valued at $2,264,717 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.31% of the companys stock.

Yum! Brands Profile

(Free Report)

Yum! Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, operates, and franchises quick service restaurants worldwide. The company operates through four segments: the KFC Division, the Taco Bell Division, the Pizza Hut Division, and the Habit Burger Grill Division. It operates restaurants under the KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill brands, which specialize in chicken, pizza, made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches, Mexican-style food categories, and other food products.

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Epoch Investment Partners Inc. lessened its stake in shares of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI  Free Report) by 6.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 352,895 shares of the companys stock after selling 24,260 shares during the quarter. Epoch Investment Partners Inc.s holdings in British American Tobacco were worth $11,084,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Sanctuary Wealth Management L.L.C. acquired a new stake in shares of British American Tobacco in the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Almanack Investment Partners LLC. acquired a new stake in shares of British American Tobacco in the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Spotlight Asset Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of British American Tobacco in the 2nd quarter worth $26,000. Steward Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of British American Tobacco in the 2nd quarter worth $28,000. Finally, CENTRAL TRUST Co boosted its position in shares of British American Tobacco by 170.8% in the 3rd quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co now owns 864 shares of the companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 545 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 7.56% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on BTI. StockNews.com upgraded British American Tobacco from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 29th. Morgan Stanley began coverage on British American Tobacco in a research note on Wednesday, November 1st. They issued an overweight rating for the company. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy.

British American Tobacco Trading Up 0.1 %

NYSE BTI opened at $30.50 on Monday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $29.91 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $30.92. British American Tobacco p.l.c. has a fifty-two week low of $28.35 and a fifty-two week high of $38.90. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67.

British American Tobacco Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 6th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.7431 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 20th. This represents a $2.97 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 9.75%.

British American Tobacco Company Profile

(Free Report)

British American Tobacco p.l.c. engages in the provision of tobacco and nicotine products to consumers worldwide. It offers vapour, tobacco heating, and modern oral nicotine products; combustible cigarettes; and traditional oral products, such as snus and moist snuff. The company offers its products under the Vuse, glo, Velo, Grizzly, Kodiak, Dunhill, Kent, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Rothmans, Camel, Natural American Spirit, Newport, Vogue, Viceroy, Kool, Peter Stuyvesant, Craven A, State Express 555 and Shuang Xi brands.

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Meeder Advisory Services Inc. trimmed its holdings in shares of Trane Technologies plc (NYSE:TT  Free Report) by 11.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 5,460 shares of the companys stock after selling 739 shares during the period. Meeder Advisory Services Inc.s holdings in Trane Technologies were worth $1,108,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in Trane Technologies by 5.4% in the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 20,337,700 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,889,789,000 after purchasing an additional 1,048,924 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Trane Technologies by 0.4% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 18,133,851 shares of the companys stock worth $2,769,040,000 after acquiring an additional 77,924 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in shares of Trane Technologies by 2.2% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 9,832,534 shares of the companys stock worth $1,880,570,000 after acquiring an additional 210,171 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC increased its position in shares of Trane Technologies by 12.4% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,743,154 shares of the companys stock worth $1,165,343,000 after acquiring an additional 632,598 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Trane Technologies by 2.1% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 4,867,206 shares of the companys stock worth $928,467,000 after acquiring an additional 101,230 shares in the last quarter. 80.66% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Trane Technologies Price Performance

TT stock opened at $283.17 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. Trane Technologies plc has a 12 month low of $162.04 and a 12 month high of $285.18. The firm has a market cap of $64.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.06, a P/E/G ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 1.03. The companys 50-day moving average price is $255.29 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $226.02.

Trane Technologies Increases Dividend

Trane Technologies ( NYSE:TT Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $2.17 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.13 by $0.04. Trane Technologies had a net margin of 11.45% and a return on equity of 32.01%. The firm had revenue of $4.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.43 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.82 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that Trane Technologies plc will post 10.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be paid a $0.84 dividend. This is an increase from Trane Technologiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. This represents a $3.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.19%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 29th. Trane Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 34.13%.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Paul A. Camuti sold 508 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $273.34, for a total value of $138,856.72. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 89,447 shares in the company, valued at approximately $24,449,442.98. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CFO Christopher J. Kuehn sold 2,767 shares of Trane Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $268.31, for a total transaction of $742,413.77. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 54,788 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,700,168.28. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Paul A. Camuti sold 508 shares of Trane Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $273.34, for a total transaction of $138,856.72. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 89,447 shares in the company, valued at $24,449,442.98. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 6,895 shares of company stock worth $1,859,452. Corporate insiders own 0.39% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

TT has been the subject of several research reports. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Trane Technologies from $222.00 to $226.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, November 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on shares of Trane Technologies from $253.00 to $287.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Trane Technologies from $200.00 to $246.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 19th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on shares of Trane Technologies from $231.00 to $246.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Trane Technologies from $246.00 to $269.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $231.71.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Trane Technologies

Trane Technologies Profile

(Free Report)

Trane Technologies plc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, sells, and services of solutions for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, custom, and custom and transport refrigeration in Ireland and internationally. It offers air conditioners, exchangers, and handlers; airside and terminal devices; air sourced heat pumps, auxiliary power units; chillers; coils and condensers; gensets; dehumidifiers; ductless; furnaces; home automation products; humidifiers; indoor air quality assessments and related products; large and light commercial unitary products; refrigerant reclamation products; thermostats/controls; transport heater products; variable refrigerant flow products; and water source heat pumps.

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O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO  Free Report) by 0.2% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 185,255 shares of the mining companys stock after buying an additional 356 shares during the period. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLCs holdings in Rio Tinto Group were worth $11,790,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in RIO. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its stake in Rio Tinto Group by 58.9% in the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 12,899,694 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $1,037,135,000 after acquiring an additional 4,783,488 shares during the last quarter. Cowa LLC bought a new position in Rio Tinto Group in the first quarter valued at $26,000. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in Rio Tinto Group by 26.9% in the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 5,475,787 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $440,253,000 after acquiring an additional 1,161,737 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors increased its stake in Rio Tinto Group by 8.0% in the second quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 9,207,412 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $587,801,000 after acquiring an additional 683,010 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its stake in Rio Tinto Group by 227.8% in the second quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 972,900 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $62,110,000 after acquiring an additional 676,100 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 10.03% of the companys stock.

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Rio Tinto Group Stock Down 2.4 %

Rio Tinto Group stock opened at $64.38 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 1.69, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $70.26 and a 200-day moving average of $66.57. Rio Tinto Group has a 1-year low of $58.27 and a 1-year high of $75.30.

Rio Tinto Group Increases Dividend

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

The company also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be issued a dividend of $2.58 per share. This is a positive change from Rio Tinto Groups previous semi-annual dividend of $1.77. This represents a dividend yield of 6.6%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th.

RIO has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. BNP Paribas raised Rio Tinto Group from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Rio Tinto Group in a research report on Friday, January 12th. They set a buy rating for the company. Liberum Capital upgraded shares of Rio Tinto Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 1st. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of Rio Tinto Group from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $72.00.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on RIO

Rio Tinto Group Profile

(Free Report)

Rio Tinto Group engages in exploring, mining, and processing mineral resources worldwide. The company operates through Iron Ore, Aluminium, Copper, and Minerals Segments. It offers aluminum, copper, iron ore, diamonds, gold, borates, titanium dioxide, salt, silver, molybdenum, and lithium. The company also owns and operates open pit and underground mines, refineries, smelters, and concentrator facilities, as well as power stations, research, and service facilities.

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Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors acquired a new stake in BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund, Inc. (NYSE:FRA  Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund acquired 11,572 shares of the investment management companys stock, valued at approximately $146,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. CWM LLC boosted its position in BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund by 39.6% during the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 3,823 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 1,085 shares in the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors acquired a new stake in BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund in the 2nd quarter valued at $71,000. NBC Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund in the 3rd quarter valued at $109,000. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV acquired a new stake in BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund in the 2nd quarter valued at $125,000. Finally, Financial Advocates Investment Management acquired a new stake in BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund in the 3rd quarter valued at $138,000.

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BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund Price Performance

BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund stock opened at $12.61 on Monday. BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund, Inc. has a 1 year low of $11.11 and a 1 year high of $12.96. The companys fifty day moving average price is $12.53 and its 200 day moving average price is $12.36.

BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund Dividend Announcement

BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund Company Profile

The company also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 29th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 15th will be paid a $0.1238 dividend. This represents a $1.49 annualized dividend and a yield of 11.78%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 14th.

(Free Report)

BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund, Inc is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc The fund is managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. The fund invests in bonds of companies operating across diversified sectors.

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Mendel Money Management lifted its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF (BATS:MTUM  Free Report) by 14.5% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 2,120 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 269 shares during the period. Mendel Money Managements holdings in iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF were worth $296,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Coastal Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF by 1,428.6% in the 2nd quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 214 shares of the companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF in the 1st quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Fortis Capital Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF by 44.9% in the 1st quarter. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC now owns 271 shares of the companys stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF Price Performance

BATS MTUM opened at $180.06 on Monday. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $165.13 and its 200 day simple moving average is $151.91. iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF has a 12 month low of $81.37 and a 12 month high of $113.60. The company has a market capitalization of $11.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.35 and a beta of 0.91.

iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF Company Profile

The iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF (MTUM) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Momentum SR Variant index. The fund tracks an index of large- and mid-cap US equities, selected and weighted based on price appreciation over 6- and 12-month periods and low volatility over the past 3 years.

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Milestone Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN  Free Report) by 5.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 889 shares of the information technology services providers stock after buying an additional 46 shares during the quarter. Milestone Asset Management LLCs holdings in Accenture were worth $274,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Accenture in the 4th quarter worth $1,850,765,000. Osaic Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 2,444.1% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 5,922,292 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $75,320,000 after purchasing an additional 5,689,509 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 101,214.0% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,040,402 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,078,141,000 after purchasing an additional 4,036,414 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 14.9% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 16,642,841 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $4,440,976,000 after purchasing an additional 2,163,582 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital Research Global Investors lifted its stake in Accenture by 23.7% during the 2nd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 7,672,161 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $2,367,474,000 after acquiring an additional 1,469,627 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.42% of the companys stock.

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Accenture Stock Performance

NYSE:ACN traded up $1.51 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $378.83. The stock had a trading volume of 167,413 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,959,578. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $358.96 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $331.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $237.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.97, a P/E/G ratio of 3.47 and a beta of 1.21. Accenture plc has a one year low of $242.80 and a one year high of $379.27.

Insider Buying and Selling

Accenture ( NYSE:ACN Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, December 19th. The information technology services provider reported $3.27 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.17 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $3.08 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Accenture plc will post 12.22 earnings per share for the current year.

In related news, insider Ellyn Shook sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction 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 $7,553,691.96. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Accenture news, CAO Melissa A. Burgum sold 3,010 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $371.80, for a total value of $1,119,118.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 9,193 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,417,957.40. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Ellyn Shook sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, 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 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.07% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have weighed in on ACN. Wedbush raised their price objective on Accenture from $330.00 to $360.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Morgan Stanley raised 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. Robert W. Baird raised their target price on Accenture from $344.00 to $364.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $374.00 target price on shares of Accenture in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Accenture from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, November 9th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Accenture currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $365.63.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Accenture

Accenture Company Profile

(Free Report)

Accenture plc, a professional services company, provides strategy and consulting, industry X, song, and technology and operation services worldwide. The company offers application services, including agile transformation, DevOps, application modernization, enterprise architecture, software and quality engineering, data management; intelligent automation comprising robotic process automation, natural language processing, and virtual agents; and application management services, as well as software engineering services; strategy and consulting services; data and analytics strategy, data discovery and augmentation, data management and beyond, data democratization, and industrialized solutions comprising turnkey analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions; metaverse; and sustainability services.

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MFA Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 6.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 8,475 shares of the investment management companys stock after buying an additional 547 shares during the quarter. The Goldman Sachs Group comprises 0.9% of MFA Wealth Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest holding. MFA Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $2,742,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Synovus Financial Corp boosted its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 13.7% during the 2nd quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 13,338 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $4,302,000 after purchasing an additional 1,605 shares in the last quarter. First Foundation Advisors lifted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 18.4% during the 2nd quarter. First Foundation Advisors now owns 1,771 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $571,000 after acquiring an additional 275 shares during the last quarter. Savant Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 51.8% during the 2nd quarter. Savant Capital LLC now owns 4,668 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,506,000 after acquiring an additional 1,592 shares during the last quarter. Operose Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 195.7% during the 2nd quarter. Operose Advisors LLC now owns 2,215 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $715,000 after acquiring an additional 1,466 shares during the last quarter. Finally, TBH Global Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. TBH Global Asset Management LLC now owns 3,676 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,190,000 after acquiring an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. 69.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on GS shares. UBS Group increased their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $382.00 to $440.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 9th. Morgan Stanley upgraded The Goldman Sachs Group from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their target price for the company from $333.00 to $449.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. Barclays increased their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $437.00 to $493.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 2nd. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $357.00 to $360.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, January 18th. Finally, JMP Securities restated a market outperform rating and issued a $440.00 target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $409.93.

Insider Activity at The Goldman Sachs Group

In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, insider Kathryn H. Ruemmler sold 7,277 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $379.81, for a total transaction of $2,763,877.37. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 6,501 shares in the company, valued at $2,469,144.81. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, insider Kathryn H. Ruemmler sold 7,277 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $379.81, for a total value of $2,763,877.37. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 6,501 shares in the company, valued at $2,469,144.81. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Brian J. Lee sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $376.39, for a total transaction of $1,129,170.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 10,121 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,809,443.19. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 14,734 shares of company stock worth $5,529,824. Company insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock.

The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:GS traded up $4.17 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $395.22. The companys stock had a trading volume of 281,911 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,312,671. The stock has a market capitalization of $128.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.16, a PEG ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 1.43. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $383.21 and its 200 day simple moving average is $346.96. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $289.36 and a fifty-two week high of $396.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.07, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a current ratio of 1.14.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 16th. The investment management company reported $5.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.62 by $1.86. The company had revenue of $11.32 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.80 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 7.82% and a net margin of 7.85%. The firms revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $3.32 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 32.66 earnings per share for the current year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th will be paid a $2.75 dividend. This represents a $11.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.78%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 28th. The Goldman Sachs Groups payout ratio is presently 48.20%.

The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in resale agreements.

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Milestone Asset Management LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI India ETF (BATS:INDA  Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm bought 5,205 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $230,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of INDA. Sheets Smith Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI India ETF in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI India ETF in the 1st quarter worth approximately $34,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC acquired a new position in iShares MSCI India ETF during the 3rd quarter worth $37,000. US Bancorp DE lifted its holdings in iShares MSCI India ETF by 38.7% during the 2nd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 1,040 shares of the companys stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 290 shares in the last quarter. Finally, WestEnd Advisors LLC acquired a new position in iShares MSCI India ETF during the 3rd quarter worth $50,000.

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iShares MSCI India ETF Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of BATS:INDA traded up $0.07 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $51.80. The company had a trading volume of 3,097,094 shares. iShares MSCI India ETF has a 12 month low of $30.57 and a 12 month high of $38.21. The stock has a market cap of $6.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.86 and a beta of 0.68. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $49.64 and a 200 day simple moving average of $46.44.

About iShares MSCI India ETF

The iShares MSCI India ETF (INDA) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI India index, a market-cap-weighted index of the top 85% of firms in the Indian securities market. INDA was launched on Feb 2, 2012 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Meeder Advisory Services Inc. decreased its position in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 22.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 16,144 shares of the companys stock after selling 4,553 shares during the quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc.s holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $1,495,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of PM. Fairfield Bush & CO. grew its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. Fairfield Bush & CO. now owns 26,141 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,456,000 after acquiring an additional 281 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 35.6% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 4,939 shares of the companys stock valued at $463,000 after acquiring an additional 1,296 shares in the last quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P grew its holdings in Philip Morris International by 24.7% during the first quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 3,065 shares of the companys stock worth $288,000 after purchasing an additional 608 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd grew its holdings in Philip Morris International by 54.9% during the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 525 shares of the companys stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 186 shares during the period. Finally, Mather Group LLC. grew its holdings in Philip Morris International by 14.7% during the first quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 8,987 shares of the companys stock worth $844,000 after purchasing an additional 1,154 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.70% of the companys stock.

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Philip Morris International Stock Down 0.4 %

Shares of PM stock opened at $91.22 on Monday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $92.56 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $92.90. The company has a market capitalization of $141.62 billion, a PE ratio of 18.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.63. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 12-month low of $87.23 and a 12-month high of $101.92.

Philip Morris International Announces Dividend

Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.44 by ($0.08). The company had revenue of $9.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.99 billion. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 116.29% and a net margin of 8.53%. The companys revenue was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.39 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.39 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 21st were given a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 20th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.70%. Philip Morris Internationals payout ratio is 103.59%.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Wilde Frederic De sold 10,000 shares of Philip Morris International stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $94.25, for a total value of $942,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 198,447 shares in the company, valued at $18,703,629.75. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.15% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

PM has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Societe Generale upgraded Philip Morris International from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $87.50 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. Redburn Atlantic initiated coverage on Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, November 16th. They set a neutral rating and a $95.00 price target for the company. Finally, UBS Group cut Philip Morris International from a buy rating to a sell rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $105.00 to $86.50 in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $105.40.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Philip Morris International

Philip Morris International Profile

(Free Report)

Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches.

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Winslow Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 33.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 646,877 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 161,509 shares during the quarter. Eli Lilly and Company accounts for approximately 1.7% of Winslow Capital Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest position. Winslow Capital Management LLC owned about 0.07% of Eli Lilly and Company worth $347,457,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter valued at $3,416,206,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 102,752.2% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,446,026 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,992,374,000 after acquiring an additional 5,440,731 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley boosted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 44.1% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 12,059,204 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,411,740,000 after acquiring an additional 3,691,436 shares in the last quarter. Imprint Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 53,716.8% during the 2nd quarter. Imprint Wealth LLC now owns 1,751,200 shares of the companys stock valued at $175,120,000 after acquiring an additional 1,747,946 shares in the last quarter. Finally, T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. bought a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter worth $445,944,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.38% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Eli Lilly and Company

In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 14,388 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $630.28, for a total value of $9,068,468.64. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 99,754,422 shares in the company, valued at approximately $62,873,217,098.16. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Insiders have sold 195,055 shares of company stock worth $125,254,657 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently issued reports on LLY shares. DZ Bank lowered Eli Lilly and Company from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $820.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $710.00 to $865.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $700.00 to $825.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and issued a $815.00 price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Thursday, November 9th. They issued a hold rating and a $535.00 price objective for the company. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $663.33.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Up 0.6 %

LLY stock traded up $4.66 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $774.20. 672,715 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,359,396. The stock has a market cap of $735.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 133.63, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.32. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69. Eli Lilly and Company has a fifty-two week low of $309.20 and a fifty-two week high of $794.47. The firms 50 day moving average price is $654.76 and its 200 day moving average price is $602.50.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $2.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.30 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $9.35 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.95 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 51.22% and a net margin of 15.36%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 28.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.09 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.5 EPS 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 $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.67%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 14th. This is an increase from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is presently 89.66%.

About Eli Lilly and Company

(Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes.

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Mckinley Capital Management LLC lessened its position in shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:FMX  Free Report) by 12.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 43,294 shares of the companys stock after selling 5,877 shares during the period. Mckinley Capital Management LLCs holdings in Fomento Economico Mexicano were worth $4,726,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in FMX. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano by 13.0% in the 3rd quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 27,177 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,966,000 after acquiring an additional 3,119 shares in the last quarter. Operose Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano during the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. increased its position in shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano by 8.9% during the 3rd quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 65,680 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,169,000 after purchasing an additional 5,362 shares during the last quarter. Mariner LLC increased its position in shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano by 2.5% during the 3rd quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 28,412 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,101,000 after purchasing an additional 690 shares during the last quarter. Finally, LPL Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano during the 3rd quarter valued at about $525,000.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently commented on FMX shares. Citigroup started coverage on Fomento Economico Mexicano in a research report on Thursday, December 7th. They set a neutral rating and a $134.00 price objective on the stock. Itau BBA Securities lowered Fomento Economico Mexicano from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and set a $127.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, November 7th. Barclays upgraded Fomento Economico Mexicano from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and raised their price target for the stock from $115.00 to $130.00 in a research report on Monday, October 30th. Bank of America restated a neutral rating on shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano in a research report on Monday. Finally, UBS Group lowered Fomento Economico Mexicano from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, January 12th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $130.60.

Fomento Economico Mexicano Stock Down 1.1 %

Shares of FMX traded down $1.30 on Monday, reaching $117.53. The stock had a trading volume of 129,816 shares, compared to its average volume of 554,563. The company has a current ratio of 1.93, a quick ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $133.27 and a 200-day simple moving average of $121.34. Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. has a 12-month low of $85.66 and a 12-month high of $143.43.

Fomento Economico Mexicano Profile

(Free Report)

Fomento Economico Mexicano, SAB. de C.V., through its subsidiaries, operates as a bottler of Coca-Cola trademark beverages. The company produces, markets, and distributes Coca-Cola trademark beverages in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.

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Camden Property Trust (NYSE:CPT  Get Free Report) had its price objective raised by equities researchers at Morgan Stanley from $95.00 to $98.00 in a report issued on Monday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an equal weight rating on the real estate investment trusts stock. Morgan Stanleys target price suggests a potential upside of 4.88% from the stocks previous close.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Camden Property Trust in a report on Thursday. They set a buy rating and a $112.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com raised shares of Camden Property Trust from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Truist Financial reduced their target price on shares of Camden Property Trust from $122.00 to $121.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on shares of Camden Property Trust in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a hold rating and a $90.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Bank of America lowered shares of Camden Property Trust from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and reduced their target price for the company from $101.00 to $84.00 in a report on Tuesday, October 31st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $104.35.

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View Our Latest Analysis on CPT

Camden Property Trust Price Performance

Shares of Camden Property Trust stock traded down $1.41 on Monday, hitting $93.44. 65,816 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,131,985. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $96.93 and its 200 day simple moving average is $96.60. The company has a current ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The company has a market cap of $10.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.31, a P/E/G ratio of 3.50 and a beta of 0.84. Camden Property Trust has a 12-month low of $82.81 and a 12-month high of $117.89.

Camden Property Trust (NYSE:CPT  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The real estate investment trust reported $2.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.72 by $0.31. The firm had revenue of $387.59 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $387.33 million. Camden Property Trust had a net margin of 26.15% and a return on equity of 8.07%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 3.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.74 EPS. Analysts expect that Camden Property Trust will post 6.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Camden Property Trust

In related news, CFO Alexander J. Jessett sold 9,803 shares of Camden Property Trust stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.21, for a total transaction of $962,752.63. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 114,893 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,283,641.53. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Camden Property Trust news, CFO Alexander J. Jessett sold 9,803 shares of Camden Property Trust stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.21, for a total value of $962,752.63. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 114,893 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,283,641.53. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Heather J. Brunner sold 1,325 shares of Camden Property Trust stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.21, for a total transaction of $130,128.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 10,230 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,004,688.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 55,957 shares of company stock valued at $5,495,920 in the last three months. Company insiders own 2.00% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Apollon Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Camden Property Trust during the second quarter valued at approximately $384,000. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale raised its holdings in shares of Camden Property Trust by 0.3% during the third quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 97,859 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $9,272,000 after purchasing an additional 317 shares during the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. grew its position in Camden Property Trust by 11.3% during the second quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 156,338 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $17,021,000 after buying an additional 15,851 shares during the period. California Public Employees Retirement System grew its position in Camden Property Trust by 7.2% during the second quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 306,937 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $33,416,000 after buying an additional 20,622 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. bought a new stake in Camden Property Trust during the third quarter valued at approximately $828,000. 95.04% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Camden Property Trust

(Get Free Report)

Camden Property Trust, an S&P 500 Company, is a real estate company primarily engaged in the ownership, management, development, redevelopment, acquisition, and construction of multifamily apartment communities. Camden owns and operates 172 properties containing 58,634 apartment homes across the United States.

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Westfield Capital Management Co. LP boosted its holdings in shares of Genpact Limited (NYSE:G  Free Report) by 18.1% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,948,433 shares of the business services providers stock after purchasing an additional 452,612 shares during the period. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP owned about 1.63% of Genpact worth $106,733,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Genpact in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $305,000. Nicholas Company Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Genpact in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $1,485,000. Natixis Advisors L.P. boosted its position in shares of Genpact by 56.7% during the third quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 158,115 shares of the business services providers stock worth $5,724,000 after buying an additional 57,211 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd boosted its holdings in Genpact by 140.2% during the 3rd quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,549 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 904 shares during the period. Finally, Ballast Asset Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Genpact during the third quarter worth about $1,059,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.33% of the companys stock.

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Genpact Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:G traded down $0.05 during trading on Monday, reaching $36.25. The company had a trading volume of 190,032 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,340,810. Genpact Limited has a twelve month low of $29.41 and a twelve month high of $48.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 1.91 and a current ratio of 1.44. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.57 billion, a PE ratio of 10.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.11. The firms fifty day moving average is $35.22 and its 200 day moving average is $35.34.

Genpact Increases Dividend

Insider Buying and Selling at Genpact

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 26th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th will be given a $0.153 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 8th. This is a boost from Genpacts previous quarterly dividend of $0.14. This represents a $0.61 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.69%. Genpacts payout ratio is 17.78%.

In related news, SVP Heather White sold 11,450 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.00, for a total transaction of $412,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 21,175 shares in the company, valued at $762,300. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 2.62% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on G shares. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $40.00 price target on shares of Genpact in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Robert W. Baird restated a neutral rating and issued a $38.00 price objective on shares of Genpact in a research note on Friday, December 15th. Mizuho started coverage on Genpact in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a neutral rating and a $40.00 price objective for the company. StockNews.com lowered Genpact from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Genpact from $35.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $40.11.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on G

Genpact Company Profile

(Free Report)

Genpact Limited provides business process outsourcing and information technology (IT) services in India, rest of Asia, North and Latin America, and Europe. It operates through three segments: Financial services; Consumer and Healthcare; and High Tech and Manufacturing. The company offers CFO advisory services; and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) services, such as data management, carbon accounting, human rights assessment, sustainability diligence, and ESG reporting.

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Westfield Capital Management Co. LP lessened its stake in Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE:AMP  Free Report) by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 219,178 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 4,234 shares during the quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LPs holdings in Ameriprise Financial were worth $72,259,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. BOKF NA boosted its stake in shares of Ameriprise Financial by 12.7% during the second quarter. BOKF NA now owns 12,334 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $4,097,000 after purchasing an additional 1,390 shares in the last quarter. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp boosted its position in Ameriprise Financial by 11.3% during the 2nd quarter. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp now owns 24,433 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $8,116,000 after acquiring an additional 2,480 shares in the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans increased its holdings in shares of Ameriprise Financial by 74.9% in the 2nd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 553,481 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $183,843,000 after acquiring an additional 236,944 shares during the period. ING Groep NV purchased a new position in shares of Ameriprise Financial in the 3rd quarter valued at $4,248,000. Finally, Amalgamated Bank raised its position in shares of Ameriprise Financial by 6.4% in the 3rd quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 30,245 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $9,971,000 after acquiring an additional 1,806 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 82.62% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In related news, CEO James M. Cracchiolo sold 9,948 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $365.86, for a total transaction of $3,639,575.28. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 157,103 shares in the company, valued at $57,477,703.58. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, CEO James M. Cracchiolo sold 2,493 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $401.11, for a total value of $999,967.23. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 196,598 shares of the companys stock, valued at $78,857,423.78. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO James M. Cracchiolo sold 9,948 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $365.86, for a total value of $3,639,575.28. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 157,103 shares of the companys stock, valued at $57,477,703.58. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 73,817 shares of company stock worth $28,634,722. 0.73% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Ameriprise Financial Price Performance

Shares of AMP traded up $1.64 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $408.76. 81,144 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 469,371. The stock has a market cap of $40.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.36. Ameriprise Financial, Inc. has a 1-year low of $275.09 and a 1-year high of $410.71. The company has a 50 day moving average of $385.66 and a 200-day moving average of $354.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a current ratio of 0.56.

Ameriprise Financial (NYSE:AMP  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The financial services provider reported $7.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.67 by $0.08. Ameriprise Financial had a net margin of 16.27% and a return on equity of 77.39%. The company had revenue of $3.99 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.90 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $6.94 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 9.0% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that Ameriprise Financial, Inc. will post 34.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ameriprise Financial Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 9th will be issued a dividend of $1.35 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 8th. This represents a $5.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.32%. Ameriprise Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 22.78%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

AMP has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Ameriprise Financial from $440.00 to $445.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their target price on shares of Ameriprise Financial from $400.00 to $420.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Ameriprise Financial from $394.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Ameriprise Financial from $410.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, Evercore ISI lowered Ameriprise Financial from an outperform rating to an in-line rating and upped their target price for the company from $385.00 to $400.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $422.83.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on AMP

About Ameriprise Financial

(Free Report)

Ameriprise Financial, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services to individual and institutional clients in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: Advice & Wealth Management, Asset Management, Retirement & Protection Solutions, and Corporate & Other.

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ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (NYSE:ZIM  Get Free Report) shares gapped down before the market opened on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $12.32, but opened at $11.95. ZIM Integrated Shipping Services shares last traded at $12.02, with a volume of 768,429 shares.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Jefferies Financial Group raised ZIM Integrated Shipping Services from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the company from $14.00 to $20.00 in a report on Monday, January 29th. Bank of America upped their price target on ZIM Integrated Shipping Services from $6.40 to $10.50 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut ZIM Integrated Shipping Services from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and cut their price target for the stock from $14.00 to $6.20 in a research note on Friday, November 17th. Finally, Barclays cut their price objective on ZIM Integrated Shipping Services from $6.00 to $5.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, ZIM Integrated Shipping Services currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $10.43.

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ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Stock Down 3.2 %

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ZIM Integrated Shipping Services

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a current ratio of 1.04. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $12.48 and a 200-day moving average of $10.62.

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Scarborough Advisors LLC acquired a new position in ZIM Integrated Shipping Services in the 4th quarter worth about $58,000. GSA Capital Partners LLP lifted its position in shares of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services by 431.9% during the 4th quarter. GSA Capital Partners LLP now owns 77,450 shares of the companys stock worth $764,000 after buying an additional 62,888 shares during the period. Barclays PLC increased its holdings in ZIM Integrated Shipping Services by 19.8% during the 4th quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 111,547 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,101,000 after purchasing an additional 18,402 shares in the last quarter. Vident Advisory LLC increased its stake in shares of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services by 5.1% in the 4th quarter. Vident Advisory LLC now owns 179,185 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,769,000 after buying an additional 8,691 shares during the period. Finally, Kestra Advisory Services LLC increased its stake in shares of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services by 8.7% in the 4th quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC now owns 33,704 shares of the companys stock valued at $333,000 after buying an additional 2,702 shares during the period. 17.62% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides container shipping and related services in Israel and internationally. It provides door-to-door and port-to-port transportation services for various types of customers, including end-users, consolidators, and freight forwarders.

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Coca-Cola HBC AG (LON:CCH  Get Free Report) insider Zoran Bogdanovic sold 39,335 shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 2,500 ($31.48), for a total transaction of 983,375 ($1,238,195.67).

Zoran Bogdanovic also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Friday, February 16th, Zoran Bogdanovic bought 176 shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock. The shares were bought at an average cost of GBX 2,455 ($30.91) per share, with a total value of 4,320.80 ($5,440.44).

On Wednesday, January 17th, Zoran Bogdanovic bought 193 shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock. The shares were bought at an average cost of GBX 2,345 ($29.53) per share, with a total value of 4,525.85 ($5,698.63).

On Tuesday, January 2nd, Zoran Bogdanovic sold 392 shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,295 ($28.90), for a total transaction of 8,996.40 ($11,327.63).

On Wednesday, December 20th, Zoran Bogdanovic sold 13,500 shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,310 ($29.09), for a total transaction of 311,850 ($392,659.28).

On Monday, December 18th, Zoran Bogdanovic acquired 193 shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 2,282 ($28.73) per share, with a total value of 4,404.26 ($5,545.53).

On Thursday, November 30th, Zoran Bogdanovic sold 14,800 shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,190 ($27.57), for a total transaction of 324,120 ($408,108.79).

Coca-Cola HBC Price Performance

CCH stock traded down GBX 4 ($0.05) during trading on Monday, reaching GBX 2,491 ($31.36). 267,757 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 491,872. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 107.46, a current ratio of 1.02 and a quick ratio of 0.80. Coca-Cola HBC AG has a twelve month low of GBX 2,065 ($26.00) and a twelve month high of GBX 2,582 ($32.51). The company has a 50-day moving average of GBX 2,330.84 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 2,248.36. The company has a market capitalization of 9.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,690.54, a P/E/G ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 0.92.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a neutral rating on shares of Coca-Cola HBC in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Coca-Cola HBC has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of GBX 2,770 ($34.88).

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Coca-Cola HBC Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Coca-Cola HBC AG engages in the production, distribution, and sale of non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages under franchise in Switzerland and internationally. The company offers sparkling soft drinks, adult sparkling, hydration drinks, juices, ready-to-drink tea, energy drinks, dairy, coffee, water, plant-based drinks, premium spirits and flavored alcoholic beverages, and snacks.

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Valley National Advisers Inc. cut its stake in shares of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS  Free Report) by 5.8% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 18,149 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,118 shares during the quarter. Valley National Advisers Inc.s holdings in Novartis were worth $1,849,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in NVS. McCarthy Grittinger Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in Novartis during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Operose Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Novartis in the third quarter valued at $28,000. Mine & Arao Wealth Creation & Management LLC. grew its holdings in Novartis by 49.5% during the 2nd quarter. Mine & Arao Wealth Creation & Management LLC. now owns 299 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Novartis during the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Novartis by 118.1% in the 2nd quarter. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC now owns 301 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 163 shares in the last quarter. 7.00% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

NVS has been the topic of several analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on Novartis in a report on Friday. They set a market perform rating and a $114.00 price objective on the stock. Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on shares of Novartis in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. They issued an equal weight rating and a $114.00 target price for the company. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Novartis in a research note on Wednesday, December 6th. They set a strong-buy rating on the stock. Finally, HSBC lowered Novartis from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $104.33.

Novartis Stock Performance

Shares of Novartis stock traded down $0.35 during trading on Monday, hitting $103.55. 536,229 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,409,867. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 1.15. Novartis AG has a 12 month low of $79.98 and a 12 month high of $108.78. The stocks fifty day moving average is $103.45 and its 200 day moving average is $100.12. The stock has a market cap of $219.48 billion, a PE ratio of 14.47, a P/E/G ratio of 1.61 and a beta of 0.56.

Novartis (NYSE:NVS  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 30th. The company reported $1.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.64 by ($0.11). The business had revenue of $11.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.69 billion. Novartis had a return on equity of 29.90% and a net margin of 29.83%. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.51 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Novartis AG will post 7.18 EPS for the current year.

Novartis Company Profile

(Free Report)

Novartis AG researches, develops, manufactures, and markets healthcare products in Switzerland and internationally. It offers prescription medicines for patients and physicians. It focuses on therapeutic areas, such as cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, immunology, neuroscience, and oncology, as well as ophthalmology and hematology.

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Truvestments Capital LLC boosted its position in Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. (NYSE:BXMT  Free Report) by 2.9% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 110,236 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after purchasing an additional 3,103 shares during the period. Blackstone Mortgage Trust accounts for approximately 1.2% of Truvestments Capital LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 25th biggest position. Truvestments Capital LLCs holdings in Blackstone Mortgage Trust were worth $2,398,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its position in Blackstone Mortgage Trust by 447.5% in the third quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,336 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 1,092 shares during the last quarter. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in Blackstone Mortgage Trust in the second quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Chilton Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Blackstone Mortgage Trust in the first quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC acquired a new position in Blackstone Mortgage Trust in the third quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Finally, DT Investment Partners LLC acquired a new position in Blackstone Mortgage Trust in the second quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 52.89% of the companys stock.

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Blackstone Mortgage Trust Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:BXMT traded down $0.07 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $19.59. 409,203 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,387,841. Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. has a 1 year low of $16.60 and a 1 year high of $23.82. The company has a market cap of $3.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.94 and a beta of 1.43. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $20.69 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $21.34.

Blackstone Mortgage Trust Dividend Announcement

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, January 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 29th were given a dividend of $0.62 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 28th. This represents a $2.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 12.66%. Blackstone Mortgage Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 175.89%.

A number of brokerages have issued reports on BXMT. UBS Group began coverage on Blackstone Mortgage Trust in a report on Wednesday, December 6th. They issued a neutral rating and a $23.50 price target for the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their price target on Blackstone Mortgage Trust from $22.00 to $21.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 16th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $22.30.

Get Our Latest Research Report on BXMT

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Katharine A. Keenan sold 2,274 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.23, for a total transaction of $48,277.02. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 144,572 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,069,263.56. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other Blackstone Mortgage Trust news, CEO Katharine A. Keenan sold 2,274 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.23, for a total value of $48,277.02. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 144,572 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,069,263.56. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Katharine A. Keenan sold 1,159 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.54, for a total value of $26,123.86. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 146,846 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,309,908.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 7,104 shares of company stock worth $155,387 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 1.02% of the companys stock.

About Blackstone Mortgage Trust

(Free Report)

Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc, a real estate finance company, originates senior loans collateralized by commercial properties in North America, Europe, and Australia. The company, together with its subsidiaries, originates and acquires commercial mortgage loans and related investments. It operates as a real estate investment trust for federal income tax purposes.

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Titan Global Capital Management USA LLC boosted its position in The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW  Free Report) by 18.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 294,757 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 44,883 shares during the quarter. Charles Schwab comprises about 4.0% of Titan Global Capital Management USA LLCs holdings, making the stock its 11th largest position. Titan Global Capital Management USA LLCs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $16,182,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Signet Financial Management LLC raised its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Signet Financial Management LLC now owns 49,378 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $4,111,000 after purchasing an additional 139 shares in the last quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC raised its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 2.6% in the 2nd quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC now owns 6,475 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $367,000 after purchasing an additional 162 shares in the last quarter. Investment Advisory Services Inc. TX ADV raised its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Investment Advisory Services Inc. TX ADV now owns 32,642 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,718,000 after acquiring an additional 164 shares in the last quarter. Wunderlich Capital Managemnt raised its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 0.4% during the second quarter. Wunderlich Capital Managemnt now owns 38,856 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,202,000 after purchasing an additional 172 shares during the period. Finally, United Services Automobile Association lifted its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. United Services Automobile Association now owns 34,807 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,973,000 after buying an additional 173 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.61% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In other news, General Counsel Peter J. Morgan III sold 7,162 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.72, for a total transaction of $434,876.64. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, CFO Peter B. Crawford sold 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.56, for a total transaction of $242,240.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 41,611 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,519,962.16. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, General Counsel Peter J. Morgan III sold 7,162 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.72, for a total transaction of $434,876.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 122,986 shares of company stock worth $7,878,217 over the last 90 days. 6.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on SCHW. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $64.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Redburn Atlantic began coverage on shares of Charles Schwab in a research report on Friday, December 1st. They set a sell rating and a $52.00 price objective for the company. Citigroup downgraded shares of Charles Schwab from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $75.00 to $70.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Raymond James lowered their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 18th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $71.00 price objective (up previously from $70.00) on shares of Charles Schwab in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $69.92.

Read Our Latest Report on Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab Price Performance

SCHW stock traded down $0.05 on Monday, hitting $64.39. 2,420,416 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 7,866,750. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 1-year low of $45.00 and a 1-year high of $81.32. The stock has a market cap of $114.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 0.99. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $65.31 and a 200-day moving average of $59.92. The company has a current ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87.

Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 17th. The financial services provider reported $0.68 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.64 by $0.04. Charles Schwab had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 22.07%. The business had revenue of $4.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.49 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.07 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 18.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.34 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Charles Schwab Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 23rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 9th were issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 8th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.55%. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio is currently 39.37%.

Charles Schwab Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services.

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Trustmark National Bank Trust Department lowered its stake in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 77,794 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 1,603 shares during the quarter. Trustmark National Bank Trust Departments holdings in Southern were worth $5,035,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina boosted its position in shares of Southern by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 479,084 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $31,006,000 after acquiring an additional 2,440 shares during the last quarter. Vinva Investment Management Ltd raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 3.7% during the 3rd quarter. Vinva Investment Management Ltd now owns 7,157 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $466,000 after buying an additional 257 shares in the last quarter. Mendel Money Management raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 12.9% during the 3rd quarter. Mendel Money Management now owns 9,613 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $622,000 after buying an additional 1,100 shares in the last quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 6.0% during the 3rd quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC now owns 25,352 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,641,000 after buying an additional 1,434 shares in the last quarter. Finally, O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Southern by 9.7% in the 3rd quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 96,443 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $6,242,000 after purchasing an additional 8,531 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 62.85% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. StockNews.com raised Southern from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price target on Southern from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Mizuho dropped their price target on Southern from $76.00 to $73.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Southern from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Southern from $69.00 to $72.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $73.46.

Insider Buying and Selling at Southern

In related news, insider David P. Poroch sold 10,099 shares of Southern stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.96, for a total value of $706,526.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 28,691 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,007,222.36. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.99, for a total value of $359,950.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 101,284 shares in the company, valued at $7,291,435.16. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider David P. Poroch sold 10,099 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.96, for a total value of $706,526.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 28,691 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,007,222.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 25,998 shares of company stock worth $1,817,613. Insiders own 0.37% of the companys stock.

Southern Trading Down 1.7 %

SO traded down $1.12 during trading on Monday, hitting $66.57. 1,730,977 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,655,759. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a current ratio of 0.77. The firm has a market cap of $72.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.65, a P/E/G ratio of 4.22 and a beta of 0.50. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $69.26 and a 200 day simple moving average of $68.69. The Southern Company has a 1 year low of $61.56 and a 1 year high of $75.80.

Southern (NYSE:SO  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The utilities provider reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $6.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.90 billion. Southern had a return on equity of 11.40% and a net margin of 15.79%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.26 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that The Southern Company will post 4.01 EPS for the current year.

Southern Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 16th. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.21%. Southerns payout ratio is currently 77.14%.

Southern Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.

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Trustmark National Bank Trust Department decreased its stake in EastGroup Properties, Inc. (NYSE:EGP  Free Report) by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 37,948 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 135 shares during the quarter. Trustmark National Bank Trust Department owned approximately 0.08% of EastGroup Properties worth $6,319,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Quarry LP acquired a new position in EastGroup Properties in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Dark Forest Capital Management LP lifted its holdings in EastGroup Properties by 3,380.0% in the first quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP now owns 174 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 169 shares during the last quarter. Group One Trading L.P. purchased a new stake in EastGroup Properties in the first quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in EastGroup Properties in the first quarter valued at approximately $49,000. Finally, C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. raised its position in EastGroup Properties by 47.5% in the second quarter. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. now owns 391 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $68,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.69% of the companys stock.

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EastGroup Properties Stock Performance

Shares of EGP traded down $2.83 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $178.10. 84,283 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 258,442. EastGroup Properties, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $152.45 and a fifty-two week high of $188.85. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.03, a P/E/G ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.94. The businesss 50 day moving average is $181.80 and its two-hundred day moving average is $175.13. The company has a current ratio of 0.28, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64.

EastGroup Properties Dividend Announcement

Insider Buying and Selling

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 12th. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th were issued a dividend of $1.27 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 28th. This represents a $5.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.85%. EastGroup Propertiess dividend payout ratio is currently 115.19%.

In related news, CFO Brent Wood sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $182.74, for a total transaction of $456,850.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 102,617 shares of the companys stock, valued at $18,752,230.58. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other EastGroup Properties news, CFO Brent Wood sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $182.74, for a total value of $456,850.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 102,617 shares of the companys stock, valued at $18,752,230.58. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP John F. Coleman sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $173.05, for a total transaction of $173,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 90,305 shares of the companys stock, valued at $15,627,280.25. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.50% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have issued reports on EGP. Truist Financial boosted their target price on EastGroup Properties from $186.00 to $188.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. KeyCorp upped their price objective on EastGroup Properties from $188.00 to $198.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, February 12th. Mizuho lowered EastGroup Properties from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $185.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on EastGroup Properties from $180.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $188.83.

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About EastGroup Properties

(Free Report)

EastGroup Properties, Inc (NYSE: EGP), a member of the S&P Mid-Cap 400 and Russell 1000 Indexes, is a self-administered equity real estate investment trust focused on the development, acquisition and operation of industrial properties in major Sunbelt markets throughout the United States with an emphasis in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina.

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Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) by 6.5% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 14,775 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 900 shares during the period. Tiemann Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in Bank of America were worth $405,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Buckingham Strategic Partners boosted its stake in shares of Bank of America by 23.7% in the 2nd quarter. Buckingham Strategic Partners now owns 54,963 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,577,000 after buying an additional 10,535 shares during the period. Goodman Advisory Group LLC increased its holdings in Bank of America by 104,312.4% in the second quarter. Goodman Advisory Group LLC now owns 194,207 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $5,572,000 after buying an additional 194,021 shares during the last quarter. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in Bank of America by 8.2% in the third quarter. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC now owns 55,348 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,515,000 after buying an additional 4,187 shares in the last quarter. Eastern Bank boosted its position in shares of Bank of America by 354.5% during the 3rd quarter. Eastern Bank now owns 119,713 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $3,278,000 after acquiring an additional 93,375 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Virginia Retirement Systems ET AL purchased a new position in shares of Bank of America in the 2nd quarter valued at about $6,317,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.06% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on BAC. Oppenheimer upped their price target on Bank of America from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Bank of America from $30.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on Bank of America from $37.00 to $36.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Bank of America from $39.00 to $43.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 2nd. Finally, Odeon Capital Group downgraded shares of Bank of America from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $33.90 price objective for the company. in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Bank of America presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $35.53.

Bank of America Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE BAC traded down $0.27 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $33.65. 17,990,156 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 40,632,699. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. The firm has a market cap of $264.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 1.39. Bank of America Co. has a 1-year low of $24.96 and a 1-year high of $35.10. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $33.39 and a 200-day simple moving average of $30.25.

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 12th. The financial services provider reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $22 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $23.70 billion. Bank of America had a net margin of 15.42% and a return on equity of 11.38%. The firms revenue was down 10.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.85 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Bank of America Co. will post 3.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Bank of America Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be issued a $0.24 dividend. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.85%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 31.27%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Bank of America

In related news, major shareholder Of America Corp /De/ Bank purchased 5,398 shares of Bank of America stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $10.56 per share, for a total transaction of $57,002.88. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 5,398 shares in the company, valued at $57,002.88. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.27% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Bank of America Company Profile

(Free Report)

Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. It operates in four segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth & Investment Management (GWIM), Global Banking, and Global Markets.

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Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC reduced its position in International Paper (NYSE:IP  Free Report) by 11.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 131,845 shares of the basic materials companys stock after selling 16,792 shares during the period. International Paper makes up 1.1% of Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest holding. Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in International Paper were worth $4,463,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in International Paper by 45.5% in the 1st quarter. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. now owns 675 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 211 shares during the period. Legacy Capital Group California Inc. boosted its stake in International Paper by 2.6% in the 2nd quarter. Legacy Capital Group California Inc. now owns 11,074 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $352,000 after purchasing an additional 285 shares during the period. Investors Asset Management of Georgia Inc. GA ADV boosted its stake in International Paper by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter. Investors Asset Management of Georgia Inc. GA ADV now owns 10,304 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $328,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the period. Pinnacle West Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in International Paper by 3.9% in the 2nd quarter. Pinnacle West Asset Management Inc. now owns 7,925 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $252,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the period. Finally, BOKF NA boosted its stake in International Paper by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. BOKF NA now owns 53,907 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $1,715,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the period. 80.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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International Paper Stock Down 2.2 %

Shares of NYSE IP traded down $0.76 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $33.97. 1,562,564 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,617,407. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a current ratio of 1.67. International Paper has a 52 week low of $29.00 and a 52 week high of $38.21. The company has a market cap of $11.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.35 and a beta of 0.99. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $36.08 and a 200-day moving average price of $35.10.

International Paper Announces Dividend

International Paper ( NYSE:IP Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The basic materials company reported $0.41 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.34 by $0.07. International Paper had a return on equity of 8.87% and a net margin of 1.52%. The company had revenue of $4.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.67 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.87 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down 10.4% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts anticipate that International Paper will post 1.88 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 22nd will be issued a $0.4625 dividend. This represents a $1.85 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.45%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 21st. International Papers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 225.61%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Argus downgraded International Paper from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on International Paper from $39.00 to $35.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Truist Financial decreased their price target on International Paper from $46.00 to $40.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and set a $43.00 target price on shares of International Paper in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, StockNews.com cut International Paper from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Sunday, January 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $35.00.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on IP

International Paper Company Profile

(Free Report)

International Paper Company produces and sells renewable fiber-based packaging and pulp products in North America, Latin America, Europe, and North Africa. It operates through two segments, Industrial Packaging and Global Cellulose Fibers. The company offers linerboard, medium, whitetop, recycled linerboard, recycled medium and saturating kraft; and pulp for a range of applications, such as diapers, towel and tissue products, feminine care, incontinence, and other personal care products, as well as specialty pulps for use in textiles, construction materials, paints, coatings, and others.

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Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE:BHC  Get Free Report)s share price fell 2.5% during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $8.83 and last traded at $8.95. 258,422 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 89% from the average session volume of 2,348,736 shares. The stock had previously closed at $9.18.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on BHC. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Bausch Health Companies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Bausch Health Companies from $8.00 to $9.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on shares of Bausch Health Companies from $16.00 to $14.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 20th.

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Read Our Latest Analysis on BHC

Bausch Health Companies Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 74.20, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 0.94. The stocks fifty day moving average is $8.14 and its two-hundred day moving average is $7.84.

Bausch Health Companies (NYSE:BHC  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 22nd. The company reported $1.15 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.01 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $2.41 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.29 billion. Bausch Health Companies had a negative net margin of 6.76% and a positive return on equity of 5,147.48%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 9.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.02 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Bausch Health Companies Inc. will post 3.91 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bausch Health Companies

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of BHC. US Bancorp DE increased its stake in Bausch Health Companies by 64.9% during the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 22,365 shares of the companys stock valued at $511,000 after buying an additional 8,801 shares during the period. HighTower Advisors LLC increased its stake in Bausch Health Companies by 24.2% during the 1st quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 10,763 shares of the companys stock valued at $245,000 after buying an additional 2,100 shares during the period. Private Advisor Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Bausch Health Companies by 116.6% during the 1st quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 26,654 shares of the companys stock valued at $609,000 after purchasing an additional 14,350 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. boosted its position in shares of Bausch Health Companies by 8.9% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 183,039 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,183,000 after purchasing an additional 14,908 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blair William & Co. IL boosted its position in shares of Bausch Health Companies by 14.7% during the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 82,735 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,890,000 after purchasing an additional 10,590 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.56% of the companys stock.

About Bausch Health Companies

(Get Free Report)

Bausch Health Companies Inc operates as a diversified pharmaceutical company. It develops, manufactures, and markets a range of products primarily in gastroenterology, hepatology, neurology, dermatology, international pharmaceuticals, and eye health. The company operates through five segments: Salix, International, Solta Medical, Diversified, and Bausch + Lomb.

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Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC trimmed its stake in Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE:ADM  Free Report) by 4.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,685 shares of the companys stock after selling 400 shares during the quarter. Tiemann Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in Archer-Daniels-Midland were worth $730,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland by 71.9% in the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 18,699 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,688,000 after buying an additional 7,821 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland in the first quarter valued at $277,000. Brighton Jones LLC bought a new position in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland in the first quarter valued at $226,000. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. lifted its stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland by 22.0% in the first quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 31,004 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,798,000 after buying an additional 5,586 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland by 2.1% in the first quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 459,907 shares of the companys stock valued at $41,512,000 after buying an additional 9,327 shares in the last quarter. 77.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Archer-Daniels-Midland Price Performance

NYSE:ADM traded down $0.26 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $53.19. 1,464,213 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 6,810,770. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $62.29 and its 200 day moving average price is $71.21. The company has a market cap of $28.37 billion, a PE ratio of 7.44 and a beta of 0.76. Archer-Daniels-Midland Company has a 12-month low of $50.72 and a 12-month high of $87.30. The company has a quick ratio of 1.07, a current ratio of 1.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Increases Dividend

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 29th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 8th will be issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. This is a positive change from Archer-Daniels-Midlands previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.76%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 7th. Archer-Daniels-Midlands dividend payout ratio is currently 27.86%.

A number of research analysts have weighed in on ADM shares. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland from $87.00 to $76.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 30th. Barclays lowered shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland from an overweight rating to an underweight rating and set a $60.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. StockNews.com lowered shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Stifel Nicolaus lowered shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland from a buy rating to a hold rating and dropped their price target for the company from $116.00 to $56.00 in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, Roth Mkm lowered shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland from a buy rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price target for the company from $98.00 to $66.00 in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and thirteen have given a hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $67.08.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Archer-Daniels-Midland

About Archer-Daniels-Midland

(Free Report)

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company procures, transports, stores, processes, and merchandises agricultural commodities, products, and ingredients in the United States, Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates in three segments: Ag Services and Oilseeds, Carbohydrate Solutions, and Nutrition.

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Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH  Free Report) by 9.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,511 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock after selling 266 shares during the quarter. Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $1,350,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of UNH. Robbins Farley acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. NewSquare Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 340.0% during the third quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 66 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares during the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the first quarter valued at approximately $35,000. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Finally, Annapolis Financial Services LLC grew its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 38.6% in the 3rd quarter. Annapolis Financial Services LLC now owns 79 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 22 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.69% of the companys stock.

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UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH traded down $2.84 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $524.40. 1,315,438 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,849,104. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1-year low of $445.68 and a 1-year high of $554.70. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $520.59 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $518.97. The company has a market cap of $485.03 billion, a PE ratio of 22.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.79.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

UnitedHealth Group ( NYSE:UNH Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.98 by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $94.43 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $92.13 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 6.02% and a return on equity of 26.39%. The businesss revenue was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $5.34 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.84 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 11th will be given a dividend of $1.88 per share. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.43%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 8th. UnitedHealth Groups payout ratio is presently 31.54%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNH has been the subject of a number of research reports. Piper Sandler decreased their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $584.00 to $581.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $610.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, November 30th. Stephens reissued an overweight rating and set a $605.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and issued a $591.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Friday, January 19th. Finally, HSBC restated a reduce rating and set a $480.00 price target (down previously from $550.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Monday, December 18th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $575.79.

Read Our Latest Analysis on UNH

Insider Transactions at UnitedHealth Group

In related news, Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 66,081 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $550.39, for a total transaction of $36,370,321.59. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 635,528 shares in the company, valued at $349,788,255.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

UnitedHealth Group Profile

(Free Report)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

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Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC lowered its stake in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 21.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,767 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 2,653 shares during the period. Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $305,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of PFE. RB Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Pfizer by 6.7% in the first quarter. RB Capital Management LLC now owns 5,446 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $282,000 after purchasing an additional 341 shares during the last quarter. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. grew its stake in shares of Pfizer by 1.1% in the first quarter. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. now owns 36,081 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,868,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. United Bank grew its stake in shares of Pfizer by 0.6% in the first quarter. United Bank now owns 46,671 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $2,416,000 after purchasing an additional 290 shares during the last quarter. Ergoteles LLC grew its stake in shares of Pfizer by 136.3% in the first quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 36,766 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,903,000 after purchasing an additional 21,209 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp boosted its position in Pfizer by 6.4% during the 1st quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 1,337,418 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $69,238,000 after acquiring an additional 79,887 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.05% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have weighed in on PFE. Barclays cut their price objective on Pfizer from $34.00 to $28.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on Pfizer from $39.00 to $37.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 1st. Truist Financial cut their price objective on Pfizer from $42.00 to $36.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. UBS Group dropped their price target on Pfizer from $34.00 to $27.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $36.88.

Insider Buying and Selling at Pfizer

In other Pfizer news, Director Scott Gottlieb bought 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 15th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $26.47 per share, for a total transaction of $79,410.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 9,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $238,230. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.05% of the companys stock.

Pfizer Price Performance

Pfizer stock traded down $0.57 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $27.19. The stock had a trading volume of 31,522,398 shares, compared to its average volume of 42,010,469. The firm has a market capitalization of $153.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 76.86, a P/E/G ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The firms 50 day moving average is $28.07 and its 200 day moving average is $30.79. Pfizer Inc. has a one year low of $25.76 and a one year high of $42.22.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.10 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.19) by $0.29. Pfizer had a net margin of 3.62% and a return on equity of 10.88%. The business had revenue of $14.25 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.37 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.14 EPS. The businesss revenue was down 41.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 26th will be issued a dividend of $0.42 per share. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.18%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 25th. This is an increase from Pfizers previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. Pfizers dividend payout ratio is 466.67%.

Pfizer Company Profile

(Free Report)

Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands.

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Samalin Investment Counsel LLC lifted its stake in Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (NYSE:EPD  Free Report) by 5.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 75,155 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after acquiring an additional 4,080 shares during the quarter. Enterprise Products Partners accounts for 1.2% of Samalin Investment Counsel LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest position. Samalin Investment Counsel LLCs holdings in Enterprise Products Partners were worth $2,057,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Miller Howard Investments Inc. NY boosted its stake in Enterprise Products Partners by 7.1% during the 3rd quarter. Miller Howard Investments Inc. NY now owns 3,189,590 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $87,299,000 after purchasing an additional 210,603 shares during the period. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Enterprise Products Partners by 8.7% in the 3rd quarter. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC now owns 38,550 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $1,055,000 after acquiring an additional 3,075 shares during the period. BROOKFIELD Corp ON lifted its stake in shares of Enterprise Products Partners by 803.7% in the 2nd quarter. BROOKFIELD Corp ON now owns 4,497,730 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $118,515,000 after acquiring an additional 4,000,004 shares during the period. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Enterprise Products Partners by 16.5% in the 3rd quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,794,073 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $49,104,000 after acquiring an additional 254,175 shares during the period. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Enterprise Products Partners in the 3rd quarter worth $3,793,000. 26.54% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

EPD has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $35.00 price target on shares of Enterprise Products Partners in a report on Tuesday, February 13th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Enterprise Products Partners from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of Enterprise Products Partners from $31.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Raymond James dropped their target price on shares of Enterprise Products Partners from $32.00 to $31.00 and set a strong-buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 1st. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on shares of Enterprise Products Partners from $35.00 to $36.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $32.31.

Enterprise Products Partners Trading Down 0.8 %

Shares of EPD traded down $0.21 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $27.47. The company had a trading volume of 2,748,525 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,378,309. The stock has a market cap of $59.66 billion, a PE ratio of 10.98 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a quick ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97. Enterprise Products Partners L.P. has a 1-year low of $24.66 and a 1-year high of $27.95. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $26.74 and its 200-day simple moving average is $26.75.

Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 1st. The oil and gas producer reported $0.72 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $14.62 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.43 billion. Enterprise Products Partners had a net margin of 11.12% and a return on equity of 19.77%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.65 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Enterprise Products Partners L.P. will post 2.63 earnings per share for the current year.

Enterprise Products Partners Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 14th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 31st were paid a dividend of $0.515 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 30th. This represents a $2.06 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.50%. This is a positive change from Enterprise Products Partnerss previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. Enterprise Products Partnerss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 81.75%.

Enterprise Products Partners Profile

(Free Report)

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. provides midstream energy services to producers and consumers of natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), crude oil, petrochemicals, and refined products. The company operates through four segments: NGL Pipelines & Services, Crude Oil Pipelines & Services, Natural Gas Pipelines & Services, and Petrochemical & Refined Products Services.

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Samalin Investment Counsel LLC lowered its stake in shares of Cohen & Steers Total Return Realty Fund, Inc. (NYSE:RFI  Free Report) by 23.4% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 79,189 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 24,135 shares during the quarter. Samalin Investment Counsel LLC owned 0.30% of Cohen & Steers Total Return Realty Fund worth $830,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. LPL Financial LLC increased its holdings in Cohen & Steers Total Return Realty Fund by 6.2% in the second quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 319,929 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $3,654,000 after buying an additional 18,558 shares during the last quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Cohen & Steers Total Return Realty Fund by 11.6% in the third quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC now owns 121,250 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,271,000 after buying an additional 12,598 shares during the last quarter. Johnson Midwest Financial LLC increased its holdings in Cohen & Steers Total Return Realty Fund by 38.0% in the third quarter. Johnson Midwest Financial LLC now owns 10,893 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $114,000 after buying an additional 3,000 shares during the last quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in Cohen & Steers Total Return Realty Fund by 4.0% in the third quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 63,743 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $668,000 after buying an additional 2,463 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Landscape Capital Management L.L.C. acquired a new position in Cohen & Steers Total Return Realty Fund in the second quarter valued at $318,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 21.20% of the companys stock.

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Cohen & Steers Total Return Realty Fund Stock Performance

NYSE RFI traded down $0.12 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $11.55. The company had a trading volume of 51,918 shares, compared to its average volume of 68,139. Cohen & Steers Total Return Realty Fund, Inc. has a 1-year low of $9.62 and a 1-year high of $13.48. The business has a 50 day moving average of $11.85 and a 200-day moving average of $11.19.

Cohen & Steers Total Return Realty Fund Dividend Announcement

Cohen & Steers Total Return Realty Fund Company Profile

The firm also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 17th were paid a dividend of $0.08 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 16th. This represents a dividend yield of 7.9%.

(Free Report)

Cohen & Steers Total Return Realty Fund, Inc is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched by Cohen & Steers, Inc The fund is managed by Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc It invests in the public equity markets of the United States. The fund seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating in the real estate sector, including real estate investment trusts.

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Samalin Investment Counsel LLC decreased its position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR  Free Report) by 7.7% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 3,029 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 253 shares during the period. Samalin Investment Counsel LLCs holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions were worth $542,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. First Horizon Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions by 14.0% in the 2nd quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 807 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $134,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new position in Broadridge Financial Solutions in the 2nd quarter valued at $12,158,000. Cibc World Markets Corp raised its holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions by 132.2% in the 2nd quarter. Cibc World Markets Corp now owns 13,819 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $2,289,000 after acquiring an additional 7,867 shares during the last quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions by 303.5% in the 3rd quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 230 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 173 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co raised its holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions by 13.6% in the 3rd quarter. Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co now owns 25,000 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $4,476,000 after acquiring an additional 3,000 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.36% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Broadridge Financial Solutions

In other Broadridge Financial Solutions news, VP Laura Matlin sold 4,090 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $189.49, for a total value of $775,014.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 6,481 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,228,084.69. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, President Christopher John Perry sold 6,643 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $200.17, for a total transaction of $1,329,729.31. Following the transaction, the president now owns 59,282 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,866,477.94. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, VP Laura Matlin sold 4,090 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $189.49, for a total transaction of $775,014.10. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 6,481 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,228,084.69. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 41,246 shares of company stock valued at $8,211,616 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 1.60% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BR has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. StockNews.com upgraded Broadridge Financial Solutions from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Raymond James upped their price objective on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $205.00 to $214.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $175.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, December 8th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $212.00 to $239.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their price objective on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $226.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, December 5th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $203.17.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on Broadridge Financial Solutions

Broadridge Financial Solutions Stock Up 0.2 %

Broadridge Financial Solutions stock traded up $0.46 during trading on Monday, reaching $201.95. 134,703 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 599,367. The companys 50-day moving average is $200.93 and its two-hundred day moving average is $189.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.77, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a current ratio of 1.40. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. has a 52-week low of $133.97 and a 52-week high of $210.24. The firm has a market cap of $23.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.10 and a beta of 1.01.

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE:BR  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The business services provider reported $0.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.89 by $0.03. Broadridge Financial Solutions had a net margin of 10.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. The firm had revenue of $1.41 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.40 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.91 EPS. The firms revenue was up 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. will post 7.72 earnings per share for the current year.

Broadridge Financial Solutions Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a $0.80 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.58%. Broadridge Financial Solutionss payout ratio is currently 55.75%.

Broadridge Financial Solutions Company Profile

(Free Report)

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for the financial services industry. The company's Investor Communication Solutions segment processes and distributes proxy materials to investors in equity securities and mutual funds, as well as facilitates related vote processing services; and distributes regulatory reports, class action, and corporate action/reorganization event information, as well as tax reporting solutions.

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Sittner & Nelson LLC decreased its stake in shares of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU  Free Report) by 12.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,756 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 250 shares during the period. Sittner & Nelson LLCs holdings in Prudential Financial were worth $167,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of PRU. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in Prudential Financial by 104,987.2% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,450,633 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $243,740,000 after purchasing an additional 2,448,301 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Prudential Financial during the 4th quarter valued at $172,363,000. Cowa LLC boosted its position in Prudential Financial by 9,930.2% during the 1st quarter. Cowa LLC now owns 771,824 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $912,000 after acquiring an additional 764,129 shares during the period. Mariner LLC lifted its holdings in Prudential Financial by 2,197.4% in the first quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 690,184 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $81,560,000 after purchasing an additional 660,142 shares during the period. Finally, Virginia Retirement Systems ET AL acquired a new position in Prudential Financial during the 2nd quarter valued at about $48,716,000. 54.92% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other Prudential Financial news, CFO Kenneth Tanji sold 23,124 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.14, for a total value of $2,431,257.36. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 47,155 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,957,876.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.37% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently commented on PRU shares. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Prudential Financial from $105.00 to $109.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $118.00 target price (down from $119.00) on shares of Prudential Financial in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Raymond James lowered shares of Prudential Financial from a strong-buy rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Friday, February 9th. TheStreet raised shares of Prudential Financial from a c+ rating to an a- rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their target price on Prudential Financial from $108.00 to $112.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and ten have assigned a hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $105.60.

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Prudential Financial Stock Performance

Shares of PRU stock traded down $1.02 during trading on Monday, reaching $107.05. The company had a trading volume of 1,361,972 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,596,025. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $104.75 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $98.31. Prudential Financial, Inc. has a one year low of $75.37 and a one year high of $110.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.13 and a quick ratio of 0.13. The company has a market capitalization of $38.43 billion, a PE ratio of 16.15, a PEG ratio of 0.68 and a beta of 1.37.

Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The financial services provider reported $2.58 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.67 by ($0.09). Prudential Financial had a return on equity of 14.52% and a net margin of 4.89%. The firm had revenue of $13.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.99 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.42 earnings per share. Prudential Financials quarterly revenue was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts forecast that Prudential Financial, Inc. will post 13.49 earnings per share for the current year.

Prudential Financial Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be given a $1.30 dividend. This is an increase from Prudential Financials previous quarterly dividend of $1.25. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.86%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 16th. Prudential Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 77.73%.

About Prudential Financial

(Free Report)

Prudential Financial, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through PGIM, Retirement Strategies, Group Insurance, Individual Annuities, Individual Life, Assurance IQ, and International Businesses segments.

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Synovus Financial Corp cut its stake in shares of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV  Free Report) by 5.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 121,374 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 7,648 shares during the quarter. Synovus Financial Corp owned 0.05% of Travelers Companies worth $19,823,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its holdings in shares of Travelers Companies by 1.6% during the third quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 118,696 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $19,384,000 after purchasing an additional 1,819 shares during the period. MQS Management LLC purchased a new position in Travelers Companies in the third quarter worth $825,000. Mendel Money Management raised its position in Travelers Companies by 16.3% in the third quarter. Mendel Money Management now owns 2,915 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $476,000 after acquiring an additional 408 shares in the last quarter. Operose Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Travelers Companies in the third quarter worth $43,000. Finally, Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors raised its position in Travelers Companies by 5.5% in the third quarter. Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors now owns 2,301 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $376,000 after acquiring an additional 120 shares in the last quarter. 81.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Activity

In related news, Vice Chairman William H. Heyman sold 26,633 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $212.76, for a total transaction of $5,666,437.08. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 255,178 shares in the company, valued at approximately $54,291,671.28. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other Travelers Companies news, Vice Chairman William H. Heyman sold 26,633 shares of Travelers Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $212.76, for a total transaction of $5,666,437.08. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 255,178 shares in the company, valued at approximately $54,291,671.28. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, SVP Paul E. Munson sold 2,121 shares of Travelers Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $212.86, for a total value of $451,476.06. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 719 shares in the company, valued at $153,046.34. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 109,775 shares of company stock valued at $23,343,903 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 1.29% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have issued reports on TRV shares. UBS Group increased their price objective on Travelers Companies from $205.00 to $225.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Travelers Companies from $185.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. StockNews.com upgraded Travelers Companies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Raymond James raised their price target on Travelers Companies from $220.00 to $245.00 and gave the company a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, Citigroup raised their price target on Travelers Companies from $185.00 to $204.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have given a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $201.38.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Travelers Companies

Travelers Companies Trading Down 0.4 %

NYSE:TRV traded down $0.88 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $220.08. The companys stock had a trading volume of 969,704 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,674,526. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $203.35 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $180.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 0.34 and a quick ratio of 0.34. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $157.33 and a twelve month high of $223.88. The stock has a market cap of $50.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.58.

Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 19th. The insurance provider reported $7.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $5.10 by $1.91. Travelers Companies had a return on equity of 13.68% and a net margin of 7.23%. The firm had revenue of $10.93 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.18 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $3.40 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 13.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 17.68 EPS for the current year.

Travelers Companies Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be paid a $1.00 dividend. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.82%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 7th. Travelers Companiess dividend payout ratio is currently 31.27%.

Travelers Companies Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Travelers Companies, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance.

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Synovus Financial Corp decreased its holdings in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM  Free Report) by 2.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 137,087 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 4,143 shares during the quarter. Synovus Financial Corps holdings in Waste Management were worth $20,898,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of WM. Financial Advocates Investment Management increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Financial Advocates Investment Management now owns 3,881 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $592,000 after acquiring an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Ledyard National Bank grew its holdings in Waste Management by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Ledyard National Bank now owns 2,224 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $339,000 after buying an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Shepherd Financial Partners LLC grew its holdings in Waste Management by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Shepherd Financial Partners LLC now owns 3,363 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $513,000 after buying an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Webster Bank N. A. grew its holdings in Waste Management by 30.9% in the 3rd quarter. Webster Bank N. A. now owns 288 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $44,000 after buying an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Waste Management by 6.6% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,128 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $196,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 78.34% of the companys stock.

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Waste Management Trading Down 0.3 %

NYSE WM traded down $0.59 on Monday, reaching $207.46. The company had a trading volume of 1,655,691 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,741,568. The stocks 50 day moving average is $185.82 and its 200-day moving average is $170.96. The stock has a market cap of $83.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.76, a PEG ratio of 3.16 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.30. Waste Management, Inc. has a 52 week low of $148.31 and a 52 week high of $209.22.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Waste Management ( NYSE:WM Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 12th. The business services provider reported $1.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.53 by $0.21. Waste Management had a return on equity of 36.51% and a net margin of 11.28%. The company had revenue of $5.22 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.19 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.30 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that Waste Management, Inc. will post 6.87 earnings per share for the current year.

WM has been the subject of a number of research reports. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Waste Management from $190.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on Waste Management in a research report on Monday, November 27th. They issued an equal weight rating and a $175.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on Waste Management from $163.00 to $189.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Waste Management from $165.00 to $197.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Finally, HSBC lowered Waste Management from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $210.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Waste Management currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $197.57.

View Our Latest Report on Waste Management

Insider Transactions at Waste Management

In other news, VP Donald J. Smith sold 329 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $198.56, for a total transaction of $65,326.24. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 5,522 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,096,448.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, VP Donald J. Smith sold 329 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $198.56, for a total transaction of $65,326.24. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 5,522 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,096,448.32. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director John C. Pope sold 185 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $181.00, for a total value of $33,485.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 56,461 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,219,441. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 37,343 shares of company stock valued at $7,101,821 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.27% of the companys stock.

Waste Management Profile

(Free Report)

Waste Management, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of environmental solutions to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in the United States and Canada. It offers collection services, including picking up and transporting waste and recyclable materials from where it was generated to a transfer station, material recovery facility (MRF), or disposal site; and owns and operates transfer stations, as well as owns, develops, and operates landfill facilities that produce landfill gas used as renewable natural gas for generating electricity.

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An elderly man convicted of animal cruelty and neglect has been granted permission to continue keeping animals.

According to the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the 78 year old man from Co Cork admitted to 10 offences under sections 11 and 12 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which enshrines a duty to protect animal welfare and prohibits animal cruelty.

This week (February 21), ISPCA Senior Inspector, Emma Carroll, recounted her experience visiting the man's yard on July 1, 2022 to Macroom District Court.

According to the ISPCA, Inspector Carroll found several animals in a concerning state, including a male collie dog attached to a stone wall by a heavy chain and saturated puppies.

The inspector discovered a "lifeless" and almost hairless male collie dog attached to a stone wall by a heavy chain and surrounded by its own faeces.

The dog reportedly had no access to food or water.

A thin and extremely nervous female collie was also found in a pile of rubbish and was confined by a tangled chain, unable to move.

Her coat was reportedly saturated as it was raining heavily, and she was shivering.

The inspectors discovered another female collie along with her five young nursing puppies in an open shed; the mother was tethered to a wall with a very short chain, and the bedding in the shed was wet and soiled straw.

All the puppies had wet coats due to being exposed to the rain.

Additionally, seven ducks were found confined in a cattle trailer; they had no access to daylight, food or water and were living in their own filth.

According to the ISPCA, the Cork man is a small-time farmer who trialled sheep dogs and was normally assisted by his daughter, but she had had a baby and "standards had slipped".

The judge convicted the man but felt that, given his age, he was not a good candidate for prison.

However, he reportedly fined the defendant 1,000 and imposed an order disqualifying him for life from keeping any animals with the exception of 20 or fewer sheep, one working sheepdog and one donkey.

The judge also ordered forfeiture of the seized dogs to the ISPCA.
A vigil was held on Monday night for the Laois woman who was found dead on a street in Dublin on Sunday morning.

The woman, aged 47, who has been named locally as Ann Delaney, was originally from Crettyard in Co Laois.

She was found unresponsive outside a supermarket on Aungier Street on Sunday morning.

She was a former nurse and had one daughter.

Monday night's gathering was held to remember her with music and poetry and to let off balloon's in Ann's memory.

Liberty Soup Run said they were heartbroken over Ann, who was "special in her own way".

People posting tributes noted she was a keen poet and loved words.

Heart broken still can't belive that you passes away Ann. Guys liberty soup run will be down were ann passed away at 8pm today we will be letting off balloons and playing couple off Ann's songs that she loved we would like you join us to say goodbye. pic.twitter.com/P5r2F5LYRj  Liberty Soup run (@run_soup89131) February 26, 2024

A notice posted on RIP.ie read: Ann Delaney, Dromagh, Crettyard, Co. Laois, February 25th 2024 at St. Jamess Hospital, Dublin aged 47 years. Beloved daughter of Mary and the late Tom. Sadly missed by her loving daughter Saoirse, mother, brothers Thomas, John, Ciaran and Paul, sisters Siobhan, Tricia, Roisin and Emer, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, relatives and a wide circle of friends.

Crettyard GAA also posted a tribute to the late Ann, noting her caring nature.
On February 25, 2024, commemorating 103 years since the annexation of the First Republic of Georgia, Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, reaffirmed the government's determination to end the occupation and reunify the country."This day is one of the most difficult and tragic in the history of Georgia-the defeat of the First Republic of Georgia against the Soviet regime and the occupation of the Georgian state. Despite the great efforts of the Georgian patriots, the then newly created republic was not able to deal with the evil force that destroyed the prospect of development and freedom for our country.The occupation continues today. After the restoration of independence, Georgia again had to enter into its oldest and unequal battle. Even today, an indigenous part of our state remains under occupation.In contrast to the 20s of the last century, today we are much stronger, sovereign, and self-confident. We will have the strength, and we have a goal to end the occupation, unify the country, and further strengthen the sovereignty of the Georgian state," Papuashvili stated.The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, met with the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Georgia, Ali Kaan Orbay.According to the administration of the Government of Georgia, the meeting focused on discussing the strategic partnership between the two countries and prospects for the development of cooperation."The focus was on economic cooperation, particularly discussing the active collaboration between Georgia and Turkey in regional-geostrategic projects. It was noted that the existing regional projects serve as a clear example of the effective and reliable partnership between the two countries.They also discussed the situation in the region, emphasizing the importance of peace and stability for ensuring further development and long-term prosperity. It was noted that Georgia appreciates Turkey's strong support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its non-recognition policy," the statement reads.
This activist screed attempts a slightly clever spin in order to convince Johnson County housewives that it's their duty to back terrorist factions in the Middle-East . . . Here's the word . . .



"Upholding the freedom of choice, the Kansas constitution protects the right to abortion, but anti-abortion legislators continue to introduce bill after bill to dismantle this liberty. They supposedly mean to protect the sanctity of life, which they argue begins at conception.



"Yet they are silent when it comes to the murder of the living and breathing young ones who exist outside of the womb, including more than 12,000 Palestinian children who have been killed in the past five months at the hands of the Israeli government, aided and abetted by President Joe Biden and his administration and paid for with our tax dollars.



"Time and time again, it doesnt seem that all lives matter."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Sadly, after last year's progress we notice an uptick in killing across the State Line:



"Police were called to that address around 10:30 p.m. on a disturbance. Police say when they arrived on scene, they found a man who had been stabbed. He died on the scene."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Kansas City, Kansas, police investigating late night homicide Kansas City, Kansas, police are investigating a homicide in the 2000 block of North 57th Terrace that left one man dead.
Travel Dates: September 14-22, 2024



(TRAVPR.COM) USA - February 26th, 2024 -

Camarillo, California  February 25th, 2024  Wine Lovers Travel has partnered with Janis Pelletiere, the esteemed owner of Pelletiere Estate, to be the host of this exclusive trip, making it a truly one-of-a-kind experience. With her passion for wine and extensive knowledge of the region, Janis, as well as a local guide, will escort guests through the hidden gems of Sicily, providing insider insights and creating unforgettable memories.

During this 9-day adventure, guests will have the opportunity to indulge their taste buds with the richness of Sicilian chocolates, dive into the secrets of local cuisine through a hands-on cooking class and experience the unique thrill of taking a panoramic train journey right into the heart of the vineyard.

The itinerary for this trip is carefully curated to provide a diverse and immersive experience. Guests will begin their journey in Palermo, where they will explore the city's rich history and cultural tapestry. A visit to the renowned Donnafugata Wine Cellar will offer a guided tasting of exquisite wines paired with a delectable lunch. The adventure continues through picturesque towns, such as Cefalu and Modica, where guests will have the opportunity to indulge in local delicacies and explore the region's artistic treasures.

One of the highlights of this trip is the authentic Sicilian Cooking Class in Taormina. Guests will have the pleasure of preparing traditional recipes under the guidance of a skilled teacher and savoring the Sicilian feast they've created. This hands-on experience will provide a deeper understanding of Sicilian cuisine and leave guests with cherished memories.

Throughout the journey, guests will have the opportunity to visit at least one wine cellar and four wineries, including the Barone Sergio Winery and Campore Winery. These visits will offer unique insights into the winemaking process and allow guests to taste a variety of exceptional Sicilian wines. Whether you're a wine enthusiast, a food lover, or simply someone seeking a remarkable travel experience, this trip promises to exceed your expectations.

Join Wine Lovers Travel and Pelletiere Estate on this unforgettable journey to Sicily, where you'll immerse yourself in the beauty, flavors, and culture of this enchanting region. Book your spot today and get ready to create memories that will last a lifetime.

###
Our conversation with French philosopher Frederic Lenoir flows best on level ground. Its not that this author, who has sold millions of copies of his books, avoids controversial topics or is averse to confrontation; hes simply connected to the video call from a car, accompanied by some friends, and the connection worsens markedly as they drive up the side of a mountain on a Los Angeles highway. You just caught me in the middle of a road trip, and my friends have a nonnegotiable commitment. I promise that well pull over to the shoulder as soon as we can, he apologizes.

They didnt reach the shoulder until the last question. Luckily, Lenoirs explanatory clarity in his work withstood a conversation that froze with each change of altitude. The author just published Desire, a Philosophy in which he addresses the importance of desire in human life, the need to regulate it in a world saturated with options and technology, and the role of social media, consumer society and pornography in the decline of what philosopher Henri Bergson called elan vital (vital impulse in French).

Question: In your latest book, you state that a human being without any desire is one of the living dead. Why is desire so important in our lives?

Answer: As Spinoza said, I believe that desire is what constitutes our uniqueness as human beings. It is the fundamental driver of our existence; without it, we would not feel like living or getting up in the morning. To some extent, depression is an illness that can be defined as the absence of desire. I am firmly opposed to the ascetic approach that seeks to suppress [desire], because I believe that would be tantamount to losing our humanity. For me, the key is how to direct the impulse of desire constructively.

Q: You even connect desire to the environmental crisis. Does the future of humanity reside in learning to regulate our desires?

A: Yes. The current alliance between technology and environmental liberalism allows most of us to respond to incentives from the most primitive part of our brain, which makes us always want more. This is catastrophic from an ecological point of view because infinite growth is impossible in a finite world with limited resources. It is also a source of permanent dissatisfaction for those who are never satisfied with what they have.

Q: How is it possible to distinguish authentic and beneficial desires from the ones inculcated by consumer society, the family or dominant religions?

A: We cannot escape from what Socrates tells us: know thyself. We must be introspective and observe ourselves. This is a work of critical observation of oneself, which can be carried out through psychoanalysis, personal introspection, or meditation. With time and experience, one gets to know oneself. This is what Jung calls the individuation process. Normally, it occurs between the ages of 35 and 50, since before that, one is trapped in the influence of society and family. However, there comes a time, in midlife, when one asks oneself: Have I chosen my profession well? Have I chosen my partner well? Maybe I need to do something that will make me feel happier and more useful in society. That is why many people seek therapy and reorient their lives at that age, because we look for what is right for us as individuals.

We should all limit our desires in order to be happier and improve our quality of life.

Q: You practice fasting and only allow yourself 20 minutes of news each day; you are also an outspoken advocate of mindfulness. Dont these practices contribute to suppressing desire, as you have previously asserted?

A: I am a true epicurean. Being epicurean does not mean seeking an abundance or quantity of desires, but rather prioritizing quality over quantity. It is better to have a little food of high quality than a lot of food of low quality. This ethic focuses on moderating our desires, not suppressing them altogether: it is about limiting them to what is essential and valuable. By fasting, I seek to train my body to limit its cravings and savor food even more. By restricting the amount of news I consume on a daily basis, I seek to avoid the mental saturation and stress caused by an excess of information, which is usually negative. I would say that we should all limit our desires in order to be happier and improve our quality of life.

Q: Was it easier to manage desire in Epicuruss and Aristotles time than it is today?

A: Yes and no. On the one hand, the management of desire has been a subject studied throughout the history of philosophy. In that sense, the core of the human being has not changed. The social environment has changed drastically, exacerbating the difficulties in regulating desire, because today we cannot [help] but desire. The possibility of doing everything complicates the lives of many Westerners, who are often undecided, they dont know what they want or what is best for them. A modern disease, which Alain Ehrenbergs The Weariness of the Self describes well, is the exhaustion that results from trying to be authentic. The quest for authenticity is fine, but it can be exhausting, and many individuals feel tired because they have too many options from which to choose. When you have so many options, you try to do everything and, ultimately, you dont do anything well. Again, we find ourselves focused more on quantity than quality.

Q: In the book, you analyze how young peoples desires are manipulated, especially through social media.

A: The vast majority of teenagers are completely hooked on social media. Its a kind of slavery; they constantly need to check [their] notifications. In fact, workers at major technology companies acknowledge that social media is designed to manipulate the young peoples minds, feeding their need for recognition through likes. The dilemma is how to regulate that, which is very difficult because it is extremely hard to regulate social media globally. Personally, I believe more in self-discipline. On the one hand, parents should limit their childrens use of social media as much as possible; [on the other hand], the best we can do is to offer teenagers something that motivates them more than social media.

Q: Like what?

A: The philosopher Baruch Spinoza explains that it is possible to overcome an addiction to a misdirected desire that makes us unhappy simply through the power of reason and will. To achieve that, it is necessary to create positive affection [that is] more powerful than [what] we wish to counteract, thereby redirecting our desire toward somethingwhether it is a person, an activity or an objectthat will bring us greater well-being. I know of a young girl who was completely addicted to social media. Her parents tried to help her overcome this addiction and discovered that she was passionate about horses. Now, horses have become her new passion, and she has beaten her old addiction. It is crucial to offer them real experiences that give them more satisfaction than what they can get on social media.

Q: You also express concern about sexual burnout among young people.

A: Indeed, there is a problem of sexual desire in the younger generation. Several studies have shown that young people have less and less sex drive, which is primarily attributed to the consumption of pornography. Sex scares them. Kids are concerned about the idea of performance associated with sexual activity. Many young adults talk about their fear of not being good enough, of not providing enough pleasure for their partner, or not receiving enough pleasure themselves. Girls are concerned about not enjoying themselves as much as they expected [they would] and are more afraid of violence. For that reason, they prefer to opt for chastity rather than facing the risk of forced sex or sexual practices. Porn creates fear, no doubt.

People have become accustomed to the virtual world, so direct interactions are more confusing and complicated.

Q: And physical contact, too.

A: People have become accustomed to the virtual world, so direct interactions are more confusing and complicated. Young people are no longer sure what they want, they are afraid to establish relationships, and they are afraid of the other person. They decide that they can be better satisfied individually than in the company of another person. All of these factors now make direct physical relationshipsand not only those of a sexual nature, but also emotional and affective relationshipsintimidating for many people.

Q: Some young people, especially boys, have found refuge in Stoic doctrine.

A: In my opinion, Stoicisms success today is due to several factors. The first is its accessibility. There are a number of maxims, prescriptions and formulas that one can try to apply in ones daily life. The Stoics understood this dimension of practical philosophy, which can help us live well through principles that are perfectly applicable today. For example, in his Manual for Living, Epictetus differentiates between what is within our control and what is not; what depends on us is what we can change, while it is better to calmly accept what is not [within our control] instead of getting frustrated, so we can avoid suffering twice. These teachings are the key to a fuller life.

Q: And whats the other reason?

A: The other reason is that it teaches us to regulate our desires. It teaches us to let go... In a world where we constantly desire things, where we long for everything but cannot have everything, we feel deeply dissatisfied and trapped in a frenzy of desires. As Kant rightly said, seeking happiness through desire is an irrational fantasy. Stoicism teaches us that, in order to be happy, we must limit our desires and accept reality as it is. [We have] to learn to say yes to life, let go of ballast and accept reality. That work of accepting reality is a good philosophy, and it is at the heart of Stoicism.

Q: Three years ago, you publicly condemned the creation of the public health pass and the decision to confine people to their homes during Covid-19.

A: I am convinced that one of the best ways to live fully and truly feel alive is to accept death. If our whole life is organized around the fear of dying, we run the risk of leading a very limited and small life. The Covid-19 pandemic years have underscored this obsession with health in many people and in the political management of the crisis: nothing mattered more than saving as many lives as possible, even at the expense of individual freedom and everyones psychological and emotional balance. In the spring of 2020, I condemned the policy of elevating health as the supreme value. The fear of death leads us to make individual and collective decisions that limit life, sterilize it and take away all its flavor.

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Those people are our people too. The words of UNC Senator David Nakhid, following the deadly
Ukraines Ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Zvarych, called on the Polish authorities to do their utmost to find and prosecute those responsible for dumping Ukrainian grain from vehicles and rail cars heading via Poland.

The Ukrainian diplomat addressed the issue via X, responding to yet another such provocation on Sunday, reports Ukrinform.

"The perpetrators of such barbarism harm not only Ukraine, but also Poland. We appeal to the Polish authorities and the police to do everything possible, and impossible, to find and justly prosecute those responsible for such shameful actions!" wrote Zvarych.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on February 25, 160 tonnes of Ukrainian agriproducts were dumped from eight rail cars at the Kotomiez rail station. This is the fourth case of vandalism at Polish railways.

On February 20, Polish farmers blocked railway traffic near the Medyka checkpoint on the border with Ukraine and dumped grain from a freight car onto the tracks.

On February 23, around 9:00, at the Dorohusk railway checkpoint, unidentified perpetrators dumped Germany-bound Ukrainian rapeseed from three rail cars.

On February 24, freight cars carrying Ukrainian beans were damaged, also at the Dorohusk station.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, who spoke at a press conference within the Ukraine. Year 2024 forum, expressed belief that the Polish government is able to solve the problem of damage being inflicted on Ukrainian agriexports at the border.
Latvia has banned the import of Russian grain at the legislative level, and is now proposing that the EU undertake similar measures, since all such products can be replaced by cereals harvested in Ukraine.

Latvian Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze stated this today in Brussels at the doorstep of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council, reports an Ukrinform correspondent.

"We are still asking to put Russian grains and food under the sanctions. Latvia adopted a national law regarding the import from Russia into the Republic of Latvia. This does not affect transit to third countries, including other EU countries. But, since last Thursday, our parliament passed a ban on Russian grain and foodstuff import to the Republic of Latvia," said Krauze.

Read also: Russian missiles hit grain hangar in eastern Ukraine

"Everything thats imported from Russia can be imported from Ukraine. And in this way, we will help Ukraine and not help Russia support its war machine," the Latvian minister added.

He noted that the EU's Common Agricultural Policy needs to be clarified, as a lot has changed since its latest review in 2021, and Europe now has a war on its doorstep. This development changes a lot both in the geopolitical situation and on the market. For instance, Ukraine is now unable to deliver grain to Africa to feed the most vulnerable nations.

"Now we have difficulties on the (Polish) border. We fully support Ukraine. What is happening at the border from the point of view of the European Union is not understandable. We have to ensure there is free goods movement between member states and that we cant block our borders. () We have to adapt quickly and not say we'll think, we will do' in a couple of years. We have to act quickly," the Latvian government official emphasized.

As reported earlier, the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council is meeting today in Brussels. Multiple tractors have been parked along the streets of the European Quarter in Brussels as farmers demand from the EU a review of the Common Agricultural Policy, in particular, new green standards for farmland use.
The Kremlin has turned expropriations into a new weapon for 2024. The Russian government has threatened to confiscate Western assets in its territory if the United States and the European Union in turn seize Russian assets frozen by the invasion of Ukraine. At the same time it is putting pressure on its own citizens through appropriating their assets if they are convicted of criticizing the Russian army or evading the draft.

Paradoxically, this confiscatory policy coincides with a wave of partial privatizations the Kremlin is using to try to squeeze as much money as possible out of the state to pay for its war with Kyiv. This new revenue will also be used to reinforce support from the Russians who have benefited from openly displaying their loyalty to President Vladimir Putin.

Last Thursday the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations approved the REPO act, the law that would allow frozen Russian assets to be allocated to Ukraine, to which the Kremlin has promised to make a tit-for-tat response if the West ultimately takes that step. The European Union and the United States have not yet made a decision due to the scarcity of foreign capital that this measure could entail, but Moscow warns that billions of Western assets that are still trapped in Russian accounts will remain permanently in the hands of the Kremlin.

The Central Bank of Russia introduced the so-called Type C accounts at the beginning of the war to prevent the withdrawal of funds and assets from Russia by residents of hostile countries. Transactions between residents and non-residents were transferred to these accounts in order to keep that money in Russia until further notice. Among other restrictions, a ban was placed on the withdrawal of funds obtained from the sale of a company without the express authorization of the Ministry of Finance.

State news agency Ria Novosti estimated recently that Western assets in Russian accounts are valued at about $288 billion. However, they are numbers that must be read with caution: of the $223 billion attributed to European countries, $98.3 billion come from Cyprus, a favorite tax haven for super wealthy Russians. The oligarchs are currently using the island to evade some of the Wests sanctions on them. Conversely, Germany  Russias major trading partner until Putin invaded Ukraine  only has about $17.3 billion of trapped assets.

On April 25, 2023, one year and two months after launching his offensive on Ukraine, Putin signed a decree authorizing his government to temporarily take the helm of foreign companies assets in Russia. Also on that day, the federal agency for the management of state property, Rosimushchestvo, replaced the directors of two energy companies  the subsidiaries of the German company Uniper and the Finnish company Fortum, which account for a dozen thermal plants and the largest gas power plant in the country.

The objective of the decree is to create a compensation fund for the possible adoption of retaliatory measures against the illegal expropriation of Russian assets abroad, Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned at the time.

Western companies that did not flee in the first months of the war have found themselves in a cage since last year. Many companies, such as McDonalds and Inditex, chose to transfer their subsidiary to Russian partners and suppliers at reduced prices with the option of returning in the future, a decision that is still on the table, according to industry sources.

However, the Kremlin has made progress difficult. In December 2022, the Russian government decreed that the sale of assets had to have a 50% discount compared to their market value, and three months later established that at least 5% of this valuation must finance its budget. Finally, the Russian president signed another decree in June through which the government has the right to buy any Western assets at reduced prices if it considers that they have left Russia with significant losses or their management has worsened.

If a company does not fulfill its obligations, then it falls into the bad companies category. What we do with their assets after that is our business, Peskov stated.

The most striking cases in recent months have been that which affected a subsidiary of Danone; Rolf, one of the largest car dealerships in the country; and Baltika brewery, part of the Carlsberg group. Management of the French food companys subsidiary was transferred to the president of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrovs nephew, last summer. In addition to taking control of the lucrative business, 33-year-old Yakub Zakriev is also the Caucasus republics Minister of Agriculture.

For its part, control of Rolf was transferred to Rosimushchestvo. Theoretically, the companys shares still belong to its parent company based in Cyprus, but its assets are being managed by the Russian authorities who have not paid any compensation. The same playbook is being followed in the case of Baltika, whose owners refuse to negotiate with Moscow.

They have stolen our business in Russia and we are not going to help them legitimize it, Carlsberg director Jacob Aarup-Andersen told reporters in the fall. The company has reclassified its subsidiary's new revenue as money owed to it by the Russian government.

In parallel, the Kremlin has taken control of other Russian giants thanks to the fact that their owners decided  or the authorities made them decide  to get rid of their companies and leave the country. Among others, the Tinkoff bank and the technology company Yandex, which was considered until recently one of Googles great rivals. Interestingly, the Russian government has also reversed some privatizations from the 1990s. A court ruled in September 2023 that one of Russias largest methanol production plants, owned by Metafrax, had been irregularly acquired more than three decades ago.

Change of hands

The Russian Finance Minister, Anton Siluanov, announced a program of partial privatizations for this year among 30 companies where the state would not lose its majority status. He did not say which companies, and set only a modest income target, around 1.2 billion rubles (about $13 million at todays exchange rate). But there is a catch: in 2023 the goal was similar, although the final income was many times greater, up to $326 million.

In the opinion of Ekaterina Kurbangaleyeva, an expert at the Carnegie Center, this nationalization and privatization 2.0  she compares it with the processes experienced in the years after the disappearance of the Soviet Union  seem mutually exclusive, but in reality they can be quite compatible and combining them can provide the political system with stability.

The analyst shares the concept of quasi-nationalization proposed by the former Minister of Finance and now head of Yandex, Alexei Kudrin. While key companies will be absorbed by state banks, non-strategic assets (the consumer market, especially) will be redistributed at bargain prices among the nouveau riche, the upper middle class, and the regimes administration and security forces. Those who remained in Russia in the hope of benefiting from a mass exodus (...) and will become a source of patriotic support, he summarizes.

Russian authorities have also used confiscations as a weapon to intensify internal repression. This week, Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the State Duma (the Russian lower house) and the leaders of parliamentary factions introduced a bill to seize the assets of citizens who criticize the war against Ukraine.

The initiative provides for the confiscation of money, valuables, and other property of those accused of deliberately spreading false information about the use of the Russian armed forces, including criticizing the deaths of civilians in bombings, and publicly calling for extremist activities. That is, calling for demonstrations in the street.

Anyone who tries to destroy Russia, who betrays it, must suffer his well-deserved punishment and compensate for the damage caused to the country at the expense of their property, Volodin said.

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People hold a banner and a image of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on his memorial at Las Ramblas of Barcelona, Spain, February 25, 2024.

Associates of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Monday that talks were underway shortly before his death to exchange him for a Russian imprisoned in Germany.

Alexei Navalny could have been sitting here now, today. Its not a figure of speech, Maria Pevchikh, who lives outside Russia, said in a video statement. She said she received confirmation the talks were in the final stages on Feb. 15, the day before Navalny was reported dead.

According to Pevchikh, Navalny and two U.S. citizens held in Russia were supposed to be swapped for Vadim Krasikov. He was serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 killing in Berlin of Zelimkhan Tornike Khangoshvili, a 40-year-old Georgian citizen of Chechen descent. German judges said Krasikov acted on the orders of Russian authorities, who gave him a false identity, passport and resources to carry out the killing.

She didnt identify the U.S. citizens that were supposedly part of the deal. There are several in custody in Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich arrested on espionage charges, and Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan, convicted of espionage and serving a long prison sentence. They and the U.S. government dispute the charges against them.

German officials have refused to comment when asked if there had been any effort by Russia to secure a swap of Krasikov.

U.S. commentator Tucker Carlson earlier this month asked President Vladimir Putin about the prospects of exchanging Gershkovich, and Putin said the Kremlin was open to negotiations. He pointed to a man imprisoned in a U.S.-allied country for liquidating a bandit who had allegedly killed Russian soldiers during separatist fighting in Chechnya. Putin didnt mention names but appeared to refer to Krasikov.

Pevchikh alleged in her video that Putin wouldnt tolerate setting Navalny free and decided to get rid of the bargaining chip. She offered no evidence to back that claim.

Asked at a regular news conference in Berlin about the claim by the Navalny team, German government spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann said she couldnt comment.

Navalny, 47, Russias best-known opposition politician, died Feb. 16 in an Arctic penal colony while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges that he rejected as politically motivated.

His family spent a week fighting with the authorities, who reportedly insisted on a secret funeral, before his body was returned to them. Prominent Russians released videos calling on authorities to release the body. Western nations have hit Russia with more sanctions in response to Navalnys death as well as for the invasion of Ukraine, which marked its second anniversary on Saturday.

Navalnys spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said Monday they were looking for a venue for a memorial service later this week.

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When a Gazan is asked via WhatsApp what they ate the day before, there is no need to specify whether it was for breakfast, lunch or dinner because it was their only meal of the day. Thats in the best of cases. In the worst, they are one of the half a million people the United Nations considers to be in the most critical of the five phases of food crises: at high risk of dying from starvation. More than 80% of the people in the world who are in this phase  considered catastrophic  are currently struggling in Gaza. Especially in the north, where the lack of flour is leading some families to prepare pita bread with ground animal feed and the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) has suspended humanitarian aid, after after a hungry mob attacked its trucks last week.

In Gaza, there is simply not enough food for everyone. When fate permits and I get it, it is once a day. Other days, I cant find it, or its too expensive and I cant afford it, says Tamer Ashraf, 20, who, like many hundreds of thousands of others, escaped from northern Gaza to the city of Khan Younis and then, again by order of the Israeli army, to Rafah, where more than half of Gazas 2.3 million population are waiting to be forcibly displaced again ahead of Israels planned ground invasion of the area.

All of Gaza is hungry today, to a greater or lesser extent. Some 64% eat only once a day and 95% ration portions or give less to adults so that children have more, according to United Nations data. In the north, the estimated hundreds of thousands of people remaining meet at least one of three indicators signaling famine and are on track to meet the other two, according to the Famine Review Committee, the international team of food security and nutrition experts that analyzes the data. Nutrition checks at shelters and health centers in the north reveal that 15.6% of babies under two years of age are severely malnourished. Before the war, practically none of them were. Three percent are suffering from the most severe type of malnutrition: they will perish if they do not receive urgent help.

The data is captured in images that can be seen daily on television and social media: the fights over a ration when food is distributed, the queues of adults and children extending a plate or any plastic container, the looting of humanitarian aid, the prohibitive prices on the black market, the delight of those who can afford to eat shawarma for the first time in more than four months of war...

The WFP describes its last two attempts to deliver aid to Gaza, and the ensuing chaos that led the organization to suspend deliveries. On Sunday [February 18], as WFP started the route towards Gaza City, the convoy was surrounded by crowds of hungry people close to the Wadi Gaza checkpoint. First fending off multiple attempts by people trying to climb aboard our trucks, then facing gunfire once we entered Gaza City, our team was able to distribute a small quantity of the food along the way. On Monday, the second convoys journey north faced complete chaos and violence due to the collapse of civil order. Several trucks were looted between Khan Younis and Deir al Balah [in the center and south] and a truck driver was beaten. The remaining flour was spontaneously distributed off the trucks in Gaza city, amidst high tension and explosive anger.

In the statement, the WFP speaks of unprecedented levels of desperation. Aid has barely arrived to the north, and the police of the Hamas government, which maintains control in Rafah, refuses to escort trucks transporting aid because Israel bombs the agents, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, explained in a meeting with journalists at the organizations headquarters in Jerusalem.

Internally displaced Palestinian children queue for food provided by Arab and Palestinian donors in the city of Deir Al Balah, southern Gaza Strip, on February 24, 2024. MOHAMMED SABER (EFE)

Very little help arrives here and there is very little food available, Yahia Sarray, the mayor of the capital of Gaza, says in WhatsApp messages. People are hungry and cant find basic things, especially for children and babies. Many only eat one small meal a day. They go looking everywhere for anything they can eat. Sometimes they risk their lives by going to very dangerous places in the hope of getting something edible. What we need most is bread and flour, he says.

Jeremy Konyndyk, president of Refugees International, an American NGO dedicated to supporting displaced people, refugees and stateless people, warned last Tuesday in a video conference that nothing can prevent a famine in Gaza unless there is change. If an unhindered humanitarian operation is not allowed throughout Gaza, there will be famine. And it will not be because of natural phenomena, but because of the way in which this war is being carried out and the persistent and intentional denials of humanitarian access, mainly by Israel [...] which has only allowed one in five requests for movement in the north.

Using food as a weapon

In October, shortly after the start of the war, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a complete siege of Gaza blocking food, water, electricity and fuel. We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly, he said. Under pressure from allies, Israel allowed some humanitarian aid to enter Gaza from Egypt (although it is not Israels border, it must give the green light).

Some days fewer than 100 aid trucks enter, compared to the 500 before the war, when farms and industries were also up and running. In recent weeks, moreover, ultranationalist Israeli groups have been trying daily (and at times succeed) to stop the trucks from passing. The Israeli army has also bombed food warehouses, mills and bakeries (15 of the almost 100 are in operation). On January 16, eight U.N. rapporteurs accused Israel of destroying Gazas food system and using food as a weapon against the Palestinian people. Two days earlier, 15 NGOs  including Action Against Hunger, ActionAid, Plan International and Save the Children  reminded Israel that resolution 2417 of the United Nations Security Council condemns the starving of civilians as a method of warfare.

For weeks, humanitarian aid has been largely limited to the south, where the vast majority of the population is concentrated, hundreds of thousands of them in standard or makeshift tents. They mainly receive bottles of water, flour, baby milk, chickpeas, rice, cooking oil, sugar, canned meat...

In the market, you can buy fresh or packaged products, some of them from before the war. But there is little availability and the need is great, so now these cost up to 10 times more. A kilo of potatoes costs 14 shekels ($3.85, seven times more) and a bag of flour costs 500 shekels (10 times more). On the streets of Rafah, chocolates that were previously available for one or two shekels now cost 12 or 13. Sometimes we buy the cheapest thing in the market because prices have skyrocketed. A kilo of sugar can cost 20 times more. Others eat what we receive from humanitarian aid. We eat once or twice a day to save money because there is not always food in the market and prices change every day, says Asma, a young woman from the capital, who has been displaced to Rafah.

International organizations and NGOs are concentrating their efforts in Rafah, so the situation there is less dire, although 5% of children under two years of age have shown signs of acute malnutrition in examinations, according to U.N. data.

Marina Pomares returned on February 13 after working for a month in Rafah as medical coordinator with the Doctors Without Borders Spain project. She says that she did not see alarming malnutrition figures, because it was the area with the most access to food, but she did see mothers unable to breastfeed their children. She also had to provide emergency nutritional solutions to vulnerable groups, such as children under five years of age, and pregnant and lactating women. They have a very similar pattern: lack of food. They tend to consume a lot of legumes, carbohydrates, flour, non-perishable foods... What they lack most are proteins, she explains. Meat, for example, has been a luxury in Gaza since October 7, when the Hamas attacks triggered the Israeli invasion that has killed some 30,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and minors, and reduced most of its buildings to rubble.

Palestinians carry bags of flour they took from a humanitarian aid truck near an Israeli checkpoint, in Gaza City, on February 19, 2024. Kosay Al Nemer (REUTERS)

The Israeli government claims that Hamas steals up to 60% of humanitarian aid (which the United Nations has no record of) and blames the crisis on distribution problems. The bottleneck is not on the Israeli side, said the military coordinator for Gaza, Moshe Tetro. This idea is repeated in the Israeli media, along with the popular narrative that civilians are also to blame in one way or another for the October 7 attacks, fueling support for plans to further limit aid to force Hamas to hand over the Israeli hostages.

In its latest poll, published last Tuesday, the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) asked: Do you support or oppose the idea that Israel should allow the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza residents at this time, with food and medicines being transferred by international bodies that are not linked to Hamas or to UNRWA? Sixty-eight percent of the Jewish population replied that they opposed aid delivery, including 31% of respondents who define themselves as left-wing.

Konyndyk, who headed the humanitarian division of USAID, argues simple steps can be taken to prevent famine in Gaza. The way to do it is known and has been applied in other places: an immense flow of food, both in the humanitarian field and in the most important, commercial field. And they are both blocked right now in Gaza, he says.

The main problem, says Konyndyk, is that it is completely impossible to provide an adequate response in the current circumstances and will continue to be so without a ceasefire. And he points out another two important factors. Firstly, the data are not showing the excess mortality typical of a famine, but the fate of a large majority of people who do not go to hospitals is unknown, especially in the north. Secondly, in a famine, most people do not die from hunger, but from diseases, and today in Gaza, only five of the 35 hospitals are working and 70% of the children suffer from diarrhea. If there was a cholera outbreak right now, it would spread like wildfire, he explains.

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In the realm of education budgets, the quest for optimal returns on investment is akin to discovering the Holy Grail.Governments, university leaders, and fiscal stewards are perpetually in pursuit of extracting maximum value from allocated funds.

Now, a groundbreaking analysis conducted by Times Higher Education (THE), leveraging World University Rankings data, provides insights into the countries achieving the most "bang for their buck" from their respective university systems.

Analyzing Efficiency: How THE Data Sheds Light

THE's data scientists undertook a meticulous examination, assigning a score to each institution in the rankings. This scoring process incorporated three critical income metrics: institutional income, research income, and industry income. These metrics were then juxtaposed against indicators for research, teaching, and industry collaboration. By extrapolating these institutional scores to the country level, a panoramic view emerged, elucidating the efficacy of various nations' university systems in maximizing revenue.

READ ALSO: 5 Best and Top-Ranked Universities for Studying Medicine Abroad

Top 10 Countries Leading the Efficiency Charge

The top 10 countries based on those with 10 or more universities ranked are:

1. United Kingdom (UK): Spearheaded by institutions such as Brighton and Sussex Medical School, the UK showcases a robust performance, attributed to committed staff, aspirational students, and institutional autonomy.

2. France: Notable for institutions like Sorbonne University, France's success lies in strategic restructuring, merging entities to create agile, specialized universities while preserving democratic principles.

3. Iran: With universities like Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Iran's emphasis on STEM disciplines and strategic research domains post-revolution fuels its notable performance.

4. Pakistan: Institutions like Quaid-i-Azam University exemplify Pakistan's anomaly-substantial scientific output amidst low GDP per capita-attributed to strategic investments and a focus on teaching excellence.

5. Italy: While specific institutions weren't highlighted, Italy's university system exhibits commendable efficiency, contributing to its strong global standing.

6. India: Similar to Italy, India's universities contribute significantly to its global academic presence, demonstrating efficient resource utilization.

7. Spain: Strategic choices and institutional autonomy underscore Spain's efficient utilization of resources.

8. United States (US): With renowned institutions like Harvard and MIT, the US continues to lead in global academia, leveraging historic advantages and robust research infrastructure.

9. Egypt: While specific institutions weren't highlighted, Egypt's university system showcases efficiency, contributing to its regional academic prominence.

10. Saudi Arabia: Rounding off the top 10, Saudi Arabia's universities play a pivotal role in the nation's academic landscape, leveraging investments to foster research and innovation.

Insights into Efficiency Drivers

These leading nations exhibit diverse strategies for optimizing university value. The UK's success hinges on institutional autonomy and research focus, while France emphasizes agility and specialization. The renumeration system for academics in France, where almost all university educators are permanent and paid fairly, also had a role to play. Meanwhile, countries like Iran and Pakistan underscore the transformative power of strategic investments and academic excellence.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite these successes, challenges persist. Iran's emphasis on specific research domains may necessitate diversification. Moreover, the pursuit of efficiency must not compromise academic quality or researcher well-being.

THE's analysis illuminates the dynamic landscape of global academia, showcasing nations that excel in extracting value from university systems. As stakeholders navigate the complexities of higher education funding, these insights provide invaluable guidance for fostering efficient, impactful academic ecosystems.

RELATED ARTICLE: Donor Support Soars for US Higher Education Amidst Debate Over Influence
A delegation comprising 31 leaders, including provosts, vice provosts, and deans, from 17 prominent American universities is scheduled to visit India next week.

The primary objective of this high-powered group is to enhance collaboration and promote student and scholar mobility between the United States and India. The visit, spanning from February 25 to March 2, will see the delegation engage with 26 institutions in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad.

This diplomatic mission gains particular significance against the backdrop of recent incidents involving attacks on Indian students and individuals of Indian origin in various parts of the United States. The delegation's efforts align with the broader goal of both the US and Indian governments to cultivate mutually beneficial strategies in the educational domain.

READ ALSO: Anticipated Surge in Indian Student Enrollment as US Higher Education Faces Enrollment Decline

The previous year saw state visits by the respective presidents and prime ministers of both nations, solidifying the US-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. As the world grapples with uncertainties, this delegation aims to fortify the educational bridge connecting the two countries.

Representatives from Leading American Institutions

The Institute of International Education (IIE) co-president, A. Sarah Ilchman, expressed optimism about the upcoming visit. Ilchman stated that the delegation would comprise representatives from esteemed institutions such as California State University, Long Beach; University of California, Berkeley; DePaul University; University of California, Davis; and several others. With Indian students and scholars reaching record numbers in the US, Ilchman highlighted the exciting prospects for increased engagement and collaboration between the two nations.

Exploring Opportunities and Partnerships

During their stay in India, the delegation plans to meet with Indian government officials, visit US consulates, and engage with prominent institutions like the Indian School of Business, IIT Hyderabad, Mahindra University, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, and Somaiya Vidyavihar University. Topics of discussion will include the establishment of international branch campuses in India, the influence of educational technology in Indian higher education, and the evolving landscape of higher education businesses.

Ilchman expressed hopes that the delegation's visit would lead to active partnerships and engagements between US and Indian institutions. The focus is on fostering increased flow of students and scholars between the two nations.

Highlighting the appeal of the US education system, Ilchman noted its diversity, specialized programs, and institutions catering to various academic interests. She emphasized that the United States, with its global reputation for quality education, has much to offer to Indian students compared to other international destinations. While countries like the UK, Australia, and Canada host over 20% international students, the US has the capacity to welcome more, currently having only about 6% international students in its higher education system.

Acknowledging the significance of timely visa issuance, Ilchman commended the Department of State's transparency regarding visa applications. She mentioned that the increased transparency provides valuable data, indicating improvements in the visa process and addressing previous challenges.

Prioritizing Safety and Inclusivity

In response to recent attacks on Indian students in the US, Ilchman reassured that US colleges and universities prioritize the health and safety of all students, both domestic and international. She emphasized that building safe and inclusive communities is integral to the daily operations of US educational institutions. Mental health resources are actively provided to ensure support for all students during their studies.

As the delegation prepares to embark on this diplomatic and educational journey, the hope is that their interactions will lay the groundwork for strengthened collaborations and increased educational exchange between the United States and India.

RELATED ARTICLE: US Launches P1.6-B Upskill Program To Elevate Philippine Higher Education
In a major development in the ongoing federal antitrust lawsuit over college financial aid practices, Dartmouth, Northwestern, Rice, and Vanderbilt universities have collectively agreed to pay a staggering $166 million. This move aims to resolve claims that these prestigious institutions favored wealthy student applicants, violating a pledge not to consider students' finances in admissions decisions. The total settlements in the lawsuit now amount to an eye-watering $284 million.

Elite Institutions Settle: $166 Million Payout Unveiled

The lawsuit, initiated in 2022, alleged that 17 renowned colleges and universities breached US antitrust laws by giving an unfair advantage to affluent students, violating the commitment to remain impartial in admissions based on financial considerations. Legal representatives for a proposed class of hundreds of thousands of current and former US students revealed these latest settlements in a filing late Friday in a Chicago federal court.

Dartmouth and Rice have committed to paying $33.75 million each, while Northwestern has agreed to a settlement of $43.5 million. Vanderbilt, facing the highest payout among the four, will contribute $55 million to resolve the claims against it. Earlier in the legal proceedings, Brown, Yale, and Columbia universities collectively settled for $62 million to resolve claims against them.

READ ALSO: Duke Halts Numeric Ratings For Essays And Test Scores In Admissions Process

Institutions Defend Actions Amid Legal Wave

Despite the substantial settlements, the accused institutions, including those that have reached agreements, have consistently denied any wrongdoing. In statements released, Northwestern, Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, and Rice emphasized that settling with the plaintiffs allows them to put the case behind them and concentrate on their core academic missions.

However, the legal battle is far from over, as the case continues against seven other prestigious schools, including Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania, and Georgetown University. These institutions are yet to reach a settlement and will face ongoing scrutiny in court.

Impact on Students: Compensation and Ongoing Litigation

Ted Normand, the attorney for the plaintiffs, conveyed hope regarding the recent settlements, asserting that they would substantially raise compensation for class members affected by alleged preferential treatment. The proposed class includes hundreds of thousands of students who, as per the lawsuit, endured harm due to the purported actions of the defendants' cartel.

A court filing indicates that the average payout to members of the class is anticipated to be $750, although individual compensation amounts may vary based on the specifics of each case. These settlements are still subject to a judge's consideration and approval, highlighting the complex legal processes involved in resolving a case of this magnitude.

The repercussions of the college admissions scandal extend beyond financial compensation, raising questions about the fairness and transparency of the college admissions process at some of the nation's most prestigious institutions. Critics argue that these legal actions underscore the need for greater accountability and oversight in university admissions to ensure equal opportunities for students from all socioeconomic backgrounds.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the outcomes of the remaining seven schools facing allegations will be closely watched. The case serves as a stark reminder of the challenges universities face in balancing their pursuit of academic excellence with the imperative to uphold principles of fairness and equal access in the admissions process.

RELATED ARTICLE: Rock Seton Hall University's Former President Files Lawsuit On Allegations Of Retaliation And Misconduct
In a surprising and unprecedented turn of events, the Mississippi University for Women has announced a pause in its rebranding efforts just a week after revealing its second attempt at a new name.

The rollercoaster of changes began a year ago, marked by the institution's initial decision to undergo a name change and culminating in a highly criticized second attempt, which now faces an unexpected halt.

Unraveling the Controversial Journey: Two Name Changes in a Week

The saga started with the university's administration settling on the name Mississippi Brightwell University. However, this choice was met with vehement opposition from university alumni and community members, who expressed their dissatisfaction with the rebranding direction. Responding to the backlash, university officials conducted a poll involving students, faculty, and alumni, leading to the announcement of a second name change just last week-Wynbridge State University of Mississippi.

Much to the surprise of stakeholders, a recent communication sent to the campus community and alumni revealed that the second name change failed to gain the anticipated support. Nora Miller, the university's president and an alumna, explained in the letter that the institution would be taking "a strategic pause" to allow the community time to reassess and consider diverse perspectives.

READ ALSO: Missouri Women's College Adapts Admissions Policy To Include Transgender And Non-Binary Students

Alumni Backlash and Legislative Hurdles Force Rebranding Halt

The decision to halt the rebranding effort comes in the wake of overwhelming opposition from alumni, a factor that played a pivotal role in the university's inability to garner sufficient support in the state Legislature to pass the bill required to formalize the name change. The vocal alumni community proved to be a significant force, causing lawmakers to reconsider their support for the proposed changes.

University President Nora Miller acknowledged the challenges faced, stating in an interview with Inside Higher Ed that the institution essentially had to put the rebranding on hold due to its limited influence in the state Legislature. The combined resistance from alumni and the lack of legislative support created an insurmountable hurdle for the university's rebranding ambitions.

Despite the setbacks, Miller expressed the university's commitment to engaging with alumni over the next year. The goal is to understand their reservations about a name change and to educate them on why rebranding is deemed vital for the institution's sustainability. Miller emphasized the need to communicate the challenges faced by the university, including the enrollment cliff and heightened competition for high school student applicants.

"We took some time last year, trying to educate people about the enrollment cliff and about the heightened competition for high school student applicants. We need to engage with more people and share that information with them," Miller explained.

Reflection, Engagement, and a Glimmer of Uncertainty for the Future

The strategic pause signifies a period of reflection and engagement for the university community. Miller noted that although it is highly unlikely that there will be a third name selected, she isn't ruling the possibility out entirely. She stated, "I think this current name is as good as it's gonna get. But if somebody comes up with something that just knocks it out of the park, we would be open to that."

The university leaders embarked on the rebranding journey with the goal of better reflecting the institution's coed status and attracting a broader applicant pool. Miller and members of the renaming task force believed that a new name could potentially bolster enrollment at a time when small liberal arts colleges across the country are grappling with sustainability challenges.

However, the passionate connection of the university's alumni to its history, particularly as a historically women's institution, proved to be a formidable obstacle. Miller expressed gratitude for the alumni's love for the institution and stated, "We've learned a lot through this, and we will continue to learn more. We will build more bridges with our alumni and come back next year."

The unexpected pause in the rebranding journey leaves the institution in a state of uncertainty, with questions lingering about the delicate balance between honoring its past and securing its future identity. As the Mississippi University for Women navigates this challenging terrain, the broader higher education community watches closely, recognizing the complex dynamics at play in the evolving landscape of institutional identity and stakeholder engagement.

RELATED ARTICLE: Saint Mary's College Takes A Step Back On Decision To Accept Trans Women
methods in financial crimes, and crucially, addressing Counter Proliferation Financing (CPF) as a pivotal aspect of the global effort to thwart the financing of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) proliferation. Furthermore, UNODC facilitated Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) in criminal matters and enhanced regional and international cooperation to combat financial crimes in collaboration with the relevant Iraqi authorities.

In 2023, UNODC orchestrated a series of technical meetings to support Iraqi authorities in their compliance with FATF standards and preparation for the ME process and the on-site visit. The meetings and mock sessions brought together various Iraqi authorities and stakeholders, including the AML/CFT Office, Central Bank, regulatory bodies, financial institutions, law enforcement and investigators, border police, non-profit organizations regulators, and customs authorities.

The primary focus of these meetings was to provide frameworks for the effective implementation of FATF standards, with a specific emphasis on helping in supporting Iraqs efforts to identify, assess, and comprehend its ML/TF risks. Additionally, the discussions aimed to foster coordination among domestic entities to implement risk-mitigation measures. The meetings also offered guidance on establishing supervisory and monitoring techniques to address and mitigate risks associated with money laundering and terrorist financing across various sectors. Moreover, considerable attention was devoted to ensuring the collection and utilization of a diverse range of financial intelligence and relevant information by competent authorities.

This comprehensive approach aimed to enhance the capability of authorities to investigate money laundering, associated predicate offences, and terrorist financing effectively, thereby ensuring the delivery of reliable, accurate, and up-to-date information for informed decision-making.

Enduring Impact through Sustainable Contributions and Strategic Engagement

UNODC's collaboration with Iraqi AML/CFT authorities expanded to encompass a myriad of topics. The partnership navigated diverse areas, from addressing ML/TF risks associated with new payment methods and virtual currencies to fostering platforms for cross-border exchange on ML/TF cases with neighboring and overseas jurisdictions and advancing mutual legal assistance requests. UNODC also worked on enhancing capacities for parallel financial investigations, unveiling intricate schemes and techniques criminals use to conceal illicit gains, including trade-based ML, informal remittance systems, and shell companies.

These activities were in the framework of a project on anti-money laundering and countering financing terrorism implemented by UNODC in Iraq and Jordan and funded by Germany and the United Nations Development Program office in Iraq.

In conclusion, UNODC's partnership with Iraqi authorities is a testament to the power of collaborative action in countering financial crimes through strategic interventions, sustainable contributions, and strengthened partnerships. As Iraq continues its journey towards compliance and resilience, UNODC remains committed to supporting its endeavors and fostering a safer, and more secure financial environment.
The opening ceremony of 7th International Pakistan Army Team Spirit (PATS) Exercise-2024 was held at National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Pabbi, on Sunda

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2024) The opening ceremony of 7th International Pakistan Army Team Spirit (PATS) Exercise-2024 was held at National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Pabbi, on Sunday.

Director General Military Training opened the 60-hour long Patrolling Exercise which aims at enhancing military to military cooperation under complex international security environment, an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release said.

A total of 20 friendly countries including military observers are participating in the event. Major participants include Pakistan, Bahrain, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Maldives, Morocco, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkiye, United States of America and Uzbekistan while Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Myanmar, Germany, Indonesia, Japan and Oman will witness the exercise as military observers.

Pakistan Army Team Spirit is a mission specific and task oriented professional military exercise organised annually in Pakistan. The exercise calls for highest standard of physical fitness, mental agility/ robustness and professional military expertise for quick decision making in varied situations during conduct of challenging missions in near real environment.

The aim and objectives of this exercise revolve around perseverance acclaimed through the team spirit. The exercise would help hone basic soldierly attributes besides interoperability through sharing of innovative ideas and mutual best practices.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2024) A week-long nationwide anti-polio drive of varied duration begins on Monday (today) to administer vaccine drops to children under five years of age.

According to details, polio workers will visit door to door to vaccinate anti polio drops to children below the age of

five.

Children will also be given Vitamin A supplements to boost their immunity.

Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center Dr. Shahzad Baig talking to a Private news channel emphasized the program's commitment to reaching all children with vaccination and health services.

"Our Primary focus is the welfare of every child, and we are dedicated to leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to eradicate this disease," he affirmed.

In thirty-three districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the anti-polio drive will be conducted from the 3rd to the 9th of

March.

During the anti-polio campaign, the children of the families arriving by road transport at the entrance points will also be administered the polio vaccine to combat potential transmission.

The health department also urged the citizens to cooperate with teams for the complete eradication of the crippling disease from the country.
BEIJING, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2024) Pakistan's Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi visited Hong Kong and held a meeting with its Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and discussed cooperation in culture and tourism.

I've had a very productive visit to Hong Kong. I'm very impressed by the positive strides Hong Kong has continued to make, says Khalil Hashmi in a recent interview with China Daily. I've seen a lot of progress all-around, positive progress.

He said both the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions have their own strengths, such as in financial services like banking and insurance, and in technology. It (Hong Kong) has plenty of experience in shipping and trading too.

The ambassador also met many other prominent figures in Hong Kong, including the city Commissioner for the Belt and Road Nicholas Ho Lik-chi, President of the Legislative Council Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, and leaders at InvestHK, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce.

The ambassador also called on the president and senior management officials of Hong Kong Baptist University and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He also met with senior management officials of Hutchison Port Holdings - the largest investor from the HKSAR in Pakistan's port and shipping business.

So far, the number of Pakistani expatriates in Hong Kong has reached 40,000, according to the Consulate General of Pakistan in the SAR. Hashmi also held valuable discussions with community leaders of the Pakistani diaspora, praising their spirit of solidarity and innovation, at an event organized by The Pakistan Association Hong Kong.

In a speech at the Pakistan Club, in which, he underscored the role played by the Pakistani community in Hong Kong, Hashmi emphasized that Pakistani nationals and Hong Kong residents of Pakistani origin serve as a vital bridge in relations between Pakistan and the HKSAR. The visit aims to strengthen ties with Hong Kong in diverse fields, including trade and investment, education and people-to-people relations.

On behalf of the Consulate General of Pakistan in the SAR, the Pakistani community in Hong Kong and the Pakistan Club, Bilal Ahmad Butt - Consul General of Pakistan in the Hong Kong and Macao SARs - extended a warm welcome to Ambassador Hashmi.

He said, the ambassador's visit to Hong Kong is not just a meeting of diplomatic minds but also serves as a bridge for further beefing up ties between our communities across borders.

Hashmi's efforts and dedication to fostering relations between Pakistan and China have been invaluable, Butt said.

He noted that total trade between Pakistan and Hong Kong has reached $250 million (HK$1.96 billion).

Pakistan exports mainly cotton, yarn, leather and food products, while the main products Hong Kong exported to Pakistan were broadcasting equipment, light rubberized knitted fabric, and semi-conductor devices.

The ambassador interacted with representatives of the Pakistan GBA Chamber of Commerce.

Qamar Minhas, president of the organization said the ambassador encouraged them to step up cultural exchanges between Pakistan communities and Hong Kong, as well as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which includes Hong Kong, Macao and nine cities in Guangdong province.

Hashmi praised students of Pakistani origin in the region as having great potential and prospects, while expanding their links with the Greater Bay Area. The envoy also talked with Rizwan Ullah - newly-nominated district council member in Hong Kong and urged other Pakistani community leaders to play a more active role in the SAR to help raise the people socio-economic status.

I've been impressed by Hong Kong's overall progress and its very diligent people, said Hashmi.

So, there is a lot of energy and passionate people in this city. All in all, I'm very happy and excited, and look forward to my next visit here, he added.

APP/asg/
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The League of Arab States on Monday called Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories an "affront to international justice", saying failure to end it amounted to "genocide"

The Hague, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2024) The League of Arab States on Monday called Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories an "affront to international justice", saying failure to end it amounted to "genocide".

The International Court of Justice entered its last day of week-long hearings after a request from the United Nations, with an unprecedented 52 countries giving their views on Israel's occupation.

"This prolonged occupation is an affront to international justice," the 22 Arab-country bloc's representative told judges in The Hague.

"The failure to bring it to an end has led to the current horrors perpetrated against the Palestinian people, amounting to genocide," Abdel Hakim El-Rifai said, reading a written statement.

Most speakers during the hearings have demanded that Israel end its occupation, which came after a six-day Arab-Israeli war in 1967.

But last week the United States said Israel should not be legally obliged to withdraw without taking its "very real security needs" into account.

Speakers on Monday warned a prolonged occupation posed an "extreme danger" to stability in the middle East and beyond.

"If left unchecked, it runs the risk of not only threatening regional, but also global peace and security," Turkey's representative Ahmet Yildiz said.

Zambia's representative however told judges that both sides had a duty to negotiate a peaceful settlement.

"Both Israel and Palestine have a duty to respect international human rights law and international humanitarian law," Marshal Mubambe Muchende said.

He said any settlement of the conflict should not be "one that puts the blame squarely on one party, but rather one that advances a negotiated solution which culminates in a two-state solution".
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Ouagadougou, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2024) An attack on a mosque in eastern Burkina Faso has killed dozens of Muslims on the same day as another deadly attack on Catholics attending mass, local and security sources told AFP on Monday.

"Armed individuals attacked a mosque in Natiaboani on Sunday around 5:00 am, resulting in several dozen being killed," a security source said.

"The victims were all Muslims, most of them men" who had come for morning prayers, a local resident said by telephone.

Another local source said "The terrorists entered the town early morning. They surrounded the mosque and shot at the faithful, who were gathered there for the first prayer of the day."

"Several of them were shot, including an important religious leader," the source added.

Soldiers and members of the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP), a civilian force that supports the military, were also targeted "by these hordes who came in large numbers", the same source said.

The source described it as a "large-scale attack" in terms of the number of assailants, who also wreaked substantial damage.

Natiaboani is a rural community about 60 kilometres (37 miles) south of Fada N'Gourma, the main town in Burkina's eastern region, which has seen regular attacks by armed groups since 2018.

On the same day as the attack on the mosque, at least 15 civilians were killed and two others injured during an attack on a Catholic church during Sunday mass in northern Burkina Faso, a senior church official said.

Jean-Pierre Sawadogo, vicar of the Dori diocese, said in a statement that the "terrorist attack" occurred in the village of Essakane while people were gathered for Sunday prayer.

Essakane village is in what is known as the "three borders" zone in the northeast of the country, near the common borders of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
Every story refers to another story which, in turn, refers to another story. Almost all the stories that Josep Borrell, head of European diplomacy, addresses in this interview allude to the seventh circle of the Divine Comedy: that of violence. One war in Europe has just entered its third year: Ukraine. Another in the Middle East  Gaza  is heading for catastrophe. There is a hurricane brewing in the West, with the possible U.S. presidential election victory of Donald Trump. And there is pressure on Europes southern shores, with a lurking migration crisis to which the EU has responded with an idea that echoes Goebbels: Fortress Europe, with over 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) of supposedly impenetrable walls. Approaching his 77th birthday, Borrell avoids the stiff language of European orthodoxy and with all these risks in the four corners of the world he offers a discourse that, paradoxically, views the greatest danger from within: What scares me most is the fear of Europeans.

It is a diffuse fear. An all-pervading horizon of distrust, a vague feeling of dread. With a war next door and another nearby. With shocks in Africa and the suspicion that migrants may arrive in an uncontrolled manner. With a defense that we outsourced to the U.S., a military umbrella that Trump may close, with cheap energy that will no longer come from Russia, with the certainty that we are losing markets in Asia, he says.

We are an aging continent in a young world, hence this mixture of fear and uncertainty. Against that, there are always those who offer a clear, simple, and false answer: the extremists, those hyper-muscled leaderships that tell us: We are strong, theyll see. Borrell stresses: The European elections will be fundamental.

Josep Borrell during the interview. Moeh Atitar

Those elections are scheduled for June. But before that will come the spring and the thaw: intelligence reports say that Russian forces have prepared well, and that Ukraine is losing ground. Every tragedy has its prophecy, but the victims only listen when there is no remedy. Who is winning? Two years ago, Putin started a conflict that was supposed to last a week. And Ukraine resists. Russia came within eight kilometers of the Kyiv parliament, but was pushed back. I have seen the charred rows of its tanks there: it has not won the war, but it has not yet lost it.

The Russian invasion has triggered a geopolitical awakening in the EU. And yet there is still a feeling that Europeans have not done enough. The EU has delayed decisions on its military support, with leaders dragging their feet because public opinion doesnt want more either. EU civilian and military, economic, and humanitarian aid exceeds that of the U.S., Borrell counters. And we have made a qualitative leap: at first we promised helmets; now we send F-16s. If we want Ukraine to resist, we have to give it more aid and faster.

Europe has realized that it lives in a dangerous world; it has an aggressive state on its borders. It must ask itself whether it wants a puppet of Moscow in Kyiv, with Russian troops on the Polish border, and the risk of another invasion. Russia is an undemocratic regime capable of wiping out opponents like [Alexei] Navalny, or eliminating its defectors on European soil. Do we want it to arrive at the gates of Europe and control 36% of the world grain market? The Russians have shown resilience: they are used to hardship and are not asked if they would prefer anything other than a war economy. We have to ask ourselves what we can do.

Are European divisions an obstacle? Only Hungary, which is reaching security agreements with China, has disassociated itself. And yet it pays its share of military aid to Ukraine and does not veto civilian aid. We have shown remarkable unity. But it is logical that hesitations arise among 27 countries: if we had overcome them quickly, with massive and immediate aid, Ukraine would have been better off. And so would we. How do you win a war against a nuclear power that spends 30% of its budget on defense? Russia is at war with all its consequences. Europe is not at war, but it doesnt quite understand what this war means for it either. Putin has mobilized all his resources, he has military support from Iran and North Korea, with the economic support of China. Hence my appeal to the member states to make their support consistent with the kind of war we are facing, a mixture of those of the 20th century and the most modern technologies. We need to do more, and quickly: in the next few months the war may be decided. To resist is to win.

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, last Friday in Madrid. Moeh Atitar

On the other side of the Atlantic, Trump has threatened to break the traditional framework of NATO deterrence. It is barbaric that he invites Russia to attack those countries that do not meet his conditions. And it is barbaric that there are Republicans who compare the Ukrainian war with the migratory pressure from Mexico. We have to assume responsibilities, increase defense capabilities, and be prepared for any eventuality. Trump has not won yet, just as Putin has not won yet, but Europe has to wake up.

In addition to Ukraine, Gaza is the other focus of international attention, with 1.7 million Palestinians crushed against a wall. What will Europe do in the event of a catastrophe? We are already in the midst of a catastrophe. The United Nations has had to suspend humanitarian aid: Israel is using famine as a weapon of war and that is contrary to international law. We said it in Ukraine and it is also true now. Gaza has been razed to the ground: the use of force has been disproportionate.

Spain and Ireland have called for the suspension of the EU association agreement with Israel if it is proven that human rights are being violated: It is an extraordinary step forward and hits a raw nerve. But Europe is unable to drag the U.S. into its demand for a ceasefire, perhaps because there is no common position in the EU either: At the United Nations the vote was divided, 18 in favor against nine abstentions.

The weight of history explains the position of Germany at the head of the institutions: the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, made a visit to Tel Aviv during which she defended Israels right to defend itself without placing any limits on the government. The catastrophe in Gaza is not the result of an earthquake or a flood: it is the consequence of devastating military action. Hamas is an idea, and an idea is only fought with another idea: [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahus plans for Gaza are unacceptable. The seeds of hatred are being sown for generations. It is an open secret that the Israelis funded Hamas and played at dividing the Palestinians. Or that the U.S. position is taking its toll on Biden among the young Democratic electorate. And that Von der Leyens trip, with such a completely pro-Israeli position, without representing anyone but herself in a matter of international politics, has carried a high geopolitical cost for Europe.

Borrell concludes with a couple more messages for Von der Leyen. One: You announce that there will be a Commissioner for Defense, but the Commission has no competence in defense matters, only in the defense industry. I would like to know what legal basis your proposal has. And two: It is legitimate for her to want a second term, but she should not pretend to take personal credit for all the successes: there is a college of commissioners of different political colors who have taken decisions. She should be more careful with neutrality when she is both president and candidate. She should focus on ensuring that her party, the European PP, does not fall into the temptation of allying itself with the extremists, thus abandoning its traditional alliances.

Josep Borrell during the interview. Moeh Atitar

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Ouagadougou, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2024) An attack on a mosque in eastern Burkina Faso has killed dozens of Muslims on the same day as another deadly attack on Catholics attending mass, local and security sources told AFP on Monday.

The two attacks struck on Sunday in different regions of the junta-ruled country caught for several years in a spiral of jihadist violence.

"Armed individuals attacked a mosque in Natiaboani on Sunday around 5:00 am, resulting in several dozen being killed," a security source said.

"The victims were all Muslims, most of them men" who had come for morning prayers, a local resident said by telephone.

Another local source said "the terrorists entered the town early morning.

They surrounded the mosque and shot at the faithful, who were gathered there for the first prayer of the day."

"Several of them were shot, including an important religious leader," the source added.

Soldiers and members of the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP), a civilian force that supports the military, were also targeted "by these hordes who came in large numbers", the same source said.

The source described it as a "large-scale attack" in terms of the number of assailants, who also wreaked substantial damage.

Natiaboani is a rural community about 60 kilometres (37 miles) south of Fada N'Gourma, the main town in Burkina's eastern region, which has seen regular attacks by armed groups since 2018.
BEIJING, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2024) China is projected to make about 100 space launch missions this year, which will set the country's new record, according to information released at a press conference on Monday.

The launches include the maiden flight from China's first commercial spacecraft launch site in addition to more satellite liftoffs to form constellations, according to the press conference.

China's first commercial spacecraft launch site is now under construction in the city of Wenchang, in south China's island province of Hainan.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the country's rocket series developer and the leading force of the country's space industry, released the 2023 blue book of China aerospace science and technology at the same press conference.
BEIJING, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2024) The live broadcast of the China Media Group (CMG)'s cultural gala celebrating the Chinese Lantern Festival has gained 353 million views on all platforms as of Sunday morning, CMG announced.

The gala, broadcasted on Saturday evening, featured singing performances inspired by traditional Chinese cultural elements, acrobatics, and traditional activities such as solving lantern riddles, among others.

The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, marking the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations.
(@FahadShabbir)

Hungary's Parliament on Monday ratified Sweden's NATO bid, clearing the final obstacle for an enlargement of the military alliance spurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Budapest, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2024) Hungary's Parliament on Monday ratified Sweden's NATO bid, clearing the final obstacle for an enlargement of the military alliance spurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The vote ends more than a year of delays that left fellow NATO partners furious as Ukraine battled Russian troops. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said, it was a "historic day".

Russia's February 2022 invasion prompted Sweden and neighbouring Finland to apply to join the bloc, ending a long-standing stance of non-alignment in both countries. But while Finland became the 31st member of the US-led defence alliance in April last year, Sweden's bid was held up. Turkey only ratified it last month.

On Monday, Hungary finally followed, with 188 members of Parliament voting in favour and six against Sweden's accession.

"Today is a historic day... Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security," Kristersson said in a statement to X (tweeter).

Earlier Monday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor had asked fellow lawmakers to approve Sweden's bid.

"The Swedish-Hungarian military cooperation and Sweden's accession to NATO will strengthen Hungary's security," Orban told Parliament. Ahead of the vote, Orban's nationalist Fidesz party -- whose ruling coalition with the Christian Democratic KDNP holds a two-thirds majority in Parliament -- had indicated it would support Sweden's bid.

All opposition parties except the far-right Our Homeland movement were in favour of ratification.

Though repeatedly saying it supported Swedish membership in principle, Hungary kept prolonging the process by asking Stockholm to stop "vilifying" the Hungarian government.

Budapest accused Swedish officials of being "keen to bash Hungary" on rule-of-law issues.

After a meeting on Friday between Orban and Kristersson in Budapest, the nationalist Hungarian leader announced that the two had clarified "our mutual good intentions".

Hungary also signed a deal to acquire four Swedish-made fighter jets, expanding its existing fleet of 14 Jas-39 Gripen fighters. Now that Parliament has approved the Nordic nation's bid, the President is expected to sign it in the coming days. Sweden will then be invited to accede to the Washington Treaty and officially become NATO's 32nd member.

In the case of Finland, Turkey was the last to give the green light on March 30, 2023, and Finland became a NATO member on April 4.

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, most NATO members were keen to quickly approve the membership bids of both Finland and Sweden. For Sweden, Ankara cited security concerns, before moving ahead with the ratification.

In Hungary's delay, some experts saw a strategy to wring concessions from Brussels to unlock billions of Euros in frozen funds. Others argued it underlined Orban's closeness to the Presidents of Russia and Turkey.

For analyst Mate Szalai of Venice's Ca' Foscari University, Orban was simply playing to his domestic audience.

"Orban wanted to go as far as he could without causing serious problems to the Transatlantic community while proving that Hungary is a power to be reckoned with," he told AFP.

While Hungary's "confrontational behaviour" did not reap any tangible results, it might have "been beneficial domestically for the ruling Fidesz party", he added.

"Many initiatives of the Hungarian government are designed to provoke a backlash in Europe," said Szalai.

"And most criticism expressed towards the Orban government (from outside Hungary) actually helps Fidesz

to maintain its popularity in the country."

ros-jza/rlp/
Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2024) French President Emmanuel Macron is due to host European leaders Monday for a conference aimed at strengthening Western support for Ukraine, as the war stretches into its third year.

The meeting in Paris will be a chance for participants to "reaffirm their unity as well as their determination to defeat the war of aggression waged by Russia in Ukraine", the French presidency said.

It also signals Macron's eagerness to present himself as a European champion of Ukraine's cause, amid growing fears that American support could wane in the coming years.

"Battered and bruised, but still standing. Ukraine is fighting for itself, for its ideals, for our Europe. Our commitment at its side will not waver," Macron wrote on X, formerly Twitter, to mark two years since Russian leader Vladimir Putin launched Moscow's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

For Macron, the conference is also a chance to show European autonomy in security matters, which he called for even before the invasion.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda will be among some 20 European heads of state and government present at the conference, which will be opened by a video address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Other states will be represented at the ministerial level, with Foreign Secretary David Cameron travelling to Paris for Britain. The United States and Canada will also be represented.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Zelensky said that leaders in Europe had realised "how dangerous" the war is for "the whole of Europe."

"I think they have realised that Putin will continue this war," he said.
Southern Miss Bands Celebrate Mississippi Musicians Month

Mon, 02/26/2024 - 09:47am | By: Mike Lopinto

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) band program kicks off Mississippi Musicians Month with a series of free concerts in Bennett Auditorium on the Hattiesburg campus March 4-7.

Mississippis musicians occupy a special place in the world of music. From writers to performers, Mississippis musicians have had a global impact, great and timeless music in one of the states primary exports.

A chief promoter of musicians statewide, USM alum Dr. James Brewer, who founded the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame, coined the phrase The Birthplace of Americas Music will be honored at the March 5 concert.

The School of Music represents the finest musicians and music educators that have had and are having a global impact, said Dr. Colin McKenzie, Director of the School of Music. This series of concerts, with the special honor to one of our own, state and world premieres, and featuring our best and brightest, is testament to the scope and impact our program has on the state, region and world.

Opening the concert series on March 4 at 8 p.m., the Universitys premier band, the Wind Ensemble, presents the 2024 winds, brass and percussion concerto winners in concert. Under the direction of Dr. Catherine Rand this concert showcases the winners of the bands annual concerto competition. They represent the best of the best at Southern Miss and often progress into professional careers as performers, college professors, music educators across the nation.

The program includes Concerto for Clarinet by Martin Ellerby featuring Elias Anderson, clarinet with Dr. Cody Edgerton, conductor; Saxophone Concerto by Stephen Danker, featuring Juan Oviedo, alto saxophone in his own arrangement with DMA student, Kyle Aufderhar, conductor; II Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Band by Oscar Navarro featuring Gerby Keiny Guerra Galvin, Clarinet with Steven Cooler, conductor; and Einsteins Dream by Cindy McTee with Aufderhar conducting his own arrangement.

On March 5 at 7:30 p.m. under the direction of Dr. Colin McKenzie, the Symphonic Winds presents another exciting performance featuring music with origins and inspiration from all over the globe. Dr. Brewer will be honored with a proclamation from the City of Hattiesburg and a plaque from the School of Music for his dedication to the musicians of Mississippi on this, the start of Mississippi Musicians Month.

Dr. James (Jim) Brewer received his BMEd., MEd., and EdD degrees from USM and spent many years as a band director, administrator, and special projects director in the public schools of Mississippi before joining the faculty at Mississippi College. Never straying far from his musical roots, Brewer always had a heart for those who have made Mississippi famous for its music while receiving little or no recognition for their work. In 1994, he founded the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame that has inducted more than 140 musicians into its ranks; and induction ceremonies still continue throughout the state.

With the establishment of the Hall of Fame and the two museums, he coined the phrase Mississippi, Birthplace of Americas Music. The slogan has been on Mississippi car tags and signs placed at every major highway intersection leading into the state.

The Symphonic Winds program that evening includes Slava! by Leonard Bernstein; The Old Boatman by Florence Price; Suite Provencale by Jan van der Roost; The Glory of the Yankee Navy by John Phillip Sousa; O Magnum Mysterium by Morton Lauridsen; and March and Cortege of Bacchus by Leo Delibes.

Wrapping up the series on March 7, the Concert Band under the direction of Dr. Travis Higa. The program includes the Mississippi premiere of Feather by Danielle Fisher with Dr. Cody Edgerton, guest conductor; the world premiere of Autumn Verses by Southern Miss alumnus, Alan Theisen; Courtly Airs and Dances by Ron Nelson with masters student Griffin Wilson, conductor; In Memoriam by John Philip Sousa; and Fantasy on a Theme by Sousa by Andrew Boysen Jr.

Learn more about the Southern Miss School of Music. Learn more about University Bands.
Eleven University of Wyoming students -- nearly double the number in the previous semester -- are funding their study-abroad experiences this spring through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.

This competitive scholarship is awarded by the U.S. Department of State twice per academic year to help Pell-eligible college students fund overseas study.

Since its inception in 2001, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship has been awarded to over 40,000 American undergraduates, with only a 25 percent acceptance rate. On average, 70 percent of Gilman recipients self-identify as racial or ethnic minorities; 60 percent are from rural America; and half are first-generation college students. The Gilman Scholarship contributes to the U.S. State Departments diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility efforts to engage all of U.S. society in foreign policy.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship acts as a catalyst for UW students of high financial need to study abroad. We have seen student recipients successfully participate in programs abroad through the support of the Gilman Program that they otherwise would not have been able to afford, says Shelley Jewell, education abroad director for UWs Global Engagement Office who is one of 20 Gilman Advisor Ambassadors across the country. Our UW students not only gain the opportunity to explore new cultures and languages, but also cultivate a deeper understanding of global interconnectedness -- which, we hope, fosters empathy, tolerance and the addition of a cross-cultural skill set that will enable them in their future success.

All UW Gilman recipients are supported by the UW Global Engagement Office and the Education Abroad Office.

UW recipients, listed by hometown, are:

Basin -- Jeremy Chappell is a senior majoring in environmental systems science and minoring in environment and natural resources and honors. He will participate in a faculty-led program to Ireland this summer titled Modern Earth Science in Ireland, led by Professor Brandon McElroy, of the Department of Geology and Geophysics.

Casper -- Hawkins Kopp is a junior majoring in geography. He is on a semester exchange to Cardiff University in Wales.

Cheyenne -- Nolan Gerdes is a senior majoring in civil engineering and minoring in honors and outdoor leadership. Gerdes will participate in Alpine Climate and Culture, a faculty-led summer program that takes students to France, Italy and Austria with UW faculty member Courtney Carlson.

Louise Larrew is a senior majoring in political science and minoring in Chinese. Larrew will participate in Honors: Asian Culture and Exploration this summer, traveling with a group of other UW students to Singapore and Malaysia, led by UW faculty member Yan Zhang.

Liam Leslie is a senior majoring in secondary education-English and minoring in professional writing, creative writing and honors. Leslie is completing part of his student teaching experience in Gqeberha, South Africa.

Cody -- Catherine Lovera is a junior majoring in marketing. Lovera was awarded the scholarship to complete a study-abroad program this summer to Europe.

Fairfax, Va. -- Avery Fister is a senior majoring in international studies with a concentration in Europe and the former Soviet Union and governance and conflict resolution. Fister is abroad in London participating in the UW Spring London Semester.

Laramie -- Casey Comer, a freshman majoring in psychology, is participating in the UW Spring London Semester.

Pine Bluffs -- Edwin Morales is a sophomore double-majoring in criminal justice and business economics and minoring in honors and interdisciplinary law. He will embark to Austria, Belgium and the United Kingdom this summer with other UW students and faculty members Brian Cherrington and Michael Dillon on their summer program titled The Art and History of Medicine.

Riverton -- Isaac Almejo-Ponce is a senior majoring in entrepreneurship. He is in the United Kingdom participating in the UW Spring London Semester.

Sheridan -- Maggie Moseley is a junior majoring in human nutrition and food and minoring in honors. She will complete a full semester exchange this spring at the University of South Australia in Adelaide, Australia.
On February 17, the Al Qaeda-linked Islamist militia Al-Shabaab announced on its Telegram channel that two Cuban doctors abducted nearly five years ago in Kenya had reportedly died in an American drone strike in Jilib, Somalia, where they were providing services to the community. More than a week later, Cuba, Kenya and Somalia have been unable to confirm the report or locate the doctors.

According to Al-Shabaab, the drone bombing began at 12:10 p.m., instantly killing Assel Herrera and Landy Rodriguez. The doctors went to Kenya in 2018 as part of a medical brigade consisting of 100 healthcare workers. The militias Telegram post denounced the desperate attack by the United States Africa Command (Africom) in Somalia, where the U.S. government has maintained a military force since the early 2000s: The incompetence of the American crusaders and their defective intelligence apparatus has led to the murder of the two hostages.

Al-Shabaab included two photos of a body, potentially Herrera, with no official confirmation yet. Africom, at Somalias request, acknowledged conducting the airstrike in collective self-defense and promised further details after ongoing investigations.

The news garnered global media attention and demoralized the families of Herrera and Rodriguez. They have held onto hope for the doctors rescue following years of promises and negotiations by the governments of Cuba and Kenya.

Family and friends are outraged

Theres a lot of frustration among family, friends and coworkers, said Dr. Wilson Nieves, who grew up with Herrera in the town of Delicias (eastern Cuba). The two doctors have been friends since primary school and attended medical school together. Ive been through a lot of pain and sadness about this. Its been on my mind every day. I even messaged him birthday wishes on Messenger, not knowing if hed see it. He was just a really good person. The outrage is overwhelming.

Nieves said the Cuban government built a very nice house for Herreras relatives in Delicias, but this does not make up for the loss. Now theres a daughter without a father, a grieving widow, and parents who will always miss their child. The family and neighbors are just heartbroken. Getting a new house doesnt make that pain disappear.

The convoy carrying Herrera (a general practitioner) and Rodriguez (a surgeon) was intercepted after a firefight on April 12, 2019, in Mandera, Kenya, near the Somali border. The Cubans were kidnapped and have been providing healthcare to the terrorist group all these years. Despite the lack of news, the Kenyan government has repeatedly confirmed their well-being. In 2019, Al-Shabab demanded a $1.5 million ransom, which Kenya refused to pay.

The news of their death caused anger in Cuba, particularly after President Miguel Diaz-Canels tweeted his condolences on X, saying that Cuba remains hopeful of finding them alive. Comments on the tweet said the two men were abandoned by a government that did absolutely nothing to get them back in five years, and accused the Cuban government of sending people to die in other countries.

The Cuban Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Public Health, and Health Minister Jose Angel Portal Miranda all assured that they maintain constant contact with Kenyan and Somali authorities and pledged to provide updates on the incident promptly. National Assembly President Esteban Lazo was dispatched to Kenya to meet with Kenyan President William Ruto and obtain more information. The Pentagon also confirmed it would launch an investigation of the incident.

Cuban missions in Kenya

Kenya began hosting Cuban doctors in 2017 for its Universal Health Coverage program. Over 100 Cuban doctors were sent to Kenya, and 50 Kenyans went to Cuba for medical training. At the time, healthcare workers in Kenya were striking for higher pay, causing tension when the Cuban doctors arrived. The Health Committee of Kenyas National Assembly stated that Cuban doctors were paid a monthly salary of around $4,257, with $851 going to the doctor and $3,406 to the Cuban government. Kenyan doctors, on the other hand, earn $1,600-$2,300, according to Kenyas Salaries and Remuneration Commission.

In 2021, the two nations signed new medical collaboration agreements. However, in 2023, the Kenyan government announced it would not extend the six-year agreement to contract Cuban doctors. We opted not to extend the agreement with Cuban doctors since I believe our local doctors are committed to their profession, said Health Minister Nakhumicha Wafula.

The reported deaths of Herrera and Rodriguez has sparked renewed debate in Cuba about medical missions that used to be the biggest source of revenue for the economy, even more than tourism. As of 2021, the official government newspaper Granma reported that approximately 450,000 Cuban health professionals have served in 160 countries. Dr. Jorge Delgado Bustillo, director of the Central Medical Cooperation Unit, said that Cuban doctors have treated nearly 1.98 billion people over 60 years, which is almost a third of the global population. Theyve performed 14.5 million surgeries, assisted in 4.4 million births, and saved 8.7 million lives.

The Cuban medical missions have faced domestic and international criticism, and the United Nations has denounced them on three occasions. In 2023, Tomoya Obokata, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, acknowledged the benefits of Cuban cooperation but also cited allegations of forced labor. Concerns include poor working conditions, lack of freedom, passport confiscation, threats by employers, lack of employment contracts, and the Cuban Penal Codes provisions for mission non-compliance, including prison terms.

The U.N. rapporteur also highlighted the issue of compensation for Cuban medical personnel on overseas missions. The Cuban doctors are often paid well below the average in host countries. For instance, in Calabria, Italy, Cuban doctors are paid a monthly salary of 4,700 ($5,100), but 3,500 ($3,800) goes to the Cuban government. In countries like Saudi Arabia, Ghana, and Seychelles, doctors must remit 50% of their pay to the Cuban government.

Cuban health professionals have long criticized their inadequate pay. Recently, Mexicos National Institute of Transparency, Information Access, and Personal Data Protection (INAI) alleged that the Cuban government withheld 94.4% of the salaries owed to doctors who were in Cuba during the pandemic. The Cuban Social Audit Observatory (OCAC) reported that from 2009-2022, the government pulled in nearly $70 billion from Cuban medical brigades working abroad.

[Cuban] doctors endure these circumstances and even tougher ones, said Javier Larrondo, president of the Prisoners Defenders organization that worked with the United Nations investigating the Cuban medical missions. The Cuban government isnt concerned about the well-being of its doctors, just their economic output. Doctors bring in $7-$11 billion annually, but Cubas entire public health budget is only around $65 million. Still, many Cubans opt for foreign medical missions over staying in a country with worsening work conditions and meager salaries that are barely enough to live on.

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The body of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been handed over to his mother, aide says

An aide to Alexei Navalny says the body of the Russian opposition leader has been handed over to his mother
A century-old university in suburban St. Louis will shut down next year, its president said Monday, citing budget problems and declining enrollment.

Fontbonne University, in Clayton, was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1923, first as a place to educate young Catholic women. Enrollment for the fall semester was 874 students, including 650 undergraduates. A decade ago, Fontbonne's enrollment was about 2,000 students, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

University President Nancy Blattner said in a statement that Fontbonne would not accept freshmen for the fall 2024 semester but would continue with classes through summer 2025. University leaders will work with faculty and staff to help them find new positions elsewhere, she said.

"After many years of declining enrollments and a shrinking endowment, the financial position of the university is no longer able to be sustained for the long term," Blattner said.

Many universities are facing similar struggles. Public and private colleges and universities across the country have announced mass layoffs in recent months, as well as program eliminations and campus closures. Budget shortfalls are blamed on declining enrollment, the end of federal pandemic funding and other factors.

In December, the University of Arizona unveiled a financial recovery plan to address its $240 million budget shortfall. Earlier last year, four of the 14 universities in the Big Ten Conference  Penn State, Nebraska, Minnesota and Rutgers  announced significant budget shortfalls. Bradley University, a private school in Illinois, faced a $13 million budget shortfall representing 10% of its total operating budget.

Blattner said Fontbonne leaders have worked for years to try to turn things around.

"Despite our best efforts to cut costs, create new academic programs and launch athletic teams, the university is unable to recover from years of declining enrollments and budget deficits," she said.

The university's 16-acre campus sits next to Washington University in St. Louis. Washington University announced Monday that it agreed to purchase the Fontbonne campus, but it doesn't have definitive plans for the property.
Protesting farmers filled the streets of Brussels on Monday to rally against agricultural red tape and unfair competition from cheap imports, with many surrounding the European Council building, where EU ministers were meeting.

The protesters entered the city with 900 tractors, sprayed liquid manure and threw eggs and flares at officers, according to Brussels police. Many tractors were seen lining the roads leading to Brussels European quarter, blocking traffic and public transportation.

Officers responded by deploying tear gas and spraying water cannons at protesters.

The rally in Brussels was one of several protest actions occurring throughout Europe. Farmers have also staged similar protests in Spain, Germany and Poland.

On Monday, farmers blocked a border crossing between Poland and Germany, and in Madrid, staged a demonstration against changes to subsidy programs, among other related items.

Farmers are upset by what they see as red tape surrounding agricultural policies and unfair competition from other countries cheap imports that dont have to follow EU regulations.

According to Marieke Van De Vivere, a farmer from northern Belgium who spoke with The Associated Press, farmers are getting ignored. She added that she invited the ministers to be reasonable to us, to come with us on a day to work on the field, or with the horses or with the animals, to see that it is not very easy  because of the rules they put on us.

Other farmers expressed similar sentiments, demanding that the EU make concessions, Reuters reported.

Morgan Ody, general coordinator of the farming organization La Via Campesina, said, Were here again in Brussels today as farmers because the European Union is not listening to our demands. Our demands are for fair revenue.

She added, We produce the food, and we dont make a living. Why is that? Because of free trade agreements. Because of deregulation. Because the prices are below the cost of production. So, we demand the EU to move on this.

The use of force by some protesters has been condemned by some officials. After protesting farmers broke through police barricades surrounding the European Council building Monday, causing police officers to scatter, Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden urged officers to identify rioters.

Verlinden said on the X platform, The right to protest is dear to us so it must be used with respect.

Similar shows of force have occurred at recent protests. Earlier this month in Brussels, flaming hay bales, eggs and firecrackers were thrown at police near an EU summit.

The grievances expressed by farmers throughout Europe are coming at an important time for officials, as Europe-wide elections are set to occur from June 6-9.

Although many farmers are still upset with agricultural policies, their efforts have yielded some results, and many officials have voiced support for their cause. While ministers met Monday in Brussels, some farmers were allowed in to speak.

The EU presidency, which Belgium currently holds, has acknowledged some grievances expressed by European farmers, particularly the burden of abiding by environmental policies, less subsidy assistance and the supply-chain impact of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Agricultural ministers throughout Europe have expressed support for farmers at the talks Monday, The Associated Press reported.

Belgian Agricultural Minister David Clarinval said, We understand that this situation is difficult, adding, Its necessary to take rapid measures as well as measures in the longer term at the European level.

Irish Agricultural Minister Charlie McConalogue stressed the importance of cutting agricultural red tape  which is at the core of what many farmers are protesting.

Further, in France, Agricultural Minister Marc Fesneau told reporters that theres a need to send signals immediately to tell farmers that something is changing, not only in the short term but also in the medium and long term.

In recent weeks, the EU has modified its 2040 climate roadmap, removing goals to reduce farming emissions and pesticides.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko said he would run for president again in 2025, Belarusian state news agency BelTA reported Sunday.

Lukashenko made his comments after voting in parliamentary and local council elections, denounced by the United States as a sham. The ex-Soviet state's top election official dismissed the criticism and told Washington to look after its own affairs.

BelTA said Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994, told journalists: "Tell them (the exiled opposition) that I'll run. No one, no responsible president would abandon his people who followed him into battle."

Lukashenko, 69, is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest allies and allowed the Kremlin to use his country's territory to launch its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

"We're still a year away from the presidential election. A lot of things can change," he said in response to a follow-up question, BelTA reported.

"Naturally, I and all of us, society, will react to the changes that will take place in our society and the situation in which we will approach the elections in a year's time," Lukashenko said.

The U.S. State Department condemned what it called the "sham" elections in Belarus Sunday.

"The elections were held in a climate of fear under which no electoral processes could be called democratic," department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

The chairman of Belarus' Central Election Commission, in comments quoted by BelTA, said it was not up to the United States to comment on the election.

"We don't denounce their elections. We make no statements, even if they had over

there a lot of questions for all to see, even in their last presidential election," Igor Karpenko was quoted as saying.

"They work according to the principle that we are bigger and can therefore tell everyone what to do. I think we can manage quite nicely conducting elections in our own country," Karpenko said.

Election commission officials said voter turnout stood at just below 73% by mid-evening.

Lukashenko's reelection to a sixth term in 2020 sparked unprecedented protests by opponents alleging mass vote-rigging. Putin offered support to Lukashenko and the demonstrations died out after mass roundups and detentions of protesters by police.

Lukashenko told reporters the role of parliament would be bolstered in his country.

"People are beginning to understand that in Belarus, for example, a president is not a tsar or a god. It is very hard work," BelTA quoted him as saying. "Parliament's role will be expanded, every month, every year."
Coral Ridge Ministries Honored with the National Religious Broadcasters 'Milestone Award'

Award Recognizes the Ministrys 50 Years of Exemplary Service in Christian Broadcasting

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Coral Ridge Ministries

Feb. 26, 2024

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 26, 2024 /Standard Newswire/ -- The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) presented Coral Ridge Ministries (CRM) with the prestigious Milestone Award during the 2024 NRB International Christian Media Convention Feb. 20-23 in Nashville, Tennessee.

NRB acknowledges that longevity in any field is a rarity and exemplary service in Christian Broadcasting for more than 50 years is a feat worthy of recognition and applause. For this reason, the Milestone Award is reserved specifically for organizations with more than five decades in Christian Broadcasting.

It is fitting to receive this honor in 2024 as our ministry celebrates 50 years since its founding by Dr. D. James Kennedy in 1974, said Dr. Robert J. Pacienza, president of CRM. Dr. Kennedy established CRM to meet demand for an intelligent, relevant, uncompromising proclamation of the gospel and use media to reach the most people possible for Christ. We are proud to continue his legacy today through quality programming and resources that follow his motto of Excellence in all things, and all things to the glory of God.

CRM uses all available media to make Christ trusted, known and served, to equip Christ-followers from generation to generation, and to advance a biblical worldview that is embraced throughout the world. The ministrys flagship programs include the Truths That Transform broadcast, The City of God podcast, the daily Christ Meets Culture with Rob Pacienza 60-second radio feature, special documentaries, Providence Forum resources, and outreach to Capitol Hill via the D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship.

CRM is an active member of NRB, a nonpartisan, international association of Christian communicators whose member organizations represent millions of listeners, viewers and readers. In 2003, NRB professionals awarded The Coral Ridge Hour as the Television Program of the Year and in 2004 they designated the radio program, Truths That Transform, the Best Radio Teaching Program of the year. In 2005, Dr. Kennedy, himself, was inducted into the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame. In addition to receiving the Milestone Award in 2024, Pacienza was also elected to the NRB Board of Trustees.

We are grateful to NRBs dedication to protect the free speech rights of its members and celebrate excellence in Christian broadcasting and honored to support and join with them to proclaim biblical truth through the media, Pacienza said.

For more information about CRM, visit CRM.tv.

ABOUT CORAL RIDGE MINISTRIES

Founded by Dr. D. James Kennedy in 1974, Coral Ridge Ministries is a non-profit ministry that uses all available media to make Christ trusted, known and served, to equip Christ-followers from generation to generation, and to advance a biblical worldview that is embraced throughout the world. In addition to its weekly Truth That Transforms broadcast, The City of God podcast, the daily Christ Meets Culture with Rob Pacienza 60-second radio feature, special documentaries, Providence Forum resources, and outreach to Capitol Hill via the D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship, the ministry publishes numerous books and booklets, as well as a monthly newsletter IMPACT. More information is available at www.crm.tv.

SOURCE Coral Ridge Ministries

CONTACT: Kristin U. Cole, 615-289-6701, kristin@kcolecommunications.com
The secessionist region of Transnistria, internationally recognized as part of Moldova, could add new tension to Russias war in Ukraine. A congress of deputies from all local administrative levels has been convened for February 28 in the capital, Tiraspol. The secessionists have previously resorted to this meeting format only on significant occasions, starting with their unilateral declaration of independence in 1990.

According to Ghenadie Ciorba, a dissident politician from Transnistria, the congress will turn to Russia to ask it to welcome the region into its territory. Such a request, if confirmed, would reiterate the appeal that the Transnistrian authorities made in 2006 following a referendum in which, according to them, 97% of the population voted in favor of integration into Russia, despite not sharing a common border. Russia did not recognize the referendum and, to date, has not recognized Transnistria as a state either.

Sources consulted in Tiraspol and in Chisinau, the Moldovan capital, believed the congress will be limited to propagandistic and provocative gestures towards both Moldova and Ukraine. Moscow, they stress, cannot provide support to Transnistria or access to that territory without first conquering the Ukrainian city of Odesa. President Vladimir Putin has on occasion referred to the large Black Sea port as a Russian city.

Odesa, come home, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev recently said. We have been waiting for Odesa in the Russian Federation because of the history of this city, what kind of people live there, what language they speak. It is our Russian, Russian city.

The Russians do not have the capacity to conquer Odesa now, so theyd better leave us alone and we will welcome them when they come, sources in Tiraspol responded ironically.

Vadim Krasnoselsky, the president of Transnistria and the official driving force behind the congress, has so far avoided involving the region in the war in Ukraine and has even blocked initiatives supporting the Russian cause from the left bank of the Dniester River, the sources in Tiraspol point out. Moreover, Krasnoselsky recently received the Ukrainian ambassador to Moldova, to whom he offered help in transporting Ukrainian grain blocked by Russia. The Ukrainian representative expressed the desire to reopen the Kyiv consulate in the Transnistria region within the framework of the Ukrainian representation in Moldova.

If Russia recognizes us and includes us in its territory we would become a legal target for Ukraine, as are Belgorod and other border regions of western Russia, adds a source from Tiraspol, according to whom the February 28 congress seems more in line with Russian interests than those of Transnistria and its inhabitants.

In calling for the meeting, Krasnoselsky alleged pressure from Moldova that violates the rights and worsens the socio-economic situation of the inhabitants of Transnistria, in reference to new Moldovan customs regulations whereby international trade from Transnistria (whose industry also exports to the EU) has lost tax privileges it obtained from Chisinau as part of a policy of seduction to reintegrate the separatist region. Transnistrias international trade activity is now conducted on equal terms with the rest of Moldovan trade. Regular contacts continue to take place between Moldovan and Transnistrian representatives under the umbrella of a dialogue platform of which Russia has been a member, along with the European Union and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Lack of recognition

In 2022, Moscow recognized the self-styled peoples republics of Donetsk and Luhansk as states and used their requests for help as a pretext to invade Ukraine. The next step was to incorporate the occupied territories into the Russian Federation by means of pseudo-referendums. In the case of Transnistria, there is neither recognition as a state nor of borders by Moscow.

The convening of the congress could be a response to Moscows need to keep Moldova  a candidate country for incorporation into the European Union  in check, and in the same process initiated by Kyiv that the Kremlin tried so hard to prevent. Transnistria is mostly located between the left bank of the Dniester River and Ukraine. The war has greatly hampered communications and impaired trade and labor migration from Transnistria to Russia.

Since Moldovan citizens have been able to move freely within the European Union the inhabitants of Transnistria have taken advantage and have learned to value Moldovan passports. Transnistrians also look for Romanian ancestry to obtain passports from Bucharest.

Populated mainly by Russian and Ukrainian Slavs and pro-Russian Moldovans, Transnistria, whose actual population is now estimated to be fewer than 500,000 inhabitants, broke away from Moldova in 1990 in response to the pro-Romanian policy practiced at the time by the leaders of the then-Soviet republic. After armed clashes in July 1992, the leaders of Moldova, Transnistria, and Russia  Mircea Snegur, Igor Smirnov, and Boris Yeltsin  reached agreements which, with fluctuations, have kept the situation stabilized on the ground, where a contingent of around 1,600 Russian soldiers is stationed with limited capabilities for action. Moldova is demanding the withdrawal of this contingent, which is guarding important Soviet-era munitions dumps. In 1999, Russia pledged to remove the ammunition, but that promise was not kept. Over time, the state of the ammunition has deteriorated and with it the military presence, due to difficulties in personnel rotations.

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Tens of thousands of supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro rallied in Brazil's biggest city Sunday to defend him against legal challenges that could put him in jail.

The far-right leader said in a speech that he seeks "pacification to erase the past, taking a more conciliatory tone than when he was in office.

Bolsonaro is seeking to show his base is resilient as he is being investigated by federal police over his alleged role in the Jan. 8, 2023, attacks on government buildings by his supporters over his election loss. He wants the dozens of people still in jail for those incidents to get pardons.

Bolsonaro is also accused of illegally receiving jewels from Saudi Arabia during his presidency.

Six blocks of Paulista Avenue filled with Bolsonaro supporters, many of them saying that he is being persecuted by Brazil's Supreme Court and that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva unfairly won his narrow victory in the 2022 election.

Some also carried Israeli flags as a show of defiance to the current president, who has received widespread criticism at home for comparing Israel's military offensive in Gaza to the Holocaust.

What I seek is pacification, it is erasing the past, Bolsonaro said in a speech as he held an Israeli flag himself. It is to seek a way for us to live in peace and stop being so jumpy. Amnesty for those poor people who are jailed in Brasilia. We ask all 513 congressmen, 81 senators for a bill of amnesty so justice can be made in Brazil.

Bolsonaro denied that he and his supporters attempted a coup when rioters assaulted government buildings a year ago.

"What is a coup? It is tanks on the streets, weapons, conspiracy. None of that happened in Brazil," he said.

Bolsonaro is barred from running for office until 2030 due to two convictions of abuse of power, but he remains active in Brazilian politics as the main adversary for left-of-center Lula. As this year's mayoral elections loom, candidates have split between the two leaders.

Some of Bolsonaro's allies aiming to unseat Lula in the 2026 elections also attended, including influential governors Tarcisio de Freitas of Sao Paulo state and Romeu Zema of Minas Gerais state. But other key politicians and business executives who aligned with him during his 2019-2022 presidency did not show up.

Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo, predicted the pro-Bolsonaro event would not help the former president's legal situation.

The fact that Bolsonaro doesn't yield any power now reduces what he can do. Beforehand, we feared he could use the force of the armed forces. Now that is ruled out, Melo said. This new reality does not favor him with unpredictability and drama.

The event showed, though, that Bolsonaro's message still resonates with many Brazilians, some of whom evidently favor any coup attempt that would put him in charge. One man paraded wearing a military hat and shouted, Brazil, nation, hail our forces. The armed forces didnt sleep!

Federal police investigations also include military generals among those who are alleged to have plotted a pro-Bolsonaro coup with the riots in the capital city of Brasilia last year.

Other Bolsonaro supporters believe Brazil faces the risk of radicalism under Lula, who also governed for two terms in 2003-2010.

It is a country that was taken over by a communist party, hairstylist Simone da Silva Sampaio said, in reference to the presidents Workers Party. Were living terrible days in this place, where we are silenced. We dont have the right to speak about the truth that happens here.

Workers' Party chairwoman Gleisi Hoffmann was one of the few high-profile adversaries of the former president to make comments about the pro-Bolsonaro event in Sao Paulo.

When he speaks about amnesty for those sentenced for the riots of Jan. 8, Bolsonaro aims at his own impunity. He cannot defend interests that are not his own, Hoffman said on her social media channels. We should not have any complacency with coup mongers, starting from their boss.
Bulgarian authorities Monday imposed an entry ban on two Russian citizens suspected of espionage for Moscows foreign intelligence service.

Bulgaria's agency for national security identified the two as Vladimir Nikolayevich Gorochkin, 39, and Tatiana Anatolievna Gorochkina, 37, and barred them from entering European Union member states for a period of five years.

The agency said in a statement that the couple had lived undetected in Bulgaria until recently under the aliases Denis Rashkov and Diana Rashkova. The statement indicated they were no longer in Bulgaria but did not elaborate on when they had left the country or indicate where they currently were believed to be.

According to the agency, the Russians were part of an operation orchestrated by the Moscows Foreign Intelligence Service aimed at infiltrating foreign countries using false identities. Their mission in the EU member country was reportedly to obtain authentic Bulgarian identity documents and credible biographical data confirming their authenticity, which they could then use to carry out intelligence activities outside Bulgaria.

Last September, five Bulgarians living in the U.K. were charged with spying for Russia. The three men and two women were accused of conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy, namely Russia, between August 2020 and February 2023.

In 2022, Bulgaria expelled 70 Russian diplomatic staff in a move that severely strained diplomatic ties between the two countries, which were close allies during communist times. It was the greatest ever number of Russian diplomats expelled by Bulgaria, a member of the European Union and NATO.

Bulgaria has strongly backed the Wests sanctions against Moscow since Russia launched its war on Ukraine.
A French journalist on assignment in Ethiopia is in custody after being arrested in the capital, Addis Ababa.

Antoine Galindo, who works for the Paris-based media outlet Africa Intelligence, was arrested at a hotel while interviewing Bate Urgessa, a spokesperson for the opposition Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) party.

Police also detained Bate, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists or CPJ.

Police accused the reporter of conspiracy to create chaos, according to a statement by Galindos employer. He was detained Thursday and a court on Saturday ordered that the journalist be held until March 1.

Angela Quintal, who heads CPJ's Africa program, told VOA that Galindo's whereabouts were unknown for a day, and that police and the intelligence service at first denied he was in custody.

Police asked for two weeks to investigate his case further. They also wanted to have access to his telephone and the judge gave them a week," Quintal said.

Africa Intelligence in a statement said that a lawyer for the publication attended the hearing Saturday.

The publication added that it condemns the unjustified arrest ... and calls for [Galindos] immediate release.

Galindo heads the Eastern Africa and Horn section of Africa Intelligence. He traveled to Ethiopia on February 13 to cover the African Union summit and other local reporting assignments, according to his employer.

The Ethiopian Embassy in Washington did not respond to VOAs email requesting comment.

International press freedom groups condemned the arrest and called for Ethiopian authorities to free Galindo.

The baseless and unjustified detention of Antoine Galindo for carrying out his legitimate journalistic duties is outrageous, CPJ's Quintal said in a statement.

Quintal said that Ethiopia has a dismal press freedom record and is detaining at least eight other journalists.

The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders or RSF said in a statement that Galindos arrest comes amid a difficult climate for media in Ethiopia.

The authorities are trying to control the narrative of recent social and political tensions, [and] there is growing hostility towards independent journalism that seeks to cover any national issues, said Sadibou Marong, who is director of RSFs sub-Saharan Africa bureau.

The authorities are also targeting foreign media and journalists. Antoine Galindos totally arbitrary detention is a terrible example, Marong added.

Human rights activists have criticized Ethiopia's restrictions on media, including coverage of conflicts and security issues.

Foreign journalists have been expelled from Ethiopia or denied accreditations to work in recent years. The last case of foreign journalists being detained was in 2011, when two journalists from Sweden were arrested.

They were sentenced to 11 years in prison for helping and promoting a rebel group and entering the country illegally before being pardoned and released the following year, Reuters reported.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed freed dozens of jailed members of the media when he came to power in 2018 as part of a raft of political reforms.

But critics say his government has cracked down hard on dissent as civil conflicts, including a 2020-2022 war in the northern Tigray region, have broken out.

Abiy says he is guaranteeing stability and law and order in the multiethnic nation.

Simegnish Yekoye contributed to this report. Some information for this report came from Reuters.
A former FBI informant charged with fabricating a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden's family must remain behind bars while he awaits trial, a judge ruled Monday, reversing an earlier order releasing the man.

U.S. District Judge Otis Wright II in Los Angeles ordered Alexander Smirnov's detention after prosecutors raised concerns that the man who claims to have ties to Russian intelligence could flee the country.

A different judge had released Smirnov from jail on electronic GPS monitoring after his Feb. 14 arrest, but Wright ordered him to be taken back into custody last week after prosecutors asked to reconsider Smirnov's detention. Wright said in a written order unsealed Friday that Smirnov's lawyers' efforts to free him were "likely to facilitate his absconding from the United States."

Smirnov is charged with falsely telling his FBI handler that executives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had paid President Biden and Hunter Biden $5 million each around 2015. The claim became central to the Republican impeachment inquiry of President Biden in Congress.

In urging the judge to keep him in jail, prosecutors revealed Smirnov has reported to the FBI having extensive contact with officials associated with Russian intelligence, and claimed that such officials were involved in passing a story to him about Hunter Biden. Prosecutors said Smirnov had been planning to travel overseas to multiple countries days after his Feb. 14 arrest where he said he was meeting with foreign intelligence contacts.

Smirnov, who holds dual Israeli-U.S. citizenship, is charged by the same Justice Department special counsel who has separately filed gun and tax charges against Hunter Biden.

Smirnov has not entered a plea to the charges, but his lawyers have said they look forward to defending him at trial. Defense attorneys have said in pushing for his release that he has no criminal history and has strong ties to the United States, including a longtime significant other who lives in Las Vegas.

In his ruling last week releasing Smirnov on GPS monitoring, U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel Albregts in Las Vegas said he was concerned about his access to what prosecutors estimate is $6 million in funds, but noted that federal guidelines required him to fashion "the least restrictive conditions" ahead of his trial.

Smirnov was re-arrested on Thursday morning while meeting with his lawyers at their offices in downtown Las Vegas.

In an emergency petition with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Smirnov's lawyers said Wright did not have the authority to order Smirnov to be taken back into custody. The defense also criticized what it described as "biased and prejudicial statements" from Wright insinuating that Smirnov's lawyers were acting improperly by advocating for his release.

The appeals court on Sunday evening denied Smirnov's emergency petition, refusing to block Monday's hearing or assign the case to a different judge.

Smirnov had been an informant for more than a decade when he made the explosive allegations about the Bidens in June 2020, after "expressing bias" about Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, prosecutors said. Smirnov had only routine business dealings with Burisma starting in 2017, according to court documents. No evidence has emerged that Joe Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes in his current role or previous office as vice president.

While his identity wasn't publicly known before the indictment, Smirnov's claims have played a major part in the Republican effort in Congress to investigate the president and his family, and helped spark what is now a House impeachment inquiry into Biden. Republicans pursuing investigations of the Bidens demanded the FBI release the unredacted form documenting the unverified allegations, though they acknowledged they couldn't confirm if they were true.
The decision by West African regional bloc ECOWAS to suspend sanctions against Niger and to ease sanctions on Mali and Guinea has been mostly welcomed by regional political analysts. ECOWAS said its decision, announced Saturday, was based on humanitarian grounds and will pave the way for talks with the three countries military juntas. But some analysts are skeptical the decision will have much effect.

Forty-eight hours after ECOWAS announced its decision, there's excitement over the development in Niger and parts of northern Nigeria affected by the measure.

ECOWAS unfroze Nigers assets in West Africa, suspended border closures and ended the no-fly-zone for commercial flights to and from Niger.

Idayat Hassan, a senior associate for the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the decision should make life easier for average people in Niger.

"There's actually expected to be like an improvement in the economy of this country. Particularly when it comes to Nigeria and Niger, we expect to see even the flow of food, goods and services. Beyond that citizens will have access to services more than they used to. We expect that the price of food will reduce in this country," said Hassan.

The sanctions were the regional bloc's response to the July ouster of Nigers President Mohammed Bazoum by the military.

But the measure, considered the most stringent meted out on any member state, hit Niger hard. The extreme poverty rate in Niger has surpassed 40 percent, according to the World Bank.

The regional body said Saturday its decision to suspend sanctions was based on humanitarian considerations and to enable further dialogue with Niger's military junta.

ECOWAS has been struggling to stop a wave of military takeovers and political crisis rocking West Africa.

Last month Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, all governed by juntas, announced withdrawal from ECOWAS, criticizing the blocs sanctions on military governments.

Political analyst Ahmed Buhari said it is unlikely that lifting sanctions will change those countries position.

"I think the real question is does Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali even care about the lifting of the sanctions? The thing is those guys have moved on, those guys have put their acts together, they have a direction. Our approach on foreign affairs relationships with those countries especially as headed by ECOWAS was flawed right from the beginning," he said.

In September, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso created a bloc known as the Alliance of Sahel States.

Last week, the alliance announced it was creating a confederation and could launch a joint currency soon.

Buhari said if that happens, it will have serious consequences for regional integration and development.
Amid deteriorating conditions in Gaza, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has renewed his call for a humanitarian cease-fire in the Palestinian enclave. He is also calling for the unconditional release of all hostages abducted by Hamas militants during their attack on southern Israel on October 7.

Nothing can justify Hamass deliberate killing, injuring, torturing, and kidnapping of civilians, the use of sexual violenceor the indiscriminate launching of rockets towards Israel and nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, he said Monday in Geneva as the U.N. Human Rights Council opened for a six-week session.

Given the crisis facing Gaza, Guterres said he had invoked Article 99 for the first time in his mandate to put the greatest possible pressure on the council to do everything in its power to end the bloodshed in Gaza and prevent escalation.

Israel took military action against Hamas after the terror attack on Israel killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies, and led to the capture of about 240 hostages. While dozens of hostages were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November, Israel says it believes 30 hostages subsequently have either died or been killed in the enclave.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says Israels military operation has left more than 29,780 people dead and some 70,000 people injured.

Article 99 of the U.N. Charter allows the secretary-general to bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which, in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security. This article has been invoked only six times since the U.N. was created in 1945.

Guterres noted his use of the article was not enough to shake up the Security Council, which remains deadlocked and unable to act on the most significant peace and security issues of our time.

The councils lack of unity on Russias invasion of Ukraine, and on Israels military operations in Gaza following the horrific terror attacks by Hamas on 7 October, has severely  perhaps fatally  undermined its authority, said the U.N. chief.

The council needs serious reform to its composition and working methods, he said, noting that international humanitarian law was still under attack and humanitarian aid for millions of Palestinians in Gaza was insufficient.

Rafah is the core of the humanitarian aid operation, and UNRWA (the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians) is the backbone of that effort," Guterres said.

An all-out Israeli offensive on the city would not only be terrifying for more than a million Palestinian civilians sheltering there; it would put the final nail in the coffin of our aid programs, he said.

Rafah is an area between the Gaza Strip and Egypt and a focus of concern for the safety of Palestinian civilians.

More than 10 countries, including the United States, suspended funding to the Palestinian relief agency after Israel last month accused UNRWA of having links with Hamas.

Dennis Francis, president of the U.N. General Assembly, echoed the secretary-generals call for a humanitarian cease-fire and increased aid for Gaza. However, he said millions of people in other parts of the world also were in a state of crisis and in need of international aid. He said they must not be forgotten.

The war in Ukraine  now in its third year  has only grown more entrenched, with no foreseeable signs of cessation in the short term. Haiti has descended into lawlessness, while persistent violence across Yemen, Sudan, Myanmar and elsewhere has exacerbated the human rights situation with deepening concern, said Francis.

In the Sahel, the impact of strife and environmental stressors has led to a resurgence of famine, jeopardizing the right to food and proper nutrition for millions, he said.

According to Volker Turk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, this council session is occurring at a time of seismic global shock. Conflicts are battering the lives of millions of civilians and carving even deeper fault lines across and between nations.

Turk said he was disturbed by attempts to undermine the legitimacy and work of the United Nations and other institutions. They include disinformation that targets U.N. humanitarian organizations, U.N. peacekeepers and my office.

The U.N. has become a lightning rod for manipulative propaganda and a scapegoat for policy failures. This is profoundly destructive of the common good, and it callously betrays the many people whose lives rely on it, he said.

Over the coming six weeks, the council will examine and shine a light on alleged violations occurring in all regions of the world. It will conduct interactive dialogues on the human rights situations in places such as the occupied Palestinian territories, East Jerusalem, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Myanmar, Nicaragua, South Sudan, and Sudan.

The council also will consider thematic issues such as torture, disappearances, freedom of religion or belief, and the situation of children in armed conflict.

In his speech to the council, U.N. chief Guterres warned that the world was facing a human rights crisis.

Around the world, violence is increasing, and conflict-related human rights violations are spreadingWe cannot, we must not become numb to appalling and repeated violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, he said.

To support states in meeting their obligations under international law, Guterres said that he and U.N. rights chief Turk were launching a systems-wide United Nations Agenda for Protection.

Under this agenda, the United Nations, across the full spectrum of our work, will act as one to prevent human rights violations, and to identify and respond to them when they take place, said the U.N. secretary-general.
It wasn't his first choice, but Mexico is now home for Evens Luxama  along with thousands of other Haitians forced to put their hopes of migrating to the United States on hold.

The 34-year-old is one of a growing number of people from the crisis-torn Caribbean nation pursuing what activists have described as the "Mexican dream," building a life in a land that migrants traditionally hurried through.

"I wanted to go to the United States, but I don't think there's another country that offers the opportunity that Mexico does right now," said Luxama, who hopes his partner and young daughter will join him in the Mexican capital soon.

"In Mexico, they accept you, not only Haitians, but all foreigners," he told AFP.

"They do everything to get you regularized, so that you have your papers, and with your papers, you can bring your family to live with you," he said.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has seen years of worsening security due to raging gang violence, with its political, economic and public health systems also in tatters.

Luxama fled overseas last year after a gang kidnapped a cousin and the sister of his girlfriend, who were released after paying a ransom.

At the time, the Mexican Embassy was the only one open in Port-au-Prince to process his visa request.

Luxama now works in Mexico City as an editor at a video production company  one of an unprecedented 141,000 people who sought refuge in the Latin American nation in 2023, mostly from Haiti, Honduras and Cuba.

In a recent video call to his parents in Haiti, he asked about the situation back home.

"You already know, son  a lot of problems," his father replied.



Haiti has spiraled deeper into chaos since President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in 2021.

Gangs run rampant in large swaths of the country, and homicides in Haiti more than doubled last year to nearly 4,800, according to a U.N. report released last month.

In October, the United Nations Security Council authorized the deployment of a multinational force to help restore order.

"It's almost impossible to live in Haiti," said Luxama, who fears that he will be powerless to help his family when danger comes.

'Mexican dream exists'

Migration from Haiti is not a new phenomenon for Mexico.

In September 2021, after a deadly earthquake in their country, thousands of Haitian migrants crowded into the Mexican border city of Ciudad Acuna hoping to cross over to the United States.

There were already Haitian communities in Tijuana on the Mexican-U.S. border and the southern city of Tapachula, where thousands gathered seeking permits to travel through Mexico to the United States.

These days, Haitians are also a growing presence in Mexico City, many of them working in low-paid, informal jobs.

Some sleep on the streets in makeshift camps.

Rule changes and the "militarization" of the southern U.S. border are among the reasons prompting migrants to stay in Mexico, said Rafael Velasquez, country director at the humanitarian group International Rescue Committee.

"Many people arrive and when they see that there is an opportunity (in Mexico), that the Mexican dream exists, they decide to give it a try," he said.

Although the United States is allowing thousands of Haitians with expired travel documents to stay on, it only applies to those who arrived before November 6, 2022.

On a street in the Mexican capital, five Haitians drilled the pavement to install pipes near an abandoned cinema.

One of them, who gave his name as Jony and speaks Spanish, acts as an interpreter between the bosses and the rest of the workers, who speak Haitian Creole.

He was part of a wave of Haitians who arrived in Brazil after a devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010 that left more than 300,000 people dead.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of them headed north from Brazil as well as Chile, citing discrimination and difficulty obtaining legal status, according to New York-based Human Rights Watch.

Every day, Jony travels several hours by subway to and from his workplace, and sometimes spends days waiting to be paid his salary.

Although he originally wanted to go to the United States, he said he stayed in Mexico because "it's easier to return to Haiti one day."
At least 15 Catholic worshippers were killed in a Burkina Faso village on Sunday when gunmen attacked a community as they gathered for prayers in the country's conflict-hit northern region, Church officials said.

The violence in the village of Essakane was a "terrorist attack" that left 12 of the Catholic faithful dead at the scene, while three others died later as they were being treated for their wounds, according to a statement issued by Abbot Jean-Pierre Sawadogo, vicar-general of the Catholic Diocese of Dori, where the attack happened.

No further details were provided about the attack, which no group claimed responsibility for. But suspicion fell on jihadis who have frequently attacked remote communities and security forces, especially in the northern region.

"In this painful circumstance, we invite you to pray for the rest in God for those who have died in faith, for the healing of the wounded and  for the conversion of those who continue to sow death and desolation in our country," Sawadogo said in a statement.

About half of Burkina Faso is outside government control as jihadi groups have ravaged the country for years. Fighters have killed thousands and displaced more than 2 million people, further threatening the stability of the country that had two coups in 2022.

The country's junta has struggled to restore peace in violent hot spots. Since the first coup in January 2022, the number of people killed by jihadis has nearly tripled compared with the 18 previous months, according to a report by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in August.

In addition to the junta's limited capacity, the security situation also has been worsened by the country's porous borders with Mali and Niger, both of which are also run by juntas and which struggle with security crises.
The U.S. military said Houthi militants fired a ballistic missile late Sunday likely targeting a U.S. owned and operated tanker ship in the Gulf of Aden.

U.S. Central Command said in a statement the missile fell short of the M/V Torm Thor without causing any damage or injuries.

CENTCOM also said U.S. forces shot down two drones late Sunday over the southern Red Sea, while a third drone crashed due to an in-flight failure.

These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels, CENTCOM said.

The actions came a day after U.S. and British forces carried out their latest strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, including hitting weapons storage facilities, air defense systems and drone systems.

The Houthis have been carrying out attacks since November targeting ships in the Red Sea in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
The Hungarian parliament Monday ratified Sweden's bid to join NATO, ending 18 months of delays in expanding the West's main military alliance in response to Russia's two-year war on Ukraine.

Sweden becomes the 32nd NATO member, following its Nordic neighbor Finland, which joined last year. Additions to the alliance must be unanimously approved by existing members, and Hungary was the last NATO country that had yet to ratify Sweden's accession.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a right-wing nationalist who has forged close ties with Russia, had said that criticism of Hungary's democracy from Swedish politicians had soured relations between the two countries and made lawmakers in his Fidesz party reluctant to approve Sweden's NATO accession.

But Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson met last Friday with Orban in Budapest, Hungary's capital, where they appeared to reach a decisive reconciliation after months of diplomatic tensions.

Following their meeting, the leaders announced a defense industry agreement that will include Hungary's purchase of four Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripen jets and the extension of a service contract for its existing Gripen fleet.

Orban said the additional fighter jets "will significantly increase our military capabilities and further strengthen our role abroad" and will improve Hungary's ability to participate in joint NATO operations.

"To be a member of NATO together with another country means we are ready to die for each other," Orban said. "A deal on defense and military capacities helps to reconstruct the trust between the two countries."

Kristersson called Stockholm joining NATO "a historic day."

"We stand ready to shoulder our share of the responsibility for NATO's security," Kristersson wrote on the X social media platform.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, "Sweden's membership will make us all stronger and safer."

Under the NATO charter, forged in the aftermath of World War II, member countries are obligated to join in defending each other if they are attacked.

The provision has only been invoked once, when the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to wage war on al-Qaida terrorists after they used hijacked airliners to attack the U.S. on September 11 that year, killing nearly 3,000 people.

But as the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign unfolds, the likely Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, has raised new doubts about the U.S. relationship with NATO if he wins the November election.

As president, he often chided European allies in NATO who were not meeting the alliance's target that they spend 2% of their countries' economic output on their military and defense needs. Only 11 NATO countries currently meet the goal, led by Poland and the U.S. That number is expected to jump to 18 this year.

At a recent campaign rally, Trump said that as president he told "one of the presidents of a big country" in NATO that if it did not meet the 2% defense spending requirement, he would tell Russia to do "whatever the hell they want" to the country and not commit the U.S. to defend it.

"NATO was busted until I came along," Trump said at the rally. "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."

Some material in this report came from The Associated Press.
By what right do you investigate a legal, legitimately constituted government of an independent country? Is there a global government? Isnt each country independent and sovereign? These were just some of the points that the president of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (popularly known as AMLO), made to the White House during his televised morning conference on Thursday, February 22. The president dedicated more than an hour to eviscerating a request for comment sent by The New York Times, which is investigating alleged contributions made by drug traffickers to his successful 2018 campaign. The main source of the report was an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)  which never became a formal accusation  and statements by at least three informatics, who claimed that they gave millions of dollars to Lopez Obradors children and members of his inner-circle. In the past, [Mexican] presidents were like employees of foreign governments  obedient, eager, submissive  and they became accustomed to not respecting our independence, our sovereignty, the president proclaimed.

The questionnaire sent by the American newspaper  which Lopez Obrador revealed before the article was printed  affirmed that the investigation was closed after U.S. authorities recognized that it could provoke a diplomatic conflict with Mexico. To a large extent, the decision was made after the reaction of the Mexican government when the [Americans] arrested [Mexican] General Salvador Cienfuegos in 2020.

AMLO responded to this during his public address: Theyre afraid of us, because Mexico is now respected. All [that information] is false, completely false, the president declared, visibly upset. This was at least the fifth journalistic publication in two months about links between organized crime and his closest collaborators.

In the shadow of the media scandal and the presidents controversial reaction  which triggered an investigation for exposing the personal data of the American newspapers correspondent in Mexico  the episode was the last link in a long chain of frictions and disagreements between the Mexican government and the U.S. agencies operating in Mexico  the DEA in particular.

The DEA is a headache in Mexico. Its not new, its been going on for a long time, declared former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard on Thursday. He served the president for the first five years of his administration. Ebrard didnt hesitate to describe the latest wave of leaks as revenge being taken by the DEA for the restrictions that have been imposed on their agents in the Latin American country. He stated that the objective is to call into question the political authority of the president of Mexico.

The diagnosis made by four specialists consulted by EL PAIS essentially doesnt differ from Ebrards argument. Its a direct message from the DEA to Lopez Obrador, says political analyst Leonardo Curzio, from the North American Research Center at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Theyre telling him, youre still a very powerful president and we cant [mess with you] right now, but here are the reports to remind you that youre mortal, that youll longer be president and that bills will be collected.

The history of turbulence between Lopez Obrador and the DEA inevitably goes back to the Cienfuegos case. Just minutes before former president Enrique Pena Nietos secretary of defense was detained at the Los Angeles airport, the then-U.S. ambassador, Christopher Landau, contacted Ebrard, notifying him that the arrest was pending and that there was a drug-trafficking case against the general based on DEA accusations. This is what the president narrates in one of his recent memoirs, an episode that has been corroborated by a former official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Regardless of the background, I didnt accept  from the outset  the way in which they informed us, Lopez Obrador wrote. I asked the Secretary of Foreign Affairs to convey to the highest level  including the Secretary of State and the attorney general of that country (the U.S.)  my annoyance, as a representative of the Mexican state, for the treatment received.

Ebrards first reaction was to say: We hope they have a case, that they have evidence, because if not, there are going to be problems for the bilateral relationship, says the former official, who spoke with EL PAIS on the condition of anonymity. The arrest took place on Thursday, October 15, 2020, two weeks before the U.S. presidential elections. A day later, Lopez Obrador acknowledged the accusations against Cienfuegos. This is an unequivocal example of the decomposition of the [rule of law]... of how the public service in the country was degraded during the neoliberal period, he commented, referring to the administrations that preceded his.

Behind the scenes, Mexico asked the United States to review the judicial file. Meanwhile, that weekend, a team from the Foreign Ministry dedicated itself to reviewing whether, in fact, there was a case against the general. Three days later, [Ebrard] presented his notes to me. I read them, asked several questions and came to the conclusion that there was no evidence of anything and that they had fabricated the accusation, wrote the president, who  from that moment onwards  changed his discourse.

On the Friday after the arrest, AMLO compared Cienfuegos to Genaro Garcia Luna  former president Felipe Calderons secretary of public security  who had been arrested for drug-trafficking in the United States. After the weekend, however, he asked for restraint: Not all of the Armed Forces should be blamed, we have to take care of an institution as important as the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA). By November, Cienfuegos was repatriated to Mexico. And, in January 2021, he was exonerated of all the crimes he was accused of by the American authorities. William Barr  who was the U.S. attorney general at the time  has confessed in his memoirs that the Cienfuegos case was not worth destroying any prospect of broader cooperation with the Mexicans.

What happened with Cienfuegos was a disaster, the former Foreign Affairs official emphasizes. From that moment onwards, the DEA became a hindrance to the bilateral relationship. The spaces for cooperation were reduced. In January 2021, a reform to the National Security Law came into force, to regulate the activities of foreign agents in Mexico. This legislation obliged them to deliver periodic reports. They were also subjected to sanctions for violating legal provisions that prohibit them from exercising functions reserved for the Mexican authorities. The message to the DEA was completed in April 2021, when a DEA intelligence unit in Mexico City  in operation since the 1990s  was shuttered.

To put it colloquially, [it was a disaster], Curzio shrugs. For the specialist, the timing of the Cienfuegos scandal wasnt a coincidence  the arrest took place just weeks before Americans went to the polls. The DEA needs its own story that gives it political and budgetary space to justify [its existence] to the government, Congress and public opinion in the United States, when the war on drugs hasnt improved, he clarifies.

The DEAs pattern is that it has always gone it alone. We have four decades in which [the U.S. agency] attacks the president of Mexico time and time again. It has never changed, comments Rafael Fernandez de Castro, director of the Center for Mexico-United States Studies at the University of California in San Diego. The agency arrived in Mexico in the mid-1970s, but the breaking point in its relationship with Mexican authorities was in 1985, with the torture and murder of DEA agent Enrique Kiki Camarena at the hands of drug traffickers in Guadalajara. From that moment on, the DEA went to the mountains  like goats  and adopted an almost feudal and personal agenda with Mexico, without it being necessarily anchored in the rest of the foreign policy priorities of the United States, says Arturo Sarukhan, who served as the Mexican ambassador to the United States during the Calderon administration (2006-2012).

Sarukhan, however, considers that Lopez Obrador is the [cause] of his own clash with the DEA, by destroying the Merida Initiative, a bilateral security cooperation agreement signed during the Calderon administration. What [AMLO] never understood is that the Merida Initiative wasnt about financing or the exchange of equipment or weapons; it was a straitjacket for U.S. agencies, he says.

From his perspective, what this mechanism did was establish an institutional path for collaboration between both governments, given the plethora of interests that mark the bilateral relationship: those of the DEA, the CIA, the Pentagon, the Department of State, the U.S. Embassy and their Mexican counterparts. Mexico and the United States arent monolithic entities: specialists agree that theres distrust in key instances and there are unresolved issues that serve as levers for negotiation and pressure. Sarukhan warns that, under the current administration, the disorder has returned. This was the case with Cienfuegos and in the latest wave of leaks. These are signs that the relationship  in matters of security  isnt flowing, its bursting, the former ambassador warns. Cooperation is what generates trust, not the other way around.

Paradoxically, its the complexity that surrounds the bilateral relationship that has largely saved it. Sarukhan explains that Lopez Obrador can discredit the DEA in public or clash with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and, at the same time, maintain the good relationship that he has with the Biden administration. The political context in the U.S.  given that the Democratic Party is in power  also helps AMLO. The immigration crisis has been a kind of kryptonite for Biden, says Fernandez de Castro. While Democrats have to explain the ins and outs of the crisis, Republicans can simplify the message and turn it into a political weapon. The Republicans political narrative has been impeccable, their message to conservative voters is they (Hispanics) are invading us, he notes.

Sarukhan affirms that the U.S. presidents line to government agencies regarding Mexico  a key ally in containing immigration  is clear: Dont piss off AMLO. Fernandez de Castro concurs. For this reason, Lopez Obrador feels very confident in his relationship with Biden.

Despite the departure of Donald Trump and the deep differences with his successor, there are two U.S. priorities that have remained: migration and combating fentanyl-trafficking. Bidens commitment to prioritizing border control affects those who work in the so-called War on Drugs: the DEA. This agency sees Mexico as a crucial territory for its operations. In February of last year, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram stated in Congress that its necessary for the Mexican government to do more in resolving these two key priorities. In July, she declared that fentanyl is produced en masse in Mexican territory. And, for months now, shes insisted that the two main sources of the fentanyl that kills tens of thousands of Americans each year are the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The Lopez Obrador administration  which interprets the accusations as diplomatic pressure  has gone to the other extreme, insisting that fentanyl isnt produced in Mexico.

The stagnation in the security situation has been going on for years. This was evident during the Pena Nieto administration (2012-2018), in which the extraditions of drug lords fell to a record low. Fernandez de Castro  President Calderons advisor on U.S. matters  acknowledges that there werent as many disagreements with the United States security agencies during the previous two administrations, because the notion of targeting the leaders of criminal organizations was an accepted idea on both sides of the border. However, the idea that the government of Mexico doesnt have de-facto control over large parts of its territory and the assumption that organized crime has infiltrated different parts of the Mexican state have been instrumental for U.S. claims to get involved, especially around election time.

For [the U.S. government], its absolutely irrelevant whether the PAN, the PRI or MORENA (Mexicos three major political parties) govern. The only thing that matters to them is achieving their institutional objectives, which go beyond the interests of the government in power, Curzio affirms.

The latest clash has occurred this past week, which also coincides with the one-year mark since Garcia Luna  an appointee of the Calderon administration (2006-2012)  was found guilty in New York. Back then, members of the Mexican opposition complained about the absence of documentary evidence utilized during the trial, which was based mainly on the testimony of informants. Lopez Obrador still uses the case as a political banner to attack his opponents, although now, the roles have been reversed: the opposition calls him a narco-president and the government is demanding material evidence for the claims made by the DEA.

The case against Cienfuegos didnt go to court due to political pressure from Mexico  as recognized by the former U.S. attorney general himself  which is the same reason why the investigations against AMLOs inner circle didnt continue, according to The New York Times. In fact, the DEA has been on the trail of the last three presidential administrations in Mexico, despite the discomfort and problems that this has caused for successive U.S. governments. Its also a reflection of how costly the failure of Mexicos own justice system to resolve these issues has been: traffickers tend to be punished in another country, where the rules are completely different.

Recent events show that the [weakness] of the bilateral agenda is enormously worrying, as are the conditions the next presidents of Mexico and the United States will have to navigate starting in 2025, according to Sarukhan. All the paths of the Republican campaign pass through the border with Mexico, whether its migration or fentanyl. In the Republican narrative, [Mexico] is the true national security challenge. Its not China, its not Russia, its not whats happening in the Middle East, the former ambassador points out.

All the elements for a muscular and confrontational [policy]  under the notion that Mexico needs to be put in its place and that theres a narco-government in power  [could be in the cards], Curzio notes, when asked about Trumps possible return to the White House. Mexico will go to the polls on June 2, while the United States will vote on November 5.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said Monday the Israeli military has given his war Cabinet a plan to evacuate hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from southern Gaza ahead of a planned ground attack on Hamas militants in Rafah but gave no indication where they would be sent.

The United States, Israels chief ally in its nearly five-month war against Hamas, has warned Israel against a ground offensive in Rafah, just north of the Gaza border with Egypt, without first safely evacuating the Palestinians sheltering there. Netanyahu says a subsequent attack on Hamas militants there could allow Israel to win the war within weeks.

Mondays statement did not give any details about where Israel plans to send the Palestinians and Egypt has said it will not open its borders. Much of Gaza, the narrow territory along the Mediterranean Sea, has been leveled during Israels massive counteroffensive after the October 7 Hamas terror attack killed 1,200 people in Israel.

Nearly 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, the majority women and children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry. Israel says it has killed 12,000 Hamas fighters.

The United Nations has expressed concern about any plan to move the civilian population from southern Gaza and about Israeli plans to launch an offensive in the area populated by people already in need of humanitarian aid.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday that humanitarian assistance in Gaza remains completely insufficient, and that an Israeli offensive in Rafah would greatly harm those efforts.

"An all-out Israeli offensive on the city would not only be terrifying for more than a million Palestinian civilians sheltering there; it would put the final nail in the coffin of our aid programs," Guterres said.

Israel reported Monday that it killed dozens of militants in the Zeytoun area, east of Gaza City in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, as well as in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

The Israeli military also said Monday it was carrying out strikes deep in Lebanon targeting the militant group Hezbollah. Security sources said the strikes targeted sites near the city of Baalbek, with Hezbollah saying two people were killed.

Israel and Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, have traded fire across their border throughout the war, which helped fuel fears of a widening conflict in the Middle East.

Earlier Monday, Israel said a missile intercepted one of its drones as it flew over Lebanon. Hezbollah said its air defense had shot down the Israeli drone.

While the warfare rages on, U.S., Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari officials are meeting in Qatar to try to negotiate a weekslong cease-fire and the release of some of the 100 or so hostages Hamas is still holding from among the 240 it captured in the October attack.

About 100 hostages were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November. The Israeli military says it believes about 30 hostages held by Hamas have subsequently died or been killed in Gaza.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh announced his resignation Monday.

The next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political arrangements that take into account the new reality in the Gaza Strip, Shtayyeh said at a Cabinet meeting.

The Palestinian Authority governs part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and lost power in Gaza to Hamas after a power struggle in 2007.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Kayakers have been paddling in one of the driest places on Earth after a series of record rainstorms battered California's Death Valley and replenished Lake Manly.

Park Ranger Nichole Andler said Badwater Basin at Death Valley National Park, which runs along part of central California's border with Nevada, "is normally a very beautiful, bright white salt flat."

This year it is a lake.

In the past six months, Death Valley has received more than double its annual rainfall amount, recording more than 12.45 centimeters (4.9 inches) compared to a typical year that gets about 5.08 centimeters (2 inches). Temperatures at or above 54.44 C (130 F) have only been recorded on Earth a handful of times, mostly in Death Valley.

Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America at 85.95 meters (282 feet) below sea level and has been a favored spot for tourists to take selfies and briefly walk along the white salt flats ringed by sandy-colored mountains.

"It's the lowest point, in North America. So it's going to collect water, but to have as much water as we have now  and for it to be as deep and lasting as long as it has  this is extremely uncommon," Andler said. "If it's not once-in-a-lifetime, it's nearly."

Andler said kayakers should come soon since water levels are expected to drop in a matter of weeks, though the lake "will probably be here into April. If we're lucky, May. And then it'll be a muddy, wet mess, and then it'll dry out into those gorgeous white salt flats."

On Thursday, Heather Gang of Pahrump, Nevada, and her husband, Bob, were among hundreds of visitors playing in the water. Most waded into the lake, though the couple and others paddled where the water reached up to about a foot (0.3 meters) deep in parts.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to kayak Lake Manley," Heather Gang said.

It was a sharp contrast to the Death Valley of the past where they figured they had once stood around the same spot and looked at the chalky salt flats for as far as the eye could see.

The couple has been eyeing the lake's evolution ever since last year's storms started filling the lake. In the fall, they drove out to see it re-emerge as a lake but they said it wasn't deep enough for kayaks like now. This time the water reached up to the boardwalk.

The lake, which is currently about 9.66 kilometers long and 4.83 kilometers wide, is still nowhere near its original state thousands of years ago after it formed during the Ice Age and covered a significant part of the park and was several hundred feet deep.

Bob Gang said he had heard the lake had filled up to the point that boaters could go on it about 20 years ago, so he didn't want to miss out on the experience this time.

"It's a lot of fun," said Bob Gang, who gave a girl a ride on his kayak. "It's good to see the little kids out here enjoying this and seeing something totally unique."

It could be another 20 years before boaters return, he added, but "with climate change, who knows, maybe this will be the normal."

Guo Yu, an assistant research professor of hydrometeorology at the Nevada-based Desert Research Institute, said the lake's size is a "simple natural phenomenon."

It's linked to a wet winter from a strong El Nino  a natural and occasional warming of part of the Pacific Ocean that can lead to more precipitation than usual in California  plus climate change, which brings more intense atmospheric rivers to the area more frequently, Yu said.

Scientists need to study Lake Manly now, he said, to see if they can harness the water for other uses in the future, such as drinking water throughout the dry Southwest.

Tiffany Pereira, an associate research scientist at the institute, said the lake's size now can be beneficial to local flora and fauna.

Certain seed species endemic to the area, meaning they only naturally exist in Death Valley, have lain dormant for a decade or more and are now beginning their short-lived life cycle because there is enough water to sustain them.

"They hang out, they do their thing, and as soon as it dries up, that's it. They're done," she said.

For now, friends Trudell Artiglere and Sheri Dee Hopper of Las Vegas will enjoy paddling through the lake. At the end of the day on Thursday, Artiglere said, their salt-encrusted kayaks looked like "glazed donuts."
A U.S. military service member who had set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington over the weekend, in an apparent act of protest against the war in Gaza, has died, local police said Monday.

Officer Lee Lepe, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department, confirmed the U.S. airman's death.

The Pentagon said that the death was a "tragic event" and that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was following the situation.

Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder told reporters that he was not aware of any other acts of protest by service members against the war.

The U.S. airman was hospitalized in critical condition on Sunday after U.S. Secret Service officers put out the flames, D.C. Fire and EMS had said earlier.

The man, wearing military fatigues, broadcast the incident live over the internet.

"I will no longer be complicit in genocide," the man said before dousing himself in a clear liquid and setting himself on fire, screaming, "Free Palestine," according to a video seen by Reuters.

The latest incident came amid pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protests in the United States following Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 Israelis in a cross-border attack. About 240 people were taken hostage.

Israeli forces then waged a military campaign against the Palestinian Islamist group that rules Gaza, destroying much of the coastal enclave, with nearly 30,000 people confirmed killed, according to Palestinian health officials.

Israel's embassies have drawn continued protests against the war. In December, a woman protesting the war set herself on fire outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta.
The front-runner in Mexico's upcoming presidential election said Saturday she was being inundated with hate-filled calls and messages after her phone number was released online.

The privacy violation for Claudia Sheinbaum comes days after the incumbent, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, revealed the phone number of a journalist investigating his entourage's alleged drug cartel links.

Sheinbaum, candidate for the ruling left-wing party, posted on X, formerly Twitter, that she was being deluged with "calls and hate messages because someone published my cell phone number on social networks."

"What they want to do is obvious, once again their attacks are as crude as they are harmless," she said, adding that she would change her phone number.

The former Mexico City mayor faces Xochitl Galvez, from the opposition coalition, and Jorge Alvarez Maynez of the Citizens' Movement party in the June poll.

Lopez Obrador is barred from running because of Mexico's one-term limit.

One of the president's sons, Jose Ramon Lopez Beltran, has also denounced the leak of his private number online.

Lopez Obrador described that leak as "shameful," and accused his political opponents of being behind it.

On Thursday at a regular press briefing, Lopez Obrador revealed the phone number of a New York Times reporter, along with questions put to him by The New York Times.

The newspaper has reported that U.S. law enforcement officials spent years examining claims that people close to Lopez Obrador took millions of dollars from criminal gangs.

A day later, he denied he had breached data protection regulations, saying, "There can be no law above a fundamental principle which is freedom."

The New York Times described the incident as "a troubling and unacceptable tactic from a world leader at a time when threats against journalists are on the rise."

Mexico's National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Personal Data Protection said that it would investigate whether the disclosure broke the law.
The Palestinian prime minister announced the resignation of his government on Monday, paving the way for a shake-up in the Palestinian Authority, which the U.S. hopes will eventually take on a role in postwar Gaza.

Many obstacles remain to making a revamped Palestinian Authority a reality. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose forces were driven from Gaza by Hamas in 2007, has made clear that he would like the PA to govern the enclave after the war. But it is deeply unpopular among Palestinians, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has roundly rejected the idea of putting the authority in charge of the territory.

Abbas must still decide whether he accepts the resignations of Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh's government. But the move signals a willingness by the Western-backed Palestinian leadership to accept a shake-up that might usher in reforms sought by the United States, as international negotiations ramp up to bring about a cease-fire. The authority, created under interim Israeli-Palestinian peace deals in the early 1990s, administers parts of the West Bank but is beset by corruption.

"The next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political arrangements that take into account the new reality in the Gaza Strip," Shtayyeh said at a Cabinet meeting.

Netanyahu has vowed to destroy the military and governing capabilities of Hamas  which has ruled Gaza since 2007 and staged the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that set off the current war. He has called for Israel to maintain open-ended security control in the territory after the conflict, with Palestinian officials in charge of civilian affairs.

The Palestinians have rejected such a limited role and seek an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza  areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war.

Abbas is expected to choose Mohammad Mustafa, chairman of the Palestine Investment Fund, as the next prime minister. Mustafa is a U.S.-educated economist who has held senior positions in the World Bank and served in senior posts in the Palestinian Authority. Palestinian officials say he has a good, longstanding working relationship with American officials.
Ukraines military said Monday that Russian forces attacked the country overnight with 14 drones and six missiles.

Ukraines air force said Ukrainian air defenses shot down nine of the 14 drones, with the intercepts taking place over the Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Ukraine also destroyed three of the missiles, the military said.

The latest attacks came as European leaders prepared to gather Monday in Paris to send a message of resolve to Russian President Vladimir Putin and counter the Kremlin's narrative that Russia is bound to win a war now entering its third year, France said.

French President Emmanuel Macron has invited his European counterparts to the Elysee Palace for a working meeting announced at short notice after, what his advisers say, was an escalation in Russian aggression over the past few weeks.

The United States will be represented by Jim OBrien, U.S. assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, and Canada by Defense Minister Bill Blair.

"We want to send Putin a very clear message, that he won't win in Ukraine," a French presidential adviser told reporters in a briefing.

The adviser, however, said the working meeting would not be an occasion to announce new weapon deliveries to Ukraine but more to brainstorm ways to be more efficient on the ground, as well as increase coordination between allies and Ukraine.

Military aid for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Ukraine's victory in the war against invading Russian forces depends on support from the West, adding that he felt "positive" about the prospect of long-range missiles being supplied to Kyiv by its allies and partners.

Speaking at a news conference in Kyiv, Zelenskyy also said he was certain that the U.S. Congress would approve a major new batch of military and financial assistance but noted that Ukraine needed that decision to be made within a month.

Zelenskyy was asked by VOA about the possibility of Ukraine receiving an invitation to join NATO at a planned NATO summit in Washington in July.

As I understand, all [NATO] partners support Ukraine in providing such an invitation. And everyone agrees that in the future, Ukraine will be in NATO. ... This decision [to extend an invitation] depends on the U.S. and Germany. This is a fact, he said.

The U.S. and Germany are the top countries donating military and economic aid to Ukraine. Both countries have voiced support for Ukraine joining NATO, but officials have said now is not the time.

Earlier in February, at a meeting of the NATO defense ministers in Brussels, U.S. ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said she does not expect the alliance to issue a membership invitation to Ukraine at the summit in July.

I do not expect the alliance to issue an invitation at this juncture, Smith said on Feb. 13. I do anticipate that the allies will be able to signal that the alliance continues to move closer to Ukraine and that we are taking concrete steps to serve as a bridge between where we are now and that full-fledged membership.

On Sunday, Zelenskyy also was asked by VOA if there were risks to international security if Ukraine was not given an invitation this summer to join the 31-nation bloc.

What are the risks? I can't say. I don't see any risks in inviting Ukraine to NATO. ... I think the risks are related to the inadequacy (unpredictability) of Putin's reaction. I believe this step, the invitation, does not contain any risks, he said.

Peace summit

Zelenskyy expressed hope that a peace summit being planned by Switzerland will address Kyiv's vision for ending the two-year war with Russia and that the outline of that peace plan would be presented to Russia.

"I hope it will take place this spring. We must not lose this diplomatic initiative," he told reporters. "We will offer a platform on which he [Putin] can agree that he lost this war and that it was a mistake. A big mistake.

So far, the Kremlin has not reacted to Zelenskyys comments, but in the past it has called Kyiv's peace plan absurd because it excluded Russia and said there is no current basis for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy's chief of staff, has floated the possibility that Ukraine and its foreign partners could invite Russia to the future summit to discuss an end to Moscow's invasion on Kyiv's terms.

Zelenskyys peace formula calls for restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity and a total withdrawal of Russian troops.

Zelenskyy disclosed for the first time that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed during the invasion. Not 300,000, not 150,000 ... Nevertheless, this is a big loss for us."

He warned that Russia will prepare counteroffensive operations in early summer, or at the end of May if it can, and that Ukraine had to be ready.

Zelenskyy said his country is approaching a turning point.

A year of elections, defocusing, everything at once, challenges from outside, from within. ... I believe the format of how the war ends will depend on this year," he said.

"Now is the most difficult moment for our unity, and if we all fall apart, from the outside and God forbid inside, then this will be the weakest moment. It hasn't happened yet.

Ukraine setback on the battlefield

After initial successes in pushing back the Russian army, Ukraine has suffered setbacks on eastern battlefields, and it lost the strategic eastern city of Avdiivka.

Ukrainian generals are complaining of shortages of arms and soldiers.

"At the moment, commitment does not constitute delivery," Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said Sunday during a forum in Kyiv dedicated to the second anniversary of Russia's invasion.

Umerov said that each delayed aid shipment meant Ukrainian troop losses, and underscored Russias military might and air superiority.

We look to the enemy: their economy is almost $2 trillion; they use up to 15% official and nonofficial budget (funds) for the war, which constitutes over $100 billion annually. So basically, whenever a commitment doesnt come on time, we lose people, we lose territory, Umerov said.

The Biden administration is seeking about $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, but it is stalled in the Republican-majority U.S. House of Representatives.

In a televised interview Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan expressed confidence that Ukraine can win this war if it has the tools that it needs, urging the U.S. House of Representatives to step up and pass that bill. He was referring to the Ukraine aid package that was passed by a massive bipartisan vote in the Senate.

Sullivan said it is up to House Speaker Mike Johnson to overcome political divisions in his caucus and put the vote on the floor.

Eastern Europe Bureau Chief Myroslava Gongadze contributed to this report. Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Russian prosecutors are seeking to imprison the co-chair of the Nobel Prize-winning human rights group Memorial for nearly three years over an article he wrote criticizing Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

During a hearing Monday in Moscow, prosecutors accused 70-year-old Oleg Orlov of repeatedly discrediting the Russian army. Orlov, who was in the courtroom, described his trial as a strangulation of freedom.

Authorities charged Orlov after the article was published. Back in October, a court convicted him and fined him the equivalent of $1,600, a comparatively lower punishment than others who have criticized the ongoing war. The prosecution appealed, prompting this retrial.

This time, Russian prosecutors are seeking a stronger punishment, aiming for a sentence of two years and 11 months.

A verdict is expected Tuesday.

Russia has been relentlessly clamping down on dissent in the two years since it invaded Ukraine in what it has termed a special military operation.

During the hearing, many of Orlovs supporters were in attendance. According to Russian independent media outlet Mediazona, more than 100 of his supporters were present, along with more than a dozen Western diplomats.

Memorial said that prosecutors accused Orlov of political hatred of Russia, which he has denied.

During Mondays hearing, Orlov was seen largely not engaging with court proceedings, instead opting to read The Trial, by Franz Kafka, a book about a character arrested for an unknown crime in a nonsensical legal system.

In closing statements, Orlov said, Our state of affairs really does have a few things in common with the situation Kafkas protagonist ended up in  absurdity and tyranny dressed up as formal adherence to some pseudo-legal procedures.

When speaking in court, he continued to decry Russias invasion of Ukraine and President Vladimir Putins leadership, calling Russia fascist. His comments were broadcast through Memorials channel on the Telegram messaging platform.

Orlov said he has committed no crime and regrets nothing.

During the trial, he addressed those whom he said, are now moving the steamroller of repression forward with their work, including government officials, law enforcement officers, judges [and] prosecutors. Orlov said he wondered if they were scared themselves [of] what our country, which you probably love too, is turning into.

He also condemned the recent death in prison of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny. Many Western leaders claim Navalnys death was Putins fault.

The Kremlin has rejected allegations that Putin was involved. Russian prison officials insist the 47-year-old died of natural causes.

Orlov said, All of these are links in the same chain: the death, or rather, the massacre of Alexey, the judicial reprisals against other critics of the regime, including me, the strangulation of freedom in the country [and] the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine.

Orlov further spoke about Navalny after the trial, while addressing reporters. He said, What happened to Alexey Navalny is a terrible tragedy, this terrible crime and death, murder, weighs like a sword of Damocles [a looming threat] over all political prisoners and we must do something to help them.

The trial has been condemned internationally. The U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Russia, Mariana Katzarova, described the trial as a textbook example of a repressive system, and an orchestrated attempt to silence the voices of human rights defenders in Russia and any criticism of the war on Ukraine.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France Presse and Reuters.
Authorities loyal to the army in war-ravaged Sudan have blocked cross-border aid to the western Darfur region, a move decried by aid workers and the United States.

The vast Darfur region, bordering Chad, has been one of the hardest hit parts of Sudan since war began 10 months ago between the Sudanese Armed Forces and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

RSF are descendants of the Janjaweed militia, which began a scorched earth campaign in Darfur more than two decades ago.

In their current battle against the army, which started last April, the RSF have taken over four out of the five Darfur state capitals.

More than 694,000 people have fled over the border to Chad, according to the International Organization for Migration, but many more remain trapped in Darfur and in need of assistance.

The United Nations has had to limit its work in Darfur to cross-border operations from Chad, but last week the U.N.'s World Food Program (WFP) country director Eddie Rowe told reporters that "authorities have restricted the Chad cross-border operation."

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Friday the United States is deeply concerned by the army's "recent decision to prohibit cross border humanitarian assistance from Chad and reports that the SAF is obstructing assistance from reaching communities in areas controlled by the RSF."

Sudan's foreign ministry, loyal to the army, expressed "confusion and rejection" of the "false accusations" by Washington.

The ministry said the Sudan-Chad border "is the main crossing point for weapons and equipment" used to commit "atrocities" against the Sudanese.

A United Nations experts' report in January cited credible evidence that the United Arab Emirates was funneling "military support" through Chad to the RSF. The UAE has denied the allegations.

Miller, of the State Department, also expressed concern about RSF "looting homes, markets and humanitarian assistance warehouses."

In Brussels, Rowe said his agency was "engaging with the authorities to ensure this critical lifeline" from Chad remains operational.

It is essential, an international aid worker told AFP on Sunday from Darfur, requesting anonymity so as not to jeopardize their mission.

"Children and babies are already dying from hunger and malnutrition. There will be an immense human impact... and quite possibly large-scale mortality rates," the aid worker said.

"The highest levels of diplomacy need to unblock this situation immediately because millions of lives hang in the balance," the aid worker said, calling it "a huge region already facing an imminent and immense food security crisis on top of a civil war, ethnic violence and state service collapse."

The war has killed thousands, including up to 15,000 in the West Darfur city of El Geneina alone, according to the U.N. experts.

Washington has accused both sides of war crimes and said the RSF also carried out ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
Tuvalu on Monday announced former attorney general and fisheries official Feleti Teo as its new prime minister, after he was elected unopposed by lawmakers in the Pacific Islands nation, officials said.

Former Prime Minister Kausea Natano lost his seat in a general election on Jan. 26 closely watched by Taiwan, China, the U.S. and Australia, amid a geopolitical tussle for influence in the South Pacific.

Tuvalu, with a population of about 11,200 spread across nine islands, is one of three remaining Pacific allies of Taiwan, after Nauru cut ties last month and switched to Beijing, which had promised more development help.

Teo received unanimous support from the 16 lawmakers, two lawmakers told Reuters on Monday. Teo, who was educated in New Zealand and Australia, was Tuvalu's first attorney general and has decades of experience as a senior official in the fisheries industry - the region's biggest revenue earner.

"Feleti Teo was declared by the Governor General as Prime Minister for Tuvalu," Tuvalu election official, Tufoua Panapa, said in an emailed statement.

Tuvalu lawmaker Simon Kofe congratulated Teo in a social media post.

"It is the first time in our history that a prime minister has been nominated unopposed," he said.

Only one nomination had been sent to the Governor General, before the formal vote by the lawmakers on Monday morning.

The election result in Tuvalu had been delayed by three weeks as dangerous weather stopped boats from bringing new lawmakers to the capital to vote for prime minister, highlighting why climate change is the top political issue in the Pacific Islands nation.

Taiwan previously said it was paying close attention to the election after Tuvalu's finance minister in the previous government, Seve Paeniu, said the issue of diplomatic recognition of Taiwan or China should be debated by the new government.

There had also been calls by some lawmakers to review a wide-ranging deal signed with Australia in November, that allows Canberra to vet Tuvalu's police, port and telecommunication cooperation with other nations, in return for a defense guarantee and allowing citizens threatened by rising seas to migrate.

The deal was seen as an effort to curb China's rising influence as an infrastructure provider in the Pacific Islands.

Teo's position on Taiwan ties, and the Australian security and migration pact, have not been made public.

Tuvalu's ministry is also expected to be decided on Monday.
More than 20,000 people gathered at a rally in Warsaw Saturday to mark the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Despite a difficult situation on the Polish-Ukrainian border, where Polish farmers, complaining about unfair competition, have almost completely blocked the export of some Ukrainian goods, Polish politicians reassured demonstrators that their support of Ukraine is unchanged. Lesia Bakalets has the story from Warsaw. Camera: Daniil Batushchak
Its impossible to quantify the amount of content on social media recommending a trendy restaurant, an unmissable, free event or the best places to visit in any city in the world. Every day, there are thousands of new videos, posts and Instagram stories with these types of suggestions, which have been seeking to seduce users of different platforms for years.

This phenomenon has given rise to terms such as FOMO: the fear of missing out. But today more and more people are rebelling against this notion, which studies have shown to be harmful to mental health. This has led to a new trend: JOMO, the joy of missing out.

We should not be afraid of missing out, but rather enjoy the simplicity and focus that a good human life brings us. No matter what we do, we will always miss something, so trying to do everything is a crazy idea, explains Svend Brinkmann, who is the author of the book The Joy of Missing Out. The Danish psychologist and philosopher, whose book highlights the importance of getting off social medias rat race, argues that doing lots of things is not always synonymous with happiness. A lot of psychological research has shown that people are happier if they have fewer options to choose from. That is what is called the paradox of choice. If we learn to miss out on something, there is a greater chance that we will be happy with what we have, rather than wanting more all the time.

While the hashtags JOMO (with 54 million views on TikTok) and FOMO (with 880 million) have largely been used to describe societys dependence on social media, Brinkmann argues that they are existential issues that predate technology. FOMO refers to the need to be where everything is happening, to be experiencing and living to the fullest. It becomes a search that is doomed to failure, because there is always more to see and do, he explains.

When we want to fit lots of things into the day that we dont have time for, we end up feeling anxious, frustrated, guilty for not getting to everything, explains clinical psychologist Patricia Ramirez. People who choose JOMO are making a deliberate and conscious decision to not feel like they have to go to everything and that they can lead a full and meaningful life, even though they may not be traveling to every country, or trying every meal in the world, or going to every restaurant, every beautiful corner, and everything that people say you have to visit on social media.

Content saturation

In this way, videos of people partying at nights at the club before watching the sunrise at the beach are being replaced by people staying home on a Friday night. There are hundreds of videos on TikTok showing scenes of everyday life to the same background music. Honestly, my most toxic trait is that I dont have FOMO, Im happy to miss out on things, says one woman in a post as she puts her cup of tea on the nightstand and gets ready to read in bed.

We are living in a moment of self-awareness, in which many people have realized that being constantly connected and trying to emulate what they see online does not make them happy, says health psychologist Alicia Banderas, who researches the mental health impact of social media. The data proves her point. A 2017 study by the British Royal Society for Public Health shows that four out of five young people say that Instagram makes them feel more anxious.

Thats why, there are people who decide to disconnect, and who have found in JOMO a way to get away from the hustle and bustle of the social media, explains Banderas. However, the psychologist also warns against the rise of self-help videos that tell viewers to embrace JOMO, while showing dazzling apartments and expensive coffee-making machines. This also ends up becoming a fashion, although the initial idea was precisely to move away from that in search of simplicity.

But Patricia Ramirez doesnt see the contradiction in JOMO being a social media trend. Practicing JOMO does not mean that we stop using social networks, but rather filter content to find only what really interests us, instead of consuming everything indiscriminately. Whats more, right now social media has become one of the largest channels of information. Its normal to find out about these trends on Instagram or TikTok, she explains.

The virtue of restriction

Sven Brinkmann highlights that when talking about FOMO, its often argued that the desire to do and experience as much as possible is inherent to human nature. Thats a misconception. For most of human history, we have not lived with this philosophy of more and more. Rather, restricting oneself was a virtue. It is something we see in most philosophical and religious ideas around the world. However, with the arrival of the consumer society, this was reversed, and people were taught that the meaning of life is to consume as much as possible, Brinkmann counters.

Despite this saturation of content, experts agree that in most cases FOMO is a passing stage, which almost automatically leaves room for its positive counterpart. There comes an age, with maturity, when you have the capacity to decide what you want or dont want in your life: what values are important. And thats when you think that its okay to miss out on things and that youll even enjoy knowing that youve decided to give up the effort and that youre not going to achieve everything. Just reaching this conclusion makes us feel more relaxed, says Ramirez.

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Donald Trump has appealed his $454 million New York civil fraud judgment, challenging a judge's finding that Trump lied about his wealth as he grew the real estate empire that launched him to stardom and the presidency.

The former president's lawyers filed a notice of appeal Monday asking the state's mid-level appeals court to overturn Judge Arthur Engoron's Feb. 16 verdict in Attorney General Letitia James' lawsuit.

Trump's lawyers wrote in court papers that they're asking the appeals court to decide whether Engoron "committed errors of law and/or fact" and whether he abused his discretion and/or his jurisdiction.

Engoron found that Trump, his company and top executives, including his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., schemed for years to deceive banks and insurers by inflating his wealth on financial statements used to secure loans and make deals. Among other penalties, the judge put strict limitations on the ability of Trump's company, the Trump Organization, to do business.

The appeal ensures that the legal fight over Trump's business practices will persist into the thick of the presidential primary season, and likely beyond, as he tries to clinch the Republican presidential nomination in his quest to retake the White House.

If upheld, Engoron's ruling will force Trump to give up a sizable chunk of his fortune. Engoron ordered Trump to pay $355 million in penalties, but with interest the total has grown to nearly $454 million. That total will increase by nearly $112,000 per day until he pays.
French President Emmanuel Macron held a news conference Monday, after he hosted a meeting with 20 Western leaders as a show of support for Ukraine, where the war with Russia is now in its third year.

He said there was no consensus at the meeting on sending troops to Ukraine, but the subject could not be ruled out.

"There is no consensus at this stage ... to send troops on the ground," he noted, adding "nothing should be excluded. We will do everything that we must so that Russia does not win."

During his opening statements, the French leader said, we are in the process of ensuring our collective security, for today and tomorrow. He hosted the hastily arranged gathering as Russia is ramping up its offensive.

"In recent months particularly, we have seen Russia getting tougher," Macron said. "We also know that Russia is preparing new attacks, in particular to shock Ukrainian public opinion," he said in opening remarks.

"Russia cannot and must not win that war," Macron said at the meeting, which included German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Polish President Andrzej Duda and Baltic leaders.

The French president said the European officials agreed that they should be prepared for a possible attack by Russia in the coming years and that more efforts were needed to help Ukraine financially and militarily.

"We all agree we don't want to go to war with the Russian people, but we're determined to keep escalation under control," he said, adding that the meeting at the presidential palace was meant to see how those present could "do more in terms of military support and budget support."

Addressing the leaders via video link, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy echoed Macron's warning about an escalation of the conflict.

"We must ensure that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin cannot destroy our achievements and cannot expand his aggression to other nations," he said.

After the meeting, the Netherlands announced they will contribute 100 million euros ($108.47 million) to a Czech initiative to buy ammunition for Ukraine from countries around the world, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Monday expressing the hope that other countries will follow his countrys example.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, also speaking after the Paris meeting, said some 15 countries had shown interest in the initiative, which has focused on finding urgently needed artillery ammunition for Ukraine on world markets.

"A number of states in the midst of the negotiations signed up to the initiative, or my colleagues told me that they would discuss it quickly," Fiala told reporters.

"I think that in the end, the action will have a lot of support in this way, so I estimate it to be 15 states," he said.

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said countries at the Paris meeting had asked their defense ministers to come up with plans in the next 10 days to deliver more munitions to Ukraine.

Peace plan

The Kremlin said earlier Monday that Ukraine's call for peace talks without Russia was ridiculous, a day after Zelenskyy expressed hope at a forum in Kyiv that a peace summit being planned by Switzerland will address Kyiv's vision for ending the war.

Zelenskyy told reporters Sunday he hopes the peace summit will take place in spring. "We must not lose this diplomatic initiative," he said. "We will offer a platform on which [Putin] can agree that he lost this war and that it was a mistake. A big mistake."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "We have repeatedly said that this is a strange format, to say the least, because certain peace plans are being implemented without the participation of Russia, which in itself is frivolous and even laughable."

Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy's chief of staff, has floated the possibility that Ukraine and its foreign partners could invite Russia to the future summit to discuss an end to Moscow's invasion on Kyiv's terms.

Zelenskyy's peace formula calls for restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity and a total withdrawal of Russian troops.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has experienced setbacks on the battlefield. Ukrainian troops pulled out of a village west of the recently occupied Russian city of Avdiivka in the east of the country, an army spokesperson said Monday.

The latest setback for Kyivs soldiers was in the village of Lastochkyne. They retreated to nearby villages to hold the line there, Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for one of the Ukrainian troop groupings, said Monday on national television.

Lykhovii said the Ukrainian troops were outnumbered and overwhelmed by Moscows military might, and Ukraine chose to pull them out of the village and mount a defense elsewhere.

Russia's Ministry of Defense said its troops had liberated Lastochkyne.

Russian forces pushed Ukrainian troops back by 10 kilometers (about 6.2 miles) and were continuing with their offensive, said Russian local commander Andrei Mordvichev, according to Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti, the Associated Press reports. Novosti said a key Ukrainian supply route ran through Lastochkyne.

AP was not able to independently verify these claims.

Ukraine's military said Monday that Russian forces attacked the country overnight with 14 drones and six missiles.

Russian-installed officials in Russian-occupied Ukraine said Monday that Moscow's forces had for the first time destroyed a U.S.-supplied Abrams tank in Ukraine.



"From the very beginning, our soldiers said that these tanks would burn just like others," state news agency RIA quoted Kremlin spokesperson Peskov as saying about previous instances where Russia says it has destroyed Western weaponry in Ukraine.

Reuters could not immediately verify a video published on social media that purported to show an Abrams tank on fire.

The United States began supplying the Abrams to Ukrainian forces last September.

Meanwhile, three civilians were killed, and three others wounded Monday when a Ukrainian drone attacked a car in Russia's Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
By Farai Mutsaka

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP)  An Australian tourist has gone missing in Zimbabwes Victoria Falls National Park, home to one of the worlds natural wonders, the countrys parks spokesman said.

Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesman Tinashe Farawo told The Associated Press that the tourist went missing in the vast rainforest on Friday.

We have a fully-fledged team that includes the police looking for the tourist. We have deployed sniffer dogs, drones and trackers on the ground, said Farawo. He said the tourist was 67 years old but did not share further details.

Such incidences are rare in Victoria Falls, a destination that attracts thousands of tourists from across the globe for its majestic water curtain that tumbles down more than 350 feet (108 meters) from the mighty Zambezi River to a gorge below, sending up a mist visible from miles away.

A few cases have been recorded in other parks. A German tourist who went missing in Matusadona National Park which teems with wild animals in northern Zimbabwe was found alive and in good health three days after he was reported missing in October last year.
Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh announced Monday the resignation of his government, which rules parts of the Israeli occupied West Bank, citing the need for change after the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza ends.

Shtayyeh submitted the resignation to the leader of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, president Mahmud Abbas, 88, whose office later said he accepted it.

The United States and other powers have called for a reformed Palestinian Authority to take charge of all Palestinian territories after the end of the war sparked by Hamas's October 7 attack.

Shtayyeh cited "developments related to the aggression against the Gaza Strip and the escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem", which have also been torn by deadly violence during the war.

He said he had first offered Abbas the resignation last Tuesday, but was formally submitting it "in writing" on Monday.

Shtayyeh, 66, said in brief comments that "the next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political measures that take into account the new reality in the Gaza Strip".

He called for intra-Palestinian consensus and the "extension of the Authority's rule over the entire land of Palestine".

Abbas issued a decree accepting the resignation and assigned Shtayyeh's government to continue "temporarily until a new government is formed," a statement from the presidency said.

Israel has ruled out any future political role for the Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza, but has suggested that local Palestinian officials could play a role.

Abbas, 88 is widely unpopular in the West Bank and has faced mounting anger since the Gaza war began on October 7. Many criticise him for failing to more severely condemn the Israeli offensive there as well as the rising violence in the West Bank.

- 'One man show' -

Khalil Shikaki from the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research, a think tank, said Abbas had failed to protect his own people.

"Now he wants to be present for the day after, but he didn't do anything during the war," Shikaki said.

"Most Palestinians are harsher than I am. Abbas is going to have a government that is loyal to him. He is a one man show."

On the streets of Ramallah, Palestinians sounded doubtful about the government change.

Basil Farraj said the Palestinian Authority "did not achieve real results due to corruption, lack of security, and suppression of freedom and suppression of resistance."

Whether the government changes or not, "it is appointed by American and occupation decisions," another resident, Rula Abu Daho, said in a reference to Israel.

Since 2007, the Palestinian leadership has been divided between the Palestinian Authority of Abbas, which exercises limited power in the West Bank, and Hamas which rules the coastal Gaza Strip.

The Gaza war broke out after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

The retaliatory Israeli military offensive in Gaza has killed at least 29,782 people, most of them women and children, according to the territory's health ministry.

During the war, violence in the West Bank has flared to levels unseen in nearly two decades.

Israeli troops and settlers have killed at least 400 Palestinians in the West Bank since the Gaza war began, according to the health ministry in Ramallah.

Palestinian media reports suggested Abbas might name Mohammed Mustafa, an executive committee member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation -- dominated by the ruling Fatah movement -- to head the new cabinet.

- 'New phase' -

Mustafa has previously served as deputy prime minister and as a senior adviser to Abbas on economic affairs.

International mediators are in talks for a ceasefire in Gaza, with Israel's top ally Washington also discussing how a post-war Gaza could be ruled.

Palestinian analyst Ghassan Khatib, a former cabinet minister, said the resignation was Abbas's way of showing he is flexible and ready for a government of technocrats "functioning in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip after the war".

"If Abbas and Hamas are able to reach an agreement, it would be a new phase in our internal political scene and a significant one," Khatib told AFP.

Shtayyeh defended his record and said his government had managed to do its work despite major challenges.

"The government was able to achieve a balance between meeting the needs of our people and providing services like infrastructure," said Shtayyeh, whose cabinet took office in 2019.

"We will continue to struggle to establish a state on the lands of Palestine," he said.

bur-ha-gl-jd/it
Dragan Vujicic: The aggression against the FRY and the reporting on this war were also a turning point in your life. What pushed you to leave the mainstream Western media?

Thierry Meyssan: During this war, I edited a daily bulletin. I compared NATO press conferences and dispatches from Balkan press agencies. It was two stories that became more and more different as time went on. I couldnt explain why all the local news agencies were reporting one story, while the international news agencies were reporting another. I didnt know what to think about it.

As soon as the war ended, those of my friends who went there instantly saw that the Balkan press agencies were telling the truth, while the Westerners had invented their narrative. I expected one side to be lying more than the other, but in reality, only one side was lying: NATO.

I didnt leave the media, but I studied the way the British have been falsifying information for a century. I learned to think independently of them.

Dragan Vujicic: What did you see in Serbia in 1999? How do you remember Rambouillet?

Thierry Meyssan: Serbia was a textbook case. The West had decided to put an end to what remained of Yugoslavia.

Rambouillet was a masquerade. Diplomats pretended to negotiate peace, but they were serving interests that had already decided on war. For Westerners, it was a question of preparing a narrative according to which they are pacifists, but forced to wage war against authoritarian regimes despite themselves.

Dragan Vujicic: You characterized the emigration of Albanians from Kosmet in front of the cameras as one of the biggest (theaters) theatres and frauds during the war. False flag operations? Can you list a few that you think are the most deadly?

Thierry Meyssan: The exodus of Albanians, in line on railway tracks, was a tragedy to which we were all sensitive. We didnt understand what was happening. We only remembered images from World War II. When we were told that they were fleeing the repression of Slobodan Milosevic, we believed it. We could not think that they were not fleeing anything, but had been sucked into Macedonia.

It was not until 2008 that Kelly Greenhill began publishing on the theory of migration as weapons. And in 2012, I witnessed the same phenomenon, this time in Syria: Turkey had invited Sunni Syrians from the north of the country to flee the fighting with the jihadists and take refuge on the other side of the border. NATO thus siphoned off an entire population who were unable to defend their country. Then, in 2015, millions of Venezuelans fled.

Here again, there was no problem for the migrants before their migration, it was their migration that created the problem for them and for their country. This is all just a big manipulation.

Dragan Vujicic: You started a personal war for the truth after 9/11 2001. In short, what did you discover and do you believe that Trump could really be on your side in the new mandate?

Thierry Meyssan: The official version of the September 11 attacks has neither (tail nor head) head nor tail.

The towers collapsed on themselves faster than it takes a stone to fall. Explosions were heard by firefighters and filmed every five floors. The matter dispersed into dust so that there were no ruins. The foundation rocks melted as if in a volcanic explosion. A third tower collapsed in the afternoon. A plane enlever le has disappeared in Pennsylvania. An explosion took place at the Pentagon, but we have never found the plane which caused it and which entered through a door without damaging its frame. Etc

These attacks were an immense and cruel spectacle which cost the lives of 3000 people, but about which we are brazenly lied to.

The FBI showed in 2013 that the Attorney Generals testimony that he spoke with his wife by phone on a hijacked plane was a lie. There were no telephone conversations with passengers on the 4 planes.

The investigation unit of the Secretary of Defense showed, in 2023, that two of the alleged hijackers (none of whom appear on the boarding lists of the 4 planes) were CIA agents.

Yet no one reacts. Except Donald Trump, who, on the afternoon of September 11, was indignant on New York One at the official version, which (ajout dune virgule) he immediately considered ridiculous. Subsequently, he entered politics. Today, he addresses the September 11 scandal in each of his electoral meetings. Perhaps he will be able to resolve this issue although he did not manage to do so during his first term.

Dragan Vujicic: The genocide in Srebrenica was "judged" but not in Gaza. How do you view these genocides?

Thierry Meyssan: We do not look at massacres in the same way depending on the identities of the executioners. Western leaders condemn Srebrenica, but not Gaza.

I am thinking of the Nuremberg Tribunal. (He) It stated that the supreme crime is not a crime against Humanity, but a crime against Peace. It is this (which) that creates the conditions for the latter to be carried out.

In Serbia, those who planned the war were never judged, only those who carried it out. The same thing is happening before us today in Ukraine.

Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande, who guaranteed the Minsk Agreements, boasted of having only signed them to have the time necessary to prepare for the current war. They are the real culprits.

Dragan Vujicic: Before Ukraine, during the war in Croatia, for the first time, Nazi insignia appeared on uniforms and in the army of Croats. Neither then nor now in Ukraine does the West ignore or welcome it. Why is Nazism so dear to the collective West?

Thierry Meyssan: The Anglo-Saxons never finished the Second World War. After the defeat of the Nazis, they fought the Soviets, this time relying on some Nazis. They continued to use them in the shadows throughout the Cold War. They, the Nazis, but also all their allies, like the Banderists or the Ustashas. We could see it, but we preferred to close our eyes.

When the Soviet Union was dissolved, the Nazis emerged from the shadows, first in Croatia, then throughout Europe, particularly in Latvia.

In 2019, the British used the Ustashas, whose parents had taken refuge in Latin America, to overthrow Evos Morales in Bolivia and replace him with Jeanine Anez.

Dragan Vujicic: In the war in the Middle East, there are no Nazi symbols, but there is Nazism. How is it possible that the world does not notice that the civilian casualties of the Palestinians are twice as high as those of the Germans, Italians or Japanese in the Second War?

Thierry Meyssan: People in developed societies do not see the same things. Some watch television which only gives them information favorable to Israel, others get information via the internet and social networks. They cannot stand the massacre they are witnessing.

Nobody knows in the West that Benjamin Netanyahus Jewish supremacists have a common history with the Ukrainian Banderists, the Straussians in the USA and the Muslim Brotherhood of Hamas.

Netanyahus idol is the Ukrainian fascist Vladimir Zeev Jabotinsky, of whom his father was the private secretary. In 1922 Jabotinsky formed an alliance with Symon Petliura and Dmytro Dontsov. When these people massacred tens of thousands of Jews, the World Zionist Organization demanded an explanation from Jabotinsky, who was one of its administrators. He refused to answer and slammed the door.

Dmytro Dontsov became Stephan Banderas mentor. Before World War II, these people made an alliance with the Nazis. During the War, Dontsov became an administrator of the Reinhard Heydrich Institute. He was one of the twenty or so people who oversaw the final solution of the Jewish and Gypsy questions.

After the War, Bandera worked with the Muslim Brotherhood at Radio Free Europe in Munich.

For his part, Jabotinsky had allied himself with Benito Mussolini. He had created a fascist militia, the Betar, under the auspices of the Duce.

At the start of the World War, Vladimir Jabotinsky and Benzion Netanyahu received the neoconservative philosopher Leo Strauss in New York.

Their followers fought the British. After the war, they blew up the British headquarters in Palestine, assassinated the British Colonial Secretary and the UN special envoy, Count Folke Bernadotte.

For their part, the Muslim Brotherhood created a Palestinian branch, Hamas, in 1987.

It was probably the disciples of Leo Strauss who organized the September 11 attacks.

All these people know each other, share the same ideas and work together. They have no use for Jews and Muslims, Serbs and Croats. They have no other ambition than political power and have no regard for human lives.

Dragan Vujicic: After the recommendation of the International Court of Justice to Israel?, (remplacer la , par un ?) Western countries joined the genocide of Palestinians by refusing to finance civilians?

Thierry Meyssan: The International Court of Justice has aligned itself with the US State Department. It asked Israel not to commit genocide but is not forbidding him it to do so.

Westerners have aligned themselves with the White House. They watch Palestinians die without flinching. They withdrew their funding from UNRWA so that they could starve without being massacred.

To sow confusion, Western media attribute the October 7 operation to Hamas alone. Its wrong. Islamic Jihad and the Marxist PFLP also participated. This was the first joint action by the different factions of the Palestinian Resistance in fifteen years.

It is difficult to understand, but Hamas is divided in two: on one side the leaders loyal to the Muslim Brotherhood and the Anglo-Saxons, on the other those who joined the Palestinian Resistance. The former fought with the Israelis against the Syrian Arab Republic, while the latter reconciled with President Basher al-Assad last year. The first are terrorists, the second Resistance fighters.

Benjamin Netanyahu knew at least a year in advance that Hamas was preparing the October 7 operation. Not only did he do nothing to prevent it, but also, during the summer, he fired his defense minister who asked too many questions. On October 6, Netanyahu allowed the men guarding the Gaza border to abandon their posts and leave to celebrate a religious holiday. Obviously, the historic current of Hamas and Benjamin Netanyahu jointly organized the attack of October 7, of which the Jewish opposition on the (kibbutzs) kibbutz was the main victim.

Dragan Vujicic: The order of rights and the order of rules. We Serbs hope that in the new system of justice, mistakes will be corrected starting with the NATO aggression against us. Are we naive?

Thierry Meyssan: I dont think we will ever be able to repair our crimes. The most we can do is build, finally, a world based on Law. This was already the objective of Tsar Nicholas II and the Frenchman Leon Bourgeois (Nobel Peace Prize winner) before the First World War.

This is what President Vladimir Putin is striving for today: a world where everyone respects their own signature and is responsible for their actions before public opinion.

Dragan Vujicic: Nurnberg 2. HOW close is it?

Thierry Meyssan: Nuremberg was only possible because it was the end of the World War. Moreover, this court managed to expose the crimes of some of these criminals, but only tried a few of them, while the CIA and MI6 reused many of them. The same thing happened with the Tokyo court and the Japanese imperialists. Organize the world. Guaranteeing peace seems more important to me than taking revenge.

Dragan Vujicic: Today you are in Damascus. Is there freedom for journalism there?

Thierry Meyssan: I am no longer in Damascus. I got closer to my family. Besides, yes Syria is free and journalists can do their work there. But this country is destroyed. The United States refuses to allow it to trade with its neighbors. They do not want it to recover economically so as not to have to confess their military defeat.

Dragan Vujicic: For the third time in a row, in 2024, you were named the most influential geopolitical analyst today. Congratulations. But how healthy is that nowadays?

Thierry Meyssan: Todays world is cruel and dangerous. We are seeing wars in Ukraine and Gaza. But men suffer just as much in Sudan and Haiti. We will not know peace as long as we continue to lie.
Turns out the plot of Christopher Nolans new movie is also a mystery to people who have seen it. Photo: Melinda Sue Gordon/Warner Bros.

This article was originally published on September 4, 2020. Were republishing it now for the rerelease of Tenet in theaters.

The plot of Christopher Nolans Tenet was one of 2020s most intriguing mysteries. But even after the movie was released, it remained largely unresolved: Turns out the plot of Tenet is also a mystery to people who have seen Tenet. Thanks to frenetic cinematography, blink-and-youll-miss-it editing, and a reliance on verbal exposition thats marred by the movies muffled sound mix, even those who like the film have to admit they have no idea whats going on half the time. So as a helpful reference for viewers looking to make sense of what they just saw, Ive created this beat-by-beat explanation of exactly what happens in Tenet. This is not an easy task if youve seen the film just once, and Im grateful to all the theorists over at Reddit for their diagrams and summaries.

(Note: Because this movie does silly stuff like call its main character the Protagonist, Ill be avoiding character names altogether.)

Before we begin, there are two things that dont get explained until later in the film but are worth covering up top. The first is that this whole movie takes place in a world where the future has declared war on the present because its upset about climate change. To do so, it uses a technology called inversion, by which objects and people can travel backward in the flow of time by reversing their entropy. This means that time-travel in this movie works according to a closed-loop theory  i.e., everything that has happened in the past has already happened. Think Primer, or Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban if youre nasty.

Okay, so: John David Washington is a CIA agent looking for a MacGuffin during a false-flag terror attack at the Kiev Opera. In the chaos, his life is saved by a mysterious figure in black, who kills a henchman with a bullet that travels backward. But Washingtons cover is blown, and hes captured by the baddies. He takes a cyanide pill to avoid giving up his secrets.

Except the suicide pill is actually a test! Washington wakes up on a boat, where his boss explains that his new mission is to join something called Tenet, which we know is the name of the movie but he doesnt. Then the CIA puts Washington inside a windmill. The reason he has to live in a windmill is to get his present self out of the way so his future self can operate freely during this part of the timeline, but they dont explain this in the moment so it seems like they just want him to get really good at pull-ups.

After getting his lats nice and strong, Washington leaves the windmill and meets Clemence Poesy from Harry Potter, who is tasked with delivering some equally magical exposition. The bullet Washington encountered at the opera is just one of many inverted objects that scientists have discovered traveling backward through time. People going forward in time can interact with them, but its weird: To pick an inverted object up, you have to imagine yourself dropping it. Dont think it, feel it, Poesy says. This is the movies mission statement.

Washington traces the inverted bullets to an arms dealer in Mumbai. To get a meeting, he needs a sidekick. Enter Robert Pattinson in a performance modeled on the late Christopher Hitchens. (Thats not a joke. Or if it is, not one by me.) Pattinson knows Washingtons favorite drink, even though it wasnt listed on his Hinge profile. Anyway, they bungee jump into the arms dealers lair, where they learn three surprising facts: One, the dealer, played by Bollywood actress Dimple Kapadia, is a woman! Two, she knows about Tenet. And three, she sold the bullets to the movies villain, Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh, who is acting as the futures representative in its war on the present. She explains that Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh communicates with the future by leaving messages for posterity.

Because this is a Christopher Nolan movie, theres a scene in which our hero has afternoon tea with Michael Caine. Caine explains that the way to get to Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh is through his wife, Sad Elizabeth Debicki, who is being blackmailed by her husband over a fake painting she sold him. Caine gives Washington another fake painting so they can have a meet-cute. It works, and Sad Elizabeth Debicki gives Washington her entire life story, including telling him about a nice yacht trip in Vietnam that ended when Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh told her she could leave him as long as she didnt mind never seeing her son again. After she refused, she says, she saw a mysterious woman jump off the boat and envied her husbands supposed mistress for her freedom.

Then John David Washington beats some guys up with a cheese grater.

As part of a quid pro quo with Sad Elizabeth Debicki, Washington and Pattinson decide to steal the forged painting. Its located in a free port (a real thing where rich people can secure their valuables without paying taxes on them) at the Oslo airport. They pose as fancy men while their friend, played by Himesh Patel, the hot dude from Yesterday, crashes a cargo plane into the airport. But before they can get the painting, two masked guys  one moving forward, one moving backward  appear from a mysterious portal in Evil Russian Kenneth Branaghs vault. If youve been paying close attention to everyones height, the identity of these guys should be pretty clear, but well get to that. Anyway, Washington is about to kill his guy, until Pattinson stops him. The mysterious masked men get away, and anyway, theres no painting in the vault. How did Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh know they were coming?

Its all very confusing, but luckily they go back to Mumbai and Dimple Kapadia explains it for them: The device in the vault was an invention from the future called a Turnstile, which allows people to invert themselves and travel backward in time. Thus, the two people in the vault were actually one person, flowing backward and forward out of the moment that he entered the device. Trippy! Also, Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh was the one behind the terror attack at the opera, and hes still on the hunt for the MacGuffin.

Luckily, Nolan gives us a break from the complicated science stuff in the form of a 15-minute Mediterranean interlude, in which Tenet gets to dress up in Talented Mr. Ripley drag  boating trips, cashmere polos, expensive gowns, how divine. Washington gets in good with Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh, first by dropping a reference to the opera, then by saving his life after Sad Elizabeth Debicki throws him off a catamaran, and finally by offering to help him steal the MacGuffin, which is apparently plutonium. We also learn Evil Russian Kenneth Branaghs backstory: He grew up at an abandoned Soviet nuclear facility, where he discovered a cache of gold and a message from the future. (Washington witnesses him receive a shipment of inverted gold bars, which is how the future has been paying him to do evil stuff in the present.) All of this takes place on a yacht, where the engine noise makes most of the dialogue unintelligible, but the sound mix is clear enough for us to hear Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh growl like a tiger and tell Sad Elizabeth Debicki, If I cant have you, no one can.

Now things start to get really hard to follow, so bear with me. Washington and Pattinson successfully pull off a highway heist in Tallinn, only to discover that the MacGuffin is not plutonium at all but something timey-wimey. Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh and his henchmen show up and theres a car chase. Theyre all wearing oxygen masks and traveling backward through time! Inverted Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh threatens to shoot Sad Elizabeth Debicki unless Washington gives him the case containing the MacGuffin, which he does. At the same time, an inverted silver car uncrashes and joins the chase. (You will recall it as the big showstopping moment from the trailer.) Inverted Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh tries to kill Sad Elizabeth Debicki in a car crash, but Washington saves her. Theyre both captured by Evil Russian Kenneth Branaghs henchmen. Pattinson says hes going to call in the cavalry.

Washington wakes up in a warehouse next to another Turnstile, where Inverted Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh uses a walkie-talkie to translate his backward speech into regular English, like hes John Lennon during the recording of Revolver. He says the MacGuffin wasnt in the case and asks Washington where it is. Washington refuses to tell him, and so Inverted Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh reverse-shoots Sad Elizabeth Debicki with an inverted bullet. (Weve been told inverted bullets are very dangerous to forward-time people, as if regular bullets were not.) Washington lies and says he hid the MacGuffin in the glove compartment of his car. Just then, a forward-time version of Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh enters the room, but before he can do more Evil Russian stuff, hes chased into the Turnstile by a squadron of troops led by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Inverted Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh walks backward into the Turnstile too. (When you enter a Turnstile going forward, it looks like two people get sucked into it; when you enter one going backward, it looks like two people are coming out of it.)

Aaron Taylor-Johnson reveals that he and his troops are posterity  soldiers from the future working for the Tenet organization. Washington wonders how Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh seems to know everything thats going to happen, and he accuses Pattinson of being a mole. Taylor-Johnson explains that, nope, the baddies are actually sending half their henchmen forward in time and half backward, executing a temporal pincer movement. Weird! Anyway, Washington has the bright idea of following Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh through the Turnstile; that way, he can get the MacGuffin and Sad Elizabeth Debicki wont die, because her body will be inverted, thus making it just a normal bullet wound to the stomach, no big deal. The troops give him a crash course in Inversion 101: Youve got to wear an oxygen mask because your reversed lungs cant breathe normal air, and whatever you do, dont physically touch your past self. Also, every heat transfer works the opposite of the way it normally would. Its just physics, okay?

So Washington steps through the Turnstile and starts going backward in time. He steps into a car outside the warehouse  which is the same silver car that was in the chase earlier! (That an inverted person driving a car makes the car itself inverted is one of those things you just have to go with.) He replays the previous car chase in reverse, but this time we see something we didnt in the first go-round: the MacGuffin leaping out of the silver car and into forward-Washingtons hands  which means that, in forward-time, he threw it to his inverted self in the silver car. The silver car then crashes, in the same crash we saw happen in reverse earlier, and while Inverted Washington is trying to escape, Inverted Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh drops a lighter and sets the car aflame.

Except because Washington is inverted, the heat transfer actually works in reverse, and instead of being burned, he only gets hypothermia! He wakes up in an air-locked container ship, where Pattinson, Sad Wounded Elizabeth Debicki, and some of the troops are all traveling in reverse a week back in time to the Oslo airport so theyll be able to use the Turnstile there to get themselves going forward again. They talk about time travel and the grandfather paradox  if theyre trying to stop the future from killing them in the past, doesnt the fact that they still exist mean they succeeded? They resolve not to think about it too much.

(Sidebar: We also learn that Evil Russian Kenneth Branaghs team has the MacGuffin, but we never see how they got it, a fact that has caused no small end of confusion among the Tenet fan base. In a forward-moving timeline, the last place we saw it was inside the silver car by the warehouse as Washington and his friends inverted; the most likely bet is that the bad guys who were moving forward in the temporal pincer movement, or an Uninverted Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh himself, picked it up from there.)

Now back to Oslo, and you can probably guess where this is going. The only time our heroes can sneak into Evil Russian Kenneth Branaghs vault is the time they crashed the plane into the airport, which means that once Washington gets into the vault, he comes face-to-face with his past self, and we get the same fight we saw before, only in reverse. Luckily, since future Washington is wearing a full-on gimp suit, theres no physical touching. (We also get a clearer view of why it looked as if reverse Washington was shooting his gun at forward Washington: He was actually trying to empty the clip so his past self couldnt use it against him.) Washington gets into the Turnstile, after which he fights the past Pattinson, who figures out that hes the future Washington but keeps the secret from past Washington because it would have been too much of a mindfreak. Inverted Pattinson and Inverted Sad Wounded Elizabeth Debicki go back through the Turnstile too, so now all our heroes are moving forward again. Were on to the grand finale. Everyone gets to pass Go and collect $200 and is healed to full health.

Taking a page from J.K. Rowlings book, Nolan decides to give us one last exposition dump before the climax. Washington catches up with Dimple Kapadia again, and this time she tells him the MacGuffin is actually one of nine MacGuffins that stack up to form something called the Algorithm, which has the power to invert half the planet, thus ending existence as we know it. (They stack vertically; call it a shish ke-bomb.) The scientist who made the Algorithm regretted her creation so much that she killed herself, but, before she died, she sent each part of the Algorithm back in time, hiding them around the globe. And before you can say Gee, that sounds like a Horcrux, it turns out that Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh has assembled all nine pices of the Algorithm and is about to set them off. But where  and when?

Sad Healing Elizabeth Debicki decides she wants in on this exposition business too. She reveals that Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh is suffering from terminal cancer and is going back in time to find a happy memory to end his life in. Whats more, hes got an Evil Fitbit that will trigger the Algorithm to go off at the moment of his death. (If he cant be alive, no one can.) They realize his happiest memory is the yacht trip to Vietnam, which just so happened to be taking place at the exact same time as the opera attack and an unexplained explosion at the abandoned Soviet nuclear facility he grew up in. By Jove, thats it!

Then its on to the climax, which takes place in two locations simultaneously. Before they get going, Washington gives Sad Healing Elizabeth Debicki a cell phone and tells her if she ever feels unsafe to leave a message for posterity stating her time and place. Then they split up. With the help of the hot guy from Yesterday, Sad Healed Elizabeth Debicki will sneak aboard the yacht and pretend to be her past self, stalling the version of Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh who arrives there from the future before he can kill himself. Meanwhile, Washington, Pattinson, and the Tenet army will attack the abandoned Soviet nuclear facility and try to disassemble the Algorithm. They form two groups: Washington and Taylor-Johnson are the red team, which does the assault going forward in time; Pattinson is on the blue team, which does it going backward. The teams then brief each other in their own temporal pincer movement.

This battle scene resembles the ending of Inception in that its a lot of guys running around shooting things and is filmed so chaotically that its almost impossible to tell whats happening. The good news is, while theres a lot going on, not much of it is actually that important. What you need to know is this: Washington and Taylor-Johnson are supposed to split off from the rest of the red team, go underground to where the Algorithm is, and nab it before it can be triggered with a bomb. Pattinson is supposed to be inverted with the rest of the blue team, but he decides to go rogue and uninverts, then reinverts himself multiple times during the battle.

Moving forward in time, the climax goes as follows: In Vietnam, Future Sad Elizabeth Debicki arrives on the yacht just after Past Sad Elizabeth Debicki has departed with her son and Past Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh has flown off in a helicopter. (Presumably to monitor the opera attack.) She encounters Future Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh and successfully convinces him that shes her past self.

In Russia, the red and blue teams create their diversion. Traveling backward through the battle, inverted Pattinson sees the baddies setting up a trip wire at the entrance to the tunnel leading to the Algorithm. He uninverts himself and tries to warn Washington and Taylor-Johnson. They dont hear him and set off the trip wire, which buries their path out. They keep going, but their path is blocked by a locked gate. On the other side is a henchman, the Algorithm, the bomb, and a blue-team corpse.

In Vietnam, Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh calls up Washington on a walkie-talkie and gives his version of Thanoss I am inevitable monologue.

In Russia, as the bomb ticks toward zero and the henchman is about to shoot Washington, the corpse on the floor springs to life, blocks the bullet, opens the gate, then runs away in reverse. Washington beats up the henchman.

In Vietnam, Sad Elizabeth Debicki reveals the truth: Shes not Past Sad Elizabeth Debicki; shes Future Sad Elizabeth Debicki, and like the Bens, shes got the scars to prove it. She shoots Evil Russian Kenneth Branagh. But has she killed him too early?

In Russia, Washington and Taylor-Johnson get ahold of the Algorithm as the bomb is about to go off. Above them, Pattinson pulls them and the Algorithm out of the tunnel before the explosion, thanks to a chain that was there the whole time? It all happens very quickly, but who cares  the world has been saved!

In Vietnam, Sad Elizabeth Debicki is now Happy Elizabeth Debicki. She jumps off the yacht in triumph; her past self sees her and admires her freedom.

In Russia, Washington, Pattinson, and Taylor-Johnson separate the Algorithm into three parts and plan to split up. Taylor-Johnson suggests they each bury their part, then kill themselves to avoid giving up the locations. Pattinson gives his part to Washington and reveals that, from his perspective, theyve actually known each other for years: Future Washington recruited past Pattinson into the Tenet organization. (Whether this happened in the timeline before or after the events of the film is unclear; many theories have sprung up on this subject.) Pattinson heads back to the Turnstile, and Washington sees that his backpack is the same as the corpses. Pattinsons inverted self will run back into the tunnel, close the gate and then take the bullet. Its also the same backpack that was seen on the mystery man in the opera house, which means theres yet another version of Pattinson floating around the timeline saving Washingtons life there, too.

Some time later, Happy Elizabeth Debicki is dropping her son off at school when she gets a premonition of danger and calls the cell phone. She was correct  Dimple Kapadia is about to shoot her to tie up the loose ends. Having received the message, future Washington travels to that exact time and place and shoots Kapadia first, revealing that hes the mastermind behind the entire operation.

And thats Tenet! Any questions?
Opinion articles written in the style of their author. These texts are to be based on verified facts and must be respectful towards people, even though their actions may be criticized. All opinion articles written by individuals from outside the staff of EL PAIS shall feature, along with the authors name (regardless of their greater or lesser renown), a footer stating their office, academic title, political affiliation (if any) and main occupation, or the occupation related to the topic being assessed

The Palestinians want their own state for the same reason that European Jews built the Zionist project. It can be embellished with religious or nationalist arguments and sentiments, but in the end, the powerful and practical reason for such a claim lies in the protection that a state offers to any dispossessed, exiled or persecuted people. That is the right to self-determination of all people, recognized by the United Nations Charter as a universal obligation, and conceived for the liberation of colonized territories  not as a legal ruse to fragment constituted states, as certain secessionist rhetoric argues.

Israel is a child of this transcendental chapter of international law and Palestine will be one too, one day, when the law is mutually recognized and the existence of the former is no longer threatened, and the rights of the latter no longer denied, by often violent religious extremists and nationalists from both sides. It makes no sense to recognize the right of some without recognizing the right of others, and even less to subordinate ones right because it is denied by the other.

When it comes to both countries exercising this right, and having it recognized, the historical difficulty is that the land in dispute is the same: the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean, historical Palestine and biblical Israel. This narrow and notable region, boasting the ancient capital of Jerusalem, which is sacred for Jews, Christians and Muslims, is claimed as exclusive and indivisible by its oldest inhabitants, the Jews.

Two nations claiming the same land is the perfect formula for a war with no end in sight. This will be the case as long as myths and legends and not law and international institutions govern the lives of the peoples and the relationship between them. Israel draws its property rights from the Bible, just as political Islam claims any territory where Islam was practiced in the past. Fringe historical fantasies, whether Arab or Jewish, remote or very remote, are all based on the bloody right of conquest, which the most extremist voices of both nations still try to keep in force.

These two states, of which only one exists, need each other if they are to live in peace, security and share the prosperity that awaits them and the entire region, if they are also able to cooperate with each other. Mutual recognition is not at all a reward for the violent extremists on both sides  the only ones interested in maintaining the war until the point of annihilation  but rather it is the only way to disarm them. It will not be weapons that will end Hamas, nor terrorism with illegal settler occupations. Siamese twins in civil war, they will only have peace and a future if they recognize each other.

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Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Warner Bros., Magnolia Pictures/Everett Collection, Wilson Webb/Working Title/Focus Features, Gramercy Pictures

When it feels like the worlds against you, youve got to rise up and take action. Thats something queer people have been doing in cinema since the beginning: kicking ass, doing crime, and shaking up a society that feels built to discard them. Queerness and crime manifest themselves in different ways in cinemas history: Lawbreaking can be a last-ditch effort to make an impact; a desire to integrate into society or remain further from the mainstream; a glorious revenge on heteronormative society  or it can just be really freaking fun.

Queerness and activism have long been intertwined. From the Stonewall riots in 1969 and divisions of ACT-UP throughout the world during the AIDS crisis, LGBTQ+ communities have long rallied together for their rights to live a life unencumbered by hatred and unfair laws. With activism comes resistance and fighting back against the unjust. Sometimes, its argued, the only way to make your voice heard is to shake things up. Thus the motto embraced by queers online: Be gay, do crime.

But the tongue-in-cheek phrase also has a surprisingly long-standing cinematic tradition  before characters could be explicitly gay onscreen, queer-coded icons paved the way through con-artistry and murder. With the latest entrant in the BGDC canon, Drive-Away Dolls, in cinemas this weekend, its a great time to reflect on the queer criminals that have shaped cinema.

Sylvia Scarlett (1935)

This madcap adventure finds Sylvia Scarlett (Katharine Hepburn) dressing in drag and becoming Sylvester Scarlett to avoid the police and keep up a life of crime with her con-man father. The film was a box-office disaster and critically dismissed. Even Hepburn thought it was awful: I dont understand how it could be a cult picture because its hopeless, she told the BBC. Well, Katharine, you can blame the gays. Watching Hepburn prance around as Sylvester, kissing women, committing crimes, and remaining in drag far longer than her character has to be, is one of the great pleasures of queer film-going.

Draculas Daughter (1936)

Save the Women of London From Draculas Daughter! one poster of Universals Draculas Daughter begs, the first film to incorporate the lesbian vampire so popular in literature. The plot is flimsy, but Gloria Halden is sensational as Countess Zaleska, the titular vampire longing to be free of her vampiric curse. She struggles to fight off her bloodlust but doesnt relent on her desire for other women. Surprisingly, the sensually sapphic sequence of Zaleska seducing Lili (Nan Grey) made it past censors. Its a tragic story with evocative gothic imagery of a woman who just wants to love other beautiful women without being hunted.

Rope (1948)

Set in a single apartment, Hitchcocks queer thriller, Rope, finds Brandon (John Dall) and Phillip (Farley Granger) staging the perfect murder, strangling their old friend in their penthouse. They hide the body in plain sight  in a wood chest in their apartment, where theyre about to host a dinner party. While Brandon and Phillip are gay in the play Rope is based on, the film (or rather, the Hays Code) prevented that from being possible onscreen in the 1940s. But its not exactly subtle  the men share an apartment and are attracted to the finer things in life. Rope isnt just tightly wound suspense unfolding in real time, but a striking metaphor for the struggle of a closeted existence.

Les Diaboliques (1955)

Few filmmakers mastered suspense like Henri-George Clouzot, who made perhaps the most nerve-shredding film in existence with 1953s The Wages of Fear. He followed that up with the sensational Les Diaboliques, another master class of unbearable tension. Two women are fed up with school headmaster Michel (Paul Meurisse): his wife, Christina (Vera Clouzot), and his mistress, Nicole (Simone Signoret). Naturally, the pair come together with a solution  murder him. The film removes the sapphic relationship from the novel, but the movies queer subtext is undeniable, just like the sexual tension between Christina and Nicole in the film.

The Servant (1963)

Barrett (Dirk Bogarde) manipulates his way into the home of Tony (James Fox), where he works as his dutiful and devoted servant, before scamming him and revealing his true intentions. The Servant is stunningly modern, slowly morphing into a bitter domestic drama, with the pair bickering like theyre an old married couple  think a queered reflection of Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. The cinematography is outstanding, allowing Tonys home to first feel enormous in scope before becoming wickedly claustrophobic as time goes on. Tony and Barretts relationship grows increasingly parasitic as the film reaches a fever pitch. They dont seem to be able to live with each other  but they cant live without each other, either.

Funeral Parade of Roses (1969)

Theres an astonishing sensitivity and empathy behind the masterpiece Funeral Parade of Roses, a movie that would feel ahead of its time in 2024 let alone when it came out in 1969. This experimental Japanese film entwines documentary with a time-jumping fictional narrative of Eddie and her fellow gender-non-conforming people working at a gay bar in Tokyo. Funeral Parade of Roses isnt interested in a shadowy, miserable queerness, instead letting its characters live full, vibrant lives that arent exclusively defined by trauma. Come for the spectacular imagery  a shot of three trans women using urinals wearing skirts is immortal  and stay for the bloody Oedipus twist.

Female Trouble (1974)

Frankly, most of this list could be films by John Waters. American cinemas most exciting transgressor made his most compelling collaboration with drag queen Divine in Female Trouble. Dawn Davenport (Divine) asks for cha-cha heels for Christmas, but when she doesnt get them, she runs away from home. All she wants is to be famous, and the easiest way for Dawn to get notoriety is to follow a life of violent and increasingly shocking crimes. Female Trouble is raunchy, disgusting, and imminently watchable  right until its electrifying conclusion. Its also got a valuable message to share: As one character claims, Queers are just better.

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

It was supposed to be easy. Sonny (Al Pacino) and Sal (John Cazale) are to get into a bank, steal the money, and get out. But like many great heist movies, things prove vastly more complicated. What first feels like a straightforward bank robbery with typical masculine machismo reveals itself as something more unique and, importantly, queer: Sonny has organized the robbery to get his lover, Leon, gender-reassignment surgery. Dog Day Afternoon showcases the staggering barriers in accessing gender-affirming care. (The only way Sonny sees a way to get his partner the surgery they require is to turn to crime.) Its also a reminder of how devoted queer people can be  hell hath no fury like a Sonny scorned.

Desperate Living (1977)

The Pope of Trash outdid even his own limits of nastiness with Desperate Living. After murdering her husband, Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) and her maid/accomplice, Griselda Brown (Jean Hill), run off to Mortville, a wayward society of depraved miscreants and criminals ruled by the fascist Queen Carlotta (Edith Massey). Between the sex scenes that will be seared in your mind forever, truly rancid meals, and extremely committed performances, John Waters weaves a gross, violent, and hilarious tapestry that also functions as a bold queer manifesto, celebrating freedom from oppression.

Cruising (1980)

Controversial before it was even released, William Friedkins Cruising finds Al Pacino going undercover as Steve Burns to try and find a killer tearing through New York City gay bars. Kinky, confounding, and unafraid to confront homophobia, Friedkins film is incredibly specific to the 80s yet maintains a surprising sense of timelessness; its a dense thriller that peels back layers with a sophisticated delight. A scathing indictment of the police and how challenging it is to be taken seriously as a gay man, Cruising is a furious, brutal film with lascivious sequences of Pacino taking poppers and dancing like nobodys watching.

Born in Flames (1983)

In this radical call-to-arms, Lizzie Bordens Born in Flames imagines a faux-socialist government running America, where promises of equality never came to fruition. Women of all races, classes, and sexualities band together in the Womens Army and pirate radio groups to turn the political tides, beating up troublemaking men, and hijacking television broadcasts to get their message across. Bordens film is gorgeously composed and thrillingly DIY work, as she was only able to shoot once a month when she managed to scrounge $200 together. Radiating queer energy, its a searing agitprop thats no less timely than it was in 1983.

The Living End (1992)

Fuck the world. Thats the motto of Luke (Mike Dytri) and Jon (Craig Gilmore), two HIV-positive gay men who meet in tremendously unconventional circumstances. Gregg Arakis The Living End is an 84-minute destructive middle finger to society and a vital piece of the New Queer Cinema movement. The film is filled with anger and frustration over the overwhelming silence of the governments response to the AIDS crisis. With nothing to lose, Jon and Luke hit the road, a last-ditch lovers-on-the-run effort fueled by gun violence and sex to take whatever they can from life  before its taken from them. Theres a tenderness between the pair that lives within that bubbling frustration, which makes The Living End all the more impactful.

Fresh Kill (1994)

Shareen (Sarita Choudhury) and Claire (Erin McMurty) live with their daughter near a Staten Island landfill. Due to corporate malfeasance, pollution has overwhelmed the city, leading to disturbing cases of radioactivity. When their daughter starts turning neon green and vanishes, the couple schemes to hack the GX Corporation to get their daughter back and expose them as the monsters they are. This fiercely independent film boasts fantastic sets and paints a tremendously vivid image of its grim, curious world: Our waterways have become the worlds largest oil reserves, one TV host laments. A clever, no-holds-barred critique of corporate capitalism, Fresh Kill only grows more prescient with our increasing environmental panic.

Chocolate Babies (1996)

Bold and confrontational, Stephen Winters Chocolate Babies follows a largely HIV-positive group of queer activists. Fed up with political inaction, they terrorize politicians on the streets in a desperate bid to have their voices heard: We are Black faggots with a political agenda they shout while accosting a councillor. Winters film doesnt shy away from the tragedy, trauma, and overwhelming fear of these vibrant souls racing against time they dont have, but its also careful to celebrate the gorgeous individuality and vitality of these queer lives. The film is largely forgotten  and never received much distribution outside festivals  but the director has uploaded the film to Vimeo.

Bound (1996)

Before The Matrix, Lana and Lily Wachowski wrote and directed Bound, a lesbian neo-noir thriller. Former convict Corky (Gina Gershon) is hired to renovate an apartment building. Next door, she finds Violet (Jennifer Tilly), who is stuck in a loveless marriage to a money launderer. Violet falls for Corky, and the pair plans to run off together with a cool $2 million  money that belongs to the Mafia. For Violet and Corky, crime promises tantalizing freedom from the weight of a heteronormative society. The Wachowskis are known for big, visionary sci-fi swings, but Bound suggests theyre at their best working in a smaller, claustrophobic, and infinitely more erotic register.

Stranger by the Lake (2013)

Speaking of erotic, few films have intrepid horniness coursing through their veins like Alain Guiraudies Stranger by the Lake. This single-location film takes place at a French cruising spot by (you guessed it) a lake. Franck (Pierre Deladonchamps) finds himself utterly enamored with Michel (Christophe Poau)  a man he witnesses doing something unspeakably violent. But that doesnt stop Franck, whos determined to pursue Michel despite the most egregious red flag imaginable. Sexually explicit and unrelenting in its depiction of the darkness of desire, Stranger by the Lake is an intoxicatingly sexual cat-and-mouse thriller by way of European art house.

Eastern Boys (2013)

A lonely middle-aged gay man gets a lot more than he bargained for when he cruises a much younger man at a Paris train station in Eastern Boys. Robin Campillos film flirts with various genres, first appearing as a home-invasion movie before shifting into something more heartfelt and romantic, with a third-act twist that takes things to an unexpected conclusion. Thrilling and creative, Eastern Boys explores the vulnerabilities faced by queer immigrants, revealing the humanity of people who are rarely given that opportunity onscreen.

The Handmaiden (2016)

Few films easily bring together sumptuous visuals and mind-bending plot twists like Park Chan-wooks The Handmaiden. The concept is straightforward: A man and a woman attempt to scam a heiress out of her vast fortune. But the film is vastly more complicated. Written by Park and regular collaborator Jeong Seo-kyeong, The Handmaiden explores multiple timelines, languages, and perspectives as it untangles a delicately layered heist. The chemistry between Kim Tae-ri and Kim Min-hee is scintillating, and a cabal of brilliant performances helps some of the more preposterous reveals feel completely grounded and believable. The Handmaiden delivers a gloriously heightened fantasy full of intricately conceived turns and lesbians having a lot of fun breaking the law.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

With her writing career on the outs, Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) turns to a life of forgery, creating fake letters by various historical celebrities. Both McCarthy and Richard E. Grant  playing her friend/partner in forging, Jack  are sublime, weaponizing their characters queerness to get a step up in a world thats effectively abandoned them. Crime feels good in a place like this, with both Lee and Jack relishing their newfound roles in counterfeit-letter writing. Lee in particular thrives in these circumstances, allowing her to express her abilities in ways her previous biographies couldnt offer.

On the surface, a four-hour video about plagiarism shouldnt be that interesting  especially if, like me, you arent familiar with a single person its referencing. But hbomberguys searing expose of James Somerton, a video essayist with a consistent history of stealing from queer writers and passing it off as his own work, is arresting. This isnt just an endlessly fascinating story of how entrenched plagiarism is on the platform or the crushing impact of stealing queer writing and passing it off as your own. Over four perfectly paced hours, hbomberguy weaves together evidence with extraordinary craftsmanship, making the case that YouTube video essays contain some of the most compelling storytelling in any medium.

Drive-Away Dolls (2024)

The latest addition to the Be Gay, Do Crime canon puts a fun twist on the trope. A pair of lesbians on a road trip is blissfully unaware of the wrongdoing theyre committing in Drive-Away Dolls. Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and her bestie, Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan), pick up a car to deliver to Tallahassee, but they have no idea the car is holding something important  and sinister  within it. A buddy-comedy-cum-lesbian-sexfest, Ethan Coen and Tricia Cookes joyous romp is an easy-breezy blast. It wears its queerness as a giddy badge of honor, offering a psychedelic and hilarious bend on being gay and doing crime.
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Chants of Free Palestine and Ceasefire Now could be heard at the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards, thanks to a small group of protesters with a megaphone. Chris Gardner of The Hollywood Reporter captured footage of the protesters on Twitter, who appeared to be using a megaphone to blast a pre-recorded message. The protest began as Jim Gaffigan presented the cast of Jury Duty with Best Ensemble Cast of a New Series. According to IndieWire, a few attendees stepped out of the event to acknowledge the demonstration. Aidy Bryant mentioned them during her hosting duties, saying Were at the beach and people are exercising their freedom of speech.

The protest got its biggest show of support from Fremont director Babak Jabari. When accepting the John Cassavettes Award, he said There are people speaking outside. Whatever theyre saying is far more important than what Im about to say. Set Hernandez, director of Unseen, held up a keffiyeh during the presentation of the Truer Than Fiction Award, which he eventually won. This wasnt the first Pro-Palestine demonstration at a film industry event, as a march for Palestine was attended by stars at Sundance.

Free Palestine supporters are disrupting #SpiritAwards while Jim Gaffigan is presenting best ensemble cast. Security does not seem to be able to quiet them as this continues. pic.twitter.com/JotnDFtfeA  Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) February 25, 2024

This post has been updated.
Are you the type of person who whispers Thats Rick Grimes every time you watch Love Actually and see Andrew Lincoln? I have incredible news if you secretly long for the hardened action stars short-lived but impactful romantic-comedy days. Not only is badass zombie killer Rick Grimes back and better than ever on The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, but hes a heart-eyed simp and a wife guy to boot. We won! The Richonne-centric spinoff  which was originally developed as a film  delivers on the romance immediately. I couldnt be more thrilled or charmed!

That said, The Ones Who Live is not all charm. The opening image of the series, which picks up some time after Rick Grimes left The Walking Deads narrative, is quite harrowing. The first thing we see is Rick attempting to die by suicide. Its jarring! How did he get to this point? Why did Rick never escape captivity and return to his wife and children? Where is he? The Ones Who Live quickly answers those questions before asking about a dozen more.

After that freezing cold open, the episode flashes back to five years after the bridge  a reference to Lincolns last proper episode of The Walking Dead and the last time Rick and Michonne saw each other. In season nine, a bridge exploded, injuring Rick, and a minor antagonist named Anne (Pollyanna McIntosh) seized the opportunity to kidnap him for a secret military operation called the CRM, a.k.a. the Civic Republic Military.

The Civic Republic Military has popped up sporadically on The Walking Dead and its spinoffs for a while. It is probably the largest organized group in the apocalypse, at least in North America, but its difficult to know for sure. The CRMs helicopters and three-ringed logo appeared first on The Walking Dead, and then in Fear the Walking Dead as an ominous but unexplored threat. Anne introduced us to the CRMs penchant for human trafficking. Isabelle, a CRM pilot and love interest in Fear the Walking Dead, stressed the organizations need for total secrecy before defecting. And The Walking Dead: The World Beyond took place in and around the CRMs community in Omaha, Nebraska. That community falls at the end of the first season. (More on that later.)

The Ones Who Live pilot focuses primarily on Ricks time in the CRM since the bridge incident. We get a taste of his life through conversations with other characters and voice-overs of letters Rick writes to Michonne to feel close to her. The Walking Dead is rarely so  first-person. The episode was like cozying up with a novel about a beleaguered protagonist searching for home, such as The Odyssey, the works of Charles Dickens, or, honestly, Black Beauty. (Sorry to compare Rick Grimes to a horse.)

Sprinkled throughout the episode are dreams Rick has about Michonne. In them, there are no walkers. Rick is just a regular guy lost on his first day of work who sees Michonne on a park bench, asks her for directions, and falls in love at first sight. Its a friggin meet-cute! He comes back to the bench every day to have lunch with her. He brings her a pizza. He talks about proposing. They smooch. Its pure, unadulterated fluff. The Rick and Michonne romance was not immediate on The Walking Dead and played out mostly in the background. They were allies before they were friends and friends before they were lovers. Its so nice to see these characters get a chance to really flirt and fawn over each other in a stress- and zombie-free environment  and look damn good doing so, if I may add.

But back to reality. Five years after the bridge, Rick is stuck working on consignment with other captives of the CRM. A robotic womans voice straight out of a Starship Troopers recruiting video informs us that the CRM grants citizenship in the fully functional hidden city of Philadelphia to its captives after they put in six years killing zombies and scavenging for supplies. (We also see that play out with Ricks new friend Esteban, who is rewarded for his service with a middle-management position. Yay?) But Ricks uninterested in the City of Brotherly Love. He wants to get back to his family, not disappear. Hes tried to escape before, and hell do it again.

We learn that the post-credits scene after The Walking Dead series finale, in which Rick writes Michonne a message in a bottle and surrendered to the CRMs helicopters, was escape attempt No. 3. Because of that, CRM soldiers keep Rick on a leash on his shifts. Even that isnt enough to deter him! As soon as hes out of sight, he cuts off his own hand to sever the tether and make a run for it. Its metal as hell, but unfortunately, he doesnt get far.

The only reason Rick has survived in the CRM, it seems, is thanks to Lieutenant Colonel Donald Okafor (Craig Tate). He singles out Rick and a woman named Pearl Thorne (Lesley-Ann Brandt). Both of them habitually defy the CRM: Rick has tried to run, and Pearl has tried to kill Okafor. He tells them they are both As according to the CRMs metric  free thinkers and leaders. The procedure, Okafor says, is to kill the As they find and keep the ordinary people the CRM deems Bs. He wants Pearl and Rick to join him in a secret program and help change the CRM from within.

[Escape] cost your hand last time, Okafor tells Rick. Next time, its your life. Do something with it. That is a very patronizing thing to say to a man like Rick Grimes, who worked exceedingly hard to build a life and family in the apocalypse and is only talking to Okafor because he was kidnapped  but sir, yes, sir!

Rick goes along with the military mans plan and gets fitted with a prosthetic knife fist, but only so that he can orchestrate his next escape attempt. He rises through the ranks, keeps Okafors secret plan secret from Major-General Beale (Terry OQuinn), and gets the information from Esteban that he needs to stage his own death and escape via tunnel while on a mission. But that attempt fails, too!

Our intrepid hero next tries to take out Okafor himself. Rick flips out, raging against Okafor and the CRM for playing God with human lives and making choices for him. In their confrontation, we learn that when Okafor was in the United States military; he was responsible for bombing Atlanta and Los Angeles at the beginning of the zombie outbreak. Hey! Thats where The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead took place in their respective first seasons. His web, dare I say it, connects them all.

The lieutenant general then tells Rick that hes transferring him and Pearl to the Cascades in Oregon to build a military base. Later that evening, back at his apartment, Pearl and Rick turn on the news and learn that the Omaha community has fallen. Pearl seems to have become CRM-pilled, convinced that Omaha was destroyed because they didnt stay hidden, and smashes a glass. We all want to be somewhere else with someone else, she says, but we got stuck in the right place. Again, thats a ridiculous and patronizing thing to say to Rick Grimes. I know times are dire, but his family is only 150 miles away! Hes just in Pennsylvania! Theyre in Virginia!

After Pearl leaves, Rick brings one of the shards of glass to his neck. This is the low point we saw at the beginning of the episode. He cant escape. Hes being moved across the country. And Okafor knows about Michonne. In his last letter to his wife, he tells her that while he couldnt end his life, he decided to die by disappearing. He burns the iPhone pictures. He goes to Oregon. He stops talking. He buries himself in work.

Then, the superimposed word NOW tells us that its the present, I guess. Rick pilots a helicopter on a mission with Okafor. But not for long. Something, or someone, shoots down the aircraft. Okafor dies. Rick runs from their attacker in the woods, who turns out to be Michonne! Holy narrative risk, Batman! They really reunited those two crazy kids quickly. Im intrigued by the choice. I assumed the show would be about them getting back to each other, so Im excited to see what happens next. The look those two share as the episode fades to black could melt diamonds.

Sometimes, I wonder how I, a millennial woman who habitually avoids most horror movies and didnt start reading comics until she was in her 20s, became such a Walking Dead fanatic. Im not supposed to like this show. What am I doing here? The best reason I can come up with is characters and relationships like Rick and Michonne. These are intense human stories about people who care about each other in ways that me and my bickering group chat cannot comprehend. And my perspective does have some advantages. When Rick dreamed his way right into a fan-fiction scenario, I did not bat an eye. The Ones Who Live is for viewers like me.

Sweet Nothings

 They call walkers delts in the CRM. How very Greek.

 As fans of The World Beyond (there are dozens of us) will tell you, the destruction of Omaha was an inside job. Rick is right to be suspicious.

 Beale was referenced in The World Beyond, too, and one of that spinoffs teenage characters was his son, Mason (Will Meyers).

 Categorizing Rick as an A and not a B contradicts the only other time weve heard this terminology on The Walking Dead. When Anne kidnapped Rick, she called him a B. She specifically said that he was not an A. Therefore, I must assume Anne was lying to protect him. Thats nice!

 If youll indulge me, Id like to put something out into the universe. Theres a character on The Walking Dead who disappeared like Rick named Heath, played by Corey Hawkins, and if he showed up in the CRMs hidden city, I would be so happy.

 How impressive is it that Rick remembers to cauterize the wound after cutting off his hand? I thought I worked well under pressure, dang.

 The Last Letter I Write to You (That Youll Never See) would make a great pop-punk song.

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Vannucci also under investigation for alleged embezzlement and fraud from his time in Russia.

Rome prosecutors have placed Italian army general Roberto Vannacci under investigation for inciting racial hatred in his controversial bestselling book Il mondo al contrario.

The probe was launched following complaints from civil rights associations and the military union about the contents of the book in which the former paratrooper commander claimed that gays "are not normal", reports Corriere della Sera newspaper.

Vannacci's self-published book, a surprise bestseller in Italy, contained disparaging comments against LGBT+ people, migrants, minorities, feminists and environmentalists.

Following the book's publication last summer, Vannacci, 55, was dismissed as head of Italy's Military Geographical Institute by defence minister Guido Crosetto who said the general's "personal ramblings" had discredited the nation's armed forces.

News of the incitement to racial hatred probe comes two days after the military prosecutor's office placed Vannacci under investigation for suspected embezzlement and fraud during his time as military attache at the Italian embassy in Moscow, where he served from February 2021 until May 2022.

The probe was launched after an internal defence ministry report raised concerns about "anomalies" in relation to allegedly bogus expenses claimed by Vannacci for events that never took place, among other payments, Corriere della Sera reported on Saturday.

Matteo Salvini, Italy's deputy premier and leader of the right-wing Lega, subsequently reiterated his esteem for Vannacci who he is hoping will run as a candidate for the party in the upcoming European elections.
Linda Wenhold was blown away by the Patriot Academys classes, which tap into a growing fear among some evangelical Christians that their faith and its rightful place at the center of American culture and government were under siege.
Electric cars constantly catch fire. They take many hours to charge. The batteries dont have enough autonomy.There is nowhere to charge them. For a long trip you need a diesel. Zero-emission vehicles generate a lot of unfounded information and exaggeration, partly because a majority of the population has not yet tried them: according to the Spanish Association of Car and Truck Manufacturers (Anfac), 54,857 electric vehicles were sold in Spain in 2023, 5.7% of the total. We analyze the main myths surrounding electrical vehicles (EVs)  some of which hold an element of truth  with the help of industry experts.

They go up in flames at the drop of a hat

This is untrue. The fire rates of electric vehicles are lower than those of combustion vehicles, as the NHTSA  the U.S. state road safety agency  has shown in its reports, says David de Diego, a legal expert in electric vehicles at the Spanish APCAS breakdown insurance association. These vehicles can catch fire due to a very strong impact, or due to a manufacturing fault. What is true is that when they burn they enter an electrochemical spiral, and you have to know how to put them out, because pouring water on it does not work. Its better to use thermal blankets that smother the fire. Norway, the country with the highest number of electric cars in the world, has registered four to five times more fires in gasoline and diesel cars than in electric cars. Meanwhile, the European Lashfire project concluded that neither the total energy nor the toxins released during a fire in an electric car are greater than those caused by a combustion vehicle.

They break down all the time

Also not true. The electric vehicle differs with respect to its combustion counterparts in the simplicity of its mechanics as, in the absence of elements exposed to friction or wear, it requires hardly any repairs and its revisions are very straightforward, says Arturo Perez de Lucia, director of Aedive, the Spanish electric vehicle employers association. Luis Valdes, an expert on electric mobility, adds: Most manufacturers give very high warranties, of 150,000 and even up to 200,000 kilometers (124,274 miles), because they know that it is very difficult for them to break down.

The interior of an electric car at a gas station. ALEX ONCIU

You have to change the battery after seven years

Probably not. LFP type batteries, the most common, can last from 2,000 to 5,000 cycles. If a cycle is 500 kilometers, that would be between one and 2.5 million kilometers. The only thing that could happen before that is that you lose a little autonomy [no more than 10%], says Lars Hoffman, an EV tester on the All Electric channel on YouTube. It is true that a few years ago there was greater degradation of the battery, but now this is no longer the case and they are also covered by the manufacturers warranty. De Diego points out: Batteries are evolving every year and react better than expected. In addition, electric drivers tend to drive more efficiently to recharge the engine, which extends the life of the battery.

There are too few recharging points

Aedive states that as of October 2023 there were 27,420 public access charging points in Spain, so the year-end data will be close to 30,000. A further 8,000 are in the administrative process. With todays batteries and high-power recharging, the experience of use is similar to that of combustion vehicles, says Perez de Lucia. However, it is true that ultra-fast chargers of more than 150 kilowatts (kw/h) only make up 6% of the total, according to a count by EL PAIS. On the main highways there are usually no issues but in more remote areas it is advisable to plan the trip and any stops beforehand. Traveling with an electric car is simple; the problem lies more in the lack of slow-charging points in the city, for those who do not have a garage, says Valdes.

Batteries have little autonomy

One of the most widespread myths is that batteries offer little autonomy. The problem is that some people think they have to last for 800 kilometers, like a diesel, but the truth is that on a day-to-day basis it is rare to do more than 200 or 300 kilometers and for that, the current autonomies are sufficient, says Felix Garcia, spokesman for Anfac, the automobile employers association. Hoffman adds: Nowadays, any electric vehicle costing between 30,000 and 40,000 can cover 300 kilometers on the highway, and much more in the city. Miguelez, from Ganvam, points out that most electric vehicles can already be driven in normal use in the city on a single charge for the whole week. It is true that vehicles with more autonomy, from 600 to 700 kilometers, are in the higher price range. It is not often mentioned that the range increases when you slow down or drive downhill. This is one of the great pleasures of driving an electric car: seeing how the battery is recharged by driving efficiently and taking advantage of downhill slopes, says May Lopez, of the Businesses for Sustainable Mobility (EMS) association.

They take a long time to charge

This depends. You have to bear in mind that there are two types of charging: slow charging, which you do at home, and which can take eight to 10 hours, and fast charging, which is more occasional and during trips, which can take 15 to 30 minutes, says Hoffman. But if you think about it, its normal to stop, have a coffee and use the bathroom, so the travel time doesnt increase much. And its far outweighed by slow charging, where you just plug it in and forget about it, whereas with a combustion engine youd have to go to the gas station once or twice a week. Miguelez, from Ganvam, adds: In addition, there are more and more convenience rechargers, which can be used in supermarkets or public parking lots while doing other activities.

Electric cars at a collective charging point. Mario Tama (Getty Images)

You cant buy an electric if you dont have a garage

In this case, there is a certain basis for the criticism. If you dont have a regular slow charging point, which can be at home or at work, its not an ideal situation, acknowledges Alvaro Sauras, vice-president of the Association of Electric Vehicle Users (AUVE) and editor of Autofacil magazine. It is a hindrance in a country where 65% of the population lives in apartments and 16% in rented accommodation (according to data from the Spanish National Statistics Institute), meaning that many urban dwellers do not have a garage or a parking space nearby. To make it easier, we would have to introduce many slow charging points in cities, as is already the case in the Netherlands or the United Kingdom, where almost every lamppost can be converted into one, he adds.

They are only good for getting around the city

Some of the cheapest EVs are designed for urban journeys that do not exceed 200 kilometers a day, while the mid-range allows you to travel just over 300 kilometers on the highway. Those who drive with the sole interest of arriving quickly and without stopping will still prefer a combustion car, but for a normal trip with stops you wont take longer, says Hoffman, who adds: Ive been traveling in electric vehicles for five years and Ive never had a problem. For example, Ive gone from Madrid to Warsaw in two days. Miguelez, from Ganvam, suggests: Electric rental cars carsharing  which is very popular in cities, make a lot of sense in rural areas because they favor the use of shared vehicles in unpopulated areas.

You need 25 apps to recharge

Its a bit of an exaggeration but it has an element of truth. Many electric users have between eight and 10 recharging apps, although there are more and more points where you can pay by card, notes Sauras. Garcia, of Anfac, adds: There are applications that allow you to pay at different companies, but there is still a lack of interoperability between operators. He points to Portugal, which has implemented a universal payment system at recharging points. They triple Spain in pure electric sales; it is clear that there is something we are not doing right. We dont need to invent anything, we just need to copy these countries, he says. Valdes, an EV driver for years, explains: I travel all over Spain with four apps that I trust, but we need a unified registry that works in real time.

A Tesla charging in Barcelona. Albert Garcia

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TRENTON, N.J.  Besides serving as governor and running for president, Chris Christie has another job. As commander in chief of the New Jersey National Guard, he is in charge of 8,400 citizen soldiers, a militia that has become increasingly dysfunctional under his watch. Sign up for Fact Checker, our weekly review of what's true, false or in-between in politics. ArrowRight After he took office in 2010, Christie (R) reappointed a two-star Army general  a childhood friend  to lead the Guard. But the married general was forced to resign in disgrace after staff members caught him having an affair at work, documents show.

The governors next pick, an Air Force pilot, was secretly reprimanded by the Pentagon last year for his excessive waistline and for repeatedly ducking physical-fitness tests, according to records obtained by The Washington Post under the Freedom of Information Act.

More recently, several high-ranking officers have filed whistleblower complaints, alleging that the Guards leadership is plagued by cronyism, racism and a toxic command climate, among other problems. State and federal officials have opened independent investigations. Legislators have pledged to hold hearings.

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Its like the mob, said Brian K. Scully, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who says he lost his job because he refused to help cover up the generals affair. One minute youre the made man. The next, you get a bullet in the back of your head. Only here its career assassination.

During his first term as governor, Christie and the New Jersey National Guard received praise for their response to Hurricane Sandy, a 2012 storm that devastated the state. Christies prompt mobilization of the Guard and his commanding presence in disaster zones elevated his national profile.

That experience molded me as a leader, he recalled in May as he prepared to announce his presidential bid.

A former federal prosecutor, Christie has campaigned on his reputation for unvarnished talk and an insistence on government accountability. Yet as he seeks to become the nations commander in chief, he has been publicly silent about the problems that have erupted in his militias upper ranks.

The discord threatens to become yet another hurdle for Christie to overcome in the GOP presidential contest. His poll numbers have been mired in the low single digits as he has struggled to cope with questions about his leadership in New Jersey  from the states fiscal mess to a still-unfolding scandal that began in 2013 when his aides intentionally snarled traffic on the George Washington Bridge to punish a political opponent.

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Christie declined interview requests for this article. His staff said he was unaware that Air Force Brig. Gen. Michael L. Cunniff, the commander who still leads the Guard, had been reprimanded by the Pentagon about his weight until The Post asked about the issue.

As the states adjutant general, Cunniff reports directly to Christie and serves in his Cabinet.

The Governor has expressed directly to the General that his failure to meet that standard or to provide notification of his formal reprimand is both unacceptable and disappointing, Christie spokesman Kevin Roberts said in an e-mailed statement.

Christie, he added, has given Cunniff 90 days to slim down and meet his obligations.

Failure to meet physical-fitness standards is a serious infraction in the military and can result in dismissal. But it is an especially delicate subject in New Jersey, where Christie had weight-loss surgery two years ago.

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Cunniff declined an interview request. In a statement released by the Guard, he acknowledged that he had not met the Air Forces fitness requirements in recent years.

Many people struggle with weight control  I am not immune from this, he said. However, I do recognize that military members and leaders, like myself, are held to a higher standard. I take this matter seriously and am taking the necessary steps to remedy this issue.

Mocked on YouTube

As in other states, the New Jersey National Guard is a reserve military force that primarily serves under the command and control of the governor, who can mobilize troops to respond to natural disasters or other emergencies. Units also can be called into federal service and deploy overseas.

Dissent began to bubble up last year. In April 2014, a group of junior officers wrote a letter to Christie to complain about a demeaning and toxic command culture in the militia.

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The junior officers accused Cunniff and his deputy, Army Brig. Gen. James J. Grant, of not promoting minorities into senior jobs. They pleaded with Christie to investigate and to keep their identities secret so they would be protected from reprisals.

Two months later, Col. Walter Alvarado, the Army National Guards chief of staff and the highest-ranking Hispanic officer in the state, wrote a similar letter to Christie. He charged that the generals had blocked his advancement while promoting less-qualified white officers.

There is a strong perception throughout the organization of racial bias  real or not, the perception is strong, Alvarado wrote. He declined to comment for this article.

Discontent continued to spread. In December, Alvarado and three other senior officers, including the state chaplain, filed a harsher complaint with the Army inspector general at the Pentagon. That letter, which was copied to the governor, accused Cunniff and Grant of abuse of authority, fraud, waste, cronyism and other wrongdoing.

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Cunniff, through a spokesman, declined to comment. Grant, who has since retired from the Guard, did not respond to an e-mail or a phone call.

In January, the mutiny reached the Internet. Parody videos were posted anonymously on YouTube, casting Cunniff and Grant as incompetent Nazi commanders. Messages posted with the videos begged Christie to investigate the leadership.

Michael Bobinis, a former Army major in the Guard, acknowledged to The Post that he posted the videos. He said he was terminated after his bosses found out.

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Only one person can fix this, and thats Governor Christie, Bobinis said. Its 100 percent on Christies shoulders. And he wont do anything.

In February, whistleblowers tried again to get the governors attention.

Alvarado and Col. John Langston, the Guards top African American officer, wrote another letter to Christie saying that the troops have had enough. They said the generals were promoting mistrust, secrecy, intimidation, deception, favoritism, cronyism and unethical behavior.

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Langston declined to comment.

Christies spokesman confirmed that the governors office received that letter but said it had no record of the previous complaints.

Once we were made aware of the allegations, the Governors office acted promptly to ensure they would be thoroughly and independently investigated, Roberts, the press secretary, said in an e-mail.

Investigations mount

But the Christie administration acted only after the Newark Star-Ledger, the states biggest newspaper, broke a story in March about the charges of racial discrimination and discord in the Guard.

The next month, state officials announced their hire of a former federal prosecutor to investigate the discrimination complaints.

The investigator, Matthew Boxer, worked under Christie when Christie served as the U.S. attorney for New Jersey. Boxer declined to comment while the inquiry is underway.

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In May, the Star-Ledger uncovered more problems in the Guard, disclosing that four colonels had been convicted of drunken driving. The paper also reported that the adjutant general had been slow to hold the officers accountable, allowing two of them to keep their positions long after their arrests.

Patrick Daugherty, a Guard spokesman, defended the handling of the cases. He said commanders didnt learn of the arrests right away and took prompt action once they did.

He declined to comment on specific allegations of discrimination but said such complaints are welcomed and will be thoroughly examined.

A survey this year of 3,000 New Jersey Guard members found that only 7 percent thought that their race, ethnicity or gender posed a barrier to career advancement, Daugherty said. That tells us there are lots of things were doing right, he added.

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The Guards problems are emerging at an inopportune time for Christie and are unlikely to go away soon.

The state investigation is expected to make its findings public this year. Meanwhile, the Army inspector general is pursuing its own case. New Jersey lawmakers have said they will hold hearings after the state investigation wraps up.

Were still looking into it, and were still concerned about the allegations, said Assemblywoman Cleopatra G. Tucker (D-Essex), chairman of the legislatures Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. The public and our veterans and our National Guard people really need to be heard.

Scandals at the top

Several current and former officers trace the start of the Guards problems to the downfall of the former adjutant general, Army Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth.

Rieth was a holdover from the previous administration but was kept in the post by Christie. The two men knew each other from their childhood years in Livingston, N.J.

Two years into Christies first term, a staff sergeant working late at the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs walked into an office and was startled to see the married Rieth kissing a female state employee, according to documents recounting the episode.

The general also was caught on video by the buildings security systems, the documents show.

Two former Guard officers  Scully, who served as the generals executive officer, and Bobinis, who oversaw the security systems  said they were pressured to hush up the incident. But it was ultimately reported to the Pentagon, triggering an investigation by the Armys inspector general.

Rieth offered his resignation weeks later, in November 2011. But the Christie administration did not announce his departure until the Associated Press revealed the scandal  and even then said he was quitting because of a personal matter.

Army documents obtained by The Post under the Freedom of Information Act show that the Pentagon formally reprimanded Rieth for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a woman who was not his wife. He did not respond to a phone call or an e-mail seeking comment.

Christies next pick to lead the Guard was Cunniff, a one-star Air Force commander. But Cunniff had a secret: He had been skipping his mandatory physical-fitness test because he knew he was too overweight to pass, according to an investigation the Air Force inspector general conducted last year.

Under Air Force rules, Cunniff was required to take the test annually. He told the inspector general that he knew he could not meet the requirements when he took charge of the Guard in December 2011, so he kept putting it off.

I should have taken it the end of 11 or, but, uh, I was kind of overcome by events, not really an excuse, an explanation, though, uh, I took the job under some pretty difficult conditions, he testified, according to the inspector generals report. And, uh, you know, it was never my intent to bypass, uh, the system or get away with anything.

Cunniff finally took a fitness test in November 2013, his first in more than three years. He flunked when his waist size was measured at 43.5 inches  4.5 inches larger than what was allowed.

Two weeks later, an anonymous tipster reported Cunniff to the inspector general, saying that his physical condition was a joke and that it was hypocritical and unethical to hold himself to a different standard than subordinates.

Cunniff received a formal reprimand from Air Force officials at the Pentagon in April 2014. But he never mentioned it to the governor, according to Christies office.

In his statement to The Post, Cunniff said he has begun a rigorous physical fitness training program and has sought help from a nutritionist to enable him to pass the test.

Just as I afford every opportunity to each Soldier and Airman to meet these standards, so will I, he said.
After his victory in the South Carolina primaries, while he closes in on the Republican nomination for the White House, Donald Trump has ticked off a pending task from his to-do list: regain full control of the Republican Party. The chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), Ronna McDaniel, announced on Monday that she will step down next week, meaning Trump will be able to appoint a trusted ally to the position. This is happening in an election year, when Trump needs all levels of the party behind him, especially to raise money.

I have decided to step aside at our spring training on March 8 in Houston to allow our nominee [all signs indicate that it will be Trump] to select a chair of their choosing, McDaniel said in a statement. The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee, and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition. I remain committed to winning back the White House and electing Republicans up and down the ballot in November. She also thanked President Trump for giving me the opportunity to lead our party, as well as the RNC staff and donors who have supported me and our mission over the years.

For weeks, it was rumored that McDaniel would step down after the South Carolina primary, where Trump defeated Nikki Haley, his only rival left standing of the 14 who entered the race. The former president won by 20 points, even though Haley was born in South Carolina, and governed the state between 2011 and 2017. McDaniel will step down three days after Super Tuesday, on March 5, when 15 states will decide 874 of 2,429 Republican delegates. To win the nomination, a candidate must have 1,215 delegates. Super Tuesday is a key date in the primary race, which ends in Milwaukee (Wisconsin) in mid-July. Thats when the Republican National Convention will decide who will be the partys presidential candidate. If Trump, the front-runner in the polls, is chosen, the November election will be a repeat of the 2020 showdown between the real estate magnate and Joe Biden, who is running for reelection.

Koch loses faith in Haley

After the win in South Carolina, Trump was met with more good news on Sunday. Americans for Prosperity Action, an organization supported by billionaire Charles Koch, announced that it plans to stop supporting Haley after her loss (which polls predicted would be worse) in her home state. Koch is one of the most powerful Republicans in the United States and became known, along with his brother David, who died in 2019, for pulling the strings of American conservatism from the shadows. His decision to support Trumps rival made headlines when it was revealed, and was seen as a sign of the rising Republican stars strength. His decision to stop backing Haley, comes after other important donors, such as Reid Hoffman, also decided to pause funding.

Charles Koch, in 2015 in California. The Washington Post (Getty Images)

Despite the obstacles, Haley has not backed down from her commitment to stay in the race until Super Tuesday. Before that vote, she will face the Michigan primaries on Tuesday.

For the RNC seat, Trump already has someone in mind: Michael Whatley, chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and General Counsel of the Republican National Committee. The former president has also endorsed his daughter-in-law, Lara, who is married to Eric Trump, for co-chair.

Its not that McDaniel, the first woman to head the RNC in more than 40 years, wasnt loyal to the former president, but she had fallen out of his favor, which amounts to a political death sentence in the Republican Party of Trump. Before being appointed chair, she led the party in Michigan. She made the leap to the national sphere when she was appointed in 2017, shortly after the electoral victory that brought Trump to the White House.

For voices further to the right, McDaniel was not considered up to the task of one of the main tasks of the role: fundraising. She was attacked by both members of the Republican Party and media outlets aligned with the MAGA movement. They also held her responsible for the Republican Partys poor results of the midterm elections in November 2022, when the party was expected to win overwhelmingly. Instead, the group had to settle for a defeat in the Senate and a meager victory in the House. That setback was largely due to the overly extreme candidates backed by Trump. He also pressured McDaniel to cancel the traditional primary debates. The RNC organized four, which began last August, but Trump did not take part in a single one.

In favor of her seven years in office, neither McDaniel nor any of the members or workers of the committee have become embroiled in the legal troubles of Trump, who faces 91 charges in four separate cases. Dozens of other Trump collaborators from his years in the White House have been cited in these investigations.

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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Zoe Coombs Marr is sitting in a room at home with a recent development in her professional career. Two computer screens, she says, wide-eyed and motioning at them with delight. Its changed my life. I like having lots of different tabs open, lots of good big spreadsheets and documents all open side by side at the same time. Its a visual thing rather than a neck thing. Love it. Zoe Coombs Marrs new comedy festival show has her examining her own life. Credit: Simon Schluter The dual display innovation began when she was working on Queerstralia, the ACCTA-nominated, three-part ABC documentary series she created and hosted about the untold queer history of Australia. Ive got two keyboards and a mouse and I can go like this. She moves her head up, then swiftly left and back around like shes stationed in a vast NASA control screen headquarters monitoring multiple rocket launches. Oh and there I am with the cupboard open, she says, noticing the packed, un-shut wardrobe visible behind. Oh well. Theres nothing scandalous in there. Its just stuff. She turns around. There is literally a box there that says stuff. Zoe Coombs Marr in the AACTA-nominated documentary Queerstralia.

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A performer, writer, artist and comedian, Coombs Marr is known for many things. Most recently it has been Queerstralia but also several years hosting Mardi Gras on SBS TV, appearing on The Weekly, Spicks and Specks, The Project, Question Everything and Celebrity Mastermind and opening for good friend Hannah Gadsbys globally successful shows Nanette and Douglas. And then there are the years of critically acclaimed and award-winning stand-up shows, from Trigger Warning and The Opener, two of her shows as alter-ego character Dave, to Bossy Bottom, Agony! Misery! and Born Slippy. Zoe Coombs Marr (left) and her comic alter ego, Dave. Now, she is all about stuff. The stuff in that box in the wardrobe, the stuff accumulated, digitally, physically and mentally, marking every moment since she was born. It will all come together for her new show, Every Single Thing In My Whole Entire Life, premiering at the Adelaide Fringe in March before seasons at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and in Sydney. Im going all the way back, she says. Ive got an Excel spreadsheet and everything is going on it and that is what the shows about. The spreadsheet, visible to audience members each performance, features different tabs and lists including, Things I Like, Things I Dont Like and Things I Like that Most Other People Do Like. The latter includes live music, games and sports. There are tabs listing her relationships, with examples including, 1st gf, Painter, Stage Manager, Police Officer and Memory Trumpet. Memory Trumpet alludes to a girl she first saw playing Memory on the trumpet.

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Other tabs include Hook-ups (Memory Trumpet also features), Bad Art, Injuries Accidents, Times My Sister Tried To Kill Me and one called Cate Blanchett, which is about the time she received flowers after a stage performance at Sydney Theatre Company and the sender was mistaken for a major Australian movie star. Coombs Marr began percolating the idea for Every Single Thing In My Whole Entire Life in 2023. I didnt do a stand-up show last year because I was working on Queerstralia, she says. The show that Id done the year before was a Dave show and Agony! Misery! and Bossy Bottom, the two stand-up shows that I did before that were as myself. I suppose I was in that space after making Queerstralia. It was quite an intense project. Amazing, incredible to work on, but very intensive and a lot of responsibility as well. A lot of politics, a lot of community engagement and making sure youre telling other peoples stories correctly. I hadnt really done a fun stand-up show as myself for quite some time. And also, because my work is often meta  Dave is very much about how comedy works  I realised I hadnt talked about myself on-stage much. It was probably from hanging out with a lot of comedians who really mine their own lives. I realised I had this untouched mine of my life about which Ive always thought, Oh, its a bit boring just to talk about stuff thats happened to me. Like, my lifes not really that interesting. But then I started looking into my own memory and thinking, Well, what could I talk about? As soon as I started that, I was, Oh, theres so much stuff in here, theres so much stuff to talk about.

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Rather than crafting a story, or talking about a particular event, Coombs Marr became intrigued about completing a stocktake, a process of getting all her affairs in order and seeing the shape of her life. Most of the stuff that makes up the shape of our lives is the little stuff thats happening all the time, alongside all the big things. I thought it was really fun and funny to focus on the minutia and put that all together. Cue Excel spreadsheets in multiple windows across two screens with ever-increasing tabs linking to longer and longer lists of memories and details and people and the finer points of a life. Its like when youre talking about a funeral or a wedding or a birth, she says. Ive experienced all those sorts of different things in my life but no one ever talks about how, when youre at a funeral, you still need to go to the toilet. Or, on the way to the wedding, its a little bit hot in the car? Zoe Coombs Marr has been combing through the minutiae of her life for her new stand-up show. Credit: Simon Schluter But how does Coombs Marr remember all of this? Has she kept every chip packet, every jotted note, journal entry, joke idea or photo of every major, minor and in-between person or event in her life? Its interesting what you remember and what you dont, she says. When I talk to people, it sparks an interesting process where they spout things back to me. Like, Oh yeah, that priest had the worst breath, which is then, Oh my god, that was really similar to this smell that I smelled at Dreamworld when I was on the school excursion in year seven and that guy was there and, oh, he contacted me on Facebook last week. Its almost like this constellation of connections and I think thats how we all work. The mapping and archiving of Coombs Marrs life, a consuming rabbit hole lasting months, left her feeling strange and uncomfortable at times.

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When you look at your own diary from the outside, and you see yourself as a person who exists, its the most excruciating, cringeworthy thing in the world, she says. With looking at everything in my whole life, it comes down to, What is the thing thats been happening through this one lens? Thats the thread that holds it all together. What is my existence actually? Loading Its fun as well. Its a really positive show and it comes from quite a dark place, ironically. I was struggling a lot with my mental health and feeling pretty at odds with my existence. The process of doing this has been really interesting because it comes from this existential crisis. But also its life-affirming. Its: Wow, theres this bulk of this hefty, amazing life that Ive lived. Its equally full of chip packets and stepping on dog poo and forgetting someones name and minutia and nothingness. So it matters and it doesnt matter at all. Its been five years since Coombs Marr last did personal stand-up and 20 years since she began in comedy. After turning 40 this year, she felt a sense of self-acceptance about her life and career. This is probably the first time Im doing a stand-up show where Im actually comfortable in my own skin as a person, and as a stand-up, she says. And, its probably the first time Im giving myself permission to just do stand-up and just be there with the crowd. Im doing it in an absolutely nuts way by going, Im gonna talk about everything in my whole entire life, which is the joke, but its also a very straightforward stand-up show. Its the most relaxed kind of show that Ive done, really, ever. So, thats delightful. Every Single Thing In My Whole Entire Life does not mean she is retiring Dave, her Barry Award-winning, Edinburgh Fringe-nominated hack stand-up caricature built from the comedy scenes healthy and long-standing tenets of sexism, misogyny and toxic masculinity.

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When people have trouble sleeping, it changes how they experience stress and negative emotions, says Aric Prather, a sleep researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, who treats patients with insomnia. And for some, this can have a feed-forward effect  feeling bad, ruminating, feeling stressed can bleed into our nights, he says. Loading Carly Demler, 40, a stay-at-home mother in North Carolina, says she went to bed one night and never fell asleep. From that point onward, she would be up at least once a week until 3 or 4 am. It continued for more than a year. She became irritable, less patient and far more anxious. Hormone blood work and a sleep study in a university lab offered her no answers. It was like my anxiety was a fire that somehow jumped the fence and somehow ended up expanding into my nights, she says. I just felt I had no control.

In the end, it was cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia that brought Demler the most relief. Studies have found that CBT-I is more effective than sleep medications are over the long term: as many as 80 per cent of the people who try it see improvements in their sleep. Demler learned not to lay in bed and freak out. Instead, she gets up and reads so as not to associate her bedroom with anxiety, then returns to bed when shes tired. The feeling of gratitude that I have every morning, when I wake up and feel well rested, I dont think will ever go away, she says. Thats been an unexpected silver lining. Adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep a night, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Teenagers and young children need even more. Its not just about quantity. The quality of your sleep is also important. If it takes more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, for example, or if you regularly wake up in the middle of the night, it is harder to feel rested, regardless of the number of hours you spend in bed.

But some people, have a tendency to think theyre functioning well even if theyre sleepy during the day or having a harder time focusing, says Lynn Bufka, a clinical psychologist and spokesperson for the American Psychological Association. Ask yourself how you feel during the day. Do you find that youre more impatient or quick to anger? Are you having more negative thoughts or do you feel more anxious or depressed? Do you find it harder to cope with stress? Do you find it difficult to do your work efficiently? If so, its time to take action. How to stop the cycle. Weve all heard how important it is to practise good sleep hygiene, employing the daily habits that promote healthy sleep. And its important to speak with your doctor, in order to rule out any physical problems that need to be addressed, like a thyroid disorder or restless legs syndrome.

But this is only part of the solution. Conditions like anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder can make it harder to sleep, which can then exacerbate the symptoms of mental illness, which in turn makes it harder to sleep well. Loading It becomes this very difficult to break cycle, Bufka says. Certain medications, including psychiatric drugs like antidepressants, can also cause insomnia. If a medication is to blame, talk to your doctor about switching to a different one, taking it earlier in the day or lowering the dose, says Dr Ramaswamy Viswanathan, a professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University and the incoming president of the American Psychiatric Association.

The cycle can afflict those without mental health disorders too, when worries worsen sleep and a lack of sleep worsens mood. Emily, who worked in the big law firm, would become so concerned about her inability to sleep that she didnt even want to get into bed. You really start to believe Im never going to sleep, she says. The adrenaline is running so high that you cant possibly do it. Eventually, she came across Say Goodnight to Insomnia by Gregg D Jacobs. The book, which uses CBT-I techniques, helped Emily to reframe the way she thought about sleep. She began writing down her negative thoughts in a journal and then changing them to positive ones. For example: What if Im never able to fall asleep again? would become Your body is made to sleep. If you dont get enough rest one night, you will eventually. These exercises helped her stop catastrophising. Once she started sleeping again, she felt way happier.
The police watchdog raised concerns about poor tracking of police guns little more than six months before a senior constable allegedly used his official Glock pistol to murder two young men, including his former partner.

The NSW Police Force has called in Victorias commissioner to review gun policies as details emerged of serious loopholes in its oversight of weapons, particularly those issued to officers from specialist units such as the youth command that employed the accused man, Beaumont Lamarre-Condon.

Commissioner Karen Webb has been forced to defend her leadership after the murders of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. Credit: Kate Geraghty

As police continued to search for the bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, Commissioner Karen Webb was forced to defend her leadership amid claims she took too long to address the public over the murders. She described the questions as offensive.

Police revealed on Monday that neighbours in Paddington heard gunshots about 9.50am the previous Monday, February 19. They allege the shots came from Lamarre-Condons police gun, and are working on the theory that the two men died as a result.
The grim search continued on Monday, when police divers scoured two dams on the farm at Hazleton Road in Bungonia, about 33 kilometres south of Goulburn. Divers left the property shortly after 1pm but a search continued on the 70-hectare property, with a team of officers using rakes to search for evidence in grass and bushes. Hudson said on Monday that Lamarre-Condon had allegedly made a partial confession last Tuesday to an acquaintance about involvement in the killing of two people, but that this evidence was not reported to police immediately. After hiring a white Toyota HiAce van from Sydney airport on Monday night, police believe that on Wednesday Lamarre-Condon drove to Bungonia with a female friend in the van, potentially transporting the couples bodies. On the same day, Baird and Davies bloodied clothes were found in a skip bin in Cronulla.

Police allege the pair bought an angle grinder and a new padlock at Bunnings in Goulburn on Wednesday evening before travelling to the Bungonia property, which police believe Lamarre-Condon was familiar with because of a prior relationship. The owner of the property said they had no knowledge of Lamarre-Condon and were co-operating with the police search. Beau Lamarre-Condon, Jesse Baird, Luke Davies and the Paddington home where police allege the double murder took place. Credit: Instagram/Sydney Morning Herald The woman who travelled with Lamarre-Condon is co-operating with police. She has told them she was not aware of his alleged crimes, what he was doing on the property, or that there may have been two bodies in the back of the van. There is no suggestion the woman is involved in any wrongdoing. After he used the angle grinder to cut the lock on the gate to the property, police believe Lamarre-Condon left the female friend at the gate while he went into the property for about half an hour. The new padlock was then used to lock the gate after he returned.

The two then drove back to Sydney, police said. A Google maps view of the search area off Hazelton Road at Bungonia. Credit: Google maps At 11pm that evening, weights were purchased from a department store by the accused and it is believed that the accused returned to that property, Hudson said. At 4.30am on Thursday, Lamarre-Condon was seen leaving the Bungonia area again, Hudson said. He then travelled to the city again before driving the van to an acquaintance in Newcastle on Thursday, where he asked for a hose to clean the vehicle.

The van was later dumped at a family home in Grays Point, before Lamarre-Condon turned himself in at Bondi police station. The focus of Mondays search was a property called Cella Farm, where the two dams are located. Hudson said police were concerned the bodies may have been moved from the Bungonia address and disposed of at a different location during a gap in the timeline. It is our number one priority at this moment to try and locate Jesse and Luke to give the family some solace and be able to come to terms with whats occurred, Hudson said.

Loading Lamarre-Condons former relationship with Baird is a key part of the investigation into the deaths, which NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb described as an alleged crime of passion. Hudson said police are investigating earlier incidents involving Lamarre-Condon at the Paddington home, including a time he allegedly entered the property to access Bairds phone. We believe that he had utilised a key to enter those premises. We believe that he took possession of Jesses phone and deleted contacts and messages out of that phone before leaving the premises, Hudson said. Lamarre-Condons gun was signed out of Miranda police station on Friday, February 16, for the purposes of his work on a user pays police operation.
Single people who are young or on low incomes are finding it harder to rent a home of their own, let alone buy a home, without a significant other.

Only 22.8 per cent of single, low-income tenants renting independently were paying affordable rent by 2020, a new study shows.

Singles are finding it harder to rent, let alone buy, a home. Credit: Getty Images

Even among those who chose to live in a share house, which would most likely cut costs, about half of single low-income renters were still paying unaffordable rents, the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute report found. The figures come from the ABS Survey of Income and Housing for 2019-20.

Single people or single-headed households, particularly those more marginally attached to labour markets, with lower-incomes across all age groups, have experienced the greatest retreat from the independent mainstream rental sector, the report warned.
Ambitious people certainly describes Liao. Build Club may be a modest physical space of around 100 square metres for now, but she wants to build it into something globally significant. Theres a million things we would like to do but in the immediate term we want to build up our brand, which is really more of a movement, so that its known globally, she says. There are some really smart, ambitious AI founders in Australia tinkering on nights and weekends and we wanted to give them all a space they could go. Annie Liao We want to scale this up to be a global community and keep the hub in Sydney. When I was in San Francisco last year no one knew really who our venture capital firms were, to be honest. I want to help bridge that gap. Liao was born in New Zealand and raised in Canberra. Her somewhat strict upbringing led her down a traditional corporate pathway, she says, including four years at Westpac when she was 18 followed by a stint as a strategy consultant at Boston Consulting Group.

In March 2023, she joined as an investor with the Sydney-based Aura Ventures, an Asia-focused growth equity fund. Loading What drew me to that was working with these amazing superstar technology founders every day. I thought itd be one of the most amazing things to do in the world and it was, she says. But on the weekends, me and my friends would to want to work on our side hustles, and we would just do that randomly at Starbucks. There wasnt a proper place for us to do that. There are some really smart, ambitious AI founders in Australia tinkering on nights and weekends  and we wanted to give them all a space they could go.

Leaving Aura was a tough decision for Liao, but the pull of working with some of her best friends while building Australias future tech companies was too great to ignore. Build Club is self-funded to date and received the physical campus space as a gift from the Stone & Chalk fintech hub. Liao is also launching a crowdfunding campaign to help raise capital for the club. Were at this really crazy moment with AI right now, new categories being created and industries are being disrupted, she says. Im a big believer in what AI will do for people, so I had to go all-in with it. Build Club in March will welcome 10 full-time AI engineers who will partner with start-up mentors to help build out their companies. The engineers will also benefit from a tour of San Francisco, thanks to a partnership with partners including Nvidia and AWS.

Australia is running behind in the AI rat race, as Liao puts it, but shes bullish on the nations potential. She says Australia has no shortage of the technical talent required to produce globally significant AI start-ups, even if the US will still command the majority of market share through the likes of OpenAI, Google and Microsoft. Loading Startup industry veteran Julia French has mentored Liao for the past five years, and is equally bullish about both Australias AI potential and what Liao is building in Sydney. Its been amazing to see the impact of what shes built so far, but I know we can do so much more for our founders at the grassroots level in Australia, French says. Build Club can be a global brand and I think the best place in the world for anyone building in AI. Build Club resident Graham Herdman has recently returned from the AI Engineer Summit in San Francisco, and says hes now dedicating the next 12 months building his AI start-up.
Harare: An Australian tourist has gone missing in Zimbabwes Victoria Falls National Park, home to one of the worlds natural wonders, the countrys parks spokesman said.

Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesman Tinashe Farawo said that the tourist went missing in the vast rainforest on Friday.

We have a fully-fledged team that includes the police looking for the tourist. We have deployed sniffer dogs, drones and trackers on the ground, said Farawo. He said the tourist was 67 years old but did not share further details.

The Australian has been missing in the Victoria Falls National Park since Friday. Credit: istock

Such incidents are rare in Victoria Falls, a destination that attracts thousands of tourists from across the globe for its majestic water curtain that tumbles down more than 108 metres from the mighty Zambezi River to a gorge below, sending up a mist visible from kilometres away.
Australian father Scott Ellis has not seen his children, Mera and Telina, since they were taken from his home in Queensland almost five years ago. Christmases and birthdays hurt the most. Another silent birthday for me, he said. I would never have dreamt that anything like this could have ever happened to me. Gold Coast father Daniel Whites two-year-old daughter Yui was registered as abducted by the Australian embassy last year. The 34-year-old said after four years together in Australia, he and his partner Mayumi Terakado had dreamt of a family holiday to Japan to meet Yuis grandparents, see temples in Kyoto and visit Universal Studios in Osaka. Scott Ellis with his children Mera and Telina. Then it went south. Terakado said she needed to stay to spend more time with her parents.

At the time, people at work were joking with me, She aint gonna come back, he said. But when I looked at my family, I wouldnt dream of such a scenario. Now I cant believe that Ive fallen into the trap. Im just heartbroken. White said he was kicked out of the house. Terakado said she left White and stayed in Japan because he was unfaithful. White says he believed they were no longer together when he slept with someone else. He has had no contact with his daughter since October. Ive handled things wrong ... but I cant imagine living my life without my daughter. Because now that Im a dad, my sole purpose for breathing fresh air is to provide everything I can for my daughter, White said. White says he has been cut off from all contact with his daughter after his fiancee never returned from a holiday to Japan. Credit: Jamila Toderas Ive been stripped of being able to do that, and Ive been in some dark places where Ive honestly considered if its worth being here.

Terakado said: He could meet her and FaceTime her, but he just got angry because he cant get what he wants. White says he cant contact his daughter because his numbers have been blocked. He needs to talk to a Japanese lawyer, Terakado said. Loading But the Japanese legal system, which allows lawyers to receive commission from child-support payments, rarely enforces custody rulings or visitation requirements, propping up a multimillion-dollar single-parent support industry that is lobbying hard against the Japanese governments proposed changes while leaving parents like White in a desperate state. The Australian government and opposition have escalated their criticism of Tokyo after this masthead and 60 Minutes revealed last year that dozens of Australian children have been abducted as Japanese police routinely ignored Interpol missing persons notices to locate the children.

New documents released under freedom of information laws reveal plans for a broader strategy to tackle child abduction after Tokyo objected to the Australian governments use of the term abduction, causing a rare public dispute between the close diplomatic partners. Department of Foreign Affairs ministerial briefing documents ahead of a meeting with Japanese officials put it bluntly: What we want: co-operation on child abduction and custody issues. Japanese Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maki Kobayashi defended Tokyos handling of the cases. There are various opinions, both internal and domestically and internationally, regarding their custody system, she said. We are meeting our international obligations.

But abducted children have also accused the Japanese government of destroying their relationship with both their parents. Anthony Soma always stood out in his high school class of 300 in Kyoto. He was the only child with a foreign parent. Gaijin they called him, a person from the outside, after he was taken from the US to Japan when he was six. Soma was told by his mother that his father was insane. Then he found him on Facebook. After meeting him in the US last year he confronted his Japanese mother, who told Soma never to come home and cut off all contact with him. Anthony Soma says child abduction is tearing families apart in Japan. Credit: Christopher Jue Soma, 24, said he was speaking out because he believed that the lives of thousands of children abducted in Japan had been damaged.

My relationship with my mother is broken, Soma said. I dont want to be on my fathers side. I dont want to be on my mothers side. I just want to have my point of view as a child to hear both sides. Loading Soma is one of hundreds of children abducted in Japan each year as divorce rates skyrocket. Abductions have become so widespread that companies are being warned by law firms that the threat of abduction needs to be factored into their due diligence. We are now living in a world where companies need to prepare for the kidnapping of employees biological children, said the Victim Mothers of Parental Child Abduction advocacy group. The proposed changes to Japans custody laws will be implemented over two years if the Japanese parliament passes them in March.

The laws will be retrospective, allowing parents who do not have sole custody now to apply for joint custody. They will also make parental abduction illegal for the first time. However, some families worry that they are running out of time and that conservative Japanese judges and understaffed police will be reluctant to enforce the new laws. Yoshie, who asked to be referred to by her first name because abductions are politically and legally sensitive in Japan, counted each of the 1355 days she got to spend with her grandchildren. The 67-year-old and her husband, Hideo, rented an apartment near the rural Japanese town where her grandchildren lived after her sons relationship with his wife broke down. They have been blocked from seeing them for the past four years after a court ordered that they had infringed the moral rights of the mother who abducted them by living in the same town. Grandparents Hideo and Yoshie say they have been unable to see their grandchildren in four years. Credit: Christopher Jue We used to play together and go to the zoo or the park. It was the happiest time of our lives, Yoshie said. I dont want them to forget me. I will never forget them.

Yumi, a mother from Tokyo who also asked to be identified by her first name only, knows the intergenerational trauma the laws have caused. Loading Yumi was taken away from her father when she was a toddler. Then her daughter was abducted by her husband when she was three years old. She has not spent time with her daughter in more than seven years. Every day she is getting older, maybe one day I will be able to show her: Im always thinking about you, she said, holding a photo of her child as her eyes well up. Yumi and Suzuki are both members of the mothers advocacy group. They say the sole custody system is treating them like criminals.
Italian police are investigating whether an elderly woman was murdered via a serving of spaghetti from a relative set to inherit 500,000 ($826,000) from her.

Maria Basso, 80, died shortly after being taken to a restaurant in Sicily by her great niece, Paola Pepe. The younger woman has been accused of altering her will and masterminding a plot to kill her.

Maria Basso had saved over $800,000 during her work with Italys foreign ministry, which included postings to Australia. Credit: www.today.it

During the meal, Basso ate a pasta dish despite being on a strict diet of only pureed or finely chopped food because she was otherwise at risk of choking.

The spaghetti became lodged in the 80-year-olds airways, causing her death two days later.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 26, 2024 - 08:16 | All, Japan

The families and supporters of Japanese abducted by North Korea said Sunday they would not oppose any move to lift Japan's sanctions against the North, provided Pyongyang returns all abductees immediately while their parents are alive.

The group held a meeting and compiled a policy for their future activities, affirming that they would not object to the Japanese government providing humanitarian aid to North Korea if the victims were repatriated.

But they also said that if the victims are not returned home, they "will vehemently demand tougher sanctions."

In addition to joining the international framework to punish North Korea for its nuclear and missile development, Japan has also unilaterally imposed sanctions, including banning port calls by a North Korean cargo-passenger ferry.

The meeting came as Japan and North Korea have been increasingly seen as exploring the possibility of a summit between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Kim Yo Jong, the leader's sister, said this month that Kishida's visit to Pyongyang is possible if Japan does not make the abduction issue an obstacle, according to North Korea's state-run media.

She reiterated in a statement that the issue of abductions in the 1970s and 1980s had already been settled.

The victims' families said Sunday such a claim is unacceptable. As for the mention of the prime minister's visit to North Korea, they said, "It requires careful consideration and analysis, but it is an event that deserves attention."

Takuya Yokota heads the group of families and told a press conference, "It is really difficult to maintain calm and try to have a dialogue."

But he also said, "I want to see Megumi, and I want my mother to be reunited. All the families feel the same way, and for that reason, we will compromise where we have to," he said, referring to his sister, who was kidnapped in 1977 by North Korean agents at age 13.

Their mother, Sakie, who turned 88 this month, also attended the meeting. "I don't feel anxious about getting older. I believe she (Megumi) is doing well. I hope she has somehow survived."

Related coverage:

Aging mother of North Korea abductee awaits reunion as health woes mount

North Korean leader's sister says Japan PM visit to Pyongyang possible

Japan paying attention to remarks by North Korea leader's sister: gov't
Under the framework of the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme, funded by the European Union, the World Customs Organization (WCO), in partnership with the Regional Training Center (RTC) Kenya and the Mozambique Revenue Authority, held a national training workshop on rules of origin for Mozambique Customs. The workshop was held in Maputo, Mozambique, from 19 to 23 February 2024 with the objective to assist Mozambique in enhancing its knowledge and application of preferential rules of origin. The training is part of a workplan established with the RTC for competency development for several countries in the ESA region.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Leonel Nouela, Director for International Cooperation, thanked the WCO, the EU and the RTC for their support in building capacity on rules of origin and highlighted that the workshop would equip participants with the necessary tools to effectively carry out their day to day tasks and ensure a correct revenue collection.

During the workshop, participants worked on key concepts for proper origin determination, related operational and procedural issues, including origin certification and origin irregularities, as well as the establishment of efficient origin management. In addition, participants discussed specific areas of concern, including the low level of knowledge and use of the FTAs and challenges linked to verification of origin including trough administrative cooperation. They also discussed recommendations for better management and implementation of rules of origin on a national and regional level.

Participants participated actively and greatly appreciated the opportunity given by the workshop to exchange knowledge and experiences and stressed that this training would contribute to trade facilitation as well as fair and efficient revenue collection.

The EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme will continue its work with the RTC and Mozambique Customs to equip Customs officials and relevant stakeholders with extended knowledge for efficient implementation and application of rules or origin.

For further information please contact EU-WCORoOAfrica.Program@wcoomd.org
The 19th Session of the Global Meeting of the Regional Entities, established by WCO Members and Council Vice-Chairs Offices, took place on February 19-20, 2024, utilizing a hybrid format.

Mr. Norikazu Kuramoto, Director of ROCB Asia Pacific, chaired the 19th Global Assembly, with over 170 delegates in attendance representing Vice-Chair Offices, Regional Offices for Capacity Building, Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices, Regional Training Centers, Regional Dog Training Centers, Regional Customs Laboratories, and host Administrations of regional entities.

The session warmly welcomed the representatives of the new Council Vice-Chairpersons and delegates from recently established regional entities into its global community.

Over the course of two days, interactive discussions covered various topics of common interest, including the revised Work Programme for the Global Meeting (2022-2025), updated Good Practices Guidance for Vice-Chairs (Offices) across the Six WCO Regions, and Good Practices Guidance for ROCBs and RTCs. Additionally, discussions centred around WCO E-Learning developments, the implementation of the WCO Distance Learning Strategy, the WCO virtual reality training project, the outcomes of the survey on Customs training management to support the development of agile national training strategies, and a refresher on the WCO Expert Management and Accreditation Policy.

As customary, Regional Entities seized the opportunity during the 19th Session to share experiences and good practices. Updates from various WCO Directorates and units were also provided, with a primary focus on areas impacting capacity-building activities and the work of regional entities.

Participants reiterated the significance of the global assembly in empowering regional entities to fulfil their missions and play their essential roles in managing and mobilizing available resources effectively.

The Global Meeting concluded by electing Mr. Souod Salem AlAgroobi, Director of ROCB MENA, as the Chair and Mr. Antonio Lo Parco, Director of ROCB Europe, as the Vice-chair for the 20th Global Meeting.
The Kyoto Shimbun - Feb 26, 2024 - 15:26 | All, Japan

A popular white-handed female gibbon recently died at Kyoto City Zoo.

Kuromaty, estimated to be 39 years old, succumbed to intestinal obstruction on Feb. 9, according to the zoo.

The gibbon had been with her male companion Shiromaty for around 37 years and was much loved by visitors to the zoo since she arrived there in May 1986.

Kuromaty gave birth in 1999, but the child died in 2008. She had been vomiting since the morning of Feb. 7 and died on the afternoon of the 9th.

The Kyoto Shimbun

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KYODO NEWS - Feb 26, 2024 - 22:00 | All, Japan, World

The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.

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Nikkei stock index ends at all-time high for 2nd day in row

TOKYO - The Nikkei stock index closed at an all-time high Monday for the second consecutive trading day, as buying momentum was supported by expectations for robust corporate performance.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 135.03 points, or 0.35 percent, from Thursday at 39,233.71. The broader Topix index finished 12.91 points, or 0.49 percent, higher at 2,673.62, its highest level since February 1990. Japanese markets were closed Friday for a public holiday.

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Teacher fined over 2019 drowning deaths of Japanese teens in Australia

HERVEY BAY, Australia - An Australian court on Monday fined a Japanese teacher AU$55,000 ($36,000) for failing in his duty of care over the drowning of two Japanese schoolboys on a popular tourist island in Australia's east in 2019.

Shinri Minatoya, 61, was one of two teachers accompanying the 16-year-old boys and 13 other students from Kanagawa University High School on a guided group tour at Lake McKenzie, a picturesque freshwater lake on the World Heritage-listed K'gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, in Queensland in March 2019.

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Takarazuka Revue director to quit post after actress's death

OSAKA - The chairman of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc. will step down as a director of Japan's all-female music theater company Takarazuka Revue and its training school following the death of one of its actresses, a source close to the matter said Monday.

Kazuo Sumi's exit as of Thursday is seen as taking management responsibility after Hankyu Hanshin, the revue's parent company, acknowledged the 25-year-old actress had been subjected to harassment and conveyed to the bereaved family his intention to apologize.

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Tuvalu ex-attorney general named new PM, month after ex-PM loses seat

SYDNEY/TAIPEI - Tuvalu's legislature on Monday elected former attorney general and fisheries official Feleti Teo as its new prime minister, the Pacific island nation said, a month after a general election in which pro-Taiwan premier Kausea Natano lost his seat.

Teo, who has visited Taiwan many times, according to the self-ruled island, was elected unopposed by parliamentarians in the capital Funafuti, at a time when some elected Tuvalu lawmakers have called for a review of ties with Taipei, according to local media reports.

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Japan's Moon explorer resumes communication after harsh lunar night

TOKYO - A Japanese explorer that recently landed on the Moon has resumed communication with Earth, the country's space agency said Monday, revealing that the craft has unexpectedly survived the freezing lunar night after a period of dormancy.

"Last night, a command was sent to SLIM and a response received," the mission's team said in a post on X, referring to the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon. The team had previously indicated that SLIM was not designed to endure the frigid lunar night, which lasts for around two weeks with temperatures plummeting to minus 170 C.

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Japan gov't plans to require firms to set paternity leave targets

TOKYO - The Japanese government plans to require companies with over 100 employees to set and disclose paternity leave targets from April 2025 to facilitate fathers' involvement in child-rearing and allow parents to better manage work and family responsibilities, government sources said Monday.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare plans to submit a related bill to the ordinary Diet session to implement the measure, covering around 50,000 companies in Japan, the sources said.

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Man's 18-yr sentence upheld for 2017 Japan highway road rage deaths

TOKYO - A Japanese high court upheld Monday a sentence of 18 years in prison for a man convicted of a 2017 road rage incident that killed a couple and injured their two children and caused an outcry that led to tougher punishment of dangerous driving.

The Tokyo High Court rejected the appeal of Kazuho Ishibashi, 32, who was convicted of dangerous driving at a lower court for forcing the car of Yoshihisa Hagiyama, 45, and his family to stop on the passing lane of the Tomei Expressway in Kanagawa Prefecture, near Tokyo, on June 5, 2017, where it was rear-ended by a truck.

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Sumo: Terunofuji determined to win historic 10th title in Osaka

OSAKA - Lone yokozuna Terunofuji said Monday he will do everything in his power to claim his 10th top-level championship at the upcoming Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka.

The Mongolian-born grand champion tops the rankings for the March 10-24 competition at Edion Arena Osaka, where he will aim for his second straight title.

Video: North Korean women's football team arrives in Japan for Olympic qualifier
Today

Partly sunny, breezy, and noticeably colder; gusty winds add a chill. A sprinkle or flurry possible, mainly north and west.

Tonight

Partly cloudy, windy, and cold. Brisk winds add a chill. There could be an early flurry, especially north and west.

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Partly sunny but brisk and chilly with wind chills near or below freezing for much of the day. A sprinkle or flurry possible, mainly north and west.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  An Ohio commission awarded bids to frack oil and gas under state parks Monday, despite statewide backlash and an ongoing investigation into possibly fraudulent support.

The Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission granted the mineral rights to several oil and gas companies, allowing them to frack for oil and gas under land owned by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Department of Transportation, including state parks and designated wildlife areas.

The Texas-based Encino Energy Partners was granted the rights to frack under Valley Run Wildlife Area and Zepernick Wildlife Area. The West Virginia-based Infinity Natural Resources, LLC, can frack under Salt Fork State Park. These and other entities are now cleared to receive leases from the state and must discuss permits and other details with state regulators.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources will receive $59.7 million in bonuses under the fracking leases and each lease includes a 12.5% royalty paid to the state for production.

Fracking is a technique used to extract natural gas or oil from impermeable rock formations. Water, chemicals and sand are blasted into these formations at pressures high enough to crack the rock, which allows trapped gas and oil to flow to the surface.

The department said in an emailed statement that the leases include provisions such as water quality testing and restricted drilling times.

Commission chair Ryan Richardson also emphasized at the Monday meeting that according to the language in the awarded leases, no surface areas of the parks would be disturbed by drilling as it would occur underground and the well pads would be offsite.

Richardson did not make herself available for comment Monday.

Protesters filled the meeting room as they have consistently since last year, when nominations for the land to be fracked were first discussed. Many cried shame, and held signs in front of the meetings livestream cameras. Some had makeup on their faces to appear diseased and wore sacks with signs that read disease and drought among other effects of climate change.

The commission has faced multiple legal challenges, including an appeal brought by Earthjustice, a nonprofit that helps litigate environmental issues. The organization filed it in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas last year, on behalf of advocacy groups including the Ohio Environmental Council and Save Ohio Parks, among others.

The groups were appealing the states decision to open up the land to bids last November, arguing that the commission did not follow the bidding process outlined in state law and violated the states open meetings requirements.

But a Franklin county judge said that the groups lacked authority to bring the appeal in the first place and dismissed the appeal Friday.

Climate change is real, and it is here, Save Ohio Parks' steering committee said in a statement. Salt Fork State Park, Valley Run Wildlife Area, and Zepernick Wildlife Area are just the first to come under attack. Save Ohio Parks will continue advocating to protect our public lands.

Fracking opponents decried the commission as being sheep and giving in to corporate greed at the expense of Ohio greenspace. They also say the commission lacks transparency, as there have been no public hearings on the bids and they didn't know who was bidding on the land, despite the lands being taxpayer funded.

State law mandates that the entities who nominated the land for fracking and those that bid on the land must remain anonymous until the bidding process is complete. The amounts that companies paid for land mineral rights was not immediately disclosed.

Opponents have also criticized the commission for continuing the process amid an investigation by the Ohio Attorney General's office into possibly fraudulent letters sent in support of fracking.

A Cleveland.com investigation last fall found that over a hundred Ohio residents said their names were attached to form letters sent to the commission in a public comment period without their knowledge  all of them urging state parks to allow fracking.

The letters could be traced back to multiple pro-oil entities, including Consumer Energy Alliance, a Texas-based pro-oil and gas organization. The alliance has denied collecting names without permission and has called Cleveland.coms coverage of the situation libelous.

CEA has cooperated fully with the Attorney-Generals Office at every step. While the situation is ongoing, we can make no further comment," Bryson Hull, a spokesperson for the alliance, said in an emailed statement.

A spokesperson for the Ohio Attorney General's office said they are still completing the investigation and will make information available at the appropriate time. ___

Samantha Hendrickson is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
The war in Ukraine marked its second anniversary over the weekend.

On the same day that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 31,000 soldiers have been killed since the start of the invasion, 69 News visited with a 17-year-old high school sophomore from Kyiv who is now growing up in Berks County: Bohdana "Dana" Didenko.

"I like to be in my room," Didenko laughed.

Her passion is drawing and painting.

"Art is really cool. I do a lot of that," smiled Didenko.

But her heart is in Ukraine. Didenko is 7,600 miles from home  and her old room.

She left Ukraine with her mother two years ago Sunday. Days later, an explosion from part of a Russian missile crashed through her bedroom window.

"We looked on the TV and said, 'That's where we live. It's our street, it's our house, and that's the house that got damaged really hard.' I think I would be dead if I was in the room. Because that was my room." Didenko remembers.

Her father, Yaroslav, is still in Ukraine.

Yaroslav is an engineer who recently helped build an army hospital for the injured. Her mother remains in Warsaw.

As for Didenko, her future was in Pennsylvania, with a student visa waiting, and a family friend to take her in. She looks back and realizes leaving Kyiv was her only option.

"We were like, 'Oh my goodness it's going to be the end. We need to run. We don't know what's going to happen,'" Didenko said.

Two years later, the war in Ukraine rages on and Didenko has moved in with a host family in Hamburg. She attends The Kings academy in Berks County.

"There are still some things that trigger me, like sirens, even still," says Didenko, who says the war ended her childhood.

"I just started doing things I liked. I started finding myself, and one day, just when I think I got it all, it just starts falling apart. Because of the war," said Didenko.

"Right now I really value a lot because I lost all that I had," she added.

Didenko has relatives who are living in areas under Russian control.

"There are people living in occupied territories, and there are terrible things happening to them because it is what it is. It's what the Russian Army does," said Didenko.

After two years of fighting, the casualties mount on both sides, and the final outcome remains unclear.

"I am happy we are still a country. Because if you look at it from a really cold perspective,  just numbers  it looks like we're doomed," Didenko said. "Whatever is happening is just an absolutely terrible genocide, which is happening for no reason."

Didenko sees a long road to recovery.

"It's going to be just years of [Ukraine] restoring from war, and it's going to be probably hard. We're going to have a financial depression after this all is going to end, and it's mostly what I care about," said Didenko.

Didenko says she will never forget her countrymen, and says U.S. support is crucial to victory.

"This is a part of my life. This is what I think about whenever I go to sleep. This is a part of me, and the fight is over when people forget about you," Didenko says.

"If people stop supplying you and not care that you are there, then it will be over. Then you will hear there is no Ukraine anymore, and that it is part of Russia," said Didenko.

It's a day Didenko says will never come as long as her country keeps fighting.
ALLENTOWN, Pa.  A video has surfaced showing state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia) saying his opponent in the Democratic primary, Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley "don't like black people."

The Ring video was released by a woman who claims Kenyatta came by her house while canvassing voters.

The video shows State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta in the home of Jacqueline Jones. The two were talking when he made a comment about Pinsley.

"So for auditor general in the primary, I don't think we have an opponent, and what I had said. No we know you don't have an opponent. I hope so. We witnessed it. There's the guy Mark Pinsley, who I told you don't like black people. So we'll see if he can get on the ballot. I have no idea. He's from the Lehigh Valley," Kenyatta said.

Jones tells us Kenyatta was fully aware there was a camera in the room.

Kenyatta has not returned several requests for a comment about the statement, but Pinsley says he's disappointed.

"I view this as taking a play out of Trump's playbook and trying to create division," Pinsley said. "And this is just not what we need in our politics right now at all."

Jones is the mother-in-law of Jon Hankins, a Democrat who is running against Kenyatta for a state House seat in Pennsylvania's 181st district  which is based entirely in the city of Philadelphia. State law permits candidates to run for multiple offices simultaneously, though Kenyatta would have to choose.

In a phone interview, Hankins told 69 News he is pulling his support from Kenyatta for the auditor general's race.

"I supported him for auditor general at the request of my mother, even against my better judgement, and supported him. And even for the Democratic party, I sent a proxy, not knowing who Mark Pinsley was, to support [Kenyatta] in the race," Hankins said. "I will say now that I will rescind my offer."

This isn't the first bit of controversy in this race  Pinsley was also accused of having forged signatures on his nominating petitions in Chester County.

He said there were no official challenges to his petitions, and he is now on the ballot successfully.
FLEMINGTON, N.J.  Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) appears to be pulling away from his Democratic primary challengers in this year's U.S. Senate election in New Jersey.

The congressman from Moorestown handily defeated New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy at Sunday's Hunterdon County Democratic Convention.

Kim received 120 votes (62%) from party delegates, compared to 64 votes (33%) for Murphy. Hunterdon-based labor activist Patricia Campos-Medina received the remaining nine votes (5%).

For Kim, winning Hunterdon marks his third straight county convention victory this month. He previously defeated Murphy in both Monmouth and Burlington counties.

Incumbent Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) remains in the race, but few delegates seem willing to support him following the senator's indictment on corruption charges.

County line controversy

The Hunterdon convention was not without controversy, as a motion related to "county line" voting saw Kim and Murphy supporters on opposite sides.

During the convention, Hunterdon County Democratic Chair Arlene Quinones Perez proposed implementing a county line system, in which any candidate who received more than 30% of the vote would all be placed on the line. This powerful tool unique to New Jersey politics is seen as a way for underdog candidates like Murphy to flourish by grouping party-endorsed candidates together.

The motion was defeated in a voice vote at the convention after many Kim and Campos-Medina supporters objected.

Next up for the candidates: Conventions in Warren, Sussex and Bergen counties are scheduled for March.
CLINTON, N.J.  Heavy flames damaged several businesses, including a Walgreens and a liquor store, in a Clinton, New Jersey strip mall.

Crews were called to the scene on Old Highway 22, near routes 78 and 31.

Officials say the fire started in the Walgreens around 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Flames were coming through the roof as fire crews arrived, according to a photojournalist for 69 News at the scene.

Multiple businesses were damaged. A food pantry in the strip mall suffered water damage, officials say.

Crews put out the fire in under 3 hours, but firefighters remained on scene.

One firefighter was taken to the hospital with a minor injury, but is expected to be okay, police say.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Airalo used data from the Department of Transportation's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection to compile a list of the most on-time national airlines.

The US airlines most likely to leave on time in the last year #5. SkyWest Airlines #4. Delta Air Lines #3. PSA Airlines #2. Endeavor Air #1. Republic Airways

Originally published on airalo.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 26, 2024 - 22:52 | All, Japan

The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will start releasing the fourth round of treated radioactive water into the ocean on Wednesday, in what is to be the last discharge for the fiscal year ending March.

The move comes after the latest batch of water has been confirmed to meet radioactivity levels within the standards set by the central government and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc., TEPCO said Monday. The wastewater release first began in August last year despite opposition from countries such as China.

As with the previous three rounds, a total of 7,800 tons of processed liquid will flow into the Pacific Ocean during a period of around 17 days.

TEPCO and the central government maintain disposing of the treated water is crucial toward decommissioning the nuclear plant, which suffered reactor fuel meltdowns in the wake of a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami disaster in 2011. The water release is expected to last for about three decades.

Massive amounts of contaminated water have been generated in the process of cooling the melted fuel. The water has been kept in tanks installed at the site after going through a liquid processing system that removes most radionuclides except tritium, but they have been nearing capacity.

The processed water has been diluted with seawater to one-40th of the concentration permitted under Japanese safety standards before being released via an underwater tunnel 1 kilometer off the power plant.

According to TEPCO, no abnormal tritium levels have been detected in nearby waters of the ocean following the three previous discharges.

From this round on, the operator will forgo the step of temporarily storing the treated water in a large tank to check the tritium level before release. It will check the level as the water flows through pipes as it did in the past three rounds.

During the discharge and in the week after its completion, the operator will take daily seawater samples from four locations within 3 km from the plant. Its findings will be published the following day.

A total of 31,200 tons of treated wastewater is expected to be discharged during fiscal 2023, resulting in the release of 5 trillion becquerels of tritium, or less than a quarter of the annual upper limit of 22 trillion becquerels, according to TEPCO.

Related coverage:

Japan diversifying seafood export destinations after China ban

Most Japan fishing groups hit by China import ban over Fukushima row

Indonesian activists sue Japan over treated water release
Valley National Advisers Inc. increased its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX  Free Report) by 33.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 15,494 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock after purchasing an additional 3,921 shares during the period. Valley National Advisers Inc.s holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company were worth $4,006,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. State Street Corp increased its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 12,762,618 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $3,369,459,000 after acquiring an additional 76,244 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 11.0% during the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 5,192,832 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $1,342,503,000 after purchasing an additional 512,566 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 2.3% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 5,134,645 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $1,351,490,000 after purchasing an additional 113,425 shares during the period. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 95,813.8% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,045,643 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $1,028,807,000 after purchasing an additional 4,041,425 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 10.9% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 4,034,523 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $1,043,045,000 after purchasing an additional 395,657 shares during the period. 86.72% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Raymond James upped their price target on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $269.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Piper Sandler reduced their target price on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $305.00 to $280.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, November 10th. Barclays upped their target price on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $301.00 to $305.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $310.00 to $280.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, December 4th. Finally, TheStreet lowered Becton, Dickinson and Company from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Thursday, November 9th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $279.17.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Price Performance

Becton, Dickinson and Company stock traded down $3.26 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $242.94. The companys stock had a trading volume of 342,588 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,521,248. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a twelve month low of $228.62 and a twelve month high of $287.32. The company has a quick ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56. The stock has a market capitalization of $70.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 57.82, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.43. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $239.92 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $250.92.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 1st. The medical instruments supplier reported $2.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.39 by $0.29. The business had revenue of $4.71 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.73 billion. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a net margin of 6.44% and a return on equity of 13.57%. Becton, Dickinson and Companys quarterly revenue was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.98 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 12.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be given a dividend of $0.95 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.56%. Becton, Dickinson and Companys payout ratio is 90.05%.

Insider Activity at Becton, Dickinson and Company

In other Becton, Dickinson and Company news, EVP Richard Byrd sold 2,156 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $238.47, for a total value of $514,141.32. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 4,120 shares of the companys stock, valued at $982,496.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.31% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Company Profile

(Free Report)

Becton, Dickinson and Company develops, manufactures, and sells medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment, and diagnostic products for healthcare institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, pharmaceutical industry, and the general public worldwide. The company operates in three segments: BD Medical, BD Life Sciences, and BD Interventional.

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StockNews.com upgraded shares of Community Health Systems (NYSE:CYH  Free Report) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report report published on Thursday.

Several other analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Oppenheimer lowered their price objective on Community Health Systems from $6.50 to $5.50 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on Community Health Systems from $7.00 to $6.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 30th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $4.50.

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Read Our Latest Report on Community Health Systems

Community Health Systems Price Performance

NYSE:CYH opened at $2.93 on Thursday. Community Health Systems has a 1-year low of $2.01 and a 1-year high of $6.53. The business has a 50 day moving average of $3.54 and a 200 day moving average of $3.10. The company has a market capitalization of $400.65 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.84 and a beta of 1.59.

Community Health Systems (NYSE:CYH  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 21st. The company reported ($0.41) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.03 by ($0.44). Community Health Systems had a negative net margin of 1.07% and a negative return on equity of 5.51%. The company had revenue of $3.18 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.16 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.50 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Community Health Systems will post -0.31 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Community Health Systems

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Teacher Retirement System of Texas boosted its holdings in Community Health Systems by 20.5% during the 3rd quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 1,715,268 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,974,000 after acquiring an additional 292,351 shares during the period. First Eagle Investment Management LLC grew its stake in Community Health Systems by 26.0% during the 3rd quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 1,456,121 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,223,000 after purchasing an additional 300,115 shares during the last quarter. Pathstone Family Office LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Community Health Systems in the third quarter worth about $469,000. Zullo Investment Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Community Health Systems in the third quarter worth about $44,000. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Community Health Systems by 18.4% in the second quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,401,515 shares of the companys stock worth $19,367,000 after buying an additional 683,317 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 76.80% of the companys stock.

About Community Health Systems

(Get Free Report)

Community Health Systems, Inc owns, leases, and operates general acute care hospitals in the United States. It offers general acute care, emergency room, general and specialty surgery, critical care, internal medicine, obstetrics, diagnostic, psychiatric, and rehabilitation services, as well as skilled nursing and home care services.

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Edison International (NYSE:EIX  Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at StockNews.com from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report released on Saturday.

EIX has been the subject of several other reports. Barclays lowered their target price on shares of Edison International from $72.00 to $69.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 22nd. Mizuho lowered their target price on shares of Edison International from $76.00 to $75.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 25th. TheStreet lowered shares of Edison International from a b rating to a c+ rating in a report on Thursday. Guggenheim upgraded shares of Edison International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their target price for the company from $66.00 to $84.00 in a report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Edison International from $52.00 to $53.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Edison International currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $73.50.

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Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Edison International

Edison International Stock Performance

Edison International stock opened at $68.26 on Friday. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $68.67 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $67.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a current ratio of 0.80. The stock has a market cap of $26.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.88, a PEG ratio of 3.69 and a beta of 0.97. Edison International has a fifty-two week low of $58.82 and a fifty-two week high of $74.92.

Edison International (NYSE:EIX  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 22nd. The utilities provider reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.16 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $3.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.19 billion. Edison International had a return on equity of 12.76% and a net margin of 8.35%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.14 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Edison International will post 4.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Edison International

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Edison International by 1.7% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 44,530,226 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,121,569,000 after buying an additional 731,841 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in shares of Edison International by 2.6% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 37,085,024 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,575,555,000 after purchasing an additional 946,430 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in shares of Edison International by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 28,623,789 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,987,922,000 after purchasing an additional 244,115 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors increased its stake in shares of Edison International by 23.0% in the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 19,999,563 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,429,769,000 after purchasing an additional 3,734,550 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pzena Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Edison International by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 13,316,887 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $842,826,000 after purchasing an additional 197,259 shares in the last quarter. 88.17% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Edison International Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Edison International, through its subsidiaries, generates and distributes electric power. The company supplies electricity to approximately 50,000 square mile area of southern California to residential, commercial, industrial, public authorities, agricultural, and other sectors. It also owns solar, hydro, and natural gas electric generating facilities.

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By Azernews

Fatime Letifova

32 years have passed since the Khojaly massacre, which left a deep mark in the history of world tragedies.

The Khojaly crime is a genocide committed against a nation, and when one remembers the night of February 25-26, 1992, a person is filled with terrible panic, blood freezes in the vein, and one cannot find words to say.

Of course, there have been more terrible crimes in history, and when we look at history, we see that the Khojaly tragedy was not the first attempt at ethnic cleansing by Armenians. It can be concluded that they have been planning genocide against Azerbaijanis for many years.

The Armenians, who did not dare to face Azerbaijani Army on the battlefield, and were full of rancor and hatred, only attacked unarmed civilians with weapons and massacred the elderly, women and children without mercy.

Vagif Khachaturyan, the criminal who is currently in prison in Azerbaijan, despite growing up in Garabagh, his Armenian hatred showed itself - he single-handedly carried out the murder of 25 Azerbaijanis.

This person, who committed brutal crimes, murders and tortures against Azerbaijani citizens, took an active part in the attack of Armenians on Meshali village of Khojaly on December 23, 1991, looted houses and tried to erase the village from the map. During the Meshali massacre, 12 Azerbaijanis were burned alive and killed with special brutality. However, the massacre committed by Armenians in this village was just a preparatory plan for the next step. The new target for them was Khojaly itself.

Until February 26, 1992, 7 thousand people lived in Khojaly. Even in the former Soviet era, there were very few Armenians in these areas, that is, Azerbaijanis were the majority in Khojaly, as in other surrounding regions.

Azerbaijan's Khojaly was completely destroyed in just one night from February 25 to 26. Thus, the Armenian armed groups attacked the residents of Khojaly with the help of the 366th motorized rifle military regiment of the former USSR stationed in the city of Khankendi.

At first, the Armenian troops surrounded the city from four sides, then they opened relentless fire from artillery and heavy military equipment to Khojaly. In a short time, the fire started, the city was engulfed in flames. The people of Khojaly were forced to leave their homes. However, the dark forces that chased them shot civilians and tortured them mercilessly.

As a result of terrible crimes, 613 people from the population of Khojaly were killed, 487 people were maimed, 1275 civilians, including the elderly, children, women, were captured and subjected to Armenian oppression and the most severe tortures. The fate of 150 people is still unknown.

Thus, a cold, snowy February night left a mark in the hearts of the Azerbaijani people that will never heal. It also reflects the bloody handprints of Armenian crime.

During the excavation and reconstruction works carried out in Garabagh, which was freed from occupation, the remains of the bodies of children, old people and women who were subjected to torture and oppression are being found. And Armenians are a nation that is too brutal to carry out these crimes and too cowardly to take responsibility for their actions.

Armenians, trying to capture a space for themselves in the world media under the slogans of humanism, try to deny their inhuman acts despite the evidence of witnesses. When they could not even imagine that one day justice would be restored, everything suddenly changed. Almighty Allah's justice finally shined on Khojaly, the town that was groaning under dark clouds, with the heralding of good news of victory.

28 years after the Khojaly massacre, on September 27, 2020, the brave Azerbaijani Army launched a counter-attack and duly responded to the atrocities committed by the Armenians. Justice, whose voice was muffled by Armenia and the patrons of this country, revived again, Kharibbulbul blossomed again in Shusha. Khojaly was rescued from the hands of the enemy as a result of local anti-terrorist measures conducted on September 19, 2023.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev raised the State Flag of the Azerbaijan Republic in the city of Khojaly on October 15, 2023, 31 years after the Khojaly tragedy.

After 30 years of spiritual, material and physical crimes committed in the ancient lands of Azerbaijan, the separatist leaders who tried to create a so-called Republic of Artsakh, which is not recognized by any state, and tried to hold so-called parliamentary and presidential elections in Azerbaijan, were arrested. As a result of the policy carried out by the President of Azerbaijan, Victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, today Garabagh looking forward to realizing the great return of Garabaghs natives.

History repeats itself. Until 5 years ago, the lands of Azerbaijan, which were under enemy occupation, are now reviving as they were centuries ago. Shusha, our cultural capital, Khankendi, the home of Khan, Khojaly, our blood memory, and other historical lands are breathing freely.

The only thing that the criminal Armenia can do against Azerbaijan at the moment is to provoke on the border and carry out its harmful policy. Armenia, which suffered a humiliating defeat after the 44-day war, which the Azerbaijani Armed Forces wrote in golden letters on the pages of the history book, still refuses to provide accurate maps of the mines buried in Garabagh. Official Yerevan still refuses to provide information about the fate of more than 4 thousand Azerbaijanis who have been taken hostage and disappeared since the First Garabagh War.

Perhaps, they think that over time the crimes committed will be covered up, and a fictional history can be created like a so-called state. However, the people of Azerbaijan do not forget, they do not make them forget. The future generations will always remember the martyrs who died for the freedom of Garabagh, the cry of the population who were subjected to Armenian brutality and vandalism.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 26, 2024 - 12:45 | All, Japan

A Japanese high court upheld Monday a sentence of 18 years in prison for a man convicted of a 2017 road rage incident that killed a couple and injured their two children and caused an outcry that led to tougher punishment of dangerous driving.

The Tokyo High Court rejected the appeal of Kazuho Ishibashi, 32, who was convicted of dangerous driving at a lower court for forcing the car of Yoshihisa Hagiyama, 45, and his family to stop on the passing lane of the Tomei Expressway in Kanagawa Prefecture, near Tokyo, on June 5, 2017, where it was rear-ended by a truck.

Extensive news coverage of the incident sparked greater public concern over dangerous driving. In 2020, the government enforced revisions to Japan's traffic laws that toughened punishment for road rage offenses.

According to the Yokohama District Court's ruling in June 2022, Ishibashi was enraged after being warned by Hagiyama about the way he had parked his car in an expressway parking area just before the incident. Ishibashi pursued Hagiyama, who was traveling with his 39-year-old wife Yuka and their two daughters.

Ishibashi drove directly in front of Hagiyama's car four times and repeatedly engaged in obstructive driving by slowing down and approaching close to Hagiyama's vehicle. Hagiyama subsequently took the risky action of stopping the car on the highway before being rear-ended by the truck.

The defendant was handed the 18-year sentence at his first trial at the Yokohama District Court in December 2018. After an appeal, the Tokyo High Court in 2019 upheld the decision but quashed the ruling and sent the case back on a technicality, citing an illegal procedure by the lower court.

The high court said the district court, in handing down the ruling, had illegally overturned the view it had expressed in a pre-trial process that Ishibashi's actions did not constitute dangerous driving.

In the retrial held at the lower court in June 2022, Ishibashi was again sentenced to 18 years in prison and he once more appealed.

The revised road traffic law that came into effect in June 2022 defines road rage as "obstructive driving," and says it includes aggressive tailgating and horn use. It is subject to penalties of up to five years in jail or a maximum 1 million yen ($6,600) fine.

Driving on the wrong side of the road, sudden braking and weaving between lanes in an aggressive manner are among other dangerous acts that can be categorized as road rage.

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Man gets 18-year prison term for 2017 Japan highway road rage deaths

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Imperial Oil Limited (NYSEAMERICAN:IMO  Get Free Report) (TSE:IMO) has earned an average recommendation of Hold from the six ratings firms that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $85.33.

A number of analysts have recently commented on IMO shares. The Goldman Sachs Group cut Imperial Oil from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on shares of Imperial Oil from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 7th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Imperial Oil from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, November 6th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Imperial Oil from an underweight rating to a neutral rating in a report on Friday, December 8th.

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Imperial Oil Stock Up 0.1 %

IMO opened at $61.61 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.38 and a quick ratio of 1.16. The firm has a market capitalization of $33.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.76 and a beta of 1.47. Imperial Oil has a fifty-two week low of $44.22 and a fifty-two week high of $63.07.

Imperial Oil (NYSEAMERICAN:IMO  Get Free Report) (TSE:IMO) last announced its earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The energy company reported $1.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.26. The firm had revenue of $9.63 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.29 billion. Imperial Oil had a net margin of 9.59% and a return on equity of 20.58%. Sell-side analysts predict that Imperial Oil will post 5.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Imperial Oil Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 4th will be paid a $0.4473 dividend. This is a positive change from Imperial Oils previous quarterly dividend of $0.36. This represents a $1.79 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.90%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 1st. Imperial Oils payout ratio is currently 23.45%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Imperial Oil

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. AdvisorNet Financial Inc boosted its holdings in Imperial Oil by 52.6% in the 4th quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 522 shares of the energy companys stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 180 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC purchased a new position in shares of Imperial Oil in the third quarter valued at $35,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp acquired a new stake in Imperial Oil during the 4th quarter valued at $44,000. Assetmark Inc. increased its stake in Imperial Oil by 938.5% during the 4th quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 810 shares of the energy companys stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 732 shares during the period. Finally, Allworth Financial LP lifted its holdings in Imperial Oil by 176.6% in the 3rd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 888 shares of the energy companys stock worth $55,000 after buying an additional 567 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 20.74% of the companys stock.

Imperial Oil Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Imperial Oil Limited engages in exploration, production, and sale of crude oil and natural gas in Canada. The company operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream and Chemical segments. The Upstream segment explores for, and produces crude oil, natural gas, synthetic crude oil, and bitumen. The Downstream segment is involved in the transportation and refining of crude oil, blending of refined products, and the distribution and marketing of refined products.

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Staffline Group plc (LON:STAF  Get Free Report) insider Thomas Spain bought 33,191 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 30 ($0.38) per share, with a total value of 9,957.30 ($12,537.52).

Thomas Spain also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Wednesday, February 21st, Thomas Spain sold 66,155 shares of Staffline Group stock. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 31 ($0.39), for a total value of 20,508.05 ($25,822.27).

On Tuesday, January 23rd, Thomas Spain sold 75,968 shares of Staffline Group stock. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 22 ($0.28), for a total value of 16,712.96 ($21,043.77).

On Friday, December 22nd, Thomas Spain sold 70,997 shares of Staffline Group stock. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 23 ($0.29), for a total value of 16,329.31 ($20,560.70).

On Wednesday, December 6th, Thomas Spain sold 8,657 shares of Staffline Group stock. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 23 ($0.29), for a total value of 1,991.11 ($2,507.06).

On Thursday, November 30th, Thomas Spain bought 13,580 shares of Staffline Group stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 24 ($0.30) per share, with a total value of 3,259.20 ($4,103.75).

On Tuesday, November 28th, Thomas Spain bought 350,000 shares of Staffline Group stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 24 ($0.30) per share, with a total value of 84,000 ($105,766.81).

Staffline Group Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of LON STAF traded down GBX 0.10 ($0.00) on Monday, hitting GBX 29.90 ($0.38). The company had a trading volume of 44,656 shares, compared to its average volume of 541,822. Staffline Group plc has a 12-month low of GBX 21.10 ($0.27) and a 12-month high of GBX 43.64 ($0.55). The business has a 50 day moving average of GBX 25.79 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 26.81. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.40. The firm has a market capitalization of 43.02 million, a P/E ratio of 2,910.00, a PEG ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 1.76.

Staffline Group Company Profile

Staffline Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides recruitment and outsourced human resource services, and skills and employment training and support services. It operates through three segments: Recruitment GB, Recruitment Ireland, and PeoplePlus. The company provides solutions to the agriculture, supermarkets, drinks, food processing, manufacturing, e-retail, driving, and logistics sectors.

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Westfield Capital Management Co. LP decreased its holdings in shares of MSCI Inc. (NYSE:MSCI  Free Report) by 19.1% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 160,679 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 38,035 shares during the quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LPs holdings in MSCI were worth $82,441,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. State Street Corp increased its position in MSCI by 2.6% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 3,227,973 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,514,855,000 after buying an additional 82,761 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors increased its holdings in shares of MSCI by 13.4% in the 2nd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 2,042,809 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $958,653,000 after acquiring an additional 240,639 shares during the period. FMR LLC grew its position in MSCI by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,893,728 shares of the technology companys stock worth $971,634,000 after purchasing an additional 30,528 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in MSCI by 2.9% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,684,190 shares of the technology companys stock worth $788,506,000 after purchasing an additional 46,934 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Capital International Investors increased its stake in MSCI by 11.0% in the second quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 1,570,337 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $736,741,000 after purchasing an additional 156,155 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 88.61% of the companys stock.

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MSCI Price Performance

MSCI traded up $1.49 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $570.46. 56,380 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 503,034. MSCI Inc. has a 1-year low of $451.55 and a 1-year high of $617.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $45.12 billion, a PE ratio of 39.51, a P/E/G ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 1.10. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $563.00 and its 200 day moving average price is $534.41.

MSCI Increases Dividend

MSCI ( NYSE:MSCI Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 30th. The technology company reported $3.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.29 by $0.39. The firm had revenue of $690.11 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $662.64 million. MSCI had a negative return on equity of 111.17% and a net margin of 45.42%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 19.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.84 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that MSCI Inc. will post 14.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 29th. Investors of record on Friday, February 16th will be given a dividend of $1.60 per share. This represents a $6.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.12%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 15th. This is a boost from MSCIs previous quarterly dividend of $1.38. MSCIs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 44.44%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on MSCI shares. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on MSCI from $544.00 to $617.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Redburn Atlantic cut MSCI from a neutral rating to a sell rating and cut their price target for the stock from $620.00 to $470.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Raymond James reissued a market perform rating on shares of MSCI in a research note on Friday, January 5th. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on shares of MSCI from $572.00 to $601.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, January 8th. Finally, Edward Jones began coverage on shares of MSCI in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. They issued a buy rating for the company. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $578.21.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on MSCI

About MSCI

(Free Report)

MSCI Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides critical decision support tools and solutions for the investment community to manage investment processes worldwide. The Index segment provides indexes for use in various areas of the investment process, including indexed financial product, such as ETFs, mutual funds, annuities, futures, options, structured products, and over-the-counter derivatives; performance benchmarking; portfolio construction and rebalancing; and asset allocation, as well as licenses GICS and GICS Direct.

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O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC trimmed its stake in Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX  Free Report) by 34.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 123,812 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 63,648 shares during the quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC owned 0.11% of Quest Diagnostics worth $15,088,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Quest Diagnostics by 4.8% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 14,014,030 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,917,961,000 after acquiring an additional 636,301 shares in the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 5.6% in the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,414,514 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $416,093,000 after purchasing an additional 180,889 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 3.1% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,422,912 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $339,688,000 after purchasing an additional 72,447 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 5.4% in the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,798,803 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $219,202,000 after purchasing an additional 92,542 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Davis Selected Advisers raised its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 10.2% in the third quarter. Davis Selected Advisers now owns 1,667,698 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $203,226,000 after purchasing an additional 153,810 shares during the last quarter. 87.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Transactions at Quest Diagnostics

In other news, SVP Michael E. Prevoznik sold 661 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $126.14, for a total value of $83,378.54. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 40,206 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,071,584.84. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, SVP Michael E. Prevoznik sold 661 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $126.14, for a total value of $83,378.54. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 40,206 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,071,584.84. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Vicky B. Gregg sold 2,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $126.64, for a total value of $316,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 16,329 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,067,904.56. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 3,982 shares of company stock valued at $503,539 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.66% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Bank of America upgraded Quest Diagnostics from a neutral rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $140.00 to $160.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Quest Diagnostics from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $140.00 to $155.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Quest Diagnostics from $148.00 to $149.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, November 17th. SVB Leerink assumed coverage on Quest Diagnostics in a research report on Monday. They set a market perform rating and a $135.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Barclays assumed coverage on Quest Diagnostics in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. They set an equal weight rating and a $145.00 price objective for the company. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Quest Diagnostics has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $145.92.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics Stock Performance

NYSE:DGX opened at $127.08 on Monday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $132.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $130.81. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a 52-week low of $119.59 and a 52-week high of $148.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a current ratio of 1.31. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.07 billion, a PE ratio of 16.97, a P/E/G ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.92.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The medical research company reported $2.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.11 by $0.04. Quest Diagnostics had a return on equity of 15.79% and a net margin of 9.23%. The business had revenue of $2.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.25 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.98 earnings per share. Quest Diagnosticss revenue for the quarter was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 8.77 EPS for the current year.

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 22nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 8th will be paid a $0.75 dividend. This is a positive change from Quest Diagnosticss previous quarterly dividend of $0.71. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 5th. This represents a $3.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.36%. Quest Diagnosticss dividend payout ratio is 37.92%.

About Quest Diagnostics

(Free Report)

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated provides diagnostic testing, information, and services in the United States and internationally. The company develops and delivers diagnostic information services, such as routine testing, non-routine and advanced clinical testing, anatomic pathology testing, and other diagnostic information services.

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O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC lowered its stake in shares of Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS  Free Report) by 0.3% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 190,980 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 598 shares during the period. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLCs holdings in Morgan Stanley were worth $15,597,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MS. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Morgan Stanley during the 4th quarter worth about $956,566,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Morgan Stanley by 125,756.8% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 10,641,190 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $904,714,000 after buying an additional 10,632,735 shares during the period. Boston Partners acquired a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley in the third quarter valued at approximately $477,765,000. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board acquired a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley in the first quarter valued at approximately $451,711,000. Finally, FMR LLC raised its holdings in shares of Morgan Stanley by 21.2% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 23,474,452 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,917,159,000 after purchasing an additional 4,098,577 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.09% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In other Morgan Stanley news, insider Andrew M. Saperstein sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $84.13, for a total transaction of $841,300.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 323,490 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,215,213.70. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, insider Andrew M. Saperstein sold 26,655 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.19, for a total value of $2,324,049.45. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 286,835 shares in the company, valued at approximately $25,009,143.65. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Andrew M. Saperstein sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $84.13, for a total value of $841,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 323,490 shares in the company, valued at $27,215,213.70. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 208,155 shares of company stock valued at $18,149,314 over the last quarter. 0.24% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Morgan Stanley Price Performance

MS stock opened at $86.55 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $141.53 billion, a PE ratio of 16.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 1.44. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $88.69 and a 200 day simple moving average of $83.59. Morgan Stanley has a 52 week low of $69.42 and a 52 week high of $99.20. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.89.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.13 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.07 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $12.90 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.77 billion. Morgan Stanley had a return on equity of 10.36% and a net margin of 9.49%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.31 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Morgan Stanley will post 6.36 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Morgan Stanley Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 31st were paid a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.93%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, January 30th. Morgan Stanleys dividend payout ratio is currently 65.76%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on MS shares. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Morgan Stanley from $102.00 to $116.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 2nd. BNP Paribas downgraded shares of Morgan Stanley from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $85.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Monday, November 20th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of Morgan Stanley from $89.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, December 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a neutral rating and set a $87.00 target price (down from $94.00) on shares of Morgan Stanley in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Finally, TheStreet downgraded shares of Morgan Stanley from a b rating to a c+ rating in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Morgan Stanley has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $94.56.

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Morgan Stanley Profile

(Free Report)

Morgan Stanley, a financial holding company, provides various financial products and services to corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. It operates through Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management segments.

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StockNews.com downgraded shares of Piedmont Office Realty Trust (NYSE:PDM  Free Report) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report released on Thursday.

Piedmont Office Realty Trust Trading Down 2.2 %

PDM stock opened at $6.14 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.49, a quick ratio of 1.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19. Piedmont Office Realty Trust has a 12-month low of $4.91 and a 12-month high of $9.41. The stock has a market cap of $760.14 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -15.35 and a beta of 1.17. The businesss 50-day moving average is $6.97 and its 200 day moving average is $6.40.

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Piedmont Office Realty Trust Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 23rd will be paid a $0.125 dividend. This represents a $0.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.14%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 22nd. Piedmont Office Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -125.00%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Piedmont Office Realty Trust Company Profile

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Quarry LP lifted its stake in Piedmont Office Realty Trust by 78.7% in the 1st quarter. Quarry LP now owns 3,871 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 1,705 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. purchased a new stake in shares of Piedmont Office Realty Trust during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Piedmont Office Realty Trust during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $60,000. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd raised its position in shares of Piedmont Office Realty Trust by 3,499.2% during the 2nd quarter. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd now owns 4,643 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $61,000 after buying an additional 4,514 shares during the period. Finally, CWM LLC raised its position in shares of Piedmont Office Realty Trust by 95.0% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 8,688 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $63,000 after buying an additional 4,233 shares during the period. 84.72% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

(Get Free Report)

Piedmont Office Realty Trust, Inc (NYSE: PDM) is an owner, manager, developer, redeveloper, and operator of high-quality, Class A office properties located primarily in major U.S. Sunbelt markets. Its approximately $5 billion portfolio is currently comprised of approximately 17 million square feet. The Company is a fully integrated, self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) with local management offices in each of its markets and is investment-grade rated by S&P Global Ratings (BBB) and Moody's (Baa2).

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Sawgrass Asset Management LLC lessened its stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC  Free Report) by 19.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 73,121 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 18,055 shares during the quarter. Marsh & McLennan Companies accounts for 1.7% of Sawgrass Asset Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th biggest position. Sawgrass Asset Management LLCs holdings in Marsh & McLennan Companies were worth $13,915,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of MMC. Ignite Planners LLC increased its stake in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 4.3% in the third quarter. Ignite Planners LLC now owns 1,267 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $243,000 after acquiring an additional 52 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp raised its position in shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies by 40.5% during the second quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 184 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 53 shares during the last quarter. Citizens & Northern Corp raised its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 0.8% in the second quarter. Citizens & Northern Corp now owns 6,703 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,261,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares in the last quarter. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC raised its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 4.7% in the second quarter. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,188 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $223,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PDS Planning Inc raised its position in Marsh & McLennan Companies by 2.6% in the third quarter. PDS Planning Inc now owns 2,210 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $421,000 after purchasing an additional 57 shares in the last quarter. 86.64% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Marsh & McLennan Companies Stock Performance

NYSE MMC traded down $0.15 on Monday, reaching $203.50. 1,467,612 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,788,521. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $194.12 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $194.10. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $151.86 and a one year high of $204.67. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $100.05 billion, a PE ratio of 27.05, a PEG ratio of 3.64 and a beta of 0.90.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Dividend Announcement

Marsh & McLennan Companies ( NYSE:MMC Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The financial services provider reported $1.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.63 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $5.55 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.54 billion. Marsh & McLennan Companies had a return on equity of 33.72% and a net margin of 16.52%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 10.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.47 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. will post 8.56 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 25th were paid a $0.71 dividend. This represents a $2.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.40%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, January 24th. Marsh & McLennan Companiess dividend payout ratio is currently 37.72%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MMC has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com cut shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 19th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their price target on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $186.00 to $185.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from $200.00 to $208.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. TD Cowen started coverage on shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies in a report on Wednesday, January 10th. They set a market perform rating and a $189.00 price objective for the company. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lowered shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies from a buy rating to a sell rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $215.00 to $185.00 in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Marsh & McLennan Companies currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $202.71.

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Marsh & McLennan Companies Profile

(Free Report)

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc, a professional services company, provides advice and solutions to clients in the areas of risk, strategy, and people worldwide. It operates through Risk and Insurance Services, and Consulting segments. The Risk and Insurance Services segment offers risk management services, such as risk advice, risk transfer, and risk control and mitigation solutions, as well as insurance and reinsurance broking, strategic advisory services, and analytics solutions, and insurance program management services.

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Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM  Free Report) by 8.6% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 9,179 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 729 shares during the quarter. Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. were worth $1,322,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisor L.P grew its position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 81.1% during the first quarter. Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisor L.P now owns 222,422 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $30,321,000 after acquiring an additional 99,636 shares during the last quarter. BCK Partners Inc. purchased a new position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. in the 1st quarter valued at $2,455,000. LSV Asset Management lifted its holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 35.6% in the first quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 37,300 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $5,085,000 after acquiring an additional 9,800 shares during the period. Wsfs Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 70.8% in the first quarter. Wsfs Capital Management LLC now owns 4,221 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $575,000 after acquiring an additional 1,749 shares during the period. Finally, Lumature Wealth Partners LLC lifted its holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 1,451.4% in the first quarter. Lumature Wealth Partners LLC now owns 3,770 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $514,000 after acquiring an additional 3,527 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.94% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

In related news, CEO Marianne Lake sold 32,243 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total transaction of $5,158,880.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 131,962 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $21,113,920. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, General Counsel Stacey Friedman sold 6,030 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.73, for a total transaction of $1,101,861.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 59,456 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,864,394.88. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Marianne Lake sold 32,243 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total value of $5,158,880.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 131,962 shares of the companys stock, valued at $21,113,920. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 877,626 shares of company stock valued at $159,500,516 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.79% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

JPM has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Piper Sandler raised their target price on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Odeon Capital Group downgraded JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $140.00 target price for the company. in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $191.00 to $221.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $140.00 to $190.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, Bank of America lifted their price target on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $177.00 to $188.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $179.11.

Read Our Latest Research Report on JPMorgan Chase & Co.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Trading Down 0.6 %

JPM traded down $1.11 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $182.88. The companys stock had a trading volume of 3,628,647 shares, compared to its average volume of 9,506,515. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a 52-week low of $123.11 and a 52-week high of $185.20. The firm has a market cap of $526.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.28, a PEG ratio of 2.32 and a beta of 1.14. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $172.55 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $156.89.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The financial services provider reported $3.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.73 by ($0.69). The firm had revenue of $38.57 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $39.73 billion. JPMorgan Chase & Co. had a return on equity of 17.80% and a net margin of 20.70%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 11.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.57 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that JPMorgan Chase & Co. will post 15.87 earnings per share for the current year.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 4th were given a $1.05 dividend. This represents a $4.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.30%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s payout ratio is 25.89%.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Profile

(Free Report)

JPMorgan Chase & Co operates as a financial services company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Consumer & Community Banking (CCB), Corporate & Investment Bank (CIB), Commercial Banking (CB), and Asset & Wealth Management (AWM). The CCB segment offers deposit, investment and lending products, cash management, and payments and services to consumers and small businesses; mortgage origination and servicing activities; residential mortgages and home equity loans; and credit cards, auto loans, leases, and travel services.

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Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors Inc. lowered its position in shares of BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust (NYSE:BMEZ  Free Report) by 14.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 103,500 shares of the companys stock after selling 17,080 shares during the quarter. Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors Inc.s holdings in BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust were worth $1,491,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust by 15.8% during the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 69,130 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,387,000 after acquiring an additional 9,413 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust by 37.5% during the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 23,480 shares of the companys stock valued at $471,000 after buying an additional 6,407 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its position in BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust by 8.3% in the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 86,674 shares of the companys stock worth $1,739,000 after purchasing an additional 6,654 shares during the last quarter. Quantedge Capital Pte Ltd boosted its stake in BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust by 448.0% in the first quarter. Quantedge Capital Pte Ltd now owns 69,600 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,396,000 after acquiring an additional 56,900 shares during the last quarter. Finally, City of London Investment Management Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust by 45.6% in the first quarter. City of London Investment Management Co. Ltd. now owns 218,424 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,376,000 after purchasing an additional 68,452 shares during the last quarter.

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BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust Trading Up 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE:BMEZ traded up 0.04 during trading on Monday, hitting 16.33. 197,530 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 385,374. The stock has a 50 day moving average of 15.25 and a 200 day moving average of 14.67. BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust has a 52-week low of 12.93 and a 52-week high of 16.95.

BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust Cuts Dividend

Insider Buying and Selling at BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust

The company also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 29th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.09 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 14th. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.61%.

In other news, major shareholder Saba Capital Management, L.P. acquired 8,303 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 1st. The shares were bought at an average cost of 14.05 per share, with a total value of 116,657.15. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 14,438,243 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately 202,857,314.15. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In the last ninety days, insiders have purchased 3,277,148 shares of company stock valued at $49,194,918.

BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust Company Profile

(Free Report)

BlackRock Health Sciences Trust IIs (BMEZ) (the Trust) investment objective is to provide total return and income through a combination of current income, current gains and long-term capital appreciation. The Trust seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities of companies principally engaged in the health sciences group of industries and equity derivatives with exposure to the health sciences group of industries.

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Three Bridge Wealth Advisors LLC cut its stake in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:AGG  Free Report) by 38.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,387 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,488 shares during the period. Three Bridge Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF were worth $224,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AGG. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management raised its stake in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 145.5% during the 1st quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management now owns 6,590 shares of the companys stock worth $705,000 after buying an additional 3,906 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. increased its stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 36.2% in the 1st quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 52,003 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,570,000 after purchasing an additional 13,829 shares in the last quarter. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $44,000. Baltimore Washington Financial Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $241,000. Finally, West Michigan Advisors LLC increased its stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. West Michigan Advisors LLC now owns 14,640 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,568,000 after purchasing an additional 292 shares in the last quarter. 83.21% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Stock Performance

NYSEARCA AGG traded down $0.35 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $96.99. The stock had a trading volume of 5,345,383 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,799,185. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF has a 52-week low of $91.58 and a 52-week high of $100.98. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $98.27 and a 200 day simple moving average of $96.11.

iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Profile

IShares are index funds that are bought and sold like common stocks on national securities exchanges as well as certain foreign exchanges. iShares are attractive because of their relatively low cost, tax efficiency and trading flexibility. Investors can purchase and sell shares through any brokerage firm, financial advisor, or online broker, and hold the funds in any type of brokerage account.

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KYODO NEWS - Feb 26, 2024 - 13:55 | Arts, All, Japan

The chairman of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc. will step down as a director of Japan's all-female music theater company Takarazuka Revue and its training school following the death of one of its actresses, a source close to the matter said Monday.

Kazuo Sumi's exit as of Thursday is seen as taking management responsibility after Hankyu Hanshin, the revue's parent company, acknowledged the 25-year-old actress had been subjected to harassment and conveyed to the bereaved family his intention to apologize.

The actress was found dead on the premises of her condominium on the morning of Sept. 30 in what police suspect was suicide.

The troupe released a report in November, admitting she was under a heavy psychological burden due to long working hours and scolding by senior members. But it said it did not confirm bullying or harassment.

Following criticism from the bereaved family, the parent company conducted an internal probe and acknowledged harassment had taken place.

Sumi has been a director of the revue since March 2014. In December, he stepped down as president of the Takarazuka Music School but has been one of its directors since.

Emergency service in Japan: 119



If you are having suicidal thoughts, help is available.

For Japan, call Yorisoi Hotline at 0120279338 (toll-free). Press 2 after the recorded message for consultation in English, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Nepali, or Indonesian. The service in these languages is also available on Facebook messenger.



For those outside Japan, you can find a list of other resources here.

Related coverage:

Scandal-hit Takarazuka Revue to set up experts' panel to improve culture

Takarazuka group head to quit over actress' death but denies bullying

Takarazuka theater actress' suicide due to overwork, bullying: lawyer
Treasurer of the State of North Carolina reduced its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 2.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,660,130 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 42,790 shares during the quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolinas holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $67,833,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of WFC. Vinva Investment Management Ltd grew its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 3.3% during the third quarter. Vinva Investment Management Ltd now owns 107,916 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $4,415,000 after purchasing an additional 3,425 shares in the last quarter. Westover Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the 3rd quarter valued at $206,000. Mather Group LLC. increased its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 18.9% in the 3rd quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 19,105 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $781,000 after acquiring an additional 3,032 shares during the period. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. grew its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. now owns 41,543 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,697,000 after buying an additional 454 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Operose Advisors LLC grew its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 26.6% during the 3rd quarter. Operose Advisors LLC now owns 16,112 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $658,000 after buying an additional 3,386 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 72.47% of the companys stock.

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Wells Fargo & Company Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE:WFC traded up $0.24 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $54.10. 7,356,746 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 18,539,891. The stock has a market cap of $193.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.13, a P/E/G ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.18. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $49.46 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $44.67. The company has a current ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24. Wells Fargo & Company has a 12-month low of $35.25 and a 12-month high of $54.56.

Wells Fargo & Company Dividend Announcement

Wells Fargo & Company ( NYSE:WFC Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The financial services provider reported $0.86 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.16 by ($0.30). Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 12.40% and a net margin of 16.60%. The business had revenue of $20.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.30 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.67 earnings per share. Wells Fargo & Companys quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Wells Fargo & Company will post 4.72 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.59%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 1st. Wells Fargo & Companys payout ratio is 29.05%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Barclays boosted their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $54.00 to $66.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Odeon Capital Group downgraded shares of Wells Fargo & Company from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $48.80 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, January 18th. Piper Sandler dropped their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $51.00 to $50.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating and set a $51.00 price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, Robert W. Baird restated a neutral rating and issued a $55.00 target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Monday, January 8th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Wells Fargo & Company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $51.43.

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Wells Fargo & Company Profile

(Free Report)

Wells Fargo & Company, a diversified financial services company, provides banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management.

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Trustmark National Bank Trust Department cut its stake in shares of EastGroup Properties, Inc. (NYSE:EGP  Free Report) by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 37,948 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 135 shares during the period. Trustmark National Bank Trust Departments holdings in EastGroup Properties were worth $6,319,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of EastGroup Properties by 2.2% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 6,172,033 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,254,651,000 after purchasing an additional 133,344 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in shares of EastGroup Properties by 4.1% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 5,016,343 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $870,837,000 after purchasing an additional 198,578 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of EastGroup Properties by 11.5% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,412,188 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $492,949,000 after purchasing an additional 248,538 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley raised its stake in shares of EastGroup Properties by 544.4% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 2,044,292 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $302,678,000 after purchasing an additional 1,727,071 shares during the period. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its holdings in EastGroup Properties by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,276,420 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $211,018,000 after acquiring an additional 15,667 shares during the last quarter. 90.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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EastGroup Properties Price Performance

Shares of NYSE EGP traded down $2.83 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $178.10. 84,283 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 258,442. EastGroup Properties, Inc. has a 12-month low of $152.45 and a 12-month high of $188.85. The company has a current ratio of 0.28, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. The company has a market cap of $8.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.03, a PEG ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.94. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $181.80 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $175.13.

EastGroup Properties Dividend Announcement

Insider Buying and Selling

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 12th. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th were given a $1.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 28th. This represents a $5.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.85%. EastGroup Propertiess payout ratio is 115.19%.

In related news, CFO Brent Wood sold 2,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.74, for a total value of $456,850.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 102,617 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,752,230.58. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other EastGroup Properties news, CFO Brent Wood sold 2,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.74, for a total value of $456,850.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 102,617 shares in the company, valued at $18,752,230.58. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP John F. Coleman sold 1,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $173.05, for a total value of $173,050.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 90,305 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $15,627,280.25. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.50% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on EastGroup Properties from $180.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Friday, February 16th. KeyCorp lifted their price objective on EastGroup Properties from $188.00 to $198.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on EastGroup Properties from $186.00 to $188.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. Finally, Mizuho lowered EastGroup Properties from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $185.00 target price for the company. in a report on Tuesday, December 5th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $188.83.

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About EastGroup Properties

(Free Report)

EastGroup Properties, Inc (NYSE: EGP), a member of the S&P Mid-Cap 400 and Russell 1000 Indexes, is a self-administered equity real estate investment trust focused on the development, acquisition and operation of industrial properties in major Sunbelt markets throughout the United States with an emphasis in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina.

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Trustmark National Bank Trust Department lowered its stake in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK  Free Report) by 2.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 27,660 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 777 shares during the quarter. Trustmark National Bank Trust Departments holdings in Duke Energy were worth $2,441,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new stake in shares of Duke Energy during the first quarter worth $40,000. Cibc World Market Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 1.2% during the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 47,250 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $5,276,000 after buying an additional 581 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 29.5% during the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 9,751 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,089,000 after buying an additional 2,223 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 447.8% during the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,260 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $141,000 after buying an additional 1,030 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mather Group LLC. grew its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 5.2% during the first quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 6,505 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $726,000 after buying an additional 322 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 63.68% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

DUK has been the subject of a number of research reports. Evercore ISI raised shares of Duke Energy from an in-line rating to an outperform rating and upped their target price for the stock from $90.00 to $108.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $103.00 to $100.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 9th. StockNews.com raised shares of Duke Energy from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, November 3rd. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of Duke Energy from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and upped their price objective for the company from $101.00 to $113.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 10th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $100.00.

Insider Transactions at Duke Energy

In other news, EVP Louis E. Renjel sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.57, for a total transaction of $277,710.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 14,213 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,315,697.41. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.11% of the companys stock.

Duke Energy Trading Down 2.0 %

NYSE DUK traded down $1.82 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $90.91. The company had a trading volume of 1,365,525 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,066,611. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $95.70 and a 200 day moving average of $92.32. Duke Energy Co. has a 1-year low of $83.06 and a 1-year high of $100.39. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $70.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.48.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The utilities provider reported $1.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.53 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $7.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.24 billion. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 8.93% and a net margin of 9.78%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.11 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Duke Energy Co. will post 5.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Duke Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 16th will be given a dividend of $1.025 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $4.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.51%. Duke Energys dividend payout ratio is presently 115.49%.

Duke Energy Profile

(Free Report)

Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through two segments, Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&I) and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&I). The EU&I segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest; and uses coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, oil, solar and wind sources, renewables, and nuclear fuel to generate electricity.

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Valley National Advisers Inc. lowered its position in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM  Free Report) by 3.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 31,810 shares of the semiconductor companys stock after selling 1,294 shares during the quarter. Valley National Advisers Inc.s holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were worth $2,765,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Natixis Investment Managers International increased its stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 3.3% during the 2nd quarter. Natixis Investment Managers International now owns 56,651 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $5,717,000 after purchasing an additional 1,822 shares during the last quarter. Congress Wealth Management LLC DE increased its stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Congress Wealth Management LLC DE now owns 30,905 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $2,686,000 after purchasing an additional 671 shares during the last quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $39,611,000. Metropolis Capital Ltd increased its stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 21.0% during the 3rd quarter. Metropolis Capital Ltd now owns 1,136,061 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $98,724,000 after purchasing an additional 196,867 shares during the last quarter. Finally, LGT Capital Partners LTD. increased its stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 4.4% during the 3rd quarter. LGT Capital Partners LTD. now owns 1,554,790 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $135,111,000 after purchasing an additional 65,220 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 16.51% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on TSM shares. Susquehanna lifted their price objective on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $130.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 19th. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $85.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, January 12th. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price objective on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $115.00 to $133.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, January 19th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $128.25.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Price Performance

Shares of NYSE TSM traded up $0.23 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $129.76. 4,014,396 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 14,293,270. The companys 50 day moving average price is $112.80 and its 200 day moving average price is $99.82. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited has a 52 week low of $81.21 and a 52 week high of $135.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $672.99 billion, a PE ratio of 25.01, a PEG ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a quick ratio of 2.13, a current ratio of 2.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 18th. The semiconductor company reported $1.44 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.37 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $19.62 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $18.99 billion. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing had a net margin of 38.80% and a return on equity of 25.24%. Sell-side analysts forecast that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited will post 6.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 11th. Investors of record on Thursday, June 13th will be given a dividend of $0.4408 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 13th. This represents a $1.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.36%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.54%.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Profile

(Free Report)

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, packages, tests, and sells integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices in Taiwan, China, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, the United States, and internationally. It provides complementary metal oxide silicon wafer fabrication processes to manufacture logic, mixed-signal, radio frequency, and embedded memory semiconductors.

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Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLC lowered its stake in Vanguard Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:VUG  Free Report) by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 124,860 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,788 shares during the period. Vanguard Growth ETF makes up approximately 8.7% of Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 2nd biggest position. Summit Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Vanguard Growth ETF were worth $35,474,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Merit Financial Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Vanguard Growth ETF by 1.8% during the third quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 682,363 shares of the companys stock valued at $185,814,000 after buying an additional 12,224 shares during the last quarter. Northstar Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vanguard Growth ETF by 1.9% during the third quarter. Northstar Asset Management LLC now owns 24,660 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,715,000 after purchasing an additional 455 shares during the period. Scarborough Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Vanguard Growth ETF by 251.2% during the third quarter. Scarborough Advisors LLC now owns 104,237 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,385,000 after acquiring an additional 74,554 shares in the last quarter. Arrow Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vanguard Growth ETF during the second quarter valued at approximately $1,338,000. Finally, Sightline Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Vanguard Growth ETF by 18.7% during the third quarter. Sightline Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 10,556 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,874,000 after acquiring an additional 1,665 shares in the last quarter.

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Vanguard Growth ETF Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of NYSEARCA VUG traded down $0.34 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $338.50. 505,956 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,065,972. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $319.80 and its 200-day simple moving average is $296.76. Vanguard Growth ETF has a one year low of $224.00 and a one year high of $341.89. The company has a market cap of $110.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.60 and a beta of 1.11.

About Vanguard Growth ETF

Vanguard Growth Index Fund, formerly Vanguard Growth ETF, is an exchange-traded share class of Vanguard Growth Index Fund, which employs a passive management or indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US Prime Market Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a diversified index of growth stocks of large United States companies.

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KYODO NEWS - Feb 26, 2024 - 14:22 | World, All

An Australian court on Monday fined a Japanese teacher AU$55,000 ($36,000) for failing in his duty of care over the drowning of two Japanese schoolboys on a popular tourist island in Australia's east in 2019.

Shinri Minatoya, 61, was one of two teachers accompanying the 16-year-old boys and 13 other students from Kanagawa University High School on a guided group tour at Lake McKenzie, a picturesque freshwater lake on the World Heritage-listed K'gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, in Queensland in March 2019.

The teacher, who appeared at Hervey Bay Magistrates Court in Queensland, pleaded guilty to the charge of violating work health and safety laws over the incident that saw two boys go missing while swimming in the lake on March 29, 2019. Their bodies were found in the lake the next day.

"In breach of the health and safety duty you owed to those two children, you allowed them to go swimming in Lake McKenzie and you did not adequately supervise them...it was an obvious risk and an obviously failure in your duty," the court's magistrate told Minatoya.

He was also ordered to pay AU$1,599.7 in professional costs for the proceedings. Taking into consideration the possible impact on his employment, among other factors, the court did not give him a conviction.

In a statement read aloud to the court, the teacher, who has over 30 years of experience in the profession, admitted to failing his responsibility over the students, and apologized to the bereaved families.

Huckleberry Australia, a locally-based Japanese tour operating company that organized the trip for the students, who belonged to the school in Yokohama near Tokyo, was convicted and fined AU$250,000 for failing to comply with its health and safety duty over the students in February 2023.

The company's director, Hiroyuki Hidaka, also faced similar charges, but the complaint was dismissed in 2022 after no evidence was presented by the prosecution.
Click the photo and watch the video.

CHANGSHA, Feb. 25 (Xinhua)  Long Xianlan from Shibadong, an ethnic Miao village nestled deep in the mountains of central China's Hunan Province, is among the country's millions of once-impoverished rural residents who have shaken off poverty.

Donned in a protective suit, veiled hat and gloves, Long meticulously opens a hive, removes the honeycomb, and gently scrapes off the wax with a sharp blade. As the mellow honey slowly streams out, countless bees crowd around him, but the skilled beekeeper won't be hurried. Unfazed, he continues the task at hand.

Today, the self-made businessman can rake in more than 300,000 yuan (about 42,200 U.S. dollars) a year. But success did not come easy for Long. He earned it the hard way.

This file photo taken on Sept. 4, 2019 shows Long Xianlan holding a honeycomb in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Chen Zeguo]

Ten years ago, he was a hard nut to crack for local cadres. His transformation may enlighten many around the globe in solving a common headache in poverty alleviation  how to motivate marginalized rural populations to actively engage in efforts to improve their lot.

China's fight against poverty includes all people irrespective of their ethnicity, region and family background, targeting the poorest of the poor with the slogan "leave no one behind." Therefore, it falls on grassroots cadres to rack their wits to provide bespoke services for everyone in a bid to end their penury, even the most uncooperative.

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin on a visit to villagers in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Chen Sihan]

Select Competent Person

Long Xianlan, who was 27 years old in 2014, was infamous in Shibadong for his indolence. Instead of climbing mountains to cut logs for heating, he would rather chop up his wooden bed for firewood and sleep on the freezing floor; whenever the village cadres called on the community to develop industry, he would grumble that he preferred to be given money.

In 2014, the local government hand-picked several cadres  each either born in local rural areas or experienced in dealing with rural affairs  to live and work in the village and assigned each a local household among the poorest.

Long Xiulin, a smooth talker with 13 years of grassroots village work experience, was dispatched from the local county's publicity department. He was paired with Long Xianlan.

This file photo taken with a drone on April 15, 2021 shows a view of Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Chen Sihan]

Through his previous postings, the accomplished ethnic Miao cadre had secured a reputation for his ability to nurture close relationships with the public.

His assignment to Shibadong illustrates the "targeted" measures of China's poverty alleviation campaign, as cadres familiar with economics were often sent to villages struggling with weak industries. At the same time, communication specialists would head to communities battling with disputes.

During China's battle against absolute poverty, a total of 255,000 teams were dispatched to offer on-the-ground support and over 3 million people were sent to the countryside as special commissioners for poverty relief, official data shows.

As of 2021, Hunan Province alone dispatched 21,000 poverty alleviation work teams to its rural areas, with more than 600,000 cadres just like Long Xiulin paired with some 1.7 million local impoverished households.

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin (2nd L) visiting the family of Long Xianlan in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Chen Sihan]

Building Emotional Bonds

Starting with casual chats, Long Xiulin began to build rapport with Long Xianlan who is 17 years his junior. He spoke at length with members of the village committee and called in on Long Xianlan's neighbours. Long Xiulin soon uncovered that Long Xianlan was abandoned by his mother after his father's death, and his only relative, his younger sister, also died.

It was clear that behind Long Xianlan's reputation as an alcoholic and brawler, was a young, vulnerable man who felt isolated due to a lack of love and care. Long Xiulin believed that the ties of kinship may help the young man find his way.

This file photo taken on Jan. 18, 2020 shows a view of the branch venue of Hunan TV Spring Festival Gala 2020 in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Chen Sihan]





On New Year's Eve 2014, one of the most valued occasions for the Miao people, Long Xiulin brought Long Xianlan to his family home. They enjoyed a pleasant family dinner, and before leaving, Long Xiulin's mother gave the young man a red envelope containing 1,000 yuan, along with some hand-made cured meat, fish and sausage.

After so many years of solitude, Long Xianlan was so touched by the normal but unforgettable family dinner, he knelt on the ground, kowtowed his hosts and, with tears rolling down his face, shouted: "Mom!"

Similar practices to better bond with the less self-motivated villagers were also tailored according to their personality and family background. The team members paired with empty-nesters would frequently drop by to attend to the elderly; those self-contemptuous were encouraged to explore their own talents like carpentry and to develop hobbies into a lucrative career.

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin (R) talking with villager Shi Basan in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Chen Sihan]

Across the board, the sincerity of the poverty alleviation cadres soon won the locals' trust.

"I used to feel scared because of loneliness and my helpless past and doubt that the work team would never understand the wrenching suffering of the poor," recalled Long Xianlan.

"However, they didn't look down on me. Instead, they invited me to dinner, took me to join the village's industrial development so that we can learn how to earn money ourselves. That was when I came to realize that there exists someone who really cares about me!" he said.

Long Xianlan and Long Xiulin are now brothers, and the warmth of home brought the former apathetic young man true dignity and new hope for life out of grinding poverty.

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin (1st L) visiting the family of Long Xianlan in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Chen Sihan]

Prop up Characteristic Industry

After several heart-to-hearts, Long Xiulin concluded that Long Xianlan's greatest concerns at that time were marriage and work.

In 2015, the work team organized a blind date activity, introducing single women in nearby villages to the bachelors in Shibadong. This was where Long Xianlan met his wife.

While the other desire of Long Xianlan chimed with another of China's targeted poverty alleviation priority approaches.

This file photo taken on Feb. 16, 2019 shows a matchmaking event in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Xue Yuge]

Poverty alleviation through economic development is considered the most direct and effective way to give poor areas the capacity for independent development and help people find employment locally, according to China's white paper on its poverty alleviation experience and contribution.

With this in mind, China has supported its underdeveloped rural areas in developing various industries geared to the local resources available, which, for Shibadong, are agriculture, animal husbandry, Miao embroidery, labor services and rural tourism.

Long Xiulin and his colleagues invited the village youngsters to attend an industrial development discussion, collecting their opinions on future careers so that they can provide each of them with bespoke support.

"Dozens of young people shared our own ideas. Some wanted to be tour guides, others wanted their own restaurants, and some asked to be trained to operate an excavator. For me, I would like to learn how to plant crops and breed livestock," recalled Long Xianlan.

Their voices were not only heard but taken seriously. The cadres shared free vocational skill training and job opportunities: Hotel chefs were invited to take on apprentices; technicians like welding workers offered on-site training, while Long Xianlan was among those who attended a two-month agricultural course.

According to Long Xiulin, Shibadong had all its new industrial projects under a market-oriented mechanism, with outside enterprises hiring local talent. Government funds also helped fledgling sectors gain a foothold in the market.

It was not easy for Long Xianlan to find his profitable niche. He tried selling fish and other jobs, all in vain. But no matter what, his "elder brother" Long Xiulin was always there, finding new job opportunities, helping him apply for a low-interest loan, and keeping him motivated.

This file photo taken on Sept. 4, 2019 shows Long Xianlan checking a honeycomb in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Chen Zeguo]

"My brother has always been so good to me. I feel obligated to strive for a better life by earning money with my own hands!" said Long Xianlan.

Based on Long Xiulin's deep understanding of the local natural conditions and market demands, he persuaded the young man to join the honey business. Embraced by mountains, Shibadong boasts abundant honey sources and breeds high quality bees. The business did not require much in terms of start-up capital and suited the young man down to the ground.

Sure enough, Long Xianlan proved to be a fast learner, and started his own honey business a few months later. The work team also helped Long Xianlan promote his honey products via e-commerce platforms and media channels.

Thanks to the care and attention from his "elder brother," Long Xianlan scaled up his sweet honey business quickly, and found his place in the world.

This file photo taken on April 16, 2021 shows Long Xianlan checking a honeybee hive in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Chen Sihan]

Provide Follow-up Support

To help more fellow villagers live a better-off life, in 2017, Long Xianlan took the initiative to set up a bee-keeping cooperative. It now has 562 members and manages more than 1,300 beehives, with an annual output value of nearly 2 million yuan.

Their cooperation is built upon a common business model in today's rural China: in order to integrate resources and form an industrial cluster, Long Xianlan rents local villagers' land as bee breeding bases; while Long provides necessary techniques, guides members in bee-keeping and manages the bases, the members can focus on better breeding the bees. After the honey is collected, Long's company will purchase the honey from the members and process and package the honey into bottles catering to the market demand for sale.

By the end of March 2021, there were more than 2.25 million farmers' cooperatives across China, engaging nearly half of its rural population, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

This file photo taken on Oct. 27, 2020 shows Long Xiulin (L) talking with Mei Yao, a village official, at the villager service center in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Chen Sihan]

Official data released in 2019 shows that each farmers' cooperative returned an average of 1,402.5 yuan as dividends to each of its member, and over 3.85 million registered impoverished households nationwide joined such cooperatives.

To boost the product sales, in 2020, Shibadong set up an exhibition hall, where tourists can directly buy local agricultural products, cultural and creative products and handicrafts on display.

The village plans to add more stories to the exhibition, including highlights of its decade-long poverty alleviation efforts, so that the visitors attracted by the local picturesque natural scenery will get a lasting impression of the village's original ecology and its eco-friendly production bases and be willing to bring the products in the mountains back home.

This file photo taken on April 16, 2021 shows the family of Long Xianlan preparing breakfast in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Chen Sihan]

With the local government's support, Shibadong also set up an exhibition counter in the waiting room of Jishoudong railway station, where urbanites often passed by during their high-speed railway trips, to exhibit Miao embroidery, agricultural products and local specialties.

Promotion activities are also held on a regular basis in the village or elsewhere to help sell the products. During such events, Miao ethnic characteristics are sure to draw everyone's attention, with beautiful women wearing glistening Miao accessories, singing in Miao language. The village also designed their own online shop via the WeChat mini program, which can be accessed as long as you have an account of WeChat, China's current leading instant chatting platform.

"I've married the right person in the right place! I firmly believe that as long as we are diligent and work hard, a happy life is sure to come. My husband is no longer a drunkard and has realized our dream with his own hands," said Wu Manjin, his wife.

This file photo taken on Oct. 25, 2020 shows the family of Long Xianlan posing for a photo in Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. [Xinhua/Chen Sihan]

"I used to work in a well-off coastal city where my boss owned a sedan and villa. Such a privileged life was once a distant dream for me, beyond imagination. That dream has come true now," Long Xianlan raved, adding that such a blessing should be credited to the persevering poverty alleviation work team.

However, due to fierce market competitions and China's booming e-commerce, Long Xianlan is a little bit concerned about the price war among honey producers. He has decided to introduce some local livestream anchors to help his cooperative win the hearts of customers; he himself is also posting short videos on social media and sharing interesting moments of his bee-keeping career to attract more buyers.

It doesn't bother him much though, as Long Xianlan remains confident of his high-quality honey products, his diligent fellow villagers and the reliable village cadres.

Across the country, countless cadres like Long Xiulin, continue to extend a helping hand and support those in need with the heavy lifting, exemplifying the enduring spirit of cooperation and progress that continues to transform the lives of its marginalized population.

(Source: Xinhua)
Established in Xingyi, Guizhou Province, in 2012, Dashan Xiaoai ("big mountain small love") is a children's charity dedicated to narrowing the regional gap in education and broadening the children's perspective, with various activities, such as movies, book fairs and reading clubs. [China Daily]

Charity's initiative in Guizhou builds a vibrant community, and fosters ambition, Wang Qian and Yang Jun report in Guiyang.

Children in one village in the Qianxinan Bouyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, in Guizhou Province, have a new place to spend their winter vacation  a library in a karst cave built by a local charity group.

Located in Banwan Village and blending in with the surrounding landscape, the library became a must-visit place for tourists during the recent Spring Festival holiday.

"Fostering a culture of reading in a rural community is not an easy thing, because it is not a necessity for residents. This is why the library has an appealing design and a welcoming atmosphere, which helps encourage potential readers," says 32-year-old Zhou Beilei, head of the Dashan Xiaoai ("big mountain small love") charity.

This is the eighth library that the charity has built to help rural residents, especially children, learn. Involved in rural education for more than 10 years, Zhou discovered that rural children, many of whom live with relatives because their parents have migrated to cities to find work, do not have anywhere to spend quality time after school.

She says that taking weekends, school vacations and festival holidays into account, students in Qianxinan spend more than 180 days at home, where most have no parental supervision or access to educational resources like bookstores.

"This is why we decided to build libraries for the children, to offer them high-quality and sustainable activities, and nurture their love for reading," Zhou says.

She adds that in addition to books, the libraries are public spaces and serve a wide range of community needs and purposes. In other words, each is much more than just a repository of books.

Established in Xingyi, Guizhou Province, in 2012, Dashan Xiaoai ("big mountain small love") is a children's charity dedicated to narrowing the regional gap in education and broadening the children's perspective, with various activities, such as movies, book fairs and reading clubs. [China Daily]

The charity's first library, in the prefecture's Qiaoma Town, opened in March 2019. It is divided into an adult area and a designated space for children and organizes a variety of after-school activities, including homework tutoring, a parenthood salon and film screenings.

To encourage them to read, children can join a free rewards program and earn points by reading books. When they have a certain number of points, they get a gift.

Li Feng, a former volunteer at the library, is happy to see how popular it has become with the local children.

"Not all the children come to read, but there are always a few who discover their passion for books. As long as they come, we will keep opening," Li says.

Zhou Beilei, head of the charity, introduces the group to new volunteers during a training session in Guizhou. [China Daily]

Lu Xiaoman, a fifth-grader and a regular reader, has written in the library's guest book that "it is my second home, only more fun and better".

Built with the support of the local government, companies and individuals, the charity's eight libraries house around 120,000 books between them, and receive about 18,000 visits on average every month.

"It has taken us five years to build and improve the libraries, which are attracting increasing numbers of readers, from kindergarten and middle school students to adult residents," Zhou says, adding that they will likely change some readers' lives and at the very least, create happy memories for the children.

Brought up by her grandfather, Zhou has always understood the important role parents play in the lives of children.

"My parents used to work in Guiyang, Guizhou, while I spent my childhood with my grandpa in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. What I looked forward to most back then was my parents coming home," she says.

Established in Xingyi, Guizhou Province, in 2012, Dashan Xiaoai ("big mountain small love") is a children's charity dedicated to narrowing the regional gap in education and broadening the children's perspective, with various activities, such as movies, book fairs and reading clubs. [China Daily]

When she heard about Dashan Xiaoai's volunteer teacher program in Guizhou, the then sophomore at the Shanghai Normal University applied and during her summer vacation in 2012, traveled to Ayi, a remote village in Qianxinan Prefecture.

Although she knew of the gap between urban and rural education, Zhou was still surprised by the low literacy rate of most of the students in her classroom. Many had problems understanding and writing, and often failed in their exams, and when she left, many of them cried and asked her if she would come back the following year.

"I didn't say anything at the time, but I told myself this was the career I wanted to devote myself to," she says.

The one-month program had made her realize the importance of narrowing the rural education gap, and so, every vacation thereafter, Zhou returned to her students and also began to bring other volunteer teachers with her.

With support from the local government, companies and individuals, the eight libraries operated by the charity receive about 18,000 visits on average every month. [China Daily]

At the end of 2021, there were 4.77 million left-behind children aged under 16 living in rural areas in China, a 47.4 percent drop from the 9.02 million recorded in 2016, according to statistics from the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The phenomenon is more common in central and western China, where the economy is less developed, forcing many adults to find work in cities.

Taking care of these children requires the support and help of all parties, including the government and nongovernmental organizations, according to Jiang Yongping, a researcher at the Women's Studies Institute of China.

After graduating in 2014, Zhou joined the charity and became its first full-time employee. To help alleviate the teacher shortage in Qianxinan, she and 900-plus volunteers have taught a variety of courses, including English, music and art, in classrooms at 11 primary schools across the prefecture over the past 12 years.

To celebrate the opening of the eighth library built by the Dashan Xiaoai charity, a concert is held at the library in a karst cave in Banwan Village, Guizhou, on New Year's Eve. [China Daily]

"I felt the calling. I can't do much on my own, but it's a starting point, which I believe will make a difference one day," Zhou says.

Her belief echoes Dashan Xiaoai's slogan: "The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention".

Cao Yiming, who was a volunteer teacher in 2013, says that the students showed him a touching degree of warmth.

"Unlike the hustle and bustle of city life, life in the countryside is fulfilling, and joy is found in the simpler things in life," Cao says, adding that when he came down with a sore throat, a student who wasn't in his class brought him honeysuckle to soothe the pain.

Children respond enthusiastically to Zhou during a lesson. [China Daily]

Volunteer teacher Chen Zichao, who has taken part in the program for three years, wants to learn new things and also to help the 36 students in his class get to know themselves better, accept who they are, and become their better selves.

In the course of their teaching, Zhou and her team have explored a number of different programs to help narrow the regional gap and foster opportunities for rural children, including organizing city trips, running lunch programs and setting up dental health services.

Last year, she was named a Good Samaritan of Guizhou and in 2022 she was given the province's May 4th Youth Medal.

After 12 years devoting herself to rural education, Zhou says that she is happy that some of the students she has taught have come back to their villages to work with her.

(Source: China Daily)
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.
Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home  you can find them all here.

In this months column Wrexhams MP, Sarah Atherton writes: 

Recently, the Welsh Government announced that they are reducing business rate relief for Welsh retail and hospitality from 75% to 40%.

Meanwhile, the UK Government continues to back businesses in England with the 75% rate relief. Now, we are seeing the real consequences of this as I have heard from local cafes and other small community focused businesses who are thinking about closure.

Worryingly, decreasing rate relief could also be the final nail in the coffin for many of our rural pubs who are grappling with rising energy and supply costs and are still bouncing back from COVID-19.

In 2023, at least one pub shut per week in Wales and now coupled with the slashed rate relief, things will only get worse.

As a former brewer, I am particularly proud of Wrexhams successful brewing heritage.

Pubs are the beating heart of our community and play a vital role in tackling loneliness and providing employment.

They deserve to remain open and to keep thriving  not to be punished as a result of the Welsh Governments failure to spend money where it really matters.

At a time when Wrexham has received 57 million worth of investment from the UK Government, the Welsh Government needs to step up and support our local businesses and pubs by keeping rate relief at 75%.

Recently, we marked the one-year anniversary of the Welsh Labour Governments Roads Review, which scrapped some of the most high-profile road building schemes in Wales.

For Wrexham, this meant that the A483 Wrexham Bypass Junctions 3 to 6 scheme to reduce congestion was scrapped to reduce residents using cars, get us on our bikes and force us on infrequent bus services.

Congestion in Wrexham will only get worse as now, Wrexhams Local Development Plan  a plan imposed on us by the Welsh Government and Labour Councillors and Senedd Members  is imposing 8,000 new homes in Wrexham.

The problem here is that the Welsh Government is working against its aims of increasing public transport use. Lets look at the facts:

The Welsh Governments 34million 20 mph blanket policy has caused Arriva to reconfigure timetables and consider scrapping certain bus routes, leaving remote villages and regular passengers stranded.

Due to 20mph, taxis have had to increase fares and now take 2 less rides a shift.

Whilst Welsh Labour-run Transport for Wales continues to run a poor service and with the worst customer service record in the UK, they are increasing ticket prices by a staggering 4.9%.

With the ludicrous 20mph speed limit, which I have recently called to be repealed, and hiking train ticket prices up, Labours war on motorists with its anti-car and anti-driver policies knows no bounds. It begs the question, whats next for Wrexham  ULEZ and toll roads?

Since the Roads Review announcement, Wales has been slowly grinding to a halt. The new First Minister needs to implement a pro-worker, pro-growth and pro-business transport infrastructure that matches the needs of our growing city.

Having revamped my Transport Survey, please share your thoughts on transport in Wrexham here.

I recently undertook a survey on mobile connectivity in the not-spot area of Rossett. An unacceptable number of respondents stated that poor mobile signal is a barrier to accessing health, education, and financial services, despite Ofcoms coverage checker stating that Rossett is, likely to receive good coverage.

Having discussed these issues with Wrexham Council, Ofcom, UK Government Ministers, and Building Digital UK over the past few months, I recently met with representatives from FreshWave to hear what they are doing to improve services for Wrexham residents.

FreshWave recently signed an open-access agreement with Wrexham Council, which now allows mobile network operators to use lampposts to boost mobile coverage for residents. Whilst FreshWaves work attempts to bridge the gap, it is only working to boost mobile phone signal within the city centre.

In addition, after checking with EE about mobile coverage in Rossett, they claimed that they upgraded the mast at Broadoak, which services the area. However, I didnt see any improvement when I visited. I am meeting with EE representatives soon to push for better solutions for Rossett residents concerns.

Most worryingly, given Ofcoms skewed predictions, Rossett may not be covered by the Shared Rural Network which is a 1 billion UK Government initiative to ensure UK mobile phone operators deliver strong 4G coverage for those in rural areas. This week, I raised my concerns with the Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure, Julia Lopez MP, and I am pursuing this to ensure that the Government addresses the Ofcom prediction discrepancy.

As always, if you are a resident in the current Wrexham constituency boundary and need my assistance with any local or national issues, please contact me by emailing: [email protected].
Decision to remove inspection grading lifts burden on schools, says Estyn chief inspector

Estyns decision to remove gradings such as excellent, or adequate or needs improvement from inspection reports has lifted a burden on schools, a committee heard.

Owen Evans, Estyns chief inspector, told the Senedds education committee that feedback from schools since scrapping the headline gradings has been overwhelmingly positive.

Giving evidence on Estyns 2022-23 report, Mr Evans said the new approach has led to a far more professional dialogue with schools about whats working and whats not.

I think thats been incredibly refreshing, he said. There are several layers of pressure that come with an Estyn inspection of a school.

The removal of summative judgements and the fact that youre going to be labelled with that one word, has lifted a burden on the sectors that we look at.

Outlier

However, Mr Evans stressed that removing gradings must be seen as a trial.

He said: We are a bit of an outlier. We are still the only inspectorate in the British Isles that has removed summative judgements and a lot of eyes are on us about how this is working.

Mr Evans, who has been in post for two years, added that Estyn is likely to carry out a review to ensure the reforms have led to further improvements.

He said it was important to introduce parental reports given the removal of gradings, suggesting that reports for learners themselves could also be on the horizon.

Asked about Estyns funding, which has increased from 11.5m in 2021-22 to 16m currently, Mr Evans told the committee the uplift was due to the pandemic.

Backlog

He told the committee the interruption created a huge backlog and Estyn needed to increase capacity to finish its six-year cycle of inspections by the end of the current academic year.

Mr Evans said 90%-plus of the uplift has gone on additional inspections and inspectors.

Arguing the additional funding should become a part of the inspectorates baseline budget, he told MSs that Estyn will start visiting schools twice every six years from September.

He explained that the main inspection has been slightly curtailed, so Estyn can afford to have an interim inspection after three years rather than a big bang every six.

Its imperative the budget stays at that or slightly higher, he said. But we realise theres a lot of pressure on the system  we have to demonstrate the value of what were doing.

Self-evaluation

Laura Anne Jones, for the Conservatives, raised concerns about an emphasis on self-evaluation, saying: I dont think anyones going to mark themselves badly.

Mr Evans shared the shadow education ministers concerns as he warned that self-evaluation is not yet strong enough within schools for Estyn to rely on it.

The chief inspector, who was previously S4Cs chief executive and a senior Welsh Government civil servant, warned that the pandemic continues to cast a shadow.

Mr Evans said variability between schools has widened, raising attendance as an example.

Some are coping and some are not, he told MSs: I think the social contract between schools and parents has, to a degree, broken down.

Stubborn

Claire Morgan, a strategic director at Estyn, said average attendance is 87.5%, meaning pupils are missing 12 days of education in an academic year which is far too much.

She called for more to be done to tackle stubborn attendance issues, saying successful schools have a strong community focus.

Mr Evans said exclusions are rising while the number of children and young people going into pupil referral units has doubled since the pandemic.

He said pupil referral units are no longer helping learners return to mainstream education.

He said: The wave of anecdote I hear  from everyone from headteachers to teachers and caretakers to support staff  is behaviour, particularly out of the classroom, has worsened.

Relentless

On Wales poor performance in the latest Pisa results, Mr Evans said he was disappointed but not shocked as he called for a relentless focus on standards.

He said the results reinforce Estyns previous annual reports, which have long raised concerns about numeracy, science and literacy.

Mr Evans suggested a focus on the new curriculum has taken away from subject specialism.

Asked about the impact of poverty on attainment, he said the pupil development grant can make a difference but he suggested the funding is being used to plug budget gaps.

The chief inspector also raised concerns about great deficiencies in recruiting teachers in terms of the Welsh language and secondary school subjects such as maths.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter

[email protected]
Plas Power Solar and Energy Storage Project begins statutory consultation

Lightsource bp has announced the launch of its statutory six-week consultation on detailed proposals for a major solar energy project in Wrexham.

The Plas Power Solar & Energy Storage Project, on land east of Coedpoeth, could eventually generate and store up to 57Wac of electricity  the equivalent to providing enough power to meet the annual electricity needs of approximately 22,700 homes, saving 15,800 tonnes of carbon.

The 136 hectare site is predominantly grassland used for grazing, and was formerly an open cast coal mine.

As part of the proposals, Lightsource bp will provide a fund of 1,000 per MW capacity which will be distributed between Coedpoeth and Esclusham community councils and a further 400,000+ will be invested in local projects and initiatives for community benefit.

A public consultation which ran last summer has led to some changes to the initial proposals, including:

Removal of the agricultural land graded as best and most versatile (BMV).

Removal of solar panels and additional landscaped areas with planting to screen the proposals from nearby residential properties, and distant viewpoints.

Setting aside a section of land near Coedpoeth exclusively for habitat creation and boosting biodiversity. This, along with other improvements, will provide a biodiversity net-gain of around 64% for habitats and around 72% for hedgerows across the site.

Landscape and biodiversity proposals across site including the tree and hedgerow planting, wildflower meadows and tussocky grasslands, scrub planting and ponds supporting a variety of wildlife.

Safeguarding the public rights of way and footpaths across the site.

As part of the statutory six-week consultation local residents will have the chance to examine the plans and provide comments/responses for the project team to consider before finalising the Development of National Significance (DNS) application.

The application will then be submitted to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) for consideration before being determined by Welsh Ministers.

Katy McGuinness, Head of Environmental Planning, Northern Europe at Lightsource bp, said: We believe that the Plas Power Solar & Energy Storage Project will provide energy for thousands of homes in the area, which in the context of an energy crisis is a great opportunity for homegrown renewable energy generation.

We are committed to responsibly developing sustainable renewable energy projects delivering benefits that go beyond solar to the surrounding environment and communities.

We place huge value on the communities we engage with during the consultation process.

We are grateful for the engagement and feedback we have had on our proposals over the last three years.

We are delighted to now present the developed proposals which the communities surrounding the site have played an important role in shaping.

Drop-in sessions will also take place for members of the public to find out more and discuss the proposals.

Plas Pentwyn Community Centre, Castle Road, Coedpoeth, LL11 3NU, on;

Wednesday 13 March, 12pm to 4pm

Thursday 14 March, 9.30am to 1pm

Rhostyllen Parish Hall, Vicarage Hill, Rhostyllen, LL14 4AR, on;

Thursday 14 March, 2:30pm to 6:30pm

The draft Environmental Statement; Planning, Design and Access Statement; and other application documents as well as an online feedback form will be available at the project website lightsourcebp.com/uk/project/plas-power.

The deadline for comments is Tuesday 9 April.

[email protected]
Video: Chinese scientist Huang Xiaojun won a top international award in San Antonio, the U.S. state of Texas, on Feb. 23, 2024 for his groundbreaking work known as Beijing Protocol in transplantation and cellular therapy. (Xinhua)

"I want to say this award is not only a great honor for me, but also an affirmation of my team, and even more an incentive for the rapid development of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in China," says Huang Xiaojun.



SAN ANTONIO, the United States, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientist Huang Xiaojun won a top international award here on Friday for his groundbreaking work known as Beijing Protocol in the transplantation and cellular therapy.

The esteemed professor, an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of the Institute of Hematology at Peking University, received the prestigious annual Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) Distinguished Service Award during the 2024 Tandem Meetings.

This event serves as a platform for leading global experts to collaboratively share crucial insights dedicated to enhancing and preserving the lives of individuals grappling with blood-related disorders.

"I am deeply honored," said Huang in his remarks. "I want to say this award is not only a great honor for me, but also an affirmation of my team, and even more an incentive for the rapid development of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in China."

Huang established a series of key techniques of non-T cell depleted haploidentical transplantation, which gradually developed to the novel G-CSF/ATG based Beijing Protocol, increasing the 3-year survival rate from approximately 20 percent to about 70 percent in haploidentical transplantation treating leukemia, Michael Verneris, chair of the Advisory Committee of the CIBMTR, told the fully-packed meeting.

Huang Xiaojun speaks with a patient at Peking University People's Hospital in Beijing, capital of China, July 6, 2023. TO GO WITH "Chinese scientist awarded for groundbreaking work in transplantation, cellular therapy" (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

Verneris reported that the Beijing Protocol techniques have been adopted in over 190 centers in China, resulting in a significant increase in haploidentical transplantation from almost zero to 65 percent by 2022. The protocol has also been extended to countries such as South Korea, Italy and France.

"Currently, it (the Beijing Protocol) is the most widely used haplo-HSCT system with the best curative effect around the world," the CIBMTR expert said, adding that Huang has also made remarkable contributions to promoting global cooperation in this field.

"This award will encourage me to make greater contributions to promote the development of hematology in China, and also promote the cooperation between China and the world in the future," Huang said.

The CIBMTR, initially set up in 1972, collaborates with the global scientific community to advance hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and cellular therapy worldwide to increase survival and enrich the quality of life for patients, according to its website.

The 2024 Tandem Meetings on Feb. 21-24, co-organized by the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy and the CIBMTR, have attracted several thousand doctors, researchers and healthcare professionals from all over the world. 
Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu on Face the Nation, February 25, 2024. [Photo: CBS News/Face the Nation]

Yesterday, on CBS News Face the Nation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would order an assault on Rafah, whether or not there is progress in negotiations with Gaza authorities.

Currently, 1.4 million Palestinians, nearly two-thirds of Gazas 2.3 million population, have fled to tent cities in Rafah. They are living there under horrific conditions, as nearly 30,000 Palestinians have died amid Israels genocidal war on Gaza. An Israeli assault on the defenseless refugee camps in Rafah would cause catastrophic new Palestinian casualties, and risk triggering a wider war with neighboring Egypt and other regional powers.

Nonetheless, Netanyahu pledged to launch an assault on Rafah, no matter what. Once we begin the Rafah operation, the intense phase of the fighting is weeks away from completion, Netanyahu claimed. Weve already destroyed 18 of the 24 Hamas terrorist battalions, and four of them are concentrated in Rafah. We cant leave the last Hamas stronghold without taking care of it. Obviously, we have to do it.

Netanyahu said he had Washingtons support for an attack on Rafah, stating: Were on the same page with the US on this.

Netanyahu added that the Israeli armed forces would not give up the plan to assault Rafah, whether or not a deal is reached on a release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas forces in Gaza. He said, Were not going to give it up. If we have a [hostage] deal, itll be delayed somewhat. But itll happen. If we dont have a deal, well do it anyway. It has to be done. Because total victory is our goal, and total victory is within reach.

Netanyahu attempted to downplay the genocidal implications of the plan to assault Rafah. Asked by CBS journalist Margaret Brennan if there would be civilian casualties, he claimed his troops would move Rafahs 1.4 million refugees north of Rafah, to the places we have already finished fighting in. He claimed that the intense phase of the fighting is weeks away from completionnot months, weeks away from completion.

Netanyahus downplaying of the threat to civilians, like his claims intense fighting is nearly over, is a lie. He did not explain, and Brennan did not ask, what would happen if civilians in Rafah refused Israeli troops orders to move at gunpoint wherever Netanyahu tells them to go. But in reality, an Israeli assault on Rafah threatens a vast escalation of the genocide in Gaza and of war across the Middle East.

Israeli, US and European officials are placing pressure on Egypts military dictatorship to build detention camps for Palestinianson the assumption that Israeli troops will push them not north, but south from Rafah, out of the Gaza Strip and into Egypt. Egyptian officials have warned that this could lead to the collapse of the 1978 Camp David Accords and Egypts 1979 peace treaty with Israel.

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 at a February 10 press conference, adding that an assault on Rafah would have dire consequences.

The day before Shoukry spoke, the Wall Street Journal carried an article citing anonymous Egyptian diplomats account of talks with Israeli officials about an attack on Rafah. Israeli officials are trying to get Egypt to agree on some cooperation regarding the ground invasion, which Egyptian officials are resisting, they said, the Journal wrote. Egyptian officials, it added, were warning that the type of assault Netanyahu is now preparing against Rafah could lead to war.

According to the article: Egyptian officials warned that if any Palestinians were forced to cross into the Sinai Peninsula, or if Israeli troops moved into Rafah, a decades-long peace treaty between the two countries would be suspended. Egypt, which fears a flood of Palestinians will try to flee the war zone, is reinforcing its border fences, adding cameras, watchtowers and sensors.

The Egyptian military regime, which forced the Muslim Brotherhood out of power in a 2013 coup aiming to crush the revolutionary struggles of the working class, fears an influx of Palestinians from Gaza into Egypt. This is in part because Hamas officials in Gaza are in political sympathy with the Muslim Brotherhood, which is banned in Egypt. More broadly, however, they fear explosive anger in the Egyptian and Middle Eastern working class, should they agree to serve as jailers of the Palestinian people, if they were expelled from Gaza.

But Israeli officials are vowing to intensify not only pressure on Egypt, but also their attacks to the north on Lebanon. Yesterday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant boasted that Israels targeted assassination program against Hezbollah in Lebanon was having success and pledged to escalate strikes, even if there was a temporary cease-fire to the south in Gaza.

We are planning to increase the intensity of fire against Hezbollah, which is unable to find replacements for the commanders we are eliminating  In the event of a temporary truce in Gaza, we will increase the fire in the north independently, Gallant said.

Israeli officials call for an onslaught on Rafah exposes the complicity of the NATO imperialist powers, who are enabling the Gaza genocide. They have made empty, hypocritical warnings on the planned Israeli assault on Rafah. White House spokesman John Kirby said the assault would be a disaster, while German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and French President Emmanuel Macron both said it would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.

At the same time, however, they are all continuing to arm Israel to perpetrate the genocide, and threatening or attacking anyone in the Middle East they see as a threat to Israel.

On Saturday, US and British jets bombed 18 Houthi militia targets in Yemen, including weapons storage facilities, air defense systems, radars and helicopters, in retaliation for Houthi attacks in the Red Sea on shipping bound for Israel. The strikes reportedly killed at least one man and wounded six. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said US strikes would further disrupt and degrade the capabilities of the Iranian-backed Houthi militia.

The Houthis said they would defy US-UK threats and keep striking Red Sea shipping bound for Israel. Their spokesman Yahya Saree pledged to confront American-British escalation with more qualitative military operations against all hostile targets in the Red and Arab Seas. The Houthis, Saree added, persist in upholding their religious, moral and humanitarian duties towards the Palestinian people, and their military operations will not stop unless the aggression stops and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted.

The Zionist regimes genocidal, imperialist-backed war is provoking mass protests around the world and, significantly, within Israel itself. On Saturday, one of the largest anti-war protests during the war to date shook Tel Aviv. Thousands blocked streets in the city center, demanding new elections and Netanyahus removal.

The Netanyahu government sent water cannon and horse-mounted police to assault and try to disperse the protest.

Families of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas and its allies in the October 7 uprising staged their 20th weekly rally in Tel Aviv since the war began, demanding a halt in the fighting in order to secure the release of their loved ones. Shahar Levy, the son of hostage and taxi driver Eitan Levy who died in captivity, addressed the rally, saying: Enough risking the lives of the abductees, who are in inhumane conditions, enough dragging out the time. Every minute, every hour, every day, we are running out of chances for them.

These protests point to the great potential to build a mass movement to stop genocide in Gaza and avert an even bloodier regional and global war. However, such a movement cannot limit itself to appeals to capitalist national governments, which are rapidly plunging the world into war. The way forward is to develop and internationally unify the growing opposition to the Gaza genocide into an international, socialist anti-war movement of the working class.
BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Any increased protectionist measures against China by the European Union will have a damaging impact on economies such as Europe, said Ola Kallenius, chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz Group, when releasing the company's quarterly results.

Kallenius's comments echo those of a wide range of German and European businesses. Judging from a series of reports and data released recently by the German government, think tanks and chamber of commerce, China-Germany investment cooperation has not been affected by the "de-risking" sermon.

While some politicians in the United States and some other Western countries are clamoring for "de-risking" in China, German companies are continuing to increase investment in China and tap into the Chinese market.

The German Economic Institute recently pointed out in a report based on data from the German central bank that in 2023, direct investment from Germany to China reached a record high of 11.9 billion euros (12.9 billion U.S. dollars), increasing by 4.3 percent compared to the previous year.

According to the report, German companies' investment in China over the past three years roughly equaled the amount from 2015 to 2020. Additionally, in 2023, Germany's investment in China accounted for 10.3 percent of its total overseas investment, the highest level since 2014.

Data released by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany in mid-February also showed that in 2023, the trade volume between Germany and China stood at 253.1 billion euros (274.2 billion dollars), with China being Germany's largest trading partner for the eighth consecutive year.

The author of the report from the German Economic Institute, Jurgen Matthes, believes that the data indicates that large German companies still see China as a growing market and plan to expand their business in China to hedge against the escalating global trade tensions.

The German Chamber of Commerce in China released its annual business confidence survey for 2023/24 in January, with responses from 566 member companies. According to the report, over 90 percent of the surveyed companies plan to continue establishing themselves in the Chinese market, and more than half of them plan to increase their investments in China over the next two years.

The report suggests that China's significance to the German economy remains unparalleled. With its massive consumer market, advanced supply chain infrastructure, and increasing innovation capabilities, China continues to be one of the most important markets for German companies, the report said.

Wu Huiping, a professor at Tongji University, believes that the Chinese market has an attraction that German companies cannot find in other markets.

She pointed out that after the escalation of the Ukraine crisis, German enterprises' operating costs have risen sharply as the companies also face energy price fluctuations, a shortage of skilled workers in the labor market and many other problems, which have diminished the appeal of investing in Germany. In contrast, China has complete production factors and supply chains, and abundant labor with industrial experience, which are favored by many German companies.

Several experts from the Deutsche Bundesbank recently said in reports that in the long term, leaving China would significantly increase German businesses' costs as they miss out on China as a "major sales market" and many supply chains would have to be restructured at the expense of efficiency.

Michael Schumann, chairman of the Federation of the Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade (BWA), suggested that many Western media outlets are currently inclined to sensationalize ideological and geopolitical confrontations, to warn of investment risks.

He said the enterprises should visit China to get a firsthand experience and engage in dialogues with locals, which would lead to different perceptions and conclusions.

The so-called "de-risking" essentially politicizes and ideologizes economic and trade issues, not only undermining the authority and effectiveness of the multilateral trading system, but also contravening economic laws. This will ultimately hinder the global economic recovery process. Trying to reduce political risks through creating trade barriers is a risk in itself. 
Israeli police arrested 21 protesters, including two organisers, in Tel Avivs Kaplan Square Saturday night. Thousands had taken to the streets in towns and cities across Israel against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government, demanding early elections and a deal to release the remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

Police claimed the protest was an illegal gathering in Democracy Square, near the Israeli militarys headquarters.

Far from dispersing the demonstration, police action brought more people out as news of the arrests spread on social media. Police then used water cannon in a bid to disperse the protesters, many carrying posters of their loved ones still held captive in Gaza and torches, without anti-government slogans, while mounted police attacked the crowds.

Police use water cannons to disperse demonstrators during a protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, and calling for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group, in Tel Aviv, Israel, February 24, 2024. [AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg]

Among those drenched by the police was a hostage freed from Gaza, while an elderly man collapsed and had to be taken to hospital after being struck on the head by a mounted police officer with his reins. Several protesters were injured and required medical attention. The following day the police issued a statement saying the protesters had ignored officers warnings, blocked roads, and clashed with police despite repeated negotiation efforts.

In Jerusalem, there was a march of about 1,000 people to Paris Square. There were also demonstrations in the southern city of Beer Sheva, the northern port city of Haifa and Caesarea, outside Netanyahus private residence. Speaking in Haifa, Yaakov Godu, father of one of the victims of the October 7 attack, said that Netanyahu and his deranged messianic envoys are turning the families of the hostages into enemies.

It was the first time since the start of Israels genocidal war ended nine-months of protests against Netanyahus plans to give his fascist government dictatorial powers that the police used water cannon in Kaplan Square. It was used more extensively than during those demonstrations.

The Zionist organisers of the anti-government demonstrations called off the weekly rallies in the wake of October 7 as the former generals, intelligence chiefs and politicians who had all served under Netanyahu at one time or another, called for wartime unity.

Former military chiefs of staff Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot joined Netanyahus war cabinet in return for his suspending all non-emergency legislation, including the controversial judicial reforms, while other leaders took prominent roles in the civilian relief effort. This was vital for Netanyahu as polls show that support for the government plummeted after October 7, with the overwhelming majority holding him personally responsible for the supposed military-intelligence failure that led to the attack on the southern kibbutzim and Supernova music festival.

Polls have still shown widespread support for the war, despite the global mass protests against Israels genocidal war. Last weeks survey by the Israel Democracy Institute indicated that the majority of Jewish Israelis oppose a detailed political agreement to end the war and two-thirds oppose humanitarian aid to Gaza. Nevertheless, opposition to Netanyahu is growing, with all the polls showing that his right-wing bloc would lose an election if held now. Netanyahu, on trial for corruption, is seeking to delay giving evidence when he is set to face embarrassing questions.

According to a poll by the Institute for National Security Studies, only a bare majority now think Israel can achieve all or most of its war aims, while a survey by the Israel Democracy Institute earlier this month found that only 39 percent think there is a high or very high likelihood of the absolute victory promised by Netanyahu.

Dissent and discontent have fed into the weekly protests by Israelis, with some opposing the governments refusal to prioritise the hostages release, many of whom are feared dead, and calling for a deal with Hamas to secure this, while an expanding and vocal anti-government opposition is calling for fresh elections to the Knesset.

There is as yet only a small group protesting against the war itself, supporting a ceasefire and opposing Israels occupation, although there are signs this is growing. Sofia Orr has served notice that she has refused to report for mandatory military service in protest against the war on Gaza. The 18-year-old is likely to become the first woman to be jailed for refusing military service. She has refused to give in despite facing threats on social media and being called a traitor.

Last December, Tal Mitnick became the first conscientious objector, when he refused his mandatory draft to join the IDF, for which he was sentenced to 30 days in custody, a sentence that has since been renewed twice.

That the police turned on the hostages families and attacked a peaceful protest that was not significantly larger than previous Saturday evening protestsand was not against the war per seindicates that Netanyahu and his gang of fascists are determined to crack down on all dissent as the declared March 10 deadline for a ground offensive on Rafah approaches. Netanyahu is also determined to show he is in charge and fend off any challenge from his Zionist opponents.

In January, Tel Aviv police refused to allow an Arab-Jewish protest to take place in the city, claiming that it could lead to violence. It followed other bans on anti-war demonstrations in Israels predominantly Palestinian towns and cities. The police ban came after the High Court barred National Security Minister and Jewish Power leader Itamar Ben-Gvir, notorious for repeatedly pushing police to act aggressively against last years anti-government protesters, from giving police orders regarding their conduct during protests. Saturdays events illustrate his determination to use the police in pursuit of his and the governments broader political objective: Jewish Supremacy over the entire area from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean.

At the weekend, Netanyahu went on CBS News Face the Nation program to pledge an assault on Rafah, whether or not there is progress in negotiations with Gazas authorities. He said that Israel will only see a total victory once the IDF begins its invasion of Rafah, the last refuge of some 1.4 million Palestinians forced south from their homes in the north of the Strip. If we have a deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen, he said. If we dont have a deal, we'l do it anyway.

It was Gantz, Netanyahus rival and partner in war crimes, who first announced the March 10 deadline. For the war to take this deadly turn during Ramadan is a provocation which Netanyahu et al calculate is guaranteed to set the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem alightproviding the opportunity to open up a second front. Secure in the support of Washington and the major European powers, Netanyahu is positioning himself as Israels wartime strongman, above the law, and not answerable to anyone. He recently declared in a televised address that the war would continue regardless of the decisions the International Court of Justice reached on charges of genocide moved by South Africa. No one will stop usnot The Hague, not the Axis of Evil and no one else. It is possible and necessary to continue until victory and we will do it.

Netanyahus dictatorial course could not be successfully challenged under the leadership of his Zionist rivals before the war began. Now that it has, at the cost of tens of thousands of lives and unimaginable suffering for the Palestinians, Israeli workers and youth are also paying a price.
Last Thursday, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in New Zealand held its initial meeting at the University of Otago in Dunedin. Just over 20 people attended the meeting, which was held to establish a club of the IYSSE, the youth and student movement of the International Committee of the Fourth International, the world Trotskyist movement.

Tom Peters addressing IYSSE meeting at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand

The meeting followed several days of campaigning by IYSSE members during Orientation Week. The meeting topicthe socialist strategy to fight against Israels genocide in Gaza and to stop the developing world warattracted significant interest and support among new and returning students.

The war is politicising millions of young people throughout the world, including in New Zealand. Several of those who spoke with the IYSSE had attended the ongoing protests against the mass slaughter in Gaza and the NZ National Party-led governments support for Israel and alliance with US imperialism.

At Thursdays meeting, Rowan, who initiated the club and was elected its first president, delivered a report on the horrifying situation in the Gaza Strip, where more than 30,000 people have been massacred and entire cities destroyed.

The severity of the barbaric violence, and how much worse it could soon be, cannot be underestimated. With more than half of Gazas 2.3 million people crammed into the border town of Rafah, after being advised to evacuate south, Israel is now calling for complete victory and preparing for a ground invasion of Rafah. There is no question that the aim of this invasion is the complete annihilation, through death or through evacuation into Egypt, of all Palestinian life present in Gaza.

The Israeli military was fully supported, armed and funded by the Biden administration in the US, which was using Israels genocide to stoke tensions that could lead to all-out war throughout the Middle East. Airstrikes by the US and its allies against Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria are all directed at escalating confrontation with Iran. The subjugation of Iran, lying at the heart of Eurasia, is a critical component of the US drive for global military domination.

Rowan emphasised that these developments had to be understood in their international context. As war rages in the Middle East, US imperialism and its NATO allies are engaged in a proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. The war in Ukraine has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands, both Ukrainian and Russian, and threatens the eruption of nuclear war.

The US is seeking to use its overwhelming military strength to counter its economic decline and subjugate its rivals, including Russia and, above all, China. New Zealand, a minor imperialist country allied to the US, has sent troops to Britain to assist in training Ukrainian conscripts and is increasingly integrated into the far-advanced war plans of the US and Australia against China.

Rowan urged those in attendance to join the IYSSE and take up the struggle to build the necessary socialist leadership, in opposition to the entire political establishment. In New Zealand, the Labour Party has recently criticised Israels actions, but Labour supported the genocidal onslaught while it was leading the government until late November. Its allies, the Greens and Te Pati Maoriwhich have been prominent at the Gaza rallieswould have joined a Labour government if it had received enough votes in the October election.

Tom Peters, a leading member of the Socialist Equality Group in New Zealand and organiser of the IYSSE in Wellington, also addressed the meeting. He explained: There is growing anger and opposition towards capitalism. We have identified the period we are living in as one of wars and revolutions; that is not a rhetorical exaggeration. We know that the economic and political breakdown which is leading the ruling class to embrace genocide, fascism, dictatorship and war, is also paving the way for revolutionary struggles.

Pointing to the mass protest and strike movements over the past two years, including the revolutionary situations that developed in France and Sri Lanka, Peters quoted from the WSWS International Editorial Boards New Year statement, The working class, the fight against capitalist barbarism, and the building of the World Party of Socialist Revolution:

The growing struggles of workers throughout the world is the objective basis for the development of a mass, international movement for socialism. The transformation of this objective movement into a conscious struggle for power requires the development in the working class of a mass international socialist movement based on Marxist theory and the program and principles fought for by the International Committee of the Fourth International.

The critical question facing those attending the meeting, Peters said, was to understand the vast gulf that separates the genuine socialism of the IYSSE from what passes as left wing, in New Zealand and internationally.

The Gaza genocide had starkly exposed pseudo-left tendencies such as the Democratic Socialists of America, and politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, who voted to fund the Israeli military, have been revealed as nothing but total reactionaries. These figures will once again campaign on behalf of Joe Biden and the Democrats in this years US election, presenting this blood-soaked party and leader as a lesser evil, or even as positively progressive.

In New Zealand, the Labour Partys left allies have likewise been exposed. This includes the trade union bureaucracy and the middle class pseudo-left groups, such as the International Socialist Organisation (ISO). The ISO, Peters explained, openly supports imperialismincluding the US-NATO war against Russiaand is seeking to prevent the development of an independent, socialist movement against war.

On Israels genocide in Gaza, the ISO has whitewashed the role of the trade unions, which are preventing any genuine struggle by workers to stop weapons being manufactured and shipped to Israel. In the 2023 election, even after Labour supported Israels bombardment of Gaza, the ISO called for votes for the Greens and Te Pati Maori, falsely claiming that Labour could be pressured to move to the left.

The Gaza genocide had revealed the trade union bureaucracy to be lackeys of the imperialist powers, whose job is to police the working class. These pro-capitalist organisations in the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand have rejected the call by the Palestinian Federation of Trade Unions for workers to organise strikes and other actions to stop the production and supply of weapons for Israel.

Peters explained that the IYSSE supports the call by the International Committee of the Fourth International for workers to rebel against the unions and form independent, rank-and-file committees. Such committees will provide the means for workers to coordinate action internationally to block the production and supply of weapons for Israel and the imperialist powers.

Peters also denounced the pro-war politics of the Otago University Students Association (OUSA), which provided the New Zealand Defence Force with a prominent place during Orientation Week to recruit students. The student union also removed the IYSSEs posters promoting its meeting inside the Clubs & Societies building, saying that the words Stop the Genocide in Gaza: Build a Socialist Anti-War Movement could be distressing, and telling the IYSSE to tone down its language.

The two reports were followed by an important discussion, including on the historic degeneration of the trade unions; whether protest alone is sufficient to stop the genocide; and whether workers should support the lesser evil capitalist parties in elections.

A member of the ISO, clearly disturbed by the IYSSEs presence at Otago, interjected at numerous points. He attempted to defend the trade unions, with which the ISO works closely, saying: I believe the CTU [Council of Trade Unions] put out a statement calling for a ceasefire and that the unions had supported protests being organised outside the ports against Israeli shipping. The ISO member later added that strike action against the Gaza genocide was illegal in New Zealand and therefore the unions hands were tied.

Peters replied that the CTU had been involved in drafting the 2000 Employment Relations Act passed by the then-Labour government, which banned most forms of strike action outside of contract negotiations. The unions now function as the enforcers of this anti-working class law, preventing political strikes even against genocide and war.

Anna

Anna, a science student who stayed behind to speak with the IYSSE after the meeting, said: I agreed with what you were saying about Gaza and how to stop [the genocide]. Things like union resolutions and press releases dont lead to change. The genocide is ongoing, and so token things like this seem kind of insulting: to supposedly call for a ceasefire, but then not to have any strikes, any actual workers action.

She added: Ive been to protests here in Dunedin, and over the summer I went to the ones in Christchurch, including at the port in Lyttelton. It was very alarming seeing how forceful the police were at the port towards protesters.

She said the IYSSE meeting had given her a lot to think about. Before this, I had fallen into that mindset that protest is all we can do at the moment. I think it is time to step that up and organise the working class. The protests have been important in bringing more people into that environment, and through that they get educated and hopefully recognise that we need deep structural change to stop war.

Anna agreed that a socialist strategy was needed: There cant be any significant change or reform under capitalism. At first, I suppose, people will try to make change by having bills passed in parliament, or going to court to try and get justice there, but its all part of a capitalist system. It is hard to see whats outside of that, but we have to fight for an alternative.
At the 2024 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held outside of Washington D.C. last week, Donald Trump and his cronies outlined their anti-immigrant police state agenda to a warm reception by the far-right audience, including neo-Nazis who were apparently welcomed by the organizers.

Former President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2024, at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland on February 24. [AP Photo/Alex Brandon]

In an article headlined Nazis mingle openly at CPAC, spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories and finding allies, NBC News reported that while the presence of [Nazis] has been a persistent issue at CPAC, organizers in previous years... ejected well-known Nazis and white supremacists such as Nick Fuentes.



This year, however, racist conspiracy theorists didnt meet any perceptible resistance at the conference, where Donald Trump has been the keynote speaker since 2018.

The report noted that at a Young Republican mixer this past Friday, a group of Nazis who openly identified as national socialists mingled with mainstream conservative personalities, including some from Turning Point USA, and discussed so-called race science and antisemitic conspiracy theories.



NBC identified one of the Nazis as Greg Conte, who attended the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Another Nazi, Ryan Sanchez, took photos and videos of himself at the conference, while attendees in Sanchezs company openly used the N-word.



Earlier this month, Sanchez participated in the Take Back our Border rally in Yuma, Arizona, where he was interviewed wearing a Brownshirt, black tie, and a leather jacket with a Totenkopf skull.



Neo-Nazi Ryan Sanchez at the "Take Back our Border" rally in Yuma, Arizona, February 3, 2024. [Photo: News2Share/Calvin Stewart/Cole Richardson/@N2Sreports]

The open embrace of Nazis at CPAC underscores the ongoing transformation of the Republican Party into a fascist organization that sees little need to maintain a pretense of democracy.



This was made explicit during a panel discussion featuring Steve Bannon and Jack Posobiec. The latter began the discussion by stating, Welcome to the end of democracy. We are here to overthrow it completely. We did not get there all the way on January 6, but we will endeavor to get rid of it.



Bannon, Trumps chief White House strategist during the first seven months of the former presidents term, replied, Amen.

The conference featured speeches from international far-right politicians, including Santiago Abascal (Spains Vox Party), Nigel Farage and Liz Truss (Britain) and Jay Aeba, chairman of the Japanese Conservative Union.



The fascistic president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, gave a speech in which he railed against globalism and warned of dark forces taking over your country.

A day after meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Argentine President Javier Milei went to CPAC and embraced Trump, who urged Milei to Make Argentina Great Again.



The CPAC conference opened last Wednesday and concluded Saturday night with Trump delivering the keynote speech hours before polls closed in the South Carolina Republican primary election.

Trump entered the primary the heavy favorite and continued to rack up delegates, beating his former UN ambassador and two-term South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley by some 150,000 votes. While decisive, Trumps margin of victory, just over 20 percentage points, was less than expected. Many polls had Trump winning by 30 percentage points or more.



To the delight of the Nazis in attendance, virtually every speaker at CPAC highlighted his or her anti-immigrant and racist credentials. In a panel featuring North Carolina Republican Rep. Dan Bishop, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Trumps former policy adviser and White House speechwriter Stephen Miller, the latter laid out plans to federalize the National Guard and deploy the regular army to carry out mass deportations.



[T]he immigration issue is extremely simple, Miller said. The simple part is seal the border, deport all the illegals.



He continued:

You would establish large-scale staging grounds for removal flights. So you would grab illegal immigrants and then you move them to the staging grounds, and thats where the planes are waiting for federal law enforcement to then move these illegals home...



You deputize the National Guard to carry out immigration enforcement and then you also deploy the military to the southern border, not just with a mission to observe, but with an impedance and denial mission. In other words, you reassert the fundamental constitutional principle that you dont have a right to enter into our sovereign territory to even request the asylum claim. The military has the right to establish a fortress position on the border, and to say, No one can cross here at all.

Rep. Dan Bishop concurred:

The significance of what you just said Stephen, and all the things you just laid out, we got to have a president to do it, but you also cannot proceed in a way in which you are tentative and unsure. The idea that you deport everybody... thats just cause. Its obvious because thats what has to occur.

Bishop concluded by declaring that Our nations survival depends on that sort of aggressiveness in asserting ourselves.



In a separate panel featuring Rep. Mark Green (R-Tennessee) and Tom Homan, former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under Trump, Homan advocated bombing Mexico to stop the cartels.

[Trump] will abolish the criminal cartels in Mexico, Homan said, adding:

He will take them on, because the country of Mexico is not doing a damn thing about the cartels who have killed more Americans than any terrorist organization. President Trump will declare them a terrorist organization, he will send a Hellfire rocket down there and he will take the cartels out.

Homan reiterated, There has to be an historic deportation operation It has to be that way, there is no other option... Its the right thing to do.



The CPAC conference served not only as an extended Trump campaign event, but also as an unofficial vice presidential tryout. Seeking to gain the favor of the Republican Fuhrer, former Republican presidential candidates (including Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina), and current governors and US House members delivered effusive homilies to Trump.



In her speech, the chair of the House Republican Conference, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, defended Trumps failed coup, telling the crowd that like all of you on January 6, I stood for the Constitution and election integrity, and that the Democrats unconstitutionally rigged the 2020 election.



Former Democratic congresswoman and 2020 presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard attacked the Democratic elite and their cronies for taking steps to remove Trump from the ballot. She denounced recent court judgments against Trump, calling them a politically motivated hit job.



Gabbard went on to attack Haley and hail Trump as a fighter who had a sincere love and concern for the American people. On his Twitter/X account, Trump political ally Roger Stone hailed Gabbards speech as glorious.



At the conclusion of the conference, a straw poll was conducted asking attendees who they thought Trump should pick as his VP. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy came in first with a tie vote of 15 percent, while Gabbard finished third with 9 percent.



In a rambling 90-minute diatribe, Trump warned of bloodshed, chaos and violent crime if Crooked Joe Biden and his thugs won the 2024 election.



Echoing the neo-Nazi Great Replacement Theory, Trump warned that with four more years of Biden, the hordes of illegal aliens stampeding across our borders will exceed 40 or 50 million people, and ruthless gangs will explode even more into the suburbs.

He once again promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in the history of our country, and promised, if elected, to allow the police to do their job in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.



Trump defended his failed coup, falsely claiming the 2020 election was rigged and that his convicted and imprisoned fascist militia foot-soldiers were J6 hostages.



Joe Biden and the Democratic Party have done nothing to hold Trump and his accomplices on the Supreme Court and in the Pentagon accountable for trying to overthrow the government over three years ago. They are currently seeking to attack Trump and the Republicans from the right for their refusal to approve another $60 billion for the US proxy war against Russia in Ukraine as well as their rejection of the White House offer to shut down the border as part of draconian anti-immigrant legislation.


A federal by-election this Saturday, March 2, in the outer southeastern Melbourne electorate of Dunkley, has become a test of the survival of the Albanese Labor government as well as that of the equally unpopular opposition Liberal Party.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with Jodie Belyea, Labor Party candidate for Dunkley by-election [Photo: Instagram/albomp]

The by-election was called after the death of incumbent Labor member Peta Murphy. A loss for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese would reduce Labors slim parliamentary majority from two seats to just one, raising the spectre of an unstable minority government if another seat fell.

Less than two years after just scraping into office, the Labor government is already mired in crisis. The May 2022 federal election saw Labors primary vote plunge below 33 percent, the lowest in nearly a century, reflecting the partys rupture with the working class, its historical constituency, after decades of implementing right-wing, pro-business policies and backing for US militarism.

Albanese gained office only because of the enormous hostility to the previous Scott Morrison-led Liberal-National government. Since doing so, he has led another Labor government aligned with finance capital, the ultra-wealthy and Washingtons war agenda.

In fact, the government has further deepened Australian imperialisms integration with the US war machine, expanding the American military-intelligence presence in the country, advancing the AUKUS alliance that is preparing to wage war on China, and supporting the US-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza. Domestically, the government has engineered record social inequality by boosting corporate profits while imposing a cost-of-living crisis on working-class households.

Labor holds Dunkley by 6.3 percentage points. Media opinion polls anticipate that Labor will lose votes but not the seat. Yet, national media polls published today report that Labors support has fallen below that of the Liberal-National Coalition. That is despite the governments desperate recent manoeuvre to appease discontent by rejigging planned Stage 3 income tax cuts to offer pittances of about $2 a week to workers, while still much more benefitting high-income recipients.

If Labor retains the seat, it will reflect deep hostility toward the Liberal Party headed by Peter Dutton. The Liberals, together with the opposition-aligned Advance Australia campaign organisation, are attempting to whip up a reactionary law and order campaign. Tens of thousands of dollars are being spent on leaflets and online advertisements associating asylum seekers and migrants with crime, and accusing the Labor government of being soft on so-called border security.

Advance Australia has also highlighted the reaction of Labor candidate Jodie Belyea to the overwhelming referendum defeat last October of the governments proposal to entrench an indigenous Voice body in the countrys 1901 Constitution. In a social media post after the referendum, Belyea described the result as a display of the worst of white privilege in this country.

The remark underscores the racialist character of Labors Voice proposal which aimed at elevating a narrow elite layer of wealthy Aborigines in order to provide a progressive gloss for Australian capitalism. The referendum was defeated not, as Belyea, the Voice proponents and other Labor supporters insinuate, because the population is racist but rather because of the widespread understanding in working-class areas that the mechanism would do nothing to improve the lives of ordinary Aborigines.

The Liberal Party is desperate to regain ground in Melbourne. The city is one of the sharpest expressions of the implosion of the partys traditional electoral base in affluent suburbs. With a population exceeding 5 million, the opposition holds just 3 of the citys 22 seats.

Dunkley is regarded as a swing seat, covering both working-class suburbs in the northern and central parts, such as Carrum Downs and Frankston, and wealthy bayside suburbs in the south, notably Mount Eliza.

The Liberal Party previously held the electorate from 1996 to 2019. The Melbourne Age recently quoted an unnamed Liberal insider saying: If we cant get close in seats like Dunkley, where the hell are we meant to win?

A by-election loss for the opposition this Saturday will likely raise questions about Duttons leadership. It would follow the Liberal Partys by-election defeat last April in the outer northeastern Melbourne seat of Aston, which the Liberals had held since 1990. That result marked the first time since 1920 that the leading parliamentary opposition party lost a seat to a government in a federal by-election.

But the Labor governments support has plummeted since then, not least because of the cost-of-living crisis, its Voice referendum debacle, the allocation of hundreds of billions of dollars for AUKUS nuclear-powered attack submarines and other weaponry for use against China, and its complicity in the US-backed Israeli atrocities in Gaza.

The Dunkley by-election more broadly underscores the crisis of the entire Australian political establishment.

There is enormous disaffection and hostility which sections of the media have nervously registered. An Australian Broadcasting Corporation report last Thursday noted: Some on the streets of Frankston were blissfully unaware a by-election was even happening. It added that pollsters had also found a similar level of disengagement in Dunkley, which they say is surprising, even for a by-election. Former Labor staffer Kos Samaras commented: I think the electorate is extremely disinterested.

In reality, this disengagement reflects growing political disaffection. Working-class people in the area, as throughout Australia, confront unbearable economic and social pressures.

According to the latest data, more than 80 percent of mortgage holders and 75 percent of renters in Carrum Downs experience negative cash flow, defined as their total weekly expenses exceeding their total weekly earnings. Thousands of people, in other words, are eating into their limited savings, foregoing paying bills, adding to credit card and other debts, and relying on Foodbank and other charity services.

None of the various other candidates contesting the Dunkley by-election, such as the Greens and so-called independents, advance a program to resolve the social crisis or oppose the US-led turn to war. On the contrary, they are seeking to divert and channel the discontent back into dead-end parliamentary channels.

This includes the middle-class pseudo-left organisation Victorian Socialists (VS), the electoral front of the so-called Socialist Alternative group. VS is a parliamentary opportunist organisation, modelled on the likes of Greeces SYRIZA, Spains Podemos and the Democratic Socialists of America. These organisations have all served to mislead and betray the working class, propping up the major bourgeois parties.

In Dunkley, VS has campaigned on the issue of the Gaza genocide. Opposition to war, however, is raised only from the standpoint of appealing to, and trying to pressure, the Labor government to change course, flying in the face of its ongoing commitment to Washington and the Zionist regime in Israel.

Above all, the VS campaign seeks to divert the deep hostility toward war and militarism within the working class back behind the Labor government, trying to prop it up as its support implodes, and blocking the development of the revolutionary socialist perspective that is required to end the genocide and overturn the capitalist system that is responsible for the barbarism.
Volunteers from Social National Assembly take an oath of allegiance to Ukraine before being sent to the eastern part of Ukraine to join the ranks of special battalion "Azov" in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, June 3, 2014. [AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov]



For the past two years, nearly every reference in the US media to the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia has been preceded by an obligatory wordunprovoked.

The public was told that this was a war without cause, that Ukraine was blameless, and that the invasion was to be explained entirely in terms of the intentions and psychology of one man, Russian President Vladimir Putin.

However, on the weekend of the second anniversary of the war, the New York Times published a lengthy article revealing that the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 was instigated by a systematic and widespread campaign of military-intelligence aggression on the part of the United States.

The article details longstanding Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operations in Ukraine, in which the agency sponsored and built up the Ukrainian military intelligence agency HUR, using it as a weapon of spying, assassination and provocation directed against Russia for more than a decade.

The Times writes:

Toward the end of 2021, according to a senior European official, Mr. Putin was weighing whether to launch his full-scale invasion when he met with the head of one of Russias main spy services, who told him that the C.I.A., together with Britains MI6, were controlling Ukraine and turning it into a beachhead for operations against Moscow.

The Times report demonstrates that this Russian intelligence assessment was absolutely true. For more than a decade, dating back to 2014, the CIA was building up, training and arming Ukrainian intelligence and paramilitary forces that were engaging in assassinations and other provocations against pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, against Russian forces in Crimea and across the border into Russia itself.

In a critical passage, the Times writes:

As the partnership deepened after 2016, the Ukrainians became impatient with what they considered Washingtons undue caution, and began staging assassinations and other lethal operations, which violated the terms the White House thought the Ukrainians had agreed to. Infuriated, officials in Washington threatened to cut off support, but they never did.

In other words, Ukrainian paramilitary forces that were armed, funded and led by the United States and NATO were systematically assassinating forces supporting closer relations with Russia.

The newspapers account begins with the Maidan Coup of February 2014, when right-wing and neo-Nazi forces backed by the US and the European Union overthrew the elected pro-Russian president and installed a pro-imperialist regime headed by the billionaire Petro Poroshenko.

This coup was the culmination of two decades of imperialist inroads into the former Soviet bloc, including the expansion of NATO to include virtually all of Eastern Europe in violation of pledges made to the leaders of the former Soviet Union. The Times is silent on this earlier history, as well as on the role of the CIA in the Maidan events.

Maidan set the stage for a massive escalation of the CIA intervention, as detailed in the Times report. The intelligence agency played a central role in fueling conflict between Ukraine and Russia, first as a low-level war against pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, then as a full-scale war after the Russian invasion in February 2022. Three US administrations were involved: first Obama, then Trump and now Biden.

According to the Times account, CIA operations included not only widespread spying, but also assisting direct provocations such as the assassination of pro-Russian politicians in eastern Ukraine and paramilitary attacks on Russian forces in Crimea.

The Times reports that a Ukrainian unit, the Fifth Directorate, was tasked with conducting assassinations, including one in 2016. The Times writes:

[A] mysterious explosion in the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, ripped through an elevator carrying a senior Russian separatist commander named Arsen Pavlov, known by his nom de guerre, Motorola. The C.I.A. soon learned that the assassins were members of the Fifth Directorate, the spy group that received C.I.A. training. Ukraines domestic intelligence agency had even handed out commemorative patches to those involved, each one stitched with the word Lift, the British term for an elevator.

The report describes another such operation:

A team of Ukrainian agents set up an unmanned, shoulder-fired rocket launcher in a building in the occupied territories. It was directly across from the office of a rebel commander named Mikhail Tolstykh, better known as Givi. Using a remote trigger, they fired the launcher as soon as Givi entered his office, killing him, according to U.S. and Ukrainian officials.

Since the outbreak of full-scale war, the Ukrainian HUR has extended these assassination operations to the whole territory of Russia, including the killing of Darya Dugina, a leading pro-Putin polemicist in the Russian media, and Russian government and military officials.

The CIA found its Ukrainian allies very useful in collecting vast amounts of data on Russian military and intelligence activity, so much that the HUR itself could not process it and had to forward the raw data to CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia for analysis. An earlier, less detailed report on this intelligence collaboration, in the Washington Post, cited a Ukrainian intelligence officials estimate that 250,000 to 300,000 Russian military/intelligence messages were being collected each day. This data was not just related to Ukraine, but concerned Russian intelligence activity all over the world.

Long before the Russian invasion, the CIA was seeking to broaden its attack on Moscow. The Times reports:

The relationship [with the Ukrainian HUR] was so successful that the C.I.A. wanted to replicate it with other European intelligence services that shared a focus in countering Russia. The head of Russia House, the C.I.A. department overseeing operations against Russia, organized a secret meeting at The Hague. There, representatives from the C.I.A., Britains MI6, the HUR, the Dutch service (a critical intelligence ally) and other agencies agreed to start pooling together more of their intelligence on Russia. The result was a secret coalition against Russiaand the Ukrainians were vital members of it.

All these activities occurred well before the Russian invasion of February 2022. The outbreak of full-scale war led to even more direct CIA engagement in Ukraine. CIA agents were the only Americans not covered by the initial evacuation of US government personnel from Ukraine, removing only to western Ukraine. They continually briefed the Ukrainians on Russian military plans, including precise details of operations as they were unfolding.

According to the Times:

Within weeks, the C.I.A. had returned to Kyiv, and the agency sent in scores of new officers to help the Ukrainians. A senior U.S. official said of the C.I.A.s sizable presence, Are they pulling triggers? No. Are they helping with targeting? Absolutely. Some of the C.I.A. officers were deployed to Ukrainian bases. They reviewed lists of potential Russian targets that the Ukrainians were preparing to strike, comparing the information that the Ukrainians had with U.S. intelligence to ensure that it was accurate.

In other words, the CIA was helping direct the war, making the US government a full participant, a co-belligerent in a war with nuclear-armed Russia, despite Bidens claim that the United States was only aiding Ukraine from afar. And all this without the American people having the slightest say in the matter.

The Times account also provides an inadvertent indictment of the American media. The newspaper writes:

The details of this intelligence partnership, many of which are being disclosed by the New York Times for the first time, have been a closely guarded secret for a decade.

This admission means that these secrets were closely guarded by the Times itself. As former Editor Bill Keller once observed, freedom of the press means freedom not to publish, and that is a freedom we exercise with some regularity. Particularly, we might add, when it comes to the crimes of US imperialism.

The Times article is not so much an exposure as a controlled release of information. The US newspaper of record reports that the two authors of the piece, Adam Entous and Michael Schwirtz, conducted more than 200 interviews with current and former officials in Ukraine, elsewhere in Europe, and in the United States. This activity could hardly have taken place without the knowledge, permission, even encouragement of the CIA, as well as the Zelensky regime and Ukrainian intelligence.

In the meantime, a real journalist, Julian Assange, is awaiting the decision on his final appeal against extradition to the United States, where he faces 175 years in prison or even a death sentence. The crime of Assange and WikiLeaks, which Assange founded, is that they did not obey the rules of bourgeois journalism and did not seek the permission of the military-intelligence authorities before publishing revelations about US war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, the efforts of the US State Department to subvert and manipulate governments, and the spying activities of the CIA and National Security Agency.

The exposure of a decade of CIA operations in Ukraineclearly at the request of the agency itselfappears to be linked to the ongoing conflict within the US ruling elite over what policy to adopt in that war, in the wake of the debacle suffered by the Zelensky regime in last years offensive, which gained little and suffered colossal casualties. Congressional Republicans have blocked further military and financial aid to Ukraine, effectively declaring that the US must cut its losses there and concentrate on the main enemy, China.

By reporting the virtual control of the Ukrainian regime by the US military-intelligence apparatus, the Times is seeking to pressure the Republicans to support the war funding. It is arguing that this money is not going to a foreign government, in a foreign war, thousands of miles from US borders, but to a subcontractor of American imperialism, waging an American war in which US personnel are deeply and directly engaged.

In so doing, the Times has revealed its own coverage of the Ukraine war over the past two years to have been nothing more than war propaganda, aimed at using a fraudulent narrative to dragoon the American public to support a predatory imperialist war of aggression aimed at subjugating and dismantling Russia.
Against the backdrop of the genocide Israel is committing in Gaza with the help of its NATO allies, violence against Muslims and Palestinians in Germany has increased dramatically in recent weeks and months.

The non-governmental organisation CLAIM has documented 187 cases of violent anti-Muslim attacks, insults, threats, and discrimination in the period from October 9 to November 29, 2023. The incidents include over 149 attacks on individuals or groups, mainly families and groups attacked in public spaces.

Twenty-four attacks were directed against religious institutionsincluding the desecration of Muslim graves and attacks on mosques. This means that the documented incidents exceed the previous years level. The recorded cases relate exclusively to the offline arena and not to the eruption of anti-Muslim hate speech on the internet. Overall, it can be assumed that there is a high number of unreported anti-Muslim incidents that have not yet been reported or recorded.

The following is an incomplete chronology of some attacks:

October 9, 2023: Attack on a mosque in Siegburg: the three perpetrators smashed the windows of the mosque, police seized right-wing extremist flyers.

October 16, 2023: Arson attack on a mosque in Dortmund.

November 17, 2023: Muslim graves were painted with swastikas in Magdeburg.

Muslim tomb desecrated with a swastika in Magdeburg

December 10, 2023: In Berlin, racists attacked a Palestinian man who was wearing a Keffiyeh. He had asked riders to make room on the train for an elderly woman with a walking frame. F*ck off you Arab, go back to your homeland, the attackers shouted before beating him up.

December 11, 2023: Racist graffiti was discovered on the facade of the Heinrich-Heine-Gymnasium in Munich including the call to Kill all Palestinians.

December 21, 2023: An Arab restaurant in Ludwigshafen received an online order that included a call for genocide against the Palestinians: No ceasefire until the last Muslim! Death to Islam and all its followers! Destroy hospitals in Gaza!

December 24-25, 2023: In Rimpar (Bavaria), eight swastikas were daubed on a wall on Christmas night in a street where several Muslim families live. The tires of 16 cars were also slashed.

December 26, 2023: In Wachtersberg (Hesse), the house of a family originating from Pakistan was the victim of an arson attack.

December 27, 2023: In Wuppertal (NRW), numerous Islamophobic graffiti such as Muslims out! appeared overnight.

Anti-Muslim graffiti in Wuppertal

January 18, 2024: In Dresden, two women wearing headscarves were attacked in public.

January 20, 2024: There was an arson attack on a Bosnian mosque under construction in Essen. Swastika graffiti was also left behind.

January 26, 2024: In Mossingen (Baden-Wurttemberg), a mosque was daubed with a swastika and the threat of a Holocaust.

February 7, 2024: Unknown persons destroyed several objects (photos of mosques, blinds and a piece of furniture) in the Room of Silence on the Treskowallee campus of HTW Berlin.

February 8,2024: Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian graffiti was found in the Kaftertal and Vogelstang districts of Mannheim (Baden-Wurttemberg). In addition to F*ck Palestine, it also said, Kill all Muslims.

The German government and media are directly responsible for the violence. They have systematically created the political and ideological conditions for it. They are among the most aggressive supporters of the far-right Israeli government, which is committing genocide against the Palestinian population. Any protest against this is criminalised under the false accusation of antisemitism. Palestinians and Muslims are vilified across the board as perpetrators of violence and/or terrorists. The right to demonstrate is being restricted; slogans in favour of a free, united Palestine are being equated with the Nazi slogan Sieg Heil!

Demonstrators report brutal police violence at the rallies. Participantssome of them even childrenare arrested by the dozen without justification and subjected to racist harassment. Immediately after October 7, hundreds of police laid siege to Sonnenallee in Neukolln, Berlin and arbitrarily arrested people for wearing the wrong clothes or saying the wrong thing. Wearing a Palestinian scarf or shouting the slogan Free Palestine was enough for an arrest.

Organisations or private individuals who condemn the genocide in Gaza and are active in this regard were also attacked. For example, the German branch of the international aid network Samidoun-Palestinian Solidarity Network, which supports Palestinian political prisoners, was banned.

The witch-hunting began long before October 7. In September 2023, over 700 attacks against Muslims were documented in the first few months of the year. Incitement and violence against Muslims have steadily increased in previous yearswith increasingly murderous consequences.

February 19 marked the fourth anniversary of the racist attacks in Hanau when a fascist killed nine people. The role of the police in the attack is still largely unexplained and is being covered up by the authorities.

There have been other deadly right-wing extremist attacks in previous years. On July 22, 2016, 18-year-old right-wing extremist David Sonboly killed nine people with a migrant background in Munich; on June 2, 2019, a neo-Nazi known to the police shot and killed Kassel District President Walter Lubcke (Christian Democrat). And on October 9, 2019, more than 70 participants in a Yom Kippur celebration in Halle escaped mass murder only by luckthe right-wing extremist assassin Stephan Balliet killed two people after failing to gain entry to the synagogue.

This increase in right-wing extremist violence and the associated political repression against Muslims, Palestinians and left-wing forces in Germany is the result of the ruling classs shift to the right. For years, all the establishment parties have been building up the fascist Alternative for Germany (AfD) and adopting its policies.

While millions of people are taking to the streets against the AfDs deportation plans, the federal governmenta coalition of the Social Democrats, Liberal Democrats and Greensis de facto putting these plans into practice with the so-called Repatriation Improvement Act. At the EU level, the reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) has largely abolished the right to asylum. The law makes it possible to detain refugees at the EUs external borders for up to one year. To this end, the existing detention centres are being expanded and the deadly violence against refugees at the external borders of Fortress Europe is being constantly stepped up.
To join the Rank-and-File Committee to Fight Job Cuts (RFC-FJC), call or text 248-919-8448 or fill out the form at the end of this article.

With anger boiling over the mass termination of supplemental (temporary) employees (SEs) by Stellantis, a faction of the United Auto Workers apparatus closely aligned with UAW President Shawn Fain has launched a petition campaign whose aim is to cover up the role of the UAW bureaucracy in facilitating the job cuts.

The fraudulent UAWD petition [Photo: UAWD]

The purpose of this petition being circulated by Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD) is to paralyze the growing opposition and anger against the UAW apparatus by channeling it back into futile protests to management and the very same UAW officials overseeing the cuts. In organizing this diversionary campaign, UAWD is attempting to head off the independent initiative of the fired SEs who recently formed the Rank-and-File Committee to Fight Job Cuts (RFC-FJC).

Stellantis is in the process of firing more than 2,300 supplemental employees out of the 5,219 it employed before ratification of the UAW-Stellantis agreement last November. Fain, UAW Vice President Rich Boyer and other UAW bureaucrats had falsely claimed that SEs would be rolled over to full-time status under the terms of the agreement.

In a statement No Member Left Behind! Petition Stellantis to Reinstate the Terminated Supplemental Employees, the UAWD group announced the launch of the petition campaign, which is addressed to Stellantis management. Once 1,000 signatures are gathered, the UAWD, says it will submit the names to the company and notify the UAW-Stellantis department.

The absurdity of this campaign is that the very people conspiring to enforce the terminations are now pretending to be organizing some sort of protest action against it.

The group UAWD, backed by Labor Notes and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), won positions running on Fains Members United Slate and has given uncritical support to Fain, presenting his election as a victory for union reform. It heaped praise on the sellout 2023 contact that gave a green light to the present assault on supplemental workers, along with mass layoffs of full-time workers in Detroit and Toledo, Ohio.

The UAWD petition begins by claiming the 2023 contract made some progress in addressing the abuse of Supplemental Employees. It says nothing about the role of the Fain leadership, which lied to supplemental workers to get their votes for the contract. The UAW bureaucrats claimed that SEs would get profit sharing and would be made full-time after nine months of service, none of which was true.

Instead, under the terms of the agreement, the company only had to roll over 1,957 SEs company-wide, plus another 900 at the Toledo Assembly plant. On January 12, 539 supplementals were summarily fired, including at least 100 at Indiana Transmission in Kokomo, Shawn Fains home plant. Since then hundreds more have been fired out of the 1,600 SEs UAW Vice President Boyer admitted would be terminated in the coming months.

As the World Socialist Web Site warned, these job cuts are only the beginning of a massive jobs bloodbath as the auto companies transition to the production of electric vehicles that require significantly less labor. The cuts are global, with Stellantis also announcing mass layoffs at its Fiat and Maserati divisions in Italy and its operations in France.

Since the jobs cuts were announced, Fain and the entire union apparatus, including UAWD, have made clear they will do nothing to oppose the cuts. In a January 13 letter to local union presidents, Boyer, head of the UAW Stellantis department, echoed the companys lies that the SEs were being fired because of poor performance/attendance before instructing his underlings to Please inform all the SEs about the coming firings.

UAW Regional Directors, standing left to right, Mike Miller, and UAWD-backed candidates Daniel Vincente and Brandon Mancilla [Photo: UAW]

After SEs brought the unjust firings to the attention of their fellow workers and in local Detroit news media, Fain told a reporter the firings were due to corporate greed and that the UAW had not agreed to them. But the UAW bureaucrats signatures are in black and white on the letter of agreement entitled Supplemental Conversions in the contract itself.

In the meantime, the corporate media has reported that supplementals will not get profit sharing this year, although it had been promised in the highlights distributed by the UAW at the time of contract ratification.

Since the signing of the 2023 auto contracts, the Big Three automakers have reported bumper profits. Stellantis booked a record $20 billion in profits in 2023 and celebrated by announcing a large stock dividend and a $3.2 billion stock buyback to enrich shareholders.

The shop floor workers are organizing this fight

In response to the attack on supplementals, Stellantis workers have formed the Rank-and-File Committee to Fight Job Cuts and issued a call to action. In its statement the committee appealed not to Stellantis management or to Fain & Co. but to shop floor workers. It explained that workers were fighting not just management but the pro-company UAW apparatus as well.

Kokomo Transmission Plant workers on July 19, 2023

Collectively, we can defend our means of livelihood. Since we have been repeatedly deceived by the UAW bureaucrats, from the International down to the local level, we, the shop floor workers, are organizing this fight.

The Rank-and-File Committee to Fight Job Cuts (RFC-FJC) has endorsed a demonstration outside Solidarity House, which will be held on Saturday, March 2, at noon that is being organized by a group of supplemental and full-time autoworkers. The workers are demanding the reinstatement of all fired supplementals and the renegotiation of the sellout 2023 contract.

In a statement announcing the protest, one of the organizers wrote, The company, the union and the government are all working together against the people. The membership is the foundation on which this company produces their wealth. We work hard and receive next to nothing for our time and labor. Brothers and Sisters: There is a war on the working class, and this is happening all throughout the world. Fain said wed eat the rich and here they are stealing right off our plates!

Workers contacted by the World Socialist Web Site expressed anger over the collusion of the UAW with the mass firings of supplemental workers and opposition to the petition stunt being promoted by UAWD.

After seeing the UAWD petition, a recently terminated worker at the Indiana Transmission Plant said, This is not only to pacify workers, its to shut us up with hopes that Oh, theyll handle it.

A member of the Rank-and-File Committee to Fight Job Cuts told the WSWS, Remember we were the lowest tiered workers, and it was easier to write us off as opposed to fighting for us. But we wouldnt keep quiet about it. Now, they are circulating a petition to make it look like they are fighting for us.

We want our jobs back. But even if that were to happen, we would be walking back into the same hostile work environment as the full-time workers. The UAW bureaucrats are still corrupt, and nobody has job security. Weve been trying to bring this point to the surface: If there is no representation, there should be no work. Full-time and part-time workers have to join together to fight for our jobs.

As far as the company and the union apparatus is concerned, as long as theyre making profits and collecting our dues money, theyre happy. They tried to get rid us and expected us to keep moving along like little worker ants.

We are proud to see that a global fightback against job cuts is starting. The Italian Stellantis workers walked out. The Mexican Audi workers went on strike. Workers are starting to unite with each other. Its terrible that it takes such circumstances, but if we come together, we can conquer all this pain and suffering. It is incredible that despite these hard times, people are uniting.

A Kokomo Engine worker said of the UAWD, Theyre Fains little cheering section. Im looking at it like theyre getting so many complaints, being proven to be lies that theyre trying to shine new light on, See, the UAW is trying to help. They wouldnt have to do that if theyd fought for workers and not presented us with this god awful contract.

Seems like every other week we find out something else we lost that they didnt advertise or the company violates another part of it that the UAW keeps letting them do.

We got a person in the plant who makes a shirt now with the saying, They can do that because thats the unions answer to everything. They never put that stuff in the highlights.

A full-time worker at the Detroit Assembly Complex-Mack, where 2,455 workers were laid off or fired when the third shift was eliminated at the beginning of February, said that there is massive anger in the plant. We all realize the union is in bed with the supervisors and management. The UAW officials just tell you what you want to hear; sweet-tongued words, she said.

Speaking of the mass layoffs carried out by Stellantis, she said, That was dead wrong. You had people as TPTs (Temporary Part-Time or supplementals) for years. And when you had to roll them over, you let them go. You held peoples lives up. People still have mortgages, car notes, food and kids to feed.

People need their jobs, and they should be compensated for that. In the contract it said they were supposed to get profit sharing. And now they are saying they are not getting it.

I am never going to agree with doing someone wrong like that. They have given up everything to get nothing. Some may say, It doesnt affect me, so I dont care. Thats the wrong attitude because it can happen to them too.

Expressing agreement with the statement issued by the Rank-and-File Committee to Fight Jobs Cuts, she added, I am willing to fight. Change needs to happen. They have been getting away with dirty, underhanded things too long without it being challenged.

They need the workers who come in, even when they are sick, to make their money. They are making billions off the backs of full-timers and TPTs. The only reason you are making those billions is off our blood, sweat and tears.

We encourage all workers to study the statement, Unite all workers to stop the job cuts! and contact the Rank-and-File Committee to Fight Job Cuts (RFC-FJC) by calling or texting 248-919-8448. To get more information and to report conditions at your workplace, fill out the form below.
Donald Trumps announcement that he would no longer support European NATO states if he becomes president again, unless they rearm massively enough, is being used by the ruling class in Germany for an aggressive campaign in favour of its own nuclear weapons. Hardly a day goes by without a leading politician or a central media organisation calling for a German or European nuclear bomb.

Der Spiegel cover of the 17 February 2024 issue

The current issue of Germanys highest-circulation news magazine Der Spiegel shows a menacing-looking Trump on the cover. Trump is quoted saying, I wouldnt protect you! followed by the question, Does Germany need the bomb now? The magazines unequivocal answer is yes.

Among other things, the authors are outraged that the uproar was great when the Social Democrats lead candidate for the European elections, Katarina Barley, stated the obvious in the Berlin Tagesspiegel and called for consideration of a European nuclear weapon. The necessary discussion about building a European nuclear umbrella should no longer be dismissed as a glass bead game [arcane] by the chancellor and his advisers.

In fact, the government has long been working feverishly behind the scenes on alternatives to the US nuclear umbrella, in which Germany is involved through nuclear sharing. Even though Scholz prefers to avoid any public debate, Trump scenarios are being played out in confidential meetings in the chancellery, the foreign ministry and the defence ministry, Der Spiegel reports. Confidential talks are already taking place with the nuclear powers Britain and France. Also at the instigation of the Chancellery.

In his speech at the Munich Security Conference, Scholz also spoke indirectly about the transformation of the EU into a nuclear power. More than ever, we need to ensure that our deterrence fulfils modern requirements, he said. In its first National Security Strategy, which was adopted last summer, Germany had therefore decided, among other things, to promote the development and introduction of future capabilities such as stand-off precision weapons. Discussions were currently underway with France and the UK. Obviously, the aim was to equip these stand-off precision weapons with nuclear warheads.

The aggressive media campaign serves to advance these insane plans and prepare the population for a much more comprehensive rearmament campaign, including the nuclear bomb.

In an editorial, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung editor Berthold Kohler warned that Trumps return to the White House would also have consequences for Europe that we dont want to imagine but must. And he added provocatively, Imagining alone is not enough, of course. Germany must finally prepare itself resolutely for the fact that the backbone of its security against military attacks and political blackmail could break away.

Prepare itself resolutely means nuclear armaments. The Scholz government should no longer bury its head in the sand and hope that the Trump nightmare will be over when it pulls it out again. The Europeans must massively rearm conventionally without any further delay, but also have nuclear forces that can restore the balance of terror in Europe, which is being disrupted by America in a way that Moscow had never dared to hope.

The Green Partys in-house newspaper taz calls for nuclear weapons

Significantly, the former pacifists of the Green Party are among the most aggressive nuclear warmongers. Former Green foreign minister Joschka Fischer, who initiated the first German combat mission since the Second World War during his time in office, called for our own nuclear deterrent in Die Zeit back in December. Last week, the taz newspaper, which is close to the Greens, followed up with a commentary under the headline Yes to the nuclear bomb. In it, business editor Ulrike Herrmann cynically praises nuclear weapons as paradoxical weapons that are needed to prevent a nuclear war.

This turns reality on its head. In fact, with the constant escalation of the proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, which they themselves provoked, the leading NATO powersincluding Germanyare not only accepting an all-destructive nuclear third world war but are actively preparing for it. The most senior Luftwaffe officer (Air Force) General Ingo Gerhartz threatened Russia with the use of nuclear weapons back in June 2022. For a credible deterrent, we need both the means and the political will to implement nuclear deterrence, if necessary, he said.

The World Socialist Web Site commented at the time: The fact that a German general is openly threatening to use nuclear weapons against Russia must be taken as a serious warning. Seventy-seven years after the fall of the Third Reich, a fascist mentality is once again spreading in the ruling class. It is ready to commit the worst crimes once again in order to assert its imperialist interests.

A double interview recently conducted by the Suddeutsche Zeitung with the notorious political scientists Carlo Masala and Herfried Munkler gives a particularly drastic impression of this. In it, the two pro-war professors out-do each other with calls for nuclear armament and possible nuclear strikes against Russia. Nuclear weapons no longer prevent conventional war, they are a way of expanding it, said Munkler. Germany needed to find a different response to this than simply shying away from it.

Masala calls for a return to the principle of massive retaliation and to the old NATO maxim of responding to every attack with a major nuclear counter-attack. The basic issue was that we have to organise defence so quickly and hard that Russia cannot exploit its advantages, he said. What was needed were deep strike capabilities, i.e., the ability to immediately attack strategically relevant targets in Russia with medium-range missiles or conventionally equipped intercontinental missiles.

This is nothing less than a plea for a third nuclear world war. Russian military doctrine authorises the use of nuclear weapons to defend Russian and Russian-claimed territory. And leading Russian politicians have repeatedly threatened to respond with nuclear strikes in the event of a full-scale NATO attack. Neither Munkler nor Masala and the other warmongers in official politics and the media have ever explained what their scenario is and how many millions of lives they are prepared to sacrifice. The fact is that a nuclear war with Russia would not only completely destroy Europe, but potentially turn the entire planet into a nuclear desert.

Despite this danger, the government continues to escalate the conflict with Russia. A motion passed in the Bundestag (federal parliament) on Thursday by the government coalition parties calls for a further massive expansion of military support for Ukraine with the declared aim of extending the war deep into the Russian heartland. Although the Taurus cruise missiles long demanded by Ukraine are not explicitly mentioned, there is no doubt that these are also on the agenda.

According to the motion, the delivery of additional long-range weapons systems and ammunition is necessary to enable Ukraine to carry out targeted attacks on strategically relevant targets far to the rear of the Russian aggressor in accordance with international law and to further strengthen its land forces with the delivery of armoured combat systems and protected vehicles. In this context, an immediate replenishment should be initiated in the event of the Bundeswehrs disposal of armoured vehicles.

This madness, which goes hand in hand with massive attacks on the social and democratic rights of the working class at home, has deep objective causes. As in the 1930s, the ruling class is reacting to the collapse of capitalism by turning to militarism, fascism and world war. This is about Germanys old imperialist goals and desires: to become a world power and in the process to annex both Ukraine and Russia.

The tangible interests at stake are being articulated ever more clearly. One of the leading foreign policy experts, Roderich Kiesewetter, (Christian Democrat, CDU) pointed out a few weeks ago in broadcaster ARDs programme Report from Berlin that a military victory over Russia in Ukraine was also an extremely [sic] economic question.

If Ukraine disintegrates, the follow-up costs will be much greater than if we go in much stronger now, he declared. And if Europe wants to realise the energy transition, it needs its own lithium deposits. The largest lithium deposits in Europe are in the Donetsk-Luhansk region.

The working class must oppose this imperialist policy of plunder, which is already leading to a new genocide against the Palestinians in the Middle East and is increasingly jeopardising the survival of all humanity, with its own strategy of socialist world revolution. This is what the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party) is fighting for in the European elections together with its sister parties in the Fourth International. Our election statement reads:

The only legitimate conclusion that can be drawn from Nazi Germanys war of extermination and the Holocaust, the worst crimes in human history, is this: The working class must never again permit war and fascism and must eliminate once and for all the root of this horror, capitalism.
Every year the Community Security Trust (CST) releases a report declaring the latest huge rise in antisemitism in Britain.

Accompanying this years report covering 2023, the Daily Mails banner front-page headline screamed, British Jews suffer an explosion in hatred amid hundreds of violent assaults in worst ever year. This was echoed across the political spectrum from the Telegraph to the Guardian.

The CSTs Antisemitic Incidents Report 2023 was targeted at the movement against Israels genocide, at Muslims and left-wing opponents, as the main source of antisemitism. This reinforces the campaign by the Conservative government, backed by the Labour opposition, to criminalise opposition to the genocidal actions of the Israeli state by equating antizionism with antisemitism.

Screenshot of cover of CST 2023 "Antisemetic Incidents" report [Photo: Community Security Trust]

The report opens with a summary claiming, CST recorded 4,103 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2023, the highest total ever reported to CST in a single calendar year. This is an increase of 147% from the 1,662 anti-Jewish hate incidents recorded by CST in 2022, and is 81% higher than the previous annual record of 2,261 incidents, reported in 2021.

To reinforce its charge of antisemitic motive, the CST asserts, This record total is due to the sheer volume of antisemitism perpetrated across the UK following Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023

The week immediately following the Hamas attack on 7 October saw 416 antisemitic incidents reported to CST, higher than any subsequent week: again indicating that it was the Hamas terror attack, rather than Israels military response in Gaza, that sparked most of the antisemitism in this country.

It is a matter of record that Israel began relentlessly bombing Gaza from October 8, hours after the Hamas-led attack. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) killed over 400 Palestinians in the first strikes. By October 9, such was the ferocity of the collective punishment and war crimes carried out by the IDF that 123,538 Palestinians in Gaza had already been displaced, according to the UN humanitarian relief agency. These atrocities were widely reported and spread across social media, fuelling outrage and opposition.

Even the words Free Palestine, shouted on demonstrations for decades, are deemed antisemitic. The report claims, Historic, simplistic prejudices have been manipulated and deployed by such a vast array of social, religious, cultural and political forces over such a long period of time, that a complex and layered landscape of antisemitic language, imagery and references has emerged for example, a person who shouts Heil Hitler at a Jewish passer-by might align themselves with far-right extremist ideology, or they might simply know that this phrase will cause upset and offence to Jewish people. Similarly, someone who shouts Free Palestine at people walking to synagogue may be a staunch campaigner for Palestinian liberation, or perhaps they just consider it another weapon in their rhetorical arsenal to deploy against Jews.

The ninth national protest against genocide in Gaza sets off from Park Lane in London, February 17, 2024

The CST stresses, A total of 1,299 antisemitic incidents exhibited anti-Zionist motivation (compared to 149 in 2022) alongside antisemitic language or targeting while the terms Zionism or Zionist were used on 260 occasions, often as euphemisms for Judaism and Jew, or alongside other antisemitic language In at least 427 instances, the phrase Free Palestine was employed in speech or writing in an antisemitic way.

The Jewish Chronicle, which played a major role in the antisemitism campaign against former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters, notes key areas of society where a clampdown is needed to fight alleged antisemitism. Online platforms continued to be fertile ground for expressing antisemitism, with the CST fearing that X/Twitter in particular might be becoming a more appealing place for the congregation of antisemites.

It adds, The number of incidents involving schools (325) and campuses (182) were both triple the previous highs for each. A worrying proportion of the perpetrators were children, the CST reported.

On February 16, the day after the report was issued, the Daily Telegraph announced that a University anti-Semitism tsar would be appointed as Jewish students face death threats. The Government will create a post of Expert Adviser on anti-Semitism in Higher Education to tackle hatred on campus.

In a letter to the World Socialist Web Site in 2019 at the height of the antisemitism witch-hunt in Britain, Mark Gardner, Deputy Chief Executive & Communications Director at the CST, wrote, Your characterisation of Community Security Trust as Zionist is pathetic and typical of hard left attempts to smear mainstream Jewish communal organisations.

Socialist Equality Party National Secretary Chris Marsden responded, This is transparent nonsense, but you have been playing this ideological game for yearsdenouncing as anti-Semitic not only Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn but vast swathes of left-wing opposition to Israels brutal suppression of the Palestinians.

Jeremy Corbyn speaking at the March for Palestine rally

The CST is no more a representative of the Jewish community than are the political forces it representsthe Conservative government, the right-wing of the Labour Party and, one must add, the British and the Israeli state.

The CSTs web site states that it is a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism and related threats. It lists its activities as providing security advice and training for Jewish communal organisations, schools and synagogues. CST secures over 650 Jewish communal buildings and approximately 1,000 communal events every year.

Its annual review for 2022 boasts of an increase in staffing. CST has 2,000 dedicated volunteers and 100 staff members at offices in London, Manchester and Leeds.

The CST is a registered charity, but what other charity receives millions of pounds a year from the government to fund its activities? In 2015the year Corbyn took the Labour leadership, the government began donating millions of pounds to The Jewish Community Protective Security Grant. This is managed on behalf of the Home Office by the CST.

Speaking to the CST in March 2015, just prior to Corbyn becoming Labour leader, then Prime Minister David Cameron said he had already committed over 7 million of new money to fund guards for all Jewish private schools and colleges But thats not enough on its own.

CST, the Jewish Chronicle and the All-Party Parliamentary Group against anti-Semitism have all highlighted the risk to synagogues and other potentially vulnerable Jewish community buildings. On this basis there would be a further 3 million. Thats over 10 million of new money for security  this yearand every yearfor as long as necessary.

Cameron continued, And were doing something else too. I want CST to have a state of the art Mission Control centre, with closed-circuit television command and control and the ability to respond rapidly to those who need their help right across our Jewish communities. And today I can announce an additional 1.5 million in capital to help you build it.

By February 2019, in the space of just four years, Home Office largesse to the CST had reached 65.2 million. At the CSTs annual dinner, then Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced an increase in the annual grant for 2019 from 13.6 million to 14 million. For 2023/24 the grant rises again by 1 million to 15 million.

The CSTs 2022 annual review noted that in December of that year, CST had the privilege of hosting His Majesty King Charles III at our North London headquarters. Charles was shown the work of CSTs 24/7 National Security Control Centre.

Screenshot of pages from CST's 2022 annual review showing King Charles (bottom photo, second left) visiting CST headquarters [Photo: Community Service Trust]

The review notes, During times of heightened alert or special operations, police officers may be posted to CSTs National Security Control Centre. This ensures immediate intelligence sharing and a close partnership approach to joint operations.

For a privileged layer at the top of the CST, intimate involvement with the highest echelons of the state brings rich pickings. The Charity Commission website reveals that six employees take home 60-70k; five employees 70-80k; one employee 80-90k; two employees 90-100k; one employee 100-110k; and one 150-200k.

At the CSTs annual dinner in March 2023, the organisation boasted of 850 guests in attendance, including donors, Members of Parliament, police officers, communal partners and other supporters of CSTs work. This included Labour leader Sir Keir I support Zionism without qualification Starmera venal supporter of Israels genocidal destruction of Gaza.

After toasting, His Majesty King Charles III, Starmer told the attendees, I want to take this opportunity humbly to say thank you for giving me the time and space to address antisemitism in my party There is no complacency from me and we are ever vigilant. The fight against antisemitism is never over.

Labour Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper endorsed this years CST report, thanking the organisation for the remarkable and tireless work they do, alongside the police.
Spring Opportunity Session





The Spring Opportunity Session semester offers a path for students to complete a course or courses in just eight weeks. Below you will find instructions to apply and register for classes as well as links to course offerings and costs.

Students who currently attend a college or university other than WTC will need to check with their advisor to ensure the course(s) they choose will be accepted at their school.

To register, students who are new to WTC will need to fill out an Application for Admission and submit their transcripts.



Students who are already admitted to WTC will need to fill out a course registration form located in the MyWTC portal.

IMPORTANT DATES

New Admissions Deadline: Monday, February 29, 2024

Registration for Classes Deadline: Thursday,March 7, 2024

Classes Start: Monday, March 11, 2024

Classes End: Monday, May 8, 2024

You can review the courses offered online in MyWTC. See the costs for tuition and fees.

HOW TO APPLY AND REGISTER FOR CLASSES: NEW STUDENTS



Step 1. Complete an application for admissions using either Apply Texas, WTC online application, or download a WTC application (pdf).

Step 2. Request and submit your official college transcript from the school you currently attend or your high school transcript from your school.

(Fax or a photocopy will not be considered an official copy. To obtain your grade at the end of a semester, an official transcript(s) must have been received by the Admissions Office.)

Mail, fax, or email all required documents (listed above) to:

Western Texas College

ATTN: Admissions Office

6200 College Ave.

Snyder, TX 79549

Phone: 325-574-7933

Fax: 1-325-574-6524

admissions@wtc.edu

Step 3. Once admitted, you will receive an email with your user name and password information. Log into your MyWTC account. Under the Home tab, go to Academic Advising and fill out the Course Registration form. Please do not submit duplicate forms.

Once pre-reqs have been verified by our Online Advisor, you will receive a confirmation email of your enrollment in your class(es).

HOW TO APPLY AND REGISTER FOR CLASSES: CURRENT AND RETURNING STUDENTS

Current and returning students, who have not attended another college or institution since attending WTC, can register for classes through their MyWTC account.

Returning students, who have attended another college or institution since attending WTC, need to submit an official transcript from the college or institution last attended. (Once admitted, a confirmation will be sent to the email you provide with instructions to log into your MyWTC account and register.)

To assist students in making good choices, WTC provides an Online Advisor to help with topics such as course transfer, degree planning, and general questions about the students educational program.

If you need more information about any of the topics on this webpage or need to discuss your coursework, contact:

Michelle Hilliard, Online Advisor

325-574-7622

michelle.hilliard@wtc.edu
BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday voiced firm opposition to the United Kingdom's decision to include three Chinese firms in its latest round of sanctions against Russia.

These are "unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and no mandate from the United Nations Security Council," China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.

This is a typical example of long-arm jurisdiction, and it will have a negative impact on economic and trade relations between China and the U.K., according to the ministry.

It said China urges the U.K. to bear in mind the overall interests of bilateral economic and trade relations, immediately correct its erroneous practices, and unconditionally cease the inclusion of Chinese enterprises on its sanctions list.

China will safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises resolutely, the ministry noted. 
In his welcoming speech to the Conference, H.E. Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and MC13 Chair, stressed the historically important role the WTO has played to provide stability, transparency and predictability for international trade, contributing to raising living standards, improving employment opportunities and enabling the expansion of trade in goods and services around the world.

The opening ceremony was attended by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Director-General Okonjo-Iweala thanked the UAE for their efficient organization of the Ministerial Conference, the second to take place in the Gulf region after Doha in 2001.

Trade runs through this nation's blood. The UAE testifies to how trade can improve lives and livelihoods of people and transform a small or non-diversified economy into a formidable, resilient and prosperous one, she said.

Recalling the successful outcome of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) in June 2022 in Geneva, where ten consensus multilateral outcomes with tangible benefits for people and the planet were achieved, DG Okonjo-Iweala noted that members sent a powerful signal that the WTO can respond to contemporary challenges through strategic cooperation in pursuit of shared goals.

Success is changing the tone about the WTO, both outside and within it. We will always have our naysayers and detractors but there is no doubt that members have shown that we can deliver when members roll up their sleeves and muster the requisite political will. During the last several weeks, the atmosphere in our preparatory discussions in Geneva has been more constructive and conducive than it was in the run-up to MC12, she said.

Our challenge this week is to prove that we can still deliver and demonstrate that MC12 was not a one-off miracle on Lake Geneva. We need to convert improved atmospherics into concrete results. We need to show the world that not only does the WTO underpin over three-quarters of global goods commerce  it is also a forum where members deliver new benefits for people through trade, she added.

WTO members will be seeking to secure deliverables during their four-day meeting in areas such as fisheries subsidies, agriculture, WTO reform, development, e-commerce, services and investment facilitation. Also on the ministers' agenda will be how to make progress in their discussions on gender and the environment.

The opening session saw the adoption of the accessions of Comoros and Timor-Leste, both least-developed countries.

The President of Comoros, Azali Assoumani, and the President of Timor-Leste, Jose Manuel Ramos-Horta, signed the respective Protocols of Accession to the WTO, which were also signed by DG Okonjo-Iweala. Both governments will now submit their protocols for ratification by their legislative assemblies. In keeping with WTO rules, Comoros and Timor-Leste will become members of the WTO 30 days following the deposit of their respective instruments of acceptance of the Protocol.

Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said: The decisions we have just taken on the accession of Comoros  an island LDC in Africa  and the accession of Timor-Leste  an island LDC in Asia  testify to the world's confidence in the WTO and the multilateral trading system. I strongly believe that through their future membership in the WTO, Comoros and Timor-Leste will have stable and predictable frameworks for economic engagement with other nations which will boost trade, growth and prosperity.

The MC13 opening ceremony also saw a wave of acceptances of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. Eight members deposited their instruments of acceptance of the Agreement, putting the historic agreement for ocean sustainability on track for entry into force at record pace. Ministers of Brunei Darussalam, Chad, Malaysia, Norway, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Togo and Turkiye presented their instruments of acceptance to Director-General Okonjo-Iweala.

The MC13 Chair said: This is a testament to your governments' commitment to the sustainability of our oceans and to ensuring that multilaterally negotiated outcomes in the WTO are not only agreed  but implemented. As one of the early ratifiers, the United Arab Emirates welcomes the new ratifications as a reaffirmation of this collective commitment.His full remarks are here.

A new element for ministers at MC13 will be deliberative sessions on trade and sustainable development, and on trade and inclusion. These sessions are intended to provide space for engagement on issues at the centre of contemporary economic debate and the future of trade policy. We have put questions to ministers to facilitate constructive discussions. These sessions are an experiment  one that I hope will go well so that we can replicate that in the future, said DG Okonjo-Iweala.

Amidst a very challenging geopolitical and economic environment with higher prices for food, energy and other essentials, shipping disruptions in vital waterways and upcoming elections in some 60 countries this year, trade remains resilient, DG Okonjo-Iweala highlighted.

Despite everything we have been through, global goods and services trade remain at or near record highs. International markets anchored in the rules-based global trading system have stayed broadly open, helping businesses, households and economies adapt and adjust to one shock after another. But it would be dangerously naive to take trade's continued resilience for granted, she said.

She also stressed that multilateralism is under attack. Despite the MC12 fightback, the multilateral trading system, which I term a global public good since it was created 75 years ago, continues to be misconstrued in some quarters and undermined, she said.

However, trade remains critical to delivering on many national and global priorities: boosting growth, expanding economic opportunities, meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, and solving collective action problems like protecting our environment or preparing for the next pandemic, she said.

Without cooperation on trade, we would move towards an increasingly fragmented world economy, and all of these priorities would become harder, costlier, and in some cases impossible to achieve. People would become more disappointed, more vulnerable, more frustrated. In light of these realities, we need the WTO to stand strong as it approaches its 30th anniversary, she added. Her full remarks are here.

Pre-recorded and written statements delivered by trade ministers and heads of delegation have been posted on the WTO website following the opening session. Following the practice initiated at MC12, WTO members and observers were asked to submit these statements ahead of the gathering in Abu Dhabi rather than deliver them in person in plenary sessions.
JERUSALEM, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Israel's army presented the War Cabinet with an operational attack plan and an evacuation plan for civilians in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, a release from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said early Monday.

The announcement came despite international calls for Israel not to launch a ground operation in Rafah, where over a million people are seeking shelter from Israeli bombardments elsewhere.

The office noted that the cabinet approved a plan for food trucks to enter northern Gaza directly, aiming to prevent the trucks from being looted by civilians.

Currently, humanitarian aid trucks enter Gaza via two crossings located in the southern enclave and encounter difficulties reaching the north due to hungry civilians storming the trucks. At least one in four households in the Gaza Strip, or more than half a million people, are facing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity, the highest level of warning. 
People carry Kuwait's national flags during the celebration in Capital Governorate, Kuwait, Feb. 25, 2024. Kuwaitis celebrate their national and liberation days on Feb. 25 and 26 every year. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua)

Kids take photos with a soldier in an army parade during the celebration in Capital Governorate, Kuwait, Feb. 25, 2024. Kuwaitis celebrate their national and liberation days on Feb. 25 and 26 every year. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua)

An army parade is seen during the celebration in Capital Governorate, Kuwait, Feb. 25, 2024. Kuwaitis celebrate their national and liberation days on Feb. 25 and 26 every year. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua)

Fireworks are seen during the celebration in Ahmadi Governorate, Kuwait, Feb. 25, 2024. Kuwaitis celebrate their national and liberation days on Feb. 25 and 26 every year. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua)
1.First, in 2021, during a Variety's Actors on Actors interview, Elizabeth Olsen casually dropped that she was married to her longtime fiance, Robbie Arnett. Then, in 2022, she and Robbie revealed they had eloped and "had a wedding at another time," and it actually happened before the COVID-19 pandemic. Lizzie added, "I just never talked about it."

Lizzie also said they got lucky because during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she had to go to England to film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and with visas and everything else happening, it was easier to bring Robbie with her because they were married. If they weren't married, he wouldn't have been able to come. Emma Mcintyre / Getty Images

2.While attending the funeral for her mother, Lisa Marie Presley, Riley Keough revealed she had a daughter. While reading a eulogy that Riley wrote, her husband, Ben Smith-Petersen said, "I hope I can love my daughter the way you loved me." Later, Riley said she and Ben welcomed their daughter via surrogate in 2022.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Riley talked about her daughter, sharing her name was Tupelo Storm Smith-Petersen. Tupelo is in honor of where Elvis Presley was born in Mississippi, with Storm honoring Riley's late-brother Benjamin Storm. Axelle / FilmMagic

3.Sandra Bullock revealed she adopted her son, Louis, three months after the adoption was finalized in 2010. At the same time, Sandra also revealed she and ex-husband Jesse James actually began the adoption process four years prior. After she and Jesse separated, Sandra finalized the adoption as a single parent, all around the same time she won her Oscar for The Blind Side.

In 2015, Sandra also revealed that she had fostered and then adopted her daughter, Laila. Choosing to keep this adoption a secret as well, Sandra said it all came down to wanting to protect her daughter's privacy. She explained, "Most foster children are in foster care because they were taken from their birth homes under tragic circumstances  and the last thing I wanted was to bring more harm to her because of the nature of my job." Kevin Winter / Getty Images

4.In 1991, Janet Jackson married Rene Elizondo Jr., however they kept their marriage a secret from the public until Rene sued Janet for divorce in 2000. According to Rolling Stone, Rene cited "irreconcilable differences" in the filing. Rene had worked with Janet for 15 years at the time, with him co-writing several of her songs, like "Velvet Rope," and directing a few of her videos.

At the time of the divorce announcement, Janet reportedly said she kept their relationship private because she sought "to have a normal family life," especially since her "personal life [had] been lived in the public eye" since she was a child. Ron Galella, Ltd. / Ron Galella Collection / Getty Images

5.Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin are notoriously private about their lives, so it's no surprise they kept the birth of their two children a secret as long as possible. Their first son, Dakota, who is named after Macaulay's late sister, in 2021. Meanwhile, Kieran Culkin revealed Brenda and Macaulay had welcomed a second child in 2023.

In December 2023, Brenda and their two children supported Macaulay as he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In his acceptance speech, Macaulay emotionally thanked Brenda, saying, "You're not only the best woman I've ever known, you're the best person I've ever known. You've given me all my purpose. You've given me family." Amy Sussman / Getty Images

6.In 2020, Niecy Nash-Betts announced on Instagram that she and Jessica Betts had gotten married. This was also the first time they publicly revealed their relationship. She captioned the post, "Mrs. Carol Denise Betts #LoveWins." Later on, Niecy revealed that even people she and Jessica knew IRL didn't find out until they posted the wedding photo.

In 2021, Niecy and Jessica talked about their relationship, with Niecy saying, "I have always just loved who I've loved when I loved them, and it just so happened I loved boys...until I didn't." Jessica said they met through social media, with Jessica joking that Niecy "left [her] on read for a few months." Emma Mcintyre / Getty Images

7.In June 2019, The 100 stars Eliza Taylor and Bob Morley suddenly announced that they were married, after keeping their relationship a secret. Eliza simply tweeted a wedding photo with the caption, "Recently I married my best friend and soul mate," and tagged Bob.

8.Johnny Galecki, who has taken a step back from acting since The Big Bang Theory ended in 2019, recently revealed that he got married and they welcomed a child named Oona Evelena.

9. In 2024, Bridgit Mendler announced that she is the mother to a "sweet" 4-year-old boy, who she started fostering in 2021 and adopted "near Christmas of 2022." She added, "I'm so lucky  being a parent is the biggest gift and most defining experience there is."

The other news I wanted to share is Im a mama to a sweet 4yo boy. Started fostering in 2021 adopted near Christmas of 2022. Im so lucky  being a parent is the biggest gift and most defining experience there isthats my news for now folks  pic.twitter.com/o8gU4gtHso  Bridgit Mendler (@bridgitmendler) February 20, 2024

Bridgit Mendler / X / Via x.com

Bridgit tweeted the news the same day it was announced that she is the CEO of a startup called Northwood Space. To her announcement about her son, she concluded the tweet with, "That's my news for now folks."

10.Bryan Greenberg announced the birth of his and Jamie Chung's twin sons in an Instagram post in October 2021. After publicly sharing her decision to freeze her eggs in 2019, Jamie said she and Bryan decided to keep their surrogacy journey a secret because she felt there is still "a little bit of shame" and stigma surrounding surrogacy, and they wanted to announce things when they were "ready to."

11.After dating Jeff Baena for 10 years, Aubrey Plaza casually revealed they were husband and wife in an Instagram post in 2021 while announcing their latest project together, Spin Me Round.

Later that same year, Aubrey said they got married pretty spur of the moment with the help of a marriage website. She added that it was their 10-year anniversary, it was during the COVID-19 lockdown, and she joked about "doing something special" to celebrate, like getting married. So, she searched online for someone to marry them that day on their actual anniversary. Chad Hurst / Getty Images

12.Troian Bellisario announced the birth of her and Patrick J. Adams's second daughter, Elliot, in June 2021 after keeping her pregnancy hidden. Later, while on the podcast Katie's Crib, Troian detailed how Elliot was actually born in a hospital parking lot after her labor suddenly progressed very quickly.

13.After dating for seven years, Melanie Lynskey revealed in 2022 that she and Jason Ritter actually got married in 2020 before Melanie had to fly to Canada to film Yellowjackets Season 1. They got married on their front porch, with only two friends in attendance: Ali Ahn and William Jackson Harper.

14.Despite consistent rumors that she was pregnant, Halle Bailey kept her pregnancy a secret and eventually announced the birth of her first child in Jan. 2024 on Instagram. Some people criticized her for "lying" about being pregnant, and Halle eventually tweeted, "I never lied or even said anything about it."

She continued, writing, "Making a joke about my nose was the farthest I went," which was a reference to when she addressed the "pregnancy nose" speculation in Nov. 2023. Halle also said she tried to stay off social media to "just keep [herself] sane and OK." Steve Granitz / FilmMagic / Getty Images

15.In 2017, after reports surfaced that Margot Robbie had married Tom Ackerley in a private ceremony in Australia, Margot was reportedly congratulated at an event, where she replied, "It's been three years," meaning they might've gotten married way before it became public knowledge.

Later on, Margot also revealed that they postponed their honeymoon to work on I, Tonya, which Margot and Tom produced together and Margot starred in. Speaking about their relationship while on the Barbie press tour, Margot said, "I am so lucky. He likes being behind the camera. Hes not fazed by any of this stuff. Hes just the best." Samir Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images

16.Issa Rae has been known for keeping her private life as private as possible. Then, in 2021, she suddenly posted photos from her gorgeous wedding in France. Issa and her husband, Louis Diame, have been linked since 2012, but she rarely discussed their relationship in interviews.

In a 2021 interview, Issa discussed her choice to drop her wedding pics on Instagram, saying, "I still try to be private about my personal life, but that was something that I knew was going to be shared, and I just wanted to share it on my own terms." Robyn Beck / AFP / Getty Images

17.On Mother's Day in 2021, Samira Wiley casually announced she and her wife, Lauren Morelli, recently welcomed their daughter, George, after keeping the pregnancy private. In the post, Samira wrote, "Happy 1st Mothers Day to my beautiful wife, who four weeks ago today after laboring for almost 3 days gave birth to our first child."

18.Sarah Snook casually revealed in a 2021 interview with Vogue Australia that she had married her best friend, Dave Lawson, earlier that year. She explained that they "fell in love" after they were locked down together at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sarah said, "We've just never been single at the same time. I proposed and we got married in February in my backyard."

They got married in a small ceremony in their backyard in Brooklyn, with her Succession costar Aussie Ash Zukerman as a witness. Sarah also kept her pregnancy under wraps until she showed off her baby bump at the Succession Season 4 premiere. And then, she also casually dropped the news of the birth of her child while posting about the Succession series finale. Jamie Mccarthy / Getty Images

19.And finally, Mindy Kaling kept her pregnancy with her second child a secret during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to quarantine, she was able to hide it pretty easily and finally announced the birth of her child when she felt ready.
The jury selection and trial date have been set in Alec Baldwin's New Mexico shooting case, in which he faces one charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021.

The trial is scheduled to take place over eight days, between July 10-19, district court judge Mary L. Marlowe Sommer wrote in her scheduling order, filed Monday. Jury selection will begin July 9.

Last month, Baldwin was again indicted nine months after special prosecutors dismissed an earlier involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor while noting that an investigation into the case remained "active and on-going."

He pleaded not guilty to the charge Jan. 31 and remains free on his own recognizance. The actor faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted.

Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin attend the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Awards at the New York Hilton Midtown on Dec. 6, 2023, in New York

Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins during a rehearsal for the Western film in October 2021 when the gun went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin, also a producer on the film, had claimed he'd pulled back the hammer  but not the trigger  and the gun fired.

A gun analysis led by Lucien Haag of Forensic Science Services in Arizona stated that although Baldwin repeatedly denied pulling the trigger, "given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver."

'Rust' movie shooting trials begin: What happens next for Alec Baldwin and his armorer?

Rust' armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's trial is underway in New Mexico

The trial of "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering in Hutchins' death, began last week.

Opening statements in Gutierrez-Reed's trial began Thursday in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with prosecutors hoping to secure a conviction finally.

Some participants in the "Rust" tragedy have struck plea bargains, and a past charge against Baldwin was suddenly dropped. Baldwin was re-charged by prosecutors in January; his trial is expected to take place this summer.

Gutierrez-Reed has pleaded not guilty to the charges and maintains she's not directly to blame for Hutchins' death. Prosecutors will argue Gutierrez-Reed was to blame for live ammunition ending up in a prop gun that discharged during rehearsal on Oct. 21, 2021, killing Hutchins. Defense attorneys will argue that Baldwin oversaw a sloppy set that led to the accidental death.

The latest: 'Rust' trial for armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is underway

Contributing: Edward Segarra, USA TODAY; Morgan Lee, The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' shooting case: Trial scheduled to begin in July
Viewers of Bar Rescue Season 9 are wondering how many episodes are in the series and when each new episode comes out. In the reality TV series Jon Taffer utilizes his expertise to overhaul struggling bars across the United States, employing a no-nonsense approach to guide owners in overcoming challenges and rejuvenating their establishments. Taffers transformative strategies and hands-on interventions aim to elevate these businesses into thriving ventures, showcasing the resilience and potential of each bar owner.

Heres how many episodes are in Bar Rescue Season 9 and on what day new episodes come out.

How many episodes are in Bar Rescue Season 9?

Bar Rescue Season 9 has announced only 10 episode until now. However, more episodes are expected to follow.

With Season 8 boasting 37 episodes, Season 9 is poised to maintain a similar episode count. Jon Taffer embarks on a nationwide journey from Arizona to Florida, directly addressing bar crises. From tackling unhygienic kitchens to addressing leadership gaps, he tirelessly revitalizes struggling establishments, each episode unveiling unique challenges and spotlighting Taffers unmatched expertise in bar rejuvenation for ultimate success.

In Season 9, host Jon Taffer introduces bar and restaurant experts like actor Danny Trejo, renowned for his own restaurant ventures, alongside Ashish Alfred, Dustin Drai, and Phil Wills, who contribute their expertise to rejuvenate struggling establishments.

When do new Bar Rescue Season 9 episodes come out?

New episodes of Bar Rescue Season 9 are usually released every Sunday on Paramount Plus.

The official synopsis for the series reads:

Jon Taffer is the Gordon Ramsay of the bar and nightclub business. In each episode, Taffer helps transform a struggling bar into a vibrant, profitable business, utilizing his expertise as a nightlife consultant

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The post Bar Rescue Season 9: How Many Episodes & When Do New Episodes Come Out? appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder and assault. Reader discretion is advised.

Hailing from the Rochester area in New York, Brittanee Drexel disappeared on April 25, 2009, while on a trip to Myrtle Beach during spring break. CNN stated that the teenager was on her way to meet friends at another hotel when she went missing. Authorities only found Drexels remains in Georgetown County in May 2022 after a sex offender confessed to murdering her.

The killer, Raymond Moody, had been suspect in Drexels disappearance from the initial stages of the investigation. However, investigators linked him to the case more than a decade later using improved cell tracking technology, reported WBTW. He eventually confessed to kidnapping, raping, and murdering the 17-year-old. The confessed murderer then led authorities to the location where he buried the victims body.

CNN and other sources confirmed that Moody pleaded guilty to all the charges against him. He received a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole on the murder charge. His additional terms were two consecutive 30-year prison sentences for the charges of criminal sexual assault and kidnapping.

Brittanee Drexels murder case was chronicled in Dateline NBCs episode titled The Last Walk on Sunday, February 25, 2024.

How was Brittanee Drexels killer, Raymond Moody, caught?

West Coast, a classic 2-hour #Dateline mystery is starting now on NBC. pic.twitter.com/Vvhzc5hreY  Dateline NBC (@DatelineNBC) February 26, 2024

According to WBTW, authorities investigated Raymond Moody in connection with Brittanee Drexels disappearance during the initial stages. They considered him a person of interest since he was stopped by police for a traffic violation in a beach town near Myrtle Beach one day after the teen disappeared, per Democrat & Chronicle.

However, investigators cleared him after failing to find concrete evidence from the search at his place inside the nearby Sunset Lodge. However, in 2022, they used advances in technology to pinpoint the time Drexel disappeared while walking along the street near Myrtle Beach. Then, using surveillance footage, they once again began investigating Moody. This time, they also focused on his then-girlfriend, Angel Vause.

Investigators then built a case against Raymond Moodys then-girlfriend, Angel Vause. This led them to the real culprit and details from the night Brittanee Drexel went missing. They persuaded Vause to wear a wire during a conversation with Moody. This would eventually lead the latter to admit his role in the crime.

WBTB stated that authorities, using phone records, the exact moment when Drexel got in Moodys car at about 9 p.m. The New York Post said that according to Myrtle Beach Online, Moody claimed Drexel voluntarily got into his car with him and his then-girlfriend Vause to smoke marijuana. The three drove to a campground in Georgetown, where he planned to have sex with the teen after Vause left.

Per the outlet, Raymond Moody, a registered sex offender, went into a rage and forced Brittanee Drexel to take off her clothes. He then raped the 17-year-old and strangled her to death. After committing the murder, he took the body to a separate location and buried it in the woods. After confessing to the crime, Moody led investigators to both locations in May 2022. Finally, on May 11, authorities found Drexels remains, reported WBTW.

According to the outlet, Moody pleaded guilty to murder, kidnapping, and first-degree criminal sexual conduct. A judge then sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole on the murder charge. Moody also received 30 years each on the remaining charges, which he will serve consecutively.

Following the proceedings, Raymond Moody called himself a monster for taking Brittanee Drexels life. He further said, And I dont have the words to express how horrible I feel and how Ive felt ever since that day, and Im very sorry.

Moody remains in prison, serving his lengthy sentence.

The post Was Brittanee Drexel Ever Found? appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Three cliffside homes in Southern California are in jeopardy after heavy rainfall led to a huge landslide.

Footage shows three multimillion-dollar homes sitting on the edge of a cliff in Dana Point, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Though all three homes are considered safe to live in, one of the homes, a $15.9 million, four-bedroom property, appears to be extremely close to the cliff's edge.

Twitter: @MarioNawfal

According to the New York Post, that home is owned by a local radiologist, 82-year-old Lewis Bruggeman, who told KCAL, The house is fine, its not threatened and it will not be red-tagged. He added, The city agrees that theres no major structural issue with the house.

Dana Point City Manager Mike Killebrew corroborated Bruggemans statement, telling CBS News that a geotechnical engineer and building inspector from the city went to Bruggemans home to evaluate the situation. After speaking with the homeowner, they deemed that there was no imminent threat to that home.

In footage from the home, its clear that part of the cliff slid off and fell into the ocean. The two homes that sit next to Bruggemans $15.9 million property are worth around $14.1 million and $12.9 million, per The Post.

More on this
I had a partner. He threw himself off the George Washington Bridge. - Llewyn Davis

Absence defines Joel and Ethan Coens Inside Llewyn Davis. Following the suicide of Mike, the likable half of his folk duo, Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) ekes out a living couch surfing from one dingy Greenwich Village apartment to another, mourning his partners passing in public isolation on dim coffeehouse stages. Throughout the film, Llewyns alienation bumps against other, more successful partnerships that implicitly and explicitly remind him of what hes lost and refuses to regain. Whether with a trio managed by a folk kingmaker or a dinnertime duet with a doting benefactor, replacing his partner Mike is anathema to Llewyn. As he sings, Life aint worth living without the one you love.

Following the release of their 18th film, The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, the Coen brothers did something new: Made movies independently. In 2021, Joel released his austere and expressionistic The Tragedy Of Macbeth. Two years (and one Jerry Lee Lewis documentary) later, Ethan offered Drive-Away Dolls, a raunchy road comedy about Gen X lesbians trying to get laid. One drama, one comedyeven in separation, the brothers follow patterns established over their 40-year career.



When partners go solo, it has an illuminating effect on their work. This happens a lot in music, where the respective members of KISS can release four solo albums to reveal Ace Frehley as the bravest knight in Satans service. With the Coens, determining which idea comes from whom has long been a game for viewers, theorizing which joke came from Ethan and which from Joel. Would that it were so simple. They kind of both do it all, Hail, Caesar!s Alden Ehrenreich said in 2016. You have the sense after a take that they both have the same opinion of it, and they both know what each other is thinking, as people say, theyre like a two-headed brain.

Superficially, Drive-Away Dolls and The Tragedy Of Macbeth couldnt be more disparate. Macbeth recalls The Man Who Wasnt Theres monochrome palate and conjures the funereal tone of Scruggs The Mortal Remains and the conspiratorial existentialism of A Serious Man. By contrast, Drive-Away Dolls is a rollicking sex odyssey, marrying the structure of O Brother, Where Art Thou? with the contagious stupidity of Burn After Reading. Dolls is among the broadest comedies Ethan Coen has ever directed, especially compared to his brothers dour Scotland, and Macbeth is among the most visually experimental of Joels career.

The difference between a Coen brothers film and a film by a Coen brother is like the competing versions of Fare Thee Well that play at the beginning and end of Llewyn Davis. Elements of the Coens previous work are present, but others are missing. Macbeth exhibits the existential bloodletting and cursed ambition of Fargo and Blood Simple; Dolls the freewheeling, Looney Tunes energy of Raising Arizona. This freedom from each other allows them to satisfy themselves while ignoring the others ingredients.



Joel is getting a lot out of his system with Macbeth, stripping away the formal excess of the last four decades. If I was working with Ethan, I wouldnt have done Macbeth, Joel said in 2018. It would not be interesting to him. Shot in black-and-white by Llewyn Davis cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, Macbeths spare, brutalist sets and brain-scrambling contortions from Kathryn Hunter are the inverse of Dolls canted angles and animated edits. Crucially, Macbeth retains something from all 18 Coen brothers movies that Dolls lacks: The crushing sense that God either hates or has abandoned us. Joel externalizes this feeling of cosmic cruelty in every frame of Macbeth, withholding the comedy that chased the brothers existential shots of whiskey.

As much as Macbeth resembles a Coen drama, Drive-Away Dolls reflects their comedies and, despite the happy ending, is the more classically Coen-feeling film. Co-written and edited by Ethans wife Tricia Cooke, Drive-Away Dolls is a Russ Meyer-styled road comedy, combining the ACME-branded violence of Raising Arizonawith star Margret Qualley channeling Holly Hunters drawlwith the farce of Burn After Reading. Motifs from across their filmography appear throughout, including close-ups of statues and the infirm, evoking everything from Fargo to Inside Llewyn Davis to The Big Lebowski.



But no one could be blamed for assuming either was directed by both brothers. If anything, the two solo movies prove, as in Hail, Caesar!, that movies arent solely made by directors, and the Coens have other collaborators who have also had a major impact on their work. For each project, both Ethan and Joel collaborated with their spouses, Tricia Cooke (co-writer, editor, and producer) and Francis MacDormand (star and producer). This would hardly be the first time theyve worked with them. Among her many roles in the Coen filmography, McDormand won an Oscar for Fargo. Cooke, meanwhile, was one of the editors, along with Joel and Ethan, sharing the credit Roderick Jaynes on every Coen brothers movie from Millers Crossing through The Man Who Wasnt There. Moreover, they both enlisted composer Carter Burwell, whos worked on all but two of their films and has as much to do with the permeating Coenness as anything.

Working with others might have encouraged the brothers to broaden their horizons, with each Coen working outside the bounds of white hetero narratives. Macbeth marks the first time either director worked with a Black lead, Denzel Washington, with the closest exception being The Ladykillers Irma P. Hall. Likewise, Drive-Away Dolls puts Geraldine Viswanathan as its co-lead and is the first film by either Coen to focus on explicitly queer characters.

Llewyn Davis turns down every opportunity to find a new partner and break his Sisyphean existence. By finding new creative partnerships, whether a wife or the immortal bard, the Coens have sharpened their respective tools by being forced into new artistic positions. Ill go on the record and say that I dragged Ethan down into the lowbrow, Cooke told Empire about Drive-Away Dolls. It was definitely me saying, How low can we go? Thankfully, the Coens arent as stubborn or as unlucky as Llewyn Davis and reportedly plan to share a brain on a horror film akin to Blood Simple. Theyre not Llewyn or Mike. The Coen brothers and their collaborators are that third version of Fare Thee Well, played by a nascent Bob Dylan, from Inside Llewyn Davis conclusion, a culture-defining whole that really ties the room together.
Social media users are slamming former President Donald Trump, with many claiming he "needs a psychiatric evaluation."

The comments have been large enough in volume that #TrumpIsNotWell is trending on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, with various video clips from recent interviews the former President has conducted.

#TrumpIsNotWell Trends On X

MEGA

One social media user shared a video of Trump's interview with FOX News, where the former President argued with Bret Baier about the 2020 Presidential Election results.

"Every single delusion of this sick man has been investigated and debunked. He is a danger to himself and all of us. He needs a psychiatric evaluation and, subsequent to that, medication or institutionalization. #TrumpIsNotWell #DementiaDon."

Every single delusion of this sick man has been investigated and debunked. He is a danger to himself and all of us. He needs a psychiatric evaluation and, subsequent to that, medication or institutionalization.#TrumpIsNotWell #DementiaDon pic.twitter.com/lNaNfykiWd  Piyush Mittal  (@piyushmittal) February 25, 2024

Another simply said "He needs to seek professional help. #TrumpIsNotWell."

One user shared a different interview with Donald Trump, again with FOX News, but this time he mistakenly referred to Alaska as "Amaska."

"Where the h-ll is Amaska?" the user wrote alongside the clip.

Where the hell is Amaska? I'd like to take part in whatever recreational hallucinogen he's taking.#TrumpIsNotWell. pic.twitter.com/xwPmgCF4xb  Jorge Bedolla (@JorgeBedollaRev) February 21, 2024

Many users had fun with this post, as one user replied, "Can't cheat in Amaska, all those Eskromas can't hide votes under their Hula skirts."

Another wrote, "Somewhere between Alaska & America!"

Donald Trump Slammed For Recent Interviews

MEGA

The two video clips went viral as many users are claiming their concerns for the former President, especially with the big election coming up.

One user said, "vote for the guy with 81 years of experience behind him than the one with 91 felony charges in front of him." They were referring to current President Joe Biden, who is expected to run against Trump in the upcoming Presidential election.

I'd rather vote for the guy with 81 years of experience behind him than the one with 91 felony charges in front of him. #DementiaDon #TrumpIsNotWell #sundayvibes pic.twitter.com/JIR3lmyZt1  USMC Viking Warrior (@Savage_Author) February 25, 2024

A second interview clip made its rounds on X as the President had trouble pronouncing "evangelical."

"How hard can it be to say 'evangelical'," they wrote alongside the video of the President seemingly stumbling over his words.

How hard can it be to say 'evangelical'.#TrumpIsNotWell. pic.twitter.com/fC8o32Zzau  Jorge Bedolla (@JorgeBedollaRev) February 23, 2024

But the videos did not stop there as one user shared a clip of the former President speaking at the podium, pointing out "A confused Trump is, once again, taking credit for veterans legislation passed by Obama."

A confused Trump is, once again, taking credit for veterans legislation passed by Obama. #TrumpIsNotWell https://t.co/eAsVuUJzN1 pic.twitter.com/Lsz47FdoRH  American Bridge 21st Century (@American_Bridge) February 18, 2024

Bottom line, this is shaping up to be a very nasty Presidental race.
Paul Roma recently stated that male wrestlers were propositioned during his time in the WWF, and now Nick Kiniski has shared his own story.

Kiniski wrestled for the WWF from 1986 to 1987. In a new interview on Pollock and Thurston, he claimed that he was propositioned by WWF official Terry Garvin. (H/t John Pollock of POST Wrestling)

He would come up to me and hit on me  I wont say what he said, but youll understand the meaning behind it, Kiniski said. He says Hey Nick, let me perform oral sex on you, you can read a Playboy and youll have it made for life. And, you know, he is my boss, he controls my boss. This is my livelihood, what I want to do, I kind of joked with him, I said Hey Terry, you know, Im not that way. But if I ever change, youll be the first. Ill let you be the first.

We just kinda laughed it off. But he was always kind of coming up and joking, and one time he came to my hotel room late at night and I told him to leave. Knocked at the door. So, it put me in a very awkward position, you know?

Kiniski Elaborates On Garvins Advances, Informing Vince McMahon

Kiniski went on to note that Terry Garvin hit on him, and it was clearly implied that Nicks failure to go along with what he wanted would impact his ability to advance in the company.

Theres no doubt about it. Hey, if you let me do this, youll have it made for life financially,' he said. I mean, theres no other way to take that.

Kiniski stated that he contacted Vince McMahon about the situation, and he claimed that McMahon said he would deal with it.

I remember where it was, it was in Milwaukie, Oregon, we wrestled in Portland, Kiniski said. I called Vince, and I said Hey, Vince, I dont think this is right. Terrys hitting on me. I dont appreciate that and I would like it to stop. And Vince said Oh, ok. Ill deal with it. And that was it.

Per Kiniski, McMahon did not do anything; nothing changed, as Garvin continued his behavior. Kiniski also claimed that he felt like he was being punished for saying something. He recalled how he was given the night off after he was initially scheduled to wrestle. Kiniski stated that he then talked to McMahon again.

I talked to Vince, I said This isnt right, Vince. I complain, and now you guys are punishing me. Ill finish my bookings, but Im not putting any guys over. Put me in the ring well see what happens,' he said. Vince knows I could take care of myself, so he said No. I said, Im done. I said,Ill finish my matches, Nope, youre done now. Thank you very much.'

Kiniski then wrapped up with the company shortly thereafter.

More Details On Allegations Against Garvin And Others

Per Pollock, in 1992, Vince McMahon denied having any knowledge of inappropriate conduct. Additionally, former ring announcer Mel Phillips was fired in 1988, and McMahon later said he was terminated for an unnatural interest in young boys, though he was later brought back under the condition that he stay away from kids.

Kiniski was not the only one who made allegations against Garvin. Pollock writes that Barry Orton alleged that Garvin harassed him in 1978. His comments can be seen in a 2006 interview with SLAM Wrestling. Plus, Tom Cole, a former ring boy, also claimed that Garvin harassed him. Cole was later fired after he turned down Garvins advances.

During his time with WWF, Garvin served as vice president of operations. He resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct in 1992, and he never returned to the company. He passed away in 1998.

Vince McMahon is currently under federal investigation regarding allegations of sexual assault and sex trafficking.

The post Former Wrestler Nick Kiniski Says He Was Propositioned By WWF Official appeared first on Wrestlezone.
BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Improvements to China's carbon emission trading system are accelerating the country's green transition, supporting the move to a low-carbon economy.

China released a provisional regulation on the administration of carbon emission trading in January, which will take effect on May 1, said Zhao Yingmin, vice minister of ecology and environment, at a press conference on Monday.

"It's China's first regulation in the field of dealing with climate change, which is a significant milestone," said Zhao.

Carbon trading enables the demand side to achieve emission reduction targets, while the supply side reaps economic benefits from participating in carbon trading.

The national market has become the largest in the world, covering 2,257 key emitters with annual carbon dioxide emission of 5.1 billion tonnes. As of the end of last year, its trading volume stood at 440 million tonnes, with a turnover of 24.9 billion yuan (about 3.5 billion U.S. dollars).

Although operating smoothly, China's carbon market is still in its infancy, and its coverage of relevant industries and vibrancy of market transactions still need further improvement, said Zhao.

The regulation details the rules on mechanisms, standardizes transactions, ensures data quality, and provides a strong legal guarantee for the healthy development of China's carbon market, he said.

Zhang Yaobo, an official with the Ministry of Justice, said the regulation features the whole-process management, appropriate resilience and a problem-orientated approach.

Legislation is an important foundation for the operation of the carbon market, as well as an important basis for enterprises to trade and for relevant government departments to fulfill their work, said Zhang Chen, an official with the Guangzhou Emissions Exchange.

Compared with mature international carbon markets, the top-level design and supporting fiscal and evaluation policies of China's carbon trading mechanism still needs to be improved, and the carbon market only includes thermal power plants, which is limited, he said.

China's carbon emissions are mainly concentrated in the industries of power generation, steel, building materials, nonferrous metals, petrochemicals, chemical engineering, paper-making and aviation, which accounts for 75 percent of the total, said Zhao, noting that giving full play to the decisive role of the market in the allocation of carbon emission resources can minimize the cost of carbon reduction.

The ministry of ecology and environment began to solicit public opinion in July, 2023, on a set of draft rules regulating the trading of voluntary reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, encouraging a wider range of industries, including renewable energy and forestry carbon sinks, that cannot enjoy economic returns for emission reduction via market mechanisms to contribute to the country's dual carbon goals.

Industry insiders believe that policies related to carbon finance need to be fine-tuned, and the development and innovation of relevant products need to be improved.

The regulation encourages the extension of financial services to low-carbon transformation, and enterprises should grasp the opportunities to develop relevant financial products to effectively activate carbon assets, according to a research report from Chuancai Securities. 
For the fourth consecutive year, weve got a firecracker of a Best Actress Oscar race. Lily Gladstone took home the Screen Actors Guild Award on Saturday for Killers of the Flower Moon over Emma Stone, who had been on a roll since the two won their respective Golden Globes, having pocketed the Critics Choice and BAFTA Awards for Poor Things. Now they each have an industry prize and Best Actress feels like a coin-flip. Gladstone has closed the gap on Stone in the Oscar odds since Saturday. Dont be surprised if she overtakes the top spot soon. But when the SAG Awards and BAFTAs dont align in Best Actress, which one has the edge at the Oscars?

Since BAFTA became an Oscar precursor 23 years ago, the Brits and the actors guilds have disagreed 13 times in the category prior to the Battle of the Stones. But not all splits are created equally. In some cases, a film is not eligible (usually in the United Kingdom), so a split had to occur. Sometimes a film was eligible, but the actress was snubbed, like this year with Gladstone, who made the BAFTA longlist in Best Actress but was not nominated, meaning she was (clearly) not a jury selection or in the top three in the branch vote that would guarantee a nomination. And theres also category confusion  nominated in supporting one place and in lead in another. Here are the previous 13 mismatches (years are film release).

More from GoldDerby

2001

SAG: Halle Berry, Monsters Ball (ineligible at BAFTA; nominated the following year)

BAFTA: Judi Dench, Iris

Oscar: Berry

2002

SAG: Renee Zellweger, Chicago

BAFTA: Nicole Kidman, The Hours

Oscar: Kidman

2003

SAG: Charlize Theron, Monster (ineligible at BAFTA; nominated the following year)

BAFTA: Scarlett Johansson, Lost in Translation (not nominated at SAG)

Oscar: Theron

2004

SAG: Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby (not nominated at BAFTA due to late screeners)

BAFTA: Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake

Oscar: Swank

2007

SAG: Julie Christie, Away from Her

BAFTA: Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose

Oscar: Cotillard

2008

SAG: Meryl Streep, Doubt

BAFTA: Kate Winslet, The Reader (also nominated in lead at BAFTA for Revolutionary Road; won in supporting for The Reader at SAG, Golden Globes and Critics Choice)

Oscar: Winslet

2009

SAG: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side (ineligible at BAFTA)

BAFTA: Carey Mulligan, An Education

Oscar: Bullock

2011

SAG: Viola Davis, The Help

BAFTA: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady

Oscar: Streep

2012

SAG: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

BAFTA: Emmanuelle Riva, Amour (not nominated at SAG)

Oscar: Lawrence

2018

SAG: Glenn Close, The Wife

BAFTA: Olivia Colman, The Favourite

Oscar: Colman

2020

SAG: Viola Davis, Ma Raineys Black Bottom (not nominated at BAFTA but made longlist; jury era)

BAFTA: Frances McDormand, Nomadland

Oscar: McDormand

2021

SAG: Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye (not nominated at BAFTA but made longlist; jury era)

BAFTA: Joanna Scanlan, After Love (ineligible in U.S.; none of the six BAFTA nominees were Oscar-nominated)

Oscar: Chastain

2022

SAG: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once

BAFTA: Cate Blanchett, TAR

Oscar: Yeoh

SEE Full list of SAG Awards winners

If you look at this holistically, SAG has the edge 7-6 as the Oscar fortune teller. But there are four instances in which one of the two winners was ineligible at the other awards show, and in all four cases, the SAG Award champ prevailed at the Oscars (Berry, Theron, Bullock and Chastain). But thats not surprising since the SAG Awards are a domestic group and most films prioritize U.S. releases for Oscar eligibility.

If you remove these years (can you really hold it against someone if theyre not eligible?), there are nine cases left. The BAFTA champ claimed the Oscar in six cases, while the SAG Awards only saw three conversions. In two of the three SAG years, one winner was snubbed at the other show: Swank was MIA at BAFTA and Riva was MIA at SAG. Million Dollar Baby was a very late entry into the race and went on to win the Best Picture Oscar. Would the film and Swank have won at BAFTA had it been screened in time? Well never know.

To narrow it down even further, you can look at years in which the SAG and BAFTA winners were nominated by both groups in Best Actress. That gets us to five, eliminating a BAFTA jury year (Davis-McDormand) and the wacky Winslet year, but BAFTA nominating Winslet in lead for The Reader instead of supporting  where she had been campaigned all season to avoid conflict with Revolutionary Road  foreshadowed what was to come at the Oscars. In four of these five instances, the BAFTA winner triumphed at the Oscars. Yeoh is the only SAG Award champ to defeat the BAFTA recipient when both winners were nominated in Best Actress at both shows, and she headlined an Oscar juggernaut that snagged an unprecedented six above-the-line wins. The four BAFTA-turned-Oscar winners (Kidman, Cotillard, Streep and Colman) won for playing real people in transformative and/or flashy roles over portrayals of fictional characters.

Of course, this scenario doesnt apply to this year since Gladstone was paid dust by BAFTA. The BAFTAs employment of juries for the acting categories  currently, the top three vote-getters in the branch voting are automatically nominated and a jury selects the three other nominees from the longlist  have added a wrinkle to the proceedings. This year is most similar to the Davis-McDormand split three years ago. Back then, the acting categories at BAFTA were fully juried, and McDormand and Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman) were the only BAFTA nominees to get Oscar bids. The Best Actress race that year was also far more chaotic as each precursor produced different winners: Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) won Critics Choice, while Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holliday) and Rosamund Pike (I Care a Lot) nabbed the drama and comedy/musical Globes, respectively. In the end, McDormand, the lead of the eventual Best Picture winner, secured her third Best Actress Oscar.

Would Davis and Gladstone have been nominated at BAFTA under normal circumstances? Most likely? Since they were/are top Oscar contenders? Again, well never know. But even before Gladstones BAFTA snub, the general sentiment was that Stone would have an edge at BAFTA with Poor Things being a British production that also plays well to European tastes. And it did, scoring five BAFTAs total, while Killers of the Flower Moon went 0-9 (it had bids in two juried categories, supporting actor and casting). Lets say Gladstone did get in at BAFTA and lost to Stone as many expected pre-nominations. Then the race would be like the Close-Colman battle, down to the Yorgos Lanthimos film that thrived at BAFTA (The Favourite won seven awards).

After BAFTA went 0-8 above the line with the Oscars last year while SAG matched all four acting categories, there might be an impulse to side with the latter now, but this history says BAFTA has a slight upper hand when both Best Actress contenders are eligible, though not necessarily nominated, at both shows. But that also doesnt mean you should lock in Stone now. Gladstone winning SAG with an internalized performance and less screen time, compared to Stone, is very impressive. The reality is that every race every year is different, even if there might be some surface-level similarities between races. Films are different, performances are different, the competition is different, the mood is different, the narrative(s) are different, the momentum is different. Maybe they could tie? Matching Oscars would go well with their Infinity Stones rings.

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J.K. Rowling criticized Sky News on X (formerly Twitter) after the British television news channel posted a story about a 26-year-old being jailed for murder and referred to her as a woman and not a transgender woman.

Scarlet Blake was found guilty last week of murdering a man four months after she live-streamed a video in which she killed a cat. The judge said Blake was somewhat inspired by the Netflix documentary Dont F*** With Cats. Blake was charged in the death of Jorge Martin Carreno, whom she hit and pushed into the River Cherwell in Oxford in July 2021. Blake is a transgender woman. The BBC reports that Blake will serve a life sentence in a mens prison.

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Im so sick of this shit, Rowling posted to her 14 million X followers in response to Sky News not identifying Blake as a transgender woman in its tweet (the outlet did note Blake was transgender in the full story on its website). This is not a woman. These are #NotOurCrimes.

Per the BBC: The court previously heard how she arrived in the UK from China aged nine, coming out to her parents as transgender at 12. She said it made my father really unhappy and my mother as well and caused a large emotional rift. Jurors were told how Blake, formerly known as Alice Wang, had an extreme interest in death and harm that went beyond mere fantasy.'

Rowling then re-shared a post from The Guardian writer Louise Tickle, who called out her own publication for also not identifying Blake as a transgender woman in its coverage of the verdict. The Harry Potter author said she agreed with every word of this, referring to Tickles issues with The Guardians coverage, which according to Tickle only referred to Blake as a woman and did not mention shes transgender.

The author then posted another follow-up statement on the matter: 1. Crime statistics are rendered useless if violent and sexual attacks committed by men are recorded as female crimes. 2. Activists are already clamouring for this sadistic killer to be incarcerated in a womens prison. 3. Ideologically-driven misinformation is not journalism.

Rowling has courted controversy in recent years for making comments that are widely perceived by the public as anti-trans. She claimed last year that people have deeply misunderstood her position on transgender women and stressed shes not preoccupied with how the controversy will affect her legacy.

I do not walk around my house, thinking about my legacy, she said on the The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling podcast. You know, what a pompous way to live your life walking around thinking, What will my legacy be? Whatever, Ill be dead. I care about now. I care about the living.

Controversy first erupted around Rowling in June 2020, when she tweeted among other things, If sex isnt real, theres no same-sex attraction. If sex isnt real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. Rowling also has suggested that trans women retain male patterns of criminality, which makes them likelier than cisgender women to physically or sexually assault someone in a womens locker room or shelter.

Rowlings comments about the transgender community have been criticized by actors from movies based on her books, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Eddie Redmayne, while Ralph Fiennes is among those who have defended the author.

I'm so sick of this shit. This is not a woman. These are #NotOurCrimes https://t.co/ycjWefLCiw  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) February 26, 2024

Every single word of this  https://t.co/rI1o0zrcfX  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) February 26, 2024

1. Crime statistics are rendered useless if violent and sexual attacks committed by men are recorded as female crimes.

2. Activists are already clamouring for this sadistic killer to be incarcerated in a women's prison.

3. Ideologically-driven misinformation is not journalism. pic.twitter.com/9hnBBAY6eH  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) February 26, 2024

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Two male contestants on Love Is Blind Season 6 have responded to accusations that they pulled the wool over their fellow contestants eyes.

Social media users have claimed that Jimmy Presnell and Jeramey Lutinski had secret relationships right before or during the production of the current season of the reality dating show, which takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina. Both Presnell and Lutinski get engaged on the show, which has contestants propose to one another sight unseen and then decide weeks later whether to get married.

HuffPost has reached out to Netflix, which airs the show, for comment, and for clarification as to when the shows sixth season was filmed.

Jimmy Presnell on Love Is Blind Season 6.

Jimmy Presnell on Love Is Blind Season 6.

On Feb. 16, days after the new season premiered, a TikToker posted a now-viral video saying: Imagine my fucking surprise when I turn on the new season of Love Is Blind this morning and see my fucking boyfriend.

The TikToker heavily implied that the contestant she was referring to was Presnell by mentioning he was talking to this woman who has a child. Presnell had a strong connection with fellow castmate Jessica Vestal, the first Love Is Blind contestant to go on the show as a parent.

Presnell denied the allegations in a TikTok video published last week.

I dont know this woman. Ive never met this woman. Not true, Presnell said. I gotta give it to her. Its an incredible marketing ploy. She is getting so many clicks and making so much money off my name. Its insane.

Jeramey Lutinski on Love is Blind Season 6.

Jeramey Lutinski on Love is Blind Season 6.

Lutinski, on the other hand, has confirmed some of the allegations made against him. His former fiancee, Brittani Mcliverty, claimed on social media that Lutinski applied to be on the show while he was still engaged.

According to screenshots captured byBuzzFeed News, Mcliverty left a comment on Season 6 contestant Laura Dadismans Instagram account. Dadisman gets engaged to Lutinski in the current season.

Did he ever tell you about his ex fiance [sic] from right before you? Mcliverty wrote. Surely not or the house WE sold a week or two before he filmed for the show?

In response to Mclivertys allegations, Lutinski posted a video to his Instagram account in which he said he was candid with the women he was dating on Love Is Blind about his former engagement, and his remarks about it never made it into the final edit of the show. He, however, denied Mclivertys allegation that he applied for the show while he was still engaged. He claims he was single when a casting producer approached him via Instagram message.

Lutinski also posted a screenshot of the DM he received, which is dated Nov. 30, 2022.

He confirmed in the caption of his video that his home he shared with Mcliverty sold a week or two before filming but was listed in October or November, sold in March.

He noted that he wasnt living in it while it was listed. On the show, Lutinski brings Dadisman to see his rental house, which looked more like an Airbnb rental than a lived-in home.

Trevor Sova on Love Is Blind Season 6.

Trevor Sova on Love Is Blind Season 6.

Meanwhile, a third contestant hasnt responded to online rumors swirling around him. Trevor Sova  who has become a fan favorite this season thanks to his beefcake physique, golden retriever boyfriend energy and love for movies like The Notebook  never got engaged on the show. But a social media account claims that he never planned on making it anywhere near the altar.

A reality TV gossip account on Instagram published screenshots of text messages Sova allegedly sent bodybuilder Natalia Marrero before production took his phone away for filming, as well as screenshots of texts he purportedly wrote after he got his phone back. The account claims Sova and Marrero were in a serious relationship.

The screenshots have not been confirmed to be legitimate. Marrero, who also appears in several photos with Sova, is tagged in the post with the screenshots, but it is unclear if she provided them.

In the screenshots, a contact listed as Trevor says he and another cast member met on a flight, and that the two both told each other that No matter what we are not getting married lol. In another screenshot, the contact says he almost got engaged to a woman named Chelsea but she left me on the last day for another guy. He also said their whole relationship on the show was pretend on his end.

On the show, Sova shared a strong connection with contestant Chelsea Blackwell, and told Blackwell that he had a dog who was also named Chelsea. At one point, Sova gifted Chelsea his dogs collar. In the text exchange screenshot, Trevor tells whomever hes texting that he gifted Blackwell his dogs collar as well.

In the text exchange, the contact writes: Chelsea also passed away today.

Blackwell ended up getting engaged to Presnell, and Sova recently shared on his TikTok account that his dog Chelsea passed away on the same day that Blackwell broke up with him on the show.

Sova, who is very active on TikTok, has not responded to the allegations. But he has used his appearance on Love Is Blind to make quite a bit of content about his time on the show.
The Man With the Crooked Arm, a Western drama series created by Perivi Katjavivi that was presented at the Berlinale Co-Production Market, is the latest attempt by the Namibian filmmaker to wrestle with the legacy of German colonialism in his southern African nation.

The eight-episode limited series follows a notorious Black cowboy who sets off on horseback across colonial-era Africa with stolen loot and an orphaned boy. When a robbery goes awry, he has to decide whether hell protect the young orphan  whose father he just killed  or pursue his nemesis, a corrupt German missionary.

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The series is based on the real-life Jonker Afrikaner, a notorious figure, a bit of a badass  essentially, a cowboy and bandit who, along with his father, came into Namibia in the 1800s and caused chaos and transformed the place with the Bible and guns, says Katjavivi, whose sophomore feature, Under the Hanging Tree, plays this week at the Joburg Film Festival.

The show pits Afrikaner against a missionary who is trying to impose his vision of what Namibia should be in the image of a German-esque kind of civilization, says the director, adding that the series  inspired by shows like Deadwood and Boardwalk Empire  will reimagine [the Western genre] in the Namibian context.

Katjavivi began developing Crooked Arm as a spin-off to Hanging Tree, a noirish drama about a hard-edged female detective whose investigation into a mysterious murder finds her delving into the countrys colonial past. The two projects both wrestle with real-life historical events and stories, particularly related to the colonial period in Namibia, says Katjavivi, adding that he wants to reimagine [those events] in fresh and fun ways and have them grounded in some sort of relatable, recognizable genre.

The Man With the Crooked Arm was one of 10 projects selected for the Berlinale Series Markets Co-Pro Series pitching event, a TV industry showcase that in the past has launched titles including the hit Norwegian series State of Happiness and the landmark German period drama Babylon Berlin. Working in episodic drama for the first time, Katjavivi reported strong interest from several potential German co-producers. Its been refreshing. Colonialism is really hot right now, he says, laughing.

Indeed, the Golden Bear at this years Berlin Film Festival was awarded to French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop for Dahomey, a documentary about Frances attempt to correct colonial-era injustices with the return of looted artifacts to the West African nation of Benin. Unfolding against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war, the politically charged festival also showed the host country reckoning with its own past, amid scrutiny over its relationship with Israel and antisemitism and its crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests.

Nevertheless, Katjavivi sees progress in how Germany is finally reckoning with its colonial-era crimes in Africa. Five years ago, nobody was interested, and nobody was talking about this, and nobody would give you the time of day when you pitched projects like this, he says. And now, it feels very different  the interest and openness to Namibia, for mostly good reasons.

The Man With the Crooked Arm is set at the turn of the 19th century, before Europes colonial project had fully taken shape. Presaging the dark period that was to come, Katjavivi says the shows central conflict between Afrikaner and the German missionary is representative of the broader fight for the soul of the continent that would reshape Africas geography, economy, politics and culture throughout the colonial era and beyond.

In Under the Hanging Tree, which premiered last year at the Rotterdam Film Festival, Katjavivi explores how that trauma continues to haunt Namibia in ways both seen and unseen. The story centers on a hard-boiled cop who has little connection to her language, her culture, or the bloody history that shaped her young nation.

Shes very much like myself, and like many Namibians who are city kids and grew up with their consciousness defined by an urban space, and a modern environment, the director says. Beneath the surface, theres the remnants of [the past]. Its always there, but one is a bit ignorant of it.

Perivi Katjavivis films explore the legacy of German colonialism in his native Namibia.

Hanging Tree is not the only film playing in Joburg to grapple with the brutal legacy of German colonialism in what is now known as Namibia. Also screening is Measures of Men, German director Lars Kraumes period drama about the genocide committed by the German army against the Herero, or Ovaherero, and Nama tribes in what was then known as German South West Africa.

At last years Berlin Film Festival, where Measures of Men had its world premiere, the Afro-German film collective Schwarze Filmschaffende denounced Krauses film, saying it claims to make an important contribution to the re-examining of German colonial history and its crimes, but deliberately does so [by] relegating the actual genocide of the Ovaherero and Nama to the background.

While not commenting on Measures merits, Katjavivi praised the vision of the Joburg programming team for screening the film alongside his own, which centers a Namibian voice in its approach to examining and revisiting the colonial past. (Ironically, Namibian actor Girley Jazama stars in both.) Its a good time [for this conversation], he says. I appreciate how things have changed.

The Joburg Film Festival runs Feb. 27  March 3.

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This article contains a description of violence against a Black trans woman.

A South Carolina man was found guilty of murder in connection with the 2019 killing of a Black transgender woman, marking the first time in U.S. history that a federal jury has convicted a defendant for a gender-based hate crime.

Daqua Lameek Ritter was found guilty of all charges, including obstruction of justice, using a firearm in the commission of a hate crime, and murder as a hate crime, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.

According to the DOJ, evidence presented at trial showed that Ritter lured the woman, referred to in court documents as Dime Doe, to a remote area in Allendale, South Carolina after growing upset that knowledge about his sexual relationship with her was spreading in his community, and then shot her three times. Prosecutors said he killed Doe to prevent more information about his involvement with a trans woman from getting out. After he shot Doe, Ritter burned the clothes he was wearing, got rid of the murder weapon, and reportedly lied to law enforcement repeatedly. According to police interview footage, he denied seeing Doe on the day she died, contradicting video evidence of the two in a car together. The 26-year-old faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, although a hearing for his sentencing hasnt yet been scheduled.

Ritters case was the first trial related to violence against a trans person that was held under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The federal statute, passed in 2009, permits federal criminal prosecution of hate crimes motivated by the victims perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity. While a Mississippi man was previously sentenced to 49 years for the murder of a trans woman in 2017, this case marked the first time that a gender-based hate crime went on trial at the federal level, as South Carolina is one of only two U.S. states that has not passed its own hate crimes law.

The jurys verdict sends a clear message: Black trans lives matter, bias-motivated violence will not be tolerated, and perpetrators of hate crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, Assistant General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division said in the departments press release.

The First Federal Gender-Based Hate Crime Trial Is Underway Over Killing of Trans Woman

A South Carolina man could face life imprisonment for allegedly killing a Black trans woman in 2019.

Speaking to the online magazine Zora shortly after Does death, friends described her as the most loving, happy, joyful, outgoing person you could ever meet.

She was never a sad person, Dimes friend, Tionna Dunbar, told the outlet. You could barely catch her mad. She always kept it energetic.

Advocacy group Transgender Europes 2023 Trans Murder Monitoring report found that worldwide 321 trans and gender-diverse people were reported murdered between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023, with trans people affected by racism making up 80% of all murders and trans women or trans feminine people making up 94% of all murders.

Get the best of whats queer. Sign up for Thems weekly newsletter here.

Originally Appeared on them.
Berlin has disgraced itself as both a festival and a host city. The trouble started months before the festival began, as it was announced last summer that Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian  who helped steer the worlds largest festival through the pandemic, and worked to maintain a measure of glitz and glamor while also displaying a curatorial precision thats unheard of for an event of this size  would not be invited to return for the 2025 edition as part of a cost-cutting measure instituted by the German government.

That news anticipated a festival that would repeatedly fail to reconcile the realities of art and politics  or to even acknowledge its responsibility to try  at a time when pretending as if those two forces can be siloed away from each other feels delusional on its face (bonus irony: The Berlinale was first proposed by an American officer who felt an international film festival in Germany would be a useful foothold during the Cold War).

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All parties of Berlins state legislature are invited to be publicly financed in Germany, and yet it wasnt until more than 200 film professionals signed an open letter protesting the decision to welcome members of the far-right Alternative for Germany party that the festival reversed course against a fascistic presence, stating that People  including elected representatives  who act contrary to our fundamental values are not welcome at the Berlinale. The decision was met with a mixed response, as the victory against normalizing such hatred was tempered by those who felt that denying our current reality wouldnt do anything to change it.

The wisdom of that message was on full display by the time the festival came to an end. After repeated calls for a ceasefire in Gaza were made during the closing ceremony (including an impassioned speech by Israeli director Yuval Abraham, whose award-winning No Other Land offers a raw and enraging glimpse at the Apartheid conditions that anticipated the current genocide against the people of Palestine), someone hacked the Instagram account of the Berlinales Panorama section and used it to post messages accusing Germany of being complicit in the current war.

The Berlinale deleted the posts and released a statement saying that it was going to file criminal charges against unknown persons, but that wasnt enough for the Governing Mayor of Berlin, who tweeted that the hackers posts were anti-Semitic, placed full responsibility for the mass slaughter in Gaza on the shoulders of Hamas, and wrote that he expects the new management of the Berlinale to ensure that such incidents do not happen again. Good luck with that.

Today, the festivals Executive Director Mariette Rissenbeek  who was hired with Chatrian, and will be leaving along with him  made things even worse by issuing a bizarre statement that suggested the Berlinale would have been OK with the political speeches at the closing ceremony if more (or any?) of the winners had espoused Zionist points of view: It would have been appropriate in terms of content if the award winners and guests at the Award Ceremony had also made more differentiated statements on this issue, she said. The festivals eagerness not to pick sides makes it perfectly clear that it has done just that.

Sadly overshadowed by the furor: That Dahomey director Mati Diop, the first Black filmmaker to ever win the Golden Bear, walked away with the festivals highest honor, and for a documentary about the relationship between a country and its culture.

In the spirit of Dahomey, which MUBI acquired before its big win, the best thing that can be said about this years Berlinale is that some of the most notable premieres helped illustrate the moral disconnect between the festival and the films it exists to birth into the world. To that end, perhaps the only way to redeem this years edition is to make good on that function and do whatever we can to ensure that the festivals most urgent films are seen by a global audience.

IndieWire had a limited footprint at Berlin this year and only covered a small handful of the 200-plus features that premiered there, so our memo to distributors only scratches the surface of a lineup that was likely replete with buried treasure, but we still found a number of films that deserve American distribution. In the case of No Other Land, they demand it as soon as possible.

David Opie, Rachel Pronger, and Josh Slater-Williams also contributed.

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Christine Vachon doesnt mess around. She is a film professor, best-selling film book author, wife, mother of a film marketing professional, and most of all, producer of independent films. Theyre often directed by her close friend and fellow Brown alumnus Todd Haynes. She launched her career at Sundance 1991 with her first feature film, Haynes Poison, which won the Grand Jury Prize.

Since 1995, she and her producing partner Pam Kofflers company Killer Films has steadily produced hundreds of movies and television series. Many have won prizes and nominations over the years for the likes of Hilary Swank (Boys Dont Cry), Julianne Moore (Still Alice) and Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara (Carol), but this years Best Picture Oscar nomination for Celine Songs Past Lives is Killers first.

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New York-based Vachon was packing her bags for the Berlin International Film Festival when we spoke on Zoom, a week after Song won the DGA for Best First Time Director, and before Vachon and her team celebrated the Past Lives Spirit wins for Best Feature and Director and Samy Burch and Alex Mechaniks Best First Screenplay win for May December.

Heres what it takes to be the consummate indie producer.

Travel to film festivals

She shepherded A24s Sundance hit A Different Man, starring Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, and Adam Pearson, for its international premiere in Competition at Berlin, mirroring last years Sundance/Berlin double-header, Past Lives. Vachon travels so much that shes been sharing on social media for years her reviews of the VIP lounges at various airports. (Like most discerning travelers, she prefers Delta.)

Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, and Adam Pearson Getty Images

Promote Oscar contenders

This year she has two, Past Lives, which is nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, along with May December. Im doing a lot of the Academy stuff, why not? said Vachon, who participated in the Producers Panels at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the Producers Guild of America, the AFI Film Awards and Oscar Nominees Luncheon, along with countless Q&As. Were going back and forth for that.

Vachon has been to the Oscars a few times, for Carol and Far from Heaven, among others. Her first go-round was Haynes Velvet Goldmine, which landed a Best Costume design nomination for Sandy Powell, her first. We went into the bar at the Oscars, she said, and I used my AT&T card in the phone booth so that she could call her mother and tell her. Those are the old times.

Stretch a budget when you have a tight shooting schedule

Vachon doesnt have the luxury of time afforded big-budget studio movies like Barbie and Oppenheimer. Killers of the Flower Moon spent a million and a half dollars on gasoline, she said. May December shot in 23 days. Past Lives, 25. Theyre both modest, modest budgets, really hard to pull out. You dont have any wiggle room, you dont throw money at problems, you have to come up with creative solutions.

Celine Song at the 73rd Berlinale International Film Festival WireImage

Ride the waves of a vacillating and constricting film industry

Greenlights are still slowed down post-strikes, although Killer Films sped up production during the pandemic. We were prolific in the pandemic, she said. Now theres a bit of paralysis of whats next? The strikes are behind us. How is the business changed? People can say for certain that theres a general shrinking or tightening. And so many of the actors that helped fuel the financing for our projects, they had to postpone a lot of their production. So a lot of things are just still waiting to land. Like, A-list actor attached to indie project, who didnt do their Marvel movie, who didnt do their other indie movie. So theyre trying to juggle all of that, and were trying to see where we fit in, slowly unsticking. I feel pretty confident about at least three of the films that we have going forward. But its definitely taking a little longer than we all thought.

Juggle multiple projects

Nonetheless Killer Films is pushing forward on several fronts, including a new Burch script that is being set up. Sometimes they function as executive producers on films like their Halston director Dan Minahans On Swift Horses, Brady Corbets The Brutalist (Focus), and Omni Loop, which has SXSW stamped all over it. We weighed in on casting and post-production and we didnt get our hands dirty, she said.

Embrace the foreign sales financing model

A24 also brought to the European Film market (EFM) in Berlin Celine Songs completed script The Materialists, which reunites the Past Lives producing team, including David Hinojosas 2AM. Its another triangle with a woman interested in one man but still enmeshed with an earlier love. A-list casting possibilities include Pedro Pascal, Dakota Johnson, and Chris Evans.

Todd Solondzs Love Child, a marital thriller and Hollywood movie homage starring May December discovery Charles Melton and Marvel star Elizabeth Olsen, was also selling at the EFM. Killer produced Solondzs Happiness and Wiener Dog.

Killer is also bringing to Berlin Haynes untitled Joaquin Phoenix project, which Vachon expects to shoot this summer. The sales have been healthy so far, she said, as international distributors offer pre-sale guarantees on movies still to be made. The banks advance cash to make the film based on those guarantees, and the territories get to finally distribute the finished films. The downside of this system is it is based on each country placing value on the elements of a movie, especially the stars. The foreign distributors are often woefully out of date, using old numbers and comps.

May December Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

One of the things thats difficult about putting together a movie, said Vachon, is how do you assign value to a project? You have to take all the various elements, the director, the script, and the attachments, and the only real thing that you can assign value to is a director with a track record. Right? But if they choose to do something artful or thats deemed uncommercial then all you have are the actors. And getting those lists that we all get, and that we keep quiet, that ones worth X in Taiwan. Its bananas. You toss around these names like they are items of clothing. Thats A list. Thats a B. Thats C, thats not even worth it. But its a way to get a movie made and still maintain a modicum of true independence over the material.

Past Lives Courtesy Everett Collection

Recognize the value of a great script

Past Lives had no marketable elements. But Song wrote a script the town was buzzing about. Sometimes the marketability is just a brilliant script, said Vachon. During the pandemic, Koffler made some calls asking agents to send over their best scripts. CAA sent Songs script.

Pam read it. And she said to me at the time, Its not available, but I just read this extraordinary script, and you should read it,' she said. And she knows how much I dont like to read scripts. So many are terrible. They dont have that thing that transports you, that essentially makes you forget youre reading a script. You just want to see what happens, and its not announcing itself to you on every page. So when she tells me to read something, I do. Past Lives had a cohesive voice within the first page. You were hooked. And off you went and you trusted her voice, you trusted her vision. I felt like I was in the hands of a master storyteller.

Support rookie directors

Luckily, A24 reached out to Killer offering a meeting with Song, who was looking for a producer. We sat down with her, said Vachon. That meeting was about: Does she understand the story shes going to tell? Because we knew she was a first-timer. And that doesnt scare us. Its easy to teach somebody what a grip stand is, how to read a call sheet, all of those things. You cant teach someone how to tell a story, I dont think.

The other crucial thing was to work with a new director who wants to learn. Celine knew what she didnt know, said Vachon. So there wasnt any bluster, or, Let me just kind of fake my way through this. She was honest: Can you explain this to me? As a director, she had command of her set, but not in a dictatorial way. But in a way of true mutual respect.

Pay attention to whats going on around you

Vachon never sits back complacently. She stays aware. So much of it is knowing how to listen to the market, she said. And not sit there and wait for the market to change its mind because its not going to. And weve had plenty of directors, or inexperienced producers say to us, But I dont understand if we have so and so attached, how come were not getting more? I dont get it. Thats just the way it is, because the market speaks clearly. And it tells you, This is what youre going to get. You can either move on and decide that you cant make it for that amount of money, or you figure out how to do it.

Stay strong and nimble

While Vachon loves producing movies, production shoots are not her favorite part of the process. Production is that grind: up at 5 a.m., she said. Get to a set when its freezing or its boiling, its almost never in between. Drink bad coffee and deal with the issues of the day. Its very physical. But once you get into the groove, its great to be where the magic happens.

But she has serious skills, including running a set. I realized in the pandemic how few companies actually know how to make the thing, she said. A lot of people call themselves producers, but theyre not even quite sure what that means. Figure out the financing, see the path to makability for these movies. What are the elements necessary for them to go forward? Know how to elevate the material and help a director make the absolute best version of what they want to do. Were a dying breed.

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Panka Peruvian Chicken changed its name to Panka Coffee & More and added sandwiches to the mix, including arepas.

A year ago, Mariela Maya opened her second Peruvian restaurant in Des Moines, this time expanding from the lomo saltado, chicharron, ceviche, and arroz norteno of Panka Peruvian on Ingersoll Avenue to one of the South American nations favorite dishes  rotisserie chicken.

Panka Peruvian Chicken also offers street food such as salchipapas Panka with beef franks or pio pio salad with a boiled egg and feta cheese.

The restaurant near the Drake University campus comes outfitted with Peruvian chicha posters, neon posters from the 1970s announcing upcoming chicha music shows.

Chicha posters line the wall at Panka Peruvian Chicken in the Drake neighborhood.

Last November, Maya opted to add breakfast dishes such as pancakes, bagels, pastries, and omelets to the mix, along with Latin American sandwiches such as a Cuban, arepas from Venezuela, empanadas from Colombia and tortas from Mexico.

Now shes decided to close the restaurant she renamed Panka Coffee & More.

Panka Peruvian Chicken changed its name to Panka Coffee & More and added sandwiches to the mix, including tortas.

The restaurant may not have been busy enough in its location next to Peggys, the dive bar on Forest Avenue, but Maya plans to move customer favorite dishes over to Panka Peruvian.

Starting March 10th expect to see arepas, pupusas, chicken croissants at @pankaperuvianrestaurant, she wrote on Instagram.

Maya, who grew up in a family of restaurateurs in Lima, Peru, plans to add a brunch menu as well by March 10.

Panka Peruvian is a member of the essential restaurants in Des Moines.

Where to find Panka Peruvian

Location: 2708 Ingersoll Ave., Suite 200, Des Moines

Contact: 515-244-1430 or pankaperuvianrestaurant.com

Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Panka Coffee & More closes near Drake University, moves brunch to Ingersoll
At the 35th annual PGA Awards on Sunday, the Producers Guild of America announced an initiative aimed at ensuring health insurance benefits for every qualified producer working full-time in the film and TV industry.

Producers, unlike unionized creative professionals in the industry, lack guaranteed health insurance benefits. No one should go without these essential benefits. Producing is challenging enough without the added anxiety of wondering how you are going to obtain health coverage for you and your family, PGA presidents Stephanie Allain and Donald De Line said in a statement.

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The guild is asking that all production companies, including studios and streamers, provide health benefits for qualified producers with credits recognized by the PGA who are working full-time on their eligible projects by (1) making contributions through the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plan for eligible producers on qualifying productions; and (2) for all other producers who cant access benefits through an existing industry plan or union contract, including a direct payment line item in their production budgets for producers to purchase their own health insurance.

Blumhouse, Legendary, MACRO and Berlanti Productions are the first to sign on to this initiative, having pledged to include in their production budgets health insurance contributions in support of eligible producers through the MPIs Health Plan and, for full-time producers ineligible for insurance through MPI or a union agreement, a direct contribution to producers so that they may purchase health insurance on the open market. PGA has suggested that production companies offering a production budget line item contribution commit to budgeting at least $3.33 an hour per producer for eligible full-time producers to be used toward the purchase of a health insurance plan.

Producers are the only group of creative professionals without a union on set, so we have to look out for each other. Taking care of our own is good business, good for families and good for our industry, and Im proud to be part of the group leading this initiative, Blumhouses Jason Blum said in a statement.

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Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder and assault. Reader discretion is advised.

Raymond Moody, a registered sex offender, confessed to Brittanee Drexels rape and murder a decade after she went missing. On April 25, 2009, Drexel, 17, was on a spring break trip to Myrtle Beach when she went missing. Authorities previously investigated Moody as a person of interest but failed to find concrete proof to link him to the case.

More than a decade later, investigators used advanced cell tracking technology to link Moody to Drexels case, reported WBTW. In May 2022, he confessed to kidnapping, raping, and murdering the 17-year-old and also led authorities to the site where he buried the teens body.

The confessed murderer pleaded guilty to murder, kidnapping, and first-degree criminal sexual conduct in October 2022. He received a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole with two additional consecutive 30-year prison sentences.

According to the South Carolina Department of Corrections, Raymond Moody is now serving his sentence in the Lieber Correctional Institution.

On Sunday, February 25, 2024, Dateline NBC revisited Brittanee Drexels murder case in an episode titled The Last Walk.

Did Raymond Moody confess to Brittanee Drexels murder?

In May 2022, more than a decade after Brittanee Drexel went missing, Raymond Moody confessed to her murder. According to the Democrat & Chronicle and WBTW, the confession came after investigators used advances in technology to link Moody to Drexels disappearance.

The sources confirmed that authorities had investigated Moody as a suspect during the initial stages. They considered him a person of interest after he was stopped by police for a traffic violation in a beach town near Myrtle Beach one day after the teen disappeared. However, they cleared him after failing to find concrete evidence.

Eventually, in 2022, investigators used advanced technology to pinpoint the exact time Drexel disappeared. She was reportedly walking along the street near Myrtle Beach before vanishing. Using surveillance footage, they learned that Drexel got into a vehicle with Moody and his then-girlfriend, Angel Vause.

Investigators then built a case against Vause, which later led them to details from the night Brittanee Drexel went missing. Authorities convinced Vause to wear a wire while talking to Moody and eventually acquired a detailed confession from the latter.

The Democrat & Chronicle stated that as per Raymond Moodys confession, he and Vause had driven to Myrtle Beach on the night of April 25, 2009. They spotted 17-year-old Brittanee Drexel walking alone and allegedly invited her to party with them. He claimed that she voluntarily got into the vehicle.

Moody said that the three drove to a campsite in Georgetown County, where they smoked marijuana. He also admitted to investigators that he hoped to have a sexual encounter with Drexel after she consumed marijuana.

Hence, after Vause left the campsite, Moody claimed he tried to advance the situation, but Drexel resisted. The New York Post reported via Myrtle Beach Online that he then seized the teenager and forced her to remove her clothing and to have sex through threats of violence.

In his confession, Moody claimed that he strangled Drexel over the fear of going back to prison after raping her. Democrat & Chronicle stated that he then wrapped her body in a blanket and hid the body in the nearby bushes. When Vause returned, Moody told her that Drexel had left with some friends. The two left the campsite, but Moody said that he returned in the middle of the night and moved Drexels body to another location. There, he buried the body in the woods.

Myrtle Beach was buzzing with talk about the missing girl from New York Where was Brittanee Drexel?



Her story tonight at 9/8c on a classic 2-hour #Dateline with @Dateline_Keith. pic.twitter.com/gP68PdCDZd  Dateline NBC (@DatelineNBC) February 26, 2024

After confessing to Brittanee Drexels murder, Raymond Moody led investigators to the site where he buried her body, per CNN. WBTB reported that authorities found Drexels remains on May 11, 2022.

In October of that same year, Moody pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping, murder, and first-degree criminal sexual assault stemming from Drexels case. A judge then sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole on the murder count. He also received two additional terms of 30 years in prison on the remaining charges.

As previously mentioned, Raymond Moody is now serving his sentence in the Lieber Correctional Institution. He will not become eligible for parole, per prison records.

The post Raymond Moody: Where Is Brittanee Drexels Killer Now? appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
BEIRUT, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Two Hezbollah members were killed and five civilians injured on Monday in Israeli strikes targeting several areas in the Baalbek region in eastern Lebanon and the border region in southern Lebanon, Lebanese military and medical sources reported.

The military sources, who spoke anonymously, said that the casualties resulted from Israel's launch of 13 airstrikes in Baalbek and the firing of heavy artillery on 18 towns and villages in southern Lebanon.

The sources added that two bodies of Hezbollah members and two injured civilians were taken to a hospital in Baalbek, with three other injured civilians being transported to a hospital in the southern town of Tebnine in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah declared that its fighters had launched attacks on multiple Israeli sites.

The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing increased tension since Oct. 8, 2023, after Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attack on Israel the previous day, prompting Israel to respond by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 316 people on the Lebanese side, including 214 Hezbollah members and 59 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources. 
The HBO Documentary about Iranian revolutionary artist and activist Nicky Nodjoumi has its release date announced. Titled A Revolution on Canvas, the 95-minute projects director is his daughter, Sara Nodjoumi, and son-in-law, Till Schauder.

According to Variety, Nicky Nodjoumis paintings were displayed at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art in 1980. However, due to its controversial nation, he was forced to flee Iran. In the aforementioned project, the audience will learn about the disappearance of over 100 treasonous paintings. Furthermore, the makers of the project attempt to track down and reclaim the artworks.

In A Revolution on Canvas, will also delve into several other topics. However, first-time director Sara Nodjoumi will also learn about her uncanny upbringing in America and Iran.

According to Tribeca Films official website, the synopsis of A Revolution on Canvas reads, Born in Iran but living in New York City, Nodjoumi traveled back to Iran to join the Islamic Revolution. Making paintings and posters criticizing the Shahs regime. In 1980, the painter fled Iran following the protest of his solo exhibition. Report on the Revolution, and its subsequent shutdown at the hands of Islamic radicals at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.

It further states, Decades later, the renowned artist and his daughter attempt to track down the missing paintings in hopes of reclaiming them. During the search, Sara, drawing on disarmingly frank conversations with both her father and mother. Celebrated artist Nahid Hagigat, and grappling with complex feelings and mysteries tied to her upbringing. Traces a timeline of events to understand the circumstances that led to her familys personal history. Echoing the treacherous path of many immigrant families caught in the crossfire of politics and life.

A Revolution on Canvas will be released on HBO and Max on March 5, 2024.

Nicky Nodjoumis paintings address several aspects of Iranian politics

Born in 1942, Nicky Nodjoumi studied at the Fine Arts at the School of Fine Art at Tehran University. Gradually, he arrived in the USA to study and have heart surgery but soon returned to Iran.

After his return to his native country, he made paintings that questioned the Shahs regime. However, this led to him getting exiled and he was forced to return to the USA. Furthermore, his paintings are displayed in several galleries and museums. These include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, the National Museum of Cuba, and the DePaul Art Museum.

2014, the director of CIAs Reinberger Galleries, Bruce Checefsky had a conversation with Nicky Nodjoumi where he asked the painter if he saw himself as a painter in a way. Nodjoumi replied, I think for that couple of years I thought that, you know, painting wouldnt do much; painting is not enough; I need something stronger to express the feeling. But when I looked around and I was kind of disappointed with the political situation and the organization, I couldnt go to the filmmaking, I dont know whether I would have been a filmmaker, my temperament is a painter. So I went back to the roots.

Nicky Nodjoumi is married to the Iranian-American illustrator and artist Nahid Hagigat.

The post A Revolution on Canvas: Documentary About Iranian Artist Nicky Nodjoumi Gets Release Date appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
When Seth Meyers inaugurated his version of Late Night in 2014, the guests on his first show were Amy Poehler and then Vice President Joe Biden.

Meyers will celebrate 10 years of as host of Late Night on Monday, when his guests will be  Amy Poehler and Joe Biden. NBC confirmed Monday afternoon that the president would make a surprise appearance on the show (as first reported by the New York Post).

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The more comfortable you are, the better the show is. On camera, Im most comfortable with Amy, Meyers told The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the anniversary show (Late Night With Seth Meyers premiered on Feb. 24, 2014). The longer I do the show, I feel like I can have that comfort Ive had with her with everybody else. You just start trusting your ability to be your natural self on camera. I think shes gone from a crutch [for me] to just a good guest.

In a clip released ahead of Mondays show, Poehler and Meyers joke about him not being able to book the president, to which she replies, Oh  I could get him. Biden then walks out for a chat, jokingly asking why Meyers hadnt asked him back sooner (watch it below):

Meyers spoke with The Hollywood Reporter (before news of Bidens possible appearance broke) about the state of Late Night (and late night, more broadly) and his debt to Jon Stewart. He also said he wouldnt bet on Lorne Michaels rumored retirement from Saturday Night Live being on the near horizon.

When did you have a sense that you might be able to do this, and do it well, for a decently long time?

About a year and a half in is when the show started to set in a way that I enjoyed. It is very funny how much was written about my choice to just start the show at the desk back then. But it was just, Oh, maybe this is the way well do ours, and build off the fact that I was a Weekend Update anchor for a long time and know how to do this thing from the desk. It was a weird thing  it literally felt more stable when I sat down. I was like, Ah, good, now we dont have to count on my weak knees.

What do you make of the late-night landscape now? Other than After Midnight at CBS, every network show has had the same host for several years. Do you think that stability is going to remain, or do you think things will be changing more in the next few years?

There have certainly been constantly shifting sands in the 10 years weve done the show, I think there were about the number [of late-night shows] there are now when I started. And then there was a huge boom, where it seemed like every streamer and every channel was going to have their own late-night talk show. Now weve sort of reverted to kind of what it was in 2014. Its weird to try to predict the future since the past ended up being the future. I dont quite know what to say about it, other than the best way to do these shows, of course, is just to focus on the show youre doing try not to predict where the future of the form is going to be.

I was especially disappointed that Amber Ruffins show got shut down.

I know. I really, really appreciated the vision to do her show. It was great. And I have a lot of respect for Peacock for trying. But yes, I shared your disappointment [Ed. note: Meyers was an executive producer of The Amber Ruffin Show], and I hope that it will return in some form.

I remember watching her first few shows during the height of the pandemic and thinking that when she gets to have an audience, its really going to go up a couple of levels.

Look, I host [Late Night], and when she comes out, the audience claps louder than they do for me. They obviously like her. And it was that level of difficulty, the fact that she launched a show without an audience, when the most important time to have an audience is when your show starts. Because then you get to set levels and find out whats working and whats not. [Late Night] going away from an audience during the pandemic actually allowed some creative renaissance, but we had the benefit of, at that point, six years of audiences before we got there.

What do you think is the toughest thing for you to joke about right now, in terms of current events or the state of the world?

To put in very simple terms, Its the difference between something thats scary and something thats tragic. I think we can joke about things that are scary, but when its tragic, that is when its the hardest.

Have you watched any of Jon Stewarts first couple of Daily Shows since he returned?

I watched the first one. It was really good to have him back.

Would you consider him an influence on you?

Absolutely. I dont think a show like ours exists had he not done what he did with The Daily Show. There was a previous version of what late-night talk shows are, and I would have been a lot worse at one of those that I am at one of these. So we definitely consider ourselves in his debt.

I wouldnt think A Closer Look would exist without that, or something like Last Week Tonight, which is a direct descendant.

Yeah, of course. I think a lot of the shows that come off the Daily Show tree are people that got to work with Jon, and its nice for us to have been able to figure out [our show] just from being lucky enough to watch it.

Other than A Closer Look, do you have a favorite recurring segment on the show?

My favorite recurring thing other than A Closer Look is Corrections, which isnt even on the show. I think that, again, speaks to my ambition in managing to do things that arent even monetized. Jokes Seth Cant Tell is a really special thing. Anytime you have something on your show that is born out of the uniqueness of your staff, it feels good. Surprise Inspection, which is the brainchild of our head writer, Alex Baze, which is just reading the worst jokes our writers turned in over the course of a month, is a lot of fun. I think our audience and the people who watch the show every day know that I love our writing staff, and because they know I like them, it gives me the freedom to just lay into their bad choices.

There has been a ton of speculation that Lorne Michaels might retire or step away after the 50th anniversary of SNL. You and Tina Fey seem to be the people that everyone thinks would be best suited to take over the show. Im curious if you have any thoughts about it, or whether youd even want to do that job?

I wish FanDuel had odds for Will Lorne Michaels be in charge on the 55th. I would bet the house that Lorne will still be running that place in five years. That is the most appropriate outcome that makes the most sense to me. I should say it is incredibly flattering every time I hear somebody say that about me. It makes it even more flattering when people mention Tinas name. Its nice for people to speculate about it, but I dont think its going to go down the way people think it is.

There was a time in years past that the 12:35 show was seen as kind of a stepping stone, where NBC would have sort of an extended audition for the next Tonight Show host 

Youre just saying that because every other person who did the 12:30 show ended up doing 11:30 (Laughs.) No basis in fact.

But is it still? I mean, do you have any kind of feeling about that or are you comfortable just doing your show your way?

I mean this with all genuineness  I love the show were doing, and I love the space the network has given us to do it. They do pay less attention to a 12:30 show than an 11:30 show. Its been a boon for us, and they seem happy, and were happy. So its not a bad deal at all. And I had no ambitions to do a 12:30 show when I was at SNL. I just continue to get these things due to a stunning lack of ambition. And Im gonna maintain that lack of ambition and just see where it takes me [laughs].

Can you talk a little bit about how the Strike Force Five podcast came together and what you took away from that?

Credit to Jimmy Kimmel, who is  were all hosts, but I feel that Jimmy is the kind of host that throws an actual party, as opposed to just having guests on a talk show. Hes just really good at bringing people together. He had the idea, and he did a lot of the legwork before he even reached out to the other four of us. The other great thing is one, we did it for a reason, and that was to financially support people affected by the strike, and it was incredibly successful that way. But it was so good to just get to know them all as people. It took a few episodes before we had the comfort to do what five funny people would do, which is make fun of each other. And I think once we sort of had the safety of, these are good people, and once everybody knows you like each other, then you can have the fun of just busting chops.

It seems like that was something that couldnt have happened in a previous era, because there were these perceived rivalries, or in some cases actual rivalries. But it does genuinely seem like the cohort youre in now Is pretty friendly.

I think we as a generation might appreciate how lucky we are to have any show, whereas maybe the previous generation  it was [just] The Tonight Show. We realize, oh, no, its the luxury of having that hour to do your thing is pretty special.

Do you have any special plans for the show on Monday?

Were kind of a low-key operation, so I dont think were gonna blow the doors off the place. The other funny thing about this, when you have a talk show and you do a 10-year anniversary, is that you also then have a show on Tuesday. You immediately have to start thinking about your 11th year, and thats one of my favorite things about it.

Interview edited and condensed.

Feb. 26, 1:50 p.m. Updated with confirmation of Joe Bidens appearance on Late Night Monday.

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Former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon is still dialing up his 2020 election-denying. But at CPAC he offered a dumb new twist based on unfavorable articles that a certain paper of record wrote about President Joe Biden. (Watch the video below.)

The New York Times is throwing Biden under the bus every day and backing ... up over him. That shows you they know hes an illegitimate regime head, Bannon said on Saturday. Hes a usurper in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

To be clear, the Times has not asserted or implied that Biden was fraudulently elected. It has reported the opposite with vigor: that Trumps claims were false.

However, the newspaper has reported on concerns over the 81-year-old presidents mental sharpness and published a recent editorial by Ross Douthat claiming that Biden should step aside in the race because hes not up to the task of being president and running for it.

On Saturday at the conservative gathering just outside D.C., Bannon told the mildly enthusiastic crowd that the next GOP administration will adjudicate the fact that the 2020 election was stolen and called for Biden and associates to be locked up.

He said the mission of Trump, the GOP frontrunner for 2024, was to drive the vermin out of the White House. He got even more personal. Biden, he said, you and your crime family are nothing but trash.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Bannon was sentenced to four months in prison for defying a subpoena to hand over related records to a House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, but has appealed. He recently made headlines for calling out House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) , a fellow election denier, for saying that Biden was president by Gods will.

Yo, dude, hes an illegitimate president. Have you lost your freakin mind? This election was stolen, Bannon said on his War Room show.

h/t Media Matters

Related...
Conspiracy theories are dangerous in more ways than one, and American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders isamong many, many thingsan expose about the irrevocable damage that can come from falling down the rabbit hole. Produced by Mark and Jay Duplass (Wild Wild Country), Netflixs four-part true-crime docuseries is an investigation into what its primary subject believed was the political conspiracy of the century. Yet the further it proceeds down its hopelessly winding path, the more it becomes a portrait of the hazards posed by such sleuthing and thinking. Enticing viewers with the promise of world-shattering secrets and then miring them in a thicket of debatable facts, dubious conjecture, and manic fantasy, its an expert case of true-crime form echoing its content.

Designed to make ones head spin until it hurts, American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders (Feb. 28) is the tale of Danny Casolaro, a writer who was found dead in a Sheraton hotel bathtub on Aug. 10, 1991, in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Police swiftly dubbed this a suicide, since Casolaro had been alone, his wrists had been cut, and hed left a farewell note. Those closest to the outgoing and loving man, however, thought otherwise. For one, Casolaros wrists had 12 separate slash wounds that were so deep, theyd severed the tendons. Moreover, there was blood all over the room, in places that made no sense if hed simply been ending his life. Most suspicious of all, though, was the fact that just a few short weeks before his demise, Casolaro had told his brother Tony that if something happened to him, it wouldnt be an accident.

Casolaros death, and the theory that hed been murdered, soon became local news, since he hadnt been any old scribe. By 1991, Casolaro was knee-deep into reporting on a supposedly bombshell story about a multi-tentacled conspiracy that he referred to as the Octopus which involved software engineers, businessmen, drug dealers, gunrunners, organized crime, the CIA, FBI, NSA, and various individuals related to the Ronald Reagan White House. Casolaro had stumbled upon this while employed by Computer Age, a newsletter about the computer business, and it all began with INSLAW, a firm founded by Bill Hamilton that had created a revolutionary nationwide criminal-case tracking system for law enforcement agencies known as PROMIS. In the second year of a three-year contract, the Department of Justice abruptly stopped paying INSLAW for PROMIS, forcing the firm into bankruptcy. Heated lawsuits and telephone threats to Hamilton ensued, all of which were so over-the-top that it made Hamilton and those aligned with him (including former Attorney General Elliot Richardson) suspect that the DOJ was up to something much dirtier than Watergate.

This was the initial spark that ignited Casolaros curiosity, propelling him on a quest to understand why the DOJ had so fanatically and treacherously coveted PROMIS. What he believed he uncovered was a web of interrelated offenses that suggested a clandestine world of spies, wheeler-dealers, and psychos determined to wield power in the shadows. Casolaro eventually planned to write a book about all of this, only to perish before anything came to fruition. With his friends and relatives grief-stricken over his loss, it seemed to be the end of Casolaros saga. Yet, in an unlikely twist, someone else chose to step in and assume his missionthus begetting this docuseries.

Netflix

That person was Christian Hansen, who 10 years ago became fascinated by Casolaros death and, with it, the conspiracy hed allegedly unearthed. Despite being unnerved by his buddys obsessive interest in Casolaro, American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders director Zachary Treitz soon joined in Hansens pursuit of the truth, documenting him as he plunged headfirst into the deceased journalists myriad hypotheses. Poring over his handwritten notes, speaking to his many furtive contacts, and putting together the final pieces of the puzzle that hed laid out for the world to hopefully see, Hansen was something like Casolaro reincarnatedand as Casolaros longtime friend Ann Klenk remarks, the fact that the two men resembled each other made this development downright strange.

She Suspected Her Step-Grandfather Was the Zodiac Killer

What Hansen and Treitz detail in American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders is too sprawling and convoluted to properly explicate here. Nonetheless, it concerns a tangled network of operativesled by tech-whiz Michael Riconosciuto, globe-trotting John Philip Nichols, potential spook Robert Booth Nichols, and possible serial killer Philip Arthur Thompsonwho were connected to various government agencies. Their connections also extend to the Cabazon reservation in Indio, California, where casinos and other businesses ostensibly made money to fund covert intelligence-agency ventures (like Iran-Contra) carried out behind the back of Congress and the American public. These men apparently did all sorts of nefarious things, including assassinate (or order the executions of) those who stood in their wayhence the murders in this series titleand they also fueled Casolaros snooping, giving him tips and leads that soon consumed his days and nights. They ultimately drove him to Martinsburg, West Virginia, in 1991 and, by extension, got him killed. Although as Hansen himself comes to understand, the precise nature of what took place in that Sheraton is, like everything else about this tale, hard to decisively pin down.

Danny Casolaro in American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders. Netflix

American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders is an initially exhilarating descent into conspiracy-addled speculation about the clandestine levers that are pulled (and the folks who pull them) in order to keep the world working. The further it plummets, however, the more it (and Hansen) becomes ensnared in a morass of ideas, evidence, and hearsay whose connections to each other, or the bigger picture, are impossible to properly delineate. As such, Treitzs docuseries becomes a reflection of its own narrative, revealing the heart-racing allure of searching for answers to tantalizing questions about the grand design governing modern existence, as well as the fundamental folly of thinking that those bombshell revelations exist in some unified form or, even if they do, that theyre attainable. What Hansen and Treitz learn, at least to some extent, is not dissimilar from what Casolaro discovered: namely, that conspiracies are most tempting when theyre comprised of both truths and lies, and that embracing them too heartily is a surefire way to permanently warp your psycheif not end your life.

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A convicted felon who had been in custody on a second-degree murder charge escaped on Sunday after pepper spraying his transporting deputy and stealing her car, authorities said.

The inmate, Leon Ruffin, should be considered "armed and dangerous," Sheriff Joseph Lopinto of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana, told the media Sunday night at a press briefing.

Lopinto said he doesn't believe the man "has anything to lose" as he could be facing life in prison if convicted on the second-degree murder charge.

Ruffin had been transferred from the medical facility in the corrections center to a local hospital around noon on Sunday on the advice of the medical team after suffering from a possible seizure. After being treated at the hospital, Ruffin created some type of disturbance as he was being driven out of the hospital parking lot, Lopinto said. The female deputy got out of the car and he pepper sprayed her, the official said. The suspect then took the deputy's vehicle, he added.

PHOTO: Inmate Leon Ruffin in a mugshot from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office (Inmate Leon Ruffin in a mugshot from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office)

MORE: Kentucky college student found dead in dorm room, wrestling teammate arrested: Police

The deputy fired shots at the car but does not know if Ruffin was hit.

At present, authorities do not know where the suspect got the pepper spray. The deputy still had her pepper spray, taser and weapon following his escape.

Authorities have contacted the family of the victim in Ruffin's alleged second-degree murder case.

Prior to his trip to the hospital, Ruffin had been in the medical unit at the corrections facility, but Lopinto said they believed he was faking his injuries.

Louisiana inmate escapes custody after pepper spraying deputy, stealing officer's car: Sheriff originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
For those with limited culinary knowledge, its helpful to know the definition of the term refire  it means to start over, remake and correct a mistake in the kitchen. And because of the incredible work that this 501C3 offers in the Tallahassee community, REfire Culinary is the recipient of $29,000 from 100 Women Who Care this quarter.

REfire Culinary is the recipient of $29,000 from 100 Women Who Care for the first quarter of 2024.

The mission of this program is to help anyone with a felony conviction by providing basic culinary skills, job experience and placement support in the retail food sector. Once accepted in the program, the students participate in an eight week course that deals with every phase of culinary education from food preparation, budgeting, culinary costs, eliminating waste, catering, etc.

Founded and headed by Rebecca Kelly-Manders, it is clear in speaking to her that she is passionate and committed to this mission. In visiting with some of the graduates of the program, there is no doubt that they respect and admire Kelly-Manders and feel that she and the program has helped them tremendously to move past difficult times in their lives.

ReFire founder Rebecca Kelly-Manders instructs a student. The eighth cohort of ReFire Culinary began in June 2019.

They have truly refired with her help and the program classes! They now know that they can better deal with management and others they work with in the kitchen, as well as the importance of working with and giving back to the community.

The REfire program is developed by professional chefs and culinary educators and supports the program through career placement. The students hone their skills by preparing meals for 53 families (160 individuals that include 115 children under the age of 18). Students are also provided meals every day. REfire is currently exploring ways to provide meals for those in elder care.

Since its first meeting in November, 2020, 100+ Women Who Care has contributed $354,900 tovarious nonprofits in the local community. Every quarter, three nonprofits are chosen by a drawing from nominations submitted by members. These three organizations are invited to have a representative give a presentation on the pertinent information about their cause.

Members vote to choose the recipient. Under the leadership of Virginia Glass, a longtime community volunteer and philanthropist, this group of women continues to grow and through their $100 quarterly commitment, has provided much needed financial support to deserving local nonprofits.

For women interested in learning more about this group or to become a member, contact Virginia Glass at 100wwctlh@gmail.com. For more information about the REfire Program visit their website refireculinary.org.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 100 Women Who Care donate $29K to REfire Culinary
Learn what's causing the unwanted odors and how to get rid of them.

Everyone loves a fresh smelling home, but what if your home smells anything but fresh? Unfortunately, there are some lifestyle habits that may be contributing to a funky scent in your house and if you're struggling to find the cause, we found a few places to start.



We spoke to two residential cleaning experts for insight on the secret habits that make your home smell, plus ways to fix the situation so you can get back to enjoying nice smelling interiors.









Meet The Experts

James King is the Operations Manager at Deluxe Maid.

Katie Barton is a cleaning expert at Homedit in Cincinnati, Ohio.







Not Taking Out The Garbage

Is your kitchen trash can overflowing? Have you throw away any rotten foods recently? If so, your kitchen garbage could be the culprit behind the foul smell. "If you dont throw away your trash the right way, like, if you leave the lid off the trash can or let food sit in there, it can start to smell really bad because bacteria loves to grow on food," says King.

While you're taking out the garbage and putting in a fresh bag, this is a great time to clean your trash can to remove built up odors. Spray your favorite cleaning spray on the outside and inside before using a paper towel or cleaning cloth to wipe your trash can down before inserting your new bag.

Not Bathing Your Pets

We're sorry to say your beloved pooch might be a reason your house doesn't smell all that fresh at the moment. Both of our experts agree that household pets are one of the leading factors home can have an unpleasant scent, especially if you can't remember the last time you gave them a bath.

"While pets are a welcome and loved addition to most households, they sometimes contribute to bad smells in the houseespecially during potty training stages," says Barton. "The best way to eliminate odors that come along with pet accidents is to promptly clean the messes and treat them with a bio-enzymatic cleaner."

On top of accidents, King says that pet dander, fur, and feathers can accumulate on surfaces and create a musty smell over time. To get rid of these odors, both experts recommend using enzyme-based cleaners on your floors and to bathe your pets at least once a month.

Keeping Poor Ventilation Indoors

Home smells build up over time. The foods you cook, trash that sits, clothes left unwashed, dust particles, and unbathed pets form a stuffy, musky scent that worsens if your home isn't properly ventilated. "If your place doesnt get enough airflow, like when you keep the windows closed, smells can get trapped inside and get worse over time," says King. "This is especially true in places like the kitchen or bathroom where smells from cooking or moisture can stick around."

Without ventilation, smells in your home have no where to exit and continue to develop, especially when you're forgetting to take out the trash, turn the hood ventilation on when you cook, or clean your home to lift the scent.

Not Cleaning Your Garbage Disposal or Sinks

Along with trash, your garbage disposal or sinks are another top area in the kitchen known for causing a bad smell in your house. That's because leftover food particles or grime gets stuck on the blades and develops bacteria that causes a scent to linger. You should clean your garbage disposal at least once a week to once a month, depending on how frequently you use it, while kitchen sinks should be cleaned weekly to prevent odors from occurring.

"My favorite natural solution for making drains smell better is to dump a pot of boiling water down the drain and then the drain cool for a few minutes. Then, dump a cup of baking soda in the drain, followed by one cup of white distilled vinegar. Place a rag over the drain and let the solution fizz for ten minutes before following up with a second pot of building water," Barton says.



Neglecting Cleaning Chores

Simply put, if you're not cleaning your home on a routine basis, odds are this is what's contributing to your home's foul odor, and both of our experts agree. "A simple cleaning routine that includes dusting hard surfaces, washing bed sheets, cleaning toilets, disinfecting sinks, and sweeping and mopping the floors at least once per week will keep a home looking good and smelling fresh," Barton says.

The good news is that your weekly cleaning checklist doesn't have to be anything drastic. Washing clothes, dusting surfaces, spraying down furniture with linen spray, and disinfecting your bathrooms all do a world of good for lifting the air in your home. To give your home's fragrance an extra boost, choose cleaning products with scents like lavender or citrus fruits.

Letting Towels Mildew

Notice a musty smell in your bathroom towels? Sounds like a build up in mildew. As water sits in the fibers of your towels for a long time without being properly washed, they start to mildew and form this musty odor. This happens even easier if you don't spread your towels out to dry after each use or if you have a smaller bathroom. Small bathrooms tend to see mildew more frequently since it builds high levels of humidity.

To get the mildew scent out of your towels, throw them in the wash and add a cup of vinegar before running the cycle on warm to hot water. It's recommended that you wash your towels every three to four uses or once a week to prevent the build up of mildew and keep your towels smelling fresh.

Not Washing Carpets and Rugs

Speaking of washing, your carpets and rugs are likely another factor for your home's smelly scent if you're not washing them. Carpets and rugs impact the air quality (and smell) in your home since they harbor odors from dead skin cells, pet fur or dander, spills, and standing water.

Vacuuming tends to do the trick by sucking up some of the particles, but it doesn't hurt to let a carpet deodorizer sit on your carpets or rugs for at least 15 minutes before vacuuming them up. Ideally, you should deep-clean your carpets and rugs once a year by shampooing them for optimal results. Not only does this bring the colors of your carpet and rugs back to life, it dramatically lifts the fragrance and sanitizes them as well.

Not Washing Your Clothes

Think about it: you sweat in your clothes, get dirty from the day, and toss them in your hamper. Who wouldn't expect a stench to develop the longer they sit? Lingering laundry can certainly cause a foul odor in the home, especially if your clothes have food stains on them, so it's wise to keep up with a laundry routine at least once a week.

Similar to your clothes, your hamper might be due for a cleaning too. Depending on what the inside of your hamper is like, either toss the liner in the wash or wipe down with cleaning products to disinfect and remove any odors.

Leaving Out Smelly Shoes

Just like your clothes, shoes have an extremely bad smell, especially if your feet are prone to badly sweating. Leaving smelly shoes out in the open may be one of the root causes for an unwanted scent in your home, but thankfully, there's way to rectify the situation. Use shoe deodorizers or consider tossing them in the wash to get rid of the funk for a better-smelling shoe and home.

Not Watering Plants

Plants and flowers make gorgeous home decor, but if you start to neglect their care and let them die, the once-fresh-fragrance will vanish. Plants and flowers that are starting to wilt need to be tossed immediately so the foul odor doesn't stand a chance of taking over your home.

Neglecting The Fridge

Your trash can isn't the only place that can form a bad smell due to rotting food. Your fridge can, too. King recommends going through your refrigerator to throw away any expired or rotten food before cleaning the inside with soap and hot water.

The best way to clean the interior of your fridge is to remove all shelves and wipe them down thoroughly with soap before rinsing with the hot water. It's also recommended that you use white vinegar and baking soda while deep cleaning your fridge to disinfect and lift the air.

Not Washing Your Bedding

Just like your clothes, your bedding is another breeding ground for funky odors due to skin particles, oils, dirt, and sweat from when you sleep. By not washing your bedding routinely, these scent drift into the air and provide a musty smell that is easily removed with a toss in the wash. You should wash your sheets and pillowcases every week or bi-weekly and your comforter every month to two months.

Not Regulating Humidity Levels

"If your home has excess humidity, it can lead to mold or mildew and give your house a musty smell, which is especially common in the summer and in areas like the basement," Barton informs. Some of the leading causes to irregular humidity levels is poor ventilation, your surrounding climate, or home's AC unit. Whatever the case may be, if you know your home experiences irregular humidity levels and you're not regulating them, it's not uncommon to have a musty smell in the problem rooms.

Tips For Making Your Home Smell Fresh

For a quick fix in lifting your home's air, try one or a combination of these methods.

Clean Routinely

It goes without saying that implementing a weekly cleaning routine can do wonders for the smell of your home. Clean your most-used areas like the kitchen, bathrooms, living rooms, and bedrooms to keep your home smelling fresh. Don't forget to dust, wash dirty clothes, and take out the trash to remove any odors that are contributing to a smelly scent.

Light a Candle, Wax Melt, or Air Diffuser

One of the quickest ways to mask a smelly odor is to light a candle, turn on a wax melt, or air diffuser. As you wait for your home to smell better after taking out the trash, washing clothes, or opening a window, use one of these fragrance boosters to get a fresh smelling home quicker.

Use Fabric Spray

Does your upholstery get used often by you or pets? Pet dander or skin particles can seep into the fibers and form a small. Use a scented fabric spray on your furniture to add a fresh smell.

Open a Window

Keep your home ventilated as your cook or to remove any odors from the trash and other areas by opening a window or nearby door. This will allow scent to exit the home instead of staying trapped inside and getting worse over time.

Run a Dehumidifier

If humidity is the culprit in your home's musty scent, run a dehumidifier in the room to regulate levels. You don't have to let it run all day, just 8 hours should do the trick in rooms such as the basement to eliminate the must.

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Read the original article on Southern Living.
Rum's affiliation with the Caribbean is widely known, but each rum-producing country and region has qualities that make them stand apart from one another. Consequently, each type of rum is worth exploring, including rum produced in Jamaica.

Jamaican rum is held in high esteem by rum lovers around the world. The island nation's spirit contains unique flavors and characteristics that set the style apart from others. Furthermore, like Scotland with scotch and the U.S. with bourbon, Jamaica has implemented strict legislation regarding its rum production (one of the few rum-producing countries to do so).

I've sampled and served numerous Jamaican rums during my career as a professional bartender and cocktail creator. While Jamaican rum is pretty dependable overall, it also varies in quality. Having shaken, sold, and served this style of rum countless times over the years, I'm well-suited to discuss some of the more well-known brands. Encompassing a range of flavors, styles, ages, and uses, here are 16 Jamaican rum brands ranked.

Read more: 13 Liquors Your Home Bar Should Have

16. Wray & Nephew

Wray & Nephew overproof rum - Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum - US / Facebook

It's impossible to talk about Jamaican rum without mentioning J. Wray & Nephew. First opened in 1825, it holds the title of the country's oldest registered company. Although it's now owned by The Campari Group (an Italian drinks conglomerate), its roots remain firmly in Jamaica where it produces some of the region's most beloved rums -- like the eponymous Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum.

Now, at 63% ABV, this isn't the style of rum you want to sip neat, and few people may want to drink it with a mixer, either (outside of Jamaica, at least). But there's also a reason you'll find it behind a huge number of bars. Overproof rum is a key ingredient in many Tiki-style cocktails, including Mai Tais and the infamous Zombie, and Wray & Nephew is easily the most flavorful and complex of the strong white rums. It may come in last on this list, but any ranking of Jamaican rum brands wouldn't be complete without it.

15. Coruba

Coruba rum and cocktail - hojokoboston / Instagram

Another brand produced by J. Wray & Nephew, Coruba rum was originally conceived by a Swiss merchant who became enamored with rum after visiting Jamaica at the end of the 19th century. Determined to bring the spirit back to his homeland, he launched a venture that imported matured rums from Jamaica, before blending and finishing them in Basel, Switzerland.

A Jamaican rum brand that's stuck around for nearly 150 years despite being somewhat low quality, Coruba's longevity seems to come from professional bartenders who see it as the perfect ingredient for tropical rum-based cocktails. Like Wray & Nephew, it provides a funky, punchy backbone in mixed drinks that contain softer rums, and the addition of glycerin and caramel flavoring boosts the sweetness of its flavor profile. This gives it a chewier texture, which improves the mouthfeel of cocktails it's used in -- and keeps it out of last place.

14. The Duppy Share

The Duppy Share rum bottle - theduppyshare / Instagram

When alcoholic spirits are aged, their volume decreases over time due to evaporation. In whiskey-making, the lost alcohol is referred to as the "angel's share." However, when it comes to Jamaican rum, malevolent spirits from local folklore (Duppies) are assigned the blame for the missing distillate -- hence the name of The Duppy Share.

A relatively new brand, The Duppy Share was created with the intent of showcasing the best aspects of Caribbean rum. It achieves this by expertly blending the powerful funk of Jamaican rum -- from the famous Worthy Park distillery -- with mellower rum from the Foursquare distillery in Barbados. The result is an extremely approachable range that includes a classic Aged expression (an award-winning spiced rum), and a hugely flavorful 100% Jamaican white rum.

Now, the only premium aged rum made by The Duppy Share is a fully Barbadian blend, so it ranks near the bottom of Jamaican rums. But the brand has many strengths, and rum lovers are paying close attention to what might come next.

13. The Funk

The Funk rum and absinthe - boleterestaurant / Instagram

We've mentioned the word "funk" several times already, and it's a unique characteristic of many (though not all) Jamaican rums. Jamaicans even have their own term for it: hogo. Now, when we talk about funky flavors and aromas in rum, we mean notes that range from extremely ripe tropical fruits (like banana, mango, and pineapple) to fruit that's so over-ripe it's nearly rotten. With that in mind, The Funk boldly showcases the hogo profile.

Distilled at Worthy Park, The Funk is bottled in Bardstown, Kentucky -- right in the heart of bourbon country. Although sipping The Funk is a great way to familiarize yourself with the hogo style, it's what most bartenders call a seasoning rum -- or one that should be used sparingly to add depth and nuance to fruit-forward cocktails. While these elements can be wonderfully complex, they're not always as appealing as they might sound. So The Funk comes in at number 13.

12. Plantation Rum

close view of Plantation rum bottle - Port of Call Duty Free Jamaica / Facebook

Born out of the famous French Cognac house, Maison Ferrand, Plantation Rum takes a uniquely European approach to barrel-aging and applies it to rums sourced from Jamaica, Barbados, Panama, Guyana, and Trinidad. Most of Plantation's products are a blend of different terroirs, but it does offer one fully Jamaican expression.

Plantation's rums vary in price and quality, but each variety is approachable and a great value for the cost. You could treat every one of its rums as a sipper, although the younger bottles go down a bit more easily with a light mixer. The Bar Classics selection is a must-have for cocktail enthusiasts and includes a light, dark, and overproof rum. It also contains what's arguably the best Plantation offering: a pineapple rum that beats all others. Void of the synthetic character of many flavored rums and tasting deliciously close to the real deal, you won't be disappointed.

11. Hamilton

row of Hamilton rum bottles - 901wineandspiritsmarket / Instagram

When it comes to modern rum experts, few are as experienced as Ed Hamilton. A sailor who fell in love with the spirit while sailing the Caribbean in his youth, Hamilton's passion led him to launch the Ministry of Rum. The company was dedicated to importing the finest blends of the spirit, as well as sharing his extensive knowledge with enthusiasts around the world.

Now, Hamilton's rums aren't all sourced from Jamaica. But several of its finest expressions -- such as Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black and Jamaican Pot Still Gold -- come from the renowned Worthy Park Estate. The distillery at Worthy Park has been growing sugarcane and producing spirits since 1670, which is why so many other brands (including several on this list) place trust in it.

Hamilton's Jamaican expressions are generally rich and earthy with more than a hint of sweet, ripe bananas. The brand may just miss our top ten, but it's undoubtedly a fine brand.

10. Doctor Bird

doctor bird rum bottles - theinfernoroom / Instagram

Named after Jamaica's national bird, Doctor Bird has more than a few things in common with The Funk. Both rum brands use distillate from the Worthy Park Estate, and both finish and bottle the product in the United States. However, while The Funk is produced down south, Doctor Bird is made in Detroit, where it's aged in Moscatel wine casks.

Doctor Bird is big on hogo flavors, with an incredibly sharp, in-your-face funkiness that boasts notes of past-ripe fruit and hints of acetone. As such, Doctor Bird works best in tropical cocktails where you can split your base rum and adjust the flavor to your liking. Now, whether alone or in a light mixer, Doctor Bird may be a little too pungent for all but the most ardent funk fans. Still, like The Funk, it's a stellar seasoning rum with the power to cut through almost any degree of sweetness.

9. Blackwell

blackwell rum bottle - ALKO LV / Facebook

Much of Blackwell's recognition appears to come from the brand's creator Chris Blackwell: the founder of Island Records and former producer for Bob Marley. Yet one shouldn't assume it doesn't have robust roots in the Jamaican rum world. After all, Blackwell's grandfather once owned J. Wray & Nephew. And though the company is no longer in the hands of the Blackwell family, it still produces this brand of rum.

The sweet vanilla aspect of Blackwell Rum might have you thinking it was a spiced variety if it were a touch more saccharine. Now, since Blackwell's a relatively rough, young rum, it's not quite smooth enough to work as a sipping rum for everyone, but it goes great with a mixer. If you're new to Jamaican rums and want to ease yourself into the style without being overwhelmed with too much funk, Blackwell is a fantastic option (and one that earns its ninth-place ranking).

8. Myers's Rum

Myers's Rum bottle and limes - The Muck & Dunder / Facebook

Ignoring the grammatically questionable name, Myers's Rum is an extremely dependable spirit that's earned its place as a staple on bar shelves around the world. Named after the brand's founder, Fred L. Myers, the distillate is imported from Jamaica and bottled in Louisville, Kentucky -- making it another Jamaican rum that's found a home in the region famed for bourbon whiskey.

Myers's Rum isn't necessarily renowned for being an especially outstanding rum. Rather, it's an extremely dependable spirit that deftly highlights the alcohol's best features, particularly the Original Dark expression. Caramel, molasses, leather, dried fruits, and dark chocolate are all present in abundance, making it the go-to base rum for countless cocktails -- and one of the best rums to cook with. Since it's affordable enough to use in food and bold enough to make all the difference in recipes that call for the spirit, Myers's Rum belongs in the middle of this list.

7. Monymusk

monymusk rum bottles - Port of Call Duty Free Jamaica / Facebook

Though Monymusk dates back to the 1800s, the brand now belongs to the state-owned organization National Rums of Jamaica Limited. Its rums contain distillate from two of the country's most acclaimed producers: the Long Pond Distillery (which the company owns outright) and the Clarendon Distillery (where it maintains a 73% stake).

Monymusk superbly demonstrates the inherent fruitiness of Jamaican rum without too much funk. The brand's core range is relatively small, but it covers all the bases with an overproof rum, gold rum, a dark special reserve, and a deliciously tropical coconut rum liqueur called Whispering Breeze. The majority of its rums are perfectly at home in cocktails and mixed drinks, and quite suitable for sipping neat, as well. While some of its more premium rums can be harder to find and demand a higher price, they're certainly worth seeking out for anyone considering themselves a connoisseur of Jamaican rum.

6. Smith & Cross

person holding smith cross rum - rumbaseattle / Instagram

Smith & Cross is a London-based company that blends its rum in Amsterdam. While that may make it sound less authentic, it's gained a reputation for serving as an excellent representative of Jamaican rum. The bottled product is made with 100% Jamaican rum from a range of distilleries, including the revered Hampden Estate.

Smith & Cross is heavy on the hogo, although it's hard to compare it with the likes of The Funk or Doctor Bird. While those two are best used as seasoning rums -- being slightly too rough around their edges to be enjoyed neat -- Smith & Cross doesn't have that problem. If anything, with a proof bordering on navy strength? Its bold profile makes it too temperamental for cocktails, and this rum may be best enjoyed with a splash of water or a couple of ice cubes. If you think you're ready for the full hogo experience (one that won't break the bank), then this is the rum to try.

5. Long Pond

closeup long pond rum bottle - Tabaccheria Cigars and Co Milano / Facebook

The Long Pond Distillery is another nationally-owned Jamaican rum brand. While it produces distillate for many other brands, including Captain Morgan, its eponymous Long Pond rum is considered the holy grail among rum lovers.

Part of the reason for its acclaim comes down to its quality, with the distillery pouring 270 years of experience into its product. However, Long Pond rum is also somewhat scarce -- thanks to a slew of bad luck and disasters in recent years. In 2012, leaky storage tanks forced the distillery to shutter for extensive repairs. Then, in 2018, the distillery narrowly survived a fire that took out 65,000 liters of precious rum.

Long Pond has resumed operations as of 2024, but it may take some time for its premium rums to become affordable to the average drinker. Of course, even if that places the Jamaican rum brand at number five, it's worth snapping up a bottle if you're lucky enough to find one.

4. New Yarmouth

clode view of new yarmouth rum bottle - tokyorumroom / Instagram

New Yarmouth is one of Jamaica's six rum distilleries. Though it produces distillate for other established brands, it's also been known to release occasional expressions under its own name. Now, this Jamaican rum brand can be hard to come by and often commands a high price (so it just misses the top three). But few rums demonstrate a master over esters -- or compounds produced during fermentation -- like New Yarmouth.

Part of what makes New Yarmouth's rum special is how long it's aged, as the decades spent in barrels make it exceedingly rich and smooth. However, the distillery's true skill lies in the art and science of fermentation. Extended fermentation and the use of special yeasts have resulted in expressions that show the full potential of high ester Jamaican rum. While each New Yarmouth bottle has funk, the style varies, showcasing a huge range of fruity and vegetal characteristics you'll be hard pressed to find elsewhere.

3. Hampden Estate

hampden estate rum bottle with glass - hampdenestaterum / Instagram

While Hampden Estate rum is a somewhat new brand, the distillery that bears its name is one of the oldest in Jamaica. Using its own sugar (reputed to be some of the finest in the nation), the distillery's revitalized range includes some of the best heavy pot still rum in the Caribbean. Using a blend of medium and high ester distillates and demonstrating a mastery of cask-aging, Hampden Estate rums are intense without being overpowering.

With characteristics from extended time spent in barrels, the marriage of funky banana, citrus, and superior molasses results in a deeply sumptuous range that includes notes of vanilla, dark chocolate, coffee, and hazelnut. Furthermore, the rum's maturation occurs in the humid heat of the tropics rather than overseas. This amplifies the aging effects -- meaning a rum aged for 8 years has the complexity and profile of a rum aged nearly four times as long elsewhere.

2. Worthy Park Estate

worthy park rum bottle by water - 1423.dk - World Class Spirits / Facebook

It's hard to rank the six remaining rum distilleries in Jamaica given each has merits backed by centuries of rum-making experience. But Worthy Park Estate has a few things that set it apart from the others. After all, it's the only one that produces Single Estate rums -- a collection made of rum produced with molasses that comes from sugarcane grown by the distillery itself. The result is a range of award-winning rums that truly deserve every accolade they've received.

More than that, Worthy Park Estate rums are still affordable compared to many other premium rums on the market. It even offers a budget range (Rum-Bar) that sits below its core offerings. These are especially well-suited for backbars and cocktails, with a selection that's diverse enough to work in all manner of mixed drinks. Ultimately, you'll find it hard not to discover a rum you love under the Worthy Park name.

1. Appleton Estate

row of appleton estate bottles - Club Mobay / Facebook

Nestled in the lush Nassau Valley is arguably the most famous of Jamaica's rum producers: Appleton Estate. With records stretching back to the mid-18th century, Appleton Estate has built an unparalleled reputation. The brand's success in developing world-class rums comes in part from its heritage and craftsmanship. But it's also due to its unique terroir, which produces some of the finest sugar in the region and provides an ultrapure spring water source.

The bottle selection may not be huge, but its core range covers an array of age statements up to 21 years (with one special release aged 50 years). The younger varieties are a superb value, as well, and affordable enough to use in cocktails while being great entry-level sippers.

Simply put, connoisseurs, bartenders, and casual rum drinkers can all find something to love in Appleton Estate rum. Since it's hard to imagine another distillery having the same impact on the world of rum as this one, it's easily the number one Jamaican rum brand.

Methodology

tropical cocktails prepared - Elena Veselova/Shutterstock

Like any spirit, there are great Jamaican rums, terrible ones, and plenty that fall somewhere in the middle. With 16 years of experience in the bar and restaurant industry, I've been fortunate enough to sample and work with a huge range of international spirits and attend masterclasses with global brand ambassadors. Additionally, as a history enthusiast with a grandparent from the West Indies, I've always had a keen interest in rum due to its remarkable Caribbean heritage.

The above rankings consist of Jamaican rum brands I found the most success with as a bartender (and later bar manager) and would hope to find in any rum bar worth its salt. It features a balance of spirits that suit any occasion, from the familiar and the unique to entry-level rums for newcomers. I also considered each Jamaican rum brand's taste -- both in cocktails and when sipping -- when assembling these rankings, along with its availability, affordability, variety, and history.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
When youre by the ocean, you can feel it. The salt clinging to your hair, the sun warming your skin, the gusts from the sea flipping the pages of your book for you. You dont need a sign in your house announcing Beach or a bevy of anchor-adorned pillows to remind you that youve arrived. In fact, our nine favorite coastal living room ideas, full of rich color and sleek furniture, pair just as wellif not better!with the cool ocean breeze.

The Surfer-Cool Coastal Living Room

Photography by Mikey DeTemple; Styling by Benjamin Reynaert

When model Zippora Seven and her husband, photographer Terence Connors , transitioned from living on a sailboat to land, they bought a surf shack in Montauk, New York , covered in humble plywood. Drawing inspiration from the grid panels outside of George Nelsons Holiday House in Quogue, they devised a checkerboard scheme for the living rooms main wall using a combination of light birch and dark mahogany sheets.

The Mid-Century Coastal Living Room

Photography by Haris Kenjar

Michel Ducaroy's Togo sofa is a go-to for designers who want to bring some mid-century modern charm to a space, so to see it work nautical wonders in this Fox Island, Washington, home designed by Heidi Caillier is a delightful surprise. It all comes down to the blue and white Scalamandre fabric she had the piece (ottoman included!) reupholstered in.

The Maximalist Coastal Living Room

Photography by Iaia Coco

British designer Matthew Williamson leaned into island life by doing what he knows best: layering patterns. In his Majorca home , banana leaf and leopard prints, stripes, and ikat collide, and a good chunk of them are on his living room sofa alone. His rule: As long as youre neatpeep the almost-bare coffee tablethe arrangement won't feel overwhelming. It is a sort of organized bohemia, he says.

The Moody Coastal Living Room

Photography by Chris Court

Sibella Court isnt afraid to admit she has an aversion to white houses. So instead of going the light and bright route in her seaside Australia home , she opted for dark nooks with pooling curtains that double as room dividers (and insulation come winter). Court relies primarily on lamps and sconces for a warm glow; to her, lower light levels feel nurturing.

The Jersey Coastal Living Room

Photography by Matthew Williams

The reason this Mantoloking, New Jersey, home doesnt read as your typical summer house? The homeowners told their designers to think New York City. So alongside the groovy rattan lounge chairs are refreshingly contemporary light fixtures. In the kitchen, the tiled island is an unapologetically bold emerald green. No driftwood and no sea glass, says Damian Zunino, principal of Studio DB . Still, the space comes with all the practicalities required of a shore home. The clean-lined Crofthouse sofa is covered in indoor-outdoor fabric, so wet swimsuits are no big deal.

The Airy Coastal Living Room

Photography by Johnny Miller; Produced by Kate Berry

At Winnie Beatties crisp white cottage in Amagansett, New York, you will find collections of driftwood and other beach finds, but it's clear the designer didnt buy them in bulk from a store. Every piece is personal, down to the the textiles sourced on many surfing trips, which automatically takes any cheesiness out of it.

The Modern Coastal Living Room

Photography by Prue Ruscoe; Styling by Olga Lewis ; Interior Design by Hugh-Jones Mackintosh

Shades of blue and cream come to mind first when you picture a beach house, but this space, designed by Hugh-Jones Mackintosh , makes a case for richer sunset hues like salmon pink and mango orange. Further breaking up the seriousness of the concrete architecture: a cheeky rattan palm tree floor lamp. (Psst: Serena & Lily sells a similar option.)

The Not-So-Coastal Living Room

Photography by Kaitlin Green ; Designed and Styled by Emily Henderson; Architecture by Arciform

Who says you have to literally be on the coast to have a coastal living room? Emily Hendersons Portland, Oregon, home isnt on the water, but that didnt stop her from filling her navy-colored den with a gallery wall of moody seascapes. Even her Samsung Frame TV (on the opposite wall) features a rotating display of crashing waves and old-timey ships.

The Artsy Coastal Living Room

Photography by Nina Choi; Styling by Benjamin Reynaert

Vacation is 24-7 when you've got Shannon Campanaro and Nick Chaconas cushy modular sofa. The Eskayel founders, who own a chilled-out surfer retreat in the Hamptons , created the painterly piece from scratch, filling it with eco-friendly kapok and avoiding any hard structural elements. That way, they can constantly reconfigure the cushions for whatever the day brings.
MILAN  The name has changed, but growth continues.

Oniverse, formerly Gruppo Calzedonia, on Monday reported 2023 revenues grew 2 percent to 3.1 billion euros. This compares with 3 billion euros at the end of 2022. At constant exchange, revenues rose 5.5 percent.

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In December, Gruppo Calzedonia took on the Oniverse moniker, reflecting the transformation of the Italian company from an innerwear and hosiery specialist to an international and diversified group that now spans from luxury fashion and label Antonio Marras, to bridal, food and wine.

Founded by Sandro Veronesi in Verona, Italy, in 1986, the group now comprises innerwear, hosiery and beachwear brands Calzedonia, Intimissimi, Intimissimi Uomo and Tezenis; knitwear and cashmere label Falconeri; wine retailer Signorvino; bridal brand Atelier Eme and Antonio Marras. Last year, it also acquired 88 percent of premium yacht-maker Cantiere del Pardo, the producer of the Grand Soleil, Pardo and Van Dutch yachts.

At the time of the change, Veronesi, who holds the role of chairman, touted the constant growth of the group, and its great history, a universe in continuous evolution, and the unique identity of each brand. Accordingly, he chose a name that would be independent and autonomous, but that could represent the essence of all brands. In fact, we want for each brand to have its autonomy, while remaining part of a group. Oniverse tweaks the word universe, is the anagram of the Veronesi surname, and is the result of an in-house contest to define the new name, engaging the companys employees and signaling their involvement in its evolution and development.

Last year, exports increased to account for around 62 percent of the total.

Over the year, the group opened 314 stores, of which 248 are outside Italy. As of Dec. 31, there were a total of 5,644 stores across the brands, of which 3,732 units are located outside Italy. Stores mainly opened in the U.S., France, Spain and Brazil. The group is present in 59 countries and over the year it began to operate its new Mexican branch.

Investments totaled 563 million euros, mainly channeled into retailing, the global integration of the groups e-commerce and technology.

We are satisfied with the results reached in 2023, a year during which the international scenarios and the change in consumer spending trends strongly influenced the trading context, Veronesi said.

Five new Antonio Marras stores opened in Italy, of which one stands in a premium position on Romes Via Condotti luxury shopping street.

In 2022, Veronesi decided to take an 80 percent stake in Marras namesake company, providing his groups retail and production experience, in addition to its financial muscle, to develop the brand, which was previously mainly distributed via wholesale.

In 2023, Signorvino started expanding outside Italy, opening its first stores in Paris and Prague, Czech Republic, on Place Saint Michel, a few steps from the Notre-Dame Cathedral and at the Westfield Chodov shopping center, respectively.

They are part of the Journey Across Flavours project started by the brand in 2023 at the wine trade show Vinitaly to capture the stories and flavors of Italian viticulture, a manifesto to explore Italys gastronomic heritage.

In 2024, Intimissimi Uomo will continue to develop and update its existing Calzedonia, Intimissimi and Tezenis stores. A new store format for childrenswear, Tezenis Kids, was unveiled last year. Intimissimi has enjoyed additional visibility thanks to a capsule collection by Jennifer Lopez, launched in October. Entitled This Is Me Now, the new line draws inspiration from the pop stars new album, her ninth.

As reported, the group once again took the top spot as the company with the highest potential to go public, according to the 2023 Le Quotabili study by Milan-based consultancy Pambianco Strategie di Impresa. In the report, Veronesi admitted that a listing is an opportunity we have considered many times, but that we have always postponed to focus on other goals.

The executive said the main objectives are now the generational handover, as his children increase their responsibilities within the company, and the evolution into a group of brands and companies, allowing each to be more autonomous. So the Bourse could be an option, but in the future, not now, he concluded.

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Abbas Ganbay

An action dedicated to the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide was held in Koln, Azernews reports, citing Diaspora.

The State Committee for Diaspora Affairs reports that Azerbaijanis living in Koln and nearby cities, as well as representatives of Azerbaijani-friendly communities, took part in the action organised by the European Azerbaijani Centre in front of the Koln Cathedral.

First, the National Anthem of Azerbaijan was played, and then a minute of silence was observed in memory of the martyrs who gave their lives for the Motherland and died in Khojaly.

Chairman of the European Azerbaijan Centre Zaur Aliyev, deputy chairman Sardar Aliyev, board member of the Centre Gazanfar Kazimov, members of families of martyrs, and other persons made speeches and noted that despite the fact that 32 years have passed since the Khojaly genocide, Azerbaijanis living abroad have not forgotten the pain of those terrible days, and the perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide deserved their words: the Azerbaijani Diaspora regularly takes various measures to punish them.

It was stated that the Khojaly genocide is a crime against humanity and that this tragedy is not the only act of genocide committed by Armenians in history.

During the action, the participants of the event unfolded informative posters depicting Armenian vandalism. Books, leaflets, and brochures published in German and English were distributed to the residents of the city. A photo exhibition of pictures depicting the horrors of the Khojaly genocide aroused the interest of the local community.

The event, attended by more than 200 people, ended with an overture of "Keroglu", where the national flags of Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Germany were flying.
NEW DELHI, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people, including two women, died in an accident involving three vehicles, in India's eastern state of Bihar late on Sunday evening, confirmed a local government official on Monday.

The road mishap occurred in Bihar's Kaimur district when a car hit a road divider while trying to save a motorbike rider and then rammed into a truck coming from the opposite direction.

The car involved in the accident was enroute to Varanasi town of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh from the Sasaram district of Bihar. All eight persons aboard the car and the motorbike rider died in the accident.

The mishap took place near Devkali village along the National Highway No. 2.

Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed condolences at the loss of human lives in the accident. 
Bed Bath & Beyonds bankruptcy estate is coming after another container shipping line, just as the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) adjusted its rules on how ocean carriers and terminal operators can charge late fees for containers.

The former home retailer, whose intellectual property is now a completely separate entity under the name Beyond Inc., filed a $4.3 million complaint with the FMC against Evergreen, marking the fourth ocean carrier the company has levied litigation against since the start of 2023.

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The complaint carries three allegations against the Taiwanese shipping line: failing to meet service commitments over a two-year stretch; coercing Bed Bath & Beyond to pay extra contractual prices and surcharges; and charging excessive demurrage and detention fees.

These three charges are similar to the allegations thrown at Orient Overseas Container Line Limited (OOCL), Yang Ming and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), all of which are still ongoing cases. The suit against MSC is the largest filed with the FMC to date, with Bed Bath & Beyond seeking damages of as much as $315.8 million.

With the suits, Bed Bath & Beyond is holding the ocean carriers at least partially responsible for its Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2023. In the year prior to the bankruptcy filing, the home and bedding retailer had multiple quarters where it said out-of-stock inventory stemming from then-ongoing supply chain congestions had resulted in at least $100 million in lost sales.

In the filing served Feb. 21, Bed Bath & Beyond alluded to these issues, saying Evergreens conduct has caused complainant to incur other injuries, including delays, failures to receive time-sensitive merchandise, reduced inventory available for sale, unnecessary expenses, lost profits, as well as attorneys fees and expenses relating to litigation.

Like its suits against the other container shipping lines, the firm alleges Evergreen allocated the complainants bargained for space to higher-priced cargo from other shippers to maximize Evergreens own profits.

The plaintiff alleged that Evergreen carried only 20 percent of the committed cargo throughout the 2020-2021 service contract. While the contract initially set a minimum quality commitment (MQC) of 1,250 40-foot containers, Bed Bath & Beyond says the ocean carrier offered only enough space for nearly 257 containers.

Bed Bath & Beyond said the situation improved in the 2021-2022 contract, but Evergreen still transported just 60 percent of the initial 750-container space commitment. The former retailer claims the defendant provided nearly 456 40-foot equivalent units (FEUs) of space.

As a result of Evergreens shortfalls in both the 20202021 and 20212022 shipping years, complainant was forced to seek carriage from other sources at higher rates, or else forgo shipments completely, the suit said.

As far as the coercion charges go, the FMC submission claims the container lines surcharges were used as a prerequisite to honoring even a fraction of its service commitments. One email from an Evergreen representative cited in the complaint suggested that other customers were willing to pay more than $1,000 extra on top of contracted rates to reserve space.

Bed Bath & Beyonds third allegation of excess demurrage and detention charges started in April 2021. In connection with the Evergreen voyages, BBBY says it paid more than $820,000 in demurrage charges and at least $438,000 in detention charges imposed by Evergreen, totaling nearly $1,259,000.

The retailer called the charges excessive, saying they largely implemented to penalize the company for conditions outside its control, like port congestion, lack of appointments and lack of equipment.

For example, communications between BBBY and/or its drayage vendors and Evergreen clearly indicate that a lack of appointments or dual appointment requirements resulted in BBBY and/or its drayage vendors being unable to pick up or return Evergreen containers, according to the complaint. In particular at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, BBBY and/or its drayage vendors were unable to secure appointments for picking up or returning Evergreen containers, or were turned away when attempting to access the port.

FMC aims for clarity with new demurrage and detention standards

Complaints like Bed Bath & Beyonds and others brought more attention to claims that ocean carriers have been abusing their power via unreasonable charging practices and contract breaches.

The FMC, which already had required ocean carriers to prove the accuracy of detention and demurrage fees, updated its rules on these billing practices Friday. The ruling is designed to deliver more clarity on who can be billed, the timeframe within which they can be billed and the process for disputing such bills.

With the rule, invoices can only be issued to one of two parties: either the person who contracted for the ocean transportation or storage of cargo; or the consignee, defined as the person to whom final delivery of the cargo is to be made.

As of May 28, container ship carriers and marine terminal operators will be required to issue detention and demurrage invoices within 30 calendar days from when charges were last incurred.

Under the new system, shippers will not be obligated to pay these fees if carriers fail to properly bill.

The new ruling comes nearly a year after the FMC requested details from 11 ocean carriers on their policies and practices for issuing detention and demurrage invoices.

The FMC estimated the costs for carriers and terminal operators to comply with the updated invoicing requirements at between $6.3 million and $12.7 million.


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[table-of-contents] stripped

Portable generators have become fairly common and their popularity will likely increase as extreme weather events become a more regular part of daily life. Anyone who lives in a suburban area often hit with power outages after storms is familiar with the sound of generators humming throughout the neighborhood.

Emergency backup power isnt their only use, however. Portable generators can be helpful on construction sites, for tailgating and camping, at barbecues, as well as at events like parades and fairsany location out of range of an extension cord. With a range of options available, there's sure to be something for almost everybody. And if you'd rather not deal with gasoline or propane, consider a electric power station or solar generator, which are more increasingly popular and capable than ever.

The Best Portable Generators

Editors Note: We reviewed our picks of the best portable generators on February 26 and stand behind these models as the best for most people.

The Expert: Ive been testing generators at Popular Mechanics for 5 years. In that time Ive tested dozens of units, both big and small. Aside from testing, I also have experience using these devices to power campers and RVs, off-grid. Additionally, over the years in my rural homes, Ive had to install both manual and automatic transfer switches for using generators as backup power sources for multi-day power outages.

What You Need to Know About Portable Generators

Before running out to buy a portable generator, its important to think about how and where youre going to use it. There are often laws, rules, and restrictions regarding their use in residential homes, with homeowners associations, at campgrounds, or on construction sites.

Picking the right one means youll be able to power up the appliances or equipment you need. Picking the wrong one, or using it improperly, could damage the generator or what is connected to it, at best. At worst, it could be dangerous, posing a risk of fire, electrocution, or carbon monoxide poisoning.

How Generators Work

Generators consist of two major components: an engine and an alternator. The engine turns the alternator, producing AC (alternating current) power that goes through a voltage regulator to deliver 120 volts or 240 volts, as required. AC power is what is distributed and used in our homes, so we can power just about anything we can plug in at home using a generator.

Types of Generators

Standard

These generators, sometimes called backup generators, are used to provide temporary power when and where it is needed. Portable is a relative term; some are more portable than others. While the smallest models can be picked up and carried, most have wheels and a handle to make transport easier. However, at 100 pounds or more, picking them up to load or move may take two people. Appliances, power tools, or other devices can be plugged directly into standard outlets on the generators front panel.

Additionally, many models have a twist-lock plug that can provide up to 240 volts and be used to power circuits in a home via a manual transfer switch. You may hear generators like these referred to as open frame generators, which simply means that the engine, fuel tank, and generator components are not enclosed in bodywork.

Inverter

Though inverter-type generators arelike their standard cousinstypically portable, we group them separately because theyre significantly and technically different in terms of how they work.

Like most generators, inverter generators provide 120/240 volts of AC power. They generate AC current just like the others, but its then converted to DC (Direct Current), and then inverted back to AC. The conversion and inversion is controlled by circuitry which acts like a filter, flattens surges, and cleans up the sine wave (or oscillating wave) of the electrical current.

Typical generators have varying degrees of distortion in the sine wave of the alternating current. This isnt usually an issue for most electrical devices, though sensitive electronics like tablets, laptops, televisions, and other smart devices can be damaged by current distortion or surges. These devices will last longer with clean power and steady voltage. Because of that added complication, inverter generators can be significantly more expensive.

Standby

Standby generators are permanently installed and connected to a home. These may power selected, critical circuits during a power outage, or may provide power for the whole home. Standby generators have systems that monitor power supplied by a utility and start automatically in the event of an outage. Since theyre not portable or easily moved, we didnt include any here.

Trevor Raab

Fuel Options

Most portable generators are powered by gasoline, which is the most commonly available fuel. However, when using generators for emergency power, their infrequent use presents some issues to consider. The first is that when big, catastrophic storms hit and power outages span days, gas stations may have trouble meeting the demand and there may be long lines.

The second issue has to do with the infrequent use of backup generators, which may sit for months to years between use. Gasoline sitting in a carburetor will slowly evaporate over time, leaving gummy deposits that can block fuel from getting through, making it difficult or even impossible to start your generator without servicing.

You can avoid this by closing the fuel valve and letting the generator run until it stalls, using up the fuel left in the carburetor. Over time, gasoline can oxidize or go stale, losing combustibility. It may also absorb water, which can then corrode fuel tanks and other metal components in the fuel system. Starting a generator regularly, as well as treating fuel with a stabilizer, can help fight these issues.

Ethanol-free gasoline, available at some gas stations, is also less susceptible to degradation over time than standard 87-octane pump gas, though it's still a good idea to mix the fuel going into your generator with stabilizer.

Dual-fuel generators can run on gasoline or liquified petroleum gas (LPG), commonly known as propane. Switching between the fuels is simple, and you wont be tied into the availability of one type of fuel.

There is a bigger advantage to propane, though: It is very stable when stored for long periods of time. It wont go stale, and wont gum up carburetors from sitting. Plus, some homes that use propane for other purposes may already have large storage tanks on the premises, foregoing the need to make repeated trips out for fuel.

The one downside to propane is that it creates fewer BTUs (British Thermal Units, a measurement of energy) than the same amount of gasoline. So, a generator running on propane will have slightly reduced starting and running watts. On the plus side, though, it will also run a little quieter than those that run on gasoline.

While they are few and far between, you may also find generators that run on natural gas. There are also propane-powered generators that can be converted to run natural gas.

Does Your Generator Need to Be Grounded?

If you're powering appliances, tools, or other devices by plugging them directly into the standard outlets on the generator, the answer is no. If the generator is being used to power circuits in your home, maybe. Its always best to consult the operators manual, a licensed electrician, and/or township ordinances with your local building officialssome localities may have requirements that differ from the NEC (National Electric Code).

Electrical circuits need to be grounded in order to operate devices safely, so that any current that shorts out, or has a fault, is directed to the ground, i.e. the actual, literal earth, so the user doesnt become the conduit to ground.

There are two ways that generators are grounded: neutral bonded and floating neutral. Neutral bonded means that the neutral wire is bonded, or connected, to the generator frame. With a floating neutral, the neutral is not connected to the frame. In the latter case, the generator should be grounded by connecting the ground terminal to a grounding rod driven into the ground.

Generators with GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets, when used to power circuits in your home, require a neutral switching, manual transfer switch, and need to be grounded by connecting the ground terminal to a ground rod, driven into the soil. Neutral switching transfer switches are also referred to as three pole transfer switches.

Generator Safety

A generator, or anything with a fuel-powered engine, should never be operated in a closed space, like a garage or shed. Exhaust gasses contain carbon monoxide (CO), an odorless, colorless gas that can poison and kill people. Most manufacturers offer models that will shut down when they detect carbon monoxide building up, which prevents them from running in closed spaces.

Do not run a generator in a garage with the door open, or in front of the garage with the door opencarbon monoxide can still become trapped in the garage and slowly make its way into the home. For this reason, generators should be run outside, at least 20 feet from the house, away from windows and doors, with the exhaust blowing away from the house.

Trevor Raab

Sizing a Generator Correctly

Its important to know what you intend to power with a generator in order to choose the right size. Manufacturers list two figures for generators: starting watts and running watts. Starting watts includes the initial surge required to start appliances or tools with powerful electric motors or compressors. Once started, these devices require far less power to run continuously.

Many manufacturers have a chart with estimated power requirements for common appliances and tools to help you figure out what you need. For a more precise measurement, you can also calculate the figure yourself by adding up power consumption of specific appliances and adding them together. To calculate watts, multiply voltage (usually 120 volts) by the amps (amperage) required to run the appliance (usually found on a tag attached to the appliance). Do this for each item the generator will power.



How We Selected The Best Portable Generators

We researched popular features, scoured consumer reviews, and talked with product engineers to pick the generators in this guide. Testing these models was based on our experience using generators for backup power with and without transfer switches, on construction sites to run power tools and equipment, as well as running sound systems and lighting at outdoor events.

We measured the sound levels of these generators idling with no load, and while running under load at 2 feet and 25 feet. We used an oscilloscope to observe the sine wave of the AC current generated by these machines, and a clamp meter to check voltage output.

Some examples of devices we used with large starting and running loads include a large air conditioner and a portable table saw. We evaluated these generators based on ease of starting, power response, sound levels, value, safety, and reliability to select the top performers.

In addition, we included a few untested models in this roundup that have compelling prices, design, or other features that may meet your needs. These include the DuroMax XP1200, Westinghouse WGen7500, and Champion 4,750-Watt. We recommend these based on our experience testing and reviewing other similar models, research into the market, and consulting reviews that customers have left on retailers sites. Although we cant speak to their performance, they have compelling prices, designs, and features that may meet your needs.

Shop Now EU2200i Companion Portable Generator lowes.com $999.00 Trevor Raab

At half the size and less than half the weight of the other models in this test, the Honda EU2200i inverter generator is the most portable of the units we tested. Its easy to pick up, move around, or pack in a vehicleand since the generator is fully enclosed, it can slip into tight spaces without getting caught on anything.

That enclosure is an important feature, as it protects the inverter electronics and helps contain noisethe EU2200i is remarkably quiet. In testing, we measured sound levels of 68.9 decibels at the generator under no load. When we switched it to eco mode, which reduces engine speed when power isnt called for, sound was reduced to 76 decibels.

When we used an oscilloscope to look at the sine wave of the current generated, the curves were smooth and symmetrical, an indicator of clean power required by sensitive electronics. When we started and stopped things with bigger motors, like a table saw and air conditioner, the sine wave remained smooth. Running under these heavier loads, we measured the highest sound levels for the EU2200i at 81.2 decibels at the generator.

Aside from the clean enclosure, there are some other nice features on this generator. The vent on the gas cap can be closed, so that fumes, or fuel, cannot escape. This means that it can be packed in a passenger compartment of an SUV without having to worry about fumes or fuel leeching into the cabin. Likewise, the power on/off switch doubles as a fuel shutoff so it cant be forgotten.

Lastly, the EU2200i has ports for parallel operation. With the correct cable, it can be connected to a second EU2200i to double output to 4400 starting and 3600 running watts. The EU2200i is ideal for camping and other outdoor events where generator noise might be frowned on.

Heres a sample list of appliances the EU2200i can run simultaneously: a refrigerator, a box fan, four CFL lights, a radio, an LCD TV, a laptop, and a charger for a mobile device.

Shop Now 9500-Watt Inverter Portable Generator harborfreight.com $2300.00 Trevor Raab

The Harbor Freight Predator 9500 is a large inverter, capable of powering all the critical circuits in a modest-size home. With a generator this size, we cant overstate the importance of the four wheels it sits on and the sturdy, fold-out handle that facilitates moving it. We were able to pull it around fairly easily with one person, but lifting it was definitely a team affair.

To hit the running capacity, we powered two air conditioners, a portable heater, a table saw, and a planer. Despite the slew of devices it can run, we were able to easily have conversations around the generator; its that quiet. Finally, the Predator comes with two plug ends for 120-volt, 20-amp outlets and one 240-volt, 30-amp twist lock, in case your cables dont match up or need convertinghandy if you buy the 9500 in an emergency and get home to find your plugs dont match. While it costs a lot, we believe this generator is worth the money considering how much if provides.

Heres a sample list of appliances the Predator 9500 can run simultaneously: a refrigerator, a microwave, an electric water heater, a 12,0000BTU air conditioner, four CFL lights, an LCD TV, and a laptop.

Shop Now iQ3500 3500-Watt Inverter Portable Generator amazon.com $980.80 Trevor Raab

Coupled with two sturdy handles, the metal doors and enclosure of the IQ3500 make clear that its a durable, well-built machine. We appreciated the convenience of the push-button electric start.

During testing, we used two 120-volt loadsour 15-amp table saw and a 10-amp portable air conditioner. While turning the saw on and off, the sine wave of the current had consistent symmetrical waves.

We were initially disappointed to see theres no fuel gauge on the tank, but the LCD screen made it easy for us to monitor performance and keep tabs on remaining fuel and run time. The IQ3500 is a great compact generator for job sites and emergency home backup.

Heres a sample list of appliances this Generac generator can run simultaneously: a refrigerator, a coffee maker, four CFL lights, an LCD TV, a laptop, and a charger for a mobile device.

Shop Now 4,650-Watt Electric Start Dual Fuel Inverter Portable Generator lowes.com $910.42 Trevor Raab

Champion packed a lot of value in here, starting with the ability to run on either gas or propane. Monitoring the current when turning the saw or planer on, we saw a symmetrical sine wave. THD held at zero percent, though it blipped to 3.7 when we turned the saw on. With a 30-amp, RV-style plug, this generator is suited to powering a medium camper, and though it doesnt have a 240-volt outlet, it could come in handy during an emergency at home.

Heres a sample list of appliances this Champion generator can run simultaneously: a refrigerator, a microwave, a coffee maker, four CFL lights, an LCD TV, a laptop, and a charger for a mobile device.

Shop Now 3,500-Watt Portable Generator homedepot.com $554.95 Trevor Raab

At just over 120 pounds, this Briggs & Stratton generator is technically light enough for one person to lift it out of a truck, but it would be safer with two, or one person with a set of ramps. Wheels and a folding handle facilitate moving and positioning the generator to make setup fast and easy.

Once the generator is running, a handy fuel gauge built into the top of the tank helps ensure there are no surprises with the gas level. We found starting to be straightforward: turn on the fuel, flip the engine/ignition switch, choke the carburetor, and pull the recoil starter.

We measured sound levels with no load in front of the generator at 89.1 decibels. Under load, that number increased only to 90.1 decibels, while 25 feet away measured 73.2. Visually checking the current output on an oscilloscope, we found slight deterioration of the sine wave, a common occurrence with portable generators. Because of this, its always best to use a power strip with a surge protector when powering sensitive electronics.

Possibly the most important feature is "CO Guard," which shuts down the engine when carbon monoxide (CO) levels get too high around the generator. This can help prevent CO poisoning, or death, resulting from improper placement or use of the generator. We tested this feature using a large appliance box placed over the generator, which shut down in 26.3 seconds.

Heres a sample list of appliances this Briggs & Stratton generator can run simultaneously: a refrigerator, a microwave, a coffee maker, four CFL lights, an LCD TV, a laptop, and a charger for a mobile device.

Shop Now 5,500-Watt Dual Fuel Generator walmart.com $995.00 Trevor Raab

Choose your fuel, or use whats available in an emergency, with Champions 5,500 watt Dual Fuel generator. Being able to pick between gasoline and propane has a couple of benefits, especially when using a generator for backup power during or after storms.

Unlike gasoline, propane is very stable and wont gum up carburetors or other components when stored for long periods between use. Additionally, you might not have to deal with gasoline shortages following regional storms that take down power grids for days.

We found switching between gasoline and propane to be simple, and the Champion 5,500 started equally well on either fuel. However, since propane doesnt pack the same amount of energy as gasoline, the running and starting watts were slightly reduced. We also confirmed that it runs just a little quieter on propane, with 78.2 decibels under load at 25 feet versus 81.5 decibels on gas.

One note on using propane: The main power switch on the panel wont shut the unit down the propane switch on the fuel selection panel shuts off both the flow of propane and the generator. This prevents the propane from being left on when the generator is off.

We appreciated the digital gauge at the top of the control panel that displays the voltage and current frequency being generated, as well as total hours of usehandy to keep track of maintenance schedules. The 5,500 Dual Fuel is a great option for emergency backup power, but its also good for job sites and bigger RVs and campers.

Heres a sample list of appliances this Champion can run simultaneously: a refrigerator, a microwave, a Keurig machine, a 10,000-BTU air conditioner, four CFL lights, an LCD TV, a laptop, and a space heater.

Shop Now GP6500 CoSense Portable Generator amazon.com $1062.18 Trevor Raab

The biggest generator we tested, Generacs GP6500 COsense, boasts a generous starting capacity of 8,125 watts. This means the generator can handle startup loads from big appliances or tools that could be two- to three-times their running watts. Larger-capacity generators like this are particularly useful as backup power during power outages.

Connected to the home through a manual transfer switch rather than running extension cords to individual appliances, the generator can run directly to the homes critical circuits. This unit could also supply power at construction sites, or to large RVs that have significant power needs.

Wherever you use it, Generacs COsense technology keeps people near it safe. When the unit detects high levels of carbon monoxide (CO) in the immediate area, it shuts down, preventing CO poisoning or death. We tested this feature by placing a large cardboard appliance box over the unit while running and found that it shut off in just 16.5 seconds.

For a larger generator, the GP6500 isnt excessively loud; we logged sound levels at 83.3 decibels under load from 25 feet away. When we hooked up an oscilloscope and monitored the sine wave of the current generated, we noticed some mild distortion, which is normal for most AC generators. It is a reminder, though, that if powering sensitive electronics from a generator, to do so using a good power strip with a surge protector.

To ensure the unit wont need frequent refueling, it has a large fuel tank that holds nearly 8 gallonstheres also a fuel gauge designed into the top of the tank. A digital hour meter is included on the front panel to help track maintenanceas it approaches 100 hours and starts to blink, its time to change the oil. At 200, routine service is recommended. Lastly, the GP6500 meets emission standards in every state, including California.

Heres a sample list of appliances the GP6500 can run simultaneously: a refrigerator, a microwave, an electric water heater, four CFL lights, an LCD TV, and a laptop.



Shop Now XP12000EH Portable Generator amazon.com $1199.00

The DuroMax XP12000EH has a hardy 9,500-watt running capacity, with an extra 2,500 watts of starting capacity. These big numbers mean youll be able to run mostif not all critical circuits in a modest-size home during a power outage.

The XP12000EH has electric start for convenience and can run on either gasoline or propane, which gives you more options for refueling in a pinch. And it has a 50-amp RV receptacle, so if you have a large camper you can run completely off-grid.

Shop Now WGen7500 Portable Generator amazon.com $849.00

Whats more convenient than an electric start on a generator? An electric start with a remote. This WGen7500, when employed as a home back-up during prolonged or intermittent power outages, wont have you running outside to start the generator.

With 7,500 running watts and 9,500 peak watts, it can power most of the critical circuits in a typical home. The 6.6-gallon gas tank holds enough fuel to run up to 11 hours, plus it has built-in gauge to help estimate how much run time is left.

Shop Now 4,750-Watt Dual-Fuel Portable Generator homedepot.com $648.75

Champions 4,750-watt generator has enough capacity to run three or four critical 120-volt circuits in your home during an outage. It will also power small-to-medium campers and RVs via a dedicated 30-amp, 120-volt RV receptacle.

And, since its dual-fuel, you can run it off the campers propane without having to pack and haul a gas can. There are no 240-volt outlets, though, so if you need that many volts to power circuits in your home, this model wont be right for you.

Q&A

What should I do if I cannot start my generator?

There could be dozens of reasons for this. The first things to check are whether or not there's any fuel in the tank, and if fuel valve is turned on. Then, check for any obstructions in the air cleaner box. If thats clean, move on to check that the engine has spark. If your generator has sat for a long time without treated fuel, the carburetor may be clogged up and require cleaningif youre unfamiliar with any of these steps, it may be best to take it to a shop for service.

Do I need to use premium gas in a generator?

In an emergency, use what you can get, but as a general rule, 87 octane fuel will be finejust dont go lower than that.

And, as long as were talking fuel, its always best to use ethanol-free fuel in equipment with small gas enginesif thats not possible, nothing more than 10% ethanol. Ethanol can attract moisture, which will then separate and settle in the gas tank or carburetor where it can corrode and clog the fuel system. For this reason, its also a good idea to treat gas with a fuel stabilizer.

What routine maintenance do generators need?

Much like your lawn mower, generators need regular maintenance. However since they often see much less use, maintenance intervals tend to be farther apart. Typical maintenance would include changing oil, checking the air filter and changing if needed, changing the fuel filter if so equipped, and checking the spark plug. Check your owners manual for the manufacturers specific maintenance recommendations.

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BlockTexx has raised 7 million Australian dollars (roughly $4.57 million) in Series B funding.

The Australian fashion technology firm that connects textile manufacturers, retail brands and logistics providers through a secure, blockchain-enabled marketplace turns waste into a resource by employing its proprietary technology to separate blended polyester and cotton materialslike clothinginto high-value raw materials.

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The firm will use the funding to scale blended textile resource recovery technology.

Blocktexxs co-founders Adrian Jones and Graham Ross, noted seed investors Mike and Sue Gregg, as well as global alternative investment management firm Artesian Investments, participated in the funding round.

Mike Gregg, for one, acknowledged that textile waste is a problem without a solution, though Blocktexx has been relentless in developing real-world technology to address that problem.

Graham and Adrian have built a strong business model and are doing what they promised: diverting textiles from landfill, Gregg said. Investment in advanced manufacturing needs patient capital, especially in developing industries. Blocktexxs founders have used capital very efficiently.

The startup, which is an alumnus of Fashion for Goods 2020 South Asia Innovation accelerator, also welcomed the Amsterdam-based sustainable innovation platform to the fold of investors.

Having worked with Blocktexx over the last few years, Fashion for Good is excited by the opportunity to now also support them as a capital partner, Frans Jooste, Fashion for Goods investment manager, said. The company has shown great promise in establishing itself in local regions and, combined with Fashion for Goods ongoing strategic support, we look forward to seeing the business grow within the global textile industry.

Blocktexx said it operates an end-to-end ecosystem for unwanted textiles, with Australia-wide collection, decommissioning and shredding through to processing and remanufacturing into new products. The startup remanufactures textile waste into new products through fiber-to-fiber, fiber-to-product or fiber-to-agriculture methods.

Its S.O.F.T. (separation of fiber technology) process is for hard-to-recycle clothing blends, housed in the companys commercial-scale textile recovery facility in Loganholme, Queensland. The funding will be used to expand that facilitys current stage one capacity of 4,000 tons per annum (TPA) to stage two of 10,000 TPA.

Over the last five years we have developed, commercialized and are now scaling our S.O.F.T. process, Ross said. This new investment accelerates two things: our ability to meet the market demands for our remanufactured productsPolytexx and Celltexxand our ability to take our end-of-life textile solution to the world.
You've just scheduled an at-home date night with your significant other and have decided that a cheese board is in the cards. But when you get to the cheese aisle to procure the main ingredient, there is a dizzying array of options, many of which are hard to tell apart. Take cheddar and Gouda, for example. Cheddar is ubiquitous. It's found in everything from chili to biscuits and is frequently employed in snack foods. Then, there's Gouda. With its red wax wrapper and capitalized "G," it just looks more sophisticated, even though, when it comes to the actual cheese part, it looks pretty identical to cheddar.

As their similar appearances suggest, cheddar and Gouda can often be used interchangeably in recipes, and they boast broadly appealing flavors. But, in the same way that goat cheese and feta bear some resemblances but are ultimately worlds apart, there are enough differences between cheddar and Gouda to make them best suited for different occasions. One is sweeter and nuttier, while the other is sharper and more savory. They come from different parts of the world and have different production processes. Their prices vary, as do their textures. When it comes right down to it, they are two entirely different products. For cheese lovers, it's worth knowing the differences so that the next time you're planning a gourmet cheese board or a quick turkey sandwich, you'll know exactly which one will suit the moment.

Read more: 16 Little-Known Facts About Salt

Cheddar Was Created In England

Cheddar gorges - Lukasz Malusecki/Shutterstock

Despite the integral role it plays in many of our lives, cheddar cheese has not been around since the beginning of time. Not even the great thinkers in Ancient Greece or the Roman Empire got to enjoy its singular flavor. Its origins can be traced back to the 1100s, to a small English village that bears its name. Cheddar is known for its caves and gorges where farmers preserved fresh milk during warm weather. There is no definitive account of who created the world-famous cheese, but the legend holds that a milkmaid left a bucket of milk in a cave for longer than usual, and discovered that it turned into a deliciously sharp substance that was safe to eat.

Whatever its precise origin story, cheddar was quickly recognized as a desirable (even indispensable) product. King Henry II was such a big fan of the stuff that he took his mind off reigning England and much of Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and France to prioritize the purchase of more than 10,000 pounds of it in 1170. A few centuries later, it was in such high demand that it was only available at the palace of King Charles I.

Gouda Is From The Netherlands

Gouda village - hollandfotograaf/Shutterstock

Gouda also gets its name from a small village, but one that's in Holland rather than England. Unlike Cheddar, however, the northern town of Gouda is not believed to have been the origin of its cheesy namesake. In fact, Gouda (the cheese) is not as geographically specific as its name suggests. It has been made throughout parts of the Netherlands since the 12th century, and its association with a specific town is likely the result of a quirk in Medieval trading laws rather than where it was initially produced.

In the 1300s, Dutch cities had to apply for the right to sell specific goods, and Gouda happened to win the right to sell the cheese made in its county. Farmers from the area had to bring their goods to the town of Gouda in order to sell them, eventually establishing a renowned cheese market. Consequently, it became the place associated with that particular style of cheese.

Cheddar Is Produced Around The World

Cheddar at store - Bloomberg/Getty Images

Since its humble beginnings in a small English village, cheddar has become a superstar of the cheese kingdom, and the U.S. is one of its most voracious markets. It was the most popular cheese in the country almost every year between 1995 and 2009, and is now second only to mozzarella. According to data collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans have been eating about 11 pounds of cheddar per capita every year since 2017.

Given this demand, it's not surprising that cheddar cheese is one of the most widely produced dairy products in the world. In the U.S., it's made predominantly in New York, Wisconsin, Vermont, and California, while around the globe, large producers include Canada, the U.K., and New Zealand. Given this geographical breadth, it's not surprising that cheddar styles vary depending on the region in which it is produced. Cheddar produced in the U.S. must be a minimum of 50% milkfat by weight of the solids, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but while New England cheddar tends to have a sharp flavor and firm texture, Wisconsin cheddar tends to be sweeter and softer. Meanwhile, British cheddar is known for its crumbly texture.

Gouda Has Origin Protection From The European Union

Gouda wheels at the Alkmaar cheese market - Petrpodhajsky/Shutterstock

While cheddar cheese can be made pretty much anywhere, Gouda has a more complicated relationship with regulation. Technically, it doesn't have to be made in Holland or even within Europe. There are manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada that produce Gouda, adopting the same style as the Dutch but without having to adhere to specific types of milk. If you go to a grocery store and find a cheese labeled as Gouda, there is no guarantee that it has anything to do with the Dutch cheese aside from the name and general flavor.

In the European Union, however, there are stringent rules. For a cheese to be sold as "Gouda Holland," it must be naturally matured and made from the milk of cows from Dutch dairy farms. For a cheese to be sold as "Noord-Hollandse Gouda," the rules are even stricter. Noord-Hollandse is the province where the cheese originated and has a special claim over its manufacturing process. These products must be made from milk produced only within the province. To experience Gouda that tastes as close to the Medieval variety as possible, opt for a Noord-Hollandse variety.

Cheddar Has A Sharp Flavor And Firm Texture

Stack of orange and white cheddar - barmalini/Shutterstock

There's a reason cheddar cheese is so beloved by consumers around the world. Its sharp, umami flavor varies depending on the variety, but it is distinctive compared to other cheeses. Mild cheddar is buttery and perfect for adding to a sandwich when you don't want it to overpower the other ingredients. On the other end of the spectrum, sharp cheddar has a powerful kick that cuts through other flavors despite its creamy texture. For those who can't quite decide, medium cheddar is the perfect balance.

In contrast with cheeses like Brie and Camembert, cheddar has a hard texture that grows more crumbly as it ages. This makes it an obvious option for recipes that call for shredded cheese because it doesn't turn to mush when it comes in contact with a grater. To make it even more of a crowd-pleaser, it doesn't have the funky flavor possessed by many other cheeses (we're thinking particularly of the French ones here). Salty, lightly tangy, and with a stretchy texture when melted, it is the go-to option for many cooks and a safe choice when you're not sure about your guests' preferences.

Gouda Has A Creamy Flavor And Softer Texture

Wedge of gouda - Enez Selvi/Shutterstock

At first glance, Gouda is similar to cheddar. It is usually sold in the same pale yellow wedges and appears to have the same firm texture. However, once you taste it, the differences are clear. Gouda has a softer, creamier texture and a flavor that is sweeter and nuttier than cheddar. Because of its sweetness, this cheese doesn't fit into recipes in the same way as its tangier cousin. Cheddar has an umami flavor that makes it largely incompatible with sweet recipes, but Gouda can taste delicious when added to desserts like cheesecake, and eaten with sugary fruits like pears and dried apricots.

Like all cheeses, Gouda gets stronger as it ages, developing a more intense flavor that has a light tanginess and even hints of spiciness. Unlike cheddar, however, its sweetness also deepens, developing decadent caramel notes that are tough to find in other cheeses. When pairing Gouda with alcohol, the sweet nuttiness and light tanginess of an aged variety are suited to the rich chocolatey character of stout beers and fruity, robust red wines.

Cheddar Is Aged Between Two Months And Several Years

Aging cheddar - Vaillery/Shutterstock

Most cheeses begin with an enzyme called rennet that curdles milk to create curds and whey. The curds are then used to make the cheese. Cheddar traditionally undergoes a unique process known, appropriately enough, as "cheddaring." During this period, the curd is sliced into slabs, stacked, and turned periodically, draining some of its moisture and allowing it to develop acidity that is crucial to its trademark tangy flavor. Cheddaring has been replaced with industrialized compression and draining equipment, but some producers still employ the method for a more traditional product. Once the curds have been drained and acidified, they are pressed into molds and left to age. Mild cheddar is younger, having aged for as little as three months, while sharp cheddar generally takes up to 18 months. Some specialty cheddars that are not sold at major grocery stores can be aged for several years.

One aspect of cheddar that does not hinge on aging is color. Whether a block of cheese is orange or pale yellow has nothing to do with time but with food coloring (annatto, the seed from achiote trees, is the traditional source for coloring). Why producers started coloring cheddar is up for debate, but many believe that it began centuries ago as a way to signify quality. Grass-fed cows produce milkfat that has a slight golden hue due to the beta-carotene in grass, which supposedly suggests healthy cows, and therefore high-quality milk.

Gouda Is Aged Between One Month And Four Years

Wheels of gouda - sparrowlens/Shutterstock

The production process of Gouda begins like cheddar by introducing rennet to milk to create curds and whey. Instead of stacking and turning the curds to remove moisture and encourage acid development, however, producers wash them to remove as much lactose as possible. At first glance, this seems counterintuitive. Lactose is a naturally occurring sugar in milk, and given that Gouda is known for its sweet flavor, you'd think manufacturers would want as much of it as possible. But as the curds slowly turn to cheese, the lactose transforms into lactic acid, providing a sharp flavor that is perfect for cheddar but in direct opposition to the sweetness of Gouda.

Once the curds are washed, they are pressed into wheel-shaped molds and soaked in brine to deepen the cheese's flavor and repel bacteria. Then, they are covered in wax and left to age. Gouda is a younger cheese than sharp cheddar, with a minimum aging period of one month. Some producers experiment with longer aging, sometimes up to four years, but most of the options that you'll find at a typical supermarket will be somewhere between four and 12 months old.

Cheddar Is One Of The Most Versatile Culinary Cheeses

Cheddar casserole - Lauripatterson/Getty Images

Between its sharp flavor and creamy, stringy texture, cheddar is a natural fit for a dizzying range of recipes. To showcase the ingredient, you can't go wrong with a classic grilled cheese or homestyle mac and cheese. In these recipes, it melts into an ooey gooey mess of salty deliciousness. In soups, it melts into an elastic texture bursting with umami flavor, transforming a healthy recipe like broccoli soup into a velvety, decadent crowd-pleaser that even veggie-averse kids will be begging for. If you sprinkle it on top of biscuits and casseroles, it becomes crispy, forming a salty crust that melts in your mouth as you chew.

You don't have to limit cheddar to lunch and dinner recipes either. It plays a key role in a copycat Starbucks breakfast sandwich, for example, and you can even add it to waffles and savory overnight oats. Whether you're whipping up a quick sandwich or planning an extravagant main dish, cheddar is one of the most reliable and delicious additions.

Gouda Is Often Used For Melting

Fondue - stockcreations/Shutterstock

Although Gouda is not featured in recipes as frequently as cheddar, it is just as versatile. Instead of offering tanginess or a crispy crust, it provides a subtly sweet, nutty creaminess. Whether you're melting it or adding it to a cold sandwich, Gouda provides a delicious alternative to cheddar when you're looking for a softer flavor and rich texture. Gouda is frequently found in smooth, creamy recipes due to its unique melting qualities. While cheddar becomes stringy when melted, Gouda turns to a thick, smooth texture, making it perfect for fondue and mac and cheese. It also has a slightly lower melting point of about 130 F, especially when it's a younger cheese. In contrast, cheddar melts at around 150 F. If you want a buttery smooth melted cheese, this Dutch classic is hard to beat.

Gouda is also an ideal choice for cheese boards, especially those containing fruit and jam. Because of its sweetness and the caramel notes that develop in older varieties, it is a perfect complement to the floral fruitiness of grapes, pears, melon, and even honey.

Cheddar Has Lots Of Saturated Fat And A Few Nutrients

Wedges of orange cheddar - Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock

Reading the nutrition labels on cheese can be a bit disheartening, but we're here to provide a holistic perspective on two of the most delicious options on the market, and luckily, it's not all doom and gloom. Let's start with the bad news. Cheddar has a lot of fat. A 1-inch cube of sharp cheddar contains about 30% of the recommended daily value of saturated fat and about 10% of the recommended daily intake of cholesterol. Cheddar also tends to have a lot of sodium, which, although a vital nutrient, can cause high blood pressure and increase the risks of heart attacks and strokes if consumed in large quantities. A 1-inch cube of cheddar typically contains about 9% of the recommended daily intake of sodium, which is not ideal considering that almost every other food we eat provides salt as well.

On the positive side, the same small portion of cheddar offers about 7 grams of protein, almost 14% of the 50 grams that the FDA recommends consuming each day. It also provides about 15% of the recommended intake of calcium, which is a crucial nutrient for strengthening bones. Last but not least, cheddar is an excellent source of selenium, a trace mineral that is involved in reproduction, hormone functioning, and metabolism along with protecting DNA and cells from damage. A 1-inch cube of the cheese contains about 52% of the recommended daily amount.

Gouda Has Fewer Calories

Gouda on cutting board - Enez Selvi/Shutterstock

Sadly, the nutritional profile of Gouda is not much better than cheddar's, though it too has a few saving graces. It contains about the same amount of fat as cheddar but has fewer calories (around 100 for a 1-inch cube compared with about 114 in cheddar). This may be due to the slightly higher moisture content in Gouda. Density is unlikely to be a cause since the caloric discrepancy is still present when comparing the cheeses by weight rather than volume.

Gouda is usually just as packed with sodium as cheddar, with a 1-inch cube containing around 10% of the recommended daily value. All these metrics change, however, depending on how much aging the product has undergone. Young Gouda has fewer calories, while a variety that has been aged for 18 months might have 120 calories per 1-inch cube, along with slightly more fat and protein.

Like cheddar, Gouda provides a hefty dose of calcium, as do all milk-based cheeses. One health benefit that you won't find on nutrition labels, however, is probiotics. Certain cheeses, including Gouda, cheddar, and Swiss cheese, contain the kind of bacteria that improve gut health, though not enough to outweigh their nutritional downsides.

Cheddar Ranges In Price

Cheddar at grocery store - Bloomberg/Getty Images

Because of its broad appeal, cheddar is easy to get and relatively cheap compared to specialty cheeses. It also comes in many forms, from white, crumbly blocks to bags of orange shreds and sandwich-ready slices. You can choose between mild, medium, sharp, aged, and extra-aged. There are even smoked and flavored versions.

This makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly how much cheddar costs. Depending on the product, you might pay less than $3 for an 8-ounce block of Kraft Mild Cheddar Cheese, or $9 for a 5-ounce block of Wisconsin-made, cave-aged cheddar. In the mid-range is Kerrygold's Reserve Cheddar, which is made from grass-fed cows, aged for two years, and costs around $6 for 7 ounces. Although there is variation in price depending on the production and source ingredients of a product, cheddar is one of the most affordable cheeses on the market, even when you're purchasing the top end of the range.

Gouda Is Comparatively Expensive

Gouda cheese shop - Tim Graham/Getty Images

Gouda is not as ubiquitous as cheddar. Head to the cheese aisle of your local supermarket and you'll be lucky to find three varieties, let alone the entire section that is probably devoted to cheddar. Your options will depend on which store you're in. A higher-end establishment that prides itself in upscale, artisanal fare may offer a wider range of Dutch Goudas, while a run-of-the-mill supermarket chain might carry one or two young, domestically produced options.

At Walmart, you can get an 8-ounce block of it for about $2, though there is little information about how or where it is made. For something that more closely resembles classic Gouda with all its depth of flavor and texture, you will end up paying several times as much. Even the Wisconsin-produced version from Whole Foods' 365 brand costs more than double the Walmart option, while an 8-ounce wedge from Holland sold under the Boar's Head brand costs over $8. If you want to go all-out on authenticity and purchase an E.U.-vetted Noord-Hollandse Gouda, you might want to start putting aside some cash. For 8 ounces of a four-year double-aged Gouda, you'll have to pay about $26.

Read the original article on Mashed.
Even if youre not an avid TikToker, you may have heard about the Manchester man who racked up a million views after discovering it would cost him less to live in a resort for a month than in his city-centre apartment. He pays 950 a month for his home (actually somewhat less than the average rent for the city) and found it would cost just 938 to book a stay in an all-inclusive resort in Turkey for 28 nights  with flights included.

After all the attention, he has now said hes going to go ahead and leave Manchester  famous for its climate, and not in a good way  and spend a month in Turkey.

Perhaps youd like to do the same? If we add a typical UK rent of 1,220 to an average three-bedroom house monthly utility bill of 167, average band D council tax of 172 and a water bill of 37, youre soon looking at around 1,600  or 53 per day. You can also bank on saving money on food overseas, especially if self-catering, and might be able to enjoy a car-free break and a month away from petrol stations.

Finding deals can take time. The so-called dynamic booking adopted by search engines means prices change in the space of hours. But it isnt difficult to bag a holiday for under 53 per day  and our list below includes some month-long escapes which underline the fact that ordinary life in the  currently wet, wintry, doom-laden  UK has become a luxury-free rip-off.

Agadir, Morocco  from 18/day

Morocco has blue skies for much of winter and spring is glorious. With a whole month you have time to explore; the train network is excellent. Marrakech is arguably at its loveliest at this time of the year and has all the allure of an ancient city. Cosmopolitan Tangier is very pleasant, and cooler afternoons make walks around the main sights and the old medina more enjoyable than ever.

Sunset view of the Marina in Agadir, Morocco - Elena Odareeva/iStock Editorial

As a base, though, Agadir is a wise choice; it has a long, wide beach and lots of smart hotels. The city is not the most interesting, but there are beauty spots and historic towns within striking distance.

EasyJet has flights from Manchester to Agadir at 48.99 on March 6, returning for 111.85 on April 6. A month in an Airbnb starts from 374 for an entire flat for one in the Quartier Hay Salam. In accordance with Moroccan law, the host says they cannot accommodate unmarried couples.

Costa del Sol, Spain  from 32/day

Does this famed resort strip need any intro? Britain has had a love affair with southern Spains liveliest coast for more than half a century. The secret is in the name; theres often sunshine even when the north of the country is grey and drizzly. Marbella has miles of silky sand, five-star hotels and beach clubs. The main drag is a bit bling, but its a lot of fun.

In the port of Benalmadena, Andalucia - Manfred Zajac/iStock Editorial

Torremolinoss popular beaches are backed by tapas bars, shops and ice-cream parlours. Nearby Benalmadena is a whitewashed old town, and its a short drive or bus ride to the romantic Andalusian pueblos blancos inland. Malaga, as well as the main airport, is a city of fine art and excellent gastronomy.

Loveholidays has a two-week room-only package in Bluesea Al Andalus, Torremolinos, departing Luton March 1 returning March 15  including flights with Ryanair to Malaga, from 449 per person.

Mani Peninsula, Greece  from 43/day

The Peloponnese is huge; at 8,320 square miles, it accounts for roughly 16 per cent of the entire Greek landmass, Ionian and Aegean islands included. Its no wonder that some parts of it are still relatively off-radar.

On the Peloponnese in Greece - ImageBroker RF/Getty

The Mani Peninsula  the middle of the three fingers that dangle down from the landmass  is a wonderland of mountains, rugged coastlines, tiny coves and pretty coastal villages. For years access was tricky but the road south from Kalamata to Areopoli provides smooth entry to villages which hitherto could only be reached only by boat.

The picturesque village of Areopolis in Mani, Greece - StreetFlash/iStock Editorial

Hundredrooms has a holiday offer from March 1-30 with Holihouse that includes a stylish studio near the sea at Mani, at 1,029, with room for two people. Skyscanner lists return flights from Heathrow to Kalamata in March with Olympic Air for 277 per person, covering the same period.

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic  from 32/day

On the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana has classically Caribbean photogenic white-sand beaches with palm trees and parasols, blue-green seas and shady little coves ideal for piracy or a spot of naturism. There are also nearby national parks, fantastic seafood restaurants and little offshore islands for the romantic, wild nightclubs with open bars for the hedonistic, and adventure and theme parks for those with families.

Punta Cana Beach in the Dominican Republic - Narvikk/iStockphoto

A lot of what is on offer is touristy and manufactured but if you stay a while, you can ride on local buses around the island to visit lots of cultural sites and the capital, Santo Domingo  the oldest city in the Americas.

Loveholidays has a 28-day deal at Punta Cana Seven Beaches for 29 days in March for 895 per person  including flights (departing March 3)

Hurghada, Egypt  from 40/day

The former fishing village of Hurghada is a major beach resort on Egypts Red Sea Riviera. Its renowned for its beautiful coral reefs, and is a good place for novices to learn how to scuba dive. To the north of is the historic El Dahar, a warren of narrow streets, with traditional souks, coffee shops and a Coptic Church, traditional souks and local nightlife of traditional Egyptian coffee shops.

Sigala, which has a good marina, has a good spread of restaurants, bars and nightclubs. If you dont mind longish bus rides or drives, Hurghada is also a serviceable base for visiting the Nile Valley sites.

On the Beach has a 28-night stay at the Bellagio Resort & Spa in Hurghada for 1,128 per person, including return flights with Easyjet in March from Belfast International.

Montevideo, Uruguay  from 43/day

Montevideo might be less glam than Buenos Aires but it has advantages over its rival. The city centre is small, walkable and lapped by the River Plate  sea breezes keep the city airy, and you can walk to La Rambla promenade in a matter of minutes.

Indpendence Plaza in the old town of Montevideo, Uruguay - Todamo/iStockeditorial

There are some lovely plazas, an atmospheric port, tango bars and terrace cafes. Uruguay is small so its easy to hop on a bus to visit Unesco-listed Colonia del Sacramento; Casapueblo, the Gaudi-esque former summerhouse and workshop of the late artist Carlos Paez Vilaro; and the beach resorts of Punta del Este, La Barra and Jose Ignacio. To keep costs down you could head further up the coast and camp on the beach.

Opodo has return flights between London Gatwick and Carrasco International for March from 1,042 per person (out 1/3, return 29/3). Vrbo has multi-occupancy rooms and apartments in Montevideo that work out at 160 per person.

Tirana, Albania  from 10.50/day

The Albanian capital is home to 528,000 people, close to a fifth of all the countrys population. Theres a fast-developing cafe culture, a clutch of international-standard hotels and cuisine that rarely fails to impress. There are also 296 miles of waterfront including stretches of both the Adriatic and the Ionian  the two seas meet at the city of Vlore. Each summer, Italians flock to the beaches in the north of the country, at second-city Durres  and they know their beaches.

A Unesco World Heritage site in Berat, Albania - Tuul & Bruno Morandi/The Image Bank Unreleased

Head inland and you can explore ancient historic sites such as Butrint and Apollonia, gorgeous Ottoman towns like Berat and Gjirokaster, and Llogara National Park, where you can marvel at the soaring Ceraunian Mountains. If its good enough for Lord Byron

Expedia has a 27-night stay at the Tirana City Rooms Guest House (Vatra e Lagjes) for 284 per person in March, including flights.

Antalya, Turkey  from 45/day

Package tourism has turned a once small port into the capital of the Turkish Riviera. Now its a major resort, with all-inclusive resorts, theme parks and shopping malls. The weather is generally lovely, with around 300 days of sunshine every year, the sand is soft and golden, and the sea is warm. At the heart of the modern city is the historic district of Kaleici (literally within the castle) and its easy to get away from the crowds. The Anatalya museum is one of the best in Turkey.

Ancient statues in a museum in Antalya, Turkey - Izzet Keribar/The Image Bank

Jet2holidays has a 28-night break at the Gtand Park Lara in Anatalya, starting on March 1, at 1,267 per person, including flights from Manchester (and 22kg of luggage).

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Erin and Ben Napier are returning for another season of their fan-favorite HGTV series Home Town Takeover!

In seasons one and two, the Napiers transformed the small towns of Wetumpka, Alabama and Fort Morgan, Colorado. Now, they're bringing their magic to a brand new state. The Napiers made a special announcement this week that they will be filming Home Town Takeover in Sebring, Florida for season three!

Sebring is in the center of southern Florida, due east of Sarasota and around 85 miles south of Orlando. Though the small town doesn't boast any beaches or amusement parks, it does sit on scenic Lake Jackson and has all the charming potential the Napiers look for.

"It's a new location, and you've probably never heard of it because it's not tourist Florida, which is our favorite Florida," Ben explained on The Jennifer Hudson Show. "It's off the beaten path," Erin elaborated.

After being affected by hurricane Irma in 2017, Sebring has all the potential, but it is in need of a little refresh, and Erin and Ben Napier are just the people for the job. However, the Napiers can't do it all themselves, so they'll be bringing in surprise special guests and helpers throughout their time in Florida. "This show is really hard to make. There's gonna be a lot of special guests. A lot of people coming in to help," Ben said.

The six-episode season is slated to air early next year, but Erin and Ben are already on the ground kicking things off. "Day 3 filming #HomeTownTakeover S3 (we are eating all the Cuban food and wearing our sunscreen, thanks Florida)," Erin wrote on Instagram earlier this week.

We're a little jealous of the residents of Sebring, but we can't wait to see the transformations Erin and Ben pull off this season!

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Erin and Ben Napier are returning for another season of their fan-favorite HGTV series Home Town Takeover!

In seasons one and two, the Napiers transformed the small towns of Wetumpka, Alabama and Fort Morgan, Colorado, and now they're bringing their magic to a brand new state. The Napiers made a special announcement this week that they will be filming Home Town Takeover in Sebring, Florida for season three!

Sebring is in the center of southern Florida, due east of Sarasota and around 85 miles south of Orlando. Though the small town doesn't boast any beaches or amusement parks, it does sit on scenic Lake Jackson and have all the charming potential the Napiers look for.

"It's a new location and you've probably never heard of it because it's not tourist Florida, which is our favorite Florida," Ben explained on The Jennifer Hudson Show. "It's off the beaten path," Erin elaborated.

After being affected by hurricane Irma in 2017, Sebring has all the potential, but it is in need of a little refresh, and Erin and Ben Napier are just the people for the job. However, the Napiers can't do it all themselves, so they'll be bringing in surprise special guests and helpers throughout their time in Florida. "This show is really hard to make. There's gonna be a lot of special guests. A lot of people coming in to help," Ben said.

The six-episode season is slated to air early next year, but Erin and Ben are already on the ground kicking things off. "Day 3 filming #HomeTownTakeover S3 (we are eating all the Cuban food and wearing our sunscreen, thanks Florida)," Erin wrote on Instagram earlier this week.

We're a little jealous of the residents of Sebring, but we can't wait to see the transformations Erin and Ben pull off this season!

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It seems like everyone is in Australia right now  Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Pink. But some people who maybe shouldnt be down under? Kourtney Kardashians school-aged children! The Lemme founder shared a bunch of beautiful new pictures from Australia, where she currently is to support husband Travis Barker and his Blink-182 tour, and it sparked a bunch of backlash from people for a pretty valid reason: why are Kourts kids out of school?

Australia Vacay

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Peacock Theater on January 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)

The Kardashians star is mom to Mason, 14, Penelope, 11, and Reign, 9, with ex Scott Disick, and baby Rocky, 3 months, with Barker. She took at least the younger three with her to Australia, which she shared in a recap photo dump on Instagram.

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Thank you @airbnb for such a beautiful home to create memories that I will always remember and cherish, she wrote. Mornings making banana pancakes and nights playing uno forever and ever!!

The pictures included one shot of Kardashian walking along a pier holding Barkers hand in one hand and Reigns hand in the other, a picture of Reign and Penelope walking down a huge set of steps toward the ocean, and a picture of Penelope smiling in the mirror as Kardashian takes a selfie. (And a bunch of photos of their luxe AirBnB too, obviously.)

Backlash

Kourtney Kardashian and musician Travis Barker arrive for the 64th Annual Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3, 2022. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

But people were worried about the kids being out of school this long. Were the kids out of school this whole time? one person asked.

Dont your kids go to school? someone else wondered.

Others defended her. Who gives a sh*t these memories, family time last forever probably learnt more than in school. History, culture, music, geography,  one person wrote.

A Little Investigating

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA  MARCH 04: Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker attend the UFC 285 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 04, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Still, we wondered too. I got a phone call from the principal after taking my kindergartener out of school a couple days before Thanksgiving break for a family vacation, so I can only imagine what weeks away in the middle of February would be like.

We do know a little about their schooling situation, thanks to Kardashians sister Kim Kardashian. I love my morning routine. Its like madhouse chaos, its amazing. I do carpool every single day thats my thing. All my sisters do, so we see each other at school, the mom of four said in a 2022 episode of Live With Kelly and Ryan. Theres like seven cousins all together. So theres three in one class, one in another, two in another, two in another  did I count right? Something like that, she added with a laugh.

So there you go  Penelope and Reigns cousins are probably collecting their homework for them while they are hanging out halfway across the world!

Read about how Heidi Klum, Angelina Jolie, and more celebrity parents co-sleep with their kids.



celebrity moms

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Ice cream is one of mankind's greatest creations, with its mass availability in no small thanks to the modern invention of refrigeration  no one wants to think about a time before you could pull a pint of Ben & Jerry's out of your freezer whenever you felt like it. But there isn't just one kind of ice cream around the globe; there are a whole bunch. You're familiar with a lot of these  sorbet, gelato, frozen yogurt  but you might not have heard the term "Philadelphia ice cream" before.

So what is Philadelphia-style ice cream? Chances are you've had Philadelphia-style ice cream before, because it's quite common in the United States. It may have come from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but it isn't limited to the City of Brotherly Love, and is often also called "American ice cream" or "New York ice cream." As to what makes it unique, that's a question that comes down to one simple answer: eggs. Philadelphia-style ice cream doesn't have any of them.

Read more: The Ultimate Ice Cream Brands, Ranked

Philadelphia Ice Cream Is Lighter Than Hard Custard

ice cream scoop flight - Ilana Orlofsky/Shutterstock

Traditional French ice cream (different from French's mustard ice cream, which, somewhat alarmingly, does exist), or hard custard, is made with milk, cream, egg yolks, and sugar. So far, so simple. Philadelphia-style ice cream simply leaves out the eggs entirely, creating a light, fluffy ice cream that incorporates a lot of air  and one that's quick to make since it doesn't require a custard base. It's one of the more common ice cream styles in the USA, though most scoop shops tend to use more traditional French ice cream or even New England ice cream.

As to why you'd pick Philadelphia-style over more traditional hard custard, it tends to do much better with more delicate flavors that might otherwise get lost in a richer base. Fruit ice creams in particular tend to do very well with Philadelphia-style. The downside is all that air means it gets icy pretty quickly due to the lack of eggs as a stabilizer.

The Origins Of Philadelphia Ice Cream Are Somewhat Murky

ice cream in cones - Gmvozd/Getty Images

Philadelphia-style ice cream connects to Philadelphia, but only through the unconfirmed legend of its creation. In the 1830s, a former White House chef named Augustus Jackson moved back to his hometown of Philadelphia and opened his own confectioner's shop. Jackson is commonly believed to be the first confectioner to add salt during the ice cream process to make the ice melt slower (it's why he's sometimes called "the Father of Ice Cream" even though ice cream itself long predated him). It's also believed that Jackson was the one who discovered how to make ice cream without eggs  although there's no concrete proof this is what happened, as Jackson's recipes were never written down. Still, there are no competing origin stories here.

So next time you enjoy ice cream on the East Coast, tip your hat to August Jackson and his legacy of Philadelphia desserts. Maybe he created it, and maybe he didn't, but either way, it's not going anywhere.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.
As the scream of artillery shells gets ever louder, a mother makes a decision. She grasps her two biological sons by the hand, turns to look at her adopted daughter Tuyet, and flees home. Tuyet is 16, left behind to guard the family property as the Communist army of North Vietnam marches on the South. The family think they will return soon. It is 1975, and Viet Thanh Nyugen  one of those fleeing sons  is just four. It will be almost 30 years until he sees his sister again.

Such moments run like scars across A Man of Two Faces, Nguyens moving, polemical and ultimately uneven memoir about his familys journey to and through America, and Nguyens own to being a writer. At its best, the book traces how the wounds of the past  and in particular, the Vietnam War  can be felt in the present. At its worst, it dresses up flabby thought as nuance.

After the fall of Saigon in April 1975, Nguyens family (sans sister) cross the Pacific Ocean, and end up in the dehumanising refugee camps of Pennsylvania. After initial separation and heartache, the quartet eventually settle in San Jose, California, where Nguyens parents establish a Vietnamese grocery store. Working all hours, theyre able to provide financial security for the family, and to send Nguyen and his brother to American private schools.

Much, however, is lost along the way, as Nguyen writes to his younger self (and refugees more generally): History performs your caesarean delivering you as that mythological subject, the amnesiac, rootless, synthetic New American. Hes acutely aware, however, that forgetting can also be a blessing, as he maps (and imagines) his parents interior lives in the face of armed robberies, anti-Asian racism and mental breakdown.

Coming of age in 1980s and 1990s America, Nguyen himself grapples with being neither one thing nor the other, a man of two faces. Hes increasingly divorced from his Vietnamese parents, kidnapped by literature by English, and writes of not being accepted as an American. Except in many ways, over time, he clearly is, for Nguyen has every stamp of the American cultural elite you could imagine: professor of English, American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California; author of bestselling books such as The Committed, The Refugees and The Sympathiser (soon to be an HBO series); winner of a Pulitzer Prize and a MacArthur Genius grant.

Viet Thanh Nguyen, author of A Man of Two Faces

In A Man of Two Faces, Nguyen writes beautifully about his parents, the debt he owes them, and the guilt he feels at the gap between the hardness of their lives and the comfort of his own. Writing largely in the second person, as if one face were addressing the other, he flicks between full paragraphs and text bunched to one side of the page then the other, with short line-breaks giving the impression youre reading dialogue or verse. This can work well to register irony or grief, but the tone can sometimes trip into that of a radical student poet: because Bombing Makes America Great, / but Drone Strikes Make America Even Greater.

Moreover, being embedded in the academic-industrial complex, Nguyen is prone to the cliches of campus thought when it comes to the sections on race and imperialism in America today. For example, he subscribes to a theory of racialised false-consciousness, suggesting that ethnic minorities who support Donald Trump are simply aligning themselves with whiteness. Far easier, this, than believing they truly agree with Trump, and setting out to change their minds. (Luckily, Trumps name is redacted throughout, because the man is apparently too scary to see in print.)

Colonisation and its cognates appear 122 times, about once every three pages, used in a form so capaciously vague that its allowed to mean everything from the brutal invasion of a country by a foreign power, to a film such as The Green Berets, which he brands propaganda so spectacular and atrocious only the Third Reich or Hollywood could have produced it. Some equivalence, that.

What Nguyen would specifically change is unclear. But if youre not sure what to throw at a problem, theres always the kitchen sink: Americas beauty and hope can be realised, he says, only if we de-militarise, de-capitalise, de-imperialise, de-colonise, de-carbonise. Quite what it would mean for imperialism across the globe if America were to unilaterally de-militarise  and Nato therefore collapse  Nguyen doesnt explain. Perhaps China, Iran and Russia would reveal themselves as great exporters of peace. Such passages undermine both the punch of the polemic and the tenderness of the familial memoir. It just goes to show that, even with two faces, we all still have our blind spots.

A Man of Two Faces is published by Corsair at 22. To order your copy for 18.99, call 0844 871 1514 or call Telegraph Books

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by Xiong Maoling, Hu Yousong, Sun Ding

GREENVILLE, the United States, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- At an early voting site in Greenville, South Carolina, a 33-year-old voter who identified himself as Mr. Waters told Xinhua that current U.S. policies generally do not favor the American people and many young people like him feel disappointed with those in power.

"We have a lot of chaos going on. You just need a small spark to light it up because it's a powder keg," said Waters, who called himself an independent voter leaning toward Republicans.

Multiple U.S. media organizations projected Saturday night that former U.S. President Donald Trump has defeated former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley in the South Carolina Republican primary. Still, Haley has vowed to stay in the race.

Talking with voters in various locations in South Carolina earlier this week, Xinhua reporters found that feelings of disappointment and anxiety are widespread, with immigration, economy and international conflicts being the topics of greatest concern.

Overall, nearly four in 10 South Carolina GOP primary voters called immigration their top voting issue, with about one-third picking the economy and fewer citing foreign policy or abortion, according to an exit poll by CNN.

Waters is among those who believe the country's most significant issue is the border crisis. On both sides of the political aisle, some are leveraging it for their campaign agendas, while others rely on it as a symbol of social justice advocacy, Waters said.

"I think we're being lied to as Americans about the truth, about the nature of what's going on the border," he said.

Different perspectives on the immigration issue also reflect the division among American voters. Some believe that the influx of large numbers of illegal immigrants is taking resources and job opportunities from lower-income Americans and poses security risks. Others argue that the United States is a nation of immigrants, and immigration fuels economic growth, suggesting that the country should continue to welcome immigrants more inclusively.

A recent Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll found that most of those polled said they've noticed more immigrants in their state over the last few years and that they are a drag on the economy. Six out of 10 say incumbent President Joe Biden is at least somewhat responsible for more migrants crossing the border.

At a barbecue restaurant in Greenville, the economy is top of mind for owner James Hester. He told Xinhua that despite decent economic data, the current U.S. economic situation is "unstable."

"I think one wrong move, we could be in a very bad place again. For lack of a better term, we could be financially in COVID, we could be in a lockdown financially," said Hester.

The CNN poll also showed that only about one in six said the nation's economy is in good condition, and nearly nine in 10 said they are unhappy with how things are going.

When asked how he planned to vote in the Republican primary, Hester paused momentarily before saying, "I don't know." He described himself as an independent voter and said he did not vote in the 2016 showdown between Trump and Hillary. This year's election presents him with another difficult decision.

Hester said that Trump is a good businessperson, and if he could channel that energy into governing the country, he might be a good leader. However, Trump is highly controversial, saying "things that he shouldn't, he shakes hands with people he shouldn't" and is embroiled in legal battles.

Haley, who previously served as the governor of South Carolina, did well at that time, Hester said. However, he still doubts whether her abilities are suited for the presidency.

At a recent Haley campaign event in the small town of Camden, some voters voiced their dismay at the current situation and hoped that 52-year-old Haley could lead the country in the right direction.

Republican voter Becki O'Hara told Xinhua that the current economic situation and border situation are undesirable, and she blames Democrat policies.

O'Hara said Trump is too controversial and brought chaos to the country. She hopes Haley, whose policy positions partly align with Trump's, could bring about positive change.

In her speech titled "The Fight Goes On," Haley said Saturday night that she is not giving up when a majority of Americans disapprove of both Trump and Biden, accusing them of dividing the country.

Many Haley voters have expressed dismay at a Trump-Biden rematch.

Veteran Dan Holtel told Xinhua that he voted for Trump in both 2016 and 2020. But in the final weeks of the 2020 election, Trump's refusal to acknowledge his loss was unacceptable. Meanwhile, the cognitive abilities of 81-year-old Biden worry him greatly.

Currently, Trump is facing four criminal cases, and the U.S. Supreme Court will also rule on the appeal of Trump's eligibility to run for president.

Chris Deboard, a resident of Simpsonville and a Trump supporter, told Xinhua that he believes Trump's criminal lawsuits are a coordinated effort by the Democratic Party to "destroy" him, with significant political motives.

At the same time, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has launched an impeachment inquiry into Biden, while his son Hunter Biden faces charges related to taxes and firearms. As the election year unfolds, tensions between the two sides are escalating.

"If those two (Trump and Biden) get together, they're gonna just fight and fight and fight, and our country, the next four years, is going to be in worse discourse than it is now," Holtel said. 
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Robb Report may receive an affiliate commission.

Have you been converted to cristalino yet? This aged but clear unofficial tequila category continues to grow here in the U.S., with more brands releasing their own expressions. The latest comes from Mijenta, but this cristalino differs from others: It was aged in barrels made from oak that originated in four different states.

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If youre unfamiliar, cristalino refers to an aged tequila that has been filtered to remove the color picked up after spending time maturing in barrels while, presumably, leaving the flavor. The problem is that filtration does usually remove at least some of the flavor, so many brands use additives to restore some of the vanilla, oak, and smoky notes that occur naturally after tequila spends months or years inside a barrel. Mijenta, however, is an additive-free brand (according to the brand itself and the Tequila Matchmaker verification program), so presumably that is not the case here.

According to a rep for the brand, maestra tequilera Ana Maria Romero was intent on releasing a cristalino, even though it presented some challenges. She decided to use symphony barrels, meaning casks that are made from different types of staves, to age the blanco for eight months (making it a reposado tequila). In this case, the barrels were made of American oak from four different statesMinnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Virginiaeach chosen for its own distinctive property.

According to Romero, the Minnesota oak provides fruity notes, the Missouri oak adds vanilla and spice, the Pennsylvania oak gives notes of spice and smoke, and the Virginia oak adds vanilla and coconut flavors. These differences are a result of, in part, the terroir from which they come, she told Robb Report. As the spirit interacts with each type of wood, which have different pore structures and taste profiles, an ecosystem is created in the barrel that continuously enhances the incredible richness of the tequila. New compounds develop that transform and evolve, bringing to life in the barrel something utterly unpredictable.

Lastly, the tequila was charcoal-filtered to remove its color. As a result of the meticulous process, our cristalino possesses the richness of an anejo, drinks like a reposado and is perfect for cocktails that require a clear spirit, like the martini, said Mijenta cofounder Juan Coronado in a statement. As this style continues to grow in popularity, this expression will make an excellent choice for mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts.

Already popular in Mexico, the cristalino category, which is not yet recognized by the Tequila Regulatory Council, continues to expand stateside. Other brands that have recently released cristalinos include Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Familia, Casamigos, and Codigo 1530. Many tequila drinkers (this writer included) are not completely sold on the categoryif you want to drink clear tequila, sip blanco; if you prefer something aged, whats the point of removing the color? Still, this new expression from Mijenta is a good example of a cristalino done right, with notes of agave, vanilla, citrus, and a touch of spice on the palate that make it work well in cocktails or as a neat pour.

You can find Mijenta Cristalino (SRP $120) available now from websites such as Total Wine.

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These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Monday.

Fashion designer Claude Montana dies at 76

Claude Montana, famed haute couture designer of the 1980s, passed away on Friday at the age of 76. His cause of death is yet to be confirmed. Montana became known as "King of the Shoulder Pad" thanks to his penchant for exaggerated silhouettes. In the prime of his career, Montana's work was celebrated alongside the likes of Thierry Mugler and Jean Paul Gaultier for their alike avant-garde, Hollywood-influenced and glamour-filled designs. {The New York Times}

Dua Lipa for YSL Beauty Photo: Elodie Daguin/Courtesy of YSL Beauty

YSL Beauty names Dua Lipa global makeup ambassador

Adding onto her responsibilities as global ambassador for YSL Beauty's Libre fragrance since 2019, Dua Lipa is now also the luxury cosmetics brand's global makeup ambassador. "For me, fragrances and makeup are another form of self-expression, a way to explore my playfulness, my creativity and my individuality," said Lipa in a statement. "I am thrilled to be on this journey as part of the YSL Beauty family." {Fashionista inbox}

Mejuri x Ganni Photo: Courtesy of Mejuri

Mejuri and Ganni collaborate on limited-edition jewelry collection

Mejuri and Ganni  brands beloved by Gen Z in particular  are joining forces to release a limited-edition, four-piece jewelry collection. Centered around Ganni's signature clover motif, each piece is intended to celebrate "genuine friendship," according to a press release. Prices range from $98 to $498. The collection, which includes detachable clover hoop earrings, a clover ring, a clover charm bracelet and a clover pendant necklace, is available to shop now at Ganni.com, Mejuri.com and in select stores. {Fashionista inbox}

Rowing Blazers acquired by Burch Creative Captial

New York-based brand Rowing Blazers has sold a majority stake to Burch Creative Capital, Chris Burch's fashion investment firm. Though exact details of the deal have not been released, the aesthetically preppy brand's co-founders Jack Carlson and David Rosenzweig will maintain a small stake in the business, according to Business of Fashion. The new deal will allow Rowing Blazers to open a larger New York flagship store and expand its womenswear line, among other opportunities. Carlson and Rosenqeig will maintain their current titles of creative director and director of strategy, respectively. {Business of Fashion/paywalled}

Photo: Courtesy of Skims

View the 19 images of this gallery on the original article

Skims' new campaign stars its employees

Kim Kardashian's latest genius marketing idea for Skims is a campaign starring the women who work at the brand across all departments, including finance, IT, design and more. "[The Skims team] serve[s] as a huge inspiration for the way we design, fit and style our collections," Kardashian said in a statement. "I thought what better way to highlight some of the women who truly make it happen here at Skims than to feature them in a campaign." Modeled on the employees are new colorways of best-selling items from the brand's Outdoor Collection and new French Terry collection, all available to shop at Skims.com. {Fashionista inbox}

Demi Moore for The Frankie Shop x Crosby Studios Photo: Collier Schorr/Courtesy of The Frankie Shop

Demi Moore stars in The Frankie Shop's L.A. installation campaign

To celebrate The Frankie Shop collaborating with Crosby Studios on a Los Angeles pop-up/installation titled "The Meeting Room," the brand presented a new campaign photographed by Collier Schorr that stars actor Demi Moore. Crosby Studios founder Harry Nuriev drew inspiration from women of the post office age when designing the space, where The Frankie Shop will display its latest collection. The pop-up installation is now open to the public at 8580 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. {Fashionista inbox}

Please note: Occasionally, we use affiliate links on our site. In no way does this affect our editorial decision-making.

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Mexican dishes are vibrant and varied, with a wide range of regional specialties. In fact, it was the first cuisine inducted to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, thanks to a complex range of influences and traditions. While European techniques from Spain, France, and Greece all impacted the country's gastronomy, many of the strongest roots lie in indigenous techniques.

The region is home to many endemic plant and animal species, with corn, beans, and pepper products being the most culturally fundamental. When Spaniards arrived on Aztec land in the 16th century, they wondrously documented the preparation of hundreds of various dishes. Among them was an early version of enchiladas, not yet known by such a name but already popular in both local markets and in royal fare. Early variants involved all three central components: a corn tortilla filled with beans and covered in peppers.

As such, the Mexican classic is many centuries old. Not just from Spain's arrival, but further back. Thousands of years ago, Mayans were already known to craft proto-enchilada tortilla dishes stuffed with fillings and topped with pureed tomatoes. The style caught on with the Aztecs, who added chiles and beans and called the dish chillapizzali in their native Nahuatl. Such a culinary innovation marked the birth -- and probably inspired the name -- enchilada.

Read more: Restaurant Foods That Always Taste Better Than What You Make At Home

Aztecs Prepared Enchiladas Long Before Spanish Arrival

enchiladas in a pan - JeniFoto/Shutterstock

Delicious and filling, the Aztec's rendition of enchiladas quickly became popular with Spanish colonizers. The indigenous people added everything from fish to eggs and vegetables into their recipe. The Europeans then introduced their own spin to the dish, such as the now ubiquitous cheesy version, as well as stuffed with pork and chicken. Over the centuries, the food became more strongly interlinked with Mexico's identity, especially after the nation gained independence. In 1831, several recipes were noted in "El cocinero mexicano", a fundamental book to Mexican cuisine.

By the early 20th century, enchiladas became integrated into Tex-Mex cuisine and parts of the Southwest. They were noted as street food sold in San Antonio and appeared on menus in New Mexico. Concurrently, many regional enchiladas kept solidifying in Mexico, from the carrot and potato style native to Guanajuato to the mole-topped variant native to Puebla.

And so, from their Aztec origins, the mouthwatering dish never lost its esteemed status in North American cuisine. With so many possible upgrades and convenient preparation, it's not hard to understand why their rich history never faded into obscurity.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Owen Leeper, the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming, local, sent it off a 100+ foot cliff last week near the resort boundaries of JHMR.

At the time, Ian Greenwood reported on the story, and the exact measurement of the cliff wasn't know, but Ian noted "at a certain point, ski cliff jumping becomes another sport entirely, focused less on clean rideaways and more on survival without injury."

Here's the action footage to get a sense of the impact.

Now, however, the number is out, and it's a big one. Owen "estimated the vertical drop of the cliff at 128!"

He relied on not just one, but multiple methods of calculation to ensure the number was spot on.

Leeper explained, "First I used a laser rangefinder from the bombhole to the takeoff, it was 46 yards, then I used a clinometer app to get the angle from the takeoff to the landing, which was 68 degrees. Then using trigonometry, I figured the vertical drop at 128' Then I went back with drone, in the bombhole again, flew up to the takeoff and it showed 131' vertical from the landing."

"I wasn't sure about the accuracy, so I attached a string at home to the drone, and flew to 100 feet, and it did have a little loose string, but was within 3 feet of 100."

"Third, I used a freefall calculator, with estimated exit vertical speed of 7mph, and air time of 2.53 seconds was 129 feet. Air resistance is negligible for that short of fall, probably around 4 feet using the drag coefficient of a sky diver."

In a conversation with POWDER, Leeper conversates with Ian about his landing, which appeared to be a backslap. Now, we know this landing happened from 128 feet.

To the untrained eye, it looks like you crashed off this cliff by landing on your back. Can you explain why it's not possible to land on your feet after jumping off a 100+ foot cliff? Why is landing on your back necessary?

Hitting a cliff this size, you impact the snow at about 60 mph. Unless the landing is super steep, there is no way your legs or spine could support that force. By landing on my back, I spread the impact over as much surface area as possible on the soft snow.

Now we know he was hitting this landing from 128 feet up. "Think that's a good measurement?"



From the footage we've seen, it looks like everything checks out.

Related: Utah Resort To Receive Up To A Foot In Next Two Days

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BRANDON HENRY

Papa Oppong always knew that he wanted to be a storyteller. Sketching since he was a young boy, the Ghanaian-American designer became inspired by the rich, oral history of Ghana his grandmother shared with him throughout his childhood. Theres a dialogue on the clothes. It leads back again to Africa, it leads back to Ghana, it leads back to these folktales and folklores and theres some sort of tangible objects like clothing, where people can feel a connection through these stories.

As a fashion designer specializing in womenswear, Papa Oppong, who holds an MFA in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, emphasizes ideas, not designs as his ethos. He recounts that his experience playing with Barbie dolls as a child deeply influenced his imagination. Barbie can be a doctor today and the next day, Barbie is a surfer. And I said to myself, I want to be like this doll that can be anything. I want to be able to transform.

Despite intentionally choosing his own name for his label due to its unique pronunciation, Oppongs approach is far from individualistic. Working with a talented team, the designer takes his time to name every single person who helps bring his visions to life. I know what Im good at and I know what Im not good at. Another key part of my process is that I work with professionals whether its in New York City or Ghana, he says. My process is very traditional. Theres an idea, a concept that I want to bring to life and a team of people who help me along the way.

[BRANDON HENRY](https://www.instagram.com/ramboxtruth/){: target="_blank"}

[BRANDON HENRY](https://www.instagram.com/ramboxtruth/){: target="_blank"}

Growing up in Accra and later migrating to New York City in his youth, Papa Oppongs heritage is thoughtfully woven into each piece, yet he remains steadfast in his mission to challenge conventional perceptions. Despite the often false perceptions of what Africa is and the limitations placed on African designers, Oppong strikes down the notion that honoring their roots must solely involve highlighting traditional print textiles in his clothing. Im very intentional about doing that because African fashion is more than that. The kente that youre looking at, even though it isnt yellow, green, or pink, it is still a kente fabric and its still a handwoven fabric from the Northern region of Ghana.

Craftsmanship and quality take precedence in this namesake label. When speaking about luxury, Oppong rejects the idea that luxury is what has been defined by the Western world. The idea of African luxury is so different from what Western luxury is. No one is going to sell a mink coat in Ghana, even if you can afford it, it's too hot to wear it. That doesnt mean that someone in Ghana cannot afford luxury, he says. But what does luxury mean when you think of an African person in a continent that is just tropical in nature? It's beloved textiles that are woven from hand. Someone taking their time to do something is a luxury. Craft is a luxury.

[BRANDON HENRY](https://www.instagram.com/ramboxtruth/){: target="_blank"}

In a time where fast-fashion dominates the market and the explore pages of hundreds of thousands of consumers, Oppong refuses to adapt to this microwave age, as he proudly beams about the intention behind his clothing. Im taking a huge risk, pieces take up to four weeks to make. I have to call home, my mom has to communicate to someone in the Northern region of Ghana and they have to show me on the phone, he recalls. Its such a long process but I love it so much because when that dress is complete, so many hands have touched it.

Oppongs approach is community centered and focused on preservation and visibility, not only for himself, but for every designer from the continent. When asked about the future of African fashion and what he wishes to see for himself and other African designers across the globe, Oppong raises his tone with immense passion, I just hope that were given more chances. I hope were invited into more spaces when conversations about design are being had, he says fiercely. We need to demand and ask, Why are there no designers on the Couture Week calendar who are from Africa?

[BRANDON HENRY](https://www.instagram.com/ramboxtruth/){: target="_blank"}

[BRANDON HENRY](https://www.instagram.com/ramboxtruth/){: target="_blank"}

[BRANDON HENRY](https://www.instagram.com/ramboxtruth/){: target="_blank"}

With Ghana on his mind and heart, Oppongs journey is one of craft preservation and honoring those that came before him. His other aspiration is simple, the fashion designer hopes that one day, stories of his legacy will be passed on for others to remember and recite as well.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue

Want more style stories from Teen Vogue? Check these out:
MILAN  Black or white, and no color in between.

Partywear showed range during Milan Fashion Week, with designers inspiration running the gamut from cinema to music, passing through ancient Greece and Robert Mapplethorpes photography. But the color scheme stayed consistent.

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Heres a roundup from the fall 2024 presentations in town.

Luca Lin of Act. N.1 was in a romantic mood, using cinema and the early days of silent film as his inspiration. Cinemas in Italy are closing or disappearing, which is sad, said the designer. For me, the cinema is a place to find peace and to dream.

He wrapped much of this collection in tulle, from rough-edged denim to jackets with draping or corset details. The tulle gave a grand look to the clothes and blurred their rough-hewn, or tailored edges, and conjured images of the black-and-white screen. A creamy white jacket with a tulle skirt was one of the standout pieces of this collection.

He was also inspired by the ladies of silent film and worked their corsets into denim tops and tailored jackets. He also made sheer and blush-colored corsets to layer with tailored clothing. Those corset styles added a dash of sex and drama to the collection.

Act N. 1 Fall 2024

Dont ask Des Phemmes Salvo Rizza to relinquish his love of sparkle, embroideries, and a little pop-tinged sass. For fall, his candy-colored take on partywear veered toward the ladylike, courtesy of midcentury inspiration centered on the captivating interior design clash at Casa Mollino, the Turin house and museum by famed architect Carlo Mollino.

For daring girls, a low-waisted midi skirt with floral applique was paired with a lace bra and undies peeking out, while an optical swishy striped halterneck dress with maxi sequins looked frisky and easier to pull off, ditto for the cow print midi skirt and Lurex rib-knit turtleneck, save for the impossibly high side slit. Those flashy and distinctive pieces mingled with expanded daywear, a business boon as the designer expands the brands reach.

Now backed by Italian manufacturing company Olmar and Mirta SpA which acquired an undisclosed minority stake last year, Rizza has managed to build a sizable business Stateside, now accounting for 70 percent of sales, and looking to strengthen his footprint in Europe.

Des Phemmes Fall 2024

CHBs Christian Boaro, distributed through the same MDC showroom as Des Phemmes, continued to chart his subverted bourgeois look, sticking to the sensual ideas that first thrust him into the spotlight with his first solo fashion project.

A couple of dramatic gowns, including one see-through lace number with a trail featuring four different patterns and a fitted bustier dress with a balloon midi skirt done in duchesse, were flanked by equally mischievous frocks (easier to imagine on 30-somethings hitting the nightclub).

Drawing inspiration from Robert Mapplethorpe photography and evocative imagery of Grace Jones in the 80s, Boaro worked black vinyl into draped strapless minidresses and skirts, as well as bustier frocks with zippers or buttons running vertically at the front. A range of faux furs done in collaboration with supplier Tissavel oozed an old-school hedonistic flair, as in the faux astrakhan belted trenchcoat and the fuzzy Mongolian short jackets in fiery red and black.

CHB Fall 2024

Sharing with Boaro a similar color palette of black, white but also red, Alessandro Vigilante, who will soon unveil his inaugural collection as Rochas creative director, sought to go back to when he first introduced the namesake brand with latex, form-fitting frocks and a sharp edge.

The graphic undercurrent echoed in constructions and color combinations, as in the show-stopping white turtleneck wrap dress featuring a black trompe loeil print of a life-size naked female body on the back, nodding to the artworks of painter Kazimir Malevic. It was flanked by a tank dress in open weave, mesh-like knit dotted in tiny sequins, while a solid latex spaghetti frock and 80s-nodding elongated blazer worn as minidresses with a corsetry belt to cinch the waist were easier pieces befitting cocktail receptions and after parties.

Alessandro Vigilante Fall 2024

Francesco Murano is another natural talent that could easily land a top spot. He was about to graduate from Milans Istituto Europeo di Design when Beyonce requested some of his creations for her music video Spirit, later wearing a different one of his pieces to the official pre-Grammy 2020 party. His refined aesthetic and expert hand in all things drapey  a reflection of his love for couture and Greek culture  were further enhanced in his new collection, which also saw the introduction of leather.

Murano worked both jersey  his go-to fabric  and leather in a way to obtain their most lightweight versions, which resulted in a seamless combination of the two as well as in new transparencies. An even more seductive undercurrent was imbued in his sensual creations via asymmetries, crater and plunging necklines rendered in his traditional dusty palette of grays, whites and blush pink tones.

Francesco Murano Fall 2024

Redemption plots a comeback on the runway come September, but while sticking to the presentation format it relied on its eveningwear bread and butter, conjuring a nighttime lineup befitting red carpet after parties.

Minidresses decked in sequins with 80s-nodding strong shoulders and bustier tops and frocks, all done in a nocturnal palette, mingled with velvet blazers embellished with Lurex threads, tossed over devore chevron- and checkerboard-patterned blouses catering to more conservative partygoers.

Redemption Fall 2024

Gianluca Capannolo put a fresh spin on his ladylike, tailored pieces, offering up gold-flecked black tweed belted coats and capes, and a treasure trove of chunky gold chain jewelry. He even made a minidress from those gold chains, which should send an electric shock through any room.

The designer also had a rich faux fur offering that included a Mongolian coat in a rich shade of claret, a silvery gray fox fur and dresses with a feathery ostrich trim. Some of these glamorous looks were often convertible, as in a pair of trousers that morphed into a maxiskirt thanks to strategically placed zips.

Gianluca Capannolo Fall 2024

ATXV founder Antonio Tarantini continued his study of the human body, this time landing on the alive, strong, sexy and free, feeling that crinkled sketched paper gave him. Having built his blueprint on the use of twisted, torched and draped jersey, Tarantini plied the fabric into a sensual, genderless collection, with 90s whiffs and subtle eroticism.

Microdresses constructed on simple silhouettes, such as the body-con, long-sleeve or spaghetti frock, were draped as to reveal a shoulder here and a belly there. Crinkled viscose was worked into similarly off-beat, revealing constructions, including a short nightgown knotted on one hip to provide a high slit and at the chest, exposing a tulle nude-looking underpinning.

ATXV Fall 2024

Federica Tosi had a lot to celebrate herself, as the designer recently entered into a strategic partnership with Italian manufacturing company Industria 62 to boost her namesake brands Made in Italy production and propel its international expansion.

Fashion-wise, for fall, the designer continued to rely on quality fabrications, crating her everyday pieces from wool, cashmere, silk and soft leather. Her signature penchant for clean lines and overall commitment to wearability translated to her eveningwear proposition, too, via essential long dresses covered in sequins for a simple yet impactful effect. Tosi introduced a dash of fun and movement in a frayed sequined suit with hot pants that may as well come with an invitation to the dance floor.

Federica Tosi fall 2024

John Richmond is clearly a music nerd having devoted his fall collection to the genres that, he said, saved his life, from disco to rock n roll to hip-hop. The lineup didnt come across as too literal in translating that iconography  the wardrobe proposal was heavy on tailoring and eveningwear.

On the latter front, a pearl-trimmed, one-shouldered minidress had revealing cutouts at the hip and torso, while a nude-looking column dress was printed with tattoo-like drawings and finished off with a crystal choker. In addition to neatly cut suits for men and women, the tailoring trickled into partywear options, as in the brocade-printed golden suit with flared pants or short shorts for her and the glitter lapeled shantung ivory suit worn with a bowed shirt for him.

John Richmond Fall 2024

Curiels in-house team of designers mined the brands rich archive and displayed a collection full of old-world glamour. There were 50s dresses with velvet and satin that recalled a young Princess Margaret and sparkling confections for evening.

This season, the brand also tapped the multidisciplinary artist Matteo Thiela to collaborate with the brand. Thiela had guests mesmerized as he created a skinny black evening gown with miles of textured thread and a spinning mannequin.

The thread wraps around the mannequin, and Thiela is able to create various styles without the use of a needle and thread. He works with lame, viscose, and cotton yarns, adds velvet ribbons, feathery bits and seals the seams with resin.

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A while back, we wrote posts where people who accidentally woke up mid-surgery and people who had freaky experiences while under anesthesia shared their stories. In the comments, even more readers revealed what it was like waking up during surgery  and what happened after. Here are the wild results:

1."I woke up during a colonoscopy while they were taking the biopsy. Sooo painful. I remember the dude saying, 'Its OK; Ill make it go away.' Anesthesia makes me really sick, but I have to have a lot of it. Also, when I broke my leg in half, I begged the ER to knock me out. The nurse said they had to dose me three times because I wouldnt stop talking."

gardenmom

Ponywang / Getty Images

2."I woke up while under for a hysterectomy and once during a hip replacement. The hysterectomy was by far the worst. I could feel everything but couldnt move or talk. When I had to get the hip replacement, I told the anesthesiologist that I had woken up before, and I didnt want it to happen again. He seemed annoyed, but I was already at the hospital and getting ready to go under."

"I did wake up again, but some lovely person made sure I was really numb and even thought [sic] I sat up that time I didnt feel a thing."

shannontomlin

3."I remember waking up during my wisdom teeth surgery. I had four of them, and I knew going in that they had to saw my teeth into pieces to take them out since they were coming in sideways. the nurse said 'goodnight,' and I was out. Then, I woke up to a buzzing vibration. That was when I knew exactly what they were doing  they were sawing my teeth into pieces."

"Then, all I remember after opening my eyes was 'she needs more!' Then, I was out again."

holykathryn2

Peter Cade / Getty Images

4."When I was 17/18 I had surgery while on an Air Force base in Turkey to repair a knee that I injured. Had scope to repair my meniscus and clean up some scar tissue. Woke up partway through to feeling a tourniquet tightening on my leg and hearing the words, 'Why isn't the bleeding stopping?' I said, 'What bleeding?!' And then, I was back out."

"Woke up in recovery, and the first thing I said to the staff was 'Guess the bleeding stopped?' They were surprised I remembered that."

greenwaltdanielle

5."I was 18 weeks pregnant when I had to get an emergency appendectomy. While they were in there, they found and repaired an umbilical hernia. I was awake while they cut open my belly button but couldnt move or say anything. I could hear them talking and could feel them pulling on something inside my tummy. I was screaming in my head and was panicking because it doesnt feel like you are breathing when you have the tube down your throat. All I could think about was something terrible was happening to my baby and thats why they were cutting open my belly."

"When the surgery was over and I fully woke up, I told the doctor I was awake during the procedure and they said, 'Oh, you must have just dreamed it' and was totally brushed off. It was horrifying, and I had nightmares for weeks. Thank goodness the baby was unharmed and born healthy!"

nicolebeck1211

Fatcamera / Getty Images

6."I woke up during my wisdom teeth removal surgery. I dont remember any pain, and I didnt open my eyes, but I distinctly remember that I was holding someones hand, and they tried pulling their hand away; I just held on even tighter before I was out again."

"I woke up normally in the chair after it was all over."

ashleyb717

7."When I was in my 20s, I had cancer and had to have several surgeries. Never had an issue until I went in for a rather major one. It was supposed to be a two-hour surgery that turned into over 12 hours because of the spread of cancer. I apparently woke up several times as they were trying to keep the dosage right. The surgeon later told me I started talking and told him not to look inside me while he was scraping tumors away from my aorta (I was cut open from my sternum down, and I guess felt vulnerable)."

"Later in the surgery, I tried to break free of the restraints, and it was so violent that I still have visible scars on both ankles. That time, I apparently kept saying 'help me' over and over. I also technically died twice while I was out so theres that."

jamesfesperman

Morsa Images / Getty Images

8."Oh boy, my parents love to tell this story but this time I get to tell it. At about age 17, I went into what was supposed to be a routine surgery that turned into a major surgery. So, I didn't know what I was waking up to. When I finally came to, I started screaming f***k really loudly from the pain and then profusely apologizing for doing so. I did this about ten times."

"The funny thing about this is my parents were very strict and never let me curse, so even under anesthesia I knew that I messed up and began crying after saying that in front of them. They laughed about it, but I thought it was the end of the world."

zombiedolllizkah

9."I have been put under about 10ish times in my life. Every single time, Ive woken up early, remembering bits of conversations I shouldnt, and had nurses rushing around me to remove tape and tubes before I woke up. I tell them every time I fight it, and it takes some time for me to get there, but they dont listen  you think they would make a note of it. The last time, I told a nurse I was worried, and she told me the anesthetic now has something in it that makes you forget if you wake up, which was the worst lie ever, too."

"I mean its not even like I was a kid; I was about 25."

kimberleymolden

Nora Carol Photography / Getty Images

10."I had a cardiac ablation, and I swore I woke up. I couldnt move, but I was awake a few times, and I kept thinking I needed to tell them I was awake, and I couldnt. It was a several-hour procedure, so its very possible I was starting to come out of it, and they had to give me more."

"I asked about it afterward, and they just quickly brushed it off and said I was probably dreaming ."

triciaa4ce8daefe

11."I had an emergency C-section during my first pregnancy due to a life-threatening situation. I needed general anesthesia; I was very frightened about the anesthetic not working, waking up paralyzed during the operation and feeling everything. The anesthetist promised me he would not let that happen."

"After the operation, he anxiously asked me if I had woken up, and he looked so upset, I promised him I hadn't. I did wake up while they were working on my baby and stitching me back up. I remember being angry, being told off, and trying to get to my baby. Then, I was gone again. I think there was pain, but I am not 100% sure, but 31 years later I kind of have a strange vague memory of pain. Not excruciating, but a burning, pulling pain. I have never felt traumatized. My baby survived I am very glad to say!"

jborrett793

Guvendemir / Getty Images

12."I also woke up during my first ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) treatment. I remember the zap vividly  it felt like it was going through my eyeballs, even though I don't think that's the precise location. I cried profusely and explained I'd been awake during the zap. They told me repeatedly this was impossible, but they changed the anesthesia mixture for the remaining treatments. The new stuff burned like hell going in, but I never woke up during the procedure again."

wolftrickster

13."I too woke during a colonoscopy. I was about 17. I remember slowly coming to a twilight stage of sleep  foggy not fully awake but aware. I kept repeating, 'Ow, ow, OW, OWWWW,' until I was fully awake with my eyes open. The doctor turns to see me awake with eyes open yelling and tells the anesthesiologist to pump me more."

"After the procedure, the doctor came out to apologize profusely to my mom and say Id be asleep longer than whats expected in recovery . For my second and third colonoscopies, I told the doctors that I woke during my first and would need more, but they assured me, 'Sometimes people think they remember hearing things in the operating room' . Nope. Started to happen again during the procedures lol."

selenakylecalico

Johnnygreig / Getty Images

14."I have been put under and woke up during the procedure and was put under again. I felt like I had visited hell and never wanted to go back again. After that was the worst  I was in shock, and I truly felt like I got a glimpse of the other side. Scary AF."

megro108

15."When I got my wisdom teeth removed, it ended up requiring about two more hours of work than the doctor initially allotted. I woke up in the middle, so they administered more anesthetic, but I guess because of the different doses or something, different parts of my body woke back up at different paces."

"When they were done, I woke up and could see and hear before I could breathe consciously or speak properly, started suffocating, and the doctor kept asking what was wrong because I was just weeping and making panicked noises. Then, I passed out. At least that means I likely didn't blurt out anything embarrassing afterward!

mallmoth

Lorado / Getty Images

16."I had an endoscopy. Woke up in the middle of it with the thing down my throat. I panicked and I remembered everyone in the room scrambling. A few seconds later, I was lights out again."

pangalacticgargleblaster

And finally...

17."My dad was in the emergency room because his wrist was broken. Guess they didnt put in enough anesthesia because he woke up while the doctors were trying to twist his hand back to the place. He yelled at them to stop because he could feel the pain so badly."

"They were shocked that the anesthesia had worn off so quickly. After that, we went to a specialist because it seemed as if they didnt know what they were doing."

svii

Skaman306 / Getty Images

Wow. Have you or someone you know ever woken up mid-surgery? Feel free to share your story in the comments below.

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Baklava, the classic, flaky, and sticky-sweet dessert made with sheets of phyllo dough, can be made a in variety of ways. Whether you're in Turkey, Greece, or within the Middle East, each culture has their own take on the signature sliceable pastry. Most mainstream recipes that we see today will always have the following components: phyllo dough, nuts, butter, and a sugar syrup.

Melted butter is brushed between sheets to seal the layers of phyllo together. Crushed nuts are sprinkled over the top, whether they're ground pistachios like we'll use in this recipe from developer Alexander Roberts or more traditional walnuts. Once the baklava layering process is complete, it gets scored into diamonds and goes into the oven for 45 minutes. After the bake, a simmered simple syrup (usually containing honey) will be poured over the pastry. Served warm, the sticky and flaky layers of baklava come together to make a comforting dessert like no other.

Read more: 23 Whole Foods Baked Goods, Ranked

Grab The Ingredients For Pistachio And Orange Baklava

ingredients for orange pistachio baklava on wooden counter - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Flaky layered pastries can be intimidating, but the phyllo dough in this recipe is going to do all the work for you! This delicious dessert can be prepared using less than 10 ingredients. They can all be found in most grocery stores -- look for phyllo dough in the freezer aisle.

In addition to phyllo dough, you'll need at least 3 cups of pistachios (roasted and salted are best here), along with 2 sticks of unsalted butter. We'll add some cinnamon for a warm spice note, and use both orange zest and orange blossom water to brighten the sweetness of the baklava. For the simple syrup, we'll use white granulated sugar, honey, and water.

Step 1: Preheat The Oven

oven preheating to 350 - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Step 2: Grease The Baking Dish

lightly greased baking dish on stove - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Step 3: Grind The Pistachios

pistachios and cinnamon in food processor - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Add the pistachios and cinnamon to a food processor. Pulse until pistachios are finely chopped.

Step 4: Begin Layering The Phyllo Dough

layers of phyllo in baking dish - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Add 2 sheets of phyllo to the baking dish.

Step 5: Brush The Phyllo With Butter

brushing butter on phyllo dough, melted butter in pot - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Brush evenly with some of the butter.

Step 6: Sprinkle The Pistachios On Top

layers of phyllo dough and pistachios - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Add an even sprinkling of chopped pistachios.

Step 7: Repeat The Layering Process

layering phyllo for baklava - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Repeat the layering: 2 sheets of phyllo, then butter, then nuts.

Step 8: Finish Constructing

brushing phyllo dough with butter - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Top with 2 sheets of phyllo and brush with butter.

Step 9: Score The Diamond Pattern

scoring phyllo dough for baklava - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

To create a diamond pattern, first slice 6 columns lengthwise, cutting through the entire pastry.

Step 10: Finish Cutting The Diamonds

slicing baklava into diamonds - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Cut 10 diagonals across the baklava, again cutting through the pastry.

Step 11: Bake The Baklava

baking baklava in the oven - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Bake for 4550 minutes, until the top is light brown and phyllo is slightly pulling away from edges.

Step 12: Make The Syrup

adding orange juice and sugar to pot - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

While the baklava bakes, zest and juice the orange into a small pot. Add the sugar, water, honey, and orange blossom water.

Step 13: Simmer The Syrup

simmering simple syrup on stove - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 14: Pour The Syrup Over The Baklava

pouring simple syrup on baklava - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Pour the warm syrup over the hot baklava in two additions, allowing the first half of the syrup to soak in before adding the rest.

Step 15: Serve

sliced baklava on white plate with metal spoon - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Slice and serve warm.

Can I Make Pistachio And Orange Baklava Ahead Of Time? How Can I Store Baklava?

baklava served on plate next to tray - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Since baklava takes a bit of time to prepare and bake, you may be wondering if it can be made ahead of time. The answer is yes! Not only is it totally fine to make it in advance, but it's actually better as it allows more time for the flavors to meld together and for the phyllo dough to become moist. It can be served the moment it's done or the next day when the flavors are married a bit more. You could technically assemble the baklava up to step 10 and leave it in the fridge until you're ready to bake it.

Roberts suggests baking it fully up to 2 days in advance. "There's so much syrup and butter that it really won't be adversely affected," he says. "Taste with intention and note how the flavor changes -- or even improves -- each day." Leave it wrapped in plastic at room temperature. If you'd like to warm it up again, place it in the oven at 350 F for about 15 minutes.

What Is Phyllo Dough? Are There Any Substitutes For Making Pistachio And Orange Baklava?

phyllo dough layers on wooden table - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Phyllo dough is the main ingredient of baklava, but what exactly is it in the first place? Similar to puff pastry, it is sheets and sheets of dough thinly layered together. Puff pastry, however, contains much more butter, making it closer to pie dough. Phyllo sheets are so thin they are basically paper! To create phyllo, an unleavened dough is made with flour, water, and a little oil. It's extremely laborious to create by hand, though, which is why we advise taking the easy route and purchasing a frozen box at the grocery store.

Given phyllo dough's unique nature, there is no substitute when making baklava. Puff pastry could provide a similar result, but you would only want to use 2 sheets of dough and follow the baking instructions listed on the package. "Phyllo is the type of product that's so unique you can't really sub it out for anything else," says Roberts. "Find it at a specialty grocer or order online, if possible. It truly makes or breaks the dish."

Pistachio And Orange Baklava Recipe

baklava with syrup on top in baking dish - Alexander Roberts/Tasting Table

Prep Time: 20mCook Time: 50mYield: 12 servingsIngredients

3 cups pistachios

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (1-pound) package phyllo dough, defrosted

8 ounces butter, melted

1 orange

 cup sugar

 cup water

 cup honey

1 teaspoon orange blossom water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Add the pistachios and cinnamon to a food processor. Pulse until pistachios are finely chopped. Add 2 sheets of phyllo to the baking dish. Brush evenly with some of the butter. Add an even sprinkling of chopped pistachios. Repeat the layering: 2 sheets of phyllo, then butter, then nuts. Top with 2 sheets of phyllo and brush with butter. To create a diamond pattern, first slice 6 columns lengthwise, cutting through the entire pastry. Cut 10 diagonals across the baklava, again cutting through the pastry. Bake for 4550 minutes, until the top is light brown and phyllo is slightly pulling away from edges. While the baklava bakes, zest and juice the orange into a small pot. Add the sugar, water, honey, and orange blossom water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Pour the warm syrup over the hot baklava in two additions, allowing the first half of the syrup to soak in before adding the rest. Slice and serve warm.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Ponant and Smithsonian Journeys are at it again.

The French cruise line and the travel arm of Americas Smithsonian Institution just unveiled exciting new itineraries for 2025. This will be the fourth year the two companies have collaborated and marks their most ambitious program yet.

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The 30 new tripsthe most the duo has ever offered in one yearwill draw on the museums rich history to enhance the cruising experience. Ponant says the goal is to inspire guests to become global citizens through travel. To that end, the expeditions will grant you access to a range of experts and experiences to broaden your perspective. Travelers will be fully immersed in local cultures, history, cuisine, and wildlife while sailing in the lap of luxury.

One highlight of the program is a two-week trip from Lisbon to the Canary Islands. Cruise ship Le Bellot will sail along the southern slopes of Iberia to the isles of the eastern Atlantic, showcasing the ochre cliffs of Portugals Algarve Coast, the lush valleys of Madeira, and the volcanic craters of the Canary Islands. In addition, explorers can visit world heritage sites in Seville, Spain, and Morocco. Along the way, Allen Fromherz, a professor of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern history, will share invaluable insights about the region, too. Running from October 26 to November 8, the voyage starts from $9,020 per person.

A Ponant cruise ship in Santorini, Greece

Another standout is the nine-day voyage to Sicily. Ponants Le Bougainville liner will depart from Valletta, Malta, then dock on Sicilys southern coast. Travelers will visit the ancient hilltop city of Agrigento before heading to Tunisia to explore the colorful capital of Tuis and the ruins of Carthage. Guests will then head to Taormina, Syracuse, and the Aeolian Islands of Lipari and Stromboli for volcano treks, winery visits, and slope-side lunches. Starting from $7,420 a person, the adventure will take place from June 2 to 10 and August 29 to September 6, respectively.

One other itinerary worth mentioning is the eight-day cruise through the Mediterranean. Liner LAustral will travel from Valletta, Malta to Tarragona, Spain, making pitstops at Sicily, Sardinia, and the Balearic Islands of Menorca and Mallorca. Highlights include shopping in Palermos centuries-old markets, exploring Cagliaris baroque palazzi and hilltop fortress, and touring Menorcas Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma. Running from October 3 to 10, the journey starts at $5,340 per person

In addition to the new itineraries, Ponant and Smithsonian Journeys are also bringing back favorites from 2024. including a seven-night trip from Panama to Costa Rica (January 6 to 13), an eight-day jaunt to the Greek Islands (July 6 to 13 and October 12 to 19), and a Mediterranean Island voyage (May 26 to June 2). Check out the Ponant website for more information.

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Illustration by Hazel Zavala

In Underrated we review the ordinary rituals we build around food. Next up: drinking a Shirley Temple.

You probably last drank a Shirley Temple at your third-grade classmates laser tag birthday party with a slice of bad pizza on a plastic Toy Storybranded tablecloth. Or maybe you had it dirty with a shot of vodka back in 2022, when everyone from the New York Times to Business Insider named it the drink of the summer. Thats when I began drinking them again myselfstrictly the G-rated kind with grenadine, Sprite, and a maraschino cherry. The year 2022 also happened to be when I quit drinking and abdicated all claims to future Drinks of the Summer. Im pleased to report that the kid-friendly version still gives you all the same feelings from the last time you had one: excitement, pleasure, and the optimism of a person who didnt yet know back pain.

When I quit drinking I had no idea what to do with myself in restaurants, where my sobriety stuck in my throat every time I was asked for my drink order. I was possessed, routinely, by the urge to apologize to my server for making them bring me some boring crap we both knew I didnt want. To be fair, many menus did have a mocktails section with some tempting offerings. But, living in New York, I was insulted by the idea of paying craft cocktail prices for something that would by definition fail to get me drunk.

Then I found myself heading to a party hosted by the intimidatingly cool newsletter Dirt, where there would be an open bar. I dreaded the prospect of spending the evening schlepping around my usual pint glass full of soda with bitters, a grim and unwieldy cocktail that might as well be called The Ugh. But instead, when I arrived, I saw her winking at me from the cocktail menu across the roomin oh-so-trendy dirty form, true, but it was still like going to a party where you think you wont know anybody and then seeing an old friend unexpectedly. I beelined for her, my heart pounding.

Hi there, I said to the bartender, my eyes still glued to the menu as if I thought she might disappear from it any second. Could I have a Shirley Temple?

One Dirty Shirley coming right up, he said.

NO, I said casually. I would be forced to make this distinction regularly during the Summer of the Dirty Shirley, and never managed to do so with any grace. Uh. Sorry. Just a regular Shirley, please.

But the drink he served me didnt look like just a regular anything. The Shirley Temple came in a highball glass topped with a skewer of three velvety Luxardo cherries. What had I done to deserve such opulence? A half-inch of neon pink grenadine climbed up the bottom of the glass, the pale Sprite burbling away like witch's brew. It didn't look like one of my sorry soda and bitters, thats for sure. It didnt even look like a cocktail. It just looked perfectly, unmistakably like a Shirley Temple. And it tasted third-grade-birthday-party delicious, its saccharine fruitiness tempting me with a good old-fashioned sugar rush.

Wow! said a stranger standing nearbyI would soon learn that this is peoples standard response to seeing a Shirley Temple appear in their vicinity. I want one of those!

That first Shirley was a revelation. Never again would I be forced to order drinks like whatever nonalcoholic beer is the least sad or just water, I guess, and Im so sorry for being aliveI had a true signature drink now. I drink them everywhere I go and have begun to notice the whimsy that passes between me and my server whenever I order one. "A Shirley Temple! Sure thing!" Always with an exclamation point, as if were sharing a lark, and maybe we areLord knows I feel larky with a Shirley in my hand. Drinking a Shirley Temple is like going out with your extroverted friend: She makes you want to rise to the occasion, be as much fun as she is. Unlike boring old soda water, shes warm and inviting, and unlike the lavish nonalcoholic bevs crammed with adaptogens and obscure herbal ingredients, shes special without trying too hard.

And I began to notice, too, that vodka sodas and whiskey cokes are pretty much the same everywhere you go, but every Shirley is a little different. At Caveat, a comedy club on the Lower East Side, Shirley went goth with plum-colored housemade grenadine and black cherries on top. A tiki bar in Bushwick called Dromedary adorned her with tropical fruits and flowers a la Carmen Miranda. My local dive bar serves her shaken up with a single maraschino cherry: minimalist Shirley, no nonsense. She can be sugary-sweet or more sour and mature. She looks great in a highball, rocks glass, or champagne flutehell, shell even tolerate a shot of vodka with a good-natured eye roll, if you absolutely insist. She doesn't even mind when fanciful bartenders top her with umbrellas or swords. Why should she? Shes having too good a time.

Originally Appeared on Bon Appetit

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GENEVA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The path to peace begins with full respect for all human rights -- civil, cultural, economic, political and social, and without double standards, the chief of the United Nations (UN) stressed here on Monday.

Addressing the opening of the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the UN is launching a system-wide Agenda for Protection to support states in meeting their obligations to protect and promote human rights.

Under this Agenda, he said the UN, across the full spectrum of its work, will act as one to prevent human rights violations, as well as to identify and respond to them when they take place.

He added that the Summit of the Future scheduled for the coming September will be an opportunity for governments around the world to step up and commit to working for peace and security rooted in human rights, and an Agenda for Peace to be discussed at the Summit will apply a human rights lens to preventing and ending violence in all its forms.

"Our world is becoming less safe by the day. After decades of stable power relations, we are transitioning into an era of multipolarity. This creates new opportunities for leadership and justice on the international stage, but multipolarity without strong multilateral institutions is a recipe for chaos," he noted.

The UN chief also stressed that nothing can justify Hamas's deliberate killing, injuring, torturing and kidnapping of civilians, but at the same time, nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

"I repeat my call for a humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages," he said.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk delivered a vision statement titled "Human Rights: A Path for Solutions," at the opening of the session.

"We are at a precarious moment and cannot take things for granted," said Turk in the statement, citing devastating conflicts, skyrocketing inequalities and new powerful technologies whose risks are yet to be grasped.

"No matter the context, it is through respect for human rights we craft a better future for 'our human family,'" he said.

The messages Turk set out as the backbone of the vision statement include: a strong global constituency for human rights must be supported and given the space to innovate; human rights must be put at the center of prevention and peacebuilding to end cycles of conflict; economies must be transformed with equality and sustainability at the core.

He also said that environmental action must be grounded in human rights; governance must be responsive through full participation and by ending impunity; human ingenuity must be in the service of humanity; youth and children must be included meaningfully in decision-making.

"None of this can be achieved without strengthening our human rights system," he stressed.

The President of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis said that it is deeply concerning that human rights are under grave and increasing threat around the world.

"Across the globe, the inhumane brutality and suffering must stop. We must not simply stand by as callous observers, lest we be seen as complicit in the expanding web of dehumanization. No! We must do our part," he noted.

He mentioned that in the Gaza Strip, the suffering of innocent civilians has reached an unbearable tipping point, with over 90 percent of the population displaced, teetering on the brink of starvation, and trapped in the depths of an impending though avoidable public health catastrophe.

"In the name of humanity, we the United Nations must vehemently use our commanding platforms to speak up and to speak out -- louder -- in demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and for the opening of corridors to render urgently needed assistance and care to the 1.5 million displaced and unhoused Palestinians," he said.

He urged the donor States to uphold and sustain their contributions to the critical funding necessary for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), to discharge its mandated responsibilities to the Palestinians.

"Even in the midst of the current extraordinary challenges, UNRWA has been and continues to be an indispensable lifeline of support to the Palestinians," he added.

The session will run till April 5. 
In Japan, you must be good! These words, spoken by a cowering villager, mark Englishman John Blackthornes introduction to Japanese life. This is the opening of Disney+s Shogun, and much of the drama turns on the question of good means when these two very different cultures meet.

The year is 1600, and Blackthorne is the pilot of the Dutch ship Erasmus. His storm-damaged vessel has somehow managed to creak and heave its way to the coast of The Japans, shrouded in ghostly fog and with its sails torn to shreds.

Blackthorne, played by Cosmo Jarvis in Disney+s new adaptation of James Clavells hit novel Shogun, is in scarcely better shape than his ship. He is starving, his clothes are dirty, and his hair and beard are sodden and bedraggled. And things get worse when the samurai come hurrying to the coast to enquire after the barbarian ship that has appeared off-shore.

Within the space of a few days, he and his fellow crew are thrown into a pit and have entrails poured over them; Blackthorne is urinated on, one of the others is boiled alive, and a villager is abruptly beheaded by a samurai  for no reason that Blackthorne can discern. He wants to escape this awful place, and return to the England of Queen Elizabeth: to Christianity and the rule of law.

The inspiration for Blackthorne was a real-life English navigator, William Adams, whose Dutch trading ship anchored off Japan in 1600. Japan was at this point reaching the end of long and bloody decades of civil war, during which samurai lords schemed and battled for territory and power. The ultimate prize was reunification of the country under a single persons control: briefly achieved by the warlord Hideyoshi, only for his death in 1598 to plunge the country into uncertainty once again.

Adding to the intrigue were Jesuit missionaries and Portuguese traders, who had arrived in Japan half a century before and begun making converts and considerable sums of money  the latter largely thanks to control of an extraordinarily profitable China-Japan trade. Raw silk sometimes retailed in Japan at around ten times its purchase price in China.

No wonder, then, that the Portuguese tried to persuade the Japanese that this Protestant interloper, William Adams, was a pirate  and ought to be treated accordingly. Frederik Cryns, a professor of Japanese history at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, Kyoto  who served as historical advisor on Shogun and is the author of a forthcoming biography of Adams  tells me that the Englishman was very afraid he would be executed perhaps on a cross. Crucifixion was one of several methods of capital punishment at the time in Japan.

Adams was pardoned by the warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was busy manoeuvring himself into position as Japans future ruler. Adams petitioned Ieyasu to be allowed to return home but Ieyasu was having none of it. Ieyasu really liked him, says Cryns, for his knowledge as a navigator. Ieyasu probably didnt know that England and Holland existed so he got a whole new worldview through Adams.

The warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder and first ruler of the Tokugawa Shogunate - Pictures from History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Adams and his European crewmates went on to build two ships for Ieyasu, after a final battle in the autumn of 1600 cleared the way for Ieyasu to become shogun: an ancient role whose full title in Japanese approximates to barbarian-crushing generalissimo. Adams also served Ieyasu as a negotiator with various European trading powers, and was given the high samurai rank of hatamoto as a reward  a rare honour, particularly for a foreigner. Europeans visiting Japan in the 1610s regarded Adams, says Cryns, as not an Englishman anymore  but a Japanese. In Disneys Shogun, Blackthorne is taken from the coast to Osaka Castle where he encounters Lord Toranaga, based on Tokugawa Ieyasu and brought to life by Hiroyuki Sanada (The Last Samurai) as a master strategist possessed of serious gravitas.

Osaka Castle and its surrounds are recreated here in lavish and painstaking detail: evidence both of a big budget and a determination to bring some balance to a story that was previously told  in Clavells 1975 novel and Paramounts 1980 miniseries starring Richard Chamberlain and Toshiro Mifune  primarily from Blackthornes point of view. In this new adaptation, says Cryns, the American and Japanese production teams wanted to have the viewpoint of all the [main] players. He adds: Its not westerners discovering an exotic culture. Its two cultures coming together.

Not, however, coming together for polite conversation. These were violent times in Japan. The grizzly fate suffered by one of Blackthornes fellow crew early on  boiled alive in a huge cauldron  was, says Cryns, rare in Japan but not unheard of. The warlord Hideyoshi once punished an outlaw, Goemon Ishikawa, by having both him and his son boiled alive in public.

Paramounts 1980 miniseries: Yoko Shimada and Richard Chamberlain - United Archives GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo

Shogun also features seppuku: ritual suicide, practiced by samurai in this era for a range of reasons including bringing dishonour on ones lord. Sometimes a mans heir might be forced to die with him  even if still a child. For instance, Lord Blackthornes love-interest in the new series, Lady Mariko, a Japanese Christian noblewoman, comforts a mother who is about to lose her baby in this awful way.

One of the challenges for Shogun is how to manage the romance that develops between Blackthorne and Mariko, who is married to a jealous and menacing warrior played by Shinnosuke Abe. When the novel was first published, Clavell was criticised for depicting Mariko hopping into a bathtub with Blackthorne. He had wanted to suggest to Western readers that the Japanese arent hung up about sex and sin. But the idea that a married noblewoman, who was also a devout Christian, would countenance sharing bathwater with a Western barbarian struck critics as ridiculous  and also unfortunate, given that Westerners impressions of Japanese women were already overly reliant on cliched notions of geisha and courtesans.

Of course, Cryns tells me, in real life [this relationship] didnt happen  but it could be possible. Had it happened, in the Japan of this period, Marikos husband would be allowed to kill her  along with Blackthorne. Keen to avoid spoilers, Cryns says little about how things play out between Blackthorne and Lady Mariko in this new adaptation. But he was deeply impressed, he says, by the commitment of the writing and production teams  led by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks in the US and Hiroyuki Sanada in Japan  to making Shogun as faithful as possible to its historical context.

Shogun launches exclusively on Disney+ on 27th February - Katie Yu/FX

Had the samurai been little more than killers, it is hard to see westerners taking such an interest in them  as they have done from the late 19th century to the present day. In fact, having replaced Japans old aristocracy as the countrys cultural elite, the samurai engaged in all sorts of pursuits besides slashing, crucifying, boiling and beheading. They read Buddhist sutras, practised calligraphy, painted, collected art, and enjoyed performances of the notoriously subtle and allusive No theatre. Cryns is pleased that Shogun features both No and Japans tradition of linked-verse poetry, known as renga.

Ultimately, Blackthorne, Toranaga and Mariko are three very different characters who nevertheless share a powerful curiosity and an openness to new ideas. In our own sometimes narrow and fearful times, these seem like thoroughly good values to rediscover, whether abroad in Japan or back at home.

Shogun is available in the UK on Disney+ from 27 February. In the Service of the Shogun: The Real Story of William Adams, by Frederik Cryns (Reaktion Books) is published on 1 May.

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Smoked turkey may be what put the Shoults family and Bear Creek Smokehouse on the map in the 1940s, but Robbie Shoults  the third generation to run the operation  hasn't stopped there. In its more than 80 years of operation, Bear Creek Smokehouse has expanded to feature holiday staples like smoked ham, cookout favorites like sausages, and fresh and succulent Texas-style barbecue that draws visitors from around the world to the company's Pit Room in Marshall, Texas.

But that's not Shoults' only claim to fame. His expertise has landed him a spot as a judge on "Beat Bobby Flay" not one, not two, but five times. That experience gives Shoults real insight into how it all goes down.

Robbie Shoults took some time out of his busy schedule  he's got a new restaurant opening in March of 2024  to give us an exclusive interview talking about all things Texas barbecue and what it's really like in the ring at "Beat Bobby Flay."

Read more: 13 Underrated Cuts Of Meat You Should Be Grilling

The Founding Of Bear Creek Smokehouse

Bobbie Shoults and turkeys - Bear Creek Smokehouse

Hi Robbie! We're excited to talk to you about what you're up to and about Bobby Flay. Let's start with you, with Bear Creek Smokehouse and the family business. You have grandkids, right?

I do. The grandkids are the fifth generation actually. My mom is still alive, so on any given day, we may have four generations up here in the store.

How has it evolved since its founding?

My great-granddaddy bought the land at kind of the turn of the century ... They lived over in Hallsville. And my great-granddad told my granddad, he said, "I'll give that land to you if you'll go work it and clear it and start farming it." So he used to ride a horse about 15 miles a day over here to work the land until they were able to get a family house built out here. They were raising cotton and corn and they had hogs and cattle and just all kinds of things that they were doing to try to live off the land. And we're talking about the Depression era, and then World War II came into the picture, and they were just having a hard time making ends meet. So my granddad had an uncle out in West Texas who was an ag teacher, and he told my granddad, "You can put more pounds of gain on a turkey than you can hogs and cattle." In other words, the feed conversion was better. You get more pounds of finished product per pound of feed.

So in 1943, he and my grandma got their first batch of turkeys and raised them. They didn't know what they were doing. They had all kinds of farm animals, but turkeys were new and there was a learning curve there. And so they raised them out and they were ready for Thanksgiving that first year. This is kind of funny, they just had word of mouth  they didn't have internet or all that to advertise back then  so the county extension agricultural agent used to take orders and come out and pick up birds and deliver them back to town. And then they would have ladies bring their roasting pans out and say, "That one right there will fit in my pan." My granddad would catch it and send it home with them.

Evolution Of A Family Business

Four generations Shoults family - Bear Creek Smokehouse

That was before they started smoking turkeys?

Yes, that was early years. And then a couple of years later they started smoking and they just added on and added on. Every year they became more popular and before you know it, we were shipping turkeys all over the country. And so it's just kind of evolved year to year. It didn't happen overnight. Last year was our 80th anniversary, so it's been a great business.

Talk to me about having your kids involved. Now that you're the one stewarding the next generation, what's that like?

It's great being able to work with family. They grew up in the business, so they have a background knowledge of it. And Hunter ... He is the plant manager and he oversees the day-to-day operations of the plant. And we do a lot more than just smoking over there. Smoked meats, people are looking for those for the holidays. We have a lot of everyday customers, but hams and turkeys are pretty seasonal. So we do a lot of business with grocery stores all over the country. We sell them cured salt pork and it's used for seasoning beans and vegetables, all that kind of stuff. So we sell probably close to two million pounds of that product a year. It goes to places like Walmart and Publix over on the East Coast, Kroger, just really all over. So I know our distribution to Walmart is up to about 3,300 stores now. It's become a big deal for us, it helps keep the lights burning during the off-season when turkeys aren't selling.

Krista is running the new store in Marshall now ... and she still does some marketing. She still does some Facebook and that sort of thing. And then we have another daughter, Sadie, who is doing some Facebook for Bear Creek.

You also have a store and restaurant on-site. When did that come about?

I lost my dad in [November of] 2017 ... it was a tough time for everybody. And after the holiday, hustle and bustle, I was kind of like, "I need a project. This is not good." And Dad and I had talked about building a new store. I decided in the spring of 2018 that we were going to get started on it. And we built it and I'll tell you what, it has been a rodeo ever since.

The original footprint of the store was about 10,000 square feet and we were actually trying to serve food out of here, do events and sell general merchandise  gifts and tabletop, all that stuff. And we rocked on there for about a year and a half and I told my wife, "We're killing ourselves with all this. We thought this would be more space than we ever needed for the rest of our lives. We need to add on." We added another about 6,600 square feet onto the back of the existing store. And when we did, we built a pit room where we have a big 20-foot pit and that's where we smoke all of our brisket and chicken and sausage and all that great stuff that we use in the restaurant up here at the store.

How Robbie Shoults Got Into The Barbecue Business

Pit Room at Bear Creek Smokehouse - Bear Creek Smokehouse

It sounds like the barbecue side of the business has taken off and I'm sure that keeps you guys busy in between holiday seasons.

Oh, yeah. It's pretty crazy. Saturday here there were no parking places and there were hardly any seats to be had inside. I get a little nervous when it gets like that because we want everybody's experience to be over the top and just more than what they thought it ever could be. When they come out here we want them to have a warm welcome by all of our employees and we try to create the best experience we can as far as customer service, the best food that we can provide, and all of the above.

What are some of the more popular items?

They keep coming back for the ribs and the brisket. I made the foolish statement one time to my brother-in-law when we were building [the store and event center] ... "Let's build a pit room back here and bring a big smoker in and let's start smoking stuff on the weekends and have a big barbecue every weekend. It won't make us or break us." And that was not a very smart thing to say because I'm going to tell you what, it sure helped make us. Because if you have a great barbecue, people will come from all over. This last Saturday, we had people as far away as Australia and Austria. We have a great atmosphere. We've got beautiful views. We have some beautiful big longhorns out front  one we can saddle up and you can actually get on his back. We have a Highland Cow out there, and of course, I'm in the beef business too, so I have a lot of cows and so it is just a great setting.

Robbie's Insider Tips For Smoking At Home

Smoked barbecue brisket - RFondren Photography/Shutterstock

Speaking of beef, do you have any tips for making barbecue at home?

The biggest thing to me that I would tell anybody that's going to try to barbecue or smoke or whatever it is, please don't get in a hurry. Have the time dedicated to go low and slow and to stick with the product all the way through from start to finish. You can't rush barbecue.

What about the smoke? Can you over-smoke barbecue? How do you balance the smoke with the flavor?

We use a combination of post oak, hickory, and pecan, and I don't think there's any magic [ratio] or anything. Because sometimes I know we'll use more of one wood than we do the other.

I know [over-smoking] can be done. If your wood is too green, it could be a reason for maybe getting the smoke flavor too strong. Another thing, if people are having problems maybe over-smoking, is to pull the product out before it's completely done and wrap it in some paper, then put it back on. And that prevents any more smoke from penetrating and it'll get the benefit of the heat but not the smoke.

We all hope every bite of barbecue we eat is perfect, but that isn't always the case. How do you know if the barbecue is bad?

Well, if you've got your fork and your knife and you're trying to cut it and it cuts like boot leather, you probably know you're at a bad spot. If you rush barbecue, you can mess it up pretty quickly. Like I said, the key to it is to just take your time, enjoy yourself, and just have the time dedicated to it. And start with the best cuts of meat that you can find and you'll wind up with a better end product.

Smoked turkey is not a thing that you see in every barbecue region. What is it about smoked turkey that's special?

It's a lighter alternative. Brisket is probably the fattiest cut of meat there is. It's also probably the toughest cut of meat [to cook], but if you do it right, the combination of the fat-to-lean ratio can turn out really good. But you've got people that are just health conscious and I think turkey is just a great alternative to the brisket and ribs and those sort of things. It's become a staple at a lot of barbecue joints nowadays just because it's so popular. A lot of people love a turkey sandwich just because it's light and it's not quite as heavy as other barbecue.

Robbie's Tenure As A Five-Time 'Beat Bobby Flay' Judge

Robbie and Hunter Shoults with Sunny Anderson - Bear Creek Smokehouse

Let's talk about "Beat Bobby Flay." How did you get on the show in the first place?

There's a beautiful lady [on Food Network] on there by the name of Sunny Anderson, and she has a show on Saturday mornings, called "The Kitchen." Sunny and I know each other  she'd been down to Texas to our plant a couple of times. We were working on a little project and she asked me if I would be interested [in judging "Beat Bobby Flay"] and I said, "Sure, I'll come up and do that." I've been up five times and it's always a great experience. Bobby Flay is super competitive and is also probably the best cook on the earth, I would say. He's a great guy though. He's really nice. Out of the five episodes I've done, he's lost two of those episodes.

Tell me about being on set with Bobby Flay. What's it like while the episode is being made?

I have hung out with [Bobby] on one occasion after the show, he came and greeted me and my wife and Hunter and his wife behind the scenes, and he has a great personality. We joked around kidded and all that sort of stuff. But I'm going to tell you, when he's in front of that camera, he's serious, baby. He is trying to get his dish made. He does not like to be beat.

What is the judging experience like?

The whole process is pretty cool because, while the two chefs who are competing against each other are cooking, the judges are in a completely separate area. We don't get to watch any of it. When the winning chef goes up head-to-head against Bobby, as soon as they get their dishes done, we go to what they call a tasting room and we taste all the dishes there and we make our comments on it and everything and the producer will make notes. And then before you know it, they call us out, we come out on set, and then we do our tasting again. We actually get to taste it twice, once behind the scenes and then once in front of the camera.

Your 'Beat Bobby Flay' Judging Questions, Answered

Shoults family with Bobby Flay - Bear Creek Smokehouse

Did you have an idea of which was Bobby's dish beforehand?

I've always thought I could guess, but I've been wrong before, so I just quit trying. But [Bobby] does style his dishes really well. Well put together and everything. So I have hunches sometimes, but there's never a dead giveaway. There are some other great chefs who have gone up against him. Kudos to them for even making it that far.

You've judged five very different dishes (cheesesteak, chicken pho, carne asada, Juicy Lucy, and barbecue chicken wings). Do you have a favorite?

You get to taste some stuff that you probably would never get to taste again, especially a boy from East Texas like me.

The chicken wings were really good. But I'm telling you, neither guy had enough time to get those chicken wings done completely where they pull off the bone. But I think one guy made some blueberry barbecue sauce or something, best I remember, and it was good. The carne asada was good too. Now, some of the others, Juicy Lucy, we don't have those in Texas. It was great.

The "Beat Bobby Flay" set is pretty unique. What is it like being in front of the cameras and the audience?

It is almost like a pit because the audience is elevated. There's a railing around and they're lined up around that, and so it's just down in that taste pit where the judges are and Bobby and whoever his opponent is are cooking. I'll tell you what, I've never seen so much kitchen equipment, but I always think the cameras outnumber the kitchen equipment because they're trying to get every angle they can on everybody and the food and everything. But it is just a great experience.

Once you have tasted the dish, how does judging work? How do you pick a winner?

When we're in that blind tasting room, it is the three judges and the producer, and she'll go through and ask us each different things, what we think about the dish, and she's taking notes on her computer. And so we pretty much in the tasting room have in mind who we're going to pick. And then when we get out there on set, [each judge] comments on it. And then if I said something in the tasting room that maybe I didn't think to say [on camera], the producer will come on and say, "Now, Robbie, what were you thinking about this aspect of it? What did you think about this flavor or whatever?" And then that just kind of jogs your memory and you can spit it out.

Usually everybody is pretty much on the same page [about who wins]. It is pretty cut and dried. I mean, when Bobby lost, he lost fair and square. The other cook just did a better job. But like I say, it is completely blind. Sometimes I would speculate, "this looks really fancy, and I know Bobby likes to use peppers a lot," and I'm thinking this may be his, and I've been wrong before.

Next For The Shoults Family: The Marshall Mercantile

Hick and Nellie Shoults - Bear Creek Smokehouse

The Marshall Mercantile just opened this past fall. What are your plans for this new branch of Bear Creek Smokehouse?

The new branch of the business in one of the oldest buildings in Marshall, the Mercantile. It was a department store built in 1898, the first department store of its kind in the state of Texas. It's three stories, it's about 30,000 square feet. Midsummer, we bought a floral company that had been in business for 72 years and we moved it into this building. The Mercantile part of the building has gifts, gourmet foods, some clothing, that sort of thing. We collaborated with the Harrison County Museum and I've dedicated space to the museum  they have some exhibits in the back corner. When we have tourists come in on the weekends, they have the opportunity to look into Marshall's past and see what that was all about. We also have a restaurant coming soon. It'll have a Western flare to it if you can imagine that. It's going to be really ... I'm going to use the word bougie because I've raised four girls and I know [that term]. We're hoping to get it open sometime in mid-March.

The second floor is a mezzanine that overlooks the whole store, and we use it for rentals. If you have a group of let's say a hundred or less, you can use the mezzanine. The third floor is 8,400 square feet and we do weddings and big events up there. It's a big space. And Krista's doing a great job. I think in December we had nine rentals up there. We just opened up.

It's been good for downtown. We will want to try to bring tourists downtown and we hope that everybody thrives as a result of the revitalization process of downtown Marshall.

We'll keep an eye out for the opening and to see the menu! Thanks so much for your time.

Visit Bear Creek Smokehouse to learn more about their products, and The Marshall Mercantile for information about the store, restaurant, and event space.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
A runaway freight train in northern India traveled nearly 45 miles without a driver on Sunday, reaching speeds of up to 46 miles per hour, before it was brought to a stop, according to railway officials.

The trains adventure was captured in a video that has since gone viral on social media, showing it moving quickly along the tracks near a station platform.

No one was injured by the runaway train and it was eventually stopped using emergency brakes and by placing stones on the track, preventing a major accident.

The train rolled for about 1.5 hours, from Kathua railway station in the state of Jammu and Kashmir before finally stopping in Hoshiarpur district in Punjab state, Prateek Srivastava, director for the Ministry of Railways in Jammu and Kashmir, told CNN on Monday.

Due to reasons unknown, the (locomotive) pilot and the assistant pilot got off. As soon as they left, the train started rolling down. They could not get on to it, he added.

The train was eventually diverted onto a path with an uphill gradient, said Srivastava. We knew gravity would help us, he added.

At least four people have been suspended following an inquiry into the incident, and a high-level investigation is currently underway at Kathua Railway Station.

In April 2018, a runaway train carrying up to 1,000 passengers rolled for several miles before being brought to an emergency stop.

Video on social media shows the train, which was traveling from the western state of Gujarat to Odisha state in the east, speeding past stations as onlookers and passengers screamed helplessly.

The train was eventually stopped after railway workers placed wooden wedges on the tracks, bringing it to a crunching halt.

None of the estimated 1,000 passengers was injured in the incident and the train reached its final destination two hours behind schedule.

Indias extensive rail network, one of the largest in the world, was built more than 160 years ago under British colonial rule. Today, it runs about 11,000 trains every day over 67,000 miles of tracks in the worlds most populous nation.

In June last year, India suffered one of its deadliest ever rail disasters, when two passenger trains and a freight train collided in Odisha state, killing at least 275 people and injuring more than 1,000.

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 22: Savannah Guthrie attends Savannah Guthrie in Conversation with Hoda Kotb: Reflections on Faith at 92NY on February 22, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Savannah Guthrie is warning fans about fake copies of her popular new book that scammers are trying to sell online.

The Today show co-host issued a public service announcement shortly after the Feb. 20 release of her book, Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere. In a Feb. 21 Instagram post, Guthrie shared a screenshot of two book listings on Amazon. The first had a cover that looked nearly identical to that of Guthries book, with some small design differences. As Guthrie pointed out in her post, theres another red flag about the fake: It spells her name incorrectly.

The second book included in the screenshot appeared to be a workbook for her latest project. But Guthrie said she wasnt involved with its publication, either.

Related: How Savannah Guthries TODAY Colleagues Encouraged Her New Faith Book & Why Self-Love Talks Dont Resonate With Her

These workbooks are not real and not by me! Guthrie wrote. "Watch out (they spelled my name wrong - thats the first clue). I havent done any work book - just the book which you can buy at mostlywhatgoddoes.com OR from any retailer or Indy bookseller!

The authentic Guthrie book, which was inspired by her relationship with her faith, has become very popular since its release last week. The book was listed at #3 on Amazons Best Sellers list as of Feb. 25.

Guthrie, 52, first learned about the fake copies of her book from her mother, according to Page Six. Her publisher told the publication that this kind of scam can happen with books like Guthries that find success quickly.

Several other workbooks that incorporated Guthries book title were still listed on Amazon days after she first warned readers that they were fake. Guthrie warned her Instagram followers that there are still so many fakes out there in another post on Feb. 25.

I didnt write anything other than the book Mostly What God Does - no workbooks, no studies, no nothing! she wrote.

Next: Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager Look Ultra Glam at Event Supporting Savannah Guthrie's Achievement
Scottish Terriers were celebrated as an iconic Monopoly game piece and a symbol adorning Radley designer bags since 2000 in Great Britain. However, the Scottish Terrier dog breed is now experiencing a decline in popularity among Brits. They remained on the at-watch list for the fifth consecutive year.

Scottish Terrier popularity declines while Bernese Mountain Dogs and English Setters become dogs of choice for more Britons

Once extremely beloved in Britain, Scottish Terriers are now not as popular as they used to be. The breed has maintained its spot on the at-watch list for the last five years, as Daily Mail reports.

The Scottish Terrier breed enjoyed its peak in popularity in the 1930s. Their likeness was used on a plethora of items, from greeting cards to jewelry, ceramics, and memorabilia.

Among the top ten breeds in the UK are French Bulldogs, Cocker Spaniels, and Labrador Retrievers. This collectively contributes to over 60% of annual puppy registrations across all breeds.

Former US President Franklin Roosevelt owned a Scottie called Farla. In addition, many other celebrities, including Dorothy Parker, Charles Lindbergh, and Bette Davies, had Scotties as their companions.

However, the data from The Kennel Club indicates their numbers are dwindling. In fact, they are classified as vulnerable on the at-watch list for native breeds since only 406 Scotties were born in 2023. This is a record low for the breed, as the lowest number before this was 453 in 2017.

Scottie dogs are famous for their loyalty and faithfulness, displaying boldness without aggression. They are independent, reserved, and dignified and showcase high intelligence.

Additionally, the at watch list includes Rough Collies, Sussex Spaniels, English Pointers, Wire Fox Terriers, Otterhounds, Curly-coated Retrievers, Norwich and Manchester Terriers, and Irish Setters.

Vulnerable breeds face the risk of disappearing from the UKs public spaces due to their declining popularity.

The list doesnt directly correlate with births but with registrations. Nevertheless, it offers insight into changing popularity trends for dog breeds.

The post Scottish Terriers Are Becoming Unpopular in Britain appeared first on DogTime.
Soups are typically  although not always  named for a chief ingredient (Italian wedding soup contains neither brides nor grooms). Soup joumou is no exception. If you translate the second word from Haitian Creole into English, you learn that it means pumpkin, and this is the soup's main ingredient. The dish also goes by a few other monikers, though, including "freedom soup" and "revolution soup," and thereby hangs a tale.

Just what is so revolutionary about the soup? Believe it or not, its main ingredient. Back when African-descended Haitians were enslaved by French colonists, the slave owners would not allow them to eat foods that were considered desirable, and pumpkin fell into this category. When the slaves won their freedom and Haiti declared its independence in 1804, it was seen as a symbol of their triumph to dine on this forbidden fruit (sas you may recall, a pumpkin technically falls into this category). Legend has it that Marie-Claire Heureuse Felicite Bonheur Dessalines, who briefly reigned as Haiti's empress, actually handed out the soup to her subjects with her own two hands. Whether this really happened, or it's just Haiti's version of George Washington chopping down that apocryphal cherry tree, it certainly does make for an inspirational story, and the soup itself sounds pretty tasty, too.

Read more: 7 Nuts You Should Be Eating And 7 You Shouldn't

When Is Soup Joumou Eaten?

Soup joumou with wooden spoon - Tipikliz / Instagram

While soup joumou can be eaten at any time of year, it fits the profile of a cold-weather dish with its hearty root vegetable base and chunks of beef (although the beef may be optional since some claim that the dish was meant to be meat-free). It's fairly labor-intensive, too, as the prep work and cooking can take several hours. This indicates that it's a special occasion meal. As it just so happens, there is one winter holiday that soup joumou is particularly associated with, namely New Year's Day.

Unlike New Year's food superstitions that revolve around a symbolic connection to health, wealth, and general good luck, soup joumou is eaten for patriotic reasons. January 1 in Haiti marks not just the first day of the new year, but the anniversary of the independent, slave-free republic so it's kind of like the Fourth of July, Juneteenth, and New Year's all rolled into one. Soup joumou is de rigueur for any proper celebration  as UNESCO put it when adding the soup to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the dish "promotes social cohesion and belonging among communities." As such, it's the first meal of the new year, although many will indulge in multiple bowls throughout the day. In fact, one year a clinic in Massachusetts saw an influx of patients suffering from digestive distress, and upon investigation, it turned out that all of them had overindulged in soup joumou.

What Goes Into Soup Joumou?

Soup joumou with banana - Mr. Vert's Kitchen / Instagram

While part of the fairytale history of soup joumou involves Empress Dessalines (if we may be permitted to shorten her lengthy appellation) hand-selecting each and every ingredient in soup joumou for symbolic reasons, 220+ years later there doesn't seem to be any one definitive recipe ... or does there? One volunteer with the Fondation Marie Claire Heureuse Felicite Bonheur Dessalines (they're not so big on name-shortening) claims that they learned the Empress' own recipe during a soup-making stint and insists it isn't made with any type of meat. Today, however, beef is a typical ingredient, so much so that some people feel that the only "true" soup joumou is a meaty version. Restaurants may cover their bases by choosing to make both types, though, and families with both meat eaters and vegetarians may do likewise.

In addition to the pumpkin and beef (or not beef), the soup typically contains other vegetables such as green beans, potatoes, turnips, onions, leeks, and bell peppers as well as some type of noodles or pasta. It may also be heated up with habaneros or scotch bonnets and seasoned with either epis or pikliz. These two condiments typically contain both aromatics and peppers, but the latter is spicier and also includes shredded cabbage and vinegar.

Soup Joumou Takes A Lot Of Work

Soup joumou in pot - Nadine Nader / Instagram

Making soup joumou can be quite a labor of love, with an emphasis on labor. One account of the cooking process involved girls from a youth center who worked all night long to chop all of the vegetables necessary to cook enough soup for 40 people. (They were allowed to take turns sleeping in shifts, however, as otherwise, the story would be more horrifying than heart-warming.) Other tales involve extended families or community organizations getting together to share all of the soup-making chores. Not only do many hands lighten the load, but working together also allows for plenty of time to socialize.

Should you choose to make soup joumou as a solo project, however, the soup itself takes maybe two to three hours to cook, but you'll need to spend quite a bit of time on the prep work. Some recipes may contain almost 40 ingredients, many of these vegetables or herbs that will need some sort of peeling, slicing, or dicing. There may also be meat that needs marinating or pikliz that needs pickling before everything can go in the pot to simmer. This means that if you do plan to eat this for breakfast on the first day of the year, you'll probably need to devote a good chunk of your New Year's Eve to soup making.

Where To Try Soup Joumou

H & R Grill soup joumou - H & R Grill / Facebook

While many accounts of soup joumou make it sound like the kind of dish that can only be prepared at home, solo diners need not be relegated to hours of tedious work in order to participate in this New Year's tradition. A number of restaurants do offer the dish, although many only have it as an occasional special.

Brooklyn-based Bon Bon Lakay, while it doesn't offer a dine-in experience, does have soup joumou available for pickup or delivery during the last two days of the year. H & R Grill in Sunrise, Florida has also sold soup joumou on New Year's Eve, although it's not on the regular menu. Guigui's Kreyol Flavors in Clarksville, Maryland lists it as a seasonal offering that is only available for a limited (albeit unspecified) period of time. The Fancy Buffet Haitian Restaurant in Spring Valley, New York, has soup joumou every Sunday, as does Canzy Island Taste in Deer Park, New York. Chez Guyto in Miramar, Florida, however, lists it on the menu with no such disclaimers, so it seems to be available on a daily basis at this establishment.

Read the original article on Mashed.
The first time Tantoo Cardinal had the opportunity to walk a red carpet, she didn't take it. It was in Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada, she recalls, where they filmed Loyalties. "The community was so beautiful," she says. "They really wanted to honor us, and they laid out the red carpet, and I was just too shy. I couldn't do it. I found a side door to go in, rather than walk down the red carpet, which I regret. I should have just taken itbut I wasn't able to at the time. I felt too strange, and it felt too weird. I felt like it was an honor for other people; I didn't feel like I could boldly walk down the red carpet like it belonged to me."

Decades later, Cardinal has been able to claim that spaceand this year, she's been on many, many red carpets in support of Killers of the Flower Moon. Time, she tells Town & Country, taught her the boldness.

At the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild awards this weekend, Cardinal made a statement on the carpet in custom Gucci and a dazzling Naawikwegiizgig hat. At the show, she was nominated for outstanding cast with the Killers of the Flower Moon crewLily Gladstone, Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brendan Fraser, John Lithgow, and Jesse Plemons. Cardinal, 73, who plays Lizzie Q, Mollie Burkhart's mother, in the film, holds her own.

"In Killers, I don't have a great big role," she says. "I'm in there in a different wayit's not a major role, and many of my roles are like that, but I know they mean something to people, because I've had the opportunity to have conversations, and meet people in communities and get a feel for how my work has felt to them, how it's impacted their lives. And so I honored them. And that's made [awards season] a lot easier." Here, Cardinal takes T&C behind the scenes of getting ready for 2024 SAG Awards.

Spotlighting Indigenous designers is very important to Cardinal. "Our clothing got taken away from us," she says. "Everything got taken away from us: our names, our families, our community, our land, our way of life, our language, our knowledge keepers. We were outlawed. For me, every moment [is about] bringing things back."

She adds, "When I went to Cannes, I was the only one on that carpet [wearing] an Indian designer. She really gave it heart. Our designs are so unique; our designers, they're connected to the culture and, and who we are. It's been such a long haul getting to where we are now."



Darrell Redleaf

Cardinal has been waiting for an opportunity to wear her medicine hat, which she purchased in 2019. "I've been waiting for some place where it could seen," she says. "It really means well. It reverberates a history, but it's very contemporary and bright. It's overt without being bossy about it."

Wearing it to the SAG Awards, she says, was the perfect "opportunity for the artist's work to be seen."



Full Scope PR

Cardinal loves working with Darrell Redleaf (pictured here), a Lakota/Hidatsa hair and makeup artist. "They know the events, they know this territory, and they've been here for so many years. They know the looks that are appropriate for whatever the event is," she says. "I'm learning a lot from them."

Full Scope PR

"Thank you Martin Katz! It was a great opportunity to shine and to be glistening in some kind of value."

Full Scope PR

"It's a moment in time to be doing all these red carpets and getting all done up," Cardinal says. "That whole world... it's just fun and interesting to be on the inside of it."

Full Scope PR

"I always see my Indigenous world as a place of my medicinewhere my soul and spirit and everything feels strong and feels good. It's nice to be able to have [the medicine hat] on my head, and go through the night like that."

Darrell Redleaf

As Cardinal wraps up her press tour for Killers of the Flower Moon, she is reflecting back on her last blockbuster film, Dances with Wolves. "That was was opportunity where [Indigenous peoples] were presented as human beings," she says. "So much of Hollywood, up until that point, presented us as savages and hoodlums and trouble. It was a good bouncing off place, to have that dialogue."

Darrell Redleaf

In 2024, Cardinal sees a reemergence of Indigenous history and culture. "There's a rallying saying 'We've been away too long. We're coming out,'" she says. "We've had colonialism and genocide and femicide and all of these blankets have been covering us. This is the time when we're coming back. We're taking the blankets off."

Full Scope PR

"I don't think anyone could complain about the evening," Cardinal says of the 2024 SAG Awards. "Being there in that spaceand Barbra Streisand [getting] that lifetime achievement [award]! It was just crazy." She adds, "SAG really belongs to the actors. We've all come through a rough spot, and people were feeling pretty good in the night."

Pictured here Tatanka Means, who features in the film.

Full Scope PR

Styled by Linda Medvene

Hair/makeup by Darrell Redleaf at AIM Artists

Suit: Custom Gucci

Shoes: Zvelle

Jewelry: Martin Katz

Hat: Custom Naawikwegiizhig by artist Adam Avery

Courtesy Tantoo Cardinal

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Growing up as a person of color, discovering beauty products that resonated with me was far from a walk in the park. From finding the right shade in a range to connecting with a brand that actually honored my needs, there was a lot to consider as an Asian beauty consumer. However, in recent years, I found solace in the rise of BIPOC-owned brands making waves within the beauty industry and across diverse communities.

Some brands sell great products, others are experts at selling an aspirational lifestyle. Then comes the anomaly, a skincare brand that exceeds at both. Gen Zs favorite skincare brand Topicals , is on everyones lips right nowfiguratively and literally.

Co-founded in 2020 by Olamide Olowe , the Black-owned skincare company focuses on science-backed products that combat chronic skin conditions such as eczema, scarring, and hyperpigmentation while uplifting diverse voices. As a 2023 FUTURE50 brandOlowe being the youngest Black woman ever to raise more than $2 million in venture fundingTopicals continues to push the boundaries with its inclusive community, innovative yet attainable products, and one-of-a-kind marketing strategies.

Last December, Topicals launched their latest product Slick Salve Lip Balm . Described by the brand as a barrier-building lip treatment that is slicker than your average, I was instantly captivated by the high-gloss finish and nourishing properties like hyaluronic acid. True to form, the launch was promoted with a cheeky short film directed by Thuan Tran . Who you know making movies to sell lip balm? Topicals founders Olowe quipped in the comments of the film. This passing remark prompted a deeper reflection on which brands truly prioritize their consumers to the extent of crafting engaging narratives just to sell a product. Well, a brand that knows how to sell beauty is to sell a connection, where skin concerns are understood, considered, and addressed through tongue-in-cheek marketing that makes even the most mundane task like spot-treating scars feel less daunting. Topicals isnt only adamant about selling their products, but by selling the end resulta feeling. Through its creative strategies, the brand reinforces the idea that its consumers can live their dream lifestyle, even with chronic skin conditions.

Topicals impact transcends mere hyperpigmentation treatments and lip balm. From the aesthetic visuals to the diverse casting to the unapologetic humor, the brand employs celebs and creators alike to push its narrative: Topicals is for everyone. Topicals moves authentically within an industry that typically has a crabs-in-a-bucket mentality, especially where Black and brown companies are concerned. Its a no-brainer that they know how to acknowledge their audiences desires. And if youre unable to snag your own Topicals productthe trending lip salve created for chronic dry lips is constantly selling outthe brand has you covered. Following an outcry from consumers after Slick Salve rapidly sold out, the Topicals team took to their social media to spotlight other similar Black-owned lip products while they continue to restock.

They care about other people, they care about causes that are bigger than themselves, care about diversity and inclusion, care about classism, but each one of them have their own identity, Olowe tells ModernRetail .



But in the dead of December holiday break, my Instagram feed became awash with images of everyone sporting pink under-eye patches. These weren't showcased against a serene backdrop of a self-care day; instead, they were flaunted as the latest must-have accessory to tote during boozy nights out with friends in the club in Ghana. Cooling hydrogel patches with niacinamide and caffeine working their magic in the middle of a party? Only Topicals. Offering brands an unofficial masterclass in marketing, the brand had embarked on a brand trip to Accra, Ghana. In tow was a group of Black influencers to celebrate Detty December, a cultural spectacle usually observed from mid-December through the New Year, where people across the diaspora gather for the ultimate celebration of music and holiday festivities. Attendees included New York-based stylist Sierra Rena , and Love Island stars Dami Hope and Indiyah Polack , to name a few. Instantly intrigued (and overcome with FOMO), I found myself reaching for my Sephora app to add some products to my cart.

Where else have you seen people wearing under-eye patches in the club at 4 am?! There arent enough words in the English dictionary to describe how much I love my Topicals products, Asha Abdul-Mujeeb , a former marketer and avid Topicals user, tells ELLE.com. The girls that get it, get it.

Many brands oftentimes miss the mark when it comes to brand trips. Its as easy as inviting the wrong guests, forcing robust social marketing deliverables, tone-deaf displays, or treating attendees based on their status or follower count. However, the Ghana experience sent the internet buzzing for not only curating an all-Black guest list, but subtly strengthening brand awareness in a way that skipped the fluff and honed in individualism and community service. Topicals kept the luxury of any brand trip and went beyond just merchandise room drops; they illuminated what really matters: spreading awareness with a sense of purpose. The crew enjoyed their travels, but also gave back to the African community along the way.

For the Black community, the unique opportunity to visit the motherland could only be the brainchild of a young black woman, Abdul-Mujeeb shares in a viral Tik Tok . She goes on to explain that many teams in the corporate world would shut down an idea like this. Its me, Im the demographic. I know what the people like. You just cant see it, but its okay because someone else did.

Shop Now Faded Under Eye Brightening & Clearing Eye Masks 6pk sephora.com $22.00

And shes not the only one whos been moved. In addition to the trip being well-received on social media, Topicals didn't have one theme for the cast, which spoke volumes to how they view their own audience. There are no quotas to fill or criteria to checkif you have skin, Topicals is speaking to you. The creators who attended ranged from various fields, follower counts, and countries. This wasnt only reserved for U.S. creators, but UK creators like Uche Natori had the opportunity to document ample content for their audiences from the trip of a lifetime. The influence came from all over the world.

What separated this trip from other beauty brands waswell, it being all-Black, says Elyse Fox , CEO of Sad Girls Club and trip attendee. She notes that not everyone was the typical influencer with over ten thousand followers that other brands usually prioritize on a trip as luxe as it was. In fact, the lucky twelve were flown out first class and treated equally across the board. No hierarchy treatment here!

The brand used this opportunity to allow their long-lasting relationships with creators like Fox to connect to their roots. By creating an environment that embraces Blackness, not enforcing strict schedules, and making everyone feel seen, the trip gave attendees even more opportunities to resonate with the brand. Plus, the authentic moments of the trip ended up being the most viral-worthy. It was something that left the viewers at home wanting more.

Brands, you gotta step it up, Fox says. She expresses that many brands profit from the Black communitys trends, lingo, and music, but dont necessarily pour back into the culture. When you invest in the people creating the culture, who are the voice and the backbone, you can do no wrong. So brands, please step it up because were going to be watching and critiquing.

This is what setting the beauty standard for authenticity and inclusivity looks like. Topicals cadence and exploration with Black influencers in Ghana reflects the dynamic evolution of influencer marketing. Now, brands shoulder the responsibility to prioritize key practices, including comprehending the influencers and their audience and fostering transparency. The Topicals team has taken bold leaps in their recent endeavors, which has ultimately rewarded them with one of the strongest communities Ive ever seenand Im glad to be a part of it.

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Of all the words that are likely to inspire offence and anger in todays society, Hottentot is not particularly high on the list. Its an antiquated term that was mainly used in the 18th and 19th centuries in conversation, generally to refer to someone as a barbarian or similarly uncivilised individual. It originally referred to the Khoekhoe, the nomadic society of South Africa, and was taken up firstly by the Dutch settlers of the region, and then passed into English usage in the 17th century.

Even by the beginning of the 20th century, it was seen as old hat, the kind of slang that was used by people wishing to mark themselves out as eccentric and given to archaic usage. Therefore, when the character of Admiral Boom in the much-loved 1964 Disney picture Mary Poppins had to be shown to be both old-fashioned and faintly mad  as if firing cannons from his rooftop wasnt enough  it was an easy stretch for the films screenwriters, Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, to have the admiral refer, not once but twice, to the term.

On the first occasion, he asks the Banks children in Poppinss care whether they are going to fight the Hottentots, and then, in a riotous and perhaps deeply un-PC scene in which Londons chimney sweeps are dancing around on the rooftops, their faces blackened with soot, the admiral is sufficiently alarmed to announce Were being attacked by Hottentots! before ordering fireworks to be lit in order to repel the invaders.

The scenes have traditionally been thought to be purely comic, and not as offensive or problematic. Yet the BBFC have now announced that the films classification is going to be raised from a U to a PG, on the grounds that the film contains discriminatory language. No further specific explanation is given on the BBFCs official website for the films change in certificate, which has taken the content from being suitable for all to warning some scenes may be unsuitable for young children.

It is all the more surprising because the BBFCs entry for the film suggests A few scary moments are quickly resolved and the tone is light and fun. Yet now its discriminatory language has seen it raised into a higher category altogether, meaning that the light and fun tone is not necessarily prevalent.

The real reason why the change has been made, of course, is that, like every other public body, the BBFC are attuned to anything that might give offence to audiences in 2024, and must address now-controversial matters that were once considered to be harmless. In a pained statement, they announced that We understand from our racism and discrimination research that a key concern for parents is the potential to expose children to discriminatory language or behaviour which they may find distressing or repeat without realising the potential offence.

This reflects the findings of a 2021 report in which the board wrote: Historical racial/racist language may continue to be permissible at PG as long as they are contextually justified (for example, historical context) and not accompanied by aggravating factors (for example, violence, threat. The n word meanwhile cannot be featured in anything beneath a 12A, save in exceptional circumstances. The statement concludes: Content with immediate and clear condemnation is more likely to receive a lower rating.

Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins - Alamy

Yet Booms actions and speech are not condemned; no doubt in a 2024 version of the film, there would be a scene in which the admiral is immediately upbraided for his use of the term. But in the unreconstructed Sixties, he is free to use the now-forbidden word without any such immediate and clear condemnation.

Few are likely to be affected by the change. After all, only the strictest of parents would forbid their children from watching films with a PG certificate, and Mary Poppins remains, 60 years on, a much-loved family picture that has delighted generations of viewers. Still, when it comes to issues of race and discrimination, Disney may have been watching this particular case with more attention than usual, because of the author whose books the series was based on. Pamela Lyndon Travers, better known as P.L Travers, was an Australian-British writer who achieved international renown in the Thirties with the Mary Poppins series, which eventually ran to eight books, published between 1934 and 1988.

The saga of her agreeing to sell the rights to her creation was dramatized in considerably sanitised and airbrushed form in 2013s Saving Mr Banks, starring Emma Thompson as Travers and Tom Hanks as Disney; the film was, naturally, made by Disney itself. But had they been aware of the controversy that would envelop Travers a few years later, they may have shied away from the project altogether.

The first Poppins book, simply entitled Mary Poppins, served as the main inspiration for the film that would follow three decades later, as a magical and mysterious nanny arrives at 17 Cherry Tree Lane in London, and, after taking her young charges on a range of adventures, opens her umbrella and is carried away by the wind, although not before promising that she will return one day: as she indeed does, a variety of times.

Mary Poppins author PL Travers in the 1950s - Getty/Popperfoto

Yet amidst the charming and wholesome antics, there is a chapter that has probably aroused more controversy than anything else Disney adapted in the 20th century, entitled simply Bad Tuesday, in which Poppins takes the children on a whistle-stop tour of the world, visiting a variety of nations and nationalities.

Only the most racially and nationalistically sensitive of writers might have managed to write this chapter without causing offence, and Travers, a robust character who spent her early years in Australia at the time of the discriminatory White Australia policy, which sought to forbid non-white immigration to the country, was either unaware of the potential for upset or simply did not care. Therefore, the chapter includes a range of racial stereotypes that features, most problematically, a negro lady, holding a tiny black pickaninny with nothing on at all.

The character then speaks in a dialect that, even for 1934, would have been considered near-the-knuckle, when she says of the Banks children My, but dems very white babies. You wan use a lil bit black boot polish on dem. This may have been acceptable in the mid-19th century, in the era of Mark Twain and Huckleberry Finn, but by then, it was at best old-fashioned, and at worst simply racist.

Travers was not deaf to murmurs that the chapter had gone too far, and subsequently revised it twice, once in 1967 to remove the most overt racial stereotypes and again in 1981, in which Poppins and the children now visit a variety of animals rather than, as in the original, Native Americans and sub-Saharan Africans. The second and final change was a direct response to the San Francisco public library systems 1980 decision to remove the Mary Poppins books from its shelves, citing the negative stereotyping that could be found within them.

Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as PL Travers in Saving Mr Banks - Disney

Certainly, this is an uncanny precursor of the after-the-fact editing that has been visited on many authors books  from Roald Dahl to Ian Fleming  and only the fact that Travers herself was responsible for the changes, rather than some well-meaning editor, can make them more acceptable.

Yet this was not the only such instance of unfortunate language or tone in the Poppins series. When a soot-covered chimney sweep encounters a housemaid in 1943s Mary Poppins Opens The Door, she screams Dont touch me, you black heathen, before announcing If that Hottentot goes into the chimney, I shall go out the door.

Throughout the books, there are casual uses of antiquated or offensive language, such as Michael Banks being sternly told You will not behave like a Red Indian, Michael! and, on another occasion, Poppins sighing to her young charge I understand that youre behaving like a Hottentot. Even today, the books still feature such sentences and attitudes: time, perhaps, for another round of improving their problematic qualities at the hands of some right-thinking editor.

Had Travers herself been uncomplicatedly colonial in her attitudes, then she could be pilloried by the right-minded. Instead, she was far more complex and multifaceted than that. She spent two summers during WWII living with the Navajo Indians on their reservations in New Mexico, which her biographer subsequently described as among the great experiences of her life. Travers later spoke highly of her experience. The Indians in the Pueblo tribe gave me an Indian name and they said I must never reveal it, she said. Every Indian has a secret name as well as his public name. This moved me very much because I have a strong feeling about names, that names are part of a person, a very private thing to each one.

In later television interviews Travers gave, she proudly wore the Navajo jewellery that she was given during her time staying with them, claiming that she wore it every single day as a reminder of this important period in her life.

Nonetheless, when she was a wealthy and well-beloved literary figure, Travers displayed an ambivalent attitude towards aspects of her earlier writing. In 1972 she told the academic Albert Schwartz: Remember Mary Poppins was written a long time ago when racism was not as important. But she also acknowledged the feelings of others. About two years ago, a schoolteacher friend of mine, who is a devotee of Mary Poppins and reads it constantly to her class, told me that when she came to that part it always made her squirm if she had Black children in her class, she told Schwartz. I decided that if that should happen, if even one Black child were troubled, or even if she were troubled, then I would have to alter it.

Anticipating contemporary conversation about racial sensitivities, she remarked that Various friends of mine, artists and writers, said to me, No, no! What you have written you have written. Stand by it! But, I thought, no, if the least of these little ones is going to be hurt, I am going to alter it!

Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins - Alamy

Yet in an interview with the Paris Review in 1982, she expressed regret for these actions: What I find strange is that, while my critics claim to have childrens best interests in mind, children themselves have never objected to the book. In fact, they love it. That was certainly the case when I was asked to speak to an affectionate crowd of children at a library in Port of Spain in Trinidad. On another occasion, when a white teacher friend of mine explained how she felt uncomfortable reading the pickaninny dialect to her young students, I asked her, And are the black children affronted? Not at all, she replied, it appeared they loved it.

Travers liked to portray herself as robust on these matters. How much disservice is done to children by some individuals who occasionally offer, with good intentions, to serve as their spokesmen? she once asked. Many would agree with her, both then and now. However, she was also pragmatic as to why she had changed her characters to animals. I have done so not as an apology for anything I have written, she explained. The reason is much more simple: I do not wish to see Mary Poppins tucked away in the closet.

The BBFCs decision to raise the certificate of Mary Poppins for the use of the word hottentot is probably inevitable, in the current climate, yet everyones favourite nanny is in no danger of cancellation. Mary Poppins, at least, may have found all this stuff and nonsense rather amusing.

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Over the weekend, surf history was (potentially) made.

Big wave surfers Lucas Chumbo Chianca and Sebastian Steudtner tamed some wild and wooly, utterly massive, possibly record-breaking waves in the small fishing village (and home to the worlds largest known surf) of Nazare, Portugal.

Since then, the internet has been ablaze. New world record potential?

The session up for debate went down on Saturday, February 24th. Both Chumbo (Brazil) and Steudtner (Germany) rode waves which many are suggesting might be new world records. As for which wave  if any of em  is actually a new milestone in big-wave surfing, thatll take some time to analyze and confirm.

Was a new world record set on that fateful day in Nazare? posed Above Creators in a video of Chumbos ride. Join us as we ride alongside Lucas Chumbo on his jaw-dropping journey through the mountainous wave that could cement his name in the history books forever.

Related: Sebastian Steudtner Surfed the Guinness World Record Largest Wave Three Years Ago; He Reflects on the Anniversary (Video)

In the meantime, while the waves from Chumbo and Steudtner are analyzed, lets look at the current holder of the Guinness Book of World Records largest wave surfed title  which happens to also be from Steudtner, also in Nazare, but back in 2020.

The wave was deemed to be 86 feet.

Already, however, big-wave surfers, camera operators who were on hand in Nazare over the weekend, and pundits are touting Chumbos wave in particular as a potential challenger for the title.

Lucas Chumbo surfing the biggest wave ever surfed, remarked French surfer Justine Dupont.

Crazy session, but mission to get Lucas Chumbo on a 100 foot wave [referencing the HBO show of the same name] accomplished, wrote big waver Jose Carlos.

Will one of these waves take the title? It might be a while until we know for sure.

More to come.

***

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BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday voiced firm opposition to the EU's decision to put four Chinese companies on a list in its 13th round of sanctions against Russia.

"This is unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that has no basis in international law, nor a mandate from the United Nations Security Council," China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said in a statement.

"This act runs counter to the spirit of the consensus reached during meetings of Chinese and EU leaders and will have a negative impact on China-EU economic and trade relations," the statement read.

The Chinese side urges the EU to bear in mind the overall interests of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership and unconditionally stop blacklisting the Chinese firms, the MOC said.

China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, it added. 
Before Malcolm Little became Malcolm X, John Sanford adopted the stage name Redd Foxx, and most of the world knew Charlie Parker as Bird, they could be found at Jimmys Chicken Shack in Harlem. Back in the late 1930s and early 1940s they werent speaking or performing, they were merely punching a clock. All three were employees at Jimmys, a restaurant and nightclub that became a favorite hangout for locals and celebrities alike who wanted to hear some of Americas biggest jazz stars.

And while that was happening out front, the people who would become icons in the worlds of politics, music, and comedy were congregating in the back, washing dishes and waiting tables.

More from Robb Report

Those people, you know, at the end of the day, they became this major, influential [group] in the civil-rights movement, changing what Harlem is right now, Beejhy Barhany, the chef-owner of Tsion Cafe, which now sits in the former home of Jimmys Chicken Shack, told Robb Report.

Barhany has embraced the legacy of Jimmys, although she didnt realize the old jazz joint had been the buildings tenant until after she signed the lease for Tsion Cafe, which opened in 2014. Since then, the Ethiopian restaurant has honored the legacy of the club not through its food (with a plant-based menu, theres definitely no chicken or steak) but by hosting live music, displaying art by locals, and serving as a general meeting place for Harlems Black community.

Finding much information about Jimmys isnt easy, but historical documents show that the restaurant was opened by Jimmy Bacon in the late 1930s. Some six years later, it was one of the hottest spots in town, with an issue of the New York Amsterdam News from February 1942 saying that when you drop into Jimmys Chicken Shack especially in the wee hours of the morning you will find the place crowded with would-be customers, patiently waiting for a table. Often they are disappointed for scarcely a night passes that people are not turned away. Hollywood starsmostly whitewould go straight to the club after their train pulled into the city, with celebs like Lana Turner making an appearance.

It was around that time that Malcolm, Parker, and Foxx held jobs at Jimmys. Malcolm and Foxx worked together in the kitchen and struck up a friendship, which they would both speak fondly of later in their lives. Parker, meanwhile, took his first non-music job for pay as a dishwasher, working midnight to 8 a.m., according to a 1989 article in The Threepenny Review. From the kitchen, hed listen to Art Tatum playing out front. When Tatum would sneak into the kitchen for a sip of whiskey between sets, Parker would be too nervous to say anythingtheir relationship, rather, was a silent one, with Parker using his impressive musical memory to remember what he had heard.

Charlie Parker performing circa August 1947

Art Tatum was an astonishing piano player, Scott DeVeaux, a professor of critical and comparative studies in the University of Virginias music department, told Robb Report. I cant imagine what it would be like being in a place where you could just hear him play all the time, even if you had to be back washing dishes and only hearing on some occasions. But its from that experience that Charlie Parker came up with his ideas about how to introduce more complicated harmonies into his improvising.

When Tatums gig at Jimmys ended, Parker quit. Hed soon go on to become one of Americas greatest saxophonists and a creator of bebop.

While spaces like Jimmys were important as jazz clubs and hubs of the Harlem Renaissance, then, they were also serving as more than that. Jimmys was a place where Black New Yorkers came together behind the scenes, setting down the stepping stones that would lead them into their future. Sure, people like Tatum and Billie Holiday played there at the peak of their powers, but unknown Parkers, Foxxs, and Malcolms were gaining new perspectives and worldviews by taking in the scene while simply trying to make a dollar.

Its that legacy that Barhany is working to carry on at Tsion Cafe. Theres the live-performance aspect, but theres also the fact that she wants her restaurant to serve as a place where the Harlem community can come together, where they can feel nourished by both the comforting shiro wat (ground chickpeas simmered with berbere, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and ginger) and the knowledge that the greats who came before them took up the exact same space.

Redd Foxx (center) singing circa 1938

We are kind of carrying on the torch of Black excellence, Black culture, Jewish culture, and the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance, Barhany said. We are stepping on the shoulders of those great heroes that were majorly influential in the change of civil rights or Black culture as a whole.

Nowadays, Tsion Cafe sees tour groups and individuals come in to honor the history that took place at 763 Saint Nicholas Avenue. Even people like Les Payne, the author of the Pulitzer Prizewinning Malcolm X biography The Dead Are Arising, stopped in while working on his book. His daughter Tamara, who completed the tome after Paynes death, continues to come into the restaurant.

Many spaces that were used as jazz venues in the early 1900s are no longer around, DeVeaux said, the buildings knocked down and turned into high-risesthe victims of gentrification. That makes the old Jimmys space even more remarkable: the fact that it still exists, and that it still exists as a restaurant and performance space.

Barhany agrees, and said she would love to work with the historical preservation society to install a plaque or statue outside Tsion Cafe, something that makes permanent the history and meaning of the Sugar Hill addressand something concrete that all the people who come to honor Jimmys can physically connect with. So much has happened in the small basement space over the past century, and it would be a shame if itlike so much elsesimply became lost to the annals of history.

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Have an event or announcement you would like featured in THE DIGEST? Its welcome! Please send an email to lbordelon@gannett.com. Time sensitive announcements should be sent a week ahead of time.

Staunton supports new legislation on sales tax, 'skill games'

STAUNTON  As highlighted in last week's edition of The Agenda, Staunton City Council voted to support Senate Bill 14 and House Bill 805, both on allowing a 1% sales tax to be put on the ballot for voters.

Much of the discussion on the resolution was questioning what the practical result of the ordinance would be. Councilmember Mark Robertson noted he was against implementing a tax but would be in favor of handing the decision over to Staunton residents with an election. This is exactly what the bills would do  allow local governments to place a 1% sales tax for school construction or renovation projects on the ballot.

"This just supporting the referendum," said Councilmember Alice Woods. "That means we're saying that we support a referendum to be presented for the tax. ... It's not saying that we are in support of a one cent tax."

Staunton itself is not able to pass these bills. Both are in the Virginia Legislature right now  the city can only tell the legislature, through a resolution, that it supports their passage.

In a similar vein, another resolution on "skill game" machines was approved. "Skill games," called such in spite of pseudo-gambling mechanics played for real money in the games, were previously banned by the legislature, but House Bill 590 is looking to legalize them again in Virginia.

The resolution does not state whether or not council wants skill games in Staunton or not, but asks the Virginia Legislature to give local governments the power to approve or deny them. An amendment to House Bill 590, which could relegalize these games, would give a state board the regulatory power over them.

After both resolutions were presented by City Attorney John Blair, he joked, Ive got one more on firearms. The council members laughed, with Michele Edwards jokingly responding, I move we go into closed session to discuss the performance of an employee."

Both are available to read in the Feb. 22 agenda packet.

New food pantry opens in Staunton

STAUNTON  The Valley Community Services Board dedicated a new free food pantry in front of its office at 85 Sanger's Lane.

According to a press release from the organization, the pantry has already distributed more than 500 pounds of food "since its unofficial opening in January." It offers "solely" food and personal hygiene items and is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"The need at the VCSB location became apparent when Sara Catterton, Prevention Specialist, spoke with a man who asked for something to eat outside the offices," reads the press release. "She gave him what she could and approached VCSB leadership with the idea of a free food pantry."

The board partnered with Neighbor Bridge to design the pantry, and Bear Creek Outdoor Living built it.

"The other Pantries are located at the Augusta County Library in Fishersville, the Waynesboro Library in Waynesboro, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Staunton, Gospel Light Baptist Church near Dooms, and Augusta Regional Dental Clinic in Fishersville," the release notes.

VCSB Director of Administration Tammy Dubose places food in the new pantry

Shenandoah National Park begins youth art contest

LURAY  School age artists wanted!

The Shenandoah National Parks Youth Wildflower Art Contest calls on young artists to be inspired by the beauty of Shenandoahs native wildflowers. The winners will be displayed in the park.

According to the press release, judging is split between kindergarten to second grade, then third through fifth grade, then sixth through eighth grade, and finally high school freshman through seniors. The contest is open to public, private, or city school students and home-schooled students in Virginia and Washington D.C.

Submissions should be submitted between Feb. 17 and April 7. Each student can only submit one piece.

Artists must submit works that lay flat and are approximately 8.5 by 11-inches in media such as acrylic, crayon, watercolor, fiber, pencil, charcoal, small crochet or knit projects, etc. Three-dimensional pieces and photographs of flowers will not be accepted. A wildflower list and a reference photo gallery are provided on the Shenandoah National Park website.

More can be found on Shenandoah National Parks website and on the contest page.

Staunton calls for board volunteers

STAUNTON  Staunton City Council is calling for volunteers to get involved with the city.

Currently, there are vacancies on a number of boards, including:

Tourism Advisory Board

Library Advisory Board

Redevelopment and Housing Authority

Valley Community Services Board

Joint Industrial Development Authority of Stafford County and Staunton

Agricultural-Forestal Advisory Committee

To apply, visit the city's website.

Virginia ranked fourth most similar to United States demographics

According to WalletHub's Electorate Representation Index results, Virginia ranked as the fourth most similar state to the United State's collective demographics.

The state came in third behind Illinois, Florida, and Ohio.

The purpose of the report is to ask where the first United States presidential primaries should be held. Wallethub Analyst Cassandra Happe explained, "Instead of basing the order on tradition or political favor, we should consider putting the most representative states first during the presidential primaries.

When looking solely at "sociodemographics," the state ranked second. This category included how many women there are compared to men, what percent of the population is what age, race, their family relationships, whether or not they have health insurance, and whether or not they live in the same place they were born. The state also ranked sixth in both "religion," defined by which religions the population identifies with and how important they are to the person, and "public opinion," including party affiliation, political ideology, and views on abortion and guns.

In other categories though, Virginia didn't break the top 10. It ranked 30th for economic comparisons and 18th in education comparisons. Whether that is because Virginia is doing better or worse than the national average is not covered by the data presented.

VDOT projects and road work for Feb. 26 through March 1

AUGUSTA COUNTY  According to a press release from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), crews will be repairing a sinkhole on Interstate 81 at the Weyers Cave/Grottoes exit, number 235.

"VDOT has been monitoring the sinkhole for several months," reads the press release. "Initial measurements show it is about five feet across and eight feet deep. Sinkhole repairs include excavating the hole to determine its size and the stability of the surrounding ground before backfilling it and making any needed roadway repairs."

The work is expected on Feb. 28, beginning at 7 a.m., with only a right shoulder closure, with a possible temporary closure of the exit 235 on-ramp to northbound I-81.

The list of highway work that might affect traffic this week includes:

INTERSTATE 64

No lane closures reported.

INTERSTATE 81

*NEW* Mile marker 206 to 205 , southbound  Mobile right shoulder closures for survey work, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday.

*NEW* Mile marker 212 to 214 , northbound and southbound  Overnight single lane closures for maintenance to Route 11 bridge, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday nights (Feb 25-28).

*NEW* Mile marker 212 to 223 , northbound and southbound  Overnight mobile lane closures for sign inspections, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday and Monday nights (Feb 25-26).

*UPDATE* Mile marker 221 to 227 , northbound and southbound  Overnight southbound right lane and shoulder closures along Exit 221 off-ramp for shoulder strengthening, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Monday through Friday nights. Overnight northbound right lane and shoulder closures for shoulder strengthening, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. February 26  March 15 nights. Daytime shoulder closures for tree removal and maintenance operations, 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through March 14. Work is related to I-81 widening project.

*NEW* Mile marker 226 to 230 , northbound and southbound  Right shoulder closures including along Exit 227 off-ramps for sign work, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

*NEW* Exit 235 , northbound  Right shoulder closure along acceleration lane (on-ramp) for sinkhole repairs, beginning 7 a.m. Wednesday. VDOT will advise if additional traffic restrictions become necessary.

*UPDATE* Mile marker 236 to 235, southbound  Left shoulder closures for tree removal operations in the median, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through March 5.

PRIMARY ROADS

Route 11 (Lee Highway)  Northbound right lane closures between Route 940 (Dick Huff Lane) and Staunton city limits for sidewalk installation, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through May 24.

*NEW* Route 262 (Woodrow Wilson Parkway)  Overnight northbound and southbound mobile lane closures for sign inspections, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday and Monday nights (Feb 25-26).

Route 262 (Woodrow Wilson Parkway)  Eastbound and westbound left shoulder closures due to widening project in the area of the Route 252 (Middlebrook Avenue) interchange, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. through April 30.

Route 256 (Weyers Cave Road)  Flagger traffic control near Rockingham line for maintenance to bridge over South River, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday.

*NEW* Route 340 (Eastside Highway)  Shoulder closures between Route 672/619 (Patrick Mill Lane/Turk Mountain Lane) and Route 619 (Purple Cow Road) for sign work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

SECONDARY ROADS

Route 624 (South Delphine Avenue, Waynesboro)  Shoulder closures between South Oak Lane and Chinquapin Drive for work related to construction of Waynesboro Southern Corridor, through May 30, 2025.

Route 635 (Barterbrook Road)  Closed between I-81 frontage roads (FR-217 and FR-218) for bridge replacement as part of I-81 southbound auxiliary lane project. Follow posted detour. Expected completion summer 2025.

Route 664 (Mount Torrey Road)  Shoulder closures and occasional flagger traffic control between Route 624 (Lyndhurst Road) and Route 894 (Mount Torrey Road) for water line installation, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through March 29. Estimated completion summer 2024.

Route 664 (Lyndhurst Road, Waynesboro)  Shoulder closures between Miami Avenue and Purdue Street for work related to construction of Waynesboro Southern Corridor, through June 30, 2025.

Route 675 (Broadhead School Road)  Flagger traffic control between Route 11 (Lee-Jackson Highway) and Route 604 (McClures Mill Road) for utility work, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. through Thursday.

*NEW* Route 778 (Knightly Mill Road)  Middle River bridge closed beginning Wednesday, February 28. Traffic can use nearby Route 774 (Cline River Road) bridge.

Route 795 (Entry School Road)  Flagger traffic control between Route 608 (Long Meadow Road) and Route 640 (Old White Bridge Road) for utility work, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. through Thursday.

Route 796 (Kiddsville Road)  Flagger traffic control between Route 797 (Miller Road) and Route 608 (Long Meadow Road) for utility work, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. through Thursday.

Various roads  Mobile traffic control for mowing operations. Flagger traffic control for drainage work, tree removal, shoulder repairs, pavement patching and brush cutting, 7:30 to 3 p.m. on weekdays.

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: The I-81 sinkhole, Staunton sales tax, and 'skill games': THE DIGEST
One dead, several taken to hospital after I-85 wreck in Lowell: NCSHP

LOWELL, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A portion of Interstate 85 has reopened after a Sunday afternoon crash in which one person lost their life, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP)

I-85 northbound headed towards Charlotte was closed for over two hours near exit 22 for South Main Street.

 Track issues along your commute with the QCN Traffic Interactive Map

Troopers say the crash happened around 2:45 p.m. on Feb. 25. A vehicle came from the right side of the road and hit a tractor-trailer and two other vehicles.

One person lost their life and several others were taken to the hospital, officials say.

Troopers stress that the investigation into the crash is just beginning and that information is limited at this time.

This is a developing story; check back for updates

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Within about a month, Alabama has conducted one execution and laid the groundwork to schedule two others  including its second using nitrogen gas.

The attorney generals office has requested the Alabama Supreme Court set the execution date for Alan Eugene Miller. Miller's execution would be carried out using nitrogen hypoxia, the AGs office says. Miller, now 59, was convicted of killing three people during a pair of 1999 workplace shootings in suburban Birmingham. He was living in Autauga County at the time.

"The State of Alabama is prepared to carry out the execution of Miller's sentence by means of nitrogen hypoxia," the attorney general's office wrote, adding that Miller has been on death row since 2000 and that it is time to carry out his sentence.

More: Failed execution details: Smith 'strapped to a gurney' for hours as courts weighed appeals

Miller was set to be executed by lethal injection in September of 2022, but staff could not gain access to his veins for the IV lines before his death warrant expired. Miller said that during the aborted 2022 lethal injection attempt, prison staff poked him with needles for over an hour as they tried to find a vein and at one point left him hanging vertically as he lay strapped to a gurney.

Miller, a delivery truck driver, was convicted in the fatal workplace shootings of Lee Holdbrooks, Scott Yancy and Terry Jarvis. Prosecutors said Miller killed Holdbrooks and Yancy at one business and then drove to another location to shoot Jarvis. Each man was shot multiple times.

Alan Eugene Miller, sentenced for murder July 31, 2000

Testimony indicated Miller was delusional and believed the men were spreading rumors about him. Jurors convicted Miller after 20 minutes of deliberation and then recommended a death sentence, which a judge imposed.

Alabama and nitrogen hypoxia executions

The state now plans to use its new nitrogen hypoxia method in its second attempt to execute Miller. In that method, the condemned breathes pure nitrogen through a mask. The nitrogen displaces the oxygen in the lungs.

On Jan. 25, Kenneth Eugene Smith became the first person in the nation executed using the method. That execution was carried out in the death chamber at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. In the weeks before the execution, the attorney generals office wrote in court documents that the inmate would lose consciousness in a matter of seconds and die in a matter of minutes.

Smith writhed and shook on the gurney for some four minutes before appearing to lose consciousness. His convulsions shook the gurney several times. He appeared to gasp for air and writhe for about two minutes more after he appeared to lose consciousness before he apparently stopped breathing.

The morning after Smiths execution Attorney General Steve Marshall described the execution as textbook and said the state was ready to carry out more nitrogen hypoxia executions.

Smith's crime and sentencing controversy

Smith was convicted of capital murder on Nov, 14, 1989, in the murder-for-hire plot of Elizabeth Sennett in Colbert County, She was the wife of the Rev. Charles Sennett, who hired Smith and his co-defendant to kill her in an effort to collect on her life insurance policy.

Charles Sennett was in debt at the time. Elizabeth Sennett was stabbed to death in her home. Charles Sennett committed suicide a few days after her death after it became apparent that investigators suspected his involvement.

Smiths original conviction was overturned, and he was convicted of capital murder again in 1996.

The American flag is seen behind barbed wire at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Ala.

The jury voted 11-1 to recommend a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for Smith, but the judge ignored the jurys recommendation and handed down the death sentence. At the time, judges in Alabama could override the jurys recommendation of life without the possibility of parole and enact the death sentence. The Legislature has since removed that power.

Legal dispute over nitrogen executions

Death penalty opponents called Smiths execution torture. A death row inmate has filed a federal lawsuit asking the courts to halt the use of the method. It is unclear if the lawsuit will effect the state supreme courts setting of Millers execution date.

Inmates are allowed to choose the method of their execution. According to Marshall, 43 inmates have chosen nitrogen hypoxia. The prison system did not respond an email asking whether inmates will be given the opportunity to change their decision from nitrogen hypoxia to lethal injection or electrocution, the other two legal means of execution in Alabama.

There are 164 inmates on death row.

Alabama's next planned execution

Four days after Smiths execution, the AGs office requested that the state Supreme Court set an execution date for Jamie Mills. The method used for Mills would be lethal injection, court records show. Mills was convicted of capital murder his role in the 2004 murders of Floyd and Vera Hill in Guin in Marion County.

There is no doubt that Mills committed those offenses, the AGs office motion states. As set out more fully below, Millss convictions and sentence are final because he has completed his direct appeal, state post-conviction review, and federal habeas review. Accordingly, it is time for this death sentence to be carried out.

According to the filing and other court records, Mills and his then common-law wife drove to the residence, and the four of them went to the shed where yard sale items were kept.

Vera Hill and Mills wife went back to the residence and thats when Jamie Mills struck Floyd Hill knocking him to the ground, the motions reads. After the women came back to th shed, Mills hit Vera Hill in the back of the head with a hammer.

Mills stole several items from the couples home, that added up to about $140 including a tackle box, pills, purse, and a police scanner, the motion reads.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama conducts one execution, moves to set two more within a month
Austrian far-right activist Herbert Fitz talks to the press on his arrival at Doha International Airport following his release from Taliban captivity (AFP via Getty Images)

An Austrian far right-nationalist who went to Afghanistan to try and show it was a safe country has been released after nine months in Taliban custody.

Herbert Fritz, 84, reached Doha in the early hours of Sunday after he was let go following mediation efforts to secure his release by the Qatari government.

Mr Fritz had gone to Afghanistan to paint the Taliban-ruled country in a positive light, despite huge concerns among the international community over the Islamist groups misogynist regime.

His trip initially fuelled false anti-migration arguments back home that Afghanistan was a safe country to which refugees who had fled the Taliban could return, according to Austrias Der Standard newspaper.

But it later emerged that Mr Fritz had been arrested on suspicion of spying, the report added. His case was made public in May by Austrian neo-Nazis via Telegram channels.

Mr Fritz arrived in Doha, Qatar from Afghanistan on Sunday afternoon and would receive medical treatment, if necessary, before continuing on to Austria, the Austrian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer thanked the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his team for their strong support in releasing one of our citizens from prison in Afghanistan.

It is only due to our trusted collaboration that this Austrian citizen will be able to return home to his daughter and grandchildren, Mr Nehammer said on X, formerly Twitter.

Qatars foreign ministry also released a statement that expressed gratitude to the caretaker government in Afghanistan for releasing the Austrian far-right figure. No country is yet to formally recognise the Taliban as the legitimate administration in Afghanistan since it took power by force in August 2021.

The State of Qatar has proven, regionally and globally, that it is a trusted international partner in various important issues, and it spares no effort in harnessing its energy and ability in the areas of mediation, preventive diplomacy, and settling disputes through peaceful means, it said.

The Der Standard report said Mr Fritz was in custody just weeks after his article entitled Vacation with the Taliban was published in a far-right magazine, in which he had given a positive view of life in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.

Mr Fritz founded an extreme right-wing group called National Democratic Party (NDP) which was banned in 1988.

He is also described as a traveler to dangerous locations, visiting Afghanistan in the 1980s and more recently visiting Kurds fighting against the Isis group in northern Syria.

His reports on Afghanistan failed to mention widespread systemic abuse by the Taliban against women and minorities in the country.

In a repeat of their abusive rule from the Nineties, the Taliban have barred women from most areas of public life and stopped girls from going to school beyond the sixth grade, attributing the decisions on their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

They rolled out harsh measures, including stoning, lashing and public execution after taking control of the country in 2021, despite initially promising more moderate rule.
President Biden is scheduled to host the four congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday, where the group will discuss funding for Ukraine and efforts to avert a government shutdown.

The White House said Biden will highlight the urgency of passing the bipartisan national security supplemental and keeping the government open. Attendees will include Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).

Biden has for weeks been pleading with Congress to pass additional funding to support Ukraine in its war against Russia, warning that a failure to do so would be a historic failure that could threaten global and domestic security.

The Senate earlier this month overwhelmingly passed national security funding that included money for Ukraine, Israel and Indo-Pacific allies, but Johnson again signaled the bill would not receive a vote in the House because it lacked desired border provisions. Johnson had previously rejected a proposal that included border security measures.

At the same time, Congress is coming up against a deadline to pass funding bills to avoid a shutdown.

Congress returns to Washington this week facing a pair of looming funding deadlines  March 1 for a handful of agencies and March 8 for the rest  leaving lawmakers with little time to iron out their differences and get bills to the floor to keep the government open.

Biden last hosted congressional leaders at the White House in January, when he was similarly pushing lawmakers to fund Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Johnson said earlier this month hed been asking for weeks to sit down with Biden, something the White House initially rebuffed before appearing more open to the idea.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Hundreds of people turned out at two Oklahoma vigils to pay tribute to an Owasso teenager whose death has sparked widespread interest, heartbreak and outrage across the state and across the country.

A candlelight vigil for Nex Benedict in Owasso on Sunday, where a few close friends took the stage to share their memories of the friend they remembered as fun and feisty.

Interest in the high school sophomore's death has swelled over the past week, particularly because of Nex's gender-expansive identity and claims of bullying that preceded an altercation at school.

Nex used the pronouns they and them and he and him, family and friends have said.

A police investigation is underway after Nex died earlier this month after sustaining injuries in an altercation at Owasso High School. Although the exact details of the fight are unclear, the teen's family and friends have said Nex was routinely bullied because of their gender identity. Medical examiners are still completing their investigation into what killed Nex, but police have said that an autopsy determined Nex did not die as a result of trauma. The family held a funeral service for the teen on Feb. 15.

'We lost a member of our community': Hundreds mourn Nex Benedict's death at Oklahoma vigils

Hundreds attend a vigil on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, at Redbud Festival Park for Nex Benedict, the Owasso teen who died earlier in February, one day after they were hospitalized for injuries sustained in a school fight in Owasso, Okla.

Robin Ingersoll, who is also a 16-year-old sophomore at Owasso High School, described Nex as one of his first friends when he started attending public school in eighth grade. The pair briefly dated. He remembered how Nex made chicken wings for him one night, with lots of different sauces and spices. Then the next morning, he woke up to Nex making him pancakes.

Which I think is one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me, Robin said.

When he thinks about Nexs death, he feels disappointed, he said.

Disappointed that he never got the chance to grow up and mature and learn and grow, to find his community. That was taken from him, he said.

More: What we know and what we don't about death of Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict

Tyler Wrynn, a former Owasso eighth-grade teacher, remembered Nex as fiery. Nex often joked, Im going to fight you, over a variety of things.

The world is a little darker because Nex is gone, said Wrynn, who left the school after his social media posts were criticized by Libs of TikTok, a social media platform that posts anti-LGBTQ messages.

Former Owasso Public Schools teacher Tyler Wrynn attends a vigil on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, at Redbud Festival Park for Nex Benedict, the Owasso teen who died earlier in February, one day after they were hospitalized for injuries sustained in a school fight in Owasso, Okla.

Owasso police blocked off some streets surrounding the downtown park where the vigil was held, and at least four officers were stationed atop the nearby police station, using binoculars to look onto the crowd gathered below.

Anna Richardson, an Owasso parent who organized the vigil, said she wanted the night to steer clear of politics and honor Nex. But she called on school leaders to listen to children as they craft anti-bullying policies.

Lets please remember that these children are all of our children, Richardson said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Nex Benedict remembered as 'fun, feisty' in Owasso candlelight vigil
WASHINGTON  Ronna McDaniel formally announced her resignation Monday as chair of the Republican National Committee, an expected move that clears the way for former President Donald Trump and allies to more firmly seize control of the party and its finances.

The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee, and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition," McDaniel said in a statement. Her announcement pretty much declared Trump the presumptive nominee after his big win Saturday in the South Carolina primary.

McDaniel said she will make her resignation official at an RNC meeting March 8 in Houston; the committee is expected to choose Trump's replacements at that time.

Ronna McDaniel

Trump has already nominated Michael Whatley, chair of the North Carolina state Republican Party, to replace McDaniel.

Trump has also selected his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to be a co-chair. She has already become the public face of Trump's revamped RNC.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who continues to oppose Trump in the Republican primaries, said Trump wants to take over the RNC so he can exercise control of its money  and pay his massive legal bills.

"I don't want the RNC to become his piggy bank for his personal court cases," Haley told CNN this month. "Now we see him trying to get control of the RNC so he can continue not to have to pay his own legal fees.

Chris LaCivita, a Trump campaign senior adviser who is also joining the newly revamped RNC, said the organization will not help Trump with legal bills that include lawyers' fees and massive civil judgments against him.

"The primary is over, and it is the RNCs sole responsibility to defeat Joe Biden and win back the White House," LaCivita said.

Lara Trump has said that every penny from the RNC will be devoted to "winning" and that her father-in-law's election is the party's top priority.

Trump, who faces the prospect of four criminal trials this campaign year, has been penalized more than a half a billion dollars in civil judgments against him over the past month.

Trump officials have often criticized RNC spending priorities in the past, although the former president himself has defended the party leader he selected shortly after he won the 2016 presidential election.

McDaniel defended her record in her resignation statement, including the Republicans winning control of the House in 2022, "creating an Election Integrity Department," and "building the committees first small dollar grassroots donor program."

McDaniel indicated earlier this month that she would make her announcement after the South Carolina primary, which was Saturday. Trump easily defeated Haley in her home state.

Though Haley continues to oppose Trump in future primaries, McDaniel's statement indicated she believes the race is already over.

"I remain committed to winning back the White House and electing Republicans up and down the ballot in November," she said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump's Republican takeover: McDaniel resigns as RNC chair
A 44-year-old electronics manufacturer in the Charlotte region is shutting down and nearly 100 people are losing their jobs.

General Microcircuits Inc.  East West, based in Atlanta, is closing its facility at 1133 N. Main St. in Mooresville, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) filed recently with the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The plant closure will result in 97 job cuts, starting with 11 layoffs effective April 22.

The WARN notice did not indicate when the plant would shut down.

The Iredell County facility manufactures printed circuit boards, according to the companys website.

In 2019, East West Manufacturing acquired Mooresville-based General Microcircuits. GMI was founded in 1980 and also had operations in San Jose, Costa Rica.

East West Manufacturing has 13 other locations throughout the world, including a design center in Asheville, according to the website.

Company officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Charlotte Observer Monday.
BUJUMBURA, Burundi, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people, including six women and a soldier, were killed on Sunday night in Buringa village in the province of Bubanza, near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in a terrorist attack, the Burundian government said Monday.

RED-Tabara rebels carried out the attack, which also injured five people, said Jerome Niyonzima, the Burundian government's secretary-general and spokesman.

The rebels also targeted the office of the ruling CNDD-FDD party in the region.

On the X platform, formerly Twitter, RED-Tabara claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that they targeted two military posts in Buringa on Sunday night, resulting in the deaths of six soldiers, the destruction of the CNDD-FDD party office, and the seizure of firearms and ammunition.

RED-Tabara is a rebel group based in eastern DRC and has been battling Burundi's government since 2015. 
Statement: There is clear scientific consensus that hormonal birth control makes you fat, doubles risk of depression & triples risk of suicide.

Elon Musk says people in developed countries should have more babies. The Tesla CEO, who has fathered 11 children, is now warning women about what he says are birth controls dangerous side effects.

"Hormonal birth control makes you fat, doubles risk of depression & triples risk of suicide," Musk wrote Feb. 16 on his social media platform, X. "This is the clear scientific consensus, but very few people seem to know it."

To support his claim, Musk shared two links about a 2017 study from Denmark that said hormonal birth control could be tied to higher suicide risk.

But experts in reproductive health and contraception research criticized Musks conclusion and said that the study, which has noted limitations, is far from "consensus."

Using hormonal contraception, such as birth control pills and intrauterine devices, can come with psychological side effects. But experts said the overall risk of severe side effects is low. Musks post ignores that many women take birth control to treat painful periods and health conditions, such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome.

The Denmark paper showed an increase in suicide risk in people who used hormonal contraception, "but in no way can it definitively claim the birth control was the cause; rather, it is a correlation," said Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, a board-certified OB-GYN and social media educator based in Portland, Ore. "This study was a registry review, not a blinded randomized control trial, so this can only tell us association, which is interesting, but in no way should broad sweeping conclusions a la Elon be made."

Registry studies use databases to evaluate specified outcomes in certain populations and are often considered observational.

We emailed the X press account for additional evidence and received an automatic reply: "Busy now, please check back later."

What is hormonal birth control?

Hormonal contraception refers to birth control methods that contain estrogen and progesterone, or progesterone only, to prevent pregnancy. These methods can block the release of eggs from the ovaries, thin the uteruss lining, or thicken mucus in the cervix to keep sperm from reaching the egg.

Hormonal birth control methods (pill, ring, patch, shot, intrauterine device and implant) are considered more effective  90% to 99%, depending on correct and consistent usage  than almost all nonhormonal methods that prevent pregnancy without affecting a persons natural hormone production or period cycle. Nonhormonal methods include condoms, diaphragms and contraceptive gels.

Hormonal birth control, like many other medicines, has beneficial effects and potential risks that affect people differently. The most common side effects are nausea, headaches, breast tenderness and irregular periods. These usually subside within a few months after hormone levels balance out, doctors say.

What the study and other research say about birth control and depression, suicide risks

The 2017 study referred to by Musk was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry by researchers in Denmark who used a national registry that tracked women ages 15 and older living in the country from 1996 to 2013.

The paper analyzed prescriptions along with deaths and medical records with "suicide attempt" coding. It found that women who had used hormonal contraceptives had up to triple the risk of suicide compared with women who hadn't. In a 2017 Time article to which Musk linked, the researchers noted that the absolute risk of suicide "was still extremely low."

The studys lead author, Charlotte Wessel Skovlund, told PolitiFact that Musk had a short post that summed up her findings in a "very unnuanced matter" but affirmed that her studies found those risks for depression and suicide.

Skovlund said the studies were observational and thus could "only see if there is an association between hormonal contraception and the different depression parameters, not a causal link."

Other researchers and reproductive health experts said the results warrant further study but arent conclusive and dont represent scientific consensus.

"When looking directly at that data, we are talking about an extremely small number of people," said Dr. Michael Belmonte, an OB-GYN and complex family planning subspecialist based in Washington.

The data shows that among the 475,802 women in the sample, there were 6,999 suicide attempts (1.47%) and 71 suicides (0.01%).

"While this study has found an association, it is unable to say that hormonal birth control is the cause," Belmonte said.

The study focused solely on suicide and suicide attempts, not depression or weight gain. A separate study by the same authors found an increased prevalence of depression among hormonal birth control users. Belmonte said other studies that have examined this are mixed, "without consistent evidence of mood effects."

Two contemporaneous reports cited the studys limitations, including a November 2018 paper to which Musk linked. The paper said the analysis lacked information on "risk factors" that might influence the link between contraception and suicidal behavior, such as relationship status, domestic abuse exposure and family history of mental health diagnoses.

In a July 2018 letter, biomedical experts in psychiatry and psychology noted other concerns. The suicide risk seemed to be higher for former hormonal birth control users, compared with recent or current users, they said, suggesting that "factors other than hormonal contraception medications are at work." The study also didn't specify which psychiatric diagnoses were controlled for, including substance use disorders and mood disorders.

The letters authors said the study doesnt allow for attributing an association specifically to hormonal contraception because it didnt compare hormonal birth control users with people who used nonhormonal methods. It cited a 2013 study that found a lower suicide risk among hormonal contraception users than for those using nonhormonal methods or no contraception.Nearly all forms of birth control involving estrogen can increase the risk of serious health problems, but researchers and medical experts say risks are rare. Some research suggests that birth control might increase the risk of some forms of cancer while decreasing the risk of others.

Research shows the pill, patch, ring and IUD are unlikely to cause any weight changes, while the birth control shot and implant might cause some people, but not all, to gain weight.

Dr. Jenni Villavicencio is an OB-GYN and senior director of public affairs at the Society of Family Planning, a nonprofit organization specializing in abortion and contraception science. She said decades of rigorous research show that "any method of birth control is safe for use in individuals with depressive disorder."

"Its advisable for people experiencing mental health or mood challenges to seek care from an expert as well as ongoing monitoring when starting any new medication," Villavicencio said.

Besides preventing pregnancy, hormonal birth control can offer different health benefits, such as lightening periods, easing cramps and treating polycystic ovary syndrome.

Lincoln, the Oregon-based OB-GYN, said the Denmark study didnt address how many birth control users deal with painful and heavy periods, painful sex and other debilitating health issues.

"All things that alone can increase risk for undiagnosed mental health disorders and  you guessed it  suicide risk," she said.

The studys researchers said women should be informed about these "little-recognized potential side effects." Lincoln said doctors routinely do this already and discuss with patients concerns about depression, anxiety or thoughts of self-harm.

PolitiFact's ruling

Musk said there is "clear scientific consensus" that hormonal birth control makes people gain weight, doubles the risk of depression and triples the risk of suicide.

Musk referred to a single 2017 study that experts said is limited and does not prove a causal relationship.

Research shows that most types of hormonal birth control do not affect weight, though some can. Medical experts and contraceptive researchers said there is mixed data on hormonal birth controls side effects, including depression, and that the overall risk of suicide is low.

Musks claim ignores that many women use birth control to treat painful periods and other disorders, as well as the negative mental health outcomes that can arise from unplanned pregnancy.

We rate his claim False.

Our sources

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Musk misses mark on birth control's depression, suicide risks
A 7-year-old Indiana girl who died after being buried alive in the sand on a Florida beach most likely suffocated as the weight of the shifting ground prevented the child from breathing and presumably obstructed her airway, medical experts said.

Sloan Mattingly died Feb. 20 in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea while on vacation with her parents.

She and her 9-year-old brother, Maddox, were playing in a deep hole they had dug on the beach when it collapsed, trapping both children beneath the ground.

A Lauderdale-by-the-Sea police officer drives along an empty beach as the effort to stop the coronavirus pandemic continues on March 20, 2020 in Pompano Beach, Florida. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

No lifeguards were stationed on the beach at the time.

The incident highlighted the danger of digging holes on the beach, which can turn deadly in collapse as the crushing weight of sand pins the arms and prevents a person from moving, making it impossible to dig out, said Dr. James Gill, Chief Medical Examiner of Connecticut.

There are two ways that death can result in this scenario, Gill told Atlanta Black Star. One is asphyxia due to lack of oxygen as there is little air available to breathe, and the sand can block the airway. The other mechanism is compression of the chest. If the sand is heavy enough, the weight can prevent a person from being able to breathe in and out. These types of deaths also can occur at construction sites when digging deep trenches for sewer pipes, for example.

Gill emphasized prevention as the best way to avoid a similar tragedy.

Do not go into these holes, he warned. Similar things can happen with snow avalanches or sand dunes that shift.

Dr. Kofi A. Afrifah, a criminal justice expert at Bowie State University in Maryland, warned parents to keep a close eye on children at the beach as the sand was a hidden danger in whats otherwise a breezy destination for a family getaway.

Children can get trapped in many ways. For example, children like to dig holes or tunnels to create pits in the sand when they are playing, Afrifah explained. The pit created may cave in unexpectedly, trapping them beneath the weight of the sand if the sand is not compacted properly or if the hole is dug too deep. This can lead to fatalities.

He highlighted other dangers, including incoming tidal waves, unstable sandbanks, and children left unattended by adults.

It is therefore imperative for adults to set boundaries for children and closely monitor them when they are playing in the sand and educate them about the potential dangers. Additionally, children should be encouraged to avoid digging pits and tunnels in the beach sand that may be too deep to avoid entrapment, which can lead to panic attacks, trauma, suffocation, and hypothermia.

Afrifah said authorities should install warning signs on beaches to encourage visitors to be cautious in areas prone to sand collapses. They should also have well-defined emergency response protocols in place to respond to incidents of sand entrapment, he said.

Last weeks tragedy in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea was a rare case in which such incidents turn deadly each year in coastal communities across the United States.

This time, fate struck unexpectedly as two kids were playing in the sand near Anglins Fishing Pier on El Mar Drive around 3 p.m. last Tuesday in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.

Pompano Beach Fire Rescue immediately responded to the scene, but it was already too late for one of the children.

The older sibling was buried up to his chest and survived, but when paramedics found Sloan, she was unresponsive and later pronounced dead.

Maddox is in stable condition at Broward Health Medical Center.

The parents have not been identified. The Broward Sheriffs Office is investigating.

The hole the children dug purportedly reached a depth of 5 to 6 feet, while lifeguards in neighboring beach communities are trained to warn beachgoers not to dig sand deeper than 2 feet.

Witnesses filmed video of the harrowing scene as bystanders tried desperately to save the children before first responders arrived.

Rescuers used shovels and supportive boards to prevent the sand from collapsing further as they tried to reach the girl, officials said.

A 911 call released by the Sheriffs Office captured a woman struggling for breath and frantically telling the operator, Theres a little girl buried in the sand.

It was unclear how long the children were submerged, with the girl coming to rest underneath her brother.

Later, a spokesperson for Lauderdale-by-the-Sea said crews filled the hole and leveled off the beach the next day.

Facing prompt scrutiny, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Mayor Chris Vincent said the town commission had been considering the possibility of hiring Pompano Beach EMTs for regular lifeguard services when the tragic incident occurred.

However, he said he didnt want to speculate whether lifeguards would have altered the outcome, though rescue experts suggested that their presence might have prevented the tragedy.

This doesnt happen on guarded beaches, Jim McCrady, a surf rescue chief in Hallandale Beach, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. We do that all day long. We spot hazards, and then we mitigate the dangers involved in those hazards. This is a daily thing that happens on a guarded beach when someone starts to dig a hole. We not only tell the person not to dig a deep hole but to fill it in before they leave.

Tom Gill, vice president of the United States Lifesaving Association, told The New York Times that up to three people in the country are killed each year by collapsing sand at beaches.

Children are almost always the most likely victims.

Gill emphasized the unpredictability of beach sand, saying a safe guideline is to never dig a hole deeper than the knee height of the smallest person who will enter it.

Girl Buried Alive In Florida Likely Got Trapped and Suffocated in Sand, Experts Say  Vital Tips to Survive If It Happens to Your Family
MINNEAPOLIS  One of the guns used by Shannon Gooden in a deadly Burnsville standoff earlier this month was a straw purchase made through a local firearms shop and range in January.

WCCO Senior Investigative Reporter Jennifer Mayerle has confirmed that the firearm, an AR-15 lower receiver, was a transfer purchase from The Modern Sportsman in Burnsville.

A straw purchase is when somebody legally buys a gun for someone else who is prohibited from owning one, such as a person convicted of a felony that's a violent crime. It is a crime to commit a straw purchase, according to Minnesota law; it's considered a gross misdemeanor.

Gooden fatally shot police officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand and firefighter and paramedic Adam Finseth during a standoff early Sunday, Feb. 18, authorities say.

The owner of The Modern Sportsman, John McConkey, told Mayerle it came in as an online order from out of state. The buyer had to pick up the gun at a dealer to do the paperwork. The Modern Sportsman transferred the firearm to the individual who was not Gooden. McConkey told Mayerle the straw purchaser picked up the gun by themselves and said the clerk did their due diligence asking questions to make sure the gun was for the buyer. He said the person was knowledgeable and answered the questions asked. The AR-15 lower receiver was picked up on Jan. 5, 2024.

Gooden was barred from owning firearms or ammunition. He petitioned the courts to restore his gun rights back in 2020. The judge denied the petition in October of 2020. The county attorney opposed the petition saying the "Petitioner's history of disobeying the law and posing a threat to public safety coupled with an insignificant passage of time demonstrates that, at this time, Petitioner has not demonstrated he can safely possess firearms. Petitioner's inability to possess firearms for life is a consequence of committing a crime of violence, which Petitioner should have considered when he committed the crime."

Burnsville police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, and paramedic Adam Finseth. (left to right) / Credit: City of Burnsville

A search warrant shows that Gooden shot at officers with "what is believed to be multiple different weapons." The BCA reports Gooden fired more than 100 rifle rounds during the incident. Investigators recovered several firearms and a large amount of ammunition at the scene.

Elmstrand, 27, had been with the Burnsville Police Department since 2017 and was promoted in 2019. He was also a part-time officer with the University of Minnesota Police Department. Ruge, also 27, joined the Burnsville Police Department in 2020. Finseth, 40, had been a firefighter and SWAT paramedic in the city since 2019. He previously worked with the fire departments in Savage and Hastings, and was also an Army veteran. Sgt. Adam Medlicott was also injured and has since been released from the hospital.

The three first responders killed will be memorialized with a public funeral Wednesday morning. The joint funeral will take place at Grace Church in Eden Prairie at 11 a.m. The families have also planned private funerals for each victim.

Gooden died by suicide, according to the medical examiner's report.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the confrontation.

The killings now have some lawmakers revisiting gun control measures at the Capitol. Last legislative session, DFL representatives in the House and Senate passed both a red flag law and an additional background checks law. Both were strongly opposed by gun rights advocates. Left over from last year are two measures that were never voted on. Those include tougher gun storage laws and penalties, as well as a bill requiring immediate reporting of all lost and stolen guns.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.6 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.

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A leading figure in the U.K. Conservative Party has been suspended for Islamophobia and racism, after claiming that London Mayor Sadiq Khan is under the control of Islamists.

The Conservative Partys former deputy chairman Lee Anderson made the comments during a news segment Friday night, when he accused Khan, Londons first Muslim mayor, of prioritizing Islamic concerns.

I dont actually believe that these Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is they've got control of Khan and theyve got control of London, Anderson said, according to the Daily Mail. This stems with Khan; hes actually given our capital city away to his mates.

Beware, because if you let Labour in through the back door, expect more of this and expect our cities to be taken over by these lunatics, Anderson said of Khans left-leaning political party.

On Saturday, Khan strongly denounced Andersons comments, saying they pour fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred, according to Sky News.

Then, Khan questioned U.K. Prime Minister Rushi Sunaks silence on the matter, as well as other members of the conservative party.

The message it sends is Muslims are fair game when it comes to racism and anti-Muslim hatred, Khan told Sky News. Its not good enough in 2024 in the United Kingdom.

After Anderson refused to apologize for the discriminatory remarks, Chief Whip Simon Hart suspended the party whip from Anderson, who will now have to serve as an independent, according to The Guardian.

The Muslim Council of Britain said Andersons comments come after an increase in Islamophobic hate crimes during the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza and influential [Members of Parliament] and a donor to the Conservative party are endorsing common talking points that peddle conspiracy theories and Islamophobic tropes of alleged Muslim takeovers of our country.

While we welcome Mr. Andersons suspension, his comments did not occur in a vacuum and is only the tip of an iceberg, the organization said, according to the Daily Mail. Conservative politicians have brazenly leaned into the Muslims are taking over trope. The Conservative Party has an Islamophobia problem. They need to own up to it.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson and Hungarian PM Viktor Orban met in Budapest on Friday

Sweden has cleared its final obstacle to joining Nato after Hungary's parliament voted to ratify the bid.

The Nordic nation applied to join the defence alliance after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Every member must approve a new joiner, and Hungary had delayed, accusing Sweden of being hostile to it.

But last week Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the two countries were now "prepared to die for each other".

All Nato members are expected to help an ally which comes under attack.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said it was a "historic day" and a "big step" for Sweden to abandon 200 years of neutrality.

"Sweden is an outstanding country, but we are joining Nato to even better defend everything we are and everything we believe in," he said.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the Hungarian decision made the alliance "stronger and safer".

The parliament's approval must now be signed by the president - after which a formal invitation is sent to Sweden to join the 31-member group.

The process usually lasts a few days.

Mr Orban is a nationalist politician with close ties to Russia's President Vladimir Putin. He has often blocked EU efforts to send military aid to Ukraine.

Sweden is one of the EU countries which have accused Hungary of backsliding on the EU's democratic principles.

In turn, Mr Orban's spokesman Zoltan Kovacs accused officials in Sweden of sitting on a "crumbling throne of moral superiority".

Last week, however, Mr Orban hosted his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson and announced his support for Sweden's membership.

Monday's vote of Hungarian MPs was almost unanimous - 188 to 6.

In his speech, Mr Orban sharply criticised unnamed Nato allies for exerting pressure on his government to end the 21-month delay.

"Hungary is a sovereign country and does not tolerate being dictated to by others, on the content or timing of decisions," he said.

Map showing Nato member states, including those which have joined since 1997 (Albania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) and those applying to join now (Sweden, Ukraine, Georgia, Bosnia & Herzegovina) (map used from July 2022)

Turkey had been the other Nato country to withhold approval of Sweden's application in a row over what it called Sweden's support to Kurdish separatists. It eventually lifted its veto in January.

Sweden and its eastern neighbour Finland, both long considered militarily neutral, announced their intention to join Nato in May 2022.

Finland formally joined in April last year, doubling the length of the alliance's border with Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his army into Ukraine in 2022 in the expectation it would check Nato's expansion and weaken Western collectivism.

In fact, with the addition of Sweden and Finland, the opposite has happened.
As a light-skinned African American woman, Candice Hammons was always curious about her roots. She also knew little about her mother's side of the family.

So, in 2018, Hammons paid $99 for a DNA test through the genealogy website Ancestry. The results arrived six weeks later, revealing a personal history that Hammons shares with many descendants of people brought to the U.S. in bondage from Africa and sold into slavery.

The DNA results also led to the revelation of a cruel injustice that Hammons is determined to undo.

The analysis of her DNA showed that Hammons is a nearly equal mixture of African and European ethnicity. About half of her genes can be traced to Cameroon, Congo, Nigeria, Senegal, the Ivory Coast, and other countries in Africa, while the other half can be traced to many regions of Europe, among them England, northwest Europe, Eastern Europe, Ireland, France and Spain. Some of her ancestors also came from Cyprus in the Mediterranean.

By continuing to probe into her background, Hammons discovered many living relatives she did not previously know, including many white relatives. Some have ignored Hammons' attempts to reach out. Others have now become allies in her quest for justice.

That quest for justice is rooted in her genealogical journey's most surprising discovery.

On her mother's side, Hammons learned that her third great-grandfather, Albartis Arnwine, was a white enslaver who, in the mid-1800s, owned several enslaved Black women, including one named Gracie Arnwine, who is Hammons' third great-grandmother. Albartis Arnwine and Gracie Arnwine produced six children.

Before he died, Albartis Arnwine wrote a will granting freedom to Gracie Arnwine, her children and all the enslaved people he owned  nearly two dozen people. In the will, Albartis Arnwine also said he wanted the proceeds from the sale of his property, which included 900 acres in Texas, to be left to them.

Hammons believes the will is a testament to the genuine affection, if not love, that Albartis Arnwine had for Gracie and their children.

Rather than contempt for her third great-grandfather, Hammons holds him in high regard because of the will he wrote.

Candice Hammons poses for a portrait outside her home in Peoria on Feb. 14, 2024.

"It made me have love for him," said Hammons, 51, a Peoria resident. "We really feel like he is our hero."

But the wishes Albartis Arnwine wrote in his will were never carried out.

After he died in 1855, Arnwine's white relatives contested the will. Gracie Arnwine and all of the enslaved people Albartis Arnwine had owed were divided and sold or became the property of other enslavers, according to family history Hammons and other members of the Arnwine family have pieced together from historical records.

One of those records is an account given by Sterlin Arnwine. When he was 94, he took part in the federal Slave Narrative Project, a series of 2,300 interviews of former enslaved people conducted in the 1930s. Sterlin Arnwine was the son of Minne Arnwine, one of four enslaved women Albartis Arnwine owned.

"When Mr. Arnwine died, before the (Civil) War, he made a will in which he gave his property to his slaves, the Negro women," according to Sterlin Arnwine's account complied in the book, "The American Slave: A Composite Autobiography."

But court records Hammons and other Arnwine family members have compiled show the Arnwine children may have remained enslaved until 1859, when a judge may have granted them their freedom, or they may not have been freed until after the Civil War ended in 1865.

It is known that none of the enslaved Arnwines ever received any share of the property left to them by Albartis Arnwine in his will.

"The Negro women never did get the 900 acres that Mr. Arnwine gave them," said Sterlin Arnwine. "I knows that I still have a share in that land, but (it) takes money nowadays in case in court."

And that is the injustice that Hammons is trying to undo, all as a result of that DNA test in 2018.

After connecting with other members of the Arnwine family through Ancestry, Hammons and several of her newly found relatives have banded together in the hope of taking legal action to reclaim the land or receive compensation. They have shared their story on Change.org and created a GoFundMe account to raise $20,000 to hire a lawyer willing to pursue a land claim.

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Professor: People who could not gain freedom unable to inherit property

It's not unusual for African Americans who are the descendants of enslaved people to learn they have both African and European ancestry through DNA tests, said Calvin Schermerhorn, an Arizona State University history professor and author of "Unrequited Toil: A History of United States Slavery."

The DNA tests often only confirm what they already suspected, Schermerhorn said.

It was not unusual during slavery for white enslavers to have children with enslaved Black women, often through force or in secret, Schermerhorn said.

Because of the imbalance of power between white enslavers and enslaved Black women, it's difficult, however, to know whether sexual relations between the two were the result of genuine affection, he said.

"The power asymmetry is so great that what counts as affection, right? Where does affection stop and rape start? That's the problem," Schermerhorn said. "There are many more cases of sexual assault and rape than there are of genuine affection."

But there can be found in the historical record many examples of the children of enslaved people being told they were inheriting property, which could be evidence that their enslavers truly cared for them, Schermerhorn said.

"This happened often enough for records to be there. There are parallel stories" to that of the Arnwines, Schermerhorn said.

It's not surprising that the Arnwines never inherited any of the property Albartis Arnwine bequeathed to them in his will. Rarely did that happen, Schermerhorn said.

Manumission laws, the act of freeing enslaved people from their enslavers, varied from state to state. Many states had strict manumission laws, which made it difficult for enslavers to grant freedom to enslaved people they owned, Schermerhorn said. And without freedom, enslaved people could not inherit property, he said.

Candice Hammons shows her Ancestry family tree during an interview inside her home in Peoria on Feb. 14, 2024.

Some states required enslaved people who gained their freedom through manumission to leave the state. That also made it virtually impossible for them to claim any property through inheritance, he said.

What's more, enslaved people who tried to fight for inheritances in court were unlikely to win since judges would have almost certainly sided with white relatives, Schermerhorn said.

"Even in cases where the law would clearly be on the side of African American plaintiffs, courts routinely ignored their pleas or just made some summary judgment or refused to hear a case that would benefit them," Schermerhorn said.

A reporter with Houston television station KHOU 11 covered Hammons' story and traveled to Jacksonville in Cherokee County, Texas. Using old maps, the reporter discovered that much of the land Albartis Arnwine willed to the Arnwines may now sit under a human-made lake.

Candice Hammons shows a photo of Sterling Arnwine, inside her home in Peoria on Feb. 14, 2024.

Schermerhorn believes it will be difficult for Hammons and other Arnwine ancestors to reclaim the land they were denied in Texas. They will need a legal expert who can sort through decades of laws and legal cases going back to before the Civil War in Texas.

"It's very difficult to reverse property transfers and ownership down across generations," Schermerhorn said.

Hammons' story is representative of growing numbers of African Americans discovering their ties to white slaveholders through DNA tests and making claims to be included in their families. Until the 1990s, the established family of Thomas Jefferson, one of the Founding Fathers and the third U.S. president, denied he had children with Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman, until DNA evidence proved the link in 1998.

"After the revelations came out  the DNA test that linked Jefferson to Sally Hemings and her offspring  the descendants of Jefferson through Hemings made a claim to be a part of the Thomas Jefferson Descendants Association," Schermerhorn said.

The revelation that Hammons' ancestors appear to have been denied land willed to them by a wealthy slaveholder also adds to a growing push for reparations to help make up for the wealth Black descendants of enslaved people lost, Schermerhorn said.

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Will direct sale of land first, with proceeds to relocate enslaved people

The Arnwines are now scattered around the country.

Janice Arnwine Bryant, 66, of Fayetteville, Georgia, is a descendent of Winnie Arnwine, one of the women Albartis Arnwine owned. She is a retired high school teacher and amateur genealogist who has been researching Arnwine family history since she was 19.

Albartis Arnwine was born in 1776 in Tennessee, Bryant said. He fled to Texas after neighbors in Tennessee shot at his house over his favorable treatment of enslaved people, Bryant said. Albartis Arnwine may even have killed one of the neighbors in defense, Bryant said.

Albartis Arnwine settled in Jacksonville, Texas, which is about 115 miles southeast of Dallas. There, he owned property and several enslaved women he brought from Tennessee. Bryant has a copy of the will he signed on June 15, 1855, before he died.

In the will, Albartis Arnwine lists the names of 22 enslaved people he owned.

"All of the above negroes I do will to be free manumitted and discharged from all manner of servitude .... forever," the will states.

The will goes on to state that all of his property and chattel should be sold and that the money should be used to relocate and settle the people he enslaved and then "equally divided amongst" them.

The way Albartis Arnwine wrote the will, instructing executors to sell the land first, suggests he genuinely wanted the enslaved people he owned to benefit from the property, said Schermerhorn, the ASU professor. Albartis Arnwine most likely would have known that just willing the land to them would not be successful, he said.

Hammons and the other relatives said they don't want to get rich. If they succeed in their land claim, they may want to use the land or compensation to build a community center or create an endowment for educational scholarships or house down payments.

"I just want to honor my great-grandmother," said Mary Tucker, 45, a nursing administrator who lives in Los Angeles and is a descendant of Albartis Arnwine and Gracie Arnwine. She discovered she is related to Hammons and other Arnwine descendants through Ancestry.

Extended family members connect via Facebook, Ancestry

Terrie Arnwine Breedlove, 56, a former hospital administrator, lives in Bellevue, Illinois. She is from the white side of the Arnwine family.

In the mid-1990s, she helped care for her aging grandfather, Joe Hoyt Arnwine, who was living in an assisted living facility in Mt. Pleasant, Texas, at the time.

Before he died, her grandfather shared a family secret the Arnwine family didn't like to discuss.

"He had a sit down with me and told me he wanted to tell me the 'whole story,' and I didn't know what he meant by the 'whole story,'" Breedlove said.

Breedlove discovered she had Black relatives who were the descendants of Albartis Arnwine.

Breedlove said she was "unfazed" by the revelation that she had Black relatives and began trying to connect with as many of them as possible through Facebook.

"I literally search every day," Breedlove said. "I grew up with one aunt and three cousins, and we didn't spend a lot of time together ever. And being someone who is very sociable, and my sister and my brother ... we craved finding more people from our family. We don't care what they look like."

Then, a few years ago, she heard from Hammons through Ancestry and discovered Hammons is one of her extended cousins.

Breedlove is now involved in the Arnwine family effort to seek justice for the Black side of the Arnwine family.

"I feel like it's an insult for them to have not received" the property left to them, Breedlove said.

The descendants of Albartis and Gracie Arnwine are planning a reunion in June in Los Angeles. They plan to wear T-shirts that say "Justice for the Arnwines."

It won't be a typical family reunion. But it will be no less special.

"We are so excited to get to finally meet each other in person instead of on the phone or on the internet," Hammons said.

Reach the reporter at daniel.gonzalez@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Candice Hammons' story: undoing an injustice found in family roots
An Israeli assault on Rafah would be the nail in the coffin of aid deliveries into the besieged territory, the UN has warned.

The secretary-general of the UN, Antonio Guterres, said that a long-threatened, all-out offensive in Gazas southernmost city  where up to 1.5 million of the enclaves 2.3 million residents are currently sheltering  would not only be terrifying for those inside the city but it would put the final nail in the coffin of our aid programmes.

Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Mr Guterres said that Rafah was at the core of humanitarian aid operation for Palestinians inside Gaza, with residents having faced aerial bombardment, ground operations and a blockade that has left supplies of water, power, food and medicine running extremely low.

Israels war inside Gaza began in the wake of a bloody attack by Hamas on southern Israel during which around 1,200 people were killed and another 250 taken hostage. Health officials in Hamas-run Gaza have said almost 30,000 people have been killed by the Israeli response.

The Israeli army has presented to Israels war cabinet its dual invasion and evacuation plan for Rafah, according to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus office on Monday.

The presentation of the plan, which has not been made public, signalled Israels intent to push ahead with operations in the southern city, despite protests from its closest ally the US and the wider international community.

Conditions in Rafah are severe, with many living in schools, mosques, hospitals or densely packed makeshift encampments, where disease, lack of food and dehydration is rife. Rafah is normally home to around 280,000, but now houses up to 1.5 million people.

Aid is air-dropped in to Rafah (Reuters)

The amount of aid reaching Gaza fell 50 per cent in February compared to the previous month, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said in a statement on Twitter/X. Aid was supposed to increase not decrease to address the huge needs of 2 million Palestinians in desperate living conditions, he said.

Israels Rafah preparations continued as it was accused of ignoring an order by the United Nations top court to provide urgent aid to the people of Gaza, one month on from the landmark ruling ordering Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in Gaza. The ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) came in a preliminary response to a South African petition accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. Israel vehemently denies all such accusations.

Human Rights Watch said that Israel had violated the UNs court order, and was blocking lifesaving aid and starving Palestinians. Israel denies it is restricting the entry of aid and has instead blamed humanitarian organisations operating inside Gaza, saying hundreds of trucks filled with aid sit idle on the Palestinian side of the main crossing. The UN says it cant always reach the trucks at the crossing because it is at times too dangerous.

Meanwhile, the Israeli air force carried out a series of strikes deep inside Lebanon on reported Hezbollah targets. Explosions were reportedly heard by residents near the city of Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley, a Hezbollah stronghold. At least two people were killed in the strikes, according to a Hezbollah official. In the afternoon, Hezbollah said it retaliated for the airstrikes near Baalbek by firing 60 Katyusha rockets toward an Israeli army division command in Syria's Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The Israeli military confirmed that dozens of rockets were launched from Lebanon towards Israel on Monday afternoon.

The airstrikes near Baalbek occurred less than two hours after Hezbollah said its fighters on Monday shot down an Israeli Elbit Hermes 450 drone over its stronghold in a province in southern Lebanon. Another missile fired by Hezbollah toward the drone was intercepted by Israel, and landed near a synagogue in a town close to Nazareth in northern Israel. There were no injuries or damage.

To date, the majority of Israeli strikes on Lebanon have been focused on the two countries' shared border area. Hezbollah, which is an ally of Hamas, has said it will halt its near-daily attacks on Israel if a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

The strikes came following comments on Sunday by Israels defence minister Yoav Gallant during a visit to the Northern Command, in which he said operations against Hezbollah would ramp up even if a ceasefire is reached with Hamas in Gaza.

In a significant development in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said he was submitting his governments resignation, saying new political measures were needed as a result of the deteriorating situation in Gaza.

The resignation comes as the international community mulls over future plans for when Israels war on Hamas ends. The United States, most notably, has called for a reformed version of the Palestinian Authority that would govern both Gaza and the West Bank after the war ends.

I submit the governments resignation to Mr President [Mahmoud Abbas], Mr Shtayyeh said, continuing that it comes as a result of developments related to the aggression against the Gaza Strip and the escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

The next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political measures that take into account the new reality in the Gaza Strip, he said.

President Abbas  who is still required to accept the resignation  has been heavily criticised by many Palestinians for a perceived lack of effective action or rhetoric against Israels operations since the war began. Though Mr Abbas has spoken out on multiple occasions, many view his interventions as hollow or ineffective.
Semafor Signals

Insights from Maariv, Al Jazeera, and Le Monde

The News

Israeli air strikes killed the head of Hezbollahs eastern command, Hassan Hossein Salami, in southern Lebanon, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said Monday. The Lebanese news outlet Al-Akhbar reported that Hezbollah had confirmed Salamis death. The IDF said that Salami had ordered several attacks on northern Israel on both civilian and military targets.

The killing of Salami came the same day as Israels air force struck targets linked to the militant group Hezbollah deeper inside Lebanon than any Israeli attacks in recent years.

At least two people were killed on Monday in three Israeli air strikes close to a Hezbollah stronghold in eastern Lebanon, Reuters reported. The Israeli army confirmed the attacks, saying that they came in response to the launch of a surface-to-air missile that struck an Israeli drone earlier on Monday in southern Lebanon.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Sunday that Israel was planning to increase the firepower against Hezbollah, vowing to continue hitting Hezbollah even if a temporary truce was implemented in Gaza. Israeli and Hezbollah troops have been exchanging fire regularly across the border between the two countries since Hamas Oct. 7 attack, leaving more than 200 people dead, largely Hezbollah fighters but also civilians on both sides.

According to U.S. officials, Israel, the U.S. and several Middle Eastern countries have come to an understanding on the terms of a Gaza ceasefire, but it remains unclear if Hamas will agree to its conditions. The terms of the framework are reported to include requirements for Hamas to release Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for a truce lasting several weeks as well as the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

Israeli public strongly supports military action against Hezbollah

Sources: Le Monde, Maariv

Despite near daily attacks by both Hezbollah and Israel, many experts believe that neither side wants the conflict to escalate into a full-scale war. Even so, the Israeli government is under pressure from the 80,000 residents of northern Israel who have been evacuated from their homes following Hezbollahs strikes, many of whom will not return unless Hezbollah forces are pushed further from the border. Recent polling showed that 71% of Israelis support taking large-scale military action to drive Hezbollah back from the border, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported.

Pushing Hezbollah back from the border is no easy task

Sources: The Atlantic Council, Al Jazeera

A military operation in southern Lebanon would not be easy due to Hezbollahs decades of preparation for an Israeli attack and its ability to temporarily retreat north until Israeli forces pull back, the Beirut-based security expert Nicholas Blanford wrote for the Atlantic Council. Hezbollah has a larger fighting force than Hamas and a stockpile of approximately 150,000 missiles, which means it has the capacity to inflict a terrible cost on Israel, Randa Slim of the Middle East Institute told Al Jazeera. As the back-and-forth strikes continue, the pressure on the Israeli government to launch some form of offensive into south Lebanon is going to be hard to resist, Blanford wrote.
BEIRUT, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has committed to investing 2.2 billion U.S. dollars in Lebanon's energy and water sectors over the next three years, said Lebanese Energy and Water Minister Walid Fayad on Monday.

"The World Bank will intervene in the water and energy sectors in Lebanon to ensure the delivery of improved services at a lower cost," Fayad said during his meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, according to a statement released by the Lebanese Council of Ministers.

Fayad said the World Bank will improve the efficiency of Lebanon's state power utility, Electricite Du Liban (EDL), by reducing waste and installing smart meters.

The minister noted that the World Bank will provide technical support to EDL, including digital transformation and restructuring.

He added that the World Bank will invest in three or four renewable energy stations, each with a capacity of 40 megawatts (MW), that can be increased to about 100 megawatts through investment from the private sector.

"This enables us to obtain about four hundred additional megawatts of renewable energy," he said.

The lack of electricity in Lebanon has been a chronic problem that has cost the treasury over 40 percent of its sovereign debt.

Lebanon's electricity crisis has been exacerbated in the past five years by the country's shortage of U.S. dollars, which limits its capacity to import fuel for the operation of existing power stations.

The country's electricity crisis prompted the Lebanese to expand their use of solar energy to 1000 MW in 2023. 
On Jan. 25, Sommervilles City Council overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution calling on President Joe Biden to work toward an immediate cease-fire in Gaza by the Israeli government. Sommerville was the first city in Massachusetts to pass the cease-fire resolution, with Cambridge and Medford following suit.

More than 70 U.S. cities have voted in favor of a cease-fire, including Chicago and Seattle. Most of the cities are Democratic, but what has been missing from the polling on who supports a cease-fire are the viewpoints of religious groups.

The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) recently released a poll that examined how religious groups view a cease-fire. This poll differs from prior ones because it focused on religious groups rather than solely political affiliation.

For example, polling from Data for Progress showed that the majority of U.S. likely voters want the United States to push for a cease-fire in Gaza and support more humanitarian aid. Republicans were the least likely to strongly support a cease-fire, while Democrats were more likely to want it followed by independent/third-party voters. All parties overwhelmingly feel the United States should send humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

Broken down by religious groups in the United States, ISPU data highlights that the majority of Muslims (75%), not surprisingly, want a cease-fire. What was interesting is that half of Jews also support this cease-fire. When broken down by political party and religion, the number increases for both Jewish Democrats (57%) and Muslim Democrats (78%).

The fact that Jewish and Muslim Americans share similar views on this issue might seem shocking, given how the news media has portrayed them as in opposition to each other. The constant pitting of Jewish and Muslim interests, particularly in this moment, ignores a strengthening interfaith relationship.

Demonstrators rally Feb. 11, 2024, in Braintree, Mass., calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.

Muslim and Jewish Americans share experiences with discrimination

Favorable Jewish and Muslim opinions of one another have been increasing over time, according to the 2019 American Muslim Poll by ISPU, which oversampled Jewish and Muslim respondents.

Additionally, Jewish respondents scored the lowest on the Islamophobia Index in 2022, which measures how much someone adheres to five prevalent stereotypes of Muslims.

The relationship between Muslim and Jewish Americans can be tied to their shared experiences with discrimination. After the 2016 presidential election, Muslim (38%) and Jewish (27%) Americans experienced the highest level of fear of violence from white supremacist groups.

Nazis marched in Nashville. Blame a growing collective ignorance that we must reverse.

Thus, both groups fear threats from similar groups, not each other.

In fact, in 2017, when a mosque was set on fire in Victoria, Texas, it was the Jewish community that offered the synagogue for Muslims to use for worship.

Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store.

White evangelicals also favor a cease-fire

But what's perhaps more surprising in the latest poll is that 58% of white evangelicals also favor a cease-fire. In the same 2019 ISPU poll that showed favorable Jewish attitudes toward Muslims, white evangelicals had the least favorable views of Muslims and held the highest score on the 2022 Islamophobia Index.

Immediately after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 against Israel, 90 evangelical leaders signed a letter to the White House condemning the violence, stating that Israel had the right to defend itself. According to a Pew Research Center poll in 2022, 68% of white evangelicals viewed Israel's government favorably compared with 14% who viewed the Palestinian government favorably.

Yet the data from ISPU reveals a divide in evangelical support for Israel's military attacks in Gaza. With Bethlehem being a religious site for Christians as well as Muslims, there has been an uptick in Christian groups demanding a cease-fire that include some evangelical groups.

Gaza faces mass starvation: Only an immediate cease-fire will save Palestinians

As the presidential election nears, the news media has narrowed in on the fact that Muslim Americans are pulling support from Biden. It is true that in places like Michigan, Biden may very well lose the Muslim vote. In a state like Georgia, where Biden won by fewer than 12,000 votes, more than 61,000 Muslim voters turned out in 2020. This might not be the case come November.

Even so, though the Muslim vote does matter, so do the evangelical and Jewish votes.

Saher Selod is the director of research for the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding.

Some of the cities that have passed the cease-fire resolutions boast a large Jewish population, including Chicago and the greater Boston area. The activism by groups like Jewish Voice for Peace in these cities may be reflected in these city council votes.

At this moment, policymakers and the news media need to pay attention to how religious groups view a cease-fire.

Saher Selod is the director of research for the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding and an associate professor of sociology at Simmons University. She is the author of "Forever Suspect: Racialized Surveillance of Muslim Americans in the War on Terror" and a co-author of "A Global Racial Enemy: Muslims and 21st-Century Racism."

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: American Jews, evangelicals want Gaza ceasefire. Will Biden listen?
McDonalds franchise owners are not happy about recent California laws creating a fast food council to improve working conditions and setting a $20-per-hour minimum wage.

Now, they are taking out their frustrations on state lawmakers who supported the bills and are running in primaries for local offices, even though they would have little influence over labor policy in their new positions.

The California Alliance of Family Owned Businesses PAC had spent more than half a million dollars on ad campaigns opposing at least two Democratic Assembly members in their city- and county-level elections as of Friday, according to campaign finance filings from Los Angeles County and Sacramento.

The group had spent more than $297,000 on negative mailers targeting the author of the bills, Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena, who is running for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. It had also paid more than $300,000 for a campaign against Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, who is running for mayor and voted in favor of the measures.

The California Alliances major funder is the California Operators Political Action Committee, which is backed by McDonalds franchise owners, according to state campaign finance filings. Most contributors are California owners, although a handful are from other states.

The California Alliance of Family Owned Restaurants PAC sent a negative mailer about Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, whos running for mayor of Sacramento.

Franchise owners feel the need to become more engaged in politics to protect their business model, said Kerri Harper-Howie, a Los Angeles McDonalds owner operator and California Alliance board member.

Politicians should know that if they agree to carry water for those who threaten our businesses, they will be opposed, Harper-Howie said in a statement. We are proud to be good employers and provide services to every community in California. We will protect our right and ability to do so.

Although franchise owners are funding the ads, Service Employees International Union  which fought for the fast food bills  called them shameful corporate attacks.

Corporate attacks on pro-worker champions will actually help the candidates who are attacked, said Arnulfo De La Cruz, president of SEIU Local 2015. Voters are ready to stand against multi-billion dollar corporations that are gouging our pocketbooks and paychecks.

Franchise owner frustrations

Franchise owners are going after lawmakers following two years of legislation seeking to increase pay for fast food workers and empower them to fight alleged workplace abuse, including wage theft, harassment and other mistreatment.

Holdens 2022 effort, Assembly Bill 257, created a fast food council made up of employees, employers and government officials to create regulations around workplace conditions. In response, companies organized a ballot measure to get rid of the council for voters to consider in 2024.

The assemblyman in 2023 authored Assembly Bill 1228, which would have held fast food companies and franchisees jointly liable for workplace abuses. Companies spent millions lobbying against the bill, and they later negotiated a deal with Holden and labor leaders that took joint liability off the table.

In exchange, the companies agreed to drop the ballot measure, allowed the council to move forward and agreed to a $20-per-hour minimum wage.

A mailer from the California Alliance of Family Owned Businesses, funded by McDonalds franchise owners, attacks Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena, who is running for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Holden authored bills to improve fast food working conditions and raise employee wages.

But franchise owners were dissatisfied with the compromise, leading the National Owners Association to create the California Alliance, Restaurant Business reported in September.

McCarty was a co-author on AB 257 and voted in favor of AB 1228. But the Sacramento mayoral primary is a good contest for the California Alliance to jump into because its competitive, with multiple candidates and is likely to have lower turnout, said Kelly Calkin, a political consultant for I Street Public Affairs. That means the group could potentially affect the outcome of the race, he said, something they likely determined through polling and data collection.

The reason you come in from a political consultant standpoint is that someones vulnerable, Calkin said.

And if the ads are about getting lawmakers attention  rather than opposing a candidate based on their actual potential to enact policy  the state capital is a good setting for that.

It clearly has the benefit of showing legislators in Sacramento, Calkin said. Sending a clear message.

The mailers the California Alliance has funded say nothing about the fast food bills. They paint McCarty and Holden as politicians who have accepted money and trips from special interest groups.

The mailers say Kevin McCarty is the wrong choice for mayor and Holden is Too beholden to special interests.

Big business groups who are attacking Kevin McCarty for standing up for minimum wage for fast food workers is what this is all about, said Andrew Acosta, McCartys campaign consultant.

Holden said the the independent expenditure campaigns are out of my control, and he believed all the parties involved in the fast food bills reached a compromise they could live with.

All I can do in the Legislature is to advocate for the things I believe in, Holden said when asked whether the ads would have a chilling effect on future legislation. And Ive advocated for things I believe in. And I didnt always get what I needed out of the body or the governors signature. Thats just the way it cuts. It cuts both ways.
The Norwegian Dawn docked in Mauritius, a small island off the coast of Africa, after an illness isolation order was lifted on Monday. File Photo by Ingo Wagner/EPA-EFE

Feb. 26 (UPI) -- A Norwegian Cruise Line ship has docked in Mauritius, a small island off the coast of Africa, after an illness isolation order was lifted Monday.

More than a dozen passengers reported falling ill on the Norwegian Dawn, and authorities feared it was cholera.

Mauritian authorities had initially blocked the ship "to avoid any health risks."

The director of Mauritius Ministry of Health, Dr. Bhooshun Ori told the BBC the passengers affected had gastroenteritis, not cholera, and have now "fully recovered."

"The health and safety of passengers as well as that of the country as a whole are of the utmost importance to the authorities," the Mauritius Ports Authority said.

The voyage, which included 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew, included 12-day itinerary from Cape Town, South Africa, to Port Louis that started Feb. 13.

The ship arrived in Mauritius on Saturday evening, a day early, because it skipped a planned stop at Reunion Island.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  For nearly 50 years, Idahos prison staffers have been serving Thomas Eugene Creech three meals a day, checking on him during rounds and taking him to medical appointments.

This Wednesday, some of Idahos prison staffers will be asked to kill him. Barring any last-minute stay, the 73-year-old, one of the nations longest-serving death row inmates, will be executed by lethal injection for killing a fellow prisoner with a battery-filled sock in 1981.

Governor again reschedules executions as lawmakers propose new method

Creechs killing of David Jensen, a young, disabled man who was serving time for car theft, was his last in a broad path of destruction that saw Creech convicted of five murders in three states. He is also suspected of at least a half-dozen others.

But now, decades later, Creech is mostly known inside the walls of the Idaho Maximum Security Institution as just Tom, a generally well-behaved old-timer with a penchant for poetry. His unsuccessful bid for clemency even found support from a former warden at the penitentiary, prison staffers who recounted how he wrote them poems of support or condolence and the judge who sentenced Creech to death.

Some of our correctional officers have grown up with Tom Creech, Idaho Department of Correction Director Josh Tewalt said Friday. Our warden has a long-standing relationship with him.  Theres a familiarity and a rapport that has been built over time.

Creechs attorneys have filed a flurry of last-minute appeals in four different courts in recent months trying to halt the execution, which would be Idahos first in 12 years. They have argued Idahos refusal to say where its execution drug was obtained violates his rights and that he received ineffective assistance of counsel.

High court affirms death sentence of Ohio man

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday rejected an argument that Creech should not be executed because he was sentenced by a judge rather than a jury.

Its not clear how many people Creech, an Ohio native, killed before he was imprisoned in Idaho in 1974. At one point he claimed to have killed as many as 50 people, but many of the confessions were made under the influence of now discredited truth serum drugs and filled with outlandish tales of occult-driven human sacrifice and contract killings for a powerful motorcycle gang.

Official estimates vary, but authorities tend to focus on 11 deaths. Creechs attorneys did not immediately return phone calls from The Associated Press.

In 1973, Creech was tried for the murder of 70-year-old Paul Schrader, a retiree who was stabbed to death in the Tucson, Arizona, motel where Creech was living. Creech used Schraders credit cards and vehicle to leave Tucson for Portland, Oregon. A jury acquitted him, but authorities say they have no doubt he was responsible.

The next year, Creech was committed to Oregon State Hospital for a few months. He earned a weekend pass and traveled to Sacramento, California, where he killed Vivian Grant Robinson at her home. Creech then used Robinsons phone to let the hospital know he would return a day late. That crime went unsolved until Creech later confessed while in custody in Idaho; he wasnt convicted until 1980.

After he was released from the Oregon State Hospital, Creech got a job at a church in Portland doing maintenance work. He had living quarters at the church, and it was there he shot and killed 22-year-old William Joseph Dean in 1974. Authorities believe he then fatally shot Sandra Jane Ramsamooj at the Salem grocery store where she worked.

Creech was finally arrested in November 1974. He and a girlfriend were hitchhiking in Idaho when they were picked up by two painters, Thomas Arnold and John Bradford. Creech shot both men to death and the girlfriend cooperated with authorities.

While in custody, Creech confessed to a number of other killings. Some appeared to be fabricated, but he provided information that led police to the bodies of Gordon Lee Stanton and Charles Thomas Miller near Las Vegas, and of Rick Stewart McKenzie, 22, near Baggs, Wyoming.

Creech initially was sentenced to death for killing the painters. But after the U.S. Supreme Court barred automatic death sentences in 1976, his sentence was converted to life in prison.

That changed after he killed Jensen, who was serving time for car theft. Jensens life hadnt been easy: He suffered a nearly fatal gun injury as a teen that left him with serious disabilities including partial paralysis.

Jensens relatives opposed Creechs bid for clemency. They described Jensen as a gentle soul and a prankster who loved hunting and spending time outdoors, who was the peanut butter to his sisters jelly. His daughter, who was 4 when he was killed, spoke of how she never got to know him, and how unfair it was that Creech is still around when her father isnt.

Creechs supporters, meanwhile, say decades spent in a prison cell have left him changed. One death row prison staffer told the parole board last month that while she cannot begin to understand the suffering Creech dealt to others, he is now a person who makes positive contributions to his community. His execution date will be difficult for everyone at the prison, she said, especially those who have known him for years.

I dont want to be dismissive of what he did and the countless people who were impacted by that in real significant ways, said Tewalt, the corrections director. At the same time, you also cant be dismissive of the effect its going to have on people who have established a relationship with him. On Thursday, Toms not going to be there. You know hes not coming back to that unit  thats real. It would be really difficult to not feel some sort of emotion about that.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
A stranger is accused of picking up a boy and carrying him outside of a Target store, California police say.

The woman approached the 4-year-old from behind before grabbing him without his permission and carrying him outside the Westlake store, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a Feb. 25 news release shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The woman, however, did not make it far before being confronted by the boys parents, police said.

She then put the boy down and ran from the area, according to police.

Police said the woman, described as being about 40 years old, stood about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighed about 150 pounds.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 323-382-9460.

Walmart shoppers thwart attempt to kidnap child from shopping cart, Colorado cops say

Man tries to kidnap 18-year-old getting into her car outside Target, Texas cops say

8-year-old boy fights off stranger trying to pull him into car, Chicago cops say
Will schools be closed on April 8, 2024 - the day of the total solar eclipse? In short, yes, schools in the Rochester region will be closed on the day of the eclipse.

The eclipse is scheduled to occur on the Monday following a week-long spring break in Rochester, coinciding with the time when most classes are typically dismissed for the day.

Consequently, most Rochester area school districts have chosen to extend their spring break by a day and have canceled classes on April 8.

Mary Grow, East Irondequoit's Superintendent and president of Monroe County's Council of Superintendents, explained that state officials in 2023 raised concerns about the potential impact of the eclipse on the school day, particularly regarding expected heavy traffic around dismissal time.

The decision to cancel classes was ultimately left to each district, and nearly every school district in the nine-county region has opted to do so.

Where are the best places to see the 2024 eclipse?

The Rochester Museum & Science Center sells solar eclipse glasses for $2.50 per pair.

The best places to witness the eclipse in Rochester include open parks or waterfront areas with unobstructed views of the sky. Here are some ideal locations for experiencing the celestial event in our area.

High Falls

Parcel 5

Cobbs Hill Park

Highland Park

Genesee Valley Park

Ontario Beach Park.

The Rochester Museum and Science Center on East Avenue is also hosting a Roc the Eclipse Festival.

Be Careful, Kids: Looking at the sun in an eclipse will fry your eyes painfully. Take it from someone who knows

Elsewhere in Monroe County, suggested viewing sites include:

Mendon Ponds Park

Durand-Eastman Park

The campus at the State University College at Brockport

Hamlin Beach State Park

You can also watch the eclipse online.

NASA and other organizations will create a link for live eclipse viewing closer to the event.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: 2024 Solar Eclipse: Will schools be closed on April 8th in NY?
Joe Biden often talks about his relationship with his wife, Dr Jill Biden - AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

Joe Biden has reportedly joked to aides that the secret to a long and happy marriage is good sex.

The 81-year-old presidents physical frailty has drawn questions about whether he is strong enough to serve a second term, at the end of which he would be 86.

However, according to an upcoming book, Mr Biden has boasted of the energy he puts into his 47-year romance with his wife, the first lady Jill Biden.

According to Katie Rogers, who covers the White House for the New York Times, Mr Biden has regaled his inner circle with marital advice.

Dr Biden has long been known to hold a key role in her husbands political career.

She has previously recounted how in 2004, when Mr Biden was under pressure to run for the White House, she voiced her opposition by walking into the room wearing nothing but a bikini with no written on her stomach.

That got his attention. I wont tell you who [else] was sitting in that room, but they got the message, she told Vogue.

Ms Rogers book, American Woman  The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden, reports that in ruling out a run that year, Mr Biden told a group of supporters: Id rather be at home making love to my wife while my children are asleep than running for office.

Totally in love

The comment drew a shrug from a spokesman at the time who said the then Delaware senator was frankly totally in love with his wife, Ms Rogers writes, according to an advance copy seen by Reuters.

Joe may have tamped down on his public bedroom declarations [in] winning the presidency, but he has joked to aides that good sex is the key to a lasting and happy marriage, much to his wifes chagrin, Rogers writes.

The book also delves into the anguish Mr Biden experienced when his first wife, Neilia, died in a 1972 car crash along with their daughter Naomi.

He and Jill married in 1977, but it took five proposals from Mr Biden to get her to agree.

Ive been as patient as I know how to be, but this has got my Irish up. Either you decide to marry me or thats it  Im out. Im not asking again, Mr Biden said on his final attempt, MsRogers writes.

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The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a case on whether states can ticket drivers for honking a horn after a California woman argued using a car horn is protected speech under the First Amendment.

In a brief order issued Monday morning, the Supreme Court rejected hearing the case without comment.

The appeal to the high court was brought by Susan Porter of California, who received a ticket in 2017 for honking her cars horn in support of a group rallying outside the office of her congressman  Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). The group was protesting Issas support for former President Trump.

The ticket was eventually dismissed, but Porter argued a California traffic law, which bans excessive car honking other than for ensuring the safety of a vehicle, violates the Constitution. California is one of at least 41 states that has a law limiting the use of car horns.

A three-judge panel with the 9th Circuit Court in California upheld this law in a 2-1 ruling last year in response to Porters challenge.

The Ninth Circuits opinion reflects a continuing dilution of First Amendment protection for symbolic speech, Porters lawyers wrote in their appeal to the nations highest court.

Porter argued car horns have been used to express political views since the creation of the automobile and claimed both President Biden and Trump have recognized honking as a form of political expression, illustrating the car horns ubiquity in modern American politics.

Her appeal pointed to one of Bidens drive-in rallies in 2020, during which he said, honk if you want America to lead again. Honk if you want America to trust each other again. Honk if you want to be united again.

Every day across this country, motorists use their vehicles horns to express themselves when passing roadside picket lines, demonstrations, and protests, her lawyers wrote. Such honks not only operate as means for the motorist to communicate their support to their fellow citizens but also to amplify their fellow citizens cause. The car horn is the sound of democracy in action.

Porters lawyers asked the Supreme Court to reaffirm the intermediate scrutiny, upheld in United States v. OBrien, which created a test to determine if government regulation relating to symbolic speech is justified. The 9th Circuit found Californias law passed intermediate scrutiny.

The Supreme Court has ruled free speech protection does extend to other forms of expression beyond the spoken word. While the 9th Circuit Courts 2-1 majority said car honking can be expressive conduct, it argued the law furthers Californias interest in traffic safety and deemed the law as constitutional.

The dissenting judge said she would block the enforcement of the law to permit political protest honking.

David Loy, the legal director for the First Amendment Coalition who originated the case and argued it in the 9th Circuit, told The Hill he is obviously disappointed, at the Supreme Courts rejection to hear the case.

We continue to believe that sounding the vehicle horn to support a protest or engage in personal expression is a core First Amendment right and its along standing American tradition, Loy said, adding later the dissenting judge in the 9th Circuit got it exactly right.

Loy said he is hopeful the issue will be litigated in the future through other similar cases and noted it not the end of the road, on the issue.

The Hill has reached out to Porters lawyers for comment.

This story was updated at 2:15 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Donald Trump is appealing against a New York judge's ruling that he must pay $454m (360m) in penalties and interest in a civil fraud case.

This month's judgement was $355m, but the amount has soared with interest, which will keep accruing by at least $112,000 per day.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has said if Mr Trump does not pay, she will seek to seize some of his assets.

He was found to have inflated property values to obtain better loan terms.

Judge Arthur Engoron also banned the former US president from doing business in the state for three years.

Monday's appeal from the Republican presidential frontrunner means yet another legal case of his will drag further into election season as he prepares for a likely rematch against Democratic President Joe Biden in November.

Mr Trump had said all along he planned on appealing against the ruling, calling it a political witch hunt.

His lawyer, Alina Habba, said on Monday they hope the appeal court "will overturn this egregious fine and take the necessary steps to restore the public faith in New York's legal system".

In their court filing, the attorneys said they were asking the appellate division to decide whether Judge Engoron's court "committed errors of law and/or fact" and whether it "abused its discretion" or "acted in excess of its jurisdiction".

The former president's lawyers have also argued that he was wrongly sued under a consumer-protection statute typically used to rein in businesses that rip off customers.

Mr Trump's legal team has previously challenged rulings by Judge Engoron at least 10 times, including a gag order.

The appeals process could last a year or longer.

Mr Trump could be granted a pause on collection of the judgement if he offers up money, assets or an appeal bond covering the amount owed. It is unclear what route he will take.

Mr Trump's two adult sons and co-defendants, Donald Jr and Eric, were ordered to pay $4m each and are barred for two years from doing business in New York. They have maintained there was no wrongdoing and joined their father's appeal on Monday.

Adding to the drain on his cash reserves, the ex-president was last month ordered to pay $83m after losing a defamation case to E Jean Carroll, a woman he was found to have sexually abused.

In May 2023, he lost a lawsuit against the New York Times and was ordered to pay for the legal expenses of the reporters he had sued. On Monday, one of the reporters involved in the case, Susanne Craig, tweeted that Mr Trump had completed the mandated $392,600 payment.

According to a Forbes estimate, Mr Trump is worth about $2.6bn. Though it is unclear how much cash he has on hand, he testified last year he has $400m in liquid assets.

The civil trial that began in October focused mostly on determining penalties against Mr Trump since Judge Engoron had already ruled the ex-president liable for business fraud.

He faces another case in his hometown of New York City next month. In those criminal proceedings, it is alleged that Mr Trump falsified business records to conceal hush money paid to an adult film star before the 2016 election.

On Monday, the Manhattan prosecutor who is bringing that case asked a judge for a gag order on Mr Trump.

The district attorney's office said such a measure was needed to protect jurors, witnesses and court staff from Mr Trump's "long history of making public and inflammatory remarks".

Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesman, called the request an "unconstitutional infringement" Mr Trump's rights.

He reiterated the former president's claims that the indictments against him are partisan attempts to prevent his re-election.
Former President Trump is projected to handily win the South Carolina GOP primary, dealing a crushing blow to rival Nikki Haley, according to an exit poll conducted by Decision Desk HQ.

The Palmetto State becomes the third state in a row in which Trump has trounced Haley on the ballot. The two did not compete together in Nevada, which held a dueling primary and caucus.

Trumps win was largely expected, given that an average of South Carolina surveys compiled by Decision Desk HQ and The Hill found Trump leading Haley 64 percent to 33 percent.

Haley is Trumps last remaining major GOP challenger. Trumps win will fuel further questions about her viability, especially given that she had previously served as governor of South Carolina.

Yet Haley has signaled that shes in it for the long haul, saying earlier this week, South Carolina will vote on Saturday, but on Sunday I will still be running for president.

Many Republicans have largely started to shift their attention to the general election as it increasingly looks like a rematch between Trump and President Biden.

All eyes are now turning to Super Tuesday on March 5, where Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and American Samoa will be casting their ballots in the presidential contest.

The Trump campaign projected in a memo this week that the former president would notch the necessary number of GOP delegates to secure the nomination by March 19.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Central Green Forest Park is a popular site in Beijing, with its lush vegetation and relaxing atmosphere, but aerial photographer Ma Wenxiao still remembers the place being black with chemical plants and chimneys when he first flew here 20 years ago.

After shutting down the factory, the city planted trees and flowers, and created beautiful landscapes in the area. In 2020, the factory-turned-park opened to the public. At the end of last year, three cultural buildings -- a theater, a library and a museum -- opened their doors in the park, attracting flocks of visitors.

The transformation of a park such as this says a lot about the changes in the city in which it is located.

In early 2014, China initiated a key strategy to coordinate the development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei -- a regional city cluster called "Jing-Jin-Ji." A prominent task of the strategy has been to move non-capital functions out of Beijing to treat the various "urban ills" in the Chinese capital, such as traffic jams and pollution.

Over the past 10 years, Beijing has accomplished some stunning improvements: phasing out about 3,200 manufacturing and polluting enterprises; resettling or upgrading nearly 1,000 markets and logistics centers; meeting the target of a 15-percent reduction of permanent residents in six urban districts; and increasing the proportion of newly established business entities in high-tech industries from 40.7 to 66.1 percent.

The Dahongmen and Beijing Zoo wholesale garment markets were once famed not only for their cheap prices, but also for their noisy and messy environments. These days, vendors in the two markets have been relocated to Hebei and Tianjin, and the two sites have been transformed into high-tech industrial parks.

The Jing-Jin-Ji coordinated development strategy also aims to bridge the development gap between Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.

Over the past 10 years, enterprises in Beijing's Zhongguancun area, known as "China's Silicon Valley," have established more than 10,000 branches in Tianjin and Hebei. Enterprises in the two regions have received 2.3 trillion yuan (319.5 billion U.S. dollars) in investments from Beijing.

SMC Investment Management China Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Japan's pneumatic component manufacturer SMC Corporation, is a beneficiary of the region's coordinated development.

Three decades ago, the company chose to settle in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, bullish about China's enormous market potential. In 2018, SMC established a subcompany in Tianjin to aid its expansion layout.

Three years after the Tianjin plant began operation, the company's local output value has already exceeded 1 billion yuan. SMC has even established a market team tailored to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and is considering investing a further 500 million yuan to build an innovation center in Beijing serving the whole Asia-Pacific region.

To enhance the coordinated environment, efforts have also been made to upgrade the infrastructure and environment in the Jing-Jin-Ji region.

Over the past 10 years, a number of railways have been opened for operation, and the overall length of high-speed railway lines in the region reached 2,576 km. The three places have also made joint efforts on environmental control. In 2023, the average annual concentration of fine particles in the air in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei decreased by 57.3 percent compared with 2014.

Zhang Gui, professor with Nankai University in Tianjin, said, "The three places took the lead and made experiments in terms of institutional innovation, spatial distribution, the industrial division of labor, growth models, innovation agglomeration and public-service sharing, which has offered useful experience for the regional coordinated development of the rest of China." 
Former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will hold rallies in North Carolina this weekend ahead of the presidential primary election on March 5.

Trump has won every Republican primary election so far, most recently beating Haley in her home state of South Carolina last weekend.

Vice President Kamala Harris is also planning a visit to North Carolina this week to discuss the Biden administrations investments in the economy.

How to see Nikki Haley in NC

Haley plans to hold a rally at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in Charlotte.

Shell speak at Norfolk Hall at Suffolk Punch. The rally is free to attend.

How to see President Trump in NC

Trump will hold a get-out-the-vote rally in Greensboro on Saturday, where he will deliver a speech at 2 p.m.

The rally will be at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex and is free to attend.

In-person early voting for the primary ends on Saturday at 3 p.m. Voters can also cast their ballots in-person on Election Day on March 5. Absentee ballots must arrive by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

Harris to speak on economy in Durham

Harris will visit Durham on Friday to discuss the Biden-Harris administrations historic investments in strengthening entrepreneurship, increasing access to capital and supporting small businesses throughout the country including in our underserved communities.

Shell be joined by Gov. Roy Cooper and Wally Adeyemo, U.S. deputy secretary of the Treasury.

This will be Harris second trip to the state this year and her 10th trip overall since taking office.

Last month, Harris visited Charlotte to announce $285 million in spending on mental health services for schools.

Her visit, which included a panel on violence prevention, came after a shooting in uptown Charlotte on New Years Eve.
President Joe Bidens decision to unilaterally veto yet another United Nations cease-fire resolution on Gaza, just a week before Michigans Democratic presidential primary Tuesday, shows just how out of touch the presidents reelection campaign is with the progressive voters who put him in power.

Nearly 30,000 civilians have been killed in Gaza, mostly women and children, and yet the Biden administration continues to break with the majority of the Democratic base to align with  and fund  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government. Is this worth risking Donald Trumps return to the White House and the end of American democracy?

Biden now trails Trump in seven of the past eight polls in the pivotal swing state of Michigan  by as many as 10 points in the recent CNN poll. The Biden team desperately needs a wake-up call.

Thats why Our Revolution is mobilizing tens of thousands of progressives to vote uncommitted in Tuesdays Democratic primary to make sure Michigan is a megaphone for peace.

The initiative, kicked off by Listen to Michigan, is a strategic effort to send a clear message to the Biden campaign: Change course now on Gaza or risk alienating key voter blocs needed to defeat Trump in November.

Gaza is costing Biden voters: Do 'uncommitted' Arab American voters spell a Trump victory?

Biden must restore Democratic coalition

This is Bidens chance to begin stitching back together the coalition that won him the White House in 2020 by realigning his policies with the values of the base, especially young voters and voters of color.

Not only does Michigan have the largest Arab American population in the country, its also a historic battleground state, where the margin of victory swung from fewer than 11,000 votes for Trump in 2016 to just over 154,000 votes for Biden in 2020.

If Biden doesnt recalibrate his foreign policy, 2024 could look less like 2020 and more like 2016, when Arab Americans and Muslim Americans rejected Hillary Clinton due in part to her record in the Middle East as secretary of State. Now, in 2024, many are feeling a sense of betrayal by Biden, who promised to end endless wars and lead with empathy.

President Joe Biden arrives on Marine One in Mountain View, Calif., for a campaign fundraiser Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.

Our Revolution is joining this critical effort to ensure the Democratic Party does not lose the support of its progressive voting base and, in turn, surrender Michigan to Republican control and send Trump back to the Oval Office. As the countrys largest grassroots progressive political action group, Our Revolution is urging our 87,000 supporters in Michigan to vote uncommitted in hopes of getting the Biden administration to alter its approach to the war.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and former Rep. Andy Levin, D-Mich., are both supporting this effort, indicating the collective push from within the party to correct course, save lives and not lose to Trump. There are voters who, having lost family members in Gaza, may never vote to reelect President Biden. But, as Levin wrote in an email to Our Revolutions members, there are many, many others who would be willing to come back to Biden if we can get him to come around on Gaza.

Alabama IVF ruling isn't about morality. Republicans supporting it hurt people who want kids.

Biden has moral obligation to stop support of Israel's attacks

To be clear: This is more than just a protest vote, more than mere political strategy. President Biden has a moral imperative to cease U.S. involvement in the bloodshed of innocents.

Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store.

However, if the moral case and massive protests are not compelling enough, we must appeal to Biden's fundamental self-interest: reelection. Failure to change course on Gaza will stain the Democratic Party for generations, and four more years of Trump will forever alter the course of the nation. This moment calls for unity and action among progressive voters  the key to Democrats success in the 2024 election and beyond.

The carnage in Gaza needs to end. The president must be a peacemaker. And, we must defeat Trump in November. It all starts with making progressive voices heard in the primaries in Michigan and beyond.

And to President Biden, we urge you to realign with the base that brought you to the White House in the first place.

Our future depends on it.

Joseph Geevarghese

Joseph Geevarghese is executive director of Our Revolution, the largest grassroots progressive political action group in the country.

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden picks Israel over Gaza. Michigan progressives must wake him up
Seven years ago, Eli Snyders job didnt exist, nor would the 25-year-old feel confident about choosing a travel destination.

As a full-time TikTok travel influencer, Snyder is in Laos before spending the next couple of months exploring Vietnam and the Philippines. The Kansas City native then plans to leave Asia and venture into six South American countries, including Argentina and Chile.

To Snyder, travel is all about being surprised, and having his preconceived notions about a place to be turned upside down. Of course, connecting with the local culture and eating good food is a big part of it too.

(Before, if you were) going to Mexico, youre going to do an all-inclusive, but now youre going to leave the coast and go inland to see the rural towns, he said.

Snyder is inspired by fellow young content creators who travel to less touristy destinations  places his parents would never dream of going to. Theres an emphasis on finding your own destination and spots rather than tourist hotspots, Snyder said.

Younger people have always been scrappy as they seek to travel the world and discover themselves. After all, youth hostels have been around for over a century. I think some things dont change through generations: the fundamental appeal of travel is timeless, offering interesting perspectives of the world and hitting that recharge button, said Will Jones, brand manager at StudentUniverse, a travel platform exclusively for students and youth.

Since most Gen Z members are just starting their careers, they have less disposable income to spend on travel and are usually seeking out the best deals.

A lot of people in their mid-20s are interested in saving money when they travel, getting the most bang for their buck, Naomi Schiller, 25, an administrative assistant at the Metropolitan Opera props department, told USA TODAY I dont have the money to throw around on awesome accommodations.

However, Gen Z is finding new ways to travel. Gone are the days of partying until sunrise. Theyre leaning much more into the cultural side of things and away from the party type, said Jones. The young generation has an increased desire to go off the beaten path and immerse themselves in the culture theyre visiting  and they can do that with the ubiquity of technology and social media.

Here are four Gen Z travel trends:

1. #TravelTikTok

Move over travel guidebooks and TripAdvisor, TikTok is the new place for young people seeking travel inspiration.

A lot of inspiration comes from social media, like TikTok or Instagram reels, Greta Redleaf, 20, a student at American University, told USA TODAY. Redleaf is in a study abroad program and said social media has been especially helpful as she explores new destinations on the weekends.

Im in Scotland right now, so I follow a lot of European travel accounts, and they sometimes post deals, she said.

In the 2024 State of Student & Youth Travel Report by StudentUniverse, 89% of the 4,000 surveyed 18- to 25-year-olds  who are in full-time education and either live in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australia  said theyve found new destinations through TikTok, and 70% use TikTok as a trip-planning tool. Over The largest demographic of TikTok users is between the ages of 18 and 24, as of January.

Hailing from Sydney, Issy McDermott, 23, also sources her travel ideas mainly from social media. When I was younger, I used to watch travel videos on YouTube, she said. Now she uses TikTok and Instagram.

The vast majority of these Gen Z travelers seek to discover destinations untouched by mass tourism or not easily found. Right now, I really want to visit Sri Lanka for a mix of the beaches and the more adventurous side, McDermott said. Its kind of building up a hype on social media, so I want to get there before it gets too touristy.

Snyder said the access and connectivity that social media offers mean people are willing to go to places older generations would have considered too dangerous.

2. Sobering up

Unlike younger generations in the past, Gen Z is steering away from the typical young travel of partying, Jones said. They would rather experience a new culture and go sightseeing. The most popular destinations among Gen Zers were found to be Italy and Japan, which are more cultural places than the more traditional party places.

According to the report, 83% of young travelers would consider taking a vacation without any alcohol to avoid unsafe situations. They also would rather spend money on other things.

I have described myself in the past as a terrible tourist. I dont usually travel with a strict, I want to see this, this and this,  Arthur Tisseront, 26, a video game dialogue writer living in Finland, told USA TODAY. I usually try to find somewhere to stay that is reasonably priced but in a part of the city or town or area Im in that will let me experience whatever older culture exists there.

As more research reveals the harmful effects of alcohol, Snyder thinks more young people are going to be traveling sober big time.

For Snyder, alcohol is near the bottom of his priorities when it comes to travel. He recently spent a month in the Middle East with a friend and didnt have a sip of alcohol, nor did he miss it. Not once did that come across our mind, he said. Alcohol is legal in some Middle Eastern countries, like Jordan, but not widely accepted. In others, like Yemen, alcohol is prohibited. Although there wasnt alcohol to be had, it wasnt a deterrent.

3. Embarking on their own

More younger women are also looking to venture out on their own. Over half of the surveyed women said they are interested in solo travel, with 83% of them inspired by female content creators who travel solo. Those who want to jet-set alone say its to get out of their comfort, for self-discovery and enjoy a sense of freedom.

An international business student in Syndey, McDermott has been traveling by herself for her summer break for the past two months. Shes spent the last three weeks in India, but shes currently enjoying the nice vibes' in Goa.

McDermott loves to travel on her own, although her parents never did.

Ive noticed a lot more people solo travel, and my mom and dad never did anything like that, she said. Im a bit more adventurous when I travel. I like to see the culture and have unique experiences rather than see tourist attractions and prioritize comfort.

She often connects with fellow young travelers at the hostel and joins them on excursions or doesnt venture out alone at night, so she rarely feels unsafe, she said.

Not all Gen Zers agree on this, though. Some told USA TODAY they prefer using trips as a way to visit friends and family who live far away.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, "I wanted to be out traveling for work and pleasure, and I ended up stuck at home. I had a roommate move out, so I was by myself, and I want to get out there, Brendan McPhillips, 24, a construction supply salesperson based in Denver, told USA TODAY. (Solo travel) can be fun, but I found it kind of isolating, so I kind of looked at where I have friends and saying hey, I want to come visit. 

4. Train takeover

Gen Z travelers are also more interested in alternative modes of transportation, especially trains when theyre available.

If theres a train, Im taking a train, it doesnt matter if the train is 30 hours, Snyder said. While the sustainability aspect appeals to him, the main reason is the intimate connection with the countryside that you miss on a plane and bus because its so chaotic.

Ideally, for environmental reasons, I would prefer to take the train if I can, but unfortunately, a lot of times the train can be twice as expensive and twice as long as flying, Emma Quinn, 26, a librarian in New York told USA TODAY. My roommate and I are going from Chicago to California by train. Thats two days in a sleeper car, and thats something Ill pay a premium for because the experience is really good.

Even so, the appeal of the deal can outweigh other concerns.

I would love to travel more places locally on Amtrak or rail systems like that, but because of the price point and because of schedules or when they come and go, it usually winds up being by car, Schiller, the Metropolitan Opera employee said.

McPhillips said that he relies on Frontier Airlines all-you-can-fly GoWild pass for a lot of his personal travel, which lets him get very cheap last-minute flights.

People complain about Frontier and Spirit, but Im kind of just expecting to get from point A to point B. Thats all I really want, he said. I want the cheapest ticket. I see people complaining about everything, and Im like, yeah, but youre getting the lowest price.

Gen Z travelers also often want to find easy ways to get around once theyre in their destination.

Renting a car sucks, Tisseront, the video game dialogue writer, said. If I can go to a place that will let me travel by bus, by tram, by metro, by train, by walking, however, some way that isnt a car, that makes trips more justifiable to me.

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at kwong@usatoday.com. Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TikTok and sober travel: 4 ways Gen Z is redefining travel
For the first time since 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible in portions of the United States.

On Monday, April 8, 2024, the "Great American Eclipse" will turn day to night for a few brief minutes of darkness as the orbiting moon blocks the sun's light along a 115-mile-wide, southwest-to-northeast path across the continent.

Millions of people in 13 states stretching from Texas to Maine will be under the "path of totality" and able to view the total solar eclipse. The rest of the United States will experience a partial solar eclipse.

Like in 2017, tourists living in partial eclipse areas will travel en masse to cities on the path of totality to fully experience this uncommon astronomical event. (The next time a total solar eclipse will be visible in the U.S. is in 2044, NASA says).

Milwaukee and Wisconsin are not on the path of totality but will see a partial eclipse. But don't worry, the path of totality is only a few-hours drive away. Wisconsinites can head south to Illinois and Indiana to witness totality.

More: How long will the solar eclipse darkness last in your city? Explore these interactive maps.

In this photo, the 2017 Great American Solar Eclipse was just starting in Fort Myers, Florida. This image was taken from Fort Myers Beach.

When is the solar eclipse in Milwaukee?

Like much of the country, Milwaukee is not under the path of totality but will experience a partial solar eclipse on April 8.

The peak of the eclipse will occur at 2:08:10 p.m. in Milwaukee, according to USA Today.

The eclipse will begin at 12:53:00 p.m., and it will reach 50% of the maximum coverage at 1:33:50 p.m. After peaking at 2:08:10 p.m., 50% of the maximum coverage will again be visible at 2:42:20 p.m. The eclipse will end in Milwaukee at 3:21:50 p.m.

A view of the Indianapolis skyline from Fountain Square on Jan. 5, 2024. Located a little over four hours away, Indy is the closest major city Milwaukeeans can drive to to view the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

What is the closest city from Milwaukee to drive to see the full solar eclipse?

Of the hundreds of cities and towns on the path of totality, it's hard to say with absolute certainty which is the closest to Milwaukee. However, one of the closest is Sheridan, Ind. The small Indiana town of about 3,000 people is a four-hour drive from Milwaukee and around 265 miles away.

Indianapolis is the closest major city Milwaukeeans can drive to on the path of totality. Indiana's capital city is about a four-hour and 15-minute drive from Milwaukee, or around 280 miles.

Here's a map of the larger cities on the path of totality and the duration of totality they'll experience:

Solar eclipse events in Indianapolis

Indianapolis, the self-proclaimed "Eclipse Capital of the Midwest," will see the total solar eclipse for 3 minutes and 46 seconds on April 8 at 3:06 p.m.

Indy is hosting multiple exciting events for visitors looking to catch the eclipse, including:

Eclipse viewing from White River State Park: Beginning April 8 at 11 a.m., you can celebrate the eclipse from White River State Park with free eclipse glasses, yoga classes, a performance by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, over 20 food trucks and a "signature food competition." More information can be found here.

NASA at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Enjoy the eclipse from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The speedway is one of just a few NASA broadcast locations throughout the country. NASA experts will be available to answer questions about the eclipse. Educational STEM opportunities, exclusive merchandise, and programming centered around racing and space discovery will be available throughout the day. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Conner Prairie eclipse event in Fishers: Celebrate the eclipse from the Conner Prairie festival grounds in Fishers, Ind. with live music and dance performances, including a themed light and shadow show by the dance group UZIMA. Former NASA astronaut Mark Brown and district scientist-in-residence at MSD Wayne Township Rick Crosslin will share facts and experiences about the eclipse and living and working in space. More information here.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis Eclipse Extravaganza: Eclipse activities begin at 10 a.m. at the Children's Museum and include giveaways, activities and festivities. Free eclipse glasses are available while supplies last. More information here.

Find more Indianapolis-area eclipse events here.

When will the solar eclipse happen in Wisconsin?

Use this map and zoom in to determine when your city will see the peak total or partial solar eclipse on Monday, April 8.

Note: Zoom in and click on the map below to see where and when the total solar eclipse will peak in your area. For example, if you click on Milwaukee, you'll see the peak time will be at 2:08:10 p.m. on April 8.

More: A total solar eclipse in April will cross 13 US states: Which ones are on the path?

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Where is the closest city to Milwaukee to view total solar eclipse?
Could your holiday flight cost more because of an inflight scare and a problem with contaminated powder metal?

Delays in Boeing aircraft deliveries because of safety concerns, combined with an issue affecting some Airbus engines, means some airlines are struggling to fulfil their planned operations.

That could mean air fares in Europe will rise by as much as 10 per cent, according to the boss of Europes biggest budget airline.

So should travellers book their summer flights now to avoid further fare hikes? Or could they find their planned flights cancelled?

These are the key questions and answers.

Since Covid travel restrictions were lifted across most of the world, what has happened in terms of flying and fares?

Going back to March 2022: after the last requirements for Covid testing and quarantine were lifted in the UK, there was a huge surge in demand for flights as people sought to make up for lost family trips, beach holidays and city breaks.

The airline industry has been struggling to keep pace with demand  and at the same time carriers have been putting up fares to take advantage of the limited supply of seats. Fares went up by an average of one-sixth on Ryanair last summer  and many of us will have paid an awful lot more, typically 50 per cent up on pre-pandemic fares.

Are things getting back on an even keel this year?

No. According to the latest Eurocontrol figures on flights handled across Europe, air traffic was eight per cent down on the same spell before the pandemic. In February and early March thats not too much of a problem, because demand for travel is fairly weak  but from Easter onwards the pendulum swings in favour of the airlines, with more of us wanting to fly.

Problems facing the two big planemakers, Airbus and Boeing, mean that airlines wont have enough short-haul aircraft to operate all the flights they were hoping. Which means higher fares as well as less choice.

What are the planemakers problems?

These concern the most popular aircraft for European flights: the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320 family.

Boeing has been unable to increase the rate of deliveries of 737 Max aircraft following an inflight scare in January, when a door plug blew out from the fuselage of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 shortly after take-off from Portland, Oregon.

The aircraft landed safely, but quality-control concerns have led to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to demand close supervision of each aircraft. The FAA administrator, Mike, Whitaker said. We will not agree to any request from Boeing for an expansion in production or approve additional production lines for the 737 Max until we are satisfied that the quality control issues uncovered during this process are resolved.

Some Airbus users are also facing problems with Pratt & Whitney GTF (geared turbofan) engines. The engine maker has identified a potential problem of contamination in the powder metal used for some key components. As a result, the engines must be inspected earlier, with the power plants removed, disassembled, examined and put back together by specialist teams. That could take two months for each engine.

This means that Wizz Air and the German airline Lufthansa are likely to have to ground dozens of aircraft for long spells this year.

Why should passengers be penalised for manufacturing issues?

Bluntly, because airlines will charge whatever they can get away with  more enthusiastically than ever as they try to make up for the billions they lost during Covid. And with lots of money chasing fewer seats, they can cash in like never before on what the market will bear. Its supply and demand at its most extreme.

There are some bargains around right now: on Thursday 7 March, for example, you can fly 1,200 miles from London to Tirana in Albania for 15 or less. But in summer that all changes and fares are off the scale  with one Manchester-Malaga flight on Saturday 20 July going for almost 500 one way.

Even though British Airways, easyJet and Jet2 arent at all affected by the delivery and maintenance problems, they are benefitting from the overall rise in fares.

Could flights that people have already booked be cancelled?

They already are being. Wizz Air has cancelled entire routes such as London Luton-Dubrovnik for the summer, while other flights are being filleted: I have a Wizz Air flight booked to Sarajevo in April that has been cancelled, with an alternative offered two days later. And Michael O'Leary says that Ryanair is likely to cancel flights on routes with multiple daily frequencies. For example, Ryanair has up to six departures a day from Edinburgh to Dublin, and one of those could be trimmed with the passengers moved to the earlier or later flight. But that pushes up fares on the remaining seats.

I havent yet booked my summer flights  should I do so now?

Probably. Its difficult to see where any new capacity could come from  theres a worldwide shortage of planes. Theres a risk that a flight you book could be cancelled, but fortunately European air passengers rights rules are on your side if that happens: the UK Civil Aviation Authority says that airlines cancelling flights must get you to your destination on the same day if at all possible, even if it means buying a ticket on another carrier.

Will fares start coming down from next summer?

Not necessarily. Air New Zealand, which says it might have to ground a quarter of its fleet of 17 Airbus aircraft, says the issue could impact services for up to two years. And Boeing is not yet able to deliver planes at the required pace. Some planes could be kept in service longer than planned, but overall demand for aircraft exceeds supply  just as passengers demand for travel is outstripping the supply of seats.
Authorities with the Los Angeles Police Department are asking for the publics help in locating a woman wanted for an attempted kidnapping Sunday afternoon.

The incident occurred at a Target store located at 620 S. Virgil at around 12:30 p.m., according to an an LAPD Community Alert notification.

Police said the suspect, described as a Black adult female, approximately 40 years old, standing around 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing around 150 pounds, grabbed a 4-year-old victim from behind without consent and carried him outside of the store.

Police searching attempted kidnapping suspect

The woman only put the child down when she was confronted by the boys parents. She fled the scene on foot.

Child in critical condition after being shot in a car in Orange County

The suspect was last seen wearing a brown jacket, black shirt, blue jeans and black and white shoes.

Anyone with information about this incident or who may recognize the woman is urged to contact officials at the Los Angeles Police Department.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
A woman was charged $1,010 for a Subway sandwich in Columbus, Ohio.

The woman was unable to get a refund from Subway or her bank for several weeks.

The Better Business Bureau suggested she could file a police report for theft.

A woman was charged over $1,000 for a Subway sandwich in early January, leaving her strapped for cash and struggling to feed her family, a report said.

Letitia Bishop went to the Subway Thornton Oil store in Columbus, Ohio, on January 5 to order subs for her family, only to find herself with a bewilderingly high charge. A receipt obtained by WSYX ABC 6's "On Your Side" shows that Bishop's debit card was charged $1,021.50, with one of the sandwiches costing $1,010.

This far exceeds the typical price of a footlong sandwich at Subway, which tends to cost between $6.50 and $12.

Bishop told ABC 6 that the charge left her feeling "stressed, overwhelmed." At one point, she couldn't even afford groceries because her "account was negative," she added.

Despite her efforts to address the situation directly with store staff, Bishop was told to contact Subway's corporate office. She told ABC 6 she tried this multiple times, to no avail.

Bishop also told the Ohio broadcaster that she later returned to the Subway store, inside a gas station, only to find it had closed.

According to the store's website, it's "temporarily closed" for the foreseeable future.

"I'm just trying to make ends meet at this point in time," Bishop told ABC 6.

Even flagging the issue to her bank was fruitless, leaving Bishop feeling hopeless, ABC 6 reported.

On Monday, she told Business Insider she had received a cash refund from a Thorntons regional manager. Thorntons didn't respond to a request for comment.

Subway did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Lee Anne Lanigan, the director of consumer relations and investigations from the Better Business Bureau, told ABC 6 that Bishop had options to resolve the situation.

She could use the BBB's dispute-resolution process or even escalate the matter by filing a police report for theft.

Lanigan said that had Bishop used a credit card instead of a debit card at the counter, she would have been better protected.

February 26, 2024  This story has been updated to include a response from Letitia Bishop.

Correction: February 26, 2024  An earlier version of this story misspelled the name of the ABC affiliate that spoke with Letitia Bishop. It's WSYX, not WSYC. It also misstated the price on the receipt for a single sandwich. It cost $1,010, not $1,021.50.

Read the original article on Business Insider
ALBANY, New York  Democratic state lawmakers in New York are expected to reject a House map proposed by a bipartisan commission and back district lines they are drawing themselves, three people familiar with the discussions said Monday.

The Democratic-drawn map under consideration is not expected to be dramatically different from ones released by the commission two weeks ago, according to the officials who were granted anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions. But the Legislatures likely decision to embrace its own map could fuel a Republican-backed legal challenge to the new district lines.

The drama over redistricting in New York is heightened by the stakes for both parties. New York is home to a half dozen swing seats that could determine control of the narrowly divided House next year.

Legislators are considering a new map that would make changes to House lines on Long Island and the Hudson Valley. New York CIty-based House seats would not change significantly.

Drawing new House lines was triggered last year when the states top court determined the current map was only meant to be in place for a two-year election cycle.

Republicans, who made gains in battleground House districts in the New York City suburbs in 2022, have been generally supportive of the map proposed by the states Independent Redistricting Commission, a panel of Republicans and Democrats appointed by state lawmakers.



The commissions proposed House map made relatively small changes. But Democrats, who are pressing to gain control of the House, have panned the commissions proposal.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries office blasted the commissions work and encouraged state lawmakers to scrutinize the boundaries.

Privately, Democrats in the Legislature have been split over how to proceed. Some lawmakers have acknowledged the impact of approving the map with some telling their colleagues democracy is on the line according to one person in the negotiations.

Former Rep. John Faso, who has spearheaded the GOPs legal efforts on redistricting in recent years, said in an interview Monday he doesnt want to speculate on anything until I was able to see an entire map.

But he said: Based on their track record, I dont have a whole lot of confidence in what they would be doing. But hope springs eternal.

The commissions plan would have provided a boost to Democrats in the seat held by Republican Brandon Williams. Both Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan and Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro would have also had modest gains to their reelection odds.

The current thinking is that lawmakers will stick to the confines of 2012 legislation that says districts they draw cant vary by more than 2 percent from the ones in the commissions plans. So at least 761,000 people in a 777,000-person district as drawn by the commission would need to be the same in the amended map passed by the Legislature.

That means there cant be many dramatic overhauls from the maps drawn by the commission  but there will still be some changes.

State lawmakers are working on a tight timeline.

The Legislature could vote to reject the commission-drawn map as soon as Monday. The Democratic-controlled Legislature would then introduce their own House map, which could be approved this week.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has publicly insisted she is not involved in the internal redistricting discussions and said last week she would not put her thumb on the scale to influence the outcome.

Members are also likely to tweak the rules for petitioning for ballot access this year  congressional hopefuls are due to start collecting signatures on Tuesday.

The exact changes are still fluid, one lawmaker said.

The question of ballot access will be discussed in both houses closed-door Democratic conference meetings, which started a little after noon on Monday.

Another topic that will be discussed is a bill to limit where Republican court cases can be brought.

A bill from Sen. Zellnor Myrie and Assemblymember William Magnarelli that had begun to move earlier this session would have said that challenges can only be brought in Albany County  a response to the GOP bringing their 2022 suit in Steuben County.

But lawmakers, particularly in the Assembly, never fully bought into a proposal that narrow.

Myrie and Magnarelli amended their bill on Friday to say that redistricting challenges can be brought in only Albany, Manhattan, Westchester or Erie counties. That updated measure could receive a vote on Monday.
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on Monday most chips companies seeking government subsidies will get significantly less than they have sought, since the government received requests for more than double the $28 billion it plans to award.

Raimondo said companies in leading edge chips manufacturing have requested more than $70 billion. She said the department is engaged in tough ongoing negotiations with individual companies.

Raimondo said she was pushing leading edge chips companies "to do more for less" in order to fund more projects.

She said her conversations with chips company CEOs typically include them asking for billions in government assistance, which she says is reasonable.

"I tell them you will be lucky to get half of that," Raimondo said. When they come in to finalize a deal, "where they get less than half of what they wanted and they tell me they are not feeling lucky. That's the reality... We have to be tough with companies."

Raimondo said the department is prioritizing projects that will be operational by 2030. "We are saying no for now" for projects to longer-range projects.

Raimondo said the department now estimates the funding will ensure the U.S. produces 20% of the world's leading edge logic chips by 2030, up from zero today.

She said more than 600 companies submitted statements of interest for funding but a "significant majority" will not receive funding including many worthy projects.

The $52.7 billion Chips and Science program approved by Congress in August 2022 includes a $39 billion program to subsidize chip production and related supply chain investments, and the awards will help build factories and increase production.

Earlier this month, Raimondo said Commerce would award a $1.5 billion grant to GlobalFoundries, the first major award.

"These are highly complex, first-of-their-kind facilities. The kind of facilities that TSMC, Samsung, Intel are proposing to do in the United States - these are new-generation investments - size, scale complexity that's never been done before in this country," Raimondo told Reuters this month.

The awards can be a mix of grants, government loans and loan guarantees up to about 35% of project capital costs. Raimondo joked that because she was taking a hard line "I am not on the Christmas card list of a lot these CEOs of these chips companies because we are squeezing every dollar."

(Reporting by David ShepardsonEditing by Mark Potter and David Gregorio)
A Microsoft logo is seen in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris

A Microsoft logo is seen in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris

By Yuvraj Malik and Krystal Hu

(Reuters) -Microsoft will make French startup Mistral AI's artificial intelligence models available through its Azure cloud computing platform under a new partnership, the companies said on Monday.

The multi-year deal signals Microsoft's efforts to offer a variety of AI models beyond its biggest bet in OpenAI as the tech giant seeks to attract more customers for its Azure cloud services.

Microsoft will take a minority stake in Mistral as part of the deal, the startup told Reuters without disclosing details.

Microsoft confirmed its investment in Mistral, but said it holds no equity in the company. The tech giant is under regulatory scrutiny in Europe and the U.S. for its outsized funding in OpenAI.

The Paris-based startup works on open source and proprietary large language models (LLM), similar to the one OpenAI pioneered with ChatGPT, that understands and generates text in a human-like fashion.

Its latest proprietary model, Mistral Large, will be first available to Azure customers under the partnership. Mistral's technology will be hosted on Microsoft's cloud computing platform.

Mistral has also been working with Amazon and Google to distribute its models. It plans to make Mistral Large available on other cloud platforms in the next few months, a spokesperson said.

Mistral was founded by Timothee Lacroix and Guillaume Lample, who previously worked on Meta's artificial intelligence teams; and Arthur Mensch, a former researcher at Google's DeepMind.

(Reporting by Yuvraj Malik in Bengaluru and Krystal Hu in New York; Additional reporting by Yun Chee Foo in Brussels; Editing by Tasim Zahid and Richard Chang)
Students perform martial arts of Zhuang ethnic group during a ceremony marking the start of the new semester at Baihualing Road Primary School in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Feb. 26, 2024. The new semester for primary and secondary schools kicked off in many parts of China on Monday. (Xinhua/Zhou Hua)

Students display handmade works made during the winter holiday at Zhiyangshan School in Fushan District of Yantai City, east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 26, 2024. The new semester for primary and secondary schools kicked off in many parts of China on Monday. (Photo by Sun Wentan/Xinhua)

Students attend a ceremony marking the start of the new semester at Fangxin Primary School of Weiyang District in Xi'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Feb. 26, 2024. The new semester for primary and secondary schools kicked off in many parts of China on Monday. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi)

Second-grade students communicate during their first class of new semester at Zhongguancun No. 4 Primary School of Haidian District in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 26, 2024. The new semester for primary and secondary schools kicked off in many parts of China on Monday. (Xinhua/Ren Chao)

Traffic police officers explain road safety signs to students on the first day of new semester at Fuxin Primary School in Rongcheng City, east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 26, 2024. The new semester for primary and secondary schools kicked off in many parts of China on Monday. (Photo by Li Xinjun/Xinhua)

Students view paper-cut lanterns and other paintings at Hairong Primary School in Xiangyang City, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 26, 2024. The new semester for primary and secondary schools kicked off in many parts of China on Monday. (Photo by Xie Yong/Xinhua)

A student displays a handmade work made during the winter holiday at Zigui experimental primary school in Yichang City, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 26, 2024. The new semester for primary and secondary schools kicked off in many parts of China on Monday. (Photo by Wang Huifu/Xinhua)

Students display handmade works made during the winter holiday at Longshan campus of Changxing experimental primary school in Huzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 26, 2024. The new semester for primary and secondary schools kicked off in many parts of China on Monday. (Photo by Tan Yunfeng/Xinhua)
The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is launching a $1 billion venture capital fund of funds for international and regional venture capital funds, the sovereign wealth fund announced on Monday at the Web Summit.

The program, according to QIA, seeks to attract international VC funds and startups to Qatar and the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, with a particular focus on the fintech, edtech, and healthcare sectors.

Similar to typical fund-of-funds structures, QIAs initiative will invest indirectly through other VC funds but also make targeted co-investments with participating funds. The sovereign wealth fund wants to bolster the number of startups and enhance the availability of VC funding within Qatar as it attempts to narrow the gap with more established ecosystems in neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Gulf sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) like the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, ADQ, Mubadala, Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund, and Qatars QIA collectively invested over $73 billion across various asset classes in 2022, according to Global SWF, an online tracker.

Recently, these funds, aiming to reduce reliance on oil, have increasingly poured money into tech startups in the GCC region, hoping to nurture thriving venture capital industries. The strategy has seen some success. In 2023, Saudi Arabian startups alone raised $1.3 billion. Additionally, data from Magnitt reveals that only 45% of investors came from outside the MENA region, indicating growing maturity in the local venture capital ecosystem, which received $2.6 billion in funding last year.

So far, Saudi Arabia has led the charge in establishing dedicated funds for tech firms. Initiatives like Jada, the Public Investment Funds (PIF) $1 billion fund of funds, and Saudi Venture Capital have actively invested in venture capital funds, including notable names like Chinas MSA Capital and Endeavor Catalyst. However, unlike these initiatives, which also target private equity funds, QIAs fund of funds is exclusively focused on venture capital funds (similar to Dubai's $200 million Future District Fund), marking the first of its kind in the region for a country.

There is currently no dedicated pool of capital in Qatar for companies that are past seed funding and are ready for Series A to Series C funding rounds. Building a well-connected startup ecosystem network in Qatar is fundamental to diversifying the countrys economic base in the long term, said QIA CEO Mansoor Ebrahim Al-Mahmoud in a statement. QIA is launching this program to help ensure that innovative businesses can readily access capital and support from VC funds, enabling them to scale operations and expand market presence in Qatar, across the GCC, and ultimately onto the international stage.

The QIA requires fund managers seeking funds to demonstrate a strong track record and actively participate in the Gulfs VC and startup ecosystem. This entails establishing operations, a senior-level presence in Qatar, and outlining expansion plans across the GCC.

The QIAs directive mirrors what was expressed by fund managers and venture capitalists who, last year, sought to raise capital from limited partners in the Middle East, including sovereign wealth funds. Thus, observing how these directives align with their individual investments will be of particular interest. These wealth funds have historically backed foreign startups, particularly in the U.S. and Asia, with minimal connections to the Gulf region. The QIA, for instance, has made investments in various ventures such as Builder.ai, Mukesh Ambanis Reliance Retail, Singapores AI marketing platform Insider, Africas telecom operator Airtel Africa, and notable Indian startups like Swiggy and Flipkart.
Russia is already spreading disinformation in advance of the 2024 election, using fake online accounts and bots to damage President Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats, according to former U.S. officials and cyber experts.

The dissemination of attacks on Biden is part of a continuing effort by Moscow to undercut American military aid to Ukraine and U.S. support for and solidarity with NATO, experts said.

A similar effort is underway in Europe. France, Germany and Poland said this month that Russia has launched a barrage of propaganda to try to influence European parliamentary elections in June.

With Donald Trump opposing U.S. aid to Ukraine and claiming that he once warned a NATO leader that he would "encourage" Russia to attack a NATO ally if it didn't pay its share in defense spending, the potential rewards for Russian President Vladimir Putin are high, according to Bret Schafer, a senior fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy of the German Marshall Fund.

Not that they didnt have an incentive to interfere in the last two presidential elections, said Schafer, who tracks disinformation efforts by Russia and other regimes. But I would say that the incentive to interfere is heightened right now.

Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said Sunday on NBC News Meet the Press that theres plenty of reason to be concerned about Russias trying to interfere in the 2024 election but that he couldnt discuss evidence related to it. He added: Were going to be vigilant about that.

U.S. officials and experts are most concerned that Russia could try to interfere in the election through a deepfake audio or video using artificial intelligence tools or through a hack and leak, such as the politically damaging theft of internal Democratic Party emails by Russian military intelligence operatives in 2016.

The type of pro-Russia online propaganda campaigns that thrived on Twitter and Facebook ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election is now routine on every major social media platform, though its rare for individual accounts to go as viral now as they once did.

Those influence operations often create matching accounts on multiple sites, which vary drastically in their moderation policies. Accounts from one pro-Russia campaign that Meta, the owner of Facebook, cracked down on late last year, an English-language news influencer persona called People Say, are still live on other platforms, though some are dormant.

US-NEWS-SC-PRIMARY-CROSSOVER-VOTERS-1-MB (Jason Lee / The Sun News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

A People Say account on X is still visible, but it has only 51 followers and hasnt posted in almost a year. Its counterpart on Telegram, which has become a home for some Americans on the far right, is still actively posting divisive content and has almost 5,000 subscribers.

A perfect storm

Moscow and its proxies have long sought to exploit divisions in American society. But experts and former U.S. officials said Trumps false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, the country's deepening political polarization and sharp cuts in disinformation and election integrity teams at X and other platforms provide fertile ground to spread confusion, division and chaos.

In many ways its a perfect storm of opportunity for them, said Paul Kolbe, who worked for 25 years in the CIAs Directorate of Operations and is now a fellow at Harvards Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. I think, for a lot of reasons, we will see the same approach, but amplified and, I think, with some of the constraints that you might have seen taken off."

In the 2022 midterm elections, Russia primarily targeted the Democratic Party to weaken U.S. support for Ukraine, as it most likely blames Biden for forging a unified Western alliance backing Kyiv, according to a recently released U.S. intelligence assessment.

In what appears to be an effort to deepen divisions, Russia has amplified the political dispute between the Biden administration and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott over security at the Texas border over the past month. Russian politicians, bloggers, state media and bots have promoted the idea that America is headed to a new civil war.

It was a quintessential move by a Russian regime with a long tradition of trying to manipulate existing political rifts, like immigration, to its advantage, experts said.

But theres so far no sign that Russias disinformation operation in Texas has had any significant impact, said Emerson Brooking, a senior fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab at the Atlantic Council.

So far, Russian operations targeting the U.S. have been opportunistic. They see whatever narrative is rising to the top, and they try to push it, Brooking said. Disinformation isnt created in a vacuum. The more polarized a country is, the easier it is for foreign actors to infiltrate and hijack its political processes.

The artificial intelligence threat

The bigger Russian threat to the 2024 election, Brooking and other experts said, could prove to be artificial intelligence-created fake audio.

An orchestrated deepfake or leak may not unfold on the national stage; instead, it could target a particularly crucial swing state or district, experts said. It might aim to discourage some voters from going to the polls or sow distrust about the accuracy of ballot counting.

The most likely disinformation scenario will be hyper-personalized, localized attacks, said Miles Taylor, a senior Trump administration homeland security official who has warned of the risks of another Trump presidency.

Deepfake audio, which is easy to create and difficult to detect, has been used in recent elections in multiple countries. In the U.S. last month, a fake Joe Biden robocall told New Hampshire Democrats not to vote in the state's primary. In the United Kingdom in November, a fake audio of London Mayor Sadiq Khan called for pro-Palestinian marches.

And two days before Slovakias parliamentary elections in September, a fake audio clip purported to show the leader of a pro-Western political party discussing how to rig the election. The audio was eventually debunked, and its unclear what effect it had on the election. But a pro-Russia party opposing aid to Ukraine won the most votes.

While an emerging cottage industry claims that software can identify whether audio or video is authentic or a deepfake, such programs are often wrong.

Past Russian efforts

Alleged Russian information operations against Ukraine over the past two years open a window into some of the Kremlins tactics.

A study published Wednesday by the Slovakian cybersecurity company ESET found that a pro-Russia campaign has been spamming Ukrainians with false and dispiriting emails about the war with claims of heating and food shortages.

In a coordinated effort near the start of Russias invasion in 2022, cyberattacks temporarily knocked key Ukrainian websites offline, while residents received spam texts telling them that ATMs in the country were down.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in United States (Ukrainian Presidency / Anadolu via Getty Images)

Other apparent Russian efforts to sow division are much simpler.

Last year, celebrities who sell personalized videos on the website Cameo, including Priscilla Presley, Mike Tyson and Elijah Wood, were tricked into inadvertently recording messages that denigrated two major enemies of the Kremlin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Moldovan President Maia Sandu.

The messages were overlaid with text falsely claiming that the celebrities were calling for those leaders to step down. Representatives for Wood and Presley said the celebrities recorded the videos thinking they were helping a fan with addiction. A representative for Tyson said the videos of him were fake.

In the American mainstream

In the U.S., though, Russias propaganda themes are now often echoed in comments from some Republican lawmakers and pro-Trump commentators, including the portrayal of Ukraines government as deeply corrupt.

The adoption of Russian state rhetoric in Americas political debate is a victory for Moscow, experts said. Putins goal is to spread doubt and division among Americans.

An equally nice outcome for them is just what we had last time, where a third of the country doesnt believe the vote, Schafer said. Democracy is questioned; the system gets questioned. So they dont necessarily need to see their guy win to have it be a good outcome for them.

It remains extraordinarily difficult for a remote cyberattack to take over voting systems in the U.S. and change vote counts. The American intelligence assessment of the 2022 midterms found no indication that Russia had tried to hack into election systems or ballot counting that year.

But Kolbe, the former CIA directorate of operations official, said the Kremlin would most likely see trying to penetrate U.S. voting systems as a low-risk undertaking.

I dont see any reason why they wouldnt, he said. Youd be hard-pressed to find where they would see the risk part of the equation. It gets close to zero.

Such interference could come with plausible deniability. On the day of the 2022 midterm elections, the Mississippi secretary of states website, which hosts the official polling place finder for voters in Mississippi, was knocked offline most of the day after pro-Kremlin hacktivists on Telegram called for supporters to join in a low-level cyberattack against it.

Still, U.S. officials and disinformation analysts say Russias ability to manipulate voters shouldnt be overstated. When it comes to spreading disinformation and fueling distrust in election authorities and election results, the biggest threat comes from within Americas fractured, polarized society, not from the outside.

I am very skeptical, whether its 2016 or 2024, that the United States political and media culture needs any push from Russia, said Gavin Wilde, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, who specializes in Russia and information warfare.

The Kremlin has every interest in seeing an American public, or American leadership, thats less inclined to support Ukraine, thats less inclined to punish Russia. Those incentives are certainly there, he said. But were already doing a pretty good job of that at home. I dont know how much of a nudge the Kremlin thinks it needs to lend it.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Prototypes of Samsung Galaxy rings are displayed during the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona on February 26, 2024. Samsung told CNBC it hopes to explore adding contactless payment to the ring's functions.

Samsung unveiled details Monday about its newest wearable gadget, the Galaxy Ring.

Samsung said the Galaxy Ring is part of the intelligent health lineup on display at the Mobile World Congress 2024, which kicked off Monday morning in Barcelona. The company did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for more information the product.

In a release about the conference, Samsung said the Galaxy Ring "simplifies everyday wellness, supporting smarter and healthier living via a more connected digital wellness platform  Samsung Health."

A Samsung executive told CNBC in an interview that the ring will go on sale later this year, without naming a date or a price.

Here is what else we know about Samsung's upcoming health-tracking ring, and how it might compare to the Oura Ring:

Samsung: Samsung launches S24 phone line with AI, social media features at 'Galaxy Unpacked' event

Samsung Galaxy Ring collects health data without complicated interface

Samsung revealed new details at Monday's tech conference after teasing the product at a press conference earlier this year, CNBC reported.

Wired learned the following about the ring at a roundtable event Monday:

The Galaxy Ring will be marketed for people who want the benefits of tracking their health data without having to learn a new device as the data feeds to a Samsung app.

The data collected will be more from sleep and health than fitness. For example, the Samsung ring will not have workout auto-detection feature that the Oura Ring provides.

It will provide fertility tracking.

It is not intended to replace the Samsung Galaxy Watch series, and using both at the same time could improve the data users receive.

Prototypes of the Samsung Galaxy Rings are displayed during the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona on February 26, 2024. Samsung told attendees at a roundtable that the device is intended to give wearers better health data without another screen interface, Wired reported.

Samsung Digital Health exec teases contactless payment, glucose tracking functions

Hon Pak, the head of the digital health team at Samsung Electronics, shared the some hopes and dreams for the wearable device with CNBC in an interview.

He said the first iteration of the ring will have sensors to track data that wearers can access through the Samsung Health app.

The device will provide a "vitality score," that collects data about physical and mental readiness to see how productive you can be, Pak said, according to CNBC.

Pak said the company is looking into features such as contactless payment, glucose monitoring and blood pressure sensing through wearable devices, CNBC reported.

We have a whole ... team that is looking at that. But I think clearly looking at multiple different use cases for the Ring beyond just health, for sure, Pak told CNBC.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Samsung Galaxy Ring beat Oura? What we know about upcoming gadget
Santiago Ochoa'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.
This photo taken from video released by Russian Federal Penitentiary Service via SOTAVISION shows Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny appears via a video link from the Arctic penal colony in Kharp, in the Yamalo-Nenetsk region about 1,900 kilometers (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow, where he is serving a 19-year sentence, in Kovrov, Russia, on Feb. 15, 2024. Shortly after Navalny's death was reported on Friday Feb. 16, 2024, the Russian SOTA social media channel shared images of the opposition politician reportedly in court yesterday. In the footage, Navalny is seen standing up and is laughing and joking with the judge via video link.
Prosser police chief out after less than a year, 'abuse of power' investigation
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Alexei Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya took part in a meeting of European Union Foreign Ministers in Brussels, Belgium, on Feb. 19. She accused the Russian president of killing her husband and vowed to continue his work, three days after he died in a Russian Arctic prison.
XINING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have cloned two live Tibetan goats from adult goats body cells in northwest China's Qinghai Province, in an effort to prevent the plateau livestock breed from degenerating.

Under the program led by a research team of the Northwest A&F University, three rams and one ewe were used as cell donors for the clones.

"Two cloned goats have been born in Qinghai. The first-born weighed 3.4 kg and is healthy," said Su Jianmin, the chief scientist leading the cloning program, adding that the cloning research made in Qinghai can help the breed sustain its adaptivity to the plateau environment after birth.

Ma Yuehui, a researcher at the Institute of Animal Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that the cloning in the plateau environment is a major breakthrough in the field of Tibetan goat breeding technology, and of great significance for the improvement of the quality and efficiency of the Tibetan goat breeding industry.

Tibetan goat is an important cash livestock in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Su's team has been working with the Xining municipal animal disease prevention and control center since 2018 to carry out the embryo engineering application technology research on Tibetan yak and goat.

Zhang Chengtu, a researcher from the center, said the research program will help promote the good varieties of Tibetan goats and boost the income of farmers and herdsmen. 
Antrenorul Christian Streich va pleca de la SC Freiburg dupa 29 de ani

Antrenorul Christian Streich a anuntat ca va pleca de la SC Freiburg dupa 29 de ani petrecuti la acest club, potrivit news.ro. Antrenorul german (58 de ani) este la club din 1995, cand s-a alaturat ca antrenor de tineret. Cu echipa U19, el a castigat campionatul [citeste mai departe]
Stiri pe aceeasi tema

- President Klaus Iohannis had a meeting on Thursday at the Cotroceni Palace with Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria Karl Nehammer, with Romania's full admission to the Schengen Area being one of the topics approached. "In my discussion with Chancellor Nehammer we agreed to continue the

- President Klaus Iohannis wished King Charles III, diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer, a full recovery."Our thoughts go to His Majesty King Charles III and the Royal Family, as well as to the United Kingdom people in these difficult moments. We wish His Majesty a full recovery," the Romanian

- Senate President Nicolae Ciuca, leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL), said on Tuesday, when asked about the fact that the Alliance for Romanian's Union (AUR) is quoted in some polls at equal or higher percentages than PNL, that this is "mobilising" for Liberals, who must explain to people what

- President Klaus Iohannis said Tuesday that Romania stands by Japan in these trying times, and conveyed a message of condolences to the loved ones of the victims of the earthquakes that hit the country on Monday."Romania stands by the people of Japan in these trying times. We extend our heartfelt

- Decizia luata sambata, 30 decembrie, cu unanimitate de voturi de Consiliul UE, de a primi Romania si Bulgaria in spatiul Schengen, din martie 2024, cu frontierele aeriene si maritime, a fost salutata de liderii Uniunii Europene, in mesaje publicate pe retelele sociale. Anuntul privind votul in Consiliul

- Liderii Uniunii Europene au felicitat sambata Romania si Bulgaria pentru aderarea la Schengen cu frontierele maritime si aeriene, prin mesaje postate pe conturile lor de pe reteaua X (fostul Twitter).''Felicitari Romaniei si Bulgariei pentru extinderea spatiului Schengen pentru pasagerii transportului

- More than 9,400 Ukrainian citizens entered Romania on Wednesday, and in total about 197,100 people, Romanian and foreign citizens, and about 47,100 means of transport carried out the control formalities at the border points, according to a press release sent from the General Inspectorate of the Border

- President Klaus Iohannis says he is appalled by the shooting that occurred on Thursday afternoon in Prague, stressing that Romania is with the Czech people."Appalled by the shooting in #Prague today, that claimed so many innocent lives. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the victims
Top 7 fundasi golgheteri

Atacantii sunt de regula cei care sunt in prim-plan si asta pentru ca ei sunt cei care fac spectacol si ridica publicul in picioare. Se intampla asta in primul rand datorita faptului ca marcheaza goluri. De aceea, ei ajung sa castige si trofeele individuale, cum ar fi prestigiosul Balon de Aur. Foarte multa lume uita insa de fundasi, care au si ei [citeste mai departe]
Opposition parties held a demonstration for the direct election of the head of state in downtown Budapest on Sunday.

At the event held at Kossuth Lajos Square in front of Parliament, speakers from the Democratic Coalition (DK), Momentum, the Socialist Party and Parbeszed criticised Prime Minister Viktor Orbans regime and a pardon granted by outgoing President Katalin Novak to the deputy head of a childrens home convicted of covering up child abuse.



Klara Dobrev, DKs shadow prime minister, insisted that the responsibility for the child abuse case at the Bicske childrens home lay with Orbans Fidesz-linked paedophile ring, but they wont be able to make this network disappear with legislative amendments.



She said the ruling parties were now scrambling to elect someone who looks like a president, calling the process a presidential election coup that she said was needed because Viktor Orban is afraid of the people.



Timea Szabo, acting co-leader of Parbeszed, said freedom in Hungary today was under threat from Viktor Orban and his paedophile ring. She insisted that Orbans entire regime is guilty, most of all the prime minister.



Agnes Kunhalmi, co-leader of the Socialists, said those actually responsible for the Bicske child abuse case were hidden in the shadows, adding that those staying silent on the case were accomplices. She also said the opposition parties should field joint election lists for both the European Parliament and municipal elections.



Momentum lawmaker David Bedo said it had still not been explained why the accomplice of a child abuser had been granted a pardon. He said that in addition to a direct presidential election, the opposition should also be demanding justice for victims of abuse.



Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony said Hungary had a government which had spent more on state propaganda than on social and child protection. He said the government was spending tens and hundreds of billions a year on repeating that it is against migration and for families while releasing people smugglers and the accomplices of paedophile monsters from prison.



Gyurcsany: 'Democrats Obliged to Cooperate'

Democrats are obliged to cooperate in the fight against [Prime Minister Viktor] Orbans regime, but not everyone thinks the same way about this cooperation, Ferenc Gyurcsany, the leader of the opposition Democratic Coalition (DK), said in a speech assessing the past year on Saturday.



Gyurcsany said those in the opposition who wanted to fight both the government and the rest of the opposition were setting themselves up for defeat and their opponents for victory.



He said 2023 had been a difficult year for the world, but the most rubbish year for Hungary in a long time. He said the government and democrats disagreed on the reasons for the international order coming unbalanced.



He said it was right for a country to try to manoeuvre between the global powers in a complex and contradictory international situation, adding, at the same time, that manoeuvring cannot be treason.



Gyurcsany said the one aspect of any international conflict DK and the government agreed on was that Israel had a right to defend itself after Hamass terrorist attack, even if what was happening in Gaza right now gives cause for concern.



Turning to domestic politics, Gyurcsany said the fierceness of political debates in Hungary was about deciding whether the country should be Christian, as [ruling] Fidesz says, or civic, which sums up what democrats want.



Hungary is the country of believers and non-believers, Christians and non-Christians, he said, arguing that if the homeland belongs to everyone, it cannot identify itself solely with the faith of a single group. Gyurcsany said DK considered Fideszs system unconstitutional because they strive to obtain and hold absolute power.



He said DK would not view Tamas Sulyok, the ruling parties nominee for head of state, as president if he is elected, but as Viktor Orbans employee, arguing that Sulyok, as head of the Constitutional Court, had already been playing an active role in creating, consolidating and upholding Orbans unconstitutional power.



Meanwhile, Gyurcsany said the past three weeks had been shocking, as it had come to light that individuals close to the government had abused children, and the highest-ranking state officials tried and are trying to  cover up these crimes. He insisted that this permanently tarnishes Viktor Orbans regime, making the prime minister the number one leader of dishonesty.



Ruling Fidesz in response said in a statement that Gyurcsany was still the leader of the dollar left, and they still refuse to take responsibility for their crimes.



The party said Gyurcsanys speech was once again all about their aim to gain power at all cost.



They still refuse to take responsibility for their actions, Fidesz said, adding that with Gyurcsany crimes have no consequences.



The party said Gyurcsany wanted to get back into power after having pushed the country into a crisis in eight years, scrapped one month of pension and eliminated family support as prime minister.



Meanwhile, Mayor Says Budapest Won't Compromise on Its Own & Others' Freedom

Mayor Gergely Karacsony said at a demonstration held on Saturday to mark the second anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine that Budapest will not compromise on its own or others freedom, expressing solidarity with the Ukrainian people.



Karacsony said that the demonstration held near the Russian embassy in central Budapest was meant to send a message to Putin and Putins students that Budapest will not compromise on its own freedom or on the freedom of others.



We are here today to stand with the courageous Ukrainian people and send the message to the world that although we may have a worthless government, we are not a worthless nation, Karacsony said.



The mayor expressed shame over Hungarys incumbent government, insisting that there were conflicts in which it did not come into question whether one sides with the aggressor or the victim.



Budapest knows what it is like when Russian tanks roll along its streets. Budapest knows how hard it is to stand up for freedom. But Budapest knows, too, that if there is no freedom, then there is nothing, either, said Karacsony.



Katalin Cseh, an MEP of opposition Momentum, the chief organiser of the event, said that Vladimir Putins brutal, bloody, inhumane war has been going on in Ukraine for two years now, with Ukraine fighting its freedom fight against oppression under a terror which is unimaginable for us overall.



She called for standing with and helping Ukraine, saying that it is our duty to show the world that the Hungarian nation will not serve the interests of Vladimir Putin, a war criminal  We are not siding with a war criminal, said Cseh.



She noted that more than 500 children had been killed and some 20,000 Ukrainian children had been deported by the Russians in the war.



The Momentum MEP called it shameful that Prime Minister Viktor Orban has made assistance to Ukraine subject to blackmail because of his questionable and shady dealings with Putin.



It is a primary goal for us all that Hungary should not be dragged into the war, but one who acts as a servant to an aggressor in a war is one with a pro-war mind-set.



Viktor Orban is one doing so, Viktor Orban is a pro-war [politician], Cseh said. At the demonstration, participants observed a minute of silence to pay tribute to the victims of the war.



MTI Photo: Tibor Illyes



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JAKARTA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo held a cabinet meeting with ministers and heads of institutions on Monday to address fiscal strategy for 2025 and prepare for food price stability.

"I kindly request that all relevant ministries and institutions remain watchful and ensure that people can engage in meaningful and quiet worship. Therefore, my key requests are to preserve food supplies and food price stability," Widodo said at the meeting.

In the nation with a majority of Muslims, the 30-day Ramadan fast will begin in the second week of March and conclude with an exodus of urbanites returning to their hometowns to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with their relatives.

One of main topics of the meeting was infrastructure and suitable means of transportation ready for those returning home, as last year's exodus surpassed 123 million people, or half the country's population.

The meeting also discussed economic transformation of the government's work plan and fiscal strategy for 2025. 
In an impressive return to the directors chair, Lajos Koltais latest masterpiece, Semmelweis, has taken the Hungarian film industry by storm. As the highest-grossing local movie in the past half-decade, it has reinvigorated Hungarys cinematic landscape.

Koltai, renowned for his Oscar-nominated cinematography in Malena, brings to life the story of Dr. Ignac Semmelweis, the pioneering Hungarian physician dubbed the saviour of mothers.



Since its debut on November 30, Semmelweis has attracted a massive audience, maintaining a position among the top three films for nine consecutive weeks and grossing over $1.7 million.



The narrative is set in the heart of 19th century Vienna and delves into the life of Semmelweis, whose innovations in antiseptic practices at a maternity clinic marked a turning point in medical history.



The plot thickens as Semmelweis, portrayed by the talented Miklos H. Vecsei, faces opposition from his superior, who forbids him from researching puerperal fever, a deadly epidemic plaguing the hospital.



Despite being undermined at every turn and subjected to espionage by a young midwife, Emma Hoffmann, Semmelweiss determination leads to a breakthrough in preventing the fever. This discovery, however, brings its own set of challenges as he strives to prove his theory amidst skepticism from his peers.



Koltais depiction of Semmelweiss life is not just a historical biopic but a profound exploration of dedication, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of truth.



The relationship between Semmelweis and Hoffmann evolves from mistrust to romance, adding a personal dimension to the scientific endeavor and highlighting the human element in the quest for knowledge and innovation.



This marks the third cinematic tribute to the physician revered by Hungarians, following Andre de Toths 1940 rendition and Frigyes Bans 1952 adaptation.



Alongside Vecseis compelling portrayal, the film boasts a talented crew, with Balazs Maruszki penning the script, Andras Nagys cinematography capturing the essence of the era, and Attila Pacsays music enriching the narratives emotional depth.



Produced by Tamas Lajos at Szupermodern Filmstudio and Joe Vida, and with backing from the National Film Institute of Hungary, Semmelweis is a significant addition to the annals of Hungarian cinema, celebrating the legacy of a man whose groundbreaking work continues to save lives today.



Source: budapestreporter.com - republished with permission



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Officials commemorated the memorial day for the victims of communism on Sunday. Speaking at a ceremony at the House of Terror Museum in Budapest, interior ministry state secretary Bence Retvari said violence was a fundamental aspect of communism, and the left always looks the other way when it comes to violence.

The red fog first descended on our country in 1919, claiming more than 500 victims, according to some sources, he said.



During the second communist dictatorship, 700,000-800,000 people were taken to Gulag camps, of whom 300,000 never returned, Retvari said.



A million criminal proceedings were launched, with mainly members of the peasantry and the working class being put on trial, he added, paying tribute to the 1,200 people who were executed and the 200,000 who fled the country in 1956.



Violence is a fundamental aspect of communism, he said, noting that a year ago, far-left Antifa groups had assaulted passers-by on the streets of Budapest.



Extremists think theyre allowed to resort to violence to upset the social order, the state secretary said.



He said that if communists failed to seize power, they try to take a detour, by first seizing ideological power.



The victims of communism need to be remembered so that history becomes ingrained in our central European DNA, and to warn western Europeans  that far-left ideas must be rejected, he added.



Retvari said certain politicians tended to look the other way when it came to Antifa attacks or when other politicians use violence. Moderates reject violence, and those who defend it are always extremist political forces, he said.



Maria Schmidt, the director of the House of Terror Museum, said those who were born during the fall of communism in 1989-90 and are now parents themselves had a duty to pass on to their children their knowledge of how their grandparents and great-grandparents lived.



She said this was not easy, because some still had an interest in keeping children from learning the truth about communist dictatorships. The memorial day is needed to keep repeating the truth about the tragedy of the communist dictatorship, she added.



Reka Foldvary Kiss, the head of the National Remembrance Committee, said the memorial day was not just about the personal tragedy of independent smallholder politician Bela Kovacs, who was arrested and deported to the Soviet Union in 1947, but also about confronting the fact that if communists gain power, then anyone can end up being a victim.



Foldvary Kiss, Janos Latorcai, deputy speaker of parliament, Laszlo Geza Somjeni, head of the Freedom Fighters Foundation, and Csongor Csaky, head of the Rakoczi Association, laid a wreath at the Monument of National Martyrs.



Csaba Latorcai, state secretary at the public administration and regional development ministry, told a commemoration that the spirit of communism haunts Europe again, but this time communists were backed up by millions of US dollars, rather than Soviet bayonets.



In his speech by a memorial plaque at the Budapest Gyorskocsi Street prison used by the communist police, Latorcai said that in the 1940s, it was foreign interests that put communists in power.



Hungarians didnt want communism then, and they dont want it now, the state secretary said. He said the legacy and message of the victims of communism was that Hungary can only be built on Christian culture.



It is only this culture that allows our children to also live in a free and sovereign country, he added. Under a parliamentary decree, February 25 has been observed as a memorial day of martyrs of communism since 2000.



On this day in 1947, leader of the Independent Smallholders Party Bela Kovacs was illegally detained and deported to the Soviet Union.



Meanwhile, Think-Tank Head Calls For Immediate Ceasefire 'At Brink' of Third World War



There is a need for ceasefire and peace, and the leaders best suited to achieve it are Donald Trump and Viktor Orban, Miklos Szantho, the head of Hungarys Center for Fundamental Rights, said at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, DC, on Friday evening.



Szantho said the cult of woke presented a clear and present danger to our way of life and even our security.



Woke is just a new form of communism, he said, adding that it is a civilizational threat, too.



Mass illegal migration waters down the political power of those voters who still remember what the American dream and European prosperity once were. And with its gender ideology, the new left  targets children  undermines the family which is the cornerstone of our societies, he said.



Szantho said gender ideology, cancel culture, rejection of the divine and illegal mass migration are insidious, but slow acting poisons that seek to paralyse the nation and the body politic.



He said Hungary was a pain in the liberals neck because we stand firm on God, homeland and the family, and we do not allow George Soros to interfere in our domestic issues by giving millions to his liberal comrades, and repeated the slogan of the Hungarian right wing: No migration! No gender! No war!



Szantho called for stopping the wokeists and setting up the global network of anti-globalist forces, which he said CPAC would also pursue at its next event in Budapest in April.



MTI Photo: Tamas Kovacs



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A group of state senators are aiming to expand veterans access to problem-solving courts in Nebraska through legislation that would give judges the option to help connect those individuals with treatment and other services.

Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon said the Veterans Justice Act would build upon the success of Nebraskas existing problem-solving courts by providing extra opportunities to help them deal with their underlying traumas.

Its not a permission slip to commit crimes, but a way to address those issues that are specific to veterans, said Brewer, who spent 37 years in the military as an infantryman and airborne ranger.

The legislation was brought to Nebraska by former U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, who is a member of the Council on Criminal Justices Veterans Justice Commission, a 15-member committee that launched an examination of veterans involvement in the criminal justice system in 2022.

The recommendation that emerged from that study was molded into a model bill that could be adopted by state legislatures for use in the roughly 3,000 counties across the country  most of which do not have problem-solving courts tailored to veterans.

Hagel said the bill, which was written in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs, congressional leaders, and the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, gives states something you can work from.

Weve got to come at it from a holistic view of the decision-makers in our country, Hagel told senators at a briefing before Fridays hearing.

Introduced as an amendment to replace a bill (LB253) introduced by Brewer last year that remained held in Judiciary Committee, the proposal would require each district and county court in the state to create a program to help avoid incarcerating veterans who suffer from the lingering effects of their service.

Veterans who are found eligible for the program would work with the court to develop a case plan that includes connecting them with service providers funded through the Veterans Administration that is specific to their needs.

The legislation introduced on Friday would give the discretion for making the determination of whether or not a veteran qualifies to the judge, which is unique to Nebraskas other problem-solving courts, which give prosecutors authority to determine who qualifies and who doesnt.

If a judge thinks that putting a particular veteran in a program would be unsafe for the public, this legislation lets the judge make the call, Brewer told the committee, adding: These programs are not supposed to be a cake walk.

It would also allow the victim of the veterans crime  if there was one  to be heard by the court during the process, and would require the state judiciary to keep track of success rates, housing and employment status, as well as details on the types of offenses committed.

Brewer, who was awarded a Purple Heart during his service, said he knew several military service members who suffered after completing their tours of duty.

They would leave the military and not be able to adjust, he said, adding that in some cases those individuals would spiral until they found themselves in a courtroom after having broken the law.

Jim Seward, the director of the Veterans Justice Commission, said the problems faced by veterans are nothing new.

A study of 11 prisons conducted in 1952 found that roughly one-third of the inmates were veterans of World War II, Seward said, while the number of veterans who were incarcerated after the Vietnam War was similar.

After World War II, we did not know that sitting in the VFW and drinking whiskey was not a good coping mechanism, he said, which often led to the problems faced by many.

The recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which were the longest armed conflicts in American history, saw men and women deployed multiple times over the course of two decades, which makes them more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, Seward added.

Those facts brought heightened awareness to the issues faced by veterans, he said, which led to the Veterans Justice Commissions study on how the U.S. can help those individuals return to their homes and communities in a better way.

The outcomes of establishing an alternative to incarceration for former members of the military was beneficial not only to those individuals, Seward said, but to the communities where they live and work.

If the Department of Defense is putting folks onto your streets that are struggling and suffering, and theyre not picking up the cost, you better than anybody else in Nebraska knows who is picking up the cost, Seward said.

Brock Hunter, the co-founder of the Veterans Defense Project, said not every veteran will come back damaged, but that it was important for the legal system to have an understanding of those who do, even if their scars are invisible.

Undiagnosed and untreated, those conditions all too often lead to self-medication with alcohol or drugs, and self-destructive, reckless, and unfortunately sometimes violent behaviors against the veterans families or the communities they have just risked their lives to protect, Hunter said.

The Veterans Justice Act aims to do a better job than we did in the past, Hunter said, by giving those individuals a second chance while also holding them accountable.

It would not interfere with existing veterans treatment courts, like those operating in Lancaster County and Nebraskas other most populous areas, but outlines a process any judge can follow: This is just an augment.

Its never going to be as comprehensive as a veterans treatment court, Hunter said, but what were trying to do is triage. Were trying to provide something here thats better than nothing, than just throwing a veteran in a cage and punishing him or her.

The proposal won support from the Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association, which said problem-solving courts, including those geared toward veterans, have demonstrated success of saving taxpayer money and reducing recidivism rates.

The organization representing prosecutors  the Nebraska County Attorneys Association  said it had hesitations on the legislation introduced on Friday, however.

Dan Zieg, speaking on behalf of the county attorneys, said while it was supportive of veterans treatment programs, his group believes prosecutors should have the authority  not judges  to help determine who qualifies for entry into those programs.

Zieg said many county attorneys, particularly in rural parts of the state, were also concerned about a lack of resources to carry out the program.

Brewer said the bill is probably not perfect and said he was willing to work with lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee to address concerns and advance it to the floor.

We were rushed when we put the bill together, Brewer said, adding Hagel had brought it to the attention of several lawmakers earlier this month, but I think were in the 90th percentile.

The Judiciary Committee did not take any action on the bill on Friday, but Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne, the committee chair, said the legislation was part of a national movement and pledged to help Brewer pass the bill in the remaining 26 days of the legislative session.

This is an opportunity for us to correct some of the lack of supports, he said.

Brewer said he believed the Veterans Justice Act would make the states criminal justice system better.

This is good for our veterans, this is good for communities, this is good for Nebraska, he said.

Meet the Nebraska state senators making laws in 2024
New Delhi: 'Crew' teaser release has ignited a frenzy of anticipation for this upcoming commercial potboiler. Led by powerhouse performers Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Kriti Sanon, the teaser showcases a tantalizing glimpse into the captivating world of the film. Since its debut, the teaser has sparked an overwhelmingly positive response across social and digital media platforms, swiftly claiming the top spot on YouTube within a mere 24 hours.

The phenomenal achievement of the 'Crew' teaser reaching No. 1 on YouTube underscores the immense excitement it has generated among audiences worldwide. With its infectious charm and dynamic performances, the teaser has captivated viewers, leaving them eagerly anticipating the film's theatrical release.

Praised for its fresh and entertaining vibe, the teaser has garnered widespread acclaim from audiences. Packed with witty dialogue, humor, and an electrifying soundtrack, the teaser promises a thrilling ride that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Scheduled for a theatrical release on March 29, 2024, 'Crew' promises to deliver an exhilarating cinematic experience that will leave audiences clamoring for more. Balaji Telefilms and Anil Kapoor Film & Communications Network, 'Crew,' is directed by Rajesh Krishnan.
New Delhi: Zerodha's Co-founder and CEO, Nithin Kamath, recently disclosed that he experienced a minor stroke approximately six weeks ago, leading him to question why someone as healthy as himself could be impacted.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Kamath mentioned that factors ranging from inadequate sleep and fatigue to the recent loss of his father could have contributed to the occurrence.(Also Read: Mark Zuckerberg Learns Skill Of Traditional Japanese Sword Making; Watch Video)

Around 6 weeks ago, I had a mild stroke out of the blue. Dad passing away, poor sleep, exhaustion, dehydration, and overworking out any of these could be possible reasons.



I've gone from having a big droop in the face and not being able to read or write to having a slight droop pic.twitter.com/aQG4lHmFER February 26, 2024

Around 6 weeks ago, I had a mild stroke out of the blue. Dad passing away, poor sleep, exhaustion, dehydration, and overworking out  any of these could be possible reasons, he posted. (Also Read: MobiKwik Unveils Pocket UPI For Payments Without Linking Bank Account)

Kamath mentioned that he is currently recovering.

I've gone from having a big droop in the face and not being able to read or write to having a slight droop but being able to read and write more. From being absent-minded to more present-minded. So, 3 to 6 months for full recovery, the Zerodha CEO added.

He wondered why a person who's fit and takes care of himself could be affected like this. The doctor said you need to know when you need to shift the gears down a bit, said Kamath, posting an image of him in the hospital.

Slightly broken, but still getting my treadmill count, he added.

Zerodha reported a revenue of Rs 6,875 crore and a profit at Rs 2,907 crore for the financial year 2022-23 (FY23), representing a 38.5 per cent and 39 per cent growth in revenue and profit, respectively, as compared to the previous financial year. In FY22, the company had reported revenue of Rs 4,964 crore and a profit of Rs 2,094 crore. (With Inputs From IANS)
New Delhi: With an attempt to study the decline in poverty rates and the number of multidimensionally poor people over different periods, the National Multidimensional Poverty Index of NITI Aayog employs the widely recognized Alkire Foster methodology. However, the National MPI covers 12 indicators, whereas the global MPI covers 10 indicators.

In the past, poverty has been measured by determining a person's or household's financial resources. The commonly used financial metrics were consumer expenditures or household income. However, for failing to account for the multiple deprivations that people may experience during their lifetimes, this method of calculating poverty has come under fire.



The approach developed by Alkire and Foster (AF), which uses a dual-cutoff counting method to determine whether an individual is considered poor or not, is the foundation of the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). This approach adheres to the widely accepted measure intended for evaluating cases of acute poverty and offers an alternative viewpoint to traditional monetary measures of poverty assessment.

Ten indicators from three categoriesstandard of living, education, and healthare used by Global MPI. The education dimension comprises years of schooling and school attendance, whereas the health dimension includes nutrition and child and adolescent mortality indicators. The standard of living dimension includes six household-specific indicators: housing, household assets, cooking fuel type, access to sanitation, drinking water, and electricity.

Poverty is evaluated individually by the MPI. A person is classified as "MPI poor" by the global MPI if they are deprived in three or more of the ten (weighted) indicators.

Over time, both NITI Aayog and its predecessor, the Planning Commission, have methodically produced estimates of poverty in their efforts to address the complexities of poverty. Furthermore, as part of the Global Indices for Reform and Action (GIRG) effort, NITI Aayog has been tasked with creating an indigenous index for gauging estimates of multidimensional poverty.

In line with the global MPI report's methodology, the national MPI uses the dual-cutoff approach of the AF methodology. Under India's national priorities, the national MPI adds two new indicators, maternal health, and bank accounts, to the ten indicators from the global MPI.
New Delhi: We already seem to have a winner in the run-up to the much-awaited Oscar Awards, the ultimate nod of validation for filmmakers, actors, and creators.

Christopher Nolans hit biopic Oppenheimer, which has been dominating the award season, once again dominated this years Screen Actors Guild awards. The awards instituted by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists gave its vote of confidence to Nolan and his team.

The cast of the biographical epic won best ensemble, racing ahead of Barbie and Killers of the Flower Moon. Cillian Murphy yet again picked up a male actor in a leading role, This is extremely, extremely special to me because it comes from you guys, said the actor.

Robert Downey Jr won for male actor in a supporting role for playing Lewis Strauss in the film. This being his second SAG award in 23 years, he had won the trophy for Ally McBeal in 2001.

Lily Gladstone won best female actor in a leading role for Killers of the Flower Moon, upstaging the current favourite Emma Stone. Margot Robbie who was also nominated has taken it in her stride with the snubs coming her and Barbies way.

This has been a hard year for all of us, said Lily Gladstone referring to the 2023 actors strike. We bring empathy into a world that so much needs it,.

The Holdovers star DaVine Joy Randolph took home Best Female Actor in a supporting role, the actor has been the toast of all the major awards this year.

Much to the surprise of all including the actor himself Pedro Pascal was judged the best actor in a drama series for The Last of Us.

Joking that he was drunk as he didnt think he would win. Im gonna have a panic attack and Im gonna leave, he said in his acceptance speech,

Elizabeth Debicki was named female actor in a drama series for The Crown, beating out Successions Sarah Snook.

The Bear picked up three awards, including for comedy ensemble, 

Ali Wong won yet another award for her role in the Netflix series Beef, picking up Best Female Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series, while her co-star Steven Yeun once again won for Male Actor.

In a tribute to S Korean actor and Parasite actor Lee Sun Kyun who tragically passed away in December 2023

Naomi Watts said, "Last year, we lost many extraordinary actors. The absence of those who touched the world with their talent is deeply felt."
The Allahabad High Court today upheld the Varanasi Court order allowing Hindu side to offer prayer in 'Vyas Ka Tehkhana' in the Gyanvapi Mosque. The High Court refused to put a stay on the Varanasi court's order and the Muslim side said that they will file a caveat in the Supreme Court against the order.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who represented the Hindu side said, "Today, the Allahabad High Court has dismissed the first appeal from orders of Anjuman Intezamia wherein the order of 17th and 31st January passed by Varanasi District Court was under challenge before Allahabad High Court. The crux of the matter is that the ongoing puja in the 'Vyas Tehkhana' of Gyanvapi complex will continue."

The Allahabad High Court delivered the verdict on an appeal filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee (AIMC) in which the Muslim side challenged the order of Varanasi District Judge allowing Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the 'Vyas Ka Tehkhana' area in the Gyanvapi mosque complex. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal of Allahabad High Court delievered the judgement today after reserving the decision during the last hearing. The mosque has four 'tahkhanas' (cellars) in the basement, of which one is still in the possession of the Vyas family, who used to live there.

Reacting to the judgement, Advocate Prabhash Pandey said that as per the order, Varanasi District Magistrate will continue as the Receiver of the 'tehkhana'.

Advocate Hari Shankar Jain, said, "It is a decision worth welcoming. The right that Hindus have to perform puja has been maintained by the High Court. Hindus were performing puja in the Vyas Tehkhana until 1993, but they were stopped unlawfully. They (the Muslim side) can move Supreme Court, but we are also ready to oppose."

On January 31, the Varanasi district court allowed the Hindu side to offer prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque. The court directed the Varanasi district magistrate to make arrangements within seven days for 'puja' to be performed by the Hindu side and a pujari (priest) nominated by Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust.
Jhajjar: The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Nafe Singh Rathee's murder case has taken a new turn as sources on Monday claimed that two more suspects have been apprehended by the authorities. Haryana police, while refusing to confirm any arrests in the case, said that multiple teams have been formed to nab the culprits and crack the case at the earliest. The case is being probed from all angles, said the police. A lot of people have been called for questioning but no one has been arrested as yet. the police said.

Abhay Singh Chautala, the INLD Secretary-General, meanwhile demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), expressing scepticism about the government's involvement.

Chautala's Allegations And Demand For CBI Probe

Abhay Chautala asserted that the murder was a result of a premeditated conspiracy, referring to it as a "contract killing." He labelled Nafe Singh Rathee's murder as a ''political assassination'', pointing fingers at BJP office bearers. Chautala demanded a thorough investigation by the CBI, supervised by a sitting judge, expressing a lack of trust in the government's handling of the case.

INLD Secretary General Abhay Singh Chautala said, "This entire matter should be investigated by the CBI under the monitoring by a sitting judge. We fully trust our Police. But we don't trust the Government. So, we had demanded a CBI investigation. An Adjournment Motion was given in the Assembly today, regarding the same. This was discussed in the Assembly. The Members questioned the Government about the law & order in the state...I spoke with the SP just now, and he told me that two people have been arrested & all the other people against whom the FIR has been registered will be arrested at the earliest...I still say that this murder has been orchestrated. This is a political murder. The names mentioned by the members of the family are all BJP office bearers. Anil Vij also said that the people against whom FIR has been registered are all BJP people. This is a political matter...Arrest all those whose names have been mentioned in the FIR, question them, and publish everything. So that nobody dares to do this again."

#WATCH | Haryana INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee shot dead | INLD Secretary General Abhay Singh Chautala says, "This entire matter should be investigated by the CBI under the monitoring by a sitting judge. We fully trust our Police. But we don't trust the Government. So, we had pic.twitter.com/cbarGt1bMj  ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2024

Haryana Gov Relents To CBI Inquiry

In response to mounting pressure, Haryana's Home Minister Anil Vij conceded to the demand for a CBI probe into Nafe Singh Rathee's murder. Vij ensured that the culprits would face severe consequences, emphasizing the ongoing police investigation. In the State Assembly, the Haryana Home Minister said, "Haryana INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee's murder case will be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The accused of this murder case will not be spared and the strictest action will be taken. Police are investigating this matter."

In the State Assembly, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij says, "Haryana INLD chief Nafe Singh Rathee's murder case will be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The accused of this murder case will not be spared and the strictest action will be taken. Police is pic.twitter.com/QqvWl2XeKY  ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2024

Family Says No Post-Mortem Until Arrests

Nafe Singh Rathee's family, demanding justice, refused to allow the post-mortem until all the accused are arrested. Jitendra Rathee, the deceased's son, suspected the involvement of local BJP leaders in his father's murder and criticized the lack of security despite repeated requests.

Investigation And FIR

The Haryana police have registered a case against four individuals in connection with the murder. Five teams, including two Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), have been deployed to apprehend the accused. The investigation involves collecting physical and scientific evidence, examining CCTV footage, and scrutinizing a suspected vehicle.

Abhay Chautala earlier placed the blame on the BJP-led government for Nafe Singh Rathee's murder, questioning the motives behind not providing security despite acknowledging potential threats. He challenged the BJP government's attempt to shift responsibility by mentioning the Lawrance Bishnoi gang, demanding transparency in the investigation.

The incident has sparked political tensions, with the call for a CBI inquiry gaining momentum as the case unfolds.
Abbas Ganbay

French journalist Jean-Michel Brun, editor-in-chief of La Gazette du Caucase, an online newspaper based in Paris, published an article dedicated to the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, Azernews reports.

"It has been 32 years since the Armenian Armed Forces committed this crime, the horror of which surpasses all imagination. Those who managed to escape the attackers were killed in the forest where they had sought refuge, while others died of cold or were seriously wounded. Most of them were women, children, and the elderly.

The Armenian invasion resulted in the occupation of more than 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, killing more than 20,000 people. More than 50,000 people were wounded or maimed. More than a million civilians, victims of the Armenian policy of ethnic cleansing, lived as refugees, internally displaced persons for almost three decades," the author writes.

Jean-Michel Brun emphasised that no sanctions have been taken against Armenia for these crimes - neither by the United States nor by the European Union.

"The same is true for France, which has never condemned Armenia for the occupation of a sovereign state, never for ethnic cleansing, never for the Khojaly genocide. On the contrary, several French cities signed twinning agreements with Azerbaijani cities that were under Armenian occupation at the time," Brune noted.

The article further noted that when Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hoisted the national flag in the town of Khojaly on October 15 last year, it was a historic event marking the restoration of justice for all Azerbaijanis.

"Today, large-scale construction and reconstruction work is underway in Khojaly. Hundreds of houses are being revived from ruins. The construction of roads, communication, water supply, sewerage, electricity, and other main lines in the city is being completed. The resettlement of residents will begin very soon. According to the local authorities, 50 families are expected to return to Khojaly within the first six months of this year. Thus, the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan have already been restored, and 32 years after the tragedy, Khojaly is being revived," the conclusion reads.

Also, the Austrian online newspaper dasfazit.at dedicated an article to the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, where it is reported that the Khojaly genocide is one of the most heinous crimes against humanity, Azernews reports.

"32 years ago Armenian terrorists committed the Khojaly genocide, one of the most heinous crimes against humanity. Khojaly, once a peaceful town in Azerbaijan, was captured on the night of February 25-26, 1992. During the occupation, Armenian terrorists killed 613 civilians in Khojaly. "They were old men, women, and children," the article says.

The authors emphasise that neither the US nor the EU imposed any sanctions against Armenia for these crimes. On the contrary, in 1992 (the same year Armenian terrorists committed genocide in Khojaly), the US passed the 907th Amendment to its Constitution against Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan won the 44-day war under the leadership of President and Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev and carried out an anti-terrorist measure in Garabagh. Thus, Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity have been fully restored. On October 15, last year, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, raised the state flag in Khojaly. This historic event marked the restoration of justice, the beginning of a new, peaceful life in the town, which was subjected to brutal destruction by Armenian terrorism.

Hundreds of houses in Khojaly are undergoing large-scale repair and reconstruction works (all communications, drinking water, sewerage, electricity, and main lines of the city) and are already at the stage of completion. The residents will be resettled in Khojaly in the near future. During the first six months of this year, 50 families are planned to be resettled in the town. This will be another Great Victory of the Azerbaijani people," the article says.




Antigua and Barbuda's prime minister said his country would enhance its relationship with China across several areas.

"We will be enhancing, strengthening and broadening the bilateral relationship between Antigua and Barbuda and the People's Republic of China," said Prime Minister Gaston Browne in an interview with Xinhua.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service








New Delhi: Assam Cabinet on Friday repealed the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935. The government decided to repeal the to prohibit child marriage in the state.

In today's DNA, Zee News anchor Sourabh Raaj Jain analysed the effect of repeal of the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 and the transitioning of Muslim marriages under the Special Marriage Act.

In Assam, Muslim marriages will no longer be registered under the Muslim Marriage Act; instead, they will be conducted under the Special Marriage Act. This decision by the Assam government has sparked political controversy, with the government claiming it will help combat child marriage, while Muslim leaders argue it is unjust and goes against their religious beliefs.

Decoding Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act, 1935

Previously, marriage registration was conducted under the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act of 1935. Under this act, the age of the individuals getting married was not a consideration. Additionally, both the bride and groom were required to be of the same religion for the marriage to be legally recognized. If someone wished to marry a person of a different religion, they were obligated to convert their partner's religion.

The Assam government's rationale behind this decision is rooted in their belief that the Muslim Marriage Act inadvertently promotes child marriage and creates difficulties for girls.

Understanding the Impact of Muslims Marrying Under the Special Marriage Act:

Previously, there was no separate registration of Muslim marriages or divorces under the Special Marriage Act.

Muslim marriages, which were previously not conducted under the Special Marriage Act, will now be regulated by it.

Under the Muslim Marriage Act, the age of marriage was not a determining factor, but under the Special Marriage Act, the boy must be at least 21 years old, and the girl must be at least 18 years old.

All 94 Muslim Registrars, known as Government Qazis, who facilitated registration of Muslim Nikah cases under the Muslim Marriage Act, have been removed, with each receiving compensation of Rs 2 lakh.

Unlike the Muslim Marriage Act, polygamy and child marriage are not permissible under the Special Marriage Act.

The responsibility of registering Muslim marriages now lies with the District Commissioner and District Registrar, in addition to other designated authorities.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that until he is alive, he wont allow the marriage of teenage girls in Assam. He was speaking in the state assembly as the Assam Cabinet on Friday abrogated the Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act of 1935. We will not rest in peace until we completely close the shop that you people have opened to ruin the daughters of the Muslim community, the CM added. The decision came after a meeting where the cabinet approved the Assam Repealing Ordinance 2024 and nullified the 89-year-old Act.

What Is the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act of 1935?

Enacted in 1935, the Act outlines the procedure for registering Muslim marriages and divorces. An amendment was made in 2010 which replaced the term 'voluntary' with 'compulsory,' mandating the registration of Muslim marriages and divorces in Assam. The Act empowers the state to issue licenses for the registration of marriages and divorces for any Muslim individual. The Act designates Muslim registrars as public servants and specifies the application process for marriage and divorce registration with the registrar. The Act was in line with Muslim personal law.

Rationale Behind Abrogation The Law?

CM described this move as another notable stride in preventing child marriages in Assam. He said that the Act permits marriage registration even if the bride and groom are below the legally marriageable ages of 18 and 21, respectively. A statement from the Cabinet meeting characterised it as an "outdated pre-Independence Act from the British era for the then Province." It also pointed out that the registration mechanism in the Act is informal thus "allowing non-compliance with existing norms."

The Act governs the nikah and talaq in the state and for the registration, the kazi were appointed by the government. According to reports, many kazis misused their power and often allowed marriage of a minor.

This move comes two weeks after the BJP-ruled Uttarakhand became the first state in India to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The BJP-led government in Assam has expressed a similar intention. In the words of Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, the repeal of the Act is a crucial step toward this objective. He also mentioned that with the Act's repeal, Muslims would be required to register marriages under the Special Marriage Act instead.

Link With Child Marriage

Last year, the Assam government initiated an unprecedented crackdown against child marriages, arresting over 4,000 individuals and prosecuting most under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The government is committed to eliminating child marriage by 2026. The specific provision of the Act that the chief minister mentioned as allowing child marriage pertains to the process of submitting a marriage application to the registrar. It states: "...provided that if the bride and groom, or both, be minors, the application shall be made on their behalf by their respective lawful guardians..."

Political Context Behind This Decision

In Uttarakhand, where a UCC has already been implemented, Muslims constitute a less proportion percentage, while in Assam, this proportion is significantly higher at approximately 34 per cent according to the 2011 Census.

In the past year, the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government has taken various measures in the areas of family, marriages, and reproduction, seen as addressing these concerns. Apart from the crackdown on child marriage, where 62 per cent of over 3,000 individuals arrested in the initial round were Muslim, the government has imposed a limit on the number of children one can have to qualify for a new financial support scheme for rural women.

Additionally, there are efforts to draft a bill criminalising polygamy. Also, CM Sarma has reiterated multiple times that the Assam government is keen towards implementing a UCC, with an exemption for the state's tribal communities.
The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) have called for a nationwide tractor march on Monday. The rally is scheduled to cross the Yamuna Expressway starting from Mehndipur in Rubupura to Faleda Cut. Following this, the police have enforced restrictive orders under Section 144. Also, a traffic advisory for commuters has been released, warning them of the disruptions and diversions along the Delhi-Noida border region. Meanwhile, in the latest set of accusations, Gurmanmeet Singh Mangat, the secretary-general of the Progressive Farmers Front, claimed on Sunday that a farmer, previously apprehended at the protest site, had been subjected to severe physical abuse by Haryana Police officers.

Grave Allegation By Farmers

Addressing the media on Sunday, Mangat said, "Our delegation, this morning, visited our fellow farmer brother Preetpal Singh. He was admitted to PJI Rohtak and is still receiving treatment there.

He also accused the Haryana Police of denying him better treatment after his admission into the hospital in Rohtak, as the hospital had referred him to PGI Chandigarh. However, he said that after the efforts of the legal team, the Punjab Haryana High Court had ordered him to be admitted to PGI Chandigarh. "We learnt from his family members that 14 to 16 police personnel assaulted him (in custody)...they tied a rope around his neck and dragged him around. He had marks on his neck," the farmer leader alleged, adding that Preetpal had suffered multiple injuries during custody. Mangat said that even for war criminals, such treatments are unacceptable.

Tractor March Route And Traffic Advisory

The tractors participating in the march will cover the Luharli Toll Plaza and Mahamaya Flyover. To ease the expected traffic along these roads, commuters passing through Chilla border to Delhi have been advised to take Sector 14A flyover via Golchakkar Chowk Sector-15, and vehicles from the DND border can use the elevated route via the Film City flyover in Sector 18, while those coming from Kalindi Kunj border may use Mahamaya flyover via Sector 37. Others crossing the Yamuna Expressway are advised to opt for the metro or alternative paths.

Yesterday, the Delhi police slightly eased the traffic curbs by partially removing barricades along the Singhu and Tikri borders as the farmers protest was on hold.

Two Weeks Of Farmers Protest

Farmers have gathered and set up camps at various points along the borders of the national capital since February 13, accompanied by their tractors, mini-vans, and pickup trucks. Their demands include, among others, the enactment of a law ensuring the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the withdrawal of police cases against farmers involved in previous protests.

In the latest round of discussions, which concluded well past midnight on February 18, a trio of Union ministers proposed the procurement of five cropsmoong dal, urad dal, tur dal, maize, and cottonat MSP for a duration of five years through central agencies. Despite the offer, the protesting farmers rejected the proposal and returned to their protest sites.
In a major development for the Gyanvapi's Vyas Tehkhana case, the Allahabad High Court will deliver its verdict on a plea filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee (AIMC) challenging the order of the Varanasi District Court that allowed Hindu devotees to offer prayers inside the 'Vyas Ka Tehkhana' area. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal of Allahabad High Court will deliver the judgement around 10 am.

Earlier, the court had reserved the decision after a long debate between both parties. Senior advocates, SFA Naqvi and Puneet Gupta, representing Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee had argued that "giving final relief through an interim order without determining the rights in the civil suit filed demanding the right to worship is a violation of the legal procedure."

The basement of the mosque contains four cellars known as 'tahkhanas,' one of which is currently owned by the Vyas family, former residents of the area. On January 31, the Varanasi district court allowed the Hindu side to offer prayers in the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque. Recently, Asaduddin Owaisi, the president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), expressed concern over the Varanasi court's decision allowing Hindu devotees to pray in the 'Vyas Ka Tekhana' section within the Gyanvapi mosque complex. He argued that it violated the Places of Worship Act.

"The judge who gave the decision was his last day before retirement. The judge appointed the District Magistrate as receiver on January 17 and finally he has directly given the verdict. He himself said that no prayers were offered since 1993. It has been 30 years. How does he know there is idol inside? This is violation of Places of Worship Act," said Owaisi.

Speaking at the Uttar Pradesh Assembly earlier this month, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that in Mahabharata, Krishna asked for five villages, but today the Hindu society is only asking for the three centres of their faith 'Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura.'
New Delhi: In a stern rebuke to the Indian Coast Guard's policy of not granting a permanent commission to eligible women officers, the Supreme Court on Monday asserted that "women cannot be left out" and warned the government, saying, "If you do not do it, we will do it." Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud dismissed the government's arguments, stating, "All these functionality etc argument does not hold water in 2024. Women cannot be left out. If you do not do it, we will do it. So take a look at that." The court set March 1 as the date for the next hearing, directing the Centre's counsel, Attorney General R Venkataramani, to ensure the Coast Guard files an affidavit promptly.

Attorney General's Response

The petition, filed by a woman officer of the Coast Guard, seeks a permanent commission for eligible women officers joining the force under short service commission. Attorney General Venkataramani, representing the Centre, assured that the Indian Coast Guard would submit a detailed response soon, acknowledging the unique nature of Coast Guard service compared to the Navy and Army.

SC Questions Government's 'Indifference'

During the previous hearing on February 19, the Chief Justice questioned the government's "indifference" towards the Coast Guard, emphasizing the need for gender equality. "Why don't you want women in the Coast Guard? If women can guard the borders, they can also guard the beaches. You talk about Nari Shakti, show it here," the CJI remarked, challenging the patriarchal mindset opposing the induction of women into the force.

Challenging Patriarchal Mindset

The top court criticized the "patriarchal" mindset opposing the induction of women into the force, emphasizing that times have changed. "You have women in the Navy, so what's special about the Coast Guard? We will open up the whole canvas. Gone are the days when we said that women cannot be a part of the Coast Guard," the Chief Justice declared.

Petitioner's Struggle For Recognition

The petitioner, Priyanka Tyagi, a seasoned officer with 14 years of service in the Indian Coast Guard, had previously approached the Delhi High Court without success. Despite her significant contributions, she has been denied a permanent commission, leading her to approach the Supreme Court. In her plea, Tyagi has referenced previous Supreme Court judgments on permanent commission for women in the Army and Navy, seeking parity for women officers in the Coast Guard.
A United Kingdom-based Professor Nitasha Kaul took to X alleging that the Narendra Modi government did not allow her to attend a program for which she was invited by the Karnataka Congress. Kaul is a faculty member at the University of Westminster. In her X post, Kaul claimed that she was detained at Bengaluru International Airport by immigration authorities and was deported to London as the central government reportedly denied her permission to attend an event.

IMPORTANT: Denied entry to #India for speaking on democratic & constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as esteemed delegate by Govt of #Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused me entry. All my documents were valid & current (UK passport & OCI). THREAD 1/n pic.twitter.com/uv7lmWhs4k  Professor Nitasha Kaul, PhD (@NitashaKaul) February 25, 2024

Kaul had received an invitation to partake as a delegate in the 'Constitution and National Unity Convention' scheduled for February 24 and 25 in Bengaluru. This event was organized by the Social Welfare Department of the Karnataka Government. "Denied entry to India for speaking on democratic & constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as esteemed delegate by Govt of Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused me entry. All my documents were valid & current (UK passport & OCI)," she alleged.

However, the netizens reacted sharply to her claim sharing her anti-India statements on X. They claimed that Kaul had links with Pakistani officials and often made anti-India statements.

"Nitasha Kaul isn't just visiting Indian academia, she's part of Jindal Global Law School's course line-up. Her course labelled Kashmir as 'occupied.' This is against the Constitution of India which terms Kashmir as an integral part of the country," said a user.

Nitasha Kaul isn't just visiting Indian academia, she's part of Jindal Global Law School's course line-up. Her course labeled #Kashmir as 'occupied.' This is against the Constitution of India which terms Kashmir as an integral part of the country.



(2/8) pic.twitter.com/CTAUCvm9XX  OSINT (@OSINTWa_com) February 25, 2024

"Nitasha Kaul thinks Kashmir is not an integral part of India and insists that India has 'occupied' Kashmir illegally. RJ Sayema is very big fan of Nitasha and is disappointed that Nitasha was deported back to London. Aisa koi deshvirodhi nahi, jiska Sayema ne support kiya nahi," said another user.

Nitasha Kaul thinks Kashmir is not an integral part of India and insists that India has 'occupied' Kashmir illegally.



RJ Sayema is very big fan of Nitasha and is disappointed that Nitasha was deported back to London.



Aisa koi deshvirodhi nahi, jiska Sayema ne support kiya nahi. pic.twitter.com/SU8IGnlhba  Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) February 25, 2024

"The Karnataka government's invite to Nitasha Kaul tells you all you need to know about the Congress Party. We are not talking here of a Raghuram Rajan or a Dhanya Rajendran being invited to speak at an event. This person here is a KP holocaust-denying Pakistan-backing separatist," said another user.

During the Manipur Violence, Nitasha Kaul was spreading blatant misinformation on X. When I pointed out, she blocked me.



Thanks @DrSJaishankar for denying entry to this brown sepoy despite her OCI status pic.twitter.com/KV05oFJCqv February 25, 2024

The Karnataka government's invite to Nitasha Kaul tells you all you need to know about the Congress Party. We are not talking here of a Raghuram Rajan or a Dhanya Rajendran being invited to speak at an event. This person here is a KP holocaust-denying Pakistan-backing separatist. https://t.co/PrM9cwIb5F  Ajit Datta (@ajitdatta) February 25, 2024

RT@rose_k01

This old video shows Real Face of self proclaimed "Globally respected intellectual" Nitasha Kaul spouting utter cr and Lies about RSS & BJP. Dr Gautam Sen got it right when he said He didnt know that she was representative of Pakistan #NitashaKaul pic.twitter.com/unbQLpMOWk  anil kohli (@anilkohli54) February 26, 2024

That's why #NitashaKaul was not given entry into India, just listen to her views on Yogi Adityanath. Which is not only objectionable but also a big lie, which was tarnishing India's image abroad. She should never be allowed to enter India.pic.twitter.com/iliWZLXaZT  Param PCS (@FunMauji) February 26, 2024

The Karnataka BJP also slammed the Congress government of disgracing the Indian Constitution by inviting a Pakistani sympathiser.

Congress party has disgraced Indian Constitution by inviting a Pakistani sympathiser who wants India's break up.



Don't you have any shame left CM @siddaramaiah? Are you trying to challenge the constitution & threaten the unity & integrity of India?



It is now apparent that the pic.twitter.com/kG0XVePHgK  BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) February 25, 2024

"Congress party has disgraced the Indian Constitution by inviting a Pakistani sympathiser who wants India's break up. Don't you have any shame left CM Siddaramaiah? Are you trying to challenge the constitution & threaten the unity & integrity of India? It is now apparent that the Congress party is now using Karnataka as its laboratory to prepare ground for its divisive agendas, potentially undermining national unity & integrity," said the Karnataka BJP.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar took to X social media to clarify his choice of joining the BJP. Taking to social media, Hinting towards Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar said that his decision to join the NDA was not meant to disrespect elders. Ajit said that he found similarities in his working style with that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"I have taken my own role intending to complete the development works without any compromise with an ideology and objective...I found the development work being done in this country under the leadership of PM Modi and HM Amit Shah to be important. I liked their qualities like sharp leadership and correct decision-making process. My working style and theirs are very similar. I have no intention of disrespecting elders," he said.

Ajit said that he intends to reach out to the state citizens to clarify his exact position on joining hands with the NDA. He also said that his decision to join hands with the BJP was aimed at providing basic and fundamental facilities to the people of Maharashtra. He contended that the decision was not meant to backstab the party and its leaders but to work for the overall development of the state.

Earlier, addressing a farmers' rally in Baramati, he said that a vast majority of the Indian population wants to see Narendra Modi become the Prime Minister once again. "More than 65 per cent of people want Narendra Modi to be PM again. In the coming days, I'll work hard and everyone will be surprised. The Mahayuti (ruling alliance) will work together to ensure NDA wins 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls," he asserted. Ajit Pawar also asked his supporters not to make statements that would create rifts or hurt any segment.

Ajit Pawar's statement can be seen as an attempt to lure the NCP voters ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. He had joined the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra splitting from the Nationalist Congress Party then led by Sharad Pawar in July last year. The Election Commission of India recently allocated the NCP name and symbol to the Ajit Pawar faction while NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar name to the faction led by Sharad Pawar.

By telling the voters that he neither disrespected Sharad Pawar nor backstabbed him, Ajit Pawar is trying to retain the NCP voters who might shift to Sharad Pawar faction due to the narrative. If Ajit Pawar manages to retain the support of even half the NCP voters, then the combined votes of BJP and Shiv Sena-Eknath Shinde faction may ensure victory of candidates belonging to his faction.
New Delhi: A cross-voting is expected in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh as a number of Samajwadi Party MLAs are in touch with the Bharatiya Janata Party, sources have told Zee News TV. This development follows the reports of absence from a recent important Samajwadi Party meeting focused on Rajya Sabha voting strategies. Six Samajwadi Party legislators, including Amethi's Maharaji Devi, Pallavi Patel, Vinod Chaturvedi from Kalpi, and Pooja Pal from Kaushambi, failed to attend the meeting. Their absence has sparked concerns within the SP camp about the potential impact on the party's performance in the upcoming elections.

The absence of these key members, and the rumors of cross-voting, suggest a possible significant setback for the Samajwadi Party.

The voting for the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha elections will be held today with the BJP making efforts to secure an additional seat. The competition primarily involves the BJP-led NDA and the Samajwadi Party (SP). While ten seats are up for grabs, there are a total of eleven candidates  eight from the BJP and three from the Samajwadi Party. While victory seems assured for seven BJP candidates and two from the Samajwadi Party, the main contest revolves around the tenth candidate, given that the BJP has nominated one additional candidate. Both parties are striving to gather the necessary votes for victory, as a candidate requires 37 votes to emerge as the winner.

The Number Game

In the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, there is a total of 403 seats out of which 4 seats are vacant. Thus, the current strength of the assembly is 399 legislators. For the BJP to secure a victory for their eighth candidate, they require the votes of 9 legislators. The NDA has a total of 288 legislators from BJP+ RLD+ Apna Dal(S)+ Nishad Party+ SBSP+ Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik). However, one legislator from the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) is in jail, reducing the BJP's count to 287 legislators. It is being speculated that BSP MP Ritesh Pandey, who recently joined the BJP, may bring his father Rakesh Pandey's vote to the BJP. Rakesh Pandey is a Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator. Therefore, the BJP needs the votes of 8 more MLAs.

On the other hand, for the Samajwadi Party to secure a win for their third candidate, they need just three votes. The SP and Congress together have a total of 110 legislators. Among them, two SP legislators, Ramakant Yadav and Irfan Solanki, are in jail. Thus, the SP requires the votes of 3 more legislators. If SP legislator Rakesh Pandey votes for the BJP candidate, then they will need an additional 4 votes. Cross-voting by the MLAs will play a crucial role in deciding the 10th winner as a victory for both parties without cross-voting will be challenging.

NDA:

1. BJP- 252

2. Apna Dal (S)- 13

3. Nishad Party- 6

4. SBSP- 6

5. Jansatta Dal- 2

6. RLD- 9

INDIA:

1. Samajwadi Party- 108

2. Congress- 2

Others-

1. BSP- 1

2. Vacant- 4
New Delhi: On Monday, February, the Tamil Maanila Congress decided to align with the National Democratic Alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Discussions regarding the distribution of seats between the BJP and Tamil Maanila Congress are still ongoing.

The Tamil Maanila Congress, under the leadership of former Union Minister GK Vasan, has made history by becoming the first party from Tamil Nadu to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) following the departure of the AIADMK from the alliance in 2023.

Vasan confirmed his participation in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public meeting at Palladam in Tirupur district on February 27, expressing his stance to reporters.

It is worth noting that Vasan secured a seat in the Rajya Sabha in 2020 with the backing of the AIADMK. His recent announcement signifies the termination of his party's affiliation with the AIADMK.

Reflecting on the party's ethos, Vasan emphasized its national perspective since its inception by his late father and esteemed leader G.K. Moopanar. He underscored that the decision to collaborate with the BJP was driven by concerns such as the welfare of Tamil Nadu and Tamils, as well as the aim for a robust and prosperous India.

Vasan highlighted the aspirations of Tamil Nadu voters, pointing out the BJP's successful previous electoral performances in the state with support from other regions. He expressed the voters' belief that granting the saffron party a third term would ensure economic progress and upliftment of the underprivileged.

With Tamil Nadu possessing 38 Lok Sabha seats, it's noteworthy that the BJP failed to secure any seats in the previous General Elections.
New Delhi: Traffic disruptions occurred at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh borders on Monday as farmers planned tractor march towards the national capital amid the ongoing protest. The farmers intended to stage a protest march on tractors via the Yamuna Expressway, passing through the Luharli toll plaza and Mahamaya flyover.

In response, the Delhi Police escalated security measures by setting up barricades at the borders, leading to heavy traffic at the Chilla border from Delhi towards Noida. Similar congestion was observed at the Delhi-Noida Expressway.

Early in the morning, the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police announced that both Delhi Police and district police would conduct thorough checks at all border points between the national capital and Noida, implementing barriers and diverting traffic as necessary.

The ongoing farmers' protest also caused disruptions at the Singhu and Tikri border points between Delhi and Haryana. Authorities had partially reopened these points on Saturday, nearly two weeks after sealing them in anticipation of the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march.

Sealed on February 13, the Singhu and Tikri border points were initially closed as farmers from Punjab began their protest march, demanding, among other things, a minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm loan waivers. Subsequently, thousands of farmers set up camp on the Punjab-Haryana border near Ambala, approximately 200 kilometers from Delhi, after facing resistance from security forces.

Additionally, traffic congestion was reported at various locations within the national capital. Construction activities for a flyover between Apsara border and Anand Vihar caused disruptions near Anand Vihar flyover in both directions.

Commuters also expressed grievances about traffic jams along Sardar Patel Marg and the route leading towards Gurgaon from the national capital.
China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao (L) poses for a photo with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala after signing a new Memorandum of Understanding on the China Program during the 12th China Round Table on WTO Accessions held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, Feb. 25, 2024. The 12th China Round Table on WTO Accessions was held from Saturday to Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

The round table focused on how trade and active participation in the WTO could foster economic development and resilience, particularly for the Arab region. (WTO/Handout via Xinhua)

DUBAI, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The 12th China Round Table on WTO Accessions was held from Saturday to Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

The round table focused on how trade and active participation in the WTO could foster economic development and resilience, particularly for the Arab region.

China has always supported developing countries, including Arab states, to integrate into the multilateral trading system and insists on benefiting the whole world with its own development, said China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao when addressing the opening ceremony.

China will continue to carry out South-South cooperation within the framework of the multilateral trading system, enhance the openness, inclusiveness, universality, and balance of the multilateral trading system, implement the Global Development Initiative with practical actions, and promote the building of a global community of shared future for development.

Moroccan Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour said that China plays a pivotal role in the multilateral trading system and has made positive contributions to maintaining the multilateral trading system.

During the event, Wang and WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala signed a new Memorandum of Understanding on the China Program.

Launched in 2011, the China Program aims to strengthen least-developed countries' participation in the WTO and assist acceding governments in joining the organization. 

This photo taken on Feb. 25, 2024 shows the 12th China Round Table on WTO Accessions held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. The 12th China Round Table on WTO Accessions was held from Saturday to Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

The round table focused on how trade and active participation in the WTO could foster economic development and resilience, particularly for the Arab region. (WTO/Handout via Xinhua)

This photo taken on Feb. 25, 2024 shows the 12th China Round Table on WTO Accessions held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. The 12th China Round Table on WTO Accessions was held from Saturday to Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

The round table focused on how trade and active participation in the WTO could foster economic development and resilience, particularly for the Arab region. (WTO/Handout via Xinhua)

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala delivers a speech during the 12th China Round Table on WTO Accessions held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, Feb. 25, 2024. The 12th China Round Table on WTO Accessions was held from Saturday to Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

The round table focused on how trade and active participation in the WTO could foster economic development and resilience, particularly for the Arab region. (WTO/Handout via Xinhua)
SRINAGAR: In the serene village of Poshwan, nestled in South Kashmir's Awantipora area, grief hangs heavy as the news of Azad Yousuf Kumar's injury in the Russia-Ukraine conflict reaches his family. Azad, a 31-year-old father of a three-year-old son, was reportedly coerced into the battlefield, allegedly under pretences orchestrated by a Dubai-based consultant operating under the guise of a YouTube channel named "Baba Vlogs."

Deception And Coercion: The Story Of Azad Yousuf Kumar

Mohammad Yousuf Kumar, Azad's father, and his wife, express profound sorrow and accuse the consultant, Faisal Khan, of duping their son into a fraudulent job recruitment scheme. Initially promised a job opportunity in the Middle East, Azad found himself unexpectedly deployed as a mercenary for the Russian army in Ukraine, a stark contrast to the benign employment he was led to believe in.

Forced Recruitment And Tragic Consequences

The family asserts that Azad sustained a gunshot wound to his leg amidst the conflict, further amplifying their anguish. Concerns escalate in the entire village for Azad's safety, prompting calls for a thorough government investigation into the deceptive recruitment tactics responsible for ensnaring Azad in Russia and thrusting him into military service against his will.

Trail Of Deception: From The Middle East To Russia

Azad's journey from Kashmir to the battlegrounds of Ukraine reflects a trail of deceit and manipulation. Initially promised a position as a helper cum cook in the Middle East, Azad found himself in Moscow after a detour through Sharjah, signing documents in a foreign language he didn't comprehend. Subsequently, he underwent a brief military training before being thrust into the conflict zone.

Desperate Pleas For Help

Mohammad Yousuf Kumar implores Prime Minister Modi's intervention, seeking assistance in repatriating his son from the perilous situation he has been ensnared in. The family's desperate appeals resonate with neighbours and community members, who decry the exploitation of vulnerable individuals by unscrupulous recruitment agencies.

Widespread Concerns And Calls For Action

The plight of Azad Yousuf Kumar is not an isolated incident. Reports emerge of another Kashmiri, Zahoor Ahmad Sheikh, from the Tangdar area of Kupwara, missing in Russia since December 2023. As concerns mount, demands for swift action reverberate across Kashmir, with organizations like the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association advocating for the safe return of both individuals.

Appeals For Government Intervention

Umma Jamal, National General Secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, underscores the urgency of the situation, urging government officials to expedite efforts to repatriate Azad and others caught in similar predicaments. The association has intensified its advocacy, engaging with India's Ministry of External Affairs and local authorities to facilitate the safe return of the stranded individuals.

The distressing ordeal faced by Azad and Zahoor underscores the need for heightened vigilance against fraudulent recruitment practices. Concerned voices within Kashmir and beyond call for stringent measures to curb the exploitation of unsuspecting individuals, emphasizing the imperative of timely government intervention to prevent further tragedies.
New Delhi: India's fastest-growing wearable brand, Boult, has launched the Boult Audio K40 TWS earbuds in India. The newly launched TWS earbuds are packed with 13mm bass drivers, ENC (electronic noise cancellation) technology, and other key features.

The Boult Audio K40 TWS earbuds are available in Ivory White, Electric Black, Khaki Green, Berry Red, and Denim Blue colour options. They are backed by a 1-year warranty and offer a 72-hour replacement policy via the company's official website.

On the company's official website, the original price of the new Boult Audio K40 TWS earbuds is mentioned as Rs 2,999. However, they are available for purchase at an introductory price of Rs 899 for Indian consumers on the companys official website and Amazon. (Also Read: Xiaomi 14, Xiaomi 14 Ultra With Leica Camera Launched Globally, Check Specs, Chipset, And Other Features)

Specifications of the Boult Audio K40 TWS Earbuds

The earbuds feature 13mm bass drivers enhanced with BoomX technology, delivering powerful audio performance. Furthermore, they incorporate a Quad Mic AI-ENC chip, ensuring superior noise cancellation for clear calls even in noisy environments. For gamers, the earbuds offer a low latency gaming mode with just 45ms latency, providing a seamless and responsive gaming experience.

In terms of battery life, the earbuds boast an impressive 48 hours of usage on a single charge, and with fast charging capabilities, a mere 10-minute charge provides up to 100 minutes of playtime. With an IPX5 water-resistant rating, these earbuds are built to withstand sweat and light rain, making them suitable for workouts and outdoor activities. (Also Read: Samsung Galaxy F15 5G Launch Date Officially Confirmed In India; Check Date And Time)

Users can easily control volume and other functions with a simple touch. With the Bluetooth version 5.3, they ensure stable and efficient connectivity for a hassle-free listening experience.
New Delhi: A farmer in Bengaluru was barred from using the Namma Metro when security personnel stopped him due to his attire being deemed "inappropriate" for travel. Following the incident, which caused outrage on social media, a security supervisor was dismissed from their position.

The farmer was dressed in a white shirt and carried a bundle of clothes on his head. He was halted at the security checkpoint at Rajajinagar metro station despite possessing a valid ticket.

A widely circulated video on social media shows a Hindi-speaking farmer standing by the luggage scanner at the security checkpoint. A man named Karthik C Airani is seen questioning the staff about their decision to prevent the farmer from using the metro.

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on reacting to the incident stated "Namma (Bengaluru) metro is an inclusive public transport. This Rajajinagar incident is probed and the services of the security supervisor are terminated. BMRCL regrets the inconvenience caused to the passenger."

Namma Metro is an inclusive public transport. The Rajajinagar incident is probed & the services of the security supervisor is terminated. BMRCL regrets the inconvenience caused to the Passenger.@srivasrbmrccoi1    (@OfficialBMRCL) February 26, 2024

The footage gained widespread attention as many condemned the BMRCL for the behavior of its security personnel. In the video, another commuter standing beside the farmer stepped in and challenged the security staff's judgment. He advocated for the farmer's right to use the metro, emphasizing that the farmer had not violated any regulations. After this intervention, the farmer was permitted to board the metro.

This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of ensuring equal access to public services for all individuals regardless of their attire or background.
LAHORE: Maryam Nawaz, a prominent figure in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has made history by becoming the first woman chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province. The announcement came following a decisive victory in the election, where she secured a remarkable 220 votes, leaving her opponent, Rana Aftab Ahmad of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), without a single vote due to the boycott by SIC members.

Opposition Boycott

The Punjab Assembly session, overseen by the newly-elected Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan, saw members of the Sunni Ittehad Council boycotting the proceedings. Speaker Khan, in response, restricted the session solely to the chief ministerial elections, disallowing any speeches by lawmakers. Efforts to resolve the boycott led to the formation of a committee tasked with persuading the boycotting legislators to return to the Assembly.

Clear Majority Ensures Victory

Maryam Nawaz's candidacy faced opposition from Rana Aftab Ahmed of the Sunni Ittehad Council. Despite the competition, the PML-N's significant presence ensured Maryam Nawaz's triumph, securing a clear majority within the house.

PML-N Dominance Punjab Assembly

Prior to Maryam Nawaz's historic win, the PML-N had already showcased its strength in the Punjab Assembly by securing victories in the speaker and deputy speaker elections. Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan clinched the speaker's position with 224 votes, while Malik Zaheer Ahmed Channer secured the deputy speaker's post with 220 votes, solidifying the party's dominance.

Maryam Nawaz: A Brief Background

Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, began her journey in politics after being actively involved in the family's philanthropic endeavors. Her political career gained momentum in 2012, and she played a pivotal role in the PML-N's election campaign during the 2013 general elections. Despite facing challenges, including a brief stint as the Chairperson of the Prime Minister's Youth Programme, she continued to rise within the political sphere.

Parliamentary Debut

Maryam Nawaz's victory in the 2024 Pakistani general election marked her parliamentary debut, as she secured seats in both the National Assembly of Pakistan (NA) and the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, further solidifying her position as a key figure within the political landscape of Pakistan.
BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- China is projected to make about 100 space launch missions this year, which will set the country's new record, according to information released at a press conference on Monday.

The launches include the maiden flight from China's first commercial spacecraft launch site in addition to more satellite liftoffs to form constellations, according to the press conference.

China's first commercial spacecraft launch site is now under construction in the city of Wenchang, in south China's island province of Hainan.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the country's rocket series developer and the leading force of the country's space industry, released the 2023 blue book of China aerospace science and technology at the same press conference. 
VIENTIANE, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The annual Vat Phou Festival was celebrated in southern Laos' Champasak province, with a variety of colorful activities for visitors.

Vat Phou Festival was celebrated from Thursday to Saturday this year. The festive event featured numerous colorful activities, including a show about the origins of the temple complex, a concert, parades by local residents, an exhibition of local products, almsgiving, and a candlelight procession.

Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse participated in the Vat Phou Festival on Saturday, joining the crowd in giving alms on the final day.

Governor of Champasak province Vilayvong Bouddakham, and other senior officials from central and local state departments also attended the merit-making event.

The annual festival and almsgiving are rituals that have been practiced for generations and are beloved by the Lao people as part of their strong cultural traditions.

Authorities in Champasak province have planned to organize 12 events under the Visit Laos Year theme of "A Paradise of Lao Culture, Nature and History" to draw visitors to the province in 2024.

The Vat Phou Festival has been designated as the main event, which features colorful cultural shows.

The ruins of Vat Phou temple in Champasak are more than 1,000 years old, and the festival was held to revere the temple ruins and allows people to marvel at its history and the ancient culture it represents, Deputy Director of the Champasak provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Department, Soulin Phetthany, told media earlier.

Visitors to the ancient temple site can learn about the history of these fascinating stone structures, she added.

Provincial authorities are ready to welcome visitors with improved tourist sites, infrastructure, transport, accommodation and services, which are all aimed at ensuring visitors enjoy their stay in the province.

Deputy Governor of Champasak province, Som Bouttakoun, told media that the province has improved the quality of services and instituted safety measures, as well as stepping up advertising for Visit Laos Year through local and foreign media, as well as international tourism exhibitions.

He said tourism is a rapidly growing sector of the economy, so provincial authorities are giving it full support by formulating policies to develop and promote cultural, historical, natural and agricultural tourism in order to attract more tourists to Champasak. 
Participants view exhibited works of a lantern drawing contest in Sofia, Bulgaria, Feb. 22, 2024. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua)

BRUSSELS, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Concerts, galas, lantern riddle solving, as well as fairs and exhibitions, were held across several European countries in celebration of the much-anticipated Chinese Lantern Festival.

The festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations and symbolizes the coming of spring. This year, the Lantern Festival fell on Saturday.

On Saturday evening, in Oxford, the United Kingdom, the Oxford Chinese Students and Scholars Association organized a gala celebrating the Year of the Dragon and the Lantern Festival, showcasing an array of cultural performances such as lion dance, martial arts display, folk music and dance, Sichuan Opera face-changing, and a cappella.

Approximately 1,000 attendees reveled in the diverse performances. "The diversity and vibrancy that our Chinese friends bring to Oxford enrich our cultural tapestry and foster an environment of mutual understanding and respect," said Lord Mayor of Oxford Lubna Arshad.

A highlight of the gala was a Chinese-style stand-up comedy, or "Xiangsheng." It entertained the audience by talking about Chinese poems and their translations, eliciting laughter from the audience with a skillful blend of wordplay and humor.

One of the comedians, Shyshov Yegor, a Ukrainian living in China for more than 15 years, told Xinhua that he first went to China as an exchange student. He said "Xiangsheng" is not only a performance that can bring joy to people but also a language art that facilitates mutual understanding between different cultures.

Also on Saturday, a Chinese Spring Festival fair with over 30 booths provided a festive display of Chinese food, martial arts, calligraphy, Tai Chi, and Hanfu display in Antwerp, Belgium.

The one-day event, co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Belgium and the overseas Chinese societies in Belgium, attracted nearly 2,000 residents, overseas Chinese in the country, and tourists from other countries.

A resident, who gave his name as Lucas and wore a deep-blue Chinese Tang suit with dragon-shaped embroidery on his sleeves, shared his knowledge about the Spring Festival with Xinhua. "I know there are 12 zodiac signs in China. My zodiac sign is a tiger. It's a bit sad that I'm not a dragon, but a tiger is also pretty cool," he said with a big smile.

In Binche, Belgium, the Happy Chinese New Year of the Dragon exhibition was held at the International Carnival and Mask Museum. The show running until March 31 represents understandings of the Chinese dragon by 41 artists through their paintings and designs.

At a Lantern Festival party in Slovakia on Friday evening, some 200 attendees participated in activities such as solving lantern riddles, writing Chinese characters and making sweet glutinous rice dumplings called yuanxiao, or tangyuan.

An award ceremony for a lantern drawing contest, dedicated to the Chinese Lantern Festival, was held at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria on Thursday evening. About 120 out of more than 300 contestants, who are students from six national art schools in five Bulgarian cities, participated in the award ceremony.

"These works are imbued with the strong spirit of traditional Chinese culture and the wonderful imagination of children," Guan Xin, cultural counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria said.

Avelina Nikolova from Sliven, who was honored with prize, told Xinhua that the event was a "very entertaining, exciting experience," and she learned a lot about Chinese culture.

On Wednesday and Thursday in Malta, two Chinese Lantern Festival concerts captivated local audiences with the enchanting melodies of traditional Chinese music. The event, hosted by the China Cultural Centre in Malta, featured classic Chinese songs such as "Give Me a Rose," "Nocturnal Peace" and "Moonlight over the Spring River."

The China Broadcasting Performing Arts Troupe's performance in the capital city of Valletta on Wednesday night received a standing ovation, and the artists gave an encore of two more songs: "Jasmine Flower" from China and "Festa" from Malta.

Mary Ann Cauchi, director of Funding and Strategy for the Arts Council Malta, said that the Chinese festival has become a popular attraction. It promotes the convergence of two different cultures, and two ancient civilizations, she said. 

Participants view exhibited works of a lantern drawing contest in Sofia, Bulgaria, Feb. 22, 2024. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua)
XINING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- During the 2024 Chinese Lunar New Year, an important annual occasion marked by family get-togethers in China, Tsewen Dorje enjoyed a special time in the company of three Tibetan antelope calves.

For the past nine years, Tsewen Dorje, 31, has worked as a ranger at the Sonam Dargye Protection Station in northwest China's Hoh Xil, a nature reserve that encompasses China's largest stretch of uninhabited land within the Sanjiangyuan National Park. He was on duty during the Spring Festival holiday this month, and responsible for looking after the baby Tibetan antelopes at the protection station.

Zonag Lake, at the heart of Hoh Xil, is known as the "delivery room" for Tibetan antelopes, a species under first-class state protection in China. Every year, tens of thousands of pregnant Tibetan antelopes start their migration to Zonag Lake around May for birthing and then depart with their offspring in late July.

"During their migration journey, baby Tibetan antelopes are susceptible to getting separated from the herd due to adverse weather or attacks by predators," said Tsewen Dorje. "When we come across such 'stranded' calves, we bring them back to the protection station."

The three Tibetan antelope calves, which are six months old now, were found and rescued by Tsewen Dorje's patrol team during the migration season last year.

"They have been dependent on me. They are like my own children, and it is warm and soothing to be with them," said Tsewen Dorje. He also confirmed that the calves are in good health and will need to undergo wilderness training before meeting the criteria for release back into the wild.

To enhance protection efforts, a wildlife rescue center was set up at the station in 2002, securing it the reputation of being "the kindergarten of baby Tibetan antelopes." Covering an area of 550 mu (around 36.67 hectares), the rescue center has aided a total of over 600 wild animals of various types and helped more than 50 Tibetan antelope calves return to their natural habitat.

The establishment of the wildlife rescue center epitomizes the intensive efforts of China's government at all levels to protect Tibetan antelopes.

In recent years, authorities in Hoh Xil have constantly carried out mountain patrols and cracked down on anti-poaching activities to safeguard the reproduction and migration of Tibetan antelopes.

Improving the ecological environment is of vital importance for species protection. In this regard, the Sanjiangyuan area has initiated ecological migration programs, moving herders out of areas with fragile ecological environments, and limiting grazing on grasslands, to reduce the impact of human activities on the environment. Ecosystems including deserts and wetlands have been further protected and restored.

In addition, technological and legal support has also been provided. Since 2016, Qinghai Province, which administers Hoh Xil, has carried out the construction of a networked remote video observation system for real-time monitoring of key ecological areas, offering massive and detailed data support for biodiversity protection in the Sanjiangyuan region.

A national law concerning protection of the ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was officially implemented in September 2023.

These efforts have borne fruit. The status of the Tibetan antelope in China has been downgraded from "endangered" to "near threatened." At present, Hoh Xil is home to more than 70,000 Tibetan antelopes, and the total combined population of Tibetan antelopes in the Xizang Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has increased to around 300,000. 
A staffer of the Hoh Xil management office feeds rescued Tibetan antelope calves in Hoh Xil, northwest China's Qinghai Province, July 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)

XINING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- During the 2024 Chinese Lunar New Year, an important annual occasion marked by family get-togethers in China, Tsewen Dorje enjoyed a special time in the company of three Tibetan antelope calves.

For the past nine years, Tsewen Dorje, 31, has worked as a ranger at the Sonam Dargye Protection Station in northwest China's Hoh Xil, a nature reserve that encompasses China's largest stretch of uninhabited land within the Sanjiangyuan National Park. He was on duty during the Spring Festival holiday this month, and responsible for looking after the baby Tibetan antelopes at the protection station.

Zonag Lake, at the heart of Hoh Xil, is known as the "delivery room" for Tibetan antelopes, a species under first-class state protection in China. Every year, tens of thousands of pregnant Tibetan antelopes start their migration to Zonag Lake around May for birthing and then depart with their offspring in late July.

"During their migration journey, baby Tibetan antelopes are susceptible to getting separated from the herd due to adverse weather or attacks by predators," said Tsewen Dorje. "When we come across such 'stranded' calves, we bring them back to the protection station."

The three Tibetan antelope calves, which are six months old now, were found and rescued by Tsewen Dorje's patrol team during the migration season last year.

"They have been dependent on me. They are like my own children, and it is warm and soothing to be with them," said Tsewen Dorje. He also confirmed that the calves are in good health and will need to undergo wilderness training before meeting the criteria for release back into the wild.

To enhance protection efforts, a wildlife rescue center was set up at the station in 2002, securing it the reputation of being "the kindergarten of baby Tibetan antelopes." Covering an area of 550 mu (around 36.67 hectares), the rescue center has aided a total of over 600 wild animals of various types and helped more than 50 Tibetan antelope calves return to their natural habitat.

The establishment of the wildlife rescue center epitomizes the intensive efforts of China's government at all levels to protect Tibetan antelopes.

In recent years, authorities in Hoh Xil have constantly carried out mountain patrols and cracked down on anti-poaching activities to safeguard the reproduction and migration of Tibetan antelopes.

Improving the ecological environment is of vital importance for species protection. In this regard, the Sanjiangyuan area has initiated ecological migration programs, moving herders out of areas with fragile ecological environments, and limiting grazing on grasslands, to reduce the impact of human activities on the environment. Ecosystems including deserts and wetlands have been further protected and restored.

In addition, technological and legal support has also been provided. Since 2016, Qinghai Province, which administers Hoh Xil, has carried out the construction of a networked remote video observation system for real-time monitoring of key ecological areas, offering massive and detailed data support for biodiversity protection in the Sanjiangyuan region.

A national law concerning protection of the ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was officially implemented in September 2023.

These efforts have borne fruit. The status of the Tibetan antelope in China has been downgraded from "endangered" to "near threatened." At present, Hoh Xil is home to more than 70,000 Tibetan antelopes, and the total combined population of Tibetan antelopes in the Xizang Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has increased to around 300,000. 
Voters cast their ballots in West Columbia, South Carolina, the United States, Feb. 24, 2024. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has defeated former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley in the South Carolina Republican primary, multiple U.S. media organizations projected Saturday night. (Photo by Crush Rush/Xinhua)

Talking with voters in various locations in South Carolina earlier this week, Xinhua reporters found that feelings of disappointment and anxiety are widespread, with immigration, economy and international conflicts being the topics of greatest concern.

by Xiong Maoling, Hu Yousong, Sun Ding

GREENVILLE, the United States, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- At an early voting site in Greenville, South Carolina, a 33-year-old voter who identified himself as Mr. Waters told Xinhua that current U.S. policies generally do not favor the American people and many young people like him feel disappointed with those in power.

"We have a lot of chaos going on. You just need a small spark to light it up because it's a powder keg," said Waters, who called himself an independent voter leaning toward Republicans.

Multiple U.S. media organizations projected Saturday night that former U.S. President Donald Trump has defeated former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley in the South Carolina Republican primary. Still, Haley has vowed to stay in the race.

Talking with voters in various locations in South Carolina earlier this week, Xinhua reporters found that feelings of disappointment and anxiety are widespread, with immigration, economy and international conflicts being the topics of greatest concern.

Overall, nearly four in 10 South Carolina GOP primary voters called immigration their top voting issue, with about one-third picking the economy and fewer citing foreign policy or abortion, according to an exit poll by CNN.

Waters is among those who believe the country's most significant issue is the border crisis. On both sides of the political aisle, some are leveraging it for their campaign agendas, while others rely on it as a symbol of social justice advocacy, Waters said.

"I think we're being lied to as Americans about the truth, about the nature of what's going on the border," he said.

Different perspectives on the immigration issue also reflect the division among American voters. Some believe that the influx of large numbers of illegal immigrants is taking resources and job opportunities from lower-income Americans and poses security risks. Others argue that the United States is a nation of immigrants, and immigration fuels economic growth, suggesting that the country should continue to welcome immigrants more inclusively.

A recent Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll found that most of those polled said they've noticed more immigrants in their state over the last few years and that they are a drag on the economy. Six out of 10 say incumbent President Joe Biden is at least somewhat responsible for more migrants crossing the border.

At a barbecue restaurant in Greenville, the economy is top of mind for owner James Hester. He told Xinhua that despite decent economic data, the current U.S. economic situation is "unstable."

"I think one wrong move, we could be in a very bad place again. For lack of a better term, we could be financially in COVID, we could be in a lockdown financially," said Hester.

The CNN poll also showed that only about one in six said the nation's economy is in good condition, and nearly nine in 10 said they are unhappy with how things are going.

When asked how he planned to vote in the Republican primary, Hester paused momentarily before saying, "I don't know." He described himself as an independent voter and said he did not vote in the 2016 showdown between Trump and Hillary. This year's election presents him with another difficult decision.

Hester said that Trump is a good businessperson, and if he could channel that energy into governing the country, he might be a good leader. However, Trump is highly controversial, saying "things that he shouldn't, he shakes hands with people he shouldn't" and is embroiled in legal battles.

Haley, who previously served as the governor of South Carolina, did well at that time, Hester said. However, he still doubts whether her abilities are suited for the presidency.

At a recent Haley campaign event in the small town of Camden, some voters voiced their dismay at the current situation and hoped that 52-year-old Haley could lead the country in the right direction.

Republican voter Becki O'Hara told Xinhua that the current economic situation and border situation are undesirable, and she blames Democrat policies.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump attends the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor in Maryland, the United States, Feb. 24, 2024. Trump has defeated former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley in the South Carolina Republican primary, multiple U.S. media organizations projected Saturday night. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

O'Hara said Trump is too controversial and brought chaos to the country. She hopes Haley, whose policy positions partly align with Trump's, could bring about positive change.

In her speech titled "The Fight Goes On," Haley said Saturday night that she is not giving up when a majority of Americans disapprove of both Trump and Biden, accusing them of dividing the country.

Many Haley voters have expressed dismay at a Trump-Biden rematch.

Veteran Dan Holtel told Xinhua that he voted for Trump in both 2016 and 2020. But in the final weeks of the 2020 election, Trump's refusal to acknowledge his loss was unacceptable. Meanwhile, the cognitive abilities of 81-year-old Biden worry him greatly.

Currently, Trump is facing four criminal cases, and the U.S. Supreme Court will also rule on the appeal of Trump's eligibility to run for president.

Chris Deboard, a resident of Simpsonville and a Trump supporter, told Xinhua that he believes Trump's criminal lawsuits are a coordinated effort by the Democratic Party to "destroy" him, with significant political motives.

At the same time, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has launched an impeachment inquiry into Biden, while his son Hunter Biden faces charges related to taxes and firearms. As the election year unfolds, tensions between the two sides are escalating.

"If those two (Trump and Biden) get together, they're gonna just fight and fight and fight, and our country, the next four years, is going to be in worse discourse than it is now," Holtel said.
JERUSALEM, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Manufacturers Association of Israel (MAI) advised over 2,000 industrial factories across the country to prepare for a full-scale war between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, MAI said on Monday.

The warning was issued in a letter titled "Industry's Preparation for Full-Scale War on Israel's Northern Border" to all MAI member plants, comprising 90 percent of Israel's total industrial output and employing about 400,000 workers.

In the letter, MAI CEO Ruby Ginel wrote that "according to government officials and the Defense Minister, if a diplomatic solution is not found for the incidents on the northern border, we are heading for increased military intensity."

The letter stated that, according to government scenarios, in case of a full-scale war, there is a high probability of nationwide power outages lasting up to 72 hours, followed by initiated power outages of several hours a day under the needs of the electricity network.

It added that the flow of natural gas to factories is expected to stop, along with other disruptions that require preparation.

Therefore, the factories were advised to check backup systems for electricity or natural gas consumption, stock up on fuels lasting at least 72 hours, and increase raw material stocks due to possible disruptions in truck traffic and the closure of activities at seaports.

The factories were also advised to back up their communication systems with satellite phones due to fears of significant disruptions in the cellular network.

MAI has also opened a dedicated emergency room that will be in contact with governmental emergency authorities to integrate all activities of Israeli industry in an emergency. 
Elephants have fun in a river during an annual Elephant Festival in Xayaboury, Laos, Feb. 17, 2024. The event aims to raise awareness of elephant conservation and promote local tourism and economic development. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua)

It encourages all states, the UN system and all other actors to take advantage of the international year to promote actions at all levels and to support sustainable and resilient tourism as a means of promoting and accelerating sustainable development.

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Monday to declare 2027 as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism.

The resolution invites the World Tourism Organization to facilitate the organization and implementation of this international year, in collaboration with governments, relevant organizations of the UN system, international and regional organizations and other relevant stakeholders.

It encourages all states, the UN system and all other actors to take advantage of the international year to promote actions at all levels and to support sustainable and resilient tourism as a means of promoting and accelerating sustainable development. 
Members of the Hungarian parliament vote on a bill on Sweden's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 26, 2024. Hungary's lawmakers on Monday approved the bill on Sweden's bid to join NATO. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

BUDAPEST, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Hungary's lawmakers on Monday approved a bill on Sweden's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Out of the 199 members of parliament (MP), 194 participated in the voting, with 188 votes in favor and six against.

The Hungarian parliament voted on the bill on the first day of the spring session of the Parliament.

"The Swedish-Hungarian military cooperation and Sweden's NATO accession strengthen Hungary's security," Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said before the agenda of the parliament.

Elod Novak of the opposition party Our Homeland was one of the six MPs who voted against it. "Let's veto Sweden's NATO accession," he said before the vote, urging the MPs to "veto the path that leads to World War III."

With Monday's ratification, Hungary became the last of the 31 NATO member countries that approved Sweden's bid to join the military alliance, following the green light from the Turkish parliament on Jan. 23.

Sweden will officially become the 32nd member of the alliance at its next summit in Washington DC in July.

The bill still needs to be signed by the newly elected President of Hungary Tamas Sulyok to become law.

The Hungarian parliament's ratification was welcomed by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Calling it "a historic day", Kristersson wrote on social media platform X that Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security.

Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO after the Ukrainian crisis escalated in February 2022. Their accession required the unanimous approval of all members of NATO.

Hungary's parliament approved Finland's NATO bid in March last year but delayed Sweden's accession due to debates within the parliamentary group of the ruling Fidesz party regarding Sweden's criticisms about the rule of law in Hungary.

However, this dispute was settled at a meeting between Orban and Kristersson in Budapest last Friday. The two sides announced an agreement for Hungary to purchase four new Gripen fighter jets from Sweden. 

Members of the Hungarian parliament vote on a bill on Sweden's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 26, 2024. Hungary's lawmakers on Monday approved the bill on Sweden's bid to join NATO. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Members of the Hungarian parliament attend the spring session of the Parliament in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 26, 2024. Hungary's lawmakers on Monday approved a bill on Sweden's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (R, Front) speaks during the spring session of the Hungarian parliament in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 26, 2024. Hungary's lawmakers on Monday approved a bill on Sweden's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (R, Front) speaks during the spring session of the Hungarian parliament in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 26, 2024. Hungary's lawmakers on Monday approved a bill on Sweden's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Monday to declare 2027 as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism.

The resolution invites the World Tourism Organization to facilitate the organization and implementation of this international year, in collaboration with governments, relevant organizations of the UN system, international and regional organizations and other relevant stakeholders.

It encourages all states, the UN system and all other actors to take advantage of the international year to promote actions at all levels and to support sustainable and resilient tourism as a means of promoting and accelerating sustainable development. 
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The world body wants to see a strengthened and empowered Palestinian government, said a UN spokesman in response to the resignation of the government led by Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres takes note of Monday's announcement by Shtayyeh that he handed his government's resignation to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN chief.

"A strengthened, empowered Palestinian government that can administer the whole of the occupied Palestinian territory is critical as part of a path to achieving the establishment of a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable Palestinian state, on the basis of the 1967 lines, of which Gaza is an integral part, which remains the only way to achieve a lasting peace," said the spokesman.

The United Nations stands ready to continue supporting efforts aimed at overcoming the humanitarian, political, financial as well as security challenges facing the Palestinian people, he told a daily press briefing.

Turning to the situation on the ground, the spokesman said the Palestine Red Crescent Society, supported by the World Health Organization and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), has completed the evacuation of 72 critical patients from Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

The UN Population Fund reports that newborns are dying in Gaza because their mothers are unable to attend prenatal or postnatal checkups while the incessant bombings, fleeing for safety and anxiety are leading to premature births, said the spokesman.

In its daily update on the situation in Gaza, OCHA said intense Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea continued to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip on Monday, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure.

Ground operations and heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups also continued. Between Friday and Monday, tens of rockets were reportedly fired by armed Palestinian groups toward Israel, said OCHA.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, at least 29,782 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and 70,043 Palestinians have been injured, OCHA quoted the Ministry of Health in Gaza as saying. 
Namibia's new President Nangolo Mbumba (1st R) meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy and Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Jiang Zuojun (2nd R) at the Presidential Palace in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, on Feb. 25, 2024. Jiang attended the state funeral of the late Namibian President Hage Geingob, held in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, from Saturday to Sunday, and delivered a speech at the mourning event. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)

WINDHOEK, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's Special Envoy and Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Jiang Zuojun attended the state funeral of the late Namibian President Hage Geingob, held in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, from Saturday to Sunday, and delivered a speech at the mourning event.

Namibia's new President Nangolo Mbumba met with Jiang at the Presidential Palace Sunday afternoon. During the meeting, Jiang conveyed cordial greetings and best wishes from President Xi to President Mbumba, expressing deep condolences over the death of President Geingob and extending sincere sympathy to the government and people of Namibia.

China and Namibia enjoy profound traditional friendship and bilateral cooperation in various fields has maintained a sound momentum of development in recent years, said the Chinese special envoy.

China attaches great importance to its relations with Namibia and is willing to work with the new government of Namibia to deepen political mutual trust and friendly cooperation and push forward the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, Jiang noted.

Mbumba thanked President Xi for appointing a special envoy to offer condolences and asked Jiang to convey sincere greetings to President Xi.

He stressed that Namibia is willing to make concerted efforts with China to carry forward bilateral friendship and strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, science and technology for the benefit of both countries and their peoples. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy and Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Jiang Zuojun attends the state funeral of the late Namibian President Hage Geingob and delivers a speech at the mourning event in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, on Feb. 24, 2024. Namibia's new President Nangolo Mbumba met with Jiang at the Presidential Palace Sunday afternoon. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)
RABAT, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan navy rescued 122 Spain-bound migrants off the North African country's Atlantic coast, official news agency MAP reported on Monday.

An overcrowded boat carrying 122 sub-Saharan migrants, including one minor and a dead body, was intercepted by a Moroccan coast guard unit about 190 km off the Moroccan port of Dakhla, the report said.

The rescued individuals, some of whom were in poor health, were provided essential care before undergoing the standard administrative procedures, according to the report.

Morocco has become a hub for African migrants who seek to reach Europe.

According to the official statistics, Moroccan army units arrested about 87,000 undocumented migrants in 2023, with the majority originating from sub-Saharan Africa. 
OUAGADOUGOU, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people were killed on Sunday in an attack on a Catholic church in the village of Essakane in the Sahel region of northern Burkina Faso, a church official said in a statement.

"We bring to your attention the terrorist attack to which the Catholic community of the Essakane village fell victim today, Feb. 25, as they gathered for Sunday prayer," said Jean-Pierre Sawadogo, vicar of the Catholic Diocese of Dori.

The official added that at least 15 worshippers were killed, including 12 on the spot and three who later died of their wounds. Another two were injured. 
NAIROBI, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) kicked off in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, on Monday, with delegates renewing their call for robust multilateralism to aid action on threats to planetary health.

More than 4,000 delegates from 182 member states, including ministers, representatives of multilateral institutions, industry, civil society and academia, are attending UNEA-6, which lasts from Monday to Friday.

Held biennially since 2014, the United Nations Environment Assembly is the world's highest-level decision-making body on the environment, and the 2024 edition will take place under the theme of "effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateral action to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution."

Soipan Tuya, Kenya's cabinet secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, said UNEA-6 offers a platform to inject vitality into multilateralism, strengthening action on pressing ecological threats like the climate crisis, habitat loss and plastic waste.

"This assembly reaffirms the need for accelerated action to end plastic pollution, biodiversity and nature loss as we pursue green growth that is inclusive and sustainable," Tuya said.

Major events slated for the five-day global environment assembly include a science-business policy forum, Multilateral Environmental Agreements Day, and a high-level segment involving heads of state and government.

The assembly is also expected to discuss 20 resolutions focusing on critical minerals, air pollution, solar radiation, water security, ocean governance, and reforming the international financial system.

Leila Benali, the president of UNEA-6 and minister for Energy Transition and Sustainable Development of Morocco, called for fidelity to multilateralism to help tackle planetary hazards in the face of geopolitical tensions and global economic slowdown.

According to Benali, a consensus-driven process is imperative to halt atmospheric warming and the extinction of species, which fuel poverty and inequality.

Benali stressed the need to implement resolutions passed at the previous five UN environment assemblies to help secure a peaceful, green and resilient future for the planet and its inhabitants.

Inger Andersen, the executive director of UNEP, noted that multiple planetary crises are casting a dark shadow on the safety, prosperity and stability of nations, necessitating action from a broad range of stakeholders including governments, businesses, civil society, women, youth and indigenous people.

While expressing faith in multilateral environment treaties, Andersen said their enforcement will be key to delivering climate justice, sustainable development and equity. 
KAMPALA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan military on Monday said it is on high alert and closely following the unstable situation in the eastern part of neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The entire borderline is under surveillance following intense fighting between DRC troops and M23 rebels, Maj. Bilal Katamba, spokesperson of the Mountain Division of the Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF), told Xinhua over the phone.

"Whenever there is a problem in the neighborhood, we also become more alert. We just can't sit back," he said.

Katamba, who also speaks for Operation Shujaa, a UPDF mission hunting down Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in eastern DRC, said the army is also on alert given that the ADF had recently started crossing into Uganda and wreaking havoc.

"We have issues already with the ADF," he said. "Our alertness has been at the top. Remember how they infiltrated and hurt our people."

Katamba said many refugees are fleeing into Uganda from the DRC, a situation which called for serious screening to avoid letting in ADF rebels.

"When you are expecting refugees, it means that bad people can use the opportunity to come in. So all the security agencies are on full alert," he said. 
HANOI, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese airplanes C919 and ARJ21 developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) arrived in Vietnam's Van Don International Airport in the northern Quang Ninh province on Monday for an airshow, Vietnam News Agency reported.

The show is scheduled to take place from Monday to Thursday.

The two jetliners flew from Singapore to Vietnam after finishing the Singapore Airshow 2024 where they made their first airshow appearances outside China, local media reported.

ARJ21-700 is a twin-engine jet with a maximum of 90 seats while the C919 is a narrow-body passenger aircraft with a maximum capacity of 192 seats.

Visitors to the COMAC airshow in Vietnam will have chances to explore the jetliners inside.

Hoang Van Dung, deputy director of Van Don International Airport, said the COMAC airshow would help enable the operation of commercial flights from Chinese provinces and cities to Van Don, firstly from Shantou city of China's Guangdong Province.

The show is expected to promote tourism cooperation between Quang Ninh province and China's key markets, and at the same time, encourage airlines to launch flights and travel agencies to launch tourism packages to Van Don International Airport, he said.

According to local media, C919 and ARJ21-700 will fly to Vietnam's central Da Nang city, southern Ho Chi Minh City and Laos' capital Vientiane after the show in Quang Ninh. 
SYDNEY, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- An Australian pilot was released on Monday after being taken hostage "at gunpoint" in Papua New Guinea (PNG)'s highlands, Australia's largest national broadcaster reported.

According to Australian Broadcasting Corporation, PNG Police Commissioner David Manning confirmed in a statement that the pilot and two local technicians "were taken at gunpoint by an issue-motivated group" when they undertook a scheduled stop in the vicinity of Mt Sisa in Tari on Sunday afternoon.

"All indications are that the three ... remain unhurt even though they are being held captive," Manning was quoted as saying.

The hostage situation has now been resolved with all three occupants of the helicopter freed following a swift police response in the area.

Mt Sisa is located near the border of Hela and Southern Highlands provinces.

In February last year, University of Southern Queensland Archaeology professor Bryce Barker and three local researchers were kidnapped at Fogoma'iu village in Southern Highlands before being released with no ransom taken. 
Ulviyya Shahin

A protest action related to the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide was held in front of Cologne Cathedral, Azernews reports.

Azerbaijanis living in Cologne and surrounding cities and representatives of communities with a friendly attitude towards Azerbaijan attended the protest action organised by the European Azerbaijan Centre.

First, the National Anthem of Azerbaijan was played, and then the memory of the martyrs and Khojaly victims was commemorated with a minute's silence. Chairman of the European Azerbaijan Centre Zaur Aliyev, deputy chairman Sardar Aliyev, member of the board of directors Gazanfar Kazimov, members of the families of martyrs, and others delivered speeches. They said that though thirty-two years have passed since the Khojaly Genocide, Azerbaijanis living abroad have not forgotten the pain of those terrible days.

It was stated that the Khojaly genocide was a crime against humanity, and it was not the only act of genocide committed by the Armenians. The slogans were chanted in German and Azerbaijani.

Informative posters depicting Armenian vandalism were displayed by the protesters. Books, flyers, and brochures published in German and English were distributed to city residents. The exhibition of photos depicting the horrors of the Khojaly genocide aroused great interest among the members of the local community.

The event, attended by more than 200 people, ended with the waving of national flags of Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Germany under the strains of Koroghlu Overture.
COLOMBO, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Monday announced plans to build 40,000 housing units in the Maldives over the next five years, according to the official government news portal.

When addressing residents of Nolhivaranfaru island, Muizzu said formulating a medium-term and long-term plan to consolidate the population is important.

Muizzu also highlighted the importance of specialized doctors and high-quality laboratory services for good healthcare.

He added that Nolhivaranfaru has been identified for long-term consolidation efforts, citing its land and conducive conditions for large-scale projects. 
MANILA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Three women, including a person with disability, died on Sunday night when a fire burned down their house in Rizal province, east of Metro Manila, a firefighter said Monday.

John Randolph Baldonado told reporters that the fire broke out before 9 p.m. local time on Sunday from the victims' house and two neighboring homes. He added that it took firefighters less than an hour to extinguish the flame.

A sister-in-law of the victims said two of the three women managed to run out of the burning house but ran back into the house in an attempt to save their disabled sister.

Initial investigation showed that the fire started in one of the houses, which was empty at the time. The cause of the fire is under investigation. 
DHAKA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- A High Court Division bench in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka has banned gender detection of the fetus in a mother's womb.

Also, the High Court bench consisting of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque on Sunday ordered diagnostic centers to strictly follow the policy in this regard.

The court issued the rule during the hearing on a writ petition filed by a Supreme Court lawyer.

The lawyer filed the writ in public interest seeking a directive to stop revealing the gender identity of unborn children. 
WELLINGTON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand police will have more legislative power to crack down on gangs, giving greater weight to gang membership as an aggravating factor at sentencing, enabling courts to impose more severe punishments.

"Kiwis deserve to feel safe in their businesses and their homes and their communities, and that's what we're going to deliver," Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told media on Monday after a cabinet meeting.

The government will introduce legislation to ban all gang insignia in public places, create greater powers to stop criminal gangs from gathering in groups and communicating, and give greater weight to gang membership at sentencing, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said.

Police will be able to issue dispersal notices, which will require gang members to immediately leave the area and not associate with one another for seven days, he said.

Courts will be able to issue non-consorting orders, which will stop specified gang offenders from associating or communicating with one another for up to three years, Goldsmith said.

Gangs have recruited more than 3,000 members over the last five years, up 51 percent, he said, adding at the same time, there have been a significant escalation in gang-related violence, public intimidation and shootings, with violent crime up 33 percent.

"We need to take action and reduce gangs' ability to engage in criminal behavior and prevent them from further endangering and intimidating Kiwis," Goldsmith said.

Minister of Police Mark Mitchell said for too long gangs have been allowed to behave as if they are above the law, and these new laws will support police to take action against it. 
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Great Supreme Patriarch Tep Vong, leader of the Mohanikaya Buddhist sect in Cambodia, died on Monday at the age of 93 after battling a long illness, according to a joint statement.

"Venerable Tep Vong, Great Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia, passed away on Monday at 5:40 p.m. local time at the Ounalom pagoda in Phnom Penh due to illness at the age of 93," said the joint statement released by the Ministry of Cult and Religion and the Board of the Buddhist Monks.

His body will be placed at the pagoda for the funeral, the statement said.

Tep Vong was among the first monks to be re-ordained after the fall of the Democratic Kampuchea in January 1979 and he was known for his role in re-establishing the Cambodian monkhood. 
FUNAFUTI, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Feleti Teo has been appointed as the new prime minister of Tuvalu, one month after the general election in the country, local media Tuvalu TV reported on Monday.

Teo was elected unopposed on Monday morning in Funafuti, as only one candidate was nominated for the position, according to the Secretary to the Government Tufoua Panapa.

Ministers are yet to be known and will be confirmed at an oath taking ceremony scheduled for this week, said the media.

Teo, the former executive director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), was also the first Tuvaluan to serve as the attorney general of the country. 
STOCKHOLM, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Denmark has closed its investigation into the 2022 explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines, police said on Monday.

Although the investigation had found that the blasts were the result of sabotage, there were insufficient grounds to bring the matter to court in Denmark, the Danish police said in a press release.

Three weeks ago, their Swedish counterparts came to the same decision.

The Danish police said that the investigation had been thorough and that they had cooperated with foreign partners.

The press release did not specify which these foreign partners were, but Swedish authorities said previously that they had shared evidence with their counterparts in Germany.

The Swedish Prosecution Authority announced earlier this month that its investigation into the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions had been closed, adding that "the conclusion of the investigation is that Swedish jurisdiction does not apply."

The explosions, which took place on Sept. 26, 2022, destroyed the pipelines built to transport gas from Russia to Germany. Four leaks were discovered in the Swedish and Danish exclusive economic zones of the Baltic Sea in September 2022, and Sweden soon opened an investigation into the matter.

On Nov. 18, 2022, the Swedish Prosecution Authority said that the pipelines had been deliberately damaged, based on "the crime scene investigations that were carried out on-site in the Baltic Sea."

In February 2023, Pulitzer Prize winner Seymour Hersh revealed that the United States had partnered with Norway in a top-secret operation in June 2022 to plant remotely triggered explosives that took out three of the four Nord Stream pipelines three months later. Washington has denied such an allegation.

Mats Ljungqvist, the Swedish prosecutor leading the probe, said in April 2023 that a state actor "directly or at least indirectly behind all this" was the "absolute main scenario," without naming any country.

Sweden, Denmark and Germany have been investigating the incident separately. Russia had repeatedly called for a joint investigation, but the calls had been rejected. 
COPENHAGEN, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Danish police announced Monday that its investigation into the Nord Stream gas pipelines explosions is closed, as it came to the conclusion of deliberate sabotage, according to media reports.

Sweden, Denmark and Germany have been investigating the incident separately. Earlier this month, the Swedish Prosecution Authority announced that its investigation into the explosions is closed, with no culprit found. 
ZAGREB, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The general manager of Croatian Roads has this week welcomed the start of work by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) on a 6.85-kilometer section of road in south Croatia's Split. The project will boost cooperation between the two countries, said Josip Skoric in an interview with Xinhua on Monday.

Skoric said that previous cooperation with the CRBC on the construction of the Peljesac Bridge also in southern Croatia will be helpful for the new project.

"Our cooperation was successful and we have coped with all challenges together," Skoric said, applauding CRBC's "strong leadership", as well as the "dedication and commitment to work" that the Chinese company demonstrated during the construction of the Peljesac Bridge.

He added: "This project, I am convinced, will lead the cooperation between the two countries to a higher level."

The CRBC won the Split road section contract in a public procurement procedure in accordance with European Union regulations, Skoric stressed, noting that the project is "one of the most important strategic projects" both in Split-Dalmatia County and in Croatia as a whole.

The contract to construct the road section, between Vucevica junction on the A1 motorway and a junction on DC8 road in Split, is worth 74.6 million euros (80.5 million U.S. dollars). It also includes a 2.5-km-long tunnel, three overpasses and two viaducts.

As the second-largest city in Croatia, Split has been facing increasing traffic pressure. The existing entry routes into the city are not sufficient for the number of vehicles that come in and out of the city every day, and the new project will reduce travel time, increase traffic safety, and promote local economic development.

Croatian Roads, the state-owned company responsible for the management, construction and maintenance of public roads in Croatia, "will do everything in its power to complete the project as planned," he said. 
MOSCOW, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Denmark's decision to end investigation into the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions is essentially absurd, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

Denmark announced Monday that it has closed an investigation into the explosions, saying there were no sufficient grounds to pursue a criminal case, but there was a deliberate sabotage of the gas pipelines.

"The situation is close to absurd. On the one hand, (authorities) have recognized that a deliberate sabotage had taken place, and on the other hand, there would be no further progress," said Peskov.

He recalled that Moscow had repeatedly contacted Denmark during the initial stages of the investigation and asked for information about the process. However, all requests were rejected, and Russia was forbidden to take part in any investigative actions, he said.

Calling the situation quite obvious and astonishing, Peskov said Moscow will continue to closely monitor the results of Germany's investigation, which is still ongoing.

"We will certainly monitor (the situation), and if there will be any opportunities to obtain information, we will use these opportunities, but for now the situation is quite paradoxical," Peskov said.

The Nord Stream pipelines, which transported natural gas from Russia to European markets via Germany, were severely damaged by blasts in the Baltic Sea in September 2022. Sweden, Denmark and Germany had been conducting separate investigations into the incident. Sweden closed its investigation earlier this month, with no culprit found. 
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko advised the Armenian side not to hurry and not to make any sudden moves. He drew attention to Armenia's contacts with France, Azernews reports.

"They communicate with Emmanuel Macron in France all the time. Statements followed - France will help Armenia with air defence systems, military, and economic assistance. So, they will take Yerevan on their shoulders and carry it. No one will carry anyone. You see what is happening in France. Therefore, the politicians in Yerevan should wake up and, popularly speaking, they should not lose what they have," advised the President of Belarus in the course of communication with the media.

The President cited Georgia as an example: "Thank God, normal relations are being established first of all with Russia, and with us, the economy is rising. The West has tasted light bread. Americans have already forgotten about Georgia. As soon as Georgians started to move in the sense that this was their independent and sovereign country, the West started to put pressure on them. Including, first of all, the United States. So we should draw the appropriate conclusion. No one in the West needs them. There are thousands of problems there."

"Today, for example, in the US, Biden will support Ukraine, Armenia, and so on. Tomorrow, the power will change, and Trump will say, 'Look, I don't know you. My friends, I see you for the first time!" he added.

The President once again urged not to lose what you hold in your hands: "It's easy to get out, but it will be difficult to get in. Georgia is an example again. Well, it left the CIS and all its structures. Is it better for it? No. It is desirable to return. And it is always more difficult to return. There is a loss of face, and so on.
BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday called on the United States to listen to the call of the international community for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and play a constructive role in achieving a ceasefire and easing humanitarian crisis.

Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a press conference when asked to comment on report that at a recent G20 foreign ministers' meeting, the United States was criticized by several countries for opposing an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The latest Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues to escalate and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is extremely grave, with nearly 30,000 civilians killed and about 1.9 million people displaced, Mao said.

An immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is the universal call and the overwhelming consensus of the international community, Mao said, adding that the United States should heed the call and take concrete actions to play a constructive role in achieving a ceasefire and easing the humanitarian crisis. 
New Delhi:

In collaboration with Universitatea Aurel Vlaicu din Arad, Romania, NDIM hosted a two-day international conference on February 2223, 2024, under the sponsorship of the ICSSR, with the theme Developing Managerial Capabilities and Empowering Youth to Shape the Future: G20 Agenda for Innovation and Skill Enhancement. Visionary and educationist, Dr Bindu Kumar, Chairperson of NDIM, and the key person behind NDIM no 1 rankings, declared the 2 day international conference open. Chief Guest IAS Sonal Goel, Secretary, Government of Tripura, acknowledged the conference with her presence and offered her thoughts on innovation and skill enhancement in ongoing education and career development.

This conference attracted industry heavyweights from the field of Academia and Corporates. The event was dignified by the presence of senior academician like Prof Jagdish C. Kapur, Prof. (Dr.) Sanjiv Mittal, Dr. Abha Vermani, Dr. Durgesh Tripathi, Ajay Kumar Gupta, Sachin Bharti, and international speakers like Dr. Alina Costin, Dr. Shad Ahmad Khan, Ms. Torkos Henriettalecturer from the university of Oman and Romania. The dignitaries launched the proceedings of International Conference (6th Edition) that would be published in UGC and ABDC listed Journals More than fifty high-rank

More than fifty high-ranking executives from various sectors, including Accenture, DMA, AIMA, Ministry of Home Affairs (GOI), Ministry of HRD (GOI), and more addressed to NDIM students. Over 300 students, research scholars, and faculty members attended the conference, and numerous presentations were delivered.

The convener, Prof. (Dr.) Madhu Arora, gave a vote of thanks to each and every delegate. In this magnificent occasion, research scholars and students presented what they discovered. The experts praised NDIM for its research projects and for organising these kinds of events for management students who consistently perform well on placement exams.

With professors from IITs, IIMs, and other international universities, NDIM is proud of its intellectual capital. It should come as no surprise that NDIM consistently turns out top university students with such brilliant mentors. NDIM has undertaken numerous research projects under the capable direction of NDIM Chairperson Dr. Bindu Kumar, and it has consistently received an A+ rating after passing muster with key organisations like the State Fee Regulatory Committee and the Academic Audit Council of GGSIPU, among many others.

New Delhi Institute of Management, NDIM, is an A+ Rated Premier B- School, Affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University for BBA and BCA is an ISO Certified (9001: 2015), No.1 Management School in Delhi. The NDIM campus building is a centrally air-conditioned Wi-Fi enabled ultra-modern campus, situated in the heart of South Delhi.
Cyber threats are a growing concern among the world's top businesses. Technologies like generative artificial intelligence (AI) are helping bad actors craft sophisticated attacks by creating hyper-realistic phishing emails, and voice recordings that can trick employees into handing over sensitive information.

In fact, 64% of the 4,702 CEOs recently surveyed by PwC believe generative AI will increase cybersecurity risk in their organizations over the next 12 months. It was their biggest concern when it comes to AI, outranking the spread of misinformation and potential legal risks.

Advanced cybersecurity tools that use AI to deliver smarter, more automated protection are required to combat these new-age threats -- and Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) is a leader in that very field, but the stock has had a rough go of it lately.

The company recently released results for its fiscal 2024's second quarter (ended Jan. 31). That sent the shares plunging 29% as the company announced a shift in its business strategy. However, these new steps could bear fruit over the long term. Here's why investors should consider the stock now.

Palo Alto is a leader in AI-based cybersecurity

Palo Alto's business is split into three platforms: network security, cloud security, and security operations. The company is gradually weaving AI through many of the products under those banners to give businesses the most advanced protection possible.

Here's a notable statistic. Palo Alto says 93% of security operations centers within organizations still rely on human-led processes. Cybersecurity managers are under such a heavy workload that 23% of incidents are left uninvestigated, which creates an unacceptable number of vulnerabilities.

Palo Alto's Cortex XSIAM security operations platform was designed to solve that problem. AI and automation are at its core, and for one large customer, it has reduced the number of incidents that require manual investigation by 75%. Another customer now has 90% of their security incidents solved by automation, up from 10% prior to adopting XSIAM. XSIAM was launched a little over one year ago, and it has already amassed a revenue pipeline worth $1 billion.

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But the AI opportunity is just heating up. Organizations and their employees will be using AI an increasing amount in the coming years, and Palo Alto says security isn't yet front and center. They could be accessing AI in an insecure manner that places their critical data at risk, and plugging those vulnerabilities could be a $5 billion opportunity by 2030.

Plus, Palo Alto says the frequency of phishing emails has increased 12-fold over the last year because of AI's ability to generate them instantly. According to CrowdStrike, 90% of successful cyberattacks originate at the endpoint -- the computer or device used by each employee -- making it the most vulnerable part of every company.

Phishing emails tend to target those employees, and since Palo Alto already protects roughly 100 million individual users, it has a huge opportunity ahead in limiting the damage.

A strong Q2, but reduced full-year forecast

Palo Alto delivered $2 billion of revenue in the second quarter, marking a 19% increase from the year-ago period. It also delivered $1.46 in non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings per share, which was a 39% increase. Palo Alto was profitable on a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis, too, although the result benefited from a large one-off income tax benefit.

The point is, this company is delivering revenue growth without substantial losses at the bottom line, unlike many of its competitors, which are still burning through cash each quarter. Palo Alto's remaining performance obligations (RPOs) also soared 22% to $10.8 billion, which typically converts to revenue over time.

However, Palo Alto's management team unexpectedly reduced its forecast for both RPOs and revenue for the fiscal 2024 full year. The company is undergoing a major strategy shift to position itself for accelerated growth in the future.

Image source: Getty Images.

The shift toward platformization

The cybersecurity industry is fragmented, with companies often piecing products together from different providers based on their needs. Historically, Palo Alto has relied on the quality of its products to attract its customers to use more of them.

I mentioned earlier that Palo Alto's business is split into three platforms. Well, the lifetime value of customers using all three platforms is 40 times greater than those using just one. Therefore, incentivizing large customers to use Palo Alto for all of their needs could drive enormous growth in the long term.

The problem is that large organizations often have existing contracts with their cybersecurity providers and can't simply opt out whenever they please. So, Palo Alto is offering them fee-free periods to capture them while they are still contracted with a competitor. Then, once that contact runs out, they will convert into paying customers for Palo Alto.

It's a great strategy that forgoes short-term revenue (hence the drop in billings and revenue guidance) in exchange for potentially significant growth in the long term. Plus, it squeezes out Palo Alto's competitors in the process.

Why Palo Alto stock is a buy now

Palo Alto believes the accelerated shift to platformization will help the company reach $15 billion in annual revenue by 2030, 90% of which will be recurring revenue, creating a stable and reliable business.

Considering that the company expects to deliver $8 billion in revenue during fiscal 2024, hitting that goal would translate to an 87.5% increase between now and then -- or a compound annual growth rate of 11%.

However, Palo Alto thinks there could be upside to its $15 billion target thanks to AI. That isn't surprising given that so many companies developing AI technologies are delivering explosive growth right now. The truth is, nobody knows exactly how much the threat landscape might be altered by sophisticated AI-based attacks, so the true size of Palo Alto's long-term opportunity is hard to discern.

So, while investors rushed for the exits following the reduction in Palo Alto's guidance, the 29% drop in its stock price presents an opportunity for investors who are willing to hold for the long term. They might be glad they bought in when they look back on this moment in a few years, assuming Palo Alto's vision becomes reality.

Should you invest $1,000 in Palo Alto Networks right now?

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1 Amazing Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Down 29% You'll Regret Not Buying on the Dip was originally published by The Motley Fool
In this piece we are going to look at 15 countries with declining birth rates in 2024. If you want to skip and jump directly to the top countries on our list, you can go to 5 countries with declining birth rates in 2024.

The global birth rate issue is a critical concern impacting countries worldwide. Over the past 70 years, there has been a significant decrease in birth rates across the nations. This trend is particularly evident in countries like China and South Korea, where birth rates have plummeted by over 80% since 1950. The decline in birth rates is a complex phenomenon with both positive and negative implications.

On the positive side, it signifies progress in socio-economic development. As countries advance and living standards improve, societal norms shift towards prioritizing education, career, and personal goals over starting families. This shift is empowered by factors such as enhanced opportunities for women, urbanization, and access to family planning services.

However, the downside of declining birth rates cannot be ignored. One of the significant consequences is the rapidly aging population. With fewer children being born, the proportion of elderly individuals increases, straining social welfare systems, healthcare, and pension schemes. Additionally, a shrinking workforce due to declining birth rates may lead to labor shortages, skill gaps, and reduced economic productivity. It is evident that declining birth rates have far-reaching implications, impacting not only demographics but also the labor market and global economy. Urgent action and strategic planning are needed to address these challenges and ensure sustainable development in the face of a changing population landscape.

By the end of this century, a worrying trend of declining populations may affect nearly every country worldwide. While advancements in healthcare and reduced poverty levels have resulted in increased life spans, the number of births per woman has significantly decreased. In the last five decades, the global fertility rate has dwindled by half to 2.3. In advanced economies, this rate falls below the critical replacement level of 2.1, necessary for population maintenance across generations. Developing nations are also witnessing a parallel decline in fertility rates. Immediate attention and action are imperative to understand and mitigate the implications of this demographic shift.

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On the other hand, in the United States, the birth rate has been steadily declining since the onset of the Great Recession, plunging by nearly 23% from 2007 to 2022. Presently, the typical American woman gives birth to approximately 1.6 children, a stark drop from the three children per woman in 1950 and well below the crucial "replacement rate" of 2.1 children required to maintain a stable population. Immediate attention is essential to grasp the implications of this concerning demographic shift.

Lets now look at some of the companies which are keeping their eyes on the birth rate trend globally, and adjusting their operations accordingly. We are going to discuss 3 such companies, namely, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:KMB), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), and The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG).

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:KMB) is a renowned innovator and international authority in the realm of reliable baby and child care products and brands, encompassing diapers, wipes, and training pants. In the quarter ending 31st December 2023, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:KMB) reported modest gains in their Personal Care sales, reaching $2.6 billion, marking a 2% increase. Noteworthy advancements in innovation, effective commercial strategies, and supply chain enhancements resulted in notable volume growth, especially in North America, where sales surged by 4%. Throughout 2023, Personal Care exhibited a 1% growth overall, with organic sales soaring by 5%, showcasing widespread growth across various region.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), a key indicator of the health sector's performance, reported total sales of $21.40 billion in the last quarter of 2023 ending 31 December, showing an impressive 7.3% increase from the corresponding quarter in 2022. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), the pharmaceutical industry leader, disclosed a net income of $4.13 billion, equating to $1.70 per share in the quarter, a notable increase from the prior year's net income of $3.23 billion, equivalent to $1.22 per share.

The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG), another personal care products manufacturer, revealed a rise in net sales for the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 ending 31 December 2023, reaching $21.4 billion, marking a 3% increase from the previous year. Organic sales, which exclude the impacts of foreign exchange and acquisitions/divestitures, saw a more significant surge of 4%. Despite a dip in diluted net earnings per share to $1.40, a 12% decrease from the prior year, attributed primarily to a non-cash impairment of the Gillette intangible asset, core net earnings per share surged to $1.84, marking a notable 16% increase compared to the previous year.

15 countries with declining birth rates in 2024

Freer/Shutterstock.com

Methodology

To come up with the list of 15 countries with declining birth rates in 2024, we referred to The World Factbook list of countries with their birth rates  comparison of the average annual number of births of countries in a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. We took the birth rates for 2023 and 2022, respectively and then arrived at the percentage change between the two years rates, which provided us the basis for our ranking of 15 countries with declining birth rates in 2024.

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15 countries with declining birth rates in 2024

15. Belarus

Change in Birth Rate: -5.3%

15th on our list of countries with declining birth rates in 2024 is Belarus, which is witnessing a distressing record low in the number of births in 2023, as reported by the Ministry of Justice, with just over 65,000 births recorded. This figure is alarmingly low, marking the lowest recorded in the country's history.

14. North Korea

Change in Birth Rate: -5.7%

North Korea is facing a concerning trend, with the United Nations Population Fund reporting a fertility rate of 1.8 in 2023, reflecting a continuous decline in recent decades. Despite this decline, the fertility rate in North Korea remains higher than in some neighboring countries also experiencing a downward trend.

13. France

Change in Birth Rate: -6.5%

In France, as of January 2023, the total population stands at 68.0 million, with a marginal increase of 0.3% in 2022. However, the number of births dropped significantly, with 723,000 babies born, 19,000 fewer than in 2021, resulting in its inclusion here in the list of countries with declining birth rates in 2024. After a brief rebound in 2021, births plummeted again in 2022, hitting a historical low. The total fertility rate in 2022 stood at 1.80 children per woman, down from 1.84 in 2021. This alarming trend requires immediate attention and action to address the implications for each respective country's demographics.

12. Ireland

Change in Birth Rate: -8.3%

Ireland observed a decrease in births in 2022, with 57,540 babies born, marking a 1.5% decline compared to 2021. A stark contrast can be seen from a decade ago in 2012 when 71,674 children were born, despite a smaller population. The peak of the Celtic Tiger baby boom was in 2009, with 75,554 births that year.

11. Republic of the Congo

Change in Birth Rate: -8.6%

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, cultural norms traditionally support large families, with recent surveys indicating that women desire an average of six children and men of seven. However, a shift is emerging in recent data trends.

10. Liberia

Change in Birth Rate: -9.9%

10th on our list of countries with declining birth rates in 2024 is Liberia. In Liberia, the government has been actively spearheading initiatives to reduce adolescent pregnancies and foster equal opportunities for girls. These efforts extend beyond the health sector, emphasizing the urgency of addressing these critical issues, resulting in the declining birth rate for the latest year.

9. Russia

Change in Birth Rate: -10.1%

Russia is currently grappling with its most severe demographic crisis in recent history, marked by a significant decline in births attributed to the prevailing uncertainty in the economic and political landscape. The demographic statistics are deeply concerning.

In August 2023, a sharp 29% decrease in Russia's natural population during January-June 2023 compared to the same period in 2022 was reported, plummeting from 383,800 to 272,500. The number of births also declined by 3%, falling from 635,200 to 616,200, and the number of deaths registered a substantial 12.8% drop from 1,019,000 to 888,700. Furthermore, the natural population decrease in 2022 exhibited a staggering 42.5% decline from 1,042,675 in 2021 to 599,616. Immediate action is imperative to address this critical demographic crisis in Russia.

8. The Bahamas

Change in Birth Rate: -10.5%

The Bahamas is experiencing a concerning rise in maternal mortality rates, with 77 women per 100,000 live births succumbing to pregnancy-related causes. This ratio has deteriorated from 61 in 2000 to 77 in 2020. Despite being lower than the regional average, these figures highlight a critical need for immediate attention to address maternal health challenges in The Bahamas. Maternal mortality ratio reflects the number of women lost due to pregnancy-related causes per 100,000 live births. Immediate action is essential to combat this alarming trend.

7. Zimbabwe

Change in Birth Rate: -11.1%

Zimbabwe, 7th country on our list of countries with declining birth rates in 2024, is facing a dire situation with one of the world's highest maternal mortality rates. Pregnant women are forced to take risky chances by resorting to home births. This decision is often driven by the insufficient funding and resources in government hospitals or the inability to afford medical costs. Additionally, cultural norms compel some women to accept home births conducted by untrained family or community individuals, further exacerbating the risks and challenges faced by expectant mothers. Immediate action is required to address these critical maternal health concerns in Zimbabwe.

6. Norway

Change in Birth Rate: -13.3%

In 2022, Norway recorded 51,480 newborns, a figure that may appear substantial but, in reality, signifies a significant decline in the country's fertility rate. The actual number of newborns also decreased significantly, with 4,500 fewer births compared to the previous year and 1,500 fewer than in 2020. Shockingly, among the women from the '1992 cohort' who reached the age of 30 in 2022, a striking 54% had not yet experienced childbirth. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need to address and understand the implications of declining birth rates in Norway.

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Disclosure: None. 15 countries with declining birth rates in 2024 is originally published on Insider Monkey.
In this article, we will take a look at the 15 Mailchimp alternatives for email newsletters in 2024. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Mailchimp Alternatives for Email Newsletters in 2024.

Mailchimp: At a Glance

Mailchimp is a product of Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU). The company specializes in the production of marketing automation and email marketing tools. The company allows businesses to integrate all their channels using a single platform, making it easier for companies to execute holistic and consistent marketing campaigns. The Mailchimp artificial intelligence tool collects several data points and helps businesses curate the perfect emails for their campaigns.

Mailchimp is consistently working on its expansion. On February 7, Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) announced that the company is set to open a new office in Atlanta. The office will serve as an innovation hub for Mailchimp and Intuit. The new space will be able to house 1,000 employees based in Atlanta. The office spreads across an area of 360,000 square feet, making it Intuit Inc.'s (NASDAQ:INTU) largest innovation hub. Important establishments in the office include the creative lab and several neighborhoods, allowing different teams to collaborate. You can also take a look at the most creative email newsletter ideas for corporations.

Leading Email Newsletter Platforms

Some of the companies with the best software for email newsletters include Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM), and HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE:HUBS). These companies provide cross-channel platforms, helping businesses optimize their entire marketing and communications functionality. Let's discuss some recent updates from these companies. You can also take a look at the best marketing software to use for small businesses.

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) offers a reliable tool for sending emails in high volume. The Amazon Simple Email Service (Amazon SES) allows businesses to deliver comprehensive email campaigns without having to install an on-site Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). Businesses can simply use the Amazon SES API or the SMTP interface. Users can automate messages based on transactions, execute marketing email campaigns, send bulk email communications, and deliver notifications to customers. The company is committed to expanding its presence in countries across the globe. On January 19, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) announced that it is set to invest a staggering 2.26 trillion yen in its cloud infrastructure in Tokyo and Osaka. This investment is to be made until 2027 and aims to meet the growing demand for cloud services in Japan. The company has been strongly keen on propagating the use of artificial intelligence and industry-specific language models in Japan. To do so, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) launched the AWS LLM Development Support Program in Japan and made the Amazon Bedrock widely available.

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Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) offers a leading email-sending software. Businesses can use the software to reach their customers through elaborate marketing campaigns. Users send emails to their targeted audience and can test them out to check if all the images, videos, and text appear as intended. The company does not limit itself to offering basic marketing tools. The company goes above and beyond with its tech solutions. On February 14, Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) launched a new generative artificial intelligence tool in Slack tool for customers. The company introduced an AI-powered search capability, channel recaps, and thread summaries to help users save time. On average, customers save about 97 minutes per week using Slack's new AI tools. The Slack AI is also set to launch a new Digest feature.

HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE:HUBS) is a leading software company specializing in the production of software products for marketing, sales, and customer service. Businesses can build comprehensive email campaigns using HubSpot's email marketing tools. The email marketing tools are integrated with the HubSpot CRM, enabling the company to send personalized emails to each customer. Users are also able to conduct thorough A/B tests on their email campaigns. On February 5, HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE:HUBS) published a report on the new marketing tools and features for companies as part of its January 2024 release. The company updated its marketing calendar to a list view to help users assess the list of events across the entire month. The company also updated its email marketing tools to comply with the new one-click unsubscribe requirement by Google and Yahoo. The company also rolled out a new metric for marketers called the Associated Deal Value. "Associated Deal Value" is the sum of the value of all closed deals associated with a campaign.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the 15 Mailchimp alternatives for email newsletters in 2024. You can also read our piece on the most profitable email newsletters on Substack.

15 Mailchimp Alternatives for Email Newsletters in 2024

15 Mailchimp Alternatives for Email Newsletters in 2024

Our Methodology

In this article, we will take a look at the 15 Mailchimp alternatives for email newsletters in 2024. To gather a list of the best Mailchimp alternatives, we sifted through over 10 similar rankings on the internet. Of them, we picked the marketing automation software that appeared in at least 50% of our sources. To identify the top 15 items, we sourced the number of customers and pricing packages from the company's official sites. We used the number of customers as our primary metric since it reflects how preferred the software is in the market. Since our consensus gave us a pool of the best automation software, items with the lowest pricing may be the most cost-efficient options for businesses. Our list of the 15 Mailchimp alternatives for email newsletters in 2024 is in ascending order of the number of customers.

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.

15 Mailchimp Alternatives for Email Newsletters in 2024

15. Sitecore

Number of Customers: 3,000

Lowest Package Price: N/A

Sitecore was founded in 2001 in Denmark and is one of the best Mailchimp alternatives to email newsletters. Sitecore Send helps businesses send tailored customer-centric emails to establish lasting relationships. The pricing for Sitecore Send is not publicly available as the company offers personalized pricing.

14. Drip

Number of Customers: 20,000

Lowest Package Price: $39

Drip ranks 14th on our list of the best alternatives to Mailchimp for email newsletters in 2024. Users can start a free 14-day free trial by signing up. For $39, users can send unlimited emails to 2,500 people. Users can also conduct onsite campaigns and acquire email support.

13. SendGrid

Number of Customers: 80,000

Lowest Package Price: $0

SendGrid is a communication platform for companies. The software helps companies set up transactional and marketing email campaigns. Users can house up to 2,000 contacts and send up to 6,000 emails per month for free. The free version allows businesses to conduct A/B testing, extract important insights, segment contacts, and develop one sign-up form.

12. Omnisend

Number of Customers: 100,000

Lowest Package Price: $0

Omnisend ranks 12th on our list of the best email marketing software in 2024. For no fee, users can add up to 250 contacts, deliver 500 emails per month, and send 500 push notifications per month. All users get a variety of email templates, built-in segments, popups, signup forms, and landing pages.

11. AWeber

Number of Customers: 100,000

Lowest Package Price: $0

AWeber ranks 11th on our list of the best alternatives to Mailchimp for email newsletters in 2024. Users with up to 500 subscribers can opt for the free plan at AWeber. Users can build one email list, develop a landing page, gain access to email automation tools, and acquire basic email support for free.

10. Klaviyo

Number of Customers: 130,000

Lowest Package Price: $0

Klaviyo, Inc. (NYSE:KVYO) ranks as one of the best Mailchimp alternatives for email newsletters in 2024. For no price, businesses can send 500 monthly emails, obtain 150 monthly free SMS/MMS credits, and acquire email support for the first 60 days. Klaviyo, Inc. (NYSE:KVYO) is home to more than 130,000 customers.

9. ActiveCampaign

Number of Customers: 185,000

Lowest Package Price: $29

ActiveCampaign ranks ninth on our list of the best Mailchimp alternatives for email newsletters in 2024. The software company allows small businesses to send emails 10 times the number of contacts for up to 1,000 marketing contacts. Users can avail such for $29 a month. Under this package, businesses can send personalized emails, send inline forms, conduct thorough site and event tracking, and create automation and campaign reports.

8. Campaign Monitor

Number of Customers: 200,000

Lowest Package Price: $11

Campaign Monitor is a product of Marigold, and ranks eighth on our list of the best alternatives to Mailchimp for email newsletters in 2024. The company provides services to more than 200,000 companies across 180 countries. Users can sign up for free and send a campaign to five subscribers. Users must upgrade to a paid plan to send an email to more than 5 subscribers. At $11 per month, users can optimize email and SMS marketing.

7. HubSpot

Number of Customers: 205,000

Lowest Package Price: $0

HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE:HUBS) is a CRM platform that provides a range of marketing automation tools to businesses. More than 205,000 brands use HubSpot to meet their marketing needs. HubSpot's free email hosting software allows businesses to send up to 2,000 emails per month. Users can upgrade to the Marketing Hub Starter, Professional, and Enterprise as the volume of emails grows.

6. GetResponse

Number of Customers: 400,000

Lowest Package Price: $13.2

GetResponse ranks sixth on our list of the best Mailchimp alternatives for email newsletters in 2024. For $13.2 a month, users can send newsletters, gain access to the AI email generator, use the AI campaign generator, develop website and landing pages, and create signup forms and popups. Users can test the platform with a 30-day free trial.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Mailchimp Alternatives for Email Newsletters in 2024.

Suggested Articles:

Disclosure: None. 15 Mailchimp Alternatives for Email Newsletters in 2024 is originally published on Insider Monkey.
In this article, we will take a look at the 25 best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to 5 Best Free Newsletters to Subscribe to in 2024.

Why Must SMS & Email Marketing Go Hand-in-Hand?

On January 10, Harvard Business Review published a winning formula for SMS and email marketing, in collaboration with Mailchimp. The report emphasized engagement, conversion, and repetition. According to the survey, almost 40% of mobile marketers had difficulty tracking the customer across their journey, 37% of mobile marketers claimed they did not own sufficient in-house mobile expertise, and 32% suggested that having unclear goals and objectives was a primary problem. According to the report, SMS messages have an open rate of 98%. This suggests that marketers need to streamline SMS marketing and email marketing into one integrated campaign to yield maximum ROI. Findings from the study reveal that mid-sized companies have gained a competitive advantage by combining their email and SMS marketing channels in the past. One such example is Joyeria Daisy. Joyeria Daisy aimed to maximize the probability of repeat purchases from its customers. Using SMS and email marketing together helped the company increase its repeat customer rate to 2.9% in 2023 from 1.75% in 2022.

SMS & Email Marketing Solution Providers

Klaviyo, Inc. (NYSE:KVYO), Omnisend, and Intuit Inc.'s (NASDAQ:INTU) Mailchimp offer top notch SMS and email marketing integrated solutions. Let's discuss some offerings from these companies. You can also take a look at the most popular email newsletters in the US.

Klaviyo, Inc. (NYSE:KVYO) is a prominent marketing automation company with a focus on email and SMS marketing. It is home to more than 135,000 brands across 80 countries. The company allows users to integrate SMS and email marketing to drive maximum growth. One such example is Honeylove. Honeylove is a garment brand that drove 195% growth in revenue by consolidating email and SMS marketing tools offered by Klaviyo, Inc. (NYSE:KVYO). Customers can integrate SMS marketing into their existing email marketing campaigns. Users can run multiple tests, create dynamic content, and segment their campaigns.

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Omnisend is one of the best platforms to optimize email and SMS marketing. In 2023, merchants made $72 on average for every dollar they spent on email and SMS marketing. The conversion rate expanded by 47.7% for merchants combining email and SMS marketing. Omnisend offers 100% customizable email and SMS marketing templates so that businesses can offer personalized experiences to their users. Users can also connect their Omnisend platform with e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, Woocommerce, BigCommerce, and Wix. Omnisend is home to more than 100,000 e-commerce brands.

Mailchimp is home to more than 12 million users. It offers drag and drop editors, automation tools, and developer APIs to its customers. The company allows users to benefit from more than 300 integrations available on the platform. Users can integrate SMS marketing into existing email marketing campaigns using the Mailchimp Campaign Manager. Integrating the channels allows users to manage triggers across the customer journey for email and SMS simultaneously.

Now that we have discussed the importance of integrating channels, let's take a look at the 25 best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. You can also read our piece on the highest grossing media franchises of all time.

25 Best Free Newsletters to Subscribe to in 2024

25 Best Free Newsletters to Subscribe to in 2024

Our Methodology

To gather a list of the 25 best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024, we went over several sources including over 10 reports on the internet, our rankings, and multiple similar rankings. Of them, we picked the newsletters that appeared in 50% of our sources. To identify the top 25 items, we sourced the total site visits in the past 28 days for our pool of newsletters from Similarweb. Our list of the 25 best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024 is in ascending order of total site visits, as of February 20, 2024.

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.

25 Best Free Newsletters to Subscribe to in 2024

25. The Hustle Daily

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 830,809

The Hustle Daily ranks 25th on our list of the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. The newsletter is a five-minute newsletter that covers important business, tech, and internet updates.

24. Brain Food

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 1.08 Million

The Brain Food newsletter is owned by the Farnam Street Media Inc. The newsletter has more than 600,000 subscribers and it covers simulating topics.

23. Travel Weekly

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 1.19 Million

Travel Weekly shares free newsletters that provide travel insights, travel updates, destination updates, and travel tips. Some of the free newsletters include Caribbean, Cruise, Daily Bulletin, Europe, Hawaii, Home based, and Las Vegas.

22. Daily Skimm

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 1.34 Million

The Daily Skimm by The Skimm is one of the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. The newsletter is delivered daily and covers important stories.

21. ByteByteGo

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 1.35 Million

ByteByteGo ranks 21st on our list of the best newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. Users receive one issue every Saturday for free. Paid members also receive an additional newsletter every Wednesday.

20. CB Insights

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 1.59 Million

CB Insights is one of the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. The newsletter covers important tech updates. The newsletter aims to make its audience smarter with catchy and vibrant newsletters.

19. The Information

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 1.61 Million

The Information offers a range of free newsletters including the Creator Economy by Kaya Yurieff, The Weekend, and The Electric by Steve LeVine, among others. The newsletters cover tech trends, company updates, and news from the creator economy.

18. The Download

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 1.99 Million

The Download by the MIT Technology Review is one of the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. The newsletter covers tech updates. It is delivered every day from Monday to Friday.

17. Muck Rack Daily

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 2.29 Million

Muck Rack Daily ranks 17th on our list of the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. The newsletter is delivered daily and covers news and updates.

16. The Week

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 2.32 Million

The Week offers a range of free newsletters including The Good News Newsletter, The Week's Best Photojournalism, Culture & Life, and Today's Best Articles, among others.

15. Morning Brew

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 2.92 Million

The Morning Brew sends a daily email newsletter covering news and updates from across the globe. It ranks as the 15th best free newsletter to subscribe to in 2024.

14. Product Hunt

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 3.93 Million

Product Hunt ranks 14th on our list of the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. The daily newsletter shares a daily digest of new products across the globe.

13. New Atlas

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 4.73 Million

The New Atlas newsletter is one of the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. More than 220,000 people have subscribed to the newsletter. The newsletter is delivered daily.

12. Futurism

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 5.55 Million

Futurism ranks 12th on our list of the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. The daily newsletter is sent five times a week and covers important tech trends that may shape our future.

11. Top 20 Newsletter by Travelzoo

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 5.67 Million

The Top 20 Newsletter by Travelzoo is one of the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. Users can subscribe to the newsletter for exclusive travel deals and travel rates for free.

10. Gastro Obscura Newsletter

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 6.16 Million

The Gastro Obscura Newsletter by Atlas Obscura ranks 10th on our list of the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. The newsletter is delivered twice a week and covers some of the most wondrous spots in the world for food and drink.

9. Lonely Planet

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 6.54 Million

The Lonely Planet Daily Newsletter is one of the best email newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. The weekly newsletter provides travel advice, news, and updates. It also explores new destinations.

8. Conde Nast Traveler

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 7.37 Million

Conde Nast Traveler ranks eighth on our list of the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. The company offers a range of free newsletters including The Daily, The Intel, Packing List, Women Who Travel, and What's Next for Travel.

7. TechCrunch

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 10.56 Million

TechCrunch offers a range of newsletters including the TechCrunch AM & PM, the TechCrunch Week in Review, the TechCrunch Exchange, and the TechCrunch Startups Weekly, among others. The newsletters cover important tech updates, startup dates, and tech news.

6. ThePointsGuy Daily Newsletter

Total Site Visits as of February 20, 2024: 11.5 Million

The PointsGuy Daily Newsletter ranks sixth on our list of the best free newsletters to subscribe to in 2024. Users can sign up for the daily newsletter to receive the latest travel news, travel deals, and travel tips.

Click to continue reading and see 5 Best Free Newsletters to Subscribe to in 2024.

Suggested articles:

Disclosure: None. 25 Best Free Newsletters to Subscribe to in 2024 is originally published on Insider Monkey.
In this article, we will be navigating through the 30 least educated countries in the world. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can move directly to the 5 Least Educated Countries in the World.

Literacy Across the World: An Analysis

As reported by UNESCO, the world has significantly progressed in education over the years. As compared to 68% of the population being able to read and write in 1979, more than 86% have a similar capability as of now. However, adult literacy is still an issue with almost 763 million adults lacking literacy skills.

The COVID-19 pandemic majorly disrupted global education. Between March 2020 and September 2021, nearly 131 million schoolchildren in 11 countries missed three-quarters of classroom instruction. The majority of the impacted students were from the Philippines and Bangladesh. Region-wise, South Asia and East Asia and the Pacific were the two regions where full school closures were widely maintained. The impact on Africa was also evident by the fact that while the total out-of-school children increased, the dropout rate among girls in secondary education in Malawi went up by 48% between 2020 and 2021.

Sub-Saharan Africa has been victim to a deprivation of reading and numeracy skills among its children. Countries such as the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, and Ghana remain subject to this lack of foundational skills in children. An important relation in this regard is how the attainment of education is intertwined with wealth inequality. Especially for reading skills, children belonging to the wealthy segment tend to have better skills than those who live in poverty. Countries with the highest poverty rates have also been previously discussed. Several other factors influencing these skills in children relate to functional difficulties, lack of books at home, and mothers not having primary education. Similarly, the social inequalities and caste system restrict literacy in India. While rural children engage in work instead of school, those from the lower castes face issues with access to education.

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Advanced Literacy in a Digital Era

The concept of literacy has evolved over time. From a mere sense of reading and writing, literacy has transformed into the skills needed to operate in an information-rich and digital world. By facilitating the learning of these skills, an amalgam of education and technology commonly known as 'education technology' or edtech has been helping students around the world. Some of the most valuable edtech companies such as 2U, Inc. (NASDAQ:TWOU), Coursera, Inc. (NYSE:COUR), and Udemy, Inc. (NASDAQ:UDMY) continue to shape the educational landscape by facilitating learning around the world.

2U, Inc. (NASDAQ:TWOU) provides career-relevant education through its online platform edX. On February 1, the company reported that it has entered into a partnership with the University of Surrey. Under this collaboration, five online degree programs will be initially offered in 2024. These degrees will relate to business, marketing, AI, psychology, and sustainability. At least 15 master's degrees and at least 15 professional certificate programs are expected to be delivered by 2026. This will expand access of students around the world to this prestigious university in the United Kingdom.

Coursera, Inc. (NYSE:COUR) serves as one of the biggest online learning platforms that offer numerous courses, certifications, bachelors and masters degrees. On February 1, the company reported its earnings for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023. Coursera, Inc. (NYSE:COUR) reported earnings per share of $0.06, beating EPS estimate by $0.06. The companys revenue for the quarter amounted to $168.88 million, up 18.78% year-over-year and ahead of revenue consensus by $4.11 million.

Udemy, Inc. (NASDAQ:UDMY) is another known edtech company that gives access to a diverse set of in-demand online courses. On February 1, the company reported that it will be launching several generative AI-enabled offerings to foster skill development in 2024. Among these, Udemy AI Learning Assistant will help learners find relevant content. Simultaneously, Gen AI-powered Q&A will be responding to student queries in a fast and efficient manner.

Without further ado, lets move to the 30 least educated countries in the world.

30 Least Educated Countries in the World

30 Least Educated Countries in the World

Our Methodology:

In order to compile a list of the 30 least educated countries in the world, we sourced data from the World Bank. We selected the literacy rate among adults aged 15 and above as our metric. As reported by the World Bank, the adult literacy rate refers to the 'percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life'. The least educated countries tend to have the lowest adult literacy rates and have been ranked in descending order of their most recent adult literacy rates.

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.

30 Least Educated Countries in the World

30. Angola

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 72.4%

In 2022, literate adults in Angola were recorded at 72.4%. Among them, the females had a literacy rate of 62.5% which highlights a gender gap.

29. Bhutan

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 72.1%

Bhutan is another less educated nation. According to the World Bank, the literacy rate among adults aged 15 and above in the country was last recorded at 72.1%.

28. Nepal

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 71.2%

Nepal ranks as one of the least educated countries in the world. This is evident from the fact that 71.2% of the countrys population aged 15 and above were reported to be literate in 2021.

27. Timor-Leste

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 69.9%

The percentage of 15-year-olds and above with literacy skills in Timor-Leste was reported to be 69.9% in 2020. Female literacy rate was recorded at 66.5%.

26. Malawi

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 68.1%

68.1% of Malawis population aged 15 and above was literate as recorded in 2022. Hence, Malawi ranks among the 30 least educated countries in the world.

25. Mauritania

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 67%

Mauritania is another less educated nation. In 2021, the literacy rate among the population aged 15 and above in the country was 67%.

24. Togo

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 66.5%

In 2019, the adult literacy rate in Togo was reported to be 66.5% by the World Bank. Hence, Togo is one of the least educated countries in the world.

23. Nigeria

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 62%

In 2022, the percentage of literate adults who were 15 and above was recorded at 62% in Nigeria. Therefore, the country ranks among the least educated nations around the world.

22. Comoros

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 61.7%

Comoros ranks as another nation with a low level of education. In 2022, 61.7% of the countrys population aged 15 and above were reported to have literacy skills.

21. Haiti

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 61.7%

The overall literacy rate in Haiti was last recorded at 61.7% in 2016. The female literacy rate was 58.3% while the males had a literacy rate of 65.3%.

20. Papua New Guinea

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 61.6%

Papua New Guinea ranks among the 30 countries with the least education. 61.6% of the country's adults aged 15 and above were reported to be literate by the World Bank.

19. Sudan

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 60.7%

The literacy rate among adults aged 15 and above in Sudan was last reported to be 60.7% in 2018. Females are less literate than males in the country.

18. Mozambique

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 59.8%

Only 59.8% of Mozambiques population aged 15 and above qualified as being literate in 2020. Hence, the country ranks among the least educated nations in the world.

17. Gambia

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 58.7%

In 2022, 58.7% of the population aged 15 and above in Gambia was reported to be literate. The female literacy rate was lower than that of males and was recorded at 52.3%.

16. Pakistan

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 58%

Pakistan ranks as one of the 30 least educated countries in the world. In 2019, only 58% of adults in Pakistan aged 15 and above had the ability to read and write.

15. Senegal

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 57.7%

The percentage of adults with literacy skills in Senegal was recorded to be 57.7% in 2022 while the female literacy rate in the country was 47.1%.

14. Guinea-Bissau

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 53.9%

Guinea-Bissau is one of the least educated countries where 53.9% of the adults aged 15 and above had literacy skills as reported in 2022.

13. Ethiopia

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 51.8%

In 2017, adults in Ethiopia had a literacy rate of 51.8% while 44.4% of the females were known to be literate. Hence, Ethiopia ranks as one of the least educated countries in the world.

12. Sierra Leone

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 48.6%

Sierra Leone ranks among the least educated countries globally. In 2022, 48.6% of adults aged 15 and above had the capability to read and write in the country.

11. Liberia

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 48.3%

The literacy rate among adult women in Liberia was last recorded at 34.1% in 2017. The overall literacy rate among the country's adults was 48.3%.

10. Benin

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 47.1%

Benin is another less educated nation. The country had a literacy rate of 47.1% among its population aged 15 and above in 2022.

9. Guinea

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 45.3%

Guinea ranks as one of the least educated countries in the world. The literacy rate among women aged 15 and above was only 31.3% in 2021. The overall literacy rate for Guinea was recorded at 45.3%.

8. Somalia

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 41%

The literacy rate among adults aged 15 and above in Somalia was 41% as recorded last in 2022. The country has one of the lowest female literacy rates among all other countries.

7. Niger

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 38.1%

Niger is one of the least educated nations. While the country's overall literacy rate was 38.1% in 2022, females in the country had a relatively low literacy rate of 29.7%.

6. Central African Republic

Literacy Rate Among Population Aged 15 and Above: 37.5%

The literacy rate in the Central African Republic was only 37.5% in 2020. The female literacy rate in the country was 26.2% while the male literacy rate was 49.2%. Hence, the Central African Republic is another less educated country.

Click to continue reading and see 5 Least Educated Countries in the World.

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Disclosure: None. 30 Least Educated Countries in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey.
In order to justify the effort of selecting individual stocks, it's worth striving to beat the returns from a market index fund. But every investor is virtually certain to have both over-performing and under-performing stocks. So we wouldn't blame long term ADM Hamburg Aktiengesellschaft (FRA:OEL) shareholders for doubting their decision to hold, with the stock down 19% over a half decade.

It's worthwhile assessing if the company's economics have been moving in lockstep with these underwhelming shareholder returns, or if there is some disparity between the two. So let's do just that.

Check out our latest analysis for ADM Hamburg

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 five years of share price growth, ADM Hamburg moved from a loss to profitability. However, it made a loss in the last twelve months, suggesting profit may be an unreliable metric at this stage. Other metrics may better explain the share price move.

The steady dividend doesn't really explain why the share price is down. It's not immediately clear to us why the stock price is down but further research might provide some answers.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.

What About Dividends?

When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. In the case of ADM Hamburg, it has a TSR of 0.7% for the last 5 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence!

Story continues

A Different Perspective

While the broader market gained around 6.1% in the last year, ADM Hamburg shareholders lost 15% (even including dividends). However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Longer term investors wouldn't be so upset, since they would have made 0.1%, each year, over five years. It could be that the recent sell-off is an opportunity, so it may be worth checking the fundamental data for signs of a long term growth trend. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for ADM Hamburg (1 is a bit concerning) that you should be aware of.

But note: ADM Hamburg may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on German exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
AerCap Holdings (NYSE:AER) Full Year 2023 Results

Key Financial Results

Revenue: US$7.58b (up 9.6% from FY 2022).

Net income: US$3.14b (up from US$726.0m loss in FY 2022).

Profit margin: 41% (up from net loss in FY 2022). The move to profitability was primarily driven by lower expenses.

EPS: US$13.99 (up from US$3.02 loss in FY 2022).

All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period

AerCap Holdings EPS Beats Expectations

Revenue was in line with analyst estimates. Earnings per share (EPS) surpassed analyst estimates by 30%.

Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 1.6% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 5.3% growth forecast for the Trade Distributors industry in the US.

Performance of the American Trade Distributors industry.

The company's share price is broadly unchanged from a week ago.

Risk Analysis

You should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with AerCap Holdings.

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.
(Bloomberg) -- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. disclosed a wider web of Chinese government stakes in its business units than previously known, following an inquiry from the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Hangzhou-based e-commerce pioneer said in filings in the US and Hong Kong over the weekend that more than a dozen of its entities are partially owned by Chinese state-owned enterprises or foreign sovereign wealth funds. In the notice, the company said the disclosures were made in response to certain comments from the staff of the SEC as an amendment to its earlier filing from July.

The filings come as Chinas ruling Communist Party said this month that it will play a bigger role in steering the countrys technology and science development. Beijings tightening grip over its tech companies in recent years has intensified investor concern and the potential for greater scrutiny in the US.

Chinese state-owned enterprises had shares in six of Alibabas direct-sales businesses, which contributed less than 6% of its total revenue in the fiscal year to March 2023. Five of those stakes were below 10% and the other was below 30%, according to the filings.

The company also said that state-owned companies took ownership in several business entities in sports, health, logistics, and local consumer services. In addition, Alibaba disclosed small stakes in some units by sovereign wealth funds from Singapore, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Alibaba did not identify the specific entities in its filing. Its corporate structure is highly complex and undergoing an overhaul as the company considers splitting off several tentpole business lines into standalone companies. A representative for the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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The latest filing adds to the so-called golden shares  nominal stakes of typically 1%  that Chinese government entities took last year in units from Chinese tech leaders including Alibaba and Tencent Holdings Ltd. This share structure in theory allows the government to nominate directors or sway key company decisions, a move seen as granting Beijing another lever to influence players in the worlds largest internet arena.

Alibaba has struggled over the past year to revamp its vast e-commerce, logistics and cloud empire, after setbacks in its ambitious restructuring project. Chief Executive Officer Eddie Wu has now taken direct control of its core businesses, in a bid to win back users in the face of rising competition and regulatory risks domestically and abroad.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
The defence cooperation between Georgia and the United States was discussed on Monday in a meeting between the Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Chikovani and Daniel Lasika, the Director of Planning, Policy, Strategy and Capabilities of the US European Command, Azernews reports, citing Agenda.

Chikovani extended his gratitude to the US for its political and practical support for Georgia, the Ministry said.

The officials stressed the importance of conducting multinational defence exercises in Georgia.

They also expressed hope for further strengthening of the fruitful cooperation between the two countries in defence.
Alira Health

The 2023 global medtech outsourcing market grew more than 11% to $81.5B, demonstrating strong market resilience

FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alira Health, a global life sciences advisory and clinical research firm, announced the release of the 2024 Global Medtech Contract Manufacturing Report. This report offers a comprehensive analysis of trends in the global medtech contract manufacturing (CDMO) market and includes a deep dive into the contract manufacturing landscape in France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Switzerland, the UK, and the Nordic countries.



Key report highlights:

The European and US outsourcing markets combined represent over half of the global CDMO industry. Europe is home to many smaller, localized players that offer world-renowned specialization across fragmented operations.

US-headquartered CDMOs generate nearly half of the total revenue of Europes medtech CDMO market.

In 2023, a near-record number of deals took place globally surrounding medtech CDMOs. Over half of these deals occurred across international borders between US, Asian, and European players, demonstrating increasing interest in geographic expansion.

The end markets attracting the most deals are also the fastest growing medtech verticals, signaling that investors expect orthopedics, cardiovascular, and surgical segments to continue flourishing in the future.





This report expands Alira Healths annual coverage of the US CDMO market to provide a deep dive into the Western European CDMO landscape. It was developed in partnership with MassMEDIC, the Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council, which is the largest regional medtech association in the US and Alira Healths medtech community partner.

Medtech outsourcing continues its decade-long trend of rapid consolidation, spurred by capital investment. Overall, this consolidation has been a net positive for an industry that is now characterized by robust long-term growth potential and high value-add capabilities for medtech manufacturers, said Carlo Stimamiglio, Partner, Transaction Advisory Practice at Alira Health. Our industry report provides detailed insights into these trends and offers essential guidance for strategic and M&A decisions.

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The 2024 Global Medtech Contract Manufacturing Report is now available for download.

For media inquiries, interviews, or additional information, please contact John McLaughlin at John.McLaughlin@AliraHealth.com.

About Alira Health

Alira Health is a global advisory and clinical research firm whose mission is to humanize healthcare and life sciences, in partnership with patients, through innovative technologies and expert guidance. From development to medical care, Alira Health complements the expertise of its pharma, biotech, and medtech clients with a full spectrum of services across their entire solutions lifecycle. Learn more at AliraHealth.com.

Contact:

John McLaughlin

john.mclaughlin@alirahealth.com




(Bloomberg) -- Ant Group Co. outbid Citadel Securities LLC for Credit Suisses investment bank venture in China, in a surprise move that will be subject to close regulatory scrutiny, people familiar with the matter said.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The bid by Jack Ma-backed fintech giant to build a securities business using Credit Suisses operations will face a thorough review because China favors a foreign buyer, the people said. The investment banking and brokerage license was originally awarded to the Swiss bank to help open the financial sector to global competition, one of the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private matters.

That preference poses a dilemma for UBS Group AG, which now owns Credit Suisse. For now, the bank will have to choose between the higher local bid from Ant, or the lower Citadel offer thats more likely to win government approval, the people said. The negotiations are ongoing and other bidders may still join the fray, one of the people said.

Representatives for UBS and Ant declined to comment.

UBS is struggling to attract interest in the unit from global firms because of escalating geopolitical tensions, a crackdown on bank data flows and the struggling economy. The bank faces a difficult balancing act because the ventures Chinese partner, Founder Securities, may reject the lower offer from Citadel, delaying the sale process, the people said.

Citadel Securities, founded by billionaire Ken Griffin, was the only global firm to submit a bid in late December, offering about 1.5 billion yuan ($210 million) to 2 billion yuan, people said at the time.

Read more: UBS Finds Credit Suisses China Venture Tough to Unload

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Credit Suisse has sought around 2 billion yuan for the entire China unit, including the stake held by Founder Securities. Before it collapsed in March, the Swiss bank had offered to buy out the remaining stake from its partner for 1.14 billion yuan, valuing the firm at about 2.3 billion yuan. The agreement was nixed after the UBS takeover, people familiar said earlier.

UBS is required to find a buyer for the Credit Suisse platform because it already controls a securities firm in China and cant hold two licenses in the same business. The Credit Suisse unit in China mainly consists of investment banking and a brokerage, after the wealth operation closed last year.

Ants bid comes after Chinese regulators wrapped up an almost three-year probe into the fintech firm founded by Ma, imposing a 7.12 billion yuan fine in July. The billionaires run-in with Beijing has cost his empire  including Ant and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.  more than $800 billion in lost valuation, while derailing what would have been the largest initial public offering ever.

Alibabas shares fell about 1% in Hong Kong trading on Monday, underperforming the Hang Seng Index which also declined.

Before the crackdown, Ant had ambitions to start a securities business in China though the plan was shelved, one of the people said.

Winning such a permit would help the fintech giant plug a gap, adding one of the last missing pieces to its financial footprint. The companys operation spans from online payments to wealth management and lending  the reason why the company is applying to a financial holding license to appease regulators demands for greater supervision.

Read more: How Jack Mas Ant Group Is Inching Toward IPO Reboot: QuickTake

The company has been planning a restructuring that will break off some operations that arent core parts of its China financial-related business. Its looking at leaving its blockchain, database management services and international business out of the main entity that will be used to apply for the financial holding permit, people familiar have said.

--With assistance from Manuel Baigorri and Lulu Yilun Chen.

(Updates with details about Ants plans for financial holdings license)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
FILE PHOTO: A Swiss flag is pictured above a logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse in Bern

(Reuters) -Fintech giant Ant Group has outbid billionaire Ken Griffin's Citadel Securities for Credit Suisse's investment bank venture in China, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday, adding it was unclear whether the Chinese company's offer would succeed.

Alibaba Group affiliate Ant Group's bid to build a securities business in China using Credit Suisse's operations would face a thorough review because Beijing favours a foreign buyer, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Seller UBS, now the owner of Credit Suisse, will now face a dilemma in choosing between the higher local bid from Ant, or the lower Citadel bid submitted in December offering about 1.5 billion yuan ($208.47 million) to 2 billion yuan that is more likely to win government approval, the report added.

Ant Group declined to comment. The fintech giant has been working under the guidance of Chinese regulators to turn itself into a financial holding company to ensure its financial-related businesses are fully regulated.

UBS and Citadel did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

The bidding for Credit Suisse's China securities operation comes as the domestic A-share market battles an exodus of foreign capital and stricter scrutiny on initial public offerings as the world's second-largest economy slows.

UBS' takeover of Credit Suisse, the biggest bank merger since the 2008 global financial crisis, was hastily arranged last year by Swiss authorities to avert Credit Suisse's collapse.

The merger resulted in UBS owning two majority-owned securities firms in China, where a company is only permitted to operate one.

The Swiss bank began seeking buyers in the middle of last year. Global financial firms such as Citigroup seeking to make inroads into China's domestic securities market had expressed interest in making an offer.

Citadel Securities CEO Peng Zhao told Reuters in November the U.S. largest market maker was "actively exploring" establishing a licensed onshore business in China.

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The unit for sale - Credit Suisse Securities China - was formerly 51% controlled by Credit Suisse and 49% by Founder Securities.

Founder agreed to be bought out by Credit Suisse for 1.14 billion yuan, which valued the firm at about 2.3 billion yuan, before the UBS merger in a deal that has yet to receive Chinese regulatory approval.

Reuters this month reported UBS was planning headcount cuts in the coming months as the bank's China-focused bankers swelled after it took over Credit Suisse.

($1 = 7.1952 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru and Selena Li in Hong Kong; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Jamie Freed)
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is pleased to announce the release of Climate Solutions and Cleantech: Building a Greener Indo-Pacific Region Through Foreign Direct Investment providing timely analysis of two-way Canada-Asia investments in renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs).

APF Canadas second Investment Monitor Report of 2024, Climate Solutions and Cleantech captures C$29 billion in bilateral investments between Canada and Asia in the renewables sector from 2003 to 2023. The report was released today ahead of the Canada-in-Asia Conferences 2024 event in Singapore (Feb. 26-29), co-hosted by APF Canada and Universities Canada and focused on transpacific collaboration on climate solutions and agri-food.

Understanding major trends in the Canada-Asia renewable energy and EV investment relationship over the past 20 years will better position todays Canadian cleantech companies for successful integration into regional supply chains across the fast-growing and dynamic economies of the Indo-Pacific region.

Highlights of Climate Solutions and Cleantech: Building a Greener Indo-Pacific Region Through Foreign Direct Investment include:

In the renewables sector , Canadian outward investment accounted for 70% of two-way renewables investment between Canada and the Asia Pacific during the 20 years between 2003 and 2023. In the EV sector , meanwhile, 64% of two-way investment was driven by Asian economies.





At the national level, the report shows Canadian investment diversification from China, with an increase in two-way investment with Australia, Taiwan, India, and South Korea that started in the 2010s and has since grown to comprise 67% of total two-way investment.





China is Canadas fifth-largest investment partner, with C$3.4B exchanged between 2003 and 2022, but this is primarily due to investments in the 2000-2010 period and is not a reflection of recent trends.





At the subnational level, three of Australia s states  New South Wales, Western Australia, and Queensland  accounted for 25% of Canadian investment in renewable energy and EVs in the region.





On the Canadian side of the investment relationship, the province of Ontario has been the largest recipient of Asian investment in renewables and EVs in Canada, attracting almost 90% of this investment ( C$10.4B ) over the past 20 years. Nearly one-half of this amount was invested in Ontario in the last four years, suggesting that provinces push to become an EV hub may be starting to pay off.





State-owned-enterprises (SOEs) play an outsized role in Canada-Asia clean technology investment; over the past decade, the majority of SOE investment was from Canadian SOEs , all of which were Canadian pension funds , accounting for 74% of total two-way SOE investment since 2003.





Furthermore, 98% of this investment from Canadian pension funds occurred in the past five years, which suggests these Canadian SOEs are anticipating continued growth in the clean technology sector.





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Climate Solutions and Cleantech: Building a Greener Indo-Pacific Region Through Foreign Direct Investment draws on data from the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canadas Investment Monitor database, which provides information on Canada-Asia Pacific investment flows at the national and sub-national levels. The database is publicly available on the Investment Monitor website, investmentmonitor.ca.

Learn More:



Read our latest Investment Monitor Report

Explore the Investment Monitor interactive website

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is a not-for-profit organization focused on Canadas relations with Asia. Learn more about the Foundation at www.asiapacific.ca

Media Contact:



Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

Michael Roberts, Communications Director

michael.roberts@asiapacific.ca




When the weather warms up, so does our real estate market.

The spring season is notoriously the hottest time of the year for home sales, with more people choosing to list their homes and more buyers beginning their home search.

While New Jersey and the nation continue to experience low inventory, there are always going to be sellers who put their homes on the market  and spring is the best time to do so.

"There's always people selling because life happens," said Julia Gaffney, agent and team leader of Julia Gaffney Properties LLC at Keller Williams Prosperity Realty.

Story continues below photo gallery

While the spring season has not quite arrived, the beginning of the spring real estate market is already underway. Because the 2024 spring real estate market could be hotter than recent years, now is the time to get ready.

If you're looking to become a homeowner or sell the property you've held on to, here's how you can take advantage of this busy real estate season.

What makes spring a busy time for the market?

Suzy Minken, an agent with Compass in Short Hills, said that while the seasonality of real estate has changed significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, spring is still typically the most popular time for real estate for a number of reasons.

One is that homes on the market show better in the spring. As the green starts to return to our trees and lawns, and flowers begin to bloom, properties look more appealing. So buyers can see homes in a more positive light after a harsh winter season.

The school year is another driving factor for the increased demand in spring.

"Many folks moving into the suburbs are looking for schools and need to be on that school schedule," Minken said. "In New Jersey, if it's not a cash offer, it takes anywhere between 45 to 60 days to close. So, that brings you right into those spring months."

How can buyers prepare?

Visit homes in person to figure out what you want

Minken said that when starting the spring homebuying process, it's important to go on home tours in person, rather than just browsing properties online. You shouldn't dismiss a home when there's already limited inventory, she said, and you need to be able to experience different homes in person to figure out what you really want.

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This will help you determine exactly what features you need, what you can live without and what features you can compromise on for the time being, she said. It will also show you sooner rather than later if you might need to consider looking in other towns or for other styles of homes.

"Begin with the end in mind and know what that answer is so that the house you're looking at doesn't pass you by," Minken said. "So you're looking at a house but you're also looking at the neighborhood, you're looking at the town and you want to learn all of this very quickly so that you're then able to be receptive to a home search pivot."

Understand how the process works

Minken said that who you may be as a buyer on Day 1 will be different than on Day 30. Because of this, she said its important to become as familiar with the process as early as possible and utilize your realtor's skill set so you're prepared for all scenarios.

Being aware of all the expenses involved in buying a home  from down payments to closing costs,  as well as how to get pre-approved, when to get a home inspection and how long it takes to close on a home will make the process smoother.

Determine your budget before you start

Being as clear as possible with your budget from the start is also important, she said.

"Some people say, 'Well, I want to be under a million dollars,' only to find out 30 days later, 'Well, I really could go higher.' Why didn't we know that from the beginning?" she said. "The more clear you can be from the outset, that would be great."

Less inventory and more demand has also led to more cases in which buyers are involved in a multiple bid process. Minken said that having your budget determined from the beginning, and knowing the buying process, will make you more prepared to deal with a multiple bid situation.

How can sellers prepare?

Get your home prepared now so it can be listed during the height of the spring market.

"The first impression is everything," Gaffney said. "When you're spending the money that you're spending  a starter home in New Jersey I think is about $500,000  you want to be able to walk in to something that doesn't need big fixes."

Deep clean, declutter and depersonalize

When it comes to getting a property ready to sell for the spring market, Gaffney tells her clients to follow the three Ds: deep clean, declutter and depersonalize.

If the house is clean, buyers will be more confident it was well cared for and that all its systems have been properly maintained, she said. This goes for both the appearance of the home, as well as any odors that could be lingering throughout the property.

"Do you have pets? Do you smoke in the house?" she said. Homeowners "might not be able to really smell it because they live there, but get the carpets washed or throw away old area rugs."

Decluttering will help the house look more sleek in both the listing photos and at open houses so buyers aren't distracted by unnecessary items. To depersonalize, sellers should put away family photos or other personal items because they make it difficult for a buyer to picture themselves in the home, which could lessen their interest.

Refresh the home

While you don't necessary have to do a big renovation on your home to sell it, Gaffney recommends refreshing some areas before listing it. This could include a fresh coat of paint for each room, deep cleaning the carpets and making sure all of the lightbulbs work.

Update curb appeal

Focusing on the outside of your home is just as important as the inside when getting ready to list it for sale, Gaffney said.

Trimming bushes, mowing your lawn, power washing the house and adding fresh flowers are just a few things you can do to improve your curb appeal, which will draw in more buyer interested before they even walk through the door.

Get a home inspection done

In New Jersey, home inspections are done after a house is under contract. But Gaffney often recommends that sellers get a home inspection done before they list their home if they think there may be issues with it.

This allows the sellers to address any existing problems before a buyer comes through, does their own home inspection and discovers issues that could turn them off the property.

"It's a lot of elbow grease, maybe a couple thousand dollars, to get your house ready, but it's going to yield you more than that," she said.

Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay , on X @maddiemcgayy , and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: How to get ready for the spring real estate market in NJ
peterleabo / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Is there anywhere you can live in the United States where a $100,000 salary goes the distance? The answer is yes as theres a city in every state where a $100,000 salary allows for comfortable living.

Read More: Housing Market 2024: Avoid Buying a Home in These 10 Florida Cities

Check Out: 7 Florida Cities That Could Be Headed for a Housing Crisis

GOBankingRates analyzed data from several sources, including AreaVibes, Sperlings Best Places and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, to compile the best places to live on a $100,000 salary in each state. Factors assessed included each citys livability score, median household incomes and the total annual cost of necessities.

Read on to find out which cities are best for a $100,000 salary in every state.

JasmineImage / iStock.com

Alabama: Florence

Livability score: 81

Median income: $47,048

Total annual necessities cost: $35,114

Read More: Im a Real Estate Agent  7 House Features That Buyers Always Overpay For

Discover More: Grant Cardone: 7 Best Florida Cities To Buy Real Estate (and 1 To Avoid)

Sponsored: Protect Your Wealth With A Gold IRA. Take advantage of the timeless appeal of gold in a Gold IRA recommended by Sean Hannity.

sorincolac / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Alaska: Ketchikan

Livability score: 76

Median income: $73,512

Total annual necessities cost: $46,890

Learn More: The Most Expensive City in Every State

Arizona: Kingman

Livability score: 80

Median income: $56,360

Total annual necessities cost: $40,720

Michael Warren / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Arkansas: Rogers

Livability score: 88

Median income: $78,075

Total annual necessities cost: $41,090

peterleabo / Getty Images/iStockphoto

California: Petaluma

Livability score: 82

Median income: $108,527

Total annual necessities cost: $78,190

RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images

Colorado: Eaton

Livability score: 80

Median income: $102,314

Total annual necessities cost: $49,844

Read Next: 5 Types of Homes That Will Plummet in Value in 2024

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Connecticut: Willimantic

Livability score: 85

Median income: $45,723

Total annual necessities cost: $39,731

PookieFugglestein / Wikimedia Commons

Delaware: Newark

Livability score: 83

Median income: $67,738

Total annual necessities cost: $46,662

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DIRDPKC / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Florida: Seminole

Livability score: 89

Median income: $69,417

Total annual necessities cost: $47,217

graphiknation / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Georgia: Decatur

Livability score: 86

Median income: $129,992

Total annual necessities cost: $45,727

simonkr / Getty Images

Hawaii: Waipio Acres

Livability score: 72

Median income: $91,703

Total annual necessities cost: $66,420

B Brown / Shutterstock.com

Idaho: Chubbuck

Livability score: 86

Median income: $69,992

Total annual necessities cost: $42,457

PhilipR / Shutterstock.com

Illinois: Edwardsville

Livability score: 90

Median income: $87,094

Total annual necessities cost: $41,312

Aeypix / Shutterstock.com

Indiana: West Lafayette

Livability score: 89

Median income: $30,317

Total annual necessities cost: $41,483

For You: 10 Things Frugal People Always Do When They First Buy a House

ElaineMcDonald / Getty Images

Iowa: Pella

Livability score: 89

Median income: $86,025

Total annual necessities cost: $37,640

TriggerPhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Kansas: Shawnee

Livability score: 86

Median income: $100,649

Total annual necessities cost: $46,271

Doug Lemke / Shutterstock.com

Kentucky: Bellevue

Livability score: 92

Median income: $66,741

Total annual necessities cost: $38,625

Realest Nature / Shutterstock.com

Louisiana: Thibodaux

Livability score: 82

Median income: $51,704

Total annual necessities cost: $38,822

Learn More: Im a Real Estate Agent: 5 Cities Where Homes Will Be the Best Bargains in 2024

Photo Italia LLC / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Maine: Brunswick

Livability score: 88

Median income: $66,696

Total annual necessities cost: $48,473

aimintang / Getty Images

Maryland: Perry Hall

Livability score: 86

Median income: $103,061

Total annual necessities cost: $49,524

DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

Massachusetts: Easthampton Town

Livability score: 83

Median income: $67,329

Total annual necessities cost: $44,478

OmidGul / Wikimedia Commons

Michigan: Clawson

Livability score: 92

Median income: $82,713

Total annual necessities cost: $41,333

Read More: 25 Safest and Cheapest Cities To Live in the South

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Minnesota: Rochester

Livability score: 92

Median income: $83,973

Total annual necessities cost: $41,596

DaveMcDPhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Mississippi: Ocean Springs

Livability score: 83

Median income: $72,500

Total annual necessities cost: $38,351

Dave Herholz / Wikimedia Commons

Missouri: Ballwin

Livability score: 86

Median income: $118,647

Total annual necessities cost: $47,705

Scott Wilson Photography / Shutterstock.com

Montana: Helena

Livability score: 80

Median income: $64,798

Total annual necessities cost: $45,577

Check Out: Housing Market 2024: Zillow Predicts 5 Hottest Home Trends That Homebuyers Will Be Looking For

ron99 / Shutterstock.com

Nebraska: Holdrege

Livability score: 87

Median income: $58,375

Total annual necessities cost: $35,129

constantgardener / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Nevada: Mesquite

Livability score: 76

Median income: $69,146

Total annual necessities cost: $45,990

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

New Hampshire: Dover

Livability score: 88

Median income: $90,844

Total annual necessities cost: $48,878

Ditto / Getty Images

New Jersey: Haddon Heights

Livability score: 85

Median income: $117,556

Total annual necessities cost: $47,878

Learn More: These 5 Cities Are Becoming Popular With Baby Boomers: Should You Consider Them for Your Retirement Years?

benedek / Getty Images/iStockphoto

New Mexico: Los Alamos

Livability score: 81

Median income: $130,342

Total annual necessities cost: $43,171

DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

New York: Niskayuna

Livability score: 92

Median income: $125,910

Total annual necessities cost: $46,297

North Carolina: Black Mountain

Livability score: 85

Median income: $75,310

Total annual necessities cost: $48,757

North Dakota: Fargo

Livability score: 84

Median income: $64,432

Total annual necessities cost: $40,151

Discover More: 6 Things Minimalists Never Buy  and You Shouldnt Either

Ohio: Worthington

Livability score: 94

Median income: $119,408

Total annual necessities cost: $49,424

Oklahoma: Norman

Livability score: 83

Median income: $62,849

Total annual necessities cost: $39,446

Oregon: Central Point

Livability score: 90

Median income: $79,731

Total annual necessities cost: $47,244

Pennsylvania: Camp Hill

Livability score: 92

Median income: $104,959

Total annual necessities cost: $42,207

Read Next: 5 Unnecessary Bills You Should Stop Paying in 2024

Rhode Island: Cranston

Livability score: 85

Median income: $83,123

Total annual necessities cost: $48,783

South Carolina: Mauldin

Livability score: 84

Median income: $75,565

Total annual necessities cost: $38,696

South Dakota: Brandon

Livability score: 87

Median income: $101,747

Total annual necessities cost: $44,268

Tennessee: Clarksville

Livability score: 81

Median income: $62,688

Total annual necessities cost: $40,030

Find Out: 10 Expenses Most Likely To Drain Your Checking Account Each Month

Texas: Seminole

Livability score: 84

Median income: $73,074

Total annual necessities cost: $36,817

Utah: Clinton

Livability score: 88

Median income: $102,712

Total annual necessities cost: $49,718

Vermont: Montpelier

Livability score: 84

Median income: $76,143

Total annual necessities cost: $46,457

Virginia: Lynchburg

Livability score: 90

Median income: $56,243

Total annual necessities cost: $36,658

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Washington: Pullman

Livability score: 86

Median income: $41,479

Total annual necessities cost: $44,698

West Virginia: Clarksburg

Livability score: 82

Median income: $46,595

Total annual necessities cost: $31,117

Wisconsin: Wausau

Livability score: 90

Median income: $59,259

Total annual necessities cost: $35,036

Wyoming: Cheyenne

Livability score: 83

Median income: $74,989

Total annual necessities cost: $46,578

John Csiszar, Andrew Lisa and Heather Taylor contributed to the reporting for this article.

Photo disclaimer: Photos are for illustrative purposes only. In many cases, the closest major city outside of the city/county mentioned it the article was used.

Methodology: To find the best place to live on a $100,000 salary in every state, GOBankingRates looked at the five cities in every state with the highest livability score from AreaVibes. In addition to each citys (1) livability score, GOBankingRates also found (2) the median household income in every city according to the Census Bureaus 2022 American Community Survey and (3) the total annual cost of necessities for households with an annual income of $100,000 in each city, calculated by referencing the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022 Consumer Expenditure Survey data on spending habits for consumers in the $100,000 to $149,999 income bracket and projecting annual spending in six necessity categories in every city using Sperlings Best Places city-level cost of living index data. The five necessity categories considered include housing, groceries, utilities, healthcare, and transportation. Cities where annual necessity spending exceeded $50,000 were then removed from consideration, in order to ensure all cities in the final ranking would be affordable for those with a $100,000 salary following the 50/30/20 rule, which dictates that no more than 50% of income should be allocated to necessities. All remaining cities were then ranked against the others in their state on factors 1-3, with high livability scores, high median household income, and low cost of necessities being scored more favorably, and the highest-scoring city in each state was identified as the best place to live on a $100,000 salary. AreaVibes livability scores take into consideration a variety of quality of life indicators, such as crime rates, school quality, employment, amenities, and more. Due to the high cost of living in the following states, consideration was expanded beyond the top five most livable cities: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Washington. For California and Hawaii, since the cost of living is so high the 50/30/20 rule was lightened. All data was collected on and up to date as of February 23, 2024.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Best Place To Live on a $100,000 Salary in Every State
Kroger's Downtown headquarters in Cincinnati.

Antitrust regulator The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit Monday to kill Kroger's proposed $25 billion takeover of rival grocer Albertons.

The FTC claimed the deal would hurt supermarket competition for shoppers and workers and ultimately lead to higher grocery prices that would hurt consumers and depressed wages that would hit employees.

Krogers acquisition of Albertsons would lead to additional grocery price hikes for everyday goods, further exacerbating the financial strain consumers across the country face today, said Henry Liu, director of the FTCs Bureau of Competition, in a statement. Essential grocery store workers would also suffer under this deal, facing the threat of their wages dwindling, benefits diminishing, and their working conditions deteriorating.

Eight states and the District of Columbia joined the FTC in the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Oregon. The Attorneys General of Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wyoming joined the federal lawsuit.

What Kroger said about the lawsuit

Kroger said in a Monday statement the feds and the states have it wrong: "Blocking Krogers merger with Albertsons companies will actually harm the very people the FTC purports to serve: Americas consumers and workers," the grocer said, reiterating its promise to lower prices at the checkout.

It added that combining two companies with mostly union workers would be best to preserve jobs  a claim the government contests.

What to know about the merger

One of the largest-ever proposed retail mergers, Cincinnati-based Kroger's proposal has been divisive from the start. The deal to acquire its Boise, Idaho-headquartered rival affects a combined network of nearly 5,000 stores in almost every U.S. state and the employment of more than 700,000 workers.

The rivals' combined $170 billion food sales are nearly a fifth of America's $1 trillion grocery market. The deal also directly affects one out of six of all 4.2 million American workers at supermarkets, supercenters and club warehouses, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Most unions backs Biden administration action

Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), which represents 1.2 million workers in grocery and other industries across North America, applauded the lawsuit.

The FTCs decision reflects clear concerns over the impact such a megamerger could have on workers, food prices, and millions of customers," Perrone said Monday, in a statement. "The UFCW stands - and will continue to stand - in opposition to any merger that would negatively impact our hundreds of thousands of hard-working members who work at Kroger and Albertsons."

Several local UFCW chapters also applauded the lawsuit:

"UFCW local unions have loudly and soundly opposed the proposed mega-merger of Kroger and Albertsons since day one because the megamerger would have resulted in lost jobs, closed stores, food deserts, and higher prices," UFCW Locals 5, 7, 324, 400, 770, 1564, 3000, which represent 100,000 workers in California, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington and Washington, D.C., said in a joint statement.

While it did not react to the legal challenge on Monday, one group of union grocery workers, endorsed the merger earlier this month: UFCW Local 555, which represents 18,000 workers in hundreds of stores in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Wyoming. Union officials alluded to the intentions of the investment group that owns Albertsons to sell the grocer.

"(Albertsons workers that could become) employees of Kroger and C&S will be better off than employees of other potential buyers," Dan Clay, president Local 555, said in a Feb. 19 statement.

What to know about Kroger

Kroger already operates nearly 2,800 stores and employs 430,000 workers. With more than $148 billion in annual sales, Kroger is the nation's largest supermarket chain and the No. 2 grocer behind supercenter behemoth Walmart. Besides Kroger stores, the grocer operates several regional supermarket chains in 35 states, including Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter, Ralphs, Mariano's, Fry's, Smith's, King Soopers, QFC and others.

Merger proposed amid high inflation

Consumer and union groups have opposed the deal, claiming it will hurt competition and ultimately raise prices and harm workers. Last year, Kroger executives vowed to fight for the deal in court if necessary.

The lawsuit comes as persistent food inflation continues to dog American consumers and risks becoming a political issue in 2024: inflation at the supermarket has risen 24.7% since March of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic broke, compared to overall inflation, which has risen 20% in the same period, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In late January at an event in South Carolina, President Joe Biden took aim at big supermarket chains:

"The cost of eggs, milk, chicken, gas, and so many other essential items have come down," Biden said. "But for all weve done to bring prices down, there are still too many corporations in America ripping people off."

States join fight against merger

The legal action comes after two other states in the past several weeks have filed separate state lawsuits: Washington on Jan. 15 and Colorado on Feb. 14, both making similar claims as federal antitrust officials.

To mollify antitrust regulators, Kroger announced in September a $2.3 billion proposal to sell off at least 413 stores to Piggly Wiggly operator and franchiser C&S Wholesale Grocers, which was intended to address antitrust concerns.

Feds: Kroger efforts not enough

Officials with the FTC on Monday called the divestiture plan "inadequate," claiming it would create a "hodgepodge of unconnected stores" that would be unable to compete against a combined Kroger-Albertsons.

The FTC noted C&S Wholesale currently owns just 23 supermarkets and one pharmacy and claimed the deal would not give it enough assets and resources to keep the divested stores competitive as a standalone business.

The regulator also pushed back against Kroger that combining two grocers with heavy union representation was a good thing. It noted the unions currently play Kroger and Albertsons off each other to enhance its bargaining postion. By joining most of those workers in one company, the union would lose power.

"The combined Kroger and Albertsons would have more leverage to impose subpar terms on union grocery workers that slow improvements to wages, worsen benefits, and potentially degrade working conditions," the FTC said.

What the White House had to say

In a Monday statement by the White House, the Biden administration declined to comment specifically on the FTC lawsuit, but said Biden supported antitrust efforts to ensure fair competition.

"The President supports fair and vigorous antitrust enforcement," said Jon Donenberg, a director for competition policy at the National Economic Council, in a statement. "President Biden has made clear that competition is key to capitalism. When large corporations are not checked by healthy competition, they too often do not pass cost savings on to consumers and exploit their workers."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kroger Albertsons merger: Federal Trade Commission sues to block
At the Economic Club of New York in 2023, Microsoft Corp. Co-Founder Bill Gates, upon receiving the Peter G. Peterson Leadership Excellence Award, shared his perspectives on leadership and his role in cultivating the company's culture of innovation.

Contrasting himself with tech titans Elon Musk and Steve Jobs, Gates said, Everybody is different. Elon pushes hard, maybe too much. Jobs, Gates said, pushed hard, maybe too much.

Gates described himself as very nice compared to those guys, initiating a broader discussion on his leadership style and its impact on the technology sector.

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Gatess leadership journey intertwines with his relationships with Jobs and Musk, revealing a spectrum of competitive dynamics and mutual respect. His rivalry and collaboration with Jobs catalyzed innovation at both Microsoft and Apple Inc., reflecting a complex partnership enriched by their competitive spirit. After Jobs died in 2011, Gates expressed a deep respect for their shared history, underscoring the significance of their rivalry in the tech landscape.

However, Gatess interactions with Musk have been notably more contentious, particularly over Gatess decision to short Tesla Inc. stock, an action Musk viewed as a betrayal of the mission of sustainable energy. Musks reaction was sharp, questioning Gatess commitment to climate change efforts and leading to a public spat that included Musk mocking Gatess appearance on social media. Despite this, Gates has acknowledged Musks substantial contributions to science and innovation, highlighting begrudging respect amid their differences.

Gatess approach to leadership has not been without criticism. Accounts from Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen and software engineer Joel Spolsky paint a picture of Gates as a leader who was intensely competitive and at times uncompromising.

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On his blog, Spolsky recalled in the 1990s there was a person whose job in the 1990s was "to keep an accurate count of how many times Bill said the F word, according to an article in GQ. Gates profanity-laden review meetings illustrate Gatess demanding and passionate leadership style.

Allens memoir details how Gates sought to dilute his stake in Microsoft during his battle with Hodgkin's disease, reflecting a pragmatic, if ruthless, approach to business.

In 2011, Allen appeared on 60 Minutes and shared some brutally honest thoughts about Gates. Allen likened working with Gates to being in hell," according to Business Insider.

Yet, Allen also extended some fairness toward Gates. Despite the tough exterior, Gates strived to reach the best possible conclusion. If you managed to prove your knowledge and expertise, Gates could yield, demonstrating a sense of fairness amid the chaos.

Despite these challenges, Gates recognized the need for adaptability as Microsoft grew. He recognized his workaholic nature, working weekends and eschewing vacations, and set a high bar for his employees, leading him to memorize their license plates to monitor work hours. Yet, Gates eventually softened his stance, understanding that a growing company required a shift in leadership style.

Gatess leadership narrative is a study in contrasts  between his self-described leniency and the demanding expectations he set, his humor and his intensity and his public spats and private respect. Its a reminder that leadership in the tech industry is as much about navigating personal dynamics and evolving approaches as it is about visionary thinking and innovation. Gatess journey underscores the complexity of leadership and the multifaceted roles leaders play in shaping the technology landscape and beyond.

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This article Bill Gates Considers Himself To Be A 'Very Nice' Boss Compared To Elon Musk And Steve Jobs  But His Microsoft Co-Founder Described Working With Him As 'Being In Hell' originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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(Bloomberg) -- An exodus of star anchors. Fawning coverage of Indias political leaders. Newsroom censoring of reporters who ask the government tough questions on the economy, public policy and conflict.

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These are some of the changes journalists attribute to a management shakeup at New Delhi Television Ltd., which billionaire Gautam Adani acquired more than a year ago through a hostile takeover. Ahead of Indias national elections, NDTV has morphed into a government mouthpiece, according to current and former employees. They say the channel  akin to Indias CNN  has shed its reputation as one of the countrys most fearlessly independent news outlets.

Journalism is dead, said Ravish Kumar, a popular anchor who resigned from NDTV ahead of Adanis takeover. These days, he said in an interview with Bloomberg News, the only use of newspapers and channels is to create propaganda for Narendra Modi.

On the face of it, India still has a vibrant media. With more than 20,000 newspapers and 300 TV channels, the industry reflects the vast diversity of a democracy with 1.4 billion people. But to many journalists, leadership changes at NDTV and diluted coverage across India illustrate how Prime Minister Modi has effectively brought to heel a once-riotous media. Newsrooms are being reshaped, they say, by Indias richest press barons, many of whom are close to the ruling party and depend on millions of advertising dollars from the government.

Adani, one of Asias richest tycoons and a longtime friend of Modi, is a high-profile case study. After his conglomerate acquired NDTV, the channel commissioned an adulatory nine-part documentary about Modi and now lands exclusive interviews with senior officials in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Just a few years ago, sit-downs with top cabinet members were rare and managers fretted about federal agencies raiding NDTVs offices.

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Pressure to avoid sensitive topics extends beyond Modi, according to nearly a dozen current and former employees, who asked not to be identified to protect their jobs in the industry. After a US short seller accused the Adani Group of brazen fraud in January of last year, the conglomerate shed $150 billion in market value at one point. NDTVs new leaders ordered journalists not to cover the story, according to three employees, even as Adani-related shares plunged on the stock market and local and foreign media outlets published reports. Over the next 48 hours, reporters pushed back, eventually convincing senior editors to publish an article from a newswire.

Theres much at stake for Adani. NDTV recently launched two new regional channels and several more are in the works. In December, Adani also purchased Indo-Asian News Service, one of Indias oldest newswires.

The owners of key media houses are known to have close relations with the ruling BJP party and the current prime minister, said Somdeep Sen, an associate professor at Denmarks Roskilde University. That close alliance, he added, has been an important means of shaping and controlling Indias media.

The Adani Groups media operation is politically neutral and is deeply committed to supporting professional and independent journalism and NDTV will be no exception, said a spokesperson in a written reply to Bloombergs queries.

The insinuation that there was deliberate delay in NDTVs coverage of the Hindenburg incident is misinformed and based on biased information, the spokesperson said.

With elections expected in April, many Indian journalists across the board predict deferential coverage of Modi as he seeks a third term in office. Over the past year, more than a dozen senior staff have resigned from NDTV over directives to avoid storylines that entangle government allies, current and former employees say. Fear of eroding press freedom runs alongside a broader concern about a democratic backslide in India. Human rights watchers accuse the BJP of weakening minority rights, fueling religious intolerance, and undermining independent institutions, including the media.

In a country accustomed to major corporate scandals and questions around the quality of economic data, increasing restrictions on the press could add to investor risks in India. Hasnain Malik, a Dubai-based strategist at emerging-market research outfit Tellimer, said infringements of rights become a problem when theres a high risk of sanctions, in particular.

But for now, at least, Modis India remains a hot investment destination. Last month, the prime minister greeted hundreds of local and global business houses at a biennale summit in his home state of Gujarat. Many lavished him with praise.

Ahead of the NDTV takeover in 2022, Adani called his investment in media a responsibility rather than a business undertaking.

Independence means if government has done something wrong, you say its wrong, he told the Financial Times. But at the same time, you should have courage when the government is doing the right thing every day. You have to also say that.

For years, NDTV cultivated a reputation as an aggressive and anti-establishment voice.

Founded in the 1980s by husband-and-wife team Prannoy and Radhika Roy, the company steadily built out its content as Indias economy liberalized. In 1995, NDTV became the first private producer of national news and soon after launched Indias first 24-hour channel.

We had a very clear mission that we would question and we would hold power to account, said Maya Mirchandani, a former NDTV foreign affairs editor and now an associate professor at Ashoka University. I loved the place.

Previous governments have also been harsh on the press. During the 21-month Emergency rule imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from the Indian National Congress party, members of Modis BJP famously said Indias press crawled when they were asked to bend. Following the 2014 election of Modi, many reporters and commentators, including from the political opposition, have said an undeclared Emergency is in place and Indias fourth estate has less scope to push back against censorship. The countrys constitution doesnt grant ironclad media freedom like in the US. Instead, ill-defined amendments have provided plenty of leeway for federal and local governments to muzzle journalists.

Under Modi, state agencies have increasingly used money laundering laws and tax inspections to pressure editors and media owners perceived as antagonistic or anti-national. By one estimate, 15 journalists are currently facing charges under Indias anti-terror laws.

Intolerance towards reporters isnt limited to the BJP. This month, journalists in West Bengal accused the police and the ruling Trinamool Congress party of blocking access to report on civil unrest in the Sundarbans. In 2022, a journalist in the central state of Chhattisgarh was arrested for writing satirical stories about the Congress-led government.

In turn, Indias media freedom ranking has steadily declined, falling to 161 out of 180 countries in the latest survey from the World Press Freedom Index.

After the ranking was released, S. Jaishankar, Indias foreign minister, rejected the report, saying something was fundamentally wrong with the methodology. Modi, too, has pushed back. During a June visit to the US, the prime minister said in a rare press conference that he was really surprised to hear Indias commitment to democratic values questioned.

Yet many of the most successful channels today publish reliably pro-government content, including Rajat Sharmas India TV and Arnab Goswamis Republic TV. Others, including Aroon Puries Aaj Tak and India Today, are frequently laudatory of Modi. He has the Midas touch, read a tweet from India Todays official handle on X, formerly Twitter.

India TV, Republic TV and India Today didnt respond to requests for comment.

Concerns about dwindling avenues for dissent are further complicated by changes to the media business. Like in many parts of the world, a subscription model hasnt taken off in India, forcing outlets to rely on government and corporate advertising to stay afloat, said Kalyani Chadha, a journalism professor at Northwestern University.

Thats a really significant problem, she said.

Adani is not the only India billionaire buying up media operations. Mukesh Ambani, a tycoon whose corporate interests are often aligned with the government, acquired Network18 Group  giving him access to more than 70 media outlets followed by at least 800 million Indians.

Of course, many media organizations, including Bloomberg News, are owned by wealthy entrepreneurs. In that respect, India is no different. But what does set the nation apart is that figures like Ambani and Adani are chief executors of the governments development goals in industries as varied as renewable energy and digital commerce.

Ambanis Reliance Group didnt respond to a request for comment.

The Adani Groups takeover of NDTV was achieved through complex corporate maneuvering, buying out the channels biggest creditor and other shareholders, and boosting the conglomerates ownership stake to nearly 65%. One estimate pegged the cost of the deal at more than $100 million.

During a broadcasting break in August 2022, Kumar, who anchored shows in Hindi, picked up his phone and scrolled through a barrage of messages about the leadership change. A few months later, Kumar announced his departure, calculating that his editorial independence would be curtailed.

NDTV will never remain the same, he remembered thinking.

At first, the Adani Group vowed to turn the channel into an international media group. Sanjay Pugalia, the head of Adanis media arm and a veteran journalist, was appointed executive director. He told senior staff that he didnt want to get involved in journalistic decisions or even sit in the New Delhi newsroom, according to people familiar with the matter.

But on Jan. 2, days after the Roys resigned from NDTVs board citing a change in leadership, Pugalia took over the couples corner office. Journalists said the new managers initial reluctance to cover the short sellers fraud allegations against Adani that month illustrated the complexity of juggling competing priorities. Though NDTV eventually republished articles from the Press Trust of India, Reuters and Bloomberg News, staffers said harder-hitting pieces on the saga were blocked.

Pugalia didnt respond to requests for comment.

A standoff grew within NDTV. Pugalia hired two managing editors, sidelining more experienced staff who were part of the organization for over a decade. Several reporters said the new managers micromanaged coverage, dropped sensitive stories and instead opted for soft features.

Coverage of opposition politicians was also fraught. In October, when the BJP accused opposition lawmaker Mahua Moitra of graft and misconduct, NDTV ran multiple discussions on the topic. Employees said panelists were handpicked during the first few weeks, leveling personal attacks against Moitra that went unchallenged. It was only when the company brought in a new editor that balance was restored, the employees said, with senior politicians from Moitras party also participating in interviews and panel discussions.

The lawmaker was eventually expelled from Parliament. She attributed that decision to her criticism of the government and the Adani Group, including how NDTV covered the story. Government officials attributed Moitras expulsion to sharing the password to the parliamentary website with someone on the outside.

Multiple reach outs were made to TMC to participate, said the Adani Media Group spokesperson, referring to Moitras party. We made sure there were independent voices and representation from other opposition parties.

Key talent also left the company, though managers linked the attrition rate to restructuring. In May, Sarah Jacob, a journalist with over 20 years of experience at NDTV, anchored a segment called How PM Shows Respect Towards Women. The next day she resigned. In a statement, she thanked the Roys for building what was one of Indias great media institutions.

Every management transition and transformation leads to employee churn, said the Adani Media Group spokesperson, adding that NDTV has been on a post-takeover hiring spree with more than 200 staffers added and the attrition rate dropping by 58% from before the change in ownership.

For Kumar, leaving NDTV  and watching colleagues follow  signals the end of an era for Indian journalism. Since resigning, hes struggled to find a place in another mainstream newsroom. Instead, hes become something of a recluse, working from an apartment on the outskirts of Indias capital and filming YouTube videos covering topics traditional outlets will no longer touch.

Kumars following is still huge  8.59 million subscribers  but he worries that the government could try to block his channel or arrest him. He hesitates to leave his apartment complex.

This is the kind of environment where everybody thinks that theyre being monitored, Kumar said.

For now, India remains a country where freedom of expression is often tolerated in larger doses than Asian nations like Thailand or Singapore. Unlike China, social media in India is still a relatively freewheeling space. Some opposition-controlled states also offer more varied coverage, according to Sadanand Dhume, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington.

The government hasnt been able to snuff out all criticism simply because of Indias size and federalism, he said.

But that freedom is fragile even in vernacular or regional media.

A few years ago, Indias information ministry temporarily cut off the broadcast of a prominent news channel in the southern state of Kerala for covering a mob attack between Muslims and Hindus in Indias capital. The government justified their decision by saying the segment was critical toward Delhi Police and R.S.S., using an acronym for a far-right Hindu group.

The fear remains, Dhume said, that Indias little islands of free expression could sink beneath the rising tide of government repression.

--With assistance from Jinshan Hong.

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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
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Secure Energy Services Inc. (T.SES) hit a new 52-week high of $11.52 Friday. Secures Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per common share payable on or about April 15, to shareholders of record on April 1.



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Russian President Vladimir Putin has endorsed the law on ratification of the agreement on free economic zones of the customs union. The document has been published on the official website of legal information, Azernews reports, citing TASS.

The agreement was signed in St. Petersburg on June 18, 2010. Accompanying papers say that it is aimed at facilitating the creation of a single economic space of EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union) member states.

The agreement sets legal structure of free economic zones that are created for supporting social and economic development of parties to the agreement, attracting investments, creating and developing production based on new technologies, developing transport infrastructure, tourism and resort sectors.

The document contains provisions regulating the issues of creation, functioning and abolition of free economic zones, types of activities carried out on their territory, as well as peculiarities of conducting customs transactions on the territory of a free economic zone, on which the customs procedure of free customs zone is applied.
Collaboration between the two communities will deliver significant value to software leaders and their teams within Europe

LONDON, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Boardwave , the ultimate networking community exclusively created for UK and European software leaders, and Mindstone , a global community focused on the practical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), today announce a partnership to extend Mindstone's increasingly popular AI Meetup Community to all Boardwave members and their employees. Adjacent to this, Boardwave membership is also being made available to each of the software founders and CEOs within the Mindstone Meetup Community.

Boardwave Logo (PRNewsfoto/Boardwave)

AI will revolutionise every aspect of how we do business, and it's estimated it will deliver 600 billion in gross value added (GVA) revenue to the European economy by 2030(1). However, there is a skills and knowledge gap that exists within the founder and C-suite community that, while not widely acknowledged, has the potential to severely limit the practical application and potential of AI. In order for UK and European software companies to remain competitive, it is imperative that these leaders, and not just the general workforce, are upskilled in AI and leverage AI technology within all aspects of their business. Creating a step-change, and an industry that is tooled and ready to help other sectors lead on AI, will help the UK and European software industry to gain stronger momentum against its global competitors in this digital revolution.

Accelerating the rate of adoption of AI

The partnership will make AI more accessible to software leaders and their teams, by providing practical advice, guidance and training, for free. Boardwave's rapidly growing community of 1,400 members and their teams are now able to attend any of the Mindstone Meetup community events in Europe. Mindstone has already delivered programmes to more than 3,500 senior-level attendees in seven major cities including London, Madrid, Istanbul, Helsinki and Sofia. Boardwave's members can also register for the Mindstone AI Mastery Program of online training.

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Building sustainable AI start-ups & scale-ups

Mindstone's 5,000 Meetup community members, who are AI CEOs or Founders, can also apply to join the Boardwave community of 1,400 other software leaders in Europe at no cost. Through networking, sharing ideas, knowledge sharing, best practices and mentoring Boardwave empowers European software leaders to accelerate and scale their businesses more successfully. First time AI founders now have access to a network that helps them become a leading force in the industry.

Delivering significant value to the software industry

Phill Robinson, CEO and Co-Founder of Boardwave, commented: "Currently, when it comes to AI adoption, Europe is being overshadowed by the United States and China. Europe has been quietly struggling with a growing competitiveness crisis and technology gap for almost 20 years. However, there is a real and present opportunity to shift this position. Europe contains an exceptionally vibrant technology sector and home to a plethora of businesses with deep industry knowledge and market-leading opportunity. With AI better embedded across the sector, we believe that by 2033 the European Software industry can move from laggard to leader. Key to this will be expertise, knowledge sharing and collaboration to efficiently help deliver against this objective. Strategic, European-wide partnerships, such as this one, will allow us to remove some of the barriers we face across the continent and instead address this challenge as a single market."

Joshua Wohle, CEO and Co-Founder at Mindstone, added: "CTOs and founders are now demanding more of their workforce; there is a real emphasis on being adaptable and leveraging technology such as AI to improve productivity. However, these very same people need to lead from the front, and there is a critical gap in their own knowledge and skill sets that needs to be addressed. I'm pleased to be able to extend our AI Meetup Community to all Boardwave members and their employees, and help their extensive network of European software founders and CEOs accelerate their business growth through the practical application of AI."

1. https://www.aboutamazon.eu/news/job-creation-and-investment/ai-adoption-forecast-to-unleash-600-billion-growth-in-europes-economy#_ftn2

About Boardwave

Boardwave is an impact-driven community of 1,400 European software founders and CEOs designed to help members accelerate their business growth, and to improve the overall position of Europe as a home for global software companies. Boardwave offers a programme of events, peer-to-peer mentoring and inspiration, as well as an online platform that connects European software CEOs for advice, insights, expertise and access to capital. It is also a campaigner for change across special interest areas including AI, Government engagement and DE&I. Software leaders, CEOs and Chairs can access the programme and platform at no cost. The Boardwave community is generously supported and funded by a network of 80+ Partners from across the software investor and advisory ecosystem.

www.boardwave.org

About Mindstone

Mindstone is like Duolingo for practical AI learning. It tailors your learning experience while aligning it with your career goals and your company objectives and turning it into a quantifiable skills profile similar to LinkedIn. Companies can set learning objectives across different levels  from the entire organization to specific departments, down to individual employees. It measures learning goals aligned with both individual and organizational objectives. Learning is transformed into visible, quantifiable progress, reflecting each employee's growth in a way that resonates with the company's strategic vision. It's not just fostering a culture of continuous learning but also leveraging it to reinforce organizational values, enhance team dynamics, and achieve strategic objectives.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2222137/4556340/Boardwave_Logo.jpg

Cision

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SOURCE Boardwave
Boston Beer Company's (NYSE:SAM) stock up by 2.9% over the past three months. However, we decided to study the company's mixed-bag of fundamentals to assess what this could mean for future share prices, as stock prices tend to be aligned with a company's long-term financial performance. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Boston Beer Company's ROE today.

ROE or return on equity is a useful tool to assess how effectively a company can generate returns on the investment it received from its shareholders. In simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity.

See our latest analysis for Boston Beer Company

How To Calculate Return On Equity?

The formula for return on equity is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations)  Shareholders' Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Boston Beer Company is:

7.4% = US$83m  US$1.1b (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. Another way to think of that is that for every $1 worth of equity, the company was able to earn $0.07 in profit.

What Is The Relationship Between ROE And Earnings Growth?

We have already established that ROE serves as an efficient profit-generating gauge for a company's future earnings. We now need to evaluate how much profit the company reinvests or "retains" for future growth which then gives us an idea about the growth potential of the company. Generally speaking, other things being equal, firms with a high return on equity and profit retention, have a higher growth rate than firms that dont share these attributes.

Boston Beer Company's Earnings Growth And 7.4% ROE

When you first look at it, Boston Beer Company's ROE doesn't look that attractive. A quick further study shows that the company's ROE doesn't compare favorably to the industry average of 16% either. Given the circumstances, the significant decline in net income by 17% seen by Boston Beer Company over the last five years is not surprising. We reckon that there could also be other factors at play here. For instance, the company has a very high payout ratio, or is faced with competitive pressures.

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So, as a next step, we compared Boston Beer Company's performance against the industry and were disappointed to discover that while the company has been shrinking its earnings, the industry has been growing its earnings at a rate of 4.4% over the last few years.

The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. The investor should try to establish if the expected growth or decline in earnings, whichever the case may be, is priced in. This then helps them determine if the stock is placed for a bright or bleak future. One good indicator of expected earnings growth is the P/E ratio which determines the price the market is willing to pay for a stock based on its earnings prospects. So, you may want to check if Boston Beer Company is trading on a high P/E or a low P/E, relative to its industry.

Is Boston Beer Company Efficiently Re-investing Its Profits?

Boston Beer Company doesn't pay any dividend, meaning that potentially all of its profits are being reinvested in the business, which doesn't explain why the company's earnings have shrunk if it is retaining all of its profits. So there could be some other explanations in that regard. For instance, the company's business may be deteriorating.

Summary

On the whole, we feel that the performance shown by Boston Beer Company can be open to many interpretations. While the company does have a high rate of profit retention, its low rate of return is probably hampering its earnings growth. With that said, we studied the latest analyst forecasts and found that while the company has shrunk its earnings in the past, analysts expect its earnings to grow in the future. Are these analysts expectations based on the broad expectations for the industry, or on the company's fundamentals? Click here to be taken to our analyst's forecasts page for the company.

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.
Sure, Coca-Cola's (NYSE: KO) most famous drinks are its eponymous colas in various flavors and packaging. But Coca-Cola has a brand assortment with 200 labels that you may or may not realize are owned the by largest beverage company in the world. And some of them are the top names in their own categories.

Coca-Cola has the best ... water?

Coca-Cola operates six distinct beverage segments in its non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink business. These include sparkling soft drinks; juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverages; water, sports, coffee, and tea; energy drinks; hot beverages; and emerging.

You likely drink or at least know of Coca-Cola sparkling labels, such as Sprite and Fresca, and some of its juices, like Minute Maid. Dasani, the top-selling water brand in the world, also falls under its umbrella.

Image source: Statista

Coca-Cola's business thrives on two key operating principles: Coca-Cola and other signature brands bring in the cash, while newer innovations bring in the growth. Coca-Cola the brand is still growing and accounts for significant volume but not the majority. The company needs the contributions from its other brands that keep Coca-Cola at the top of its game and in the leading position in the beverage industry.

The company introduced Dasani in 1999, and over the past 24 years, it has become the top-selling water brand in the world. It also owns SmartWater and AHA.

Bringing you the best in beverages and dividends

Dasani's leading position in water isn't insurmountable, but it's strong. Coca-Cola has an unmatched distribution network and robust marketing machine that keep it in stores and on customers' minds, leading to high sales and profits. The company uses the proceeds to fund new brands and ideas that can become the next Fresca or Dasani, and it uses lots of its cash to keep shareholders happy with its famous dividend.

Should you invest $1,000 in Coca-Cola right now?

Before you buy stock in Coca-Cola, consider this:

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The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Coca-Cola wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

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Jennifer Saibil has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Like Bottled Water? You Might Love Coca-Cola Stock was originally published by The Motley Fool
The project will link solar and wind farms spread across the desert in Morocco - Fadel Senna/AFP

A project to power Britain using solar farms thousands of miles away in the Sahara is moving a step closer to fruition as its backers prepare to commission the worlds biggest cable-laying ship.

The 700 ft vessel will lay four parallel cables linking solar and wind farms spread across the desert in Morocco with a substation in Alverdiscott, a tiny village near the coast of north Devon.

Once completed, the scheme is expected to deliver about 3.6 gigawatts of electricity to the UKs national grid  equating to about 8pc of total power demand.

Xlinks, the business behind the project, expects the ship to cost several hundred million pounds and be capable of carrying 200 miles of power cables, coiled and ready for deployment on the seafloor.

James Humfrey, new chief executive of subsidiary Xlinks First, said the vessel would lay two 100-mile lengths of cable at a time, then head back to the UK for the next two lengths.

On returning it would pick up the cable ends, connect them to the next lengths and repeat the process. Commissioning of the ship is expected later this year.

The ship is expected to cost several hundred million pounds and be capable of carrying 200 miles of power cables - XLCC

Mr Humfrey said: This will offer a near constant, clean and affordable supply of electricity to the UK and play a key role in Morocco and the UKs future prosperity.

The Xlinks scheme involves laying cables carrying high voltage direct current power along the coasts of Spain, Portugal and France, coming ashore in North Africa.

There, they will connect with seven solar farms and up to 1,000 wind turbines built across an area of Moroccan desert roughly the size of greater London.

The expected energy output is slightly more than the power to be generated by the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant, which is predicted to cost around 46bn when completed in the early 2030s  more than double the cost of Xlinks.

A spokesman for Xlinks said: Designs for the ship are complete and we expect to commission it later this year.

Proposals for the vessel, which is yet to be named, suggest it will carry 80 crew with cargoes of up to 26,000 tonnes.

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The ship will be owned by Xlinkss sister company, XLCC, which is also building a factory at Hunterston in Scotland to manufacture the 10,000 miles of cable.

XLCC is also building a factory at Hunterston in Scotland to manufacture the 10,000 miles of cable - XLCC

The factory, adjacent to the towns closed nuclear power stations, was granted planning permission last year and awarded a 9m Scottish Enterprise grant towards its 1.4bn cost.

Its centrepiece will be a massive 600-foot tower in which the cable will be coated in layers of insulation before being coiled onto giant reels for loading into the cable-laying vessel.

The project has already been declared one of national significance by Claire Coutinho, the Energy Secretary, who has also set a team of civil servants to work on it.

It means planning consents for the UK end of the cables will bypass Torridge district council in Devon and instead be determined by the Government. Financial backers include the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, along with French giant TotalEnergies and British supplier Octopus Energy.

Simon Morrish, co-founder of the Xlinks project and group chief executive, said the aim was to overcome the intermittency of UK wind and solar.

The UKs relatively small size means it can easily be blanketed by an adverse weather system that hits the whole country with low winds  meaning minimal output from turbines.

However the wind and solar farms in North Africa would be experiencing very different weather, of near-constant sunshine during the day and strong winds during afternoons and evening.

Mr Morrish said: The wind is very reliable because it comes from the daily convection currents of the desert coming in the ocean. It means the wind picks up every afternoon, blows into the evening and drops again in the morning.

When you add the solar plus batteries for storage we think we can generate an almost constant source of power for the UK  meeting up to 8pc of its electricity requirements.

An analysis by Rystad Energy, a global energy consultancy, sounded a note of caution. It said: At times of low wind and solar generation, natural gas or European imports will still be needed to cover demand.

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.
(Bloomberg) -- Warren Buffetts favorite Japanese trading houses climbed after he said in his letter to investors the companies follow shareholder-friendly policies that are superior to those practiced in the US.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Marubeni Corp. gained the most in four months, rising as much as 5.6% on Monday. The other four trading companies that Berkshire Hathaway Inc. holds  Mitsubishi Corp., Itochu Corp., Mitsui & Co., and Sumitomo Corp.  also rose, outperforming the broader market.

Buffett used a lot of space in his letter to talk about Japanese trading firms, which boosted investor confidence in the companies, said Mineo Bito, president of Bito Financial Services Co. in Tokyo. The US investor took up about a page of his 16-page annual letter to shareholders to discuss the Japanese firms.

Buffett will likely increase his stakes in them as theyre still undervalued and theres still room before reaching the maximum 9.9% stake limit that Berkshire has declared, said Bito, who has attended US insurers shareholder meetings since 2014.

The gains come after the Nikkei 225 Stock Average reached an all-time high last week, driven by the weaker yen, a global tech rally and improving shareholder returns. Buffetts renewed endorsement last year also supported overall confidence in the market.

Japanese trading houses have surged to record highs since Buffett said in April that he would be raising his holdings in them. Mitsubishi, Japans biggest trading house, has surged about 111% over the past year, while Mitsui & Co. has jumped more than 70%.

Buffett Says Eye-Popping Results Unlikely With Record Cash

Berkshires year-end unrealized gain in Japans five largest trading houses was $8 billion, it said in its earnings statement. It now owns about 9% of each of the five trading houses with the total cost coming to 1.6 trillion, it said.

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Buffetts letter to stakeholders said that the five trading companies have reduced the number of their outstanding shares at attractive prices.

Mitsubishi Corp. Jumps to Record on Monster Buyback, Profits

The companies managements have been far less aggressive about their compensation than in the US, the letter also said. The firms are applying only about a third of their earnings to dividends, and much of the rest are used to build their businesses and repurchase shares, it said. Berkshire reiterated the possibility to partner with their companies in the future.

Expectations and attention on trading companies are set to increase as they head toward earnings, as the stocks arent overvalued yet and Berkshire is likely buying on the premise of long-term holdings, said Masayuki Otani, chief market strategist at Securities Japan Inc.

--With assistance from Eddy Duan.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Key Insights

Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, Choice Hotels International fair value estimate is US$124

Choice Hotels International's US$113 share price indicates it is trading at similar levels as its fair value estimate

Analyst price target for CHH is US$123 which is similar to our fair value estimate

How far off is Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. We will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model on this occasion. Believe it or not, it's not too difficult to follow, as you'll see from our example!

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.

See our latest analysis for Choice Hotels International

The Calculation

We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. 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:

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10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$324.4m US$343.0m US$357.6m US$370.8m US$382.9m US$394.3m US$405.2m US$415.8m US$426.3m US$436.8m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x4 Est @ 4.28% Est @ 3.68% Est @ 3.26% Est @ 2.97% Est @ 2.77% Est @ 2.62% Est @ 2.52% Est @ 2.45% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 8.1% US$300 US$294 US$283 US$272 US$260 US$248 US$236 US$224 US$212 US$201

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$2.5b

We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.3%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 8.1%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = US$437m (1 + 2.3%)  (8.1% 2.3%) = US$7.7b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$7.7b ( 1 + 8.1%)10= US$3.6b

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is US$6.1b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of US$113, the company appears about fair value at a 9.0% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent.

dcf

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. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Choice Hotels International as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 8.1%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.254. 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 Choice Hotels International

Strength

Debt is well covered by earnings.

Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows.

Weakness

Earnings declined over the past year.

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Hospitality market.

Opportunity

Annual revenue is forecast to grow faster than the American market.

Current share price is below our estimate of fair value.

Threat

Debt is not well covered by operating cash flow.

Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the American market.

Moving On:

Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. For Choice Hotels International, there are three essential items you should further examine:

Risks: You should be aware of the 1 warning sign for Choice Hotels International we've uncovered before considering an investment in the company. Future Earnings: How does CHH'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 American 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.
Key Insights

The projected fair value for QAF is S$0.84 based on Dividend Discount Model

Current share price of S$0.86 suggests QAF is potentially trading close to its fair value

The average discount for QAF's competitorsis currently 30%

Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of QAF Limited (SGX:Q01) as an investment opportunity by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's 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. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you.

View our latest analysis for QAF

What's The Estimated Valuation?

We have to calculate the value of QAF slightly differently to other stocks because it is a food 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. The 'Gordon Growth Model' is used, which simply assumes that dividend payments will continue to increase at a sustainable growth rate forever. 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 2.1%. We then discount this figure to today's value at a cost of equity of 5.7%. Relative to the current share price of S$0.9, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.

Value Per Share = Expected Dividend Per Share / (Discount Rate - Perpetual Growth Rate)

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= S$0.05 / (5.7%  2.1%)

= S$0.8

dcf

The Assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at QAF 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 5.7%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.800. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

SWOT Analysis for QAF

Strength

Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry.

Debt is not viewed as a risk.

Weakness

Earnings growth over the past year is below its 5-year average.

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Food market.

Current share price is above our estimate of fair value.

Opportunity

Q01's financial characteristics indicate limited near-term opportunities for shareholders.

Lack of analyst coverage makes it difficult to determine Q01's earnings prospects.

Threat

Dividends are not covered by earnings and cashflows.

Looking Ahead:

Whilst important, the DCF calculation ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. For QAF, we've put together three fundamental elements you should look at:

Risks: Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for QAF you should be aware of, and 1 of them is a bit concerning. 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! Other Top Analyst Picks: Interested to see what the analysts are thinking? Take a look at our interactive list of analysts' top stock picks to find out what they feel might have an attractive future outlook!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Singaporean stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Boateng Logistics of Carlsbad, California, filed for bankruptcy liquidation Friday. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Trucking, logistics and factoring companies are collectively owed millions of dollars after a California-based freight forwarder filed for bankruptcy liquidation.

Boateng Logistics, headquartered in Carlsbad, California, filed its petition Friday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California.

In its filing, Boateng Logistics listed its assets as up to $50,000 and its liabilities as between $1 million and $10 million. The company stated that it has up to 99 creditors and maintains that no funds will be available for unsecured creditors once it pays administrative fees.

William Randall is listed as the president of the logistics firm. As of publication, neither Randall nor his attorney, Vernon R. Yancy, had responded to FreightWaves request for comment.

The largest unsecured creditor is the U.S. Small Business Administration, which is owed $750,000 for a loan the company received through the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program in 2020. While funds received through the Paycheck Protection Program are forgivable, the disaster relief funds loans must be repaid.





Several factoring companies are among Boatengs top nonpriority unsecured creditors, which include Five Star Factoring of Cottleville, Missouri, owed more than $48,000; eCapital Freight Factoring Co. of Miami, owed more than $20,000; and Triumph Business Capital of Coppell, Texas, owed nearly $15,000. A number of carriers and logistics companies are also listed as unsecured creditors in the petition.

According to Boateng Logistics financials, its gross revenues from Jan. 1 until its bankruptcy filing date are nearly $63,000. Its petition states the company made around $1.9 million in 2023 and nearly $2.6 million in 2022.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrations SAFER website, Boateng Logistics broker authority was granted in February 2019 and its freight forwarder authority was granted in January 2023. Its surety bond is slated to be canceled on Thursday.

Story continues

A creditors meeting is scheduled for March 28.

Do you have a news tip to share? Send me an email or message me @cage_writer on X, formerly known as Twitter. Your name will not be used without your permission.



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Feds charge Illinois trucking company owner in alleged CDL fraud

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Ex-Slync CEO Chris Kirchner guilty of wire fraud, money laundering

The post California freight forwarder files for bankruptcy appeared first on FreightWaves.
(Bloomberg) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom faces a new recall effort from some of the same organizers who tried and failed to unseat him in 2021.

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Rescue California cited rising crime and the states yawning budget deficit in unveiling a long-shot attempt at recalling the governor. The group also accused Newsom of being too distracted by presidential politics to govern California.

This man knows his political game like the back of his hand, Anne Hyde Dunsmore, political strategist with Rescue California, told a Los Angeles television station. He is not a novice, he is an expert at pivoting, twisting, never really going over the line with lying, but he is deceptive and he is carrying that onto a national stage.

Newsom easily overcame the 2021 recall campaign and went on the next year to win reelection by a landslide, bolstering his national profile and emerging as a potential Democratic presidential contender for 2028. He dismissed the latest bid to remove him from office as a sideshow amid this years presidential election, which is shaping up as a rematch of the 2020 contest between Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.

Trump Republicans are launching another wasteful recall campaign to distract us from the existential fight for democracy and reproductive freedom, Newsom said in a post on X. We will defeat them.

Rescue California is betting on voter discontent over the states rising budget deficit, according to Politico, which earlier reported the recall effort. Organizers of the campaign say Newsom is using gimmickry to hide the true extent of the deficit, which the state Legislative Analysts Office has projected at $73 billion. Newsom maintains the shortfall is much lower.

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The group also criticized Californias policy of granting health benefits to undocumented immigrants, and argued that heavy spending on curbing homelessness and easing other social ills hasnt been effective, Politico said.

In addition, backers of the recall campaign faulted Newsom for focusing more on national politics than the problems in California. Last weekend, Newsom released a new TV ad in Tennessee accusing elected officials of waging a war on travel and holding women hostage who seek to travel out of state for reproductive care.

To qualify for the November ballot, organizers must collect almost 1.5 million signatures.

(Corrects to remove reference in second paragraph to Rescue California as being a project of the California Taxpayers Coalition. The group organizing the recall isnt affiliated with the California Taxpayers Coalition.)

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Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW) Full Year 2023 Results

Key Financial Results

Revenue: US$18.8b (down 9.3% from FY 2022).

Net income: US$4.65b (down 30% from FY 2022).

Profit margin: 25% (down from 32% in FY 2022).

EPS: US$2.55 (down from US$3.52 in FY 2022).

All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period

Charles Schwab EPS Misses Expectations

Revenue was in line with analyst estimates. Earnings per share (EPS) missed analyst estimates by 4.0%.

Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 8.1% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 6.6% growth forecast for the Capital Markets industry in the US.

Performance of the American Capital Markets industry.

The company's share price is broadly unchanged from a week ago.

Risk Analysis

Before we wrap up, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Charles Schwab 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.
Laman Ismayilova

The Azerbaijani House in Krakow has commemorated the victims of the Khojaly genocide.

The Azerbaijani Ambassador to Poland, Nargiz Gurbanova, Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, Fuad Muradov, representatives of the Azerbaijani Diaspora, and members of the local community attended the event organised on occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy, Azernews reports.

First, the participants observed a minute of silence to honour the memory of those killed in Khojaly. Later, the participants viewed the photos depicting the terrible massacre committed in Khojaly. Carnations were placed in front of the photos of the genocide victims, and candles were lit.

The attendees were informed about the Khojaly genocide. It was brought to attention that the Khojaly genocide was part of Armenia's ethnic cleansing policy.

The tragic events unfolded on February 25-26, 1992, when Armenian armed forces, with direct support from the 366th regiment of the former USSR stationed in Khankandi in Azerbaijan's Garabagh region, launched a brutal attack on Khojaly from multiple directions.

The result was devastating, with approximately 613 civilians, predominantly women and children, losing their lives in the massacre.

Additionally, around 1,000 individuals were left disabled, eight families were completely wiped out, 25 children were orphaned, and 130 children lost at least one parent.

Furthermore, 1,275 innocent people were taken captive, and the whereabouts of 150 individuals remain unknown to this day.
There are a lot of ways to invest in the energy sector, but one of the most attractive companies might be Chevron (NYSE: CVX). While this industry giant won't appeal to all investors, it offers a strong combination of positive traits that will likely make it appropriate for most investors. Here's why Chevron might just be the best energy stock for you.

1. Chevron is highly diversified

Chevron has a market cap of around $280 billion. There are larger energy companies, for sure, but not many. That said, size alone isn't a good reason to buy a company. Luckily, Chevron isn't just big -- it is also vertically integrated. That means it does everything from produce oil and natural gas (upstream) to move these energy commodities around the world (midstream) to process them into fuels and chemicals (downstream). On top of that, Chevron's business is also spread across the globe, adding geographic diversification to the business mix as well.

Being big and diversified in the energy sector is valuable. The price of oil and natural gas, and many of the products into which they get turned, can be highly volatile. As a simple example, upstream profits will get hit hard by low oil prices, but that might actually result in improved performance in the downstream segment of Chevron's business because oil is an input cost. Another potential benefit could come from focusing on producing more in areas with lower costs, like the onshore U.S. region, to take advantage of differences between energy markets.

You might benefit more over short periods of time from an investment that is highly focused. However, if you intend to hold an energy stock for the long term, owning a large, diversified business like Chevron will help to soften the highly cyclical industry's inherent peaks and valleys.

2. Chevron is built like a tank

The foundation underpinning Chevron's size and diversification is also worth noting. Too much debt can lead even the best-structured business astray, since it reduces a company's flexibility to deal with adversity. Luckily, Chevron has one of the strongest balance sheets in the energy sector. To put a number on that, its debt-to-equity ratio is a very modest 11.5%. If you take into account the cash the company has on its balance sheet, its net debt ratio is just 7.3%.

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CVX Debt to Equity Ratio Chart

Chevron is well prepared to deal with the next industry downturn. And, as before, it will lean on its balance sheet (adding debt) so it can continue to invest in its business and pay its dividend while oil and natural gas prices are temporarily depressed. When energy prices recover, as they have before, Chevron can reduce debt again in preparation for the next downturn. Owning financially strong companies is something that every investor can appreciate.

3. Chevron pays you well

Chevron's dividend yield today is just about 4%. That's well more than what you'd get from an S&P 500 index fund, which income-focused investors should appreciate. That said, given the volatile nature of the industry, Chevron's yield often gets much higher during energy downturns. While you could probably wait and get a more attractive yield, if you are looking to add energy exposure today it is still a stock worth considering.

CVX Chart

One of the biggest reasons to consider Chevron stems from its financial strength and diversified business. These are the factors that have allowed Chevron to weather the oil industry's ups and downs in relative stride while continuing to reward shareholders with regular dividend increases. Chevron has increased its dividend for 36 consecutive years. That's a very impressive streak given the volatile nature of the energy sector and proves that the company believes it is important to return value to shareholders no matter the market conditions it is facing.

Perfect for conservative dividend investors

The ideal candidate for owning Chevron is a conservative dividend investor that is trying to build a diversified portfolio. There are energy stocks with higher yields, but often that requires taking on higher risks. There are energy stocks that will provide more exposure to energy price volatility, but that obviously means higher risk. Chevron pretty much cuts a nice middle path between risk and reward, providing a decent income stream and a conservatively positioned business. All but the most aggressive investors should find that appealing.

Should you invest $1,000 in Chevron right now?

Before you buy stock in Chevron, 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 Chevron 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 20, 2024

Reuben Brewer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Chevron. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Is Chevron the Best Energy Stock for You? was originally published by The Motley Fool
David Ernesto Munar has been chosen as the new CEO of Equitas Health.

Equitas Health has chosen a veteran Chicago healthcare executive as the first permanent leader of the LGBTQ+ health provider in more than two years.

David Ernesto Munar, 54, takes over as CEO of Columbus-based Equitas Health on April 1, replacing Robert Copeland, who stepped down as interim CEO last June.

A four-person leadership council has been running the organization while it searched for a permanent chief executive officer.

I am honored for this chance to lead Equitas Health and work alongside its talented team and dedicated community partners, Munar said in a statement. This organization fills a crucial role in the healthcare landscape. I look forward to exploring opportunities that will increase access to care for the communities we serve. Equitas Health will continue to champion their interests as we galvanize support for more compassionate and culturally competent health care across Ohio.

Munar has more than 30 years of experience in health care, including 10 years as CEO of LGBTQ+ health center, Howard Brown Health.

He led Howard Brown in expanding access to comprehensive healthcare services for more than 38,000 patients at 10 locations across Chicago.

Before Howard Brown, he spent two decades in senior roles, including CEO, at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

The last permanent CEO, Bill Hardy, left following an October 2021 Dispatch report detailing claims of racial discrimination within Equitas.

The Dispatch spoke with 15 former Equitas employees who say they experienced or witnessed mistreatment of Black employees and discrimination in hiring, promotion and discipline.

Equitas Health is one of the largest LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS serving healthcare organizations in the United States.

It has 22 offices in 13 cities that serves tens of thousands of patients in Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia each year.

Equitas Health carries a 40-year legacy of serving and advocating for the health and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community, people living with and affected by HIV, and anyone left out or kept out of traditional healthcare systems, Kaarina Ornelas, chair of the Equitas Health board of trustees, said in a statement. David is a passionate leader who will help strengthen and grow the services we provide to preserve that legacy. We are confident that Davids unique experiences and perspectives will help us enhance our standard of care and engagement on the issues that impact access to care for the communities we serve. We couldnt be more excited to welcome him to Equitas Health.

Story continues

mawilliams@dispatch.com

@BizMarkWilliams

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: LGBTQ+ provider Equitas Health picks David Ernesto Munar as new CEO
BYD, the world's largest electric-vehicle (EV) maker, has started taking orders for the Yangwang U9, pricing the all-electric supercar at 1.68 million yuan (US$233,400), as it tries to lure rich Chinese consumers away from high-end foreign carmakers such as Ferrari and Lamborghini.

The U9, which can reach a top speed of 309 kilometres per hour, is expected to be delivered to buyers in the middle of 2024, helping the Shenzhen-based company, better known for making mass-model EVs, to showcase its design and manufacturing heft.

A deposit of 300,000 yuan is required to book an U9, BYD said on Weibo on Sunday evening. BYD's most expensive model is displayed at some of its showrooms in 36 mainland Chinese cities.

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.

"Yangwang U9 will enable you to taste the excitement when you drive it on racing tracks or on city streets," BYD said on the microblogging site. "It marks the beginning of a new era when fully electric supercars become a choice [for customers]."

The interior of the BYD Yangwang U9 EV. Photo: Bloomberg alt=The interior of the BYD Yangwang U9 EV. Photo: Bloomberg>

A comparable model like the petrol-powered Ferrari Roma is priced at 2.76 million yuan, while a Lamborghini Huracan sells for 2.54 million yuan, 64 per cent and 51 per cent higher than the U9, respectively.

BYD launched the Yangwang luxury brand -- the word literally means "looking up" and can be translated as "aspire" in Mandarin -- in January 2023, starting with the U8 SUV, with deliveries commencing in November.

The carmaker handed 1,593 U8 units to consumers in December followed by 1,652 units the next month, according to data compiled by electric-car news site CnEVPost.

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"Yangwang carries BYD's hopes for becoming a global EV powerhouse, using some of the company's latest technologies to make it attractive to customers," said Chen Jinzhu, CEO of consultancy Shanghai Mingliang Auto Service. "The U9 is likely to reinforce BYD's plan to move up the value chain."

BYD, backed by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, mainly builds EVs priced under 200,000 yuan, about 30 per cent lower than cars made by Tesla.

The company's blade lithium iron phosphate battery packs have proved popular with Chinese drivers and carmakers. The battery cells are arranged in a manner that increases energy density while enhancing resistance to overheating.

In 2023, the company handed 3.02 million pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to customers at home and abroad, an increase of 62.3 per cent from the previous year.

The Yangwang uses BYD's DiSus intelligent vehicle body control system, which allows cars to spin 360 degrees in a so-called tank turn, and move sideways in a "crabwalk".

DiSus is "the first self-developed intelligent body control system launched by a Chinese automobile company" and will serve as a foundation for BYD's future development of its advanced driver assistance system, founder and chairman Wang Chuanfu said at a launch ceremony last April.

The two-seater U9, packed with a 1,306-horsepower engine and four wheel-side motors, can reach zero to 100km/h in 2.4 seconds. The supercar has a driving range of 465km on a single charge.

BYD said the performance of Yangwang electric cars are superior to comparable petrol-powered models fitted with 12-cylinder engines.

The Yangwang U8 SUV is displayed at the Shanghai motor show in April 2023. Photo: Kyodo alt=The Yangwang U8 SUV is displayed at the Shanghai motor show in April 2023. Photo: Kyodo>

U8, the first model under the Yangwang brand, is priced at 1.1 million yuan. Its appearance evokes comparisons with the Range Rover.

Last month, BYD announced it would invest 100 billion yuan in developing smart cars, in an apparent effort to challenge Tesla and other mainland rivals such as Nio and Xpeng in the premium EV segment.

On February 18, the carmaker said in an action plan filed with the Hong Kong stock exchange that it would launch a number of premium and luxury models this year.

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.
(Bloomberg) -- A state-owned firm in Chinas Guizhou province is selling bonds to help repay debt issued by a local government financing vehicle, a rare move that highlights the regions liquidity strains.

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Guizhou Hongyingda Construction Project Management Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the finance bureau of Xixiu district in Anshun city, issued a 1.8 billion yuan ($250 million) five-year non-public bond Friday with a coupon of 4.8%, according to a filing on Shanghai Stock Exchanges private disclosure platform seen by Bloomberg.

The security was rated AAA by domestic ratings agency CSCI Pengyuan Credit Rating Co. as its fully guaranteed by Guizhou State Owned Asset Operation Co., a wholly-owned unit of the provinces finance bureau.

The proceeds of the private note will go toward repaying or refunding two bonds sold by Anshun Xixiu Qiancheng Investment Development Co., an LGFV in the region, according to the prospectus seen by Bloomberg. Although based in the same district, Guizhou Hongyingda has no direct equity relationship with Xixiu Qiancheng Investment.

Its extremely rare for a company to issue bonds for an entity without a direct equity relationship, said Wang Chen, co-founder of Belt&Road Origin (Beijing) Tech Co., a provider of credit-risk analysis. The move signals a new channel for LGFVs debt repayment. It will be conducive for debt-laden regions to help weak LGFVs in repaying debt, especially bonds sold in the open market.

The unusual decision for a state-owned enterprise to raise funds for an LGFV is a sign Guizhou province, one of the poorest and most indebted regions of China, is stepping up efforts to address the financing pressures brought on by maturing LGFV debt.

Story continues

The spreads on lower-quality LGFV bonds over comparable government notes narrowed on Friday, suggesting investors were growing increasingly confident over the sectors ability to repay debt. Spreads of LGFV bonds with ratings of AA- shrank five basis points to 288 basis points, the tightest since 2018, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

(Updates to add tout box)

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FILE - A China's Comac C919 aircraft performs during first day of Singapore Airshow in Singapore, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Chinas C919 single-aisle jet made its international debut at the Singapore Airshow, attracting masses of visitors and hundreds of orders, but analysts say it still has a long way to go before it can compete with aircraft from market leaders Boeing and Airbus. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

SINGAPORE (AP)  Chinas C919 single-aisle jet made its international debut at the Singapore Airshow, attracting masses of visitors and hundreds of orders, but analysts say it still has a long way to go before it can compete with aircraft from market leaders Boeing and Airbus.

The Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China - also known as COMAC  has received over 1,000 orders for the jet, mostly from Chinese airlines. A lack of international certification means the aircraft cannot operate commercially in most countries unless they recognize certifications by Chinas civil aviation regulator.

Over the course of last week's airshow, which drew over nearly 120,000 trade and public visitors, the C919 performed fly-pasts, allowing visitors to see the jet in action. Its only previous foray outside mainland China was to Hong Kong in December.

Its quite symbolic and a major milestone in that push by China to become considered, alongside Airbus and Boeing, for commercial aircrafts, said Brendan Sobie, an independent aviation analyst based in Singapore.

COMAC aims to compete with companies like Boeing and Airbus in the single-aisle jet market. But first, the C919 has to be certified internationally, he said.

The plane is currently certified only in China, where China Eastern Airlines are operating four C919 aircrafts. A lack of international certification means the C919 cannot operate in most countries unless they recognize certifications by Chinas civil aviation regulator.

Another aspect COMAC needs to work on before its jets can become serious contenders alongside the Airbus A320neo and Boeings 737 Max narrow-body airliners is building up a reliable distribution system and market support services for its aircraft.

Most of the orders come from Chinese airlines and the challenge moving forward is that in order to have a sustainable future, COMAC must demonstrate that they are able to go beyond Chinese shores, said Mabel Kwan, managing director at consultancy Alton Aviation.

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COMAC declined to make its executives available for an interview.

So far, the state-owned company says it has received 1,061 domestic orders for the C919, but it has yet to secure many international customers. Brunei-based GallopAir, which is backed by Chinese investors, signed a letter of intent in September to purchase 30 aircraft from COMAC, including a C919 jet, in a deal estimated to be worth $2 billion.

COMAC faces supply chain challenges similar to those of Boeing and Airbus, which currently have backlogs of thousands of aircraft yet to be delivered. While the C919 is designed in China, much of its technology and many of its parts are from foreign suppliers. Its engine, for example, is made by CFM International, a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Frances Safran Aircraft Engines.

Its not like China has its own supply system, its own avionics, its own engines, so that theyre not impacted by whats happening globally, Sobie said, adding that COMAC might not be a high priority for suppliers also struggling to catch up with deliveries to Boeing and Airbus.

COMAC however does have the luxury of a wide talent pool from China, Kwan said, and in the long run this may allow the firm to develop more homegrown technology and parts for use in its aircraft.

Right now, COMAC is using mostly Western technology  but with enough research & development, training and education, the whole ecosystem may be able to overcome (challenges in the long term), she said.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Pool/Getty Images

China has curbed short selling and quant trading activities to support its flailing stock markets.

The moves could hit investor appetite as it calls market transparency and price discovery into question.

Analysts have said China needs to boost investor confidence by focusing on economic reforms.

Beijing is now trying to support the flailing Chinese stock markets by pulling a familiar move  cracking down on private sector activities.

The measures, which include curbs on short-selling and restraining quant trading funds, are aimed at propping up China and Hong Kong's stock markets, which have collectively lost trillions of dollars since their peaks in 2021.

While such moves may help stem immediate market losses, they hurt China in the long run.

Remember  China's recent private sector enterprise crackdown wiped out over a trillion dollars from its tech sector alone and spooked entrepreneurs. Despite efforts to woo investors back into the industry again, stock prices are still far from their heydays.

This time round, Beijing's limits on short selling and quant transactions  just some of many in China's recent flurry of measures to shore up its markets  are fueling frustration and angst among traders, as Bloomberg reported on Monday. They're also likely to dent investor appetite.

Beijing has "basically sent a signal that market transparency and the search for it is not allowed as much." George Boubouras, head of research at Melbourne-based K2 Asset Management, told Bloomberg.

China isn't the first to curb stock market activities  the US also cracked down on short-selling during the 2008 financial crisis. But Beijing's already heavy-handed oversight over much of the country's economy and society isn't lost on investors who are already jittery about putting their money in China.

China's securities regulator said on Thursday it wasn't trying to interfere with trading activities, but will crackdown on "illegal activities" that disrupt market order.

Story continues

Many economists believe China needs to boost investor confidence and double down on economic reforms and fundamental challenges as the country tries to engineer a convincing post-pandemic recovery.

"Chinese government moves to restore private-sector confidence and boost the economy still lack a broad reform framework," Eswar Prasad, a professor at Cornell University and a former International Monetary Fund official in charge of China, told Nikkei this month.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was 0.4% lower at 1:22 p.m. local time. It's down 2.4% so far this year and 16.6% lower over the past 12 months.

The blue-chip CSI300 was also 0.4% lower. It's down 1.2% this year to date and 14% lower over the past 12 months.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) has proven itself as a long-term winner for investors. The healthcare giant has grown earnings over time, and the shares have climbed too. In just the past year, Abbott stock has advanced about 18%. On top of this, Abbott has paid investors dividends year after year, even increasing these payments on an annual basis. So, the company also offers shareholders the promise of passive income growth.

Abbott's performance has been driven by its diversification across four major businesses -- medical devices, diagnostics, nutrition, and established pharmaceuticals -- and its ability to develop market-leading products. For example, in recent years, Abbott's coronavirus tests have generated billions of dollars, and, in the medical devices business, its FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring system continues to be a market leader.

Now, considering this top track record, you may be wondering if Abbott can keep the good times rolling -- and even help you become a millionaire. Let's find out.

Image source: Getty Images.

Abbott's successful diversification

What I like most about Abbott is its successful diversification, with leading products across its business units -- from those I mentioned above in the diagnostics and devices units to top nutrition brand Ensure and commonly used drugs sold in international markets to round out the established pharmaceuticals offerings.

This diversification means that when one of the businesses faces headwinds, the others may compensate. For example, earlier in the pandemic, coronavirus test sales soared while medical devices sales slipped -- that business suffered as hospitals postponed surgeries to accommodate COVID patients. And in more recent times, the medical devices business has recovered and grown -- and now it's compensating for declining coronavirus testing sales as demand weakens.

The result is Abbott has generated triple-digit growth in net income over the past decade and double-digit growth in other important financial metrics over the same time period. This shows the company is growing its business, increasing profits, and benefiting from its investments.

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ABT Net Income (Annual) Chart

ABT Net Income (Annual) data by YCharts

As mentioned above, Abbott can rely on the strengths of its key products to drive some of these gains. In the most recent quarter, the FreeStyle Libre brought in sales of $1.4 billion, an increase of more than 23%. And these products helped Abbott to grow sales across its business units in the quarter, excluding the sales of coronavirus tests. For the full year, excluding COVID testing sales, Abbott reported double-digit sales growth to reach $40 billion.

Abbott also offers a steady stream of new products, thanks to its growth in research and development spending over time. And the company's capital expenditures to boost future growth total $5 billion since 2021.

More than 50 years of dividend growth

On top of this, Abbott has built quite a reputation as a dividend stock, becoming a Dividend King thanks to its more than 50 years of consecutive dividend increases. And over the past three years, the company has returned more than $17 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.

This track record of dividend growth shows rewarding shareholders is important to the company, so it's likely to continue along this path. And as we can see in the chart below, Abbott's dividend payments could add significantly to your returns as a shareholder. Total returns include dividend payments.

ABT Chart

ABT data by YCharts

Now, let's get back to our question: Could Abbott help you become a millionaire? The key is the word "help." Alone, most stocks won't make you a millionaire unless you make an enormous investment in that particular stock -- and that's a risky bet, even if we're talking about a high-quality player. If you invest a smaller amount, say $5,000, in a stock, and it even doubles or triples, you're still far from millionaire status.

But Abbott, as part of a diversified portfolio of quality stocks, could help you become a millionaire -- or at least add significantly to your wealth -- over the long term. By this, I mean constructing a portfolio of at least 20 stocks and holding on for a decade or longer. You don't have to build this portfolio overnight, but instead at the pace that suits your budget.

And, through this strategy, Abbott -- as a company that's proven itself and also holds great prospects -- could help you reach your financial goals over the long haul.

Should you invest $1,000 in Abbott Laboratories right now?

Before you buy stock in Abbott Laboratories, 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 Abbott Laboratories 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 20, 2024

Adria Cimino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Abbott Laboratories. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Could Abbott Laboratories Stock Help You Become a Millionaire? was originally published by The Motley Fool
TORONTO, Feb. 26, 2024 /CNW/ - Dave McKay, president and chief executive officer of Royal Bank of Canada (RY on TSX and NYSE) will be participating in a fireside chat with Derek Neldner, CEO and group head, RBC Capital Markets, taking place in New York from 8:00 a.m. to 8:35 a.m. on March 5 (EST).

A link to the live audio webcast will be available on RBC's website at https://www.rbc.com/investor-relations/events-and-presentations.html on March 5, 2024. The webcast will be archived for three months.

RBC logo (CNW Group/RRYIR)

About RBC

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 94,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.

SOURCE RRYIR

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2024/26/c1996.html
Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) stands as a global leader in data, analytics, and technology, with a significant presence in credit reporting and workforce solutions.

Despite strong market positioning, the company faces challenges from cybersecurity threats and intense competition within the industry.

Opportunities for growth are abundant through strategic acquisitions, cloud technology advancements, and expansion of unique data assets.

Threats include regulatory changes, technological disruptions, and potential data breaches that could impact the company's operations and reputation.

On February 22, 2024, Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) filed its annual 10-K report, providing a comprehensive overview of its financial performance and strategic positioning. As one of the leading credit bureaus in the United States, Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) plays a pivotal role in the financial ecosystem, offering credit reports and workforce solutions that are integral to lenders' credit decisions. With over 20% of its revenue generated from international markets, the company's global footprint is substantial. The 10-K filing reveals that Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) has maintained a robust financial standing, with a diversified revenue stream and a strong balance sheet. The company's market capitalization as of June 30, 2023, was approximately $28.88 billion, indicating a solid investor confidence in its business model and future prospects.

Decoding Equifax Inc (EFX): A Strategic SWOT Insight

Strengths

Global Reach and Diversified Portfolio: Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) boasts a comprehensive global presence, operating across North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Latin America. This geographical diversification not only mitigates the risk of regional economic downturns but also provides a broad spectrum of growth opportunities. The company's diversified portfolio, which includes credit reporting, workforce solutions, and various analytical services, contributes to a stable revenue stream and reduces dependence on any single product or market.

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Technological Advancements and Cloud Transformation: The company's strategic investment in cloud capabilities and technology has positioned it at the forefront of innovation within the industry. Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX)'s cloud data and technology transformation are enabling the development of new products and services, enhancing customer experience, and improving system resiliency. This technological edge is a significant strength that allows the company to respond quickly to market demands and maintain a competitive advantage.

Strong Brand and Market Position: As one of the "Big Three" credit reporting agencies, Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) enjoys a strong brand reputation and a loyal customer base. Its brand is synonymous with reliability and accuracy in credit reporting, which is critical for maintaining trust with both consumers and financial institutions. The company's market position is reinforced by its extensive data assets and advanced analytics, which provide unique insights for decision-making.

Weaknesses

Data Security Concerns: Despite significant investments in data security, Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) remains vulnerable to cyber threats and data breaches, as highlighted in the 10-K filing. The nature of the company's business, dealing with sensitive personal and financial information, makes it a prime target for cyberattacks. Any security breach can lead to substantial financial costs, legal liabilities, and erosion of customer trust, which can have long-term implications for the company's reputation and profitability.

Regulatory Compliance: The company operates in a highly regulated environment, with stringent laws governing consumer reporting, data protection, and privacy. Compliance with these evolving regulations requires constant vigilance and can result in significant operational costs. Moreover, any failure to comply can lead to penalties, legal challenges, and damage to the company's credibility.

Dependence on Third-Party Data Providers: Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX)'s business model relies heavily on acquiring data from third-party sources. This dependence can pose a risk if these relationships are disrupted or if the quality and accuracy of the data provided are compromised. Ensuring the integrity of third-party data is crucial for maintaining the company's product quality and customer trust.

Opportunities

Strategic Acquisitions and Partnerships: Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) has the opportunity to further expand its data assets and capabilities through strategic acquisitions and partnerships. By integrating new data sources and technologies, the company can enhance its product offerings, enter new markets, and strengthen its competitive position. The 10-K filing indicates a clear focus on leveraging inorganic growth to drive revenue and expand the company's unique differentiated data assets.

Expansion into Emerging Markets: The company's international segment presents significant opportunities for growth, particularly in emerging markets where credit reporting and financial services are still developing. By establishing a presence in these markets, Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) can capitalize on the growing demand for credit information and analytics services, thereby driving global revenue growth.

Advancements in Analytics and Decisioning Platforms: The ongoing investment in cloud-native technology and analytics platforms positions Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) to offer more sophisticated and tailored solutions to its customers. The company's ability to provide multi-data solutions at scale is a key differentiator that can attract new customers and deepen relationships with existing ones.

Threats

Intense Industry Competition: Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) faces stiff competition from other major credit reporting agencies, such as Experian and TransUnion, as well as from a multitude of niche providers offering specialized services. To maintain its market share, the company must continuously innovate and provide superior products and services that meet the evolving needs of its customers.

Technological Disruptions: The rapid pace of technological change poses a threat to Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX), as new entrants or existing competitors may develop disruptive technologies that could alter the competitive landscape. Staying ahead

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are specifically structured to pass income on to shareholders. Prologis (NYSE: PLD) is no different from any other REIT in this regard, though it tends to be afforded a premium valuation much of the time. So its 2.6% dividend yield might seem a bit miserly -- until you find out that the dividend has grown at an annualized clip of more than 10% over the past decade. That's very attractive. And, given the REIT's $40 billion secret weapon, more robust dividend growth is likely in the years ahead. Here's what you need to know.

Prologis is a one-stop warehouse shop

Prologis has a market cap of around $120 billion. That is a huge figure for a REIT and makes this company one of the largest players in the broader REIT sector. However, Prologis is a very focused company. It owns around 5,500 warehouses. Looking at this from a different perspective, the REIT manages assets with over 1.2 billion square feet of rentable space.

Image source: Getty Images.

That's just the start, however, because its portfolio isn't just in one country -- it is spread around the world. North America, South America, Europe, and Asia are all covered, with properties in around 20 countries. All the assets Prologis owns are in important transportation hubs, which means demand is pretty strong for its properties. Better yet, with such a broadly diversified footprint, Prologis can offer its more than 6,700 customers a single business contact for multiple, geographically diverse locations.

This REIT is an entrenched giant in the warehouse sector, and it would be very difficult to unseat it. But there's one more subtle factor here that investors should keep in mind, even though it often gets overlooked. Prologis has a $40 billion investment opportunity built right into its portfolio.

How do you grow a REIT?

The REIT model is pretty simple. REITs own large physical assets and rent them out to customers. But how does one grow a REIT? The answer is just as simple: You increase the number of assets the REIT owns. There are really just two ways to do this.

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The first, and most obvious, way to increase the size of a REIT's portfolio is to buy additional properties. That can happen on a one-off basis, through portfolio size transactions, or via the acquisition of a competitor. Prologis does all three.

The second way to grow the portfolio would be to build new assets from the ground up. This is a longer process and has to start with owning land on which the REIT can build something. That's the key here. Prologis owns or controls around 8,000 acres of land in North America, over 2,200 acres in Europe, nearly 1,800 acres in South America, and about 100 acres in Asia. Most of this property is near assets the REIT already operates, so the land is well located and will easily slide right into the operating asset base.

While it would take years for Prologis to build on all of that land, that's actually a net positive. It means that the REIT has years of growth already built into its portfolio. Management estimates that this is a $40 billion opportunity. But step back for a second and consider how big that really is by comparing it to the REIT's $120 billion market cap. This is a very big secret weapon and one to which investors should be paying a lot of attention.

PLD Dividend Per Share (Annual) Chart

A growth and income stalwart

Given Prologis' 2.6% dividend yield, it probably won't be of interest to investors looking to maximize the income their portfolios generate. But the rapid dividend growth, and the $40 billion opportunity to build on vacant land it already owns, suggest that growth and income investors should probably take a closer look at this industry giant.

In the end, if you own the stock for long enough, a fast-growing dividend can provide more income than a slow-growing dividend. Prologis is the kind of company that long-term investors could learn to love more and more every year, even if they have a penchant for larger upfront income streams.

Should you invest $1,000 in Prologis right now?

Before you buy stock in Prologis, 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 Prologis wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

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Reuben Brewer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Prologis. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

This Dividend Stock's $40 Billion Secret Weapon was originally published by The Motley Fool
DP World has signed a partnership with Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) to explore and implement renewable energy systems across DP World's global port operations in the Middle East and Africa.

The agreement aims to facilitate the widespread adoption of renewable energy and battery energy storage systems (BESS) within DP Worlds global supply chain. Over the course of the three-year partnership, DP World and Masdar will work together to identify optimal sites for the potential deployment of solar and energy storage systems, with an initial focus on Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and Egypt.

The partnership seeks to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy systems in DP Worlds supply chain by sharing knowledge of the regulatory landscape and other challenges, particularly in emerging economies.

Sustainable operations

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, DP World Chairman and CEO, said: "Our partnership with Masdar represents a significant step forward in our commitment to sustainable operations at our ports and terminals. By exploring renewable energy solutions, we aim to reduce our carbon footprint and drive positive change in the supply chain industry."

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Masdar Chief Executive Officer, added: "Masdar and DP World are leading the way in the decarbonisation of the companys port operations and supply chain, to explore all options to advance the development and deployment of renewable energy power and storage systems in hard-to-abate sectors. Following a successful COP28 hosted in the UAE, it is vital that we take action to drive the global energy transition towards tripling renewable energy by 2030.--TradeArabia News Service
On Feb. 19, Capital One (NYSE: COF) announced it would acquire Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) in an all-stock transaction valued at over $35 billion. The move could make Capital One the largest credit card issuer in the U.S. and create greater competition for Visa (NYSE: V) and Mastercard (NYSE: MA), whose stocks fell following the news announcement. Here's what it could mean for investors in those companies.

Capital One could become the largest card issuer in the U.S.

Capital One provides its customers with various financial and banking services and is the ninth-largest bank in the U.S. The company's bread-and-butter business is issuing branded cards through Visa and Mastercard. It's the fourth-largest card issuer in the U.S., according to The Nilson Report.

This deal is turning a lot of heads, and for good reason. Capital One issues debit and credit cards through Mastercard and Visa, with its transactions running through their networks and earning them fees on every swipe. Meanwhile, Capital One holds on to this credit card debt and services these loans. The merger could make Capital One the largest credit card lender in the U.S., pushing it ahead of JPMorgan Chase, which currently holds that title.

In addition, it would provide Capital One with Discover's payment networks, including Discover Network, Diners Club, and Pulse debit network, which have struggled to compete with Visa and Mastercard for payment volume. If the deal goes through, Capital One could move its cards to Discover's network and create a closed-loop payment network that better competes with Visa and Mastercard.

Image source: Getty Images.

This is where things get interesting with regulators. On the one hand, they have expressed concern about Capital One being the largest card issuer in the U.S. On the other hand, those same regulators want more competition from different payment networks to better contend with Visa and Mastercard, who they claim have a duopoly over payment processing.

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According to data from The Nilson Report, Visa processed $11.6 trillion in payment volume in 2022, while Mastercard had $6.6 trillion. American Express had $1.5 trillion. In comparison, Discover's networks processed $243 billion, or only 2% of Visa's payment volume.

Here's how the deal could affect Visa and Mastercard

According to analysts with Morgan Stanley, Capital One's existing debit card portfolio is primarily Mastercard-branded, where it does about $100 billion in volume annually. In addition, it has about $75 billion in credit card volume between Visa and Mastercard.

Those analysts say that if Capital One were to move its volumes over to Discover, it would have a 0.2% effect on Visa and a 2.1% effect on Mastercard's payment volume. Any effect on Visa's or Mastercard's bottom line would likely be negligible.

The deal faces intense scrutiny from lawmakers

Before the Capital One-Discover deal can go through, it must face heavy scrutiny from lawmakers and consumer groups. For example, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said that the merger "threatens our financial stability, reduces competition, and would increase fees and credit costs for American families," and asked regulators to "block it immediately."

In addition, Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said, "This merger will create a new juggernaut in the credit card market, with unprecedented powers to extort American consumers. That cannot be allowed to happen." With opposition from both sides of the aisle, the deal will likely face significant headwinds before any approval.

Here's what investors should do

The Capital One-Discover deal would be the fifth-largest bank merger in U.S. history. If it goes through, Visa and Mastercard would certainly feel some effects, although it wouldn't put too big a dent in their earnings. However, the deal has significant hurdles to overcome and its approval could hinge on election results in November, so a decision likely won't be made until later this year or 2025.

Investors should continue to monitor this deal. It could create an intriguing investment opportunity in the combined Capital One-Discover company. However, Visa and Mastercard investors shouldn't rush to the exits, as these companies will likely remain dominant players in the payment networks industry.

Should you invest $1,000 in Capital One Financial right now?

Before you buy stock in Capital One Financial, 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 Capital One Financial 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 20, 2024

JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Discover Financial Services is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Courtney Carlsen has positions in Morgan Stanley. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase, Mastercard, and Visa. The Motley Fool recommends Discover Financial Services and recommends the following options: long January 2025 $370 calls on Mastercard and short January 2025 $380 calls on Mastercard. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

What Does the Capital One-Discover Deal Mean for Visa and Mastercard Investors? was originally published by The Motley Fool
NASDAQ:EU

TSXV:EU

www.encoreuranium.com

DALLAS, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - enCore Energy Corp. (NASDAQ: EU) (TSXV: EU) (the "Company" or "enCore"), America's Clean Energy Company and a uranium producer, announced today the completion of the transactions under the Master Transaction Agreement ("Transaction") with Boss Energy Limited ("Boss Energy") (ASX: BOE) (OTCQX: BQSSF), a leading Australian emerging ISR uranium producer, headlined by the sale of a 30% ownership interest in enCore's Alta Mesa project ("Alta Mesa") to Boss Energy for US$60 million, and including an investment of US$10 million into enCore common shares by Boss Energy. The Transaction provides enCore with the financial capacity to significantly accelerate its uranium production pipeline across South Texas through the development of multiple satellite operations. In addition, the Transaction paves the way for accelerated development of enCore's Dewey Terrace and Dewey-Burdock projects straddling the Wyoming-South Dakota border and enables the Company to quicken development of its Gas Hills project in Wyoming.

enCore Energy Corp. logo (CNW Group/enCore Energy Corp.)

Transaction Highlights

enCore received US$60 million in full payment for Boss Energy's 30% share of the JV;

enCore received an additional US$10 million from Boss Energy as payment for a private placement of 2,564,102 enCore shares;

The formation of a joint venture company owning Alta Mesa with enCore holding a 70% joint venture interest and remaining the project manager, and Boss Energy holding a 30% joint venture interest.

William M. Sheriff, Executive Chairman, stated: "The completion of the joint venture with Boss Energy comes at a transformational time for enCore and we look forward to their partnership at the Alta Mesa plant. With zero debt, production underway at the Rosita plant and a healthy treasury, we are in a strong position to advance the production pipeline across our portfolio at a more aggressive pace in 2024. We look forward to a year full of opportunity and growth as the only company in the United States with two operating uranium plants, supplying the essential material to fuel domestic nuclear energy."

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Pursuant to the terms of a Master Transaction Agreement dated December 5, 2023, Boss acquired a 30% equity interest in a new limited liability company (the "JV Company") that was formed to hold the Alta Mesa project, in exchange for a payment to enCore of US$60 million. enCore holds 70% equity in the JV Company. Upon closing of the Transaction, the parties entered into a joint venture agreement (the "JV Agreement") which will govern the JV Company. Pursuant to the JV Agreement, enCore will act as manager of the JV Company and will be entitled to a management fee. The JV Company will distribute uranium from production at Alta Mesa on a pro rata basis according to enCore and Boss Energy's ownership interest. In the event a party's interest falls below 10%, the other party shall have a right to either acquire that interest, or elect to have the interest converted into a 1% production royalty at Alta Mesa.

Concurrently with the establishment of the JV Company, the parties entered into a uranium loan agreement providing for up to 200,000 pounds of uranium to be lent by Boss Energy to enCore. The loan will bear interest of 9% and be repayable in 12 months in cash or uranium at the election of Boss Energy.

Boss also acquired 2,564,102 common shares of enCore issued from treasury at a price of US$3.90 per share for total proceeds to enCore of US$10 million. The share price was fixed under the Master Transaction Agreement dated December 5, 2023 with the common shares subject to a four-month statutory hold period, expiring June 27, 2024.

Finally, the parties also entered into a strategic collaboration agreement for the joint collaboration and research to develop the Company's PFN technology, to be financed equally by each party.

Alta Mesa In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") Uranium Central Processing Plant ("Alta Mesa") & Wellfield

The Alta Mesa CPP and Wellfield hosts a fully licensed and constructed In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") uranium plant, located on 200,000+ acres of private land in the state of Texas. Alta Mesa CPP will be enCore's second producing location and work continues to advance the project towards planned production in the second quarter of 2024.

Total operating capacity at the Alta Mesa CPP is 1.5 million lbs. U 3 O 8 (uranium) per year. The Alta Mesa CPP historically produced nearly 5 million lbs U 3 O 8 between 2005 and 2013, after which production was curtailed as a result of low uranium prices.

Alta Mesa Resource Summary (0.30 GT cut-off)1,2 Tons Avg. Grade (% U 3 O 8 ) Pounds Total Measured Mineral Resource1 54,000 0.152 164,000 Alta Mesa Indicated Mineral Resource 1,397,000 0.106 2,959,000

119,000 0.120 287,000 Total Measured & Indicated Resources 1,570,000 0.109 3,410,000 Alta Mesa Inferred Mineral Resource 1,263,000 0.126 3,192,000 Meste 5,733,000 0.119 13,601,000 Total Inferred Resources 6,996,000 0.120 16,793,000



1,2 Represents that portion of the in-place mineral resource that are estimated to be recoverable within existing wellfields. Wellfield recovery factors have not been applied to indicated and inferred mineral resources. As reported in the NI-43-101 Technical Report Summary for the Alta Mesa Uranium Project, Brooks and Jim Hogg Counties, Texas, USA completed by Doug Beahm, PE, PG, of BRS Engineering. (Effective January 19, 2023).

To view the Alta Mesa CPP and Wellfield and Rosita CPP maps please visit: bit.ly/3fV9fTg.

John M. Seeley, Ph.D., P.G., C.P.G., enCore's Manager of Geology and Exploration, and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure in this news release on behalf of the Company.

About enCore Energy Corp.

enCore Energy Corp., America's Clean Energy Company, is committed to providing clean, reliable, and affordable domestic nuclear energy as the newest uranium producer in the United States. Uranium production commenced at enCore's licensed and past-producing South Texas Rosita Central Processing Plant ("CPP") in November 2023 with work underway for a planned 2024 restart of uranium production at its licensed and past-producing South Texas Alta Mesa CPP. enCore solely utilizes In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") for uranium extraction, a well-known and proven technology co-developed by the leaders at enCore Energy. In-Situ Recovery extracts uranium in a non-invasive process using natural groundwater and oxygen, coupled with a proven ion exchange process, to recover the uranium. The enCore team is led by industry experts with extensive knowledge and experience in all aspects of ISR uranium operations and the nuclear fuel cycle.

Future projects in enCore's production pipeline include the Dewey-Burdock project in South Dakota and the Gas Hills project in Wyoming, along with significant uranium resource endowments in New Mexico providing long term opportunities. enCore diligently works to realize value from other owned assets, including our proprietary uranium database that includes technical information from many past producing companies, from our various non-core assets, and by leveraging our ISR expertise in researching opportunities that support the use of this technology as applied to other metals. enCore is also committed to working with local communities and indigenous governments to create positive impact from corporate developments.

www.encoreuranium.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The Company advises that it is not basing its production decisions at Alta Mesa CPP on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. The production decision is based on known past In-Situ Recovery (ISR) and processing operations at this production facility and surrounding lands. However, the Company understands that there is increased uncertainty, and consequently a higher risk of failure, when production is undertaken in advance of a feasibility study. The Company has determined to proceed with a production decision based on past operations at the Alta Mesa CPP, including past ISR operations in the known mineral resource areas.

Certain information contained in this news release, including: any information relating to the Company being a leading uranium company, statements regarding future or potential production, and any other statements regarding future expectations, beliefs, goals or prospects; may constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws and regulations (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements in this news release that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "expects", "is expected", "does not expect", "plans", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" and similar expressions or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken) should be considered forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding distribution of uranium by the JV Company from production at Alta Mesa, and regarding our planned extraction and production operations. All such forward-looking statements are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's ability to control or predict. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments; the ability of enCore to act as Manager of the JV Company; receipt of final TSX-V approval for the issuance of enCore shares to Boss Energy; the ability of enCore to implement its business strategies; including commencement of production at Alta Mesa in the planned time frames or at all; the expansion of operations to satellite locations; and other risks. A number of important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements, including without limitation access to capital risks in connection with the Agreement and otherwise, exploration and development risks, changes in commodity prices, access to skilled mining personnel, the results of exploration and development activities; production risks; uninsured risks; regulatory risks; defects in title; the availability of materials and equipment, timeliness of government approvals and unanticipated environmental impacts on operations; litigation risks; risks posed by the economic and political environments in which the Company operates and intends to operate; increased competition; assumptions regarding market trends and the expected demand and desires for the Company's products and proposed products; reliance on industry equipment manufacturers, suppliers and others; the failure to adequately protect intellectual property; the failure to adequately manage future growth; adverse market conditions, the failure to satisfy ongoing regulatory requirements and factors relating to forward looking statements listed above which include risks as disclosed in the Company's annual information form filings. Should one or more of these risks materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as required by law. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in filings by the Company with the various securities commissions which are available online at www.sec.gov and www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations, beliefs and plans of management. Such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes and readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, that speak only as of the date hereof, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Cision

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SOURCE enCore Energy Corp.
Nobody is likely a more outspoken dissenter against the ongoing stronghold Apple Inc. and Google have on the mobile apps store than Epic Games Inc. Founder and CEO Tim Sweeney.

Google's Play Store and Apple's App Store collectively have a 90% market share. Going up against Apple and Google is no easy feat  they are two of the biggest companies on the planet with armies of top lawyers around the world. Funding such a suit would bankrupt many companies, but Sweeney isn't deterred, taking on both of them in recent lawsuits.

The popular maker of Fortnite makes billions from skin sales and in-game items. With tens of millions of mobile players, it's easy to see how the 30% fee the app stores charge would add up over time. A successful lawsuit that lowered fees or costs would end up saving Epic billions over the long term.

Don't Miss:

Neither Apple nor Google allow users to skirt their app stores. For example, code driving someone to a website to purchase Fortnite's in-game currency V-Bucks, rather than in an app, breaks the terms of service and will, as happened to Fortnite, result in removal from the store. When Fortnite was removed, Epic filed an antitrust lawsuit and lost. But in a nearly identical case, it defeated Google, which resulted in a $700 million fine against the company.

Now, Sweeney is back taking another swing at Apple after the company's recent decision to scrap web apps entirely in the EU. The EU passed the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which Apple is using as an excuse to snub home screen web apps. Users will no longer be able to download apps on their iPhones in the EU unless they are on the Apple App Store. They will be able to open links to websites from their home screens, just not stand-alone apps. This is yet another blow to anyone trying to avoid the 30% fees.

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Sweeney and other critics argue Apples latest policy update, which effectively stifles the functionality of web apps by imposing stringent limitations, will undermine the open nature of the web and restrict consumer choice.

Trending: This startup is accepting investors for as little as 25 cents  whats the catch?

The policy change comes at a time when the European Union is pushing for greater digital openness through initiatives like the DMA. Critics, including Sweeney, argue that Apples move is not only antithetical to the spirit of the DMA but also represents a significant step back for digital innovation and accessibility in Europe.

Legal experts and industry watchers predict this latest conflict could lead to increased regulatory scrutiny of Apples practices in Europe and potentially beyond. The European Commission has already shown a willingness to tackle what it sees as anti-competitive behavior by tech giants, and Sweeneys fight against Apple could catalyze further action.

Sweeney recently went to X to speak about Apple's continued anti-competitive practices, posting, "Apple needs to completely reset its relationships with regulators and developers on the foundation of enlightened, lawful business practices as Microsoft did after the DOJ [Department of Justice] case. They can't go on like this, not as a self-respecting company that's honest with itself and the world."

As this saga unfolds, the tech world watches closely, recognizing that the outcome could have far-reaching implications for how digital markets operate, how developers create and distribute apps and how consumers access digital content. Sweeneys crusade against Apples monopoly is more than a corporate skirmish; its a battle for the soul of the digital age.

Read Next:

Harvard-founded AI startup is solving paywalls, growing 5x yearly and l ooking for new shareholders .

This startup in the climate tech industry could unlock the riches flowing 30 feet above your head.

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This article After Epic Games' $700 Million Google Antitrust Lawsuit Win, CEO Tim Sweeney Has His Sights Set On Apple's Decision To Ban Web Apps originally appeared on Benzinga.com

 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Assessing the Sustainability of Equinix Inc's Upcoming Dividend

Equinix Inc (NASDAQ:EQIX) recently announced a dividend of $4.26 per share, payable on 2024-03-20, with the ex-dividend date set for 2024-02-27. As investors look forward to this upcoming payment, the spotlight also shines on the company's dividend history, yield, and growth rates. Using the data from GuruFocus, let's look into Equinix Inc's dividend performance and assess its sustainability.

What Does Equinix Inc Do?

Warning! GuruFocus has detected 10 Warning Signs with EQIX.

High Yield Dividend Stocks in Gurus' Portfolio

This Powerful Chart Made Peter Lynch 29% A Year For 13 Years

How to calculate the intrinsic value of a stock?

Equinix operates 260 data centers in 71 markets worldwide. It generates 44% of total revenue in the Americas, 35% in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and 21% in Asia-Pacific. The firm has more than 10,000 customers, including 2,100 network providers, that are dispersed over five verticals: cloud and IT services, content providers, network and mobile services, financial services, and enterprise. About 70% of Equinix's revenue comes from renting space to tenants and related services, and more than 15% comes from interconnection. Equinix operates as a real estate investment trust.

Equinix Inc's Dividend Analysis

A Glimpse at Equinix Inc's Dividend History

Equinix Inc has maintained a consistent dividend payment record since 2014. Dividends are currently distributed on a quarterly basis. Below is a chart showing annual Dividends Per Share for tracking historical trends.

Breaking Down Equinix Inc's Dividend Yield and Growth

As of today, Equinix Inc currently has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.64% and a 12-month forward dividend yield of 1.93%. This suggests an expectation of increased dividend payments over the next 12 months. Over the past three years, Equinix Inc's annual dividend growth rate was 10.80%. Extended to a five-year horizon, this rate decreased to 9.20% per year. Based on Equinix Inc's dividend yield and five-year growth rate, the 5-year yield on cost of Equinix Inc stock as of today is approximately 2.55%.

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Equinix Inc's Dividend Analysis

The Sustainability Question: Payout Ratio and Profitability

To assess the sustainability of the dividend, one needs to evaluate the company's payout ratio. The dividend payout ratio provides insights into the portion of earnings the company distributes as dividends. A lower ratio suggests that the company retains a significant part of its earnings, thereby ensuring the availability of funds for future growth and unexpected downturns. As of 2023-12-31, Equinix Inc's dividend payout ratio is 1.40, which may suggest that the company's dividend may not be sustainable.

Equinix Inc's profitability rank, offers an understanding of the company's earnings prowess relative to its peers. GuruFocus ranks Equinix Inc's profitability 8 out of 10 as of 2023-12-31, suggesting good profitability prospects. The company has reported net profit in 9 years out of the past 10 years.

Growth Metrics: The Future Outlook

To ensure the sustainability of dividends, a company must have robust growth metrics. Equinix Inc's growth rank of 8 out of 10 suggests that the company's growth trajectory is good relative to its competitors. Revenue is the lifeblood of any company, and Equinix Inc's revenue per share, combined with the 3-year revenue growth rate, indicates a strong revenue model. Equinix Inc's revenue has increased by approximately 8.70% per year on average, a rate that outperforms approximately 77.47% of global competitors.

The company's 3-year EPS growth rate showcases its capability to grow its earnings, a critical component for sustaining dividends in the long run. During the past three years, Equinix Inc's earnings increased by approximately 21.00% per year on average, a rate that outperforms approximately 74.86% of global competitors. Lastly, the company's 5-year EBITDA growth rate of 12.20%, which outperforms approximately 77.87% of global competitors.

Next Steps

When considering Equinix Inc's dividend payments, investors should find reassurance in the company's consistent dividend history and its potential for dividend growth. However, the relatively high payout ratio may raise concerns about the long-term sustainability of these dividends. Nevertheless, Equinix Inc's strong profitability and growth metrics could provide the necessary support for future dividend payments. Investors should weigh these factors carefully, alongside industry trends and the company's strategic initiatives, to determine the attractiveness of Equinix Inc as an income-generating investment. For those seeking to expand their portfolio with high-dividend yield stocks, GuruFocus Premium users can utilize the High Dividend Yield Screener for more insights.

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


The era of the Magnificent Seven is drawing to a close. Brankospejs

It was a good run, but the era of the Magnificent Seven is over for the stock market.

The group's fortunes have diverged, with stocks like Nvidia soaring and Tesla tanking.

"I don't see these seven names rising together," said the analyst who coined the nickname for the group.

The Magnificent Seven are looking a little less magnificent, and aren't really even a band of seven anymore.

Their diverging fortunes this year might mark the end of an era for the stock market, according to the analyst who coined the nickname for the group of mega-cap giants.

In a note titled "R.I.P the Magnificent Seven Era," Mike O'Rourke, chief market strategist from Jones Trading, said the group's dominance over the stock market is coming to a close.

Back in April 2023, when O'Rourke invented the moniker (although some say it was BofA's Michael Hartnett who coined the term), the Magnificent Seven contributed to a stunning 88% of year-to-date gains. Today, that grip on the market has loosened.

In January, Michael Hartnett noted that the seven biggest stocks  Apple, Meta Platforms, Nvidia, Tesla, Amazon, and Microsoft  accounted for 45% of the S&P 500's gains. That's still a lot, but it's markedly less than the hold it once had.

Now, with the market rally broadening out, and with stocks within the Magnificent Seven embarking on different trajectories (think Nvidia versus Tesla), it's becoming easier for investors to differentiate between members of the group.

"This big rising tide of seven names lift[ing] all boats in the stock market, is what I see ending," O'Rourke said. "I don't see these seven names rising together."

Diverging fortunes

For one, the Magnificent Seven aren't moving in the same direction anymore.

Take Nvidia, for example. The company has taken off on the AI rocket, its stock flying into the stratosphere, up 66% so far this year. The chipmaker posted a blowout earnings report this week, which swung the share price up 16% in a day, good for the biggest market-cap surge ever.

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That spike came just weeks after Meta posted a similar record after its own earnings report boosted the stock 20% in a day.

Those moves are in stark contrast to Tesla's fortunes this year. The stock is down 22% since January amid a cloudier outlook for electric vehicle demand.

Even Apple has struggled since the beginning of 2024, down about 1.45%.

"They're still highly influential in the market," O'Rourke noted. "The difference now is they'll start canceling one another out as far as performance as opposed to all moving in the same direction."

AI splits the pack

One reason why the group has scattered is what everyone is talking about nowadays: AI.

Companies like Nvidia and Meta are firmly part of the AI trade as far as investors are concerned.

The chip maker has positioned itself as the only game in town when it comes to the tech that powers large language models like OpenAI's ChatGPT. In its latest earnings report, Nvidia said its data center sales soared to $18 billion, up 409% since last year.

Meta, too, said it's made a lot of progress on its "vision for advancing AI and the metaverse" in fourth-quarter results.

And while a firm like Tesla would like to think of itself as an AI juggernaut, the market still sees it for its core business, which is making cars.

There are also other reasons why the group's fortunes have diverged. Apple and Tesla are both a lot more exposed to China which is facing several economic headaches.

"Among these four names, the value and growth divergence is too vast and the primary factor they have in common is their mega cap status and remarkable past performance," O'Rourke said.

The Magnificent Seven label probably won't be retired, but a rebranding might be likely as the group continues to see diverging performances.

Dan Niles from the Satori Fund said the group should be trimmed to just Nvidia, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft, or or the Fantastic Four.

"Earnings are struggling, they're having issues with competition, and I think you're seeing that in the stock prices -- Apple, Tesla are down this year and Google is underperforming the market," Niles said in a CNBC interview. "And then the Fantastic Four are doing absolutely great."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Europe Full Of Character

Europe Full Of Character - Campaign Visual

MONTREAL, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- European Cheeses are delighted to unveil their new campaign Europe Full of Character  Cheeses of Austria and France, launched in 2023 and especially tailored for the Canadian market.



Implemented by the European Milk Forum (EMF), the French Dairy Board (CNIEL) and Agrarmarkt Austria Marketing (AMA), this campaign aims to showcase the rich heritage, exceptional quality, unmatched naturalness, and irresistible flavours of European cheeses, with a focus on those from France and Austria.

It is a tribute to the artistry and craftsmanship behind European cheese-making, showcasing the diverse range of flavours, textures and aromas that have made French and Austrian cheese beloved staples on tables worldwide. The campaign seeks to educate consumers about the intricacies of European cheese and inspire them to embrace the joy of indulging in these delectable creations.

Our passion for European cheese is at the heart of everything we do. With this campaign Europe Full of Character, we are excited to share our cheesemakers love for these exceptional cheeses with fellow cheese aficionados and foodies all over Canada, shares Charles Duque, Managing Director, Americas, CNIEL | The French Dairy Board.

The Europe Full of Character campaign also extends beyond flavour, aiming to raise awareness about the importance of supporting sustainable and responsible cheese production. The long-standing relationships with trusted dairy farmers and cheesemakers ensure the highest quality standards while upholding values of authenticity, environmental respect, and animal welfare.

Throughout this three-year campaign, a series of engaging events and experiences will immerse Canadian media, influencers, and cheese enthusiasts in the world of European cheese. From exclusive press events and interactive tastings to influencer campaigns and the presence of European cheese on major consumer events, the campaign promises an unforgettable journey. Partnerships with a selection of cheese stores in Quebec and Ontario, highlighting the sheer variety and unique quality of European offer in store, along with a collaboration with the famous Canadian meal kit service Cook It, add an exciting layer to the campaign.

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Through social media, the campaign also educates, encourages and inspires cheese lovers to share their experiences, recipes, and love for French and Austrian cheeses on the newly launched Facebook and Instagram pages.

Follow us

Campaign hashtags

#EUAgriPromo #EnjoyItsFromEurope #EuropeFullOfCharacter #FrenchCheese #AustrianCheese

Resources

Download our 2023-2024 press kit here.

For more information about French cheeses , please visit: https://www.filiere-laitiere.fr/en/home

For more information about Austrian cheeses, please visit : www.ama.global/en



ABOUT EUROPE FULL OF CHARACTER CAMPAIGN

This campaign is brought to you by The French Dairy Inter-Branch Organization (CNIEL) and Agrarmarkt Austria Marketing GesmbH (AMA-Marketing), with support from the European Union. The objectives are to promote European cheese in terms of ideal area of production; climate conditions & EU production systems; heritage (authenticity, history, savoir-faire); methods of production; natural quality of products; quality & food safety; and the place and role of European cheeses in local gastronomy.

CAMPAIGN CO-FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e8552873-f266-4dbb-9bb5-c5d998ba4373

CONTACT: For more information, high resolution images and interview requests, please contact: Lumir Jardak, Hopscotch Sopexa Canada ljardak@sopexa.com




Procter & Gamble is based in Cincinnati.

Why havent we seen a woman become CEO at Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble?

That was the question posed to the current, male CEO of the consumer products giant, Jon Moeller, who admitted a disproportionate number of our consumers are women.

Speaking to analysts at an investor conference Thursday in Florida, he answered: I expect that someday you will  Id be very surprised if you wouldnt. Moeller added it was ultimately a decision for the companys board of directors, which he chairs. He also acknowledged the question was valid given the company heavily markets its products  such as Tide laundry detergent, Pampers diapers and Pantene shampoo  to women. Even P&Gs male-skewing Gillette razor brand has a female-marketed Venus sibling.

Moeller indicated a female CEO might be inevitable at P&G, given a milestone the company reached last year: For the first time, more than 50% of its global management roles are filled with women. He said having more women in management was necessary to market to female consumers.

Were better positioned to serve them (consumers) and win when we have the representation that we want, Moeller said, adding that understanding women and diverse customers around the world was key to the companys future. Were increasingly serving a more and more diverse group of consumers  we need to position ourselves  to win.

While several female executives in recent decades have come close to the top job at P&G, none has gotten it so far.

Fatima Francisco is CEO of P&G's baby, feminine and family care unit.

Among the 35 top executives listed on P&Gs website, 11 are women. Three of its most senior executives are women: Jennifer Davis is CEO of the health care unit; Fatima Francisco, CEO of the baby, feminine and family care unit; and Alexandra Keith, CEO of the beauty business.

Alexandra Keith is CEO of P&G's beauty business.

P&G officials acknowledged the company has a confidential succession plan in the event Moeller leaves the company but declined to provide any details.

Jennifer Davis is CEO of P&G's health care unit.

P&Gs directors may have hinted who they have in mind for Moellers successor when they first tapped him for the top job in 2021. The same day P&G named the next CEO, the company took the unusual step of also naming a No. 2 executive, Shailesh Jejurikar, who became chief operating officer.

Before he was CEO, Moeller was chief operating officer for a little over two years. Prior to that, Robert McDonald was COO before he served as CEO from 2009 to 2013.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: P&G's Jon Moeller discusses a potential female CEO in future
(Bloomberg) -- Exxon Mobil Corp. and Cnooc Ltd. are considering exercising rights to acquire Hess Corp.s stake in a giant offshore oil development in Guyana, a move that could break up Chevron Corp.s $53 billion deal to buy into the field.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Chevron is adamant theres no possible scenario in which Exxon or Cnooc could buy the stake, and said in a statement that it remains fully committed to the Hess deal. But Exxon said it has a duty to its shareholders to explore the right of first refusal over the change of ownership of the Hess stake. Hess shares slid 3.3% to $144.96 at 6:32 p.m. in late New York trading.

The moves hold the potential to kick off a high-stakes battle for the fastest-growing and largest oil discovery of the past decade and the main reason Chevron struck a deal to buy Hess in October. Exxon, the operator of the project, first found oil in Guyanese waters in 2015 and has since discovered 11 billion barrels of reserves. The company expects production there to double to 1.2 million barrels a day by 2027.

We owe it to our investors and partners to consider our pre-emption rights in place under our Joint Operating Agreement to ensure we preserve our right to realize the significant value weve created and are entitled to in the Guyana asset, Exxon said in a statement Monday.

Cnooc didnt immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

The dispute over Guyanas Stabroek Block underscores how important the emerging basin is to global crude markets. Oil majors have struck a flurry of megadeals in recent months to secure stakes in proven reserves without building new projects that would increase global supplies.

Exxon and Cnoocs right of first refusal is not applicable to its merger with Hess, Chevron said in an emailed statement. As described in the S-4, there is no possible scenario in which Exxon or Cnooc could acquire Hess interest in Guyana as a result of the Chevron-Hess transaction.

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Still, the company warned in a regulatory filing Monday theres a risk the deal may not be completed if Exxon and Cnooc launch a successful counterbid.

If these discussions do not result in an acceptable resolution, and arbitration (if pursued) does not result in a confirmation that such right of first refusal provision is inapplicable to the merger, then there would be a failure of a closing condition under the Merger Agreement, in which case the merger would not close, Chevron said.

--With assistance from Dan Murtaugh.

(Updates with Chevrons comment starting in second paragraph.)

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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
FILE PHOTO: The Albertsons logo is seen on an Albertsons grocery store in Glendora

By Mike Scarcella

(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Monday that it is suing to block Kroger's $24.6 billion purchase of rival grocery chain Albertsons on antitrust grounds, adding to a slew of legal challenges from U.S. states and consumers.

Here is a look at some of the ongoing cases.

EIGHT STATES AND D.C. JOIN FTC LAWSUIT

The FTC on Monday said Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wyoming are joining its new federal case.

The agency said it would ask an Oregon federal judge for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to block the merger, which it said would drive up grocery costs, erode product quality and restrict worker pay.

The companies have previously denied that the deal would harm competition. Kroger in a statement on Monday said the lawsuit "will actually harm the very people the FTC purports to serve: America's consumers and workers." Albertsons in a statement said the merger "will ensure our neighborhood supermarkets can better compete" with "mega-retailers" such as Walmart, Amazon and Costco.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has said the Kroger-Albertsons deal could create "pharmacy deserts" where it would be harder for people in poorer parts of cities or rural areas to buy medicines.

WASHINGTON STATE FIRST TO SUE

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued to stop the deal in January, telling a state judge in Seattle that Washington would be among the most impacted if Kroger is allowed to purchase Albertsons.

The deal between the two largest grocers the state, first announced in October 2022, would hurt competition and increase prices, the lawsuit said.

Kroger previously had said it would sell 413 stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers as part of a divestiture plan to alleviate antitrust concerns. Upwards of 100 of those stores are in Washington state, more than any other state.

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Fergusons office in 2023 unsuccessfully tried to stop Albertsons from making a $4 billion dividend payment to shareholders before closing the deal with Kroger.

COLORADO'S LAWSUIT ADDS LABOR ANTITRUST CLAIM

Earlier this month Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser also sued to stop the Kroger-Albertsons deal.

Like Washington state and the FTC, Colorado claims the deal would restrict competition and concentrate too much market power in the merged company. The cases contend the merger will lead to closed stores, higher prices and reduced jobs.

Weisers lawsuit also said Kroger and Albertsons entered into no-poach and non-solicitation agreements in 2022 that unlawfully restricted employee mobility.

CONSUMER CASE FALTERS

Kroger and Albertsons have also been fighting a private consumer lawsuit in California federal court seeking to block the deal.

A U.S. judge in San Francisco has twice agreed to dismiss the lawsuit, ruling in December that the consumers did not show how they would be harmed by the merger. The case is ongoing after the judge said the plaintiffs could again amend their complaint.

(Reporting by Mike Scarcella; Editing by David Bario and Alistair Bell)
(Bloomberg) -- Farmers honked tractor horns Monday and tried to break through police barriers as they surrounded the main European Union offices in Brussels and demanded more support from the bloc.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The demonstrations  featuring an estimated 900 tractors  are aimed in part at a meeting of EU agriculture ministers. Its the second major protest in Brussels in recent weeks as farmers complain about bureaucratic hurdles, trade deals, climate-related rules and efforts to help Ukraine sell its grain.

We need a firm and positive gesture, Caroline Jaspart, president of the Union of Women Farmers of Wallonia said standing next to the dozens of tractors blocking the road to the European institutions. The main problem is the income, we dont have a just price that would allow us to cover the costs. There is the administrative burden, the ignorance of those who make laws, everything changes so quickly that we do not have time to comply.

Security was tight around the EU offices, with police clad in riot gear. Tractors rushed police barricades in several places, breaking through the razor wire in at least one location, according to videos posted on social media. The area around the building where EU agriculture ministers are meeting on Monday was littered with hay, barley and burning tires.

The tractors carried various slogans, including I feed you but I die, Europe wants us to die and Our death is your hunger. Some tractors also blocked a key intersection providing access to the main Brussels airport.

The EU has been negotiating with the South American nations of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay that make up the Mercosur bloc over a trade agreement that European farmers fear would bring cheap imports from countries with inferior environmental standards.

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Under the Mercosur deal, lots of meat, milk and vegetables come to Europe but we dont have a level playing field, there is no food safety, they dont work for environment, said Stijn Zelderloo, a grain farmer who works 12 kilometers away from Brussels. You cannot imagine how incredible it will be for the market. The future for us is very bad at the moment.

Farmers are also lamenting imports from Ukraine, which has to rely on transport routes through neighboring countries after Russia blocked exports from the Black Sea.

There is a clear problem with the reduction of the import tariffs for Ukraine and massive imports of grain and poultry which depresses the prices, said Guillaume Van Binst, secretary general of the Federation of Young Farmers. The measures proposed by the commission are very weak and it is more passing the hot potato to member states.

The EU has been trying to defuse the farmer protests that have broken out across Europe, taking steps to reduce red tape and delay some rules.

It can always go more quickly, But were already working faster than usually. David Clarinval, Belgiums agriculture minister, told reporters Monday. One can understand the anger of the farmers. One can also understand that some are in a difficult situation. But aggression has never been a source of solutions.

Several agriculture ministers and EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski plan to meet with farmer representatives Monday afternoon to discuss their concerns.

(Updates with size of protest, farmers comments starting in the second paragraph)

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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
A high-level delegation from the civil aviation sector of Saudi Arabia will conduct a series of official visits to Singapore, China, and the United States from February 19-29, to explore collaborations on air connectivity and economic growth.

Headed by the President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, the delegation will present the kingdoms initiatives outlined in the Saudi Aviation Strategy that projects a $100 billion investment aimed at meeting the target of 330 million passengers by 2030.

The visit will start in Singapore, where the Saudi delegation will attend the Changi Aviation Summit and the Singapore Airshow, followed by a visit to Beijing, Zhengzhou, and Shanghai in China.

It will conclude with a visit to Seattle and Anaheim in the United States where the delegation will attend the HAI Heli Expo.

During these visits, Abdulaziz Al-Duailej will engage in a series of bilateral meetings and discussions with his counterparts, at the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the Civil Aviation Authority of China, and the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States.

Furthermore, the delegation will meet with industry leaders and key stakeholders of the aviation sector during roundtables to showcase the most recent achievements and the unparalleled opportunities enabled by the implementation of the Saudi Aviation Strategy.  TradeArabia News Service
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / U.S. Bank:

Bank donates $100,000 in grant funding to help support Crenshaw District revitalization

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

The ongoing U.S. Bank Black History Month celebration included a block party and ribbon cutting event at the newly renovated Slauson and Crenshaw branch, the first-ever U.S. Bank Black Heritage Community branch, featuring design upgrades that reflect the vibrant cultural heritage of Los Angeles's Crenshaw community.

At the event, U.S. Bank welcomed guest speaker Maxine Waters, the U.S. representative for California's 43rd congressional district since 1991, who currently serves as the ranking member of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee.

Additionally, U.S. Bank provided $100,000 to two local organizations supporting the bank's years long efforts to make a meaningful impact in revitalizing the Crenshaw District.

Destination Crenshaw received a $50,000 grant to support Build Back Crenshaw Workplace Apprentice Program and Local Initiatives Support Corp (LISC) of Los Angeles received a $50,000 grant to support the Black Women Vend - Crenshaw Micro-Enterprise Program.

U.S. Bank has been a support of Destination Crenshaw since 2022 , when the bank's Impact Finance community development division invested $8.9 million in New Markets Tax Credit allocations in support of the reparative development project that is poised to become the largest public Black art project in the country.

Ultimately, the Destination Crenshaw project plans to commission more than 100 temporary and permanent works by Black artists who have strong ties to Los Angeles, with a piece slated to be installed behind the U.S. Bank Slauson and Crenshaw Branch and the branch itself being home to a mural created by, for and featuring local community members.

The branch mural The Heart of Hyde Park was created by lead artist Moses Ball and commissioned by L.A. Commons, an organization based in Leimert Park that engages communities in artistic and cultural expressions that tell their unique stories.

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Joining Destination Crenshaw and LISC LA at the block party festivities were local artists and food trucks, including longtime U.S. Bank client Crenshaw Coffee.

Event attendees received complimentary branded tote bags featuring airbrush art designs created by local artist Tamika Quillard . Block partiers could use the tote bags as they visited the Food Access Los Angeles Farmer's Market next to the branch.

The Black Heritage Community branch is designed to deliver a hyperlocal, culturally relevant experience for diverse customers and create a deeper connection with customers, employees and the community. The branch was designed with space to host free community events, financial health workshops and skills training events, and to provide a storefront for small business pop ups. Customers are offered free financial health resources, expert advice and products. The branch works locally with community leaders.

Watch the video above to learn more about the Crenshaw community and the continued commitment of U.S. Bank to power human potential in Los Angeles.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from U.S. Bank on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: U.S. Bank

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/us-bank

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: U.S. Bank





View the original press release on accesswire.com




(Bloomberg) -- Fish are on the menu as the World Trade Organization holds its 13th ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi this week. Elsewhere, jet fuel demand in the US is picking up just in time for a busy travel season, while oils February advance is on the cusp of evaporating. A slew of energy industry conferences take place in London, including International Energy Week.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Here are four notable charts and one map to consider in global commodity markets as the week gets underway.

Jet Fuel

Spring break should be a busy one for airlines, according to one indicator. The four-week rolling average for US jet fuel demand is at the highest seasonal level since the Covid-19 pandemic caused air travel to collapse in 2020, according to Energy Information Administration data. At the same time, jet fuel prices are tracking lower. A similar trend is seen around the world. Global jet fuel demand is expected to grow about 6% this year as international travel continues to recover, refiner Phillips 66 forecasts.

Food Security, Trade and Climate

On the agenda as WTO ministers meet is an effort to ratify the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies that was adopted at a June 2022 gathering. Last week, Haiti became the 61st WTO member to formally accept the pact. The accord sets new binding multilateral rules to curb harmful subsidies (including for fuel) that are a key factor in the widespread depletion of the worlds fish stocks and have implications for food security and the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Two-thirds of the 164 WTO members need to sign the agreement before it can be ratified. Other topics up for discussion include agriculture, trade and sustainable development, and e-commerce moratoriums.

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Base Metals

Base metals have suffered since hitting a record high in March 2022, but the tide may be turning, according to one technical indicator. The LMEX Index  a gauge for the six main metals traded on the London Metal Exchange  has rallied almost 4% since hitting a 2024 low earlier this month. That has put a so-called golden cross into view, a bullish signal where the 50-day moving average climbs above its 200-day counterpart. Of course, the last time the pattern appeared just over a year ago, the advance proved short-lived.

Oil

A rally at the start of the month is slipping away amid competing themes for crude oil markets. While bullish tailwinds of rising Middle East tensions and lower OPEC+ output helped push futures higher, concerns over flagging consumption in top importer China have offset the gains. West Texas Intermediate futures are up less than 1% in February, while Brent saw its monthly advance erase on Friday. For the year, both benchmarks are trading in a tight $10-a-barrel range, causing some traders in exchange-traded funds tracking oil to pull their cash. Futures were little changed on Monday.

Precious Metals

While gold has attracted much of the attention in precious metals circles amid its record rally, silver has been slumbering away in a tight range this year. At almost $23 an ounce, its more than halfway below its peak reached in 1980 and trading beneath two key moving averages (after forming a bearish death cross technical pattern earlier this month). Change could be on the horizon: Hedge funds flipped to net bullish from bearish, according to the latest US Commodity Futures Trading Commission data.

--With assistance from Brendan Murray.

(Updates with Monday oil trading in sixth paragraph.)

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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Formosa Prosonic Industries Berhad (KLSE:FPI) Full Year 2023 Results

Key Financial Results

Revenue: RM673.9m (down 32% from FY 2022).

Net income: RM117.3m (up 11% from FY 2022).

Profit margin: 17% (up from 11% in FY 2022). The increase in margin was driven by lower expenses.

EPS: RM0.46 (up from RM0.42 in FY 2022).

All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period

Formosa Prosonic Industries Berhad shares are down 2.3% from a week ago.

Risk Analysis

Before we wrap up, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Formosa Prosonic Industries Berhad 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.
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French Social Commerce Market

French Social Commerce Market

Dublin, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "France Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics Databook - 50+ KPIs on Social Commerce Trends by End-Use Sectors, Operational KPIs, Retail Product Dynamics, and Consumer Demographics - Q1 2024 Update" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The social commerce industry is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 19.3% during 2024-2029. The social commerce GMV in the country will increase from US$9.35 billion in 2023 to reach US$28.01 billion by 2029.



This report provides a detailed data centric analysis of social commerce industry, covering market opportunities and risks. With over 50+ KPIs at country level, this report provides a comprehensive understanding of social commerce market dynamics, market size and forecast, and market share statistics. The research methodology is based on industry best practices. Its unbiased analysis leverages a proprietary analytics platform to offer a detailed view on emerging business and investment market opportunities.





Databook Scope



This report provides in-depth, data-centric analysis of social commerce in France. Below is a summary of key market segments:



France Ecommerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2020-2029

France Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2020-2029

France Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Retail Product Categories, 2020-2029

Clothing & Footwear

Beauty and Personal Care

Food & Grocery

Appliances and Electronics

Home Improvement

Travel

Hospitality

France Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Consumer Segment, 2020-2029

B2B

B2C

C2C

France Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Device, 2020-2029

Mobile

Desktop

France Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2020-2029

Domestic

Cross Border

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France Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2020-2029

Tier-1 Cities

Tier-2 Cities

Tier-3 Cities

France Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Payment Method, 2020-2029

Credit Card

Debit Card

Bank Transfer

Prepaid Card

Digital & Mobile Wallet

Other Digital Payment

Cash

France Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Platforms

Video Commerce

Social Network-Led Commerce

Social Reselling

Group Buying

Product Review Platforms

France Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Consumer Demographics & Behaviour,2023

By Age

By Income Level

By Gender

Companies Mentioned

Facebook

Instagram

Rue du Commerce

Smiirl

Sephora

Key Attributes

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 70 Forecast Period 2024-2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $11.6 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $28 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 19.3% Regions Covered France

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/wj1hcz

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The Federal Trade Commision has sued to block the merger of Kroger, which owns the Ralphs supermarket chain, with Albertsons, owner of Vons and other chains. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

The Federal Trade Commission said it is suing to block supermarket giant Kroger's bid to buy its smaller rival Albertsons because the combination would obliterate competition between the major grocers, leading to higher prices and lower-quality products for millions of Americans.

The regulatory agency said Monday that it authorized filing of a federal lawsuit that also alleges Kroger's proposed $24.6-billion acquisition of Albertsons  the largest proposed supermarket merger in United States history  would hurt workers, eliminating their ability to negotiate for higher wages and better benefits.

The deal, announced in October 2022, would bring together Kroger's collection of supermarkets, including the Ralphs chain, and Albertsons' roster, including Vons and Safeway. The two chains have said they need to combine to better compete with retail giant Walmart and other grocery sellers.

The proposed merger comes during a prolonged rise in the prices consumers pay at grocery stores and restaurants. From 2019 through 2023, food costs rose 25% compared with the overall 19.2% increase in the consumer price index.

This supermarket mega merger comes as American consumers have seen the cost of groceries rise steadily over the past few years, said Henry Liu, director of the FTCs Bureau of Competition in a news release. Essential grocery store workers would also suffer under this deal, facing the threat of their wages dwindling, benefits diminishing, and their working conditions deteriorating.

Read more: Ralphs owner vows lower food prices in Albertsons bid. Consumer advocates are doubtful

Kroger is the nations second-largest supermarket chain, with a 10.1% market share, after Walmart, with a 23.6% share (not including its Sam's Club chain, with an additional 4.7% market share), according to data firm Numerator. Costco is third with 9.2% of the market and Albertsons is fourth with 6.4%.

If the merger were completed, Kroger and Albertsons would operate more than 5,000 stores and about 4,000 retail pharmacies and employ nearly 700,000 workers across 48 states, according to the FTC.

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Both companies, in response to the FTC announcement, said that they "look forward to litigating this action in court."

When the deal was announced, Kroger Chairman and Chief Executive Rodney McMullen promised to use $1 billion in annual savings created by the proposed merger to lower prices, remodel stores and improve worker wages and benefits.

Kroger said Monday that it has "reduced prices every year since 2003." Blocking the merger "will actually harm the very people the FTC purports to serve: America's consumers and workers," the company said.

Grocery workers rally in April 2023 at a Ralphs supermarket in Los Angeles to protest the proposed merger between Krogers and Albertsons. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

"Kroger has a proven track record of lowering prices so more customers benefit from fresh, affordable food, and our proposed merger with Albertsons will mean even lower prices and more choices for America's consumers," the company said.

In California, the two corporations own nearly 800 stores and provide jobs to about 48,000 workers, said California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, whose office is joining the FTC suit along with attorneys general from seven other states and the District of Columbia.

"There's no other way to say it: It's bad for workers, it's bad for agricultural producers, it's bad for consumers in California and across the country," Bonta said during a news conference in downtown Los Angeles.

Bonta said he is "especially concerned for communities in Southern California, including right here in Los Angeles, who would be particular at risk if this disastrous consolidation succeeds," because in some neighborhoods a Kroger- or Albertsons-owned store is the only grocery option available.

Read more: Which L.A. grocery store chain is most affordable? We ran the numbers

Kroger and Albertsons tried to head off regulatory objections by agreeing in September to sell more than 400 stores and other assets to C&S Wholesale Grocers, which owns the much smaller Piggly Wiggly supermarket chain.

The FTC's move drew praise from consumer groups and grocery worker unions.

A Kroger-Albertsons merger would have been a disaster for workers, consumers and farmers, and represented the worst of grocery store consolidation," said Lisa Gilbert, executive vice president of Public Citizen, a Washington, D.C.-based consumer advocacy group. "Today, the FTC said clearly that superstores cannot merge their way to dominance. We applaud the FTC for bringing a strong common-sense case, challenging this mega merger plan at a critical juncture for our markets.

Grocery workers are undoubtedly afraid" of effects of the proposed merger, Amber Parrish Baur, executive director of United Food and Commercial Workers' Western States Council, said at the Monday news conference with Bonta. The UFCW has about 180,000 members in California, she said.

Baur pointed to a "disastrous merger" in 2015 between Albertsons and Safeway. Early that year, the companies divested itself of 146 Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions and Safeway stores throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Arizona, selling them to Haggen, a Pacific Northwest company, to make the merger more palatable to federal regulators.

Read more: Does your drugstore lock up more products than other L.A. stores? We ran the numbers

But mere months later, Haggen announced it would close 27 stores, including 16 supermarkets in California. Soon after, Haggen filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed some 83 California stores, costing thousands of jobs.

"Many of our members lost their jobs. ... Communities lost access to food and medicine," Baur said.

Kathy Finn, a longtime leader at United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770 in Southern California, said in a recent interview that the proposed merger would impact California as much or more than any other state. UFCW Local 770 represents nearly 30,000 members in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, and Kern counties in the grocery, cannabis, retail drug, healthcare and packing industries.

Finn said in a Monday statement that California grocery workers and several UFCW locals across the country have "worked tirelessly over the past sixteen months, making sure their voices are heard loud and clear" through store actions and meetings with grocery company representatives.

All our work has kept the voice of grocery store workers front and center in this story, while exposing the potentially harmful effects of this proposed merger to our communities, our stores and our jobs," said Finn, who was elected president of Local 770 this month.

UFCW Local 555, which represents workers in parts of Oregon, southwest Washington, Idaho and Wyoming, recently broke with the national UFCW organization and other locals that have opposed the merger, and instead formally endorsed it.

Oregon Live reported that the decision came several weeks after union leaders met with representatives of C&S Wholesale Grocers, which has agreed to purchase 49 Oregon stores among the approximately 410 owned by Kroger and Albertsons it has pledged to buy if the Federal Trade Commission approves the merger.

President Peter G. Lurie of the Center for Science in the Public Interest said in a statement that the proposed merger could worsen marketing practices under which retailers and leading manufacturers "enter into cozy contractual relationships that place preferred brands of soda and other low-quality food items" in desirable locations such as checkout aisles and prominent floor displays.

Lurie's organization in 2021 called on the FTC to investigate these practices. In 2022, the FTC asked retailers and manufacturers, including Kroger, to provide confidential information on trade promotion practices. The investigation is continuing.

"We look forward to the agency completing its work investigating current anti-competitive practices in the supermarket," Lurie said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(Bloomberg) -- Global Infrastructure Partners and the infrastructure arms of KKR & Co. and Macquarie Group Ltd. are among suitors considering the purchase of a stake in Cellnex Telecom SAs Polish operations, people familiar with the matter said.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Alternative asset manager EQT ABs infrastructure unit and Frances Antin Infrastructure Partners SA are also vying for a minority stake in the business, according to the people, who asked not to be identified as the matter is private. The Polish asset could be valued at as much as 4 billion ($4.3 billion) in a deal, they said.

Cellnex could bring in a new investor for the Polish business to help it raise fresh capital for growth and isnt planning to divest any of its current holding in the asset, the people said.

The Spanish tower operator is working with advisers and is likely to engage with a select group of suitors, though it hasnt kicked off a formal process, according to the people. Deliberations are ongoing and theres no certainty theyll result in a deal, they said. Representatives for Cellnex, Antin, EQT, GIP, KKR and Macquarie declined to comment.

Barcelona-based Cellnex has been open to selling stakes in its subsidiaries to help it clinch an investment grade rating from S&P Global Ratings by the end of 2024. In September, the firm agreed to sell a stake in its Nordic business for a 730 million. Its also working on a sale of its Irish business.

Cellnex took full control of its Polish unit last year by agreeing to acquire the 30% stake held by Iliad SA for about 510 million. The company was set up by both operators in 2021 as part of Cellnexs acquisition of the network of about 7,000 sites from mobile operator Play Communications in Poland.

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The Polish unit operated a total of 8,500 sites in the country and planned to deploy as many as 3,400 new sites by 2030, according to a Cellnex statement in June 2023.

--With assistance from Rodrigo Orihuela, Clara Hernanz Lizarraga and Pamela Barbaglia.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
By Gilles Guillaume

PARIS (Reuters) - U.S. automaker General Motors on Monday unveiled its luxury electric Cadillac Lyriq in France, an expansion of its market in Europe after returning last year and a test of whether online-only sales will attract wealthy car buyers.

In October GM announced it was launching sales in Switzerland, the first step in an all-electric return to European markets since selling off the Opel and Vauxhall brands in 2017.

Unlike in its home market where it relies on a large dealer network, European customers can customise and purchase their Cadillac EVs entirely online.

Europe's automakers are focused on trying to build more affordable EVs, under pressure from Chinese competitors and slowing demand growth. GM's European head Jaclyn McQuaid told reporters at a launch event in Paris that electric SUVs are expected to remain the fastest-growing segment for zero-emission vehicles.

"When you look at the battery electric vehicle market in France, it is the luxury market that grew to the greatest extent," McQuaid said. "The luxury market is where the focus is right now."

The best-selling electric car in France last year was Tesla's Model Y SUV, which starts at 42,990 euros ($46,500) in that market.

Highlighting Cadillac's French heritage - the French adventurer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Detroit in 1701 - McQuaid said other electric models would follow using the same architecture as the Lyriq, which is made in Tennessee.

In Switzerland the Lyriq has a starting price of 82,000 Swiss francs ($93,100), but GM did not provide pricing for France.

Cadillac also plans a showroom in Paris and the Lyriq can be ordered online from March 23. The luxury EV is due to launch in other European markets, starting with Germany by year-end.

($1 = 0.9244 euros, 0.8811 Swiss francs)

(Reporting by Gilles Guillaume; Writing by Nick Carey; Editing by Ros Russell)
GSK lab technicians

GSK said its new gonorrhoea pill is as effective as existing treatments as companies race to tackle growing resistance among patients.

The British pharmaceutical giant said initial data showed its gepotidacin pills worked as well as the injection and pill combination currently given to treat gonorrhoea.

It comes as incidence rates for gonorrhoea climb across the globe.

Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted disease that can lead to infertility if left untreated. It can also put people at increased risk of HIV.

In the US, the number of cases has more than doubled between 2009 and 2021, while there was a 50pc increase in diagnoses in England between 2021 and 2022.

Estimates suggest there are 82m new cases of gonorrhoea across the world every year.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned last summer that the bacteria which causes gonorrhoea had developed some level of resistance to all classes of antibiotics recommended for treatment.

It said while this was not as common in the UK as in Asia-Pacific, there had been a rise in drug-resistant strains in Britain.

The UKHSA said: These travel-associated cases serve as a cautionary reminder of the ease with which resistant strains of sexually transmitted infections can be caught while abroad.

GSK said the signs of growing resistance to existing treatments showed that gonorrhoea poses a threat to public health globally.

Chris Corsico, GSKs senior vice president of development, said: These positive headline results demonstrate the potential for gepotidacin to provide a novel oral treatment option in the face of rising resistance and for patients who cannot take other treatments due to allergies or intolerance.

GSK is also working on a gonorrhoea vaccine.

This comes after UK scientists late last year suggested a pre-existing meningitis vaccine should be offered to adults at high risk of gonorrhoea.

This is because the bacteria in both infections are closely related.

The Joint Committee for Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) issued the advice across the UK in November, although it will be up to each nations health department whether to accept the recommendations.

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.
Global, family-owned food company to invest $27 million in Morristown, employ nearly 1,400 Tennesseans upon completion of project

NASHVILLE, TN / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter and Rich Products (Rich's) officials announced today that Rich's will invest $27 million to expand production at its Morristown, Tennessee manufacturing facility.

Rich's, a global, family-owned food company, will create 51 new manufacturing jobs in Hamblen County, bringing its total headcount throughout Tennessee to nearly 1,400 people.

The expansion of Rich's Morristown facility will add 2,400 square feet of space, which will directly support enhanced production of its growing bakery business, serving national and regional grocery and club retailers.

The project is expected to be complete in September 2024 with hiring slated to begin in June of this year.

Rich's was founded in 1945, and operates across more than 100 countries,employing approximately 13,000 people worldwide. The food company has a strong footprint across Tennessee, operating a network of manufacturing facilities, including two plants in Morristown, which currently employ 650 associates.

Since 2020, TNECD has supported nearly 50 economic development projects in the East Tennessee region, resulting in approximately 8,600 job commitments and $2.3 billion in capital investment.

QUOTES

"Tennessee is shaped by companies like Rich's that choose to invest in our state. I thank this family-owned and operated brand for its commitment to creating greater opportunity for our skilled workforce and look forward to seeing the positive impact these jobs have on the quality of life in Morristown and Hamblen County." - Gov. Bill Lee

"More than 40,000 Tennesseans are employed by food and agriculture companies, and Rich's investment in our state will directly support this growing sector. We are proud to have Rich's in Tennessee and believe Morristown and Hamblen County will continue to be the ideal location for this company's success." - TNECD Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter

"We continue to invest heavily in our U.S. manufacturing footprint to create unparalleled value for our customers and opportunities for our people. As a proud member of the Tennessee community for nearly 50 years, we're excited about what this expansion project will do for our business and the region. Not only are we expanding our team and creating jobs, but we're adding production capacity to support our cake and cupcake business, which has seen a significant influx in demand. It is a true win-win for the community, our customers and consumers as a whole." - Kevin Spratt, president, U.S. Canada Region, Rich Products

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"Rich's is an important part of Morristown's industrial community and has provided good jobs for our citizens for many years. This investment in new automated equipment will enhance the value of Rich's products and allow them to remain competitive as they grow forward. Morristown leadership applauds Rich's and its expansion plans, which will continue to boost the quality of life here." - Morristown Mayor Gary Chesney and R. Jack Fishman, chairman, Industrial Development Board of the City of Morristown

"TVA and Morristown Utility Systems congratulate Rich's on its decision to expand operations and create new jobs in Hamblen County. We are proud to partner with the Morristown Chamber and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to support companies, like Rich's, that are committed to continued growth in the region, and we celebrate this announcement together." - John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of economic development

"Congratulations to Rich's on its success in our state and its decision to expand operations in Morristown. The jobs and investment that the company is bringing to our community are a testament to the business-friendly environment we have in Hamblen County." - Sen. Steve Southerland (R-Morristown)

"It's always great to hear a business with existing operations in Morristown is doing well. Rich's expansion will create more than 50 jobs and boost our community's economy. I thank the company for choosing Hamblen County to do business and I look forward to its continued success." - Rep. Rick Eldridge (R-Morristown)

MEET RICH'S.

Rich's, also known as Rich Products Corporation, is a family-owned food company dedicated to inspiring possibilities. From cakes and icings to pizza, appetizers and specialty toppings, our products are used in homes, restaurants and bakeries around the world. Beyond great food, our customers also gain insights to help them stay competitive, no matter their size. Our portfolio includes creative solutions geared at helping food industry professionals compete in foodservice, retail, in-store bakery, deli, and prepared foods among others. Working in 100 locations globally, with annual sales exceeding $5.8 billion, Rich's is a global leader with a focus on everything that family makes possible. Rich's-Infinite Possibilities. One Family.

Learn more at Richs.com or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development's mission is to develop strategies that help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. To grow and strengthen Tennessee, the department seeks to attract new corporate investment to the state and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. Find us on the web: tnecd.com. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Like us on Facebook. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Media Contacts

Rich Products

Mary Pace

Associate PR Manager

mpace@rich.com

TNECD

Lindsey Tipton

Public Information Officer

(615) 339-6608

Lindsey.Tipton@tn.gov

###

SOURCE: Rich's





View the original press release on accesswire.com




TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor Ron DeSantis announced an investment of nearly $25 million from the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program to either create or expand 19 programs dedicated to strengthening workforce development across Florida. The initiative underscores Florida's dedication to equipping students statewide with the essential skills required for success in high-demand occupations.

Get There Logo (PRNewsfoto/Get There)

Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant funding provides Florida students with opportunities for hands-on educational experiences in a broad range of career and technical education programs such as automotive maintenance and light repair, digital video and technology, allied health assisting, criminal justice operations, entrepreneurship, emergency medical responder and many more.

"In Florida we have become the number one state in the nation for talent development by making strategic investments in our workforce," said Governor Ron DeSantis. "We will continue to equip students in our state with the skills they need to succeed, without being burdened by debt."

"Under Governor DeSantis' leadership, Florida is strategically investing in workforce development, ensuring that our state remains at the forefront of innovation," said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. "This funding reflects our dedication to equipping students with the skills necessary to excel in an increasingly competitive marketplace."

School districts and Florida College System institutions receiving funding through the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant in 202324 are:

Broward County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on semiconductor business management and analysis, practical nursing, horticulture and many other additional programs.

Flagler County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on phlebotomy, nursing assistants, emergency medical technicians and other additional programs.

Indian River County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on automotive maintenance and light repair.

Lee County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on advanced manufacturing technology, firefighting, electricity and other additional programs.

Leon County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied robotics, engineering pathways, welding technology and other additional programs.

Martin County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied information technology, criminal justice, nursing assistants and other additional programs.

Miami-Dade County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on industrial biotechnology, automotive maintenance and light repair, digital video technology and other additional programs.

Nassau County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on welding technology.

Okaloosa County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on teaching, emergency medical responders, criminal justice and other additional programs.

Santa Rosa County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on global logistics.

Seminole County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on global finance and entrepreneurship.

St. Johns County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied cybersecurity.

St. Lucie County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied robotics, building construction technologies, pharmacy technician and other additional programs.

Sumter County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on welding technology, animal science, horticulture and other additional programs.

Washington County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on cloud computing and virtualization, management and entrepreneurial principles, welding technology and other additional programs.

Florida State College of Jacksonville: Funding will assist programs focused on welding and medical assistance.

Miami-Dade College: Funding will assist programs focused on enterprise cloud computing, computer programmer mobile applications development, network security and other additional programs.

Tallahassee Community College: Funding will assist programs focused on applied robotics, engineering technology, supply chain management and other additional programs.

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This $25 million investment is part of the $100 million allocated in August to the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program. The program provides grants to school districts and Florida College System institutions to fund some or all of the costs associated with the creation or expansion of career and technical education workforce development programs that lead to industry certifications included on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List.

Earlier this month, Governor DeSantis and Commissioner Diaz announced an additional $22 million in funding for workforce related initiatives and $35 million in funding under the same grant specific to the growth of Florida's semiconductor industry.

More information about the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program and the application process can be found at CAP Grant.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/get-there-governor-ron-desantis-announces-25-million-for-workforce-development-initiatives-302071545.html

SOURCE Get There
Moro Hub, a subsidiary of Digital Dewa, has signed an agreement to utilise NVIDIA's accelerated computing platform and reference architecture to build a world-class green AI data centre in the UAE.

A signing ceremony to initiate the collaboration took place between Eng Marwan Bin Haidar, Vice Chairman and Group CEO of Digital Dewa and Keith Strier, Vice President of Worldwide AI at NVIDIA, at the World Government Summit, which runs from February 12 to 14 in Dubai.

We work in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to position the UAE at the forefront of the best innovative countries worldwide. This collaboration with NVIDIA will enhance the AI capabilities of our data centres and drive us towards sustainable technology adoption.

Key step forward

It is a significant step forward in our journey towards building resilient, future-ready solutions that support the goals of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Emissions Strategy 2050. While this collaboration will meet the needs of today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, it will also achieve long term results to enterprises in the UAE, said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa.

With the exponential growth of AI and data-intensive workloads across various sectors, the demand for high-performance computing solutions has surged. Moro plans to integrate its expertise in green data centre infrastructure with NVIDIA's advanced technology to provide efficient, scalable, and sustainable solutions for AI-driven applications.

NVIDIA is at the forefront of innovation in accelerated computing, and we are pleased to collaborate with them to revolutionise the way AI data centres are designed and operated. NVIDIAs leading-edge technology with Moros proven track record in delivering state-of-the-art data centre solutions will empower organisations to unlock the full potential of AI and drive transformative outcomes in their operations across industries, said Bin Haidar.

Energy efficiency

The companies collaboration will explore building AI data centres that prioritise energy efficiency and sustainability and deliver industry-leading processing power for model training, accelerating timely insights for organisations across various sectors.

Sovereign AI will enable every nation to train and run AI models in their own language, using their own data, and tuned for their own culture and specific needs. Our work with Moro Hub will help the UAE build efficient AI infrastructure to foster innovation and economic growth, said Strier.--TradeArabia News Service
Manager Beth Roth-Arkens designs a hand-tied bouquet at Branching Out & Co., located within Van Zeeland Nursery & Landscape Friday, February 22, 2024, in Appleton, Wis.

GRAND CHUTE  There's something blooming at a long-time nursery in Grand Chute.

No, it's not a new type of flower or tree. Rather, Branching Out & Co. recently joined the Van Zeeland Nursery & Landscape family at 2600 N. Casaloma Drive.

The two businesses came together after Casee Hawkins, with Branching Out, and Dave Lindenstruth, owner of Van Zeeland, participated in Leadership Fox Cities, a program run by the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce.

When we started talking about this, it kind of felt like the perfect transition," Hawkins said.

Sign up for the Buzz newsletter Click here to get all the business openings and closings news right in your inbox

Move creates 'a store within a store'

Earlier this month, Hawkins and Lindenstruth posted a video on Facebook, sharing how excited they were to team up.

Van Zeeland already had a large space that it moved into a couple of years ago, just north of the stadium where the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers play. The 92-year-old business outgrew its previous location in Little Chute, according to Lindenstruth.

Visitors today can drive down a winding road  past a couple of dinosaur sculptures, a playground and walking paths  to find the facility, which features a coffee bar, a community room for meetings and events, and a retail area with plants, candles and other gift items.

Hand-tied bouquets are available at Branching Out & Co., located within Van Zeeland Nursery & Landscape Friday, February 22, 2024, in Appleton, Wis.

Now, the building also includes a section where Branching Out is located. The business moved in just before Valentine's Day. Going forward, the Branching Out name will continue and have its own sign out front.

Essentially, Lindenstruth said, they're trying to create the feel of "a store within a store," kind of like a Sephora inside Kohl's.

The staff of both businesses stayed on through the merger, and they hope to add more employees in the future, according to Lindenstruth.

Food truck event, coffee brand in the works

Branching Out has been in business for 15 years, Hawkins said. It previously operated on Casaloma Drive, until 2019, when it opened a new shop at 2310 W. Nordale Ave., in Grand Chute.

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While landscaping is Van Zeeland's core business, Branching Out is focused more on fresh flower arrangements and weddings and events. The two complement each other well, Hawkins and Lindenstruth agreed. Branching Out expects to help with a lot of the things happening indoors, they said.

More: Here's why McFleshman's Brewing Co., is changing the way it accepts customers' tips

It re-sparked some energy, too, for both businesses," Lindenstruth said.

For instance, they plan to offer more classes, and he said they're working with a roaster to develop a coffee brand under the BOCO name  an abbreviation of Branching Out & Co.

Starting in April, Van Zeeland will also host the Tuesday Fox Valley Food Truck Rallies, happening weekly throughout the summer.

"If you're out here on a beautiful day in the spring, looking at pots or plants, whatever it is, you can come ... in, grab a coffee," Hawkins said. "You can do some work here. You can grab flowers.

Reach Becky Jacobs at bjacobs@gannett.com or 920-993-7117. Follow her on Twitter at @ruthyjacobs.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Branching Out joins Van Zeeland Nursery & Landscape in Grand Chute
Grant Cardone

On Feb. 16, New Yorks Judge Arthur Engoron found former President Donald Trump guilty of fraud, ordering him to pay $355 million and temporarily barring him from his New York-based business. The implications of this ruling could extend far beyond Trumps pockets, according to Grant Cardone, private equity fund manager and real estate investor.

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If this ruling and the penalty do not get overturned, it could become a precedent that means all borrowers everywhere are at risk of the same thing happening to them, Cardone, who will be hosting the 10X Growth Conference 2024 in April, told GOBankingRates.

Because this ruling occurred in New York, Cardone predicts that it will make prospective investors wary about obtaining assets in the state. This could crush New York Citys real estate market, he said.

Prices of properties will continue to fall in New York City as more and more institutions, investors and pension funds refuse to invest there, Cardone said. Investors and those investing on behalf of others have a fiduciary responsibility to invest in markets where you may assume that future values are going up, with some measure of confidence.

Cardone himself has paused his investments in New York City, he announced on X.

Dear Cardone Capital team: Immediately discontinue ALL underwriting on New York City real estate, he tweeted. The risk outweighs the opportunities at this time. Recent political decisions will continue to deteriorate price and benefit states that dont have these challenges.

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In fact, Cardone advises against investing in any sanctuary cities.

Avoid investing in all sanctuary cities including New York City, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose, he said. Until such time as the politicians value the property owner rights as well as residents rights, it is not worth the investment risk.

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Where Cardone Says Investors Should Put Their Money Instead

Instead of putting money in New York, Cardone advises real estate investors to seek other markets that he believes will provide better returns.

My top three investment markets are Florida, Texas and Arizona, he told GOBankingRates. After that, I also like Tennessee, the Carolinas and Alabama. Invest in red states, or even outside the country. That ruling would never happen in the Middle East.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Grant Cardone: I Wont Invest in NYC Real Estate Following the Trump Ruling
(Bloomberg) -- The operator of buses to the ocean-front abodes and celebrity-filled parties in New Yorks Hamptons is facing a price boost as New York City plans to start charging vehicles driving into Manhattans central business district.

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Hampton Jitney Inc., a private bus company in its 50th year, shuttles city residents to the Hamptons and Long Islands North Fork at affordable rates. But under a new tolling proposal, called congestion pricing, Hampton Jitneys toll expenses will double, according to a Feb. 25 email that it sent to riders calling for customers to voice their support for Hampton Jitney to receive an exemption from the new toll.

We are asking for help from our ridership, Geoffrey Lynch, Hampton Jitneys president, wrote in the email. He did not respond to a phone message or email seeking further comment.

Under congestion pricing, buses would pay a $24 fee during peak periods, although they would receive a $6 tunnel credit during that time if entering or exiting the central business district through the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, which also charges a toll. Jitney vehicles entered that tunnel about 20,000 times in 2023, according to the email.

When asked about the Jitneys cost estimate, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which is implementing the toll, pointed to a Traffic Mobility Review Boards report of the proposed tolling structure and published toll rates for in and out of Manhattan.

Currently, a bus pays $41.12 round trip to drive through the Queens-Midtown Tunnel with an E-ZPass. Under the proposed congestion pricing plan, it would pay an additional $12 for the new toll, including a $12 round-trip tunnel credit. That potential combined cost of $53.12 is a roughly 30% increase from current rates.

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Its unlikely the planned tolling structure will change dramatically to incorporate additional exemptions or discounts. The Traffic Mobility Review Board created the proposed fee design and the board for the MTA, which runs the citys transit network, may execute a final vote on that plan as soon as next month.

Read More: New Yorks $15 Congestion Tolling Aims for Mid-June Start Date

Hampton Jitney has the most business during the summer months, when its buses sell out days in advance as tourists and city residents escape to the sun and sand. The bus company has fewer customers during the winter months when it mostly serves commuters.

The operator charges $40 for a one-way prepaid ticket from New York City to the Hamptons. Thats a much more reasonable option than taking an Uber or a helicopter ride, which costs about $1,000 for a one-way seat. The Long Island Rail Road charges $31.75 for a one-way ticket during peak hours, which is cheaper than Hampton Jitney, but the bus company offers more frequent service.

The MTA plans to begin charging vehicles as soon as mid-June. The transit agency expects the tolling structure to bring in $1 billion of revenue annually that it will borrow against to raise $15 billion to help modernize and upgrade a more than 100-year-old transit system.

The congestion pricing toll would apply once a day to vehicles entering the district, which runs from 60th Street to the bottom of Manhattan. A public comment period for the proposal runs through March 11.

(Updates with Jitneys potential toll expenses.)

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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
A longtime rule governing food and liquor sales at bars across Virginia could soon be loosened by a bill moving through the General Assembly with several Hampton Roads bar and restaurant owners voicing support.

However, the measure is meeting opposition from a group of Richmond-led restaurateurs.

The current law says Virginia bars and restaurants with mixed beverage licenses must make 45% of their total sales from food and non-alcoholic beverages.

The laws roots stem from the late 1960s when post-Prohibition laws governing alcohol ordering in restaurants and bars were first enacted, according to Virginian-Pilot reporting. The original ratio was 51% food and non-alcoholic drinks, but was lowered to 45% in 1980.

Over the years, lawmakers further amended those rules, including in 1990, when Virginia Beach Oceanfront business owners persuaded them to exclude beer and wine sales from the 45% rule.

But decades later, the 45% rule on liquor and mixed drinks remains. Previous attempts to reverse or loosen the law have faltered.

For example, a 2015 attempt by state Sen. Bill DeSteph, R-Virginia Beach, to reduce the ratio only slightly to 43% died in the Senate. Former state Sen. Dick Saslaw, a Northern Virginia Democrat, opposed that attempt, saying If you cant meet that ratio, you aint running a restaurant. You are flat running a bar. If you want saloons in Virginia, say so.

State Sen. Bryce Reeves, R-Spotsylvania, introduced a bill this session that would reduce the food and non-alcoholic drinks sales percentage to 35% for businesses that earn at least $4,000 but less than $10,000 in monthly food sales. Businesses making more than $10,000 in monthly food sales would not have to meet any ratio requirement.

Hampton restaurateur Carlyle Bland has operated businesses in the city for more than two decades, including Marker 20, Brown Chicken Brown Cow and Venture Kitchen and Bar. He said his restaurants dont have trouble meeting the 45% rule, but he has concerns  especially given the rise in popularity of high-end liquors.

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For example, if Bland were to win a chance to purchase a bottle of a highly sought-after bourbon variety like Pappy Van Winkle in a Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control lottery, he said charging upwards of $100 per drink could throw the ratio off.

Another factor? The Mixed Beverage Annual Review, a yearly report of food and beverage sales to verify compliance with the ratio, are a total pain in the butt to complete, Bland said with a laugh.

So Bland said he was in favor of Reeves proposal. As far as the original laws anti-saloon intent, Bland also noted that localities have other tools in their disposal to deal with bars or nightclubs they deem problematic. He referenced Norfolk City Councils decision to pull conditional use permits from a handful of downtown nightclubs in 2022 after a string of shootings, which led to several business closures.

The Norfolk restaurant and jazz club Brothers also doesnt have any trouble meeting the current 45% rule, said owner Tony Brothers. He said food sales made up the bulk of the businesss earnings.

Still, he said he supported the proposed legislation if it made it easier for others to run a successful business.

The restaurant business is a hard business, Brothers said.

Tim Mullane, co-owner of Gershwins piano bar on Granby Street in Norfolk, said his establishment has no trouble meeting the current requirement, and he had no strong feelings either way on the proposed bill.

However, the Richmond-based Virginia Restaurant Association, a group of roughly 60 restaurants, opposes the bill, said director Michael Byrne. He said the changes would upend a system that his clients  which include The Tobacco Company Restaurant in Richmond and Northern Virginias Great American Restaurants group  spend a significant investment in conforming to by building kitchens, stocking food inventory and following ABC regulations.

The industry doesnt want it, Byrne said.

Reeves bill sailed through the Virginia Senate 40-0 and is now in a House subcommittee.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com
(Bloomberg) -- Carlson Capital is shuttering its London office as part of a restructuring after the hedge funds assets dropped 90% to about $1 billion since 2016.

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The Dallas-based investment firm applied to cancel its authorization with the UK regulator Financial Conduct Authority, meaning it plans to stop doing business there within six months.

London-based money manager Jesse Ho will relocate to Dallas, and the firm has given others an option to stay at the firm, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

The firm will retain its research and trading relationships in the region and will continue to invest in Europe, the person said, asking not to be identified because the details are private.

Carlson previously closed offices in New York and Greenwich, Connecticut. Clint Carlson founded the firm in 1993, and it once managed about $9 billion.

A spokesperson for Carlson declined to comment.

In an industry increasingly dominated by large multistrategy hedge funds, many smaller investment firms have struggled. Hedge fund investors pulled more than $100 billion in each of the past two years, according to data compiled by eVestment.

Carlsons assets shrank to $966 million as of Feb. 1, down from $5 billion in mid-2020 and as much as $9 billion in 2016, according to investor documents seen by Bloomberg.

The firms flagship Double Black Diamond fund gained about 4% in 2023, the person said.

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It's been a good week for CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) shareholders, because the company has just released its latest yearly results, and the shares gained 3.5% to US$80.41. Revenues of US$6.6b were in line with forecasts, although statutory earnings per share (EPS) came in below expectations at US$7.87, missing estimates by 4.3%. Following the result, the analysts have updated their earnings model, and it would be good to know whether they think there's been a strong change in the company's prospects, or if it's business as usual. 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 CF Industries Holdings

Taking into account the latest results, the current consensus, from the 16 analysts covering CF Industries Holdings, is for revenues of US$6.05b in 2024. This implies an uncomfortable 8.8% reduction in CF Industries Holdings' revenue over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are expected to nosedive 20% to US$6.45 in the same period. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$6.06b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$6.48 in 2024. The consensus analysts don't seem to have seen anything in these results that would have changed their view on the business, given there's been no major change to their estimates.

There were no changes to revenue or earnings estimates or the price target of US$85.31, suggesting that the company has met expectations in its recent result. It could also be instructive to look at the range of analyst estimates, to evaluate how different the outlier opinions are from the mean. The most optimistic CF Industries Holdings analyst has a price target of US$100.00 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at US$68.00. Analysts definitely have varying views on the business, but the spread of estimates is not wide enough in our view to suggest that extreme outcomes could await CF Industries Holdings shareholders.

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These estimates are interesting, but it can be useful to paint some more broad strokes when seeing how forecasts compare, both to the CF Industries Holdings' past performance and to peers in the same industry. These estimates imply that revenue is expected to slow, with a forecast annualised decline of 8.8% by the end of 2024. This indicates a significant reduction from annual growth of 19% 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 4.4% per year. It's pretty clear that CF Industries Holdings' revenues are expected to perform substantially worse than the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that there's been no major change in sentiment, with the analysts reconfirming that the business is performing in line with their previous earnings per share estimates. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply they will perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$85.31, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

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 CF Industries Holdings going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here..

Plus, you should also learn about the 1 warning sign we've spotted with CF Industries Holdings .

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.
uk residential construction

Britains biggest housebuilders are under investigation for suspected illegal information sharing amid fears that collusion in the industry has pushed up prices.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Monday announced an investigation into suspected sharing of commercially sensitive information by housebuilders which could be influencing the build-out of sites and the prices of new homes.

Sarah Cardell, chief executive at CMA, said: It is important we tackle anti-competitive behaviour if we find it.

The watchdog will investigate the practices of Barratt Developments, Bellway, Berkeley, Bloor Homes, Persimmon, Redrow, Taylor Wimpey, and Vistry.

Specifically, regulators will investigate whether developers have colluded on house prices, while also looking into the rate at which new homes are built and incentives offered to buyers, such as complimentary white goods.

The CMA has not reached any conclusions at this stage as to whether or not competition law has been infringed.

Barratt lost 1.6pc yesterday, Persimmon was 2.3pc lower, Taylor Wimpey declined 3.1pc, Redrow dropped 2.4pc, Berkeley was 0.67pc lower and Bellway slipped 1.9pc.

The investigation follows a year-long study of the market to understand why too few homes are being built.

Ms Cardell said the inquiry had concluded the market needs significant intervention so that enough good quality homes are delivered in the places that people need them.

The CMA blamed the UKs complex and unpredictable planning system and the speculative nature of private development for the persistent under delivery of new homes.

Fewer than 250,000 homes were built across the UK last year, far below the Governments target of 300,000 annually in England alone.

The CMA found that planning systems across Britain were unpredictable, with many local authorities under-resourced and several without an up to date local plan for housing. A local plan outlines the number and locations of homes to be built in order to meet wider government building targets.

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The watchdog also raised concerns about the rise in estate management fees charged to people who buy new builds on private estates, as well as the declining quality of many new builds.

It said the number of minor issues with new builds was increasing, while a substantial minority also experienced particularly serious problems with their new homes, such as collapsing staircases and ceilings.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove asked the CMA to investigate the market in 2022 to ensure it was operating effectively.

At the time of the launch, the CMA said there were widespread concerns about housing availability and costs and whether builders were delivering the homes people need at sufficient scale or speed.

A Bellway spokesman said: We are reviewing the CMAs report. Bellway has engaged and cooperated fully with the CMA throughout its market study  and will continue to do so.

A Redrow spokesman said: Redrow has fully cooperated with the CMA throughout its market study. We remain focused on the delivery of high-quality and much-needed new homes.

A Taylor Wimpey spokesman said: The CMAs report identifies proposed changes to the market that we welcome, particularly around the planning process and recognition that housebuilders do not landbank. Taylor Wimpey notes the investigation opened today and we will cooperate fully with the CMA in relation to this.

Berkeley and Vistry declined to comment.

Bloor Homes and Persimmon were contacted for comment.

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities spokesman said: We welcome the CMAs final report following its full market study into housebuilding and the report will now be carefully considered.

Despite the economic challenges we remain on track to build 1 million homes this Parliament.

The Government will provide a formal response to the report within 90 days.

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BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This year's Huawei Cloud Summit demonstrates how Huawei Cloud is the infrastructure of choice for AI applications. With the theme of "Accelerate Intelligence with Everything as a Service", the 500-strong event brought together executives and experts from diverse industries, such as carrier, finance, and Internet. Huawei Cloud presented 10 AI-oriented innovations and extensive industry expertise of Pangu models. The objective is an AI-ready infrastructure tailored to each industry for a faster journey towards intelligence.

Jacqueline Shi, President of Huawei Cloud Global Marketing and Sales Service, said in her speech: "Huawei Cloud is one of the fastest growing cloud service providers in the world. At Huawei Cloud, we're all about pushing boundaries and bringing cutting-edge tech to customers around the world. We have launched a series of local cloud Regions in recent years, such as in Ireland, Turkiye, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, giving customers easy access to the best-performing cloud. With over 120 security certifications worldwide, you can be sure your business and data are safe and sound. But it is not just about the tech. We believe in helping our partners grow alongside us, and this goal is now backed by our GoCloud and GrowCloud programs. And let's not forget AI  it is reshaping everything, and we're at the forefront. We're building a solid cloud foundation for everyone, for every industry, to accelerate intelligence."

Jacqueline Shi, President of Huawei Cloud Global Marketing and Sales Service

Today's foundation models redefine production, interaction, service paradigms, and business models for traditional applications. They make AI a new engine for the growth of cloud computing. While the potential is vast, implementing AI in line with business objectives requires systematic innovation. Huawei Cloud CTO Bruno Zhang said that "Huawei Cloud will help you with two strategies. AI for Cloud uses AI and foundation models to elevate your experience. They revolutionize software development, digital content production, and more. Cloud for AI makes AI adoption seamless and efficient. Architectural innovation, AI-native storage, and data-AI convergence empower you to train and use AI like never before."

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Bruno Zhang, CTO of Huawei Cloud

At the Summit, Huawei Cloud unveiled ten AI-oriented innovations that make it the cloud infrastructure of choice for AI.

KooVerse: Huawei Cloud has 85 AZs in 30 Regions across over 170 countries and regions. This global cloud infrastructure covering compute, storage, networking, and security pushes latency down to 50 ms.

Distributed QingTian architecture: Foundation models require a 10-fold growth in demand for compute resources every 18 months, far surpassing Moore's Law. To address this challenge, this architecture evolved from the conventional primary/secondary one. Built on a high-speed interconnect bus (Unified Bus), QingTian surpasses the limitations in compute, storage, and networking for a top-class AI compute backbone with heterogeneous, peer-to-peer, full-mesh computing.

AI compute: Hyperscale and stable, AI Cloud Service supports trillion-parameter model training, and training jobs can run uninterrupted on a cluster over thousands of cards for 30 days, 90% of the time. Service downtime stays within 10 minutes. It provides over 100 Pangu model capability sets and 100 adapted open source large models out of the box.

AI-Native storage: Training models needs mountains of data, and Huawei Cloud handles this demand with a three-pronged approach: EMS memory service stores petabytes of parameters with 220 TB ultra-large bandwidth and ultra-low latency down to the microsecond; SFS Turbo cache service for high throughput and concurrency of tens of millions IOPS enables warm-up of 1 billion data records in just 5 hours, not 100; Object Storage Service (OBS) knowledge lake reduces 30% costs in storing training and inference data.

E2E security: The full lifecycle covers model runtime environments, training data, the models themselves, generated content, and applications. This ensures robust, secure, and compliant models and applications.

GaussDB: This next-generation database features high availability, security, performance, flexibility, and intelligence, as well as simple and smart deployment and migration. Specifically, its enterprise-class distributed architecture ensures high availability thanks to zero intra-city dual-cluster RPO, complete isolation of software and hardware faults, and zero service downtime. For security, it is certified CC EAL4+, the highest level in the industry. For automation, GaussDB enhances database migration, deployment, and migration as the world's first AI-native database.

Data-AI convergence: The explosion of foundation models means "Data+AI" is now "Data4AI and AI4Data". Huawei Cloud LakeFormation unifies data lake from multiple lakes or warehouses so one copy of data is shared among multiple data analytics engines and AI engines without data migration. Three collaborative pipelines  DataArts, ModelArts, and CodeArts  then orchestrate and schedule data and AI workflows. They drive online model training and inference with real-time data. The AI4Data engine makes data governance more intelligent, from data integration, development, to quality and asset management.

Media infrastructure: In this AIGC and 3D Internet era, Huawei Cloud has built a media infrastructure of efficiency, experience, and evolution. For efficiency, Huawei Cloud MetaStudio, the content production pipeline that include Workspace and AIGC-based virtual humans, generates content more quickly and better. For experience, Huawei Cloud Live, Low Latency Live, and SparkRTC empower more seamless interactions. For evolution, Huawei Cloud provides AIGC and 3D space services with real-time user interaction. All these combine to boost the business and user experience to the next level.

Landing Zone: Enterprises use and manage resources better on Huawei Cloud thanks to unified account, identity, permissions, network, compliance, and cost management. Now multi-tenancy and collaboration are seamless among personnel, finance, resources, permissions, and security compliance.

Flexible deployment: All mentioned Pangu model capabilities and services can work in public cloud, dedicated cloud, or hybrid cloud. For example, customers can build and run dedicated AI platform and foundation models in their existing data centers using Huawei Cloud Stack, a hybrid cloud solution.

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 is taking place in Barcelona from February 26 to 29. Huawei Cloud is set to collaborate with customers and partners to present a wide range of engaging topics. Additionally, innovative products and real-world cases covering Pangu models, GaussDB, data-AI convergence, virtual human, and software development will be showcased during the event.

Cision

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SOURCE HUAWEI CLOUD
The cloud unit of Chinese telecommunications equipment giant Huawei Technologies is wooing overseas industry clients and expanding its global footprint with new data centres, banking on the explosive demand for generative artificial intelligence (AI), despite US sanctions.

Huawei is planning to open a new local cloud service in Egypt next month, adding to its 85 availability zones across 30 regions globally, according to executives at the company's cloud summit in Barcelona on Sunday, ahead of the MWC smartphone and telecommunications show formerly called Mobile World Congress that started on Monday. It will also soon launch its first AI cloud computing centre in Hong Kong, the executives said.

"At Huawei Cloud, AI is a key strategy," said Jacqueline Shi, President of Huawei Cloud Global Marketing and Sales Service. "We're building a solid cloud foundation for everyone, for every industry, to accelerate intelligence."

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.

While the popularity of ChatGPT-like services led many Chinese companies to race to put out their own many large language models (LLMs), Huawei has stressed that its own Pangu AI model will focus on industrial use, which is the core of its AI strategy. Last July, Huawei unveiled the 3.0 version of Pangu, joining a cutthroat competition in China. Huawei has pushed for the use of its own model in sectors such as coal mining and railways, among others.

Huawei's expansion in cloud computing has formed part of its ongoing efforts to forge deeper ties with traditional industries and corporations as it seeks to diversify revenue streams. The US has put multiple sanctions on the company since 2019, when its placement on Washington's Entity List cut it off from critical American technologies, all but killing its lucrative global smartphone business.

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Huawei's cloud sales reached 45.3 billion yuan in 2022, after seeing rapid growth outside China, according to the company. Its cloud business saw steady growth last year, according to a new year's message by Huawei's rotating chairman Ken Hu Houkun in December.

Huawei is the second-largest cloud service provider in China, according to Canalys, and it has been steadily expanding its global footprint. Last year it opened new data centres in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Ken Hu Houkun, Huawei's rotating chairman. Photo: Huawei alt=Ken Hu Houkun, Huawei's rotating chairman. Photo: Huawei>

At the opening ceremony last September for the data centre in Riyadh, Huawei promised to support 200,000 new developers in Saudi Arabia, and work with 1,000 local partners and 2,000 start-ups through its cloud computing services over the next five years.

The company also saw the number of its cloud partners in Europe quintuple last year. It pledged to support the growth of 1,000 European start-ups through cloud services in the next five years.

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.
Huff Legal, PC

Oakland, California, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huff Legal, PC, a law firm located in the Bay Area, is happy to announce help for residents in California in a wide range of legal issues, with a notable emphasis on Criminal Defense. The firm is recognized for its approach to justice and service, focusing on achieving outcomes through a combination of experience, legal knowledge, and a creative strategy.

With expertise in both California state and federal courts, the attorneys at Huff Legal are now offering support in criminal defense cases alongside other legal matters such as Probate Litigation, complex civil litigation, and the specialized area of cryptocurrency and DeFi. By employing a detailed and focused method, the firm aims to address and resolve legal challenges efficiently, advocating for the rights and interests of individuals across California.

We care about our clients and are dedicated to helping them get the best outcomes possible for their legal issues, said a spokesperson for Huff Legal. Communication is important to us. We are glad to answer our clients questions and explain the legal process in clear, non-technical language. Many people find the legal system confusing and overwhelming, and we strive to demystify the process and guide our clients every step of the way.

Individuals confronting criminal allegations should seek the expertise of a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible, whether they committed the crime or not. The urgency to engage legal representation from a firm like Huff Legal immediately following an arrest cannot be overstated. The stakes in criminal proceedings are exceptionally high, with potential outcomes ranging from substantial fines and probation to imprisonment.

The repercussions of a criminal conviction can also extend far beyond the completion of a sentence. A felony record, as well as certain misdemeanors, can severely restrict ones future opportunities and quality of life. These legal hurdles may compromise an individuals ability to secure employment, find suitable housing, obtain financial loans, participate in the democratic process through voting, and exercise the right to own firearms.

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A skilled Criminal Defense Attorney such as Attorney Huff is instrumental in navigating the complexities of the legal system to safeguard an individuals future. Through his expertise, he can devise strategies to either exonerate an individual or significantly reduce the impact of a conviction, ensuring that the long-term consequences do not unduly affect their life.

Additionally, the expert team of lawyers at Huff Legal offers a selection of key qualities that are crucial to ensure the best possible defense. These include:

Reputation and Track Record: Huff Legal, PC, has a 4.8-star rating on Google and is renowned throughout California for its stature in the legal community, track record of success in handling criminal cases, and its attorneys skill, ethical conduct, and achievements in court.

Experience: Criminal Defense Attorney Huff from Huff Legal is a former patrol supervisor and Federal Judicial Law Clerk with years of experience dealing with various criminal cases across the State of California.

Empathy and Personal Attention: Its best to choose an attorney who demonstrates empathy towards a situation and is committed to providing personalized attention. The criminal defense attorneys at Huff Legal treat clients with respect, listen to their side of the story, and show genuine concern for their well-being.

Huff Legal encourages residents in California who are searching for knowledgeable and experienced lawyers to fill out the contact form on its website to receive a free and confidential case evaluation on any legal issues they may have today.

About Huff Legal

Huff Legal is passionate about pursuing justice and providing exceptional service for its clients. They hold a profound sense of pride in their unwavering dedication and commitment to serving their clients. Huff Legals approach is rooted in a deep-seated belief in going above and beyond, ensuring that every client receives personalized attention and a tailored strategy designed to meet their specific needs and circumstances.

More Information

To learn more about Huff Legal and its large range of legal services, please visit the website at https://hufflegal.com/.

Source: https://thenewsfront.com/huff-legal-pc-announces-help-for-residents-in-california-in-a-wide-range-of-legal-issues/

CONTACT: Huff Legal, PC 1423 Broadway #1025 Oakland California 94612 United States (833) 438-4833 https://hufflegal.com/




e& UAE has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Huawei to deliver a high-quality gigabit experience to the UAE at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona signalling the onset of the intelligent 10 Giga Experience. The partnership will deliver unmatched speeds, reaching up to 10Gbps for mobile and up to 50Gbps for fixed users across the country.

With a focus on the next generation of 5G-Advanced and 50GPON networks, the collaboration between e& UAE and Huawei will pave the way for a future-forward telecom infrastructure in the UAE.

Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer, e& UAE, said: This partnership we signed with Huawei at the Mobile World Congress sets a new benchmark in mobile and fixed technologies and services in the UAE and the Middle East. We are committed to delivering a premium experience to our customers and contributing to the industry with cutting-edge technologies. Together, we're unlocking the potential of the next generation of networks, delivering unparalleled experiences to individuals and organisations. This undertaking goes beyond connecting them in the digital era to enabling them to thrive in the hyper-connected future.

Computing and storage

The MoU also lays the groundwork for enhanced computing and storage performance for e& UAE through advanced software, hardware architecture, and application acceleration engines. This visionary approach supports emerging services such as XR, Cloud VR, V2X, 3D video, URLLC, and Industry 4.0, which promise to transform everyday life with intelligent digital solutions and connectivity.

Gavin Wang, President, e& Global Key Account, Huawei, added: We are proud to deepen our partnership with e& UAE. We continue to push the boundaries of user experience, not just in the present but for the digital age to come. This collaboration represents a significant stride in empowering users and propelling the UAE towards a future of seamless, immersive, and transformative connectivity."

Ahead of the implementations official commercial launch, e& UAE, in collaboration with Huawei, has already constructed a robust network foundation for the 10 Giga Experience. In addition, achievements like the Global First 1.6Tbs/Lambda further demonstrate e& UAE's readiness to provide a high-quality gigabit experience, with a 100Tbps backbone ensuring a capacity that spans a decade.

With industry advancements such as the mmWave and TDD 3CC in wireless, offering an enhanced experience for the 5G-Advanced era, and the Middle East's first 50GPON in fixed access, homes in the UAE are poised to reap the benefits from the impending network evolution.--TradeArabia News Service
A king guestroom at Park Hyatt Marrakech, which opened in late 2023. Source: Hyatt

Hyatt is one of the worlds fastest-growing hotel groups, and we found a handful of notable details in its annual 10-K filing.

1. Hyatt paid a bit more for Mr & Mrs Smith than previously publicized.

In April 2023, Hyatt announced it would buy the boutique hotel booking site Mr and Mrs Smith for 53 million  or about $66 million based on exchange rates at the time.

The 10-K reveals Hyatt paid a bit more in the end, namely, cash of 58 million (about $72 million using exchange rates at the time). It attributed the change to customary adjustments to things such as net working capital and value accrual.

Separately, Hyatt revealed that it paid $5 million in legal and vetting costs to close the deal. UPDATE: A Hyatt spokesperson says These are transaction costs primarily related to regulatory, financial advisory, and legal fees.

The 10-K also outlined the profit margins of Mr and Mrs Smith. Between June 2 and the end of the year, the site generated $2 million of net income on $15 million in total revenues.

2. Hyatt finalized the price of its Dream Hotels acquisition.

In November 2022, Hyatt announced its plan to buy Dream Hotels for $125 million in cash. It acquired brand rights  plus management contracts for a dozen hotels. It also retained an option to spend an unspecified additional amount for other assets.

The latest 10-K shows Hyatt paid an additional $107 million for signed long-term management agreements for planned hotels. UPDATE: A Hyatt spokesperson says, This is an accounting recording, not a payment. It relates to the economics of the transaction that we disclosed at the time of the announcement  in addition to the $125 million, an additional $175 million of contingent consideration could be paid through 2028 upon the achievement of certain milestones related to the development of additional hotels and/or potential new hotels previously identified by the sellers.

The filing also suggests how profitable Dream Hotels is. Between when the deal closed on February 2, 2023, and year-end, the dozen Dream Hotels produced $4 million in net income off of $7 million in revenue.

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Hyatt paid $7 million in fees to close the acquisition. UPDATE: A Hyatt spokesperson says These are transaction costs primarily related to regulatory, financial advisory, and legal fees.

3. Hyatt expects to sell more assets this year.

In 2021, Hyatt said it would target $2 billion in gross proceeds from selling real estate by the end of 2024.

The company has realized $961 million of those planned proceeds. For example, on February 9, 2024, it sold the Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa and Casino for $240 million, including $41 million of seller financing. Hyatt now has a long-term management agreement for the property.

Hyatt said its marketing another asset for sale and is engaged in off-market discussions for two other assets. The sales fit in with the companys goal of becoming more asset-light.

4. Hyatts workforce has evolved.

As of December 2018, Hyatt managed 139,000 workers  of which about 54,000 were Hyatt employees.

In the intervening five years, it has increased its portfolio from 850 to 1,300 hotels and all-inclusive resorts.

Yet its latest 10-K says it manages 206,000 people now  of which it directly employs 51,000.

CORRECTION: This item originally said Hyatt had a lower staff-to-guest ratio, on average after the pandemic than before, but it cited the wrong numbers for its workforce counts and hotel counts..

5. Hyatt warned investors about AI risks for the first time.

Hyatts latest 10-K is its first to include language that acknowledges risks for its use of artificial intelligence (AI).

It noted that using AI creates opportunities for the potential loss or misuse of personal data. That, in turn, may result in significantly increased business and security costs, a damaged reputation, administrative penalties, or costs related to defending legal claims.

In light of Air Canada being asked to refund a passenger who said he got bad advice from a chatbot on the airlines website, its notable that Hyatt is now warning that the content, analyses, or recommendations that AI programs assist in producing are or are alleged to be deficient, misleading, inaccurate, or biased, our business, financial condition, and results of operations and our reputation may be adversely affected.

Accommodations Sector Stock Index Performance Year-to-Date

What am I looking at? The performance of hotels and short-term rental sector stocks within the ST200. The index includes companies publicly traded across global markets, including international and regional hotel brands, hotel REITs, hotel management companies, alternative accommodations, and timeshares.

The Skift Travel 200 (ST200) combines the financial performance of nearly 200 travel companies worth more than a trillion dollars into a single number. See more hotels and short-term rental financial sector performance.

Read the full methodology behind the Skift Travel 200.

Get breaking travel news and exclusive hotel, airline, and tourism research and insights at Skift.com.
It is usually uneventful when a single insider buys stock. However, When quite a few insiders buy shares, as it happened in Flowtech Fluidpower plc's (LON:FLO) case, it's fantastic news for shareholders.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

Check out our latest analysis for Flowtech Fluidpower

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Flowtech Fluidpower

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Independent Non-Executive Chair Roger McDowell for UK248k worth of shares, at about UK0.83 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being UK0.79). While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock if insiders have bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price.

In the last twelve months Flowtech Fluidpower insiders were buying shares, but not selling. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insiders At Flowtech Fluidpower Have Bought Stock Recently

Over the last quarter, Flowtech Fluidpower insiders have spent a meaningful amount on shares. In total, insiders bought UK50k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any sales whatsoever. This makes one think the business has some good points.

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Does Flowtech Fluidpower Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. From looking at our data, insiders own UK1.2m worth of Flowtech Fluidpower stock, about 2.4% of the company. But they may have an indirect interest through a corporate structure that we haven't picked up on. We prefer to see high levels of insider ownership.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Flowtech Fluidpower Tell Us?

Insider purchases may have been minimal, in the last three months, but there was no selling at all. That said, the purchases were not large. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. The transactions are fine but it'd be more encouraging if Flowtech Fluidpower insiders bought more shares in the company. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Flowtech Fluidpower you should be aware of, and 1 of these is a bit unpleasant.

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.
Exec Edge interviewed WHY Brands Inc. Founder and CEO Steven Dunn, Chief Brand Officer & Creative Officer Diana Barnes

WHY has been transforming itself into a house of brands including Munchkin, Curio

Dunn and Ms. Barnes co-founded lifestyle products company Curio

Launched own R&D center to experiment and invent across product categories called RD8

Investors can compare WHY to other growth companies such as Yeti (NYSE: YETI) and SharkNinja (NYSE: SN)

By Karen E. Roman and Jarrett Banks

In the competitive landscape of consumer goods, WHY Brands Inc. has emerged as a standout, showcasing innovation and growth that has propelled it to the forefront of the industry.

Founded on a history of excellence with the iconic childrens brand Munchkin, WHY has expanded its reach with the launch of Curio, a venture into non-baby products that has captivated consumers with its creative twist on everyday items. The company is now transforming itself into a house of brands through the leadership of CEO Steven Dunn and Chief Brand Officer Diana Barnes.

What started as a company focused on innovative baby products has evolved into a lifestyle brand with a diverse range of offerings. This evolution has been driven by a commitment to innovation and a deep understanding of consumer needs. Today, Munchkin is not just a brand; its a way of life for millions of families around the world.

Munchkin was founded in 1991 by Mr. Dunn with the goal of making innovation the core of its business and distinguishing itself with creative solutions for everyday childcare challenges. Mr. Dunn, a former investment banker turned entrepreneur and new parent, realized there was an opportunity in the industry after having his first child.

I looked at the products we were buying and there were quality issues, lack of design safety issues, and I just started coming up with some ideas I couldnt get out of my head, Mr. Dunn said in an interview with Exec Edge.

Munchkin, the cornerstone of WHYs success, has a rich history rooted in innovation. From its beginnings, Munchkin has grown into a global brand, dominating the market with 13 products found in almost every household in the U.S. Over the last decade, Munchkin has transformed from a product supplier to a lifestyle brand, with a direct-to-consumer presence that has solidified its position as a household name.

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When I joined Munchkin almost a decade ago, I saw the potential to evolve the company from a supplier-based model to a consumer lifestyle brand with a strong DTC presence, said Ms. Barnes. We accomplished this by first establishing our mission, and it is a lofty one, to be the worlds most loved baby lifestyle brand.

The company is first or second in eight of the 12 Munchkin categories, with more than 340 patented products. The brand also has a global presence in more than 40 countries with 23% of its sales coming from abroad. Munchkin has transformed in the last decade to become a lifestyle brand with direct-to-customer presence in the market, with 40% of its sales originating directly online. Amazon even included Munchkin in its supplier advisory board among billion-dollar selling brands.

And weve been able to achieve that by authentically connecting and engaging with our customers by building direct relationships with them via our website, social media platforms, and reading all of our customer reviews religiously to help direct our product design, said Ms. Barnes. Our latest and greatest form of connection is through our podcast, Strollercoaster: A Parenting Podcast, which is already in the top 1% on Apple.

Building on this success, Mr. Dunn and Ms. Barnes embarked on a new journey with the launch of Curio. Inspired by a desire to expand beyond the baby lifestyle business, Curio represents WHYs foray into the $65 billion home furnishings market. With a focus on design and functionality, Curio has quickly gained traction, offering consumers products that redefine the ordinary.

We were daydreaming out loud, said Ms. Barnes. We wanted to go beyond the baby lifestyle business and develop another innovative company that creates high design in beautiful, elevated consumer products for every room of the home.

Curios success can be attributed to its approach to product design and packaging. Every product in Curio has a creative twist or surprise, making it stand out in a crowded market. The packaging is designed to create a first wow moment, setting the tone for a memorable consumer experience.

Curio started last year with artistically designed products and a creative high-end twist to bring out wow moments in customers who are design savvy, starting with the packaging.

The Ionic Collection is a set of dishwashing brushes with a magnetic holder which makes them conveniently stand tall and proud right where they belong, next to the faucet. Another Curio product is a weighted paper towel holder that hides a refillable spray bottle for countertop cleaning liquid inside the mounting rack.

The brand offers exclusive and yet practical hidden solutions inside imaginative designs and expects to launch its third category of products soon. Moreover, Curio presents a gifting model to dive into, since 30 to 40% of its sales in December 2023 were for gift-cards.

Curio can be found in high-end independent home goods stores in cities like Montecito, Los Angeles and San Franciscoamong the 20 targeted cities by the end of this year. The best way to understand Curio is by associating it with a unique spa experience. The brand is focusing on the kitchen now as the heart of the home, and the bathroom will come next.

Looking ahead, with strategic acquisitions on the horizon and the establishment of RD8, WHYs dedicated R&D center, the company is poised to disrupt the industry with products and initiatives.

RD8 is at the heart of WHYs innovation strategy. It serves as a hub for creativity and experimentation, driving the development of new products and technologies that push the boundaries of whats possible. With a team of talented designers and engineers, RD8 is constantly working on new ideas that will shape the future of consumer lifestyle products.

While WHY has made no indication of plans to go public, investors might compare it to other growth companies such as Yeti (NYSE: YELE) and SharkNinja (NYSE: SN). WHY has also made several strategic acquisitions which will be revealed later in 2024, such as a project to increase breastfeeding globally.

WHY is only possible now due to the incredible bench strength and accomplishments of our Executive management team which has an average tenure of 10+ years, said Mr. Dunn.

With a commitment to innovation and a focus on consumer needs, WHY is set to achieve meaningful growth in the coming years, further solidifying its position as a leader in the consumer lifestyle products market. Savvy investors will want to take note and keep an eye on this company.

Contact:

executives-edge.com

editor@executives-edge.com
There's no doubt about it, the Irondequoit Mall has had a fascinating life.

From its early days as a 103-store shopping mecca, to its modern-day reinvention as a community center/senior housing/nursing school, the site has been celebrated, derided and, for a time even a snarky satirical voice on life in Rochester.

It was the newest mall in the Rochester area when it opened in 1990. After a series of hiccups, lawsuits and threatened lawsuits, the place debuted to rave reviews before other problems arose, including rumors that were never proved true.

Then came a mass of store closings, the eventual shuttering of the mall and grandiose plans to revive the property that became, for a time, Irondequoits white elephant.

Irondequoit Mall: Troubles from the beginning

Irondequoit Mall on a Saturday afternoon March 2000. Even though the mall was busy with shoppers it was still struggling.

Wilmorite Inc., the company whose previous developments included The Marketplace Mall in Henrietta and Eastview Mall in Victor, proposed a mall for Irondequoit in the mid-1980s. Difficulties greeted the proposal from the beginning.

One of the public meetings regarding the Irondequoit Mall project drew an overflow crowd to Town Hall and lasted 6  hours.

After two years of legal battles, a state Supreme Court justice granted Wilmorite approval to build and the states Court of Appeals upheld the ruling. More controversy arose when it was discovered that then-Irondequoit Town Supervisor Eugene Mazzola Jr. owned a partnership in a shopping plaza that was to open across from the mall. Mazzola eventually sold his interest after officials claimed his involvement was a conflict of interest.

The former federal prosecutor who became New York City Mayor, Rudolph W. Giuliani, speaks at the opening of the new Irondequoit Mall back in 1990.

Construction finally began in the area of North Goodman Street, East Ridge Road and Route 104. The land had been mostly unused, except for a building that housed Kodaks Copy Products division and that the photo giant was looking to part with.

Irondequoit Mall: 'Best thing to ever happen to Irondequoit'

Irondequoit Mall opened in March 1990. It was the first two-story suburban mall in the area (like Midtown Plaza in downtown Rochester), and by all accounts, it was a beauty.

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Cliff Smith in a Rochester Times-Union story called the mall northern Monroe Countys new mercantile shrine. A Times-Union editorial went even further: Hands down the most attractive shopping mall in the area, the editorial stated. From its blue Legolike entrances and splashing fountain to its light-trimmed glass roof, columns and carousel, the mall exudes carnival gaiety.

The Disney store at Irondequoit Mall attracts children and parents.

In another story, Cliff Smith touted the malls peaked skylight, large reflecting pool and fountain and Italian-built carousel with its Iroquois* theme.

Smith dubbed Irondequoit Mall the areas most spectacular.

Shoppers at least initially seemed to love Irondequoit Mall, calling it open and airy. One woman called it the best thing to ever happen to Irondequoit. The mall reportedly had 103 stores when it opened, including anchors Sears and Kauffmans, which was then absorbing all of the well-loved Sibleys department stores.

Irondequoit Mall rumors: Was it really shrinking? Were ankle-slashers hiding under cars?

Charlotte Gonzalez of Gates checks into bags as her son, Miguel, 7, nods off while they take a break from shopping at Irondequoit Mall.

Within a month, rumors circulated that the mall was sinking. Mall officials vehemently denied those claims, and Frederick Lapple, by then Irondequoits supervisor, issued a news release denouncing the gossipmongers as business competitors and other people interested in creating unnecessary problems and confusion.

Then came more problems, such as Native Americans protesting what they called the misuse of ceremonial masks on the merry-go-round. Residents complained about a sign on Route 104 stating Welcome to Irondequoit/Home of the Irondequoit Mall as crass commercialization. Rumors  never verified  began spreading about ankle-slashers hiding under cars in the parking lot and injuring women.

McCurdys became the fourth anchor store in 1992, but two years later, the longtime Rochester retailer went out of business and was replaced by The Bon-Ton.

Irondequoit Mall's slow death and struggles as the Medley Centre

The Irondequoit Mall eventually became The Medley Centre. The name change heralded a time of trouble for the mall.

By 2000, a top Wilmorite official called Irondequoit Mall barely profitable as retail occupancy declined. Wilmorite sold the mall in 2001  only 11 years after opening it  to an insurance company.

JCPenney, another mall anchor, closed its store in early 2003. More tenants left, and the insurance company sold the mall in early 2005 to developer Adam Bersin. Bersin renamed the place Medley Centre and brought in Steve & Barrys to fill the Penney space. The problems continued.

The Bon-Ton closed in 2007, the same year that Bersin sold Medley Centre to developer Scott Congel.

The Congel plans never happened. Years of legal battles followed regarding a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, agreement that granted Congel tax breaks. In 2014, the PILOT was terminated and the property was foreclosed. Macys closed in 2014 and Sears followed later.

Congel announced plans for a massive $260 million project that would convert Medley Centre into a complex with hotels, condominiums, retail, restaurants, offices and more. All the remaining retail tenants left in 2009, save for Sears and Macys, and the malls doors were closed to the public.

Irondequoit Mall: Lonely Medley parody account is born

In the midst of it all, someone launched the Im the Medley Centre, Dammit, a popular parody Twitter account better known as Lonely Medley.

Since (its) first tweet in February 2014, the parody Twitter account of the carcass that was Medley Centre has amassed thousands of followers and a reputation for snarky commentary on life as a dead mall and everything Rochester, David Andreatta wrote in a hilarious 2017 column for the Democrat and Chronicle.

Lonely Medley became so popular, a man whose vehicle was trapped overnight at a locked Durand-Eastman Park tagged the account in a desperate bid to find someone to let him out.

That same year, the carousel was packed up and shipped to a collector in China.

Irondequoit Mall is now Skyview on the Ridge

By then, the real Medley Centre had a new name (Skyview on the Ridge) with a new purpose (mixed-use develolpment).

Businessman Angelo Ingrassia had bought the Medley Centre site a few years earlier for $100,000 at auction.

The Irondequoit Community Center now operates in one section. Skyview Park Apartments, a 157-unit senior-housing complex, is in the former Sears store. And the old Macys is home to Rochester Regional Healths Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing.

In the end, people are still coming to the old mall, but for reasons no one ever imagined back in the 1990s.

Alan Morrell is a former Democrat and Chronicle reporter and a Rochester-based freelance writer. Bill Wolcott is a producer with the D&C.

This story, which is based off a 2016 story in the Whatever Happened To series, includes reporting by Marcia Greenwood and David Andreatta.

*Iroquois is the name European settlers gave the Haudenosaunee people. It has fallen out of favor because it's not how the Haudenosaunee historically called themselves.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Irondequoit Mall has had fascinating, controversial history
The Justice Department's US Trustee Program has called for dismissal of Corizon Health's bankruptcy.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren applauded the move, saying, "Corizon does not belong in a bankruptcy court."

The Trustee also filed a scathing objection to Corizon's latest proposed $54 million settlement.

In the latest blowback to the correctional healthcare company formerly known as Corizon Health, the Department of Justice's US Trustee Program  the watchdog of the federal bankruptcy system  called for the dismissal of its contentious bankruptcy.

After a year of spending "considerable resources" on the case, the Trustee's filing says, there was still no approvable plan between the company and its creditors. In a mid-January motion, a committee representing prisoners who filed suit against Corizon alleging medical neglect requested that Judge Christopher Lopez dismiss the bankruptcy outright.

"The U.S. Trustee supports dismissal of the case," attorneys Ha Ngyuen and Andrew Jimenez wrote in the Friday filing. A Department of Justice spokesperson declined to comment further.

The filing is the latest government action to come after a Business Insider series last year exposed how Corizon had engaged in a controversial legal maneuver called the Texas Two-Step in an attempt to dislodge hundreds of lawsuits from prisoners and their families that alleged serious medical neglect, claims the Trustee says amount to $775 million.

Corizon split into two companies  YesCare, which got all of Corizon's active corrections contracts, and Tehum Care Services, which was saddled with the company's liabilities and then filed into bankruptcy last February.

Following BI's reporting, US senators and the Trustee intervened in the bankruptcy. In mid-October, the Trustee filed an objection to a proposed settlement deal. Later that month, a group of nine senators including Elizabeth Warren, Dick Durbin, and Bernie Sanders sent a letter to Corizon's successor companies claiming Corizon had attempted "to manipulate bankruptcy law with the aim of skirting accountability for the harms that incarcerated people have endured" under its care.

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Last month, Warren followed up with a letter to the US Trustee calling on the watchdog to oppose the bankruptcy plan and join the motion to dismiss the case filed by the committee representing the prisoner plaintiffs. In that letter, Warren lauded the Trustee for filing its October objection to Corizon's bankruptcy plan.

"Corizon does not belong in a bankruptcy court and its owners must stop hiding from victims and face the consequences of their actions," Warren said in a statement to BI in response to Friday's filing.

On Friday, the Trustee also filed a scathing objection to Corizon's latest proposed settlement. That filing objects in strong terms to the "broad, sweeping releases" of liability to people and entities "who are contributing little or nothing to the Settlement Agreement, including Isaac Lefkowitz, who testified at a deposition that his contributions to the plan in exchange for his release is $10."

As BI previously reported, Lefkowitz has straddled both sides of Corizon's Two-Step  he's the sole director for Tehum and has been a director of Tehum's parent company, Perigrove 1018, and director of YesCare. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Trustee also pointed to several "potential fraudulent transfers" to companies linked to insiders, including M2LoanCo and Geneva Consulting, which manages and financially supports YesCare. BI previously reported that those transfers added up to at least $30 million.

While Corizon recently offered a larger, $54 million settlement proposal, the committee representing the current and former prisoners opposed it.

"The court is required to consider the best interests of the creditors," write Nguyen and Jimenez. "Where such a large constituency of unsecured creditors oppose the settlement, the Court should not impose the settlement on them."

Jason Brookner, an attorney representing Tehum, declined to comment. On Friday, the company filed a 60-page objection to the motion to dismiss, arguing that the "personal injury claims filed in this case may be vastly overstated" and that the court needs to give "equal (or greater weight)" to the non-tort claimant members' views on a settlement.

"The Motion to Dismiss is merely a public relations piece, which contains little more than self-serving invective, rhetoric, and hyperbole," the company's attorneys wrote in the motion. "It is unsupported by any facts or information."

But Warren backed the Trustee's decision to support dismissal. "The federal government's bankruptcy watchdog has taken a strong stand to protect against big corporations' abuse of our bankruptcy system," she said in her statement. "The judge must now follow bankruptcy law to prevent further abuse."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Newest additions to regional headquarters make it the largest pet food manufacturing plant in South America by volume capacity for producing dry and liquid palatants

VARGEAO, Brazil , Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services, recently opened an Innovation Center and second spray-drying facility at its regional headquarters in Vargeao, Santa Catarina, Brazil, making the Kemin Nutrisurance location the largest pet food manufacturing plant in Latin America by volume capacity for producing dry and liquid palatants.

Local authorities and Kemin leadership at the ribbon cutting for Kemin Nutrisurances Innovation Center in Vargeao, SC, Brazil.

Kemin Nutrisurance, the pet food and rendering technologies business unit of Kemin Industries, has been expanding its Research and Exploration Services to enhance co-creation with customers to support them at every stage of pet food production. With its first Innovation Center in Brazil, the business unit can provide fast and accurate solutions for current and future palatant and protein customers in South America.

"Our first Innovation Center in South America will greatly strengthen our Research and Exploration Services in the region," said V Lucatelli, General Manager  South America, Kemin Nutrisurance. "We can now offer customers a local laboratory to improve and evaluate the performance of current and future products, as well as improve cost efficiency, to bring top innovations at the speed the pet food industry demands."

The Innovation Center and second spray dryer are part of the global business unit's continued growth in South America and the Latin American market. In 2008, Kemin purchased the property and has since invested in renewable energy sources while still increasing its capacity and capabilities, including Kemin Nutrisurance's Research and Exploration Services. This new expansion allows the Vargeao facility to not only supply the South American market, but also support Kemin Nutrisurance's palatant needs in other regions, such as Asia and Europe.

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"With greater emphasis on Research and Development (R&D) support for our customers, we can utilize our data and analytics to fine-tune our products and services to find fast and accurate solutions that better serve the market," said Dr. Jason Shelton, Global Vice President  R&D, Kemin Nutrisurance. "By bringing our Research and Exploration Services to the regional level through an Innovation Center, we can create a local customer experience that focuses on specific needs at the speed required by a rapidly evolving industry."

The Innovation Center and spray drying facility were recently inaugurated during a ribbon cutting with Kemin Nutrisurance President Kimberly Nelson and Kemin Industries Worldwide Group President David Raveyre. Kemin Nutrisurance's newest additions at the South America headquarters are now open with expanded solutions for customers in the region's pet food industry.

Click here to learn more about Kemin Nutrisurance and its Research and Exploration Services.

About Kemin Industries

Kemin Industries (www.kemin.com) is a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services. The company supplies over 500 specialty ingredients for human and animal health and nutrition, pet food, aquaculture, nutraceutical, food technologies, crop technologies, textile, biofuel, and animal vaccine industries.

For over half a century, Kemin has been dedicated to using applied science to address industry challenges and offer product solutions to customers in more than 120 countries. Kemin provides ingredients to feed a growing population with its commitment to the quality, safety and efficacy of food, feed, and health-related products.

Established in 1961, Kemin is a privately held, family-owned-and-operated company with more than 3,000 global employees and operations in 90 countries, including manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Italy, San Marino, Singapore, South Africa, and the United States.

Media Contact:

Diogo Craveiro, Senior Global Marketing Communications Manager, Kemin Nutrisurance | diogo.craveiro@kemin.com, +1 515 559 5361

 Kemin Industries, Inc. and its group of companies 2024. All rights reserved.   Trademarks of Kemin Industries, Inc., U.S.A.

Certain statements, product labeling and claims may differ by geography or as required by government requirements.

Kemin Industries (PRNewsfoto/Kemin Industries)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kemin-nutrisurance-opens-first-innovation-center-and-second-spray-dryer-in-south-america-302071285.html

SOURCE Kemin Industries
ARNO

ARNO

 .jpg

Free your hands from the phone with sophistication and convenience.

SEOUL, Republic of Korea, Feb. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In March 2024, ARNO, the leading phone strap brand in the Korean market, is officially launching in Singapore. ARNO phone strap has already gained immense popularity among consumers in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan for its unique design and convenience.

ARNO is an innovative product designed to make it convenient to use large and heavy phones by attaching a strap to them. It is not only suitable for everyday activities such as childcare and shopping but also extremely useful for outdoor activities like travel and leisure.

ARNO's product lineup includes various designs such as the long-length "New Basic", the short-length "Handy", the flashy jewel-like "Beads", and the easy-to-attach "M". The 25 distinctive design straps are of high quality, sturdy, and stylishly complement any outfit.

In particular, the most popular product from ARNO, "ANY", is compatible with phones such as iPhone, Galaxy, Oppo, Vivo, regardless of the model, and it fits well with all cases including Casetify.

ARNO is known for leading the industry trends by designing all products in Seoul and conducting strict quality control with a 10-step inspection process. It gained significant popularity in Korea after being worn by the female lead in the Netflix drama, Hyena.

To commemorate the launch, customers can receive discount coupons at Shopee to purchase ARNO products at a more affordable price.

#ARNO #arnoseoul #arnophonestrap

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5880943d-b564-48f3-a305-cdaf18a56284

CONTACT: Contact information: +82 070-4247-0131




Key Insights

Irish Continental Group's estimated fair value is UK4.12 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

Current share price of UK4.01 suggests Irish Continental Group is potentially trading close to its fair value

Industry average discount to fair value of 31% suggests Irish Continental Group's peers are currently trading at a higher discount

In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of Irish Continental Group plc (LON:ICGC) by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's 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.

We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model.

See our latest analysis for Irish Continental Group

Step By Step Through The Calculation

We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Seeing as no analyst estimates of free cash flow are available to us, we have extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the company's last reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value:

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10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (, Millions) 48.4m 47.9m 47.8m 47.9m 48.3m 48.7m 49.3m 50.0m 50.7m 51.4m Growth Rate Estimate Source Est @ -2.25% Est @ -1.08% Est @ -0.27% Est @ 0.31% Est @ 0.71% Est @ 0.99% Est @ 1.18% Est @ 1.32% Est @ 1.42% Est @ 1.48% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 7.3% 45.1 41.6 38.7 36.2 34.0 32.0 30.2 28.5 26.9 25.5

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = 339m

The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after 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 (1.6%) 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 7.3%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = 51m (1 + 1.6%)  (7.3% 1.6%) = 929m

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= 929m ( 1 + 7.3%)10= 461m

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 799m. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of UK4.0, the company appears about fair value at a 2.7% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent.

dcf

Important Assumptions

The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Irish Continental 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 7.3%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.027. 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 Irish Continental Group

Strength

Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry.

Debt is well covered by earnings and cashflows.

Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows.

Weakness

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Shipping market.

Opportunity

Current share price is below our estimate of fair value.

Threat

No apparent threats visible for ICGC.

Looking Ahead:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. For Irish Continental Group, we've compiled three important aspects you should further research:

Risks: Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for Irish Continental Group you should be aware of, and 1 of them is potentially serious. Future Earnings: How does ICGC'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.
Funding to accelerate commercial growth and expand clinical and health economic evidence for ReActiv8 Restorative Neuromodulation System

DUBLIN, February 26, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mainstay Medical Holdings plc today announced an equity financing in which it will receive gross proceeds of US$125 million. Mainstay intends to use the funds to support the companys continued commercial growth of ReActiv8 Restorative Neurostimulation in the U.S., Europe and Australia, additional post-market clinical studies and research, and general operations.

The financing was co-led by new investors Gilde Healthcare and Viking Global Investors. Key existing investors who participated in the financing include Ally Bridge Group, Sofinnova Partners (Crossover Fund), Fountain Healthcare Partners, and Perceptive Advisors.

"A financing of this magnitude will allow us to accelerate our efforts to revolutionize the treatment of mechanical low back pain through ReActiv8 Restorative Neurostimulation, including by continuing our rapid commercial growth and building on our insurance coverage for ReActiv8," said Jason Hannon, CEO of Mainstay Medical. "We are now strongly capitalized to execute on our corporate objectives. In addition to commercial expansion in our target markets, these objectives include the generation of additional clinical and health economic data to further demonstrate that ReActiv8s purpose-built, restorative approach to the treatment of mechanical chronic low back pain is superior to competitive therapies originally designed for other indications, as well as the continued development and enforcement of our dominant intellectual property portfolio."

"We are excited to lead this financing and to work with Mainstay to continue to unlock the potential of ReActiv8 therapy," said Geoff Pardo, Partner at Gilde Healthcare, who also joins the Mainstay Medical Board of Directors. "Patients with mechanical chronic low back pain have had very limited treatment options, and the restorative mechanism of action offered by ReActiv8 is both unique and very promising."

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Two extraordinary general meetings of Mainstay shareholders were held on 23 February 2024 to approve the financing and related matters. At the EGMs, all resolutions were duly passed. The results of the voting on each of the resolutions is available on the Companys website.

About ReActiv8

ReActiv8 is an implantable medical device designed to treat adults with intractable chronic low back pain (CLBP) associated with multifidus muscle dysfunction. Multifidus muscle dysfunction may be evidenced by imaging or physiological testing in adults who have failed therapy including pain medications and physical therapy, and who are not candidates for spine surgery. ReActiv8 has received regulatory approval in several geographic areas, and is commercially available in the European Economic Area, Australia, the UK, and the US.

About Mainstay Medical

Mainstay Medical is a medical device company focused on commercializing its innovative implantable Restorative Neurostimulation system, ReActiv8, for people with disabling mechanical CLBP. Mainstay Medical is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland and has subsidiaries operating in Ireland, the United States, Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Further information can be found at www.mainstaymedical.com.

Mainstay Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this announcement other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding the companys intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, the companys funding needs, strategies, alternatives and transactions, ability to fund its objectives moving forward, commercial efforts and performance, research studies and results, financial position, product design and development, intellectual property portfolio and its scope, regulatory applications and approvals, and reimbursement arrangements.

Forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those described in, or suggested by, the forward-looking statements. A number of factors could cause results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements herein, including, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties included in the companys Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2022, which should be read in conjunction with the companys public disclosures (available on the companys website (www.mainstaymedical.com)). The forward-looking statements herein speak only as of the date of this announcement.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226071476/en/

Contacts

Mainstay PR and IR Enquiries:



LifeSci Advisors, LLC

Brian Ritchie

Tel: + 1 (212) 915-2578

Email: britchie@lifesciadvisors.com



FTI Consulting (for Ireland)

Jonathan Neilan or Patrick Berkery

Tel. : +353 86 602 5988

Email: mainstay@fticonsulting.com



Mainstay Medical

Corporate Communications

Email: Media@mainstaymedical.com
It's getting harder for countries to stay neutral between the U.S. and China as relations between the two superpowers get frostier. Washington is trying to remake the global trading system to encourage countries to reduce their reliance on the Chinese economy, while also trying to limit the development of the Chinese tech sector. Beijing is also trying to create an alternative economic system that doesn't rely as heavily on the U.S., such as pushing for greater use of the Yuan internationally.

Malaysia's prime minister doesn't want to choose. In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Anwar Ibrahim condemned what he deemed rising "China-phobia" in Western countries and asked why Malaysia would pick a quarrel with China, its largest trading partner.

Why must I be tied to one interest? I dont buy into this strong prejudice against China, this China-phobia, Anwar said in his interview with the Financial Times.

Malaysia, like many of its peers in Southeast Asia, often claims neutrality in the superpower rivalry between the U.S. and China. Anwar, in an interview with Fortune last year, said he was focused on ridding the country of corruption and developing Malaysia's economy to attract investments from both China and Western governments.

Tesla is perhaps the most prominent Western company to invest in Malaysia; the EV automaker established a regional headquarters in the Southeast Asian country last July. Yet other Western high-tech companies, like Micron, Intel and Infineon, are expanding their Malaysia presence, particularly in Penang, a hub for the testing and packaging in the semiconductor industry.

Yet Anwar is openly courting Chinese money as well. The prime minister has praised China's Belt and Road Initiative, and won a 170 billion Malaysian ringgit ($35.6 billion) investment commitment from Beijing almost a year ago. Chinese automaker Geely will invest $10 billion towards a still-in-development auto hub in the state of Perak. Anwar is also open to working with Huawei, the U.S.-blacklisted Chinese tech company, to develop Malaysia's 5G network. (Washington has pressured foreign governments to stop using Huawei technology, alleging it could facilitate Chinese espionage)

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Anwar's belief that geopolitics is "not a zero-sum game," which he expressed to Fortune last August, appears to be prevalent in Southeast Asia. Governments in the region want to enjoy good relations with the U.S., yet must also preserve ties with China, often their largest trading partner.

Indonesia, a former champion of the non-aligned movement, says it does not want to get trapped in a U.S.-China rivalry. Vietnam, more recently, is deploying a flexible "bamboo diplomacy" to balance relations between the superpowers. And Singapore, which the U.S. calls a key partner, maintains that it takes "principled positions" without committing to taking sides between Washington and Beijing.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
A multidisciplinary exhibition (February 22 to 29) showcasing Saudi Arabias historic district Diriyahs landscape has opened in Paris, France, a report said.

The Earthen Testaments, exploring Diriyahs natural and built landscapes through imagery, film, artefacts, and contemporary artworks commissioned from Saudi artists, will be on show at Segur Hall, UNESCO House, in Paris, France, Saudi Press Agency said.

The exhibition combines historical remnants and archaeological objects to offer a wider lens into Diriyah, a town located in the north-western outskirts of Saudi capital, Riyadh. Home to Unesco World Heritage Site, At-Turaif, Diriyah was the original home of the Saudi royal family, and served as the capital of Diriyah under the first Saudi dynasty.

The Earthen Testaments presents, through the visionary work of contemporary Saudi artists, a window into the world of Diriyah and At-Turaif. For this enriching cultural exchange, we extend our sincere gratitude, said Fahad bin Maayouf Al Ruwaily, the Saudi ambassador to France and Monaco and interim permanent delegate of the Kingdom to UNESCO.

According to Diriyah Gate Development Authority CEO, Jerry Inzerillo, It is an honour to unveil The Earthen Testamentsan exhibition that celebrates and preserves the cultural heritage of Diriyah.

"As a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Kingdom, At-Turaif represents the birthplace and gateway to Saudi Arabia, and it is a privilege and great responsibility to share Diriyahs stories, values, culture, art, and heritage with the world through this exhibition.

The exhibition, presented by the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, combines historical remnants and archaeological objects with contemporary responses from various Saudi artists, offering a wider lens into Diriyahs heritage and values through material traces.

Artwork and film are juxtaposed with a selection of material excerpts, archival images, historical maps, poetry, and an interview with a descendent of the master builder of At-Turaif.

Numerous elements immerse visitors in the unique properties of At-Turaif and its intimate link between landscape, natural resources, and the history of place. The Earthen Testaments presents a glimpse into the story of this historical city and its people through an exploration of its materials.

The exhibition combines arcaheological fragments, archival photographs, film, poetry, and artwork by Saudi artists Rasha AlRashed (b.1985), Omar Abduljawad (b.1989), Ali AlSumayin and the collective Bricklab (Est. 2015).

In addition, the artisan Abdullah AlSayegh and the perfumer Bader AlHarqan have crafted a Diriyah-inspired giveaway.

Visitors will be able to trace the material as witness to the stories of the Wadi and the archaeological structures of the sites and experience the tangible and intangible heritage of the area, stepping into a site that stands today as the gateway to the establishment of the story of Saudi Arabia today.
HONG KONG, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott International, Inc. today announced the expansion of travel benefits in its award-winning travel program, Marriott Bonvoy, through collaborating with Cathay Membership program, loyalty program of Cathay. Eligible members will gain exclusive access to both programs' membership benefits through limited status match offer, and accelerated points earning via seamless two-way conversion between Miles and Points.

The strengthened partnership provides Marriott International with access to Cathay's extensive membership base. 11 million Cathay members globally will be connected with an unparalleled portfolio of nearly 8,800 hotels and resorts globally, which span over 30 leading brands from Marriott Bonvoy. Starting from today, Marriott Bonvoy and Cathay members can enjoy a wealth of benefits and privileges, such as hotel stay redemptions, two-way points transfer, and enhanced flight and travel package experiences.

"As the travel industry continues to transform, we are committed to curating and delivering the best experiences to connect our members through the power of travel," said Alison Yang, Vice President, Revenue Strategy, Loyalty & Partnerships, Distribution, Greater China, Marriott International. "Together with Cathay, the expansion of our global airline partnership program presents an opportunity to engage more members in the region as they go even further and explore new destinations around the world. By unlocking a new wealth of rewards and privileges with both loyalty programs, members are encouraged to partake in a broader variety of experiences and benefits, while forging genuine connections with people and places as they learn more and feel more deeply in their next adventures."

"Strengthening our partnership with Marriott allows Cathay members to unlock benefits even when they're not flying. Members can enjoy more ways to earn and redeem their points and miles, providing greater value add to the program. This enhancement reaffirms our commitment to building our Travel Lifestyle brand and exemplifies our approach to delivering a connected customer journey." said Paul Smitton, Director Customer Lifestyle, Cathay.

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New reciprocal benefits of the partnership include:

Elevating Two-way points conversion: Marriott Bonvoy Points can be mutually exchanged with Asia Miles from Cathay to unlock more exclusive member privileges. With the 2-way conversion program, 3 Marriott Bonvoy points can be converted to 1 Asia Mile, and 2 Asia Miles can become 1 Marriott Bonvoy point. Marriott Bonvoy members can transfer their Points to Miles and redeem flight ticket, extra baggage, and priority seat as well as other travel experiences when they travel with Cathay Pacific.





Limited Time Offer - Fast track to accelerated status upgrades : For a limited time, the partnership enables members to upgrade their status through accelerated and discounted pathways. Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elite members have the opportunity to accelerate to Cathay Silver or Gold status, depending on their membership tier. Meanwhile Cathay Silver, Gold, and Diamond members have the opportunity to accelerate to Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.





Limited Time Offer - Status matching: Members will have the chance to status match their Marriott Bonvoy and Cathay membership tiers and expand their access to exclusive benefits and offers. Marriott Bonvoy Platinum/Titanium/Ambassador Elite members will be matched to the Cathay Silver membership tier, subject to limited quota, while Cathay Silver/Gold/Diamond members can enjoy equivalent Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.

Members can learn more about our Preferred Partnership Here. For more information about Marriott Bonvoy, please visit www.marriott.com.

About Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International's award-winning travel program and marketplace, gives members access to transformative, eye-opening experiences around the corner and across the globe. Marriott Bonvoy's portfolio of over 30 extraordinary brands offers renowned hospitality in the most memorable destinations in the world. Members can earn points for stays at hotels and resorts, including all-inclusive resorts and premium home rentals, as well as through everyday purchases with co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem their points for experiences including future stays, Marriott Bonvoy Moments, or through partners for luxurious products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques. With the Marriott Bonvoy app, members enjoy a level of personalization and contactless experience that allows them to travel with peace of mind. To enroll for free or for more information about Marriott Bonvoy, visit marriottbonvoy.com. To download the Marriott app, go here. Travelers can also connect with Marriott Bonvoy on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

About Cathay

Cathay is a premium travel lifestyle brand that brings together all that we love about travel with everyday lifestyle. The range of products and services includes flights, holidays, shopping, dining, wellness and payment. All our travel lifestyle offerings are designed to bring customers exciting offers, rewards, experiences and hand-picked partners.

Flights are provided by Cathay Pacific, the home airline of Hong Kong and a founding member of the oneworld global alliance. The Cathay Group also comprises low-cost carrier HK Express, express all-cargo carrier Air Hong Kong and various subsidiaries. We are a member of the Swire Group and are listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE) as a public company.

For more than seven decades, Cathay Pacific has been connecting our home city of Hong Kong to the world. Now we are bringing that connection to more of our customers' lives. The new era of Cathay elevates their every bite, tap, step, stay and flight to greater heights. www.cathay.com

Marriott Bonvoy Logo (PRNewsfoto/Marriott International)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/marriott-international-and-cathay-deepen-strategic-partnership-to-offer-enriched-travel-benefits-302070579.html

SOURCE Marriott International
Key Insights

Metcash's estimated fair value is AU$5.60 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

Current share price of AU$3.63 suggests Metcash is potentially 35% undervalued

Analyst price target for MTS is AU$3.89 which is 30% below our fair value estimate

Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of Metcash Limited (ASX:MTS) 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. There's really not all that much to it, even though it might appear quite complex.

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 Metcash

Step By Step Through The Calculation

We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:

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10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (A$, Millions) AU$200.6m AU$252.6m AU$352.9m AU$318.3m AU$293.0m AU$279.3m AU$272.0m AU$268.7m AU$268.2m AU$269.6m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x3 Analyst x3 Analyst x3 Analyst x2 Analyst x1 Est @ -4.67% Est @ -2.62% Est @ -1.19% Est @ -0.18% Est @ 0.52% Present Value (A$, Millions) Discounted @ 6.0% AU$189 AU$225 AU$296 AU$252 AU$219 AU$197 AU$181 AU$168 AU$159 AU$150

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = AU$2.0b

The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.2%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 6.0%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = AU$270m (1 + 2.2%)  (6.0% 2.2%) = AU$7.1b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= AU$7.1b ( 1 + 6.0%)10= AU$4.0b

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$6.0b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of AU$3.6, the company appears quite good value at a 35% 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

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Metcash 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 6.0%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.839. 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 Metcash

Strength

Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry.

Debt is not viewed as a risk.

Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows.

Weakness

Earnings growth over the past year is below its 5-year average.

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Consumer Retailing market.

Shareholders have been diluted in the past year.

Opportunity

Annual revenue is forecast to grow faster than the Australian market.

Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.

Threat

Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the Australian market.

Moving On:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. Why is the intrinsic value higher than the current share price? For Metcash, there are three important items you should consider:

Risks: As an example, we've found 2 warning signs for Metcash that you need to consider before investing here. Future Earnings: How does MTS's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!

PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the 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.
(Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp., under mounting political scrutiny globally for its deep ties to OpenAI, has cut a deal with the startups primary competition in Europe.

Most Read from Bloomberg

On Monday, the French company Mistral AI announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft that includes making the startups latest artificial intelligence models available to customers of Microsofts Azure cloud. Mistral develops algorithmic models similar to those from OpenAI used for chatbots and other AI services, but Mistral models are open-source and shared openly.

With the announcement, the company also unveiled a model, called Mistral Large, that it says has unique reasoning capacities and is fluent in five languages. Microsoft said it has made a small investment in the French firm but declined to say how much.

In artificial intelligence, Microsoft has worked primarily with OpenAI, investing roughly $13 billion in the California startup. That sponsorship has helped make OpenAI a significant new competitor in the technology industry, Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a speech Monday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Innovation and competition will require an extensive array of similar support for proprietary and open-source AI models, large and small, including the type of partnership we are announcing today with Mistral AI.

Microsofts ties to OpenAI, as its chief financial backer and business partner, is the subject of antitrust probes in the European Union and the UK. Microsoft has said that the companies operate independently.

Smiths speech primarily outlined the software giants AI Access Principles  a series of pledges to make AI models and tools broadly available and foster competition. Additionally, he touted $5.6 billion in new data center investments Microsoft has made in Europe in the last two weeks, including a 3.2 billion ($3.5 billion) commitment in Germany.

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Mistral, formed in early 2023 by former engineers at Googles DeepMind and Meta Platforms Inc., has positioned itself as a plucky European champion challenging US dominance in the field. In December, the startup closed a $415 million round from a range of investors, including Salesforce Inc. and Nvidia Corp. The financing valued the firm at about $2 billion.

(Updates with comments from Microsoft president, starting in fourth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / SouthGobi Resources Ltd. (TSX-V:SGQ)(HK:1878) ("SouthGobi" or the "Company") Reference is made to the announcements of the Company dated July 31, 2023 and August 18, 2023 (the "Announcements") in relation to the Mongolia tax audit.

As previously disclosed in the Company's Announcement, on July 18, 2023, the Company's wholly owned subsidiary in Mongolia, SouthGobi Sands LLC ("SGS"), received a notice (the "Notice") from the Mongolian Tax Authority (the "MTA") relating to a periodic tax audit on certain of SGS's financial information between 2017 and 2020, including transfer pricing, royalty, air pollution fee and unpaid tax payables (the "Audit"). The MTA notified SGS that they are imposing a tax penalty against SGS in the amount of approximately US$75.0 million as a result of the Audit. On August 17, 2023, SGS filed an appeal letter in relation to the Audit with the MTA in accordance with Mongolian laws.

On February 8, 2024, SGS received notice from the Tax Dispute Resolution Council ("TDRC") of the MTA which stated that, after the TDRC's review, the TDRC issued a decision in relation to SGS's appeal of the Audit, and ordered that the audit assessments set forth in the Notice of July 18, 2023 be suspended and sent back to the MTA for review and re-assessment.

On February 22, 2024, SGS received another notice from the MTA that the MTA anticipates commencing the re-assessment process on or about March 7, 2024 and the duration of such process will be approximately 45 working days.

The Company's management is assessing the implications of the notices received from the TDRC. Any decision of the MTA following the re-assessment process may not be conclusive as the Company retains the right to appeal such decision under Mongolian laws. Therefore, the actual time to resolve the Audit may be extended. The Company will make further announcement(s) to keep its shareholders and potential investors informed of any progress as and when appropriate.

Story continues

Shareholders and potential investors of the Company are advised to exercise caution when dealing in the shares of the Company.

About SouthGobi

SouthGobi, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange, owns and operates its flagship Ovoot Tolgoi coal mine in Mongolia. It also holds the mining licences of its other metallurgical and thermal coal deposits in South Gobi region of Mongolia. SouthGobi produces and sells coal to customers in China.

Contact:

Investor Relations

Email: info@southgobi.com

Mr. Ruibin Xu

Chief Executive Officer

Office:

+1 604 762 6783 (Canada)

+852 2156 1438 (Hong Kong)

Website: www.southgobi.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: SouthGobi Resources Ltd.





View the original press release on accesswire.com




AUGUSTA, Ga., February 26, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Conceal is thrilled to announce its partnership with NetLand through a reseller agreement with SentryMark, marking a strategic move into the Japanese SMB market. This collaboration is set to leverage Conceal's expertise in advanced browser security with SentryMark's robust presence in Japan, enabling NetLand to resell the innovative ConcealBrowse to a wider audience of small and medium-sized businesses.

Gordon Lawson, CEO of Conceal, commented on the partnership, "This reseller agreement with NetLand and SentryMark is a pivotal step in our journey to enhance browser security globally. SentryMark's strong foothold in the Japanese market, combined with NetLand's expertise in cloud solutions, positions us uniquely to address the cybersecurity needs of Japanese SMBs with ConcealBrowse."

Taro Okano, CEO of NetLand, stated, "With this agreement with SentryMark, we are delighted to be able to provide our customers with ConcealBrowse, a security browser that has a proven track record in the United States, a security-advanced country. This is a business alliance that aligns with our mission to continue to provide cutting-edge IT solutions in Japan, and we are confident that we will be able to play a part in strengthening the security that many companies in Japan are looking for."

Albert Vasquez, CEO at SentryMark, remarked, "We are proud to be part of this alliance, bolstering cybersecurity for Japanese businesses. Together with Conceal and NetLand, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive solutions that safeguard our clients in an ever-evolving digital landscape."

NetLand, known for its comprehensive cloud services and system engineering expertise, is uniquely equipped to support various company needs with ConcealBrowse. This partnership is poised to enrich their offerings, providing enhanced security solutions tailored for the dynamic Japanese SMB market.

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About Conceal

Conceals mission is to defend organizations against web-based threats. ConcealBrowse is a private, lightweight, easy-to-deploy AI-powered browser extension that detects, prevents, and shields users from ever-evolving phishing, credential theft, and other sophisticated social engineering attacks. By securing the most vulnerable part of any organization, the human using a web browser, ConcealBrowse dramatically reduces the risk of destructive and costly cyber-attacks. For more information, visit https://conceal.io/

About SentryMark

SentryMark stands tall in the cybersecurity arena, prioritizing client-centric solutions over industry norms. Their offerings span from advanced monitoring to unparalleled incident response, fortified by collaborations with best-in-class talents and technologies. With a vision of holistic defense and a commitment to reducing organizational complexities, SentryMark has reshaped the cybersecurity blueprint. For more information, visit https://www.sentrymark.com

About NetLand

Netland, established in 2018, is a prominent wholesale IT company dedicated to contributing to society by revitalizing all industries and maximizing the potential of Japan through ICT, with the motto of "transferring all Japanese companies to the next generation." For more information, visit https://www.net-land.co.jp/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226403540/en/

Contacts

Lacey.brazzell@conceal.io
Unlocking the Potential of NextEra Energy Inc's Dividend Growth

NextEra Energy Inc (NYSE:NEE) recently announced a dividend of $0.52 per share, payable on 2024-03-15, with the ex-dividend date set for 2024-02-26. As investors look forward to this upcoming payment, the spotlight also shines on the company's dividend history, yield, and growth rates. Using the data from GuruFocus, let's look into NextEra Energy Inc's dividend performance and assess its sustainability.

Understanding NextEra Energy Inc

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NextEra Energy Inc's regulated utility, Florida Power & Light, is the largest rate-regulated utility in Florida. The utility distributes power to nearly 6 million customer accounts in Florida and owns 32 gigawatts of generation. FP&L contributes roughly 70% of NextEra Energy Inc's consolidated operating earnings. NextEra Energy Resources, the renewable energy segment, generates and sells power throughout the United States and Canada with more than 25 GW of generation capacity, including natural gas, nuclear, wind, and solar.

NextEra Energy Inc's Dividend Analysis

NextEra Energy Inc's Dividend Track Record

NextEra Energy Inc has maintained a consistent dividend payment record since 1986. Dividends are currently distributed on a quarterly basis.

NextEra Energy Inc has increased its dividend each year since 1995. The stock is thus listed as a dividend aristocrat, an honor that is given to companies that have increased their dividend each year for at least the past 29 years. Below is a chart showing annual Dividends Per Share for tracking historical trends.

Dividend Yield and Growth Insights

As of today, NextEra Energy Inc currently has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 3.29% and a 12-month forward dividend yield of 3.63%. This suggests an expectation of increased dividend payments over the next 12 months.

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Over the past three years, NextEra Energy Inc's annual dividend growth rate was 10.10%. Extended to a five-year horizon, this rate increased to 10.90% per year. And over the past decade, NextEra Energy Inc's annual dividends per share growth rate stands at an impressive 11.40%.

Based on NextEra Energy Inc's dividend yield and five-year growth rate, the 5-year yield on cost of NextEra Energy Inc stock as of today is approximately 5.52%.

NextEra Energy Inc's Dividend Analysis

Evaluating Dividend Sustainability

To assess the sustainability of the dividend, one needs to evaluate the company's payout ratio. The dividend payout ratio provides insights into the portion of earnings the company distributes as dividends. A lower ratio suggests that the company retains a significant part of its earnings, thereby ensuring the availability of funds for future growth and unexpected downturns. As of 2023-12-31, NextEra Energy Inc's dividend payout ratio is 0.56.

NextEra Energy Inc's profitability rank, offers an understanding of the company's earnings prowess relative to its peers. GuruFocus ranks NextEra Energy Inc's profitability 8 out of 10 as of 2023-12-31, suggesting good profitability prospects. The company has reported positive net income for each of year over the past decade, further solidifying its high profitability.

NextEra Energy Inc's Growth Prospects

To ensure the sustainability of dividends, a company must have robust growth metrics. NextEra Energy Inc's growth rank of 8 out of 10 suggests that the company's growth trajectory is good relative to its competitors.

Revenue is the lifeblood of any company, and NextEra Energy Inc's revenue per share, combined with the 3-year revenue growth rate, indicates a strong revenue model. NextEra Energy Inc's revenue has increased by approximately 14.80% per year on average, a rate that outperforms approximately 72.84% of global competitors.

The company's 3-year EPS growth rate showcases its capability to grow its earnings, a critical component for sustaining dividends in the long run. During the past three years, NextEra Energy Inc's earnings increased by approximately 40.20% per year on average, a rate that outperforms approximately 87.53% of global competitors.

Lastly, the company's 5-year EBITDA growth rate of 11.40%, which outperforms approximately 69.21% of global competitors.

Investing in Renewable Dividends

The analysis of NextEra Energy Inc's dividend payments, growth rate, payout ratio, and growth metrics paints a promising picture for value investors. The consistent increase in dividends positions NextEra Energy Inc as a potentially lucrative investment for those seeking steady income streams. The company's strong profitability and growth prospects further bolster confidence in the sustainability of its dividends. Investors looking to capitalize on high-dividend yield opportunities may consider NextEra Energy Inc as a key component of their investment portfolios. With renewable energy on the rise, NextEra Energy Inc's strategic focus in this sector could also offer long-term growth potential, making it an attractive proposition for forward-looking investors.

GuruFocus Premium users can screen for high-dividend yield stocks using the High Dividend Yield Screener.

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


The Leading FPGA-powered market data company has appointed Estelle Berbach as chief financial officer and Loic Maitre as vice president of engineering, while strengthening its sales organization with the addition of new talent

NEW YORK and LONDON and PARIS, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NovaSparks, the leading field programmable gate array (FPGA) market data company, today announced the strategic expansion of its leadership team with the appointment of Estelle Berbach as chief financial officer and the promotion of Loic Maitre to vice president of engineering. This move comes on the heels of strengthening the sales organization with the arrival of Sapna Swaly and Clement Pelletier to manage the European and APAC operations, respectively.

"Estelle and Loic are both talented leaders who bring a diverse range of skills essential for our next phase of growth," said Luc Burgun, chief executive officer and president of NovaSparks. "They will play a pivotal role in executing our long-term strategy to become the de-facto provider of ultra-low latency market data solutions for the world's most competitive trading firms."

Estelle Berbach brings a wealth of financial expertise to her new role, having spent a significant portion of her career in the electronics industry. Prior to joining NovaSparks, she served as financial controller at Socotec Equipements, a leader in technical inspection and verification. Berbach also has ten years of experience in the FPGA emulation division of Synopsys, a prominent name in the electronic design automation (EDA) space.

Loic Maitre, a seasoned hardware leader who joined NovaSparks in 2016, has been promoted to vice president of engineering. During his tenure, Maitre held various roles within the R&D organization, including hardware manager, FPGA manager, and tick-to-trade project manager. Before joining NovaSparks, he honed his skills as a hardware development engineer at Imagination Technologies, a leader in Graphics IP products, in the United Kingdom.

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Burgun continued, "I have had the pleasure of working with Estelle previously, and her experience will be invaluable in navigating the financial complexities and reporting of a rapidly growing company. Loic has pioneered highly innovative technology and established strong relationships with key customers. His positive attitude and ability to tackle customer challenges will propel our R&D team to even greater heights. Together with the additions of Sapna Swaly and Clement Pelletier to our sales team, this new leadership structure positions NovaSparks for continued success in the years to come."

About NovaSparks

NovaSparks is the leader in FPGA-based high performance and ultra-low latency trading solutions for financial markets. NovaTick, its flagship Ticker Plant product, supports 75 feeds across the major Equities, Futures and Options trading venues in North America, Europe and Asia. It is packaged in scalable 'easy-to-deploy' appliances or in 'tightly coupled' PCIe cards. NovaSparks scalable and deterministic feed handlers deliver normalized market data, including order book building and multi-feed consolidation with sub microsecond processing latency, even during market peaks period. Deterministic performance is extended to the whole trading cycle, whether the trading algorithms are implemented in software or in hardware. NovaTick also includes advanced built-in functions to support and optimize the use of wireless infrastructures.

The company is headquartered in Paris (France), New York City (USA) and has offices in London (UK), Nantes (France), Athens (Greece) and Bangkok (Thailand).

Follow us on X: @NovaSparksFPGA.

Cision

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SOURCE NovaSparks
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / NV Gold Corporation (TSXV:NVX)(OTCQB:NVGLF)(FSE:8NV) ("NV Gold" or the "Company") announces that, further to the Company's press release on February 13, 2024, it is proceeding with a consolidation of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company (the "Shares") on the basis of (1) post-consolidated Share for every ten (10) pre-consolidated Shares (the "Consolidation"). No fractional shares will be issued as any fractional share will be rounded to the nearest whole number. The new CUSIP number will be 67090W307 and the new ISIN number will be CA67090W3075. The Company's name and stock symbol will remain unchanged following the Consolidation.

The Consolidation will be effective at the opening of markets on February 28, 2024. As a result of the Consolidation, the 88,745,454 Shares which are currently issued and outstanding will be reduced to approximately 8,874,545 Shares, subject to rounding. The Consolidation is subject to final confirmation by the TSX Venture Exchange.

Shareholders who hold their Shares through a securities broker or other intermediary and do not have Shares registered in their name will not be required to take any measures with respect to the Consolidation. Letters of transmittal with respect to the Consolidation will be mailed to all registered shareholders of the Company. All registered shareholders who submit a duly completed letter of transmittal along with their respective share certificate(s) representing the pre-consolidated Shares to the Company's transfer agent, Odyssey Trust Company, will receive a certificate representing the post-consolidated Shares.

About NV Gold Corporation

NV Gold Corporation is a well-organized exploration company with ~89 million shares issued and no debt. NV Gold has 21 exploration projects in Nevada comprising 639 100%-Company-owned lode mining claims totaling 53.4 square kilometers (20.6 square miles) The Company is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Reno, Nevada and is focused on delivering value through mineral discoveries in Nevada, USA. Leveraging its expansive property portfolio, its highly experienced in-house technical team, and its extensive geological data library, 2024 is expected to be highly productive for NV Gold.

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On behalf of the Board of Directors,

John Watson, President, Chairman, CEO and Director

For further information, visit the Company's website at www.nvgoldcorp.com or contact:

Freeform Communications at 604.245.0054

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities and plans of the Company. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and includes information regarding: the effective date of the Consolidation; the number of Shares outstanding following the Consolidation; and the treatment of fractional shares in the Consolidation.

Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions of management, including, without limitation, the number of post-Consolidation Shares being different from the number set out herein and the treatment of fractional Shares in the Consolidation being different from what is set out herein, and that the Company will complete the Consolidation on the anticipated effective date.

Additionally, forward-looking information involve a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation: that the Company will be unable to complete the Consolidation on the expected effective date; that the treatment of fractional shares will differ for the treatment set out herein; and that the number of issued and outstanding shares following the Consolidation will differ for the number statement herein. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Neither the Company nor any of its representatives make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, sufficiency or completeness of the information in this news release. Neither the Company nor any of its representatives shall have any liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to you or any person resulting from the use of the information in this news release by you or any of your representatives or for omissions from the information in this news release.

The forward-looking statements herein speak only as of the date they were originally made. The Company has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE: NV Gold Corporation





View the original press release on accesswire.com




(Bloomberg) -- Top oil industry lobbying groups set the stage for a potential lawsuit challenging the Biden administrations pause in approving new liquefied natural gas exports.

Most Read from Bloomberg

In a petition filed Monday with the Energy Department, the American Petroleum Institute and six other groups say the indefinite delay runs afoul of a legal mandate for the agency to issue permits to broadly export LNG unless theres been a clear finding the shipments arent in the public interest. The petition calls the move arbitrary and capricious and says it violates administrative requirements in federal law  a prelude to potential litigation that could raise the same claims.

The filing underscores deep industry angst over the Biden administration moratorium that threatens to disrupt plans for multibillion-dollar export projects along the US Gulf Coast  while potentially encouraging overseas rivals to boost their LNG output. Qatar on Monday announced plans to double down on its ongoing supply wave with a new project capable of liquefying and exporting 16 million tons of gas annually.

Read More: Qatar Has Eyes on More Long-Term Deals as It Bets Big on LNG

Industry allies, including some moderate Democrats, have appealed to the administration to reverse course, and the House of Representatives passed legislation that effectively would preempt the pause. But the legislation is unlikely to pass the Senate  and even if it did, it probably would be vetoed.

At a time of geopolitical turmoil around the world, the Department of Energys arbitrary LNG freeze is not only unlawful, it cedes Americas energy advantage to hostile nations while jeopardizing thousands of American jobs, Rob Jennings, an API vice president, said in a news release. There is bipartisan recognition that this move is political, and we will continue to take any steps necessary to resume American leadership on LNG.

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President Joe Biden last month ordered the halt in approving new licenses to export LNG to European, Asian and other countries that are not US free-trade partners while the Energy Department scrutinizes how the shipments affect climate change, the economy and national security. Those studies are set to inform future Energy Department decisions about the path forward and pending export applications, including potentially prolonging the moratorium.

Separately Monday, a trade group representing LNG exporters and related companies said in a letter to the president the pause would have significant, negative market ramifications as US developers would be hard-pressed to obtain financial commitments and finish projects ahead of the next global supply wave.

We hope the United States doesnt blow it, Fred H. Hutchison, chief executive officer of the USLNG Association, wrote in the letter. The group also joined the API petition along with the American Exploration and Production Council, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas.

(Updates with additional reporting starting in the seventh paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 26, 2024 / (TSX.V:OGN)(OTCQX:OGNRF) Orogen Royalties Inc. ("Orogen") or (the "Company") is pleased to announce an update to the Expanded Silicon project in Nevada, USA. Project owner AngloGold Ashanti NA ("AngloGold") has announced an initial Inferred Resource of 9.05 million ounces gold at the Merlin deposit. 1 The resource at Merlin is a significant discovery, separate and contiguous to the previously announced 4.22 million ounces gold resource at the Silicon deposit. 2

Orogen holds a 1% net smelter return ("NSR") royalty on the Expanded Silicon project that includes the Silicon and Merlin deposits with exposure to approximately 13.27 million ounces gold:

Table 1: Expanded Silicon Project Summary Mineral Resources1,2

*Note: Some figures may be rounded. AngloGold reports content for gold to two decimal places.

Merlin Deposit Highlights

Pit-constrained Inferred Resources at Merlin of 284 million tonnes grading 0.99 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold for 9.05 million ounces. 1

Current mine plan considers large-scale open pit mining supported by milling and heap leach operations with potential to average over 500,000 ounces annually over a multi-year period. 4

Resources at the Merlin and Silicon deposits are oxide-ore domains possibly resulting in lower production costs. 4

Significant growth potential continues with the Merlin deposit remaining open to the west, from deeper ore horizons, and from nearby exploration targets. 4,5

The Prefeasibility Study for the Expanded Silicon project is in progress and expected to be completed in the next 18 to 24 months.5

"Over US$73.9 million was invested by AngloGold on the Expanded Silicon project in 2023 including 129,000 metres of drilling, with a focus on the Merlin deposit,"6 commented Orogen CEO, Paddy Nicol. "We are delighted to see those efforts resulting in one of the largest gold discoveries in North America in the past decade. AngloGold stated that work on the Prefeasibility Study has already started and will include infill and extension drilling, and several trade-off studies for mining, processing, and infrastructure."4

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Webcast Details

Orogen is hosting a webcast to discuss the Expanded Silicon project on Tuesday February 27, 2024, at 8:30 am PT (11:30 am ET). Please register to watch the webcast online. An accompanying PDF presentation will be available on the Events section of our website under the Investors tab in advance of the webcast. To replay the webcast at a later time, please use the same link.

Date: Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at 8:30 am PT (11:30 am ET)

Webcast Registration: https://www.gowebcasting.com/12473

About the Merlin Deposit

The Inferred Resource at Merlin consists of 9.05 million ounces gold (283.9 Mt grading 0.99 g/t gold) occurring over a strike length of two kilometres in a thick semi-conformable sheet principally hosted within the Crater Flat Group.3 The deposit is strongly oxidized and is comprised of disseminated mineralization along with epithermal veins and breccias (Figure 2).4 In addition, drilling that focused on multiple high-grade cores has identified significant visible gold (Photo 1) with highlight intercepts of:

MER 23-0112-RD 103.6 metres at 7.30 g/t gold

MER 23-00460RD 236.3 metres at 3.36 g/t gold

MER-23-0119-RD 158.8 metres at 4.07 g/t gold

Merlin is a pit constrained resource with a cut-off grade of 0.137 g/t gold.1 A metallurgical recovery factor of 94% for gold and 22% for silver was applied for mill material, and a metallurgical recovery factor of 70% for gold and 12% for silver was applied for crushed heap leach material. Currently only the oxide-domains are included in the resource.4 AngloGold indicates the deposit remains open to the west and significant upside potential exists from deeper ore horizons and nearby exploration targets.

AngloGold has initiated a Prefeasibility Study for the Expanded Silicon project focused on mining, processing, and infrastructure trade-off studies, drilling for resource conversion and extension, and exploration programs.4 In addition, AngloGold is working on hydrogeological, geotechnical, and metallurgical programs.

Figure 1: Overview of AngloGold Ashanti's Beatty District and Expanded Silicon Projects

Photo 1: Left: Visible gold from Merlin Drill Core (MER-23-0243-RD).

Right: Visible gold in a Metallurgical gravity concentrate from Merlin.4

Figure 2: Long section looking NW across the Merlin Deposit.4 (Section location shown on Figure 1).

Qualified Person Statement

All new technical data, as disclosed in this press release, has been reviewed by Laurence Pryer, Ph.D., P.Geo., VP. Exploration for Orogen. Dr. Pryer is a qualified person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101.

Certain technical disclosure in this release is a summary of previously released information and the Company is relying on the interpretation provided by the relevant referenced partner. Additional information can be found on the links in the footnotes or on SEDAR (www.sedarplus.ca) or EDGAR (www.sec.gov).

About Orogen Royalties Inc.

Orogen Royalties Inc. is focused on organic royalty creation and royalty acquisitions on precious and base metal discoveries in western North America. The Company's royalty portfolio includes the Ermitano gold and silver mine in Sonora, Mexico (2% NSR royalty) being mined by First Majestic Silver Corp. and the Expanded Silicon project (1% NSR royalty) in Nevada, USA, being advanced by AngloGold Ashanti NA. The Company is well financed with several projects actively being explored under joint ventures.

On Behalf of the Board

OROGEN ROYALTIES INC.

Paddy Nicol

President & CEO

To find out more about Orogen, please contact Paddy Nicol, President & CEO at 604-248-8648, and Marco LoCascio, Vice President, Corporate Development at 604-248-8648. Visit our website at www.orogenroyalties.com.

Orogen Royalties Inc.

1015 - 789 West Pender Street

Vancouver, BC

Canada V6C 1H2

info@orogenroyalties.com

Forward Looking Information

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward looking statements". All statements in this presentation, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that Orogen Royalties Inc. (the "Company") expect to occur, are forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur.

Although the Company believe the expectations expressed in such forward looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions.

Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Except where otherwise stated, the disclosure in this news release relating to properties and operations in which Orogen holds a Royalty are based on information publicly disclosed by the owners or operators of these properties and information/data available in the public domain as at the date hereof, and none of this information has been independently verified by Orogen. Specifically, as a Royalty holder and prospect generator, the Company has limited, if any, access to properties on which it holds Royalty or other interests in its asset portfolio. The Company may from time to time receive operating information from the owners and operators of the mining properties, which it is not permitted to disclose to the public. Orogen is dependent on, (i) the operators of the mining properties and their qualified persons to provide information to Orogen, or (ii) on publicly available information to prepare disclosure pertaining to properties and operations on the properties on which the Company holds Royalty or other interests, and generally has limited or no ability to independently verify such information. Although the Company does not have any knowledge that such information may not be accurate, there can be no assurance that such third-party information is complete or accurate. Some reported public information in respect of a mining property may relate to a larger property area than the area covered by Orogen's Royalty or other interest. Orogen's Royalty or other interests may cover less than 100% of a specific mining property and may only apply to a portion of the publicly reported mineral reserves, mineral resources and or production from a mining property.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

References

SOURCE: Orogen Royalties Inc





View the original press release on accesswire.com




The 4th edition of Transportation Oil & Gas Congress (TOGC) 2024, an annual event focusing on the pipeline industry, brought together C-level executives and technical specialists to discuss challenges and opportunities in next-gen H2 infrastructure and digital transformation.

Over the course of three days in Milan, Italy, from February 19-21, the event aimed to accelerate the advancement of sustainable solutions, paving the way for a secure and environmentally responsible energy future.

TOGC provided valuable networking opportunities for forging new connections and exploring potential collaborations. Oil and gas pipeline leaders SICIM and Bonatti cooperated with the Congress as regional partners.

Moreover, among attendees were representatives from Bonatti, SICIM, Eni, ICGB, Exolum, OGE, DESFA, Saipem, Techint Engineering & Construction, Wood, Moldovagaz, and others.

The first day of TOGC started with an opening panel featuring C-level executives from leading oil and gas industry companies.

Angelina Nizamova, the Project Director of TOGC gave the welcoming speech: More than 250 delegates have gathered today to exchange the latest innovations and discuss the current challenges of the midstream industry, which help create new business connections for future corporations and sustainable development of the industry.

During the panel, experts demonstrated projects to explore the role of pipelines in shaping a sustainable energy future.

Peter Markussen, CEO of Associated Activities from Energinet, made a presentation on how infrastructure must transform by 2050 for green energy, showcasing local, national and regional examples, and proposing solutions for managing planning complexities.

Representatives from Petro IT, ICGB, Pietro Fiorentini, and Consolidated Contractors Company also presented their strategies for determining the role of pipelines in energy transition.

The business program consisted of leaders' talks, roundtables, and debates to address industry issues.

With the support of Emerson, a leading technology and software company, the first roundtable was held. Such a format of sessions included a limited number of participants and provided closed-door discussion dedicated to the importance of digital twins for achieving operational excellence in the midstream sector.

On the second day of the TOGC, the CO2 Debate format debuted, where three delegates presented diverse perspectives on the following topics: infrastructure, transportation, circular economies, and financial challenges of CCS facilities.

Finally, on the third day, co-sponsored by Enivibes and SLB, TOGC attendees visited Eni headquarters in San Donato Milanese to observe live demonstration of the e-vpms Leak and Third-Party Interference (TPI) detectors. --OGN/TradeArabia News Service
As Israel prepares for a new ground incursion into Rafah, the southern Gaza border city where more than a million people are trapped, close to 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, with over one-third of those infants or children.

A ceasefire and the two-state solution, which China has persevered with despite Israel's rejection, are seen as largely unattainable by Palestinians. They want Beijing to be more precise and forceful in its support for their liberation, as they say it has become increasingly clear that the Western position does not align with theirs.

While China cannot "resolve" the conflict, as a superpower and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, it could "do more to mitigate" it, according to Razan Shawamreh, a doctoral researcher of international relations at the Eastern Mediterranean University.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

"The Palestinian sense of marginalisation and vulnerability, stemming from US policies that support Israel's crimes, have prompted them to find potential alternatives for support and solidarity, and they find it in China," the Cyprus-based Palestinian academic said.

Beijing's reactions signified both its support as well as its policy of not interfering or meddling in other countries' affairs. But that should not be construed as an unwillingness to facilitate negotiations in international conflicts, Shawamreh said.

In November, President Xi Jinping called for an end to the "collective punishment against the people of Gaza" with Beijing later issuing its formal position paper on the conflict, urging a comprehensive ceasefire and the establishment of a UN conference to draw up a road map for a two-state solution.

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"I contend that it can engage in serious bilateral discussions with both parties, extending beyond its peace proposals, given the positive regard in which both sides of the conflict hold China, in recognition of its rising influence," Shawamreh said.

Zoon Ahmed Khan, a research fellow at the Beijing-based Centre for China and Globalisation, said the capacity for China to act positively towards a resolution was enhanced by the fact "it has historically been sympathetic towards the Palestinian cause while maintaining pragmatic relations and broadened engagement with Israel".

On Friday, Israel reportedly sent negotiators with the head of its Mossad intelligence service to Paris for talks on a potential truce. The news came after Knesset member Benny Gantz said new attempts were being made to reach a deal for the release of the 100 or so hostages believed to be held by Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Despite Palestinians' "strong belief" in Beijing being a preferable mediator over Washington, Shawamreh argued that it "lacks the actual capability [to] contribute intensively" to their cause, given the latter's "total dominance over the conflict".

According to New York think tank, the Council on Foreign Relations, Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign aid since its founding, receiving about US$300 billion in total economic and military assistance.

The bombed-out shell of the Al-Huda Mosque in the city of Rafah, which was destroyed following an Israeli bombing. More than a million people are trapped in the city as Israel prepares another offensive. Photo: dpa alt=The bombed-out shell of the Al-Huda Mosque in the city of Rafah, which was destroyed following an Israeli bombing. More than a million people are trapped in the city as Israel prepares another offensive. Photo: dpa>

In June last year, Xi and visiting leader of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas jointly announced the setting up of a bilateral strategic partnership. The real power of the Fatah-controlled government body is contested, given that the West Bank, which it supposedly controls, is under Israeli occupation.

Pro-Israel groups have popularised the narrative that those who do not support Israel's actions are effectively sympathetic towards Hamas - the strip's other governing force which mainly Western countries and groups have designated as a "terrorist" organisation.

On Thursday - the fourth day of hearings at the International Court of Justice - China expressed support for the right of Palestinians to engage in "armed struggle" against Israel, stressing that it could not be equated with terrorism.

"In pursuit of the right to self-determination [the Palestinian people have the right to the] use of force to resist foreign oppression and to complete the establishment of the Palestinian state," Ma Xinmin, a Chinese foreign ministry legal adviser, said.

Shawamreh said the suggestion that China supported Hamas was similar to how Western discourses bolstered the idea that Beijing supported Russia's war in Ukraine.

"Washington will strive to throw accusations at China and promote the idea that it has a hidden role in mobilising people to the streets and destabilising American society," Shawamreh said, adding that the US was exploiting Israel's "feelings of disappointment" towards Beijing's position.

"Go back to China, where your headquarters is," US Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi told protesters calling for a ceasefire outside her San Francisco home during the early days of the Israel-Gaza war.

"For them to call for a ceasefire is Mr Putin's message ... Make no mistake, this is directly connected to what he would like to see," Pelosi later said about the demonstrators, adding that she would like to have the FBI investigate the financing of such protests.

The October clip, which went viral months later, captured a group of fasting women from the anti-war organisation Code Pink, who have been a regular fixture at Pelosi's residence since 2007. A New York Times report from August alleged that the group had links to Beijing, but the demonstrators rejected the suggestion.

"It's not uncommon for politicians to attribute domestic protests or dissent to foreign influence, for reasons including deflecting responsibility, shaping public opinion or aligning with geopolitical narratives," Khan said, adding that "alternative powers" which expressed support for Palestine posed a "direct challenge" to US hegemony.

US politicians' portrayal of ceasefire demands as being Chinese or Russian-led efforts to destabilise the West may have impeded the bid for Palestinian liberation, pushing it further out of reach. A more involved Global South is the answer, according to Rula Shadeed, co-director of the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy, which advocates for the embattled population.

Shadeed said China's clear support for Palestine would have a "very powerful effect" on the conflict, giving a boost to smaller states that may have been concerned about the consequences of doing the same.

"China has an important role, but it definitely can do much, much, much more," she said. "The trade relationship between China and Israel has been ongoing, for example. There has not been anything that was stopped, no calls for summoning the Israeli ambassador. There was not even mentions or threats of cutting ties [as Israeli offensives continue]."

In January, state-owned China Cosco Shipping Corporation reportedly planned to stop delivering goods into Israel because of actions by Houthi militants in the waters. Chinese ambassador Cai Run was reportedly summoned by Israel's foreign ministry over the move.

Shadeed said Beijing had to shift its position away from a two-state solution, which was an "ancient stock" that had been proven to be "merely impossible" by the pervasive system of segregation that Palestinians have faced for more than seven decades.

"I think that most Palestinians don't care about states any more - what they care about, which is rightly important, is liberation. They want the entire killing to stop, they want their economic situation to flourish, they want to have normal lives, access to health and education, and the right of movement."

Israel has maintained its "declaratory decision" to reject any recognition of Palestinian statehood. Top-ranking minister Eli Cohen said recently that peace agreements should be given up "if the price of expanding peace agreements is a Palestinian state", reinforcing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that his country needed full security control over "the entire area in the west of Jordan".

The average daily death toll in Palestine has exceeded that of any other major conflict of recent years, according to a January report by Oxfam.

But that killing could be stopped with some practical solutions, according to Vijay Prashad, historian and director of the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research. He said permanent members of the Security Council, including China, could bring forward proposals similar to those imposed on Libya during the civil war of 2011.

"To stop the bombing, China can put forward a motion for a no-fly zone over Gaza and have Egypt monitor the flights over the area," Prashad said. "It can also propose a full arms embargo - not even dual-use technology [goods, software and technology that can be used for both civilian and military applications] should be allowed to be shipped to Israel."

Prashad said the fact that member states were not offering such motions was "perplexing" and "part of our colonial sensibility" that the UN's agenda could not be set by non-Western states, who were not traditionally the decision-makers.

"There are moments like when the Chinese representative to the UN [Zhang Jun] stopped the Israeli ambassador from talking in a very undignified way - so it's not like people aren't asserting themselves, but why not assert themselves with a resolution?"

Prashad acknowledged that the proposals would likely be vetoed by the US, making Washington appear "even more complicit in the massacre than they are right now".

The US again blocked a ceasefire resolution on Tuesday. It was the third US veto of a draft resolution since October 7. Zhang said the US vote - the only one against - was "nothing different from giving the green light to the continued slaughter" in Gaza.

The veto power has become increasingly controversial as it effectively prevents UN action against the permanent members and their allies, leading to inaction on war crimes and crimes against humanity.

China and other countries could further consider recalling their ambassadors in Israel and removing Israeli diplomats in their countries in order to "put Israel on notice diplomatically", Prashad said. They would be "straightforward" and "non-interventionist" moves to make a palpable stance against the unceasing violence.

Last week, Brazil recalled its ambassador to Israel while summoning the Israeli ambassador for a reprimand, amid tensions deepened by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's comparison of Israel's war on Gaza to the Holocaust.

Prashad said that among his Palestinian peers, there was "a lot of respect" for China's infrastructure investment in the West Bank, but in response to the current Palestinian suffering, the Global South in general has been "pretty timid".

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.
DE PERE - The city of De Peres purchase of a downtown building set off a chain of property sales that will see several businesses relocate in the months ahead.

The interrelated property sales start with the citys purchase of a South Broadway building long home to two interior design stores. They end with the owners of a boutique and a restaurant on George Street relocating to the former Ziggeys Inn in Allouez.

The city of De Pere in February 2024 purchased 126 South Broadway St., in downtown, with an intent to look at a redevelopment of that segment of South Broadway.

The property sales also proved pivotal to the citys efforts to resolve a significant impediment to recently-announced plans to redevelop the now-demolished Shopko property, said Dan Lindstrom, De Peres development director.

This one purchase helped relocate a business and sets them up for the future, helps with the redevelopment of one block (of downtown), and sets the stage for redevelopment of the Shopko property, Lindstrom said.

Here's a look at what happened.

Which South Broadway building did De Pere buy? Why?

The city on Feb. 7 purchased 126 S. Broadway St. for $600,000 from 126 South Broadway LLC, state real estate transactions show. The LLC is registered to John Wagner, owner of the buildings two businesses, Tile & Stone Gallery and Saltbox Lighting.

The building was the last active storefront on the west side of that block of South Broadway. A 2019 fire destroyed two historic buildings that ended up being demolished while other buildings were sold. The entire west side of the block is now owned by two entities: MP Broadway LLC, a company tied to the Mulva family, and the city.

Lindstrom said the purchase will spur the city to explore a broader redevelopment of the entire 100 block of South Broadway Street with MP Broadway.

Its an opportunity for the city to work with interested development partners to put out proposals for that block, Lindstrom said. The intention is to work with the neighboring property owners to see if theres a common development interest.

The same limited-liability company that sold 126 S. Broadway St. to the city of De Pere in February 2024 at the same time purchased 310 N. Wisconsin St., a retail strip center next to the recently-demolished former De Pere Shopko.

Tile & Stone Gallery owner bought another downtown De Pere building, but will stay on South Broadway for now

Tile & Stone Gallery and Salt Box Lighting will stay in its longtime home for the near future after the city agreed to lease the space back to the business while it renovates its new retail space.

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Wagner purchased the retail strip center at 310 N. Wisconsin St., for $1.4 million, property records indicate. Wagner did not respond to messages left at Tile & Stone Gallery.

The strip center is adjacent to the recently demolished De Pere Shopko where De Pere Development Partners plans a multimillion dollar redevelopment.

That proved helpful to the city in another way.

De Pere has some easements to untangle on the former Shopko property

An easement gives a utility, government, business or individual a right or permission to use or access your property. Examples can assure access to a shared driveway or that a water utility can access its underground pipes.

The former Shopko building and its parking lot is crisscrossed with at least a dozen easements the city has struggled for years to resolve. They involve construction rules, pedestrian access, vehicle access, utilities, landscaping, ownership changes, and emergency vehicle access.

Lindstrom said Wagner agreed to work with the city, which clears a big hurdle and will make it easier for the Shopko site owners to start their $80 million, muilti-building project plan.

De Pere's Plan Commission will discuss the city's request to release the parties and property owners from the various easements when it meets at 7 p.m. today, but would not be forwarded to the City Council for final approval until a later date, once several other steps in the process occur.

The building at 614 George St., in De Pere, housed Chatterhouse 2016 and Bu-Tiffle Things Boutique until owners Kevin and Shannon Charles sold the building in early 2024. The Charles' plan to re-open in the former Ziggey's Inn in Allouez in spring 2024.

New De Pere brunch restaurant pivots to, purchases George Street location

Tile & Stone Gallerys choice of future location meant a brunch restaurant in development needed to find a new location.

Oakleys, the new restaurant, in September had secured a liquor license for the strip center at 310 N. Wisconsin St. But this month, the citys License Committee approved co-owners Eric Hunsader and Paula Sproat's request to move the license to 614 George St. The project remains in development.

You might recognize that address as the home, until recently, of Chatterhouse 2016 and Bu-Tiffle Things Boutique.

Ziggey's Inn closed almost four years ago and will now be the new home of Chatterhouse 2016 and Bu-Tiffle Things Boutique.

Chatterhouse 2016 and Bu-Tiffle Things found 'awesome' spot in the former Ziggeys Inn in Allouez

Kevin and Shannon Charles, the husband-and-wife owners of Chatterhouse and Bu-Tiffle Things, respectively, in late January sold their George Street site to a company called PHS Holdings LLC. PHS paid $625,000, property records show.

While they had not planned to move before the purchase, they quickly found a new home for their businesses at the former Ziggey's Inn, 741 Hoffman Road, in Allouez. Property records show they executed a land contract for the site in mid-January. The Charleses began renovations that continue today.

Kevin Charles called the new space's potential "awesome" and said he hopes to open Chatterhouse 2016 by mid-March.

Shannon Charles said Bu-Tiffle Things continues to operate from its other two locations, in Suamico and Neenah, while the upper floor of the Ziggey's building is renovated to create a separate space for the boutique. She, too, expects to re-open in mid-March.

"Customers are super-excited," she said. "They keep telling me it's the best move I could make."

Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: De Pere building purchase sparks wave of downtown business moves
MONTREAL, Feb. 26, 2024 /CNW/ - Last Fall, Pharmascience, the largest Canadian-owned pharmaceutical company, announced a major $120 million sterile injectable manufacturing facility expansion at its Candiac site. Following this important milestone, the company is now proud to announce the expansion of its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services with the creation of a new business unit dedicated to injectable products.

Pharmascience Inc. (CNW Group/Pharmascience Inc.)

This new business unit will help accelerate production and achieve Pharmascience's growth objectives by enabling the company to offer its R&D, formulation and manufacturing services to external pharmaceutical partners. It will focus more specifically on injectable products, with a mandate to offer CDMO services to biotech companies and those with complex injectable product development or manufacturing needs.

Pharmascience's ambition is to become a world leader in the sterile injectable CDMO segment and serve pharmaceutical companies with world class services to meet the needs of customers and patients worldwide.

"With a vision to continue our expansion while supporting local development and manufacturing, we see a tremendous opportunity to expand our services to meet the needs of a growing pharmaceutical client base, whose complex injectable product supply requirements can be met by the extraordinary expertise of the Pharmascience team. Creating our new CDMO business unit represents an excellent way to maximize the value of our research and development efforts and the value of every unit we produce at our Candiac plant," says Martin Ares, CEO of Pharmascience.

Appointment of John Foy as General Manager, CDMO

Alongside the creation of this new CDMO business unit, Pharmascience is pleased to welcome John Foy as General Manager, CDMO since February.

Mr. Foy is a seasoned leader with an MBA from the University of North Carolina and a mechanical engineering degree from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and has spent the last 24 years working at CDMOs, specializing in complex biologics and pharmaceuticals. He also has in-depth knowledge of the U.S. market knowledge, strategic thinking and market development expertise. His extensive experience and proven leadership will undoubtedly be major assets in helping Pharmascience position its CDMO business unit as a world leader in the sterile injectable products segment.

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News on the Candiac expansion

Pharmascience is pleased with its team's progress on the Candiac expansion project since the announcement last October. By 2026, the company will invest over $120 million to expand its facilities and more than triple its capacity with new state-of-the-art equipment. This will enable the company to support more patients, with annual production rising to more than 20 million units. This expansion is already well underway and will also enable Pharmascience to compete with international players and broaden its client base with a new range of products and services.

ABOUT PHARMASCIENCE INC.

Founded in 1983, Pharmascience Inc. is the largest pharmaceutical employer in Quebec with 1,500 employees proudly headquartered in Montreal. Pharmascience Inc. is a full-service privately owned pharmaceutical company with strong roots in Canada and a growing global reach with product distribution in over 50 countries. Ranked 52nd among Canada's top 100 Research and Development (R&D) investors in 2023, with $40-50 million invested each year, Pharmascience Inc. is among the largest drug manufacturers in Canada.

Pharmascience Inc. has strong values based on the importance of investing in its employees and young people. Through various programs and initiatives, the company ensures it supports their personal development and life. The company's commitment was recognized in 2024 when it was certified as a Great Place to Work for the third year in a row.

SOURCE Pharmascience Inc.

Cision

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Khan Brings More Than 30 Years of Experience in Power Systems and the Energy Industry

VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PJM Interconnection today announced the appointment of Aftab Khan as Executive Vice President  Operations, Planning & Security. He begins his role on March 11, 2024.

Aftab

Khan will report to PJM President and CEO Manu Asthana and will have overall responsibility for grid operations, transmission planning, cybersecurity and physical security, and business continuity.

"We welcome the experience, expertise and leadership Aftab brings to this important new role, which was created to support grid reliability during this increasingly complex energy transition," Asthana said.

As a member of PJM's Executive Team, Khan will work closely with PJM's CEO, other Executive Team members, and the Reliability & Security Committee of the PJM Board to coordinate PJM's grid operations and transmission planning, ensure both cybersecurity and physical security for the organization, and oversee business continuity efforts.

He previously served as Senior Vice President of Engineering with Eversource Energy, the utility serving 4 million customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, where he led an engineering organization of over 1,000 people focused on transmission and distribution system planning, asset management, engineering, grid modernization, operations technology, control room support and vegetation management.

He also previously worked with GE providing oversight to Grid Solutions in North America. Prior to that, Khan spent 24 years with ABB in a variety of roles, including Senior Vice President  Power Transformers, North America; President  Power Systems Division, Saudi Arabia; and Senior Vice President  Grid Systems, North America.

Khan holds an MBA in operations and finance from Carnegie Mellon University; a master's degree in electric power engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; and a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Alaska.

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"I am eager to help PJM take on the many challenges presented by the energy transition," Khan said. "PJM's creation of this new role shows the company's commitment to seeking comprehensive solutions that emphasize reliability and security as the system evolves."

PJM Interconnection, founded in 1927, ensures the reliability of the high-voltage electric power system serving 65 million people in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. PJM coordinates and directs the operation of the region's transmission grid, which includes 88,115 miles of transmission lines; administers a competitive wholesale electricity market; and plans regional transmission expansion improvements to maintain grid reliability and relieve congestion. PJM's regional grid and market operations produce annual savings of $3.2 billion to $4 billion. For the latest news about PJM, visit PJM Inside Lines at insidelines.pjm.com.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pjm-appoints-aftab-khan-as-executive-vice-president--operations-planning--security-302071133.html

SOURCE PJM Interconnection
A general view of a new crude distillation unit under construction at Exxon Mobil's refinery in Beaumont, Texas

By Robert Harvey and Alex Lawler

LONDON (Reuters) - Commodities pricing agency Platts said on Monday its addition of U.S. WTI Midland crude into the global Brent oil benchmark has gone well, and it won't be necessary to add any further crudes for the time being.

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, added Midland to its dated Brent price assessment in May 2023, bolstering volumes underpinning the benchmark amid diminishing output of the five North Sea grades, Brent, Forties, Oseberg, Ekofisk and Troll.

The integration of Midland has gone "smoothly," Vera Blei, head of Established Benchmarks at S&P Global Commodity Insights, told the company's London Energy Forum on Monday.

"Midland coming into dated Brent has added a significant amount of volume with a grade that was already established in Europe," she said.

The volumes Midland brings to the benchmark should future proof it for the next decade or so, Blei said, but the company did not rule out future additions.

Platts has learned by adding Midland that it is possible to expand the benchmark using crude from outside the North Sea, she said when asked if any more additions were being planned.

"This is a long undertaking," she said. "We can introduce a grade from outside of the North Sea successfully if we have to."

The Midland addition serves "to really futureproof this for the next decade," she added. "It doesn't mean we won't be looking at new grades as and when that becomes necessary."

The addition of Midland has helped bring new counterparties to the North Sea benchmark trading environment, Blei said, including U.S. oil company Occidental and Saudi Aramco.

(Reporting by Robert Harvey and Alex Lawler, editing by Susan Fenton)
PRISM MarketView

Jason Matuszewski

Jason Matuszewski, CEO of BioStem Technologies

NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRISM MarketView announces the release of an insightful interview with BioStem Technologies' CEO, Jason Matuszewski, discussing the company's strategic focus on revolutionizing the wound care market through innovative regenerative medicine solutions.



Jason Matuszewski, CEO of BioStem Technologies





BioStem Technologies, a frontrunner in regenerative medicine, is dedicated to leveraging the healing properties of placental-derived allografts to enhance wound care. The company stands out for its use of the patented BioRetain process, which preserves the integrity of perinatal tissues, differentiating BioStem's products from competitors. Matuszewski highlights, "We harness the natural properties of perinatal tissue... using our patented six-step BioRetain process, which allows us to deliver a product that maintains the structural integrity of the tissue."

In conversation with PRISM MarketView, Matuszewski sheds light on BioStem's extensive product portfolio, including VENDAJE and AmnioWrap2, and the companys commitment to clinical excellence through ongoing trials, notably a 100-patient study evaluating Vendaje for treating diabetic foot ulcers. "Were excited about the trial and believe it will provide invaluable real-world support for healthcare professionals," Matuszewski commented, emphasizing the company's dedication to delivering evidence-based solutions for chronic wound care.

The full interview can be found at: https://prismmarketview.com/biostem-technologies-growing-opportunity-for-wound-care-products/

About BioStem Technologies

BioStem Technologies is a leading innovator focused on harnessing the natural properties of perinatal tissue in the development, manufacture and commercialization of allografts for regenerative therapies. The Company is focused on manufacturing products that change lives, leveraging its proprietary BioREtain processing method. BioREtain has been developed by applying the latest research in regenerative medicine, focused on maintaining growth factors and preserving tissue structure. BioStem Technologies' quality management system and standard operating procedures have been reviewed and accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB). These systems and procedures are established per current Good Tissue Practices (cGTP) and current Good Manufacturing Processes (cGMP). Our portfolio of quality brands includes AmnioWrap2, VENDAJE, VENDAJE AC and VENDAJE OPTIC. Each BioStem Technologies placental allograft is processed at the Company's FDA-registered and AATB-accredited site in Pompano Beach, Florida. For more information, visit biostemtechnologies.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn .

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About PRISM MarketView:

Established in 2020, PRISM MarketView is dedicated to the monitoring and analysis of small cap stocks in burgeoning sectors. We deliver up-to-the-minute financial market news, provide comprehensive investor tools and foster a dynamic investor community. Central to our offerings are proprietary indexes that observe emerging sectors, including biotech, clean energy, next-generation tech, medical devices and beyond. Visit us at prismmarketview.com and follow us on Twitter.

PRISM MarketView does not provide investment advice.

Disclaimer

This communication was produced by PRISM MarketView, an affiliate of PCG Advisory Inc., (together "PCG"). PCG is not a registered or licensed broker-dealer nor investment adviser. No information contained in this communication constitutes an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation of any security. PCG may be compensated by respective clients for publicizing information relating to its client's securities. See www.pcgadvisory.com/disclosures.

Contact:

PRISM MarketView

info@prismmarketview.com

646-863-6341

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d5d28bea-dc77-4503-bf67-c48fcf24ac07




mapodile / Getty Images

Private retirement plans such as 401(k)s and IRAs are designed to help Americans bolster their nest eggs so they dont have to depend too heavily on Social Security checks. Although private plans dont directly impact your Social Security payments, they could have an indirect effect.

Find Out: How Rare Coins Can Fund Your Early Retirement Dreams

Try This: 6 Unusual Ways To Make Extra Money (That Actually Work)

As previously reported by GOBankingRates, a recent paper from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College suggests that eliminating tax preferences included in 401(k)s and other employer-sponsored retirement programs could help fix Social Securitys looming funding shortfall.

That shortfall involves Social Securitys Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund, which is expected to run out of money within a decade. When it does, Social Security will be solely reliant on payroll taxes for funding  and those taxes only cover about 77% of current benefits.

The Center for Retirement Research paper, published in January, proposes to repeal retirement saving tax preferences on employer-sponsored plans and use the ensuing revenue to address Social Securitys long-term funding gap. Researchers cited U.S. Treasury Department estimates showing that tax preferences for employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRAs reduced federal income taxes, and thus revenue, by about $185 billion to $189 billion in 2020.

Ultimately, reducing tax expenditures for retirement plans could be an effective way to help address other pressing demands on the federal budget, such as Social Securitys financing shortfall, the papers authors wrote.

The implication is that while private retirement plans have no direct connection to Social Security payments, ending their tax advantages could have an impact by keeping Social Security fully funded for a longer period of time. In turn, Social Security recipients might not face the threat of benefit cuts when the OASI fund goes broke.

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Supporters of ending tax preferences for employer-sponsored plans point to data showing that 401(k)s mainly help the wealthy, USA Today reported, citing Survey of Consumer Finances data showing that the median retirement account for households in the top 10% by income held $559,000 as of 2022. Ninety-three percent of those top-earning households had retirement plans.

In contrast, the median retirement plan for middle-income Americans held only $39,000  and nearly half of these Americans had no retirement savings. The inequities are even more pronounced for lower income Americans, few of whom even have retirement plans.

But tax-advantaged retirement programs have plenty of supporters, especially in the financial services and employee benefits industries.

Its not only the rich [who benefit], Craig Copeland, director of wealth benefits research at the Employee Benefit Research Institute, told USA Today. A lot of middle-class people have 401(k)s, and typically, thats the bulk of their savings outside of their homes.

Instead of eliminating the tax benefits, some experts recommend that Congress modify them so middle-class Americans can save for retirement while eliminating unfair tax breaks for the wealthy.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Are Retirement Programs Affecting Your Social Security Payments? What Financial Experts Say
Announcement marks eight acquisitions to the managed service organization in 16-month period

NEW YORK, February 26, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RF Investment Partners, MAX Surgical Specialty Management, and MedEquity Partners are pleased to announce the completion of four acquisitions that kick-start the platforms Northeastern growth into three new states. Expanding into New York, Pennsylvania, and the underserved state of Vermont, MAX is a physician-led, premier oral-surgery-focused management services organization that offers a differentiated model for its partners practices.

Established in September 2022, the surgeon-led oral and maxillofacial platform was developed with clinical and surgeon autonomy at its core. Today, MAX supports 28 surgeons in 21 locations across four states, enabling practices to channel resources, skills, and knowledge within the oral surgery specialty, leading industry advancements and delivering the highest standard of patient care.

"Our surgeons aren't solely practitioners but collective disruptors in the oral surgery space  driving innovation and pushing boundaries supported by our partnership," said MAX Co-CEO and Co-Founder Jason Auerbach. "Their success, in turn, propels MAXs work toward unprecedented growth and scale. With the support of RF and MedEquity Capital we're redefining patient care and helping deliver an unmatched experience to our communities. MAX is committed to our mission of building the regions first OMS-only specialty platform where a premium is placed on surgeon autonomy, independent practice identity, and excellence in clinical care."

RFs differentiated approach to investing, such as offering flexible capital solutions along with strategic guidance, has enabled MAX to fully capitalize on its growth ambitions. In 2024, MAX is targeting to grow by approximately 100%, extending its reach into additional states across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

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"MAXs growth and expansion show proof of their innovative approach, and the RF team is proud to support this pioneering group of oral surgeons," shared RF Co-Founder and Managing Partner Peter Fidler. "We are fundamentally in alignment that MAXs mission is to support the physicians so they can, in turn, provide the best care possible to their patients. We will continue to assist them with future strategic partnerships to expand the companys geographic presence."

MAX is actively seeking opportunities to partner with and support surgeon-led practices in the oral and maxillofacial surgery space. Practice owners interested in learning more should contact Peter Fidler, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at RF Investment Partners, at pfidler@rf-partners.com

ABOUT RF INVESTMENT PARTNERS

RF Investment Partners provides capital ranging in size from $5 million to $30 million to support leading domestic, lower-middle-market companies. RF partners with family-owned and private businesses in a variety of situations, including acquisition financing, growth capital investments, recapitalizations, refinancings, and management buyouts. RF's investment professionals have significant experience investing across the capital structure and have the flexibility to structure deals to meet the distinct needs of each company and situation. RF invests in unitranche, second lien, and subordinated debt alongside preferred and common equity.

ABOUT MEDEQUITY CAPITAL

Headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, MedEquity Capital is a healthcare private equity firm that focuses on investing in profitable healthcare services businesses, most often in the lower-middle-market and as the first form of institutional capital for founders and practice owners. Since its founding over 20 years ago, MedEquity has invested over $400 million of equity capital across nearly 20 platform investments. Further information is available at www.medequity.com.

ABOUT MAX SURGICAL SPECIALTY MANAGEMENT

Based in Hackensack, New Jersey, MAX Surgical Specialty Management is a management services organization that partners with premier oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) practices to drive and support clinical excellence and a superior patient experience with the intention of creating the ultimate surgeon-led OMS platform. MAX is committed to building the region's first OMS-only specialty platform where surgeons' autonomy, independent practice identity, and clinical excellence are organizational imperatives. MAX provides a superior platform to support strategic practice growth as well as scalable, effective, and efficient daily operations required to meet the needs of top-performing OMS practices. Further information is available at www.max-ssm.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226936489/en/

Contacts

MiddleM Creative (on behalf of RF Investment Partners)

Jan Morris

jan@middlemcreative.com

T 904.210.3302
(Bloomberg) -- One Robeco quantitative fund found a way to trounce its peers amid the recent selloff in China stocks  buy the most boring companies.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Dutch asset management firms conservative China A share fund returned 5.3% over the past year, while the benchmark MSCI China A share index it follows tumbled 21%, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The outperformance was underpinned by the funds heavy weighting in low volatility stocks such as banks and railway companies.

The low-risk factor is shooting the lights out, said Weili Zhou, head of quantitative research and investment at Robeco in Rotterdam. Suddenly the very trendy and hype names  the momentum names  are not that strong, but the low-risk, boring names are shooting the lights out.

The past two years have been punishing for most China stock investors as the countrys recovery from the pandemic faltered amid a property crisis and persistent deflation. Almost $6 trillion has been wiped off the value of China and Hong Kong equities from their highs in early 2021, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Most China-based quant investors suffered losses in the turmoil and also faced official restrictions imposed by Beijing to stem the market decline.

Quant funds such as Robecos select their holdings based on numerical analysis and customized models. The firms conservative China A share fund screens for factors such as low volatility, high dividend yields and positive analyst revisions, according to its fact sheet.

Those criteria have paid off. The funds top holding is Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd., whose A shares have gained 27% over the past year, while the second largest is Agricultural Bank of China Ltd., which has jumped 45%.

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Overweight China

Robeco also runs an emerging-markets quant fund with an overweight position in China thats also beaten its peers.

The Robeco QI Emerging Markets Active Equities fund denominated in euros gained 18% over the past 12 months, while its benchmark only rose 3%. The portfolios China weighting was 25.7% at the end of January, compared with the benchmarks weighting of 24.9%, based on its fact sheet.

The outperformance of the emerging-markets fund give credence to Robecos strategy of keeping its China holdings in line with the index weighting, Zhou said. Holding an underweight position would introduce country risk that could quickly weigh on performance if the market suddenly turns, she said.

Seeking Alpha

While there are reasons to be cautious about China, the sheer size of its stock market makes it hard to ignore for emerging-market investors. The worlds second-biggest economy represents about a third of the 2,000 or so companies in Robecos investible universe of developing-nation shares.

Quant investing is about playing the law of large numbers, Zhou said. The broader the universe, the more stocks you can start with and the better the alpha  and China has been a big alpha deliverer among emerging market countries. If you say goodbye to China, you are saying goodbye to part of the selection alpha.

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Melbourne, Victoria --News Direct-- Sarytogan Graphite Ltd

Sarytogan Graphite Ltd (ASX:SGA) managing director Sean Gregory sits down with Jonathan Jackson in the Proactive studio to discuss recent results from geotechnical drilling at the Sarytogan graphite deposit in central Kazakhstan. The company reported several significant intercepts of greater than 40% total graphitic carbon (TGC) and two individual assays higher than an extraordinary 50% TGC. The eight holes drilled last year, totalled 471.3 metres, with high-grade graphite mineralisation reported in 92% of all metres drilled. Gregory also discusses how these results will contribute to the upcoming pre-feasibility study and provides an update on ongoing battery testing, following successful maiden battery results on Sarytogan uncoated spherical purified graphite (USPG) that delivered superior performance to many Chinese synthetic graphites used in lithium-ion batteries. With the PFS and ongoing drilling to come, there should be no shortage of news flow for the company.

Gregory said: These thick high-grade results, in many cases over the entire length of 60-metre drill holes drilled into the proposed initial pit walls, highlight the low strip-ratio and exceptionally high-grade mineralisation available at Sarytogan. This is another important input to the pre-feasibility study on track for completion no later than Q3 2024.

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Expectations for the global deployable military shelters industry are high, with North America leading at a CAGR of 1.33% and Europe projecting USD 267.35 million at a CAGR of 1.50%. Meanwhile, Asia-Pacific sees significant growth amidst territorial disputes. Middle East and Africa see rising demand due to NATO missions and UN peacekeeping efforts.

New York, United States, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medical support facilities, incident commands, and emergency distribution centers are just a few applications for the deployable military shelter system. The development of specialized products used by soldiers has been fueled by advancements in military operations, joint operations, exercises, and tactics. The infantry, medical support, and rescue teams primarily use these mobile, technical textile-based shelter systems.

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Growing Demand Due to Overseas Military Operations Drives the Global Market

According to Straits Research, The global deployable military shelters market revenue was valued at USD 928.2 million in 2021. It is expected to reach USD 1,038.92 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 1.26% during the forecast period (20222030). Due to shifting battlefield requirements, military units are deployed to more remote war zones and various terrains for training and strategic operations. Due to border tensions, China and India have sent thousands of soldiers across the LAC. Both countries ordered new deployable shelters due to a temperature drop along the border. Modular shelters, barrel-style shelters, and vehicle sheds are some of the new troop facilities. All soldiers are housed in heated tents and contemporary camps at high altitudes. These factors are anticipated to drive market growth over the forecast period.

Growing Investments in Research and Development Creates Tremendous Opportunities

Businesses and governments are developing quickly deployable, modular military shelters with low weight and cost-to-volume ratios. Current investments focus on lightweight materials that provide better weather protection and simplify transport and deployment. For instance, AirBeam technology created the framework for conventional tents using air-inflated fabric structures instead of metal and carbon fiber poles. This technology can build lighter-weight base camps, command and control operations centers, and aircraft and vehicle maintenance facilities with fail-safe collapse shelters. As construction and material technologies evolve, the market for deployable military shelters is expected to grow.

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Regional Analysis

North America's deployable military shelters market share is expected to grow at a CAGR of 1.33% during the forecast period. One of the most well-liked military designs currently used by the US Department of Defense (DoD) is the Tent Expandable Modular Personnel (TEMPER) tent. These tents are incredibly durable, flame-resistant, quickly self-extinguishing fabric, and often have tunnel-like shapes. Solar shades that reduce solar loading, which can weaken a tent's structural stability by stressing the fabric, and thermal liners that lengthen the tent's life and improve indoor comfort are additional features of the TEMPER tents. The US Army also uses a different operational tent design called the Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelter (DRASH). Four people can quickly and easily erect the portable geodesic DRASH shelter without needing specialized tools. These tents have features and materials that support heating and cooling and can be collapsed.

Europe is expected to grow at a CAGR of 1.50%, during the forecast period. Strategically, NATO member states deploy European forces to support various international peacekeeping missions. In areas affected by pandemics or conflict, defense forces erect medical camps and provide temporary shelter for the injured. The entire footprint of this brand-new, transportable military medical facility can fit inside a 400-meter running loop thanks to the Project HAPTIC concept, which forms the basis of the field hospitals. Additionally, Franklin is the leading supplier of expeditionary tents to the British Ministry of Defense, and its ITC (Improved Tented Camp) is currently used in British military bases worldwide. The ITC's easy assembly, adaptability, and modular design make it sound like a field shelter for expeditions and a place for soldiers to sleep.

Key Highlights

Based on type, the global deployable military shelters market is bifurcated into tents and containers. The containers segment is the highest contributor to the market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 1.40% during the forecast period.

North America is the most significant shareholder in the global deployable military shelters market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 1.33% during the forecast period.

Competitive Players

The global deployable military shelters markets major key players are UTS Systems, General Dynamics Corporation, AAR, Rubb Buildings Ltd, Saab AB, HDT Global, Litefighter Systems LLC, Losberger GmbH, Weatherhaven Global Resources Ltd, Eureka! Expeditionary Systems, RDD USA, Federal-Fabrics-Fibers Inc., and Camel Manufacturing.

Market News

In October 2022, In order to significantly increase its distribution of Unison's aviation, aerospace, and civil land vehicle products, AAR CORP., a top provider of aviation services to commercial and government operators, MROs, and OEMs signed a long-term agreement with the company.

In September 2022, Saab will establish a manufacturing facility in India to support the shoulder-launched Carl-Gustaf weapon system, boosting local production. The new facility's production is anticipated to begin in 2024. The factory will support the production of Carl-Gustaf M4 parts for the Indian Armed Forces as well as the system's international users.

Global Deployable Military Shelters Market: Segmentation

By Type

Tents

Containers

Other Types

By Regions

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

Rest of the World

Get Detailed Market Segmentation @ https://straitsresearch.com/report/deployable-military-shelters-market/segmentation

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TORONTO, Feb. 26, 2024 /CNW/ - Starting from early May, Sunwing Vacations customers can discover a new all inclusive paradise with RIU Hotels & Resorts, a Canadian-loved resort brand set in some of the most sought-after sun destinations. Offering RIU's renowned hospitality and service, the new Riu Palace Aquarelle is set to open its doors on May 4, 2024. Located on the vibrant island of Jamaica, Riu Palace Aquarelle delivers top-rated family-friendly getaways with a variety of amenities all ages will love, from a sought-after beachfront location to an exclusive water park on site and international dining options.

Riu Palace Aquarelle, opening May 4 (CNW Group/Sunwing Vacations Inc.)

Available exclusively to Sunwing Vacations customers in Canada, the highly-anticipated opening of Riu Palace Aquarelle this spring marks the introduction of RIU's seventh property in Jamaica and its first in the beautiful Falmouth, Trelawny area, located only 35 minutes from Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.

"For over a decade, RIU Hotels & Resorts has been a trusted partner of Sunwing Vacations, providing exceptional vacation experiences to our customers in Canada, and we're thrilled to support the launch of their newest hotel in Jamaica opening this May," said Samantha Taylor, Chief Marketing and Digital Officer of Sunwing Vacations Group. "This beachfront oasis is perfectly suited to our customers, from young couples jet-setting to paradise to families with young children looking to enjoy a mix of kid-friendly excitement and relaxation, and we look forward to offering our customers more vacation options with one of the top-rated resort brands in the Caribbean."

Across its open-air lobby, restaurants, suites and spaces, this brand-new property features elements reminiscent of Jamaica's island inspirations and reflects RIU's elevated design concept that can be seen at its new and newly renovated properties across Mexico and the Caribbean.

This resort boasts 753 rooms, each featuring a bright and modern design complemented by natural furnishings, plus a range of accommodations for families, friends and groups of all sizes. Vacationers can take their pick of suites offering a balcony or terrace, living spaces and modern amenities, some featuring ocean views and swim-up access, plus two-bedroom family rooms and connecting suites for those travelling together.

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From sunup to sundown, vacationers can maximize their fun on site with a number of modern amenities suited to all ages. Guests can swim at the five pools, including a kids pool with water slides, visit the on-site Splash Water World water park or take advantage of the non-motorized water sport activities, including stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkelling and more. The resort's beachfront is lined with sun loungers, making it an ideal spot for relaxation, and wellness travellers will love the fitness centre and RiuFit group activities, the steam bath and Renova Spa ($).

In addition, customers can savour a range of culinary specialties, including traditional Jamaican barbecue at the Jerk Station, international flavours at the buffet with live cooking stations, and fusion, Italian, Japanese and steakhouse cuisine at the a la carte restaurants. Guests will also find multiple bars throughout the property to enjoy, such as poolside and swim-up bars.

In an effort to combat the growing concern of food waste, RIU Hotels & Resorts recently formed an alliance with AENOR as the first hotel chain to be certified with the new "Zero Food Waste" badge. AENOR is a leading entity in Spain that builds trust between organizations and their customers through conformity assessment services, training and information, and workplace certifications in Quality Management and Occupational Health and Safety. The "Zero Food Waste" program, which aligns itself with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and the sustainability goals of RIU and AENOR, is currently being piloted at select RIU hotels in Mallorca with the goal of expanding to other destinations in future.

Whether escaping the city this summer or getting a jump start on their winter getaway plans for the holiday season, Sunwing Vacations customers can experience the beauty of Jamaica and enjoy 24-hour all inclusive service from the brand-new Riu Palace Aquarelle, now available to book through a travel agent or on Sunwing.ca. Plus, on now until March 31, 2024, Sunwing Vacations customers can take advantage of a limited-time grand opening offer* of up to 25% off their booking to Riu Palace Aquarelle when travelling between May 4, 2024 and August 31, 2024.

*Terms and conditions apply.

About Sunwing Vacations

As the leading tour operator in Canada, Sunwing Vacations offers more vacation packages to the south than any other vacation provider with convenient direct service from cities across Canada to popular sun destinations across the U.S.A., Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. This scale enables Sunwing Vacations to offer customers exclusive deals at top-rated resorts in the most popular vacation destinations. Sunwing Vacations customers benefit from the assistance of our knowledgeable destination management partner, NexusTours, whose representatives greet customers upon arrival and support them throughout their vacation journey. For more information, please visit sunwing.ca.

Sunwing Vacations (CNW Group/Sunwing Vacations Inc.)

SOURCE Sunwing Vacations Inc.

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You cant afford a single cent of this!: Texas woman treats U.S. taxpayers like her sugar daddy. Has $11,000 in student loans and needs 300% of income to survive. Caleb Hammer responds

The stark reality: nearly 43.6 million Americans have outstanding student loans, according to the Education Data Initiative.

For many of these borrowers, the funds were essential to their education, but for some  like 20-year-old Abigail from Fort Worth, Texas  the money was used to fund a lifestyle upgrade.

Don't miss

On a recent episode of Caleb Hammers YouTube show, Financial Audit, Abigail admitted the student loan she took out wasnt necessary. I dont need to use them like I use them, I know that, she said.

Youre borrowing from the government, potentially from taxpayers, Hammer responded. Youre going about this in such an irresponsible way and your actions are showing that you just dont give a st.

However, according to a recent survey, Abigail isnt alone in her addiction to spending money or misallocating funds.

Doom spending

35% of American Gen Zs surveyed by Credit Karma admitted to doom spending, which it described as a pattern of compulsive spending (think: clothing or high-end skincare products) that helped people cope with anxieties about the economy and world affairs.

Abigail seemed to be on a similar path when she appeared on Financial Audit.

Her college is relatively close to where she lives and is, as Hammer described, insanely cheap. Nevertheless, she managed to accumulate $11,000 in student loans  all of which were allocated to fund her lifestyle choices.

In addition, she has $8,000 in auto loans for a car she admitted she didnt need to buy in the first place.

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She also has thousands of dollars in credit card debt, which could have been avoided because her cost of living is lower than the national average. She currently lives with her parents and doesnt pay for groceries or utilities.

When Hammer asked Abigail if shed just given up she said probably.

She added, Thats been my problem for the past few years: knowing Im hurting myself and just not doing anything about it. I just feel like I dont have any self-esteem.

Read more: Here's how you can invest in rental properties without the responsibility of being a landlord

To make ends meet, she occasionally delivered food via delivery service apps, but only generated $480 a month from this side gig. This isnt unusual  the gig economy can be unpredictable and often unprofitable, especially if drivers havent accounted for accompanying fuel, mileage and insurance costs.

Abigails monthly revenue is not enough to even meet the minimum payments on all her outstanding debt  which comes in at roughly $605 a month.

Hammer estimated that her basic survival needs are nearly 300% times larger than this meager monthly income.

To be fair, Abigail did land a relatively better-paid full-time job at a dental clinic recently.

Unfortunately, that job spurred on even more spending. I was working full-time for the first time and thought I was rich for a little bit, so I got laser hair removal, she admitted. This cosmetic treatment added another $2,651 to her debt pile.

Getting back on track

According to Hammer, the only way out of this mess is by working longer hours. He encouraged her to get a steady part-time job instead of relying on food delivery. This should, in theory, allow her to gradually eliminate her car payments and stabilize her monthly income.

He estimated Abigail needed to earn more than $1,476 a month to survive and meet all of her debt obligations. However, based on the $7.25 minimum wage in Fort Worth, she probably needs to work roughly 50 hours a week to meet this target.

This is why debt reduction and a tighter monthly budget are necessary. You cant afford a single cent of this! Hammer told her. Stop borrowing, you dont have to!

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
AT&T CEO John Stankey shared a letter sent to employees on Sunday after the company's cellular network experienced an outage on Thursday that impacted tens of thousands of Americans.

AT&T's network's hourslong outage on Thursday resulted in about 73,000 outage reports on Downdetector, a website that tracks internet and cellular network outages .

"Thursday was a challenging day for our company," Stankey wrote. "Our purpose is to connect people to greater possibility, and we fell short of what we typically do so well each and every day."

"Our initial review of the cause of Thursday's outage indicates it was due to the application and execution of an incorrect process used while working to expand our network. We are investing billions to grow our network and deliver an even more exceptional customer experience. This is both a point of pride and a challenge that always requires care and focus," he explained.

AT&T TO GIVE BILLING CREDITS TO CUSTOMERS IMPACTED BY CELL NETWORK OUTAGE

AT&T CEO John Stankey said the outage was a challenging situation for the company and thanked employees for their work to restore service.

Stankey wrote that the outage began early Thursday and that about three-quarters of AT&T's customers were able to access the network as they started their days around 5 a.m. CT.

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He explained that the company prioritized FirstNet service restoration to ensure first responders would get their network access back online and that remaining customers were reconnected later in the morning with the network normalized around noon CT.

"No matter the timing, one thing is clear  we let down many of our customers, including many of you and your families. For that, we apologize," the AT&T CEO wrote.

AT&T REVEALS LIKELY CAUSE OF OUTAGE THAT AFFECTED CUSTOMERS NATIONWIDE

AT&T said an initial investigation showed the outage was caused by an error while it was working to expand its network.

"For the portion of our consumer and small business customers most impacted by the outage, we are automatically applying an account credit to compensate them for the inconvenience they experienced," Stankey added. "Prepaid customers will have options available to them if they were impacted. We are also working closely with our Mid-Market and Enterprise customers and will address their concerns as those discussions take place."

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He explained that "outages sometimes have outsized impacts on some subscribers that may be greater than the face value of the credit. For that reason, I believe that crediting those customers for essentially a full day of service is the right thing to do."

Stankey expressed gratitude for the AT&T teams and frontline employees who took action and collaborated to restore service for customers.

AT&T HAD A MASSIVE CELL PHONE OUTAGE: HERE'S HOW TO WORK AROUND ONE

Some iPhone users reported their phones were stuck in SOS mode during the AT&T outage.

AT&T's initial investigation indicated the outage was due to "an incorrect process used while working to expand our network." Stankey wrote that AT&T is investing billions to expand its network and improve customer experience, a process which "is both a point of pride and a challenge that always requires care and focus."

"Moments like these are a test of resilience. This is not our first network outage, and it won't be our last  unfortunately, it's the reality of our business. What matters most is how we react, adapt, and improve to deliver the service our customers need and expect," Stankey explained.

"Every AT&T customer deserves a connectivity experience they can feel confident in and that's exactly what we're going to deliver. While it is not unexpected to encounter challenges as we enhance and expand our network, we have processes and redundancies in place for a reason. We owe it to customers and ourselves to do better, and I know that each and every one of you is committed to that goal."

"These challenges provide opportunities to identify key learnings that will make us better, and I can tell you that we have already implemented changes to prevent what happened on Thursday," Stankey wrote.

He added that he's optimistic about AT&T's future given its plans for growth, resiliency and customer experience and wrote, "We have North America's largest wireless network and the nation's largest and fastest-growing fiber network. No company is better suited to answer the call for widespread connectivity than AT&T."





Original article source: AT&T CEO shares letter to employees after cell network outage: 'we fell short'
(Bloomberg) -- AT&T Inc. customers will receive a billing credit after a widespread outage of its wireless network interrupted service for hundreds of thousands of subscribers, the company said Sunday.

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Customers will get a $5 credit on their wireless accounts, the average cost of a full day of service, according to the telecommunication companys website. The cost of reimbursing customers is fully manageable while achieving the 2024 business objective we have set for ourselves and our stated financial guidance, John Stankey, AT&Ts chief executive officer, wrote in a letter to employees on Sunday.

The disruption occurred because of an incorrect process while AT&T was expanding its wireless network. The outage lasted from the early hours of Thursday morning New York time to the afternoon.

Every AT&T customer deserves a connectivity experience they can feel confident in and thats exactly what were going to deliver, Stankey said in his letter. While it is not unexpected to encounter challenges as we enhance and expand our network, we have processes and redundancies in place for a reason.

Read more: AT&T Outage Triggered by Company Work on Network Expansion

AT&T has about 87 million subscribers and is the third-largest US retail wireless carrier, behind Verizon Communications Inc. and T-Mobile US Inc.

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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
TAIPEI, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA), under the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), led Taiwanese startups to participate in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for the seventh consecutive year. Wayne Wang, Director of the Hsinchu Science Park Bureau, led a delegation of representatives from 96 high-tech startups based in Taiwan, showcasing the country's significant role in the global information and communications technology sector.

Under initiative of National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan, Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) organizes a delegation of startups for CES 2024 leaded by Wayne Wang, Director of the Hsinchu Science Park Bureau, with 96 startups who have been selected by Consumer Technology Association

The TTA Pavilion commenced its opening ceremony at 11:30 am on January 9th, with representatives from various government departments, including the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA), the Ministry of Economic Affairs(MOEA), and the Taipei City Government, CTA President and CEO Gary Shapiro, Chief of Staff of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation Vincent Ash, the Deputy Director-General of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Noriya Tarutani, CEO of the House of Startups in Luxembourg Philippe Linster, and AVP Commercial of Dubai World Trade Centre Ayman Hassan were present to express their support and encouragement for the Taiwanese startup teams.

Showcase Taiwan's Strength and Attract International Talent

Director Wang highlighted that TTA has consistently led startups to participate in CES since 2019, with the number of participating teams growing from 32 in the first year to nearly 100 this year. Sixty-one of the startups are participating for the first time, indicating the vibrant development of Taiwan's startup ecosystem.

Taiwan has played a reliable and critical role in the semiconductor industry, with NSTC making IC innovation applications a policy focus. Leveraging the advantages of the semiconductor industry ecosystem, the council aims to strengthen innovation capabilities across various industries and actively recruit international startups and talents related to IC innovation. Director Wang encouraged all startup teams to actively showcase their strengths at the exhibition, emphasizing that their performance would not only represent Taiwan's technological startup strength but also serve as a crucial indicator showcasing Taiwan's innovation prowess globally and attracting foreign talents to collaborate and invest in Taiwan.

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TTA Strengthens International Startup Ecosystem Collaboration

Under the theme of semiconductor applications, TTA planned six major areas, including Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (AI/Robotics), Digital Health, Smart Home, Smart Cities & Sustainability, Sport Tech, and Vehicle Tech & Advanced Mobility, showcasing Taiwan's startups' cutting-edge technologies and solutions in these fields.

Five TTA Demo Show sessions were held on the main stage, inviting international startup partners from South Korea, Japan, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, and others to showcase their unique technologies. The events also extended invitations to global investors and corporate representatives.

First Roadshow in Los Angeles to Enhance Local Collaboration

TTA held a roadshow in Los Angeles in collaboration with Science and Technology Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles on January 13th. This marked TTA's first roadshow in Los Angeles, with over 30 startups pitching on stage and exploring potential investment and collaboration opportunities with venture capitalists, angel investors, and startup accelerators from Southern California.

Investment institutions expressing interest in engaging with Taiwanese startups include Mucker Capital, ranked second as the best venture capital fund company in the United States, Tech Coast Angels, ranked first in specific project evaluations among 370 angel investors, and TechStars with bases in North America, Europe, Africa, and assistance to over 2900 startups. These enthusiastic responses reflect the high level of interest from mainstream investment institutions and accelerators in Southern California towards Taiwanese startups. The upcoming roadshow is expected to foster closer and more in-depth interactions, creating more potential collaboration opportunities.

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Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilson speaks at the Annual Economic Forecast hosted by the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce meeting Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.

The Annual Economic Forecast for Leon County shows areas of concern as Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilson delivered a reality check for business leaders.

At 49%, less than half of Leon County's kindergarten students are considered "ready for kindergarten." He said 65% of children who completed volunteer pre-kindergarten or VPK were ready for kindergarten when they began school compared to 35% who didn't complete VPK.

This, Wilson said, should be what everyone is talking about to move long-term economic development forward in Tallahassee and Florida.

"If someone asked me what's the single most important thing we should all just stop and focus on, it's early learning," said Wilson, adding the Florida Chamber is driving attention toward it. "Here's the irony in this: It's not going to do a damn thing for your company's profits this year or next or the year after that ... If we fix early learning, we fix 1,000 other things."

Wilson said the idea that 49 out of 100 children aren't ready for kindergarten should be top of mind for not just the School Board but all local elected officials and business leaders.

"Why isn't this on the front page of the Tallahassee Democrat?" Wilson said. "It's not a number we should be afraid of. It's a number that should motivate all of us."

Overall, Leon County's performance in early learning mirrors the state. The Community Scorecard, a color-coded snapshot of economic indicators like educational data sets, shows both Leon County and Florida in the "red" for kindergarten readiness and third grade and eighth grad reading scores.

Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilson talks during an economic forecast event hosted by the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce.

Leon County's 86.1% high school graduation rate lags behind the state's 88% rate. Both Leon County and Florida showed improvements in eighth grade math scores and degree attainment rates.

While Wilson offered a candid look at education gaps that will impact Leon County's talent pipeline for the future, he applauded the North Florida World of Works event last year. The inaugural event was an interactive career expo that allowed students to hear from professionals from 10 different industry sectors and learn about job opportunities in North Florida.

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The Annual Economic Forecast is presented by the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. It provides an update on the local Chamber's priorities and examples of job creation and growth, along with trends and projections on a local and state level.

Some highlights included companies recruited to Tallahassee for the strong magnetic technology innovation and research at Florida State University, as well as Danfoss Turbocor partnering with Google to use artificial intelligence to make buildings and data centers more energy efficient.

Mark Wilson: Where is the common vision for Tallahassee?

Wilson also dinged Tallahassee for not having a common or community vision that's been endorsed by the City of Tallahassee, Leon County and the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce.

The vision, he said, should include goals for 10 to 20 years in the future and detail measurables everyone can use and try to achieve.

Wilson talked about his frequent travels throughout the state, adding he'd just been to Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Jupiter.

The Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce hosts the Annual Economic Forecast meeting on Thursday, Feb. 222, 2024.

"I have to tell you, the vibe in a lot of places around Florida is different than it is in Tallahassee," Wilson said. "They are standing in line to talk about private sector engagement, private sector job development, how do we recruit this industry?"

If Florida was a mutual fund and we had 67 different counties that you can invest in, I think the jury's out on Leon County," he said, noting that without colleges and a state workforce would you have a ridiculously vibrant private sector that would continue to grow?"

Wilson challenged business leaders to discuss a few metrics from the forecast, meet with their employees and talk about how their company can "move the needle on some of these community metrics."

"We ought to be able to come up with a few priorities that everybody's working on together," he said.

Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Chairman Rob Clarke said the most important message from the Economic Forecast was the challenge to have a common vision for the community.

Rob Clarke, chairman of the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, attends the Annual Economic Forecast meeting Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.

He said the private sector has a critical role in formulating that vision.

"The most important thing from the private sector perspective is to convey to the entire community that with jobs comes a better quality of life." said Clarke, a shareholder at the Ausley McMullen law firm.

Other Florida highlights: Leading the nation on new startups

In addition, Wilson offered a wide spectrum of highlights regarding Florida's economy and how the state leads the nation in the most new startups, including among Black- and Hispanic-owned business.

Florida lands at No. 2 in the nation for the number of new startups lead by women.

As of February 2024, Florida leads the nation in the number of new startups in the nation, according to the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

Florida also leads the nation in net income migration. Wilson said nearly $4.5 million of net wealth is moving into Florida "not every year, not every month, not every day, every hour; 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

"Florida is dominating the nation in wealth migration, dominating," Wilson said. "Nobody comes close. You have to add states two through 10 to equal Florida's income and wealth. It's moving into our state on an hourly basis. "

As of February 2024, Florida leads the nation in net income migration.

By comparison, Leon County has the 40th highest net income migration in the state. If Leon County was a state, it would be No. 29 in the country for net income migration, ahead of Wisconsin (No. 30), Kentucky (No. 31) and Oregon (No. 32).

Takeaways from 2024 Annual Economic Forecast

12 Month Job Growth

Florida: 240,600 (up 2.5%)

Leon: 4,366 ( up 2.8%)

Job creation

1 of every 12 US jobs are created in Florida

1 of every 71 Florida jobs are created in Leon County

Unemployment Rate

Florida : 3% (up .5% from Dec 2022)

Leon: 3.% (up .7% from Dec 2022)

Number of People Looking for Work

Florida  334,000

Leon  4,958

Number of Open Jobs

Florida  369,651  For every 100 open jobs, only 83 people looking for work

Leon  9,055  For every 11 open jobs, only 55 people are looking for work

Contact Economic Development Reporter TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com and follow @TaMarynWaters on X.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee Chamber Economic Forecast points to challenges, opportunities
To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at Telefonica Deutschland Holding (ETR:O2D) so let's look a bit deeper.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. The formula for this calculation on Telefonica Deutschland Holding is:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.025 = 270m  (15b - 4.3b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Therefore, Telefonica Deutschland Holding has an ROCE of 2.5%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Telecom industry average of 6.1%.

Check out our latest analysis for Telefonica Deutschland Holding

roce

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Telefonica Deutschland Holding compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free analyst report for Telefonica Deutschland Holding .

So How Is Telefonica Deutschland Holding's ROCE Trending?

While there are companies with higher returns on capital out there, we still find the trend at Telefonica Deutschland Holding promising. The figures show that over the last five years, ROCE has grown 94% whilst employing roughly the same amount of capital. So it's likely that the business is now reaping the full benefits of its past investments, since the capital employed hasn't changed considerably. On that front, things are looking good so it's worth exploring what management has said about growth plans going forward.

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The Bottom Line

To bring it all together, Telefonica Deutschland Holding has done well to increase the returns it's generating from its capital employed. Since the stock has only returned 19% to shareholders over the last five years, the promising fundamentals may not be recognized yet by investors. So exploring more about this stock could uncover a good opportunity, if the valuation and other metrics stack up.

One more thing, we've spotted 2 warning signs facing Telefonica Deutschland Holding that you might find interesting.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity.

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.
TURKU, Finland, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Teleste is pleased to announce that it has signed a Master Supply Agreement with a prominent operator customer ("Customer") in North America. Under the terms of the agreement, Teleste has received volume orders for intelligent 1.8 GHz ICON amplifiers, all equipped with advanced telemetry capabilities enabled by transponders. Commencing in February 2024, these landmark deliveries signify the rise of intelligent cable network technology in North America, as these amplifiers are designed not only to revolutionize network performance and enable seamless DOCSIS 4.0 rollouts, but also to unleash considerable efficiencies in terms of service quality and network operational costs.

In cable networks, the DOCSIS 4.0 infrastructure will enable 10 Gbps broadband speeds and new digital experiences to consumers and businesses. The main advantages of the DOCSIS technology for cable MSOs are fast and cost-efficient network deployments based on utilizing the existing coaxial cabling. Teleste's fully DOCSIS 4.0 compliant 1.8 GHz amplifiers allow the Customer to leverage these advancements while also featuring an additional layer of intelligence for functionality, such as remote management and automatic adjustments, that provide new avenues for operational savings and higher network utilization.

Hanno Narjus, head of Teleste's Broadband Networks business unit, states that the start of 1.8 GHz amplifier deployments creates a significant momentum to also usher in a new era of intelligence in North American cable networks.

 "As the cable industry is eager to reach out to a new level of network performance and reliability, we have an exceptional momentum to introduce an additional layer of intelligence into the networks that enables cable MSOs to maximize revenue on these network investments. The decision by our Customer to embrace intelligent amplifiers from day one underscores the growing determination of the industry to welcome this opportunity. As the pioneer of the intelligent network technology, Teleste is proud to be at the forefront of this transformation."

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With the continued growth of data consumption and the increasing demand for reliable high-speed broadband services, cable MSOs in North America are under pressure to upgrade their networks to meet evolving consumer expectations. Teleste's intelligent 1.8 GHz amplifiers not only enable the much needed multigigabit speeds, but also help unlock new levels of service quality and reliability. These improvements are based on the utilization of telemetry that increases operators' capabilities to prevent and solve possible service issues, maximize service uptime, and ensure consistent connectivity. Hanno Narjus tells that Teleste has been a pioneer in this intelligent technology for over 15 years.

 "Our journey into network intelligence began in early 2000 when our European operator customers reached out to us, recognizing the need to rethink field-active devices to alleviate manual maintenance burdens. Since then, our focus has been steadfast: incorporating intelligence into our devices across network generations to offer operators solutions to optimize operational efficiency and provide top-tier broadband service. As the industry now transitions to the DOCSIS 4.0 generation, we remain committed to continue this work, empowering our customers to excel in an ever more competitive landscape. With the growing momentum behind network intelligence, we eagerly anticipate collaborating with our customers and industry partners to propel the cable networks into the future."

Please visit Teleste's website to learn more about our 1.8 GHz and DOCSIS 4.0 technologies. To explore our offering of intelligent amplifiers for the North American market, please also visit the Teleste Intercept website.

Inquiries for more information:

Vilma Westerlund

Head of Communications, Teleste Corporation

Tel. +358 2 2605 611

Email: vilma.westerlund@teleste.com

About Teleste Teleste offers an integrated product and service portfolio that makes it possible to build and run a better networked society. Our solutions bring television and broadband services to you, secure your safety in public places and guide your use of public transport. With solid industry experience and drive for innovations, we are a leading international company in broadband, security and information technologies and related services. We connect with our customers through a global network of offices and partners. In 2023, Teleste's net sales reached EUR 151.3 million and it had approximately 800 employees. Teleste is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. For more information, visit www.teleste.com.

The following files are available for download:

https://news.cision.com/teleste-corporation/i/press-master-supply-agreement,c3271238 Press Master Supply Agreement

Cision

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teleste-signs-a-master-supply-agreement-with-a-prominent-operator-in-north-america-initiating-the-era-of-intelligent-1-8-ghz-networks-302070973.html

SOURCE Teleste Corporation
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2024) - Thesis Gold Inc. (TSXV: TAU) (FSE: A3EP87) (OTCQX: THSGF) ("Thesis" or the "Company") is very pleased to announce the appointment of William (Bill) Lytle as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board.

Ewan Webster, President and CEO, shared, "On behalf of the Board, I would like to warmly welcome Bill to the Board. With an impressive track record and currently the Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of B2Gold Corp. ("B2Gold"), Bill brings unparalleled expertise in managing mining and engineering operations from development to closure. His extensive experience in overseeing engineering due diligence, construction, and operations aligns seamlessly with our vision for growth and success and will be a welcome addition to the Board."

About Bill Lytle

Mr. Lytle is currently the Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of B2Gold. Bill manages all mining and engineering operational activities from acquisitions through closure, and coordinates engineering teams for due diligence, acquisitions, engineering, construction, operations and closure while ensuring compliance with B2's sustainability, HSE, supply chain and IT functions.

Bill originally joined the Bema Gold team in 1998, working on the Kupol and Julietta projects, and later became the Vice President of Environmental, Health, Safety and Permitting for B2Gold. Bill advanced to the role of Country Manager for B2Gold Namibia, overseeing the Otjikoto mine construction and the transition into operations, and was promoted to Vice President, Africa in 2014 during which time he oversaw the mine construction at the Fekola Project. In February 2016, Bill was promoted to Senior Vice President, Operations and ultimately, COO; In these various roles, Bill has been instrumental in B2Gold's dramatic growth and resulting success over the years. He is currently working closely with the construction team to bring the Goose Project (Nunavut, Canada) into production. Bill has a BSc in Chemical Engineering, MSc in Civil Engineering, and is a registered professional engineer (Colorado, USA).

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This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Thesis Gold Inc.

"Ewan Webster"

Ewan Webster Ph.D., P.Geo.

President, CEO, and Director

About Thesis Gold Inc.

Thesis Gold, following its strategic merger with Benchmark Metals, is unlocking the combined potential of the Ranch and Lawyers Gold-Silver Projects in the Toodoggone mining district of north central British Columbia, Canada. A 2022 Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Lawyers project alone projected an open-pit mining operation yielding an average of 163,000 gold equivalent ounces annually over a 12-year span1. By integrating the Ranch project, the company aims to enhance the economics and bolster the overall project's potential. Central to this ambition is the expansive 2023 drill program, which aims to define the high-grade underground resource at Lawyers and augment the near-surface high-grade deposits at Ranch. The company's roadmap includes releasing a combined Ranch-Lawyers resource estimate by Q2 2024, with an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment slated for Q3 2024. Through these strategic moves, Thesis Gold aspires to elevate the Ranch-Lawyers project to the forefront of global precious metals ventures.

1Preliminary Economic Assessment: Lawyers Gold & Silver Project (2022). JDS Energy & Mining.

For further information or investor relations inquiries, please contact:

Dave Burwell

Vice President Corporate Development

Email: daveb@thesisgold.com

Tel: 403-410-7907

Toll Free: 1-888-221-0915

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the Offering, intended use of proceeds from the Offering, and the future plans or prospects of the Company. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market, and economic risks, uncertainties, and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis, which is available on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca . The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/199130
Corrections & Clarifications: This story, reposted from The Detroit Free Press, has been revised to add details about the 2023 recall of 2004-06 Ranger pickups.

Ford Motor Co. is in the midst of a complex recall of a recall, reinspecting more than a quarter-million vehicles after the company discovered sloppy work and false billing by dealership technicians during the required replacement of dangerous Takata air bags.

Some customers whose repair records mistakenly reflect fixes never made are at risk from the devices, which can explode without warning and spray shrapnel on vehicle occupants. Others, drivers of certain Ranger pickups, may have incorrectly installed air bags that may not deploy in a crash, putting passengers at risk.

A Free Press investigation reviewed internal company documents, dealership memos, federal regulatory filings and court papers, showing that Ford fined some dealerships whose repair techs billed the automaker for replacing Takata air bags despite installing the devices incorrectly or not doing the work at all. A federal whistleblower complaint alleges Ford invited trouble by easing repair rules to allow low-skill techs to process the repairs quickly  a charge the automaker adamantly denies.

Drivers left dealerships thinking their air bags were safe. Still, without a reinspection, they and their front-seat passengers have remained at risk of gruesome injury and even death every time they are on the road  illustrated by the case of a Texas woman who lost her left eye in a low-speed accident in 2020. Sara Mae Morgan settled a lawsuit with Ford in 2022 and the dealership in 2023. She described to the Free Press a variety of life-altering injuries from the accident in a Mustang whose owners had taken the car in for air bag replacement.

Sara Mae Morgan, before and after a 2020 accident that involved a defective passenger air bag in a Ford Mustang.

Part of the problem is that no one  not the drivers, Ford, or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration  knows exactly which vehicles werent repaired correctly. Among the challenges is that Ford must track down current owners of vehicles as old as 2004 models and reinspect them.

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"I can't sleep at night when I think of this," the whistleblower told the Free Press. "It makes me physically ill.

Ford told the Free Press it is committed to finding and repairing the vehicles in question and characterized the problem as isolated.

Most of the vehicles  nearly 232,000  are Ranger pickups, for which Ford issued a formal recall in 2023 because of the potential for incorrect passenger-side air bag installation. In this instance, Takata air bags were replaced, but those installed improperly may not deploy in a crash, leaving passengers at risk.

Ford distributed an image to its dealer network showing the right and wrong way to install an airbag in the 2004-06 Ford Ranger pickup, which was recalled in 2023 because replacement airbags had been may have been installed improperly.

Another 41,600 Ford vehicles of various models where we believe there could be issues with repairs must be reinspected, Ford spokesman T.R. Reid told the Free Press. In those instances, Fords records show that air bag replacement was completed, but by technicians found to have cut corners on some recall work.

The whistleblower contends the numbers are much higher, based on information from dealers.

The problem was serious enough that Ford fined certain dealerships thousands of dollars after making the discovery. Ford will not reveal how many dealers were fined or how much, but Reid said the penalties were substantial enough to get their attention and make clear that the behavior wasnt acceptable.

Punishment for bad behavior

A Ford document reviewed by the Free Press warned dealers of fines of $10,000 per violation, and dealers told the Free Press that some dealership fines reached six figures. One dealer, whom the Free Press is not naming to avoid compromising his relationship with Ford, called it a money grab intended to offset a slice of Fords massive recall costs.

Fords reinspection program for the nearly 42,000 vehicles, which is not listed as a formal safety recall, runs through March 2027, according to documents filed with federal safety regulators. Reid told the Free Press in early February about 11% of that work is done. He said only about 1.5% of the reinspections turned up Takata replacement problems.

In 2021 and 2022, Ford notified its dealers that technicians weren't completing Field Service Action repairs as billed to the company. In this company slide, Ford says "When the dealer inspected 608 previously claimed repairs for this tech, they found 407 repairs were not completed."

Ford sold millions of the models from which the 41,600 was drawn, including Fusions, Edges, Mustangs and more. Reid said the company has found no reason to inspect a larger sampling of those models, even though he said during interviews and via email the 1.5% error rate may be close to normal for any repair.

'A ticking time bomb'

Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, said more vehicles should be reinspected.

I think Ford needs to go back and do a full audit to make sure no one has received a fake Takata repair, that they dont miss anything, Brooks said. They need to find every vehicle that hasnt received the correct fix. Theyre the ones ultimately responsible. These are consumers who presented their vehicles for repair and they werent repaired.

After years of exposure, the failure rate of the air bags goes through the roof and becomes incredibly dangerous, Brooks said. If someone gets an incorrect repair, theyre going to be at risk. Theres no question. You literally have a ticking time bomb that can explode at any moment.

This is an image of the passenger air bag in a Ford Mustang that hadn't been repaired and later detonated, destroying the left eye and damaging the right eye of the passenger riding in 2020.

Most consumers know about Takata air bag recalls. But this issue is more insidious because consumers think theyve taken care of the dangerous problem. Their vehicle repair records indicate the problem is fixed. But in reality, the danger worsens with every passing day as the air bags age.

Risk of injury for at least 4,000 drivers

The repair failures are tied to the largest automotive recall in U.S. history, that of 67 million Takata air bag inflators, whose metal canisters degrade with age, heat and humidity and can, without warning, become bombs. Takata air bag explosions in the U.S. have killed 26 people and injured hundreds with sharp metal fragments to the face, neck and chest since the late 1990s.

The risk of death and deformity increases with time in the millions of vehicles still needing repair.

Ford was among 19 automakers required to recall vehicles using Takata air bags. In Fords case, that was nearly 4.4 million air bag inflators in an estimated 3.95 million vehicles, Ford spokeswoman Maria Buczkowski said.

In the reinspection programs, based on numbers Ford provided, about 60 of the reexamined vehicles have been found so far with flawed air bag replacements. If the 1.5% error rate holds for the 270,000 designated for reinspection, about 4,000 would be found with air bag flaws that were supposed to have been fixed.

The number is small, but each of those 4,000 vehicles holds the potential for devastating consequences  if incorrectly installed replacement air bags don't deploy or if unreplaced Takata devices explode.

She lost an eye

In June 2020, Morgan climbed into the passenger seat of a 2007 Ford Mustang, clipped her seat belt and settled in to ride with her boyfriend to her job as a waitress at Smithhart's Texas Grill, south of Houston. According to the lawsuit she filed and later settled, a minor fender bender at less than 14 mph triggered an air bag explosion that discharged shrapnel into her face.

Her left eyeball is gone. Her right eye is damaged. She has hearing loss and tinnitus.

It shouldnt have happened  the boyfriends family took the Mustang to a dealership in October 2018 to replace the defective Takata air bags. But the vehicles repair records, obtained by the Free Press, showed only the driver-side air bag was fixed.

"Now I have to see a counselor that helps me with my mental health, or PTSD, from the accident, Morgan told the Free Press. It's kind of gut-wrenching. I'm just trying to find a way to cope.

"It's like a feeling of grief, the way I feel when I look back. Just pain, honestly. And I'll have flashbacks."

Morgan, now 23, of Pearland, Texas, said she lost count of her surgeries after a dozen. She takes medicine to sleep. She takes medicine for migraines. She takes medicine for depression now. She finds it difficult to be in public. She doesn't go underwater anymore, worried about protecting her eye socket.

"It was an air bag, Morgan said, pausing. That's what's supposed to protect you when you get in an accident. And it can seriously, drastically change your life in a matter of seconds."

Ford launches internal audit to crack down on wrongdoing

After finding evidence of shoddy recall work, Ford in 2020 required specific dealers to audit certain safety repairs. Ford says the audit, called the Dealer Incomplete Recall Repair Process, was triggered when it discovered some technicians failed to complete door latch recall work for which they billed the automaker.

The audit also directed the dealers to review work on air bags and seat belt components, a company document shows. The audit focused on techs whose work was flagged; the company wont say how many workers were involved.

Ford made presentations region by region around the country in 2021 and 2022, explaining to dealerships the importance of repairing defective air bags properly. A company review indicated that repairs had been done improperly or not at all.

As a result of the audit, Ford wrote to its roughly 3,000 Lincoln and Ford dealers on March 28, 2022, saying the company determined that vehicles claimed by dealers as repaired under the Takata air bag safety recalls may not have actually had the repairs.

Ford Motor Company issued a letter dated March 29, 2022, reminding its dealers of a quality inspection program for air bags previously listed as potentially defective.

That letter told dealers to inspect vehicles in the shop and ensure air bags are installed correctly. The reinspection was classified as a quality inspection program, which differs from a formal recall. An NHTSA representative said the quality inspection program is an audit to ensure recall repairs, and it and other service programs were conducted as instructed. While there is no reporting requirement, Ford regularly updates the agency on the progress of such programs during meetings.

The program includes 2004-11 Ranger pickups. In spring 2023, 2004-06 Rangers were formally recalled for air bag reinspection. Enough mistakes were found in Rangers during work that followed the March 2022 memo to prompt last year's recall.

Beyond the Ranger, Fords 2022 memo said vehicles to be reinspected included select 2007-10 Ford Edges; 2006-12 Ford Fusions; 2005-06 Ford GTs; 2005-14 Ford Mustangs; 2007-10 Lincoln MKXs; 2006-12 Lincoln Zephyr/MKZs; and 2006-11 Mercury Milans.

Letters went to affected vehicle owners in April 2022 saying, A Ford Motor Company quality audit found that it is possible that the dealership technician who serviced your vehicle did not complete some of the repairs that the dealership submitted claims for.

Thayne Hansen, Ford director of service engineering operations for the international markets group, referred to the rechecks as the recall of a recall in an interview with the Free Press.

Whistleblower allegations challenge Ford's good faith

A whistleblower complaint that outlines safety concerns, initially filed with federal safety regulators in 2019 and obtained by the Free Press, argues that the danger evolved, in part, from Fords decision to change training requirements for technicians.

Ford, which denies changing standards, and the whistleblower offer differing narratives of what happened:

The whistleblower  whom the Free Press is not naming because of the persons concern about damaging their business relationship with Ford  alleges that in 2019, Ford moved to allow workers without adequate training to complete air bag repairs.

A follow-up letter in July 2022 to top NHTSA officials from the whistleblowers lawyer said, Ford Motor Company intentionally caused bad actors and egregious actions by turning away from their own published policies.

Takata air bags were so common that, after their danger was discovered, they couldnt be replaced quickly. NHTSA set a schedule that is still being completed, with 7.1 million of 67 million air bag inflators originally recalled still to be replaced, according to the NHTSA website.

By late 2018  around the same period that the Ford Mustang that later injured Morgan was taken to the shop for air bag repair  Ford came under pressure from federal safety regulators to speed up its Takata repairs. Dealerships were already buried with recall and warranty work, with Ford second among automakers in recalls in 2017-18.

The Free Press obtained a November 2018 document from Ford to its dealers notifying them that a new Service Dispatch Flexibility program will replace the current Technician Competency Performance Exemption program.

Use the program to dispatch repair work to experienced/qualified Technicians that may not yet be certified, the document said.

Ford sent a memo to its dealers on Nov. 18, 2018, on technician competency standards after Dec. 31, 2018, in an effort to "minimize warranty claim rejections." It includes permission to use technicians who may not be certified, which a whistleblower complaint alleges wasa shift in Ford procedure for such repairs.

To catch up on Takata replacements, the whistleblower complaint argues, Ford eased its standards for who could do recall repairs, permitting Quick Lane workers who usually did routine work such as oil changes, tire rotation or brake pad replacement to now replace air bags.

That, the whistleblower contends, invited the sloppy work.

A July 1, 2019, memo from Ford to its dealers introduced "new initiatives and program changes" to meet service volumes. The letter mentions NHTSA completion requirements, and noted that Takata air bag recall repairs would continue to "maintain a large presence in dealership service departments."

'Guidelines are vague'

Ford argues that, contrary to the whistleblowers assertion, the company did not change standards for who could replace Takata air bags. Reid and Buczkowski said the 2019 policy changes involved warranty work, which they separate from recall repairs.

Reid said in an email that the technical requirements for performing recall service work have not changed from 2018 and forward.

Dealers interviewed by the Free Press saw it differently.

Policy guidelines are vague enough that its not at all uncommon for the same vehicle to go into two different stores (dealerships) and one says its a warranty repair and the other store doesnt. Its a function of interpretation, one longtime dealer told the Free Press, asking that the dealership name be withheld to avoid backlash from corporate headquarters.

Fords office of general counsel is over-the-top conservative. Im guessing that somebody in warranty writes those recall instructions and sends them on to the office of general counsel and then anything that could possibly paint Ford into a corner gets taken out, the dealer said.

Three dealers in different parts of the U.S. told the Free Press that Ford technicians see doing warranty repair and recall or tech service bulletin work as all the same.

A Field Service Action is an overarching term that encompasses all that stuff, one dealer said. "Ford is the customer. Ford determines how much they get paid for it. And the techs dont always agree with the process.

In all stores (dealerships) Ive ever seen, technicians do the work, whatever it is; customer pay, insurance or warranty. If you asked a technician if a recall is warranty work, hed say yes. Thats nine out of 10 techs. For both, Ford determines how long it takes, Ford tells them how to do it and Ford says what parts to use.

The dealer, who echoed the whistleblower, said, Techs fix things that need fixing. A recall is a warranty and a technical service bulletin is warranty. The door latch recall  all of a sudden Ford reduced reimbursement rates  Techs were upset, so they were shortcutting the job. I never thought they would do that in reference to Takata.  But there are obviously some seriously disgruntled techs out there.

Ford cut rates to its repair techs in years leading up to the air bag repair backlog, which angered many techs and sparked an online change.org petition in November 2019 that collected 3,950 Ford tech signatures.

Next time your car is at a dealer for days, and you wonder why, it's because the few of us that remain cannot handle all of the work, Ford dealership technician William Stox told the Free Press. Cuts in our labor times, combined with warranty becoming 60-70% of our workload, have driven tech shortages that are occurring.  It's immoral, unethical.

Ford: 'It's not that hard'

Ford says technical certification isnt necessary for air bag repairs  and that any changes came under pressure from NHTSA to accept some added risk.

Federal regulators urged automakers to be creative, to go find ways to do things, said Hansen, Ford's director of service engineering operations. Under the guidance of the monitor from NHTSA, we were being encouraged  I will say encouraged would be a mild word  we were being encouraged to go and look at new ways  in regards to getting more repairs done.

Reid said, In order to get more customers in for assessments and necessary repairs more quickly, it required everybody, manufacturers and NHTSA, to think differently. And thats what we did.

The dealership employees who ordinarily did routine tasks would be working off illustrated, step-by-step instructions.

In 2019, we reminded (dealers) that recall repairs, directed repairs, could be done by any of their technicians, Reid told the Free Press. Recall repairs are structured, broken down in a way that make them relatively simple to do.

Because theyre not diagnosing a problem, theyre looking to make sure its installed correctly, Reid said. That can be shown with descriptions and graphics so they can identify whether its done right.

This 2005 Ford Ranger is part of what a Ford engineer terms a "recall of a recall" of more than a quarter million vehicles.

The primary reason that Ford reminded the dealers of the protocol in 2019, Reid said, is because they were starting to get backlogged on recall repairs generally.

Ford reiterated to dealers that any technician had the ability to do that, Buczkowski said of air bag replacements. These are actually not as complicated repairs as I think youre being told by the dealers.

Yet, regarding the 2004-06 Ranger pickups recalled last year, repair techs didnt follow the repair procedures that we had sent to them, Buczkowski said. They didnt properly follow instructions.

Hansen said the fixes involve simply replacing the inflator or entire air bag, if necessary, not servicing the air bag itself or the system that controls it.

If a person can follow directions, anyone can do it, he said. Its not hard.

'Anytime I deal with an air bag, I take it very seriously'

Others say replacement of air bags, which they describe as deceptively complex electrical and chemical packets, requires expertise.

Stephen Ridella, then-director of vehicle crashworthiness research at NHTSA, cautioned in 2015 about the difficulty of Takata replacements. Ridella said during a webinar, "these inflator parts are complex and unique ... only someone with specialized training should replace these parts."

Michael Crossen is an automotive service excellence master certified technician at Consumer Reports and former master certified automotive technician at Mercedes-Benz.

The drivers air bag is not terribly difficult to replace, provided you follow safety precautions, Crossen told the Free Press. The passenger air bag is definitely more difficult to replace. Most master technicians could replace the drivers air bag in five to 10 minutes. A passenger air bag could take hours. You may have to remove pieces of the dashboard or the whole dashboard cover.

Any time I deal with an air bag, I take it very seriously. Air bags are maybe second only to seat belts in terms of crash safety. You need to make sure you dont rush, Crossen said. If I were a customer, I would like to think the technician working on an important safety system in my vehicle has more experience than just oil changes.

What happens when an air bag deploys is complex. Sensors in vehicles detect collisions, and those sensors send an electric signal to the canister that contains a colorless salt known as sodium azide, and the electric signal detonates a small amount of an igniter compound, Joseph Merola, a chemistry professor and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Virginia Tech, wrote in Scientific American in 1999. The heat from this ignition starts the decomposition of the sodium azide, which is poisonous, and the generation of nitrogen gas to fill the air bag in seconds.

Crossen told the Free Press in mid-February, "When a dashboard air bag goes off, you usually have to replace the dashboard because it tears it apart. When an air bag goes off, it's a violent event."

Brooks, with the Center for Auto Safety, said other automakers, including Toyota and Honda, have gone to extremes to ensure that they not only have achieved the highest recall repair rates possible but have told the owners of vehicles in some instances that they need to park the vehicles and not drive them until the air bags are replaced.

Toyota, Honda issue new safety recalls

Toyota issued a do-not-drive warning in January for 50,000 2003-05 vehicles, Brooks noted. They know how dangerous this is. This isnt one of those safety defects where theres a one in 10,000 chance. Once those inflator chemicals are exposed, youre looking at significant rates of failure. Thats why its so urgent to get these fixes done properly."

In May 2019, Honda recalled 19,000 vehicles after identifying a problem similar to Fords. The company told NHTSA, A nationwide audit on the workmanship of vehicles repaired by service technicians no longer employed by Acura or Honda dealerships prior to May 2018 found that passenger frontal air bag inflators may have been incorrectly installed at certain dealerships. NHTSAs safety bulletin at the time stated that air bag replacement should be performed only by "skilled technicians who have the proper tools, equipment and training ..."

A service technician from Hoover, Alabama, posting on an internal Ford site in 2023, criticized the use of Quick Lane techs for repair work because air bag replacement requires more than any trained monkey can perform. And a senior master technician from Great Bend, Kansas, noted that Ford is allowing dealership managers to determine capability  but then face punishment later if theres a problem. The Free Press reviewed the comments.

NHTSA told the Free Press via email that regulators are working with the automaker to bring the safety issue into compliance through the 2022 quality inspection program. The agency said it does not acknowledge or discuss whistleblower complaints publicly or the potential status of an investigation. The whistleblower said they last had contact with regulators in 2022.

Ford jumps to the front in air bag replacement rates

After telling dealers to be creative and use more personnel to handle Takata recall work, Ford's air bag replacements sped up significantly. The company attributed the surge in repairs to parts availability.

A whistleblower asserts that required Takata air bag replacements by Ford gained traction only after Ford turned off competency and integrity cross-checks and pushed dealers to use unqualified support staff to perform complex safety repairs. "We implored to NHTSA, repeatedly, that these lowering of standards would make the Ford reports to NHTSA worthless, that the repair network was now compromised and that repairs could not be done properly and was ripe for systemic fraud," the whistleblower told the Free Press.

But problems emerged, leading to the March 2020 announcement of an audit program examining allegations of suspicious repairs performed by certain technicians.

Reid told the Free Press the audits first looked at door latch recall repairs, but turned up other issues that led to reexamining Takata air bag replacements and seat belt components.

That audit  called the Dealer Incomplete Recall Repair Process  turned up enough flawed repairs that the company launched its ongoing five-year reinspection program.

Ford wont disclose the full results, but the Free Press reviewed a document that showed one dealer who, as part of the audit, inspected 137 vehicles and discovered 61 incomplete air bag repairs.

Ford showed a video to its dealers in 2021 and 2022 as part of a campaign to get dealers to crack down on "incomplete" air bag recall repairs that risk injury or death. This screenshot says that one dealer inspected 137 vehicles repairs and found 61 were done improperly or not all.

The larger audit was focused on technicians whose work had come under scrutiny.

Ford noted that, In one outcome of that auditing, we learned that 98.5% of the Takata air bag replacements by those technicians were done correctly in the first place.

Ford customers get tangled in bigger recall crisis backlog

The Takata recall and the reinspection program added work for an automaker swamped in recent years with billions of dollars in recall and warranty work, which not only causes a backlog at dealerships but because of Fords cap on reimbursement brings in less money than regular mechanic work.

Ford has issued far more recalls than its competitors. Some dealers warn customers to expect a monthslong wait for repair, with some even suggesting they go to a non-Ford shop, customers from different parts of the country told the Free Press.

Certified technicians already were angry with the Ford mothership by the dawn of 2019 over 2017 limits on reimbursement for recall repairs. The whistleblower told the Free Press that wrongdoing related to these Takata repairs could have easily been predicted and prevented.

This April 2022 on an internal Ford community forum exchange explains that Ford is not rejecting recall reimbursement claims if a technician is uncertified. Prior to 2019, Ford required certain training for key repairs. In 2019, company policy was revised to remove cross-check policies that confirmed worker training and identity.

In March 2023, Ford sent a letter to dealers urging them  as it did in 2019  "to be creative in their approach to completing Takata air bag recall repairs." Ford referred dealers to examples of creative approaches, called the "non-traditional repair approaches" section in the dealer bulletin.

That may not be typically how they organized and handled service in their shops, Reid said. I suspect because dealers typically had the work done by their service technicians. They also were building, generally speaking, a backlog of warranty repairs that they couldnt get through their shops because of capacity.  Ultimately, the delivery of service is up to the dealers. They know the people in the shop and they know their capabilities.

'No checks and balances' between Ford, dealerships

As the reinspection program continues, owners of the affected vehicles may be driving with an explosive device that can malfunction at any time.

Two Ford dealers told the Free Press many vehicle owners are numb to recall notices, they arrive so often from automakers now, and certainly the Takata warnings have faded to a dull hum after all these years.

Sara Mae Morgan reached a confidential settlement with Ford in 2022 and the dealership in February 2023, with the help of Houston trial lawyer Rob Ammons, who has done significant work involving air bags.

It was Ammons' client, Air Force Lt. Stephanie Erdman, who testified before Congress in 2014 after being blinded in one eye from air bag shrapnel while driving a 2002 Honda Civic. Today, Erdman is featured on the Ford website urging consumers to get their air bags fixed.

"We thought we succeeded in fixing this problem, but now we're learning there's no checks and balances between Ford and the dealerships," Ammons told the Free Press. "The longer theyre (air bags) in the car, the more likely they are to have an uncontrolled deployment. This isnt like a great wine that gets better with age."

He emphasized in mid-February, "Unless we get all of these air bags out of these vehicles and replaced with safer ones, we're going to see more of these ruptures and catastrophic injuries."

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: Flawed Takata air bag repairs put thousands of Ford drivers at risk
(Reuters)  U.S. aluminium producer Alcoa on Monday made a $2.2 billion all-stock buyout proposal for its Australian joint venture partner Alumina, in a deal that would give it greater upstream exposure and simplify its operations.

Alumina's only asset is a 40% stake in the Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals (AWAC) joint venture, which is controlled by Alcoa and has interests in bauxite mining, alumina refining and aluminium smelting across Australia, Brazil, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Guinea.

Alcoa CEO William Oplinger told analysts the deal would eliminate Alumina's A$12 million ($7.87 million) a year of overhead costs and allow the combined company to tap tax advantages related to holding debt.

The broader global footprint will also allow Alcoa more options for growth, he added.

Under the proposed deal, Alumina shareholders would receive 0.02854 shares of Alcoa common stock for each share held, giving them a 31% stake in the combined company. This would imply a value of A$1.15 per Alumina share, based on Alcoa's closing price as of Friday.

Alumina shares closed 7 Australian cents higher at A$1.09 on Monday. Alcoa's shares were down 2.9% in U.S. premarket trading.

Melbourne-based Alumina said its board backed the deal in the absence of a superior offer, though it also noted there was no certainty the proposal would be made binding.

Alumina's largest shareholder, investment manager Allan Gray Australia, holds just under a 20% stake in the company, which it said it had agreed to sell to Alcoa.

"To a very large degree it simplifies the corporate structure," portfolio manager Simon Mahwhinny of Allan Gray said of the deal.

An Alcoa aluminum plant in Alcoa, Tennessee. (Reuters)

Alumina was created from a 2002 de-merger of WMC Ltd's alumina assets and an Alcoa buyout has been viewed as logical by analysts for more than two decades.

AWAC also has a 55% interest in the Portland aluminum smelter in Australia with China's CITIC Resources and Japan's Marubeni.

Story continues

CITIC Resources and other subsidiaries of its parent CITIC Ltd hold a combined 19% stake in Alumina, according to CITIC Resources' 2023 interim report, making the Chinese group the second-largest shareholder. CITIC did not respond immediately for a request for comment on whether it backed the Alcoa offer.

"We believe this transaction makes strategic sense, but the economic upside to Alcoa is offset by the premium paid," Jefferies analysts in a note on Alcoa.

"We would expect shareholders of both companies to vote for this transaction, although this is not certain as AWC shareholders may be disappointed by the relatively small premium in an all-share deal."

The deal offered a 13% premium to Alumina's last closing price, below more typical takeover premiums of about 30%.

The Alcoa proposal comes at a tough time in the alumina industry due to low prices.

Alcoa said in January it planned to stop production this year at AWAC's loss-making Kwinana alumina refinery in Western Australia due to challenging market conditions and the facility's age.

(Reporting by Melanie Burton in Melbourne and Echha Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Diane Craft and Jamie Freed)
By Shariq Khan and Laura Sanicola

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A slump in U.S. refining activity and disruptions to global trade have tightened diesel supplies in recent weeks, dampening historically high U.S. diesel exports to Europe this month.

Difficulties in securing U.S. diesel complicate an existing supply crunch in Europe, which previously relied on Russian fuel exports. U.S. diesel cracks briefly surged to a four month high of over $48 a barrel this month, crimping arbitrage opportunities to ship the fuel to Europe.

Many of Europe's other suppliers in the Middle East and Asia have been forced to traverse around the Cape of Good Hope due to Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, adding lengthy delays and making that trade less profitable too.

European imports of U.S. diesel fell by almost half this month to 6.65 million barrels, down from 11.44 million barrels in January, which marked the highest level since August 2017, according to analysis by ship tracking firm Kpler.

"European diesel appears to be the key at-risk product due to rerouting, supply availability, and distorted arbs," Macquarie analysts said in a note this month.

The decline in trade came as the 435,000 barrel-per-day BP Whiting refinery in Indiana - a major U.S. diesel producer - was forced shut in early February following power outages.

That outage coincided with operational issues at several plants from a mid-January cold snap, like TotalEnergies' 238,000 bpd Port Arthur, Texas, refinery. Others, including Motiva Enterprises' 626,000 bpd plant in Port Arthur, are undergoing planned turnarounds.

U.S. refinery utilization rates have fallen from near 93% at the start of the year to 80.6% this month, the lowest rate since December 2022, according to government data.

As a result, U.S. refiners' distillates output slumped to 4 million barrels per day in the week ended Feb. 9, also the lowest since December 2022. U.S. distillate stockpiles have dropped for five straight weeks and now stand 10% below the prior five-year's seasonal average, the data showed.

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Diesel prices in Northwest Europe rose steadily throughout February, averaging over $118 a barrel, compared with $109 last February..

OPEN ARBS AHEAD

With European refineries set to undergo their own turnarounds in March and April, European diesel prices are poised to rise further and that could help revitalize flows of U.S.-made diesel to Europe, Kpler analyst Matt Smith said.

Meanwhile, expectations of U.S. refineries' restarting imminently have pulled back the country's diesel crack by nearly 30% from recent highs to $34 a barrel.

U.S. refiners are expected to increase available refining capacity by 431,000 bpd for the week ending Feb. 23, cutting offline capacity to 1.8 million bpd, research company IIR Energy said on Friday.

The decline in U.S. diesel prices and subsequent jump in their European counterparts, represented by the HOGO swap [HO-LGO1=R], have re-opened arbitrage for U.S. diesel to move from the Gulf Coast to Europe for March and April arrivals, according to Sparta Commodities' analyst James Noel-Beswick.

Arbitrage from the U.S. Atlantic Coast for future months appears open also, Noel-Beswick noted.

At least three vessels carrying over 850,000 barrels of diesel from the U.S. Atlantic Coast will discharge at various European ports next month, according to Sparta and Kpler shipping data.

Two cargoes totaling over a million barrels have been fixed from the U.S. Gulf Coast for April deliveries, Kpler data shows.

(Reporting by Shariq Khan in New York and Laura Sanicola in Washington; Editing by Liz Hampton and Josie Kao)
By Karen Freifeld

(Reuters) -A U.S. Senate committee said on Monday it will hold a hearing on March 6 on a bill that would prohibit federal agencies from contracting with China's BGI, WuXi AppTec and other biotechnology companies of concern.

The bill would also stop the government from entering into contracts with companies that use the Chinese companies' equipment or services. News of the Senate bill, and similar legislation in the House, has sent shares of WuXi AppTec tumbling in recent weeks on fears it would hurt the company's large U.S. business.

The legislation is intended to prevent foreign adversaries from stealing American genetic data and personal health information, according to a statement on the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee website.

The committee's hearing is a procedural step, also called a mark-up, to discuss next steps on the bill, which was sponsored by Democratic Senator Gary Peters.

A House bill introduced by Republican congressman Mike Gallagher, chair of the House select committee on China, accuses the companies of aiding Beijing's military.

WuXi AppTec has denied ties to China's military and said its business does not pose national security risks to any country.

WuXI AppTec operates in more than a half-dozen U.S. states including Pennsylvania, California and Delaware, where a subsidiary is investing some $500 million in a manufacturing facility. Two-thirds of its revenue came from the U.S. market in the first nine months of 2023, according to an investor

The company, which also has sites in Europe and China, offers a wide range of services to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.

BGI Group has said that statements alleging it is controlled by the Chinese government or military are false. It has said it supports protecting personal data, but that the legislation will not accomplish that goal because it "will effectively drive BGI from the U.S. market."

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Earlier this month a bipartisan group of lawmakers told top Biden administration officials that the U.S. should review WuXi AppTec for sanctions.

The lawmakers told Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo that the company's links to China's Communist Party and military threatened U.S. national security.

WuXi AppTec shares have fallen 36% in the last month.

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Chris Sanders, Scott Malone and Matthew Lewis)
Dana Adams has joined Vantage Data Centers as President, North America. (Photo: Business Wire)

David Howson has joined Vantage Data Centers as President, EMEA. (Photo: Business Wire)

Company appoints seasoned executives to lead North America and EMEA during next phase of growth

DENVER & LUXEMBOURG, February 26, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vantage Data Centers, a leading global provider of hyperscale data center campuses, today announced the appointments of Dana Adams and David Howson who will serve as regional presidents of North America and EMEA, respectively. The company also announced that Antoine Boniface, who has served as president of EMEA for the past four years, will take on a new role as chief commercial officer for the region. These appointments come as the company enters 2024 positioned for another year of significant growth and expansion across the globe.

Adams joins Vantages executive leadership team as president of North America, bringing nearly 18 years of experience in the data center sector to the company. Based in Denver, she will oversee the regions growth, including market development, sales, construction and operations, reporting to Jeff Tench, executive vice president, North America and APAC. Adams was previously the chief operating officer for AirTrunk, a hyperscale data center provider serving the Asia-Pacific region. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at Iron Mountain and Digital Realty.

Howson joins Vantage as president of EMEA to spearhead the companys growth, overseeing market development, sales, construction and operations across the region. A seasoned veteran with more than 30 years of international internet infrastructure experience, Howson recently served as chief operating officer at Congruex, a national end-to-end provider of digital network services. Previously, he served as CEO of Six Degrees Group and in several executive roles at Zayo Group LLC and Level 3 Communications. Howson is based in London and reports to Sureel Choksi, president and CEO.

Additionally, Boniface, who previously served as president of EMEA, has been named the companys first chief commercial officer for EMEA. In his new role, Boniface will oversee site selection, market intelligence, sales and sales engineering, driving Vantages commercial strategy to expand with customers across the region.

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"The additions of Dana and David come at a pivotal time for Vantage as we continue to scale our leadership team to keep pace with our customers exponential growth driven by cloud and AI services globally," said Choksi. "I am thrilled to welcome Dana and David given the wealth of experience and leadership they bring to our two largest regions.

"In addition, we are excited for Antoine to become our first chief commercial officer in EMEA. Antoine has been fundamental to our success in the region, and this new role plays to his strengths and passion for serving our customers. David, Antoine and the EMEA leadership team will collectively partner to drive our next stage of growth."

These leadership appointments come just three months after the company named Raymond Tong as president of APAC.

About Vantage Data Centers

Vantage Data Centers powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the worlds well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across five continents in North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

For more information, visit http://www.vantage-dc.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240226667521/en/

Contacts

Press Contacts

Mark Freeman

Vantage Data Centers

mfreeman@vantage-dc.com

+1-202-680-4243

Robin Bectel

REQ for Vantage Data Centers

vdc@req.co

+1-202-936-6335

Marion Chevillotte

Vantage Data Centers

mchevillotte@vantage-dc.com

+352-691-000-551

Nigel Parker

Fulfil Communications for Vantage Data Centers

nigelp@fulfilcom.com

+44-(0)-7778-872-457
Mr Schuler fears the deal would hand too much control of valuable radio spectrum to one company - Simon Dawson/Bloomberg

A 15bn merger between Vodafone and Three risks leaving rivals with patchier connections unless their market power is curbed, the boss of Virgin Media O2 has suggested.

Lutz Schuler warned the tie-up would hand the combined company too much control of valuable radio spectrum used to operate mobile networks.

He said: We understand the industry logic [for the merger] and need to support economies of scale.

But we could not support our customers if the deal goes ahead without an agreement on spectrum and network sharing.

VMO2 warned that the merged companies stranglehold over spectrum would lead to worse connections on rival networks and ultimately harm consumers.

Mobile spectrum relates to the various radio frequencies allocated to mobile operators and other communications businesses. Usage is regulated by Ofcom.

Spectrum is expected to be a key bone of contention among rival operators ahead of the planned Vodafone-Three merger, which would create the UKs largest mobile network with 27 million customers.

The combined company would hold almost 50pc of all mobile spectrum and just under 60pc of C-band frequencies, a valuable portion of spectrum considered ideal for 5G.

VMO2 has already raised concerns with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which has opened an investigation into the transaction.

However, VMO2 is also in direct negotiations with Vodafone and Three over a potential deal, and Mr Schuler said regulatory intervention may not be necessary.

BT-owned EE is also expected to call for spectrum concessions as part of the competition review.

Aside from spectrum, Mr Schuler also called for long-term assurances about VMO2s current network sharing agreement with Vodafone.

The two companies jointly own mobile masts through their Cornerstone towers business. VMO2 sold part of its stake in a 360m deal last year, but retains a 33pc holding.

The warning from a major rival will add to concerns about the impact of the merger between Vodafone and Three.

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MPs have called on the CMA to launch an in-depth investigation into the deal amid concerns that reducing the number of UK mobile operators from four to three could push up prices for consumers.

In 2016, regulators blocked a proposed tie-up between O2 and Three on competition grounds.

Vodafone boss Margherita Della Valle says 'it makes no sense to have four parallel 5G networks' - ENRIC FONTCUBERTA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

However, Vodafone and Three have argued that the market has changed considerably since then and say they require scale to keep investing in their networks.

Speaking at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Vodafone chief executive Margherita Della Valle said: In-market consolidation needs to become possible in Europe. In a 5G world, its just not economical. It makes no sense to have four parallel 5G networks.

The companies have pledged to invest 11bn in their combined UK 5G network over the next decade and create up to 12,000 new jobs. They have also insisted that the deal will not push up prices for consumers.

Separately, the deal is being reviewed on national security grounds amid concerns that Threes Hong Kong-based parent company CK Hutchison could gain access to sensitive national infrastructure.

The mobile firms have rejected the concerns, arguing that CK Hutchison has been in the UK market for two decades.

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A custom-designed townhome is up for sale in the East Village, conveniently located within walking distance of the areas retail, dining, and nightlife and enhanced with interior features rarely found among its Bridge District neighbors.

Listed by real-estate agent Darla Willett-Rohrssen, the two-story, three-bedroom, and three- bathroom property is priced at $699,900 and occupies a corner footprint among the collection of townhomes known as The Banks.

Willett-Rohrssen is a long-time resident of the district and remains an enthusiastic supporter of the still expanding development. Among her clients have been young professionals taking advantage of the close proximity to downtown and enjoying the bike and walking trails along the riverfront.

I would also say there are people like me. The kids are out of the house, or they're in college and so their parents are just looking for something new, she said. This is a way to get out and just start a new life.

The expanded chef's kitchen features Wolf appliances and a walk-in pantry.

Sitting a few blocks north of Grand Avenue, the townhome was custom built during The Banks first construction phase, which permitted the original owners to add their own touches to the design template. The garage was shrunk to accommodate 2  vehicles and the extra room was reassigned to the large, open-plan kitchen.

The expanded chef's kitchen features Wolf appliances and a walk-in pantry.

Equipped with Wolf appliances, the kitchen space also hosts a four-seat island, and a walk-in pantry that is lacking in many of the later home builds.

A look at the living room at this $699,900 townhome in the East Village.

On the same floor, the light-filled living area is illuminated by south and west facing windows and the front door is guarded by a dedicated security system.

The primary bedroom offers access to a private deck with some of the best views of downtown Des Moines.

The upper-level primary bedroom is directly accessible to its own outdoor deck, another benefit missing from similar-sized homes on the block. The bedroom also leads to a pair of custom walk-in closets and a window space suitable for lounging or installing exercise equipment.

A look at the wet bar in his home in the East Village.

Upstairs includes a designated laundry nook, and room for entertaining friends and family next to a wet bar with a wine cooler and attached sink. A third bedroom could easily be converted into a home gym, or office.

Story continues

This home in the East Village features a private deck with some of the best views of downtown Des Moines.

On the roof, the views stretch west to downtown, the 801 Grand building, the Lauridsen Skatepark, Brenton Skating Plaza and the Des Moines River. The deck is already fitted with a gas line to attach to a barbecue grill and plumbing and wiring if new owners wished to install a hot tub.

Since the neighborhood lacks any main thoroughfares, there is little vehicular traffic around the district, other than created by local residents. It's insanely quiet, Willett-Rohrssen said, and she noted that while many residents no longer have children living at home, many in the pet-friendly neighborhood do enjoy taking care of a dog.

The home is listed at $699,900 by Darla Willett-Rohrssen of Iowa Realty Mills Crossing. Contact her at 515-203-6108 or online at darlawillettrohrssen.iowarealty.com for more information and a private showing.

More on this house

This home in the East Village goes for $699,900 and features a private deck with some of the best views of downtown Des Moines.

Where: 204 E. Center St., Des Moines

Asking price: $699,900

Year built: 2017

Square footage: 2,625 square feet

Lot size: 0.038 acres

Richard Lane is a freelance writer for the Des Moines Register. If you have a home we should feature, reach out to Susan Stapleton at sstapleton@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: This $699K townhome offers private views of downtown Des Moines
(Bloomberg) -- Britains top antitrust enforcer has opened an investigation into eight housebuilders to probe potential information sharing, sharpening scrutiny of a sector thats failing to deliver enough affordable housing to meet demand.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Competition and Markets Authority has opened a cartel investigation into eight developers including Barratt Developments Plc, the Berkeley Group, Persimmon Plc and Vistry Group Plc. The investigation centers on concerns the companies may have exchanged competitively sensitive information, which could be influencing the build-out of sites and the prices of new homes. An initial review will take place until December.

CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Cardell told Bloomberg Television the watchdog had seen potential evidence of companies exchanging information relating to pricing, sales rates, and incentives offered to new homebuyers. The watchdog has the power to fine firms a maximum penalty of as much as 10% of annual revenue and disqualify directors following cartel investigations.

Ultimately a lot of the decisions that need to be taken to improve the way the housebuilding market is working, really are decisions for elected governments, Cardell said in a Bloomberg TV interview Monday. This is a complex policy space.

Read more: Britains Chronic Housing Shortage Is About to Get Even Worse

The watchdog spent the past year looking into the countrys chronic housing shortage, an issue thats become a key political battleground ahead of a general election expected this year. In a report published Monday, the CMA said it found that Britains planning system  which it deemed complex and unpredictable  coupled with limitations of speculative private development were responsible for the persistent under delivery of new houses.

Story continues

The regulator recommended the government streamline the planning system and introduce more consumer protections.

The CMA said its investigation into the suspected sharing of commercially sensitive information isnt one of the main drivers of the problems in the report. But the watchdog said it is committed to tackling anti-competitive information when they find it.

Bellway Plc, Bloor Homes Ltd., Redrow Plc, Taylor Wimpey Plc are the other homebuilders being probed. Barratt, Bellway, Berkeley, Persimmon, Redrow, Taylor Wimpey and Vistry all fell in early London trading. The shares of Persimmon fell as much as 3.7%.

The shortage of affordable housing has become a key issue across the country. More than four years ago, the ruling Conservative Party pledged to build 300,000 new homes a year, a target they fell short of every year after, before making it advisory in 2022. The Labour Party, which is leading in the polls, effectively matched the objective by promising in October to build 1.5 million homes over five years, should it get into power.

Bloomberg News analysis of government population data and house building targets earlier this month identified a shortfall of almost 100,000 homes a year for the next five years when including pent up demand from years of missed targets.

The country will need to build almost 400,000 dwellings annually over the next five years to factor in stronger population growth  almost all of which will come from immigration  as well as the homes that would have been built had targets since 2019 been met, according to calculations by Bloomberg News.

This report says what we all knew  that the housebuilding sector isnt working and isnt delivering the new homes we need, said Marc Vlessing, chief executive officer of London-based developer Pocket Living.

The CMAs study also found concerns about estate management charges and the quality of new homes. The watchdog presented its findings in a letter addressed to Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, outlining a number of recommendations such as establishing a New Homes Ombudsman to help customers better pursue developers over quality issues.

The regulator announced its housebuilding market study last February and said it would look into five areas areas of concern, focusing on estate management charges, land banks, planning rules, competition among builders, and barriers for new developers. Initial findings identified complex planning rules and slow decision-making as hindering the delivery of new homes, particularly for small homebuilders with fewer resources.

Read more: Barratt to Buy Redrow in Deal Creating UKs Biggest Homebuilder

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Webomaze's SEO Expertise Boosts Digital Growth for Australian Construction Companies

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, Feb. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Demonstrating the effectiveness of strategic digital marketing, Webomaze's application of SEO expertise has enhanced the digital presence of several Australian construction companies. A notable example includes a Melbourne-based firm that experienced a 357% increase in organic traffic within four months thanks to targeted SEO strategies.





Through tailored SEO techniques, Webomaze has facilitated remarkable growth for construction firms in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. This is characterized by increased online visibility and client engagement, marking substantial progress for these companies within the competitive landscape of Australia's construction industry.

In Melbourne, a construction company previously overshadowed by larger entities achieved significant digital visibility, with a 357% increase in organic traffic. Such a surge in online presence has led to a significant uptick in client engagement and inquiries.

A Brisbane-based company also saw substantial improvement in its online footprint. With Webomaze's support, the company moved from obscurity to prominence on Google search results, leading to a 40% increase in online traffic over five months. This directly translated into more consultation bookings and contract opportunities.

Webomaze's success stems from its ability to tailor SEO strategies to the specific needs of the construction industry. The company's approach includes detailed keyword research, competitive analysis, and content optimization, all designed to enhance the online presence of medium-sized construction businesses.

The achievements of these construction companies underscore the strategic insight and expertise of Ravi Sharma and Vinika Garg, the duo behind Webomaze. Their work has supported the growth of construction businesses and leveled the playing field, allowing smaller companies to compete more effectively with larger firms.

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This move towards thoughtful digital marketing, particularly in local SEO, proves how construction SMBs in Australia are positioning themselves for success.

A New Chapter for Construction SMBs

As more construction companies realize the benefits of SEO, the industry is transforming. This raises an important consideration: Is this the beginning of a new phase where construction SMBs leverage digital strategies for growth and competitiveness?

Webomaze's impact on the industry clearly indicates the power of effective SEO strategies in elevating businesses to new heights.

About Webomaze

Webomaze Pty Ltd, led by Ravi Sharma and Vinika Garg, has made a significant impact in the SEO industry with its mathematical approach to SEO. Since its inception in 2015 and its establishment in Australia in 2020, Webomaze has become recognized for its effectiveness in enhancing online visibility for over 1,000 businesses, supported by positive reviews across major platforms. The company's dedication to SEO specialization allows it to deliver focused and measurable growth for its clients, positioning Webomaze as a notable player in the digital marketing field.

Contact Information

Brand: Webomaze

Name: Ravi Sharma

Email: hello@webomaze.com.au

Website: https://www.webomaze.com.au/

SOURCE: Webomaze




Last week, Grant Cardone explained why sanctuary city real estate values could create a systemic banking crisis.

Over the weekend, Cardone provided more insight in a post on X, detailing why he cant buy real estate in blue states at this time; it reads:

3 (or 4) states in focus

Cardone has said that his team will avoid certain markets and double down in three states in particular: Florida, Texas, and Arizona. All three are traditionally "red" states. He had also previously mentioned Tennessee as a focus, which has also been a "red" state for the last six Presidential elections.

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China launches targeted measures to combat cold spell

Xinhua) 09:18, February 23, 2024

BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Vast parts of China have experienced a cold spell during the ongoing Spring Festival travel rush, with blizzards and rainfall impacting many regions.

Due to the freezing weather, targeted measures have been implemented for transportation, supplies and electricity in provinces and regions including Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Anhui and Hubei.

Snow removal vehicles equipped with turbofans were deployed along a major expressway in central China's Hubei Province. Amid the tremendous roar, torrents of hot air gushed out from the nozzles of the machines.

According to technicians, this type of vehicle can blow away snow with a thickness of about 10 cm, covering a width of around 50 meters. It can rapidly melt accumulated snow and dry icy road surfaces, which is particularly helpful in clearing expressways.

In Taiyuan, the capital city of north China's Shanxi Province, police not only ensured smooth traffic flow but also aided drivers in pushing their vehicles. Meanwhile, the city's urban management and sanitation departments worked around the clock to remove snow and ice.

Due to the impact of the snowstorm, many trains at Jinan West Station in east China's Shandong Province experienced delays as they operated at reduced speeds. "We set up a service counter to assist passengers with ticket refunds and modifications," said Xu Ying, a staffer with China Railway Jinan Group Co., Ltd.

China Railway Taiyuan Group Co., Ltd. arranged 22 additional trains to popular destinations such as Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai on Wednesday. They also set up ice monitoring points for wires along the railway and prearranged emergency personnel for prompt de-icing operations.

Since Wednesday, efforts have been underway at Beijing's Daxing International Airport to de-ice aircraft and clear snow and ice from aprons and roads.

Shouheng Gaobeidian Market in Hebei Province, a major vegetable supplier in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, has mobilized merchants for effective coordination between production and sales to secure vegetable supply within the region.

To combat the impact of rain and snow, the power department in east China's Anhui Province activated an alert for freezing conditions on Wednesday. Special inspections were carried out on key transmission lines and 274 substations.

The province has set up 1,375 power repair teams and 16 emergency teams capable of carrying out cross-regional repairs.

China's Ministry of Emergency Management on Wednesday activated a Level-IV emergency response to low temperatures, rain and snow in central China's Hunan Province, and maintained a Level-IV emergency response that was activated on Tuesday in the provinces of Anhui, Henan and Hubei.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you're one of those dividend sleuths, you might be intrigued to know that Suncor Energy Inc. (TSE:SU) is about to go ex-dividend in just 3 days. The ex-dividend date is usually set to be one business day before the record date which is the cut-off date on which you must be present on the company's books as a shareholder in order to receive the dividend. The ex-dividend date is important as the process of settlement involves two full business days. So if you miss that date, you would not show up on the company's books on the record date. Meaning, you will need to purchase Suncor Energy's shares before the 1st of March to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 25th of March.

The company's next dividend payment will be CA$0.545 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed CA$2.18 to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Suncor Energy has a trailing yield of approximately 4.8% on its current stock price of CA$45.79. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing.

Check out our latest analysis for Suncor Energy

Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned in profit, then the dividend could be unsustainable. Fortunately Suncor Energy's payout ratio is modest, at just 33% of profit. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. Fortunately, it paid out only 43% of its free cash flow in the past year.

It's positive to see that Suncor Energy's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.

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Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Businesses with strong growth prospects usually make the best dividend payers, because it's easier to grow dividends when earnings per share are improving. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. That's why it's comforting to see Suncor Energy's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 26% per annum for the past five years. Suncor Energy is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow, while simultaneously growing earnings per share at a rapid clip. This is a very favourable combination that can often lead to the dividend multiplying over the long term, if earnings grow and the company pays out a higher percentage of its earnings.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Suncor Energy has delivered an average of 11% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past 10 years of dividend payments. It's exciting to see that both earnings and dividends per share have grown rapidly over the past few years.

Final Takeaway

Is Suncor Energy worth buying for its dividend? It's great that Suncor Energy is growing earnings per share while simultaneously paying out a low percentage of both its earnings and cash flow. It's disappointing to see the dividend has been cut at least once in the past, but as things stand now, the low payout ratio suggests a conservative approach to dividends, which we like. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.

So while Suncor Energy looks good from a dividend perspective, it's always worthwhile being up to date with the risks involved in this stock. To help with this, we've discovered 3 warning signs for Suncor Energy (1 can't be ignored!) that you ought to be aware of before buying the shares.

If you're in the market for strong dividend payers, we recommend checking our selection of top 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.
Osino Resources Corp.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yintai Gold Co., Ltd (000975.CN) ("Yintai") and Osino Resources Corp. (TSX:OSI.V) (NSX:OSN) (FSE:RSR1) ("Osino") are pleased to announce that they have entered into a binding arrangement agreement (the "Yintai Arrangement Agreement"), pursuant to which Yintai will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Osino (each, an "Osino Common Share") by way of a plan of arrangement (the "Yintai Arrangement"), for cash consideration of C$1.90 for each Osino Common Share, valuing Osino at approximately C$368 million. At closing of the Yintai Arrangement, Osinos portfolio will consist only of gold related assets located in Namibia, primarily the Twin Hills Gold Project in central Namibia as well as exploration projects Ondundu and Eureka.



Prior to entering into the Yintai Arrangement Agreement, Osino terminated its arrangement agreement with Dundee Precious Metals Inc. ("DPM"), dated December 17, 2023 (the "DPM Arrangement Agreement"), in accordance with its terms.

Transaction Highlights

Significant premium of approximately 32% to the implied value of the consideration pursuant to the DPM Arrangement Agreement 1

All-cash offer, providing value certainty and immediate liquidity to Osino shareholders

Highly credible and capable counterparty in Yintai US$5.6 billion market capitalization as a publicly traded company on the Shenzhen stock exchange Track record of successful M&A including the US$600 million acquisition of Canadian-listed Eldorado Gold Corporations White Mountain (Jilin Banmiaozi) and Tanjianshan (Qinghai Dachaidan) Mines and Eastern Dragon (Heihe Yintai) Development Project in 2016 Significant support from its major shareholder, Shandong Gold  with its own strong track record of international M&A

Immediate cash infusion for Osino of US$10 million for operations and working capital needs and the reimbursement in full of the termination fee paid to DPM

Chinese outbound investment approvals to be obtained in parallel with Namibian competition approval

Leverages Yintai's strong balance sheet and access to capital to fast-track development of Twin Hills



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As referenced in its press release on February 19, 2024, Osino received a binding proposal from Yintai to acquire all of the issued and outstanding Osino Common Shares and notified DPM that this offer constituted a "Superior Proposal" in accordance with the terms of the DPM Arrangement Agreement. DPM notified Osino that it will not propose to amend the terms of the DPM Arrangement Agreement in light of the Yintai proposal and, as a result, Osino terminated the DPM Arrangement Agreement in accordance with its terms and entered into the Yintai Arrangement Agreement.

Based on the closing price of the DPM common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange as of February 16, 2024, the Superior Proposal represents a premium of approximately 32% to the implied value of the consideration offered pursuant to the DPM Arrangement Agreement and approximately 68% premium to the unaffected share price of the last trading day prior to announcement of the DPM Arrangement Agreement.

Yintai has also provided Osino with a loan comprising of approximately (i) US$10 million facility provided concurrently with the execution of the arrangement agreement to enable the continued, fast-tracked development of the Twin Hills gold project and to fund other liquidity needs of Osino and (ii) an amount equal to the termination fee paid by Osino following the termination of the DPM Arrangement Agreement (the Yintai Facility).

Heye Daun, President and CEO of Osino, stated:

Whilst we were appreciative of the previous offer from DPM, the all-cash offer from Yintai represents a significant premium to the DPM offer price, thus is clearly a superior proposal, and is an excellent outcome for Osinos shareholders. Yintai is experienced, well-financed, and has a highly credible track record of gold mining in China, with the technical skills and financial resources to progress the project through construction and into production. We look forward to working with Yintai to continue to fast-track the development of the project and close this transaction.

Xingong Ou, President of Yintai, stated:

Twin Hills represents a unique opportunity to add a high-quality gold development asset to our portfolio in a stable and mining friendly jurisdiction. The project provides the foundation for our future production profile with production targeted for 2026, as well as significant exploration upside. We are excited to leverage the excellent work done by the Osino team in discovering and progressing Twin Hills to this point and we look forward to working with the existing Osino team to grow their Namibian activities and to implement the construction of the project. We are impressed with the responsible mining approach which the Osino team has built, and we intend to continue and to grow that approach.

Osino Board of Directors and Special Committee Recommendations

After consultation with its financial and legal advisors, and on the unanimous recommendation of the special committee of independent directors (the Special Committee), the Osino Board unanimously determined that the Transaction is fair to Osino shareholders and is in the best interests of Osino and approved the Yintai Arrangement Agreement. Accordingly, the Osino Board and the Special Committee recommend that Osino shareholders vote IN FAVOUR of the Transaction.

The Osino Board and the Special Committee received fairness opinions from each of BMO Capital Markets and Eight Capital, which state that as of the date of such opinion and based upon and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set forth therein, the Consideration to be received by Osino shareholders, pursuant to the Transaction, is fair from a financial point of view to the Osino shareholders. Eight Capital was retained on a fixed-fee basis.

Transaction Conditions and Timing

The proposed transaction will be completed pursuant to a court approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). The transaction will be subject to the approval of Osino security holders, being: (i) 66 2/3% of the votes cast by shareholders, (ii) 66 2/3% of the votes cast by holders of incentive securities and warrants voting as a single class with shareholders; and (iii) a simple majority of shareholders excluding votes held by related parties under Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions, at a special meeting of Osino securityholders.

The Yintai Arrangement Agreement provides for, among other things customary board support and non-solicitation covenants, with a "fiduciary out" that would allow Osino to accept a superior proposal, subject to a "right to match period" in favour of Yintai. The Yintai Arrangement Agreement also provides for a termination fee of US$9.55 million, payable by Osino to Yintai in certain specified circumstances along with the repayment or conversion of the loan. The Yintai Arrangement Agreement also includes a reverse termination fee in the amount of US$9.55 million, payable by Yintai to Osino in certain other specified circumstances.

Pursuant to the Yintai Arrangement Agreement, all outstanding Osino stock options, restricted share units, deferred share units and warrants which remain outstanding at the effective time of the Transaction, will be deemed to be exercised or settled, for their in-the-money value net of withholding taxes, as applicable, under the arrangement for Osino Shares, which will be exchanged for the Consideration.

Directors and officers of Osino have entered into voting support agreements pursuant to which they have agreed to vote their common shares in favour of the Yintai Arrangement.

Subject to certain conditions, including the parties obtaining the requisite regulatory approvals, the transaction is expected to close in H1 2024, subject to timing of the approvals under the Namibia Competition Act. Upon closing of the transaction, the Osino Shares are expected to be concurrently delisted.

Securityholder Meeting

As a result of Osinos termination of the DPM Arrangement Agreement, the special meeting of Osino securityholders previously scheduled for March 1, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. (Vancouver Time) at which securityholders were to consider the transactions contemplated by the DPM Arrangement Agreement will not proceed on that date and has been cancelled.

Osino expects to hold a new special meeting of securityholders as of a record date of March 15, 2024 on April 29, 2024, where securityholders will be asked to approve the transactions contemplated by the Yintai Arrangement Agreement.

Full details of the Yintai Arrangement will be included in a management information circular of Osino that is expected to be mailed to Osino's shareholders by early April, 2024.

Shareholders who have questions regarding the Yintai Arrangement should contact Osino's strategic shareholder advisor and proxy solicitation agent Laurel Hill Advisory Group at +1 (416) 637-4661, or by e-mail at info@laurelhill.com.

Advisors and Counsel

BMO Capital Markets and Treadstone Resource Partners are acting as financial advisors to Osino and its Board of Directors and Eight Capital is acting as financial advisor to the special committee of the Board. Stikeman Elliott LLP and King & Wood Mallesons are acting as Osinos legal advisors.

Canaccord Genuity is acting as financial advisor to Yintai. DeHeng Law Offices and McCarthy Tetrault LLP are acting as Yintais legal advisors.

About Osino Resources Corp.

Osino is a Canadian gold exploration and development company focused on the fast-tracked development of our wholly owned, Twin Hills Gold Project in central Namibia. Since its grassroots discovery by Osino in August 2019, Osino has completed more than 250,000m of drilling and has completed a suite of specialist technical studies culminating in the recently published Twin Hills Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") dated effective June 12, 2023. The DFS describes a technically simple and economically robust open-pit gold operation with a 13-year mine life and average annual gold production of over 162,000oz per annum.

Osino has a commanding ground position of over 8,000km2 located within Namibia's prospective Damara sedimentary mineral belt, mostly in proximity to and along strike of the producing Navachab and Otjikoto Gold Mines. Osino is actively exploring a range of gold prospects and targets along the belt by utilizing a portfolio approach geared towards discovery, targeting gold mineralization that fits the broad orogenic gold model.

Our projects are favourably located in central and northern Namibia and are within easy reach from Namibia's capital city, Windhoek. By virtue of its location, the Twin Hills project benefits significantly from Namibia's well-established infrastructure with paved highways, railway, power and water in close proximity. Namibia is mining-friendly and lauded as one of the continent's most politically and socially stable jurisdictions.

Qualified Persons Statement

David Underwood, BSc. (Hons) is Vice President Exploration of Osino and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release and is a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Pr. Sci. Nat. No.400323/11) and a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Further details are available on Osino's website at https://osinoresources.com and under Osino's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

About Yintai Gold Co., Ltd.

Yintai is a mining company publicly listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of US$5.6 billion as of February 23, 2024, as well as in excess of US$570 million in cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2023. Yintai conducts businesses in the mining and exploration of precious and non-ferrous metal.

Yintai owns 5 mining operations in China, including the Yulong lead, zinc and silver mine, the Heihe Yintai gold mine, the Jilin Banmiaozi gold mine, the Qinghai Dachaidan gold mine and the Mangshi Huasheng gold mine. In 2023, Yintai produced 225.4 Koz of gold, 6.2 Moz of silver, 9.5 Kt of lead and 16.5 Kt of zinc. The major ~29% shareholder of Yintai is Shandong Gold, the operator of multiple gold mines internationally including the ~7Moz Namdini Gold Project under construction in Ghana.

On Behalf of Osinos Board of Directors

Heye Daun, President and CEO

Contact Information

Osino Resources Corp.

Yaron Conforti

+1-604-687-2038

yconforti@osinoresources.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements and information with respect to statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of Yintai and Osino with respect to future business activities and operating performance; the timing of mailing of the management information circular of Osino, the timing of the special meeting of securityholders and the timing of the completion of the transactions contemplated by the Yintai Arrangement Agreement. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although Osino has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in Osino's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis which is available on Osino's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. Osino does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

1 Based on the closing price of the DPM common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange as of February 16, 2024, the last trading day prior to the announcement of the Superior Proposal.








ZTE will showcase a comprehensive array of innovative products and solutions marked by ultra-efficiency, sustainability, and intelligence, aiming to highlight groundbreaking ICT technologies and their application advancements at MWC24

Under the theme "Unfolding the Intelligent Future," the company aims to leverage the opportunities presented by the grand event, joining forces with industry partners to envision a future driven by digital intelligence

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a global leading provider of information and communication technology solutions, has recently announced its participation at the Mobile World Congress 2024 in Barcelona from February 26 to 29. Under the theme "Unfolding the Intelligent Future," the company aims to leverage the opportunities presented by the grand event, joining forces with industry partners to envision a future driven by digital intelligence.

ZTE to unveil ultra-efficient, green and intelligent innovations at MWC 2024

Notably, the company is set to showcase a comprehensive array of innovative products and solutions marked by ultra-efficiency, sustainability, and intelligence, aiming to highlight groundbreaking ICT technologies and their application advancements across four key exhibition zones - Ultra-Efficient Infrastructure, Intelligence for Greater Value, Boundless Future, and Smart Life at 3F30, Hall 3, Fira Gran Via.

Building highly efficient, low-carbon and modernized foundational network to meet diverse needs

In response to the foundational network requirements of telecom operators, ZTE will showcase how to utilize next-generation networks and extensive computing infrastructure to build a future-oriented, modernized infrastructure in an efficient and low-carbon manner.

In the wireless area, ZTE will bring forth UniSite, an Ultra-simplified radio site. Leveraging a seven-frequency integration approach, UniSite simplifies site deployment, and through multi-frequency MIMO evolution, it achieves spectrum efficiency. Introducing a new generation of constant efficiency power amplifier architecture and pioneering the industry's first power-pooled UBR, ZTE is committed to achieving ultimate energy savings. The debut of the 800GE/400GE deterministic router and the introduction of the industry's highest-capacity microwave IDU mark ZTE's dedication to efficient backhaul support, providing seamless evolution for 5G-A.

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In the wirelined area, ZTE is set to launch an ultra-efficient all-optical network. Through FTTx, this initiative aims to achieve comprehensive gigabit coverage for homes, campus, and rural areas. ZTE will pioneer the launch of the Tbit all-optical access platform, introducing super-fast OTN for large-scale deployment, enabling ultra-long-distance 400G connections. Additionally, ZTE will be the first to debut the 800G powerful and pluggable solution at the event.

In the computing power field, ZTE will present a diversified and highly efficient end-to-end computing infrastructure solution. The full series of servers deliver high-quality heterogeneous computing power, catering to the full-scenario demands of general computing, and intelligent computing. Additional innovations include high-performance distributed all-flash storage, lossless high-speed 400GE interconnection, liquid-cooled modular data centers (DCs), and other cutting-edge products.

In the green and low-carbon domain, ZTE will introduce a comprehensive end-to-end energy operation solution. The showcase demonstrates how core technologies enable universal low-carbon practices, realizing green energy supply, efficient energy storage, and intelligent energy consumption.

Leveraging AI to drive business growth for telecom operators and expedite the monetization of digital intelligence

ZTE will showcase a range of innovative products and solutions in leveraging artificial intelligence to boost business development for telecom operators and achieve digital intelligence monetization for the 2C/2B/2H markets. This includes the "uSmartNet - Truly Autonomous Network Solution," integrating AI large models and digital twin technology. Additionally, ZTE will present solutions based on the Open Gateway and intelligent resource orchestration, assisting operators in monetizing traffic and enhancing user experience.

For the expansion of 2B business for operators, ZTE will introduce a digital construction architecture for the industrial campus based on "industrial private network + ZTE DigitalNebula," and independently develop industry large models to help build an efficient and collaborative smart factory. Demonstrating the integration of 5G and PON technologies, ZTE showcases the expansion of a dedicated network into the OT domain. This advancement ensures heightened determinism, seamless integration of computing networks, and streamlines operations by minimizing maintenance requirements.

Furthermore, ZTE will also bring about industry's first 5G+XR network media integrated solution, which empowers industrial, cultural tourism, and other sectors with metaverse applications, providing more possibilities for industry and commercial innovation. For the expansion of 2H business for operators, ZTE will elevate user experience through diverse Wi-Fi 7 terminals, comprehensive video services, and a home media computing center. Additionally, ZTE will present an end-to-end smart home ecosystem anchored by FTTR as the foundation and voice as the entry point.

Exploring cutting-edge technologies to open up boundaries of the digital future

In anticipation of the future evolution of mobile communication technology, ZTE will present the three major visions of 5G-A and elaborate on the technology expansion across six key scenarios. Among them, there will be demonstrations of rich applications such as expanding mobile backhaul with millimeter-wave ultra-gigabit experiences, XR immersive experiences, and more. Additionally, ZTE will exhibit Dynamic RIS for Cost-Efficient mmWave to optimize network deployment costs and energy consumption. RedCap will be unveiled to illustrate its role in supporting the development of a trillion-dollar IoT industry. The 5G-A network with integrated communication and computing technologies will also be showcased to initiate the era of low-altitude new economy and 5G-A powered V2X autonomous driving. Furthermore, ZTE will introduce NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) technology to achieve universal connectivity across air, land, and sea, expanding into new spaces for smart phones to directly connect to satellites and wide-area IoT.

Launching Full-Scenario Intelligent Ecosystem 3.0, deploying multi-terminal smart interconnection

In the domain of smart living, ZTE Mobile Devices will unveil its global brand vision "Better for All," dedicated to providing superior products and services worldwide through enhanced design, experiences, and quality. Committed to enabling everyone to enjoy a better life, ZTE Mobile Devices will showcase a core of multi-terminal smart interconnection and ecological extension, and its Full-Scenario Intelligent Ecosystem 3.0.

A number of new products and innovative technologies will be introduced. These include a brand new generation and also the world's first 5G+Al 3D tablet nubia Pad 3D II, which features 3D solutions for various industries and Neovision 3D Anytime technology enabling powerful real-time conversion of 2D content into 3D. Additionally, 5G FWA products with new Al concepts, ZTE's first flip smartphone, nubia Flip 5G, and a variety of new smartphones featuring photography, music, and gaming will also be showcased.

Meanwhile, all-round photography flagship nubia Z60 Ultra, equipped with the world's exclusive fifth-generation under-display camera, all-round gaming flagship REDMAGIC 9 Pro series featuring ultimate performance and endurance, and the world's leading FWA & MBB series products will be presented at the event.

Unveiling heavyweight innovations, jointly exploring the new industry ecosystem for the future

During MWC 2024, the company will host ZTE Devices New Products Launch, and ZTE 5G-Advanced Innovations and New Products Release Conference, presenting a series of innovation products to the industry. ZTE will also participate in five theme forums organized by GSMA, engaging with global operators, industry partners and thought leaders on new technologies, products, and perspectives in the ICT field.

Furthermore, the dedicated website of ZTE MWC Barcelona 2024 will be available online, featuring the latest insights of Xu Ziyang, CEO of ZTE into the era of digital intelligence. He will share the company's actions and reflections in the face of strategic opportunities brought by digitization, intelligence, and low-carbon development, its dedication to traversing cyclical challenges and contributing to a sustainable future marked by ultra-efficiency, sustainability, and intelligence through shaping digital innovation with global partners.

For more information, please visit ZTE booth (3F30, Hall 3, Fira Gran Via) at Mobile World Congress 2024, or explore: https://www.zte.com.cn/global/about/exhibition/mwc24.html

ABOUT ZTE:

ZTE helps to connect the world with continuous innovation for a better future. The company provides innovative technologies and integrated solutions, and its portfolio spans all series of wireless, wireline, devices and professional telecommunications services. Serving over a quarter of the global population, ZTE is dedicated to creating a digital and intelligent ecosystem, and enabling connectivity and trust everywhere. ZTE is listed on both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. www.zte.com.cn/global

FOLLOW US:

Facebook www.facebook.com/ZTECorp

Twitter www.twitter.com/ZTEPress

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/zte

YouTube www.youtube.com/@ZTECorporation

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

ZTE Corporation

Communications

Email: ZTE.press.release@zte.com.cn

SOURCE ZTE Corporation
Claiming dependents on your tax return can save you money, but unfortunately, you cant claim yourself as a dependent. A tax dependent is someone who relies on you for at least 50% of their support, like a child or another relative.

The rules for claiming dependents can get a bit complicated, but well break down who counts as a dependent and who doesnt. Well also explain how to claim a dependent on your federal tax return, as well as some tax credits and deductions you could qualify for if youre eligible to claim dependents.

What is a qualifying dependent?

A qualifying tax dependent is someone other than you or your spouse whom you can claim on your tax return. The person must be either a qualifying child or a qualifying relative. (Well explain what each of those terms mean in the next section.)

In the past, claiming a dependent could reduce your tax liability because you could take a personal exemption as well as an exemption for each dependent. In 2017, the last tax year that exemptions were around, each exemption could reduce your tax bill by up to $4,050. However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) eliminated both the personal exemptions and dependency exemptions beginning in 2018.

Claiming dependents still comes with several tax benefits, though:

If youre single, having dependents can allow you to qualify for head of household filing status, which offers a larger standard deduction than single filers get.

You can earn more money and still qualify for the earned income tax credit (EITC).

You may qualify for the child tax credit and additional child tax credit if you have dependent children who were younger than 17 at the end of the year.

You may be eligible for other tax deductions and credits. For example, the child and dependent care credit is available to people who paid for the care of a child younger than 13 or a relative who couldnt care for themself. The other dependent credit is worth $500 and is available if you support dependents of any age who meet certain criteria.

Read more: Here are 7 free tax filing options

Whom can you claim as a dependent on your taxes?

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) only allows you to claim someone as your tax dependent in the following circumstances:

No one can claim you or your spouse (if youre married filing jointly) as dependents on their tax returns. There are exceptions if the person whos claiming you is only filing a return to get a tax refund on previously withheld taxes or estimated taxes.

The person youre claiming isnt eligible to file a joint tax return. (Again, an exception applies if the dependent or their spouse is only filing taxes to get a refund on withheld or estimated taxes.)

The person youre claiming must be a U.S. citizen, resident alien, or national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico.

The person must meet the IRS criteria for a qualifying child or qualifying relative.

Who counts as a qualifying child?

All of the following must be true if youre claiming a child as your dependent in your tax filing:

The child is related to you: The child must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, sibling, half-sibling, step-sibling, or a descendant of one of these people. The child is younger than a certain age: The IRS imposes the following age restrictions for claiming a child as a dependent:

The child must be 18 or younger at the end of the tax year and younger than you (and your spouse if youre married and file a joint return) if the child doesnt meet the IRS definition of a full-time student.

The child must be 23 or younger at the end of the tax year and younger than you (and your spouse if you file a joint tax return) if the child is a full-time student.

The child can be any age if theyre totally disabled.

3. The child lived with you for more than half the year: There are exceptions for temporary absences, such as if a qualifying child attends college away from home, as well as for other circumstances, like if the child was born or died during the tax year, or if they were adopted midway through the year.

4. The child didnt provide more than half of their financial support for the year: You can still claim your child as a dependent if they have a job, but you cant claim them as a dependent if they provide more than 50% of their own financial support for the year. Financial support can include housing, food, clothing, out-of-pocket medical and dental costs, and education expenses.

Example: You have a 14-year-old daughter who lives at home year-round and relies on you for all of her financial support. Shes clearly your qualifying child. You also have a 21-year-old son who attends college out of state full time, and you pay for more than half of his expenses. He, too, counts as your qualifying child. But if he graduates or drops out of school, hell no longer count as your qualifying child because hes older than 18. Likewise, if he works enough to pay more than half of his bills, he isnt your qualifying child under IRS rules.

Who counts as a qualifying relative?

For the IRS to consider someone your qualifying relative for tax purposes, the following must be true:

The person isnt your qualifying child. The person also cant be considered another taxpayers qualifying child. The person is EITHER someone who lived in your household for the entire tax year OR is related to you in some way. Examples of people the IRS counts as your relatives include a child (who doesnt meet the qualifying child definition), stepchild, sibling, niece or nephew, parent, stepparent, in-law, grandparent, or aunt or uncle. Note that if the person is considered a relative, they dont necessarily have to live with you to qualify as your dependent. The persons gross income for the year is $4,700 or less. Theres an exception if the person is disabled and receives income from a sheltered workshop, which is an organization that provides employment opportunities to people with certain mental or physical impairments. You provide at least half of the persons financial support for the year. Exceptions may apply when parents are divorced or separated if the custodial parent has signed an agreement that states they wont claim the child on their own tax return.

Example: You have a boyfriend or girlfriend who doesnt work and lives with you all year long. As long as you provide at least half their support and they dont have more than $4,700 of gross income, theyre considered a qualifying relative even though theyre not related to you because they were a member of your household for the entire year. You also provide most of your elderly mothers financial support. Her only other source of income is Social Security, and none of her benefit is taxable. As long as her gross income doesnt exceed $4,700, she still counts as your qualifying relative, even though she doesnt live in your home.

Who cant be claimed as a tax dependent?

With a few exceptions, you generally cant claim the following individuals as tax dependents,:

Yourself

Your spouse

A child 19 or older whos not a full-time student or a child whos 24 or older, unless theyre disabled OR theyre living at home and earning less than $4,700, and you provide most of their financial support

Someone whos not a relative unless they lived with you for the entire year, earned less than $4,700, and relied on you for most of their support

A relative who earns more than $4,700 or doesnt rely on you for the majority of their support

Someone who can be claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer

Someone whos eligible to file a joint tax return

Anyone whos not a U.S. citizen, resident alien, or national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico

Tip: To get all the official rules on claiming dependents, check out IRS Publication 501.

How to claim a dependent on your taxes

You can claim dependents on your taxes through Form 1040. Youll need to provide the following information about each dependent:

First and last name

Social Security number

Their relationship to you

Youll also be asked whether youre claiming the child tax credit or other dependent credit on their behalf.

If you e-file, the best tax software will make it easy to add dependents. Youll simply provide the information above for each person youre claiming.

If youre not sure whether you can claim someone as your dependent, you can use the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant to determine their eligibility. But due to the complexity of the rules, always consult with a tax professional if you have any questions about whats allowed.

Read more: Getting a refund? Here are 5 smart ways to use it

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How long can you claim a child as a dependent?

You can usually claim a child whos not married, lives with you most of the year and relies on you for the bulk of their support until they reach age 19 if theyre not a student, or until age 24 if theyre a full-time student. Theres no age limit if the child is totally and permanently disabled.

How many dependents should I claim?

You should claim anyone who counts as a qualifying child or qualifying relative under the tax code. There's no limit on the number of dependents you can claim.

What tax credits can I claim if I have dependents?

You may qualify for the child tax credit and additional child tax credit if you have qualifying children who were 16 or younger at the end of the year. You may also receive the child and dependent care credit if you paid for childcare for a dependent child younger than 13 or for the care of a relative who couldnt take care of themselves. The credit for other dependents may be available if you have dependents but cant claim the child tax credit or additional child tax credit on their behalf. You can also qualify for the earned income tax credit at higher income levels if you have dependents.
The Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management has a broad plan to guide Colorado Springs' response if a "significant" number of immigrants crossing U.S. borders come into the city, but one councilman criticized the plan as "vague."

Andrew Notbohm, director of the regional emergency management office, told the council at its work session Monday his office relies on Colorado Springs nonprofit organizations and other community partners to provide information about the number of immigrants arriving at their doors.

Much of the information the emergency management office receives is anecdotal, Notbohm and city Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations Ryan Trujillo said.

Without a reliable and accurate tracking system, city and regional officials can't know exactly how many immigrants are in Colorado Springs at any given time, they said. Both Notbohm's office and the city vet the information they receive to better gauge if or how the city should respond.

"I recognize that it's unsatisfying to our community not to have concrete numbers, but it would be irresponsible if we were to share anecdotal information as if it was ... concrete data," Trujillo told reporters in a separate interview Monday.

Notbohm and Trujillo could not define what a "significant" number of migrants coming into the city would be, but reiterated statements Mayor Yemi Mobolade has made over the last month that Colorado Springs is not currently experiencing a "crisis" level influx of migrants into city borders.

However, Denver is experiencing a crisis, they said. Colorado Springs is planning for the possibility that as immigrants reach shelter time limits in Denver, more of them may come "organically" to Colorado Springs, in a manner not coordinated by the city and county of Denver or the city of Colorado Springs.

Notbohm said he also anticipates "significant increases" in migrants moving throughout Colorado in November or December  around the time of the Nov. 5 presidential election  as federal immigration policies or practices could change no matter the election's outcome.

Councilman Dave Donelson expressed frustration over what he said was a "vague" city response plan.

"The whole purpose of this is to come up with a plan for when things exceed our capacity. ... What is the plan?" Donelson said.

Trujillo said officials did not present a specific plan Monday because emergency situations are fluid and community response is based on each individual emergency.

"Our hope is that we can plan for when we do ... anticipate some flow of migrants into Colorado Springs," he said.

Notbohm said community partners have indicated they are seeing increased demand for services like shelter, food and clothing, but it cannot be directly attributed to migrants. For example, in colder winter weather, shelters see demand increase from the local homeless population for services, he said.

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UCHealth data released this month showed that of 12 hospitals surveyed across Colorado in the UCHealth system, Colorado Springs' Memorial Hospital Central had the second-highest jump over the past three months of new patients who appear to be immigrants.

Notbohm told the council Monday reports that local hospitals are also seeing "an upward trend in non-reimbursable services provided" can't be directly attributed to migrants because of health care information restrictions.

Donelson said a Jan. 28 voicemail Mobolade received from Salvation Army's Capt. Doug Hanson, who leads the El Paso County church, indicated the nonprofit was seeing an influx of migrants that would take up shelter space for residents living homeless in El Paso County.

Springs Taxpayers United, a right-leaning advocacy group, received a copy of the voicemail through a Colorado Open Records Request filed with the county and posted it onto the group's YouTube channel in early February.

"In that case, (Hanson) clearly did say, 'We're full up, we're having to turn away locals now.' Why does this (presentation) say we can't attribute it (to migrants)?" Donelson asked.

Salvation Army spokeswoman Jeane Turner said in an email to The Gazette earlier this month that Hanson, in the voicemail, relayed a "concise version" of the situation to the mayor based on data the nonprofit received from clients self-identifying as immigrants.

When Hanson notified the mayor about the immigrants, the Salvation Army family shelter "was reaching capacity but had not exceeded capacity," Turner said, adding the immigrant families "moved through (the) shelter quickly."

Notbohm told the council Monday the community's current system for sheltering homeless people puts it "very close to capacity on a daily basis."

"That is when you have an increase, it pushes that system a little bit further towards the edge," he added.

Councilman Randy Helms said he appreciated the city's efforts to plan its response ahead of a possible emergency migrant situation.

"I know were working on a very difficult, challenging subject. I think we're all on the same boat, just peddling a little different. I think we need to come together on that. We've all said we're not a sanctuary city. We don't intend to be, and we don't want to spend city resources on this issue because we can't."

Colorado Springs' immigrant response plan is online at coloradosprings.gov/2024MigrantResponseFramework.
A neurophysiologist compared the fracking tank explosion  which blew Steven Straughen nearly 30 feet away one night in 2019  to an IED explosion that soldiers see in battle.

The explosion at the Simpson Pad 26 oil and gas production site on Dec. 12 that year would forever alter the life of Straughen, an Air Force veteran.

After 14 surgeries and the loss of his right foot, Straughen was awarded $30 million in a U.S. District Court case, as part of a personal injury lawsuit against the company that created the tanks.

Due to a Colorado law put in to place in 1986, Straughen will only see around half of the awarded amount, with over $14 million being capped under the limitations on damages for non-economic loss or injury.

And now Straughen's lawyer is considering a ballot measure to get rid of the cap.

A go-getter's mindset

Straughen, an Idaho native, joined the Air Force directly out of high school with the intention of becoming a nuclear weapons technician.

While he waited a year for nuclear clearance, he volunteered with the Marines, traveling to Fallujah, where he experienced combat.

He was shot nine times, with six bullets striking his Kevlar vest and three going through his arm. He was back in the field a week later.

Straughen eventually left the Air Force after six years and joined the oil and gas industry, quickly climbing the ranks to a senior site supervisor position.

"I kind of grew up with the idea of youre responsible for yourself and youre never going to get anywhere if you dont do it yourself. You have to work hard. Oil and gas very much fit into that hard work mentality," Straughen said in an interview with The Gazette. "It was the closest thing to going back to combat, but without having to pull the trigger. You had to be really good and on your game to stay safe.

Outside of work, Straughen was an avid snowboarder, mountain climber and sailor. He reached Everest base camps multiple times.

He got married and had two children. One was 2 months old and the other was 2 years old at the time of the explosion.

He had everything he wanted in life. It was perfect, Kurt Zaner, Straughen's attorney, said.

After the explosion, that all changed.

The explosion

Straughen was working in Weld County at a Skyline Well Testing site that fateful night. He was called out by an operator, Richard Williams, due to smoke or steam rising from one of the water and oil storage tanks at the site.

To Straughen, everything seemed normal. But he took the opportunity as a teaching moment for Williams, asking him to cut off the vent line for the oil tank as precaution, Straughen said.

He climbed the water tank, while Williams climbed the oil tank. A few moments later, the water tank exploded. The blast threw Straughen 27 feet, breaking his ankle, knee, hip, pelvis, all-but-one rib, jaw and parts of his back.

"I remember the flash. The next memory I have, Im up in the air. I could see Denver," he said. "I remember looking down at the ground where I was going to land and thinking, Dont land on your head, land on your feet.

According to a deposition by Williams, Straughen thought he was back in Iraq upon landing.

"I was talking nonsense," Straughen said.

He would be taken to a Denver hospital for a few weeks before being moved to a rehabilitation center in Idaho. His right foot was eventually amputated because it wouldn't heal, severing his ties to his active lifestyle.

Over four years later, the healing process continues, racking up over $200,000 in medical debt, according to the initial civil complaint.

"The recovery is still going," he said. "Its never going to stop. This is permanent. Recovery is never going to be complete."

His wife believed they should pursue a potential injury case. They contacted Zaner, who brought in chemists and engineers to find out what went wrong.

They concluded that the 10 tanks  manufactured and delivered by BHS  had holes in them, creating a dangerous mixture of oxygen, Zaner said.

We were able to determine, consistent with the OSHA investigation and one of the companys investigations, that these tanks were delivered with holes in them," Zaner said. "There were some pinholes. There were some bigger holes. All of this allowed oxygen into the system and created an explosive mixture when there shouldnt have been one.

The lawsuit against BHS was filed in 2021, following years of investigating.

The defense attorneys did not respond to requests for comment by The Gazette.

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But BHS, represented by McConaughy & Sarkissian, responded to the initial complaint, saying the company was "without sufficient information to form a belief as to the truth of these allegations and, therefore, denies the same."

The defendant rejected the plaintiffs allegations and theories of liability in the pretrial order and denied that its actions caused the incident or the resulting injuries and damages.

The defense argued that the incident was caused by the negligence of others over whom the company had no responsibility or authority to control, including Straughen and Williams, along with their employer, according to court documents.

BHS added there was an assumption of risk, a failure to mitigate and avoidable consequences in the case.

Following a trial in the U.S. District Court on Feb. 15, jurors agreed that BHS was responsible for 80% of negligence, with 15% going to the employer, 5% to a supervising company and zero percent to Straughen, according to court documents.

Straughen was awarded $10 million for economic damages  including medical bills  and $5 million for physical impairment and disfigurement.

He was also awarded $15 million for non-economic damages, which covered things, such as pain and suffering.

Because of a cap in Colorado law, Straughen will likely see only $468,000 of the $15 million in non-economic damages.

Current non-economic damage amounts are actually now capped at $600,000, but the injury occurred in 2019.

There is a possibility that the cap can be raised up to $1 million, but that will require approval from the judge.

Why a cap?

Zaner called the cap a "miscarriage of justice," claiming it prevents jurors from correctly deciding on personal injury cases.

"It's an antiquated law which says that these legislators in the 80s know better than those eight jurors who sat in those seats for nine days listening and evaluating and applying what they thought was justice," Zaner said.

Zaner added he is in the beginning stages of putting together a ballot measure to try to get rid of the cap.

The U.S. and state chambers of commerce and the insurance industry argue that caps to damages curb "excessive verdicts" that can increase the cost of doing business and inhibit job growth.

In a case in which an Arapahoe County jury last year awarded Jacqueline Gebert $2.7 million after a Sears repairman incorrectly rewired her stove and caused her electrocution, the corporate groups argued that Colorado's cap does not affect the jury's work but instead introduces stability into the legal system by giving "no legal significance" to any dollar award above the cap.

"The general expectation of the American jurisprudence system is that defendants will be subjected to liability and damages in a fair, consistent, and predictable manner," wrote attorneys for the interest groups. "When a defendant is made to pay radically different sums for the same or substantially similar injury, it undermines these principles with irrationality and unpredictability."

In that case, Colorado's second-highest court rejected the attempt to declare the state's cap on certain monetary damages unconstitutional.

"One of the reasons that these caps are put in place is that non-economic damages are very hard to quantify," Frederick Yarger, partner at Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell, told The Gazette. "It's not like economic damages where you can have some proof of lost earnings or medical bills or cost of care. Its very much a general argument about non-economic loss, about pain and suffering that arent tied to concrete evidence."

Yarger noted that having an uncapped amount of non-economic damages can make jury verdicts unpredictable, with some juries deciding different amounts based on similar injuries.

"One of the biggest concerns is consistency," he said.

The $5 million that Straughen received for physical impairment and disfigurement is uncapped.

Yarger said this is one of the reasons that Colorado keeps the cap on non-economic damages.

Zaner insisted that juries should be the ones deciding the amount.

"They looked at Steves life and said, This is what hes been through. This is what hes going to go through. This is what was fair compensation,'" he said.

Zaner also claimed the jurors didn't know about the differences between capped and uncapped monetary damages, and, if they did, they might have decided to place more money for Straughen's physical impairment.

"Steve lost his leg. Hell never do all the activities he wanted to do with his young children," Zaner said. "To say the most thats valued at by society is $500,000 is a real insult to the system."

To Straughen, the money received is still "an incredible amount," though he called the cap an "unfair precedent." He added that if his case can help others in the future, that's a net positive.

"Better is better no matter where it comes from," he said. "If it has to come from a learning moment like this, and it helps somebody else, then were all better for it."

Colorado Politics' Michael Karlik contributed to this report.
Two Colorado Springs-area military installations were dealing with wildfires on a red-flag Sunday with warm temperatures and high winds.

Colorado Springs, Air Force Academy and U.S. Forest Service fire crews were battling a 150-acre blaze on the Academy grounds on Sunday, according to CSFD officials.

The brush fire started west of the Academys Pine Valley family housing area at about 1 p.m., according to USAFA spokesman Dean Miller. Academy fire officials requested aid from CSPD at around 1:40 p.m., CSFD officials said.

Guests and residents were asked to avoid the area and follow instructions from first responders. No evacuation order had been given at press time, but pre-evacuation orders were being issued for Douglass Valley and Pine Valley, Miller said.

Five CSPD brush trucks and two wildland units were on scene helping Academy and USFS personnel in their efforts to contain the blaze, which is located on the eastern border of the Pike National Forest, according to CSFD and Academy personnel.

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CSPD crews were released for the night at about 6:30 p.m., with plans to return and continue supporting USAFA fire personnel Monday morning.

USAFA officials said Academy operations will continue as scheduled Monday but the installation will be closed to the general public. All patient appointments at the main medical treatment facility are canceled. The Visitor Center will also be closed.

Monday will be a virtual learning day for Air Academy High School students and staff. Douglass Valley Elementary School, also located on the Academy grounds, will be closed.

At Fort Carson, emergency services personnel were working to contain a 2,000-acre fire in a training area located in the southeast part of the installation.

No injuries were reported, and no structures were endangered by either fire, officials said. The causes of both fires are still being investigated.
Fort Carson fire crews have achieved 80% containment on a fire visible along Colorado 115 and Interstate 25, burning on a training range.

In a news release, Fort Carson also on Monday revised down the size of the fire from about 2,000 acres to about 700 acres. The fire is burning 9 miles south of the last I-25 exit in Fountain and between 7 to 8 miles to the west.

There are still no structures or personnel threatened, the news release said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The National Weather Services has issued a red flag warning for Colorado Springs and surrounding areas Monday, calling for dangerous fire conditions, including high winds.
Hundreds of flights are delayed and TSA is experiencing long security wait times Monday morning at Denver's airport, as reported by Denver Gazette media partner 9News.

Flight delays

There were 338 reported delays in and out of Denver International Airport, as of 9:30 a.m. Monday, according to FlightAware.

The majority of the delays are Southwest Airlines flights, followed by United Airlines.

A spokesperson for the airport said the cause for the flight delays is due to the wind. Strong winds on Monday are forecasted to be 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.

The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Red Flag Warning for most of eastern Colorado, including the Denver metro area, for wind and low relative humidity from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday.

TSA Security Wait Times

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Denver International Airport (DIA) also has been dealing with long TSA security lines Monday morning.

At 9 a.m. Monday, the wait time at West Security topped 40 minutes for standard screening while the wait for TSA PreCheck was greater than 20 minutes.

TSA said there was an extremely high number of travelers departing from Denver Monday morning. About 37,000 passengers were projected to be screened between 5 a.m. and noon, according to TSA. That number is more than half of an average day's total.

Bridge Security and South Security also topped a wait time of greater than 15 minutes, as of 9 a.m. Monday.

Current security wait times are posted at FlyDenver.com.

DIA officials recommend passengers should arrive inside the airport at least two hours before their scheduled boarding time. Passengers should also check with their airline to confirm that your flight is on time and check-in online if possible.

Passengers can also reach out to the airport's customer service team at 720-730-4359 or texting 720-902-9351. Denver airport travelers can connect via chat between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. daily.
Wildlife experts captured wolves in Oregon and released them on Dec. 18 in Colorado. (Colorado Parks and Wildlife)l
Rachel Gabel is a longtime agriculture writer and the assistant editor of The Fence Post Magazine.
Dick Wadhams is a former Colorado Republican state chairman who worked for U.S. Sen. Bill Armstrong for nine years before managing campaigns for U.S. Sens. Hank Brown and Wayne Allard, and Gov. Bill Owens.
Anomalies identified in Woods work prompted the CBI to ask state legislators in January to provide the state agency an additional $7.5 million to support the review and retesting of an estimated 3,000 DNA samples by an independent third-party laboratory and to pay for post-conviction reviews and potential retrying of criminal cases.
souvik101990 wrote:

Official Solution:



The existence of West Berlin, a conspicuously capitalist city deep within communist East Germany, "stuck like a bone in the Soviet throat," as Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev put it. The Russians began maneuvering to drive the United States, Britain and France out of the city for good. In 1948, a Soviet blockade of West Berlin aimed to starve the western Allies out of the city. Instead of retreating, however, the United States and its allies supplied their sectors of the city from the air. This effort, known as the Berlin Airlift, lasted for more than a year and delivered more than 2.3 million tons of food, fuel and other goods to West Berlin. The Soviets called off the blockade in 1949. After a decade of relative calm, tensions flared again in 1958. For the next three years, the Soviets emboldened by the successful launch of the Sputnik satellite the year before and embarrassed by the seemingly endless flow of refugees from east to west (nearly 3 million in the decade since the end of the blockade, many of them young skilled workers such as doctors, teachers and engineers) blustered and made threats, while the Allies resisted. Summits, conferences and other negotiations came and went without resolution. Meanwhile, the flood of refugees continued. In June 1961, some 19,000 people left the GDR through Berlin. The following month, 30,000 fled. In the first 11 days of August, 16,000 East Germans crossed the border into West Berlin, and on August 12 some 2,400 followed the largest number of defectors ever to leave East Germany in a single day.



Which of the following is supported by the passage?



A. Around 300,000 people on average left East Germany annually in the decade following the blockade

B. August 1961 recorded the largest number of monthly defectors to have left East Germany in a month

C. There was no hostility in West Berlin between 1949 and 1958

D. Doctors, teachers, and engineers wanted to defect because there were more opportunities for young skilled workers in the west in 1959-61

E. The Berlin Airlift forced the Soviets to call off their blockade in 1949



The passage states "nearly 3 million in the decade since the end of the blockade, many of them young skilled workers such as doctors, teachers and engineers" - this means about 300,000 people left every year on an average during the decade after the blockade.



Answer: A

I assumed A was incorrect because of the language used. Can the word "following X" not mean "since the inception of X", rather than explicitly meaning "after the end of X"?For example - "Following the transfer ban imposed by UEFA, Chelsea was unable to buy players in the transfer window." This would mean that the transfer ban came into the picture and as a result, Chelsea was unable to make a signing (this wouldn't mean that Chelsea was unable to make a signing after the transfer ban ended).Can you please help in pointing out the flaw in the logic here?
GREENSBORO  Authorities are investigating the cause of a Sunday morning fire at Culichi Mexican Seafood Bar and Grill that caused about $150,000 in damage, according to local authorities.

At around 7 a.m., 36 firefighters reported to the restaurant at 3025 West Gate City Blvd. By 7:52 a.m., they brought the blaze under control, according to fire officials, who said the fire began in the roof area over the kitchen.

Losses were estimated at $50,000 to the contents of the restaurant and about $100,000 to the structure, officials said.
WINSTON-SALEM  Police say two armed men robbed the Speedway at 1425 Silas Creek Parkway early Monday, then fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money.

Witnesses said that men were dressed in black clothing and masks, according to a news release from the Winston-Salem Police Department.

The men showed their hand guns and demanded money from the register before fleeing north on foot toward Salisbury Ridge Road around 5:40 a.m., according to the release.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, the release said.

Police ask that anyone with any information regarding the incident call the Winston-Salem Police Department at 336-773-7700, Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800, or En Espanol 336-728-3904. View Crime Stoppers of Winston-Salem Forsyth County on Facebook. A Crime Stoppers Tip Form can also be located online at https://www.cityofws.org/FormCenter/Police-Department-19/Crimestoppers-Tip-Form-100. Information provided to Crime Stoppers may be provided anonymously.

For the Text-A-Tip Program, call 336-276-1717 and text tips, photos and videos to the Winston-Salem Police Department. Note that such text tips may not be made anonymously.
GREENSBORO  City Council members have asked for a tighter timeline and a more comprehensive plan regarding the conversion of an old motel property into housing for the homeless.

In recent years, the city has been working to transform the Regency Inn building on O. Henry Boulevard into a residential site for the homeless. To that end, Step Up America, a California-based group, has been tapped to help make that happen. The project includes two components: 58 units reserved for the homeless and 143 additional units described as affordable housing.

Tod Lipka, the organization's CEO, told the council on Tuesday that Step Up is working to purchase the motel property from management company Partnership Homes and is expecting to close the deal in mid-March. Under Step Ups timeline, the building would be demolished this summer.

The nonprofit will pursue tax-credit financing from the state to fund much of the project.

For the homeless portion of the project, Lipka said his company is planning to apply for funding in January 2025. Step Up would then seek additional credits in January 2026 and January 2027 to finance construction of the affordable housing units.

He added that a target date of 2026 is set for completion of the homeless units and 2027 for the remainder.

Council members raised concerns that the project was scheduled to take too much time. They were also worried about the project's fate if Step Up does not receive the tax credits.

I just really want to be clear on what is it going to take to get across the finish line for this project? Councilwoman Sharon Hightower asked. Its going to take more money because thats what I hear. Because if the tax credits dont go through, (you) dont have a backup plan, then the city becomes the backup plan.

Lipka said he was also frustrated by the funding process. He also said Step Up would do what it can to condense the construction timeline.

We will look to reduce these steps at every point that we can in terms of the timeframe, Lipka said.

Councilman Hugh Holston said the city needs to be clear about the true costs of the projects if the tax credits are not available.

So still Im looking for a better plan, a more comprehensive plan and one that has options  eyes wide open, make it ugly, you know, warts and all, Holston said. Just throw it all in. We need to know the answer and need to know it quickly because people are dying in the streets.

City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba said he would brief council in late March after Step Up closes on the property.
By all indications, North Carolinas public education system will soon be dealt a massive and devastating blow.

The windup for the expected haymaker commenced last week when the state Supreme Court again heard arguments in the 30-year-old Leandro school funding case. The actual delivery of the punch will likely take place sometime in the weeks to come when, barring a remarkable and unexpected turnaround in the attitudes and philosophies of its conservative Republican justices, the court will reverse its previous holding and rule that it has no constitutional authority to order the legislature to adequately fund the states K-12 schools.

When and if this ruling comes down, it will mark a seminal moment in state history  both for the states constitution and its most important public institution.

The negative implications for the constitution and the rights of North Carolinians will be significant. If the court holds that it lacks the authority to order the General Assembly to appropriate funds to provide for a constitutionally adequate education system, it invites the violation of all kinds of rights that are dependent upon public spending.

After all, if the court cant require the legislature to fund the states struggling schools, how can it ever mandate funding for, say, child protective services or adequate jail space in a financially strapped county? And if courts lack the basic authority to assure that such appropriations are adequate and fairly distributed, then that society quickly takes on a very different and much darker look.

But the most immediate and obvious impact of the expected gutting of Leandro will occur in the states K-12 schools. For three decades now, school districts in the states low-wealth counties have held out hope that the Leandro case would finally ensure a first-rate and fully desegregated public education system in all of the states 100 counties.

Now, however, if 30 years of litigation prove to have been for naught and those hopes are dashed, not only will struggling school districts and their schoolchildren be out of luck, but conservative lawmakers also will be further emboldened to pursue an even more ambitious overhaul of the states education system.

And sadly, it doesnt take much in the way of imagination to envision what that will look like.

As has been made readily evident by the General Assemblys actions in recent years, post-Leandro education in North Carolina will be a two-tiered system, not unlike what one encounters in many developing countries.

On Tier One will be the elite, mostly private or quasi-private schools that cater to the children of the well-off, as well as a handful of lucky or connected high achievers from the rest of society. These schools will be overwhelmingly white, mostly Christian in orientation, and though heavily subsidized via taxpayer-funded vouchers, prohibitively expensive for most families.

A small appendage to Tier One  convenient for providing a deceptive cloak of respectability and diversity  will feature a smattering of lower-wealth voucher and charter schools that will be more affordable and overwhelmingly populated with students of color. A few will do well. Most will struggle.

And Tier Two? That will be the place reserved for everyone else  the schools that the state funds with its lowest-in-the-nation financial commitment. Like now, a few relatively well-off counties will manage OK  at least in the short run. But over time the situation will continue to degrade and deteriorate as destructive trends that arose during the pandemic continue to wreak havoc: the chronic shortage of highly qualified teachers, principals, administrators, nurses, counselors, custodians, social workers, cafeteria works and bus drivers.

Now, add the damage that will result from a persistent drumbeat of manufactured conservative social war attacks and the discord and personnel losses this will sow on school boards, among parental volunteers and in school faculties, and the picture grows even bleaker. Systemic underinvestment in school facilities and university schools of education, along with the end of a general societal commitment to integration, will combine to turn the clock back still further.

The end result: a North Carolina in which 10-20% of the population lives better than ever before, but in which almost everyone else is subsumed in a growing underclass that lives behind an ever-taller wall.

And in light of all this, its little wonder that the American right continues to strengthen its embrace of authoritarianism as a means of governing in such a badly divided and stratified society.
View of Tokyo skyline with Senso-ji Temple and Tokyo skytree at twilight in Japan. (Shutterstock)

CHICAGO, Feb. 23, 2024 -- United Airlines will launch daily nonstop flights between Guam and Tokyo Haneda International Airport on May 1*. Flights will operate year-round and create a more direct link between Guam and Japans capital, given the Haneda airports proximity to the city center. These new flights build on Uniteds 32 weekly flights between Guam and Tokyo-Narita, and tickets will go on sale tonight.

As we grow our global network, were always looking for opportunities to give our customers more choice and strengthen links between countries. This route  connecting Tokyos most convenient airport with our unique Guam hub  accomplishes just that. I appreciate the support of the Department of Transportation in recognizing the importance of this route to our customers and stakeholders, said Patrick Quayle, Uniteds Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances.

United plans to operate a 737-800 on this route, which has room for 166 customers  including 16 business class seats. The flight is scheduled to depart Guam at 19:00 local time and arrive at Haneda at 22:00 on the same day. On the return, the flight will depart Haneda at 23:55 and arrive in Guam at 04:45 the next day.

United is the largest airline in Guam, offering more than 87 weekly flights to 14 destinations. United has operated in Guam for more than 55 years and is the only airline today flying between Guam and Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya in Japan, as well as islands in the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau.

With this addition, United will operate six daily flights from Haneda, with service to New York/Newark, Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and now Guam. United also operates 10 daily flights to Tokyos Narita airport, with service to New York/Newark, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Guam, and Saipan. United offers more seats from the United States to Tokyo than any other U.S. airline.

*Subject to government approval.
At the renowned 11th, Dozee, India's pioneering AI-driven contactless Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and(EWS), introduced its groundbreaking(FPA) feature. This innovation aims to redefine patient safety within hospital settings, marking a significant advancement discussed among healthcare professionals and experts.According to the(WHO), patient falls are the most common adverse event in hospital settings. WHO asserts that falls stand as the second primary cause of unintentional injury-related deaths and constitute a prominent patient safety concern globally in healthcare institutions. Recent studies reveal that in India, falls carry considerable significance, with approximately 1.52 million older adults encountering fall-related injuries each year and 1 million experiencing fatal outcomes due to falls. Apart from the human toll, falls also incur significant financial burdens, encompassing escalated patient care expenditures and liability expenses.Dozee's Fall Prevention Alert (FPA) feature marks a groundbreaking advancement in patient safety through its real-time monitoring functions and proactive alert system. Utilizing state-of-the-art technology such as the bed exit logging feature of the Dozee Sensor Sheet, FPA delivers tailored alerts for patients at high risk, guaranteeing swift intervention. Through auditory and visual signals, nurses receive immediate notifications when patients endeavor to exit their beds, facilitating prompt assistance and mitigating the likelihood of falls. Organizational-level settings further optimize workflow, positioning FPA as a holistic solution to elevate patient safety standards within healthcare environments.Dozee's Fall Prevention Alert (FPA) feature marks a groundbreaking advancement in patient safety through its real-time monitoring functions and proactive alert system. Utilizing state-of-the-art technology such as the bed exit logging feature of the Dozee Sensor Sheet, FPA delivers tailored alerts for patients at high risk, guaranteeing swift intervention. Through auditory and visual signals, nurses receive immediate notifications when patients endeavor to exit their beds, facilitating prompt assistance and mitigating the likelihood of falls. Organizational-level settings further optimize workflow, positioning FPA as a holistic solution to elevate patient safety standards within healthcare environments.Dr. Sandeep Reddy, Consultant, MS Ramaiah Hospital commented on the launched announcement stating, "As clinicians, we've witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of falls on patients' health and well-being within hospital settings. The Fall Prevention Alert feature by Dozee offers a critical layer of protection, enabling healthcare teams to proactively monitor and intervene when patients are at risk of falls. This technology enhances patient safety and streamlines our clinical workflow, allowing us to deliver more effective and responsive care".Mudit Dandwate, CEO & Co-Founder, Dozee, added, "The Fall Prevention Alert feature is another milestone in our ongoing efforts to enhance patient safety . With real-time monitoring and proactive alerts, healthcare professionals can now intervene promptly, mitigating the risk of falls and improving patient outcomes. We are committed to leveraging technology to address pressing healthcare challenges and improve patient outcomes. The Fall Prevention Alert feature is set to transform patient safety quotients in hospitals and healthcare facilities worldwide".
Several Helena-area businesses are recipients of the states $818,954 investment in innovative, value-added agriculture projects through the Montana Department of Agricultures Growth Through Agriculture program.

There were 22 agricultural businesses throughout Montana awarded funds to advance the states agricultural economy, Director Christy Clark and the Agriculture Development Council said.

The GTA program, established by the Montana Legislature in 1987, offers funding in the form of a grant or loan or both and funding is determined by a seven-member Agriculture Development Council.

Growth Through Agriculture funding requires the investment of at least $1 in matching funds for every $1 in program grant or loan assistance received.

The Department of Agriculture is proud to invest in these innovative projects that will add value to Montana agriculture as well as contribute to economic development and local communities, Clark said.

2024 GROWTH THROUGH AGRICULTURE AWARDS

Old Salt Meat Co.  Helena: $50,000 grant Growing Montana Value-Added Meat Products

Farmer Boy Eggs  Drummond: $18,200 grant Farmer Boy Eggs Equipment Upgrades

Bruce Seed Farm  Townsend: $25,000 Seed Processing Facility

Eden Feeds  Great Falls: $50,000 grant Feed Manufacturing Equipment to Increase Production and Create a Safer Work Environment

Glacier Processing Cooperative  Kalispell: $50,000 grant Glacier Processing Cooperative Equipment and Efficiency Improvement Project

Farming Logistics LLC  Kalispell: $41,616 grant Business Expansion through improvements of our current hops facilities and practices

New England Chowder LLC dba Yellowstone Soup Co  Big Timber: $50,000 grant and $25,000 loan Yellowstone Soup Co Facility and Market Expansion

Big Sky Butcher LLC  Glendive: $50,000 grant Big Sky Butcher LLC: Expansion for Inspection Project

County Rail Farm dba Field Five Flower  Huson: $18,000 grant Tulip Program Expansion at County Rail Farm + Field Five Flowers

Horizon Biologics LLC  Bozeman: $41,500 grant Expansion of production capacity for bovine amniotic fluid products

Crooked Yard Hops  Bozeman: $10,860 grant Hop Production Facility Infrastructure and Safety Improvements

Speedy & Flos Sweet Corn  Hardin: $50,000 grant Greenhouse Expansion in Big Horn County

Skattum Dairy and Ranch  Livingston: $50,000 grant and $16,675 loan Skattum Dairy Expansion to meet market demand for Montana made milk

Taste of Paradise LLC  Livingston: $40,000 grant Taste of Paradise, converting a Grade-A cattle dairy to an independent creamery for the production of cheese and ice cream in Livingston, MT. Adding dairy goats to the line of production for a combination of milk allowing for a unique product.

Pelz MT LLC  Missoula: $25,000 grant Machine for Mass Production of Local Montana Pelmeni Dumplings

Homestead Organics Farm  Hamilton: $14,485 grant Cooking up Opportunity! Upgrading our wholesale commercial kitchen to make it safer, more efficient, and user-friendly to existing and emerging small food entrepreneurs

ZEGO  San Francisco (Belgrade): $25,000 grant Building a collaborative, vertically integrated value chain for Montana-grown, gluten-free specialty grains in Belgrade, MT

Eagles Acres LLC  St Ignatius: $7,370 grant Pastured Poultry Expansion

Lame Jones Meats  Plevna: $35,250 grant Cooler Expansion  GTA

Schmitt Organic Farms  Wolf Point: $50,000 grant Vertical Integration of Organic Grain Processing

Yellowstone Pasta Company  Billings: $49,998 grant Expansion of Yellowstone Pasta Company in both regional distribution and addition of employees

Gallys Brewing Co.  Harlowton: $25,000 grant Addition of Distilling Operations to Gally's Brewing LLC

For more information on department programs and services, visit agr.mt.gov.
St. Peters Health said it has been recognized as a 2024 Top 100 Rural and Community Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health.

Chartis annual Top 100 award program recognizes outstanding performance among the nations rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance Index.

Chartis, a health care management consulting firm, provides advisory services and analytics to the health care industry.

Now in its 14th year, the index is the industrys most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance, St. Peters officials said Friday.

Using publicly available data, the index is used nationwide by rural hospitals, health systems with rural affiliates, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health to measure and monitor performance across a variety of areas impacting hospital operations and finance. Rural hospitals are those not located within a metropolitan area as defined by the U.S. Office and Management and Budget and the U.S. Census Bureau. They are nonfederal, acute care hospitals open to the general public.

Earning this designation is an honor for Helena and for all of our community partners who have helped St. Peters Health navigate these challenging times, said Wade Johnson, St. Peters Health chief executive officer.

He said earning national recognition as a top performing health care system is especially rewarding after navigating difficult economic pressures experienced by health systems post-pandemic.

As the locally based health system, we remain committed to being good stewards of our communitys health care dollars and investing those dollars here in Helena, Johnson said.

Michael Topchik, national leader at the Chartis Center for Rural Health, said that during an era of uncertainty for rural health care, the Top 100 rural hospitals continue to provide a unique lens through which we can identify innovation and inspiration for how to deliver high quality care to increasingly vulnerable populations.

He said more than 40 first-time recipients made the list.

Other Montana hospitals named are Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center in Bozeman and Logan Health Medical Center in Kalispell.

Chartis also released a list of the top 100 critical access hospitals. In Montana, they are Barrett Hospital & HealthCare in Dillon, Bitterroot Health - Daly Hospital in Hamilton, Central Montana Medical Center in Lewistown and Community Hospital of Anaconda.

Critical access hospitals is a federal designation designed to lessen financial vulnerability of rural hospitals and improve access to health care by keeping essential services in rural communities. They receive certain benefits, such as cost-based reimbursement for Medicare services.
ABINGDON, Va.  Apples have been an integral part of Southern history and culture for hundreds of years.

When did apples come to the South? And why have so many apple varieties vanished from the landscapes during modern times?

Diane Flynt, a Southwest Virginia apple historian, will be on hand to answer those questions when she discusses her new book Wild, Tamed, Lost, Revived: The Surprising Story of Apples in the South on March 3 in Abingdon.

As part of the Sunday with Friends program, the 3 p.m. presentation will take place in the library conference room at the Washington County Public Library.

Sunday with Friends presentations, free and open to the public, are sponsored by the Friends of the Washington County Public Library.

In addition, Flynt will talk about the history and resurgence of apples in the Commonwealth during An Evening with Diane Flynt at 6 p.m. on March 2 at Hickory restaurant at Nicewonder Farm & Vineyards in Bristol, Virginia.

Guests will be served a four-course dinner crafted by Chef Travis Milton and his team at Hickory. Each course can be paired with a Virginia cider or Nicewonder Vineyards wines. Visit www.nicewonderfarm.com/hickory for reservations.

After more than two years of research, Flynts book was released in September 2023 by the University of North Carolina Press, under the Ferris & Ferris imprint, a special imprint for books that are important to the study of the South.

Flynt devotes the book to the history of apples, showing how Southern apples celebrate a history far beyond the Appalachian region. Apples played roles in defining events in history, such as slavery, the theft of Indigenous lands, the food favored by Queen Victorias court, Belgian immigrants in the early 1800s, and the pioneers who brought apples on the Oregon Trail.

The author also documents her own journey in the apple industry as she aims to revive the artisan cider making tradition.

A cider and heirloom apple expert, Flynt founded Foggy Ridge Cider in 1997 when she planted the Souths first 20th century orchard totally devoted to cider apples.

As many as one thousand cider apple trees were planted in three orchards on her farm.

I had always had the dream of some kind of farm-based business, said Flynt in a phone interview from her home in Dugspar, Virginia, situated in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains.

After a 20-year career in financial services, Flynt, along with her husband Chuck, purchased a farm in Carroll County where they focused on growing exceptional hard cider fruit and crafting high quality fine cider.

It combined my business career and my interest in biology and science with my love of farming, she said.

I grew up in West Point, Georgia, and my grandparents were farmers in Troup County. I really got my attachment to nature and to growing things from my father. I only became interested in apples when we purchased our farm in southwest Virginia.

After closing the cidery in 2018, Flynt continues the sale of apples grown on her farm to several neighboring cideries in North Carolina and Virginia. The freedom from running the cidery allowed her time to enjoy the orchards, as well as research and write her book.

Among the many cideries making cider with fruit from her farm is Ciders from Mars in Staunton, Virginia, which recently won a gold medal in the Virginias Governor Cup for cider made from fruit from Foggy Ridge.

She also is a multiple-time finalist of the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional.

Through the lens of apples

According to the author, the real emphasis of the book is on the surprise.

Its a look of the South through the lens of apples. said Flynt, whose been described as likening to Johnny Appleseed for her love of nature and for nurturing her apple trees like children.

In her orchard are heritage trees that have selected for their flavors and hardiness, such as the Virginia Hewes Crab, Grimes Golden and Parmar.

Through her research, Flynt learned that apples played important roles throughout the South  not just the Appalachian region.

People associate apples with the Mountain South, but what people dont know is that apples for over 300 years were grown all over the South  for example, Louisiana and Mississippi. In fact, Southern apples came from Tidewater, Virginia and Coastal, North Carolina.

In the four sections of the book, Flynt traces the arc of apples in the South.

Arriving before white settlers, apples came to the South probably in the 1500s, according to the author.

They came from perhaps Maine with the cod fishermen at that time or maybe even from Florida with the Spanish and Portuguese who brought peaches and citrus, she said.

The early orchards were seedling orchards which meant each tree was different.

By the early 1700s, Southerners of all sorts  small and large farmers, aristocrats and enslaved men and woman  were selecting apples and grafting and naming them. The South had more family apple orchards than any other region, she said.

Those are the Southern varieties we know today, many of which have been lost.

Many apples may have been cultivated by Native Americans, she said.

Cider  fermented cider or what some people call hard cider  was a common beverage in the early South. Many 17th and 18th century southern orchards were cider apple orchards planted with varieties like Virginia Hewes Crab and Parmar, an old Virginia brandy apple.

In the early 20th century the centers for apple processing were in the South, in Winchester, Virginia, and Hendersonville, North Carolina, said Flynt. There orchardists grew fruit for large food processing companies like Gerber to make into applesauce and canned apples.

According to the author, the loss of apple diversity occurred due to modernity when people began leaving farms and no longer needed to dry and can apples for food. Other factors include urbanization, loss of farm land, new diseases and pests and global competition.

Theres so much to learn about the South through apples, said Flynt, who hopes her audiences will realize the fascination of the world and explore whats around them.

Shes excited there is resurgence in the hard cider industry, even though hard cider has been around since the first colonists.

I think people are interested in trying different kinds of beverages and they are interested in a beverage that reflects a region.

She encourages apple enthusiasts to plant their own small orchard in their backyards.

There are many southern apple varieties that grow well in our region, are disease resistant and offer more interesting flavors than many grocery store apples, Flynt said.

Apples can also connect people to the history and culture of a region or to a family history.

Learn more about Foggy Ridge Cider at www.foggyridgecider.com.
BRISTOL, Tenn.  The Bristol, Tennessee city school system is expanding its use of CENTEGIXs Crisis Emergency Management system to include Tennessee Middle School.

System staff demonstrated how its crisis alert system works to notify and locate staff, faculty and students through a series of mock scenarios that took place in Tennessee Middle School last Friday.

Kristie Coleman, who is the systems supervisor of student services, explained that the new alarm system allows for school staff, teachers and school resource officers to better react to emergencies in their school by simply pressing a button on their individual crisis alert badge.

This system allows an immediate response. You dont have to have a radio for every staff. You dont have to have a phone in every room, Coleman said. They can push the badge three times, and that will send administrators to that location.

There are three different types of alerts that faculty and staff can activate by pressing the badge button: the staff alert, the lockdown alert, and the evacuation alert.

Jeff Mustard, the assistant principal at Tennessee Middle School, explained that the three alerts are activated depending on the number of times a faculty member presses the button on their badge.

We press it depending on what we need to do, three times its just a staff alert. All that happens on that as the administrators and resource officers we get an alert on our phone sounds a lot like an Amber Alert, Mustard said. If you press this thing eight or more times, it will initiate a lockdown.

Sherman Eury, Tennessee Middle Schools SRO, highlighted that the alert system significantly reduces response time and provides an extra layer of safety for the students.

As soon as the button is actually hit, its only a matter of seconds to where we know exactly where that alert, the crisis alert is coming from, Eury said. It gives us that extra protection that we need to make sure that everybody stays safe in school.

Coleman explained that in anticipation of the legislation going through the Tennessee General Assembly, which would require schools to develop an evacuation plan and assess the situation when a fire alarm is pulled in case of an active shooter, BTCSs alert system is already connected to the fire alarms.

Its nice that we already have plans in place to support that legislative change, Coleman said.

Currently, Tennessee Middle School, Tennessee High School, and Fairmount Elementary School are using this crisis emergency system, with BTCS planning to have the system installed in every one of its schools by the end of the year.
A couple was charged late Thursday night after a traffic stop led to the discovery of concealed weapons.

Thomas Wayne Carlson, 40, of Morganton, was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule IV controlled substance, carrying a concealed weapon, no liability insurance and fictitious registration plate, according to a release from the Morganton Department of Public Safety.

Also charged was Echo Danielle Camp, 32, of Morganton, who was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and carrying a concealed weapon, the release said.

The charges came after an officer patrolling Burkemont Avenue around 10 p.m. saw a vehicle without a license plate, the release said.

The officer stopped the vehicle and during the course of the investigation, officers found three firearms in the vehicle, including two that were concealed on the occupants themselves, the release said. Neither of the occupants should have been in possession of a firearm because both are felons, the release said.

A subsequent search of the vehicle turned up numerous quantities of a Schedule IV controlled substance and a large amount of cash, the release said.

Carlson has previous convictions of selling a Schedule II controlled substance, attempted second-degree sex offense, failure to register as a sex offender, possession with intent to sell a Schedule II controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to records from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.

Camp has previously been convicted of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, NCDAC records showed.

Carlson was held without bond, the release said. Camps bond was set at $7,500 secured.
Want to go?

The performance is on March 1 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person and may be purchased through the Lenoir-Rhyne University Box Office online at calendar.lr.edu/event/national-lutheran-choir. Tickets are also available in-person at the box office. The box office is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is located in the rear mezzanine level of the Cromer Center. Tickets can also be reserved by phone at 828-328-7206.
The De Pree Art Center and Gallery at Hope College will feature the exhibition MOTHERROOT by Becci Davis from Friday, March 1, through Thursday, March 28.

Davis will present an artist talk on Friday, March 1, at 4 p.m. in Cook Auditorium in the De Pree Art Center followed by an opening reception that will run until 6 p.m. The public is invited to the exhibition, artist talk and opening reception, and admission is free.

MOTHERROOT honors Black motherhood and nurturing. By drawing connections between motherhood and plant life, the exhibition emphasizes the role that care, legacy, environment and nourishment play in creating the conditions for one to flourish. Davis has dedicated the exhibition to the memory of Mary Denise Lee and Rebecca Robenia Stephens.

Davis was born on a military installation in Georgia named after General Henry L. Benning of the Confederate States Army. Her birth began her familys first generation after the Civil Rights Act and its fifth generation post-Emancipation. As a visual artist, Davis finds inspiration in exploring archives, commemoration practices, memory, landscapes and connection to place.

Davis lives and works in Providence, Rhode Island, where she is a member of the WARP Collective and serves on the citys Special Committee for the Review of Commemorative Works. Davis is also a lecturer at Brown University, teaching Studio Foundations in the Department of Visual Art.

Davis earned her MFA from Lesley University College of Art and Design. Davis received the Public Humanities Scholar Award, given by the Rhode Island State Council for the Humanities in 2021, and has also been awarded the St. Botolph Club Foundation Emerging Artist Award in Visual Art, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Fellowship in New Genres, and the RISD Museum Artist Fellowship. Daviss work has been shown nationally in spaces such as the Newport Art Museum, TILA Studios, Biennial of the Americas, the Photographic Museum of Humanity and Jane Lombard Gallery.

Programming in conjunction with MOTHERROOT also includes studio visits and a workshop in the Department of Art and Art History sponsored by the colleges Cultural Affairs Committee.

The De Pree Gallery is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., although the hours will be reduced  from noon to 4 p.m.  during the colleges spring break running Friday-Friday, March 8-15. Those without a Hope College ID, which is necessary to gain access through the front door, should call the Department of Art and Art History at 616-395-7500 to gain entry.

To inquire about accessibility or if you need accommodations to fully participate in the event, please email accommodations@hope.edu. Updates related to events are posted when available at hope.edu/calendar in the individual listings.

The De Pree Art Center and Gallery is located at 275 Columbia Ave., between 10th and 13th streets
Editors Note: For coverage of the primary election, The Independent Tribune sent questions to each group of candidates. Answers appear as is, with the exception of editing for grammatical/spelling errors. This allows voters to see the candidates through their own words and gives equal opportunity for the candidates to respond. The online edition published answers in full while the print edition will be edited for brevity.

Republican candidate Brad Jenkins is campaigning for N.C. House District 83. He is running against fellow Republican Grant Campbell in the March primary for the right to take on Democratic candidate Joanne Chesley in the general election in November.

District 83 incumbent Rep. Kevin Crutchfield is running for District 82.

1. Tell us a little about your background. How long have you lived in the district?

Brad Jenkins: I am a lifelong constitutional conservative Republican, and have been active in both the spiritual and civil arenas for most of my life. I proudly served for 6 years in the United States Army National Guard as a crew chief mechanic for the UH-60 Blackhawk, and have been a pastor for over 18 years. I was privileged to be able to start two churches in the state of Nebraska, before coming to North Carolina to help rejuvenate Chapel Street Baptist Church in Landis, where I have now been pastor for a decade. I have lived in nearby China Grove for this entire time, and have been able to serve my community in both the spiritual and civil arenas to great success.

2. What made you want to run for the district and do you have any prior experience holding elected office?

I wanted to run for this seat primarily because I believe the Lord has burdened me to use my experience in serving our community as a wise steward of the government that he has given us. As a Christian and a pastor following God is integral to my life, and I would never want to do anything this monumental without His guidance. While I do not have any prior experience in public office, I do in the public arena. I served faithfully in several areas, as both a police and hospital chaplain, and as a longtime member of the Rowan County Republican executive committee. The Lord even allowed me to chair the Rowan GOP for a time, where I was able to meet candidates and elected officials, as well as the many voters that make District 83 great.

3. What made you decide to get involved in politics and run for office?

I wouldn't say that I "wanted" to get involved in politics. Rather I feel like we deserve much better from our elected officials, I am running for this seat because I believe that my track record demonstrates that I will serve our neighbors with integrity and for the betterment of all the folks in district 83. Time and again candidates will say the correct things to persuade voters, but once in office they are swayed by the pacs and lobbyists that funded their campaign, or by self-interests. I have no desire to be a politician or mouthpiece for the establishment in Raleigh run by the big pacs. I desire rather to be a humble servant for my community that represents the needs of the average person in our district as a true outsider of the establishment. I am committed to the people and will listen to the constituents' needs with a heart to make our communities better for everyone.

4. Why do you think you are the most qualified candidate for the position?

I believe the voters should ask themselves the same question I did before I ran. What are the issues that will matter, not just for me today, but for my children and grandchildren in years to come? Our state has so much potential, but it will take representatives who truly care for the people to see that potential realized. That kind of representative has to be answerable to the people and the people alone, not to lobbyists or pacs with their own agenda. My campaign has been about the people. I have personally done all I can to meet the voters of this district, at both their homes and places of business. My campaign has solely been funded by the generous donations of individual voters, and we have not received a dime from special interest groups, lobbyists, or pacs.

Because of this decision, I am free to pursue the issues voters care about, and to make the hard choices in the General Assembly, as the only people I would need to worry about pleasing are God and my constituents.

5. What do you think are the biggest issues impacting residents living in the district?

I believe there are several issues that impact each of us on a daily basis. Despite the distance, the crisis at America's southern border has affected us even here in North Carolina. Illicit drugs and human trafficking are growing by the day and are grievously affecting our young people. As your representative, I would stand with Texas, and would do what I could to see our state protected from the affects of the open border.

The issue of abortion is also pressing. With the decision of abortion now returned to the states, North Carolina must decide what state it will be: an abortion state, or a state that promotes life. As a Christian and pastor I make no qualms about the fact that I am unadulteratedly pro-life, and as your representative, I would propose legislation that would seek, not only to put in place a ban based on weeks, but a total ban of abortion in our state. Life must be protected, and I will do what I can to see that happen.

School choice is increasingly an issue people are concerned with, and I am committed to supporting complete school choice, where the tax dollars you pay follow your child, whether they attend public, private, charter, parochial, or homeschool. As a parent, you should have the ultimate authority in your child's education, and I will seek to protect that right.

The topic of the 2nd amendment has come up routinely, and I am committed to proposing that North Carolina be a Constitutional Carry state, where no permit will be required to carry a weapon, concealed or otherwise. The constitution tells us that our rights are from God, not man, therefore it is inconceivable that you should have to be permitted by the government to exercise your right to bear arms. I want to advocate for vocational training and preparing our next generation to excel in whatever they may feel led to.

6. How do you think you can make a difference in Raleigh for the people of the district?

I believe that I am the best candidate to represent District 83 in Raleigh because I am a citizen here. I've lived in this district my entire time in North Carolina. And whatever decisions I make in Raleigh I will answer to you when I return home, not the big pacs. I am not a politician, I am your neighbor and friend. I did not move to this district just to run for office. I have served right alongside this community for a decade prior to stepping up to run and I believe I can do so in an even greater way by representing you in Raleigh. I will propose and support the legislation that is right for our district, and that will improve your lives, and the future for our children, even if the big money in Raleigh and the party leadership say no. I will be your representative, and I hope I can count on your vote.
Australias competition watchdog the ACCC has issued a warning that it is aware that scammers have been calling people, falsely claiming to help them get a refund from various businesses.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission also warns that scammers may use this media release about refunds from Grays to convince you that it is genuine.

If you receive a call from anyone offering to help you with a refund, hang up immediately. Never give personal information to anyone calling you out of the blue and never give access to your computer or bank account and never click on a link in a text message or open an attachment in an email if you were not expecting the text or email. If you have given information to a scammer or lost money, contact your bank immediately, the ACCC further warns, and adding that you should Report scams to Scamwatch

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The ACCC announced that it has instituted legal proceedings in the Federal Court against Grays eCommerce Group Limited, an Australia-wide online auction business, over false or misleading descriptions of hundreds of cars on its site, including about the make, model, features or undisclosed obvious faults with the cars.

Grays has admitted it engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct and made false or misleading representations between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2022 about the details of cars offered for sale on its online auction site.

It has agreed to make joint submissions with the ACCC to the Court that it should pay a $10 million penalty for the admitted breaches of the Australian Consumer Law, the Commission advises.

At least 750 consumers bought a car from Grays which was incorrectly described. As a result, hundreds of consumers may have bought a car they would not otherwise have purchased, or may have paid more than they would have, had they known the correct details, ACCC Commissioner Liza Carver said.

Carver reports that examples of misleading car descriptions included the wrong manufacturing year or transmission system, listing features that the actual car did not have, or failure to mention obvious faults (such as damage to the car or active dashboard warning lights).

Consumers often had to invest significant time and energy in convincing Grays to provide a remedy and were made to wait months for a resolution. Some consumers paid to repair the vehicle that was incorrectly described or re-sold it at a loss.

The purchase of a car is often a significant financial decision. Consumers rely on their car to get them to work, school or other commitments and they should be able to rely on the description in the auction listing to be correct, Carver said, adding that businesses must not mislead consumers about what they are buying. If they do mislead them, this is a breach of the Australian Consumer Law.

Grays says it has already contacted some affected consumers to offer redress.

In addition, the ACCC has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from Grays to provide redress to affected consumers, with the undertaking to commence once final orders are made by the Court.

Consumers are warned to be alert of scammers pretending to make contact on behalf of Grays to facilitate a refund. Consumers who have queries about eligibility for redress should contact Grays directly, the Commission notes, adding that Grays has co-operated with the ACCC during its investigation, including by agreeing to jointly seek declarations, penalties, a compliance program and costs.

The Federal Court will consider whether to make the orders sought on a date to be fixed.

By way of background the ACCC notes that Grays is a large industrial, auto and commercial eCommerce business, offering a range of industrial, auto, consumer and commercial goods, direct from manufacturers and distributors. Grays online auction platform is used to sell a range of goods, including motor vehicles by auction.
Global law enforcement recently was revealed to have disrupted ransomware group LockBit and kill the viability of its long-term malware plans. It happened with the aid of Trend Micro undercover infiltration and threat intelligence.

The news came out less than a week ago that global law enforcement disrupted LockBit, a major ransomware crime gang. The American National Crime Agency (NCA) is now in control of LockBit's administrative portals.

As well as a coordinated effort among law enforcement agencies, it's come to light that cybersecurity provider Trend Micro had a critical role to play. Trend Micro had infiltrated the LockBit group and was able to both prevent the group from releasing their next suite of malware products and also protect all Trend Micro customers from these threats even before the group had finished testing its new tools.

Further, Trend Micro's collaboration and threat intelligence sharing with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and NCA directly assisted the investigation and successful disruption. LockBit was responsible for about 25% of all ransomware leaks in 2023, causing billions of dollars in losses for thousands of global victims over the past years.

Trend Micro cybercrime researcher Robert McArdle said, we are honoured that our threat intelligence is uniquely valuable to global law enforcement in the shared mission to make the world safer.

Trend Micro has also recently secured global Microsoft users from a critical vulnerability.

McArdle says insiders aren't so naive as to think the crime group is completely eliminated, but with its infiltration now public knowledge, "we know that no sane criminal would want to be involved with this group again.

Details from behind the scenes are unfolding and include cryptocurrency seizure, arrests, indictments, imposing sanctions and additional technical support for victims. The operation took over LockBits leak site, disclosing information and personal identities of group members and details of their previous works. These actions essentially make the group unwelcome and untrusted in the cybercrime worldand therefore unviable as an underground business.

Ransomware is one of the most serious cyber threats facing organisations today, known for disrupting schools, hospitals, governments, and businesses and imperilling critical national infrastructure. It does all of this while lining the pockets of a few small cybercrime groups: last year, victims paid over $1 billion to these groups and their affiliates, a record figure.

This work ultimately supported the following outcomes:

Trend's delivery of protection in advance against LockBit-NG-Dev for its customers.

The neutralisation of a potentially prolific strain of ransomware preventing its use in future enterprises these actors may look to run

A law enforcement operation that will hopefully see the end of LockBit as we know it and set a new benchmark for international collaboration across law enforcement and private partners.

While LockBit was, without doubt, the largest and most impactful Ransomware operation globally, this disruption makes it very clear that all criminal affiliates should strongly reconsider any involvement with them in the future and that in partnering with this organisation, these associates have put themselves at increased risk of law enforcement action.

More technical detail is available in Trend Micro's analysis of the next version of LockBit ransomware malware.
GUEST OPINION: With the pace of artificial intelligence (AI) development showing no sign of slowing, attention is now moving to the benefits and opportunities it can deliver.

Since ChatGPT first demonstrated the capabilities of generative AI in late 2022, business leaders have been evaluating how the technology can be put to work. Theyre assessing how AI-powered tools can streamline workflows, improve productivity, and reduce costs.

At the same time, CIOs within many organisations are also coming to terms with the complexities that the introduction of AI tools can create. Because the tools can work with data drawn from a variety of departments and teams, CIOs are realising they will need to work closely with other business leaders during deployments.

AI tools also have the potential to cause fundamental shifts in workflows and patterns. Tasks that traditionally have required human intervention can increasingly be automated and streamlined. Close consultation with staff at all levels will be required so that they understand the effect that such changes will have.

Taking a strategic approach

For the deployment of AI-powered tools to be effective, its necessary for organisations to take a strategic approach to their introduction. Rather than focusing on what they will deliver in isolation, managers need to consider their impact on wider operations and explore broader potential synergies.

Many organisations are also finding it beneficial to begin with a pilot project to build up understanding of the capabilities of the tools and how they can best deliver business value. Once this has been completed and assessed, a strategy can be developed for wider deployments across the broader organisation.

This explorative approach will be particularly important in areas where sensitive data is held and processed. Examples include the legal and medical sectors where the security of client and patient records is paramount.

Dealing with ever-growing volumes of data, especially unstructured and poorly organised data, will also become challenging for many organisations. New processes will be required for its storage and management to ensure AI tools can perform as efficiently as possible.

Time will also be required so that ongoing advances in AI technology can be carefully evaluated and assessed. New capabilities need to be better understood as they are introduced into the workplace, noting the risks and opportunities they present.

This is particularly important when it comes to testing features such as machine-learning algorithms and neural networks. It will also be important that organisations can respond to demands by regulators for evidence of how particular results were created.

The human element

Business leaders also need to be cognisant of the impact that AI-powered tools will have on their employees. Some may be excited by the prospect, while others could become fearful that their roles will no longer be relevant.

Time must be taken to explain exactly how the tools will be used and the benefits they will deliver. Staff need to be assured that theyll augment their roles rather than replace them. In many cases the tools will allow staff to give up repetitive tasks and focus their time on more value-adding activities.

Staff will also need to understand the importance of having human oversight of AI tools and the processes they undertake (where this is practical!). Outputs cannot simply be taken at face value in all cases. Instead, they need to be assessed against what was expected, to ensure the tools are performing in the correct manner.

Effective governance

A further area that will require ongoing monitoring and review once AI tools are in place within an organisation, is governance. Senior leaders need to be sure that data used by the tools is protected and remains secure.

Its also vital that organisations adhere to all compliance regulations relating to data retention and usage. Acknowledgement of privacy requirements must occur at all times.

AI-powered tools will have a wide impact on organisations across all sectors of business in the years ahead. By taking a thoughtful and methodical approach to their deployment and usage, businesses will be able to enjoy the significant benefits that they will deliver.
Gigamon, the leading deep observability company, has appointed channel executive Simon Oliver as head of channel, Australia, to build on the companys channel-first strategy in ANZ. He will be based in Melbourne.

Today organisations are facing intense pressure to secure and manage hybrid cloud infrastructure. The Gigamon 2023 Hybrid Cloud Security survey of 1,000 IT and security leaders revealed that while 90 percent of respondents admitted to having suffered a data breach in the past 18 months, one in three breaches are going undetected by traditional security and observability tools.

That number rises to nearly half (48 percent) in Australia, underscoring the critical need for greater visibility across hybrid cloud infrastructure in the ANZ region.

Oliver is a seasoned transformational management professional with more than 20 years' experience in senior sales and channel roles across the ANZ region. Most recently he was cloud and alliances lead with Cirrus Networks, and prior to that held sales and channel roles at IBM, NetApp, Macquarie Telecom, and VMtech.

With Simons extensive industry experience and results-driven approach, we will continue to expand our partner ecosystem relationships throughout ANZ, as we progress our Deep Observability Pipeline and jointly deliver solutions to the needs of our customers in this critical region," said Kenny Tan, senior director, APAC Channel at Gigamon.

My focus is on meeting customers and partners needs to drive growth, increase revenue, and expand market share to enhance our overall competitiveness in the marketplace, said Oliver.

The ever-changing security landscape is both exciting and challenging, as our partners and customers continue to collaborate to leverage our deep observability capabilities to meet secure and manage their hybrid cloud infrastructure.
(left to right)  Guy Danskine, Managing Director, Equinix Australia, Lily DAmbrosio, Minister for Climate Action, Energy and Resources and the State Electricity Commission, and Nina Taylor, Labor Member for Albert Park

Under a program to reduce energy costs and help address climate change, digital infrastructure company Equinix has deployed a 1MW rooftop solar system at its ME1 International Business Exchange (IBX) data centre in Melbourne, bringing additional clean power to local grids where Equinix operates.

In what Equinix says is one of the largest data centre rooftop solar deployments in Australia, the company has now completed installation of rooftop solar systems at eight of its data centres, including Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney, which collectively provides a total of approximately 1.8MW of clean energy to local power grids.

To assist in the funding of this latest rooftop solar deployment in Melbourne, Equinix claimed Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs), which is part of the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) programme established by the Victorian government to help reduce power bills and greenhouse gas emissions.

Officiating at the unveiling ceremony of the solar system at Equinix ME1 data centre today, Lily DAmbrosio, Minister for Climate Action, for Energy and Resources and for the State Electricity Commission, said: Data centres are energy intensive, but through the VEU program Equinix has been able to install a large-scale solar system that reduces their operating costs and helps to lower their emissions.

Since 2009, the VEU has helped more than 2 million households and 150,000 businesses lower their energy bills and we look forward to saving them even more when we bring more options into the program soon.

The 1MW rooftop solar system is Equinixs largest onsite rooftop solar PV system globally, and one of the largest at any data centre in Australia, and Equinix says it reinforces its continued focus to add clean energy to the local grid and contribute towards decarbonation.

Earlier this month, Equinix announced the signing of its first long-term renewable energy Power Purchase Agreement in Asia-Pacific, securing 151MW of renewable energy from the Golden Plains Wind Farm  East in Victoria, which will supply enough energy to the grid to cover Equinixs 17 IBX data centres across Australia.

Guy Danskine, Managing Director, Equinix Australia, said: Deploying rooftop solar systems at our Australian data centres is an important step in our overarching strategy to help decarbonise the grid and foster a more sustainable future for data centres. In Australia, we have invested millions of dollars in solar systems and have plans to expand this further. We are constantly exploring ways to deliver our digital infrastructure in the most sustainable way to address surging digital needs of businesses and support the development of the countrys digital economy.

Globally, Equinix notes that renewable energy coverage has been more than 90% since 2018, and in 2022, it achieved 96% renewable energy coverage.

Considering the companys growth, renewable energy purchasing on a MWh-basis has increased 29% over the past two years, with the target to achieve 100% renewable energy coverage by 2030. Based on current load projections, Equinix recent Power Purchase Agreement with Golden Plains Wind Farm is expected to provide the final 4% towards its 100% renewables target by 2030, notes Equinix.

Equinix list highlights and key facts as:

Despite a fluctuating business environment, organisations continue to focus on sustainability. According to Equinix 2023 Global Tech Trends Survey, while innovating, digital leaders are keeping a close eye on the sustainability of their IT infrastructure with 74% having a plan to manage the environmental impact of growing data usage. Additionally, 76% of respondents are measuring and actively trying to limit the environmental impact of their IT equipment and 71% will only work with IT partners who can meet key carbon reduction targets. Further, 75% report sustainability is one of their organisations most important drivers.

Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs) are certificates created under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program when certain energy efficiency activities, such as rooftop solar, are undertaken. Each certificate represents one tonne of greenhouse gas emissions reduction (CO2-e).

Equinixs solar system portfolio in Australia comprises seven IBX data centres and one xScale data centre  BR1 in Brisbane, CA1 in Canberra, ME1 and ME2 in Melbourne, and SY2, SY4, SY7 and SY9x in Sydney, providing approximately 1.8MW of power to local grids where Equinix operates.

There are two on-site electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in ME1. These are freely available to Equinix employees and visitors and contribute to previous and ongoing investments in EV charging infrastructure in Australia.

In June 2021, Equinix became the first data centre company to commit to being climate neutral globally by 2030, aligned to an approved near-term science-based target. These commitments are backed by an aggressive green financing plan and a comprehensive sustainability agenda to advance investments and innovations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It reflects the significant role Equinix plays in greening its customers digital supply chains and addressing the evolving needs of its stakeholders.

In 2022, Equinix invested a total of $45M toward energy efficiency projects, resulting in associated annual energy consumption reduction of approximately 69,000 MWh and reducing Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) ratio by 5.5% from 2021 to 2022.

Equinix has issued US$4.9 billion of green bonds since 2020, which have been fully allocated to support 172 green building projects across 105 sites, 33 energy efficiency projects, and two Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) projects.

Additional Resources

About Equinix

Equinix (Nasdaq: EQIX) is the world's digital infrastructure company. Digital leaders harness Equinix's trusted platform to bring together and interconnect foundational infrastructure at software speed. Equinix enables organizations to access all the right places, partners and possibilities to scale with agility, speed the launch of digital services, deliver world-class experiences and multiply their value, while supporting their sustainability goals.
A database is launching next month that will allow young lawyers to review the judges they worked for and give law students a way to learn which judges have good - or bad - reputations as employers.

The site, open only to current and former clerks, is a crowdsourced effort started by a former law clerk who says her career was derailed by an abusive judge. It comes seven years after two famous appellate judges - one liberal and one conservative - were accused of sexually harassing female clerks, part of the wave of #MeToo revelations.

Aliza Shatzman, who founded the Legal Accountability Project in 2022, says she has already gathered over 800 surveys since she began soliciting them last April.

"You can be almost irreparably harmed" by a clerkship with the wrong judge, Shatzman said. She had planned to become a prosecutor in D.C. But her job offer was rescinded after a negative appraisal from a local judge who called her "bossy" and compared her unfavorably to his wife, a story she recounted to the House Judiciary Committee in 2022 as she advocated better protections for clerks. The following year, she launched her nonprofit with the aim of improving workplace conditions for judicial employees. While the Legal Accountability Project (LAP) has advocated for Congress to make it easier to sue federal judges for discrimination, it is also hoping to help would-be clerks avoid experiences that lead to lawsuits.

Some individual law schools have similar databases, Shatzman said, and there is an informal "whisper network" of former clerks who warn acquaintances about particular judges. But she says that leaves out many applicants, particularly those who don't come from prominent schools or have connections to lawyers who have held prestigious clerkships. And she said law school officials, wanting to tout how many students go on to clerkships, are reluctant to steer them away from any judge.

"Law schools and the judiciary are both at fault here," Shatzman said. "They have had centuries to self-police and have not done so." She initially planned for the project to run through law schools with the institutions gaining access for $5 a student. But some schools have resisted - including her alma mater, which raised concerns over accuracy. She decided to open it up directly to all young lawyers and law students for $20 each.

Shatzman said she uses identification cards and other methods of proof to verify the identity of every student who wants access to the database and every former clerk contributing to it, although the reports themselves are by default anonymous. The database solicits feedback on a judge's interviewing process, hours, assignment style and workplace environment. Judges are also given a "positive, neutral, or negative" rating. Would-be clerks can search by name, court and location as well as gender and race. They can add their own demographic information if they choose.

That setup is likely to protect Shatzman and her group from defamation lawsuits should any negative reviews get back to a judge. Under a law known as Section 230, operators of online forums like Yelp or Glassdoor can't be held responsible for the content posted on their sites.

"That's pretty core Section 230 and I say this as someone who has generally advocated for narrower Section 230 interpretations," said Alan Z. Rozenshtein, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School. But, he said, "they will have to be very careful with how exactly how they do this." In 2022, a judge ruled that the creator of a list collecting anonymous accounts of sexual misconduct by men in the media was not protected from suit because her emails about it might have "encouraged" defamatory contributions. She settled with a man on the list for an undisclosed sum.

"There could be two sides to any of these stories," said Judge Douglas Nazarian, a state appellate judge in Maryland who sits on LAP's board. "The purpose is to democratize and improve the clerkship experience, not to find ways to get judges in trouble." Knowing he can never read them, he has encouraged all of his former clerks to fill out surveys, he said. "I've put my own money where my mouth is."

Nazarian said his own clerkship "was an unbelievably good thing" that helped put him on the path to his current position. He attends regular reunions with other clerks; over three decades on, he and Judge James B. Loken are still in touch. "These are professional relationships and networks that can be really foundational," he said. He hopes the database will help direct clerks toward judges who are "not famous" but have "terrific reviews," and make law students from less-privileged backgrounds more comfortable with the process.

"I tend to look at it more as a broadening opportunity than as a place to tell bad stories," he said. "But it can be both."

Rozenshtein, who clerked for a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit and leads the clerkship committee at his school, said he has "complex feelings" about the database. "The vast, vast, vast majority of judges are totally normal human beings," he said. "There are bad judges out there; there are also bad law students."

He said the "underlying problem" is that law students often feel they must do clerkships if they have the chance, even with judges known for offensive conduct. "I really applaud the spirit behind it," he said. "I just don't know whether this is going to be the thing that moves the needle."

LAP also supports legislation that would make the federal judiciary subject to laws barring discrimination in the workplace and protecting whistleblowers. Judiciary officials have resisted that proposal, saying it would reduce judges' independence. Despite bipartisan support, the bill has not moved forward in Congress.

"We are the positive movement" in the judiciary since the #MeToo revelations, Shatzman said. "Sadly, there has not been much else."

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Donald Trump has a $355 million judgment against him, and we're just getting started.

The judgment in the civil fraud case, which reaches $450 million including pre-judgment interest, is the handiwork of an elected Democratic judge in a case brought by an elected Democratic prosecutor who pledged to pursue Trump in her election campaign.

The prosecutor, New York Attorney General Letitia James, wielded an incredibly broad statute meant to target consumer fraud.

Executive Law 63(12) doesn't require any finding of intent to commit fraud or illegality, or require actual victims.

The judge in the case, Arthur Engoron, said it didn't even matter whether Trump's exaggerated valuations of his assets were relied on by anyone.

It is, in short, the magic bullet of anti-fraud statutes, and the perfect weapon in the hands of a politically motivated prosecutor looking for any reason to nail one specific person she and all her supporters passionately hate.

The shockingly extravagant judgment against Trump isn't for damages  since there were, ahem, no damages  but supposedly to "disgorge" his "ill-gotten gains."

In harassing lawsuits or prosecutions, it is often said that the process  in other words, the time and money spent fighting the case  is the punishment.

That's certainly true of Trump, whose campaign coffers have been drained by legal fees and whose schedule has been clogged with court dates. But the punishment is also the punishment.

On top of the civil fraud case, Trump has been hit by $5 million and $83.3 million verdicts in the two E. Jean Carroll cases.

Former prosecutor Andy McCarthy notes that the rules in such cases are that the defendant "has to post the amount of the judgment, plus interest, in order to assure the court that the appeal is not simply for purposes of delay, and that the defendant will pay up if he loses."

That means Trump will have to pony up half a billion dollars merely to appeal.

This is before Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg comes in with his criminal case, wherein the elected Democratic prosecutor has bootstrapped what should, at most, be a misdemeanor involving hush money paid to a porn star into 34 felony counts.

Bragg's fraud case, in what's becoming a theme, doesn't allege anyone actually being defrauded. It was brought only after Bragg was criticized by allies for taking a pass on charges that, to quote Abraham Lincoln, are "as thin as the homeopathic soup that was made by boiling the shadow of a pigeon that had starved to death."

"Lock her up" was an unworthy slogan directed at Hillary Clinton back in 2016; now, Trump's enemies have seen and raised that sentiment: They are moving to destroy Trump's business, drain his resources, blacken his reputation, sink his presidential campaign and, if they can, lock him up  and literally, not figuratively.

What's happening in New York  and is being replicated at the federal level and in Georgia in the 2020 election cases  is law as blood lust.

It is a rejection of the Anglo-American legal tradition as it has developed over the centuries to enshrine neutrality and fair play in favor of something that is more personalized and illiberal.

These prosecutors are acting as if they consider the famous speech by then-attorney general and future Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson not as a warning, but a roadmap: He called "the most dangerous power of the prosecutor" that "he will pick people that he thinks he should get, rather than pick cases that need to be prosecuted."

Given the variety of laws on the books, Jackson explained, "A prosecutor stands a fair chance of finding at least a technical violation of some act on the part of almost anyone."

Then it becomes "a question of picking the man and searching the law books, or putting investigators to work, to pin some offense on him."

That Donald Trump is the man in question doesn't make this phenomenon any less disgraceful or un-American.

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CHICAGO  A 17-year-old boy was in critical condition after he was found shot in a River North business early Sunday morning, police said.

The teen was located on the 18th floor on the 0-100 block of East Grand Avenue at around 1:14 a.m. He sustained a gunshot wound to his lower left abdomen, according to police.

The teen was uncooperative and refused to answer officers questions at the scene. He was taken to Northwestern Hospital in critical condition.

No arrests had been made as of early Sunday.

What is the actual cost of crime in America's largest citiesand which spend the most and least per capita? What is the actual cost of crime in America's largest citiesand which spend the most and least per capita? Key findings The safest cities in America Are larger cities safer or more dangerous? The most dangerous cities in America
A supplier to the planned $14 billion Toyota Battery Manufacturing N.C. plant in Liberty is adding to its presence by announcing a Joint venture on a $60 million plant that will feature 133 jobs.

The Fujihatsu & Toyotsu Battery Components N.C. LLC joint venture represents a partnership between Fujihatsu Tech America Inc. and Toyota Tsusho America Inc.,

Toyota Tsusho America is a multi-business enterprise that combines international trading of various industrial products, such as metals, machinery, chemicals and electronics.

It is a 10% shareholder in the Toyota battery plant. Toyota Tsusho will handle logistics and warehousing of materials for the Toyota North America plant that will make lithium batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles. The company projects running two weekday shifts.

The joint venture with Fujihatsu will make and sell prismatic aluminum cell cases and cell covers with discharge valves to meet the increasing demand for automotive and electric vehicle batteries. Prismatic is defined as having the form of a prism.

Production is scheduled to begin in 2025 with initial production volume to be 2.7 million units per month. By January 2026, production volume will reach 3.6 million units per month, according to the companies.

The average annual salary for the joint ventures jobs will be $58,935. By comparison, Randolph Countys overall average annual wage is $45,801.

The joint venture was established in July 2023 and publicly announced earlier in February. It is 60% owned by Fujihatsu, which will lend its technical expertise to the project, and 40% by Toyota Tsusho America Inc., which will provide administrative and operational support.

North Carolinas reputation as a leader in the clean energy and EV industries is not only attracting flagship companies like Toyota, but key players in the EV supply chain, said Christopher Chung, chief executive of Economic Development Partnership of N.C.

Our states world-class education system, customizable workforce development programs and the largest manufacturing workforce in the Southeast also provide the support companies like FTBC need to succeed.

The Economic Development Partnership cited that between 2018 and 2022, Japanese companies have announced more than $6.6 billion in investment in North Carolina and pledged more than 5,166 new jobs.

Currently, more than 30,500 North Carolinians work for Japanese companies such as Toyota, FujiFilm Diosynth and HondaJet.

In December, Toyota Tsusho America committed to an offsite warehouse for the battery plant representing a $7 million capital investment and 41 jobs at full operation in 2025.

Randolph economic officials said Toyota Tsusho represents the first direct supplier to the Toyota EV battery plant to choose a location in the county.

Part of the startup costs for Toyota Tsusho will be offset by a $325,000 grant from the N.C. Infrastructure Authority to help restore an 85,314-square-foot building at 7280 Liberty Park Avenue in Liberty.

Toyota Tsusho has regional offices, subsidiaries and affiliates across North America in 78 locations with more than 8,000 employees, including a Greensboro office.

Background

Toyota Battery Manufacturing N.C. has committed to by far the biggest single capital investment in North Carolina history at nearly $14 billion and 5,100 jobs.

First battery production is set for early 2025. It will be increased in a phased approach, with line launches planned through 2030 to reach full production at 7 million square feet.

The main Toyota hiring focus thus far has been on production assessment, machine operators, quality and internal logistics, maintenance assessment, and maintenance and facilities workers.

All of which will test how far Triad residents are willing to commute for starting hourly pay of $18 for logistics employees, $23 for production and quality employees and a range of $20.30 to $41.50 for maintenance and facilities employees.

Toyota Motor North America disclosed in January that a 29.4% surge in electric vehicle sales during fiscal 2023 provides more credence to the manufacturers bold decision to twice expand its Triad battery production plant before an early 2025 debut. The manufacturer sold 657,327 electric vehicles, up from 504,016 in 2022.

EVs represented 29.2% of its 2.2 million North American sales compared with 24% of 2.1 million sales in 2022.

Between Toyota and its higher-end Lexus automobile line, the manufacturer has 26 electric vehicles styles available, which it says is the most among any automaker.

As invigorating as having 5,100 Toyota jobs sounds, economists say there are likely to be an additional hundreds, if not thousands, of supplier jobs linked to the plant, if not on the megasite campus.

Toyota obviously has great confidence in its ability to recruit workers for the plant, but how challenging will it be for it to become the preferred advanced manufacturing employer for the Triad? asked John H. Boyd, founder and principal with global site-selection firm The Boyd Co. of Boca Raton, Fla.

Given the vast number of new hires needed, it will be a very challenging human-resources exercise, but well within the capabilities of Toyota who has an enviable track record in staffing and retaining in locations throughout North America and the world.
For decades, cancer care in Lincoln has been fragmented.

Someone newly diagnosed with the disease might have to schedule several appointments with oncologists, radiologists, surgeons and other health care providers in different parts of the city, and then wait weeks for their treatment plan to come together.

Bryan Healths new April Sampson Cancer Center aims to flip that model on its head. Instead of patients having to chase the doctors all over the city, they will now be able to go to one place and the doctors will essentially come to them.

Were bringing all of that under one roof, all the best aspects together, so the patient really has a one-stop shop, said Danielle Henricksen, director of the cancer center.

The $45 million, 140,000-square-foot facility near 40th Street and Rokeby Road is a collaboration between Bryan and Cancer Partners of Nebraska, Lincolns largest oncology group.

Bryan had been looking for years to locate in fast-growing south Lincoln, and the choice was made easy when the Sampson family, which owns Sampson Construction, offered to donate 29 acres of land for the facility.

April Sampson was first diagnosed with breast cancer at age 29 and battled the disease for decades before her death at the age of 66 in 2016.

Her daughter, Cori Sampson Vokoun, said her mother found the best care and the most compassionate care right here in Lincoln, within the Bryan Health system and the Cancer Partners of Nebraska.

However, the facilities did not measure up to the excellence of the people who helped her, Sampson Vokoun said in an email.

So, when Bryan sought to build a building to centralize and modernize the facilities for cancer, we were all in. Lincoln now has excellent people AND excellent facilities for cancer care, she said. We are proud to be the builder, (and) have it named for her, but mostly we are excited for what it provides for patients like her for years to come.

The center is set to partially open in March, with Cancer Partners providers moving in and starting to see patients. Bryan staff and equipment will follow in the weeks after that. A public open house is set for April 13 from 1-4 p.m.

Dr. Nathan Green, an oncologist with Cancer Partners, said the new center will provide a seamless transition between inpatient care and outpatient care.

No longer, Green said, will newly diagnosed cancer patients have to have their fear and anxiety compounded by the frustration of waiting for doctors.

He said staff from both Cancer Partners and Bryan spent a lot of time developing the idea of a centralized cancer center to make sure they did it right. That included talking to patients and community members, as well as visiting other cancer centers across the country.

The feedback weve gotten as weve started to roll this out has just been over-the-top positive, Green said.

In addition to offering cancer patients a one-stop shop for their treatments, the center also will offer a number of ancillary services, including a spa thats open to the public, a wig shop and certified mastectomy fittings.

The two health care organizations are hoping the new center will better serve the roughly 9,000 people in Lancaster, Gage, Saline and Seward counties who are treated for cancer each year, and attract roughly half of those patients who go to Omaha or somewhere else for treatment to stay here.

The prospect of the cancer center has already attracted new doctors to Lincoln offering new specialties.

Dr. Green said Cancer Partners now has a gynecologic oncologist and a urologic oncologist, both specialties that have not been available in Lincoln before.

This has really attracted some attention, he said. Theres already new talent in town that wasnt here and I think probably wouldnt be here if we werent collaborating on this project.

Green said the cancer center also will offer access to clinical trials that has not been available in Lincoln before, thanks to collaboration with two National Cancer Institute-designated cancer groups.

Were now able to provide academic-level clinical trials right here in Lincoln, he said.

Even though the cancer center isnt yet open, Bryan is already looking at expansion.

The cancer center itself sits on 10 acres, leaving another 19 for additional development.

Bob Ravenscroft, Bryans vice president of advancement and chief development officer, said there are a number of specialty medical practices looking to locate next to the cancer center, and he envisions a physician office building and possibly other medical development to come in the next few years.

We have room to grow out there, and it will evolve into kind of more than just a cancer center on that campus, he said.

While the cancer center is by far the biggest project Bryan is currently working on, the hospital system has made a number of smaller changes over the past year.

They include:

Expansion of Bryan Heart electrophysiology department on the fifth floor of the Faulkner building on Bryan East Campus. The department now has 18 new exam rooms and supporting spaces.

Relocation of some administrative and support departments to its new Firethorn campus near 84th and Van Dorn streets. To date, about 250 employees have moved to the two-building campus, which the health system bought from Allstate in 2022.

Bryan Physician Network also made several changes in 2023:
Jordan Jackson is a go-getter. A hustler. An entrepreneur. He inherited the trait  maybe its a gene  he says, from his father, Greg Jackson, who never believed in excuses.

Were Jacksons, said Jordan, imitating his fathers lifelong admonition to him. That means get it done. ... We endure. We persevere. We get it done.

Greg Jacksons words sunk in from the start. Jordan Jackson mowed lawns. He scooped driveways. He dabbled in landscaping, and he deejayed weddings.

Heck, he was even a garbage collector.

And then during the pandemic, while surfing the internet, he came across a recipe for birria, a Mexican delicacy from the state of Jalisco, where goat meat is slow-cooked in a spicy broth for hours. Once fall-apart tender, the meat is shredded and used to make tacos.

Nobody here sells them, he said, seeing a hole in the market.

So, he settled on a recipe that substituted beef for goat meat and soon began selling the tacos out of his house with the help of four small flat-top griddles.

The birria tacos were an instant hit. They were so popular, it wasnt long before he forked out more than $30,000 for a food truck that he parked in front of Craft Axe Throwing, 1821 N St.

Maybe serving good food was in the cards all along. Consider that Greg Jackson owned Poppis BBQ more than a decade ago, while Nick Maestas, owner of Muchachos, was Jordan Jacksons mentor in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program more than 20 years ago.

And when Charles Brewer, another strong influence, came along it all seemed like it was meant to be.

It was just a matter of timing, Brewer said.

Brewer called Jackson, whose food truck business was thriving, in early October to ask if Jackson would be interested in taking over the lease of his downtown Stur 22 location in November.

The 32-year-old lifelong Lincolnite didnt have to think twice.

Birria Boss opened in late November at 1320 O St. and in about three months of operation, Jackson says business has exceeded all expectations.

Owning a brick-and-mortar operation had always been a dream, but some dreams  the really lofty ones  are too big to ever truly believe.

And then Brewer called.

Brewer had been in the next stall at a food truck event last summer and got a first-hand glimpse at the kind of business Birria Boss was doing.

His line was out the door, and Im like, What is going on? What is this guy doing? Brewer said. He was like that the whole time. He was just busy, busy. It was pretty impressive how busy he was, and he just handled it like a pro.

By that point, Brewer was planning his exit strategy. Having someone take over his lease was preferred, but not essential.

Jackson, who drove his food truck year-round, was not looking forward to another winter of slinging tacos out in the cold. Moving into Brewers location would allow him to kick the tires on downtown without a lease that bound him there in case it didnt work.

Hes tweaked his hours of operation by opening for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then closing the doors until 5 p.m. He stays open until 9 p.m. during the week but expands the hours to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays to get a slice of the bar-hopping crowd.

Were doing a lot more than we did in the food truck, said Kylie Mullen, a Beatrice native who runs the Birria Boss kitchen. We have pretty good crowds. Sometimes, its crazy.

What Jackson has found is that Lincoln is a taco town. There are a few places that do it right, Jackson said. They stay true to the culture and have grabbed their share of the market.

His time in the food truck  and his social media presence that has more than 8,000 followers  has allowed him to find a niche in a culinary market that has become just as popular as burgers.

Maybe thats the reason Birria Boss has had some early success, Brewer says. Tacos, while considered international, have become widely accepted  a great option for both lunch and dinner  by most people in Lincoln.

People like what were doing, he said, remembering a customer who came into the restaurant with her family  an elderly Mexican woman who spoke no English  who told Jackson (through an interpreter) something hell never forget.

She said my tacos reminded her of home, he said. It turns out she was from Jalisco. That was the greatest compliment I could have ever had.

In a short time, Birria Boss has earned its credentials. The restaurant has been nominated for five Lincoln Choice Awards, including best Mexican restaurant and best under-the-radar eatery.

In addition, it will be a No. 10 seed in KLINs annual Munch Madness tournament, which pits 64 eateries in a bracket-style competition that will crown Lincolns best restaurant.

Those are indicators that the hustle was worth it, that after kicking a lot of cans down the road, Jackson may have at last found his place.

This is what Ive always wanted to do, he says. Ive always been a cook. I always loved cooking. My dad was a cook and so Ive always been, like, around it.

Im doing what Ive always wanted.

Here are some of Lincoln's hidden gem restaurants, according to Reddit Daffodil Mediterranean Cuisine and Catering Lila Mae's Southern Kitchen and Lounge Heoya Afghan Village Cuisine Norm's on 48th El Potro Mexican Restaurant L's Kitchen Vung Tau Pho Grill Fattoush Restaurant Rolling Wok Blessing Thai Restaurant Super Taco Tandoor Indian Restaurant Biji's Best Panda Garden
VATICAN CITY  The Vatican has been trying for years to debunk the idea that its vaunted secret archives are all that secret: It has opened up the files of controversial World War II-era Pope Pius XII to scholars and changed the official name to remove the word Secret from its title.

But a certain aura of myth and mystery has persisted  until now.

The longtime prefect of what is now named the Vatican Apostolic Archive, Archbishop Sergio Pagano, is spilling the beans for the first time, revealing some of the secrets he has uncovered in the 45 years he has worked in one of the worlds most important, and unusual, repositories of documents.

In a new book-length interview titled Secretum, Pagano divulges some of the unknown, lesser-known and behind-the-scenes details of well-known sagas of the Holy See and its relations with the outside world over the past 12 centuries.

In conversations over the course of a year with Italian journalist Massimo Franco, Pagano delves into everything from Napoleons sacking of the archive in 1810 to the Galileo affair and the peculiar conclave  the assembly of cardinals to elect a pope  of 1922 that was financed by last-minute donations from U.S. Catholics.

Its the first time and it will also be the last because Im about to leave, Pagano, 75, said in an interview with The Associated Press in his archive office, ahead of his expected retirement later this year.

Pope Leo XIII first opened the archive to scholars in 1881, after it had been used exclusively to serve the pope and preserve documentation of the papacies, ecumenical councils and Vatican offices dating from the 8th century.

With 53 miles of shelving, much of it underground in a two-story, fireproof, reinforced concrete bunker, the archive also houses documentation from Vatican embassies around the globe as well as specific collections from aristocratic families and religious orders.

While often the source of Dan Brown-esque conspiracies, it functions much as any national or private archive: Researchers request permission to visit and then request specific documents to review in dedicated reading rooms.

Pagano keeps a close eye on them from a giant television screen perched to the side of his desk, which provides a live, closed-circuit feed to the reading rooms downstairs.

Most recently, scholars have been flocking to the archive to read through the documents of the pontificate of Pope Pius XII, the wartime pope who has been criticized for not having spoken out enough about the Holocaust.

Pope Francis ordered the documents of his pontificate opened ahead of schedule, in 2020, so scholars could finally have the full picture of the papacy.

The Vatican has long defended Pius, saying he used quiet diplomacy to save lives and didnt speak out publicly about Nazi crimes because he feared retaliation, including against the Vatican itself.

Pagano is no apologist for Pius and stands out among Vatican hierarchs for his willingness to call out Pius' silence. Specifically, Pagano says he cannot square Pius continued reluctance to publicly condemn Nazi atrocities even after the war ended.

During the war we know that the pope made a choice: He could not and would not speak. He was convinced that an even worse massacre would have happened, Pagano said. After the war, I would have expected a word more, for all these people who went to the gas chambers.

Pagano attributes Pius continued, post-war silence to his concerns about the creation of a Jewish state. The Vatican had a long tradition of supporting the Palestinian people and was concerned about the fate of Christian religious sites in the Holy Land if the territories were turned over to the newly created state of Israel.

Any word from Pius about the Holocaust even after the war could have been read in political terms as a support for the foundation of a new state, Pagano said.

In the book, Pagano doesn't hold back about his disdain for the incomplete research behind Pius sainthood cause, which is now apparently on hold.

The two Jesuit researchers who compiled Pius' sainthood dossier, the late Revs. Peter Gumpel and Paolo Molinari, relied only on the partial, 11-volume compilation of the papacy's documents that was published in 1965, Pagano revealed.

Neither Father Gumpel nor Father Molinari ever set foot in the Apostolic Archive, he says in the book. He said he believed Pius' sainthood cause should have waited until the full archive of the pontificate was catalogued and available, and scholars had time to draw conclusions.

Written documents must weigh heavily on the life of a servant of God, you cant ignore the archives, Pagano told Franco, the journalist.

Aside from the well-known stories of Vatican intrigue, the book also reveals some novelties, including the origins of the important financial relationship between the U.S. church and the Vatican that continues today and dates back to the 1922 conclave.

Pagano said that after Pope Benedict XV died, the camerlengo  the cardinal in charge of the papal treasury and accounts  went to his safe and discovered it was literally empty. There wasnt a paper, bank note or coin. It turns out Benedict wasnt terribly responsible fiscally, and left the Holy See somewhat in the red when he died on Jan. 22 of that year.

Papal coffers were always used to fund the conclave to elect a new pope, meaning the Holy See was in a cash crunch at a time when Europe was still reeling financially from World War I.

The book, for the first time, reproduces the encrypted telegrams in which the Vatican secretary of state asked his ambassador in Washington to urgently wire what you have in the safe so that the vote could take place.

According to the telegrams, the Vatican embassy sent what U.S. churches had collected from the American faithful, down to the cents: $210,400.09, allowing the vote that eventually elected Pope Pius XI.

Close An empty pitcher and shot sized cups sit on an altar during an ayahuasca ceremony hosted by Hummingbird Church in Hildale, Utah, on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022. Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew that contains an Amazon shrub with the active ingredient, DMT, and a vine containing monoamine oxidase inhibitors that prevents the drug from breaking down in the body causing visions lasting several hours. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) Participants lay face down on the grass during an integration circle at an ayahuasca retreat in Hildale, Utah, on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Following each of the three ayahuasca ceremonies, Hummingbird Church asks their participants to partake in integration, or a group reflection and discussion, to help interpret messages they received from the ayahuasca. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) The Rev. Siv Limstrand lights candles at the church's cabin in Bolterdalen, Norway, Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. The cabin is used for retreats and church groups. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Svalbard Kirke member Lars-Olav Tunheim descends from Plataberget mountain during a hike in Longyearbyen, Norway, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. As climate change impacts the Svalbard archipelago faster and deeper than the rest of the world, its pastor is helping the community of miners and environmentalists grapple with transformation in this unforgiving, awe-inspiring wilderness. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Joshimath town is seen along side snow capped mountains, in India's Himalayan mountain state of Uttarakhand, Jan. 21, 2023. For months, residents in Joshimath, a holy town burrowed high up in India's Himalayan mountains, have seen their homes slowly sink. They pleaded for help, but it never arrived. In January however, their town made national headlines. Big, deep cracks had emerged in over 860 homes, making them unlivable. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) Munni Devi, front, wipes her tears as she and Shanta Devi leave their house, in Joshimath, in India's Himalayan mountain state of Uttarakhand, Jan. 19, 2023. Big, deep cracks had emerged in over 860 homes in Joshimath, where they snaked through floors, ceilings and walls, making them unlivable. Roads were split with crevices and multi-storied hotels slumped to one side. Authorities declared it a disaster zone and came in on bulldozers, razing down whole parts of a town that had become lopsided. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) Loyola University basketball player, Tom Welch, shakes hands with Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the team's official chaplain, before attending practice on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, in Chicago. The beloved Catholic nun captured the world's imagination and became something of a folk hero while supporting the Ramblers at the NCAA Final Four in 2018. At the age of 103, Sister Jean is using her platform to publish her first book, "Wake Up with Purpose: What I've Learned in My First Hundred Years." In the memoir she tells her story and offers life lessons and spiritual guidance. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) Pope Francis, second from left, looks at traditional dancers performing at the Martyrs' Stadium In Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. Francis is in Congo and South Sudan for a six-day trip, hoping to bring comfort and encouragement to two countries that have been riven by poverty, conflicts and what he calls a "colonialist mentality" that has exploited Africa for centuries. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Morning service concludes in the annex of the Cathedral Notre Dame du Congo in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sunday Jan. 29, 2023. The cathedral is being prepared for Pope Francis' visit to Congo and South Sudan for a six-day trip starting Jan, 31, hoping to bring comfort and encouragement to two countries that have been riven by poverty, conflicts and what he calls a "colonialist mentality" that has exploited Africa for centuries. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Navy Chaplain Lt. Cmdr. Ben Garrett counsels a sailor in his quarters on the USS Bataan on Monday, March 20, 2023 at Norfolk Naval Station in Norfolk, Va. One of the chaplains' roles aboard the ship is help sailors deal with stress Navy life brings. (AP Photo/John C. Clark) A shoe that belonged to a child victim of the former Nazi German death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau is scanned at the conservation laboratory on the grounds of the camp in Oswiecim, Poland, Wednesday, May 10, 2023. Most of the victims were Jews killed in dictator Adolf Hitler's attempt to exterminate the Jews of Europe. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk) A sandstorm rolls into Dimona, Israel, as the Hebrew Israelite community marks New World Passover, an annual celebration of their 1967 exodus from the United States, Thursday, June 1, 2023. Now, dozens of their members are facing the threat of deportation. The community do not consider themselves Jewish, but they claim an ancestral connection to the Holy Land. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) Firewalkers dance across a bed of burning coals in a ritual in honor of St. Constantine in the village of Lagkadas, Greece on Monday, May 22, 2023. Firewalking is the most spectacular and public of these annual rituals that also include dancing with icons, prayer, and shared meals by associations of devotees of the Christian Orthodox saint called "anastenaria" that have held similar celebrations for centuries. (AP Photo/Giovanna Dell'Orto) A worker asks to a tour guide person to stop taking photos to tourists due to the start of the praying time at Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, June 28, 2023. With tourism reaching or surpassing pre-pandemic levels across Southern Europe this summer, iconic sacred sites struggle to find ways to accommodate both the faithful who come to pray and millions of increasingly secular visitors attracted by art and architecture. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Worshippers attend a Mass in the Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, July 9, 2023. With tourism reaching or surpassing pre-pandemic levels across Southern Europe this summer, iconic sacred sites struggle to find ways to accommodate both the faithful who come to pray and millions of increasingly secular visitors attracted by art and architecture. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Paramacharya Sadasivanatha Palaniswami stands at the base of a Rudraksha tree, which produces a bright blue fruit at the Kauai Hindu Monastery on July 10, 2023, in Kapaa, Hawaii. The monks who reside at the temple monastery practice Shaivism, one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the supreme being. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) Paramacharya Sadasivanatha Palaniswami climbs the rocks along the Wailua river, which is sacred to many Native Hawaiians, at Kauai's Hindu Monastery on July 13, 2023, in Kapaa, Hawaii. The monastery was founded by guru Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1970. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) The memorial of the Rev. Maxim Andre of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, on the peninsula of Kalaupapa, Hawaii, on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) A Star of David hands from a fence outside the dormant landmark Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood on Thursday, July 13, 2023, the day a federal jury announced they had found Robert Bowers, who in 2018 killed 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue, eligible for the death penalty. The next stage of the trial with present further evidence and testimony on whether he should be sentenced to death or life in prison. It stands as the deadliest attack on Jewish people in U.S. history. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar/File) Members of the Hebrew Israelite community rally outside of the District Court in Beersheba, Israel, ahead of a hearing on the deportation orders for dozens from their community, Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Over the decades, the community has made inroads into Israeli society, and most of them have citizenship or residency rights. But 130 members remain undocumented, and Israeli authorities have ordered them to leave. The orders have left dozens of people, some of whom have lived most of their lives in Israel, in an uncertain legal limbo.(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) A girl watches the sunset over the scenic Kadisha Valley, a holy landmark for Lebanon's Maronite Christians, in the northeast mountain town of Bcharre, Lebanon, Friday, July 21, 2023. For Lebanon's Christians, the cedars are sacred, these tough evergreen trees that survive the mountain's harsh snowy winters. They point out with pride that Lebanon's cedars are mentioned 103 times in the Bible. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Lebanese Maronite Christian Patriarch Beshara al-Rai, second left, leads the sermon to commemorate the Feast of the Transfiguration in the Cedars of God forest, in the northeast mountain town of Bcharre, Lebanon, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023. For Lebanon's Christians, the cedars are sacred, these tough evergreen trees that survive the mountain's harsh snowy winters. They point out with pride that Lebanon's cedars are mentioned 103 times in the Bible. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Maya Johnson, 7, of New York, is playfully swung into the lake by her friends during Camp Be'chol Lashon, a sleepaway camp for Jewish children of color, Friday, July 28, 2023, in Petaluma, Calif., at Walker Creek Ranch. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Dean Wiberg, right, volunteers at the evangelical Crossroads Chapel tent, which distributes thousands of free Bibles during the Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights, Minn., on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. For many faith communities, the fair has long been an opportunity to reach a diverse crowd that can top two million. (AP Photo/Giovanna Dell'Orto) A horse rider holds a Mongolian flag during a traditional performance at a cultural event organized for the media and entourage following Pope Francis' visit to Mongolia, at the Mongolia Cultural Park, some 40 kilometers out of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Pairs of oxen pull a boat-shaped float with an iconic century-old sacred image of Virgin Mary breastfeeding infant Jesus standing on the bow, during the Our Lady of Remedies procession in the small town of Lamego, in the Douro River Valley, Portugal, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. One of Portugal's largest and oldest religious festivals, the two-week celebrations that culminate with the procession, draw thousands. (AP Photo/Armando Franca) 2023 in religion: Images capture global expressions of faith, spiritualism In the searing heat of Mecca, throngs of Muslims from around the world converged for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. In the round-the-clock darkness of the polar night, a Lutheran pastor in the Norwegian Arctic archipelago of Svalbard persevered in her ministry to one of the worlds most remote towns. Associated Press photographers were on the scene  there and in scores of other locales ranging from the flood-stricken mountains of northern India to the sacred volcano Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Their mission: Finding myriad ways to convey how faith and spiritualism, in their many forms, manifested themselves around the world in 2023. An empty pitcher and shot sized cups sit on an altar during an ayahuasca ceremony hosted by Hummingbird Church in Hildale, Utah, on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022. Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew that contains an Amazon shrub with the active ingredient, DMT, and a vine containing monoamine oxidase inhibitors that prevents the drug from breaking down in the body causing visions lasting several hours. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) Participants lay face down on the grass during an integration circle at an ayahuasca retreat in Hildale, Utah, on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Following each of the three ayahuasca ceremonies, Hummingbird Church asks their participants to partake in integration, or a group reflection and discussion, to help interpret messages they received from the ayahuasca. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) The Rev. Siv Limstrand lights candles at the church's cabin in Bolterdalen, Norway, Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. The cabin is used for retreats and church groups. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Svalbard Kirke member Lars-Olav Tunheim descends from Plataberget mountain during a hike in Longyearbyen, Norway, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. As climate change impacts the Svalbard archipelago faster and deeper than the rest of the world, its pastor is helping the community of miners and environmentalists grapple with transformation in this unforgiving, awe-inspiring wilderness. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Joshimath town is seen along side snow capped mountains, in India's Himalayan mountain state of Uttarakhand, Jan. 21, 2023. For months, residents in Joshimath, a holy town burrowed high up in India's Himalayan mountains, have seen their homes slowly sink. They pleaded for help, but it never arrived. In January however, their town made national headlines. Big, deep cracks had emerged in over 860 homes, making them unlivable. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) Munni Devi, front, wipes her tears as she and Shanta Devi leave their house, in Joshimath, in India's Himalayan mountain state of Uttarakhand, Jan. 19, 2023. Big, deep cracks had emerged in over 860 homes in Joshimath, where they snaked through floors, ceilings and walls, making them unlivable. Roads were split with crevices and multi-storied hotels slumped to one side. Authorities declared it a disaster zone and came in on bulldozers, razing down whole parts of a town that had become lopsided. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) Loyola University basketball player, Tom Welch, shakes hands with Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the team's official chaplain, before attending practice on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, in Chicago. The beloved Catholic nun captured the world's imagination and became something of a folk hero while supporting the Ramblers at the NCAA Final Four in 2018. At the age of 103, Sister Jean is using her platform to publish her first book, "Wake Up with Purpose: What I've Learned in My First Hundred Years." In the memoir she tells her story and offers life lessons and spiritual guidance. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) Pope Francis, second from left, looks at traditional dancers performing at the Martyrs' Stadium In Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. Francis is in Congo and South Sudan for a six-day trip, hoping to bring comfort and encouragement to two countries that have been riven by poverty, conflicts and what he calls a "colonialist mentality" that has exploited Africa for centuries. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Morning service concludes in the annex of the Cathedral Notre Dame du Congo in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sunday Jan. 29, 2023. The cathedral is being prepared for Pope Francis' visit to Congo and South Sudan for a six-day trip starting Jan, 31, hoping to bring comfort and encouragement to two countries that have been riven by poverty, conflicts and what he calls a "colonialist mentality" that has exploited Africa for centuries. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Navy Chaplain Lt. Cmdr. Ben Garrett counsels a sailor in his quarters on the USS Bataan on Monday, March 20, 2023 at Norfolk Naval Station in Norfolk, Va. One of the chaplains' roles aboard the ship is help sailors deal with stress Navy life brings. (AP Photo/John C. Clark) A shoe that belonged to a child victim of the former Nazi German death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau is scanned at the conservation laboratory on the grounds of the camp in Oswiecim, Poland, Wednesday, May 10, 2023. Most of the victims were Jews killed in dictator Adolf Hitler's attempt to exterminate the Jews of Europe. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk) A sandstorm rolls into Dimona, Israel, as the Hebrew Israelite community marks New World Passover, an annual celebration of their 1967 exodus from the United States, Thursday, June 1, 2023. Now, dozens of their members are facing the threat of deportation. The community do not consider themselves Jewish, but they claim an ancestral connection to the Holy Land. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) Firewalkers dance across a bed of burning coals in a ritual in honor of St. Constantine in the village of Lagkadas, Greece on Monday, May 22, 2023. Firewalking is the most spectacular and public of these annual rituals that also include dancing with icons, prayer, and shared meals by associations of devotees of the Christian Orthodox saint called "anastenaria" that have held similar celebrations for centuries. (AP Photo/Giovanna Dell'Orto) A worker asks to a tour guide person to stop taking photos to tourists due to the start of the praying time at Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, June 28, 2023. With tourism reaching or surpassing pre-pandemic levels across Southern Europe this summer, iconic sacred sites struggle to find ways to accommodate both the faithful who come to pray and millions of increasingly secular visitors attracted by art and architecture. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Worshippers attend a Mass in the Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, July 9, 2023. With tourism reaching or surpassing pre-pandemic levels across Southern Europe this summer, iconic sacred sites struggle to find ways to accommodate both the faithful who come to pray and millions of increasingly secular visitors attracted by art and architecture. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Paramacharya Sadasivanatha Palaniswami stands at the base of a Rudraksha tree, which produces a bright blue fruit at the Kauai Hindu Monastery on July 10, 2023, in Kapaa, Hawaii. The monks who reside at the temple monastery practice Shaivism, one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the supreme being. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) Paramacharya Sadasivanatha Palaniswami climbs the rocks along the Wailua river, which is sacred to many Native Hawaiians, at Kauai's Hindu Monastery on July 13, 2023, in Kapaa, Hawaii. The monastery was founded by guru Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in 1970. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) The memorial of the Rev. Maxim Andre of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, on the peninsula of Kalaupapa, Hawaii, on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) A Star of David hands from a fence outside the dormant landmark Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood on Thursday, July 13, 2023, the day a federal jury announced they had found Robert Bowers, who in 2018 killed 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue, eligible for the death penalty. The next stage of the trial with present further evidence and testimony on whether he should be sentenced to death or life in prison. It stands as the deadliest attack on Jewish people in U.S. history. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar/File) Members of the Hebrew Israelite community rally outside of the District Court in Beersheba, Israel, ahead of a hearing on the deportation orders for dozens from their community, Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Over the decades, the community has made inroads into Israeli society, and most of them have citizenship or residency rights. But 130 members remain undocumented, and Israeli authorities have ordered them to leave. The orders have left dozens of people, some of whom have lived most of their lives in Israel, in an uncertain legal limbo.(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) A girl watches the sunset over the scenic Kadisha Valley, a holy landmark for Lebanon's Maronite Christians, in the northeast mountain town of Bcharre, Lebanon, Friday, July 21, 2023. For Lebanon's Christians, the cedars are sacred, these tough evergreen trees that survive the mountain's harsh snowy winters. They point out with pride that Lebanon's cedars are mentioned 103 times in the Bible. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Lebanese Maronite Christian Patriarch Beshara al-Rai, second left, leads the sermon to commemorate the Feast of the Transfiguration in the Cedars of God forest, in the northeast mountain town of Bcharre, Lebanon, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023. For Lebanon's Christians, the cedars are sacred, these tough evergreen trees that survive the mountain's harsh snowy winters. They point out with pride that Lebanon's cedars are mentioned 103 times in the Bible. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Maya Johnson, 7, of New York, is playfully swung into the lake by her friends during Camp Be'chol Lashon, a sleepaway camp for Jewish children of color, Friday, July 28, 2023, in Petaluma, Calif., at Walker Creek Ranch. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Dean Wiberg, right, volunteers at the evangelical Crossroads Chapel tent, which distributes thousands of free Bibles during the Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights, Minn., on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. For many faith communities, the fair has long been an opportunity to reach a diverse crowd that can top two million. (AP Photo/Giovanna Dell'Orto) A horse rider holds a Mongolian flag during a traditional performance at a cultural event organized for the media and entourage following Pope Francis' visit to Mongolia, at the Mongolia Cultural Park, some 40 kilometers out of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Pairs of oxen pull a boat-shaped float with an iconic century-old sacred image of Virgin Mary breastfeeding infant Jesus standing on the bow, during the Our Lady of Remedies procession in the small town of Lamego, in the Douro River Valley, Portugal, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. One of Portugal's largest and oldest religious festivals, the two-week celebrations that culminate with the procession, draw thousands. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
As the Robinson Elementary School students sang their schools fight song Sunday, one lyric best summarized the mission of the school and the teacher for whom it was named.

Kindness matters to all we meet. Be sure to smile and be sure to greet.

It was a fitting tribute on the day Lincoln Public Schools officially dedicated the school named after Ada Robinson, a longtime Clinton Elementary School teacher who taught for more than three decades and died last November.

Robinson Elementary, Lincolns newest elementary school built with funds from a $290 million bond issue voters approved in 2020, opened in the fall of 2022 near North 102nd and Holdrege streets.

Its amazing to see what used to be the outskirts of the city become a vibrant neighborhood with a great neighborhood school, LPS Superintendent Paul Gausman said.

At the ceremony, Principal Jeff Vercellino spoke about how the school is working to live up to its namesake. Robinson was well-known for being a teacher who paid attention to every student, he said. She also went above and beyond to support her students and their families in and out of the classroom.

We are fueled by trying to honor Mrs. Robinsons legacy, Vercellino said.

Many members of the school community attended Sundays ceremony, including Robinsons daughter, Tami Robinson Soper.

This is the best way to honor my mother, to have children laughing, learning and playing together in a building with her name on it, Robinson Soper said.

Robinson Soper said that her mothers role in life was to love her students, their families and her family. Her success in that role was made clear by the number of people in the elementary schools multipurpose room, where the ceremony was held.

She really embodied the Maya Angelou quote, People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel, Robinson Soper said. They will remember that they were loved, that they would be met with care and command when they entered the classroom.

Speeches were followed by a performance from the schools choir. Fifth grade student AJ Perez was excited to sing at the event.

The school is really nice, Perez said. The principal, specialists and teachers are all amazing.

Though Perez never got to meet Robinson, she is following her legacy at her school.

My teachers say that I am a good leader, she said. I like leading by example and being kind.

Top Journal Star photos for February 2024
An affordable housing developer is suing Lancaster County, alleging the Board of Equalization violated the states open meetings act when it discussed the 2024 values of his and other rent-restricted housing projects.

The Lancaster County District Court lawsuit is the latest development in a dispute over how the assessor values so-called Section 42 housing  rent-restricted projects that use federal low-income housing tax credits.

The apparent purpose of failing to give notice of the 2024 meeting was to prevent the attendance or participation for taxpayers of rent-restricted housing projects, and to prevent admission into evidence of the 2024 meeting in any ensuing litigation arising out of the 2024 petitions, the lawsuit says.

Last year, Lancaster County requested, and got permission, to value 21 affordable housing projects using a market-based rather than an income-based approach set out in state law, resulting in huge increases in assessed property values for those properties.

The county assessor's office said it did so because the income-based approach in state law resulted in some properties with values of zero  or even a negative value.

Affordable housing advocates said the skyrocketing values  some increased as much as 500%  threatened the viability of desperately needed affordable housing projects.

The case was appealed to the Nebraska Supreme Court, which has taken it under advisement, and lawmakers are currently considering a bill (LB1217) they hope will fix the issues that led to the lawsuit in the first place.

In the meantime, the assessors office has handled preliminary 2024 values of eight of the rent-restricted properties in the same manner: filing petitions with the Tax Equalization and Review Commission on properties where the values are too low, asking to use a different approach.

Brian Grimm, chief field deputy with the assessor's office, said the properties are single-family homes that are part of Section 42 projects where values are again zero  or less  and his office wants to use different rental rates as part of the income calculation  not the market-based approach the office used last year.

But the lawsuit alleges the Board of Equalization didnt publicize a notice of the meeting where the assessor discussed the issue  including an agenda for non-emergency items as required by law.

Nor was there any "publicly ascertainable" motion made or approved by the board to go into closed session, the lawsuit says, and holding the meeting in closed session would not have been justified under state law.

The lawsuit alleges the open meetings law violations void any action taken, namely filing the petitions with the tax commission, which are set for hearing next month.

A year earlier, the county did the same thing with 21 affordable housing projects, which led to the litigation now before the Supreme Court.

That time, however, the board of equalization filed proper notice, and the agenda and minutes of the meeting where the board discussed the 21 affordable housing projects was used as evidence in the subsequent lawsuit, the suit alleges.

The lawsuit was filed by Ward Hoppe, who owns Hoppe Development, and his Old Mill Crown Ltd., a rent-restricted housing project that operates under a land use restriction agreement.

Those rent-restriction agreements travel with the property, so if a property sells, those restrictions remain, reducing its value.

The lawsuit names Lancaster County, the County Board, the Board of Equalization and all county commissioners individually.

Hoppe said in an interview it was his understanding that the legislative solution would result in the lawsuit being settled and it surprised him that the assessors office took a similar approach this year.

Wed been working with them for several months trying to figure out a solution, he said.

Grimm said if the changes in the calculations work on the eight properties, they would use a similar method to recalculate the 2023 values of the 21 properties.

County officials did not return requests for comment on the lawsuit.

Top Journal Star photos for February 2024
BURLINGTON  Prosecutors have charged a 29-year-old Milwaukee man in connection to the Jan. 9 shooting death of Burlington resident Jason Taylor.

William E. McCoy was charged with first-degree reckless homicide, including modifiers for use of a dangerous weapon and party to a crime.

If convicted of the felony charge, he could face up to 65 years in prison.

McCoy is being held in the Milwaukee County Jail and made an initial appearance Thursday in Milwaukee County Circuit Court, where a $150,000 cash bond was set, according to online court records.

Taylor, 43, who lived in the 100 block of Larkspur Lane in Burlington, was found dead about 4 a.m. Jan. 9 behind a residence in the 3100 block of North 15th Street on Milwaukees north side.

According to a criminal complaint issued by the Milwaukee County district attorney, Taylors body was dumped at the scene after he was shot inside his car.

Prosecutors allege Taylor and McCoy were together in a group of people, in a series of events that began the previous day at Taylors house.

One witness told police that she and Taylor were at his house Jan. 8 when they decided to go to Milwaukee about 10 or 11 p.m. In Milwaukee, they went to a residence in the 1500 block of West Burleigh Street before leaving with a group that included McCoy.

McCoy lives in the 3200 block of North 16th Street in Milwaukee.

Taylor was driving the group in his car, and one of the backseat passengers had a gun, the complaint alleges.

The witness told police that after the group returned to the residence on Burleigh Street, she went inside and then heard a gunshot. When she asked if Taylor was dead, the complaint states, The defendant stated that he didnt want to talk about it.

Prosecutors allege another witness said he saw McCoy grab a gun and shoot Taylor after being told that Taylor had been talking about him.

According to the complaint, McCoy then put Taylors body in the car and drove away to dump the body.

Police reported finding Taylor dead from a single gunshot wound, and finding his car, a 1998 Chevrolet Malibu, splattered with blood in the 3100 block of North 13th Street.

The complaint said that investigators also found a bullet cartridge in the car.

McCoy is expected to be in court Feb. 29 for a preliminary hearing.

One city's surprising tactic to reduce gun violence: Solving more nonfatal shootings One city's surprising tactic to reduce gun violence: Solving more nonfatal shootings Other cities have woken up to Denver's example
RACINE The Racine Unified School District is gearing up to host the annual Wisconsin School Music Association district solo and ensemble music festival from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 2 at Case High School, 7345 Washington Ave.

The event, which is free and open to the pubic, will spotlight the talents of students, while underscoring the district's dedication to music education.

More than 370 middle and high school students will present more than 325 musical performances, consisting of vocal and instrumental solos, duets and trios, small ensembles, Jazz combos, swing choirs and madrigals.

Participating schools include All Saints Catholic School, Case High School, Gifford School, Gilmore Fine Arts, Horlick High School, Jerstad-Agerholm School, Park High School, The Prairie School, The R.E.A.L. School, Shoreland Lutheran High School, Starbuck Middle School and Walden III.

Prior to the festival, students and their teachers selected pieces from the WSMA festival music list that are categorized into three difficulty levels.

Class C caters to students in their early years of study, Class B to those with more experience and Class A signifies the advanced level.

Participants in Class A events can advance to the state solo and ensemble festival, scheduled for April 27 at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, contingent upon receiving a qualifying rating.

For more information, visit wsmamusic.org.
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

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KEARNEY  Emily Malcolm has a smile as big and blessed as the name of her dress shop, Simply Blessed Boutique.

My mother (Michele) and I thought there was a need for a place with casual clothing, where people could stop in and shop for something theyd wear every day, compared to a weekend event, Malcolm said.

The mother-daughter duo opened Simply Blessed on Central Avenue in August 2021, three years after they had launched a thriving online boutique.

Along with sweaters, tops, dresses, pants and jeans, the boutique carries honey, self-tanning products and purses, including the popular Wrangler bags and backpacks.

It all began in the winter of 2018, when we decided to open an online store where we could put her creative passion and my love for clothing together, Malcolm said.

I had no prior business experience, but I have always been surrounded by entrepreneurs and dreamers, she said.

Her father Ryan is a farmer. Her relatives, individually, own a nurse staffing company, a chicken farm for Costco, a fertilizer company and more.

Everyone in my family is business-oriented in some way, Malcolm said, flashing her trademark smile. When I went to college, I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to own a business someday. I figured I would figure it out along the way.

She was right.

Malcolm, who grew up on a farm near Minden, was studying for her business administration degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln when she launched the business with her mother.

In November 2018, after extensive online research, they established Simply Blessed LLC. A few months later, they headed to the Dallas Market to examine merchandise.

They built a website and did more behind-the-scenes work, and in the spring of 2019, they launched www.besimplyblessed.com.

My mom and I spent weeks thinking about what we would name our business. One day, she woke up and knew our store was meant to be called Simply Blessed. It perfectly described our mission and how we want to make our customers feel, Malcolm said.

They hit the ground running. The first year, they advertised simply by word of mouth. Then they dipped into Facebook advertising and did lots of giveaways, Malcolm said.

Slowly, the word spread. Other customers found the business on Google. Orders started coming in. Business began to flourish.

Every weekend, Malcolm went home to Minden from Lincoln to help ship orders. In 2020, after earning her degree at UNL, she returned home to Minden and focused on the new business.

She and hMichele set up about 20 pop-up shops, including at Hilltop Mall in Kearney and at events at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds. We had grown exponentially online. We shipped all over the nation and worldwide, she said.

In the summer of 2021, when the Central Avenue space became available, Malcolm and her mother decided to open a brick-and-mortar store.

At this point, all our merchandise was in our house and it was getting out of hand. We needed to grow, Malcolm said. Do we find a space to store clothes, and I keep shipping out online orders, or do we open a storefront? We decided on the storefront.

She and her parents spent a month preparing the space. The blue and gray walls were painted white. Her father installed display racks and other merchandise he purchased from Menards.

Malcolm chose an open floor layout. She had learned about various floor plans in a retail management class at UNL. Its convenient for moms who come in with strollers, and this way, when customers come in, they can see everything, she said.

The sales counter is in the back, and that open floor plan also allows her to greet customers when they walk in. This works perfectly, and I love the size of the store, she said.

Malcolms most popular product since Christmas has been her new self-tanning products. Customers can apply the lotion or mousse and see tanned skin within six to eight hours. The tan lasts for about a week, Malcolm said.

We are jumping into the world of business-to-business e-commerce. We hope to successfully sell our self-tan products to other boutiques and retailers across the United States, she said.

Perennial favorites are jeans, sweaters, pants, dresses, shirts and handbags. She calls some of her merchandise faith-based because it has spiritual slogans.

She has three part-time employees. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The store is closed on Sunday.

In recent weeks, Malcolm has been on a whirlwind schedule. She was in on a surprise wedding engagement disguised as a product shoot. She had Galentines Day promotions and special events in the store on the evening of Feb. 14.

She also planned a surprise 50th birthday party for her mother and a best friends bridal shower.

Shes not sure what the future holds, but five years from now, I hope to have made thousands of people feel simply blessed, she said.

Ultimately, this adventure is about making people feel special and leaving a positive impact on the community we created, she said.

PHOTOS: Geese, and lots of 'em, make stop in Central Platte Valley on way South Waterfowl in Central Nebraska Although the mid-migration stop in the Central Platte Valley by a million sandhill cranes from late February to early April is the main world- Geese landing A large group of snow geese gather Tuesday afternoon at the Bassway Strip State Wildlife Management Area south of the Minden Interstate 80 exit. Geese congregating Although the mid-migration stop in the Central Platte Valley by a million sandhill cranes from late February to early April is the main world- And the geese flew over the moon The moon peeks through a flock of geese. Geese liftoff The Central Platte is the narrowest part of the hourglass-shaped route from south Texas wintering grounds to northern Canada and Alaska nestin Geese flying overhead From February to mid-April, millions of waterfowl of more than 25 species pass through Nebraska during their migration along the central flywa Geese landing These waterfowl usually arrive in peak numbers a few weeks ahead of the cranes. Geese congregating Although the mid-migration stop in the Central Platte Valley by a million sandhill cranes from late February to early April is the main world- Large group of geese flying They gather at sandpits along the Platte River, as this huge group of snow geese did Tuesday afternoon at the Bassway Strip State Wildlife Man
In this month dedicated to celebrating love, we at Women and Childrens Horizons are sending a heartfelt, loving thank you to all our volunteers.

We are fortunate to have support from the community throughout the year. Many of you donate, shop, and work at Nifty Thrifty, or agencys thrift shop. Many of you donate to our shelter. Many more of you donate your funds. And all of you make an impact on the over 3,000 survivors we serve annually.

But this month, did you know, volunteering may improve your heart health, too?

"Research shows that volunteering is associated with better physical and mental health outcomes," says Eric S. Kim, a research fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

A study he authored, published in Social Science and Medicine, found that volunteers are more likely to use preventive health care services. For instance, people who volunteered are 47% more likely to get cholesterol checks and 30% more likely to get flu. An annual flu shot appears to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke by about one-third over the following year.

The well-known advantages of greater social connectivity play a large role. According to Kim, when you are more connected to your community, it is easier to get information on things like how to find the best deals on fresh vegetables or where to get a free flu shot, and volunteers provide each other emotional support. (We do at WCH, and we can set you up with swag, too.)

Finally, because volunteering gives you a sense of purpose, you may see significant reductions in heart health risks. You read that correctly! According to Kim, pooled findings from 10 different studies found that people with a high sense of purpose in life had a lower risk of having a cardiovascular event (such as a heart attack or stroke) and of dying from any cause, compared with people who had a lower sense of purpose.

How can you volunteer at WCH and reap these heart-healthy benefits? We always appreciate financial contributions, particularly with federal funding cuts of a startling 70% starting in October. In Wisconsin, 100 agencies like ours will lose all funding, and remaining agencies will receive significantly less funding.

But there are many other things you can do. Attend our fundraisers. Share our social media. Write letters of support for our grants. Promote our outreach events. Donate clothing, furniture, and housewares to our thrift shop and our shelter. Become an on-call advocate to meet with survivors in hospitals. Coordinate an event for our survivors to attend.

Schedule time to transport our survivors to court, housing searches, and doctor appointments. Bring us your boxes and bins for survivors moving. Offer your professional services in accounting, law, childcare, or therapy.

These and several other ways to volunteer are online at www.wchkenosha.com.

If you or someone you know experienced intimate partner violence, contact us for free, confidential support 24/7 at 262-652-9900.
Even on the coldest winter day, there is one place in La Crosse where summer lasts all year long. From the early hours of the morning to the evening, students file into a spacious room on Caledonia Street to practice yoga together  in a balmy 95 degrees with added humidity.

For me, part of the beauty of the practice is to get that really deep sweat and the people who come to us  they want to sweat, said Root Down Yoga Studio owner Mandy Roush, who started the studio with her husband Nick Roush in 2012.

Mandy, who worked in health care at Mayo Clinic, became enamored with the style of heated yoga after attending a teacher training in Mexico. When she returned, she was determined to replicate the experience at home.

I remember feeling so wrung out  in a really good way  from the element of adding that heat and sweat, Mandy said.

Nick, who happened to work in the heating and ventilation business, installed a furnace in the couples garage, where they began hosting free yoga classes for friends. Word quickly spread, and soon the makeshift studio was hosting students five days a week. After seeing the community response, the pair decided to open a studio on Caledonia Street.

Heated yoga is part of a worldwide trend. In the U.S., the concept was first popularized in the 1970s by Bikram Choudhury, a now infamous yoga teacher who developed a style of practice in heated rooms of up to 105 degrees. Since then, the trend has evolved toward a less dogmatic approach, with studios adopting their own preferred temperatures and styles.

Root Down Yoga Studio Address: 1217 Caledonia St., La Crosse Information: 608-519-2467, www.rootdownyogastudio.com

Hot yoga is an umbrella term for any style of yoga practiced in a heated setting. The heat can help relax muscles, thus increasing flexibility.

Our bodies are just so much more pliable when theyre warm, said Nick Roush. And it adds a challenge aspect to the practice that helps you be more present.

Root Down is now one of a handful of establishments offering heated yoga classes in the La Crosse area. PALM + PINE, a yoga studio with locations in Holmen and La Crosse, offers classes that owner Kat Soper describes as warm.

The studio also offers non-heated classes, which Soper said are equally as popular.

There are definitely some people that just go to our heated ones. And there are definitely some people that just go to the non-heated ones. But Id say there are more people that dabble in both, Soper said.

At PALM + PINE, classes are heated from 80 to 90 degrees without added humidity. Instead of forced air, radiant heat panels warm the space.

Despite variations in temperature and style, the studios have one thing in common: A strong sense of community. At Root Down, many of the teachers started out as students.

I feel like we lit the match and the whole thing just kind of continues to smolder and burn on its own now, said Mandy Rousch. Yes, we all come there to do yoga, but its really a group of like-minded people that gather for this sense of togetherness and connection.

Inside the hot yoga trend in La Crosse
The Iowa Department of Transportation has closed the Highway 82 Black Hawk Bridge from Lansing to Wisconsins Highway 35 due to concerns about structural integrity issues, according to a press release.

The bridge is expected to be closed until a thorough inspection can be completed to determine if the bridge is safe for travel.

The inspection is expected to begin Monday, Feb. 26. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

The Allamakee County and Crawford County sheriffs departments advise motorists to plan to use an alternate route, crossing at either Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin or La Crescent, Minnesota, for the foreseeable future.

Construction on a $140 million replacement bridge started in late 2023. The new bridge isnt expected to be ready for traffic until 2027.

Photos: Tundra swans migrate down the Mississippi
COLUMBUS, Ohio  The resignation letter was short and direct.

"I can no longer be under an oath to uphold the New Constitution of Ohio," Sabrina Warner wrote in her letter announcing she was stepping down from the state's Republican central committee.

It was just days after Ohio voters resoundingly approved an amendment last November to the state constitution ensuring access to abortion and other forms of reproductive health care. For many, the vote was a victory after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a constitutional right to abortion in 2022.

For Warner, a staunch abortion opponent, it meant she could no longer stand by the Ohio Constitution she swore an oath to uphold just over a year before.

Throughout modern American history, elected officials have sworn oaths to uphold constitutions and said the Pledge of Allegiance without much controversy. Recently, these routine practices have fallen victim to the same political divisions that left the country deeply polarized.

Disagreements over abortion rights, gun control and treatment of racial minorities are some of the issues that caused several political leaders to say they cannot take an oath or recite the pledge.

Some Republicans, including Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, a candidate for governor, point to amendments enshrining abortion rights in state constitutions. Ohio's protections passed last fall, and advocates are proposing an initiative for the Missouri ballot this year.

In Tennessee this month, Democratic Rep. Justin Jones declined to lead the pledge during a legislative session. He gained national attention after being one of two Black lawmakers Republicans briefly expelled from the state House last year after he and two other Democrats participated in a demonstration advocating for gun control from the House floor, outraging GOP members because it violated the chamber's rules.

Tennessee House members are tapped to find a minister to lead a prayer before the start of a session and then to lead the chamber in the pledge to the American flag. Jones submitted a handwritten note to the House clerk that read, "I prefer not to lead the pledge of allegiance."

His refusal came as he criticized his Republican colleagues for being racist and focusing on what he said are the wrong issues, such as targeting the LGBTQ+ community rather than addressing gun control nearly a year after six people, including three children, were killed in a school shooting in Nashville.

While another Democratic lawmaker, an Army veteran, led the pledge without commenting on Jones' refusal, Republicans quickly expressed their outrage. GOP Rep. Jeremy Faison called Jones' refusal to say the Pledge of Allegiance a "disgrace."

"In my opinion, he should resign. That is an embarrassment to veterans and to people who have come before us," Faison said.

Jones, responding later to the Republican criticism, said he "couldn't bring myself to join their performative patriotism as they continue to support an insurrectionist for president and undermine liberty and justice for all."

Similarly in 2001, then-Tennessee Rep. Henri Brooks said she was chastised by Republican leaders for refusing to join her fellow lawmakers in the pledge. Brooks, who is Black, said she hadn't recited the pledge since being in third grade and declined to do so because the American flag represented the Colonies that enslaved her ancestors.

This year, former President Donald Trump refused to sign a loyalty oath in Illinois in place since the McCarthy era.

The part Trump left unsigned confirms candidates "do not directly or indirectly teach or advocate the overthrow of the government" of the United States or the state or "any unlawful change in the form of the governments thereof by force or any unlawful means." Trump, who signed the voluntary oath in 2016 and 2020, has yet to say why he didn't sign it this time.

He has faced a number of state lawsuits seeking to bar him from the ballot for to his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, an issue before the U.S. Supreme Court.

His spokesman, Steven Cheung, told news outlets in January: "President Trump will once again take the oath of office on January 20th, 2025, and will swear 'to faithfully execute the office of president of the United States and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.'"

In Missouri, Ashcroft drew attention in October when he suggested he might not be able to take the oath of office as governor if voters protect a right to abortion in the state Constitution.

"Any time a statewide official is sworn in, we swear an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri," he told reporters after an abortion-related court hearing. "If I cannot do that, then I would have to leave my position. I cannot swear an oath and then refuse to do what I'd said I would do."

The issue also roiled Republicans in the Missouri Senate. State Sen. Rick Brattin, head of the state's chapter of the Freedom Caucus, said if voters in November approve a proposed ballot initiative to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, "You would have to swear an oath to protect and to defend the death of the unborn."

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?
WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden will convene the top four congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday to press lawmakers on passing an emergency aid package for Ukraine and Israel, as well as averting a looming government shutdown next month, according to a White House official.

The top four leaders include House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

During the meeting, the president will discuss the urgency of passing the aid package, which has bipartisan support, as well as legislation to keep the federal government operating through the end of September, said the White House official, who was granted anonymity to discuss a meeting not yet publicly confirmed.

The Republican-led House is under pressure to pass the $95 billion national security package that bolsters aid for Ukraine, Israel as well as the Indo-Pacific. That legislation cleared the Senate on a 70-29 vote earlier this month, but Johnson has been resistant to putting up the aid bill for a vote in the House.

This is one of those instances where one person can bend the course of history. Speaker Johnson, if he put this bill on the floor, would produce a strong, bipartisan majority vote in favor of the aid to Ukraine, Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, said Sunday on ABC's This Week.

Sullivan stressed that Ukrainians need weapons and ammunition to fend off Russian forces, and that in his personal conversations with the speaker, he has indicated that he would like to get the funding for Ukraine.

Separate from the national security package, the first tranche of government funding is due to expire Friday. The rest of the federal government, including agencies such as the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, expires on March 8.

In a letter to his colleagues sent Sunday, Schumer said there was not yet an agreement to avoid a partial shutdown of the agencies whose funding expires this week. That includes the departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture and Veterans Affairs.

While we had hoped to have legislation ready this weekend that would give ample time for members to review the text, it is clear now that House Republicans need more time to sort themselves out, Schumer wrote in the letter. The Senate majority leader called on Johnson to step up to once again buck the extremists in his caucus and do the right thing" by greenlighting funding to keep the government open.
What China has got over a decade on its iconic coordinated regional development strategy?

Xinhua) 08:05, February 26, 2024

BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Monday will mark the 10th anniversary of the beginning of coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Since coordinated development was proposed as a national strategy in 2014, the region has made remarkable breakthroughs in high-quality development, offering Chinese wisdom on the future of mega-urban governance to the world.

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 21, 2023 shows the Xiong'an Urban Computing Center in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

OPTIMIZED INDUSTRIAL LAYOUT

In 2014, Beijing faced urban challenges such as unbalanced, inadequate and uncoordinated development. These issues also affected the broader Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, as the three locations -- also known as "Jing-Jin-Ji" -- had varying development levels despite being neighbors, and resources were highly concentrated in the capital city.

Early in 2014, China initiated a key strategy of coordinating the region's development to create a development model with an improved economic structure, a cleaner environment and improved public services.

Ma Qinghai, general manager of SMC Investment Management China Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Japan's pneumatic component manufacturer SMC Corporation, said that this year's Spring Festival was full of anticipation and excitement.

"We're preparing for the groundbreaking of the much-anticipated second phase of our Tianjin plant," Ma said.

SMC is a beneficiary of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region's coordinated development. Exactly three decades ago, the company chose to settle in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, bullish about China's enormous market potential. In 2018, SMC established a subcompany in Tianjin to aid its expansion layout.

This photo taken on March 1, 2023 shows the automatic production line of SMC (China) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Japan's pneumatic component manufacturer SMC Corporation, in north China's Tianjin Municipality. (Xinhua)

Three years after the Tianjin plant began operation, the company's local output value has already exceeded 1 billion yuan (138.93 million U.S. dollars). SMC has even established a market team tailored to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and is considering investing a further 500 million yuan to build an innovation center in Beijing serving the whole Asia-Pacific region.

And SMC's story is not unique. To relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the capital, many enterprises in Beijing have extended their core industrial chains to Tianjin and Hebei, optimizing the layouts of supply chains and expanding the market.

In 2018, entrepreneur Hu Jianlong moved his agricultural artificial intelligence company from Beijing to Tianjin. And over the past five years, the company's annual order volume has increased from 1 million yuan to 50 million yuan.

"We have policies on par with what companies enjoy in Beijing's Zhongguancun, yet we have lower costs," Hu said.

In the process of relocating its non-essential functions, Beijing has shut down over 3,000 manufacturing companies and closed or upgraded nearly 1,000 markets and logistics centers over the past decade, Liu Bozheng, deputy director of the Beijing office overseeing the integration of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, said at a press briefing Thursday.

Indicating high-quality growth, the proportion of Beijing's new business entities in high-end industries covering technology, commerce, culture and information among all had risen to 66.1 percent in 2023 from 40.7 percent in 2013.

With a more rational industrial layout, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region saw its gross domestic product grow 90 percent from 2013 to hit 10.4 trillion yuan in 2023, official data shows.

Ma noted that over the past decade or so, the Chinese market has contributed half of SMC's global growth.

"We will continue to expand our layout and seize the opportunities and momentum of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development strategy to take our performance to new heights," Ma said.

VISION FOR THE FUTURE

The most important feature of the coordinated development strategy is that it takes the whole region into consideration, noted Shi Xiaodong, chairman of the Beijing Municipal Institute of City Planning and Design.

An Italian business district next to the high-speed railway station in Wuqing, a suburban district of Tianjin, has witnessed how the collaborative efforts have transformed the region.

People visit an Italian business district next to the high-speed railway station in Wuqing, a suburban district of Tianjin, Feb. 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ran)

Wuqing station began operations in 2008 when it handled just 12 train journeys each day, said Guo Junli, a local official in charge of promoting the development of the business district.

"When the Italian business district opened in 2011, the number of trains the station handled every day grew to 22, and then to 46. Today, all weekend intercity trains traveling between Beijing and Tianjin stop at Wuqing, bringing an average of over 16,000 passengers from Beijing to Wuqing every weekend," Guo said. "Wuqing station has already been expanded once and is about to be upgraded again, given the ever-growing flow of traffic."

"The market grew fast with the gradual deepening of regional integration. We welcomed more than 12 million visitors in 2023, with more than 70 percent coming from Beijing or Hebei," said Howard H. Li, board chairman and CEO of Waitex Group, one of the main investors in the business district.

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region now has over 11,000 kilometers of railways, up more than 30 percent from 2013, and nearly 11,000 kilometers of highways, up over 40 percent from 2013, bringing convenience to more than 100 million people living in the region's 13 cities at the prefecture level and above, all of which are included in the coordinated development strategy.

An aerial drone photo taken on July 20, 2023 shows a train running along the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway in the urban area of north China's Tianjin. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)

As the regional integration deepens, residents are being presented with a futuristic vision of urban life.

The once heavy smog in the region is almost a distant memory, and Xiong'an, the country's "city of the future," is being built at a rapid pace.

On April 1, 2017, China announced plans to establish the Xiong'an New Area about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing, aiming to build the 1,770-square-kilometer area into a green, innovative city and a national model of high-quality development. Chinese urban planners envision that by the middle of the century, Xiong'an will be a significant part of the Jing-Jin-Ji cluster.

An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 23, 2023 shows the Rongdong area of Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

In less than seven years, Xiong'an has been transformed from a blueprint into reality, with over 3,000 buildings rising from the previously barren lowlands and shabby villages. Furthermore, the centrally-administered state-owned enterprises have set up more than 200 subsidiaries and various branches in the area.

"By giving full play to China's institutional advantages and combining effective government with an efficient market, the three locations are exploring possible ways to tackle the world's urban development bottlenecks, and the progress achieved is striking," said Liu Binglian, a professor at Nankai University's College of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Collaborative Development.

As the benefits of the regional integration gradually emerge, China's endeavors have provided fresh ideas for global megacity clusters facing the increasingly significant challenge of pursuing equitable and sustainable development.

"Strengthened coordination across local administrative boundaries within cluster territories brings with it an array of social, economic, and sustainability benefits -- including productivity gains from expanded agglomeration economies and efficiency gains that support the national objective of increasing domestic consumption to fuel future economic growth -- lessons other coun-tries may do well to learn from," read an article authored by Stephen P. Groff, former vice-president at the Asian Development Bank, and Stefan Rau, a senior urban development specialist at the same bank.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
On 25 February indigenous groups in parts of Guatemala held demonstrations commemorating the national day of dignity for victims of Guatemalas 1960-1996 internal armed conflict.

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On 25 February Mexicos Presidentaccused YouTube of censorship for removing the video of a press conference in which the president revealed the telephone number of a New York Times (NYT) journalist.

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On 25 February Colombias foreign ministry condemned remarks by Argentinas Presidentin which he called Presidenta murderous communist.

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On 23 February the governor of Argentinas south-eastern Patagonian province of Chubut,, threatened to cut off the supply of gas and oil to the rest of the country within days unless the national government led by Presidentreleases funds from federal taxes owed to the provinces.

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It is one of Earths loudest sounds in the ocean: the singing of whales.

Now scientists think they have an idea of how baleen whales do it. They say the large air-breathing sea animals use a special voice box that enables them to make sound underwater.

Scientists say the discovery is based on a very small study. But it will direct future research into how whales communicate.

The new findings are in a study published recently in the scientific publication Nature. Coen Elemans of the University of Southern Denmark and other international scientists studied the voice boxes, or larynxes, of three dead whales from the beaches of Denmark and Scotland. The three were humpback, minke and sei whales. All three are part of the family of baleen whales, a group that includes the blue whale, the largest animal that ever existed on Earth.

Voice box

In the laboratory, the scientists blew air through the voice boxes under controlled conditions to see what tissues might vibrate. They also created computer models of the sei whales vocalizations and matched them to recordings of similar whales taken in the wild.

Whales ancestors were land animals that moved into the oceans about 50 million years ago. Elemans said the animals voice box changed over tens of millions of years in order to make sounds underwater.

Baleen whales do not have teeth or vocal cords like humans and other mammals. Instead, they have U-shaped tissue in their voice boxes that permits them to breathe a lot of air very quickly. Their voice boxes also contain a large cushion of fat and muscle not seen in other animals. Whales sing by pushing the tissue against the fat and muscle cushion.

Elemans said baleen whales depend on the production of sound to communicate in the dark of the deep oceans. For example, humpback females and their calves communicate with each other by voice, and humpback males sing to attract females, he added.

Jeremy Goldbogen is a professor of oceans at Stanford University, who was not involved in the research. He said, This is the most comprehensive and significant study to date on how baleen whales vocalize, a long-standing mystery in the field.

The whale voice boxes tested were from younger animals, not adult males, who do the singing. Because of that, whale expert Joy Reidenberg said further experiments on adult males are needed to confirm the studys findings.

Reidenberg works for the Center for Anatomy and Functional Morphology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. She noted that the research is probably as close as we can get to reproducing how whales sing.

Right now, our technology involves sticking a scope into a whale to see what exactly is vibrating, she said. Since youre never going to be able to do that in a wild animal, these experiments are the next best thing.

Shipping noise

As loud as whales songs are, the study suggests that whales cannot produce sounds louder than noise from the shipping industry, Elemans said.

Theyre really affected by (shipping noise) and it significantly reduces their ability to communicate, he said. Theres just no way for them to get louder.

Because some whales sing as a mating call, the shipping industrys interference with those songs is a concern, said Michael Noad. He is director of the Center for Marine Science at the University of Queensland in Australia. He also was not part of the Nature study.

For whale populations that are really dispersed, like the Antarctic blue whales, they might not be able to find mates in a noisy ocean environment, he said. However, whales like humpbacks that gather in big numbers are more likely to ignore such noise pollution.

Im Mario Ritter, Jr.

Maria Cheng reported this story for the Associated Press. Hai Do adapted it for VOA Learning English with additional reporting from Reuters.

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Words in This Story

baleen n. a hard material in the mouth of some kinds of whales that permits them to eat very small shrimp in the ocean

vibrate v. to move back and forth quickly, often producing sound

vocalization n. the act of making a sound, such as speech or singing, using the throat
Astronomers say they may have discovered the brightest object ever observed in the universe.

The discovery involves a distant space object known as a quasar. The American space agency NASA describes quasars as very bright, distant and active supermassive black holes that are millions to billions of times the mass of the Sun.

A quasars light outshines all other stars and its jets and winds shape its galaxy, NASA adds.

A team led by Australian researchers identified the super bright quasar. The European Southern Observatorys (ESOs) Very Large Telescope, based in northern Chile, collected most of the data. Additional data came from Australias Siding Spring Observatory.

The researchers estimate the record-breaking quasar is at least 500 trillion times brighter than our own sun. The team also noted the black hole powering the object is more than 17 billion times larger than our sun.

The quasar is about 12 billion light years away from Earth. It is thought to have existed since the early days of the universe. A light year is the distance light travels in a year  about 9.5 trillion kilometers.

The object was already known and had been studied before. But scientists say it was misidentified in the past as a star. The newly identified quasar is so large that its black hole could easily swallow at least one sun per day, the team said.

The researchers recently reported their finding in a study in the publication Nature Astronomy.

The quasar appears only as a small dot in images. But scientists say they imagine it to be a very powerful and active place. The team says the black hole is thought to have a circulating disk containing gas and other matter from swallowed stars. The disk spins continuously like an intense, active storm.

This quasar is the most violent place that we know in the universe, said the lead writer of the study, Christian Wolf. He is an astronomer and professor in the College of Science at Australian National University.

The ESO first found the object, known as J0529-4351, in 1980. At the time, it was identified, or classified, as a star. Then last year, it was identified as a quasar.

The latest observations and computer modeling suggest the quasar is taking in amounts of material equal to about 370 suns a year, or about one per day. The team says more observations will be needed to fully understand the objects growth rate.

Priyamvada Natarajan is a professor of astronomy and physics at Yale University. She was not part of the latest study. But Natarajan told the Associated Press, The exciting thing about this quasar is that it was hiding in plain sight and was misclassified as a star previously.

Study co-writer Christopher Onken added, It is a surprise that it has remained unknown until today, when we already know about a million less impressive quasars.

The researchers say finding and studying distant supermassive black holes could help astronomers learn important details about the birth and development of the early universe. But study leader Wolf noted that he also gets enjoyment out of the search itself.

Personally, I simply like the chase, he said in a statement. For a few minutes a day, I get to feel like a child again, playing treasure hunt. And now, I bring everything to the table that I have learned since.

Future research is expected to center on the history of the quasar and measuring its growth and development. The team noted that some of this data should be easier to collect after the Very Large Telescope receives an instrument upgrade. The upgrade, known as Gravity+, is designed to provide more exact measurements of the mass of distant black holes.

In addition, the ESO plans to launch a future observer, called the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), in Chiles Atacama Desert. That telescope, the researchers say, will improve on current identification and study methods to identify such distant objects.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from The Associated Press and the European Southern Observatory.

Quiz - Scientists Identify Possibly Brightest Object in the Universe Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

___________________________________

Words in This Story

disk  n. a flat, round object

impressive  adj. something considered noteworthy or causing admiration or respect

upgrade  n. to improve something that is higher quality of a newer model
Editor's note: This story is one of the winning entries from the "Teach Us about Ukraine" writing contest sponsored by VOA Learning English and GoGlobal.

Im Olena Zamorska and I teach English in Sophia Rusova Lyseum in Oleshnia, Ukraine.

It was early morning, exactly at 4:20 am, when I was awakened from my sleep by the sounds of explosions. My family and I rushed outside and watched with fear. We saw flashes in the sky and heard explosions and sounds of military vehicles. We were only thirty kilometers from the Russian border. That moment changed our lives, because we understood that the war had started.

I did not know what to do. I thought about my work and my students. I was a lead teacher in the eighth grade. I organized a meeting to calm my students. We had to learn to live and work remotely in a new dangerous situation. I gave my students schoolwork through their mobile phones and checked everything by collecting the exercise books. They brought them to the nearest shop. It was the place of meeting and communication at that time.

Our village was in a grey zone. Neither Ukrainian nor Russian troops were there. We did not have electricity, internet connection or food. And we could not communicate with people outside.

I rode my bicycle to visit students at their homes and keep in touch with their parents. I was a local authority in the village at that time and people listened to my words. I baked bread in a wood stove and brought it to people in need. People were very grateful because there was not enough food at the time.

Each night we heard and watched Russian airplanes and helicopters bringing bombs to Chernihiv and providing their troops with food and weapons. We believe they flew at night time to frighten and keep people from sleeping. The helicopters flew so low that we could see the pilot. It was very scary. We did not know what would happen next and prepared for the worst.

We organized villagers to defend ourselves. We made bombs and set up blockades with trees. We were ready to fight against our enemies and meet them at our land.

When we did not have electricity and connection, I rode my bicycle for 10 kilometers to stand on a hill and phone our relatives to inform them that we were alive. From that high place, I could use an expensive cell phone connection to try to get a short message across to family in occupied places. It was our only way to contact each other.

When Russian troops finally left Chernihiv, we resumed remote studying for the students. I tried yoga and started breathing exercises with my students. And I studied how to deal with traumas and manage difficult situations.

Nowadays my students and I live a normal life. We help our soldiers by making candles, knitting nets, warm socks, mats, collecting money and painting pictures and writing letters.

We hope our victory will be soon.

I'm Jill Robbins.

_______________________________________________

About the writer

Olena Zamorska was born in the Chernihiv region, Ukraine to a working-class family. After completing secondary school, she worked as a school librarian. Then she studied at Kharkiv aviation institute and became an engineer in Oleshnia. Finally, she earned a teaching degree in 1999 and became an English teacher. She has found it more rewarding to work with children than with airplanes.

_______________________________________________

Lesson Plan
Do you remember all those cicada videos from the United States in 2021?

Well, prepare for a repeat performance this year. The insect show begins as early as April.

Two groups of cicadas, brood XIII and brood XIX, are expected to come out from the ground to mate and lay eggs this year. Their appearance in the same year is rare. The last time it happened was 1803.

Brood XIII is on a 17-year cycle. They will be found in the Midwestern states of Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Kentucky. Brood XIX is on a 13-year cycle. They will come out in an area stretching from Indiana and Illinois southeast to the southern states of Alabama and Georgia.

Scientists expect more than one trillion cicadas to appear in some small areas where the two broods are close to each other. The insects will begin to climb out of the ground when the soil warms to about 18 degrees Celsius. So they will be seen in warmer southern areas as early as April. It will be closer to summer, sometime in June, before the cicadas arise to the north in Wisconsin, Indiana and other Midwestern states.

Cicadas are large, noisy insects, from about 2.5 to 5 centimeters long. Like most insects, they have wings. They also have big bulging eyes. There are thousands of species of cicada around the world.

The huge majority of cicada species arise each year, or annually. Then there are the periodicals which arrive after numerous years in the ground.

The periodical cicadas emerge to mate.

The male cicadas make a thrumming sound with their wings on their bodies to call for mating. The singing appeals to females. The insects mate and leave their fertilized eggs on trees. The resulting young fall to the ground after breaking out of their shells. They dig down into the ground where they live for years, feeding on the liquid that comes from tree roots.

Seven of the nine known periodical cicadas live in North America. Of the other two groups, one is in India and one is found only on the island country of Fiji.

Floyd Shockley is an insect scientist, or entomologist, with the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. He said this years group of cicadas will include four different Magicada species within the XIX brood.

The next time brood XIX and brood XIII will come out in the same year will be in 2245.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by Reuters.

_______________________________________________

Words in This Story

brood n. a group of young (in this case insects) all born at the same time

thrum v. to make a low, steady sound

species n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants

We want to hear from you. Have you seen the cicadas before? What do you remember about them?
The Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated Lexington, A Better Life, at their annual banquet Friday evening. The joint chamber/ag banquet honored individuals and businesses with five special awards and in the ag portion of the program three awards were given out.

The Friend of Tourism Award was the first presented at the awards ceremony. Given to an individual or tourism entity that has worked hard to promote Lexington and the Dawson County area this year the chamber saluted the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles.

Formed by veterans Terry Lauby, Chris Larsen, David Smith and Al (Albert) Martin in 1986, the museum preserves historic military vehicles and is dedicated in honor and memory of those who served.

While the museum includes a wide variety of vehicles, most were acquired within a 150-mile radius of Lexington. Many pieces were surplus military equipment used by farmers shortly after World War II when tractors were in short supply.

The Presidential Award recognizes a person who has shown extraordinary leadership within the community in the past year. Recipient of the award was Tara Naprstek, chief compliance officer and director of finance at Lexington Regional Health Center.

She was recognized for her extraordinary leadership, not only within the Health Center, but also within the community. Since 2011 Naprstek has served on the Lexington United Way board and has been president since 2012. She has been a Lexington Community Foundation board member since 2021 and is secretary-treasurer for the Council of Economic Development.

Next was the Jim Kelly Memorial Award given to a person or organization that has worked tirelessly to serve the community and area. Named for longtime Lexington resident and newspaper publisher Jim Kelly, it reflects on his responsibility of being in business and giving back to the community.

This years recipient was Barb Batie, well-known for her reporting, particularly on agricultural issues. She has reported for five area weeklies and dailies, along with the Midwest Messenger, regional farm magazine.

Her statewide service has included serving on the Nebraska Sesquicentennial Commissioner and traveling with then-Gov. Pete Ricketts on a Nebraska trade mission to Germany. She is active in Trinity Lutheran Church, serves on the Majestic Theatre board and is an assistant leader for the Horseshoe Bend 4-H club. She has also been active in Dawson County and Nebraska Farm Bureau and is a 43-year member of both Nebraska Press Women and the National Federation of Press Women, where she was named runner-up in the 2023 NFPW Communicator of Achievement Contest.

Madelines Cafe & Bakery received the Business of the Year award. Opened in 2008 by Kellie Rieke and named after Kellies grandmother, the business has changed hands several times. In 2018 Mataya Schwarz bought Madelines and in 2023 the business celebrated 15 years of operation, five under the current ownership.

The fifth award was a new one, the Rising Star, designed to honor community members beginning a lifelong journey of leading and serving in their community. Stephanie Navoa is currently a part-time child care coordinator with Lexington Community for Kids and is a full-time real estate agent at Co Home Realty.

She is an active CASA volunteer, serves on the United by Culture and the Orthman Community YMCA boards, and serves on the chambers business-education committee.

Recipient of the Ag Employee of the Year award was Rick Esslinger, who is the Lexington Car Care manager for Country Partners Cooperative.

He started as a station attendant at the Cozad location in 1991, eventually moving into the managers position. He worked in Gothenburg for a few years before being named the Lexington Car Care manager in 2018 where co-workers and customers note he always goes out of his way to help customers.

The Agri-Service Award is presented annually to a business or individual for outstanding effort and commitment to agriculture and the Lexington community. This year HAR Transportation, a family-owned heavy haul trucking company was honored. Owned by brothers Tim and Dan Heinemann, HAR operates a growing fleet of specialized trailers which make delivering bulk products quick and easy. They serve customers primarily within a 250-mile radius of Lexington and are the preferred distillers trucking company for Lexingtons Chief Ethanol Fuels plant.

Concluding the evening was presentation of the Farm Family of the Year award to the Don and Joan Burks family, whose story ran in the Saturday edition of the Lexington Clipper-Herald.
An Elwood woman is going to prison after soliciting an undercover officer for a murder-for-hire plot in 2022.

Valerie E. Miller, 39, was sentenced to 18 to 20 years in the Nebraska Department of Corrections. District Judge Patrick Heng gave her 507 days credit for time served.

She pleaded guilty in December to one count of felony attempted first-degree murder. As part of the plea deal, another count of attempted murder was dropped.

According to court records, Miller contacted the undercover investigator in October 2022 seeking a firearm.

They arranged a meeting in the parking lot of the Lexington Walmart after she left work for the day.

Miller then rendezvoused with the investigator, and entered the undercover officers car. The investigator asked her why she needed a gun and she told them she wanted several individuals not living. The investigator made an offer to kill the individuals in question for her for $1,000 per person.

Miller asked the investigator to kill her ex-husbands girlfriend and the womans four children.

The investigator advised her it was not in her best interest to murder children and talked her down to only kill the ex-girlfriend and her adult son for $2,000.

Miller agreed to the terms and arranged to gather the money by the end of the week.

After Miller left the parking lot, state patrol units stopped Miller and arrested her without incident, placing her in the Dawson County Detention Center.
American forces have withdrawn almost all of their troops from the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

About 1,000 US Marines left the coast beside the international airport as Shiite militiamen arrived in jeeps and armoured vehicles to take over.

Only 100 soldiers have been left in the city to guard American diplomatic personnel at the British Embassy on the western sea front.

US President Ronald Reagan ordered military personnel to begin pulling out of the area over a week ago following a recent upsurge in terrorist attacks.

The withdrawal ends 18 months of conflict in a country which has been torn apart by war with Israel.

Despite the withdrawal, President Reagan insisted that the US was not turning its back on Lebanon.

Once the terrorist attacks started there was no way that we could really contribute to the original mission by staying there as a target just bunkering down and waiting for further attacks, he said.

I dont think we have lost as yet, although I know things dont look too bright. As long as there is a chance we are not bugging out.

We are moving to deploy into a more defensive position.

US forces were originally sent in to act as a peacekeeping force between warring Christian and Muslim factions in August 1982.

But 264 American military personnel have died since then, most of them killed during a suicide bomb attack last November.

Fighting has continued over the last week with several Israeli military aircraft bombing towns and villages held by Palestinian guerrillas high in the mountains to the east.

Further conflict has also broken out along the Beirut front line.

The US Marines were sent in 18 months ago to help the Lebanese administration but as the last troops pulled out there was no official government delegation present to see them off.

Instead, gunmen riding motorcycles watched without emotion as US military helicopters airlifted the last front line troops to warships off the Lebanese coast.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

Following the withdrawal of US forces, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia personally pleaded with President Reagan not to abandon diplomatic efforts in Lebanon.

A multinational alliance made up of British, French and Italian troops signed a joint resolution with the US to maintain peace in Beirut in October 1983.

America eventually ended its participation in the Multinational Force at the end of March 1984.

The rest of the alliance left Lebanon in April 1984.

Later that year 20 people were killed after the US embassy was attacked by a suicide bomber.

Beirut remained a dangerous place for US citizens to live and during the 1980s, 270 American people were killed in bombings, assassinations and kidnappings and five were abducted but later released.
The automated inter-bank credit inquiry platform does not refuse applications that have all required documents, the Monetary Authority of Macao (AMCM) has told lawmaker Ron Lam.

In one of his written inquiries, the lawmaker asked the authority about refused applications. Lam said that he has been told about such refusals.

In response, Acting President Lau Hang Kun of the AMCM assured the lawmaker that unless required documents are not submitted, the platform will not decline any applications. Lau said the inquiry platform has a list of required documents.

It became mandatory on Jan. 1 this year for banks to get their customers credit reports upon receipt of an application or the renewal of a loan. The credit report is available through the credit inquiry platform.

The platform contains details of a persons credit history with local banks, such as credit cards, personal loans and mortgages. It was established for the convenience of banks to understand a persons credit and their own risks.

Lau said the platform has mechanisms for follow-up, so that clients or banks can raise further queries on the issued report through the concerned banks within seven days of the issuance. As of the end of 2023, 26 such queries were recorded.

Lam said the establishment of the platform was postponed twice, and asked the AMCM for an explanation.

Lau said the platform was established on the same date the topical guideline came into effect, which was Jan. 1 last year.

However, she said the banking industry needed time to adjust their internal and computer systems to facilitate the new environment. As a result, there was a transitional period that concluded at the end of the last year.

Disclosing that the number of inquiries has risen constantly in the past year, Lau cited the industry for commending the platform for helping banks to better understand the credit quality of their clients.
Citizens unhappy with new traffic arrangements in the Barra area took to social media to criticize unreasonable solutions proposed by the Transport Bureau (DSAT).

They were criticizing DSATs traffic arrangements for the Barra area that came into force last Saturday.

Although most of the changes, related to the second phase of the construction of the Inner Harbour rainwater pumping station, only started effectively yesterday, preparation had started earlier.

There are also concurrent works being conducted in the same area, which complicates the life of those who need to circulate through those streets even more.

One matter that raised eyebrows and online criticism was related to the arrangements at the Rua da Barra and Rua do Padre Antonio, which included turning the already very narrow one-way street into a temporary two-way street in some sections.

The Rua da Barra has been the scene of several accidents with trucks and tourist buses in the extremely narrow area at the back of the Mandarin House. The incidents are particularly worrying as the wall is a protected heritage site.

Besides the chaotic traffic and traffic jams, netizens concerns also turned to the possibility of accidents in the area due to lack of circulation space and inversion of the normal traffic direction in several streets.

The arrangements also forced the public bus to detour from the area making it difficult for those living or working there to find transport for daily commutes.

Adding to the problems is the fact that these arrangements are expected to last, in some sections, for as long as four months with residents and shop owners anticipating a very bad year for living and business conditions alike.

According to a report by the public broadcaster TDM Chinese Channel, several drivers also noted not being informed with enough time, as DSAT only revealed the traffic arrangements in a press conference on Friday afternoon.

Others claimed that, although they were aware of the arrangements, they found that onsite instructions to the drivers were in many cases, ambiguous, which made many of them hesitate and take a long time to understand the right path, a fact that contributed significantly to traffic congestion.

Other residents told the same broadcaster they are planning to leave home today at least 30 minutes or more ahead of their normal time to avoid arriving late for their duties.

The changes regarding the new bus pick and drop-off points also promise to create problems for many, at least for the next couple of days with some residents telling TDM that there is poor information on the relocation of the bus stops.

The DSAT responded that the project is urgent and called on drivers and pedestrians to be understanding and patient with the arrangements made.
China responded sternly late last week to a U.S. congressional delegations visit to Taiwan, demanding the U.S. stop any official contact with the self-governing island.

China opposes any form of official interaction between the U.S. and Taiwan authorities and rejects U.S. interference in Taiwan affairs in whatever form or under whatever pretext, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. She urged Washington to be mindful of the extreme complexity and sensitivity of the Taiwan issue.

Mao spoke shortly after leaders of the House Select Committee on Chinas Communist Party met with Taiwanese leaders on a high-profile trip aimed at showing U.S. support for the islands democratically elected government.

The congressional visit drew a stronger-than-usual response. Beijing has long protested any official interaction the U.S. and Taiwan but is particularly dissatisfied with the House select committee, which was formed in 2023.

However, the visit is unlikely to trigger major military actions as then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit did in the summer of 2022. Beijing and Washington are seeking to stabilize their rocky relations following a November meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The congressional visit coincided with an announcement by the U.S. State Department of a $75 million arms sale to Taiwan. The sale is relatively minor in size and does not include weaponry. Instead, it covers communications and global positioning systems as well as related technology.

Mao criticized the sale as undermining Chinas sovereignty and security interests and harming China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

The U.S. is obligated under a 1979 law to provide Taiwan with sufficient military hardware and technology to deter invasion, and its arm sales to Taiwan have always drawn strong opposition from Beijing.

Taiwan is also part of the $95 billion aid package that passed the Senate this month but has stalled in the House. That package, which focused on Ukraine and Israel, included $1.9 billion to replenish U.S. weapons provided to Taiwan. An additional $3.3 billion would go to build more U.S.-made submarines in support of a security partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom.

In Taiwan, Rep. Mike Gallagher, the select committees Republican chair, and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, its Democratic ranking member, suggested ways to speed up the delivery of military weapons to Taiwan, including joint production of some weapons that do not need intellectual property transfer, according to a report by Central News Agency, the islands main wire service.

The delegation met Taiwans Tsai Ing-wen and also leader-elect Lai Ching-te. Lai, who won a three-way race in January and will take office in May.

Today, weve come as Democrats and Republicans to show our bipartisan support for this partnership, which, thanks to your leadership, I think is stronger and more rock solid than ever, Gallagher said during the meeting with Tsai.

DIDI TANG, WASHINGTON, MDT/AP
Xiian city and Qingdao city will be included in the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS), allowing travelers from these cities to visit Macau and Hong Kong in two weeks. The State Council granted the approval, according to the countrys customs authorities Friday.

Visa issuance will commence as early as March 6.

In the case of Hong Kong, individuals can receive a maximum of two visa endorsements in a three-month period. Alternatively, they can get one endorsement per year or two endorsements annually.

For Macau, residents of Xian city and Qingdao city can get a visa once every three months or once annually. People from these two cities can complete the necessary paperwork in person or electronically at designated venues if they wish to travel to the two special administrative regions.

Each traveler will be allowed to stay in Hong Kong and Macau for a maximum of seven days.

Currently, 49 mainland Chinese cities are eligible under the IVS.

Chief Executive, Ho Iat Seng, hailed the State Councils endorsement, noting the government would work together with the local tourism industry to continuously optimize Macaus tourism resources and capacity to receive tourists, actively responding to the favorable measures provided by the Central Government.

The official also said there had been improvements regarding immigration measures, customs clearance and transportation arrangements, making it more convenient for visitors to come to Macau. Staff Reporter
Indonesia and Australia held high-level talks in Jakarta on Friday as the neighboring countries seek to strengthen security ties by signing a defense cooperation agreement in the coming months.

Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who is set to become Indonesias next leader, said that he and Australian counterpart Richard Marles discussed ways of maintaining and enhancing the good relationship between the two nations.

Subianto said that Indonesia and Australia hope to sign a very significant defense cooperation agreement within two or three months. No details about the agreement have been provided.

Marles described the pact as the single deepest and most significant defense cooperation agreement in the history of the two countries.

It will be a very significant moment in our bilateral relationship, Marles said during a joint news conference with Subianto. Australia and Indonesia have a shared destiny and a shared collective security and that is the basis on which we are moving forward with our own defense planning.

Subianto, 72, is a former general who has never held elective office. He emerged as the apparent winner of the Feb. 14 presidential election. If an official count conducted over the next few weeks confirms his victory, hell take office in October.

Marles, who is on a two-day visit to Indonesia, said in a statement before his trip that the two countries have a long history of close cooperation on maritime security and would share an ambition to further broaden and deepen our defense relationship.

Fridays meeting came less than a week after Australian Defense Force Chief Gen. Angus Campbell met with Subianto on Tuesday. The back-to-back visits by two top Australian security officials this week has reflected the importance of Indonesia, the worlds third-largest democracy, to Australia.

Marles congratulated Subianto on winning the Indonesian presidential election, saying the election has been watched very closely in Australia. When asked about some Australians who are considered to support separatist rebels in Indonesias restive Papua region, Marles reiterated that Australia recognizes the territorial sovereignty of Indonesia

There is no support for any independence movements, Marles said, We support the territorial sovereignty of Indonesia and that includes those provinces being part of Indonesia, no ifs, no buts, and I want to be clear about that.

Although Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation of more than 270 million people, is often presented as one of Australias most important neighbors and strategic allies, the relationship hasnt always been smooth.

We are destined to be close neighbors and we are determined to be a good neighbors, Subianto said. Historically there are ups and downs, but we consider Australia as our close friend, which always in many critical instances sided with Indonesia.

Recent disagreements include allegations of wiretapping by the Australian Signals Directorate in 2013 to monitor the private phone calls of then Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife and other senior officials; Indonesias use of capital punishment on Australian drug smugglers; and cases of people smuggling.

In 2017, Indonesia temporarily suspended military cooperation with Australia, including joint training, education, exchanges of officers and visits, over an alleged insult against the Indonesian state ideology Pancasila, a set of vague principles that mandates belief in one God and unity among Indonesias population, and the Indonesian military at an Australian military base.

In September 2021, Indonesia filed a diplomatic protest against Australia for being slow to provide information about its activities in the AUKUS trilateral pact involving the United States and the United Kingdom, including plans for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

Since 2022, Australia, along with Japan and Singapore, has been a part of the annual Indonesia-U.S. joint combat exercise called Super Garuda Shield, making it the largest since the drills began in 2009.

The expanded drills are seen by China as a threat. Chinese state media have accused the U.S. of building an Indo-Pacific alliance similar to NATO to limit Chinas growing military and diplomatic influence in the region.

The two ministers also said that they are also discussing the issues of people smuggling and people trafficking.

This is a shared challenge for both of our countries and that we need to be working cooperatively, Marles said. ANDI JATMIKO & NINIEK KARMINI, JAKARTA, MDT/AP
Visitor arrivals soared 104.7% year-on-year to 2.86 million in January 2024, recovering to 83.5% of the level in the same month of 2019, according to the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).

However, the figure represented a drop of 2.8% month-on-month.

As regards the source of visitors, those from mainland China jumped 107.3% year-on-year to 2.1 million in January, with those traveling under the Individual Visit Scheme (1.12 million) rising by 57.8%.

Visitors from the nine Pearl River Delta cities in the Greater Bay Area hiked by 68.6% year-on-year to 1,025,451.

Visitors from Hong Kong (546,277) and Taiwan (59,921) grew 53% and 217.6% year-on-year, respectively. Visitor numbers from the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan in January 2024 rebounded to 82.1%, 102.3% and 69% of the corresponding levels in the same month of 2019.

International visitors totaled 199,278 in January 2024, back to 66.4% of the figure in the same month of 2019.

Regarding the Southeast Asian markets, visitors from the Philippines (34,102) exceeded the level in January 2019, rising 24.3%. Visitors from Indonesia (13,961), Thailand (13,608) and Malaysia (10,997) returned to 86.9%, 93.1% and 66.2% of the corresponding levels in January 2019.

With respect to the Northeast Asian markets, visitors from the Republic of Korea (50,552) and Japan (10,646) recovered to 50.8% and 34.8% of the respective levels in the same month of 2019.

As regards long-haul markets, USA visitors (10,922) rebounded to 66.2% of the level in January 2019.

Staff Reporter
The body of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been handed over to his mother, a top aide to Navalny said Saturday on his social media account.

Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation, made the announcement on his Telegram account and thanked everyone who had called on Russian authorities to return Navalnys body to his mother.

Earlier on Saturday, Yulia Navalnaya, Navalnys widow, accused President Vladimir Putin of mocking Christianity by trying to force his mother to agree to a secret funeral after his death in an Arctic penal colony.

Thank you very much. Thanks to everyone who wrote and recorded video messages. You all did what you needed to do. Thank you. Alexei Navalnys body has been given to his mother, Zhdanov wrote.

Navalny, 47, Russias most well-known opposition politician, unexpectedly died on Feb. 16 in an Arctic penal colony and his family has been fighting for more than a week to have his body returned to them. Prominent Russians released videos calling on authorities to release the body and Western nations have hit Russia with more sanctions as punishment for Navalnys death as well as for the second anniversary of its invasion of Ukraine.

Navalnys mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, is still in Salekhard, Navalnys press secretary Kira Yarmysh said on X, formerly Twitter. Lyudmila Navalnaya has been in the Arctic region for more than a week, demanding that Russian authorities return the body of her son to her.

The funeral is still pending, Yarmysh tweeted, questioning whether authorities will allow it to go ahead as the family wants and as Alexei deserves.

Earlier on Saturday, Navalnys widow said in a video that Navalnys mother was being literally tortured by authorities who had threatened to bury Navalny in the Arctic prison. They, she said, suggested to his mother that she did not have much time to make a decision because the body is decomposing, Navalnaya said.

Give us the body of my husband, Navalnaya said earlier Saturday. You tortured him alive, and now you keep torturing him dead. You mock the remains of the dead.

Authorities have detained scores of people as they seek to suppress any major outpouring of sympathy for Putins fiercest foe before the presidential election he is almost certain to win. Russians on social media say officials dont want to return Navalnys body to his family, because they fear a public show of support for him.

Navalnaya accused Putin, an Orthodox Christian, of killing Navalny.

No true Christian could ever do what Putin is now doing with the body of Alexei, she said, asking, What will you do with his corpse? How low will you sink to mock the man you murdered?

Saturday marked nine days since the opposition leaders death, a day when Orthodox Christians hold a memorial service.

People across Russia came out to mark the occasion and honor Navalnys memory by gathering at Orthodox churches, leaving flowers at public monuments or holding one-person protests.

Muscovites lined up outside the citys Christ the Savior Cathedral to pay their respects, according to photos and videos published by independent Russian news outlet SOTAvision. The video also shows Russian police stationed nearby and officers stopping several people for an ID check.

As of Saturday evening, at least 38 people had been detained in Russia for showing support for Navalny, according to the OVD-Info rights group that tracks political arrests.

They included Elena Osipova, a 78-year-old artist from St. Petersburg who stood in a street with a poster showing Navalny with angel wings, and Sergei Karabatov, 64, who came to a Moscow monument to victims of political repression with flowers and a note saying Dont think this is the end.

Also arrested was Aida Nuriyeva, from the city of Ufa near the Ural Mountains, who publicly held up a sign saying Putin is Navalnys murderer! I demand that the body be returned!

Putin is often pictured at church, dunking himself in ice water to celebrate the Epiphany and visiting holy sites in Russia. He has promoted what he has called traditional values without which, he once said, society degrades.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected allegations that Putin was involved in Navalnys death, calling them absolutely unfounded, insolent accusations about the head of the Russian state.

Musician Nadya Tolokonnikova, who became widely known after spending nearly two years in prison for taking part in a 2012 protest with her band Pussy Riot inside Moscows Christ the Savior Cathedral, was one of many prominent Russians who released a video in which she accused Putin of hypocrisy and asked him to release Navalnys body.

We were imprisoned for allegedly trampling on traditional values. But no one tramples on traditional Russian values more than you, Putin, your officials and your priests who pray for all the murder that you do, year after year, day after day, said Tolokonnikova, who lives abroad. Putin, have a conscience, give his mother the body of her son.

Lyudmila Navalnaya said Thursday that investigators allowed her to see her sons body in the morgue in the Arctic city of Salekhard. She had filed a lawsuit at a court in Salekhard contesting officials refusal to release the body. A closed-door hearing had been scheduled for March 4.

Yarmysh, Navalnys spokesman, said that Lyudmila Navalnaya was shown a medical certificate stating that her son died of natural causes. EMMA BURROWS & JOANNA KOZLOWSKA, MDT/AP
Chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. opened Saturday in an official ceremony its first semiconductor plant in Japan as part of its ongoing global expansion.

We are deeply grateful for the seamless support provided by you at every step, TSMC Chairman Mark Liu said after thanking the Japanese government, local community and business partners, including electronic giant Sony and auto-parts maker Denso. The companys founder Morris Chang, was also present.

This comes as Japan is trying to regain its presence in the chip production industry.

The Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing, or JASM, is set to be up and running later this year. TSMC also announced plans for a second plant in Japan earlier this month, with production expected to start in about three years.

Private sector investment totals $20 billion for both plants. Both plants are in the Kumamoto region, southwestern Japan.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent a congratulatory video message, calling the plants opening a giant first step. He stressed Japans friendly relations with Taiwan and the importance of cutting-edge semiconductor technology.

Japan had previously promised TSMC 476 billion yen ($3 billion) in government funding to encourage the semiconductor giant to invest. Kishida confirmed a second package, raising Japans support to more than 1 trillion yen ($7 billion).

Although TSMC is building its second plant in the U.S. and has announced a plan for its first in Europe, Japan could prove an attractive option.

Closer to Taiwan geographically, Japan is an important U.S. ally. Neighboring China claims the self-governing island as its own territory and says it must come under Beijings control. The long-running divide is a flashpoint in U.S.-China relations

The move is also important for Japan, which has recently earmarked about 5 trillion yen ($33 billion) to revive its chips industry.

Four decades ago, Japan dominated in chips, headlined by Toshiba Corp. and NEC controlling half the worlds production. Thats declined lately to under 10%, due to competition from South Korean, U.S. and European manufacturers, as well as from TSMC.

The coronavirus pandemic has negatively affected the supply of electronic chips, stalling plants, including automakers, with Japan almost entirely dependent on chip imports. This has pushed Japan to seek chip production in pursuit of self-sufficiency.

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp.  wholly owned by Sony Corp.  Denso Corp. and top automaker Toyota Motor Corp. are investing in TSMCs Japan plant, with the Taiwanese giant retaining an 86.5% ownership of JASM.

Once the two plants are up and running, theyre expected to create 3,400 high-tech jobs directly, according to TSMC.

Ensuring access to an ample supply of the most advanced chips is vital with the growing popularity of electric vehicles, as well as artificial intelligence. Some analysts note Japan still leads in crucial aspects of the industry, as seen in Tokyo Electron, which manufactures the machinery used to produce chips.

Still, its clear the Japanese government is intent on playing catchup. Tokyo is supporting various semiconductor projects nationwide, such as those involving Western Digital and Micron of the U.S., and Japanese companies like Renesas Electronics, Canon and Sumitomo. YURI KAGEYAMA, TOKYO, MDT/AP
The International School of Macao (TIS) has hosted events encompassing the TIS Robotics Competition, 2024 International Macau Mecha Beast Brawl, and the TIS University Fair, featuring representatives from three London universities. The TIS Robotics Competition brought together six international schools in the Greater Bay Area, with over 100 participating students. A statement said, the competition served as a valuable platform for students to learn from one another, cultivating good sportsmanship and a positive competitive spirit. In addition, TIS also organized a TIS University Fair, which featured representatives from three prestigious schools in London: Imperial College London, Kings College London, and University College London.

Related
The two float parades held during the Lunar New Year holidays attracted 79,000 spectators, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has said.

In previous years, the parade was a crucial part of the citys Lunar New Year celebrations.

This year, the government has incorporated the 25th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region as part of the theme. The Anniversary will be celebrated on Dec. 20.

The two parades occurred in ZAPE District on Feb. 12 and in Northern District on Feb. 17. The floats were on display at the Tap Seac Square until 10 p.m. yesterday.

Fireworks displays, arguably the governments most preferred celebratory element, were also held on the evenings of Feb. 12, 16 and 24.

Each 15-minute show, set against the backdrop of festive or romantic pop songs, attracted 160,000 spectators, the MGTO said.

A WeChat game organized by the MGTO was also well-received by users, according to the bureau, attracting 68,000 participants to register for the chance to win prizes.

The MGTO sought feedback via online and offline surveys on each evenings events.

Surveys targeting visitors were also conducted at border checkpoints. Meanwhile, a special Lunar New Year event website was published listing all events held by different entities from Feb. 8 to Feb. 24.

The MGTO considered these efforts a representation of Tourism+Festivities and supporting economic recovery. AL
South Korea and the United States flew advanced stealth fighters in a joint missile-interception drill Friday over the Korean Peninsula, South Koreas air force said, an apparent response to a spate of weapons tests this year by rival North Korea.

North Korea has conducted six rounds of missile tests so far this year, most of them reportedly involving cruise missiles that typically fly at a low altitude to overcome opponents missile defenses. Analysts say that in the event of a conflict, North Korea aims to use cruise missiles to strike U.S. aircraft carriers as well as U.S. military bases in Japan.

South Koreas air force said in a statement the drill on Friday involved fifth-generation stealth F-35A fighter jets from both countries and other fighter jets from South Korea. It said the U.S. F-35As were deployed in South Korea on Wednesday from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan.

North Korea has ramped up its weapons tests since 2022 in what experts call an attempt to increase its leverage in future diplomacy. South Korea and the U.S. have responded by expanding their military exercises and a trilateral training involving Japan.

On the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Rio De Janeiro on Thursday, the top diplomats from South Korea, the U.S. and Japan agreed to strengthen their joint response capability against North Koreas evolving nuclear threats and coordinate to block the Norths financing of its nuclear program, according to South Koreas Foreign Ministry.

This year, North Korea is expected to step up its testing activities and belligerent rhetoric as both the U.S and South Korea head into elections. North Korea is likely seeking international recognition as a nuclear state, a status that experts say the North thinks would help it receive relief from U.S.-led economic sanctions. HYUNG-JIN KIM, SEOUL, MDT/AP
File this in that bulging category, It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Exactly 120 years ago this month, a lightbulb went off in someones head in Madison. You can almost picture him excitedly shouting, Hey guys, it just hit me. I know how we can save a boatload of money!

And they would have, too, if something hadnt gone terribly wrong.

Instead of saving taxpayer money, that idea cost the state a fortune. Heres how it happened:

Back in the early 1900s, Americans were filled with optimism. They had made it through the cataclysmic Civil War and survived a string of painful economic downturns. The new century brought a burst of daring to dream big.

Bascom Hall fire stirs strong sentiment -- State Journal editorial from 1916 This State Journal editorial ran on Oct. 11, 1916, the day after Bascom Hall, which was then called Main Hall, lost its ornate dome to fire:

In Wisconsin, some folks wondered if that might mean a new state Capitol building. They were all the rage around the United States just then. Several states traded in their dowdy old statehouses and upgraded to newer versions. Get with the times, progressives said. This is the 20th century, after all.

A case could certainly be made for a new Capitol. The beautiful structure built in 1863, which looked like a scaled-down version of the U.S. Capitol, was nice enough. But 40 years later, it was just too small.

State government had exploded, and it couldnt handle all the legislators and bureaucrats, mountains of state documents, records from tens of thousands of Wisconsins Civil War and Spanish-American war veterans, land grants and more. It even housed a popular state museum whose relics included the preserved remains of Old Abe the War Eagle, who had flown to national fame during the War Between the States.

By 1903, legislators were exploring new digs to call home. As they pondered the possibility, the lightbulb mentioned earlier flashed in someones head. Instead of paying $800 annually for the Capitols $600,000 insurance policy, why not self-insure? After all, $800 was a lot of money at the time  roughly the annual salary for a state government employee. Better to put that money into the State Insurance Fund and watch it grow than hand it over to a private insurance company.

So thats just what state officials did. The policy was allowed to lapse in January 1904. Then, the unimaginable happened five weeks later.

Highly polished woodwork was in vogue during the Edwardian era. The Wisconsin Capitol had a bunch of it, and it had been freshly varnished.

Sometime late on the night of Feb. 26, a gas light fixtures flame ignited the oil-based substance. The Capitol had a remarkably advanced sprinkler and firefighting system for the time. But good as it was, it was no use. All that polished wood sent flames spreading in every direction.

The building was engulfed in minutes. Madisons fire department arrived. But when its hoses were pointed at the blaze, nothing happened. City water tanks had been drained earlier in the day so a boiler could be cleaned. There was no pressure.

The nearby University of Wisconsin reservoir also was empty. An SOS was sent to Milwaukees and Jacksonvilles fire departments, whose units hopped aboard trains and sped to the scene. But when they arrived, the bitter cold temperature had frozen the water in their pumps.

Gov. Robert La Follette personally directed rescue efforts. Despite his staffs attempts to hold him back, he dashed into the burning structure with University of Wisconsin students, recovering paintings, papers, furniture and anything they could carry out. They salvaged a handful of important items, such as a collection of silk Civil War battle flags, but not much else.

Three hours later, La Follette was soaked to the bone. His doctor ordered him to go home and change into dry clothes.

The fire burned for 18 hours. When the final flames were snuffed out, not much was left. The buildings East and West wings were gone. Little of the South Wing and Rotunda remained. Only the North Wing survived, and Wisconsins government crowded into it.

A new, bigger, grander Capitol was finished in 1917. For an additional $800 annual premium, the old building would have been fully insured at the time of the fire. Instead, Wisconsin citizens were stuck with a $7.25 million bill (roughly $250 million today) for the replacement.

Perhaps the most grieved item lost in the blaze was Old Abes taxidermic remains. It caused great sorrow among aging Civil War veterans.

A replica of the famous warbird was placed on a perch inside the state Assembly chamber. It remains there today, a powerful symbol of Wisconsins illustrious past  and a visual reminder to lawmakers to avoid being penny-wise and pound-foolish.
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CHARLESTON  Is it political strategy?

Donor pressure?

Or perhaps hubris?

Nikki Haley is vowing the fight goes on against Donald Trump, positioning herself as a viable option for the Republican presidential nomination in case the scandal-plagued front-runners campaign implodes.

Haley has gone zero for four in early contests, including an embarrassing 20-point defeat Saturday in her home state of South Carolina where she served as governor.

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With her path to victory shrinking to the width of a needles eye, her decision not to bow out is raising questions about her endgame in a party ruled by Trump, and whether prolonging the nomination battle sets Haley up for a 2028 presidential bid.

Sandie Ellis, a 66-year-old from South Carolinas capital Columbia, said she voted for Trump but will absolutely keep Haley in mind for the future.

She is very young, and is so qualified, very brilliant, Ellis told AFP, adding that at 52, Haleys got several good years left.

Haley insists a majority of voters are opposed to a rematch between chaos candidate Trump and President Joe Biden, two aging men aged 77 and 81 respectively who she says are past their prime.

But analysts see Haley deciding to remain in the hunt largely in the event Trump gets laid low by his legal woes or other circumstances such as ill health.

Haley is staying in the race because of the possibility of a conviction, not a victory, Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, told AFP.

Trump  who made no mention of Haley in his victory speech in South Carolina  and his high-profile backers have made it clear that the battle is now against Biden in the general election.

Haley continues to pull in contributions from donors, allowing her campaign to stay afloat  although US media reported late Sunday that her most powerful backers, the billionaire industrialist Koch brothers, have suspended their support.

But her campaign appeared undaunted Sunday, announcing in an email that it had raised $1 million from grassroots supporters in the last 24 hours alone.

As long as Nikki Haley keeps her donors on board, she will continue running, says Larry Sabato, who directs the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

Shes waiting to see if Trump is knocked out by a court ruling or health. Its already obvious that Haley herself cannot knock Trump out.

Zelizer, the Princeton professor, agrees that Haleys only hope is to stay in long enough that the legal process undercuts (Trumps) candidacy.

While the divisive ex-presidents legal troubles have yet to slow his march to the nomination, polling shows support for Trump dwindles substantially  even among Republicans who say they back him in 2024  should he be convicted of a crime.

He faces four indictments, including over efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. His first criminal trial opens a month from Sunday.

Even in the event Trump withdraws, Haley would not automatically win her partys nod.

A complex process would ensue, unprecedented in modern times, especially if a replacement candidate did not win the required number of delegates to clinch the nomination.

The choice of a flagbearer would in that case fall to Republican Party officials, many of whom scorn Haley for what they deem is a betrayal of Trump.

Complicating matters for Haley: a Trump daughter-in-law is on track to becoming co-chair of the Republican National Committee.

The ex-presidents aides and surrogates want to see off Haley long before the Republican National Convention in July.

You can see the trajectory that president Trump is on, Texas Governor Greg Abbott told CNN Sunday.

After beating Nikki Haley so badly in South Carolina, hes on a pathway to win these other states, win Super Tuesday, and be able to have the nomination clinched by the middle part of March.

A defiant Haley meanwhile was headed to Michigan, which votes Tuesday, followed by scheduled campaign stops in Minnesota, Colorado, Utah, Virginia, North Carolina and Massachusetts.
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As the world grapples with the fallout of Chinas machinations, one truth remains clear: the villainy of Beijing knows no bounds

In the vast expanse of the West Philippine Sea, an ominous force lurks beneath the waves, threatening the delicate balance of international order.

China, with its insatiable appetite for territorial expansionism, stands as the harbinger of chaos in a world already teetering on the brink.

The echoes of history reverberate with the warnings of Vice President Richard Nixon, who branded China as the villain of the world in the 1950s. His words, prophetic in their clarity, ring true to this day.

The saga begins in the crucible of conflict, as North Korea, emboldened by communist fervor, launches a brazen assault on its democratic counterpart.

The intervention of China, like a malevolent specter emerging from the shadows, tilts the scales of war.

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The result: a stalemate, and the seeds of future discord sown in the blood-soaked soil of the Korean peninsula.

But the tendrils of Chinas influence extend far beyond the battlefield.

In the heart of North Korea, a totalitarian regime holds sway, its grip on power fueled by the patronage of its communist benefactors.

Starvation, oppression, and the relentless propaganda machine serve as tools of subjugation, forging chains of servitude that bind an entire nation to the whims of its tyrannical overlords.

Yet, North Korea is but one chapter in the chronicles of Chinas tyranny.

In the hallowed halls of Tibet, once a bastion of spiritual enlightenment, the echoes of monks prayers are drowned out by the thunder of boots marching in conquest.

The Dalai Lama, a symbol of hope in a land besieged by darkness, flees into exile, leaving behind a nation shackled by the chains of communist oppression.

And still, the march of Chinas aggression knows no bounds.

From the Paracel Islands to the shores of Cambodia, the specter of communist expansionism casts a long shadow, leaving devastation in its wake.

The promise of freedom in Hong Kong, once a beacon of hope in the face of tyranny, lies shattered at the feet of communist autocrats, trampled beneath the jackboots of oppression.

But perhaps the most insidious weapon in Chinas arsenal lies not in the realm of conquest, but in the shadows of economic exploitation.

Across the continents of Africa, Asia, and beyond, nations find themselves ensnared in the tangled web of debt diplomacy, as Red China extends its tendrils of influence in exchange for strategic concessions.

And yet, amidst the chaos and despair, a new menace emerges from the depths of Wuhan, casting a pall of darkness over the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic, born of a reckless experiment gone awry, spreads its tendrils across the globe, leaving death and devastation in its wake.

As the world grapples with the fallout of Chinas machinations, one truth remains clear: the villainy of Beijing knows no bounds.

From the battlefields of Korea to the laboratories of Wuhan, the specter of communist aggression looms large, casting a shadow of fear and uncertainty over the world.

But amidst the darkness, a glimmer of hope remains.

For as long as there are voices raised in defiance, as long as there are hearts that beat with the rhythm of freedom, the menace of China shall never triumph. In unity, in resolve, lies the power to confront the darkness and emerge victorious, for the flame of liberty burns eternal in the human spirit.
RICHMOND  Ashle Page remembers something not feeling right when she was in labor with her daughter last year. The nurses, she said, had chalked it up to regular discomfort as she was nearing the point of labor where she could begin to push.

Eventually, her doula was able to persuade the nurses to investigate further, and Page learned that her daughter was breech  which is when a fetus is positioned buttocks or feet first to enter the birth canal, rather than head first. Though she had hoped for a natural birth, Page had to undergo an emergency cesarean section.

Breech fetuses, which occur in about 3% to 4% of pregnancies, could become stuck in the birth canal or have blood and oxygen supply cut off by the umbilical cord. If a fetus is discovered to be breech by full term, a cesarean section can be the safest delivery method.

It made me stressed, and then not being heard is the worst thing, especially when youre already going through a lot in those moments, Page said as she recalled the experience.

This year, a number of bills aimed at improving maternal health outcomes have been working their way through Virginias legislature and are poised to end up on Gov. Glenn Youngkins desk. Among them are efforts to reestablish a maternal health task force, expand maternal mortality data collection, include doula services in health insurance coverage, and require bias training when renewing nursing licenses.

Knowing that her doula had been able to help advocate for her inspired Page to become one herself. She works with Birth in Color, a local doula organization with locations around the state.

Sometimes I come in my Birth in Color T-shirt. Sometimes I dont, Page said. So when I come in wearing the shirt, of course everybody is on their Ps and Qs and, when I dont, they tend to think Im a family member.

She said that showing up for her work as a doula can help ensure that the medical professionals are as attentive to detail as they are supposed to be.

Though not trained in obstetrics, doulas have training and expertise in the childbirth process. They serve as companions and advocates to pregnant people as they provide educational, emotional and physical support to the parent. A U.S. Department of Health study noted their role in positive birth outcomes.

Doulas, Page has found, can be especially helpful to people of color  who are more likely to experience negative maternal health outcomes, in part, due to providers racial bias, according to a study.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that Black women are more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white women.

Were not listened to

The maternal matters are personal to Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy, D-Prince William  who said she almost died from childbirth. Her twin boys  now 6 years old  were born premature and needed special care to survive. But Carroll Foy said her own needs went unheard. Complaints of pain were met with medication instead of investigation into the underlying cause, she said.

The nurses would say oh its normal, this is your first birth, she said.

But she suspected something more was going on.

A few days after returning home from the hospital, she recalled falling to her knees when trying to get out of bed. Her husband rushed her back to the hospital, where she learned she had an infection.

Luckily my husband was the only one who listened to me, Carroll Foy said. (Doctors later) told me if I would have stayed home a couple more days I would have died.

As Black mothers with somewhat similar yet different birth stories, Page and Carroll Foy find intersections in common with others.

Thats a part of the Black maternal mortality story  that were not listened to, were not believed, Carroll Foy said. A lot of it has to do with the ability to identify with someone different than you.

Something needs to be examined

Thats where Senate Bill 35 could come in. If it becomes law, it would require unconscious bias and cultural competency training when renewing nursing licenses.

The bill is carried by Carroll Foy along with Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, and Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg  all Black women  and Sen. Chris Head, R-Botetourt, a white man.

Head said that aligning with three Black Democratic women on the legislation as a white Republican man should give people pause and cause you to take a good close look at why.

In a floor speech before the bill passed the Senate earlier this month, he noted the disparities in health outcomes for women of color.

Women whose skin is darker than my wifes skin have significantly worse outcomes, Head said. Something needs to be examined and done about that.

Through her experience as a nurse, a doula, and within her own family, Stephanie Spencer says she has seen how pregnancies can go awry and how Black women can bear the brunt of those complications.

Spencer is in support of the bill.

When we elevate the issue and we do training on it, folks are more conscious of whats happening  and thats why we call it unconscious bias, she said.

Spencer is the founder of Urban Baby Beginnings, which operates maternal hubs in several Virginia cities along with providing doula services and other support to families.

Just as Pages doula advocated for her, Spencer said there have been times she has had to step in as an intermediary between clients and medical professionals. Over her decades in reproductive health care, she said she has collected many, many stories that she says are unfortunate to have to collect, but that they give light to the fact that this is not an isolated incident.

Some bills would boost data collection

More than bias training for nurses, who can be among the first responders when birth complications are presenting, other bills that are progressing this year would bolster data collection.

House Majority Leader Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, has a bill that would re-establish a Task Force on Maternal Health Data and Quality Measures. The task force would present a report on its findings to the governor and state legislature at the end of the year.

Taking data collection a step further, Aird and Del. Rae Cousins, D-Richmond, have bills to include near misses in maternal mortality data collection taken by a work group that already operates under the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Cousins said that to not just look at the fatal cases, but also look at the close calls can help people to better understand maternal mortality issues.

Tallying the close calls

Like Spencer, Birth in Color founder Kenda Sutton-EL has witnessed some close calls.

We dont talk about the near-misses that doulas actually help out with to catch, Sutton-EL said. Weve had a couple of near-misses ourselves as an organization.

She and her policy director have been seen around Virginias Capitol this winter in support of reproductive and maternal health bills.

While some measures got continued for consideration next year  like Carroll Foys proposal for a Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team to systematically analyze fetal and infant deaths in Virginia, many related proposals are on a path to the governors desk.

Reproductive health care has been a particular focal point of Virginia politics since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Democrats, who have supported continued access to abortion, were able to gain a majority in the House of Delegates and maintain one in the Senate. What few abortion-restricting bills Republicans presented in the legislature this year have been defeated.

But beyond abortion, both parties have signaled interest in other aspects of reproductive health. Proposals to enshrine access to contraception in state code have been advancing with bipartisan support alongside the bills to help improve maternal health care outcomes.

Sutton-EL suspects the governor will sign many of the bills.

I think he will sign them because he is for maternal health, Sutton-EL said.

She said her organization is keeping an optimistic eye on what Youngkin may do with the contraception bill.

The administration came under fire in recent years over Youngkins selection of Dr. Colin Greene to helm the Department of Health. Last year, Senate Democrats rejected his official appointment following remarks he had made that he did not believe there was evidence that racism plays a role in maternal and infant mortality rates.

While Youngkin does not comment on most legislation that is still working its way through the General Assembly, more broadly Youngkin has spoken about and signaled interest in efforts to bolster maternal health. He celebrated the opening of a new Urban Baby Beginnings hub in Petersburg last year with Spencer.

(The governor) has tirelessly worked to foster a culture in the Commonwealth that supports families, especially mothers, said spokesperson Christian Martinez.

His administration has implemented crucial measures to support women before and after pregnancy through bolstering maternal health hubs, addressing prenatal health resource deficiencies in communities throughout Virginia, and introducing policies that aid working families.
Exiled former Tunisian president Moncef Marzouki has been ordered an eight-year prison term by a Tunisian court after being found guilty of seeking to provoke disorder in the country.

The 78-year-old, now residing in France, was the countrys first elected head of state following the 2011 Arab Spring and a critic of President Kais Saied and was not present at the hearing.

He was first sentenced to prison in 2021, after being found guilty of inciting people to arms, and provoking disorder and looting, according to Mosaique FM radio, citing a judicial source. He was ordered to four years in jail for threatening state security after urging France to end support for Saeid.

In addition, back in November 2021, he was targeted by a Tunisian arrest warrant after Saeid named him an enemy of Tunisia and withdrew his diplomatic passport. Marzouki incited further tension by calling Saied a dictator who had to be overthrown.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced that it was lifting some sanctions it had imposed between 2020-2023 on Guinea and Mali.

This decision comes just one day following similar measures taken for Niger, which were agreed upon during a Saturday emergency summit for the bloc.

ECOWAS also declared that it would remove financial and economic sanctions against Guinea and lift restrictions on the recruitment of Malians for professional roles within the blocs institutions.
The recent news that Africas trade deficit with China continued to widen in 2023 has raised a red flag in parts of the continent especially because some of Beijings African partners in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) may no longer think that the BRI is such a good deal after all.

While China-Africa trade experienced a modest 1.5% growth last year, the trade deficit for Africa with China expanded, as Chinese exports to the continent increased by 7.5% to $173 billion, while imports from Africa decreased by 6.7% to $109 billion. According to Milton Ezrati, senior contributor for Forbes, against the backdrop of Beijings BRI, the news carries a deeper, more revealing meaning, and one that Beijing has little desire to see clarified. China has been accused of pursuing a policy of debt-trap diplomacy by luring poor, developing countries, not least in Africa, into agreeing unsustainable loans to pursue infrastructure projects so that, when they experience financial difficulty, Beijing can seize the asset, thereby extending its strategic or military reach.

But Beijings partners in the BRI seldom see their exports keep up with the import demands of the development projects, putting these countries into a trade deficit right from the start, Ezrati says. African countries, newer to the initiative, had not yet reached the extremes of other, now hard-pressed nations, such as Pakistan or Sri Lanka, but circumstances in 2023 conspired to point out to them where the BRI was likely to lead. Rather than leave the African clients to realize the danger and pull away, Beijing has made efforts to ameliorate the strain on them, and no doubt also obscure the ultimate reality of the BRI, Ezrati cautions, referring to the so-called green lanes recently opened by Beijing that allow more African agricultural products into China duty free. But despite Beijings recent efforts to relieve the strain on its African partners, ultimately, the BRIs burdens will become apparent. Whether China can support those debtors and avoid trapping itself in unpaid debts will depend on its policy choices, says Toshiro Nishizawa from the University of Tokyo.
French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne has reiterated his countrys clear and constant support for Moroccos autonomy plan offered for the Sahara under its sovereignty.

At a joint press conference held Monday in Rabat following his talks with his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita, Mr. Sejourne said the relations between Morocco and France are unique and exceptional, expressing Paris willingness to make a forward step in the Sahara issue, while taking into account Rabats position.

The Sahara is an existential issue for Morocco and France knows it, underlined the Minister, noting that it is time to move forward. He also called for a fair, lasting and pragmatic solution involving all parties, affirming that he is committed to reaching this goal.

The French top diplomat voiced his determination to open a new chapter in the relations between the countries and build a partnership with Morocco for the next 30 years.

Morocco has invested heavily in the Sahara for a long time and France will accompany it in further investments, said Mr. Sejourne, who arrived Sunday in the country.

For his part, Mr. Bourita said the Moroccan-French diplomatic ties are deeply rooted in history and based on mutual interests in various fields, stressing that France is Moroccos distinguished partner at the political, economic and humanitarian levels.

Prior to his visit to Rabat, Sejourne told French media he will invest in improving ties with Morocco. The Republics President has personally asked me to invest in French-Moroccan relations to open a new chapter in our ties. I will be committed to that, Sejourne told Ouest-France daily.

Ties between Morocco and France worsened in the two past years against the backdrop of a series of events, notably Paris falling short of following the USAs full recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over the Sahara, manoeuvres by French MPs against Moroccan interests at the European parliament, and Macrons Algiers tropism.

Now, it is time to move forward. I will do everything in the upcoming weeks and months so that France and Morocco get closer, he said, adding that his priority will be rebuilding trust.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

According to the National Institutes for Health, chronic sinusitis, also known as chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), affects approximately 14.6% of the United States population and is currently the fifth most common condition treated with antibiotics, accounting for up to 22 million physician visits and costing as much as $5 billion annually.

New research from the University of Cincinnati examines the incidence of people suffering from allergy symptoms who actually have CRS, a finding that could impact how those symptoms are treated.

The research was published in the journalOtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery.

"We have seen in our clinical practices many instances where patients have believed that they have allergies for many years and have sought treatment for allergies for years," says Ahmad Sedaghat, MD, Ph.D., director of the Division of Rhinology, Allergy and Anterior Skull Base Surgery, professor of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery at the UC College of Medicine and lead author of the study.

"They have never found relief from their sinus/nasal symptoms because all along they've had CRS, an inflammatory condition of the sinuses. We have found this to be especially true in areas like the Cincinnati/Ohio River valley region, where environmental allergies are highly prevalent.

"As someone who grew up in this region, I can attest to how commonly we tend to attribute sinus and nasal symptoms to 'allergies.' But the reason for this is that nasal allergies (allergic rhinitis) and CRS have overlapping symptomatology, often characterized by nasal blockage and nasal drainage. Both can also cause sinus pressure," Sedaghat said.

"Despite their common clinical symptoms, however, nasal allergies and CRS in many ways have different treatments."

The study included 219 participants whose main complaint was nasal allergies. From all participants, a 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test was collected to measure the severity of sinus/nasal symptoms, and an endoscopy score was calculated from nasal endoscopy.

Although 91.3% of the participants had environmental allergies; 45.2% were also diagnosed with CRS. Approximately half of the patients with CRS reported no intranasal corticosteroid usage, the preferred treatment option for CRS.

"We specifically used this questionnaire to study our patients' symptoms because we could simultaneously measure symptoms of CRS and allergic rhinitis without having to use different questionnaires," says Sedaghat.

"However, I would point out that our findings and how they apply to patients are distinct from the [test]. We were able to determine that at certain sinus/nasal symptom severity thresholds, patients should consider the possibility of CRS, but these thresholds are described in lay terms that patients can easily apply to their own situation."

The researchers concluded that the results have important implications for the education of patients about CRS and increasing CRS health literacy, particularly in regions where environmental allergies may be both highly prevalent and culturally entrenched, such as the Cincinnati area. The misinterpretation of CRS for allergic rhinitis may lead to patients using AR treatments, which may be ineffective for CRS and, therefore, prolong the impact on the patient.

"We have seen so many patients suffer for so long due to the confusion between allergies and CRS," says Sedaghat. "I've had patients who tell me that they have been treated with allergy shots for 10, 20, or more years without relief of their symptoms but who after we discovered they had CRS and we started them on appropriate treatment, achieved relief within a few months.

"I'm excited to be able to find a way to empower patients to think about the possibility of CRS, and I'm excited that we were able to do it in a way that will be very easy for patients."

"I am also excited to bring light to this very important problem that so many patients in our region are dealing with. Almost 50% of patients who came to see us for what they thought were nasal allergies had CRS," Sedaghat continued. "Given how commonly we talk about 'allergies' in this region, imagine how many patients may be undertreated and how many patients can be positively impacted by seeking out care for the possibility of CRS."

The study results suggest specific counseling of individual patients, as well as communities, to consider the possibility of CRS when their nasal obstruction or discharge symptoms reach a moderate or greater level of severity or if they notice any degree of decreased sense of smell.

"I hope that this study will give us the tools to raise awareness of CRS among the public, in particular, the individuals at highest risk to suffer from CRS but not have it be recognized accurately," Sedaghat says, "and that these toolsfor example, easy to use questions for patients to ask themselveswill help the large fraction of patients who are suffering from nasal and "sinus symptoms despite allergy treatments to seek out additional care for CRS.

"Overall, I believe this study will save and improve a lot of quality of life for patients."

More information: Firas A. Houssein et al, When It's Not Allergic Rhinitis: Clinical Signs to Raise a Patient's Suspicion for Chronic Rhinosinusitis, OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery (2024). DOI: 10.1002/ohn.646
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Circulating levels of angiopoietin-2 are associated with median CPAP pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea after coronary revascularization (linear regression slope 0.30, 95% CI 0.03, 0.57, p = 0.039). The shaded area represents 95% confidence band. CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure. Credit: eBioMedicine (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105015

A study of people with obstructive sleep apnea suggests that high CPAP pressures may explain why the machines do not lower a patient's risk of heart disease, which is about two to three times higher than average.

"CPAP machines are extremely effective in treating obstructive sleep apnea and are great for improving sleep and reducing daytime fatigue, but we haven't seen a reduction in heart disease that we expected, and we haven't understood why," says Sanja Jelic, MD, a critical care medicine specialist and sleep researcher at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

CPAP and inflammation

Obstructive sleep apnea affects about 25% of adults in Western societies and occurs when the upper airway muscles relax during sleep, collapsing the airway. The ensuing dip in oxygen often jolts people awakeevery two minutes in extreme casesleading to daytime fatigue.

"This can go on and on, with oxygen levels going up and down all night," says Jelic. The recurrent drops in oxygen levels, which lead to increased inflammation, are thought to cause the higher heart disease risk associated with obstructive sleep apnea.

Because CPAP machines restore normal breathing during sleep (by using positive pressure to keep the upper airway open), researchers believed that CPAP would also reduce a patient's risk of heart disease.

But several years ago, studies conducted by Jelic and Daniel Gottlieb, MD, a collaborator at Brigham & Women's Hospital, started to suggest a problem with this hypothesis. In studies designed to understand CPAP's effect on the body, they found that levels of a pro-inflammatory factor, angiopoietin-2, do not decline with CPAP use. High levels of Ang2 have been linked in previous studies to a higher risk of stroke, coronary artery disease, vascular disease, and mortality.

"It was a surprise. We naturally expected if you remove intermittent hypoxia with CPAP, Ang2 release would stop, but in fact, it got worse," Jelic says.

Around the same time, the results of three randomized trials of CPAP were coming out, and none of the trials found any cardiovascular benefit of the machines.

To Jelic, the pattern of Ang2 and other biomarkers in CPAP users resembled that from patients on high-pressure ventilators, and she hypothesized that high CPAP pressures may explain why the expected drop in heart disease didn't materialize.

New analysis

To dig deeper, Jelic and Gottlieb looked more closely at the participants in the first trial, RICCADSA, conducted in Sweden in 189 patients with obstructive sleep apnea. The researchers analyzed stored blood samples for Ang2 and other markers of inflammation and compared those numbers to CPAP adherence, median CPAP pressure, and the patients' heart health a year later.

Their analysis showed that Ang2 levels remained elevated in CPAP users, confirming Jelic's previous findings in smaller studies, and that high Ang2 levels were associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease 12 months into the study.

The patients with the highest Ang2 levels, the researchers then found, were those using higher CPAP pressures.

A standard CPAP prescription uses pressures ranging from 4 to 20 cm H 2 O with median pressures varying within that range. In the study, participants with median CPAP pressure between 4 and 7 had fewer cardiovascular events compared to participants using pressures of 8 or higher. No relationship was found between Ang2 levels and the number of hours the CPAP was in use during the night.

"This suggests to us that there's something in the lungs responding to CPAP pressure that perpetuates rather than reduces the inflammation associated with obstructive sleep apnea," says Jelic.

Pressure effects

Because CPAP is known to expand the lung, though not as dramatically as ventilators, Jelic thinks that stretched endothelial cells in the lung release extra Ang2. Though it's not possible to directly measure Ang2 release from people's lungs, when other tissues are stretched in laboratory tests, Ang2 release from endothelial cells increases sharply.

Already, Jelic has changed the way she uses CPAP with her sleep apnea patients.

"I have been prescribing lower pressures," she says. "We do a careful titration to see which pressures will eliminate most of the obstructive events, and it's working just fine."

Currently, most physicians adjust CPAP pressures to eliminate all obstructive episodes during sleep. But Jelic says that lower pressures may reduce Ang2 and produce the same sleep and fatigue improvements, even if some obstructive episodes break through.

"That's something we'd have to test in a randomized trial," she says.

More information: Yuksel Peker et al, CPAP may promote an endothelial inflammatory milieu in sleep apnoea after coronary revascularization, eBioMedicine (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105015 Journal information: EBioMedicine
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Syphilis is on the rise in Texas and nationally, causing serious medical complications, especially for newborn babies who contract the disease during pregnancy.

Assistant Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine visited Parkland Hospital, Dallas County's public hospital, to discuss the rise of syphilis and what can be done to prevent its spread.

Though often thought to be a disease of the past, syphilis rates have grown consistently in the last decade. Between 2018 and 2022, syphilis cases jumped nearly 80% nationwide, while cases of congenital syphilisor babies born with syphilisnearly tripled, climbing 183%, according to recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

Texas saw 15.5 cases of syphilis per 100,000 people in 2022, putting it below the national average of 17.7. For congenital syphilis, Texas ranked fourth highest among reporting states, with nearly 247 cases per 100,000 live births, more than double the national average.

But a decade earlier, Texas had 6.6 cases of syphilis per 100,000 people and 19.4 cases of congenital syphilis per live births, according to the CDC.

"This is a treatable bacterial illness. Almost all cases of congenital syphilis, again, which is devastating, are preventable," Levine said. "We need, from a public health point of view both locally, statewide and federally, to be addressing this issue."

The rise of syphilis is likely due to a confluence of factors, including increased barriers to health care, which disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities. The disease is also tricky to identify. Early symptoms include a painless sore or rash that goes away whether or not someone receives treatment.

Dr. Emily Adhikari, director of perinatal infectious diseases for Parkland Health, said she rarely saw maternal or congenital syphilis cases while she was training in the early 2010s.

"It has not been rare for any of the trainees that I now train," Adhikari said. "With the public awareness of syphilis as being a problem, I think we're playing catch-up."

Doctors can cure syphilis with an injection of antibiotic penicillin. Without treatment, however, the bacterial infection can spread to the brain, nervous system, eyes or ears. For pregnant women with the disease, their babies can develop cataracts, deafness, seizures and can even die.

The specific penicillin used to treat syphilis is in short supply because of increased demand, leaving health systems in a lurch as they wait for the shortage to wane in the next few months. Parkland pharmacists have had to save doses specifically for expecting mothers and newborns. Doxycycline, another antibiotic, has been recommended for non-pregnant patients to treat syphilis.

Public health professionals consider syphilis to be syndemic with HIV and hepatitis, meaning that they often occur at the same time and carry similar societal risk factors. Syphilis patients may also have mental health concerns or substance use disorders, making their care more complex.

Texas physicians are required to test pregnant patients for syphilis three times so they can catch infections early. But some patients can't afford prenatal care or avoid it because they are dealing with a substance use disorder.

Addressing the social needs of patients and expanding health care options is key to addressing the rise in congenital syphilis rates, said Steve Love, president and CEO of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council. Beginning March 1, Medicaid and CHIP postpartum coverage will extend from two months after birth to a year.

"If we could put the same focus on prenatal care, maybe some of the things you just heard, we could intervene earlier on, and we could get good results," Love said.

As part of her visit, Levine also met with The Resource Center, an LGBT information hub and advocacy group in Dallas, and Prism Health North Texas, which runs health centers in the area focused on HIV and AIDS services.

"We have seen a steady increase in syphilis cases each year since the end of the COVID-19 shutdown," said Prism CEO Dr. John Carlo. "Many cases have been in our established patients who are also living with HIV, but we are also seeing more cases in new patients coming in, often for treatment of other sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea."

The slogan "Know your status," often used in campaigns to increase HIV testing, should now include syphilis, said Adhikari, who is also an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

"Our HIV outreach team goes to community areas, goes to individuals in the community, where they're at, and offers free HIV testing," Adhikari said. "That is going to be now inclusive of syphilis testing. HIV and syphilis need to go hand in hand."

2024 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Overview of CCA, PLS and the generative model used to investigate their properties. a Two multivariate datasets, X and Y, are projected separately onto respective weight vectors, resulting in univariate scores for each dataset. b In the principal component coordinate system, the variance structure within each dataset can be summarized by its principal component spectrum. c The association between sets is encoded in the association strength of X and Y scores. d Datasets X and Y are jointly modeled as a multivariate normal distribution. Credit: Communications Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05869-4

Over the past decade or so, scientists have amassed an impressive arsenal of weapons to address the multifaceted, complex challenge of mental illness, from new genomic analysis tools and high-resolution neuroimaging technologies, to the creation of huge patient data banks and new artificial intelligence models to analyze them.

Yet despite the emergence of these sophisticated tools, the search for personalized treatmenta medical approach in which practitioners use a patient's unique genetic profile to tailor individual treatmenthas so far come up short for nearly every neuropsychiatric disorder.

These efforts have been fundamentally limited by a lack of understanding of how symptoms map onto brain circuits, said John Murray, a former professor of psychiatry and physics at Yale now at Dartmouth College.

A new generative modeling framework developed at Yale, however, can help neuropsychiatrists better predict the relationship between multiple neural readings and patient symptoms, researchers say. This advance can help the field of neuropsychiatry "make informed decisions about how studies and clinical trials are designed and executed to have a higher chance of mapping symptoms to brain circuits," said Alan Anticevic, the Glenn H. Greenberg Associate Professor of Psychiatry and associate professor of psychology and one of the authors of the study.

The findings are published in the journal Communications Biology.

The challenges of finding patient-specific treatments for neuropsychiatric diseases are myriad, researchers say. Psychiatric conditions are highly complex and involve many different regions of the brain. And symptoms can vary greatly among individuals.

While the advent of artificial intelligence models has offered the promise of tailoring new drugs to a variety of individual symptoms for disorders like schizophrenia, studies have shown that while mathematical algorithms were able to predict patient symptoms or outcomes within the specific clinical trials for which they were developed, they failed to work for similar groups of patients participating in a different study.

These divergent results have been blamed on "overfitting"or the tendency of artificial intelligence models to find patterns of activity in small amounts of data that disappear when applied to other groups of subjects.

To overcome these limitations, neuroscientist Markus Helmer designed a new statistical generative model while he was a postdoctoral researcher in Murray's Yale lab. The model can estimate the optimal size of data sets needed to accurately estimate how brain signals relate to behavior in different individuals.

In the new study, which was led by researchers at Yale and the University of Nottingham and utilized Helmer's model, scientists looked at neuroimaging data of individuals collected from two large neuroimaging-psychometric data banksfrom the Human Connectome Project, a massive project, supported by the National Institutes of Health, that is studying the structural and functional connectivity of the human brain, and the UK Biobank, which contains de-identified genetic information and biological samples from a half-million participants.

The researchers found that to reliably measure an association between multiple neural regions and multiple behavioral traits may require as many as 10,000 individual subjects.

Based on this finding, researchers say the Yale model provides the criteria needed to establish the reliability of brain-symptom relationships, which in turn can be used by drug companies to design and interpret neuroimaging studies that seek to find neurological basis for psychiatric symptoms in diverse groups of patients.

More information: Markus Helmer et al, On the stability of canonical correlation analysis and partial least squares with application to brain-behavior associations, Communications Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05869-4
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AMIE dialogue. Credit: Google

If health is a fundamental human right, health-care delivery must be improved globally to achieve universal access. However, the limited number of practitioners creates a barrier for all health-care systems.

Approaches to health-care delivery driven by artificial intelligence (AI) are poised to fill this gap. Whether in urban hospitals or in rural and remote homes, AI has the reach that health-care professionals cannot hope to achieve. People seeking health information can obtain it quickly and conveniently. For health care to be effective, patient safety must remain a priority.

The news is filled with examples of novel applications of AI. Riding the wave of recent interest in conversational agents, Google researchers have developed an experimental diagnostic AI, Articulate Medical Intelligence Explorer (AMIE). People seeking health information provide their symptoms through a text-chat interface and AMIE begins to ask questions and provide recommendations as a human clinician might. The researchers claim that, when compared against clinicians, AMIE outperformed clinicians in both diagnostic accuracy and performance.

The potential of large language models (LLMs) like AMIE are clear. By being trained on a large database of text, LLM can generate text, identify the underlying meaning, and respond in a human-like manner. Provided patients have access to the internet, health advice could be tailored to the patient, provided quickly and easily, and allowing for triage of cases that are best handled by human health-care professionals.

But these tools are still in the experimental stages and have limitations. AMIE researchers say further study is needed to "envision a future in which conversational, empathic and diagnostic AI systems might become safe, helpful and accessible."

Precautions must be taken. Health-care delivery is a complicated task. Left unregulatedprofessionally or internationallyit presents challenges to quality of care, privacy and security.

Medical decision-making

Medical decision-making is among the most complicated and consequential of any activities. It might seem unlikely that an AI could work as effectively as a human clinician, however, decades of research suggest that algorithmic approaches to decision-making can be equal, or superior to, clinical intuition.

Pattern recognition represents the core of medical expertise. Like other forms of expertise, medical experts require extensive training to learn the diagnostic patterns, provide treatment recommendations and deliver care. Through effective instruction, learners narrow the focus of their attention to diagnostic features, while ignoring non-diagnostic features.

Yet, effective health-care delivery requires more than just the ability to recognize patterns. Health-care professionals must be capable of communicating this information to their patients. Beyond the difficulties of translating technical knowledge to patients with varying levels of health literacy, health information is often emotionally charged, leading to communication traps where doctors and patients withhold information. By developing a strong relationship with their patients, health-care professionals can bridge these gaps.

The conversational features of LLMs, like ChatGPT, have generated considerable public interest. While claims that ChatGPT has "broken the Turing Test" are overstated, their human-like responses make LLM more engaging than previous chatbots. Future LLMs like AMIE might prove to fill gaps in health-care delivery, however, they must be adopted with caution.

Promise of accurate, explainable AI in health-care

AMIE is not Google's first health-care technology. In 2008, Google Flu Trends (GFT) was used to estimate the prevalence of influenza within a population by using aggregated search terms. They assumed that users' search behavior should be related to the prevalence of the flu, with the search trends of the past predicting future cases.

GFT's early predictions were quite promising. Until they failed, with old data being identified as the source of bias. Later efforts to retrain the model with updated search trends again proved successful.

IBM's Watson provides another cautionary tale. IBM invested considerable capital in developing Watson and implemented over 50 health-care projects. Watson's potential failed to materialize, with the underlying technologies quietly being sold off. Not only did the system fail to engender trust, that distrust was well deserved as it produced "unsafe and incorrect" treatment recommendations.

AIs developed to diagnose, triage and predict the progression of COVID-19 provide the best example of the readiness of AIs in health care to handle public health challenges. Broad reviews of these efforts cast doubt on the outcomes. The validity and accuracy of the models and their predictions were generally lacking. This was largely attributed to the quality of data.

One of the lessons that can be gleaned from the use of AI during COVID is that there is no shortage of researchers and algorithms, however, there is a dire need for human quality control. This has led to calls for human-centered design.

This is also true of expert reviews of the technologies themselves. Like Google's AMIE, many publications that assess these technologies are released as pre-prints before or during the peer review process. There can also be extensive lags between a pre-print and its eventual publication. Rather than quality, research has demonstrated that the number of mentions on social media is a greater predictor of a publication's download rate.

Without ensuring the validity of the methods for training and implementation, health technologies might be adopted without any formal means of quality control.

Technology as folk medicine

The problem of AI in health-care is made clear when we acknowledge that many health ecosystems can exist in parallel. Medical pluralism is observed when two or more systems are available to health consumers. This typically takes the form of traditional medicine and a western biomedical approach.

As apps are direct-to-consumer health technologies, they represent a new folk medicine. Users adopt these technologies based on trust rather than understanding how they operate. In the absence of medical knowledge and technical understanding of an AIs operations, users are left to look for cues about a technology's effectiveness. App store ratings and endorsements can replace the expert review of health-care professionals.

Users might prefer to use AI-enabled technologies rather than humans in cases where their health concerns are associated with stigma or chronic emotional distress. However, the accuracy of these systems might lag due to failures to update data.

The provision of user data also creates challenges. Much like 23andMe, if users disclose personal information, it might leave clues to others in their social networks.

If left unregulated, these technologies pose challenges for the quality of care. Professional and national regulations are required to ensure these technologies truly benefit the public.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Scientists discuss their work to discover insights into the complexities of the brain and mind. Recently, the researchers, including (from left) Dan Bang of Aarhus University in Denmark, Ken Kishida of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Michael Friedlander, executive director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute; Peter Dayan, managing director of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tubingen, Germany, and Read Montague, director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Center for Human Neuroscience Research, reflected on achievements that have spanned decades. Credit: Clayton Metz/Virginia Tech

In a study in Nature Human Behavior, scientists delve into the world of chemical neuromodulators in the human brain, specifically dopamine and serotonin, to reveal their role in social behavior.

The research, conducted in Parkinson's disease patients undergoing brain surgery while awake, homed in on the brain's substantia nigra, a crucial area associated with motor control and reward processing.

Led by Virginia Tech computational neuroscientist Read Montague, the international team revealed a previously unknown neurochemical mechanism for a well-known human tendency to make decisions based on social contextpeople are more likely to accept offers from computers while rejecting identical offers from human players.

Insight from an ultimatum game

In the study, four patients receiving deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinson's disease were immersed in the "take it or leave it" ultimatum game, a scenario where they had to accept or reject varying splits of $20 from both human and computer players. For instance, one player may propose to keep $16, whereas the patient gets the remaining $4. If the patient rejects the split, then neither of them receives anything.

"You can teach people what they should do in these kinds of gamesthey should accept even small rewards as opposed to no reward at all," said Montague, the Virginia Tech Carilion Mountcastle professor with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and the senior author of the study.

"When people know they're playing a computer, they play perfectly, just like mathematical economiststhey do what they should do. But when they're playing a human being, they cannot help themselves. They are often driven to punish the smaller bid by rejecting it."

Dopamine-serotonin dance

The idea that people make decisions based on social context is not a new one in neural economic games. But now, for the first time, researchers show the impact of the social context may spring from the dynamic interactions of dopamine and serotonin.

When people make decisions, dopamine seems to closely follow and react to whether the current offer is better or worse than the previous one, as if it were a continuous tracking system. Serotonin, meanwhile, appears to focus only on the current value of the specific offer at hand, suggesting a more case-by-case evaluation.

This fast dance happens against a slower backdrop, where dopamine is overall higher when people play other human beingsin other words when fairness comes into play. Together, these signals contribute to our brain's overall assessment of value during social interactions.

"We are shining a spotlight on various cognitive processes and finally receiving answers to questions in finer biological detail," said study first author Dan Bang, associate professor of clinical medicine and Lundbeck Foundation Fellow at Aarhus University in Denmark, and an adjunct associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute.

Seth Batten, a research associate at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, built the electrodes used to record the dopamine-seratonin dance. Credit: Clayton Metz/Virginia Tech

"Dopamine levels are higher when people interact with another human as opposed to a computer," Bang said. "And here it was important that we also measured serotonin to give us confidence that the overall response to social context is specific to dopamine."

Seth Batten, a senior research associate in Montague's lab and shared first author of the study, built the carbon-fiber electrodes that were implanted in patients receiving Deep Brain Stimulation surgery and helped collect the data at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York.

"The unique twist with our method is that it allows us to measure more than one neurotransmitter at a timethe impact of that should not be lost," Batten said. "We've seen these signaling molecules before, but this is the first time we've seen them dance. No one has ever seen this dance of dopamine and serotonin in a social context before."

Teasing out the meaning of the electrochemical signals recorded from patients in surgery was a major challenge that took years to solve.

"The raw data that we're collecting from patients isn't specific to dopamine, serotonin, or norepinephrineit's a mixture of those," said Ken Kishida, a co-author of the study and an associate professor of translational neuroscience and neurosurgery, at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. "We're essentially using machine-learning type tools to separate what's in the raw data, understand the signature, and decode what's going on with dopamine and serotonin."

In the Nature Human Behavior study, researchers showed how the rise and fall of dopamine and serotonin are intertwined with human cognition and behavior.

"In the model organism world, there is a candy store full of fantastical techniques to ask biological questions, but it's harder to ask questions about what makes you, you," said Montague, who is also the director of the Center for Human Neuroscience Research and the Human Neuroimaging Laboratory of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute.

Addressing Parkinson's

"At some point, after we have evaluated enough people, we're going to be able to address the Parkinson's disease pathology that's given us this window of opportunity," said Montague, who is also a professor in the Virginia Tech College of Science.

In Parkinson's disease, a significant loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brainstem is a key characteristic that usually coincides with the onset of symptoms.

This loss impacts the striatum, a brain region heavily influenced by dopamine. As dopamine diminishes, serotonin terminals begin to sprout, revealing a complex interaction, as observed in rodent models.

Read Montague, who led the research team who recorded the chemical underpinnings of social decision-making, talks about touching on crucial elements of what makes us human beings. Credit: Clayton Metz/Virginia Tech

"Already there is pre-clinical evidence that the attrition of the dopamine system is telling the serotonin system, 'Hey, we've got to do something.' But we've never been able to watch the dynamics," Montague said. "What we're doing now is the first step, but one would hope that once we get up to hundreds of patients, we'd be able to relate this to symptomatology and make some clinical statements about the Parkinson's pathology."

In that respect, researchers said a window is opening to learn about a wide range of brain disorders.

"The human brain is like a black box," Kishida said. "We have developed one more way to look inside and understand how these systems work and how they have become affected by various clinical conditions."

Michael Friedlander, executive director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and a neuroscientist who was not involved in the study, said, "This work is changing the entire field of neuroscience and our ability to query the human mind and brainwith a technology that was just not even imagined not many years ago."

Psychiatry is an example of a medical field that could benefit from this approach, he said.

"We have an enormous number of people in the world who suffer from a variety of psychiatric conditions, and, in many cases, the pharmacological solutions do not work very well," said Friedlander, who is also Virginia Tech's vice president of health sciences and technology.

"Dopamine, serotonin, and other neurotransmitters are in some ways intimately involved with those disorders. This effort adds real precision and quantitation to understand those problems. The one thing I think we can be sure of is this work is going to be extremely important in the future for developing treatments."

More than a decade in the making

The effort to measure neurotransmitters in real-time in the human brain began more than 12 years ago when Montague assembled a team of experts who "think about thinking, a lot."

In first-of-their-kind observations in the human brain the scientists published in Neuron in 2020, researchers revealed dopamine and serotonin are at work at sub-second speeds to shape how people perceive the world and take action based on their perception.

More recently, in a study published in October in the journal Current Biology, the researchers used their method of recording chemical changes in awake humans to gain insight into the brain's noradrenaline system, which has been a longtime target for medications to treat psychiatric disorders.

And, in December, in the journal Science Advances, the team revealed that fast changes in dopamine levels reflect a specific computation related to how humans learn from rewards and punishments.

"We've made active measurements of neurotransmitters multiple times in different brain regions, and we have now reached the point where we're touching on crucial elements of what makes us human beings," Montague said.
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Only half of parents share they've tried to limit their child's audio device usage. Credit: University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health

While it's not surprising to spot teens wearing headphones and earbuds, it's also becoming a widespread trend among younger children, a national poll suggests.

Two in three parents say their child ages 512 uses personal audio devices, with half of parents of children ages 58 reporting elementary-aged kids use a device.

Among parents whose children use headphones and earbuds, half say kids spend at least an hour a day using them while one in six say a typical day for their child includes at least two hours of use, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.

"Over recent years we've mostly been concerned about teens overusing audio devices. But earbuds have become increasingly popular and prevalent among younger kids, exposing them to more intense noise on a regular basis," said Susan Woolford, M.D., M.P.H., Mott pediatrician and co-director of the Mott poll.

"Noise exposure risks to young children have historically involved loud singular events like concerts or fireworks, but parents may underestimate the potential harm from excessive use of listening devices. It may be difficult to know whether their child's exposure to noise is healthy."

Children are most likely to use these devices at home, school and in the car, report findings show. About a fourth of parents also say children occasionally use audio devices on airplanes while less than 10% say kids use them on the bus, outside or in bed.

Half of parents agree that headphones or earbuds help keep their child entertained.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement in 2023 on the need to reduce noise risks to children, with increasing evidence that children and teens may be more exposed through personal listening devices.

Prolonged or extreme exposure to high volumes of noise can result in long term health issues, including hearing loss or tinnitus, Woolford says.

"Young children are more vulnerable to potential harm from noise exposure because their auditory systems are still developing. Their ear canals are also smaller than adults, intensifying perceived sound levels," Woolford said.

"Tiny hair cells inside the inner ear pick up sound waves to help you hear. When these get damaged or die, hearing loss is irreversible."

Noise exposure among children can also affect their sleep, academic learning, language, stress levels and even blood pressure, she adds.

More parents of children aged 912 years than 58 years report their child uses headphones or earbuds and daily use was also more likely to be higher among the older age group, the poll suggests.

But only half of parents share they've tried to limit their child's audio device usage, citing strategies such as asking the child to take a break, having set hours for use and using a timer.

Parents whose child uses headphones for more than two hours a day are also less likely to set time or volume limits, compared to parents who report less headphone use for their child.

Woolford offers four tips to reduce risks of noise exposure to children through headphones and earbuds:

Monitor volume levels

Parents can minimize the negative impact of audio device usage by monitoring and adjusting the child's volume and time on devices, Woolford says.

She recommends parents follow the 60/60 rulechildren should be limited to no more than 60 minutes of audio devices a day at no more than 60% of the maximum volume.

The sound level on listening devices that are less than 70 dBA (relative loudness of decibels heard) are very unlikely to cause noise-related damage.

"A good way to tell if an audio device is too loud is if a child wearing headphones can't hear you when you're an arm's length away," she said.

Parents can also limit their child's risk by setting specific hours for audio device use or using a timer to keep track.

Use noise canceling or volume limiting headphones

Parents should consider the risk of noise exposure when purchasing audio devices for their child by checking the information on device packages to identify products that limit the volume.

But some products marketed as "kid safe," Woolford warns, do not limit the volume to 70 decibels.

However, children should avoid using noise-canceling listening devices in situations when perception of sounds is crucial for safety.

"Noise-canceling devices may help prevent children from increasing the volume to levels that are too high," Woolford said. "But these devices shouldn't be used when a child is engaged in activities where it's important to hear their surroundings for their safety, such as walking or bike riding."

Ensure kids take breaks from personal listening devices

Parents should help children intentionally have daily "device-free" time, Woolford says. This may involve putting away or locking the child's audio devices when time limits are up.

They may also encourage kids to enjoy things like music on a low volume in their rooms instead of using earbuds to reduce noise intensity.

Personal audio devices should also be avoided when children are sleeping or at bedtime, Woolford says.

Be mindful of early signs of hearing loss

If parents feel their child may be at risk of hearing loss due to using audio devices, Woolford recommends checking with a pediatrician, an audiologist, or an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist.

"Early signs of hearing loss may include asking for repetition, hearing ringing noises often, speaking loudly to people nearby, delayed speech, or lack of reaction to loud noises," Woolford said.

"Health care providers may be of assistance to parents by offering a simple explanation about hearing loss to help the child understand the reasons for limiting their use of audio devices."
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Graphical Abstract. Credit: Immunity (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.01.017

A long-term analysis conducted by leading microbiologists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai reveals that antibody responses induced by COVID-19 vaccines are long-lasting. The study results, published online in the journal Immunity challenge the idea that mRNA-based vaccine immunity wanes quickly.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in late 2019 sparked the global pandemic that is now in its fifth year. Vaccines that were developed at record speed have saved millions of lives. However, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and waning immunity have decreased the effectiveness of the vaccines against symptomatic disease. The common perception now is that mRNA-based vaccine-induced immunity wanes quickly.

However, this assumption is largely based on data from short-term studies that include a very limited number of data points following peak responses.

The Mount Sinai research team's analysis of more than 8,000 samples collected over a three-year period in New York City examined how antibody responses to the virus's spike protein changed after infections, during the primary immunization series, during monovalent and bivalent booster vaccination, and during breakthrough infections.

They found that upon primary immunization, participants with pre-existing immunity (those who had previously been infected with the virus) mounted higher antibody responses faster and achieved higher steady-state antibody titers than individuals who had not been previously infected.

The waning of antibody response was characterized by two phases: an initial rapid decay from the strong peak after vaccination, followed by a stabilization phase with very slow decay, suggesting that antibody levels were very long-lasting. Booster vaccination equalized the differences in antibody concentration between participants with and without pre-existing immunity.

Breakthrough infections increased antibodies to similar levels as an additional vaccine dose in individuals who had not previously been infected.

This investigation represents one of the most extensive and in-depth assessments of the longevity of SARS-CoV-2 immune responses to date. Its major conclusion is that changes in the virus that allow it to evade immunity, rather than waning immunity, are the major reason for breakthrough infections.

"Ours is one of the longest-running COVID-19 studies out there," said Viviana Simon, MD, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology, Medicine and Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, at Icahn Mount Sinai and lead author of the paper.

"Following the same group of people monthly over time is rare and powerful because you can compare immune responses on an individual level. SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, so this research is important to provide an understanding of the impact of new variants and new vaccine doses on a healthy immune system and to guide all of us to make the best choices to maintain protection against the virus that continues to circulate in our communities."

This in-depth analysis was made possible through the Protection Associated with Rapid Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 (PARIS) study, an observational, longitudinal cohort of health care workers of the Mount Sinai Health System that was initiated in April 2020. At that time, the densely populated New York metropolitan area was hit with an exponential increase in severe SARS-CoV-2 infections, and essential workers in the health care system were at high risk for infection.

In response to the crisis, a team of leading virologists, physician-scientists, and pathologists at Mount Sinai established a specific and sensitive SARS-CoV-2 binding enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure the SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers accurately. This test was used to measure immune responses in the PARIS cohort in order to determine how quickly the antibody defenses were mounted and how these changed over the months and years of follow-up.

In addition to showing the impact on a person's individual antibody response to vaccines based on the type of vaccine received and whether or not they were infected before receiving the first dose, the PARIS study made possible the development of a mathematical model that can be used to predict and characterize antibody responses of both individual people and populations.

"People have pandemic fatigue, and vaccine uptake has slowed, especially after the vaccines started to be charged to insurance," said Komal Srivastava, MS, Director of Strategy and Operation of the Mount Sinai Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness and co-first author of the paper.

"We were pleasantly surprised to see that the booster doses promoted a large antibody response regardless of a person's personal infection history, so we are hopeful that our study findings will encourage people to get their vaccine boosters when eligible and to stay engaged in research. Our work also showcases the impact of viral evolution over time and why it's critical to keep studies like this going despite the pandemic fatigue."

According to the research team, the PARIS model has broad applications for studying the kinetics of antibodies produced to different COVID-19 vaccines in diverse populations. They stress much more work remains to analyze side effects, applications of the antibody model and continued research about new vaccines and viral variants.

"This study adds an essential piece of data to understand the intricate immune response elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination," says Juan Manuel Carreno Quiroz, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and co-first author of the paper.

"In light of the emerging viral variants, which predominantly induce a cross-reactive antibody response against the spike protein, it will be exciting to characterize in depth the role of these antibodiesin particular the non-neutralizing onesin protection against the most recent circulating viral variants."

"Likewise, monitoring the induction of variant-specific antibodies after multiple exposures by breakthrough infections and by administration of updated COVID-19 vaccines, such as the XBB.1.5 monovalent booster, will be key to understanding the evolution of the antibody response over time."

More information: Komal Srivastava et al, SARS-CoV-2-infection- and vaccine-induced antibody responses are long lasting with an initial waning phase followed by a stabilization phase, Immunity (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.01.017 Journal information: Immunity
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Microglia nodules in MS are more frequent than in stroke but are similar in size. IHC stainings with HLA and PLP shown in brown. Quantifications performed on n = 8 MS and n = 8 stroke donors. a PLP and HLA staining of (NA)WM matter in MS and in stroke shows no sign of demyelination and clustering of HLA-DR+ cells into nodules. b In MS, 197 nodules were counted in total and in stroke 60 nodules were counted in total. Microglia nodule frequency was calculated per donor as number of microglia nodules per 100 mm2. The nodule frequency was higher in MS compared to stroke (p = 0.03). c In MS, 197 nodules were measured in total, and in stroke, 46 nodules were counted in total. Microglia nodule size as measured in m2 was similar in MS and stroke. Bar plots show mean  standard deviation. Significance was tested with a two-sided Students t test, p value < 0.05 is indicated with *. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46068-3

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the result of the immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and the spinal cord, causing tissue damage (lesions) throughout. While the underlying mechanism of lesion formation is still not entirely understood, scientists at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience have come one step closer, focusing not on the damaged tissue, but on the so-called 'normal-appearing white matter' tissue instead.

People with MS have clusters, or nodules, of a specific type of immune cell known as microglia. Microglia could be described as the vacuum cleaners of the central nervous system as they remove dead, redundant, or potentially dangerous particles. In the normal-appearing white matter, where no other pathology is evident, clusters of microglia (nodules) are already visible.

Whether these nodules are related to the progression of MS was still unclear, as they appear in almost all brain disorders as well as the aging brain.

The relationship between nodules and MS

To learn more about the role of nodules in MS patients, researcher Aletta van den Bosch and her colleagues from the Huitinga group investigated the pathology of MS in brain donors in the Netherlands. Brain Bank in samples with and without nodules. These samples offered insights into the severity of the MS pathology of the patients' levels of inflammation. "We found that patients with these nodules have a worsened pathology: they have more lesions, and the lesions are more active."

But do the nodules play a role in the formation of lesions in MS, or are they a result of something else? For this question, van den Bosch compared their genetic profile to the nodules found in a completely different medical condition: stroke. This is because nodules in brain tissue from people who suffer from a stroke will not lead to lesion formation. Interestingly, the samples from MS patients showed vastly different genes to the nodules in stroke patients.

"We recognized many of the genes in the MS nodules quite quickly because they're also expressed in the active lesions," van den Bosch explains. "They could almost be described as mini-lesions." The MS nodules were activated by lymphocytes (a type of immune cell), which were not found in the stroke tissue.

When the team took a closer look, they found that the nodules were absorbing and processing oxidized lipids, which is known to result in the activation of these microglia. "In fact, when we looked at the axons surrounded by the nodules at high resolution, we saw that they were associated with partially demyelinated axons. These nodules likely arose to clean up the oxidized myelin. Nodules that are activated by both the lymphocytes and these oxidized lipids may become very inflammatory, causing more damage to the tissue surrounding them, leading to a sort of downward spiral."

In the end, van den Bosch hopes this will result in new therapeutic targets to stop the progression of MS. "Now we need to explore the relationship between all these inflammatory components in the lab so we can understand exactly what leads to these early signs of breakdown. After that, we can start thinking about which steps we can remove from this process to avoid the development of new lesions altogether."

The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.

More information: Aletta M. R. van den Bosch et al, Profiling of microglia nodules in multiple sclerosis reveals propensity for lesion formation, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46068-3
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is an open, national surveillance system used by medical professionals as well as the public at large to self-report potential adverse medical events following vaccination. These events are entered as unconfirmed reports to VAERS, which is managed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As the CDC notes, "Reports sent to VAERS may include incomplete, inaccurate, coincidental, and unverified information."

Pre-pandemic, there was little public attention paid to VAERS. Since the pandemic and the development of vaccines against COVID-19, however, vaccination-related information has flooded social media around the globe. The result has been an "infodemic" fueled by mis- and disinformation about vaccination, some of which is based on a misreading, misunderstanding, or misrepresentation of what VAERS is and what its reports show.

In a new Viewpoint piece appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and titled "Misinformation and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System," three University of Pennsylvania scholars examine how VAERS reports have been misrepresented during the pandemic. Drawing on data first published in an Annenberg Public Policy Center white paper, the researchers argue that the VAERS system has been misused by vaccine skeptics to fuel vaccine hesitancy. They urge public health agencies to improve public understanding of the vaccine surveillance reports and their significanceor lack thereof.

The paper is written by Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Ph.D., director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania and a professor of communication at Penn's Annenberg School for Communication; Kevin B. Johnson, M.D., M.S., a professor of pediatrics, biomedical informatics, and science communication at the University of Pennsylvania; and Anne R. Cappola, M.C., Sc.M., a professor of medicine and executive director of the Penn Medical Communication Research Institute.

Public uncertainty about VAERS

Americans are not sure whether VAERS verifies that vaccines cause the events reported in the system, according to APPC survey data. A survey of U.S. adults found that from January to August 2022, the percentage of U.S. adults who incorrectly said that VAERS does present that vaccine-caused deaths increased significantlyas did the percentage who correctly said it does not.

"Worrisomely," the researchers wrote, "more than 6 out of 10 respondents reported being unsure."

APPC survey data also showed that just about a third of the public (34%) knows that the term "adverse event" in the VAERS name can refer to either a serious or non-serious medical event. These findings were previously reported in the APPC white paper "Minimizing public susceptibility to misconceptions about the effects of vaccination: Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System."

Penn professors urge rebranding VAERS

The researchers propose renaming VAERS as the "Vaccine Safety Sentinel," which "would remind audiences that the incidents of concern are unverified, related to safety, and part of a monitoring or early-warning system." They also propose improving the system by providing additional details to the public, including summary information linked to raw data, coupled with expanded public education about the vaccination reporting system.

"The false inference that the events reported in VAERS are necessarily caused by vaccination is seeded by the name Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System," said Jamieson, who also advanced this case in a March 2022 presentation to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, an October 2022 keynote lecture at the CDC's Shepard Award ceremony, and a May 2023 session at the Nobel Prize Summit. "Changing the name could reduce the public's susceptibility to deceptive users of VAERS data. In the meantime, we should treat VAERS and 'unverified' as synonyms."

Cappola said, "Names matter. We want to encourage transparency and accessibility, but not at the expense of misinterpretation."

Johnson added, "I've had some success working with the FDA to change their policies on blood donations from men who have sex with men. Thanks to our collective efforts, I hope the FDA and CDC receive pressure to address the role VAERS plays in supporting misinformation."
City Council

When: 6 p.m. Monday.

Where: Virtual: bit.ly/3JVyNJ9; Cable TV Channel 190. YouTube Live and On Demand: bit.ly/3JTikoU. Meetings are conducted via Zoom webinar. Register for the live webinar to attend and/or comment during the live meeting: Zoom page listing of the citys public meetings: ci-missoula-mt.zoom.us/calendar/list or missoulapublicmeetings.com. If you don't have a computer, call the City Clerk's office at 552-6078 to register and receive instructions to join the meeting by phone.

Agenda: An Ordinance Amending Title 5, Section 5.08.130 regarding Business Licenses and prior criminal history.

Missoula Civic Television Advisory Commission

When: 3 p.m. Monday.

Where: Jack Reidy Conference Room, 140 W. Pine St. or via TEAMS.

Missoula County Airport Authority

When: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Where: Johnson Bell Board Room, airport terminal or via TEAMS.

Agenda: approval for Airport Director to accept FAA grant in the amount of $6,000,000; Morrison Maierle Task Order No. 58 Phase 3 Bidding; award of bid for rental car parking lot modifications; Morrison Maierle Task Order No. 59  Construction Management; FAA Title VI Community Participation Plan.

Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees

When: special meeting, 5:30 p.m. and regular meeting 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Where: Administration Building A, Boardroom, 901 South Ave. W.

Agenda: available at mcpsmt.org.

Committee of the Whole

When: 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Where: City Council Chambers, 140 W. Pine St. or via TEAMS.

Agenda: adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Missoula, Montana, submitting to the qualified electors of the City of Missoula, an election on June 4, 2024, the question of conducting a local government review of the City of Missoula, and if approved, established a study commission and funding; approve the recommendations of the selection committee and name Destiny Devine, Jay Raines and Lily Sussman as JEDI Advisory Board members, and Kiyomi Looney as a board alternate.

Public Safety Committee

When: 10:55 a.m. Wednesday.

Where: City Council Chambers, 140 W. Pine St. or via TEAMS.

Agenda: approve the purchase of one Fabtech Pro Screen from Modern Machinery of Missoula for the purchase price of $182,856; adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Missoula, submitting to the qualified electors of the City of Missoula, at an election on June 4, 2024, the question of whether the City of Missoula shall be authorized to exceed the statutory mill levy provided for in Section 15-10-420, M.C.A. by permanently levying up to 34 mills per year, currently raising approximately $7 million annually, for the purposes of providing additional funding or financing for Fire and Emergency Services including apparatus, vehicles, equipment, operations, personnel, facilities, and training.

Budget and Finance Committee

When: 1:05 p.m. Wednesday.

Where: City Council Chambers, 140 W. Pine St. or via TEAMS.

Agenda: approve and authorize the Mayor to sign an agreement with MSI: Information Management Solutions for scanning the microfiche inventory in the Community Planning, Development and Innovation department for a an amount not to exceed $87,593.55.

Housing, Redevelopment and Community Programs Committee

When: 1:35 p.m. Wednesday.

Where: City Council Chambers, 140 W. Pine St. or via TEAMS.

Agenda: approve a Resolution approving the Ravara Project and infrastructure improvements as Urban Renewal Projects for the North Reserve-Scott Street Urban Renewal District.

Climate, Conservation and Parks Committee

When: 2:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Where: City Council Chambers, 140 W. Pine St. or via TEAMS.

Agenda: approve the funding, construction, maintenance and local agency guidelines agreements for: 1) renovation of the Milwaukee Trail at Beartracks Bridge in the total amount of $413,798, and 2) renovation of the South Hills Trail in the total amount of $198,034; and 3) repair and cyclical maintenance of Kiwanis Parks trails in the amount of $109,003; and 4) crack repairs to the Bitterroot and Milwaukee Trail in the amount of $102,443, and 5) repair of Silver Parks riverfront trail in the amount of $55,553; and authorize the mayor to sign.

Public Works Committee

When: 3:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Where: City Council Chambers, 140 W. Pine St. or via TEAMS.

Agenda: bid award to Prospect Construction for the Monroe Jackson Street water main replacement project; bid award to RLC Enterprises for the Edith Street water main replacement; RAS Valve Procurement for the Wastewater Treatment Plant; Stephens Orange MDT Construction and Maintenance Agreement; sidewalk presentation informational only.

Missoula Public Library Board of Trustees

When: 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Where: Blackfoot Communications Board Room, 344 E. Main St. or via Zoom.

Agenda: Coffee shop recommendation; Wage Advocacy Project; BRIC living room; Executive Director evaluation; staff training day.
If youre curious about the old question of what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, try asking a parent what its like to get a mentally ill child into treatment in Montana.

With a mental health care system as maddening as a treatment-resistant teen, parents are quite literally between a rock and a hard place  leaving some to seek out law enforcement and the juvenile justice system to get their kids the resources they need.

Even if a kid meets the criteria required to be admitted to a residential treatment facility  and for insurance to pay  there can be a five month wait to get in. And if a teenager refuses outpatient treatment, parents just dont know what to do.

Just because parents have legal responsibility for medical decisions doesnt mean they have the physical control or motivational relationship with their teenager to get the kid to buy-in, said Brie Shulman, Program Director at Families First Montana, a youth therapist, and a member of the states Youth Justice Advisory Council.

Statements made by members of the council are personal and do not represent the opinions of the council.

If they can get the police involved, then the court is saying you have to go, and if you dont, well send you to Pine Hills, she said, referencing the state's juvenile correctional facility in Miles City.

Parents want their kids put on probation to get services, said Tara French, Chief Juvenile Probation Officer for Yellowstone County.

In fact, Shulman said parents sometimes call her asking for advice on how to get their kid arrested.

A lot of times, kids arent getting services until they interface with a probation officer, Shulman said. Suicide attempts and getting arrested are often the most efficient way to access services right now.

French sees this particularly in kids cited for partner/family member assault, with parents calling law enforcement during escalated family conflicts.

Kids and family violence

Last year, there were 65 juveniles arrested by the Billings Police Department for partner/family member assault, according to the department. In 2022, it was the fourth most-cited charge for juveniles, after minor in possession of vapor products, shoplifting, and assault. In 2021, it was the second to only misdemeanor theft.

We definitely have parents where calling law enforcement is their go-to, said Lt. Matt Lennick.

For charges to be filed, however, altercations must meet the legal standards of an assault.

If this isnt the case, law enforcement can go down the mental health road, per Lennicks phrasing, and bring the child to Billings Clinic for a psychiatric evaluation and a 72-hour mental hold which is sometimes not even close to 72 hours, with families leaving before officers even file their paperwork. In comparison, the ongoing support offered by probation seems appealing, or at least worth a shot.

Theyve been through what they know to be available to them and it isnt working, Lennick said. Conflict escalates in the home until it reaches the threshold of violating the law.

French said that often these behaviors have been going on for years and have been swept under the rug. When a 7-year-old becomes angry or destructive, for example, it isnt so frightening. When a 17-year-old does, it can be. When French looks over school records of these kids, its been noted forever that they need services.

In these cases, we try to use probation to get them tied into the most appropriate mental health services, rather than a punitive approach, French said.

Once arrested, then what?

Obstacles to services, like insurance and bed availability, still persist.

Probation helps in terms of motivation, but it doesnt necessarily help in terms of increased access to resources, Shulman said. A court can order therapy, which means if you dont go, youre in trouble, but court-ordered does not ensure payment.

Additionally, the mental health offerings from the youth probation office are not uniform across the state.

Every youth court has its own area priorities and culture to it, Shulman said. Some might say yes, well pay for family counseling, but others might say were sick of paying, families need to pull themselves up by the bootstraps.

In Yellowstone County, services depend on needs, levels of care, previous interventions, and resources available at school, according to French.

We try to exhaust efforts through insurance and use youth court funding to assist in cases that insurance is presenting a barrier to their access, French said.

Probation officers themselves also play a role in how beneficial probation can be.

Theres mentorship and secure attachment available in having a probation officer who reliably checks in on you and says Hey man, really good job pissing negative this week, Im proud of you, Shulman said.

Lyric Taylor's story

This was not the experience of Lyric Taylor, a now 18-year-old from Butte and a member of the Youth Justice Advisory Council, who found himself navigating the mental health system alone as a young teenager, despite being on probation.

I was court-ordered to have therapy, but I had to do a lot of stuff myself, Taylor said. They could do a little more on the mental health side than just having a poster up in the office with a suicide hotline.

Taylor acknowledges that he couldve checked in with his probation officer more, but he also thinks she shouldve been stricter with him.

I needed someone to tell me to get my shit together, he said. Probation wasnt really very strict when I didnt have a felony.

After being on probation for misdemeanors, Taylor was arrested for a felony and spent six months in jail while awaiting trial. And if the parents Young and Shulman work with are hoping to get their kid mental health resources through getting arrested, they better hope their kid doesnt end up in jail.

When I first went to jail, I was extremely vulnerable, Taylor said. I was a 13-year-old coming down off of a lot of drugs. There was no counseling or therapy, it was awful in regards to mental health.

During his time in jail, Taylor witnessed the revolving door of kids on probation coming in and out.

Kids needed mental health, but they werent getting the treatment that they needed, he said.

After spending 10 months in residential treatment in Wyoming (at Normative Services in Sheridan, which has since shut down) and another year in independent living in Missoula, Taylor was back on probation in Butte.

He started drinking, doing drugs, and not really caring about anything  until he went on a five-week therapeutic outdoors program through a nonprofit called Inner Roads, which changed his life. These kinds of state-licensed outdoor programs are still not covered by Medicaid or insurance.

Taylor is headed to University of Montana in the fall to study physics, defying the prediction of a psych evaluator he met with in jail, who told the judge to send him to Pine Hills because he was never going to be a productive member of society.

I still dont think probation is the best way to get mental health services, Taylor said, though he ended up forming a strong relationship with his probation officer, who he still talks to.

French also made clear that the criminal justice system is not the mental health system, as did Lennick with the Billings Police Department.

Are we probably the most appropriate responder? No. But who else are you going to call? he said.

When kids are on their way to out of control, there are not enough services offered to intervene, Shulman said, though programs like Missoulas Youth Crisis Diversion Project and Big Sky Youth Empowerment are helping to fill this gap.

We need more readily available mental health resources for juveniles in Montana, Taylor said. Im really tired of going to funerals.
Editors note: Calendar items must be submitted at least five days before an event. Email all items to news@morganton.com.

WEDNESDAY

Movie screening

Western Piedmont Community College, 1001 Burkemont Ave., will have a screening of the film Till in Leviton Auditorium on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 11:30 p.m. Soul Food Island Food Truck will be on campus from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

FRIDAY

Day trip

Unifour Christian Ministries will take a trip the Spartanburg BMW plant and museum. The cost is $90 per person, with lunch at the Beacon included. A bus will pick up attendees at Walmart in Granite Falls at 6 a.m., then at Big Lots in Hickory at 6:15 a.m. For more information, contact Annette Guffey at 828-493-1723.

Concert

Pink Heals NC Foothills will host a concert with Alex Key, a Nashville recording artist with 1990s country sound, at Wayneos Silver Bullet, 5172 S. NC 127, Hickory. Doors will open at 7 p.m. with the show starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Visit www.ncpinkheals.com for tickets.

SATURDAY

Prom dress giveaway

Bridge Worship center, 5530 Chestnut Drive, Hickory, will host its second annual prom dress giveaway on March 2 from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, call 828-443-7623.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

AARP meeting

Burke County Chapter 3262 of AARP will meet Wednesday, March 6, at the Collett Street Recreation Center. The morning opens with refreshments at 9:30 a.m., followed by the meeting from 10-11 a.m. The speaker will be Morganton Mayor Ronnie Thompson to share the very latest news, plans and goings-on in our town

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

Good Grief Meal

AMOREM will hold its next monthly Good Grief Meal at 3 p.m., Thursday, March 7, at JDs Smokehouse, 2731 Morganton Blvd., Lenoir. The informal time of food and fellowship is open to anyone who is experiencing grief and loss. The meal is a Dutch treat. The Good Grief Meal is sponsored through Ashewood Grief and Counseling Services, grief support services of AMOREM, and is one of many opportunities offered to help individuals of all ages and families cope with the loss of their loved ones. Because of the generous support of our community and the belief that grief support services improve quality of life, AMOREM offers community grief support services to anyone who needs help in coping with grief. For more information about the upcoming Good Grief Meal or other grief support services, call 828-754-0101 or visit www.amoremsupport.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 12

Guest presentation

Western Piedmont Community College, 1001 Burkemont Ave., will host two guest presentations by Brett Harris, International Education Program Coordinator with UNC Center for European Studies, on March 12 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. in WPCCs Library in Phifer Hall. Harris will give two presentations on global awareness and world languages, including virtual reality tours of European cities.

FRIDAY, MARCH 15

ACC Chili Cookoff

The Morganton Downtown Development Association will hold its 30th annual ACC Chili Cookoff from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Morganton Community House. Local amateurs and professionals will compete to make the best chili recipe. Visitors who purchase tickets for $10 will have the opportunity to have all-you-can-eat chili with all of the fixings, cornbread, salad, dessert and beverage. Both dine-in and carry-out options will be available. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Morganton Main Street office at 828-438-5280 or info@downtownmorganton.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

Fundraiser

The Meeting Place Mission will hold its annual Skeet Shoot and Bourbon Tasting fundraiser on Saturday, March 16. Skeet shooting will take place at noon followed by a bourbon tasting at 4 p.m. Heavy hors doeuvres will be served and a silent auction will be held. Visit https://skeet.my.canva.site/ for tickets or more information.

Support group meeting

The Burke County Parkinsons Support Group will meet Saturday, March 16 at 10 a.m. at the Valdese Public Library, 213 St. Germain Ave. SE. Anyone with Parkinsons, their caregivers, friends and family are invited to attend. For additional information, call 828-879-1093.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19

Musical performance

Western Piedmont Community College, 1001 Burkemont Ave., will have the KAIA Quartet performing in WPCCs Leviton Auditorium on March 19 at 11 a.m.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

Lunch and Learn

Friends of the Valdese Rec will host Valdese Mayor Charles Watts as a guest speaker for its Lunch and Learn. The free event for adults begins at noon with lunch and 20 minutes of social time before the program. RSVP by March 19 to friendsofthevaldeserec@gmail.com if you would like to attend. The event will be held at First United Methodist Church, 217 St. Germain Ave. S.E., Valdese.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23

Pancake breakfast

The Rotary Club of Valdese will hold its annual pancake breakfast on March 23 from 7-11 a.m. at First Methodist Church, 217 Germain Ave. SW, in Valdese. Tickets are $8.

FRIDAY, MARCH 29

Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony

National Vietnam War Veterans Day will be observed at the KIA Monument at the historic courthouse square. The Quaker Meadows Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution will be conducting a service to recognize veterans who served during the time of the conflict on Friday, March 29, at 11 a.m. Those attending should bring chairs if they want to sit. There will be a special section reserved for veterans of the Vietnam War. In the event of rain, the service will be inside the historic courthouse which is handicap accessible. For information, contact the DAR chapter at quakermeadowsdar@gmail.com.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18

Lunch and Learn

Friends of the Valdese Rec will host Sheriff Banks Hinceman as a guest speaker for its Lunch and Learn event. The event will begin at noon with lunch and 20 minutes of social time before the program. RSVP to friendsofthevaldeserec@gmail.com if you would like to attend. The event will be held at First United Methodist Church, 217 St. Germain Ave. S.E., Valdese.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Trip

Cruise Unifour Christian Ministries will be embarking on a cruise to Grand Turk and Dominican Republic. Members of the public are invited to join. Call Annette Guffey at 828-493-1723 or 828-396-1906 for more information.
Evan Barrett frequently and disparagingly alludes to a dirty dirt train.

As in, The dirty dirt train is about to roll into Butte.

Recently, Barrett fired the boiler of his metaphorical train and steamed to Helena to meet with Gov. Greg Gianforte.

Also participating in the Jan. 29 meeting were Butte businessman Ron Davis, officials from two state agencies involved in Superfund remediation in Butte and a policy advisor to the governor.

The meeting lasted somewhere between 30 and 45 minutes, Barrett said. It yielded an outcome Barrett and Davis hope might help derail the dirty dirt train.

Barrett, a staunch Democrat, shared with the Republican governor concerns about a longstanding controversy in Butte. The flap focuses on whether to use soils bearing a measure of contamination as fill in limited applications at cleanup sites in the Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit.

The EPA refers to this fill as onsite material. Others characterize it as grey dirt. The material would be contaminated with metals but not contaminated enough to meet the criteria for removal to a wastes repository. The use of such dirt in remediation is, in effect, in a grey area.

Atlantic Richfield/BP, the company tagged with responsibilities and cleanup costs associated with historical mining and smelting, uses similarly neutral terms.

The EPA and Atlantic Richfield/BP support the limited use of such material and cite a number of justifications, ranging from efficiency to reducing the number of haul trips by large trucks.

But Barrett and like-minded watchdogs in Butte refer to this fill as dirty dirt. They contend fill material used in sites along the Silver Bow Creek Corridor should be clean. They alleged that one unstated goal of using onsite material is saving money for Atlantic Richfield/BP.

Barrett said Gianforte told him after the meeting that he would rather do clean than dirty.

In a letter dated Feb. 8, Gianforte wrote KC Becker, administrator for EPA Region 8. The governor did not reference dirty dirt but he weighed in on the potential use of such material.

The 2020 Consent Decree was a hard-fought agreement that provides Butte with a long-awaited remedy and makes a positive difference in the community, Gianforte wrote. That cleanup needs to happen now, not after additional years of debate over whether the remedy and decree allow for reuse of onsite backfill material with higher metals content than off-site backfill material.

Gianforte urged EPA to reconsider whether certain onsite materials should be used as backfill.

Others who joined Barrett, Davis and Gianforte that day were Doug Martin, restoration program chief for the states Natural Resource Damage Program, or NRDP, Chris Dorrington and Amy Steinmetz of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, or DEQ, and Michael Freeman, natural resources policy manager for the governor.

Both NRDP and DEQ have expressed concerns during the past year about the use of onsite material in the Silver Bow Creek Corridor. On the other hand, DEQ has announced plans to leave more wastes in place along the Clark Fork River because of budget constraints.

Barrett acknowledged Sunday that no one participating in the Jan. 29 meeting played a devils advocate role, describing the potential benefits of the prudent use of onsite material.

At least one NRDP staff member, Jim Ford, has been vocal in his criticism of the level of contamination that might be allowed for potential reuse onsite in the Silver Bow Creek Corridor sites. So vocal, in fact, that Joe Griffin, a longtime regional Superfund watchdog and member of the nonprofit Citizens Technical Environmental Committee, or CTEC, has tried to get Ford removed from his position with NRDP.

In July, Griffin wrote Gianforte and Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen to allege that Fords input about the use of grey area material was undermining cleanup in Butte. He described Ford as a rogue employee and suggested that Ford continuing in his role will be to the detriment of Butte and to the whole community of Butte.

Ford remains with NRDP.

During Nikia Greenes tenure as remedial project manager in Butte, he supported the use of onsite material where feasible.

He said in August that three areas were under consideration  Buffalo Gulch, Northside Tailings and Diggings East. The onsite material wont be used unless it will be protective of human health and the environment, Greene said then.

The benefits include an increased pace of cleanup and increased efficiency, he said.

Potentially it could take 6,000 to 14,000 trucks off the street, improve public safety, reduce emissions, reduce damage to roads (and more), Greene said during a public meeting held Aug. 30.

He described other Superfund sites in the region where onsite materials have been used. They have included the Parrot Tailings Project in Butte and the Clark Fork River cleanup.

Each project has some different criteria, different metals criteria, different backfill criteria, Greene said in August.

In May, Atlantic Richfield/BP issued a statement about the use of onsite material.

Onsite soil that does not exceed the cleanup criteria will be used to reconstruct portions of the project areas where it will not enter or impact water quality in the creek, the company said then.

In a memorandum to EPA dated Aug. 18, NRDP offered feedback to EPA regarding a position paper it had drafted about the use of onsite material.

EPAs position paper had noted, Material found onsite has also been reused at other remediation and restoration projects in Montana, such as the Clark Fork River site and the Parrot Tailings project.

NRDP did not dispute the reference but cited some key distinctions: However, the contaminant concentrations allowed in fill generated onsite at the Parrot Project and the Clark Fork Operable Unit are much lower than what EPA is proposing here.

Some observers of the dirty dirt debate have characterized it as much ado about nothing. David Williams of CTEC has described the conflict as foofaraw  a word defined by one dictionary as meaning a great deal of fuss or attention given to a minor matter.

In March, Ian Magruder, CTECs technical advisor, said he was surprised the onsite material debate was so controversial. He noted that the negotiated consent decree allows use of grey dirt in some applications.

As design work continues for sites in the Silver Bow Creek Corridor in Butte some worry that the ongoing contentious debate about the use of onsite material could delay an already slow process. Others say Butte deserves a thorough and lasting cleanup.

Meanwhile, work is underway to identify a repository site for the wastes that will be excavated from the Silver Bow Creek Corridor. Atlantic Richfield/BP has studied at least two possibilities to date  the Berkeley Pit and a site north of the Kelley Mine near Centerville.
Thorntons Fishing Camp on the Madison River

William D. Thornton owned a fishing camp north of West Yellowstone on the Madison River and hired several individuals to run the camp each summer. It was there he invited relatives, friends, and his eastern cronies to stay and fish. He usually spent at least the month of August at the fishing camp. The most famous to stay at the camp was President Herbert Hoover who was known as The Fishing President.

The original Butte fishing cronies named themselves the Four Horsemen of the Madison. They fished together every summer for forty some years. Of course, one thinks of the Bibles four horsemen of the Apocalypse in the book of Revelation, but this reference is never mentioned as to the reason for the groups name. However, the only way the men could get to the camp originally was via horseback. Perhaps that was the reason for the name. They even fished astride a horse at times. The men admitted that they didnt care to eat fish themselves, so they gave their catch away to passers-by.

Once a reporter from the Montana Standard interviewed the men at the fishing camp for an article about their fishing exploits. The reporter later wrote that one of them men, Malcom Gillis, was dragging them (fish) out with baited worms. Considering themselves real fishermen, the others at the camp retaliated by writing to the newspaper that Of the five degrees of fisherman: dry fly, wet fly, spinner, salmon eggs, and worms, we can certify that Malcolm has never fallen below the second degree during his adult life.

The Four Horsemen were internationally known. Senator T. J. Walker reported that he read in the Paris edition of the New York Herald that W. D. Thornton was preparing to depart for Montana to join the other members of the Four Horsemen of the Madison on a fishing trip. Accounts of their fishing activities were also found in English and Canadian papers.

In the Lost Memoir of the New Deal Era and Its Aftermath: The Crusade Years 1933-1955 and edited by George H. Nash, Hoover noted his thoughts on fishing when he wrote, To go fishing is the chance to wash one's soul with pure air, with the rush of the brook, or with the shimmer of sun on blue water. It brings meekness and inspiration from the decency of nature, charity toward tackle-makers, patience toward fish, a mockery of profits and egos, a quieting of hate, a rejoicing that you do not have to decide a darned thing until next week. And it is discipline in the equality of men - for all men are equal before fish.

 Suzanne Waring
COLUMBUS JUNCTION  The Columbus Junction School board plans to continue discussions around potentially moving to a four-day school week.

The board meets Monday at 5:30 p.m.

This will be the third month that the topic will be discussed at a school board meeting. The potential change was first brought to the publics attention during the December 2023 meeting. Since then, the Columbus Community School District has been able to gather data from staff and students.

According to current survey data, 84% of Columbus certified staff and 100% of its non-certified staff are in favor of a 4-day school week. Additionally, 88% of students (grades 6th through 11th) are also in favor of a 4-day school week.

In January, Columbus Community School District Administration released a letter to families outlining the four main reasons behind the consideration. These four main reasons include a desire to secure teacher retention as well as teacher effectiveness, the hope of attracting a larger pool of applicants when it comes to teacher recruitment, and a desire to support student achievement.

The district also noted in the letter that a 4-day school week can improve school culture and reduce absences, as well as allow teachers more time for lesson planning and collaboration and give students more time to pursue hobbies, extracurriculars or volunteer jobs. As for logistics, the district will still be able to meet the required 1080 hours of instruction for the school year, though it would need to extend school days by 30-45 minutes, meaning that school would instead start at 8 a.m. and end at 3:45 p.m.

While both the February and March school board meetings will be used to further discuss potential plans for a 4-day school week, a final decision from the board will not be made until the April school board meeting.

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Terry Philips' motto, both in his work and his life, is sustainability through preservation.

While he may not always be able to save every part of every building, his recent efforts will still allow parts of Central Middle School to live on for many years to come.

Last Friday marked the end of Philips deconstruction project at the former school building. Philips, who runs Mills Seed Co. in Washington, Iowa, was invited to try and take out some of the schools usable materials by School Board Director Karen Cooney.

Prior to these deconstruction efforts, the school was able to auction off several of its remaining features and items such as desks, doors, cabinetry, and windows. But with so much still left within the building and demolition right around the corner, Cooney said that she began thinking more about what could be done to recycle the remaining materials.

There was still a lot of not only doors but also woodwork and floors, she said.

She already knew Philips for his deconstruction, refurbishment and preservation work, so reached out to him for his help. From there, Philips and his team received permission to go inside the building and get as much out as they could within a three-week timeframe.

The whole genesis of what we do is about sustainability, Philips said. While it would be great to save this building, it was built so well that you cant really repurpose it (in a way that makes sense) to do something else So, what were doing is trying to somewhat do a triage.

There were 19 rooms in the former school that contained original maple flooring, Philips said, wood that has remained in great condition and without any significant wear despite 85 years of use. He and his team have also been able to recover some of the schools remaining doors, along with collecting the iron nails that were used to keep the wood in place.

Once removed from the building, Philips explained the materials will be wrapped and put up for sale, allowing it to eventually be re-used and installed in other buildings and rehabilitation projects instead of simply being thrown in a landfill.

We try to appeal to the people who really want to save the environment, if you will. To manufacture this flooring out of trees nowadays takes a lot of energy and puts a lot of carbon in the air, Philips said. But were not just saving materials and energy, were also able to refurbish old building to make them fit into the history that they had.

To Cooney, these efforts felt like "a continual love for the building" that will see so much of it preserved or reused.

Its a way to be able to give that to folks, knowing that the actual building itself will be down but will still be able to carry on in new ways, she said.

Beyond his three weeks of work, both Cooney and Philips hope local students and residents will take note of these efforts and be prompted to look further into the idea of preservation and what they can do to help preserve other local historic buildings.

Whats most important for me, is what (preservation work) tells students, Philips said. For them to understand the process instead of it just being an abstract thing that they read about, its important.

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From finding the inspiration within a certain career to taking the right first steps towards pursuing it, the staff at Muscatine Community College knows the importance of giving students opportunities to explore and learn about different career fields.

On Friday morning, Muscatine Community College hosted about 150 high school freshmen students within its new career advancement center building. Through this event, MCC was able to introduce these students to a few of its career academies, including welding, nursing, and criminal justice, as well as give them the chance to meet faculty members.

We wanted to really show these high school students what opportunities they will have in high school to participate in different career academies, MCC President Naomi DeWinter said. I think a lot of students are going to be excited for this event, especially once they see some of the equipment that they get to learn with.

MCC specifically invited freshmen students to the event, DeWinter said. While they may not yet be eligible to begin a career academy, those who find a career field that interests them through the event can begin planning as well as taking exploration high school courses.

Our goal is to make these students feel welcome and that they have a place here, she said, emphasizing the importance of helping students establish a good foundation at the start of their career field pursuits.

Through its partnership with Muscatine High School, the MCC Career Academies give students access to prerequisite courses and experience in their desired fields, as well as an opportunity to receive specific certificates that give them a good step forward into the next phase of their education.

Students can receive these certificates while theyre still in high school allowing them to work here in Muscatine. Or, if they end up transferring to another university, they still have that certificate that they can take with them and still work in their field, DeWinter said. Wherever we can (in our academies), we want to embed a certificate so that they have something tangible even before they finish high school.

DeWinter said the colleges new career advancement building has seen a lot of use and success since its completion in 2023. The building not only includes classrooms but also large labs and workspaces for the colleges auto tech and horticultural students.

We have over 100 students involved in the career academies this year, with our healthcare academy having the highest enrollment, and its through this new building that weve been able to expand our capacity and add new programs that we previously werent able to offer, DeWinter said. I think when you see something of this scale, how its put together and the technology within it, you really get inspired  and thats what this building has allowed us to do.

Ukraine endures a second year of war with scenes of grief, suffering and also joy
The Senate Committee on Health has summoned Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika regarding the ongoing saga surrounding War Memorial Hospital in Nakuru.

As services at the hospital remain paralyzed for the second consecutive month, the Senate has called on all involved parties to provide them with the ownership documents.

The Senate Committees action comes as the dispute between the county and the hospital management persists, with the latter accused of disregarding six court orders.

Last week, Chief Justice Martha Koome criticized the Countys top officers for persistently disobeying court orders, revealing that judges handling the case had faced threats.

Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja Keroche stated that the committee is determined to gather information from all parties involved in the hospital, which has garnered negative attention. She mentioned having filed a petition with the Senate after the county assumed control of the facility that has been providing treatment to dialysis patients for several years.

All parties involved in this saga including the Governor have been summoned by the Senate so that the truth can be known, she said.

Job Losses

Addressing the press, the vocal Karanja highlighted that over 300 workers had lost their jobs due to the ongoing disputes. She emphasized the critical role of the hospital in the health sector and expressed her commitment to advocating for its reopening to alleviate the suffering of patients.

The Senator pointed an accusing finger at Governor Susan Kihika and the County Police commander for the continued closure of the hospital.

I was shocked when the Governor met religious leaders and openly and without shame lied about the hospital which continues to remain in the hands of goons, said the Keroche Breweries founder.

The Senator warned that failure to comply with court orders spelled doom for the country, adding that this had set a bad precedent and eroded investors confidence.

As a senator for Nakuru, I am afraid that my peoples frustrations have reached fever pitch point and I can feel their frustration.

If nothing is urgently done to bring back our county to the rule, I am afraid our people have been left with no options than to exercise the power given to them by article One of the Constitution, she said.

Last week, a group of men raided the hospitals mortuary and stole a body that had been held in the facility over a debt exceeding Kes.900,000.
A rare frog that is Californias state amphibian and likely the species featured in a famous Mark Twain short story is thriving in its new Napa County home.

The Land Trust of Napa Countys Wragg Ridge preserve near Lake Berryessa has ponds well-suited for the California red-legged frog, but as of two years ago, no known frog population. Today, there are frogs by the hundreds.

The Land Trust worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to bring frogs to the ponds. Partial egg masses from the Mitsui Ranch Preserve near Petaluma were transported to Wragg Ridge. Thousands of eggs hatched and hundreds of tadpoles survived.

The red-legged frog is listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. More than 90% of its historic Central Valley habitat has been diked or filled, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

But the frog looks to be at Wragg Ridge to stay.

We believe so, but were going to give it one more shot this year, give them a few more colleagues to join the group, said consulting biologist Jeff Alvarez of The Wildlife Project, who is working on the effort.

In fact, Alvarez said, though results are preliminary, this is the highest success rate so far for this type of project. There are several similar attempts to introduce red-legged frog egg masses to new locations.

Nobodys seen this kind of success before, he said. We were completely shocked.

Wragg Ridge has become home, sweet home for the frog.

These ponds are exactly what theyre looking for, Alvarez said. Nice and deep. Nice and sunny and lots of food.

Part of the project involves keeping bullfrogs at bay. The American bullfrog is an invasive species that eats red-legged frogs.

Most of our pond habitat was actually bullfrog-free, said Mike Palladini, Land Trust stewardship director.

Another part of the project involves keeping track of the red-legged frogs. About 800 have been caught and implanted with a tracking device so small, it makes a gel pill capsule seem large.

Red-legged frogs dont wander far. Alvarez said they stay in the ponds for eight to nine months of the year, until water levels fall amid the dry season. Then they might go several hundred meters into the uplands.

The red-legged frog played a role in launching Mark Twains writing career. Alvarez said it is believed to be the type of frog featured in Twains 1865 short story The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, which brought Twain his first national fame.

In 2014, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation naming the California red-legged frog as the state amphibian. Schoolchildren from Sea View Elementary School along the Salton Sea  where no red-legged frogs are found  championed the cause.

The Land Trust is using a $156,000 grant from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the red-legged frog project.

Palladini said the Land Trust was excited to purchase Wragg Ridge five years ago. The red-legged frog project demonstrates the importance of going beyond the acquisition of land.

Theres inherent value in protecting species from extinction and protecting biodiversity, Palladini said.

Napa County has other red-legged frog recovery projects, though none yet that involves relocated egg masses.

The Napa Valley Unified School District in 2007 bought 307 acres in the south county to host the American Canyon Ecological Reserve. It had to mitigate for lost potential frog habitat associated with American Canyon High School and a future middle school site.

Also, the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District is creating a pond for the red-legged frog at its Suscol Headwaters park. That project will serve as mitigation for lost habitat associated with the 2014 widening of nearby Highway 12 through Jameson Canyon.

California red-legged frog Official name: Rana draytonnii. Size: Adult females reach 5.5 inches and adult males 4.5 inches. Largest native frog in western United States. Food: Mostly insects. But will eat tree frogs and even mice. Range: Found in 35 California counties. No longer found in the Central Valley. Status: Considered "threatened" by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

PHOTOS: Gallery 1870 in Napa
The California Legislative Analysts Office is warning superintendents and school boards working on their next years budget that more storm clouds are on the fiscal horizon.

In a Feb. 15 report, the LAO forecast that further erosion of state revenues will likely reduce state funding for public schools in grades TK-12 by an additional $7.7 billion  $5.2 billion in 2023-24 and $2.7 billion in 2025-26. That would be on top of the $13.7 billion shaving that Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in his proposed budget for the current budget cycle that he released just a month ago.

When he presented the proposed state budget in January, Newsom built in a small cost-of-living increase and vowed to preserve funding commitments for schools and community colleges, but the deteriorating revenue estimates may force him to reconsider that promise when he revises the budget in May.

The California Department of Finance, which disagrees with the LAOs financial projections for this year and next, wont revise its budget forecast until the May revision. However, its report on January revenues, also released in mid-February, confirmed that revenues were heading in the wrong direction. Receipts from the personal income tax, the largest source of state revenue, were down $5 billion  25%  from the $20.4 billion that the state had forecast. For the full fiscal year that started July 1, total state revenues are down $5.9 billion from a forecast of $121.5 billion.

About 40% of the revenues to the states General Fund is directed to schools and community colleges through a four-decade-old formula, Proposition 98.

The single biggest fiscal challenge facing Newsom and the Legislature is how to resolve a massive shortfall in Prop. 98 funding for 2022-23. Newsom and the Legislature were mostly in the dark when they passed that state budget based on a revenue estimate in June 2022. Because of storms and floods the previous winter, the U.S. Treasury delayed the tax filing date for 2022 from April 15 to Nov. 16. Thus, officials lacked reliable data, and it turned out they were way off. The shortfall for Prop. 98 was $12 billion.

Because school districts have already spent that money, Newsom is proposing to hold them and community colleges harmless without counting the overfunding as part of the Prop. 98 minimum guarantee. In a trailer bill that his administration released, he calls for a one-time $9 billion supplemental payment that, due to the unique, delayed tax deadline, would be paid from the General Fund, not out of current or future funding for Prop. 98. It would be repaid over five years, starting in 2025-26.

Opposition of the LAO

The LAO is skeptical of the legality and wisdom of pushing off the solution for the 2022-23 deficit into the future; its recommending the Legislature reject the ideas and instead use the $9 billion cushion in Prop. 98 reserve account to cover the shortfall.

The Governors proposed funding maneuver is bad fiscal policy, sets a problematic precedent, and creates a binding obligation on the state that will worsen future deficits and require more difficult decisions, it said in a report issued last week.

It recommends balancing the budget by cutting billions of uncommitted dollars for new programs, the largest of which is $2.8 billion for creating more community schools; eliminating the $1 billion COLA for the Local Control Funding Formula; cutting $500 million for low-emissions school buses, and reducing costs and restructuring other programs. One is the Expanded Learning and Opportunities Program, providing free after-school activities for low-income students.

Newsom would use $5 billion of the Prop. 98 rainy-day fund to cover the budget shortfall this year and next while paying for the 1% COLA next year. That would leave $4 billion in the reserve to cover at least part of a bigger deficit that the LAO is predicting.

Lurking in the background is the option of deferrals  issuing IOUs for funding that would be repaid in subsequent years. That tactic was used extensively after the Great Recession when state revenues plunged. It requires that districts and charter schools borrow short-term to cover the delay in state funding.

School advocates clearly prefer Newsoms approach and are critical of the LAOs recommendations, although they arent ready to suggest further cuts if revenues turn south.

We dont want to start negotiating with ourselves over which programs to cut, but need to be prepared for a challenging budget if revenues do not rebound in the second half of this fiscal year, Kevin Gordon, president of Capitol Advisors Group, an education consultancy, wrote in a letter to his clients last week.

Edgar Zazueta, executive director of the Association of California School Administrators, criticized the LAO and called on Newsom and legislators to protect their investments in schools.

The LAOs recommendations in response to the fiscal picture are potentially devastating to schools and especially students, he said. The programs that could be impacted are good for students, and well be urging the Legislature and governor to do everything to protect California students.

PHOTOS: Napa teens find home at Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley Boys and Girls Club 12 Boys and Girls Club 13 Boys and Girls Club 11 Boys and Girls Club 14 Boys and Girls Club 4 Boys and Girls Club 1 Boys and Girls Club 3 Boys and Girls Club 2 Boys and Girls Club 5 Boys and Girls Club 6 Boys and Girls Club 7 Boys and Girls Club 8 Boys and Girls Club 9 Boys and Girls Club 10
Young man throws stone at Armenia government building window

Armenia premier meets with Kirants village residents of Tavush Province (PHOTOS)

RFE/RL: Putin loses in Armenias Yerevan, wins in Gyumri in Russia presidential election

High-tech minister on removing Russia TV channels from multiplex: Armenia's dignity is at core of decisions

Kazakhstan FM considers it necessary to increase trade with Armenia

Armenia, Kazakhstan FMs discuss new logistical opportunities

Armenia 2041 Foundation launches Galvanizing Diaspora program

Kazakhstan FM notes Armenias Crossroads of Peace projects importance for Middle Corridor

Armenia, Kazakhstan FMs sign 2024/25 action plan

Armenia PM is in Tavush Province, meeting with residents of Voskepar, Baghanis, neighboring villages

Archaeologists find inscription of King Antiochus I of Armenian Yervanduni Dynasty, in Turkey

Kazakhstan FM is in Armenia (PHOTOS)

Rolls-Royce Ghost to be retired and replaced by new Alpina sedan

Ardshinbank cardholders can now enjoy a 10% cashback!

Withdrawal from lawsuits against Azerbaijan in international courts will cause irreparable damage to Armenia, Armenians

EU Council to discuss assistance to Armenia, Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization

7,825 Karabakh residents who left Armenia since September 2023 have not returned, new data say

Armenia to submit application for EU membership?

Archaeologists discover where legendary British warship that disappeared in 17th century sank

Large number of Russians came from Georgia to Armenia to vote in presidential election, envoy says

Stoltenberg: NATO hopes to have stable peace between Azerbaijan, Armenia

Belgorod attacked by two rockets during the day: there are dead and injured

Media: Elon Musk's company is building a network of hundreds of spy satellites for US intelligence

Shooting in Pennsylvania: at least three dead, gunman took hostages

MEPs appeal to EU leadership to protect cultural heritage of Artsakh Armenians

New talks between Israel and Hamas are scheduled in Qatar on Sunday

India's national elections will be held from 19 April to 1 June

Aliyev: Azerbaijan and Georgia have always supported each other's sovereignty

Iran calls for formation of international coalition against Israel

Biden told Aliyev of US commitment to peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Stoltenberg will meet in Yerevan with the President and Prime-minister of Armenia

Turkish Foreign Ministry issues anti-Russian statement on Crimea issue

Zakharova: There is a historical answer to Armenia's doubts about sincerity of Russia's intentions

Zakharova: Moscow discusses with Armenia dragging Yerevan into anti-Russian course

Zakharova: Armenia's withdrawal from CSTO should be based on real needs of the country, not on "flirting" with West

Amazon and Microsoft suspend their cloud products in Russia

Dollar, euro lose value in Armenia

Armenia deputy FM: There has been considerable regress regarding visa facilitation with EU

Deputy FM: As landlocked country, Armenia recognizes vital importance of inclusive connectivity, open borders

FM: Armenia made every effort to prevent de-Armenianization in Karabakh

FM to reporters: You will be the first to know when Armenia intends to apply for EU membership

Ararat Mirzoyan: All Armenia authorities have negotiated on territorial concessions to Azerbaijan

FM: Deepening of Armenia's relations with the West, EU not directed against Russia

Mirzoyan: Unprecedented number of senior French officials visited Armenia in 2023

Ararat Mirzoyan: Armenia, Azerbaijan are close to mutual understanding on recognition of 1991 borders

Armenia made very active efforts to have minimal mutually acceptable wording with CSTO partners, FM assures

FM: Georgia ready to contribute to process of establishing peace in South Caucasus

Armenia FM: Events have occurred that have made it impossible to do certain things

Armenia FM: Ultimate goal not materialized yet in relations with Turkey

FM: There are international players interested in Armenia ceasing to exist

Mirzoyan: No agreement between Armenia, Azerbaijan to withdraw international lawsuits against each other

Armenia FM reiterates PM's arguments on handover of 4 villages in Tavush Province to Azerbaijan

FM: Armenia still doesnt understand how CSTO partners present their area of responsibility in South Caucasus

Mirzoyan: EU monitoring mission in Armenia has become factor of stability on Azerbaijan border

Dennis Francis: UN hopes for signing of Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty

FM: 23 Armenians still kept in custody in Azerbaijan

Armenia FM: Still not many tangible results on fundamental issues, we are still negotiating with Azerbaijan

European Commission official underscores provision of assistance to people affected by Karabakh conflict

Peter Stano: Armenia can apply for EU membership

MFA: Genocide prevention agenda is among Armenias priorities

Russia holding presidential elections

US intelligence warns of potentially devastating new pandemic

Newspaper: Birth rate in Armenia 19% lower than last year

Stoltenberg: NATO sought to maintain stronger relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan

Georgian Prime Minister to visit Armenia

Premier receives IMF Armenia mission chief

Anne-Laurence Petel-led delegation to arrive in Armenia

FM: Armenia looks into prospects of further deepening partnership with EU

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Vardges Sureniants Salome painting returns to National Gallery of Armenia exhibition

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Sunak: There is historic opportunity to put an end to Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict

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Armenia official: Trade with India amounted to $380M in 2023

ICC NCA head: India considers Armenia an important bridge to enter larger markets

Anne-Laurence Petel welcomes resolution on EU-Armenia relations

India ambassador: We are happy that our relations with Armenia are developing in defense sector also

Indians are now 2nd largest community in Armenia after Russians, envoy says

India-Armenia business forum kicks off in Yerevan

Armenia parliament speaker on European Parliament resolution: We thank European partners for this important step

PM: European Parliament resolution is another opportunity to discuss vision of Armenia's future

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European Parliament resolution demands Azerbaijan troops withdrawal from Armenia territory

European Parliament adopts resolution proposing to consider possibility of Armenia's candidacy for EU membership

Russia MFA spox: We are concerned by Armenia leaderships sometimes offensive rhetoric on CSTO topics

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Armenia defense minister, Austria envoy, military attache discuss enhancing cooperation (PHOTOS)

Armenia official: Those 4 villages in Tavush Province are not in our administrative territorial division

European Parliament passes resolution proposing to consider possibility of EU membership candidacy to Armenia

The Kremlin comments on PM Pashinyan's statements about possibility of Armenia leaving CSTO

US envoy to Armenia underscores empowering women to participate meaningfully at all levels of conflict prevention

RFE/RL: Armenia ready to find solutions, including in most problematic areas of Tavush Province, government says

The number of Team mobile subscribers is over 1 million
People make handicrafts during a celebration of the Lantern Festival at the Chinese Cultural Center in Berlin, Germany, Feb. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)



Concerts, galas, lantern riddle solving, as well as fairs and exhibitions, were held across several European countries in celebration of the much-anticipated Chinese Lantern Festival.

The festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations and symbolizes the coming of spring. This year, the Lantern Festival fell on Saturday.

On Saturday evening, in Oxford, the United Kingdom, the Oxford Chinese Students and Scholars Association organized a gala celebrating the Year of the Dragon and the Lantern Festival, showcasing an array of cultural performances such as lion dance, martial arts display, folk music and dance, Sichuan Opera face-changing, and a cappella.

Approximately 1,000 attendees reveled in the diverse performances. "The diversity and vibrancy that our Chinese friends bring to Oxford enrich our cultural tapestry and foster an environment of mutual understanding and respect," said Lord Mayor of Oxford Lubna Arshad.

A highlight of the gala was a Chinese-style stand-up comedy, or "Xiangsheng." It entertained the audience by talking about Chinese poems and their translations, eliciting laughter from the audience with a skillful blend of wordplay and humor.

One of the comedians, Shyshov Yegor, a Ukrainian living in China for more than 15 years, told Xinhua that he first went to China as an exchange student. He said "Xiangsheng" is not only a performance that can bring joy to people but also a language art that facilitates mutual understanding between different cultures.

Also on Saturday, a Chinese Spring Festival fair with over 30 booths provided a festive display of Chinese food, martial arts, calligraphy, Tai Chi, and Hanfu display in Antwerp, Belgium.

The one-day event, co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Belgium and the overseas Chinese societies in Belgium, attracted nearly 2,000 residents, overseas Chinese in the country, and tourists from other countries.

A resident, who gave his name as Lucas and wore a deep-blue Chinese Tang suit with dragon-shaped embroidery on his sleeves, shared his knowledge about the Spring Festival with Xinhua. "I know there are 12 zodiac signs in China. My zodiac sign is a tiger. It's a bit sad that I'm not a dragon, but a tiger is also pretty cool," he said with a big smile.

In Binche, Belgium, the Happy Chinese New Year of the Dragon exhibition was held at the International Carnival and Mask Museum. The show running until March 31 represents understandings of the Chinese dragon by 41 artists through their paintings and designs.

At a Lantern Festival party in Slovakia on Friday evening, some 200 attendees participated in activities such as solving lantern riddles, writing Chinese characters and making sweet glutinous rice dumplings called yuanxiao, or tangyuan.

An award ceremony for a lantern drawing contest, dedicated to the Chinese Lantern Festival, was held at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria on Thursday evening. About 120 out of more than 300 contestants, who are students from six national art schools in five Bulgarian cities, participated in the award ceremony.

"These works are imbued with the strong spirit of traditional Chinese culture and the wonderful imagination of children," Guan Xin, cultural counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria said.

Avelina Nikolova from Sliven, who was honored with prize, told Xinhua that the event was a "very entertaining, exciting experience," and she learned a lot about Chinese culture.

On Wednesday and Thursday in Malta, two Chinese Lantern Festival concerts captivated local audiences with the enchanting melodies of traditional Chinese music. The event, hosted by the China Cultural Centre in Malta, featured classic Chinese songs such as "Give Me a Rose," "Nocturnal Peace" and "Moonlight over the Spring River."

The China Broadcasting Performing Arts Troupe's performance in the capital city of Valletta on Wednesday night received a standing ovation, and the artists gave an encore of two more songs: "Jasmine Flower" from China and "Festa" from Malta.

Mary Ann Cauchi, director of Funding and Strategy for the Arts Council Malta, said that the Chinese festival has become a popular attraction. It promotes the convergence of two different cultures, and two ancient civilizations, she said.
More than 30 NGOs of Armenia have disseminated a statement appealing to civil society representatives not to participate in COP 29 to be held in Azerbaijan, "EcoLur" Informational NGO reported. The statement reads as follows:

CALLING CIVIL SOCIETY NOT TO ATTEND COP29 IN AZERBAIJAN

The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ("COP29") is scheduled to be held on November 11-24, 2024 in Azerbaijan.

29 will be held in a country that was expelled from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) by the decision of the PACE in 2024 for many reasons, in particular, the organization of the blockade of Nagorno Karabakh and military operations, continuous violations of human rights in Azerbaijan, because of the persecutions against opposition politicians and independent media. The Civil Coalition of Azerbaijani Exiles (AZEX), represented by the Institute for Human Rights (IHR) and the Institute for Freedom and Safety of Journalists (IRFS), calls on UN member countries to objectively assess the situation with human rights and democracy in Azerbaijan and not allow the current authorities to receive political dividends by holding such a large-scale event as COP-29 in Azerbaijan.

Against the backdrop of pressures against the independent press and civil society in Azerbaijan, fake "public" associations are being created, such as the recently formed Environment First coalition, which promotes the aggressive and military agenda of the Aliyev government. One of the founders of the coalition is Amin Mamedov, who was an active participant in the siege of Nagorno Karabakh in 2022-2023. As a result of the blockade, around 120,000 people were deprived of basic necessities, heating and medicine. The fake environmentalists were then replaced by the military. Ethnic Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh were forcibly displaced from their homes.

Azerbaijan is expanding production of carbon-based fuels with support from major oil companies and some political leaders. At the same time, climate risks and environmental damage are increasing significantly. The area of Absheron peninsula is polluted with oil and oil products, beryllium, lead, uranium ). The contaminated area makes up 21.3 thousand hectares (TASIS 2009).

"Azer-Iod" LLC emits radioactive iodine into the Mil Mughan irrigation canal, which supplies water to Mirgurbanli and Yeni Geshlag villages of Neftchala District in Azerbaijan. Residents complained, but the government-controlled press interviewed only the company's employees.

In 2023, Soyudlu Village residents in Gadabay District, Azerbaijan, protested against the construction of a cyanide tailings dump, which was intended for the waste generated by the operation of the Gyadaba gold and silver mine. Violent actions were taken against the residents by law enforcement agencies, using batons, rubber bullets, pepper and tear gas. No Azerbaijani organization has come forward in defense of the inhabitants of Soyudlu village and the environment.

The participation of independent non-governmental organizations and the free press in COP 29 in Baku does not have security guarantees, provocations or forced expulsion from the country cannot be ruled out, as happened with the member of the Swiss parliament Nick Guger during the 2024 presidential elections in Azerbaijan, who was rudely and demonstratively deported from Azerbaijan despite the status of an accredited observer at the Central Committee of Azerbaijan and a Swiss diplomatic passport.

"We are concerned about the safety of climate activists who will go to COP29. We know that civil society in Azerbaijan is very limited in its activities and cannot safely advocate for important social issues. Our members have already been discriminated against during the climate negotiations, so the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change should pay special attention to security and large-scale civil society participation at COP29," said Olga Boyko, coordinator of the largest international climate network CAN EECCA.

We, the representatives of the civil society, taking into account the PACE position of the authoritative international organizations regarding Azerbaijan, the numerous statements of the civil society on the international platforms regarding human rights violations in Azerbaijan, as well as rejecting the manipulative attempts of the Azerbaijani fake environmental organizations and coalitions to impose an aggressive political agenda of the Aliyev dictatorial regime, call civil society not to participate in the political show organized by the oil lobby at COP29.

The Statement is open to join.

"EcoLur" Informational NGO "Center for Community Mobilization and Support" NGO "Ecological Public Union" NGO "Dalma-Sona" Environmental Foundation Helsinki Civil Assembly Vanadzor office "Helsinki Association" Human Rights Defending NGO Transparency International Anti Corruption Centre "Green Armenia" Environmental NGO "Ecological Right" NGO "Human Rights Research Center" NGO "Prospective Development Center" NGO "Armenian Forests" NGO "Armenian Environmental Front" Voluntary Initiative "Khazer" Ecological and Cultural NGO Direct Democracy NGO Pink Armenia NGO Peace Dialogue NGO Women resource center NGO Success Lady Youth NGO

20 Public Oversight NGO

21 Spitak Helsinki Group human rights NGO

New Horizons NGO Green Changes NGO Martuni Womens Community Council NGO Goris Press Club NGO Public Journalism Club NGO

27 Cinemart youth NGO

28 Civil Youth Center NGO

Chemical Safety Coalition

30 Law Development and Protection Foundation
The Supreme People's Procuratorate has issued an action plan on the launch of a special campaign focusing on the protection of enterprises, aiming to facilitate the healthy growth of Chinese enterprises.

The campaign, running from February to December, features 14 key measures, including severe punishment for crimes that undermine fair competition, severe punishment for corruption within private enterprises, a special crackdown on "shell companies," and better protection of the property rights of private enterprises.

In response to internal management issues reflected in judicial cases involving enterprises, the plan requires procuratorial organs at all levels to encourage and guide private enterprises to strengthen their own compliance development, thereby promoting the healthy growth of private enterprises and private entrepreneurs.

It also emphasizes using cases to help interpret laws and increasing publicity of the rule of law to guide private entrepreneurs and employees in enhancing legal awareness.
Japanese moon lander wakes up after lunar night

The lander touched down last month at a wonky angle that left its solar panels facing the wrong way. Photo: AFP

Japan's Moon lander has produced another surprise by waking up after the two-week lunar night, the country's space agency said Monday.



The unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down last month at a wonky angle that left its solar panels facing the wrong way.



As the sun's angle shifted, it came back to life for two days and carried out scientific observations of a crater with a high-spec camera, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said.



It went to sleep again as darkness returned and, since it was "not designed for the harsh lunar nights", JAXA had been uncertain whether it would reawaken.



"Yesterday we sent a command, to which SLIM responded," JAXA said on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.



"SLIM succeeded in surviving a night on the Moon's surface while maintaining its communication function!"



It said communications were "terminated after a short time, as it was still lunar midday and the temperature of the communication equipment was very high".



But it added: "Preparations are being made to resume operations when instrument temperatures have sufficiently cooled."



SLIM, dubbed the "Moon Sniper" for its precision landing technology, touched down within its target landing zone on January 20.



The feat was a win for Japan's space programme after a string of recent failures, making the nation only the fifth to achieve a "soft landing" on the Moon, after the United States, the Soviet Union, China and India.



But during its descent, the craft suffered engine problems and ended up on its side, meaning the solar panels were facing west instead of up.



The aim of the mission is to examine a part of the Moon's mantle -- the usually deep inner layer beneath its crust -- that is believed to be accessible.



Rocks exposed in this area are "crucial in the search for the origins of the Moon and the Earth", Tomokatsu Morota, associate professor at the University of Tokyo specialising in lunar and planetary exploration, previously told AFP.



This includes shedding light on the mystery of the Moon's possible water resources, which will also be key to building bases there one day as possible stopovers on the way to Mars.



The latest news from SLIM comes after JAXA toasted a successful blast-off for its new flagship H3 rocket on February 17, making it third time lucky after years of delays and two previous failed attempts.



Countries including Russia, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates are also trying to reach the Moon.



The first American spaceship to the Moon since the Apollo era -- the uncrewed Odysseus lander built by a private company and funded by NASA -- landed near the lunar south pole on Thursday.



But its maker said the spacecraft was probably lying sideways following a dramatic landing, even as ground controllers worked to download data and surface photos from it.



Previous Japanese lunar missions have failed twice -- one public and one private.



In 2022, the country unsuccessfully sent a lunar probe named Omotenashi as part of the United States' Artemis 1 mission.



And in April last year, Japanese startup ispace tried in vain to become the first private company to land on the Moon, losing communication with its craft after what it described as a "hard landing". (AFP)
VMPL New Delhi [India], February 26: There are over 29 million Indians settled abroad, comprising the world's largest overseas diaspora. Every year 2.5 million Indians migrate overseas, with countries like the USA, UAE, Canada and Malaysia being the prime destinations. But recently Europe is emerging, having more than 2.8 million Indians. Due to low population and shortage of skilled workers in countries such as New Zealand, Germany, Italy, and other EU countries, Indians have been actively migrating to these countries. NRIs amount to only 1% of India's population, but they contribute 3.4% to India's GDP, without even living in the country. India has seen a significant increase in remittances since 1991 and is still growing at a steady pace. Remittances increased significantly from 2016 ($62.75 billion) and 2017 ($68.97 billion). According to World Bank estimates, India remitted $79 billion in 2018, more than any other country. Remittances accounted for 2.9% of India's GDP and contributed around 22% to 23% of the nation's foreign exchange reserves. Beyond financial contributions exceeding $107.5 billion annually, NRIs also contribute to India's growth through their entrepreneurial ventures, knowledge transfer, and social impact. Acting as global ambassadors, they strengthen economic diversification, innovation, and global connections, taking the nation forward. With the rise in Indians moving overseas, there is an increase in platforms talking about abroad lifestyle, businesses, jobs, immigration, investments and healthcare. Many creators are putting out content around this on social media, and one such platform that stands out is Staying Indian. Staying Indian is emerging as a platform of connection, collaboration, and support for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs). Founded by Gaurav Lakhwani, an industry-leading IT professional and startup mentor, this community goes beyond mere social interaction, actively bridging the gap between diverse NRI backgrounds, building partnerships, and equipping them with the knowledge and resources to navigate the European business landscape. Gaurav being a part of the Indian diaspora himself, having lived in 22 countries over a span of 10 years, understands various cultures and preferences of different communities. While he is continuing his career as an IT professional, he is also contributing to his roots and society through this platform. Staying Indian also hosts insightful podcasts featuring successful NRIs across diverse domains like business, entrepreneurship, technology, and politics. Some outstanding guests on podcast so far were, - Rohit Kumar, an NRI import-export expert, gave insights into the potential of Indian products in the US markets and how the expat community can contribute to global trade. - Reema Mahajan, the founder of UAE's largest Indian expat women community, described her journey and motivation behind building such a huge community in one of the podcasts. - Kaivalya Apte, an Indian techie working in Berlin, Germany, where he gave insights into the tech job market in Europe and the impact of AI on jobs. - Dr Nupur Kohli, the first Indian origin Netherlands MP candidate highlighted the role of Indian expats in electing their representatives, safeguarding their rights and using all the opportunities provided to them. Similarly, there are many other podcasts having a variety of different guests talking about different topics, ranging from NRI investment planning, Immigration and lifestyle, to NRI mental health and cross-cultural experiences. These podcasts serve as invaluable resources, offering exclusive access to the journeys and experiences of successful Indians who have carved their niche in the European landscape. Staying Indian provides a platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem-solving. Whether it's understanding the process of setting up operations, marketing strategies, or streamlining supply chain management within the EU market, this NRI community offers comprehensive support in all aspects. Aspiring entrepreneurs, in particular, benefit from crucial assistance in securing funding and forging partnerships with accelerators and incubators. "We Indians are everywhere," says Gaurav Lakhwani, emphasising the importance of networking among NRIs. "Living in so many countries has allowed me to build a global network that we can leverage to create a strong community." Inspired by his own investment experiences in India, Gaurav recognized the challenges faced by NRIs in finding the right investment opportunities and founders in securing funding. Staying Indian became his answer, a platform that goes beyond geographical boundaries to build a thriving global network of NRIs and PIOs. Envisioned as a hub for shared experiences, collaborative problem-solving, and forging connections to propel Indian businesses forward in the European market, Staying Indian leverages the power of interaction through podcasts to foster dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaboration. NRIs residing in Europe, contemplating a move, or planning to launch a business venture in the region, can connect with the Staying Indian community through their website and social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook (@stayingindian). Their podcasts are available on YouTube (@stayingindian) and all major podcast streaming platforms like Spotify, Google Podcast, Apple podcast and Amazon. More than just a community, Staying Indian is a supportive network in the myriad of European opportunities. Join them to build meaningful connections that will help you understand and grow in the European business area. Embrace the spirit of being "We-Desi" and join the fastest-growing NRI community in Europe. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
 Flash

Editor's note: The 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, is scheduled to open its second annual session in Beijing on March 5. Around 3,000 elected lawmakers from all walks of life across China will participate in the event, which offers observers a window into the country's political and economic decision making. Here, China.org.cn presents an overview of this political system and its suggested agenda this year.




NewsVoir Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], February 26: Navitas Solar, a Surat based leading module manufacturing brand in the India with manufacturing capacity of 2 GW p.a. launches its latest next generation N-Type TOPCon modules at The Smarter E India - Intersolar India 2024. N-type TOPCon technology is well known for its remarkable energy yield and low temperature coefficient and improves the overall efficiency and lifespan of the solar modules. N-type TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contacts) technology is a new method in module manufacturing that helps to enhance the efficiency of solar panels that is essentially the next generation of PERC. TOPCon is a technology that involves adding a very thin layer of silicon dioxide (sio2) and a layer of phosphorus-doped polycrystalline silicon, which is done to create passivated contact structures on both front and the back surfaces. This additional layer helps to reduce losses and improve the extraction of carriers by using passivated contact structures on both the front and back surfaces. These panels can continue generating power for a longer period. Additionally, TOPCon cells have better conversion efficiency, which means they can potentially lower the cost of manufacturing per watt. TOPCon technology helps to decrease surface recombination and enhances the durability and consistent performance of the panels over time. TOPCon solar panels have a low power degradation rate in the first year of operation and for the next 30 years too. Utilizing bifacial technology is one of the unique features of Navitas Solar's N-Type TOPCon. The module's ability to receive sunlight from both the front and backsides greatly increases its energy yield and overall efficiency. Revolutionary Navitas N-Type TOPCon Solar Modules offer power from 560 watts to 630 watts per panel. These modules offer efficiency >22% with higher power generation and reliable characteristics resistance. These panels provide efficient productions under extreme weather conditions along with bifaciality with lower degradation. These bifacial modules generate significantly more power per watt (kWh/kW) over 30 years of life. Navitas N-Type TOPCon module comes with 12-year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty. It is built with 182 mm (M10) 16BB, half-cut cells. The panel can be used with a maximum system voltage of 1,500 V. It has an operational temperature ranging from -40C to 85C. 560 to 580 watts panels are available with dimensions of 2,278 mm x 1,134 mm x30 mm. 590 to 630 watts panels are available with dimensions of 2,466 mm x 1,134 mm x30 mm. Speaking on the occasion, Ankit Singhania, Director, Sales - Procurement & Co-founder, Navitas Solar said, "We are delighted to introduce our next generation Navitas N-Type TOPCon in our portfolio with our expanded manufacturing capacity of 2 GW p.a. With 144 & 156 half-cells & 16 bus bars available in 3.2 mm ARC Glass with transparent back sheet & 2 mm in glass-to-glass combinations, our latest technologies modules can generate power from 560 watts to 630 watts per panel offering module efficiency >22%. This innovative addition has the potential to completely reinvent the solar industry in the upcoming years with its high performance and superior technology. We believe Intersolar 2024 is the perfect venue for Navitas Solar to introduce our new module series because it will be the hub of conversations about the most recent developments in the solar industry. With this development, we are sure that Navitas Solar will establish new standards in the solar industry and we believe that Navitas N-type TOPCon modules will be the choice of consumers in the upcoming years." The Smarter E India- Intersolar Exhibition 2024 is a major event that brings together industry leaders, specialists, and enthusiasts from all over the world. It is scheduled to take place at the Helipad Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from 21st February to 23rd February'2024. Navitas Solar is a fast-growing solar panel manufacturing company based in Surat. It was founded in 2013 by young entrepreneurs Vineet Mittal, Sunay Shah, Ankit Singhania, Aditya Singhania and Saurabh Aggarwal. Navitas Solar is a leading solar module manufacturer in the country with a total manufacturing capacity of 2 GW p.a. It specializes in polycrystalline, Mono PERC & TOPCon solar modules ranging from 5 watts to 720 watts per panel.Navitas Solar is among the few solar module-manufacturing companies in the country to have backward and forward integration. Its subsidiary Navitas Alpha Renewables Pvt. Ltd. manufactures Solar Encapsulants & Backsheets providing backward integration, while forward integration is provided by project execution & full-fledged EPC services for residential, commercial, and industrial clients on rooftops as well as open access solar parks. Navitas Solar is ranked among the top 10 Indian solar manufacturers by JMK Research & Analytics. Navitas Solar has served more than 1000 customers pan India, including governments, semi-government agencies, and commercial enterprises. Navitas Solar is actively looking to grow in other geographies like the USA, Europe, and Africa. Navitas Solar is committed to contributing to the worldwide clean energy movement through sustainable solutions. For more information, please visit www.navitassolar.com. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
One 97 Communications Ltd (OCL), which operates popular fintech brand Paytm, on Monday said that its associate bank Paytm Payments Bank Limited, has reconstituted its Board of Directors. It appointed Ex-Central Bank of India Chairman Srinivasan Sridhar, retired IAS officer Debendranath Sarangi, former Executive Director of Bank of Baroda Ashok Kumar Garg, and Retd. IAS Rajni Sekhri Sibal. "They have recently joined as Independent Directors," Paytm informed stock exchanges in a filing. The parent company One 97 Communications supports its associate bank's move of opting for a board with only independent and executive directors by removing its nominee. In the same exchange filing, it said the Company has been separately informed that founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma has also resigned from the Board of Paytm Payments Bank to enable this transition. The Paytm parent withdraws its nominee from the Paytm Payments Bank Board and Vijay Shekhar Sharma steps down as Part-Time non-executive Chairman and Board member. The bank's future business to be led by a reconstituted Board. The Paytm bank has informed "us that they will commence the process of appointing a new Chairman", the filing said. Sridhar brings with him an illustrious career in banking spanning over 40 years. He is currently serving as the Independent Director at Jubilant Pharmova. He has held leadership positions at Export Import Bank of India, Central Bank of India and National Housing Bank. Sarangi, retired IAS (1977 batch) of Tamil Nadu cadre, is a veteran in public administration and corporate governance. He is currently serving as an Independent director on the boards of several companies including Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation Limited and Voltas Ltd, among others. Sibal is a retired IAS officer of Haryana cadre (1986 batch) with 38 years of experience in administration and governance. She has served as Secretary, Government of India. Currently, she serves as an Independent External Monitor in the Public Sector and as an Independent Director in Corporates. Garg, with 39 years of diverse banking experience, has held significant positions including whole time Director at Bank of Baroda, Chief Executive for the US operations of the bank at New York, Managing Director of Bank of Baroda (Uganda) Ltd at Kampala and Chairman/Director of its subsidiaries in Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Kenya. Beyond these, the board has former Executive Director of Punjab and Sind Bank Arvind Kumar Jain as Independent Director and Surinder Chawla, MD and CEO at Paytm Payments Bank. Surinder Chawla, MD and CEO at Paytm Payments Bank said, "We welcome the appointment of Shri Srinivasan Sridhar, Shri Debendranath Sarangi, Shri Ashok Kumar Garg, and Smt Rajni Sekhri Sibal to our Board, marking a significant step forward in PPBL's journey. Their distinguished expertise will be pivotal in guiding us toward enhancing our governance structures and operational standards, further solidifying our dedication to compliance and best practices." Srinivasan Sridhar, Board Member, Paytm Payments Bank Board said, "I am dedicated to utilizing my extensive banking expertise to steer the bank towards expanding its range of compliant services. It is my goal to ensure that PPBL becomes a paragon of regulatory compliance, setting new standards in delivering exceptional value to the stakeholders, in strict adherence with regulatory frameworks and best practices." Debendranath Sarangi, Board Member, Paytm Payments Bank said, "Assuming this expanded role at a critical juncture for PPBL, my dedication is firmly rooted in adhering to and exceeding the highest standards of regulatory compliance and corporate governance. I am wholly committed to applying my expertise to navigate PPBL towards a future characterized by operational excellence, ensuring strict compliance with regulatory guidelines and fostering a culture of best practices." (ANI)
Kiran Rao's directorial 'Laapataa Ladies' has been selected as the opening film of the second edition of the IFFM Summer Festival. The film will have its Australian premiere on 29th February at the festival ahead of its release on 1st March 2024, read a statement. Excited about the screening, Kiran Rao said, "It's a great honour for Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies) to be the Opening Film at IIFM. I am absolutely delighted and would like to convey my heartfelt gratitude to the festival. I hope the Melbourne audience enjoys the film, and that I get to visit this great city in person soon!" The festival will take place from February 29th to March 2nd. Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick also shared her enthusiasm for the IFFM Summer Festival, stating, "This festival's summer edition this year will have Laapataa Ladies as an opening film, directed by the talented Kiran Rao. We are thrilled to kickstart our latest venture with Kiran's nuances film of layered human relationships, celebrates women and the unexpected complexities that life throws at us. This is our continued endeavour to have a widespread year round celebration of Indian films down under and we are excited to have Kiran's remarkable film be the opening film of the summer edition of our festival." Speaking of 'Laapataa Ladies', the film's story is set in 2001 in rural India about two young brides who get separated during a train journey and what happens when Kishan, a police officer, takes it upon himself to probe the missing case. The film has been produced under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions and Kindling Productions, with the scripting by Biplab Goswami. (ANI)
Actor Randeep Hooda has paid tribute to freedom fighter Veer Savarkar on his death anniversary by sharing a special post. Taking to Instagram, Randeep shared pictures from the sets of 'Swatantrya Veer Savarkar'. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3zOX5OS-Vi/?img_index=2 He also revealed how he locked himself inside a jail cell to feel what Savarkar went through while shooting the biopic. Sharing the photos, he wrote, "Today is the punyatithi of one of the greatest sons of Bharat Mata. Leader, Fearless Freedom Fighter, Writer, Philosopher & Visionary #SawatantryaVeerSavarkar. A man whose towering intellect and fierce courage scared the British so much that they locked him in this 7 by 11 foot jail in Kalapani for two life times (50 years). During the recce on his biopic I tried to lock myself inside this cell to feel what he must have gone through. I couldn't stay locked for even 20 minutes where he was locked for 11 years often in solitary confinement." He added, "I imagined the unparalleled endurance of #VeerSavarkar who endured the cruelty and inhuman conditions of the imprisonment and yet managed to build and inspire the armed revolution. His perseverance and contribution is unmatchable hence for decades the Anti India forces still continue to vilify him....Naman. #VeerSavarkarOn22ndMarch #WhoKilledHisStory." Recently, makers locked the release date of the film. Randeep took to social media to shar that the film is all set to hit the theatres on March 22, 2024. "Two heroes of Indian Independence Struggle; One celebrated and One removed from History...On #MartyrsDay 2024 - HISTORY WILL BE REWRITTEN #SwatantryaVeerSavarkar IN CINEMAS ON 22nd March, 2024," he wrote. The project is a biopic of freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, popularly known as Veer Savarkar. The film is directed and co-written by Randeep Hooda with Utkarsh Naithani. Produced by Zee Studios, Anand Pandit, Randeep Hooda, Sandeep Singh and Yogesh Rahar, the film also stars Ankita Lokhande and Amit Sial. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was born on May 28, 1883 in Maharashtra's Nashik. He was a freedom fighter, lawyer and a writer. He coined the term 'Hindutva'. (ANI)
Actor Ali Fazal on Monday shared a throwback picture from his first meeting with legendary Hollywood actor Robert De Niro. Taking to Instagram, Ali shared the picture that he captioned, "#Throwback to the 1st time i met him . God , i remember how you @diamirzaofficial took me there.. cant thank you enough. I was too shy to ever step into a room to take autographs and photos with people i admire. I still am socially very awkward when I have to play myself. Lol. But to Greatness and its infections." https://www.instagram.com/p/C3zJwJ6qJJP/ In the picture, both the actors could be seen sitting on a couch while the 'Goodfellas' actor gives Ali an autograph. Soon after he shared the pic, his friends and fans swamped down the comment section and dropped red hearts and fire emoticons. Siddhant Kapoor commented, "Two legends." Actor Urvashi Rautela commented, "You're so lucky." Meanwhile, on the work front, Ali has recently joined the star cast of Sunny Deol starrer 'Lahore,1947'. As per a statement, Ali has come on board to play an important role in the film, which is being directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. Last week, it was revealed that the actor Abhimanyu Singh who has worked in Sooryavanshi, Dhol, Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Kisi Ki Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan has joined to play the antagonist opposite Sunny Deol in the film. This project marks the teaming up of Sunny Deol, Rajkumar Santoshi along with Aamir Khan. Interestingly, this film will also mark Aamir Khan Productions' (AKP) 17th production under their banner.The film also stars Preity Zinta and Shabana Azmi. Recently, Santoshi expressed his excitement about having Preity in the film. "After a long time, Preity Zinta is again playing a very important role for the silver screen with Lahore 1947. She is indeed an extremely talented, finest, and most natural actress in our industry. Whichever character she plays she totally invests herself in it and makes the audience feel that she is made for that character. (ANI)
Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Saha criticized Communist Party of India (CPI-M) on Sunday for "depriving the people for the last 35 years", asserting that the party's main agenda was to deceive the public. While addressing a Lavyarthi Sammelan organized by the 8-Town Bordowali mandal at Muktadhara Auditorium in Agartala, he stated that the primary focus of the CPIM was to mislead and impoverish the people. "We have increased the social pension. In India, Tripura is the only state where the government pays Rs 2000 as a social pension. CPIM has ruled the state for the last 35 years. What have they accomplished? We always said that this government was for the poor. They never respected the people, and the main aim of CPIM was to deceive the people. Another one of their agendas was to keep people poor so that they would support their party. Those who did not adhere to their rules were suppressed and oppressed," he said. The Tripura CM highlighted that during the CPIM's rule, Tripura witnessed numerous incidents of violence, forcing people to leave the state to save their lives. He emphasized that the present government does not support such a culture. "CPIM used to conduct elections through organized rigging. In the 2023 Assembly election, not a single violent incident occurred. Nobody thought that an election without violence was possible in Tripura, but yes, the election was peaceful. During my meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I raised this issue. People have faith in us and supported us. Both CPIM and Congress are known for their unruly behaviour. People are aware of their real agenda," CM Manik Saha said. He also underscored that everyone must work to solve the problems of the people. "We have also launched a web portal named Amar Sarkar, which has become a massive success. People can file their complaints with pictures on this portal. We want to stand by the people by solving their problems. Under the guidance of PM Modi, we have been delivering the benefits of various schemes to all sections of people without any political affiliation. As a result, the people's happiness is evident everywhere, and they are very content. The people's response clearly indicates that they are ready to ensure the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party and strengthen Modi Ji's hands in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections," he added. (ANI)
In a setback to Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik before the elections, former minister and a close associate of CM and one of the founder members of the party, Debasis Nayak and Congress legislator Nihar Mahananda joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday. BJP state President Manmohan Samal and other senior BJP leaders were present during a misran parv held at state BJP office. After joining BJP Debasis Nayak said that there is no prestige in BJD. All bureaucrats are running the party. "The Party is affected by the Jayalalitha syndrome and no longer is the same party as it used to be earlier. It knows well that it won't get votes. This is why it is importing people from other parties. Due to this, many BJD leaders, MLAs, and MPs are ready to join BJP within a period of 15 days," he said. He also praised Modi government and said that BJP will form a government in Odisha. Earlier on February 22, a day after joining the BJP, expelled BJD leader and Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi on Thursday alleged that the Naveen Patnaik-led state government had become the "centre of corruption". He urged the people "to bring a new double-engine BJP government" to the state. "Today, Odisha, under Naveen Patnaik's government is suffering from suppression, oppression, corruption, conspiracy, commission and collection. This government has become a centre of corruption... I appeal people of Odisha to change the government and bring a new double-engine BJP government," Panigrahi told ANI. A former minister and three-time BJD MLA, Panigrahi joined the BJP at a 'Misrana Parba' programme at the party's state headquarters in the presence of BJP Odisha unit president, Manmohan Samal and other senior leaders. Panigrahi was expelled from the BJD in November 2020 for alleged anti-people activities. (ANI)
Muslims across the country celebrated the ''Shab-e-Baraat'', also known as the ''night of forgiveness'', a significant festival observed on the 14th and 15th night of Sha''aban, the eighth month in the Islamic calendar on Sunday. The Shahi Imam of Delhi''s Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari on Sunday declared his son as his successor in a ''dastarbandi'' ceremony held at the courtyard of the grand mosque. The ceremony involves tying a ''dastarbandi (turban)'' on the head of the next Imam, following with the prayers. Syed Ahmed Bukhari said, "This is the night of prayer. It''s the night of forgiveness from sins. Everyone should pray in silence and later everyone should go to their homes." Shab-e-Barat celebrations were observed at Nizamuddin Darga, in Delhi. People were seen in large numbers surrounding the Holy Dargah with their prayers. Delhi Police officials arranged various check posts around the National Capital to maintain law and order in awe of the Shab-e-Baraat celebrations. Srinagar''s Dargah Hazratbal Shrine was decorated with lights and people gathered there in large numbers. People also arrived at the ''Bada Qabristaan'' in Mumbai to pray for their relatives who passed away. Shoaib Khatib, Trustee of Jumma Masjid in Mumbai said, "Bada Qabristaan in Mumbai has a history of 200 years. It is spread over 8 acres. People of those who have passed away come here and pray for them. Mumbai Police has made wonderful arrangements. Whatever guidelines were made, everyone followed them. People who come here also worship peacefully. The Masjid Trust makes arrangements a month before the Shab-e-Baraat." People sat and listened to the religious hymns at Uttar Pradesh''s Aligarh. The word ''Shab'' has Persian origins, meaning night, while ''Barat'' is an Arabic word that stands for salvation and forgiveness. On the night of Shab-e-Barat, Muslims worldwide ask for forgiveness for their sins from Allah. This festival is marked with great enthusiasm across South Asia, including countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Many believe that this is a holy night when Allah is more forgiving and that sincere prayers can help wash away their sins. The night is also used to seek mercy for deceased and ill family members, and it is believed that Allah decides people''s fortune for the year ahead, their sustenance, and whether they will have the opportunity to perform Hajj (pilgrimage). Further, Shab-e-Barat has its unique traditions, depending on cultural diversity and local traditions. During the day, Muslims prepare delicious sweets like Halwa, Zarda, and other delicacies to distribute among their neighbors, relatives, family members, and the poor. Many visit the graves of their loved ones to pray for eternal peace for their souls. Some also observe a fast on Shab-e-Barat. Mosques are decorated, and many of them have periodic recitations and announcements throughout the day, before preparing for the main events of the night. After sundown, Muslim devotees start their prayers with ''Isha Ki Namaz'' and continue the prayer session throughout the night till the next day before eating Sehri, a pre-dawn meal before the fast for Shab-e-Barat. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed the Congress after Nitasha Kaul, a United Kingdom based Professor alleged that she was detained at the Bengaluru International Airport and was sent back to London after the Central government denied her permission to participate in an event organised by the Karnataka government. In a post on X, BJP Karnataka official handle said that Congress party has disgraced Indian Constitution by inviting a Pakistani sympathiser who wants India's break up. "Don't you have any shame left CM Siddaramaiah? Are you trying to challenge the constitution and threaten the unity & integrity of India? It is now apparent that the Congress party is now using Karnataka as its laboratory to prepare ground for its divisive agendas, potentially undermining national unity and integrity. At the expense of Karnataka tax payers', Congress govt is channelling funds to Terrorist-Sympathisers, Urban Naxals, Anti-Nationals, Riots-accused to destabilise India ahead of elections," the party said. "Thanks to our security agencies, one such anti-India element was caught suspiciously entering India and detained at the airport. No money to spend on drought relief or developmental needs of Karnataka, but Siddaramaiah is happy to finance the Break India Brigade in an effort to appease Rahul Gandhi and save his CM Chair, all in the name of Dr. Ambedkar's constitution. What a disgrace!" it added. Nitasha Kaul posted a series of posts on X, describing the whole situation where she alleged that she was given no reason by the Immigration. "Denied entry to India for speaking on democratic and constitutional values. I was invited to a conference as esteemed delegate by Govt of Karnataka (Congress-ruled state) but Centre refused me entry. All my documents were valid and current (UK passport & OCI)," she said. "I was given no reason by immigration except 'we cannot do anything, orders from Delhi'. My travel and logistics had been arranged by Karnataka and I had the official letter with me. I received no notice or info in advance from Delhi that I would not be allowed to enter," she alleged on X. Further, the UK based professor said that she spent 12 hours in a flight from London to Bangalore, several hours at immigration where they shuttled her here and there and provided no info on process. "Then 24 hours in a holding cell (no BA flight back until next day) with restricted movement, a narrow area to lie down and no easy access to food and water, made dozens of calls to airport for basic things as a pillow and blanket, which they refused to provide, then 12 hours on the flight back to London," she added. (ANI)
Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has said that Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) will guarantee water to the public for the next 40-50 years and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot only did the work of delaying, diverting and stalling the schemes. On Sunday, the second day of the East Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) Abhar Yatra, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma held meetings in Dholpur, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Tonk and Jaipur districts. "Once there was abundant underground water available here, but now it has gone into the abyss. A big water crisis has arisen. Atal ji's government had brought the river linking project, in which Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal was to be linked, but no consensus was reached between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Atal ji's government could not be formed again in 2004 and the Congress led UPA government suspended it for 10 years. In the year 2016, Vasundhara ji deviated from this and conceptualized ERCP, but unfortunately in the year 2018, her government went away," he said. "Before the assembly elections, I had travelled to all the 13 districts including Alwar to Jaipur. I had told how the Gehlot government of Rajasthan is using ERCP as a political weapon. How politics is being played with the dry throats of three and a half crore people and lakhs of farmers. In a democracy, playing with the interests of the people is considered as a sin. ERCP will guarantee water to the public for the next 40-50 years," he added. Shekhawat also expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma for working at a fast pace. The Union Jal Shakti Minister further said that in the year 2019, only 16 percent of the rural homes in the country had access to water through pipelines and 19 crore 40 lakh families in the country live in rural areas. "My parents had to walk 5-10 kilometres daily to get water. The Prime Minister started Jal Jeevan Mission to free them from this. Despite the Corona disaster and water being a state subject, drinking water has reached 100 percent of households in 10 provinces in the country. Today, tap water has started reaching 75 percent of rural homes. Considering the circumstances of Rajasthan, maximum resources were made available here, but for the previous Congress government, bringing change in the lives of the poor or making plans for them was not a priority. The priority for them was how the vote bank could be increased," Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said. He further attacked former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and said that "He only did the work of delaying, diverting and stalling the schemes. Rajasthan was given Rs 27,000 crore, but it spent only Rs 6,000 crore, which also created a storm of corruption. The people of the state punished him and threw him down from the chair of power." (ANI)